Digital kamera guide

Daily news about digital photography, digital imaging and digital cameras.

The TIPA 2010 Award winners in the digital camera category: DSLR Professional Nikon D3S DSLR Expert: Canon EOS 7D DSLR Advanced: Canon 550D/T2i DSLR Entry level: Pentax K-x Expert Compact: Canon G11 Compact camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V Compact system advanced: Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 Compact system entry level: Olympus PEN E-PL1 Rugged D-Compact: Casio Exilim EX-G1 Superzoom Camera: Fujifilm FinePix HS10 and the Leica M9 in the Prestige Camera class...

On April 22 Olympus will release a firmware update to improve the Olympus PEN camera family: • Auto Focus Performance will be improved when shooting both stills and videos using any Micro Four Thirds or Four Thirds lens • Viewfinder/LCD Simultaneous Playback Function brings additional display functionality to the E-P2/PL1 when fitted with the VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder • Movie-Still-Compatible (MSC) ensures E-P1/P2 are compatible with two recently announced lenses Update: Olympus PEN firmware now available...

Sharp Corporation introduces eight models in the DX Series of LED AQUOS LCD TVs with built-in Blu-ray Disc recorders. This "all-in-one" integrated design allows simple and easy Blu-ray Disc recording and playback with sophisticated recording functions, such as an extended recording time of up to 36 hours of full-HD video programming on a single Blu-ray Disc. The new models feature next-generation LCD panels with LED backlight that deliver superb image quality with a cinema contrast of 5,000,000:1...

On May 10th, Panasonic will release firmware updates for the DMC-G1/GF1/GH1 digital SLRs: The DMC-GF1 will get improved operation for image stabilizer and improved AF performance with lenses of other manufacturers The DMC-GH1 will get these same updates and in addition AF performance improvement in full HD movie recording and movie recording with Leica lenses, and improved modulation accuracy of flash The DMC-G1 will get the improvements of the GH1 and the improved modulation accuracy of flash...

Leica launches the 12 megapixel V-Lux 20 digital camera featuring a versatile 12x DC-Vario-Elmar 1:3.3 - 4.9 / 4.1 - 49.2 mm lens with a focal range from 25 to 300 mm. The V-Lux 20 follows the trend and offers 720p HD movie recording. Furthermore, its integrated GPS tagging function records the geographical coordinates of the location and the local time of every picture you shoot. Does the Leica V-Lux 20 specs and looks ring a bell? Indeed, except for price and day of birth, the camera comes very close to the Panasonic TZ7...

At the CHI (Computer Human Interaction) 2010 Technical Program in Atlanta last week, Skinput an original input/output method has generated a lot of attention. The body is portable and always available, and fingers are a natural input device. Skinput is a technology that makes use of the human body as an input surface, enabling the location and vibration of finger taps on hands and arms to be analyzed and used as signals. Chris Harrison of Carnegie Mellon University explains the technology in this video...

Optics specialist Carl Zeiss has introduced the world's first set of cine lenses designed especially for HDSLR cameras at the NAB show in Las Vegas. These new Compact Prime CP.2 lenses are fitted with mounts that allow the lenses to be used with a wide range of cameras, from traditional cine to HDSLR systems. The new lenses will be available with three different mounts - PL, EF and F - from June 2010. Prices are not given but the current line of CP lenses ranges from $3.800 for a single lens up to $28.000 for the full set...

LG Europe has introduced its 15-inch EL9500 OLED TV, a display technology first introduced with the Sony XEL-1. The new OLED TV comes with an unusual stylish design and boasts a spectacular, brighter picture from any angle with superior contrast ratio (10,000,000: 1) compared with traditional LCD displays, whilst also being more energy efficient. The screen offers a - less spectacular - HD Ready 720p 1366 x 768 resolution and comes with built in digital freeview and USB 2.0 input. The EL9500 is planned to be available this month...

Sanyo introduces the PLV-Z4000 Home Cinema projector that is equipped with 3LCD panels and delivers full HD with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. Even with fast-moving pan shots, the built-in 120Hz panel guarantees uniform images. The Z4000 offers a contrast ratio of 65,000:1 and an image brightness of 1,200 ANSI. Furthermore, the ultra-quiet fan (just 19 dB) cools the inside of the projector highly effectively, so you don't get disturbed even during quiet film scenes. The projector - with 3 year warranty - will be available as of May for € 2,490 plus VAT...

Canon releases firmware update version 1.2.1 for the EOS 7D digital SLR camera, offering the following improvements: • Extends the timing at which the temperature warning is displayed and the timing of automatic shut down of the camera due to a rise in internal temperature during Live View or EOS Movie functions • Optimizes program shift when the ISO setting AUTO • Corrects a misspelling in the French-language menu • Corrects a phenomenon in which vertical magenta-colored banding appears in still images ...