Digital Camera - Ken Gilbert

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KITzONE
Slr grouPteSt
outDoorteSt
PortraitteSt
noiSeteSt
Colour teSt
image quality in foCuS
Canon eoS50D Canon eoS550D nikon D90 olymPuS e-30
Good natural colours, but slightly on
the warm side. There's great detail
retention in the clouds and sky.
Excellent exposure and skin detail.
Again, the colour is slightly warmer
than its competitors.
ISO100
ISO3200
Shows large amounts of chromatic
(colour) noise in the shadowareas
at high ISO values.
A slightly warm hue effects the
overall colour accuracy by reducing
the subtle colour detail.
IMAGETESTVERDICT
The 50D produces extremely
accurate exposures, but noise
issues at higher ISO settings
and an overly warm colour cast
do let it down somewhat.
DigitalCamera July2010
Good vibrant, punchycolours
with amazing tone and detail in the
shadow and highlight areas.
The iFCL metering system gives
neutral skin tones and colours that
are ideal for portraiture.
ISO100
ISO6400
Very good noise performance, even
at high ISOs. Produces usable images
beyond the capabilities of most SLRs.
Vibrantcolour and fine tone rendition
contribute to an image that is both
accurate and pleasing.
IMAGETESTVERDICT
The 550D's vibrant colours,
bang-on exposures and
impressivenoise performance
at high ISO settings makeita
great allrounder.
There's slightover-exposureinthis
scene, but the colours arenatural and
there's greatdetailinthe shadows.
The ActiveDlighting helps to balance
exposures for portraits in tricky
lighting conditions.
ISO200
ISO3200
Very lowcolour noise at the highest
ISO makes it ideal forgetting great
results in lowlightconditions.
Vibrancy and tones are reproduced
in a natural and accurate fashion and
there are high levels of colour detail.
IMAGETESTVERDICT
A consistent performance
across the board for the D90,
with good levels of detail,
minimal colour noise and
accurate colour performance.
Colours are too vibrant, oversaturated
and unnatural, but the
exposure and tonal range are good.
Although the skin tones arewell
exposed, the colours are oversaturated
and warm.
ISO100
ISO3200
Grain is apparentatmid-range ISO
settings and becomes unbearable as
you reach higher settings.
Colour reproduction is better under
fixed lighting with significant tonal
detail in subtle and brightcolours.
IMAGETESTVERDICT
The E-30's skin tones are good,
but colour reproduction is
inconsistent and noise
becomes an issue at mid-range
and high ISO settings.