The Olympus E-620 is the newest camera body using the Four-Thirds standard for digital SLR cameras. It boasts a small form-factor but packs the functionality of larger SLR cameras by utilizing a smaller sensor, and more compact lenses packed with electronics. It’s a live-view camera with an impressive tilt-swivel LCD screen for hard-to-capture moments. The small size of the body and lenses will certainly appeal to those looking for the flexibility of an SLR system without having to haul the equivalent of a cinder block around their necks. Having never used a Four-Thirds camera system, I’m excited to see what this standard can offer in terms of performance and expandability as a platform. Continue reading

My primary digital camera is a Fujifilm FinePix S9100. I purchased this a few years ago when a digital SLR camera system was out of out of my price range, but I wanted a capable live-view camera that didn’t feel like a toy in my hands and afforded me the flexibility of manual control. It should be noted that my primary camera of choice is a Canon F-1, circa 1980. Film photography and manual focus and exposure control are my friends, but I have recognized the need for a digital solution, as not everything in my life needs to be an artistic expression. The photographs for many of my reviews have been taken with the S9100 and a Canon Speedlight.

The 1500 in this review promises grown-up features for a small form-factor camera, in a lesser but similar way to my trusty 9100. Continue reading

Kodak has recently limited its camera offerings to Point-and-Shoot digital cameras, and has presented its products as being easy to use. Their latest offering is the EasyShare Z915, and promises a large optical zoom in a relatively small body. The last Kodak product I used was positive slide film, so I went into this having never used an EasyShare camera before. Continue reading

Big C makes a series o f high end digital microscopes for hobby or professional use. They call the standard microscope series “Dino-Lite”. There are many models available, with different resolutions, zoom levels, and functions; some are UV or IR, and there are models available with a metal shell instead of plastic. In this review I cover two microscopes, and an adjustable stand. Continue reading