A PRACTICAL REVIEW OF THE GE X5 DIGITAL CAMERA

AN OWNER / OPERATOR’S

PRACTICAL REVIEW OF THE

GE X5 DIGITAL CAMERA

By Antonio Alan O. Lopez

Introduction

          The sudden and timely appearance of the GE X5 Digital Camera in the Philippine market, sometime during the third quarter of 2010, caused quite a stir, and aroused the interest of a lot of photography enthusiasts and camera fans alike, and with good reason.  More than anything else, the GE X5 presents a new radical look in digital camera design, which is a lot like a digital Single Lens Reflex (dSLR) camera, in a smaller package, which is a departure from the ever common digital cameras which line the shelves of camera dealers and retailers almost everywhere. 

          Although a closer look would reveal that it is not a real-world dSLR, the GE X5 may be the next best thing, which is just a notch below that of its larger, more expensive brethrens.  In fact, this makes for a viable, cost-effective, and practical option for those wanting to advance from the basic Point and Shoot (and Compact Zoom) camera models, but does not want the weight, bulk, more complex operation, maintenance costs, and high investment requirements of a full-sized dSLR camera.

          A digital imaging device of this type, commonly referred to as a Hybrid or Bridge camera, sporting a native resolution of 14.1 Megapixels and an Optical Zoom of 15X, covering an Effective Focal Length of from 27mm (wide angle) for the ability to take group shots and landscapes to a respectable 405mm (telephoto) for inaccessible and far-off or distant subjects, with a fair f/3.0 (wide angle) – f/5.2 (telephoto) maximum lens aperture is, indeed, far from the usual 3X to 5X optical zoom capabilities of what most Basic, Point and Shoot, and Compact Zoom cameras have to offer.  

          The GE X5 is also a very versatile camera with a minimum ISO of 80 up to a maximum of 3200 (for low-light and night photography), has a number of White Balance settings (for accurate color reproduction), a choice of no less than eight image resolution outputs from 14.1MP, 12MP, 10MP, 8MP, 5MP, 3MP, 2MP and 0.3MP, a range of Shutter Speed settings from 30 seconds (in Manual Mode) to 1/4000 of a second, a choice of three Light Metering Modes, Single and Multi (13-point) Auto-Focus Modes, Exposure Compensation capabilities, and a Focus Lock function. 

  

          In addition, the GE X5 Digital Camera has a host of other desirable and/or useful features, such as Optical Image Stabilization (which shifts the CCD Imaging Sensor to counteract camera shake to avoid blurred pictures), Face Recognition (which detects faces in the picture area and ensures that they are in focus), Smile Detection (which automatically triggers the exposure when a smile by the subject is detected), Blink Detection (which pops a warning icon when the subject blinks during exposure), Macro Shooting Mode (for taking extreme close-ups of minute and highly detailed subjects, such as insects), Movie Mode (which takes video clips, although not of the High Definition type), and even takes a 180-degree Panoramic View of a scene with three successive shots and, thereafter, automatically stitches them together to form one super wide image.

          Its built-in image editing functions are rather conservatively limited to Red-Eye Reduction (which minimize the red eye effect when using the built-in flash), HDR (High Dynamic Range which, somewhat, brings out details in the shadows and highlights of the recorded image), and the usual cropping and/or rotating the orientation of the recorded image, found in most other digital cameras.

          The biggest, and perhaps, the most significant deciding factor, on why potential buyers would, finally, make a decision to want to get their hands on a GE X5 Digital Camera would be its average suggested retail price offering of a low Nine Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety Five Pesos (P 9,995) or an equivalent of approximately 232.44 US Dollars, which is just about the same price offering (SRP) of a Canon PowerShot A3100 IS, in the local (Philippine) market.  

          Most retailers would also include a set of four (4) Samya AA-sized 2100mAh NiMH Rechargeable Batteries, a Samya Model TG-101 AA/AAA Battery Charger, and a Transcend 4GB Class 2 Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Memory Card, as freebies, so that one could be ready to go and take photographs (and video clips) without having the need to acquire anything else, with the purchase of a GE X5 Digital Camera. 

          Other sellers, in addition, still, do include a nice looking and a rather tight-fitting GE X5 Camera Pouch / Bag (although the latter is not padded for protection), while some even went to the extent of providing their GE X5 buyers with a free coffee maker.  

          There are further, but limited, offerings of a free handy Polaroid Pogo Zero Ink Printer, which prints out cute sized photos, while SM, the largest department store chain in the Philippines, did provide for an option for the inclusion of a mobile phone with the purchase of a GE X5, at a slightly higher price.

  

  

Upon Purchase

          The GE X5 Digital Camera comes in a nicely designed compact, glossy, corrugated cardboard box package which contains the basic GE X5 Digital Camera Unit, a neck strap, a push-on Lens Cap with an attachment cord, a USB cable, a set of four (4) AA-sized GE-brand disposable Alkaline Batteries (from a Chinese manufacturer, Changhong), a small 84-page printed User Manual in English, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, a Quick Start Guide, a Superior Features Sheet, and the GE X5 Digital Camera CD-ROM, which contains a more detailed version of the User Guide and the ArcSoft Media Impression Software.

          A one (1) year limited Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship is promptly provided, upon purchase, as standard, by the Philippine Distributor of the entire GE Digital Camera line-up, Red Dot Imaging Philippines (formerly I-Digiworld Inc.).

Closer Inspection

          Getting a hold of the GE X5 is not unlike that of a dSLR, although at a much smaller and lighter package.  The molded grip fits the right hand nicely and positions the fingers in natural placement for the easy manipulation and operation of the basic and often used camera controls.  A purposely-designed thumb rest with raised protrusions, at the upper right hand corner of the camera’s rear side, helps achieve a good, comfortable, and firm hold for superior camera handling.  The fingers of the left hand can be placed under the lens housing, to provide for added support and more stability, although the camera can just as easily be handled (and operated) with only one hand, due to its light weight.

          For composing and framing the picture area or for viewing recorded images and/or videos, a 230,400-pixel 2.7-inch Low Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Transistor (TFT) Color LCD Screen can be found at the rear of the camera, together with an eye-level Electronic View Finder (EVF), which is, essentially, a miniaturized version of the latter.  Both the LCD screen and the EVF cover 100% of the entire picture area.  It also overlays the display with the camera shooting information, and/or a grid with a live histogram, which could be turned off, if so desired.

          A built-in retractable flash unit, atop the camera, conveniently pops-up with the push of a button to provide for subject illumination when light levels are low or is insufficient for proper exposure.  The GE X5, unfortunately, does not come with an accessory shoe, for the mounting and use of more powerful external flash units nor does it have a provision for wired or wireless connection to studio strobes.

          The built-in (non-interchangeable) lens, with folded optics technology, promptly retracts into its rigidly fixed lens housing when the camera is turned-off, for protection when in storage and when being transported, and actively extends into its default wide angle setting, with a low hum, when powered-up.  Due to this characteristic, the GE X5 comes equipped with a manufacturer supplied push-on / pull-off type plastic lens cap.  Four petal-like protrusions enable the front part of the extending lens barrel to push off the lens cap with relative ease and without causing any damage, should the camera user forget to take it off, prior to powering-on the camera.  These protrusions also, somewhat, serves to provide some level of protection, albeit low, for the lens from hitting anything that may cause damage to its curved glass surface.  It may also be worth noting that the front of the lens does not have a threaded part, for the attachment of standard photographic filters and other such accessories.

          To the right of the GE X5 is a port, protected by a rubber flap, for using the supplied USB cord for connection to a host computer used for downloading recorded images and/or videos, or for connection to a PictBridge-compatible printer, for the direct printing of pictures straight from the camera, without the use of a computer.  The purchase and use of an optional A/V cable, from third party suppliers, enables the viewing of recorded images and video clips from the camera directly to a TV or video monitor, although there is, curiously, no mention of this in the supplied User Manual. 

          At the bottom is a standard threaded hole for mounting the GE X5 to a suitable tripod, while at the base of the camera grip, protected by a locking door, are the individual compartments for four AA-sized batteries, which supply the camera with power, as well as a dedicated memory card slot.  The product data label, which contains the camera model and serial number, is also located in the same area.

          Lastly, an eyelet on either side of the camera serves as a connection point for the manufacturer provided neck/shoulder strap, which provides for a secure and convenient way of carrying the camera.

Operating the GE X5

          Sliding the ON/OFF switch to the right immediately brings the GE X5 to life, with the camera on the ‘ready’ within just a few seconds.  The GE X5 shutter button is instinctively easy to press with the right index finger (for focusing and triggering the exposure), while the wheel for controlling the zoom setting is just as easy to swing, with a very short stroke to either the left (for wide angle) or to the right (for telephoto).

          Turning the large top mounted dial allows for the choice of no less than ten different Shooting Modes, which is very similar to that of full-sized dSLRs - Auto, Program AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Portrait, Scene Mode, Auto Scene Mode, Movie Mode, and Panorama Shooting.

          Face Recognition, Smile Detection, and Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) functions have their own dedicated buttons atop the camera while the rest of the camera controls are promptly located at the rear of the GE X5.

          The buttons for choosing either the use of the Electronic View Finder or LCD screen, accessing the various Menus, their associated sub-menus and functions, using Exposure Compensation, Deleting and Playback of recorded images and videos, activating the various Display Modes, turning on Macro Shooting Mode, using the Self-Timer and adjusting the built-in Flash settings, are all in a neatly arranged group at the rear of the camera body, to the right of the large LCD screen.  These buttons are well designed that the adjacent controls are not inadvertently pushed, or unintentionally activated, when being used.

          A small, though easy to see, Status Indicator lamp, above the EVF/LCD control button, lights up a steady green when the camera is in a ready state to take pictures (or movie clips) and blinks red when the camera is still busy processing an image.

          With constant use and some practice, it does not take long for an average person to learn how to properly use and operate the various shooting modes of the GE X5 Digital Camera, provided that the basic principles of photography are promptly understood.

 GE X5 Performance

          As far as I can perceive, my ten-month old black GE X5, which I constantly use on an almost daily basis, looks and performs just the same today, and just as outstandingly good, as when I bought it back in November of 2010.  I guess that it needs a lot more ‘time’ for us to be able tell how well the camera could stand-up with repeated regular use.  The matte black finish of my particular unit looks durable enough and endows a touch of class, which compliments the silver “rings” surrounding the lens housing.

          During this ten-month period, I have brought and operated the GE X5 Digital Camera along with me from all over my trips to town, shooting at all sort of things, people and events, from experimental night shots with high ISO, to various group photowalks and street parades.  I’ve shot with my kids and the family dog around the house on different instances, covered a couple of kids’ first birthday parties, and was even able to take a number of shots of a large fire that broke out amongst squatter shanties while running an errand near the Central Bank Mint in Quezon City. 

          My GE X5 has been through a number of lengthy photoshoots, indoors and out, with aspiring models of all sorts, under various lighting conditions. I've used the built-in retractable flash, compact fluorescent lights (CFL), studio strobes, flashguns, and natural daylight, with equally good results. 

          I was also able to bring the camera along the three-and-a-half hour trek up and down the cold mountain peaks of Pico de Loro, in Ternate, Cavite, a Province located approximately 69 kilometers South of Metro Manila.

          There are no qualms about shooting the GE X5 out in the bright sunny outdoors for even the low-end budget priced camera models perform quite well under normal shooting conditions.  The real challenge is when out shooting in less than ideal situations, and under difficult circumstances, wherein the GE X5, like other cameras, is unable to escape unscathed, with its own share of issues.

          Although the camera gets it right, most of the time, there are instances when the GE X5 would, instead, focus on the background, and render the subject blurred, for unexplainable reasons, despite a confirmed positive indication of a focus lock.  The camera also experiences failures to, altogether, achieve proper focus most especially when zoomed in on a distant subject, and when lighting levels are quite low.  Even when performing at its best, the GE X5 lens focus, in my own opinion and for my own personal taste, is still a little on the “soft” side, leaving plenty of room for improvement.

          As expected from a camera of this particular class and type, the GE X5 is no match with the faster image processing speeds of the much larger dSLRs my other camera club group mates flaunt, and do, sometimes, takes a little while before being able to take the next shot.  Of course, this is, most likely, not entirely the fault of the camera but may be due to the limitations posed by my Class 2 SDHC card.  It is of my opinion that utilizing a higher Class memory card, with faster file transfer (read/write) speeds would greatly improve performance, in this particular area.  The GE X5, as stated in its User Manual, provides for support when using SD type memory cards of up to 16GB in capacity.

          Bokeh shots, wherein the subject is kept in sharp focus while the background is intentionally blurred out, are not as easily achieved with the f/3.0 (wide angle) – f/5.2 (telephoto) maximum aperture of the GE X5, but, nonetheless, could be done with proper technique and with the right camera settings.  The camera does not shoot movies in HD (High Definition), but can take standard definition video clips in 15 or 30 frames per second, for both 640 x 480 or 320 x 240 pixel formats.

          Quite infrequently but just as annoyingly, at times, the Smile Detection function would inadvertently activate on its own, when pressing the shutter button to take a picture.  It would have to be turned-off, by pushing its dedicated control button, for the camera user to, again, regain full control over the camera’s shutter.  Not really a big issue, but could be very bothersome, most especially when under the stresses of demanding shooting conditions.

          Power consumption is quite good, for with judicious use of the built-in flash, and using the eye-level viewfinder, instead of the larger LCD screen, together with sound shooting practices, a set of rechargeable NiMH batteries can last for almost a day of shooting.  The use of four AA-sized batteries, albeit a lot heavier than proprietary rechargeable battery packs which does add some weight to the camera, has the advantage of being readily available at the nearest convenience store, should the ones in your camera happen to lose power at an inopportune time.

          The GE X5 image quality is, admittedly, not of dSLR quality but may not make much of a difference, nor is at all perceivable, when printing pictures of up to A3 size, or if intended only for computer or web display purposes.

Conclusion

          I must admit the fact that you could not have “everything” one would ever want, at such a price, for the GE X5.  It does have its own set of limitations, but on the other hand, with proper technique, is such a capable piece of engineering marvel.

          Focusing issues are its largest drawback, with all other things being satisfactory to outstandingly good.

          With an array of impressive features and specifications and the lack for the need to purchase or bring with you anything else, in such a conveniently small and easy to handle package, makes the GE X5 Digital Camera an excellent carry around, general purpose use digital camera which meets or even exceeds the requirements of most users.

          More importantly, you could have the GE X5 with you, most of the time, in a small bag or pouch, to take good pictures with when an unexpected or sudden opportunity arises, unlike with dSLRs, which are only carried specifically on purpose, due to their heavier overall weight, large and expensive lens sets, the need to have the correct type of lenses affixed to the camera body, and other such requirements, which are not at all compatible, nor convenient, for general everyday photography use. 

          A smaller camera than a full-sized dSLR also has the desirable advantage of drawing less attention and presents a lesser risk of confrontation by security personnel, as well as being assaulted or robbed, when taking pictures in public, out on the streets, at shopping malls, commercial districts, and other crowded places. 

          After giving it some serious thought, I, honestly, am quite impressed with what this nifty little technological wonder from General Imaging has to offer and is capable of, for a camera of its type and class, not to mention, its price.  Even without the extras, given away as freebies, the GE X5 is still good value for, and is well worth the hard-earned money spent.