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Canon's PowerShot SD1100 IS gets reviewed


Like pretty much every other Digital ELPH preceding it, Canon's flagship SD1100 IS garnered nothing but the utmost praise in a recent Imaging-Resource review. Okay, so maybe critics did kvetch about slight noise at ISO 800, a somewhat confusing interface, and a not-particularly-useful digital zoom, but this point-and-shoot managed to get it right in the areas that matter most. Build quality and design were both smiled upon, the image stabilization performed as advertised and the image quality was deemed "excellent." Of note, they did find very minor chromatic aberration in the wide angle shots, but considering the size of this shooter, results were seen as fantastic. Overall, it looks like Canon has produced yet another winner in the pocket-friendly camera department, but feel free to take a gander at the in-depth review waiting in the read link below.

Nikon's Coolpix S52c now shipping

Nikon Coolpix S52c
Nikon is shipping the Coolpix S52c WiFi-capable point-and-shoot camera as expected. The S52c allows you to upload pictures to your Flickr or Nikon's own "my Picturetown" online image repository via WiFi and comes with 6 months of T-Mobile HotSpot access. Camera specs are pretty respectable, including a 9 megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, 3.0-inch LCD, and optical image stabilization. The Coolpix comes in at $279.95 and should show up at retailers soon. Despite Nikon saying it's shipping now, Amazon says it will ship on or around June 15, so hopefully they're just a little slow on the uptake and Nikon isn't lying through its teeth.

Sony TG3E / TG1 camcorder review


We had the good fortune to receive a Sony HDR-TG3E (aka, HDR-TG1 for North America) review unit on the day we departed for a bit of tropical relaxation. As such, we return with a real world look at how the Titanium-shelled TG3E performed in the sun, surf, and sand of an honest to goodness family holiday. We set off with high hopes for the world's smallest 1080i (1920 x 1080/60i @ 16Mbps) camcorder, high enough that we left our trusty Xacti HD700 at home. Not high enough to leave behind our aging, but proven 5 megapixel point-and-shoot still camera though. So, how did it do? Review after the break.

Update: Added .m2ts formatted video samples for download.

Canon prepping a Digital Rebel XS / 1000D?

Canon's been known to leak an upcoming model or five in website descriptions, UPC codes, certification lists, and driver downloads, so pardon us if we're not too shocked that references to a "Rebel XS / 1000D" have popped up in the latest version of the company's RAW conversion utility. Of course, there aren't any specs or pictures, but based on Canon's naming scheme, we'd hazard that it'll be a lower-end version of the Rebel XSi, replacing the now somewhat-outdated Rebel XT. Of course, that's purely conjecture, but based on Canon's track record with these leaks, we'll know for sure soon enough.

[Via 1000 Noisy Cameras]

Creative gets official with Vado cheapcorder

JR.com may have let the cat of the bag, but Creative's not letting that stop it from getting all official with its new Vado Pocket Video Cam, which is taking square aim at the likes of Pure Digital's Flip Video cheapcorder. Like the Flip, Creative's offering comes packing a lowly-but-YouTube-friendly 640 x 480 resolution, along with 2GB of built-in memory (with no expansion options), a 2-inch display, a flip-out USB connector, and a promised two hours of battery life on a charge. Not exactly the most feature-packed camera out there (even for a budget model), but the $100 price tag is certainly right, and you can get it in your choice of silver or hot pink.

Sony Ericsson patent applications reveal wireless digital camera plans

It looks like your future digital camera could have considerably more wireless options than built-in WiFi or an Eye-Fi card, at least if Sony Ericsson has its way. As Unwired View reports, the company has filed a number patent applications that detail its plans to add various wireless connectivity options to digital cameras, including GSM, CDMA, and WiMAX, in addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. That would apparently come both in the form of wireless cards built into the cameras themselves, and in the form of wireless adapters or docks that would attach to the camera, with some dedicated flash memory also thrown in for storing settings for Flickr and the like. Of course, there's no indication as to when we can expect to see such cameras and, as Unwired View points out, the idea itself may not be the most patentable, but you can sign us up for any connectivity option that doesn't involve a tangled mess of cords in our gadget bag.

Olympus E-520 announced, previewed


At the end of the month Olympus will launch its E520 Four-Thirds followup to the E510. The 10 megapixel D-SLR features sensor-shifting image stabilization, the 2.7-inch LCD and AF Live View introduced on the E420, TruePic III image processing and Supersonic Wave Filter dust protection. Other features include Face Detection, Shadow Adjustment, and an optional Wireless flash control accessory when the body goes retail for about $600 Stateside. Digital Camera Resource Page already has a preview unit in house. So why not hit up the read link and take in their expert, early opinion of the latest Olympus E?

[Via 1001 Noisy Cameras]

Canon Rebel XSi review roundup

We've already seen it unboxed, but if you've been waiting for a slightly more thorough look at Canon's new Rebel XSi DSLR (otherwise known as the EOS 450D) before you drop $800+ on it, you can now get your fix thanks to a steady stream of reviews that are now pouring in. Among the earliest to get its hands on a unit was Digital Photography Review, which reserved final judgment because it only did a preview but nonetheless provided one of the most exhaustive looks at the camera, complete with comparisons to its predecessor and its nearest competitors. Offering more opinions was Camera Labs, which found the XSi to be a "worthy successor" to the XTi, although it warns that new buyers should consider whether the upgrades are really worth the extra cost. The folks at LetsGoDigital were a bit more enthusiastic, calling the XSi a "perfect camera for everybody," although they were slightly disappointed by the camera's plastic casing. That also proved to be sticking point for Digital Camera Review, which went as far as to call the camera "cheap looking" and "less refined" than those with a lightly textured finish. On the upside, it says that the camera's low-noise sensor "raises the bar for entry-level DSLRs," with its extensive customization options, and Canon's expectedly strong AF system also winning it some high marks. If you're still not swayed one way other the other, you find plenty more details by diving into the links below.

Read - Digital Photography Review (preview)
Read - Camera Labs (88%)
Read - LetsGoDigital (82%)
Read - Digital Camera Review ("a fairly conservative upgrade")

Samsung NV40 point-and-shoot gets reviewed


Don't sweat it, we're not going to quiz you on the specs from Samsung's NV40 -- after all, this puppy was introduced way back in January of the year 2008. Nevertheless, the 10-megapixel shooter has finally arrived at PhotographyBLOG's labs for review, so let's dive right in. Simply put, the NV40 isn't a revolutionary step above the NV20, though that wasn't seen as necessarily bad. It was noted that the image stabilization worked quite well, but captures were still noticeably noisy even at ISO 200. The unit itself felt like a premium product, and the Smart Touch interface was highly praised, but reviewers just couldn't find a way to stomach the £199 ($385) price tag with such disappointing image results. Check out the full review for yourself before passing judgment, but it sounds like Sammy just barely missed the mark with this one.

MTI Micro testing feasibility of fuel cells in digicams

The ever-boastful MTI Micro is back again, just days after showing off a fuel cell-powered GPS prototype in Atlanta. This go 'round, the company is announcing a newfound partnership with an elusive Japanese developer of digicams in order to "evaluate the feasibility, development and production" of Mobion products. The love affair will enable the two to work together in evaluating and adapting the aforesaid technology for use in "various precision imaging applications, including digital cameras." Best of all, work is apparently already ongoing, and MTI Micro is expected to deliver prototypes later this month. Going from prototype form to the store shelf, however, will be the hard part.

Sony offers up WiFi-enabled VGF-CP1 digital photo frame


Over in Japan, Sony has just launched a fairly well-spec'd digiframe that's certainly worthy of attention. The VGF-CP1 packs a 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution panel, multicard reader / USB port, 100MB of free internal memory (85MB for pictures, 15MB for music), support for still images / MP3s / WAV files and built-in 802.11b/g WiFi. Aside from showing off your recent vacation snaps, the unit can also display the current time, check in with your favorite RSS feeds and keep you up to speed with the latest weather forecasts. No telling if this thing will ever see US soil, but those parked in Tokyo can grab it on May 17th for around ¥30,000 ($258).

Creative's Vado cheapcorder revealed by JR.com


It looks like Creative's getting set to muscle in on Pure Digital's Flip Video -- online retailer JR.com has specs up for something called the Vado VF0570-P, and they're basically identical to the Flip Video Ultra, apart from a slightly larger 2-inch screen. Other than that, you're getting the same 2 hours of VGA-res video on 2GB of built-in memory and YouTube support for the same $100 price. No pics or ship dates yet, but we're guessing we'll see something official pretty soon.

Kenko puts remote on the side of KDF-07 digiframe


You want questionable design? Kenko's giving you questionable design. Rather than just leaving the remote unattached like, oh, every other digital photo frame maker in the universe, this firm has found a reason to stick it on the side of the frame itself. Generally known for its photographic paper, Kenko has ventured into the ever-growing world of digiframes with the 7-inch KDF-07, and while the flip-out remote can be tucked behind when not needed, we're still a bit perplexed as to why it's even assembled in this manner. Specs wise, you'll find support for JPEG, MP3, AVI and MPEG1/2/4 file formats, a multicard reader, a 480 x 234 resolution panel and a USB port for transferring files from your PC. Folks somehow obsessed with the above pictured device can supposedly snag one in grain, black or silver motifs for ¥16,800 ($160), but we're betting that crew is mighty small. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via CNET]

Digital Foci ships Image Moments 8 digiframe: for mom (or mom's mom)


Call it a hunch, but we wouldn't be surprised one iota if you received some form of digital photo frame for Mother's Day. If you're a mother, that is. Digital Foci is sure doing its best to sway your kid's purchasing decision by shipping its Image Moments 8 just in time. If you'll recall, this one packs a respectable 450MB of internal memory, an 8-inch LED-backlit SVGA (800 x 600) display with a 500:1 contrast ratio, a multicard reader that handles CF, SD, SDHC, MMC, Memory Stick, MS Pro, MS Duo, MS Pro Duo and xD formats and an obligatory USB port, too. There's even a set of integrated speakers and an audio output for placing a nice slow jam behind those honeymoon snaps. Take a look in the read link for the full rundown, and get set to part ways with $199 before May 11th (you know she's worth it).

Parrot shows off Andrée Putman-designed digiframe in UK

Indifferent souls may have no qualms just snapping up the first digiframe they see, but that sect isn't the target market for Parrot's latest. The Andrée Putman-designed device is being shown around the UK at the moment, and aside from boasting a 7-inch display, a glossy black motif, rear-mounted buttons, auto-rotation, 10MB of built-in storage, an SD expansion slot and integrated Bluetooth (but no WiFi), you also get to hand over £250 to take it home. Right now, the piece is only available in London's Few and Far store, but the company may try to roll it out nationwide if demand necessitates. Check it out on video in the read link below.

[Via CNET]



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