Pentax’s K-r entry-level DSLR looks like a toy

When a DSLR screams “colorful” in the headline of the press release, you can usually guess the target audience. Sure enough, the multicolored Pentax K-r brings a compact, lightweight body to the entry-level DSLR market. Specs include a 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor, a PRIME (Pentax Real Image Engine) II imaging engine, claimed 100-25600 ISO range, a 6fps high-speed mode, an 11-point AF system, Pentax’s own Shake Reduction and dust removal mechanisms, a 3-inch LCD monitor with Live View mode, and the option to source power from four AA batteries once you exhaust the rechargeable. As a modern DSLR it also records 720p video at 25fps and even offers some obscure IrSimple high-speed infrared data transmission capabilites for all those IrSimple-compatible devices you don’t own. The K-r body lists for $799.95 or as much as $999.95 when bundled with an 18-55 and 55-300 lens kit. Ships in October.

Continue reading Pentax’s K-r entry-level DSLR looks like a toy

Pentax’s K-r entry-level DSLR looks like a toy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4 gets stuffed inside Canon SLR body

While it’s far from the most practical of ideas, people just can’t seem to stop trying to make their iPhones more SLR-like. Joining that illustrious group is one Aniebres who, typos aside, has built one of the most impressive contraptions to date. We’re still waiting to see what the end results look like, but the hardware side of things looks to be surprisingly solid, with the iPhone 4 slotting in with a satisfying click, while the entire lens mechanism has been shifted over to line up with the iPhone’s camera (and make room for an Apple sticker). Head on past the break for a quick video of the rig.

[Thanks, John]

Continue reading iPhone 4 gets stuffed inside Canon SLR body

iPhone 4 gets stuffed inside Canon SLR body originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon’s Wonder Camera, and other future concepts that tease us from behind glass

Canon had a lot to show for itself at its annual expo today, from the EOS 60D to the (working!) Multipurpose 4K concept, but the best goodies are of course the ones just a few steps outside of today’s technological limits. One display in particular that caught our eye was the 2010 Image Creation set, featuring the bold Wonder Camera Concept from July. Nothing functional here, not even in sleight-of-hand video render form, but the models are quite the lookers. Joining the “SLR Style Concept” (as it was being called here, according to the accompanying placard) were the 3D Cam, Image Palette (display), Image Navi Cam (point and shoot), and MR HMD (helmet) — all aesthetically Kubrick in nature. Not that we mind, of course; we find it best to go ahead and accept our future for the glossy white design motif that it’ll assuredly become. Elsewhere, we happened upon the purported “world’s largest CMOS sensor” — not that we’d argue with what we saw — and the more compact 120 megapixel CMOS, along with (separately) its panoramic camera prototype body. You can live vicariously through us in the photos below.

Canon’s Wonder Camera, and other future concepts that tease us from behind glass originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New E-P2 kit and E-5 DSLR rumored, Olympus surprise parties ruined

New E-P2 kit and E5 compact rumored, Olympus surprise parties ruined

It’s getting harder to keep a secret. Companies toil over surprise parties and then some blabber-mouth spills the beans. In this case the host is Olympus and the one holding the empty can is 43rumors who has word of a series of coming announcements from the company. First, on August 31, Olympus is said to be revealing a new E-P2 kit offering a 17mm lens and an external flash. Also announced will supposedly be a pair of new M.Zuiko lenses: a $900 75 – 300mm (150 – 600mm equivalent) f/4.8 – 6.7 model and a $300 40 – 150mm (80 – 300mm equivalent) f/4.0 – 5.6 model. More interesting, though, is a follow-up announcement said to be coming on September 14, when Olympus will supposedly announce the E-5, a replacement for the E-3 DSLR. This, we’re told, will bump the megapixel count up to 12 from 10 and offer 720p30 video recording. Now that all that is out of the bag, the only question is: what will you be bringing to the parties?

New E-P2 kit and E-5 DSLR rumored, Olympus surprise parties ruined originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon Coolpix P7000, D7000 DSLR rumored to be launching September 8th, 15th

We’ve already heard some rumors for both Nikon’s Coolpix P7000 point-and-shoot and its supposed D90-successor, the D7000, but it looks like things are unexpectedly heating up a bit further ahead of Photokina next month. According to Nikon Rumors, the two announcements will supposedly be split up, with the P7000 set to be announced along with some other Coolpixes on September 8th, while the D7000 will be announced on September 15th alongside at least two new lenses and a new Speedlight. As before, the P7000 is still expected to actually drop in resolution to 10-megapixels, and pack some RAW shooting capabilities, 720p video shooting, a 28-200mm equivalent zoom lens, and a 3-inch LCD. Details are still comparatively light on the D7000, but Nikon Rumors has previously suggested that it would boast 100% viewfinder coverage and dual memory card slots.

Nikon Coolpix P7000, D7000 DSLR rumored to be launching September 8th, 15th originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon EOS 60D: 18 megapixels and 1080p video flexes its articulating screen this September

Well, what do we have here? Last we heard about the Canon EOS 60D it was just a twinkle in our articulating screen of a peripheral vision. And now it’s official — my, how times have changed. Here’s what we know about the 50D successor (with definite nods to the Rebel T2i‘s feature set): the 18-megapixel DSLR has a single DIGIC 4 processor and boasts 1080p H.264 video with an in-camera movie editing feature, manual audio level control, a “flexible” (read: articulating) 3-inch LCD screen, an ISO range of 100-6,400 purported to be expandable to 12,800, and support for processing RAW images from within the camera itself. Look for the little photo shooter to hit retail at the end of September for just a dollar under $1,100 body only, or $1,400 with a bundled 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens. You know the drill: pics below, press release and video after the break.

Continue reading Canon EOS 60D: 18 megapixels and 1080p video flexes its articulating screen this September

Canon EOS 60D: 18 megapixels and 1080p video flexes its articulating screen this September originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon 60D Impressions: The Perfect Video DSLR Is Just a Little Bit Closer [Digital Cameras]

The 60D, Canon’s new midrange DSLR, is a whole lot like the Rebel T2i inside—still fantastic. It’s what’s outside that’s better, a flip-out swivel screen and more rugged body that tug the camera closer toward video DSLR nirvana. More »

Sony Alpha A55 and A33 hands-on

You didn’t expect us to let something as delicious as Sony’s all-new Translucent Mirror Technology slide by without us playing with it, did you? The freshly announced and priced A55 and A33 Alpha DSLRs slipped out in Taipei this morning, where our crack Engadget Chinese reporters were at the ready with their own picture-taking equipment. Early feedback describes the electronic viewfinder on these shooters as beautiful and very bright, though some rainbow-effect artifacting starts to become apparent if you shift your viewpoint. The bodies of the two new cameras appeared identical in the hand, with the big differences contained within, such as the A55’s faster 10fps burst mode. The A33 is still no slouch at 7fps, though, and video of it chewing through pictures at that rate can be seen after the break. We’ve also got a sample from the camera itself showing off that fast continuous autofocus. All in all, our Chinese brethren found themselves mildly disappointed that Sony didn’t go for a radical physical redesign given the internal rearrangements, but the performance and feature sets were nothing to complain about.

Continue reading Sony Alpha A55 and A33 hands-on

Sony Alpha A55 and A33 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Alpha A55 and A33 official: translucent mirror, Full HD video, continuous autofocus

We told you August 24 would be a significant day for Sony, and sure enough, the company has let the translucent mirror cat out of the bag nice and early today. The A55 and A33 offer Sony’s brand spanking new Translucent Mirror Technology, which allows for such fine things as continuous phase-detect autofocus while shooting at up to 10fps (7fps on the A33) or recording Full HD AVCHD video. A newly developed 15-point autofocus system is also included, with 16.2 and 14.2 Exmor APS HD CMOS sensors for the A55 and A33, respectively. Both shooters come with a fully articulated, 920k-dot, 3-inch LCD screen, while 3D panoramas, automated HDR shot creation, and an Auto+ mode fill out the software goodies. Prices are set at $750 for the A55 in October and $650 for the A33 in September — you can figure out if they’re worth it by checking out the early previews below.

Continue reading Sony Alpha A55 and A33 official: translucent mirror, Full HD video, continuous autofocus

Sony Alpha A55 and A33 official: translucent mirror, Full HD video, continuous autofocus originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon D7000 to be the D90’s spiritual (and actual) successor?

With the Nikon D3100 now official and out in the open, it’s time to tilt the rumor mills back towards a successor to the company’s much-loved D90. Nikon Rumors has a few morsels, including what it’s confident is the official name: D7000. (Rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?) No source is provided, so until we get something official, just use pencil to write it down on your wishlist. Got that? Good. The site also has a few other details that it’s less sure on… but just to tease: 100 percent viewfinder coverage (in contrast, the D90 has 96 percent) and dual memory card slots of some sort. Last we heard, the whispers pointed to a mid-September reveal with a 16 megapixel sensor, 1920 x 1080 HD video, and a $1200 price tag — tempting, but then again, that D3100 is looking mighty nice for the impatient consumer in us.

Nikon D7000 to be the D90’s spiritual (and actual) successor? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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