Hasta La Gadget!

Things are looking pretty rosy for Canon these days, though there may be some difficulty on the horizon. Today, the camera maker published a rather strong Q3 earnings report, just a few months after posting relatively ho-hum Q2 results. According to the company, operating profit grew by 17.4 percent to ¥122.55 billion ($1.6 billion) this quarter, compared with ¥104.42 billion ($1.37 billion) a year ago. Net profit, meanwhile, increased by 14.2 percent over the year, reaching ¥77.9 billion ($1.02 billion) during the quarter, versus ¥68.20 billion during Q3 2010. These results come at a time when the yen is strong, and therefore detrimental to Japanese exporters, though Canon attributed much of its success to strong growth in emerging markets, including China and India. For the year, however, Canon lowered its net-profit outlook to ¥230 billion ($3.02 billion) from ¥260 billion ($3.4 billion), on assumptions that the yen will maintain its strength, and on fears that recent flooding in Thailand may impact production. In fact, the manufacturer said the flooding may cut annual sales by ¥50 billion ($657 million) and operating profit by ¥20 billion. Check out the full report, at the source link below.

Canon posts higher profits in Q3 earnings report, lowers outlook over Thai flood concerns originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You knew Lytro was up to something, but with its infinite focus light-field powered camera out of the bag, how does it actually stack up in real life? In a word: novel — you certainly won’t be tossing your regular camera for this shooter, at least not in its current incarnation. Still the concept of shoot now, ask focus questions later is revolutionary, so hop on past the break for our initial impressions.

Continue reading Lytro camera hands-on (video)

Lytro camera hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wondering what the 5 megapixel sensor within the Galaxy Nexus is capable of? So were we. We didn’t have a huge variety of subjects to photograph here in our meeting room, but we ran about and captured as many as we could just for a quick comparison. As promised, snapping multiple pictures in a row was a cinch, with the camera taking just a fraction of a second before being ready to shoot again. In fact, we couldn’t even tap the screen fast enough to find its limit. We have to say, though — the built-in “Edit” menu could stand to be stronger. The “effects” were thoroughly underwhelming, and Instagram addicts will find plenty to laugh about. The cropping and twisting, however, is appreciated. Have a look at a rough-and-dirty comparison between the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus S in the galleries below (as well as a few panorama samples), and find a one minute 1080p sample video from the former just after the break.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Nexus camera and 1080p video samples

Samsung Galaxy Nexus camera and 1080p video samples originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stick a piece of gaffer tape over the unmistakable X, and Canon’s latest EOS-1D pro-level camera will look virtually identical to every 1D model that came before it. But once you flip up the power slider, this new king of the jungle will hum like no other. Canon’s phenomenally powerful EOS-1D X really sounds like the DSLR to rule them all. Its 18 megapixel full-frame sensor uses oversized pixels to battle noise and is supported by a pair of Digic 5+ imaging processors, which also help drive a 61-point high density reticular AF system, a top ISO setting of 204,000 (51,200 native), a 252-zone metering system, a 14 fps JPEG (or 12 fps RAW) burst mode and a built-in wired gigabit LAN connection, for remote shooting and image transfer. The camera’s curious single-letter name represents a trio of industry milestones: the X is the 10th generation Canon professional SLR (dating back to the F1 in the 1970s), it’s a crossover model, filling in for both the 1D Mark IV and 1Ds Mark III (which has been discontinued), and, well, it sounds to be pretty darn “Xtreme.”

The 1D X is being marketed to every category of professional photographer, from commercial studio shooters to newspaper photogs. It’s familiar, with a similar control layout, yet different, thanks to its completely redesigned system menu — accessed using the 3.2-inch, 1,040,000-dot LCD. There’s also an incredibly sharp intelligent optical viewfinder, with an on-demand grid, AF status indicator, a dual-axis electronic level and a shooting mode readout. Video shooters can choose between 1080p video capture at 24 (23.97), 25 or 30 fps, or 720p at 50 or 60 fps. Canon has also eliminated the 4GB clip limit, though individual clips are limited to 29:59, in order to avoid European tax rates affecting HD cameras that can capture single HD video clips longer than 30 minutes. We’re anxiously awaiting a chance to go hands-on with the EOS-1D X, and you’ll have to wait until March before adding this $6,800 beauty to your gear collection, but jump past the break for the meaty rundown from Canon, and click through the rather thin product gallery below.

Continue reading Canon announces EOS-1D X: full-frame 18MP sensor, 14 fps, 204,800 top ISO, $6,800 price tag

Canon announces EOS-1D X: full-frame 18MP sensor, 14 fps, 204,800 top ISO, $6,800 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offering to play matchmaker between your high-end camera and smartphone, XEquals has extended support for its BlueSLR remote control beyond iOS. Yes, Blackberry and Android users can now download their respective app and pair this Bluetooth dongle to their (still Nikon-only) DSLR. The compatible dongle and free app will land later this month, but before you lay down the requisite $149, it’s worth checking that both your camera and phone models are supported. As it stands, compatible Android phones are limited to some HTC or Samsung models. While Android support is likely to expand in the future, there’s no word on a Pre 3 version.

Continue reading BlueSLR dongle arrives for BlackBerry and (some) Android phones

BlueSLR dongle arrives for BlackBerry and (some) Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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