Digital Camera Technology

As far as point and shoots are concerned, Asian companies such as Sony and Nikon seem to always take the spotlight.  But rising from the depths of digital camera technology is another player that is slowly gaining more ground in the industry: Samsung.  Samsung was once known for their house appliances and then later on their mobile technology.  Having developed a 10 mega pixel mobile phone camera, it was only a matter of time before they started concentrating once again on the digital camera market; thus, the release of the Samsung NV10.

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL

Take one look at the Samsung NV10 and your initial reaction will not be just as you would expect when looking at any other digital camera.  The first thing you will notice is the quality of the material that is draped in a rich coating of black.  The Samsung NV10 is a very manly device but it will appeal to women as well.  It’s the sexy black that brings about a level of sophistication and class.  The Samsung NV10 not only gives off the impression that it is a solid device; it is a very solid device.  The metals chosen for the Samsung NV10 gives it a weighty feeling in hand but it’s light enough to store and whip out of a bag. 

UNIQUE

One of the best features of the Samsung NV10 is the way the controls are laid out and the way they are used.  The buttons are more or less the same as any other digital camera.  However, on the Samsung NV10, they are laid out in a reverse “L” fashion and the other unique feature is that you don’t need to add too much pressure to use the buttons.  They are actually touch-sensitive and the slightest touch will allow you to activate the feature of the button you are pressing.  The Samsung NV10 touch-sensitive feature allows one to use its features in the easiest way possible and without too much work.  The other great advantage to this is that you won’t have to worry about over using the buttons even if you use them a lot over time.  In contrast, typical buttons will tend to feel softer over a long time and their tactile feedback will become less than reliable.

POWER

Packed with a 10.1 mega pixel CCD sensor, the Samsung NV10 is not a point and shoot that should be underestimated.  In fact, the Samsung NV10 employs a CCD that is not normally used in typical point and shoots.  With a 3x optical and 5x digital zoom, that brings the total to 15x zoom and it produces crisp quality photographs no matter which zoom you are using.  Of course, for the best detail, it is best to use the optical camera zoom.  The Samsung NV10 has a 2.5-inch LCD monitor which is surprising because the new standard seems to be 3.0-inches.  And equipped with a Schneider-Kreuznach lens, you can be assured of the best quality pictures.

Are you tired of the brand of digital camera that you usually purchase?  For a totally different user experience, try out the Samsung NV10.  It’s inexpensive, innovative and photography will never be quite the same with the kind of technology that Samsung is introducing with the Samsung NV10.

Some of the most famous and affordable digital SLR’s are from the company Nikon.  With the success of the Nikon D40, the popularity of Nikon has risen to heights never before seen in the camera industry.  The fact is that the D40 is still in the market and is still selling because of demand for the affordable camera.  But there are other cameras that do the job as well and with added features to boot.  One of them is known as the Nikon D80.  It’s been more than 2 years since the announcement of the D70 and finally the successor, Nikon D80, is taking the stand. 

Changes

The Nikon D80 is now a 10 mega pixel monster of a DSLR and it fits nicely in between the market for amateur and professional photographers.  This basically means that the Nikon D80 can be used and understood by just about anybody who comes across it.  Its design is clearly based on the D70 but there are some significant differences.  First of all, the CCD is now a 10.2 mega pixel, whereas the D70 packed a 6.1 mega pixel camera.  The Nikon D80 body is even more compact than its predecessor’s which makes it a little lighter as well.  The Nikon D80 also sports a much larger viewfinder with x0.94 magnification and it has a mechanical shutter only which makes for slower performance; this has proven to be one of the gripes of many consumers of the Nikon D80.  Most believe it would have been better off with an electronic shutter.  Another feature that is new in the Nikon D80 is its image processing engine.  It was designed based on another earlier model, the D200.  The D70 did not have this technology.  On-camera retouching features are also available on the Nikon D80 including red-eye reduction, trimming, overlay and D-lighting.

Familiar

Although there are significant changes in the Nikon D80, consumers of the Nikon D-series will grow quite comfortably with it.  It is slightly smaller than the D70, but most of the controls are the same if not even better or more improved.  The Nikon D80 placement of buttons is more or less the same and there are a few added buttons dedicated to particular commonly-used functions.  For the most part, previous Nikon D70 users will be happy to know that the Nikon D80 interface is just about the same.  It is still straightforward and about the only new menu is the Retouch tab which allows one to take advantage of the new retouch features in the Nikon D80.

The Nikon D80 will definitely take over as its predecessors better.  With all the added features plus more power and image control / editing functions, the Nikon D80 is definitely worth the price that still doesn’t seem to break the $1000 mark.  After all, Nikon is known to give quality products at a very affordable rate.  For starting and professional photographers, the Nikon D80 will be a welcome change, despite its major flaw in mechanical shutter speed.

When it comes to slim design and outstanding functionality, nobody knows about it better than Casio. One of the first companies to introduce a line of compact slim cameras to the world, Casio’s line of Exilim digital cameras are as successful today as when they were first launched. One of the slimmest offerings on the market today is the Casio Exilim Z1050. The Casio Exilim Z1050 packs as much punch as some pretty well known DSLR’s on the market but is small enough to fit in any shirt pocket.

Thin Is In

Today’s market is one that is becoming more mobile and that is exactly what Casio had in mind as they developed the Casio Exilim Z1050. Its dimensions come in at a mere 90×57x24 mm and it weighs in at 125g, which makes this camera much heavier than a stack of credit cards but just as small. Able to fit in any shirt pocket and any small spaces in hand bags or attaché cases, this is the camera that will definitely be on the road more than any other model on the market.

Small Yet Powerful

If anything, the Casio Exilim Z1050 may skimp out on a lot of advanced features but this is only because of its diminutive size. However, it is not a camera that should be underestimated. The Casio Exilim Z1050 packs a monstrous 10.1 mega pixel CCD sensor, and shoots macro up to 10 cm in range. With auto and manual focusing abilities, the possible scenarios for usage are endless. The Casio Exilim Z1050 also sports a large color TFT LCD display at 2.6 inches, can record videos with sound, and a system that includes multi-pattern, center-weighted and spot metering. Given its size, the Casio Exilim Z1050 has a modest 3x optical zoom, but the size of the cameras sensor indicate that shots are virtually pain-free and should result in high-resolution pictures. A high-speed shutter system is also built into the Casio Exilim Z1050, pushing this compact camera’s features just a tad over the edge.

Simple

The one thing that most digital camera consumers look for is a hassle-free, point and shoot that can get the job done. Casio has done well to release their line of Exilim’s, especially the Casio Exilim Z1050. Not only can it do the job with an attractive 10.1 mega pixel sensor, it does all that in a stylish package that is definitely a winner for the fashion conscious. The camera has an auto tracking function that makes the sensor “follow” moving subjects while keeping them continuously in focus. The results, of course, are sharper and blur free images. The battery that comes with the purchase of a Casio Exilim Z1050 is good enough to last one 370 shots at a full charge. This is very impressive and more shots can be taken depending on the size of the SD memory card that can be purchased separately. The great thing is that if you don’t have the budget to get a memory card yet, you need not fret because the camera has built in 16MB memory therefore it can be used out of the box.

Nikon is a Japanese company that specializes in optics and imaging. Over the years that they have been in business, they have brought out products to the market which include binoculars and microscopes so you can see why their brand is trusted especially in the areas of lenses. Nikon is still up to the game when it comes to competing with some of the best in the industry. This year, the latest Nikon offerings did nothing but wow their consumers.

The Nikon Coolpix S50

Bound to become an easy favorite, the Coolpix S50 is one of the latest Nikon offerings that is dressed to impress. Sleek and tiny, this 7.1 mega pixel digital camera sports a huge 3.0-inch LCD screen and integrated image stabilization. For a few extra bucks, consumers might also want to take a look at the Coolpix5c that has WIFI capabilities. With or without it, though, Nikon has come out with yet another winner in the ultra compact digital camera category.

The Nikon L12

A casual camera that has captured the hearts of everyday users, this compact is one of latest Nikon offerings that is more than just affordable; it’s a digital camera that does the job. The Nikon L127.1 mega pixel sensor includes face detection technology to help focus portraits so that you can capture the expressions of people’s faces precisely and correctly. Nikon has gone out of their way to make sure that their consumers will have evidence of all the smiles and moments that they want to remember. Nikon has also packed the L12 with D-lighting and RedEye Fix to help make the pictures taken look more accurate even if you are not a professional photographer. With a , 3x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, the L12 is a great startup, easy-to-use digital camera and is one of the best of the latest Nikon offerings of 2007.

The Nikon Coolpix P5000

The latest Nikon offerings also includes on that is one of many contending to be the best digital camera in the 10 mega pixel category; after all, it seems that 10 mega pixels is fast becoming the new standard. As a point and shoot camera, the Coolpix P5000 is no doubt after the crown that the Canon A640 currently holds. They look physically similar and this looks like a challenge for Canon to upgrade their winning product. The camera does have a few tricks up its own sleeves that may attract some of Canon’s market though. For example, it has a lens-shift vibration reduction system that offers stabilization that the A640 cannot. The camera itself is bound to push customers into thinking about what there other choices are aside from the Canon A460.

The Nikon D40

Known for their budget DSLR’s, Nikon likes to simplify the technology so that aspiring photographers will also get a chance at understanding the concepts behind the DSLR and its capabilities. The new Nikon D40 is a high-performance DSLR with a 6.1 mega pixel sensor. It is not as large as most DSLR’s tend to be and this is certainly one of its high points. Nikon has hit it right with their DSLR line and the latest Nikon offerings like the D40 are bound to be a huge success with many beginner and serious photographers.

Pentax Corporation has actually been working hard to regain their ground in the digital camera industry. With their new line of DSLRs set for release in the year 2008 (although no real date has been suggested officially), one must wonder about what will have to its more recent products; in particular, the Pentax K10D, which has a few elements that will inspire the release of the K100D Super in August of 2007.

The Camera

It’s almost a year since the Pentax K10D was in the market and the arrival of the K100D in August is just about right. However, there are a couple of features that will be included in the K100D such as the dust removal system found in later versions of the K10D and a full Supersonic Drive Motor lenses support. The K10D, it seems, was ahead of its time on its release. It’s Pentax’s current best selling DSLR and has garnered a few prizes of its own, including DSLR of the Year as awarded by the magazine American Photo. And this is all for good cause. The Pentax K10D packs 10.2 effective mega pixels and a Pentax –developed Shake Reduction system that is believed will become pretty much standard in the DSLR’s to follow this model.

The Technologies That Will Stick

The Shake Reduction system is designed to minimize camera shake and therefore give more advantages at taking sharp, blur-free images even under the most difficult of shooting conditions, like low light areas. Pentax also developed what is known as the Pentax Real IMage Engine (PRIME) which will only ever appear in Pentax products such as the Pentax K10D and those to follow. This helps the camera to produce true-to-life images. There is also a 22 bit converter built into the camera that will speed up the transfer of images with accurate color tones from the CCD and into the imaging engine. Talk about fresh shots. The earlier mentioned Dust Removal system is something that seems to have picked up in the Pentax K10D and we believe this is the reason why it will appear in newer Pentax DSLR models such as the K100D. What this does is incorporate a Special Protect coating to help the CCD surface be dust-free and there is a built-in shift mechanism that will help shake off any dust that does get into the CCD area.

Other Features

There are also a few other things that have made the Pentax K10D a success which will most probably find there way into upcoming models of Pentx DSLR’s. This includes the all weather body that allows for use of the camera in almost any weather condition and the ergonomics that the camera was built around. In fact, the K100D will most probably look a lot like the K10D in more ways than we originally anticipated.

For fans of Pentax products, the moment is soon to arrive when they get their hands on the new K100D. A lot more consumers who have the Pentax K10D will more than likely stay with what they have which is advisable until Pentax fixes up any glitches that may be experienced with the release of the K100D in August.