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  DIGITAL CAMERAS

Canon PowerShot S90

EDITORS RATING
8.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 10 megapixels, 3.8 x, 3 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Excellent control system for manual, semimanual shooting; fantastic wide-angle f2 lens; very good low-light photo quality.

THE BAD

Performance is merely average; no HD movie mode or optical zoom while recording; no optical viewfinder and a couple other design miscues.

THE BOTTOM LINE

As long as you're not expecting dSLR speed in a tiny body, the Canon PowerShot S90 is an excellent compact camera for advanced amateurs.

REVIEWED: 12-Nov-2009 09:22 AM PST
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 (with 20mm lens)

EDITORS CHOICE
1
EDITORS RATING
8.0
SPECS

12.1 megapixels, 3 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Excellent photo quality and performance for its class; comfortable, streamlined design; interchangeable lenses.

THE BAD

EVF costs extra; can't use EVF and hot-shoe flash simultaneously.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The best interchangeable-lens compact we've see thus far, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 delivers great photo quality and performance in an enthusiast-friendly shooting experience. Like competitors, however, the lack of an optical viewfinder limits its usability for photographing action.

REVIEWED: 29-Oct-2009 10:30 AM PDT
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 (with 14mm-45mm lens)

EDITORS CHOICE
1
EDITORS RATING
8.0
SPECS

12.1 megapixels, 3.2 x, 3 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Excellent photo quality and performance for its class; comfortable, streamlined design; interchangeable lenses.

THE BAD

EVF costs extra; can't use EVF and hot-shoe flash simultaneously.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The best interchangeable-lens compact we've see thus far, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 delivers great photo quality and performance in an enthusiast-friendly shooting experience. Like competitors, however, the lack of an optical viewfinder limits its usability for photographing action.

REVIEWED: 29-Oct-2009 10:30 AM PDT
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Samsung DualView TL220 (gray)

EDITORS RATING
8.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.2 megapixels, 4.6 x, 3 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Large automatic shooting feature set; responsive touch-screen navigation; unique dual-screen design.

THE BAD

Adapter needed for HDMI output; microSD card requirement might irk some; touch-screen interface not for everyone; battery charges in camera; whole screen not used for framing shots at full resolution.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The technology-packed Samsung DualView TL225 is the ultimate ultracompact for those who like to be in front of the camera more than they like being behind it.

REVIEWED: 23-Oct-2009 01:36 PM PDT
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Samsung DualView TL220 (red)

EDITORS RATING
8.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.2 megapixels, 4.6 x, 3 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Large automatic shooting feature set; responsive touch-screen navigation; unique dual-screen design.

THE BAD

Adapter needed for HDMI output; microSD card requirement might irk some; touch-screen interface not for everyone; battery charges in camera; whole screen not used for framing shots at full resolution.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The technology-packed Samsung DualView TL225 is the ultimate ultracompact for those who like to be in front of the camera more than they like being behind it.

REVIEWED: 23-Oct-2009 01:36 PM PDT
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Samsung DualView TL220 (blue)

EDITORS RATING
8.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.2 megapixels, 4.6 x, 3 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Large automatic shooting feature set; responsive touch-screen navigation; unique dual-screen design.

THE BAD

Adapter needed for HDMI output; microSD card requirement might irk some; touch-screen interface not for everyone; battery charges in camera; whole screen not used for framing shots at full resolution.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The technology-packed Samsung DualView TL225 is the ultimate ultracompact for those who like to be in front of the camera more than they like being behind it.

REVIEWED: 23-Oct-2009 01:36 PM PDT
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Samsung DualView TL225 (purple/black)

EDITORS RATING
8.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.2 megapixels, 4.6 x, 3.5 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Large automatic shooting feature set; responsive touch-screen navigation; unique dual-screen design.

THE BAD

Adapter needed for HDMI output; microSD card requirement might irk some; touch-screen interface not for everyone; battery charges in camera; whole screen not used for framing shots at full resolution.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The technology-packed Samsung DualView TL225 is the ultimate ultracompact for those who like to be in front of the camera more than they like being behind it.

REVIEWED: 23-Oct-2009 12:46 PM PDT
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Samsung DualView TL225 (orange/black)

EDITORS RATING
8.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.2 megapixels, 4.6 x, 3.5 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Large automatic shooting feature set; responsive touch-screen navigation; unique dual-screen design.

THE BAD

Adapter needed for HDMI output; microSD card requirement might irk some; touch-screen interface not for everyone; battery charges in camera; whole screen not used for framing shots at full resolution.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The technology-packed Samsung DualView TL225 is the ultimate ultracompact for those who like to be in front of the camera more than they like being behind it.

REVIEWED: 23-Oct-2009 12:46 PM PDT
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Canon PowerShot SD980 IS (silver)

EDITORS RATING
7.6
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display, - Integrated

THE GOOD

Small; good lens specs; appropriate mix of touch and button controls; HDMI output; excellent photo color, exposure.

THE BAD

Wide-screen LCD size misleading; touch-screen interface not for everyone; no optical zoom while recording movies.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Canon PowerShot SD980 IS is a very good touch-screen camera for those on the fence about using a touch-screen camera.

REVIEWED: 13-Oct-2009 10:36 AM PDT
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Canon PowerShot SD980 IS (blue)

EDITORS RATING
7.6
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display, - Integrated

THE GOOD

Small; good lens specs; appropriate mix of touch and button controls; HDMI output; excellent photo color, exposure.

THE BAD

Wide-screen LCD size misleading; touch-screen interface not for everyone; no optical zoom while recording movies.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Canon PowerShot SD980 IS is a very good touch-screen camera for those on the fence about using a touch-screen camera.

REVIEWED: 13-Oct-2009 10:36 AM PDT
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Canon PowerShot SD980 IS (purple)

EDITORS RATING
7.6
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display, - Integrated

THE GOOD

Small; good lens specs; appropriate mix of touch and button controls; HDMI output; excellent photo color, exposure.

THE BAD

Wide-screen LCD size misleading; touch-screen interface not for everyone; no optical zoom while recording movies.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Canon PowerShot SD980 IS is a very good touch-screen camera for those on the fence about using a touch-screen camera.

REVIEWED: 13-Oct-2009 10:36 AM PDT
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Canon PowerShot SD980 IS (gold)

EDITORS RATING
7.6
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display, - Integrated

THE GOOD

Small; good lens specs; appropriate mix of touch and button controls; HDMI output; excellent photo color, exposure.

THE BAD

Wide-screen LCD size misleading; touch-screen interface not for everyone; no optical zoom while recording movies.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Canon PowerShot SD980 IS is a very good touch-screen camera for those on the fence about using a touch-screen camera.

REVIEWED: 13-Oct-2009 10:36 AM PDT
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Nikon Coolpix S70 (red/red)

EDITORS RATING
7.4
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3.5 in OLED display

THE GOOD

Zippy, well executed touch-screen interface; great tap-and-shoot feature; attention-getting design.

THE BAD

Leisurely performance; battery charging done in camera might bother some; tricky to hold.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Nikon Coolpix S70 has a top-notch touch-screen interface and eye-catching design, but you're definitely paying for them.

REVIEWED: 28-Oct-2009 03:40 PM PDT
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Nikon Coolpix S70 (champagne/light brown)

EDITORS RATING
7.4
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3.5 in OLED display

THE GOOD

Zippy, well executed touch-screen interface; great tap-and-shoot feature; attention-getting design.

THE BAD

Leisurely performance; battery charging done in camera might bother some; tricky to hold.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Nikon Coolpix S70 has a top-notch touch-screen interface and eye-catching design, but you're definitely paying for them.

REVIEWED: 28-Oct-2009 03:40 PM PDT
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Nikon Coolpix S70 (black/black)

EDITORS RATING
7.4
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3.5 in OLED display

THE GOOD

Zippy, well executed touch-screen interface; great tap-and-shoot feature; attention-getting design.

THE BAD

Leisurely performance; battery charging done in camera might bother some; tricky to hold.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Nikon Coolpix S70 has a top-notch touch-screen interface and eye-catching design, but you're definitely paying for them.

REVIEWED: 28-Oct-2009 03:40 PM PDT
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Nikon Coolpix S70 (champagne/beige)

EDITORS RATING
7.4
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3.5 in OLED display

THE GOOD

Zippy, well executed touch-screen interface; great tap-and-shoot feature; attention-getting design.

THE BAD

Leisurely performance; battery charging done in camera might bother some; tricky to hold.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Nikon Coolpix S70 has a top-notch touch-screen interface and eye-catching design, but you're definitely paying for them.

REVIEWED: 28-Oct-2009 03:40 PM PDT
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 (black)

EDITORS RATING
7.2
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 4.6 x, 2.7 in LCD display, 40 MB - Integrated

THE GOOD

Small and lightweight; fast start-up and low shutter lag in good lighting; simple operation; great battery life.

THE BAD

Overcautious auto ISO; internal lens leads to fingers in shots; photos look slightly overprocessed.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Lumix DMC-FP8 lives up to Panasonic's speedy performance claims; its photo quality isn't bad, either.

REVIEWED: 18-Nov-2009 09:30 AM PST
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 (silver)

EDITORS RATING
7.2
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 4.6 x, 2.7 in LCD display, 40 MB - Integrated

THE GOOD

Small and lightweight; fast start-up and low shutter lag in good lighting; simple operation; great battery life.

THE BAD

Overcautious auto ISO; internal lens leads to fingers in shots; photos look slightly overprocessed.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Lumix DMC-FP8 lives up to Panasonic's speedy performance claims; its photo quality isn't bad, either.

REVIEWED: 18-Nov-2009 09:30 AM PST
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 (red)

EDITORS RATING
7.2
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 4.6 x, 2.7 in LCD display, 40 MB - Integrated

THE GOOD

Small and lightweight; fast start-up and low shutter lag in good lighting; simple operation; great battery life.

THE BAD

Overcautious auto ISO; internal lens leads to fingers in shots; photos look slightly overprocessed.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Lumix DMC-FP8 lives up to Panasonic's speedy performance claims; its photo quality isn't bad, either.

REVIEWED: 18-Nov-2009 09:30 AM PST
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GoPro Motorsports HD Hero

EDITORS RATING
7.0
SPECS

Compact, 5 megapixels

THE GOOD

The GoPro HD Hero Motorsports captures video in a variety of resolutions and frame rates up to and including 1080i full HD, as well as still photos. The Hero has a large selection of mounting options and replacement parts. The polycarbonate shell is submersible, shockproof, and-- if it takes too bad of a beating--replaceable.

THE BAD

The lack of a viewfinder makes precise aiming difficult. The tiny LCD display and a cryptic menu is difficult to navigate without first consulting the manual. Low-light performance still leaves much to be desired.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The GoPro HD Hero captures crisp HD video and offers users a great deal of flexibility of resolution and mounting options. However, some users may find it to be too complex for its two-button interface and tiny screen.

REVIEWED: 24-Nov-2009 12:00 PM PST
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Casio Exilim EX-FC100 (black)

EDITORS RATING
7.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 9.1 megapixels, 5 x, 2.7 in LCD display, 31.9 MB - Integrated

THE GOOD

Amazing high-speed features for size, cost; integrated Eye-Fi support; very good regular performance.

THE BAD

Mixed photo quality; narrow lens; noisy AF system; high-speed modes require low resolutions; no optical zoom while recording movies.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Casio provides affordable, advanced high-speed shooting for the masses with the Exilim EX-FC100, but other aspects lag behind its class.

REVIEWED: 30-Oct-2009 03:46 PM PDT
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 (blue)

EDITORS RATING
7.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 2.7 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Very good design, features for its price; dedicated Intelligent Auto button; wide-angle 5x zoom lens.

THE BAD

Mixed photo quality, performance.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 is a well-appointed snapshot camera for the money with the mixed performance and photo quality typical of its class.

REVIEWED: 19-Oct-2009 02:41 PM PDT
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 (black)

EDITORS RATING
7.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 2.7 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Very good design, features for its price; dedicated Intelligent Auto button; wide-angle 5x zoom lens.

THE BAD

Mixed photo quality, performance.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 is a well-appointed snapshot camera for the money with the mixed performance and photo quality typical of its class.

REVIEWED: 19-Oct-2009 02:41 PM PDT
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 (silver)

EDITORS RATING
7.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 2.7 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Very good design, features for its price; dedicated Intelligent Auto button; wide-angle 5x zoom lens.

THE BAD

Mixed photo quality, performance.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 is a well-appointed snapshot camera for the money with the mixed performance and photo quality typical of its class.

REVIEWED: 19-Oct-2009 02:41 PM PDT
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Samsung HZ15W

EDITORS RATING
6.2
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

12.2 megapixels, 10 x, 3 in LCD display

THE GOOD

Good feature set; miniHDMI out; 24mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with 10x zoom.

THE BAD

Subpar photo quality; menu system too spread out.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Samsung HZ15W has good parts and features, but ultimately disappoints on the whole.

REVIEWED: 05-Nov-2009 10:52 AM PST
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