camera

Some subset of photographers would like a compact camera with lots of higher-end features and manual controls. But a vastly larger quantity want their cameras to take photos with the correct focus, exposure, white balance and other factors without having to do more than press the shutter button.

Which is why Panasonic's three newest cameras, the Lumix FX-33, FX-55 and FZ18 are notable. For one thing, Panasonic is catching up with competitors such as Fujifilm and Canon by introducing face detection, which lets the camera guess more intelligently about what the photographer is trying to shoot and adjust settings … Read more

Panasonic just unveiled three new 8-megapixel digital cameras for the fall, including two 28mm-equivalent wide-angled compact shooters and one midrange camera with a huge, 18x zoom lens.

The Lumix DMC-FZ18 is Panasonic's latest contender in the megazoom category. With a 28mm- to 504mm-equivalent 18x Leica zoom lens, the FZ18 looks like Panasonic's answer to the Olympus SP-550UZ. With RAW image support and plenty of manual control, this high-zoom electronic viewfinder (EVF) camera could turn out to be a good choice for aspiring photographers who want lots of zoom power and control without shelling out the money for an … Read more

Those crazy types in Brussels. If they're not forcing us all to eat straight bananas or swim in wine lakes, they're slapping tax on our cameras. To be specific, on new digital cameras with a certain level of movie capability.

At the moment, all digital cameras are manufactured outside Europe. They're all imported. All of them. Currently, there's a European Commission-imposed 4.9 percent import tariff on camcorders, but not on cameras, whatever their video-recording abilities.

The EC's Nomenclature Committee (oh, to be a fly on that wall) has cottoned on to this and … Read more

Point-and-shoot camera or digital SLR? That's been the long-standing dilemma for shoppers looking for a way to take pictures.

But now the great divide may be shrinking, at least a bit, as camera makers work to bring high-end features (smarter sensors, faster shooting, access to "raw" images, etc.) and low-end convenience (small size, primarily) into a single gadget.

The compact camera that probably comes closest in design to an SLR is Canon's PowerShot G7 (shown here), Stephen Shankland writes on CNET News.com today. Another option, he writes, is the Nikon Coolpix P5000.

Even as enthusiasts … Read more

Sigma has released a new firmware update to its recently released 14 MP SD14 DSLR with the unique Foveon X3 sensor. This firmware update, v1.04, corrects several issues with the camera's operation. The improvements to previous firmware versions are included in this most recent update as well.

We generally recommend installing the latest firmware updates for your camera, to get the most out of your gear. For more information on firmware updates for a specific camera, visit the manufacturer's Web site. Before installing any firmware upgrade, always take the time to read through all of the documentation, … Read more

If you ever wanted to videotape your pets fighting to Romanian dance music while on a trampoline, Sony has a new pocket camcorder for you. Sony's NSC-GC1 Net-sharing CAM is targeted specifically at the YouTube crowd, with a low enough price tag and just enough power to throw clips up on the Web. The Net-sharing CAM can shoot video ranging from QVGA (320x240) at 15 frames per second to VGA (640x480) at 30 frames per second. It records to Sony's Memory Stick DUO memory cards, so if you already have a PlayStation Portable or a Sony Cyber-shot digital … Read more

One of the joys of the iPhone is its camera.

I didn't think that I'd like it or even use it very much. But in addition to the phone's SMS texting, e-mail and Web-browsing technologies, I've actually used the iPhone's camera feature much more than I thought I would. I've already posted a few photos on this blog, but here are some more random pictures and thoughts.

(1) The iPhone camera works best at moderate light and is great at capturing stealthy candid shots, which are the best ones, I think. In low light, … Read more

Canon has released a firmware update to its 10.1-megapixel EOS Digital Rebel XTi, also known as the EOS 400D in other parts of the world. This firmware update, v1.1.0, primarily enhances the camera's USB functionality by adding support for the new MTP USB protocol. The previous firmware update, v1.0.5, contains several other improvements, which are included in this update as well.

We generally recommend installing the latest firmware updates for your camera, so you can get the most out of your gear. For more information on firmware updates for a specific camera, visit the … Read more

'Tis the season for compact camera introduction, and Pentax is getting in on the action with its new Optio E40 and M40 models. Both include 8-megapixel CCDs, face recognition, and Pentax's ISO-bump Digital Shake Reduction.

The Optio E40 slightly edges out its sibling lens-wise with its faster 3x optical, 38mm-to-113mm f/2.8-to-f/5.2 zoom lens, but its 2.4-inch LCD checks in with 110,000 pixels (40,000 fewer than the M40), and its autofocus system relies on three focus points as compared to the nine points found in the M40. The M40 also bests the … Read more