UK Digital Cameras Blog

Next month Sony will launch its new Handycam, a product that may prove popular with home video-lovers.

The HDR-FX1000E boasts impressive clarity with a 29.5mm wide angle G Lens and a 20x zoom.

It records onto digital tape and offers HDV 1080i recording with a new 25p progressive scan mode.

At the heart of the camera is a crystal clear 1/3″ 3 ClearVid CMOS sensor with Exmor derived technology enabling extra sensitivity.

The camera also boasts CinemaTone Gamma and CinemaTone Colour technology which helps produce rich cinematic tones.

The new G Lens was developed especially for the FX1000 and has been designed to work with sensor and processing functions to optimise results.

After 30 years of developing camera equipment, Sony claims its new HandyCam delivers “best-ever” HDV image quality.

Also available are a range of accessories including the VCL HG0872X high-grade wide conversion lens which Sony claims offers a focal length of 23.6mm.

Digital cameras do not react well if dropped in water but it does not necessarily mean the end of its life, according to a new report.

If a camera is submerged the owner should remove the battery straight away, according to advice on New Jersey’s CourierPostOnline. com website.

Following this, the next step is to pat the camera dry and then submerge it in a bowl of rice over night.

Strange though it may sound, the website reveals that the rice helps draw the water out by osmosis.

Failing that, most camera stores sell silica packs. Placing the camera in an airtight bag with the silica can also help it dry, the site suggests.

However, water is not good for digital cameras and owners should not be surprised if a camera fails to work after being submerged.

To avoid such tragedies, some photographers could consider purchasing a water proof digital camera such as the OptioW60 from Pentax.

This camera is waterproof up to four metres as well as being resistant to dust and sand and it comes in a range of bright colours.

Sony’s latest digital camera, the Cybershot T500, is set to be released next month.

It features a ten-megapixel sensor with 5x optical zoom and is available in black, silver and red colours.

Sony has boosted the Cybershot T500’s video creating capabilities and the new cameras can record 720p films at 30fps.

The camera produces crystal clear HD movie clips complete with stereo sound. The clips can last up to 60 minutes and can be stored on a 4GB memory stick.

Anyone using the Sony T500 can record film and take photographs at the same time via the use of a user-friendly switch on the top of the camera.

The Sony T500 also boasts an impressive 3.5″ LCD Touchcreen which fills the whole back panel of the camera.

In addition, to improve the visibility the screen is coated in a special transflective material which means that it remains viewable in bright conditions such as on a beach.

The T500 also features an image stabilisation system with Double Anti-Blur and includes face detection.

A new digital photo frame has been revealed by Sony Ericsson, which said it had designed the product as a companion for the Cybershot phone.

Owners of the new IDP-100 Digital Photo Frame can store 500 images in the gadget and these are automatically resized, rotated and enhanced when placed in the frame.

Images taken either by camera or phone can be transferred using a memory card, USB flash memory or Bluetooth connection.

And the frame includes a world clock so switch-on and switch-off times can be conveniently programmed.

“[The IDP-100] lets you display your favourite moments easily and in high quality for all to see,” said Sony Ericsson’s head of accessories Jacob Sten.

The Sony Cybershot digital camera range can also be used to take snaps for the frame.

Various colours such as red and pink are available for those who want a bright camera, with the Sony Cybershot W510 Red offering 8.1 megapixels and a 5x optical zoom.

Another range of iPods has been unveiled by Apple and could be on the wish-list for fans of the brand and mp3 players.

The fourth generation iPod nano now incorporates curved aluminium, a glass enclosure and nine “vibrant” colours, the manufacturer revealed.

Following last year’s release of the smaller and more compact nano, the new model is taller yet slimmer and includes more features designed to make life much more fun for the user.

For example, new technology can create playlists from the owner’s library automatically and when the iPod is lightly shaken the running order of the songs is shuffled.

The iPod nano is now available in eight-gigabyte and 16-gigabyte sizes, with colours to choose from including black, orange, yellow, pink, green, blue, purple, silver and red, which is part of the (PRODUCT) RED campaign.

Prices start from £109, according to Apple, which also unveiled a new version of the iPod touch on the same day.

Sony has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first full-frame 24.6-megapixel DSLR camera, it emerged today.

The Sony a900 is said to provide unmatched image quality and performance usually demanded by professionals.

Dual BIONZ processors mean that the camera can handle higher amounts of data at an “extremely” fast level, Sony said, while highlighting the noise-reduction technology and optical pentaprism viewfinder.

Other features include a three-inch LCD screen, ten focus-assist points and the Enhanced SteadyShot INSIDE technology that can prevent shaking.

Photographs taken with the Sony a900 can be viewed on an HD television with “breathtaking clarity”, while the camera itself is constructed using high-tensile aluminium and magnesium alloys.

The model is set to available from next month - but for those wanting a Sony camera in the meantime, then the Cybershot range could be suitable.

A potentially good example is the Sony Cybershot W120 in Black, which has 7.2 megapixels, a 2.5-inch LCD screen and a 4x optical zoom.

Electronics manufacturer Samsung is planning to bring a compact camera with interchangeable lenses to the market, according to new reports.

What Digital Camera magazine said Samsung Techwin’s executive vice-president, Byung Woo Lee, revealed that the company was looking to introduce such a device.

Mr Lee explained that research had uncovered a “big demand” for a camera product which delivers user-friendliness with sophistication and the interchangeable lenses of an SLR.

The gadget is likely to feature an LCD screen, electronic viewfinder and lens mount, he added.

“This new system will be easier to use than a DSLR and will embrace Samsung’s goal of ’seamless connectivity’ between devices such as the PC and the TV,” Mr Lee concluded.

Also available from Samsung is the Digimax i8, which offers 8.2 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom.

The camera also has a 2.7-inch LCD screen and is designed in a blue colour scheme.

A new camera from Nikon is the first D-SLR with a movie function, the maker claims.

Nikon said the camera gives “truly cinematic results” and has “stunning image quality”.

There are also advanced features such as live view, picture control and scene recognition.

Toru Uematsu, senior manager for product planning at Nikon Europe BV, said the model combined imaging technology from the D300 model with innovative features.

As a result, it would “appeal to all passionate photographers looking for the next step in creativity”.

In addition, Nikon says the battery is “extremely efficient”, able to capture approximately 850 images on one charge.

Nikon is holding a travel photography competition along with the Daily Telegraph.

The prize is the latest digital SLR camera from Nikon, worth £2,500.

Entries must be received by September 19th 2008.

The judges are award-winning photographer Gideon Mendel, Telegraph Media Group photography editor Stuart Nicol and Ultratravel Magazine’s photography editor Joe Plimmer.

A new camera model from Olympus boasts “style and muscle”, the maker claims.

According to Olympus, the camera can avoid blurring in action shots or when the camera shakes with its Dual Image Stabilisation technology.

It was also praised for its “huge zoom” of 37-260mm - which the company said made it well suited for “spontaneous close-ups”.

The camera is available in silver, black or cyan green and is available this month

An Intelligent Auto mode detects popular photographic sights, adjusting the settings automatically to improve the shot.

Olympus’ Stylus 1030SW model was recently praised by PC Magazine for having “terrific image quality”.

The camera was also described as “rugged and waterproof”.

On the flipside, it was also found to have shutter lag and to take a long time to recycle between shots, as well as requiring xD-Picture Cards, which are restricted to 2GB storage.

Overall, the magazine recommended it for high quality pictures in any weather or terrain, but warned it was not suitable for those seeking speed.

Samsung launched its new range of digital cameras for the second half of 2008 in Germany last week.

Among the new models available from the company is the NV 100HD, which is described by Steves-Digicams. com as the “flagship” for the new line.

The camera offers the highest resolution of any compact to date at 14.7 megapixels, as well as a three-inch hVGA LCD screen.

Photography enthusiasts looking for something to use while on the go may find the NV9 a more appealing option than the slightly larger NV 100HD.

In addition to its 10.2 megapixels and 2.7-inch LCD, this gadget also offers an MP3 player and text viewer.

Buyers looking for a balance between the two models may wish to opt for the 13.6-megapixel L310W, which features a wide-angle optical zoom lens, Dual Image Stabilisation and 11 different scene modes.

Those who wish to completely forgo paper may wish to invest in one of Samsung’s new LCD photo-frames, which went on sale on September 1st.