Hasta La Gadget!

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Debunk: ‘camera’ reference in iPad configuration policy is likely a copy-paste error, not evidence of new iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  AppleInsider  | Email this | Comments

What you just heard was the sound of five new FinePix cameras popping out of Fujifilm’s doors. Yippie! If all goes well, we’ll be seeing these SDHC-loving / xD-hating babies from late August. Let’s start working through the list: the 12 megapixel, 720p-video (24fps) F300EXR boasts auto-focus speeds that are “as good as” DSLRs, all thanks to the camera’s hybrid auto-focus system — a combination of Contrast AF (as used on most compacts) and Phase Detection AF (as found on most DSLRs). Other goodies include a wide 15x (24-360mm equivalent) “low noise” zoom lens, 3-inch high contrast 460k-dot LCD on the back, ISO settings up to a staggering 12,800, face detection and recognition (the latter lets you store optimum exposure and focus settings for up to eight faces), 360˚ panorama shooting mode, HDMI output, and image stabilization on the second-gen Super CCD EXR sensor. The price? You’ll have to cough up $329.95 for this bad boy.

Read on for the rest of the family.

Continue reading Fujifilm shoots out five new cameras: F300EXR, Z800EXR, Z80, JX280 and S2800HD

Fujifilm shoots out five new cameras: F300EXR, Z800EXR, Z80, JX280 and S2800HD originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Akihabara News  | Email this | Comments

Ever since we heard that Nikon was joining the league of mirrorless cameras, the whole world’s been waiting for its arch rival to make the next move in the battle of smaller prosumer cameras. Today, Canon finally gave away some hints about which camp it’ll side with — probably just sticking with traditional DSLRs, but smaller. Canon’s Masaya Maeda didn’t share any specific details, but here’s how he dodged Reuters‘ inquiry: “It’s not a question of whether or not you have a mirror. There is a consumer need for good-quality cameras to be made smaller. We will meet this need.” And to add some icing to that bland statement, Maeda reinforced that it wouldn’t be a challenge for his company to retain a mirror (hence a viewfinder, which is essential for obtaining better results and higher shooting rates) in a smaller design, and that they’ve made very small SLR cameras before (likely in reference to the film era). Whatever happens, here’s hoping that Canon’s new toy won’t be any bigger than the much-loved G11.

Canon developing smaller DSLRs to compete with mirrorless cameras? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |  Reuters  | Email this | Comments

While Sony may have its pricey NEX-VG10 camcorder sucking up the limelight at yesterday’s showcase, let’s not forget the electronic giant’s more humble photographic devices. Just a few steps away we stumbled upon these near-identical Alpha A390 and A290 entry-level DSLRs, with the former donning a tilting LCD and live view capability to live up to its bigger price tag. We can’t comment on picture quality due to the lack of sample shots, but we were certainly impressed by both cameras’ build quality — kudos to Sony for the much improved grip, and we also liked the firm chassis (plus its various knobs and flaps) that didn’t feel cheap despite sounding hollow. On a similar note, the 2.7-inch LCD looked sharp and served us well for all purposes, although we didn’t get to test it outdoor. What really bewildered us was the lens continuously auto-focusing while the camera remained stationary — that couldn’t be good for the battery, and we’d like to see how battery life fares in upcoming reviews. Anyhow, enjoy our hands-on photos.

Sony Alpha A390 and A290 DSLRs hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Portraying the digital still camera as an endangered species has been a popular pastime for years in the cellphone industry, and with the high-resolution stills and high-definition video capabilities of the latest round of smartphones, the argument is more convincing than ever when applied to the casual snapshot. But this week at the World Expo in Shanghai, Canon — a name synonymous with high-quality photography — offered a vision of a device that not only supersedes the digital still camera, but will likely eliminate photography as we know it.

With an estimated arrival date two decades in the future, the Canon Wonder Camera concept device has an incredible focal length from macro to 500mm with a single, integrated lens. It boasts massive (unspecified) storage, ultra-high (also unspecified) resolution, multiple facial recognition capabilities beyond that available today, and the ability to keep everything viewable in focus at the same time. But perhaps the most radical thing about this camera is that it’s really a camcorder. Rather than take individual stills, Wonder Camera owners would simply have their pick of perfectly crisp photos as frames grabbed from video.

Continue reading Switched On: Photography is dead, long live photos

Switched On: Photography is dead, long live photos originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments