Tech Blog

Olympus has announced the much awaited OM-D Micro Four Thirds camera. Inspired by its iconic namesake the OM cameras from the 70s, the OM-D is a rugged, splashproof and dustproof 16 Megapixel camera that brings many notable innovations to the line of ILC's (Interchangeable Lens Cameras).

in terms of features, image quality and versatility, Samsung's NX line can go toe-to-toe with most of the competition and in this range of compact ILC's but its higher price and relative newness to the camera market has kept consumers going for cheaper, more recognizable and more developed systems. Will the new NX200 with its new styling and 20.3 megapixel sensor and 7 frame per second shooting capability change some minds, we think so.

There was a time when sharing photos meant gathering around a slide projector and seeing blown-up versions of pictures appear on a screen. There was a certain elegance in the storytelling qualities of a proper slideshow. This is something Nikon seems to want to bring back with their S1200pj camera/projector combo.

I know what you’re going to ask; hey DRUT can I get an action-sports camera that can do everything? The answer is yes. Look no further than the ContourROAM HD camera.

The ContourROAM camera boasts an aluminum body that is waterproof to 1m, a 170° wide-angle lens, 3.5 hour battery life, rotating lens, and even an horizontal laser...

One look at the Fuji X10, and you’d think the camera went through a time warp. Retro-looking cameras are vogue these days, thanks in large part to the Micro Four-Thirds models that initially came from the likes of Olympus and Panasonic, but Fuji has taken this approach further. While competitor cameras may have a 1970s feel, Fuji’s X10 comes off as throwback to the 1950s Leica era. But the aesthetics are really just a bonus to great overall performance.

When Nikon finally decided to join the mirrorless and ILC (Interchangeable Lens Cameras) segment  this year, many enthusiasts expected expensive prosumer type models with a lot of technical features similar to Nikon's market leading DSRLs.

The Nikon 1 J1 ($649.99) from Future Shop comes with a 10-30mm lens, the more consumer oriented of the two models released isn't dirt cheap and it isn't all that complicated to use. With a Lego-like cuteness factor seemingly geared to the fashionable and trendy set and an extremely compact body, the Nikon 1 J1 is full of surprises.

A sure most must-have this holiday is the Casio TRYX, a 12.1 megapixel camera with three-inch touch LCD screen and 1080p video recording capabilities that recently earned a Guinness World Record as the “World’s Most Adjustable Digital Camera.” 

It was Panasonic who took a big risk and started the ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera) segment in 2008 with the DMC-G1 Micro Four Thirds camera and the surge in competition from Olympus, Nikon, Samsung, Sony and Pentax has proven their gamble right. People want compact cameras with advanced features and interchangeable lenses.

But how compact is too compact?

Ready to step up to a DSLR? Maybe you have an older DSLR that doesn’t record HD video and you’re dying to try it? Then of course there is the photographer on your list who has been hinting, subtly or not, at either of the above. Well the EOS Rebel T3 is a great DSLR to start with.

If you have a relative or friend that fancies him or herself something of a daredevil, then you might want to consider giving them the ultimate method to capture their outdoor adventures — a wearable HD camera like the GoPro HD Hero2.

While the upgraded iPhone 4S camera is making waves, the iPhone 4 still has a lens that has left my Fuji point and shoot and my Panasonic Lumix FZ18 in the corner gathering dust. The ability to adjust, crop and upload my photos to a variety of destinations right from my iDevice has made me turn to my iPhonedaily for shutterbugging.

By now, some of you out there have probably already heard about Lytro and its Light Field Camera — the idea that you can snap a photo without having to focus on a subject first. No, because you can focus on the subject after the image has been taken, and even when you send the photo to someone else, they can focus on what they want too.

A couple of weeks ago, Sony invited me to a preview of some of their new cameras coming this fall. On display were two new DSLR’s – the A65 & A77 - and the NEX-7 & NEX-5N mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (which I will refer to as ILC’s in this article). Today I am going to preview the NEX-5N, which at the moment is the only model that has been confirmed to be coming to Future Shop, on November 4th. Sony also sent me a review unit of the camera, and I should have my hands-on impressions of the camera posted on the Tech Blog soon.

Traditional DSLR’s have followed the format set before SLR's went digital – large-bodied cameras with a bulky mirror system inside to reflect the light up to an optical viewfinder. In the past couple of years there have been a few interchangeable lens camera systems designed to break out of this mould, and bring many of the advantages of full-sized DSLR’s to a smaller form factor. Up until recently the Micro Four Thirds camera system, used in cameras by Panasonic and Olympus, has been the most successful. However one of the main compromises made with the Micro 4/3 format is that the image sensor is smaller than the APS-C one found in other DSLR’s. A smaller sensor means that it captures less light and consequently has lower performance in low-light.

Then last year Sony released their NEX series of ILC cameras, the NEX-3 and NEX-5. Both these cameras offered all the benefits of a full-sized APS-C sensor in an extremely compact body. They were well received, hailed as innovative, and well priced, cameras with excellent image quality. However they weren’t flawless, so Sony went back the drawing board to address some of their issues, resulting in this year’s models - the NEX-C3 and NEX-5N. Since they do use Sony’s own E-mount lens system the selection of lens was initially quite slim, so along with the updates to the cameras, Sony has also expanded their lens selection.

When Laura asks me if I want to try a new camera (video or still, doesn’t matter) my answer is (almost) always: “Yes!”. So when the chance to try the new Samsung MV800 came up, I jumped at the chance. The “big deal” about this camera is the “innovative” LCD screen on the back. The screen can flip up so it’s on top of the camera (for self portraits and timer shots) and you can view it from any angle. Both are cool, both are interesting, neither make up for a somewhat meh camera. Now, this is a first impressions post and I have been spoiled by the Panasonic ZS10 for the past several months (and alas my time with the camera drew to a close recently), but I’m just not impressed with this Samsung and how the touchscreen drives everything in the camera.

The fact Nikon announced its first mirrorless camera system, the Nikon 1, is already in the past tense, but having been on hand at the event in New York where they unveiled the new models, my initial impression is that these will be serious cameras for users looking to upgrade.