The long wait for the next generation of cameras for Four Thirds may soon be over, suggests Olympus’ Toshi Terada, Manager, Product Planning SLR products. He also discusses the role the OM-D has played in increasing uptake of mirrorless cameras in the USA and the future of compact cameras now that smartphones have become many users’ cameras of choice.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
CP+ 2013: There will be a Canon EOS 70D, but the future of semi-pro DSLRs is probably full-frame, says Masaya Maeda, Managing Director and Chief Executive, Image Communication Products Operations at Canon. However, while he says new concepts are needed to save the compact camera, he doesn’t see larger sensors as being the answer for the mass market.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Casio has announced two additions to its High Speed Exilim series, the EX-ZR700 and EX-ZR400. The EX-ZR700 uses a 16.1 MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 3 inch LCD and a stabilized 18x, 25-450mm equivalent optical zoom lens. The EX-ZR400 is similar to its predecessor the EX-ZR300, inheriting its 16.1MP BSI-CMOS sensor and 24-300mm equiv. lens, and comes equipped with a long-lasting battery promising 515 photos on a single charge. Both cameras feature the company’s latest Exilim Engine HS 3 processer and new shooting modes including a Premium Auto Pro and an All-In-Focus Macro mode. There is currently no information available about their price and availability.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
CP+ 2013: Nikon has announced the CoolPix S5200 and L28 – two affordable compact cameras. The S5200 is a 6x compact with a 26-156mm equivalent stabilized zoom lens and a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor. It features a 3″ LCD screen and built-in Wi-Fi capability and will retail for around $ 180. The L28 offers a slightly more modest 26-130mm 5x zoom lens in front of a 20MP CCD sensor. It uses AA batteries and will sell for around $ 120.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
CP+ 2013: Nikon has unveiled a quartet of mid-level Coolpix compacts including the Coolpix P520 42x superzoom and S9500 22x compact superzoom, alongside the Coolpix L820 30x budget superzoom and the S6500 12x compact. The P520 features the same 24-1000mm equivalent zoom seen in the P510 but moves to an 18MP BSI CMOS sensor and is compatible with the optional WU-1a Wi-Fi module. The S9500 can also be used with the WU-1a and fits the same 18MP sensor into a slim body with a 25-550mm equivalent lens.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sony has announced five Cyber-Shot compacts, including the Wi-Fi-capable, 16MP CMOS-based DSC-WX80 with its 25-200mm equivalent zoom lens. There are also two CCD-based W-series cameras – the DSC-W730 which shares its lens with the WX80, and the DSC-W710 that has a 5x 28-140mm equiv. zoom. Beyond these are the 16MP CCD-based 5x rugged, waterproof DSC-TF1 and the 26x DSC-H200 superzoom.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Samsung has announced six Wi-Fi capable compact cameras, including compact superzooms and its latest Dual-View model. The WB250F is an 18x, 24-432mm equiv compact superzoom with a 3.0″ touch screen and the company’s latest Wi-Fi implementation – dubbed ‘Smart 2.0.’ The WB250F uses a 14MP BSI CMOS sensor while its near-twin, the WB200F, uses a 14MP CCD chip. Meanwhile the WB800F uses a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor behind a 21x, 23-483mm equivalent lens. The WB30F uses a 16MP CCD with 24-240mm equivalent lens. The latest DualView model shares the same sensor and a 25-125mm equiv zoom and includes a 1.5″ front LCD. The ST150F is a budget style compact – taking most of the DV150F’s features but without the front screen and costing $ 20 less.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sony has published details of its latest 12MP 1/1.7″-type (7.5 x 5.6mm) back-lit CMOS sensor. The IMX144CQJ offers full-resolution 12-bit output at up to 35 frames per second or a roughly ‘widescreen’ 17:9 crop at up to 60 fps – allowing 4k video. Sony stresses how well the sensor can receive light from oblique angles, thanks to its large pixel size, making it able to work with ‘brighter lenses and high power zoom lenses.’ This is interesting, given the recent launch of a group of wide-maximum aperture compacts based around 12MP, 1/1.7″-type BSI CMOS sensors, such as the Olympus XZ-2, Nikon Coolpix P7700 and Samsung EX2F.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sony has launched four GPS-enabled 18MP CMOS zoom compacts, ranging from the 16x DSC-HX10V all the way up to the 30x DSC-HX200V. The DSS-HX20V adds a 20x zoom to the 10V’s specs and the HX30V gains WiFi on top of that. All four CMOS cameras offer nine creative processing filters and latest fast AF which the company says will focus in as little as 0.1sec and 0.2sec in low light, they also have high-res 920,000 dot LCDs. There’s also a less-expensive 16MP CCD 16X zoom model, the DSC-H90. All of the cameras feature at least 27mm equivalent wide-angle lenses.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sony has announced three CMOS-based compact cameras – the Cyber-Shots DSC-TX200V, DSC-WX50 and DSC-WX70. The TX200V is a GPS-equipped card-style touch-screen camera with Sony’s latest 18MP back-lit CMOS sensor. It also includes the company’s fast AF system that aims to reduce focus times down as low as 0.1 sec and 0.2 sec in low light. It can also grab 13.5MP stills while shooting 1080p60 video. It also has an WVGA-equivalent OLED touch screen and glass front panel, spoiling the whole thing only slightly by using Micro SD cards. The WX50 meanwhile offers the older 16MP and 5x, 25-125mm zoom.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)