BenQ DC E1220

This camera features a 12-megapixel sensor that’s driven by a 1/2.3-inch CCD and offers 3x optical zoom. Studying the E1220 captures we found it a decent performer. Day shots were colour accurate and showed good contrast and brightness. Noise wasn’t an issue in these shots though cranking up the camera’s ISO in low-light conditions showed visible noise even on the 800 setting.

As the BenQ lacks a dedicated viewfinder you have to use the 3-inch LCD and this is where the camera stumbles. Shooting at midday in bright light we struggled to distinguish what was on the LCD and even after we took shots, the LCD wasn’t spectacular in terms of showing us what we just captured. We noticed far more detail on the images when we viewed them on our PC’s LCD screen.

When held, the DC E1220 feels its price despite its otherwise solid looks. The camera feels a little less sturdy and buttons have to be pressed with conscious-effort before they react. The latter is particularly obvious with regard to the zoom controls and the playback button. On the interface front the BenQ doesn’t win any awards; though its interface is simple and intuitive to use.