Index Digicam have just reviewed the Samsung Digimax 360 compact digital camera. The Digimax 360 offers a 3.2 mega pixel resolution to capture clear and accurate images. The high quality Samsung SHD lens (equivalent to 38mm - 114mm in 35mm format), with 3 x optical and 4 x digital zoom to get up close to your subject.

Website: Index Digicam - Samsung Digimax 360 Review

Rollei have anounced the dp3210, a new digital camera featuring a 3.3 megapixel CCD and 10x zoom lens, which offers a focal length equivalent to 35-350mm in 35mm photography. The Rollei dp3210 will be available from mid-December.

Rollei Press Release 02/12/03
Rollei launches a new 3.2 MP digital camera with 10x optical zoom! - Powerful digital zoom camera from Rollei!

The new Rollei dp3210 is a sophisticated digital camera boasting a 10x zoom lens and 3.3-megapixal resolution.

The dp3210 is Rollei’s answer to the manifold challenges facing serious amateur photographers. Its high-speed, high-performance 10x zoom lens covers focal lengths from 5.7-57 mm (equivalent to 35-350mm in 35mm photography). Advanced automatic and manual modes conveniently cover even difficult photographic situations. What’s more, the camera also allows the recording of video clips. The Rollei dp3210 will be available from mid-December.

While the 10x D-VarioApogon autofocus zoom lens already reaches out far into the distance, a 4x digital zoom adds even more punch to this zooming capability. In the wide-angle setting, focusing is possible from 50 cm to infinity, at the telephoto end from 120 cm to infinity. A macrofocus mode allows close-ups down to 10 cm at wide-angle and down to 90 cm at the longest focal length. Perfect framing control ? indispensable with such a wide zooming range ? is ensured by a TFT monitor and an 0.33” electronic viewfinder with a resolution of about 114,000 pixels, showing the precise frame that will be recorded.

When it comes to different shooting modes, the new Rollei camera also has a lot to offer. The 2.5” TFT monitor with a resolution of 119,548 pixels shows all relevant operating data and the camera status at a single glance. Exposure, for example, can be controlled by either programmed AE, aperture-priority AE, shutter-priority AE or manually. In addition to these exposure modes, there are special subject-specific programs tailored to portraiture, scenery, night scenes and sports or action photography. For discriminating users, there are different metering methods (spot and center-weighted average metering) as well as the possibility of bracketing in increments of 1/3 EV and a B-setting for time exposures.

To allow for difficult lighting situations, white balance can be manually controlled by pushing a button. Alternatively, there is automatic white balance for either daylight (sunny or cloudy), tungsten or fluorescent light. Several flash modes let the user choose between ON (fill flash), OFF, Auto, red-eye reduction and slow sync for evocative night-time photography. Sensitivity is variable from a noise-free ISO 70 up to ISO 400, allowing available-light shooting even in twilight.

The Rollei dp3210 has a built-in self-timer (2s or 10s delay) and can also be triggered with the aid of an infrared remote control. In addition, it allows continuous shooting at a rate of 1.25 fps and a high-speed mode with a maximum burst of nine images at approx. 3.3 fps.

In addition to stills, the Rollei dp3210 will also record video clips and sound. The corresponding files are recorded with 320 x 240 pixels and 15 images per second in the AVI format either in the camera’s internal memory or on a SecureDigital card. A PAL/NTSC video output makes transmission to a TV set a cinch. To download stills to a computer, there is a USB interface.

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have published their full review of “the world’s smallest and lightest 2-megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom”, the Minolta DiMAGE X20.

Website: Index Digicam - Minolta DiMAGE X20 Review

The Slovenian website e-fotografija have published a review of the Panasonic DMC-F1 compact digital camera, which has a 3x Optical Zoom, 3 megapixel CCD, 4 frames per second burst shooting, Quick Time motion image recording and a 1.5 inch, 114,000 pixel LCD Monitor.

Website: e-fotografija - Panasonic DMC-F1 Review

Website: Slovenian Translator

The Spanish website Nuevafotografia have published a review of the Sony DSC-V1 compact digital camera, which features 5 megapixel resolution, 4x optical zoom, flexible exposure control and an infrared laser hologram.

Website: Nuevafotografia - Sony DSC-V1 Review

Sony Canada Press Release 01/12/03(found via A Digital Eye)

Sony unveils Cyber-shot DSC-F828, world’s first 8-megapixel digital camera
Advanced lens, colour filter and processor realize new levels of image quality and camera responsiveness

The Cyber-shot DSC-F828 camera is available in mid-December through authorized Sony resellers across Canada or at www.sonystyle.ca and has a suggested list price of $1,499.

TORONTO, Dec. 1 /CNW/ - Sony of Canada Ltd., Canada’s leading electronic and computer products solutions provider for consumers and business, today unveiled the Cyber-shot DSC-F828 digital camera, the world’s first 8-megapixel offering and the most powerful addition to the Company’s popular line of F-Series cameras.

With its lens-centric design, the Cyber-shot DSC-F828 is encased in a black, magnesium alloy body, and is the first to incorporate Sony’s recently announced four-colour filter CCD (Charge Coupled Device) technology and Real Imaging Processor(TM).

Along with the Carl Zeiss(R) T(*) optics, these components are integral in capturing colour accuracy closest to what the human eye can see and setting a new benchmark in camera performance.

“With our heritage in component design, Sony is uniquely qualified to realize this new standard in image quality,” said Hiro Futsukaichi, Senior Marketing Manager, Digital Imaging Products, Consumer Audio Video/Information Technology Group, Sony of Canada Ltd. “Specifically designed to handle the unique rigors of advanced digital still photography, the new Cyber-shot F828 camera embodies what we envision as a premier imaging experience.”

To complete that experience, the new camera offers extensive manual controls, giving advanced photographers a broader range of mechanisms to determine focus, exposure and recording modes.

Leica have today announced a new addition to their range of digital cameras in the form of the Digilux 2, dubbed by Leica as the ?analog? digital camera.

The new LEICA DIGILUX 2 camera combines the best of two worlds.
In the new LEICA DIGILUX 2, modern digital technology and the proven concepts of traditional analog photography are joined in a harmonious combination: Decisive photographic parameters such as sharpness, aperture, focal length and shutter speeds can be controlled like those on a classic single-lens-reflex camera by means of setting rings on the lens and a shutter speed dial.

To ensure the best pictorial results, the lens, the sensor and the electronics are optimally tailored to one another. The 2/3-inch CCD sensor is very large for its resolution of 5 million pixels. This combination of a high-performance lens and a large surface per picture element produces an extraordinary pictorial quality.

The LEICA DIGILUX 2 at a glance

- Fast 7 ? 22.5 mm LEICA DC VARIO SUMMICRON f/2 ? f/2.4 ASPH. zoom lens (equivalent to a 28 - 90 mm zoom lens on a 35 mm camera)
- 2/3” CCD sensor with 5.0 million pixels
- Analog photography feeling conveyed by manual setting possibilities directly at the lens
- Its traditional clear design readily identifies it as a typical Leica
- Transfer-reflexive 2,5? display with a resolution of 211,000 pixels and outstanding brilliance
- Electronic viewfinder with 235,000 pixels that covers 100% of the picture being taken
- Extra large picture storage card with 64 MB
- Interval timing and control via the PC
- Connections: USB 2.0 (High Speed); DC IN; AV output with option of PAL or NTSC; Remote release cable
- Extremely robust and long-lived because of the use of high-grade materials and precision fabrication

Photo.net have published their review of one of the more popular consumer digicams, the 4-megapixel Canon PowerShot A80, which sells for around $399.

“The dreaded “blue fringing”, which is seen on just about all cameras and is probably due to a combination of factors including sensor blooming, seems well controlled. Under adverse conditions (dark lines on a white, overexposed, background) you can see evidence of “blue fringing”, but it didn’t seem excessive. It’s frequently not noticeable in normal shots, but in “torture tests” it can be seen.

Though it’s not fair, here’s a comparison of a 4MP image from the A80 and a 6.3 MP image from the EOS 10D using a 28-135 IS lens. These are crops from 400% blowups from the center of each image so you can see the individual pixels. There is surprisingly little difference!”

Website: Photo.net - Canon Powershot A80 Review

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have published their review of the tiny Canon Digital IXUS i (also known as the PowerShot SD10 in some countries). The SD10 has a street price of $349 in the USA and ?299 in the UK.

Website: Index Digicam - Canon PowerShot SD10 Review

The danish website Akamera.dk have reviewed the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P72, a $349, 3-megapixel digital compact camera.

Website: Akamera.dk - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P72 Review

A Digital Eye have posted a First Look at of a pre-production version of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1, which is due to be released in January 2004.

“The Sony T1 is a tiny 5 megapixel Camera with a sliding cover that protects the lens while not in use. The camera is very thin, it has a fairly flat body that is rectangular in shape, making it very compact. The sliding lens cover is somewhat rounded and does stick out about 1/8 of an inch, however it opens very easily once you know what to do.”

Website: A Digital Eye - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 First Look

Sony Japan have just posted some more sample images from the new DSC-F828 8-megapixel digital camera, due to ship sometime in December. There are 4 ISO 100 images for you to take a look at and evaluate, but none of them have the full-sized original available, so it’s very difficult to be able to judge what the image quality is like.

Website: Sony Japan - DSC-F828 Sample Images

DCResource have published their review of the HP Photosmart 945 digital camera, which features a 5.3-megapixel total resolution and 56x total zoom (8x optical zoom). The HP Photosmart 945 digital camera is available now and has an estimated U.S. retail price of $549.

“Color and exposure are both accurate, and images are sharp (since HP cranks up the in-camera sharpening). One thing I did notice (probably due to the image sharpening) were a lot of “jaggies” on edges in my test photos. They’re not hard to find—just open up any image. Purple fringing (chromatic aberrations) were higher than average, a common trait of ultra zoom cameras. Noise was also a little higher than I’d like, but it’s no worse than other top models in this class.”

Website: DCResource - HP Photosmart 945 Review

DCViews have reviewed the Sony DSC-V1 compact digital camera, which features 5 megapixel resolution, 4x optical zoom, flexible exposure control and an infrared laser hologram.

“Shot to shot time is excellent, one of the fastest on the market, although admittedly if you have chosen to save your images in TIFF format, you will have to wait about 40 seconds before the camera is ready to take the next image. Our advice would be to leave TIFF format to the professionals and stick to JPEG, as the latter format in its fine compression mode is easily good enough to make large prints with any of today?s cameras.”

Website: DCViews - Sony DSC-V1 Review

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the 4 megapixel EasyShare DX6490 digital camera, a digital camera which features a 10x optical zoom lens (38-380mm focal length). The Kodak EasyShare DX6490 has a suggested retail price of ?399.99.

Website: Index Digicam - Kodak EasyShare DX6490 Review

A New firmware version has just been released for the Minolta DiMAGE A1. Version 101e corrects the following issues:

- When using DiMAGE Capture, the camera stops while interval recording.
- When using a 2GB or larger storage media, the camera cannot record movies.

The new firmware is available for both Windows and MAC platforms.

Website: Minolta Support

The Norwegian website DigIT has exclusive news that Kyocera are releasing a version of its Finecam SL300R digital camera (pictured) under the Contax brand name. The Contax SL300R T* looks identical to the Finecam SL300R but will apparently have a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* lens. The new Contax is due out in Japan in December.

Website: DigIT - Contax SL300R T*

Index Digicam have just reviewed the 2 megapixel Samsung Digimax 240. The Digimax 240 is for those snappers who like substance and style and are comfortable with digital photography. A high quality SHD range will ensure clarity of shot while 2.0 mega pixels allow the smallest details to shine through and - for those who insist their own presence should be strong within shots - a 10 second self timer allows all faces in the frame.

Website: Index Digicam - Samsung Digimax 240 Review

FujiFilm Press Release 26/11/03

Fujifilm’s FinePix F610: The only way is upright

Release Date: 26 November 2003

World’s first compact digital camera to boast 6 million effective pixels

Fujifilm today launches the FinePix F610, the first compact digital camera to offer 6 million effective pixels.

Not satisfied with this outstanding resolution, Fujifilm has added its 4th Generation Super CCD HR sensor to the F610, allowing it to achieve a recorded output of 12 million pixels ? meaning users can enlarge to unprecedented print sizes without loss of quality.

Successor to the popular FinePix F601, the F610 adopts the same upright format and builds on its performance and handling to create a formidable camera for photography enthusiasts. Feature-laden, yet easy to use, the FinePix F610 encourages experimentation whilst also offering automatic modes for the less confident user.

The FinePix F610 is technically versatile and offers significant creative control over all elements of the picture-taking process. In addition to full manual, aperture and shutter priority modes, it also offers four special scene modes ? Portrait, Sports, Landscape and Night Scene ? to help select the most appropriate settings in difficult shooting conditions. In terms of design, the innovative Fujifilm upright format has a clear photographic advantage: the camera is less prone to shake when held one-handed.

Availability
The FinePix F610 will be available in the UK from leading photographic retailers in the first quarter of 2004.

Imaging Resource are reporting that Leica are set to announce a digital version of the classic M6 film camera. Apparently the new Leica Digilux 2 will have a 5 megapixel sensor and a Leica DC Vario-Summicron 28-90mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens. The lens will have manual operating rings for the zoom, focus and the aperture. The Digilux 2 will support both JPG and RAW formats and will have a massive 2.5” LCD screen on the back with with 211,000 pixels. It will also have an electronic view finder (EVF) with 235,000 pixels. The website DSpot has exclusive pictures of the new camera. The Digilux 2 is already listed at a German retailer for 1,800 Euros.

Website: DSpot - Leica Digilux 2

Website: Imaging Resource - Leica Digilux 2