new COOLPIX cameras

Shortly after launching the new COOLPIX S1100pj with inbuilt projector, Nikon has announced three new COOLPIX cameras to its COOLPIX range. The P7000, S8100 and the S80 are filled with functions and specs you don’t often see on point-and-shoot cameras. All three cameras feature Nikon’s exclusive EXPEED C2 high performance digital image processing engine and Nikkor Ed glass lenses.

 

At the top of the series, the COOLPIX P7000 boasts full manual controls and advanced shooting options including Low Noise Night Mode and a Noise Reduction Filter. The 10.1-megapixel camera features a large 1/1.7 inch CCD sensor and a 7.1x wide angle optical zoom lens. You can shoot at night without a flash with ISO sensitivity ranging from ISO 100 to 6400 (expandable to ISO 12,800 in Low Noise Night Mode). 

The P7000 also features a 5-Way VR Image Stabilization System, which helps minimize the effect of camera shake to help banish blur while shooting handheld or in low-light. The Zoom Memory function allows the camera’s 28-200mm (35mm equivalent) lens to be used in a way that resembles the use of a prime lens. The camera also features controls for key features like ISO, white balance, bracketing and exposure compensation.

While you are bound to have a lot fun taking some serious pictures on this camera, you may have even more fun using the video recording option. The P7000 records 720p HD video at 24 frames-per-second (fps) with optical zoom and auto-focus control. It also allows you to record audio with an external stereo microphone via the microphone input, where an accessory microphone or Nikon Speed-light can be mounted on the P7000’s hot shoe.

Without the manual controls, the COOLPIX S8100 offers a 12.1-megapixel backside illumination CMOS sensor and features like a pre-shooting cache that records up to two shots before the shutter-release is fully pressed. The Sports Continuous mode records up to approximately 120 fps, with automatic “subject tracking” activating auto-focus for every shot. The S8100 is equipped with a 10x optical zoom lens (30-300mm, 35mm equivalent) and movie recording abilities in full 1080p HD with an in-camera editing function. To further help the process of composing movies, the COOLPIX S8100 features a 3.0-inch (76.2 mm) ultra high resolution (921,000-dot) Clear Color Display with a wide viewing angle and anti-glare coating.

New SDXC and SDHC memory cards

The SD Association is celebrating ten years this year and it used Europe's largest consumer electronics show – IFA – to announce a new, dual-row pin memory card design with data transfer speeds of up to 300 megabytes per second for SDXC and SDHC devices and memory cards. It is fully backwards compatible, allowing equipped devices full use of any SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards and will be part of the forthcoming SD 4.0 specification, expected in early 2011.

 

The jump in data transfer speed will come courtesy of a new, dual-row pin memory design that sees the new high speed interface signals assigned on the second row of pins of select SDXC and SDHC memory cards. Not only does this provide a speed boost, it also allows compatible devices to be fully backwards compatible with existing SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards. The dual-row pin design will be available in both full-size and micro form factors.

At IFA, the SD Association also provided a shorter term look into the future. In June, it announced that a new Ultra High Speed (UHS) symbol would start appearing on SDXC and SDHC products that support data transfer speeds of up to 104 MB per second (quadrupling the existing maximum possible speed of 25 MB per second), while new UHS Speed Class symbols would be used to designate SD memory cards and products designed to support real-time video recording. At IFA, the Association displayed a few products featuring these new UHS-I and UHS Speed Class high-speed capabilities, which should start appearing in stores soon.

With the 4.0 specification not due until early next year, we’ll have to wait a little longer for the 300 MB/second cards and products that support them.

Source:SD Association

new translucent mirror Alpha cameras

If you've suffered a missed photo opportunity due to the short time your digital SLR takes to get its mirror out of the way, then Sony reckons it has the answer. The mirror inside the new α33 and α55 digital cameras doesn't move out of the way at all, it's just semi-transparent and simply allows the light from the lens through to the CMOS sensor while also redirecting some to the camera's autofocus sensor. Whether shooting stills or high definition video, Sony says that its new technology allows for simultaneous image capture and fast, accurate autofocus.

 

Existing mirror-based digital SLR cameras are restricted to getting shots in focus during the interval between image capture. When the user presses the shutter release, the mirror has to be moved out of the way so that light passing through the lens can hit the sensor. The short delay experienced can mean the difference between bagging that stunning action shot or being left with a disappointing blur. In a novel approach to the issue, Sony has removed the mirror-raising mechanism altogether and in its place has installed something it's calling Translucent Mirror Technology.

It's essentially a semi-transparent mirror that doesn't actually move out of the way while a frame is captured. Instead, the light passing through the lens is effectively split in two when it reaches the mirror, some being directed up to the autofocus sensor and the rest passing through to the CMOS image sensor. The immediate benefit to the user is said to be one of speed. Making it possible to focus at the same time an image is being captured, Sony says that its SLT-A33 model is capable of an impressive 7 frames per second (fps) continuous autofocus shooting in Continuous Priority AE mode, while the SLT-A55V raises the bar even further by achieving 10 fps.

 

The new mirror technology is also said to provide visual gains for the Live View and viewfinder too. Full-time Live View lets users see images as received on the sensor, via a 3-inch 921,600 resolution Xtra Fine, variable angle tilt LCD with TruBlack technology and 100 per cent coverage. The Tru-Finder eye-level electronic viewfinder with 1.15 million dot resolution also benefits from full coverage but also throws in live video preview for good measure. Both alpha cameras cater for continuous autofocus during video shooting and as well as recording to full 1080p high definition in motion JPEG format, there's also the option of AVCHD 1080i.

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Low light and fast moving image capture

Sony claims that its high precision TTL 15-point phase detection autofocus system with 3 cross sensors should result in clear images of fast-moving objects being accurately tracked and captured. Assisting with image clarity is SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization technology that is reported to offer up to four exposure steps of anti-shake correction when shooting handheld. There's also a sensitivity range of ISO100 to ISO12800 with an additional multi-frame noise reduction mode. The camera shoots six frames in this mode and then combines them into a single shot, which is said to result in effective sensitivity of up to ISO25600.

Other image enhancement options include an Auto HDR mode which takes three images at different exposures and then merges them into one enhanced image with rich shadow and highlight detail. There's 3D Sweep Panorama technology that creates a couple of images from each shot to enable panoramic photos to be viewed in three dimensions with a compatible viewer. And giving the Auto mode a boost is Auto+, capable of automatically recognizing various scenes and altering settings to suit and is said to result in "cleaner, more dynamic pictures and fewer missed shots."

Both models feature an Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor - the SLT-A33 at 14.2 megapixels and the SLT-A55V at 16.2 – and image processing is undertaken by the BIONZ engine. They're both compatible with the range of over 30 A-mount interchangeable lenses, sport both HDMI-out and USB 2.0 connectivity and support the SDXC media card format. The SLT-A55V also has built-in GPS for automatic geo-tagging of images and video clips.

Pricing and availability

Sony's SLT-A33 will be available from September and will cost US$650 for the body only. A body and 18-55mm zoom lens kit will also be available for US$750. The SLT-A55V will land a month later at a cost of US$750 for the body and US$850 for the body and lens kit.

Sony has released a short promotional video that highlights many of the features of both cameras:

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1080p JVC Picsio Pocket Video Camera

JVC has long been a major force in hand-held camcorders, but last year turned its attention to the world of pocket-cams with the release of the Picsio GC-FM1 which offered full 1080p high definition video and 8 megapixel stills. Now the company has added a couple more models to its Picsio range, the GC-WP10 and the GC-FM2.

Both of the new Picsio pocket video cameras share many of the same features. The GC-FM2 and the GC-WP10 both record up to full 1080p high definition video, can take 5 megapixel stills and have touchscreen displays taking up much of the rear.

Of the two, the most interesting is undoubtedly Picsio GC-WP10, which caters for the pool-bound tourist (or even those who just enjoy the rain) with waterproof capabilities down to 10 feet (3m). The pocket cam records up to full 1080p high definition video at 30 frames per second with digital image stabilization and has a 5 megapixel CMOS sensor which boasts "excellent low-light performance."

Dominating the rear of the 2.36 x 3.97 x 0.98-inch (60 x 101 x 25mm) WP10 is a 3-inch, 230,000 dot resolution touchscreen display. Other features include face detection, time-lapse recording, in-camera editing and the welcome inclusion of SDXC card support. Connectivity is provided by HDMI-out as well as USB and compatibility with Eye-Fi's Wi-Fi enabled SD cards offers wireless file transfer options. There's a headphone jack for private playback and the facility to record stereo MP3 audio.

JVC Picsio GC-WP10 Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST VERSION 

The pocket cam comes with onboard LoiLoScope EX for Windows software that is said to offer quick, intuitive editing with numerous special effects and direct upload to sharing sites like YouTube and Facebook. The software can launch as soon as the computer detects a connected Picsio and Apple fanboys will no doubt be pleased to learn that the camera is also compatible with iMovie and offers the option to record to iFrame format.

As for the GC-FM2, apart from not being able to record MP3 audio and the lack of a headphone socket, its feature set is almost the same as the WP10. It's not waterproof though and doesn't offer face detection but does sport a handy pop-out USB connector. Both pocket video cameras are charged via USB, although there is an optional AC charger available.

The GC-WP10 available in late September for US$199.95 and the GC-FM2 is already listed on JVC's online store in a choice of three colors, although won't actually be available until early September for US$199.00

Online Store purchase product

JVC Picsio GC-WP10 Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST VERSION

Two New Luxury Telephoto Lenses by CANON

Canon announced the development of two new L (Luxury)-series telephoto lenses equipped with a high performance image stabilization system. The new lenses EF500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF600mm f/4L IS II USM are made with fluorite and other special optical materials for addressing variety of aberrations in order to achieve high resolution, high-contrast imaging performance in a lighter weight body design. 

 

Furthermore, the new lenses come with much improved dust and moisture-proof performance ideal to be used in harsh environment such as sports, news and nature photography. The new lenses will be used for EOS lineup of single-lens reflex cameras. The two new lenses are successors to Canon’s EF500mm f/4L IS USM introduced back in July 1999 and EF600mm f/4L IS USM introduced back in September of 1999.

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Canon its first EOS DSLR with articulating LCD

Canon has unveiled the mid-level EOS 60D, which will replace the EOS 50D. The new DSLR camera features an 18-megapixel CMOS (APS-C size) image sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, HD video recording at 1080p and is the first of Canon’s EOS line to include an articulated LCD screen that lets users keep their eyes on the prize when shooting from various angles. The 3-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen is similar to that found on the EOS Rebel T2i, boasting 1,040,000 dot/VGA resolution plus anti-reflective and smudge-resistant coatings.

Another first for the EOS system is the EOS 60’s new Multi-Control Dial, which places a Multi-Controller and Set button inside the Quick Control Dial. Canon says this new control layout streamlines camera navigation for vertical and horizontal shooting and enables a design that is smaller and cleaner than its predecessor. The EOS 60D also features a locking dial to prevent inadvertent changes to settings while shooting.

In-camera editing

Canon has also included new in-camera features including processing of RAW images from within the camera – another first for an EOS camera. In-camera RAW image processing features include Picture Style, White Balance (WB), Color Space, High-ISO Noise Reduction, Peripheral Illumination Correction, linear distortion correction and chromatic aberration correction. These tools allow photographers in the field to produce optimized images on the spot and generate JPEG files at various resolution and compression settings for immediate sharing, without affecting the original RAW data.

There’s also a new image resizing function that allows the creation of lower-resolution copies of captured full resolution or smaller JPEG images using menu commands. New lower-resolution settings include 1920 x 1280 for optimal display on HD televisions, or 720 x 480 for uploading to social networking and other photo sharing web sites. The original high-resolution files remain unaffected by the image resizing function.

Canon has also added new creative image filters to an EOS camera for the first time. Already familiar to Canon PowerShot users, these allow photographers to apply photo effects such as Soft Focus and Grainy Black and White. There’s also a “Toy Camera” filter that adds vignetting and color shift, while the Miniature Effect filter simulates the look from a tilt-shift lens. Each of these filters can be applied to a captured still image in-camera to create a second “filtered” JPEG version, leaving the original RAW or JPEG file unaffected.

Live View

To make it easier to compose images in Live View the Live View screen can display cropping lines for 1:1, 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios in addition to the standard 3:2 ratio. Custom aspect ratios are also applied to JPEG images whether captured directly in-camera or created with the EOS 60D’s in-camera RAW image processing function. The EOS 60D features a dedicated button to initiate live view for both video and still shooting. Once engaged, the same dedicated button will start and stop video recording. The Electronic Level Display lets photographers know when the camera is level and is viewable in the optical viewfinder and on the LCD in both Live View and Movie modes. An artificial horizon display illustrates horizontal roll, allowing the photographer to know when the camera is in a fixed level position.

Video Capture

The EOS 60D allows for three video recording modes – Full HD and HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio and Standard Definition (SD) in a 4:3 aspect ratio, all at selectable frame rates – 24p, 25p or 30p for 1920x1080 and 50p or 60p for 720p and SD. The 60D’s movie mode also includes manual controls for exposure as well as manual audio levels in 64 steps, much like the latest firmware update for the EOS 5D Mark II. Users can set audio levels on the rear menu screen before shooting begins. Once recording is initialized, audio adjustments are not possible. In addition, Canon has added an electronic Wind Filter to the audio controls within the movie shooting menu.

In-camera video editing

Canon has also included an in-camera movie editing feature, allowing users to shorten a video file by clipping segments from the beginning or the end. Handy if you’re running low on storage space or are looking to reduce the time it takes to upload clips to a computer. There’s also a Movie Crop mode, which allows users to achieve 7x magnification when shooting SD video. To preserve image quality this feature crops the image directly from the CMOS sensor at full SD resolution.

Focusing and metering

The 60D features a 9-point AF system with f/5.6-sensitive cross-type focusing on all nine focusing points. Like the EOS 7D, the center AF point is a hybrid of standard cross-type and special diagonally-shaped “X” cross, with high-precision sensitivity for f/2.8 and larger aperture lenses. Complementing the AF system, Canon’s iFCL metering system, identical to that on the EOS 7D and Rebel T2i, takes color information into account and includes a 63-zone dual-layer metering sensor that reads both illumination and color, keeping exposure levels stable from shot to shot, even as the light source changes.

The 60D’s wide ISO range from 100-6400 (adjustable in 1/3-step increments from ISO 100-6400 and expandable to 12,800) allows for shooting in low light without a flash. When you do need a flash though, the built-in pop up flash features a built-in Integrated Speedlite Transmitter for control of up to two groups of off-camera EOS Speedlites without the need for an external transmitter.

The 60D is compatible with Canon EF and EF-S lenses and will be delivered to U.S. dealers toward the end of September. The body-only will retail for US$1,099, while a kit version including Canon’s EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens will sell for $1,399.