Five Cyber-shots debut including 50x zoom Sony HX400V, the RX10 alternative for the budget-minded

By: Mike Tomkins February 11, 2014 (http://www.imaging-resource.com)

Sony has just lanched five new Cyber-shot camera models for the CP+ tradeshow in Japan. The Sony HX400V ultrazoom is the most fully-featured, while the Sony H400 and Sony H300 pare down on features and cost. The Sony WX350 puts a big lens in a pocket camera, and the Sony W800 focuses on photographers for whom a bank balance is the big decider.

Let’s start with the most interesting of the group. Did you feel a tingling in your wallet when Sony announced its RX10 large-sensor, long-zoom camera, but you just couldn’t justify the cost? If so, the company’s hoping you’ll be willing to forgo the lustworthy sensor and lens pairing of that camera, in favor of the just-announced HX400 ultrazoom. With similarly SLR-like styling, the 20.4-megapixel Sony HX400V is aimed at photographers who’re still looking for a reasonably sophisticated feature set, but who don’t want the bulk and complexity of interchangeable lenses or the cost and relatively more limited zoom range of the enthusiast-friendly flagship.

Full article and pictures at the source>

New Olympus® SP-100 Is a Super Zoom with an Eagle’s Eye for capturing distant action

NEW OLYMPUS® SP-100 IS A SUPER-ZOOM WITH AN EAGLE’S EYE FOR CAPTURING DISTANT ACTION

The SP-100 Is the First Camera with a Built-In Dot-Sight* for Easy Framing, Electronic Viewfinder, Improved Grip and Refined Controls for Outstanding Telephoto Results

Olympus SP-100 Ultra Zoom Camera

Olympus SP-100 Ultra Zoom Camera

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., January 29, 2014 — Olympus introduces a breakthrough in its Ultra Zoom camera line-up with the new STYLUS® SP-100, the world’s first-ever camera with a built-in dot-sight*, enabling you to easily track moving subjects, like a soccer game or a flying bird. This technology will allow you to record smoother videos and will help you to not lose sight of your subject. Once the subject is still, then you can frame and shoot. The dot-sight combines with the SP-100’s newly developed 24-1200mm** 50x optical Ultra Zoom lens, or 2400mm 100x Super Resolution zoom, for capturing detailed shots of moving, distant subjects.

The SP-100’s dot-sight is mounted just above the built-in high-resolution, 920,000-dot, bright LCD Electronic View Finder and helps the user keep the subject in the frame by offering a wide-angle view of the scene on its semitransparent mirror. The dot-sight stows away for portability and pops up immediately to easily track any subject without the need to adjust the zoom, so the shooter never has to miss another image by having to retrace and compose. Olympus carefully designed the location of the EVF and the shape of the eyepiece for minimal contact between the photographer’s face and the camera body, giving even greater ease of shooting.

The high-performance optics combine with a 16-Megapixel BSI CMOS sensor and a next-generation TruePic VII processor to get the very best out of every shot, regardless of lighting conditions or subject movement. The SP-100’s powerful lens shift image stabilization mechanism significantly reduces camera shake even at the highest zoom. Image stabilization is also effective in the Super Macro function when approaching subjects as close as 1 centimeter, even with the 50x optical zoom.

A new focus-limit button lets users focus only in a set range when turned on, and focus only in the distance when set to off. The SP-100 is also equipped with an AF lock feature and manual focusing. A full range of shooting manual modes (P/A/S/M) is also available for customization of exposure parameters like ISO, shutter speed and aperture via the sub dial. The deep grip provides optimal handling during shooting, while the quick-response, single-finger-operation control dial optimizes fast shooting when using the high-resolution electronic viewfinder. The camera includes an additional zoom lever on the left side of the lens, enabling users to hold the camera securely like a DSLR for left-thumb operation of the zoom while operating the shutter button with the right index finger.

The SP-100 captures video with natural motion in smooth 60p recording at 60 frames per second in full HD (1080) and high-speed recording (HS120fps with resolution of 640×480, or HS240fps with 320×240). The Multi-Motion Movie image stabilization compensates for blurring that occurs when shooting video while walking or panning across a scene.

Users can add additional creative expression through eleven available Art Filters that can also be used when shooting Full HD movies. The optional Toshiba FlashAir™ card connects the camera to a Wi-Fi-enabled smartphone or PC to easily import, view and share images.

* As of Janaury 29, 2014
**35mm equivalent

U.S. Pricing and Availability
The Olympus STYLUS SP-100 will be available in March, 2014.
Estimated Street Price:
$399.99 (Available in Black)

To find out more about the SP-100, and for a complete list of specifications, visit the Olympus website at:http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/digitalcameras/long-zoom/sp-100.html.

Journalists interested in more information about the Olympus SP-100, review unit and high-resolution images should contact Elin Boman, Mullen, at eboman@mullen.com, or Jennifer Colucci, Olympus Imaging America Inc., at Jennifer.Colucci@Olympus.com, or visit http://asset.olympusamerica.com/login/.

ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a leading provider of digital imaging and audio technology solutions, noted for their precision optics and ground-breaking technologies.

For more than 90 years, Olympus has innovated and developed best-in-class products that expand the boundaries of product design and functionality, empowering consumers and professionals alike to capture their stories. These include:

For more information about Olympus and their award-winning products, please visit www.getolympus.com or connect with us and other fans like you through our social and photographic communities: @getolympus on FacebookTwitterYouTubePinterest,Instagram and Flickr, as well as at www.penready.com.

Specifications and design are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.

All trademarks and registered trademarks listed herein are the property of their respective holders, in the U.S. and/or other countries.

©2014 Olympus Imaging America Inc

94x zoom lens patented—is a Canon SX100 planned?

By Mike Tomkins, December 27, 2013 (http://www.imaging-resource.com)

Photographers looking for the ultimate in image quality might avoid zoom lenses like the plague, but the popularity of increasingly long-zoom cameras suggests that some people just can’t get enough telephoto reach. If you’re in their number, you may find the promise of a recent patent filing by Canon Japan to be rather thrilling.

Admittedly, most patents make for somewhat dry reading, but this one, uncovered by Japanese engineering blog Egami, suggests that Canon could soon offer a camera with close to a 100x zoom range. (Given that the existing Canon SX50 HS sports a ~50x zoom, Egami cheekily suggests the name Canon SX100 HS for a followup, tagging its image on the lens diagram with the moniker.)

Full article at the source>

Cameras becoming part of police’s uniform

By  Lori Kurtzman The Columbus Dispatch Dec.15, 2013 (http://www.dispatch.com/)

The police officer rounds the corner of the house, his flashlight searching out the young girl standing quietly on the back deck. She is 10 and barefoot and holding a butcher knife.

“Can you put the knife down for me?” the Greensboro, N.C., cop asks. The girl is still. “Can you lay the knife down?”

Without warning, she hurls the blade like a dart. The officer ducks. His partner walks quickly across the deck and snaps handcuffs on the girl’s wrists, and what he says next — to the girl who just threw a knife at a police officer — might be unbelievable if the entire incident hadn’t been recorded.

“You OK, honey?”

Full article at source>

2013 Best Cameras. Find the Top Cameras Released in 2013

By  (http://cameras.about.com/)

2013 was another very good year for digital cameras, with plenty of innovations. As they have for several years, prices continue to drop, giving photographers more value for their dollars. Advanced fixed-lens cameras have been especially plentiful from manufacturers, offering a clear set of advantages over point-and-shoot models and cell phone cameras. Interchangeable lens camera, both DIL and DSLR models, also have been popular in 2013.

Having had a chance to fully test and review several cameras during the year, and having had a chance to informally test and consider dozens more models, here are some of the best cameras I’ve seen during 2013.

Full article at source>