The second re-badged Leica compact introduced today is the C-Lux 3, essentially a Panasonic DMC-FX37. The Leica C-Lux 3 is a 10 megapixel camera with a 5x, 25-125mm zoom lens, and diminutive metal body. The Leica C-Lux 3 retails for £420 and will be available from October 2008.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Leica C-Lux 3 - click the continue link below…

The Casio EX-FH20 camera has a continuous shooting rate of up to 40fps and records movies at 1000fps. Following on from the the world’s fastest digital camera, the EX-F1, the new Casio FH20 is a 9.1 megapixel model with a massive 20x zoom lens (equivalent to 26-520mm). The Casio EX-FH20 will be available from October for £399 / $599.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Casio EX-FH20 - click the continue link below…

The Sigma DP2 is a new compact camera with a 14 megapixel Foveon X3, APS-C sized sensor. Virtually identical to the Sigma DP1, the DP2 has a 41mm lens rather than 28mm, and it has an aperture of f/2.8 (f4 on the DP1). The other significant improvement offered by the Sigma DP2 is the new “TRUE II” image processing engine, which promises to speed up the operation of the camera.

Sigma UK’s Paul Reynolds demoed the camera to us at Photokina. Due for release in February/March 2009, the DP2 has a larger 41mm lens which protrudes further than the 28mm version on the DP1. Although the new TRUE II will “definitely speed up the general operation of the camera”, according to Reynolds, the auto-focus speed will only be slightly improved, because of the inherent problem with physically moving such a large lens. The Sigma DP2 will be sold alongside the older DP1 model, which won’t be upgraded with TRUE II - so you’ll need to choose between different focal lengths, and perhaps equally importantly if you want the speed advantages of the image processing engine. A more minor change is the new QS button, borrowed from the Sigma SD14 DSLR and standing for Quick Set. This will provide quicker access to four key features (ISO, White Balance, File Quality and Exposure Compensation). In terms of accessories, the DP2 will have a different viewfinder and larger lens hood, but will be able to use the same external flash-gun and close-up macro filter as the DP1.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Sigma DP2 - click the continue link below…

The Samsung HZ1 compact superzoom camera is announced today. Boasting a 10x zoom lens and compact dimensions, the Samsung HZ1 is the world’s first superzoom to offer 24mm equivalent wide angle. The lens’ physical focal length range is 4.2-42mm, which translates into 24-240mm in 35mm terms. The Samsung HZ1 offers dual image stabilisation, face detection, a traditional mode dial for quick adjustment of settings and is also capable of recording HD video at 720p. The full specifications of the HZ1 are yet to be confirmed.

We have a gallery of photographs of a non-working prototype of the new HZ1, taken today in the Samsung booth at Photokina - click the continue link to see the gallery.

Olympus has announced that it has begun development of a Micro Four Thirds System camera. Olympus are giving away few details about their new camera, other than the dimensions, which at 4.7 x 2.5 x 1.2” (119 x 64 x 31mm) makes it much smaller than the Panasonic G1. It will also use the same Four Thirds sensor as their E-System models. Product name, launch date and retail price are to be confirmed.

Today at Photokina Olympus showed us a completely new type of camera built around the recently announced Micro FourThirds standard. The concept is that of a compact camera with electronic viewfinder and small interchangeable lenses (the Micro FourThirds mount is some 6mm smaller in diameter than the ‘regular’ FourThirds mount, making it possible for the lenses to be even smaller). This second ‘design model’ looks quite different to Panasonic’s recently announced G1 and Lumix HD offerings, both of which have the same Micro FourThirds mount, being considerably smaller at 119x62x31mm and more Point&Shoot-like in its design. Olympus say they are planning to release this model in the course of 2009, but declined to comment on what lenses are being developed to go with it. It also seems likely that the new camera could be outfitted with interchangeable external viewfinders, possibly both optical and electronic, although this is again something that remains to be confirmed.

We have a gallery of product shots of the new camera - hit the continue link below to see them…

We’ve published 30 sample photos taken with the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, the World’s first Micro Four Thirds camera. Taken yesterday at Panasonic’s pre-Photokina press event, I spent the afternoon shooting with the diminutive G1 in a variety of setups, including outdoors at a park, inside the Toyota Formula One factory, and a studio setup complete with racing girls and the Toyota drivers (including Jarno Trulli). These pictures were taken with a pre-production camera (firmware version 0.4). Note that we’ve resized the sample images to VGA resolution at Panasonic’s request. Hit the continue link below to see just what the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is capable of…

Website: Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 Photos

World Exclusive! The Panasonic Lumix G HD camera has been unveiled ahead of Photokina. Shown as an advanced prototype under glass, we were among the first journalists to see the Panasonic G HD, identical to the G1 except for added video capability. A small Record Video button has been added to the rear grip of the Lumix G HD, and a large mic/speaker on top of the camera. No specific details were given about the particular High Definition mode that will be employed. The Panasonic Lumix G HD will be launched in Spring 2009. Click the continue link to see a gallery of pictures of the hot-off-the-press Panasonic Lumix G HD.

Update: We’ve now added in-hand photos of the three prototype lenses planned for release sometime in 2009 - the 20mm pancake, 7-14mm wide-angle, and 14-140mm telephoto. Seeing these tiny lenses in the flesh, especially the 20mm pancake, really shows what the Micro Four Thirds system is capable of.

The GE A1030 is a new addition to General Imaging’s A-series camera range. The A1030 features face detection, blink and smile detection, image stabilisation, in-camera panoramic stitching, MPEG4 movie with sound and red-eye removal, as well as 14 different scene modes. The slim-styled 10 megapixel A1030 has a 2.5 inch LCD screen, 3 x optical zoom and is powered by AA batteries. The GE A1030 will be available in silver, black and red, price and release date to be confirmed.

The new GE E1055W camera offers 10 megapixels, wide-angle 5x zoom lens and a 3-inch LCD screen. Advanced features include face, blink and smile detection, in-camera panoramic stitching, image stabilisation, red-eye removal and a movie recording capability. The 22.5mm slim, lightweight aluminium body and sleek, stylish and intuitive design ensure the camera is attractive, practical and easy to carry. The GE E1055W will be available in silver, black and red, price and release date to be confirmed.

The Minox DC 1033 is a new 10 megapixel digital camera with 5x zoom lens. Small on the outside at 94 x 55 x 24mm, the DC1033 also offers a 2.7-inch LCD screen and 1/2.3“ CCD image sensor in its silver-anodized aluminum body. The new MINOX DC 1033 will be available in the UK for £199.00.

The Minox DCC Leica M3 retro digital camera is soon to be available in gold. The new gold edition of the 5 megapixel Minox Leica M3 has a striking design of black and gold, with the camera packed and presented in a quality dark, satin-lined wooden box with brass hinges. Just like the silver edition, the gold version looks just like the original full size Leica M 3. The Minox DCC Leica M3 will cost £319 in the UK.

The BenQ E1050 is the world’s slimmest camera with a 3-inch LCD screen. With a thickness of only 16.8mm, the 10 megapixel E1050 boasts a large 3-inch LCD screen, 3x optical zoom lens, and ISO 3200. Additionally, BenQ E1050 comes with in-camera “Red-Eye Remover” function and 32 shooting modes which range from standard auto and video to more customized settings such as “Museum,” “Party,” “Beach” and “Fireworks”. Price and availability of the BenQ E1050 to be announced.

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500, a new 10 megapixel camera with 5x, 25mm wide-angle lens.

“A fun camera with a few overkill features, the Panasonic FX500 captures very good color and detail marred only by a tendency to over-optimize flat color, and a tendency for noise even at the lowest ISO setting. You’ll use the touch screen only when you have to, I think, but you’ll appreciate the build quality and 5x zoom whenever you use the Panasonic FX500.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Review

Website: Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Review

PhotoReview have reviewed the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 compact camera.

“Shots taken with the test camera contained plenty of detail and appeared sharp to the corners of the frame. The dynamic range recorded in outdoor shots was substantially wider than average for a small-sensor digicam. Colours appeared natural and saturation was well-controlled in JPEG images. Metering and autofocusing were fast and accurate across a wide range of shooting conditions and subject types, although a few focusing problems were encountered with close subjects in dim indoor lighting.”

Website: PhotoReview - Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Review

Website: Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Review

Canon are celebrating 100 million digital compact cameras with a limited edition red version of the new Digital IXUS 980 IS. Just 6,000 cameras will be produced for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The Digital IXUS 980 IS offers a first for Digital IXUS: a Manual mode that allows control of shutter speed and aperture. The Limited Edition Canon IXUS 980 IS is available from late September priced at £349.99 / €459.99. We have some exclusive shots of the Limited Edition Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS from the UK press launch.

The Canon PowerShot G10 features a 14.7 megapixel sensor and 5x, 28-140mm zoom. Successor to the G9, the Canon G10 also offers a large 3.0” PureColor LCD screen with 461k dots, DIGIC 4 image processor, Canon’s new i-Contrast system which increases the dynamic range, and Servo AF mode to continually adjust focus on a moving subject. The Canon PowerShot G10 will be available from October priced at £499.99 / €649.99 / $500.

Update: We now have some exclusive shots of the Canon G10 from the UK press launch, including a side-by-comparison with the G9 model that it replaces.

Canon have unveiled two new super-zoom cameras, the PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS. Jointly replacing the PowerShot S5 IS, both the SX1 and SX10 feature a 20x wide-angle zoom lens, with USM and VCM for fast, silent, zooming, and an optical Image Stabilizer. The Canon SX1 IS excitingly features a CMOS sensor which allows it to shoot full-resolution JPEGs at speeds of up to 4fps and full HD movie capture. Both models also have Canon’s new DIGIC 4 processor and full manual control over both aperture and shutter speed. The Canon PowerShot SX1 IS will be available from December priced at £519.99 / €679.99, and the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is priced at £359.99 / €469.99. In the US the Canon SX1 IS will be available in April for $599.99.

Update: We now have some exclusive shots of the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS from the UK press launch.

The Digital IXUS 980 IS and Digital IXUS 870 IS are two new additions to Canon’s style-led IXUS camera range (called the PowerShot SD990 IS and SD880 IS Digital ELPH in the USA). Replacing the Digital IXUS 960 IS and Digital IXUS 860 IS respectively, the new 14.7 megapixel Canon 980 IS and 10 megapixel 870 IS models both use Canon’s new DIGIC 4 processor. The Digital IXUS 980 IS offers manual Mode that allows control of shutter speed and aperture, together with the new QuickShot mode that uses the optical viewfinder for framing and focusing, virtually eliminating shutter lag. The Digital IXUS 870 IS features a wide-angle (28mm) 4x optical zoom lens. The Canon IXUS 980 IS is available from late September priced at £349.99 / €459.99, and the Canon IXUS 870 IS is priced at £269.99 / €349.99.

Update: We now have some exclusive shots of the Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS and 870 IS from the UK press launch

The GE E1050TW is a new feature-rich 10 megapixel camera. In addition to a 3.0’’ touch screen LCD and 28 mm wide-angle, 5x zoom lens, the E1050TW also offers 1280 x 720 pixel HD movie recording, plus Face, Blink and Smile detection functions. Available in silver, black and red, the GE E1050TW will be available at the end of September for £149.99.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is the World’s first Micro Four Thirds camera. Using a mirror-less structure and an electronic viewfinder instead of a conventional optical viewfinder, the Panasonic G1 still has a 12.1-megapixel Live MOS, Four Thirds sensor, but is much smaller than a regular DSLR camera. Other standout features of the DMC-G1 include a 3-inch, 460K dot, free-angle LCD screen and high-resolution 1,440,000-dot equivalent Live View Finder, both of which provide a 100% field of view and Full-time Live View. The Panasonic G1 accepts not only Micro Four Thirds System interchangeable lenses, but also conventional Four Thirds System lenses when an optional adapter is mounted. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 will be available from November 1st for £599 / $799.