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FACE DETECTION
Technolog
y puts portra its
in
focus
More than the birthday cake, the vacation backdrop, even the fam-
In our tests, the detecti on feature worked adequate ly on all
ily dog, the human face is th e focal point for most photographs. So the camera s. However, in scenes where lighting was uneven or
a growing numbe r of digital cameras, including about a dozen of distances varied between subjects, using face detecti on caused
our rated p
oint
-and-shoots, include a relatively new fe
atur
e, other subjects to appear less sharp, too dark, or too light -
dubbed face detection,
an unavoidable conse-
that
tr
ies to set the
quen ce.
focus,
exposur
~
and If you take lots of
color balance so
that
p
ictur
es of people, face
faces appear sharp,
detecti on is a nice fea-
well exposed, and th e t ure to have. Because
proper color. it's not yet available on
In some cameras,
the majority of models,
you must tur n the fea-
, ) ')\ for now you might have
ture on before you can
iF to decide whether an
use it. In others, it's otherwise-fine camera's
enabled at the factory, price, performance, and
but you can turn it off. othe r
featur
es out-
All work pretty much
weigh its lack of face
the same way: Software detecti on. The follow-
analyzes the image,
ing cameras in the Rat-
locates any faces in the
ings offe r face detec -
frame, and places a lit-
tion: Fujifilm (7,3 0
,40
);
tl e square icon aro und
LOCKING IN The number of faces a camera can detect varies by brand; some
Nikon (8,
13,
36); Canon
each in the LCD or elec-
claim up to 15. Many models will also track faces as they move within the frame.
(10, 12, 24, 25 ); Sony
tr onic viewfin der. The (21); and GE (37). Other
largest face isusually selected as the focal point. Face detection is dif- cameras with face detectio n include the 5-megapixel Nikon Coolpix
ferent from the portrait setting foun d on many point-and-shoots,
L1
0, $120, with a 2-inch LCD; the 7-megapi xel Pentax Optio T30,
which tries to make a face stand out from the background but doesn't $300, with a 3-inch LCD; and the 8-megapixel Fujifilm Finepix
optimize its sharpness,exposure, or color balance.
F
40fd
, $250, with a 2.5-in ch LCD.
N IK
ON
OL
YMPUS
SAMSUN G
SLR leader also offers
Groundbreaklng 'technologies in niche markets.
Budget FE . Up-and-comer In compacts and
innovative point-and-
series compacts have built-in help guides and emphasize simple
subcompacts.
Has produ ced some very
shoots.
Coolpix compacts
operation.
Olympusre
cently offered some groundbreaking inexpensive compact digital cameras. Its
and subcompacts are
technologies in both point-and-shoot lines and Evolt SLRs. High-
pricier subcompact NV series includes an
divided into three
series-
end $P compacts have featured very long zooms. Select Stylus innovative navigation interface. The GX
a budget L, step-up S, and
subcompacts have been water-resistant, waterproof, shockproof,
series of SLRs are essentially rebranded
high-end P. Nikon has
and crushproof. All point-and-shoots use the slightly
mor
e Pentax K-series SLRs. Samsung offers a
int roduced more of these
expensive xD
memory
cards. Evolt SLRs were the first with Iive-
limited selection of lenses.
models with wireless
preview LCDs. Olympus offers a reasonable range of lenses.
features than any
other
company. Like Canon's SLR
lineup, Nikon's D series
PANASON
IC
(L
U M
IX)
SO Y
offer
s cameras for every
SLR user and budget and a
Premium style, premium price. Sony offers innova-
.On the move with image
stabilization.
Every Lumix,
wide range of lenses.
from the top SLR-like FZ series cameras to the budget
tions at relatively high prices. Cyber-shot compacts
Nikon's SLR bodies are
and subcompacts
offer
distinctions such as touch
. LZ and LS series, has optical stabilization. FX-series
typically less expensive than
subcompacts feature several modes and auto features;
screens and sleek bodies; In recent tests, Sonys have
Canon's. In August, Nikon
beaten most brands in shutter lag and next-shot delay, .
high-end LX can capture photos in 16:9
'asped
mode,
introduced two high -end
while the TZ-series compacts sport superzooms.
two common complaints. All Sony point-and-shoots
models: the
$1,
800
, 12-
t.urnlx camera s
offer
great value when they combine
.use proprietary (and pri cey) Memory Stick storage.
optical image stabilization wlth .lnnovattons such as
megapixel D300 with a live
The
Wand
S series are budget lines. High-end H- and
preview LCD and the
intelligent ISO,which automatically raises the camera
G-series compacts and premium N- and T-series sub-
sensor's sens
itivity
when it detects mot ion, allow ing
$5,00
0, 12-megapixel D3.
compacts tend to be pricier than
other
brands. A new-
faster
shutter
speed. Panasonic has been among
comer to SLRs, Sony offers one series, Alpha, with two
.the more reliable point-and-
shoot
brands. Panasonic
bodies and a reasonable range of lenses.
offer
s two L-series SLR bodies and some lenses.
NOV EMBER
200
7 0
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.ConsumerReports
.org
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