Things Left Out From Digital Camera Reviews

2006.07.15

The more information we get at a time, the less of it we remember. So Neocamera tries to keep its reviews short and still cover what we think is important about a digital camera. In doing so, there are things we do not mention. Such things may be relevant to some, but mostly they are either not relevant to taking pictures or not relevant to decide on which camera to buy. After all, that is the purpose of digital camera reviews.

Here are some things we leave out from our digital camera reviews:

• The obvious: Concluding the obvious is simply a waste of readers' and reviewers' time. If a camera is described as having a 2.5" LCD with 230,000 pixels, do we really need to mention large high-resolution LCD in the list of pros? So, even if it has a 12X optical zoom lens, we don't conclude long optical zoom. Obviously, people are reading a particular review have an idea of what camera they are reading on.
• The useless: A camera with an LCD and no other viewfinder can have a continuous shooting mode. We won't mention it in its list of features though if the LCD blanks out during the entire process. Who would use that? More precisely, who could use that? If continuous shooting is important, someone should look at a camera with this feature properly implemented, if it is not important, than who cares how badly its done?
• Non-photographic features: Some cameras allow playing of video games, can publish web-sites, act as world clocks, etc. Frankly we do not care and buyers should not either.
• Which side of the camera is heavier: Believe it or not, a site once commented in its list of cons that the left side of a camera was heavier than the right. While it is probaly true, cameras are not sufficiently similar in every other relevant aspect that which side is heavier could be a decisive factor.
• Style and color of the camera: It does not matter. If it is good it will be good in any color. A crappy camera is a crappy camera no matter its color.
• Memory included with the camera. It is not meant to be used, like a roll of 8 exposure film bundled with a film camera. Same with included disposable alkaline batteries, they are meant to let the buyer try out the camera right away, not to be used regularly.
• The unexecptional: almost every consumer digital camera these days has an automatic mode, automatic white-balance, autofocus, an LCD which can display and zoom photographs and a built-in flash. Unless one of these expected features is missing, like the built-in flash from the Canon EOS 5D, no need to mention it.

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