News archive for January 2011

Sigma has announced a price drop for its 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens to $1,399, down from $1,699 in the US market. The company says 'the reason the price went down is to remain competitive in this category and incent sales for this very popular lens.' The lens was amongst the first to incorporate Sigma's FLD glass element. It is currently available for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony Alpha and Sigma DSLRs.

Topaz Labs has updated its ReMask 3 masking plug-in for Adobe Photoshop a month after its release. Version 3.1 enhances processing speeds and adds new menu items amongst other improvements and bug fixes. Compatible with Windows and Intel-based Mac OS, it is still available at an introductory price of $49.99 till February 18.

Pentax is offering a free service to users of K-5 DSLRs that have been affected by the widely reported 'stained image sensor' issue. The company believes the problem occurred during the manufacturing process of the first batch of K-5's and cannot be resolved by ordinary sensor cleaning methods. Affected camera owners can contact the company's customer service center to send their cameras for the repair.

Phase One has updated its Capture One PRO 6 and Express 6 Raw workflow software. Version 6.1 brings additional features and extends RAW support to cameras including the Canon PowerShot G12, Pentax K-5, Nikon D3100, and the latest Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras. The update is available for immediate download from the company's website.

Just Posted: Our review of the Olympus XZ-1. The company's latest enthusiast compact represents its return to the top end of the compact camera market. The impressive set of features builds around a 28-112mm equiv. F1.8-2.5 lens and includes a 3.0" VGA-equivalent OLED screen, high-sensitivity 10MP CCD sensor and dual control dials. The XZ-1 enters a competitive segment of the market but its specifications suggest it can hold its own. Does use in the real-world support that impression?

Ricoh has unveiled the CX5 compact superzoom with Hybrid AF. It represents the re-introduction of an AF system that combines a distance sensor with more conventional contrast detection method to offer focus times of as little as 0.2sec regardless of focal length. Beyond this, it offers the same 10MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 10.7x (28-300mm equiv.) zoom lens, 920k dot 3 inch LCD and 720p HD video recording as the CX4. It's not clear how the AF system differs from the one used by the company up until 2007, but it is claimed to almost double the speed of the CX4. Other new features include 'Super-Resolution' context-sensitive image processing and three additional scene modes.

Just Posted: Fujifilm X100 first look. In amongst a flurry of of major camera announcements at Photokina 2010, one model stole the show - Fujifilm's retro-looking, large sensor, fixed lens compact: the X100. With its APS-C CMOS sensor and fast 23mm F2 lens giving a classic 35mm equivalent moderate wideangle view, this rangefinder-styled camera has traditional control dials plus an innovative 'hybrid' viewfinder that combines a large, bright optical finder with a high-resolution electronic display. We've been itching to get our hands on the X100 ever since it was announced, and Fujifilm has kindly lent us a prototype model for a first look. Click through to read more.

Nikon has released a firmware update for the D3100 digital SLR that addresses a significant list of bugs and errors. Firmware v1.01 rectifies errors relating to autofocus, playback and noise reduction. This includes the reduction of a magenta cast at the bottom of still images captured at high ISO settings after using live view or movie shooting for a long period. The firmware is available for immediate download from Nikon's website.

Panasonic has launched the DMC-ZS10 and DMC-ZS8 compact superzooms. The latest travel-zoom cameras increase their zoom ranges to 16x, still starting at a very useful 24mm equivalent. The ZS10 (TZ20 in Europe) incorporates a 14.1MP MOS sensor and GPS, and can record Full 1080i AVCHD format movies, generate 3D images and shoot full resolution images at 10fps. The simpler ZS8 (TZ18) comes with a 14.1 MP CCD sensor, shoots 720p HD movies in Motion JPEG format and misses out on both GPS and 3D capability.

Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-TS3 rugged compact camera (known as the FT3 in Europe), with built-in GPS, altimeter, barometer and a compass. It sports a new body design and and better waterproofing upto depths of 12m as against 10m of its predecessor the TS2. Like the TS2 it is also dustproof, shockproof against a drop of up to 2m, and freezeproof down to -10°C. The 12MP CCD-based camera with a 2.7 inch LCD and 28-128mm equiv. lens features 1080i60 HD movies (from 30p sensor output) and comes with the company's latest 3D photo mode.

Panasonic has released the Lumix DMC-FX78 ultra-compact with an F2.5-5.9 5x zoom lens starting at 24mm. The 12.1MP camera features a large 3.5" touch screen LCD with Touch zoom, AF tracking, shutter and playback capabilities. It also offers full 1080 HD recording in AVCHD format and a 3D Mode that produces a 3D photo in .MPO format by taking 20 consecutive photos and overlaying the two best into a 3D image. This can be played back on MPO-compatible equipment such as a televisions, digital photo frames and printers. 

Phase One has released the IQ180, IQ160 and IQ140 medium format digital camera backs with 80, 60.5 and 40 megapixel CCD sensors respectively. All three backs feature 3.2" multi-touch rear screen the company describes as having 1.15 megapixel resolution (though it sounds more like what would usually be called 1.15 million dots). The IQ180 also features a USB 3.0 port for quicker image transfer and a FireWire 800 connection for faster tethered shooting. All three will be available from April 2011 at suggested retail prices starting from €16,990 /$21,990.

Just Posted: An update to our recent group test of the the Canon Powershot S95, Panasonic Lumix LX5 and Nikon Coolpix P7000. Following the release of firmware V1.1 for the Nikon P7000, claimed to reduce RAW write times, we have retested the P7000 and updated the review accordingly. Is the increase in operational speed enough to make the P7000 score higher against the Canon Powershot S95 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5? Read our updated review to find out.

Bibble Labs has announced version 5.2 of its RAW workflow software. This is the final version of the update posted as a 'release candidate' in December, and is now available for immediate download. The latest version provides RAW support to fourteen additional cameras including the Nikon D7000/D3100, Panasonic DMC-GF2, Pentax K-5 and Olympus E-PL2. Both the Pro and Lite versions of Bibble 5.2 also include improvements and bug fixes.

Nikon has announced a delay in the launch of 'my Picturetown 3D', its Japan-only 3D imaging service. The service that was supposed to launch this month is now rescheduled for March 2011 due to production issues with the NF-300i 3D digital photo frame. The service allows online conversion of 2D and 3D images to the 3D format compatible with the NF-300i.

onOne Software is offering more than 300 free album templates and layouts aimed at portrait and wedding photographers. After registering in the company's website, the templates can be downloaded and used in Adobe Photoshop, and do not require the use or ownership of any onOne product.

Just Posted: Our quick review of the Canon PowerShot G12 enthusiast compact. As the G12 didn't arrive in time to be included in the high-end compact camera group test, we've now had a chance to put together in our quick review format that looks at the differences between its predecessor as well as competitors. Inheriting most of the core features of the G11, The G12 sees the addition of an EOS-style front control dial, Hybrid IS, multi-aspect ratio shooting and 720p HD video recording.

Scientists have successfully constructed a digital camera that can be flexed to focus an image, allowing its use with simple single-element lenses. Researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign created a 16 x 16 pixel array on an elastomeric backing that can be distorted to correctly focus the image from a simple lens. In a paper to be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), they combine this with a single-element, tunable lens to provide a camera with very simple optics capable of zooming. The technology could eventually provide 'studio quality' images from cellphone cameras, one of the lead researchers says.

Promotions company Shoot Experience has announced the International Street Photography Awards. Launched in connection with the London Street Photography festival to be held for the first time between 7-17th July 2011, the competition is now open for entries. To participate, photographers need to submit 5-8 of their best street photography photos from past five years along with a £30 entry fee. The winner will receive an Olympus Pen camera, an all-expenses paid trip to London and £1000 cash. There is also a UK-only student award category open to students aged 18 and older. Submissions are open until 30 March 2011.

Samsung tops off its day of announcements with the ST6500, a high-end style compact with touch-screen control. The 16MP camera features a 5x zoom starting at a very respectable 26mm equivalent (extending out to 130mm equiv). Beyond the inclusion of 720p HD movie recording and the fact that the body tilts at 7 degrees, specification for the camera, available in March, is rather thin-on-the-ground. Its recommended selling price will be $229.

Samsung has announced a trio of style compacts in the form of the ST95, ST90 and ST65. The ST95 offers 16MP while the other make do with 14. The top two models offer 5x zooms starting at 26mm equivalent while the ST65 has 5x zoom starting at 27mm equiv. The ST95 features a 3.0" touch-screen interface, rather than the more conventional button-based interfaces of its sister models. The cameras will reach the US market in February, at respective target prices of $199, $149 and $129 the company says.

Samsung has announced the ST30 ultra-compact digital camera. The 10.1MP camera has a 3x zoom starting at a usefully wide 28mm equivalent focal length. The camera is, the company says, around the size of an average mobile phone, giving a good idea of who the camera is aimed at. It has all the standard features such as Smart Auto mode and Perfect Portrait mode you'd expect in the budget sector and comes with a list price of $99.95.

Sandisk has announced its UHS-I comaptible Extreme Pro SDHC memory cards are now available in 8GB to 32GB capacities with retail prices of $109.99 to $349.99. Complying to the SD 3.0 specification, the cards offer maximum read/write speeds of 45MB/s and adhere to latest UHS Class 1 video rating, offering 10MB/s minimum write speed for recording 1080p HD videos or 3D content.

DxO Labs has updated its DxO Optics Pro raw converter for Windows and Mac. Version 6.5.3 extends Raw support to Panasonic DMC-GH2 and Sony SLT-A55 in both its Standard and Elite editions. It also includes 90 additional camera/lens optical modules. The latest versions are available at retail prices of $299 and $169 respectively or as a free upgrade to existing users.

Pentax has released firmware updates for its K-7 and K-x digital SLRs. Similar to recent updates for the K-5, K-r and 645D cameras, they extend support to SDXC memory cards offering the format's greater capacity but not speed. Version 1.11 for the K-7 and v1.02 for the K-x are available for immediate download from the company's website.

Nik Software has released version 2 of its Silver Efex Pro black and white conversion plug-in for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Apple Aperture. The upgraded version includes a history palette and better control for adjusting detail, contrast, and tonality. It is available from February 2011 at a suggested retail price of $199.95 or $99.95 to version one users.

Sony has officially announced a 5-inch clip-on LCD monitor for tasks such as shooting HD video with interchangeable lens cameras. The CLM-V55 attaches to either a Sony or ISO-standard hot shoe and takes an HDMI input. The 1,152K dot (800 x 480 pixel) display features a tilt and swivel mount and a control wheel to adjust monitor settings such as aspect ratio, brightness/contrast and colour temperature.Other features include Pixel Magnification for accurate focusing and a 'Colour Peaking' function that highlights edges of focused subjects.

PocketWizard makers LPA Design has begun a patent infringement case against Hong Kong-based manufacturer Phottix. LPA Design claims patents covering aspects of its radio communication technology and the auto-switching transceiver technology introduced for the first time in the PocketWizard's Plus II wireless trigger are being infringed by Phottix.

Leica's Oskar Barnack Award 2011 international photo competition will be open for entries from January 15 with a first prize worth €14,500 (~ $19,000). For this year's prize the winner will receive an M9 rangefinder and lens in addition to the €5000 cash prize offered last year. To enter, participants need to submit a series of ten to twelve images expressing 'the interaction between man and the environment.' There will also be a Newcomer award open to photographers under 25 years. Submissions are open until 15 March 2011.

Corel has released an updated version of its PaintShop Photo Pro X3 image editing software. The latest version improves overall stability and extends Raw support to additional cameras including the Canon EOS 60D, Olympus E-5, Pentax 645D and Panasonic DMC-LX5. The update is available for immediate download from the company's website.

'We really can change the world' says Masashi 'Tiger' Imamura, President of Personal Imaging & Sound Business Group in an exclusive interview with dpreview.com. The company will try to bring together all its technologies to produce a worthy successor to the A700, he told us in a talk that also touched on the future expansion of the NEX system and the company's position on 'full frame' models.

PMA has launched a new community website, and rebranded its tradeshow as CliQ 2011. Scheduled for September 6-11 this year, the tradeshow will be held in Las Vegas. The website aims to provide tools and content for photographers and videographers. Readers can subscribe to this service for an annual price of $25 (which includes entry to the expo).

Lexar has released a behind-the-scenes YouTube video of its memory card production process. While the rather corportate-friendly video is unlikely to give you the ability to go out and make your own memory cards, it does provide some interesting information you might not have known.

Dpreview.com is back from Las Vegas and returning to the job of turning our previews into full reviews. This year we brought you two camera previews, a samples gallery, more than 30 news stories, a report from the CES Digital Experience event, eight stand reports, and a roundup of some of the latest developments in camcorders - both conventional and 3D. We also published two brief interviews, and have at least one more on the way.

Just posted: Olympus XZ-1 sample photos. While we were attending CES in Las Vegas, we were offered a production-standard version of the latest enthusiast compact from Olympus. The 10Mp camera with its 28-112mm lens and impressive maximum aperture range of F1.8-2.5 sounded too good to resist. We carried it with us everywhere we went and have prepared a sample gallery of shots including a range of ISO settings and apertures to help give an insight into the camera's performance.

Pentax US has said it has not ruled out introducing a mirrorless interchangable lens camera. Chris Pound, Product Manager, Digital Imaging Systems said: 'if a product makes sense, and is feasible economically, we'll come out with it'.

In an exclusive meeting with dpreview.com at this year's CES, Adrian Clarke of Fujifilm told us that the company has been 'surprised and delighted' by reaction to the X100 - the innovative, retro-styled high-end compact camera announced at Photokina 2010. Featuring a 12MP CMOS sensor and fixed, 35mm (equivalent) f/2 lens, the X100 also features a hybrid, switchable optical/electronic viewfinder.

Pre-CES 2011: We've just returned from the extra-terrestrial themed pre-show 'Digital Experience' where we've seen a little bit of the future (or, at least, had a chance to get our hands on the products we'll be showing you in the coming days). The two most interesting cameras were undoubtedly the Olympus E-PL2 and Olympus XZ-1, both of which we've already had the opportunity to preview. However, they were far from the only new cameras that we saw tonight...

Pre-CES 2011: Olympus has announced the Micro Four Thirds PEN E-PL2. Sitting below the E-P2 in the company's PEN lineup, the E-PL2 boasts the same 12Mp sensor but adds a raft of improvements, including a restyled body, larger LCD screen and improved AF. The innovative Live Guide mode, first seen in the E-PL1 has been improved too, and the E-PL2 comes with a redesigned version of the collapsable 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens (which debuted with the Japan-only E-PL1s, last year). We've had a production E-PL2 in the office for a while - just long enough for us to prepare a full hands-on preview including studio comparison and real-world samples.

Pre-CES 2011: Olympus has officially announced the much-leaked XZ-1 enthusiasts' compacts. The basic specs are impressive: 28-122mm equivalent lens with a F1.8-2.5 maximum aperture range making it the brightest in its class. It also features dual control dials and a 3.0" VGA-equivalent OLED screen. But the really impressive thing about the XZ-1 is how those elements have been integrated. We've been using the XZ-1 and have prepared a brief preview to give some insight beyond the bare specifications.

Pre-CES 2011: SanDisk has unveiled the 128GB Extreme Pro, world's fastest high-capacity CompactFlash card with 100MB/s write speed. The card is designed for cameras with full HD video recording capabilities of up to 50Mbps bit rate and 4:2:2 color sampling, as well as full hi-resolution continuous shooting speeds. The card is available for pre-order from the company's website at a suggested retail price of $1,499.99.

Pre-CES 2011: Kingston Technology has released the UltimateXX 233x SDHC UHS-I memory cards in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities. They offer maximum read speeds of up to 60MB/s and up to 35MB/sec. of write speeds. The performance of the cards is optimized when paired with UHS-I compatible devices, and supports 3D and full HD video recording features of recently released cameras.

Apple has slashed the price of its Aperture 3 raw-conversion and photo management software for Mac OS to $79.99 (originally priced at $199), when purchased as an app from its latest Mac App store. It is available for £44.99 in UK and €62.99 the European App store.
Update: Speaking to dpreview.com an Apple spokesperson would not comment on whether or not the Aperture 3 App store pricing is permanent, or part of a time-limited introductory offer. At present however, there is nothing to indicate either that the App store pricing is temporary, or that the version of Aperture 3 available from the App store differs in any way from the normal retail version.

CES 2011: Sony has announced five 16.2MP CMOS sensor Cyber-shot compact cameras, including the DSC-TX100V with 60fps 1080p movies and OLED touch-screen controls. Along side it we have the DSC-HX7V with built-in GPS and compass and image stabilized 10x (25-250mm equiv.) optical zoom lens. Another T series model introduced is the DSC-TX10 rugged compact with a 3.0 inch LCD. Lastly we have the DSC-WX10 and DSC-WX9, both capable of 10fps full resolution continuous shooting speeds plus 7x and 5x optical zoom lens starting at 24mm equivalent. These latter four models are capable of shooting full 1080i HD movies. All five are the world's first compacts to allow 3D still image shooting with one lens and imager.

Pre-CES 2011: Olympus has announced a new pair of Tough series compact cameras. Both the TG-610 and TG-310 come with 14Mp sensors, and are shockproof to 5 ft and freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The 610 is waterproof to 16 ft, sports a 920K dot 3.0" LCD and comes with a 5x (28-140mm equiv.) zoom lens, while the 310 is waterproof to 10 ft and features a simpler 230K dot 2.7" LCD and a 3x (38-114mm equiv.) zoom. Both cameras can shoot 720p HD videos and come with a 3D mode that can also be used underwater. They will be available next month at retail prices of $299.99 and $199.99 respectively.

CES 2011: Sony has announced six entry level compacts. Top of the range with a price tag of $230 are the DSC-H70 and DSC-T110, featuring 16Mp CCD sensors, 3.0" LCDs (touchscreen for T110), 720p HD video recording plus 10x and 4x zoom lenses starting at 25mm. Then come four W-series models all powered by lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and priced between $110-$180 for a choice of 16Mp-12Mp sensors, 2.7"-3.0" LCDs or VGA and HD video recording. All W-series models feature Sweep Panorama mode and image stabilization.

Pre-CES 2011: Olympus has announced the SP-610UZ superzoom with 22x(28-616mm equiv.) optical zoom lens. Sporting a 14Mp sensor and 3.0" LCD, it features 720p HD recording, a 3D capture mode, AF Tracking and an HD output. It also includes the latest set of Magic Filters for both stills and videos that include an additional Sparkle and Punk modes in addition to 5 other filters.

Pre-CES 2011: Olympus has introduced the VG-120, the first in its latest V series line-up of budget compacts. Priced at $139.99, the 14Mp camera with a 26-130mm optical zoom lens and 3.0 inch LCD offers 720p HD video recording, Magic Filters, AF tracking and in-camera editing. It will be available from the end of this month in silver, black, and red.

Pentax has released firmware updates for its K-5 and K-r digital SLRs, and 645 medium format camera. The latest update for all cameras extends compatibility to SDXC memory cards. Version 1.02 for the K-5 and v1.01 for K-r also brings improvements to the Contrast AF operation and Bulb mode shooting. The latest firmware versions are available for immediate download from the company's website.

Greetings from Las Vegas. We're here at CES - the consumer electronics show, held every year in Nevada's fantastic, high-rolling, surreal glimmering city in the desert. This is dpreview's first year at CES (and the first show that we've reported from following our relocation from the UK to the US, late last year) so we're very excited to be here in the original Sin City. Over the next few days we'll be bringing you live updates from the show, interviews with manufacturers, and previews of some of the latest new releases, so stay tuned.

Pre-CES 2011: Casio has unveiled the TRYX digital compact with a rotating frame design allowing users to rotate the camera body 360 degrees vertically and 270 degrees horizontally around the frame. Measuring 15mm on its thickest side, the camera features a 12Mp back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 21mm equiv. pocket-camcorder style wide-angle fixed lens and 460K dot 3.0" touchscreen LCD. It can record 1080p full HD movies at 30 fps, includes a built-in software for direct upload of images and videos online and comes with a motion-sensitive self-timer. It will be available form April 2011 at a retail price of $249.99.

Pre-CES 2011: Panasonic has released the Lumix DMC-FH27 and DMC-FH25 with Leica 28-224mm equiv. zoom lenses. The 16Mp cameras with near-identical features only differ by LCD sizes of 3.0" and 2.7" respectively. Similar to previous generation FH series they include image stabilization, 720p HD video recording and additionally offer better responsiveness by improving the shutter release lag times.

Pre-CES 2011: Panasonic has released the Lumix DMC-FP7 and DMC-FP3 card-style digital compacts. With large 3.5" and 3.0" touch screen LCDs and periscopic 4x optical zoom lenses starting at a less useful 35mm, the cameras feature 720p HD recording, image stabilization and SDXC compatibility. The 16Mp FP7 comes with a mirror-finish while the 14Mp FP5 comes with a standard finish.

Pre-CES 2011: Panasonic has introduced the Lumix DMC-FH5 and DMC-FH2 digital compacts. Featuring Leica 4x zoom lenses starting at 28mm and 2.7" LCD, the 16Mp and 14Mp cameras come with a similar feature set to the company's other announcements today, with 720p HD recording, image stabilization and AF tracking. They will be available at suggested retail prices of $169 and $149 respectively in black, pink, red and blue.

Pre-CES 2011: Panasonic has released the Lumix DMC-S3 and DMC-S1 as a part of its latest S series of budget compacts. The 14Mp and 12Mp image-stabilized compacts include 720p HD recording, 28-112mm optical zoom, 2.7 inch LCDs for a suggested price tag of $120 and $110 respectively.

Pre-CES 2011: Samsung has launched the ST700, PL170 and PL120 DualView cameras. All three cameras come with 5x optical zoom lenses starting at 26mm equivalent. The 16Mp ST700 offers a 1.8" front LCD first seen in the ST600 and ST100 cameras released last year. The PL170 and PL120 with 16Mp and 14Mp sensors come with slighter smaller 1.5" front LCDs. The cameras will be available from September at retail prices of $279.99, $199.99 and $149.99 respectively.

Pre-CES 2011: Samsung has released the WB210 and PL210 compact superzooms. The WB210 offers a 12x optical zoom lens starting at an impressively-wide 24mm and a 3.5" LCD, while the PL120 comes with a 10x optical zoom starting at 27mm and a slightly smaller 3.0" LCD. Both cameras offer 14Mp sensors, HD recording and the company's latest Smart Filter 2.0 special effects filters. The WB210 also offers a 21mm equiv. super-wide shot mode. The cameras will be available from February 2011 at a retail price of $279.99 and $199.99 respectively.

Pre-CES 2011: Samsung has announced the HMX-P300 and HMX-P100 pocket camcorders. They are built around 1/3.2" 8Mp and 5Mp back-illuminated CMOS sensors and are capable of full 1080p HD movies at 30fps. The P300 offers a 3.0" touchscreen LCD and 3x optical zoom lens while the P100 comes with a slightly smaller 2.7" touchscreen LCD and 1x optical zoom lens. They are priced at $199 and $149 respectively.

Pre-CES 2011: Casio has released the EX-ZR100, flagship model of its 2011 Exilim series of compacts. Together with a 12.1Mp back-illuminated CMOS sensor and dual core processor equipped Exilim Engine HS the camera is capable of full 1080p HD video recording at 30fps, 1000fps high speed movie recording and 3fps full resolution continuous shooting. Other features include image stabilization, AF tracking, SDXC compatibility and HD output.

Pre-CES 2011: Casio has released the Exilim EX-H30 compact superzoom with 12.5x (24-300mm equiv.) zoom lens. According to the company, the 16Mp camera's low power consumption extends its battery life to capture up to 1000 images per charge (with CIPA standard testing). Features include 460K dot 3.0" LCD, 720p HD recording, P/A/S/M shooting modes and SDXC compatibility. It will be available from March 2011 at a retail price of $249.99.

Pre-CES 2011: Casio has announced the Exilim EX-ZS10 and EX-ZS5 entry level compacts. Both share 14.1Mp sensors, 5x optical zoom lenses starting at 26mm equiv. and 2.7 inch LCDs. The ZS10 comes at a higher price tag with its 720p HD video recording capability compared to the ZS5's VGA recording. They will be available in black, silver, red, pink and blue from March 2011 at retail prices of $119.99 and $99.99 respectively.

Pre-CES 2011: Canon has introduced the PowerShot A3300 IS and A3200 IS to top its A series of budget compacts. Similar to their predecessors (the A3000 IS and A3100 IS), the latest duo are powered by Lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries. The A3300 features a 16Mp sensor and 3.0" LCD while the A3100 IS comes with a 14Mp sensor and 2.7" LCD. Both share wider-angle 28-140mm equiv. image-stabilized zoom lenses (compared to the 35-140mm lenses on their forebears), and upgraded video from VGA to 720p HD recording with H.624 compression.

Pre-CES 2011: Canon has refreshed its A series with the launch of A2200 and A1200 compact cameras. The 14Mp A2200 is the slimmest A series compact to date and uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery while the 14Mp A1200 is powered by a pair of AA's. Both cameras feature 2.7" LCDs, 4x optical zoom lenses starting at 28mm and can record 720p HD movies.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has unveiled the Finepix HS20EXR advanced superzoom. Replacing the company's HS10, its comes with a 16Mp EXR CMOS sensor and 460K dot 3.0" LCD rather than its predecessor's 10Mp sensor and 230K dot screen. It features a 30x (24-720mm equiv.) optical zoom lens, full 1080p HD video recording capabilities, RAW capture and P/A/S/M shooting modes. It also offers 7.6fps full-resolution continuous shooting and high speed video capture at up to 320fps.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has launched the Finepix F500 EXR and its first GPS-enabled camera in the shape of FinePix F550 EXR. Built around the same design and feature set as its F300 EXR camera, the latest F series cameras offer the company's latest 16Mp EXR CMOS sensor that allows full 1080p HD video recording and full-resolution 8fps continuous shooting. They include the same 15x (24-360mm) optical zoom lenses and 460K 3.0" LCDs as their predecessor. The only difference between the pair is the F550 EXR's built-in GPS and RAW capability.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has released the FinePix XP30, which it claims is world's first rugged compact with built-in GPS. Tougher than the previously released XP10, it is designed to be waterproof up to 5 meters, shockproof up to 1.5 meter and freezeproof to - 10 degrees. It features the same 2.7" LCD of the XP10, 5x optical zoom lens starting at a more useful 28mm and a 14Mp sensor compared to XP10's 12Mp CCD.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has announced the FinePix S3200 and S4000 superzooms with 30x and 24x zoom lenses, both starting at 24mm equivalent. The cameras comes with 14Mp sensors, 3.0" LCDs, electronic viewfinders and include features such as AF Tracking, Image stabilization, 720p HD recording, P/A/S/M shooting modes. They also include HDMI ports and run on AA batteries.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has launched the FinePix Z90 ultra-compact. Successor to the the Z70, it features a 14Mp sensor, 3.0" touch screen LCD, and 5x (28-140mm equiv.) zoom lens as opposed to Z70's 12Mp sensor, 2.7" LCD and 36-180mm zoom lens. It inherits the one-touch direct upload button, AF tracking and 720p HD video recording functions from its predecessor.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has released what it claims is the world's thinnest 10x optical zoom compact camera in the shape of the FinePix T200. The 14Mp compact with a 2.7" LCD and 28-280mm equivalent lens includes features such as 720p HD recording, image stabilization, Motion Panorama and Photobook in-camera book design software.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has announced the FinePix S2950HD with 18x optical zoom lens. Almost identical to the S2800HD released last year, it offers the same 28-504mmm lens, 3.0" LCD, a 14Mp sensor. The only new feature is an easy upload function. The rest of the features remain the same as well including 720p HD video recording alongside features such as AF tracking and P/A/S/M shooting modes.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has announced the addition of the FinePix JV200, JX300 and JX350 to its J series of budget compact cameras. The 16Mp JZ200 and 14Mp JX300 come with 5x (28-140mm equiv.) optical zoom lenses, while the 14Mp JX350 offers 3x optical zoom lens starting at a considerably less useful 36mm equiv. All three sport 2.7" LCDs, can shoot 720p HD movies and are powered by Lithium-ion batteries.

Pre-CES 2011: Fujifilm has announced the addition of the FinePix AV200, AV250 and AX350 to its A series of budget compact cameras. The 16Mp AV200, AV250 and 14Mp AX350 share near-identical features including 2.7" LCDs, 720p HD recording and AF tracking. The AX350 offers a slightly longer 5x zoom range compared to the AV250 and AV200's 3x, starting at 33mm and 32mm equiv. respectively.

Pre-CES 2011: Samsung has introduced the SH100 Wi-Fi enabled digital camera allowing users connect to wireless networks for sharing images and videos. The camera also allows users to pair up with compatible smartphones to enable geo-tagging, control the camera remotely or preview the scene. It offers the same 14.2Mp sensor, 3.0 inch touchscreen LCD and HD video recording capabilities of the previously released ST80 Wi-Fi camera, but comes with a more useful 26-130mm equiv. zoom lens. the SH100 will will hit the stores from March 2011 at a retail price of $199.99.

Pre-CES 2011: Kodak has announced its latest additions to be exhibited at CES 2011 including its first waterproof camera, rugged pocket camcorder and a 3D photo printing service. The three compact cameras introduced are the 12Mp waterproof EasyShare Sport, 14Mp touch-enabled EasyShare Touch and the 10Mp Easyshare Mini with a built-in front-mirror for self-portraits. The cameras will retail at $79.95, $149.95 and $99.95 respectively.

Pre-CES 2011: Lexar has released the industry's first 128GB Class 10 SDXC (Extended capacity) memory card. With a maximum data transfer speed of 20MB/s, it complements full HD video recording and continuous shooting speeds of the latest SDXC compatible cameras. The Professional 133x SDXC 128GB card will start shipping from the first quarter of 2011 at a suggested retail price of $699.99. The company has also announced a 64GB version of the same card that will ship at an SRP of $399.99.

Pre-CES 2011: Samsung has launched the HMX-Q10 consumer camcorder with a back-illuminated CMOS sensor. Capable of recording full HD (1080i60) videos and 5MP still images, it features Switch Grip technology that adjusts display and control options according to the angle at which the camcorder is held while filming. Features include F1.8 10x optical zoom lens, 2.7" touch screen LCD and image stabilization. The HMX-Q10 will be available at a retail price of $299 from February 2011.