Snap happy
Get the best holiday snaps possible with these cameras and accessories.
For wannabe pros
The D90 is 12.3 megapixels (MP) of photo fury. You might as well hand in your notice and call yourself Peter Parker.
Nikon D90, Dhs5,099, Online LLC, Abu Dhabi Mall.
Must have Joby Gorillapod: An all-terrain tripod for capturing those awkward shots.
Dhs280, Radio Shack, Abu Dhabi Mall.
For water babies
Waterproof for up to 10m, Canon’s Powershot D10 is apparently able to withstand temperatures from 14-104°C. Now that’s durable.
Canon Powershot D10, Dhs1,549, Plug-ins Electronix, Marina Mall
Must have Canon WFT-E1: A wireless file transmitter with a range of up to 45m, so you never run out of memory.
Dhs3,655, Amazon.
For the easy option
The handy, slim 12.2MP camera boasts a Smart Auto option, which chooses one of 11 camera modes, so you always get the perfect shot.
Samsung ST50, Dhs1,099, Plug-ins Electronix.
Must have Polaroid Pogo Printer: A tiny portable photo printer, for when you need those pics, like, yesterday.
Dhs349, Amazon.
For committed tourists
The Japanese tourist’s weapon of choice, this 12.1MP Cybershot produces clear, sharp pictures.
Sony Cybershot W220, Dhs849, Plug-ins Electonix, Marina Mall.
Must have S-Style DPF-V900 Photoframe: Bluetooth ready and it holds and displays up to 1,000 holiday pics. Impressive.
Dhs849, Jumbo Electronics.
For the gifted amateur
Simply idiot proof. 14MP, a 2.5inch screen and it takes SD cards of up to 16GB. A classic.
Panasonic Lumix FX180, Dhs1,499, Plug-ins Electronix, Marina Mall.
Must have Panasonic DMC-MCFX35 Marine Case Allows you to take pictures at anything up to 40m underwater.
Dhs915, Amazon.
Future tech
PSPgo
Due for release in October, but what’s the difference? It’s smaller, lighter and, instead of sticking the controls either side of the screen, they are now on a sliding panel underneath. So, it feels a bit like the Nintendo DS Lite then? Well, yes, but in shedding 43 per cent of its weight, it has lost some of the PSP-3000’s screen size (down by 0.5 inches); however, at 16GB it has bulked up on the memory. More games are promised, but the price is the biggest surprise; an RRP of US$249 (Dhs915) in the US isn’t exactly cheap.
Verdict: The future? Maybe, but wait until they come down in price, we say.
Zune HD
No date has yet been confirmed for the UAE release (its rumoured to be out this Autumn in the US) of Microsoft’s latest crack at the iPod, but can the Zune win over sceptics? Well, wireless web access and the all-important HD LCD display holds the key. But is HD definition really that important on an MP3 player with a 3.3 inch screen? No. But an AV dock that allows you to transfer HD movies direct to your HDTV is. Plus the non-internet, integrated radio is something the iPod has always sorely missed.
Verdict: Zune has maybe missed the point – this is an MP3 player, after all – but we love the portable HD video streaming.
