Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-SZ3 compact camera. The 16MP CCD sensor SZ3 sports a 25mm (equiv.) LEICA DC 10x optical zoom lens and offers a 10fps burst mode. The camera records 1280 x 720 video and offers 14 creative shooting modes. The SZ3 will be available at the end of March in black, blue and white color options. A CMOS variant, the SZ9, will be released in European markets.
Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-XS1 compact camera. The 16MP XS1 body is only 14mm thick, sports a 24mm (equiv.) 5x optical zoom lens and includes the company’s MEGA O.I.S image stabilization system. Panasonic has also announced the Lumix DMC-FH10 and F5 compact cameras. The FH10 provides the functionality of the XS1 (minus the Creative Control filters) in a larger camera body, while the entry-level F5 uses a slightly smaller-resolution 14MP sensor. All three cameras will be available at the end of March.
Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-TS5 (FT5 in Europe) and TS25 (FT25 in Europe) compact waterproof and shock-resistant ‘adventure’ cameras. The higher specified TS5 is waterproof at depths of up to 12m (39 feet) features a 28-128mm equiv 4.6x zoom lens, 1080p60 video and Wi-Fi capability. New on offer is Near Field Communication (NFC), a close-proximity radio connection that the camera can use to initiate a Wi-Fi connection with a compatible device simply by tapping the two together. The cameras will be available at the end of March in a range of colors.
Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-ZS30 (TZ40 in Europe) and ZS25 (TZ35 in Europe) compact superzoom cameras. The higher specified ZS30 features a 20x optical zoom, 1080p60 video and Wi-Fi capability. The biggest new feature on offer, however is Near Field Communication (NFC), a close-proximity radio connection that the ZS30 can use to initiate a Wi-Fi connection with a compatible device simply by tapping the two together. The cameras will be available at the end of March in both black and white color schemes.
Canon’s Powershot N, with its ‘either way up’ design and Creative Shot processing filters, is one of the most unusual cameras we’ve seen for some time. Canon’s talking about it as a companion to a smartphone, and to this end it includes Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability to upload photos and videos to social media. We’ve had the chance to handle one briefly, and have prepared a quick first impressions article to give an idea of how it works.
Pentax Ricoh has announced it will offer its Q10 small-sensor mirrorless camera in 100 different color combinations. The cameras will be built to-order when the customer requests a particular combination, though no details are given of how long it expects the process to take. The Q10 is the company’s second Q-series interchangeable lens camera. Built around a 1/2.3″ 12MP BSI CMOS sensor, the Q10 is the smallest, lightest mirrorless interchangeable lens camera on the market. The Q10 in your choice of color, with a 02 28-83mm equivalent zoom lens for around $ 599.95.
Canon has refreshed its lineup of compact cameras with the launches of the Elph 130 IS and the PowerShots A3500 IS, A2600 and A1400. The Elph 130 IS (called the IXUS 140 in Europe), features an 8X, 28-244mm equivalent zoom in front of a 16MP CCD sensor. Although it features Wi-Fi, it does not promise the PowerShot N’s one-touch convenience and uses a previous-generation Digic 4 processor. The A3500 IS is also Wi-Fi capable but features a 5x, 28-140mm equivalent, stabilized lens and the same 16MP sensor. The less expensive A2600 loses the A3500 IS’s stabilization and Wi-Fi, while the AA-battery-powered A1400 gains an optical viewfinder.
Canon has announced the PowerShot N, a compact camera designed specifically as a smartphone companion for the Instagram generation. The N is built around a tilting touch-screen, and its round-lens zoom controller and shutter release are designed to make it behave identically whether held right-way-up or upside-down. It offers a ‘Creative Shot’ mode that generates multiple versions of your image, so you get the shot you composed plus five alternatives with different crops and processing effects. Canon promises one-touch Wi-Fi connectivity to make it easier to upload images and video to your smartphone and the internet. To extend its capability beyond that of a smartphone, the N has a 28-224mm equivalent lens and a 12MP CMOS sensor that works with a Digic 5 processor.
Pentax has announced the MX-1 – its entry into the enthusiast compact camera sector. The MX-1 features classic styling and construction, with brass top- and base-plates. It’s based around a stabilized 12MP BSI CMOS sensor and a familiar-sounding 28-112mm equivalent F1.8-2.5 lens. In addition the MX-1 features a flip-out 920k dot rear screen. It includes a top-plate exposure compensation dial and rear thumb wheel to control a UI very much like those in the company’s DSLRs. We’ve borrowed a pre-production version of the camera and have prepared a hands-on preview article.
Just Posted: Our hands-on preview of the Pentax MX-1. The enthusiast sector has become so vibrant that our pre-Christmas roundup included nine cameras. Not wanting to be left out of the action, Pentax-Ricoh has launched its own 12MP camera with a 1/1.7″ sensor – the MX-1. As well as a slightly familiar-looking 28-112mm equivalent, F1.8-2.5 zoom lens, the MX-1 takes the unusual step of including brass top- and base-plates – meaning its classic looks should become even more pronounced as it ages. Read on to find out more.