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How We Tested<br />
Digital Cameras<br />
QUALITY We shot<br />
people, flowers, and<br />
color charts indoors<br />
and out to compare<br />
the accuracy of<br />
hues in printed and<br />
onscreen images.<br />
We zoomed in close<br />
to scrutinize photos<br />
for texture reproduction,<br />
looking for<br />
even gradations,<br />
noise, and bright<br />
colors that bled<br />
over their borders.<br />
SHOOTING SPEED To<br />
detect any pauses<br />
in Burst mode,<br />
we fired as many<br />
images as possible<br />
in 10 seconds at the<br />
camera’s highestquality<br />
settings.<br />
For pocket and<br />
ultrazoom cameras,<br />
we also measured<br />
the delay between<br />
pushing the shutter<br />
button and snapping<br />
the image.<br />
STARTUP From powering<br />
up to focusing<br />
and shooting an<br />
image, a few lost<br />
seconds can cost<br />
you the perfect<br />
pic. At the highestquality<br />
settings, we<br />
timed that process<br />
with a stopwatch<br />
to see which cameras<br />
go from zero-tophoto<br />
the quickest.<br />
STABILIZER Now<br />
common on pocket<br />
and ultrazoom cameras,<br />
stabilizers<br />
claim to keep handheld<br />
shots still and<br />
blur-free. We put<br />
them to the test by<br />
zooming in on distant<br />
subjects and<br />
holding the shutter<br />
open for ever-longer<br />
exposures to see<br />
just how much<br />
shake these cams<br />
can withstand.<br />
Digicams<br />
Digital SLRs<br />
With bright, 2.5-inch LCDs now standard for DSLRs,<br />
the race is all about live image preview, sensor cleaners,<br />
and stabilization. Video? Maybe next year. —Z.S.<br />
Canon Digital Rebel XTi<br />
$900 • usa.canon.com<br />
The Digital Rebel XTi is the gateway camera your parents<br />
and teachers warned you about, bound to get you<br />
hooked on DSLR photography until you’re scoring CF<br />
cards on the corner. Its friendly auto modes give it the<br />
ease of a point-and-shoot. Although it’s a leap up in<br />
clarity from its pocketable Canon cousins, its 10.1megapixel<br />
sensor produces inconsistent colors for<br />
a DSLR, and contrasty compositions lack detail.<br />
WIRED Powers up and shoots rapidly. Eye sensor<br />
turns off LCD when you sight through the camera.<br />
Sensor cleaner keeps dust from marring shots.<br />
TIRED No RAW format available in auto modes.<br />
Bright colors and edges bleed slightly. Shadows show<br />
excess noise. Flash leaves dark edges around shots.<br />
Leica Digilux 3<br />
$2,495 • leica-camera.us<br />
There’s a good digital camera lurking inside the retrostyled,<br />
7.5-megapixel Digilux 3, but an odd interface<br />
and awkward manual knobs obscure its best features.<br />
While the Digilux’s excellent optics take sharp shots,<br />
its shutter-speed knob and on-lens aperture control<br />
look better than they work. The LCD preview frames<br />
overhead shots and lists exposure details, and an inlens<br />
stabilizer keeps shaky hands from ruining photos.<br />
WIRED Special bounce-flash mode angles light off<br />
the ceiling. Versatile Four Thirds lens mount. Vibrant<br />
colors in all kinds of light.<br />
TIRED Small viewfinder difficult to monitor. Can’t<br />
keep up with rapid shooting. Shadows are noisy.<br />
Sloppy shutter button has a mind of its own.<br />
Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro<br />
$1,999 (body only) • fujifilmusa.com<br />
Under certain conditions, the FinePix S5 Pro’s images<br />
look great, but throw it a lighting curveball and they<br />
turn ugly. With close inspection, distant shots jumble<br />
together details and textures. Close-up subjects are<br />
more defined, but shadows are a swirl of noise and<br />
grain. While it’s easy to be attracted to the camera’s<br />
solid frame and well-positioned buttons, photo quality<br />
often only hints at the shot you could’ve had.<br />
WIRED Uses Nikon F mount for wide lens selection.<br />
Captures eight photos in 10 seconds. Multipleexposure<br />
mode overlays two shots for creative twist.<br />
TIRED Live LCD preview lacks histogram. 12.3megapixel<br />
resolution relies on interpolating two<br />
6.17-megapixel sensors.<br />
Nikon D40x<br />
$800 • nikonusa.com<br />
The D40x looks nearly identical to its x-less predecessor.<br />
The changes are all inside: a higher-resolution,<br />
10.2-megapixel sensor and quicker reaction speeds.<br />
Responding as fast as we could compose and snap,<br />
this camera turns out daylit images with strong colors.<br />
First-time DSLR owners may eventually want to<br />
upgrade to something with more manual options and<br />
better imaging—shadows are sometimes crunchy.<br />
WIRED Bright LCD shows settings clearly. Flash<br />
lights full frame evenly and with crisp colors. Intuitive<br />
menus include thumbnails to demonstrate settings.<br />
TIRED Colors in low-light shots look too cool.<br />
Occasional edge bleed in bright, high-contrast areas.<br />
Small body feels cramped in large hands.
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