Lights, camera, action! Techno reviews

Hot shot tech reviewers Heather Murphy and Mitchell Jordan get snap happy with some pocket rocket cameras.

Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR
The press material accompanying this camera spruiked it as being “the world’s smallest 10x zoom digital camera” which automatically made me think I would be able to keep it on my key ring, complete with a growing collection of complementary trade show USBs.

Sadly, the F70EXR is really no more different in size to most other digital cameras on the market though it is an impressive and sophisticated offering that follows on from the F200EXR and sleek enough in its silver-y form. With only one week to road test the F70EXR (Fujifilm’s marketing department rang me each day to make sure I knew when the return date was), I can say that this camera got a real work-out, operating in all locations and climates: from the surprise Sydney dust storm to the rainy back alleys of Melbourne.

EXR Auto is the mode which the lay person will most likely use for the bulk of their photography, and in most cases the setting does a brilliant job of detecting which scene best suits the image: portrait, landscape, macro, backlit portrait, night and night activity. With a 27mm wide angle, this camera is a voyeur’s best friend and print-outs displayed a consistently high class.

The only real problem with this camera is the software, the FinePixViewer, which compared to some other brands, is basic-looking, unattractive and lacks the sophistication of the likes of Kodak. Still, the quality of the images speak for themselves and it’s fair to say that the F70EXR is a winner.

The Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR has a recommended retail price of $499.
Mitchell Jordan

Kodak Zx1 Pocket Video Camera
Since the advent of YouTube and the entrance of pocket video recorders like the Kodak Zx1 into the market, video production has been truly democratised. While home movies used to be a nostalgic record of milestones, flickering Super 8 snapshots of a sepia-toned childhood, now every mundane moment of life is easily captured and shared with the world (or at least that section of it connected to the internet).

I found myself indulging in this habit once the Zx1 was in my possession. On holiday I idly filmed grim highways, static temple ruins, sleeping monkeys – why? Because I could. The Zx1 is incredibly easy to operate –  you simply point, press the big red button and you are recording almost instantly. The camera itself is sleek and compact and shares more DNA with an iPod than a camcorder.

Once you want to do anything more complex than record, however, the minimalist controls may bamboozle – working out how to delete video involves some trial and a lot of error. 

The Zx1 is nimble – a touch of a button and it comes to life, ready to start shooting straight away. The camera is weather resistant and designed for the outdoors, but ultra-portable at only 90 grams. With the wrist strap attached it is easy to have it at the ready whenever the action starts. The quality of the video, too, is impressive for a unit of this size – high definition vision that adjusts remarkably well to changes in light.

A lot of digital cameras these days come in with a built-in toolbox of Photoshop filters, but not the Zx1. You can shoot in HD, HD 60, VGA and still mode. A black and white, or even a sepia setting would have been a nice option for any film auteurs not quite ready to tackle the advanced settings in iMovie.

Getting your movies off the Zx1 is easy enough using the provided mini-USB cable, although some of the pocket video camera’s competitors, like the Flip, have built-in USB connector that allows you to plug the gadget right into your computer.

Nevertheless, the Zx1’s essential purpose – allowing anyone to shoot high-quality video any time, anywhere – is well served by its simple construction and ease of operation.

The KODAK Zx1 Pocket Video Camera, RRP $249, is available in blue, pink, yellow, red and black.
Heather Murphy