Mid-June Release for Canon EOS-1DX

Canon EOS-1DX

(Image Credit: http://usa.canon.com)

It appears that the Canon EOS-1DX will be released into the market in the coming week. The upcoming release of the much-awaited powerhouse camera of Canon comes following months of waiting by photography enthusiasts.

Last February camera manufacturer had revealed that the upcoming Canon EOS-1DX will be released by the later part of April at a price tag of around $6,799. However it has yet to reach the shelves of major retailers, which gives indications that Canon may have miscalculated its schedule of release into the market.

However the wait for the upcoming Canon EOS-1DX may come to an end as Canon has reportedly announced recently that the upcoming DSLR will be officially released into the market by June 20. But it may not automatically mean that potential buyers of the Canon EOS-1DX will be able to get their hands on the upcoming Canon DSLR.

According to a US representative of Canon, the upcoming Canon EOS-1DX will be available in limited numbers through selected dealers by the middle of June. The inventory of the upcoming DSLR will reportedly be increased gradually although it will be arriving just in time for the London Olympics 2012.

The latest release schedule for the Canon EOS-1DX also comes as a number of accessories of the latest Canon DSLR will become available in the market. Among the accessories that will be introduced include the battery pack, battery charger, wireless file transmitter, wide strap, and focusing screen. The GPS receiver will reportedly be launched by Canon sometime in July.

The upcoming release of the Canon EOS-1DX will be good news for photography enthusiasts who have been waiting for a number of months to get their hands on the latest DSLR offering of Canon. 

Canon reportedly also released the official autofocus setting guidebook for the Canon EOS-1DX in PDF recently.

Advanced Rugged Point-And-Shoot With The Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS

Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS

(Image Credit: pcworld.com)

The latest rugged camera offering of Olympus, the Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS, comes with some features that may encourage photo enthusiasts to use it every single day.

Normally the shooting modes as well as the optics of rugged cameras are compromised to provide it with the hard and durable casing. However the recently introduced the Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS offers more features than any other camera designed for use in the great outdoors.

One may even think that the Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS is an advanced point-and-shot camera due to its fast lens f2.0 lens, 12MP CMOS sensor that has been optimized for use in low-light situations, the 1080p HD video capture and its three-inch OLED display.

With its 4X optical zoom from 25mm to 100mm, the Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS facilitates the taking of pictures of subjects that may not be within arm’s reach.  Users can also opt to attach tele-converter and fisheye lenses into the camera although these are sold separately.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS is water-proof up to forty feet, freeze-proof up to fourteen degrees Fahrenheit, crush-proof up to 220 pounds and dust-proof. The camera also offers HDR and high-speed modes that are comparable to advanced non-rugged point-and-shoot cameras. 

The Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS is also capable of shooting ten frames per second at a resolution of 12MP while the 3MP resolution will allow users to shoot at a faster rate of sixty frames per second.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS also has a rather fast auto-focus speed that is similar to the Pen cameras of the company while it offers Linear PCM audio recording while in video mode. The camera also has an integrated electronic compass and GPS.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS is expected to be released into the market by July at a price tag of $400.

Shoot And Send With The Shoot Fujifilm FinePix XP170

Fujifilm FinePix XP170

(Image Credit: engadget.com)

The Fujifilm FinePix XP170 is not only a rugged point-and-shoot device it also allows users to send images into their iOS and Android-powered devices.

Fujifilm has added another entry into its rugged point-and-shoot camera lineup with the Fujifilm FinePix XP170. The latest addition to the lineup is similar to current models of the XP camera of the camera manufacturer although it adds another feature that allows users to easily share their images to anyone with an iOS or Android device.

The Wi-Fi feature of the Fujifilm FinePix XP170 will allow users to connect to an iPad, an iPhone or an Android-powered smartphone or tablet through the Fujifilm Photo Receiver application, which is offered fre-of-charge.

All users have to do is to simply press the connect button on the Fujifilm FinePix XP170 to link up to the device and download the images.

The Fujifilm FinePix XP170 is also waterproof up to 33 feet, freeze-proof up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit and shock-proof up to 6.5 feet. In addition to this, it is also dust-proof, which is similar to the XP100 and the XP150. Although the Fujifilm FinePix XP170 features Wi-Fi connectivity, the XP150 has an integrated GPS capability although the XP100 does not have either features.

In addition to the rugged design of the Fujifilm FinePix XP170, the latest point-and-shoot offering of Fujifilm features a 2.7-inch LCD, 14MP CMOS and a 5X f3.9 to f4.9, 28mm to 140mm lens. The lens of the camera also comes with a sensor-shift image stabilization feature.

The Fujifilm FinePix XP170 is available in orange or blue color options and will be in the market by June at around $280.

Ikea Cardboard Digital Camera Unveiled

Ikea Cardboard Digital Camera

(Image Credit: digphoto.org)

It appears that Ikea is set to offer its own reasonably-priced camera in the market and the camera is reportedly made out of cardboard. The furniture manufacturer from Sweden has included the Ikea cardboard digital camera in the press kits given to the participants of the Fuorisalone design expo that was held in Milan.

It would be a problem for the company to get the materials it would need to for the Ikea cardboard digital camera.

The reported Ikea cardboard digital camera will supposedly allow users to shoot forty pictures and it is powered using a pair of AA batteries. The disposable device will also come with a small integrated USB port.

Users can use a cutout on the Ikea cardboard digital camera as the viewfinder while the black button located in front of the device will serve as the power button of the device. When the camera will be ready for use, a green light will be seen near the viewfinder.

It is also possible to delete photos on the Ikea cardboard digital camera by using a paper clip on the reset button. The device was given the Knappa by Ikea. According to reports, the Ikea cardboard digital camera is set to be released into the market soon although it remains uncertain whether it will see an international release.

The Ikea cardboard digital camera will reportedly be given by the company to clients who acquire the environment-friendly line of furniture. A video trailer emerged last month that gives potential users how to use this rather unique digital camera.

Canon EOS-1D C Introduced by Canon For Cinematographers

Canon EOS-1D C

(Image Credit: asia.cnet.com)

The latest DSLR offering of Canon was unveiled recently and it is reportedly aimed to be promoted to professional cinematographers. Even though the Canon EOS-1D C looks similar to the Canon EOS-1D X, the features on this $15,000 DSLR will spell the difference between the two Canon DSLR offerings.

The Canon EOS-1D C features a full-frame 18MP image sensor that has the capability of recording 8bit 4K videos using the motion JPEG format that has a sampling rate of 4:2:2 at 24fps. The upcoming DSLR also has the capability of recording 1080p videos through a range of frames rates from 24fps up to 6-fps.

The focal length multiplication factor of 1.33x is due to the fact that the Canon EOS-1D C only uses part of the image sensor when it record 4K footage. However recording 1080p videos will require the entire 36mm image sensor width. The Canon EOS-1D C also imitates the cinematographic standard field of view through the Super 35 crop setting.

The Canon EOS-1D C can also use all the Canon EF and Canon EF cinema lenses that can be purchased or rented by the users. The dual Canon Digic 5+ image processors of eth DSLR also allows it to record stills of up to around 12fps while the JPEG shooting mode allows it to record at 14fps.

The maximum ISO setting for the Canon EOS-1D C is at 25600 for videos while capturing still images offers a maximum ISO setting of 51200. The Canon EOS-1D C was initially previewed last November when the Canon C300 was the inaugural camera of the Cinema EOS lineup.

Aside from the Canon EOS-1D C, the company also announced a pair of Canon EF Cinema Zoom lenses that is compatible to both PL and EF mounts. The CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L is considered a wide angle to short telephoto zoom lens while the CN-E 15.5-47mm T2.8 L is an ultra-wide angle to normal lens.

Image of Panasonic Lumix GF 5 Leaked

Panasonic Lumix GF 5

(Image Credit: slashgear.com)

An image of an upcoming Micro Four Thirds digital camera from Panasonic was supposedly leaked recently although some observers have some doubts on the reliability of the supposed image of the Panasonic Lumix GF 5.

The leaked image shows that the Panasonic Lumix GF 5 looks like a combination of the body of the Panasonic Lumix GF3 and the grip of the Panasonic Lumix GF1. The upcoming offering of Panasonic will feature a twelve-megapixel sensor that has an enhanced signal-to-noise ration which will give it a quality similar to the Panasonic Lumix GF3.

The Panasonic Lumix GF 5 will also feature an ISO of up to 12800 while the autofocus is reportedly fast. The fact that the image looked like a vintage filtered photo and the skipping of a number from the Panasonic Lumix GF3 has resulted to doubts on the veracity of the supposed image.

However if the leaked image is genuine, the Panasonic Lumix GF 5 will hint that Panasonic is branching its Micro Four Thirds series to two directions, for the serious photographers and ordinary photography enthusiasts. The G, the GH, and the  GX series of camera is designed mainly for serious photographers while the GF series has less features and controls compared to the firmer.

Since the Panasonic Lumix GF 3 was not much of a success, some observers are speculating if the Panasonic Lumix GF 5 will be able to help flagging sales of the company.

Sony Alpha SLT-A57, Featured-Filled Entry-Level DSLR Camera

Sony Alpha SLT-A57

(Image Credit: asia.cnet.com)

Sony introduced the Sony Alpha SLT-A57, the successor to the Sony Alpha A55V. The Sony Alpha SLT-A57 is the most recent translucent-mirror digital camera of Sony that offers users new features even as the integrated geo-tagging capability was removed.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A57 comes with a better body design and better image processor even though it has an identical resolution as its predecessor. The new camera offering from Sony will offer better image quality although it may not fully use its maximum ISO 16000 sensitivity.

Some of the features that come with the camera include the Auto Portrait Framing feature which facilitates the positioning of the subject within the frame using face detection. Cropping on the Sony Alpha SLT-A57 is also facilitated by the same feature using face detection, which has exasperated some observers since the technology used by Sony makes sure that the image is 16MP rather than using the size it was cropped in.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A57 also uses AVCHD 2, which supports 1080p videos, and comes with the new EVF. The camera also features the first-curtain shutter found on previously-released models along with the Picture Effects feature.

Instead of using an optical viewfinder, a phase-detection autofocus system on the Sony Alpha SLT-A57 features is run using its fixed internal reflex mirror since the Sony Alpha SLT series uses an LCD viewfinder together with a three-inch LCD screen.

The burst shooting mode of the Sony Alpha SLT-A57 is reportedly faster than DSLRS from Nikon and Canon that have the same price as the Sony camera. The Sony unit can shoot 12 fps using the 8MP resolution while the 16MP resolution allows the device to shoot 10 fps.

At full resolution the burst mode is at 8 fps using the manual aperture control.

Sony compared the Sony Alpha SLT-A57 with the D5100 of Nikon and the EOS Revel T3i of Canon which showed that its auto-focus system was more versatile with its fifteen discrete auto-focus points that are found on three cross-sensors.

Some industry watchers have indicated that the features offered by the Sony Alpha SLT-A57 is suitable for the price point it is offered in, which may be appealing to a number of videographers and sports photography enthusiasts who are conscious of cost.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A57 with the 18-55mm kit lens has a price tag of $800 while the body-only kit is priced at around $700.

Which One is Better? The Canon EOS 5D Mark III or the Nikon D800?

Canon 5D Mark III

(Image Credit: usatoday.com)

Following the introduction of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, industry watchers immediately made some comparisons between the Canon DSLR with the Nikon D800, which was announced earlier.

The two devices are upgrades of their respective full-frame DSLRs with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III an upgrade from the Canon EOS 5D Mark II while The Nikon D800 serves the replace the Nikon D700.

Among the first comparisons that observers will immediately see is the megapixel count. The Nikon D800 features a 36MP sensor compared to the 22MP sensor for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. This has given the Nikon D800 a huge advantage over the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

However for some industry watchers, the more notable distinction between the two devices is their lens mount. The main advantage of the Nikon D800 over the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is the fact that the autofocus of the Nikon device will continuously work while a video is being recorded. Users of the upcoming Canon device will have to click on a button each time they will want to re-focus while shooting a video.

Nikon D800

(Image Credit: dpreview.com)

But the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is faster in terms of continuous shooting as t offers a six frames-per-second continuous shooting rate compared to the four frames-per-second for the Nikon D800. The ISO setting for the Canon device reaches ISO 102400 on its expanded mode. The Nikon D800 is only limited to ISO 25600 while on an expanded mode.

Although the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and the Nikon D800 are full-frame cameras, the eyepoint of the Canon device is longer compared to the Nikon D800, which will facilitate shooting for users who wear glasses. The Nikon D800 has the advantage of featuring a USB 3.0 port which is faster compared to the USB 2.0 port that is found on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

However whichever camera a user will acquire will basically depend on personal preference. Some photography enthusiasts are lifetime Nikon users while others are die-hard Canon enthusiast. In the end both the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and the Nikon D800 will offer a number of features that are definite upgrades compared to the devices they are replacing.

Anyone Looking For A Miniature Gold-Plated Minox Camera?

Gold-Plated Minox Camera (Image Credit: minox.com)

This is one digital camera no one would want to leave just anywhere, the miniature gold-plated Minox camera. This particular digital camera was given 24K gold plating, which will make it an item that exotic gadget collectors may want to acquire.

The miniature gold-plated Minox camera is small enough to fit the palm of anybody’s palm as it has dimensions of 1.8 inches by 2.9 inches by 1.7 inches. This gold plated digital camera from Minox also weighs around four ounces.

The manufacturer from Germany has indicated that the miniature gold-plated Minox camera is supposedly a modern digital camera. But photography enthusiasts beg to disagree since its features are not quite up to date. The digital camera features a 5.1MP CMOS sensor, two-inch LCD, and an optical viewfinder that is detachable.

The miniature gold-plated Minox camera also offers users the option of using a lens with a wider angle. The lens itself is a 9mm unit or a 42mm in the 35mm format. The device also features a 4x digital zoom.

The video recording capabilities of the miniature gold-plated Minox camera is limited since it only offers users the capability of recording 320 by 240 AVI video clips up to a maximum of sixty seconds. Despite these limitations, the device has a standard mini-USB port along with a lithium ion battery that is replaceable.

The miniature gold-plated Minox camera is reportedly available at a price tag of $299.

A View of the Future in the D-Can Concept Camera

D-Can Concept Camera

A concept camera was recently unveiled that may give a different outlook on what cameras may be in the future. The D-Can is a concept camera that comes with zoom capabilities and looks like a spotting scope that is used in the military.

Jean-Michel Bonnemoy, the designer of the D-Can concept camera, thinks that it may be necessary to update the current design of cameras by using a cylindrical form factor to improve ergonomics. The D-Can concept camera of Bonnemoy does not utilize the conventional designs of camera although it appears to be similar to that of the Lytro camera to some extent.

The ISO range of the D-Can concept camera is from 100 up to 6400. The device also features a long zoom lens that comes with image stabilization. The lens cap of the camera is utilized as the electronic flash.

Users of the D-Can concept camera have the option of using the Live View feature of the camera through the HD LCD display or the hooded magnifier in framing their compositions while taking pictures. The integrated trackball of the concept camera also enhances the autofocus function of the device.

The D-Can concept camera can also be connected to a microphone, audio head set or external power supply through the external ports that are integrated into the device. Storage may not be much of a problem since photography enthusiasts will not have to deal with the problem of storing the lens and body into separate cases and simply place the D-Can concept camera inside an appropriately sized lens case.

Does The Canon PowerShot G1X Offer Value For Money?

Canon PowerShot G1X 

The price tag of the Canon PowerShot G1X along with its bugger-than-usual sensor has allowed the device to distinguish itself from a number of competing digital cameras in the market.

For a number of photography enthusiasts, the Canon PowerShot G1X will be considered as an expensive rival to a number of interchangeable lens or fixed lens cameras in the market. Others will look at it as a reasonably-priced option to the X100 of Fujifilm.

However the limitations on its shooting performance and the lens have reduced the value that the price of the Canon PowerShot G1X has given despite its good image quality and design. The image quality of the camera is also impressive even though its advantage of lower priced intermediate-level digital cameras is not that much.

The impressive noise reduction and JPEG processing of the Canon PowerShot G1X has allowed it to have an advantage over its competition. These features allows the camera to offer exceptionally clean images even as ISO 400 while the images from this level up to ISO 3200 are also considered usable for a number of photography enthusiasts.

Even though the edge sharpness of the lens of the Canon PowerShot G1X is not quite impressive, its center sharpness is quite good. The exposure and the color offered by the camera is also considered sufficient enough.

Focusing and zooming for the lens while shooting is considerably quiet and is comparable to that of the fixed lens digital cameras. However the shot-to-shot speed of the Canon PowerShot G1X is rather slow which has contributed to its poor performance.

The slow power on and shooting of the Canon PowerShot G1X is supposedly due to the poor buffer management of the camera. This has resulted to the lag in focusing for another shot until the buffer is cleared. The continuous shooting speed of the camera is reportedly at 2fps while the shot-to-shot performance while using a flash is at around 2.8 seconds.

In the end, the Canon PowerShot G1X has the capability of taking excellent images although the lag on the lens has taken away the value for money that the device is supposed to provide.

Value for Money Digital Cameras in the Market

With the current economic crisis, consumers are trying to find the best value for their money whenever they purchase anything. This is especially true when it comes to purchasing digital cameras. Consumers want to purchase value for money digital cameras that offer excellent features but will not leave them with a hole in their pockets.

Canon PowerShot Elph510 HS

The Canon PowerShot Elph510 HS is an ultra-compact camera which offers a zoom lens for faraway shots. This value for money digital camera offers a 3.2-inch touchscreen, 28mm to 336mm zoom lens, and a 12MP CMOS sensor which offers better performance and enhanced lowlight images. Although these value for money digital cameras were priced at $350 when it was initially released, it is already available at less than $200 at some retail outlets.

Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

Another value for money digital camera from Canon is the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS. This high-end mega-zoom digital camera is sold at a price $50 less than its original price tag. Some industry watchers may have some other choices for this category of digital cameras but their prices have remained quite high. In comparison, this value for money digital camera from Canon is sold at around $380 and it features a 35x ultra-wide angle zoom lens, vari-angle LCD, impressive image quality and numerous shooting modes.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 with its interchangeable lens is another value for money digital camera that consumers may want to consider purchasing if they are shopping around for a new toy. This particular camera may be considered as a bridge camera or in a category between the point-and-shoot and DSLRs. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 was initially priced at around $600 when it was initially offered but has recently gone down to around $380. This value for money digital camera offers a 14mm to 42mm lens that is interchangeable and is considered to be the most reasonably-priced in this category.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 is another value for money digital camera which is basically a point-and-shoot unit that features a bigger imaging sensor and enhanced lens compared to other compact cameras. This value for money digital camera offers users manual control on the aperture and shutter speed. Its original price was around $500 when it first came out in 2010 but has gone down to around $360 even though it recently received an important firmware update which enhanced its image quality and autofocus performance.

These are just some value for money digital cameras that consumers may take into consideration when they decide to purchase a new digital camera. Although there may be newer cameras in the market that offer better features, they may be offered at prices that will easily discourage any photography enthusiast.

Two New Deluxe P&S From Olympus, the Olympus SZ-30MR iHS and Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS

Following the release of the OM-D E-M5 of Olympus, some of the deluxe point-and-shoot cameras of the company were also updated including the Olympus SZ-30MR iHS and the Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS.

The compact design of the earlier version of the Olympus SZ-30MR iHS will be retained along with the 25mm-600mm lens. However some enhancements were made on the sensor, image processor and the LCD of the Olympus SZ-30MR iHS.

Olympus SZ-30MR iHS

The upcoming Olympus SZ-30MR iHS will feature an enhanced 16MP CMOS sensor and three-inch LCD touchscreen. The sensor of the updated camera will offer an enhanced image detail along with reduced noise during lowlight situations.

The dual TruePic V microprocessors of the Olympus SZ-30MR iHS will also allow users to record HD videos and high-res images at the same time.

The Olympus SZ-30MR iHS will also carry a new designation, the iHS, which refers to the dual image microprocessor and the backlit CMOS sensor of the device. Lowlight performance will reportedly be enhanced with these two new features on the Olympus SZ-30MR iHS while response time will be enhanced along with the subject and scene recognition. Zoom magnification is also increased without affecting the quality of the images.

The Olympus SZ-30MR iHS will have a price tag of around $400 and will be available by April.

Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS

The Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS will also receive a similar iHS feature that is found on the Olympus SZ-30MR iHS. The Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS will continue to be tough just like the previous model of the camera. Due to this the Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS will have a metal body along with a system that absorbs shocks from drops of over six feet.

The Olympus Tough TG-810 iHs can also withstand weights of up to around 220 pounds.

The Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS will also be able to withstand temperatures of around 14 degrees Fahrenheit and depths of up to 33 feet. The image processor of the Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS has been updated along with a 12MP sensor. The Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS will also feature a three-inch ultra-high resolution LCD.

The Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS is going to be a tough camera with high-end features that were enhanced further although its price will be lower compared to the previous model of the camera at around $300. The Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS is expected to be available by March.

With the upcoming Olympus SZ-30MR iHS and the Olympus Tough TG-810 iHS, Olympus lovers will have something to look forward to in the next few weeks.

Olympus Unveils Its Latest Camera Offering, the Olympus OM-D E-M5

Olympus OM-D E-M5

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 is the latest product that Olympus unveiled recently that is inspired by the OM lineup of SLR cameras.

This recently introduced camera brings some features that will likely appeal to both enthusiasts and professionals although were not previously available in the Micro Four Thirds system. These features that are included on the Olympus OM-D E-M5 include the high-res electronic viewfinder, advanced image stabilization and weather sealing.

The three-inch display of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 is an OLED touch screen that offers a rapid refresh rate while its viewing angle is wider compared to an LCD. The device also features a 16MP CMOS sensor that offers a maximum ISO setting of 25600 that is useful for lowlight photography.

The electronic viewfinder is integrated into the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and has a resolution of 1.44MP, 1.15x magnification and an 18mm eye point.

The body of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 is made of magnesium alloy, which is similar to the Olympus E-5

The autofocus system of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 is the same as the one found on the Olympus PEN E-P3 although the sensor readout was increased to around 240fps. Continuous autofocus will offer 4.2 fps while non-changing focus offers a shooting capability of 9 fps.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 also offers QuickTime video recording while the processor dealt with some issues experienced by the Olympus Pen cameras.

Aside from the Olympus OM-D E-M5, reports have also revealed that a weather-sealed lens will be offered by Olympus, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm EZ lens. Although the lens can be purchased individually, it can also be acquired as the kit lens for the Olympus digital camera.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 is anticipated to be available for sale by April and will come in silver or blue. The price tag for the body is at around $1,000 while the camera together with the M.Zuiko Digital ED lens will be available at around$1,300.

Some Features of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 Revealed

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 

The Lumix DMC-ZS20 of Panasonic is considered by some industry watchers as an impressive piece of engineering. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 features a Leica lens that has a 24mm ultra-wide angle and a tele-zoom of 480mm.

Although some users may not find this remarkable with the existence of a number of tele- and ultra –zoom digital camera in the market. However when these features are placed on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 body that has a thickness of around 1.1 inches, which is slimmer compared to an earlier version of the camera.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 also features the Power OIS optical image stabilization of Panasonic. This feature has won a number of positive remarks among some observers.

The other features of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 is similar to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 although the lens barrel of the former has a small bulge on it. The user interface was also updated by Panasonic and some observers have indicated that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 features physical controls aside from a touchscreen. However a number of features cannot be controlled using the touchscreen,

Some observers were also impressed with the performance of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 in terms of shooting. Reports have indicated that the device also features burst-shooting features.

The high speed sensors and the processing using a number of shooting modes .of the device have benefitted Panasonic. Users can also take advantage of the easy panorama feature of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 which allows the recording of images that are processed to create a panoramic image.

However the quality of the image has been among the issues that were typical of the way JPEGs are processed by Panasonic although some enhancements were noted on the images produced by the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20.  Despite this the digital camera is considered to be a good choice for some observers.

Nikon D3100 - a DSLR with 1080p HD video

Canon has always lorded over the video functions of DSLRs due to the fact that it produces video cameras, which allows it to incorporate the technology into their DSLRs. However, Nikon has recently announced the release of its latest entry into the market, the Nikon D3100, a DSLR with 1080p HD video capabilities. The successor to the highly popular D3000, the D3100 has Live View or a round-the-clock autofocus function which allows it to track and focus on a total of 35 subjects or faces at one time (which is quite similar to what regular camcorders do). The latest Expeed2 image processor allows it to do this. This processor together with the 14.2 megapixel CMOS image sensor also allows you to shoot rather great-looking pictures using the numerous Nikkor 2 lenses available for use with the camera.

The key features of this latest offering from Nikon include:

• Excellent picture and video quality using the 14.2 megapixel CMOS image sensor
  
• Enhanced movie recording with the latest Expeed 2 image processor
  
• Increased ISO sensitivity of up to ISO 3200
  
• Capability of recording full HD movies at 24 fps
  

• A 3-inch or 7.5 cm LCD screen which allows you to share your videos and photos with your family and friends immediately after taking them
  
• Live view function that allows you to autofocus while recording a video
  
• Active D-Lighting which prevents bright lights from ruining the images that you take
  
• Video and image editing within the camera, allowing you to edit any image or videos even without a PC
  

• An 11-point autofocus system that allows you to capture high quality images
  

With the D3100, Nikon is definitely giving Canon a run for its money. I'm just wondering what Canon will have up its sleeve after this rabbit's already out of the bag.

Stay tuned.

sources: Gizmodo and Nikon

Another Superzoom Camera from Panasonic

I have always been partial to bridge cameras, especially the ultra and superzoom models. And when Panasonic released another superzoom camera, it immediately piqued my interest. Ever since I purchased my trusty old Olympus C-760, I would immediately search the net each time a new bridge camera would come out into the market to check out its specs. One of the latest bridge cameras from Panasonic is a 14.1 megapixel beauty with a ultra-wide angle and powerful optical zoom lens. Aside from the latest LEICA DC VARIO-ELMART lens, which boosts its optical zoom from 25 mm all the way to 600 mm, the DMC-FZ100 also boasts of having a full HD movie recording capability.

The FZ100 has a 14.1 MOS sensor that allows it to record high quality 1980x1080 full HD movies. The same high speed sensor also allows it to to have one of the fastest burst shooting in the industry at an 11 fps on a 14.1 megapixel resolution using its mechanical shutter and up to 60 fps using it 3.5 megapixel recording mode.

Image blurs due to the movement of the subject or handshake has also become a thing of the past with the brilliant brightness of the lens and the Power Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S). This is especially useful if you are into sports photography or simply want to shoot moving objects.  Its Face Recognition function also allows it to remember faces allowing it to make the necessary AF/AE adjustments when taking pictures of people.

Although I would focus more on the optical zoom and image quality of bridge cameras, there are a lot more that this camera has to offer such as the Venus Engine FHD, which allows it to have a rapid response time allowing it to record a number of consecutive high resolution shots and full HD movie recording, an Intelligent Scene Selector, which allows it to automatically adjust the modes according to the shooting situation, an Intelligent Exposure function that helps it avoid overexposing or underexposing the image and an efficient battery system which allows it to take 410 shots for a single charge. The kit also comes in with a bundled software, the PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.2 HD Edition that can be installed on your PC.

All of these features are packed in a camera that is priced much lesser than a full-blown Digital SLR camera. This is definitely on bridge camera I would not mind putting on my wish list.

Source: Panasonic