Editorial Review

With the Canon PowerShot S230, you've got the best of both worlds--the compact size and high style of the digital Elph series plus the higher resolution of a 3-megapixel camera. Updating the popular 2-megapixel PowerShot S200, the PowerShot S230 also features a 2x optical zoom, an improved 3.2x digital zoom, movie mode for videos up to 3 minutes, and more--all in a stylish, compact package.

Optics and Resolution

S230's nine-point autofocus lets you sharpen the image on your subject, no matter where it is in the frame.

Featuring a 3.2-megapixel CCD sensor, the PowerShot S230 delivers a wide range of detail and color (with images up to 2048 x 1536 pixels) and prints up to 11 by 14 inches. Canon's high-quality 2x optical zoom lens allows you to close in on the action, while the 3.2x digital zoom allows for a combined 6.4x zoom, letting you capture intimate details that might have been missed with another camera. The PowerShot S230 is also one of the few digital cameras to feature wide-area nine-point autofocus for taking crisp, sharp images no matter where the subject appears in the image frame.

Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on CompactFlash memory cards, and a 16 MB card is included. When shooting images at the medium or fine setting, the 16 MB card will store approximately 26 images. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB storage-class connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Movie Mode
In addition to taking still photos, the S230 can also record movie clips of up to 3 minutes. You can choose from three different video formats: 160 x 120, 320 x 240, or 640 x 480 pixels. Both picture and sound quality have been improved, and an editing feature allows you to delete unwanted scenes during playback. The S230's photo-effect mode lets you do more with your still images. Choose from low sharpening, vivid color, sepia, neutral, and black and white.

More Features
Though it's primarily designed as a point-and-shoot, the S230 includes several advanced features for photographers who want more creative control, including exposure compensation, low-light manual shutter speeds, manual ISO and white balance, and stitch assist, plus black-and-white, sepia, vivid, and neutral modes.

The PowerShot S230 uses highly advanced technology to make your digital photography experience simple. DIGIC enhances image definition and processing speed, while the sophisticated iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) technology assures faster and more accurate autofocus, autoexposure, and automatic white balance. The intelligent-orientation sensor ensures your pictures are always right side up, on the LCD or even while downloading.

Horizontal	Vertical
S230's Intelligent Orientation Sensor knows which of your images were shot horizontally and which were shot vertically.

Editorial Review

Simple to operate, fully automatic, and highly affordable, the 3.1-megapixel Kodak EasyShare CX6330 digital camera is a great choice for all your special occasions and vacation snapshots. This special bundle also includes the EasyShare Dock 6000, a carrying case, and photo paper. It also features Kodak's exclusive indoor/outdoor LCD monitor, a continuous shooting mode of 3 frames per second, and video capture limited only by your memory card.

Optics and Resolution
With its 3.1-megapixel sensor, the CX6330 can capture up to 2032 x 1524 pixel images for enlargements up to 11 x 14 inches. It also offers 1600 x 1200 (2 MP) and 1280 x 960 (1 MP) resolution modes. The aspheric, all-glass Kodak Retinar 3x zoom lens helps you get closer to your subject with a focal range of 5.6-16.8mm (35 mm equivalent: 37-111mm). It also features a smooth 3.3x continuous digital zoom (for a 10x total zoom).

Included and Optional Docks
The included EasyShare Dock 6000 offers a USB port for fast and easy transfer of pictures from camera to computer as well as a unique two-position tilt feature for improved viewing of images from the camera's LCD. The Kodak CX6230 can be stored in the dock any time so that it will always be charged and ready to go (it can fully charge batteries in as little as three hours).

In addition to the transfer and battery charge features of the Dock 6000, the optional Printer Dock 6000 adds the ability to print 4-by-6-inch photos directly from your camera. You can also hook it up to your TV for a slide-show presentation.

Movie Mode
The EasyShare CX6330 can also capture video with sound at 320 x 240 pixels and 15 frames per second. Your video length is limited only by the amount of space left in the internal 16 MB memory or optional memory card. You can transfer these QuickTime movies to your PC, or view them on your TV with the included A/V cable.

More Features
Review your photos using the 1.6-inch high-resolution indoor/outdoor LCD screen on the back of the CX6330, which enables you to see your images even in direct sunlight.

The Share button on the back of the EasyShare CX6330 enables you to tag pictures right on the camera for automatic printing or e-mailing, after transferring to your PC. You can even store up to 32 e-mail addresses in the camera.

The CX6230 includes Kodak EasyShare software for Windows and Macintosh systems, providing quick, effortless digital picture transfer, organization, editing, e-mailing, sharing and printing. The exclusive One Touch to Better Pictures feature--which takes advantage of proprietary color technologies developed by Kodak--helps Windows OS users get vibrant, true-to-life prints from home inkjet printers.

Other features include:

• Built-in flash with auto, off, fill, and red-eye reduction modes
• Continuous shooting of 3 frames per second, up to 4 frames
• Scene modes: auto, close-up, night, and landscape
• Color modes: color, sepia, and black and white

Storage and Transfer
Images can be stored using the internal 16 MB memory or on optional Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via the included EasyShare Dock 6000 using a USB 1.1 connection. A USB cable is also included.

Power and Size
The camera is powered by 2 AA batteries (alkalines included); rechargeable NiMH batteries are recommended for digital cameras. The EasyShare CX6330 measures 4.0 x 2.6 x 1.5 inches and weighs 6.2 ounces without batteries.

Editorial Review

Olympus D-Series cameras are renowned for combining easy-to-use features with high-quality optics for great-looking results, and the Camedia D-390 lives up to that tradition. Featuring a compact body and 2-megapixel resolution, the D-390 is the most affordable digital camera from Olympus, making an ideal choice for beginners in digital photography.

The D-390 has a durable plastic body with a sliding clamshell lens barrier. Its small size is due, in part, to the use of the miniature XD memory card--the D-390 is 15% smaller than its predecessor the D-380--making it easy to slip into your pocket.

The 2-megapixel resolution will produce images up to 1600 x 1200 pixels for print enlargements up to 8 x 10 inches. The D-390 features a high-quality, all-glass Olympus lens that's specially designed for digital cameras. It also offers a 2.5x digital zoom to help you get in closer to your subjects.

The included 16 MB XD memory card will store approximately 32 images captured at 1600 x 1200 pixels in HQ mode. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Other features include:

• 1.8-inch color TFT (transreflective) LCD screen for reviewing and editing images.
• Built-in flash with auto, red-eye reduction, fill in, and slow synch modes.
• Four scene program modes including Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, and Self-Portrait.
• Movie mode (with no sound) for video at 320 x 240 (up to 15 seconds) or 160 x 120 (up to 60 seconds)

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Reviews (10)

Pleasantly surprised
I got a subscription to this magazine as a gift and at first glance, thought it was going to be nothing but lightweight glossy fluff mainly meant to push new products.To be fair, there are plenty of lightweight reviews of new products in each issue, but there are also a surprising number of very useful, practical how-to articles-- mainly geared to novice or intermediate digital photographers (like me!).Yes, I've purchased big thick books on Photoshop before, but somehow, I never gotten to far in actually reading those books (maybe too much info for a hobbiest who doesn't need/won't use 1/2 the features in the product?).I recently switched from using Photoshop to using Photoshop Elements, and this magazine seems to be a nice compliment to that software package.In recent issues, I've learned when and how to effectively use RAW vs JPG, how to take better advantage of graduated ND filters, how to use Levels correctly, etc.The contributing editors are all top-rate as are the photographs and examples.I highly recommend anyone with a new digital SLR and/or new PC image software such as PS Elements, to get this magazine.It's well worth the subscription!

Sigh..........................
This use to be a swell magazine for the amateur digital photographer.However, for some reason, this year it has gone more "pro"...which means such things as much more talk of Photoshop; more reviews of really expensive cameras and equipment the amateur would never consider buying; and more ads, ads, ads.Even the price has gone up.Last year, I paid $11.97 using an enclosed subscription card in a magazine.This year the cards show $14.97 for a year's subscription.And I received a renewal letter today from the publisher saying I could have a year for $16.97!Gee, thanks. But no thanks.I'm not interested in a "pro" type of photo magazine.There's already enough of them anyway.

Sigh...............

Decent for rank beginners and reading ads, not much else
This is a great magazine for two groups of people, absolute beginners and people that like to read advertisements from photo shops.

It's not that it's really a bad magazine.The one or two actual articles in each issue are usually pretty good.They are usually written in a style aimed squarely at absolute beginners in most cases.The two or three monthly columns are usually somewhat interesting as well.

However, the "reviews" of cameras and other photo equipment in each issue can hardly be classified asreviews.They are basically expanded versions of the press release given by the company.I can't recall one "review" they have printed that ever said anything remotely negative about a camera in the magazine, which is rather suspicious.

And, as with most other Photo magazines, about 1/2 of each issue is devoted to advertisements from Photo equipment retailers, more than a few of which are of dubious reputation.

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Reviews (17)

Best Photo Magazine out there!!
Hello. I love this magazine. I've tried all the rest and now I found the best. Many of these reviews have talked about ads and in truth all magazines (Whether they are photo, computer, knitting, etc...) feature ads. Whether they are one or many they exist. Without it the magazines would cost too much money for anyone to want to read it. With that said I have found a magazine that appeals to the novice to the professional. It gets into more than the rest. If you need to invest in one to find out what you like in photography (Film & Digital), then please subscribe. I'm sure you'll be just as happy as me. What I like it that even I who can learn something new. Take care and thank you for choosing this review!!!!

the standard photo magazine
Now it has been a few years since I have had a subscription to the magazine, but I've been recently rereading a bunch of my older issues, and I am reminded again why Shutterbug is the leading photography magazine. Sure there are a lot of ads, more than in any other magazine (but this is a bigger magazine than most of the other photo magazines), but that is to be expected (though I wish they were more like American Photo and put them all together at the end rather than spread them throught the magazine). This is a mostly technical magazine with tips and product reports. It's pretty much a must for the photographer at all levels of skill. Read a few issues and you'll see why it is generally considered the best in its field.

Not for point and shoot
Shutterbug is not an 'art' photography magazine. It's focused more on gear and commercial techniques than on artistic photography. (If you want artistic, check out Lenswork or a similar publication.)

For me, one of the more interesting features is Joe Farace's column that reviews photography websites -- looking for both great photos as well as good web design. As I keep my photos online (http://www.theragens.com/photos), this is a column that I look to for interesting ideas. Other columns are also interesting.

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Asin: B00006KTS1
Sales Rank: 195
Subjects:  1. Photography    2. Art (Arts)    3. Photography (Photos, Photo)   

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Reviews (3)

simply the magazine for photographers
This is the best photo mag for those of us passionate about photography. It has long in debth articles on technique and equipment. Moreover it features "how to" examples from some of the best fine art photographers of our time. It is thus quite different from other magazines that feature some no name staff writer pretending to be Paul Strand. This does make this magazine perhaps less than ideal for the first time casual shutterbug trying out his/her first pocketcam. But for all of us striving to do good photography this magazine has no peer. It is not a glossy magazine and its print quality is rather low. It is a far cry from Phototechnik International or Spoon, but it is about the creating of rather then the displaying of photographs. Having read every photomagazine in the english and german speaking worlds in the last 15 years this is the best.

Great Magazine!
While this magazine may not posess the high gloss pages, and gorgeous images taht are typical of photgraphy magazines, they are full of good information that rarely, if ever repeats it's self.They cover a broad range of artists so you also get views of photography from many angles.I Highly recomend it!

The fift star comes when I get all the back issues!
This is a Techniques Magazine! They do not repeat themselves, so if you can find older issues around, buy them too.

Do not expect lots of inspiring pictures, only writers who know what they are talking about.

The topics are different and well chosen. They are important for the serious amateur, if he is using digital or large format.

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Reviews (8)

Very good magazine
I have been recieving this magazine for around 4 years now and couldn't be happier with the magazine.As one review mentioned it does have a lot of ads (at the very back of the magazine) but a good 75% of the publication is information, and after all they have to have some way to let you get it for 10 dollars a year.A fabulous magazine, Photographic gives good exposure/information concerning both digital and film.It also has articles for people that do point-and-shoot photography - things that could be done even if you don't have an SLR camera.That said however, the magazine is most valuable for the incredible reviews they give on new lenses and camera bodies. Their film guides are also very useful.As a photography student, Their monthly article on a pro photographer and their work has been especially helpful for me as I try to look for new ways photograph and find my niche.Seeing the work of other pros, adn finding out how they got started in the buisness has been very informative for me.Every couple months there is also usually an article on a new shooting technique (the one that stands out in my mind was from last year and focused on shooting still life photographs with a Renaissnace look to them using an extremely simple set up)and they give practicle shoot advice that is easily understanbale by someone who has not been around photography long.

Also as a side note, this is a very family friendly publication. I have been very impressed by Photographinc in the fact that unlke many photography based magazines they have a policiy against publishing nude images.Maybe twice in four years have I seen nude images in their publiction, and then they were very small images and usually part of a photo contest ad.

A decent introduction to photography with unhelpful reviews
This magazine is basically composed of how-to articles and reviews. The articles are a good introduction, the reviews are unhelpful.

I learned most of what I know from reading this magazine and other "enthusiast" magazines like it. If you read it for awhile, you'll notice that the how-to articles repeat themselves fairly often, so the articles eventually get old. Although they are helpful for new photographers, they would be better off just buying a good textbook on beginning photography.

The reviews, like those in all magazines I've encountered, are almost entirely a waste of time. They will always be very positive (the mag won't bite the hand that feeds it), and don't offer meaningful critiques or comparisons to the competition. Find a good review website, like dpreview.

Garbage
I am cross posting this most of these photo magazines are published by the same company under a different name. I have read them ALL!

First, 77%+ of this magazine is advertisements. That leaves under 25% of material. The material that does remain is bare minimum informational and tends to just show "pretty photos". Coverage on camera gear appears skewed since EVERYTHING is GREAT. This leads me to believe advertisers sway them.

In short, this is an advertising pamphlet with a cover price. If you need information, typing "photography" in any search engine will give you more information in 30 seconds then a 10 year subscription.

I wrote the main company about the 77% issue and they stated that they are aware of the amount of advertisement and quoted a percentage higher then I stated. That this was necessary to continue producing a magazine of this quality.

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Reviews (5)

Worth the subscription
Aperture is indeed the preeminent art photography magazine, and consistently has enough good material to warrant a subscription independent of its clout.Although ostensively devoted to art photography, many of the spreads are essentially photojournalism.

If you are primarily interested in just art photography, and can subscribe only to one magazine, I would suggest "Blind Spot".

Pretentious and Plodding
Aperture is THE premier photographic magazine today... which is to say it embodies all the fashionable cliches and pretentions of the contemprary post-modern scene.

Out of focus shots? Ragged borders? All here. Family snapshots reinterpreted as high art? We got 'em. Egocentric self-portraits by the dozen? Step right up.

The "art" in Aperture is uniformly artless, deadly dull, and devoid of any human feeling. But that's what the critics are selling these days.

Joyless Art
This magazine is full of ART (sound of trumpets here).The photographs are unfailingly serious, moody, joyless affairs.There is no room in its pages for smiles, love, or happiness.

As an example, the 50 year retrospective in 2002 had at least three photographs (all technically excellent) of bodies and one of an amputated foot (also technically excellent).Tucked in one corner of one montage was the only smiling face in the entire two issues of the retrospective.

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Reviews (15)

BEST PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE OUT THERE!
American PHOTO has an indepth look at alot of various subjects.There are some photos of real life situations & experiences.The latest issue depicted the Iraq war situation, how some of the soldiers & Iraqi civilians are coping with what's going on around them.
The magazine also has alot more close-up & detailed photo's, so even the amateur photographer can enjoy it.I have been a subscriber to American PHOTO for many years & probably will continue to subscribe for as long as the magazine is in existence, or the rest of my life, whichever comes first.I collect each & every issue.
I love America PHOTO!!!!

Good creative photography magazine aimed towards glamour
American Photo is a much better magazine than its sibling Popular Photography, but frankly, that is not saying much. It seems as though its primary market is fashion/glamour photographers since most of its issues are devoted to these aspects of professional photography. There are other magazines which excel at nature photography, so I am not disappointed by its absence here, but not noting more fine art documentary photograhy is a major omission which I hope this magazine does address eventually. There are also excellent photo equipment reviews frequently written by working professionals, as opposed solely to in-house technical equipment overviews. American Photo is without question among the better photo magazines currently available, but unless you are interested mainly in fashion and glamour photography, you might wish to look more closely at Shutterbug or other magazines devote to nature and fine art photography.

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Reviews (11)

As good as it ever was!
The Dragon magazine was (and is) the quintessential D & D supplement.In 2004 PAIZO did what was long overdue and remade the format, though I feel they did not go quite far enough.DRAGON is now intended for ALL D & D players - players AND DM's.DUNGEON is the supplement strictly for DM's.This makes the material in both publications that much more useful for a DM since there's hopefully less chance of a DM's players' being completely unphased by a new monster because, Oh yeah, it was in DRAGON last month.Dragon gives rules supplements (there is a column for each CORE class), expounds on regions and creatures (Ecology of the...) and has recently brough tback the much-beloced Bazaar of the Bizare.This is a great publications for any player and a must for any DM...

Dragon is Ruined
Paizo Publishing has single handedly destroyed the magazine that I once enjoyed to read. If there September 2004 issue "Dragon Unleashed" is the way they are going to do business I would recomend spending your money elsewhere. I will be canceling my subscription if Dragon keeps going in the direction they are headed.

Missing the old magic...
I have a collection of Dragon issues that date back to the double digits. It has always been my premiere monthly publication to provide a plethora of new ideas, engaging fiction, and beautiful art to inspire me in my hobby, Dungeons & Dragons. When a CD-Rom collection of the first 200 issues was released, I bought it to make up for all the issues I'd missed in print. As has been said previously, the magazine has always had its ups and downs, but I stayed a loyal purchaser.

Then the magazine was taken up by Paizo Publishing; now the magic is gone. I have old issues which I would have bought for the amazing cover art alone. Those covers told stories, they were rich in depth and artistry. These days, the covers feature the same slick styled, cartoonish art over and over again. Never any scenes, simply flashy action poses of characters.

Inside the covers I find more dissapointment. The articles don't pack the same punch. My imagination isn't fired. My usual reaction is "Oh boy, more crunchy bits to insert into an a campaign already cluttered with feats, prestige classes, and new, outrageous races." Hardly anyone takes what already exists and tries to put a new spin on it, to breathe originality into what's already there.

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Reviews (19)

dont respond
i send away for a 2 year subscription,they sent me a 1 year sub,
i wrote 5 letters,sent copies of bank cheque and order form,emailed them,no response,they could care less,what more can i do ??

Some good advice but overall not a great magazine
I have been a subscriber for a few years and have found alot of the articles repetitive and not all that educational. Recently I have subscribed to Shutterbug which is a much better magazine for both the novice and professional photographer. Its articles are insightful and even after many years they still can teach this old photographer a few new tricks !!!!

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Reviews (14)

Well...
You know, somehow I ended up with a free subscription to this magazine, and although I've been getting it for months it hasn't made much of an impression.

It's more balanced between gear and technique than say Popular Photography.However, I'm sitting here trying to conjure up an interesting article from memory, and I'm getting nothing.

Outdoor photography is difficult from an artistic standpoint, but from a technique standpoint there's just not all that much to know.Put your camera on a tripod when you can.Worry about Lens flare.Autofocus is good for rapidly moving animals.Wait for the light.Experiment with fill flash until you find a level that you like.Ho hum.You're not going to find any tips in this magazine on how to bring out the highlights of a B&W photo with farmer's reducer, or anything like that.It's all on the blur-the-waterfall-with-a-slow-shutterspeed kind of level.

Anyways, a beginner might like it for a year or two, so I've given it 3 stars.

Very unbalanced coverage!
If you want a generalized photography magazine that covers protraiture, product, glamour, or wedding/events photo techniques...read the cover before you buy this magazine. If you want a fine instructional magazine devoted to outdoor and travel photography, there may not be a better one in print. Filled with beautiful photos that, more often than not, have details about equipment/settings used to make them and where they were taken. I've been a subscriber for years and will continue.

A How-To Magazine for Creating Cliches
The typical photo magazine aimed at amateurs is 90% about equipment and 10% about art. And that's a very sucessful formula, as most amateur "photographers" are really equipment junkies and not artists.

Outdoor Photographer is more like 50:50 gear and technique. There's still a lot of equipment writing- which tripod, which lens and so forth- but a significant amount of editorial space is devoted to technique as well. Unfortunately most of it is about creating the same stale and hackneyed nature photos that fill the pages of this and other magazines: Heavily filtered, over saturated color images of senic vistas that make for nice posters but say very little about the subject.