pointandshoot
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Samsung shoves 10x optical zoom into HZ1 point-and-shoot
Had enough from Cologne? Nah, we didn't think so, so we'll happily pass along Samsung's latest compact from Photokina 2008. The pocket-friendly HZ1 doesn't look too outrageous at first glance, but closer inspection reveals that it's packing a mighty fine 10x optical zoom. You'll also find face detection technology and dual image stabilization, and word on the street also claims a 720p movie mode. Sadly, there aren't any details on price or availability, but we can definitely see this one moving quite briskly from store shelves whenever it lands.[Via PhotographyBLOG]
Olympus trots out 8-megapixel FE-360 and FE-370 digital cameras
Look out, world -- we're not so certain you're ready to behold the greatness of Olympus' latest duo. In all seriousness, we're not so certain you'll be able to stay awake as we explain the details, but stay up and you just may run across something you're into. The FE-360 and FE-370 point-and-shoots each include an 8-megapixel sensor, face detection, image stabilization, a video mode and an xD card slot. There's also a bundled attachment that enables the use of microSD cards, but we're assuming the all-but-forgotten xD slot is kept in there to stroke a suit's ego somewhere up the chain. Anywho, the two differ in the optical zoom category (3x on the FE-360, 5x on the FE-370) and LCD size (2.5-inches versus 2.7-inches). Each shooter will arrive in a variety of hues and will hit the UK market for £129.99 ($242) / £179.99 ($334) next month.[Via DigitalCameraInfo]
Fujifilm gets official with FinePix F60fd and friends
Not that we weren't already aware of the FinePix F60fd, but it -- alongside the S2000HD, J150w, J120, J110w and J100 -- was just made official courtesy of Fujifilm. As for the aforementioned F60fd, it's packin' a 12-megapixel CCD sensor, 25MB of internal memory, an xD / SD / SDHC card slot, VGA movie mode, 3x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD monitor and USB 2.0 connectivity. If you're looking for technical pizazz, the 10-megapixel S2000HD is the one to eye, sporting a 15x optical zoom and a video out port. You can take a peek at the rest of the ho hum crowd in the links below.Read - S2000HDRead - F60fdRead - J150wRead - J120Read - J110wRead - J100
Sony introduces Cyber-shot DSC-T700 and DSC-T77 digicams
Don't look now, but your point-and-shoot is about to get a whole lot smarter if it's rockin' a DSC-T700 or DSC-T77 label. Starting with the latter (which is Sony's thinnest model at less than 5/8 of an inch), you'll find a 10-megapixel sensor, ISO up to 3,200, eleven scene modes, in-camera image management, face detection and a 3-inch touchscreen to boot. Moving on, the brainy DSC-T700 does everything the T77 does but throws in 4GB of internal storage and a 3.5-inch LCD -- you know, so you can have a "photo album in your pocket." Both units sport a Carl Zeiss lens, 4x optical zoom, image stabilization and even an anti-blink function that snaps two successive shots if it notices anyone dozing during the capture. Also of note, the T700 packs a Picture Motion Browser application that "lets you downsize images from full-resolution to VGA and export them back to the camera's internal photo album." A bit gimmicky, sure, but a welcome addition nonetheless. Look for the T77 to land in brown, green, pink, black and silver in late September for about $300, while the T700 hits around the same time in red, champagne gold, pink, dark gray and silver for a Benjamin more.Update: Gallery added. Inexplicably, no pics of that biggie 3.5-inch backside LCD were provided by Sony.Update 2: Nabbed us a back-side photo of that hugeazz LCD. [Thanks, Sony Insider]%Gallery-29196%
Pentax rolls out another yawner: the 10MP M60 point-and-shoot
If the E60 had you dozing last night, you'll be conked out in no time by the time you finish reading this. Pentax is at it again, proving that point-and-shoot cameras can still be boring this day and age. The M60 tries to be fancy with a 10-megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD monitor, "approximately 36.5MB of built-in memory," movie / panorama modes, a variety of scene modes and smile detection capabilities to boot. Expect this one to arrive late next month in blue, pink and silver for around £90 ($179).[Via PhotographyPress]
Panasonic pushes out 14.7MP DMC-FX150 pocket shooter
Taking the wraps off of three cameras at once just isn't good enough for Panasonic, so how's about a fourth? The pocket-friendly LUMIX DMC-FX150 arrives in a trio of stylish hues (black, gold and silver) and features an admittedly absurd 14.7-megapixel sensor, 28-millimeter wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens, a 3.6x optical zoom and a host of manual controls to boot. This shooter can also capture shots in RAW format, and the usual suspects -- you know, red-eye correction, optical image stabilizer, face detection, intelligent ISO, etc. -- are all there. If this one fits the bill, expect to receive one of your own for $399.95 when picking it up next month.[Via Impress]
Panasonic reveals DMC-FZ28 megazoom, DMC-LX3 and DMC-FX37
Shortly after Samsung unveiled its summer stable of cameras, along comes Panasonic with a new trio of its own. Kicking things off is the zoom-infatuated DMC-FZ28, which features a remarkable 18x optical zoom, 10.1-megapixel sensor, Intelligent Auto Mode, Auto Focus and a 27-millimeter wide-angle lens. Moving on, we see the DMC-LX2's rightful successor -- the unimaginatively named LX3 -- which lands in August alongside the aforementioned FZ28. Said shooter packs a 10.1-megapixel sensor, F2.0 24mm LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens and the ability to capture 720p movies at 24fps. Bringing up the rear is the pocket-friendly LUMIX DMC-FX37 (due in September), which touts a 25mm ultra wide-angle LEICA DC lens, 10.1-megapixel sensor (are you sensing a trend?), a 5x optical zoom and 720p movie mode. Ready for the sting(s)? Try $449.99, $499.95 and $349.95 in order of mention.[Via LetsGoDigital]Read - DMC-FZ28Read - DMC-LX3Read - DMC-FX37
Samsung gets official with 14.7MP TL34HD point-and-shoot
So the rumor mill wasn't too far off on this one: Samsung is indeed cranking out a 14.7-megapixel point-and-shoot, but the US name will be TL34HD. While it's hard to say if nearly 15-megapixels in a shooter this size is overkill (though signs are pointing to "yes"), users will also find a Schneider lens with a 28mm wide-angle focal length and 3.6x optical zoom to complement the 3-inch VGA monitor around back. Furthermore, the cam features a 720p movie mode at 30fps, and you'll likely be thrilled to know that the movie stabilizer and optical zoom can be used while logging clips. Check out the full array of specs after the jump, and feel free to try one yourself this September for $329.95. %Gallery-27774%
Canon's PowerShot SD1100 IS gets reviewed
Like pretty much every other Digital ELPH preceding it, Canon's flagship SD1100 IS garnered nothing but the utmost praise in a recent Imaging-Resource review. Okay, so maybe critics did kvetch about slight noise at ISO 800, a somewhat confusing interface, and a not-particularly-useful digital zoom, but this point-and-shoot managed to get it right in the areas that matter most. Build quality and design were both smiled upon, the image stabilization performed as advertised and the image quality was deemed "excellent." Of note, they did find very minor chromatic aberration in the wide angle shots, but considering the size of this shooter, results were seen as fantastic. Overall, it looks like Canon has produced yet another winner in the pocket-friendly camera department, but feel free to take a gander at the in-depth review waiting in the read link below.
Samsung NV40 point-and-shoot gets reviewed
Don't sweat it, we're not going to quiz you on the specs from Samsung's NV40 -- after all, this puppy was introduced way back in January of the year 2008. Nevertheless, the 10-megapixel shooter has finally arrived at PhotographyBLOG's labs for review, so let's dive right in. Simply put, the NV40 isn't a revolutionary step above the NV20, though that wasn't seen as necessarily bad. It was noted that the image stabilization worked quite well, but captures were still noticeably noisy even at ISO 200. The unit itself felt like a premium product, and the Smart Touch interface was highly praised, but reviewers just couldn't find a way to stomach the £199 ($385) price tag with such disappointing image results. Check out the full review for yourself before passing judgment, but it sounds like Sammy just barely missed the mark with this one.
Casio's Exilim EX-Z200 gets reviewed
Casio's Exilim EX-Z200, which broke cover at CES earlier this year, has been taken in to review by the shutterbugs over at PhotographyBLOG. Sporting a 10-megapixel sensor, 4x optical zoom and a 28-millimeter wide-angle lens, this pocket-friendly point-and-shoot proved to be a love / hate affair in its finest form. Despite being loaded with features and relatively easy to operate, the Z200 still delivered subpar image quality; more specifically, noise and smearing of fine details were quite evident even at ISO 200, purple fringing was obvious in high-contrast scenes and the painfully slow shutter speed left critics woefully underwhelmed. Overall, the digicam seemed to stumble in the areas that matter most, and with the plethora of alternatives out there, it sounds as if your hard-earned dollars could be better used elsewhere.[Thanks, Mark]
Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FS20 point-and-shoot gets reviewed
It hasn't even been a full month since Panasonic's PMA lineup was revealed, but the folks over at PhotographyBLOG have already had a chance to put the succulent Lumix DMC-FS20 through a series of paces. Upon whipping this shooter out, it was immediately praised for having a 4x wide-angle zoom and and a very pocket-friendly design, and thankfully for those looking into picking one up, the good news didn't stop there. Small niggles such as the lack of a true optical viewfinder and noticeable noise at high ISOs were overshadowed with buckets of compliments. Put simply, the cam was seen as "almost identical to the FX55" (albeit at a lower price point), and overall, it managed to snag 4.5 out of 5 twinkling stars from the powers that be.
Voigtlaender kicks out Vitoret 73 digital camera
If you thought Kodak's EasyShare C813 was a bore, get a load of this. Thankfully, the Voigtlaender Vitoret 73 does boast one of the more exotic names in the digital camera industry, so yeah, there's that. As for specs, you'll find a 7-megapixel sensor, 3-inch LCD monitor, 320 x 240 resolution video mode, 22MB of free internal storage, an SD expansion slot, 3x optical zoom, red-eye reduction, PictBridge support and USB connectivity. As we've come to expect with this firm, you'll find yourself wondering who would actually hand over €149 ($219) for such a paltry set of features, but apparently its marketing team knows a thing or two that we don't.
Kodak offers up EasyShare C813 point-and-shoot
We hope you weren't counting on Kodak to get you all amped up about this one, because its EasyShare C813 is about as ho hum as they get. This fantastically average point-and-shoot sports a been-there-done-that design, an 8.2-megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, 2.4-inch LCD monitor, ISO up to 1,250, 16MB of internal storage space and an SD / MMC expansion slot. Furthermore, you can capture video in Motion JPEG format at VGA (15fps) or QVGA (30fps), and considering that it runs on just a pair of AA cells, you won't have to worry over losing a proprietary battery. If you're still with us, you can call the C813 yours for $119.95 (or less on the street) -- just don't expect it to spice up your life, cool?[Via LetsGoDigital]
Ricoh's new Caplio RR770 sports 3-inch LCD
Continuing its trend of pushing out evolutionary -- rather than revolutionary -- digital cameras, Ricoh has just introduced the new Caplio RR770, a model barely distinguishable from the now two-generations-old RR730. Just as the move from the 730 to the RR750 brought with it little more than a minor resolution bump, the 7.16 megapixel RR770 improves upon its predecessor by simply upgrading the LCD to a 3-incher -- but retaining the ho hum 3x optical zoom and limited scene selections of Caplios past. Price and release are currently shrouded in mystery, but don't expect to spend much more than $250 on this unremarkable shooter.
Nikon Coolpix P5100 gets reviewed
Merely months after cranking out the P5000, Nikon apparently felt the need to up the ante rather hastily with the Coolpix P5100. Unfortunately, it seems that this unit is yet another shining example of why stuffing a 12-megapixel sensor into a compact camera isn't exactly the greatest of ideas. Granted, the image quality here was noticeably better than that produced by the Fujifilm FinePix F50fd, but performance was sorely lacking when using any ISO greater than 400. Despite that shortcoming, reviewers were quite enthralled by the on board controls and overall ergonomics, and it was also noted that most shots could be brought "under control" with a bit of tinkering. Overall, the crew went ahead and awarded the shooter four out of five stars, suggesting that its reasonable pricetag was much to thank. If you've been eying this one from a distance, you owe it to yourself to check out the full review before pulling the trigger or just blowing it off.
Fujifilm's FinePix F50fd point-and-shoot reviewed
Unfortunately, everybody's worst fear about the FinePix F50fd seems to be true -- according to a recent review over at PhotographyBLOG, anyway. Apparently, stuffing a 12-megapixel sensor into this pocket-friendly digicam wasn't exactly the most intelligent idea, as reviewers found the picture quality to be downright disappointing. Particularly in low-light situations, the camera faltered mightily, and images captured at ISO speeds of 800 - 6,400 were deemed practically "unusable." Granted, the crew did note that it was expecting tremendous results from the highly-regarded F31fd's successor, but aside from the "excellent face detection system" and the included aperture / shutter priority modes, there just wasn't much here to fall in love with. 'Tis a shame, really, and unless pristine image quality somehow isn't your top priority (is that crickets we hear?), you'll probably need to look elsewhere.
Samsung's NV20 point-and-shoot gets reviewed
Samsung's NV20 may have taken on a slightly different look compared to most of its competitors, but the feature set is still mighty impressive on paper. For those who've been on the fence, PhotographyBLOG managed to spend some quality time with the shooter, but reviewers didn't exactly fall in love. It was stated that the new sensor in the NV20 actually "made the image quality worse [than that of the NV10]," and while one may have hoped for big changes, this one "didn't improve on the previous generation of NV cameras." The actual interface, however, was given loads of praise, but as we all know, it's the results that really matter. In the end, the device was awarded 3.5 out of 5 stars, but it was unfortunately dubbed a shining example of "style over substance."
Canon's 12-megapixel SD950 IS review roundup
You've had a moment to ponder over that SD870 purchase, so how's about yet another option, cool? On the docket today is Canon's SD950 IS (IXUS 960 IS elsewhere in the world), which packs an awful lot of megapixels into a pocket-friendly shell. As expected from Canon's SD lineup, this one fared pretty well throughout, garnering praise for its sleek design, superb image quality, effective optical image stabilization / face detection and sturdy feel. The only real knocks came from the less-than-perfect noise performance, slower than expected startup / image capture and the admittedly lofty pricetag. Granted, this one should be close to ideal for poster printers needing a camera minuscule enough to reside in a rear pocket, but for the rest of us, one of Canon's "lower" models should fit the bill (and our budgets) a bit better.Read - CNET (7.8 out of 10)Read - PhotographyBLOG (4 out of 5; Recommended)Read - Good Gear Guide (4.25 out of 5)
BenQ intros the DC-X735 ultra-slim camera
BenQ has been firing on all cylinders lately, dropping more projectors, cameras, and Intel-based MIDs then you can shake a stick at (trust us, we've tried to shake a variety of sticks at them). Joining the fold today is the DC-X735 compact digital camera, a sleek little shooter which looks conspicuously similar to the company's recently release T800. Regardless, the 7.2-megapixel camera does it up with a 2.5-inch LCD display, 3 x zoom (4 x on the digital side), ISO to 6400 (in Movie Mode), MPEG4 video recording, and an SDHC slot for up to 4GBs of storage. The camera comes in "Vixen-red" or "Midnight-black" paint jobs, so you can match it to your handbag (provided your color schemes are based on The Masquerade), and will be available this month for an indeterminate amount of cold, hard cash.[Via PhotographyBLOG]
