By Andrew Liszewski

I know we’ve all got digital cameras on our cellphones, tablets and even laptops, but there’s still a certain appeal to having a tiny no-frills version tucked away in a pocket somewhere. And the SQ30m scores high points with both of those criteria. In fact it’s so compact and lacking in frills to the point of foregoing a color LCD or even an optical viewfinder for framing. It’s quite literally a point and shoot affair, probably leading to some pleasant surprises when the photos are developed/copied to your PC via its built-in mini USB port on the bottom.

The camera has a resolution of just 1200×1280 which is small by today’s standards, but since they’ll be all crapped up when uploaded to Facebook anyways, who really cares? You also have your choice of 4 different color modes, a slider that can switch between a macro and landscape mode (I’m assuming it physically swaps lenses) and even the option to shoot low frame-rate videos mimicking an 8mm film camera. But whether or not the novelty justifies its ~$75 (¥5,985) price tag is up to you.

[ SQ30m Pocket Digital Camera ] VIA [ Apartment Therapy Unplggd ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Flipbac Innovations first crossed our radar screen a few years ago with their adjustable angle viewfinder that gave cameras without a flip-out LCD display similar functionality. And now they’re back with a new product designed to make P&S cameras with an overly smooth finish easier to handle.

The grips are made of silicone and adhere to the front of the camera via a special 3M adhesive that allows them to be removed and reused without leaving any residue behind. They make using most P&S cameras with a single hand a little easier, and are available directly from the company for just $9.99 in 3 unique shapes. Cheap, functional and reusable, exactly what we like to see in an accessory.

[ Flipbac Camera Grips ] VIA [ The Gadgeteer ]

By Andrew Liszewski

A few years ago we brought you a miniature version of a Canon 5D MkII DSLR that was actually a 4GB USB flash drive in disguise. Given it had popped up on eBay it led us to believe it was a real product, presumably given away as a promotional item at one point. Well we’ve now discovered the 5D MkII wasn’t the only camera in Canon’s lineup to get the miniaturization treatment. Tiny versions of their IXUS 200IS P&S and LEGRA HD camcorders also exist, each sporting the same pop-out USB port and 4GB of flash storage as the 5D. As to where you can get your hands on them, if any one has any clues or leads we’d love to hear ‘em.

[ Behance - One Paradox - Miniature Camera Thumbdrive ] VIA [ I New Idea ]

By Andrew Liszewski

The world’s most feature-packed SD memory card just got a bit more capable today as Eye-Fi has officially launched their Mobile X2 version featuring their new ‘Direct Mode’. The new mode, which was first shown off at CES earlier this year, lets the Eye-Fi card connect directly to an Android or iOS mobile device by creating its own wi-fi network, so the card and your smartphone/tablet can communicate even if you’re out in the middle of nowhere.

Direct Mode will also be available for the company’s existing Eye-Fi X2 cards via a firmware update available sometime next week, though users excited to try it out will still have to wait for the accompanying iOS and Android apps to hit their respective app stores. The new mode is pretty exciting though, as it lets users almost instantly see their shots on a larger display if they’re using it tethered to a tablet, and if the device happens to be equipped with 3G mobile data, the shots can then be automatically sent to an online gallery.

The new Eye-Fi Mobile X2 card which features 8GB of storage and the Direct Mode functionality already built-in will be available starting April 17 for $79.99.

[ Eye-Fi Mobile X2 ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Pentax seems to have decided that one of its niches in the digital camera market will be to allow consumers to customize the look of their hardware. Their NB1000 literally lets people reshape the camera through the use of Nanoblocks bricks, and their RS1500 lets users customize the look of it via skins.

So as part of a tie-in with the upcoming Warner Bros. Green Lantern blockbuster, Pentax will be releasing a special limited edition ‘DC Super Heroes’ version of the RS1500 that comes with seven different skins including the Green Lantern, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Superman, Catwoman and The Joker. They’re also throwing in a less-than-super 4GB SD card and a Green Lantern protective case. Specific pricing info for this collector’s pack is still TBA, but given its ‘limited edition’ status it will probably be a bit more than the camera’s $149.95 MSRP.

[ PR - Pentax - Optio RS1500 DC Comics Camera ] VIA [ Freshness Mag ]

By David Ponce

We live in an interesting age where the technological innovations of the past are becoming increasingly commoditized. Although, really… this isn’t limited to this time period, I guess. It’s the way of the world. Still, digital storage and digital camera sensors are two perfect examples. They’re becoming so inexpensive to manufacture, you can find them just about anywhere and on anything. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear about the Fuuvi Pick camera. It’s basically a USB card reader with an attached digital camera. You insert your own MicroSD card (up to 16GB) and you have a keychain-sized 2MP camera which you can keep in the change pocket of your jeans for instance. It’s 35 × 70 × 15mm and weighs 24g. Oh, and it takes 720 × 480 video at 30fps. Sure, the quality will be crap but it’ll do in a pinch.

It’s $60.

[ Fuuvi Pick Camera ] VIA [ Ubergizmo ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Kleptodeadmedia is a condition I just made up that refers to people who feel compelled to steal copies of year-old magazines like Newsweek or Good Housekeeping from doctor and dentist waiting rooms. I haven’t made up a cure yet though, so if you feel like you suffer from said condition this portable O King document scanner from Brando is a step in the right direction. Instead of slipping the magazine into your purse, briefcase or down your pants, you simply have to discreetly unfold and set up the camera arm and then snap away, page-by-page, until the whole thing is captured digitally.

It even comes with a travel case that unfolds to double as a positioning map so you can ensure your document is always properly framed by the camera. The downsides though? Since it’s USB powered and lacks any onboard storage it can only be used when tethered to a laptop or PC, the camera has a pretty crappy resolution of just 1600×1200 and technically, if used to capture copyrighted material, you’re still breaking the law. Baby steps though… baby steps. $120 from USB.Brando.com.

[ O King Scanner ] VIA [ 7Gadgets ]

By Andrew Liszewski

It’s a gutsy move announcing new products the same day Apple has an event scheduled, but that’s exactly what Olympus has done with a handful of new digital cameras, perhaps taking advantage of the blackhole of PR news usually generated by days like this. Their SZ-30MR is certainly the most noteworthy of Olympus’s new additions boasting 24X optical zoom (25-600mm) though with an aperture maxing out at just ƒ3. It’s also got ISO options up to 3200, a 16MP backlit CMOS sensor for improved low light performance, HDMI out, a 3-inch LCD and pretty much all the standard features you’d expect to find in a $400 P&S digital camera. It’s even got an easy-to-use 3D mode where you just have to pan the camera while taking a photo and it will automagically capture and generate a 3D composite.

But what really sets the SZ-30MR apart from other high-end point-and-shoots (at least for the time being) and might actually make people consider a camera outside the Nikon or Canon camps, is its ability to capture full 1080P videos and 16MP stills at the same time with a feature they’ve branded ‘Multi Recording’. You can even use it to capture two movies at the same time, using clever cropping or digital zooms for a wide-angle and close-up clip of the same scene, at different resolutions or even with novelty filters applied. I can’t say I’ve ever lamented at not being able to capture two videos at the same time with my camera, but these days it seems like every new model in the P&S market needs a gimmick, and the SZ-30MR certainly delivers.

[ PR - Olympus - Introducing the first ever camera to capture Full HD movies & 16 Megapixel stills simultaneously ] VIA [ Wired Gadget Lab ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Canon unveiled a huge pile of new toys today including 4 new PowerShot models, with the SX230 HS being the most drool-worthy. All of the models include Canon’s proven HS SYSTEM which uses their DIGIC 4 image processor and a high-sensitivity 12.1MP CMOS sensor to reduce noise in photos taken in dark situations, so you don’t necessarily have to always resort to washing everything out with the built-in flash. It’s also got a 28mm equivalent lens with 14X optical zoom and optical image stabilization to keep blurs to a minimum when zoomed all the way in.

It’s also one of Canon’s first P&S cameras to come with a built-in GPS receiver that continually tracks the user’s location and records the latitude, longitude and altitude of where a pic was taken in its EXIF data. The receiver will even keep working when the camera is off, so the camera then doubles as a GPS logger, tracking the user’s adventures wherever they may roam. And since sometimes 1,000 words isn’t enough to capture a moment, the SX230 HS also captures full 1080P video at 24fps, or 720P at 30fps. Or drop the resolution to 320×240 where you can then capture high-speed footage at up to 240fps.

The Canon PowerShot SX230 HS will be available near the end of March with an expected MSRP of $349.99.

[ PR - Elevating Quality Without Compromise: Canon U.S.A. Introduces Four New Powershot Cameras With Canon's HS System And Full HD Video Capability ]