Tech SAVVY: Clash
of the cams
published:
Saturday | June 28, 2008
Payton Wilmott, Tech Writer
Digital cameras come a dime a dozen, and it can be hard to choose the right one if you really don't know what you are looking for.
Well, you're in luck because I have found two digital cameras that will satisfy both the hard-core and casual users: the Sony Cyber-shot T200 and the HP Photosmart R727. See which cam fits your lifestyle.
HP Photosmart R727
The HP Photosmart R727 is a well-designed smart camera with a sturdy metal case that's thin enough to fit easily into a shirt pocket. It's a little thicker than the Sony Cyber-shot T200, but certainly won't weigh you down.
The 2.5-inch LCD is bright and clear, and looks good in everything but direct sunlight. The on-screen menu has both text labels and icons for the options.
What's hot: In-camera panorama stitching, good in-camera help and image advice.
What's not: No shutter-priority mode; some controls uncomfortable to use.
Best suited for: Persons looking an average camera with a very reasonable price tag.
The wrap: It seems that when HP (Hewlett-Packard) was designing the Photosmart R727, it spent a little too much time on the extra features and not enough time on photo quality. The HP Photosmart R727 has tons of very useful features, but its photo quality is lacking, which makes this little camera hard to recommend to hard-core cam fans. The HP Photosmart R727 gets a moderate 7/10 rating.
- Products courtesy of Royale Computers and Accessories. Contact numbers: 906-1067/8, 749-5579, 749-4875.
Sony Cyber Shot T200
The Sony Cyber-shot T200 is an eight-megapixel, pocket-size digital camera. It has a longer-than-standard 5x optical zoom lens. A big attraction is likely to be the extra large 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD display. Other standard features built into the Sony Cyber-shot T200 include face-detection software, image stabilisation, HD TV output and in-camera retouching for red eye.
What's hot: Low shutter lag, picture quality, design, longer-range zoom and the tons of extra features that are added to this device.
What's not: The price tag that's attached to this state-of-the-art device.
Best suited for: Someone who wants the best no matter what it cost.
The wrap: The Sony Cyber-shot T200 is right up there with the very best pocket-size digital cameras. The longer zoom and extra features in general should prove to be user friendly, but it's the picture quality and shutter speed that set this camera apart.
It's one of the fastest cameras you will find and I have no complaints about the photo quality it generates. The Sony Cyber-shot T200 gets a well-deserved 9/10.
