Well, that didn't take long. Just a week after Nikon announced their Android-powered Coolpix S800c, Samsung has gotten into the act with their Galaxy Camera. The Galaxy pretty much wins the spec war, with its 21X zoom lens, huge 4.8" LCD display, connectivity over HSPA+ and Wi-Fi, and use of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. No word on when it'll actually ship, though. Here are the details that I have:
Sony has announced their new Alpha NEX-5R mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, which is the replacement to last year's NEX-5N. The big changes here include a new "Fast Hybrid" AF system, an LCD that flips upward 180 degrees (like on the NEX-F3), Wi-Fi, and yes, an App Store. The NEX-5R is the first camera to allow you to download additional features right from your LCD screen.
Here are all the details:
Newly designed 16.1 effective Megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor
Fast Hybrid AF system puts 99 phase-detection sites on the sensor itself that work hand-in-hand with the 25-point contrast detect AF system
Lenses will require a firmware update to take advantage of this new AF system; the 18-55, 55-210, and 18-200 Sony lenses, plus the 24mm Zeiss lens will be ready at launch
Supports all Sony E-mount lenses with a 1.5X crop factor
Classic Minolta/Sony A-mount lenses supported via optional adapter
3-inch touchscreen LCD flips upward 180 degrees (for self-portraits) and downward 50 degrees (a big improvement over the NEX-F3), has 921k pixels
Full manual controls, with RAW support
ISO range of 100 - 25600
Shutter speed range of 30 - 1/4000 sec
More enthusiast friendly with the addition of the customizable Function button and control dial from the NEX-F3
Point-and-shoot users have Intelligent and Superior Auto modes to select a scene mode, and more
Built-in Wi-Fi allows you to send photos to your PC, a smartphone, or directly to Facebook and PlayMemories Online
"Camera Apps" available for download at launch include Picture Effect+, Bracket Pro, Multi Frame NR, Photo Retouch, and Smart Remote Control
Future apps include Time Lapse and Cinematic Photo (more details on all the apps after the link)
Sony told me that some apps will be free, while others may cost a few dollars (sound off about paying for camera features on our Facebook page)
10 frame/second continuous shooting with tracking AF
Always handy electronic level
Usual Sony bells and whistles: Sweep Panorama, Auto HDR, Anti Motion Blur,
No built-in flash; small external flash included
Records Full HD video at 1080/60p with stereo sound, manual controls
Memory card slot handles both SD/SDHC/SDXC and Memory Stick Pro Duo media
Uses NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery, 330 shots per charge
I've posted my review of Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. This highly anticipated premium compact camera features a 1-inch CMOS sensor in a body that'll fit in your jeans pocket. Does it live up to the buzz? Find out in our review!
Update: A few readers pointed out that using the lowest sensitivities on the RX100 reduces dynamic range (thus leading to highlight clipping). Since Sony buried that fact in their HTML-based manual, I was unaware of that fact. I will be re-shooting the photos in the standard gallery that had highlight clipping issues, and updating the review where appropriate.
Update 2: The standard gallery has been re-shot at ISO 125, and the review updated. How's that for service?
When a camera with a 24X, 30X, or even 36X zoom just isn't enough, there's the new Olympus SP-820UZ iHS. This super zoom camera has a whopping 40X optical zoom lens, with only Nikon's Coolpix P510 (with a 42X lens) packing more zoom power. At this point you'd think that a tripod would come in the box, but apparently that's not the case. Here's what the SP-820UZ can do:
Nikon today introduced a trio of cameras, each of which is interesting in its own way. I'm going to start with their flagship compact camera, the Coolpix P7700. The big news here is the lens, which has a maximum aperture of F2 - F4 over its large 28 - 200 mm zoom range. Here's more:
Here's something you don't see every day: a digital camera powered by the Android operating system. The Coolpix S800c may look like yet another compact ultra zoom, but the Android 2.3 OS running under the hood makes sharing photos over a Wi-Fi network easier than ever. And you can play Angry Birds on it!
F3.2-5.8, 10X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 25 - 250 mm
Optical image stabilization
3.5-inch OLED touchscreen display with 819,000 pixels
Powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), which allows for easy e-mailing and sharing (to Facebook/Twitter/Google+/wherever) over the camera's built-in Wi-Fi. Want to surf the web, listen to music, or play Words With Friends? You can do that too, with full access to the Google Play store.
Android takes around 30 seconds to boot up when the camera is powered on; however, you can still take pictures while this is occuring
Point-and-shoot operation
Plenty of special effects, with hundreds (if not more) apps available to download to further tweak your photos
Built-in GPS tags your location
Burst mode shoots at 8 frames/second (though for only three photos)
Records Full HD video at 1080/30p with stereo sound
Has 1.7 GB of internal storage for photos and 680 MB for apps; has an SD card slot, as well
Uses EN-EL12 li-ion battery, 140 shots per charge (I figured this wouldn't be good)
If you're looking for a camera that'll fit in your skinny jeans, then you might be interested in the final new Nikon camera of the day. The Coolpix S01 is just 3.1 x 2.1 x 0.7 inches in size and weighs 3.4 ounces, allowing it to go anywhere that you do. There are some compromises, though, as you'll see below:
Canon is recalling over 68,000 Rebel T4i digital SLRs due to possible allergic reactions to a chemical found in the rubber grip. If you own one of the affected cameras, Canon will replace your grip free of charge. For more details, check out this page on Canon's support site.
Nikon has announced their new Nikon 1 J2 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, as well as a new 1 System lens. The J2 is a fairly minor update to last year's J1. Let's get right into the details:
Supports all CX-mount lenses (of which five are now available) with a 2.7X crop factor; optional F-mount adapter lets you use your regular Nikkor lenses
Same hybrid AF system as the original 1 System models
Body and mode dial now metal
3-inch LCD display with 921,000 pixels (double the resolution of the J1)
Full manual controls (though they're still not on the mode dial), with RAW support
Shutter speed range of 30 - 1/16000 sec
ISO range of 100 - 3200, expandable to 6400
Scene Auto Selector for the point-and-shoot crowd
New Creative Mode offers panorama, selective color, miniature, backlighting (HDR), and other special effects
Continuous shooting remains at 10 fps with continuous AF, 60 fps without
Built-in flash (same as the J1)
Records Full HD video at your choice of 30p or 60i with stereo sound (though no manual controls, from what I can tell)
Optional waterproof case ($749) holds the body and the 10 - 30 mm lens, lets you take pictures 40 meters deep; also compatible with the original J1
SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot
Uses EN-EL20 lithium-ion battery, 220 shots per charge
Available in white, black, silver, pink, deep red, and orange
Ships with the F3.5-5.6, 10 - 30 mm kit lens this September for $549; a dual lens kit, which adds the 30 - 110 mm tele zoom, will sell for $799
In addition to the J2, we have a new lens to talk about. The new F3.5-5.6, 11 - 27.5 mm lens is super compact (possibly due to its lack of image stabilization) and features the same collapsible design of the 10-30 kit lens. This lens is equivalent to 30 - 74 mm when attached to a 1 System camera. You'll be able to pick up this lens in all six of the J2's colors in late September for $189.
There's also a new Coolpix to talk about today. The Coolpix L610 is one of a select group of cameras that still uses AA batteries, which I always appreciate. Here are the specs:
Since money is tight this year, my summer vacation consisted of 2.5 days in beautiful Lake Tahoe. I decided to take the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 with me, and have compiled my favorite photos in this special photo gallery. Enjoy!
