Hasta La Gadget!

Those ultra-mysterious folks at Sony are finally starting to loosen their grip on info about the Japanese giant’s entry into the growing market for compact interchangeable lens cameras. Having already witnessed some of the user interface and a few prototype bodies, we’re now seeing the first shots of these new shooters in the wild. Spotted in an Asian pub (what is it with drinking establishments and hardware leaks?), the mirrorless NEX3 body reveals its name, an external flash attachment (with a proprietary connector, boo!), and a a chrome-finished 16mm F2.8 pancake lens. It doesn’t look very pancakey to us, and indeed Sony Alpha Rumors claim it’s bigger than the nearest competitors from Olympus and Panasonic, but apparently that’s because Sony has included optical image stabilization in the lens, perhaps a worthy trade-off. Both new models are expected to sport the 14 megapixel ExmorHD sensor, though the NEX5 will record 1080p video versus the NEX3’s 720p. We’re told to expect a May 11 announcement for the pair, with what’s being described as “very aggressive” pricing relative to their Micro Four Thirds competition. Let it be so.

Sony gives NEX3 and NEX5 names to its first ultra-compact interchangeable lens cameras originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 04:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another day, another Apple leak. This time it’s an eBay double whammy of the camera-donning iPod touch, which appears to be of the same design from August but now with iPod branding on the back. Better yet, the two devices bear the prototype identification codes “DVT-1” and “DVT-2” (“DVT” stands for “design verification test” in Apple-speak, according to Daring Fireball), while the DVT-2 model wears an extra bar code label seemingly stamped by the “Apple Development Team.” What’s interesting is that the model number “A1318” at the bottom matches the current iPod touch’s, which may suggest the camera feature was ditched just before the current line went into mass production, or that we may see this variant as a minor update instead of a redesigned iPod touch in the coming months. We tried to verify using the FCC ID “BCGA1318,” only to be let down by a kaput FCC database — we’ll give it another spin later. Unsurprisingly, the eBay listing was quickly taken down, but it’s not like any mere mortal could’ve gotten much use out of that Transformer-themed (and familiar-looking) “SwitchBoard” test-bed software — maybe it was a displeased Michael Bay who killed the auction. A couple of backside shots after the break.

[Thanks, Sam]

Continue reading One more thing… two iPod touch prototypes with camera briefly show up on eBay

One more thing… two iPod touch prototypes with camera briefly show up on eBay originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Apr 2010 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking to add even more retro flavor to your Olumpus E-P1? Then you might want to consider taking after Flickr user Lok Cheung, who was inspired by the Rolleiflex TLR to create this Rollei EVF (of sorts) for the Micro Four Thirds camera. While the setup isn’t actually anything more than a viewfinder for viewing the screen, Lok nonetheless says the results are “really good,” with the viewfinder resting almost right behind the lens, and the manual focus “almost as fast as you can get on a true manual camera.” Not the most practical camera mod, perhaps, but certainly one of the more interesting ones.

Olympus E-P1 outfitted with Rollei EVF originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An M9 it ain’t, but Leica‘s latest still might tickle the fancy of those who see value in paying for that cute red logo. If the image above and details linked down there in the source are to be believed, the V-Lux 20 will be launching in five short days, bringing with it a 3-inch rear LCD, 25mm to 300mm zoom range, integrated GPS and price of nearly €549 ($744). The tough news is that this thing is based around Panasonic’s ZS-7, which can be had right now for under $400, so it’s hard to say how much value you’ll get in paying more for Leica’s variant. If all goes well, it’s rumored to be in stores by May 9th, sitting right alongside the ultra affordable leather case (€99) and extra battery (€69).

Update: Now even Leica is saying some “fresh” camera news is on the way. Boom.

Leica V-Lux 20 gets leaked with (nearly) reasonable price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ilan Spillinger, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 VP, was on hand in Tel Aviv yesterday for a showcase of Project Natal. Although there wasn’t much in the way of groundbreaking stuff, the resulting video does show off the motion control system’s gender recognition (done through Natal’s facial recognition … you filthy child) and ability to track two players within the frame at the same time. A tipster from the audience tells us that earlier lag issues have been eradicated, although some jitter was indeed apparent when the second person stepped into Natal’s field of vision. Either way, it’s looking like Microsoft’s Xbox 360 peripheral is progressing well toward its release near the end of this year. Go past the break to see for yourself.

[Thanks, Roy]

Continue reading Microsoft gives us a look through Project Natal’s eyes (video)

Microsoft gives us a look through Project Natal’s eyes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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