A big day for Canon
Canon unveiled its 2011 lineup of compact cameras and camcorders. Here’s a round-up:
Canon Announces Quartet of Compact Cameras
Canon today announced four digital cameras for the point-and-shoot market, expanding its popular PowerShot A-series and introducing 720p HD video into the line, as well as Smart Auto, Subject Detection, and Creative Filters. Special effects include Monochrome, Toy Camera, Super Vivid, Fish-Eye, Poster, Miniature effects, and more. These are all low cost cameras, ranging in price from $90 to $180. All feature Live View Control, which displays user-friendly guidance on the monitor to help beginners get better pictures.
Key features: Canon PowerShot A3300
- 720p HD video
- 16MP CCD sensor
- 5x optical zoom (28-140mm equivalent)
- 3-inch LCD
- Optical image stabilization
- Five colors—grey, red, blue, silver and pink
- Pricing/availability: $180, late February
Key features: Canon PowerShot A2200
- 720p HD Video
- 14MP sensor
- 4x optical zoom (28-112mm equivalent)
- 2.7-inch LCD
- Black, blue, silver, red
- Pricing/availability: $140, early March
Key features: Canon PowerShot A1200
- 720p HD video
- Optical viewfinder
- 12MP CCD sensor
- 4x optical zoom (28-112mm equivalent)
- 2.7-inch LCD
- AA battery power
- Black or Silver
- Pricing/availability: $110, early March
Key features: Canon PowerShot A800
- 720p HD video
- 10MP CCD sensor
- 3.3x optical zoom (37-112mm equivalent)
- 2.5-inch LCD
- AA battery powered
- 19 smart auto scene modes
- Pricing/availability: $90, mid-February
Canon XA10 Pro Camcorder is Unveiled
Canon has just added a new camera to its professional camcorder portfolio, the XA10. Capable of shooting 1080p and up to 60 frames per second videos, the camera features Dolby digital sound via its built-in stereo mic, a 10x HD zoom lens (35mm equivalent 30.4-304mm), a 1/3-inch sensor, optical stabilization, manual and three flavors of autofocus, 64GB of internal flash memory and two SDXC memory card slots. There’s a 3.5-inch, 922k dot touch-panel LCD monitor, and an XLR terminal for additional connectivity. The Canon XA10 will be available in March for around $2,000. Read the Canon press release for details.
Canon overhauls Vixia consumer camcorder lineup
Canon today announced an overhaul of its consumer-level lineup of camcorders. The latest generation of Vixia camcorders feature a new 1/3-inch native 1920×1080 sensor, a claimed 25% improvement in low-light sensitivity and a 280% improvement in dynamic range, according to Canon. Each camera features dual SDXC-compatible card slots, a high-quality zooming microphone, close focusing capabilities, “cinema-look” filters for old-time movie looks, Story Creator, which helps you storyboard a video shoot, and touch-controlled creative filters.
Key features: Canon Vixia HF G10
- Flagship consumer camcorder
- 8-blade lens aperture for improved Bokeh
- 3.5-inch, 922k touch-panel LCD
- Custom Key and Dial
- Selectable zoom speed
- Face-only AF
- Cinema-look filters
- Tele-Macro
- Touch & Track
- Smart Auto
- Relay Recording
- 32GB internal flash memory
- Manual color temp adjustment
- Remote control terminal
- Manual shutter, aperture control
- Native 24p recording
- Available in March for $1,500
Key features: Canon HF-S30
- 1/ 2.6-inch, 8.59MP HD CMOS sensor
- 32GB internal memory
- 3.5-inch, 922k touch-panel LCD
- 10x HD Video Lens
- Color bars
- Selectable Zebra patterns
- Remote control terminal
- Native 24p recording
- Custom key and dial
- Available in March for $1,100
Vixia HF-M series
Canon announced a trio of compact, lightweight Flash Memory camcorders—the Vixia HF M41, M40 and M400. All record 1080p HD video and feature a Canon 10x video lens, a new CMOS sensor, 3-inch touch-panel LC monitor, Cinema-look filters, Story Creator and Touch Decoration, plus Touch & Track technology. The main differences are the amount of internal memory. Pricing ranges from $800 down to $650. All three camcorders will be available in March.
Read Canon’s press release for more details about their consumer camcorders.
Fujifilm Overhauls its Camera Lineup
Fujifilm announced a complete overhaul of its lineup of consumer-level cameras. While the much-anticipated, pro-oriented X-100 wasn’t on the list, plenty of fascinating cameras were:
FinePix HS20EXR Bridge Camera
Fujifilm today announced the HS20EXR, the company’s latest “bridge” EVF camera, featuring a 30x manual zoom with a 24-720mm 35mm equivalent zoom range, an new 16MP CMOS sensor, and a number of cool features. If you’re a speed deamon, the HS20EXR can shoot up to 8fps at full resolution for 8 frames or high-speed movies at 320fps. 360-degree panoramas, full 1080p HD movies, and RAW format images are among its key features of interest to enthusiasts. Other features include claimed low noise at high ISO in High ISO & Low Noise Priority mode, Dynamic Range Priority, which combines two exposures, a variety of action shooting speeds, multi-bracketing, face recognition, and more. The Fujifilm FinePix HS20EXR will be available in March for $500. Read the Fujifilm press release for details.
Fuji Adds three Superzoom cameras
Fujifilm has added three new long-range zoom cameras to its FinePix line today. The S2950, S3200, and S4000 are all 14MP cameras and offer 18, 24 and 30x zoom ranges, respectively. All models feature 3-inch LCDs, although the resolution is higher (460K) in the S4000. Other shared features include: panorama mode with in-camera stitching, 720p HD video at 30fps, Smile and Blink detection, Tracking AF, i-Flash intelligent flash control, full manual exposure and focus control, instant zoom and zoom bracketing, and tagging for social networking web sites. The S3200 and S4000 also offer Face Recognition and Image Searching. The cameras will be introduced from January through March at $230 (S2950), $250 (S3200) and $280 (S4000). For details, read the Fujifilm press release.
Finepix F500EXR and F550EXR 15X zoom snapshot cams
Fujifilm joins the Magapixel madness with the introduction of two new F-series long-zoom compact cameras, the FinePix F500EXR and F550EXR that feature a new 16MP CMOS sensor. Both offer impressive burst rates, up to 12fps and 11fps, respectively, as well as high-speed movie capture at 320fps at full resolution. Multi-frame technology combines multiple images to “smooth” noise—a potentially useful tool in low light and high ISO shooting. The F500EXR and F550EXR will be available in March for $330 and $350. For details, read the Fujifilm press release.
Fujifilm XP30 and XP20 Rugged cams
The ruggedized Fujifilm FinePix XP20 and XP30 boast a 14-MegaPixel CCD sensor, a 2.7” anti-reflective, high-contrast LCD and a FUJINON 5x wide angle refractive optical zoom lens with a reinforced hardened glass lens barrier. Both cameras offer what Fujifilm calls “Four-Way Protection” – waterproof up to 5M, shockproof up to 1.5M, freezeproof up to -10°C and dustproof – and the FinePix XP30 is Fujifilm’s first rugged digital camera with GPS Geo-tagging functionality. Other features include 720p HD video, AF tracking, dual mechanical/high ISO image stabilization, a “blog mode” and more. The XP20 will be available in March for $200 and the XP30 will launch in February for $240. For details, read the Fujifilm press release.
New snappy cams
Fujifilm has also trotted out several first-time snapshooter cameras, the JX300, JX350, T200 and T250, all of which feature 14MP sensors (except the JX350, which sports a 16MP sensor) and offer impressive features for basic cameras that cost under $200. All of them shoot 720p HD video and offer such consumer-friendly features as smile-blink detection, easy uploading to Facebook and YouTube, Scene recognition, face detection and auto red-eye removal. Get details here and here.
Fuji announces stylish Finepix Z90, JX cameras
The Fujifilm FinePix Z90 is the sixth generation model in the ever-popular stylish Z-series. The Z90 is fun at your fingertips featuring a large 3” high resolution resistive touch screen LCD, a dual direction GUI, 14-MegaPixel CCD sensor, a FUJINON 5x wide angle refractive optical zoom lens for added range and flexibility, and countless other features. Look for the chic Z90 later this month for around $170. Details on Fuji’s press release.
Eye-Fi Announces Direct Mode
Eye-Fi, a company known for its series of Wi-Fi enabled SD memory cards, announced Direct Mode, which lets users wirelessly connect their Eye-Fi-loaded digital cameras to their smart phone or tablet. Images can be transferred to the smartphone for editing, or uploading and sharing. Direct Mode will be a free upgrade to all Eye-Fi X2 cards later this year.
PocketWizard MiniTT1 for Nikon
PocketWizard Introduces MiniTT1™ and FlexTT5™ Radios for Nikon Cameras
PocketWizard announced today that its MiniTT1 Transmitter and FlexTT5 Transceiver for the Nikon DSLR camera system is expected in the U.S. this month. (Canon-compatible versions are available now.) In addition, the company is putting the finishing touches on the ControlTL™ system for Nikon, said to combine TTL exposure automation with the PocketWizard’s ControlTL™ system, featuring the MiniTT1 Transmitter and FlexTT5 Transceiver. These new i-TTL capable radio slaves make taking off-camera flash as effortless as slide-in, turn-on and shoot.
Tenba Roadie II Photo/Laptop Case now airline carry-on compatible
Tenba has upgraded its line of durable and weather-resistant Roadie II Photo/Laptop Cases. Roadie rolling cases allow photographers to take their equipment off their neck, shoulders and back, and put it all on wheels. These airline carry-on compatible cases, available in three sizes, are built to withstand serious professional use, with rugged, weather-proof coated ballistic nylon exteriors, genuine YKK zippers, heavy-duty, smooth and silent-rolling ball bearing wheels, industrial/military-grade webbing and massive reinforcement in all stress and load-bearing areas.
