cameras
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New Flip cams to launch in early April?
The details are slim to none on this one, but we're all about a good pocket cam rumor. According to the usually-reliable Business Insider Cisco will launch a new set of Flip camcorders around the NAB show which runs from April 12-15, but we don't have any specs yet. Come on Cisco, now you've got us guessing not only about the future of the Internet, but also if your newest Flip will support 1080p. Told you we didn't know much, but we'll obviously be keeping an eye out for more.
Samsung prices TL500, TL350, AQ100 and SL605 shooters
Samsung has just visited a bunch of data sheets upon us, and we've drawn out a few as yet unknown numerals regarding pricing and availability of the shooters it showed off at PMA this year. The TL500 above, swiveling AMOLED screen and all, will set buyers back $449 this spring when it'll be joined by its junior sibling, the TL350, which will cost $349. Both shooters offer RAW support and dual image stabilization, though funnily enough the cheaper 350 model offers 1080p video recording whereas the gaudier TL500 makes do with 640 x 480. If you're after something a bit more durable, the scratch-proof and rubberized SL605 will set you back only $129, while the all-weather AQ100 gets a $199 sticker, with both expected in that same spring release window. Phew, aren't you glad you know all that now?
Canon rolls out four new colorful PowerShot compact cams
Canon's just gone and busted out four new cameras in its point and shoot PowerShot line. Up first the PowerShot Sx210 IS boasts a 14.1 megapixel sensor, a 28mm wide-angle lens with 14x optical zoom, a 3-inch LCD, and can shoot HD video. The SX210 IS will come in black, purple and gold. The PowerShot SD3500 IS also packs a 14.1 megapixel sensor, with a 24mm ultra wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD. The PowerShot SD3500 IS will come in black, silver and pink. The PowerShot SD1400 IS similarly has a 14.1 megapixel sensor, with 28mm lens and 4x optical zoom, but this little guy is less than an inch thick, and will be available in pink, orange, silver and black. Finally the PowerShot SD1300 IS has a 12.1 megapixel resolution, with a 28mm wide angle lens and 4x optical zoom, and a 2.7-inch LCD. It'll be available in silver, pink, green, blue and brown. The SX210 will be available in late March for $349.99, while the SD3500 IS, The SD1400 IS, and the SD1300 IS will arrive in late February (that's this month!) for $329.99, $249.99 and $199.99, respectively. Full press release is after the break. %Gallery-84939%
Panasonic churns out DMC-FX66, DMC-TS2, DMC-ZS5, DMC-ZS7 and DMC-ZR3 Lumix compacts
Panasonic's just announced quite a handful of Lumix compact cameras, featuring both the new Venus Engine VI and Venus Engine HD II that claim to perform quicker with better noise reduction. What's more exciting is that these are all compatible with the forthcoming SDXC cards too, but check out their "Happy Mode" -- it makes photos "more vivid and true to the color of the scene you memorized." Yeah, as if we'd want photos that are more, um, real. Anyway, let's break it down here (clockwise from top left; non-US model numbers in brackets): DMC-FX66: This one's a 14.1 megapixel slim camera with an F2.8-5.9 25-125mm (5x zoom) ultra-wide-angle lens (with Power O.I.S lens-shift stabilization). The 720p video capture and 1.06 second start-up time are sweet too, but no AVCHD Lite here. On the back there's a 2.7-inch 230k-dot screen with wide viewing angle. All this is just 5.11 ounces including battery. DMC-TS2 (FT2): This camera has a lot in common with the FX66 above -- same sensor, same image stabilization, same scene modes (but with three extra), same focus modes and same screen. The main differences are its AVCHD Lite 720p video format, F3.3-5.9 28-128mm (4.6x) lens and added ruggedness -- waterproof to 10m, shockproof to 2m, freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit and dustproof. It's of course slightly heavier too -- 6.63 ounces including battery. DMC-ZS5 (TZ8) and DMC-ZS7 (TZ10): These two appear to be twins, except the former has a smaller screen (2.7-inch with 230k dots instead of 3-inch with 460k dots) and lacks GPS, AVCHD Lite and mini-HDMI port. Both do 12.1 megapixel pictures and 720p videos, have F3.3-4.9 25-300mm (12x) lens with lens-shift stabilization, and have identical scene and focus modes. With battery these weigh 7.55 ounces and 7.69 ounces respectively. DMC-ZR3 (ZX3): Whoa! Another 14.1 megapixel camera which does AVCHD Lite. The specs are almost identical to the TS2 except for the lens (F3.3-5.9 25-200mm 8x ultra-wide-angle) and lack of ruggedness. It weighs 5.61 ounces with battery. Phew! No prices or availability announced yet, so take your time with picking out your favorite.%Gallery-83904%
Samsung and Kodak put an end to patent squabbles
It looks like Kodak and Samsung's 'patent squabble' can be attributed to misplaced affection. According to some newly minted PR, the companies have inked a technology cross-license that will allow each access to the other's portfolio. Details are scarce, but apparently Sammy has already made a payment to Kodak as credit towards the royalties it will owe once it dives into the classic imaging company's back catalog. And how about all that alleged patent infringement? The lovebirds have agreed to file joint requests to terminate proceedings and settle their lawsuits against each other, heralding a new era of peace, love, and cooperation -- a great way to begin a new decade, don't you think? Chuck Woolery, you've done well. PR after the break.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-CS1 hands-on: a full 1080p camcorder in your pocket
At first glance, the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CS1 is thin. Really thin. We got to play around with the tiny camcorder, and fell in love with the form factor. It's much thinner than our older Xacti, and we had no problem slipping it into our pocket -- though getting out the door of Sanyo's meeting room with it was another matter altogether. Wait, did we mention it's thin? %Gallery-82323%
Sony's camera and camcorder lineup spotted at CES (video)
We swung by Sony's gloomy CES booth to check out their new camcorders and cameras for 2010. Fresh on the Handycam menu were the SDHC-loving CX and XR series camcorders (pictured above), and we saw some nice demos of their Optical SteadyShot (mesmerizing video after the break) and wide angle G lens. The tapeless AX2000 professional video camera was also present further down the table, sporting dual memory card slots. On the other table we encountered the Bloggie and the rest of the 2010 Cyber-shot lineup in several colors. Aww, what a sweet family. %Gallery-82133%
Samsung NX10 hybrid HD-capable camera hands-on
Do you lust for the convenience and pocket-ability of a point-and-shoot digicam but yearn for the power of a DSLR? If you're one of the many in this previously underserved crowd, you'll go crazy for the Samsung NX10. Our hands felt right at home on the camera body, which was just the right size for our tastes. That 3-inch AMOLED display around back is a thing of pure beauty, and it's sure to make any other DSLR owner green with envy. As if that wasn't enough, it does 720p video and boasts an HDMI out. Yeah, we know you want one. %Gallery-82034%
Rollei rolls out Flexline 100 inTouch digital camera
Well, isn't this the cutest thing you've seen since Macaulay Culkin slapped his cheeks in Home Alone? Rollei's just outed its latest digital camera offering, the slim little (15.6-mm) Flexline inTouch. This wonder-inducing little guy boasts a 10 megapixel CCD sensor, 3x optical zoom, face detection, plus integrated image-processing feature for on-the-go retouching. It's also got a great-looking 3-inch LCD touchscreen display and can take up to 30 shots per second. It'll be available in blue, silver, and glittery metallic pink (hooray!), and you can get one this month for about €199 -- or about $286. There's one more captivating shot after the break.
Liquid Image outs Summit Series Snow Camera goggles ahead of CES
Liquid Image has just announced new camera-equipped ski masks, swimming goggles and scuba masks, just in time for them to be unveiled at CES 2010. The Summit Series Snow Camera Goggle 335 boasts a 5MP still camera capable of shooting D1 720 x 480 resolution video at 30 frames per second with audio. It's got 16MB of built-in flash memory, expandable to 16GB via its microSD / SDHC slot. Other features include large buttons on the side of the goggles which are easy to press while wearing gloves and a light inside the goggles which indicates when recording. The goggles are estimated to get about 2,200 still images or over 2 hours of video per charge on their lithium ion battery. Liquid Image expects to ship the Summit Series goggles in the summer of 2010, with a price of $149. Full press release is after the break
Art Lebedev's Transparentius eliminates opacity, improves road safety
Kudos where it's due: not many design houses use tanks in their illustrations of a new road safety concept. Transparentius, as with most good ideas, is remarkably simple -- you jack a camera onto the front of a truck, or lorry as they're known in some places, and then project that image onto the back of your hulking transporter. The effect of this is to render the truck figuratively transparent for the driver behind, who is enriched with a lot more information about what lies on the road ahead. No word on how the rear projection is achieved or how sunlight glare is overcome, but knowing Art Lebedev, you can bet both challenges are solved in the most unaffordable fashion possible. Anyhow, now that you've got the idea, we're throwing this one over to you dear mod-loving friends -- can you build this without remortgaging the house? [Thanks, Dennis]
Kodak wins preliminary ruling in patent squabble with Samsung
Good old December, the busiest time of the year for elves, reindeer, jolly old fat guys... and lawyers, apparently. Joining the rush to make momentous decisions before Santa arrives, the International Trade Commission has made a preliminary ruling in favor of Kodak in its dispute over digital camera patents with Samsung. Though the original lawsuit included LG, an out of court settlement has left only Sammy in the firing line, and this early decision has affirmed that two of Kodak's patents were infringed in the production of its cameraphones. It's still necessary for the full commission to look at and approve the judgment, but considering Samsung's vast range of camera-equipped phones, we'd throw legal caution to the wind and start bombarding the ITC with "holiday cheer" pronto.
Big Shot camera kit could help turn your kid on to the dark world of the teardown
Pardon us while we freely admit that we have literally no idea what's going on inside a camera -- whether it's digital or those quaint film-based ones you hear about from your grandma. Luckily, our own kids might not have to suffer as we have: a group at the Computer Vision Laboratory at Columbia University have designed and built a prototype digital camera that should demystify the devices. The Big Shot digital camera kit, if / when it hits the market, will be a box of all the necessary parts for kids to be able to build their own simple, candy-colored digital camera. While the Big Shot is still in prototype testing phase, we really hope this gadget (and more like it) makes it to the market sometime soon.
Digital camera inventor Steve Sasson collects honorary PhD, Economist award
If there's one thing we know about geeks, it's that they hate having nothing to do. Bill Gates has filled his spare time collecting knighthoods and Harvard degrees, and Steve Sasson -- inventor of the first, and assuredly biggest, digital camera -- is now following in his distinguished footsteps. Sasson perfected a microwave oven-sized 0.01 megapixel prototype while working for Kodak way back in 1975, and has now been awarded an honorary PhD for his troubles from the University of Rochester. The man, the geek, and the legend (all the same person) will be in London later today receiving further recognition, in the form of The Economist's Innovation Award, which commends the "seismic disruption" his invention caused in the field of consumer photography. Funny, nobody gives us any awards for being disruptive. Read - University of Rochester honorary doctorate Read - The Economist Innovation Award
iPhone usage metric for Flickr drops big time
We've posted before how popular the iPhone is as a camera on Flickr, with people uploading tons of photos, both shot by and straight from the iPhone. But now, The Next Web has covered a huge drop in photos referencing the iPhone over on the popular photo sharing site. The suspected culprit? Flickr themselves. TNW suggests that the problem is the Flickr iPhone application, which will upload pictures straight to the service -- but not include metadata information like the fact that the pictures were taken with the iPhone. Still, even they sound a little skeptical: not all of that drop can be attributed to just the Flickr app's shortcomings. They also suggest that the iPhone is wearing out its welcome -- lots of people jumped to use it as a camera when the 3GS introduced a better lens and the video capability, and now in day-to-day use, they're not using it as much. Other commenters to the post suggest that the vastly improved Facebook app may be eating away at the use of the built-in Camera app. I know that my photo habits for the phone haven't changed -- I use the iPhone quite a bit to take pictures, but looking at my own usage, I don't use Flickr nearly as much these days, as I use services like Twitpic and other sites built up directly around the iPhone. A drop in usage on Flickr doesn't mean people aren't using their iPhones to take snapshots -- they could just be sending their photos and media somewhere else. Update: One of our commenters, echoed by our old friend & past colleague Barb Dybwad at Mashable, notes that Apple's change to the EXIF data recording for iPhone photos (breaking out the different iPhone models to indicate which specific phone took the picture) may be partly responsible for the drop.
Canon EOS 7D now official, coming end of September for $1,899
Now everyone pretend to be surprised here. Canon's gone official with what everyone has already seen and read about in detail, the EOS 7D. Specs look to be exactly what we heard, too: 18 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with 8 frames per second continuous shooting, 1080p 24fps HD video with full manual control, a 3-inch LCD, 19-point AF system, and wireless flash control. Mum's still the word on pricing and availability, though. Hit up the read link for the full press release, as well as some hands-on impressions care of Digital Photography Review. Update: Canon's press release has now gone live. Price is $1,699 body-only or $1,899 with an EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens, and target launch is set for end of September. Read - Press release Read - Hands-on
Sony's CyberShot DSC-HX1 camera gets official, coming March for $500
Sony has finally shown its cards for PMA this year, and that Ten of Clubs up its sleeve looks to be the CyberShot DSC-HX1 we heard about last week. According to the presser, it's the company's first digital camera with sweep panorama technology for up to 224-degree horizontal and 154-degree vertical panorama shots with the push of a button. It's also sporting a 20x optical zoom, 1/2.4-inch Exmor CMOS sensor for 10 frames per second at 9.1 megapixel resolution, a Sony G lens and 1080p HD movie recording. Look for it this March for around five Benjamins.
The hardware behind delivering Super Bowl XLII in HD
If you'll recall, we took an in-depth look at exactly what it took to deliver Super Bowl XL to the masses, and just days after Super Bowl XLII concluded, we're now finding out what hardware is to thank for bringing Super Bowl XLII to (most of) us in glorious high-definition. Reportedly, the bulk of the praise should be directed to mobile production company Game Creek, which brought six HD production trucks and 25 HD cameras to Glendale for the big game. Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Also on location was an HD vehicle from NEP Supershooters that featured a Sony BVP900 and 950 HD cameras alongside a plethora of switching equipment and audio consoles. Needless to say, there was more kit at this single game than can be covered here, so go on and hit the read link below to get a better understanding of just how massive the production process really is.
BenQ's emaciated 8 megapixel DSC X800: just barely three-dimensional
It may not be the biggest name in consumer electronics, but when it comes to stuffing megapixels into ridiculously-skinny packages, there aren't many out there who do it better than BenQ. Case in point is the new eight megapixel DSC X800, which, at just 9.8 millimeters at its thinnest point (14mm at its fattest), is not only slimmer than the recently-announced DC X835, it even gives the company's trimmest seven megapixel shooter, the 12.5-millimeter DC X725, a run for its money. Besides its pocketability, however, this model doesn't offer much in the way of high-end features: 3x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, digital image stabilization, VGA movie mode, and a rather non-standard microSD slot are par for the course here. Keep reading after the break for another angle / color combo of the as-yet-unpriced shooter, which should be shipping sometime this quarter.[Via Slashgear]
Matsushita battery plant fire delays Pentax cam
Not content with simply destroying our laptops and cellphones, those evil little lithium ion packs have just escalated the human-battery conflict once again by sacrificing many of their number to lay waste to an entire building. Actually, it's not clear what started the fire at Matsushita's Li-ion plant in western Japan on September 30th, although we suspect a cadre of malcontents decided to self-detonate after taking a cue from their comrades at Sony. What is clear is that an unnamed Pentax digital camera -- probably one of the recently-announced Optios -- will be delayed because of the fire, with its launch being pushed from next month to February of next year. Hitting us in the gadget, right where it hurts: smart move, clever foes, smart move.
