Choosing a super-zoom camera (part 3)
Nikon Coolpix P500
3 stars
$421 VAT
included
www..co.uk
P500 includes many interesting functions, with 36x zoom,
articulated 3” display screen, 921,000 pixel, 1080p videos and options for
completely slow motion video. Lacking of pan head and raw shooting disappoint
so much. It even doesn’t have direction sensor for automatic rotation of
portrait photos. Short battery life with 220 pictures as well as you can’t use
this battery once you charge another battery.
Available manual focus and a dial wheel support your
setting changing easily. There are two zoom levers: one covers the shooting
button, one is on the side of lense. The latter seems to be useless, because
the former 2 speed control, faster zoom with stronger force. We like the
dedicated buttons for ISO speed and white balance most, which requires you to
access the menu.
1080p videos are excellent, besides, the noise from
focus motors and zoom doesn’t intrude mjuch into the soundtrack. However, the
digital stabilization during the video recording can’t eliminate the camera
shake in distant zoom and hand-holding.
8fps burst mode is limited in 5 shoots, but another mode
can take 16 pictures with 1,2fps speed. Other options are continously 2MP 25
pictures in 60fps speed, or 1MP 50 shoots in 120fps. Slow motion videos, from
1,280x720 in 60fps to 320x240 in 240fps, increase the significant flexibilities
to take pictures of the pass-by subjects. P500 is fast response in normal
condition with quick autofocus and 1,7 seconds break during shooting.
36x zoom sounds impressive but it isn’t the most
razor-sharp lense. It delivers the good result in wide angle test but distant
taking pictures have the optical wrong colour appearance and not as bright as
Canon SX40 HS hoặc Panasonic 24x about the distant details. It cann’t be
compared with above cameras about the noise, blurred details and much shadows
in ISO 800. It is not the worst yet the most excellent in the house. The price
is competitive but slow motion videos is the only outstanding point of P500.
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Summary:
Comment:
Lenses sacrify for the sharpness in zoom view, but this camera lack many
interesting functions.
Digital superzoom camera:
12MP (4.000x3.000), 36x optical zoom, LCD 3” (921,000 pixel), SDXC card slot
(102MB built-in), Li-ion battery, 84x116x103mm, 494g, 2 years RTB warranty.
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Olympus SP-810UZ
3 stars
$295 including VAT
www.lambda-tek.com
SP-810UZ stands out more than
most SLR-styled ultra-zoom digital cameras. Without electronic
viewfinder, manual exposure or manual focus and the
minimal number of physical controls, it is just a point-and-shoot
camera with super zoom. This is not
entire criticism, and of course, it surely is
large zoom. Its 864mm telephoto focal
length (equivalent) is the longest out of those
ultra-zoom cameras. Its simple point-and-shoot
characteristic also reflected in the price.
The 720p video resolution and
the fixed zoom while recording is hardly forgivable, and
its 3-inch widescreen LCD’s 230,000 pixel resolution has slightly inferior
quality. The navigation Pad also plays as a dial to enter its
settings, but it is underrated because
the menu system prioritizes visual flourishes more than quick
performance.
The photographic
options are typical point-and-shoot type, with white
balance, ISO speed and so on, including many creative
effects such as pinhole camera. However, there is no mobile
focus point. Telephoto mode creates a shallow depth of
field, which is great for moving the eye to the main
subject, but only when this camera focuses on the right
thing. On SP-810UZ, the focus is either fixed at the
center or selected by this camera.
Image quality under artificial lighting is
horrendous. Flashy orange colors and noise reduction destroyed many
details. Shooting outdoors proved to be more
competitive. It could not compare to the fresh and
smooth details of the best ultra-zoom cameras around;
the autofocus and optical stabilisation is
unreliable at a full extent distance. The SP-810UZ could not match the
Panasonic FZ48, but it is £100
cheaper. If you want to capture distant subjects in
clear, bright lighting (and spend as little money as
possible), it is a fair choice.
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Summary
Verdict.
Limited control and poor image quality in low lighting, but outdoors
photography with a tight budget, SP-810UZ is a logical choice.
Ultra-zoom digital camera.
14 megapixels (4.288x3.216), 36x optical zoom (24-864mm), 3-inch LCD (230.000
pixel), SDXC slot (14MB internal), Li-ion battery, 76x107x74mm, 413g,
one-year RTB warranty.
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