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| 4th | of 24 | in Advanced Compact Digital Cameras |
| 2nd | of 10 | in Pentax Digital Cameras |
| 8th | of 50 | in 11 & 12 MP |
| 9th | of 66 | in 10-12 Megapixels Digital Cameras |
| 9th | of 28 | in $400 - $600 |
Pentax's new MX-1 brings a retro styling to the small yet sophisticated advanced compact category. Introduced in February 2013, the MX-1 has the undeniable look and feel of a classic camera with a full neck strap, brass trim, textured grip and lens cap, plus it's not being shy about sporting a bigger body.
But a quick look through the tech specs indicates the performance may stretch a long way beyond the classic. The bright LCD with angling ability blends nicely into the body, which also houses a 1/1.7” backlit CMOS sensor. Add a fast f1.8-2.5 lens and RAW format and the MX-1 looks promising on paper. But can the classically styled measure up to today's performance standards?
The MX-1 impresses immediately with the classic look and feel—but the first thing point and shoot users will notice is the size. From the protruding lens to the back of the body, the MX-1 is about two inches wide and also comes in longer then most at 4.5 inches. But handling the MX-1 begs the question, is smaller necessarily better? Maybe if your intent is to keep your camera in a pocket, sure. But outside of portability, many users will find the MX-1 easier to hold then slimmer models—the width makes gripping the camera much more comfortable.
| 2nd | of 21 | in $150 - $200 |
| 13th | of 107 | in 14-16 Megapixels Digital Cameras |
| 1st | of 39 | in Point and Shoot Digital Cameras |
| 7th | of 44 | in Nikon Digital Cameras |
Nikon's more advanced point and shoot models have caught quite a bit of attention in the past few years. The camera giant's newest addition, the Nikon Coolpix S6500, adds wi-fi, a few more megapixels and a longer zoom range over the older S6300. At around $200, this compact shooter includes a 16 megapixel 1/2.3” backside illuminated CMOS sensor, a 12x optical zoom, several scene modes and a good bunch of creative effects. Can the Coolpix S6500 with wi-fi and in-camera photo editing continue to excite?
Right out of the box, the S6500 impresses with it's sleek, metallic finish that doesn't make it feel flimsy like some cheaper point and shoots. The camera itself is less than 3/4” wide, plus the lens housing sticks out about 1/8” when closed, but all in all this camera fits in a lot of places and, weighing in at under 6 ounces, is meant to travel easy.
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| Achieving great results with manual modes is about understanding shutter speed and aperture. The exposure value meter and aperture illustration on the camera's LCD screen helps take out the guesswork. |
A camera's auto and scene settings often result in great shots—but not always. There's that sports photo that was still too blurred, that portrait that was too dark, and that indoor action shot that was both blurred and dark. Ultimately, for the most image control, you'll have to leave auto and scene modes behind in exchange for manual settings.
Not every digital camera has the option to manually adjust settings, but many do. DSLRs, mirrorless, and advanced compacts nearly always include manual modes; some zoom models also include the feature. If you bought a $400 advanced compact, a $500 mirrorless package, a $600 DSLR—you aren't taking full advantage of your investment until you learn how to use the manual modes.
To truly take control of your photos, there's a few basic photography concepts to grasp, including shutter speed, aperture and ISO, before you start using programed, shutter priority, aperture priority and full manual modes.
When light hits a digital camera's sensor, an image is recorded. The camera's shutter is like a door that opens and closes to let in that light—the longer the “door” is open, the more light that hits the sensor. But, movement during the time that the “door” is open also results in blur.
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| Scene modes still allow the camera to automatically choose the best settings, but allow the user to indicate what settings are more important. |
There's just one problem—camera's can't actually think. On an automatic setting, the camera picks up the amount of light that's available and adjusts accordingly. But the camera can't tell that your subject is moving fast, that you want everything but the fireworks to be black or that you want a soft background for a still life shot. But even average consumers (who don't have the terms f-stop or shutter speed in their vocabulary) can take better photos by using the scene modes built into their camera. Scene modes work like auto because the camera selects the settings, only the user can achieve better results by telling the camera exactly what it is taking a picture of.
Scene modes will vary on how (or if) the flash is used, how fast or how slow the snapshot is taken, how soft the background is and how bright the colors are, just to name a few. By understanding the scene modes on your camera, you can take better shots for different scenarios, even with just a point and shoot. Take a look at some of the newest modes to enter the foray, and when to use the most common ones.
