Hasta La Gadget!

Have an amateur photographer in your life? The good news is that there’s an endless line of cool accessories on the market–the bad news is that lens, cases, etc. tend to be really, really expensive. With an asking price of $149.99 (though you’ll no doubt be able to find better deal online by searching around for a few minutes), it’s not the cheapest gift out there, but it’s bound to become an essential accessory for any photog on your list.

The Eye-Fi is the size and shape of a standard SD card and works with any camera that can handle SDHC. It features 8GB of on-board storage. What really sets the Eye-Fi apart from other cards, however, its in built-in Wi-Fi chip, which lets you upload photos anywhere with an accessible wireless network.

The X2 is faster than its predecessors, offering read and write speeds of up to 6Mbps. The card is also the first Eye-Fi to support 802.11n, and the new Endless memory Mode automatically deletes the files you’ve uploaded, so you won’t run out of space on the thing. There’s also a built-in geotagging feature, so you can keep track of where you shot your photos.

Your pricy DSLR and your pricier lens beep when they’re in focus and ready to shoot. But are they really in focus? With Datacolor’s SpyderLensCal ($59 direct), now you’ll know for sure. It’s a photo target (nothing new there) with a ruler at a 45-degree angle (that’s new). Shoot an autofocus test photo at the camera’s widest aperture and see which ruled lines are most in focus (right side above). If it’s not the ones near 0, you should form an O with your mouth, as in uh-oh, and think about a repair.

If you’re looking for a gift that’s a little bit on the higher end of things, a digital camera is a great gift to give and receive. If a friend or family member doesn’t already have a digital camera keep using their not-so-great cell phone cam to snap photos when a shot-worthy subject or event pops up, this person will be grateful to have a real camera to capture these moments. They can say good bye to those low-lit, pixilated photos, and say hello to a gift that will help record a lifetime of memories.

On sale from $257.67, you can get the Canon PowerShot A3000IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD for only $119.99 at Amazon. This easy-to-use pocket camera can produce great-looking images with its 10-megapixel lens. It features optical image stabilization, which PCMag’s digital camera analyst, PJ Jacobowitz, says is a feature you shouldn’t compromise on. 

PCMag rated the Canon PowerShot A3000IS a 4 out of 5 for being Canon’s least expensive camera to include optical image stabilization. It delivers sharp, clean images at a very affordable price. Jacobowitz said Canon made the camera dead simple to use by including an Easy mode, which helps you choose the right shooting mode and deactivates many of the camera’s buttons so you don’t accidentally switch settings.

Unfortunately, it’s missing HD video capture, which might be a deal breaker for some people. If HD video is something you’re looking for in a pocket camera, you’re going to have to raise your budget by about $50. The videos are recorded in 640 by 480 at 30 frames per second. Jacobowitz said that footage looks and sounds fine, but it can’t really compare to HD video. 

If yesterday’s preview of the GF2 wasn’t enough for you, here’s a little more eye candy to feast upon. We paired up Panasonic’s all-new Micro Four Thirds shooter with the GF1 that preceded it and collected a nice little gallery for your perusal below. The major difference between the two is in their dimensions — the GF2 feels a lot closer to your typical compact camera — though there are plenty of smaller modifications as well, such as the refashioned grip on the camera’s right side, the replacement of the jog dial up top with a stereo mic array, and the introduction of a luminous iA button for switching on the intelligent auto mode. The back of the GF2 is also quite a bit tidier, which has been achieved mostly by eliminating some buttons in favor of the touchscreen interface. Check it all out below or jump past the break for some video action.

Continue reading Panasonic Lumix GF2 vs. GF1… fight!

Panasonic Lumix GF2 vs. GF1… fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 09:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

I bet you didn’t know that next month is Movember. The made
up month (think of it as the autumn version of Smarch) is part of an annual
moustache growing event aimed at raising money for men’s health charities.
Cisco’s Flip camcorder is getting into the event this year, with a selection of
moustache-sporting camcorders.

The company is offering 10 mustachioed varieties, including
The Professor, The Auteur, The Sunshine Gander, and Chalet Cognac. You can get
the aforementioned mustaches on the UltraHD and MinoHD models. $10 from the
sale of each will go toward the Movember Foundation.