Digital Cameras Reviews

Archive for July, 2009

Mind you, this ain’t the first wearable camcorder we’ve come across, but it’s definitely amongst the first that isn’t meant to be seen by anyone. iRes Technologies isn’t going so far as to call this a peeping Tom’s dream, but the uCorder definitely fits the bill. Measuring in at just 3.5-inches high, 1-inch wide and 0.5-inches thick, the IRDC150 (1GB of built-in memory) and IRDC250 (2GB) are both designed to sit slyly within the casual shirt pocket, sleeve or fifth pocket[TM]. Amazingly, the camera can shoot VGA quality clips as well as capture audio in WAV, with the big fellow capable of storing up to seven hours of Erin Andrews, er, undercover drug bust footage. Get your peep on for $80 (1GB) or $100 (2GB).

[Via Wired]

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wearables

Wearable iRes uCorder keeps the voyeur working hard originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Adam, who is finally looking to make the leap into the money pit known as “the DSLR world.”

“I’m pretty much a complete noob when it comes to camera stuff. My wife loves to take pictures, though. So much so that she literally wore out her first point and shoot camera, and the Kodak Z712 I bought for her less than two years ago is starting to act up as well. To compound the matter, we are expecting our first born sometime next year. I fear the Kodak just isn’t going to cut it any longer. What would be the best starter DSLR to get? She hates missing photo opportunities due to camera ‘lag’ so speed would definitely be at the top of the list. Photo quality and features would be next. Price should be no more than $800 or so. Also, I’m not interested in video capabilities as I would probably get a dedicated device for that.”

Aw, we’ve got love for the noobs, Adam! With Nikon’s D3000 just announced, we figured this was about as good a time as any to get an updated list of responses for this always-popular inquiry. Be sure to let him know if your entry-level DSLR is doing you right, and feel free to drop those congrats / condolences on the kid while you’re at it.

Filed under: Ask Engadget, Digital Cameras

Ask Engadget: Best starter DSLR? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujifilm’s Finepix Real 3D W1 may look like a fairly standard (albeit dual-lensed) compact camera in its official shots, but as the folks at Stuff.tv discovered when they unboxed theirs, it’s a slightly different story in person. While not exactly a deal-breaker, the camera looks to be considerably harder to just toss in a pocket than a regular compact camera, and it weighs about as much as the non-compact Olympus E-P1. That said, it does apparently deliver the goods when it comes to capturing 3D movies and still images, and it’ll even work with macro shots, although that apparently requires a bit of practice. Hit up the link below for a closer look.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W1 gets the hands-on treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lookie here — time for yet another HD camcorder in the quickly expanding Everio family. Launched today in the Land of the Rising Sun, the JVC Everio GZ-HM400 is a Full HD shooter with a 10.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, 2.8-inch flip-out LCD, 32GB of built-in storage, an SD / SDHC expansion slot, HDMI output, a 10x optical zoom and a fairly preposterous (in a good way) 600fps slo-mo mode, just like that ultra-sleek GZ-X900 we peeked back in March. The unit can also snap 9 megapixel still shots and hold nearly three hours of Full HD content before needing a USB-led cleansing. Indeed, this here camcorder mimics the aforesaid GZ-X900 in pretty much every way save for design, and it’s expected on Japanese store shelves early next month for ¥110,000 ($1,157).

[Via Akihabara News]

Read – JVC press release
Read – Hands-on shots

Continue reading JVC issues Everio GZ-HM400 Full HD camcorder in Japan

Filed under: Digital Cameras

JVC issues Everio GZ-HM400 Full HD camcorder in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well well, Nikon managed to keep the big secret about the new D300s under wraps even as everything else was leaked in the past few weeks: the new $1,799.95 body will shoot 24fps 720p video with contrast-detect autofocus and offers an external mic input. That’s basically every would-be DSLR videographer’s major wishlist right there — sure, 1080p would have been nice, but we’ll take better sound over a couple more lines of resolution any day. Other highlights include a 12.3 megapixel DX sensor, 51-point autofocus, and 7fps burst shooting, as well as those dual CF and SD card slots and a 920k pixel screen. Yeah, it’s looking like a real beast — that DX sensor probably doesn’t have Canon 5D Mark II fans worried, but if you’re looking to get into DSLR video this looks like the new cam to beat.

Update: Digital Photography Review has a brief hands-on with the camera, clarifying that the contrast-detection autofocus isn’t the quickest, and like we learned with the Olympus E-P1 you’ll need to use an external mic when shooting to avoid the ever-present “shhhk” sound. Also of note is continuous shooting, which has been given a boost to seven frames per second — eight if you have the battery grip — compared to D300 and that it has the same memory card door as the D700.

Continue reading Nikon D300s officially announced — 720p/24 movie mode with autofocus and mic input

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Nikon D300s officially announced — 720p/24 movie mode with autofocus and mic input originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Compared to the Nikon D300s also announced today the new D3000 isn’t much to write home about, but it’s still a pretty solid DSLR for $600 — you’re getting a 10.2 megapixel sensor, 11-point autofocus system, a 230k pixel screen, a new Guide Mode that should make it easier on beginners, and an 18-55 NIKKOR VR lens. Nice enough, but we’re sure Nikon will forgive us for lusting after the D300s instead. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Nikon D3000 entry-level DSLR unveiled

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Nikon D3000 entry-level DSLR unveiled originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yeah, you don’t really need 1080p in a compact like this. You know it, we know it. Kodak probably knows it too. Still, it’s always pretty wild to pick up a little piece like this and know it can shoot to a native resolution that our parents can’t even pronounce. The new Zi8 is certainly bulky for a “pocket” camcorder, but makes up for it by sporting a rechargeable battery, line-in audio jack, HDMI out, 2.5-inch LCD and even keeping the pop-out USB plug around for old times sake. The perks of face recognition for improved exposure and gyroscope-based image stabilization are also pretty snazzy at this $180 pricepoint. We still aren’t quite sold on the way this camera (like most of these compacts) processes video — it seems to do a lot of damage to frame-to-frame motion, something that Apple fought off pretty well with the iPhone 3GS — but we’re going to take one home and test it out a little before we throw down a verdict.

Filed under: Digital Cameras, HDTV, Portable Video

Kodak’s 1080p Zi8 HD pocket camcorder in hand originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You know, in the vast majority of situations, we’d prefer choice over no choice. But in this particular kettle of fish, we’re not so sure we’re eager to parse through build sheets associated with no less than seven new Logitech webcams. In a presumed effort to get every PC owner on planet Earth equipped with a Logitech Vid-enabled device, the outfit is today introducing the Webcam Pro 9000, Portable Webcam C905, Webcam C600, Webcam C500, Webcam C300, Webcam C250 and Webcam C200. For those of you still with us, you’ll (possibly) be elated to know that the higher-end Pro 9000 ($99.99; shown above) packs a 2 megapixel sensor for capturing 720p video, while the lowest-end C200 ($29.99) handles the basics with a 1.3 megapixel sensor that serves up VGA footage. The whole lot is expected to ship to the US and Europe next month, and you can catch the nitty-gritty details there in the read link.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Logitech introduces seven new webcams, makes decisions ever harder originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Check it, wireless uploaders — Eye-Fi has just outed its latest WiFi-enabled Secure Digital card, and this one promises to disclose your every move to anyone who’ll bother to follow your image feed. Announced today, the Eye-Fi Geo is a 2GB card that will enable users to automatically upload photos from a digital camera while geotagging them as they hit the ‘net. The geotagging service is included for life, and for whatever reason, this one’s being made exclusively available through Apple stores and online. Of course, it could have something to do with that “seamless integration” with iPhoto and MobileMe, but we’re guessing it ought to play nice with other applications and image portals as well. If you’re suddenly unable to move on with your life until you’ve got one of these in your hands, you can snag one today for $59.99. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading 2GB Eye-Fi Geo automatically geotags wirelessly uploaded photos, makes your day

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Storage

2GB Eye-Fi Geo automatically geotags wirelessly uploaded photos, makes your day originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Had enough Kodak this fine morning? No? Good. Just hours after showcasing its newest 1080p pocket camcorder, the aforesaid firm is hitting us up with a few more new pieces to digest. First up is the EasyShare Z950, a modest megazoom-in-a-P&S-body that packs a 10x optical zoom, 12 megapixel sensor and a $279.99 price tag. Next, we’ve got the totally ho hum EasyShare M381, which also offers a dozen megapixels alongside a 3-inch rear LCD, 5x zoomer, easy upload to Facebook / YouTube, face detection, a variety of lovely hues and an MSRP of $179.99. The last cam is the M341, which steps down to a 3x optical zoom and a smaller 2.7-inch LCD for $149. Closing things out is the EasyShare D830 (£119.99; $196) and D1030 (£169.99; $279) digital photo frames, which check in at 8- and 10-inches respectively (in terms of display size) and tout interchangeable face plates, 512MB of internal memory, a Quick Touch border, memory card reader and a USB port. Everything here should ship in the US and UK by September, though those hungry for additional details are welcome to tap that read link.

[Via DigitalCameraInfo]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Kodak debuts EasyShare Z950, M381 and M341 digicams originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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