Samsung NX100 hands-on (video)

We’re expecting to get our grubby paws on an NX100 later today for some longer-term testing, but for now, we wanted to go ahead and get you our initial impressions after handling the new mirrorless compact for a couple of minutes following Samsung’s Photokina 2010 press event. The device itself is far smaller than the NX10 of last year, but it’s still decidedly solid, if not a touch thick. The 20mm pancake lens on the model we tested was well built, and the i-Function capabilities were downright impressive. It took us a tick to grok how it works, but a good 30 seconds of learning presented us with loads of on-the-fly flexibility. You simply tap the i-Function button with your right hand in order to select what type of setting you’d like to change (exposure, ISO, shutter speed, etc.), and then rotate the wheel on the lens in either direction in order to change the value.

Despite our doubts, it actually worked beautifully, and now we’re eager to see this type of technology on even more cameras (even if its reserved for Samsung’s range). The 3-inch AMOLED on the rear was also stunning, sharp and bright, and the whole thing fit in our hands well. We’re still fond of our DSLR for most things, but we could totally see a unit like this making the most sense for amateurs who aren’t fond of lugging around something so gigantic. Ergonomics, design and i-Function? All were stellar — here’s hoping the image and video quality meet those same standards, and we’ll be bringing you those opinions just as soon as we can form them. Video’s after the break, if you’re thirsty for more.

Continue reading Samsung NX100 hands-on (video)

Samsung NX100 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 08:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Casio debuts Exilim EX-H20G (with Hybrid GPS) and EX-Z16 point-and-shoots

Photokina‘s kicking off in earnest today with a serious bang in the point-and-shoot realm; Casio just introduced the planet’s first camera with Hybrid GPS, which essentially enables it to geotag photos and videos where traditional cameras cannot. Yeah, indoors. The Exilim EX-H20G (shown above) also packs a 14.1 megapixel sensor, SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card slot, a 10x optical zoomer, an ISO range of 80 to 3200, 3-inch rear LCD, CCD-shift image stabilization, 720p movie mode and an HDMI output. Moreover, the company has throw in a world atlas with detailed maps of 140 cities around the world, and the rear screen can actually display a user’s current position on said map for kicks and giggles. It’ll hit shops this November for $349.99 (or €300 in Europe).

If that’s a bit too fanciful for you, the lower-end EX-Z16 might just fit the bill. Boasting a 2.7-inch rear LCD, VGA (640 x 480) movie mode, a 12.1 megapixel sensor, SD / SDHC card slot, a whopping 14.9MB of internal storage (um… okay?), CCD-shift image stabilization and an integrated YouTube capture mode, this dead-simple cam is designed to be about as hands-off as they come. According to the company, the only settings you have to adjust on the 2.7-inch panel are image size, flash and self timer — everything else sets itself accordingly. ‘Course, that won’t sit well with the tinkerers in the group, but you can sure brighten a newbie’s day by gifting ’em with one when it ships later this month at $99.99. More details are packed in after the break, should you find yourself thirsty for more.

Update: We snagged a quick hands-on with the EX-H20G, and while the images below don’t do it justice, the rear screen on this bad boy was something to gawk at. The map on there actually looked amazing, and while you’ll have a tough time prying Google Maps Navigation away from our paws, this is definitely a lovely inclusion for those who’d prefer to simply enjoy nearby attractions on a map without pulling out a smartphone (or encountering roaming charges while navigating abroad).

Continue reading Casio debuts Exilim EX-H20G (with Hybrid GPS) and EX-Z16 point-and-shoots

Casio debuts Exilim EX-H20G (with Hybrid GPS) and EX-Z16 point-and-shoots originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

GE’s ‘Create by Jason Wu’ digital cameras get 2GB model, no more enthralling

Look out, Wu fans — Mr. Jason is at it again. But if you were expecting an entirely refreshed lineup of branded cameras from General Imaging, you’ll be sorely disappointed here. In fact, the only thing Wu’s bringing to the masses here in September is a more affordable lineup, with the ‘Create by Jason Wu’ collection now being available in a 2GB model (as opposed to 4GB). Thankfully, the inbuilt USB plug remains, and the barrier to entry has been ratcheted down to $129.99 (a $50 savings over the big brother, if you must know). After all — when you’ve got style, who needs capacity?

Continue reading GE’s ‘Create by Jason Wu’ digital cameras get 2GB model, no more enthralling

GE’s ‘Create by Jason Wu’ digital cameras get 2GB model, no more enthralling originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGeneral Imaging  | Email this | Comments

Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED

Look out, world — the mirrorless camera game just got a lot more interesting. Shortly after Olympus introduced a new mid-range DSLR, Samsung has outed its newest, the (previously rumored) NX100. It’s the predictable successor to last year’s NX10, offering a sleeker body, 14.6 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a 3-inch VGA AMOLED display ’round back, an ISO range of 100 to 3200 (with a boost mode hitting 6400), 720p movie recording (H.264), SD / SDHC card slot, optional geo-tagging with GPS10 module and ‘Sound Picture’ mode that allows users to record audio when a photo is taken. The standout feature here, however, has little to do with the body itself; instead, it’s the new i-Function lens system, which features a dedicated ‘i-Function’ button that allows users to scroll through manual settings, and a focus ring which is used to change parameters for each setting. Users can toggle between shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO by simply using the i-Function button and ring on the lens, and it’s a feature we’re frankly desperate to try out ourselves. Sammy’s planning to offer a variety of lenses for the NX100, including a 60mm macro, 18-200mm telephoto, 20mm wide-angle pancake and a 20-50mm compact zoom. The full details on the camera as well as the glass arrangement is just after the break, but good luck finding a price and release date. Depressing, we know.

Continue reading Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED

Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Canon proudly intros 120 megapixel CMOS sensor, probably won’t hit a DSLR in your lifetime

Oh sure, household names like Pentax are already producing cameras with 40 megapixel sensors, and we’ve seen quite a few gigapixel images crafted with a pinch of black magic, but Canon’s newest innovation may take the mainstream megapixel race to its next logical level. Or should we say… illogical level. There’s no two ways about it — just trying to comprehend an APS-H-sized CMOS sensor with 120 megapixels is downright painful, and we’re inclined to believe the company’s claim that it’s the world’s highest resolution for its size. This new concoction has a pixel count of around 7.5 times larger than the company’s highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor of the same size (which is pegged at 16.1 megapixels), yet it still supports burst shooting of up to 9.5fps. Furthermore, it’s fully capable of capturing 1080p video, but the one detail we’re all eager to ingest isn’t listed. For now, though, the plan is to let you know about the first camera to ship with it inside at Photokina 2030.

Continue reading Canon proudly intros 120 megapixel CMOS sensor, probably won’t hit a DSLR in your lifetime

Canon proudly intros 120 megapixel CMOS sensor, probably won’t hit a DSLR in your lifetime originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 06:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Pico projector camera concept is, as usual, better than the real thing

Oh, don’t get us wrong, we rather enjoyed our time with Nikon’s S1100pj projector camera, but this here Pico concept design is on a whole other level. We’re talking both in terms of cuteness and inventiveness. You might have recognized by now that one of the Pico’s “eyes” is the camera lens while the other is the projector, but what of the “smile?” Why, that’s your microphone’s sound intake port. And its little feet — acting as a stabilizing stand when in projector mode — also double up as covers for the external connection jacks. Masterful. Look for it to appear in your dreams some time very soon.

Pico projector camera concept is, as usual, better than the real thing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceYanko Design  | Email this | Comments

Canon’s PowerShot G12 leaks out, promises HD video mode

To say that Canon’s PowerShot G11 is growing long in the tooth would be understating things rather dramatically, and with Photokina just a few weeks away, now’s as good a time as any to launch a prominent new camera into the world. In fact, Canon just got finished outing a trio of point-and-shoot models, but it seems that Cnet Asia didn’t get the memo that a full foursome wouldn’t be introduced. The publication’s original writeup on the company’s new cameras featured a number of G12 mentions throughout the text, and a full-on specifications chart was captured above. If all this is to be believed, we’re looking at a 10 megapixel CCD sensor, 5x optical zoom, 2.8-inch tilt-and-swivel LCD, “HD-quality” video recording, optical image stabilization and an inbuilt HDR mode, topped off with a pinch of “sheesh, finally!” Obviously, there’s no mention of a price or expected launch date, but something tells us that’ll change dramatically before we touch down in Köln.

Canon’s PowerShot G12 leaks out, promises HD video mode originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink UberGizmo  |  sourcePocket-lint, Canon Rumors  | Email this | Comments

Olympus introduces mju-7050, FE-5050 and FE-4050 point-and-shoot cameras

Fancy they aren’t, but Olympus‘ newest digicam trio will definitely get the job done in a pinch. Kicking things off is the mju-7050, a rather conventional looking shooter with a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, 7x optical zoom lens, an HD movie mode, SD card slot, 2GB of internal memory and a 3-inch rear LCD monitor. The slim and seductive FE-4050 offers up a 12 megapixel CCD sensor, 4x optical zoomer and a far less inviting rear, while the FE-5050 (shown above) steps thing up with a 14 megapixel sensor and 5x optical zoom. Curiously enough, the outfit has refrained from dishing any further details beyond that, only saying that they’ll be hitting Japanese store shelves later this month. We can’t say the mystery is driving us mad, though.

Olympus introduces mju-7050, FE-5050 and FE-4050 point-and-shoot cameras originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Hardware Zone  |  sourceOlympus 1, 2, 3  | Email this | Comments

Mirrorless camera shootout: DSLR alternatives get sized up and ISO-examined

It all started with Micro Four Thirds, but now just about everyone is jonesing to play along in the mirrorless camera game. The crew over at Serious Compacts managed to get ahold of quite a few contenders (Samsung’s NX10, Sony’s NEX5, Olympus’ E-P2 and E-PL1, and Panasonic’s GF1, GF2 and GH1), and rather than taking ’em apart one by one, they’ve decided to size ’em up in a fantastic size comparison piece. From lenses to bodies, all six cameras are shown from various angles, and even if you’ve convinced yourself to not be in the market for one of these bad boys, the eye candy alone is worth a peek. Furthermore, the group has been entered into a telling ISO comparison test, but if you came here looking for a spoiler, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Tap those links below to get your study on, won’tcha?

Mirrorless camera shootout: DSLR alternatives get sized up and ISO-examined originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 06:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceSerious Compacts 1, 2  | Email this | Comments

Sony circles August 24 for all-new Alpha DSLR launch event

News has been a bit barren on the DSLR front lately (not counting Pentax’s color explosion earlier on), but that’s not going to last for much longer. Sony is starting up the fall refresh cycle with “never-before-seen” Alpha models, which will be shown off at an event on August 24 alongside the NEX-VG10 and some 3D-capable Cyber-shots. We’ve no way of knowing what’s in store, but if you’re in a speculative kind of mood, Sony Alpha Rumors suggests the new shooters will include a semi-transparent mirror (most intriguing!) and a pleasingly fast 10fps burst shooting mode. That’s enough to whet our appetite, now bring on the full dish of details already.

[Thanks, Dario]

Sony circles August 24 for all-new Alpha DSLR launch event originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceSony Alpha Rumors  | Email this | Comments