Although smartphones are the general go-to when capturing everyday moments in our lives, it is crucial to note that as convenient as it may be to use your camera phone to snap a blurry image, higher-quality images are as easily attainable with real cameras. Smartphones do not generally have enough camera-centric intricacies to produce high-resolution images. Take your phone-snapping photography out of the amateur league and bring it to the next level with an actual camera. It’s never too late to add one of these cameras to your holiday shopping list to capture the holiday spirit through a festive lens, figuratively and literally.
Olympus Tough TG-2
If you’re more of a point-and-shoot type of photographer who likes outdoor adventures, then the Olympus Tough TG-2 is a great excursion companion. The device is a 12-Mpixel camera that is waterproof up to 50 ft underwater, with rapid ISO performance and a fast f/2 lens. A GPS device and digital compass are incorporated into the device. A macro LED light comes onboard, and the camera accepts 40.5-mm filters and conversion lenses. The 4x zoom lens has a 25-100-mm field of view.
The Tough’s rear display screen is 3 inches, and uses OLED technology with a 610-kilodot resolution. The TG-2 shoots images in 0.9-seconds, and can continue to shoot photos as 5.3 frames per second. Since the camera is quite compact, is has a 1/2.3-inch sensor.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II
Sony’s camera has a superb high ISO performance with a large 1-inch image sensor into a point-and-shoot body. It shoots close-to-SLR-quality images, and is totally portable. This model contains integrated Wi-Fi capabilities and a tilting rear LCD that is illuminated by CMOS design. The 3-inch screen has a 1,229kilodot resolution; there are extra dots to shield the sun’s glare while taking photos. The Cyber-shot has a 3x zoom focal range of 28 to 100 mm. The widest angle for aperture is f/1.8, narrowing when you zoom to f/4.9. Unlike most gadgets, this camera does not come with a viewfinder. It can be purchased separately from Sony.
Canon EOS 6D
The EOS 6D is for photographers who prefer full-frame cameras. The APS-C image sensors on the camera make the camera lighter than models like the Nikon D7100. The DSLR camera is 4.4 x 5.7 x 2.8 inches, and has video footage capability up to 1080p30 quality. In contrast to the Nikon D4, Canon’s EOS 6D has a slower shooting rate, and an average shutter lag of 0.2 seconds. One can continuously shoot 4.2 frames per second. The back LCD screen of the camera is 3 inches with one million resolution dots, allowing sharp images to be viewable. This camera is great at allowing users to retain critical focus when reviewing shots or shooting in the different modes.
Nikon D7100
A beautifully proficient camera for seasoned photographers, the 24-megapixel camera has an optical viewfinder, a phenomenal control layout, and an image sensor that can manage through all types of light, ranging from the dimmest dim to the lightest light.
The back of the camera contains a fixed screen at 3.2 inches and a 1,228-kilodot resolution. The pentaprism design of the viewfinder contains a solid glass piece to direct the image from the camera’s lens and mirror to your eye. It captures everything from still-life to action-packed events, shooting in 0.2 seconds, with a short shutter lag. At a short 0.05-second shot, there is still time to focus the image, making sure there is ample light. The D7100 sticks to the D-SLR trend of leaving out the optical low-pass filter.
You can select to shoot in a variety of modes, including JPG mode, to shoot at 7 frames per second. The sensor on this camera keeps noise under 1.5% through ISO 1600 when shooting in JPG mode.
Samsung NX300
Samsung’s mirrorless camera captures sharp images with a mirrorless compact. Wi-Fi is integrated into the camera to enable online sharing. Its 20-megapixel APS-C image sensor is standard, which you can find in most D-SLR cameras. The camera has a tilting OLED display screen measures 3.3 inches, with a 768-kilodot resolution. It shoots in 1.1 seconds, with a 0.1-second shutter lag, having the capability of capturing 16 JPG shots at 7.2 frames per second. The average noise recorded per photo is 1.7%. This camera has video recording capabilities in MP4 format up to 1080p60 quality. Samsung's NX300 would be a great choice for novice photographers who are learning the art of photography.
Nikon D4
This stellar gadget by Nikon is one of the best-designed cameras for people with advanced photography experience. Containing 16.2 effective pixels, the camera can capture images in any lighting. The sensor size is 36.0 x 23.9 mm, with an FX image sensor format. The camera has the firey speed of shooting 10 frames per second at full resolution. It has an ISO Sensitivity ranging from 100-12,800. The D4 contains a long-lasting EN-EL 18 lithium-ion battery. The monitor lies 3.2 inches across the back of the camera. File formats that you can possibly shoot images in include JPEG, NEF (RAW), and TIFF (RGB). For the D4, compatible lenses include AF-S, AI lenses, AF NIKKOR (including G and D type lenses), DX lenses, AL-P NIKKOR lenses, and non-CPU AI lenses. The camera has high ISO noise reduction capabilities and many AF modes to customize your experience. Lastly, of course, this camera shoots movies in HD, with a built-in microphone, having an option to add an external stereo microphone.
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