Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8

315596-panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs8 PCMag Editors did not test the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. We did, however, test and review the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 (2.5 stars).

A 14.1 megapixel digital camera with a 24 millimeter lens, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 ($299.99 list) offers a maximum zoom of up to 33.8x and 340 shots per battery charge. The shooter also sports Panasonic's Venus Engine, optical image stabilization and HD video capture among other features.

Design and Features

This Panasonic camera comes in a compact, consumer-friendly design encased in a sleek black plastic. The back of this model is where users will find a 3-inch Intelligent LCD accompanied by a simple series of controls and a single radial menu. The Lumix DMC-ZS8 packs one USB port, a component video output, an SD memory card slot and more.

This shooter's Venus Engine is what powers its optical image stabilization, but more importantly its Intelligent Resolution feature. This takes outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation areas and performs optimal signal processes to each area for clearer images. The Venus Engine also contributes to the camera's image noise reduction methods, which helps reproduce images at as high as 1,600 ISO.

The Lumix DMC-ZS8 is also capable of burst shooting at a rate of up to 1.9 frames per second at full, 14.1 megapixel resolution. The camera also features Intelligent Auto Mode, which adjusts shooting settings automatically depending upon what fills the frame. An auto focus and face detection feature along with subject tracking are also included. The Lumix DMC-ZS8 can display photos on an HDTV through an SD card and Panasonic's Viera Image Viewer.

PC Magazine

Fujifilm X10 Takes a Shot at the Premium Point-and-Shoot Crown

Announced today, the throwback-styled Fujifilm X10 aims to outgun competing cameras in the "premium point-and-shoot" class. Because of its size and feature set, it's more of a competitor to the larger Canon PowerShot G12 and the Nikon Coolpix P7100 than to more-compact options such as the Olympus XZ-1, the Nikon Coolpix P300, the Panasonic Lumix LX5, and the Canon PowerShot S95.

The new X10 offers a larger sensor than all of the cameras mentioned above, as well as a wider aperture than all but one of them at the telephoto end of its zoom range. Like most of them, it offers full manual exposure controls, a RAW shooting mode, and a few unique extras that should make it a compelling competitor for other performance-minded (semi-)compact cameras.

Fujifilm-X10.1 It's also a bit bigger than the rest of the pack, clocking in at 2.2 inches deep, 4.6 inches wide, and 2.7 inches high--more like the size of a compact interchangeable-lens camera, except with a fixed lens.

In addition to its old-school aesthetics, the X10 also features an optically stabilized, manually operated 4X (28mm to 112mm) zoom lens; you twist the lens barrel to adjust focal length rather than use a powered zoom toggle. The top of the camera also hosts a dedicated exposure-compensation dial for fast adjustments.

The camera lets you select between manual focus and autofocus via a front-mounted dial. The X10's lens has maximum aperture settings of F2.0 wide-angle to F2.8 telephoto, and is faster at the telephoto end than we've seen in any competing camera other than the Olympus XZ-1 (F1.8 to F2.5).

Besides a back-mounted 2.8-inch-diagonal LCD viewfinder, the X10 also offers an eye-level optical viewfinder. Unlike the unique electronic/optical "hybrid viewfinder" found in the Fujifilm X100, the viewfinder in the X10 is a purely optical version with diopter adjustments. The camera also has an electronic level, which you use via the LCD screen.

Fujifilm-X10.2 The Fujifilm X10's 12-megapixel EXR CMOS sensor (2/3-inch type) is larger than those found in many other performance-minded point-and-shoots. Like the company's previous EXR-branded cameras, the X10 offers a few EXR-specific shooting modes in addition to aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and full manual exposure modes: a signal-to-noise mode for capturing low-noise shots in dim lighting, a high-dynamic-range mode, and a high-resolution mode for well-lit situations.

Other in-camera features include a "motion panorama" capability that stitches together an instant panoramic image by panning the camera; bracketing modes for exposure, ISO, HDR photography, and effects filters; and a pop-up flash in addition to a top-mounted hot shoe.

Fujifilm says the camera can power on and be ready to shoot in less than a second, and that the ring around the lens barrel can be used to power the camera on for a quick start-up time as you're framing the shot through the optical viewfinder. Fujifilm also claims that the X10 has a minimum focal distance of less than 0.4 inches in macro mode, and that the camera has an extremely fast shutter response time to go along with its boot-up speed.

In burst mode, the camera can capture 7 frames per second at full 12-megapixel resolution, as well as up to 10 frames per second at about a 6-megapixel resolution. The X10 also offers a 1080p video mode at 30 fps, saved as .mov files.

The X10 is due in November, and we're excited about it, but we're still waiting to see what its price will be. It looks loaded, but we're hoping the X10's price tag will be more like that of $500 cameras like the PowerShot G12, the Coolpix P7100, and the Lumix LX5 rather than the $1200 Fujifilm X100.

PC World

Panasonic Makes Big 3D Push With High-End Z10000 Camcorder

High-End-Z10000-Camcorder Panasonic today announced a high-end 3D camcorder that will be the first 3D camcorder to use the AVCHD Progressive video format (albeit in in 2D capture mode). The dual-lens, six-sensor Panasonic HDC-Z10000 will offer 1080p/60-fps recording, full manual focus and iris controls, high-end audio options, and manual controls to adjust the convergence point of the lenses during 3D capture.

Also of note: The Z10000 has the largest model number--ten thousand--that we've seen yet on a camera or camcorder this year. From the looks of its video, audio, and three-dimensional skill set, it may earn that impressive five-figure distinction.

The new Panasonic camcorder packs in a pair of the company's 3MOS sensors--each one a cluster of three 1/4.1-inch CMOS sensors that process red, blue, and green light separately--tucked behind two F1.5, 12X-optical-zoom lenses (32mm to 384mm). In 3D mode, optical zoom is limited to 10X. In 2D mode, the HDC-Z10000 offers slightly more powerful optical stabilization, although you can employ optical stabilization in both recording settings.

On the wide-angle end of that zoom range, Panasonic is touting the HDC-Z10000's 3D macro capabilities. The manual convergence controls must let the lenses get extremely cross-eyed, as the company says that the minimum focus 3D distance is around 18 inches from the lens.

The HDC-Z10000 boasts a glasses-free parallax barrier LCD screen that can toggle between 2D and 3D display during recording and playback. The 3.5-inch adjustable LCD has a 1.15-million-dot resolution, and the camcorder also sports a 2D eye-level viewfinder. Audio capture is geared toward the high end, as well, with two XLR inputs and 5.1-channel Dolby surround-sound mics on board.

In 3D mode, the HDC-Z10000 captures left- and right-channel video simultaneously at 1080i (60 frames per second) and 1080p (24 fps and 30 fps) in MPEG-4 MVC/H.264 format. The camcorder also captures .MPO 3D still images at a 2.1-megapixel resolution.

In 2D mode, the camcorder can record full HD 1080p video at 60 fps, as well as 1920-by-1080 video at 24p, 30p, and 60i in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format. Its 2D still images cap out at 3 megapixels in JPG format. For storage, it offers a dual SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, which allows uninterrupted recording from one card to the next once the first card's maximum capacity has been reached.

Panasonic has not finalized pricing or release-date information for the HDC-Z10000 at this point; but given its extensive manual controls, frame-rate options, and professional-level microphone inputs, it looks to be a higher-end rival to the Sony Handycam TD10.
New Dual-Lens 3D Compact Camera

Panasonic also announced an as-yet-unnamed dual-lens compact camera featuring two optically stabilized, 4X-optical-zoom lenses. In addition to both 2D and 3D images, the new camera will capture 3D videos in high definition in AVCHD format.

Little information is available on this new camera. However, since the company has made no mention of a glasses-free 3D LCD viewfinder, 3D image viewing seems to be limited to connecting the camera via HDMI to a compatible 3D TV, or inserting the camera's SD Card into a compatible 3D TV set. Panasonic has issued no pricing or release-date information on this new camera, either, but this product will be the first true twin-lens competitor to the Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3.

PC World

Samsung Unveils New Swappable-Lens, Pocket-Zoom, and Shape-Shifting Cams

Samsung-NX200.1 The Samsung NX200 is a new compact interchangeable-lens model, the WB750 offers an 18X zoom lens, and the slim MV800 has a unique adjustable touchscreen.

The past week or so has seen all the big-name camera manufacturers jockeying for position in the holiday camera-sales sweepstakes, and Samsung is the latest company to get in the game.

The Samsung NX200 compact interchangeable-lens camera is a follow-up to last year's NX100, adding a higher-resolution APS-C sensor, 1080p video capture, a more-secure-feeling grip, and 3D shooting options to its mix of features. The WB750 pocket megazoom offers an 18X-optical-zoom lens that ties it with the Nikon Coolpix S9100 at the top end of the pocketable-zoom class. And the Samsung MV800 is the quirkiest new offering of them all, due to an innovative top-hinged touchscreen that makes self-portraits easier and props the camera up for hands-free shooting.

Samsung NX200: 20-Megapixel APS-C Sensor in a Compact Body

The compact interchangeable-lens Samsung NX200 packs a 20.3-megapixel APS-C-size sensor, and it's compatible with Samsung's iFunction lenses, which offer direct access to some in-camera settings via a button on the side of the lens barrel. Samsung has expanded the range of options available via the iFunction button on this camera, adding the ability to enable special-effects filters by pressing the button.

The NX200 is capable of continuous shooting speeds of up to 7 frames per second at full resolution--even while capturing RAW-format images. Video resolution has also been upgraded to 1080p at 30 frames per second, saved as MP4 files. ISO equivalency settings range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, and the new camera also has bracketing modes for exposure and white balance.

Samsung-NX200.2 Samsung has added 3D still-image capture and a pan-to-capture panorama mode (for both 2D and 3D images) to the NX200. Viewing the images in 3D requires hooking the camera up to a compatible 3D TV set via HDMI; the camera's 3-inch-diagonal AMOLED display is 2D-only.

Like its predecessor, the NX200 will offer full manual, aperture- and shutter-priority modes, and a unique "Lens Priority" mode that's used with the iFunction button. New to the mix is a range of Magic Frame options, which we first saw in the Samsung SH100 point-and-shoot camera.

Another notable addition is the NX200's textured, raised handgrip, which should be a welcome improvement over the NX100's somewhat slippery frame. Unfortunately, there's still no on-board flash, although an external flash for the camera's hot shoe is included.

Pricing, kit configurations, and release date are not yet available for the Samsung NX200.

In addition to the NX200, Samsung also announced four new lenses for its NX line of interchangeable-lens cameras, all of which include the iFunction features: an 18-200mm/F3.5-6.3 optically stabilized zoom lens, a 16mm/F2.4 wide-angle lens, a 60mm/F2.8 macro lens, and an 85mm/F1.4 portrait lens. The NX system has a focal-length multiplier of 1.5X, and stabilization dependst on the lens.

Samsung WB750: 18X Optical Zoom and Manual Controls

The pocket megazoom Samsung WB750 offers a dual-stabilized (optical and digital) 18X optical-zoom lens that reaches from 24mm wide-angle to 432mm telephoto. Unlike the WB750's 18X optical-zoom rival, the Nikon Coolpix S9100, the camera offers full manual, aperture-priority, and shutter-priority modes.

wb750_fs_b_global-off_line-5213018 The WB750 features a 12.5-megapixel, backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that's optimized for low-light shooting. Burst mode tops out at an impressive 10 frames per second at full resolution, and video capture weighs in at 1080p at 30 fps in MP4 format.

Samsung's new pocket zoom also features many of the same in-camera goodies found in the Samsung SH100 and NX200, including 3D snapshot and 3D panorama modes, an exposure-bracketing HDR (high dynamic range) option, the Magic Frame features that allow for in-camera image overlays and special effects tricks, and a "zooming shot" feature that mimics the effects of using a slow shutter speed while simultaneously zooming the lens.

Around the back of the WB750 is a 3-inch LCD screen, a dedicated video-record button, and a quick-access button for the camera's high-speed burst mode. Information on pricing and availability is not yet available for the Samsung WB750.

Samsung MV800: Part Touchscreen Camera, Part Book

mv800_ft2_mb-5213026 The 16-megapixel Samsung MV800 is just 0.7 inches thick, but it somehow fits room in that small frame for a few crazy display tricks. The back of the MV800 is almost entirely taken up by a 3-inch-diagonal capacitive touchscreen, which has a hinge that allows it to swing upward.

Samsung says the radical new design is to aid with self-portraits and overhead and low-angle shots, as the screen's display orientation automatically adjusts depending on how you're holding the camera. Beyond the touchscreen, the back of the camera has two buttons--one for the camera's "home screen" and the other for playback--and a third button hidden under the screen is used as a shutter button when the screen is flipped upward.

The hinged screen is definitely a welcome spin for a lower-priced camera, as the MV800's core specs are otherwise pretty plain. It has a 5X optical-zoom lens (26mm to 130mm), dual optical/digital image stabilization, and 720p video recording at 30 fps and 15 fps.

A few of its in-camera features get quite a bit more interesting, as the MV800 shoots MPO-format 3D still images and also has the Magic Frame features found in other new Samsung cameras, an instant-panorama mode, and a "Storyboard Maker" that lets users lay their images out in a sort of comic-book template and share their images that way.

Like many recent ultracompact Samsung cameras, the MV800 will use microSD cards for storage. No pricing or release information is available for the Samsung MV800 for now.

PC World

Canon's New Pocket Megazooms Are More Pocketable Than Ever

powershot-elph-510-hs_black_2-5209702 We've referred to compact high-zoom cameras as pocket megazooms for quite some time now, but in most cases "pocket megazooms" require the pocket in question to be fairly big. Think "a jacket's inside pocket" rather than "jeans front pocket."

Two of Canon's new PowerShot pocket megazooms announced today actually are jeans-front-pocket friendly, despite offering optical zoom ranges that compete with those of slightly bulkier rivals. The 12X-optical-zoom Canon PowerShot Elph 510 HS has a body measuring just 0.86 inches deep, while the 8X-optical-zoom Canon PowerShot Elph 310 HS sports a frame that's 0.87 inch thick.
The company also announced a third, less-pocketable megazoom today: The 12X-optical-zoom Canon PowerShot SX150 IS has a beefier 1.8-inch-deep body--but unlike the two smaller pocket zooms, it offers manual exposure controls.

Canon PowerShot Elph 510 HS: Superslim Design, Touchscreen, 12X Zoom

Canon is billing the 12-megapixel PowerShot Elph 510 HS as the "world’s thinnest digital camera with 12X optical zoom and a 28mm wide-angle lens." The body measures 3.9 inches wide, 2.32 inches tall, and 0.86 inch deep. Its optically stabilized zoom lens reaches from 28mm wide-angle to 336mm telephoto in 35mm film equivalent.

powershot-elph-510-hs_red The latest PowerShot camera in Canon 's HS System line, the Elph 510 HS offers a low-light-optimized CMOS sensor and a 3.2-inch-diagonal LCD touchscreen. Added to the touchscreen functionality of the PowerShot Elph 500 HS from earlier this year is the ability to control the camera's shutter using the touch-to-focus controls; pressing the screen focuses on a subject, while releasing your finger from the screen fires the shutter.
The PowerShot Elph 510 HS offers a high-speed burst mode for still images that fires off 7.8 shots per second; however, unlike previous models in the HS System line, this camera doesn't provide a high-speed/superslow-motion video mode. In video mode, the Elph 510 HS shoots 1080p video at 24 frames per second, and optical zoom controls are enabled while the camera is shooting video.

You won't find any manual controls for shutter and aperture, but the PowerShot Elph 510 HS looks to have the generally excellent auto exposure, scene modes, and creative filters found in recent PowerShot cameras. New to the mix is an "Intelligent IS" stabilization system, which Canon says selects from various presets to correct camera shake more effectively in different scenarios. The system reportedly adjusts the level of shake correction automatically, depending on whether the user is snapping a wide-angle shot, a macro photo, a moving handheld shot, or a tripod-mounted shot, for example.
Due in the beginning of October, the Canon PowerShot Elph 510 HS is priced at $350 and will be available in black, silver, or red.

Canon PowerShot Elph 310 HS: Very Thin Design, 8X Zoom, and Physical Controls

powershot-elph-310-hs_blue_1-5209688 The 12-megapixel PowerShot Elph 310 HS trades in the 510 HS's touchscreen for physical buttons, and it has a slightly shorter zoom range (8X optical zoom, 28mm to 224mm) to go along with its smaller dimensions overall (3.77 inches wide, 2.24 inches tall, and 0.87 inches deep).

It also has a slightly faster burst-shooting mode than the PowerShot Elph 510 HS does, clocking in at 8.7 shots per second at its speediest. You handle shot composition via a 3-inch-diagonal LCD screen; the back of the camera also hosts a dedicated video-record button, a playback button, and your standard PowerShot four-way directional pad/function controls.

In an interesting design twist, the Auto-mode and Menu buttons reside on the side of the camera rather than the back of it. Canon moved those buttons from the back to the side in order to leave more room for the LCD screen without increasing the size of the camera or reducing the size of the display.
Like the PowerShot Elph 510 HS, the Elph 310 HS offers the new "Intelligent IS" stabilization system, 1080p video recording at 24 fps with optical-zoom functionality enabled, and a low-light-optimized CMOS sensor. Slated for availability in the beginning of October at $260, it will be available in purple, silver, blue, green, and pink.

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS: 12X Zoom, Manual Controls, and a CCD Sensor

powershot-sx150-is_black One of these cameras is not like the others. It's the 12X-optical-zoom (28mm to 336mm) Canon PowerShot SX150 IS, which is the only non-HS-branded PowerShot camera we've seen this year.

For instance, the PowerShot SX150 IS offers a 14-megapixel CCD sensor rather than the HS System's CMOS imager; most likely due to that CCD sensor, the SX150 IS lacks the fast-shooting burst mode and 1080p video capabilities of the other cameras. The PowerShot SX150 IS shoots 720p video with optical zoom enabled, and it measures a comparatively hefty 4.46 inches wide, 2.88 inches tall, and 1.8 inches deep.
However, the larger PowerShot SX150 IS offers more manual maneuverability, with aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and full manual exposure controls, as well as a pop-up flash instead of the other new models' fixed, front-facing flash. The SX150 IS also offers the Intelligent IS stabilization system found on the other cameras, and its 3-inch LCD is flanked by physical buttons and a scrollwheel to control its range of in-camera functions.
Due in early September, the Canon PowerShot SX150 IS is priced at $250, and will be available in black or red.

PC World

Samsung Previews New Cameras and NX Lenses

SONY DSC Samsung announced three new cameras and four NX lenses at a press conference at the IFA conference this morning in Berlin. The NX200, the newest camera in the compact interchangeable lens family, features a sleek, retro look, a departure from the previous generation NX10. Its 20.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor is the same size used in most D-SLRs, allowing you to capture sharp images and control depth of field.

The camera has a base ISO of 100, and can go as high as ISO 12800 for low-light shooting. It offers impressive speed, capturing images at up to 7 frames per second and delivering 100-millisecond autofocus performance. Video is recorded in MP4 format with H.264 compression at 1080p30 resolution. The NX200 doesn’t have a built-in flash, but an external pop-up flash will be included in the kit, along with the standard 18-55mm zoom lens. The kit will be priced at about $900.

NX Lenses

Samsung is also adding four NX lenses to its lineup. An 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 ED OIS superzoom with optical stabilization will be available at the end of August. It’s a great all-around lens, as its 11x zoom zoom ratio covers an extreme wide-angle through telephoto range. This is the equivalent of a 28-308mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera.

A new pancake prime, the 16mm F2.4, which is approximately 25mm in the 35mm format, is a boon to anyone who is looking for a small, fast, and wide lens. Available in September, the compact optic protrudes less than an inch from the face of the camera when mounted.

The NX system’s first dedicated macro optic, the 50mm F2.8 Macro ED OIS SSA lens, which approximates to a 92mm lens in 35mm terms, delivers true 1:1 magnification for close focus work. Ideal for capturing details or small objects, the lens can focus as close as 7.2 inches. The lens will be available in September.

Rounding out the lens introductions is the 85mm F1.4 ED SSA lens. Roughly equivalent to a classic 135mm portrait lens, the optic’s wide aperture allows for an extremely shallow depth of field. The lens supports autofocus, but also offers full-time manual focus capability so that you can fine-tune your shot.

Samsung’s new compact MV800 camera is highlighted by its large 3-inch touch-screen, flip-out LCD. You can position it so that you have a clear view of your frame when you hold the camera above your head, at waist-level, or with the lens facing you. The shutter can be fired by tapping the display, making it a great option for capturing photos from odd angles.

The camera’s 5x optical zoom lens covers a 26-130mm (35mm equivalent) field of view is perfect for arm-length self portraits, moderate telephoto scenes, and everything in between. It records images in 16.2-megapixel resolution, and supports 720p30 HD video capture. Numerous creative filters and modes are available, including picture-in-picture, funhouse mirror distortion, and an innovative panorama mode. Rather than capturing a wide, static shot, this mode can capture a sequence of images of a moving object, allowing you to capture multiple moments of action in a single frame. The MV800 will be priced at $279.

The final camera previewed is the one with the longest zoom range. The WB750 is a 12.5-megapixel shooter that features an 18x zoom lens, covering a 24-432mm (35mm equivalent) field of view. A 3-inch rear LCD is present for image framing and review, and the WB750 can capture 1080p30 video. It is loaded with numerous creative at filters and is capable of burst shooting at 10 fames per second.

PC Magazine

Samsung Unveils Swappable-Lens and Shape-Shifting Cams

The past week or so has seen all the big-name camera manufacturers jockeying for position in the holiday camera-sales sweepstakes, and Samsung is the latest company to get in on the game.

The Samsung NX200 compact interchangeable-lens camera is a follow-up to last year's NX100, adding a higher-resolution APS-C sensor, 1080p video capture, a more-secure-feeling grip, and 3D shooting options to its mix of features. The WB750 pocket megazoom offers an 18X-optical-zoom lens that ties it with the Nikon Coolpix S9100 at the top end of the pocketable zoom-range class. And the Samsung MV800 is the quirkiest new offering of them all, due to an innovative top-hinged touchscreen that eases self portraits and props the camera up for hands-free shooting.

Samsung NX200: 20-Megapixel APS-C Sensor in a Compact Body

The compact interchangeable-lens Samsung NX200 packs in a 20.3-megapixel APS-C size sensor, and it's compatible with Samsung's iFunction lenses, which offer direct access to some in-camera settings via a button on the side of the lens barrel. Samsung has expanded the range of options available via the iFunction button on this camera, adding the ability to enable special-effects filters by pressing the button.

The NX200 is capable of continuous shooting speeds of up to 7 frames per second at full resolution, including while capturing RAW-format images. Video resolution has also been upgraded to 1080p at 30 frames per second, saved as MP4 files. ISO equivalency settings range from ISO 100 to 12800, and the new camera also has bracketing modes for exposure and white balance.

Samsung has added 3D still-image capture and a pan-to-capture panorama mode (for both 2D and 3D images) to the NX200. Viewing the images in 3D requires hooking the camera up to a compatible 3DTV set via HDMI; the camera's 3-inch-diagonal AMOLED display is 2D-only.

Like its predecessor, the NX200 will offer full manual, aperture- and shutter-priority modes, as well as a unique "Lens Priority" mode that's used with the iFunction button. New to the mix is a range of Magic Frame options, which we first saw in the Samsung SH100 point-and-shoot camera.

Another notable addition is the NX200's textured, raised handgrip, which should be a welcome improvement over the NX100's somewhat slippery frame. Unfortunately, there's still no on-board flash, although an external flash for the camera's hot shoe is included with the camera.

Pricing, kit configurations, and release-date information are not yet available for the Samsung NX200.

In addition to the NX200, Samsung also announced four new lenses for its NX line of interchangeable-lens cameras, all of which include the iFunction features: an 18-200mm/F3.5-6.3 optically stabilized zoom lens, a 16mm/F2.4 wide-angle lens, a 60mm/F2.8 macro lens, and a 85mm/F1.4 portrait lens. The NX system has a focal-length multiplier of 1.5x, and stabilization is dependent on the lens.

Samsung WB750: 18X Optical Zoom and Manual Controls

The pocket megazoom Samsung WB750 offers a dual-stabilized (optical and digital) 18X-optical-zoom lens that reaches from 24mm wide-angle to 432mm telephoto. Unlike the WB750's 18X-optical-zoom rival, the Nikon Coolpix S9100, the camera offers full manual, aperture-priority, and shutter-priority modes.

The WB750 features a 12.5-megapixel, backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that's optimized for low-light shooting. Burst mode tops out at an impressive 10 frames per second at full resolution, and video capture weighs in at 1080p at 30fps in MP4 format.

Samsung's new pocket zoom also features many of the same in-camera goodies found in the Samsung SH100 and NX200, including 3D snapshot and 3D panorama modes, an exposure-bracketing HDR option, the Magic Frame features that allow for in-camera image overlays and special effects tricks, and a "zooming shot" feature that mimics the effects of using a slow shutter speed while simultaneously zooming the lens.

Around the back of the WB750 is a 3-inch LCD screen, a dedicated video-record button, and a quick-access button for the camera's high-speed burst mode. Pricing and availability information is not yet available for the Samsung WB750.

Samsung MV800: Part Touchscreen Camera, Part Book

The 16-megapixel Samsung MV800 is just 0.7 inches thick, but it somehow fits room in that small frame for a few crazy display tricks. The back of the MV800 is almost entirely taken up by a 3-inch-diagonal capacitive touchscreen, which has a hinge on the top of it that allows it to swing upward.

Samsung says the radical new design is to aid with self portraits, overhead, and low-angle shots, as the screen's display orientation automatically adjusts depending on how you're holding the camera. Beyond the touchscreen, there are two buttons on the back of the camera--one for the camera's "home screen" and the other for playback--as well as one hidden under the screen that's used as a shutter button when the screen is flipped upward.

The hinged screen is definitely a welcome spin for a lower-priced camera, as the MV800's core specs are otherwise pretty plain. It has a 5X-optical-zoom lens (26mm to 130mm), dual optical/digital image stabilization, and 720p video recording at 30fps and 15fps.

A few of its in-camera features get quite a bit more interesting, as the MV800 shoots .MPO format 3D still images, the Magic Frame features found in other new Samsung cameras, an instant panorama mode, and a "Storyboard Maker" that lets users lay their images out in a sort of comic-book template and share their images that way.

Like many recent ultracompact Samsung cameras, the MV800 will use Micro SD cards for storage. No pricing or release information is available for the Samsung MV800 for now.

PC Advisor

Fujifilm X10 review

Fujifilm-X10 The new X10 offers a larger sensor than all of the cameras mentioned above, as well as a wider aperture than all but one of them at the telephoto end of its zoom range. Like most of them, it offers full manual exposure controls, a RAW shooting mode, and a few unique extras that should make it a compelling competitor for other performance-minded (semi-)compact cameras.

It's also a bit bigger than the rest of the pack, clocking in at 2.2 inches deep, 4.6 inches wide, and 2.7 inches high--more like the size of a compact interchangeable-lens camera, except with a fixed lens.

In addition to its old-school aesthetics, the X10 also features an optically stabilized, manually operated 4X (28mm to 112mm) zoom lens; you twist the lens barrel to adjust focal length rather than use a powered zoom toggle. The top of the camera also hosts a dedicated exposure-compensation dial for fast adjustments.

The camera lets you select between manual focus and autofocus via a front-mounted dial. The X10's lens has maximum aperture settings of F2.0 wide-angle to F2.8 telephoto, and is faster at the telephoto end than we've seen in any competing camera other than the Olympus XZ-1 (F1.8 to F2.5).

Besides a back-mounted 2.8-inch-diagonal LCD viewfinder, the X10 also offers an eye-level optical viewfinder. Unlike the unique electronic/optical "hybrid viewfinder" found in the Fujifilm X100, the viewfinder in the X10 is a purely optical version with diopter adjustments. The camera also has an electronic level, which you use via the LCD screen.

x10-up_112mm-5212837 The Fujifilm X10's 12-megapixel EXR CMOS sensor (2/3-inch type) is larger than those found in many other performance-minded point-and-shoots. Like the company's previous EXR-branded cameras, the X10 offers a few EXR-specific shooting modes in addition to aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and full manual exposure modes: a signal-to-noise mode for capturing low-noise shots in dim lighting, a high-dynamic-range mode, and a high-resolution mode for well-lit situations.

Other in-camera features include a "motion panorama" capability that stitches together an instant panoramic image by panning the camera; bracketing modes for exposure, ISO, HDR photography, and effects filters; and a pop-up flash in addition to a top-mounted hot shoe.

Fujifilm says the camera can power on and be ready to shoot in less than a second, and that the ring around the lens barrel can be used to power the camera on for a quick start-up time as you're framing the shot through the optical viewfinder. Fujifilm also claims that the X10 has a minimum focal distance of less than 0.4 inches in macro mode, and that the camera has an extremely fast shutter response time to go along with its boot-up speed.

In burst mode, the camera can capture 7 frames per second at full 12-megapixel resolution, as well as up to 10 frames per second at about a 6-megapixel resolution. The X10 also offers a 1080p video mode at 30 fps, saved as .mov files.

PC Advisor

Make a Better Black-and-White Photo

There are a lot of things you can do to your photos with a single click in your photo editing program. Last week, for example, I showed you how you can use the Color Replacement tool in Adobe Photoshop Elements to change specific colors in an image. And in the past, I've explained how easy it is to convert any photo to a stylish black-and-white composition by setting the saturation to zero in any image editor.

In Adobe Photoshop Elements, you can use the Remove Color command (found in the Enhance, Adjust Color, Remove Color menu) to convert a photo to black-and-white in one step. This week, let's combine that with a little Layers action to give you more control over what your black-and-white photo looks like.

Start With Duplication

bw_layer01-5203767 As usual, I'll show you how to do this in Photoshop Elements--though the steps are basically the same in any photo editor that supports layers.

Get started by opening a photo that you would like to turn into a black and white. But don't go straight to the Remove Color command. Instead, duplicate the photo in a new layer first. To do that, choose Layer, Duplicate Layer from the menu, and then click OK. You should see two copies of the photo in the Layers Palette on the right side of the screen.

Turn It Into a Black and White

bw_layer02-5203771 Now we're ready for the black-and-white-ification of the photo. Make sure that the top layer is selected in the Layer Palette, then choose Enhance, Adjust Color, Remove Color. The photo should turn black and white--but if you glance over at the Layer Palette, you will notice that the bottom layer is still in color.

Tweaking the Black-and-White Photo

Here's where we get tricky. We're going to fine-tune the black-and-white version of the photo by editing the underlying color layer. Go back to the Layer Palette and change the blend mode from Normal to Hue. This will let you edit the black-and-white top layer by fiddling with aspects of the underlying color photo, such as the Hue and Saturation. The hue of the color layer will directly inform the final tone of the black-and-white photo.

bw_layer03-5203775 To try this out, click on the bottom layer--the one that is still in color--and choose Enhance, Adjust Color, Adjust Hue/Saturation. Now you can change the hue and saturation of your bottom layer, and watch the effect on the black-and-white layer. That's not all. With the bottom layer still selected, choose Enhance, Adjust Lighting, Brightness/Contrast. Notice that as you move the brightness and contrast sliders, you can see the effect on the final black-and-white image in real time.

When you are satisfied with your photo, you can combine the layers (right-click on a layer in the Layer Palette and choose Flatten Layers) and save the image as a JPEG. Here you can see how this photo evolved from color to black-and-white to an enhanced black-and-white using layer adjustments.

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PC World

Sony Alpha SLT-A35 review

Sony_Alpha_SLT-A35_1 The Sony Alpha SLT-A35 is an entry-level digital camera. It’s half-way between a digital SLR camera like the Canon EOS 600D and a mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera like the Olympus E-P3, because it has a ‘pellicle’ mirror — it can focus as fast as a digital SLR while showing a live view image on the rear LCD screen like a mirrorless camera. In theory it’s a good compromise between convenience and image quality but for all intents and purposes the Sony Alpha A35 is another good-but-not-great camera in an already-crowded market.

Sony Alpha SLT-A35: Design and layout

The Sony Alpha SLT-A35 is laid out like a traditional digital SLR camera, with an electronic viewfinder above a 3in rear LCD screen and a large finger-grip on the camera’s right-hand side. Buttons are laid out on both the top and rear, and there’s a mode dial on the left-hand top, near the button for the built-in pop-up flash. This layout isn’t anything special, but what caught our attention was how about half the buttons are slightly recessed into the camera’s body. If you’re using the Sony Alpha A35 up to your eye, this makes some of the buttons hard to find and press. Another puzzling feature is the lack of articulating LCD screen that the earlier Alpha A33 had (which also appears on the competing Canon EOS 600D and Nikon’s step-up D5100).

The body of the Sony Alpha A35 is compact for a digital SLR. It’s still a chunky beast compared to a mirrorless camera but alongside a Nikon D3x or a Canon 5D Mark II it’s toy-sized. This makes it great for throwing into an overnight bag or purse where a larger camera might be a hindrance. The A35’s ergonomics aren’t seriously compromised by the smaller size, though.

The Sony A35 accepts Sony A-mount lenses, with the camera available in single- and twin-lens kits. We tested the A35 with the kit 18-55mm lens, which is a general-purpose wide-angle zoom. Disappointingly, it’s cheaply built with scratchy plastics, and doesn’t zoom smoothly across the entire range. It’s also quite loud when focusing (which it does admittedly do reasonably quickly) — we’d opt for a different lens if possible.

The live view on the Sony Alpha SLT-A35 — the live video feed on the rear LCD and through the electronic viewfinder, in lieu of a through-the-lens view like on a regular SLR camera — is excellent. It’s smooth and accurately shows the exposure of the image you’re about to capture, and operates well even in low light. If you’re an amateur photographer that prefers composing images on the rear LCD, the Alpha A35 is a superior choice to other entry-level digital SLRs like the Canon EOS 600D and Nikon D3100 in this regard.

PC Advisor

Canon Powershot A3300 IS Digital Camera

Canon Powershot A3300 IS Digital Camera The Canon PowerShot A3300 IS is a solid sub-$200 point-and-shoot camera in more ways than one: It has a sturdy build, and it takes good-looking pictures for a camera at such a low price ($180 as of August 11, 2011). As with many lower-priced cameras, you don't get the manual controls, long-zoom lens, or kitchen-sink extras you'd find in higher-end models, but you still get an impressive array of shooting modes, an optically stabilized wide-angle zoom lens, and good performance for a $180 camera.

Hardware and Design

The 16-megapixel PowerShot A3300 captures images and 720p high-definition video with its 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor, tucked behind a 5X-optical-zoom lens that reaches from 28mm wide angle to 140mm telephoto (in 35mm film equivalent). Optical image stabilization is a nice plus for the price, as many cameras we've seen in this price range offer digital stabilization only (or no stabilization at all).

canon_powershot_a3300_is_digital_camera_red_deluxe_kit_882186_g2-5206993 The PowerShot A3300's control scheme is straightforward and easy to use, especially if you're familiar with Canon's standard point-and-shoot interface. Along with the power button, shutter button, and zoom control on the top, the camera has a mode dial with eight selections: Auto mode, a bare-bones "Easy" mode, a "Live View Control" mode that simplifies brightness and contrast adjustments, a "Discreet" mode that turns off the flash and camera audio, scene selections, creative filters, 720p movie mode, and a Program mode that lets you manually set ISO, white balance, metering modes, and exposure compensation.
You can reach even more shooting options, and navigate the on-screen menus, through a number of buttons on the back of the camera. Next to the PowerShot A3300's 3-inch LCD screen are four more buttons and a directional pad circling a function button. The camera has dedicated buttons for face detection, playback, display options, and accessing the menu; the four corners of the directional pad work as one-touch access to exposure compensation, macro mode, flash controls, photo deletion, and the self-timer settings.

Shooting Modes and Features

A handful of special shooting modes make the PowerShot A3300 IS stand out in the realm of sub-$200 digital cameras. The A3300 IS offers quite a few ways to snap photos in low light, and macro mode is also very effective: You can get within an inch of your subject and still snap a crisp shot.
Although the A3300 IS doesn't offer manual focus or exposure options, aperture priority mode, or shutter priority mode, the camera does have a long-shutter scene mode that lets you manually select shutter speeds ranging from 1 second to 15 seconds. As with any long-shutter option, you'll need a tripod or a flat surface to ensure that the resulting image isn't a blur.
Another low-light option is the camera's Low Light scene mode, which combines adjacent pixels on the sensor to avoid noisy high-ISO shots while reducing the resulting image resolution to 4 megapixels. While it certainly does the trick in terms of creating a usable low-light snapshot, don't expect the most accurate colors or the sharpest images out of this mode; in my hands-on tests, it cast a yellowish hue over low-light scenes, and images showed quite a bit of grain when I enlarged them at all.

In addition to a full complement of common scene modes (Landscape, Portrait, Fireworks, Snow, and the like), the PowerShot A3300 IS provides creative filters that overlay fun effects onto your images. A fish-eye-lens simulator, a "miniature mode" that mimics a tilt-shift lens, a toy-camera filter, a monochrome mode, and a high-saturation "poster effect" mode are all in the mix. The miniature mode in this camera adds a few more tricks, as well, allowing you to adjust the focal plane in your shot with the camera's directional pad; you can also apply the effect to video clips.
Another unusual feature, especially for the price point, is the camera's Discreet mode, which lets you take shots without the camera's sounds, flash, or autofocus beam enabled. This mode might come in handy for weddings, wildlife photography, and any other scenario where the sound and light coming from the camera would bother anyone around you.

Performance, Image Quality, and Video Quality

In PCWorld Labs subjective tests for image and video quality, the Canon PowerShot A3300 IS fared very well for a low-priced camera. It earned a score of Good for both exposure quality and color accuracy, and a score of Very Good in the areas of sharpness and distortion. The A3300 IS's built-in flash is especially well tuned, producing evenly exposed images with the flash enabled, even though colors--especially reds and oranges--look a bit more vibrant than they do in the real world. At the maximum 16-megapixel size, images also exhibit quite a bit of grain, but they look crisp and sharp at the sizes you'd use for most Web-sharing purposes.
You can see the sample images we used for our subjective tests by clicking on any of the thumbnails at left.
The PowerShot A3300 shoots good-quality video, although its video-quality score of Good was weighted heavily toward its performance in well-lit situations. The camera didn't brighten up our low-light test scene enough for us to see what was going on--and during our hands-on tests, we encountered some odd jumps in automated white balance when recording with the camera in unevenly lit situations. All in all, it's a very good performer for its price in both stills and video, and its overall performance score rivaled that of some much higher-priced cameras in our lab tests.

Battery life is one of the PowerShot A3300 IS's relatively weak spots, as the camera is rated for 230 shots per charge of its lithium ion battery. That falls in the Fair range for our battery-life scores.

Buying Advice

Canon's entry-level A series of PowerShots has long been known for its balance of solid performance and low price, and the PowerShot A3300 IS is no exception. It's easy to use, it takes good-looking photos without any hassle, and it even throws in a few higher-end creative modes to play around with. Usually, you get what you pay for. In this case, you get quite a bit more than you'd expect out of a sub-$200 camera.

Use Your Image Editor to Replace a Color in a Photo

Sometimes reality just isn't good enough. In fact, that's the basis for most photo editing. Whether you're applying the Orton Effect to make your subject glow or accenting your subject by removing color from the rest of the photo, there are a lot of ways to make dramatic changes to a photo after it has been taken. But sometimes the change you're looking for is a lot more subtle. What if you only want to change a single color, like the shade of someone's clothing or your subject's eye color? This week, let's see how that's done.

Introducing the Color Replacer

I'll show you how to change a color in your photo using Adobe Photoshop Elements, but if you use a different photo editing program, don't sweat it: The process is almost exactly the same in any modern program. That's because most photo editors feature a useful little gadget called the Color Replacement tool (though the name will vary from program to program).

The Color Replacement tool lets you paint over one color with a different color, and it relies on a tolerance adjustment to know which shades of that color to replace. With a little practice, you can wield the tool well enough that no one will suspect you changed someone's eye color from brown to blue, or painted your house a different color.

Swapping Colors

color_replace01-5203759 To get started, begin by opening a photo in Photoshop Elements. Then select the Color Replacement Tool, which you can find in the toolbar on the left side of the screen, 17 cubbies from the top. It shares a space with some other brush tools and the pencil tool.

Before you start painting, you need to choose the color that you want to apply to your photo. In the color palette at the very bottom of the toolbar, click the foreground color swatch (which is the one on the upper left). You should see the Select Foreground Color dialog, where you can browse for and mix colors until you get the exact shade you want. When you are happy with the color, click OK, and you should see the swatch in the toolbar change accordingly.

color_replace02-5203763 Now start painting. Click in the photo where you want to change the color, and you should see the old color replaced by the new color. Now just paint to apply the color. Here, you can see I've begun changing my daughter's dress from green to purple. (Note that I just painted over the white pattern; the tool's tolerance adjustment lets it ignore huge differences in contrast.)

Correcting Snags

Depending upon the way the tool was configured, you might run into some easily correctable snags. For starters, the brush might be too large or too small for the area you are trying to paint. I generally pick a brush that's about a quarter the size of the area I'm working on. To do that, click the Brush drop-down in the Tool Palette at the top of the screen and set the brush size in pixels. Make a first pass on the photo to do most of the work, being careful not to color outside the lines; we'll fine-tune the edges later.

Another setting you'll want to tweak is the Tolerance control. Tolerance determines how similar the nearby colors have to be in order for the Color Replacement tool to paint over them. If the tolerance is too low, the old color won't get satisfactorily replaced; too high, and you'll end up including dissimilar colors you didn't want. I recommend setting Tolerance (also found in the Tool Palette) between 30 and 40 percent, and experimenting from there if that doesn't work for you.

Honing the Edges

Finally, you might have noticed that the Color Replacement tool doesn't do a great job painting around the edges of your color region. That's usually because your brush is too big. For edge work, reduce the size of your brush and carefully paint around the edges, being careful not to let the brush stray too much into neighboring colors. Paint with a steady hand, and you can convincingly recolor almost any photo.

Hot Pic of the Week

Get published, get famous! Each week, we select our favorite reader-submitted photo based on creativity, originality, and technique.

Here's how to enter: Send us your photograph in JPEG format, at a resolution no higher than 800 by 600 pixels. Entries at higher resolutions will be immediately disqualified. If necessary, use an image editing program to reduce the file size of your image before e-mailing it to us. Include the title of your photo along with a short description and how you photographed it. Don't forget to send your name, e-mail address, and postal address. Before entering, please read the full description of the contest rules and regulations.

PC Advisor

Sony DEV-5 review

sony_dev5 The Sony DEV-5 digital binoculars are - along with their little brother the DEV-3 - the "world's first digital binoculars with HD video recording," according to the company, and the devices' imaging capabilities go beyond that. In addition to 1080p high-definition recording at both 60 frames per second and 24 fps, the binoculars capture 3D still images and 3D video.

Viewing content in 3D with the Sony DEV-5 binoculars while shooting or playing it back doesn't require glasses, because the stereographic effect is created by viewing separate channels for the left and right eyes through the binoculars' eyepieces.

Both the Sony DEV-5 and the DEV-3 offer twin 10X-optical-zoom Sony G lenses (F1.9 to F3.4) with optical stabilization, backed by a pair of backside-illuminated CMOS sensors optimized for low-light situations. In still-image mode, the binoculars capture 7.1-megapixel still images in 4:3 aspect ratio or 5.3-megapixel stills in 16:9 aspect ratio; the 2D images are shot through one of the two lenses.

A removable storage slot accepts both SD/SDHC/SDXC cards and Sony's Memory Stick format, and both pairs of binoculars offer HDMI output to an HDTV or 3DTV for playing back footage and images. The main difference between the two models comes down to a few extra features and accessories accompanying the Sony DEV-5: It provides geotagging features (thanks to a built-in GPS receiver); an enhanced digital zoom that reaches a simulated 20X telephoto; and a carrying case, strap, and eye cups.

I spent a little hands-on time with the Sony DEV-5 digital recording binoculars, and the process of recording video with them - especially in 3D mode - is about as immersive an experience as you can imagine while shooting video. Though the binoculars' eyepieces are fixed in place, you can adjust the interpupillary distance of images seen through them via a control wheel, which comes in handy for adjusting the "3D-ness" of images while you're shooting.

They're a bit larger than a typical pair of binoculars, and even though they're lighter than they look, operating them requires both hands. A toggle on the top of the camera handles zooming the binoculars - and the autofocus system worked without a hitch throughout the zoom range in my hands-on time. The binoculars also have manual focus controls, which a manual adjustment wheel underneath the eyepieces governs. Both models also have a mic-in port and a shoe on the top of the binoculars that accepts an external microphone; and an omnidirectional, two-channel Dolby microphone is built into the unit.

Though a pair of video/3D-shooting binoculars falls on the "niche device" side of the fence, the effect of viewing a scene with both eyes through the viewfinder, encompassing your entire field of vision, would be a welcome addition to mainstream 3D cameras of the future. A few 3D-capable camcorders currently have glasses-free 3D displays, but peering into a 3D image with both eyes as you're filming it is another experience entirely.

PC Advisor

Sony Alpha A77 Is About to Beat DSLRs at Their Own Game

Sony-Alpha-A77 At first glance, and probably even after several subsequent glances, you might mistake the just-announced Sony Alpha SLT-A77 for a DSLR.

Its size, $2000 kit price, and weather-sealed magnesium alloy body are all well in line with what you'd expect from a high-end consumer DSLR. Its 24.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, A-mount for interchangeable DSLR lenses, and manual control scheme are usually found only on DSLRs. And perhaps most important, it just looks like a DSLR.

This is not a DSLR. The distinction won't mean much to most people, but many photographers say that something is "not a DSLR" in the same tone that a guy with a sweater tied around his shoulders uses to describe a box of Franzia wine. A camera is "not a DSLR" in the same way that Oasis is not the Beatles, Footloose (2011) is not Footloose (1984), and this sandwich is not a real Philly cheesesteak.

But with the Sony Alpha A77, the whole "not being a DSLR" paradigm may get flipped on its head. That's because what makes this camera "not a DSLR" is precisely what makes it more compelling than a DSLR, especially for videographers and fast-action photographers. And by "fast-action photographers," I'm not just referring to NFL sideline photographers or the paparrazi; a fast-focusing, fast-shooting camera is incredibly useful for people interested in taking photos of their baby, wildlife, Bigfoot, or their dog jumping to catch a Frisbee.

The Alpha A77's fixed translucent internal mirror makes the difference. Because it doesn't reflect the light coming through the lens to an optical viewfinder, the camera doesn't meet the "reflex" requirement of the "digital single lens reflex" (DSLR) name. Instead, the camera redirects light to an autofocus sensor.

slt-a77_phantom-5209323 In practical terms, the translucent mirror means that the Alpha A77's phase-detection autofocus system works when the camera is shooting video or is in burst mode, neither of which is the case with a DSLR. As long as light comes through the lens, the Alpha A77's mirror redirects some of the light to the camera's autofocus sensor. In a traditional DSLR, the mirror is flipped up during video capture and in burst shooting mode, and the DSLR's through-the-lens, phase-detection autofocus system punts to the camera's less-effective contrast-detection autofocus system, which the imaging sensor itself drives.

Continuous autofocus isn't new, but because many DSLRs use contrast-detection AF rather than phase-detection AF during burst and video capture, they struggle with those modes. Maintaining sharp focus on fast-moving subjects that are approaching the lens during burst or video capture is especially problematic for most DSLRs.

In contrast, Sony lists meeting that challenge as the Alpha A77's core strength. The specs tell the story here. The camera's lightning-fast, 12-frames-per-second burst mode at full 24.3-megapixel resolution runs laps around the maximum continuous shooting speed of most DSLRs. Sony claims that the Alpha A77 is the first camera to shoot images at a resolution of greater than 20 megapixels with a speed faster than 5 fps; most DSLRs top out at around 8 fps in burst mode, even at lower resolutions.

Because the Alpha A77 has no moving mirror, you'll see an intermittent, strobe-like black-out time on the camera's OLED viewfinder and LCD screen while you're shooting continuously. This A77 is also the first interchangeable-lens camera to support the AVCHD Progressive format when shooting video, meaning that it can capture 1080p video footage at a higher frame rate and at a higher bitrate, with continuous autofocus employed. The camera's ability to shoot full 1080p video at 60 fps and 24 fps should make it a standout device for video capture.

Translucent-mirror technology isn't new. Last year's Sony Alpha A55 and Alpha A33 offered the same in-camera hall of mirrors. But the Alpha A77 ups the ante with that insane 24.3-megapixel sensor (up from 16 megapixels in the A55), a new Bionz image processor (which has to be powerful to process huge image files and all of those AF adjustments simultaneously), a faster burst mode despite the significantly higher-resolution images, and video capabilities that appear to be second to none when matched up against consumer DSLRs.

The major tradeoff for all of these performance enhancements is the absence of an optical through-the-lens viewfinder, which many accomplished shooters consider a dealbreaker--and a major contributor to their mocking "not a DSLR" tone. Certainly most users of last year's Alpha A55 would list its grainy-security-camera-like eye-level EVF as a key weak spot.

But the Alpha A77 vastly improves on its predecessor in this area as well. The 2.5-million-dot OLED eye-level viewfinder on the A77--which Sony claims is the first OLED EVF in the world--is currently the sharpest and brightest in the game. And though it's not an optical viewfinder, it provides a crisp, bright, full-coverage view, and you get the benefit of better low-light visibility, a histogram display, and detailed data through the eyepiece as you're shooting--all advantages over an optical viewfinder.

slt-a77_tilt_lcd_3-5209327 The electronic viewfinder isn't the only element that Sony has completely redesigned for this camera. The Alpha A77's 3-inch LCD viewfinder has a new "three-way tilt" adjustment mechanism that lets you position the screen in almost any direction, while enabling it to remain on the same vertical plane as the camera's lens.

The Alpha A77 may also be the camera that shows DSLR users what Sony has been up to with the innovative modes added to its Cyber-shot point-and-shoot cameras over the past few years. The Alpha A77 offers many of the same creative and fun-to-use shooting options we've seen in recent Cyber-shots, which gain even more power from the A77's fast performance, higher-end optics, big sensor, and beefy image processor.

The Alpha A77 has the same Sweep Panorama and single-lens 3D shooting options as Sony's recent Cyber-shot cameras, along with a range of effects that let you simulate a tilt-shift lens, automatically bracket and stack images to create instant HDR and sharper low-light shots, isolate a single color in black-and-white photos, and choose other optional features and effects. The A77 also has a GPS receiver to geotag shots as you take them, and its body-based sensor-shift system ensures that any lens will be stabilized once it's mounted.

So the Alpha A77 may not be a DSLR, but that fact shouldn't deter anyone seeking a versatile interchangeable-lens camera from checking it out. The sum of its parts is a "not a DSLR" to get very excited about, as it seems to cover more ground than any similarly priced DSLR in terms of high-speed capture, video capabilities, autofocus skills, creative in-camera filters, and fun-to-use modes.

The Sony Alpha A77 is slated to be available in October for $2000 as a kit with a 16-50mm/F2.8 zoom lens, or for $1400 for the body only.

PCPro

Sony Alpha NEX-5N First Impressions

Sony-Alpha-NEX-5N August is always a hot month for new camera announcements, and this year August 23 was a particularly busy day. Canon, Nikon, and Sony all introduced multiple models that will be available in the coming months, and Sony concentrated on revamping its entire interchangeable-lens camera lineup.

I managed to get my hands on a production unit of one of Sony’s latest mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, the Alpha NEX-5N. It’s a follow-up to last year’s popular NEX-5 camera, and I saw more similarities than differences between the two. For example, the new camera still has no on-board flash, although an external flash is included.

That said, the things that have changed are notable.

Who said that mirrorless cameras have to be slow? Even though Sony bumped up the sensor’s resolution from 14 to 16 megapixels, the 5N’s 10-frames-per-second continuous shooting speed definitely (and surprisingly) outpaces the NEX-5’s 7-fps rate. For single shots and in continuous mode, this little camera performs like a champ. Shutter lag? No problem; it’s almost nonexistent. According to Sony, the NEX-5N has a release time of about 0.02 second, and it certainly feels a lot faster than the NEX-5’s 0.1-second release time.

Perhaps the most distinguishing aspect is the NEX-5N’s adjustable touchscreen LCD--a first among Sony’s Alpha cameras. The screen itself is responsive, even when you tilt the hinged display, and the touchscreen doesn't replace the camera's physical controls entirely.

Unfortunately, only a couple of direct touch-panel controls are available, and setting changes require a trip to the rather confusing menu system. (Movie options, for example, are divided between the Image Size and Setup menus.) That slows down operation, at least when compared with the dedicated buttons you find on a DSLR. However, the arrangement may be a necessary trade-off for making a camera this small with such an uncluttered interface.

Sony-Alpha-NEX-5N.1 Flexible Spot AF is, perhaps, the best justification for the NEX-5N having a touchscreen panel, as a single tap of the LCD places a focus point in the desired position. It's fairly responsive in bright light at wide angle, but it slows under low light when the 18-55mm kit lens is extended to its moderate telephoto position.

Although the final focus lock comes when the shutter is half pressed, you can get a nice bokeh (soft background) effect depending on the lens and focal length you use. I was disappointed to find that the NEX-5N offers no way to trigger the shutter via the LCD as other touchscreen cameras do (or maybe I just overlooked the feature, as I'm still getting the hang of the NEX-5N).

In movie mode, focus automatically adjusts as the camera moves across and through a scene. Again--and as expected--focus adjustments are faster when you're shooting at wide angle. In my trials at close range, while using midrange and telephoto focal lengths of the 18-55mm lens, I found the focus slightly slower to catch up during panning but not excruciatingly so. And I saw little noticeable, distracting focus search.

Sony also boasts about having the smallest camera in its class to use a full APS-C-size sensor. Initial ISO tests seem to indicate that the larger sensor helps keep image noise (reasonably) under control, as it should. Of course, push the ISO to the NEX-5N’s max of 25,600, and--well, it’s not so pretty. But it’s also not surprising.

Sony added a few new creative options to the NEX-5N, including the now-ubiquitous miniature mode, along with an HDR painting filter, soft focus, and rich-tone monochrome. Fun, but not terribly exciting at first pass.

The camera has a couple of very cool--albeit very expensive--accessories: an optional eye-level OLED viewfinder and an A-mount adapter that has built-in phase-detection focus similar to the system found on the just-announced Alpha A77. The phase-detection system is, by nature, faster and more flexible than the contrast-detection focus that mirrorless cameras use. Both add-ons sound handy, but at $400 for the mount adapter and $350 for the OLED viewfinder, they more than double the price of the $700 kit package for the NEX-5N.

Nevertheless, the bottom line is image quality, and early test shots show that the NEX-5N delivers some really good-looking images. Its photos are perhaps even a little better than those of the NEX-5, and that’s coming from someone who really, really likes the NEX-5.

I’m still playing around with this new compact interchangeable-lens camera, so look for a full review soon.

PC World

Shooting Rainbows With Your Digital Camera

rainbow_01-5193490 For an ordinary act of nature, rainbows seem to have an almost supernatural hold over us. A rainbow is really just a giant prism; water vapor in the air splits sunlight into its individual component colors. Yet seeing those colors arcing overhead is always an event; people never seem to tire of rainbows. If you've already tried your hand at flowers, silhouettes, fireworks, and night photography, perhaps you'd like to capture some rainbows. If so, keep reading--this week is all about freezing nature's prism.

Finding a Rainbow

No matter how much digital photography advice or photographic theory you get about rainbows, the first--and likely biggest--problem you'll encounter is simply finding one. If you're in rainbow hunting mode, it's not a bad idea to keep a camera in the car or otherwise carry one around with you.

That said, you can learn to anticipate prime rainbow conditions. To see one, you'll need both water in the air and bright sunlight. Rainbows commonly appear right before or after a storm hits your location, when it's raining nearby but the clouds have parted, allowing the sun to peek through. Rainbows always appear in the sky opposite the sun--so if the sun is in the west, look east for your rainbow.

Rainbows also have a very specific geometry. The top of the arch is always about 42 degrees above a line formed by the intersection of the sun and your head. That means you'll see more rainbows when the sun is relatively low in the sky; in fact, if the sun is higher than 42 degrees in the sky, the rainbow would be below the horizon entirely, and therefore impossible to see. Exception: If you're at a high elevation, such as on a mountain or on a cliff overlooking a valley, the rainbow might have enough room to form even when the sun is high overhead.

Make Your Own

I should point out that if Mother Nature isn't cooperating, you can create your own rainbow. Since a rainbow is just the right combination of bright sunlight and airborne water, you can generate your own with a sprinkler or garden hose from your backyard on a sunny day. Put the sun at your back and then spray water into the air in front of you. You'll want a fine mist or small droplets of water rather than a stream, so if you have a hose, plug it with your thumb to create a thin wall of high-pressure water. If you're lucky, you'll see a rainbow materialize. To photograph it, delegate hose duty to someone else.

Shooting Rainbows

rainbow_03-5193498 Now that you know how to hunt rainbows (or generate your own), let's talk about how to capture one with your camera.

This might be obvious, but I should point out that a rainbow is not a real physical thing; it is an optical illusion that is unique to your particular relationship to the sun and where you are actually standing at any given moment. You can't move closer to it; it will always appear to keep a constant distance from you. So while you can photograph a rainbow, remember that you can't lock your camera's focus on it, nor does the appearance of the rainbow affect the exposure setting.

That said, you can take advantage of the optical illusion to make a more interesting composition. If you move parallel to the rainbow (rather than getting closer or further away), the rainbow's relative position will change with respect to the background. That means you can make a rainbow photo more interesting by walking around until the rainbow's ends--where it intersects the ground--line up with something interesting. At the very least, by moving around you might be able to position the rainbow against a more interesting backdrop. In the photo on the right, for example, you can see a rainbow that's been expertly positioned to frame a tree.

Another element of the composition you can control is the zoom level. You'll need a fairly wide-angle zoom setting to capture the entire rainbow in a single photo, but by zooming in, you can focus the scene on just one part of the arc, as in the photo on the left.

Finally, you don't need to worry much about tweaking the exposure. You can shoot the scene normally with your camera set on its Program mode, but photographers will commonly underexpose the shot a little (you can set the exposure compensation dial to -1) to saturate the colors a little. Another way to saturate the colors: Use a polarizing filter. Experiment with your polarizer's setting, since using the polarizer at full strength can make the rainbow disappear from the photo.

PC World

5 Lomography Cameras for Retro, Dreamy Photography

Digital photography has come a long way. It has removed the barrier of expensive film and development, led to decent smartphone cameras that let anyone to snap a photo anywhere, and bumped the maximum resolution up to a ridiculous 59,783-by-24,658-pixel image. At the same time, high-end digital cameras and lenses can get very expensive, and that fact holds back some from experimenting. Some groups still stand by the analog format, and lomography is perhaps one of the most interesting results.

Lomography is an artistic experimental photography movement that revolves around quirky, plastic cameras that use film. The cameras take heavily vignetted and saturated pictures for a low-fi look that makes them comparable to their digital camera counterparts, some of which cost 100 times more money. Some of these cameras are also designed to do something I’ve never imagined with my DSLR.

Holga 35mm

There’s nothing like a reliable classic. My first film camera was a 35mm, and this is probably the case for anyone who has wound his or her film by hand. The Holga 35mm comes with a plastic 47mm lens (which is a good focal distance for any kind of photography), and the minimum aperture limit set at f/8 ensures that nothing in your shot will be out of focus. The camera also has a decoupled film advance and shutter, which means you can shoot double exposures on the same frame.

Holga 120-3D Stereo Camera

holga_35mm-5203505 3D photography is still a very expensive niche in the digital space. But the Holga 120-3D Stereo Camera is an inexpensive analog alternative that takes two simultaneous shots with twin lenses. However, you'll need to buy a special slide viewer to see the images in 3D, and the 120mm film is a bit more costly than standard film.

Spinner 360°

Taking a regular panoramic shot usually entails shooting a set of vertical photos while moving your camera around an axis. It takes a decent amount of time to set up, and you don’t get any results until you are done with post processing, cropping, and cleaning it up. The Spinner 360° simplifies everything with a ripcord. Just pull the cord, and the camera starts spinning to take a full 360-degree image.

Fisheye One

fisheye_one-5203501 Specialty lenses that provide a particular look to your photos can be really expensive, so a fisheye camera for under $60 is a real bargain. This particular fisheye camera takes photos in an ultra-wide 170 degrees and a near-circular view thanks to the lens's extreme distortion effect.

SuperSampler

A quick-burst shooting mode is one of my favorite things about using a DSLR, but it’s a feature that's almost completely absent on affordable point-and-shoots. The SuperSampler is quick-snapper that takes four consecutive exposures on the same frame of film. The four separate lenses take a sequence of four exposures in 2 seconds on a single photo.

PCWorld

Sony Alpha A77 review

Sony_Alpha_A77 At first glance, and probably even after several subsequent glances, you might mistake the just-announced Sony Alpha SLT-A77 for a DSLR.

Its size, price, and weather-sealed magnesium alloy body are all well in line with what you'd expect from a high-end consumer DSLR. Its 24.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, A-mount for interchangeable DSLR lenses, and manual control scheme are usually found only on DSLRs. And perhaps most important, it just looks like a DSLR.

The Sony Alpha A77 is not a DSLR. The distinction won't mean much to most people, but many photographers say that something is "not a DSLR" in the same tone that a guy with a sweater tied around his shoulders uses to describe a box of Franzia wine. A camera is "not a DSLR" in the same way that Oasis is not the Beatles, Footloose (2011) is not Footloose (1984), and Ant and Dec aren't Eric and Ernie. But with the Sony Alpha A77, the whole "not being a DSLR" paradigm may get flipped on its head. That's because what makes this camera "not a DSLR" is precisely what makes it more compelling than a DSLR, especially for videographers and fast-action photographers. And by "fast-action photographers," I'm not just referring to cricket photographers or the paparrazi; a fast-focusing, fast-shooting camera is incredibly useful for people interested in taking photos of their baby, wildlife, Bigfoot, or their dog jumping to catch a Frisbee.

The Sony Alpha A77's translucent internal mirror makes the difference. Because it doesn't move while you're shooting, the camera doesn't meet the "reflex" requirement of the "digital single lens reflex" (DSLR) name.

In practical terms, the translucent mirror means that the Sony Alpha A77's phase-detection autofocus system works when the camera is shooting video or is in burst mode, neither of which is the case with a DSLR. As long as light comes through the lens, the Alpha A77's mirror redirects some of the light to the camera's autofocus sensor. In a traditional DSLR, the mirror is flipped up during video capture and in burst shooting mode, and the DSLR's through-the-lens, phase-detection autofocus system punts to the camera's less-effective contrast-detection autofocus system, which the imaging sensor itself drives.

Continuous autofocus isn't new, but because many DSLRs use contrast-detection AF rather than phase-detection AF during burst and video capture, they struggle with those modes. Maintaining sharp focus on fast-moving subjects that are approaching the lens during burst or video capture is especially problematic for most DSLRs.

In contrast, Sony lists meeting that challenge as the Sony Alpha A77's core strength. The specs tell the story here. The camera's lightning-fast, 12-frames-per-second burst mode at full 24.3-megapixel resolution runs laps around the maximum continuous shooting speed of most DSLRs. Sony claims that the Alpha A77 is the first camera to shoot images at a resolution of greater than 20 megapixels with a speed faster than 5 fps; most DSLRs top out at around 8 fps in burst mode, even at lower resolutions.

Because the Sony Alpha A77 has no moving mirror, you'll see an intermittent, strobe-like black-out time on the camera's OLED viewfinder and LCD screen while you're shooting continuously. This A77 is also the first interchangeable-lens camera to support the AVCHD Progressive format when shooting video, meaning that it can capture 1080p video footage at a higher frame rate and at a higher bitrate, with continuous autofocus employed. The camera's ability to shoot full 1080p video at 60 fps and 24 fps should make it a standout device for video capture.

Translucent-mirror technology isn't new. Last year's Sony Alpha A55 and Alpha A33 offered the same in-camera hall of mirrors. But the Alpha A77 ups the ante with that insane 24.3-megapixel sensor (up from 16 megapixels in the A55), a new Bionz image processor (which has to be powerful to process huge image files and all of those AF adjustments simultaneously), a faster burst mode despite the significantly higher-resolution images, and video capabilities that appear to be second to none when matched up against consumer DSLRs.

The major tradeoff for all of these performance enhancements is the absence of an optical through-the-lens viewfinder, which many accomplished shooters consider a dealbreaker - and a major contributor to their mocking "not a DSLR" tone. Certainly most users of last year's Sony Alpha SLT-A55 would list its grainy-security-camera-like eye-level EVF as a key weak spot.

But the Sony Alpha A77 vastly improves on its predecessor in this area as well. The 2.5-million-dot OLED eye-level viewfinder on the A77--which Sony claims is the first OLED EVF in the world--is currently the sharpest and brightest in the game. And though it's not an optical viewfinder, it provides a crisp, bright, full-coverage view, and you get the benefit of better low-light visibility, a histogram display, and detailed data through the eyepiece as you're shooting--all advantages over an optical viewfinder.

The electronic viewfinder isn't the only element that Sony has completely redesigned for this camera. The Sony Alpha A77's 3-inch LCD viewfinder has a new "three-way tilt" adjustment mechanism that lets you position the screen in almost any direction, while enabling it to remain on the same vertical plane as the camera's lens.

The Sony Alpha A77 may also be the camera that shows DSLR users what Sony has been up to with the innovative modes added to its Cyber-shot point-and-shoot cameras over the past few years. The Alpha A77 offers many of the same creative and fun-to-use shooting options we've seen in recent Cyber-shots, which gain even more power from the A77's fast performance, higher-end optics, big sensor, and beefy image processor.

The Sony Alpha A77 has the same Sweep Panorama and single-lens 3D shooting options as Sony's recent Cyber-shot cameras, along with a range of effects that let you simulate a tilt-shift lens, automatically bracket and stack images to create instant HDR and sharper low-light shots, isolate a single color in black-and-white photos, and choose other optional features and effects. The A77 also has a GPS receiver to geotag shots as you take them, and its body-based sensor-shift system ensures that any lens will be stabilized once it's mounted.

So the Sony Alpha A77 may not be a DSLR, but that fact shouldn't deter anyone seeking a versatile interchangeable-lens camera from checking it out. The sum of its parts is a "not a DSLR" to get very excited about, as it seems to cover more ground than any similarly priced DSLR in terms of high-speed capture, video capabilities, autofocus skills, creative in-camera filters, and fun-to-use modes.

PC Advisor