Ultra Cool Gadgets

The new Olympus E-3 is the flagship of its Digital SLR line and provides the high-precision performance demanded by professional and enthusiastic photographers. It combines speed and weatherproof durability for capturing exceptional images in any situation. Olympus pioneered Full Time Live View and Dust Reduction technologies for digital SLR cameras, leading where others have followed. Now, the new E-3 enhances those technical innovations and raises the performance bar with the fastest autofocus in the world. Body-Integrated Mechanical Image Stabilization to stabilize every lens, a 10-megapixel Live MOS image sensor to capture beautiful images, and a magnesium alloy body for dust-proof and splash-proof durability join the impressive innovations developed for the E-3.
The E-3’s AF system works in the blink of an eye to ensure you never miss a shot. When combined with the Zuiko Digital SWD ED 12-60mm lens, the E-3’s AF technology works at speeds unmatched by any other camera in the world. An 11-point full twin-cross AF sensor system produces tack sharp images. Dual sensing arrays on horizontal and vertical axes are arranged in a unique half pitch shifted pattern for ultimate precision. Critical auto focus functions are faster: processing speed, object capturing, and tracking performance. A dedicated data processing engine and a new AF algorithm rapidly handle sensor information. New pixel multiplication technologies gives the E-3 an AF luminescence range of -2 to 19 EV for better low light shooting.

Technical Details

* 10-megapixel Live MOS image sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
* 2.5-inch Live View LCD display; magnify directly on the LCD by 5, 7, or 10x
* Mechanical Image Stabilization with Supersonic Wave Drive
* Exclusive dust-free technology for spot-free photos
* Capture images to CompactFlash Type I/II, Microdrive, xD-Picture Card (Dual-Slot)

Customer feedback:

1. Olympus made major improvements to their pro line in almost every facet– structural, design, robustness, lens and imaging performance. The SWD lens performance paired with this body is outstanding. The imaging sensor and processor are very good also. Noise levels are on par with the Digic3 processors from Canon. A fantastic buy, I highly recommend this camera for both professional and serious photo enthusiasts.

2. I mostly photograph wild birds, usually with a Zuiko 300mm f2.8 lens, often combined with a 2.0X teleconverter. It’s a lot of lens, but the E-3 handles it superbly. Quick, accurate focus. Terrific exposure control, even in automatic settings. Enough pixels that you can crop in post-processing without compromising quality. Rapid shooting, even in RAW mode. I’m a fairly serious photographer and this camera does everything I need. It even feels good in the hand. All this an in-camera image stabilization as well. The IS alone allows you to shoot hand-held with a long lens down to 1/250 second. It’s sturdy, too. The camera and lens set up spend most days clamped to a tripod, balanced on my shoulder, banging into shrubbery, or perched on rocks or in swamps. It’s amazingly solid. Unlike the E-500, the E-3 sports a true USB-2 connection, so downloads of photos are much quicker.

With its powerful guide number of 21, the SB-400 is an ideal flash unit for beginners in digital SLR photography, but it is also useful for hobbyists and professionals looking for a handy i-TTL flash unit offering an effortless bounce flash function. The SB-400 has been specifically developed to provide photographers with an entry-level external flash unit which is compatible with i-TTL flash operation. When combined with cameras that are compatible with the Nikon Creative Lighting System, the SB-400 is controlled in i-TTL and D40’s M (manual) mode.
The SB-400’s flash head can be tilted in 4 steps–horizontal, as well as 60, 75, and 90 degrees–and has a flash shooting distance range of between 60cm to 20m (depending on the camera’s ISO setting). Slow Sync, Red-eye Reduction and other flash modes can also be set on the camera body, enabling users to enjoy brighter and more natural lighting for better flash pictures.

Technical Details

* Compact, lightweight Speedlight unit
* 18mm angle of coverage with Nikon DX format digital SLR cameras
* Bounce capabilities in 4 steps up to 90 degrees; flash shooting distance range from 2 and up to 66 feet
* Approximate guide number of 98.4 feet at ISO 200 (at 18mm zoom head setting)

Customer feedback:

1. If you need a small flash that is a lot more powerful than the on-camera flash on your compatible Nikon camera, this is a great flash. More than anything, it’s a better than on-camera flash that also has bounce capability, which none of the on-camera flashes do. For me, it doesn’t replace a full-featured flash like and SB-800 or SB-600, but is a lot smaller and lighter for many times when you don’t need the big mama. It’s not powerful enough for instance to bounce if the ceiling is higher than 10 or 11 feet with lower ISO settings, where the SB-800 can still reach. I have found I don’t use it as often as I thought I would, but that’s really because I’ve not gotten into the habit of using a fill-flash as much as I should. That’s not the fault of the flash. It is fully automatic, which really means there’s nothing to set or control on this unit. If your camera isn’t compatible, basically this flash won’t work for you. If it is compatible, it works great and seamlessly. I use it with a D200, D70 and CP8400, and it works great with all of them.

2. I really like this flash unit. The reason is simple: it is small and unobtrusive. Most flashes add weight and bulk to a camera, and I often find myself deciding not to attach the outboard flash to my DSLR. This flash, by contrast, is small and barely noticeable on my D80 or D200. This is a no-frills flash that simply does its job and does it quite well. It supports Nikon’s excellent iTTL flash system. Granted, if you are shooting a wedding or some other professional engagement, this would not be the flash of choice; the SB600 or SB800 would do better. But for casual shooting where more than the built-in flash is needed, this unit is extremely nice to have. And of course by using this unit instead of the built-in flash of one’s camera, the user can get more shots from the camera since the flash does not drain the camera batteries.

The Canon EOS Digital Rebel camera now has a new, faster, even smaller big brother. Sibling rivalries aside, the 8.0-megapixel Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT SLR adds resolution, speed, extra creative control, and enhanced comfort in the hand to one of the smallest and lightest digital cameras in its class. Even with its advancements in ergonomic design and technology, this easy-to-use EOS digital camera is compatible with all of Canon’s EF lenses, including the EF-S lenses.
While many of the feature advancements and innovations on the new EOS Digital Rebel XT digital camera are inherited from Canon’s EOS 20D “prosumer” SLR, the two cameras’ most striking technological similarities are their use of Canon’s newly developed large-single-plate, high-sensitivity, high-resolution color CMOS imaging sensor technology. While the size of the APS-C CMOS sensor on the EOS Digital Rebel XT SLR is fractionally smaller than the APS-C CMOS sensor on the EOS 20D camera (22.2 x 14.8 millimeters versus 22.5 x 15.0 millimeters, respectively) accounting in part for the cameras’ 8.0- vs. 8.2-megapixel resolution rating, individual pixel dimensions are identical, and they both provide the same effective angle of view, equivalent to 1.6x the normal EF lens focal length.

Technical Details

* 8.0-megapixel CMOS sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 16 x 22-inch prints
* Includes Canon’s EF-S 18-55mm, f3.5-5.6 zoom lens
* DIGIC II Image Processor provides fast, accurate image processing; captures images at a rate of up to 3 frames per second
* Fast start-up time–.2 seconds
* Powered by rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

Customer feedback:

1. I spent three hours yesterday playing with the brand-new Canon Digital Rebel XT digital SLR camera, and man, was I impressed. By now you probably already know Canon makes some of the best digital cameras in the world. Even though I’m a Nikon shooter when it comes to d-SLR (sorry, loyal Canon shooters!), I own a couple Canon compact digital cameras and love them, too. The DR XT’s image quality is once again excellent. I took a few indoor shots with the camera, both with and without flash, and then the store clerk let me download them to their PC. The JPEG pictures (I didn’t try RAW) looked excellent on the Sony LCD screen, on par with the more expensive EOS 20D d-SLR. Color tones were accurate and the resolution was really good. The improvement picture quality over the original DR (”DR Classic”? BTW it’s now $200 cheaper) comes from both the 2 extra megapixels and the better color accuracy.

2. The XT is amazing. The battery comes partly charged so you can immedietly start using the camera (thank you Canon!) I’ve already shot about 200 pictures with it and the battery hasn’t died yet. I can’t give you a comparison between the XT and the 20D as I haven’t owned a 20D, I can tell you a few things you may wish to know before buying. This camera, is TINY. Extremely tiny. I’m a woman in my early twenties and I have small hands. The camera fits just right in my hands, but honestly, I don’t see how someone with bigger hands would be 100% comfortable holding this. If my hands were any larger, they would be slipping off the bottom.
I had tried holding a 20D at a camera shop once and it felt too large in my hands to grip. The camera size is perfect for me, but just beware if you have larger hands. You may want to look into the battery grip, or test out holding the camera at a store before you order it. See the picture I uploaded above to get a size relation and how the camera fits in my hands.

The Nikon Coolpix L11 combines an array of high-quality components, including a 3x Zoom-Nikkor lens and a bright 2.4-inch LCD screen, with in-camera image-improvement features, housed in lightweight, compact, yet elegantly finished bodies. It boasts a powerful 3x Zoom-Nikkor lenses with a focal range equivalent to that of a 38-116mm (35mm equivalent), providing the freedom to zoom in for tight personal portraits or out to capture expansive outdoor scenes.
The Coolpix L11 also features 15 specially-programmed modes to automatically handle focus, exposure, white balance and other adjustments that help you take great pictures easily. The CCD delivers higher performance within tighter dimensions, greatly adding to the camera’s compact form and portability while offering a generous effective megapixel value of 6.0, ensuring the refined image clarity that users have come to expect from other members of the Coolpix family.

Technical Details

* 6.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
* 3x optical zoom; 2.4-inch Super Bright LCD display
* Face-Priority AF automatically focuses on faces
* D-Lighting improves brightness and detail
* Powered by 2 AA-size batteries; stores images on SD memory cards

Customer feedback:

This is a great camera. I have used and owned several cameras, including three Canons (all great), a Panasonic (not so great), and now this one. This is what I wanted in a camera, things I think all of us are looking for:
1) Price - I was looking for a camera around $[…]. This narrows the field considerably.
2) Picture quality - Obviously, this is why you buy a camera. I would never buy a camera from a company that isn’t famous for them, such as Samsung. I compared the Nikon L11 to the Canon A550/560 since these two are really the best budget buys out there.
3) Size, AA batteries, SD card - all these features make for a great an inexpensive camera to use. The Canon is too bulky too comfortably put in your pant pockets.
4) Speed - this is also essential. Nothing is more annoying than a snapshot camera without the “snap”.

The D40 is compact, lightweight and designed specifically for ease of use, yet contains all the top-quality, high-performance technologies that you expect from a Nikon digital SLR. And with world-famous Nikkor lenses, you know you have the sharpest and most reliable optical performance available. All in a camera light enough to carry with you everywhere. Beautiful photography has never been easier.
Highlights:
Extraordinary Nikon image quality
Easy operation with intuitive controls
Nikon’s smallest digital SLR ever
Fast startup with instant shutter response
Includes 3x 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens
Shoot at up to 2.5 frames per second
2.5-inch color LCD monitor with 3 colorful display options

Technical Details

* 6.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
* Kit includes 3x 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens
* 2.5-inch LCD with three display options; built-in flash and hot shoe
* Fast startup with instant shutter response; shoot at up to 2.5 frames per second
* Powered by one rechargeable Li-ion battery EN-EL9 (included)

Customer feedback:

1. The 6 Megapixel Nikon D40 is targeted for those who want a relatively compact and light camera yet having most of the important SLR features. The D40 is priced reasonably (cheaper than D50/D80 and Canon Rebel XTi). In my opinion, if you are still considering whether to get a point and shoot camera or a DSLR, the D40 will be a better choice than any point and shoot camera, by far, even those with 8MP or 10MP. But if you are already deciding to get a DSLR or you want more control of the picture taking experience, then I would recommend you to also test the D50 and/or D80 first before deciding to buy the D40. I want you to make sure that you know what you will get (and not get) with the D40. Don’t get me wrong though, the D40 is an awesome camera, and I don’t think you will regret buying one. There are some limitation with the D40 which shouldn’t bother most people, for example, the D40 doesn’t have dedicated button to change picture quality, white balance or ISO settings (which generally only professional/enthusiast will care). Once you understand (and accept) its limitation, the D40 is a potent and exciting photography machine.

2. This is an ergonomical, fast handling, very solidly built Digital SLR with many excellent features (like a 2.5 inch silky smooth and bright lcd found on the $1600 D200). Pictures are beautiful. It uses the same excellent 6 megapixel sensor from the D50, D70, D70s. 6 megapixel is plenty, I get tack sharp 8×12 inch prints. Don’t get stuck in counting megapixels. 6MP from a DSLR will blow the doors off a 6,7,8MP compact or even DSLR-like cameras. Especially under low light conditions. 6mp is 3008×2000 pixels. 10mp is just 3888×2592pixels. Not as much difference as many people think. A Nikon DSLR body only for $499 or $599 with the lens? Darn. Nikon pricing strategy is so aggressive. With the D80 at $999 and 400DCanon at $799 body only. The main drawback for the D40 is you’d have to stick with AF-S or AF-I lenses if you want to get auto focus. You can still focus manually with other Nikon lenses. I guess they did it so D50’s resale value won’t drop too much. With the D50 you have access to Nikon’s wide and prestigious range of lenses. Needless to say it makes a difference.

Canon’s EOS-10D 6.3-megapixel digital SLR builds on the strengths of the award-winning EOS-D60 and offers a range of improvements to both the camera’s design and its feature set. It offers a seven-point wide-area autofocus system, fast 3-frames-per-second burst rate, and an ergonomic, super-tough magnesium alloy body shell. The 6.3-million effective pixel CMOS sensor–providing up to 3,072 x 2,048 pixels–is supported by Canon’s unique high-power DIGital Imaging Core (DIGIC) processor. The speed at which the DIGIC processor works has allowed Canon to extend the number of full resolution images in burst sequences to nine, at a rate of 3 frames per second. As well as improved speed, DIGIC also helps produce more accurate color rendition while reducing image noise.
The metering system, using the newest metering algorithm available and a 35-zone evaluative metering system linked to all seven focus points, offers improved exposure consistency and stability. A range covering ISO 100 to 1,600 offers high-quality images across a very broad spectrum of shooting conditions. Photographers working in particularly poor light may also take advantage of an option to extend this range to ISO 3,200. The EOS-10D is the first digital SLR camera to feature direct printing. Linking via a USB cable, you can make prints immediately from any of Canon’s range of compatible bubble jet or CP printers–including the S830D, S530D, and CP-100–without the need to connect to a computer. Controls within the camera’s own menu system allow you to choose print quantity, size, and image cropping. When using Canon’s card photo printer CP-100, with the optional battery pack, prints can be made in the field away from a power supply.

Technical Details

* 6.3-megapixel CMOS image sensor for images up to 3072 x 2048 pixels
* Magnesium body; can save images simultaneously in both RAW and JPEG formats
* 3 frames per second (fps) burst rate up to 9; Adobe RGB color space; 7-area AF sensor
* Compatible with CompactFlash Type I and II cards; no card included
* Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery (BP-511); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1
* Super Intelligent Orientation Sensor detects whether the camera is being held in the portrait or landscape orientation when an image is captured, and automatically rotates the image in the camera’s LCD preview screen and on a computer when downloading using Canon’s ZoomBrowser software.
* Extended battery life providing approximately 650 images without flash or 500 images with 50 percent flash.
* Ability to save an image in RAW format even when it was shot in JPEG mode.

Customer feedback:

1. I borrowed this camera for 10 minutes and decided I had to have one because there was no shutter lag. It was like the old days before going digital. Then I rented the camera for a weekend for $100 to make sure it made sense. It’s worth doing just to see if you are willing to lug around a big camera again if all you’re used to is compact cameras. (We ended up buy a Canon s400 at the same time because this camera is too big for all occasions.)

2. I have owned and used each of Canon’s Digital SLR’s - the D30, D60, the 1D and now the 10 D (I’ll wait for the 1Ds to drop in price) Of all, this camera outperms the others. It’s autofocus is much better than the D30 or D60 and the flash compatibility problems of the 1D are not nearly as evident in this new Camera. The camera is lighter, yet sturdier than the others, although the 1D is probably stronger body. The image quality of this camera is among the best of the Digital Slr’ on the market - outperforming the Fuji & Nikon’s, … The only draw back, which prevents a perfect 5 star rating, is the write speed and burst rate tends to be slower than the 1D. … So who cares, unless you are shooting sports or other high action fast moving large quanity rapid burst photograph - save the bucks or get two of these - that’s my plan

Serious professional photographers who demand one of the fastest, most rugged, and most durable memory cards on the market should choose the SanDisk Extreme III SD card. Built to work under the most challenging conditions, with SanDisk Extreme III you’ll get more speed, better performance, and unmatched reliability. That’s because only SanDisk Extreme III memory cards feature innovative ESP Technology for the fastest speeds and highest performance. ESP stands for “Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing”. Simply put, it means you are getting the fastest read/write speeds available – an amazing minimum 20MB per second sequential read and write speed – speed you’ll definitely appreciate whenever you find yourself shooting and storing pictures in harsh environments, extreme temperatures or at high altitudes.
Every SanDisk Extreme III SD card comes with RescuePRO so you can recover images, documents, mail, video, music – just about any digital file, with ease. Built with leading-edge media recovery algorithms, RescuePRO lets you preview recoverable data before you try to retrieve it. With RescuePro’s unique recovery algorithm for MPEG audio and MPEG video recovery (MPEG-1/2/3) what you see, and what you hear, is what you can recover.

Advanced features:

# Fast 20 MBps sequential Read/Write speeds
# Ideal for demanding photo shoots under severe weather conditions – heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, etc
# Durable, reliable and thoroughly tested for heat, cold, shock and vibration
# Class 6 speed performance rating (based on SD 2.0 specifications)
# RescuePRO data recovery software - ensures your photos will always be there

Customer feedback:

1. For anyone with a fast 10-megapixel camera that accepts high-capacity SDHC cards (check with your manufacturer!), this choice is a no-brainer! Nikon USA reassuringly has this specific card on their “approved” list for the D80 and other recent DSLR models. Shooting in high-quality RAW format, capacity is now up to 326 images (or more), meaning less chance of running out of image storage — usually at the worst possible moment — when you’re paying more attention to the scene before you rather than the image count-down indicator. And if you shoot in .jpg format, you now have a virtual warehouse for your images. The free USB reader is a bonus, allowing for quick, reliable image transfers to your hard drive, Mac or Win.

2. Got this for my canon SD870IS compact camera. I’m not sure if I really needed the speed but the cost of this card wasn’t much more than others and it came with a reader. I am happy with the video quality using this card as I use this camera for video as much as still. The only problem is the card reader doesn’t fit into the recessed usb slots on the front of my comp (just need a usb extension cable), but downloading directly from the camera is still faster than my old cf card reader. I’ve only shot about 100 pics so far, but the card has worked flawlessly.

To deliver superior video and photo quality, the Optura Xi uses a powerful 2.0 Megapixel CCD. Combined with Genuine Canon Optics and Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer, the camcorder captures images with outstanding clarity. In addition to achieving higher resolution, the Optura Xi’s 2.0 Megapixel CCD integrates an RGB Primary Color Filter which separates light passing through the lens into individual red, green, and blue color components, similar to professional 3CCD camcorders. As a result, the Optura Xi achieves more accurate color gradations than models using a conventional complementary color filter. The difference is especially noticeable, for instance, in skin tones and scenes with a dominant color such as a sunset or snow scene. The powerful 11X optical zoom lets you capture your subject with razor-sharp detail even from a distance. The powerful 220X digital zoom takes you even closer, revealing details too small to see with the naked eye. The 11X optical zoom gives you the same range of focal lengths as a 43.7-489 mm lens on a 35 mm still camera.

Technical Details

* MiniDV camcorder and still camera with 2.0-megapixel CCD
* 11x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 220x) and image stabilizer
* 3.5-inch LCD with 180-degree rotation
* Make MPEG-4 movies and send them straight to your computer
* Record for up to 110 minutes on one battery charge

Customer feedback:

1. I bought my Canon Optura Xi two months ago. I almost bought a Canon GL2, until I studied the spec sheets. Both camcorders have the same features: 16-bit stereo recording; f/1.6 lens; 11x zoom; Av, Tv, and manual exposure control, etc. What stands out as different in their spec sheets is their CCDs (the chips that record the image). Digital video (DV) is 640 x 480 pixels, or 307,200 pixels, or one-third of a megapixel. NTSC broadcast video is 525 lines with a 4:3 aspect ratio, or 367,500 pixels. To get color you need three times that number of pixels (for red, green, and blue), or about one megapixel. In the past, CCDs had far fewer pixels, so camcorders had three chips to get enough pixels. The GL2 has three 1/4″ chips, each with 380,000 pixels. Three chips demands a lens three times bigger. Splitting the light three ways requires a big, heavy prism. 3-chip camcorders are big, heavy, and expensive.
The Optura Xi takes a different approach. It uses one chip with 1,230,000 pixels. The CCD is between 1/3″ and 1.4″; in other words, bigger than the GL2’s 1/4″ chips, but smaller than the XL1S’s 1/3″ chips. (Pro video cameras have three 1/2″ or 2/3″ chips, making them much bigger and heavier.) The Optura Xi has more pixels than the GL2, yet doesn’t need the prism. The lens and body are smaller and lighter, and the Optura Xi is half the price. I’ve found that my Optura Xi has accurate colors (unlike my old Canon Optura 200MC), and it performs well in low light conditions. The GL2’s colors look a little better (more saturated) but only a little. The Optura Xi looks much better than previous one-chip camcorders.

2. First this camera isn’t the smallest, but it fits comfortable in my hand and the 3.5″ LCD is nice. The zoom slider is easy to control, and most of the camera’s functionality is easy to learn. The “special” effects are cheesy and awkward to use. Luckily if you have good video editing software (e.g., iMovie) you don’t need these. Optical stabilization works well, and it takes decent photos (the 8MB SD card supplied with camera is practically useless due to its size). USB and fireware connectivity are plug and play, and work as advertised (on G4 laptop).

The WP-DC21 Underwater Case for Canon G9 Digital Cameras protects your camera from sea water, sand or whatever else you can throw at it. This All-Weather Case offers a new shooting possibility to help you realize the full potential of digital photography. You can also use it to take pictures where it is snowing, raining, dusty or excessively humid.

Technical Details

* Can use camera’s internal flash to control external strobes
* Includes - Neck strap, wrist strap, silicone grease

Customer feedback:

1. I loved being able to take my camera snorkeling and diving with me and having all my controls available to me! Three things of note before using this device: 1-get the weights that attach to it (it floats and is difficult to control without them), 2-create some kind of easy-on, easy-off system for the camera’s neckstrap as you have to remove it each time you place in the housing, and 3-go online and find out how to white balance your camera for underwater (far better results than just using the default underwater setting).

2. I am an avid Photographer and own a few Canon cameras, so I am very familiar with the quality of most of their products. Still, I was surprised at the superior quality of this housing for the relative low cost. It fits my Canon G9 perfectly and most of the controls can be accessed easily. The flash diffuser works amazingly well. If you shoot a flash photo without it, you’ll see a pronounced shadow on the lower right of the photo, caused buy the lens part of the housing being in the way. Add the diffuser and problem solved! Only 2 negatives; there should be a protective rubber lens cover to protect the lens window when carrying or storing. (I would even be willing to buy one if Canon decides to make it) Also you can’t control the thumb wheel on the back of the G9 while it’s in the housing. This only restricts the use of manual focus and manual exposure compensation while in the housing.

Given the success of Canon’s highly acclaimed G Series, it’s no surprise that ambitious photographers have been eagerly anticipating the next model in its evolution. The wait has paid off handsomely with the introduction of the PowerShot G9. In image quality and functionality, the G9 stands above the competition with 12.1 megapixels of resolution, 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer, and RAW mode for the ultimate in creative control. Sophisticated design and high-quality construction complement the technology and make the G9 a camera to be reckoned with.
12.1-megapixel resolution gives you plenty of rich, deep detail to work with. Blow up images to poster size, or enlarge and crop any section without fear of pixelation.
With DIGIC III, your images boast superior quality, the camera operates at top efficiency and battery life is enhanced. What’s more, DIGIC III enables Canon’s Face Detection Technology and red-eye correction to give you better, more true-to-life people shots. Simply press the Shutter Button halfway down, and the camera automatically pinpoints the faces in the scene and chooses the ideal focus point. The camera controls exposure settings and flash to keep every face looking bright and natural. Red eyes can be corrected during playback.

Technical Details

* 12.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality poster-size prints
* 6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 3.0-inch LCD display; optical viewfinder
* Face Detection technology and in-camera red-eye fix
* 25 shooting modes, including 9 special scene modes; Print/Share button
* Powered by NB-2LH lithium-ion battery

Customer reviews:

1. This camera takes pictures so detailed that you can capture the wings of a hummingbird in flight. It is just what I needed.

2. As a working professional photographer, I think this is the best point-and-shoot around. This is my second G9 (the first died tragically when the Canon underwater housing leaked). What is most useful for me is the high pixel count and RAW mode. The images are definitely noisy at ALL iso’s, especially in the shadow areas, but nothing I can’t live with. This is my recreational camera and the underwater color balance setting for video makes this camera a standout for all of the time I spend with wild dolphins, whales and sharks (check out examples at mauidon on blogspot). I have even used this camera in a pinch for work and images can be seen in national magazines.