CNET Asia
 
 Print    Email     Bookmark     Share

Top 10 digicams of May 2008

By Leonard Goh
June 23, 2008
Last month's chart was especially interesting because we saw Canon beginning to feel the heat from Fujifilm. The latter ousted the IXUS 860 IS off second place with its Finepix F100fd. Rock-steady Panasonic claimed three places with its Lumix DMC-FX36, TZ15 and new touchscreen point-and-shoot, the FX520. New additions included Samsung's NV24HD and Canon's new shooter, the IXUS 970 IS. Sony and Olympus continued to hang on with the Cyber-shot DSC-T70 and Mju 850SW, respectively. From the rankings, it would seem that consumers are getting more savvy with digicams and buying more powerful shooters. Are you one of them?

Note: Results are based on readership and polls conducted with selected retailers (Alan Photo Trading, Cathay Photo Store and MS Color Service) in Singapore.


First five | Next five cameras | Last month's ranking


Click here for a feature comparison table.
1.  Canon Digital IXUS 80 IS
 
CNET Asia rating: 7.6 out of 10
The good: Great image quality; minimal shutter lag; speedy performance; optical image stabilization; face detection; optical viewfinder
The bad: No manual exposure controls; slow flash recycle time
The bottom line: Canon's IXUS 80 IS adds optical image stabilization to last year's hit IXUS 70, while delivering just as impressive image quality.

Review | See full specs | Rate this
2.  Fujifilm FinePix F100fd
 
CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10
The good: Ultra-high ISO sensitivity of 12,800; wide dynamic range; intuitive face detection; short shutter lag; 5x optical zoom with 28mm wide-angle lens; good image quality.
The bad: Relatively heavy; awkward positioning of flash, easily covered by fingers; lacks full manual control.
The bottom line: Despite an awkwardly positioned flash unit, the F100fd didn't disappoint with its enhanced feature set and excellent image quality.

Review | See full specs | Rate this
3.  Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX36
 
CNET Asia rating: 7.6 out of 10
The good: 25mm wide-angle lens; HD-quality video recording; elegant design; maximum ISO of 6,400
The bad: Slightly soft images; focusing a tad slow.
The bottom line: A worthy successor to the FX33, the FX36 is a compact powerhouse capable of delivering decent-quality pictures and HD videos.

Review | See full specs | Rate this
4.  Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ15
 
CNET Asia rating: 7.8 out of 10
The good: 10x optical zoom in a compact form; accurate Intelligent Exposure mode; HD video recording; clear 460K-pixel 3-inch LCD screen; captures detailed images with vibrant colors.
The bad: Top dial easily sets to wrong position; no option to switch off Extra Optical Zoom.
The bottom line: With a 10x optical zoom, 28mm-wide lens and HD video recording packed into one compact form, the TZ15 is probably one of the most versatile Lumix compacts we've come across.

Review | See full specs | Rate this
4.  Olympus Mju 850SW
 
Sensor resolution 8 megapixels
LCD size 2.5-inch
Optical zoom 3x
Storage type(s) xD-Picture Card
Dimensions 93.6 x 60.9 x 21.3mm
Weight 136 g

See full specs | Rate this
See the next five cameras »

More Resources From CNET Asia

Top 10 digicams of May 2008

Which model made it to the charts for the bestselling cameras last month? We find out.

Stylish touchscreen compacts

Underneath these swanky shooters are features which give them that special touch.

Superzoom cameras: To infinity, and beyond!

These five megazoom shooters will get you up close and personal with your subjects.

Top 5 budget dSLRs

It's time to bring your love for photography to another level. Chuck that compact into your drawer and drool over these five budget dSLRs.

advertisement
 

CNET Asia Buying Guides

Before heading to the stores,
CNET fills you in on what
you need to know to find the
perfect product match.


 


Sign up for updates!

Every fortnight, we'll teach you the latest tricks in digital photography. View sample »