New Model - Panasonic GH2

Panasonic Lumix GH2



A new model is launch! The Panasonic Lumix GH2 is the newest Macro Four Third System camera. As its name suggests, Panasonic Lumix GH2 is the replacement model of GH1. We can still find significant differences, and we shall look at these differences now.

The GH2 is a 16 Mega Pixels camera which allows you to print big big size!

The material used for GH2 is slightly different - it is less "smooth" than GH1, giving it a more "rugged" feel
The camera mode dial in the camera’s hand grip has been moved back, something which benefits control.

Although the Panasonic Lumix GH2’s body is almost identical to the GH1, the hand placement is a bit different. The hand grip is neatly covered with rubber and allows for the GH2 to sit in the hand perfectly. The material is more refined and has a professional look. A beginner will be able to use it immediately.

The Panasonic Lumix GH2's 3.0-inch touch screen LCD screen that rotates up to 270 degrees.
LCD viewfinder or Live viewfinder with 17.5mm eye point and diopter adjustment, and 100% frame coverage. Of course, it's not much of a surprise that the LCD screen can rotate for the ease of taking self-portrait photos but I'm still loving it :) 'Cause it's a TOUCH SCREEN LCD! :)

What GH2 has that other cameras don't is its super fast Auto Focus. Panasonic boast it's AF as "Light Speed AF" so I guess you have the idea of how fast the AF is.

Did I mention that it has FULL HD video recording as well? Yup, following the trend of movie making, our GH2 is able to capture FULL HD video. So if you want to be the next Steven Spielberg, your dream is not too far at all :)

Currently GH2 is on sale now at $1599 (14 - 42 mm lens) & $2399 (14 - 140mm lens)

Here are the specifications:

Image Sensor Size	17.3mm x 13.0mm
Lens Mount	Micro Four-thirds
Image Sensor Type	Live MOS Sensor
Camera Effective Pixels	16.05 Mega Pixels
Recording File Format	Still Image: JPEG(DCF, Exif 2.3), RAW, DPOF compatible MPO (When attaching 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds standard) / Motion Image: AVCHD / QuickTime Motion JPEG
Image Quality	RAW, RAW+Fine, RAW+Standard, Fine, Standard, MPO+Fine, MPO+Standard (with 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds standard
ISO sensitivity (Standard Output Sensitivity)	Auto / Intelligent ISO / 160 / 200 / 250 / 320 / 400 / 400 / 500/ 640 / 800 / 1000 / 1250 / 1600 / 2000 / 2500 / 3200 / 4000 / 5000 / 6400 / 8000 / 10000 / 12800
Light metering system	144-zone multi-pattern sensing system
Light metering mode	Intelligent Multiple / Center Weighted / Spot
Exposure compensation	1/3EV Step ±5EV
Shutter speed	Still Images: 1/4000 ~ 60 and Bulb (up to approx. 2 minutes)
Still Image SCN mode	Portrait (Normal/Soft Skin/Outdoor/Indoor/Creative) / Scenery (Normal/Nature/Architecture/Creative) / Close-up (Flower/Food/Objects/Creative) / SCN (Peripheral Defocus/Night Portrait/Night Scenery/Sunset/Party/Sports/Baby 1,2/Pet)
Movie SCN mode	Portrait (Normal/Soft Skin/Outdoor/Indoor/Creative) / Scenery (Normal/Nature/Architecture/Creative) / Close-up (Flower/Food/Objects/Creative) / SCN (Peripheral Defocus/Night Portrait/Night Scenery/Sunset/Party/Sports/Baby 1,2/Pet) / (Activated by selecting Still Image SCN mode then pressing Movie Button. Still Image SCN modes without corresponding Movie SCN mode is recorded in mode suitable for the recording situation.)
LCD Type	3.0” TFT LCD with Touch Panel
Dimensions (W x H x D)	124 x 89.6 x 75.8mm  (excluding protrusions)
Weight	Approx.609g / 21.48 oz （SD card, Battery, 14-42mm lens included) / Approx. 904g / 31.88 oz （SD card, Battery, 14-140mm lens included) / Approx. 392g / 13.82 oz （Body only
Battery life (CIPA standard)	Approx. 330 images (LCD), Approx. 340 images (LVF) with H-FS014042 / Approx. 320 images (LCD), Approx. 330 images (LVF) with H-VS014140

Gift idea part 2

The Sony Alpha a290


The DSLR market is becoming increasingly crowded with low- and mid-range cameras that pack features present on professional models.

The 14.2 megapixels Sony Alpha a290 is small, light-weight body that makes it great for one-handed shooting and you wont feel weighted down if you chuck it in a bag on your way to the beach, it could be a good choice for you if you're travelling to many places in a day. The a290 is certainly an easy camera to learn with, particularly if you don't have much experience with the layout of other manufacturers' camera controls. In good shooting conditions, photographs look sharp and colours are bright and vivid, even using default settings.
The a290 does feature optical image stabilisation though, which did improve handheld shots, even at full zoom and of course it includes a handy built-in flash.

The 2.7-inch LCD screen displays bright and clear photo review opportunities.
Helpful guides are displayed on-screen as you cycle through the various available scene modes to assist novice users, as well as clearly indicating settings during shooting, allowing inexperienced photographers to capture pleasing shots in a variety of different conditions whilst understanding the ways in which different settings affect results.

If you are used to your compact digital cameras and somewhat nervous about making the leap to a DSLR, the a290 should definitely be on your mind due to its great ease of use.

While not a contender for "Best Low Light Shooter", the a290 nonetheless provides acceptable results in less than perfect conditions and pleasing results when better. Construction may well feel rather cheap, but it doesn't feel poorly constructed, and by using plastics rather than metals Sony has made a camera light enough for any bag.

And I think what makes it more alluring is the price. For just S$699, you walk home with a DSLR that is not too bad in features. Did I mention it has a image stabliliser in it's body? That is another plus point for SONY Alpha

Basic Specifications
Resolution:	14.20 Megapixels
Kit Lens:	3.00x zoom 18-55mm (27-83mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	Optical
LCD Size:	2.7 inch
ISO:	100-3200
Shutter:	30-1/4000
Max Aperture:	3.5
Mem Type:	MS Duo / MS PRO Duo / SD / SDHC
Battery:	Custom LiIon
Dimensions:	5.0 x 3.8 x 3.1 in. (128 x 97 x 80 mm)
Weight:	508 g (includes batteries)

The Fujifilm Finepix F300




If you are looking for an easy to use point and shoot camera that has the options and features of a higher end camera, then you may want to consider the Fujifilm FinePix F300 EXR. The F300 EXR includes all of the basic features you would find in a point and shoot camera plus a few more.
The F300 EXR has a comfortable design for use and easy menu navigation, the positioning of the mode selector conveniently located by the thumb that is set at a 45-degree angle for switching between modes easily.

The menu and jog wheel are efficient but with so many feature settings, it will take a bit of practice before you are comfortable with where everything is.

The autofocus is very quick and intuitive, you won't have to find it difficult getting the F300 to focus where you wanted it to, even on long distance shots.
The camera determines the focal point of the shot and tracks it as you or as the subject moves. f you take pictures of sports or fast moving small children this feature alone may make this your camera of choice.

The EXR mode improves image clarity, reduces noise, and increases dynamic range automatically or with manual adjustment. The net effect –a much better auto-shooting mode with higher quality images. The user can also adjust the aperture, speed, and lighting settings, allowing a custom image similar to what some higher end digital cameras offer.

Gift Ideas for Christmas Part 1 - digital still camera

So, christmas is around the corner. Bought presents for your loved ones yet? If you haven't, no fret here's something you might like.

Gift Idea 1: 

Fujifilm Finepix JX200



Basic Specifications
Resolution:	12.20 Megapixels
Lens:	5.00x zoom (28-140mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	LCD
LCD Size:	2.7 inch
ISO:	100-3200
Shutter:	8-1/1400
Max Aperture:	3.6
Mem Type:	SD / SDHC
Battery:	Custom Li-Ion
Dimensions:	3.7 x 2.2 x 0.9 in. (93 x 55 x 23 mm)
Weight:	130 g includes batteries

The Fujifilm Finepix JX200 is a 12 megapixel camera with 5x optical zoom and 28mm wide angle. What this means is that it allows you to print poster size photo without it looking “pixelated”. The 5x optical zoom makes it a better choice than average camera since it allows you to take objects that are further without physically having to move forward. The wide angle makes JX200 a nice camera to own when taking family photos – you no longer have to keep moving backwards to fit everyone in the picture. The JX200 also has a 2.7 Inch LCD display – small, but good enough for picture taking.

What makes it a perfect gift:
The Fujifilm Finepix JX200 is a value-for-money camera considering its price and specifications. It’s also available in a wide range of colours – silver, black, blue, pink & red so I’m pretty sure that there is one colour that suits him/her.

RSP: $199 includes 8GB memory card & case. [Special X’mas promotion at Song Brothers’ includes additional battery, screen protector & mini tripod. Available at Song Brothers Sim Lim Square #01-59, Song Brothers Funan #02-43 & Click! Tampines 1 #02-01]  

Gift Idea 2:

Panasonic DMC-F2

Specifications
Optical sensor: CCD 
Resolution: 10.1 megapixels 
Lens: Lumix DC Vario F2.8 - F5.9 
Zoom range: 4x optical zoom
Focal length: 33mm to 132mm
Light sensitivity: ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, Auto, High Sensitivity
Focusing: Normal, macro, quick AF, Face Detection
Shutter speed: 8 to 1/2000 seconds
Creative controls: Yes
Movie Mode:  [WVGA 848x480, 30FPS] [VGA 640x480, 30FPS] with sound
Other useful features: intelligent Auto, scene modes


If you are looking at something more stylish in design, you might want to consider the Panasonic Lumix DMC F2.

DMC F2 is a good 10 mega pixel camera operated by lithium battery. It has a 4x optical zoom, good for taking scenery photos. It’s coupled with Intelligent Auto, so you don’t have to worry about pressing on buttons to change to macro or night scenery mode – it does so automatically. It also has “high sensitivity” mode that is good for concert photos which the object is constantly moving.

What makes it a perfect gift:
For the price of $199, you can a stylish camera with pretty good photo quality. It’s available in the usual silver and black, with 8GB memory card and Case. [Available at Song Brothers Sim Lim Square #01-59, Song Brothers Funan #02-43, Click! Tampines 1 #02-01]