Tech News and Reviews
Digital Cameras
Disney-branded AppClix camera for iPad turns you into the world’s happiest shooter
Dec 21st
If you thought using the iPad’s camera — or any other tablet, for that matter — was an awkward way to do mobile photography… well, you were right. But, this mind-boggling AppClix ($60) is about to take things to a new level. The bizarre external shooter gives you access to all of its 7.1 megapixels via Apple’s proprietary connector, and you also get an SD card slot, 4X zoom for distant shots and a 1.5-inch LCD display for “previews.” As if the souped-up specs weren’t enough, the portable camera comes in a variety of flavors, so if Mickey or Minnie Mouse aren’t your characters of preference, you’ll be glad to know that you can also choose between Phineas and Ferb, Princes and Tinkerbell. Oh, and did we mention the Disney Pix editing app? If you’re silly enough to buy this thing, we’re told it’s a must-download.
Olympus’ Tokyo offices raided over accounting scandal
Dec 21st
Eke. A nearly-century old outfit is currently giving up office space to Japanese prosecutors, who today moved in on Olympus‘ Tokyo facilities in a raid surrounding an ongoing accounting investigation. According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, the scandal involves many billions of dollars — “irregularities” that have raised serious concerns about the outfit’s handling of funds. It’s bruited that the company has been running a scheme to conceal over $1.5 billion in investment losses, and we’re told that the raid should pass right on through Olympus’ headquarters and into the “homes of executives involved in the cover-up.” All of this follows an admission last month that the firm had used “inflated payments made in acquisitions in recent years,” and while it remains unclear what all of this means for its future, there’s no doubt a few dark months are ahead as things sort themselves out. So much for looking pretty for the camera, eh?
Ricoh’s modular GXR camera getting new 16 megapixel APS-C unit with 24-85mm lens
Dec 1st
A new lens for your DSLR or Micro Four Thirds camera may make you feel like you have a whole new camera, but that’s really the case with the interchangeable units for the Ricoh GXR. The latest addition to the modular camera’s bag of tricks a new 16 megapixel unit with an APS-C sensor, which comes paired with a 24-85mm zoom lens (f3.5-5.5 aperture). Unfortunately, Ricoh isn’t getting specific with a price a specific release date (saying only early 2012), but photographer Cristian Sorega reports on his blog that Ricoh will make an official announcement at CES in January, with a release set for January 20th.
Pentax crams 18x optical zoom into Optio RZ18 point-and-shoot camera
Sep 13th
Guess what, amateur shooters? The superzoom just got shrunk. Pentax has just outed a new compact that touts a downright impressive 18x optical zoomer (25-450mm equivalent), with the snooping lens married to a 16 megapixel sensor, a smattering of shake reduction technologies and a 3-inch HVGA LCD ’round back. Moreover, you’ll find a nine-point autofocus system, face detection algorithms, an SDXC card slot and an HD video mode capable of snagging 720p clips at 30 frames per second. It’s all set to ship next month in black, white and orange for $299.95 here in the States, with the full presser embedded just after the break.
DXG 3D camera costs 70 bucks, or just three easy payments of $23.99
Jun 15th
Oh, so your infant’s first words were “3D camera,” were they? Now you can reward your little princess with her first cam without needing to switch to store-brand baby food — after turning off the Home Shopping Network, of course. The DXG-018 3D camera will run you just under $70, but it’ll be worth every penny when your little early adopter grows up to be a gadget fiend with 15 maxed-out credit cards and $80,000 in debt. In the meantime, they’ll be teething on a 1.44-inch LCD, dual lenses, an SD card (sold separately), and a pair of AA batteries. The kit also includes three 3D viewers, which apparently display 4-by-6-inch prints in three dimensions. DXG says the cam was created with kids in mind, shipping in pink, lavender, orange, green, and yellow, but it may also make a decent gift for adults, assuming they’ve never used a camera or viewed 3D content before.
Panasonic resurrects Sanyo’s pistol-grip camcorders, trots out three new models
May 26th
Worried that Panasonic would kill off Sanyo’s signature pistol-grip camcorders after it bought its rival last year? Fear not — Panny just went and resurrected Sanyo’s ergonomic design with three new models – slapping its own brand on ‘em, of course. And, in a move that would do Sanyo proud, Panasonic brought back the DMX-CA100 / VPC-CA100, a 1080p camcorder Sanyo released last year under the same name. It’s gotten a spec boost, though, with the ability to snap 16 megapixel still photos, up from 14.4. The other two — the HX-DC15 and the HX-DC1 — both shoot 1080p video as well, with the DC15 offering 16GB internal memory and a 16 megapixel sensor, and the DC1 able to take 14.4 megapixel stills. No word on availability outside Japan, but we’re sure those of you with a penchant for flip-out displays and candy-colored plastic will find a way to snag one.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 ups the interchangeable lens ante with fancy new touchscreen
May 14th
Right on schedule, Panasonic’s gone and made its thinly-veiled Lumix DMC-G3 Micro Four Thirds shooter official. The camera succeeds the G2 with a 16 megapixel sensor, support for 1080p AVCHD video recording with stereo audio, 4fps burst shooting at full resolution, and an articulating, 3-inch touchscreen that supplants some of the dials adorning the last-gen model. In addition to poking around menus, you can touch that display to focus on your subject, and slide your finger to tweak exposure, white balance, and depth of field — all in all, not unlike how you might interact with a smartphone camera. And, at 11.8 ounces, the aluminum-clad body weighs about ten percent less than its predecessor. Look for it in June for $700 in brown, red, and white — in addition to your garden-variety black. In the market for something more compact? Panny also trotted out the Lumix-FH7, a 16 megapixel point-and-shoot with 4x optical zoom and 720p movie recording. Oodles of photos below with a press release after the break.
Nikon D5100 DSLR surfaces with 16.2 megapixel sensor, 1080p video recording
Apr 6th
Been waiting for a new Nikon DSLR to slide in under that magical $1,000 mark? Then we’ve got some good news for you, as Digital Home Thoughts has now let slip some official details and pictures of Nikon’s new prosumer D5100 model. This one steps things up to a D7000-matching 16.2 megapixels from the 12 megapixel D5000, and boasts a 3-inch articulated display (side-mounted this time), 1080p video recording at both 30 and 24 fps (with autofocus!), ISO settings from 100 to 6,400, and an 18-105mm lens included in the kit (no body-only option available just yet, it seems). What’s more, Nikon’s also releasing a new ME-1 microphone alongside the camera to let you take full advantage of those video recording capabilities — check it out after the break. Look for this one to set you back $899.95 for the kit, with the mic running $159.95. Those are Canadian prices according to Digital Home Thoughts, though we’d expect US pricing to be the same.
Nikon D5100 and ME-1 external mic coming April 21st, we go hands-on (video)
Apr 6th
Okay, so Nikon kind of spoiled the surprise with this one, but we can now enlighten you with the full details of its upcoming midrange (or “advanced beginner” as Nikon calls it) DSLR refresh. The D5100 takes the spot of the venerable D5000, but follows the previous generation’s recipe for success pretty closely. The D5000 was a stripped-down D90 in a simpler, smaller package that came with an articulating LCD, and the D5100 just so happens to feature the same mighty 16.2 megapixel sensor as the D7000 (Nikon’s current high-end consumer DSLR) augmented with a flipout screen. Having the D7000′s internals helps the new shooter churn out 1080p video at 24fps, 25fps, or 30fps, depending on your preference for up to a maximum of 20 minutes. The D5000 is only capable of five-minute bursts of 720/24p video and isn’t able to continually autofocus, which the D5100 can. The D5100 also betters its predecessor in terms of physical fitness, coming in at a healthy 10 percent lighter and smaller, while a good number of the physical controls have been repositioned in order to allow for a new horizontal opening mechanism. That’ll be a well appreciated tweak for tripod users. The new screen’s also 17 percent thinner, we’re told, and steps up to a 3-inch diagonal with a 920k-dot resolution. Solid stuff. After the break you’ll find a full spec sheet along with some video action with the D5100. Pricing for this camera is set at $800 / €777 / £670 for the body only or $900 / €904 / £780 for the body plus an 18-55mm VR kit lens. The ME-1 external mic introduced alongside it — did we not mention the D5100 has an external mic input — will cost $180 / €139 / £120 and both are expected in stores on April 21st.
Canon Rebel T3 DSLR reviewed: a safe bet for first-time shooters
Mar 28th
Are you a true contrarian looking for a camera that befits your nonconformist lifestyle? Well, Canon’s latest entry-level DSLR may not be the most unruly camera out, but at least it sports a moniker that fits the bill. The Canon T3 Rebel, also known as the EOS 1100D, is a 12.2-megapixel affair designed with the DSLR newbie in mind, and according to a review over at PhotographyBlog, it doesn’t sacrifice image quality for ease of use. Touted as a successor to the Rebel XS, the T3 actually carries over some useful features from its more sophisticated sibling, the T3i, including a user-friendly control layout, but lacks the camera’s Scene Intelligent auto mode and extensive list of creative filters. Aside from that, the reviewer found T3′s grips too slick and its diminutive LCD screen a minor setback, but was quick to point out that none of these is a deal-breaker. In fact, aside from a bit of noise encountered at the highest ISO setting, the camera delivers high quality photographs even in low light. All things considered, it looks like the Rebel T3 is a “responsive and intuitive DSLR” for the novice photog, and at $600, it’s got at least some of the competition beat. Now, we won’t tell you what to do, but if we were you, we’d click the source link to see how the T3 stacks up.
