Digital Camera Specification Sheet
Quick Picks
continued
If a long zoom is a priority:
4 Canon
(6 MP) $29 0
5 Olympus (7 MP) $240
7 Fujifilm
22
Panasonic
9 Panasonic (7 MP)
$350
All have an image stabilizer. The Canon
has a l2x opti cal zoom, excellent next-
shot delay, manual contro ls, and manual
focus, and it can zoom while recording
video, but it is fa
irly
heavy. (Also avail-
able: t he 8-megapixel 55 IS, $50 0, wit h
face dete ctio n, 2.5-inch LCD, and com-
pat ib
ility
with 5DHC memory cards.) The
9 Panasonic
24
Canon
Olymp us has a lOx optical zoom, excel-
lent next-shot delay, manual cont rols,
and manual focus, but only fair s
hutter
lag, and it is fairl y heavy. (Also available:
the 8-m egapixel SP-560 UZ,
$500,
with
an l8 x optical zoom with wide-angle
capabil ity, and face detection.) The Pana-
sonic has a l OX optica l zoom wit h wide-
10 Canon
26
Samsung
angle capability and very good next-shot
Brand
&
model
11-
Specifications
delay but only fair shutter lag.
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Brand repair history
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lowing brands of digita l cameras bought
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between
2004
and
2007
that have been
repair ed or had a serio us problem. Diff er-
20
ences of less than 3 points are not meaning -
21
ful. Models within a brand might vary, and
22
change s in design or manufacture might
23
affect reliability. Still, choosing a brand wit h
a good repair history can improve your odds
24
6
3.
8x
2.4
1
3.1
of getting a reliable model.
25
I
10
3x
2.4
1
6.7
DIGITAL
CAMERAS
I3
fm
26
I
7 6
7x
2.4
1
1.
5
Fewer
+-
.... More
repairs repairs
27
7 5 3x 2.8
12.8
"
Panasonic
28
..
10
6
3x
2.4
14
.8
Sony
29
,
7 6
7x
2.4
7.2
Ol
ympus
Kodak
30
..
6 5 3x
2.4
11.5
Canon
31
8 6 3x 2.4 9.8
·
Sa
rn
suno
32
7
4
3x
2.4
1
3.1
·
Fuj
i!Fujifilm
33
10
6
3x 2.8
11.
8
HP
(
Hew
lett-
Pac
kard)
·
Nikon
34
8 5 3x
2.4
16.4
Ca
sio
35
7
6
3x
2.4
1
1.
2
·
Pentax
36
7
5
3x
3
19
.7
·
Vivitar
37
·
7
5 3x 2.4
6.2
,
38
7 6
3x
2.4
12.5
39
~
7 5
5x
2.4
12.5
and out. Mode ls th at shot at least 513 were rated excellent; 256, very good; and 128, good. Shutter lag is
how qui ckly the camera can take its fir st shot once powe red up. The fastest were vi rt ually instantaneou s;
0% 5%
10
%
15
%
20%
25%
the slowest took 1second or longe r.
Next-shot delay is how quickly the camer a can take its next
photo
.
PO
INT&SHOOT
CA
M
ERAS
_
SLR
CAM
ER
AS I
Model s at least as quick as 1second were rated excellent; 3, very good ; 5, good ; and 7, fair.
Image stabi-
lizer
shows which have th at steadying featu re. AA batteries deno tes came ras th at use tha t size; most of
Data are based on more than 221,0 00 reader responses
th ose
don't
include a charger. Cameras with pro prietary batt erie s always include a charger. Wide angle
about digit al cam eras t o t he Annual Product Reliability
Survey conducte d by th e Consumer Report s Nation al
shows which have a lens t hat zooms as least as wide as a 28-m m-equivalent film-camer a lens. Manual
Research Cente r. Data are adjuste d to elim inate d
iffer-
controls
refers to settings
that
let you adju st shu
tter
speed and lens opening. Price is appr oximate retail.
ences linked solely to the age and use of the product.
NOV EMB ER 2 0 0 7
0
www.ConsumerRepo
rts.org
41