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Samsung's WiFi-enabled CL80 adds touch of AMOLED to 14MP sensor
Samsung's AMOLED obsession continues unabated as it has just taken the official wraps off the 3.7-inch touchscreen-equipped CL80. Already well detailed in an earlier leak, this shooter crams a 7x optical zoom lens plus WiFi and Bluetooth antennae inside one of those unreasonably thin enclosures that are all the rage these days. It's the twenty-teens now, so naturally you get a jumbo 14.2 megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization as well as a 720p movie mode. Coming out this spring, the CL80 has already garnered a 2010 CES Innovation Award, but if you can settle for a 3.5-inch conventional LCD and do without the wireless options, Samsung will sell you the otherwise identical TL240 at a presumably more affordable price point this February. Dive past the break for the full PR and specs. %Gallery-81298%
Casio busts out updated Exilim point and shoots
Casio's just outed four new Exilim point and shoots. The High Speed Exilim EX-FH100 is a 10.1 megapixel, high speed affair with a wide-angle 24 mm 10x optical zoom, and it can shoot at 40 shots per second for still images, and up to 1,000 fps video recording. The other three, the 14.1 megapixel Exilim EX-H15, EX-Z2000, and EX-Z550 all boast Casio's new Exilim Engine 5.0 and the Dynamic Photo function, which allows you to cut images of a moving subject out and paste them into a different background -- sounds like some hijinks are in store for owners of these bad boys! The EX-H15 features a 3-inch, high resolution LCD, a wide-angle, 24 mm 10x optical zoom, and a 1,000 shot battery life. The EX-Z2000 has a 26 mm, 5x optical zoom and the EX-Z550 has the same, with a 2.7-inch LCD. All four models will be available this spring. The FH100 will run $349, the Z550 will be $169, the Z2000 will be $199.99, and the H15 will be $299.99. The full run down of specs on all four cams is in the press release after the break. %Gallery-81380%
Samsung's 14MP CL80 packs integrated WiFi, 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen
It's not impossible to find a camera with integrated WiFi out there, but your choices are unquestionably limited. Thankfully for those in the market for such a device, it seems as if Samsung is gearing up to release quite the formidable opponent. Without so much as an official press release, the CL80 has emerged on the outfit's website packing a 14 megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization, a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen (capacitive with haptic feedback), a 720p movie mode (H.264), microSD expansion slot (groan...), USB 2.0 connectivity and an above-average 7x optical zoom. The Instant Upload feature enables users to upload their shots to Facebook, Flickr, Photobox or Picasa, and for those who prefer to capture motion clips, it'll also shoot your videos to YouTube when a hotspot is found. Nary a word has been spoken regarding price or release, but we're going out on a limb here and surmising that much more information will be revealed at CES.
Ricoh GR Digital III adds splash of blue for Stussy Special Edition
If Ricoh's classically attired GR Digital III filled your conservative heart with joy, you may want to look away now. Fashion brand Stussy is celebrating its forthcoming 30th anniversary by partnering with Ricoh to offer a Special Edition run of the GRD III. Limited to 500 units, these cameras will be almost identical to the original, save for the luminous blue highlights and the use of Stussy's font. Still, if you're into limited production runs or just can't get over the awesomeness of having XXX imprinted on your camera -- maybe you're from Amsterdam -- you can grab one in early February for ¥99,750 ($1,100). Hey, nobody said being ultracool was going to be cheap. One more pic after the break.
Nikon Coolpix S70 unboxing and hands-on
Previous reviews haven't been all smiles, but we're finally able to pick up Nikon's Coolpix S70 and see for ourselves. On form factor alone, it's a pretty alluring build -- even the faux leather front is tastefully done. While the tap-to-focus feature is a nice addition, we're less enthused about the OLED screen's viewing angles when outside -- and seeing as we've go no other way to see the memories we're framing, that's pretty disappointing. We're still putting it through its paces before we dole out full impressions, but in the meantime, enjoy our unboxing and hands-on photos. %Gallery-79653%
Sony Snowflake DSC-TX1 comes with engraved holiday spirit
For a limited time only -- and you should be able to guess how long that is -- Japanese SonyStyle customers can order up the TX1 in the especially wintry attire you see above. Already available in a choice of five colors, the cam will also let you choose between black, silver and pink for the engraved models, and we also hear these snowflakes are part of a wider range of engraved designs. Options titled Safari, Race, and Heart are also available, and you can even add your own message to the front, or just tag it with your name if you're feeling narcissistic. Either way, you can see the other color options after the break, or try out all the different looks using the interactive skinning tool at the source link.
Nikon Coolpix S70 review: excellent spec, but mediocre image quality
We'll admit we save our Nikon excitement for the sort of gear that comes with "bad mother" stitched into its casing, but sometimes even our jaded souls can get intrigued by a compact. This particular slimline unit has an OLED touchscreen display, with the additional inclusion of multitouch and gesture support, which already gets it right up to speed on the latest trends. With a 5x optical zoom, 12 megapixel sensor, and 720p/30fps video, it's also no slouch on the spec sheet, but reviewers at Photography Blog found a few shortcomings. The Nikon S70 is said to be overly reliant on the 3.5-inch touch display for controls, and although the camera is both thin and ultrafast to start up, those benefits come at the greatest cost of all: image quality is only average, and noise handling is poor even at base ISO. We'll file this one in our "vivacious but vapid" archive while you busy yourself with reading the full review.
Casio trots out world's slimmest shock-resistant digicam: EX-G1 (video)
Generally speaking, having something "ruggedized" ruins the aesthetic appeal. You trade style for function, and that's been perfectly acceptable until today. The EX-G1, which becomes the first camera in the new EXILIM G line, takes a few cues from Casio's G-SHOCK line while being the planet's thinnest shock-resistant camera. Furthermore, this thing is freezeproof, waterproof and dustproof, and at just 0.78-inches thick, you'll hardly notice it shoved in your left rear pocket. As for specs, you're looking at a 12.1 megapixel sensor, intelligent AF, a dedicated movie mode (848 x 480), 35.7MB of inbuilt memory (yeah, we know), a microSD / microSDHC expansion slot, 3x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch rear LCD with a 960 x 240 resolution. We're told that the rechargeable battery should last for around 300 shots on a full charge, and the Interval Shooting function enables the camera to automatically fire at fixed points when shooting action sports. If you're foaming at the mouth right now, your cure can be found this December in black or red for $299.99. The full release and a promo video is just past the break. %Gallery-77625%
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 scores mixed reception
By now you should be thoroughly familiar with Sony's Party-shot-loving and almost unreasonably svelte TX1 compact shooter. Its headline features -- 720p movie mode and better low light performance courtesy of the Exmor R sensor -- have now been put to the test and we're here with the scorecard ready to spill the results. Reassuringly, all reviewers found image quality to be excellent for the camera's size class, and the TX1 even outperformed its peers by keeping noise comfortably in check all the way up to ISO 800. A 1cm (or 0.4-inches for you heretics) Macro mode was another highlight, though criticisms did rain down on issues of lens distortion, a fiddly touchscreen menu that was too prone to accidental activation, and an uncompetitive price point. Of course, your biggest draw here might still be the optional (and spendy) party dock, but the thorough reviews below at least give you the chance to pretend like you're buying this camera for the image quality alone. Read - Photography Blog review Read - Wired review Read - Imaging Resource review Read - Electric Pig review
Samsung Pixon 12 phonecamera hybrid gets tested
It's probably best to think of Samsung's Pixon 12 not as a phone with a killer camera, but more so as a good point-and-shoot with phone capabilities tacked on. Our friends at Engadget Chinese managed to get some hands-on with the device, and while they say the voice and SMS portion is nothing to write home about, the form factor and AMOLED screen seems quite nice and the sample pictures come out even nicer. Hit up the read link for some odd, machine-translated text and pretty photography.
Canon PowerShot SD980 IS unboxing and impressions
Canon held off about as long as it could, but it finally caved to the pressures of adding a pressure-sensitive screen to one of its Digital ELPHs. The SD980 IS goes down as the first-ever touchscreen PowerShot, offering a better-than-average set of specifications, a few color options, an attractive size and a 720p movie mode that helps to set it apart from some of its VGA-quality contemporaries. We took the cam for a quick spin just to see how Canon's adaptation of the touchscreen felt in real-world use, and we've posted up our impressions -- along with a few sample galleries and a raw 720p video clip -- just beyond the break.%Gallery-74142%
Nikon Coolpix S1000pj torn asunder, L-shaped projector module examined
ifixit's gotten ahold of Nikon's new camera - projector hybrid, the Coolpix S1000pj, and done what they do... meaning they've ripped it apart. Okay, they slowly and carefully disassembled it while painstakingly photographing the proceedings. Most interesting to us, of course, is the Nikon developed, L-shaped projector we just heard about that makes the whole set up possible, and we have to say that the internal layout of the S1000pj is terribly impressive to behold. There's another shot (and video!) after the break -- but hit the read link for the entire, time consuming project in all its tedious glory!
Casio Exilim EX-H10 gets new blue and gold outfits
The Exilim EX-H10 superzoom looks just dandy in its minimalist black exterior, but Casio has decided to furnish its Japanese customers with a couple more options. To be fair, our far-Eastern brethren have had to choose between a less classy silver affair and a zany pink number, so they'll probably welcome the newfound diversity. The specs remain the same, of course, with a highly competent 12.1 megapixel sensor, 10x optical zoom and 720p video recording being the highlights, so we wouldn't expect the as yet unannounced prices to differ either. The blue version above will be joined by a gold variant (picture after the break) when the two are released on October 9.[Via Akihabara News]
Pentax's waterproof Optio W80 reviewed: tough as nails, 'so-so' image quality
We've always heard that life was full of compromises, and evidently Pentax made a few when it decided to build its toughest, most rugged point-and-shoot camera of all time. On paper, the Optio W80 looked mighty promising, but in practice, the all-important image quality was found to fall short. Over at PhotographyBLOG, critics found that the camera could withstand "virtually anything" within reason, and while the 5x optical zoom and HD movie mode were both appreciated, most everything else was at least somewhat disappointing. The anti-shake system was found to simply slow the camera down, and the image quality was hamstrung by excessive noise at all ISO levels -- even 100. Feel free to peek the full review down in the read link, but make sure to keep your expectations in check.
Nikon's Coolpix S1000pj now shipping from select locales
Nikon assured us that its projector-packin' S1000pj would be out and about by September 17th, and while we've yet to confirm whether or not anyone was able to snag one last Thursday, we can say for certain that it's shipping now from a number of respectable e-tailers. Ritz Camera, Abe's of Maine and Beach Camera are all shipping units out within 48 hours, while Amazon appears to be backordered until September 23rd. The cam is sitting at $430 pretty much everywhere, so the only question left the answer is this: you in?[Via PicoProjector-Info]Read - Abe's of MaineRead - Ritz Camera / Amazon / Beach Camera
Pentax debuts 12 megapixel duo: Optio M85 and E85 point-and-shoots
We'll admit -- compared to the ketchup-colored K-x, these two just seem lackluster. And, perhaps they are. But there's still some merit to Pentax introducing a new pair of point-and-shoots, with both the M85 and E85 sporting 12 megapixel CCD sensors and relatively slim bodies. The former can also shoot 720p video and features a 3-inch touchscreen, shake reduction and face detection, while the lower end E85 gets saddled with a 2.7-inch LCD, a VGA movie mode and an awkward feeling of incompetence. Both should be available in Euroland next month for €179 ($263) and €129 ($186), respectively.[Via Engadget German]
Samsung's ultraslim ST45 digital camera is sadly devoid of clowns
We'll be honest -- we were hoping that from now on Samsung would be including creepy clown displays on the front of all their 12.2 megapixel shooters. If for some strange reason you're not into that idea, however, the ST45 should be right up your alley. A pretty noteworthy 16mm thin, this guy features an ISO sensitivity up to 3200, a 2.7-inch LCD screen, and all the goodies you expect from Samsung: Smart Scene Recognition with 11 (count 'em!) picture settings (Portrait, Night portrait, Macro, etc.), Digital Image Stabilization, Self Portrait & Frame Guide (for all those double-chin masking MySpace one-handed self-pics), and the obligatory Face Detection. This bad boy will be available in the UK in red, black, blue, or grey, sometime late this month. PR after the break.
Nikon Coolpix S1000pj won't be with us until October, others also delayed Update: On time!
Alas, our dream of rocking parties with the projector-packing s1000pj will have to wait an extra month. Turns out that demand for the shooter was so high that even Nikon, whose sole purpose in life is making imaging equipment, couldn't satiate it in time. The new dates for your calendar are October 23 for the 12.1 megapixel, 5x optical zoom S1000pj, and September 19 for its S70 and S570 brethren. The S70 switches out the projector for a 3.5-inch OLED multitouch screen, and should prove quite the attractive proposition in its own right, but for now all we can do is look admiringly from afar. Sigh. Update: Happy news, at least for those of us in the States -- Nikon just let us know the S1000pj will be available in the US as planned on September 17th. Sorry, no word on anywhere else. We'll think of you when we're beaming our photos, though. [Via Impress]
Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W1 slammed in early review, company responds point-by-point
Akihabara News' early review of the Fujifilm W1 3D Camera pretty much laid everything out from the get-go with its headline, "The worst camera ever made: the review." It assuredly caused more than a few raised eyebrows, not the least of which from Fujifilm itself. In an interesting and welcoming move, the company invited the publication to a face-to-face meeting -- not for some physical redemption, mind you, but to address all the points of disappointment. There isn't a lot said to alleviate concerns, and the common thread among all replies is pretty much that this is a new field that currently caters to a very small niche, and there's gonna be speed bumps for time to come -- in other words, better luck next time. Still, it's somewhat refreshing to see a major company tackle the subject head-on and in public view -- now if only we could make this an industry-wide trend. Read - W1 3D camera review Read - Fujifilm's response
Ricoh GR Digital III hits the review bench, collects plaudits
The dudes and dudettes at Photography Blog are nothing if not thorough, and their latest review is no exception. The GR Digital III and its peculiar 28mm wide-angle fixed focal length lens (i.e. no optical zoom) have been subjected to an inspection and the verdict is an exuberant thumbs up. The aluminum alloy body impressed them right from the off, and the reviewers also liked the customizable menus, improved shutter speed, Dynamic Range double shot, and Adobe DNG RAW output. Those were all mere cherries, however, to the cake of "excellent" image quality and "stand-out" Macro performance. The sole blemishes found were the price (£529 / $699) and noise issues beyond ISO 800, but then the latter is a well known weakness of compact cameras. Check out the read link for sample images and the (very) full review.
