The Fujifilm X-S1 is no ordinary superzoom. It has a 12-megapixel, 2/3in sensor that’s far larger than what you’d normally find in a compact camera for starters.

As much as the X-S1 is considered a "compact" – often described as a "bridge" or "superzoom" camera – it’s far from small scale. Indeed it looks a lot like a DSLR in terms of its overall size and layout, yet it manages to squeeze a 24-624mm (equiv.) 26x optical zoom lens that, while large in size, is smaller and more bag-friendly than a full DSLR setup.?

Awesome EVF

There’s plenty more that the X-S1 puts into play to make it an attractive purchase. The 0.47in, 100-per-cent field-of-view, 1.44million-dot electronic viewfinder (or EVF for short) walks all over other superzooms’ EVF offerings. And then some. The viewfinder itself is far larger than you’d usually find in a compact-type camera, which makes using it a lot more comfortable. It goes a long way to raising the X-S1’s profile as the EVF is akin to that found in the Samsung NX11 or Nikon V1. The X-S1’s EVF also includes a dioptre adjustment should you have eyes not up to scratch, or wear glasses.

If you’d rather use the camera’s rear LCD then the 3-inch screen is mounted on a bracket that’s great for below eye-level work. The screen can tilt backwards to some degree for overhead shooting, but only by 35degrees or so.

Sizable zoom lens

Then, of course, there’s that big lens. A superzoom wouldn’t carry such a name if it didn’t have a significant zoom as part of its features list.

The X-S1 doesn’t disappoint: its 24-624mm f/2.8-5.6 (equiv.) 26x zoom lens is sturdy, thanks to a metal barrel, and feels good in the hand. It’s coated with a rubber-like finish with raised flanges for a comfortable grip.

The lens is controlled by manually rotating the zoom barrel – an experience much like using a DSLR. Towards the body side of the camera, to the back of the lens barrel, there’s also a manual focus ring that’s far larger than previous Fujifilm superzoom models.

Add lens-based image stabilisation and there’s not much this lens can’t do. Optically each element has been treated with multi-layer Super EBC, the same high-standard coating found in broadcast-quality Fujinon lenses. Fujifilm says this will reduce ghosting and flare for better image quality overall.

Autofocus

Put the X-S1 to work and it’s superior to any other superzoom out there. But we’d expect no less for the hefty ?700 price tag. It’s not, however, a DSLR-beater for many tasks. Its contrast-detection autofocus puts DSLR systems to shame for live-preview (often called "live view") work on the rear screen, but its viewfinder use is a mirror of this and not a more capable phase-detection system (as per a DSLR).

The X-S1’s single autofocus is, without a doubt, swift off the mark to find a subject. The 49 focus points are used to full effect or can be manually selected for pinpoint accuracy and to cater for more intricate focus and composition. Even the focus point’s size can be adjusted from small to medium.

As great as all that is, the telephoto end of the zoom can’t quite keep up in all scenarios. A number of occasions saw the camera "freeze up" and cease to deliver full-time live preview, making tracking subjects somewhat tricky.

Continuous autofocus, too, may be a good feature, yet it depends on a single cross-form focus point that’s slap bang in the centre of the frame. The camera will work continuously, yet this is rather slow to drift between focal planes and isn’t anything like the hyper-speed of something such as the Sony A65, for example.

And so the X-S1 feels much like a souped-up compact. It’s good, it works a treat for many situations, but if it’s high-grade DSLR speed that you’re after then the X-S1 can’t be deemed as a replacement.

If manual focus is more your bag then a switch on the front of the camera jumps between the three focus types (single, continuous and manual). A digital magnifier zooms the screen in to a 100-per-cent level for fine-tuning focus, made all the easier by the silky-smooth focus ring. Sometimes the on-screen results "jumped" between focal planes a little too swiftly, but otherwise manual focus is perfect for close-up work, still life scenarios, night shots and other scenes.

Image Quality – the highs and lows

When we reviewed the X10 (which shares the same sensor as the X-S1) towards the end of 2011 we were, in general, very impressed with what the 2/3in sensor could produce.

Shallow depth of field is easily achievable, not least thanks to that sizeable zoom. At the widest angles and longest-reaches of the zoom range the overall clarity is high and distortion is never to excess.

The X-S1’s standard ISO sensitivity runs from ISO 100-3200, whereafter image dimensions shrink and files get smaller in a bid to counteract more challenging processing. ISO 4000-6400 is only available at 6-megapixels in size, while ISO 12,800 can only be captured at 4-megapixels.

Our advice? Stick to the standard settings. As the lens dips down to an f/5.6 brightness at its fullest 624mm (equiv.) it’s likely that the higher ISO settings will get plenty of use in order to benefit from a faster shutter speed. No other superzoom has been able to produce ISO 3200 shots to quite such a successful degree before, though it’s not going to beat either a compact system nor DSLR with equivalent (and, we must admit, far, far more expensive) lens.

Which is the very point: although the X-S1 is an eye-watering ?700 it sits in the market rather well. Yes it’s more than a Nikon D5100, yet it’s far cheaper than a D5100 plus Sigma 70-300mm or similar lens combo. It’s even more cost-effective than a group of compact system camera, and for that the X-S1 deserves praise.

However, (there’s always a but, isn’t there) there’s an ongoing issue as experienced by the X10: Specular highlights, ie, the white points from light sources or glinted reflections in sunlight, can "blow out" into circular forms that are far larger than they ought to be and, in some circumstances, become a huge distraction.

In the grey, flat light of the UK’s winter this wasn’t an issue for almost all of our test shots, but exposed bulbs, flecks of sunlight on water and so on can reveal oversized, orb-like highlights. Fuji says there is a fix coming via firmware, though we suspect it will improve rather than eradicate the issue.

For a lesser compact this might not be such a bother, but for a high-spec ?700 model it’s not one of the X-S1’s, er, "highlights" (okay, a poor show to use the same joke twice, but it’s hard to resist).

Verdict:

The X-S1 is king of the superzooms and will see off any of the competition. Though, at ?700, it’s a costly investment. But an investment is just what it feels like – this is a quality bit of engineering.

But it’s not without fault. The autofocus system is good, but can leave a feeling of longing for something yet more capable – in particular at the telephoto end of the zoom range and when in continuous autofocus mode. Image quality, too, is an echo of the X10: there’s that ongoing processing issue that can cause specular highlights to morph into white orbs (whether shooting Raw or JPEG, it doesn’t matter).

Otherwise we’re full of praise: image quality is impressive and beyond its competitors, though next time we’d like a full-resolution ISO 6400 setting. A decent electronic viewfinder is also something superzooms have been crying out for – and the X-S1 hits the nail on the head with its 1.44m-dot EVF.

The ?700 price tag will be a big ask for many, yet the sensor, viewfinder, metal parts in the build and the high-standard of optics won’t be cheap to produce. And what alternative is there? A Nikon J1 with 30-110mm or a Panasonic Lumix GF3 with 100-300mm will both cost considerably more and neither offer a viewfinder. Think of it in that perspective and the X-S1 is worth every penny for the right user.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Fujifilm Fujifilm X-S1 12 megapixels

Fujifilm X-S1 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:15:00 +0000

Kodak is to stop making digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames as its parent company attempts to cut costs after a turbulent few months financially.

In January, Eastman Kodak Company filed voluntary petitions for chapter 11 business reorganisation with a bankruptcy court in the US.

The move, which essentially saw Kodak entering a protected period and taking credit of $950 million, was seen as the last throw of the dice for a legendary brand that is firmly on its death bed.

The camera and printer company, established in 1892, has been feeling the financial strain for several years. Despite its being an early pioneer of the digital camera, many believe its focus on film and the budget side of the compact camera market has contributed to its decline.

Described by the company as the "logical decision", the move to scrap the digital camera business is a sad state of affairs for a brand so steeped in camera history. It follows the decision to sell its image sensor division in November last year.

Three-quarters of all Kodak's revenue came from digital but it will now focus on licensing its technologies, as well as continuing the online and retail photo printing services it provides. The company also makes desktop printers.

Kodak had previously tried to sell off its patents to avoid bankruptcy, but failed to gain any interest. Sad days indeed for one of the most recognisable brands in photography.

Tags: Cameras Kodak

Kodak kills its digital camera business originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:43:00 +0000

In what has been an absolute bumper week for camera launches ahead of the big CP+ photography expo in Japan, Sigma has unleashed its new kit - or rather a new twist on some old favourites.

First up, the Japanese company has the re-branded its flagship DSLR camera, the SD1, which is now known as the Sigma SD1 Merrill. Dick Merrill was the chap who invented the technology that has made the Foveon X3 Direct Image Sensor possible.

"This revolutionary image capture system reflects both the artistic and technological sides of Merrill’s personality," reads a company statement. "As an expression of Sigma’s passion for photography and in honour of Dick Merrill’s genius, we have named the latest generation of the Foveon X3 Direct Image Sensor the Foveon Merrill."

Apart from the name, the camera stays the same. But, don't worry, there are some completely new devices sporting the Merrill moniker by way of the Sigma DP1 Merrill and Sigma DP2 Merrill.

Packing the Foveon Merrill sensor, these beauties take their lead from the original DP1 and DP2 cameras, released back in 2006, the first compacts to boast almost DSLR-size sensors. The megapixel count is up to 46 (4800 x 3200 x 3 layers) which is manageable thanks to a dual TRUE (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) II image processing engine.

Both the DP1 Merrill and the DP2 Merrill have 3-inch, 920k dot, displays - the difference between the two lies in the lenses. For the DP1 it's a new 19mm f2.8 lens (28mm equivalent), which should make it a darn sight faster than the 28mm-equivalent f4 lens of the previous model. For the DP2 it's a new 30mm f2.8 lens (45mm equivalent) one.

The SD1 Merrill will be available in March; the DP1 Merrill and DP2 Merrill's release details are still to be confirmed.

Tags: Cameras Sigma SD1 Sigma SD1 Merrill Sigma DP1 Sigma DP2 Sigma DP1 Merrill Sigma Sigma DP2 Merrill

Sigma SD1, DP1 and DP2 Merrill honours Foveon sensor originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:41:00 +0000

Along with the official launch of the OM-D and the unveiling of the Tough TG-820 and TG-620 cameras, Olympus has also found time to announce the successor to its SZ-30MR super-zoom compact - the Olympus SZ-31MR.

Packing the same 16-megapixel backlit sensor as its predecessor, as well as an identical 24x (25-600mm) optical zoom, the SZ-31MR also has a new image processor - the dual engine TruePic V.

Like the TG-820, the new camera boasts Olympus' new iHS (Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed) tech, which it claims will produce sharper and more vivid images, along with a smart panorama mode, HDR backlight adjustment, advanced i-Auto mode, AF tracking, and face and pet detection. Videos are shot in Full HD 1080p and the ISO range is 80 to 640.

The new compact super-zoom flagship camera features a 3-inch, 920k dot touchscreen LCD, which also boasts touch shutter controls and touch auto-focusing.

And if you thought we were done for the day with new Olympus camera news then think again as the sleek looking Olympus SH-25M has also been unleashed.

It doesn't quite have the 24x zoom skills of the SZ-31MR, coming in at 12.5x (24-300mm), but it does boast the same 16-megapixel backlit sensor and the TruePic V processor, as well as the iHS tech and the 1080p HD video skills.

Its display is a 3-inch 460k dot one which also has touch-screen options and the SH-25M also has GPS and an electronic compass built-in, with three-sensor technology, "for orientation and key information at a glance".

The Olympus SZ-31MR is available from late March for ?299.99? The SH-25M will land a month later but with a price-tag ?70 less.

Tags: Cameras Olympus SZ-31MR Olympus Olympus SH-25MR

Olympus SZ-31MR sails the compact superzoom flagship originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:05:00 +0000

Hot on the heels of the Pentax Optio WG2-GPS and the Canon PowerShot D20, Olympus has unleashed the TG-820 and TG-620 Tough duo - the latest wannabes for the compact camera hard gang.

These sturdy compacts boast the usual array of 'proof features, including being waterproof (10m for the 820, 5m for the 620), shockproof (2m, 1.5m), freezeproof (minus 10 degrees) and, in the case of the 820, crushproof to 100kg.

They also have cases that are more like armour - ?including double lock mechanisms to keep the battery and the ports safe and a metal barrier to protect the lens from getting damaged.

In terms of the usual camera specs, you're looking at a couple of 12-megapixel snappers with 5x wide optical zoom (28-140mm) lenses that are powered by Olympus' TruePic VI image engine. They boast iHS technology, HDR backlight adjustment, a 3D shooting mode, dual image stabilisation and a range of magic filters. On the video side, it's Full HD 1080p all the way, including when you're underwater.

The TG-820 trumps its little brother when it comes to the display; boasting a 3-inch 1,030k dot Super Precision HyperCrystal III LCD, compared to a 460k dot one on the TG-620.

Both cameras play nicely with Eye-Fi, are SDHC and SDXC memory card compatible and pack direct HDMI out for watching back your media on your TV.

Both of these new Tough compacts are available from the middle of this month; the Olympus Tough TG-820 for ?269.99 and the TG-620 for ?229.99.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Olympus Tough TG-820 Olympus Tough TG-620 Olympus

Olympus Tough TG-820 and TG-620 cameras flash in originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:43:00 +0000

After weeks of rumours?Olympus?has confirmed the launch of a new Micro Four Thirds camera: the?Olympus OM-D.

And as you've come to expect, Pocket-lint has already had a play with the new model, letting us bring you some of the details first hand.

The new camera will sit above the current range of Pen models offering a retro-looking, but professional camera for those who want something a little more than your average compact system camera.

It will be available from April 2012 as a kit with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 for ?1149.99, the body only price is still to be confirmed.

Taking a leaf out of the Fujifilm X100 book, the new OM-D model has taken a decidedly retro, or as Olympus call it "classic" look, and harks back to the heady days of the Olympus OM SLR models. It comes complete with a leather finish and angular design made from magnesium alloy, that is both dust and splashproof.

The result is a beautiful looking camera that is bigger than the original film OM-1 but smaller than the company's Four Thirds model, the Olympus E-620. If either of those are alien to you, the new camera will sit on the palm of your hand, but is unlikely to fit in even a small bag.?

The OM-D (E-M5) comes in a silver or black body adding to that retro feel - we like the black better.?Also adding to the retro feel is the sheer number of buttons and dials on the model - it seems the only thing missing is the original film advance lever. However, that hasn't stopped Olympus adding a 3-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen rear-panel monitor that can be tilted to assist when shooting from high and low angles.

As you can imagine, using OLED here makes a big difference over previous LCD screens found on the Pen range, and like OLED screens on phones, the inclusion on the OM-D offers a major improvement in quality and perceived quality of the image when viewing it in playback mode.

Sadly, we weren't allowed out of the blacked-out armoured truck in which we were shown the new camera to see how the screen fared in bright sunlight, but shooting and then viewing images back on the screen in the environment we were in looked pretty sharp.

Not that you need to care about that OLED screen. The biggest difference, aside from the new design, is that the camera will be the first Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera to have an electronic viewfinder (EVF) giving you a more traditional camera feel that sets it apart from the Pen models. That EVF is incredibly sharp (1440k-dot) allowing you to check manual adjustments to brightness and colour tones live and again, in our quick play, worked very well.

Looks are one thing, what about performance?

Olympus is pushing several core features here and sadly while we were able to get a feel for it in the hand, we weren't able really to test the camera's shooting capabilities. What we can talk about is some of the specs ahead of a more in-depth play we have planned for the next couple of weeks.

The new high-speed Live MOS Sensor on the OM-D comes with 16.1 megapixels, and allied to the TruePic VI image processing engine it offers noise-reduction capability and still-image shooting sensitivity as high as ISO 25600.

Olympus is also boasting the fastest auto-focus of any interchangeable lens camera (including all DSLRs) with a further refinement of the world-beating FAST AF (Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology) also found on the popular Pen series models.

Again, that's hard to test in the back of a truck, but even in the poor lighting it seemed to be quick.

According to Olympus the OM-D will include Fine Detail Processing technology, first seen on the E-5, which eliminates Moir? and pseudo-colours, while Real-Colour Technology is used to reproduce previously hard-to- render colours such as emerald green. The OM-D also offers a new “Key Line” filter to enhance edge lines, op make the photo look more like an illustration; two variations provide different-strength effects. Art Filter Bracketing?allows?you to generate multiple pictures with different filters from a single shot.

Where Olympus is really hoping to impress though is a new five-axis image stabilisation that now not only deals with yaw and pitch, but also horizontal and vertical shift as well as rotary motion.

That should come in handy when you are without a tripod, but also when shooting movies. The OM-D can record Full HD (1920 x 1080) in MOV format up to 29 minutes.

On the accessories front, the OM-D is compatible with all MFT Olympus lenses, which will be supplemented by two new lens options later in the year: the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm 1:1.8 and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm 1:2.8 macro. There is also the battery grip, flash and adapte rings, to make a complete package.

First impressions of the Olympus OM-D are good. Although our time with the camera was brief, we can't help marvelling at its classic lines, whilst feeling rather reassured by it's modern innards.

We will be bringing you a full review in the near future, so stay tuned.

Tags: Cameras Micro Four Thirds Olympus 16 megapixels Olympus OM-D Photos Compact system cameras

Olympus OM-D (E-M5) pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:01:00 +0000

The Olympus OM-D, the digital remastering of a classic SLR camera, has now been?announced?by Olympus following weeks of leaks and rumours. So now the Olympus OM-D, or E-M5 as it is marked, is official, let's run down what you get.

Adopting the Micro Four Thirds system, the OM element of this new camera appears to be mostly about positioning and external styling. To use OM lenses from the original 35mm SLR cameras, you'd need an MF-2 OM Adapter ring (?160).

However, it is compatible with Olympus's existing MFT selection, and will come with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm lens (24-100mm in 35mm terms) as a kit. You'll also get a weather-proofed body, so it's less prone to damage from brief dust or damp exposure.

However, there are a number of modern headline features of the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 camera, including five-axis stabilisation and lightning-fast autofocus, to help you get sharp 16-megapixel images out of the Live MOS sensor.?

Of more interest, however, might be the integrated electronic viewfinder. The lack of a viewfinder, or having to use an external accessory, has been a criticism of compact system cameras since their inception. Some Panasonic Lumix models, Sony's NEX-7 and more recently the Fujifilm X-Pro1 have all addressed the viewfinder issue in various ways.

The OM-D features a 1440k-dot electronic viewfinder. It's beautifully integrated in retro fashion into the top of the camera. We've used Olympus's accessory viewfinders in the past and the quality is very good on those, so we have high expectations of it here too.

Interesting accessories include a battery grip, which sort of defies the original raison d'?tre of a compact system camera. But, with some just wanting a retro-style camera, with familiar and sophisticated digital performance, the Olympus OM-D might be just the ticket.

As such you'll get ISO up to 25600, a wide selection of creative Art Filters, Full HD video capture, and a 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen OLED display, making this retro wonder quite the modern superstar.?

But as retro as it looks and sophisticated as it sounds, at ?1149.99 it costs as much as a mid-range DSLR, which might be a stumbling block for some.

The Olympus OM-D will be available in April 2012, as we've already seen it, so be sure to check-out our photos of it in the flesh.

Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Olympus Micro Four Thirds Olympus OM-D

Olympus OM-D brings retro style to your Micro Four Thirds life originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Pentax has announced a brace of new tough cameras, the Pentax Optio WG2 and the Optio WG2-GPS, which pack in a host of features for those that like to abuse their pocket camera.

Not only does the WG2 look like it has been designed for Batman, but it is waterproof (12 metres, IPX8), dustproof (IPX6), happy in the cold (down to -10C) and crush proof (100kgf). In our books, that makes the Optio WG2 something of a badass camera.?

Of course, all that protection is no good if the features are lacking. Fortunately you have a 16-megapixel back-illuminated sensor, offering a top ISO of 6400, along with a "night snap" mode that will take four images and compile them together with the aim of creating one good image.

There is a 5x zoom lens built in, offering 28mm at the wide end and 140mm at full zoom. An ultra-wide mode can also be deployed, giving you a 21mm effect by stitching two images together.

You get Full HD video capture and a slow motion option if you accept a drop in resolution. An HDMI will let you hook-up to the big screen to share your snaps and movies.

On the rear of the camera you get a 3-inch 16:9 display, offering a typical 460k-dot resolution and an anti-glare coating to aid viewing on the beach or slopes in bright conditions.

On the front of the camera you'll also find six LED lights in a ring around the lens for macro illumination in the "digital microscope" mode. They can also be used for self-portraits and as a torch in the dark, again adding to this camera's rugged repertoire.

If you want the GPS version, you'll have to accept a ?50 premium on the price, but you'll then be able to tag your photos as you shoot.

The Pentax Option WG2 will cost you ?299.99 and the Pentax Optio WG2-GPS is ?349.99. Both will be available from March 2012.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Pentax Pentax Optio WG2 Pentax Optio WG2-GPS 16 megapixels

Pentax Optio WG2-GPS: The adventure proof camera originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Nikon’s new D800 can shoot broadcast-quality 1080p video, at least that's what they tell us. It damn well needs to, as Canon has had quite a monopoly over video fans with its 5D MK II. On paper the D800 delivers in just about every respect. It trumps its predecessor in every way possible.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating and we aren’t believers until we see plenty of D800 footage for ourselves. While it might be scarce, there is quite a bit of video already making its way on to the internet shot with the new camera. Curious about how the D800’s movie footage looks? Take a peek below to see what she is capable of.

D800 promo - Joy Ride

The first proper D800 video to emerge has been put together by someone called "Sandro". Despite having a name like one of Alan Partridge’s children, it is damn impressive what can be produced from just a DSLR. Sure he might have had a massive crew at his disposal but ultimately this is what you can get out of a D800 should you try.

For a promo video this is seriously edgy stuff. It features some rather dishevelled looking ladies of the night, a child being born and even a cool motorbike guy. Oh and it was all shot at night, should you be wondering what high ISO footage looks like from the D800.

There is also a behind-the-scenes clip which shows how the Joy Ride video was shot and edited.-

Joy Ride - Behind the Scenes from Sandro on Vimeo.

Nikon D800 D movie - Through the lens

Appearing on Nikon Asia’s YouTube channel, this video is shot using a D800 under Multi-area AF mode. It is taken in daylight and has had a lot less tweaking done to it than the above promo video.

First thing we notice is how well the D800 copes with motion and wobble that you usually get from DSLRs. It is also incredibly sharp, colours well balanced and more than up to Nikon’s claims of broadcast quality video.

As boring as the content is, this is the video that has got us wanting to play with the D800 more than anything else.

At the moment this is all we have, unfortunately. Believe us though, the internet will be flooding with delights shot using the D800 any moment now. The second we see anything we will add it to this article.

Tags: Photography Cameras Nikon Nikon D800

Nikon D800 video samples roundup originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:56:00 +0000

Canon has updated its zoom lens-touting travel compacts, introducing the PowerShot SX260 HS and PowerShot SX240 to the range and increasing their optical range considerably. Both feature new 20x zoom capabilities and lay claim to being the slimmest models with that optical range in the manufacturer's line-up.

In specifications terms, the models are similar. Each features the aforementioned?20x zoom, 25mm wide-angle lens, and they have 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensors and the?DIGIC 5-powered HS System. They also sport Canon's proprietary Intelligent IS (Image?Stabilisation) technology.

ZoomPlus technology adds digital zoom to the cameras too, combined DIGIC 5 with the sensor in order to extend the range to 39x.

Both cameras have 3-inch?PureColor II G LCD screens on the rear, and now chuck in Face ID, a face recognition system that can recognise up to 12 previous stored faces of your friends and family. You can also include their birthdays, and then Smart Auto will apply age-related setups and scenes to photographs. For example, if one of the stored faces belongs to a sleeping baby, Smart Auto will know to?disengage the flash and audio cues.

Face ID will also tag images with the names of the subjects.

Another interesting feature is Movie Digest. It records the last four seconds of action before each shot is taken and then edits them into a single movie at the end of the day, in 720p, so that you can watch a mini film of your excursion or event.

Each camera also offers Full HD (1080p) video recording functionality, which also utilises the 20x zoom lens and image stabilisation talents.

Other notable features include?Manual, Av and Tv modes, high-speed shooting, and the cameras can be complemented with optional 40m waterproof cases.

The major difference between them is that the Canon PowerShot SX260 HS also comes with GPS to location stamp images.

Available from March, the SX260 will cost ?329 and come in four colours - silver, black, red and green - while the SX240 will be ?299 and come in three - silver, black and red.

Tags: Cameras Canon Canon PowerShot SX260 HS Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS and SX240 HS compacts are for the roaming snapper originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:05:00 +0000

You know what today needed? Six more cameras, that's what. Luckily, Canon thought so too and has announced the arrival of its new PowerShot A series comprising of the following entry to mid-level compacts: The Canon PowerShot A810, the Canon PowerShot A1300, the Canon PowerShot A2300, the Canon PowerShot A2400 IS, the Canon PowerShot A3400 IS and the Canon PowerShot A4000 IS.

Before we give each camera some individual time to breathe, let us first tell you what they've all got in common. They all pack the DIGIC 4 processing engine (sadly not the DIGIC 5 that we've seen land in the Canon Ixus 510 HS and Ixus 240) and they all have 16-megapixel sensors.

They also all shoot movies in 720p HD and, unless stated below, have 28mm wide-angle lenses with 5x optical zoom skills and 2.7-inch LCD displays.

The pick of the bunch is the A4000 which ramps the optical zoom up to 8x and offers a 3-inch LCD display.

Next up is the A3400, which may not have the zooming skills of the top model but does boast the bigger LCD display, this time with touch-screen controls thrown in. The A3400 and the A4000 also feature an optical image stabiliser with Intelligent IS technology built in tech. As does the A2400.

The A2300 and the A1300 have optical viewfinders; something that you won't find on the A810. The A2300 is also lithium-ion battery powered, whereas the two lower models run on AA batteries. The A810 also lacks the smart auto (32 scene) mode of its A series brothers and sisters.

The Canon PowerShot A4000 will be the first of the bunch to hit the shops, landing this month for ?169. In March, the A2300, A2400 and A3400 will arrive costing ?119, ?129 and ?149 respectively, followed by the A810 (?89) and the A1300 (?109) in April.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Canon PowerShot A810 Canon PowerShot A1300 Canon PowerShot A2300 Canon PowerShot A2400 IS Canon PowerShot A3400 IS Canon PowerShot A4000 IS

Canon PowerShot A series announced for entry-level fun originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000

It is turning into a busy day for camera launches. Not only have we seen Nikon unleash some top-end kit by way of the D800, Canon is also getting in on the pre-CP+ expo fun by annoying a barrage of new snappers including the latest entrants to the Ixus line up: The Canon Ixus 510 HS and the Ixus 240 HS.

Both models pack Wi-Fi capabilities and fanboys will be pleased to know that these compact cameras have been built firmly with their iThings in mind. Over the air you can chuck your images and videos straight at your Apple toy of choice; they are compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad, iPad 2 and the 4th-gen iPod touch.

Both models, which offer touch-screen control, also play nicely with Facebook and YouTube and the Canon Image Gateway; Canon’s online facility for sharing photos and video with up to 10GB of space on offer.

Those touch screens that we mentioned are 3.2-inch PureColor II Touch LCD displays with 460k dot resolutions and they feature Canon’s Touch Shutter functionality for quick shooting.

Both the Ixus 510 HS and Ixus 240 HS also boast Canon's new DIGIC 5 processing engine and both are capable of Full HD 1080p video recording. They also have the Movie Digest mode, like the recently announced PowerShot D20, which lets you record the four seconds before every still shot in 720p.

Where the cameras differ are the sensors, the chassis and the zoom options. The 510 has a 10.1-megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor, whereas the 240 has a 16.1-megapixel one.

On the 510 HS you get a 12x optical zoom (28 - 336mm), with a digital zoom taking this up to 21x, but you'll only get 5x optical (24 - 120mm) with the 240 HS and 10x digital.

The 240 weighs in slightly less at 145g compared to 163g for the 510 but it's a little chunkier in the hand; 94 x 57 x 21mm opposed to 86 x 54 x 20mm.

The Canon Ixus 510 HS will hit the shops in April priced at ?349, the 240 HS is ?279 and will be with us in March. Stateside, these cameras are called the Elph 530 HS and the Elph 320 HS.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Canon Canon Ixus 510 HS Canon Ixus 240 HS

Canon Ixus 510 HS and Ixus 240 HS play nicely with your iPhone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:23:00 +0000

It's been exactly three years since we welcomed the Canon PowerShot D10 into our lives and now, finally, the rugged compact has a sequel by way of the Canon PowerShot D20 which has just been announced by the Japanese photography giant.

This is a rough, tough, no-nonsense compact camera that is packed into a "a robust and sporty body" making it waterproof (down to 10m), shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof.

The D20, like its older brethren, features a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, backed by the DIGIC 4 processor but takes the optical zooming up to a more healthy 5x.

1080p Full HD video is thrown into the mix, as is a rather neat movie-making feature called Movie Digest. This mode, when enabled, grabs four seconds of action from before you take your still pictures (in 720p HD, no less) meaning at the end of your adventures you can have a good look at exactly what you got up to.

The camera, powered by Canon's HS system, boasts a 28mm wide-angle lens and the LCD display on the back has also had a major upgrade. It is now a 3-inch 460k dot PureColor II with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The waterproof capabilities mean that, with the 10m limit, the underwater macro mode, quick AF technology and clever white balancing skills you can use it straight out of the box for snorkelling and shallow dives. If you want to go deeper you can - up to 40m - using the optional WP-DC45 waterproof case with external flash.

The D20 also boasts GPS logging with Google Earth compatibility and seven creative filters including: Fish-eye effect, miniature effect, miniature effect in movie, super vivid, poster effect, toy camera effect and monochrome.

The Canon PowerShot D20 is available from May, priced at ?349.

Tags: Cameras Canon Compact camera Canon Powershot D20

Canon PowerShot D20 rugged compact fires in originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:54:00 +0000

The D800 is here. Nikon has finally announced a successor to its now long in the tooth D700. The new camera has given us so much to talk about that we figured a versus was only fair.

We aren’t trying to work out which camera is better here, as we would hope the D800 easily grabs the crown. Instead we are looking at the main differences and updates, so you can figure out if holding off a purchase for the D800 is worth it, or if grabbing a cheaper D700 off eBay is the thing to do.

Some of the updates are fairly obvious, such as Nikon’s new prosumer full-frame snapper being able to compete with the 5D MK II for video. Others are much more subtle, but could make a huge difference to the way you shoot. So let's get down to it and tear the meat from the bones of this beefy new Nikon snapper.

Sensor

1st: D800

36.3 megapixel FX-format (24 x 39.5mm) CMOS sensor

2nd: D700

12.1 megapixel FX-format (23.9 x 36mm) CMOS sensor

At the core of any digital camera is its sensor. The D700 launched with a high-performance full frame - that is, the same size as 35mm film - CMOS sensor. Despite being released to market all the way back in 2008, the D700 still performs immensely well in low-light situations. The FX-format hardware inside was quite a way ahead of its time and still outdoes all but the top-end professional part of Nikon’s lineup.

The D800 has gone all out on the megapixel front, coming in with a whopping 36.3, compared to the D700’s 12.1.This is ideal for the studio photographer who wants lots of image data to play with, but for someone on the go, the more pixels on a sensor, the more low-light issues. Nikon says the D800 has the same level of noise control as its predecessor, but why not rein in the number of megapixels so it can improve upon it? Until we have a proper play we just can’t be sure. This one goes to the D800 for sheer megapixel punching power.

Body

1st: D800

Magnesium alloy, improved ergonomics, lighter

2nd: D700

Magnesium alloy

The D700 and D800 are both professional-grade pieces of kit. They are put together to be battered and bruised over years of photographic work. This means weather sealing and dust proofing which, when combined with the rubber gasket-clad G-type Nikon lenses - make the camera pretty impervious to the elements.

Nikon’s D700 was a tough camera. We know, as we have had one since launch, and it's still snapping away nicely. The size and feel of the camera however isn’t perfect and Nikon has done quite a bit to improve it with the D800. One of the most significant changes is the button layout, which does things such as move the AF and Manual focus switch so you don’t need to take your eye from the finder to change it. There is also a dedicated movie shooting button.

Coming in at 900g the D800 is 10 per cent lighter than the D700, which weighs 995g (no battery, card or caps). More than enough changes here then to know the new Nikon is the winner.

Display

1st: D800

3.2-inch, 921k dot, LCD with auto brightness control

2nd: D700

3-inch, 921k dot, LCD

Not a huge difference here between the two screens on the D700 and D800. Nikon’s display tech was already pretty good in 2008 but has undergone a major update for the new camera.

The D700 suffered from problematic viewing in bright light. This has been fixed with an automatic brightness setting in the D800, which has a much wider colour reproduction range. It means that when shooting video on the new camera you will be able to rely on the screen on the body for accuracy. This is hugely useful to people who intend to use the D800 for video professionally, as it does away with the need to connect and peek at a calibrated monitor all the time.

Viewfinder

1st: D800

0.7x magnification glass prism finder, 100 per cent frame coverage

2nd: D700

0.72? magnification glass prism finder, 95 per cent frame coverage

The D800’s finder comes with a much needed update over the previous full-frame Nikon, namely 100 per cent frame coverage.

This means whatever you see when looking through the viewfinder will be exactly the image taken. Normally some of the picture is cropped out simply because the finder doesn’t cover the whole sensor. Nikon has fixed this with the D800. The new finder is also extremely bright, allowing you to see clearly under moonlight and even darker situations.

Processor

1st: D800

Expeed 3

2nd: D700

Expeed

As the D700 drew on a lot of the hardware found in Nikon’s flagship bodies at the time, the D800 has done the same. Bits of hardware, namely the Expeed 3 that comes from the D4, have been built into the new snapper.

The Expeed 3 is a beast of a camera processor. It allows for the D800’s low-light performance with such a high number of megapixels. You get 16-bit image processing in both cameras but a significantly improved scene recognition setup in the D800. Advanced facial recognition, loads of detail and smooth colour graduation, these all come with the Expeed 3.

Another benefit of the Expeed 3 of course is what it can bring to video, which we will talk about later.

Focusing system

1st: D800

Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX AF, 51-point sensor

2nd: D700

Multi-CAM 3500FX AF, 51-point sensor

Despite having the same name, the D800 has a brand new AF sensor, which is capable of all sorts of clever tricks. Redesigned for the D4, you get things like 3D colour tracking and improved low light focusing.

Ultimately though, there isn’t a huge difference between the 51 point, 15 cross type focus system. The D700 performed brilliantly in nearly every focus situation, apart from when it was dark. If Nikon has really improved this, then it's on to a winner.

Shutter

1st: D700

200,000 actuations, 4fps in FX, 6fps in DX crop

2nd: D800

200,000 actuations, 4fps in FX, 5fps in DX crop

What’s this? The D700 has managed to claim a win over the D800. Caused in part by the large number of megapixels in the new Nikon, it just can’t burn images to a card as quick. Neither cameras is really designed for high-speed shooting. For this you want something like the D300s or the Nikon D4.

The D700 and D800 both have immensely hardy sensors, in particular the 200,000 actuations test on the new Nikon is reassuring. We are giving this one to the D700 purely on numbers, but ultimately both are very tough. You also have years of the D700 being used in the field with little to no problems reported. And hey, you have to give the old man something, right?

Video

1st: D800

Full HD 1080p video at 30, 25 and 24fps, 720p 60fps slow mo

2nd: D700

No video

We would have been pretty worried if the D800 hadn’t won this one. Nikon has fallen behind in the video stakes to Canon and its 5D MK II, which shoots an unbelievably high-quality video.

The D800 needs to impress on this front and on paper it does. Hardware choices like a dedicated microphone in and headphone out are extremely useful, as is linear PCM support for other audio recording sources. You also get DX and FX recording formats, which means you can take advantage of the extra focal length gained from the smaller sensor size.

Broadcast quality 1080p output from the camera’s HDMI is useful for those shooting straight to an external display. You also get a "power aperture" which lets you adjust exposure using designated buttons on the front of the camera rather than the command dial.

All signs point to great video functionality in the D800. It grabs the win here obviously but will it manage to take the crown from Canon’s shooter? We will know more once we have had time to play with the and fully review it.

Price

1st: D700

Around ?1800

2nd: D800

?2399.99

Interestingly Nikon isn’t going to quit selling the D700, planning to push both cameras alongside each other. Sure the D800 is going to cost well over ?2000 but for that you get a huge number of improvements, as you can see from the above. Most will be willing to pay the extra for the video alone.

Some, however, will plan on using the camera just for stills and low-light use, in which case perhaps the cheaper D700 would be money well saved. Ultimately both are expensive cameras and the D700 has already proven itself in the field of photographic battle. Having the latest and greatest is definitely a nice feeling though and no one is going to argue the D800 isn’t that.

Verdict

As we said at the start of this article, we aren’t trying to find a winner here, more just pick out the differences. The D800 has done a lot to improve on Nikon’s top-end prosumer formula. All the best parts of the D700 have been retained and some rather large functionality holes filled. The video capabilities are a massive improvement and long overdue, as is the megapixel jump for those who need it. The rest of the camera however isn’t hugely different to the D700, presumably why Nikon is still keeping it on market. Hopefully a price drop will come the D700’s way and a cheap full-frame alternative will appear to Nikon’s new camera. We know one thing for sure, however: we want the D800.

To help you make up your mind, why not?check-out all our Nikon D800 pictures?

Tags: Cameras Nikon Nikon D700 Nikon D800 DSLR cameras

Nikon D700 vs Nikon D800 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:10:00 +0000

Nikon has actually launched two DLSR cameras today. The first is the Nikon D800, the second is the D800E, "the ultimate alternative", the "special edition", as Nikon refers to it.

The D800E is based on the D800. Actually, it's the same camera, with all the same features, except for one major difference. The Nikon D800E has had the optical filter modified to remove the anti-aliasing characteristics.?

The anti-aliasing filter, sometimes known as the optical low-pass filter, removes unwanted interference, such as moir? patterning, that can occur on particular subjects, especially common on textures such as meshes or patterned surfaces - clothes, brick walls or netting, for example.?

In digital imaging, this often happens because the grid of the sensor and the grid of the pattern have different alignment or the resolution of the sensor isn't high enough to accurately sample patterning in the scene, or both. Anti-aliasing filters are generally included in all digital cameras in some form, with medium format cameras being the notable exception.

The trade-off for avoiding the interference in images is a slight reduction in sharpness and often brightness. For most users, it's an acceptable compromise, but for those few that want the best possible results from the 36.3-megapixel sensor, then the Nikon D800E might be of interest.

To demonstrate the sort of difference you can expect, Nikon used the image below, which is a crop from a snowy mountain scene (resized here, but you can still see the difference).

While you won't have to pay the same sort of prices as you would to get an AA filter-free camera of the PhaseOne or Hasselblad variety, there is a small premium. The Nikon D800E will cost you ?2689.99.

When asked what proportion of buyers would opt for the D800E over the D800, Jeremy Gilbert, group marketing manager of Nikon UK, said he thought it would be "around 10 per cent". Nikon D800E availability will be through selected retailers, in particular those who can better service the needs of advanced photographers, from 12 April 2012.

You can see all our Nikon D800 photos here, and read more about the Nikon D800 specs here, as apart from that AA filter and the price, the cameras are the same.

Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D800 Nikon D800E 36 megapixels

What is the Nikon D800E? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:05:00 +0000

The Nikon D800 is a new enthusiast or semi-professional full-frame model. Pocket-lint was on hand to grab the new camera as soon as it was announced, to have a quick play and show you what the camera looks like in the flesh.

It has evolved out of the popular Nikon D700, but incorporates some of the features we saw in the recent D4 launch. Importantly it doesn't replace the D700; Nikon sees the D800 very much as a camera that a D700 user might step-up to, or a D300s user might move over to, but both the D800 and D700 will be available moving forward.

As a full-frame DSLR it is fairly weighty at 1kg (without a lens), but this is close to the weight of the D700 and to be expected from this type of camera. Fortunately the body is large enough to give a nice natural grip, so it sits nicely in the hands.

The layout of controls reflects the D700 forebear, but with some adjustments. The angle of the shutter button has been altered, as it was in the D4, to give a more natural position. Elsewhere you have controls for video, specifically the video capture button just behind the shutter button.

You also have specific live-view modes for video or stills, selected using the switch on the back. Nikon is taking video seriously with the D800, looking to steal some of the limelight from the Canon EOS 5D Mk II, which has been quite the box office hit. The normal complement of Full HD 1920 x 1080 capture at 30/25/24p is present, as well as 60/50p if you step down to 1280 x 720 resolution, resulting in a MOV file.

You'll find the connections you'd expect hiding under the flap on the left-hand side. The HDMI will offer an uncompressed video output aimed at professional use and you get audio monitoring via the mic and headphone sockets. You also get USB 3.0, meaning faster data transfer for moving all those huge files off - with a typical NEF RAW file being 76MB, you can understand the need.

There are four controls sitting atop the release mode dial on the left, a new bracketing button makes an appearance, designed to make things like HDR shooting more straight forward. As a "compact" full-frame camera there is a pop-up flash, meaning you don't need accessories if you don't want them.

The viewfinder offers a 100 per cent field of view and the 3.2-inch display on the back features a light sensor like the D4, so the display will adjust to suit the conditions as best it can. The viewfinder was bright and full of rich information from the AF system and the display looked to be nice and vibrant from the time we spent with the camera.

The sloped shoulders of the Nikon D800, incorporating the new rake of the shutter button, gives the new model a slightly softer look over the D700 which looks boxy by comparison. This means the name sits sort of awkwardly, not that anyone will care too much.

But despite all the expected updates, we suspect the talking point for many will be the large 35.9 x 24mm CMOS sensor (Nikon FX format), with 36.3 effective megapixels. The sensor partners much of the redesigned architecture we saw in the Nikon D4, including the Expeed 3 processor, but the fastest frame rate you'll get is 4fps at maximum resolution, or 5fps on DX crop, so this probably isn't one for photographers who need to catch that fleeting sporting moment.

In operation the Nikon D800 felt assured and serious. It was fast to focus, a no-nonsense camera, but unfortunately we weren't able to take away any of the shots we took for closer examination. To judge the quality of that new 36-megapixel sensor, we'll have to wait for the verdict of our Nikon D800 review.

The Nikon D800 will be available from 22 March and will cost you ?2399.99. The MB-D12 grip also pictured will cost you ?379.99.

Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D800 36 megapixels Photos

Nikon D800 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:01:00 +0000

The Nikon D800 is a new full-frame DSLR in Nikon's professional line of cameras, sitting on a new 36-megapixel CMOS sensor. The model borrows much of the styling of the D700, mixing in technology from the Nikon D4.

Top of the bill is that new 36-megapixel FX sensor. As a full-frame model it has a large sensor, but this number of megapixels is also new to "consumer" DSLR cameras. Nikon boasts that the level of detail it offers is unprecedented, while managing low-light noise as effectively as the D700.

The new Nikon D800 sits on the same architecture?as the flagship Nikon D4, so you have the same AF module and Expeed 3 processor, but much more data to process from that sensor.?

The model tweaks the styling of the D700, bringing in controls for the newly added video modes. Again keeping pace with the Nikon D4, you get Full HD video capture, as well as slow-motion 50/60fps options in 720p, looking to rival the likes of the Canon EOS 5D Mk II.

An HDMI fires uncompressed video out, ideal for professional production purposes and headphone and mic sockets will support your audio capture.?Other connections include a USB 3.0, the first for a Nikon DSLR, meaning fast data transfer to get all those images off. At 76MB for a NEF RAW file, you'll need it. Internally you'll find slots for CF and SD cards which can be used in combination.

Around the back of the new DSLR camera is a 3.2-inch 921k-dot LCD display with an ambient light meter, so it will adapt the display properties according to the environment. Above it sits the 100 per cent field of view viewfinder, which will display the 51 AF points.

The metal body of the Nikon D800 offers the same level of weatherproofing as the D700, so it's a camera that is designed to survive daily abuse and will offer 900 shots from the battery. You'll get a normal ISO range of 100-6400, with options to step down to ISO 50 or up to ISO 25600. You'll have options to shoot in different crop modes, from the native FX mode, to DX (APS-C equivalent), as well as 5:4 and 1.2x.

The Nikon D800 is a hefty camera at around 1kg (with battery but no lens) but offers a full range of capture options for the serious photographer or videographer. It also comes in at a serious price, launching at ?2399.99. It will be available from 22 March 2012.?

Now why not look at our?Nikon D800 pictures and hands-on?or see how the D800 compares to the D700?

Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D800 Nikon D800E 36 megapixels

Nikon D800: full frame, full HD, full of 36 megapixels originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Canon is all set for a bumper camera launch with US site Canon Rumors obtaining a list of eight new PowerShot cameras that it says will be announced this week.

Among the list is the Canon PowerShot D20, which would most likely be a follow-up to 2009's tough D10 - a 12.1-megapixel snapper backed by a DIGIC 4 processor that is also shock resistant and reaches the IPX6 standard, meaning it is waterproof as well.

The list also mentions the A2300, the A2400, the A3400, the A4000, the A810, the Elph 320 and the SX240.

Tuesday (7 February) will mark exactly one year to the day that Canon last unleashed a barrage of new cameras including the PowerShot SX230 HS, the PowerShot SX220 HS, the EOS 1100D and its flagship, and Pocket-lint favourite, the EOS 600D.

Dare we dream then, that we may also see the 650D getting all official as well? After all, the 600D was announced exactly a year after the 550D. The 650D is much anticipated, with speculation online suggesting a new 24-megapixel APS-C sensor will be on board, along with a DIGIC 5 processor.

With the CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show 2012 all set to kick off in Yokohama on Thursday, we'd be very surprised if Canon altered its timely announcements. Watch this space for more information soon.

Read

Tags: Cameras Canon Canon PowerShot D10 Canon Powershot D20 Canon EOS 600D Canon EOS 650D

Canon gears up for mammoth PowerShot launch originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:05:00 +0000

New confirmed specifications and pictures of Olympus' much-rumoured OM-D micro four-thirds camera have been leaked ahead of its (now) expected launch on 8 February, by none other than Amazon.

The Japanese arm of the online retailer posted pictures and some tech spec nuggets on its product pages, and keen-eyed website 43 Rumours managed to grab them before the images were removed (presumably on OIympus's say so).

Attached to a pistol grip, the digital update to the company's classic range of OM film cameras comes with the model number OM-D E-M5, and Amazon posts that it will feature a 16-megapixel MOS sensor, something we've heard before. The retailer also lists its screen size as?17.3 ? 13.0mm, and confirms that it will shoot on to SD cards (SDHC / SDXC / UHS-I)?with Eye-Fi support.

The 43 Rumours site also notes that the build quality of the OM-D is clunky, but we don't think it's anywhere near as clunky as the Pentax K-01 mirrorless camera recently revealed. In comparison, the Olympus is positively svelte.

We'll be bringing you more on the Olympus OM-D as soon as it's officially launched. Including pictures and hands-on.

Tags: Olympus Cameras Olympus OM-D Olympus OM-D5

More Olympus OM-D pictures leaked... by Amazon originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:53:00 +0000

The snow has caused havoc, but now the sun has come out. Quick, grab your camera and get shooting. The snow makes for some great photo opportunities, but also some tricky shooting experiences.

Here are five tips to help you take some great pictures whether you're just capturing the moment or trying to grab that perfect picture for your Christmas cards.

Exposure
Chances are your camera is going to get confused by the snow no end - you can use "snow" settings if your camera has one, else just notch up the exposure of the camera to compensate. +1 should do it. The result will be that you are overexposing the scene by one stop, admitting twice as much light into the photo and stopping everything from looking grey.

Contrast
Shooting a snow storm doesn't look that pretty because there is no contrasting colours - everything looks grey or white. Wait till the sky clears and now you've got a crystal blue sky to shoot against. If the sun is refusing to come out make sure your subjects are brightly dressed. Scarves are a great way of adding a dash of bright red or green into the picture.

Point of View
This goes for all pictures you take but think about getting down to the level of your subject. Shooting a snowman by lying on the floor will give you a sense that he is far bigger than he is. Likewise when it comes to shooting a snowball fight if you're photographing kids - get low. If you're feeling brave get them to throw snowballs at you just as you take the picture.

Light
All that reflective snow around means there will be plenty of light. Make sure you don't shoot into the sun. Keep the sun at right angles to your shot during morning and evening hours and at an acute angle from behind you when it's high in the sky for improved scene exposure. The best shots will also mostly be snapped either late in the day or first thing. The great thing about shooting early is that you'll get plenty of untouched natural shots if you've had a fresh bout of snow overnight.

Kit
If you're venturing out into the woods or city it sounds silly but wrap up warm. Take a blanket (for lying on) and make sure you've got a full charge in your battery. Batteries don't last as long when they are cold so you're likely to not get as many shoots out as you can on a baking hot, sunny day. The great thing about snow is that you can always build a tripod so at least that's one less thing to pack.

Photo: Steve Dye

Article originally published on 3 February?2009

Tags: Cameras Features snow

Five tips for photographing snow originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:02:00 +0000

Back in July last year digital cameras went Asda-price when the supermarket giant offered up the Nikon Coolpix L23 for just ?49. This was followed by a ?14 Disney kids camera last month and now Asda is offering yet another budget camera option: The Kodak EasyShare Mini M200 for ?25.

Just ?25 for a camera that boasts a 10-megapixel sensor and a 3x optical zoom lens (29 - 87mm). The M200's tiny body measures 94 x 60.1 x 30.5mm, but the specs have been pared down too, so it offers only VGA-quality video capture. There is a 2.5-inch LCD screen on the back though.

For ?25, this is a camera that you can chuck in your bag and forget about until the time comes when you need a bit more than your smartphone's built in snapper can offer. It would also be a great first camera for a kid.

And don't forget - this is a camera that went on sale less than a year ago for around ?80. When we got hands-on with it at CES last year we noted that one of the highlight features was the reflective silver button on the front, meaning you can easily snap pictures of yourself. The Kodak agent we spoke to in Vegas described the Mini as being pitched at "tweens".

The Kodak EasyShare Mini M200 is available online from Asda. It is warning suitors to "hurry if they want to snap one up".

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Kodak Asda Kodak Easyshare Mini

Kodak EasyShare Mini M200 just £25 at Asda originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:25:00 +0000

At the top end of Nikon's Style range of compact cameras you find the newly announced Nikon Coolpix S6300, Coolpix S9200 and S9300. They offer a wider range of features, controls and larger lenses than cameras at the bottom end of the range.

We managed to get our hands on all the new models at the UK launch, so here we'll talk you through what you get at the top end of Nikon's S range. We've bundled all the photos together in the gallery at the bottom - check the captions so you know which model you're looking at.

Nikon Coolpix S6300 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix S6300 is the brother camera of the S6200 launched last year. It is bulkier than those models lower down the range, so it nestles into the hand better, although there isn't a huge amount to grip on to.

The S6300 measures 93.6 x 57.7 x 26mm and weighs 160g and like all the new Nikon cameras it feels solidly built.?

The controls are logically and typically placed, reflecting the layout on almost all other Nikon Coolpix cameras. The S6300 is primarily designed as a point and shoot, so there isn't much in the way of control on offer.?

The biggest difference is the step-up in lens range. It gives you a 10x zoom in that fairly compact body, giving you 25-250mm (in 35mm terms). We found the lens zoomed smoothly and quickly.

On the back you have a 2.7-inch display, although at 230k-dots it isn't the highest resolution, so it feels a little small. What you do get, however, is that lens range at a price of ?179.99, which isn't bad.

The Nikon Coolpix S6300 will be available in black, red and blue, from 16 February 2012.?

Nikon Coolpix S9200 and Coolpix S9300 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix S9200 and Coolpix S9300 are essentially the same camera, the difference being that the latter model features built-in GPS to tag your photo locations on the move. Otherwise the specifications are identical.?

As the top guns of the S range, they have the largest body and there's even a little rubber thumb patch for a more secure grip, along with a bar at the front for your fingers. The S9300 measures 108.7 x 62.3 x 30.6mm and weighs 215g; the S9200 is fractionally smaller and lighter once you've sliced the GPS bump off.

We like the contouring of the body around the base of the lens. Of course the lens is one of the stars here, packing in an impressive 18x optical zoom, with a 25-450mm range (in 35mm terms). That means you can easily get in on the action on your travels.?

A 16-megapixel sensor sits at the heart of these cameras, which also offers Full HD 1080p video capture. A top-mounted mode dial gives you instant access to some shooting features, but it doesn't go as far as offering you manual controls, for which you'd have to look to the Coolpix P310.

Around the back you have a nice detailed 921k-dot display and more controls, so if you're looking for a little more out of your camera, but without getting too complicated, then this might be of interest.?

Like the other S range cameras from Nikon, it feels well constructed. Available from the middle of March, you can get the Nikon Coolpix S9300 in black, red, blue and silver for ?299.99. We don't have a price for the S9200, but it will be slightly less.?

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S6300 Nikon Coolpix S9200 Nikon Coolpix S9300 Photos

Nikon Coolpix S6300, S9200, S9300 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Pentax fans rejoice! You now have a compact system camera in your armoury. Actually, you can strike the "compact" part straight away, because this mirrorless camera, designed by Marc Newson, is anything but compact.

When asked why there was no inclusion of a viewfinder - which would have essentially made this a DSLR - Marc Newson responding that Pentax hadn't asked for it in the brief. So what we have in the Pentax K-01 is a design-led hybrid camera of sorts. The innards and the bulk of a DSLR, but without the mirror box.

In the hand the bulk is surprising. Even compared to the Canon EOS 600D we used to photograph it, the Pentax K-01 camera is big, so it’s unlikely to appeal to those looking to slim down their photography gear. It does feel extremely solid though, but we’re not entirely convinced by the rubber flaps on the ends, which may, with time, fall off.

Marc Newson's involvement with the Pentax K-01 extends to the exterior design only, so you can rest assured that the innards are quality components from a company with plenty of photography pedigree.

The system sits on a 16-megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and features the K-mount, so is compatible with existing Pentax lenses for that system. Pentax said there were 214 K-mount lenses out there, but we haven't counted them ourselves.

The top controls are the most interesting. The power switch is big and chunky, the mode dial ridiculously so. The Pentax green button is present, as is a red button, which defaulted to instant video capture. It's conventional in so much as you know what everything does, but it looks and feels a bit like a toy camera.

However, once you get around the fact that this camera looks different, you'll find it doesn't behave differently. The menus are conventional, the placement of controls on the rear of the camera is fairly standard so the design won't directly inhibit your photographic aims.

We found it easy to get to grips with the controls quickly and being able to change modes in a flash, as well as access major settings through the buttons on the back, makes it an easy camera to use.

It may even help you put some muscles on your upper body as you heft the 560g body up in front of you at arms' length to take a shot. The lack of viewfinder means you can't press it against your face for extra support when taking photos.

And this is an interesting point: With the 40mm XS pancake lens in place, sure, the Pentax K-01 is perfectly portable. But strap on another, larger, lens and you're left wondering how to hold the thing. A hand underneath, cup and saucer style? Reach around to grip the barrel of the lens as you would on a DSLR?

That 40mm XS lens is the equivalent of 61mm in 35mm terms and we found it to be fast to focus, very fast. There is also a convenient switch on the body of the camera to move to manual focusing and it was smooth in operation when we did so.?

Given the respectable sensor and quality of Pentax lenses, we're sure that the K-01 will produce excellent, high quality shots. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take any sample shots away from the launch event in London today, so we'll have to wait until we review the Pentax K-01 to make a definitive judgement.?

It comes in three colours: black and black, black and silver, and black and yellow. Marc Newson's favourite is the black and black, saying that this colour was "the best example in terms of expressing the design in its purest form".?

We'd go for the black and yellow because, as we see it, if you're buying a weird camera you might as well get a weird colour.

The Pentax K-01 will be available from the end of March 2012, from ?629.99 (body only) or ?679.99 with the 40mm DA XS lens.

Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Pentax Pentax K-01 16 megapixels Photos

Pentax K-01 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:44:00 +0000

More leaky than a Welsh field with paper watering pipes, the Pentax K-01 has entered the realms of officialdom, ending weeks of speculation.

Pentax joins the compact system camera game and will take on the likes of the Fujifilm X-Pro1, but has an ace up its sleeve: the world’s thinnest interchangeable lens - the smc Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS unifocal.

It also packs a a newly developed 16.28-megapixel CMOS image sensor measuring 23.7 x 15.7mm that has an ISO range of 100 to 12800, or up to 25600 when expanded with a custom function.

Using the same K-mount lens system as the K-5, you can attach K-, KA- KAF, KAF2 and KAF3- mount lenses without any fuss and, if you do want to add a screw-mount lens, a 645-system lens or 67-system one, you can use an adapter.

Video shooting is 1080p HD at either 30, 25 or 24fps and there's a couple of video additions from the K-5: a video recording button for instant start and a stereo microphone.

For stills, there is a new HDR mode on board, 19 digital filters, a custom image function and a high-speed burst mode capable of five shots per second. Like the Pentax K-5, it has 3-inch 920k-dot LCD display around the back with a 170-degree viewing angle.

Looks-wise, it's very retro funky. Designed by Marc Newson, it is treated with an SP (Super Protect) coating to repel dust, water and grease and its finish is a combo of machined aluminium and natural rubber with the dials constructed from high-quality aluminium alloy.

Newson explained: "I wanted to create something that represented quality and expertise in photography. Some of my favourite photographic devices have been Pentax products. I wanted to return to the high quality roots of the brand and create something which was really unique and iconic."

It certainly looks swanky - we'll give him that.

The Pentax K-01 will be available from the end of March in three colour schemes (black with black grip, black with yellow grip, silver with black grip) and will cost ?629.99 for the K-01 body only, ?50 more the 40mm DA XS or DAL 18-55mm lens or ?799.99 for the a bundle comprising the K-01, DAL 18-55mm lens and the DAL 50-200mm lens.

Tags: Cameras Pentax K-01 Pentax Video

Pentax K-01 interchangeable-lens camera now official (video) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:46:00 +0000

There have been rumours that Pentax is about to join the compact system camera race floating around for a few weeks now, but we've now seen evidence for ourselves that this is true. Pictures of the new mirrorless snapper, the Pentax K-01, have appeared online - on a Chinese Pentax forum - alongside a new K-mount lens, the?Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 XS.

It still remains that little is known about the K-01's specifications, although earlier rumours suggested that it would feature the same 16-megapixel sensor as the K-5. And that it would sport the same 3-inch, 920k-dot LCD display on the rear.

Previous claims also state that its dimensions will be?121 x 79 x 59mm and will weigh 560g with the battery, while the shutter speed will be up to 1/4000 and it'll be able to record Full HD video.

Now, it seems, we have pictures to go along with the specification?murmurings. So it shouldn't be too long before the final product is revealed to us. Watch this space.

The forum at Xitex.com also leaked a number of details about the DA 40mm f/2.8 XS lens. It's focal length is, obviously, 40mm (Equivalent to 61mm in 35mm format) and the aperture is f/2.8 - 22.

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Tags: Pentax Cameras Pentax K-01 Compact system cameras Rumours

Pentax K-01 compact system camera pictures leaked originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:55:00 +0000

Nikon has updated its S range (S for style), bringing a host of new affordable compact cameras to the table. On offer are the Nikon Coolpix S2600, Coolpix S3300 and Coolpix S4300.

All the new models are compact and colourful, offer loads of shooting features and were launched today, when we were able to get our hands on them and have a quick play. We've bundled all the images into the gallery at the bottom of the page, so check the captions to see what's what.

Nikon Coolpix S2600 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix is an Argos exclusive in the UK, but will be available through other retailers internationally. It's an affordable ?69.99 and is already available through the Argos website.?

The slim body measures 93.8 x 58.4 x 19.5mm and although it sits at the bottom of the Coolpix lines, it still feels relatively well made. At 121g, it's light enough and small enough to slip into any pocket or bag.

Controls are simple but it doesn’t throw up any problems in use; 14-megapixel snaps are offered along with 720p HD video capture via the instant record button on the back.

A 5x zoom lens offers a range of 26-130mm (in 35mm terms) and a 2.5-inch display on the back isn't the highest resolution at 230k-dot, but that's to be expected at this price.

It's available in black, red and an interesting patterned purple.

Nikon Coolpix S3300 hands-on?

The Nikon Coolpix S3300 steps up the compact camera range, offering 16-megpixel snaps and 6x zoom lens, giving you 26-156mm (in 35mm terms).

The body is still slim and compact, measuring 94.8 x 57.8 x 19.5mm, and weighing only 128g. The Coolpix S3300 still feels like a good quality camera in the hand and the curves of the edges giving it an attractive design, although there isn't much to grip on to.

It offers 720p HD video capture and a 2.7-inch 230k-dot display, which is a little on the small side, but that can be expected on such a compact camera.

But don't let the price or the features fool you: Nikon tells us that the S3000 was the best-selling camera in Europe in 2010, the S3100 the best-selling in 2011, so maybe you'll be seeing these at every wedding you go to in 2012.

It's reasonably affordable at ?129.99 and will be available from 23 February 2012 in (deep breath) black, blue, pink, green, purple, red and silver.

Nikon Coolpix S4300 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix S4300 is a Jessops exclusive model in the UK, but we're sure you'll be able to get it through other retailers internationally. We don't have an exact price yet, but it will be affordable and hitting stores at the end of February.?

Like the other models in the S range, the Coolpix S4300 is compact and well built, measuring 95.5 x 58.9 x 20.8mm and weighing 139g. You get a 6x zoom lens, offering 26-156mm (in 35mm terms).

It gives you 16-megapixel snaps and 720p HD video, but now you get a 3-inch display around the back, with a higher 460k-dot resolution, so it looks better when taking and viewing photos.

Aside from those small changes, like the other S range cameras it's very much all about point-and-shoot photography and designed for those who just want to take pictures without having to worry about buttons, settings and fiddling around.

The S4300 will be available in black, white, red and silver, although we think the silver looks a little bit gold.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S2600 Nikon Coolpix S3300 Nikon Coolpix S4300 Photos

Nikon Coolpix S2600, S3300, S4300 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:29:00 +0000

Apple has released a new update, 10.7.3, to its Mac OS X Lion operating system on Wednesday.

The new 10.7.3 update is recommended for all OS X Lion users and includes general operating system fixes that improve the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac says Apple.

According to Cupertino, fixes include addressing issues when using smart cards to log into OS X, resolving issues authenticating with directory services, and addressing compatibility issues with Windows file sharing.

The update also adds Catalan, Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian language support.

The update also resolves a Wi-Fi connection issue when waking from sleep (something one of Pocket-lint's Mac was having problems with), and other too boring to mention bugs and issues.

The update also adds RAW support for a range of new cameras recently released including the new Compact System Camera offerings from Nikon.

The new cameras are the Canon PowerShot S100, the Nikon 1 J1, the Nikon 1 V1, Nikon COOLPIX P7100, Olympus PEN E-PL1s, Olympus PEN E-PL3, Olympus PEN E-PM1, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ150, Sony Alpha NEX-5N, Sony Alpha SLT-A65, and Sony Alpha SLT-A77.

The new update weighing in at a rather hefty 730.6MB is available via the software update option on your Mac.

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Tags: Software Mac software Mac OS X Apple Cameras

Mac OS X Lion 10.7.3 update released, fixes bugs, adds RAW support for new cameras originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:19:00 +0000

Nikon has announced a trio of superzoom cameras, one falling into the P (performance) series and two in the L (life) series. Although Nikon makes this division, it makes sense to look at all the superzoom models together, if that's the type of camera you're after.

There is, however, a divide in terms of functions and price, but the design of the Coolpix P510, Coolpix L810 and Coolpix L310 is essentially the same, offering a pronounced right-hand grip on a body built around a large lens barrel.

We've put all the pictures in the gallery below and as they look the same, be sure to check the captions to determine which camera you're looking at. So, without further adieu, let's start at the top.

Nikon Coolpix P510 hands-on

The Coolpix P510 comes from Nikon's performance range, so is the most advanced of the superzooms that the company offers. The P510 feels and looks more sophisticated than the other models. You get a 16-megapixel 1/2.3 sensor, typical for this type of camera.

The first thing you'll notice is that the P510 has an articulated 3-inch 921k-dot display on the back. Although it doesn't articulate as dramatically as some, it does make low or high angle shots easier to compose.

The other thing you'll notice about the P510 is the 42x printed on the barrel of the lens. This gives it a massive, and we really mean massive, 24-1000mm (in 35mm terms) range.

Of course, this type of lens does come with compromises and we won't know what the performance will be like at the far end until we get the camera in for a full review. It offers f/3 maximum aperture, which isn't especially fast, but that's true of superzooms in general.

Interesting features of the P510 include that zoom toggle on the barrel, making it easy to zoom whilst supporting the camera. Other controls fall easily under the fingers and thumbs, with dials to alter the shooting settings and the top mode dial letting you jump over to manual shooting easily.

You also get a GPS on this model, to tag your shots on your travels, and you get full HD video capture with stereo audio. It measures 119.8 x 82.9 x 102.2mm and weighs 555g.

Unfortunately the model we saw didn't have a battery, so there was plenty we didn't get to play with, and plenty more to explore when we get the camera back in for a full review. The Nikon Coolpix P510 will cost you ?399.99, available from 22 March 2012.

It replaces the Coolpix P500 and you can read our full review of that model here.

Nikon Coolpix L810 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix L810 comes from the "life" series of Coolpix cameras, so noticeably steps down in its offering from the P510 above.

The 3-inch display the back is fixed, rather than articulated, but still offers an impressive 921k-dot resolution. There are fewer controls, most noticeably the lack of any sort of mode dial. No, the L810 is a superzoom that's designed to be used in full auto.

On the front you get a 26x zoom lens, offering a 22.5-585mm (in 35mm terms) range, which is relatively wide angle. Again, this isn't a fast lens, with a max aperture of f/3.1 on offer, but you do get that zoom toggle on the lens barrel, for smooth zooming with the camera well supported.

Inside you get a 16-megapixel 1/2.3 sensor and a range of smart shooting features. Video capture comes in at 720p on this model, but you do get stereo audio with that. There is also an HDMI to connect to your TV to view those pictures and video.

In the hand the L810 doesn't feel quite as exciting as the P510, but the deep grip makes it easy to keep stable. It measures 111.1 x 76.3 x 83.1mm and weighs 430g.

Unfortunately the sample we saw didn't have a battery, so there is still plenty to look at when we review the camera. It replaces the Nikon Coolpix L120.

It will set you back ?229.99 and will be available from 22 March 2012.

Nikon Coolpix L310 hands-on

The final camera of the superzoom trio is the entry-level Coolpix L310. In the hand it feels very much like the higher-spec L810 detailed above, but there are a few key differences.

The lens steps down to 21x zoom, giving you 25-525mm (in 35mm terms) and the sensor is 14.1-megpixels on a 1/2.3 chip. In reality there might not be a huge difference in image quality over the L810 above, but we'd have to wait to fully review the camera before we could judge that.

However, there are a couple of other areas where cuts have been made. The rear display is a much lower resolution at 230k-dots and that zoom toggle on the lens barrel has been removed. Although it offers 720p video capture, there is no HDMI output.

The result is that the Coolpix L310 appears rather basic in its feature set and the 21x zoom isn't that spectacular in modern terms, especially as you'll find zooms nearing that in modern "travel zoom" cameras.

But what the Coolpix L310 does offer is simple operation and wide focal range, in a body which offers much more grip than a smaller compact does. It will appeal to those who find they need a little more to hang on to on a camera, but don't want to pay a fortune for features they'll never use.

Again, the sample we saw didn't have a battery, so there were a host of features we didn't get to see, so be sure to check back for our full review.

The L310 measures 109.9 x 76.5 x 78.4mm and weighs 435g. It will be available from 15 March 2012 for ?199.99.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix p510 Nikon Coolpix L810 Nikon Coolpix L310 Photos

Nikon Coolpix P510, L810, L310 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:25:00 +0000

The Nikon Coolpix P310 is an incremental upgrade of the Coolpix P300 launched in 2011. It is a compact that offers more than it's fair share of controls, pitched to photographers who know what they want from their camera.

In the hand the compact metal body feels solid and the matte black finish looks understated and utilitarian. We like the design a lot, because it feels like a serious camera, which it is.

It sits below the much more fully featured and much larger Nikon Coolpix P7100, but this is a model you can easily slip into your pocket, and despite the range of manual controls it offers, is easy enough for beginners to use in the auto mode, with 19 scene modes on offer.

A flip of the top mode dial takes you to the manual controls, from program through to shutter, aperture, manual and user defined settings, with a final night shooting position.

This is much more convenient than a menu-style system, as you'll be able to dive straight into the mode you want and get down to the business of selecting the appropriate settings for the shot you're after.

Changing those settings is easy too, thanks to the thumb dial on the top and the rear-mounted dial. Both get indicators on the 3-inch display on the back so you know what you're changing.

Although the P310 offers a 1/2.3 inch sensor, we're certain the results will be more than acceptable. We've used the predecessor, the P300 extensively and found the performance to be very good.?Like the previous edition, the P310 offers a 4.2x zoom Nikkor lens, with a range of 24-100mm (in 35mm terms). It has a max aperture of f/1.8 at the widest angle, so offers plenty of shooting potential.

Of course, there are high-end compacts out there, like the Canon Powershot S100, the aging Panasonic Lumix LX5 or Olympus XZ-1, which all offer larger sensors and potentially better image quality, but they all cost more too.?As such, the Coolpix P310 is a great second camera for those with a DSLR, or just a serious compact for those without.

The sample we got our hands on was a pre-production model, hence the missing camera name on the top of the flash, and sadly it didn't have a battery, so we weren't able to test the new 99-point manual focus or how well the front function button can be put to task.

Naturally we'll be looking at all these things in our Nikon Coolpix P310 review, once we get a sample in the office.

The Nikon Coolpix P310 will cost you ?299.99 and will be available from 22 March 2012 in either black or white.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix P310 16 megapixels Photos

Nikon Coolpix P310 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:49:19 +0000

With the Nikon Coolpix S30, Nikon have stepped into a new category of camera, and it's all about family. This is a camera you can put into the hands of your children without worrying about how much damage they'll do to it.

Built like a plastic tank, the Coolpix offers a distinct advantage in avoiding some of the dainty controls you'll find elsewhere in Nikon's compact range. There are three buttons on the top of the camera: a central power button, a big video button and a big shutter button.

On the back you'll find four buttons down the left-hand side of the screen - unmarked because their function changes depending on what you're doing - and a four-way controller on the right, which also operates the zoom.

The design has been considered by Nikon. Although this is a chunky camera, it will withstand drops from 80cm - about the hand height of a 5-year-old - and you'll find the lens and flash in the centre of the face of the camera, meaning fingers are less likely to stray and cover them.

Children like to poke the end of a lens with sticky fingers and that's a fact. On any normal compact, that means you've then got to try and wipe the glass clean or your pictures all look milky. In the case of the S30, the lens is housed within the camera, so there are no external moving parts and it will be much, much, easier to wipe clean.

The Nikon Coolpix S30 is also waterproof (IPX8, hence the internal housing of the 3x zoom lens). With proofing down to 3m, it will survive a trip to the beach, being dunked in the dog bowl or dropped in a puddle.

It's also one of the only Nikon compacts that deviates from a text-based menu system. Using icons and colours, the menu isn't especially slick compared to some of the efforts of Samsung or Sony, but it’s easy enough to use.

In our quick play with the camera we found a number of fun features on offer. You can change the sounds, edit pictures and apply a number of photo effects.

Basic photo functions aren't omitted however, so you can capture 720p video and take 10 megapixel snaps. The sensor is a 1/3 type CCD, which is small, and ultimately this will effect the final quality of the results.

The S30 measures 101.9 x 64.8 x 39.4mm and weighs 214g. It will need an SD card for storage and requires 2x AA batteries for operation.

This is an interesting camera from Nikon and at ?99, it's not too expensive for those looking for something that will survive a trip to the beach, especially if you want to save your slick P310 from the children.

Of course, we can't judge the quality of the results until we get the Coolpix S30 in for a review, but we'll be sure to let some kids loose with it when we do.

The Nikon Coolpix S30 will be available from 29 March 2012, will cost you ?99.99 and comes in black, blue, white and pink.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S30 10 megapixels Dad Photos

Nikon Coolpix S30 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:11:01 +0000

Nikon has announced a couple of follow-ups to last year's Coolpix S3100: the Nikon Coolpix S4300 and the Nikon Coolpix S3300.

These lower end compacts have an emphasis on style, small sizes and simple point-and-shoot operations and, with their sub ?150 price tags, will be aimed at people looking to upgrade their ageing budget cams.

They both pack a 16-megapixel sensor, Nikkor 6x zoom lenses, lens-shift vibration reduction technology, 720p HD video recording and in-camera filter effects. The S4300 boasts a bigger 3-inch (460k dot) LCD monitor with touchscreen controls; the S3300 has a 2.7-inch non-touch LCD display.

Both are Eye-Fi compatible, have re-touch options for enhancing your images and both pack Nikon's Expeed C2 image processing system.

"Both the Coolpix S3300 and Coolpix S4300 are designed for capturing fleeting moments as soon as they happen," said Nicolas Gillet of Nikon Europe. "They are sleek enough to fit in any purse or pocket, and come in such eye-catching colours that you’ll want to take them everywhere."

How sleek exactly? Just 19.5mm thick, that's how.

Out in February the S4300 should cost around ?150, the S3300 around ?120.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S4300 Nikon Coolpix S3300 Nikon Coolpix S3100

Nikon Coolpix S4300 and S3300 16-megapixel snappers land originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:44:00 +0000

If you're looking for a family friendly camera that you can chuck in your bag, the Nikon Coolpix S9300 and Coolpix S6300 may be a bit OTT for your needs - you may be better off with the Nikon Coolpix S30.

The S30 is designed with novice digital camera users in mind; users such as your little 'uns or your grandparents. Although it packs some decent camera tech, the S30 is really all about ease of use. There's big buttons on board, raised lenses and flashes to make finger-accidents less likely, and simple to use menus.

What's more it's waterproof up to 3 metres and can survive a bit of rough and tumble too; being shockproof from 0.8m.

It will shoot stills at 10 megapixels and video at 720p and packs a 3x Nikkor optical zoom (29–87mm) making it a much more serious player than even the most impressive smartphone snappers. On the back is a 2.7-inch LCD display and the whole system is powered by a couple of AA batteries.

"This camera really encourages everyone to have fun taking pictures, whatever your age or photography level," said comments James Loader of Nikon UK.

"We’re especially excited about the design of the camera – with a raised lens and built-in flash, the Coolpix S30 is perfect for sharing great family moments with your children."

Priced at a penny less than ?100 the Nikon Coolpix S30 will hit shops at the end of next month.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S30 Waterproof cameras

Nikon Coolpix S30 unleashed for big-button family fun originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:37:34 +0000

The Nikon Coolpix P310 updates the excellent Coolpix P300 launched in 2011 and offers a?relatively?high-end, but not expensive, compact with plenty of creative controls for photographers who want a little more out of their pocketable camera.

Headlining the specs is the Nikkor 4.2x lens, offering 24mm at the widest angle along with an impressive f/1.8 maximum aperture for those dramatic portraits.

The backlit 16-megapixel CMOS 1/2.3 type sensor offers lens shift VR, which claims to offers stability with shutter speeds up to four stops slower, and supported?by the new Expeed C2 image processor. The smaller sensor might not compete with the likes of the Canon Powershot S100 in terms of size, but accounts for the?relative?affordability of this model.

The top-mounted mode dial offers up regular Auto, but more importantly offers instant access to manual controls through program, aperture, shutter priorities and full manual shooting.

Cleverly, you're also offered a 99-point AF system, supporting the manual focusing option so you can wrestle control away from the automatic and get the shot you want.

There is a new function button on the front of the camera, which wasn't present on the P300 forebear. This, says Nikon, can be programmed to act as a shortcut to your favourite shooting settings, so you don't have to dig through the menus. There is also a new U (user) mode on the top dial, again, for instant access to your favourite settings.?

Other important controls include a top-mounted thumb dial in addition to a rear dial, giving you easy controls over shutter and aperture in manual shooting (for example).

On the back of the camera you also have a high resolution 3-inch 921k-dot LCD display, along with the video instant capture button, which will fire up the 1080p video, along with stereo audio, and fast and slow motion options are available too.

The left should sees a neat pop-up flash, which needs to be manually deployed, giving you a little more control over its use. An HDMI means you can simply and easily hook up to your TV to playback your video or share photos.

You also get a collection of clever features, including panoramic shooting, auto HDR and 3D stills. The Nikon Coolpix P310 will capture up to five shots at 6fps, or 30 shots at 1fps.

The rather utilitarian design has an elegant simplicity, but offers two body colours, black and white. It can be yours for ?299 and will be?available?from 22 March 2012 and at that price might be tempting for those who want a second camera for the pocket when the DSLR is just to big to lug around.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix P310 16 megapixels

Nikon Coolpix P310: The affordable f/1.8 compact for photographers originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:04:57 +0000

It was only a few months ago that Nikon refreshed the Coolpix S-series but the Japanese camera giant is back with a raft of new snappers for the range, including the new king of the clan - the Nikon Coolpix S9300.

The 9300 is a compact camera that blurs the lines between fun and serious by offering a wealth of camera tech packed inside its tight little chassis (30.6mm thick).

Its USP, like the recently announced Pentax Optio VS20, is its zooming capabilities. Not quite the 20x optical of its Pentax rival - it still offers a healthy Nikkor 18x lens (25 – 450 mm coverage) which should see you right for landscape action and close up fun.

The sensor is a 16-megapixel CMOS one that offers lens-shift vibration reduction and it is also capable of shooting Full HD 1080p movies. There's GPS built-in so as you can track your albums' locations and the display around the back is an impressive 3-inch 921k dot one.

Alongside the S9300 sits the S6300 which offers the same 16-megapixel sensor and Full HD movie shooting, but cuts the zoom down to a, still-healthy, 10x optical.

The S6300 does boast a 3D mode though (also found on the S9300), for those still not bored with 2011's favourite dimension, which combines two images taken from different positions to create a 3D representation.

The Coolpix S9300 comes in four colours: red, silver, black, and blue. You can add pink and gold to that list for the S6300. No word on pricing or availability just yet - we'll keep you posted.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Coolpix S9300 Nikon Coolpix S6300 Nikon

Nikon Coolpix S9300 and Coolpix S6300 zoom in for serious fun originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:40:58 +0000

Nikon has expanded and refreshed its Coolpix compact camera range with a trio of easy to use and inexpensive new models:?The S2600, which is an exclusive to Argos in the UK, the L25 and the L26.

The Nikon Coolpix S2600 is a 14-megapixel snapper with a NIKKOR 5x wide-angle zoom lens. ISO is from 80 to 3200 (in auto mode) and?aperture?range is f/3.2-6.5. It offers an?Easy Auto mode, which optimises camera settings for different light situations, and there's a?Scene auto selector, which chooses the best mode for different scenes (naturally).

Nikon has added four different kinds of blur reduction technology, including its proprietary?e-VR (Vibration Reduction), and there's an in-camera retouch menu, with some funky editing features, such as Selective Colour, which turns a shot black and white and then adds a splash of colour to an area of your choice. It's not touchscreen, however, sporting a 2.7-inch TFT LCD display, but does offer five levels of brightness control.

The S2600 comes in three different colours - black, red and purple with line art. As previously stated, it's an Argos exclusive over here and costs ?69.99.

The Nikon Coolpix L25 is only a 10-megapixel compact but offers a 3-inch rear TFT LCD monitor with five levels of brightness control. It also offers a better aperture range than the S2600, at f/2.7-6.8, although ISO is only 80 to 1600 in auto. It too sports a NIKKOR 5x wide-angle zoom lens.

Many of the in-camera features are the same, including?e-VR, Easy Auto mode and Scene selector.

It comes in four colours - silver, black, red and white. And also costs ?69.99.

The Nikon Coolpix L26 is nigh-on identical to the L25, sharing many features, but adds a 16-megapixel sensor to the mix.

It comes in three colours - silver, black and red - and costs ?99.99.

All of the new models can also shoot 720p HD video and are available now.

Tags: Nikon Cameras Nikon Coolpix S2600 Nikon Coolpix L25 Nikon Coolpix L26

Nikon adds cheap and cheerful S2600, L25 and L26 cameras to Coolpix range originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:31:25 +0000

Are you a nosy parker? Do you like to get in on the action without actually having to hone your melee skills? Nikon believes its latest Coolpix superzoom offering will have you covered.

Ahead of a big photography tradeshow in Japan this month, the company has unveiled a stack of new compact cameras and, in particular, the Coolpix P510 and Coolpix L810 - two new superzoom models due out on 22 March. ?

The new models, which will cost ?400 and ?230 respectively, replace the previous P500 and L120 models on the market.

The P510 will come with a whopping 42x optical NIKKOR zoom lens that reaches a powerful 1,000mm super-telephone focal length, down to a 24mm wide-angle.?It packs a 16-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor and advanced lens-shift vibration reduction, as well as a tiltable 921K-dot LCD monitor.

Sporting Full HD (1080p) movie recording with stereo sound, the Coolpix P510 can record in slow or fast motion using speeds of up to 120 fps (VGA) and comes with a built-in HDMI connector that lets you connect the camera directly to a TV.

For those that forget where they take pictures, there is built-in GPS.

Other features include an Auto HDR mode, Easy Panorama, a 3D shooting mode, and high-speed continuous shooting, allowing you to shoot up to five full-resolution shots at 6 frames per second, or up to 30 full-resolution shots at 1 fps. The new model is also Eye-Fi X2 friendly.

The Coolpix P510 comes in three colours; black, red and dark grey.

Meanwhile, the 16-megapixel L810, successor to the Coolpix L120, will offer a 26x extreme wide-angle optical zoom lens and take on the Fujifilm FinePix HS30EX,?launched in January for CES.

The NIKKOR 26x optical zoom lens offers an even wider angle (than that on the P510), starting at 22.5 and going up to 585mm in range.

"An innovative side control lever ensures smooth, steady zooming throughout the entire focal range whether filming or shooting still images, and Lens shift VR (vibration reduction) counters the effects of camera shake," claims Nikon.

It is powered by AA batteries, something that will be handy if you forget to take your charger, but also worth noting will raise the running costs if you like to snap a lot of pictures.

On the video front, you get 720p HD video recording, while other features include Nikon's Anti-blur tech that "counters the effects of camera shake", ISO up to 1600, Best shot selector (BSS) which selects the sharpest of up to ten sequential shots, and 3D shooting mode.

You will also get a built-in HDMI connector and compatibility with Eye-Fi X2 wireless cards.

The COOLPIX L810 comes in four colours: Black, red, blue and bronze.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix L810 Nikon Coolpix L120 Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix p510 16 megapixels

Nikon Coolpix P510 boasts 42x optical zoom, becomes nosy parker's new best friend originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:22:00 +0000

The Fujifilm X-S1, which Pocket-lint had a brief fling with over in Vegas at CES, has hit UK shops, priced up at ?699.

The Fujifilm X-S1 is a bridge camera that features a Fujinon 26x optical zoom lens and the same EXR sensor technology as the brand's X10 compact.

The fixed lens offers a range of 24-624mm (35mm equivalent), and a maximum aperture of f/2.8. Couple this with Fujifilm’s proprietary Intelligent Digital Zoom and you're apparently looking at a doubled focal range without a drop in picture quality. That means that it is possible to zoom up to a boasted 1,248mm.

The sensor is of a 12-megapixel EXR CMOS variety, while the?EXR processor and the X-S1 is also capable of? Full HD video capture, at 30fps and stereo sound recording as well. Around the back, the camera sports a 3-inch LCD screen, with 460k dot resolution, and there's also a 0.47-inch electronic viewfinder with 1.44 million pixels.

When we took it for a spin over in Nevada we were impressed. The manual zoom lens is very cool, the viewfinder helps take superzooming to new levels and we have no doubt that image quality will be sublime. At almost ?700 it is more expensive than a Nikon D5100 kit though.

The Fujifilm X-S1 is available now - stay tuned to Pocket-lint for a full review soon.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Fujifilm Fujifilm X-S1

Fujifilm X-S1 now available in the UK originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:38:04 +0000

Panasonic has updated its TZ range of digital cameras and Pocket-lint has already had a play at a secret location behind closed doors.

The new model, which will replace the Panasonic Lumix TZ20 will come with a number of improved features including a 20x optical zoom instead of the 16x optical zoom on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

But Panasonic haven't just slapped a bigger zoom on the camera, but according to them worked hard to offer up a number of improvements, some we've been able to test and witness and others sadly not.

Aside from the zoom functionality, The Panasonic Lumix TZ30, which will come with a 24mm ultra wide angle 20x optical zoom lens and 14.1 megapixel sensor, will feature .1 second Light Speed AF utilizing DSLR AF technology ensuring you get a lock on your subject faster than a F14 Tomcat fighter jet.

While lighting conditions weren't perfect in the darkened secret bunker we saw the cameras, it was good enough to impress, and we are sure that given some actual light the results would impress us even more.

But those dark lighting conditions did allow us to test out the new low light friendly sensor and the new Venus engine processor. Dubbed Intelligent NR and Multi-Process NR they are yet more technologies that help you take crisp shots in dim light.

But it's not just about locking on to your kids as they hurtle past you. Panasonic following smartphone offerings from the likes of Instagram has added a number of instant and post-editing effects to jazz up your photos, some of which you'll be happy to see, others probably not so much.

That includes iHDR Scene Mode, which is an auto HDR mode, and image effects likeToy Effect that tries its best to undo all that hard work by the engineers at Panasonic and make your pictures look like you've taken them with a toy camera.

There is also Soft Focus, Dynamic Monochrome, High key, retro, Expressive, and Miniature Effect that can be applied to still or video footage. Video users also get the option to enhance the effect by increasing recording speed by 10x and the results do work.

If that wasn't enough you'll get a Panorama mode that works in a similar way to the Sony Panoramic Sweep feature on the Cybershot cameras. In fact it is virtually identical. Press down the shutter, sweep through the panorama you want to shoot and it does the rest of the work for you. No lining up the previous shot or manual imaging stitching required.

Packing GPS, you images will also be geotagged instantly with the camera sporting mapping software on board so you can see where you actually were when you took that stunning shot. Don't get too excited however as while it is comprehensive it isn't that pretty - certainly not what you are used to on your smartphone - which is a same.

You do get an interesting feature however that allows you to play back the photos along the map, although how this is vastly different from just looking at them in date order we aren't really sure as we didn't get to see it in action.

1,920x 1,080 50p Full HD AVCHD video recording and a stereo microphone complete the package.

In a second ode to smartphones that we really like, Panasonic?will also allow you to charge the camera via a USB cable and your computer, rather than having to plug it into a charger in the wall. That means one less charger in the bag. We love it.

Other notes of interest include a 10 frames per second burst mode and a 3-inch touchscreen display in addition to the buttons so you can navigate all those new features.

The Panasonic Lumix will be available in a black, red, white and silver. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras 14 megapixels Panasonic Panasonic DMC-TZ20 Panasonic DMC-TZ30

Panasonic Lumix TZ30 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Panasonic?has updated a number of its compact cameras for 2012.?There are plenty of new models, and include the Panasonic FX80, LS6, FT20 and the company's tough camera - the DMC-FT4.

Leading the pack, however, are the Lumix TZ30 and Lumix TZ25...

The Panasonic TZ30

The TZ30 will come with a 24mm ultra wide angle 20x optical zoom lens and 14.1-megapixel sensor.

The new model will have a 0.1 second Light Speed auto focus utilizing DSLR AF technology and a number of features to help improve your photography on the fly.

They include iHDR Scene Mode, which is an auto HDR mode, creative control and creative retouch, with the latter basically being an image filter function similar to smartphone apps like Instagram and Toy Effect. It tries its best to undo all that hard work done by the engineers at Panasonic in order to make your pictures look like you've taken them with a toy camera. There are also Soft Focus, Dynamic Monochrome, High Key, Retro, Expressive and Miniature Effect modes that can be applied to still or video footage. Video users also get the option to enhance effects further by increasing recording speed by up to 10x.

If that wasn't enough, you'll also get a Panorama mode that works in a similar way to the Sony Panoramic Sweep feature, while the TZ30 will also feature mapping software that lets you see where you have taken your shot. 1920 x 1080 50p Full HD AVCHD video recording and a stereo microphone complete the package.

In a second nod to the humble smartphone, Panasonic will allow you charge the camera via a USB cable and your computer, rather than having to plug it via a charger into the wall.

Other notes of interest include a 10 frames-per-second burst mode, 3-inch touchscreen display, and Panasonic's new Venus Engine.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ25

The Panasonic TZ25 offers similar specs to the TZ30, but comes with a 16x rather than 20x optical zoom 24mm ultra wide lens.

It also reduces the megapixel count from 14.1-megapixels to 12.1 and drops some of the "effects" available. You will, however, still be able to create 1920 x 1080 video (albeit at 50i).

The FX80

The FX80 will come with a f2.8 24mm ultra wide angle 5x optical lens, 12.1-megapixel sensor and 3-inch touchscreen display.

According to Panasonic, the "DMC-FX80 is a great choice for anyone looking for an upgrade to a camera phone's image taking, but with the same intuitive controls."

It too will offer "Creative Control mode" - a selection of artistic filter effects when recording images; Expressive, Retro, High Dynamic, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, High Key, Low Key, Miniature Effect, Toy Effect and Soft Focus. These filters can be applied even after images were shot with the Creative Retouch function.

The LS6

Panasonic’s new 14.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-LS6 will come with a 26mm wide angle, 5x optical zoom lens with f2.8 brightness and O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer).?It will run on AA batteries.

The FT20

If you want tough then you have to look at the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT20 and the FT4.

The FT20 isn't as feature packed as the FT4 but still manages to pack a punch. Coming in an all metal casing, the camera is waterproof to 5m and freezeproof to -10 degrees C. It's also shockproof to 1.5m and with dustproof reliability.

On the camera side of things, it has a 16.1-megapixel sensor and 25mm ultra wide 4x optical zoom.

The DMC-FT20 records HD video in 1280 x 720 at 30p (NTSC), 25p (PAL) in MP4 format. It comes with a 2.7-inch Intelligent LCD screen.

The FT4

But if you really want to go tough you'll have to opt for the DMC-FT4, the follow up to the FT3. The new camera, which will be available in a range of colours, will be Panasonic's toughest camera yet as it's waterproof to 12m, shockproof to 2m, freezeproof to -10 degrees C and, oh, dustproof too.

If it's not enough that it can withstand a jolly good beating, the DMC-FT4 also comes with a built-in GPS geotragging option with over a million place names pre-installed, a compass, altimeter and barometer so you can see exactly where you were when you took the?picture. Camera wise, you get a 12.1-megapixel Hi-Speed CCD sensor and LSI Venus Engine, as well as a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR 4.6x optical zoom and Time Lapse feature (that looks pretty cool, as we found out with our hands-on).

All the new cameras will be out in the coming months. Panasonic has yet to detail pricing in the UK.

We will keep you posted.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Panasonic 16 megapixels Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT4 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT20 12 megapixels 14 megapixels

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30 leads second wave of new cameras in time for ski season originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Panasonic has announced a new update to its FT-3 tough camera adding a host of new features and we've already had a chance to have a quick play at a secret location behind closed doors.

While that means that we haven't been able to test the camera or take away shots, we can bring you some of the low down on the new features and report that if it takes pictures to the usual Panasonic Lumix standard adventurers should be in for a treat.

The new camera, which will be available in a range of colours will be Panasonic's toughest camera yet being waterproof to 12m, shockproof to 2m, freezeproof to -10 degrees C and oh dustproof too.

If that wasn't enough to withstand you giving it a beating, the DMC-FT4 also comes with a built-in GPS geotragging option with over a million place names pre-installed, a compass, altimeter and barometer so you can see exactly where you were when you took the picture.

All that?information?is displayed on the screen at the time of you taking the picture if you want to be overloaded with data, and although we were locked away in a room we were still able to see a change of results standing on a chair or pointing the camera in a different direction.?

Clad in rubber and metal the camera also includes a rather small 2.7-inch display, but the AR Coating should ensure you can see it in sunny conditions.

That's the tough bit, what about the camera side of things? Well Panasonic haven't disappointed here either. First there is the 12.1-megapixel Hi-Speed CCD sensor and the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine, then there is the LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR 4.6x optical zoom (35mm equivalent: 28-128mm).

For video you'll get 1920x1080 full HD recording functionality in AVCHD (h.264/MPEG-4).

But it isn't just the usual stats, Panasonic has also been creative elsewhere adding a time-lapse feature that should appeal to the Philip Bloom fans of this world.

With the Time Lapse Shot, once you set the start time, the interval and the number of picture to shoot, the camera can automatically snap consecutive images with you able to leave it on the side of the mountain or your window ledge if you aren't feeling so brave.

Those quick enough to wonder how the battery will last that long we will be pleased to hear Panasonic has thought about that too. Panasonic has made sure the FT4 is clever enough to turn off in between the shots to conserve power which is a really clever feature in our books.

Ultimately this combined with the waterproofing featuring means you'll be able to set up some great time lapse shots without the fear of damaging your camera if it starts to rain or snow.

Following Olympus's move with its "art effects" you also get a Miniature Effect mode that is basically just another name for the tilt shift effect that has become popular in recent years and panoramic mode to capture the full extend of those amazing vistas you are no doubt planning on seeing.

The new model will out shortly. Panasonic has yet to confirm a price.?

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Panasonic Panasonic DMC-FT3 Panasonic DMC-FT4

Panasonic DMC-FT4 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Sony has announced an update to its TX line of compact cameras: the Sony Cyber-shot TX200V.

The Cyber-shot TX200V replaces the TX100V, and is only 16mm thick, but still offers to be waterproof down to 5m and freezeproof down to -10 c, perfect for taking on the slopes with you.?

The TX200V features a reinforced glass design, making it slick and minimalistic from the front; around the back you'll find a 3-inch 921-k dot LCD touchscreen display.

A Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens gives you a 5x zoom (26-130mm in 35mm terms depending on the photo aspect), all housed within the body. Driving the camera is Sony's Bionz processor and an 18-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, of the 1/2.3 variety. Optical SteadyShot is included to reduce the effects of handshake.?

A host of technologies are offered, including fast autofocusing, with 0.13 second daylight AF boasted, along with creative shooting modes, to achieve that blurred background or other picture effects, such as toy camera and miniature.

The TX200V also offers Full HD 1080/60p video capture, along with Sweep Panorama (including the 3D variety) and the likes of face detection and face recognition.

New to Sony's Cyber-shot cameras is an "Extra High Sensitivity" technology in the Bionz processor, which looks to combat the problem of noisy images being produced by small sensors crammed with pixels in low light (which might describe the TX200V's sensor).

It's not a new claim, as just about everyone else claims to have cracked the problem of noisy low light images. Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so we'd wait to see whether these claims can be substantiated before getting too excited.?

The Sony Cyber-shot TX200V is expected to be available towards the end of March and is available for pre-order at $499.99 on store.sony.com. No word in UK release as yet.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Sony Sony Cyber-shot TX200V 18 megapixels

Sony Cyber-shot TX200V is slim, stylish and waterproof originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:32:46 +0000

Sony has announced two additions to its Cyber-shot camera range, both of which coming to Europe in March.

The WX70 and WX50 superslim snappers share many features, including several of the colours they come in, although the former, slightly higher-end version also sports a?3-inch Xtra Fine LCD touchscreen, with a 921k dot resolution. The other comes with a 2.7-inch?Clear Photo LCD (non-touch) screen, with a 460k dot resolution.

Both cameras are identical in their measurements, coming in at?92.2 x 52.0 x 19.1mm, and offer the same 16.2-megapixel?Exmor R CMOS sensor. They house the company's proprietary?Bionz processor, a?Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens,?5x Optical Zoom and 10x Clear Image Zoom (25mm wide angle), and offer ISO up to 12800.

HD video recording is available (AVCHD 1920 x 1080 / 50i, with MP4 also offered), while it is claimed by Sony that the battery will last up to 120 minutes (still shooting with LCD on). They each come with the company's Optical SteadyShot Active Mode for image?stabilisation.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX50 will be available in silver, black, pink, gold and blue, while the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 will come in silver, black and white (even though the main image sent to us also features pink and purple versions... Maybe they're for other territories).

Sony is yet to announce prices.

Tags: Cameras Sony Cyber-shot Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70

Sony Cyber-shot WX70 and WX50 cameras coming March originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:08:17 +0000

Pentax has announced a new compact travel zoom camera with a twist. Or rather, it's a camera that likes a twist, as the new Pentax Optio VS20 offers two shutter buttons.?

A feature found on top-level professional DSLR cameras, the Pentax Optio VS20 offers shutter and zoom levers both in the conventional spot on the top of the camera, and also tucked down on the right-hand side.?

The idea is to give you better control when shooting in portrait, so you don’t have to stretch your hand around in an awkward grip to press the button. Admittedly, we've never really had a problem with this in the past, but it's certainly different.

You also get a vertical tripod mount, so you can have your camera any which way you like.

Elsewhere, the Optio VS20 packs in a 20x zoom lens, giving you a wide angle of 28mm and running out to an impressive 560mm optical zoom, but packed into a pocketable camera body.?

Inside you get a 16-megapixel CCD sensor, offering sensor-shift type shake reduction/vibration reduction/image stabilisation (or however you wish to term it), including a Movie SR mode; although this claims to crop the movie slightly.

Video capture offers you HD of the 720p variety, which is typical for a camera of this ilk, as is the range of auto scene detection and ISO range that runs up to 6400.?

The Pentax Optio VS20 will be available from the end of February and will set you back ?199.99.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Pentax Pentax Optio VS20 16 megapixels

Pentax Optio VS20 comes with a twist originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Sony have confirmed that the Sony NEX-7 kit, which includes the black 18-55mm lens, will become available towards the end of February. The lens was reportedly delayed due to flooding in Thailand in 2011.

So far if you've wanted to buy an NEX-7 you could only get the body (?999), and Sony confirmed they'd shifted about 200 NEX-7 models so far, but as yet they hadn't had the matching lens in stock.

Although the NEX-7 is compatible with existing NEX E-mount lenses, this will be the first time you've been able to buy the kit together.?

The kit can be yours for ?1129, and we've noticed that Amazon has a date of 16 March on the kit being available, along with a small discount.

If you're interested in squeezing the best quality out of your NEX-7, however, perhaps you'll opt for the Carl Zeiss E-mount 24mm F1.8 lens, which we also got our hands-on today.?

Priced at ?839, however, this is one for those that really want the best from their camera. But it is also black too, so will match your NEX-7 perfectly. Naturally, we didn't get the chance to examine any shots from it, so we can't just how good the results are, but it feels extremely solid.?

Whilst waiting for stock to arrive, why not read our review of Sony's flagship NEX camera?

Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Sony Sony NEX-7 Lenses Carl Zeiss

Sony NEX-7 18-55mm black kit coming at the end of February originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:50:40 +0000

Sony today told Pocket-lint that Canon and Panasonic have both expressed an interest in their latest format of memory card, the new XQD card that is compatible with the recently-launched Nikon D4.?

The high-end card uses PCI Express as the data interface, offering 125MBps write speeds, designed to support photographers shooting at high speed in RAW formats.

We asked if Sony would be incorporating the new format into their own NEX or Alpha line of cameras and, of course, Sony said that they couldn't speculate on whether they would or wouldn't.

Of course, expressing an interest in a new technology isn't confirmation that there is a new product on the way that supports it, but let's speculate that there might be.

Currently the only camera that supports the new format of card is Nikon's flagship pro DSLR, the D4, which hasn't yet shipped. With the recent announcement of the Canon EOS 1D X (which will accept two CompactFlash cards), it’s unlikely that the new card format would find its way into the very top-end of Canon's DSLR line, any time soon.

For Canon, of course, we've seen rumours of the Canon EOS 5D Mk III, including some interesting spy shots, which could potentially take this type of card. There have also been strong rumours surrounding the EOS 8D, a potential replacement for the 7D, another candidate camera.

As far as Panasonic are concerned, we would presumably looking at something in the G-series line of Micro Four Thirds cameras.?

We have contacted both Canon and Panasonic for comment, but we doubt we'll get any positive confirmation.

Tags: Cameras Sony Canon Panasonic Memory cards

Canon and Panasonic interested in XQD, says Sony originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:17:47 +0000

We've already started seeing rumours appear for the yet to be confirmed next generation of?Olympus?Micro Four Thirds Camera, the Olympus OM-D, and now we've got some more news thanks to another leak.

This time, rather than a leaked spy shot, it's a more official sounding note from Wells Fargo advisors on the camera via a feed it has picked up from Kyodo News International, Inc. / Japan Economic Newswire.

Those who follow camera leaks will know that Wells Fargo correctly leaked news about the Nikon D4, Fuji X-Pro 1 and the Canon G1x ahead of the official announcements from Nikon, Fuji, and Canon. That implies to us that someone wasn't told the news that the OM-D wasn't supposed to come out yet.

More fool them and better for us we say. So what does the Well Fargo post say about the OM-D? Well...

"The company is hoping that the new product will come to symbolize its recovery from the recent scandal involving its coverup of investment losses, they said."

The article then adds:

"The new OM-D model will be offered in the United States, Europe and some Asian countries as the top model of the company's digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera series, selling for above 100,000 yen in Japan.

"The new model resembles the OM-1 film camera and is equipped with high-speed autofocus and image stabilization functionality as well as 16 megapixel resolution."

We will keep you posted.?

Read

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Olympus Olympus OM-D Micro Four Thirds

Olympus OM-D coming Spring, will cost around £850 claims leak originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Well what do we have here? An brand new, soon to be released Canon EOS body? Could it be the Canon EOS 5D Mk III, or the EOS 8D??

The story behind these shots is even better than excitement of a camera we haven't seen before. Photographer Steven Oachs took the shots of the camera in Kenya, in the hands of a Japanese chap who claimed to work for Canon.

Although the lens is new - 200-400mm, reported to be landing in March or April - the body of the camera also has a bit of tape over the brand. Anyone who has held any Canon DSLR will recognise it as a Canon instantly however.

There isn't too much that we can make out from the images, but you can see that there doesn't appear to be a pop-up flash, which the current 7D does offer. However, the placement of the power switch behind the mode dial is the same as the 7D, rather than down on the rear dial, like the 5D Mk II.?

So it looks like there has been some rearranging of buttons from on the body itself, including some new ones, as well as a matching joystick on the attached battery grip.

Both the Canon EOS 7D and the Canon EOS 5D Mk II are due to be updated and this leans towards the 5D Mk III. Rumours have been swirling about updates to both models and with the upcoming CP+ show in Japan in early February, perhaps we'll see confirmation sooner than expected.?

Of course we wanted to see what the guy was looking at on the display, so we tweaked the image a little to reveal … a giraffe's head?

There are more shots of the camera and lens to look at, link below.

Read

Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Canon Canon EOS 5D Mk III

Canon EOS 5D Mk III spied on safari? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:56:00 +0000

Olympus is about to bring its classic OM film camera kicking and screaming into the digital age, if numerous rumours and leaks are to be believed. Pictures have even started to emerge of the controls and logo for the new camera, what we understand will be called the Olympus OM-D.

Even Olympus itself is getting into the act, posting a teaser advert in Amateur Photographer magazine that starts with "Oh My Goodness!", with the "O" and "M" in a bolder font. The next paragraph underneath reads (as reported on Photography Blog): "Was all we said when we first saw this new camera which will become the latest Olympus masterpiece in a long line of design classics. We fully expect you to say the same."

It also features a QR code and a number to send a text message to (88802 to send "Olympus") in order to register for more details down the line.

43rumours and dpreview, however, claim to have more information leaked from an anonymous source. They both suggest that OM-D is going to be the name of the range of new compact system cameras, hinting that the first model will be called OM-D5. And 43rumours claims that the camera will be launched on 8 February.

In specifications terms, the anonymous source says that the chassis will be the classic OM design, with a weather-sealed magnesium body. It will weigh 373g and feature a?16-megapixel sensor optimised for High Dynamic Range.

Its ISO range will be from 200 to?25,600, have a?610,000 pixel OLED swivel 3-inch screen, an in-built electronic viewfinder with 1.44 million dots slap bang in the middle of the casing (like on the old, analogue OM models), feature a five-axis image stabiliser, and fast auto focus and 3D tracking.

The design will come in black and white and be priced at around $1,000/1,000 euros.

Of course, any or all of these specifications could be codswallop, but they do feel right to us here on Pocket-lint. Needless to say, we're waiting with baited breath to find out exactly what Olympus is about to pull out of the bag, and you can be rest assured that we'll be one of the first in the queue to get our hands on one.

Bring on the Olympus of Mass Destruction...

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Tags: Olympus Cameras Olympus OM-D Olympus OM-D5

Olympus OM-D camera to launch in February, according to leak originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Pextax is set to join the compact system camera race, if rumours are to be believed. Named as the Pentax K-01, this compact system/mirrorless camera, like the recent Fujifilm X-Pro1, will feature an APS-C sized sensor.

The Pentax K-01 will feature the same 16-megapixel sensor as the Pentax K-5, as well as the K-mount, making it compatible with existing lenses. It is also said to feature the same 3-inch 920k-dot LCD around the back, according to the details unearthed by mirrorlessrumors.com.

The leaked details also go as far as revealing the size of the camera; at 121 x 79 x 59mm and 560g (with battery), it is neither that small or light, but then neither is the Fujifilm model. Including a larger sensor and mount limits the size reductions that can be made, the trade-off should be much better image quality than MFT and smaller sensor models.

Other shooting specs are given, including a shutter speed up to 1/4000, the ability to capture Full HD video and the inclusion of a built-on pop-up flash.

The leaked specs hint at some design points, saying the Pentax K-01 will look more like the Optio range and not like the Ricoh GXR or existing K models. We're also treated to a selection of colourways, including black, white and "yellow" (cream perhaps) leather options, so it sounds rather retro in design - perhaps a little like the Pentax Q we've modified above.

It's reported that the Pentax K-01 launch will be at the CP+ show in Japan, so we might find out more in early February.

We will keep you posted.

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Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Pentax Rumours

Pentax K-01 compact system camera to offer APS-C sensor? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:39:00 +0000

The Sony Alpha A65 is the latest SLT (Single Lens Translucent) model to hit the shelves, following in the footsteps of the higher-spec, pricier A77.

The A65 may look a lot like a DSLR, but it’s different by design: a translucent mirror removes the need for mechanical mirror movement when each shot is fired. Instead light is fed to the sensor and an autofocus sensor simultaneously and without interruption which means this nifty bit of kit can perform some DSLR-beating features, including the A65’s 10 frames per second burst shooting mode with continuous autofocus. No DSLR can match that at this price.

However, such design means it’s not possible to implement an optical viewfinder. Like the rest of Sony’s SLT models, you’ll find the A65 has an electronic viewfinder, or EVF, that gives the camera a similar yet different feel to a DSLR.

Electronic vs Optical

The A65’s 2.4million dot EVF has been engineered to a level that can almost rival an optical equivalent. The OLED panel is not only gorgeous to look at and high resolution, but the 1.09x magnification means it’s large to the eye. As exposure, white balance and other settings are adjusted you’ll see these change in real time in the viewfinder, including quirks such as Sepia or Black & White mode.

As per the A77’s viewfinder, which is the same as found in the A65, this is the best EVF that we’ve seen to date.

The OLED panel benefits from a progressive scan that eradicates image tearing that would otherwise be experienced from an interlaced signal, but the refresh rate isn’t quite good enough to avoid all ghosting. As the light dims or when panning you’ll still be able to see a subject’s "trace" in some situations, plus low-light situations enhance image noise in preview.

That’s not to say this EVF isn’t excellent, because it is, but it’s still not 100 per cent there by comparison to an optical equivalent. Sony’s taken a big step in the right direction, but we’d suggest testing out the EVF before considering the A65 as the camera for you.

In support of the EVF is a 3-inch, 921k-dot LCD screen (not OLED here) that’s mounted on the rear via a vari-angle bracket. The screen can seem a little high contrast at times, but the resolution is good and the ability to reposition is useful, though we’d rather it was hinged to the side rather than the bottom of the camera body.

24-megapixel: quality or oddity?

The A65 features the same 24.3-megapixel APS-C sensor as found in the pricier A77, meaning there’s no difference in picture quality between the two cameras. There certainly aren’t any other sub-?1000 24-megapixel cameras out there, so that makes the A65 quite the bargain if large image size is right up there in your wants list.

As per the A77’s images, the A65’s shots are impressive and the high megapixel count has little effect on the low ISO shots. Shoot from ISO 100-800 and the JPEGs straight from camera will take on and match similar priced DSLRs with no worries. As the ISO increases - and it tops out at ISO 16,000 - there is a dip in quality due to image noise, particularly subtle colour noise. It’s from ISO 3200 where processing issues are more problematic, meaning lower-resolution DSLRs such as the Nikon D7000 will produce better results from here and above.

So, although the A65 won’t win a prize for best low-light performance, it’s still an impressive camera and that super-high resolution will appeal to stock photographers and the like. For most users, however, the resolution is overkill.

Super-fast shooting

The A65’s 10fps burst shooting may not be quite as turbo-charged as the A77’s 12fps option, but for a lot less cash it’s still a hugely impressive feature. Compared to the Canon 60D or Nikon D7000 and the Sony outperforms both, without a shadow of a doubt.

The Sony’s new autofocus system has a 15-point array, including three cross-type points with a sensitivity of f/5.6. That means extra sensitivity whether the camera’s rotated in portrait or landscape orientation. The AF system is suitably fast though not as impressive overall as the A77’s 19-point (11 cross-type) system. Still, there’s little to no difference between this Sony system and a similar DSLR in terms of speed.

Where the Sony gets one over the DSLR crowd is in its live preview mode. Whether using the EVF or the rear LCD screen the camera still engages phase-detection autofocus that’s far quicker than a DSLR’s contrast-detect autofocus system. This translates into super-fast focusing however the camera’s being used, including the impressive 1080p movie mode - which is the same as the A77 with 50i/25p/24p modes, stereo sound and a 3.5mm mic input.

But for all its speed the A65 has a few downers. Small issues such as the delay for the viewfinder to activate when raising it to your eye can be frustrating and stop the camera feeling like an all-round DSLR beater. It’s a small thing, but significant enough for serious shooters.

Also all that tech is power-hungry. The A65 lasts a decent stretch of time, and has a per-cent-based battery indicator that’s useful, but the model won’t last out against the likes of the pricier Canon 60D or Nikon D7000. Saying that, the 600D and D5100 models offer similar battery life, so the Sony’s not a million miles away in this department.

Verdict:

Alongside the A77, the A65 is likely to put the SLT format on the map. This camera does things that DSLRs just cannot do: a 10fps burst mode with continuous autofocus and a live preview movie mode with the same super-fast autofocus is without rival at this price point.

The 2.4million dot OLED viewfinder is the best EVF we’ve yet seen (the same as found in the A77 and NEX-7 models) and, in the right conditions, isn’t a million miles from the look and feel of an optical viewfinder. It won’t suit everyone, particularly when it comes to dim conditions, but does have its merits too.

Few downsides include a limited battery life and limitations to high ISO images due to the packed-out, 24-megapixel sensor - a tad too high resolution to resolve above ISO 3200, but a great performer at lower ISO settings.

There’s very little not to like otherwise. In many ways the A65 is more impressive than the A77 based on price alone. It’s the model that’ll make advanced features all the more accessible for a wider public, and that can only be a good thing.

Tags: Cameras Sony Alpha Sony Alpha Sony Alpha SLT-A65 DSLR cameras

Sony Alpha A65 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:58:00 +0000

CES wouldn't be CES if there weren’t companies out there breaking records. If corporations weren't lauching the biggest, fastest, thinnest or simply the first, then they wouldn't be happy. As it goes, neither would we.

With all the claims and counter claims as press conference follows press conference, it can be rather tricky to work out just who managed to crack and hold onto each accolade as the feats of engineering roll in. So, with our eagle eye, we've looked back down at all of our 214 individual pieces of coverage on the event and, now that the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Centre have finally shut and the counters and recounters have been satisfied, here are the the CES 2012 record breakers according to Pocket-lint.

Laptops

The whole show in Vegas 2012 felt like it was dedicated to laptops this year with every man, woman and dog digging up an Ultrabook to hold aloft to the crowd and swear an oath upon. If you want to take a look at them all, then check out our dedicated Ultrabooks of CES page, otherwise, read on for the ones that count.

THINNEST ULTRABOOK IN THE WORLD - Acer Aspire S5

Technically speaking, the Acer Aspire S5 was and still is the thinnest Ultrabook in the world but that's only because Samsung has refused to class the razor thin Samsung Series 9 laptop as an Ultrabook at all. Other than the S5's extremely slimline 15mm profile, there's the usual SSD storage, Intel Core processor and a choice between HDD and SSD in case you fancy defeating the whole purpose of having an Ultrabook. Read more

FIRST ULTRABOOK WITH THUNDERBOLT - Acer Aspire S5

Ok, perhaps not of such major importance and, again, it's only a record by virtue of the fact that Apple has decided not to bother with the Ultrabook title for the MacBook Air. All the same, the Acer Aspire S5 is the first Ultrabook to come with the high speed I/O port that is Intel's Thunderbolt technology. At up to 10Gbps transfer speeds with entire Blu-rays able to shift from A to B in under 30 seconds, it's a rather useful tool to have. Now all you need is something that's compatible at the other end.

THINNEST LAPTOP IN THE WORLD - Samsung Series 9

It might not be an Ultrabook but it's certainly a laptop and a bloody thin one at that. At just 12.9mm thick and with only 1.16kg in ballast to worry about, it's a waif of a machine. Throw in all the RAM, CPU and SSD mod-cons plus a 9.8 seconds boot up time (1.4 seconds from sleep) and a?HD+ SuperBright Plus screen with 160-degree viewing angle, and it just about manages to make laptops sexy again. Read more

TVs

You can normally bet your house on seeing either the biggest TV in the world at CES or the thinnest or, more usually, both. CES 2012 saw neither. So, what records did the AV world set in Vegas this time around?

BIGGEST OLED TV IN THE WORLD - LG 55EM9600?& Samsung OLED

OLED TVs have been around for a while now but commercial availability has been a tricky thing to find. All the same, both LG and Samsung look to have cracked it this year with the arrival of equally world record breaking 55-inch sets that should be up for sale by the end of the December 2012. Naturally, with pictures stunning and panels super thin, you can expect to pay an arm and a leg for them when they do turn up. LG hands-on | Samsung hands-on

BIGGEST ULTRA DEFINITION TV IN THE WORLD - 84-inch LG UDTV

Ultra Definition is the name that looks like will stick when it comes to selling the public the next generation in screen resolution. UDTVs are what's known as 4K2K (3840 x 2160px) and what's rather special about this one is that it works as one of LG's Cinema 3D systems too. In other words, it supports passive 3D with half the resolution coming to each eye. In effect, you end up with full 1080p 3D visuals without having to go with the bother and expense of alternate shutter glasses. Read more

FIRST TRANSPARENT TV - Samsung Smart Window

Imagine a world of see-through monitors, windows that are interactive and car windscreens that relay all the information on the screen rather than the dashboard beneath it.?Now imagine that, rather than the stuff of science fiction movies and pipe dreams, the technology that will allow this to become a possibility is going into production in just 20 days. Sure there are military and industrial versions of this kind of thing but this is the first time we've been inches away from the home of next Tuesday.?Read more

Printers

Hold your horses. Don't you dare skip this section. Yes, printers are the third most dull category of gadgets after fax machines and, worst of all, scanners but we wouldn't be writing a section of world record breaking printers if there wasn't something pretty sexy to say about them, right? Right.

FIRST HOME 3D PRINTER - Cubify

3D printing has been quietly around in the industrial sense for a while but now the ability to turn 3D computer designs into actual models by laying down layer upon layer of printed substrate will become a reality in the home as well. 3D Systems will be selling the Cubify 3D printer for $1,300 by the end of Q1 2012. Pretty soon you'll be able to scan in your own designs too. Read more

Tablets

We didn't see the crazy rush of tablets that we saw at CES 2011 just after Android Honeycomb came out but that doesn't mean that there were no significant moves in this space. When there's tablets involved, there's always records to be set.

FIRST TABLET WITH BUILT-IN JOYSTICKS - Razer Project Fiona

Project Fiona is a PC gaming tablet which is set to make up for all that's bad about flick 'n swipe. It's a?hybrid PC/tablet but with all the meaty titles thanks to the?Intel Core i7 inside. There's a full-screen user interface supporting multi-touch, a?3-axis gyro, a magnetometer, an accelerometer,?Dolby 7.1 surround sound,?Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 but, most importantly of all,?physical control options with integrated dual game controllers and ultra-precise analogue sticks. Read more

Phones

It's normally Mobile World Congress in February where most of the big phones news arrives but there's always one or two manufacturers that simply can't help gushing the goods a month earlier in Vegas. 2012 happened to see quite a few record breakers here too.

FIRST QUAD-CORE PHONE - Fujitsu Tegra 3 phone

With no official name yet, that didn't stop Fujitsu giving the world a taste of the first Nvidia Tegra 3 handset to arrive on the market. Details are light at the moment. We know it's an Android handset running 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, we know it's made by Fujitsu, we know it's got an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor and that's about it. Follow the link for some nice shots of it running RipTide GP. Read more

THINNEST PHONE IN THE WORLD - Huawei Ascend P1 S

For a while, it looked as if Fujitsu had grabbed itself another gong by claiming the prize of the thinnest smartphone in the word with the ES IS12F at just 6.7mm, but the rug was pulled from under it with the arrival of the 6.68mm thick Huawei Ascend P1 S. It runs Android ICS, comes with?Dolby Mobile 3.0 a, 4.3-inch display with a 960x540 resolution, a 1800mAh battery and all sorts of other top line specs. Read more

HIGHEST RESOLUTION CAMERAPHONE IN THE WORLD - HTC Titan II

We'll forego the discussions of how much it actually matters for the moment. The fact remains that a 16-megapixel sensor represents the most pixel-packed there's even been on a smartphone before. Eight has pretty much become the standard on a top notch device but the Windows Phone 7 operating HTC Titan II has blown those out of the water. With a 4.7-inch screen,?1730mAh battery and 4G connectivity, that's not all that's impressive about it either. Read more

FIRST SMARTPHONE WITH OPTICAL ZOOM - Polaroid SC1630

Camera with a phone? Phone with a camera? It doesn't really matter. The fact remains that you can make calls, send texts, browse the web and play games on the Polaroid SC1630. It also happens to house enough space and photographic credentials for a?3x optical zoom lens offering a range of 36-108mm (in 35mm terms). There's also a 16-megapixel CCD sensor doing the work which equals that of the Titan II. Read more

Camcorders

Canon, Sony and Panasonic were probably the three who made the most noise in the camcorder space with their handycams all seeming to pack either Wi-Fi, 3D or both at CES 2012. However, it was someone else who led the pace in Vegas and will forever go down in the record books.

WORLD'S FIRST 4K CAMCORDER - JVC?GY-HMQ10

JVC has been working on a low-cost 4K resolution camera since 2007, and it seems to have finally managed to make it a reality.?The ?3,300 camera boasts an 8.3-megapixel sensor that produces video with a resolution of 3840x2160. That's very slightly less than a full-blown 4K digital cinema camera will shoot but it's over the resolution you'd end up seeing projected, digitally, at your local cinema.?The camera has a non-removable f/2.8 lens, which includes a 10x optical zoom, and you record onto SD card at a rate of 144Mbps. Read more

Gaming

CES isn't E3 but there were still a couple of interesting amusing developments in the gaming world at Vegas in 2012. So were any of them record breaking? Oh yes.

FIRST U.S. ARMY ENDORSED GAMING KIT - From CTA

Quite what the army get out of it is one thing (more recruits, a load of cash?), the point is that you can now strut about your living room putting your foes down the way Uncle Sam intended. The top of the tree has to be the Move-compatible assault rifle but there's also a backpack, on-ear headphones and even a headset with a throat mic to enjoy as well. Read more

MOST STORAGE ON A CHAIR EVER - X Rocker Pocket Chair

Ok, this one's a total guess but we were seriously impressed with the amount of gaming kit you could tuck into this $100 piece of furniture. It's more of a beanbag shaped like an armchair than anything but what's great is you can fit about the same amount of games boxes, discs, gamepads, guitar controllers, drumsticks, drinks and just about anything you could think of into the pockets, zips, holders and compartments on the sides as you can in an entire bookshelf and cupboards. Read more

Tags: Audio Phones Laptops CES2012 Features Tablets Cameras Camcorders Televisions Printers

CES 2012 record breakers originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:45:07 +0000

As was speculated earlier this month, the Eastman Kodak Company has filed voluntary petitions for chapter 11 business reorganisation with a bankruptcy court in the US.

The move, which essentially sees Kodak entering a protected period and taking credit of $950 million, is the last throw of the dice for a legendary brand that is firmly on its death bed.

The camera and printer company, established in 1892, has been feeling the financial strain for a number of years. Despite being an early pioneer of the digital camera, many believe that its focus on film and the budget side of the compact camera market has contributed to its decline.

"Kodak is taking a significant step toward enabling our enterprise to complete its transformation," said Antonio M. Perez, chairman and CEO.

"At the same time as we have created our digital business, we have also already effectively exited certain traditional operations, closing 13 manufacturing plants and 130 processing labs, and reducing our workforce by 47,000 since 2003. Now we must complete the transformation by further addressing our cost structure and effectively monetising non-core IP assets. We look forward to working with our stakeholders to emerge a lean, world-class, digital imaging and materials science company.

"After considering the advantages of chapter 11 at this time, the Board of Directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak," Mr. Perez continued. "Our goal is to maximise value for stakeholders, including our employees, retirees, creditors, and pension trustees. We are also committed to working with our valued customers.

Perez went on to state how Kodak's patents had generated over $3 billion of licensing revenues since 2003 and it is thought that it could be the company's patent portfolio that is its last chance of survival.

Kodak had previously tried to sell off its patents to avoid bankruptcy, but failed to gain any interest. Dark times indeed for one of the most recognisable brands in photography.

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Tags: Cameras Kodak Biz

Kodak files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:28:00 +0000

Compacts with huge zoom ranges have been entering the market left right and centre in recent years due to higher demand. The Fujifilm X-S1 may appear to be much the same as its competitors, but it’s got some high-end features that put other superzooms to shame.

First and foremost is the X-S1’s 2/3-inch sensor, which is the same 12-megapixel one as found in the Fujifilm X10. As the physical size is far larger than various compact cameras’ sensor sizes there’s the immediate advantage of larger pixels for better image quality and those pro-looking blurred background shots - due to shallow depth of field, which is already pronounced at longer focal lengths - will be easier to achieve.

In the hand the Finepix X-S1 feels sturdy and has taken forward the best design features from Fujifilm’s HS20 superzoom. The 24-624mm zoom lens has a manual zoom barrel that’s a lot like using a DSLR lens, and there’s even a manual focus ring tucked towards the body side of the lens. It provides the utmost control and is far more fun and accurate to use than a standard compact lens. The focal length may not be quite as massive as something like the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS - but that’s on account of the Fujifilm’s larger sensor. Much more zoom and the camera would be the size of a house. As it is, it’s fairly large, but no more so than expected.

There are also small updates that are crucial for such a camera to be deemed "more professional". An autofocus switch on the front of the body can easily shift between single, continuous and manual focus and saves unnecessary menu digging. The camera’s rear controls are quite similar to a Nikon DSLR in some respects - lots of buttons provide quick access to settings, which makes for easy use. There’s a metal rotational dial that projects out the top of the camera, lipped over the back for easy use with the thumb, that controls the main aperture/shutter setting depending on which mode is selected. It’s a shame there’s no front thumbwheel to make for a more versatile and more DSLR-like experience, as there is plenty of empty space to place one conveniently.

Our favourite feature has to be that the X-S1’s electronic viewfinder is quite unlike any other you’ll find in a superzoom camera. That’s not to say it’s the very best viewfinder we’ve ever seen - look to the Sony NEX-7 for that - but it’s streets ahead of the competition in this market area. The viewfinder itself is so much bigger than the one in the Fujifilm HS20 and this makes it a pleasure to use, plus the 1.44 million dot resolution is significant. An eye-sensor means the viewfinder auto-activates as the camera is neared to your eye, which makes for seamless switching between it and the rear LCD. ?

The screen on the back is mounted on a tilt-angle bracket for more versatile use. The 460k-dot resolution here is ample, but not as high resolution as some high-spec compacts. A small moan, but a fair one given the X-S1’s ?699 price tag. At a pound short of the epic ?700 mark, this is one expensive superzoom - and that’s certainly going to limit its appeal to all. Saying that, everything is under one roof here and the 24-624mm lens ought to be sufficient for almost any given circumstance, which may make it more appealing than a DSLR for some.?

The model we used on the Fujifilm stand at the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 wasn’t a final release version, but with the camera due sometime in February-March it felt close to completion. Focusing was accurate 9 times out of 10, even at the fullest zoom in the dimly lit hall. Blurred backgrounds were looking lovely at this focal length - the benefit of a long lens and large sensor combination.

However the whole system feels a lot like the HS20. That’s not to say it’s bad, but it doesn’t feel like a huge step up compared to the consumer kit. The X-S1 ought to take elements from the higher-end X-Pro1’s menu system and design and really needs a faster, more responsive focusing system to truly knock our socks off. It’s very usable in its current state, but HS20 users considering upgrading will undoubtedly be expecting more.

Elsewhere there’s a 500-shots-per-charge battery which sounds pretty decent but isn’t something we were able to test out. RAW and JPEG shooting and full manual controls come as standard, all easily accessed via a one-touch function button and the top mode dial respectively. A pop-up flash is built-in, or a TTL hotshoe means full compatibility with more powerful flashguns.

Our verdict? So far the X-S1 looks impressive. The design’s right, the manual zoom lens is very cool, the viewfinder helps take this superzoom to new levels not achievable before, and we have no doubt that image quality will be sublime… but the autofocus system ought to be a bit more creative and yet faster considering this compact is more expensive than a Nikon D5100 kit.

Read - Fujifilm X-Pro1 pictures and hands-on

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras CES2012 Photos Fujifilm Fujifilm X-S1 12 megapixels

Fujifilm X-S1 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:08:00 +0000

Let us guess, you like your Sony Bloggie or Flip pocket camcorder but you are worried that you'll break it as soon as you get it out of your pocket. Those things are good, but they aren't very tough.

In steps the Sony Bloggie Sport, announced at CES?in Las Vegas where Pocket-lint was on hand to have a play at the?Sony?stand.?

A much more rugged version of the handheld video snapper, it can sit in up to 5 metres of water for an hour, if you are so inclined, and the camera's 2.7-inch touchscreen will also function under water.

The clumsier camcorder?users?among you will also be relieved to know that you can drop the camera from up to 1.5m and, although we weren't able to do that as it was tethered to the stand, we were able to convince Sony to let us bash it against the stand and our bashing had little effect.

Users will be able to store around 2 hours of HD footage on the device's internal 4GB of memory and as with previous Bloggie devices the Sport will come with a hidden flip-out USB arm for connection to a computer. It will come with a built-in rechargeable battery and HDMI output for connecting to a TV to share your movies.

The bounce friendly Sony Boggie Sport also features all the usual bells and whistles you've come to expect from Sony for its Bloggie range and in our brief play we had no problems getting to grips with the incredibly easy to use camcorder.

The new pocket camcorder will ship in blue, black and red and cost around ?180 when it launches in February.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Sony Sony Bloggie Sport CES2012 Photos

Sony Bloggie Sport pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

With so much announced at CES 2012, making sense of exactly when all of that gadgetry will arrive for the good people of the world to enjoy is a bit of a mess. So, we've created a master calendar for you - a bit like a Cliff Richard one we were given for Christmas where the Peter Pan of Pop is pictured in a set of dungarees with a pitchfork over his shoulder, only much better.

Before we start, just a touch of explaining to do. For those not in the know, tech companies and retailers tend to work in quarters. Saying a product is going to be released in Q1 for example, gives a bigger release window for something should any issues arise, which they often do. This way customers, traders and producers don’t get too irritated if dates slide.

So what does each quarter contain? Well, if you haven't "done the math", as the folk in America say, Q1 covers January to March, Q2 is April until June, Q3 July to September and Q4 October through to December. So, want to know what’s coming and when? Just scan below to find out. This list is by no means comprehensive, CES is just too big for us to grab everything, but all the majors are represented.

A

Acer Aspire S5 - Q2?

Acer’s second go at the Ultrabook game features clever hybrid HDD and SSD storage. The S5 is also extremely light at 1.2kg and just 15mm thin, an Ultrabook through and through then. Read more

Acer A700 - Possible March

Easily one of the most potent tablets we have seen so far, it had the show floor rather excited at CES with a 1080p display and a quad-core processor. The A700 represents the future direction tablets are going to take, with massive portable power wrapped up in the thinnest possible package. Read more

Acer Iconia Tab A510 - No date

The younger brother to the A700, the A510 still features a quad-core Tegra 3 processor but lacks the full 1080p display of its brethren. Still no slouch on the screen front however, sitting at 1280 x 800. Read more

Asus Transformer 700T HD - No date

With the same spec sheet as the Transformer Prime, this is already a pretty powerful tablet, Asus has just gone and upped the screen res to 1080p. Using full WUXGA resolution on a 10.1-inch display, the tablet will arrive with Ice Cream Sandwich and an 8 megapixel camera on the back. Read more

B

Bang and Olufsen Beolit 12 - Next two weeks

Part of a new sub-brand within B&O known as B&O Play, the Beolit 12 is about portability and quality, whilst looking as stylish as the company's usual products. Read more

C

Canon G1 X - February

What do you get if you cram a DSLR quality sensor into a portable compact? The Canon G1 X, that’s what. One of the longest running prosumer compacts available, the G series carries a pedigree quite unlike any other camera. Read more

Canon Legria HFM52 - April

Canon’s tiny Legria camcorder features 32GB of built in storage and a 10x zoom system. There is a lot packed into the pocket-sized Canon normally reserved for top level hardware including a proper HD CMOS sensor. Read more

D

Dell XPS 13 - Mid March

Dell’s XPS 13 is one of our favourite Ultrabooks set for release, in part due to the fact that it has a carbon fibre base, which is just cool. A lot is taken from the MacBook Air’s umm ... book, which is by no means a bad one when it comes to the world of portable laptops. Read more

F

Fujifilm X100 Black - February

Retro has always been cool. Even in the 19th century people were sporting the wares of the 18th, enjoying vintage sextants or whatever gadgetry was put to use back then. The X100 draws on this philosophy, but this time round it comes in black, instantly making it 100 times cooler. Read more

Fujifilm X-Pro 1 - No release date yet

Like the X100, the X-Pro 1 is another high-end compact system with vintage looks. Behaving slightly like Canon’s G1 X, the X-Pro 1 is a full interchangeable lens system with one of the most exciting viewfinders in photography right now. Read more

Fujitsu Arrows - No release

Like swimming? Like tablets? Well the Fujitsu Arrows is the one for you. Capable of being dunked in a bucket of water whilst keeping its 1GHz processor ticking along nicely, the Arrows is one of the toughest tablets available. Read more

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GoPro BacPac - February

Controlling a GoPro has normally been quite a clunky affair. Stuck with just two buttons to setup and manage the whole camera, it has been nigh on impossible to manipulate the cam with it mounted. The BacPac changes this by adding wireless functionality. Read more

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HP Envy 14 - March

Sure it isn’t the thinnest in the Ultrabook in the pack, but despite needing a possible trip to fat camp, it packs more tech than most. HP Beats Audio fun is thrown in, as is a decent Core i7 processor and 1600 x 900 resolution screen. Read more

HTC Titan II - No release date

The HTC Titan was one of the Windows Phone highlights of last year, it looks like the sequel could do the same in 2012. With a whopping 16 megapixel sensor and vibrant 4.7-inch display, it is one of the best WP7 handsets we have seen. Read more

Huawei Ascend P1 - End of march

Huawei came out of no where with this one, claiming the World’s thinnest handset title with the Ascend P1. Plenty of excitement on the spec sheet, including a dual-core processor, the Huawei could be a rather nice surprise. Read more

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James Bond Blu-ray - Pre-order

After ruining our James Bond VHS collection in a rather nasty incident involving Sunny Delight, we are glad to be seeing our favourite spy make an appearance in 1080p. Like Star Wars of last year, it will be the first time we have seen a movie franchise this classic spin up our Blu-ray players and blast out our 5.1 systems. Read more

JVC GY-HMQ10 4K camcorder - No release yet

What comes after 1080p? At first we imagined it to be something like the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Then we realised it was 4K, which whilst not being an interplanetary space trip, is still pretty impressive. Imagine making something really really sharp, then making it sharper. This JVC camcorder can record like that. Read more

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Kinect for Windows - February

We are still yet to see how exactly Kinect will incorporate itself into Windows, although we imagine a lot of it will be using Windows Media Centre. The release of the developer SDK in February should hopefully mean we see it used for something better. Read more

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Lenovo K800 - 2nd half 2012

The Medfield smartphone was the first time we were to see an Intel processor in a handset. Using Atom technology, no one knows how quick the handset might be. We will have to wait until it gets itself launched for us to truly give the Intel tech a whirl. Read more

Lenovo IdeaPad S200 - June

So much Lenovo fun to be had at CES in 2012. The S200 is a maturation of netbooks, in pink. Think of it as the logical direction the conventional laptop would take but squash it down to 11.6-inch MacBook Air size. Not anywhere near as thin, but just as powerfull, the S200 is quite a laptop. Read more

Lenovo X1 - No release date

Lenovo’s X1 is a relatively new idea in laptop town, featuring two different processors to power two separate operating systems. The Qualcomm dual-core processor lets it boot up a Linux OS speedily for quick web browsing.?Read more

Lenovo S series IdeaPad - June

Lenovo went Ultrabook mad at CES, releasing two different series of the super slim laptops. The first, the S series, use dual-core processors and 32GB SSDs. Read more

Lenovo Y series IdeaPad - April

Like the S series laptops, the Y series IdeaPads are small and light, but feature a more multimedia-centric approach to design. They feature proper GPUs and a more hefty audio setup. Read more

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga - Second half 2012

The IdeaPad was Lenovo’s odd ball at CES, featuring a rotating hinged design that let you turn the laptop into a rather miniature electronic tent. Extremely light and with a bright glossy display, it could be a rather interesting laptop and tablet alternative. Read more

LG 55EM9600 TV - No date yet

Like Samsung, LG has upscaled its OLED efforts from last year and brought out an ultra-slim, ultra-bright OLED TV which at 55-inches and a rumoured $8000 is sure to be the reserve of the audio visual elite. Read more

LG Ultra Definition - Q4

CES is usually about televisions and this year was no exception. The LG Ultra Definition had us particularly excited. Partly because it is 84-inches in size, but mainly because it can run 4K2K resolution content, which from what we have seen, looks crazy good on a display this size. Read more

LG Z430 - Before March

Even LG couldn't keep itself away from the world of the Ultrabook, taking on the likes of its super size Korean competitor Samsung with the Z430. The real buzz with this one is its ability to take up to 500GB of SSD storage. Read more

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Motorola Defy Mini - No release yet

Motorola is now a Google owned company, so you would expect to be seeing Android behaving its best on the company’s handsets. The Motorola Defy Mini is a budget phone from the leading handset manufacturer and should at launch please many of those avoiding the realms of the HTC Wildfire S. Read more

Motorola Motoluxe - No release

A beefy low end offering from Motorola, the Motoluxe has plentiful screen estate and a rather decent resolution. Savings are made via the 800MHz processor but other than that, there is really little else to indicate it's a budget phone. Read more

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Nokia Lumia 900 - March

Nokia looks to have turned it all around right at the end of 2011 with the Lumia 800, easily one of the design highlights of the year. The Lumia 900, the bigger, bolder, American cousin to the same handset, should impress just the same. Read more

Nokia Lumia 710 - February

The value for money Windows Phone 7 handset that comes complete with all the potency of its bigger Lumia 800 and 900 brethren. Set for release with a decent selection of different colours, this will likely become the go-to budget WP7 handset of 2012. Read more

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Panasonic DMC-SZ7 - March

Compacts need to be compact. The DMC-SZ7 adheres to this rule nicely, being just 21mm thin. The size sacrifice doesn’t mean a specs loss, there is full 1080p video and a 25-250mm zoom lens sat on the front. Read more?

Pure Sensia 200D - Q1

Pure has a pretty potent radio, if there is such a thing, with the 200D. Like an enigma machine from the future, it has a full size touchscreen that lets you control all your music listening needs. Read more

Panasonic VT50 - No release yet

Carrying a hefty plasma shaped crown for Panasonic, the VT50 will become the company's top television in their line up. It also looks damn smart as well. Read more

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Razer Project Fiona - by end of year

Tablets might have more cores than a set of bins at an apple tasting, but without a properly powerful desktop processor will never be able to run PC quality games. Enter Razer’s rather mad Project Fiona, which uses proper graphics and Intel Sandy Bridge processors in a tablet. Read more

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Samsung 55-inch Super OLED - Second half of 2012

Oh OLED TV how we adore you. So bright and beautiful with such rich colours, you burn our eyes with your glory. It isn’t going to be cheap, but there is no doubt this OLED display is going to be one of the best screens of 2012. Read more

Samsung Series 5 - Out soon

Samsung has kept its cutting edge position in the Ultrabook market with the Series 5. A highly desirable piece of kit, it has all the usual SSDs and Sandy Bridge processor. Things get interesting with the 14-inch model that comes with a 1GB AMD graphics card inside, a first for an Ultrabook. Read more

Samsung Series 9 900XB - No release date yet

This is the Ultrabook to go after, if it is indeed an Ultrabook. Think of it like the Windows equivalent to a top spec MacBook Air. It is one of the thinnest, lightest and best designed laptops set for release in 2012. Read more

Sony Bloggie Live - February

Flip died a bit of a death in 2011 leaving a significant gap in an admittedly dwindling market. Sony kept it interesting with the Bloggie Live, which can send video straight from camera to the Internet. Read more

Sony HX8 - No release date

A slightly mad television from Sony but an exciting one none the less. The definition of Wii-mote/childproof, it features a massive Gorilla Glass screen giving it a bezel free look. Read more

Sony Xperia Ion - Q2

An exciting one for the Americans, the Ion is to show up on AT&T with a 720p display and best of all, a 12-megapixel Exmor-R sensor. Looks like 2012 could be the year for the smartphone super camera. Read more

Sony Xperia S - March

Notice the lack of Ericsson in the name. The Xperia S is going to be Sony’s major punt into the smartphone landscape in 2012. Complete with HD just about everything, it is a flagship phone that Sony can be proud of. Read more

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Tamaggo camera - Q2

The Tamaggo camera lives up to its Japanese name, which means egg, behaving like a 360 degree blob shooter. An unusual take on the standard shooter, the Tamaggo could mean an interesting shift for photography in 2012. Read more

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Windows 8 - October

The new Windows OS is set to arrive in October, bringing a lot of the design lessons Microsoft has learned from its Windows Phone 7 handset. The Metro UI is looking smart already and will likely be perfectly suited to tablets when Windows 8 arrives. Read more

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ZTE Nvidia Tegra 3 tablet - No date yet

Ice Cream Sandwich and a quad-core processor? One a value for money tablet … yes please. This ZTE could be the tablet that brings Android tablets into the big game alongside Apple’s iPad. Read more

Tags: CES2012 Televisions Phones Mobile phones Cameras Compact cameras Camcorders

2012 Gadget Calendar: When you can get that new device from CES? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:32:00 +0000

About 3 years ago Flip toyed with the idea of making a pocket camcorder that featured a built in Wi-Fi connection so you could stream video straight to the web. That camcorder sadly never made it to market before Cisco, Flip's parent company, shut the range down.

Fast forward to 2012 and Sony has just announced a new pocket camcorder, part of its Bloggie range, called the Bloggie Live, which, you guessed it, has built in Wi-Fi so you can stream your videos directly to the web. Pocket-lint was on hand at the show to have a play.

Clearly Sony thinks there is still a market for the Bloggie and, with something like instant streaming, we have to agree. Similar to the UStream app that you can get for your smartphone, the Bloggie Live camera can shoot 1080p HD video and snap 12.8-megapixel stills and then instantly share them to the web using Qik.

On the back of the Bloggie Live camera is a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen which will display comments being made on your video in real time as you are shooting it.

Two copies of whatever you make will be stored; one in HD locally on the camera and one kept on Qik's website. Direct upload of video to things like YouTube and Facebook is possible straight from the camera as well.

The Bloggie Live will arrive with 8GB of internal storage that should give you enough memory to record around 3 hours of HD footage. As with previous Bloggie devices the Live will come with a hidden flip-out USB arm for connection to a computer. It will also pack a built-in rechargeable battery and HDMI output for connecting to a TV to share your movies.?

A quick play on the booth and the whole process is incredibly easy. It really is just a case of making sure you have a Wi-Fi connection and then pressing the record button. Sadly for us that means someone somewhere would have seen us messing around, checking out the different features. If that was you, sorry, it probably wasn't the best TV that you've ever seen. Unless you've been watching Big Brother on Five, that is.

Footage is automatically synced with the company's new PlayMemories Online photo sharing cloud service.?

At ?180 this is an expensive dedicated device, especially as your smartphone will be able to do exactly the same via the Qik app for free, but then you'll have to use your phone and that might not be handy, possible, or acceptable.

The Bloggie Live works as described and works well, the question will be whether you have a need for it.

Expect a February release date priced around ?180 in the UK.?

Tags: Cameras Camcorders CES2012 Sony Sony Bloggie Live Photos

Sony Bloggie Live pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:50:00 +0000

If there's one thing you can bet you'll see at any consumer technology trade show, it's thousands upon thousands of iPhone accessories.

Cases are a particular favourite and, with so many manufacturers looking to come up with something different - and usually failing - it made a very nice change to stumble upon MiVue. The MiVue is a tough case and camera lens combination that turns your iPhone 4 or 4S into a makeshift rugged camcorder.

There's nothing sophisticated in terms of the software, you just use the normal camera app, but what's nice is that the MiVue comes with both a clamp, in case you want to attach it to the handlebars of your bike, and an entire body harness if you're doing something more like skiiing. Whatever your choice, make sure it's extreme.?The custom designed optical glass lens is even a wide-to-fish-eye affair to make it look like you're in some kind of skate video with your POV footage.

The toughen case and mount is made of some kind of ridiculously hardcore nylon which we tried very hard to break in true Theo Paphitis style but couldn't. When asked whether it'd withstand a hardcore impact, the reply was that the only kind it wouldn't was the kind you wouldn't be walking away from either - not the nicest image but a point well made.

The MiVeu kit is available to buy now for just under $80 which makes it a seriously good budget option compared to a dedicated GoPro package that comes in at something like four times the price. It also includes splash-proof iPhone screen covers to remove all worries from the back of your mind.

Tags: Cameras iPhone accessories CES2012 Miveu GoPro

MiVeu: make your iPhone camera rugged originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:17:41 +0000

We at Pocket-lint have a theory that, at electronic trade shows, you could decipher just how badly a company wants to impress the attendees by the thickness of its booth's carpet.

At CES 2012, Kodak's booth was covered in a pile so substantial that we almost felt like taking a well earned kip on it. Actually, who are we kidding - we did have a lovely power nap and awoke to take a concentrated look at the Kodak Playfull Dual camera.

Kodak has had its fair share of financial woes as of late but that didn't stop it announcing a few gems at CES 2012, the highlight probably being the Playfull Dual. After all, it can not only shoot Full HD video but also snap 12-megapixel stills as well.

Its real USP is its Wi-Fi capabilities though, which mean that any images or video that you take can be wirelessly uploaded to your computer via the Share button. The in-camera UI will allow you to choose where you'd like to send your footage online - all the usual suspects like Facebook and YouTube are present - and then it's simply a case of connecting.

This is great and the camera threw up the social networking options without hesitation although we couldn't help but wonder if this was a device that was still relevant. After all, you show us a modern smartphone that can't shoot HD video (maybe not 1080p, but 720p at least) and ping it to the web using Wi-Fi and we'll eat our hat. And it's a big hat.

Maybe there is still a market for some higher end fun camera tech though and, if so, then this camera will certainly fit the bill. It can shoot in Full HD a 60fps and there's also a high-speed capture mode which shoots at up to 240fps at 720p resolution for slow-motion movies. You'll also get an external microphone jack, built-in Xenon flash, micro-HDMI and an SDHC card slot.

The Kodak PlayFull Dual Video Camera will be available in black and white and should be in the UK for spring priced at ?159.99. We liked the white one the most, it's very pretty.

Tags: CES2012 Kodak Cameras Camcorders Kodak Playfull

Kodak Playfull Dual camera pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:20:53 +0000

Samsung’s WB150F is a brand new Wi-Fi-enabled compact camera, adding to the company’s range of connected products. As the likes of cloud computing and inter-connectivity wiles its way into everyday products across the spectrum of tech, it’s something that has been a slow process in the camera world. Samsung released the SH100, its first Wi-Fi-enabled compact, in the middle of 2011. Has the latest WB150F taken camera connectivity to the next level?

The WB150F’s latest Smart Wi-Fi promises easy sharing to Facebook, Picasa, Microsoft Sky Drive and other online sites such as YouTube, as well as hard drive backup on your computer direct from camera without the faff of any hard-wired cables. A Remote Viewfinder app also allows remote control of picture taking using an Android-enabled mobile device. It’s a great idea, though we’re a little concerned at the impact Wi-Fi will have on the camera’s battery life. It wasn’t possible to test this on the Samsung stand at this year’s CES, but longevity is something to keep in mind.

As much as Wi-Fi connectivity is a step forward in the camera world, it’s not a patch on what smartphones are capable of. With limited free Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK, the WB150F won’t be able to compete with the mobile phone networks’ 3G/4G technology. However the Mobile Link option does mean images can be copied directly to your Android phone ready for sharing.

Setting up and using the Wi-Fi is easy enough, but without touchscreen control the WB150F doesn’t compare to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy series of Smartphones and tablets - both of which feature super-smooth touchscreen operation. Tapping in letter by letter and number by number can become a slow and laborious process, though the camera will remember networks and addresses for email to save time in the future. The one-touch share button helps to keep things simple too.

Of course the WB150F is nothing like a Smarphone thanks to its 18x optical zoom lens and larger 14.2-megapixel sensor. As a camera it has plenty to offer and builds on Samsung’s ever growing imaging expertise. The build quality, too, is top drawer: made from part metal and part hardy plastic the WB150F feels solid in the hand.

The 18x zoom lens is one of the camera’s strong points, able to capture from a wide-angle 24mm all the way up to a significant 432mm. It feels smooth in use and, although not especially fast to zoom, the telephoto end is significant considering the camera’s slender 18mm deep body.

The rear screen is also Samsung’s excellent AMOLED technology which is bright, sharp and does look top quality. We’ve seen other sites moan about the "low" VGA resolution, but this is a 921K-dot equivalent so is among the higher resolution screens to be found on compact cameras. It’s just a shame there’s no touch panel as per the SH100.

Control-wise there’s also plenty on offer: Auto sits alongside full manual control modes, as well as 720p HD movie, Live Panorama and some other fun options such as Split Shot mode whereby the screen can be divided and filled with different shots. ?

All in all we’re impressed with the WB150F concept and even ignoring the Smart Wi-Fi feature the model has plenty on offer: it looks like a decent, mid-zoom compact - even more so considering the affordable ?199 price tag.?

Tags: Cameras Samsung Digital cameras Samsung WB150F CES2012 Phones

Samsung WB150F pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:00:26 +0000

Over in Vegas at CES 2012, Toshiba announced its first full HD 3D camcorder, the Camileo Z100 and Pocket-lint was on hand to give it a spin.

The dual-lens system on board allows the camcorder to capture 3D at Full HD via two, 5-megapixel backside illuminated CMOS sensors. It also features a glasses-free 3D monitor to enable you to see what you're recording without the need for bulky glasses. This monitor isn't as clear as the one on the 3DS but it did the job of letting you know what you were recording and what sort of 3D action you were grabbing.

Toshiba also claims that the backside illumination allows this camera to capture 3D in any lighting conditions, even if light is less than optimal. The footage we nabbed on the trade show floor looked pretty good played back on the Tosh 3D TV on display and the lighting in the LVCC is shoddy at best.

The Z100 also features an 8x optical zoom which works even during 3D shooting. For 2D, there's an electronic zoom that can magnify the image by 120x. For those shots, an electronic image stabiliser will help to even out the inevitable camera shake. Video recording can perform face tracking, to keep people in focus, while still shots also benefit from smile detection. Still photos can be shot up to 16 megapixels.

The camcorder can handle SD cards up to 128GB (with SDXC). There's both HDMI and USB sockets, in their smaller, mini form factor. The built-in 2.8-inch screen is also touch-sensitive, so menus are simpler and easy to navigate.

We found the screen pretty responsive to the touch and the build quality of the Z100 to be good. It feels pretty light in the hand; weighing 285g and measuring in at 120 x 54 x 62mm.

The Camileo Z100 will be available in the UK from Q2 2012, no word on pricing just yet.

Tags: Camcorders CES2012 Toshiba 3D Cameras Toshiba Camileo Z100

Toshiba Camileo Z100 3D camcorder pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:43:00 +0000

Panasonic’s SZ7 is the first camera released in a brand new compact camera line. So what can be expected?

The SZ-series stands for "stylish zoom", which, while we wouldn’t dis3agree with the SZ7’s style, we do struggle to see a key design factor that separates the model from the rest of the Lumix compact range.

The SZ7’s 10x optical zoom lens starts at a wideangle 25mm and stretches up to a considerable 250mm. Considering that the camera body is a mere 21mm wide that’s an impressive feat. It’s this small size that’ll really help to shift the camera and, in line with its "style" motto, the body is far more slender than some other 10x zoom compacts.

When we went to see Panasonic to see the SZ7, much attention was focused on the camera’s new 14-megapixel MOS sensor. This chip isn’t the usual CCD sensor that you’ll find in compacts of old, which brings advantages to not only stills quality but better movie capture thanks to the sensor type. The claim is also that, despite its 14-megapixel resolution, the SZ7 will have image quality at least 50 per cent better than previous 14-megapixel CCD sensors. As the sample model we got to play with wasn’t a finished one it wasn’t possible to take any sample shots away with us for closer analysis, though the shots on the camera’s rear screen looked good to us.

Where the Panasonic Lumix SZ7 is a cut above many competitors’ compact cameras is in the autofocus department. Panasonic also engineers its G-series compact system cameras and has had breakthroughs in super-fast contrast-detection autofocus. Lucky for all of us, some of that technology has trickled down into the Lumix SZ7 as this compact zips to work and focuses very quickly without hunting for the subject. With most compact cameras the focus speed is decent, but the SZ7 sets itself apart - it feels noticeably faster than similar priced models.

The speed continues into the continuous shooting mode. Fix the focus point and the camera can snap away at 10 frames per second, or 5fps while continuous autofocus is activated. The continuous focus isn’t always perfect when it comes to maintaining focus on faster moving subjects, as tested with a hand in front of the lens (admittedly not in the very best lighting conditions), but it’s more than can be said for many compact cameras that fail to offer any continuous AF during burst shooting whatsoever.

As mentioned the SZ7’s movie clips should be top quality too. Panasonic has enabled full 1080p capture at 25p using AVCHD or immediate MP4 files. As per stills we’ve been unable to check the quality on a large screen. What we can say is the one-touch movie button on top of the camera is well placed for straightforward activation.

All in all the SZ7 has plenty on offer. A substantial lens, that should be decent image and movie quality, plus speedy autofocus all wrapped up in a thin, well-designed - if not very similar to other Lumix ranges - body. It’s due out in the shops come March time, but there has been no word on pricing and even online retailers aren’t yet listing the model.?

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Panasonic Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 Photos CES2012 14 megapixels

Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:51:00 +0000

Over at CES in the city of Sin, Casio announced its new flagship compact - the Exilim EX-ZR200 - and Pocket-lint managed to grab hold of one on the show floor and have a quick play.

It's a funky looking little camera, it has to be said, and its slender chassis defies the sort of tech that it is packing within.

It boasts 16-megapixel shooting courtesy of the?1/2.3-inch high-speed CMOS sensor, packs?Casio's Rapid Shutter tech, meaning the ability to shoot 30fps at full resolution, and?Premium Auto Pro too for automatically?assessing?the shooting scene in order to get the best settings.

The HDR (high dynamic range) feature also steps in to look after your snaps, combining continuous shots with differing exposures and performing highly precise image analysis to change levels of contrast and colour saturation. This also works when shooting video, which is of the?MOV format, H.264/AVC, IMA-ADPCM?variety.

There's a wide-angle 24mm, 12.5x optical zoom lens onboard which claims to offer a zoom equivalent to a maximum 25x one using Casio's Multi Frame SR Zoom, which "combines a number of still images to maintain the image quality needed for high-resolution photography".

There were a number of colour options on show at the expo, the white being our favourite although it did look as if it would get scuffed up pretty easily. It's a nice compact to hold and the build quality seemed tip-top.

The display is?definitely?a strong point of the ZR200. It held up incredibly well under the LVCC lighting - not surprising really given that it's a 3.0-inch TFT colour Super Clear LCD with a 960 x 480 resolution.

The Casio Exilim EX-ZR200 is due to hit the shelves in April. In the States it will cost?$379.99, the UK price is still TBC.

Tags: Cameras CES2012 Casio Casio Exilim EX-ZR200

Casio Exilim EX-ZR200 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:03:00 +0000

One of the more fascinating discoveries at the back of the main hall at CES 2012 was when we stumbled upon an almost pocket-sized 360-degree camera from Tamaggo.

The Tamaggo 360-Imager is an egg shaped device with a 14-megapixel sensor inside and a 2-inch LCD touchscreen on the back. Measuring 92 x 59 x 61mm, it can tell which way you're holding it and will capture a single panoramic shot (no stitching) through its glass/plastic lens accordingly; straight up in the air and you get a full 360 loop, but held out in front of you, it'll stop short of getting you in the picture too. Take a look at the company website for a better idea of how that works.

Images are recorded onto SD and you can get them off either by removing the card or over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi which the Imager also supports. Charge it up through the mini USB slot and that's pretty much the whole package.

It feels quite weighty, but in a good way once in the hand and we're reliably informed that it'll be able to expose a decent shot even indoors. No working samples are available just now. Our one concern might be that 2-inch LCD which has really got to be far to small for any kind of preview. Still, the proof of the pudding will really be once you take a look at the JPEG file on your computer screen.

The Tamaggo 360-Imager is expected to retail at $200 when it arrives at the end of the second quarter of 2012. We'll let you know just how good it is when it does.?

Tags: Cameras Tamaggo CES2012 Tamaggo 360-Imager

Tamaggo 360-degree camera pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:06:00 +0000

The very best gadgets of CES 2012 is what we bring you at Pocket-lint, but this page right here is even better. It's the best of the best, the best-est, the tip top, the A-No.1 As far as the hottest gadgets of world's largest consumer electronics trade show goes.

Throughout our time in Las Vegas this year, the team will be updating this page with the devices that really catch our eye. So, if we think something has a bright future, is highly original or just gets our geek juices flowing for some unknown reason, you'll find it here. These are the hottest gadgets of CES 2012 and the ones we think you should be taking notice of.

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Acer Iconia Tab A700

We all went "ooh" when the?Acer Iconia Tab A200 was officially announced earlier back in December but then went "boo" when we found out it was a Tegra 2 machine and not a much anticipated Tegra 3 flavoured one.?But our Kal-El Iconia expectations look set to be met with the Ice-Cream Sandwich-packing Acer Iconia Tab A700 now confirmed as a quad-core device.

The Android 4.0.1, 10.1-inch tab boasts a Full HD 1080p resolution and what appears to be SIM, micro-USB, micro-HDMI and audio jack fun too. There's a camera on the back, purportedly a 5-megapixel one that can shoot HD video, but we couldn't get that confirmed. Read more | Hands-on

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Fujifilm X-Pro 1

Take the hugely successful retro-styled, APS-C sized sensor camera that is the Fuji X100, give it a mount for interchangeable Fujinon lenses and you've got yet another red hot gadget from CES 2012.?The Fujifilm X-Pro 1 is a 16-megapixel machine with the added benefit of Fujifilm's now familiar EXR technology.

In terms of glassware, it's reported that the X-Pro 1 will get three prime lenses - an 18mm F/2, 35mm F/1.4 and 60mm F/2.4?macro. The other thing to note about the X-Pro 1 is that it offers a hybrid viewfinder similar to the highly acclaimed one in the X100. Read more

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Griffin Twenty

The heat from the Griffin Twenty is all about the fact that it can turn any speakers into AirPlay ready ones saving you the chore of having to upgrade if you want to stream your music around your house. The new gadget uses an Airport Express to capture the AirPlay stream, decodes it, then sends the lossless, amplified sound through any speakers connected.

The Twenty comes equipped with a power connection and mount for Airport Express and features a 2.1 channel sound system with 20W output per channel, as well as offering users the chance to plug in a powered subwoofer with an automatic active crossover at 80Hz. Hands-on

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Lenovo X1 Hybrid

A clever idea from Lenovo makes for a laptop that can provide far greater battery life for day-to-day tasks than a normal, Windows-based PC. For things like surfing the net, watching video or writing documents you just put Windows in to sleep mode, and switched to a Linux-based OS.

The system works using not just an Intel CPU, but also a dual-core Qualcomm processor too. Using a processor like this obviously cuts power consumption enormously, and while you won't be able to run games and other Windows applications, it's ideal when you need a bit of stamina from your laptop.

It's nice and slim too, making for a laptop that has all of the advantages of a Windows-powered computer, but with some additional benefits too. Hands-on

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Ion Audio Guitar Apprentice

iPad owners will, no doubt, have been waiting for this for some time. It's just amazing it's taken this long for someone to invent a guitar shaped case for the iPad. Of course, the idea here is that you can play guitar on your iPad, whilst looking like some sort of idiot at the same time.

The good news is, for a modest 65 quid, you do get a bit of kit that, when linked to an Ion application, can teach you how to play the guitar. It does this with lights that illuminate where your fingers need to be. Is it a serious tool, or a money-wasting gimmick? We'll investigate when it eventually launches in the UK. For now though, at least it takes pretending to be Slash to a whole new level. Photos

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Huawei Ascend P1 S

Had you read this article yesterday, we might have been telling you about a different phone here. But the current champion in the "world's?slimmest?phone" stakes is the Huawei Ascend P1 S, which is a lot?thinner?than that?clumsy?name. But, with a depth of just 6.68mm, it certainly is a tiny little thing.?

There's a 1.5Ghz dual-core TI processor here too, and 1GB of RAM, so it's diminutive size shouldn't mess up its performance at all. The phone will also ship with Android in its Ice Cream?Sandwich?flavour, which is a relief, as a phone this slim deserves a full-fat OS. Hands-on

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LG 55EM9600 OLED TV

OLED TVs are something of the tech industry's unicorn. They're exciting, but pretty much mythical. Until now that is, because LG is finally showing of a 55-inch TV, beating the previous record set by Sony of 11-inches in a production model.

What's more, the asking price of $8000 (?5188) sounds like a bit of a bargain to us. Although it's not cheap, compare it to the launch prices of LCD and plasma TVs, and it stacks quite favourably. And with OLED offering super-fast refresh rates and amazing colour, this could be the start of something very exciting.

Of course. OLED has a lot of quirks too. Panels are said to have a short lifespan, and their vivid colour might look good on demo loops, but how will it look showing an episode of Eastenders? Hands-on

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Sony Xperia S?

Sony might have some troubles at the moment, but in phones it seems to have finally cracked the winning?formula. The Xperia S proves this by rocking up at CES with a 720p HD screen, 1.5GHz processor and built-in storage of 32GB. It also has a little bit of clear plastic that makes it appear as if it's in two pieces.

But design gimmicks aside, we have a lot of love for this phone already. It looks stylish, cool and subtle. It's also likely to be one of the first phones to do away with the Sony Ericsson name. It is not, however, going to be one of the first phones of 2012 that has Ice Cream Sandwich but an upgrade is promised this year. Read more?

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Nokia Lumia 900

Considering the Lumia 900 might not come to the UK, we're still as excited as children on Christmas day about it. Many of the things we'd change about out 800 have been tweaked on the 900. Gone is the USB flap, added is a new, wide-angle video camera on the front and the screen is just that little bigger and sexier.?

It's a 4G LTE phone too, which means super-fast surfing where those networks are in place. Happily, the UK and Europe should start seeing support for these speeds soon, but until then, the main advantage of the Lumia is just for the Americans - explaining why it's on sale there, not here. Hands-on

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Panasonic VT50?

Since the Pioneer Kuro went the way of the Dodo, we've missed having an ultimate plasma TV to drool on. The good news is, Panasonic continues its quest to bring Kuro technology to its Viera screens. Last year's VT30 was already one of the best TVs we've seen, and the VT50 looks even better. You'll be able to get this TV in both 55- and 65-inches so you might want to start clearing space now.

There is THX 3D certification, a stunning one-piece glass design and a new kind of remote that is designed for the new "smart" TV features that are common on new TVs. You'll also get built-in support for Skype, Netflix and YouTube, which should help when there's nothing good on the telly. Read more

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Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook

If you could marry a laptop, then we have a feeling that we'd tie the knot with the Dell XPS 13 in a rush wedding in Las Vegas. Sure, it might only last a few years, but we'd have a blast thanks to that carbon fibre and aluminium body. It's got brains, as well as looks too, with a choice of i5 and i7 processors 4GB of RAM and a choice of 128 or 256GB SSD drives.?

The XPS 13 will be available from March, and while it's not the first Ultrabook we've seen - we've been around the block you know - it certainly looks like the prettiest yet. Hands-on preview

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Ultrabook

As names go, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Ultrabook has to be one of the worst yet. Sure, it's not as bad as the model numbers that come stamped on some TVs, but as a clumsy pile of nonsense it's right up there. But that hasn't put us off this?intriguing?machine. It's an Ultrabook, with all that involves, but it also has a twisty screen that allows it to be used as a tablet too.?

Let's be honest here. It's not going to upset the iPad apple cart too much, is it, but as an idea for a different kind of Ultrabook, it's a pretty good one. Lenovo has form here too, it's done laptops that convert in to tablets before, and they're always pretty decent. Hands-on

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Samsung's transparent smart window

Look at your window. Now look at the Samsung smart window. Now look back at your window, and cry at how boring and low-tech it is. The idea here, is to turn glass surfaces in to information points, and places for you to watch video as well as maintain your privacy.?

Samsung says, you won't be able to see on from the other side, so people who enjoy being naked in the privacy of their own home need not worry. Like all concepts, this is doubtless a long way off, but we can't wait. Read more

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iPro wideangle lens for iPhone

The camera on the iPhone is very good but there's always room for improvement, or room even for a little more picture. Which is where the iPro comes in. It gives you a choice of two lenses. One a normal wide-angle and the other a fairly extreme fisheye.

The kit is $200 in the US, but it's expected to be available globally soon. Hands-on

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Intel Medfield Atom Android smartphone?

Intel has been left out of the smartphone market, and that must hurt. After all, it's used to being king of the processors and suddenly it's being overtaken by the likes of Qualcomm. Our first impressions were good, the phones seems powerful and there's a lot of potential here.?

Of course, most users won't care what processor powers their phone. Do you know what's in your handset?running?the show? But even so, it brings more competition, could help speed phones up and should certainly drive prices down. Hands-on

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JVC?GY-HMQ10 4K camcorder

4K production isn't new, certainly this is how digital cinema has worked since it first started. But for a home camcorder aimed at normal people, costing just a few thousand pounds, it's quite an advance.?

JVC says editing and watching 4K footage is straightforward, although you'll need a quick computer. The camera shoots to SD cards, so storage is cheap, and if you want to step down to 1080p, that's no problem either, as the advanced optics mean you'll get superb quality. Read more

Tags: Audio Phones Televisions CES2012 Laptops Tablets Gaming Cameras Features

Hottest gadgets at CES 2012 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:35:00 +0000

Like Panasonic's helmet camera, this Lumix snapper also allows you to beam images straight from cam to smartphone.?

There have been a lot of devices shown at CES this year that will send images from device to phone, the GoPro BacPac and the new Sony Bloggie Live for example, which work in a similar way.?

The Panasonic goes slightly further, allowing you to operate the camera using your phone, allowing things like zoom and live view to be done via the screen. The camera can also beam images straight to other AV devices like TVs or photo viewers.

Of course this isn't entirely new, as Samsung has a similar system which will let you control your camera via an Android app in their SH100 camera.

The actual camera itself looks quite like a bog standard Lumix snapper, albeit with the Wi-Fi screen sharing tech built in and Panasonic is often swift to move such prototypes to fruition. For example, in November it launched the 3D Lumix camera it had under glass at IFA 2011 (August).?

Another angle to take on this setup is that it brings Panasonic smartphones a step closer. Showing an example like this perhaps suggests that it'll launch its smartphones with the intention of leveraging the success of its Lumix cameras in Europe and the US.

We're guessing at a February announcement for Panasonic smartphones at MWC 2012, so perhaps we'll see this camera come to market in a similar timeframe.

Tags: Cameras Panasonic Phones CES2012 Compact cameras

Panasonic Lumix Wi-Fi prototype gives control to your smartphone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:51:00 +0000

There have been a few surprises at the Panasonic booth this year which has forced us into a little bit of head scratching. Lacking the usual white card with tech specs, these mystery pieces of hardware made us put our thinking caps on.

Panasonic's headcam/third eye contraption is most definitely one of them. It looks to be a device that allows you to beam images straight from the cam to a smartphone screen, via either, what we presume is, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.?

The headset is a prototype, but in reality could prove hugely useful for commercial purposes. One example could be in policing, where cops on the ground could be monitored using the camera and a smartphone or tablet.?

The device reminds us in a way of GoPro's BacPac, which allows you to control a helmet camera remotely using a phone or wrist-mounted trigger.?

We will have more on the Panasonic prototype when we have it.?

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Panasonic CES2012

Panasonic headcam prototype gives you third eye originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:27:00 +0000

When we read about the high-end camcorder range from Canon that is the Canon Legria HF M-Series, we rather thought that they'd have to be quite big when stuffed with Wi-Fi technology, 32GB of onboard storage and an enhanced Canon Intelligent IS system. Not so. It's tiny.

Not much bigger than a pocket camcorder, the top of the range Canon Legria HFM52 sits in your palm almost too unobtrusively. It's seriously light and small and that means that it's verging on the too diddy to operate properly; verging but still practical enough.

The 10x zoom system is super smooth to operate and stunningly quiet too. Combined with the IS system and low light power of the HD CMOS Pro sensor, it means that even when in as tight as possible, it captures clean, non-shaky pictures without any noticeable noise or dimming.

Perhaps the one shame of it all is the 3-inch touchscreen. Don't get us wrong. It's of good quality, easy to manoeuvre and certainly bright and responsive enough. The trouble is that once it's covered in all the little icons, you'd rather there was a touch more space to actually get a clearer look at your subject.

Whinging aside though, the AVCHD compatibility is obviously useful along with the Wi-Fi and therefore DLNA connectivity. We didn't get to try out the iOS app for direct streaming but it certainly sounds fun.

More on the matter in April 2012

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Canon Canon Legra HFM52 CES2012

Canon Legria HFM52 camcorder pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Casio has gone camera crazy at CES announcing the EX-ZR15 as well as many others. The new ZR15 is focussed on speed and is capable of shooting snaps with a 0.29 second gap and starting up in 0.99 seconds.?

The cam is powered by Casio's Exilim Engine HS, which is what allows for all the high speed shooting and speeds up autofocus. The idea is that the Casio is as quick a point and shoot as there can possibly be, making it simple to fire off snaps. It also incorporates the now usual compact features of art filters and intelligent panoramas as well as other image processing tech.

Spec-wise, the camera has a 16-megapixel sensor that can shoot video at 1080p. You get a 28mm lens that is wide enough to capture shots of friends and family, it is also fairly decent in low light with an f3 aperture.?

Casio also dealt out another four cameras that have a near identical feature set, but with different form factors. The?EX-ZS150, EX-ZS20, EX-ZS12, and EX-ZS6 all pack a 16-megapixel sensor, an easy mode with an on screen guide to help your shooting and auto face focussing.?

Apart from the ZS150, which uses a wider 24mm lens, the rest of the cameras all feature a 26mm lens. The ZS150 manages a 12x optical zoom and the rest 6x, and 5x for the ZS12 and ZS6.?

Casio has gone in for a fairly varied number of colours for each body, most of which will be available in things like black, gold, silver and of course pink. Expect an April shipping date for all of them with prices starting at $119. The higher specced ZR15 is due out the same month at $329.?

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Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Casio CES2012

Casio EX-ZR15 snaps in rapid fire originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:36:00 +0000

We already know that the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S camera is good, but is there a way of making it even better?

The chaps at iPro lens think there is and have created a clever bolt-on lens system for the Apple phone to try and help you get even better pictures on the go.

Costing $200 in the US (worldwide shipping is coming soon), the kit consists of two lenses: a fisheye and a wide angle lens that easily twists on and off a specially designed case that you attach to your iPhone.

Where the system differs from others on the market is that the pocket-sized lens case securely protects your lenses when it is in your pocket and doubles as a universal tripod mount when it is not.

In use and you can certainly see the difference. The lenses are made by Schneider Optics.

As you can see by our test shots the lens certainly makes a difference to the iPhone's regular camera capabilities.?

The Fisheye Lens increases your field of view to 165 degrees while the wide-angel gives you a 35 per cent wider field of view.

A spokesman for the company told Pocket-lint that they are working on a 2x zoom lens for the summer.

We like it.

Read

Tags: Phones iPhone Cameras Apple CES2012 iPhone accessories

iPro Lens for iPhone pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Casio has announced its new flagship compact in the form of the Exilim EX-ZR200 camera, coming with Casio's Rapid Shutter feature which gives it the ability to shoot 30fps at full resolution.

Looking at the ZR200's list of features, it's clear that Casio has the aim of making it as simple as possible to shoot decent photos, taking as much of the fuss away as possible.

The 16-megapixel camera not only has the Rapid Shutter tech, which will mean you have the best chance of capturing a great image from the multitude taken, but there are also other features which will make sure of some good shots.

First up is the Premium Auto Pro function which, as you'd hope, automatically analyses the shooting scene in order to choose the best settings and perform any relevant image processing. However, it also combines images from high-speed continuous shooting according to the conditions, which should increase the number of usable images.

The HDR (high dynamic range) feature also steps in to look after your snaps, combining continuous shots with differing exposures and performing highly precise image analysis to change levels of contrast and colour saturation. This also works when shooting video.

There's a wide-angle 24mm, 12.5x optical zoom lens onboard which claims to offer zoom performance equivalent to a maximum of 25x optical zoom; this is done with Casio's Multi Frame SR Zoom, which "combines a number of still images to maintain the image quality needed for high-resolution photography".

The Casio Exilim EX-ZR200 is due to hit the shelves in April.

Tags: Casio Cameras Casio Exilim EX-ZR200 Compact cameras 16 megapixels CES2012

Casio Exilim EX-ZR200 high-speed snapper announced originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:50:00 +0000

Kodak has had its fair share of troubles of late, but that hasn't stopped it announcing a few gems at CES 2012 in las Vegas. One of which is the Kodak Playfull Dual camera, which can not only shoot Full HD video but also snap 12-megapixel stills.

However, the real grab is the Wi-Fi capability which means that any pics or video you take can be wirelessly uploaded to your computer via the Share button. The in-camera UI will allow you to choose where you'd like to send your footage - all the usual suspects like Facebook and YouTube are present - and then it's simply a case of connecting.

The camera can shoot in Full HD a 60fps and there's also a high-speed capture mode which shoots at? up to 240fps at 720p resolution for slow-mo movies. You'll allso get an external microphone jack, built-in Xenon flash, micro-HDMI and an SDHC card slot.

The Kodak PlayFull Dual Video Camera will be available in black and white and should be in the UK for spring priced at ?159.99.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Kodak Kodak Playfull Dual CES2012

Kodak Playfull Dual Wi-Fi camera combines 12MP stills and HD video originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:57:25 +0000

The?Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera is a curious creature. We never thought we'd start using the world "cameraphone" again, but there's simply no other way to describe it. The reality of going hands-on with it is that it's a pretty poor camera and a pretty poor phone but it's still bound to be streets ahead of any imaging in current smartphones, not least of all because it actually features a proper optical zoom.

Running a version of Android looking more Eclair than even Froyo, the screen on the back is small and low res and generally not much fun to use. You get full access to the Android Market, but it's not something you'll have much fun playing Angry Birds on. The third party camera and photo editing apps, however, will be a real bonus.

Naturally, the phone is connectable by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and by cellular connection that was up to Edge levels when we saw it. There's also GPS which means that all your snaps are nicely geo-tagged and uploadable in an instant.

The camera itself brings the power of a 16-megapixel CCD sensor, 3x optical zoom lens offering 36-108mm (in 35mm terms) but sadly the app itself looks very, very limited indeed. It's nothing more impressive software-wise than a normal phone. The size of the sensor is also still unclear but the general impression we got from this device is that it's only really a marker.

Polaroid is currently in search of a carrier. T-Mobile was the network SIM inside when we used it, so that might be a hint but the big trouble is going to be in the battery life which a Polaroid spokesmen admitted was not good enough to last you a day - quite a problem for a device billed as a phone. The chassis itself was also pretty shonky, but we're willing to except that that's likely down to pre-production issues.

While we're quite harsh in our description of the?Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera, that doesn't mean we don't like it. We wouldn't want one but we like what it represents - a phone that's specialised for photographers, much the same way that the Xperia Play is for gamers. Pump the zoom a little further, get the aperture of the lens wider and max out the sensor size and we could have a really tempting package.

No word on pricing for the Smart Camera and only a very vague?"available in 2012". Expect improvements by the time it comes to market.

Tags: Cameras Phones Mobile phones CES2012 Polaroid Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera

Polaroid SC1630 Android cameraphone pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:37:00 +0000

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR was a DSLR camera. It's not, but it's big, black, has a 3-inch LCD screen and more buttons and controls on it than, well, than most snappers you'll see.

Designed to replace the HS20EXR, it packs a whopping 30x optical zoom lens that leaps out of the chassis to slightly blush-enducing proportions. It's a weighty creature but, housing the lens power and a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor backed up with the Fujifilm EXR image creation technology, it's well worth the bulk.

Naturally, it's fully loaded on the video siding of things, capable of capturing 1080p movies at 30fps and with stereo sound too. What's also a bonus is that Fujifilm has also combined its face recognition and AF tracking modes to allow you to track your subjects' faces and keep them in focus while you shoot with no need for you to mess around with the lens ring. From our time at CES, the camera had no problems keeping up.

Obviously, there's no lens changing and no mirror and you get to compose your shots either with the superb vari-angle LCD screen or through a decent EVF which doesn't suffer from that poor frame rate that some manufacturers seem stuck with. Both work a treat and the camera will switch between them without you really having to tell it to.

Fujifilm has yet to detail?pricing but has confirmed that it will be available from March 2012.

Tags: Cameras Fujifilm Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR CES2012 Digital cameras

Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:11:00 +0000

While the Fujiflim X-Pro1 may have stolen the stand at CES 2012, the limited edition Fujifilm X100 Black certainly looks a classy little number all of its own.

Virtually identical to the hugely successful X100 from 2011, the Black edition does pretty much what it says on the tin by taking the case from a silver colour to all black instead. According to Fujifilm, this was no mean feat with the high quality black metal used actually very tricky to get all in the exact same shade.

Naturally, the X100 Black also comes with a few accessories to help differentiate it, as well as justify the cost, of course. The camera comes with a black metal adapter ring, lens hood, protector filter, red-lined leather camera case and a nice black presentation box to house the lot.

The final piece of the limited edition bundle is a message card from the head honcho of Fujifilm, Takeshi Higuchi, which acts as a certificate of authenticity and tells you which number model is yours between 1 and 10,000.

The Fujifilm X100 Black will be available to buy from the end of February. As for how much it will cost, Fujifilm would not say but advised we estimate with "the cost of the silver X100, plus the adapter ring, plus the lens hood, plus the leather case, plus alpha". Your guess is as good as ours, then.

Tags: Cameras Fujifilm CES2012 Fujifilm X100 Black Compact cameras

Fujifilm X100 Black pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:32:00 +0000

JVC has been working on a low-cost 4K resolution camera since 2007, and it seems to have finally managed to make it a reality with the announcement that it will launch the GY-HMQ10 straight away.

The camera, which is expected to cost around ?3,300 boasts an 8.3-megapixel sensor that produces video with a resolution of 3840x2160. That's very slightly less resolution than a full-blown 4K digital cinema camera will shoot, but it's over the resolution you'd end up seeing projected, digitally, at your local cinema. It is, however, worth pointing out that 3840x2160 is called QFHD, or Quad Full High Definition, meaning it's equivalent to 4x1080p.

JVC is also keen to point out that the camera also has the skill needed to produce astonishing 1080p. That's got a lot to do with the high-quality optics the company has to use for 4k resolution, which easily eclipses those found on most domestic 1080p cameras.

Recordings are stored on SD and SDXC cards. The camera records at a rate of up to 144Mpbs - most 1080p camera use a rate around 25-28Mpbs, while broadcast cameras generally record at 50Mpbs. A variable bitrate (VBR) h.264 codec takes care of compression, and JVC says you can get up to 2 hours of footage on to an SD card - although it doesn't mention at which capacity.

The main delay getting 4K video into camcorders, or even digital SLRs, is one of processing power. The sensors to capture at this resolution have been around for some time, but JVC says that it's thanks to its new Falconbrid LSI processing images which are taken from the CMOS sensor and de-bayered - which is necessary for images coming from a single CMOS chip - all in real-time. You can output 4K video in almost real time too, which JVC says opens this camera up for all sorts of applications.

The camera has a non-removable f/2.8 lens, which includes a 10x optical zoom. There's also an optical images stabiliser, 3.5-inch touchscreen and a viewfinder. Audio isn't neglected either, with XLR sockets - crucial for serious videography, or broadcast-capable cameras.

As with JVCs other camcorders in the semi-pro market, the resulting video is directly compatible with the likes of Apple's Final Cut Pro, which makes it incredibly popular with people who don't want to mess about converting footage for editing.

You might ask, after all that: what's the point? Well, 4K is, believe it or not, coming. TVs are starting to turn up at the likes of CES. There have been projectors capable of displaying the format for some time, and even YouTube can handle 4k video now. And, most exciting of all, a camcorder like this opens up cinemas to independent film makers in a way that wasn't possible 10 years ago. Anyone with a good idea, some good actors and bit of skill could record something on this camera, and then show it at their local multiplex.

Tags: Camcorders CES2012 JVC JVC GY-HMQ10 4k camcorders Cameras

JVC announces GY-HMQ10 the World's first 4K camcorder (pictures) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:36:00 +0000

An unexpected CES 2012 announcement, the Canon PowerShot G1 X is a high-end compact with a brand new sensor. But it’s no ordinary one. Oh no, far from it, the G1 X has a 14.3-megapixel, 1.5-inch sensor that’s similar in size to the APS-C size found in the company’s DSLR cameras, and is some 6.3 times larger than the sensor found in the successful Canon G12.

The larger surface area means a bigger pixel pitch for better quality, plus achieving a pro-looking shot with a blurred background is far easier to achieve than compared to a smaller-sensor compact. The latest DIGIC 5 processor is not only fast but also promises great picture quality from ISO 100-12,800 in both RAW and JPEG formats - though Canon refused to let us take image samples away from this pre-production model.

The G1 X sure shows a step forward in thought, in some ways following in the footsteps of Fujifilm’s X10 model.

A larger sensor has led to a larger body, as the G1 X dwarfs the PowerShot G12 and is even larger than Panasonic’s GF3 Micro Four Thirds camera. But it’s not too big - its bulk means there’s plenty to grip hold of and the design incorporates extra dials on the body that epitomise what high-end users like to have at their fingertips.

For example the mode dial is a two-part stack - the main mode dial is mounted on top of an exposure compensation dial that sits underneath, just next to the shutter on top of the camera. These dials feel firm and are positioned as to avoid accidental knocks.

The rest of the camera has few surprises in terms of layout and feels a lot like the tried, tested and successful Canon G12 in many respects. A four-way d-pad doubles up as a rotational thumbwheel to cycle through options, and is surrounded by four further buttons to quickly access exposure lock, AF point and array, main menu and playback. There’s also a thumbwheel mounted towards the front of the camera for a more DSLR-like experience without the faff of menu digging. It makes using the camera super easy and intuitive, particularly for anyone already familiar with Canon’s menu systems and layout.

Unlike many compacts the G1 X has an optical viewfinder to complement the 3-inch, 920k-dot, vari-angle LCD screen on the rear. The viewfinder doesn’t achieve a full 100 per cent field of view, however, and doesn’t match up to the fairly impressive one in Fujifilm’s X10, but it’s far beyond what most compact cameras with viewfinders are able to muster. We’re still waiting to hear back from Canon regarding the exact field-of-view, as there was no further information available on either of the occasions we've seen the new Canon, or on the spec sheet.

One of the standout features is the G1 X’s brand new lens. Capable of a wide-angle 28mm through to a medium 112mm at the top end, the 4x optical zoom has been engineered using many of the same standards that pro-spec Canon EF lenses use, so Canon claims. Until we get a final sample to test out just how sharp this optic is we can’t see how true that statement is, but sample shots were looking good on the camera’s LCD screen. The lens’ aperture is F/2.8-5.8, meaning that the 112mm setting isn’t quite as bright as the wide-angle setting - though this is to be expected in a compact body, otherwise the camera would be even larger than it already is. There’s even a three-stop neutral density (ND) filter which is great for extending exposure times.

So far so good, but the main downside to the lens is that the zoom toggle around the shutter makes the G1 X’s experience feel a lot like many other compacts that are out there - there’s no manual zoom or focus ring on the camera itself, which is something that would have taken the camera up a further notch. The lens may look like it has a focus ring, but this is a removable plastic surrounding that can be taken off so that 58mm filter accessories can be attached. Presumably lens converters will follow in the future, though there’s not product information for the latter as yet. ?

A pop up flash is also included, but the real magic can happen when using the TTL hotshoe and a Canon Speedlite - off-camera flash is even possible.

The PowerShot G1 X’s design lends itself to easy use and the focusing system feels much the same as that found in the PowerShot S100. The focus system offers 9-point, 1-point and Face Detection, which are all quick off the mark, though not the fastest that we’ve seen in a compact camera. It’s possible to move the single focus point anywhere around the screen which makes more detailed focusing far easier than some earlier-generation Canon compacts.

However, close-focusing wasn’t easy to achieve - not necessarily surprising, but with the 28mm setting having a closest focus distance of 20cm from lens this feels rather lacking for macro work.

Full manual controls (including manual focus) are available, plus a Smart Auto mode for simple point and shoot work.

The question on many lips for a few years now: When will Canon enter the compact system camera market? The G1 X may well hold the secret. A brand new sensor that’s not only high quality, but about the right size for use with compact-sized lenses to deliver the utmost quality. And yet it’s still different enough to the current DSLR range. Whether the GX 1 is a nod to where Canon will head is uncertain, but the company seems to be following in the steps of Fujifilm’s X100 and X-Pro1 releases to some degree.

Available in February 2012 the G1 X will be priced at ?699 in the UK. It’s far from cheap, but there are plenty of high-end features wrapped up in that body that help justify the price.?

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Canon Canon PowerShot G1 X Photos CES2012

Canon PowerShot G1 X pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Want to hear about more accessories to make the GoPro HD Hero2 even more awesome than it already is? Of course you do.

Over in the city of Sin at International CES 2012, the Woodman Labs owned company was keen to show off the latest trick up its extreme sleeve - the GoPro Wi-Fi BacPac and Remote Combo kit.

As you've probably gathered from the name, the BacPac part of the duo adds Wi-Fi connectivity to your sporty little camera, making it easier to hook it up to your PC or mobile device. But it's when paired with the wristwatch-like Remote that things really get a little tasty.

And that's because the BacPac, which slots onto the back of the HD Hero2 making it only slightly bulkier, can create its own Wi-Fi network, enabling long range video remote control via the Wi-Fi Remote or a smartphone, tablet, or computer running the free GoPro App.?

So that means you can hit the waves, slopes, trails or any other gnarly location with easier control from your wrist or even let a friend take care of the controls from a distance. We're told that it has a range of 100-300m depending on conditions and the BacPac also supports live streaming so your pals can watch your extreme action unfold in real-time.

You can even record one video stream to your camera's SD card whilst sending a second one via Wi-Fi to your smart-device, computer or the web.

Out in February, the price in the US is set to be $99.99. No word on a UK price yet - we'll keep you posted.

Tags: CES2012 Cameras Camera accessories GoPro HD Hero2 GoPro Camcorders

GoPro HD Hero2 Wi-Fi BacPac pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:10:00 +0000

JVC has outlined its Everio camcorder models for 2012, with seven models on offer. All offer full HD capture in AVCHD and an HDMI for output, but we're drawn to the new Wi-Fi feature that four of the models offer.

The range breaks down into three main categories: E/EX Series, V/VX Series and GX Series.

The E/EX Series is the entry level of devices and comes with a conventional barrel design. The V/VX Series offers a squarer design and the GX Series tops the range, again, back to the barrel design.

Fortunately, Wi-Fi is offered on camcorders from each of the ranges, specifically the GX1, VX700, EX250 and EX210. The addition of Wi-Fi means you can share your video footage, via email, or through a link to your iPhone and Android device - with supporting apps on both platforms.

Other examples of uses for Wi-Fi on the Everio camcorders given by JVC includes baby monitoring, watching your cat, or hilariously, using it to spy on your kids to make sure they're studying, not playing games (see below). Laughs aside, it looks like a useful feature and proves JVC isn't standing still.?

"With Wi-Fi models, JVC fills the gap between a traditional camcorder and a smartphone by combining great image quality with advanced photographic features, such as a powerful zoom and excellent communication capabilities," said Dave Owen, vice president, Consumer Video Division, JVC.

For those more interested in serious video capture, you'll be able to get a range of accessories for the GX Series, including external mics and conversion lenses. The GX1 model also includes a 10-megapixel 1/2.3 CMOS sensor, a 3.5-inch 920k-dot fold-out touchscreen display, 10x optical zoom and weighs in at 400g.

The full list of features for all the JVC Everio camcorders can be found in their rather useful 2012 brochure?(PDF)?on their website.

The new JVC Everio camcorders will be available in Q1 2012, prices start at $229.95 and range up to $899.95.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders JVC CES2012 Android apps iPhone apps

Wi-Fi comes to JVC Everio camcorders originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:44:00 +0000

Polaroid is no stranger to crazy launches, but in the case of the SC1630 Smart Camera, you can't help but marvel at the madness. We've had camera phones for years, but this is more of a phone camera, or and Android camera to be precise.

The SC1630 Smart Camera might not be the marriage made in heaven that Polaroid expect however. The company claims that it fuses the "feature set of a high-end digital camera with the power of Android".

Sure, it offers a 16-megapixel CCD sensor with 3x optical zoom lens offering 36-108mm (in 35mm terms), which you don't find on your average Samsung or HTC Android device.

You also get Android running on your camera, so you'll be able to download apps, including camera apps presumably, so you can get more fun out of your camera. The details also specify that you'll be able to connect via Wi-Fi or "optional cellular data connections" but it doesn't state whether it's actually a phone or not.

On the plus side, it is reported that it supports the full Android Market, in which case it could offer a great deal of fun once you've installed some apps.

Of course you might be left with the dilemma that Polaroid is trying to avoid. If this isn't a great phone - and there is no mention of those important details like Android version and what powers this Android-cum-camera hybrid - then you'll still need your phone anyway.

There is also no mention of whether it contains a sensor any larger than a smartphone. In which case it only really offers you that 3x optical zoom, about the equivalent of taking a few steps forward, so you'll probably still need your real camera.?

Of course we're being crass and not giving the Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera a chance to shine. We're judging this gadget by its cover, when at its core it offers the potential to be a fun and social Android camera thing. At least you'll be able to play Angry Birds or watch Netflix when there's nothing to shoot.?

We definitely want to know more about the Polaroid SC1630, so stay tuned whilst we hunt one down for further investigation.?

No word on pricing, but it's going to be "available in 2012".

Read

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Polaroid CES2012 Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera Android

Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera is some sort of Android originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Toshiba has announced its first full HD 3D camcorder, the Camileo Z100. The dual-lens system allows the camcorder to capture 3D at 1080p via two, 5-megapixel backside illuminated CMOS sensors.

The camcorder also features a glasses-free 3D monitor, to enable you to see what you're recording, as you're recording it, without the need for bulky glasses. Toshiba also claims that the backside illumination allows this camera to capture 3D in any lighting conditions, even if light is less than optimal.

The Z100 also features an 8x optical zoom, which works even during 3D shooting. For 2D, there's an electronic zoom that can magnify the image by 120x. For those shots, an electronic image stabiliser will help to even out the inevitable camera shake. Video recording can perform face tracking, to keep people in focus, while still shots also benefit from smile detection. Still photos can be shot up to 16 megapixels.

The camcorder can take SD cards up to 128GB (with SDXC). There's both HDMI and USB sockets, in their smaller, mini form factor. The built-in 2.8-inch screen is also touch-sensitive, so menus are simpler and easy to navigate.

Tags: Camcorders CES2012 Toshiba Toshiba Camileo Z100 Cameras

Toshiba Camileo Z100 full HD 3D camcorder announced originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Sony has updated its W series of Cyber-shot compact cameras, announcing the launch of the DSC-W630, DSC-W620 and DSC-W610 models.

The W series is designed to be simple to use and pocketable, but not scrimping on features. Starting from the top, the W630 (pictured above) offers you a 16.1-megapixel1/2.3 CCD sensor and a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, offering 5x optical zoom and a Bionz processor to keep things ticking along.?

The W620, a step down (pictured, silver, below), offers you 14.1-megapixel 1/2.3 CCD sensor with a 5x zoom Sony lens, the W610 arrives with a 4x zoom in the same configuration.

Around the back of the trio of compacts you'll get a 2.7-inch LCD display with 230k-dots.

You'll get the ability to shoot 720p HD video, you get Sony's 360 degree Sweep Panorama for capturing those ultra-wide landscapes along with iAuto scene recognition, offering up 33 different settings.

The W630 and W620 also give you a range of in-camera effects, comprising of Pop Colour, Toy Camera, Partial Colour and Soft High-key, so you can make your image standout without the need to post-process with your PC.

The models will be available in a range of colours (not just pink) and will be landing in the UK from February 2012. No word on pricing, but we expect them to be affordable.

Also joining the line-up is the S5000. Details are light on this model, but it claims to be the perfect camera for first-timers, offering some of the fun features of the W series models, but running on AA batteries. No word on pricing just yet.?

All models will be compatible with Sony's new PlayMemories photo service, with the software pre-installed on the cameras.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Sony Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W630 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W610 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S5000 CES2012

Sony Cyber-shot W630 headlines W series updates originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:42:00 +0000

Sony has announced its new handycam lineup for 2012 and there's some pretty nifty technology on some of the high-end models, including the CX730E which offers Balanced Optical SteadyShot for even more stable images while walking/zooming; Two new models with built-in projectors, and the top-of-the-range HDR-TD20VE 3D Handycam.

In actual fact Sony has launched 13 models this year, but the following four are the ones of interest, offering up some top innovations and new tech new tech.

Topping the bill is the HDR-TD20VE Double Full HD 3D Flash Memory camcorder. This little beauty is packed to the rafters with features with 4hr Full HD 3D on 64GB memory, a dual 1/3.91 type Exmor R CMOS sensor and dual BIONZ processor, dual G Lens with 10x optical zoom and 12x extended zoom (3D) along with 20.4 effective megapixel still photos (2D only).

Sony reckons this is the smallest and lightest Full 3D camcorders on the market.

Next up we come to the CX730E which, as mentioned, offers Balanced Optical SteadyShot for some really precise and stable images. As Sony puts it "Stabilisation is now applied to the whole optical system, including lens and Exmor R CMOS image sensor. The result is best-ever anti-shake performance that’s up to 13x more efficient than previous models."

On to the projector models and these could be a big hit if they perform as well as the tech sounds. The new PJ Series models (PJ200, PJ260) feature a projector that’s built directly into the camcorder’s flip-out LCD panel. The PJ260 offers stereo speakers with Clear Phase and S-Master Digital Amplifier technology to deliver clear, dynamic sound while you’re watching movies projected onto a wall or any surface for that matter.

The HDR-PJ260 Full HD flash memory camcorder also offers up Carl Zeiss lens with 30x optical zoom, 55x extended zoom and 29.8mm wide angle. There's also Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode and up to 8.9-effective megapixel still photo and 5.1 surround sound with Auto Wind Noise Reduction and Closer Voice tech.

The Handycam range should be available come march 2012.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Sony Sony Handycam CES2012

Sony's new Handycam range features Full HD 3D and built-in projectors originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:20:13 +0000

Sony's Bloggie has made an appearance at CES in two forms, one of which boasts a clever live broadcasting feature which lets your stream video straight from the camera.?

Clearly Sony thinks there is still a market for the Bloggie and with something like instant streaming, we have to agree. Similar to the UStream app, the Bloggie Live camera as it is known can shoot HD video and snap 12.8-megapixel stills.?

The streaming is done over a built-in Wi-Fi chip in the cameras and works alongside Qik video. On the back of the Bloggie Live camera is a 3-inch capacitive touch screen which will display comments being made on your video in real time as you are shooting it.

Two copies of whatever you make will be stored, one in HD locally on the camera and one kept on Qik's website. Direct upload of video to things like YouTube and Facebook is possible straight from the camera.

The other Bloggie camera Sony has announced is the Sport, which is a much more rugged version of the handheld video snapper. It can sit in up to 16ft of water for an hour if you are so inclined and the camera's touch screen will also function under water. The clumsier among you will also be relieved to know that you can drop the camera from up to 5ft. It will ship in blue, black and red.?

The Bloggie Live will arrive with 8GB of internal storage priced in at $250, the Sport will ship with 4GB and cost $180. Expect a February release date for both.?

Update: The Bloggie Sport should be priced in at around ?180 in the UK.?

Tags: Sony Sony Bloggie CES2012 Cameras Camcorders

New Sony Bloggie cameras can stream video live originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:20:00 +0000

Sigma has announced a new line of lenses called the Digital Neo, or DN for short. The new lenses mark the imaging company's entrance into the compact system camera market, bringing more lens choice to those with a Micro Four Thirds or Sony NEX E-mount snapper.

The first two lenses will be prime lenses, the 30mm F2.8 EX DN and 19mm F2.8 EX DN, and offer a little variety for those who don't want to use those lenses from Panasonic, Olympus or Sony.

"Sigma lenses empower photographers to be more creative with their photography, and we’re absolutely thrilled to be embarking on this new journey with products for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras for Micro Four Thirds and NEX mount systems", said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America.

Both lenses come with Sigma's Super Multi-Layer Coating and feature a new autofocus motor. This motor, Sigma tells us, doesn't use mechanical parts or gears, allowing near silent operation, ideal for video capture.

Of course these lenses will bring differing results on MFT or NEX cameras due to the different crop factors. As a result, the 30mm lens will be the 35mm equivalent of 60mm on MFT and 45mm on NEX. The 19mm lens will be 38mm on MFT, 28.5mm on NEX.?

Prices and availability are yet to be announced, but this move does reflect the success that compact system cameras are enjoying and the impact they are having on the wider camera market.?

Read

Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Lenses Micro Four Thirds Sony Sigma Olympus Panasonic CES2012

Sigma Digital Neo series lenses will dress your Micro Four Thirds or NEX cameras originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:55:00 +0000

Olympus has announced a bevy of compact cameras for those on a budget at CES in Las Vegas this week.

The new models try to cover all angles from tough to ultra zoom and will all cost under ?230 when they launch in the UK in the coming weeks.

On the tough side of things, the company has announced the shockproof (up to 1.5m), waterproof (up to 3m) and freezeproof (to -10C) Olympus Tough TG-320.

The camera, which Olympus say is "virtually indestructible", will cost ?140 and let you capture 720p HD movies and still photos at 14 megapixels.

Making sure it really is that "tough" Olympus has protected the 3.6x optical zoom lens with a special hard glass barrier as well adding a sliding double lock mechanism to protect the battery, card slots and ports. Around the back you'll get a 2.7-inch scratch-resistant LCD.

"You can get creative with 3D underwater photo shooting or Magic Filters and share your shots wirelessly via an Eye-Fi card that automatically uploads stills and movies to a website or PC."

It is available in blue or red from mid-February.

The Olympus SP-720UZ

If tough isn't what you are after then you can opt for the company's two new ultra zoom models the SP-620UZ and the SP-720UZ.

The SP-620UZ comes with a 21x optical zoom while the more impressive SP-720UZ offers 26x magnification getting some way near matching the new ultra zoom models announced by Fujifilm at the beginning of January.

The SP-720UZ offers a 14-megapixel CMOS sensor while the SP-620UZ comes with a 16-megapixel CCD sensor.

Users will get Multi-Motion Movie IS and 1080p Full HD Movie with sound recording on the SP-620UZ and HDR Backlight Adjustment on the SP-720UZ. The SP-720 supports 720p HD Movie recordings.

Both models offer Magic Filters for adding creative effects to HD movies and/or stills: Punk, Pop Art, Pin Hole, Drawing, Fish Eye, Soft Focus, Sparkle (photos only), Watercolour, Reflection, Miniature, Fragmented and Dramatic. As well as Eye-Fi support.

The SP-720UZ is available from late March for ?229.99 while the SP-620UZ goes on sale for ?179.99 in mid-February. Both cameras come in silver or black.

The Olympus SZ-14

On the super zoom front there is the SZ-14, a 24x or 25-500mm equivalent camera that has the Multi-motion Movie IS found in the SP-620UZ and the same creative filters so you can "Instagram" your photos.

The SZ-14 will be available from mid-February 2012 in silver, black and red for ?199.99.

720p HD movie with sound recording and a 14-megapixel sensor complete the package.

The Olympus VR-340

Finally for those really on a budget there is the VR-340 and the VG-170.

The VR-340 comes with a 10x super wide optical zoom lens (24-240mm), a 16-megapixel sensor and will be available late February 2012 in silver, black, red and purple silver for ?129.99.

The VG-170 is a 14-megapixel camera with a 5x wide optical zoom that costs ?99.99. It’ll be in the shops from the middle of February.

Tags: Cameras 14 megapixels Olympus 16 megapixels Olympus Tough TG-320 Olympus SP-720UZ Olympus SP-620UZ Olympus SZ14 Olympus VR-340 Olympus VG-170 Compact cameras Digital cameras CES2012

Olympus Tough TG-320 camera leads new budget charge originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:00:00 +0000

You could do the easy thing and buy yourself an entry-level camcorder but Canon would like you to at least have a think about going for their enthusiast models in the Canon Legria HF M-Series as announced at CES 2012.

With an HD CMOS Pro sensor, this release of the M-Series is said to have a 20 per cent better performance in low light conditions than predecessors. There's 10x optical zoom, a 7.5-inch swivel touch screen, AVCHD compatibility and some tasty built-in Wi-Fi as well. The idea behind the added connectivity is that you can stream you clips over you home network to any DLNA compatible device as well as straight to anything Apple made via a dedicated iOS app and even up to YouTube and Facebook as well.

There are three models to choose from. The Canon Legria HF M52 comes with 32GB of onboard storage, the M52 with 8GB and the poor old M506 that's SD only and no Wi-Fi at all.

Other than that, they each feature bags of smart scene modes and plenty of creative cinema filters. All will be arriving in April 2012. Prices as yet unknown.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Canon Legria HF M52 Canon Legria HF M56 Canon Legria HF M506 CES2012

Canon brings Wi-Fi to premium Legria HF M-Series camcorders originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:04:52 +0000

It may not sound like the sexiest machine on Pocket-lint's pages but, if the price is right, the Panasonic Lumix S5 camera makes for a very tidy point and press package.

With curved edges and a choice of three colours, the S5 is as much about looks as it is function but that's not to say that there isn't much that you can do with it. You get a 28-112mm effective zoom range which takes you from a basic wide angle up to 4x magnification and, with a 16-megapixel sensor at the helm and the company's Mega OIS stabilisation system, you should be able to get fairly good snaps even in low light.

It's also been designed really for the non-enthusiast photographer, so there's some helpful bits and pieces such as an Auto Retouch function as well as a panoramic mode.

At the same time, there's been only a touch of scrimping on the video front with 720p recording in 16:9 aspect. No official price just yet but we'd like to think we're talking just the two digits here. We'll find out in February.

Tags: Cameras Panasonic Panasonic Lumix DMC-S5 CES2012

Panasonic Lumix DMC-S5: point and shoot 2012 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:38:21 +0000

Canon has brought a little Wi-Fi joy to its entry-level range of HD camcorders with the creation of the Canon Legria HF R-Series.

At the heart of the action is a 3.2-megapixel Full HD CMOS image sensor and the DIGIC DV III processor which can help add the power of an updated image stabilisation system to your clips to make sure that they're not wobbling all over the place even when you're zoomed in at the maximum 51x.

You can watch it all happen through a 7.5cm touchscreen live view display and then beam it over your home network straight up to YouTube or to any DLNA compatible device you've got. The world is your lobster.

Where the three models differ is that the bottom end R306 sadly has no Wi-Fi at all nor internal storage system whereas the R38 has 32GB on board and the R36 8GB. All three come with a host of cinema-esque image filters, 38 smart scenes, face recognition and software known as Story Creator which is supposed to guide you through the movie making process step by step.

The Canon Legria HF R-Series will be available from April 2012. No word on pricing yet.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Canon Canon Legria HF R38 Canon Legria HF R36 Canon Legria HF R306 CES2012

Canon brings Wi-Fi to Legria HF R-Series camcorders originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:09:24 +0000

Panasonic has announced the launch of five new cameras at CES in Las Vegas and Pocket-lint has already had a play with them.

Headlining the new cameras for 2012 is the introduction of the Panasonic DMC-SZ1 and DMC-SZ7, two cameras that take the popular TZ models stylish and slim.

Both models offer the a 10x optical zoom, Full HD video recording and a 25mm ultra wide-angle Leica DC lens equivalent to 25-250mm in old 35mm money.

Hoping to appeal to those who like to put their camera in their pocket (we know we've done it already), the new models are 21mm in depth, including the lens barrel meaning they are only ever so slightly thicker than your smartphone, and considerably slimmer than the TZ range already on sale.

But they're not just about being thin. The new models boast a bevy of new technology too that should ensure those with a camera phone are still likely to be interested.

The DMC-SZ1 comes with a 16.1-megapixel CCD sensor, Panasonics latest Venus Engine (VII HD) and Sonic Speed AF. The DMC-SZ7 features a 14.1-megapixel MOS sensor. Both offer 50i 1080p video recording.

In an ode to the smartphone user, both the SZ7 and SZ1 offer USB power charging so users can connect the camera to their laptop to recharge.

That might sound dull, but that is likely to make a big difference to those who want to ditch the charger when travelling.

As you might expect Panasonic has included its iA Zoom (Intelligent Zoom) feature as well as adding an iHDR scene mode that can automatically set the right settings to achieve the best HDR pictures possible claims Panasonic.

Other "artist modes" include Creative control and Creative retouch. That means Instagram effects like "Toy Effect" that makes your images look like they've been taken with a toy camera, Soft Focus, Dynamic Monochrome, High key, retro, and Expressive.

The SZ7 and SZ1 also include Auto Retouch function that adjusts the contrast and brightness automatically with just a press of a button.

The DMC-SZ7 will be available in black, white and brown and the SZ1 will be available in black, silver, blue, red and violet. The new SZ models will be available from March.

In the hand the cameras are as thin as they sound from the spec sheet and were quick and responsive to turn on and snap.?

Sadly we were in a room with no windows and the models were pre-production so we aren't able to comment on the picture quality, although judging by what we saw we aren't expecting any major issues come launch day.

A point of note is that Panasonic seems to have taken a leaf out of Sony's book and added a panoramic sweep function for panoramic images. Like the Cyber-shot models all you have to do is press the shutter button and move the camera in the direction you want to capture the scene.?

The models certainly are slim and stylish.?

Those not looking for a full flagship experience could opt for three lesser models: the DMC-S5, the DMC-FS45 and DMC-FS40.

The DMC-FS45 will come with 16.1 megapixels while the DMC-FS40 will offer 14.1 megapixels.?

For the first time, Panasonic’s FS range of cameras now feature a 24mm ultra-wide angle F2.5?Leica DC Vario-Summarit lens - previously only available on Panasonic’s higher specification models.?

The new Panasonic DMC-S5 bolsters the company's entry-level range of cameras coming in bright red.?The 16.1-megapixel DMC-S5 packs a 28mm wide-angle Lumix DC Vario lens with 4x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 28-112mm).?

All will be available from March.?

Tags: Cameras Panasonic Panasonic DMC-SZ1 Panasonic DMC-SZ7 14 megapixels CES2012 Compact cameras

Panasonic SZ1 and SZ7 cameras take TZ range stylish originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:45:00 +0000

Samsung has taken its biggest punt into the smart camera universe at CES with no less than five new snappers and camcorders on show. The?WB850F, WB150F, ST200F, DV300F and QF20 make up the Korean manufacturer's largest number of smart releases so far and add to another three cameras already announced at CES.

Whilst not quite Fujifilm's 14 compact announcements-in-one-day madness, it means plenty of photo related juicyness to get stuck into. Keeping things exciting on the photo front is the 21x optical zoom packing WB850F which can ping images straight up to websites like Facebook and Flickr without the need to connect it to a computer.?

Next is the DV300F which features a pair of screens so families can see what they are snapping of themselves. The idea is that it negates those poorly taken arm out shots you often take as a group. Again the social sharing feature means you can send photos and video straight to Facebook and YouTube as well as other sites.?

The ST200F is the slimmest camera in the smart lineup and is designed to be pocket sized like a normal compact. A clever single click auto backup feature lets you copy shots straight from the camera to a computer without a connection, avoiding any nasty shot losing mistakes should you mislay an SD card. You can also send pictures to Microsoft's Sky Drive should you be a more cloud orientated person.?

We will keep you posted with more on the Samsung snappers once we have beefier details. Until then stay tuned for our CES coverage.?

Tags: Samsung Cameras Compact cameras CES2012

Samsung launches biggest smart camera range yet at CES originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:56:00 +0000

Samsung has unveiled a trio of new compact cameras at CES 2012 in Las Vegas all boasting 16.1-megapixel sensors and a brushed metal form factor. The cameras will launch in black, white and plum and all feature F2.5 25mm wide-angle lenses.

Each snapper is due to arrive with a 5x optical zoom and the ST77 and ST88 can shoot 720p video at 30fps. The ST88 also gets the jump on its younger brothers with a 3-inch hVGA LCD screen. Adding to the compact functionality is things like live panorama and smart auto 2.0, which will work out what sort of snap you are trying to take before you tap the shutter button.

In-camera post processing can also be done with picture-in-picture tech that allows you to stick a shot within another, as well as things like Magic Frame that allows for Hipstamatic-style editing.?

The only real defining details we can spot between the cameras is the size of each screen. The ST88 manages a 3-inch while the 77 and 66 are both 2.7-inch.?

No pricing or availability yet we're afraid but expect more details as soon as we have them. In the meantime enjoy Samsung's rather swish pics.?

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Samsung CES2012

Samsung rolls out new set of ST compact cameras at CES originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:32:00 +0000

We knew it was coming due to last week’s leak, so we had more than an inkling that the system would be an impressive one.

The Fujifilm X-Pro1 lays to rest 2011’s announcement that a new Fuji compact system camera (CSC) would see the light of day. The resulting X-Pro1 is a unique compact system camera with plenty more tricks up its sleeve besides.

On the face of it, the X-Pro1 looks a lot like the company’s high-end X100 compact camera, albeit with interchangeable lenses. There’s more to it than that, but first impressions count. And besides, the X100 looked retro and cool – something the black-finished, magnesium top and tailed X-Pro1 has also adsorbed into its mighty similar design.

The X-Pro1 introduces the brand new Fujifilm X-mount. At launch there will be three XF-series lenses released in tandem with the camera: a 35mm f/1.4, 60mm f/2.4 macro and 18mm f/2. That’s right – only high quality primes to be found here (though there’s scope for zoom lenses in the future). That’s an approach that no other CSC manufacturer is taking and it nestles the X-Pro1 in its own niche market bracket or, perhaps, as a bit of a Leica-beater…

The X-Pro1’s headline-grabbing feature has to be its new sensor technology, something that’s exclusive to Fujifilm. The latest 16MP X-Trans CMOS sensor (no sniggering at the back) is a brand new design that does away with the conventional four-pixel colour array (also known as a Bayer colour filter array). We’re going to need to get a bit geeky here, so hold onto your tech hats.

When a standard sensor detects light it outputs a reading from each photosite (i.e. pixel) that wouldn’t correspond to colour if it wasn’t for a colour array filter. A Bayer filter’s red, green, green, blue (four part grid) array repeats throughout the sensor so an accurate colour reading can be created. Surrounding pixels’ colours are generated by what’s known as a demosaicing algorithm.

However, due to the tight and repetitive nature of the colour array, detail areas can fall into issues and produce undesirable factors such as moir?. But the Fuji X-Pro1 ousts the standard four-part grid and instead opts for a far larger 36-part grid with colours arranged in a less rigid fashion. This removes the necessity for a low-pass filter and so Fujifilm claims the X-Trans CMOS sensor will not only avoid undesirable moir?, but also provide a more filmic result than ever before with resolution resolved higher than a full-frame DSLR sensor. Sounds good to us.

Taking a leaf out of the X100's book, the X-Pro1 has a similar hybrid viewfinder that blends together a full-field-of-view optical viewfinder with the benefits an electronic one. It's possible to toggle between the two finder types or overlay digital data when viewing through the optical viewfinder. Where the X-Pro1's viewfinder differs is in two areas:

a) The standard 18mm lens is wider than the X100's 23mm lens and so the image preview area isn't as expansive as the X100's larger-than-100% field of view and; b)?There’s a built in magnifier that moves into place when one of the longer lenses is attached to provide better frame coverage in the viewfinder. The 60mm macro adjusts the crop lines in the frame to cater for accurate framing. The one flaw we can see with this, however, is that much longer future lenses won’t have accurate magnification, so instead we’d predict that only the EVF will be of use in such scenarios – though that can’t be confirmed until such lenses see the light of day.

The one flaw we can see with this, however, is that future lenses won’t have accurate magnification for using the optical viewfinder with, so instead we’d predict that only the EVF will be of use. At the Fujifilm press conference this was neither confirmed nor denied, however. Nine new lenses are planned for launch by the end of 2013 including at least one zoom lens.

Our initial thoughts are that the X-Pro1 looks a lot like an improved X100 with interchangeable lenses. If the image quality surpasses what that camera’s APS-C sensor was capable of then, well, we’ll be very impressed. Small adjustments have taken place to make the user experience all the more desirable though.

A Q menu button brings up a multi menu on screen for easy adjustment of all the major settings, the exposure compensation dial is now set into the body to avoid accidental knocks and the shutter dial on the top of the camera features a lock button. Oh, and the camera’s black all over of course – it won’t be available in the silver finish, presumably to avoid too much confusion between it and the X100. Speaking of which, we notice the X-Pro1’s lens lineup consciously avoids a 23 or 24mm lens to ensure that the pricey X100 remains relevant moving forward.

All in all, the X-Pro1 looks like it’ll tick plenty of boxes for high end users. Perhaps the CSC market has become mature enough to deliver a truly high-end product. And if anyone’s going to manage it then it looks like Fuji’s on the money. Leica lovers ought to see bags of potential in this release, we just hope the X-Pro1 shapes up to be as promising as it seems. Pricing is the only loose part of the deal – we’re guessing it’ll cost more than ?1500 just for the body, considering that the X100 was that much at launch. Not something for your average consumer, then, but but we still reckon it looks rather cool.

Tags: Cameras Fujifilm CES2012 Fujifilm X-Pro1

Fujifilm X-Pro1 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:18:00 +0000

Fujifilm has now confirmed the full details for their new high-end compact system camera, the Fujifilm X-Pro1.?

The biggest differentiator about this new camera is the new 16-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor. Not only is it bigger than most rival CSCs like those from the Olympus Pen line, but it features Fujifilm's EXR processing technology - carried over from their compact cameras - and a new filter array which claims to do away with moir? and false colours.

As such it is being pitched as a rival to DSLR cameras in terms of quality and Fujifilm tell us that they have developed the EXR Processor Pro to crunch the image data coming in from their so called X-Trans sensor. We're just happy that it has a bigger sensor, just like the newly announced Canon PowerShot G1 X.?

This being a compact system camera, however, you'll find a new mount in place, which Fujifilm are calling the X-Mount. There are three XF Fujinon lenses at launch, all prime lenses, and all fast lenses at 27, 53 and 90mm (equiv), which will retail for approx. $650 each.

Of course the design of the X-Pro1 is beautifully retro, fitting the design of the X100 and also picking up the hybrid viewfinder technology that camera offered. It will allow you to view through the optical viewfinder and overlay information from the electronic viewfinder if you need more details as you compose your shot.?

Cleverly, the viewfinder will change to suit the lens you are using, which suggests that using lenses from other systems with this camera through adapters might be tricky.

But a retro look isn't all the X-Pro1 has on offer. It also uses some digital trickery to let you pull off multiple exposure shots (overlaying one shot on top of another) as well as being able to select old film styles - Astia, Provia and Velvia - as you can in some Fujifilm compacts.

With the price expected for be around $1700, this is a serious camera, so you'll be pleased to hear there are a run of accessories for it too - a hand grip, flash, leather case and filters.

We've got to hand it to Fujifilm. Having impressed us with bold moves in the form of the X10 and the X100, the X-Pro1 looks like camera that could be really popular with photo enthusiasts.

Want more? Read our Fujifilm X-Pro1 pictures and hands-on!

Tags: Cameras Fujifilm CES2012 Compact system cameras Fujifilm X-Pro1

Fujifilm X-Pro1 official originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:08:00 +0000

Canon has pulled the covers off its latest high-end compact camera, the Canon PowerShot G1 X, pitched at professionals and enthusiasts. It steps in where the PowerShot G12 left off, but now offers a CMOS sensor that measures 18.7 x 14mm - close to the APS-C size in their EOS cameras.?

The new sensor is 4:3 aspect and offers you 14.3-megapixels. As a CMOS sensor it offers the benefits of on-chip noise reduction, claiming clear images at high ISOs. The PowerShot G1 X offers a standard shooting range of ISO 100-12,800.?

The new sensor is backed by Canon's Digic 5 processor, recently seen in the Canon SX40 IS and included in the new Ixus models launched in parallel to the G1 X.

The larger sensor will appeal to those looking to get extra quality out of their compact camera, but this is an undoubtedly large beast, weighing 534g and measuring?116.7 x 80.5 x 64.7mm.

The 4x lens offers you a 28-112mm range (in 35mm terms) and you get 4-stops of optical image stabilisation, with a max aperture of F/2.8. The lens includes a 3-stop ND filter, which will allow you greater creative freedom to use a range of settings without overexposing.

Full manual controls are offered and at first glance the controls look similar to the G12 and reflect those from Canon's DSLR range. Around the back you get a 3-inch vari-angle display, with a 920k-dot resolution. You'll also get a pop-up flash and an optical viewfinder to aid composition, along with a hotshoe for adding accessories. As before, you'll be able to attach 58mm filters via an adapter and get a waterproof case.

In terms of video capture you now get 1080p support at 24fps and the HDMI means you'll be able to easily share those movies on the big screen.?

The Canon PowerShot G1 X will be available in late February and launches at ?699, which makes it more expensive than the Canon EOS 600D, quite a price for a compact camera.?

Canon have been good enough to put together a promo video for the camera, below, for your viewing pleasure.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Canon Canon PowerShot G1 X 14 megapixels CES2012

Canon PowerShot G1 X offers APS-C size sensor in a compact originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:51:32 +0000

Canon has released two new IXUS compacts in the form of the 500 HS and 125 HS. The IXUS 500 HS sets the standard for compact ultra zooms, boasting the thinnest form factor of a 12x optical zoom camera at 19.2 mm. The IXUS 125 HS boasts similar specs but its slightly beefier in size, incorporating a 16 megapixel sensor instead.?

Basic specs include things like a 3-inch PureColour II G LCD screen in both cameras, Full HD movies and intelligent image stabilisation. Form factor is the main difference between the pair, the 500 HS using a metallic slim body and the 125 HS being available in different colours.?

The Digic 5 processor found in both cameras should allow for decent low light performance although we suspect the 500 HS, with its fewer megapixels, should out perform the 125 HS quite easily. Unlike the 500 HS however, the 24 mm 5X optical zoom found on the 125 HS is much wider, making it a better camera for those who want to take landscape, street and family snaps.?

Things like intelligent scene detection or as Canon calls it, Smart Auto, should add to the ease of use found in both compacts, as will the facial recognition technology. Simlarly focus that predicts movement and cleverly tracks objects should keep snapping as simple as possible.?

The 125 HS is due to launch in late February priced in at ?229, with the 500 HS following soon after in March priced at ?309. We will have more on the cameras once we get some hands-on time with them, but for the spec sheet we have in front of us, they look to be rather tasty compacts indeed.?

Tags: Cameras Canon Canon Ixus 500 HS Canon Ixus 125 HS CES2012 Compact cameras

Canon launches pair of new top end IXUS compacts originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:43:00 +0000

Rumours about the D800 have been circulating for a while, from leaked specs to product images. The recent launch of Nikon's new flagship pro camera, the Nikon D4, hasn't distracted those looking out for a new enthusiast model to replace the D700.

As if the rumours we've seen so far weren't enough, Nikon Germany purportedly changed one of their index images on Nikon.de, which showed a new model. The same image also shows the new D4, which the previous image didn't. We've put both the leak image (top) and the original (bottom) which the website has reverted to.

The simplest indicator of the new pro models is the shape of the signature red detailing beneath the shutter button - the D4 brings a flat red line, as we saw on the D5100, the rest of the range is slightly more triangular.?

Given the size of the image being talked about here, this is perhaps the easiest detail to see. And here you can see the D4 (far left) and the new model, presumed to be the D800 (second from right), sitting alongside it's older siblings on the top image.

We've seen a number of leaks surrounding the anticipated D800 launch and this latest hint makes us believe the D800 is incredibly close to launch. Some of the details of the now-launched D4 also make previous leaked images more believable - the change in styling of that red detailing and the positioning of the video button behind the shutter button, for example.

Previously leaked specs suggest the inclusion of the Expeed 3 processor, 51-point AF, a 3.2-inch display - all of which you'll find on the D4 - but then the 36-megapixel imaging sensor, which we're not so sure about.

We're sure that the official launch will be along very soon and we'll bring you all the details when it does.

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Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D800

Nikon D800 outed by Nikon.de? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:37:20 +0000

Canon?is expected to reveal a new flagship G-series model at CES this week - the Canon PowerShot G1X.

The new model, which according to leaked documents will be available from February, will update the Canon PowerShot G12 as a pro or enthusiast compact camera.?Rumours suggest that the camera will come with a 14.3-megapixel CMOS sensor (although the size of that sensor seems to be unclear) and a 4x optical zoom.

Sitting at the core will be the DIGIC 5 processor, seen previously in the likes of the SX40 HS. The result is that you'll get shooting at up to 6fps at full resolution, Full HD video capture and 14-bit RAW support.

The source of the information over at canonrumors.com isn't clear on the size of the sensor. The PowerShot G12 featured a 1/1.7 CCD and the sensor rumoured here could be a 1/1.5 CMOS, although 1.5-inch has also been mentioned.

Of course, this is all speculation and we're yet to see anything official from Canon on the Powershot G1X, although many have been expected an update for a while when the G13 didn't appear back in Autumn 2011.

Could Canon be about to launch a new?Canon GX1?camera at CES? With the show starting this week we don't have long to wait, and we'll bring you all the details.

UPDATE:?Canon PowerShot G1 X offers APS-C size sensor in a compact

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Tags: Cameras CES2012 Canon 14 megapixels Compact cameras Digital cameras Canon G1X

Canon G1X rumoured for CES reveal originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:51:00 +0000

Fujifilm are all set to launch their first compact system camera in the form of the Fujifilm X-Pro 1, if leaks in the press are to be believed.

The Fujifilm X-Pro 1 offers up a 16-megapixel APS-C sized sensor with the added benefit of Fujifilm's now familiar EXR technology. In terms of lenses, it's reported that the X-Pro 1 features a new X-Mount and there will be three Fujinon prime lenses available: an 18mm F/2, 35mm F/1.4 and 60mm F/2.4 macro.?

This pitches the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 towards photo enthusiasts, rather than those looking for a model to save space over a DSLR, although we'd expect to see a zoom lens join the fray too.

The other thing to note about the X-Pro 1 is that it offers a hybrid viewfinder. This makes the body of the X-Pro 1 larger than rivals compact system cameras like the Sony NEX or Olympus Pen models and brings a touch of the Fujifilm X100 to the camera.?

It's claimed that this is a similar hybrid viewfinder technology as seen on the X100, so you'll get both an optical and electronic system, which can be combined with electronic overlay on top of the optical view, offering a distinct advantage over those cameras that don't offer a viewfinder, or only offer it as an accessory.

Given the APS-C sensor and viewfinder, this sets the X Pro-1 up as a natural rival to the Sony NEX-7, but with perhaps a little more refinement. Priced at €1300 (?1070) with the 35mm kit lens it's competitively priced against that model, but bear in mind this is the same price as something like the Canon EOS 60D or the Nikon D300s.

Elsewhere the styling follows Fujifilm's trend towards the retro. It appears to be an aluminium alloy body with the benefit of hotshoe to mount an external flash.

Of course, all this come thanks to our sketchy GCSE French translation of the R?ponses Photo page unveiled by PetaPixel, so we don't have any confirmed details on the new camera, but it's looking pretty certain for a rapturous CES 2012 launch.

We'll be sure to bring you all the confirmed details, along with UK pricing and availability, when we have them.

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Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Fujifilm Fujifilm X-Pro 1 16 megapixels CES2012

Fujifilm X-Pro 1: APS-C compact system camera, with hybrid viewfinder originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:42:00 +0000

The Sony XQD memory card has been announced, which will bring super speedy performance to photo enthusiasts and professional photographers for all kinds of image capture.

This timely announcement of the Sony XQD cards sits alongside the launch of the Nikon D4 today, an absolute beast of a DSLR and the first camera to include support for the XQD format.

Using the XQD memory cards should ensure that XQD compatible high-end DSLRs, at this stage just the D4, will be able to capture up to approximately 100 frames in RAW format in continuous shooting mode. Couple this with decent high-speed data transfer rates and high reliability and you're left with a very competent system.

Transfer rates will be up to 1Gbps/125MBps write and read (based on Sony tests and dependent on host hardware) through the PCIe interface. There is also a USB 2.0/3.0 compatible XQD card reader (model MRW-E80) available from Sony, so you can quickly and easily transfer large quantities of very high capacity data to a PC.

An XQD ExpressCard Adapter (QDA-EX1) is also available for use with computers with an ExpressCard 34 card slot.

The cards and accessories should all be available in February 2012 and have been priced at $129.99 for 16GB card and $229.99 for 32GB. The Card Reader will be $44.99, whilst the ExpressCard Adapter comes in at $44.99.

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Tags: Cameras Memory cards Sony Sony XQD

Sony XQD memory cards coming February: Just right for the new Nikon D4 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:50:00 +0000

Nikon has announced the Nikon D4, their new flagship professional digital SLR camera. The Nikon D4 betters the D3 and subsequent D3s in many areas, with Nikon setting a firm eye on having this new camera in place for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The appearance is close to the Nikon D3, with some ergonomic tweaks to make everyday shooting more confortable and convenient, including some minor changes to the body and button positioning. It is lighter than the D3s, weighing in at 1.18kg.

But it’s the internals that are really interesting. There is a 16.2-megapixel FX CMOS sensor (full frame 36 x 24.9mm) offering a normal ISO range of 100-12,800 but expandable to a staggering 50 to 204,800, offering a lower ISO for very bright conditions and very very high ISOs for shooting in the dark.

Another neat trick the Nikon D4 has in its armoury is backlit controls. This again supports the low light functionality and makes it easy to find the button you need, when you need it.

The Nikon D4 includes the Expeed 3 processor, first seen in the Nikon 1 cameras launched at the end of 2011. The Expeed 3, Nikon tells us, makes the D4 faster noticeably than the D3s - and that was no slouch.

Other internal elements driving the Nikon D4 have been improved too. The Multi-Cam 3500FX autofocus module has been improved, offering 51 focal points, but importantly, now offering much better focusing in dark conditions.?You'll also be able to select focal points manually more easily thanks to a new control, without taking your eye from the viewfinder.

Advanced scene recognition comes from a new 91k-pixel RGB sensor. Constant communication is maintained between the sensor, metering and focus systems to ensure that the scene appears correctly and less likely to be skewed by things like backlighting, with automatic face detection picking out faces to make sure they get properly exposed.

On the back of the Nikon D4 is 3.2-inch 912,000 pixel resolution display, with a light sensor to adjust the brightness, contrast and saturation. Nikon say the display is close to sRGB for improved colour integrity when checking images.

Nikon told Pocket-lint that the Nikon D4 is "by far our best camera" when it comes to shooting movies. You get a full range of movie shooting modes, with common selectable frame rates at Full HD and 720p. It captures in H.264 and you can record for up to 29.59mins.

Supporting video capture, however are a range of neat features. You can output live clean uncompressed video through the HDMI. There is both a mic and headphone socket, so you can monitor the audio with 20 levels of adjustment on offer.?

Connectivity doesn't just sit in support of movie capture. There is also an Ethernet port, so you can hook straight up to your media centre. IPTC information can be added in the camera itself, with a range of preset options available, speeding up the workflow for the pro photographer.

There is time-lapse shooting built into the camera, but you also get encoding included, so you can preview your captured time-lapse on the camera without the need for a computer.

With the added WT-5 Wireless Transmitter (an optional accessory), you'll get HTTP and FTP access, so you'll get remote control. For those looking for a truly mobile solution, the HTTP mode has been designed to work with the iPhone screen resolution, so you'll effectively get iPhone control of your camera.

There are two memory slots on offer, a standard CF slot, and a slot for the new XQD format memory card, which promises data speeds of 125MB/s.

Of course, this being a pro camera, all this (and we've only picked out the highlights here) comes at a price of ?4799.99 (body only). The good news is, however, that the Nikon D4 is available from 16 February 2012.

Read -?Nikon D4 pictures and hands-on

Read -?Nikon D4 offers HTTP mode, optimised for iPhone control

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Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D4 16 megapixels

Nikon D4 gives pro photographers something to shoot for originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000