Filed under: Digital Cameras

We knew this bad boy was coming, we even got our grubby hands on the thing before it went public, and we’ve watched the D50s replacement finally get official all within the past few months. Now, however, the discerning folks over at ePhotoZine have subjected Nikon’s latest entry-level DSLR to a bevy of tests and deemed it quite the worthwhile successor. Reviewers immediately praised the build quality and smaller size, noting that this was the first DSLR they could “actually get it in a coat pocket comfortably.” Also, they were impressed with Nikon’s decision to stick with the 6.1-megapixel sensor, insinuating that newcomers to the DSLR world would appreciate “the savings in both hard disc storage and processing speed,” regardless of whether they even realized it. The crew found the D40 “easier to use” than its predecessor and admired the “useful additions” to in-camera abilities and menus, many derived from the more expensive D80 model. Noteworthy digs included the lack of a top LCD screen, a new battery that wouldn’t play nice with others in the range, and the fact that it only supports SWM motor lenses. Overall, the D40 sports improvements “all in the right areas,” and still provides a solid entrance into the endless world of DSLR shooting, and offers a great way to start wallowing out your savings account once you get addicted.

[Via Digital Photography Blog]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Digital Cameras

For Leica enthusiasts and digicam freaks alike, we’re sure the day that uber-expensive M8 landed on your doorstep was one of pure elation — or maybe not so much, depending on your luck. Turns out the nearly $6,000 piece of kit wasn’t as refined and ready to shoot as the lofty pricetag may lead you to believe, but Lieca is apparently aiming to please those deep pocketed customers by offering up some quick fixes and a few bonus filters to boot. Folks suffering from “banding issues, mirror / ghosting effects, and IR sensitivity quirks” can register on the company’s website by December 6th in order to have Leica contact you to set up a return. Unfortunately, this means your finicky M8 will be out of your palms for a few days (or weeks), but at least it’ll come back with a “firmware upgrade” to eliminate the banding / ghosting problems, as well as “a basic kit of two UV / IR filters with diameters of your choice” to counteract the “faulty color rendering.” While we aren’t sure how long the gurus in Solms will hold your precious M8 captive, we do know the additional filters won’t ship until February of next year, and if you’re worried about picking up a buggy M8 as of now, Leica has assured us that all units shipping after November 27th will sport the internal upgrades right out of the box.

[Thanks, Derek M.]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Laptops

No double agent facade is complete with just an uber-stealthy Sony Ericsson cellphone, as everyone understands that no impossible improbable heist goes down without wiring a few mil to that heavily secured offshore account. Stepping up to the oh-so-dodgy challenge is Sony’s own 007 Edition VAIO TX ultraportable, slimmed down to just 1-inch thick and weighing 2.8 pounds in order to fit comfortably in the matching Attaché briefcase. The 11.1-inch machine touts a carbon fiber enclosure, WXGA XBRITE display, 1.2GHz Intel U1400 Core Solo processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 80GB 4200RPM hard drive, Intel’s GMA950 integrated graphics set, dual-layer DVD burner, and a snazzy “privacy screen” that blurs all on-screen content to curious enemies not looking head-on. The Casino Royale-approved device also touts audio in / out, Ethernet, 56k modem, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, 4-pin FireWire, MS / MSPro reader, PCMCIA, and the wireless tools (read: WiFi / Bluetooth) no undercover assassin could function without. For snapping up those incriminating reconnaissance photos, Sony bundles in a DSC-T50B (the “B” is for Bond, obviously) which rocks the same bevy of specs found on its less-secretive sibling, but sports a sleek, black finish and the obligatory 007 logo. While you may have got turned down when looking to become Pierce Brosnan’s sure-to-be-legendary successor, you can live vicariously through Sony for just $4,299.99 — but those desirable silhouettes are unfortunately not included.

[Thanks, Will]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wireless

Not to keep harping on Fujifilm‘s newly-unveiled, fixed-zoom S9600 camera, but the company has apparently busted out a less-than-glamorous wireless attachment for the highly-touted prosumer model. While we knew the 10.7x zoom, 9 megapixel sensor, and tiltable LCD were on the docket, wireless transfers is definitely a new addition. Spotting WiFi on cameras isn’t too uncommon (heck, we’re even giving one away), but we’ve yet to see a dedicated wireless adapter for a camera of this stature. Reportedly, the demo was set up to photograph onlookers, and then pass the snapshot along (sans wires, of course) to a WiFi-enabled printer sitting nearby. Unfortunately, details concerning model numbers, pricing, or if this add-on will ever surface outside of the Photokina confines remains to be seen — but honestly, we hope the final design (should there be one at all) trims down a bit, as the current build sure looks to add a good deal of heft for just cutting the proverbial cord.

[Via Daily Wireless]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

While Polaroid may have had that snap ‘n shake camera market locked down, it certainly isn’t atop the list of quality digital cameras, but the a520 isn’t parading around attempting to be anything more than a bottom-of-the-line, wallet-friendly offering anyway. While the company’s 10-megapixel i1032 was relatively uninspiring, this compact shooter should certainly appeal to budget-conscious consumers looking for a basic, simple way to take digital photos. The pocketable cam sports a modest five megapixel CMOS sensor, 2-inch LCD monitor, 16MB of built-in storage, SD support (limited to 1GB cards or smaller), and a VGA movie mode. Unfortunately — albeit expectedly — you’ll find a (nearly worthless) 4x digital zoom in place of the more functional optical variety, and while it touts integrated “redeye reduction,” we have our doubts concerning its effectiveness. Nevertheless, this diminutive P&S probably boasts enough capability for those wanting a (very) basic digital alternative to buying all those disposables, and can be found for the super-cheap price of about ¥10,000 ($85) when it drops in October.

[Via Far East Gizmos]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

In what appears to be a revamp that’s more evolutionary than revolutionary, Fujifilm has announced the latest member of the affordable A-series. Aside from the ever-increasing amount of megapixels, there isn’t much here to get enthused about; the FinePix A700 sports a 7.3 megapixel Super CCD sensor (up from 6 in the A600), 3x optical zoom, 2.4-inch LCD, automatic ISO adjustments (up to ISO 400), and “approximately” 12MB of internal storage, which may come in handy when needing “just one more shot” after that xD card taps out. As with most budget cameras, you should expect to lug around a copious supply of AA batteries, and while we can only get so excited about jamming more megapixels into a camera and slapping a new model number on it, you can snag the A700 for $199 when it hits shelves in early October should it suit your fancy.

[Via Digital Photography Blog]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

While the DMC-FZ50 was never intended to be a complete overhaul of the well-regarded DMC-FZ30 it replaces, it seemed that Panasonic was trying to address the gripes on the prior model, as well as toss in a few unexpected niceties to boot. Apparently the upgrade was a success, as the folks at DPReview found a lot to love about the evolutionary camera, especially for the price. Sporting the obligatory 12x zoom, 10.1 megapixels (up from 8), a TTL flash hot shoe, SDHC support, 16:9 movie / still mode, Venus III Engine (upgraded from the Venus II), and an Intelligent ISO that adjusts up to 1600 on the fly, this hybrid megazoom packs an impressive spec list. Reviewers were quick to praise the high-end feature set, and felt that it outpaced the competition in terms of amenities, but did point out that image quality suffered due to the small sensor used to compensate for all those megapixels. The biggest digs came from the added noise and bleeding colors found at any ISO above 100 (like many Panasonics), but these qualms were quickly solved by downsizing the images for normal viewing / storage. Overall, DPReview slapped a “Highly Recommended” tag on the FZ50, and apparently weren’t too dissatisfied with the image hiccups, as they pronounced it “the best equipped, best specified, and best handling bridge camera on the market today.” With a claim like that backing it up, dropping $650 on this shooter doesn’t seem all that painful.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Yet more news outta IFA today, with Samsung taking the occasion to announce a new compact digital camera for anyone looking for a little widescreen action. The SDC-MS61 is a six megapixel cam with a 3x optical zoom that’ll take pics at up to ISO 1600, as well as 30fps MPEG-4 video in 16:9 aspect ratio (which should give your home movies that much-needed cinematic edge). You’ll also be able to view those vids properly thanks to the camera’s 3.0-inch widescreen LCD on the rear. The MS61 will also double as a webcam and an MP3 player/recorder, although little details like price and availability have yet to be made readily available.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

After months of teasing, sifting through tons of officially unofficial deets, finally getting some good pics of the camera itself, and being envious of all those previewers who got their grubby hands on this beauty before anyone else, the dust has begun to settle and the verdicts are out. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that the Nikon D80 DSLR is essentially everything we hoped for, and the bottom line seems to be that this digicam borrows a myriad of features from the wallet-abusing D200, but won’t force you to refinance your home (well, hopefully not) in order to own one. For the Nikon faithful, this one’s a no-brainer, but for those without any particular allegiance, it probably wouldn’t hurt to give Sony’s Alpha A100 a once over, considering its noteworthy bonuses — such as the Super SteadyShot and anti-dust features that you won’t find on the D80 — before pulling the trigger. Nevertheless, reviewers are (practically) unanimous in giving their recommendations to this camera, especially at the sub-$1,000 (sans lens kit) price, but comb these reviews with your own discerning eyes before jumping on (or off) the D80 bandwagon yourself.

Read – HardwareZone
Read – Imaging Resource
Read – CNET
Read – ePhotoZine
Read – Nikonians

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Sanyo’s introduced yet another entry in its catch-all line of Xacti digital cameras, the Xacti CA6, a fairly minor update to the C6. We’re not sure what the “A” stands for, but the biggest addition to this model, apart from the new sporty colors, is its water-resistant casing — although Sanyo’s quick to cover its bases and point out that it isn’t completely waterproof, so don’t go all Jacques Cousteau with it. In terms of specs, however, the cam looks to be pretty much identical to the C6, packing a 5x optical zoom, 2-inch flip-out LCD, and taking 6 megapixel still pics and 30 fps VGA MPEG-4 video. Sanyo’s also managed to knock a full $200 of the original list price of the C6, with the CA6 now coming in at a more reasonable $400 US. Look for it in August.

[Via LetsGoDigital]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

The world just had to have one more middle-of-the-road compact digicam, or at least Rollei figured it did. Their upcoming dx63 Tribute’s 6.36 megapixel sensor is accompanied by an average 3x optical zoom and the usual worthless 4x digital, as well as 32MB of internal memory, and a SD slot stifled by a 1GB limit. Sure, it can shoot full motion VGA movies at 30fps and utilizes USB 2.0, but even the inclusion of a 3-inch LCD can’t make the dx63 Tribute a camera that’s not past its prime — such is the way for a camera company whose pristine brand is tarnished by Chinese ODM after ODM. For those looking for a perfectly mediocre digital camera, the dx63 Tribute will begin shipping this month for €299.

[Via Ubergizmo]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Gaming

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Ok grrrls, FujiFilm has gone all pearls-in-the-kitchen with their new FinePix Z3 Zoom camera, calling it the ideal "handbag companion" for the ladies. The Z3 is nothing more than the Z2 (or Z1 for that matter) dolled-up in pink of course, with the addition of a picture stabilization mode, intelligent flash, and a new flash mode which snaps both a natural light and flash shot with a single press of the shutter. So like the Z2, you get a 5.1-megapixel, 1/2.5-inch CCD, 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, an xD Picture card slot, and 640 x 480 videos recorded at 30fps. Oh, and it's available in blue and silver too in case your man-bag is looking for a little action.

[Via Let'sGoDigital]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

C|net just layed mits to the 8 megapixel Olympus Stylus 810. In their review of this weatherproof (not waterproof) shooter with image stabilization, c|net calls the 810 a "very good" camera with "solid" image quality. Sure, noise is the "biggest problem" with the 810 -- quite visible at ISO 400 until becoming a "distinct texture" by the time you reach IS0 3200. However, the reviewer still considered the quality "acceptable" when compared to the alternative of dark and blurry shots taken under low lighting conditions. But by now, no one should really expect the small CCDs found in these compact shooters to perform any differently, right? Notably, the camera suffered from an "easily washed-out" LCD when used in sunlight which is potentially crippling at times due to the lack of a glass viewfinder. Still, the $349 cam pulled a 7/10 rating largely due to its hot (for a compact) burst mode capable of 12 shots in about 2.6 seconds (at 3 megapixel resolution) and generally good image quality. Still, if you're looking for an 8 megapixel camera, you can probably do better.

[Via Digital Photography Blog]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

If you ever needed proof that megapixels aren’t everything in a digital camera, look no further than PC Magazine’s review of Polaroid’s PDC 5080 5 megapixel cam, which sells for just $90. You know things are bad when the best they can come up with on the pro side is “light” and “cheap.” The problems with the camera, on the other hand, read like a comedy of errors, from the open-at-your-own-risk blister pack the camera comes packaged in (rule #1, don’t buy a digital camera in a blister pack), to the way below average image quality compared to other 5MP cameras, to the 9 frame per second “video” capabilities, to the images that mysteriously dissappear from the SD card. Stay away from this one, folks, and warn your friends.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals

We’re still a little baffled by the continued rollout of new 4×6-in photo printers from the likes of Epson, HP and Sony. Sure, they’re handy, but how about a little more flexibility? Where’s the printer that can do both 4×6 and 5×7 shots (we know, it’s the letter-size photo-capable printer we already own)? That said, we shouldn’t be surprised that Sony has expanded its line of dye-sub 4×6 printers with two new models, the DPP-FP55 and DPP-FP3.5 Both use print packs that include both paper and toner, which Sony says keeps printing costs at about 29 cents per print, and both are PictBridge compatible for direct printing with most recent digicams. The DPP-FP55, which includes a 2-inch LCD for image previews, is expected to roll out next month for $150, while the DPP-FP35, which skips the screen, will go for $100.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Nikon's Coolpix S5, unveiled earlier this year, is a svelte 6 megapixel shooter with a 2.5-inch LCD, non-extending 3x zoom lens and lots of scene modes for point-and-shoot novices. And, as reviewed by DCViews, it offers good image quality, with "excellent" color and "perfect" auto-focusing and auto-exposure, at a price of about $300. Those looking for manual controls should look elsewhere, of course. However, DCViews, perhaps with an eye towards Mother's Day, sees this as "an elegant ladies' camera." We assume there are plenty of guys who would be happy with this one's features, or with its big brother, the S6, which adds WiFi for about $50 more.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Storage

src="http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/04/catapult.jpg" />Camcorder accessory manufacturer Bella has just
announced a new device that will let you toss those MiniDV cassettes straight out of your bag and replace them with
your iPod or nearly any other USB 2.0-compliant storage system. The Catapult, as its known, is an paperback-sized
digital encoder that plugs into any standard or HD camcorder with a FireWire port and processes the video as you’re
recording, eliminating the need to convert your footage later on. Besides saving time and offering access to higher
storage capacities, the Catapult also enables your cam with a number of features not available out of the box, such as
time-lapse recording, remote trigger capabilities, and both pre- and post-recording ability. Pre-recording is an
especially attractive option, as it seems to buffer whatever your CCD is capturing for a preset timeframe, allowing you
to essentially "turn back the clock" and preserve events that already happened once you hit the record button.
Bella tells us to expect their new product sometime during the second half of the year, for some amount of money less
than $300.

[Via href="http://www.t3.co.uk/news/247/imaging/camcorder/capture_video_straight_on_to_ipod">T3]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

We have to admit we did a double-take when we saw the JVC Everio G GZ-MG505 on the TIPA Awards web site. It’s not that the video camera, with 3CCDs, a 30GB hard drive and 5 megapixel resolution doesn’t sound sweet. It definitely does. Problem is, it doesn’t seem to exist — at least not yet. We can only assume that the team at TIPA got a glance at an early pre-production unit, and just liked it so much that they handed over the award on the spot. Regardless, merging the 3CCD imaging system found on the GZ-MC500 with the high-capacity hard drive found on some of JVC’s 1CCD models seems like a no-brainer. But we won’t be giving any awards until we’re sure this thing is for real.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Even though we didn't previously know its name, we've been waiting around for Kodak to announce the EasyShare V610, their first Bluetooth-enabled camera ever since we saw it appear in the FCC not too long ago. What we weren't expecting was a device that claims to have 38-380mm focal length 10x optical zoom (which can be engaged while recording video!). This is a feat not accomplished by mere mortal compact digital camera makers, and has previously only gone into cleverly designed cameras like Ricoh's R4 (7.1x zoom) and Panasonic's TZ1 (10x zoom). We're still trying to figure out exactly how a camera with no expanding barrel or crazy folded prism optics system is going to work a 10x optical zoom (and how useful we can make that without a little OIS assistance), but each of the V610's two lenses, much like the V570 before it, feature a 6 megapixel sensor capable of shots up to ISO 800 (with pixel binning, no doubt). It also features, as mentioned, Bluetooth 2.0 for transferring images on the go, as well as to Kodak kiosks and printers (sounds like it will have the OBEX profile), a 2.8-inch display, 28MB of internal flash, SD slot, and comes ready to roll in a 4.4 x 2.2 x 0.9-inch body. It could be available as early as May for as little as $630 US, but we don't have any solid info yet; check out a comparison shot of it and the V570 after the break.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

The Pentax Optio W10, announced in February, may look like a fairly straightforward point-and-shoot, but if you're familiar with the company's product line, you'll recognize this one's secret weapon immediately: it's waterproof. No, not waterproof as in scuba-diving, but waterproof as in, take-it-to-the-beach or take-it-on-your-next-fishing-trip. That's a distinction shared by very few other compact digicams, and could make this a good option for your summer activities. Digital Camera Review checked the camera out, and found it to be well-designed and durable. The lens is protected by a plastic cover, other openings are sealed, and buttons are harder to press thanks to waterproofing. The reviewer was impressed with the image-quality on the 6 megapixel shooter, saying images "showed accurate color and good exposure in a variety of conditions." The main gripes were shutter lag (hey, it's a compact) and an LCD screen that tends to be a little hard to view in bright sunlight. Given that you may be planning to take this one to the beach, and there's no optical viewfinder, that could be a problem, but chances are you'd rather deal with that than risk dropping your SLR in the water.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

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