Digitalcameras -- Engadget

Sony readying CyberShot DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 cameras?

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 3rd 2009 at 3:18PM

It was only a few months ago that we were fielding rumors about Sony's CyberShot DSC-HX1, and now we're struggling to keep our credit card at bay each time we waltz by one in the local camera shop. Today, Sony Insider has pointed out that the outfit may be readying a new duo to complement the megazoom: the DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1. If the latest whispers prove legitimate, the TX1 will boast a 10 megapixel sensor, 4x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, 720p movie mode and a price tag somewhere south of $400. The WX1 should check in as a lower-end model with 10 megapixels, a 5x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD and the same 720p movie mode; why exactly it'll be cheaper we're not sure, but that's the good word at the moment. E-tailer Provantage already has listings for both cameras up, so it seems as if it's just a matter of time before Sony confirms all the good news.

[Via Sony Insider]

Thanko's Spy Button video camera, because you've already failed

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jul 2nd 2009 at 4:36AM

So what if Thanko's ¥5,980 (about $62) Spy Button Camera doesn't look exactly like the other buttons on your shirt. Anyone inclined to wear such a device to covertly record VGA video at 15fps (or 1280x1024 stills) to 4GB of internal memory isn't likely to get noticed in a crowd anyway. At least the magnetic on/off switch gives renewed purpose to your wedding ring while offering evidence of your continued poor decision making skills. Just be sure to bring your inhaler to keep your breathless excitement in check.

[Via Akihabara News]

Olympus E-P1 hands-on, test shots, and mini-review

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Jul 1st 2009 at 2:19PM

It goes without saying that we've been pretty excited about the Olympus E-P1 (or "digital Pen") since we first laid eyes on the prototype the company was showing off. The Micro Four Thirds camera just seems to breed gadget lust amongst the staff, combining the best of modern tech with a throwback retro style that is somewhat irresistible. Of course, no one wants to drop $800 on a digicam unless it's actually capable of taking a decent shot -- so we thought we'd put the E-P1 through some basic paces to see if this guy is worth unloading nearly a grand on. Read on for some of our first impressions and observations.

Gallery: Olympus E-P1 hands-on

Continue reading Olympus E-P1 hands-on, test shots, and mini-review

Energizer USB clip to charge camcorder / DSLR batteries via USB

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 1st 2009 at 9:56AM

Energizer's Energi To Go catalog just keeps getting sweeter. After introducing a new range of XPAL battery chargers last month, the company is evidently gearing up to reveal what's likely to be its most convenient and altogether useful product yet. The USB clip you see above is designed to make contact with DSLR and camcorder batteries and provide juice via USB; in other words, it's like a portable, highly mobile DSLR battery charger. OhGizmo points out that you may need one of Energizer's USB-equipped battery packs to charge up the 7.4V cells, but at least we're still talking about a non-proprietary charging connector. Per usual, there's no mention of dollars and cents, but hopefully it'll be rolled out for less than a song here soon.

[Via OhGizmo]

Pentax K-7 review roundup

by Vladislav Savov, posted Jul 1st 2009 at 12:27AM

We've been nothing if not comprehensive in our coverage of this new Pentax shooter, and early reviews are showing why. Photography Blog praised the K-7 for its weatherproofing and for having "one of the best LCD screens" they've ever seen on a DSLR, while ePHOTOzine were impressed by the image quality and Wired found the package of features and specs exceedingly robust given the $1,300 asking price. Some shortcomings were found, such as the slightly unintuitive interface and noise levels at higher ISO settings, but impressions were overwhelmingly positive. If you've been looking for a solid alternative to Canon's 50D or Nikon's D300, check out all the thoroughly detailed analysis in the read links below.

Read - Photography Blog
Read - Wired
Read - ePHOTOzine

VholdR ContourHD wearable HD camcorder hands-on and impressions

by Tim Stevens, posted Jun 30th 2009 at 2:12PM

VholdR ContourHD hands-on and impressions

We've been toying with a VholdR ContourHD helmet cam for a few weeks now, seeing how well it blends in with our adrenaline-fueled lifestyle. We've mounted it on various helmets, tried it with some moderately extreme endeavors, and, now that we've had a chance to refill our asthma inhalers, we thought we'd share a few of those adventures and give our impressions of this helmet-mounted HD shooter.

Gallery: ContourHD unboxing and hands-on

Continue reading VholdR ContourHD wearable HD camcorder hands-on and impressions

Nikon D3000, D300s images materialize

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 30th 2009 at 12:37AM

What's this? An as of yet unannounced Nikon D3000 camera has allegedly popped up in press photo format, flaunting itself as what appears to be a slimmed down entry level DSLR. The gang LensTip have analyzed the pic pretty thoroughly against the D5000 and have concluded it's got a smaller body, no HDMI connector, no microphone (so much for a movie mode), and likely no articulating display. Additionally, we've got from Nikon Rumors what's purported to be our first glimpse at the D300s body. Given the angle of the shot, the only difference we can spot is the inclusion of a microphone -- then again, it could just be some subtle image manipulation trickery from a rabid fan. See it and decide for yourself after the break.

[Via Electronista]

Read - Nikon D3000 is coming
Read - Another Nikon D300s picture

Continue reading Nikon D3000, D300s images materialize

AgfaPhoto rolls out rugged, waterproof DV-600uw camera

by Donald Melanson, posted Jun 29th 2009 at 11:31PM

AgfaPhoto's new DV-600uw rugged camera may not be quite as stylish as Pentax's latest ruggedized offering, but it looks like it has it beat where it counts, with it able to handle submersion in water up to 33 feet deep (compared to the Pentax's 16 feet), and hold up to the usual drops, dust, and dirt for good measure. Unfortunately, things are a bit less impressive when it comes to the core camera specs, with this one packing just 6-megapixels, no optical zoom, and a plain old VGA movie mode instead of 720p -- not to mention just one choice of color. If that extra ruggedness makes the difference for you, however, you can pick this one up right now for $199.

[Via Electronista]

Olympus PEN E-P1 production unit unboxed, we shudder with jealousy

by Paul Miller, posted Jun 28th 2009 at 8:20AM

Some jerk in the UK went and bought an Olympus PEN E-P1 camera from a store and had to go home and tell the whole internet about it. They even bothered to shoot an unboxing of the little Micro Four Thirds wonder, like we would care.

Sony T90 point-and-shoot gets reviewed, liked

by Vladislav Savov, posted Jun 26th 2009 at 7:29AM

In an already overpopulated compact camera market, the Cyber-shot T90 solicits attention with a 16:9 touch-screen LCD and a sliding lens shield. The lads over at PC Mag grabbed one of these Sony shooters for an in-depth prodding and poking session to determine whether the external appeal of the camera is backed up by solid technology under the hood. Praise was meted out for image sharpness and 720p video recording, though battery life was found disappointing. For their full impressions, test results and an exhaustive spec sheet, hit the read link.

Samsung's 12 megapixel M8910 Pixon12 cellphone tries to make your camera obsolete

by Tim Stevens, posted Jun 26th 2009 at 6:58AM

Samsung's 12 megapixel M8910 Pixion12 cellphone tries to make your camera obsolete

Yes, folks, that day you've been so eagerly awaiting is nearly here. Soon you won't have to suffer the agony of pixel envy on your cellphones thanks to Samsung's M8910 Pixon12 and its whopping 12 megapixel sensor, capturing light through a 28mm wide-angle lens like that in the Nokia N86 (which has a miserly eight megapixels on tap). Sammy's handset has been put through its paces ahead of release, stacked up against the likes of a Canon A620 and a 350D SLR. The phone does quite well, producing images as good or better than its compact competition, but we're not quite sure we agree with the assessment that it "can reach the detail resolved by a true DSLR" -- at least, not in this batch of images. We want to believe, though, we really do; those SLRs are heavy, and we're not a particularly strong bunch.

Canon PowerShot D10 review

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 25th 2009 at 1:00PM

For the longest while, your options were highly limited in the waterproof / rugged point-and-shoot arena. In fact, it was arguably better to just buy a standard P&S camera and a waterproof casing for said camera than to worry over any of the standalone waterproof alternatives. When Canon introduced its PowerShot D10 earlier this year, we immediately noticed that this waterproof shooter was quite unlike the models before it. Outside of a somewhat bulbous casing, it didn't look drastically different than some of the thicker, non-waterproof options out there. Not to mention the respectable 12.1 megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom and ten meter waterproof rating. Needless to say, we couldn't resist the opportunity to grab this bugger and test it out for a week along the shores of Playa Tamarindo in Costa Rica and Lago Cocibolca in Nicaragua, so follow us past the break to find out if this cam is the perfect accessory for your upcoming beach holiday.

Gallery: Canon PowerShot D10 hands-on

Continue reading Canon PowerShot D10 review

Panasonic starts locking out third-party batteries with new firmware

by Donald Melanson, posted Jun 25th 2009 at 11:47AM

Kodak's already taken some steps to cut down on counterfeiting of its batteries, and it looks like Panasonic is now taking some fairly drastic measures of it own, which could leave some users of its cameras a tad unhappy. Apparently, the company has determined that some third-party batteries amazingly don't meet its own rigid safety standards, so it's now released a new firmware update that can detect said batteries and prevent them from working. At the moment, that only includes cameras that use DMW-BCF10, DMW-BCG10, or DMW-BLB13 battery packs (some sixteen cameras in all), but it seems safe to assume that this'll soon be standard practice on all Panasonic cameras.

[Via Slashdot]

Pentax's Optio W80 point-and-shoot shrugs off water, haters

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 24th 2009 at 6:00PM

While Canon's PowerShot D10 has been hogging the spotlight in the waterproof point-and-shoot arena, Pentax is dropping in a formidable opponent this evening with the Optio W80. Said shooter measures in at just one inch thick and features a 12.1 megapixel sensor, a 5x internal optical zoom, a wide-angle 28mm lens and a SuperProtect coating that helps repel water, grime and finger marks from the len's crystal cover. The chassis is built to handle submersion in water up to 16 feet deep, not to mention extreme cold, dust and drops of one meter or less. There's also a 2.5-inch rear LCD, a 720p movie mode, face detection and shake reduction. It's slated to ship next month for $299.95; now you've just got to decide between Cardinal Red, Azure Blue and Gunmetal Gray. Tough call, right? The full release is just past the break.

Gallery: Pentax's Optio W80 point-and-shoot shugs off water, haters

Continue reading Pentax's Optio W80 point-and-shoot shrugs off water, haters

RCA's EZ209HD Small Wonder HD camcorder ships to retailers

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 24th 2009 at 5:22PM

It may lack the buzz factor of a Flip Video unit, but RCA's delightfully bantam Small Wonder HD camcorder is apt to provide just as much enjoyment without attracting loads of paparazzi. First announced at CES this year, the EZ209HD captures clips at 1,280 x 720 (H.264) and checks in at around 0.5-inches thick. It's shipping out now to retailers across the nation for under a Benjamin, but you should probably include a 16GB SDHC card in your budget plans. You know, just in case you plan on shooting for longer than the 2.85 seconds allowed by the 256MB of internal memory.