GE E1480W Review

GE classifies its E1480W camera as part of its "power" series, meaning it offers advanced features among point and shoot cameras, such as an 8X optical zoom lens, a 3.0-inch LCD, and 14.1 megapixels of resolution. For a camera that you probably can find for less than $150, my review of the E1480W shows that this camera is a "power" model in that price range as well.

GE has made the E1480W very easy to use, which is nice for beginning photographers. The biggest problem with this model is it has noticeable shutter lag issues, which causes some problems with moving subjects.

Overall, though, the E1480W is a good value.

Image Quality

For the most part, the GE E1480W creates really good quality images ... at least with stationary subjects. If the subject isn't moving, the E1480W shoots very sharp photos with great color, especially for a camera in the sub-$150 price range. The 14.1 megapixels of resolution make it easy to create large prints with the E1480W. This camera's focus remains sharp, even at the maximum zoom for the 8X lens.

When shooting subjects that are moving, though, you may experience some problems with soft focus. The E1480W has shutter lag problems (more on that later), which lead to some of the focus problems. GE did include a "sports" scene mode with this model, which helps a little with the soft focus problem with moving subjects.

Performance

As I've mentioned a couple of times, my E1480W review found that the biggest problem with this model is shutter lag. It doesn't seem to matter if you're shooting in bright, outdoor light or with a flash indoors, the shutter lag affects almost every photo.

When you're shooting a non-moving subject, shutter lag isn't an issue. With photos of moving subjects -- which is common with pets and small children -- you'll find the subject sometimes will move out of the frame or turn its head between the time when you press the shutter button and the camera records the photo, leaving some unusable images. I should mention that shutter lag problems are fairly common for sub-$150 cameras, but the GE E1480W's problems are really noticeable.

You can lessen the impact of the shutter lag by pressing the shutter button halfway to pre-focus the photo, but, with moving subjects, this isn't easy to do.

Finally, the E1480W has a really easy-to-use panorama mode that works well most of the time. All you do is shoot the first photo in panorama mode, and the camera then will guide you for framing the other photos, as it shoots them automatically.

Design

I really like the look of the E1480W. Its lens housing occupies most of the front of the camera, which has curved edges. For me, the E1480W is the best-looking GE camera, outside of the Jason Wu Create camera from GE. The E1480W is not quite as thin as some models (as it measures 1.06 inches in thickness), but it is easy to operate one-handed and fits easily in a pocket.

The 3.0-inch LCD is a great size, and it remains bright and easy to see, even in direct sunlight. GE did include the ability to adjust the brightness of the LCD at several different settings, which is great.

The placement of the focus assist lamp -- which is used in low light situations -- is a little awkward in the top right corner of the camera (as seen from the front). It's easy to block the lamp with your finger if you aren't careful. You also could block the built-in flash with your finger, so use care when holding this camera.

GE has made the E1480W extremely easy to use. It only has a few buttons, but they're well-placed, and it's easy to understand what each one does. The menu structure works very well, too.