Digital Camera Specification Sheet

FACE DETECTION Technolog y puts portraits in focus
More than the birth day cake, the vacation backdrop, even the fam-
In our tests, the det ecti on feature wor ked adequate ly on all
ily dog, the human face is th e focal point for most photographs. So the camera s. However, in scenes where lighting was uneven or
a grow ing numbe r of digital cameras, including about a dozen of distances varied between subjects, using face dete cti on caused
our rated p oint -and-shoot s, inclu de a relati vely new fe atur e, other subjects to appear less sharp, too dark, or too light -
dubbed face detection,
an unavoidable conse-
that tr ies to set th e
quen ce.
focus, exposur ~ and If you take lots of
color balance so that p ictur es of people, face
faces appear sharp,
detecti on is a nice fea-
well exposed, and th e t ure to have. Because
proper color. it's not yet available on
In some cameras,
the majority of models,
you must tur n the fea-
, ) ')\ for now you might have
ture on before you can
iF to decide whether an
use it. In others, it's othe rwise-fine camera's
enabled at the factory, price, performance, and
but you can turn it off. othe r featur es out-
All work pretty much
weigh its lack of face
the same way: Software detecti on. The follow-
analyzes the image,
ing cameras in th e Rat-
locates any faces in the
ings offe r face detec -
frame, and places a lit-
tion: Fujifilm (7,3 0 ,40 );
tl e square icon aro und
LOCKING IN The number of faces a camera can detect varies by brand; some
Nikon (8, 13, 36); Canon
each in the LCD or elec-
claim up to 15. Many models will also track faces as they move within the frame.
(10, 12, 24, 25 ); Sony
tr onic viewfin der. The (21); and GE (37). Other
largest face is usually selected as the focal point. Face detect ion is dif- cameras wit h face detectio n include t he 5-megapixel Nikon Coolpix
ferent from t he portrait setting foun d on many point-and-shoots,
L1 0, $120, with a 2-inch LCD; th e 7-megapi xel Pentax Optio T30,
which tries to make a face stand out from the background but doesn't $300, with a 3-inch LCD; and the 8-megapixel Fujifilm Finepix
optimize its sharpness, exposure, or color balance.
F 40fd , $25 0, with a 2.5-in ch LCD.
N IK ON
OL YMPUS
SAMSUN G
SLR leader also offers
Groundbreaklng 'technologies in niche markets.
Budget FE . Up-and-comer In compacts and
innovative point-and-
series compacts have built-in help guides and empha size simple
subcompacts.
Has produ ced some very
shoots.
Coolpix compacts
operation. Olympusre cently offered some groundbreaking inexpensive compact digital cameras. Its
and subcompacts are
technologies in both point-and-shoot lines and Evolt SLRs. High-
pricier subcompact NV series includes an
divided into three series-
end $P compacts have featured very long zooms. Select Stylus innovative navigation interface. The GX
a budget L, step-up S, and
subcompacts have been water-resistant, waterproof, shockproof,
series of SLRs are essentially rebranded
high-end P. Nikon has
and crushproof. All point-and-shoots use the slightly mor e Pentax K-series SLRs. Samsung offers a
int roduced more of these
expensive xD memory cards. Evolt SLRs were the first wit h Iive-
limited selection of lenses.
models with wireless
preview LCDs. Olympus offers a reasonable range of lenses.
features than any other
company. Like Canon's SLR
lineup, Nikon's D series
PANASON IC (L U M IX)
SO Y
offer s cameras for every
SLR user and budget and a
Premium style, premium price. Sony offers innova-
.On the move with image stabilization. Every Lumix,
wide range of lenses.
from the top SLR-like FZ series cameras to the budget
tions at relatively high prices. Cyber-shot compacts
Nikon's SLR bodies are
and subcompacts offer distinctions such as touch
. LZ and LS series, has opt ical stabilization. FX-series
typically less expensive th an
subcompacts feature several modes and auto features ;
screens and sleek bodi es; In recent tests, Sonys have
Canon's. In August, Nikon
beaten most brands in shutter lag and next-shot delay, .
high-end LX can capture photos in 16:9 'asped mode,
introduced two high -end
while the TZ-serie s compacts sport superzooms.
two comm on complaints. All Sony point-and-shoots
models: the $1, 800 , 12-
t.urnlx camera s offer great value when th ey combine
.use proprietary (and pri cey) Memory Stick storage.
optical image stabilization wlth .lnnovattons such as
megapixel D300 with a live
The Wand S series are budget lines. High-end H- and
preview LCD and th e
intelligent ISO,which auto matically raises the camera
G-series compacts and premium N- and T-series sub-
sensor 's sens itivity when it detects mot ion, allow ing
$5,00 0, 12-megapixel D3.
compacts tend to be pricier than other brands. A new-
faster shutter speed. Panasonic has been among
comer to SLRs, Sony offers one series, Alpha, with two
.the more reliable point-and- shoot brand s. Panasonic
bodies and a reasonable range of lenses.
offer s two L-series SLR bodi es and some lenses.
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