Sony Nex-5 Review

The Sony Nex-5 is a Compact System Camera. This type of digital camera is a cross between a Digital SLR and a compact digital camera. It has a set of advanced features you would expect to find on a Digital SLR, but with a body size that is closer to a standard compact digital camera.

The Nex-5 has 14 megapixels. Sony have released two different coloured versions: black and silver. The magnesium body helps to keep the weight of the camera down.

This camera offers you very good picture quality. It also has an impressive array of features. The Nex-5 is not a cheap option if you are choosing between this type of camera and an entry level Digital SLR, but this camera offers you better build quality.

Ease of Use 7
Features 9
Movie Mode 9
Build Quality9
Colours 8

Photo Quality 9
Style 9
Lowlight 9
Macro 9
Value for Money 8

Megapixels:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:

14
3 inches
110 x 58 x 38mm
239g

HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:

Yes
Yes
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
Memory Stick PRO Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC

Features are in line with those you might expect to find on an entry level Digital SLR. In addition there are one or two more advanced features available too.

Megapixels and LCD screen

The Nex-5 has 14 megapixels. The LCD screen is 3 inches in size. The screen is made up of 921,600 dots. This helps to increase screen quality over and above that offered by most compact digital cameras.

How a Fast Burst Mode Can Help You

Do you shoot fast moving action? If you do then you are likely to find the 7 frames per second burst mode useful. This speed compares very well with most entry level Digital SLRs.

Focusing Options

Focusing options include a 25 point auto focus system. You also have access to manual focus. Focus lock is available too. To help with focusing in lowlight there is an AF Illuminator. This works to a maximum range of 3m with an 18 - 55mm lens.

If you like the idea of producing photos with the background thrown out of focus to isolate your subject there is a background defocus setting.

Increasing Detail in Your Photos of High Contrast Scenes

Digital cameras have always found it difficult to show perfect detail in darker and lighter areas of a scene. Sony have equipped the Nex-5 with a High Dynamic Range mode. When you use this mode the camera takes 3 consecutive images one standard, one underexposed and one overexposed and then merges them together to bring out extra detail in the lightest and darkest areas of the scene.

Improving the Quality of Your Lowlight Shots

Noise can be problem with shots taken in lowlight for any digital camera. Sony have attempted to combat noise and generally increase the quality of lowlight shots with the inclusion of a Handheld Twilight mode. This takes 6 shots and merges them together to increase the clarity of the shot.

Manual Controls to Increase Your Creativity

The Nex-5 has a full set of manual exposure controls. These include fully manual exposure, aperture priority and shutter priority. These controls give you the ability to add a touch of extra creativity to your photos. For example you can use them to freeze motion or blur a background.

Capture Your Special Moments With High Definition Movies

The quality of movie footage taken by the Nex-5 is extremely impressive. It is capable of shooting movie clips at a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080i. This compares very well against similar cameras. It can also record stereo sound.

3D Panoramic Photos

Sony have upgraded the Nex-5 so that it is able to produce 3D panoramas. All you need to do to capture a panorama is place the camera in Sweep Panorama mode, press down the shutter button and sweep the camera round in an arc.

Increase Your Post Production Options

If you make improvements to the way your photos look after you have taken them through packages such as Adobe Photoshop then you are likely to save your images in RAW mode. This captures greater levels of detail than standard Jpeg format and increases the scope you have for adjustments later on.

Keeping the Sensor Clean

Sony have built in automatic sensor cleaning to keep your camera sensor free from dust spots.

Buying Lenses With the Camera Body

The Nex-5 is available in kit form. This means that you can buy it with one or two lenses included in the box. The build quality of the lenses matches the impressive build quality of the camera itself. You can choose between three kits. The first has an 18 -55mm lens. This is a wide angle lens and is great for photographing wide scenes such as landscapes and groups of people. Next up is a 16mm prime lens. In other words it has a fixed focal length and does not zoom in and out. If you are relatively new to this level of camera and photography you may wish to avoid this option as you might find the short, fixed focal length somewhat limiting. The third kit option comes with both lenses.

Longer Zoom Lens Available

At the time of writing this review there is only one other lens available for the Nex-5. This has a focal length of 18 - 200mm. That gives you roughly 11x zoom and greatly enhances your options for taking photos.

Increasing Your Lens Options

You can drastically increase the number of lenses you can use if you buy a lens adapter. Lenses are connected to the body of a camera through a piece of equipment called a lens mount. The lens mount on the Nex-5 is the Sony E mount. The converter will convert the Sony E lens mount into a Sony A lens mount. By changing the mount the camera becomes compatible with the full range of Sony lenses for their Digital SLR range, as well as a number of older Minolta lenses. Be aware that the lens mount itself adds a fair amount to the cost of owning the Nex-5. It has a price tag of over £100.

Lens Quality

As you will see if you take a look at the test photos the quality of the lens provided with the Nex-5 are of a high standard. Compared with the lenses supplied with entry level Sony Digital SLRs they certainly give you an edge when it comes to sharp looking photos.

General Handling

The ergonomics of the Nex-5 are a lot closer to a digital camera than it is to a Digital SLR. This is because Sony have gone for a minimalist design when it comes to buttons and dials. This means you are likely to find yourself accessing the menu system more often than you would with a Digital SLR when you change settings.

Build Quality

Build quality strikes you immediately as being a cut above most digital cameras and entry level Digital SLRs. The camera has a solid feel in your hand while the aluminium body keeps weight down. Using the LCD screen

The quality of the screen is good, but it can become smeary quite easily. This can detract from its viewing quality. You can pull the screen out at an angle from the camera body. This can help you avoid sun shining directly onto the screen.

Shutter Delay

The time the Nex-5 took to take a single photo was slower than I was expecting at 0.67 seconds. Once the first photo has been captured it is impressively quick to fire off subsequent shots. Do be aware that if you turn on picture review that can slow response times. With flash turned on results were similar with a single shot being on the slow side.

My tests shutter delay tests were carried out using the 18 - 55mm kit lens.

Top of Camera Controls

On the top of the camera is the shutter button, camera review button and a button to control shooting a movie. There is also a sturdy on / off button. This makes it difficult for you to turn the Nex-5 on and off accidentally.

Also on the top is a hidden connection socket. You use this socket to attach the supplied flash unit. The flash unit needs to be screwed into the socket for it to work. You are likely to find this extremely fiddly. At first it can be difficult to get the flash working and you may feel like the flash unit is faulty. So it may take some perseverance on your part to get the flash unit up and running.

Controls on the Back of the Camera

The Nex-5 is largely controlled by three buttons on the back of the camera, plus a selection wheel. The three buttons take on different roles depending on what shooting mode you have placed the camera in. When you first turn the camera on the top button gives you access to the menu. The bottom button gives you shooting tips while the central button lets you change the shooting mode.

Pressing one of the four compass points on the selection wheel gives you access to the self timer, changing the information displayed on the LCD screen, setting flash or choosing exposure compensation.

Attaching Lenses

I found attaching the supplied lens easy. The lens glides into place without a problem. Attaching A mount lenses to the lens adapter can be a little trickier. You may find it slightly harder to align the lens and the adapter. This is something you can soon overcome with practice.

Battery Life

Compact cameras tend to have batteries that require recharging on a more regular basis than Digital SLR. The battery Sony have used with the Nex-5 is similar to those used with compact digital cameras, so it may pay you to consider picking up a spare battery.

The quality of the photos you take with the Nex-5 will depend to a large degree on the quality of the lenses you use. For these test shots I have used the supplied 18 - 55mm, plus an old 25 - 85mm Minolta lens that I would describe as being of average to good quality.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 1

You can see immediately that the picture quality on offer from the Nex-5 is a clear step up from a typical digital camera. There are a number of points in the first test picture that confirms this. To start with the level of detail showing in the lightest and darkest areas of the shot is so much better than I am used to seeing. The level of definition even with very large prints is very impressive. Sun glare is handled very well too.

The accuracy of the colours is also a step up from those produced by most digital cameras.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 2

Although the quality of the lens plays a significant part the sharpness and clarity in this shot is much better than usual. The larger size of the sensor used by Sony with this camera is the other significant factor when it comes to picture quality.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 3

Looking at this shot there is again a noticeable step up in quality when using the Nex-5 compared to results from a typical digital camera. This may sound like a minor point, but when this photo is blown up in size you can make out the different slates and tiles on the roofs much more clearly than normal. This suggests you should see much greater levels of contrast in your shots with this type of camera.

Outdoor Building

Where the building is out of direct sunlight there is less definition showing in this shot. This is not to a level to give you great concern though. The colours have plenty of punch to them.

Outdoor Portrait

This shot is so light that it looks a little overexposed. This leads to a degree of detail being lost in the lightest areas of the shot. As long as you are not shooting in iAuto mode you can correct this by using exposure compensation. The fact is that you should not really have to do so. There will also be plenty of photo opportunities where you will not get a second chance to make minor adjustments.

Indoor Portrait With Flash

The flash unit gets lighting levels just about right. The light produced is quite gentle. This avoids colour being washed out of the shot. The light is evenly spread across the shot.

Indoor Portrait Without Flash

In many ways this picture summaries the step up in picture quality this type of camera offers. Noise is again well controlled. This helps to bring out extra detail in the picture.

Macro

You should find it easier to throw the background out of focus with your macro shots with the Nex-5 than with a typical digital camera. Macro shot quality is again heavily reliant on lens quality, but this shot suggests that a decent macro lens will produce clean, striking close up shots.

Colours

Colour reproduction is striking. There is added depth to the colours with this camera. Looking at the specific colour test shot reds can be a touch heavy, but otherwise colours are well balanced.

Noise

When it comes to noise this is one of the biggest differences in quality between the Nex-5 and a digital camera. Shady areas and photos taken as light begins to fall will show greater levels of definition with this camera. Even if you decide to manually increase ISO you should still find acceptable quality photos at around ISO 3200.

Picture Quality Summary

Picture quality is a clear step up on that offered by a typical digital camera and falls into line with that offered by a Digital SLR. In fact the quality of the lens supplied with this camera is better than I have seen delivered with some entry level Sony Digital SLRs.

Wireless Remote

To ensure the Nex-5 is rock steady when a picture is taken you can buy a wireless remote. This allows you to take a picture without touching the camera. Other controls can also be activated through the remote control.

Microphone

If you are planning to shoot a lot of video or would just like to increase the quality of the sound captured there is an external microphone available.

Viewfinder

If you prefer the idea of composing your photos through a viewfinder rather than the LCD screen, Sony have made a viewfinder available. Looking at their product information it appears it is only compatible with the 16mm lens. The viewfinder screws into the same connection socket on the top of the camera as the flash unit does.

Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time

0.67 seconds
4.99 seconds
1.31 seconds
6.8 seconds
2.68 seconds

Shutter Lag Table

With so many features on offer this camera is not easy to use if you are looking to get the most out of it. You can use it as a simple point and shoot, but it has a lot more to offer than that.

Small size - clarity of pictures - build quality

Fiddly flash unit - limited range of compatible lenses with E mount - can overexpose photos

The Sony Nex-5 is a very impressive camera. Picture quality is eye catching and is a clear step up from a standard digital camera. Build quality is also top drawer. It has a set of features that is a step up from the most basic Digital SLRs. All of this is packed into a small, lightweight body.

The Sony Nex-5 and Sony Nex-3 are more or less identical. Almost all the key components are the same and there is no difference in what happens behind the scenes to produce a picture. In fact if you use the same camera settings and the same lens each camera will produce identical results. The Nex-5 is superior to the Nex-3 when it comes to movie resolution and build quality. Which one should you buy? That depends on whether you feel that the improved movie mode and build quality make the Nex-5 worth the extra money.

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Front View

Back View

Top View

Sony Nex-5 Rating 86/100

The Sony Nex-5 is a very impressive camera. Picture quality is eye catching and is a clear step up from a standard digital camera. Build quality is also top drawer. It has a set of features that is a step up from the most basic Digital SLRs. All of this is packed into a small, lightweight body.

Read Review: Sony Nex-5 Review

Sony Nex-3 Rating 85/100

The Sony Nex-3 is not a cheap option, but it is a quality option. You can pick up the majority of features this camera has with an entry level Digital SLR. It main attractions are its picture quality and a portability that a Digital SLR simply cannot match.

Read Review: Sony Nex-3 Review

Sony NEX-5 Review Sony NEX-5 Specification Sony NEX-5 Sample Images

April 2011

Canon Powershot A1200 Review

The Canon Powershot A1200 offers you point and shoot simplicity. It has 12 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom lens. The Powershot A1200 has a couple of features that may appeal to you that are not readily available elsewhere. These are a viewfinder and the fact that the camera is powered by AA batteries rather than the more common lithium ion type.

Canon have also added a couple of features you are unlikely to find on digital cameras at this price point. These include the ability to shoot High Definition movies and a macro mode that can focus from 3cm away from your subject.

Canon has produced versions of the Powershot A1200 in black and silver.

If you are looking for true "value for money" digital camera the Powershot A1200 could well be the camera for you. It produces photos that are superior to digital cameras that are twice the price of this camera.

Ease of Use 9
Features 8
Movie Mode 8
Build Quality8
Colours 8

Photo Quality 9
Style 8
Lowlight 8
Macro 8
Value for Money 10

Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:

12
4x
2.7 inches
97.5 x 62.5 x 30.7 mm
185g

Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:

3cm
Yes
No
AA
SD, SDHC, SDXC

Plenty of Megapixels

You may notice that there are digital cameras available that offer 16 megapixels. Unless you are planning to make prints larger than poster size you should find the 12 megapixels on offer with the Powershot A1200 is plenty for your needs.

Zoom with Wide Angle Capabilities

The majority of digital cameras now have lenses with the ability to capture wider scenes. This is true of the Powershot A1200. It has a focal length equivalent to 28 - 112mm in 35mm format. This gives you 4x zoom power.

Standard Size LCD Screen

The 2.7 inch LCD screen is about standard for this level of digital camera. If you shop around you may find a small number of digital cameras with larger 3 inch screens, but the majority of cameras at this level will have a 2.7 inch screen.

The Viewfinder as an Alternative to the Screen

Very few digital cameras offer a viewfinder as an alternative to the LCD screen for composing your photos. The Powershot A1200 is one of a declining number of cameras to have one. The size of the viewfinder is relatively small, but it still gives you an alternative to the LCD screen when conditions are bright and sunny.

High Definition Movies

High Definition movies are fast becoming the norm, but they are not available on very many digital cameras at this pricing level. Therefore if good movie quality is an attraction to you then the ability of the Powershot A1200 to shoot High Definition movies is likely to be a big plus point.

Close Up Macro Mode

For a cheaper digital camera to be able to focus from 3cm away from the subject is impressive. If you are serious about close up photography you are likely to be looking for a more advanced camera than this one, but the short focusing distance on offer with this camera is still a useful bonus that may come in handy from time to time.

Smart Auto and Scene Modes

Features such as Smart Auto and Scene Modes give a digital camera a helping hand when it comes to selecting the ideal settings for a photo. The Powershot A1200 gives you these extra options to help you capture the best possible shots.

Tracking Focus for Moving Subjects

This is another feature that is quite hard to find in cheaper digital cameras. Tracking focus keeps moving subjects in focus for you.

AA Batteries

The upside of buying a camera that uses AA batteries is that they are widely available.

Creative Features

If you would like to add a novel twist to your photos you can apply a creative filter to your shots. The filters this camera has are Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid and Poster Effect.

Auto Red Eye Correction

Red eye can blight portrait photos taken using flash. The automatic red eye correction feature attempts to remove any red eye in a shot without the need for any intervention from you.

A Few More Advanced Features

From time to time you may wish to take a little extra control over the way your photos look. With the Powershot A1200 you have access to features such as White Balance, Exposure Compensation and ISO.

General Handling

As the Powershot A1200 is that bit bigger than a true pocket camera it makes it easier for you to get a good grip. There is a raised area on the front that is shaped for you to lock your index finger on to. This acts as anchor for your hand and helps you keep the camera steady. Thumb positioning is a little awkward as the back of the camera is covered with control buttons apart from a sloping area at the top.

LCD Screen and Viewfinder

The quality of the LCD screen is quite good for a cheaper digital camera. You also have the option of the viewfinder when you are composing photos.

Shutter Delay

When it comes to response times the Powershot A1200 could be faster. It was on the slow side for all shutter lag tests. When flash is being used it is very slow indeed. This could cause you to miss shots occasionally.

Zoom Limitations

Another area you might find slightly frustrating is when zooming in on a subject. It is difficult to fine tune the amount of zoom to create the perfect composition. You may need to move closer or further away from your subject from time to time.

Easy Mode, Tips and Hints

If you ever find the camera is complicated you can place it in Easy Mode. This cuts down on the options available to you. You can then concentrate fully on taking pictures. There are also tips and hints available within the menu system.

Controls on the Top of the Powershot A1200

On the top of the camera is the on / off button. To the right of that sits a shutter button inside a zoom ring. There is also a control dial with various shooting mode options.

Controls on the Back of the Powershot A1200

Towards the top are two buttons the first turns on and off face detection. Face detection helps to ensure you take crisp looking portrait shots. Next to that sits a picture review button.

Beneath those two buttons is the central control area. Running round the outside of this area are controls for exposure compensation, to rotate an image when the camera is in review mode, to set the flash mode, self timer, delete photo in review mode and switching the camera into macro mode. In the centre of the control area is a button to access functions and to confirm a setting. At the bottom are two further buttons. The first is to change the information on the LCD screen. The second is to access the menu system.

What's in the Menu System

Canon digital cameras have two separate areas where controls can be selected. The first is for main functions. The second is the menu system. Main functions are ISO, White Balance, Colour Options, Continuous Shooting, Metering, Resolution and Picture Quality. The menu system houses more basic items such as focusing mode, picture review time and turning on and off digital zoom. There are 13 options in the main menu plus a further 16 set up options.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 1

Having high levels of contrast in a scene poses a good test for a digital camera. With a lot of contrast in this scene you can immediately get an idea of the overall quality of the camera. The Powershot A1200 copes very well with these issues. To start with it is able to capture plenty of detail in the lightest parts of the shot. This gives you increased levels of definition on the boats. The brickwork of the building in the centre of the shot is pin sharp. Focusing levels are very good throughout the shot. There is very little fall off as you reach the edges. Despite glare from the sun the colours are accurate too.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 2

This is routinely the test shot where digital cameras struggle the most. The Powershot A1200 handles the challenge very well. The sharpness and general level of detail showing in the shot are comfortably better than most cameras that are twice the price of the Powershot A1200. There is a very small amount of purple fringing. This is at such a low level that it is unlikely to be noticed unless you are planning to make extra large prints.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 3

When you zoom in on your subject picture quality is maintained. This is another shot where sharpness is impressive. There is an extra touch of brightness to the shot too.

Outdoor Building

Once again the Powershot A1200 demonstrates its ability to produce shots at a level that is some way above what you can normally expect from a camera at this price point. In fact many more expensive digital cameras struggle to hit this level of clarity. There is minimal fall off in sharpness as you move out towards the edges of the shot.

Outdoor Portrait

There is plenty of brightness in this picture. An extra tough of brightness can give your photos a lift and add some extra vitality. Focusing is sharp too. There is a negative point about this picture. You may find the pink around the cheeks is on the heavy side.

Indoor Portrait With Flash

Most of the light from the flash seems to be centred on the face. This also makes the shot lack a little brightness as you move away from the centre. Colour balance in this shot does not quite hit the mark. The pink skin tones are strong. This is accentuated by some of the colour being washed out from other areas of the shot.

Indoor Portrait Without Flash

The level of detail showing in this shot is impressive. Noise levels, despite the indoor light, are kept very low. As with the previous two portrait shots the pink in the skin tones is quite strong. Otherwise the general colour of the photo and even spread of lighting look better than the portrait taken with flash.

Macro

You can focus from close in to your subject with the Powershot A1200. Focusing could have sharper on the front pencil, but aside from that the general effect is surprisingly good for an inexpensive digital camera. As with other test photos taken with this camera the shot is bright.

Colours

Canon digital cameras have a habit of producing vibrant colours. That is the case with the Powershot A1200 too. Apart from the skin tones in the portrait shots being overdone the colours are well balanced. The level of brightness in the photos is also up a notch when compared with most of this camera's direct competitors.

Noise

Noise is controlled very well. Even in areas of light shade you should find levels of detail help you to produce plenty of clarity.

Picture Quality Summary

Picture quality is some way above expectations. Looking at the price of the Powershot A1200 it is extremely hard to beat when it comes to picture quality.

Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time

0.55 seconds
15.64 seconds
1.87 seconds
26.1 seconds
2.82 seconds

Shutter Lag Table

You can select from 3 basic shooting modes. One of these is Easy Mode. When you use Easy Mode the menu system is disabled and all you need to do is point the camera and press the shutter button.

Picture quality - viewfinder - value for money - High Definition movies

Over strong pink skin tones - shutter lag times

If you are looking for a simple digital camera that offers that bit of extra quality for a low price then the Canon Powershot A1200 could well be your answer. It offers greater picture quality than a lot of more expensive digital cameras. There are also one or two impressive features thrown in for the price. Recommended.

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Front View

Back View

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Panasonic DMC FS18 Rating 84/100

The Panasonic Lumix DMC FS18 is a great little camera. If you are looking for a reasonably priced, pocket sized camera that can take a good quality snapshot then this is one of the best cameras around. In terms of value for money this camera is hard to beat. Recommended.

Read Review: Panasonic DMC FS18 Review

Canon Powershot A1200 Rating 84/100

The Canon Powershot A1200 is a straightforward, inexpensive digital camera. It takes a very good snapshot and offers fantastic value for money. It is one of the few digital cameras to offer a viewfinder. It has 12 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom lens.

Read Review: Canon Powershot A1200 Review

Panasonic DMC S3 Rating 84/100

The Panasonic Lumix DMC S3 is an excellent value for money pocket camera. It is very hard to beat when compared alongside its direct rivals. Picture quality and features have an edge over many of its competitors while the rapid response times are also a big plus point. If you are looking for a cheaper compact digital camera then you can’t go far wrong with the Lumix DMC S3.

Read Review: Panasonic DMC S3 Review

Canon Powershot A1200 Review Canon Powershot A1200 Specification Canon Powershot A1200 Sample Images

May 2011

Olympus VR-310 Review

The Olympus VR-310 offers plenty of megapixels and zoom in a relatively small body size. It may not quite slip into the pocket of your jeans, but it is still a very handy size for a digital camera offering you this much zoom. When it comes to using the VR-310 it handles like a standard point and shoot digital camera.

This type of camera is often targeted at people that are considering a holiday. This is because of the combination of smaller size and amount of zoon.

As well as the amount of zoom you get Olympus have added in a few other features worth noting such as High Definition movies and image stabilisation.

This camera comes in a variety of colours and you can choose from versions in pink, silver, black and red.

Compared with a lot of travel digital cameras the VR-310 is relatively light on features. This means that the price tag Olympus have placed on this camera is a lot lower than the majority of digital cameras with a 10x zoom lens.

Ease of Use 9
Features 8
Movie Mode 8
Build Quality8
Colours 8

Photo Quality 8
Style 8
Lowlight 7
Macro 8
Value for Money 9

Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:

14
10x
3 inches
100.6 x 58.2 x 28.5 mm
158g

Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:

1cm
Yes
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD / SDHC

Megapixels

14 megapixels is likely to be more than enough for even the largest of prints. This large number of pixels also gives you the option to crop your photos.

Zoom and Image Stabilisation

The 10x zoom lens has a focal length equivalent to 24 - 240mm in 35mm format. This means that as well as the more obvious potential to zoom in on distant subjects the lens has wide angle capabilities. 24mm is as wide as any digital camera I have reviewed. A wide angle lens allows you to squeeze wider scenes into your photos. Olympus have built image stabilisation into the VR-310. This is an important feature when you have a camera with this length of lens. Image stabilisation will help you to reduce camera shake and keep your shots in sharp focus.

LCD Screen

The LCD screen is 3 inches in size. That is about as large as you are likely to get with a camera in this price bracket.

Get Access to High Definition Movies

Although High Definition movies are becoming more common they are not available on all digital cameras at the cheaper end of the market. So it is a bonus to find Olympus have equipped the VR-310 with a High Definition movie mode. Individual movies are limited in size to 2GB.

Get in Close with Super Macro Mode

The VR-310 has two macro modes. These are standard macro mode and super macro mode. In standard macro mode you have the ability to zoom in on your subject. In super macro mode zoom is not available, but you can focus from just 1cm away from the camera.

How Intelligent Auto and Scene Modes Can Help Picture Quality

If you were using a camera with manual exposure controls you can change settings to give your photos a different look. For example portrait shots may have a more flattering, softer focus. There is a limit to what you can achieve with a point and shoot camera like the VR-310, but you can point it in the right direction to a degree. This is by using the Intelligent Auto and pre programmed Scene modes. When you place the camera in Intelligent Auto mode the VR-310 attempts to automatically identify the type of picture you are taking. It can then select what it considers to be the ideal settings for your picture. The pre programmed scene modes work in a similar way. There are more pre programmed scene modes than the picture types available in Intelligent Auto mode and by selecting one you take the guesswork out of the process for the camera. There are 14 pre programmed modes. These include portrait, landscape, sports and night scenes.

Magic Filters Can Give Your Picture Something Different

You might see the magic filters as a bit of a gimmick, but they can add a little fun and give a completely different look to your photos. The effects available include pop art, pin hole, fisheye and sparkle.

A Few Extra Features for When You Need Them

Every now and then the limitations of a simple point and shoot digital cameras can become irritating even to someone looking for true ease of use. The VR-310 gives you three more advanced features in particular you may wish to experiment with from time to time. These are exposure compensation, White Balance and ISO. Exposure compensation can come to your rescue if for some reason the picture you are taking is too light or too dark for your liking. Increasing exposure compensation will lighten your photo while decreasing it will make your shot darker. White balance comes into its own if you are looking to change the colour temperature of your photos. All that means is that if your photos look a bit dull and lifeless they could do with a bit of extra warmth. By selecting a different white balance setting the impact of the colours in your photos will change. ISO is often used to increase brightness in a shot taken in lowlight. It can also be used for freezing motion. Care needs to be taken when using ISO as increasing ISO levels can lead to a reduction in picture quality.

The VR-310 has a smooth, polished finish. This can give the camera a slightly slippery feel. This is not to the level that makes you likely to drop the camera. There is just enough room on the back of the camera to place your thumb. The thumb area contains three raised lines. This helps you to take a better grip when you are taking a photo. This in turn means it is easier to keep the camera still and produce sharper photos.

Watch Your Finger Position

Although it is not a major issue the poisoning of the flash unit on the front of the camera can coincide with where you place your finger when you take a photo. This can lead to some of the flash light being blocked off. This reduces the effectiveness of the flash. Therefore that bit of extra care is required when using flash.

LCD Screen Quality

The quality of the LCD screen is about average. It can become quite reflective in sunny conditions. Better quality screens make it that bit easier for you to view the scene you are photographing.

How Much Shutter Delay is There?

My benchmark for a fast response time is under 0.30 seconds. The VR-310 recorded a time of 0.49 seconds for a single photo. This is slower than I would like to see with this type of digital camera, but would not in itself put me off buying this camera. With flash turned on times slowed further.

Controls on the Top of the Camera

There are three controls on the top of the VR-310. These are the on/off button, shutter button and a ring that controls zoom. The shutter button sits inside the zoom ring. Having this type of zoom control on the top of the camera frees up some extra room on the back of the camera. You may also find it easier to operate this type of zoom control than individual buttons on the back of the camera.

Controls on the Back of the Camera

Near the top is a dedicated button for starting and stopping movie capture. This means you do not have to change the shooting mode first if you want to shoot a quick movie clip. Further down is the button to review photos you have already taken. In the centre of the selector is a button for confirming settings. At the bottom there are two more buttons. The first gives you access to the menu system. The second provides help text for options in the menu system.

Below this is the main control section. It has a typical circular selector. If you press the top of the selector it changes the information displayed on the LCD screen. If you press the bottom of the selector when you are in review mode you can delete an unwanted photo.

Something That Really Makes Operation Easier

Sometimes something that seems relatively minor can make quite a bit of difference. You might find this is the case with the inclusion of menu options running down the right hand side of the LCD screen. This not only makes it easy to see what your current settings are, but makes them a doddle to change as well. Settings you can see on the screen include shooting mode, flash setting, macro mode and the self timer. If you don't like to see the options displayed on the screen it is easy for you to remove them.

What's in the Menu?

The menu can be divided into four sections. The first controls settings related to taking a still image. In this section there are nine options. Next are four options for controlling movie capture. The third section covers picture review, with six options. The final section is general set up with 14 options.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 1

The sharpness of this shot is quite good. Other than that there are a couple of issues the VR-310 has. The first is the loss of detail showing on the boats. This is a difficult shot for some digital cameras owing to the contrast between the light and dark areas of the shot, so it is not a surprise to see some loss of detail. Next up is the change of colour from blue to purple of some of the lines on the boats. This is an age old problem for Olympus with their digital cameras. It tends to occur when the sun catches blue lines.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 2

Compared with a lot of extreme wide angle cameras the VR-310 does a creditable job when it comes to the sharpness of this picture. There is a softening as you move away from the centre, but this happens with almost all digital cameras. Considering the wide ranging focal length of the lens on this camera it is a good effort. There is evidence of purple fringing creeping it to the shot, but this is at such a low level it is unlikely to be an issue for you unless you are planning to make king sized prints.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 3

This is another decent effort. You can see the advantage of the extra zoom on offer. The picture does not achieve the pin sharp definition of some of the more expensive digital cameras, but you should be able to produce pleasing quality shots at distance.

Outdoor Building

A lot of digital cameras are able to lock focus on to the building in this test shot and produce a sharp picture. The VR-310 struggles more and presents a hazy looking picture. This becomes more noticeable with larger prints.

Outdoor Portrait

There are no problems with sharpness in this photo. This is one of the easier tests and there are no real issues for the VR-310.

Indoor Portrait With Flash

Looking at the lighting levels in this shot it appears that the flash unit lacks a bit of power. It is certainly darker than a lot of cameras manage. This gives the shot a somewhat dull look. Areas of the hair are very dark. In addition this camera has cast a very strong shadow. This is an issue that occurs with other Olympus digital cameras too.

Indoor Portrait Without Flash

Viewing this photo alongside the indoor portrait taken using flash this is the brighter looking shot of the two. The colours take on an extra touch of warmth as well.

Macro

With such a short macro focusing distance you should have no problem getting in as close as you want to with the VR-310. When I did get right in close I found I had a problem focusing on the selected area of shot. Although there was plenty of sharp focus around the main point of interest it did not give the ideal result.

Colours

Colours produced by the VR-310 can be quite strong. This may be something you find attractive as it will certainly give your photos plenty of power. This is especially true for some of the blue skies in the test shots. As mentioned above, in sunny conditions blue lines can take on a purple tinge.

Noise

In some instances there is a degree of over exposure to the pictures produced by the VR-310. The down side of this is a loss of detail in some of the lighter areas of a photo. The upside is that areas of lighter shade can exhibit very low noise levels. If you decide to increase ISO levels manually you will see an increase in noise levels quite quickly.

Picture Quality Summary

Taking into account the price of this camera it is hard to complain about the standard of the photos it produces. When it comes to taking pictures it does a fairly solid job.

Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time

0.49 seconds
10.45 seconds
1.12 seconds
16.13 seconds
2.67 seconds

Shutter Lag Table

You should find the VR-310 quite straightforward. As mentioned above the inclusion of the menu options running down the right hand side of the screen makes a big difference when it comes to ease of use.

Zoom for size of the camera - menu options on the LCD screen - amount of zoom at this price point

Slower response times - weak flash

Looking at the features the Olympus VR-310 offers it is available at an impressively low price. Taking that low price point into consideration the 10x zoom gives you a lot of value and the flexibility to cover a wide range of different photo opportunities. You may be hard pushed to find better quality at this price point if a longer lens is a big attraction to you.

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Olympus VR-310 Review Olympus VR-310 Specification Olympus VR-310 Sample Images

May 2011