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KrisWood_29092012_Lubitel166_001 © Kris Doubleyou

Samsung EX2F Smart Camera Available Today for Lower Than Anticipated Price

Samsung announced today that their new EX2F Wi-Fi enabled Smart camera is now available nationwide for $499.99 ($50 less than the anticipated retail price when the camera was announced in early September). The compact EX2F offers full manual control, an f/1.4 24mm wide-angle lens, a 1/1.7-inch 12-megapixel BSI CMOS image sensor, and a 3-inch Swivel AMOLED display. With Wi-Fi connectivity, photographers can instantly share their shots via email or social networking directly from the camera. Users can also use the Remote Viewfinder app to frame shots on a smartphone or tablet’s screen.

(Samsung)

Sony Action Cam Packs Rugged Power into a Tiny, Wearable Package

Sony's new Action Cam has jumped into the market with a big splash (action sports pun intended), and it can't be making GoPro very happy. The tiny (3 oz, with battery), wearable Sony Action Cam---boring technical name: HDR-AS10---lets you capture point-of-view shots while you surf, mountain bike, or engage in pretty much any activity during which you want to show off your skills.

The camera ships with a rechargeable battery, adhesive mounts, and a ruggedized waterproof case that will let you take it down to 197 feet---so you can snap diving shots as well. And the good news is, you'll be doing more than "snap," because the sleek-looking Action Cam features a 16-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, a 170-degree field-of-view Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, and records full HD video (1920 x 1080, 30p) and "HD SLOW video" (2x at 1280 x 720, 60p; 4x at 1280 x 720, 120p) so that you can study the form of your snowboard jumps or just plain look cool in slow motion. It also features Interval Still Recording mode and, soon, Sony will release additional mounting accessories, like a waterproof head mount kit, a handlebar mount, and a suction cup to make the shooting experience even more extreme.

Action Cam will be available this month for $199.99 or $269.99 with Wi-Fi.

(Sony)

EOS M: At Last, Canon Announces Compact Mirrorless Camera

The last of the major camera makers to unveil a mirrorless camera, Canon today announced the compact interchangeable lens (ILC) EOS M. With an 18-megapixel APS-C size CMOS image sensor (familiar to Canon DSLRs) and a Powershot-size body, the EOS M is both recognizable and entirely new to Canon shooters.

The first Canon ILC to abandon the mirror box, the EOS M operates with an entirely new lens system, designed specifically for this format. So far the system includes two lenses---the EF-M 22mm f/2.0 STM kit lens and the EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, and, fortunately, with a mount adapter the camera can also use any Canon EF and EF-S lens. The EOS M features an ISO range of 100-12800 (expandable to 25600 in H mode) for stills and ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800 in H mode) for video. It uses the Movie Servo continuous AF function for shooting video that was first unveiled with the Canon T4i DSLR, which allows you to lock focus on subjects as you pan around a scene or track a single, moving subject and keep it in focus. The camera also features a 1,040,000 dots smudge resistant, 3-inch touchscreen LCD with pinch-to-zoom and swipe scroll controls.

The Canon EOS M---with the new EF-M 22mm f/2.0 STM kit lens---will be available in October for $799.99, and the EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens will be available at the same time for $299.99.

(Canon)

Panasonic Announces Lumix G5 Micro Four Thirds Camera with Touch AF

Panasonic has announced the latest in their Lumix G lineup of mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras---the Lumix DMC-G5. Among the updates from the G5's predecessor, the G3, is a 920,000 dot resolution, 3-inch, rotating rear LCD, which is equipped with a new Touch AF function that let's you set the focus on any point in the framed shot with a swipe of your finger. The camera also has an electronic viewfinder (EVF) that offers 100% field of view as well as a new Electronic Shutter mode for silent operation in quiet places. The 16-megapixel G5 also shoots full HD video and records to MP4 format, and the Touch AF function also works during video capture.

Though dates haven't been released, we know that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 will be available with a body color of either black, white or silver in various kit options. Currently, the G3 is listed at $599.99 (body only).

(Panasonic)

Polaroid Announces the Zero Ink Z2300 Instant Digital Camera and a Free Giveaway

Polaroid has just announced the new Z2300, the latest offering in the company's instant digital camera lineup. The 10-megapixel Z2300 features a 3-inch LCD screen and an integrated printer with Zero Ink ("ZINK") Technology that lets you capture, edit and print full color, 2x3-inch prints in under a minute. Here's how the ZINK Technology works: "The patented ZINK Paper® is an advanced composite material with cyan, yellow, and magenta dye crystals embedded inside. Before printing, the embedded dye crystals are clear, so the ZINK Paper looks like regular white photo paper. The Z2300 uses heat to activate and colorize these crystals, delivering clear, vibrant prints in less than a minute...The ZINK prints emerge fully developed and protected by a smudge-proof, water-resistant coating." Neat. And there are a couple of printing style choices, including the iconic Polaroid Classic Border Logo or full bleed and contemporary 2x3-inch photos with a sticky back.

The Polaroid Z2300 camera is available for pre-order now for $159.99, with 50-packs of 2x3 premium ZINK Paper retailing for $24.99 and 30-sheet packs retailing for $14.99. Polaroid is also hosting a giveaway to allow fans the chance to get a free Z2300 before they hit shelves. Check out the sweepstakes rules at www.facebook.com/Polaroid.

(Polaroid)

1923 Leica is the World's Most Expensive Camera

Last week, Edvard Munch's "The Scream" became the most expensive work of art ever to sell at auction when it was sold at Sotheby's for $119.9 million. Yesterday, we were exposed (photography pun alert!) to the world's most expensive camera. Purchased by an anonymous European buyer, the above pictured 1923 0-series Leica (one of the first 31 cameras ever produced by Leica) went for a whopping $2.8 million. And we thought the Leica Hermés camera was pricey!

(tecca) (image via Westlicht Photographica Auction)

Knäppa: IKEA's Cardboard Camera is... "Easy to Use"

During the Salone del Mobile furniture design fair in Milan, IKEA introduced one new PS product that requires no Flatpack and no sheet of adorably-illustrated instructions. Because it's a camera---a cardboard camera. Designed by Jesper Kouthoofd the Knäppa camera is about as low-tech a product announcement as we've seen in a decade. IKEA gets that; their promotional video (see below) is both instructional and tongue-in-cheek in tone. "It's very easy to use," says Kouthoofd, with a sly smile.

What about features? Well, the camera comes with a zoom function that works like this:

As the designer said, it's easy to use. Be sure to check out the "advanced image stabilization feature" in the promo video.

Of course, the point of the Knäppa is not so that IKEA can compete with Canon, Nikon, and the like. (See above zoom feature for reassurance.) "I think design belongs in real homes," says Kouthoofd, "and to prove this we made a camera [as] a link between the PS design and you." You see, the whole point of the camera is to use it to shoot pictures of your (preferably IKEA'd-out) home. You are then encouraged to upload those shots to the PS AT HOME website, where others have also shared images of their IKEA PS furniture. Rumor has it, the Knäppa will be given away to customers who buy new PS products or available for sale only at select stores.

http://youtu.be/XZTQ60EBRDo

(top image via IKEA Hackers; others via IKEA)

New BlackBerry Camera Allows for Photo Editing by Time Travel

The camera being developed for the new Blackberry 10, which was introduced at last week's Blackberry World conference, will feature a Lytro-like "living pictures" element. In the same way that Lytro's light field camera flipped the idea of what a photograph is on its head, the Blackberry camera will also disprove the notion that a photograph is a documentation of a single moment in time. But it will go about this in a different way than Lytro does. With the Blackberry camera, a blunder in the capture (like, say, someone blinking) can be overridden by moving either backward or forward in time to a point at which that element of the shot is just how you want it.

Not following? That's because time travel is complex. Check out this video of RIM's Vivek Bhardwaj playing with the technology:

http://youtu.be/hF2cLwPHaNY

(The Atlantic)

Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS Camera was Made for Durability and Performance

Olympus today announced the latest offering in their longstanding tradition of waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, crushproof and dustproof compact cameras---the Tough TG-1 iHS. Built for durability, the TG-1 iHS is being billed as the toughest Tough model to date; it's waterproof down to 40 feet, shockproof from drops of 6.6 feet or less, freezeproof down to 14 degrees (Fahrenheit), and can withstand being crushed under up to 220 pounds of weight. It features a 25-100mm, f/2.0-4.9 4x zoom lens, and with an available adapter ring ($19.99) you can add a waterproof fisheye ($119.99) or telephoto ($109.99) attachment.

The Tough TG-1 iHS is priced at $399.99, and while the camera body is rugged, a full underwater housing accessory will also be available for $309.99 in July.

(Olympus)

Canon Announces EOS 60Da DSLR for Astrophotography

Canon announced today the EOS 60Da DSLR. Not to be confused with the Canon 60D (reviewed here), the 60Da is "optimized for astrophotography." It offers a modified infrared filter and a low-noise sensor with heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity. These modifications, according to Canon, allow the camera to capture photographs of "red hydrogen emission" nebulae and other cosmic phenomena. In other words, it's built for those shooting in a specialized field.

While this isn't a mainstream image maker, we can't help but be fascinated (is "star struck" too horrible a pun?) by the camera. One Canon exec says, "This new camera enables an accurate depiction of a part of our solar system which is hard to achieve with conventional cameras but should be enjoyed and celebrated." It features a 1,040,000 dots 3-inch Clear View LCD screen and ISO speeds up to 6400 expandable to 12800. Oh, and "The improved infrared-blocking filter is a modification suited specifically toward astronomy enthusiasts to achieve a hydrogen-alpha light sensitivity that is approximately three times higher than that of a normal Canon DSLR camera. This produces a 20-percent higher transmittance of Hydrogen Alpha line, or H α wavelength, allowing astronomers to capture crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae."

Should astrophotography be your thing, the Canon EOS 60Da will be available starting this month from select dealers for an estimated $1,499.00.

(Canon)

Pentax Announces Rugged and Compact Optio WG-2 Camera

Pentax has just announced the latest in their longstanding lineup of rugged compact cameras. The WG-2 is waterproof (to 40 feet), dustproof and shockproof (from drops up to five feet), and it features a a 16-megapixel backlit CMOS image sensor.It also shoots full HD (1080p) video. It also features a 3-inch 460K dots LCD and a 5-25mm 5x optical zoom lens.

The Pentax WG-2 will be available in March for $349.95, while a GPS model, the WG-2 GPS, will be priced at $399.95.

(Pentax)

Nikon Announces 36.3MP D800 DSLR

click thumbnails to enlarge

Nikon has announced the D800 "HD-SLR," which features a 36.3-megapixel full-frame (FX) CMOS image sensor---meaning you can make enormous prints of your high resolution (7360x4912-pixel) captures. Like its (chronological at least) predecessor, 2008's D700, the D800 has a more compact body size than a big gun like the D4, but its price and emphasis on super high resolution output seems to narrow its market to buyers like studio and wedding photographers who are most interested in print work rather than a broader class of photo enthusiasts looking to step up to a mid-range DSLR for travel and personal photo capture purposes. This is probably why Nikon is going to continue selling the D700 alongside its successor and at nearly the same price.

At $2,999.95, the D800 boasts the same 3.2-inch 921K dot LCD screen as the flagship D4 and its viewfinder offers 100% frame coverage (as compared to the D700's 95%). For low-light capture, it has an ISO range of 100-6400, expandable to 50 (Lo-1)-25,600 (Hi-2), with the only upgrade to the D700 here being on the low end of the range (50 versus 100). The upgraded video capabilities are what have compelled Nikon to market the camera as an "HD-SLR"; the D800 shoots video at various resolutions and frame rates, including full HD 1080 at 30/24p and HD 720 at 60/30p. Additionally, as Nikon says, "For professional and broadcast applications that call for outboard digital recorders or external monitors, users can stream an uncompressed full HD signal directly out of the camera via the HDMI port (8 bit, 4:2:2)." Below is a test video shot by filmmaker Sandro with the D800.

http://vimeo.com/36305675

The Nikon D800 will be available in late March for $2,999.95 (body only), and a supplementary model---D800E, which "treads in medium format territory for studio work or landscape photography" as it "enhances the resolution characteristics of the 36.3-megapixel CMOS sensor by cancelling the anti-aliasing properties of the OLPF inside the camera"---will be available in mid-April for $3,299.95.

(Nikon)

Panasonic Announces 20x Zoom LUMIX DMC-ZS20 Camera with Built-In GPS

Panasonic has announced the the LUMIX DMC-ZS20, the "world's slimmest" 20x digital camera. Featuring a 24mm wide angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens, the 14.1-megapixel LUMiX ZS20 geotags captured shots with a built-in GPS functionality that features detailed map information (country, state, city, nearby landmarks). The camera also features burst shooting at 10fps and records full 1080p HD video.

The LUMIX DMC-ZS20 will be available in March for $349.99.

(Panasonic)

Ricoh Announces Newly Developed Fifth Camera Unit in the GXR System

Ricoh today announced the RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5, which is a newly developed unit for the company's unique GXR interchangeable unit camera system. First launched in 2009, Ricoh explains the system as such: "the GXR is a revolutionary interchangeable unit camera system in which lenses can be changed by mounting camera units that integrate lens, image sensor, and image processing engine into a single unit."

The newly developed 24-85mm wide angle zoom lens with an APS-C size 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor features nine rounded aperture blades so you can capture beautiful bokeh; an ISO bracketing function so you can shoot three simultaneous images with three different ISO sensitivities; and a feature that allows copyright information such as the photographer’s name to be entered and written to the image Exif data. More from Ricoh here.

(Ricoh)

Pentax Announces K-01 Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera

Pentax today announced the K-01 interchangeable lens camera. Right off the bat it's worth noting that unlike other manufacturers' forays into the compact ICL system market (and there are now several, many of whom are years ahead of Pentax in this genre), the Pentax K-01 is compatible with Pentax K-mount lenses, which means that your arsenal of K-mount lenses won't be rendered useless if you get into the new system. This feels like a classic Pentax move to me; they've always seemed most interested in offering loyal shooters the best ways in which to capture the world, frame by frame. That being said, the camera does come in a kit option with the new Pentax DA 40mm F/2.8 XS "unofficial" interchangeable standard lens, which Pentax claims is now the world's thinnest interchangeable lens.

The K-01 also looks quite different than other cameras in its genre. Having been designed by acclaimed London-based designer, Marc Newson, it features an eye-catching pop of yellow on its bubbly little body. (If the bold yellow is too much for you, the camera also comes in black or white.) Pentax is calling the camera more than a photographer's tool; it's also a design object. And while this particular aesthetic might not be my favorite, the design junkie in me can definitely appreciate the collaboration.

But what matters most is the guts of the camera, because it needs to take inspiring photos, not just look interesting hanging from your neck. The K-01 features a 16-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS image sensor, a 3-inch 920K dot LCD display, an ISO range of 100-25600, and shoots full 1080p HD video.

The K-01 will be available in March for $749.95 (body only) or $899.95 (with DA 40mm XS).

(PENTAX)

Survey Reveals that Digital Camera Use is Down, Mobile Device Capture is Up

Photobucket today released the results of a survey taken over the 2011 holiday season that reveals a downward trend in digital camera capture. "Only 64% reported use of digital cameras for capturing the majority of their images throughout the season, down from 82 percent in the 2010 holiday survey," Photobucket reports. The trend translates to video capture as well, with 80% reporting they shot video on a mobile device at least once and half of those people saying they used a mobile device to record video daily or multiple times per day during the survey period.

In other words, unsurprisingly, people are becoming more and more dependent on iPhones and the like, rather than dedicated photo gear, to capture daily life. Of course this wasn't necessarily a survey of photography enthusiasts whose interests lie only in producing the best images, but rather, more likely, it reflects the habits of those concerned with capturing images most conveniently. Clearly, though, any of us could report from anecdotal evidence that among hobbyists and novices alike it is increasingly the custom to make use of both formats, depending on the shooting situation.

What about you? Do you find yourself using a camera phone most often for daily capture, or do you hold fast to the dedicated digital camera for all your shooting?

(Photobucket)

9to5mac Reports that Steve Jobs was Looking into Lytro Camera Technology for iPhones

9to5mac is reporting that shortly before he passed away Steve Jobs met with Lytro CEO Ren Ng to discuss cameras, product design, and the ways in which he might apply Lytro's groundbreaking light field technology into a new generation of iPhone cameras. According to "Inside Apple," the forthcoming book by Adam Lashinsky, which 9to5mac excerpts in their report, "At Jobs’s request, [Ng] agreed to send him an email outlining three things he’d like Lytro to do with Apple."

"Jobs actively pursued his goal of reinventing photography, asking the CEO of Lytro to outline three specific things that the company would want to work on with Apple," reports 9to5mac.

If you've forgotten, Lytro is the tiny rectangle camera designed by Ng---a Stanford PhD---that captures "living pictures" that are focused after the fact by capturing an image's entire light field data in one click. The "living picture" bit means that the image is forever adabtable. Now imagine if this technology were applied to the ubiquitous iPhone camera, which, as 9to5mac points out, is already "mobile photography at its finest."

Give the circumstances now it's uncertain whether the Lytro/Apple mashup will ever see the (excuse the pun) "light" of day, but it is a pretty exciting prospect to imagine.

(Gizmodo, via 9to5mac)

Canon Announces PowerShot G1 X Camera

The latest offering in Canon's prosumer PowerShot G series is the new G1 X. Announced today---the first official day of CES---the G1 X features a 1.5-inch 14.3-megapixel CMOS sensor (compared to the G12's 1/1.7-inch 10MP CCD sensor) as well as Canon's DIGIC 5 image processor. It also boasts an ISO range of up to 12800 for low-light capture and an f/2.8-f/16 4x optical zoom lens. With a price tag of $800, the G1 X costs as much, if not more, than an entry-level Canon DSLR, which might turn off those photographers who are shopping around for a next level camera to step up their image quality and feature set from a compact point-and-shoot, especially if they're looking to get into a system with interchangeable lenses. However, the Canon G series has for more than a decade now been a favorite everywhere camera for professional and enthusiast shutterbugs when they need to reach for a more portable option that will still make great images.

The Canon G1 X will be available for $799.99 in February.

(Canon)

Nikon Announces Flagship FX-Format D4 DSLR

Just ahead of CES, Nikon has unveiled its new big gun: the D4 DSLR. Featuring a 6.2-megapixel FX (full)-format CMOS sensor and an ISO range up to 204,800, the D4 is a professional grade low-light fighting machine. Notable upgrades to 2009's D3S---in addition to the 7.3-micron pixels sensor and mega ISO range---include: a 3.2-inch 921K dot LCD screen; a time lapse shooting feature that combines a selected frame rate and shot interval in a dedicated time lapse photography menu with playback speeds from 24x to 36,000x; and full HD video recording (1080p at 30 or 24fps and 720p at 60 fps). Additionally, using B-Frame data compression allows you to record H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC format video for up to 20 minutes per clip.

 

The Nikon D4 will be available for $5999.95 in February and is compatible with all 50+ lenses in the NIKKOR optics system.

(via Nikon)