Light Meter: The 2008 Spring Line Part 3 – Conclusion

Hello my friends and welcome to the last segment regarding digital cameras hitting stores this Spring. Once the snow melts and the sun ventures out, you can show off your new super cool image capturing devices as you strut your way down Main Street all the while keeping an eye out for photo ops with celebrities like Pinocchio, Launchpad McQuack, and Cruella de Vil. With faster processors, today’s cameras have the shortest lag time yet. Be quick on the draw or you’ll miss Elliott before he turns himself invisible.

Nikon USA
Nikon has changed their S series camera designs and 4 out of 6 new models are from that series. All Nikons are Coolpix cameras with specific model numbers.

L is for Life. The L18 is an inexpensive camera at $140. For the price you get 8 MP, a 3x optical zoom, a 3″ screen, autofocus lock and a choice of red or navy.

S stands for Style. Featured on the S520 is VR (vibration reduction), ISO up to 2000, voice recording, 8 MP, a 3x optical zoom, and a 2.5″ lower resolution LCD screen. Suggested price is $230.00.

The S600 jumps up a level or two with 10 MP (megapixels), a 4x wide angle zoom lens, VR, a 2.7″ TFT-LCD (thin film transistor liquid crystal display ), and 45 MB of internal memory. How much? $300.00.

P means Performance. Miss having a viewfinder? The P60 offers an electronic viewfinder, a 2.5″ lower resolution LCD, 8 MP, 5x zoom, and ISO range of 80-2000 for $230.00.

Last but not least is Sony.

Sony is releasing 8 more CyberShots all with an estimated shipping date in March.

The DSC-S750 holds up to 10 minutes of QVGA movie. Face detection, 7 MP, a 3x zoom, and a TFT-LCD give it a $150.00 price tag.

For $200, the W120 has a 4x optical zoom, 7 MP, a 2.5″ LCD, an ISO range of 100-3200, 9 point autofocus and comes in a choice of black, pink or blue.

The compact T series continues with the T300 available in silver, red, and black. 10 MP, a 3.5″ LCD, 5x internal optical zoom, and the ability to create slide shows with music price it at $400.00.

High-end point and shoot cameras for those who want more control may look at the DSC-H10. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $300.00 for 8 MP, 10x optical zoom, a 3″ screen, 9 scene modes, and various effects such as cross screen.

Well folks, there you have it, a brief look at 24 new cameras headed to stores soon. They won’t all wind up in every shop. Some will go to camera stores, some to box stores and others to wholesale warehouses. For more details and extensive reviews, I recommend www.dpreview.com. Happy shopping.