Leica S2-P unboxed on video, produces sample shots

Ladies and gentlemen, please disengage your budget conscience for this post, as hearing things like “the Leica S2 seems to be quite the happy medium” when discussing a camera that costs north of $31,000 (body only!) will never make much sense otherwise. Matthew Harrison, aka The Leica Guy, has gotten his hands on what he calls the first commercially available S2-P and performed a loving unboxing and preview of the luxurious shooter. With a 56 percent larger sensor than the stellar Canon 5D Mark II (stretching all the way to 37 megapixels), fully weather-sealed casing, sapphire glass monitor screen, and Platinum Service for the discerning photographer, the S2 certainly has a spec sheet to match its price. Matthew’s impressions only confirm the supremacy of this beast, and you can hit up his site below for sample pictures. Don’t forget the video unboxing after the break, which includes (at 3:53) something that might cause real distress to bona fide DSLR junkies — you’ve been warned.

Continue reading Leica S2-P unboxed on video, produces sample shots

Leica S2-P unboxed on video, produces sample shots originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Leica Rumors  |  sourceThe Leica Guy  | Email this | Comments

Samsung NX10 made official — APS-C sensor and AMOLED screen crammed into hybrid DSLR body

Samsung has just announced its NX10 “hybrid DSLR,” which aims to give you all the uncompromising image quality of a full digital SLR within a somewhat more pocketable body. A 14.6 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor is a good start on that road, while “fast and decisive” contrast AF and a snazzy 3-inch AMOLED display keep the momentum going. There’s 720p H.264-encoded video recording as well, but naturally you do have to make some tradeoffs for the reduced size. The mirror box is gone — leaving you with only an electronic viewfinder — and the brand new NX lens mounting system means you’ll have to purchase your favorite lenses all over again. We’ll wait and see whether the NX10 shows any appreciable advantages (such as price!) over the slightly smaller Micro Four Thirds shooters out there, but with a spring 2010 release date and a CES appearance on the cards, that wait shouldn’t be too long. Go past the break for the full PR and spec sheet.

Update: DPReview has an in-depth breakdown and a hands-on preview of the new shooter with a few sample shots posted from a pre-production unit.

Gallery: Samsung NX10

Continue reading Samsung NX10 made official — APS-C sensor and AMOLED screen crammed into hybrid DSLR body

Samsung NX10 made official — APS-C sensor and AMOLED screen crammed into hybrid DSLR body originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricoh GXR review roundup

Ricoh’s GXR certainly isn’t the most stylish camera out there, but it’s certainly one of the most unique. Boasting an ability to support interchangeable lenses and image sensors, this one offers up flexibility that few other shooters on the market can match. We’ve scrounged up a litany of reviews and hands-on impressions, and by and large, most everyone who got their hands around one enjoyed the experience. Photography Blog noted that the camera was “a remarkably mature first-generation product in an intriguing new photographic system, with excellent handling and image quality that will instantly appeal to all photographers who want to take pictures first and talk about gear second.” Unfortunately, it seems that praise quiets down a bit once you leave the bright outdoors and head inside, as the low-light performance was said to be less than awesome — though, to its credit, the built-in flash was deemed one of the better ones out there. We still aren’t seeing loads of evidence that ditching your starter DSLR setup for this is a smart move, but if you’re just now looking to upgrade from a P&S, you’d be doing yourself a solid by poking around in those links below.

Ricoh GXR review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink 1001 Noisy Cameras  |  sourceWaloszek, Wouter, Photography Blog  | Email this | Comments

Samsung’s 14MP CL80 packs integrated WiFi, 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen

It’s not impossible to find a camera with integrated WiFi out there, but your choices are unquestionably limited. Thankfully for those in the market for such a device, it seems as if Samsung is gearing up to release quite the formidable opponent. Without so much as an official press release, the CL80 has emerged on the outfit’s website packing a 14 megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization, a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen (capacitive with haptic feedback), a 720p movie mode (H.264), microSD expansion slot (groan…), USB 2.0 connectivity and an above-average 7x optical zoom. The Instant Upload feature enables users to upload their shots to Facebook, Flickr, Photobox or Picasa, and for those who prefer to capture motion clips, it’ll also shoot your videos to YouTube when a hotspot is found. Nary a word has been spoken regarding price or release, but we’re going out on a limb here and surmising that much more information will be revealed at CES.

Continue reading Samsung’s 14MP CL80 packs integrated WiFi, 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen

Samsung’s 14MP CL80 packs integrated WiFi, 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hello Kitty gets another 12.1 meowgapixel camera to celebrate her 35th anniversary

Can you believe that Hello Kitty‘s turning 35? She sure does look great for her age! Surprisingly this is not the first 12.1 megapixeled Casio digicam we’ve seen outed to commemorate this most special of occasions — but it certainly comes in some of the hottest pinks we’ve seen thus far. This limited edition, Korea-only Casio EX-Z90 boasts all the same features as the regular one — 3X optical zoom, auto-detect and “Intelligent” autofocus — plus those megapixels we already mentioned. Really, the biggest selling point here is the blinged up branding, and we’d assume that makes it worth the KRW 350,000 (around $300) price tag.

Hello Kitty gets another 12.1 meowgapixel camera to celebrate her 35th anniversary originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Popgadget  |  sourceAving  | Email this | Comments

Samsung TL225 / ST550 review roundup: some smiles, some frowns

Incredulously enough, no other major camera maker has come out and mimicked Samsung’s front-facing LCD approach found on the TL225 (or ST550 in some areas), so if you’re in the market, it’s either this one or the lesser-specced TL220 (ST500). If you’re considering picking up the former as a bang-up gift for your special someone, you’d probably do yourself a solid by taking a peek at a few reviews around the web. The long and short of it is this: the camera’s dual LCDs are well implemented, and they actually do come in handy for those looking to handle the “self-portrait” duties in the relationship. Beyond that, however, there wasn’t a lot of praise to go around. For starters, the camera relies only on microSD memory, so those spare SD cards you’ve got laying around are no good here. Then there’s the so-so image quality coupled with the staggeringly weak battery life; Photography Blog was only able to squeeze out around 100 shots while making heavy use of the touchscreen. Everyone seemed to agree that the cam wasn’t for everyone, so be sure and take a look around before committing.

Read – Photography Blog
Read – About
Read – Photography Bay
Read – Digital Camera Info
Read – CNET
Read – Steves Digicams

Samsung TL225 / ST550 review roundup: some smiles, some frowns originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympus PEN E-P2 gets reviewed and starts shipping out

We’ve already expressed our opinion on the PEN E-P2‘s price point (hint: it’s not positive), but for those with more cash than problems to throw blank checks at, Olympus’ second-ever Micro Four Thirds camera is now on sale and shipping from a wide variety of respected e-tailers. Just in time for the holidays, don’tcha know? If you’re still wondering if $1,099.99 is worth blowing on this, The Online Photographer has published an hands-on critique, complete with a few luscious sample shots and interesting gripes about the viewfinder. Make no mistake — the image quality looks fabulous, but man, that MSRP. It’s large.

Olympus PEN E-P2 gets reviewed and starts shipping out originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Slashgear  |  sourceAmazon, Let’s Go Digital, The Online Photographer  | Email this | Comments

Sony Snowflake DSC-TX1 comes with engraved holiday spirit

For a limited time only — and you should be able to guess how long that is — Japanese SonyStyle customers can order up the TX1 in the especially wintry attire you see above. Already available in a choice of five colors, the cam will also let you choose between black, silver and pink for the engraved models, and we also hear these snowflakes are part of a wider range of engraved designs. Options titled Safari, Race, and Heart are also available, and you can even add your own message to the front, or just tag it with your name if you’re feeling narcissistic. Either way, you can see the other color options after the break, or try out all the different looks using the interactive skinning tool at the source link.

Continue reading Sony Snowflake DSC-TX1 comes with engraved holiday spirit

Sony Snowflake DSC-TX1 comes with engraved holiday spirit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon Coolpix S70 review: excellent spec, but mediocre image quality

We’ll admit we save our Nikon excitement for the sort of gear that comes with “bad mother” stitched into its casing, but sometimes even our jaded souls can get intrigued by a compact. This particular slimline unit has an OLED touchscreen display, with the additional inclusion of multitouch and gesture support, which already gets it right up to speed on the latest trends. With a 5x optical zoom, 12 megapixel sensor, and 720p/30fps video, it’s also no slouch on the spec sheet, but reviewers at Photography Blog found a few shortcomings. The Nikon S70 is said to be overly reliant on the 3.5-inch touch display for controls, and although the camera is both thin and ultrafast to start up, those benefits come at the greatest cost of all: image quality is only average, and noise handling is poor even at base ISO. We’ll file this one in our “vivacious but vapid” archive while you busy yourself with reading the full review.

Nikon Coolpix S70 review: excellent spec, but mediocre image quality originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePhotography Blog  | Email this | Comments

Nikon D300S review roundup: it’s awesome, but D300 is better value

You’ll know from our Canon 7D review roundup that these semi-pro DSLR reviews tend to take a little while longer to cook than ones for, say, the world’s latest, fastest graphics card. That means we’re looking at analyses of a shooter that’s been out for a while, but boy are they thorough. The D300S (our unboxing can be found here) is Nikon’s gentle massaging of the D300 formula for success — with added 720p video recording and an extra frame for a 7fps burst mode — and that’s borne out by the reviews. You’re still getting an outstanding 12.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, 51-point AF, and a sturdy weather-proofed body, but question marks remain as to whether the new additions offer enough of an upgrade from the D300. The HD video recording is hamstrung by a mono mic and a frankly silly 5 minute maximum clip length (a limitation not present on direct competitors from Canon and Pentax), but the addition of a second memory card slot (now offering SD as well as CF storage) and a dedicated Live View button along with purportedly improved noise performance could just make the difference for new buyers. Hit the links below for more, including comparisons against the Canon 50D and 7D, as well as the Pentax K-7.

Read – dpreview
Read – Camera Labs
Read – Photography Blog
Read – Trusted Reviews
Read – Tech Radar
Read – ePHOTOzine

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Nikon D300S review roundup: it’s awesome, but D300 is better value originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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