UK Digital Cameras Blog

To kick off 2008 in style, Nikon has launched one of the most compact and advanced digital cameras in its class one range.

The Nikon Coolpix S550 combines high performance with an elegant sleek design, all the while capitalising on Nikon’s innovative EXPEED digital image processing and its trademark Nikkor lens.

The digital camera also boasts some unique features to ensure that any user can capture those striking portraits.

In particular, smile mode displays a gauge that indicates when the subject is smiling, guaranteeing that the user captures at exactly the right time.

Additionally, blink warning alerts the user when it identifies a subject blinking and allows the shot to be retaken immediately.

The Nikon Coolpix S550 is available in a range of colours including titanium silver and urban black.

This month has seen the launch of another Nikon digital camera - the Nikon Coolpix S210 which will retail for around £179.99.

Spring heralds the release of a stylish new Nikon digital camera available in a range of attractive colours.

Created marrying a customised version of Nikon’s Expeed digital imaging processing idea to its Nikkor lens, the camera is aimed at dedicated snappers who also appreciate the fun of digital photography.

Boasting a user-friendly design, the slimline aluminium camera will be available in bright silver, urban black, pink, blue, purple and red when it arrives in shops in March.

“Functional beauty and classic camera appeal are the theme throughout, from the clean design of the back with large control buttons to the user-friendly rotary multi selector,” Nikon states.

As well as looking good, Nikon assures it will also deliver “stunning images” with a sharp resolution and attention to detail, suitable for landscapes, group shots and intimate portraits.

The Nikon Coolpix S210 will be on sale priced at about £179.99.

Also released in March is the compact Coolpix P60, which has a price tag of around £199.

The future of iPod could include Wi-Fi and multi-touch controls, a technology expert suggests.

Piper Jaffray investment bank analyst Gene Munster said he thinks Apple’s game plan is along the lines of mobile computing and portable devices that are connected to the internet.

This would ensure Apple retained its huge share of the portable multimedia player market, Mr Jaffray wrote.

He explained the bank thought Apple would introduce cheaper and more innovative iPods with these technologies in order to fit a growth of about 15 per cent.

He used the example of someone on their way to Starbucks who could “wirelessly order your drink from your iPod, pay for it using your iTunes account … and pick it up without ever standing in line or waiting at a cash register”.

Recently Apple made an attempt to capitalise on its more romantic customers’ tastes by releasing a pink version of its iPod Nano.

Ease of use is a key feature of the Nikon Coolpix L18 and L16, which are due for release in March.

The compact digital cameras aim to combine high performance with functions that make taking pictures spontaneous and enjoyable - ensuring you never miss a shot!

Easy Auto mode, automatic D-lighting and Anti-shake features take care of low light and camera shake and other common-sense features try to take the emphasis off the camera and put it onto the subject matter.

“The intuitive design assures a solid grip with a balance of flowing surfaces contrasted by sharp edge lines,” Nikon states.

Available in silver and matt black, the camera will be on sale at around the £99 mark.

Nikon is also planning to launch the D60, one of the smallest single-lens reflex digital cameras ever, which the company suggests will be suitable for both new photographers and those who want to develop their creativity.

The D60 will go on sale at around £449.99 and is available with accessories.

Nikon has unveiled one of its smallest single-lens reflex cameras, the D60.

Available next month, the D60 is available as the body only for £449.99, or as a kit with the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR for £529.99 or the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II for £499.99.

Features boasted by the D60 include superior image quality and resolution with 10.2 megapixels, integrated dust reduction system, active D-lighting for smoother gradation and simple intuitive operations within a compact case.

“Continuing the tradition of the smaller sized D40 and D40x, it allows novice photographers to take breathtaking pictures whilst offering plenty of features for those who want to develop a more creative shooting style,” Nikon said.

The firm adds that the camera offers high quality photographs with edge-to-edge detail combined with a user-friendly system.

Nikon also recently announced the launch of the AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED lens featuring a built-in Silent Wave Motor, which will hit the shops in February for £379.99.

Photographers on the lookout for a new camera have been advised that the EOS 450D from Canon offers great performance in a light and easy-to-carry case.

The £600 unit boasts a 12.2 megapixel CMOS sensor and the latest technologies from the company, including its EOS integrated cleaning system, a 3.0-inch LCD screen with live view mode, Digic III processor and total image control.

“The EOS 450D blends uncompromising performance with ease of use in a lightweight, ergonomic body,” Canon said.

Other features include 3.5 frames per second shooting for a continuous burst of up to 35 large Jpeg images, six of which in RAW.

Canon notes that the EOS 450D model is compatible with over 60 EF/EF-S lenses available on the market and all of the flash units in the EX Series Speedlite range.

The company also recently announced the release of the Digital IXUS 80 IS in March 2008 in four different colours for £219 each.

Snappers on the look out for a compact camera offering a traditional design combined with reliability may be interested in the launch of the Coolpix P60 from Nikon.

Available from this March for £199.99, the Coolpix P60 is built on a custom application of the company’s Expeed digital image processing concept and incorporates the Nikkor lens precision optics to offer top image quality and performance.

“A functional body design with a defined grip for secure finger placement allows for intuitive operation including the use of the Mode dial,” Nikon said.

It adds that photographers are offered versatility when shooting - even in bright sunlight - as a result of the electronic viewfinder and 2.5-inch LCD monitor on the camera.

Photographers looking for sharp images can also benefit from image sensor shift VR image stabilisation.

Earlier this month, Nikon announced an extension of its cashback deal on D40X SLR camera kits to the end of February 2008.

Canon has launched a photo printer for the price of £35, with the value-for-money device offering users photo-lab quality prints.

The PIXMA iP2600 prints photographs of resolutions up to 4800×1200dpi, with 10×15cm borderless photos printed in less than 55 seconds in its standard mode.

For those wanting a multi-purpose device, the printer also produces monocolour documents at up to 22 pages per minute and colour at 17 pages per minute.

Consumables for the printer are Advanced FINE cartridges that offer precision printing and are easily replaceable with one-click installation.

Dpreview.com reports that the printer replaces the ip1800 and ip2500 as the entry-level end of the product range at Canon.

Pocket-lint reports that the printer has been restyled for 2008 and now boasts a lower profile and output tray, while it ships to customers with a copy of the Easy-PhotoPrint EX software and should be available from March 2008.

Apple has announced the launch of a pink iPod Nano to its range in time for Valentine’s Day.

The eight-gigabyte digital media player is available immediately and could be ideal for a gift come February 14th.

Encased in anodised aluminium and stainless steel, the iPod Nano offers users up to 24 hours of audio playback between charges and boasts a two-inch display that can be used to watch up to five hours of video on a single charge.

Buyers can purchase music videos, TV shows and iTunes Movie Rentals from the iTunes store.

Greg Joswiak, vice-president of worldwide iPod product marketing at Apple, predicted that consumers would love the new coloured iPod.

“The pink iPod nano is perfect for people who want a great new colour this spring, or who are searching for a special Valentine’s Day gift.”

Earlier this month, Apple announced the launch of the MacBook Air, the thinnest notebook in the world being 0.16 inches at its thinnest point with a maximum height of 0.76 inches.

A new digital camera from Fujifilm - the FinePix J50 - will to be released in March, it has emerged.

The camera, which Digicam Review claims “looks like an evolution of the F480″, has a 5x optical zoom lens and an 8.2 megapixel sensor.

Set to be released in Brushed Silver, it is part of a new budget range of digital cameras which also include the FinePix J10 model.

At 23 mm thick, the FinePix J50 model also comes with picture stabilisation technology and a high-resolution 2.7-inch LCD screen in what the manufacturer calls a “remarkably svelte” compact design.

“We wanted to provide consumers with an affordable, easy to use digital camera that still offered a competitive feature set,” David Troy, senior project manager at Fujifilm said.

In addition to its other features, the camera can capture movie clips at 30 frames per second, including sounds, and comes with a long-life rechargeable battery.