digital video camera
Latest
Exemode DV5000UW waterproof HD camcorder gives Steve Zissou a run for his money
Sure it's a truism, but when it comes to waterproof camcorders, you really get what you pay for. It looks like Exemode's latest offering in that space cuts corners in the looks department, but what the hell? You can't really argue with a hi-def (720p), 12 megapixel camcorder that sports USB, HDMI, and A/V (NTSC and PAL) output, 32MB on-board memory, SD card support, and a $150 price tag. Did we mention that it's waterproof?
Sony to release 'affordable' 35mm digital cinema camera to fend off RED and Panasonic
While RED ushered in the revolution, the camera wars are really just starting for the film industry, with Sony showing off at NAB today one of its upcoming 35mm (full frame) digital cinema cameras after ARRI hogged the spotlight last week. Sony's 35mm roadmap already had the industry atwitter, but news that the camera will be "affordable" is news indeed. Of course, affordable is a relative term: think in the $10k to $20k range, for a rough guess. What's great is that, with the addition of the Panasonic AF100 unveiled yesterday, it's clear that manufacturers are finally starting to glom onto this idea of taking these wonderful DSLR-style sensors and putting them into camcorder bodies. The 5D Mark II is great and all, but it was really just pointing to a bigger trend. The Sony camera is due to be released around this time next year, and you can check out a video of the unveil after the break.
ARRI's ALEXA busts out native ProRes recording, plans for RED smiting
It's taken three years, but one of the big boys may finally have an answer to the RED ONE camera -- the device that took the cinema world by storm in 2007 as the first affordable digital movie cam with a 35mm, full-frame sensor, 4k resolution, and rugged good looks. Venerable camera-maker ARRI has finally revealed both the full specs for its upcoming ALEXA digital camera and reconfirms Hollywood's propensity for over-capitalization. Regarding the specs, you can color us impressed. The ALEXA is something of a follow up to the ARRIFLEX D-21, the company's first foray into digital cams, but besides writing data in 0s and 1s the two cameras share little in common. ARRI is positioning the ALEXA to compete directly with the RED ONE (and forthcoming EPIC and SCARLET cameras), so you can expect a price point in the sub-$60k range. Besides the low price tag (for a professional movie camera), a few newly-announced features may have indie-shooters on a budget thinking hard about picking up an ALEXA for their next bit-crafted, cinematic yarn. We'll break it down for you after the break.
Medion's S47000 sports camera shoots HD video, ain't too pretty
Finally a product that integrates an MP3 player with a Flip-style digital video camera! Of course, we're talking about Medion's S47000 Digital HD Sports Camera, which counts among its many charms: h.264 video recording, 2x digital zoom, a whopping 1MP still camera, HDMI out, and 90MB storage (though there is an SD card slot, for what it's worth). Tempted? Didn't think so. As for us, we're not shelling out £100 ($165) on anything without a pedometer. [Via Oh Gizmo]
Exemode rolls out cheapo DV580HD camcorder
It looks like the budget-minded folks at Exemode are back for one more go 'round, and they're now bumping things up into HD territory with their new DV580HD camcorder. While we obviously can't vouch for its overall quality, the camera will apparently let you record 720p video onto SDHC cards up to 8GB (or 32MB of internal memory in a pinch), or capture still images at up to 8 megapixels, although it seems you'll have to make do without an optical zoom of any sort. On the upside, it does only cost €155 (or about $220), and it says "HD" in big shiny letters, so it can't be all bad.[Via Akihabara News]
Toshiba intros Camileo Pro digital video camera
Toshiba looks set to release a new digital video camera for those interested in a little point and shoot action, with its new Camileo Pro offering some slight advantages over the previous plain old Camileo. This one boasts a 7 megapixel sensor, according to Le Journal du Geek, and will capture 640 x 480 video in either MPEG-4 or AVI formats, with a 2.5-inch LCD, 3x optical zoom, SD card slot, and 64MB of internal storage rounding out the specs. While there doesn't appear to be any word of a North America release, those in Europe will be able to get their hands on one for 199€ ($268).
Persides announces ruggedized, waterproof VEEcam
British manufacturer Persides has announced a new digital video camera for those in need of something that can take a bit more abuse than your run-of-the-mill DV cam, with its VEEcam catering to the military and extreme sports crowds alike. Likely to appeal to the latter of those two is the detachable camera module that can be affixed to your helmet, with the video output on the main unit's 2.4-inch LCD. Supposedly, you'll be able to record between four and eight hours of "DVD quality" video (depending on the model), although the company isn't specifying what that translates to in gigabytes. It also isn't getting very specific with a release date, only saying that it'll come out sometime this summer for around £800 (about $1,600).
