Olympus has updated its SZ series of pocketable travalzoom cameras with two new, 14-megapixel models. The Olympus SZ-11 features a 25-500mm equivalent lens, while the Olympus SZ-14 comes with a 25-600mm zoom. Both cameras boast a TruePic III+ processing engine, sensor-shift image stabilisation, “Advanced Face Detection” and “Shadow Adjustment” technologies, a range of Magic Filters, in-camera panorama stitching, 3D photo shooting and Eye-Fi memory card compatiblity. Additionally, both the Olympus SZ-11 and the SZ-14 can shoot 720p HD videos with “Multi-motion Movie IS”, The SZ-14 is available for €229 / £199.99 and the SZ-11 for €199, both from mid-January 2012. (Note: the SZ-11 was actually announced back in 2011, but has hitherto been available via select distributors in a few markets only.)

Today marks the European launch of the Olympus SH-21, an interesting camera with a 24-300mm equivalent lens, mechanically stabilised 16-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor and a 3” touch-sensitive LCD screen with a resolution of 460,000 dots. Hitherto only available in Japan, the Olympus SH-21 boasts a 7fps High-Speed Continuous Shooting mode and a special HDR mode that allows the camera to capture images with less noise and extended dynamic range. Other highlights include a Hand-Held Starlight mode, in which the SH-21 takes four different photos with one click of the shutter and merges them in-camera; and a Smart Panorama mode that makes it easy to capture 360° panoramas without the use of a tripod. In addition, the camera can also capture Full HD movies with stereo sound. The Olympus SH-21 is available in gold, red and black for €209 / £189.99 from early January 2012.

The affordable 14-megapixel Olympus Tough TG-320 is the latest addition to the company’s line-up of ruggedised compact cameras. Waterproof to 3m, shockproof to 1.5m and freezeproof to -10°C, the Olympus Tough TG-320 comes equipped with a 28-102mm equivalent zoom lens and a hard glass lens barrier “for extra-tough lens protection”. Other highlights include a 2.7” scratch-resistant LCD screen, sensor-shift image stabilisation, AF Tracking, Magic Filters, Face Detection and Shadow Adjustment technologies, 720p movies, Eye-Fi memory card support, in-camera panorama stitching and 3D photo shooting complete with an Underwater 3D mode. The Olympus Tough TG-320 is available in blue and red from mid-February, at a price of €149 / £139.99.

The all-metal, 16-megapixel Olympus VR-340 and VR-360 come equipped with 24-240mm and 24-300mm equivalent lenses, respectively. Both are slim, compact cameras with a small right-hand grip, sensor-shift image stabilisation, 720p HD movie recording capability, Magic Filters, Eye-Fi memory card support and a 3” rear screen with 460,000 dots. Both VR cameras will be available in March 2012. The Olympus VR-360 costs €149, while the VR-340 will sell for €129 / £129.99.

The affordable, 14-megapixel Olympus VG-170 boasts a 26-130mm equivalent lens and a powerful built-in flash. While a guide number of 8.8 (in metres at ISO 100/21°) might not strike you as particularly high, Olympus claims that “regular digital compacts” tend to have flashes with a GN of just 4 or 5.6, making the VG-170 stand out in this regard. The Olympus VG-170 even has a so-called “Long Flash Mode” in which the camera automatically trades off megapixels against ISO sensitivity for a well-exposed, low-noise image. Other highlights include a 3” rear screen with a resolution of 460,000 dots Eye-Fi card compatibility, Face Detection and “Shadow Adjustment” technologies, a range of Magic Filters, 720p video, and a 3D photo shooting mode; all for less than €100 / £100. The Olympus VG-170 will be available from mid-February in a choice of black, white and red colours.

The 14-megapixel Olympus VH-210 is an affordable all-metal camera with a 26-130mm equivalent lens, which comes in a range of bold colours. Available in Apple Red, Grape Purple, Apricot Orange, Lychee White, Kiwi Green and “Black Berry” versions, the highly automated Olympus VH-210 features a 3-inch, 460,000-dot LCD monitor, 720p movie recording, Face Detection, Shadow Adjustment Technology, Magic Filters and a 3D photo shooting mode. The Olympus VH-210 will be available for €89 from mid-February 2012.

The Olympus VG-150 and VG-160 are the most affordable models in the manufacturer’s new compact camera line-up. The 12-megapixel Olympus VG-150 is equipped with a 27-108mm equivalent zoom lens and a 2.7” LCD monitor, and shoots VGA movies. The 14-megapixel Olympus VG-160 has a 26-130mm equivalent lens and a 3” rear screen, and is capable of recording 720p videos. Both cameras come with an assortment of features including Face Detection and Shadow Adjustment Technology, a range of “Magic Filters”. The Olympus VG-160 is available in silver, black, red or orange for €79. The VG-150 comes in silver or black for €69.

Sony unveiled four new compact cameras at CES today. The 16-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W630 (pictured) features a Carl Zeiss branded, 25-125mm equivalent zoom lens with enhanced Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation. The 14-megapixel DSC-W620 also offers 5x optical zoom, but without the Zeiss branding and the optical stabiliser. The W610 also has a 14-megapixel sensor but comes with a Sony branded 4x zoom lens, while the Sony DSC-S5000 is an AA-powered compact with 14 megapixels of resolution and 5x optical zoom. Sony’s Sweep Panorama mode is available on all models to capture an all-round view of landscapes, city scenes and more. The Cyber-shot W630, W620 and S5000 also add four Picture Effect modes - Pop Colour, Toy Camera, Partial Colour and Sof High-key - for easy in-camera creation of “artistic” images. All four new cameras come with PlayMemories Home software pre-installed. The Sony Cyber-shot W630, W620, W610 and S5000 will be available from February.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic SZ7, S5, FS45 compact cameras look like in the flesh?

Then check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of Panasonic’s new compact cameras.

The 16.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-SZ1 and the 14.1-megapixel DMC-SZ7 mark the introduction of entirely new range of stylish, ultra-compact ultra-zooms by Panasonic. Both cameras feature a Leica-branded 25-250mm equivalent zoom lens whose optical formula comprises 9 elements in 7 groups, including 4 aspherical lens elements with 6 aspherical surfaces. The Panasonic SZ1 (pictured) comes equipped with a 16.1-megapixel CCD sensor and features “Sonic Speed AF” as well as 720p HD video recording capability, while the SZ7 boasts a 14.1-megapixel CMOS imager, 10fps continuous shooting and “Light Speed AF”, along with Full HD movie capture. The DMC-SZ1 will be available in black, silver, blue, red and violet, while the DMC-SZ7 comes in black, white and brown.

The 14.1-megapixel Panasonic FS40 and the 16.1-megapixel FS45 (pictured) are two new ultra-compact cameras featuring 24-120mm equivalent lenses with an f/2.5 maximum aperture at the wide end. Comprising 6 elements in 5 groups - including 3 aspherical lens elements with 5 aspherical surfaces -, this Leica branded lens is claimed to deliver “exceptional” optical performance with minimal distortion and great flare resistance. Both the DMC-FS45 and the DMC-FS40 offer features like Panorama Shot, Beauty Retouch, Mega Optical Image Stabilisation, AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, Face Detection, Intelligent Scene Selector and a variety of special effects, The Lumix FS45 will be available in black, silver, red and violet colours, while the FS40 comes in black, silver, pink and blue.

The “simple, smart and stylish” Panasonic S5 is a 16.1-megapixel compact camera with a 28-112mm equivalent zoom lens, optical image stabilisation and “Sonic Speed AF”. Comprising 6 elements in 5 groups, including 3 aspherical lens elements with 5 aspherical surfaces, the lens is claimed to deliver “exceptional optical performance”. Also on board is Panasonic’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode which features Intelligent Scene Selector and Face Detection technologies. In addition to capturing 16-megapixel stills, the Panasonic DMC-S5 can also record 720p HD movies, and includes the Lumix Image Uploader utility that offers an easy way to share photos and videos via Facebook and YouTube.

Samsung has launched a new range of Wi-Fi enabled travel zoom cameras. The flagship Samsung WB850F (€350, pictured) features a 21x optical zoom, 16.2-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 3-inch AMOLED screen, Full HD video recording built-in GPS and Digital Compass. The 14.2-megapixel Samsung WB150F (€220) comes with 18x optical zoom, 720p HD video recording capabilities and the same large AMOLED display as the WB850F, while the Samsung ST200F (€200) sports a 10x zoom lens and 720p video. With the innovative Remote Viewfinder feature, users can remotely control camera settings and set-up shots via a connected smartphone using the cameras’ Wi-Fi connection. The Wi-Fi capability of the new Samsung long-zoom cameras also allows users to email photos from any hotspot or share them on social networks such as Facebook and Picasa. The WB850F and the WB150F give photographers full manual control over the picture-taking process, with a Smart Auto mode also on board to help beginners or less experienced photographers.

Samsung has unveiled a duo of metal-bodied 16.1-megapixel compact cameras called the Samsung ST66 and ST76. The 25-125mm (eq.) f/2.5-6,3 lens available on both models is complemented by optical image stabilisation on the ST76 (pictured). Live Panorama, featured on each of the new ST models, allows users to capture wide panoramic shots by simply holding down the shutter button and sweeping the camera across the scene. Finally, both the ST76 and ST66 include 720p HD movie recording at 30fps.

Our understanding is that the Samsung ST76 will be marketed under the name Samsung ST77 in the UK and continental Europe, where consumers will also be able to purchase a third model called the Samsung ST88, which has the same features as the ST76/ST77 except that it comes with a 3” hVGA screen rather than a 2.7” LCD.

Fujifilm USA has officially announced the Fujifilm X100 Black Edition. According to the company, “Fujifilm is also launching a limited release of the high-end compact digital camera FUJIFILM X100 Black Premium Edition worldwide. The X100 Black Premium Edition will come with a genuine leather case, a lens hood, an adapter ring and a protective filter; and will also include a Limited Edition numbered card for product authentication.”

Casio America today announced the release of the 16-megapixel, 7x zoom EX-ZR15, a new addition to its EXILIM lineup of digital compact cameras. The Casio EXILIM EX-ZR15 boasts a start-up time of 0.99 seconds, 0.13-second high-speed auto focus, and shot-to-shot speeds of just 0.29 seconds in single-shot mode. Other highlights include a background blur effect that accentuates the subject and softens the background, and the new Wide Shot function that lets users create ultra-wideangle shots by panning the camera (equivalent to 21mm or 17mm wide-angle when converted to 35mm film format). Also capable of recording Full HD movies, the Casio EX-ZR15 will be available in Black, White, Red and Gold and will ship in April for $329.99.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X is a new compact camera with a large 14.3-megapixel CMOS sensor and a metal body. Measuring 18.7x14mm, the sensor of the PowerShot G1 X has a 4:3 aspect ratio but is marginally bigger than a typical FourThirds imager. Utilising Ultra high refractive index Aspherical (UA) elements and precision glass moulding technology, the fixed-mount lens of the Canon G1 X offers a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 28-112mm. Catering to the needs of professionals and advanced amateurs, the Canon PowerShot G1 X offers full manual control with shooting mode and exposure compensation dials for quick and intuitive access to a range of settings, and supports 14-bit raw capture for smooth gradations. Other highlights include an optical viewfinder, vari-angle screen, built-in Speedlite, flash hot shoe, High Dynamic Range mode and Full HD movie recording capabilities. The PowerShot G1 X is available from late February, priced at £699.00/€799.00/$799.99 RRP.

Click through / scroll down for a 2-minute introductory video released by Canon Europe.

The 10-megapixel Canon Ixus 500 HS is a metal-bodied ultra-compact camera with 12x optical zoom, while the 16-megapixel Ixus 125 is a similarly slim camera with a wide, 24-120mm equivalent lens. Both cameras feature a Smart Auto mode that can recognise up to 58 different scenes and shooting situations, a Full HD movie mode and high-speed shooting. The new Face ID feature works with Smart Auto to ensure that your loved ones “always look their best in photos,” the company says. By registering a person along with their age in the camera’s memory, the face will then be recognised and Smart Auto will automatically apply the most appropriate settings to capture a great shot, based on their age and activity, as well as the ambient scene. Other highlights include a 3-inch, 460.000-dot rear screen, a “Super Slow Motion Movie” mode, an improved Movie Digest mode and a range of fun effects. The Ixus 125 HS is available from late February, priced at £229/€259, while the Ixus 500 HS is expected to hit the shops early March, priced at £309/€349 RRP.

Note: in the USA, the Ixus 125 and Ixus 500 will be marketed under the names Canon PowerShot ELPH 110 HS and ELPH 520 HS, priced at $249.99 and $299.99 respectively.

Kodak has announced the Kodak Easyshare Wireless Camera M750, which features a 16-megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom, 3” capacitive touchscreen and built-in Wi-Fi. “The launch of the EASYSHARE Wireless Camera M750 marks the perfect union of the smartphone and digital camera,” said Phil Scott, Vice President of Digital Capture and Accessories. In addition to capturing 16-megapixel stills, the Kodak EasyShare Wireless Camera M750 can also record HD videos at a touch of the dedicated movie shutter release. Available in silver, teal blue and red for $169.95 / £129.95 MSRP, the camera will hit the shelves this spring.

Six weeks after Fujifilm UK’s announcement of the Fujifilm X-S1 26x zoom digital bridge camera (and Fujifilm Japan’s posting of the first official sample images), Fujifilm USA re-announced the camera along with its pricing for the US market. Featuring a 2/3”, 12-megapixel CMOS sensor and a 24-624mm equivalent lens, the Fujifilm X-S1 also offers a high-resolution EVF, articulated rear screen, flash hot shoe, full manual controls, raw image capture and Full HD video. In the US, the camera will be available later this month at an estimated retail price of $799.95.