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Panasonic launches LUMIX GF6 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera

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Panasonic has launched the new LUMIX GF6, a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The GF6 has a 16 megapixel sensor with a new Venus Engine that can shoot up to ISO 26,000 and can record videos at 1080i60.

The GF6 has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC. The Wi-Fi can be used to transfer images and playback content on a DLNA compatible television. The NFC helps connect the camera over Wi-Fi to compatible devices with just a tap. There is also built-in GPS for geo-tagging your photos. On the back is a 1040k dot articulating touchscreen LCD. Read more »

Video stabilization test pits Nokia Lumia 920 against Samsung Galaxy S4

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The Nokia Lumia 920 was the first phone to feature Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and has gone through some pretty extreme tests (including being strapped to the front of a four by four and driven through a desert). Now, a post on WP7Forum.ru shows another test of the OIS, pitting the Nokia flagship against the brand new Samsung Galaxy S4.

Samsung’s flagship droid only has digital image stabilization to rely on so it’s at a disadvantage. Read more »

Wi-Fi-only Samsung Galaxy Camera GC110 launches soon in the US, costs $450

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Samsung announced the smart and 3G/4G-enabled Galaxy Camera last August and it hit the shelves November last year. Shortly after we learned Samsung is prepping a cheaper Wi-Fi-only model.

Well, the Wi-Fi model is finally coming later this month, at least in the US, and will cost $450. Read more »

HTC camera guru talks the Ultrapixel camera, says many megapixels are harmful

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HTC’s camera expert, Symon Whitehorn, revealed why the HTC One comes 4 MP camera in a world believing a flagship should have at least a 13 MP sensor.

In an interview with ComputerWorld he talks about the magic number 4 and how it came to be, the benefits of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and addresses the issues some early HTC One units had with noise and processing. Read more »

Video details Panasonic’s color splitter tech that promises big improvements to digital camera sensors

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A couple of months ago Panasonic unveiled its plan to improve digital cameras by replacing the ubiquitous Bayer filter. The company claims a Bayer filter blocks 50%-70% of the light entering the camera, while its new color splitter design uses all the available light. A new video goes into more detail on the tech.

According to Panasonic, the color splitters are a pop-in replacement for Bayer filters, so the same sensor tech can be used. Also, the splitters can be made by current manufacturing processes, the big problem was that getting the design right took a lot of computing power to run simulations. Read more »

Canon announces EOS 100D, world’s smallest and lightest DSLR camera and the EOS 700D

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Canon has announced the new EOS 100D, also known as the Rebel SL1 in North America, which is the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR camera yet. The 100D is based on the recently launched EOS M compact mirrorless camera and borrows many of the specifications from it.

For starters, it uses the same 18 megapixel CMOS APS-C sensor capable of shooting from ISO100-12800 (expandable to ISO25600) and up to ISO6400 for video (expandable up to ISO12800). It uses Canon’s DIGIC 5 processors that lets it shoot up to 4 fps in burst mode. There is also a nine-point auto-focus system with a new Hybrid CMOS AF-II sensor. Read more »

We take the Samsung Galaxy S4 camera for a spin, return with samples

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We got the chance to snap a few shots with the Samsung Galaxy S4 camera at the smartphone’s announcement event in New York and are rushing to share them with you guys.

To get the formalities out of the way the Galaxy S4 has a new 13 MP snapper on the back complete with a single LED flash. The camera can produce stills of 4128 x 3096 resolution. There’s autofocus, simultaneous video and image recording, image stabilization among other things. Read more »

Canon’s new full-frame CMOS sensor for video cameras has whopping 19-micron pixels

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Canon has developed a high-sensitivity, low-noise, full-frame 35mm sensor specifically for video capture. The new sensor opts for 19-micron pixels, which are 7.5 times bigger than those on the EOS-1D X.

The use of large pixels here results in a sensor that can capture video without losing any resolution or space between the pixels gaining incredible high-sensitivity in low-light. It’s a similar thing to what HTC tried to achieve with the One Ultrapixel camera, except on a much bigger sensor. Read more »

Nikon announces Coolpix A, compact DX-format camera and Coolpix P330

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Nikon has announced two new compact cameras, the Coolpix A and the Coolpix P330. The Coolpix A is the company’s first compact camera with a DX-format sensor. DX-format is essentially Nikon’s name for APS-C sensors that they usually reserve for their DSLR cameras and having it in a compact camera is quite impressive.

The DX-format CMOS sensor has a resolution of 16.2 megapixel and a 18.5mm (28mm equivalent) prime lens with an f/2.8 aperture. The Coolpix A is capable of shooting at 4 frames per second. Other specs include a 3-inch, 921k-dot LCD, 1080p30 video recording, built-in flash, hotshoe and RAW shooting mode. Read more »

Nikon licenses Microsoft patent to use in Android-enabled cameras

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Amidst all the recent patent cases revolving Android and smartphone operating systems in general, Microsoft has been able to get in on the action thanks to a patent it owns dealing with all portable devices running Android.

Nikon has recently come to terms with Microsoft in regards to current and future Android-based cameras which will likely require the renowned photography giant to pay an undisclosed royalty fee for every device sold. Read more »

Nikon unveils 24MP D7100 with no low pass filter

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Nikon has just unveiled the successor to its D7000 midrange DSLR. The Nikon D7100 will hit the stores in March 2013 complete with the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens for a suggested price of $1,599/£1,299/€1399 or $1199.95/£1099.99/€1179 for the body only.

The D7100 lacks an optical low pass filter, which should improve resolved detail (though risking moire in certain cases). There’s a new and improved 24.1 MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor over its predecessor’s 16.2 MP one, the new EXPEED 3 processor (the D7000 uses the EXPEED 2) and a new 51-point autofocus system (with 15 cross type sensors) compared to the 39-point one (with 9 cross type sensors) of the D7000. Read more »

Sony announces NEX-3N, A58 and three point and shoot cameras

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Sony has just dropped five new cameras upon us that cover various categories, from the basic point and shoot to their higher end SLT cameras and even a new NEX camera.

Let’s start with the new NEX-3N (pictured above), which is Sony’s new entry-level mirrorless camera. It has a 16.1 megapixel APS CMOS sensor that goes up to ISO 16,000 and records 1080p video. There’s also a 3.0-inch LCD that flips 180º and a zoom lever on the body that works with certain Sony powered lenses. Read more »

Samsung launches a cheaper variant of Galaxy Camera

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Samsung Galaxy Camera, which was announced at IFA trade show last year, was the company’s first attempt at an Android-powered camera, but its high asking price has steered quite a lot of people away from it. To address that Samsung has now introduced a cheaper version of the hybrid device.

The new model is simply a Wi-Fi-only (no 3G or 4G radios) variant of the Galaxy Camera and is indexed as EK-GC110. Read more »

Lifetime collection of vintage cameras up for grabs on eBay for $50,000

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A Californian photographic enthusiast is selling his vintage collection of cameras, which he has been accumulating for the last 50 years. The entire collections accounts to 1000+ units and comprises of brands including Canon, Nikon, Polaroid, Yashica and Mamiya.

The lifetime collection contains the widest range of SLR’s, RF, TLR, medium format and twin-lens reflex models you are likely to see in one place. According to PetaPixel, who has uncovered the entire collection, most of the models are in working condition, but the listing specifies that few units are partially working. Read more »

Panasonic promises better camera performance with their new Micro color splitters for digital image sensors

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New camera sensors are all the rage recently – first rumors of HTC’s new sensor design (new for phones anyway), and now Panasonic’s plans for a completely new sensor architecture based on the wave properties of light.

Panasonic’s design drops the standard Bayer filter for micro color splitters – instead of filtering light by colors, these splitters use diffraction to sort out colors, which reduces losses (a Bayer filter would block 50%-70% of the light before it hits the sensor). Read more »