Genius G-Shot P6533 Review - Features and Performance
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In this section we are going to actually try out the digital camera and see if it lives up to our expectations. Additional close-up shots of the camera will be included.
First of all, aside from the "higher is better" hype that works for resolutions, I think the next important feature is the TFT LCD display size of a camera. This camera sports a beautiful 2.4” colorful display that supports up to 112K pixels. As I mentioned earlier, the CCD sensor goes up to 6Mp.
Moreover, we have the zoom functions. The optical zoom goes up to 3x, but this can be combined with another 4x of digital zoom; therefore, we end up with a total of 3x4=12x zooming power. With this camera, you won’t struggle to capture that old shipwreck deep inside the sea that appears every now and then when the sky is clear.
Another rather impressive function that this camera isn’t lacking is the burst mode type of shooting. Basically, with this option the camera does three continuous photos and then you can pick which one looks the best. The shoot-to-shoot delay here is reduced, so it’s fine. It’s especially worthwhile when you want to capture moving targets, for example at a tennis match. In this case, the “sports” mode also helps, but we’ll cover that a bit later.
The camera’s built-in software is quite adequate—we have a slide-show function that allows the playing back of images in a sequential manner. Thanks to the extra AV cable that comes already included in the package, you can hook the camera up to an ordinary TV, then sit back and relax while watching the images you shot on slideshow.
It’s also worthwhile to point out that PictBridge™ is supported. What does this mean? It means that the digital camera is able to work with a PictBridge compatible printer without needing a computer. You can connect the camera directly to the printer, then select which pictures you want to print out right on the camera. And then voila!
On the top of the camera we have the multi-scene selector; it has eight options. The power button is located on the middle of it, and on the right of this selector we have the shutter. Those eight options are the following: program, portrait, landscape, sports, night, setup, video, and auto. I don’t think these require any explanations. The “program” option lets the user manually configure the ISO, EV, and White Balance.
Aside from the multi-selector on the back of the camera, we have the rest of the controls. Most of the action happens around the five-way rocker, which actually is very similar to the Nikon Coolpix S200. In fact, there are a lot of other similarities, too. The zooming feature is managed with the two-way switch, while there is a playback button located independently. Below the rocker we have the menu and trash buttons.
The internal memory of this camera is 16MB. You have the option of adding an SD memory card and, in my opinion, you should do that. I’ve opted for 2GB, which is the maximum supported capacity. On the highest resolution (2816x2112) with my 2GB storage I can shoot 676 images on highest quality and 2031 on economical quality. This would be only 4 and 13, respectively, with only internal memory. So don’t forget about the SD card.
Furthermore, I can record 124 minutes and 30 seconds on the 320x240 resolution. This would be a really long movie clip. We could say that a 1GB SD card is also acceptable, but obviously the 2GB stores twice as much, and is therefore the better choice.
The image quality isn’t perfect, but it is reasonably decent. Nonetheless, if you don’t forget that this is mostly a pocket camera that targets users needing an average budget “point-and-shoot” camera, then undoubtedly this camera ranks among the top deals in the US$80-$120 price range. Moreover, it is very economical on the battery! I’ve been using it extensively for more than a week and I’m still around 60%. That’s why I’d be willing to state that this camera would hold out on a two-week trip easily.
There is a noticeable lag when doing continuous shots and this shot-to-shot delay can go up to two seconds or more, but usually hovers around two seconds. On high ISO settings (ISO 400), due to low lighting conditions, this can exceed even three seconds. If you are doing multiple shots with the burst mode, then this isn’t such a big deal; most of the lag is shaved off. However, this might be a deal-breaker for professionals.
Summing this up, the camera fits in your pocket, it’s slim, lightweight, stylish, yet simple and intuitive. And most importantly, it takes very decent pictures. Personally, I admit that for the average user this camera is enough. The pouch is also nice to have; you can clip it on your belt. That’s what pocket cameras are great for… portability!
Next: Conclusions >>
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