Archive for the ‘Compact camera’ Category

Less than $100 and 12 MP! A couple of bargain compact cameras packed with features!

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

It’s hard to believe but these two compact cameras are able to accomplish a mission impossible.
They’re both well under US $ 100, both feature 12 Megapixels sensors and 3x optical zoom!

Meet the Kodak EasyShare MD41: a really easy compact camera, with a 35–105 mm (35 mm equivalent) optical zoom, a face detection function that locates faces and automatically adjusts camera settings for great shots, SD/SDHC support.

It supports ISO positions 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 on a 1/2.3 inch CCD sensor and weighs 115 grams and sports a 2,7″ LCD.

In the Kodak EasyShare MD41 there are also a lot of on-camera playback features such as cropping, undo-delete, picture rotation and self-timer. You can also tag your images with text and make use of multi-field search.

The Kodak EasyShare MD41 price?
A mere $89.99. You Save: $60.00 (that’s 40% off!)

What about a touchy display and interface? What about the HP PB360?

The HP PB360 offers 12.2 megapixel resolution, 3X optical zoom, and 5X digital zoom.
A wide 3″ touch screen LCD display with on-screen icons allows easy camera control.
More features? Smile detection, digital image stabilization, red eye removal, different scene modes, and more.
With Motion JPEG video capture capability, you can record special moments and easily share them with your friends and family on YouTube.
Capture clear and bright images with a wide range of ISO sensitivities (up to 3200) even in dim light.

Ok, so touch the HP PB360 at US $99.99 and save up to 29% (that’s US $40.00 less!).

Get ready for small yet powerful new gear: Sony Alpha NEX-3 and NEX-5 compact cameras

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

As expected, Sony has unveiled the NEX-3 and NEX-5 mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.
Both come packing the same new 14.2-megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, which is almost 60% bigger (23.4mm x 15.6mm) than what you’ll find inside a micro four thirds body. Both can capture HD video and stereo audio via the built-in microphone, but the NEX-3 tops out at 720p, while the NEX-5 can crab 1080i video in AVCHD format; meet the new, mirrorless E-mount.

Both offer high-resolution tilt/flip screens, fast continuous shooting and HD video capture, with 720p from the NEX-3 and 1080i, AVCHD from the NEX-5.
Also announced are three E-mount lenses: a 16mm F2.8 pancake, offering a 24mm equivalent field-of-view, a standard 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 stabilized kit zoom, with a 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 stabilized superzoom to follow.

If you’re not satisfied with three lens options (and you have a little extra room in your bag), the optional LA-EA1 Mount Adapter allows both NEX cameras to use the full range of Alpha lenses, plus a “huge range” of other legacy A-mount lenses if you don’t need AF. It’s worth noting that there’s no internal image stablization on the NEX bodies, so you’ll have to opt for the 18-55mm lens if you want to enjoy the Optical Steady Shot functionality.

Despite the extra sensor real estate, both bodies are impressively compact.
The NEX-5, which has a magnesium alloy body, weighs just 10.1-ounces (with battery and media) and the NEX-3 checks in at 10.5-ounces.

The new NEX-3 and NEX-5, which will be hitting shelves in July.

Nikon Coolpix S8000: slim yet powerful 10X superzoom compact digital camera

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

The Nikon Coolpix S8000 lays claim to the title of the world’s slimmest 10x zoom compact. And while tech is dominated by constant chatter about “world firsts”, this nifty little number is every bit as good as its makers reckon.

The zoom is the real big drawer with the Nikon Coolpix S8000.
Use it in conjunction with the ace macro mode and your shots will be imbued with excellent detail and will let you get close up without any nasty blur around the edge of your pics.

Push the lens wider though and your landscape shots will really look the part. The 30mm shots we took looked vast and rich in detail, perfect if you want cracking pics without investing in something bulkier and pricier.

Elsewhere the Nikon Coolpix S8000 is instilled with the camera maker’s excellent and easy-to-use UI.
Accessing scene modes is straightforward via one button, letting you optimise your shots wherever you are.

Moreover the LCD screen slapped on the back is ace too. At 3-inches and featuring 921k pixel it’s more than ample for viewing your handiwork, although we would have preferred AMOLED in order to get a slightly bigger viewing angle and it’s comparable to higher-level Nikon’s D90!

Nikon Coolpix S8000’s short list of features:

  • Macro shooting from as close as 1 cm (0.4 in.)
  • High-speed performance
  • 16 scene modes for optimized shooting in various settings
  • Scene Auto Selector
  • Subject Tracking
  • Quick Retouch
  • D-Lighting
  • Auto Sort function
  • Approx. 32 MB of internal memory
  • USB charging via Charging AC Adapter EH-68P/EH-68P (AR) or PC
  • HDMI connectivity

The Nikon Coolpix S8000 is available right now at the slim price of US $262.20, so you save $37.75 (that’s 13% off its regular price)!

Fujifilm FinePix Z30: compact, stylish and easy digital camera!

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

The Fujifilm FinePix Z30 may look like a toy, but this fashion-first point-and-shoot camera takes excellent photos.

Boasting a high-resolution 2.7-inch LCD screen, the 10-megapixel FinePix Z30 has a Fujinon 3x optical zoom lens and is designed for ultra-portability, making this the ideal camera for the fashionista on-the-go. Like its predecessor, the Fujifilm Z20, the Fujifilm Z30 can Face it, Blog it and Roll it.

Users can Face It with Fujifilm’s innovative Face Detection Technology with Automatic Red Eye Removal for capturing the ultimate group shots; Blog it with the innovative Blog Mode, making it effortless for social-media-savvy users to post pictures and videos to personal profile pages, blogs and video sharing websites or simply to e-mail to friends; and Roll it with the Successive Movie mode that allows users to create 60 second movie clips.

Starting with the front of the Fujifilm FinePix Z30, a shiny, button-bedecked faceplate protects the lens when the camera is powered off; sliding it to one side turns the camera on. The shutter button and the speaker are the only two items on the top of the camera. A slightly grainy 2.7in-diagonal LCD and 10 rubber buttons handle all of the controls on the back of the FinePix Z30.

The Fujifilm FinePix Z30 is available now for US $76.95 (you save: $73.00 [-49%] ).

A touchy digital camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 with touchscreen - and a deal too!

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

Panasonic’s newest slim and stylish touch-screen digital camera, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 (the successor to DMC-FX500), features 12.1-megapixel resolution, 25mm ultra-wide-angle LEICA DC lens with F2.8 brightness, 5x optical zoom, large 3-inch touch sensitive LCD screen and newly developed Venus Engine V processor that includes twin CPUs to boast approximately 2.4x processing capability.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 may look like Just Another Ultra-Compact Camera, but it has two features that most cameras in its class do not.
The first is a 3-inch touchscreen LCD display.
While many camera manufacturers have touchscreen cameras, the FX580 is somewhat unique in that it doesn’t force you to use the touchscreen for everything — there are “regular” controls too.

Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FX580 features:

  • 12.1 effective megapixel CCD

  • 3-inch LCD screen display (230,000 pixels)
  • 25mm ultra-wide-angle LEICA DC lens with F2.8 brightness and 5x optical zoom
  • New touch-screen interface and conventional operation system with the cursor key for intuitive control
  • Panasonic’s new advanced iA (Intelligent Auto) mode incorporates a system of technologies, including MEGA O.I.S., Intelligent ISO Control, Face Detection, Face Recognition, AF Tracking, Intelligent Exposure and Intelligent Scene Selection
  • Panasonic’s newly developed Venus Engine V processor
  • High sensitivity up to ISO 6400
  • Records High Definition (1280 x 720p) motion images at 30 fps
  • New Panorama Assist scene mode allowing users to shoot a number of consistent photos, either vertically or horizontally, by aligning them according to a guide that overlaps the screen
  • Bundled PanoramaMaker software

The DMC-FX580’s touch-screen is a hybrid operation system combining the new touch-screen interface and a conventional operation system with the cursor key for intuitive control, and it comes in an aluminum body in silver and black colors.

The Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FX580is available now with huge savings for $209.95 - that’s 40% less (you save $140.00)!

Right from PMA2010, Pentax Optio I-10: old-fashioned look plus hi-tech features, sleek and compact!

Friday, March 5th, 2010

The Pentax Optio I10 is an old-fashioned & retro camera from Pentax just announced at PMA 2010.
The Pentax Optio I10 comes with a 12.1 megapixel CCD sensor and a 5x optical zoom. This old-Fashion Point-and-shoot camera has up to 6400 ISO sensitivity, gyro-based image stabilizer and features an HD Video recording in 1280×720 resolutions. Integrated with a 2.7-inch LCD display, a 26.7MB internal memory, and expandable with SD/SDHC memory card. Other features a Pet Detection mode and Face Detection. Measuring 100.5×65×28 mm and weight 153g. The Pentax Optio I-10 is available in white and black colors.

Retro look but plenty of features!

SLR-inspired design
The nostalgic, eye-catching design of the Optio I-10 resembles classic film SLR cameras. Pentax positioned the flash unit and speaker in the upper mid-section of the camera body to create this original SLR-shaped body, and the leatherette texture and classic 20th century Pentax logo add elegance to the camera design.

Optical 5x wide angle to telephoto zoom lens
The Optio I-10 features an optical 5x zoom lens that covers focal lengths from 5.1mm to 25.5mm (equivalent in the 35mm format to approximately 28mm wide angle to 140mm telephoto). This wide zoom range allows the Optio I-10 to capture a wide variety of subjects and scenes from breathtaking landscapes, majestic architecture and group shots in a confined space, to tightly cropped photos shot from a distance. An Intelligent Zoom function allows even tighter zoom on subjects and extends the digital zoom range to approximately 31.3x.

12.1 effective megapixels for exceptional image quality
With 12.1 effective megapixels, a high-performance imaging engine, and the camera’s high performance Pentax zoom lens, the Optio I-10 delivers brilliant, high quality images with well-defined details. Even when enlarged, the images deliver sharp, high-resolution prints with edge-to-edge sharpness.

Improved Face Detection recognizes dogs and cats
The Optio I-10 features an improved Face Detection AF & AE function that detects up to 32 faces in the image field and captures them all in sharp focus with optimal exposure in just 0.03 seconds. This upgraded Face Detection technology now allows users to adjust the camera to detect dogs and cats. Users may program the camera to automatically release the shutter the moment the subject faces the camera, which is especially helpful for pet photography.

The Pentax Optio I10 sports triple anti-shake protection

CCD-shift-type SR mechanism
The Optio I-10 incorporates an advanced CCD-shift-type Shake Reduction (SR) mechanism that compensates for camera shake by shifting the camera’s image sensor (CCD) horizontally and vertically in relation to the amount of shake detected by the high-accuracy gyro sensor. This offers outstanding camera-shake compensation equivalent to up to 2.5 shutter steps even when shooting telephoto or in lowlight settings such as sunsets or indoors.

The Pentax Optio I10 is available now for US $274.36.

Kodak announces the new Kodak Z981 Superzoom: 14mp and 26X optical zoom along with PASM control, RAW and vertical grip

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Kodak is back with the brand new Kodak Z981 superzoom compact digital camera one year after the announcement of the Z980 super-zoom at CES 2009.

The model name “advances” by just +1, but the camera actually jumps to a 14mp sensor and 26X zoom ratio, up from 12mp and 24X.

The lens is also Schneider-branded, f2.6-f5, and has a 26-676mm equivalent focal range, enough for most photo-amateurs, along with image stabilization.

The Kodak Z981 sports a really useful vertical shutter button and a detachable vertical (non-battery) grip.

On the plus side, the camera has RAW capture and PASM which is short for Program, Aperture and Shutter priority, and Manual exposure: that means that Pro-oriented photographers will get their teeth on Pro-features and a less than 0.2 second click-to-capture specification.

Other features include a huge 3-inch display and (as required by 2010 standards!) one-touch upload to popular web-services (flickr, youtube, facebook, etc).

The Kodak Z981 takes four AA batteries, and Kodak actually includes four of the pre-charged (presumably LSD) types. This is a nice touch for AA cameras.

The Kodak Z981 is available for pre-order now at Amazon for $330.

Panasonic Lumix GF1: micro gear, great photographic power!

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 is the lastest member of the Micro Four Thirds family. But before Micro Four Thirds, there was Four Thirds. With Olympus having produced relatively small film SLRs since at least the early 1970s, it was probably no surprise that they would partner with Kodak to introduce the Four Thirds System standard (with its sub APS-C sized sensor) as they prepared to move into the digital age. The smaller sensor helped the company produce diminutive DSLRs that carried on the Olympus tradition.

Sensor resolution is 12.1 megapixels and there are full manual and auto controls, plus a palette of user-established settings that rival DSLRs in number and scope. You can shoot in RAW if you choose, or RAW/JPEG combinations, and there’s 1280×720 HD video in AVCHD Lite (which is more memory efficient than Motion JPEG) or Motion JPEG formats.

The GF1 is undoubtedly smaller than its big brothers, the G1 and GH1, but it’s not quite as tiny as Panasonic might lead you to believe. Measuring 119 x 71 x 36.3mm and weighing 285g without a lens attached, it’s just a little smaller and 50g lighter than the very similar Olympus E-P1 camera. Instead of a traditional DSLR hand-grip, the DMC-GF1 has a slightly raised vertical area on the front-right which isn’t big or pronounced enough to be of much assistance. The rubberized thumb-rest on the rear is a lot more useful.

Because of space considerations inherent in the Micro Four Thirds System, a 3.0 inch LCD monitor operating in Live View is the only means of image composition and framing for capture.

If you don’t want to use the LCD screen for composition, an optional electronic external viewfinder is also available, the Panasonic DMW-LVF1 (priced at $199.95), which slots into the external flash hotshoe on top of the camera. The GF1 can record 1280 x 720 high-definition video in the AVCHD Lite or Motion JPEG formats, and it can focus in just 0.3 seconds via its contrast auto-focusing system.

The camera uses SD/SDHC memory media, and Panasonic includes a battery charger/AC adapter, battery pack, body cap, AV cable, USB connection cable, AC cable, DC cable, shoulder strap and CD-ROM software with each camera.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 is available in four colours, black, red, silver and white, either body only (£570) or in two different kits, one with the new LUMIX G 20mm/F1.7 ASPH pancake lens, and the other with the existing 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. zoom lens: starting from US $ 866,95!

Polaroid PoGo Camera and Mobile Printer: instant print, everywhere you are, anytime!

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

People are still lamenting the passing of Polaroid Instant Film into history, but thanks to technology featured in its tiny Polaroid PoGo Instant Mobile Printer launched in 2008, the company is offering a new shoot-and-print option: the Polaroid CZA-05300B PoGo Instant Digital Camera.

The camera, which has a certain retro boxiness to it, is pretty big in comparison to most point-and-shoots with its camera specs. The 7-megapixel camera/printer measures 4.7 inches wide by 3 inches high by 1.3 inches deep and weighs 10 ounces–without paper, battery, or SD card. Keep in mind though: the original instant-print cameras didn’t fit in a coat pocket, but this one does!
There’s a 3-inch LCD on back and controls are simple; there’s even a 4X digital zoom that overcomes the lack of an optical zoom, due to space constraints.

The Polaroid CZA-05300B PoGo Instant Digital Camera uses Polaroid’s Zink (zero ink) 2-by-3-inch paper.

ZINK stands for Zero Ink - a new and simpler approach to printing where high quality, colorful, durable and affordable prints are magically created — all without a drop of ink. The ZINK Technology, invented by ZINK Imaging, encompasses both the ZINK Paper and the intelligence embedded in every ZINK-enabled device. Over 100 patents and patents pending were generated in the development of this breakthrough technology.

The heart of this new “ZINK” category of printing is the ZINK Paper. The patented ZINK Paper is an advanced composite material with embedded yellow, magenta and cyan dye crystals, activated with 200 million heat pulses, in 30 seconds, in a single pass. With 100 billion crystals in a 2 x 3-inch print, the paper is 100-percent inkless. A ZINK-enabled printer uses heat to activate and colorize these crystals. Because there is no ink, every ZINK-enabled device has the unique benefits of being small, simple, elegant, and eco-friendly.

Polaroid is leveraging the ZINK Technology to bring a new family of digital instant products to the marketplace. The Polaroid Digital Instant Mobile Photo Printer is the first ZINK-enabled device available.

The LCD simply pops up, you insert a deck of 10 sheets, and you’re ready to go.

Shoot something you want to print & share? Hit the Print button on back, pick the photo, and press OK.

In less than a minute you have a print, it’s that simple!

Get the Polaroid CZA-05300B PoGo Instant Digital Camera now! It’s available for US $239.99!

If you just need a mobile printer that’s so easy to use and to carry around look no further than the Polaroid CZA-10011B PoGo Instant Mobile Printer!

The same technology of the PoGo Instant Digital Camera in an even smaller package! The Polaroid printer can do magic for your digital camera or camera phone, see how!

With a Camera Phone: The Polaroid CZA-10011B PoGo Printer is the easiest way to print photos from a camera phone. Wirelessly transfer images from a Bluetooth-enabled camera phone to the Mobile Printer and print instantly. Using the built-in OBEX (object exchange profile) Bluetooth in the phone and the printer, connecting and printing becomes instant.

With a Digital Camera: Instantly printing images from a digital camera is as easy as connecting the USB cable to the PictBridge-enabled camera and printer. Once connected, follow the PictBridge screen on the camera display. Simply select what image to send to the printer and within 60 seconds, the print is ready to be shared.

The Polaroid CZA-10011B PoGo Printer is available now for just US $41.95 - so you can save up to 16%!).

Canon PowerShot S90IS: a digital compact camera that’s a gift on its own class

Friday, December 18th, 2009

The Canon S90IS employs a newly developed, 10-megapixel High Sensitivity System by combining a powerful CCD sensor and Canon’s DIGIC 4 Image Processor. Thanks to this technological advancement, the S90 is dramatically more sensitive than cameras with identical megapixel counts, and delivers spectacular images with minimal noise. Increased sensitivity demands a higher ISO speed, and the PowerShot S90 delivers with a new maximum setting of ISO 3,200. Blur and camera shake are notably reduced for the ultimate in sharpness and clarity.

In addition, a new Low Light mode lets you capture images in an astonishing range of conditions.
The Canon S90IS automatically adjusts the ISO speed from ISO 320 to ISO 12,800 in relation to ambient brightness, subject movement and camera shake.

The Canon S90IS’s tag price is somehow more than most point-and-shoots cost in this day and age.
But the amount of picture power this literally slips into your pocket is almost unbelievable: Outstanding low-light performance for a camera this size; a speedy lens; full control rings, plural; and yep, RAW.
It’s the soul of what makes the $500 behemoth G11 great, packaged in a true point-and-shoot.
You lose some power and some pro tools, like the swivel screen, a (shitty) viewfinder, faster burst shooting, hot shoe, some zoom and a custom mode or two, but you’re also shedding a ton of bulk, meaning you’ll actually take it everywhere.
And the best camera’s always the one you have with you - for me, that’s this camera, which just happens to be an excellent one all by itself.

Canon S90IS is available now for US $ 399.00!

Fujifilm FinePix Z30: a 10 MP ultra-compact camera keen on fashion - and a gift that’s bargain-priced too!

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

The Fujifilm FinePix Z30 is a very compact, fairly inexpensive, 10-megapixel point-and-shoot that’s loaded with automatic controls, playback effects, continuous shooting features, and numerous self-timer modes.
It also has a 3x optical zoom and a fairly unique style that should generate significant buzz.

The Fujifilm FinePix Z30 packs a 10-megapixel resolution and a 3x optical zoom into a very tiny body.
The camera is available in pink, purple, orange, black, and white and should be available soon for around $180. On the floor at PMA we spent most of our time with the orange model, as shown throughout this review.
The Fujifilm FinePix Z30 isa true stylish device and its design makes it an exciting, fashionable piece of technology.

The Fujifilm FinePix Z30 tag price as appealing as well: US $ 79.99 (and that’s 47% off its regular price!!!)






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