The ($1,200) is faster and, in many ways, more capable than a DSLR. It鈥檚 also cheaper, lighter, and smaller.
Start with the ability to shoot 60 frames per second. That鈥檚 60 still images in the time it takes you to depress the button. Maximum shutter speed is an astonishing 1/16,000 second鈥攖wice as fast as the $6,000 Nikon D4. Yes, the 18-megapixel sensor could be larger, but the 1 V3 is also far more portable than the fat-sensor mirrorless models on the market, and like those it offers a range of lenses. Compared with most other compact cameras, it has myriad external functions for quick pro-level control. Our test shots, from long-exposure moon snaps to seagulls soaring over a beach in the San Juan Islands, came out ultrasharp. What鈥檚 not to love?
Utility: 5
Tech: 5