Olympus SH1 24x 5-Axis Image Stabilization Camera

Olympus SH1 is a super zoom camera with 24x zoom (25-600mm 35mm Equivalent) and 5-axis image stabilization.  The camera has a 16MP 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor.  The monitor features a 3.0" 460k-Dot Touchscreen LCD.  SH-1 can record full HD 1080p video at 60 fps. Built-In Wi-Fi connectivity enable to connect smart phones. Other features include ISO 6400, 11.5 fps continuous shooting, interval shooting and Time-Lapse movie.

Samsung NX1 Mirrorless Digital Camera

Samsung announces the new  NX1 recently, which features 4K 24fps, UHD at 30 fps, and full 1080p HD video at up to 60 fps, and a 28.2MP BSI APS-C CMOS sensor.  Other features include  3.0" 1036k-Dot Tilt-Touchscreen LCD, 2360k-dot XGA OLED electronic viewfinder, advanced hybrid autofocus system, 205 phase-detection AF Points, 15 fps burst with AF.  The camera includes Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

Sony A5100 Mirrorless Digital Camera

Sony a5100 mirrorless digital camera replace the a5000.  Sony a5100 has a 24.3 MP APS-C Exmor HD CMOS sensor with hybrid AF  179 phase-detect point system and video recording features (full HD 1080p video in XAVC S at 50Mbps). The 3 inches 921.6 k dot LCD can be tilted.  The camera is able to shoot up to 6 fps and ISO 25600.  It has Wi-Fi and NFC.  A pop-up flash is one of the features.

Nikon Point and Shot APS-C Sensor Camera - Coolpix A

The Nikon COOLPIX A is a point-and-shoot digital camera incorporated a16.2MP DX-format (APS-C) CMOS sensor. The lens focal lenth is 18.5 which is equivalent to 28mm of 35mm film camera. The maximum aperture is F2.8.  Coolpix A LCD is 3 inches 91k dot. The camera can take full 1080p HD video. ISO sensitivity is between 100-25600. The exposure modes include AE Bracketing, AE Lock, Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Programmed Auto and Shutter Priority.

Canon G7X One Inch Sensor Digital Camera

The PowerShot G7 X is a premium high-performance camera with a large and light-grabbing 1.0-inch, 20.2 Megapixel* High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor. The camera uses a DIGIC 6 Image Processor for  low-light photography up to ISO 12800. The image stabilization lens is a f/1.8 (W)-f/2.8 (T) with 4.2x Optical Zoom (24mm-100mm).  It has a minimum focus range of just 5cm for macro shooting.  The camera has Wi-Fi  and NFC.   G7 X is equipped with a high-resolution multi-angle capacitive 3.0-inch touch panel LCD which is easy for selfie. Other features include 31 AF points, full-resolution continuous shooting up to 6.5 fps and 1080p/60p HD video.

Sony RX100 III 1 inch Sensor Point and Shot Camera

Sony RX100 III is an one inch sensor point and shot camera.  The camera has a 20.1 MP Exmor R® sensor for extreme low-light shots.  Maximum aperture is F1.8 Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens (24-70mm).  The camera incorporates a Built-in SVGA Oled viewfinder w/ZEISS T* coating.  The LCD is 3 inches large.  Other feature includes built-in ND filter for bright night shooting.  HDMI output is used to connect TV.  The shooting modes are P/A/S/M. It has built in Wi-Fi with NFC.  Smart phone can connect the camera.

Ricoh ME500 35mm Film Range Finder Camera

Ricoh ME 500 was an inexpensive range finder film camera made in 1980's.  It has a Rikenon 40mm f/2.8 made of 4 elements in 3 groups and is capable for multi-exposure. The shutter is mechanical leaf shutter with speeds from 1/8 to 1/500th of a second, plus bulb.The camera is made with Aluminum and plastic.  ME500 can use a spring winder to advance film.  There is a CDS meter is powered by A675 battery.

 

Voigtlander Vitoret 110 Subminiature pocket camera

Voigtlander Vitoret 110 Vitoret EL pocket camera was produce in the early 1980's.  It is a pretty bad camera in terms of  image quality and reliability of the camera.  It is a fixed focus camera.  The automatic shutter and aperture are controlled by a weather symbol switch for "good" or "bad" weather. The shutter speed was 1/40 sec. up to 1/300 sec.

 

Minolta Maxxum 7000 First Auto Focu SLR Film Camera

Minolta announced the first Auto Focus SLR camera in 1985.   The shutter speed is from 1/2000 to 30 seconds and "bulb". Other features include Auto film loading, auto set film speed with DX-coded films.  The rewind is using power rewind. The Minolta 7000 had its AF sensors and the focusing drive inside the camera body.  Minolta designed a new lens mount called A mount. The A lens mount is still using in Sony DSLR, hence Minolta A mount lens can be mount on Sony DSLR. 

Sony A7 II 5 Axis Stabilization Full Frame Digital Camera

Sony recently announces the full frame A7 II 5 Axis Stabilization digital camera in Japan.  It is the first time, a full frame digital mirrorless camera  features a unique 5-axis in-camera stabilization system.  The shutter speed is between 30 to 1/8000 sec. Continuous shooting rate is up to 5 fps in continuous high and 2.5 fps in continuous low.  ISO sensitivity is 100-25600 (expandable to ISO 50-51200 with multi-shot NR).  The exposure modes has Aperture-Priority (A), Manual (M), Programmed auto (P), Shutter-Priority Auto (S).

Canon Dial 35 Film Camera of 1963

Canon Dial 35mm used 35mm film and was started to produce in 1963.  The camera is half frame which mean it use only half of the 35mm film frame.  Hence a 36 exposures 35mm film can render 72 exposures of picture.  The camera has a spring winder to advance film automatically.   It is a shutter speed-priority with cds EE exposure control. The focus can be done through the viewfinder  with a needle matching the near, middle, or far icon.

Why I like my Compact Zoom Digital Camera

Compact camera is very useful because it is portable, inexpensive, easy to use, handy, full of scene modes and useful to record incident, unexpected scene and event.  There are many good brand name compact camera between the price of  CAD$70 to 200.  The image quality is much better than the phone camera.

Many of the compact cameras are shock proof, freeze-proof, and dust-proof, and water-proof.

If you wish to buy a compact digital camera, ensure that the camera should at least include the features of image stabilization, auto focus, and wifi, and pocket size.

Centon DF300 35mm SLR camera

DF-300 is a 35mm film SLR . DF-300 was derived from Minolta X300, X370s and X-7A. It was also delivered as the Vivitar V50 and Seagull DF-300x. Centon the name is a brand name of British retailer Jessop.  The 50mm F1.8 lens take sharp and crispy pictures.

It is quite inexpensive to get one from ebay for around US$40 and up depending on the condition of the camera.

Centon DF-300 has the following features: 50mm F1.8 standard; Aperture priority; Manual; 1984 vintage; Minolta MD mount; Price=3 cup of Starbucks or one Big Mac combo or two Dim Sum plates.

Olympus OM2N

Olympus OM2N is an upgrade version of the innovative OM1 It is automatic exposure system with an aperture-preferred shutter. Fully manual shooting is incorporated. The size of the camera is much smaller than the conventional SLR from other manufacturers. The exposure range is between 1/1000 to 1s with bulb shutter.  Olympus incorporated a off-the-film (OTF) TTL exposure metering which claims to provide more accurate light measurement.

Olympus OM-10 Film Camera

Olympus OM-10 was announced in 1979 as the cheapest of OM SLR lines.  It is an aperture priority 35mm film camera.  An adapter was sold separately to allow change of shutter.  The camera came with a sharp and contrasty 50mm F1.8 lens.  Olympus was famous to cut down the size of the then SLR camera. The camera was much smaller and lighter than the competition.  The present Olympus EM-5 DSLR camera bears the similar styling of the OM-10.

Classic Olympus XA Rangefinder Film Camera

Olympus XA was announced in 1979.  It is a small camera about the the size of a small palm. It has a rangefinder with 35mm F2.8 Zuiko lens.  A small flash (A11) can be attached on the left side of the camera. The camera rangefinder is used for focusing. The camera is very capable to take good quality of photographs. The shutter speed can be adjusted between 10 seconds to 1/500 and is quiet.  The ISO range is between 25 to 800.  Dimension is 102x64.5x40 mm.

Old Camera - Kiev 4am

Kiev 4am is an classic 35mm rangefinder camera based on Contax design.  The viewfinder and rangefinder use the same window for focusing and aiming.  The lens mount is the Contax rangefinder mount which allow to use the prewar Contax rangefinders lenses made for this mount. The Kiev 4am were produced between 1980-87with the choice of Helios-103 53mm f/1.8 or Jupiter-8M 50mm f/2.

Kiev 4am Rangefinder Camera

Sony QX1 APS-C Camera for Phone

This camera looks like a lens which convert your smartphone into an interchangeable lens camera.  It features clips to smartphone, Sony E lens mount and a 20.1MP APS-C Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor. The image processor is BIONZ X.  Other features include:

• Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 30 fps
• RAW Shooting & ISO Range up to 16000
• Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
• Continuous Shooting up to 3.5 fps
• Built-In Flash with Guide Number of 13'
• microSD and Memory Stick Micro Card Slot

QX1 is does not come with a lens.

Leica T Mirrorless Camera

Leica T is Leica cheapest mirrorless lens interchangeable camera.  The  Leica T Mirrorless Digital Camera has featuring a 16.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor housed in a aluminum alloy unibody design with the Leica T lens mount for attaching optional lenses. The LCD features 1.3 million pixel 3.7" TFT touchscreen.

• 16.3MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
• Solid Aluminum Alloy Unibody Design
• 3.7" 1.3M-dot TFT LCD Touchscreen
• Contrast-Based Autofocus System
• Continuous Shooting at up to 5 fps
• Full HD 1920 x 1080p Video at 30 fps
• Built-In Flash with GN of 15' at ISO 100
• 16 GB Internal Memory & SDXC Card Slot
• Wi-Fi Connectivity & Leica T App for iOS
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom included

Overview

Fuji XA1 Mirrorless Camera

Fuji XA1 is the cheapest X mirrorless camera offered by Fujifilm, which does not has a viewfinder. The camera incorporates a 16 mega pixel APS-C CMOS sensor and the following features:

• EXR Processor II
• 3.0" 920k-Dot Tilting LCD Monitor
• Full HD 1080p Video with Stereo Sound
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
• Extended Sensitivity to ISO 25600
• Continuous Shooting Rate of 5.6 fps
• Advanced SR AUTO and Q Menu Button
• Film Simulation and Advanced Filters
• Fujifilm XC 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS Lens

The Fujifilm X-A1 has almost the same features of the X-M1 except it uses a 16MP APS-C sensor  not the X-Trans used by X-M1.  X-A1 is an entry level mirrorless camera.

Overview