Digitalcameras -- Engadget

Toshiba launches 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor with backside illumination for cellphones

by Tim Stevens posted Oct 27th 2009 at 9:34AM

Backside illumination may sound like something a proctologist would use in a poorly-lit examining room, but it's actually a re-imagining of the CMOS sensor that brings the photodiodes closer to the action, thus delivering brighter images from smaller packaging. OmniVision and Sony both have their takes on the tech and now Toshiba is putting it into a 14.6 megapixel sensor for cellphones and compact cameras. The company claims light absorption is boosted by 40%, resulting in bright pictures despite the high-density 1/2.3-inch sensor. Early production will begin before the end of the year but manufacturing lines won't start firing en masse until sometime next summer, meaning yet another dark and murky winter of dark and murky pictures.

Pentax's entry-level K-x DSLR receives glowing review

by Darren Murph posted Oct 27th 2009 at 3:56AM

Pentax's K-x has been shipping in various corners of the globe (in various hues) for a hot minute now, but at long last the entry-level DSLR has found itself on the test bench. The good folks over at Tech Radar were able to take the $650 shooter for a spin, and with few exceptions, they absolutely adored it. Image quality was deemed fantastic, and without qualification, that's easily the most important aspect of a camera. Critics also appreciated the build quality, rear LCD and ergonomics, though they did note that the 720p movie mode was "hit and miss." They found it to be a good fit for novices and amateurs, and while they did feel that it was somewhat less comfortable to wield than Nikon's D5000, they still maintained that it'll be a great bargain when the street price falls just a bit. Tap the read link for the full skinny -- but only if you feel compelled.

Update: PhotographyBLOG has just published its review as well.

Pentax's limited edition Korejanai K-x DSLR reminds us of Harlequin VW Golf

by Darren Murph posted Oct 25th 2009 at 3:32PM

You Yanks won't be getting your paws around this without a buddy in Japan ready and willing to ship it your way, but those camped out in the Land of the Rising Sun can soon jockey for an opportunity to grab the most colorful Pentax K-x DSLR of all time. The Korejanai K-x -- which was engineered by the same folks behind the 'Self Destruct Button' USB hub -- looks as if it had all of its panels painted a different hue, and as diehard lovers of the iconic 1996 Volkswagen Harlequin Golf, we can't help but drool here. Only 100 of these will be sold, and it'll be bundled with a matching Korejanai Robot Model. Of course, the camera itself is identical to the standard version save for the paint job, but somehow we're guessing you'll appreciate this one just a wee bit more. It's set to sell for ¥79,800 (around $880), with orders being accepted starting at 10AM JST on November 2nd. Best set your alarms, kids!

[Via Image-Acquire]

Gallery: Pentax's limited edition Korejanai K-x DSLR reminds us of Harlequin VW Golf

PhotoTrackr Mini geotagging device shrinks down, adds Mac and RAW support

by Darren Murph posted Oct 25th 2009 at 1:59PM

Looking for a geotagging solution that doesn't discriminate based on what kind of camera you have? Looking for one that can fit snugly into your Fifth Pocket? The PhotoTrackr Mini looks to be that very device, boasting a diminutive thumb drive-esque appearance and the same geotagging technology as found in the original. Put simply, the device works by syncing the time of your camera with bundled software; when you're back from a shoot (a shoot where your device also was), you just allow the application to figure out where a given shot was snapped at what time. There's also Mac and RAW file format support on this model, neither of which were compatible with the prior version. Pre-orders are being accepted now at $69, and the first shipments are expected to go out next month.

Continue reading PhotoTrackr Mini geotagging device shrinks down, adds Mac and RAW support

Mamiya's DM22 is a medium format digital camera for the Walmart type at sub-$10k pricepoint

by Paul Miller posted Oct 23rd 2009 at 9:51AM

It can't be easy being the cost-cutter in a game as insanely expensive as digital medium format cameras, but after teaming up with Phase One for a $5990 medium format shooter (without lens), Mamiya is taking its own crack at the market with the $9,995 DM22. It comes with a Mamiya 80mm f/2.8 D Series lens, has a 22 megapixel sensor and can pump images straight out over FireWire if you think your RAW files are too good for a lowly CompactFlash card. It's also being introduced with a $14,990 sibling, the DM28, which has a 28 megapixel sensor and handles higher ISO shots.

[Via Gear Diary]

Leaf announces new Aptus-II 22 megapixel camera back

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 3:56PM

Neither for the faint of heart nor the slight of credit, Leaf's newest -- the Aptus-II 5 digital back -- boasts a 0.9 fps capture rate, 22 megapixel sensor, 2.5-inch touchscreen display, a 12-stop dynamic range and a 25-400 ISO range. Sounds great, right? What if we told you it would run you €5,995 (about $9,000) for the back itself, or you could bundle it with the Phase One 645AF body and an 80mm lens for €7,995 (about $12,000)? Right, you'll take two. Pre-order now from your favorite Leaf Imaging retailer and you should get your new device in November. PR after the break.

[Via DP Review]

Continue reading Leaf announces new Aptus-II 22 megapixel camera back

Epson adds tethering, remote shutter release to P-6000 and P-7000 photo viewers

by Darren Murph posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 3:19PM

Epson's P-6000 ($599.99) and P-7000 ($799.99) Multimedia Viewers were always a bit too rich for our blood, but those hemming and hawing might just have the final bit of motivation they need to pull the trigger. A forthcoming firmware update for the 80GB and 160GB (respectively) photo viewers brings along a hotly-anticipated new feature: tethering. Put simply, pro shooters (and novices, we guess) can now connect select Nikon and Canon DSLRs to their photo viewer via USB, and in real time shots will be simultaneously captured to the camera's memory card and the viewer's hard drive. Moreover, the update includes a remote shutter release function for added convenience, though we're sad to say that the retail pricing of these buggers hasn't budged. If you're a proud owner already, keep your eyes glued to Epson's support site -- the download should go live in "late-October."

[Via Slashgear]

Canon PowerShot G11 review roundup

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 11:33AM

We had an all too brief hands-on with Canon's PowerShot G11 way back in August, but the first real flood of reviews has only just recently started, and now seemed like as good a time as any to get you caught up on some of them. As you might expect, one of the real stand-out features is that swiveling LCD, which is not only good in and of itself, but "one of the best of its type" according to What Digital Camera. Other reviewers like Wired UK and CNET UK also found that G11 delivered some noticeably better results than the previous G10, with it aided especially by the surprising but welcome shift from the old 14.7-megapixel sensor to a new 10-megapixel one that offers an improved dynamic range and better performance at high ISO settings, among other advantages. On the downside, the camera is somewhat bulky, and PhotographyBlog says it fails to live up to Canon's claims of it being the "ultimate compact," especially when you consider some of the similarly-sized (but admittedly pricier) Micro Four Thirds offerings available.

Read - Wired.co.uk
Read - What Digital Camera
Read - CNET UK
Read - PhotographyBlog

Enthusiastic shutterbug immortalizes Nikon on his forearm

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 21st 2009 at 5:09PM

Since time immemorial, man has used the tattoo to signify rites of passage and status, to look like a bad-ass, and to tell the rest of us what he holds dear -- whether it be the Zune, Storm, or PS3. Now camera buffs are getting in on the action, with a certain Manny Williams becoming so infatuated with his Nikon D3X that he had one inked to his forearm. According to his email to the company, this guy has been a photographer for over twenty-five years, but "since using a Nikon product, I am convinced that I will never use anything else...EVER AGAIN." You know, there are enough naysayers in the gadget biz that whenever we see someone happy it makes us happy. It really does. We just hope the body mod here isn't really another regretful symptom of some sort of manic episode. More Manny after the break.

Continue reading Enthusiastic shutterbug immortalizes Nikon on his forearm

First Canon EOS-1D MKIV footage on display, 5D MKII will join the fun with new 24 / 25 fps firmware next year

by Paul Miller posted Oct 20th 2009 at 2:53PM

Double good news on the Canon front. First off we've got sample footage shot with a brand new Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, which does a good job of showing what the camera can handle under low lighting conditions, as well as serving as a poignant morality tale for skaters, who should never get in cars with strangers. But perhaps even more exciting is word that Canon is developing its own firmware update for the 5D Mark II that will take it into the indie filmmaker-friendly territory of 24 fps and 25 fps -- something that's always been assumed doable since the camera already shoots at 30. Details are scarce, and the firmware won't hit until the "first half of 2010," but if anything it should up the resale value on that 5D of yours while you claw against your credit limit for an EOS-1D Mark IV.

Read - First Canon EOS-1D MKIV movie from Vincent Laforet
Read - Canon EOS 5D Mark II to get 24 and 25fps in a firmware update!

Canon's EOS 1D Mark V DSLR defying death, launching tomorrow?

by Darren Murph posted Oct 19th 2009 at 4:41PM

As if the consumer electronics world didn't have enough drama to deal with this week, we're now hearing that Canon just might be readying a new pro-level DSLR for a Tuesday launch. The long-awaited successor to the EOS 1D Mark III is reportedly on the way, and considering that the Japanese do everything they possibly can to avoid the number four (it's pronounced the same as the word for death, if you must know), the EOS 1D Mark V is the only plausible candidate. We're hearing whispers that the Nikon D3S rival will boast a 16 megapixel sensor, 1080p movie mode, 19 selectable AF points and an native ISO ceiling of 25,600 (with a boost to 102,400). The pain? Just under five large, though we'd take all of this with a healthy serving of salt until tomorrow ushers itself in.

[Via Electronista]

Read - Philip Bloom
Read - Canon Rumors

Microsoft's life-blogging SenseCam becomes the ViconRevue, coming to a lanyard near you in 2010

by Tim Stevens posted Oct 19th 2009 at 9:09AM

The months of 2004 were halcyon days for those hoping to capture their entire existences digitally. Nokia was talking up Lifeblog as a way to chronicle every action of every day, while Microsoft had a few SenseCams floating around, snapping random images twice a minute to create a sort of slideshow of your daily tedium. Neither went mainstream, but Microsoft's option still has some legs, getting licensed by a company called Vicon and re-dubbed the ViconRevue. It now has 1GB of internal storage backing what seems to be a VGA camera sensor that can snap a picture every 30 seconds. At £500 ($820) they're currently intended for those studying Alzheimers and dementia, but a consumer model is due next year, and hopefully it will be affordable enough for those with memories but no government grants.

[Via Engadget Polish]

Casio Exilim CA003 and CA004 uncloaked in KDDI au's winter lineup

by Ross Miller posted Oct 19th 2009 at 6:02AM

KDDI au's unleashing its winter lineup, and among them sits Casio's latest cameras phone, the 12.17 megapixel Exilim CA003 and 8 megapixel CA004. The higher-tier former boasts a 28mm wide angle lens with 3x optical zoom and autofocus, and a 3.3-inch WVGA OLED screen. It'll also shoot a quick burst of 20 pics per second when you need to capture the exact moment and aren't exactly sure when that is. Other amenities include microSDHC card slot, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM radio, and a handful of color options. Not wanting all that horsepower? The CA004 has smaller resolution shots, support up to 2GB microSD, and a 3.1-inch WVGA OLED screen, but is otherwise touting the same features. Akihabara News has some hands-on shots of the beaut you might wanna check out, unless you're the type who gets violently jealous by phones that aren't hitting American soil.

[Via Engadget Japan]

Read - KDDI au lineup
Read - CA003 / CA004 hands-on

How would you change Nikon's D3000?

by Darren Murph posted Oct 16th 2009 at 11:56PM

Nikon's D3000 launched under the long, dark shadow of the D300S, but for entry-level DSLR buyers, it has certainly remained a viable option. For those who passed on the D5000 and tossed their six bills towards this, we're curious to see just how great / terrible it is at Nikon's bottom rung. Are you still enjoying your cam? Do you wish you would've selected a higher-end model? Is the kit lens worth a darn? Feel free to spill your rant in comments below, and make it good -- you never know when the D3000S or D4000 will hit the market.

CEIVA Pro 80 digiframe accepts new images from MMS, networked PCs

by Darren Murph posted Oct 15th 2009 at 7:24PM

Timely, no? Exactly a year to the day after the CEIVAlife and CEIVAshare went on sale, the creator of those has decided to out its first digiframe since, and we've got to say -- the Pro 80 is a refreshing change of pace in the drab digital photo frame world. Aside from accepting images via the traditional means (USB, memory cards and telepathy), this one can also take in new pixels via a cameraphone or computer... wirelessly! The built-in WiFi module enables networked PCs to pass along slideshows, while PicturePlan customers ($6.95 per month) can send photos in from their mobiles. In case that's not nearly enough to excite you, there's also free CEIVA Channels (ABC News, ESPN, etc.) to keep you occupied. She's all yours for $179.99, or $147.99 if you snag it this holiday season.