camera
Latest
Casio's Exilim EX-Z1000 10 megapixel shooter
Casio just gave a bump to the top-end of their Exilim Zoom line-up by introducing the 10.1 megapixel EX-Z1000. The Z1000 features the same anti-shake DSP and meager 3x zoom we saw in Casio's 8.1 megapixel Z850, but doubles the pixels count on the LCD to 230k. They also double the ISO sensitivity to a massive ISO 3200, (likely) just for show -- but let's hope that tiny 1/1.8 inch CCD can cut through the noise a bit better than Z850 can, eh? All this largenessing of the camera impacts the device's size as well, giving the case a bump by a few millimeters in all directions. Still, at 22.4-mm thin, she ain't no fatty. Hey Casio, how about some pricing and release date? Picture of the LCD on the flip.[Via Akihabara News]
Uno first game to support 360 camera
It looks like Uno for Xbox Live Arcade is the first game to have built in support for the yet-to-be-released Xbox 360 Camera. Video proof here (way to flout that NDA fellas). No word on whether the cam is used simply for communication purposes, or if it has some gameplay function. How cool would it be if it gave you a reason to break out your old Uno deck? [Thanks Andru]
Big Red One digicam debuts at NAB
So, Apple wasn't the only company with something big to show off at NAB today. Turns out that Red Digital Cinema, a company started by Oakley founder Jim Jannard, chose the venue to roll out the Red One, an HD camcorder that boasts 11.4 megapixels at up to 60fps. The camera is based around what the company calls the Mysterium CMOS, which we assume is made by Kodak, Sony or one of the other big sensor makers, though -- as made clear by the name -- Red is maintaining an air of mystery (we assume someone will pull the lens off one of these soon enough and solve this one, though). The camera also features an optional "Red Cage" -- designed, presumably, to protect it from hordes of digicam junkies eager to check it out, and has a big red HAL-like light on the front, presumably because Jannard and company think it looks slick (and it does look a lot better than most of Oakley's traditional gear). A mere $17,500 will get you one of these (if and when they're manufactured, that is), and a 300mm lens will set you back another $4,750. [Thanks, Henry]
iCamCU brings spy phone abilities to your Nokia
After entertaining ourselves for a few minutes by pronouncing "iCamCU!" in a joyous chorus, the novelty of the product quickly wore off, but we thought we'd share it just the same. Basically, the software-that-shall-not-be-named sets up your Nokia smartphone to take a picture when activated via text message, and then sends the pic to you via MMS. We're sure you can find uses for the software beyond the examples depicted, but it's always good to know that a $70 bit of software (not to mention two phones with service) can finally help you catch your dog at his crazy antics.[Via picturephoning.com]
Sony's Alpha DSLR brand
Following up on that farewell to Konica Minolta, Sony just announced their new D-SLR sub-brand hitting the streets this summer: Alpha. Yeah, Alpha as in "beginning" or "essential," not pre-beta instability (we hope). Sony will produce the complete camera system including the lenses (no Carl Zeiss?), accessories, CCD (hopefully not those CCDs) and CMOS imaging sensors, and other Sony imaging technologies. And like we already knew, the new Sony shooters will be compatible with Konica-Minolta lenses and accessories. That's it, we can all go back to waiting now for actual products to be announced. Oh, and we linked to the Sony Alpha website per the press release which is, er, down at the moment... "Alpha" indeed.Update: Thanks to everyone who pointed out that Minolta's SLRs were marketed in Asia under the Alpha brand. At this point, it looks likely that Sony will be using the brand globally, dropping Minolta's previous use of Maxxum (North America) and Dynax (Europe) branding for its SLRs. We'll let you know if we learn otherwise.[Via Sony]
Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FZ7 reviewed
PC Magazine just laid-out a postivie review on Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FZ7 six megapixel superzoom shooter. The reviewer fawned over the “excellent image” produced by this “very inexpensive” cam's “outstanding” VARIO-ELMARIT 12x optical zoom lens steadied by Panny’s MEGA Optical image stabilizer. The ability to shoot 640 x 480, 30fps video in both bright and low light with "little noise" was found to be “above average” -- especially in this price range. Yeah, there was some noticeable shutter lag and the non-articulating 2.5-inch LCD solarised when viewed from a sharp angle. Still, that didn’t stop PC Mag from slapping an Editor’s Choice, 4/5 rating on this $400ish $300ish cam when all was said and done.
HP's 8 megapixel Photosmart R927 reviewed
It's still seems a bit silly to be shooting 8 megapixel shots out of such a compact camera, but we're not going to stand in your way, and neither will HP with their flagship compact offering, the Photosmart R927. Besides the 8 megapixel CCD, the camera has a 3-inch LCD, along with HP specific software enhancements to help you get the most out of those 8 million pixels. The reviewer found the image quality solid, with "controlled noise" at ISO 400, good low light focusing, and HP's adaptive lighting functionality, though there were purple fringing problems that are evident when making large prints. The interface is easy enough for a grandparent to use, along with being easy to see on the 3-inch LCD. HP's image undelete, in-camera panorama stitching, and automatic red eye reduction software enhancements were all easy to use and fairly functional. After a brisk startup, the camera is a bit sluggish shot to shot, which is worsened by the red eye processing, but if you can deal with that, and the lack of an optical viewfinder or optical image stabilization, you might find this to be a pretty good cam for the roughly $400 price.
Ricoh Caplio R4 superzoom compact reviewed
Of course the first thing you notice about the Ricoh Caplio R4 six megapixel compact is how freakin' huge that lens is -- and luckily, at least according to Digital-Lifestyles, it knows how to use it. Equally impressive at both zoom extremes, the 28-200mm equivalent, 7.1x barrel of a lens includes handy features such as optical stabilization for negating hand shake on tight shots, and even an on-screen cursor for manually selecting the focus area in macro mode. Other nice touches include a skew-correction feature that adjusts non-level shots and and histogram function for technical types, but some issues with picture quality -- most notably visible banding in a few shots and significant noise at higher ISOs -- earned this model a good-but-not-great 84%. Still, the Ricoh definitely gets a thumbs up from D-L, and the sub-$450 pricetag won't break the bank.
Olympus' water/shockproof Mju Stylus 720SW reviewed
The 7 megapixel Mju Stylus 720SW from Olympus has some pretty steep claims, including waterproofing up to 10 feet deep and shockproofing for up to 5 foot drops, but does seem to live up to its claims and happens to be a pretty good camera to boot. Available in pink, silver, or blue, the camera's metal housing is the main story here, with claims to be the world's only shockproof digital camera. With all this banging around we would hope for some optical image stabilization, but the digital version seems to do a decent job. The pictures are generally low noise, the camera does a good job of focusing, and the small flash manages to light up an indoor scene quite well. The reviewer liked the 2.5-inch screen, though the resolution was a bit low, but found the workings of the camera to quite quick, and the camera body easy to use and comfortable to hold. You could easily find a 7 megapixel shooter for less than the 720SW's $410 asking price, but good luck with dropping one of those in the drink.
Sony Cybershot DSC-H2 reviewed
That 6 megapixel DSC-H2 announced last month just pulled a righteous first-look review over at HardwareZone. The H2, remember, is Sony's prosumer followup to the DSC-H1. If you liked the H1, then the H2 is sure to please with its higher megapixel count and better low-light imaging capabilities due to a high ISO 1000 sensor sensitivity and "Clear RAW" noise reduction technology. And Sony fanatics will be stoked to hear that Sony opted for a Carl Zeiss lens with that same 12x optical zoom boasted by the H1's in-house Sony lens. Throw in Sony's "Super SteadyShot" optical image stabilization and HardwareZone sez the DSC-H2 is "highly recommended" for travelers who prefer image quality and functionality over portability. And with macro shot focusing at 1-cm, the H2 makes a "fine camera that is ideal for most occasions." Look for these to drop any day now for about $400 beans.[Thanks, Rubylized]
360 cam to usher in home surveillance?
eHomeUpgrade.com has big plans for the forthcoming Xbox 360 USB camera. Forget video chat, face-mapping, snapshots, and motion-capture gaming ... what about home surveillance?! Wow.Imagine if you will, a network of wireless, motion-tracking cameras stationed throughout your home. Now imagine your Xbox 360 is the hub. And now, there you are, secure in your living room, clutching your controller and ... watching ... watching every twitch on your 42" plasma.
360 camera specs includes gesture recognition
Xbox360Galaxy.com got their hands on an Xbox 360 Camera flier intended for developer's from last month's Game Developer's Conference. Aside: Hey! I was there, I didn't see any fliers ... they must have been hidden. Yeah, hidden, that's the ticket.In addition to technical camera details (it has a 43° Field of View ... w00t?) the flier mentions the camera contains "features such as high quality video chat and video recording, high resolution image capture, gesture recognition, and more." We imagine gameplay along the lines of Sony's EyeToy games: arms waving, bodies jumping, hands swatting. Good times.Continue reading for my transcription of the flier.See also:Snapped! Xbox 360 camera caught on camera[Via digg]
Samsung gets their PMP-ish Digimax i6 out the door
We have yet to see quite how well Samsung's Digimax i6 compact shooter will hold up to PMP duties, but Samsung is billing it as the "world's first PMP slim camera," so hopefully it does something right. The 6 megapixel i6 is now available in Europe for £200, while US pre-orders are available at a reasonable $300. Along with your average camera features like a 2.5-inch LCD and a 3x optical zoom, the i6 includes a mini headphone jack for enjoying MP3 files, along with video playback capability for XviD files made using an included converter. Not exactly groundbreaking, but we can't fault this sexy, 0.7-inch thick shooter for trying.[Via SamsungHQ]
Kodak's Bluetooth camera module
We're not entirely sure of the purpose here, but Kodak filed with the FCC for a Bluetooth camera module that "is to be installed only by the professionals and used only with any product produced by Kodak." Yes, this thing's internal -- normally they'd just file for a camera with the radio, but this isn't the camera, this is the component. See why we're a little confused? So unless Kodak's going to start offering Bluetooth upgrades for their point-and-shoot cameras (which would arguably cost in parts and labor more than the camera itself), it's dubious this is anything more than a proof-of-concept for future, yet unearthed-in-the-FCC cameras, like the one in which the device appears to be implanted (that dual-lenser that sure as hell aint a V570, that much we can tell you).[Via MobileWhack]
Snapped! Xbox 360 camera caught on camera
We received some exclusive images this morning of the "Xbox Live Camera Demo Station" at Microsoft's recent XFEST event, held in Bellevue, Washington last month. Our tipster sent in shots and descriptions from the three different demos on display at the event: "Xbox Live Camera Video Chat", facial mapping software from digimask, even a tank game that incorporates video into the game! More below the fold.[Thanks, anonymous benefactor!]
Xbox 360 camera eyes EyeToy?
Will the Xbox 360 camera have tracking abiities similar to the Sony EyeToy and motion-sensitive Revolution controller? German blogger Erzengel360 dug up a recently updated Microsoft patent for "relative range camera calibration" that would seem to support the notion. Of course the PR cogs at MS told him the details of Project "Vision" will become clear at a later time.I assume nobody is going to complain about added functionality, especially if it allows you to flap your arms at a glorified webcam. What are your expectations for the 360 camera?[Thanks, Ebri]
Samsung Digimax L60, L85 cams feature HDMI
Looking to apply HDCP to your personal photos? Samsung says not a problem by intro'ing two digital shooters with HDMI interfaces. The L60 is a 6-megapixel cam, while the upscale L85 is good for 8-MPs; just perfect for viewing photos on a QuadHDTV in their native res.Normally we wouldn't cover digital cameras, but we wanted to emphasize these for the HDMI connectivity to illustrate how this interface is clearly key in the digital video space. Oh and we were just joshin' ya on the HDCP aspect; there's no mention of HDCP by Samsung. (Hmm....but is it lurking there in the interface anyway?)At this point, do you see HDMI on a camera to be overkill or could you find uses to tie your camera to a high-def DVR or TV?[via Engadget]
Presenting the Tinker Toy Steady DS Cam
One of our readers thought it might be a classy idea to share his recent exploits in the world of DS filmmaking with us. "I was trying to make some screen captures of the Ds game "Ossu! Tatakae! Ouendan! [sic], but the best way of doing so, would be to capture the whole thing on camera. The problem started when I needed to capture the video from above the DS. It had to be close enough so the camera could capture the video, I had to be able to see the DS and be able to play while taping."While this is hardly a dilemma for those of us with three or more hands, a solution had to be discovered or, in this case, intricately constructed. Grabbing some nearby tinker toys, he set to work on an incredible engineering marvel that would ultimately serve his video-capturing purposes. The end result is a rather colorful, but seemingly effective camera stand...thing. It even allows the camera a certain degree of movement, an absolutely vital feature when it comes to those majestic and sweeping overhead shots.You can view the final video (and ridiculous display of music-and-rhythm action) after you follow the link. [Thanks Forkchop!]
Apple Patent for Mixed Camera/Pixel Display
Sometimes I really hope Apple comes out with some of the things they file at the US Patent Office. One such example is this crazy cool "integrated sensing display" with mixed pixels and miniature cameras. [warning: patent images best viewed with Safari]In the patent filing itself, Apple denotes various ways imaging sensors could be embedded into a display, including the example I chose described as follows:"Integrating image capture devices into the displays can be done with varying degrees of intrusiveness, depending upon the type of display. FIG. 3A depicts an exemplary "track" housing scheme of integrating image elements 305 into a deep encased cell structure display 300 according to one embodiment of the invention. Each image element 305 is integrated into black strips 310, so that the spaces in-between each color cell 315 and 320 are used for both contrast enhancement and image capture."This display looks as though its final function would be similar to a sort of scanner or large CMOS or CCD, as well as be able to display images. Imagine being able to stick the display of your PDA on a surface and have the image of said surface (which then would be flipped from the mirror effect) displayed right on your screen. Why would this be more interesting than just having a webcam integrated into a laptop? Well for one, you would have a larger sensing field. Secondly a webcam is usually at the top of your screen, making it semi-annoying to carry on a video conversation with someone on the screen. Some other applications of arrays of cameras include after-the-fact virtual camera motion and time dilation (think Wachowski brothers and technologies invented for the Matrix). I'm not sure this Apple patent will be of a high enough resolution for these applications, but perhaps some inkling of virtual camera ability from the array will be integrated.I don't know if Apple will ever use this patented technology, but I sure hope they do. Feel free to participate in rumor mongering in the comments.[via the Mac Observer] [camera array from Stanford via Hack-A-Day Siggraph coverage]
Apple files patent for laptop with integrated camera
Yesterday, the Patent & Trademark Office revealed the contents of patent application 20050201047, which was filed by Apple, and contains a design for a laptop with a digital camera integrated into its lid. The patent itself reads: "The portable computer further includes a latch including a data capture device such as a camera that is configured to secure the lid to the base."Could it be a future iSight, built right into the computer itself? Or a low-res camera, similar to those built into many phones for snapping quick shots? Let the rumor-mongering begin![Via Macsimum]
