This year, sales of digital cameras and HD camcorders are expected to remain strong, as these products proliferate in the market and more manufacturers continue to introduce special-purpose and uniquely featured camcorder models, HDCameraGuide.com says. They have also found that a) many customers have a good idea of which camcorder they want to buy after researching it on the Internet, b) there is a trend toward consumers purchasing either entry-level or sophisticated products, as opposed to mid-priced models and c) Macintosh computer users tend to stick with Canon, JVC, and Panasonic. Read on / click through for their other findings.

The Samsung SMX-K40 and SMX-K44 are two new standard-definition camcorders whose output can be upscaled to “near full-HD” resolution when viewing through an HDMI output. The videos are recorded at a resolution of 720x480 pixels. The SMX-K44 offers an internal 16GB Solid State Drive (SSD), which provides up to 10h20 hours of recording, depending on the chosen mode.  The SMX-K40 does not have internal storage and requires the use of a SD/SDHC card. Samsung’s new Intelli-Zoom, which is claimed to be “significantly more reliable than a standard digital zoom”, allows users to go beyond the camcorder’s 52x optical zoom. The K-Series also features Samsung’s advanced Optical Image Stabiliser. The SMX-K40 and SMX-K44 Camcorders will be available from leading high street and online retailers from August 2009.

Samsung have announced the HMX-U10 ultra compact camcorder that records in full-HD and also allows users to take 10 mega-pixel still photos. A one-touch “upload” button provides a direct connection to YouTube for fast and easy video sharing. At 56mm x 103mm x 15.5mm, and weighing just 95g including the battery, the HMX-U10 is ultra-compact with an ergonomic design that breaks free of the traditional look and feel of pocket-sized camcorders. Its sleek frame is accentuated by a wave-design that angles the body of the camcorder at seven degrees, allowing users to grip the camcorder more comfortably, reducing stress on the wrist or arm. The HMX-U10 Camcorder will be available from leading high street and online retailers from September 2009.

Sony have announced two new Full HD digital camcorders, the Sony HDR-CX500V (pictured) and the Sony HDR-CX520V. In addition to capturing full1920x1080 high-definition video, the HDR-CX500V and the HDR-CX520V can also take 12-megapixel still photos. Moreover, both camcorders feature 60p output, which automatically converts content to 60 progressive frames per second when connected to a compatible HDTV. Another notable feature, Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode now offers 3-Way Shake Canceling.  This feature reduces hand shake in three directions – vertical and horizontal shake corrected by optical image stabilisation and the third, by way of electronic image stabilisation, facilitates correction for lateral-roll shake. To effortlessly track your destinations on a map, the camcorder’s built-in GPS antenna and NAVTEQ digital maps geo-tag your videos and photos. Introducing new technology to down-convert from AVCHD™ to MPEG2, Sony eliminates the need for a PC and allows for simple DVD creation with the optional DVDirect Express DVD writer (sold separately for around $150). The HDR-CX500V (with 32GB of internal flash memory) and the HDR-CX520V (with 64GB) will be available in September for about $1,100 and $1,300 respectively.

Manfrotto has completely renewed its i-Family range of remote controls. They improved the current firmware and the internal electronic components in order to make these new products more user friendly and cover all the new features of the newest Sony and Canon cameras. The 521Pro-i and 523Pro-i are compatible with auto focus and AF/MF switch functions of the latest video cameras. Moreover, the i-family top product, the 523Pro-i, features also the useful functionality of REC review. All of the new remote controls come with a longer coiled cord cable that allows a greater distance of the remote control from the video camera.

Flip Video has announced that its revamped Flip Ultra and Flip UltraHD pocket video cameras are now available for purchase in the United Kingdom. As with the original Ultra, the cameras provide simple, one-touch recording and the signature flip-out USB arm connects directly to any computer. Key advances for both the Ultra and UltraHD include a doubling of the internal memory capacity, allowing users to capture up to two hours of footage on the camera without the need for costly additional SD cards. The Flip Ultra’s viewing screen has also been significantly expanded to two inches. The Flip Ultra is available in black, white, pink, and yellow and is available at just £129.99. The Flip UltraHD comes in black and white complemented by a chrome trim and is available at £159.99 from Amazon, Play.com, Dixons, Currys.digital and PC World.

Panasonic has released the Panasonic HDC-TM10 and HDC-SD10, claimed to be the lightest AVCHD format full-HD camcorders in the world. Common features include a 16x optical zoom, touch screen control, iA with AF tracking and Advanced Optical Image Stabiliser. The SD10 and TM10 differ only by their recording format – the SD10 records to SD/SDHC Memory Card, while the TM10 offers 8GB built in memory on top of SD/SDHC Memory Card recording. Moreover, the HDC-TM10 features a Relay Recording function. When the built-in memory being used to record images becomes full, this function automatically switches the recording media to the SDHC/SD Memory Card to provide uninterrupted recording. When using a PC/DVD burner, the data can be automatically merged and saved onto a DVD. The two camcorders will be available from June.

Sanyo announced the availability of its Xacti VPC-FH1 ultra-compact digital camcorder in a press release issued today in Munich, Germany. The Sanyo Xacti VPC-FH1 is a Full HD digital video camera that can shoot movies at a full 60 frames per second and features a 3-inch LCD, Face Chaser technology and a built-in stereo microphone. The Xacti VPC-FH1 can also shoot still photographs at a resolution of 8 megapixels. The lens is a 10x optical zoom, which can be used as a 16x “advanced zoom” when recording video. The maximum aperture is f/2 at the wide end and f/2.8 at telephoto. Stills are saved on SD cards as JPEGs, while videos are stored in MPEG-4 format using the H.264 codec. The camcorder, which measures just 53.3x105x57.3mm and weighs 299 grams, is available now for a recommended retail price of 649 euros.

Website: Sanyo Press Release (in German)

Flip Video has announced the second generation of its Flip Ultra line of compact digital camcorders. Now available in both high-definition and standard-resolution models, the new line offers everyday consumers an easy and affordable way to capture and share high-quality video. The new Flip Ultra and Flip UltraHD feature two hours of recording time, a two-inch transflective screen, and convenient battery recharging through the built-in USB arm. Like all Flip Video camcorders, the new Ultra line is pre-loaded with FlipShare, the on-board software that leads consumers through the process of organising, editing and sharing videos. Consumers simply plug the built-in USB arm directly into any Mac or PC to begin sharing their videos immediately. The Flip Ultra is priced at $149.99, while the Flip UltraHD sells for $199.99.

Alexx Henry Photography has just finished shooting a living movie poster with the RED One hybrid video/stills camera. “What begins as a still image suddenly comes alive when the characters move, perform an action, and then resolve back to the poster frame. We are really excited about the all the possibilities with the convergence of photography and motion and are thrilled to be a part of the revolution,” says Andrew Gant, studio manager at Alexx Henry Photography. The final living movie poster is not yet released, but you can view a teaser at the Alexx Henry Photography blog.

Website: Teaser

Samsng has announced two new, compact digital camcorders, the Samsung SMX-C10 and SMX-C14. Both offer an f/1.8-2.4 10x zoom lens paired with Hyper Image Stabilisation to help reduce blurry footage. They also feature a 230,000-dot, swiveling 2.7-inch wide LCD screen. The new SMX-C14 has 16GB of internal Samsung flash memory and is expandable via an SD/SDHC memory card slot. Thanks to H.264 compression, which drastically enhances recording times when used with standard definition video, users can record over six hours of footage directly to the SMX-C14’s 16GB of built-in memory. The SMX-C10 does not feature any internal storage and requires the use of SD/SDHC media. The SMX-C10 and SMX-C14 will be available in July 2009.

VholdR has released the ContourHD, a new HD camcorder that can be attached to a biker’s, skier’s or snowboarder’s helmet to shoot action-packed videos. The ContourHD can shoot high-definition movies at a resolution of 1280x720 pixels and a frame rate of 30 frames per second, or standard-definition videos at 60fps, and record them as MOV files using the H.264 codec. The device is equipped with a fixed-focal-length lens, has a water-resistant body and is compatible with microSD cards. The ContourHD can be preordered form a number of online retailers, including Adorama, Amazon and others. Prices start at $279.99.

Website: ContourHD

Genius has announced a new pocket-sized high-definition digital video camera that can also capture 11-megapixel still photographs. Videos are recorded in MPEG-4 format using the H-264 codec. The Genius G-Shot HD520 weighs only six ounces and features a fixed 7.1mm lens and a 2.5” LCD that can rotate up to 270 degrees. Furthermore, G-Shot HD520 comes equipped with Face Detection and an Electronic Image Stabiliser. Its internal memory is a meagre 32 megabytes, but it accepts SDHC cards too. The Genius G-Shot HD520 has an MSRP of $149, including an HDMI cable.

Panasonic has announced that it would start developing a professional 3D Full HD production system. The system, which is expected to be the first of its kind in the industry, consists of a twin-lens P2 professional camera recorder and a 3D-compatible High Definition Plasma display. While this system is obviously aimed at Hollywood studios, it will be interesting to watch if any part of this technology trickles down to consumer products, especially given that another company, Fujifilm, already announced the development of its own Finepix Real 3D system back at Photokina.

The Photron Fastcam SA5 - allegedly the world’s fastest high-speed camera, which can shoot 7,500 frames per second at a resolution of 1,024x1,000 pixels - will be exhibited and demoed at the National Broadcasters Association Show. Held in Las vegas, NV, the NAB Show will take place between 18 and 23 April. The Photron Fastcam SA5 has a new CMOS sensor which can shoot at 7,500fps at full resolution, and even faster at reduced resolution settings. Photron even quote a dazzling one-million-frames-per-second shooting speed, although a quick glance at the product sheet reveals that this latter figure is valid only at a resolution of 64x16 pixels.

Flip Video has announced the UK launch of the Flip MinoHD, allegedly the smallest high-definition camcorder in the world. The Flip MinoHD weighs just three ounces, is small enough to fit in your pocket and records 720p video on its 4GB internal memory. A flip-out USB stick makes it easy to upload the videos captured with the Flip MinoHD to any modern computer. “The product has become one of the most successful camcorders in the U.S. and there has been substantial interest in an HD product from the UK so we are delighted to now launch here,” said Ray Sangster, EMEA President at Flip Video. The Flip MinoHD comes bundled with the auto-loading FlipShare software, and is available now for £169.99.

Sony has unveiled the Sony Handycam HDR-TG7VE ultra-compact HD camcorder, which also takes still photos. The new Handycam HDR-TG7VE boasts 16 Gigabytes of internal memory, enough for 6 hours of Full HD recording, in addition to offering full compatibility with Sony’s Memory Stick cards, plus automatic geotagging with GPS and a Map Index View, a stills mode for capturing 4-megapixel digital photos, Intelligent Face Detection and Sony’s Smile Shutter technology. Videos and photos are played back on a 2.7” touch-sensitive LCD. Availability is slated for May 2009.

Network giant Cisco is buying Pure Digital Technologies, creator of the Flip Video brand. Pure Digital’s Flip Video has sold more than 2 million units and quickly demonstrated market appeal in the United States by making video simple, accessible and fun. “The acquisition of Pure Digital is key to Cisco’s strategy to expand our momentum in the media-enabled home and to capture the consumer market transition to visual networking,” said Ned Hooper, senior vice president of Cisco’s Corporate Development and Consumer Groups. Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will pay approximately $590 million in stock in exchange for all shares of Pure Digital.

The JVC Everio X is a small, light all-in-one camera that shoots both slow-motion HD video and high-speed stills. The JVC GZ-X900 can shoot 1920 x 1080 Full HD AVCHD video and 9 megapixel stills with no interpolation required. Up to six nine-megapixel stills can be shot at 15 images per second, faster than most DSLRs, and the JVC Everio X can also simultaneously record five-megapixel digital stills while recording full HD video at shutter speeds as fast as 1/4000th second. The JVC Everio GZ-X900 will be available in June for $999.95.

The new AgfaPhoto DV-5580Z digital camera combines video, photo and sound recording. It records video in high definition, with a maximum of 1440 x 1080 pixels and 30 frames per second. The AgfaPhoto DV-5580Z also offers an 8 megapixel CMOS sensor, 5x optical zoom, digital image stabilizer and 2.5 inch TFT LCD display. The AgfaPhoto DV-5580Z will be available for $249.95.