The Olympus Zuiko digital camera is a new flagship compact featuring the critically acclaimed ZUIKO lens system. In addition to the premium lens, the Olympus Zuiko will also be compatible with accessories for Olympus’ PEN E-P2 and E-PL1 cameras. Other than a first quarter of 2011 sale date, no other details about the new Olympus compact have been released. A mock-up of the new flagship compact will be on show at Photokina, so expect some hands-on product shots very soon.

Viral music video pioneers OK Go’s latest video has been filmed with the new Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera. Announced last week, the NX100 was used to produce the ‘Last Leaf,’ video, a trailer of which can be viewed now on www.cre8yourworld.com . A series of behind-the-scenes episodes has also been produced using the Samsung NX100.

Sigma Japan has announced the release date of the Sigma DP1x large-sensor compact camera. In Japan, the Sigma DP1x - an updated version of the DP1s incorporating the TRUE II image processing engine and the QS button from the DP2 / SD15 - will be released on 30th September 2010. The price of the camera has still not been announced.

At Photokina, Minox will unveil a new 3D camera called the Minox PX3D. Described as “revolutionary” by its manufacturer, the Minox PX3D allows one to take “fascinatingly realistic” 3D photos that can be viewed without the use of special glasses. Apart from that, precious little information has been released on the camera so far. Visitors to the trade show will, however, be able to see it with their own eyes at Stand D-010 in Hall 2.1.

Website: Minox press release in German

Want to see exactly what the new Nikon Coolpix P7000, S80, S1100pj compact cameras look like in the flesh?

Here are 22 hands-on product shots of the Nikon P7000, S80, S1100pj - click through to view the gallery.

The Canon Powershot G12 is a new premium compact with a high-sensitivity 10-megapixel CCD imager and a vari-angle LCD screen. Featuring a 28-140mm equivalent zoom lens with hybrid image stabilisation, the Canon G12 boasts features like a new front dial, multi-aspect shooting, raw image capture, a High Dynamic Range mode, 720p/24fps HD movie capture and an electronic level. The Powershot G12 is also compatible with a new optional Lens Filter Adapter, which extends with the lens when using the zoom to offer full coverage throughout the zoom range. The Canon Powershot G12 will be available from early October 2010, priced at £539.00 / €649.00 / $499.99.

The 14-megapixel Canon Powershot SX30 IS is the world’s first camera with a 35x zoom lens. Sporting a 24-840mm equivalent lens with optical image stabilisation, the Canon Powershot SX30 IS provides full manual control, HD movie recording and a 2.7” vari-angle LCD screen and flash hot shoe. The lens construction comprises multiple special lens elements including an Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) element as well as a Hi-UD element, compensating for light aberrations while maintaining high image quality across the entire zoom range. Supporting both SDHC and SDXC memory cards and Eye-Fi connected functions, the Canon SX30 IS will become available in late September / early October priced at £449.00 / €549.00 / $429.99.

Want to see exactly what the new Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera looks like in the flesh?

Here are 38 hands-on product shots of the Samsung NX100, including a look at both new i-Function lenses and the electric viewfinder, external flash and GPS module - click through to view the gallery.

Want to see exactly how the new Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera compares to some of its key rivals?

Here are 25 hands-on product shots of the Samsung NX100 and some of its main rivals, including the Panasonic GF1, Olympus E-PL1 and Samsung’s own NX10 - click through to view the gallery.

The Samsung NX100 is a new mirrorless camera equipped with the world’s first i-Function lens. The intuitive i-Function button on the lens allows users to control the NX100 by scrolling through manual settings (shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO) and using the focus ring to change parameters for each setting. The NX100 also has a lens priority mode, selecting scene options optimized for the lens being used. The Samsung NX100 shares the same 14.6 megapixel APS-C size sensor, dust reduction system and 3-inch AMOLED screen as the NX10. In addition it boosts the ISO speed to 6400 and adds 720p HD movies and a range of smart filters.

At launch the NX100 will be joined by a new compact zoom 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 lens and an Electronic Viewfinder (EVF10), Flash (SEF15A) and GPS tracker (GPS10), and shortly afterwards a small and light 20mm f/2.8 wide angle Pancake lens. Two additional specialized lenses will be made available in the first half of 2011 - a 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens (July) and 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Super Zoom lens (April). To expand the lens line-up even further, three more lenses will be introduced by the second half of 2011. The i-Function feature will be made available for the NX10 as a firmware upgrade.

The Samsung NX100 will be available in black, white and brown and will cost £449.99 (tbc) with the 20-50mm kit lens.

Want to see exactly what the new Pentax Optio RZ10 compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Here are 7 hands-on product shots of the Pentax Optio RZ10, which is covered in a curiously tactile rubberised material - click through to view the gallery.

The Pentax Optio RZ10 is a digital compact camera with a 10x zoom lens and 14 megapixel sensor. Offering a focal range of 28-280mm, the Pentax RZ10 also features a 1cm macro mode, 720p video, 2.7-inch colour LCD monitor, Auto Picture Mode, and Dual Shake Reduction system. Available in a range of five colours, the Pentax Optio RZ10 will be available in October 2010 for £179.99.

The Pentax Optio RS1000 is a unique customisable compact camera. The RS1000 can be personalised with photographs or illustrations, printed on a template that lies between the body and a transparent front panel. There will also be a RS1000 website to visit where visitors can choose, download and print ready-made templates, create their own ‘skins’ and play fun games. In addition the Pentax RS1000 offers 14 megapixels, 3 inch LCD screen, Auto Picture Mode, 720p video, and a range of digital filters. Available in a black or white base colour, the Pentax Optio RS1000 will be available in October 2010 for £119.99.

Nikon has posted a number of sample images taken with the new Coolpix P7000 premium compact. Two of these - a portrait and a landscape - are full-resolution, 10-megapixel images taken at ISO 200 and ISO 100, respectively. The portrait was shot as a JPEG, while the landscape photo was captured in raw mode and converted from NRW to JPEG for Web display and download.

Website: Official Nikon Coolpix P7000 Sample Images

The 10-megapixel Nikon P7000 is a premium compact with 7.1x optical zoom, Vibration Reduction (VR), manual exposure control and a 3-inch, 920,000-dot LCD screen. The 28-200mm equivalent f/2.8-5.6 zoom lens is constructed of 11 elements arranged in 9 groups, including two ED and four aspherical lens elements plus a built-in neutral density filter. A sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 3200 (expandable to ISO 6400), a variety of bracketing options, D-Lighting and a Virtual Horizon are all on board to expand the possibilities of the camera. Raw support is provided in the form of NRW+ raw files, which are compatible with Nikkon’s bundled ViewNX 2 software as well as the separately sold Nikon Capture NX2 program. Still image capture is complemented by an HD video recording option (720p/24fps) with stereo sound. The Nikon Coolpix P7000 will hit the shops on 23 September, at a price of £489.99 / €580.00 / $499.95.

Update: We have just added a gallery of large product images supplied by Nikon Europe.

The Nikon Coolpix S80 is a 14-megapixel digital compact camera that combines ultra-slim, elegant design with easy-to-use touch-screen functionality and HD movie recording. Its multi-touch, Organic LED (OLED) screen allows you to focus and take a picture or video simply by touching the relevant area on the screen, and makes on-camera retouching simple. The 5x zoom lens has a 35mm equivalent focal range of 35-175mm and features Vibration Reduction (VR). Nikon’s Smart Portrait System, Motion Detection technology, Best Shot Selector, D-lighting and Scene Auto Selector are all on board to help you take better pictures. In addition to shooting stills, the Nikon Coolpix S80 can also capture 720p HD videos with stereo sound at a frame rate of 30 frames per second, and allows you to use the zoom while filming. The recommended retail price of the Nikon Coolpix S80 is £329.99 / €391.00 / $329.95, and availability is slated for 7 October.

Nikon USA has just announced the 12-megapixel Nikon Coolpix S8100, a 10x zoom digital compact camera that can capture photos at up to 10 frames per second. Equipped with a back-illuminated CMOS sensor and a 30-300mm equivalent zoom lens that can be used even while recording 1080p Full HD videos, the Nikon Coolpix S8100 also features in-camera HDR imaging, whereby several different exposures are taken in rapid succession, to be immediately blended in-camera for a single HDR photo rich in tonal gradations. Additionally, the S8100’s advanced Night Landscape mode combines a series of five consecutive shots taken at a fast shutter speed into a single image with reduced noise for when taking handheld shots. In the US, the Nikon Coolpix S8100 will hit the shelves late September 2010 for $299.95 MSRP, but will not be available in Europe.

Samsung are set to unveil a new NX-series digital camera that will “change the lives of creative consumers around the world”. In an invitation sent out to members of the press, the as yet un-named Samsung NX camera will make its debut on September 20th at the World’s biggest photo fair in Cologne, Germany. Introduced by Samsung’s Digital Imaging President, SangJin Park, the new product will boldly “take the camera industry by storm”. Samsung released the first model in the NX-series, the NX10 camera, earlier this year, to widespread critical acclaim.

The BenQ E1420 and 1430 HDR cameras are two new 14-megapixel models with 3x optical zoom, 720p HD video and in-camera HDR imaging functionality. The E1420 and E1430 both come with blink detection, smart scene recognition, “Love Portrait” and “Beauty Enhancer” modes, and a 3-inch, 230,000-dot monitor on board. The E1420 comes in “Elegant Gray” and E1430 in “Cool Blue”. Both will be available in China and Asia Pacific in August, Europe in September, and Latin America in October.

The Ricoh G700 is a new 12-megapixel dust- and waterproof digital compact camera. Announced today in Japan, the Ricoh G700 has a 28-140mm equivalent 5x zoom lens and is waterproof down to a depth of 5m for up to 2 hours, shockproof up to a height of 2m (even when powered on), and offers grade 6 dust protection according to the JIS/IEC standard. In addition to that, Ricoh says the G700 is protected against certain chemicals including ethanol and hypochlorous acid. Other highlights include a 3-inch LCD screen with automatic brightness adjustment and a resolution of 920K dots, an electronic level gauge, and a wide array of security functions including password protection and support for Sandisk’s WORM (Write Once, Read Many) cards. The DW-5 wide-angle attachment as well as the new AC-5c mains adapter and SC-700 soft case are available as optional extras. Available from 10th September, the ruggedised Ricoh G700 camera will cost 99,000 yen in Japan. There is no word on international pricing.

Website: Ricoh G700 Product Announcement (in Japanese)