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Sony finally lets you use SD memory on Handycams, freshens up pro shooters with SSDs
Sony has just announced yet another mad plethora of Handycams, this time spreading its back-illuminated Exmor R sensor throughout the whole range. With it comes the ability to expand storage via Memory Stick, SD or SDHC cards, much improved "quick AF" functionality, as well as a six-blade aperture producing a more appealing "bokeh" -- quite an advanced consideration when talking about humble consumer recorders. The flagship XR550V (250GB HDD) and CX550V (64GB SSD) models also feature a wide-angle G lens, 12 megapixel stills, assignable manual control dial, and dedicated mic and headphone inputs. On the professional front, the company is offering the AX2000 and HXR-NX5U, with both recording AVCHD at rates up to 24MBps and producing 1080p footage. A 20x optical zoom is also nice, but for the $3,500 price of the cheaper AX2000, we'd expect nothing less. Check out the source links below for further details, including full pricing and availability.
Samsung overhauls camcorder line, has something for everyone
Keeping up the torrent of digital imaging announcements, Samsung has now updated pretty much every cam in its range, and we've picked out the highlights for you: The C20, C24 and M20 are a trio of ultra-stylish handhelds, carrying on the C-series lineage, which regrettably means a scant 720 x 480 resolution to go with your Touch of Color. The less fashion-conscious M20 gets a CMOS sensor that stretches all the way up to 1920 x 1280/60p, while all three share Samsung's famed Active Angle Lens. The F40, F43 and F44 bring a super duper 52x optical zoom, but again record at a disappointing 720 x 480. Really Samsung? The H200, H203, H204, and H205 offer 1080/60i credentials and HDMI output, augmented by SSD choices (up to 32GB) on the higher models and 20x optical zoom. Optical image stabilization and a 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD make these appealing, particularly if you expand the internal storage with a few jumbo-sized SDHC cards. The S10, S15 and S16 collectively occupy Samsung's top tier, sporting a backside illuminated 10 megapixel CMOS sensor outputting 1080/60i video. Built-in SSD storage stretches up to 64GB, and there's also a 15x optical zoom, WiFi connectivity, and a 3.5-inch touchscreen running a 3D GUI. Most of these new shooters will be landing in February and March, with the S-series joining them later in the spring. Slide past the break for galleries of all the models and more info. %Gallery-81729%
Kodak deals Slice touchscreen camera, Pulse digiframe and Playsport camcorder
Just in case you had any doubts, CES is in full swing. Kodak just blurted out a galleria of new goods, starting with the all-new Slice touchscreen camera (shown above). As you likely expected, this is the outfit's first touchscreen P&S, boasting a 3.5-inch rear display, a search function to sift through "up to 5,000" photos on the internal memory, a direct tag feature, 14 megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom, built-in optical image stabilization and 720p (30fps) video capture. It'll ship this April in black, nickel and radish (yeah kids, radish) for $349.95. Next up is the April-bound Pulse digital photo frame, which boasts a 7-inch display (800 x 600 resolution), integrated WiFi, 512MB of storage and a $129.99 price tag. Rounding out the bunch is a load of new EasyShare cameras (all detailed in the press release below), as well as a Playsport camcorder, which offers up waterproof 1080p action with electronic image stabilization, a 2-inch LCD, 5 megapixel still shots, smart face tracking technology and an SD / SDHC card slot. There's also an HDMI output and USB connectivity, and you'll find black, blue and purple editions shipping this April for $149.95. You're stoked, aren't you? %Gallery-81639%
Canon adds new S, M and R series VIXIA HD camcorders, two regular FS cams for good measure
We know you've been coveting that primo Canon VIXIA HF S11 hi-def camcorder we got our hands on a few months back, and now it looks like the company is going wild -- debuting two new camcorder lines (and three new S series machines) for your consideration. All nine new Vixia models offer flash or SD-card-based storage -- or both. And when both are present, the Relay Recording feature allows the camera to automatically switch between storage devices during recording. If that weren't enough, all SD-packin' machines are compatible with the SDXC card format (up to 2TB). S series camcorders feature 1080p AVCHD video at 24Mbps, low-light optimized CMOS sensors, Digic 4 processors, 10x optical zoom lenses, 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD panels, and 8 megapixel still photo capture -- with the ability to down-convert to MPEG-2. Prices start at $1,000 -- due out in April. The M series models feature smaller touchscreens (2.7-inch) and a smaller CMOS sensor (which only manages 3 megapixel stills) and will be out in March with a starting price of $680. The R series, which is also out in March, brings up the bottom end with a starting price of $500, but still manages 1080p video (at a lower 17Mbps bitrate), while sacrificing the touchscreen and dropping down to 2 megapixel stills from the smaller, sure-to-be-noisy CMOS. If that all weren't enough, Canon also has two new standard definition cameras in the FS series, with one sporting 16GB of built-in storage and the other doing the removable SD thing, with a starting price of $300. There's full PR after the break. %Gallery-81505%
Exemode SQ28m Pocket Digital Camera fits on a keychain, takes charmgingly low-quality footage (video)
The Flip Video may be pocket-sized and ludicrously easy to use, but it's got nothing on Exemode's SQ28m Pocket Digital Camera when it comes to charm. This thing is small enough to fit on a keychain and, though the footage is recorded at a mere 320 x 240 and 8fps without audio, the inclusion of a number of color filters make results look more "retro 8mm" than "cheap digital" (see for yourself below). It starts shipping next week at ¥5,985 ($65), a bit too far above impulse-buy territory for us, but we're certainly more into this than the company's previous efforts.
New Sony NXCAM is more camcorder than you ever need, but still you covet
Sony's latest professional-grade camcorder probably meets your needs and then some by quite a stretch, recording AVCHD up to 24Mbps and SD quality in MPEG-2 / 9Mbps. We're also looking at a 20x zoom lens, 3 x 1/3-inch Exmor CMOS sensor, and storage options including Memory Stick Pro Duo and an optional 128GB flash memory drive. Don't lie, you want this beast, even if it clearly falls in the "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" category. Look for more temptation sometime closer to its expected early 2010 launch.
RED DSMC specs detailed, prices start at $28,000 for EPIC-X, lower-end Scarlet still vague
Here we are at last. RED has finally dropped the full specs of at least one its "Digital Stills and Motion Cameras." And what did you expect? RED has naturally blown this thing out. The first camera to be released will be the insanely high-end EPIC-X, which will come out in four stages and retails for $28,000 (ouch). A pre-production "TATTOO" version will hit this year, followed by a production model for pre-existing RED owners next year, a release after that for RED trade-ins and then finally a widespread release. Meanwhile the Scarlet 2/3-inch camera (which is much more akin to current video-shooting DSLRs, though it doesn't have a full frame sensor) hasn't been given a price range or a release window, but promises to please with dual XLR inputs, electronic lens interoperability with RED, Canon and Nikon lenses (adapters required) and 1080p shooting at 60 fps. One great function shared between the cameras is the ability to operate the camera with a touchscreen and perform "touch focus tracking." So, now that we've frightened off all but the die-hards with a hint at pricing and some vaguely defined functionality, let's let the bullet points take it away after the break:
JVC Picsio GC-FM1 video camera flips out for its debut
Sure, JVC's new Picsio GC-FM1 pocket video camera has the specs to complete with the likes of Flip Video's Ultra HD and other similar offerings (1080p video, 8-megapixel stills, a 2-inch LCD, and HDMI out), but it also has a little something extra, something rarely seen in the world of anthropomorphized products since they heyday of the California Raisins: showmanship. Still no word on a North American appearance just yet, unfortunately but it looks like the camera will run around ¥20,000 (or about $220) when it hits Japan by the end of the month. In the meantime, we're sure the video after the break will more than tide you over.[Via Akihabara News]
Rugged, waterproof Predator VX360 wearable camcorder destined for X Games
Had your daily dose of Sal Masekela? No? Shame on you! Though, we have to say, if this here wearable camcorder takes off, you could very well hear that very fellow doing color commentary over some pretty sick footage. The Predator VX360 is a rugged, waterproof wearable video camera that's engineered to withstand abuse from the elements while popping 1080 kickflips on the halfpipe, and unlike many head-worn alternatives, this one has its recording module (complete with a built-in LCD) strapped to an armband. The "eyeball camera" is still meant to cling tightly to your dome, but details are scant when it comes to resolution and the like. It's available now for daredevils in the UK, though the £549.99 ($892) sticker is apt to keep most of 'em at bay.[Via I4U News]
Point Grey puts USB 3.0 into a webcam, along with other telltale signs of over engineering
We kid, we kid. We're sure it was totally necessary to put SuperSpeed USB 3.0 into this new desktop video camera to push uncompressed 1080p, 60 fps video to a computer. According to Point Grey, that unbridled bandwidth allows the camera to offload compression duties to the computer and allows for spiffy applications like face recognition and a general level of uncompressedness. At the heart of this camera is a 3 megapixel Sony IMX036 CMOS sensor, but we'll have to wait until IDF next week to get the lowdown on the rest of this camera's crazy ways -- and sure-to-be-crazy price. [Via TG Daily]
Hands-on with the new iPod nano, part 2
Our planned look at the camera feature on the iPod nano got delayed by a household medical emergency, as described in one of our nano example videos above. It did give me a bit more time to go a little more hands on with the nano video camera, and the end result is satisfactory. You're not going to buy this nano for the camera; it's just a bonus feature. Will it be the deal breaker over buying a nano versus another iPod, an iPhone or even a Flip? It all depends what you want out of it. The video above was shot indoors using the nano. It was actually my fourth attempt at taking an indoor video because if you want any luck with the nano's camera, you've got to have decent lighting. This shot was my first attempt with the camera, and you can see the difference the lighting made. As mentioned during the keynote, Apple is looking to take on Flip mino with the new nano. As such, we decided to see not only how the nano compares to the Flip, but also to an iPhone 3GS. Continue on reading to see how these shots turned out.
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]
Switched On: The iPod touch and the big picture
Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In a New York Times interview of Steve Jobs conducted by Engadget columnist aspirant David Pogue, Apple's CEO suggested that the company did not include a camera on the iPod touch because the company was now marketing the iPod touch as a game machine and that a camera was not germane to such a device. "We don't need to add new stuff," said Jobs. But why is adding a digital camera any less germane to the portable game device of the iPod touch than it is to adding it to the media player of the iPod nano? Or, if price is an issue, why not exclude it only on the entry-level model? The iPod touch market will soon be large enough to support such diversity. And if the iPod touch is indeed being marketed as a gaming console and a low-cost point of entry to the app store, excluding a camera disrupts the continuity of the touch/iPhone platform, while the iPod imaging message is now more muddled: If you're buying the iPhone 3G, you can capture stills but not video, while the "lower-end" iPod nano offers video capture but not stills, the iPod touch offers neither, and only the iPhone 3GS offers both.
iPod nano: Cheaper, more features, and a video camera too!
Apple appears to be aiming right at the Flip market with its release of the updated iPod nano today. A quick rundown includes: Storage capacity: 8GB for $149USD, 16GB for $179USD. 2.2-inch color display. 240-by-376-pixel resolution at 204 pixels per inch. Battery: 24 hour playback for audio, 5 hours for video Video camera. H.264 VGA video, 640 by 480 pixels, up to 30 frames per second with AAC audio. Real-time special effects include: Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido, Motion Blur, Mirror, Light Tunnel, Dent, Stretch, and Twirl FM radio featuring iTunes tagging and live pausing (for those who still like to listen to Delilah.) Pedometer and accelormeter Built-in mic and speaker with voice memos Genius features Voice Over kit featuring a multiple number of languages Variety of colors, but two of those colors -- yellow and red -- are in-store only. Environmental features: Arsenic-free glass, BFR-free, Mercury-free, PVC-free We will have an in-depth look at the nano later today, as I'm actually headed out to the Apple Store to get one to replace my aging, dying iPod 5.5G. [For those who are asking -- as far as we can tell from the spec, the iPod nano will not shoot still pictures, only video. We'll be able to confirm this later today.]
Apple adds video camera, larger screen to new 5G iPod nano
Apple sure took long enough to get to this, but just as rumored, the iPod nano is seeing a hotly-anticipated refresh today. The big addition? A camera that just so happens to shoot live video (but not stills, apparently). On the lower left of the new fifth-generation nano, you'll find the camera as well as a speaker and microphone, but unfortunately you'll have to sync it with your computer before you upload clips to YouTube. The camera-laden nanos will be available starting today in a rainbow's worth of hues (nine, if we're being precise), with the 8GB model pegged at $149 and the 16GB edition at $179 -- though, we should mention that yellow and red are Apple Store exclusives. Oh, and oddly / tragically enough, the iPod nano is officially the only dedicated iPod with a camera, leaving the iPod touch -- and every human on the planet -- scratching their head in befuddlement. Meanwhile, iPhone 3G users are equally bewildered by the fact that a mid-range iPod can shoot video while a fully-capable smartphone cannot.As for other specs, you'll find a built-in FM tuner with Live Pause (!) and iTunes Tagging, a pedometer (you know, for that fancy Nike+ integration), VoiceOver, support for voice memos and a larger 2.2-inch display (up from 2.0-inches) with a 376 x 240 resolution. As for the camera, we're told that the video capture mode snags footage in VGA quality (640 x 480) H.264, with up to 30fps and AAC audio. If you're feeling fancy, there's also 15 real-time special effects including Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido and Motion Blur (among others). As for dimensions, the 5G nano remains identical to the 4G nano at 3.6- x 1.5- x 0.24-inches, though it somehow shaves a whopping 0.02 ounces as it climbs down from 1.3 to 1.28 ounces. Curious about battery life? Apple claims that the new nano can last up to 24 hours when playing back audio (same as 4G nano), while video playback should zap the rechargeable battery in just five hours (which is up an hour over its predecessor).Update: Check out our first hands-on live from the event!
Zoom Q3 ears-on: it's like 'Stop Making Sense' saw your YouTube lip sync video and liked it
What's this blue monstrosity? A YouTube-happy concert bootlegger's new best friend. The Zoom Q3 (which is distributed by Samson in the States) pairs a decent stereo mic and some in-depth audio controls with a regular crappy pocket video camera sensor -- along with an oversized screen to make room for audio level meters. There are obviously limited situations where this is really necessary (there are plenty of much better dedicated mics for when you don't need the VGA video to go along with it), and all your cutesy Flip mino-toting friends are going to laugh at you, but at least you'll be able to crank up your recording to lossless and capture their cackles with eardrum shattering clarity. Check out a video of the Zoom Q3 shot with another Zoom Q3 after the break and decide for yourself if it's worth the slightly premium $249 pricetag.
Metaio brings more augmented reality promises to the iPhone
I can't get enough of this augmented reality stuff -- we've seen a lot of location-based text rendering already, but a German-based company named Metaio has released this video showing actual 3D images and models projected into the world through a phone (like the iPhone, one of the devices they say they're planning to support). Of course, this is still all just tests and demos -- not only is the company likely still trying to see partners and funding (like so many other development companies in this field), but until Apple actually lets developers at a clear, unedited stream from the videocamera, AR is still in the theoretical phase.But once again, the potential here is staggering. As I said, most of the things we've seen so far are based on text: hold your phone up, and have signs or other location-based information displayed to you. But when you start including 3D models into the mix, then things get really nuts: instead of just seeing tourist information, you could have a virtual guide show you around the museum. Or have a virtual hide and seek session with a creature that moves around the environment as you look for it. Other companies have been experimenting with AR on their own hardware, but Apple's combination of a video camera, a GPS/compass system, and a powerful handheld computer takes the possibility farther than we've seen it yet.[via Venturebeat]
Kodak's Zi8 HD pocket camcorder hits the 1080p mark, adds Facebook uploading
The Zi6 is still fairly fresh in our memory banks, but Kodak's already looking ahead with its newly unveiled Zi8 pocket camcorder. The Flip Ultra HD competitor boasts 1080p recording this time around, in addition to usual features like face tracking, image stabilization, a 2.5-inch LCD display, and SD card slot. YouTube uploading is back, and joining it Facebook support, too. It'll be out in September in blue, red, and black colors for just a hair under $180.
Panasonic HDC-HS350 allows you to record over 30 hours of HD
If you liked the HDC-TM350, then we can pretty much guarantee you'll be a fan of the HS350, unveiled by Panasonic today. Essentially identical to its elder brother -- but for the hard disk bump on its right side -- the new AVCHD camcorder ups internal storage from 64GB to 240GB and retains all other salient features: 10.6 megapixel 3MOS sensor, 12x optical zoom and SDHC expansion up to 32GB per card. The increase in storage allows for over 30 hours of continuous full HD recording, meaning that your battery will give out long before you need to fiddle with your storage options. No word on the when, where and how much questions, but if we had to guess we'd say soon, everywhere and plenty.
iPhone 3GS: Apple's codename for tomorrow's unveiling?
It's pretty much the eve of Apple's big WWDC press conference, and Daring Fireball's John Gruber is back at the eleventh hour to chime in some more on his previous (and perhaps well-informed) iPhone predictions. He sticks to his previous wagers -- twice the CPU speed, twice the RAM, a heavy emphasis on a new video camera (no word on if there's an additional front-facing one), and $199 / $299 for the 16GB and 32GB models, respectively -- but additionally chimes in that the new device's codename is... drumroll, please... the iPhone 3GS, which he surmises is probably going to be the final product name, as well. Kind of a yawner, if you ask us, but it'd sell like gangbusters no matter what it was called. As for that lowered-tiered iPhone, he's expecting it to be the current 3G model with a price drop to $99. Also on the table is iPhone tethering, which we already know was built into OS 3.0, likely for a fee chosen by each carrier. Teasing farther into the future, he suggests "Marble," codename for an OS X visual overhaul, and the tablet are very much real projects but that there's little to no chance it'll be at WWDC. No clue what the "S" stands for (speed, perhaps?), but at this point we're pretty much counting the minutes to tomrorow's keynote, and our clocks can't tick much faster.