Nikon has entered the mirrorless camera market with a strong start by introducing their new Nikon 1 system, which includes the J1 and V1 cameras. They did not, however, take the same route as other manufacturers with a 4/3 system but came up with their own sensor size, which they call CX format (slightly smaller than the 4/3 and APS-C format cameras). The CX-format CMOS sensor has a 2.7x magnification/crop factor, providing users with a range of 27-297mm with four lenses to choose from: Their 10mm, 2.8 is an ultra-compact, fast lens; the 10-30mm and 30-110mm provide a full range of focal lengths in just two lenses; and the 10-100mm provides the same range in a single lens (albeit a bit heavy and bulky) with Nikon’s well-respected glass.

The specs of the J1 (which I tested) read very much like many sophisticated DSLR bodies, yet the J1 is very easy to operate and uncluttered. The key settings are available at the push of a button on the exterior of the camera and many more adjustments can be accessed from the menu.

Some key features that set the Nikon 1 system apart from others include Nikon’s new hybrid AF system that combines phase detection/contrast-detect AF with a 73-point focus array, which continually works to keep your subject in sharp focus. Add an auto advance of 5 fps (frames per second) in full-res mode (up to 60 fps in electronic Hi mode) and you won’t miss a single shot.

Want to make a movie? The J1 offers 1080p video-capture, with single-frame capture while filming at the touch of the shutter – without interrupting the video. Don’t want video, but want to capture a mini sequence? The new one-touch Motion Snapshot captures short bursts (approximately 1 second), ensuring you capture that special moment at precisely the right time. Additionally, the J1 is equipped with ultra-slow-motion video for creative special effects that are only available in much higher-end cameras at a much greater cost.

The J1 is geared toward the hobbyist, so I decided to test it without reading the manual, to see just how intuitive it was. I was pleased to find that I could make many adjustments without referring to the instructions. (I later read the instruction book to make sure I was optimizing the camera and getting the most out of the features it offers.)

To keep the camera compact, one sacrifice was made: the lack of a viewfinder. And this proved problematic in bright light when I couldn’t see the rear LCD to compose my shot. At 10 megapixels, however, the J1 doesn’t sacrifice quality for size and I was pleasantly surprised at how low the noise was at higher ISO settings.

And if that’s not enough, Nikon has announced that they’ll offer the FT-1 Mount Adapter to accommodate F-mount single lens reflex (SLR) lenses in the near future. While adding an SLR lens to the camera will totally overpower the body, it does offer the opportunity to increase the magnification range to an extreme at 2.7x the effective focal length of the lens attached.

With all the features and accessories that the Nikon 1 system offers, it fills a niche for photographers, from the snapshot shooter who wants more than a point-and-shoot offers to the serious shooter who’s looking for a compact, full-featured camera with RAW capabilities.

The highlights for my shooting with the J1 include: the broad range of focal lengths offered in a compact camera, the high speed that ensures peak-of-action capture, and the RAW format. Of course, HD video is also a plus. The downside to the J1 is the lack of a viewfinder, making it difficult to see the rear LCD in bright light. But, if that’s a deal breaker, there’s always the V1! (The V1 also includes Nikon’s new multi-accessory port for attaching options such as the new SB-N5 Speedlight.)

Company: Nikon Inc.
Price: Starts at $649.95
Web: www.nikonusa.com
Rating: 3.5
Hot: Compact camera with broad zoom range
Not: Rear LCD is hard to see; no viewfinder

The Nikon Coolpix AW100 represents the company’s initial offering in the rugged compact camera market. As youd expect from a camera in this category, it’s waterproof to 33′, shockproof to 5′, freezeproof to 14 F, and it has built-in GPS, making it great for all of your adventures.

The AW100 is a solid camera. The buttons on the back are a bit small and close together, but that sacrifice was made to fit the fantastic 3″ LCDa trade-off Id take any day. There’s a large Action Control button on the left side that allows you to change settings easily, even while wearing gloves.

Inside the tough exterior, the AW100 features a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 5x zoom NIKKOR lens (28140mm equivalent), lens-shift vibration reduction, and 1080p video capture. All of this makes for a tempting camera, but there’s a catch. During testing, a lot of photos were soft and exposure was off, especially in contrasty photos. Changing the scene mode helped in most cases. This is where the real problem lies. There’s no manual setting, so you have to select from one of 20 scene modes, or use the Easy Auto mode. The best scene mode isn’t necessarily what you think it should be. For example, while attending an indoor party, I set the camera to Indoor Party mode, thinking it would be perfect. Most shots came out blurry (the flash was on). I switched to Nighttime Portrait and that improved the results exponentially. The point is that to achieve good, consistent results, you must first master the scene modes, understanding that you’ll have to experiment and find what works for you, not what the camera says will work. Then, you must be diligent and change your settings as the scene changes. In many cases, auto simply won’t cut it.

The Coolpix AW100 is a good camera, but there’s definitely room for improvement.

Company: Nikon Inc.
Price: $379.95
Web: www.nikonusa.com
Rating: 3.5
Hot: Solid build; great LCD screen
Not: No manual setting; no RAW; must master scene modes

GoPro’s HD Hero2 camcorder packs video-recording capabilities of 1080p/30, 960p/30, 960p/48, 720p/30, 720p/60, WVGA/60, and WVGA/120, as well as photo-capture capabilities (single, burst, self-timer, and time-lapse) at a maximum resolution of 11 megapixels. And it’s all in a box the size of a cigarette lighter!

The Hero2 has a new glass lens for really sharp results, it supports 32-GB SDHC cards, has a new easy-to-use (but tiny) LCD interface, a mini-HDMI port, and LED recording lights on all sides. The HD Hero2 is meant to sit in its sturdy, plastic housing while shooting, but it can be used “bare” as well. In fact, one of the most exciting new features, the 3.5mm external mic port, can only be used bare or with the optional skeleton housing installed. The jack and the USB interface are unreachable with the waterproof housing installed.

The Hero2 supports viewing angles of 127° (only at 1080p) and 170°, and slow motion of up to 120 fps in WVGA mode (848x480px). In 1080p mode, there are three viewing angles to choose from: narrow, medium, and wide; but the camera speed is limited to 30 fps.

Using the Hero2 is easy, although the LCD screen is tiny and the buttons are somewhat difficult to operate with the waterproof housing in place. Yet I found the GoPro HD Hero2 to be a professional camera by any standard, except for one thing: in poor light conditions, noise becomes intolerable.

Company: GoPro, Inc.
Price: $299.99
Web: www.gopro.com
Rating: 3.5
Hot: Size; number of modes; accessories; image/footage quality
Not: Noise in low-light conditions

The biggest advances in the latest incarnation of Ricoh’s GR series, the 10-megapixel Digital IV, are in speed and usability. With regard to speed, the maximum ISO is now 3,200, and the auto modes include an Auto-Hi option that maintains a selected shutter speed and adjusts the ISO. Ricoh adds AF Continuous Shooting that performs best in bright daylight. The shooting mode adjustment wheel on the top of the body locks into position, but unlocking the wheel is fluid and simple to do.

The Digital IV also sports a crisp, bright LCD that’s easy to see in most daylight, but isn’t blinding indoors. Shooting is at its best for landscapes, interiors, and in what is an excellent macro mode that has a minimum shooting distance of 1 cm. Outdoor landscapes under overcast skies are properly exposed, but where some brands have 5% more cyan, the Digital IV is approximately +4% blue for a cooler perception of color; however, grays remain closer to neutral than most models in this category.

The f/1.9–9 lens has a fixed focal length of 28mm. Unfortunately, the rocker-type button on the rear panel isn’t set to control the digital zoom by default. Getting into digital zoom mode takes several steps, and image quality suffers at even the minimum magnification (so it makes sense to not have it as the default setting). While there’s no telephoto conversion lens option, there is a wide-angle conversion lens available, as well as Ricoh’s GF-1 flash unit and a variety of filters and accessories.

The Ricoh GR Digital IV is capable of producing some excellent images for nearly anything that doesn’t require a telephoto or zoom lens. Where it’s strong, it’s very strong, but it’s more of a niche item that’s best for capturing the wide-open spaces.

Company: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Price: $599
Web: www.ricoh.com/r_dc
Rating: 3
Hot: Exposure; macro mode; shoots RAW; LCD
Not: Digital zoom; fixed focal length

FontAgent Pro Enterprise Server is one of the fastest font servers I’ve used. This latest version uses the J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition) architecture and is multithreaded to take advantage of multicore Macs. The actual server setup involves setting up users, groups, and permissions. The user permissions are very straightforward. For a large number of users, the server can import users and groups from LDAP. As indicated, the users can be broken down into groups, and font libraries can be limited to certain groups. User lists can also be loaded in from a CSV spreadsheet file, making setup a snap.

There’s some additional setup in the System Preference Pane installed, including the server license info and synchronization schedule. Additional licenses or seats can be added at any time. Every user needing to access the server is required to have FontAgent Pro (FAP) installed. Assuming the users have the proper permission, they can upload any custom font libraries and sets directly to the server after they connect to it. Other user benefits include built-in font inspection, smart sets, and smart classification of fonts. Of course, FAP auto-activates in most of the critical Adobe software, so the correct font is always available.

FontAgent Pro Server is a synchronization-type server, so if the server is out, users still have full access to their libraries. Therefore, the only major network activity is when the individual users are synchronizing with the server—and that’s very fast, even over a wireless network.

The cost is $1,695 for the server software, with client software costing an additional $1,175 for ten users. Additional discounts are available for 20, 50, and more users.

Company: Insider Software, Inc.
Price: $1,695, plus client software
Web: www.insidersoftware.com
Rating: 5
Hot: Fast; easy to use
Not:

The Nikon COOLPIX P300 is a compact point-and-shoot that fits nicely in any pocket—but it’s not so small that it’s hard to use. It has a nice solid feel, and all the dials are intuitive and easy to operate. The P300’s 3″ LCD is bright and clear (you’ll need to squint in the brightest sunlight), and it captures images at 12.2 megapixels with a 4.2x optical zoom. One of the best features is that you can open the aperture all the way up to f/1.8 when zoomed out (4.3mm [24mm equivalent]). This is the fastest lens in the COOLPIX line, and it works well in low-light situations.

The mode dial allows you to quickly select auto, program (P), shutter-priority (S), aperture-priority (A), manual (M), two scene modes, and an additional 17 scene modes using the Menu button. The camera can also capture 1080p video at the touch of a button.

To change the ISO settings, you have to use the menus. In auto, ISO ranges from 160–1,600, but there are two auto settings where you can set the cap at either 400 or 800. You can also set it to 3,200 ISO. Noise starts appearing at 400 ISO but it’s not distracting, and even at 1,600, images are still presentable.

There’s an Easy Panorama setting for taking panoramas in one easy motion, and a Panorama Assist function that gives you a ghosted image on the LCD for lining up the next shot. Both functions work well, but the Easy setting results in a much smaller panorama. There’s also an HDR function, but I don’t recommend using it. In the end, colors were very good with nice saturation, and the images were sharp and often revealed amazing detail and textures in the scenes.

Company: Nikon Inc.
Price: $329.95
Web: www.nikonusa.com
Rating: 4
Hot: Fast lens; color; sharpness; battery life
Not: Noise at ISO 400

Canon’s imagePROGRAF series not only raises the bar for quality and performance, it also places new hurdles in the track of its competitors. The primary concern is always output quality, and the 24″ iPF6300 produces stunningly beautiful color representations that are both accurate and impressive. Sharpness in the highest-quality output settings is edge-to-edge with substantial improvements over the last two models in this class. Truly amazing are gradients that show up without extra grain or staggered lines as the colors merge. It was so impressive, in fact, that finding a challenge for this goliath printer was a task.

At nearly 150 lbs with its included stand, the footprint of this printer is substantial once you add the slightly awkward paper catch basket. The iPF6300 is also quieter and faster than previous models, and as always, calibration is essential. It can print directly from Adobe Photoshop via a plug-in, saving time and steps. Canon includes other software but after three attempts (and a lot of wasted paper and ink), a Spyder3Studio calibration tool brightened up some of the output that had more visible density than preferred.

Canon reports reduced ink consumption from the 12 color tanks, while still producing a broader color range and a 4-picoliter drop size at up to 2400×1200 resolution. The iPF6300 tracks output and costs per page and also supports all major RIP formats. The specs are great, including top, front, and roll-feeding paper transports, but your eyes will tell you who won this race. If more speed is key, you can always run with the iPF6350, which adds an onboard hard disk to reduce buffering lag, but the 384 MB RAM in this model doesn’t drag its feet by any means.

Company: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Price: $3,695
Web: www.usa.canon.com
Rating: 4
Hot: Gradients; color accuracy/density; grayscale; quieter
Not: Proper density requires calibration

How is it possible to take a compact digital camera that for most people is already perfect and improve upon its stellar features? It seemed as if this line had reached its pinnacle with the CX4, but in true Ricoh style, they weren’t about to let “good enough” suffice.

The new CX5 is quite remarkable and there really are some new features, but it all comes down to one word: speed. The CX5 is, by far, their fastest and most impressive incarnation of this body type to date. The new hybrid autofocus is impressive in nearly any situation. From macro to magnified, the mechanism is smooth and extremely quick, allowing the capture of your subject as your eye sees it—when it sees it—and it’s rated at just over 0.2 seconds for either wide-angle or telephoto shooting. Ricoh’s new Super-resolution technology subtly enhances the edges with an increase in the micro-contrast; images have fewer visual artifacts with improved details but the overall image quality is slightly reduced at maximum magnification (which is now equivalent to a 600mm telephoto).

In the fun department, CX5 adds new shooting modes. The Cooking mode is fantastic and allows the user to make tonal corrections for the image. Another great, and fast for this category, addition is the new Golf Swing Continuous mode that shoots approximately 12 frames per second for two seconds to, well, check your golf swing.

There is more, but the bottom line is that each update to the CX family trumps its ever-so-slightly older siblings. In my reviews of each CX model, Ricoh’s brilliant zoom capabilities surprised even me, and clearly, this continues to make the brand stand out in an already very crowded retail space for this category. Recommending any model in this line is easy since they all stand up well by offering great digital images.

Company: Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Price: $329

Web: www.ricoh.com/r_dc

Rating: 5

Hot: Super-fast; HDMI output; Eye-Fi compatible

Not:

The Epson Stylus Photo R3000 printer is for professional photog­raphers and fine artists in a low-volume production setting who demand exhibition-quality color and black-and-white prints.

The R3000 is essentially a smaller tabloid-size version of Epson’s highly regarded Stylus Pro 3880. Some of the benefits handed down are nine-cartridge UltraChrome K3 inks; an eight channel, ink-repellent print head to prevent nozzle clogging (it does); and screening technology.

For the first time in an Epson A3 printer, both photo and matte black ink cartridges are housed together. No more time-consuming, ink-wasting cartridge swapping. The switch is done at the new color control panel that guides you through this and other processes. Epson also added high-capacity 25.9 ml ink cartridges, as well as wireless and Ethernet connectivity. The R3000 prints sheets up to 13×19″ or 13×44″ on roll.

The solid-feeling, 35-lb R3000 has a relatively small footprint. Prints are full of detail due to the screening technology and precise placement of variable-size ink droplets down to 2 picoliters. The R3000 printed my reference target with precision, producing smooth color gradients, a wide rich color gamut, deep blacks with plenty of shadow and highlight detail, and accurate flesh tones. Installation includes excellent ICC paper profiles; however, you must calibrate and profile your monitor to benefit. An A3 print takes approximately 2 minutes 40 seconds and ink swapping from 1 minute 40 seconds to 3 minutes depending on which black ink you’re switching to.

In addition to the top-loading paper input tray, there’s a new front-loading paper path for single sheets of thick paper. It’s much more reliable than the past rear feeder but still lacks simplicity. It necessitates opening and closing the feeding tray, and over time, I wonder if it will hold up. A single path for all paper would be great. That said, this is a great printer.

Company: Epson America, Inc.

Price: $849.99

Web: www.epson.com

Rating: 4

Hot: Color gamut; print quality; control panel

Not: Hidden front USB port