NIKON D7000
PRICE $2,099
Nikon’s impressive D5000 tops the PC Authority A-List for Digital SLRs, but Nikon has unleashed an impressive upgrade with the new D7000. It features a new 16.2 megapixel CMOS image sensor, 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion, improved image-processing system, 39-point auto-focus system and 1080p video capture. It also sports a 3-inch display (up from 2.7 inches) and a double memory card slot which lets you use two SD, SDHC or SDXC memory cards. The D7000 isn’t cheap and bargain hunters might still want to chase the old D5000 for less than $1000.
CANON POWERSHOT S90
PRICE $699
Canon’s compact digital PowerShot S90 is a pocket rocket, small and light but with a generous 3-inch display and plenty of advanced features. A recent PC Authority Labs winner, the S90 offers 10 megapixels on a large 1/1.7-inch sensor – taking sharp images yet cutting down on noise compared to its better endowed peers. Happy snappers will love the optical stabilisation and excellent low-light performance. Power users will find a full complement of manual and priority exposure modes along with RAW capture, exposure bracketing and white balance fine-tuning. Bargain-hunting happy snappers might want to consider the old but highly-respected Canon IXUS 105.
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 9.0
PRICE $125
While you can spend thousands on Adobe’s flagship Photoshop software, the stripped-down Adobe Photoshop Elements 9.0 should meet the needs of enthusiasts and even pro-sumers. While Elements makes photo editing simple for beginners, advanced features such as Layer Masks continue to trickle down from the full version. Adobe has enhanced the Spot Healing Brush for repairing photos and Photomerge Panorama for stitching images together and even added Facebook integration, making it easier to share your creations. Considering most digital cameras now shoot high-def video, you might also consider the $200 bundle which includes both Adobe’s Photoshop Elements 9.0 and Premiere Elements 9.0 for video editing.
ALSO CONSIDER...
SANDISK EXTREME CF CARD
PRICE $119/8GB
San Disk’s Extreme Compact Flash cards offer read/write sacpeeds of 60MB/s, catering for high-end digital cameras which need to save large shots quickly.
JOBY GORILLAPOD
PRICE $37
A flexible Gorillapod camera stand makes it simple to mount your camera and capture the perfect shot. Bigger versions are available for SLR cameras and camcorders.
LOWEPRO APEX 140 AW
PRICE $75
Protect your investment with a sturdy camera bag, complete with adjustable padded dividers and inner pockets that accommodate a pro compact camera or digital SLR plus accessories.
KODAK PULSE DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME
PRICE $179
This wireless digital photo frame makes it easy to add new photos. It can download pics from your Kodak account or Facebook, or you can email them directly into your gallery.
