Olympus SP-500UZ
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Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Monday, October 30, 2023
Olympus SP-500UZ, First Impression
CCD Resurgence: Image-making with a 6MP CCD Olympus SP500UZ, a low-cost entry for CCD camera enthusiasts.
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A low-cost entry for those who are interested in trying their hands on CCD sensor imagery. The Olympus SP-500UZ, launched in 2005 by Olympus, comes with a 6MP CCD sensor, a fast Olympus aspherical glass 1:2.8-3.7 10x optical (+ 5x Optical) zoom lens, a non-adjustable electronic viewfinder, and a 115,000 pixels 2.5 inch LCD with four display option. The focal length of the lens is 6.3–63mm, which works out as equivalent to 38-380mm on 35mm full-frame cameras. The camera runs on 4X AA batteries.
Small, light, and compact, the camera measures 106 x 75 x 71 mm and weighs 285 grams, has a manual pop-up flash, and a lens that extends forward when switched on. Unlike some other long-zoom models, the SP-500UZ does not have in-built image stabilization but compensation for digital camera movement is, however, provided in movie mode. A top-mounted exposure mode dial carries settings for Auto, P, A, S, and M modes, a customizable My Mode setting, a selection of 21 Scene modes, Movie, and Playback.
Olympus SP-500UZ
The SP-500UZ has a rather extensive menu and display options, best learned with the help of the instruction booklet. Pressing the menu button located in the middle of the four-way controller, for example, will bring up the main menu selection. The top, left, and bottom 'shortcuts' can be assigned to almost any setting, and the right arrow takes you to the menu pages. The four tabs are for the camera, picture, card (formatting), and setup settings. The menus have options for virtually every shooting variable, from macro, burst, and drive mode to ISO, white balance, focus mode, sharpness, saturation, and contrast.
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Monday, October 23, 2023
Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W, First Impression
CCD Resurgence: Image making with a 6MP CCD Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W, a camera that gives a stranglehold effect over me.
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A camera I am rather excited about now is the 6MP CCD Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W, an easy and simple-to-use ruggedized digital camera that is encased in a water, shock, and dustproof body. The camera was initially produced for the Japanese domestic market before it was introduced to the UK and Europe in 2007. The camera is fitted with a wide-angle Fujinon 3x 4.7-14.1 (28-84mm equivalent) lens, with ISO 1600 light sensitivity, and a powerful flash that is effective up to 10 meters.
Form-wise, the camera is a rectangular medium-sized body with rubber grips and big buttons camera, capable of withstanding a drop test to 70cm. Just like the previous 35mm film version of the Fuji Work Record OP, the BigJob HD-3W is designed to be used in challenging environments of construction, engineering, health and safety, and manufacturing industries.
Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W
With its go-anywhere-do-anything look, I am sure that the camera is ever ready for the rough and tough outdoors with image projections that are better than what is seen from the Take I images posted here. Looking forward!
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Monday, October 16, 2023
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ45, First Impression
CCD Resurgence: Image image-making with a sticky and uncomfortable-to-use zoom lever on a 14.1 MP CCD Lumix DMC-FZ45.
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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ45 is identical to the FZ40, though only in the regions where it was sold (North America or Europe). Of course, the image qualities of these two models are identical. I have both of these cameras, the FZ45 being an earlier buy, but it came with a sticky zoom lever that stays at the position it was pushed to without wanting to center itself.
The stickiness of the lever (I assume that this is unique to the used unit that I bought) makes it rather uncomfortable to use the camera for an extended duration or when zooming is done more often. I will switch to the FZ40, which works perfectly, for my other shoots.
The FZ45/FZ40, launched in 2010, updates the FZ38/35 which was launched earlier in 2009. The camera is fitted with a 14.1 MP CCD sensor and a bigger 24x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom, equivalent to a 25-600mm lens on a 35mm full-frame camera when compared to the FZ38/35 (which has an 18x zoom lens and a 12.1MP CCD sensor), a 100% view EVF, and a 3.0-inch 230,000 pixel LCD screen. The FZ40 also comes with AVCHD Lite 720p HD video recording, and Sonic Speed auto-focus system, the industry's fastest focus time when it was launched.
As with the other cameras of the series, the FZ45 features a body design reminiscent of a DSLR, with a solid and rugged feel despite being made primarily of plastic. The light and compact body, though not pocket-size, measures 120.3 x 79.8 x 91.9 mm, making the camera very portable and highly recommended for travel. In harsh and strong daylight conditions, the EVF, which has a 100% field of view, is always there for support.
In addition to the multiple shooting modes available, the FZ45 is also enhanced with Intelligent Auto (iA), which automatically adjusts settings for optimal results. The Motion Deblur mode helps reduce blur caused by movement, enhancing image clarity. The FZ45 can shoot up to 10 frames per second with its high-speed setting, albeit with 3MP images.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ45
Another minor but welcome change with the FZ45/40 is the replacement of the Record/Playback slider switch of the FZ38/35 with a simple button to access playback mode. The slider switch is now replaced by a push-and-turn dial for adjusting shutter speed and aperture settings in programmed modes.