Hasta La Gadget!

Does the NEX lineup need another model? Sony reckons it does. Meet the NEX-6. The company’s latest mirrorless camera looks nearly identical to last year’s top-of-the-line NEX-7, with the exception of a new dedicated mode dial, that lets you switch between aperture- and shutter-priority, manual, or scene modes with a hardware control rather than a need to jump into the menu. It offers the same pop-up flash (with a bit more power), a 3-inch 921k-dot TruBlack tilting LCD, an identical 2,359k-dot OLED electronic viewfinder and a strikingly familiar design. And that’s where the similarities screech to a grinding halt.

The NEX-6 is a hybrid camera of sorts, merging the best of the NEX-7 and the new 5R into a compact ILC that Sony says is its first to offer “full DSLR functionality.” You won’t be able to snag full-frame captures, as with Sony’s brand new Alpha A99, but the 16.1-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor should get you well on your way. There’s also low-light shooting through ISO 25,600, 1080/60p video, a 10 frames-per-second continuous shooting mode, the new Fast Hybrid autofocus system first introduced with the NEX-5R and a new Multi Interface Shoe that lets you interface with a bunch of new accessories, including a hot shoe-mounted XLR mic input rig ($800). Join us past the break for our impressions and hands-on video.

Continue reading Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial (hands-on video)

Filed under: Cameras

Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentax’s Q10 isn’t the company’s only new camera today; there’s also a pair of new full-sized DSLRs, the Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs, for those wanting native K-series lens support. Each packing a 16.28-megapixel sensor and Pentax’s PRIME II imagine engine, the two new DSLRs offer ISO 100-12800 (ISO 80-51200 in expanded mode) and a 3-inch 921k dot LCD preview display with anti-glare finish and toughened glass cover.

The difference between the two cameras is the absence of an anti-aliasing filter in the K-5 IIs, which makes it good for landscape-style shorts where detail is paramount and distortion less likely. Otherwise, both get a custom shake-reduction mechanism which shifts the CMOS – by approximately three shutter steps – to avoid blur, and 7fps burst shooting for up to 30 shots.

The viewfinder supports 100-percent field of view, while the body is made of magnesium alloy and stainless steel; the body is dustproof and weather-resistant, as well as resilient to temperatures as low as 14-degrees Fahrenheit. There’s a digital level tucked inside too, and a battery good for up to 980 shots on a single charge.

The Pentax K-5 II will go on sale in October, priced at $1,199.95 body-only, or $1,349.95 with the DA 18-55mm WR zoom, or finally $1,549.95 with the DA 18-135mm WR zoom. As for the K-5 IIs, that will also hit in October, priced at $1,299.95 body-only.

Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs offer DLSR with or without anti-aliasing is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

here you are Pentax’s latest mirrorless compact camera the Q10! This new little wonder from Pentax comes with a nice 12.4Mpix BSI sensor with a 100 to 6400 ISO Range and even HDR Support! While these are so far nothing really impressive per se, Pentax however announced that the Q10 comes with an improved AF system and Face Recognition AF capable to handle up to 12 faces at once! The Q10 comes with a nice 3″ LCD with a 460k dot resolution, an enhanced battery, and the usual 1080/30p …

Samsung’s initial plans to equip the Galaxy Note II with a 13-megapixel camera were scuppered by supplier shortages, insiders claim, with LG snapping up the bulk of the high-res sensors for its new flagship. The new stylus-enabled 5.5-inch “phablet” that Samsung announced at IFA has an 8-megapixel camera, like its predecessor, but the company had hoped to step up to 13-megapixels, DDaily reports. However, supplier Sony proved unable to meet Samsung’s demand.

That’s because LG had already called dibs on Sony’s supplies, with a deal inked earlier this year meaning the bulk of the 13-megapixel CMOS were headed to LG’s production lines and the Optimus G. That handset is expected to be officially released to the market later in September.

Camera resolution was one blip on the Galaxy Note II’s spec sheet, with the rest of the smartphone representing a useful step up from its predecessor. The new “phablet” has a larger display and a more usable stylus – thicker and longer than the first-gen version, as well as having a new, rubberized tip – together with an upgraded 1.6GHz quadcore processor and 2GB of RAM.

As we’ve undoubtedly seen in recent months, the number of megapixels in a phone’s camera isn’t the be-all and end-all of final image quality; instead, it’s about how a camera uses those megapixels that really counts. Still, if the reports are true, Samsung’s compromise is unlikely to warm it to LG. More on the Galaxy Note II in our full hands-on.

[via GottaBeMobile; via Unwired View]

Samsung’s 13MP Note II plans reportedly killed by LG’s Optimus G is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

To the delight of live event crowds everywhere, the ASUS-made Nexus 7 sidestepped the primary camera route, only furnishing the slab with a 1.2-megapixel front-facer. While it didn’t take long for app-makers to tweak their wares especially for Google’s statement tablet, users over at XDA Developers have dug a little deeper to unlock the shooter’s 720p recording potential, removing the previous 480p cap. There are several (relatively simple) ways to get it done — visit the source for the full instructions.

Filed under: Tablets, Software

Google Nexus 7 mod unlocks 720p recording on front-facing camera originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 06:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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