Camera & Camcorder Reviews: 2012

Toshiba Camileo BW10 Camcorder (yellow)

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The good: The Toshiba Camileo BW10 is easy to use, waterproof, and small and lightweight.

The bad: The BW10 has almost no extra features, lacks embedded editing and sharing software, and produces merely passable HD video.

The bottom line: The Toshiba Camileo BW10 is a basic, waterproof minicamcorder that's good enough to capture a casual cannonball into a pool, but not more treasured memories.

Toshiba's Camileo BW10 is a simple, waterproof minicamcorder. And by simple, I mean it does little more than shoot full HD-resolution video and 5-megapixel photos on land and in the water to depths of 6.5 feet for up to 60 minutes. If you're looking for more than that, you probably want skip the BW10. But those who want an inexpensive pocket video camera for wet weather or poolside use might like what it has to offer--regardless of how little that actually is.

Though the BW10 isn't shockproof or crushproof, it does feel a bit tougher than a nonwaterproof minicamcorder. It's small and lightweight, so throwing it in a pocket or small bag isn't a problem. On the bottom is a locking, well-sealed door covering the SD card slot and removable battery pack. The left side has another door protecting its Micro-USB port (used for charging and file transfers) and Mini-HDMI port. There is no flip-out USB connector, so you'll need a cable or a card reader to move files to a computer.

Weight (with battery and media)Fixed focal length, f2.8 47mm (35mm equivalent)H.264 video, mono AAC audio (.MP4)1,920x1,080 pixels at 30fps (13Mbps; progressive)Removable lithium ion rechargeable, 70 minutesCamileo YouTube Uploader (Windows), Magix Video deluxe 15 (Windows; 30-day trial)

Despite the busy control panel below the small 2-inch LCD, the BW10's operation is straightforward. Press and hold the power button (it takes roughly 7 seconds to go from off to recording) and then press the video record button or shutter release for photos. There's a directional pad in the center: press right to change video resolution, left to change photo resolution, and up and down to control the digital zoom. There's a playback button for viewing photos and videos, and you can capture stills from videos by pausing the clip and pressing the shutter release. There's a menu button, too, but there's little reason to use it.

The BW10 is all automatic. The only shooting options are selecting resolutions for photos (5, 2, 0.9, and 0.3 megapixels) and videos (1080p, 720p, or 480p, all at 30 frames per second) and turning on face detection and tracking. There is a 10x digital zoom (not that you should use it), and there's electronic image stabilization that can't be shut off. You can't even turn off the beeping that accompanies menu selections or the shutter release sound.

Canon PowerShot S100 (Black)

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The good: A great little camera with advanced features, the Canon PowerShot S100 builds on the strengths of its excellent predecessor.

The bad: As a trade-off for extending the zoom range to 5x the lens' aperture narrows very quickly as you zoom out. And there's no improvement over the S95's so-so performance, despite the price increase.

The bottom line: The Canon PowerShot S100 is a generally great little camera for advanced shooters who don't mind slowing down a bit from a dSLR.

The Canon PowerShot S95 is a very good, popular camera with some commonly complained-about flaws: among those are the poor flash design, lack of a grip, narrow maximum aperture at the telephoto end of the zoom range, short battery life, slow performance, and relatively expensive price. With the S100, Canon addresses a few of these plus it adds some desirable new features: a wider-angle 24mm start to the zoom range, manual controls and zooming during video, and a built-in GPS. There's also a spiffy new silvery/champagney-color version in addition to the basic matte black.

Despite a slight bump up in resolution, the S100 maintains the excellent photo quality that contributed to the S95's popularity. Exposure and metering, color accuracy, and tonal range are good, and the lens is relatively sharp; there's some distortion but less than you'd expect given its minimum focal length of 24mm-equivalent. Given its size (and its relatively small sensor) it delivers excellent JPEG quality up to ISO 200, and photos remain quite good up through ISO 800. If you shoot raw you can even get quite usable quality out of ISO 1600, which is rare for a camera its size. Plus, there's quite a bit of fringing on high-contrast edges. The camera defringes the JPEGs, but if you shoot raw it's quite a bit of work to fix.

High ISO sensitivity performance is especially important for the S100, because the aperture narrows so quickly as you zoom through even its limited 5x range that you run out of available light fast. Shooting in late-afternoon November light became an exercise in frustration. Any zoom beyond its widest required boosting the sensitivity setting. The only thing that keeps me from dinging the S100 harder for it is that bumping up to a faster lens in the Fujifilm FinePix X10 adds a significant chunk of change, and as I haven't tested it yet there's always the possibility that the X10's photos won't be up to its price, or that it somehow manages to perform even more slowly than this generally slow class of cameras.

The S100 does a pretty nice job shooting video as well, and one of the enhancements over the S95 is the ability to use the zoom during shooting, which it does quietly and unobtrusively. The video is sharp if somewhat oversaturated (you can set it to a neutral color setting if that bothers you), and the audio sounds good. There's a slow-motion recording mode--you capture normally and it plays back at 240 or 120fps and saves out an MP4 file of the slow motion playback. It's better than some because it doesn't limit the capture time, but it also records at small 320x240- or 640x480-pixel sizes depending upon the frame rate.

Disappointingly, Canon didn't improve the S100's performance over the S95; it's still a bit slow overall and can't keep up with class performance leaders like the XZ-1 or the LX5. It powers on, focuses, and shoots in just under 1.6 seconds, which is reasonable. For single shots, it's about the same as the rest of the field: 0.4 second to focus and shoot in good light and 0.6 second in dim. But like the S95 it slows down notably when snapping two sequential shots, to 2.4 seconds for JPEG, 2.6 seconds for raw and 2.8 seconds for flash. While I wouldn't call raw+JPEG shooting glacial, it does feel sluggish. It can burst JPEG at about 2.4 frames per second, but as with its peers, you don't really want to buy this model for anything that moves quickly, including kids and pets. It also has the shortest battery life in its class, but that's one of the trade-offs you make for size: smaller camera, smaller battery.

It uses the same LCD as the S95, and it's bright and saturated and pretty usable in direct sunlight.

The addition of the grip inset makes a big difference in shooting comfort, and the control ring around the lens remains a nice interface convention.

The S100's design improves on some of the flaws of the S95. It now has a tiny grip in front and a rubberized thumb rest in the back which makes it much easier to hold and shoot. It retains the control ring around the lens that distinguishes the camera from competitors, except for the XZ-1, which copied it. The ring can be set to control shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation, manual focus, white balance, stepped zoom, i-Contrast, aspect ratio, or its function when in Custom mode. The functions can be set independently of shooting mode, so that, for example, it can control focus in Manual mode or shutter speed while in aperture-priority mode. The stepped zoom can also be a surprisingly useful feature for some; it jumps to popular preset focal lengths (24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 120mm), which is quite convenient if you need repeatable shots. You can quickly access the ring control assignments via a dedicated button on the back of the camera. If you don't plan to change the ring function that often, you can even reassign the button to a host of other options, including some important ones like metering, raw+JPEG override or the built-in neutral density filter.

Although you might think you want a really compact camera, people with big hands might find the S100 a little too small for comfort.

On top is a more prominent shutter button plus the mode dial, which has the usual PASM, auto, movie and scene modes, as well as a custom settings slot and special effects mode. The custom settings that save include a manual focus position and/or zoom position and My Menu items in addition tot the relevant shooting settings. The back has the typical set of controls, including focus mode, flash, and exposure compensation plus a quick function access button and dedicated movie record button. While the menus are structured into three seemingly short screens, you nevertheless have a lot of control and customization over the camera's behavior and the options. For instance, on the surface it seems like there are just the requisite flash options you'd expect, including flash compensation and first- or second-curtain sync, but if you dive a little deeper in the menus you'll find a manual setting where you choose from three levels of output intensity. That said, it would be nice if the flash were a little more intelligent on auto.

The most notable new addition to the camera is a GPS receiver for geotagging photos. The implementation is pretty basic--you can turn it on or off, and there's a GPS Logger feature that continuously records your location between shots to deliver a complete route of your travels. (To use the latter data, however, I think you have to use the bundled software.) The GPS logger operates while the camera is off, which is bound to drain the power, especially if it has a hard time getting a signal in places.

3-inch fixed OLED
610,000 dots3-inch articulated AMOLED
920,000 dots720/24p
H.264 QuickTime MOV
Stereo1080/24p
H.264 QuickTime MOV
Stereo1080/30p H.264 QuickTime MOV StereoManual iris and shutter in video

There are some less interesting but novel new features. Movie Digest mode automatically captures a few seconds of video before you snap a photo, which sounds good, except in that mode the movies and video are stuck at 640x480 pixels. A High-speed Burst HQ mode shoots 8 shots at 9.6fps--that's less than a full second capture--with completely automatic settings. You then have to wait about 4 seconds while it saves before you shoot again. It does operate at full resolution, however. In addition, there's the typical complement of scene modes and special-effects filters. For a complete guide to the S100's features and operation you can download the PDF manual.

Conclusion
Canon's PowerShot S100 is still the smallest camera you can buy that delivers good photo quality with a full set of manual capabilities and a wide-aperture lens. And it's a great little camera--well designed and comfortable to shoot, albeit with a couple of caveats. The lens may start out with a wide aperture, but it gets narrow pretty fast as you start to zoom, so make sure that's not going to drive you nuts; if it will you may want to check out a slightly more expensive model like the Olympus XZ-1 or Fujifilm FinePix X10. It's also not terribly fast--probably fine for street shooting, but it'll never keep up with unpredictable kids or animals.

Shooting speed (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Typical continuous-shooting speed (in frames per second)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition

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The good: The GoPro HD Hero2 boasts improved optics, a few new video- and still-photo-shooting modes, and backward compatibility with current HD Hero accessories. Most importantly, its interface has been overhauled and is now much easier to view and understand.

The bad: As improved as it is, the Hero2's interface can still be a bit confusing for the first-time user.

The bottom line: The GoPro HD Hero2 is easily the best GoPro camera yet, with the ruggedness and quality that we've come to expect and a new user-friendly interface.

I've had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the GoPro HD Hero that we've used during the recording of the Car Tech Live podcast for the last year or so. On the one hand, the Hero takes phenomenal wide-angle video, is ridiculously durable thanks to its polycarbonate shell, and (when you get the settings right) relatively easy to use. However, that last bit is also my biggest point of contention with the first few generations of the GoPro Hero cameras; I'm a self-proclaimed techie who's recorded hours of footage using the HD Hero and I still have to break out the poorly written instruction sheet to change any of the settings. More often than not, I just leave the settings where I left them and just point and shoot.

So, when the new generation GoPro HD Hero2 landed on my desk boasting an improved interface, I decided to challenge myself to full-test the device without cracking the spine on its (also improved) 90-page user manual.

Old design with a twist
Looking at the GoPro HD Hero2 side by side with the original HD Hero (hereafter referred to as the HD Hero1), reveals remarkably little change in the unit's form factor. Both units are dimensionally identical and feature the same lens, power button, shutter button, and LCD screen placement. This means that any waterproof cases or lens covers purchased for the HD Hero1 will still work with the HD Hero2, which is a good thing for GoPro devotees. Likewise, both units feature the same rear hook and connection port for GoPro's line of removable BacPacs, which we'll discuss later.

The HD Hero2 remains compatible with previous-generation GoPro accessories. Here it is fitted with a Battery BacPac and a suction-cup mount.

Closer inspection reveals that there's more than the addition of the number 2 to distinguish the new model from the old. For starters, the Hero2 features a new glass lens that should be sharper and more durable than the old lens. Where the Hero1 featured only one red recording indicator LED, the Hero2 features four (one enlarged indicator on the front of the unit and smaller lights on its top, back, and bottom edges). On the right edge (when viewed from the front) are the connections for the proprietary video output, the Mini-USB port for charging, and a 2.5mm microphone input. Thankfully, these three connections are actually labeled this go-round. On the left edge are the full-size SD card slot and a new HDMI video output. Onboard microphones are now located on the top and bottom edges of the unit. Finally, the rear panel is where you'll find the battery door that covers the user-replaceable 1,100mAh lithium ion battery.

I mentioned that the HD Hero2 ships with the same waterproof housing as the Hero1. For those unfamiliar with this housing, it's a clear, polycarbonate shell that holds the Hero camera to whatever mounting option you chose to use. Spring-loaded waterproof buttons give users access to the selection and shutter buttons and a clear lens bubble protects the HD Hero2's lens from scratches. In the event that this bubble is damaged, a replacement can be ordered and affixed with a small screwdriver. At the back of the shell is door that locks shut with a plastic latching clamp. (The plastic latch on our HD Hero1 busted after only a few weeks of use, so this bit worries me. Fortunately, it's a relatively simple fix.) Users are given the choice between two easily swappable doors that ship with the HD Hero2. The first is a sealed waterproof door that keeps the camera dry, even when submerged to a depth of 197 feet. The second door is a "skeleton door" with openings that sacrifice waterproofing for increased sound quality.

The mounting options included in the box will depend on which HD Hero2 kit you pick up. The Motorsports Edition, for example, ships with a suction cup mount on an articulated arm and five adhesive mounts. The Surf Edition packs a pair of surfboard mounts and a special "Floaty" back door that will keep your camera from sinking to the bottom of the ocean in the event of a detachment. Finally, the Outdoor Edition includes a helmet strap, a head strap, and a selection of adhesive mounts. Additionally, additional mounts for handlebars, roll bars, chest straps, etc. are available from the manufacturer for additional cost.

Users who want to add functionality can do so with addons, such as this LCD BacPac.

Same screen, new interface
Of all of the changes to the HD Hero, the most drastic is the overhauled interface present on the tiny monochromatic LCD. For starters the HD Hero2 uses larger, bolder icons for identifying the current recording mode. So tapping the selection button on the front of the unit fills the screen momentarily with a large icon for the newly selected mode that is easier to read with goggles on or at an arm's length. When the moment is passed, the screen returns to its default state with a smaller icon indicating the mode and a new text-based setting identifier. So rather than memorizing that "R7" is 1080p video at 30 fps, the unit simply displays "1080-30," which is much easier to decode. Likewise, photo modes are clearly identified with, for example, "5 MP 0.5 sec" which can easily be identified as "take a 5 megapixel shot every half second."

The Hero2's new interface is much easier to decode and navigate than the previous generations'.

Likewise, the menu system has also been made clearer, with more easily identified icons for each setting that leads to a drop-down menu where the different options can be viewed clearly. Navigating the GoPro's many options with just the select and shutter buttons is still an exercise in patience. For example, setting the date to 11:11am on 11/11/11 can take as many as 60 or more button presses. (Fortunately, the date is something you should only really have to set once.) That's an extreme example, but even simpler tasks (such as changing the video or still-photo resolution) can take as many as 10 button presses.

On the bright side, the fact that the GoPro HD Hero2 even offers granular access to all of its settings right on the camera is an advantage that it holds over simpler camera systems, such as Contour's.

There are still a few icons that don't make much sense. (I doubt many can tell me what this icon means without first checking the manual.) However, the important bits--changing the resolution of photos and video, setting time-lapse intervals--and the options that you're likely to find yourself wanting to fiddle with before bombing down that double-black-diamond slope are extremely easy to understand.

I started the review with the intention of never cracking open the GoPro HD Hero2's instruction manual and I'm pleased to state that I didn't need to use it. (Although, I did flip through the manual and found that it is both more thoroughly written and better organized than the old sheet. So if you do find yourself needing help, it's a great resource.)

Recording modes
So, we've discussed the chassis and we've explained that it's easy to use, but what sort of video and photos can you expect to get out of this camera?

Sony Handycam HDR-CX200

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The good: Sony's entry-level Handycams, the HDR-CX190, CX200 and CX210 are small, lightweight and cheap. A captive USB cable that enables charging while connected to your computer is one of the few perks.

The bad: You can't really call the video HD quality, the camcorder feels flimsy and the lens is prone to fringing.

The bottom line: They're cheap and capture video, but don't buy the Sony Handycam HDR-CX190, CX200 or CX210 thinking that you're getting a great bargain on a real HD camcorder. If you're going to buy one, get the cheapest; nothing on any of these is really worth the extra bucks.

Sony's trio of entry-level camcorders -- the Handycam HDR-CX190, CX200 and CX210 -- seem amazingly, aggressively priced. But they're priced like standard-definition camcorders because they use SD-level components to produce video in HD format but not HD quality. Sony's not alone in this: both Canon and Panasonic play the same game to various degrees with their entry-level models. All of them use low-resolution sensors and interpolate the video up to HD resolution. In this case, Sony actually is using a sensor that's even smaller and lower-resolution than the 2-year-old CX110.

The three camcorders differ from each other in a few ways. The CX200 and CX210 incorporate touch screens; the CX190 has a small joystick and playback button on the LCD bezel for operation. In addition, the CX210 has 8GB of internal memory -- keep in mind when comparing prices between the CX200 and CX210 that an 8GB flash card costs less than $10. This review is based on testing of the CX190. (There's also a version of the camcorder with a built-in projector, the PJ200.)

As far as I can tell, the video quality doesn't look any worse than predecessors like the CX130, which many folks consider acceptable. If you view your video scaled down and played on a computer, or like to shoot close-ups, which usually deliver the best results for both cameras and camcorders, it looks good. But for typical tourist and home-video type shooting of middle distances and viewed at actual size or on a large-screen TV, I found it extremely soft and mushy. The combination of sensor and optics seem prone to fringing, and can produce an overall purplish cast on the video rather than just on edges. In low light -- say, early dusk -- it's even softer and quite noisy. The audio is typical for its class; a little too bright-sounding, but the mic picks up the sounds you want.

If you only view the video scaled down (inset), it can look fine -- provided you don't mind the occasional purple cast caused by fringing. At full size, though, it's kind of messy. (Frame grab)

(Credit: Lori Grunin/CNET)

Stills look pretty bad -- soft and overprocessed. Many camera phones are better. (Unsurprising given that Sony's "5.3-megapixel" photos are actually 1.3-megapixel photos bloated up for specsmanship.) Part of the problem is that you can't pick a focus area, at least on the CX190. You just have to point and pray. The CX200 and CX210 both have spot focus and exposure via the touch screen.

On the upside, the performance isn't bad, though the battery seems to run down a little faster than I'd like -- it lasts about an hour. The LCD actually remains quite visible in bright sunlight and the camcorder focuses relatively quickly and accurately. The image stabilization works well for about three quarters of the zoom range; I think part of the problem is that the camcorder is a little too light and harder to keep steady than some.

Of course, its compact, light design is one of the attractions of the camcorder, though it also makes it feel quite plasticky and flimsy. It fits comfortably in a roomy jacket pocket or bag. The design is also typical of these entry-level models, with a zoom switch, photo shutter and mode (movie/still) button on top and a record button in the back for thumb operation. A manual switch opens and closes the lens cover.

Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10

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The good: The Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10's built-in projector and stereo speakers are very convenient for sharing home movies. Plus, the HD camcorder has the same wide-angle lens, built-in USB cable, and good automated performance as its projector-free siblings.

The bad: If you don't plan to use the projector, the rest of the camcorder's performance and feature set are a bit underpowered for the money.

The bottom line: You're paying a couple hundred extra for the projector in the otherwise frills-free Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 over its identical twin, the CX160. But if you regularly show off your vacation videos in the homes of friends and family then it's worth it.

When I first saw Sony's PJ series of camcorders, with their built-in projectors, I flashed back to all the times I sat waiting for certain friends of mine to hook up their various devices to the TV in order to share their vacation videos. They eventually just left the necessary cables hanging off the TV, but for a lot of people, that's a suboptimal solution. The small projector in the Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 is a far more elegant option.

Essentially the same camcorder as the Sony Handycam CX160, the HDR-PJ10 gets its usefulness quotient increased quite a bit by a pico projector. (Much of this review is based on that of the CX130/CX160.) In part because the just-OK video quality matters a lot less when you're viewing it via the projector, and I'm assuming that if you bought this model it's because you're going to be projecting rather than connecting to a TV.

In sunlight, with the subject filling the frame, the camcorder produces good-looking video that passes for full HD. But in many other circumstances, especially when there's a lot of background detail and motion such as grass or trees waving in the breeze, the low-resolution (in this case, less than the native 2.07 megapixels required for HD) sensor simply isn't up to the task of resolving all that and you'll start to see artifacts from the interpolation and video compression, despite the relatively high bit rates.

As with the CX130/CX160, the colors look pleasing and sufficiently saturated, if a bit coolly white-balanced, and while bright highlights get blown out, that's an acceptable trade-off for the price that most people probably won't mind. Moderately low-light video looks decent, albeit a bit soft and noisy, and in very dim living-room light, the camcorder trades off color for visibility and sharpness, producing usable video with a not-unpleasant graininess reminiscent of black-and-white.

While the still photos are serviceable, you probably don't want to count on the camcorder as a camera. Photos are bright and colorful, but have that smeary, processed look of a cheap digital camera because they're scaled up from the native resolution of 1.67MP to 1.9MP.

Sensor (effective video resolution)recommended: n/a
standard: 11
low light: 3recommended: n/a
standard: 11
low light: 3recommended: n/a
standard: 11
low light: 3recommended: n/a
standard: 11
low light: 3recommended: n/a
standard: 11
low light: 30GB/16GB internal/160GB hard drive; 1 x SDXCAVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i @ 24, 17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5MbpsAVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5Mbps
AVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i/24p @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5MbpsAVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i/24p @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5MbpsAVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i/24p @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5Mbps
2 channels/2 channels/5.1 channels, mic and headphone jacks5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks2.1x2.3x4.9/ 2.1x2.3x4.9/ 2.4x2.6x5.1

Canon Vixia HF M400 (black)

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The good: With a nice set of features for home-movie-type shooters and pleasing video quality, the Canon Vixia HF M400 series has lots to like.

The bad: A small, coarse LCD that's hard to view in direct sunlight and touch-screen-impaired menu system hamper an otherwise solid design.

The bottom line: A fine follow-up to last year's M3xx series, the Canon Vixia M4xx series should please most home-movie-oriented videographers despite its relatively high price. If you don't need the EVF, the M400 is your best buy, but if you'll be shooting a lot in sunlight, it's worth it to step up to the M41.

With the Vixia HF M4xx series of HD camcorders, Canon maintains its reputation for delivering a solid midrange consumer camcorder, once again at slightly higher prices than those of the competition. The series consists of three nearly identical models. The cheapest, the M400, has no built-in memory, the M40 adds 16GB, and the M41 adds another 16GB plus an electronic viewfinder. All use the same HD CMOS Pro sensor found in the HF G10, but paired with a smaller, less expensive lens. This review is based on the Vixia HF M41.

Overall, the camcorder's video looks relatively sharp--and like most looks even better played directly on a TV. There is some aliasing on edges, generally a result of the interlaced video format; one difference between the M4xx series and its step-up sibling is the lack of a native 1080 progressive encoding format instead of the AVCHD standard of encoding 24fps and 30fps video as 60i.

Exposure and color rendering look very good, with a broad tonal range--there's no excessive clipping in the highlights or shadows. Though the M4xx series uses the same sensor as the more expensive HF G10, the lenses are very different, and it shows in a variety of ways. In this case, the more pentagonal aperture renders less pleasing out-of-focus highlights. That probably won't matter to most potential users of this model, but will affect those seeking a more artistic look.

The camcorder's low-light video (about 17 lux) looks quite good; a little soft, but with a nice balance between sharpness and color saturation and accuracy in its noise reduction. Lower light--dim living-room quality--displays more softness and color noise, but I think most people would consider it acceptable.

For shooting stills, the low-resolution sensor may not suit some folks' need for large still photos. Like the G10, the stills look sharp and fall just short of looking too digital; they look fine onscreen and printed, but I wouldn't recommend printing them larger than 4.5x8 inches.

As for audio, the stereo microphone is quite sensitive with a bright sound, but the automatic wind filter doesn't work as well as I'd like. It has a decent set of audio tools, including the ability to mix internal and external levels, set directionality (mono, normal, wide, zoom), equalize (boost LF, low cut, boost MF), boost HF+LF), and attenuate.

2.07-megapixel CMOS
(Dynamic IS on: 1.47 megapixels
Advanced Zoom on: 1.04 megapixels ) 20x
f1.8-3.6
41.2-824mm (Standard IS)recommended: 100
standard: 5
low light: 0.4recommended: 100
standard: 5.5
low light: 0.4recommended: 100
standard: 1.5
low light: 0.1recommended: 100
standard: 4
low light: 0.3recommended: 100
standard: 4
low light: 0.3None/None/ 0.24-inch 260,000 dotsNone/None/ 0.23-inch 123,000 dots0GB/8GB/ 32GB internal; 2 x SDXC0GB/8GB/ 32GB/64GB internal; 1 x SDHC (SDXC on M32)0GB/16GB/ 32GB internal; 2 x SDXC0GB/32GB/ 64GB internal; 2 x SDHCAVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps
(also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i)AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps
(also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i)AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps
(also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i)AVCHD: 1080/60i/24p @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i/24p 12, 7, 5 Mbps
(also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i)AVCHD: 1080/60i/24p @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i/24p 12, 7, 5 Mbps
(also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i)
2 channels;
mic, headphone jacks 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic);
mic, headphone jacks 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic);
mic, headphone jacks 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic);
mic, headphone jacks 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic);
mic, headphone jacks 3.0 x 2.9 x 5.5/
3.0 x 2.9 x 5.8 (S21)$549.99/ $599.99/ $699.99/ $999.99

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100

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The good: Speed, good looks, and pretty pictures number among the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100's strengths.

The bad: The camera tends to clip bright highlights more than we typically see, and the slippery body lacks a grip. Plus, the lack of a manually triggered macro mode might put off some fans of close-up photography.

The bottom line: The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100's compact, elegant design, generally excellent photo quality, bright, fast lens, and speedy performance make a great package if you don't mind spending a little more money.

Sony may be a camera-come-lately with its Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 enthusiast compact, but boy, what a debut: a fast performer equipped with a relatively large sensor and a bright, fast lens, and wrapped in a small, sleek body. It seems like Sony made a lot of intelligent decisions about design and feature tradeoffs to get the job done. Compared with many of its competitors it's relatively expensive, but it doesn't feel overpriced for what you get.

Image quality
The RX100 generally displays good JPEG processing and noise reduction; it does a creditable job of balancing trade-offs between color noise and softness. Out-of-focus areas still suffer from mushiness as low as ISO 400 -- a common problem with cameras with smaller sensors -- but in-focus spots stand up pretty well until about ISO 800. Overall, the camera's JPEGs look solid up to ISO 400 and acceptable through ISO 1600, depending upon scene content. From a noise and artifact perspective, I was happy with an uncorrected 13x19 print of the ISO 1600 photo downloadable below.

But it's nice that you're not forced to rely on the high ISO sensitivities that often. While the lens aperture gets pretty narrow at the telephoto end of the focal range, it's still relatively wide for a nice chunk of the way. Here are the points at which the maximum aperture changes:

Keep in mind that while the aperture determines the amount of depth of field you'll have at a given focal length, so does sensor size. That means competing aperture specs are only moderately useful when it comes to comparing cameras: the f1.8 on the XZ-1 will look very different from the f1.8 on the RX100 because of sensor size difference. Larger sensors can achieve shallower DOF at a given focal length and aperture than smaller sensors, which gives the RX100 a compositional flexibility advantage over cheaper competitors. But typically, unless you're always shooting at a wide angle or close up, you'll probably still end up without a lot of background defocus. The more practical advantage the lens confers is simply allowing for more light.

The camera produces very nice low-ISO-sensitivity shots with lovely tonality. It doesn't have a neutral Creative Style, so the photos have Sony's typical Standard look, high contrast with pushed saturation. That said, it doesn't stress the range so badly that hues shift or shadow detail clips substantially. The one possible issue I encountered was that bright highlights on yellows get completely blown out. They're unrecoverable from raws in Sony's Image Data Converter software, but they might be there for better software. On the other hand, some clipped areas in bright, saturated reds of JPEG images proved moderately recoverable in the software.

The lens displays very good center sharpness through f5.6, with a slight falloff at f8 and noticeable softness at f11. There's also some aberration at f1.8, which is typical, and a little bit of barrel distortion on the left side at its widest -- it looks like Sony is performing in-camera distortion correction, which tends to make wide angle images look oddly linearized.

Video looks good, bright, saturated, and reasonably sharp, with no notable artifacts in bright light, and is relatively noise-free in dim. The autofocus works well while shooting video, and the lens is sufficiently quiet while zooming. Audio comes through loud and clear and doesn't sound too compressed or tinny.

Performance
Editors' note: We recently updated our testing methodology to provide slightly more real-world performance information, so the results aren't necessarily comparable with previous testing. Until we're finished refining our procedures, we will not be posting comparative performance charts.

The RX100 is significantly faster than its competition for all but continuous shooting. It takes about 2.1 seconds to power on, focus, and shoot -- while that's not blazing-fast, it's still ahead of quite a few other models. Focusing and shooting under all but the darkest conditions takes about 0.3 second; in very low light, the autofocus automatically expands to the entire scene. Two sequential shots with the first prefocused take about 0.2 second for raw or JPEG. That increases to 2.3 seconds with flash enabled, which is on the fast side for this crowd. Shooting raw+JPEG with a fast SD card (a 95MBps SanDisk Extreme Pro) is fast and fluid without any interface lag.

With a fast card, the camera can burst JPEGs at 2.5 frames per second for an effectively unlimited number of shots without slowing. You can shoot raw continuously at the same rate for around 17 shots; after that, it drops to around 2.2fps. However, while faster than many competitors' times, neither of these is really great. Continuous shooting with the RX100 and many other viewfinderless models is mostly a point-and-pray process, anyway. In the case of the RX100, the tracking autofocus seems to lag behind even slow-moving subjects, another not-uncommon problem.

The LCD becomes a little washed out in direct sunlight but remains sufficiently visible.

Design and features
With only a couple of possible exceptions, the RX100 is a sleek, well-designed camera; it's compact and attractive, with a sturdily built aluminum body.

No grip! Not even a textured surface.

My biggest problem with the RX100's design is the lack of a grip. That combined with the slippery metal body means I'm constantly in fear of dropping it, and forced to grip it extra tightly, which can get really tiring if you shoot one-handed a lot. Over and over again we've seen companies drop the grip to make the camera seem smaller or shinier or somethinger only to add it back in a subsequent generation. It's nuts.

Like the equivalent PowerShots and the Olympus XZ-1, the RX100 incorporates a multipurpose adjustment ring on the lens.<

What you see while zooming with the control ring.

I like the control ring, which you can program to operate for one default setting (such as zoom or shutter speed) and to use in conjunction with the Fn button, which you can program to access up to seven more settings. However, you can't use the control ring while the camera's on a tripod (unless you have a very small plate); the ring extends just far enough below the bottom of the camera that there's no clearance to rotate.

You can tilt the RX100's flash for more-attractive illumination.

The camera can be customized quite a bit. In addition to the Fn button, you can also reprogram the operation of the left and right navigation keys on the back dial as well as the center button. And there's a Memory Recall option on the mode dial so you can select from three custom settings slots.

ISO 80 - ISO 3200/12800 (expanded)5fps
12 JPEG/ n/a raw
(11fps without tracking AF)2.5fps
(10fps with fixed exposure)
n/a60-1/2,000 sec; bulb to 16 min3-inch fixed OLED
610,000 dots3-inch articulated AMOLED
614,000 dots1080/24p
H.264 QuickTime MOV
Stereo1080/60p AVCHD @ 28Mbps; 1080/60p QuickTime MOV @ 28Mbps
StereoManual iris and shutter in video

The top mode dial offers the usual manual, semimanual, and automatic modes, plus a dedicated movie mode (with a full set of manual and semimanual exposure controls) and Sweep Panorama.

I'd argue that the camera (like a lot of cameras, actually) offers too many automatic mode options: there's a scene program mode, intelligent auto, and Superior auto. I always thought the whole point of automatic was to not have to make any choices.

The movie button on the back is a bit hard to press because the location demands it be too recessed in order to keep from accidentally hitting it. The rest of the controls have just enough travel to keep from being difficult to operate.

I wish there were more control over what settings appear in this display.

In order to get rid of useless or screen-cluttering information like the Soft Skin or flash compensation setting -- the latter shouldn't even appear if the flash is forced off, for example -- you have to switch to the graphic display, which I find harder to parse quickly.

While the RX100 has a nicely rounded shooting feature set, I'd hardly call it expansive. The camera lacks a hot shoe, viewfinder, or articulated LCD. And even if you're willing to trade those off for the more compact size, it also lacks geotagging capability and wireless connectivity. It has features like the aforementioned Soft Skin Effect and Auto Portrait Framing, which I think are out of place in a camera for more advanced users. I'd rather have the ability to manually invoke macro mode, which, like with Sony's point-and-shoot models, here can only occur automatically. In addition to face detection, it can register up to eight faces, which it can then use for Smile Shutter or autofocus tracking.

For effectsionistas, the RX100 offers a handful, with a few very nice ones. But you've got to scroll through every variation -- a rotating cornucopia of 33 slots when there are really only 13 filters -- which gets seriously annoying. They're not accessible in raw or raw+JPEG mode (though the camera doesn't bother to tell you that's why they're grayed out) so you can't save a simultaneous version without effects, and you can't control any of the parameters.

Conclusion
While the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is pricey and imperfect, it's still darn good. Plus, based on past experience, even if competitors I haven't yet tested can surpass it in design or speed, I don't think they'll be able to match the photo quality. (Canon might be able to if it matched a fast lens to the G1 X's sensor.) Despite its drawbacks, I'd still rank it as one of the best compact cameras I've ever tested, and certainly the best under $700. But if you can't bring yourself to pay the premium price, one of these other enthusiast compact models will probably suit.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 (Black)

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The good: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 delivers fast shooting performance and very good photo and movie quality in a slim package with a wide, long lens.

The bad: The SZ7's battery life could be better, and its pictures probably won't thrill pixel peepers.

The bottom line: A speedy little camera with a long lens, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 performs beyond its tiny price tag.

For such a small camera, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 has a lot going for it.

The ultracompact point-and-shoot weighs about the same as a smartphone, but has a 10x zoom lens and a 14-megapixel MOS sensor that supports full HD movie capture at 60i in AVCHD (it'll shoot MP4, too), and it shoots fast thanks in part to Panasonic's latest autofocus system, which keeps shutter lag very low.

All of that, very good photo and video results, and a reasonably low price make it a nice choice as a grab-and-go camera for automatic snapshots.

However, you probably won't want to go without a fully charged battery, and, while I liked its photo quality overall, it might not meet everyone's needs and expectations.

Picture quality
Depending on what your plans are for its photos, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7's shots are either very good to excellent or unusable. If you're looking to use its 14-megapixel resolution to enlarge pictures to full size and heavily crop in, don't buy this camera (or most other point-and-shoots). Things just don't look great when viewed at 100 percent.

However, those viewing on a screen at less than 100 percent or making prints up to 8.5x11, which is probably the majority of buyers, will be really happy with the results.

Looking at its pictures closely, you'll see subjects are somewhat soft and noisy even at the camera's lowest ISO sensitivities where things should be their sharpest. As you go up in ISO, such as when you're shooting in low light, you'll pick up more noise, particularly yellow blotches. Panasonic's JPEG processing has gotten much better at these higher ISOs, making them usable. Things definitely get worse at ISO 1600 and above, however, so you'll want to avoid using them whenever possible. Also, subjects generally look soft above ISO 200; if it's something you're sensitive to, you can always sharpen somewhat with editing software. (You can read more about picture quality in the slideshow above.)

Video quality is very good, with limited ghosting on fast-moving subjects. Judder, too, is minimal when panning the camera. Basically all the pluses and minuses of the camera's photo quality are true for movies as well. That includes blown-out highlights in bright scenes.

Shooting performance
Note: We recently updated our testing methodology to gauge slightly more real-world performance, so the results aren't necessarily comparable with previous testing. Until we're finished refining our procedures we will not be posting comparative performance charts.

Probably the biggest reason to get the SZ7 is its shooting performance. About the only thing it does somewhat slowly is power up; from off to first shot takes about 2.1 seconds. After that it's very fast at 0.7 second from shot to shot. Using the flash drives the shot-to-shot time up to 2.5 seconds, but that's still very good for this category.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Shutter lag -- the time from pressing the shutter release to capture without prefocusing -- is just 0.3 second in good lighting. In low-light conditions it goes up to 0.5 second and zooming in under the same conditions will extend the lag to just less than 1 second. For this class of camera at its price, these are excellent times.

The SZ7 is also excellent for burst shooting. Panasonic claims it can shoot in four-shot bursts at 10 frames per second at full resolution, and it basically hit that in my tests, reaching 9.7fps. However, that's with focus and exposure set at the first shot. What sets the SZ7 apart from similar cameras is that it can capture at 5fps with autofocus; most competing models don't even offer that as an option, and if they do, they aren't nearly this fast.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Design and features
The DMC-SZ7 looks like a shrunken, slimmed-down version of its longer-zoom linemates, the ZS19 and ZS20. Despite being just less than an inch thick, the SZ7 still has plenty of zoom range, going from an ultrawide-angle 25mm to 250mm. Plus, the camera is so lightweight, you can easily slip it in a pocket and not feel weighed down.

3.9 inches by 2.4 inches by 0.9 inchWeight (with battery and media)Megapixels, image sensor size, type14 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch high-sensitivity MOSLCD size, resolution/viewfinderLens (zoom, aperture, focal length)10x, f3.1-5.9, 25-250mm (35mm equivalent)JPEG/AVCHD (.MTS), H.264 AAC (.MP4)Highest resolution size (still/video)4,320x3,240 pixels/ 1,920x1,080 at 60fps (AVCHD interlaced; 17Mbps), 1,920x1,080 at 30fps (MP4 progressive; 20Mbps)Lithium ion rechargeable, 220 shotsYes, via USB connected to computer or wall adapter (included)PhotofunStudio 8 Advanced Edition (Windows)

Controls are relatively easy to master. About the most frustrating part is the use of switches for power and going from shooting to playback. If you're used to buttons for these things, it can take some time to adjust, especially if you're the type to look at your shots right after you take them.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Panasonic fit a 3-inch high-res LCD on back while leaving plenty of room for its controls. The LCD gets reasonably bright, though even at its max brightness you may struggle to see it in direct sunlight. It does have a high-angle setting, however, so if you're shooting above your head it won't completely wash out.

The DMC-SZ7's battery and SD card slot are squeezed into a small compartment on the bottom with a locking door. Battery life is somewhat short if you do more than take some snapshots in auto. Using the zoom lens a lot, burst shooting, or capturing long movie clips will empty your charge quickly. If you're considering the SZ7 for going out and shooting for the day, you'll want to pick up a second battery. The battery is charged in-camera via USB so you may want to get an external charger, too, or plan ahead.

ISO sensitivity (full resolution)Auto,100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Incandescent, CustomIntelligent Auto, Normal (program AE), 3D Photo, Scene, Miniature EffectFace Detection AF, 1-point AF, 23-point AF, Spot AF, AF Tracking2 inches (Wide); 4.9 feet (Tele)Standard, Black & White, Sepia, Vivid, Happy (only in iA mode)Burst mode shot limit (full resolution)

The SZ7 is light on shooting options, but if you're mostly concerned with its fully automatic performance, its Intelligent Auto (iA) performs well. If you like a little more control, there is a Normal mode that lets you select things like ISO and white balance, as well as turn on and off Panasonic's Intelligent technologies for improving contrast, sharpness, and other things.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

There are also 15 scene modes that include the usual suspects like Portrait, Scenery, and Food, but Panasonic's added new pan-and-shoot Panorama Shot and a multiexposure Handheld Night Shot that takes a few pictures rapidly in a row and then combines them into one to reduce motion blur and noise. The downsides are that it only works well if your subject is stationary, and the white balance is a bit too warm indoors.

Worth noting, too, is that Panasonic lets you turn on both Handheld Night Shot and a multiexposure HDR mode for its Intelligent Auto mode. That way if it detects low-light conditions or a backlit subject when in iA, it can use those options instead of you having to switch to them manually.

There are a couple other extras available, like Miniature Effect and Panorama Shot modes, but if you're looking for a camera to leave in auto, the SZ7 handles most shooting conditions well.

Conclusion: Recommended
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 is great little pocket camera. Even at its original price of $180 it was a good deal, but now that it can be found for less than $150, it's a steal. That's mostly because of its fast shooting performance and its small size and long lens. Its battery life could be better and it has some limitations when it comes to photo quality, but if most of your photos are ending up online and you don't need to make prints larger than the occasional 8x10, it's a solid choice for the money.

Canon Vixia HF G10 (black)

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The good: The Canon Vixia HF G10 delivers great video quality and a lot of useful features for advanced shooters.

The bad: Design issues that affect frequently used adjustments may annoy the very people the camcorder is designed to attract, and for the money it should ship with a double-capacity battery.

The bottom line: While it's got a great shooter feature set and good video quality, the Canon Vixia HF G10 still feels a bit expensive for what it offers.

With a street price well above $1,000, the Canon Vixia HF G10 needs to deliver a lot more than just its extensive manual feature set--especially since Canon is creating a potentially confusing lineup by putting its HD CMOS Pro sensor in this model, skipping the next one down, and then using it in the midrange HF M4xx series. The sensor is the one currently used in the company's entry-level pro models, albeit by itself rather than in a trio. Because it's larger than a typical consumer sensor, with 2.75 micron pixels rather than 1.7 micron pixels, Canon claims a 280 percent improvement in dynamic range over previous prosumer models, with a new minimum recommended light level of 1.5 lux.

There's also a significantly more expensive "pro" version of this camcorder, the Canon XA10, which adds a detachable handle that includes dual XLR inputs, audio switches, an infrared light, a tally lamp, a removable microphone holder, zoom and record switches, and a pass-through accessory shoe.

The combination of the larger-pixel sensor and a high-quality lens results in some of the best video quality I've seen in a consumer camcorder. While the video can be just a hair softer than I like, overall it's quite good--and when you play it back directly on a TV, it looks sharp. Overall, the G10 offers an excellent dynamic range, with only the brightest of white highlights clipped. If you're editing, you may want to crush the blacks a little to improve the contrast, but for video going straight to TV it will look great. While the automatic white balance tends to be a little bit cooler than I like, the colors are good: bright, saturated, and relatively accurate.

While I would have expected the G10's eight-blade iris to produce slightly rounder bokeh, it nevertheless looks quite good. There's little fringing, even on the edges of bright highlights. I did see a bit of haloing on the edges of saturated colors, though, and extremely bright, saturated oranges and yellows next to each other approach indistinguishability.

At its top rate of 24Mbps, the G10 displayed no compression artifacts except in really low light. What you will see is some aliasing caused by the interlacing of 60i video. However, one of the distinguishing features of the G10 compared with the rest of Canon's camcorders is support for true 24p video; not just the 24 frames per second captured as progressive but encoded as 60i, as is most common for AVCHD models, but 24p encoding. You can use that to get around interlace issues. (The European version of the camcorder, the Legria HF G10, supports 25p.)

The G10 renders excellent low-light video, to a point. In my test scene of about 17 lux, it yielded some of the best results I've seen in its class. Just a little darker, though--dim living-room-level light--and it's the typical noisy mess, at least with automatic gain control enabled.

The audio quality is quite good as well. The sensitive stereo mics provide decent separation and a nice warm tone without the tinniness of the lower-end models.

One theoretical drawback of the sensor--and likely the main reason for a similar model with a different sensor, the HF S30--is that the low resolution may not suit some folks' need for large still photos. The G10 does deliver sharp stills which fall just short of looking too digital; they look fine onscreen and printed, but I wouldn't recommend printing them larger than 4.5x8 inches.

By most measures of performance, the G10 does well. It meters and exposes correctly and consistently. The image stabilization is solid; the Dynamic setting works well up to about 75 percent of the way through the focal range, and Powered IS is rock-steady at maximum telephoto. It focuses quickly, though you can adjust how gradually that happens (Instant, Medium, and Normal), and you can customize both the zoom speed, which is common, and softness--how quickly the zoom stops and starts--which is rarer. The autofocus works well, but not significantly better than we've seen in previous models, and like all camcorders can inappropriately lock on the background instead of the subject.

Sony Handycam HDR-CX210 (black)

The bad: You can't really call the video HD quality, the camcorder feels flimsy and the lens is prone to fringing.

If you only view the video scaled down (inset), it can look fine -- provided you don't mind the occasional purple cast caused by fringing. At full size, though, it's kind of messy. (Frame grab)

(Credit: Lori Grunin/CNET)

GoPro HD Hero2 Motorsports Edition

The bad: As improved as it is, the Hero2's interface can still be a bit confusing for the first-time user.

The bottom line: The GoPro HD Hero2 is easily the best GoPro camera yet, with the ruggedness and quality that we've come to expect and a new user-friendly interface.

The HD Hero2 remains compatible with previous-generation GoPro accessories. Here it is fitted with a Battery BacPac and a suction-cup mount.

Users who want to add functionality can do so with addons, such as this LCD BacPac.

The Hero2's new interface is much easier to decode and navigate than the previous generations'.

Recording modes
So, we've discussed the chassis and we've explained that it's easy to use, but what sort of video and photos can you expect to get out of this camera?

Canon Vixia HV30

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The good: Generally excellent video quality; solid feature set for its class; well designed

The bad: Tape housing feels a bit flimsy; fixed eye-level viewfinder needs a better eye cup; manual focus dial a bit loose

The bottom line: An extremely minor upgrade from the HV20, the Canon Vixia HV30 remains a quality HDV camcorder with a couple of performance issues.

Don't look for any great advances here: the Canon Vixia HV30 is a very minor upgrade from the admittedly top-notch HV20. It has a sleeker-looking black body, introduces 30p progressive mode, and supports the high-capacity BP-2L24H lithium-ion battery, but otherwise remains the same as its 2007 predecessor.

Of course, that makes it a well-designed prosumer camcorder with a useful feature set, good overall performance, and excellent video quality. It's relatively big, weighing 1 pound, 5.4 ounces, though it fits into a large, loose jacket pocket. I like the black chassis more than the silver, but the tape housing feels a little flimsier than I remember; when gripped for shooting, the cover moves a bit. In all other ways the build quality seems solid, though, with tethered covers over the Advanced Accessory Shoe, HDMI/FireWire ports, and mic/headphone/component out jacks.

On the left side of the body sit a few, slightly difficult to feel, controls: backlight compensation, display, and video light, plus a manual focus toggle and somewhat loose focus dial.

The 2.7-inch wide-screen LCD is kind of small and at 211,000-pixels not very high resolution, but it's sufficient for manually focusing. The eye-level viewfinder is relatively large, but doesn't pull out or up, and I wish it had a softer eye cup. In addition, I just had to laugh at the Catch-22 diopter control. Since it's right on the viewfinder, you have to move your head away to get your finger on the switch, which means you can't set it for your eye pressed close. The HV30 supplies both a video light and a flash for shooting stills. As always, I really like the built-in electronic lens cover.

All the frequently used shooting controls--except for manual focus and zoom--fall comfortably under your right thumb.

The HV30's zoom switch has quite a bit of play. You can set it for variable speed or one of three fixed-speed zoom options.

Canon PowerShot A2300 (Silver)

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The good: The Canon PowerShot A2400 IS and PowerShot A2300 have very good picture quality for their class and are loaded with effects and filters.

The bad: The cameras' flat buttons and cramped layout may make use difficult for some and shooting performance is slow, particularly shot-to-shot. The lenses require a lot of light or high ISOs when zoomed in. Battery life is short.

The bottom line: The entry-level Canon PowerShot A2400 IS and its IS-less linemate the A2300 are simple cameras with nice picture quality for casual snapshooters, but the price difference isn't worth sacrificing the image stabilization.

When it comes to entry-level point-and-shoots, Canon's A-series PowerShots consistently excel in picture quality. That certainly holds true for the 16-megapixel A2400 IS and A2300.

The two simple sub-$150 ultracompact cameras are good choices for anyone whose needs don't extend far beyond the occasional fully automatic snapshot of patient subjects taken in daylight. I say that because the cameras perform fairly slowly and their photos get noticeably softer above ISO 200.

I reviewed the A2400 IS, but the only difference between the two models is optical image stabilization; the A2400 IS has it, the A2300 does not. For the $10 price difference between them, spend the extra money for the A2400 IS -- especially if you'll be doing any indoor shooting with the camera.

If low-light photos without the need for a flash or tripod are important to you, consider saving up a bit more money and getting the PowerShot Elph 110 HS, which is actually a better camera all the way around.

Picture quality
As with most compact cameras, the A2400 IS' photo quality noticeably drops off at higher ISOs, so getting the best pictures really depends on how much light you have -- the more, the better. Fine detail and sharpness are very good up to ISO 200 (though a little sharpening with photo-editing software improves things). Photos get noticeably softer at ISO 400 due to heavier noise reduction.

Comparison of ISO sensitivities at 100 percent

(Credit: Joshua Goldman/CNET)

Pixel peepers will see the image noise and artifacts at all ISO sensitivities, but it's really not visible at reduced sizes until you get to ISO 800. As long as you don't mind increased softness and noise -- including faint yellow blotching -- ISO 800 is usable for small prints and Web sharing. The camera's highest full-resolution sensitivity is ISO 1600 and I'd stay clear of it unless you really need to take a low-light photo.

On the other hand, because of consistent color at higher ISOs, the photos are better than those of other cameras at this price; they just get slightly washed out at and above ISO 400. In fact, color performance overall is excellent from the A2400 IS -- bright, vivid, and accurate.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Something to keep in mind, too, is that although the camera's lens starts at a bright f2.8 aperture, it shrinks to f6.9 with the lens zoomed in. That means when you go to use the full zoom, you're going to need a lot of light or a high ISO sensitivity to keep the shutter speed fast enough to prevent blur from motion or hand shake. (Another good reason to skip the A2300.)

Video quality is good enough for Web use, but nothing spectacular. Panning the camera will create judder that's typical of the video from many compact cameras, and you'll notice motion trailing on fast-moving subjects. The zoom lens does not function while recording, but you do have a digital zoom; I suggest not using it, as the results are not pleasant.

Shooting performance
Shooting performance is OK; not fast enough for regularly photographing kids and pets, but not so slow that you'll get frustrated. From off to first shot takes about 2.4 seconds. The wait between subsequent shots averaged 2.8 seconds for us; using the flash bumped it up to nearly 4 seconds. Shutter lag -- the time from pressing the shutter release to capturing a photo without prefocusing -- is 0.4 second in bright lighting and 0.7 second in low-light conditions.

The continuous shooting speed is pretty slow, too, at 0.9 frames per second with focus and exposure set with the first shot. Again, if you're just walking around taking snapshots, these times are fine, but if you need something that's always ready when you are, this isn't the camera.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Design and features
The A2400 IS is a small, lightweight, and attractive camera. It easily slips into a small pocket without weighing you down and its metal casing makes it look and feel nicer than all plastic.

Part of the reason it is so small, though, is that Canon went with a 2.7-inch LCD; 3-inch displays are not uncommon at this price. It's not a bad size, though, and the screen gets bright enough that you can use it in the sun and still see well enough to frame shots.

A2400 IS: $149.99; A2300: $139.99A2400 IS: 3.7 inches x 2.2 inches x 0.8 inch; A2300: 3.7 inches by 2.1 inches by 0.8 inchWeight (with battery and media)A2400 IS: 5 ounces; A2300: 4.4 ouncesMegapixels, image sensor size, typeLCD size, resolution/viewfinderLens (zoom, aperture, focal length)5x, f2.8-6.9, 28-140mm (35mm equivalent)Highest resolution size (still/video)4,608x3,456 pixels/1,280x720 pixels at 30fpsA2400 IS: Optical and digital; A2300: Digital only A2400 IS: Li-ion rechargeable, 180 shots; A2300: Li-ion rechargeable, 230 shotsCameraWindow DC 8.7 transfer utility, ImageBrowser EX 1, PhotoStitch 3.1/3.2 (Widows, Mac)

Also helping keep the A2400 IS slim are its flat buttons, which can be difficult for those with larger fingers to press accurately. I found the Func. Set button at the center of the control pad was particularly tricky to press. Also, past Canon models either used a knob or switch to change between Auto and other shooting modes. With the A2400 IS it's done with the top of the control pad, which is too easy to accidentally hit.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

One thing that is nice to see is the new Help button that brings up a menu of topics including explanations of shooting options as well as shooting advice.

On the right side of the camera is a Mini-USB port for connecting to a computer or TV. The battery and SD memory card compartment is in the bottom of the camera behind a sliding door. It doesn't lock and slides open a bit too easily if you're going to be keeping this in a bag unprotected. Battery life is below average; you get about 180 shots per charge, less depending on your settings and use of the zoom lens and movie capture.

ISO sensitivity (full resolution)Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, CustomAuto, Program, Live View Control, Portrait, Face Self-timer, Low Light, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Snow, Fireworks, Long Shutter, Discreet, iFrame MovieNormal AF (Face, Tracking, Center), Macro, Infinity1.2 inches (Wide); 3.9 feet (Tele)Evaluative, Center-weighted average, SpotBurst mode shot limit (full resolution)

The A-series models are pretty much meant to be left in Canon's Smart Auto, which recognizes up to 32 scene types and adjusts settings accordingly. For more control, the Program mode lets you select things like white balance, ISO, and autofocus mode. Sadly, Canon dropped the My Color options from previous models that let you, among other things, adjust contrast, sharpness, and saturation. However, you do get the Live View Control mode, which enables you to adjust brightness, color, and tone with onscreen sliders and see what the photo will look like as you make the changes.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

All of the shooting modes are laid out in one long row, requiring you to hunt through them all to find what you want: Program, Live View Control, Portrait, Face Self-timer (sets off a timed shot when a new face enters the frame), Low Light, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Snow, Fireworks, Long Shutter (exposure settings from 1 to 15 seconds), Discreet, and iFrame Movie (a format made for easy editing and viewing on mobile devices). There's plenty here to experiment with, but if you just want to leave it in auto, it does very well.

Conclusion
If you're looking for an easy-to-use camera to slip in your pocket before you go out to an event or a walk around town, the Canon PowerShot A2400 IS is a safe choice. It might not be the fastest camera or the best deal, but you'll get reliably good results leaving it in auto. However, I can't recommend getting the A2300; the cost savings isn't worth giving up optical image stabilization.

Canon PowerShot S95

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The good: Attractive and well-designed; capable of producing very nice photos; complete set of manual controls; solid 720p video.

The bad: On the slow side, with subpar battery life; no low-compression JPEG option.

The bottom line: Though we'd like it to perform better, dSLR shooters looking for a sidekick camera will find the Canon PowerShot S95's top-flight photos and a full manual feature set worth the tradeoff of its compact size.

Editors' note September 29, 2010: We updated the review to reflect that the HDR feature is not part of Canon's "HS System," which is really just Canon's way of marketing improved low-light performance.

When Canon shipped its PowerShot S90 about a year ago, it made a big impression on advanced photographers. Tiny with a wide-aperture lens and all the essential manual shooting features, it was practically irresistible for dSLR luggers. It did have a few flaws, however, some of which Canon has attempted to address with the successor, the S95. These include a 720p video-capture upgrade, improved image stabilization, and some minor tweaks to the design and feature set. Performance, though, remains on the slow end of acceptable.

The image quality is top-notch for a compact, although it's a shame that Canon doesn't offer a less-compressed JPEG option. One of my photos shot in best-quality JPEG was about 7:1, but most of them come in at about 12:1 compression. There's a visible difference between raw and JPEG shots. (I suspect the problem is that bringing back the Super Fine compression in its PowerShots would slow the cameras to a crawl.)

That said, the S95's JPEG photos are exceptionally clean and relatively usable up to ISO 400; plus, you can probably squeeze out a stop more if you shoot raw. That's a lot better than your typical ultracompact. The lens is sharp and bright, but there's some asymmetrical distortion at its widest. Metering and exposure are both good and consistent. I found that the defaults pushed the color saturation excessively, though our quantitative test results report that the S95 has relatively accurate color; the neutral color setting is not available in raw+JPEG shooting. The colors are similarly overwrought in videos, but overall the movie quality is pretty good, and despite being tiny, the stereo mics produce a surprisingly full-bodied sound for a compact.

The S95's performance improves over the S90's in some respects; unfortunately, it falls behind it in others. With a time of 2 seconds, it takes about 0.2 longer to power on and shoot. It's about 0.1 second faster at focusing and shooting in bright light, but the same duration slower in dim: 0.4 and 0.7 second, respectively. For two sequential JPEG and flash shots, it's slower by at least 0.5 second, running 2.3 seconds for JPEG and 3.3 seconds for flash, compared with 1.8 and 2.5 seconds for the S90. That's flipped for raw shooting, however, with the S95 clocking at 2.6 seconds shot-to-shot vs. 3.4 seconds for the S90. Burst shooting rises to 1.9 frames per second, but at low speeds like that it's immaterial. I don't yet have performance data for the S95's competing models, but aside from the one exception of daylight shooting, the S95 feels like it operates at a leisurely but not overly frustrating pace. The image stabilization works well, but the fact remains that the battery life is pretty short.

I have to admit: the S95 just has a body that feels nice. It's well built, with a slightly more textured finish than the S90. It's the smallest and lightest among its class, but as a tradeoff it's also the only model that lacks a hot shoe and the option for a viewfinder. Though it was nice to review a camera that fit comfortably in my front pocket for a change, it might feel a bit too small for some photographers. You should definitely try before you buy to ensure you don't need to move up to a slightly larger model like the G12, LX5, or TL500. Small can be great on ultracompacts where you're not trying to change the settings too often, but there's no point buying the S95 to run in complete auto.

The front ring can be set to control shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation, manual focus, white balance, stepped zoom, i-Contrast, or aspect ratio. The functions can be set independently of shooting mode, so that, for example, it can control focus in Manual mode or shutter speed while in aperture-priority mode. Am I the only one who wishes the ring controlled metering instead of i-Contrast or aspect ratio? It's a nice design, and because of it I ended up holding the camera more like a dSLR than a compact. You can quickly access the ring control assignments via a dedicated button on the top of the camera.

On top of the camera is a mode dial for access to the typical manual controls and scene modes. Plus there's the ability to save a group of custom settings for quick mode-dial access. I find the placement of the shutter button a little too far toward the middle--I feel like I have to reach--but that's just a personal preference.

The back controls remain basically unchanged from the S90, although the dial, which you use for adjusting contextual settings, operates better and isn't quite as free-spinning as the previous model. I do have the same problem as Josh, who reviewed the S90, with the review button: I kept hitting it accidentally. Otherwise, the camera follows Canon's typical PowerShot conventions. The Func/Set button pulls up adjustable shooting parameters, including ISO, white balance, color, bracketing (exposure or focus), drive mode (single, continuous, continuous with autofocus), metering, aspect ratio, quality, and dynamic range correction.

One not-so-pleasant holdover from the S90 is the inconvenient flash placement. Although it makes sense from a red-eye prevention perspective, most people hold their fingers right where the flash pops up.

2.8-inch articulated
461,000 dots3-inch fixed AMOLED
920,000 dots720/24p
H.264 QuickTime MOV
StereoManual iris and shutter in video

Though the camera isn't big on whizzy features, it does incorporate a now-common HDR mode, which automatically brackets and combines three exposures. For more details on the scene modes and special effects, read the review of the S90 or download the PDF of the S95's manual.

You'll still have to schlep your dSLR to photograph kids, pets, wildlife, and anything else that moves quickly or randomly, but the Canon PowerShot S95 is probably the best--if expensive--alternative that an advanced shooter will find in such a small package.

Shooting speed (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Typical continuous-shooting speed (in fps)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Sony Handycam DCR-SX45 (black)

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The good: The Sony Handycam DCR-SX45, SX65, and SX85 are easy-to-use ultracompact camcorders with good active electronic image stabilization and a built-in USB cable for quick uploads.

The bad: The DCR-SX45, SX65, and SX85 produce very soft and noisy video with noticeable fringing on subjects even at small sizes. There are no mic or headphone jacks, and the electronic image stabilization won't help you with the lens fully extended.

The bottom line: Sony's Handycam DCR-SX45, SX65, and SX85 standard-definition camcorders pack a megazoom lens at a reasonable price; one look at the standard-definition video, though, and you might regret not spending a bit more for an HD model.

The Handycam DCR-SX series is Sony's flash-memory-based standard-definition ultracompact camcorder. It's made up of three models that differ only by storage amounts: the SX45 has no internal memory; the SX65 has 4GB built in; and the SX85 has 16GB of internal storage. This review covers the SX65, however the SX85 is the best value. All of them have a 3-inch touch-screen LCD, a 60x optical zoom lens, and few cool features like a built-in USB connector for quick uploads and easy charging by computer. However, none of the features do much to improve video quality.

No, unfortunately, there's apparently no reason to make an excellent standard-def camcorder these days; the SX65's movies are mediocre at best--especially if you're watching them full-screen on a large TV or are used to the sharpness and clear details of high-definition content.

For Web use at small sizes the results are OK, though, and if you're not terribly concerned with video quality in the first place and want a reasonably priced camcorder that's easy to use, has a megazoom lens, and can fit in a coat pocket, this Sony is worth checking out.

Weight (with battery and media)4GB flash memory (3.8GB available); Memory Stick Pro Duo, SD/SDHC/SDXC cards3-inch LCD, 230K pixels (touch screen)Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length)60x, f1.8-6.0, 39-2,340mm (16:9), 44-2,640mm (4:3) (35mm equivalent)3 lux (1/30-second shutter speed)MPEG-2 (.MPG), Dolby Digital 2-channel stereo720x480 pixels (9Mbps)/640x480 pixelsRecording time at highest qualityBattery type, rated life (typical)Li-ion rechargeable, 60 minutesSony Picture Motion Browser, PMB Portable (Windows)

Available in blue, black, silver, and red versions, the SX65 is an attractive little camcorder. Its physical controls are textbook camcorder design with a start/stop button comfortably under the thumb at the back and a zoom rocker up top in front of a shutter release for snapshots in Photo mode. The whole package is roughly the size of a soda can. The hand strap is comfortable if a little low. Interestingly, it also acts as a cap for a full-size USB connector that's attached by a cable to the camcorder's body. This allows you to connect it directly to a computer to offload photos and video and charge the battery. Just above the strap is a small door hiding a power/charging input and AV output (a composite cable is included).

The battery juts out from the back, and above it is a button for changing between photo and video modes. Below the battery on the bottom of the camcorder is a card slot that supports both Memory Stick Pro Duo and SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.

Flip open the touch-screen display (there is no viewfinder) and you'll find four buttons in the body cavity, for power; entering Sony's Intelligent Auto mode; turning on and off an LED lamp under the lens; and changing over to Playback mode. The last of the I/O ports is in this cavity, too: an uncovered Mini-USB port. An optional cable can be used with this port to connect directly to an external USB storage device for quick saves without a computer. You can also copy content from the internal storage to Memory Stick or SD cards.

The touch screen is nice and sharp compared with other models in its class, but it was very difficult to see in direct sunlight. Luckily it rotates, so even if you can't see it you can change the angle. On the left edge of the screen there are virtual buttons for controlling the zoom lens and starting and stopping recordings, very helpful if you're shooting at a low angle or on a tripod. The menu system is good for those who don't make a lot of changes. In other words, it's responsive, but because all of the options are in one long row, it can feel like the list goes on forever. At least Sony lets you configure an opening menu screen with six items you frequently adjust.

Canon XH A1

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The good: Excellent video quality; extremely customizable; great lens and optical stabilizer; fast focus.

The bad: No 720p recording capability; coarse, low-resolution LCD.

The bottom line: Canon's XH A1 and XH G1 are excellent camcorders for entry-level professionals and independent filmmakers, with hard-to-beat prices for what they offer.

Giving independent videographers something to choose from besides its popular but long-in-the-tooth GL2, Canon offers up two HDV models designed to appeal to the prosumer and entry-level pro markets. Derived from the same technology that the professional-level XL H1 uses, the XH A1 and the XH G1 HDV models trade the XL H1's interchangeable lens system to lower the cost by one-half to two-thirds the price of the higher-end model. The two XH models share a single body, but the G1 includes the equivalent of the XL H1's JackPack--HD-SDI output with embedded audio and time code, Genlock synchronization, and Timecode In/Out--a group of connectors critical for anyone trying to mix multiple video input sources. In addition, the SDI output is the only way to get 4:2:2 output. We tested the lower-end XH A1.

All things considered it feels comfortable shooting with the XH A1; though it weighs almost five pounds, it's still considerably lighter than most. All the buttons and controls sit in logical locations, grouped roughly by function and generally in the same locations as they appear on competing models. They're good sizes, and various bumps and divots in the buttons provide enough tactile feedback to operate without looking. A large chunk of the camcorder's architecture lets you determine the speed and subtlety with which shifts occur during shooting, including focus, zoom and exposure changes, and white-balance adjustments. (For a complete discussion of the controls, click through the slide show.)

On the lens barrel, rings of different sizes and textures operate focus, zoom, and iris. In response to complaints about the mushiness of servo-controlled focus, Canon offers a Slow speed option; that option, plus a distance readout help to maintain a finer control over focus response, but you'll probably still want to try it and compare to others if you're picky about the feel. I think it feels about the same as the Panasonic AG-HVX200's.

The same three 1/3-inch CCDs with 1080i (1,440x1,080) native resolution that drive the XL H1 sit at the center of the XH series' imaging system, and like the H1, both models can record in 1080i at 30F or 24F frame rates. The latter comes in two versions, one which records to tape at 24 frames per second, and one which downconverts from 24fps to 30fps/60i using 2:3:3:2 pull-down before recording for greater editing compatibility. Their feature sets share many of the H1's technologies, including a Digic DV II processor, Super-Range Optical Image Stabilization, and the H1's customization architecture. The XH cameras have fixed 20x zoom lenses rather than the interchangeable lenses on the XL, but they offer a wider-angle view: 32.5mm-to-650mm equivalent.

The lens and focusing system perform very well. The lens displays very good edge-to-edge sharpness, albeit with a tendency to display a bit of magenta chromatic aberration on the sides, and the center focus looks great, especially when zoomed in tight. As usual, Canon's optical stabilizer works exceptionally well, even all the way out to 20x.

With Instant AF enabled, the autofocus works quickly, and the Push AF, which activates an Instant AF override in manual-focus mode, speeds manual focus considerably. As noted in the XH series' documentation, there's a bit of an autofocus lag in 24F and 30F modes; it's perceptible, but if you shoot a lot in those modes and use AF, your shooting rhythm should adapt after a while. Canon moved the Peaking and Magnify focusing aids out to the body of the camera--they were in the menu system in the XL H1--and you'll rely on them pretty heavily; the tiny, low-resolution LCD is pretty difficult to work with.

HP Omni 27-1015t

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Pros Third-generation Intel Core i5 processor. Has a 27-inch HD display. Beats Audio. HDMI-in for expanded use. USB 3.0. Generous 15-month subscription to Norton Internet Security. A 2TB hard drive. Cons No Blu-ray drive. Bloatware. Bottom Line The HP Omni 27-1015t has plenty of great features. Big screen, great sound, faster processor? Check, check, check. But, where's the Blu-ray drive? By Brian Westover

If you're an avid movie watcher or video hobbyist, you probably already know about the video-friendly all-in-one desktop PC, the HP Omni 27. With the release of Intel's third-generation processing platform the Omni has gotten a hardware refresh. The new HP Omni 27-1015t offers faster processing and a double the hard drive capacity. Unfortunately, it drops the Blu-ray drive that came with the previous iteration. It's a move that hobbles the appeal of this all-in-one desktop, and wastes the potential of its 27-inch HD display. But in terms of other features and performance, the Omni 27-1015t is still a solid system.

Design & Features
Outwardly identical to the Editors' Choice HP Omni 27 , the Omni 27-1015t features the same edge-to-edge glass covered 27-inch display, complete with true 1080p resolution (1,920 by 1,080). It's large enough—and sharp enough—to use as your primary television screen, with HDMI input giving the all-in-one monitor capability for another PC or game console. Though beautiful, the display lacks touch-screen functionality, as we've seen in the similarly-priced Sony VAIO L24 (SVL24114FXB) (though, it should be said, the Sony desktop's display is smaller at 24 inches). The Omni 27-1015t comes with impressive audio: Beats Audio provides crisp, clear sound, and an optional subwoofer for those who want their bass to really thump. It's a combination made in movie lover's dreams. That's why we were dismayed to see that this configuration—unlike the Omni 27—comes standard with a DVD drive only, not Blu-ray. Upgrading to Blu-ray is only $100, but with this display, at this price point, it should probably come standard.

Included with the Omni 27-1015t is a wireless keyboard and mouse. The keyboard has chiclet-style keys and runs on two AAA batteries, offering reasonably comfortable typing from up to 30 feet away—ideal for anyone wanting to use this as both PC and TV. The included wireless mouse has an ambidextrous design and tight, controlled clicking. While personal preference may lead some to pick up different peripherals, the included keyboard and mouse are better than most bundled accessories.

On the right of the system you'll find a slot-loading DVD+-RW recorder, along with several menu buttons and an HDMI-in port for connecting a TV tuner or gaming console. On the left, two USB 3.0 ports offer speedy connections for hard drives, along with jacks for headphones and microphone, and a card reader slot (SD,MS, xD). On the back of the system, you'll find four USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet port, and jacks for speakers and subwoofer.

Inside, the Omni 27-1015t packs 2TB of hard drive storage, double that of most mid-price all-in-ones, like the Apple iMac 27-inch (Thunderbolt) or Asus ET2700INKS-B062C , which both offer 1TB drives. You will find a fair amount of extras preinstalled on the system, like HP Games, Rara Music (a paid music service), Office 2010 Starter, and a generous 15-month trial of Norton Internet Security. You'll also get added toolbars in Internet Explorer (from Bing and Norton), desktop links to Ebay and Amazon, and HP branded utilities like HP Download Store, and HP Magic Canvas—a touch-optimized interface that simply feels inconvenient on a non-touch-screen device.

Performance
HP Omni 27-1015t The biggest updates to the Omni 27-1015t are internal, as the all-in-one boasts a 3.0GHz Intel Core i5-3550S dual-core processor, part of Intel's third-generation platform. Thanks to the new processor and 8GB of RAM, the Omni 27-1015t offers improved performance across the board, leading the category in several tests, such as PCMark 7 (3201 points) and Handbrake (1:09) and only being narrowly edged out in Photoshop (3:03) and CineBench (5.42) by the Asus ET2700INKS-B062C (Photoshop 2:58, CineBench 5.60), which boasts a Core i7 CPU.

Compared with others in the midrange all-in-one desktop category, the Omni 27-1015t offers improved performance and plenty of great features for the price, but drops some of our favorite features seen in the Editors' Choice Omni 27, namely the standard Blu-ray optical drive. The newer HP Omni 27-1015t does offer a large 2TB drive to compensate, making it a great deal for the price, but it doesn't quite replace its predecessor as the Editors' Choice.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:
Check out the test scores for the HP Omni 27-1015t

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the HP Omni 27-1015t with several other desktops side by side.

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