Germany seems to be a hotbed for patent war activity at the moment with Apple now overturning an online sales ban on many of its 3G gadgets.

Just this morning we reported on an injunction won by Motorola preventing Apple selling the iPad 2, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 on it's official online shop due to its alleged infringement on a 3G patent.

However, the wheels of justice move quickly in these matters and Apple has been able to strike down the injunction with haste.

Moto being unreasonable?

The Cupertino-based company says that the legal see-saw was able to occur due to Motorola Mobility's refusal (no doubt backed by its new friends at Google) to "reasonably" license the patent to Apple.

An Apple spokeswoman told AllThingsD: "All iPad and iPhone models will be back on sale through Apple's online store in Germany shortly.

"Apple appealed this ruling because Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago."

Apple is now in the process of repopulating its store, but Motorola which initially filed for the injunction in December, will continue the fight for a reinstatement of the ban.

Via: AllThingsD

Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman says the company's soon-to-be open source WebOS software will eventually be better than both the Android and iOS platforms.

HP will launch the first version of the reimagined operating system in September this year after deciding to commit the storied software to the open source community.

Whitman said the result will prove to be superior to the 'closed' Apple iOS ecosystem and the undeniably 'fragmented' Android platform.

She also confirmed that the company will re-enter the tablet market, following the HP TouchPad debacle of 2011.

An open and closed case

In an interview with CRN, she said: "There is a clear vision of what we're trying to accomplish.

"There will be some people who will not love that vision, and then there are people who are very excited about this vision, and what it can mean for an alternative, open-source operating system that has some real strengths to it.

"We're going to build another operating system that has huge advantages, in my view, over iOS, which is a closed system, [and] Android, which is incredibly fragmented and may ultimately be more closed with [Google's] acquisition of Motorola Mobility."

Windows 8 tablet

Whitman, who took the reigns at the world's largest PC manufacturer in September last year, also stated that HP will be in amongst it when the first Windows 8 tablets come to market later this year.

She said: "We have to have a tablet offering," Whitman said. "We will be back in that business. We're coming back into the market with a Windows 8 tablet, first on an x86 chip and then maybe on an ARM chip."

Via: CRN, BGR

Music streaming service Rhapsody has enhanced its mobile offering with a brand new application for tablets running Android.

The reimagined app for Android tablets running the Ice Cream Sandwich or Honeycomb operating systems offers a gorgeous magazine-style user interface.

The new Rhapsody app brings album art and imagery to the fore compared with the text heavy approach of the smartphone version.

Rhapsody for Android tablets is also built around the editorial content the company is so proud of, bringing you the latest news, reviews and features all with playable links.

Reach out and touch

The app also brings the ability to swipe through music libraries while listening, and also allows for offline playlists to be downloaded.

"The tablet transforms Rhapsody into an immersive experience that's inspired by what digital music lovers miss about physical albums and CDs: album art, photos and the ability to reach out and touch the next album you're playing," said the company in a media release on Friday.

"The tablet amplifies the experience with the best aspects of digital, with links across the universe of content that Rhapsody editors have produced over the past decade."

The app, which requires a screen of nine inches or more in size, brings access to Rhapsody's 14 million-strong song library for premium members who pay $10 a month for the service.

The company already has apps for iPhone, Android smartphones and BlackBerry devices, but this is the first tablet-centric application launched by the US streaming giant.

Introduction

Pentax has launched a new mirrorless model into the market, following on from last year's Q. This time however, they've decided to introduce a compact system camera with appeal to Pentax legacy users, with a body that features a K-mount compatible with all previous Pentax K lenses.

The Pentax K-01 is designed by Marc Newson, who's well known for creating furniture and watches among other things. It has been designed, in all senses of the word, to appeal to those with image in mind as well as those primarily concerned with image quality.

It features a new 16 million pixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor, and boasts other impressive specs such as a sensitivity ranging from ISO 100 all the way up to ISO 25,600, Full HD video recording, 81 selectable AF points and a range of manual shooting modes.

Available to buy from March, it will be accompanied by a new 40mm pancake lens, which is billed as the world's thinnest interchangeable lens, coming in at just 0.36 inches. It was also designed by Marc Newson.

Pentax was bought out by Ricoh last year, with it now being rebranded as "Pentax: A Ricoh company", so although this product had been in development since before the merger, this is the first opportunity the company has had to show how it is working under new management.

We spent some time with the new camera at its official launch in London, read on to find out how we got on.

Build quality and handling

When it comes to its design, we can see the Pentax K-01 splitting opinion. While some will appreciate the chunky aesthetic, there will be others who are less than appreciative.

Once you've decided whether you love or loathe the look of it, what you will find is a fairly chunky camera that's carrying some decent weight. It's made from aluminium and feels as though it's well put together.

From the front, the K-01 is reasonably similar in appearance to other mirrorless models on the market, but turn it sideways and you'll see that the body has a surprising amount of depth. This has been necessary in order to incorporate the design for the K-mount.

This size, according to Pentax means that there should be less vignetting in images because the back focus distance is longer.

The controls on the K-01 are well designed and thought out, with most controls directly accessible either through a dedicated button or through the handy quick menu which can be accessed via the Info button. There's a useful direct video record button on the top plate of the camera, while a second button can be customised to be used with a number of different settings.

One handy feature is the ability to set the range of the camera's automatic sensitivity. So, you can limit this to between ISO 100-200 if you wished, or set a number of different options all the way up to ISO 100-12800. This is a good way to prevent having to constantly mess around with ISO options.

Dials and buttons are quick and satisfying to use, which is especially true of the large top mode dial which features a number of different selectable modes, including aperture priority, shutter priority, scene modes and HDR mode.

The lens release button is built in flush to the lens mount, which gives a nice rounded aesthetic to the front of the camera. However, the new 40mm lens can be a little fiddly to remove and reattach, owing to its thin size.

On the back of the camera is a large 3 inch LCD screen, which has been equipped with anti-reflective coating for improved visibility in bright light. It's difficult to pass comment on the effectiveness of this as we were inside while using the camera, but this something we'll be keen to test out when we get the camera in for a full review.

Surprisingly, the K-01 is not fitted with a viewfinder, and there's no opportunity to buy one as an extra either. Considering this camera is being pitched at Pentax traditionalists, we're not sure how well this will go down.

The in-built pop-up flash can be activated via a small button to the side of the flash, and it feels reasonably sturdy and well built. A hotshoe on top of the camera means that any Pentax compatible flashes (or indeed any other accessory) can be used with the camera as well.

Performance

As this was a pre-production model of the camera, we weren't able to fully test out the image quality of the K-01, but initial impressions are favourable.

Fitted with a large APS-C sized sensor and with the ability to shoot up to ISO 25,800 should mean the camera performs well in low light, especially when coupled with the bright f/2.8 40mm kit lens.

Pentax is using a new Prime M processing engine for the K-01, which should mean that HD video recording is smooth and fast. A variety of different frame rates all the way up to 60fps are available.

During our time with the camera, we found that it was able to lock on to and focus on subjects reasonably quickly, but it was no match for the near instant autofocus systems that have recently been incorporated into the likes of the Olympus PEN E-P3, or the Panasonic GX1. This is something we will be very keen to re-test during our full review.

The camera comes with 19 different filters that can be used while shooting or added afterwards. These include options such as "toy camera" and "retro". We tested a couple of these out, and while they're not as impressive as some of those found on its rivals (most notably the Olympus PEN E-P3), it is fairly likely that these won't be overly used by large segments of the target audience. It is worth noting however that when shooting with a filter in place during our initial tests, the K-01 did take a couple of seconds to process the image once taken.

Verdict

The Pentax K-01 is clearly an attempt by Pentax to stand out from the wide variety of options that are now available in the ever expanding compact system camera market.

It seems unlikely that the company would ever be able to take on the marketing might of existing giants such as Panasonic, Sony, Nikon and Olympus, so it needs to do something to create waves. That's exactly what the K-01 achieves. Whether or not those waves are for the right reason, is difficult to tell.

Though it's likely to cause some division, the design is sturdy and it feels like a "proper" camera that has been built to last. The extra appeal of the large variety of Pentax lenses already on the market also sets it apart from its rivals who have a much more limited range.

It's difficult to tell at the moment who will want to buy this camera. It seems obvious that existing Pentax users looking for a pocketable alternative to their main camera body would be interested. But given its large size and weight (it's not too far off the size of an entry level DSLR), some may not consider it portable enough to do that job.

Time will tell if the Pentax K-01 can maintain the buzz surrounding its launch and translate that into actual camera sales, and we'll be very keen to put it through its paces once a full review sample is available.

Update: We have now had chance to use the Canon Powershot G1 X and have added a selection of sample images ahead of our full in-depth review, which will be available soon.

While the 14.3MP CMOS sensor, 4x optical zoom, raw shooting and Full HD video recording and other impressive specifications of the Canon PowerShot G1 X sound great, we were a little concerned at how big this compact camera would be.

But these fears were put to rest when we got our hands on a sample camera to review at CES 2012.

As you can see from the images and video below, the Canon PowerShot G1 X sits comfortably in the hands and has the familiar styling of earlier Canon PowerShot G series compact cameras such as the Canon PowerShot G12 and Canon PowerShot G11.

Although it is a little bulkier and heavier than the G12, the G1 X is still very much a compact camera.

The slightly angular, rubberised finger grip provides good purchase, but the weight associated with the the f/2.8-5.8 lens means that the camera is more comfortable to hold two-handed rather than one-handed.

Like the Canon G12, the new Canon G1 X features plenty of manual control to suit enthusiast photographers.

In a change from the control arrangement of the Canon G12, the exposure compensation dial of the G1 X sits under the exposure mode dial on the top-plate. On the G12, this space is occupied by the sensitivity (ISO) control.

Sensitivity is set on the Canon PowerShot G1 X via the up option on the navigation pad on the back of the camera. This change may have been forced by the G1 X's larger number of ISO settings - Canon's engineers would struggle to fit them all on one dial.

The space this change creates on the left side of the Canon G1 X (as you hold the camera) has been taken up by the pop-up flash, whereas the G12 has a fixed unit.

With 920,000 dots, the 3-inch PureColor II vari-angle LCD screen on the Canon G1 X is a noticeble improvement on the 2.8-inch, 416,000 dot device of the G12. Images appear bright and sharp on this tiltable display.

The optical viewfinder (OVF) is also large enough to be usable, although the lens barrel can be seen in the bottom-left corner.

We used the Canon G1 X in fairly low light conditions, but the autofocus (AF) system performed pretty well, focusing quickly on subjects with strong contrast. With low contrast subjects there was a quick back and forwards adjustment before the subject was made sharp, but this is hardly unusual with a contrast detection system.

Priced at almost £700 in the UK or around $799 in the US, the Canon G1 X is an expensive compact camera, and there are several DSLR kits available for less money. The Canon EOS 600D, for example, can be bought with the 18-55mm IS II lens for £550. However, compact cameras are used in a different way to DSLRs, and are often taken out when a larger camera is impractical.

It is also worth noting that the RRP of the 14.3MP Canon PowerShot G1 X is cheaper than the full cost of the popular Fuji X100, which can be found on offer for around £750.

As its pixels are the same size as the Canon EOS 600D's, Canon G1 X users shouldn't be making too much of a compromise when they decide to travel light.

Having had a play with a pre-production sample of the Canon G1 X, we can't wait to get a final production model in to run through our lab tests.

Sample images

With its large sensor, the Canon G1 X is able to produce pleasing depth of field effects.

A number of art filters are available, including "toy camera" mode.

Colours are represented well from the G1 X.

The G1 X has coped well in mixed lighting conditions, managing to produce detail even in the shadow areas of this scene.

Although it has a macro mode, the minimum focus distance is still quite lengthy, meaning that detail shots of close-up items are difficult to capture.

"Miniature" mode is another art filter, which gives the impression of a tilt-shift lens.

Another example of the G1 X's ability to cope well in a mixed lighting situation.

Americans will get a more detailed look at the Super Bowl than ever before, this Sunday, thanks to some new super slow motion cameras.

NAC is supplying four of its brand new Hi-Motion II cameras for the NBC broadcast of this weekend's showdown between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

The cameras capture 1080p video at 1,000 frames per second through a three chip CMOS sensor, so every touchdown, tackle and interception will be captured and replayed in stunning detail.

This is the first time that the cameras have been used to capture a sporting event, however its predecessor was used at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the soccer World Cup in 2010.

The original Hi-Motion brought some incredible footage, but the newcomer is capable of capturing the action at an additional 400 frames per second, so it sounds like we're in for a treat.

Overwhelmingly positive

NAC's Andy Hayford said: "We have had technical rehearsals every day since Tuesday and the response to the Hi-Motion II is overwhelmingly positive.

"Everyone from Engineering, VT and Production is 'over the moon' that the camera works straight out of the box and integrates like a normal camera – and the live and replay pictures are stunning."

Away from the super slow-mo, who do you guys have on Sunday? We're going for a trademark fourth quarter onslaught from Eli Manning to bring the Giants home 24-21.

Here's some footage shot using the original Hi-Motion camera.

It's been a week that's bordered on something time-travel-esque this past seven days, with the future being printed out for us all to see.

Not literally printed out – we're not talking the kind of book that Marty McFly spent far too long knobbing about with when he could have just destroyed the sodding thing a thousand times over; no, we're talking about companies telling us what's actually going on.

Smearing the Galaxy

We've been treated to that rarest of all rare beasts this week: a company confirming that something isn't going to happen. Usually it's a smorgasbord of 'no comment' and something about rumour and speculation, but this time Samsung has huffed, sprung out of bed, thrown open the window and shouted at those pesky internet-rumour-mongering kids that keep yelling about the Galaxy S3 at all hours of the night:

"Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012," bellowed Samsung in a brief memo to TechRadar.

"The successor to the Galaxy S2 smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product.

"Samsung stays committed to providing the best possible mobile experiences for customers around the world."

Whether or not this was dictated by a Samsung rep menacingly peeling an apple with an unnecessarily sharp knife while not blinking is unconfirmed.

THIS IS NOT REAL. Or it might be the Galaxy S4. Future, innit?

And don't worry your tech socks about Samsung announcing nothing at this year's flagship event: there's a Galaxy S2 Plus on the cards. With a slightly faster engine and the same Ice Cream Sandwich update that's coming to the original. Oh…

No, no THIS is the Fullest Full Monty

Now while we're panicking that nobody will release any mobiles in Barcelona this year (although we have got an alternative event that involves unicorns, a bucket of carrot soup and a job lot of unused Xperia Plays ready to go if GSMA would just FINALLY GIVE US THE NOD) there's something else that has caught our eye.

It's T-Mobile. Yes, the ones that do the awesome/excruciatingly lame adverts that are on the TV all the time (your opinion will be directly linked to your ability to tolerate, nay, enjoy Take Me Out) have only gone and invented new things that are completely new and amazing.

We're talking a new tariff, cheekily called the Full Monty (yes, like the naked people thing. Well, I never…) and offering reams of voice calls, texts and most importantly unlimited data for your mobile.

You mean proper unlimited? Yes.

Like no limits at all? Yes. No fair use policy? Nope.

But surely there's no tethering? Yep, allowed too. All unlimited.

But what abou…? Unlimited. No limits. We were one step away from branding it with some Dutch Eurodance stars from the '90s, it's that unlimited.

And we've been told this will revolutionise the future of the world of mobiles and tablets and the internet. Forever. Remember this day, and tell your children of it.

Except – oh, wait, Three already did it with the One Plan. Sigh… revolutionary used to mean so much more in our day.

Other things

Things that we liked this week also include: Android coming to Sky Go. No, wait, the other way around.

Apple has run into the volcano lab with NFC and written its name all over it like it totally made it up itself you know. And it will probably be going to the iPhone 5 if loads of sources are to be believed.

And BAHAHAH the Nokia N8 HOHOHOHO is still alive and kicGUFFAWking after another Symbian updateNO PLEASE STOP, IT HURTS, was released to help it take on the WELL DONE I NEED NEW TROUSERS YOU'RE PAYING FOR THAT iPhone.

There was some other stuff too about patents that involved Apple but it's so mundane we're legally obliged to shoot ourselves if we write about it the same thing again.

Look at this

And tell us what you think on @TR_phones or @TR_tablets. Don't say we don't give you choice.

Credit: Instructables

The rumours, leaks and speculation on the Samsung Galaxy S3 are never ending and we've laid eyes on extremely suspicious spy shots from a Chinese website.

The latest shots offer up a handset quite different to what has been talked about thus far. It sports a peculiar S-shaped bend in the 4.6-inch 3D screen which looks to be highly un-ergonomic, but hey maybe it's the future.

It also suggests the 3D screen will use Super AMOLED Plus technology and have a 1280 x 720 resolution. Our question though, how does 3D work on such a ridiculously curved display?

Pigs will fly

Further inspection shows three large unsightly buttons below the screen with the middle one rocking the icon for "Play Pause" – very odd.

There also seems to be a huge gap between the screen ending and the buttons starting which seems like a strange design and adds unnecessary length to the handset.

So unless Samsung has completely gone off its rocker, this is very unlikely to be the Galaxy S3. However who doesn't want an S-shaped screen?

Anonymous has upped the ante in its bid to air the world's dirty linen in public by releasing a recording of what is apparently a phone call between the FBI and UK police, as well as an email between the agencies discussing online hacking.

The FBI has confirmed that the audio is real and told the Associated Press that it "was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained".

Curious comms

Anonymous has been busy of late, taking down any website it feels has contributed to the arrest of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom and its latest stunt proves that the hacking collective has no plans to give up embarrassing and obstructing the FBI in its bid to tackle piracy and hacking online.

Anonymous first announced the conference call leak on the @AnonymousIRC Twitter account. A tweet was posted which said: "The FBI might be curious how we're able to continuously read their internal comms for some time now." This was followed by a link to an MP3 of the recording.

Anonymous has urged its followers to upload the audio to as many places as possible so that it is not taken down.

Speaking about the hack, Graham Cluley from Sophos said: "The assumption has to be that an Anonymous hacker had access to one of the recipients' email accounts, and thus had secret access to the confidential call."

Today we check in with Kim Dotcom, whose time in prison isn't much to his tastes. Meanwhile, Sony gets defensive, Apple gets all parental guidance on us, a ten year old's adventures in science put the rest of us to shame and an imaginary TV fails to enter reality.

La vida Vita – Look, there are no problems with sales of the PS Vita, okay? Sales in Japan are fine. They're off to "a good start". There won't be "any problems" selling it here in February. Now leave us alone, Sony's CFO Masaru Kato might as well have said on an earnings call with analysts. [Eurogamer]

Expletive deleted – iTunes Match doesn't approve of effing and jeffing, with a "bug" apparently matching explicit tracks to their clean equivalents. Apple says it is working on a fix, but if its prudish past is anything to go by, we don't imagine it's working all that hard on it. [9 to 5 Mac]

Weekly Kim Dotcom update – Online "supervillain" Kim Dotcom doesn't seem all that keen on jail, claiming that he's had a few "funny visits" from people while in there. Sadly for him, he's just had a bail appeal rejected – apparently his three passports and bank accounts in various names make him quite the flight risk. [Guardian]

Facebook fail – Say your local police department put you up as Creep of the Week on Facebook because you were wanted for rape, what would you do? Keep a low profile? Or would you go on Facebook and comment on the page? "Good thing I moved out of the state," said Dustin McCombs, not realising he can be extradited back to Alabama to stand trial. "Dustin, be quiet. Do not talk about the case here," said the Sheriff's office. [The Daily What]

Overachiever – 10-year-old Clara Lazen accidentally put two and two together and came out with a never-before-discovered explosive molecule dubbed tetranitratoxycarbon. Now she's listed as co-author on the academic paper on the molecule's structure and content and that. Overachiever. [Gizmodo UK]

Nokia's Comeback – Crazed Nokia fans in Finland queued for up to eight hours to get their hands on the Nokia Lumia 800 when it launched in its home country earlier this week. Such is the appetite for the Windows Phone handset that it is now sold out in some stores, with demand "almost as high" as for the actual iPhone. [YLE and Kauppalehti]

Win Pho app attack – Couple of new apps on the Windows Phone block today: Vimeo (you know, classy YouTube) brings good-looking HD video watching and uploading to the 'Pho, while rumour has it that Microsoft is testing Skype for Windows Phone with a MWC 2012 debut on the cards. [The Verge, Ubergizmo]

Gamers, take heed – Next time you're out for a 24-hour gaming session, recall if you will the cautionary tale of Chen Rong-yu who died upright in his chair in an internet café in Taiwan and sat there, post-mortem, for nine hours before anyone noticed. [TNW]

Imaginary TV still imaginary – Apple's mythical iTV's imaginary launch has been "delayed" because of choked display panel supply. Of course, it hasn't been scheduled so it can't be delayed. It might not even be real. Still, we're honour-bound to tell you these things. [Digitimes]

Just hit play - Skyrim and lightsabers, together at last. [Kotaku]

Apple has been forced to pull most of its iPad and iPhone ranges from its website in Germany as the result of an injunction enforced by Motorola.

It's all down to one of Motorola's patents covering wireless communications, which Apple is using but has not licensed from the phone company.

The patent in question is over a "method for performing a countdown function during a mobile-originated transfer for a packet radio system".

That old chestnut

This means that the Apple iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 have all been pulled from Apple's German website, as well as the iPad and iPad 2; the iPhone 4S is unaffected by the ban, however.

And it's not the end of the world for anyone in Germany who had just saved up enough to treat themselves to a shiny new toy – Apple's high street shops and other retailers will still be selling the devices.

Apple has already said that it will be appealing the ruling, claiming that "Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago."

Motorola disagrees though, saying that it has offered reasonable terms since 2007.

In a separate case, Motorola has also won a permanent injunction against the push email feature of iCloud which may mean that users of the service in Germany will have to manually check for email instead of automatically receiving new messages when they are sent.

Apple is planning to appeal the iCloud decision too, claiming that the patent in question is not actually valid.

It's little wonder that things are hotting up between Apple and Motorola, given that Google is in the process of acquiring the latter. Just another little battle in the great Android versus iOS war.

Budget CSCs explained

There's nothing subtle about a full-sized DSLR. Walk around with a hefty camera and lens combination hanging from your neck and it's a clear signal of your intentions. It's not a problem most of the time but, when you're trying to take candid shots without drawing attention to yourself, smaller is better.

For those of us without a black belt in karate, there are also times when a high-value DSLR resting against your chest can feel like you're wearing a T-shirt with 'Mug Me' printed on it.

With their mirror-free shutter release and their ability to turn off autofocus beeps and other sound effects, compact system cameras (CSCs) are very quiet in operation. You can whip one out of your pocket, take a couple of shots and nobody need be any the wiser.

They're great in situations where security may be a little sensitive; nobody usually minds people snapping away with mobile phones or compact cameras, but eyebrows are raised when a full-blown DSLR comes into view.

If you're using a zoom lens rather than a 'pancake' wide-angle prime, the overall size of a CSC becomes larger. Even so, the big bonus is that, just as with a DSLR, you can fit the best lens for the task at hand. Like for like, CSC lenses can be rather smaller than their DSLR counterparts, but a lot depends on the size of the image sensor.

Sensor size

The new Nikon 1 cameras have the smallest sensor sizes in this CSC group test, and therefore the biggest focal length multiplier or crop factor.

Both the Nikon J1 and Nikon V1, the latter of which boasts an electronic viewfinder, higher-resolution LCD and a bit more sophistication, have image sensors that measure just 13.2x8.8mm. This results in a crop factor of 2.7x.

The Olympus Pen Mini E-PM1, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 use a larger Four Thirds sensor with a 2x crop factor. The APS-C (Advanced Photo System - Classic) format sensors in the Samsung NX11 and Sony NEX-C3 are the same size as those used in most DSLRs, so the crop factor is just 1.5x.

The upshot is that to get a typical 'standard' zoom range equivalent to around 27-82mm on a full-frame camera, the Nikon 1 J1 only needs to use a small 10-30mm lens, whereas the Samsung and Sony need a bigger 18-55mm zoom.

Indeed, fit the kit 18-55mm zoom lens on the extremely compact Sony NEX-C3 and it feels a bit like the tail's wagging the dog.

A drawback of physically smaller sensors is that the individual pixels are also likely to be smaller, so gather less light. There's therefore the danger of increased image noise, especially when shooting in dull lighting conditions and at higher ISO settings.

Despite all CSCs having larger sensors than regular compact cameras, Nikon limits its J1 and V1 cameras to just 10.1MP. For CSCs with larger sensors, you can expect higher resolution. The 16MP Panasonic G3 and 16.2MP Sony C3 lead the way.

No viewfinder?

The majority of CSCs don't come with viewfinders, with images having to be framed using their large rear screens. Being able to see what you're doing when bright light is bouncing off the screen can be an issue, placing high demands on the clarity and non-reflective properties of LCD panels. Also, to fend off camera shake at slow shutter speeds, locking a viewfinder into your face might not be comfortable, but it does make for more stable handheld shooting.

In both respects, the Panasonic G3 and Samsung NX11 have the advantage of a built-in electronic viewfinder, which offers an alternative to framing shots on the LCD screen – or the AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) that's fitted to the NX11.

Not to be outdone, the Panasonic G3 is the only camera in the group to feature a fully pivoting screen, and it's also touch-sensitive for easy poke-and-prod menu navigation. The baby Panasonic GF3 also sports a touchscreen and, in both cases, there's a useful option to release the shutter with a tap of the screen rather than using the shutter button.

There's no pivot facility on the GF3; next best is the Sony C3's screen, which at least has a tilt mechanism, along with a class-leading resolution of 921k pixels. In all the other cameras, the LCD screen is completely fixed.

For further defence against shake, image stabilisation is a key benefit. Only the Olympus E-PM1 features built-in sensor-shift stabilisation, which works with any lens. All other manufacturers have opted for optical stabilisation on a lens-by-lens basis.

Naturally, there's less need for stabilisation with fast-aperture prime lenses, or with wide-angles where camera-shake is less of an issue, but it's increasingly necessary at longer focal lengths and relatively 'slow' kit zoom lenses that usually have a maximum aperture of f/3.5-5.6 as you extend through the zoom range.

Key compact system camera features

Look out for these key features when buying your compact system camera (CSC):

Mode dial

This gives quick access to PASM shooting modes and a variety of scene modes, but is usually omitted on compact-style CSCs due to lack of space, so you'll have to use on-screen menus instead.

Hotshoe

A hotshoe enables an external flashgun to be fitted and in some cases it's combined with an 'accessory port'. The port enables connection of a miniature flash and other essential accessories.

Viewfinder

A built-in electronic viewfinder is usually a key difference between compact-style and mini-DSLR CSCs. In some cases, an optional electronic viewfinder can be attached via the accessory port.

Direct access

One drawback to downsizing is the loss of direct controls for important shooting parameters. Mini-DSLR styled cameras give a little more space for functions such as auto exposure lock. Samsung's innovative i-Function system also lets you change key settings via the focusing ring of suitable lenses.

Hand grip

Wrap your fingers around a dedicated hand grip and you'll find handholding a little more secure. It's featured on most CSCs and, in this group, is only lacking on the Nikon J1 and Olympus E-PM1.

Zoom lens

In physical size, they're typically much larger than the zoom lenses fitted to regular compact cameras. Pancake prime lenses are smaller, but the lack of zooming versatility can feel like a backwards step.

LCD

Most CSCs in this price bracket have a 3-inch LCD screen with a reasonable resolution of 460k pixels. The LCD is usually fixed, but some models have a useful tilt function or fully pivoting facility.

Four-way pad

A four-way control pad typically offers quick access to functions such as white balance, metering mode, ISO and drive mode, along with a menu or OK confirmation button at the centre.

Nikon 1 J1

Nikon 1 J1, 10-30mm - £450

A late arrival on the scene, Nikon has finally introduced its CSCs more than three years after the Panasonic G1 made the first splash. But Nikon is more than dipping its toe in the pool with the J1 and pricier V1. They launched with four new '1 Nikkor' format lenses, plus an adaptor that can be used to attach regular Nikon-fit DSLR lenses.

The new CX-format image sensor is the smallest of any camera in this group and also has the lowest resolution of 10.1MP. However, it's coupled to a super-fast EXPEED 3 image processor. Featuring dual engines, it enables some crafty trickery when it comes to shooting modes. For example, the camera can start taking pictures before you even fully press the shutter button, firing off a burst of shots then whittling them down to just a handful of best images for you to select.

There's also super-slow-motion video shooting at up to 1,200fps, and the ability to combine short video clips with a still image in a Motion Snapshot file. If you can live with autofocus being fixed throughout a burst of shots, the maximum drive rate is a blistering 60fps (or 10fps with focus tracking).

Performance

The Nikon J1 is the slimmest camera in the group at just 30mm thick but it lacks a viewfinder (only fitted to the Nikon V1) or sculpted hand grip. Handling can be a challenge, and you need to resort to long-winded menus to adjust shooting parameters like ISO and white balance. This makes the J1 feel more of a point-and-shoot camera than a tool for advanced photographers.

Typical of Nikon's current cameras, image quality is crisp, vibrant and richly saturated. Outright resolution is limited by the 10.1MP sensor, but shots look sharp enough even in large prints. Noise is fairly restrained too, especially if you don't push sensitivity above ISO 1600.

Outdoor image test

Colours are well saturated and there's plenty of detail in the highlights of the sky, despite the overall brightness of the exposure.

Resolution test

ISO 200

ISO 200 at 100%

Despite its small-format, relatively low pixel-count sensor, resolution holds up fairly well in raw mode but is bottom of the group for JPEGs.

Noise

ISO 200

ISO 200 at 100%

ISO 1600 at 100%

Image noise is slightly noticeable even at ISO 200, but good in-camera smoothing makes for acceptable results right up to ISO 1600.

Colour error

The J1 seems to aim for bright and breezy images and, while colour accuracy is pretty good, blues and greens can be a little pale.

Image test verdict

Typical of Nikon's current cameras, image quality is bright and vibrant. Dynamic range is impressive and noise levels reasonable in low light.

Read the full Nikon 1 J1 review

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1, 14-42mm II - £400

Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Nikon J1, the super-slim Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 has a flat frontal area with no handgrip protrusion, giving it a streamlined appearance. Around the back, it's even more simple than the Nikon, with the minimum of controls. The trade-off is that nearly all the shooting controls are menu-based, although the menus themselves are intuitive and straightforward. Most of the space is taken up by the LCD, which has a fairly typical 460k resolution. It proved quite reflective in our tests, making it hard to use in bright light.

Like the Nikon, the kit zoom lens collapses down to a short length for carrying around, so it's extra compact when not in use. Extended for active duty, with an effective 28-84mm zoom range once you take the 2x crop factor into account, it's slightly smaller than Panasonic's 14-42mm lens. This is partly due to there being no optical stabilisation. The Olympus features in-camera, sensor-shift stabilisation instead, which proved slightly less effective in our tests.

Unlike the Nikon J1, there's no pop-up flash, but you do get a hotshoe as well as a tiny clip-on flash that connects via the accessory port. You can also plug in an optional EVF, but it's typically expensive, at around £165.

Performance

In good light, the Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 boasts very speedy autofocus that's capable of tracking fairly fast-moving targets, although it slows noticeably in low-light conditions. The camera's shiny plastic coating makes it feel a bit slippery in the hand, but at least there's a small, rubberised corner at the back that falls under your thumb.

Image quality is crisp and lifelike, with reasonably low noise at low and medium ISOs. The simple controls are best suited to beginners, but there are some useful advanced menu-based options if you scratch the surface.

Outdoor image test

Exposure is good overall but, as is often the case, the Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 bumps up red hues, as shown in the autumn leaves.

Resolution test

ISO 200

Resolution is very good at the base sensitivity and up to ISO 800, but nosedives at the top end of the extended sensitivity range.

Noise

ISO 200

ISO 1600

Graininess is quite well contained up to ISO 1600 but plummets beyond this, with the ISO 12800 expanded setting being all but unusable.

Colour error

Saturation is a bit on the heavy side and there's a noticeable tendency towards a warm colour shift, with strident reds.

Image test verdict

Colour rendition is rich but red hues are often accentuated. This is not helped by inconsistencies in auto white balance during our tests.

Read the full Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3, 14-42mm - £380

About the same size as other super-slinky rivals in this group, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 is very much a compact-style camera rather than a mini-DSLR. Like the Nikon J1, it manages to squeeze in a pop-up flash, which launches out of the camera with the vigour of a Jack-in-a-box. However, there's no accessory port or hotshoe.

Direct access buttons are on hand for AF area/point selection, exposure compensation, white balance and drive mode, and there's also a Quick menu/Function button, as well as a dedicated iA button for switching to the iA+ (intelligent Auto plus) mode. This analyses the scene and adjusts the picture mode automatically, for optimum results. It even increases the ISO to avoid motion blur if the camera detects subject movement.

There's always a danger that such a compact camera will bury important adjustments in arcane menus, putting them out of reach, but the brilliant touchscreen gives near-instant access to everything you need. And for those with a pathological fear of leaving smeary finger marks on touchscreens, a fingernail will work just as well.

Performance

Handling feels the most natural of any of the compact-style cameras in this group and, in use, the touchscreen makes a huge difference. We love the way you can frame a shot and point to the area you want to focus on, and the autofocus responds amazingly quickly for a contrast-detection AF system.

In Touch Shutter mode, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 takes the shot after focusing on the point you've touched on the screen. In Pinpoint AF, the display zooms in automatically for a visual focus check.

Image quality is excellent, and the not-too-high resolution of the camera's Four Thirds sensor helps to enable good dynamic range and noise suppression throughout the sensitivity range.

Outdoor image test

A practically perfect exposure, the GF3 delivers clarity and detail from dark lowlights and bright highlights, along with very natural colour.

Resolution test

You can eek out a little extra resolution by shooting raw files. In JPEG mode it's merely average, but is very consistent up to ISO 800.

Noise

ISO 200

ISO 1600

Images are very smooth at ISO 100 but a little grainy at ISO 1600, although camera processing retains plenty of detail.

Colour error

Colour rendition is pretty accurate across the spectrum and there's an inviting liveliness that gives pictures a punchy quality.

Image test verdict

The GF3 handles metering extremely well, even in tricky conditions, while colour rendition is natural and high-sensitivity shots are very detailed.

Read the full Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, 14-42mm - £470

The chunkiest model in this group, Panasonic gives an official depth measurement of 47mm from front to back. However, this doesn't include the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3's built-in, non-removable electronic viewfinder, which boosts the overall thickness to 60mm. That's twice as deep as some of the compact-style cameras we've tested and, in the hand, it doesn't feel all that much smaller than a 'proper' (and cheaper) lightweight DSLR, such as the Canon EOS 1100D.

The bigger body pays dividends in handling, though, and the G3 feels a better balanced proposition than the slimline Panasonic GF3 with its 14-42mm lens. Other luxuries include a mode dial with direct access to PASM modes, scene modes, creative imaging controls and two custom modes.

You also get a second Fn button in addition to the Q.Menu/Fn button (as featured on the GF3), and a button for switching between the LCD and the electronic viewfinder.

The quick-acting, intuitive touchscreen goes one better than the GF3's in that it has a full pivot facility. This makes the option of tapping the screen for releasing the shutter even more of an advantage than it is on the GF3. Shooting from odd angles has never been easier.

Performance

When it comes to handling, the G3 feels more of a 'real' camera than the compact-style models, and boasts performance to match. Picture quality proved excellent in our tests and resistance to noise is impressive at medium to high ISOs, especially considering the high 16MP resolution for a Four Thirds sensor. The EVF comes into its own for sunny-day shooting and is jitter-free when panning, although it's not perfect.

Overall, the G3 is an excellent option for photographers who want advanced features in an upsized body.

Outdoor image test

A little on the dark side; foliage in the trees in the background looks a bit dull and murky, but the grass is still quite vibrant.

Resolution test

JPEG resolution is very impressive throughout the entire sensitivity range and is even a match for raw mode at ISO 160.

Noise

ISO 200

ISO 1600

There's a little more smoothing in evidence in high-ISO JPEGS compared with the GF3, but images look nice and clean.

Colour error

A little muted compared with the GF3. Colour accuracy is very good, but images can appear slightly lacking in saturation.

Image test verdict

In some conditions, midtones are a little muddy, but overall image quality is very good, with very pleasing results straight from the camera.

Read the full Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 review

Samsung NX11

Samsung NX11, 18-55mm - £340

The mini-DSLR style Samsung NX11 is similar in dimensions and weight to the Panasonic Lumix G3, although the EVF doesn't extend so far from the rear. The EVF features a proximity sensor, so the display automatically switches from the LCD to the viewfinder as you put your eye to the eyepiece, but it's much more jittery when panning than the Panasonic's viewfinder.

Continuing the upsized theme, the image sensor is also larger than those of the Nikon, Olympus and Panasonic cameras in this test, and is matched only by the Sony in its APS-C dimensions. Image resolution is a respectable 14.6MP, although the maximum video resolution is relatively disappointing at just 720p.

The Samsung NX11 features an AMOLED screen rather than a conventional LCD, which is clear, bright and reasonably unreflective, but lacks the touchscreen facility of the Panasonic GF3 and G3. As a substitute, direct-access control buttons are plentiful, but this makes the camera quite cluttered around the back.

Another neat twist, literally, is the i-Function system, which enables you to alter shooting parameters via the focusing ring of compatible lenses. Pressing the button repeatedly cycles through options such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and exposure compensation, depending on what shooting mode you're using. The shooting mode dial offers a wealth of options from 'smart' automatic scene selection to dedicated scene modes and PASM shooting.

Performance

Handling feels quite natural, thanks in part to the newly designed handgrip. The larger than average body feels balanced when using the 18-55mm kit lens. Optical image stabilisation works well and image quality is good, although dynamic range falls off quite noticeably when you push the sensitivity to its higher settings.

Outdoor image test

White balance is a little off, giving this landscape scene a slightly cool look, but exposure levels are pretty much spot on.

Resolution test

ISO 200

Despite the NX11's higher-resolution APS-C sensor when compared with the GF3, the benefit is only really apparent in high-sensitivity JPEGs.

Noise

ISO 200

ISO 1600

Despite its comparatively large APS-C sensor, JPEG images from the NX11 are particularly noisy at high sensitivity settings in low light.

Colour error

A little too restrained, the NX11 often delivers dull, muddy-looking colours that can make images look a bit gloomy.

Image test verdict

Good metering isn't matched by accurate AWB, making colour rendition a moveable feast. High ISO shots in low light are disappointingly noisy.

Read the full Samsung NX11 review

Sony NEX-C3

Sony NEX-C3, 18-55mm - £390

Putting the 'compact' into compact-style, the Sony C3 body is remarkably slimline, especially considering its oversized APS-C sensor, which has a class-leading resolution of 16.2MP. The tightness of the package is maintained if you fit Sony's E-mount 16mm pancake lens, at a cost of £200, but the body is dwarfed by the kit 18-55mm lens.

With most of the package being 'out in front', the camera has odd looks and strange handling. Indeed, shooting with the Sony NEX-C3 feels a bit like you're holding the lens and just using the body as an attached shutter button. The minimalist control panel adds to the effect. All you get around the back is a circular jog dial that encircles a main selection button, although it also acts as a four-way pad with customisable right and left buttons. A pair of additional context-sensitive buttons has varying functions, but the net result is that you're heavily dependent on menus.

The menu system is colourful and self-explanatory. Shooting modes include 'intelligent auto' for automatic scene selection, as well as regular scene modes, picture effects and trick modes like anti-motion blur, sweep panorama and 3D sweep panorama (compatible with 3D TVs).

Performance

In the absence of an electronic viewfinder, one redeeming feature is the LCD, which has a class-leading resolution of 921k pixels and is very easy on the eye. It also has a tilt facility, which is good for shooting from very high or low angles.

Image quality is good overall, and the optical image stabilisation does well to fend off camera shake. Pictures can look a little bland in standard mode but scene modes can improve results. Despite its comparatively large APS-C sensor, noise is quite noticeable at high ISOs, although dynamic range is pretty good.

Outdoor image test

As with the Nikon J1, the default exposure is rather on the bright side, but in this case, there's a slight loss of highlight detail in the sky.

Resolution test

ISO 200

The C3's high pixel-count sensor doesn't bring any noticeable advantage to detail resolution, even at lower sensitivity settings.

Noise

ISO 200

ISO 1600

There's a good compromise between sharpness and noise suppression up to ISO 3200, but higher settings are best for emergency use only.

Colour error

The Sony has made a good job of this test chart but, in everyday shooting, colours can look a bit bland and insipid.

Image test verdict

Many of our test shots were overly bright and, with a slight lack of saturation, images can look faded. High-sensitivity results are good up to ISO 3200.

Read the full Sony NEX-C3 review

Performance comparisons

Under lab conditions, we shoot three charts with each camera to assess sensor performance with visual and computer analysis. Dynamic range and noise are measured with the DxO transmission chart. Images of this chart are processed in DxO Analyser.

Colour error is measured using the X-Rite ColorChecker chart. We also shoot a resolution chart, indicating the detail each camera is able to record in LW/PH.

Colour error result: The Panasonic GF3 and G3 just top the group for colour error. The Nikon J1 sits at the bottom of the pile.

Noise result: The Olympus E-PM1 leads the field from ISO 200. The Samsung puts in a good performance up to ISO 800, at which point the Sony C3 just overtakes it.

Dynamic range result: The E-PM1 produces consistently high dynamic range. The GF3 and Samsung NX11 lag behind the rest of the group at higher sensitivities.

Verdict: best budget compact system camera

Compact system cameras have proved more popular in Japan and the UK than in most other countries. They have become a viable stepping-stone between regular compact cameras and DSLRs but, ultimately, when it comes to deciding if a CSC is really for you, image quality is key.

It's not just about the quality of the lenses, image sensors and processing engines. Equally vital is whether or not these cameras enable you to take creative control over the finer points of shooting parameters, and to react quickly before fleeting shooting opportunities are long gone. With all this in mind, our tests prove that Panasonic leads the way.

Despite its lack of an electronic viewfinder or pivoting LCD screen, we quickly fell in love with the Panasonic GF3. The camera is perfectly pocketable with a 14mm pancake lens and still nicely balanced when fitted with a 14-42mm zoom. The touchscreen literally keeps you in touch with all sorts of shooting options and is a joy to use.

The Panasonic G3 feels every inch a 'photographer's camera' but, where compactness is key, it has rather more inches than most. The Olympus E-PM1 is an attractive, immensely stylish proposition at the price but, like the similarly small Nikon J1, handling feels flawed. The new J1 itself packs some neat tricks into its diminutive shell, but some of these smack of gimmickry.

The Samsung NX11 is a more serious mini-DSLR style camera, but is a bit less refined than the Panasonic G3.

Verdict

The Panasonic GF3 is our top budget CSC. For a small, take-anywhere camera that's big on versatility, this camera can't be beaten.

A near-perfect blend of compactness and easily accessible advanced shooting options, the GF3 is significantly smaller than any DSLR yet packs a powerful punch. From the ultra-simple intelligent auto (iA) mode to creative manual options, everything works beautifully.

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