Archive for the ‘Compact camera’ Category

New compact camera: Samsung MultiView MV800

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

The MV800 features a 3.0-inch wide flip-out touch display and is available in Black, White and Red at S$499.

MultiView MV800, the new compact digital camera from Samsung.

MultiView MV800, the new compact digital camera from Samsung.

The flip-out touch screen of Samsung’s new ultra slim compact digital camera enables photographers to snap shots from difficult angles and awkward positions.

Such situations include snapping high-angle shots over the crowd to capture a street performance, and dramatic low-angle shots at ground level. The display can also be folded back to frame the shot when taking self-portraits. Samsung Electronics Co LtdThe screen can be tilted up or down for framing snapshots prior to taking them.

The MV800 pairs a Schneider-Kreuznach lens with a 16.1 megapixel CCD sensor. The 5x zoom Lens ranges goes from a wide angle of 26 mm (35mm equivalent focal length) to a maximum of 130 mm.

Schneider-Kreuznach lens with 5x zoom from 26 to 130 mm (35mm equiv)

Schneider-Kreuznach lens with 5x zoom from 26 to 130 mm (35mm equiv)

The Live Panorama function enables easy photography of large groups by simply holding down the shutter button, and previewing the entire scene that has been captured on the LCD screen. By connecting the MV800 to a 3D HDTV, images and panoramic shots can be viewed in 3D.

The MV800 has a recording time of up to twice as long as the standard MPEG4. The zoom noise reduction technology promises to record only the sound of the subject and not the whirring of the zoom.

The Smart Touch 3.0 with Wallpaper user interface allows users to drag and scroll through menu options to launch features, instead of using traditional clumsy buttons on the camera’s body.

In-camera creative software features

16.1 megapixels and a 3.0-inch wide flip-out touch display.

16.1 megapixels and a 3.0-inch wide flip-out touch display.

The Magic Frame feature includes 12 fun background templates for snapshots, as well as the ability to customise their backgrounds. A Picture-in-Picture function also allows users to insert and combine one image with another.

The Smart Filter function has a selection of 14 artistic effects, including the newly added Water Paint for a stylish watercolour finish or the Cartoon capability that transforms any photo into a fun animated film format. Funny Face allows you to bend, stretch and manipulate portraits by tapping and dragging to radically distort facial characteristics for a good laugh.

COMEX 2011 promotions: Olympus cameras and accessories

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

Olympus will be at Booth 8205 on Level 4 in Hall 404  during COMEX 2011. Head for promotional discounts and bundles especially limited sets of the Pen E-PL1, which has been reduced from S$998 to S$498 plus free gifts worth S$320.

The star promotion from Olympus for COMEX 2011 is the PEN E-PL1. Launched in February 2010, OLYMPUS E-PL1 is an entry-level model, equipped with a new Live Guide interface which makes it easy for users to get the results they want even if they have little previous experience with photography.

Olympus promotional price list for cameras and accessories during COMEX 2011 Olympus promotional price list for cameras and accessories during COMEX 2011

Key features include the Live Guide user interface for easy, intuitive adjustment of brightness, hue, background defocusing, and other image parameters; dedicated Movie mode button for seamless access to movie shooting at any time; go-anywhere portability in a light, compact body with built-in flash and image stabilization; offered in white, champagne gold, and black; and six Art Filters, including new Gentle Sepia, for enhanced photographic creativity.

Olympus promotional price list for cameras and accessories during COMEX 2011 Olympus promotional price list for cameras and accessories during COMEX 2011

The normal pricing for the E-PL1 14-42mm Lens Kit is at S$998 (with GST), which includes the body (in White, Champagne Gold, and Black), an M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14–42mm F3.5–5.6 lens (Silver) and an 8 GB SD card.

Olympus promotional price list for cameras and accessories during COMEX 2011 Olympus promotional price list for cameras and accessories during COMEX 2011

The COMEX 2011 offer at S$498 includes an additional 8 GB SD Card, an E-PL1 Skin, a camera bag, a screen protector, a card reader, 3 months local extended warranty and free E-Workshop.

Company byte: Samsung Electronics

Friday, August 26th, 2011

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is a global company in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. It employs some 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries.

Samsung Electronics Co LtdSamsung consists of nine independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Memory, System LSI and LCD.

Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs.

Follow stories related to Samsung on tech4tea.com.

Company byte: Leica Camera

Sunday, June 26th, 2011

Leica Camera is a German optics company that has a long heritage of over 162 years in quality German engineering. Leica makes cameras, high quality lenses and sport optic tools.

Leica Camera AGThe company has been in the forefront of photojournalism and related activities – having been bestowed the Oskar Barnack Award for high quality reportage photography.

Leica Camera has presented photographs taken by international photographers through its galleries offering access to life’s hidden stories.

Follow articles related to Leica on tech4tea.com.

Compact camera winners at the XXI TIPA 2011 awards

Saturday, April 30th, 2011
Compact digital cameras took up seven out of 40 categories evaluated by the 29-member magazines of the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) this year. Winners include Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Samsung, Fujifilm and Panasonic.

Compared to the four categories for DSLR cameras, there were seven categories for compact digital cameras.

Founded in 1991, the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) comprises 29 independent photo & imaging magazines from nine European countries plus Australia, Canada, China, USA and South Africa.

This is the 21st installment of the annual awards.

The winners for the seven compact digital camera categories are tabulated below.

Category / Winner TIPA citation
Best General Compact Camera 

Best DSLR Entry: Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i / Kiss X5

Nikon
COOLPIX P300

The Nikon COOLPIX P300 is a stylish compact camera with a remarkably powerful f/1.8 lens, starting at 24mm (35mm equivalent) with 4.2x optical zoom. High Refraction Index glass further ensures sharp images with high contrast. Combined with its powerful 12.2 Megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, this camera gives excellent image quality even in dim lighting conditions. The P300 can film in Full HD (1080p), but also in slow motion with a recording speed of up to 120fps.
Best Expert Compact Camera 

Best DSLR Advanced: Nikon D7000

Olympus
XZ-1

The Olympus XZ-1 has one of the fastest zoom lenses in its class, the iZuiko f1.8-2.5 6.0-24mm (28-112mm equivalent angle of view in 35mm cameras.) Rather than succumb to the continuing Megapixel race, the light-reception area of each pixel of the 1/1.63-inch, 10 Megapixel CCD has been doubled. The XZ-1’s AF illuminator, Dual Image Stabilisation, Low-Light mode that automatically adjusts the ISO sensitivity up to ISO 3200 and the compact size all add up to an exciting “candid” camera that also offers advanced manual controls.
Best Premium Camera 

Best DSLR Expert: Olympus E-5

Fujifilm
FinePix X100

Fujifilm’s FinePix X100 offers unrivalled image quality for a compact camera, thanks to its APS-C format CMOS sensor and Fujinon 23mm f/2.0 lens. The Hybrid Viewfinder uniquely combines the ‘bright frame’ window-type optical viewfinder found in high-end film cameras, and the electronic viewfinder system of fixed single lens or digital compact system cameras, offering the user ‘the best of both worlds’. Added to the package is a newly-developed EXR Processor, which combines all the latest Fujifilm image processing technology.
Best Compact System Camera
Entry Level 

Best DSLR Professional: Pentax 645D

Samsung
NX100

The Samsung NX100’s new body design drastically revises the ‘DSLR look-alike’ concept found in other compact interchangeable lens cameras, and is a bold step from the company’s previous NX10/11 designs. This brings it into direct competition with other Compact System Cameras. Impressive features include a vivid 3-inch AMOLED screen, an APS-C size sensor and a line of high-tech iFunction lenses. This promising new series of optics blazes new viewing and camera control paths by allowing the user to program numerous functions right from the lens.
Best Compact System Camera
Expert 

Best DSLR Professional: Pentax 645D

Panasonic
Lumix DMC-GH2

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 is a true ‘hybrid’ photo and video camera, where video is no longer just an additional function. The DMC-GH2 features full HD 1920×1080, 60i (NTSC) / 50i (PAL) smooth, high quality video recording with 60p (NTSC) / 50p (PAL) output in addition to the high quality photo, a world’s first for cameras in this category. The DMC-GH2 can be operated through an intuitive touch control screen. For example, just tapping a subject on the screen will make the camera focus with a speed that rivals the best DSLR’s on the market.
Best Superzoom Camera 

Best DSLR Professional: Pentax 645D

Canon
PowerShot
SX230 HS

The Canon PowerShot SX230 HS features a 12.1-Megapixel HS System with high-sensitivity CMOS sensor, and a 14x optical zoom (28-392mm equivalent) with optical image stabilisation. A 3-inch LCD screen, with 100% frame coverage, makes for easy viewing and menu control. TIPA members were impressed with features such as Full HD 1080p video with Dynamic Image Stabilizer, a new GPS function (including supplied Map Utility software) and a high-sensitivity CMOS sensor coupled with Canon’s DIGIC 4 processor that reduces noise levels even at the higher ranges (up to ISO 3200).
Best Rugged Compact Camera 

Best DSLR Professional: Pentax 645D

Panasonic
Lumix DMC-FT3 / DMC-TS3

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3/FT3 is waterproof to a depth of 12m and dust-proof equivalent to the IPX8 and IP6X standard. It has an integrated GPS function, ideal for photographers who want to shoot in the great outdoors and record their exact position during that shoot. The camera has a built-in compass, altimeter and barometer to show and record altitude, barometric pressure and orientation data. The barometer also works as indicator for depth underwater. Thanks to its location awareness, the internal clock of the camera is automatically adjusted to the local time.

Olympus XZ-1 wins TIPA 2011 award for Best Expert Compact Camera

Monday, April 25th, 2011
The flagship compact digital camera from Olympus has won the Best Expert Compact Camera award at the annual XXI TIPA 2011 awards.

Technical Image Press Association - XXI TIPA Awards 2011The 29 member magazines of the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) awarded the award for the “Best Expert Compact Camera” category to the Olympus XZ-1.

Olympus XZ-1 - Best Expert Compact CameraInto its twenty-first year, the annual awards recognised the best photo and imaging products in 2011 in 40 categories. TIPA has member magazines from nine European countries plus Australia, Canada, China, USA and South Africa.
In its citation, it lauded the XZ-1 for its fast lens, as well its larger sensor area for each pixel – which translates to greater sensitivity, lower noise and better image quality.
“The Olympus XZ-1 has one of the fastest zoom lenses in its class, the iZuiko f1.8-2.5 6.0-24mm (28-112mm equivalent angle of view in 35mm cameras). Rather than succumb to the continuing Megapixel race, the light-reception area of each pixel of the 1/1.63-inch, 10 Megapixel CCD has been doubled. The XZ-1’s AF illuminator, Dual Image Stabilisation, Low-Light mode that automatically adjusts the ISO sensitivity up to ISO 3200 and the compact size all add up to an exciting “candid” camera that also offers advanced manual controls.” – Citation for XXI TIPA Awards for “Best Expert Compact Camera”

In Singapore, the Olympus XZ-1 is available at a suggested retail price of S$748 (incl GST & bundled with a 8GB SD Card).

Listed here are some earlier write-ups on the Olympus XZ-1:
Photo review | Full reviewSpecsSelling pointsDiorama movie