Samsung NV9

We've reviewed quite of few ultra compacts lately that go all the way when it comes to packing features, but suffer considerably when it comes to performance. Samsung hopes to break away from that trend by balancing the two, with the Samsung NV9.

To start off, the NV9 boasts of a really compact frame that measures a measly 95 x 60 x 21 millimeters. Add to that the fact that it weights just 180 grams, and you have a really portable camera. The left and right sides of the camera are rounded and there are no protruding parts, ensuring that its portability isn't marred by the odd edge that tugs at your pocket when you slide it in.

The camera features a black metallic finish (it's available in silver too) that looks great and doesn't attract fingerprints. The button placement's pretty much on target - the shutter button and mode dial are placed on the top side (towards the right) of the camera, while the power button's on the far left, ensuring that you never press it by mistake. Between these buttons, nest two analog meters to show your current battery and memory's status. While it's not the most useful feature, it works well and adds to the camera aesthetically; call me silly, but I find the touch of analog in a digital camera really cool.

Getting back to the button placement, the facing side of the NV9 has a zoom toggle near the top. It isn't the most convenient placement for it, since it's a little high for your thumb to reach naturally, but it's in no way a deal breaker. Below the toggle are the Image Stabilization, Function, Preview and Exit buttons. In between them is the navigation pad with a menu/ok button in the middle. Besides the buttons sits a 2.7 inch, 230,000 pixel screen.

Overall, the NV9 boasts of simplistic design, accentuated by a few features like two analog dials and a lit up blue ring around the power button, that add aesthetic appeal and a touch of individuality.

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Sony Ericsson unveils world's first 12MP phone

Sony Ericsson jumped the gun on its competition at Mobile World Congress this year by announcing the world's first 12MP cameraphone, as well as a new Entertainment Unlimited service.

The Idou, which is currently only a concept but will launch in the second half of 2009 features a 12.1MP sensor, a large 3.5-inch touchscreen with 'intuitive touch features' according to Sony Ericsson and a 16:9 widescreen screen ratio.

The Idou will also launch a new interface for Sony Ericsson, based on the work from the Symbian Foundation, so all those who have loved SE's interface for all these years will possibly weep (though the rest of us will cheer).

United we stand

Sony Ericsson also unveiled Entertainment Unlimited, which it said will be "Uniting best in class entertainment experiences into one offering such as the Walkman music experience, the Cyber-shot imaging experience, Java gaming and messaging integrated with services and applications."

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Fujifilm FinePix S1000fd

After checking out Fujifilm's latest offering in the ultra compact sector (the FinePix F60fd ), it's time to look at their new addition to the S series of super zooms - the Fujifilm FinePix S1000fd.
The S1000fd measures 102.5 x 73 x 67.8 mm, making it quite small and portable for a super zoom. It weighs 325 grams though, which wouldn't be too much normally; but since the frame is so small the density (mass per square millimeter, in this case) is pretty high, making it feel like a heavy little rock. In spite of this, it feels reasonably comfortable to take shots with the S1000fd, since most of the weight is on the back-right corner of the camera (where you'd grip it), ensuring that there's no weight imbalance that would normally make it difficult to keep your hands steady.

Most of the body is made of tough plastic with a textured rubber grip running across the right side of the camera that feels great to the touch and enhances grip for all you people with sweaty palms. To add to the comfort there's a well contoured groove along the right side, making the S1000fd incredibly convenient to wield.

The button placement is quite convenient, with the trigger on the top, far side of the extended grip, with a plastic ring around it to zoom in and out. Behind the trigger are the Face Detection and Burst setting buttons along with the power switch. The mode selection dial is located right near the flash.
The facing side of the camera hosts a 2.7-inch LCD, with the controls neatly laid out to the right of it. These buttons include the Viewfinder toggle button, the Preview and Photo mode buttons, a display/back and an exposure compensation button, and a 4-way navigation pad with a menu button perched in the middle.

The only thing I couldn't wrap my head around is why Fujifilm would bother making the body this small. I mean it's good for portability, but that's not exactly why you'd buy a super zoom now, is it? If it were a little bigger, it would be way more comfortable to hold and would suit the target audience far better.

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Canon EOS 1000D

Though Canon does have a very strong foothold in the DSLR market in India, there has been a gap that Canon hadn't catered to yet — the ultra-budget DSLR segment.

But the EOS seems more than a cut-short budget camera. For one its build is just about the same as its big brother, the EOS 450D at 126 x 98 x 62 mm. With its weight of merely 502 g, it's definitely the lightest DSLR camera body we've tested till date. Lighter DSLRs may not be a big deal for hardcore enthusiasts, but for a beginner or a casual user who doesn't own a giant camera bag, it's a great asset.

Unfortunately the light weight comes at a slight cost. The camera's body is completely built of bland, mat-finished plastic, which gives it a pretty dull look. Moreover, even the handgrip lacks that high-friction rubber coating, which makes the camera easy to use for hours at a stretch. Now that too wouldn't be just a big issue if the grip had the right contours on it for easy finger placement or even a slightly bigger, more comfortable size. I may sound overtly harsh here, but being a camera user with particularly large hands, I do take my comfort over extended use seriously.

The button layout at the back is exactly the same as the EOS 450D, which would make a Canon user feel right at home. The 2.5-inch screen with 230,000 colors supports Live-view, which seems to have become a norm in DSLR cameras these days. Casual users, however may need to up their game to be able to use this feature as it works only in manual modes. Still I'm pleasantly surprised that Canon added this nifty feature in their lowest-end DSLR model.