Compact Camera News

Want a camera with the imaging power of a digital SLR that can fit in your pocket? Well, a Palo Alto, CA-based company called Light has an interesting new compact device that promises to be 16 cameras in one. Called the L16, the slender, rectangle-shaped device is stuffed with an arachnoid-like array of cameras and lenses, which combine with software to capture what the company claims will be DSLR-worthy images.

Every year member magazines from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) gather to consider and vote on the top products of the year in 40 categories, ranging from cameras to tripods to software and printers. This year’s selections represent technological sophistication along with features and functionality that make them leaders in their respective categories.

Each and every one of these best-in-class compact digital cameras delivers big camera performance in a small camera package. Light enough to carry with you every day, everywhere, these are high quality digital cameras that are perfect for travel, discreet street shooting and casual family snaps.

Some trends just won’t go away: Billboard magazine notes that U.S. vinyl album sales are up 53 percent, generating $416 million in sales. Stereophile, our sister publication, reviews new analog audio equipment and you can purchase new Nikon F6 or Leica M-A film cameras from Shutterbug advertisers. Ferrania is back making film and the Japan Camera Hunter website is making their own film, a discontinued Agfa emulsion they’re calling JCH StreetPan 400. Amazon’s top-selling photo item is Fuji’s Instax Mini Instant Film. There’s even a new twin-lens instant camera, Mint’s InstantFlex TL70, and yes, I gotta get me one of those.

The first thing most photographers do after buying a new camera is to invest in a second battery, and the immediate quandary is whether to buy an expensive OEM product or purchase a bargain-priced battery that supposedly offers equal or better performance.

Setting your camera's autofocus mode correctly for the specific task at hand can make all the difference between a failed, blurry shot and a sharp attention-grabbing image. If you're usure which AF mode to when, the follow beginners guide will get you up to speed in a hurry.

Modern digital cameras feature very sophisticated light metering systems, but the exact purpose of various modes can be difficult to decipher. All that advanced technology can be for naught unless you understand which setting to use when.