Digital Cameras and Camcorders

Back when we reviewed Eye-Fi, the SD card that allows any digital camera with that slot to wirelessly upload pictures using a home router, we were impressed by its speed and ingenuity, but wished we could use it while on the go. Looks like the folks over at Eye-Fi heard our complaints (and others’). Today, Eye-Fi announced that it will sell its popular card in three forms, starting June 6th (sorry, no upgrades for early adopters).

Eye-Fi Home ($79) costs less than the current version, but offers less features; it syncs with your PC, but not the usual  host of Web services. I’m not sure this is different enough from a regular SD card to warrant the $79 price.

Eye-Fi Share ($99) is essentially the current model with a new name; it syncs with both your PC and photo sharing sites, such as Facebook and Flickr.

Eye-Fi Explore ($129) is the real news. Thanks to a partnership with Wayport, users can upload photos at more than 10,000 hotspots nationwide. The Explore also has geotagging capabilities, using Skyhook’s Wi-Fi triangulation.

Up next on our Eye-Fi wish list: More hotspot partnerships, and the ability to upload video clips.

Today I had the chance to get some hands-on time with Panasonic’s newest Lumix point-and-shoots, the Wi-Fi–enabled TZ50 ($449) and the touchscreen-adorned FX500 ($399). We’ll get our very own loaner units soon, but until then, here are some first impressions:

DMC-TZ50:

As we reported earlier, the TZ50 has built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, integration with Google Picasa, and works at T-Mobile HotSpot locations. (Bonus: It comes with a year of complimentary service.) Much to my hosts’ embarrassment today, it took several attempts to successfully upload the picture, and when we finally did it took a few minutes. To be fair, although we were in a hotel with a T-Mobile HotSpot, we weren’t in the same room as the router. Aside from that, there’s lot to like about Panasonic’s first Wi-Fi–enabled camera:

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been awhile since we’ve brought you news about Nikon’s point-and-shoots. Today, the company announced two additions to its CoolPix line, the S52 ($249) and the S52c ($279), both of which will ship in May. Both cameras have nine-megapixel resolution, 3X optical zoom, optical image stabilization, a 3-inch LCD, and ISO up to 3200.

The difference between the two is that the S52c has Wi-Fi, allowing users to e-mail pictures from the camera. It also has intergration with my Picturetown, Nikon’s photo sharing service. Through this service, users can send pictures to friends and family, publish them to Flickr, and link to blogs and social networking sites. Users can also send pictures to Blackberry devices for viewing.

Like other cameras we’ve seen recently, the S52 and S52c have iTunes integration, allowing users to add their favorite songs as background music to in-camera slide shows.

Holy shnikes. As much as we love Nikon’s entry-level DSLRs, the company is giving amatuer photogs another reason to consider high-end super-zooms instead. The CoolPix P80, announced today, packs 18X optical zoom, 10.1 megapixels, and a variety of features tailored for more advanced users, including Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority, and Manual Modes. It also has Nikon’s Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) technology for steadier shots, and features a new shooting mode: Sports Continuous, which allows users to shoot up to 30 consecutive shots at four, six, or thirteen frames per second. It also has ISO up to 6,400 (but, unsurprisingly, you have to downgrade to 5MP to take advantage of it), and a large 2.7-inch LCD.

All this for $399. Not bad at all when you consider that you’re getting the manual creativity of DSLRs (minus the steep learning curve), and way more zoom than you’d get with a standard lens kit.

With Mother’s Day just four weeks away, it isn’t too early to start culling gift ideas. ViewSonic announced the availability of ten digital picture frames in 7, 8, and 10-inch sizes, starting at $139, $149, and $179, respectively. Spec-wise, the frames in each size category are identical; the difference is that each comes with a different combination of interchangeable frames, including wood, black, silver, or black-and-white. If you’re dead-set on Wi-Fi, look elsewhere. But as standard frames, they’re not bad for the price: the 8-inch models play MP3s and one of the two 10-inch models plays video. If you’re really short on cash, you can buy her a 2.4-inch digital picture frame magnet for the fridge (but that doesn’t mean you should).

Ever since I had a digital camera that could record video, I’ve been trying to devise ways to use it to film myself skiing from a first-person perspective. It usually involved me holding the camera in front as I picked my way down a mountain, careful not to drop anything. Fortunately, there’s some great new hands-free options, and this past weekend, I got to test one of them out, the VholdR helmetcam from Seattle-based Twenty20, on the slopes of Heavenly in South Lake Tahoe, California. The $349 camera is a small, compact, and durable device that shoots 640 x 480-pixel resolution video to a 2GB MicroSD Card.

There are only two buttons on the exterior of the camera—a power button on the back and a slider to start and stop recording on the top—and they’re both designed to be used by people wearing gloves. Since you can’t see what you’re shooting once the camera is mounted to your helmet, two lasers on either side of the lens are activated when the camera is turned on; by rotating the lens until the lasers form a line parallel to the ground, users can make sure their video won’t be all sky or all ground. Having lasers beam from the side of your head is a bit reminiscent of Predator.

Right now, Twenty20 only offers a helmet mount: basically a pad with double-sided foam that slid into the rail on the side of the camera. By McGyvering an old belt clip for an iPod mini, I was able to attach the camera to my ski goggles. Unfortunately—as you’ll see in the video—the elasticity of the goggles’ headstrap caused the camera to wobble violently every time I went over a mogul. Even when the company comes out with a clip for goggles, I’d stick with a helmet, and a helmet mount.

The VholdR was really easy to use and, except for a ton of wind noise, was a great way to record parts of a vacation you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Check out the video, and stay tuned for a full review.

Get the latest Flash Player to see this player.

At just 4.7 x 2.5 x 1.3 inches and weighing 8 ounces without the battery, Sony’s HDR-TG1 Handycam ($899) is the world’s smallest full HD camcorder. In addition to 1920 x 1080 video, it records 4-megapixel photos directly to MS Pro Duo or Pro Duo Mark2 cards (it comes bundled with a 4GB PRO Duo Mark2). Don’t think you have to handle this tiny camcorder with kid gloves, though: Its titanium chassis is durable and scratch resistant (not to mention classy looking).

The TG1’s other specs include face detection for up to eight faces, 10X optical zoom, 11 scene modes, Sony’s SteadyShot image stabilization, one-touch disc burning, and a 2.7-inch LCD. Sony claims that it can record continuously for 95 minutes on a single charge. Expect to see it in May.

Kodak announced three new EasyShare frames today, all replete with touch screen controls. The Quick Touch Border interface– literally, icons lining the top and side of the frame– is meant to replace the bundled remote, while leaving the screen smudge and fingerprint-free. At first glance, the touch borders seem a bit intrusive, but you can minimize them and view pictures at full screen.

The 8-inch M820 ($179) and 10-inch M1020 ($229) play back MP3s in addition to JPEG photos. These, plus the 7-inch P720 ($119), come in silver and red, with optional face plates sold separately, as well as Kodak’s drag-and-drop EasyShare Digital Display software.

The frames are available for pre-order on kodak.com, and are set to ship by April 16th.

I have to admit that until recently I didn’t really get the idea of geo-tagging. It sounded too much like some kind of way for a marine biologist to track migrating dolphins. Yawn. Then I discovered that geo-tagging was actually something much more fun.

Geo-tagging, I learned, means that when I take a picture, the GPS data of my current location is stored in the image file on my camera. But how can I put this data to use and share it with friends?

This weekend I decided I was sick and tired of being ill-informed in the art of geo-tagging so I went out with our review unit Nokia N82 with two goals: learn how to geo-tag, and figure out a way to show our readers how to do the same.

I wish I could begin this guide with a host of cameras that you can purchase and go geo-tagging with, but the fact is there aren’t any cameras with built-in GPS or AGPS right now (but you can splurge for a camera accessory like the Sony GPS-CS1).

Read the rest of this entry »

Sanyo’s newest camcorder, the Xacti CG9, shoots MPEG-4 video and 9.1-megapixel stills, and it has 5X optical zoom and face recognition for up to 12 faces. Users can also take still photos without pausing video recording.

As far as specs go, it’s pretty standard, but the $279 price tag, YouTube-friendliness, high photo resolution, and featherweight 7-ounce frame should all appeal to the spring break crowd. The CG9, which takes on Sanyo’s now-classic trigger shape, comes in black and silver. Expect it to ship in April.