Hasta La Gadget!

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 ]

It was only hours ago when Nikon officially unveiled the Coolpix S800c, but we’ve already laid our hands on this eccentric device. As you’ve probably already heard, the main selling point here is that said “smart camera” is powered by a slick (and near-vanilla) Android 2.3.3 with Google services, so with the built-in WiFi, you can upload your 16-megapixel images or 1080p videos straight to your various social networks or other cloud services. Or you can, if you’re in the mood, just play Angry Birds on the S800c, but that 1,050mAh battery might not be ideal for prolonged entertainment. Sadly, we weren’t allowed to share any images taken with the demo units (sorry, usual Nikon protocol), but what we can tell you is that both the camera’s speed and quality weren’t bad at all, and likewise with the 3.5-inch 854 x 480 OLED multitouch display — the high pixel density makes the PenTile arrangement more forgivable.

The most interesting thing we discovered was that it seems the camera part of the S800c can run independently from Android while the latter is still booting up. You see, rather than letting the device stay on standby like most other Android devices, Nikon uses a shut-down timer that activates once Android goes on standby. When the camera’s completely switched off, hit the power button and you’ll go straight into camera mode which lets you shoot immediately, then about half a minute later the interface seamlessly goes back to smart mode, which is when you can hit the back or home button to toggle the Android unlock screen (though we’d rather go straight into the home screen). This cunning trick would probably explain why we couldn’t get any internal hardware detail from the few benchmark tools we installed, but we did squeeze out a score of 614 in Vellamo — detailed breakdown in the gallery below. Anyhow, you can see the camera in action in the video after the break.

The Nikon Coolpix S800c will be available next month for $350 in the US and £379 in the UK. As always, stay tuned for our review.

Update: Nikon’s released some sample shots. Take a look.

Continue reading Nikon Coolpix S800c hands-on: a closer look at the Android camera (video)

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Nikon Coolpix S800c hands-on: a closer look at the Android camera (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 06:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s here: the first Android-powered camera, and it’s one that you’d actually consider buying. Nikon’s $349.95 Coolpix S800c is nearly as slim as a smartphone from the middle of last decade, boasting inbuilt GPS (you know, for excessive geotagging), a 10x optical zoom lens, 16 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 3.5-inch OLED WVGA touchscreen, a 1080p movie capture mode and Android 2.3. That’s right — there’s a bona fide copy of Android running the show on a point-and-shoot camera, something that it seems Nikon beat Samsung to the punch with. Put simply, it possesses the ability to generate its own network and tether with your phone, and users can also download photo sharing applications directly onto the cam’s 4GB of internal storage. Needless to say, we’re anxiously awaiting our chance to see how Android handles on a camera (and how it impacts battery life), and you can find out yourself when it hits shelves in black / white motifs next month.

Continue reading Nikon’s Coolpix S800c: an Android-powered point-and-shoot camera for $350

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Nikon’s Coolpix S800c: an Android-powered point-and-shoot camera for $350 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Digital imaging buffs are certain to experience a whirlwind autumn, but there’s nothing on the books saying that manufacturers need wait for the biennial Photokina expo to roll out new models. Just in time for the back-to-school season, Canon is announcing two new superzoom cams — the SX160 IS will serve as the successor to the SX150, while the SX500 IS is an entirely new camera, set to sit alongside the company’s SX40 HS and SX260 HS point-and-shoots. Both new models include identical 16-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD sensors, intelligent image stabilization, a relatively modest ISO range of 100-800 and the ability to capture 720p video at 25 frames-per-second.

As you may have guessed the SX500 IS is the higher-end flavor, offering a 30x, 24-720mm lens with a maximum aperture range of f/3.4-5.8. That model boasts autofocus improvements of 32 percent and decreased shutter lag of 33 percent over the SX40 HS, Canon’s former top model in this category. The SX160 IS, for its part, packs a 16x, 28-448mm f/3.5-5.9 lens and offers 22 percent faster autofocus and 46 percent less shutter lag than the SX150 it replaces. It’s also powered by AA batteries, which some users may find to be an advantage, considering wide availability during trips abroad. Both cameras include 3-inch LCDs — 461k-dot for the SX500 and 230k-dot with the SX160 — and are set to ship in September, with the black SX500 IS priced at $330 and the SX160 IS available for $230, in both red and black.

Continue reading Canon announces PowerShot SX500 IS, SX160 IS superzoom cameras ahead of Photokina

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Canon announces PowerShot SX500 IS, SX160 IS superzoom cameras ahead of Photokina originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visitors to Olympus’ UK Facebook page were met with some “BREAKING NEWS!!” on Friday. According to the post, the camera maker is developing a new DSLR that would theoretically offer focusing performance on par with the OM-D, while providing native compatibility with the company’s high-end Zuiko Digital ED lenses, such as the 90-250mm f/2.8. We reached out to Olympus reps in the US, who added the following:

“A new camera body is currently under study to complement our line of Zuiko Digital Specific Four Thirds lenses. However, Olympus has NOT issued a press release on this new camera body.”

With Photokina just a month away, it’s unclear whether or not this new mystery DSLR will make its debut there, but it’s certainly a possibility. As for looks — that’s anyone’s guess, though the company’s social media arm opted to include a picture of the E-5, which serves as Olympus’ current full-size flagship. You’ll find the full Facebook post at the source link below.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Olympus confirms new high-end Four Thirds DSLR ‘currently under study’ following vague Facebook post originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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