Everyday shooting gets cheaper and better

Far from burning a hole in your pocket, these cameras fit in rather easily, have nifty features and deliver good performance.

Canon PowerShot A590 IS

Canon's PowerShot series has seen some very good models. This one though is particularly well put together. In our slew of performance tests, the Canon Power- Shot A590 IS is on the top spot on the podium. Still image quality apart, video shooting is a strong point of the A590 IS, which, like other PowerShot models uses the Motion JPEG video format that renders excellent quality (albeit at the cost of file size).

The camera performed very well in our resolution chart (consisting of a series of thin lines finely separated), and real world tests also showed higher amounts of detail when compared to other models. For example, individual tree leaves were easily distinguishable where other cameras had them blurred out or produced a patch of green. Colors were also spot on, and saturation and contrast levels can be adjusted within the camera to suit individual preferences.

Canon has traditionally gone easy on noise reduction, and this is the case with the PowerShot A590 IS as well. Images at ISO 400 and higher have very noticeable noise, but also retain more details. Advanced users can choose the noise versus image detail compromise during post processing. With most point-and-shoot cameras, be wary of anything above ISO 400 and use higher sensitivity only if you are in a 'some shot is better than no shot' situation.

On the features front, this is one of the only two cameras in this comparison with optical image stabilization. This is a nifty addition in a camera priced below the Rs. 10,000 (US$209) mark. Image stabilization can make a difference between a good shot and a blurry one in low light conditions, especially when zooming in on your subject. Note that image stabilization can only compensate for shaky hands to an extent. Blurs caused by a moving subject cannot be avoided.

The 4x optical zoom lens is equivalent to 35mm focal length at the wide end. We'd have preferred a wider focal length to help in indoor shooting or group photos. The addition of an optical Viewfinder helps in harsh sunlight when the LCD screen becomes difficult to view or to conserve batteries by turning it off altogether. In our informal tests with face detection, the camera consistently recognized up to three faces and was even able to track movements.

But, the subjects have to be facing the camera and lighting has to be good for this face detection to work with reasonable accuracy. At the moment, this is another feature that all manufacturers are putting into their cameras but we suggest you don't count on it to produce good portraits. The PowerShot A590 IS is the only camera in this test to feature manual focus, but the lower resolution (115k pixels) screen makes this a difficult task. Aperture and shutter priority modes add to the creative ability of the camera.

This is the bulkiest camera in this comparison -- it cannot be stuffed in a pocket easily. On the upside, it feels solid in the hands and unlike smaller models, the shutter release and mode dial fall easily in place. Like other PowerShot models, this one also runs on AA sized batteries that can be easily bought anywhere if your camera runs out of juice. Our one gripe is the 20fps limitation for 640 x 480 videos and the inability to use optical zoom during video recording. VGA resolution at 30fps is something one would expect from a camera that is otherwise well-featured.

Panasonic Lumix LZ8

The Panasonic LZ7 ranked second in our earlier comparison and the current model, the LZ8, is equally impressive. It has the longest optical zoom of 5x, amongst the cameras in this comparison (versus the 6x on the earlier LZ7). The lens is 32mm focal length at its widest, and this gives greater flexibility in composing shots, compared to cameras that are 35mm or 38mm. The Panasonic LZ8 boasts of a high ISO6400, the usability of which is debatable (owing to high noise levels). Our outdoor shots came out fine -- images were balanced well with both exposure and colors. The resolution chart test was a bit of a disappointment, with the images being noticeably poorer than the Canons. The LZ8 is not the best at reproducing fine details, but everyday outdoor shots will turn out just fine. Indoor shoots with and without flash were above average and we have no particular qualms about them.

The Panasonic LZ8 employs too strong a noise reduction algorithm that robs the image of details. Video recording is a particular strength of the LZ8 -- it can shoot 848 x 480 wide screen resolution at 30 fps. Note that you won't get a 'wider' coverage than the normal mode as the sensor aspect ratio is not wide, but what you do get is more pixels in native widescreen format, though the top and bottom parts of the scene get cropped. The video quality is also impressive and almost in the league of the Canons.

The inclusion of manual aperture and shutter control will help interested users learn photography basics. The e compact nature of the camera makes it easy to carry around easily but at the same time, people with bigger hands may find it a bit cumbersome to use. At Rs. 8,990, the LZ8 is a whole Rs. 2,000 costlier than the third placed Samsung S860, but that's off set by its more usable focal length and video resolution and quality. At the same time, it is Rs. 1,000 cheaper than the Canon PowerShot A590 IS. If you are looking for a relatively compact camera with good video shooting capability, you won't go wrong with the Panasonic Lumix LZ8.

Samsung S860

Samsung, a rather late entrant into the digital camera market, has been making some great value for money models. Like the S860, the lowest priced model in this comparison (its previous iteration, the S850 was the winner in our previous compact camera comparison). But that does not mean it is low on features. In fact, it is the only camera that has the ability to use optical zoom during video recording.

The self timer's 'double' mode, in which two images are shot instead of one, is another example of a usable feature included at a budget price point. The 8.1MP image resolution is standard these days and so is the modest 3xoptical zoom. But the lens' 38mm equivalent focal length at wide angle can make indoor shooting difficult. The ISO range is from 80 -- 1000, which might seem lesser than other models. When you consider that ISO1600 is hardly used, the ISO1000 capability on the S860 ceases to appear like a serious constriction.

The Samsung S860 fared well in indoor shots (a mixed subject scene consisting of a motherboard, coffee mugs and soft toys) taken with and without fl ash. But the disappointment was in the resolution chart where it was not able to distinguish clearly between individual fine lines. Outdoor shots were better though, with the scene looking very vivid A little too vivid, in fact. One trait we noticed with the S860 is the higher color saturation. Purists won't like this as it deviates from how the actual scene looks, but it makes for a more 'contrasty' photo. Like we observed with other Samsung cameras, the company has gone for aggressive noise reduction, which takes details away along with noise.

Images at 800 ISO look very washed out -- almost as if some effects filter has been applied to the image with editing soft ware. We wish Samsung had gone a bit easy on noise reduction. The 640 x 480, 30fps video quality is about average, but the file size has been kept in check -- about 55MB per minute in our test video. At this price range, the Samsung S860's deficiencies can be forgiven, and it makes for a good buy if you don't wish to spend more than Rs. 7,000 for an 8MP camera.

Canon PowerShot A470

Canon's current entry level offering, the PowerShot A470, priced just under Rs.7, 000 (similar to Samsung S860), looks a tad less powerful on the spec sheet but is still a potent performer. The model we received ad red plates on the front and the top; and four other color options are available. It is the only 7MP camera in this comparison, which means the images will only be slightly smaller. Image quality wise, it is not as good as the bigger A590 IS, but is not a problem per se for most people. The lens has a zoom of 3.4x and like the Samsung S860, the lens is equivalent to 38mm at its wide end. Again, we would have preferred a wider angle. The remaining specs are fairly standard, expect for 20fps limitation during VGA video shooting, just like the A590 IS.

When it comes to performance, it scored above average in our resolution chart and outdoor tests. Pictures taken indoors were also good, except noise in low light and the tendency of the fl ash to cause overexposure in some areas. Video quality is excellent except when the scene has fast moving objects, where the limitation of 20fps (over 30fps) shows.

Fuji FinePix J10

The best thing about the two cameras at the bottom of the charts is their size. These are compact models that can be carried easily in your pocket. Overall image quality is above average with the only let down being video quality.

The feature set is fairly standard -- 8.2MP sensor, ISO64- 1600, 3x optical zoom and video shooting at 640 x 480 resolution and 30fps. Continuous shooting mode captures only three images at 0.6fps. With a price tag a shade under Rs. 8,500, this makes for a rather good compact camera. If size is not a concern, then look for cameras above this in our rankings.

Kodak EasyShare M1063

In our previous camera comparisons, Kodak has been pretty disappointing. But not this one. Though it is at the bottom of the charts, performance has seen a considerable improvement over previous models. At 10.6MP, this EasyShare M1063 produces the largest sized images. Video shooting at 640 x 480 resolution is limited to 15fps and the quality is about passable. Image quality, though improved over earlier models, still lags behind competition. But what really sets this camera back is its price tag of Rs. 10,000, a premium charged apparently for more pixels, while quality still needs improvement. At a lower price tag, it could have made life a bit difficult for the Fuji J10.

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