This camera is ultra powerful at 22 megapixels, 61pt AF, and having the ability to capture 6.9fps. If these specs remain true, we could be looking at a replacement for the 7D. Shipping for this unit will likely be taking place in late March or early April. This camera does not trump the Nikon 36mp D800, so it seemed important for the man Masaya Maeda of Canon to destroy rumors that Canon was falling beyond recently:

“Regarding how Canon responds to the competition from Nikon’s D800 and the concern of the successor of 5D Mark II, Maeda indicates that although he cannot leak information about un-announced product, the way Canon develops new product is to satisfy the needs of professional photographers. For instance, the introduction of EOS-1D X is to satisfy professional photographers to photoshoot sports events like the Olympics, in terms of their requirement of high FPS and high image quality under high ISO settings. If Canon thinks the market wants the high resolution models such as the 30+ MP of Nikon’s D800, they can easily develop such products…” – Maeda

This quote comes from Canon Rumors where they’ve also got a tip that the 5D Mark II could remain “current” enough to gain additional hardware and attention from Canon even when the III is out and about. This would be great news for owners of the 5D Mark II and those who still want to pick one up now that the price will inevitably go down. Seeya then!

[via Canon Rumors]

In fact, Remove can be set to automatically delete any problems it identifies, though you can switch over to manual mode if you decide you’d like to keep something in-frame instead. Obviously the problems themselves have to be moving, since Scalado is cutting out transient objects based on a stationary background.

Scalado Remove demo:

Remove uses similar technology to Scalado’s previous photography app, Rewind. That used composite images to piece together the best group portrait shot, with facial recognition used to scroll through the various expressions your subjects have made:

Scalado Rewind demo:

Scalado will be showing off Remove at MWC 2012 later this month, though the company isn’t saying when we might see it show up on devices commercially.

You’ll download the app, open it up, snap a couple photos, and poof! They’ll be uploaded do your Dropbox. You’ll need a Dropbox account of course, and you’ll need to hook it up to your QuickShot with Dropbox app one single time in a rather simple manner, but that’s it! From there it’s just you approving or disapproving of the media the app collects through your iPhone’s camera. You can take front or back-facing photos or video, you’ve got the ability to use your flash, touch to focus, and that’s it!

So really the biggest drawback in this app is your inability to do anything really strange or above average with the photos you’re taking. In that case, if you’re worried about such a thing, you can upload photos from your gallery taken with other cameras. You can do this through QuickShot with Dropbox and it will upload all photos and video in, again, the background. Have a peek at the hands-on video with this app we’ve got here, then download it instantly from the iTunes App Store for a mere $1.99 – it’s worth it!

Also note that we’re using the iPhone 4S for this review, and that if you’ve got any app on the market that you’re interested in us reviewing, give a hollar!

The news marks the end of an era for Kodak, which was founded back in 1889 – the camera pictured above is one of the first to be sold by the company. Unfortunately for the business, it reacted too slowly to the rise of digital imaging, finding its products outclassed by cheap digital models from rivals and subsequently cannibalized by photo-capable smartphones.

Today, three-fourths of Kodak’s total revenues come from its digital businesses, though those include Digital and Functional Printing, Enterprise Services and Solutions, and Graphics, Entertainment and Commercial Films units. The company expects to incur a $30m one-off cost in shuttering its digital camera arm, though that should be more than offset by the predicted $100m yearly operating cost savings.

Kodak says it has more than 100,000 kiosks and order stations for digital prints worldwide, as well as integration with social networks and online galleries. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-January, after selling off assets including its digital camera sensor business simply to stay afloat.

[Image credit: National Museum of American History]

Polaroid surprised camera followers back at CES with the reveal of the SC1630, a device which ostensibly resembled a cellphone but in actual fact was intended to be a digital camera first and foremost. The SC1630 is equipped with a healthy 16-megapixel sensor and leverages Android for its social networking integration and file uploading capabilities, features Samsung has already made good use of in its Galaxy series of smartphones.

That could mean that Samsung is looking to push out a photography-focused mobile device, joining Galaxy phones, tablets and media players. Presumably the Galaxy Camera would bear a higher resolution camera than existing Samsung smartphones – which generally top out at 8-megapixels – and perhaps even include an optical zoom.

Following that route would allow Samsung to chase digital imaging fans without making its core smartphone range any fatter; according to recent leaks, the Galaxy S III expected to debut within the next few months is targeting a 7mm-thick casing, with the 8-megapixel camera the only bump on the otherwise slimline build. Camera geeks might be more willing to accommodate a chubbier device if it delivers improved optics, however.

[via SammyHub]

“This item is in high demand and supplies from the manufacturer are limited” one retailer warns. “Its availability will fluctuate, and if the item is not currently in stock, we cannot guarantee that we will receive additional quantities in a timely manner.”

That’s despite serious pricing for both cameras. The Nikon D800 has an RRP of $2,999 body-only, while the D800E is $3,299. Your money gets you Full HD video recording, ISO 100 to 6,400 (expanded up to 25,600) support, a 51-point AF system with 15 Cross Type AF sensors, and a 3.2-inch 921k dot preview display, among other talents.

Those specs come together to produce some seriously impressive stills and video, though the cameras are focused more on landscape and portrait photographers than out-and-about shooters. More details on the D800 here.

[via GottaBeMobile]

Namely, that little SoC gives the Lytro camera both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. With those two capabilities inside the camera, it would be easy to see the ability to wirelessly transfer photos taken with the camera to your computer or other device. That hardware would also allow the control of the camera from a smart phone or other device. However, just because both capabilities are available on that chip doesn’t mean Lytro will enable both.

Other hardware the FCC tear down turned up includes the 11-megaray sensor, which is by far the largest thing on the camera’s mainboard. You can also see the 2100mAh battery and a Zoran processor. This little camera is interesting to me; I would like to try one out once it’s on the market.

[via theVerge]

We’ve seen Sony experiment with TransferJet before, launching memory cards with the wireless technology integrated as far back as 2010, though it’s yet to see significant market penetration. Like NFC it only has a few centimeters range, but TransferJet boasts significantly higher speeds: 560 Mbit/s in theory, or around 375 Mbit/s in practice. Sony has coupled the system with an inductive charging plate, to rejuice the camera while it shuffles data.

The Multi-Cradle dock itself can be USB bus powered, and since the TX300V has GPS your photos are geotagged too. If you’d rather watch your images and video clips on a bigger screen, there’s WiFi Direct support as well.

The wireless-equipped Cyber-shot will go on sale March 9, with Japanese pricing still to be confirmed; Sony estimates the camera will be around 50,000 yen ($409) however. Unfortunately there are apparently no current plans to launch the TX300V in any other markets.

[via Engadget]

These units are the same except for their ability to hold media – the PenCam HD comes with the ability to hold a microSD card up to 16GB in size while the PenCam 4GB has 4GB of space built-in to the pen. Both pens are able to switch between video and photo at the tap of a button and are able to plug into either Mac or PC for transferring of data to wherever you plan on putting it. Could this be your 007 moment at last?

HD PenCam

This cam will be able to capture video and still images as both pens are, but you’ll be transferring information to your computer with your included card reader of via USB. This PenCam is powered with a fully rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery that’ll last you you up to 45 minutes of uptime after a full charge, and recharges again video the included USB cord. With an additional 16GB microSD card, Swann notes that you’ll be able to capture up to 8 hours of video or 72,000 still images.

PenCam 4G

This version of the PenCam has a simple USB connector coming straight off the lower half of the device, it able to then transfer the information you’ve collected to your computer with great ease. The battery lasts up to 90 minutes of use per charge and will recharge via your computer’s USB port. With the built-in memory of 4GB you’ll be able to capture 18,000 still images or 2 hours of video. This device will cost you $69.99 MSRP while the HD PenCam will cost you $99.99 MSRP and will be available for purchase from many fine retailers soon!

The folks at LG will be releasing the oddly shaped LG Optimus Vu soon, it having a 4 x 3 ratio to appear very similar to a cracker. Motorola has dropped two monsters upon us, one of them the Motorola MOTOLUXE for the mid range and the other the fourth in a generation. That’s right, it’s the DROID 4 from Motorola complete with a side-lit keyboard to keep you QWERTY fans happy all night long! Meanwhile Samsung will have no presence at MWC 2012 as they play the low-key card.

All Android devices of the future will be working with Google Chrome if they wish, but none will have Flash integrated as per the plan. There’s one gigantic mother of the lens out there this morning for your camera fans once more, the Sony SAL500F40G 500mm super-zoom from the streets of heaven, sent down to bring you so close to the action that you’ll think you’re inside your subject. Another device looking to get you in close with the action is Logitech’s Touch Mouse M600 and the HP TouchPad finally has some Android code from the manufacturers to make all you hackers happy.

Olympus’ speedy autofocus system from the PEN E-P3 has been brought over, though with a speed boost, and there’s 9fps burst shooting in Single AF mode. 3D autofocus tracking can keep a fix on subjects as they move not only up and down in the frame, but further away or closer to the camera.

There’s the usual Full HD 1080i video capture (though not 1080p, it seems), together with ISO support up to 25,600 and weatherproofing of the body itself, which is ruggedized against water, sand and low temperatures. However Olympus has also given the E-M5 the world’s first 5-axis image stabilization system, which promises to smooth out horizontal shift, vertical shift, rotary motion, yaw and pitch even if the photographer is running. Operational during both still and video recording, it’s integrated into the camera body itself so that any lens can take advantage of it.

On the subject of lenses, Olympus has stuck with the Micro Four Thirds system and has prepared a duo of new options for the E-M5. The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50 mm f3.5-6.3 EZ lens is dustproof and splashproof as well, and there’s a cheaper M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42 mm f3.5-5.6 II R lens option too. Other accessories include separate flashes for use with the powered hot-shoe, and a MMF-3 Four Thirds mount adapter.

On the back, there’s a tilting 3-inch OLED touchscreen, with touch shutter-release along with touch-focus and easier control over tone settings. Most users will be more excited by the EVF, however, which has a 120fps refresh rate, a 100-percent field of view, maximum 1.15x magnification and an eye point of 18mm. It can show not only a view of what the camera sees, but all the relevant exposure, Art Filter effects and other settings.

Retro design and high-tech functionality come at a cost, however. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 will be priced at $999.99 body-only when it arrives in April, in either black or silver, while a bundle with the black M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42 mm f3.5-5.6 II R lens will be $1,099.99. Expect to pay $1,299.99 for the E-M5 with the black M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-50 mm f3.5-6.3 EZ lens.

The Pentax Optio WG-2 camera is waterproof up to 12 meters or about 30 feet, dustproof, crush-proof, and hardy in cold weather down to -10C. Inside it packs a 16-megapixel back-illuminated sensor, with ISO up to 6400, and a 28mm-140mm lens with 5X zoom.

The Optio WG-2 can capture Full HD video and offers a slow motion option. It also features a 3-inch 16:9 display with 460k resolution and anti-glare coating. The camera will be available sometime in March, priced at $350. For an extra $50 you can opt for the GPS-enabled version.

[via Engadget]

Nikon has a camera here that’ll be utterly wicked for a general photographer, certainly overkill for your average blogger, and perhaps just the ticket for those of you out there in film school without the budget for a five figure camera. The video you’re about to see is the behind the scenes look at how filmographer Sandro used the D800 before its announcement to create a short film “Joy Ride.” You can see the entire video in our post earlier today, and get a whiff of how simple it is to capture excellence here:

Notice how the man has the camera on a simple setup that’s not all that different from what you likely use now for your in-school setup if you are shooting video, and this fellow’s not doing all that much more than adding a few high-quality lenses to make the magic happen. Having a bit of filmography skill helps as well. Sandro mentions quite a few bits on how nice the camera is for weight (for mounting) and how the HDMI-out helps to take focus shots on the fly. Lights, camera, inexpensive action!

[via Vimeo]

There’s also a behind-the-scenes clip showing how the D800 showcase was put together. It’s an altogether impressive piece of work, with the DSLR showing its strengths not only in capturing smooth high-speed footage but also in low-light situations and under harsh indoor lighting which can often spell death for flesh-tones.

Nikon is positioning the D800/D800E as ideal for portrait and landscape photographers, as well as those who do plenty of studio work, though the camera is slightly lighter (albeit a little bulkier) than the D700 and so might make for a solid mobile setup. You’ll need reasonably deep pockets, though: the D800 will be $3k when it drops late next month, while the D800E – which gains more detail at the increased risk of moire – will be $300 more.

Note: the sample video is somewhat graphic, showing scenes of childbirth (think a little blood rather than anything too gruesome or NSFW).

Deleting the low-pass filter comes with some compromises, Nikon warns – an increase in aliasing and moiré patterns, for instance, depending on shooting conditions and subject – though they should be relatively straightforward to tweak out in post-processing. However the benefit is higher resolution and clearer definition, ideal for landscape photographers among others.

What remains to be seen is whether the D800 is quite small enough to satisfy would-be buyers, who were looking forward to a compact full-frame Nikon. The camera is certainly smaller than the Nikon D4, launched at CES last month, though not as bag-friendly as might have been expected.

There’s more detail in the new online guide to the cameras, available here. The Nikon D800 will go on sale in late March, priced at $2,999.99 body-only, while the D800E will arrive in mid-April, priced at $3,299.99.

PowerShot SX260 HS – 12.1-megapixel CMOS and 20x optical zoom with optical image stabilization. 1.29-inches thick. Supports 1080p Full HD video recording and GPS phototagging. 10.3fps burst mode. Ships March 2012 for $349.99.

PowerShot D20 – 12.1-megapixel CMOS and 5x optical zoom in waterproof, shock-proof and freeze-proof body. Full HD video recording and GPS integration for location tagging. 3-inch preview display. Ships May 2012 for $349.99.

PowerShot A4000 IS – 16-megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization and 8x optical zoom. 3-inch preview display. Ships February for $199.99.

PowerShot A3400 IS – 16-megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization and 5x optical zoom. 3-inch touchscreen with touch-focus and touch-shutter. Ships March for $179.99.

PowerShot A2400 IS / A2300 – 5x optical zoom and 2.7-inch display. A2400 IS adds optical image stabilization. A2400 IS due March for $159.99; A2300 due March for $149.99.

PowerShot A1300 – Optical viewfinder along with 2.7-inch LCD. 5x optical zoom and uses AA batteries. Due April for $199.99.

PowerShot A810 – 5x optical zoom and 2.7-inch LCD. Uses AA batteries. Due April for $109.99.

The full name for this beast is now “Nikon D800 FX-format digital SLR camera” and it’s got 36.3-million pixels with EXPEED 3 image-processing engine and a 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor. That’s some hot stuff right there. Nikon has released an official product page and the release and price at $2,999.99 for the body-only model in March, while the D800E will arrive in mid-April, priced at $3,299.99 (a buck more than the original was predicting, as it turns out). The D800E is an alternate model which gets rid of the low-pass filter and brings on higher-resolution shots. Choose your weapon!

This monster is set to cost $3,999 MSRP and will be worth every single penny with a 35.9 x 24mm sensor at 36.3 MP FX, 4.8µ pixel size, this therefor capable of 7360 x 4912 pixel resolution photos. This device has a native ISO sensitivity of 100-6,400, a Boost Low ISO sensitivity of down to 50 and a Boost High ISO sensitivity of a massive 12,800-25,600. The entire body of this device is made of magnesium alloy, it’s got weather sealing and protection all around, and it stores data on either of its card slots, one each of a CF card slot and an SD card slot.

The Nikon D800 has camera lag of 0.012 seconds and its shutter will essentially never fail on you, it having 200,000 cycles and the ability to self-diagnose. You can rock at 4 FPS or 6 FPS in DX mode with your optional MB-D12 battery pack. You’ll see it all on your 3.2 inch LCD display on the back with 921,000 dots across its entirety, and the unit does indeed have a built-in flash. This flash exists with Commander Mode and full CLS compatibility. You’ll be able to record movies at Full 1080p HD at 30 FPS, and you’ve got a 30 minute recording limit at 30 FPS or 20 minutes at 24 FPS.

There’s no built-in GPS, but you can get a GP-1 GPS unit to work out what you need worked out, and the battery is a EN-EL15 and will work for you through 850 shots. You’ll be able to connect to the camera with USB 3.0 if you wish, and the whole thing without a lens on it weighs in at 895 g. This camera is set to officially be unveiled tomorrow and Nikon will then have full details on where you can order one up – but we’re guessing you’ve already got your favorite outlet in mind

[via Mansurovs]

While the press blurb on the image itself has plenty of hyperbole, we do know some rumored specs about the camera too. It’s tipped to have a magnesium, weather-sealed body weighing in at around 373g without a lens, while inside is believed to be a 16-megapixel sensor. That’s said to be  optimized for High Dynamic Range photography, with speedy AF, 3D tracking and a five-axis image stabilizer.

ISO 200 to 25,600 is expected, along with an integrated 1.44m dot digital viewfinder paired with a 3-inch 610k dot OLED screen that can tilt. Pricing is said to be in the region of $1,300, though that’s based on a roughly 100,000 yen figure in Japan, where the yen is notoriously strong.

We won’t have to wait long to find out, though. The Olympus OM-D is rumored to launch on February 8.

There’s also 6fps burst still capture, and an ISO range of 100 to 25,600. The manual focus mode features a peaking system for swifter and more accurate adjustments, and there’s an easily twiddled mode dial and chunky controls. A pop-up glash and powered hotshoe are on the top, while ports include USB 2.0, AV out, HDMI and 3.5mm audio in.

Although the K-01 will work with all of Pentax’s K-mount lenses, the company has also prepared a special super-slim option, the smc PENTAX-DA 40mm F2.8 XS, for those who want to keep the bulk down. It’s the world’s thinnest interchangeable lens, Pentax claims.

Pentax K-01 and Marc Newson:

The Pentax K-01 will go on sale in March 2012, priced at $749.95 for the body alone, or $899.95 for the body and the 40mm lens. The lens itself will be sold separately at $249.95.

This new set of “leaked” or “teased” photos shows an interchangeable lens-having camera with one whole heck of a lot of working add-ons to go with it. There’s a rather notable 40mm f/2.8 lens in a fabulously thin profile sitting here in this future setup, and the whole device is set for awesome quick changes with what appears to be an HDR toggle for easy access. Forum posts surrounding the device have revealed quite a few fabulous specifications that might be showing up on this device including full HD video, a 3-inch LCD, and a total weight of 1.2lbs.

This device may well be coming in three different body colors if word on the street proves true, the package also coming with three different lenses as well. Built-in pop-up flash across the board as well, if you please. Have a peek at these leaked photos and see how well they match up with your future desires for a perfect Pentax.

UPDATE: This camera will likely be released officially at an event held tomorrow, so here’s crossing out fingers tightly!

BONUS: Here’a a BBC video special on Mark Newson so you can get a better idea of who we’re dealing with here – industrial design extraordinaire:

[via Pentax Forums]

Or heck, you could head to Germany or order one in and still have it this winter! This device has DSLR-like picture quality without a doubt, it having a 20.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, full HD video recording support, sensitivity up to 12,800 ISO, and that’s all inside the center. There’s also a 3-inch AMOLED VGA display on the back for your loving tapping, rings around the sides for straps, a sassy looking set of red and silver accents, and just for fun, i-Function lens support!

Have a peek at our hands-on with the original version of this camera and get a taste of what it means to roll with Samsung for your shooter. This device will be available in Germany from March for 849 Euros. There are currently no announcements made for this version hitting the United States or the UK.

[via SammyHub]

Hardware

Dropcam’s is rightly proud of the HD: its first-gen hardware, the Echo, was designed externally, but the company brought development in-house for this new model. The end result is something that looks far more consumer-friendly than the blocky white Echo. The Dropcam HD itself is a small glossy black puck that slots into a detachable metal stand with a posable base: together, they’re 4.5-inches high and about 3.15-inches across.

The hinged base is stiff enough to stay at whatever angle you set it to, and you can tilt the Dropcam HD itself in the stand to fine-tune things. Power is courtesy of a compact AC brick with a long microUSB cable up to the camera itself; unlike the previous Dropcam models, there’s no ethernet option, only WiFi b/g/n, though that’s no great loss for the consumer market. A rubber foot for the stand has a clip to keep the power cable in place.

Setup requires plugging the Dropcam HD into your computer via USB, creating an account through Dropcam’s site and punching in your WiFi network credentials. After that, it automatically logs on overtime it’s powered up. There’s a 12-LED infrared light array around the lens, for nighttime use, along with a speaker and a microphone.

Service

Part of the easy setup of the Dropcam Echo is the absence of any local software to install: everything is accessed – and stored – in the cloud. The company offer several tiers of service: the free “Basic” package allows you to log in and view live streaming video, either through the regular browser or the iOS app, but no recording functionality. There are also email and mobile (iPhone-only) alerts triggered by the sound and motion sensors. For $9.95 per month and the “Plus” package you get live streaming together with seven days of archive access (and the ability to download select clips or photos to your own computer).

Finally, the “Pro” plan offers 30 days of online recording for $29.95. It’s worth noting that the subscription fees increase per camera you add: $4.95 per extra for the Plus plan or $14.95 per month for the Pro plan. If you have, say, three cameras and want a month’s historic access to the footage each records, you’re looking at almost $60 per month. The Android and iPhone apps themselves are free and work with all tiers of service, though there’s no iPad-specific version. If you have a device with Flash support in the browser, you can log into the Dropcam site and stream video that way instead.

Performance

Where the original Dropcam was limited to QVGA 320 x 240 resolution video, and only offered streaming two-way audio on a more expensive model, the Dropcam HD promises both 720p HD footage and sound as standard.

Unfortunately video quality is only average, suffering particularly in low-light, though it’s reasonably smooth thanks to the 30fps refresh rate. Audio quality is fair, and the microphone is actually quite sensitive, though we noticed a significant amount of crackling both through the desktop UI and the mobile apps. The speaker – used for two-way audio – is small and subsequently suffers very low volume, and there’s no audio output for plugging in a more vocal system. With observed a roughly 2-3 second delay on audio.

Desktop

iPhone 4S

Galaxy Nexus

Motion and audio detection are both very sensitive, and lack controls to adjust exactly what they’ll respond to. Each will mark the online timeline (in the Plus and Pro subscription packages) to indicate when noise or movement was spotted; both packages, plus the Free plan, can optionally send out an alert to let you know something has happened. Their effectiveness is generally down to where the camera is positioned, and if you have pets you can expect plenty of false alarms.

Still, the automatic flagging makes reviewing footage a lot more straightforward than scrubbing through the entire timeline, and you can request a download clip of any section that comes through in MP4 format with audio.

Wrap-Up

Setup, convenience and – if you opt for a subscription – functionality can’t be criticized in the Dropcam HD. The camera is compact, discrete and easy to place, especially if you use only the puck central section, which blends reasonably well into the shadows, and the desktop UI and mobile apps are straightforward to use.

Although the subscription-free option is welcome, we can’t really recommend it for any but the most casual of users. Even with the real-time movement alerts, you’ll probably struggle to access the webcam feed quickly enough to see what has been happening; that’s when the online DVR feature comes in most useful.

That said, the $149 starting price for the Dropcam HD is just that: a starting figure after which you have to take into account subscription fees. Dropcam offers a year’s access to the Plus plan for $99.95 if you pay upfront; still, scale up to a few cameras spread about the house, as many home surveillance enthusiasts would prefer, and you’re looking at a few hundred dollars each year. Contrast that with Logitech’s Alert camera system, which offers local DVR-style storage on your home network (and premium remote access to recordings for $80 per year, per system).

The Dropcam service is certainly easy to use, and there are handy sharing features, which allow you to send clips and images to others – great for showing grandparents what the baby is up to – but it’s an expensive way of doing things. In the end, you pay for the privilege of Dropcam’s simplicity.
-dropcam HD

The COOLPIX L810 offers a 26x optical zoom with VR image stabilization and a 22.5mm wide angle, along with a fast frame Sports Shooting mode and 720p HD video recording. There’s a 3-inch 921k dot LCD display on the back.

The COOLPIX L26 is the “standard” model in Nikon’s Spring 2012 line-up, with a 5x optical zoom and 720p HD video recording. It has a 3-inch display and automatic Scene Modes that Nikon reckons makes it the perfect point-and-shoot.

As for the Nikon COOLPIX S30, that’s shockproof for up to 2.6 feet drops and waterproof for up to 9.8 feet submersion, and pairs a 3x optical zoom with a 10.1-megapixel sensor. It can record 720p HD video too.

The COOLPIX L810 will be $279.95 with a choice of colors including black, red and blue, while the COOLPIX S30 will be $119.95 in white, blue or pink. Finally, the Nikon COOLPIX L26 will be $119.95 in red, black or silver. All three will drop in February 2012.

There’s also Full HD 1080p video recording and integrated GPS for geotagging photos while on the move.

Next up is the COOLPIX S6300, toting a 10x optical zoom and a 16-megapixel BSI sensor, also capable of 1080p HD video recording. It packs an Easy Panorama mode for creating either 180- or 360-degree landscape shots, along with various onboard effects that can be applied to both stills and video.

The Nikon COOLPIX S4300 offers a 3-inch 460k dot touchscreen and 16-megapixel sensor, along with a 6x wide-angle zoom. It has face-priority autofocus, identifying up to 12 faces in the frame, along with Smile Shutter and a smart auto mode.

Finally, the Nikon COOLPIX S3300 is the budget model, pairing the 16-megapixel sensor with a 6x optical zoom and 720p HD video recording. It still gets optical image stabilization, though, like its siblings.

The COOLPIX S9300 will be $349.95 and offered in black, red and silver, while the COOLPIX S6300 will come in at $199.95 in a choice of red, black, silver and blue. The COOLPIX S4300 is $169.95 in plum, black, silver, white and red, and finally the COOLPIX S3300 will be $139.95 in silver, black, pink, purple and red. All four will arrive in February 2012.

The COOLPIX P310 offers a 16.1-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that supports an ISO range up to 3200 (Hi1 6400 equivalent), paired with a fast, wide-angle maximum aperture f/1.8 lens. It packs VR image stabilization too, as well as a number of low-light modes including one which combines multiple shots with different settings to create an HDR-style image.

Photographers envious of their DSLR brethren can also make use of manual exposure control (P/S/A/M) on the P310, along with a Zoom Memory function that offers easy access to common prime focal lengths. On the back is a 3-inch 921k dot LCD display.

The COOLPIX 510 supports Full HD 1080p HD video recording, complete with stereo audio, and there’s continuous auto-focus support too. It gets the same display as the P310, while the P510 also has two zoom controls: one on top and another on the lens barrel itself.

Nikon says the COOLPIX P510 will go on sale in February at $429.95 in either black or red. The COOLPIX P310 land at the same time, priced at $329.95, in black only.

Integrated GPS functionality allows the user to take images with GPS coordinates allowing the location where the photos were taken to be pin pointed and shared with friends and family via maps and photo sharing sites. The camera comes with a DVD that has map data on the disc that can be copied to the camera’s memory card to allow the user to get information on points of interest that are nearby.

The camera has a 14.1 megapixel resolution and uses a high-sensitivity MOS sensor for higher image quality. The camera can shoot bursts at 10 frames per second at full resolution. Video is recorded in 1080p resolution in AVCHD format. The rear LCD is a 3 inch Smart Touch LCD with 460,000 dot resolution. The camera has a number of touch features, including a touch shutter feature. The camera can upload videos via a USB cable to Facebook. Panasonic will sell the camera for $349.99 starting in March.

There’s also support for 1080/60p video recording, and up to 10fps full-resolution continuous shooting of stills. A speedy BIONZ processor is good for super-fast focussing, Sony reckons, as well as handling intelligent selection of which of the 36 difference scene modes is most suitable. That happens in just 1/30th of a second, Sony claims, with the TX200V automatically shooting two frames back-to-back in low-light or otherwise troublesome conditions, using difference settings for each, so that you can pick your favorite later.

Automatic background defocus, optical image stabilization and face detection, as well as a flash-pairing mode which uses two shots taken in rapid succession – one with flash, one without – to create a single frame that has the benefits of both, round out the key specs. Sony has also made the TX200V dustproof and waterproof to 16 feet.

As for the Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 and WX50, they each have a 16.2-megapixel sensor, 25mm 5x optical zoom and full HD video recording. They can also capture 12-megapixel frames while simultaneously recording video. Both have an XtraFine LCD touchscreen – 3-inches on the WX70 and 2.7-inches on the WX50 – and optical image stabilization.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V is up for pre-order now, priced at $499.99, and available in silver, violet or red from March 23. The Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 and WX50 are priced at $229.99 and $199.99 respectively.

Beyond the massive sensor resolution and full frame, the Nikon D800 also offers superior video quality, up to 1080p/30/25/24 with the option of shooting at 720p/60/30/25/24. Footage can be stored on both CF and SD cards as both slots are provided. Autofocus is expected to be identical to the D700 and D3, which means a 51-point AF with 3D Focus Tracking.

The Nikon D800 will begin shipping a few weeks after it’s announced on February 7. Also gearing up for an unveiling are Nikon’s new Coolpix cameras, which will be announced on February 2. The Nikon D4 will and two new DX lenses will likely be introduced later on in February or March.

What the folks at Lytro are doing is taking the light field studies done over the past 15 years and packing it it into the smallest package they could manage. What this results in is a 4.41-inch long rectangle whose other dimensions are 1.61-inchs by 1.61-inches. Inside this box of magic comes a collection of lenses, each of which are required to create the environment in which the entire field of light can be captured all at once.

Inside the first 3/5ths of the device are the lenses, staring with an 8x optical zoom and a f/2 aperture lens, this aperture being constant across the zoom range allowing you to capture everything at once. The bits and pieces in this section of the current Lytro Light Field Camera must be spaced apart at such a length that integration into a smartphone would be impossible. Impossible, that is, unless you’d like a really, really thick phone in your hands. Between the lens section and the back of the device, you’ve got your light field sensor, this being a micro-lens array “specially adhered” to a standard sensor allowing for the capture of 11 million light rays at once.

Then comes the other big bit, nearly a third of the device being taken up by the Light Field Engine version 1.0. This engine is what replaces what was the original supercomputer used 15 years ago in the first recorded light field tests, this the piece of the device that allows the ability to refocus any image on the fly to be integrated in the picture file itself. It’s certainly much smaller than supercomputers of old, but it’s also no small cookie – certainly thicker on its own than you’ll want your smartphone to be.

So we’ll have to wait on this one, folks, wait until they can shrink the whole equation down again to a level where it’ll fit into your pocket the short way. Right now you’ll just have to buy yourself a Lytro camera separate and have fun that way. Oh well!

The idea is reminiscent of ASUS’ Padfone, which docks an Android smartphone into a larger screen section for tablet duty. However, unlike with the Padfone – the tablet of which is only functional when the phone is inserted – Chandra envisages each section of his LIFEBOOK concept being operable when separated. The laptop would have its own processor, storage, memory, optical drive and connectivity, similar to the tablet, each working standalone as well as synchronizing when brought back together.

That would increase cost but also flexibility, though you’d need to plug in an external keyboard if you wanted to enter text on the laptop while the tablet was undocked. On the upside, however, the processors in the tablet and phone could be used to augment the performance of the notebook itself, and handwriting entry or sketching would be easier.

Fujitsu hasn’t given any indication as to whether it will be using Chandra’s idea – or, indeed, any of the other entrants to the competition – for a future LIFEBOOK model. However similar propositions are apparently in the works; the i’m circle modular computer was announced at CES earlier in the month, sharing the intelligence of a wireless “core” pendant computer unit with various tablet, phone and display peripherals. That’s tipped to go on sale later this year.

[via Recombu]

The information comes from the upcoming book “Inside Apple” as written by Adam Lashinsky, coming out soon of course. In it he reveals that Stanford graduate Ng actually visited Jobs’ Palo Alto home, speaking on the technology and discussing the future with Apple. As far as we know the collaboration did not end up panning out, but you never know! Have a peek at this bit from the upcoming book:

“The company’s CEO, Ren Ng, a brilliant computer scientist with a PhD from Stanford, immediately called Jobs, who picked up the phone and quickly said, “if you’re free this afternoon maybe we would could get together.” Ng, who is thirty-two, hurried to Palo Alto, showed Jobs a demo of Lytro’s technology, discussed cameras and product design with him, and, at Jobs’s request, agreed to send him an email outlining three things he’d like Lytro to do with Apple.” – Lashinsky in “Inside Apple”

Will we see this fabulous technology inside the iPhone and the iPad in the distant future? Or better yet, will we see it in the NEAR future instead? Have a peek at the Lytro “Start of a Picture Revolution” video to see how amazing Lytro says it is, then see the timeline to go back to past Lytro announcements and get in on the fun early!

[via 9to5Mac]

According to the Wells Fargo post, which cited Kyodo News International, the Olympus OM-D will be the company’s top digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera series, resembling the OM-1 film camera but equipped with high-speed auto focus, image stabilization, and a 16-megapixel sensor.

It will be the first digital version of the company’s legendary OM series single-lens reflex film cameras, which have been popular since the 1970s thanks to its small size and durability. The new digital OM-D will be available this spring in the US, Europe, and some Asian countries as a top-tier model selling for more than 100,000 yen in Japan, or about $1,300 USD. The camera is expected to be unveiled at an event scheduled for February 8.

[via Pocket-lint]

This device will be looking rather similar to the current 7D and the 5D Mark II of course, but with a slightly larger display than either of them, appearing also to have a different aspect ratio than we’re currently used to seeing on either device. There’s a few button re-arrangements as well, starting with a “rate” button on the left, a joystick on the removable battery grip on the bottom, and no pop-up flash anywhere to be seen, not one!

There’s a brand new scroll wheel here, a slightly modified interface on the display if you look VERY closely, and the secondary display at the top of the camera does not appear to be active at all. Also that Canon 200-400mm lens is an absolute beast, and the source speaking with the photographer here in-person says that that piece of the equation should be released in March or April – soon!

[via Aperture Academy]

This little wrapper comes in a burrito bag, and better yet it comes in a package from Photojojo with a Dinosaur toy in it if you’re lucky – but notably, it is packaged like the food it represents. All you do is unwrap it, click back the protective wrap strip embedded inside the wrap, and place your lens inside. This wrap is made to protect lenses that are big enough to be the representation of a burrito filling, but you can be that smaller lenses will do fine here as well.

This little beast will cost you a cool $20 from Photojojo today, and I reccomend you pick yourself up a couple. The craftsmanship is tops, the protection is real, and you’ll be baffling your friends in no time. The wrap is made of Tyvek, that being the same material that your best pal the hazmat suit is made of, so as Photojojo says, your lens will be safe even if you “drop your bag off a cliff, get attacked by a pack of wild honeybadgers, or get bored and need something to toss around.” It’s great, really!

Grab the Photorito Lens Wrap from the online Photojojo store right this minute, or forever hold your hamburger.

The Carbinieri scuba divers you see in the photos above and below have been searching for some days now, they being dropped in near the ship to explore its surroundings and innards for information surrounding the crash. This story has gained international attention due to the epic nature of it and, of course, its similarities to the most famous shipwreck of all time: the Titanic. Unlike that deadly wreck, the Concordia here turned on its side and did not fully dip under the icy waves.

The captain of the ship remains in police custody at this time amid allegations that he may have been able to stop the crash from happening but for whatever reason did not. Multiple manslaughter is the crime he’s about to be tried for, his sailing too close to shore and abandoning the ship before the rest of the passengers and crew two of the reasons why this man will never again be sailing. You can check out the rest of the HD photos at The Atlantic or head to our additional coverage to get the rest of the story as it unfolds.

[via The Atlantic]

In fact, the lenses are actually more expensive than the C300 itself, each carrying a sticker in excess of $40k. The Canon CN-E 14.5-60mm T2.6 L S Cinema Zoom Lens with EF Mount comes in at $42,750, as does the Canon CN-E 14.5-60mm T2.6 L SP Cinema Zoom Lens with PL Mount. $44,650 gets you the Canon CN-E 30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L S EF Mount Cinema Zoom Lens or the Canon CN-E 30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L SP PL Mount Cinema Zoom Lens.

Inside the C300 there’s an 8.29-megapixel Super 35mm CMOS sensor, while on the outside there’s a 4-inch rotating 1.23-megapixel LCD preview display and dual-CompactFlash memory card slots. Recording is in Canon’s 4:2:2 50 Mb/s MPEG-2 XF codec, and if the Cine lenses are looking too rich for your blood then you’ll be pleased to hear that the company’s existing DSLR lenses are supported too.

Sample clips from the EOS C300 can be found here.

[via CanonRumors - thanks Paul!]

Programming the camera with different identities basically involves shooting a frame of them and then adding them to the ELPH’s register. You can name them, as well as give them a date of birth – used to ID babies and young children – and in future shots the camera automatically identifies their face and floats their name underneath

You can apparently store up to six angles or expressions of any one person, too, so as to improve the ELPH’s ability to accurately spot the right person. It’s an impressive system, considering the new ELPH cameras come in at under $300 apiece.

More on the Canon ELPH 520HS in our hands-on.

[via Gizmodo]

There are currently three different styles they are testing – one was built into the a case, the other slides over the rear, and my favorite is actually a thick rubber band that stretches over the whole device. As you can see, the rubber band is a solid color. They are considering making the rubber band transparent so it’s possible still view the band-covered area of the screen.

The band will also be easier to produce universally among the hundreds of Android smartphones. They plan on delivering the iCONIC to select Android devices – but why not include them all? The pictures can also be uploaded to Facebook, Twiiter and email just like the iPhone version. Again, nothing much has changed except offering their hardware to a huge new market.

Have a peek at this device right here in the video and let us know if this is something you’d be wanting to use in the very near future to watch over your household. You’ve got to take into account that your smartphone, the device you’ve got on you each and every day, will be able to control and feed information back to you whenever you like. Internal antennas, 11n wireless connectivity, and H.264 enhanced video compression will aid you on your way.

As a sort of bonus, this device contains both an internal microphone and a speaker so you can both listen in on the immediate area and project your voice to speak to whoever might want to hear. You’ve got 720p video, easy setup Wireless 802.11n compliant and Wi-Fi Protected (WPS) button, and of course the ability to record directly to a microSD card. Check out the rest of our on-site CES 2012 coverage with our CES Live tag – get it all!

The camera weighs 5oz and offers 18 different scene modes, along with automatic face and smile detection. Geo-tagging can mark each image with information on where it was taken, and there are cropping, red-eye removal, resizing and color correction tools to tweak pictures before they’re uploaded.

WiFi and Bluetooth are standard, and cellular – data-only – connectivity is an option. Unlike most cameras, though, the SC1630 offers access to the Android Market and all the apps there, which means you can can play games and use other third-party software in-between shots. The rechargeable battery should last a day of use.

Polaroid expects to launch the SC1630 Smart Camera sometime this year, though the price is yet to be confirmed.