Hasta La Gadget!

DIY stereoscopic splitter takes your pictures to the third dimension originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 08:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharing the limelight with the Nikon D7000 today were these two Coolpix cameras: the OLED touchscreen-donning S80 (left) and the prosumer-oriented P7000 (right). Let’s start off with the S80: this 14.1 megapixel compact turned out to be pretty sexy and solid, and we had no qualms with sliding its lens cover, either. That said, the 3.5-inch touchscreen was one helluva double-edged sword — sure, it was responsive to our touch input (for tap-to-capture or tap-to-focus), but a lot of the times we found our naughty fingers slipping onto the screen, thus accidentally triggering the camera. And just as we speculated, the lack of physical buttons (zoom control and shutter, for instance) was pretty intimidating to begin with, but as with many smartphones these days, it probably just takes time to get used to this newfangled interface. If we were to improve the camera as it is right now, we’d probably throw in a sharper alternative for the OLED display — despite its wide viewing angles and vibrant colors — for the sake of focusing and playback.

Do read on for our thoughts on the P7000 after the break.

Continue reading Nikon Coolpix S80 and P7000 hands-on

Nikon Coolpix S80 and P7000 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Look out, world — the mirrorless camera game just got a lot more interesting. Shortly after Olympus introduced a new mid-range DSLR, Samsung has outed its newest, the (previously rumored) NX100. It’s the predictable successor to last year’s NX10, offering a sleeker body, 14.6 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a 3-inch VGA AMOLED display ’round back, an ISO range of 100 to 3200 (with a boost mode hitting 6400), 720p movie recording (H.264), SD / SDHC card slot, optional geo-tagging with GPS10 module and ‘Sound Picture’ mode that allows users to record audio when a photo is taken. The standout feature here, however, has little to do with the body itself; instead, it’s the new i-Function lens system, which features a dedicated ‘i-Function’ button that allows users to scroll through manual settings, and a focus ring which is used to change parameters for each setting. Users can toggle between shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO by simply using the i-Function button and ring on the lens, and it’s a feature we’re frankly desperate to try out ourselves. Sammy’s planning to offer a variety of lenses for the NX100, including a 60mm macro, 18-200mm telephoto, 20mm wide-angle pancake and a 20-50mm compact zoom. The full details on the camera as well as the glass arrangement is just after the break, but good luck finding a price and release date. Depressing, we know.

Continue reading Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED

Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got a spare $25,000 burning a hole in your pocket and a passion for 4K resolution? Then you’ll be please to know RED’s next generation Mysterium X camera is now available to all potential buyers, after initially being released for exclusively as an upgrade for RED One owners seven months ago. Just because the better low-light capturing goodness is more accessible though doesn’t mean this bad boy will be gathering dust on the shelf. Instead, thanks to high demand, budding Neill Blomkamps will have to put down a 10 percent deposit to reserve one and should expect waits of roughly a week for it to arrive. If for some reason you were still hoping to snag the original Mysterium sensor that window is also now closed — unless you’re one of the few still waiting on a reserved model. As excited as we are though to see the new RED gear in action, we still wouldn’t watch a sequel to Knowing filmed on it.

RED One Mysterium X cameras now available for all originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What is this strange pendulum hanging below the camcorder? An external battery? Some eccentric fashion accessory from the Far East? Actually, this is the ReadySteady: a camera stabilizer (and potentially a stand) designed for use with various pocket camcorders such as the Flip Mino, Sony Bloggie, Sanyo Xacti (like our HD1010 here) and Kodak PlayTouch. The device really is as simple as it looks — it consists of just a two-part 3.5-ounce aluminum disc and a flexible camera stand, the latter of which can be stored within the disc. Likewise, the instructions are pretty straightforward: simply poke the stand through the disc, screw it into your camcorder, put a grip near your camcorder’s bottom, and then apply some force onto the disc with your other hand (as pictured). Voilà! So, does this $29.99 device work? And is it worth it? Read on to find out — an extensive test video awaits you after the break.

Continue reading ReadySteady pocket camcorder stabilizer review

ReadySteady pocket camcorder stabilizer review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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