November 24th, 2009

Swarovski glamorizes the Olympus Pen E-P1

Posted by Rachel King @ 5:50 am

Categories: Digital Cameras

Tags: Olympus Corp., Camera, Swarovski, Pen E-P1, Rachel King

You’ll either love it or hate it, but Swarovski has taken the Olympus Pen E-P1 and bejeweled it with their traditional crystal gems.

Spreading tiny gems all over a camera isn’t exactly traditional (it sounds like a kid putting stickers all over a camera), but the jewels combined with the already retro-look of the E-P1 is downright bizarre. I think this look would work for certain personalities, and it’s actually kinda cute, in a kitchy way. (Although not everyone likes it.) And it’s definitely something you shouldn’t do to a professional camera.

But with the £1,999/$3,300 price tag, it’s no toy. A regular Pen E-P1 is more than half that price. It also won’t be easy to get your hands on, as it’s only available at Harrods’ Micro Anvika department in the UK.

What do you think of the flashy look on this camera?

November 18th, 2009

Ultra-slim Casio EX-G1 is ready to take on some damage

Posted by Rachel King @ 8:34 am

Categories: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Waterproof

Tags: Digital Camera, Camera, Casio Inc., Rachel King

Casio’s brand new Exilim EX-G1 is being praised as the world’s slimmest and toughest pocket camera. To start, it’s ultra-resistant to extreme conditions, including water, shock, dust and below-freezing temperatures. Ready?

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November 16th, 2009

Casio upgrading Exilim models to EX-FC150 and EX-FH25

Posted by Rachel King @ 3:21 am

Categories: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography

Tags: Video, Optical Zoom, Casio Inc., Corporate Communications, Iso standards, Monitors & Displays, Process Improvement, Memory, Marketing, Quality

Casio has two new systems lined up for its Exilim series: the EX-FC150 and EX-FH25. Their upgrades from the EX-FC100 and EX-FH20, respectively, are very subtle, mainly some new model codes and backlit CMOS sensors, plus a few other tweaks. Read the rest of this entry »

November 10th, 2009

Ricoh GXR system details and photos officially released

Posted by Rachel King @ 6:54 am

Categories: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography

Tags: Ricoh Corp., Photograph, Camera, Camera Body, CNET Asia, Rachel King

A day after details were leaked to the web, an official announcement and photos of the new Ricoh GXR system have been released.

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November 9th, 2009

Black Friday digital camera and camcorder deal reports are rolling in

Posted by Rachel King @ 3:37 am

Categories: Deals, Digital Camcorders, Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Digital SLR

Tags: Camcorder, Camera, Huliq News, Rachel King

For those of you who want to get prepared for your holiday shopping, and especially the best Black Friday deals, some sales are already being announced.

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November 6th, 2009

Canon releases EOS 7D firmware update

Posted by Rachel King @ 2:53 am

Categories: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Digital SLR

Tags: Firmware Update, Firmware, Canon Inc., Rachel King

After it was discovered that the Canon EOS 7D has a ghosting glitch, the company has released a firmware update to correct the problem. EOS 7D owners can download the 7D Firmware Update Version 1.1.0 at Canon’s USA website. The update promises the following fix:

Corrects a phenomenon that in images captured by continuous shooting, and under certain conditions, barely noticeable traces of the immediately preceding frame may be visible.

Or at least hopefully it will correct the problem. Recently I posted that Canon posted a firmware update for the Digital Rebel XS/1000D to alleviate the “Error 99″ problem. I’ve tried multiple times to fix the problem by installing the prescribed firmware update, and while each time the camera tells me it’s worked, I’ll push the shutter button and the same error pops up. So firmware updates don’t always work for every camera. Hopefully the 7D one will fare better.

Will any of you be downloading the 7D firmware update? If so, please let us know if it worked for you.

November 5th, 2009

Olympus announces new E-P2 compact interchangeable lens camera

Posted by Janice Chen @ 12:56 pm

Categories: Announcements, Digital Photography, Digital SLR

Tags: Olympus Corp., Camera, Janice Chen

Just five months after Olympus announced its first Micro Four-Thirds compact interchangeable lens camera, comes today’s announcement of an updated version, the Olympus Pen E-P2 Micro Four Thirds camera. It’s not a huge step up from the E-P1, but it does add some useful features, including a new accessory port that accepts the bundled Electronic View Finder (EVF) (and optional external microphone adapter), full manual shutter and aperture control when shooting video, and continuous autofocus tracking.

Other new features include two additional art filters: Diorama, which simulates a tilt-shift lens’ miniature faking abilities, and Cross Process, which simulates the bright colors and contrast of cross processing film with the wrong chemicals. The two new filters (as well as the original Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale & Light Color, Light Tone, Grainy Film and Pin Hole filters included in the E-P1) can be applied to both still images and HD videos.

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November 3rd, 2009

Finding pocket cameras with the best anti-shake feature

Posted by Rachel King @ 6:01 am

Categories: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography

Tags: Camera, Rachel King

All of us are susceptible to some camera shake now and again, either from unsteady hands, dim lighting or just a large gust of wind blowing past. Sometimes you need a camera that will account for this problem more than others. Here are three cameras that are reputed to have strong anti-shake capability:

1. Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR: This 10-megapixel camera is built with a Super CCD EXR optical sensor, which is geared to cancel out any slight wobbles when shooting with maximum zoom and/or in dim light. The sensor was modeled after the human eye, so that the sensor can react to behavior and motion quicker and more naturally. (Lowest price: $233.99)

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November 1st, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: The best all-around pocket digital cameras

Posted by Rachel King @ 9:36 pm

Categories: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Holiday Gift Guide

Tags: Video, Digital Camera, Camera, Optical Zoom, Photographer, Rachel King

There are a plethora of point-and-shoot cameras out there, and it’s difficult to sift through all the possibilities. Here are my five choices for the best all-around ultracompact cameras (though, not in any particular order) on the market this holiday season for the avid photographer in your life. These were based on the quality of photos and features in relation to the camera’s sticker price. Plus, they fit well in any stocking.

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS
Hailed by CNET as “one of the best ultracompacts available,” this 12-megapixel camera packs a 2.7-inch LCD screen, 4x optical zoom and a wide-angle 28mm-equivalent lens. While there are only three shooting modes (Smart Auto, Program/Scene, and Movie), video mode does allow for recording of up to 720p HD resolution, but you can’t use the optical zoom while recording. The only major qualms about this camera were some hints of purple fringing and noise in photos above ISO 800.

Available in black, silver, blue and brown, these smooth, very lightweight cameras work well in a variety of situations and be carried almost anywhere.

[Read the reviews] [Check prices]

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November 1st, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Digital SLR cameras

Posted by Janice Chen @ 9:32 pm

Categories: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Digital SLR, Holiday Gift Guide

Tags: Nikon Corp., DSLR, SLR, Video, LCD, Camera, Canon Inc., Corporate Communications, Marketing, Janice Chen

It’s been a great year for digital SLR shooters: There have been no fewer than 17 new dSLRs released this year, with HD video shooting coming to the low-end and long-awaited updates to stalwarts like the much-loved Nikon D40. Prices have come down and features have continued to ratchet up, so if you’re shopping for a dSLR as a holiday treat (for yourself or a loved one), your dollar will go further than you think. To help you narrow down the options, here’s a list of my five favorite dSLRs of the season:

Canon EOS Rebel T1i
If you’re looking for an entry-level camera with all the bells and whistles, and are willing to spend a little more than rock bottom, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i should definitely be on your short list. As we’ve come to expect from Canon dSLRs, image quality is top notch, but it’s the video recording capability that really sets this dSLR apart: The T1i serves up 720p (1280×720) HD video capture at 30fps and 1080p (1920×1080) at 20fps. You’d have to spend almost twice the T1i’s $899 price to get much better from a dSLR. Other highlights include the fantastic 3-inch, 920,000-dot LCD and an extended ISO sensitivity range up ISO 12800.

[Read the review] [Check prices]

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