CNET have reviewed the Casio QV-R40, a 4 megapixel digicam which has an amazing start-up time of one second and shutter-lag of 0.01 seconds. The Casio QV-R40 currently retails for around $300 / ?300.

“The QV-R40’s aggressive price and clean design make this 4-megapixel compact an attractive choice for snapshooters who consider ease of use a digicam’s most important aspect. The wide-angle view of the 39mm-to-117mm zoom lens may not be enough for landscape fans, but the rest of the QV-R40’s feature set is optimized for the point-and-shoot crowd. Alas, mixed performance and mediocre images dim the luster of this camera’s potential.”

Website: CNET - Casio QV-R40 Review

Kyocera Press Release 18/11/03

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Kyocera Solves the Most Common Digital Camera ?User Irritants? with the Revolutionary Finecam SL300R and Finally Fulfills the Promise of Digital Photography

The World’s Thinnest 3x Optical Zoom Digital Camera

Virtually Eliminates Lag Time and is Capable of Unlimited Continuous Shooting at an Unprecedented 3.5 Frames Per Second

The 3.2 megapixel Kyocera Finecam SL300R:

TAKES LESS THAN A SECOND TO ?BOOT UP?.
- Digital photographers no longer have to worry about missing important moments of spontaneity with a boot up time of just under 0.7 seconds. Hit the power button and you?re ready to shoot.

VIRTUALLY ELIMINATES THE SHUTTER RELEASE LAG TIME.
- Offers a solution for digital camera fans who have been frustrated by “missing the moment” due to the combination of the shutter speed lag time and slow “click to click” speed. 

SHOOTS AT AN UNPRECEDENTED 3.5 FRAMES A SECOND.
- Utilizing Kyocera?s new RTune Rapid Tuning Technology, the Kyocera Finecam SL300R offers the World’s fastest Continuous Capture Mode. For instance, you can fill a 256MB SD memory card with continuous images at 3.5 fps, then go back, review the shots and pick the ones you want to keep. And this is at 3.2 Megapixel resolution of 2048 x 1536.

ENSURES STYLE IS NOT SACRIFICED WITH SIZE.
- The Kyocera Finecam SL300R is also the thinnest and the most stylish camera available today (15 mm), it can easily fit into the pocket of your jeans, shirt or into the tiniest of bags. This fashionable and sheik design is covered with brushed aluminum panels and boasts a unique swivel lens for achieving images from virtually any vantage point. 

Consumer Benefits
- Able to take images that were missed before due to digital lag time.
- As close as you get to a traditional SLR camera experience.
- Users can instantly switch on their camera, take a picture or a continuous stream of photos, and expect the camera to instantly write the image and be ready again.

The Kyocera Finecam SL300R comes bundled with the highly rated Adobe Photoshop Album software and has an MSRP of $399. It is available nationwide.

Steves Digicams have reviewed the affordable 5 megapixel Olympus CAMEDIA C-5000 Zoom, which relaces the older 4 megapixel C-4000 Zoom model.

“Shooting performance is a bit below average. Power-on to first shot captured measured an agonizingly-slow 13 seconds when equipped with a 512MB Olympus xD memory card; this shrunk to a more reasonable 6 seconds when using the supplied 32MB xD card. Because the C-5000 produces JPG files of about 1.5 megabytes at its highest quality setting, you’ll want to have a sizable xD card installed, but you’ll pay a price in startup time in proportion to its capacity. As a result, this is not the best camera to capture unposed, impromptu moments.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Olympus CAMEDIA C-5000 Zoom Review

The Slovenian website e-fotografija have reviewed the 3.2 megapixel Minolta DiMAGE Z1. This digicam has a 10x optical zoom lens, equivalent to a 38-380mm 35mm camera zoom, which in combination with the digital zoom offers a 40X zoom range.

Website: e-fotografija - Minolta DiMAGE Z1 Review

Fujifilm Press Release 17/11/03

Looking for Nemo? Find him with your FinePix F700 Zoom

Fujifilm launches underwater housing for the FinePix F700 Zoom

Hot on the heels of underwater casings for the popular FinePix F410 Zoom and F401 Zoom, Fujifilm today announces a sealed underwater housing for its acclaimed FinePix F700 Zoom - allowing outstanding image clarity at depths of up to 40 metres.

A precision-engineered strongbox, this underwater package guarantees sharp stills and brilliantly colourful motion images. Practical and stylish, the housing won’t detract from the ease of use of the FinePix F700 Zoom, and ensures that you can focus your attention on the underwater world, rather than worrying about the process of taking the photo. What’s more, the housing will also protect your precious camera from snow, mud, dust and rain.

Built from high-impact strength polycarbonate to withstand underwater pressure, the housing is a gift for sports fans and a ‘must-have’ for anyone into diving, sailing or even skiing.

Will Rolls, Fujifilm’s Marketing Manager for Digital Imaging, commented, “Under water is a notoriously difficult environment from which to capture clear and accurate images. The lack of light can result in dull pictures, but with its exceptional dynamic range capabilities, this camera copes superbly. The FinePix F700 Zoom has already received critical acclaim for its photographic flexibility and Super CCD SR technology. By combining sharp images and underwater photography, the F700 is an irresistible package for photography enthusiasts who like to get out and about.”

DCResource have completed their review of the Pentax Optio 555, a 5 megapixel updated version of the popular 550 model.

“The Pentax Optio 555 ($550) is an updated version of the popular Optio 550 (see our review). Both cameras have a 5 Megapixel CCD, 5X optical zoom lens, and compact body. The differences between the new cameras are few. The 555 adds PictBridge support, improved performance, a larger range of shutter speeds, and a new flash exposure compensation option—otherwise they’re the same camera. Those who purchased the 550 a few months ago are probably not pleased by the rapid introduction of this new model.

Website: DCResource - Pentax Optio 555 Review

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Fuji FinePix A310, which uses Fujifilm’s new 4th Generation Super CCD HR with 3.1 million effective pixels and 6.0 million recorded pixels. The Fuji FinePix A310 currently retails for around $250 / ?250.

“Sleek and compact, and with great outdoor picture quality, I wanted to like the FinePix A310 more than I did. Unfortunately, its photos showed quite a bit of image noise, most likely due to its minimum ISO of 200 (most cameras provide a minimum ISO of 100 or even lower, to deliver lower image noise when shooting under bright conditions), and its white balance system had some trouble under the household incandescent lighting that’s very common in the US.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Fuji FinePix A310 Review

CNET have reviewed the 4.1 megapixel Kodak EasyShare DX6440, which has a 4X Schneider 33 - 132mm zoom lens and retails for around $400.

“Kodak’s midrange EasyShare DX6440, with its nearly nonexistent learning curve, should appeal to neophytes looking for a solid first camera. In addition to a 4X zoom lens and a 4-megapixel sensor, the DX6440 provides almost effortless image transfer and postprocessing via its bundled EasyShare dock and software. And you can have it all for a very competitive price. A few manual settings give newbies a little room to grow, but there are better choices if you really want to explore and experiment.”

Website: CNET - Kodak EasyShare DX6440 Review

CNET 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.

“With its 8X zoom lens, the HP Photosmart 945 is sure to make the hearts of telephoto aficionados beat faster. But this 5-megapixel replacement for the Photosmart 850 rates as merely average. It lacks many characteristics that enthusiasts look for, including uncompressed file output and external-flash compatibility, and telephoto freaks can find alternatives that provide better performance and image quality.”

Website: CNET - HP Photosmart 945 Review

DP-Now have posted their initial impressions of the Sanyo Xacti VPC-C1, a new hybrid digital still/video camera that certainly looks very stylish.

“We haven’t yet had a chance to test the VPC-C1, but Sanyo has supplied some sample images and you can download a selection of these at the end of this page. Assuming that these are unretouched images out of the camera, the quality looks about right for a typical 3MP digicam. There are some compression artefacts detectable, but nothing serious. Sharpness is good and there seems to be an ancouraging lack of the scourge of compact digital cameras, purple fringing associated with chromatic aberrations.”

Website: DP-Now - Hands-On Test of Sanyo Xacti VPC-C1

BenQ have recently added the 5 megapixel DC C50 to their range of digital cameras. Here’s a summary of the camera’s main features:

- Stylish/ Compact with 5MP CCD
- PASM model [Program AE/ Aperture Priority / Shutter Speed Priority / Manual] 
- 12X zoom (3X optical zoom / 4X digital zoom)
- Movie clips with sound [B/W, Sepia, Vivid]
- Voice recording on image
- Good power performance (Lithium-ion battery)
- Scene Mode (Portrait / Sport/ Night Scene)
- ISO 100-400
- Wise zoom playback
- Interval self timer shooting
- Diopter / Command dial

There are no details yet on price or availablity.

Website: LetsGoDigital - BenQ DC C50 Camera

Website: BenQ Europe -  DC C50 Camera

Website: BenQ

Steves Digicams 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.

“Perhaps one of the PS945’s most interesting features is the Digital Flash which uses HP’s new Adaptive Lighting Technology. This is a process whereby the light and dark areas of the image are balanced out to produce a picture that looks more like what the human eye sees. It works well in contrasty outdoor shots where there are areas of both brightly lit subjects and dark shadow areas. It also works with indoor flash pictures, especially those where the main subject is well-lit and the rest of the frame is dimly lit.”

Website: Steves Digicams - HP Photosmart 945 Review

DCResource have reviewed the affordable 5 megapixel Olympus CAMEDIA C-5000 Zoom, which relaces the older C-4000 Zoom model. The C-5000 has a full range of exposure modes, including Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, full Manual control and 6 preset Creative Scene modes. It has a built-in flash with 7 different modes and also accepts an external flash via its hot shoe.

“If there’s one thing I can say about the C-5000Z, it’s that it won’t be winning any beauty pageants. For some reason, it reminds me of a beluga whale (no, this is not a Rorschach test). The unusual design of the camera does have one benefit: it’s really easy to hold. The camera body is made of a mix of metal and plastic, and it feels sturdy enough. Controls are well-placed, so you can quickly change camera settings.”

Website: DCResource - Olympus CAMEDIA C-5000 Zoom Review

CNET have reviewed the Fuji FinePix A210 Zoom digital camera. The A210 has 3.2 million megapixels and a 3x optical zoom. It retails for $279.99.

“Reasonably good picture quality redeems the A210’s otherwise lackluster character. Our test photos were comparatively sharp, detailed, and smooth. Colors came out mostly accurate and vibrant, and exposure was generally fine. We noted some noise and compression artifacts, but you’ll probably be happy with snapshot-size prints of the A210’s images.”

Website: CNET - Fujifilm FinePix A210 Review

Imaging Resource have published a snippet of news which will be of interest to all Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1 owners. Apparently Panasonic Japan have just announced the DMW-VUZ1 upgrade kit, which incorporates the firmware changes that were made in the updated DMC-FZ2 camera. So for ?6000 you can upgrade your DMC-FZ1 so that it has the same functionality as the later model. At the moment, though, this has only been announced for the Japanese market - fingers crossed that it will appear in the rest of the world…

Website: Imaging Resource - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1 Upgrade Kit

DPReview have just posted their usual extensive review of the Minolta DiMAGE A1.

“There’s little doubt that the DiMAGE A1 is the most feature rich and flexible prosumer digital camera currently available. Indeed it has a range of flexibility beyond that of most digital SLR’s. It’s a camera designed as a photographers tool, and one which can fit a wide variety of roles with the ability to deliver output suited to almost any specific photographers requirements.”

Website: DPReview - Minolta DiMAGE A1 Review

LetsGoDigital’s recent review of the Fuji FinePix S5000 is now available in English. This is a mid-range digital camera looks like a traditional SLR (but isn’t) and has a 10X optical zoom that is equivalent to equivalent to 37-370mm on a 35mm camera.

“The Fujifilm FinePix S5000 is a fine camera to work with. The compact SRL like model of the camera fits perfectly in one?s hand. The buttons are directly accessible; in fact the camera can be controlled by only 3 fingers. The thumb from the right hand can easily control the control centre at the back of the camera while the forefinger can react quickly to take a picture. The forefinger of the left hand doesn?t have to stay watching unemployed; it can operate the built-in flash or the focus function. The amount of buttons is kept limited while the functionality stayed the same. The zoom button might seem small, but in practice it turns out to function quick and to the point.”

Website: LetsGoDigital - Fuji FinePix S5000 Review

LetsGoDigital have reviewed the Fuji FinePix F700, which has a 6.2-megapixel Super CCD SR and is supposed to capture more detail in the shadow and highlight areas of an image than Fuji cameras have previously captured.

“The compact design of the FinePix F700 and the nice aluminium workmanship give the FinePix F700 a quality appearance. The camera offers convenience and user friendliness as well as many settings for the photographer. This new model is available on the Dutch market since a few months, so it is time to try out this FinePix F700 in the field. Read about our experiences with this camera in the following review.”

Website: LetsGoDigital - Fuji FinePix F700 Review

Website: Read my review of the Fuji FinePix F700

LetsGoDigital have also published reviews in Dutch of the Fujifilm Finepix S5000 and Sony CyberShot P-8 digital cameras.

Website: LetsGoDigital - Fuji FinePix S5000 Review

Website: LetsGoDigital - Sony CyberShot P-8 Review

Steves Digicams have just posted a Quick Review of the 5 megapixel Kodak EasyShare DX4530. This new digicam retails for ?399 in the UK.

“As of the writing of this conclusion (Nov 2003), the Kodak DX4530 is the lowest cost 5- megapixel digital camera available with a zoom lens. It proves that the old saying “you only get what you pay for” may not always be true. The DX4530 is an entry-level yet high resolution camera with a quality 3x optical zoom lens. This is a perfect camera for anyone that wants to easily capture sharp and well saturated pictures, indoors or out, with little or no prior experience. And with an average street price of $350 or less you won’t need a bank loan to purchase one.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Kodak EasyShare DX4530 Review

Fujifilm Press Release 06/11/03

Fujifilm enjoys a month of acclaim in magazine polls, with the FinePix F700 Zoom gaining widespread plaudits

6 November 2003

Fujifilm’s digital photography expertise has been recognised by a series of accolades and award successes in the past month.

Following its launch in July 2003, the FinePix F700 Zoom has received a series of commendations for its winning combination of style, speed and ground-breaking sensor technology.  The compact digital camera was the first to incorporate Fujifilm’s innovative Fourth Generation Super CCD SR.  The new sensor enables the user to capture highlight and shadow detail missed by conventional digital cameras, resulting in images of stunning quality.  Fujifilm has dubbed this advance ‘High Fidelity PhotographyTM ‘, a reference to the sensor’s extraordinarily faithful rendition of detail.

2003 MAXIM STYLE AWARDS, ‘MONEY TO BURN’ CATEGORY
For the second year running, a Fujifilm digital camera has enjoyed success in Maxim magazine’s annual awards.  The FinePix F700 Zoom won the ‘Highly Commended’ award in Maxim’s ‘Money to Burn’ category.  This follows the winning performance of the FinePix F601 Zoom in 2002.

GQ’s ‘100 BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD’ EXHIBITION
The FinePix F700 Zoom continues its success with acclaim from GQ magazine as one of the ‘100 best things in the world’.  The GQ exhibition, which covers areas such as gadgets, cards, clothes and music, takes place in November and December at the Barclay Hotel, London.

2003 COMPUTERACTIVE READER AWARDS, ‘BEST DIGITAL CAMERA COMPANY’ CATEGORY
For the second year running, Fujifilm has been voted ‘best digital camera company’ by the readers of Computeractive, the UK’s best-selling computer magazine.  Reader voting makes these awards a true barometer of brand perception amongst the UK public.

Adrian Clarke, Director of Consumer Products, Fujifilm, said, “It’s always fantastic to win awards as they are a recognition of everyone’s hard work.  We made significant technological strides with the FinePix F700 Zoom, without compromising the camera’s aesthetics.  This combination has worked, and the fantastic response we are getting is testament to that.”