I recently had an opportunity to test and use the Coolpix P90 from Nikon, and I recently wrote a P90 review.

It has some very good features, highlighted by a 24X optical zoom lens. It has fast response times, and it performs pretty well overall ... although zoom lens moves in steps, rather than completely smoothly.

However, image quality is a bit of a problem for the P90. With a camera like this, if its overall feature list closely meet your needs, you probably can overlook the image quality issues. If you need a camera that has good close-up focus capabilities or if you don't need a large zoom lens, there are other cameras in the sub-$400 price range that can better meet your needs. (Compare prices on the P90.)

Photo courtesy Nikon

Kodak recently announced plans to stop manufacturing its classic film stock, Kodachrome.

Kodak, which was one of the world's leading film manufacturers for decades, has made Kodachrome film for almost 75 years. Kodachrome was the first commercially successful color film, but photographers who still use film have switched to newer types of film.

Kodak says it expects the final rolls of Kodachrome, which appears in slide or transparency film (rather than color negative film), to all be sold by the fall of 2009.

Obviously, such a move by Kodak signals further tough times for the film camera market.

It's not quite the size of the miniscule "spy cameras" of fictional novels, but the Veho Muvi Micro DV camera takes another step in that direction.

The Micro DV can shoot up to 30 frames per second of video at a 640x480 resolution, equal to VGA quality. It isn't a still image digital camera, but you could pull single-frame images from the digital video.

This tiny camera measures only 2.0 by 0.8 by 0.4 inches, and it can run at least two hours on a single battery charge. The Micro DV accepts MicroSD memory cards to store the video clips. It also can record audio, and it can be set to only record when it senses at least 65 decibels of noise. The Micro DV carries an MSRP of about 80 British pounds (about $130), but the unit is not yet available in the United States. Veho is a British company.

As digital cameras continue to shrink while shooting video and images at always improving resolutions, it's great for digital photographers and videographers ... as long as those tiny cameras aren't being used for spying.

Photo courtesy Veho

I recently had a chance to write a Olympus E-620 review after testing a review model. Even though this entry-level DSLR camera has no video mode, it contains a variety of features that will appeal to beginner and intermediate photographers.

Unlike many entry-level DSLR models, you can use interchangeable lenses with the E-620, giving it some versatility. It has a handy size and a sturdy feel, which allowed me to operate it one-handed. However, some other reviewers did not like the E-620's size, meaning this is a model you'll definitely want to try before you buy.

Besides the lack of a video mode, the E-620's performance in low-light conditions could have been better. If you can live with those two primary drawbacks, you'll appreciate the E-620.