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Ion The Game action cam has built-in WiFi and 2.5-inch display, we go hands-on (video)
Between big guns like GoPro and Contour and big names like Sony, the action camera market is getting pretty full, pretty fast. Back in May, we saw the arrival of the Air Pro WiFi from Ion, an oblong mountable camera with an add-on WiFi module, and now the company's got another addition to the line, the punnily-named (wait for it) Ion The Game (get it? Eye? Eye-on The Game?). The whole "action" part is far less pronounced here. This sports cam is intended to be more stationary than its predecessor -- mounted on a still spot to capture soccer games (don't let them catch you calling it that here in Europe) and to help you critique your golf swing. The key differences here -- aside from its boxier shape -- are the 2.5-inch display and the WiFi, which is built directly into the device, rather than relying on an add-on. The display isn't much to write home about. It's small, a bit dull in the color department and a little choppy. It'll get the job done though, when it comes to monitoring action (or lack of action, we guess) on the fly. The WiFi meanwhile, adheres to the company's whole "shoot-and-share" motto, letting to send videos directly to Facebook and the like. The camera looks reasonably rugged, with a plastic protected lens -- it's also water-resistant up to 10 meters. The Game records to SD cards and will be arriving by the end of the year, priced at an admittedly lofty €329 here in Europe.
The Engadget Interview: Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy (video)
There's a big frame in Polaroid's Photokina booth -- a giant, blown up version of the iconic white border that graced the company's instant photos for so many decades, beckoning passersby to stand behind it and pose, like muscle man cutouts at a traveling carnival. Directly to its right, attendees stand around a row of product from the company aimed at recapturing some of the nostalgia inherent in the Polaroid name. It's nothing compared to the gathering at a booth 20-or-so feet across the room, where international guests stand fascinated by the Instant Lab, an accordion-style gizmo that transforms iPhone images into instant photos, utilizing film produced at the last remaining Polaroid factory, since purchased by a company fittingly named "Impossible." The early 21st century is a strange time to be the head of a company like Polaroid, standing at a bit of a crossroads between new and old technologies, attempting to harness the cache (and nostalgia) that comes with 75 years of history, while keeping up with the latest trends in digital imaging and slates. We sat down with the company's CEO Scott Hardy to discuss precisely what it means to be Polaroid in 2012, where the company goes from here and how much looking back is necessary to keep it moving ahead.
Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with anti-shake video demo (video)
Sure, Nokia's recently announced Lumia 920 runs Windows Phone 8, but its banner feature is actually the PureView camera, which in some ways seems more capable than that of its 808 sibling. Company reps were on hand at the Carl Zeiss booth at Photokina demonstrating this latest handset's low-light abilities -- which are quite striking. Just as impressive, however, is the device's heralded stabilization feature, which captures an impressively smooth clip even with exaggerated hand shake. Considering the degree to which the Nokia rep was shaking, users with steadier hands shouldn't have any issue capturing excellent quality video. We were unable to view the clip on a computer, so our impressions are only based on what we saw on the LCD, but the feature was impressive nonetheless. We'll of course need to reserve formal judgement until we can conduct our own tests, but this PureView preview was certainly convincing, and quite encouraging -- especially the side-by-side clip comparing the 920 to a "US-based manufacturer's" smartphone. Catch it in full in the hands-on video after the break.
Pentax's Q10 mirrorless shows its tiny sensor to the world, we give it the hands-on treatment (video)
It's tough to express just how much Pentax's new Q10 mirrorless looks like a toy camera until you see it in-person, so unless you're in Cologne this week, you're going to have to take our word for it. It's probably mostly its tiny size -- and the fire engine red probably doesn't help its case much in that respect, either. Still, in spite of its diminutive stature and weight, it does feel like a solid camera. All of these body image issues are thanks to its tiny 12.4 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor. Like its brethren, the Q, this interchangeable lens camera's got a retractable flash, which works whether it's extended or not. On the front, next to the lens, you'll find a knob which lefts you dial through four different effects. The Q10 also does full HD recording, five-fps shooting and, like the K-5 II, boasts improved autofocus over its predecessor. On the back, is a surprisingly large three-inch LCD. When it launches here in Europe next month, it'll run you €499 for a single lens kit and around €300 for the body alone -- compare that to $600 for the kit here in the States.
Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs hands-on (video)
Everyone loves a sequel, right? This here is the K-5 II, the new DSLR from Pentax, making an appearance on the show floor, here at Photokina in Germany, alongside the rather similar, if somewhat pricier K-5 IIs. Let's start with differences between the K-5 and the K-5 II, shall we? Megapixel-wise, we're still talking 16.2, though the II models have the new SAFOX X AF sensor, which delivers the promise of better low-light sensitivity and quicker auto-focus. On the rear, that 3-inch, 925k LCD promises a sharper image and better image angles -- both looked pretty good in our time with the camera. As for differences between the K-5 II and IIs? Well, you wouldn't be able to distinguish between the two, if it weren't for the difference model names on there front. So, what are you paying that extra $150 for? Well, the premium ditches the low-pass filter, promising sharp images (though you're losing anti-aliasing in the process). On the top of both, you got a big monochrome display and a somewhat tricky function wheel that makes you press down a button to turn. Both of these guys are coming to a camera store near you next month for $1,200 and $1,350, respectively.
Casio's Exilim EX-H50 superzooms its way to Photokina, we go hands-on (video)
Looking for a superzoom camera without the bulk of a DSLR? Casio's Exilim EX-H50 is a pretty slick proposition. The camera's got a reasonably slim profile that's a bit more like an oversized point-and-shoot, slight bulk that's presently largely because of the extended soft grip and big three-inch TFT display on the rear -- and then, of course, there's that 25 mm wide-angle lens with 24x optical zoom that certainly adds a good deal to the camera's footprint when extended. The flash adds a bit too, but that'll lay dormant until you pop it out via the devoted switch just to the left of the bump, on top of the camera. The zoom is quite smooth -- it certainly did the trick snapping photos of strangers socializing in the halls of the Cologne Convention Center. That three-inch screen is big, if not particularly bright, but does the trick for the camera's fairly simple menu system, which also includes a number of filters like Fisheye, Sepia (move over Instagram) and Monochrome -- the processing on each occurs after the photos are snapped. Inside, you've got a 16.1-megapixel sensor. The superzoom will run €250 when it hits Europe next month.
Casio joins the self-portrait LCD ranks with the €350 Exilim EX-ZR1000, we go hands-on (video)
Watch out, Samsung MV900F, there's a new self-portrait cam in town. Many camera manufacturers may not consider high-end models from Casio to be a threat to their own market share, but the company's new Exilim EX-ZR1000 has more that a few tricks up its €350 barrel. First and foremost is the 180-degree swiveling LCD, which, like Samsung's MultiView flavor, flips all the way forward to simplify composition for self-portraits, but it also offers some nifty gesture controls, letting you wave briefly to trigger a two-second countdown, for example. The camera also includes features that should appease more-advanced users, such as a dedicated mode dial, a versatile lens ring control, a top ISO sensitivity of 25,600 and a 6 frames-per-second burst mode. There's also a 16.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and Casio's Exilim Engine HS 3 on board to handle processing. We caught up with the snappy shooter at Photokina, and were pleasantly surprised with its looks and performance. Its body construction may not make it feel like a premium shooter, despite the decidedly high-end price tag, but performance was speedy and the 3-inch LCD looked quite nice, even when viewed at an angle. As we mentioned, that display flips up and faces forward, but it can also tilt at various other angles, enabling below-the-waist or overhead shooting, too. The mode and lens dials had a reasonable amount of resistance, and the camera focused quickly and accurately. We can't speak to image quality, unfortunately, but shots we captured appeared to be sharp and properly exposed based on what we were able to gather from the display. Overall, the Exilim EX-ZR1000 seems to be a pretty capable shooter, and we're eager to see how it performs after it makes a formal debut this November. Catch our hands-on gallery below, followed by a video walkthrough after the break.
Impossible Instant Lab iPhone photo booth hands-on (video)
Life's hard when you're an analog enthusiast in the early 21st century. Thankfully, however, you're not alone in this world -- there are fellow travelers like the folks behind The Impossible Project, folks who bought a Polaroid factory to continue production on the company's famed instant film. As we noted roughly a week ago, the company's also launched a Kickstarter to create an iPhone-friendly gadget to go along with it. It's since handily met its goal and is still chugging along at around $440,000 (from a proposed $250,000), with a full 19 days to go. The company also made an appearance on the show floor here at Photokina to show off what its been working on. The Impossible Instant Lab is still in the prototype stages, as with a number of devices we've seen here today -- though it's fully operational. We got a demo of the thing from one of the folks at Impossible -- just load the film into the rollers on the bottom, extend the old timey accordion top, choose the proper settings in the company's iPhone app and place it in the holder.
Hasselblad H5D brings the megapixels to Photokina, we go hands-on (video)
Oh, and if the Hasselblad Lunar isn't quite rich enough for your blood, why not take a look at the H5D medium format camera? The device looks a good deal like its predecessor, maintaining a similar video camera-esque form factor, with an optical viewfinder that extends from the front of the body to the back, above a larger, brighter, easier-to-read display. You'll also find a smaller, monochrome display on the top of the camera to the right of the optical viewfinder. The H5D's also a bit more ruggedized than its predecessor, with improved waterproofing and larger controls -- and it certainly does feel like a big, sturdy camera. As with the Lunar, the version we played with is still in prototype stage and wasn't quite functioning perfectly, much to the chagrin of the Hasselblad rep. When the camera hits in December (functioning properly, no doubt), it's going to start at a (perhaps not surprisingly) pricey €13,000 here in Europe, going all the way up to €30,000, depending on whether you opt for the 40-, 50, or 60-megapixel variety -- because hey, what's another €17,000, right?%Gallery-165748%
Apple's Jony Ive tapped to design one-off Leica M for charity auction
In case the newly announced Leica M simply isn't astronomically expensive enough -- or charity-minded enough, as it were -- Apple's senior VP of design Jony Ive is working with the German photography company on a one-off version set to be auctioned for charity. Given the M's baseline price of €6,200 (about $8,100), we're guessing the one-of-a-kind version designed by one of the world's most influential designers is going to fetch a pretty penny at auction. Like, "sell off one of your extra homes" kind of money. Leica head Dr. Andreas Kaufmann announced the collaboration last night during a Leica event at Photokina -- an event that Ive himself was reportedly set to appear at -- where he said that the auction will be done with U2 frontman (and longtime friend of Ive) Bono Vox. The latest Leica M debuts in early 2013, though we won't see the fruits of Ive and Leica's collaboration for some time as the camera's design has yet to begin.
Hasselblad Lunar mirrorless camera hands-on
The Lunar has landed -- at Photokina, at least. Hasselblad was showing off a slew of different designs for the forthcoming camera -- and while we were told that its still in prototype mode (both from company reps and signage on the device itself), the camera seemed to be in mostly working order. The first thing you'll notice, once you get past the space-age design, is the fact that the camera really does feel like a rebranded Sony NEX device slipped into a new shell, and as such, it takes those Sony e-mount lenses. And on the back, you'll find that similar collapsible display. That said, it really does feel quite nice in the hand -- the device we played with had a leathery grip -- there are a number of carbon fiber and wood options available, as well. All of this is punctuated by a metal top with large metallic knobs, and inside you'll find an APS-C 24.3 megapixel sensor. The Lunar will start at €5,000 when it launches in Q1 of next year. And in case that's not rich enough for your blood, you can tack a "significant" amount onto that by getting the models decked out in pricier materials. Steve Dent contributed to this report.
Lensbaby Spark delivers selective focus for 80 bucks, we go hands-on (sample images)
What do you see when you look through a Lensbaby? Well, take a gander for yourself -- that image just above was shot with the company's new Spark. The $80 selective-focus optic is available for Canon and Nikon mounts, and brings f/5.6 shooting with a 50mm focal length, and, of course, that trademark Lensbaby bokeh. We caught up with the new lens at Photokina, and unlike many of the cameras we've seen so far, we were permitted to shoot some sample images. Snapping with any Lensbaby takes a fair amount of practice and patience, but the Spark is designed to simplify the process somewhat, with an interior barrel that prevents you from venturing too far past the focal plane, along with a more straightforward design -- simply frame your shot, focus and bend the lens towards your subject to blur out any other elements in the scene. Calculating exposure with the Spark can take some work, so we tweaked and cropped our sample images just a bit -- besides that, what you see is what you get, so click through our gallery below to see the Spark, shot by another Spark. So meta.
Leica V-Lux 4 superzoom hands-on (video)
Yep, one more Leica camera to tell you about from this year's Photokina show floor. It's the V-Lux 4 -- a big new superzoom addition to the company's line. Though its got a similar name to the V-Lux 40, the camera's body is a good deal larger -- closer in size and shape to a small DSLR, but still reasonably lightweight. As with the smaller model, the V-Lux 4 features an all black design, with a bright red Leica logo on the front -- in this case, just next to the curving textured handle. Also on top is a pop-out flash that you trigger with a devoted button. The V-Lux 4 is capable of continuous f2.8 zoom, accessible via two buttons -- one on top and the other next to the lens. Also on the rear, you get two viewfinders -- optical on top and a swiveling electronic three-inch display. The camera is available now in Europe for a pricey €699. %Gallery-165739%
Leica S-System hands-on (video)
More fun from Leica here at Photokina in Germany -- and this guy is big in every way. It's the S-System, the company's update to its pro-series medium format offering. The successor to the S2 is quite large (even in SLR terms) and is very, very heavy. In fact, you're going to want to work out that upper body before using this thing for any period of time -- that is, once you're done selling your first born child. Aesthetically, the camera looks a good deal like the S2, maintaining its nice looking design with a couple of key differences -- for one thing, there's an extra bump on the top of the camera -- this is where the integrated GPS lives. The 3-inch LCD (which is capable of 16 million colors) is also covered with Gorilla Glass, so you're less likely to crack it if you're rough on the thing (though, again, at these prices, we assume you'll be nicer to it than your own offspring). Look inside the optical viewfinder and you'll get a meter that helps you determine how you're oriented respective to the horizon. The sensor, naturally, has been refreshed as well, now measuring 30 by 44mm, with 37.5 megapixels. And the shutter can do its thing as quickly as 1/1,000 of a second. As for pricing, well -- the Leica rep we spoke with put the camera at (get ready) €19,600. The camera is also launching with four lenses, in case you have a few other kids you're interested in selling.
Hasselblad announces Lunar mirrorless camera, fancies up Sony's NEX-7 for 5,000 euros
The bar's pretty high when your company is behind the first camera in space. Hasselblad's looking to build on that theme with its new Lunar mirrorless, which according to the company "revives the timeless charm" of 1957's 500c -- and if nothing else, the camera's got a curvy, space age body, built out of high grade aluminum with either a carbon fiber (available in black, silver or titanium colors) or wood (beech, olive, pear or mahogany) grip. Inside, you'll get a Bionz processor and an APS-C 24.3 megapixel sensor. The Lunar has a 10 frames per second burst mode, full HD recording and sports a 100 to 16000 ISO range. On the rear, you'll find a swiveling three-inch display. All of that's packed into a body that weighs roughly a pound. Update: While we didn't quite realize it at first, the layout of the camera and its specs are clearly that of a rehashed NEX-7. As SonyAlphaRumors points out, the shooter accepts Sony's e-mount lenses and is part of new partnership between the two photography giants -- looks like we're soon to have even more Sony cameras re-purposed as Hasselblad's, similar to Leica and Panasonic. While the NEX-7 itself will run you roughly $1,100 to 1,200k (body-only vs. with a kit lens), SAR has the Lunar pegged at $5,000 Euro (about $6,530, or six NEX-7s). That's almost $1k more than Leica's utilitarian M-E and about as much as an M9 for, those keeping count -- but hey, at least the lunar can shoot video, right? Joe Pollicino contributed to this post.
Colors! Samsung's Galaxy Camera pops at Photokina with vibrant orange and magenta paint jobs
Another Photokina star is Samsung's Galaxy Camera, which launched to much fanfare several weeks ago at IFA, but dominates the company's photo-themed booth at the biennial photography show in Cologne, Germany. There's not much more to report on the hardware side, apart from confirmation that certain versions of the Android snapper will pack LTE, but there are indeed some very shiny new finishes to gawk at. First up is a bright orange flavor -- if you feared that the Galaxy point-and-shoot's rather large footprint wouldn't attract enough attention on its own in the field, you shouldn't have any such concerns with an orange model. Also of the neon persuasion is a flashy pink version, which like the aforementioned color, should draw many an eye. We were quite pleased with the black and white models we saw at IFA, and while Samsung clearly has a few colorful prototypes in circulation, the company says they're only being considered at this point, with your feedback determining the final options. So, what do you think? Would you buy an orange or pink Galaxy Camera? Let us know in the comments after the break.%Gallery-165722%
Leica D-Lux 6 and V-Lux 40 hands-on (video)
The Leica deluge continues here at Photokina in Cologne. We played around with two new point-and-shoots from the company, starting with the D-Lux 6, the larger and pricier of the pair. The camera features an all black body, with a red Leica logo on the front. It's got a 1.7-inch CMOS image sensor, a processor capable of ISO 80 to 12800 and adjustable aperture on the lens that can be changed with a twist. It's also got a large three-inch display on the rear and is capable of full HD video. The cheaper V-Lux 40 features a similar all-black build with red logo in a smaller form, with a 1/2.33-inch CMOS sensor. On the rear of the camera, you'll find a three-inch touch display with the same bright resolution as the D-Lux 6. The camera, which bears a striking resemblance to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20, can also do 1080p video. The V-Lux is available now here in Europe for €590 and the D-Lux is coming soon, priced at €699. %Gallery-165714%
Leica M-E is a $5,450 M9 with new color scheme, minor feature exclusions (hands-on video)
Don't have the $6,500 to spare to pick up a Leica M9? You might consider the freshly announced M-E, which carries a similar feature set and a slightly more palatable $5,450 price tag. The camera includes the same 18-megapixel sensor as the M9, but drops relatively minor features like a built-in USB port (you'll need to pop out your SD card to download pics). It's nearly identical to the pricier model, with a low-res (230k-dot) 2.5-inch LCD and an ISO range of 160-2500. Unlike the "new M," announced alongside the M-E, the latter model does not offer live-view functionality, so you'll only be using the LCD to make settings adjustments and for reviewing images, anyway. Shot framing will be handled with the 0.68x viewfinder, positioned at the top left of the camera. Aesthetically, you might find the M-E to be a bit more pleasing, with a muted gray/black color scheme -- we found it to be quite nice during out hands-on at Photokina. The camera itself looks like an M9 with a hint of Michael Graves-esque simplicity -- there's a silver shutter speed dial up top, with soft numbering and positions that range from bulb to 1/4000 second. There's also a matching power toggle/shutter release, along with the standard suite of playback and ISO controls on the rear. As we mentioned, the 2.5-inch display offers a bit lower resolution than what we'd like to see, making it less than ideal for verifying image sharpness, for example, so if the LCD marks high on your list of priorities, you'll probably do best to wait for the "new M" (M10) to hit early next year. Otherwise, the M-E appears to be a capable camera, but M9 owners should hang tight -- there's not much to see here. The M-E is available for purchase now, for about $5,450 (or €4,800 in Europe), and you can sneak a peek in our gallery below, and the hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-165706%
Fujifilm X-E1 hands-on (video)
Sure the XF1's nice to look at, but the real star of Fujifilm's 2012 Photokina lineup has to be the X-E1. The X-Pro1's little sibling offers up most of the functionality of its bigger, pricier brother -- save for its inclusion just an electronic viewfinder -- into a body that's roughly a third smaller. That said, this is hardly a compact mirrorless -- the X-E1's still got a bit of girth and weight to it, compared to some of the smaller entries in the field. Still, it feels nice in the hand and isn't likely to weigh down your shooting -- particularly for those accustom to using a larger DSLR. It's also worth pointing out, right off the bat, that the retro-styled interchangeable lens camera is significantly cheaper, running you $700 less than the X-Pro-1. Flip the camera over and you get a 2.8-inch 460k-dot LCD. Just above the display is a devoted button that will pop up the retractable flash directly above. The X-E1 will be hitting stores in November, carrying a $1,000 price tag. Buy a kit with a lens and you'll still come in $300 under the X-Pro1's $1,700 price tag, making for a full-featured and great looking little mirrorless for a lot less money.%Gallery-165702%
Fujifilm's XF1 makes a fashion statement at Photokina, we go hands-on (video)
Point-and-shoot or fashion accessory? This is the conundrum posed by the XF1, a new retro-styled point-and-shoot from Fujifilm. It's a nice looking camera with a solid and fairly light build, certainly, and while the faux leather (in black, red or tan) might not be for everyone, the company was quick to point out that it'll go nicely with your new designer handbag, for whatever that's worth. The textured design is complimented nicely by a metal border on the top and bottom. There's a bit of a learning curve here, when it comes to just turning the thing on -- give it a twist and a pull, not unlike a childproof pill cap to put it in standby and another pull to get things started. There's a big, bright three-inch LCD on the rear of the device. Click the E-Fn button on the bottom right, and you can actually reassign the button mapping on the back to your liking on the display. Of course, such style and functionality comes at a price -- this guy will run you $500 when it goes on sale next month.
