Hasta La Gadget!

There are digital cameras, and then there are digital cameras. It is quite a large topic to cover, and so, there are just too many different branches to cover in a single article. Still, the digital camera market is pretty much broken down into three segments – the compact digital camera, the DSLR, and the Micro Four Thirds market. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70 can be said to occupy the first category, although it would be in a pretty niche segment, too, as optically speaking, the DMC-FZ70 is capable of delivering an amazing 20mm wide-angle to 1,200mm (60X) long zoom. Not only that, with F2.8-5.9 lens brightness, it does not matter whether you are shooting video or photos, either one will appear bright even under low light conditions.

Apart from that, the inclusion of optical image stabilization would assure that both long zoom photos and videos will remain sharp and free from blur, while the DMC-FZ70 also delivers amazing Full HD 1080/60i video recording capability, courtesy of Panasonic’s experience as a world leader in professional broadcast video. Panasonic has also thrown in a unique microphone which will do away with ambient noise and wind sound thanks to the stunning clarity of Dolby Digital. In fact, this special microphone can even zoom with the optical zoom in order to zero in on the audio coming from your subject in a more precise manner.

Underneath the hood, you will find a new 16.1-megapixel high sensitivity MOS sensor and Venus engine that delivers high speed response and high picture quality, even in high sensitivity recording. This does ensure it is able to perform high speed burst shooting at 9 fps in full resolution, letting you capture the most fleeting shooting opportunities together thanks to a speedy start-up time of under a second. Unfortunately for the world, pricing and availability details remain to be seen, and we hope that it will be easy on the pockets!

Press Release
[ Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70 unveiled copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

When it comes to the world of digital cameras, you have three tiers to choose from – professionals will settle for the dSLRs as well as Micro Four Thirds for certain jobs, while there is the pro-sumer class of cameras that can be said to be “neither here nor there”, and last but not least, the entry level class which is where most beginners would start off with. Samsung’s latest attempt in the digital camera market would target the entry level segment with the Samsung MV900F SMART camera, where it is said to offer a high-performing lens that works well even in low light conditions, without breaking the bank in the process.

The Samsung MV900F will be the latest member of Samsung’s Wi-Fi SMART camera family, where it intends to pursue the market that its predecessor, the MV800, left off. One of the MV900F’s more unique and innovative features would be a 180-degree MultiView display that makes it a snap to shoot creative self-portraits regardless of the angle, and when you throw Wi-Fi connectivity into the mix, you know that sharing images with family and friends have become far easier than before.

With Integrated Wi-Fi technology, you can hook up to Facebook, Picasa, Photobucket and YouTube instantly, where the dedicated SMART LINK button lets you transfer or share images and videos in a jiffy.

Not only that, the Samsung MV900F will also come with a F/2.5 bright lens so that you can shoot decent looking images even in low light conditions, now how about that? Samsung’s ground-breaking Gesture Shot has also been thrown into the mix, where you can now zoom and snap a photo from a distance using simple hand motions, although it remains to be seen just how far or effective Gesture Shot is until we actually manage to try it out for ourselves.

If you are interested in the Samsung MV900F, then you will be able to pick it up for a relatively affordable $349.99, where it will come in sophisticated white and black shades. Any takers?

Press Release

[ Samsung MV900F SMART Camera announced copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Normally, when we talk about an Android-powered system, we would venture into the realm of smartphones and tablets, and very rarely (if ever) into the world of digital cameras. The line is about to be blurred this day, as the Nikon Coolpix S800c was just announced to come with a copy of the Android operating system – Android 2.3 Gingerbread, to be exact. Yes sir, how does this digital camera shape up in the face of a mobile operating system running in the background? Well, we shall have to take a closer look at its machinations and inner workings right after the jump, shall we not?

For starters, with Android running on the Nikon Coolpix S800c, you might actually feel that you are using a smartphone at times – until you realize that you are unable to make any phone calls or receive text messages. Good thing it has Wi-Fi connectivity built in though, as it would not be much of an Android device if there were not Internet connectivity to make it interactive. Setting up the camera for Internet connection using operations which are similar to those used by Android smartphones is possible, not to mention easy. You are also able to post whatever you have snapped and recorded onto social networking sites like Google+, Facebook, and Twitter in a jiffy, but make sure you are within the vicinity of a Wi-Fi network, otherwise it would all amount to nought.

Not only that, the Nikon Coolpix S800c has a new feature known as “Upload to Smart Device”, where this app can be used to transfer high-resolution photos and movies to smart devices which are powered by the Android or iOS operating system, again, over a wireless connection. As for the performance of the Nikon Coolpix S800c, what kind of camera specifications does it pack?

We do know it will come equipped with a 10x optical zoom NIKKOR lens, in addition to a built-in lens-shift vibration reduction (VR) function. There is also a backside illumination CMOS sensor that boasts of an effective pixel count of 16-megapixels so that you can shoot images with little noise at the high sensitivities – perfect for low light conditions or night landscapes.

You are also able to record 1920 x 1080p/30-fps full-HD movies with stereo sound, and the included high-performance GPS module is able to record your current position (latitude and longitude) information, applying them to photos and movies as they are recorded.

Press Release

[ Nikon Coolpix S800c runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

So, Nikon finally has a mirrorless camera, after what was quite possibly the most dramatic launch event the company has ever conducted. Sure, competing models from Panasonic, Olympus and Sony have already reached the second, or even third generation before Nikon lifted the veil on its J1, but did last month’s long-awaited announcement bring us the ILC to rule all ILCs? Well, no, not at all. Nikon isn’t targeting pros or even advanced amateur shooters with its latest addition to the interchangeable lens camera family. Instead, the company is marketing its J1 to soccer moms (and dads), fashion-conscious young folk, and casual shooters who want some of the versatility of a DSLR, but are willing to sacrifice excellent image quality for a more compact design. But what about the rest of us? Will Nikon one day reward our patience with a true class competitor? Perhaps, but that’s definitely not what we have here.

Nikon built the $650 J1 “from the ground up” — a reference to its 10.1 megapixel, CX-size sensor with a 2.7x crop factor, along with a handful of quirky features that we probably won’t use, but that some of you (or perhaps your family members) may love. Jump past the break to see what we really liked about the camera, and what left us rather unimpressed. And it you’re dying to judge its performance for yourself, you can check out a handful of untouched images at the coverage link below the conclusion, along with a variety of sample videos spattered throughout.

Continue reading Nikon 1 J1 review (video)

Nikon 1 J1 review (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guess what, amateur shooters? The superzoom just got shrunk. Pentax has just outed a new compact that touts a downright impressive 18x optical zoomer (25-450mm equivalent), with the snooping lens married to a 16 megapixel sensor, a smattering of shake reduction technologies and a 3-inch HVGA LCD ’round back. Moreover, you’ll find a nine-point autofocus system, face detection algorithms, an SDXC card slot and an HD video mode capable of snagging 720p clips at 30 frames per second. It’s all set to ship next month in black, white and orange for $299.95 here in the States, with the full presser embedded just after the break.

Continue reading Pentax crams 18x optical zoom into Optio RZ18 point-and-shoot camera

Pentax crams 18x optical zoom into Optio RZ18 point-and-shoot camera originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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