Welcome to the Engadget holiday gift guide! Picking presents for friends and loved ones is never a simple task, and with thousands of options for each category, buying technology can be an especially frustrating experience. We’re here to help. Below you’ll find today’s bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the holiday season. We’ve also teamed up with AT&T to give away one hot smartphone with each and every guide, so scroll to the end for today’s prize, then leave a comment to submit your entry!
For digital cameras, 2012 has been an interesting year indeed. IFA in Berlin brought the first compelling Android-powered model, the Samsung Galaxy Camera, while Photokina delivered a handful of full-frame DSLRs and Sony’s jaw-dropping Cyber-shot RX1. As smartphone cameras have evolved, dedicated snappers have, too — this year’s models are far more powerful than any we’ve seen before, and if you’ve been holding out for a significant advancement, now’s the time to buy. We’ve sorted the top models for every budget, which you’ll find gathered in our guide just past the break.
The premium compact camera you’re about to experience is the Olympus XZ-2, coming in hard with a 12.3 megapixel 1/1.7” BSI CMOS sensor, an ultra-bright zoom lens at 28-112mm equivalent f/1.8-2.5, and a 3-inch touchscreen on the back with full tilting action. It’s not the camera you’re going to buy to blow up your family’s eyeballs with fashionability on the outside – it’s the compact high-class shooter that’s going to make the difference on the inside. What we’re seeing here is a premium experience at a relatively low price considering the quality of the output, that’s for certain.
Hardware
This camera measures in at 113 x 65.4 x 48mm (without protrusions) and weighs 346g (including battery and memory card), coming with an exchangable grip that’ll be provided with accessories sooner than later and a lovely removable clip up top for your microphone, bright lamp, or whatever else you want to jam into it. There’s also a pop-up flash light that you can trigger with a physical switch or allow you pop up automatically when it’s needed.
The lens that this camera works with is a lovely Olympus i.ZUIKO DIGITAL 4x wide optical zoom ed at 6-24mm focal length and 1:1.8-2.5 aperture. Focal length equivalency to 35mm here is 28-112mm, and it’s entirely non-replaceable. The majority of the camera’s body is made of black metal and, in addition to the traditional buttons up top and on the back, you’ve got a hot-key switch and button up front that you can tell to do basically anything – quite handy!
This little monster keeps both its SD card slot and battery compartment in one place so you’re not messing with several different doors. There’s a plastic door on the right of the device that holds your micro-HDMI port (type D) and your USB 2.0 port – and that’s combined V and USB output, mind you, and the whole beast is able to work with Eye-Fi cards as well as FlashAir for wireless connectivity.
The LI-90B lithium-ion battery will last you several photo sessions at least, though working with video for hours will leave you with that – the display’s to blame for such a thing here. Unfortunately you do have to use the display to see what you’re taking photos or video of, as there is no option to turn it off entirely. You can work with the device’s Sleep Mode, on the other hand, which turns the whole thing off after 1, 3, or 5 minutes of inactivity.
The touchscreen is ready for full-on tilt action for your down-low and up-high photography needs galore. Pull it out and tilt it up if you need to take a photo under your desk, or pull it out and tilt it down to take a photo over the fence into your neighbor’s yard – once you’ve had such a display, you’ll never be able to go back to a flat, unmovable dinosaur. Your ability to touch the display to take photos and make adjustments remains regardless of the angle of the display – if you were wondering.
Software
The user interface you’ve got here works with a combination of physical keys and the touchscreen, but you do not need to use the touchscreen at all if you do not want. On the other hand, you do need to press the physical “on” button to be able to even begin using the touchscreen – after that though, feel free to just tap away.
While some options are buried rather deep in the menu, the most-used items are right up near the top where you need them, and essentially anyone is going to be able to make the basics happen. Make no mistake, though, this device is not for beginners. You certainly can just switch the whole machine over to Auto and have at it, but making precise adjustments here isn’t a “dummy-proof” situation.
That said, we’ve had little to no trouble getting to each of the featured items we wanted to try out, and the most common shooting modes and environmental changes were extremely easy to access.
Video and Photo Samples
First what you’re going to see is a simple showing of the camera’s video-capture abilities in a rather simple situation with both light and dark, far and near subject matter. Pay attention to how quickly the device focuses on the objects at hand and the adjustments to lighting conditions for a basic idea of how high quality your average video is going to be.
Then have a peek at a collection of shots of the same object showing off the effects and special abilities of camera. Note that these are all of the same metal door we had a look at in the basement and in the dark back in our camera comparison between the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Samsung Galaxy S III – this is also a good opportunity to see how well this Olympus camera handles low light in many different modes – and with odd effects turning the whole party upside-down.
Then have a peek at a set of shots in many different sorts of environments with high-quality HD output. Note that in the most basic sense, this camera has shown itself to be every bit the beast that Olympus claims it is, taking high quality photos and video with great ease. Colors appear to be as accurate as any of the highest-quality cameras we’ve tested at the price range and size we’re working with here, and no abnormalities have been discovered in any way.
Wrap-up
This device presents a collection of abilities that make it a camera worth picking up if you’re a photo enthusiast who wants to get into the big leagues without paying monster amounts of cash for high-quality photo gear. At £479.99 / $599.99 and available in any color just so long as its black, this is just the little beast you’re going to want to toss in your backpack or purse.
The touchscreen interface is simple and there when you want it, but you’ve got all the physical buttons and controls you could possibly want or need if you’re not all about the touch. The user interface is simple the understand, adjustments are simple, and the output is great in the end – and best of all, it’s an major name-brand camera so you know they’ll stick with it as far as accessories go – latch on!
Olympus may have its metaphorical hands busy dealing with its new Sony venture, but that hasn’t stopped the firm from pushing out an Instagram-style companion app for iPhone and iPad. Olympus Image Share hooks up the company’s PEN micro four thirds cameras via a FlashAir memory card and sucks their shots to your phone or tablet, allowing for various filters and effects to be added before sharing them via Facebook and other social networking sites.
A single FlashAir-equipped camera can be simultaneously connected to more than one smartphone or tablet, allowing for easier sharing of images when you’re actually shooting them, rather than having to share them out later on. Olympus has integrated one-time password support too, so that your friends won’t necessarily always be able to access your shots.
Even if you don’t have a FlashAir card, the app can import shots from the iOS device’s gallery and apply filters to those instead. Unlike some camera remote apps we’ve seen, such as from Samsung, the Olympus software won’t actually allow you to remotely control your camera and fire off images from a distance, unfortunately.
Olympus Image Share is a free download from the App Store [iTunes link]. Olympus says an Android version of the app is in the pipeline too.
Sony has squirted $640m into ailing Olympus, collaborating on imaging sensors for new digital cameras, and forming a new medical business for surgical cameras and more. The alliance will “combine Olympus’s lens and optical technologies, as well as the strength of its brand and R&D, with Sony’s broad range of technologies including digital imaging technologies and apply them in the rapidly growing medical market” the pair say [pdf link], in addition to Sony providing image sensors for future Olympus cameras, in exchange for lenses and mirror cells.
In return for its 50 billion yen, Sony will get 34,387,000 Olympus common shares, giving the company an 11.46-percent voting right. The first bunch of shares will be passed over on October 23, with the second due sometime between then and February 28.
Someone of Sony’s choosing will also be appointed to the Olympus board, or at least Olympus “will make every effort” to ensure that happens.
The name of the new medical business venture has not been decided upon, though it will have four Sony-nominated directors and three by Olympus; each will suggest an auditor and a representative director, while Sony will elect the president and Olympus the deputy president. Kicking off with a 50 million yen investment – 51-percent from Sony, the remainder from Olympus – it will focus on 4K-resolution (or higher) surgical endoscopes that may also include 3D support, together with the hardware needed to use them.
Eventually, Sony says, it expects the medical business to become a consolidated subsidiary of its own, though there’s no telling when, exactly, that will happen. The goal is a market share in excess of 20-percent by 2020.
After months of speculation about who would step in to save the scandal-riddenOlympus‘ rocky fortunes, Sony has finally opened up its checkbook. The two companies are entering into a “business and capital alliance,” with Sony pumping in $650 million to its former rival. In exchange, it’s gaining a seat on the company’s board and a 51 percent stake in a new joint venture based on Olympus’s coveted medical imaging tech — something Kaz Hirai outlined in his “One Sony” strategy. The deal also includes a component-sharing agreement in the photography space, with Olympus mirror cells and camera lenses being given to Sony, while image sensors (where Sony is verystrong) will go the other way.
There is nothing quite like a patriotic spirit when it comes to helping your fellow countrymen out, case in point, Sony is mulling over whether to invest a whopping $642 million in beleaguered Olympus. Olympus is definitely not immune to modern day economics despite having the namesake of a mountain where the gods lived, as the Japanese manufacturer of cameras, optics and reprography products is currently undergoing a trial that involves hidden investment losses for the better part of 2 decades, and has been keeping their fingers crossed for a potential investor to pass by. It looks like throwing in $642 million would make Sony the largest shareholder by far and large.
There were rumors of a Panasonic investment earlier in the middle of this year, but Reuters confirmed via a trio of different sources that both Sony and Olympus are preparing themselves to announce an investment which would represent 10% of the capital. It would be interesting to see just what kind of devices will Sony be able to churn out through their investment in Olympus. After all, Sony is not exactly on a fast moving boat, either.
Sony is expected to approve a plan to invest around $642 million (50 billion yen) in Olympus. As the Japanese manufacturer of cameras, optics and reprography products is currently facing a trial for having hidden investment losses for the past 20 years, it has been looking for a potential investor for months. By injecting that capital investment, Sony will become the largest shareholder.
After rumors of a Panasonic investment in June, Reuters confirmed from three different sources that Sony and Olympus are ready to announce an investment that would represent 10 percent of the capital.
Olympus reported a net loss of $630 million (49 billion yen) for the last fiscal year, mainly due to wrong financial decisions and the repercussions of the past scandalous affair. Today, the company and three former high-ranking executives pleaded guilty. Over a couple of decades, around $1.7 billion of losses were faked.
Olympus announced in June that it would cut 2,700 jobs and scrap 40 percent of its factories in order to reduce costs. Last quarter, the company reported a 60 percent drop in operating profit.
With that investment, Sony will become the largest shareholder, and the two companies will create a new business unit focused on medical equipment. As a brand-new market for Sony, it is a way to diversify its revenue.
Yet, last quarter, despite $19.2 billion in sales, Sony’s operating profit was down 77 percent to only $79 million. Standard & Poor’s downgraded Sony, as well, which could make investment more difficult in the future.
As Vic Gundotra said in another situation, “two turkeys do not make an eagle.” When it comes to Japanese investments, they are often hard to understand for a foreigner. Two companies following a downward trend won’t find an easy solution by partnering. It remains to be seen if they can now focus on producing innovative new products.
Three executives from troubled imaging giant Olympus have pleaded guilty to artificially boosting the company’s true value in 2007 and 2008 by concealing losses in financial statements. Former chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, ex-auditor Hideo Yamada and former VP Hisashi Mori were charged with fraud in the scandal, which was brought to light last year by ex-CEO Michael Woodford. He was fired by the Olympus board for blowing the whistle, but reportedly received a large settlement for his troubles. The company has since confessed to cooking the books as far back as the ’90s to hide investment losses, and revealed in 2011 that it had a billion dollars less in value than previously stated. That, along with the poor performance of its camera division, has forced Olympus to seek a partner or raise capital to survive.
Finally tonight, we invite you to check out new review of the Sony Reader PRS-T2. That does it for Monday’s Evening Wrap-Up, so go out and enjoy the rest of your night!
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There is nothing quite like a patriotic spirit when it comes to helping your fellow countrymen out, case in point, Sony is mulling over whether to invest a whopping $642 million in beleaguered Olympus. Olympus is definitely not immune to modern day economics despite having the namesake of a mountain where the gods lived, as the Japanese manufacturer of cameras, optics and reprography products is currently undergoing a trial that involves hidden investment losses for the better part of 2 decades, and has been keeping their fingers crossed for a potential investor to pass by. It looks like throwing in $642 million would make Sony the largest shareholder by far and large.
