Samsung WB100 packs 16MP and 24x optical zoom

Samsung has today introduced a new camera into its range, the WB100. It’s designed to capture high quality images while maintaining a compact form factor. The camera comes with a 26x optical zoom as well as a 22.3mm wide angle lens, with the sensor capable of capturing 16.2-megapixels. On top of that, there’s 720p/30 video recording, and Samsung has included a Dual Image Stabilisation mode to reduce soft photos as a result of shaky hands.

Other camera features include a 3D photo mode as well as a Live Panorama Mode. ISO can be set between 80 and 1600, with a 3200 option that’s only available with 3-megapixel images. The camera packs a 3-inch display on the back, and also has a HDMI v1.4 output plus a traditional A/V camera jack.

Oddly enough, to power this camera you’ll need to insert four AA batteries. The whole thing weighs around 403 grams without any batteries, and Samsung says the camera should be available in July for around €219 (~$275).

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Samsung WB100 packs 16MP and 24x optical zoom is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Olympus to suitors: We’ll take your cash but not your name

Olympus has been struggling recently, reporting massive losses while those within the company have been struggling to get the brand back to profitability. There have been rumors that Panasonic was a potential saviour for the company, with a plan to invest around $635 million in Olympus as part of a rescue package. Panasonic quickly denied the rumors, saying there were no plans to invest. Now an Olympus executive has said that even if it does acquire much-needed capital from another firm, the company will try to retain its brand.

Yasuo Takeuchi, a senior executive managing officer at Olympus, said: “We understand we need to consider an increase in capital as one of our key management issues. The main premise is to fully preserve our Olympus brand.” Reports indicate that the ailing camera maker is currently in talks with another company for a ¥50 billion yen (~$629 million) cash injection.

Sony is currently rumored to be that company, and if the deal moves ahead it would leave Sony as the top shareholder in Olympus, with a stake totalling more than 10%. Olympus has faced financial troubles ever since it was discovered that the company hid ¥117.7 billion (~$1.48 billion) in losses that date back all the way to the 90s.

[via City AM]


Olympus to suitors: We’ll take your cash but not your name is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


JVC’s Tiny HD Action Camera Looks Like a Freaking Tank [Video]

JVC’s new GC-XA1 ADIXXION action camera is loaded, combining the best features of the competition into a compact, everything-proof package. No extra add-ons to buy. Is this the most-powerful compact action footage weapon yet? More »

This Sony Action Cam Prototype Is Brimming With Wonderful Tiny Tech [Cameras]

Sony just posted images of this tiny action camera it’s developing. It’s adorable, but seriously, how the heck is a camera that small going to produce high quality HD video? It’s got solid guts—and not the kind you need to go skydiving. More »

Sony’s Action Cam prototype is incredibly small, we go fingers-on at CE Week in NYC

Sony's Action Cam prototype is incredibly small, we go fingerson at CE Week in NYC

CE Week isn’t typically a venue for major product introductions, then again neither is Sony’s blog. Last night, we got a sneak peek at the company’s new Action Cam on the aforementioned site, and this morning the Japanese manufacturer dropped the black curtain on what appears to be the very same prototypes used in yesterday’s tease. We almost missed it at Sony’s pint-sized booth at the annual week-long CEA event in New York City — the camera, which has yet to get an official name and model number assignment from Tokyo, is massively smaller than yesterday’s snaps may have implied. The adventure shooter is hidden behind glass, but we did manage to pull it out for a brief inspection, and boy is it tiny.

A variety of mounts were on hand to demonstrate the shooter’s versatility, including a handlebar attachment, helmet holster and some sort of plastic enclosure that could presumably be used to shield the Action Cam from underwater hazards, though Sony declined to confirm. Specification details are also quite spotty at the moment, but we were able to confirm that there will be an Exmor R CMOS image sensor and a wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar lens on board. Things seem to be quite limited on the controls front, with simple navigation buttons, a Start/Stop toggle, a tiny LCD and stereo mics up front representing the entire bounty of I/O offerings. There also appears to be SD and Memory Stick storage on board, based on familiar logos printed on the jet-black housing. For now, that’s all she wrote — we expect more details as we approach the Action Cam’s official launch in the fall. Flip through the gallery below for a closer look.

Sony’s Action Cam prototype is incredibly small, we go fingers-on at CE Week in NYC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Robot Never Loses at Rock, Paper, Scissors Because It’s a Damn Cheater [Video]

This rudimentary robot hand, developed by the Ishikawa Oku Laboratory in Japan, never loses at Rock, Paper, Scissors. It has a perfect record against everyone who’s ever challenged it, but that’s only because it can see and react faster than any human being can. More »

Casio’s Camera App Lets You Share Messages Via Flashing Disco Lights [Video]

A while ago Casio came up with a new approach to sharing data and messages on a mobile device. Instead of a wireless data connection, it uses the camera to read and decode a multi-colored flashing light, not unlike morse code. More »

Nokia 808 PureView pre-order hits Amazon UK

How much are you willing to spend on Nokia’s 808 PureView? Whatever figure you had in mind, Amazon UK has thrown up a pre-order page for the 41-megapixel packing phone. The release date is pegged for June 30th, so not long to go, but if you want to own a little piece of history you’ll have to say goodbye to £499.98 (~$782). Expensive, yes, but there also isn’t anything out there quite like it.

We’ve received our 808 PureView here at SlashGear and are currently busy putting it through its paces, but so far we’ve been impressed with the quality of the camera output. Reviews and samples from across the internet also indicate just how good that camera really is, although for the price Nokia is asking we should certainly hope so. Unfortunately, it’s all held back by the inclusion of the Symbian operating system, but hopefully we’ll see the technology make a jump to Windows Phone in the not too distant future.

The phone will be sold unlocked in the United States as well for around $699, with a slightly later release of July 8th. Good news for those on T-Mobile USA though, as the handset will be compatible with the carrier’s 3G bands in addition to AT&T’s. We’ll be bringing you a full review of the phone shortly, so stick around to find out if the PureView is worth the high asking price.


Nokia 808 PureView pre-order hits Amazon UK is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Fujifilm outlines X-Pro1 lens roadmap, brings zoom at last this fall

Fujifilm outlines XPro1 lens roadmap, brings zoom at last this fall

If there’s been one outstanding gripe with Fujifilm’s X-Pro1 camera, it’s been the absence of zoom lenses; short of French kissing the subject, you might not get the photos you want. While there isn’t much of a solution right this second outside of buying the fixed-lens X10, the Japanese camera designer can say when we’ll see an interchangeable XF-mount zoom lens: fall 2012. That’s when a bright 18-55mm, f/2.8-4.0 optically stabilized lens will make its appearance, along with a 14mm f/2.8 prime. Fujifilm will revert to unveiling nothing but pancakes and primes during early 2013, but the middle of that year will finish covering the zoomable basics through a wide-angle 10-24mm f/4.0 OIS lens and a 55-200mm, f/3.5-4.8 OIS telephoto. We wouldn’t expect pricing with the new glass still months away — but at least you can start planning that Sumatra vacation knowing you won’t have to chase down the wildlife to get a good keepsake shot.

Continue reading Fujifilm outlines X-Pro1 lens roadmap, brings zoom at last this fall

Fujifilm outlines X-Pro1 lens roadmap, brings zoom at last this fall originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Many Cameras Does One Astronaut Really Need? [Image Cache]

Astronaut Don Pettit doesn’t have the name recognition of Ansel Adams, but his work transcends cultures and borders around the globe, literally. Pettit is the photographer behind the amazing timelapses coming from the ISS and here he is with his cameras; all 10 of them. More »