A guest Review of the Sigma DP1s by Patrick Dean from NeutralDay.com.

The idea is simple really. Put a large sensor inside a small compact body and you’ve got a camera that enthusiasts can carry around easily and still secure the same level of quality from their captures as they would from their larger DSLR camera. Recently a number of cameras have been released that fit this bill, but just a short time ago, Sigma was flying solo in this market sector with DP1.

Using the unique Foveon X3 sensor, the DP1 offered users a 28mm equivalent lens, excellent image quality, all in a fairly compact body. The “DP” lineup was then augmented with the DP2, which provided the same sensor technology and form factor, but brought users a 41mm f/2.8 lens, along with some improved functionality (a quick set feature). Now Sigma has in effect refreshed the DP1 by adding the DP2′s quick set feature and improving the DP1′s ability to shoot backlit subjects. Though this review is of the DP1s, it largely applies to the DP2 and DP1 as well. The key differences will boil down to the users lens length preference, remember the DP1s offers a 28mm f/4, while the DP2 provides 41mm length at f/2.8. Image quality and usage is essentially identical.

Sigma DP1s Highlights

The Canon EOS 500D has been replaced with the Canon EOS 550D today, and by the looks of it, replaced with style. ***Update here*** “Both the 500D and 450D will continue said Canon Europe’s Photo Products planning manager Mike Owen.” So we won’t see this camera replace the 500 series, just add to that range. –Sime

Canon EOS 550D

• 18MP

• 1080p HD Movies

• ISO 6400

United Kingdom / Republic of Ireland, 8th February 2010 – Canon today announces a groundbreaking new addition to its expanding, world-famous EOS range of Digital SLR cameras – the EOS 550D.

The EOS 550D redefines the boundaries of Canon’s consumer DSLR range, incorporating technologies and features more commonly found in semi-professional DSLRs into the compact, lightweight body favoured by consumers. With …

Canon’s G series cameras have been around for a while and are much used by semi pros and pros needing an easy to use backup camera that still offers quality image capture.

The G11 continues the breed, with some improvements tucked away under the bonnet but with one or two surprising omissions.

Image capture maxes out at 10 million pixels; the lens is an optically stabilised and reasonably fast f2.8 Canon optic that has a 35 SLR equivalent of 28-140mm … or 5x.

The ten million pixel CCD delivers a maximum image size of 3648×2746 pixels or, in print-speak, a 31x23cm output at 300 dpi. RAW and JPEG capture are available. In the current climate, the movie specs are disappointing with only 640×480 pixel capture.

While many compact digicams shout about their higher res capture — 12 megapixels and more — it’s useful to compare apples with apples: the G11’s CCD measures 14.9mm across the diagonal while the compacts mostly reach 11mm — a significant difference. This is what Canon is all about.

The Canon post man arrived today with a little package just for me, it contained one of their shiny new Canon Ixus 200 IS compact cameras. The same camera is called the Powershot SD980 in other parts of the world, but for this review, I’m in the UK with the UK model…

Canon Ixus 200 IS / PowerShot SD980IS

Canon released the new 12mp Ixus 200 IS recently and followed it up, here in the UK at least, with a very vigorous ad campaign. I must admit it made me want to know what all the fuss was about! Well, I’ve got to say that after using the camera for a week or so that it’s compact, cute, solid and quite well priced, and I’d be quite happy to have one in my pocket 24/7!

I am a little wary of “touch screen” products and I think this is all because of the iPhone and how very good its touch screen capabilities are. On the iPhone, with a quick finger stroke you can be on another page or another track or another photo, well because of this thinking, the first thing I did when I powered up the little Canon was to take a couple of quick shots and try out the “flip through” of the image review, and I must say that the Canon Ixus 200 IS started out by disappointing me to be honest, because you can’t just lightly touch it to change things, you have to press a little harder to get the camera to realise what you’re after. I’ve since changed my mind on this! here’s why… Imagine if you’re half way through taking a photo and brush a fingertip against the screen and the camera changes its focus to be on a passing car or a running dog or even a flying pig! and you miss the shot you’re after – so, I understand the thinking behind the sensitivity level required by the touch screen, and with that little issue out of the way, let us move on!

In the territory of the DSLR camera we seem to have inherited a duality that continues, model to model.

On one hand we have cameras with an APS-sized sensor, roughly half the area of the 35mm film frame. These benefit from the use of smaller, cheaper lenses, yet still capture well-accepted images.

In the other hand we have high end DSLRs with full size sensors, like this one, able to use ‘normal’ 35mm lenses, with no enlargement factor involved when comparing the field size. Bigger and more expensive lenses is the price we pay for a full frame sensor.

However, there is much going on behind the scenes as makers of high end medium format digital cameras watch with creeping anxiety as full frame DSLRs lift resolution levels, while offering comparable camera product at much lower prices. Watch out for the battle between Hasselblad and kin versus Canon, Nikon — and Sony.

Sony, in particular, is biffing the market with its attractive full frame pricing, as already seen in the A900 and now with the A850.

Sony Alpha 850 DSLR Features

This is a hefty piece of kit, the high-tensile aluminium chassis and magnesium alloy body shell tipping the scales at just under 2kg, with battery, lens, card and strap loaded.