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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 now official: 12.1MP, Full HD movie mode
At long last, the Lumix DMC-GF2. Hitting the scene just a few weeks after the GH2, this here Micro Four Thirds rig is Panasonic's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera, and it's packin' quite the specs list. From the top, you're looking at a 12.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor, compatibility with the company's own 3D interchangeable lens (the LUMIX G 12.5mm / F12) and an enclosure that's seven percent lighter (not to mention 19 percent smaller) than the GF1. You'll also find a three-inch touchpanel on the rear, contrast AF system, a freshly designed Touch Q user interface, internal dust reduction system and the ability to record video at 1920 x 1080/60i or 1280 x 720/60p in AVCHD. Better still, lower resolution options are available with Motion JPEG recording, and the 23-area focusing system shouldn't have a difficult time nailing your subject. We should point out that the ISO only ranges from 100 to 6400, but the included hot shoe accessory definitely allows for a flash. Of course, there's no optical viewfinder here, but hey, you can't have it all when you're looking to save space. The GF2 will ship in January with three color choices (silver, red and black) and two bundle options: a 14mm F2.5 pancake kit and a 14-42mm zoom lens kit. Unfortunately for you, pricing won't be announced until mid-to-late December. Bah, humbug! %Gallery-106670%
Sanyo debuts E1500TP point-and-shoot alongside Xacti CG21, PD1 and GH3 camcorders
If there's a Photokina around, you can bet your bottom dollar that Sanyo will be there. Boasting a booth chock full of camcorders and pocketable cameras, we waded through to find three new Xacti camcorders (VPC-CG21, VPC-PD1 and VPC-GH3) on display alongside a simplistic new shooter, the VPC-E1500TP. Starting with the latter, this one brings just the basics in a fairly vanilla enclosure: a 14 megapixel CMOS sensor, 720p video, a 4x optical zoom, 3-inch rear touchpanel, 32MB of internal storage space, an SD / SDHC expansion slot, ISO range from 100 to 3200 and USB connectivity. Pricing and availability wasn't offered for this fellow, but we're betting it's below $150 and in stores tomorrowish. Moving on to the camcorders, the CG21 ($149) is a typical pistol-grip machine with a 10 megapixel sensor, the ability to capture 1080i, a 10x optical zoomer and an SDXC card slot. The $199 GH3 looks more like your mother's Handycam of old, offering a similar 10 megapixel sensor, SDHC card slot, 10x optical zoom and 1080i video capture. The starlet was the $199 PD1, a Flip Video-styled camcorder with dual microphones, 10 megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, SDXC card slot, 1080/30p recording, an integrated USB arm and a rather impressive rear LCD. The whole lot is making its way out to dealers now, so feel free to start poking and prodding if you must. Galleries are below, per usual. %Gallery-103042% %Gallery-103044% %Gallery-103043%
Elecom's 47-in-1 MR-A005 card reader gains SDXC support, speed boost
Frankly, we've our doubts that this planet is even home to 47 different useful types of flash cards, but if you're Boy Scout instincts simply won't let you leave the house unprepared, there's Elecom's MR-A005. It's a familiar design, sure, but what it lacks in ingenuity it makes up for in compatibility. This is one of the first mega-multi-card readers to support SDXC, and we're told that this model is around 20 percent faster than its predecessor when writing to CompactFlash (not to mention 10 percent faster when writing to SDHC). And hey, it's available in four triumphant colors. Check it later this month in Japan for around 30 bones.
Olympus E-5 DSLR gets official: 12.3MP, 720p movie mode, swiveling LCD
It's September 15th somewhere, right? Er... right! At any rate, it looks as if the leaks we saw earlier this month were 99 percent accurate, with Olympus pulling the trigger this morning on its mid-range E-5 DSLR. Boasting a familiar design, this 12.3 megapixel shooter ups the ante with a 3-inch dual-axis swiveling LCD, a TruePic V+ image processor, full-time Live View system, splash and dustproof magnesium alloy body, 720p movie mode (Motion JPEG) with a 7 minute-per-clip maximum, in-body mechanical image stabilization and an 11-point auto focus system. There's also wireless flash control, support for both CompactFlash and Secure Digital (SDHC / SDXC) cards and an ISO range from 100 to 6400. Unfortunately, this bad boy will set you back an almost unconscionable $1,699.99 for the body alone, which sure seems lofty given all the other options popping up. Something tells us you should wait for Photokina to conclude before pulling the trigger, but even if you managed to get a pre-order in, it won't leave the docks 'til October. %Gallery-102051%
Panasonic announces AF105 Micro Four Thirds camcorder, interchangeable lenses not included
The splicing of video and stills cameras continues unabated today, as Panasonic has just outed a serious-looking piece of photographic hardware. The AF105 (AF100 in Europe) is the world's first camcorder to offer a Four Thirds-sized sensor and provides 1080/60i or 1080/30p AVCHD video recording skills, while matching up to the growing selection of glassware for the company's Micro Four Thirds mount. SDHC and SDXC storage cards are accepted and there's a note that "cinema" lenses can also be fitted on via an extra adapter. The price is set at ¥837,900 (about $9,960) and launch is expected this December. Update: We've now got video of the AF100/105 and a tentative European price of €4,900. American pricing can probably be expected somewhere around the $6,000 range. Thanks, James!
SD Card Association: flash card speeds to triple by 2012
The SD Card Association (truth be told, one of our favorite card-related associations) has a new spec in the works that will almost triple the speed of its SDHC and SDXC cards, according to CNET. The specification, which should be complete Q1 next year, will achieve 300MB per second by adding a second row of electrical contacts on the bottom face of the card, and will be backward compatible with older, slower devices. Although being referred to internally as SD 4.0, brand names for the technology are still being considered -- with UHS-II (the successor to UHS-I ultra-high speed bus cards) as one possibility.
JVC intros Picsio GC-WP10 and GC-FM2 1080p pocket camcorders
JVC's been a mainstay in the handheld camcorder realm, but along with Sony, Kodak, Sanyo, Samsung and just about every other consumer electronics company in operation today, it's recently decided to hop onboard the pocket camcorder bandwagon. Today, the firm is introducing a diminutive duo in the Picsio GC-WP10 and GC-FM2, both of which are capable of logging 1,920 x 1,080/30fps clips. There's also inbuilt image stabilization, an HDMI output, a 3-inch rear touchscreen, compatibility with EyeFi's WiFi-enabled SD cards and a time-lapse recording feature for speeding things up on the fly. The WP10 steps it up a notch by being encased in a waterproof enclosure, though the omission of an optical zoomer puts somewhat of a damper on things. The FM2 boasts a pop-out USB plug and the both of 'em tout an SD / SDHC / SDXC card slot; the WP10 also adds an MP3 audio recorder for good measure. Check the FM2 early next month for $179.95 and the WP10 in late September for $20 more, but be sure to visit that More Coverage link first for a translated review.
Sony Alpha A580 and A560 shoot AVCHD 1080i or MP4 video
Just a few days after seeing the Alpha A580 and A560 leak out onto the DSLR stage, here we are with the official word from Sony. As followup to the Alpha A550, both the 16.2 megapixel A580 and 14.2 megapixel A560 with new Exmor APS HD CMOS sensors and the latest Bionz image processors, capable of 7fps continuous shooting and capturing video with stereo audio in both AVCHD 1920x1080 60i or MP4 (QuickTime Motion JPEG) formats, the latter being better suited for consumer-oriented video editing software. Other commonalities are a new 15-point phase-detection autofocus, 3-inch articulating LCD with new Focus Check Live View mode, 100 - 12,800 ISO ranges, support for Memory Stick Pro Duo and SDHC/SDXC cards, and an optical viewfinder with 95 percent frame coverage. Wait, there's more: both cams also feature 3D sweep panorama that can be played back on 3D televisions and a refined Auto HDR mode that combines a burst of three frames into a single ultra-realistic image. The A580 will be available in October for €900 while the A560 will land in the first quarter of 2011 for €800.%Gallery-100225%
PhotoFast GM-7300 SDXC-to-CF adapter gives your pro DSLR another storage option
You're probably wondering how you'll get 2TB or so into a single CF slot of your D3S. Or even if you're not, you're probably wondering how you can strap a trio of CF cards together for a 6TB slab of flash storage. So far as we can tell, PhotoFast's the first with an adapter that enables devices with CompactFlash slots to accept those minty fresh SDXC cards, which would theoretically allow anything that understands CF to now recognize. The GM-7300 SDXC-to-CF adapter is expected to ship next month in Japan for ¥2,980 ($35), but there's no word yet on when it'll be headed up over the Bering Strait and down into the US of A.
Apple iMac line gets speedbumped, low-end gets a Core i3
It's not as if we haven't heard the rumors building over the last few months, but Apple's long-standing iMac line is seeing its first real update since the Fall of last year on this fine morning. As predicted, the refreshed family now contains Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processor options, not to mention discrete ATI Radeon HD GPU options, IPS panels, an SD slot that understands the complexities of SDXC and an SSD option on the 27-inch machine. For whatever reason, Apple's not throwing in its new Magic Trackpad with any iMac; instead, it'll be a $69 accessory. One swank addition to this line, however, is the ability to order your new all-in-one with both an HDD and an SSD on the 27-inch model. Of course, it'll cost you dearly (a 1TB HDD plus a 256GB SSD is a $750 CTO option, while the 2TB HDD in that combo makes it a $900 option), but at least there's room inside for DIY adds. Here's a look at the available configurations, with last Fall's lineup saved here for reference: The low-end $1,199 unit boasts a 21.5-inch display (1,920 x 1,080), a 3.06GHz Core i3 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI's Radeon HD 4670 GPU (256MB) and a 500GB hard drive. There's also an 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with dual-layer support, Mini DisplayPort, AirPort Extreme 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, iSight webcam, gigabit Ethernet, a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets, a single FireWire 800 port and a bundled wireless Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse. There's a new $1,499 21.5-inch model that includes a 3.20GHz Core i3, ATI Radeon HD 5670 GPU (512MB), a 1TB hard drive and 4GB of DDR3 memory (along with the usual suspects mentioned above). The $1,699 model is a 27-incher with a 2,560 x 1,440 LED-backlit display, 3.20GHz Core i3 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI's Radeon HD 5670 (512MB), a 1TB hard drive and available CTO options that include a 3.6GHz Core i5, 2TB HDD, 256GB SSD and up to 16GB of RAM. The flagship $1,999 flavor (27-inch) packs a 2.8GHz quad-core Core i5 with 8MB of shared L3 cache, 4GB of DDR3 memory, ATI's Radeon HD 5750 GPU (1GB), a 1TB hard drive and available CTO options that include a 2.93GHz Core i7 CPU, 2TB hard drive, 256GB SSD and up to 16GB of memory. %Gallery-98274%
Panasonic Lumix LX5 outed by tech support page, improvements are black and white
Panasonic may be pushing Micro Four Thirds tech these days, but that doesn't mean it's forgotten about the pocketable high-end -- in fact, full spec sheets and pictures have just leaked from the company's technical support website, detailing the unannounced latest in the Lumix LX lineup. The 10.1 megapixel DMC-LX5 doesn't have any revolutionary new features, sadly, but it certainly brings the 2008 LX3 predecessor up to spec in nearly every way, with a longer 3.8x optical zoom lens by Leica, 12,800 ISO mixed-pixel sensitivity and a familiar-sounding AVCHD Lite 720p video recording mode. Slightly heavier due to a larger 1250mAh battery, the camera supports SDXC memory cards this time round, has an anti-glare coating on the 3-inch LCD and thankfully replaces those bulky breakout component cables with a mini-HDMI out. There's also an optional electronic viewfinder and a jog dial on the back, but we don't want to ruin all your fun unearthing these gems; peruse the specs yourself at our source link.
Canon VIXIA HF M32 adds SDXC compatibility, has 64GB of its own flash anyway
Talk about a bad time to introduce your latest camcorder. Hot on the heels of Sony's category-redefining NEX-VG10, Canon is coming out with a humble refresher of its VIXIA line of consumer shooters (known as Legria in Europe). It's as incremental as upgrades get, with the HF M32 doubling its predecessor's 32GB of internal storage and adding in SDXC memory card compatibility. Canon's Relay Recording feature will allow you to transition from one storage cell to another without interrupting your video, but it's something the M31 already offers. The rest of the specs are also familiar: a HD CMOS sensor capable of 3 megapixel stills, a 15x optical zoom lens with both optical and powered image stabilization, a 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD with Touch and Track functionality, and the same DIGIC DV III processor that's been knocking about since last year. Still, you've gotta be pretty good to last that long in this industry, so maybe it's worth giving this camera a look if you have $1,000 to spend and can wait for a September delivery.%Gallery-97454%
Sony issues NEX-VG10: first interchangeable lens HD Handycam camcorder
What a way to celebrate 25 years of the Handycam brand, right? Out of absolutely (almost) nowhere, Sony has just upended the entire prosumer camcorder universe, and it may very well sway you from purchasing that Canon EOS 7D for video purposes. For all intents and purposes, this is Micro Four Thirds for your camcorder, but since Olympus and Panasonic own that specific technology, Sony's left calling the NEX-VG10 an "interchangeable lens HD camcorder." Moreover, it's the first Handycam to sport an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor (the same one found in the NEX-5 and NEX-3), and it'll shoot 1080p (1,920 x 1,080/60i at 24Mbps, if we're being precise) with a wealth of E-mount and A-mount lenses. When not handling live action, it's also capable of snapping stills at 14.2 megapixels, and the 18-200mm lens that's bundled with it is about as versatile as they come. Budding videographers will also appreciate the Quad Capsule Spatial Array Stereo Microphone (yes, seriously), not to mention the 3-inch swivel display, Optical Steadyshot image stabilization, BIONZ processor and twin accessory shoes. There's no internal storage to speak of, but it will accept SDHC / SDXC (huzzah!) in addition to MS Pro Duo. Get ready to get wowed this September when it lands for around $2,000. %Gallery-97452%
SD cards branded with an upper-case 'I' are faster, yo
Since they're theoretically capable of 300 megabyte per second transfer rates, we knew SDXC cards wouldn't stay slow forever. How will we separate wheat from chaff when faster models do appear, though? You're looking at it. This week, the SD Association unveiled the UHS-I specification for SDXC and SDHC cards capable of transferring data at up to 104 megabytes per second -- reportedly fast enough to record HD videos in real time. Why the association chose the phrasing "up to" is a little iffy, as we thought the point of such specifications was quality control, but considering how many Class 4 and Class 6 SD cards we've tossed that didn't match up to spec, we suppose we'll make do with a ballpark estimate... until the inevitable UHS-II makes the rounds. PR after the break.
Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS reviewed: great shots but no cigar
Liked the lop-eared design and low-light sensitivity of Canon's latest point and shoot, but wanted to be sure you'd get $350 worth of camera for the asking price? You're in luck: the PowerShot SD4000 IS, aka IXUS 300 HS, has just received its first painstakingly detailed review. Photography Blog found the back-illuminated 10 megapixel CMOS sensor snapped excellent low-noise shots in a variety of tests, though the camera's highly-touted HS System features -- a 240fps movie mode and 8.4fps burst speed -- took pictures too low-res to impress. The publication also took issue with the lack of dedicated physical controls, as it apparently took six clicks to delete a single picture, but overall thought the SD4000 a good choice for casual and experienced photographers alike albeit at a somewhat inflated price. If portraits of Ben Franklin are burning a hole in your pocket, however, you'll find it on sale today at usual suspects B&H, J&R and Adorama Camera.
Canon debuts low-light lovin' PowerShot SD4000 IS digicam
Ah, Spring. The season of pollen, grass mowing and enlarged electricity bills. Oh, and impending vacations. In order to get you prepared for that last one, Canon is introducing a new member of its Digital ELPH range today, the PowerShot SD4000 (or IXUS 300HS in other parts of the globe). Boasting a 10 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 image processing engine and a 3.8x optical zoom, this one also features an f/2.0 lens and the company's own HS System in order to produce more satisfactory results in low light situations. It also touts an 8.4fps burst capture rate, an HD movie mode, HDMI output support, a Super Slow Motion movie mode (240fps) and a 3-inch rear LCD. Those who love riding the cutting edge will also appreciate the SDXC and Eye-Fi support, and if you're already sold on the $349.99 device, you simply need to choose between red, silver, black or a limited edition white. Commence pondering. %Gallery-92747%
Panasonic's AF100 Micro Four Thirds video camera considers itself 'professional'
We're not sure where Panasonic gets off calling its AG-AF100 a "professional" digital video camera. It's certainly not in the same class as RED or ARRI Alexa. It is, however, a very interesting video rig for shooting flicks on a budget with its Micro Four Thirds sensor and collection of micro 4/3 lenses, filters, and adapters. The AF100 records native 1080/24p using the AVC/ H.264 Hi Profile AVCHD codec to a pair of SD slots supporting both SDHC and newer SDXC removable media. The AVCCAM HD camcorder features a pair of XLR inputs, 48-kHz/16-bit two-channel digital audio recording, and supports LPCM/Dolby-AC3; it also packs USB 2.0, HD-SDI out, HDMI, a built-in stereo mic, and time code recording. So yeah, it won't record the next Hollywood blockbuster but it'll probably do fine by indie filmmakers without breaking the film school budget. Perhaps we'll better understand all this professional talk when Panny reveals its price in time for a year-end launch.
SanDisk ships 64GB Ultra SDXC card for $350
Here's hoping you didn't pull the trigger on of the world's first SDXC cards to ship, 'cause if so, you just paid a painful premium. Nary two months after Panasonic served up the first 32GB and 64GB SDXC cards to the masses, SanDisk has stepped in to ship its highest capacity Secure Digital card ever in the 64GB Ultra SDXC. Said device boasts a 15MB/sec read speed, a Class 4 speed rating and an exFAT file structure that helps you capture 1080p clips without any glitches or hangups. It's also based around the minty fresh SD 3.0 specification, so make sure that you pick up an SDXC reader or a device that specifically supports the format (you know, like ASUS' Eee PC T101MT). If you're finally ready to leap, this one's available now for the not-quite-reasonable price of $349.99, though if we were you, we'd wait for the rest of the competition to hit the ship button and drive down the MSRP.
ASUS gets official with swivel-screen multitouch Eee PC T101MT
Thanks to the oh-so-revealing pages of the FCC, we already knew that ASUS had yet another multitouch-enabled Eee PC in the works, but there's just nothing quite like the satisfaction of seeing an official portal launched to celebrate the reality of being. The Eee PC T101MT is a swivel-screen netvertible that packs a 10.1-inch resistive multitouch display (1,024 x 600), Windows 7, up to 2GB of DDR2 memory, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a 160GB or 320GB hard drive, 0.3 megapixel webcam and a 6.5 hour battery. You'll also get a VGA output, a trio of USB 2.0 sockets, Ethernet audio in / out, an SD / SDHC / SDXC card reader (nice!) 500GB of internet-accessible ASUS WebStorage and your choice of white or black. Per usual, there's nary of a mention of a price or release date just yet, but you can check out what fun awaits you in the demonstration video just past the break. %Gallery-85452%
Elecom introduces SDXC-compatible card reader, waits for you to afford SDXC cards
Panasonic's duo of SDXC cards should be shipping out this month, which means that you'll be needing a new card reader on the double. Of course, it's not like you're really about to pay upwards of $450 for 32GB of wicked fast Secure Digital storage (or $600 for the 64 gigger), but hey, it's hard to knock Elecom for being proactive. Said outfit has just released what looks to be the first multicard readers to openly support SDXC, with the MR-A001BK handling ten formats and the MR-A002 supporting a grand total of 32 -- some of which haven't been used regularly since Vikings ruled the north. Both are expected to ship in Japan later this month, with pricing set for ¥1,890 ($21) and ¥2,415 ($27) in order of mention.
