Day 3 of our Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 nominees round-up means it's camera time. With these little devils getting more and more sophisticated, it's hard to keep up with just what it is that makes the best in show these days.

So, before you head over to the voting page to mark your choices, here's a little run down of the pick of the crop this year.

Olympus Pen E-P1

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Type

Micro Four Thirds

Release date

16/06/09

Price

?520

PL review rating

9/10

The E-P1 is basically the most beautiful camera around. It's got a stunning retro design with not a clunky part or poor piece of thought put into it anywhere. It will turn heads and and then make them green with envy. Of all this, there is no doubt. Sadly, the contest is not one of looks alone but, fortunately, Olympus has done an excellent job making this Micro Four Thirds system an excellent picture taker too.

The lack of viewfinder and flash - both of which have to be strapped on - are frankly a pain in the arse, but the rest of what you get is top quality. It has a healthy ISO of up to 6400 with little noise at the top end, it takes 720p HD video, even in widescreen if you ask it too, and the standard 17mm lens is nothing short of magnificent. With all the technology of the Olympus E range tucked away in the casing, this camera has all the power and quality of a DSLR and all the fun and convenience of a compact. The only other downside is that it does cost a fair whack too.

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Canon PowerShot S90

Type

Compact

Release date

19/08/09

Price

?329

PL review rating

9/10

Bringing together the sort of manual control found on the new G11, with dimensions closer to a typical compact, the Canon PowerShot S90 has proved an irresistible appeal to those looking to get a little more from their pocket camera. Lurking under that matte black exterior is the same sensor as you'll find in the G11, again with the DIGIC 4 processor, and all Canon's usual technologies.

The lens offers you an impressive F2.0 max aperture which, when combined with image stabilisation, means it’s a contender for better low light shooting, which you can even take to ISO speeds of up to 12800 so long as you can handle the drop to 2.5-megapixel resolution. Sitting around the bottom of that 28-105mm (35mm equiv.) lens is the new Control Ring, which is also one of the key and most exciting features of the camera which allows easy change of settings, with a "Ring Func." Button on the top to let you program it just how you like.

Fantastic flexibility and superb control at an increasingly reasonable price.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

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Type

Micro Four Thirds

Release date

02/09/09

Price

?584

PL review rating

9/10

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The Lumix GF1 is a direct competitor to the Olympus Pen, but where the latter has that Parisian 60s chic, Pansonic's offering is more akin to Soviet minimalism. It's an Eastern Bloc of a chassis. Apart from that, what you get inside is very similar. There's the 12.1 effective megapixels from a 13.1-megapixel LiveMOS sensor, 720p HD video shooting and an excellent pancake lens.

There's a nice bit of one-upmanship in that it does have an in-built flash but you still have to rely on the EV to compose your shots. While we're at it, the 3-inch LCD display is a better quality too. What you don't get are the gorgeous looks and quite the same sense of desire, but shooting is as fantastic as ever proving just how hot the competition is this year.

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Fujifilm FinePix 200EXR

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Type

Compact

Release date

04/02/09

Price

?170

PL review rating

8/10

The FinePix F200EXR is a 12-megapixel compact that offers a Fujinon 5x, 28-140mm wide angle optical zoom lens and a 3-inch 230,000 dot LCD. All sounds pretty normal for a compact, and on the surface it is. The real genius behind this snapper is that it's next to impossible to take a bad picture on it. The reason is because of the EXR system, which takes two pictures at different exposure settings every time you press the button and superimposes them onto one another so you get the best shot possible, and it works bloody well.

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The only real issues with this FinePix are that it's not very pretty and that the system starts to crumble at high ISOs when you'll get speckles on your shots. It does have an intelli-flash and and excellent auto selection mode and between all the features you'll find that you rarely get disappointed. A real bargain for ?170.

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Nikon D5000

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Type

DSLR

Release date

14/02/09

Price

?449 & ?50 cashback

PL review rating

9/10

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As the only DSLR on the shortlist, the Nikon D5000 has got some representing to do. It sits above the D60 but below the D90 in the Nikon range, with a feature set culled from the latter, but priced towards the former.

It has a 12.3MP CMOS sensor and a new tilt, turn, swivel 2.7-inch LCD and with 720p HD movie capability it is, well, a cracker. The idea behind the model is that it's a camera for all the family. It's got all the manual and exposure controls an enthusiast would want, lots of nice friendly menus and diagrams for the keen learner and all the point and press functionality for children, so long as you can trust them not to drop it in the sea.

The swivel screen is the first for Nikon and adds the fun feel to this DSLR plus with the inclusion of the ?50 cashback offer this Christmas, it's excellent value for money.

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Related links:

• Feature - The low down: Best Car Gadget 2009
• Feature - The low down: Best Music Gadget 2009

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Compact cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Canon Olympus Panasonic Fujifilm Pocket-lint Awards Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Features

The low down: Best Digital Camera 2009 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:11:30 +0000

The retro-styled Micro Four Thirds Olympus Pen E-P1 digi-cam has been ruined, sorry enhanced with a "dazzling makeover" by Crystal Roc.

Now covered in hundreds of "sparkling" Swarovski crystals it will be available exclusively to order from Harrods' Micro Anvika department.

In a special limited edition wooden box, which includes "two lenses" (no details provided - presumably the 14-42mm zoom and the 17mm "pancake" lens) and a matching flash, the crystal-encrusted Pen gets a price tag of ?1999.99.

Those not interested in stuck-on crystals would do well to hang on for the launch of the next-gen, slightly tweaked Olympus Pen E-P2, due in January.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Olympus Olympus Pen Micro Four Thirds Harrods Crystal Roc Swarovski Micro Anvika

Olympus Pen E-P1 gets Swarovski treatment originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:10:57 +0000

Creative has announced the third generation Vado HD pocket video camcorder, claiming to combine a "sleek design with stunning HD video quality".

The new model is said to see improved quality of video in low light or brightly lit conditions, gets external stereo microphone support, a headphone output, "motion detection mode" that means it will start recording when it senses movement, still photo capture mode and the out-of-the box Mac and PC compatibility.

With simple on-board editing and one-click uploads, the third gen Vado HD can record up to 120 minutes of HD quality video or up to 7000 still photos with its 4GB of built-in storage (half that of the previous gen) while the rechargeable battery is said to be good for more than 2 hours of recording or viewing.

The 4GB third generation Vado HD is up for pre-order in the States in black or white for $179.99, no news on a UK launch just yet.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Creative Creative Vado HD Digital cameras

Creative unveils third gen Vado HD with new design originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:24:33 +0000

Casio is offering a tough-as-old-boots camera to rival the likes of Olympus and Pentax with the launch of the Exilim G EX-G1.

Aimed at "life adventurers" and launching with such claims as the fact it offers "endurance engineering as its cornerstone", we think we'd better skip to the specs in order to keep on track.

The 12.1-megapixel EX-G1 takes microSD cards, is resistent to shock, dirt, humidity, snow, temperature and water to varying degrees, gets a 2.5-inch LCD and a 3x zoom lens.

For those that value pocket space, the big sell is that it apparently boasts the world's thinnest profile of 0.78-inch (19.9 mm) (apart from sticky-out bits) in a shock resistant digital camera.

It will go on sale in the States for $299.99 in December, while UK pricing is ?279 and it's due to touchdown here in January.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Digital cameras Casio Waterproof Casio Exilim G EX-G1

Casio Exilim G EX-G1 rugged snapper launches in the States originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:26:37 +0000

Here are the nominations for Best Digital Camera in The Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009.

The following products were chosen because we feel they represent the best digital cameras on sale in the last 12 months that are available in the UK.

The nominations are:

Olympus Pen E-P1

Canon PowerShot S90

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1?

Nikon D5000

FujiFilm FinePix F200EXR

A notable commendation should also go to the Canon 500D.

Now in its 6th year, the Pocket-lint Gadget Awards, thought to be the longest running in the UK, pick the best gadgets and gizmos from the last year released in the UK.

Pocket-lint's vigorous vetting process means that all the gadgets up for nomination have to have been seen by a member of the Pocket-lint team (so far over 600) and have to have been available in the UK between December 2008 and December 2009.

The awards, voted by a panel of leading gadget journalists from around the world, including the staff from the Pocket-lint team, will decide the real must-have gadgets of the year, rather than those simply deemed cool or anticipated, being the definitive guide for consumers looking to buy gadgets.

Winners will be announced at an Awards evening in London on Monday 7 December.

If you would like to order tickets to the event please visit our awards event page.

Public voting will start on Wednesday 18 November.

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Related links:

• Link - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Compact cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Canon Olympus Panasonic Fujifilm Pocket-lint Awards Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009

Best Digital Camera 2009 nominations originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

To best understand what the new GXR interchangeable lens camera from Ricoh is all about, take a look at the diagram above we grabbed from the press presentation.

The lens units are so much more than optics: they are a complete imaging unit. Packed in behind the glass you have the sensor, which will differ between lenses, as well as processors and motion sensors. The "camera" won't be limited by what you have in the main body, moreover, it will be defined by what you have in the lens unit.

The launch lenses are the GR Lens A12 50mm F2.5 Macro and the Ricoh Lens S10 24-72mm F2.5-4.4 VC (vibration compensation). The properties of these lenses are entirely different – it isn't just the focal length.

The GR lens has a 12.3-mexapixel 23.6 x 15.7mm CMOS sensor and it is capable of 720p HD movie capture: it costs ?600 and will give you a 16:9 aspect image. The Ricoh lens has a 10-megapixel 1/1.7-inch CCD sensor and will only be good for VGA quality video: it's half the price of the GR lens, giving you a 4:3 aspect image.

The former is what you might expect from a DLSR camera, the latter, a compact camera. But what happens if you don't want to bump down to a lesser quality sensor just because you want a zoom lens?

The other side of the diagram shows what is packed into the body itself: another image processor, the battery, memory, flash, LCD and all the connectivity. Not only will you be able to buy different lens units, but in the future, potentially, you could be buying an entirely different body that fits with the system.

The two are connected by a single interface and as a sealed unit, you don't have to worry about dust and debris getting onto your imaging sensor, which Ricoh are pushing as a significant bonus of the system.

Check out the magnesium alloy body below and if you want to get heavy with pictures, head over to our hands-on photo gallery.

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Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Digital cameras Ricoh Ricoh GXR

Understanding the Ricoh GXR originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Pocket-lint was on hand to grab some shots of the new Ricoh GXR interchangeable unit system camera.

The GXR takes the fight to Micro Four Thirds, offering a system which lives in the small form factor of a compact camera, whilst offering interchangeable lens units.

Each lens unit pairs up the glass with the sensor and a processor unit, rather than using a sensor built-in to the body of the camera. The body, in effect, becomes little more than a battery pack and control unit.

Those sealed lens units offer the advantage of being sealed, so protect the sensor from dust or dirt ingress, an inherent problem with traditional SLR/DSLR cameras and the new Micro Four Thirds system cameras.

The hotshoe offers an accessory attachment point which, like the Panasonic Lumix GF1 or Olympus Pen EP-2, can accept an electronic viewfinder or a flash.

Feast your eyes on our hands-on pics below and why not head over and read the news story, or check out our First Look of the GXR? Links below.

Related links:

• News - Ricoh GXR Interchangeable Unit Camera System launches
• First Look - Ricoh GXR digital camera

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Digital cameras Ricoh Ricoh GXR Photos

PHOTOS: Ricoh GXR hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Ricoh has announced the launch of the GXR, which they are calling an "interchangeable unit camera system".

It is a new system for the company, as Ricoh tackles the challenge of increasing quality whilst still remaining compact. The name comes from a fusion of the GX and XR series of Ricoh cameras.

Kazunobu Saiki, General Manager Ricoh Europe, described the GXR as "drastically expanding the shooting range" available to photographers.

The GXR features interchangeable lens units which slide on to the main body of the camera. This allows the body of the camera to stick to small dimensions whilst giving the user the flexibility to chop and change lenses depending on their shooting requirements.

The GXR body features a built-in flash and 3-inch 920k-dot screen around the back, with the option of purchasing an additional electronic viewfinder which connects to the hot shoe on the top. The dimensions of the body are 113.9 x 70.2 x 28.9mm.

The real unique feature of the GXR system is the use of a sealed lens unit which also contains the imaging sensor, meaning that there is no risk of dust or dirt ingress – which is a risk on DSLR cameras and their smaller Micro Four Thirds challengers.

At launch you'll be able to get two lens units: the GR Lens A12 50mm F2.5 Macro and the Ricoh Lens S10 24-72mm F2.5-4.4 VC. The GR lens gives you 12.3-megapixels on a CMOS sensor, whilst the Ricoh lens presents you with 10-megapixels and a CCD sensor.

Ricoh is looking to launch more lenses in early Q2 2010 to expand the offering.

The Ricoh GXR will be available from December 2009 and the pricing lines this up as an enthusiast model. The GXR body will cost you ?419, the GR lens ?600, the Ricoh lens ?330. The EVF will be ?219 and the accessory flash will be ?239.

Why not check out all our hands-on photos?

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Related links:

• Photos - Ricoh GXR hands-on

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Digital cameras Ricoh Ricoh GXR

Ricoh GXR interchangeable unit camera system launches originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Ricoh?is expected to announce a new digital camera tomorrow called the GXR, which features a number of different interchangeable lens components in what it hopes will be a breakthrough in the way cameras work, according to a video posted by mistake by Which.co.uk.

The camera will come with interchangeable lens compartments that slot into the camera casing, which, looking at the video, appears to be nothing more than a battery and flash housing.?

The move makes it smaller than the current?Micro Four Thirds?offerings from Olympus and Panasonic, according to Which.co.uk journalist Ben Stevens in a video which has since been pulled from YouTube.

Ricoh will start the new system off with two lens/sensor combos 24-72mm F/2.5-4.4?with a 10-megapixel sensor and VGA film capabilities. ?

The A12 will come with a 50mm F/2.5 Macro lens, shoot video in HD and come with a 12-megapixel sensor.?

Launching in December, Which says the body will cost ?420 while the two 50mm macro ?600 and the 24-72mm ?300.

Ricoh has declined to comment on the news.

Expect more details, very shortly.

UPDATE: This is now official. You can find out more information at our?Ricoh?homepage

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Ricoh Ricoh GXR 10 megapixels 12 megapixels

Ricoh GXR digital camera breaks cover early originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:38:08 +0000

Until the 2 November Jessops is offering discounts on a variety of digital cameras and accessories to celebrate 10 years of Jessops.com.

Today sees the Nikon Coolpix S640 on sale with a ?199 price tag and free standard delivery, Although a good price - we haven't seen it cheaper - Amazon is charging around the same.

This 12 megapixel effort has 5x optical and 4x digital zoom coming from its Nikkor lens, whilst other features include a 2.7-inch "wide viewing angle LCD" and all the usual modes you'd find on a camera of this ilk. Subject tracking, advanced face priority and 4x anti-blur all help in your quest for that perfect shot. Nikon's smart portrait system on the other hand includes a smile timer, blink warning and skin softening - which adjusts un-even skin tones - ensuring that everyone will be struggling to recognise themselves when you finally get round to printing the pictures.

The deals change daily so if this doesn't take your fancy it might be worth having another visit as the week goes on for more offers, meanwhile make sure you check back to Pocket-lint tomorrow as we'll have another tech deal for you to cast your eyes over.

Related links:

• Shop - Jessops.com

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Digital cameras Nikon Jessops Daily Tech Deal

Daily Tech Deal: Jessops.com 10-year celebration originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Canon has only just announced the new EOS 1D Mark IV, but that hasn't stopped us from having a brief play with the new camera when it made a quick pit stop in New York City on Friday at the PDN PhotoPlus conference.

The big, and we mean big, new camera is described by Canon as "a high-speed, professional digital SLR designed to empower photographers to capture split-second moments in high resolution, under the most challenging of conditions". ?

What that means is that you to get a 16.1-megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor as well as a new, advanced 45-point auto focus system with dual "DIGIC 4" processors, allowing for shooting of high-res pics at up to 10 frames per second. This is backed up with the widest ISO range ever to feature in a Canon camera with extended ISO ranges from a low of 50 to 102,400.

The new DSLR is robust and weatherproof with a full magnesium alloy body, can capture 1080p high definition video at 30, 25 and 24fps and 720p footage at 60 and 50fps.

There's a 3-inch Live View LCD display, revamped buttons and updated picture styles while the EOS 1D MARK IV is compatible with all existing EOS 1D Mark III accessories, EF lenses and EX Series Speedlite flash units.

In the hand and its an impressive piece of kit, which was quick to respond, and those two memory card slots (SD and CompactFlash) can be set to receive images in a variety of ways including jpegs on one and raw on the other, as a RAID solution (ie to both at the same time) in tandem and more.?

We were sneaky enough to slip in a Compact Flash card and shoot some pictures, however it seems we needn't have bothered as no software application we have in Pocket-lint towers (Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and Canon's own professional RAW manager) will allow us to open the files. Doh!

We will add the test shots in as soon as our software lets us open them.

The EOS 1D Mark IV is due to be available from the end of December 2009 priced at ?4499.00 or 5499.00 euros.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Canon DSLR cameras 16 megapixels Photos

PHOTOS: Canon EOS 1D Mark IV originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:56:28 +0100

With the vast array of compact cameras available, if you're in the market for one it can possibly be a bit daunting to choose. So, as ever, Pocket-lint's tech deal will attempt to point you in the general direction of one of the better efforts, whilst keeping a close eye on the cash.

Play.com are currently selling the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 for just shy of ?150. Although they are claiming a saving of ?100 on the original ?250 RRP, from what we've seen in reality it's a saving of around ?30 on the next-best price.

The first thing to grab your attention is the 14.7-megapixel CCD sensor which makes use of the decent 28mm wide-angle Leica zoom lens, giving you 3.6x optical and 4x digital zoom.

All of your pictures can be viewed on the 2.7-inch LCD display, whilst the camera itself is feature packed with intelligent auto mode, AF tracking, scene selector, ISO control up to 1600 and scene selector.

The Panasonic DMC-FX150 is given the full run down on the Play.com website but we'd recommend visiting Pocket-lint's full review first, where the camera received a not-to-be-sniffed-at 8/10 score.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Compact cameras Panasonic DMC-FX150 Play Daily Tech Deal

Daily Tech Deal: Panasonic DMC-FX150 under £150 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0100

Canon has announced the new EOS 1D Mark IV describing it as "a high-speed, professional digital SLR designed to empower photographers to capture split-second moments in high resolution, under the most challenging of conditions". ?

Angled as ideal for action, sports, news events and wildlife photography, the EOS 1D Mark IV gets a new Canon 16.1-megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor as well as a new, advanced 45-point auto focus system.

Dual "DIGIC 4" processors allow for shooting high-res pics at up to 10 frames per second and this is backed up with the widest ISO range ever to feature in a Canon camera with extended ISO ranges from a low of 50 to 102,400.

The new DSLR is robust and weatherproof with a full magnesium alloy body, can capture 1080p high definition video at 30, 25 and 24fps and 720p footage at 60 and 50fps. ?

There's a 3-inch Live View LCD display, revamped buttons and updated picture styles while the EOS 1D MARK IV is compatible with all existing EOS 1D Mark III accessories, EF lenses and EX Series Speedlite flash units. ?

The EOS 1D Mark IV is due to be available from the end of December 2009 priced at ?4499.00 or 5499.00 euros.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Canon DSLR cameras 16 megapixels

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV announced originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:53:31 +0100

Almost falling into the NSFW category, Firebox is offering the USB "Snakescope" camera, a still slash video borescope for under ?30.

With a "robust", semi-flexible insertion tube, the camera head and cable are waterproof, so ideal for checking out your, er, plumbing. There's also a clip-on magnet that will help to retrive metal objects.

Complete with software that allows you to view, edit and save down recordings, the snakescope records in VGA quality and works with Windows-based PCs.

Related links:

• Shop - Firebox

Tags: Cameras Firebox Digital cameras USB gadgets Gadgets Camcorders

Firebox offers USB Snakescope camera originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:44:37 +0100

With an ISO settings of over 100,000 you would expect the new Nikon D3S?to be able to capture shots in the dark, and that's what this video sets out to show.?

Shot by photographer Vincent Munier and titled Summer Variations, the footage was shot in Norway and Finland across 2 weeks and is pretty stunning, even if it's not 1080p.?

The new "S" update of the D3 pro model follows Nikon's trend of tweaking existing models.

Adding to the D3's already impressive spec sheet is a new FX CMOS sensor. Although it maintains the 12.1-megapixel resolution of the original D3, the sensor has been redesigned to add enhancements to the performance and a new Dust Reduction System.

Retailing for ?4199.99, the Nikon D3S is going to be available from December.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D3s 12 megapixels Video

VIDEO: Nikon D3S in action originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:06:20 +0100

Google might have its camera-van recording everything it sees as it drives around cities across the world, but it's got nothing on this van.

Covered in over 2700 cameras (yes you read that right), the van has been created to promote a new film called Automorphosis, a film about people that do car art.

The film is being shown at the Royal Flush Festival in New York on 17 and 18 October.

Other van's and cars in the film include a van covered with 15,000 dollar coins and brass objects, a homage to the Dutch painter Mondrian, and an interactive Mariachi inspired music car.

Related links:

• Link - automorphosis.com

Tags: Car And GPS Cars Google Cameras Digital cameras Compact cameras

What the Google Street View car could have looked like originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:32:45 +0100

Nikon has announced the "S" upgrade to their popular D3 model, in what they are calling "the most significant S update" they've made.

The Nikon D3S features a redesigned 12.1-megapixel (effective) full frame FX CMOS sensor, with a new Dust Reduction System and a new Hi3 ISO option, which brings the effective ISO range up to 102,400.

Nikon are pitching the D3S as the best camera for low light work, frequently mentioning that the D3S will let you shoot things "your own eyes can't see clearly".

Of course you get that 720p movie mode, at 24fps too, although some might question why there is no Full HD option. Nikon addressed this question in their briefing, responding that the D3S is a professional stills camera and the video should be judged by its quality.

Movies are captured in AVI format, using Motion JPEG, which will only support file sizes of 2GB, which gives you 5 minutes of 720p video. It does have the option to trim start and finish points in-camera, as well as grab a JPEG straight from the movie, although it is only really good for web use or smaller prints (e.g. 6 x 4).?You do get full aperture control in movie modes as well as access to the full ISO range, opening up the possibilities for low light filming.?

Various other tweaks have been made, including some minor changes to buttons and the battery to make it easier for gloved hands, responding to customer feedback. You also get 100% viewfinder coverage in FX shooting mode.

There is a new NEF RAW image editing system built-in, which is designed to enable you to tweak an image and extract the JPEG you want, so you can send it straight out for publishing or print directly from the camera.

Yours for ?4199.99, it will be on sale from the beginning of December.

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Related links:

• News - Nikon D3S brings video and ISO 102,400

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D3s 12 megapixels Photos

PHOTOS: Nikon D3S originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Nikon has announced the "S" update of the D3 pro model, following its trend of tweaking existing models.

Adding to the D3's already impressive spec sheet is a new FX CMOS sensor. Although it maintains the 12.1-megapixel resolution of the original D3, the sensor has been redesigned to add enhancements to the performance and a new Dust Reduction System.

The most noticeable enhancement is the new Hi3 ISO setting, giving you an effective ISO of 102,400. The D3 was known for its noise suppression at high ISOs and Nikon claims that with the D3S, you'll be able to capture things "your own eyes can't see clearly".

You also get a new in-camera NEF RAW editing system with easy-to-use menus to tweak all the settings, such as white balance, exposure, etc, just as you would in post-processing on your PC. This will allow you to create the JPEG you want to send out instantly.

There has also been an increase to the buffer, so you can save up to 36 RAW files, or 124 large JPEGs in full resolution continuous shooting at 9fps.

And then of course you have D-Movie mode. Video capture is possible at 1280 x 720 at 24fps, so gets the HD sticker, but not the full-fat variety you'll find elsewhere.

You can take advantage of the high ISO settings for movies too, with the option of trimming clips to extract (selecting start and end points) and you can save movie frames as individual JPEGs (albeit not at full resolution). There is a mono mic on-board, with the option of adding an external mic.

Retailing for ?4199.99, the Nikon D3S is going to be available from December.

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Related links:

• Photos - Nikon D3S

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D3s 12 megapixels

Nikon D3S brings video and ISO 102,400 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0100

The British Journal of Photography has spilled the beans on Nikon's latest camera expected to be launched on Wednesday.

"Last week I travelled to St Andrews for the pre-launch of the Nikon D3s, a camera that can see what the eye cannot, by virtue of its extraordinary sensitivity to even the most low lit environments, boasting 'standard' ISO settings up to 12,800, a boost mode up to 102,400 - something that would have been unfathomable to film photographers 20 years ago", says the journal's editor Simon Bainbridge in a post that has gone presumably live ahead of schedule considering Nikon doesn't currently offer a D3S.

The rest of the article keeps details thin on the ground with Bainbridge instead preferring to talk about where digital photography it going rather than specifics on the actual camera itself.

Expect more details on the D3S?very shortly.

Read

Related links:

• Via - nikonrumours.com

Tags: Cameras Nikon DSLR cameras Digital cameras Nikon D3s 12 megapixels

Nikon D3S breaks cover originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:17:16 +0100

Summit Global, the licensee of the Polaroid brand, has officially announced the world re-launch of Polaroid, with both instant photography products and digital offerings due to be re-available.

The new Polaroid will manufacture a range of instant film products like the Polaroid 600 instant film, and also re-introduce a range of instant cameras including the "Polaroid One".

A great success for the Impossible Project, campaigners who worked hard to see instant film back to realistic prices, it's thought this move will bring Polaroid to a whole new audience, as well as appease retro-photography fans.

In addition to film-based efforts, Polaroid will also work on ZINK tech with ZINK Imaging, a team-up last seen in the Polaroid POGO instant digital printer.

Along those lines, there are also plans to market the digital Polaroid "Two"and plans have been revealed to produce a Polaroid "Three" - an instant digital camera that produces 4-inch by 3-inch instant digital photos.

Tags: Cameras Film cameras Polaroid Biz Printers Digital cameras Compact cameras Zink

Polaroid re-launch announced originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:18:03 +0100

Jessops has announced it's bagged the exclusive on the Fuji Finepix F72EXR compact digi-cam. The Fuji F72EXR is a 10-megapixel, 10x optical zoom compact with Fuji's EXR tech.

The EXR technology claims to use the sensor in three different ways to optimise resolution, dynamic range or low-light performance and has previously featured in higher end models.

With a black metal body the Fuji F72EXR gets a 2.7-inch display, a "super intelligent" flash, face detection, red eye removal and takes SD cards.

The Fuji Finepix F72EXR is priced at ?279 and is available now at Jessops stores or online.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Digital cameras Fujifilm Fuji Finepix F72EXR Jessops

Jessops captures exclusive on Fuji Finepix F72EXR originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:28:13 +0100

Wondered what the insides of a digital camera with a projector built in looked like? Thought you did, and so did the chaps over at iFixit who this time have taken apart a Nikon S1000pj for all to see.

What have we learnt from the experience? Not much is seems, apart from Nikon not wanting you to try this at home with the camera hard to take apart. Oh and the light for projecting images is supplied by a very powerful LED that even has its own heat sink to conduct heat to the aluminium front panel.

See, now you don't have to try this at home to find out.

Follow the Read link to see more images and take apart notes.

Read

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Digital cameras 12 megapixels Projectors Nikon Coolpix S1000pj Nikon

Nikon S1000pj gets torn apart originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:32:09 +0100

The pioneers of fibre optics and the CCD sensor have jointly won the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physics. Charles K Kao, Willard S Boyle and George E Smith all shared the award, with Kao being awarded half the prize, and Boyle and Smith getting a quarter each.

Charles K Kao was awarded his half "for groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication". He calculated in 1966 how it'd be possible to transmit light more than 100km in cables by removing impurities in glass. At the time, fibre-optic cables could only manage about 20 metres.

Willard S Boyle and George E Smith received their quarter-awards "for the invention of an imaging semiconductor circuit – the CCD sensor". The two created the "charge-coupled device" sensor while working at Bell Labs in 1969. It used Einstein's photoelectric effect to transform light into electronic signals - the team had to work out how to turn those signals into pixels in a rapid period of time. Today, CCDs are used in digital cameras, astronomy, and medicine, as well as other fields.

The prize total is 10 million Swedish Kronor, and so each prizewinner will get a share of that sum. Nobel Prizes are awarded for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Economics and Literature and are awarded every year "to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind".

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Tags: Cameras Nobel Prize Digital cameras

Digicam pioneers get 2009 Nobel Prize for Physics originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:25:46 +0100

General Imaging has added two new models to its current range of compact digital cameras in the form of the waterproof G3WP and the budget 10-megapixel J1050.

The G3WP is a 12-megapixel compact with a 4x optical zoom boasting features such as face, blink and smile detection, as well as auto scene detection and "Pan Capture" for panoramic shots.

General Imaging says the underwater modes deliver "sharp, true-to-life colour stills and movie images". Waterproof to a depth of 3 metres, it offers a 2.7-inch LCD screen and a wrist strap.

Available in ocean blue, graphite grey and raspberry red, the GW3P will be available from mid-October for approximately ?140.

The J1050 has a 5x optical zoom, the same auto modes, a 2.7-inch display and image stabilisation. It will be available "soon" in red, pink, silver and black for around ?90.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras General Imaging Digital cameras Waterproof 12 megapixels 10 megapixels

General Imaging launches waterproof G3WP compact digi-cam originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:49:26 +0100

Panasonic has dropped us word of a camcorder that it'll soon be launching - the HDC-TM350. It's strictly limited edition - only 200 will be available - and it's a sister model to the HDC-TM300, which has won multiple awards.

It's rather on the advanced side - with three seperate colour sensors to process red, green and blue, and 1.6 lux low light recording. It does full HD, and can record still images at 10.6 megapixels, and can do both video recording and still image recording at the same time too - though those are limited to 8.3 megapixels.

There's an intelligent auto optical image stabiliser, and AF/AE tracking which will keep focus and exposure locked onto a subject even if they stray to the edges of the picture. It comes with 64GB of built-in flash memory, along with an SD card slot for pumping that up further.

The HDC-TM300 will be available from mid-October, and will cost approximately ?1200. But don't delay - there's only 200 available.

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Tags: Cameras Panasonic Digital cameras Compact cameras Camcorders 10 megapixels Panasonic HDC-TM350 Camcorder

Panasonic reveals HDC-TM350 camcorder originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:33:24 +0100