Editorial Review

Inch for inch and ounce for ounce, Canon's PowerShot S200 Digital Elphpacks more power into less space than virtually any other digital camera,stuffing a feature-packed, 2-megapixel camera with 2x optical zoom into adiminutive brushed-metal case that slips easily into a purse or pocket.

Resolution
Like last year's S110, the S200 features a 2-megapixel sensor for sharp printsat sizes up to 8 by 10 inches. With cameras of up to 5 megapixels now on themarket, some enthusiasts were hoping the Elph would makethe jump to 3 megapixels, but it appears that Canon still believes 2 megapixelsremains the best balance between performance and price for most consumers. Wetend to agree. If you regularly print your photos at sizes larger than 8 by 10inches, you'll probably want a camera with higher resolution and more manual controls than the Elphoffers--we recommend Canon's 3-megapixel S30 or 4-megapixel S40.

Optics
A 2x optical zoom lens (35-70mm equivalent) aids in photo composition, and anadditional 2.5x digital zoom (5x total) further magnifies your image. Remember,however, that digital zoom reduces the sharpness and detail of your image, soit's best used sparingly. Two systems help ensure your pictures will beperfectly focused, even in challenging conditions: a multizone autofocus workseven when the subject of your photo isn't in the center of the scene, and inlow-light situations (a particular weakness of many digital cameras), afocus-assist lamp sends out a small patterned beam to help the camera accuratelydetermine distance. If you're hoping for a more powerful zoom, the S330 Elph hasa 3x zoom and slightly larger dimensions but is otherwise nearly identical.

More Features
Though it's primarily designed as a point-and-shoot, the S200 includes severaladvanced features for photographers who want more creative control, includingexposure compensation, low-light manual shutter speeds, manual ISO and whitebalance, and stitch assist, plus black-and-white, sepia, vivid, and neutralmodes.

A movie mode captures video clips with sound. Depending upon resolution, theseclips can last from 2 to 60 seconds. The limited length and resolution of theseclips guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it'sperfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to afriend or relative. In addition, you can add up to 60 seconds of audio to eachstill picture you take.

Power
The S200 uses a proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable battery, and both thebattery and the charger are included. Though the new NB-1LH looks identical to(and is interchangeable with) the NB-1L batteries shipped with previous Elphmodels, the new battery holds 840 mAh of energy, a 23 percent increase. Becausethe battery is unique to the Elph cameras and can be nearly impossible to findwhen on the road, we strongly recommend getting a spare if you're planning totake the camera on extended outings.

Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on standard Type I CompactFlash cards. Consider the included 8MB card a starter capacity, since its 12-picture limit means you'll need toreturn to your computer often to transfer images and free up the card for morepictures. A 128 MB card is a great size for this camera, storing around 200images. To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USBcable between your PC and your camera. Your computer should automaticallyrecognize your camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive.

Printing
Canon has introduced a series of printers designed to work directly with theS200. Using these printers, no computer is required--simply connect the camerato the printer and start printing. The CP-10 produces credit-card-sized prints,and the CP-100 makes 4-by-6-inch prints. Both use continuous-tone technology forresults that are indistinguishable from traditional photos. Of course, photosfrom your Elph can also be printed on any home computer system with an inkjetprinter, sent off for online processing, or simply enjoyed on your computerscreen.

Size
At just 3.4 by 2.2 by 1.1 inches and 6.3 ounces, the S200 is even smaller thanits predecessor, making it one of the smallest zoom digital cameras on themarket.

Contents and Recommended Accessories
The package includes the S200 camera, NB-1LH battery with CB-2LS charger, AV andUSB cables, wrist strap, software suite, and 8 MB memory card.

Everything you need to get started is included in the box, but we stronglyrecommend the addition of a larger memory card (a 128 MB card holds around 200images), a spare NB-1L battery, and a compact carrying case (to protect thebrushed-metal finish and keep pocket lint out of the viewfinder). --ShaneBurnett

Pros:

• Ultraportable size makes it easy to bring along
• Picture quality is excellent, even in low-light situations
• New features, a better battery, and slightly smaller size are improvementsover last year's S110

Cons:

• 2-megapixel sensor is adequate for most users but starting to look low bytoday's standards
• 8 MB card is too small for more than occasional use

Editorial Review

A multitasking digital camcorder, the Sharp VL-NZ105U features a large 3-inch LCD monitor, 10x optical and 300x digital zoom, and digital image stabilization. You can also shoot digital still images, save them on the included 8 MB memory card, and then transfer them to your PC.

Lens
With an optical zoom magnification of 10x, the VL-NZ105U also has a digital zoom--which works by electronically enhancing the optical image--that can magnify the picture up to 300 times. The digital image stabilization system keeps the picture steady and solid throughout zooms and camera shakes.

Other Features
With its 270-degree variable angle, you can hold the VL-NZ105U in a variety of angles to record over people and objects or for shots close to the ground. You can even record yourself by rotating the view screen 180 degrees.

The built-in speaker allows on-the-spot playback with sound for checking and viewing video footage anywhere. An on-screen recording guide helps you line up landscape footage and can be used as a guide for easy framing of subject matter. The backlight compensation feature corrects exposure in poor lighting conditions.

The VL-NZ105U also features several digital effects (black and white, sepia, NEG) that can be viewed without affecting the original recording.

Digital Stills
The VL-NZ105U can also operate as a digital still camera. Full-motion video is recorded onto a DVC tape while digital stills are stored on the included 8 MB Secure Digital (SD) memory card for easy transfer to a PC.

Inputs and Outputs
The VL-NZ105U comes with the standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire; Sharp refers to this connection as iLink) for a super-fast, lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines.

MiniDV Format
MiniDV digital technology delivers clear, sharp video with over 500 lines of horizontal resolution--far superior to the 240 lines of resolution offered by 8mm camcorders. You'll also get minimal color noise interference for a more stable picture.

The camera features excellent sound quality, recorded in either 12-bit or 16-bit audio recording modes.

16-bit audio includes one set of stereo audio tracks to produce CD-quality sound. 12-bit audio utilizes two sets of audio tracks so you can easily add background music or commentary into your videos while maintaining the existing soundtrack. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers a digital recording time of two full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

Editorial Review

The Kodak Camera Dock is compatible with all Kodak CX and DX series digital cameras, and includes a USB port for the fast and easy transfer of pictures from camera to computer. Each Kodak CX and DX camera comes with a custom insert to allow it to fit into the Camera Dock. Once the camera has been inserted into the dock, simply push one button to transfer your images to a computer. Meanwhile, the dock will recharge the camera's battery pack and act as its power supply.

The dock comes with a rechargeable battery pack, and your CX or DX camera can be stored in the dock any time so it is always charged and ready to go. An LED display indicates the status of picture transfer and battery charging.