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Pretty - And Smart Too!
Strengths: Small enough to carry all the time; good battery life; very good still and video quality; "cool" factor off the charts.
Weakness: Longish flash delay; no case included.
I've just moved outside the US, and I wanted a camera that would be small enough to carry around with me all the time, as well as one that would take high-quality still pictures. I'm not a professional photographer, so I wanted a camera that would prove simple to use, with a wide variety of automatic settings that would ensure results I could be proud of. I found all those things, and more, in the EXP-505 Pro.
I've got fairly large hands, so most pocket-sized cameras feel too tiny for me; this camera feels just right. It fits pretty much in the palm of my hand, and it's light enough to be barely noticed in a briefcase or backpack. Some might object to the SLR-style body; a matter of taste, I suppose. What I can say is that every time I've taken it out of the (non-included - ugh) case, it has generated almost nonstop oohs and ahhs. This unit is a guaranteed conversation starter - it looks WAY hipper, in my opinion, than the standard credit-card-on-steroids design that has befallen most consumer digitals.
Now then, how are the pictures? For the most part, more than good enough for my needs. There are 23 Scene settings, which provide differing combinations of filtering, shutter speeds, sharpness, contrast, and other factors.This is where the EXP-505 really shines - just set it and forget it. So far I've found the Scenery setting to be absolutely outstanding for night shots, and Party provides fast enough shutter speed to capture most everyday shots with crystal-clear focus. I wish the flash recharged faster, but since I don't shoot much professional sports, I'll live. And the best part is, I can also go full-manual on all settings - so there's plenty of opportunity for me to experiment and be creative. So far, I have taken over 200 pictures at Fine quality level, and still had plenty of battery power left.
The EXP-505 also has a Video mode, for shooting MPEG-4 movies. I must admit that I didn't pay much attention to this feature when making my buying decision, figuring that if I wanted video, I'd buy a separate camcorder. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the video quality is very good, with a reasonable degree of anti-shake technology built in. A 1GB SD Media card (a 32MB is included, but I recommend the upgrade) will record about 4 minutes of video on HQ setting.
One other word: if you've absolutely, positively GOT to have a viewfinder, look elsewhere. But if you're willing to try doing without it, the pivoting, full-color LCD will soon help you forget why you needed a viewfinder after all.
The bottom line? I've owned several other brands of consumer digital cameras in the past; for my money, this stacks up well against any I've used. I recommend it for anyone who wants a low-fuss, high-quality, ultra-COOL digital date magnet.
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