Digital Camera News and Reviews

Panasonic Lumix G 20mm F1.7 ASPH

Dpreview has reviewed the Panasonic Lumix G 20mm F1.7 ASPH lens for the Micro Four Thirds system. There has been quite a lot of fuzz around this lens because of its F1.7 aperture and the interesting 20mm focal length (equivalent to 40mm in 35mm standards). Since Dpreview is my favorite review site I’m quite excited to see what they think about this lens as I’m looking into purchasing a Micro Four Thirds camera.

Dpreview ends up giving the Panasonic Lumix G 20mm F1.7 ASPH a “Highly Recommended” rating as the lens is very small and light weight in combination with having good build quality and proper manual focusing. The lens also is also able to produce impressive images at all apertures. The only downside is a bit hefty price tag. Seems like Panasonic has produced a winner with the Lumix G 20mm F1.7 lens.
Read the full review of the Panasonic Lumix G 20mm F1.7 ASPH lens here.

Olympus E-P1

Imaging Resource has reviewed the Olympus E-P1 digital camera. The E-P1 is the first Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus so it will be interesting to see what the reviewer thinks about it. As I’m interested in getting a smaller camera than my current DSLR I got my eyes on the Olympus E-P1.

Some key features for the Olympus E-P1:
-12.3 megapixel image sensor
-TruePic V image processor
-in-body image stabilization
-4.8 x 2.8 x 1.4″ dimensions
-weighs 11.8 ounces
-3.0″ LCD display with 230,000 dots of resolution
-ISO sensitivity from 100 to 6400
-shutter speeds 2 – 1/4000 second (also bulb mode)
-HD Movie with stereo sound
-SD/SDHC memory card support

Imaging Resource ends up giving the Olympus E-P1 a very good review as the camera is very compact and is able to produce pictures of high quality (even at higher ISO levels). The EP-1 even receive a “Dave’s Pick” so this seem like a safe choice for most photographers. The only downsides are that LCD screen could have higher resolution and the auto focus speed is a bit slower compared to other Micro Four Thirds cameras.
Read the full review of the Olympus E-P1 camera here.

HP Photosmart C4780

Printer Comparison has reviewed the HP Photosmart C4780 All-in-One printer. The HP printer is supposed to have fast print speeds, Wi-Fi connectivity and laser quality outputs so it will be interesting to see how it performs in real life.

Some key features for the HP Photosmart C4780 printer:
-Print speeds up to 29 ppm in black and 23 ppm in color
-Print resolution up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi
-1.45″ touch screen LCD
-80 sheet paper tray
-Built-in memory card reader
-Wi-Fi and USB2 connectivity

Printer Comparison ends up giving the HP Photosmart C4780 a good review as this printer works great at the marked it is targeted at – students. There are a couple of downsides like slower print speeds than advertised and that the sharpness of the prints could be better. Overall the C4780 seems like an excellent printer for students and other people on a budget, but not the right printer for professionals.
Read the full review of the HP Photosmart C4780 All-in-One printer here.

Pentax Optio W80

Photography Blog has reviewed the Pentax Optio W80 compact digital camera. The W80 feature a 12.1 megapixel sensor and weather resistant features like water proof down to 5 meters and freeze proof to -10°C.

Some key features for the Pentax Optio W80:
-Water proof down to 5 meters
-Shock proof up to 1 meter
-Freeze proof down to -10°C
-12.1 megapixel sensor
-5x optical zoom lens (28-140mm)
-2.5″ LCD screen
-Optical image stabilization
-HD movie mode (1280 x 720 pixels at 30fps)

Photography Blog ends up giving the Pentax Optio W80 a “Recommended” 4 out 5 star rating. It scores high on features and design, but lower on image quality as the camera produces noise even at ISO 100 and no zoom while shooting video.
Read the full review of the Pentax Optio W80 camera here.