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Samsung GX-10<br />
$800 •<br />
samsungcamerausa.com<br />
The 10.2-megapixel GX-10 has<br />
a comfortable grip and nails<br />
detailed images. Bright sun<br />
occasionally washes out colors,<br />
and hues look cool in the<br />
shade, but extensive manual<br />
controls enable experienced<br />
photographers to make the<br />
best of any difficult lighting<br />
situation—even delivering<br />
noise-free night shots. Meanwhile,<br />
the solid-body GX-10<br />
also gives those who are<br />
ready to learn room to grow.<br />
WIRED Auto cleaner rumbles<br />
loose dust off sensor.<br />
Dedicated RAW button<br />
instantly switches from JPEG<br />
mode to uncompressed. Optical<br />
stabilizer keeps action<br />
steady with any lens.<br />
TIRED Rear LCD can’t<br />
display exposure info while<br />
shooting. Uneven flash<br />
creates bright centers and<br />
dark edges. Colors occasionally<br />
vary among auto settings,<br />
while bright colors can<br />
bleed together.<br />
Nikon D80<br />
$1,100 • nikonusa.com<br />
A step up from Nikon’s D40x, also 10.2 megapixels, the<br />
D80 offers a few subtle upgrades for the extra money.<br />
Images maintain bright colors in direct sunlight, but the<br />
white balance cools off too severely in the shade. Aperture<br />
and speed are easier to set independently using<br />
a secondary wheel under your right index finger; that<br />
and other manual controls make the extra cost worthwhile<br />
for intermediates and quick-learning beginners.<br />
WIRED Almost always ready for the next shot, thanks<br />
to speedy burst and recovery. Quick power-up takes<br />
about a second. Well-defined edges on bright shapes.<br />
TIRED Flash shots exhibit noise in close review.<br />
LCD can’t show exposure info while composing shots.<br />
Bright colors occasionally bleed over edges.<br />
Pentax K100D Super<br />
$600 • pentaxslr.com<br />
Pentax’s entry-level DSLR is one of the best digicam bargains<br />
around. A subtle update to the K100D, which won<br />
Best of Test last year, the new Super has a dust-shaking<br />
sensor and is compatible with the latest fancy features<br />
on Pentax lenses. The plastic housing—also unchanged<br />
—feels substantial and weighty. The camera’s 6.1megapixel<br />
images showed surprisingly sharp closerange<br />
detail, although distant objects melted together.<br />
WIRED Outdoor and flash-lit colors pop without<br />
sacrificing accuracy. Smooth, glowing skin tones.<br />
Built-in flash lights entire scene evenly.<br />
TIRED Darker shots were soft and noisy. Colors got<br />
hot at slower shutter speeds with no flash. Rapid shooters<br />
may be forced to pause while camera catches up.<br />
Sony Alpha A100H<br />
$1,100 • sonystyle.com<br />
Sony’s first DSLR is a strong offering. The A100 captures<br />
outdoor photos with accurate color reproduction<br />
(including skin tones) and minimal glow in bright areas.<br />
Images are sharp with the long, 18–200 mm Minolta<br />
AF-mount lens, although its loud motor and slow focus<br />
make it feel like a first effort. Pixel noise and unwanted<br />
grain creep into shadows, but the A100’s shots in<br />
good lighting compensate for those shortcomings.<br />
WIRED LCD automatically dims when using<br />
viewfinder. Detailed texture and pattern reproduction.<br />
Sensor cleaner.<br />
TIRED Time from power-up to shoot merely average.<br />
Flash doesn’t flip up automatically. Minolta accessory<br />
shoe doesn’t support generic flashes.<br />
WIRED TEST<br />
0 4 9
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