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Which compact cameras are worth buying?
Plenty of people have switched to smartphones for their photography needs, but that doesn't mean standalone cameras are dead just yet. Companies like Fuji, Canon and Olympus continue to make great DSLRs and interchangeable lens cameras for photographers who are serious about their picture-taking. But what about users who aren't that advanced, but still want something that packs a little more oomph than the average smartphone? There's a sub-category of cameras just for that, known as compacts. They're easy enough for a novice to use, but still offer plenty of options for experienced users. We've taken a look at a few of the more outstanding models on the market to help you decide whether it's worth carrying a separate camera for those precious photogenic moments.
Panasonic's LX100 makes huge compact leap with 4K video, MFT sensor
If you're thinking about buying Sony's sublime RX100 III compact camera, Panasonic has just made that decision a lot more difficult. The new $899 Lumix DMC-LX100 is leaps and bounds ahead of its LX7 predecessor and the most sophisticated compact the Japanese company has ever built. For starters, Panasonic has trumped the RX100's 1-inch sensor by equipping the new model with a Micro Four Thirds-sized, 12.8-megapixel MOS chip, the same size used on its big-boy interchangeable-lens models. Though it's cropped compared to its mirrorless models to allow for different aspect ratios, the sensor is still 50 percent larger than the LX7's 1-inch model. It's also got a fast Leica 24-75mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.7-2.8 lens, a wide-screen, 2,764K dot LVF (live viewfinder) and 4K video capture. Some of those specs put it on par with the company's flagship GH4, and well ahead of all its other interchangeable MFT models.
Okoro Media Systems ships 2009 OMS-LX100 HTPC
2009 isn't even here yet (at least on the right coast of Planet Earth), but Okoro's being exceptionally proactive by announcing that its '09 OMS-LX100 is already shipping. The system, which is a revamp of the original that popped out in 2006, is situated in the outfit's "low profile" range of HTPCs, and it brings to the table a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo E2200 processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a front-panel display, optional 7-inch touchscreen, dual-layer DVD writer, up to 2TB of HDD space, NVIDIA's GeForce 9300 with 512MB of RAM, an ATI Digital CableCARD tuner, 7.1-channel audio output and an OTA HDTV tuner. Power users can certainly push the $1,725 base configuration well north of two large should they choose, but good luck explaining that to the SO.[Via eHomeUpgrade]
Okoro Media Systems launches low profile OMS-SX100
Hot on the heels of Okoro Media Systems' LX100, the company is offering yet another low(er)-end option with slightly less powerful innards, but housed in a very sexy, slim case. The OMS-SX100 is the latest addition to the company's wide array of HTPC offerings, and sports a sleek, black enclosure that should fit in nicely with your other AV devices (except maybe that impending Nintendo Wii). It comes packed with a 1.67GHz Intel Core Due T2300 Yonah CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, integrated Intel 950 graphics, 250GB SATA drive, 16x dual-layer DVD burner, 8-channel audio, gigabit Ethernet, USB OTA HDTV tuner, and a vanilla (read: unspecified) internal TV tuner -- you'll also find a plethora of ports, including VGA, HDCP-friendly HDMI, S-Video, composite, FireWire, optical audio, and USB 2.0. Okoro also gives you the option of Windows Media Center 2005 or a customized SageTV setup with Windows XP Home / Professional, as well as tossing in a wireless "mini-keyboard" and an IR / RF remote. Touting specs like that, you knew this bad boy would get that (still) mysterious Intel VIIV seal of approval, and with a pricetag showing just $1,350, this media PC shouldn't put too much strain on the bank account.[Thanks, Isidore]