You probably won’t have seen this camera on any other website (unless you read Engadget yesterday…). The Oregon Scientific PV100 is a pretty unremarkable 3 megapixel digicam with a fixed lens. So far, not much to write home about. But then you look at the back of the camera and can’t help but notice the massive 3.5” colour LCD screen! The PV100 is available exclusively at Argos stores in the UK for ?199.99.

Website: Oregon Scientific - PV100 Digital Camera

DPReview have reviewed the new 5 megapixel Sony DSC-F88 digital camera.

“Overall image quality from the F88 is good, though by no means class-leading. Despite the Carl Zeiss lens there is a lack of critical sharpness in scenic shots containing a lot of fine detail (foliage in particular can look a little mushy). For prints at ‘normal sizes’ (up to about 5x7 inches) this is unlikely to be seen, and scenes with less fine detail - portraits and close ups in particular - look superb. There is little or no evidence of Chromatic aberration, and color and exposure are generally excellent. The default settings tend to produce images that look a little flat, and which benefit from some judicious sharpening and saturation boosting. For the kind of point and shoot audience the F88 is aimed at the results are unlikely to cause concern.”

Website: DPReview - Sony DSC-F88 Review

DPReview have published their review of the new 5 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 5200 compact digital camera.

“The Coolpix 5200 is a little gem of a camera that proves Nikon is not merely dabbling in consumer-level cameras, and it’s the best proper compact they’ve produced in years. Design, build and ease of use are excellent, and there is a surprising amount of power hidden in the well-designed menus, offering control over focus, metering, white balance and so on for those who like to tweak. The novice market the 5200 is aimed at will surely welcome the hand-holding approach of the scene and scene assist modes, and the overall responsiveness makes using the 5200 a real pleasure.”

Website: DPReview - Nikon Coolpix 5200 Review

DigiCamReview.co.uk have published their review of the new Olympus C-765 Ultra Zoom digital camera.

“Image quality is very good - the images have great colour, good detail, low noise, but seem a bit soft occassionally - there is some purple fringing, which unfortunately is quite normal for ultra zoom digital cameras at the moment. The macro mode is very good. The flash didn’t cause any problems in any of the pictures I took. The movie mode is very good but unfortunately you can’t use both sound and the optical zoom at the same time. I had some of the photos printed by www.photobox.co.uk and they all looked EXCELLENT.”

Website: DigiCamReview.co.uk - Olympus C-765 Ultra Zoom Review

The German website Photoworld.de have published their review of the new 5 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 5200 compact digital camera.

Website: Photoworld.de - Nikon Coolpix 5200 Review

Digital Camera Info have reviewed the 4.0 megapixel Canon Powershot S410 (known as the Digital IXUS 430 outside North America).

“The Camera is pretty straight forward to handle when utilizing complete automatic mode settings. It is completely feasible to hold the camera and shoot with one hand when using the Canon PowerShot S410, though often images were blurred and out of focus. Even with digital image stabilization, it is recommended with most digital cameras to try to shoot with two hands, allowing one to be an added stabilizer. Most of the buttons are flush with the camera body and easy to access. The miniscule viewfinder, as mentioned before is completely useless, a pet peeve of mine. The small 1.5 inch LCD monitor is set slightly above the rest of the camera body and solarizes when turned slightly in any direction.”

Website: Digital Camera Info - Canon Powershot S410 Review

Casio UK Press Release 25/08/04

New EXILIM ZOOM Models With 5 Megapixels & Long Lasting SUPER LIFE Battery

2.5” LCD EX-Z55 and 2.02 LCD EX-Z50 models announced

August 25th, 2004, LONDON, UK - CASIO ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. today announced the release of the 5 megapixel EX-Z55 and EX-Z50, two new models in the EXILIM ZOOM range of digital cameras with extra long SUPER LIFE battery operation and large LCD viewing screens.

Designed to build on the success of CASIO’s 4 megapixel EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z40, both new models replicate the thin body construction with a large TFT LCD screen. This predecessor model offered high picture quality, high-speed response and power saving circuitry in a compact unit. Thanks to the incorporation of CASIO’s proprietary compact image processing module, the EXILIM Engine, the model also offered superior portability and exceptional performance, providing 2.5 times longer battery life, and representing a significant improvement over what remains a common drawback with conventional digital cameras. This attention to the needs of consumers in terms of features and usability ensured the EX-Z40’s extraordinary popularity.

Casio UK Press Release 25/08/04

CASIO Launches The World’s Smallest Digital Camera With Optical Zoom, The EXILIM CARD EX-S100

Stylish & Elegant EXILIM CARD pushes the boundaries of design and photography

August 25th, 2004, LONDON, UK - CASIO ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. has announced the world?s smallest* digital camera with an optical zoom (2.8x), the “EXILIM CARD” EX-S100. The camera owes its exceptionally compact design to another world first - the application of ceramic lens technology, providing a great advance in optical quality with a strength even greater than glass.

In 2002, CASIO launched the first EXILIM digital camera, an ultra-thin credit card sized camera designed as the ultimate in point and shoot photography. The camera could be carried easily, and enabled photography for any occasion, anytime and anywhere, having a huge impact on the digital camera market overnight and helping the ultra-slim genre to become a major segment of its own. Since that first EXILIM, CASIO has continued to create even thinner cameras with more rapid responsiveness and superior performance, creating an EXILIM lineup that has expanded to become a trend setting force in the marketplace.

Casio UK Press Release 25/08/04

CASIO Introduces New 6 Megapixel Compact Digital Camera to its QV Range

August 25th, 2004, LONDON, UK - CASIO ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. today announced the QV-R61, a 6 megapixel digital camera in the popular QV-R range with improved image quality and responsiveness thanks to the incorporation of CASIO’s proprietary EXILIM Engine technology. In addition, several new advanced features have been included to enhance overall performance. This compact model is the flagship in the QV-R series, and features a large 2.0” TFT LCD screen and a 3x optical zoom lens in a compact aluminum body.

Pentax USA Press Release 24/08/04

OPTIO X CAMERA OFFERS SHOOTING FREEDOM AND VIEWING EASE

PENTAX DELIVERS A DIGITAL TWIST

GOLDEN, Colorado (August 24, 2004)...PENTAX Imaging Company has announced the new Optio X digital camera featuring a new twist in design innovation.  Offering twice the versatility in digital imaging, the PENTAX Optio X opens with just a twist of the hand and positions the lens on one side for shooting freedom and the generous LCD monitor on the other side for viewing ease.  With 5.0 effective megapixel clarity, a 3X optical zoom and a unique design that allows both above-the-head and hip-level shots, the Optio X also features a high-performance, 2.0 inch, low-temperature poly silicon TFT color LCD monitor.

Optio X users will not sacrifice size for innovation.  The Optio X body is a mere .7 inch thick making it the thinnest model in the entire Optio series.  The Sliding Lens system - a unique PENTAX feature that allows the lens to be completely retracted inside the body as soon as the power is turned off - makes the Optio X so easy to carry in a bag or pocket.

Along with the 5.0 megapixel clarity, a newly developed ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) improves image quality and enhances processing speed.  The Optio X also features a new “My Menu” function, which allows users to group together frequently used functions for easy future access.  With such wide-ranging capabilities and customized functions, the Optio X is a comprehensive personal digital imaging tool designed to be carried everywhere. 

PENTAX will unveil the Optio X and other new and exciting digital products on September 20 at the PEPCOM Holiday Spectacular in New York City.

Pentax USA Press Release 24/08/04

BIG STYLE IN A SMALL DIGITAL CAMERA

GOLDEN, Colorado (August 24, 2004)...PENTAX Imaging Company has announced the new Optio S5i. With 5.0 effective megapixels and a 3X optical zoom lens, the Optio S5i features a stylish design in an ultra-compact, lightweight digital camera. Following in the footsteps of the popular Optio S, the stylish Optio S5i features the highest megapixel count in this ultra-compact series.         

The Optio S5i is a perfect digital camera for action photographers.  The Optio S5i features a new Sport mode that sets the camera for shutter speed-priority to enable spur of the moment shooting while Pan focusing mode ensures optimal focusing from close range to infinity.  Both modes help offer optimal results for capturing fleeting action shots.  For additional user confidence, the Optio S5i battery charger stand is capable of simultaneously charging one rechargeable Lithium-ion battery housed inside the camera as well as a spare battery.  The Optio S5i is equipped with 10MB of internal memory and is compatible with SD memory cards.

PENTAX will unveil the Optio S5i and other new and exciting digital products on September 20 at the PEPCOM Holiday Spectacular in New York City.

The German camera manufacturer Voigtlander has quietly announced a new 4 megapixel digital camera, the Virtus D4. There’s not too much information about it, just a picture and a specifications table. The Virtus D4 has a 4.2 megapixel sensor, 2” LCD and is quite light at 125g.

Imaging Resource have just reviewed the new Pentax OptioMX digital digital camera, which features 3.2 effective megapixels and 10X optical zoom to capture still images and high resolution (VGA) full-motion movies on MPEG-4 format with zoom capability.

“Good macro in normal mode, astonishing in “Super” macro mode. The Optio MX performed well in its normal Macro mode, capturing a minimum area of 2.98 x 2.23 inches (76 x 57 millimeters). Resolution was very high, showing a lot of fine detail in the dollar bill, coins and brooch. All four corners of the frame are soft, with the right side of the image being the worst, but this is fairly common in digicam macro modes, in my experience. In Super Macro mode, the camera focuses incredibly close, with a minimum area of 0.99 x 0.75 inches (25 x 19 millimeters). However, getting light in to the subject is nearly impossible at the very closest range. - The MX’s manual states the minimum focus distance in Super Macro mode as “0 cm”.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Pentax OptioMX Review

Photoxels have reviewed the Fuji FinePix S7000 Zoom, which is an updated version of the very popular 3 megapixel FinePix S602 Pro Zoom and features a brand new 6 megapixel 4th Generation Super CCD HR sensor.

“The FinePix S7000 wins our OriGenial Seal of Approval for the way it has implemented its controls, EVF, Menu System, Manual Focus, etc. into a package that is both intuitive and enjoyable to use. Basically, the camera gets out of the way and allows you to concentrate on the picture. Very few digital cameras can make that sort of claim.”

Website: Photoxels - Fuji FinePix S7000 Zoom Review

Website: Read my Fuji FinePix S7000 Zoom Review

DO Labs Press Release 23/08/04

DXO OPTICS PRO ADDS IMMEDIATE SUPPORT FOR LEADING 8 MEGAPIXEL PROSUMER CAMERAS

DxO Optics Pro expands support beyond Digital SLRs to include the Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 and Sony F-828 prosumer models

Paris, France, August 23, 2004 - DO Labs, a software company focused on research in image processing to enhance image quality, announces immediate support in its awardwinning DxO Optics Pro software application for the popular Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 and the Sony F-828 8 megapixel digital cameras. DxO Optics Pro automatically corrects digital image faults such as Distortion, Vignetting, Blur and Lateral Chromatic Aberration. Previously available only for leading Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras, DxO Optics Pro version 1.1 now extends support to high-end prosumer models.

“Many serious photographers are attracted by the compact, feature rich 8 megapixel cameras such as the Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 or the Sony F-828. Adding the image enhancement possibilities of DxO Optics Pro software to these models redefines what can be expected from a prosumer digital camera,” said Luc Marin, vice president of Business Development Photography, DO Labs.

Amazon is now listing the new range of Canon digital cameras that were announced on Friday last week (except for the EOS 20D DSLR). They will all be available on September 15th - if you want to be first in the queue you can pre-order them from Amazon using the following links:

Sanyo Japan have announced an update of the Xacti C1 digital camera/camcorder. According to Gizmodo, who have a stronger grasp of Japanase than me, the new C4 model has a few extra features, including video stabilizer, 4 megapixel CCD and a 1.8 inch LCD screen. The video quality hasn’t changed from the previous model though - it’s still 640 by 480 pixels at 30 frames per second.

Website: Gizmodo - Sanyo Xacti C4

Minox Press Release 19/08/04

MINOX DC 6311 - Very small, ultra compact, great looking but sporting over 6 million pixels!
The MINOX DC 6311 with 6.36 million pixels is one of the smallest digital cameras of its kind and its elegant stainless steel body is host to a most impressive range of features. The 3x optical zoom and the large 2” TFT color monitor make this small, attractive and well priced digital camera a very nice camera to own and use.

The MINOX DC 6311 features a CCD image sensor with 6.36 megapixels and boasts a fast, high-performance multi-coated MINOCTAR lens. The 3x zoom lens with autofocus allows the user plenty of freedom to concentrate on actual picture composition while still operating the easily selectable shutter speeds and apertures. A combination of the 6.36 megapixel sensor and the MINOCTAR lens, together with the cameras electronics and the software of the MINOX DC 6311, ensures dynamic images with expected natural color rendition. The added option to select manual mode - for night-time, sports or portrait photography as examples - opens up new areas of creativity for the discerning amateur or ‘snap-shooting’ pro’s. The automatic white balance ensures correct exposure, even in difficult lighting conditions, providing the user with natural colors and the correct setting for the subject in view, every time. The four flash functions make use of the best available lighting conditions for the best use of flash at all times. A fast image sequence and minimal shutter release delay allow for spontaneous snapshots just when you need them. A whole new range of creative photographic possibilities are opened up by the inclusion of the video and voice recording features.

Minox Press Release 19/08/04

MINOX DC 4211 - Digital camera with stylish slim line design

The MINOX DC 4211 is another milestone in the segment of small and flat digital cameras: 4.2 million pixels, 3x optical zoom as well as a large 2” TFT color monitor in an elegant aluminum body make this powerful digital camera a prestigious item which perfectly combines function and design.

The MINOX DC 4211 has a CCD image sensor with 4.2 megapixel and boasts the fast, high-performance MINOCTAR lens with multiple coating. The 3x zoom lens has an autofocus feature and gives the user freedom for creative picture composition. Thanks to the individual adjustment to the 4.2 megapixel sensor the MINOCTAR lens, together with the electronics and software of the MINOX DC 4211, provides highly dynamic images with natural color rendition. The automatic white balance ensures the right exposure, even in difficult light, providing the user with natural colors and the correct setting for the subject in view, every time. The four flash functions enable the ideal adjustment of the shot to the outside conditions. A fast image sequence and minimal shutter release delay allow spontaneous snapshots whatever the situation.

Photographic Magazine have just reviewed the new 8-megapixel Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 digital camera.

“One of the most obvious improvements is apparent the first time you look through the A2’s new high-performance electronic viewfinder. With 922,000 pixels, this high-density VGA-quality display offers nearly four times the resolution of the DiMAGE A1 (or any other currently available digicam, for that matter). While still not as sharp as a TTL optical viewfinder, this EVF boasts a variety of benefits not found on a conventional viewfinder, including a full-information data overlay, automatic light amplification under dim conditions, and tilting from 0??90? for convenient shooting at odd angles.”

Website: Photographic - Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 Review