BENQ G1
Price: Rs 15,000
Rating: 4.5/5
Specs: 14 MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS; f 24~110mm; f 1.8, 1/2000 ~ 2 sec; ISO 6400; Full HD 1080p /30fps; SD cards (up to 32GB).
The BenQ G1 is the world's slimmest swivel camera. So what, you might ask. Swivel screens are nothing new, both DSLRs and compacts have them now. But not on bodies this thin. And yet, this isn't the USP of this camera. That has to be the f1.8 aperture.
Firstly, the 3-inch swivel screen is very flexible and folds back on to the body with the screen facing you. While the swivel screen is good for taking shots at tricky angles, it is also a great way to protect the LED. The 920K LED screen has good clarity. It's only when we kept poking icons on it that we realised it had no touch. But with Benq indicating which dial controls each value on the screen, life is not so tough.
Now for the f1.8, a setting that will naturally give you better results in low light. But at this point, the lens is too wide for a point-and-shoot and you have to zoom in to frame a good shot. The 4.6x zoom is decent (it also has a so-so digital 6x that has to be activated). The G1 has everything you would expect of a 14-MP camera of this price range, even an ugly retro-looking cover. And when you see the crisp and vibrant results, it is hard to make out that all this was created by a camera that cost half as much as a smartphone.
Continuous shooting is fast though it takes a while afterwards to save the pictures. The Filter mode, in which you can click some kiosk-like, sketch finish and oil painting pictures, is good as it the HDR. We also thought that the background defocus mode was a good addition. However, the wait time to get such images processed was a dampener.
The video quality is good too, with FullHD at 30 fps. There is so video mode though and you just have to click the separate record button to start/stop filming. No, you cannot click photos as you are recording a movie, but the zoom is one of the smoothest we have seen in a camera like this
Benq has tried to bring a lot of premium features to a very affordable camera, the latter being the forte of this company. With all the features, this camera has the potential to become a one-stop imaging solution for the family, combining fun and quality. Seems Benq has a winner here.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
The f 1.8 gives good results
