DAN COSTA

DAN COSTA

Pulling the Plug on Plasma

The story is nothing new: A superior technology that offers higher quality, an enhanced user experience, and better value gets killed off by a technologically inferior rival. VHS killed Betamax. Plain CDs outlasted Super Audio CDs. Vista wiped out Mac OS X. Wait. There are exceptions to the rule. Still, there’s every reason to think it’s happening again.

The current economic crisis is hurting the entire electronics industry, but television manufacturers are literally running away from plasma HDTVs. A research report released by DisplaySearch this week showed plasma shipments in the first quarter are down 22 percent from last year, and few industry analysts think plasma will rebound. And that’s a shame.

Plasma technology has a lot of advantages. Its fast-motion performance is perfect for watching sports, its darker black levels are great for watching movies, and in larger sizes (think 50 inches and up), plasma sets have typically offered more competitive prices. Yes, they use more power than LCDs of similar size, but this is hardly a key factor for most HDTV buyers. Despite the best efforts of the editors at PCMag.com and GoodCleanTech.com, most people don’t know or even care how much power a prospective HDTV uses. Yet vendor after vendor is pulling the plasma plug.

Just look at the last few months. Vizio, the number two flat-panel television vendor in the U.S., decided it was ending its plasma production to focus exclusively on LCD HDTVs. Vizio made its mark selling affordable sets direct and at retail, so perhaps it’s to be expected that the company wouldn’t hang in with premium plasmas, which tend to come in very large sizes. For sets under 42 inches, LCD TVs have always had an edge in terms of price, so it makes sense that a value player would choose to focus on that segment of the market. But that doesn’t explain Pioneer.

A couple years ago, Pioneer released its KURO line of plasmas, probably the most advanced HDTVs ever made. Last year’s

If plasmas can’t find a market on the low end or high end, where do they fit in?

Pioneer KURO PDP-5020FD has a contrast ratio of 8,809:1, and our review included the terms “flawless” and “utterly stunning.” It was the best 50-inch HDTV you could buy, and it still is. But earlier this year, Pioneer decided it would stop making KUROs. Or any other plasma HDTVs, for that matter.

So if plasma HDTVs can’t find a market on the low end, and they can’t find a market at the high end, where do they fit in? The answer seems to be nowhere. The technology is losing steam. How did this happen?

The LCD Insurrection

First of all, LCD panels got larger. Plasmas used to have a size advantage over LCD TVs, but now LCD owns the 40-to-42-inch sweet spot, dominates all sizes under 50 inches, and seems poised to compete even at 60 inches in 2009. Second, growing LCD volume has meant there’s a lot more manufacturing capacity, which has kept prices down. Finally, plasmas in the segment where the technology still have an advantage, massive 60-inch-or-larger HDTVs, are just too damn expensive when your 401K looks like a 16K.

Declaring plasma dead may seem a bit premature. To be fair, you can still walk into a Best Buy, CompUSA, or Fry’s or hop online to buy a plasma HDTV. As I mentioned earlier, some manufacturers, among them LG, Hitachi, Panasonic, and Samsung, are sticking with plasma, and sets will be available for a while. And we’ll keep reviewing them. Still, these companies all make LCDs, too, and I have to wonder how long it will be before more of them give up on plasma. I bet at least one will be out by the end of the year.

After LCDs

Finally, let me say a few words about OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology. To read the gushing prose of the technical press, you would think that OLEDs will rise up to replace every existing screen technology as early as the end of the year (in other words, OLEDs will appear on everything from your cell phone to giant wall-size HDTVs). There are two problems with that. First, OLEDs are still years away from practical, affordable commercialization. Second, the largest OLED display available today measures 11 inches diagonal. As we saw with Sony’s OLED-based XEL-1, picture quality is superb, but don’t plan on watching the big game on an OLED set anytime soon.

Now, I’m not saying I wouldn’t buy a plasma right now. HDTVs last for years, and bargains abound. The Pioneer KURO PDP5020FD, arguably one of best HDTVs ever, cost $4,000 when it launched six months ago and is now selling for less than $2,000 online. An amazing deal on an amazing TV; but you have to act quickly, because this plasma, like all the rest, won’t be around for long.

TALK bAcK To DAn E-mail your thoughts to dan_costa@pcmag.com.

The Endless Shots of Summer

Capture your fun in the sun with a new digital camera. We have the best point-and-shooters and D-SLRs for any budget. By Erik Rhey

he Endless Shots of Summer

If photogRaphY haD an offICIaL SeaSon, It WouLD be SummeR. Vacations in beautiful locales, family picnics, baseball games, weddings, and graduations are all perfect fodder for gorgeous photos that capture those memorable moments. By now, almost everyone has a digital camera. But if you’ve been plodding along with a three-year-old model that never quite gets the right shot (because of slow recycle time, bad battery life, low resolution, or a blinding flash), it’s time to think about a new camera. Yes, times are tough, and maybe you’re thinking you can’t afford one right now. But think of it as an investment. You won’t get a second chance to shoot that summer trip or wedding.

For those who are waiting because they think a new camera will just get bumped by a cheaper, higher-resolution model two months later, here’s the good news: The megapixel wars are over. These days, any camera will have as many megapixels as you’re likely to need. And today’s selection of point-and-shooters and D-SLRs are loaded with advanced features, such as in-camera editing, Wi-Fi, HD video, and fast-shooting modes. The next-generation point-and-shooters are smaller and lighter, with bigger screens. D-SLR prices have dropped dramatically, making them accessible to a whole new crowd of hobbyists. Also, many D-SLRs now have video, so they can replace your old clunky camcorder. The models in this story are good representatives of the new breed of digital cameras, covering the spectrum of price and features. So don’t let another summer pass with mediocre photos that go into cold storage on your hard drive. Take shots that you’ll want to share, and even frame for your own wall of fame.

Two-toned body color (front and back) and 2.8inch widescreen

Canon PowerShot SD960 IS

$329.99 list

L llmm PROs Fast. Captures HD video. 16:9 LCD. HDMI-out. Long battery life. Produces less noise in images at ISO 1600 than its predecessor did. CONs Pricey. Quality problems at outer edges of images.

Canon Goes Wide

The 12.1-megapixel PowerShot SD960 IS is Canon’s first and only model in the Elph line to get a widescreen LCD. This slick little point-and-shooter still gives you the option to take pictures in the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio, but the 2.8-inch LCD, with its wide 16:9 aspect ratio, makes it much easier to frame your shots. The SD960 is also extremely fast, with an average recycle time of 1.8 seconds. It also records dazzling HD video (at 30 frames per second) that you can easily output to an HDTV.

The 5.11-ounce SD960 sports spiffy rounded edges and comes in five colors (blue, green, silver, pink, and gold). The new interface is straightforward, so navigation is a breeze. Although the SD960 is responsive, its images were not as sharp as some competitors’, and we saw some color fringing. This camera is for those who aren’t overly concerned with photo quality and instead want a light, fast shooter with cool features and great battery life.—PJ Jacobowitz

Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

$279.99 list

L lllm PROs Excellent image quality. Lower noise at high ISOs than in previous generations. Records high-definition video. Mini HDMIout. Small and thin. Fast operation. Sharp screen. CONs Small screen. Average amount of shutter lag. Viewfinder is tiny and useless. HDMI does not support “Consumer Electronic Control.”

Canon’s small shooter with HD Video

Among the new Canon point-and-shooters with high-def video capability, the 12.1megapixel Canon PowerShot SD780 IS is the smallest and least expensive. This tiny but speedy camera also has an HDMI-out, rather than a proprietary docking cradle.

Though diminutive, this camera feels sturdy, thanks to its solid, brushed-metal construction. The 2.5-inch LCD is a bit small—but then, so is the camera. The SD780 IS’s 3X optical zoom lens has a focal range of 5.9mm to 17.9mm, with corresponding maximum f-stops of f/3.2 to f/5.8. It averaged 0.5 second of lag on our test, and its boot time was an average of only 1.75 seconds.

Noise was dramatically lower at the highest ISO sensitivity (ISO 1600) than with any Canon point-and-shooter I’ve seen in the past year. This camera also has the highestresolution video of any Canon point-andshooter (1,280 by 720 pixels progressive resolution at 30 frames per second). Overall, it delivers all the basics well.—PJJ

Casio Exilim EX-FC100

$349.99 list

L llmm PROs 5X optical zoom lens. Captures photos before shutter button is pressed. Records video in 720p30 HD and in slow motion. Integrated Eye-Fi support helps preserve battery life. CONs Pricey. Images are less sharp than those of competitively priced cameras. Purple fringing in highcontrast areas. Boots slowly.

Never Miss a shot with This Exilim

The 9.1-megapixel Casio Exilim EX-FC100 has some cool features that no other compact point-and-shooter offers. It can snap 30 6MP images in 1 second. And it can capture some of these before you hit the shutter release, so you’ll have the image you want even if you didn’t push the button in time. It can also record high-quality slow-motion video.

The relatively thick 5.1-ounce FC100 has a 5X optical zoom lens with a focal length of 6.4mm to 32.1mm. Most of the buttons on the camera are large and easy to operate, but others are tricky, such as some high-speed options that require you to flip a physical hinge. Boot time was slow at 6.13 seconds; shutter lag, at 0.72 second, was typical for this category. Image sharpness was average, but outdoor shots in auto mode were sharp. The EX-FC100 also has extended support for Eye-Fi memory cards. Overall, this is a decent pocket camera with the very cool pluses of fast shooting and HD video.—PJJ

Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR

$370 street

l llhm PROs Fantastic image quality. Low noise levels at ISOs 100 to 400. Fast recycle times. CONs Pricey. Heavy barrel distortion at widest angle. Outdated user interface. Unexceptional design. Proprietary USB and A/V port.

Fujifilm’s Quality Point-and-shooter

The 12-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR is a no-frills camera that excels where it counts: recycle time and image quality. Sure the price is a bit steep. And for the money, you could get a camera with more features (such as HD video) and maybe even a waterproof or touch-screen model. But chances are that those models with the bells and whistles won’t produce images on the F200EXR’s level.

This camera is bit heftier than most in its category, at 2.3 by 3.8 by 0.9 inches (HWD) and 6.2 ounces. The massive lens has 5X optical zoom, and the user interface is simple and straightforward. Recycle time was a zippy 2.45 seconds, and images were very sharp, with low noise—outdoor shots looked fantastic. There is also standard-def video. So while it’s not the thinnest or flashiest camera, the F200EXR is ideal for those who want the convenience of a point-andshooter but don’t want to sacrifice image quality.—PJJ

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3

$499.99 direct

L llmm PROs Sharp images. Large, highresolution LCD screen. Intuitive touch-screen interface. Smile Shutter feature can be useful. CONs Poor battery life. Slow uploading of photos via Wi-Fi. Camera records only standard-definition video. Touch-screen buttons in Web browser are less responsive.

A shooter for the Facebook set

Like other Sony touch-screen cameras in its price range, the 10.1-megapixel Sony Cybershot DSC-G3 takes gorgeous photos and has an intuitive interface. Its tightly integrated Wi-Fi radio and Web browser let users upload pictures and video directly to photosharing services. There’s even support for the DLNA network protocol, which lets the camera act as a media server to stream photos to other DLNA-enabled devices.

The G3 resembles the Sony Cyber-shot T-500 and T-700 (down to the 3.5-inch widescreen touch-screen LCD), but with the G3, instead of a panel moving down, the entire camera slides sideways to reveal the lens and the zoom buttons. Shutter lag was minimal, and photo quality was passable. This camera gets a couple of dings for poor battery life, slow upload times, and menu icons for the DLNA feature that look pixelated and too small. Nonetheless, the G3 is an interesting option for social networkers on the go.—PJJ

Canon EOS Rebel XSi

Body only, $699 list; with 18-to-55mm IS kit lens, $799; 55-to-250mm IS lens, $299

L lllh PROs Magnificent resolution and image quality. Larger LCD than its predecessor. Image stabilization with kit lens. CONs Max ISO is only 1600. RAW format not compatible with some photo software.

A Rebel Without Compare

The Canon EOS Rebel XSi is the fourth model in Canon’s Digital Rebel class, a series that sparked the prosumer D-SLR revolution. In snatching the Editors’ Choice crown from the EOS Digital Rebel XTi, the XSi continues Canon’s tradition of adding substantial new features and improving on the previous model. The XSi has a 12.2-megapixel resolution, up from 10MP in the XTi and double that of the original Rebel. Among its new features are an image-stabilized kit lens, a larger LCD display (3 inches), Live View, a revamped control scheme/button layout, SD/SDHC-card compatibility, and longer battery life.

The 55-to-250mm lens took exquisite pictures, with well-balanced colors and sharp focus. Daytime shots rarely showed fringing, and night shots without flash were reasonably noise-free. Add to that excellent boot and recycle times of 0.6 and 0.8 seconds, respectively, and you’ve got a D-SLR currently without compare.—Tony Hoffman

Canon EOS 50D

$1,299 list (body only)

l lllm PROs Lightning-fast. Produces beautiful low-light images. Large, high-resolution LCD screen. HDMI-out. CONs Expensive. Big and heavy. Compatible only with Canon’s own lenses.

A Low-Light Master for Canon Fans

The Canon EOS 50D is a great D-SLR, if all you need is a new body. Like its predecessor, the 40D, the 15.1-megapixel 50D is fast and includes Live View and an HDMI-out. Although it has the same 3-inch LCD as the 40D, it quadruples the number of pixels (to 920,000). The 50D’s biggest selling point over Canon’s entry-level Rebel line is its ability to shoot images in low light with very low amounts of noise. If you’re a Rebel owner looking for a step up, or if you already own Canon lenses, the 50D is worth considering.

Canon markets the 50D as “bridging the gap between the novice and seasoned pro,” and to drive that point home, the company has given the camera the look, feel, and heft of a professional camera as well as a multitude of pro features. With a lightning-fast shutter speed, crisp images, and an intuitive navigation system, the 50D is a great buy for Canon die-hards.—PJ Jacobowitz

Nikon D90

$999.95 list (body only)

l lllm PROs Solid image quality. Excellent color fidelity. Low noise, even at high ISOs. Shoots HD video. CONs Controls aren’t very intuitive. Relatively low still-image resolution. Video features are limited.

A Midrange D-sLR with Video

The 12.3-megapixel Nikon D90 was the first D-SLR to offer HD video. Although the D90 now has video-enabled competition from Canon and others, it is still a solid camera with fast shooting and long battery life.

The D90 is the same size as its predecessor, the D80, but this camera has a bigger LCD (3 inches instead of 2.5). For the D90 Nikon has switched to a DX-format CMOS sensor, which does wonders for reducing noise. In the labs and in real-world testing, daylight still shots tended to be bright, with pleasing, natural-looking color. And the D90’s boot (0.85 second), recycle (1.42 seconds), and shutter lag (0.25 second) times were all excellent. The quality of the 720p HD video at 24 frames per second wasn’t mind-blowing, but it was decent. So if you want the extra amenity of video on a reliable middle-of-the-road D-SLR, the D90 is a good choice.—TH

Pentax K2000

$599.95 direct

l lllm PROs Takes sharp pictures. Fast operation and autofocus. Help button provides useful information about other camera functions. Includes additional flash accessory. CONs Images can be noisy at or above ISO 800. Camera recycle times slow down after a few seconds of consistent shots. LCD can’t be used as a viewfinder.

Pentax’s Teaching D-sLR

For those looking for an entry into D-SLR photography, the K2000 is a great choice at a great price. This 10.2-megapixel camera performs quite well in well-lit outdoor shots, where its photos are just as sharp as those of its closest competitors. And this Pentax has plenty of entry-level appeal, thanks to its Help button. Simply tap Help and then any other button or dial on the camera, and a short description of that function (and often a tip) is displayed. Once you’ve outgrown the button, you can reprogram it as a shortcut to one of four other functions: Custom Preview, Digital Preview, Digital Filter, or RAW image format.

The K2000 did a good job of retaining sharpness at higher ISOs (though a couple of pics in our tests tended to be grainy). It is also relatively fast, clocking a practically unnoticeable 0.1 second of shutter lag with pre-focus enabled. Combine this with a bargain price and you have a great camera for D-SLR newbies.—PJJ

The 2.7-inch LCD swivels outward

Olympus E-30

$1,299.99 list (body only)

l llhm PROs Very sharp pictures. Fast. In-camera Photoshop-esque effects. Swiveling LCD. CONs Noisy at high ISOs. A bit pricey. No HDMI-out.

Fun Effects set This Olympus Apart

The E-30 has enough nifty features to turn heads. For example, you can add Photoshop-like effects such as “pop art,” “soft focus,” “light tone,” “grainy film,” and “pinhole” right on the camera. And though the E-30’s 2.7-inch screen is slightly smaller than many others in its class, the LCD is attached to an extendable arm that you can swing out for different views. With its many dials, buttons, and switches, the E-30 put its shooting modes and features right at your fingertips.

The E-30 excelled at picture sharpness: At its sharpest f-stop (f/5.6), it averaged 2,059 lines per picture height, which is slightly better than most competitors’ scores. However, it did not do as well with image noise. At ISO 3200, it produced a picture with a noise level of 2.7 percent—over twice as much noise as the competition had. Though not without its problems, the E-30 should impress those who like advanced on-camera features.—PJJ

Do your photos justice with one of these top new printers. By M. David Stone

PROS Canon Pixma MP980 Wireless Photo All-In-One Printer $299.99 direct

L lllm

• High-quality photos • Scans and prints from 35mm film • Network and Wi-Fi support • Built-in duplexer • High-quality photos • Prints directly from cameras • Two paper trays • Automatic duplexing • Internal memory can store 999 photos • Print pack holds both dye roll and paper • Photos are highly water- resistant • Fast photo printing • Wi-Fi support • Separate tray for 4-by-6-inch photos • Prints, copies, and scans

Canon Pixma iP4600 $99.99 direct

Lllhm

CONS • No fax support • Clumsy network installation • Can’t set network support to accept both wired and wireless connections • Slower than the last-generation printer it replaces • Full-page graphics tend to make plain paper curl • Relatively big and heavy for a small-format printer • Diagonal lines (for instance, spokes in a wheel) can print with jagged edges • Slow print speeds for business applications • Slightly subpar text • No automatic document feeder • No fax capability

Canon Selphy ES3 $199.99 direct

Llllm Dell P703w All-In-One Wireless Photo Printer $199.00 direct

Lllmm

BO TTOM LINE

SPECS The Canon Pixma MP980 Wireless Photo All-In-One Printer is a prime example of a photocentric all-in-one (AIO) that can also function as a standalone home photo lab. The Canon Pixma iP4600 is a surprising step down in speed from the printer it replaces, but it offers similar output quality and paper handling at a lower price. Despite a problem with printing diagonal lines, the Canon Selphy ES3 is one of the most impressive small-format photo printers on the market. Designed as a home printer with an emphasis on photos, the Dell P703w All-In-One Wireless Photo Printer prints photos at fast speeds and reasonably high quality.

All-in-one inkjet; USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi connections; 6 colors; 11-in-1 memory card slot; LCD preview screen; flatbed scanner; 7.9 by 15.2 by 18.5 inches (HWD); 23.6 pounds. Inkjet; USB connection; 1-pass color; duplexing capability; 6 by 11.7 by 17 inches (HWD); 12.4 pounds. Thermal dye technology; USB connection; 4-pass color; 10-in-1 memory card reader; LCD preview screen; 8.9 by 8.9 by 5.4 inches (HWD); 4.6 pounds. All-in-one inkjet; USB, and Wi-Fi connections; 1-pass color; 6-in-1 memory card slot; flatbed scan ner, standalone copier; 8.7 by 20.3 by 14.5 inches (HWD); 22.1 pounds.

Dell P703w All-In-One Wireless Photo Printer $199.00 direct

ast photo printing Wi-Fi support Separate tray for 4-by-6-inch

Prints, copies, and scans Dell Wasabi PZ310 Mobile Photo Printer $149 direct Epson Artisan 800 $299.99 direct

L llmm

• Highly portable • Photos are water- and scratch-resistant • Peel-off back turns photos into stickers

Llllm

• Fast • High-quality photos • Prints and scans over network • Prints on discs • Ethernet and Wi-Fi • Standalone fax and copier

w print speeds for business

Slightly subpar text No automatic document feeder No fax capability • Photos are only 2 by 3 inches • Color quality is less than ideal, but good enough for small photos • Subpar text quality • Low paper capacity Epson WorkForce 600 $199.99 direct

lllhm

• Fast • Wired and wireless network support • Prints and scans over a network • Standalone fax and copier

• Subpar text quality • Paper capacity is only 100 sheets • Can’t fax directly from a PC

s a home printer with an emphasis on photos, the Dell P703w All-In-One Wireless Photo Printer prints photos at fast speeds and reasonably high Only the second printer in the U.S. to use ZINK technology, the Dell Wasabi PZ310 Mobile Photo Printer is small enough to be carried everywhere. Suitable for home and lightduty home office use, the Epson Artisan 800 is a little weak on text quality but strong on features and photo quality.

jet; USB, and Wi-Fi connections; 1-pass color; 6-in-1 memory card slot; flatbed scanner, standalone copier; 8.7 by 20.3 by 14.5 inches (HWD); Zero-ink technology; USB and Wi-Fi connections; direct printing from camera; 0.9 by 4.8 by 2.9 inches (HWD); 8.0 ounces. All-in-one inkjet; USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi connections; 1-pass color; 11-in-1 memory card slot; flatbed scanner; 7.8 by 18.4 by 15.2 inches (HWD); 23.8 pounds. The WorkForce 600 has impressive features (fast speed) with some limitations (low paper capacity), so although it’s an attractive choice it falls just short of being a slam-dunk winner.

All-in-one inkjet; USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi connections; 4 colors; 11-in-1 memory card slot; flatbed scanner; 12 by 18.2 by 22.1 inches (HWD); 18.3 pounds.

Gadgets for Photo Gearheads

These accessories can help you take better shots—or just look cool with your camera. By PC Mag Staff

Datacolor SpyderCube

$59 direct The SpyderCube is a tool to help you calibrate your photos (to achieve the brightest and darkest colors) before you take them and after. The three-dimensional design of this tool provides a few important color tones in a material that is “fade proof, extremely durable, and flame/shock resistant.” Throw the cube into the scene you’re about to photograph, manually adjust white balance, take the shot, remove the cube, and shoot away. In Photoshop, you use the cube shot to set color temperature values. Aqua Case

$39.99 direct The Aqua Case is a much more affordable option than other custom waterproof cases. It comes in three sizes and is waterproof to 100 feet, as well as sandproof and shockproof. The clear, soft case also lets you access all the buttons. There are models with and without articulated lens enclosures, and all are heat resistant to 158 degrees Fahrenheit.

Think Tank Streetwalker HardDrive

$179 direct If you’re looking for a backpack that carries both a laptop and camera gear, check out the memorably named Think Tank Streetwalker HardDrive backpack bag. This bag carries a 15-inch laptop and a ton of camera gear. The thinner padding allows for more camera gear, yet you’re still protected from routine bumps and jostling.

adgets for Photo Gearheads

Joby Gorillapod EyeFi Explore Video

$99.99 list With the Eye-Fi Explore flash storage card, you can upload your photos and videos to your computer wirelessly, thanks to the card’s built-in Wi-Fi. This 4GB card also offers unlimited geotagging and free Wi-Fi hotspot access for one year. Sony VAIO Wi-Fi Photo Frame (VGF-CP1)

$299 list The 800-by-480-pixel VAIO photo frame takes full advantage of its Wi-Fi connectivity, offering Picasa photo feeds, news reports, and even full Web-browsing capabilities. Although it has a high price tag, it offers much more in the way of features and capabilities than its competition.

$24.95 direct The Gorillapod is a small, tripod-like, bendable, and grippable structure that attaches your digital camera to the surface of just about anything: guard rail, cabinet, chair, tree branch, and so on, freeing your hands to capture those memory-making moments. The Gorillapod weighs 1.6 ounces and can hold any camera up to 12.5 ounces. Lensbaby Composer

$270 direct The Lensbaby Composer is the latest lens to join the company’s line of selectivefocus optics. Just tilt the lens to the angle you want and it stays without locking—thanks to a ball-and-socket design. And the Double-Glass Optic produces sharp images.

X-Rite Mini ColorChecker

$61.50 direct The Mini ColorChecker is a good way for serious photographers to match color. Many of its 24 colored squares represent naturally occurring colors—skin tone, blue sky, and so on—and they reflect light the way the actual objects would. The ColorChecker is 3.25 by 2.25 inches.

don’t Shoot in Auto! how to Take Better

Get to know your settings to take the exact photos you want. By Geoff Fox

Are you a digital neophyte, too scared to turn off the Auto mode on your fancy new digital camera? You’re certainly not alone. Fortunately, with a little information and experimentation, you can learn how the various features on your camera work. Read on, and you’ll be tweaking your camera’s settings in no time to get the exact shots you want.

Three Fundamentals

Assuming your shots are already in focus, there are really only three adjustments to think about: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Each acts to control the light or the effect of the light that reaches your camera’s sensor.

ShuTTer Speed Shutter speed refers to how long your camera’s sensor is exposed to light. When your camera’s shutter speed reads “100,” the shutter is open for 1/100th of a second. At “50,” it’s open twice as long, 1/50th of a second. With shutter speed, lower is slower.

When your shutter is slower, or open longer, more light will reach the sensor. Slow the shutter speed and your shots will be brighter. Of course there’s also a downside. If you’re shooting in Auto mode, you’ve probably already seen this and cursed at your camera: Say you’re indoors, somewhere without a lot of light. Your camera wants your scene to have good exposure, so it slows the shutter to brighten things up—and your shot gets blurry. Most blurry shots aren’t out of focus;

n’t Shoot in Auto! ow to Take Better pictures

The ShuTTer- Speed dIFFer-

eNCe By slowing your camera’s shutter speed, you can go from the traditional waterfall shot (left) to a more silky, dreamy waterfall shot (right).

they’re the product of a slow shutter speed showing motion—like small lens movements as you hold the camera.

A very fast shutter speed captures a very brief moment; it can stop motion. A slower shutter speed allows that motion to be seen. Faster shutter speeds almost always bring sharper pictures. Unfortunately your camera’s shutter can be set so fast that there won’t be enough light to take the shot.

Getting confused? Use this simple rule of thumb, which works under most circumstances: You can slow the shutter to 1 divided by the lens focal length. So, if you have a 300mm lens, you must shoot at least 1/300 second. For a 50mm lens it’s at least 1/50. If your camera has a multiplier for focal length (most D-SLRs do), you need to factor that in, too. My camera has a 1.6 multiplier (you’ll find yours in your camera manual); 300mm times 1.6 means I need approximately 1/500 second.

Take your camera and put it in shutter priority mode (so you can adjust the shutter speed while the camera controls everything else), point at anything and take a bunch

AperTure MATTerS These shots were taken at different apertures: f/1.4 (left) and f/16 (right).

of shots while adjusting the shutter speed. Don’t look for artistry, just look to see how you’ve changed the shot. I promise, once it sinks in, you’ll be doing shutter speed by instinct.

AperTure The aperture controls the volume of light that hits your D-SLR’s sensor by reducing the area through which light flows. It works a lot like your eye’s pupil. Unfortunately some mathematical showoff decided to measure it with f-stops. The f-stop may be the most confusing concept in photography. It’s a real number, and it does make sense mathematically, but it could have been presented in a way that was clearer and easier to understand.

Sit down for this. F/2.8 is the f-stop between f/2 and f/4. It gets worse: f/11 is the midpoint between f/8 and f/16. Here’s the progression of f-stops available on most lenses: 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16. Every time you move up by an f-stop, you halve the light going to the lens.

The lower the lowest f-stop your lens offers, the “faster” your camera is. Photographers are constantly lusting after faster lenses; the 30mm f/1.4 lens is my favorite. Luckily you can be a great photographer without remembering exactly which f-stop fits where. But you do need to remember that each lens has a limit as to how wide or narrow the aperture can be set. The higher the f-stop, the less light you get. Lenses vary. Fast lenses with lower f-stops always cost more, and are usually worth it! In most cases those guys on the sidelines at the football game are using lenses that can operate nicely on 25 percent of the available light the lens that came with your camera needs.

If all the aperture did was control the light to the sensor, it still would be a big deal. But the aperture does something more—and once you understand it, your photos will be changed forever. The higher the f-stop, the larger the in-focus area of your shot. If you need a large area in focus, choose a higher f-stop number. For shallower depth of field, choose a lower f-stop. Large apertures (represented as lower-numbered f-stops) are often used for portrait work, leaving the subject sharp and the background pleasingly blurry.

ISO Setting your camera correctly for a shot begins with making sure sufficient light passes through the lens to the sensor. Within reason, you can control how much or how

INCreASING The ISO The bird in this shot was made bright by turning up the ISO setting.

little light gets there with your aperture and shutter controls. Those are physical controls: The aperture is the opening through which light passes into the camera, and the shutter speed controls how long light can pass. ISO is a little more ethereal, because it’s a totally electronic parameter.

When I was a kid, film sensitivity (more commonly called film speed) was measured by an ASA number. When the International Organization for Standardization got involved, the name was changed. Name aside, the scale itself remained the same. I mention this in case you find an ancient but working light meter. ASA equals ISO. Have no fear, the meter is still good.

Of course, increasing the ISO doesn’t come free—there’s always a price to pay. With ISO on a D-SLR, the price is noise, or distortion. Turning up the ISO brightens your photo and amplifies noise from your camera’s sensor. This noise fades into the background when amplification isn’t necessary. My opinion is that if higher ISO buys you a faster shutter speed or the narrower aperture you’re looking for, the extra noise is worth it. I’m not shy about shooting at ISO 1600. Sharpness is more important than noise, and I’m willing to make that trade. I understand my shot will be different in a way that’s not always good.

Go rAW or Go home

Now that you’ve got the fundamentals down—or at least on the way to being so— there are a few more basic issues to consider. By default most cameras save photos as JPEG files, because RAW-format files aren’t

A FLASh IN BrOAd

dAyLIGhT A camera’s flash can be a lifesaver in bright sunlight. Without it, this man would have been a mere silhouette against the brightly lit Connecticut River.

always handled natively by PCs. Imagine shooting photos and not being able to view them! I’m here to convince you that RAW is the way to go. Let me make my case.

When PCs used to come with mere kilobytes of RAM, megabytes of hard drive storage, and a CPU clocked in the dozens of megahertz, large files were daunting. Today? Not so much. Still, saving JPEG files can typically cut an image file’s size by 90 percent— not an insignificant number. That’s because JPEG is a lossy compression method. A JPEG image is different from the original. You might not see that difference in a 4-by-6 snapshot, but you will in a photo you enlarge or splash across a widescreen monitor.

At its core, a JPEG file takes advantage of your eye’s reliance on brightness, sacrificing color detail you might not notice. It also cheats in areas of sharp contrast, corners, and straight edges. The bottom line is that it does what it’s supposed to do: save space. It just does it at a cost.

A RAW file contains the image that goes into the JPEG before processing. Lines are clean. Contrast is maintained. It’s as close to what the sensor saw as possible. It is virtually lossless.

That sounds too good to be true—and it is. RAW’s simplicity makes it more complex for you. Every manufacturer has its own idea of what a RAW file should look like. Wikipedia notes that “several major camera manufacturers, including Nikon, Canon and Sony, encrypt portions of the file in an attempt to prevent third-party tools from accessing them.” To play with RAW files you might be forced to install a codec that lets your software make sense of the RAW files—if your software can deal with RAW files at all!

So why would I recommend it? Easy: RAW gives you more creative latitude. With the ability to adjust color temperature, tweak levels, and crop before doing anything else, you will produce a cleaner output that’s truer to your original. Photographers can

TIp: LONG-expOSure

phOTOGrAphy The use of long-duration exposure can enable you to capture images like stars in motion at night, or the movement of cars on the Strip in Las Vegas (left).

even compensate for shooting conditions by manipulating a RAW file, with little bad effect. If you need to “push” an exposure, doing it with the RAW file will leave you happiest.

Yes, you will have massively larger files that will tax your computer’s CPU, strain your camera’s ability to write data to your memory card, and fill your hard drive. Yes, you will have to check into whether your photo manipulation programs will handle it. But as you learn to love your photos more, you’ll want only the best for them and you. And RAW is best when quality counts.

Built-In Flash

Is the built-in flash on your D-SLR (or any camera, really) awful? If you don’t think so, I have two words for you: red-eye! It’s the bane of amateur photographers worldwide. The pros don’t have the problem, because they move the flash away from the lens so that a bolt of light doesn’t illuminate the very red back of your eyeball. But red-eye is only one of the many bad features built into every on-camera flash.

The light from on-camera flash units falls off very quickly. So when your subjects are far from a wall, the photo’s background is poorly lit and looks awful. When they’re close to the wall, the single source of light produces harsh shadows and looks awful. Awful is built in with an on-camera flash!

If you’re shooting in Auto, there is one situation in which you should be using the on-camera flash—in bright sunlight. If you’re within a few feet of your subject, pop the flash. It will help fill in harsh shadows. You may need to override your camera, which may be resistant to flash because its sensors say there is plenty of light already. Look for a lightning-bolt icon and work your way from there. (For even more tips, on things like shooting panoramas and understanding white balance, click here.)

HD Video for Every Budget

Movies, TV, and even YouTube have gone HD, and your videos should, too, with one of these shooters. By PJ Jacobowitz

These days, it seems as if the entire world is in HD. Shooting your video in high definition can capture a moment in a way that standard video simply can’t. The resulting footage is sharper, faster-moving, and just plain better looking—especially when you view it on an HDTV. Starting at less than $200, these devices—ranging from tiny camcorders to still cameras with HD recording capability to dedicated, full-featured digital videocams— will help you capture and share HD video.

Kodak Zi6 Pocket Video Camera

$179.95 direct

l lllm Kodak’s first dedicated video camera carves out its niche in the YouTube camcorder space, offering HD capabilities and still-image capture at a palatable price.

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Creative Vado Pocket Video Cam HD

$229.99 direct

L LLLM Creative follows in Kodak’s and Pure Digital’s footsteps with its own HD pocket camcorder. This camera has all the charm of the original Vado and enough new features to make it best in show.

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Pure Digital Flip MinoHD

$229.99 direct

L LLMM Pure Digital takes the next logical step, adding highdefinition recording to its popular Flip Mino mini camcorder. While there are few physical changes, you do get more built-in storage—and you pay more.

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POCKET HD CAMCORDERS

The least expensive of your HD recording options, these basic pocket camcorders are small, stripped down, and start as low as $180. They build on the idea of the standard-def YouTube camcorder, the object being to let you capture HD video quickly and easily anytime, anywhere. These palm-size devices are extremely easy to use; there aren’t many settings to worry about, and you don’t need any special software to transfer videos to your computer. Since they shoot video in MPEG-4 format, all you have to do is drag and drop the files onto your desktop or plug the camera right into your HDTV to view your movies. What you sacrifice with these little guys, though, is big LCDs, optical zoom lenses, image stabilization, and noise reduction. Another concession: You’re limited to shooting at the lower end of the HD spectrum, 1,280 by 720 pixels progressive resolution at 60 frames per second (720p60).

Kodak EasyShare M1033

$199.95 direct

l lllm With an easy-to-use interface, excellent images, and a generous feature set that includes HD video capture, this moderately priced camera packs a lot of value.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE Kodak EasyShare V1073

$229.95 direct

l llhm The V1073 has an uninspired design and a convoluted menu system, but its pleasing color values and high definition video-capture abilities go a long way toward making up for those flaws.

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Want more than just moving pictures? The upside here is clear: Not only can you snap still images, you can capture 720p HD video, too—all in one versatile, easy-to-pocket device. If you opt for a point-and-shoot camera instead of a dedicated camcorder for your video, you get a much broader selection of design and feature choices. And, like their pocket-size camcorder counterparts, these shooters are plug-and-play, so they require no extra software.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37

$349.95 direct

l llmm The Panasonic Lumix DMCFX37 can record gorgeous HD video, but it loses points for so-so still images that exhibit some color fringing.

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T500

$399.99 direct

l lllm Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-T500 offers a slick design, a fast and intuitive touch screen, superb image quality, and HD video—but expect poor battery performance and shutter lag, too.

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Samsung NV24HD

$349.00 direct

l llhm Those looking for a basic camera might not enjoy the many buttons, dials, and retro feel, but if you like to tinker, you’ll appreciate all the features of this 10.2-megapixel camera— including solid HD video capture.

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Nikon D90

$999.95 list (body only)

l lllm The Nikon D90 is notable for being the first digital SLR to shoot video (in HD, no less), a nice extra for an already quite capable shooter.

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Canon EOS 5D Mark II

$2,699.00 direct (body only) Not yet rated. The first and only (so far) D-SLR capable of shooting video at full 1080p HD resolution.

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Video has only recently made its way into D-SLRs, so there are just a couple of models available—and they’re not cheap. Prices for these high-def videocapable cameras start at $1,000—and that’s for the body only; add a few hundred dollars more for a lens. Along with breathtaking still shots, though, you’ll get video with the potential to rival and even exceed that of consumer-grade HD camcorders. Still, D-SLRs lose out to some dedicated HD camcorders in storage and surround-sound recording.

Canon Vixia HV30

$899.00 direct

l lllm The HV30 delivers stellar video quality, though recording video to miniDV tape feels low-tech and slows down your operation.

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These consumer-grade camcorders let you shoot hours of video in full HD resolution (1,920-by-1,080 at 60 interlaced frames per second, or 1080i60). Many of them have built-in hard drives that can handle several hours of HD footage, while others record to tape or microSD cards. There are plenty of fun video and audio features, too. A few models here can shoot video at 24 fps to simulate film-like motion, and a couple can record audio in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. These products also have superb image stabilization to combat shaky hands, and they include optical zoom lenses up to 12X. The best part: Video quality is a lot sharper and less noisy than that of pocket camcorders and point-and-shoot cameras. Video handling is not as simple, though. Most require you to install third-party software like iMovie or Microsoft Movie Maker to play your movies back on your PC.

Panasonic HDC-SD9-8GB

$699.95 direct

l lhmm This Panasonic camcorder is small and lightweight, but its video quality is below par.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE JVC Everio GZ-HD10

$799.99 direct

l llmm Despite some flaws, JVC’s Everio GZ-HD10 is a decent starter HD camcorder choice if you’re not hung up on capturing the highest-resolution video possible. What’s more, it comes bundled with video-editing and Blu-ray–burning software.

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Sony HDR-SR11 60GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder

$1,099.99 direct

l lllm Sony’s HDR-SR11 features a 60GB hard drive and delivers dazzling 1080i HD video, along with some cool extra features. But if you don’t already own compatible video-editing soft- ware, you’ll have to add that to its price.

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Samsung SC-HMX20C

$849.99 list

l llhm Samsung’s small, sleek SC-HMX20C camcorder is dead simple to operate, but Canon and Sony reign supreme in video image quality.

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