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GE digital camera
Summary: GE announces a new digital camera line with the announcement of the E850, 8 megapixel camera with 28mm wide angle and a 5x optical zoom lens for only $199. Read the camera review.
General Electric….hmmmm…jet engines, appliances and
new digital cameras. Digital cameras? Yes! Eight of them priced
between $129 -$499.  | | The GE website at www.ge.com/digital cameras gives information about the entire eight camera line from General Imaging under the GE brand. |
With the introduction of a new line of digital
cameras from General Imaging and branded under the GE label, the
company that “brings good things to life’ is now “changing the picture”
as their website proclaims.
At Portraitsecrets
we tested an eight-megapixel E850, a point-and-shoot. It has all of
those commonplace features available on nearly all compact digital
cameras. Face tracking,  | | The late afternoon sun in the Portrait Mode provides good detail and accurate color rendition. |
panorama stitching mode, and electronic
image stabilization, red-eye removal and custom setting for sports
action, snow, fireworks, night scene exposures (a tripod required) and
the like.
The camera has up to a 1600 ISO sensitivity rating.  | | Using the automatic mode in an outdoor setting captures good detail. |
The wide angle lens, equivalent to a 28mm lens, and a 5X optical zoom
offer composition options not seen at the $199 price.
The three-inch LCD on the rear of the camera
provides a larger than average image in all shooting modes and
playback.  | | The GE E850 front and back view. |
The viewing screen, adjusted to mid-range on the
brightness adjustment, proved extremely accurate when using Adobe
Photoshop software to view and crop images. The kit contains photo
software, but we did not use it.
It uses a SD or SDHC memory card and a rechargeable
Lithium-ion battery is included. It connects to a computer with a USB
connection. It can be connected to a video monitor in a conventional
manner as well.
What we liked
- Size and styling. It’s 2.4 inches high and 3.9 inches wide. It
has a high tech look and feel, but the black glossy finish really shows
a lot of fingerprints. Silver, an available color, is a better option.
- Larger 3-inch viewing LCD display.
- Positioning of the shutter release and zoom control on the top of
the camera body. Easy to use and differentiate with your index finger.
- An optional grid that can be turned on or off for the rear
display. It can assist in composition of photos and keeping horizons
level.
- The easy to comprehend manual and the easy to
 | | The easy to read menu is bright and navigation to change modes, settings and formatting the memory card are great. Formatting the memory card on a regular basis is recommended. Do it only after you have backed up your images to a hard drive or CD. |
navigate menus.
Not only is the display larger, but the lettering and background color
of the menu is fantastic.
- Great optical quality in images taken in adequate light, especially outdoors.
- The panorama mode and the in-camera stitching.
What we didn’t like
- The image disappears from the screen for too long as the image is captured.
- Loss of detail and
 | | Noise and loss of sharpenss with the lens zoomed out to 5X in this indoor snap. |
sharpness when the zoom
lens if fully extended to 5X. This common to all brands of compact
cameras.
- The lens protection could be an issue when the
camera is powered down. Only a fragile and flimsy leaf covering over
the lens could easily be damaged in a handbag or even pants pockets.
- Loss of quality in images,
 | | The 28mm wide angle lens allows you to include more of the enviornment than most compact cameras on the market in this price range. |
especially
sharpness and increased noise, in images taken indoors. The degradation
of the images can be attributed to the high ISO the camera
automatically employs to compensate for less light.
A word about video
The camera has a video mode that shoots short movies
at 30 frames per second. Those movies, played in Quick-time, are fine
“for the record” movies, but should not be confused with the images
captured by a video camera.  | | The Panorama Mode is great. The in-camera stitching of the three individual images is superb. |
Portraitsecrets’ lasting impressions
This would be a great entry level camera for someone
who takes snapshots of friends and family and shares them via  | | Using the wide andgle and then the full 5X zoom to capture plant details without moving from the original camera position. The Flower Mode makes the colors more saturated and "enhanced". However, they appear a oversaturated on a color corrected monitor. |
e-mail
and photo sharing websites. Quality images can be printed from
the camera’s files with moderate color correction and minimal cropping.
It seems like a great buy at the $199 price point.
The line of eight cameras represents the first time
General Electric has bestowed its highly regarded and trusted brand on
a consumer camera line. General Imaging, led by Chairman & CEO
Hiroshi "Hugh" Komiya, is the exclusive worldwide licensee for the GE
cameras.
General Imaging, based in Torrance, Calif., lifted
the wraps on eight cameras in all, from the entry level to the
"prosumer" level.
The GE line sets a new benchmark for point-and-shoot
digital cameras with a strong product identity that combines both ease
of operation and a handsome consistency in look and feel across all
models. "Consumers are demanding not just advanced features but stylish
designs," Komiya said. "And General Imaging is meeting that demand with
cameras that are a statement of style while offering all the latest
technology."
One of the goals of General Imaging, the company
that has the worldwide exclusive license to produce GE-branded digital
cameras, was to provide a standard feature set across all of their
cameras.
The cameras are manufactured in Asia by an undisclosed manufacturer.
The A, E, and G Series cameras from GE
The A730 features a 3x optical zoom and 7 megapixels of resolution.
* The A830 offers 3x optical zoom and 8 megapixels.
E Series
The E1030 features a 2.7-inch LCD; all others in this series offer a
3-inch screen. All are powered by rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries.
The E850 includes a 28mm equivalent wide-angle lens, a 5x optical zoom and 8 megapixels.
The E1030 offers a 3x optical zoom and 10 megapixels.
The E1040 includes a 4x optical zoom and 10 megapixels.
The E1240 features a 4x optical zoom and 12 megapixels.
G Series (The G1)
The signature GE camera is its most compact model (3-inches wide x
21⁄2-inches high), yet it's big on performance. Includes a 3x optical
zoom, a vibrant 2.5-inch LCD screen, 7 megapixels, and a rechargeable
Lithium-ion battery.
To view GE’s web presentation on the cameras go to www.ge.com/digitalcameras
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Good photographs begin with good light. In the digital photography world, the quality of light corresponds to the quality of the photograph. The dramatic light of the early morning and late afternoon can raise the quality of your images. In poorly lit situations use supplemental lighting from the camera's flash in the fill-flash mode.
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Adobe's Photoshop is very expensive at nearly $700, Is it worth it?
Dear PS,
Adobe's Photoshop is very expensive at nearly $700, Is it worth it?
On the cheap in Oregon
Dear On the cheap,
Yes! If you plan to take creative steps in dealing with your images, photoshop and the lastest Creative Suite 2 are simply the best and most efficients image handling programs available. Is it "worth it" to you, that depends on what you hope to achieve with your images. I would suggest the Elements version of photoshop as an entry level position. Better yet, check a local computer store or even the Apple Store an invest a little time in attending a couple of their tutorial classes for a "test drive" of the program. Then you'll be better informed before you spend your money.
Thanks for your question,
Michael at PS
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