Yawn, it’s another addition to the gaggle of sort of new, sort of interesting 10 megapixel compact digital cameras. And it’s from Samsung, so you know it can’t be that spectacular. But the little TL9 does have a rather unique feature: a pair of analog gauges to show you how much memory and battery life you’ve got. Does it make a jot of difference? Not really… But… I like them. It’s sort of refreshing, I think, to see analog displays on something so definably digital. I guess it’s worth noting that neither memory nor battery life are especially analog in nature, and I assume that there’s a secondary megabytes and minutes display on the LCD. Otherwise, nothing else on the camera will surprise you: 10mpx, 2.7 inch LCD, 5x optical zoom, face/smile/blink/UFO detection, MP3 compatibility (?), and dual image stabilization. $280ish this fall.
So anyhow, I think it’s a nice touch, even if there’s no way it’ll convince me to buy a digital camera from Samsung. I’d much rather buy their rocks, instead.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the only real downside to using a digital SLR, particularly if you’re switching lenses a lot, is the fact that no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you’re going to get dust on the image sensor. Newer DSLRs have added built-in sensor cleaning functionality, but these usually just vibrate the sensor in hopes that the dust falls off and gets collected by a sticky strip underneath. I’m sure they work to a degree, but sometimes you just need to get in there and give it a good manual cleaning. And that’s when the BriteVue Sensor Loupe comes in really handy, since it uses a set of six super bright LEDs as well as a 7X magnifying lens to allow you to see even the smallest specks of dust stuck to your camera’s sensor.
Of course the Sensor Loupe won’t actually clean the sensor for you, you’ll still need to invest in the proper tools for that task, but if you’re tired of the routine of taking test shots, locking up the mirror, cleaning the sensor and doing it over and over again until the test shots look clean, it might be worth the $89.95 price tag from VisibleDust.com.
If for some reason the only feature you care about when buying a digital camera is megapixels the new H3DII-50 from Hasselblad should be at the top of your shopping list, at least for the time being. The medium format camera uses Kodak’s 36×48mm 50 megapixel sensor which is apparently twice the physical size of the largest 35mm sensor used in regular DSLR cameras. But while the H3DII-50 might look intimidating to the average photographer, it’s apparently as easy-to-use as the most advanced DSLRs thanks to improved controls and functionality, a more intuitive user interface and menu system as well as a large 3 inch display for previewing your shots.
When it comes to storage the H3DII-50 is compatible with Compact Flash memory cards or Hasselblad’s own Image Bank II storage drive which is basically a 100GB hard drive powered by a rechargeable battery. And while the H3DII-50 might appeal to the hardcore hobbyist, I’m pretty sure the price tag won’t. Hasselblad’s previous model which featured a 39 megapixel sensor came with a price tag of around $37-39,000, so there’s a good chance their new 50 megapixel model will cost even more.
Finding a water-resistant digital camera or camcorder that can survive the occasional splash or light rain is not that difficult, but finding one that can actually be submerged for some cool underwater photography is a different story. In the past you either had to settle for an expensive underwater housing, or go the ziploc bag/duct tape/fingers crossed route. But not anymore thanks to Panasonic’s SDR-SW20 digital camcorder. It uses SD or SDHC memory cards instead of tape or a compact hard drive which not only makes it light and compact, but also able to survive drops from about 4 feet.
In terms of image quality you’re only looking at 640×480 JPEG stills, and I assume the same resolution when it comes to video. (It captures directly to “DVD Quality” MPEG2 clips says the Panasonic website.) But it is completely sealed making it dustproof and more importantly waterproof to a depth of up to 5 feet. You won’t be shooting any shipwrecks with it, but for a shallow coral reef or just wacky antics in the backyard pool it’s more than adequate. It also features a 10X optical zoom and a fast power up feature which allows you to start shooting as quickly as 0.6 seconds after you open the LCD viewfinder.
Amazon.com is currently selling it for $348.01, and it comes in either a silver or red finish.
This morning Nikon officially announced their D700 digital SLR, which you can basically think of as a D3 that’s been crammed into the considerably more compact body of a D300. While that makes the D700 the company’s first compact professional DSLR, there are some trade-offs when you compare it to the D3. While it has the same 12.1 megapixel full frame FX sensor and image processing engine as its bigger brother, it does use a different viewfinder prism that only gives you about 95% coverage. It also has a different shutter that’s only good for 150,000 exposures compared to the D3’s 300,000, and a smaller battery. It’s also lacking an LCD info panel on the back and only features a single compact flash card slot. But on the other hand it does include a built-in pop-up flash, and even a self-cleaning sensor.
The D700 should be available sometime in late July which is of course perfectly timed to get it in the hands of the thousands of photographers who’ll be attending the Olympic games in August. It has an estimated price of $2,999.95 but that’s just for the body. If you decide this is your first SLR camera you’ll need to get yourself a lens as well. And for a full break down of all the D700’s features and specs I suggest checking out the official press release on Nikon’s website.
While it appears to be considerably larger than most pens, I think if you were discreet enough you could probably get away with using this DVR Pen Recorder. It comes with either 2GB or 4GB of flash memory that allows it to capture up to 30 hours of audio and video. (With the 4GB model.) The resolution is just 352×288, which is what you’d expect from a spy pen that wasn’t created by the CIA, NSA or MI6. But since those organizations don’t sell their custom gear in their gift shops, or even have gift shops for that matter, this is as good as you’re going to find online.
The DVR Pen Recorder also pulls apart to reveal a standard USB 2 connection which allows you to transfer the videos to your PC, and charge the internal battery. And while it can capture about 30 hours of video, the battery will actually only last for about 2 hours. The 2GB model will set you back $199.95 while the 4GB is $249.95, and both are available from BrickHouseSecurity.com.
I hate the look of my camera’s pop-up flash, and would rather carry a tripod around for use with long exposures in low-light conditions than have to use it. The other option of course is to carry a dedicated external flash, but that can be inconvenient and expensive. But it seems a Professor Kobré has created a cheap and simple alternative. The Lightscoop slides onto your camera’s hot shoe and fits over the pop-up flash, bouncing the light towards a ceiling or wall using just a mirror. As a result your subject is illuminated by diffuse light which produces more natural results and even eliminates red eye or the ‘cave effect’ where the background ends up being underexposed.
The Lightscoop can’t be used outdoors or in large venues like a church or stadium since it relies on a light-colored ceiling or wall to effectively bounce the light. But at just $34.95 it’s a ridiculously cheap way to vastly improve the quality of your photos. The Universal version of the Lightscoop is designed to fit SLRs from Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma and Fuji, but you’ll want to make sure your particular model is supported before you order one.
Most of the time, flash totally blows. Even if you’ve got an expensive off-camera flash system, there’s just no way to get high-powered directed fake lighting to look anywhere near as good as natural ambient lighting. Presslite’s VerteX “light modifier” attaches to the head of your off-camera flash, and features two twisty surfaces that you can flip around (with one hand) to redirect some or all of your flash. One side of the panels has a specular surface for direct light, and the other side has a diffuser surface. Combine the surfaces and the twistyness to bounce your flash where you want it to get your ideal lighting. Looks like fun, and it’s only 35 bucks for a limited time.
I’ve been passively looking for a cheap digital video camera for posting the occasional YouTube video. The JVC Everio S Series I wrote about yesterday is tempting, but I think it’s a bit too large to carry around on a daily basis, and I’d prefer something a bit cheaper. The Flip camcorders have also been near the top of my list, but they might have just been replaced with the latest Vivitar model that has finally popped up on Target’s website. The DVR565HD is capable of recording 30fps 720P “HD” videos in MPEG4 or H.264 directly to an SD card. (Up to 4GB cards are supported.) It’s also apparently able to play 1080i videos and can connect directly to an HDTV with an included HDMI cable. Not too shabby.
Even though it won’t be available for a few more weeks, Target currently has it listed on their site for just $129.99, which makes it all the more tempting.
For YouTube junkies who feel the need to post every last piece of footage they shoot comes the new Everio S series from JVC which includes a one-touch button for uploading their shaky exploits to the popular video sharing site. The camcorders look similar to the JVC Everio G series, but are considerably lighter since they record video directly to SD cards instead of a built-in hard drive. But it’s the YouTube features that are sure to interest most potential buyers. Here’s how it works:
Once the provided CyberLink software is installed on a Windows® PC, uploading video clips to YouTube™ is quick and easy. The camcorder has an UPLOAD button that works in two ways. In the camera mode, press UPLOAD and then the trigger, and this limits recordings to 10 minutes in length, which matches the YouTube™ file size limit. This eliminates the need to manually time recordings or go back to edit and shorten footage. After recording is done, connect the GZ-MS100 to a PC via a USB cable and press the UPLOAD button. This automatically launches the supplied application for uploading to YouTube™. After just a few mouse clicks the video will be up on the Internet for everybody to see. The original video quality is maintained in the camera, so it can be used for any other purpose.
The camera also features JVC’s ‘Laser Touch Operation’ which is a touch sensitive scroll bar and buttons allowing the user to navigate the on-screen menus without having to touch and leave fingerprints on the LCD display. The included rechargeable battery is rated for about 2 hours and 5 minutes of operation, but you can replace it with higher capacity 4 and 6 hour models as needed. The GZ-MS100 camcorder should be available in June for $349.99.
Related Tags: Digital Cameras
Permalink | 
No Comments
