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

Sure, there are hi-speed video cameras on the market that can run circles around the TS3Cine when it comes to frame rate, but as an all-in-one portable package you’re going to find its form factor hard to beat. It boasts a massive 7-inch LCD display and the ability to capture video at up to 500fps at its maximum resolution of 1280×1024. Take that down to 720P and you can up the framerate to 720, and at its lowest resolution you can squeeze in as many as 20,000fps, though they don’t actually mention what res that is.

Its rechargeable battery pack is good for about 3 hours of use, though I assume that requires you to be stingy with that monstrous LCD display, and storage is handled VIA an SD card slot and a built-in SSD, available in 128 or 256GB capacities. Footage can be stored as sequential BMP, TIFF, DNG or JPG files, as well as AVIs, and the TS3Cine includes USB 2.0 and gigabit ethernet connections for dumping your clips to a PC. As for the price, a dream-shattering $29,900 for the 128GB SSD version, an extra $2,000 for the 256GB SSD, and there’s even a $5,000 ‘Turbo Mode’ which increases the frame rate even further. Sigh…

[ Fastec TS3Cine ] VIA [ Wide Open Camera ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Whenever someone with a new DSLR asks what’s the first lens they should buy to complement their kit lens, the answer is usually a 50mm prime- ƒ1.4 if you’ve got the money, and ƒ1.8 if you don’t. They’re sharp, fast and as a result produce some fantastic shallow depth of field shots. However, if you’re the owner of one of Nikon’s entry-level DSLRs, like say the D40, the company’s standard 50mm prime will work just fine, except for the autofocus. The lens lacks its own AF motor, and to keep their entry-level cameras at entry-level prices, they’re also lacking the necessary hardware to take over AF duties. So you always have to focus manually.

For years now Nikon users have been hoping for a newer version of the company’s 50mm lens, and last week it looks like their dreams have almost come true. Nikon had posted a page showcasing a new AF-S 50mm ƒ1.8G lens that has since been taken down. But Nikon Rumors managed to save a screenshot detailing the lens in all its glory. It’s listed as an FX format lens but will work on both FX and DX bodies making it compatible with every DSLR in Nikon’s lineup. As for pricing, we’ll know that once Nikon decides to make this all officially official, but optimistically we’d like to see if fall somewhere in the $150 price range.

[ Nikon Rumors - Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G website now removed from Nikon Imaging ] VIA [ Photography Bay ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Postcards have always been the souvenir of choice for travelers who don’t trust their own photography skills. But they tend to feel overly manufactured and unnatural. So I really like this idea of sending up-and-coming artists around oft-visited cities, in this case Athens, Greece (even though the label on the camera in the product shot clearly says Paris) armed with nothing more than a disposable camera and their talents.

Once all 27 photos have been snapped the cameras are left undeveloped and put up for sale, allowing tourists, or even those wanting photos of a city they’ve never visited, to have the chance to pick up a truly original souvenir. And since there’s no setlist as to what the photographers should shoot, the photos on every camera are different making them each a unique piece of art in their own right. $45 for the ‘Athens’ version of the camera, available from UptoyouToronto.

[ Camera From Athens ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

By Meg Lynch

Since purchasing my first DLSR two years ago, I’ve been on the hunt for my perfect camera bag. There’s a plethora of sleek, black options available that seem to focus on cramming more compartments and pockets in than their competitors, but not so many that cater to photographers looking for a feminine touch. In fact I was losing hope with my hunt until I came across the line of camera bags from a company called Jo Totes. I recently had the chance to spend some time with their Rose camera bag, and I really think I’ve found the perfect solution if you’re as worried about protecting your gear as you are with how it looks. More photos and more of my thoughts after the jump.

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There’s not a lot of things (besides ill-planned flights) that can get me out of bed early enough to be somewhere at 9:30 in the morning, but the retro charms of FujiFilm’s upcoming X100 digital camera were certainly enough today.

Announced back in September of last year, the X100 is scheduled to be available sometime in the very near future (its original March release date has been pushed back as a result of the terrible tragedy in Japan) but we got a chance to play with a few sample models with production-ready firmware and it’s left us feeling a little disenchanted with the heavy DSLRs and less-than capable point and shoots we usually haul around. While it’s not the perfect replacement for all of your photographic needs, the X100′s design, capabilities and let’s be honest here, all-around good looks, have us wanting to spend as much quality time with it as we can. More of our impressions after the jump.

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By Andrew Liszewski

No one’s going to argue that the iPhone 4 can compete with dedicated digital cameras, particularly DSLRs, when it comes to image quality. But it still has plenty of strengths. It’s compact, light, and everyone who owns one is already carrying it for phone or music purposes. It’s even connected to a wireless network all most of the time making instantly sharing a snapshot a breeze. And isn’t that what photography is all about?

That’s what the creators of the UN01 iPhone 4 case believe, and they’re hoping its stylish, camera-inspired design encourages people to actually use their iPhone as a camera more often. Normally we shy away from Kickstarter projects since they’re usually just concepts that never come to fruition, but we feel this design has some real merit. On the technical side the case uses a two-piece sliding design that stays together thanks to the clever faux lens in the center that doubles as a locking mechanism. And on the aesthetics side the case includes a DSLR-inspired neck strap and laser-etched and even aluminum designs not pictured. The project needs $23,000 to get off the ground, to which $287 have been pledged at this time, though they still have some 42 days to raise the rest.

[ Kickstarter - UN01 iPhone 4 Case ] VIA [ designboom ]

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

While you still need to shell out the coin for an actual flash atop your DSLR, the O-Flash ring flash adapter, which is currently selling for just $40 on Photojojo, is an inexpensive way to get the benefits of an actual ring flash, without the DIY look of an adapter you’ve built yourself.

A real ring flash encircles your lens with light, usually from a ring of white LEDs, providing even lighting when doing close-up or macro photography. And a ring flash adapter does pretty much the same thing, except that it’s directing and bouncing light from your flash through the ring, which doesn’t always produce as even results. But, it’s up to you to decide if the results are ‘close enough’ given this alternative is just $40.

[ O-Flash Ring Flash Adapter ] VIA [ Wired Gadget Lab ]