Digital Cameras

March 18th, 2008

Panasonic’s new Lumix DMC-FX500 sports a 3-inch touch screen and 25mm wide-angle lens

Posted by Janice Chen @ 10:00 pm

Categories: Digital Cameras

Tags: Touch Screen, Panasonic, Camera, FX35, FX500, Keyboards, Monitors & Displays, Hardware, Peripherals, Components

I was a big fan of Panasonic’s DMC-FX35 until today. Panasonic just announced the new DMC-FX500 that has everything I like about the FX35 and then some. Like the FX35, the DMC-FX500 is a 10-megapixel model that offers optical image stabilization, face detection, digital red-eye correction, intelligent exposure, and the ability to record 30 frame-per-second high-definition video (1,280×720). The FX500 ups the ante with a 5x zoom lens (25- to 125mm, f/2.8-8.0) in comparison to the FX35’s 4x optical zoom and adds the pièce de résistance, a big 3-inch touch-screen LCD.

Ever since I bought my iPhone, I’ve become more and more enamored of touch screens, though previous camera implementations from other vendors haven’t wowed me. And I do find it slightly disconcerting that Panasonic felt the need to include a funky “stylus-pen” (how does that differ from a stylus, again?) because the touch screen should be responsive enough to use with your finger (and I challenge you not to lose that stylus). I’ll let you know how the touch-screen really works after I get my hands on the camera, but the good news is that there’s also a regular joystick-type control for some of the settings, so you’re not completely dependent on the screen. To me, the 3-inch size vs. the FX35’s 2.5-inch screen is practically enough for me to justify spending $50 more for this camera (which will ship in May for $399.95). Okay, perhaps I exaggerate, but still, it seems a small premium to pay for the combination of the bigger screen, the longer lens, and the potential usefulness of the touch screen (touch here to set your autofocus subject, for example).

March 17th, 2008

Don’t underestimate Samsung digital cameras

Posted by Janice Chen @ 12:21 pm

Categories: Digital Photography, Digital Cameras

Tags: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Digital Camera, Camera, Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Janice Chen

While camera enthusiasts may be reluctant to count the Korean electronics giant among “real” camera vendors, Reuters is reporting that big names like Canon and Nikon are (and should be) worried about Samsung’s big push into the digital camera market. Quoting IDC research, Reuters reports that Samsung more than doubled its digital market share in 2006, making it the fifth-best-selling digital camera maker (after Canon, Sony, Kodak, and Olympus).

Samsung has set some lofty goals for itself, with plans to become the top digital camera maker by 2010 by increasing sales by 46 percent (to 17.5 million units sold) this year. Considering its success when it took the flat-panel TV market by storm, Samsung is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Back in 2003, when I was editor in chief at CNET.com, I traveled to Seoul and Tokyo to visit Samsung and Sony, respectively, on the same trip to Asia. The dramatic difference between the corporate cultures was very telling: Sony’s product managers had a somewhat elitist “if you build it they will come” mentality, eschewing market research on user preferences, and relying on internal genius to drive product innovation. One exec actually told me that they knew better than their customers what features their customers want and need. In contrast, when I asked Samsung reps what they thought of the plasma vs. LCD debate for flat-screen TVs, they essentially answered “we’ll back whatever users tell us they want.”

So it’s no surprise that the company is having its greatest success competing on price in the compact market, and will likely continue to do so, marketing to the least common denominator. But don’t count the company out as an innovator completely. The wide-angle (3.6x optical zoom from 24mm to 86.5mm) Samsung NV24 HD, for example, drew interest at CES for its high-definition functionality and use of an AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) screen. (Samsung also drew attention for its G20 DSLR, based on the Pentax K20D.)

March 13th, 2008

Canon announces three new 10-megapixel PowerShot Digital ELPHs

Posted by Janice Chen @ 10:08 pm

Categories: Digital Cameras

Tags: LCD, Canon Inc., Optical Zoom, Canon PowerShot SD890IS, Monitors & Displays, Hardware, Components, Janice Chen

If the five Canon digital cameras announced at PMA in January weren’t enough for you, you’re in luck: The company just announced three more Digital ELPH point-and-shoots yesterday: the PowerShot SD890IS, SD790 IS, and SD770 IS. Might it be time for another Digital ELPH rundown? Perhaps, but for now I’ll just give you the lowdown on the newest models.

All three 10 megapixel models offer Optical Image Stabilization (thus, the IS in the model names), face-detection for up to nine faces, as well as Canon’s Motion Detection Technology, which works with Canon’s High ISO Auto mode, raising ISO (and shutter) speeds to reduce blur when your subject is moving, and lowering ISO speeds when your subject is stationary to reduce noise.

The Canon PowerShot SD890IS sports a 37- to 185mm-equivalent, f/3.2-5.7, 5x optical zoom lens with an improved image stabilization system, which can correct up to four stops (vs. three in the other two offerings), according to Canon. The 2.5-inch LCD leaves room for an optical viewfinder (though I’d rather have a larger LCD). Suggested retail price will be $399.99 when it ships in early April.

The Canon PowerShot SD790 IS comes with a 35- to 106mm-equivalent, f/2.8 -4.9, 3x optical zoom lens. This model sacrifices the optical viewfinder for a nice, large 3-inch LCD and features a sleek design with flat-button controls. It ships at the end of March for $349.99.

The Canon PowerShot SD770 IS comes with the same 35- to 106mm-equivalent, f/2.8 -4.9, 3x optical zoom lens as the SD790 IS, but features the original boxy ELPH design with a black circle on the front. It has the thinnest body of any Digital ELPH with optical image stabilization to date and includes a thinner but higher-capacity battery pack that will allow 300 shots on a single charge according to Canon. Like the SD890 IS, it includes both an optical viewfinder and a 2.5-inch LCD. The camera will ship for $299.99 in mid-April.

March 11th, 2008

Digital photo frames are more popular than you think

Posted by Janice Chen @ 10:04 pm

Categories: Camera accessories, Gadgets

Tags: Digital Photograph, Photograph, Digital Photo Frame, PMA, Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Janice Chen

The PMA is reporting that the popularity of digital photo frames has almost doubled in the last year. According to the 2008 PMA U.S. Digital Imaging survey, 11 percent of all U.S. households owned a digital photo frame in 2007, up from only 6 percent in 2006. They’re also poised to be the world’s fastest-growing application for small and medium displays in 2008, according to iSuppli.

I’ve always been a fan of the photo frame concept, but until recently I’ve found them either too expensive or lacking in size, resolution, or overall build quality. Lately, though, I’ve begun to see a lot more frames that I’d actually consider displaying in my home. With prices dropping (especially during the past holiday shopping season) and new features abounding, digital photo frames might just be ready for prime time. This 8-inch PanDigital model I saw at PMA 2008 has a suggested retail price of just $149.99 and includes interchangeable black wood and clear acrylic frames, 128MB of internal memory, an integrated 6-in-1 media reader, PictBridge support, and a slew of useful and not-so-useful features (among the former, auto rotation to correctly adjust image orientation; among the latter, tinny little speakers). Unfortunately, to get WiFi or Bluetooth capabilities you need to buy additional adapters. For wireless connectivity, I like the Kodak EasyShare frames, which let you manage photos through the Kodak EasyShare Gallery online (so you can get easily upload photos of the kids to their non-techy grandparents, for example).

March 9th, 2008

Casio’s new EX-Z9 budget shooter is pretty in pink (and orange)

Posted by Janice Chen @ 8:03 pm

Categories: Digital Cameras

Tags: Camera, Casio Inc., Digital Camera, point and shoot, Casio Exilim EX-Z9, compact camera, orange camera, pink camera, Janice Chen

The two most exciting things about Casio’s new EX-Z9 announced last week are the pink and orange body-color options (it also comes in black and silver) and its low-low $159 price. But while the 8.1-megapixel budget shooter doesn’t really bring any new features to the table, it’s a solid offering that sports a 37.5 to 112.5mm-equivalent f/2.8-5.2 lens and a roomy 2.6-inch LCD (but no optical viewfinder), and includes the ease-of-use-oriented feature set that we’ve come to expect from Exilim point-and-shoots. If you snag one of these for a less technically inclined friend or family member, you’ll really appreciate the Easy Mode that simplifies the interface and settings (to minimize those “how do I…” phone calls you end up getting). Other convenient features include face detection, anti-shake, and 23 easy-to-use scene modes. Casio’s YouTube Capture mode even lets you record videos and upload them to YouTube in just three steps. The camera is slated to ship later this month.

March 5th, 2008

Olympus announces E-420, the most compact DSLR to date

Posted by Janice Chen @ 10:08 pm

Categories: Digital Cameras

Tags: Olympus Corp., E-420, Janice Chen

Okay, so it’s barely any smaller than its predecessor, the E-410, but Olympus needs a hook so the camera vendor is touting its latest DSLR as the “World’s Smallest Digital SLR.” At roughly 5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 inches, the E-420 is smaller than most of its competition, and at 13.4 ounces, it’s also lighter than most (but 0.2 ounces more than the E-410). Almost more important to the pocketability of the overall package, Olympus also announced a low-profile Zuiko 25mm f2.8 kit lens (equivalent to 50mm in the Four Thirds standard) that’s just 0.9 of an inch thick (camera plus lens = $499.99). You can also get the E-420 in a kit with a relatively compact 14mm-42mm (28mm - 84mm equivalent) f3.5-f5.6 lens for $599.99 (both kits shipping in May).

The E-420 is a relatively minor update to the E-410, and has a similarly dated look (which, I have to admit, I kind of like with its leather-look grip–but that could be because I grew up in the ’80s). New features include a bigger and better 2.7-inch LCD, Auto-focus in Live View mode, wireless flash capability, and new face-detection technology and Shadow Adjustment technology. Olympus also says it has improved white-balance algorithms and bumped up continuous shooting speed up to 3.5 frames per second. A nice touch is the Perfect Shot Preview (which lets you preview special effects onscreen so you can see what the image will look like before you shoot). Perfect Shot takes good advantage of the Live View mode that most new DSLRs now include, which Olympus pioneered back in 2006 with its E-volt E-330. Some Live View trivia: the original Live View mode in the E-330 used dual sensors rather than the more-prevalent and more-clunky solution of flipping the mirror up and down (which the E-420 uses), though David Pogue seems to think Sony invented this.

March 4th, 2008

Sony’s eco-friendly, hand-powered digital camera in action

Posted by Janice Chen @ 10:47 am

Categories: Digital Cameras, Camera accessories, Gadgets

Tags: Sony Corp., Video, Digital Camera, Camera, Corporate Communications, Marketing, Janice Chen

Check out this video of the first working prototype to come out of Sony’s odo project, which generated a lot of buzz at Tokyo’s Eco-Products 2007 exhibition late last year. Developed at the Sony Design Center in Los Angeles, the project has a lofty goal of helping to establish a sustainable society by setting a good example through environmentally and socially responsible product models.

The video shows the Twirl N’ Take digital camera in action. The hand-powered still camera uses a built-in generator that can charge up to take one picture as you push its roller back and forth for about 15 seconds. According to Mitsuhiro Nakamura, a member of the Sustainable Design Team at the Sony Creative Center, products like the Twirl N’ Take grew out of an attempt to figure out how children in developing countries would be able to enjoy music and video. “They don’t have electric power so we have to think about how to generate electricity,” said Nakamura. “So we started looking at electricity generation from kinetic energy and we came up with these odo products that children can enjoy.”

So far the odo project only has an handful of other concept designs, including the Spin N’ Snap, another digital still camera that’s powered by sticking your fingers through two holes and spinning the camera end over end, and the Push Power Play photo and video viewer that sports a roller on the base that generates power as you roll it.

[Via NetworkWorld]

February 27th, 2008

What to do with all those old film canisters: Make a DIY flash diffuser

Posted by Janice Chen @ 2:13 pm

Categories: Camera accessories, Tips

Tags: Light, Photograph, Janice Chen

Or I should say, what to do with one of those old 35mm film canisters. Turn it into a DIY diffuser for your DSLR’s pop-up flash. Those little built-in flash units are convenient, but tend to produce fairly harsh light and very deep shadows especially when shooting closeups of people indoors. A diffuser can soften the effect. Contrary to what you might think, diffusers don’t actually filter light to make it softer. What they actually do is increase the physical size of your light source by spreading the light from your flash, which is smaller, and thereby scattering (i.e., diffusing) the light more.

You could always buy a relatively inexpensive commercial diffuser, like this one or this one, but making one yourself can be just as effective and free (not to mention the instant gratification). Professionals and enthusiasts have used all sorts of white, translucent objects as ad hoc diffusers: ping pong balls, pieces of milk jugs, white Post-It notes, and even tissues. But my favorite idea is the white film canister (like the kind you used to get your Fujifilm rolls in). It’s easy to make, sturdy, pocketable, and better yet, recycled. You can probably figure it out yourself, but here’s a step-by-step how-to with photos. Of course most of us no longer have a steady supply of film canisters. I used to be awash in them living with a professional photographer, but now they’re a rare and valuable commodity in our house. Luckily, there are enough Luddites out there frequenting the one-hour photo counter at your local drug store that you can just stop by and ask them for a couple and they’re usually happy to hand them over. And you can feel good about keeping one more plastic object away from the garbage continent.

February 25th, 2008

Sony announces two new line-topping cameras: Cyber-shot DSC W300 and DSC-H50

Posted by Janice Chen @ 3:24 pm

Categories: Digital Cameras

Tags: Sony Corp., Camera, Noise Reduction, Janice Chen

Apparently announcing 10 cameras at PMA wasn’t enough for Sony. Today the electronics company announced two more cameras to top off its Cyber-shot W and H series: the Cyber-shot DSC-W300, a 13.6 megapixel compact point-and-shoot and the Cyber-shot H50, a 9.1 megapixel megazoom model.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W300
Showing no signs of slowing down the megapixel madness running rampant in the digital camera industry, Sony boasts that with a 13.6-megapixel CCD, its new top-of-the-line W-series camera is the highest resolution ultra-compact camera available. But while that’s more megapixels than anyone reasonably needs, this slick little camera has more than resolution in its bag of tricks. Sony’s improved face-detection technology can distinguish between children’s or adult faces, and allows you to set focus, exposure, white balance, and flash color controls for up to eight faces. Additionally, a Smile Shutter mode uses face detection to take a photo when your selected subject smiles. Other gee-whiz intelligence includes scene-recognition technology that automatically detects up to five types of scenes and includes an advanced mode that allows you to take two shots–one using standard settings and the other using scene-optimized settings–almost simultaneously.

The camera’s “extra high-speed” burst mode can shoot five frames per second by bumping resolution down to 3-megapixels, which is handy for shooting the kids’ soccer game. The camera sports a 35 to 105mm-equivalent f/2.8-5.8 lens and a 2.7-inch LCD screen (which is augmented by an optical viewfinder). In addition to optical image stabilization, the W300 also offers a special low-light mode that lets you set sensitivity up to ISO 6400.

Another stand-out feature is the user-selectable noise reduction setting, which lets you set the camera for high, low, and standard noise reduction. Unlike other point-and-shoots which automatically process their images to reduce noise without allowing you to adjust how much, the W300 gives you more control so you can choose to lower noise reduction in favor of more resolution and finer details.

Some cool image-viewing and -mananagment features are built into the camera as well, including date and calendar views, an in-camera photo search by face or date, a slideshow mode with customizable MP3 music, and high-definition output for viewing photos on an HDTV.

Add to all that its scratch-resistant “ultra-hard” titanium coating and slim 3.7×2.3×1.1-inch design (weight = 5.5 ounces), and you might just be willing to cough up the $350 suggested retail price when the product ships in May.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50
Not quite as exciting as the W300, the Cyber-shot DSC-H50 is an incremental upgrade to Sony’s DSC-H9 megazoom camera. Using the same 31 to 465mm (f/2.7-4.5) 15x zoom lens and 3-inch tilting LCD, the H50 bumps resolution up to 9.1 megapixels. Other improvements include an “advanced sports” shooting mode which uses higher shutter speeds (up to 1/4000 of a second) combined with predictive continuous auto-focusing to improve fast-action shooting. Additionally, the H50 shares some of the fancy new features of the W300, like user-selectable noise reduction, Smile Shutter, and adult- or child-priority face detection. Also shipping in May, the Cyber-shot DSC-H50 will be priced at $399.

February 20th, 2008

New Ricoh R8 sports wide 7.5x zoom lens in a compact body.

Posted by Janice Chen @ 8:08 am

Categories: Digital Cameras

Tags: U.S., Ricoh Corp., Camera, Janice Chen

[Updated: February 21, 2008 @ 5:28 am] I’m a big fan of extra-wide point-and-shoot cameras so I’m looking forward to getting a closer look at the new Ricoh R8, announced yesterday. Like its predecessor the R7 (which wasn’t released in the U.S.), the R8 sports a fairly wide f/3.3-5.2 28mm-200mm-equivalent 7.5x zoom lens. Ricoh only recently re-entered the U.S. camera market with last year’s launch of the GR Digital II and won’t be shipping the R50 (another wide compact announced yesterday, with a 5x zoom) in the U.S.

The R8 utilizes a 10-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch CCD with a CCD Shift Vibration Correction function (read CCD-shift image stabilization). A big, relatively high resolution (460,000-pixel) 2.7-inch LCD allows for 20 thumbnail images (but doesn’t leave room for an optical viewfinder).

Though it’s the wide and long zoom squeezed into a slim form-factor (4.0 x 2.3 x 1.0 inches) that I find most appealing, the R8 has some interesting features that set it apart from the crowd as well. For example, you can step the zoom to specific focal lengths (i.e., 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, 135mm, and 200mm). You can also set the camera’s aspect ratio to 1:1, which gives you a square medium-format-like shot which was popular in the GR Digital II. Other nice features include a fixed snap focus, as well as the ability to shift the target for both auto focus and auto exposure, without moving the camera. The sleek R8 comes in black or silver and is expected to ship in March 2008 for about $399.