Doug Harman Reviews Archive

News from Doug Harman

Results 26 to 50 of 260.

Nikon Coolpix L19 camera
Will this breathe Life into your pictures? 24 March 2009 14:12 GMT

The Good
Handling, anti-reflective LCD, low ISO image quality, easy to use, image stabilisation

The Bad
No optical viewfinder, high ISO image noise, plastic build, no manual ISO control

Verdict
The Nikon Coolpix L19 is very easy to use; my 4-year-old used it with ease and it is capable of excellent image quality at lower ISOs. As the advert goes, it does what it says on the tin but not much more

Price
£99
Olympus E-30 DSLR camera
Can Olympus crack the pro-consumer market? 18 March 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Excellent image quality, good ergonomics, menu system, comprehensive and creative feature set, customisability, super control panel, top plate display, responsive, good dust reduction system, handling

The Bad
Bulky for a FourThirds Format camera! Viewfinder slightly blurry, not much more detail than E-3’s 10MP sensor, comprehensive feature set means complex menus

Verdict
The E-30 provides a level of control and features most professional level DSLRs would appreciate and at a great price too

Price
£850
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W300 digital camera
Does this titanium-coated camera impress? 11 March 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Features, styling, build, ease of use, handling, low ISO image quality, optical viewfinder

The Bad
Small buttons, high ISO image quality, slow image processing and menu navigation

Verdict
The W300 sits atop Sony’s “W” series of compact digicams. Image quality, as always with such cameras, is good at lower ISOs, but leaves a lot to be desired as sensitivity rises

Price
£239
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H10 digital camera
Will the super zoom impress? 4 March 2009 12:00 GMT

The Good
Features, ease of use, handling, low ISO image quality

The Bad
Price (for resolution), no optical viewfinder, small zoom buttons, odd lens hood attachment, high ISO noise issues, many "advanced" controls buried within menus

Verdict
The H10 is the bottom rung on Sony’s “Hi Zoom” ratio range of "H" Cyber-shot models but even so it is compact and well specified. The 8.1-megapixel sensor might seem lacking to some but in reality it means less noise issues at higher ISOs

Price
£199
Samsung L310W digital camera
Impressive features for the price? 27 February 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Features, ease of use, price (for feature set)

The Bad
Poor high ISO noise performance, bland styling, fiddly zoom control

Verdict
It may be lackluster in the styling department but providing you keep to lower ISOs is capable of great results

Price
£199
Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS digital camera
Does this budget snapper perform? 25 February 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Selection of Scene modes, very ease of use, low price

The Bad
Image noise at higher ISOs, battery performance

Verdict
Kodak's new M-series digital compact, the range topping M1093 IS has clever features and kit in a neatly styled camera at a great price

Price
£127.22
Kodak ESP 9 all-in-one printer
Will this printer cover your needs? 13 February 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Easy set-up, good photo print quality, good text output, nice scans

The Bad
Slow print speeds, poor copy quality, random paper jam alerts (even when there are not any), odd maintenance "timeouts" stall the printer, black ink drops out when copying, problems with black in coverage even after software driver update

Verdict
Kodak’s ESP 9 provides a neat and relatively compact solution for those needing a printer, scanner, copier and fax in one device. Low ink costs and good print quality are hampered by some very odd functional problems however

Price
£299.99
Nikon D3x DSLR camera
How does Nikon's flagship perform? 28 January 2009 16:00 GMT

The Good
Build and handling, superb image quality, ergonomics, screen size, AF performance, White Balance control, EXPEED image processing and noise control

The Bad
No Anti dust system

Verdict
The Nikon D3x builds on the previous D3 model providing double the resolution on a full frame “FX” format sensor. The camera is every bit as good as the D3 and provides a stunning level of control and image clarity

Price
£5499 (body only)
Epson Stylus Photo PX700W printer
Need a photo printing all-in-one? 15 January 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Excellent photo print quality, fast set-up, good text output, connectivity

The Bad
Dust attracting plastic finish, muted scans, flimsy output trays

Verdict
Epson’s Stylus Photo PX700W is a neat and stylish looking all-in-one printer, copier and scanner that provides the ability to print great photos from anywhere within the home thanks to its wireless capability. It’s easy to set up, a great price and produces superb output both in terms of prints and scans

Price
£195.73
Samsung NV9 digital camera
Does adding multimedia features confuse? 14 January 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Build and styling, simple controls, image quality, particularly at low ISO, good menus, multi media functions, retro dials

The Bad
Face AF performance, excessive image noise at over ISO 400, slight shutter lag, flash performance, high ISO image noise

Verdict
As with other NV models in the Samsung range, the NV9 is part camera, part multimedia system, offering a host of gizmos besides the kit for talking pictures. It’s well made and great to use but not as sharp as it could be

Price
£179
Pentax K-m digital camera
A worthy entry-level offering? 29 December 2008 9:00 GMT

The Good
Image quality, price, ergonomics and handling, simple menu system, simple operation info panel, custom setting

The Bad
Limited flash modes, slow RAW writing, lightweight build, murky viewfinder, LCD lacks anti reflection coating, slight underexposure issues

Verdict
The Pentax K-m provides a simplified DSLR experience... providing a near point and shoot interface but with the bells and whistles you can also find on more advanced DSLRs. However, that very simplicity may be its Achilles heel

Price
£399
Nikon Coolpix P6000 digital camera
Can this challenge the G10 and LX3? 19 December 2008 15:30 GMT

The Good
Build and handling, low ISO image quality, easy to use, image stabilisation

The Bad
Basic optical viewfinder, intermittent GPS, high ISO image noise, price

Verdict
The Nikon Coolpix P6000 is the top of the proverbial tree in terms of Coolpix models and boasts some very cool kit indeed. It’s great to use and has impressive performance at the core and is well worth considering even if it is a bit pricey at £430

Price
£429.99
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 digital camera
Super-zoom with super performance? 9 December 2008 12:00 GMT

The Good
Good low ISO image quality, lens, features, iA (intelligent Auto), HD movies, handling

The Bad
High ISO image noise, plastic build

Verdict
Ultra-zoom digicams, such as Panasonic’s new Lumix FZ28 offer a jack-of-all-trades camera to those that require an everything-built-into-one-body solution; but it’s actually an excellent piece of kit well worth closer consideration

Price
£290
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 digital camera
Does this snapper make an impression? 26 November 2008 9:00 GMT

The Good
Good low ISO image quality, lens, features, iA (intelligent Auto), HD movies, E-zoom, all-metal build

The Bad
High ISO image noise, shutter lag, sluggish focusing

Verdict
Another 14.7-megapixel digital compact but one that offers a host of clever kit though it is not without its flaws

Price
£299
Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD digital camera
Will this get you into the action? 25 November 2008 12:00 GMT

The Good
Lens, features, low ISO image quality, HD movies, menus, Super Macro mode

The Bad
Higher ISO image noise, electronic viewfinder, purple fringing on high contrast shots, plastic build

Verdict
A whopping 15x zoom lens is the key feature of this, Fujifilm’s latest ultra zoom compact that’s replete with features and clever kit. But there are a few foibles that spoil the party

Price
£250
Canon IXUS 980 IS digital camera
Can Canon's compact impress? 19 November 2008 9:00 GMT

The Good
Good low ISO image quality, all-metal build and curvy design, features

The Bad
High ISO image noise, some controls slow to use, organic curvy design might not be to everyone’s taste

Verdict
The IXUS 980IS is a breath of fresh air in terms of its design and usability and featuring as it does a lot of the meat from the top end PowerShot G10, it is a real contender for those looking for a tough and pocketable digital compact

Price
£350
Canon PowerShot G10 digital camera
A worthy update to the G9? 11 November 2008 9:00 GMT

The Good
Good image quality, JPEG and RAW capture, good build, comprehensive feature set, great control layout and handling

The Bad
"Spongy" feel to shutter button, shadow noise when using i-Contrast, noise issues above ISO 800

Verdict
The G10 updates its G9 predecessor with a set of new controls and much improved features, but is it any good? Well we think it is

Price
£499
Canon EOS 50D digital camera
Does this DSLR impress? 4 November 2008 12:00 GMT

The Good
Excellent image quality, good ergonomics and build, menu system, comprehensive feature set and customisability, info panel, responsive

The Bad
Joystick and Quick Dial take getting used to; shadow detail lost too quickly, noise processing eats detail over ISO 1000 (and at lowest setting)

Verdict
While the new model is essentially presented in the same wrapper as the 40D, it has significant improvements that make it very tempting indeed

Price
£1199.99
Sony Cyber-shot DSC T77 digital camera
Slick lines, but can it deliver? 24 October 2008 16:00 GMT

The Good
Good image quality, metering, styling, build

The Bad
No optical viewfinder, slow and convoluted touchscreen-activated menus, image noise at higher ISOs, battery life, low light AF, slide down on/off lens cover

Verdict
At just 15mm thin, the T77 provides a stylish and compact snapper but it has real problems that tarnish this otherwise stylish compact

Price
£249
Epson P-7000 Multimedia Photo Viewer
Your ideal photoshoot buddy? 21 October 2008 16:00 GMT

The Good
Screen, features, storage capacity, ease of use, fast display, RAW image support, build

The Bad
Not widescreen, price, battery life, slow image copying

Verdict
Epson’s range of multimedia, portable storage devices have always been renowned for their screens and while not always the most flexible, the new P-7000 and its lower capacity but otherwise identical P-6000 sister look set to change all that

Price
£549.99
Nikon D90 DSLR camera
Does the new DSLR impress? 10 October 2008 9:00 GMT

The Good
Build and handling, superb image quality, ease of use, screen size, AF performance (non-Live View), White Balance control, EXPEED image processing and noise control, HD movies

The Bad
Live View AF, SD card port, VR kit lens barrel and pincushion distortion, loss of shadow detail (dynamic range issues), SD cards held very tightly making safe removal awkward

Verdict
The Nikon D90 is not just a makeover of the D80, the camera it will ultimately supersede: it is a complete revamp and as such provides a range of new and improved features that must make one of the best consumer level DSLRs to arrive on the market to date

Price
£699.99 (body only), £849.99 with 18-105mm F/3.5-5.6G ED VR
Nikon Coolpix S610 digital camera
Can this clever compact challenge? 7 October 2008 9:00 GMT

The Good
Build and styling, image quality, easy to use, screen size, Image Stabilisation

The Bad
Starts quickly but otherwise not as fast as Nikon claim, no manual modes, slow AF, menu use

Verdict
The Nikon Coolpix S610’s lightening fast start-up belies an otherwise very average overall performance, and so it remains a bit of a mixed bag despite the enhancements

Price
£250
Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ81B television
Does the built-in Freesat wow? 24 September 2008 12:00 GMT

The Good
Easy to use and set-up, fantastic picture quality, good connectivity, good built-in audio, Freesat

The Bad
Distractingly reflective screen surface, no record to SD card, only HD playback, reds a little flat

Verdict
The World’s first flat panel plasma set with built-in Freesat, Freeview and analogue tuners, the TH-46PZ81B delivers on all levels and is a superb TV, well worth a closer look for those wanting a top notch TV with free high-definition as standard

Price
£1700
Olympus E-3 DSLR camera
Does this deliver the semi-pro features you expect? 16 September 2008 12:00 GMT

The Good
Excellent image quality, good ergonomics and build, menu system, comprehensive feature set and customisability, super control panel, top plate display, responsive, good dust reduction system, great weather sealing

The Bad
Fastest focus rate only available with Olympus’ Super Sonic Wave drive lenses, bulky for its class but particularly for a FourThirds Format camera! Cramped top plate buttons, not much headroom in RAW files, complex menus

Verdict
Olympus’ new flagship DSLR replaces the now very long in the tooth E-1 and bridges that gap for Olympus aficionados between enthusiast and professional shooting. It’s big, heavy, and very capable but not without its flaws

Price
£1099
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 digital camera
Could this be the camera of the year? 11 September 2008 13:30 GMT

The Good
Handling, design, build, iA, image quality, lens, manual control

The Bad
The lack of an optical viewfinder may irk, while the VF1 accessory finder sacrifices the hot shoe, the tiny joy stick control is fiddly to use too

Verdict
The Panasonic Lumix DMC LX3 is a beautiful little camera that offers a host of features including MEGA O.I.S, Panasonic’s optical image stabilising technology and a superb lens. The Lumix LX3 may just be the most complete digital compact for enthusiasts yet, and I want one

Price
£399