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Distro Issue 28: A slew of device reviews and a look back at CP+ 2012
Apple's kitty cat-flavored OS refresh may have dominated the news this week, but it was a deluge of product reviews that kept the wheels spinning at Distro HQ. Issue 28 is one of our heftiest yet, featuring Sony's stateside PS Vita, Ainovo's $99 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet, Motorola's QWERTY kin, the Droid 4, the AT&T version of Samsung's ample Galaxy Note and LG's fashionable Prada Phone. Shaking things up a bit, Zach Honig travels to Yokohama, Japan to bring you the biggest breakouts from the 2012 CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show. And, to round it all out, we've got a healthy helping of content you won't see anywhere else, like Ross Rubin's Switched On, Donald Melanson's Recommended Reading, our Q&A with Netbooknews' Nicole Scott and a lesson on "How to Be Happy" by cartoonist Shannon Wheeler.Distro Issue 28 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter
CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show wrap-up
It's never easy to leave Japan -- the friendly people, incredible food, cutting-edge tech, clean streets and efficient public transit network mean we never hesitate when given an opportunity to visit this incredible country. But sadly, our latest adventure has come to an end. This year's CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show brought thousands of photography fans to Yokohama, a metropolis just a short train ride away from Tokyo. And while CP+ is still primarily a Japanese trade show, it served as the global launching ground for dozens of top camera models, including the Nikon D800, Olympus E-M5 and Pentax K-01, just to name a few. Bag and tripod manufacturers could be found spattered amongst the Japanese camera giants, but overall this show was more about the latest cameras than gimmicky accessories. There was still plenty of entertainment to be found on the show floor, so scroll through our gallery below for an inside look at life at CP+, or jump past the break for a roundup of our hands-ons and related news stories. Sayonara!
Sony 500mm f/4 G SSM lens hands-on (video)
You don't see many lenses pop up 'round these parts, but Sony's new 500mm f/4 G SSM optic is impressive enough to warrant some hands-on attention. We spotted the new A-mount telephoto mounted on an Alpha A77 at Sony's booth at CP+ 2012, and queued up for a chance to take some shots. The lens focused surprisingly quickly, especially given its massive 500mm fixed focal length. Moving from subject to subject at varying distances, we were typically able to achieve focus in a fraction of a second. Long lenses have traditionally been tricky on the focus front, but this guy handled it like a champ, with speeds that appeared to rival far shorter primes. The SAL500F40G, as it's to be known, will be hand built to order beginning in March, with a yet-to-be-confirmed (likely sky-high) price tag. Click on past the break to see just how quickly we can zero in on some wild CP+ show floor action.
Canon PowerShot ELPH 530 HS WiFi iPad transfer hands-on (video)
Sure, your iPad 2 has a camera, but that doesn't mean you should be using it to take pictures. One of the biggest point-and-shoot trends to pick up speed in 2012 is built-in WiFi, letting you capture higher quality stills and videos with your dedicated imaging device and transfer them directly to the web, or to a smartphone or tablet on the same WiFi network. The PowerShot ELPH 530 HS is Canon's latest pocket shooter to employ this feature, and the company had a few samples on hand at CP+ 2012 in Yokohama, Japan to demonstrate how it works.We took the 530 HS for a cordless spin, connecting the iPad to the camera's Ad-Hoc (point-to-point) network and launching the Canon CameraWindow app. After a few seconds (and quite a few taps on the 10-megapixel cam's 3.2-inch LCD), we had the two devices communicating, with a final click sending the image from the ELPH directly to the iPad's screen. That seconds-long connection delay may be inconsequential when transferring a day's worth of photos, but it's a slight inconvenience if you're only trying to transfer a single image. The camera also includes built-in Twitter and Facebook upload functionality, though, bypassing the Apple middleman entirely. The $349 ELPH 530 HS won't be shipping until April, at which point you may be refreshing your tablet as well. Jump past the break for a quick video demo.
Canon PowerShot D20 ruggedized point-and-shoot camera hands-on (video)
Remember the Canon PowerShot D10? The company's first ruggedized underwater cam was a solid snapper, but its bulky submarine-like design made it impractical for most surface-based shoots. The PowerShot D20 offers a drastic improvement over its predecessor in the appearance department, more closely resembling a compact point-and-shoot than a subaqueous vessel. We can't speak to the cam's image quality just yet, but assuming its on-par with the D10, we'd say the latest D model is worth some serious consideration as an upgrade, even for a reduction in footprint alone. The D20 includes a 12.1-megapixel HS (high-sensitivity) CMOS sensor, a bright 3-inch LCD and a 5x 28mm optically stabilized zoom lens. It's waterproof to depths of 10 meters (33 feet), can survive drops from a height of 1.5 meters (5 feet) and can operate in temperatures ranging from 14 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. There's also a top sensitivity of ISO 3200, and a built-in GPS.We spent a few minutes with the D20 at Canon's booth at CP+ 2012 in Yokohama, Japan, and were quite impressed with the improved design. Naturally, it's a solid-feeling point-and-shoot, with protected components and airtight port covers. Company reps didn't bat an eye when we unintentionally tested the camera's durability with a mild drop. There's a standard-issue PowerShot interface, with a fairly straightforward menu structure, and the camera felt plenty snappy, focusing and firing off an image almost instantaneously. It's noticeably larger than the company's more compact land-limited models, but there's no reason you wouldn't feel just as comfortable using this to shoot your child's first birthday party as you would their first scuba lesson. The $349 PowerShot D20 won't be hitting stores until May, but you can jump past the break for a quick look in the meantime.
Canon EOS-1D X and Nikon D4 ISO 204,800 shooting hands-on (video)
With mirrorless cameras offering high-resolution APS-C sensors and consecutive shooting speeds of up to 10 frames-per-second, what's left to make a $6,000 full-frame DSLR a compelling purchase, especially for amateur photographers? Low-light performance, for one -- the Canon EOS-1D X and Nikon D4 are both capable of capturing images at up to ISO 204,800, letting you snap sharp photos in even the dimmest of lighting conditions. The benefits of a top sensitivity of ISO 204,800 are significant -- jumping from one ISO to the next doubles your shutter speed. So an exposure of f/2.8 at 1/2 second at ISO 400 becomes 1/4th at ISO 800, 1/15th at ISO 3200, 1/60th at ISO 12,800, 1/250th at ISO 51,200 and a whopping 1/1000th at ISO 204,800 -- fast enough to freeze a speeding car.Both Canon and Nikon have yet to allow us to take away samples shot with the 1D X or D4 -- the companies even taped CF card slots shut to prevent show attendees from slipping their own card in -- but we were still able to get a fairly good idea of high-ISO performance from reviewing images on the built-in LCDs. At the cameras' top sensitivity of ISO 204,800, noise was visible even during a full image preview. Zooming into the image revealed significant noise, as expected. However, within each camera's native range of ISO 100 to 25,600, noise was barely an issue at all. Both cameras are still pre-production samples at this point, so we'll need to wait for production models to make their way out before we can capture our own samples, but based on what we saw when reviewing ISO 204,800 images on the built-in LCDs, that incredible top-ISO setting may actually be usable. Scroll on through the gallery below to preview some top sensitivity shots on the Canon EOS-1D X (camera poster) and the Nikon D4 (Japanese model), and join us past the break for an even closer look in our video hands-on.
Sony Cyber-shot TX300V inductive charging camera and dock hands-on (video)
You may have thought that Sony's Cyber-shot TX200V was the company's most powerful point-and-shoot to date, but that's not exactly true. The company has a Japan-only version of the TX200V called the TX300V, and it's quite a compelling upgrade. The camera's most appealing addition comes in the form of a wireless charging and transfer dock -- it refuels your pocket snapper through inductive charging while also wirelessly transferring images to your computer using TransferJet. It can also draw power from your computer's USB port (no AC adapter required). Oh, and it ships in the camera box.Sadly, there aren't any plans to sell this iteration outside of Japan, and Sony's mum on pricing and availability. The camera transferred images and charged without issue during our demo (the Charge indicator lit up, at least -- we didn't stick around to watch it charge the camera). We went hands-on with the TX300V and its charging dock at CP+ in Yokohama, and you can check the camera kit out in all its glossy black glory just past the break.
Olympus black E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera and internals eyes-on
By now we're quite familiar with the Olympus E-M5's attractive external appearance, but what does it look like on the inside? The company carefully disassembled its new flagship model, and displayed the components in ten layers for us to examine at CP+ in Yokohama, Japan. The image sensor module is perhaps the most impressive component, due in part to its five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization. We can also spot the magnesium alloy shell, main system board and top plate. Another display encased a compete E-M5 kit, with a lens, split right down the middle. You'll find a variety of views in the gallery below, along with a special treat: the all-black version of the E-M5, in all its smooth metal glory.
Sony promises eight more NEX E-mount lenses by the end of 2013, doesn't elaborate
Have you been holding out on that NEX purchase because of the currently limited E-mount lens selection? Well, Sony's got some good news for you -- there will soon be eight additional lenses to choose from (for a total of 15), with all models making it into circulation by the end of 2013. That's still no match for the hundreds of optics available for Canon or Nikon DSLRs, but you'll at least be able to build a collection that covers (almost) all of your bases. Sony hasn't detailed any of these upcoming models, but the company's chart above lists a few categories, including a High Performance Standard Zoom in the pricey Zeiss category, along with High-magnification, Standard, Wide Angle and Mid-magnification Zooms. There will also be a trio of prime lenses, including a Large Aperture Standard lens, a Middle Telephoto and a "Snap" (pancake) optic. We're just as anxious as you to find out exactly what Sony has in mind for each of these categories, but you should at least take some comfort in knowing that the E-mount collection is far from complete.
Pentax K-01 mirrorless camera doesn't feel as cheap as it looks, we go hands-on (video)
After Pentax boasted about the performance of its incredibly small Q mirrorless cam, we're certainly justified in approaching the company's latest ILC with a bit of skepticism -- especially given its blatant toy-like appearance. But after spending a few minutes with the K-01 at Pentax's CP+ booth, we can confirm that the compact camera doesn't feel nearly as cheap as its looks may imply. The camera includes a brand new 16.28-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor -- a far cry from the 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch imager included with the petite Pentax Q. There's also a bright 920k-dot 3-inch LCD, a sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600 (!) and 1080/30p video capture. It's also, believe it or not, compatible with Pentax's range of K-mount DSLR lenses.The K-01 is a bit hefty for a mirrorless camera -- it dwarfs the near-pocketable Pentax Q -- and has a weight to match its rather large footprint. The cam actually feels quite durable, though we're definitely not sold on its "fun" Michael-Graves-meets-Fisher-Price design (think smooth corners and bright colors). There's a built-in pop-up flash, along with a hot shoe positioned just over the lens. There's also -- much to our surprise -- a microphone input. We can't imagine pairing this thing with a pricey external mic rig, but if you're not too embarrassed using this for professional applications, the included audio input may come in handy. Jump past the break for a quick video walkthrough from Japan, and keep an eye out for the camera closer to home -- the $750 (body only) K-01 is expected to hit stores next month.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization hands-on (video)
Olympus's inaugural OM-D mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the E-M5, boasts the world's fastest autofocus and a pretty fantastic design, but it's also the first camera to implement a new five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization technology, that allows the lens to compensate for camera shake. The company was on hand at CP+ 2012 to demo the new sensor, which really does shift every which way to keep your photos and video still. We'll of course need to spend some time shooting photos and video with the E-M5 before labeling the five-axis sensor a success, but from the demo we saw today, it looks pretty darn promising. Jump past the break for a video hands-on, and scroll through the photos below for an up-close view of Olympus's latest Micro Four Thirds masterpiece.
We're live from CP+ 2012 in Yokohama, Japan!
As Macworld continues on its path towards irrelevance, another post-CES trade show is gaining heat on the other side of the Pacific. This is our first year at the CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show, taking place at Pacifico Yokohama, just a short from JR train ride away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. While the show itself is little known outside of Japan, it's prompted a barrage of camera announcements over the last few weeks. In addition to the dozens of new consumer models that are set to hit the market, CP+ also gives us another chance to fire off some flagship professional DSLRs, including the Canon 1D X, and the Nikon D4 and D800. We're also expecting to take a behind-the-scenes look at some new sensor tech -- and who knows, we may even find ourselves standing below an RC photo chopper or two -- so check back often to get your fill from what's shaping up to be one of the biggest photography trade shows of the year.
