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Rollei goes 3D with Power Flex 3D point-and-shoot, Designline 3D photo frame
There may still be some camera makers resisting the 3D trend, but that's getting to be an increasingly dwindling lot -- the latest to jump into the game is Rollei, the 90-year old German manufacturer, which has just announced its new Power Flex 3D point-and-shoot and accompanying Designline 3D photo frame. As you can see above, the camera looks fairly unremarkable expect for that second lens, and the specs are also pretty much in line with some similar 3D point-and-shoots, including 720p video recording, 5 megapixel still images, and a 2.8-inch LCD 'round back that promises to let you see your images in something resembling 3D without the need for 3D glasses. The photo frame also apparently uses the same sort of no-glasses 3D, but thankfully packs a larger 7-inch screen -- check it out after the break. Still no word on a release over here, but both the camera and photo frame will be available in Europe next month for €300 (or just under $400) apiece.
Olympus E-P1 outfitted with Rollei EVF
Looking to add even more retro flavor to your Olumpus E-P1? Then you might want to consider taking after Flickr user Lok Cheung, who was inspired by the Rolleiflex TLR to create this Rollei EVF (of sorts) for the Micro Four Thirds camera. While the setup isn't actually anything more than a viewfinder for viewing the screen, Lok nonetheless says the results are "really good," with the viewfinder resting almost right behind the lens, and the manual focus "almost as fast as you can get on a true manual camera." Not the most practical camera mod, perhaps, but certainly one of the more interesting ones.
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.
Three new cookie-cutter ultracompacts from Rollei
Usually when manufacturers unleash several new cameras upon us, it takes awhile to weed through the specs in order to spot their differences and identify the features that consumers will find most compelling, but as luck would have it, Rollei's da-series of unremarkable shooters tend to completely lack innovation from generation to generation. Such is the case with three new so-called "Prego" models from the once-esteemed brand -- the 10 megapixel da1325, 7 megapixel da7325, and 5 megapixel da5325 -- which besides sporting different resolutions, are exactly the same in every single way (making our job a lot easier). When it comes to Rollei these days, when you've seen one you've seen them all, so these 128-gram ultracompacts' features should come as no surprise whatsoever: you're getting a 2.5-inch LCD (no viewfinder, of course), 3x optical zoom, maximum ISO of 400, 30fps VGA video with sound, maximum shutter speed of 1/2000 of a second, and video out for showing off your imaging skillz on a bigger screen. We have a feeling that the interest in these cams is slim to none, but just in case this write-up has somehow piqued your interest, all three will be available next month for €149 ($189), €199 ($252), and €249 ($315), depending on resolution. Keep reading to peep the two lower end models -- though once again, there's nothing here that you haven't seen before...Read- da1325Read- da7325Read- da5325
Rollei rolls out the dt6 Tribute
Rollei is certainly not a new name in the underwhelming digicam market, and it has struck yet again with a ho hum offering that wouldn't actually be all that disappointing had it arrived a year or two ago. But as it stands, the dt6 Tribute is another prime example of "too little, too late," as the feature set on the matte black pocket cam hasn't been remarkable for quite some time now. Regardless, this presumed Chinese-made and Rollei-branded camera sports a 6 megapixel CCD, bold silver accents, video / voice recording, scant ISO options, and a fairly large 2.5-inch TFT monitor on the rear. While these specs may induce a series of yawns (and rightfully so), the company apparently figured that touting its "combined 38x zoom" (of which 4.8x is actually of the worthwhile optical variety) would spruce up the overall package. The camera does offer a built-in flash and "red-eye reduction" -- which if every other compact camera is an example, won't do you very much good -- and utilizes a rechargeable battery so you don't burn through those AAs. Although the dt6 Tribute is little more than a run-of-the-mill compact, it actually wouldn't be an awful choice for a shooter on a budget -- but since Rollei decided to slap a €279 ($355) pricetag on it (and forgot the "buy one, get one free" sticker beside it), this one's probably best left on the shelf.
Rollei dx63 Tribute compact digital camera
The world just had to have one more middle-of-the-road compact digicam, or at least Rollei figured it did. Their upcoming dx63 Tribute's 6.36 megapixel sensor is accompanied by an average 3x optical zoom and the usual worthless 4x digital, as well as 32MB of internal memory, and a SD slot stifled by a 1GB limit. Sure, it can shoot full motion VGA movies at 30fps and utilizes USB 2.0, but even the inclusion of a 3-inch LCD can't make the dx63 Tribute a camera that's not past its prime -- such is the way for a camera company whose pristine brand is tarnished by Chinese ODM after ODM. For those looking for a perfectly mediocre digital camera, the dx63 Tribute will begin shipping this month for €299. [Via Ubergizmo]
Another forgettable compact from Rollei: the da6324
You'd think that a company like Rollei with such a proud history of manufacturing fine cameras with quality optics would be a little more discriminating about the digital models they release under the esteemed brand name, but lately all we've seen is a bunch of generic, re-badged OEM offerings that probably don't really represent the vision of founders Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke. Take the "new" 6.36 megapixel da6324 that the company introduced today, which is the exact same camera we saw yesterday being sold by Pentacon as the "Praktica Luxmedia 6203" -- 3x optical zoom, 2.4-inch TFT and all. Instead of watering down the brand with forgettable $250 models like these, maybe the company should concentrate on those medium format cameras they're famous for, and leave the crowded compact digicam market to players who want to offer the consumer some innovation.
