Olympus Pen E-P1: the Mini Cooper of cameras
Just like the Mini Cooper revived a beloved icon in a retro package with modern technology, Olympus revived its super-compact 1960s era mechanical Pen F SLR camera that recorded on "half frame" 18x24mm film with the new Olympus Pen E-P1. The new 12.3-megapixel E-P1 is a "Micro Four Thirds" camera, which means it can use exchangeable lenses of that standard. Despite its fairly small size (4.7 x 2.7 x 1.4 inches), the camera is essentially the Olympus E-620 dSLR shoehorned into a small body without a mirror, without an optical viewfinder, and without a built-in flash. Prices start at a hefty US$699 for the body and US$799 for kit with a 14-42mm lens. -- Posted Tuesday, June 16, 2009 by chb

Eye-Fi unveils the Eye-Fi Pro cards
Eye-Fi unveiled the Eye-Fi Pro, a new wireless SDHC memory card for digital cameras that lets you automatically upload images straight from the camera to the computer and the Web. The Eye-Fi Pro includes RAW image support and peer-to-peer connectivity for a direct connection between the camera and a computer, no router or Internet connection required. Eye-Fi also announced that all Eye-Fi card users can now select which photos or videos they want to wirelessly transfer, using the new Selective Transfer feature. Eye-Fi wireless SD and SDHC memory cards range from US$49-$149 and are available at www.eye.fi, in store at Apple Retail Stores and Best Buy locations, and at major online retailers such as Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Costco.com. -- Posted Wednesday, June 10, 2009 by chb

Full report from PMA 2009
This year's PMA—the annual international convention and trade show of the Photo Marketing Association—took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It was a fairly sizable affair with attendees from almost 100 nations, 200 sessions, 400 speakers, and all the cool new camera and imaging gear that's now hitting the stores. [Read our full conference report of PMA 2009] -- Posted Sunday, June 7, 2009 by chb

Canon launches mobile website
Canon aficionados can now check out whatever Canon gear they are interested in right on their mobile device. The new Canon Mobile Reviews website is formatted specially for mobile devices and provides quick access to descriptions and both positive and negative reviews of just about anything Canon makes. Very handy. -- Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2009 by chb

Sony introduces three new dSLRS
Sony announced three new, easy-to-use α (Alpha) cameras (models DSLR-A380, DSLR-A330 and DSLR-A230), all designed to overcome challenges and intimidation that many customers feel when taking their first steps into DSLR photography – making it easy for newcomers to get the great photos they want, without a steep learning curve. The 10.2 megapixel α230 camera is the lightest, most compact alpha DSLR camera body ever at 15.9 ounces. The 10.2 megapixel α330 and the 14.2 megapixel α380 cameras are also smaller and lighter than their predecessor models (the DSLR-A300 and DSLR-A350, respectively). The α380L, α330L and α230L will cost about $850, $650 and $550, respectively. The L series one-lens kit comes with the SAL-1855 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 standard zoom lens.
-- Posted Thursday, May 21, 2009 by chb

Where GPS is headed: waterproof Garmin 550 with camera
An interesting example of where GPS units are headed are the newly released Garmin 550 and 550t. They are small rugged units for hiking, geocaching and other outdoorsy uses, and include U.S. topo maps, a barometric altimeter, 3-axis electronic compass, a microSD card slot and—for the first time—a 3.2-megapixel digital camera that geotags each picture with the location of where it was taken. Oh, and the devices carry an IPx7 rating, which means they are waterproof. -- Posted Thursday, May 7, 2009 by chb

Pure Digital releases high def Flip UltraHD with larger screen and HDMI interface
Inexpensive high definition video is here, and it is simpler than ever thanks to the new Flip UltraHD camcorder from Pure Digital. The pocket-size UltraHD has a larger 2-inch display, records in 1280 x 720 pixel 720p high definition format, and can now connect to HDTVs directly via an HDMI cable. 8GB of internal memory allow for a full two hours of recording. A rechargeable battery lasts about 2-1/2 hours. Add to that the onboard FlipShare software, and you have an absolutely unbeatable US$199.95 package. [See full review of the Pure Digital Flip UltraHD] -- Posted Saturday, May 2, 2009 by chb

Nikon announces Nikon D5000 dSLR movie mode
Nikon announced the D5000 Digital SLR that is meant to bring the speed and power of dSLR photography to a broad range of consumers. Highlights of the D5000 include 12.3-megapixel resolution, D-Movie mode with sound, 19 scene modes, live view, 4fps continuous shooting, ISO sensitivity from 200 to 3200, 11-point autofocus system with 3D focus tracking, and more. The camera with a 18-55mm VR lens lists for $849.95.
-- Posted Wednesday, April 22, 2009 by chb

Equity investment company acquires Polaroid
There was a time where almost everyone had a Polaroid instant camera. These days, what's left of Polaroid is in bankruptcy, and the name and assets have just been acquired by a joint venture of equity investment companies that also picked up The Sharper Image, Linens 'N Things and Bombay. The group plans on using the Polaroid brand recognition for a variety of innovative products. -- Posted Friday, April 17, 2009 by chb

Review: Liquid Image VideoMask 310
Now for something different! The VideoMask 310 by Liquid Image combines a 5-megapixel still/video camera into a scuba mask. You can use it to take pictures or record 720 x 480 pixel video onto a microSD card. This version of the mask is rated for 33 feet of depth, which means you can not only take it snorkeling, but also on many scuba dives. We tested the mask on real dives and came away quite impressed. [See full review of the Liquid Image VideoMask 310] -- Posted Wednesday, April 1, 2009 by chb

Wacom unveils next-gen Intuous4 graphics tablets
Wacom unveiled the Intuos4 professional pen tablet for photographers, designers and artists. The next generation Intuos emphasizes pen performance, is capable of capturing the slightest nuance of pen pressure against the tablet surface, as well as offering 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity. There are workflow and productivity tool such as customizable shortcut and modifier keys with accompanying OLED displays, which allow users to see what the keys are currently set to. The Intuos4 comes in four sizes - small (US$229), medium (US$369), large (US$499) and extra large (US$789). Corel announced support of the Intuous4 with its Corel Painter 11. -- Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 by chb

Wireless Eye-Fi SD cards with higher capacity, lower prices
Eye-Fi announced its next generation of 4GB cards that lets you send videos straight from your camera to YouTube and Flickr. Eye-Fi cards have also come down in price: The 4GB Explore Video (MSRP $99) automatically geotags photos and videos; and offers hotspot access at more than 10,000+ Wi-Fi locations. The 4GB Share Video (MSRP $79) sends photo to the Web and your home computer. Eye-Fi's current line-up now costs less - $49 for the 2GB Eye-Fi Home and $59 for the 2GB Eye-Fi Share, both which upload photos only.
-- Posted Friday, March 6, 2009 by chb

Olympus introduces advanced entry-level E-620 dSLR
The US$699 12.3 megapixel Olympus Stylus E-620 dSLR was introduced in February of 2009. It is representative of the digital imaging industry's effort to make digital SLR cameras smaller, lighter and more advanced while at the same time adding the kinds of entertaining and useful features and functions that up to now have primarily been available in consumer point-and-shoot cameras. Consider it an advanced entry-level digital SLR with more than adquate resolution and some very nice features, among them the swivel LCD, the 7-point autofocus and the multiple aspect ratio shooting. [Read description and specs of the Olympus E-620 dSLR] -- Posted Wednesday, February 25, 2009 by chb

Fuji, too, launches a waterproof point-and-shooter
Everyone seems to be getting into waterproof cameras! The very small 10-megapixel FinePix Z33WP, available in four bright colors, is Fujifilm's entry, joining Olympus, Pentax, Panasonic, Canon and a number of specialty manufacturers. The camera's maximum depth rating of ten feet makes it suitable only for very shallow dives, but it's great for snorkeling and other activities in and around the water. The Z33PW has a large and bright 2.7-inch LCD display, a 3x optical zoom, digital anti blur, and some fun features and functions. If the 10-foot depth limit or lack of ruggedness doesn't cramp your style, the list price of US$199 makes this new Fuji a fun and very affordable choice among waterproof cameras. [See description and specs of the Fujifilm Z33WP] -- Posted Monday, February 23, 2009 by chb

PowerShot D10: Canon's first waterproof, freeze proof and shockproof camera
The 12-megapixel PowerShot D10 is Canon's first entry into the waterproof/rugged space. The camera is fairly large and heavy, but well equipped to handle most of the abuse it may encounter outdoors. It is dust and waterproof, and it can handle being dropped from up to four feet. Divers can take it down to 33 feet of depth, enough for many scuba adventures. The camera's controls are large and arranged so you can operate it with a glove. Optical lens stabilization reduces blur. Thanks to Canon's DIGIC 4 processor, the camera offers speedy operation, onboard image correction, and advanced face recognition modes. The list price is US$329. [See description and specs of the Canon PowerShot D10] -- Posted Wednesday, February 18, 2009 by chb

Pana enters the waterpropf/shockproof camera market
Panasonic has joined the increasingly popular market for waterproof, shockproof and dustproof cameras with the 12.1-megapixel TS1. The very compact camera has a 4.6x optical zoom that starts wide at 28mm, can be taken to a depth of ten feet, and handle a 5-foot drop. It has a 2.7-inch display and can also record 720P video. The TS1 comes in silver, green or orange and costs US$399, which means it'll compete with the even tougher Olympus Stylus 1030 SW and Tough-8000. -- Posted Thursday, January 29, 2009 by chb

Panasonic releases 12-mp touchscreen camera with high-def video
Panasonic announced its newest touch-screen LUMIX digital camera, the slim and stylish DMC-FX580, a successor to last year's DMC-FX500. The DMC-FX580 features a 25mm ultra-wideangle LEICA DC lens with F2.8 brightness, a 5x optical zoom and an increased recording image size from 10.1 to 12.1-megapixel. Touch-screen operation on the large 3.0-inch screen makes the new camera easy to use. The US$399 DMC-FX580 can also record High Definition (1280 x 720p) motion images at 30 fps. -- Posted Thursday, January 29, 2009 by chb

Scanbuy barcode reader app coming to camphones
Scanbuy announced that its ScanLife 2D barcode application will be pre-loaded on LG camera phones. The KF310 is already available with the application in Spain, and additional phones will be introduced in other markets. The ScanLife mobile app reads all major 2D barcode formats that connect the user to mobile content and information without typing in long URLs or search for info using keywords. It can also be downloaded for free from the phone's browser at www.getscanlife.com. -- Posted Friday, January 23, 2009 by chb

Full review: Bonica Snapper HDDV high-def underwater video system
Bonica offers a modular underwater high-definition video camera system that can record 1280 x 720 pixel video at up to 30 frames per second for very good 720p playback on a HDTV. A soft inner housing can be used for snorkeling and guards against flooding if the camera is used in its hard acrylic deepwater (180 feet) housing. Optional single or dual video lights have 30, 40 and 60 watt settings and can be easily adjusted via ball joints. The setup is very easy to use and can yield amazingly good video as well as decent still shots from its 5-megapixel CMOS imager. The inexpensive camera records on standard SD cards and needs about 2GB for each hour of video. [See full review with video of the Bonica Snapper HDDV high-definition underwater camcorder system] -- Posted Wednesday, January 14, 2009 by chb

10-megapixel Olympus Stylus Tough-6000
Like last year, Olympus offers cameras that are waterproof to 33 feet and thus suitable for diving, and others that are waterproof to 10 feet, but otherwise almost as tough. For 2009, the 10-foot slot is filled with the new Stylus Tough-6000, a modern 10-megapixel camera with an internal 3.6X optical zoom that starts wide, a terrific 2.7-inch LCD, dual image stabilization and a whole bag of features and tricks. [See description and specs of the Olympus Stylus Tough-6000] -- Posted Wednesday, January 7, 2009 by chb

12-megapixel Olympus Stylus Tough-8000
As part of its Winter 2009 lineup, Olympus introduced the 12-megapixel Stylus Tough-8000 as the new flagship of its renamed line of shockproof, freezeproof, crushproof, dustproof and waterproof (up to 33 feet) cameras. This is a camera you can truly take, and use, anywhere. Available in Black, silver and blue. [See description and specs of the Olympus Stylus Tough-8000] -- Posted Wednesday, January 7, 2009 by chb

Eye-Fi Developing Wireless Video Uploads Direct to YouTube
Eye-Fi Inc., makers of the world's first wireless memory card for digital cameras, announced that it is developing a way for users to wirelessly upload videos from their digital camera to YouTube and a home computer. Eye-Fi is designing its video upload service to support full-resolution HD video, with newer cameras now capturing HD video and Web sites including YouTube now testing display of HD video. -- Posted Wednesday, January 7, 2009 by chb

Eye-Fi offers 4GB Anniversary Edition wireless SD Card
Eye-Fi announced a new, limited edition card – the Eye-Fi Anniversary Edition – to celebrate the one-year anniversary of its first wireless SD memory card for digital cameras. The Eye-Fi Anniversary Edition doubles storage capacity to 4GB and features faster memory speeds. Like the Eye-Fi Share, the Anniversary Edition wirelessly sends photos from a digital camera to a computer and to one of more than 25 online photo sharing sites. The card is available at Costco.com for $99 to club members, or on www.eye.fi for $129, while supplies last. -- Posted Wednesday, November 12, 2008 by chb

Target's digital camera gift card
Now for something different: Target offers a gift "card" that can be loaded from $50 to $1000 and is also a digital camera. How's that for a novelty? It's not much of a camera (1.2mp, no features), but you do get 40 prints for free, and it's definitely a conversation piece. [Check the Target Digital Camera GiftCard] -- Posted Tuesday, November 11, 2008 by chb

Digital camera with integrated color printer!
Japanese Takara Tomy is showing the XIAO TIP-521, a 5-megapixel camera with an integrated color printer. That ability once was a huge hit with Polaroid cameras. Problem is that we want tiny cameras and large prints, whereas the XIAO measures about 6.0 x 3.05 x 1.0 inches and the 256-color prints are just 3x2. -- Posted Monday, November 10, 2008 by chb

Adobe unveils Creative Suite 4
Adobe announced the Adobe Creative Suite 4 product family, a milestone release of the industry-leading design and development software for virtually every creative workflow. There are hundreds of feature innovations as the Adobe CS 4 product line seeks to cover the creative process across print, Web, mobile, interactive, film and video production. There are six suites or full version upgrades of 13 stand-alone applications, including Photoshop CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, InDesign CS4, Illustrator CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver CS4, After Effects CS4, and Adobe Premiere Pro CS4. Estimated street price for the Adobe CS4 Design Premium will be US$1799, US$1699 for CS 4 Web Premium, US$1699 for Adobe CS 4 Production Premium, and US$2499 for the CS 4 Master Collection. And to think it all started with just Photoshop so many years ago. -- Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2008 by chb

Review: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
In the olden days, the number of pictures we took was somewhat limited by the cost of film and making prints. Digital cameras eliminated that limitation as we can store hundreds of pictures on a small memory card and tens of thousands on a hard disk. How can we keep track of it all? Enter Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. It's a tool to simplify photography from shoot to finish, and a whole lot more. [Read review of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.0] -- Posted Sunday, September 21, 2008 by chb

Full review: Olympus Stylus 1030 SW
The Stylus 1030 SW is the camera a lot of divers and outdoor lovers have been waiting for. It brings 10-megapixel resolution to scuba diving without the need of an underwater case. It's also the most rugged Olympus Stylus camera yet, being able to survive huge drops from almost seven feet and freezing temperatures. We tested the 1030 SW during a week of diving on Roatan island, Honduras. [Read full review with underwater pics of the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW] -- Posted Friday, September 19, 2008 by chb

Review: SeaLife DC800
If you want a reasonably priced underwater camera from one of the experts in the field, try the SeaLife DC800. It is a sleek, modern 8-megapixel camera that comes with a tough underwater case good for depths to 200 feet. SeaLife also offers single and dual external flashes. What sets SeaLife cameras apart is special underwater modes and settings that really bring out the beauty of that wonderful world down there. Read our comprehensive review of the DC800 and see many sample shots from a trip to Roatan, Honduras. -- Posted Tuesday, September 16, 2008 by chb

Sony unveils first full-frame Alpha dSLR
Sony is introducing its full-frame a (alpha) DSLR-A900 camera, aimed at serious photo enthusiasts looking for traditional SLR performance with the added benefits of digital photography. It is designed to deliver ultra-fine picture quality with the world's highest resolution, 24.6-megapixel, 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor and fast image processing with a new dual BIONZ processing engine. The camera is also the first to have a body-integrated image stabilization system for a full-frame sensor with Sony's SteadyShot Inside anti-shake system. The DSLR-A900 body will be available in November for about $3,000 along with related accessories. -- Posted Tuesday, September 9, 2008 by chb

Advanced 14.5 megapixel Coolpix pushes the limits
Nikon introduced the Coolpix S710 as part of its Fall 2008 lineup. With this camera Nikon pushes the resolution limit available in inexpensive consumer cameras even farther. You now get 14.5 megapixel, a number almost unimaginable just a few years ago. Compared to the 12.1 megapixel Coolpix S700 it replaces, the S710 offers a bit more in almost every respect: You get a 3.6X zoom instead of just a standard 3X. The display has grown to 3.0 inches. As far as sensitivity goes, the S710 can go up to an insanely high ISO 12,800. And the S710 offers Program, Aperture, Shutter, and Manual exposure modes in addition to the usual scene modes. Add to that the latest tricks and features and the US$379 S710 is a compelling buy. [Read description and specs of the Nikon Coolpix S710] -- Posted Thursday, August 14, 2008 by chb

Elegant new 10-megapixel Nikon with 3.5-inch touch screen
Ever since the Apple iPhone hit the market, touch screens have made a comeback. Nikon joins the party with the new 10-megapixel Coolpix that has a terrific high-res 3.5-inch touch screen that replaces all the hardware controls. The S60, which comes in five eye-catching colors, has an internal 5X folding optical zoom to bring things close. There is optical lens-shift image stabilization to reduce blur, and you can shoot at up to 3200 ISO. Like most new cameras, the US$349 S60 includes a wealth of in-camera goodies and technologies. [Read description and specs of the Nikon Coolpix S60] -- Posted Wednesday, August 13, 2008 by chb

And more digital imaging book reviews!
There are so many great digital imaging/photo books coming out, we can hardly keep up reading them! Check Carol Cotton's Digital Camera How-To Guides 2008 recommendations (II). -- Posted Wednesday, August 6, 2008 by chb

2008 Photo Book Reviews
No matter how good you are at digital photography, there's always something new to learn. And photo books are a great way of inexpensively acquiring new skills and learn new tricks. Check Carol Cotton's Digital Camera How-To Guides 2008 recommendations. -- Posted Thursday, July 31, 2008 by chb

2008 J.D. Power digital camera ratings
J.D. Power and Associates released its 2008 Digital Camera Usage and Satisfaction Study that shows the Canon EOS Digital SLR, Canon PowerShot G, Fujifilm Finepix S, Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ, Nikon D and Sony Cyber-shot T series ranking highest in customer satisfaction in their respective segments. See J.D. Power ratings for DSLRs, Point & Shoot, Premium Point & Shoot, and Ultra Slims. -- Posted Thursday, July 31, 2008 by chb

The thinnest camera with 4X wide-angle zoom
If you're not spoiled enough to automatically pass on a new camera with a mere 8-megapixel resolution, the Exilim Z150 from Casio has a lot to offer. It is an elegant little shooter that comes in five colors (silver, black, red, pink and green), has a very useful 4X wide angle zoom, a large and terrific 3-inch LCD display, CCD-shift anti-shake, and it comes with a list price of just US$199 -- a total bargain. Read description and specs of the Casio Exilim Z150 with 3-inch display and 4X wide zoom. -- Posted Monday, July 28, 2008 by chb

Impressive waterproof Pentax Optio W60
There are times when you don't want to have to worry about getting your camera wet or dirty. Pentax designed the 10-megapixel Optio W60 with that in mind. It's a tough but elegant camera with a fully internal 5X zoom that starts out wide and still gets you closer than 3X zoom models. The 2.5-inch display is sharp and very readable from all directions. The camera can record 1280 x 720 pixel movies. Best of all, the US$329 Optio W60 can handle up to 13 feet of water and you can use it even in freezing temperatures down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. [Read review and specs of the waterproof and dustproof Pentax Optio W60] -- Posted Tuesday, July 22, 2008 by chb

Pentax Optio V20: big screen, big zoom
The Pentax Optio V20 is an update to the company's V10 model. The V20 has the same large 3-inch wide-angle LCD display, but includes a longer 5X optical zoom. What you get here is a light and handy 8-megapixel camera with fun features like face, blink and smile recognition and a number of other tricks, all made more useful by the big and very sharp display and the long zoom. List price is US$279. [Read review and specs of the Pentax Optio V20] -- Posted Tuesday, July 22, 2008 by chb

Eye-Fi expands wireless SD card offerings
Last year, introduced SD cards with wireless communications capabilities. Just stick the card into the camera and it will upload pictures to your computer or a photosharing site of your choice. We've been using the Eye-Fi card ever since it came out. Now Eye-Fi split its lineup into three: The US$129 Eye-Fi Explore card locates nearby WiFi networks and adds location tags to pictures using Skyhook's global WiFi Positioning System. The original US$99 Eye-Fi Share includes unlimited, secure Web-sharing service that allows users to automatically upload photos directly to their preferred photo sharing, social networking or blogging site. The new US$79 Eye-Fi Home is limited to uploading photos to your computer through your own home WiFi network. All cards include 2GB storage and are PC and Mac compatible. -- Posted Monday, May 12, 2008 by chb

Epson Stylus Photo RX680 Multifunction Printer
Contributing editor David MacNeill says: My days of complaining about the limitations of multifunction printers are over. Used to be you had to give up so much in one or more of the functions that it just wasn't worth the space and money savings to have one. But that was then and this is now. I have consistently preferred Epson printers over the years and the RX680 (List $199, $129 discounted) gives me no reason to change that preference. I have been living with this unit for over a month and can report that it is an excellent machine, worthy of your hard earned cash. It is not perfect, but it is the best multifunction printer I've ever reviewed.
[See review of the Epson Stylus Photo RX680 Multifunction Printer] -- Posted Wednesday, April 30, 2008 by chb

Two new 8-megapixel Nikon Coolpix cameras
Nikon introduced two new 8-megapixel S-series Coolpix cameras. The US$179 S210's primary claim to fame is its slender, sexy body that's just 0.7 inches thin. It also weighs next to nothing and fits anywhere. Yet, it has a large and razor-sharp 2.5-inch LCD that remains quite readable outdoors thanks to an anti-reflection coating. The design is clean and uncluttered, and the four available colors are quite attractive. The US$229 aluminum-bodied S520 is a bit thicker and heavier. It has active lens shift vibration reduction that eliminates most blur when you zoom and it can be used both for still pictures and for movies. [Read full description and specs of the Coolpix S210 and Coolpix S520] -- Posted Friday, February 1, 2008 by chb

Two new tough and rugged Olympus Stylus models
Olympus introduced two new cameras in its SW (Shock & Waterproof) series. The US$299 Stylus 850 SW is a 8-megapixel camera that's waterproof to ten feet, can survive drops of five feet, and freezing temperatures. It's designed for all sorts of outoors activities including skiing and snorkeling. The US$399 10-megapixel Stylus 1030 SW is tougher yet. You can go diving with it, down to 33 feet (and probably more), drop it from almost seven feet, subject it to extreme temperatures, dust, sand, whatever. It also has a terrific hi-res 2.7-inch LCD and a 3.6X 28-102mm optical zoom that enables wide angle photography. [Read full description and specs of the new Olympus Stylus 850 SW and Olympus Stylus 1030 SW] -- Posted Tuesday, January 22, 2008 by chb

Superfast burst mode and movies in 12X zoom Casio Pro EX-F1
Casio's corporate slogan is "Expect the Unexpected," but even so, few would have expected the Pro EX-F1 from the company famous for its attractive little ultra-slim cameras. What is the EX-F1? A fairly large 6-megapixel camera with a 12X optical zoom and, according to Casio, the world's fastest burst shooting performance. How fast? Up to 60 frames per second in full resolution burst mode, and up to 1,200 frames per second in high-speed movies! And also 1920 x 1080 stereo movies at 60 frames per second. [Read detailed description and specs of the Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1] -- Posted Wednesday, January 16, 2008 by chb

Two more new 10-megapixel Casios
Casio added two more stylish and attractive 10-megapixel cameras to its lineup. The Exilim EX-Z100 and EX-Z200 come in a variety of colors, have a high-res 2.7-inch display, all the goodies of the latest generation of Casios (800 x 480 pixel movies at 30fps, auto-shutter, face recognition, and digital image stabilization. They have a 28-112mm 4X optical zoom that allows wide angle shooting. No manual modes, but 39 scene modes cover about everything. The difference between the two is that the US$299 EX-Z200 has CCD-shift active anti-blur technology and the US$279 EX-Z100 does not. [Read detailed description and specs of the Casio EX-Z100 and EX-Z200] -- Posted Saturday, January 12, 2008 by chb

The new Casio EX-Z80: even smaller and lighter
The 8.1 megapixel Casio Exilim EX-Z80, available in six colors, replaces the EX-Z77 as the entry level model in Casio's "Zoom" series. It's even smaller and lighter than its predecessor, can record 848 x 480 pixel movies at 30 frames per second and uses H.264/AAC recording for easy play back on iPods and automatic upload to YouTube. There is advanced face recognition that can even detect a smile, and a special "auto shutter" mode detects movement and can automatically take blue-free pictures. The EX-Z80 lists for US$199.95. [Read detailed description of the Casio Exilim EX-Z80] -- Posted Friday, January 11, 2008 by chb

New: Ultra-slim 10 megapixel Casio EX-S10
The ultra-slim (just 0.55 inches) stainless-steel bodied Exilim EX-S10 is Casio's first Card-series 10 megapixel camera. It's available in red, blue, black and silver, has a high-res 2.7 inch wide-format LCD, and can record 848 x 480 pixel movies at 30 frames per second. The S10, which lists for US$249, uses H.264/AAC recording and can easily play back on iPods and in iTunes/iLife'08. There are 36 scene modes (including YouTube and eBay), face recognition and a special "auto shutter" that shoots a picture when your hands don't shake or the subject stops moving. [Read detailed description of the Casio Exilim EX-S10] -- Posted Thursday, January 10, 2008 by chb

Review: Fujifilm FinePix Z100fd
With the Z100fd, Fujifilm offers its most advanced "Z" series camera yet. It is a small and slender 8-megapixel camera with eye-catching design and color options. The fully internal 5X optical zoom means no annoying lens barrel protruding from the camera. A combination xD Picture Card and standard SD card slot provides more storage options. The Fuji Super CCD HR imager makes for excellent picture quality, and the camera has both mechanical and digital image stabilization. The Z100fd lists for US$249.99, far less than older "Z"series top of the line cameras, but at the high end of 8-megapixel consumer cameras. Its performance and features justify the price. [Read review of the FujiFilm FinePix Z100fd] -- Posted Monday, January 7, 2008 by chb

Eye-Fi Developing Wireless Video Uploads Direct to YouTube
Eye-Fi Inc., makers of the world's first wireless memory card for digital cameras, announced that it is developing a way for users to wirelessly upload videos from their digital camera to YouTube and a home computer. Eye-Fi is designing its video upload service to support full-resolution HD video, with newer cameras now capturing HD video and Web sites including YouTube now testing display of HD video. -- Posted Monday, January 7, 2008 by chb

Digital camera built into swimming/snorkeling mask
Digital cameras are in almost every cellphone, so why not design a swimming snorkeling mask with a camera built in? That's exactly what Liquid Image is now introducing. The Liquid Image Underwater Digital Camera Mask combines a 3.1 megapixel camera for kids or 5.0 megapixel digital camera for adults with a mask. The camera can do still pictures and video at 18-25 frames per second, uses a Micro SD card, is powered by two AAA batteries and has 16MB of integrated storage. It has a LCD display, a USB port, and comes with ArcSoft Photo and Video Impression software. To shoot a picture, line up the crosshairs in the mask. The mask is primarily for swimming and snorkeling as its maximum depth is 15 feet. [Check Liquid Image Digital Camera Mask] -- Posted Wednesday, January 2, 2008 by chb

The state of digital cameras at the end of 2007
We review a lot of cameras during a year, and we stay on top of all the technological developments. So see what happened, what changed (a lot), what stayed the same (not much) and just generally where digital cameras are today. The state of digital cameras at the end of 2007. -- Posted Wednesday, December 26, 2007 by chb

CablesToGo adds cable finder page
Sure you can stick your memory card into a card reader, but a lot of people prefer cables to connect their camera to their PC or Mac, and those cables can easily get lost. Where to get a replacement? And what kind to get so it fits? The friendly folks at CablesToGo just added a handy camera cable finder page. Just put in your camera's make and model, and you get a list of cables to fit! Some cameras are missing, but CablesToGo is adding them as fats as they can. -- Posted Wednesday, December 19, 2007 by chb

Eye-Fi SD card combines WiFi and 2GB of storage
There are cameras with built-in WiFi, but wouldn't it be nice to be able to add wireless to any digital camera? You can do that with the amazing Eye-Fi card that combines 802.11b/g wireless with a nice 2GB of storage capacity. The bright-orange card looks just like a standard SD card and fits into any camera that uses the SD card format. The software loads automatically, has a browser-based interface, and you can upload to your PC or Mac and/or almost 20 photo sharing sites. How much does it cost? US$99.99 retail. [Read our full review of the Eye-Fi wireless 2GB memory card] -- Posted Friday, December 14, 2007 by chb

And another new Nikon: The S51c with WiFi
The 8.1 megapixel Coolpix S51c is an elegant, small and handy camera with a fully internal 3X zoom. It offers an interesting feature in its built-in wireless connection that lets you send and store pictures. It primarily connects to Nikon's own my Picturetown service, which limits choices. The camera is small enough to fit anywhere, yet has a very large and razor-sharp 3.0-inch LCD that remains quite readable outdoors thanks to an anti-reflection coating. The design is clean and uncluttered,and the camera offers full voice recording, VGA movies with sound, and active lens shift vibration reduction that eliminates most blur when you zoom. It also includes a slew of Nikon's in-camera goodies and technologies. [Read full description of the wireless Nikon Coolpix S51c] -- Posted Tuesday, November 27, 2007 by chb

Nikon Style: the Coolpix S510 and S700
Almost everyone now offers lots of megapixel and a slew of advanced features at very low cost, so manufacturers have been forced to differentiate low and high end cameras in different ways. The current approach is to have different "families" of cameras, with each appealing to a different group of customers. The new stainless steel 8.1 megapixel Coolpix S510 and brushed aluminum 12.1 megapixel S700, combine sophisticated elegance with advanced technology and speed. [Read our detailed description and specs of the Nikon Coolpix S510 and the Nikon Coolpix S700] -- Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 by chb

Nikon offers two new P-Series performance models
Those who want more power and versatility than point & shooters offer will be interested in two new "performance series" cameras from Nikon. The Coolpix P50 (US$229.95) is a small and handy 8.1 megapixel camera with some manual control, face recognition, red-eye reduction and electronic vibration reduction. The 12.1 megapixel Coolpix P5100 (US$379.95) offers full manual control, a high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD and true optical lens-shift image stabilization. Both have optical viewfinders to complement their LCDs, have 16 scene modes, and fit into most pockets in spite of their considerable power. [Read reviews of the Nikon Coolpix P50 and Nikon Coolpix P5100] -- Posted Friday, November 23, 2007 by chb

Two inexpensive Nikon Coolpix LIVE series cameras
For this holiday season, Nikon introduced two new members of its friendly, inexpensive "LIFE" series cameras. The Coolpix L14 (US$149.95) is a competent 7.1 megapixel camera with such advanced features as face recognition and internal red-eye reduction. Spend an extra US$30 and you can get the 8.9 megapixel Coolpix L15 that has a large, high-resolution 2.8-inch LCD and optical lens-shift image stabilization. Both are simple and easy to use, have 16 scene modes, fit into any pocket and, of course, carry the prestigious Nikon Coolpix name. [Read reviews of the Nikon Coolpix L14 and Nikon Coolpix L15] -- Posted Friday, November 23, 2007 by chb

Oprah uses Flip Video for her new YouTube channel
Oprah officially launched her own YouTube channel on her show. A big fan of the Flip Ultra Video Cam, she'll be using Flip to capture and share behind-the-scenes footage of celebrities and other guests that she'll feature on the channel, in addition to videos she made of herself backstage. Oprah's footage will be captured on her pocket-sized, Flip Ultra camcorder, a camcorder that allows easy and direct uploads of video content to YouTube and other content sites. On her November 6th show, her entire studio audience received a Flip Ultra as part of the debut. [Also see our review of the Flip Video] -- Posted Wednesday, November 7, 2007 by chb

Second cam buys boost camera sales
Adorama reports that American consumers are starting to buy their second digital cameras, causing a resurgence in camera sales in the US. This according to a survey conducted by the NPD Group. Digital camera sales increased during the first half of 2007 over 20 percent over the first half of 2006. Tellingly, 54%t of all people buying digital cameras were purchasing a second digital camera, according to the service. Last year, that category was 46 percent. Half of those buying their second camera were still using their first camera. The other trend driving growth was selling price, which has gone down. DSLR prices have dropped $125 on average, while compact digital cameras saw a 13 percent price drop. -- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2007 by chb

DSLR Photography & Imaging Workshop Will Cruise the Southern Caribbean
DSLR photography is the focus of an eight-day workshop cruise embarking from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to St. Maarten, St. Lucia and St. Kitts, in the Southern Caribbean, March 14-22, 2008. The workshop is the eighth in a successful series and is limited to 20 attendees who will participate in lectures, demonstrations and critiquing sessions. In addition to a thorough grounding in DSLR techniques, there will be hands-on sessions devoted to high dynamic range, panoramic photography, black and white printing, portraiture, close-up photography and more. Four pros will share their expertise with participants to bring them up to speed. Each workshop attendee will receive up to $1,000 worth of hardware and software gifts from participating sponsors, and those who do not yet own DSLRs will be able to borrow state-of-the-art DSLR cameras for use prior to and during the workshop. For further information visit: http://www.dpcorner.com/cruise or call 800-652-2267.
-- Posted Friday, September 28, 2007 by chb

Sanyo HD700 - HD camcorder and 7.1mp camera
SANYO introduced the US$599 Xacti HD700, a pocket-sized, 720p high-definition digital camcorder. The HD700 is capable of recording both high-definition video in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format and 7.1-megapixel photos to an SD or SDHC memory card. The HD700 has a 5X optical zoom (38-1900 mm equivalent) and 12X digital zoom, a rotatable 2.7-inch LCD, and comes with Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0. Super-macro lets you get as close as half an inch. How much video can you record on a card? Almost three hours on a 8GB card. [See detailed description of the Sanyo HD700] -- Posted Wednesday, September 26, 2007 by chb

Transcend's hyper-fast 16GB CF card
Transcend, a global leading brand in flash memory cards, rolled out its largest capacity CompactFlash product to date -- a 16GB (Type I) card with ultra-fast 133X transfer rates. Transcend's 133X CF card targets serious users who demand superior performance and reliability from their memory cards, including professional photographers, reporters and photography enthusiasts. -- Posted Wednesday, September 26, 2007 by chb

Review: Pinnacle Studio 11 Ultimate
Pinnacle Studio Version 11 Ultimate is a combination of Pinnacle Studio Plus Version 11 (US$139) with a variety of integrated professional level audio and video tools that go about as far as most amateur movie enthusiasts may want to take it. Yet, it's all simple and really made for home users, so don't be intimidated. If you do video, you need Pinnacle Studio 11. It's easy, it's powerful, it's inexpensive, and it handles the whoe range from importing ancient footage from old vidcams all the way to producing High Definition video, even on inexpensive DVDs. [Read review of Pinnacle Studio 11 Ultimate] -- Posted Wednesday, September 19, 2007 by chb

Cool new digicam features have one source: FotoNation
Each season, some cool new features are found in the lineups of the major digital camera makers. Amazingly, many of them licnse and use the same technologies. Example: Red-FotoNation's Eye and FaceTracker imaging technologies are installed in more than half of all digital cameras sold today. FotoNation Red-Eye Technology creates perfect red-eye free photos every time. FotoNation's FaceTracker face detection and tracking technology is used in 21 out of 48 new compact digital camera models introduced in the first half of 2007. FaceTracker automatically tracks the presence of a subject's face in the camera's viewfinder to assure properly exposed portrait photos that in are in focus every time. Boxes are drawn around each face to provide feedback of correct detection. Exposure settings are instantly applied, so that faces are never dark, even in poor lighting. -- Posted Friday, September 14, 2007 by chb

Digital photo frame market said to increase dramatically
According to IDC, global shipments of digital frames reached 2.8 million units in 2006, with an average selling price of just under US$170. IDC projects the market will grow to 42.3 million units by 2011, with US shipments representing over half all all units at that time. The growth rate in digital frames shipments will be driven by new features, larger frame sizes, and lower prices, IDC said. Our take: We have been reviewing digital photo frames since 1998. It is a great idea, but the frames were rarely up to par. Initially, the LCDs were small and barely visible. Today, the screens are larger and you can have WiFi and music and all sorts of features, but we still constantly run into problems, from file read errors to connection issues and so on. Digital frames must be rock-solid before they can succeed. -- Posted Sunday, September 9, 2007 by chb

Review: Casio Exilim EX-Z77
Casio updates the Z70 series with the Z77, a handy 7.2-megapixel camera with a 3X optical zoom, digital image stabilization, advanced face recognition (you can even train it to recognize specific faces!), and a switch to MPEG-4 H.264 video compression which results in smaller vid clip file size. There is a special YouTube video recording mode among the 40+ scene modes (some extremely useful) that makes uploading quicker and easier. This Casio is just full of tricks, and at a list price of just US$199.95. [Read full review of the Casio EX-Z77] -- Posted Tuesday, September 4, 2007 by chb

Two more from Olympus: SP-560US and Stylus 790 SW
We're analyzing the final two new cameras from the Olympus Summer 2007 introduction. The SP-560UZ is an 8-megapixel camera with a massive 18X optical zoom. It also lets you get as close as 0.4 inches in Super Macro, and it is chock full of new features, including very effective dual anti-blur technology that combines digital stabilization with sensor-shift compensation. The Stylus 790 SW is a shock and waterproof (to ten feet) 7.1 megapixel camera with many new features and five splashy colors. [Read full analysis and specs of the Olympus SP-560UZ and Olympus Stylus 790 SW] -- Posted Friday, August 31, 2007 by chb

J.D. Power announces 2007 digital camera winners
Those guys at J.D. Power seem to rate everything, so why not digital cameras. Cameras were rated on a 1-5 scale for appearance, operation, performance, picture quality and then overall. The winners are: the Casio Exilim Zoom in the Ultra Slim category; the Fujifilm Finepix F Series in the Point and Shoot class; the Canon PowerShot SD Series in Premium Point and Shoot (by a mile); and the Nikon D Series in digital SLRs (also by a mile). Congratulations to the winners! [See J.D. Power 2007 Digital Camera Ratings] -- Posted Thursday, August 30, 2007 by chb

Olympus Stylus 820, 830, and 1200

Olympus FE-280, FE-290, and FE-300

We tested the ultra-tough SeaLife ECOshot underwater camera
If you need something that can survive a six-foot drop, be punted around with getting as much as a scratch or dent, yet also take pictures and videos underwater, the very affordable SeaLife ECOshot is just perfect. It's a very simple 6-megapixel camera with just the basic controls, but its underwater modes and underwater white balance settings make for excellent pictures. It's rated at 75 feet, but won't give up if you go a bit deeper. [Read our full review of the SeaLife ECOshot underwater camera] -- Posted Wednesday, August 22, 2007 by chb

Kingston Mobility Kit
Leave it to Kingston Technology to help consumers sort out and manage the proliferation of different memory cards. Their new all-in-one Mobility Kit includes one of those tiny 1GB microSD cards and then THREE adapters so users can seamlessly convert to a SD card, miniSD or USB and use the microSD card across devices to easily move photos, music, videos or data to cameras, mobile phones, PDAs or computers. All for a grand total of US$27 list. -- Posted Tuesday, August 7, 2007 by chb

Digital camera sales booming
The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) reports that digital camera shipments for the first half of 2007 zoomed to almost 165 million, with digital SLRs showing especially strong growth. And the total number of cameras sold is even more because CIPA only represents companies accounting for about 80% of all cameras sold worldwide. Our take: We're not surprised. Digital cameras have come down in price so much that even digital SLRs are now approaching the "threshold of pain" below which the purchase of a camera becomes an impulse buy instead of a planned expense. And with many 8 and even 10 megapixel compacts now costing under $200, almost anyone can afford one, or replace an older less powerful camera. -- Posted Monday, August 6, 2007 by chb

iPhone -- finally a decent camera in a (great) phone
Okay... the Apple iPhone is a phone and not a digital camera. But if definitely has the best built-in digital camera we've ever seen in a phone, and it's super-easy to email pictures anywhere, from almost anywhere. So here's the iPhone story we ran in our sister site, pencomputing.com --Conrad H. Blickenstorfer

-- Posted Friday, August 3, 2007 by chb

Modern Problem department
We found much to like with the Sony T5 when we reviewed it a while ago. Now Sony is recalling some 350,000 of the T5s. Why? Well, "Sony has recently discovered that some DSC-T5 Cyber-shot digital still cameras may experience peeling and warping of the metal coating on the bottom of the camera that could result in a slight cut or scratch to the user's skin." Boo-hoo. Something on a consumer product that could cause a slight scratch warrants recalling hundreds of thousands of cameras? That's just so not right and a giant waste of money. We'd MUCH rather see Sony spend that money changing their gleaming designs so that the cameras themselves don't get scratched as easily. -- Posted Friday, August 3, 2007 by chb

The changing face of photography
Digital cameras are changing our lives! Not only are they now so much smaller, cheaper and more powerful, but they're also in PCs and phones. More than half of all pictures are now taken by cellphones and smartphones (though some may argue if those low-quality shots can be called pictures). Another technology, available pretty much since the dawn of digital photography, is now finally catching on as well, and that is Digital Photo Frames. They used to cost a fortune and had crappy LCDs, but no more. And it makes so much sense to simply use a picture frame to display hundreds of your best shots instead of just one single print. Look for reviews of some of the leading frames here. -- Posted Monday, July 9, 2007 by chb