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Nubia's bezel-free Z9 smartphone is coming to the US
If I had a nickel for every "ugh, too much bezel!" comment, I'd have... well, a few bucks anyway. That's why it's good news that Nubia's borderless 5.2-inch Z9 smartphone is coming to the US next quarter at a rather tempting price. We already previewed the Z9 when it came to China last month, so here are the Cliff notes. First off, it's a bezel-hater's dream, at least on the sides -- there's nothing there but a slim metal frame, which also doubles as a touch surface. By gripping it in various ways, you can unlock the home screen, adjust the brightness and even flip it to single-hand mode, among other tasks.
Samsung's Galaxy S4 Zoom hits AT&T for $200 on-contract on November 8th
We forgive you if Samsung's Galaxy S4 Zoom(ed) out of mind since its announcement back in June -- it was nearly five months ago (or eons in mobile years). Now that we're leading up to the holiday season, however, AT&T's adding that hybrid Android device to its 4G LTE lineup for $200 with the standard two-year agreement on November 8th. But there is an additional dangling carrot for those that want more than just a 4.3-inch mix of the best of the GS4 with a 16-megapixel sensor tacked on back: a free Galaxy Tab 3. You'll either have to sign up for a new contract or qualify for AT&T's Next program to snag the tablet, but keep in mind, a separate data plan is still required. That's because nothing in life is free. Also, life is cruel. Also also, carriers are not your friend. You should know all of this by now.
Panasonic G5 mirrorless camera gets September 13th release date in Japan
We enjoyed our short time with Panasonic's new mirrorless G5 in our hands-on last month, even if it was a little on the porky side. And, if you hail from the Land of the Rising Sun and had your heart set on one of these 16-megapixel shooters, Panny's announced you'll get your chance from September 13th. We're getting dangerously close to missing the stateside launch target of August, but where the US website is showing the G5 as unreleased, availability on Amazon tells a different story. We're reaching out for confirmation on that -- as well as pricing -- and will update should we hear more.
Pentax intros X-5 superzoom camera with 26x lens, tiltable LCD
We'd been worrying that Pentax would be left out of the flurry of new cameras in the run-up to Photokina. With the new X-5, there's reason to relax. The new shooter sits at the higher end of the by-the-numbers superzoom crowd, centering most of its energy on a 26x, 22-580mm equivalent lens as well as a backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that should keep the resulting 16-megapixel photos and 1080p videos relatively clean. Most of the effort to stand out from the pack, however slightly, involves previewing pictures rather than capturing them -- an electronic viewfinder and a tilting, 3-inch LCD will help perfect those macros and overhead concert shots. The X-5 won't shake the foundations of personal photography, especially not when it's using AA batteries for power, but hitting all those right notes at a $280 price could persuade more than a few of us to take the plunge after the September launch. %Gallery-163187%
Panasonic's Lumix lineup grows: DMC-G5 Micro Four Thirds, DMC-FZ200 superzoom and DMC-LX7 hands-on and sample shots
It's been nearly half a year since Panasonic's Lumix series of cameras got any new members, but today the company is introducing three more shooters to the family. First up is the DMC-G5, the latest addition to the company's Micro Four Thirds lineup. It's the successor to the G3 and packs a 16-megapixel sensor capable of shooting 1080p videos at 60fps and stills in up to 6fps bursts at a max 12,800 ISO at full resolution. The G5's LVF has a proximity sensor to automatically switch between it and the camera's 920,000-dot capacitive screen depending on which one you're using to frame your shots. When the G5 goes on sale next month, you'll have your choice of black, silver and white models.%Gallery-160553% In addition to the G5, Panasonic's also introducing a new superzoom camera, the DMC-FZ200 and a high-end DMC-LX7 point-and-shoot. The FZ200 replaces the FZ150 and pairs a 12-megapixel sensor with a 25-600mm constant f/2.8 aperture Leica Elmarit lens with nano surface coating to reduce flare and ghosting. It has a 24x optical zoom and shoots 1080p video at up to 60fps along with stills in up to 12fps bursts, though its max ISO is only 6,400. Meanwhile, the LX7 has arrived sporting a 10-megapixel sensor and a 24-90mm, f/1.4-2.3 Leica Summilux lens with the same nano surface coating as the FZ200. Like its Lumix brethren, it shoots 1080p video at 60fps, and shares the same maximum 12,800 ISO as the G5. It'll be available in black and pearl white when it ships in August. We got to spend some time with all three, so join us after the break to learn a bit about what its like snapping pics with this trio of Panasonics.%Gallery-160554%%Gallery-160552%
Samsung brings out WB100 camera with 26x lens for zoom-loving Brits
Samsung has been quiet on the superzoom camera front, but it's leaping back into the fray with the WB100. The camera doesn't have the longest zoom we've seen, but with a 26x lens and a wide-angle 22.3mm minimum zoom, odds are that just about anything you come across during vacation will fit into the frame. A choice to use AA batteries instead of a lithium-ion pack also emphasizes that focus on travelers. We're otherwise looking at a very deliberately middle-of-the-road camera with a 16-megapixel sensor, ISO 80 to 1,600 sensitivity (3,200 if you like 3-megapixel photos) and 720p movie making. The company doesn't have pricing, nor word as to which countries get the WB100 treatment outside of the UK -- for now, you're most likely to see this camera slung around a suntanned British neck in Ibiza.
Fujifilm X-Pro1 mirrorless camera review
More Info Fujifilm confirms X-Pro1 at CES Fujifilm X-Pro1 interchangeable lens camera preview Sony Alpha NEX-7 mirrorless camera review Hear any mention of retro-styled cameras with exorbitant price tags and it's hard not to get suspicious. That kind of talk brings to mind Leica's incessant re-branding of Panasonic Lumix models, or those unicorn limited editions out of Japan that just leave us baffled. But it's okay, you can relax with the Fujifilm X-Pro1. At $1,700 for the body only it's crazily expensive, sure, but not when you compare to an $8,000 Leica M9-P. Besides, it's a legitimate heir to a strong line of Fuji shooters that includes the much-loved X100 and the more accessible X10. That's a strong pedigree, and no matter how deeply you peer into its mirrorless aperture, the X-Pro1 should offer up enough technology to stop you being cynical. Like what, you ask? Well, a genuinely surprising bespoke 16-megapixel APS-C sensor, for starters, plus a hybrid viewfinder designed to keep everyone happy all of the time, and a Fuji X lens mount that already has a Leica M9 adapter available (plus others, like Nikon, if you scan eBay). It all adds up to something special, but before you go tweeting this article to whimsical rich uncles, there are also some complicating factors you ought to be aware of. Even in a utopian paradise where everyone could afford this sip of photographic luxury, it's far from certain whether everyone would choose it over other interchangeable lens cameras. Read on past the break and we'll explain why.
AT&T confirms HTC Titan II to join Lumia 900 on April 8th for $200 (video)
Looking to pick up a Windows Phone handset on Big Blue? You might want to sit tight for a few days. AT&T has just confirmed to us that the HTC Titan II will be hitting the carrier's U.S. stores on April 8th, the same day that the Lumia 900 is set to ship. HTC's flavor will retail for double the price of Nokia's new flagship, priced at $199.99, and takes the award for highest megapixel count, thanks to its 16MP backside-illuminated sensor with an f/2.6 AF lens in tow. It also includes a 1730mAh removable battery and a familiar design that's nearly identical to its predecessor. We were quite impressed with that camera during our test at CES, however, so if you're looking to replace your first-gen Titan with a very capable cameraphone, this may be your best bet. Jump past the break for our hands-on.
Samsung's WiFi-laced DV300F camera now available, priced at $200
After having launched in January, Samsung's WiFi-enabled DV300F camera officially hit the market today, according to a fresh announcement from the Korean manufacturer. As the latest addition to the DualView line, this 16 megapixel shooter features a 25mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, and boasts a three-inch main LCD, along with that 1.5-inch front-facing display. The latter is specifically designed to make self-shots a bit easier to manipulate, but it also features some extra kids games in "Children Mode," to help keep the little ones at bay. And of course, there's onboard WiFi connectivity, allowing users to instantly upload shots to Picasa and Facebook, and an extra "Smart Face Recognition" function. According to Samsung, the device is now available on a "global basis," for a price of ₩299,000, or about $266. For more details, check out the full, but choppily translated PR, after the break. Update: We've received word that U.S. pricing has been announced as well, with the DV300F hitting stateside shelves for $199.99. That model, along with the $229.99 WB150F, are shipping now.
CES 2012: Smartphones round-up
The Superbowl of smartphones? Why, that would be Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month. But that didn't stop the mobile industry's heavy hitters from giving us a taste of the year in wireless to come at CES. With Windows Phones finally getting LTE, Intel's Medfield CPU making its handset debut, Sony synergizing under its mega brand umbrella and fringe manufacturers wowing attendees with stock Ice Cream Sandwich and super-thin profiles, it appears phone aficionados have plenty to anticipate. So, while you sit slack-jawed in front of that computer screen, let's revisit some of the highlights of this past week.
Polaroid SC1630 Android HD smart camera hands-on, is it a cameraphone or a phonecamera?
The camera modules in smartphones continually improve, and these days there are phones like the iPhone 4S and the Nokia N9 who can take snapshots as good -- and sometimes better -- than point-and-shoots. Polaroid's known for making cameras, but its newest device, a rebrand of the Aigo A8 we saw at CES last year, flips the script by taking a 16 megapixel point-and-shoot and shoving an Android phone inside.The Polaroid version's called the SC1630 Android HD Smart Camera, and it's packed with 850/1900/2100MHz WCDMA and 850/900/1800/1900 GSM radios, along with WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and an FM antenna thrown in for good measure. The SC1630 sports an 800 x 400 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, while underneath there's 512MB of built-in storage and 512MB of RAM, along with proximity and G-sensors, micro SIM slot, Micro USB and a 2.5mm headphone jack. As we said above, the camera is a 16 megapixel unit, with aperture of F3.1 - F5.6, 3X optical zoom and 5X digital zoom, a max shutter speed of 1/1400 and ISO tops out at 3200. It's got geotagging and anti-shake support as well, and can shoot videos in 720p. Scheduled to arrive in April for $299, the device still has a few kinks to be worked out and there may be some changes to that hardware before it makes it to market. Here at CES 2012, we got a chance to lay hands on the phone and speak with Emanuel Verona, Polaroid's Executive VP and COO about the company's first Android offering, so read on past the break for our impressions and his thoughts.
Polaroid announces Android-powered SC1630 Smart Camera, slated for release this year
Here's something we weren't expecting to see at CES today: Polaroid has just announced a new camera... powered by Android. The company's new, 16-megapixel SC1630 Smart Camera features a 3x optical zoom lens, 3.2-inch touch-based display, 36-108mm lens and WiFi capabilities, but the real story here is the Android UI integration. With this five-ounce portable, users can take shots in 18 different scene modes and instantly upload their images to social networking sites. Plus, since it's linked to the Android Market, they'll even be able to sync it up with any of the myriad photo apps already available to smartphone and tablet users, while finding comfort in that oh-so familiar Android UI. Pricing is still a mystery and Polaroid hasn't offered a release date more specific than "2012," but we'll hopefully find out more when we get our hands on it here in Las Vegas. Full PR after the break.
Kodak intros new connected Easyshare M750 and Playfull Dual Camera, adds instant uploads over WiFi
Fancy taking photos on the fly and then uploading them to your preferred list of social networks? Good thing, then, that Kodak has your best interests at heart. Announced at this year's CES extravaganza, the company's showing off two of its newest connected imaging devices -- the Kodak Playfull Dual Camera and Easyshare M750. The compact Playfull has a 12MP camera capable of full HD 1080p video capture at 60fps, with an accompanying Xenon flash and a port for an external mic. But those specs aren't the camera's real draw -- that'd be it's built-in WiFi ability. Using the Share Button, users can instantly upload photos and video to YouTube, Kodak's own Gallery, as well as Facebook. The company's more traditional looking point-and-shoot refresh, the Easyshare M750, touts a 16MP module, 3-inch capacitive touchscreen, a RETINAR HD 5x zoom lens and a similar capability to share content wirelessly via an available network or through an installable app on iOS, Android and BlackBerry. When it launches later this spring it'll retail for around $170 and come in a smattering of colors, like silver, teal blue and red. As for the Playfull, well, nothing's quite been announced on it yet, but that could all very well change this week. Check out the official pressers after the break.
HTC Titan II with LTE for AT&T hands-on at CES 2012 (video)
So the rumors were true -- the HTC Titan II is basically an HTC Titan with LTE for AT&T and a 16 megapixel camera with backside illuminated sensor, f/2.6 AF lens and dual LED flash (vs. eight megapixels sensor and f/2.2 lens on the original). The industrial design is more traditional HTC fare (think Thunderbolt) -- gone is the rather elegant look and feel of its predecessor, along with its removable battery (although the pack grows from 1600mAh to 1730mAh). After spending some quality time with HTC's latest Windows Phone flagship we came away pretty impressed with the camera. Our test shots contain tons of detail, with accurate colors and very little noise. We left the handset in the default "Intelligent Auto" scene mode for the majority of our pictures, and it handled the varying conditions with aplomb. Exposure was particularly well balanced, despite difficult lighting condition. Take a look at our gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video, sample shots, and sample video.Alexandra Guerrero (Drita) contributed to this report.
Toshiba's Camileo P100 and B10 continue their world tour, arrive stateside
We're pretty sure that most of the attention Toshiba receives today will center around the handful of laptops it unveiled this morning (particularly this handsome devil). But the outfit also managed to slip in some camcorder news -- those Camileo P100 and B10 models it announced for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East are now on sale in the US. If you recall, both camcorders shoot 1080p video and snap 16 megapixel stills, though the pistol-shaped P100 adds 5X optical zoom -- still an uncommon spec for pocket cam. The P100 is available now for $180, while the Flip-inspired B10 can be had for $120. PR after the break.
Panasonic's new suite of colorful camcorders hits stores this July, gets priced right now
When Panasonic introduced us to its Skittles-like array of candy-coated camcorders, they gave us a taste of the little things, but left us hanging on price and availability. Well, if you've been slobbering over the specs since February, you can sate your appetite soon, because the HM-TA20, HM-TA2, HX-WA10, HX-DC10, and HX-DC1 will hit stores starting in early July. The Flip-style, 1080p HM-TA20 rings in at $200, while its less rugged little brother, the HM-TA2, will run you $170. The upright and rugged HX-WA10 will do 1080p video and 16-megapixel stills for $350, and you'll drop $280 on the HX-DC10 for the same functionality without the weather-proofing. For the same look at an even lower price, you can shoot 14-megapixel stills on the HX-DC1 for $200. Hungry for more? Full PR awaits you after the break.
Ricoh unveils waterproof, dirt-resistant PX camera for outdoorsy photographers
Just a few months after releasing its outdoorsy, G700 point and shoot, Ricoh has taken the wraps off yet another rugged digital camera -- the waterproof, shockproof and dust-resistant PX. This small warrior packs a 16-megapixel CCD sensor along with a 5x optical wide zoom lens and is capable of booting up in just 1.4 seconds. The device also supports subject-tracking and face-priority auto-focus features, in addition to a host of shooting modes, including toy camera, soft-focus and high-contrast black and white, among others. Most alluring, however, is its resilience. According to Ricoh, the PX can survive drops from an altitude of up to five feet, remains waterproof at depths of about ten feet, and is impermeable to dust, sand and dirt. There's also a 2.7-inch, scratch-resistant LCD on its backside, meaning you won't have to worry about casually tossing it in your backpack as you make your way along the trail. More flamboyant hikers, meanwhile, can add their own personal touch to the PX by wrapping it in a protective silicon sleeve, available in five, vibrant colors. If you're interested, you can grab a PX of your own when it hits stores later this month, for $300 AUD (about $317). You can check out some sample images from Digital Photography Review by hitting the link below, or flip through some pics of the PX in the gallery below. There's also a full PR waiting for you, after the break. %Gallery-125925%
Nikon D5100 and ME-1 external mic coming April 21st, we go hands-on (video)
Okay, so Nikon kind of spoiled the surprise with this one, but we can now enlighten you with the full details of its upcoming midrange (or "advanced beginner" as Nikon calls it) DSLR refresh. The D5100 takes the spot of the venerable D5000, but follows the previous generation's recipe for success pretty closely. The D5000 was a stripped-down D90 in a simpler, smaller package that came with an articulating LCD, and the D5100 just so happens to feature the same mighty 16.2 megapixel sensor as the D7000 (Nikon's current high-end consumer DSLR) augmented with a flipout screen. Having the D7000's internals helps the new shooter churn out 1080p video at 24fps, 25fps, or 30fps, depending on your preference for up to a maximum of 20 minutes. The D5000 is only capable of five-minute bursts of 720/24p video and isn't able to continually autofocus, which the D5100 can. The D5100 also betters its predecessor in terms of physical fitness, coming in at a healthy 10 percent lighter and smaller, while a good number of the physical controls have been repositioned in order to allow for a new horizontal opening mechanism. That'll be a well appreciated tweak for tripod users. The new screen's also 17 percent thinner, we're told, and steps up to a 3-inch diagonal with a 920k-dot resolution. Solid stuff. After the break you'll find a full spec sheet along with some video action with the D5100. Pricing for this camera is set at $800 / €777 / £670 for the body only or $900 / €904 / £780 for the body plus an 18-55mm VR kit lens. The ME-1 external mic introduced alongside it -- did we not mention the D5100 has an external mic input -- will cost $180 / €139 / £120 and both are expected in stores on April 21st. %Gallery-120375% %Gallery-120376% %Gallery-120374%
Sony Cyber-shot HX100V and HX9V models leaked, superzoomers in large and small sizes
Two new additions to the Cyber-shot line have apparently leaked, and while they're perhaps not as titillating as some other consumer electronics the company has managed to let slip ahead of their announcement, we'll bring them to you just the same. First is the HX100V, a 30x zoom (27 - 810mm) compact that borrows some features and styling from the Alpha line. It has a 16.2 megapixel backside-illuminated sensor with BIONZ processing capable of recording 1080p video and, supposedly, has GPS in there somewhere too. Next up is the HX9V, pictured below, a rather more compact compact offering what looks to be the same 16 megapixel sensor but tucked behind a smaller, 16x optical zoom lens. It too is said to do 1080p video but, alas, we don't have any clue about price or availability for either.
Fujifilm's 16 megapixel CES debutants leaked early: 30x superzoom and 1080p-recording compact
Nobody is immune from a CES leak, it seems, as even the relatively tame waters of high-end compact and superzoom cameras have been ruffled up today with the emergence of two 16 megapixel Fujifilm models. Both sport an EXR-CMOS sensor, with the bigger brother HS20EXR boasting a 30x zoom (equivalent to covering the 24mm to 720mm range in old school photography parlance) zoom lens along with a 3-inch LCD on the back and an electronic viewfinder. Joining it at the CES unveiling this week will be a FinePix F500EXR number that offers a highly respectable 15x zoom of its own, along with a 3-inch LCD, geotagging, and 1080p video recording. If this leak turns out to be the real deal, we should have confirmation and more details very soon indeed.
