Hasta La Gadget!

You know what’s black and yellow all over, fits in the average mailbox and gets the imaginations of camera junkies running wild? These cards, that’s what. Over the past few days, mysterious cards have begun to arrive in the hands of Nikon users, and while the company’s name is nowhere to be found, the colors and hints are starting to build a case for something new. It seems a countdown from 8 has begun, with the first card stating “I am…” and the second “I am fun….” In case you weren’t aware, Nikon has yet to dabble in the Micro Four Thirds world (or even hint at a competitor like Samsung’s NX range), but whispers of a so-called EVIL lineup have been building steam. Nikon aficionados have pointed out that the countdown will end just prior to a UK press meeting on March 8th, which could very well mean that an all-new compact is just days away from being properly revealed. Or it could be nothing at all. Keep your expectations low — it’s better to be pleasantly surprised than deflated and alone, right?

Mysterious yellow and black cards lead to wild Nikon speculation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next month? Psshh. For those hankering for a slice of that oh-so-tempting Micro Four Thirds pie, Olympus’ new and improved PEN E-PL1 is now shipping (in blue and gold, anyway) from Amazon. If you’ll recall, the company told us that it wouldn’t be available until March when it launched three weeks ago, but hey, you won’t find us kvetching about early availability. For those who’ve forgotten, this compact camera touts the same 12.3 megapixel image sensor as the E-30 and E-620, and the $599.99 asking price also nets you a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko zoom lens. Good luck resisting.

[Thanks, Ron]

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Micro Four Thirds camera now shipping for $600 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s a beautiful day in Anaheim, which makes it a perfect day to introduce a couple of compact shooters. Regardless of the fact that we just made that up, Casio‘s in full agreement, as it has just pushed out the new Exilim EX-S7 (shown above) and EX-Z35 (shown after the break) at PMA 2010. The pair of low-end cameras offer up 12.1 megapixel sensors, 3x optical zooms and direct-to-web upload options; the S7 ships with a 720p HD video mode and a 2.7-inch rear LCD, while the Z35 gets a VGA movie mode and a 2.5-inch LCD. Neither option will blow any minds, but the relatively low $139.99 / $109.99 (in order of mention) price points just might generate some interest from the novices in attendance.

Continue reading Casio rolls out Exilim EX-S7 and EX-Z35 point-and-shoots at PMA

Casio rolls out Exilim EX-S7 and EX-Z35 point-and-shoots at PMA originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our early info on this diminutive shooter only indicated it’d be waterproof, so it’s a pleasant surprise to see some further optimizations thrown in for use in less hospitable environments. You’ll be able to go down to 10 feet under water with the TX5, drop it from a 5-foot height, or explore the tundra at temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius) without the camera throwing in the towel. So Sony claims anyhow. Other features include a now confirmed 10fps burst mode, a 10.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, 4x optical zoom plus optical image stabilization, and a 3-inch touchscreen on the back. The one thing that doesn’t make the transition from rumor to reality is the reputed 1080p movie mode — the TX5 makes do with a still desirable 720p video recording. Sony’s also kicking out the DSC-H55 (pictured after the break) today, which will have the same video mode, but adds a 10x optical zoom and a thicker, non-weatherproofed body. Both cams will happily write to Class 4 and above SDHC cards when they debut this April, priced at $350 for the TX5 and $250 for the H55.

Continue reading Sony’s DSC-TX5 is waterproof, freeze-proof, dust-proof, and headed for retail this April

Sony’s DSC-TX5 is waterproof, freeze-proof, dust-proof, and headed for retail this April originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricoh’s CX2 seemed to impress a-many reviewer when it launched last autumn, so it’s sort of odd to see the camera’s successor hitting the market so soon after. The appropriately named CX3 recent sat down on the test bench over at Photography BLOG, and while critics were quick to point out how appreciative they were of the extras (a 720p movie mode, namely), they couldn’t help but notice what a small step forward this was from the prior model. In fact, they found little to no good reason for existing CX2 owners to upgrade, though they did deem the image quality to be “excellent” and noted that newcomers shouldn’t hesitate to give this one a whirl. Still, we were disappointed to hear that the low-light performance was underwhelming despite promises that it had been improved, and for $400, you’ve got a lot of other options in the point-and-shoot realm.

Ricoh CX3 reviewed, just marginally better than CX2 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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