CAMERA

Top 10 Cameras - Jan 2013

1/18/2013 6:02:37 PM

Price: $675

Verdict: Gorgeous retro styling, a superb viewfinder and fantastic photos make for a compelling package

Ratings: 5/5

 

Fujifilm FinePix X10

The X10 is the more practical sibling of the retro-tastic X100 but that doesn't mean it's any less awesome or chic. Old-school nods include manual zooming on the 28-112mm equivalent lens, faux Vulcanite body covering, an engraved top plate, a threaded cable release socket on the shutter button, and an optical eye viewfinder that's way bigger and brighter than those on its super compact rivals. It's also packing a bigger sensor than its competitors throw in that pin sharp lens and super-fast autofocus and you have incredible image quality in any given situation.

Canon PowerShot S100

Price: $440

Ratings: 5/5

Canon PowerShot S100

Tiny and unassuming, the S100 nevertheless packs an almighty photo punch. RAW shooting, GPS and a plethora of art filters and manual controls are backed up by great photo and 1080p video quality, as well as wonderfully simple ergonomics.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

Price: $450

Ratings: 5/5

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

It's not the most compact of compacts but the 18MP HX20V builds on the success of the HX9V beautifully. The headline grabber is the 20x optical zoom with serene image stabilisation and unrivalled video. A superb compact that's ready for anything at all.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3

Price: $445

Ratings: 5/5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3

Our favourite rugged camera backs up its toughness with environmental awareness that includes GPS, a compass, altimeter and barometer. The FT3’s controls are glove friendly and its pictures are great. Look out for price drops, too, as the FT4 is incoming.

Panasonic Lumix LX7

Price: $610

Ratings: 5/5

Panasonic Lumix LX7

The LX7 has stolen the advanced compact spot in our top ten from Nikon's P7100 with a beautiful (if chunky) construction, speedy autofocus and a wide-angle f/1.4-2.3 Leica lens. Tons of manual controls and fantastic image quality make this a trusty second cam.

Nikon Coolpix AW100

Price: $345

Ratings: 5/5

Nikon Coolpix AW100

The 16MP AW100 isn’t just one of the nicest looking tough cams out there (check out the fetching Camo finish), it’s also one of the best-specced. Want proof? How’s 5x optical zoom, the best geo-tagging we’ve seen and a great panorama mode grab you?

Nikon Coolpix S9100

Price: $235

Ratings: 5/5

Nikon Coolpix S9100

An 18x zoom is the headline feature here, aided by dual image stabilisation. You can get bigger zooms, but if you want something that's compact and stylish, the idiot-proof S9100 is the way to go. Shots are sharp with vivid colours and good low-light abilities. .

Panasonic Lumix LX5

Price: $570

Ratings: 5/5

Panasonic Lumix LX5

Like the Canon S95, the LX5 takes a smart, sleek approach to serious, no-nonsense snapping. Its Leica lens is fast and wide, but to fully appreciate that you'll need to be shooting in RAW. Video at 720p and a generous array of controls complete a good job.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

Price: $260

Ratings: 5/5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

Rocking GPS and manual controls, the TZ20 has an ‘Intelligent Zoom' that extends the 16x optical zoom to 21x and an easy to use touchscreen. It's also built like a tank but most importantly, it delivers classy Pics. It's keeping the TZ30's seat warm 'til we review it.

Olympus XZ-1

Price: $645

Ratings: 4/5

Olympus XZ-1

With a super-fast f1.8 Zuiko lens, the XZ-1 thrives in the kind of low-light conditions that would terrify most compacts. Manual controls are easily changed via the lens ring and there's a wealth of art filters, but its photos aren't the last word in sharpness.

Instant expert

Ratings: 5/5

Compact system cameras might be getting DSLRs in a panic but meanwhile we're seeing the big players releasing pricey advanced compacts too. Alongside the RX100 from Sony and Nikon's new Coolpix P7700, we've tested the Panasonic Lumix LX7 (US$610, panasonic.com) and it's hard to believe a compact can be so clever. Though it has a smaller sensor than the Sony, the LX7 won us over with its sharp and accurate 10.1MP images, RAW shooting, fast 24-90mm equivalent lens and reassuring heft. Autofocus is faster than ever and the 920k-dot LCD screen is great outdoors (with the option for a hotshoe mounted optical VF too). From macro and depth of field shots to art filters and 1080p video, there's nothing the LX7 doesn't do well.

What to look for

Resolution

The number of megapixels is rapidly becoming irrelevant. So long as you're in double figures you'll be OK, so move on and focus on the things that really matter, such as..,

Picture quality

The only hands-on time you’re likely to get is in an artificially lit shop. This will tell you nothing about picture quality, so read reviews and check out shots taken with your potential snapper on sites such as Flickr.

Features

Think about how you're likely to use your camera, and prioritise features such as size, style, ruggedness and whether you want in-depth control or an idiot- proof interface.

Swapping lenses?

There's now a middle ground between compacts and DSLRs. Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Ricoh, Samsung and Sony make ‘compact system' cameras. The best of these can now be found in our DSLRs top 10 take a look if you've outgrown your compact.

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