Monday

Images of Pentax's K200D DSLR surface?

Images of Pentax's K200D DSLR surface?



Just over a month ago, we got word that Pentax could be readying a pair of new DSLRs, and now it seems that we've been blessed with a plethora of shots of the K200D. 'Course, we suppose they could be doctored, but we just don't believe someone would spend that much time working up Pentax fakes, ya know? Regardless, feel free to hit the read link and check out what's probably the outfit's next shooter -- or some mighty fine 'shops, worst case scenario.



(Via Engadget.)

Thursday

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S730 compact shooter pre-announced for CES

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S730 compact shooter pre-announced for CES



Sony's got a new basic camera in the works to flesh out its line of compacts. The Cyber-shot DSC-S730 brings 7.2 megapixels of resolution, a 2.4-inch LCD, ISO 1250 and 3x zoom. The high-ish ISO is ostensibly there to fight camera shake, but we'd rather Sony sprang for some image stabilization -- we get the basic specs, but why not toss in some extra silicon to sweeten the package? As it stands, we'll need a bit more info before we can really differentiate this new camera from Sony's DSC-S700 from last year, but we'll be finding out soon enough when Sony debuts the S730 in January. So far only a Europe launch is confirmed.


(Via Engadget.)

Wednesday

Hands-On With The DXG-110 $170 10 Megapixel Camera

Hands-On With The DXG-110 $170 10 Megapixel Camera

Dxg_110_front_hi_res



The DXG-110 is a mediocre digital camera that has one outstanding feature: it shoots at 10 megapixels, despite costing only $170. That it offers this is remarkable, but it also proves the point that megapixels are not the be-all and end-all of image quality.

In practice, the DXG-110 gets the job done, but the shots don't look
too great: its output is noisy, even in good light. The press kit
offers this explanation:


'Some competitors apply improper noise removal methods that
make detail degrade significantly and reveal blotchy color... DXG chose
to maintain noise in its original state (dotted color noise) and keep
details intake.'


Picture_1_2 It has a 10 MP CCD sensor with a 2.5' LCD preview
display, 30FPS VGA video with audio recording, and 32MB of built-in
flash behind the SD card slot. Face detection, ISO 1600 sensitivity and
dynamic contrast detection, etc. The DXG requires 2 AA batteries.




On the upside, the menus are simple and straightforward to use, and
yes, it does what it says on the box: give you 10 megapixel images at a
rock-bottom price. The pictures it takes are not completely appalling: shoot in daylight, and have a steady hand.




Then again, there are no fancy features: nothing, nada, zip. The price
of cheap detail is that ocean of noise. What's the point of 10
megapixels, again?




(Via Gadget Lab.)

SuperPine DC-100 Mini Digital Camcorder

SuperPine DC-100 Mini Digital Camcorder

SuperPine%20DC-100%20Mini%20Digital%20Camcorder.jpg


Digix Semicon recently announced the latest SuperPine DC-100 Mini Digital Camcorder in the Korea market. The company has entered into a contract with the Lesca, a Hong-Kong based digital camera specialist top become Lesca's official distributor. The SuperPine DC-100 comes with approximately 20 different games. There is no more information about the Camcorder.



Enjoy these pics till then.



SuperPine%20DC-100%20.jpg


SuperPine%20DC-100%20-1.JPG



(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Monday

Hitachi DZBD7HA 30GB Blu-ray/HDD/DVD Hybrid Camcorder CES Innovations 2008 Awards Honorees

Hitachi DZBD7HA 30GB Blu-ray/HDD/DVD Hybrid Camcorder CES Innovations 2008 Awards Honorees

DZBD7HA.jpeg


Hitachi’s recent launch DZBD7HA 30GB Blu-ray/HDD/DVD Hybrid Camcorder gets the prestigious CES Innovations 2008 Awards Honorees. This model based on the groundbreaking technology offers a Blu-ray disc recording capability along with a 30 gigabyte (GB) built-in Hard Disk Drive (HDD) to record approximately four hours of 1920 x 1080 high definition video (HX mode) or up to eight hours of 1440 x 1080 high definition video (HS mode). Just at the touch of a button, users can copy the contents from HDD to BD within the camcorder itself.



Features:



Widescreen 2.7’ LCD View Finder

16:9 Widescreen Recording

Audio 2 Channel Stereo Dolby Digital

Power Consumption 5.7W (EVF BD)

Battery Life 100 min (EVF)


Supplied Accessories



• Battery DZ-BP14S (Li-ion 1360mAh)

• 8 cm BD-RE Disc

• USB Cable

• PC Software for Video Authoring

• Multi-connector AV Cable

• Remote Control Unit

• Battery for Remote

• Disc Cleaning Cloth

• Instruction Manual and Quick Guide





(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Panasonic HDC-SD5 HD Camcorder at CES 2008

Panasonic HDC-SD5 HD Camcorder at CES 2008


Panasonic’s latest launch HDC-SD5 HD Camcorder recently received CES Innovations 2008 Honorees Awards. This world's smallest and lightest palm-style 3CCD full-HD camcorder is a compact miracle. Users can record full-HD video images onto SD Memory Cards. For more information, please follow the link


(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Canon New 21M DSLR ‘EOS 1Ds Mark III’

Canon New 21M DSLR ‘EOS 1Ds Mark III’

Canon New 21M DSLR 'EOS 1Ds Mark III'


Canon plans to launch its latest 21M DSLR ‘EOS 1Ds Mark III’ soon. The camera features 21 Megapixel full frame (35mm) CMOS sensor, Dual ‘DIGIC III’ processors to drive 5 fps continuous shooting for up to 56 frames, and Highlight Tone Priority. It also supports auto focus system with 19 cross type sensors and 26 focus assist points, ISO 100-1600 (expandable to L:50 H:3200), and 3-inch 230K pixel LCD with Live View mode. More pictures after the jump.




(Via The Digital Camera Blog.)

Olympus FE-300 Camera Reviewed

Olympus FE-300 Camera Reviewed

Olympus FE-300


PhotographyBLOG has reviewed the Olympus FE-300 camera. Olympus FE-300 is a 12 Megapxiel camera with 3x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom, a 2.5-inch LCD display, ISO rating up to 3200,  and 48MB internal memory.


PhotographyBLOG concludes:


Around £200 (less, with Internet deals) for a good looking, stylishly designed 12 megapixel zoom compact from a well-known brand looks like a great deal on paper – almost too good to be true. And so it proves in practice. Though the Olympus FE-300 is commendably easy to use – with that now familiar ‘guide’ function on the mode wheel offering novice users reference to what is, in effect, an in-camera manual that automatically makes function selections for you – and it’s reasonably swift in operation, if not a class leader, the resultant images are what lets it down. The real bugbear here is camera shake, an inherent problem with slender camera designs that the Olympus FE-300 fails to effectively address.




Ratings (out of 5)

Design         4

Features         3

Ease-of-Use     4

Image Quality     3

Value for Money     3




(Via iTech News Net.)

Stainless Steel Camcorder from Micro

Stainless Steel Camcorder from Micro

Micro Stainless Steel Camcorder


Hello, Vloggers, I’ve got something for you. Something that will be a little more durable than these cheap plastic webcam or handheld jobs that are really pervasive in the market today.


This camcorder is from Micro, and is cast of Stainless Steel. This Stainless Steel Camcorder shoots DVD quality footage. It can record two hours of footage and 100 5.4 Megapixel still images on a 2GB SD card.


Not only that, there is a very nice looking handle to it, especially how it folds up like that. I’m wondering if it is a little less fragile. I mean, could you drop it and still be able to film later on?


I think I would feel a little more comfortable carrying this thing around and filming if I knew it was more durable. I mean, do you want to take a regular webcam on the street if one little jarring is going to short it out?


Just think of what you could film with it? I mean, the possibilities are just endless. Man, I have got to get my fingerprints on this thing. I wonder if it will stay on them with some stainless steel action going on.


You can get this little guy on ThinkGeek for about $150.



(Via Coolest Gadgets.)

Friday

Add 3D Effects to your SLR with Loreo 3D Lens in a Cap

Add 3D Effects to your SLR with Loreo 3D Lens in a Cap

loreo.gif


If you want to add 3D effects to your ordinary digital SLR camera, Loreo 3D Lens in a Cap is exactly what you are looking for. Using its so-called patent pending technology, this new SLR accessory automatically turns your digital SLR to 3D camera. Just mount it on your lenses, aim your SLR and it will yield 2 shots for every click.



If you look at the samples they look exactly the same. But if you use any conventional 3D viewer, you will see the big difference. However, product specs show it does not work with SLRs which do not have interchangeable lenses, such as the Olympus E series digital cameras.



Here’s the technical overview of this product from Loreo:



For the technically minded the 3D Cap has a matched pair of focusing lenses, focusing range from one meter to infinity. F/11 lenses, focal length 38 mm. The 3D Lens in Cap is a brand new design. It forms a 3D effect by transposing two images. Beam splitters designed in the 1960s for SLR cameras have a pronounced keystone effect. The 3D Lens in a Cap retains a slight keystone effect, almost imperceptible without the use of a grid. This was introduced under controlled conditions as a compromise to give the viewfinder a brighter image and to allow the TTL exposure system to function



The price tag of Loreo 3D Lens in a Cap is $93 for digital SLRS.




(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Canon SX100 IS review

Canon SX100 IS reviewJust Posted! Our review of the Canon Powershot SX100 IS, the first model in Canon's brand new line of 'budget' superzoom digital cameras. The SX100 IS comes with a 8MP sensor, 10x zoom and a number of manual controls, occupying the gap between Canon's tried and tested A-series and the more upmarket Powershot S5. In its press material Canon claims the SX series offers exceptional performance in the hands of any member of the family; to find out how it performed in our capable hands check out the review after the link ..."



(Via News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com).)

Thursday

JVC's GD-D850 "Baby Movie' camcorder with man-sized 35x zoom

JVC's GD-D850 "Baby Movie' camcorder with man-sized 35x zoom



If you're still shooting MiniDV then you'll be stoked by this, the budget GD-D850 DV camcorder from JVC. This 'Baby Movie' cam features a 2.7-inch LCD with auto-adjusting brightness, 16:9 or 4:3 NTSC recordings, and the ability to capture your little Poopie Puddles in as little as 1-lux of light without the eerie, green glow of a spoiled debutante. It also features a 35x optical zoom for peeping things you probably shouldn't. Expected to hit Japanese retail priced at ¥45,000 (about $397) in January -- then the US quickly thereafter we presume.



(Via Engadget.)

Olympus SP-560 UZ

Olympus SP-560 UZ

Olympus SP-560 UZ

I hate to keep saying it but the parade of ultra zoom digicams continues—at least it’s marching into my house via FedEx! Recently we tested the very good Panasonic DMC-FZ18, an 18x 8-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization. Olympus recently introduced an updated ultra zoom, the SP-560 UZ, also with a whopping 18x lens and 8MP resolution with sensor-shift stabilization. What both have in common is a very wide-angle setting; it’s 27mm on the Olympus versus 28mm for the FZ18. Although the pair is very close, they are much wider than the typical 35-38mm of other mega zooms such as those from Sony and Canon. The 8MP Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd--which we’ve asked for--also has an 18x zoom with a range of 27-486mm. Hey does this sound like a trend of more wide-angle digicams? As a matter of fact it is since we’ve learned other manufacturers will unveil them at the PMA convention at the end of January. While waiting for the S8000fd it was time to test the new Olympus. Here’s what we discovered…




(Via Digital Trends.)

Wednesday

Fujifilm 8M compact digital camera 'Finefix Z100fd' appeals to female users

Fujifilm 8M compact digital camera 'Finefix Z100fd' appeals to female users

SEOUL, Korea (AVING) -- Fujifilm introduced 8M compact camera 'FineFix Z100fd' in Korea market. It features ISO 1600 sensitivity, face-detection, i-flash, and double-shot functions. It also added a CCD-shift Image Stabilizer for amateur photographers. Its 2.7-inch 230,000 pixel LCD supports 'micro thumbnail' function to display up to 100 pictures on the screen at one time while it also has ‘blog mode' and 'auction mode' geared to internet users so that they can edit pictures as they want on the screen to post them or do online shopping. Other features include infrared-ray connection called 'IrSimple' and a memory card slot compatible with both XD and SD.



(Via AVING WORLD | English.)

Genius G-Shot DV5131

Genius G-Shot DV5131

Genius unveiled G-Shot DV5131 digital video camera. At first, Genius’ digital video camera has a 5 megapixel CMOS camera, 11 megapixel maximum image resolution by software interpolation and 8X digital zoom. Besides, it brags a 2.4 inch TFT LCD color display, 2GB SD card support and zippy USB 2.0 interface.


(Via Mobile Depot.)

Tuesday

Casio Exilim EX-Z77 - Digital Camera Review

Introduction: Announced on the 11th of July 2007, the Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is a budget 7 megapixel digital camera from Casio, and an update to the Casio Exilim Z75. The Z77 is a compact digital camera with a 7 megapixel sensor, a 3x optical zoom lens and a large widescreen 2.6" screen. The camera has the ability to take photos at upto ISO 1600, and has digital anti-shake. The 3x optical zoom lens is equivalent to 38 - 114mm on a 35mm camera. The Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is available from around £118, this makes it good value for money for a compact 7 megapixel digital camera. The camera is enclosed in a sturdy metal body and is available in silver, black, blue, pink and red. The Z77 has a unique "YouTube" video mode that records 640 x 480 resolution videos at 30fps with sound, using MPEG4 H.264 compression technology. The body measures approx.95.4 x 60.6 x 19.6mm (without protruding parts), and weighs approx. 118g. excluding battery and memory card.

Casio have this to say about the camera:

"The EX-Z77 is the perfect balance of fashion and functionality. This lightweight, aluminum bodied camera boasts 7.2 megapixels, 3X optical zoom and has a 2.6-inch wide LCD. The EX-Z77 also features YouTube™ Capture Mode and Easy Mode. The YouTube™ Capture Mode and bundle software provide ideal settings for recording, storing and uploading videos on YouTube™, a popular video sharing website. The camera is also equipped with Easy Mode, which simplifies the camera settings into three easy menus (image size, flash, self-timer), perfect for the novice photographer."

Specifications / Features:

7.2 megapixel CCD Sensor
3x Optical Zoom Lens equivalent to approx. 38 to 114mm in 35mm format
4x Digital Zoom
Store images on SDHC memory cards
Super Bright widescreen 2.6" digital TFT colour LCD; 114,960 pixels
ISO 50, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800; up to ISO 1600 on Anti-Shake
BEST SHOT (33 predefined scenarios)
Voice recorder
Video modes: 848×480 (UHQ Wide/HQ Wide), 640×480 (UHQ/HQ/Normal), 320×240 (LP)
11.4mb built in memory
10cm macro mode

Box Contents:

Digital Camera
Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery (NP-20, 3.7v, 700mAh),
Battery charger (BC-11L),
AC power cable,
USB cable,
AV Cable,
Strap,
Basic Reference,
CD-ROM

Battery usage: Battery life is rated at 190 shots according to CIPA standards - I was able to take over 200 shots before "battery empty" appeared. This is good (especially for an ultra-compact camera) but not as good as the Fujifilm FinePix F30 - with a battery life rated at 580 shots. Battery life can be extended by switching off the flash.

Camera Operation and Options: The play button turns the camera to review mode while the shutter release button returns it to photo mode. The play and record buttons can be used to switch the camera on. The video mode is started by using the best shot mode. All other modes such as Audio, Scene modes etc are accessed using the Best Shot button at the back of the camera.

Screen / LCD display in photo mode: The screen has a fairly low resolution of 114,960 pixels and updates smoothly - the colours appear accurate for reviewing photos. There is a live and review histogram available and the screen is clear and the text and menus are easy to read. Optical Viewfinder: There is no optical viewfinder.

The camera has many options, things like resolution, flash, focusing mode, anti-shake, ISO, white balance, exposure compensation, easy mode, all quickly accessible through the SET button and the Panel Layout mode (you can choose whether you want this on or off, with it on it gives you quick access to the most commonly used features, with it off you have to go into the menu to change options). Flash options are one-touch buttons. One of the more interesting features is the continuous flash shooting mode - this lets you shoot three photos very quickly with flash.

Record Menu: Focus (Af, Macro, Infinite, Manual), Continuous, Self-Timer, Face recognition (Family first, normal, off, priority, record family, edit family), Anti-Shake (digital), AF Area (Spot, Multi, Tracking), easy mode, L/R Key (can be customised), Quick shutter, Audio snap, Grid, Digital zoom, Review, Icon help, Memory.

Quality Menu: Size, Quality, Video Quality, EV shift, White Balance (including Manual), ISO, Metering, Dynamic Range (Off, Expand +1, +2), Portrait Refiner (Off, Noise Filter +1, +2), Colour Filter, Sharpness, Saturation, Contrast, Flash Intensity, Flash assist.

Setup Menu: (shown on the right, above) The setup menu allows you to set: Panel (on, off), Display (4:3, wide), Sounds (including the ability to mute all sounds apart from the "in-focus" sound, which is handy), startup image, image numbering to continuous (handy), time zones, switch on a timestamp (date, or date and time), adjust date, time, date style, language, sleep, auto power off, rec/play (use buttons to switch on camera), USB, video out to NTSC / PAL, 4:3 or 16:9, reset and format.

Best Shot / Scene modes: (available by pressing the BS / Bestshot button) This has a huge number of scene modes (41 in total), including auction, anti-shake, high sensitivity, auto framing, ID photo. You'll also find video and audio recording in here, as well as the option to setup your own user created scene mode. One scene mode that is unfortunately lacking from the Z77 is the "Coupling" shot - this was always fun on the S100 combining the top part of someone's face with the bottom part of another person's face. The new YouTube video mode records videos at 640x480 at 30fps using a high compression rate - this also means you can fit more on your memory card.

Playback (Review) mode options: Scrolling through the photos is VERY quick - Casio say it can scroll through 100 photos in 10 seconds, should you ever want to view the photos this quick! The zoom is quick and works at up to 8x. Basic shot information is shown about the images, this can be switched to the view above with the display button. Playback menu: You can display a slideshow, calendar, layout print, motion print, edit movies, dynamic range, white balance, brightness, correct keystone, correct colour, favourites, protect, date / time, rotate, resize, trim, dub audio, copy between the internal memory and vice versa as well as the usual printing options.

Speed: The camera switches on in just 1.3 seconds and can take its first photo in 1.6 seconds (total time from off to photo). Focusing is fast at around half a second (Auto Focus) and Pan Focus mode reduces this to around 0.1 seconds giving an impresive response taking a photo in 0.2 seconds after fully pressing the shutter. The camera shutter response seems almost instant when pre-focused (around 0.1 second reponse) - and shot to shot time was quick at under 1.8 seconds (with review on with or without flash). The normal continuous shooting mode took a photo every 0.6 seconds (roughly 2fps), High speed continuous shooting is very quick, at roughly 6fps, although this is on the 2mp setting, there is also a high speed "Rapid Flash" mode where you can take 3 photos with flash on at 3fps. The playback mode is also very quick. The cameras menus seemed responsive and zooming in and reviewing photos is all quick and easy to use. Moving around the different menu options is rapid.

Ease of use: The camera is very easy to use and has very easy to understand controls and buttons, for example, the main modes are photo or playback, simply switch the camera on and start taking photos, and then to access further modes, such as the Video mode, you simply press the "Best Shot" button. The controls on the back of the camera are easy to use and the mode switch and buttons are of an average size. The modes are easy to understand. The menus are responsive and easy to read. The camera is compact and has little in the way of a hand grip on the front or back. There are an extensive collection of scene modes for all types of different situations, as well as an additional easy mode.

Ergonomics and Buttons: (Feel, placement, labels, etc) The buttons are fairly easy to use and are kept quite simple, in fact there are only 7 buttons and a 4-way controller. The buttons are in a good position and easy to reach while composing shots. There seems to be a good amount of buttons for straight-forward digital camera use. The buttons feel okay but are slightly smaller than average, the zoom control is good and works well, and the shutter release button is good. The buttons are labelled well (with small symbols and little text), and the mode switch provides quick access to the main modes. I thought the camera felt okay ergonomically, although there is little in the way of a handgrip. The compartments and covers seem well positioned and are easy to open. The camera felt solid with a stylish metal body, however the battery cover opens quite easily and is made out of plastic.

Inside: The camera has good colour - It took a good "Heather and Flower" photo - and red-eye in this photo is low, however red-eye was noticable in a number of group photos. The camera did a good job at focusing most of the time even in low-light, although the camera doesn't have a focus assist lamp. Colour is well saturated (although not as high as some consumer cameras).

ISO Noise Test: Noise: Noise is generally a bad thing - it removes detail, and gives a grainy effect over the image. With digital cameras noise can be a real problem as digital camera noise is often made out of blue, red or green dots. As the ISO setting increases, pictures tend to have more noise. Noise is most noticeable in dark areas of photos. The camera has an Automatic mode for ISO levels (ranging from ISO 100 - ISO1600), and manual ISO settings (ISO: 100, 200, 400, 800).

Outside: The camera has quite rich, saturated colours, with good contrast and I was pleased with how the camera captured colour with warm tones and pleasing skin tones. There was fairly good detail (although some areas seemed soft), and the camera took a number of pleasing images outside, but areas with huge variation in brightness do show signs of 'bleeding' and purple fringes. In general 'normal' quality jpeg artefacts are not easily seen, however areas with strong contrasts benefit from use of the highest quality setting.

Zoom: This camera has a 3x optical zoom lens and a built in 4x digital zoom - in the case of this camera the digital zoom basically takes a smaller area of the photo and enlarges it using software blurring the image so that it is not pixellated. Generally it's best to avoid using digital zoom as it degrades the quality of the image and, often, better results can be obtained by using a photo package such as Adobe Photoshop.

Exposure: The photos of the clock tower are exposed well with detail in the dark areas as well as the lighter areas - exposure in other photos was generally good. I did spot some purple fringing in these photos. Vignetting was not noticed. It can be useful to under expose images with bright backgrounds (eg; sky) with use of exposure compensation.

Lens noise and zoom: The lens noise is average in operation. The camera gives average control over how you frame your subject with around 6 steps between wide and telephoto zoom.

Other Image Quality issues: Purple fringing was occasionally seen particularly in areas with high contrast.

Macro: the macro mode allows you to be roughly 10cm away from from the subject, this is with the lens zoomed out. For best results are achieved use manual white balance and a more diffuse light source.

Video mode: The camera features MPEG4 H.264 compression, this lets you fit a longer video onto your memory card. The options are
YouTube Video mode MPEG4 H.264 Compression 640x480, 30fps, 22khz mono sound (same as Normal quality video)
Excellent UHQ / HQ Video modes: MPEG4 H.264 Compression 640x480, 30fps, 44khz mono sound, Wide angle 848x480
Long play video mode: MPEG4 H.264 Compression 320x240, 15fps, 11khz

Summary: The Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is a good point and shoot camera, it fits easily into your pocket and is surprisingly small despite not necessarily being counted as an "ultra-compact". It was also fun to use, has a good battery life, and produced some good results with good colour and saturation. Unfortunately the macro mode is average, noise is a problem at the higher ISO settings, and purple fringing was higher than average. The YouTube video mode is well suited to putting videos on the internet, and the high resolution video mode is good.


Fujifilm FinePix F480 - Digital Camera Review


Front: Flash, Microphone hole, Focus LED, Lens.




Introduction: Announced in July, 2007 the Fujifilm FinePix F480 is an ultra compact, wide angle 8.2 megapixel digital camera with a 4x optical zoom lens and a 2.7" (230,000 pixel) LCD screen. The camera has an ISO range from 100 to 800. The 4x optical zoom lens is equivalent to 28-112mm on a 35mm camera. The Fujifilm FinePix is available from around £100, ($135 USA) which makes it good value for a wide angle digital camera. The camera is enclosed in a sturdy metal body and available in black or silver. The F480 can record video in 320 x 480 resolution at 30fps with sound. The body measures approx. 95.6 x 55.4 x 23 mm (3.8 x 2.2 x 0.9 in) , and weighs approx. 140 g (4.9 oz) excluding battery and memory card.

Fujifilm have this to say about the F480:-

"Fujifilm is pleased to announce the launch of the 8 megapixel FinePix F480 compact digital camera. With the same metal body as its pricier F series range-mates and versatile 4x wide-angle zoom, the FinePix F480 is perfect for those people looking for an easy-to-use all-rounder that offers a quality feature set at an affordable price. Available in two colours, silver or black, and no bigger than a deck of playing cards (just 23mm thick), the FinePix F480 boasts good looks and compact proportions to match its superb performance."
Back: Screen, mode dial, LED, 4 way controller with middle Menu / OK button, Display / Back button and Play button.



Bottom: Tripod socket.


Top: Speaker, Power, Zoom control, Shutter release (black model).

Side: SD/XD memory card slot, Battery compartment, USB connection. There is nothing to see on the other side.

Scene modes: Mode dial : Auto, Baby mode, Anti-blur, Red-eye Reduction, Digital Zoom. Portrait, SP(Scene Position), Movie.

SP : Landscape, Sport, Night, Natural light, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Sunset, Flower.

Playback functions:- Slide show, Trimming, Single frame, Multi-frame playback, Sorting by date, Image rotate

Storage media:-

Internal memory (Approx. 12MB)
xD-Picture Card™ (16MB - 2GB)
SD memory card
SDHC memory card

Only a small amount of internal memory. Using SDHC memory will help produce the best shot to shot times with this camera.

Speed: The camera switches on and can take its first photo in less than 4 seconds, which is fairly slow. Focusing is fast at under half a second and in subdued light focusing was successful most of the time. The camera shutter response when pre-focused was around 0.2 seconds but shot to shot time was slow, as review can not be turned off. In continuous (top 3) mode I measured delay of around 2.4 seconds between shots using an SD card (this is going to vary dependant on exposure settings and memory card, SDHC being quickest) the manual claims 1.66 seconds capability. The cameras menus and zooming in seemed responsive but reviewing photos starts off a bit slowly. Moving around the different menu options is rapid.

Ergonomics and Buttons: (Feel, placement, labels, etc) The camera handles well, though may be a bit small for some hands. The buttons are labeled well (with symbols and / or text). The compartments and covers seem well positioned and are easy to open.

Inside: This is where the 28mm wide angle lens comes into its own, enabling group pictures impossible with a 35mm lens. Barrel distortion is not noticed. The camera has quite natural colour though unsaturated, and will sometimes use incorrect white balance. Red-eye is low unless subjects have their eyes averted from the camera. The camera did a good job at focusing most of the time even in low-light. Although the camera has a continuous shooting mode, it is not supported by flash.

ISO Noise Test: Noise is generally a bad thing - it removes detail, and gives a grainy effect over the image. With digital cameras noise can be a real problem as it is often made out of blue, red or green dots. As the ISO setting increases, pictures tend to have more noise. Noise is most noticeable in dark areas of photos. The camera has an Automatic as well as manual mode for ISO levels being ISO: 100, 200, 400, 800.

Outside: The camera has neutral, lifelike colours, with soft contrast. There is good detail, but when using wide angle, areas with sharp contrast towards the corners of the image will have purple fringes. Purple fringing (chromatic aberrations) is a condition most cameras display to varying extents and there is software available which can rectify this problem. In general 'normal' quality jpeg artifacts are not easily seen, however areas with strong contrasts benefit from use of the highest quality setting (less than 4mb images).

Zoom: This camera has a wide angle 4x optical zoom lens and a built in 6.9x digital zoom - in the case of this camera the digital zoom basically takes a smaller area of the photo and enlarges it using software, blurring the image so that it is not pixellated. Generally it's best to avoid using digital zoom as it degrades the quality of the image and, often, better results can be obtained by using a photo package such as Adobe Photoshop.

Exposure: The photos of the clock tower have some detail in the dark areas - other photos without EV adjustments tended to be overexposed. Days with more light do make for more colourful pictures, but getting the best exposure setting is not straight-forward. Purple fringing is noticeable in the wide angle but very little is seen in the 4x optical zoom photo. Vignetting was not noticed in any of the photographs. It can be useful to under expose images with bright backgrounds (eg; sky) with use of exposure compensation. It is also useful to select a white balance preset, as the auto setting is easily misled (as you will see on the full zoom). * Re-shot on a sunny day.

Lens noise and zoom: The lens is relatively quiet in operation. The digital zoom has a dedicated symbol on the mode dial, which if selected changes to maximum optical allowing further zooming with the control ring. Digital zoom can also be enabled from the setup menu, and will then operate when the optical zoom limit is reached.

Image Quality issues: Purple fringing was pronounced at wide angle in areas of high contrast. Barreling is slight on the wide angle setting.

Macro: the macro mode allows you to be roughly 5cm from from the subject at wide angle.

Video mode: The camera features a low resolution AVI - 320 x 240 video mode at 30 fps with sound. Video quality is reasonable and this will not use much memory - 1Gb SD card will record nearly 28 minutes, and is ideal for email. Zoom may be preset, but is not functional while recording.

Conclusion:

The Fujifim F480 is an interesting though not impressive 8.2 megapixel wide angle digital camera. It is certainly a capable little camera but requires some patience to achieve the best results. This can happen when you have control through the limited manual options, as the auto settings will sometimes be unpredictable. If you have a need for a wide angle compact the F480 cannot be beaten at this price.





Monday

Sony HDR-CX7E Camera

Sony HDR-CX7E Camera

Sony%20HDR-CX7E%20Camera.jpg




With the Christmas zeal in the air Sony has unveiled the all new video camera named ‘the Sony HDR-CX7E’. It is a lightweight camcorder weighting just 370 grams and is competent enough of giving out 1080i Video using the AVCHD format. The Sony camcorder facilitates the user to Record HD and SD video and also still images directly to a memory stick. The camera employs both HD Component and HDMI output, along with Optical image stabilization. The HDR-CX7E also incorporates the dual transcribing technology and the steady slow photography function. The 6.1 mega pixel Video Camera HDR-CX7E delivers high quality and astonishing still photographs as well as video output. The high performance camcorder also equips a 2.7 inch LCD monitor. There is still no announcement from the company side on the pricing and date of availability of the Camera. So, those who want to buy one, please hang on…





(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA65 Camera

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA65 Camera

VPC-CA65.jpg


Adding to its Xacti Waterproof line up of Cameras, Sanyo recently unveiled VPC-CA65. It offers a recording of 30fps ands supports MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Movie format. This 6 MP Camera with 5 x optical zoom and image stabilizer function, lets the users make videos both on land and under water. You can record smooth and longer video clips. No word on price or availability yet. So better wait!



(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Fujifilm Finepix F50fd 12MP Digital Camera

Fujifilm Finepix F50fd 12MP Digital Camera


Fuji FinePix F50fd


Fujifilm has new compact digicam that boast 12MP cmos sensor. The camera, which is known as Finepix F50fd, introduced in Korea recently. Its key features include 3.0x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD, Face Detection 2.0 Technology, and Automatic Red Eye Removal. The F50fd also supports ISO 6400 and equipped with Dual Image Stabilization. The pricing set at about $495 but no words yet about the availability in the U.S.




Fuji FinePix F50fd




(Via TRENDY GADGET.)

Saturday

BenQ DC X-835 Digital Camera

BenQ DC X-835 Digital Camera

BenQ%20DC%20X-835%20Digital%20Camera.jpg


BenQ previewed its latest compact Digital Camera with effective 8 Mega-Pixels strength. The DC X-835 model encompasses innovative technological advancements for brilliant and vibrant images. The powerful Smc Pentax 3x optical zoom lens enables superb quality pictures. Along with a 2.5' LCD monitor it offers 3:2 or 16:9 output size and high ISO 6400 movie mode functions. The BenQ DC X-835 comes in two exciting colours featuring vixen-red and midnight black to suit your style. The advanced face tracking function identifies up to 9 faces while maintaining clarity of the pictures. With the unique Super Shake-Free mode blurry images are avoided and motion blur due to camera shake is not a threat anymore. The DC X-835 also features the 'z-lighting' function to adjust brightness of dull images due to backlighting or inadequate flash illumination.



(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

BenQ Bling Bling Party

BenQ Bling Bling Party

T700.jpg


With the winter season spreading its wings and world around preparing for the Christmas fervor Benq has rolled out its two new models series T700 and T800. Just like the seasons snow glitters like the sparkling diamond this winter these two camera models also shine and make the world ‘Bling Bling’. Get ready with new clothes, accessories for partying and take along BenQ’s latest camera to click and capture the cherished memories. Sleek in design, both T700 and T800 capture beauty from the glittering world of fashion. The T700 camera is a 7 mega-pixel camera whereas T800 boasts of 8-mega pixel image capturing capacity. The models integrate advanced smc the PENTAX super multi-layer coating lens. The models from Benq also employ unique S.S.F. Super guards in resistance to shake and thus efficiently avoid hand vibrations. Both the camera models incorporate large screens providing a broad photographic field of vision. So, after this Christmas may you have a reason to smile going through your picture album. Capture your memories for the lifetime.




(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Friday

Fujifilm to present its 12M compact digital camera 'FinePix F50fd'

Fujifilm to present its 12M compact digital camera 'FinePix F50fd'

SEOUL, Korea (AVING) -- Fujifilm presented its 12M compact digital camera ‘FinePix F50fd’ in Korea market, which adopts 7th Generation Super CCD with a 3.0x optical zoom and a 2.7-inch 230,000 pixel wide angle view LCD.



Supporting ISO settings of up to ISO 6400, the FinePix F50fd features Dual Image Stabilization, Face Detection 2.0 Technology with Automatic Red Eye Removal function. Suggested price is 460,000(KRW).



(Via AVING WORLD | English.)

Exemode Digital Camera

Exemode Digital Camera

Exemode Digital Camera


Exemode just dropped a digital camera that is both affordable and superb in quality. Which is a 10MPx digicam featuring a 2.4 inches screen , capable of recording at 30 frames per second, and supports SD memory cards up to 2GB. You might even stash away your Canon or Panasonic for one of these babys. Now available in Japan for $17




(Via The Digital Camera Blog.)

Wednesday

Fuji Finepix Z100fd gets reviewed: "surprisingly good"

Fuji Finepix Z100fd gets reviewed: "surprisingly good"



We first saw Fuji's Finepix Z100fd back in July, but now that camera-buying season is in full force, PhotographyBlog has taken it out for a review and pronounced it a worthy candidate for your hard-earned cash. Of particular note was the 5X optical zoom, which is better than most other cams in this price range, and the image stabilization and face detection systems, which worked admirably. The camera also drew praise for its slick diagonally-opening lens cover and illuminated Z logo. On the downside, the Z100fd was fairly pokey to store shots and didn't offer the absolute highest image quality, but those apparently aren't dealbreakers -- the folks at PB say overall, the Z100fd is 'a fashion camera that isn't simply a matter of style over substance.

(Via Engadget.)

Monday

Fujifilm S5800 Digital Camera

Fujifilm S5800 Digital Camera

fuji%20s5800.jpg
Fuji recently launched 2.5 inch LCD S5800 digital camera with 8 million picture elements which can handle 10 times of light changes.

Specifically designed for creative photographers, the easy to use camera has programmed mode dials which result in optimum, good quality picture.



Using the Picture Stabilization mode, the S5800 digital camera reduces blur to a large extent and increases ISO to 1600 during less light. Fitted with real photo Processor, the camera delivers sharp image, high tonal response and first-rate color reproduction. Famous for getting good quality picture in less light, the camera boasts of 'Natural Light with Flash' technology. Using this technique, the camera takes two pictures, one with flash and another in normal light. So the user chooses whichever he wants. Intelligent Flash technology enables the user to have balanced shots i.e., neither making the picture dark or blurry nor giving a very bright look.



The inexpensive camera presently priced at 1,850Yuan is selling well.


(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Sony CyberShot DSC-H3

Sony CyberShot DSC-H3

Sony CyberShot DSC-H3

The march of the compact mega zooms continues. Sony recently introduced a very small 8-megapixel digicam with a 10x optical zoom and optical image stabilization. Like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 and Canon PowerShot SX100 IS this camera is really targeted to folks heading out on vacation or just need a digicam with a wide range of focal lengths. Yes, we know there are 12x, 15x even 18x models available but they’re much bigger than the H3, TZ3 or SX100 IS. In fact, the DSC-H3 is even smaller than the 6x 8MP Canon PowerShot A720 IS . Since we recently tested the similarly priced TZ3 we were anxious to see which one was the better camera. Click to find out…




(Via Digital Trends.)

Sunday

Cedar Electronics' CDV-528: half camcorder, half PMP, totally chintzy

Cedar Electronics' CDV-528: half camcorder, half PMP, totally chintzyRegrettably, we can safely say that we've seen a similar mishmash before, and while we've no idea who actually finds these things worthwhile, Cedar Electronics is apparently giving it a go with the CDV-528. This handheld camcorder / PMP conglomerate boasts a 2.4-inch 480 x 234 resolution LCD, a 5-megapixel CMOS sensor capable of snagging stills and VGA-quality video, between 32MB and 128MB of internal storage space and an SD / MMC expansion slot to boot. You'll also find PictBridge support, USB 2.0 connectivity, an AV output, some form of red-eye reduction and a rechargeable Li-ion cell. Interestingly, we're not told what types of files this thing will actually support, but let's just say that's reason enough for you to avoid this like the plague, cool?



(Via Engadget.)

Saturday

The Gaudi GHV-DV30SDS way of life

The Gaudi GHV-DV30SDS way of lifeWe’re glad to keep everyone posted that Greenhouse Inc. bared its handheld video recorder branded as Gaudi GHV-DV30SDS. Initially, Gaudi’s video recorder features an ASF AVI format video photography, Jpeg still image format and TV output function. Also, Gaudi GHV-DV30SDS enjoys a USB 2.0 interface."



(Via Mobile Depot.)

Friday

AigoV880 Digital Camera

AigoV880 Digital Camera: "

AigoV880%20Digital%20Camera.jpg


The Aigo Corporation has added one more camera to its lineage with the introduction of V880 digital camera. It employs a 2.5 inch exquisite LCD display screen with 8.15 million pixels CCD and for users knowledge it’s a low-temperature polycrystalline silicon monitor. The digital camera lands into users hand with 8.0 effective Mega pixels and 1/2.5 inch CCD image sensor. With the usage of the digital camera the users can get to enjoy great shots and brilliant and detailed images with quality at par. The model V880 equips incorporated 16MB memory and furthermore also supports, expandable SD Card (Up to 2 GB). The V880 compact camera offered in classic as well as trendy colors is definitely a trend setter among digital cameras. Aigo has not revealed the details of price range and date of availability of the product till now. So, stay tuned till our next updation.





(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Green house GHV-DV17SDS SD movie camera

Green house GHV-DV17SDS SD movie camera

green%20ghv.jpg


Green House has recently introduced a hi-tech movie camera GHV-DV17SDS. The movie camera employs a 5 mega pixel and offers a 32MB of committed storage and other than this it comes with a SD media card slot with up to 2GB support. Externally the movie camera is cool in design and is very handy measures about 90 x 37 x 70mm and weighs including the electric battery and the card comes to approximately 227g. It is a very portable camera thus the users can carry it wherever they go to capture all those unique moments. The camera is capable enough of recording movie in either VGA (640×480) or QVGA (320×240) mode, at 30fps AVI format. The GHV-DV17SDS movie camera sports lens with single focus and as far as focal length is concerned it is 35mm conversion 45.5mm. The movie camera is anticipated to be available to users in December at an open price.





(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Thursday

Sony SR42E Video Camera

Sony SR42E Video Camera

Sony%20SR42E%20Video%20Camera.jpg


Sony has recently introduced its new Video Camera model SR42E. The video camera delivers detailed and natural images even in low light situations. The camera sports Vario-Tessar lens and thus gives an enhanced picture quality to the shooters. The SR42E comprise of a 2.5inch LCD touch screen and also features a'3G' sensor and the hard disk shock absorber. Other than all this the video frequency buffer option protects the user’s hard disk data to. Designed in a very compact structure the camera is ideal for carrying. With external measurements 73x71x115mm and weight of 340g (including battery) the users would be able to handle and carry the camera more conveniently. There is no word on the pricing and availability of the SR42E model Video Camera.





(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Wednesday

Samsung S860 Entry-Level Digital Cameras

Samsung S860 Entry-Level Digital Cameras

s_Samsung%20S860%20blk%20front%201.jpg


Samsung recently unveiled its all new entry-level digital cameras the 8.1 mega pixel S860. The camera features 8.1 mega pixel and is exhibiting a new standard in the range of point and-shoot digital cameras. Designed in a cool structure the camera is aimed at the fashion conscious chunk of people thus it is very compact in shape. The camera features a 3x optical zoom, SHD lens and provide shooters Digital Image Stabilization (DIS) to help reduce the result of camera shake thus generating sharp and clear pictures.



The camera also boasts of Face Detection and Self Portrait mode. Furthermore the camera offers 11 scene modes to choose from, including Night, Portrait, Children, Landscape, Close-Up, Sunset, Dawn, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow, and Self Portrait. S860 digi cam also gives the users a special control which is known as 'E' button giving access to controls like resizing and rotating images, adjusting brightness, contrast and saturation levels, fixing red eye, and manipulating color etc. his is not all, with the cameras’ Movie mode users can capture video in any one of two resolutions, 320x240 or 640x480, at 30 frames per second in AVI (MJPEG) format. This smart digital camera S860 will be available to the users in the month of January 2008, at the retail price of $179.




(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Samsung S760 Digital Camera

Samsung S760 Digital Camera

samsung-s760.jpg


Samsung, a world renowned producer of Digital Camera, recently introduced its cool new model of digital camera model Samsung S760. This model of digital camera features 7.2 mega pixel and 3x optical zoom. The camera offers the users with Digital Image Stabilization with which the users can generate blur free images and can forget about any kind of camera shake.



The digi cam is designed in a cool new shape and is so compact that can be easily carried. In addition to all this the camera also features Face detection, and portrait modes. Most importantly the camera sports Function Description feature which provides a concise and simple explanation of every setting when the user scroll through the cameras’ menus helping the user to comprehend the usage of settings in a better way.


Also the camera model S760 offers an option of 11 scene modes to choose from. These modes include Night, Portrait, Children, Landscape, Close-Up, Sunset, Dawn, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow, and Self Portrait etc. With the existence of special effects 'E' button, users can also access to a host of inventive controls, which include systems like: resizing and rotating images, adjusting brightness, contrast and saturation levels, fixing red eye, and controlling color such as saving confined images. The digital camera S760 would be accessible by the users at a pricing of $169 in the month of January 2008.




(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Nikon D3 full frame DSLR unboxed

Nikon D3 full frame DSLR unboxed


So it looks like the first lucky individuals have started receiving their Nikon D3s in the mail -- lucky not just because they're the proud new owner of a 12.1 megapixel full frame DSLR with 6400 ISO, 51-point autofocus, two CF slots, HDMI, and a 3-inch live view LCD, but lucky because, you know, they can afford to spend $5,000 on a camera. For those of us who can only aspire to possess such luxuries, there are always a bunch of nice unboxing shots to really help flesh out our weird gadget fantasies. You can check out another such pic after the break, before hitting the Read link for an entire D3 gallery including a few images of those new AF-S NIKKOR lenses...



(Via Engadget.)

Just posted! Fujifilm F50fd review

Just posted! Fujifilm F50fd review: "Just Posted! Our review of the Fujifilm FinePix F50fd, successor to the F31fd and flagship of Fujifilm's Compact range. The F50fd has some massive shoes to fill. Its predecessor, the F31fd, was widely regarded as the best performing compact camera at high ISO sensitivities. The F50fd is a complete redesign, sports some new features such as image stabilization and Face Detection 2.0, and has doubled the pixel count to an impressive 12MP. Will it be able to match or even surpass its predecessor’s image quality? See how it performed in the review after the link ..."



(Via News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com).)

Monday

Samsung S750 Digital Camera

Samsung S750 Digital Camera

Samsung%20S750%20Digital%20Camera.jpg


Samsung, a forerunner in the manufacturing of electronic goods has come up with its latest range of camera’s the S750 digital camera. The camera gives an amazing output with its 7.2 Mega pixel image sensor. It also comprise of a bright 3x optical zoom lens. The Camera has been designed in a compact shape and measures about 99.8×62.8×25.7mm and weights just 136g. Its elite ASR stabilization mechanism helps to reduce shaking resulting into sharper pictures. It also offers scene programmes and different modes like Auto, Program, Manual, Scene, Movie etc. The S750 digital camera employs a 2.5-inch LCD screen and USB 2.0 connectivity. The camera is obtainable in two colors Black & White. The camera is expected to be showcased in this year IFA, although there is no information on the availability and pricing of the model.





(Via Image-Acquire.com.)