Nikon Japan has announced the discontinuance of the recently released Nikon Coolpix S4100 digital compact camera. The company says that in the wake of the devastating March earthquake, it encountered problems with parts procurement that prevent it from being able to maintain stable production and guarantee a steady supply. At this point in time, it’s unclear if the camera will ever be re-launched.

Source: Nikon Japan via NR

Update: Nikon Imaging Asia Pacific has issued a notice saying both the Nikon Coolpix S4100 and the Nikon Coolpix S6100 have been discontinued in Asia, but this may not apply to other markets.

Update 2: PDN Pulse is reporting that the cameras are - and will remain - available in the Americas.

Fujifilm has released a firmware update for its FinePix Real 3D W3 digital compact camera. Version 1.20 enables the camera to play back MP-format image files created with certain unspecified third-party devices. You can download the firmware upgrade and the transfer program for Windows and Mac OS from the website below.

Website: Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Firmware Update

There is a firmware update available for the Fujfilm FinePix HS20EXR (read review) digital superzoom camera. Version 1.02 fixes a bug related to temperature warning. You can download the firmware update from the website below.

Website: Fujifilm Finepix HS20EXR Firmware Upgrade

The new BenQ E1465 is a 14-megapixel digital compact camera featuring an easy-to-use panorama mode, 720p HD video recording and a super macro mode. Also on board is a 27-108mm equivalent wide zoom lens, a 2.7” LCD screen and an SD memory card slot that can handle today’s high-capacity SDHC and SDXC cards- Offering effects like Lomo, Fisheye and Colour Accent, the BenQ E1465 will be available in May. Pricing to be confirmed.

The Technical Image Press Association has honoured the Fujifilm FinePix X100 large-sensor digital compact camera, the Fujifilm 3D print service and the Frontier DL600 minilab with TIPA awards. The X100 has been recognised as 2011’s best premium camera, the Fujifilm 3D print service has been deemed the best photo service, while the Frontier DL600 has won the accolade of ‘Best Finishing System’. Adrian Clarke, Director of Fujifilm’s Digital Products said “The TIPA awards are the most coveted photo awards in Europe and for Fujifilm to win three awards is a massive achievement.”

Fujifilm has issued firmware updates for its Finepix F500EXR and F550EXR digital camera models. Version 1.10 fixes a bug related to the LCD screen that sometimes occurred when connecting the camera to a computer via USB. The F550EXR update also reduces power consumption in some cases.

Website: Fujifilm Finepix F500EXR Firmware Ver. 1.10
Website: Fujifilm Finepix F550EXR Firmware Ver. 1.10

Fujifilm has posted a firmware update for its Finepix X100 large-sensor digital compact camera. Version 1.01 fixes a bug related to ISO sensitivity bracketing. Specifically, if the images were shot with ISO bracketing when “Quick Start Mode” was set to “ON”, and you turned off the camera, it could not be turned on again. The new firmware resolves this issue. You can download the update from the website below.

Website: Fujifilm

The Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) has honoured the Olympus E-5 with its “Best Expert DSLR” award, while the Olympus XZ-1 has been deemed the best expert compact. The Olympus E-5 (pictured) is a weather sealed digital SLR camera featuring a robust magnesium alloy body, large and bright viewfinder, ultra-fast 11-point auto focus system, self-cleaning 12-megapixel sensor, high-resolution articulated LCD monitor, in-body image stabilisation and HD video capture. The Olympus XZ-1 is a 10-megapixel premium compact camera boasting an ultra-bright 28-112mm equivalent f/1.8-2.5 zoom lens, a high-resolution 3-inch OLED screen and a 1/1.63 inch CCD imager with sensor-shift image stabilisation.

Panasonic scooped up three TIPA awards this year. The Lumix DMC-FT3 / DMC-TS3 has won the accolade of “Best Rugged Compact Camera”, the Lumix DMC-GH2 (pictured) has received the “Best Expert Compact System Camera” award, while the Panasonic Gold Pro SDHC UHS-I memory cards have been named 2011’s “Best Imaging Storage Media”.

Olympus has issued a firmware update for the Olympus XZ-1 digital compact camera. Version 1.2 adds a new menu item, “Picture Orientation”. Given that the camera’s orientation sensor might not always be able to correctly recognise if an image was taken in portrait or landscape orientation, users will now have the ability to specify the orientation of any given image in Playback mode simply by a turn of the click-stop dial. The user-defined picture orientation is then saved in the EXIF. You can update the camera firmware from within the Digital Camera Updater software, while the XZ-1 connected to the computer.

Via Photoscala

Canon has won four awards from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA). The Association has found the Canon EOS 600D (read review) to be the best entry-level digital SLR camera released in the past 12 months, awarded the Best Superzoom Camera title to the Powershot SX230 HS (pictured), honoured the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II USM lens with the “Best Professional Lens” award, and hailed the Pixma MG8150 as the best multifunction photo printer.

Nikon won two TIPA awards this year, one for the Nikon D7000 digital SLR camera, and one for the Nikon Coolpix P300 prosumer compact. The Nikon D7000 (read review) has been named the best advanced DSLR in 2011, while the P300 (read review) has won the accolade of Best General Compact Camera. “The Nikon D7000 impressed us as the definition of a state-of-the-art DX-format DSLR,” the jury said. On the P300, they commented: “[T]his camera gives excellent image quality even in dim lighting conditions.”

The Samsung ST93 is a new 16 megapixel compact camera. Featuring a 26mm, 5x zoom lens with optical image stabilisation, the ultra-slim ST93 has a range of smart filters, frames and in-camera panoramas. The Samsung ST93 will cost £129.99 and be available in June.

Fujifilm UK has announced that the Fujifilm FinePix HS20 is now available at retail. The Fujifilm FinePix HS20 is a new 30x super-zoom digital camera with a new 16-megapixel EXR CMOS sensor, 8fps high speed continuous shooting, fast auto focus, a 360° motion panorama mode and Full 1080p HD video with stereo sound. The camera is available now for £399

DxO Labs have unveiled their findings and DxOMark Sensor Scores for the Fujifilm FinePix X100 large-sensor digital compact camera. According to their measurements, the X100’s sensor is essentially on a par with the Pentax K-x and the Sony A55 in terms of colour depth and dynamic range, and is significantly ahead of both in terms of high-ISO image quality in low light. The Nikon D7000 and the Sony A580, on the other hand, scored better on every front. (Remember that these numbers measure raw sensor performance only, and tell you nothing about things like the cameras’ handling, operational speed, image processing, mechanical quality or overall ease of use.)

Website: Fujifilm FinePix X100 on DxOMark

Kodak’s new EasyShare C1530 digital compact camera features a 14-megapixel imager, 3x optical zoom, a 3” monitor, and a wide range of file sharing options. All you need to do is press the Share button when in Review mode, choose your favourite from the list of destinations that include Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, Orkut, Yandex, Kodak Gallery, e-mail or a Kodak Pulse Digital Photo Frame, connect the camera to your PC and your images will be automatically sent or uploaded to the chosen website. The Kodak EasyShare C1530 can be yours for $80.

Via 1001NoisyCameras

Fujifilm UK has announced the availability of the Fujifilm FinePix F550 EXR, a 16-megapixel digital compact camera with raw image capture and built-in geotagging; as well as that of the very similar F500 EXR that lacks these features but is offered at a more attractive price. Each model boasts a 24-360mm equivalent 15x optical zoom and a 16-megapixel back-illuminated Fuji EXR sensor with three modes of operation: High Resolution, High Dynamic Range and Pixel Fusion. Furthermore, both cameras record 1080p Full HD video at 30fps, with stereo sound. The Fujifilm FinePix F550 EXR is available now for £329 in black, while the F500 comes in a choice of five colours and carries a price tag of £279.

Pentax has partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment, to offer a DC Super Heroes-inspired collection of personalised Pentax Optio RS1500 cameras Owners of the “DC Super Heroes RS1500” collector pack can personalise their camera with one of their favourite Super Heroes including Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Superman, or super villains, such as Catwoman and The Joker. Obviously targeted at the adolescent market, the limited-edition RS1500 camera will come in a specially designed package, including different skins depicting the well known characters, and a 4GB SD card. Timed to coincide with the release of a new Warner Brothers action-adventure film, Green Lanterns, the Pentax Optio RS1500 DC Super Heroes collector pack will be available from 1 May 2011 at the RRP of £119.99 including the camera itself, the super hero themed skins, memory card and a special Green Lantern protective camera case.

The Rollei Sportsline 60 Camouflage is a shock- and waterproof digital camera with a 64mm equivalent f/2.8 lens and a tiny 5-megapixel CMOS sensor. Able to survive a drop from a height of up to one metre, the Rollei Sportsline 60 Camouflage is also waterproof down to a depth of 3m. Apart from capturing five-megapixel stills, the camera can also record 720p high-definition movies at a frame rate of 30fps. Powered by two AAA batteries and compatible with microSD memory cards, the Rollei Sportsline 60 Camouflage is hitting the shops today at an RRP of €79.95.

Sigma UK has announced the suggested retail price (SRP) of the Sigma DP2x large-sensor digital compact camera. The successor to Sigma’s DP2 and DP2s cameras will be available for purchase towards the end of April for £619.99. (The US pricing was revealed two days ago.)