Man, it's amazing the difference a single letter makes. Take the Framee-L, for example -- a stately, classically styled digital photo frame that would do practically any coffee table proud. Now have a gander at the almost frightening Framee-M (above). iriver has evidently coerced Disney to afford it the luxury of producing this here digiframe, which -- sad to say -- looks downright shoddy from here. The unit will be made available in both Mickey and Minnie flavors, with each housing 1GB of internal storage space, a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 resolution display, SDHC expansion slot, a built-in clock and a multimedia player for good measure. It's taking Japan by storm as we speak for ?9,999 ($111).
[Via: DAPReview ]
[Tag: digiframe, digital photo frame, DigitalPhotoFrame, Disney, Framee-M, iriver, Japan, photo frame, PhotoFrame ]
iriver's Framee-M digiframe: only tolerable for Mickey enthusiasts
Canon EOS 5D Mark II review roundup
This one's been a long time coming, but we wanted to make absolutely sure you had quite enough reading material to make the most informed decision on this incredibly expensive (albeit quite valuable, as you'll soon find out) DSLR. Reviews the web over shout practically the same thing: the EOS 5D Mark II is astounding. In most every important area, the device simply excelled. Image quality was remarkable, the 1080p video capture was stellar (though the lack of Auto Focus was a legitimate knock against it) and low-light performance was simply awesome. Hailed as a respectable upgrade from the original 5D, it was found to strike "a great balance between resolution, quality and performance," and most outlets found it worthwhile even if you're not interested in capturing video. Frankly, we can't even begin to scratch the surface of all the nuances here, but we'll certainly point you in the right directions to get all the knowledge you need.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 5d, 5D Mark II, 5dMarkIi, camera, canon, DSLR, EOS 5d Mark II, Eos5dMarkIi, review, review roundup, reviewed, ReviewRoundup ]
Canon acknowledges, doesn't fix black dot and band problems on 5D Mark II
It's been released, unboxed, and adored by many. But, like other eagerly anticipated bodies from Canon, the 5D Mark II hasn't been entirely trouble-free for the early adopters. The company is at least stepping forward and confirming that the new model's two most commonly reported problems do indeed exist -- but isn't going so far as to fix them just yet. The first issue is called the "Black dot" phenomenon, where bright point light sources (like streetlights at a distance) result in a grouping of dark pixels immediately to their right, as seen above. The second issue is ugly vertical banding, apparently appearing only in sRAW1 mode. Canon has no advice on the first problem, but says you can avoid the other one simply by not shooting in sRAW1. Surely millions of photogs are wondering why they didn't think of that.
[Via: Digital Photography Review ]
[Tag: 5d mark ii, 5dMarkIi, banding, black dot, BlackDot, canon, canon eos 5d mark ii, CanonEos5dMarkIi, dslr, eos 5d mark ii, Eos5dMarkIi, mark ii, MarkIi, problem ]
Polaroid files for chapter 11 bankruptcy, again
Polaroid may have defeated Kodak in the instant camera business, but it can't beat a sagging economy. Polaroid (or Polaroid Corp to be precise) just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in 7 years. Of course, the new Polaroid Corporation is really just a holding company for the Polaroid name -- a brand that has been thoroughly diluted by its application to sub-standard TVs, vile portable DVD players, and gimmicky PoGo digital cameras. Polaroid says, "We expect to continue our operations as normal during the reorganization and are planning for new product launches in 2009." That a threat?
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: bankruptcy, chapter 11, Chapter11, polaroid ]
Pentax K2000 to come in Limited Edition black-and-white cookie style
Pentax's K2000's already gotten itself some... shall we say "glowing" reviews, but news that the DSLR will now come in a Limited Edition white is like icing on a super delicious cake. The camera will be exactly the same as its old-fangled black predecessor, and will come with custom white-and-black 18-55mm and 50-200mm lenses. Considering the real lack of color in the DSLR category, some people should be pretty stoked when it goes on sale in February. An exact price wasn't released, but the black K2000 runs about $800.
[Via: CNET ]
[Tag: dslr, k2000, limited edition, LimitedEdition, pentax ]
Dell Inspiron Mini 12 gets more netbook-y with Ubuntu, XP options
Dell's Inspiron Mini 12 was already blurring the lines between netbooks and traditional laptop when it was shipping with Vista and Vista only, but it looks like Dell is intent on breaking down the walls between the two categories, with it now offering both Ubuntu and Windows XP on the, er... system. Expectedly, there's no changes to be found on the hardware side of things, and you can get either of the new operating systems installed on both the 1.33GHz and 1.6GHz models, the former of which now starts at $499 with Ubuntu pre-installed. And, yes, you can still get Vista if you like -- at no extra cost, no less.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: dell, dell mini 12, DellMini12, inspiron mini 12, InspironMini12, mini 12, Mini12, ubuntu, windows xp, WindowsXp, xp ]
Pine-scented ASUS F6V laptop gets unboxed, smelled
We're not ones to just abruptly stick our nostrils in someone's business, but we couldn't help but drift over when waltzing by PC Authority's most recent unboxing. The smell we caught was of pine, and given that it's a pine-scented ASUS F6V that's being unwrapped, we suppose that all adds up. On the real, testers took note of an "unmistakable wafting scent of a pine forest, floating on the summer breeze and carrying away their troubles" as they cracked the seal on the carefree machine. For those curious, the scent was far from overbearing, though it was strong enough to separate itself from, um, non-smelly alternatives. Sadly, critics also mentioned that the odor had "almost entirely disappeared" after it had sat out in the open for a few hours, and at last check, there's no way to recharge or refill these things. Ah well, pack a few Christmas Tree Air Fresheners™ and you'll never know the difference.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: ASUS, f6v, fragrance, FV6, odor, pine, scent, smell, unbox, unboxed ]
LightSpeed binoculars transmit video and audio via Infrared
It's not often that tremendous advancements are made in the realm of binoculars, but these LightSpeed specs are something special. Aimed primarily at military / surveillance uses, this device is able to transmit video and audio via Infrared, theoretically enabling rooftop spies on opposite buildings to communicate. Furthermore, this method of communication is undetectable and untraceable. No mention of just how expensive these are, but suffice it to say, you aren't apt to see these on shelves of Toys R Us and the like.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: binoculars, Infrared, Infrared LED, InfraredLed, LED, LightSpeed, military, spies, spy, Volfson ]
Sony's SR1 High Definition Cameras Can't Hack It In Microgravity [Cameras]
Matt, the guy who literally jigged his way around the world, discovered the hard way that space tourists will be unable to lug Sony SR1 HD cameras into orbit because microgravity won't let them. Poor Matt found out the hard way. After plunking down $3,500 for a ticket on a Zero G vomit comet plane ride, he tried to film his low gravity jig no less than 15 times before giving up. The brand new camera camera just would not record. Why? Well, it had nothing to do with the cameraman and everything to do with zero gravity (actually, microgravity). Because an object in microgravity is actually falling towards the Earth, the camera's hard drive drop-protection kept kicking in, rendering the expensive device useless. The solution was to buy another ticket and another HD camera, this time with a flash drive. The result is below at around the 3:50 mark (alternatively, you can head to YouTube and watch the entire video again in HD—it's better that way).
Now, obviously, NASA astronauts and probes have HD cameras that work just fine in orbit around the Earth and elsewhere in the solar system, so this little anecdote is meant more for the uber rich space tourists. Leave your non-flash camera rigs at home. [Pogue] [Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ] [Tag: ]
Kairen's DF24B: the tiny digital frame for your tiny digital photos
If you're the sort who laughs at those DSLR-lugging amateurs, deriding their attempts to stay current as the megapixel wars rage on, this may be the digital photo frame for you. It's called the DF24B from Kairen, and is the perfect way to show off those crummy, pixelated shots accumulating on your flip-phone with its vertically-oriented (like most mobile pics) 2.4-inch, 320 x 240 LCD and 2MB of internal storage. Yes, that's megabytes, enough to store 27 thoroughly compressed images according to the manufacturer. Why it has any storage at all is a bit of a mystery, though, since the thing requires a USB connection for power, meaning it might as well just suck those photos straight from your hard drive (unless you're rocking a dedicated USB charger). No formal price has been set, but it's expected to release this month for around ?6,800, or about $75. That puts it about $5 shy of MIMO's 7-inch mini-display, which is a much smarter buy -- unless you're afraid to blow those pics up any larger.
[Via: Impress ] [Tag: DF24B, digital photo frame, DigitalPhotoFrame, frame, kairen, kairen df24b, KairenDf24b, mini frame, MiniFrame, photo frame, PhotoFrame, usb ]
Scallop Imaging wide-angle security cams look to the sea for inspiration
We're not too sure what's up with New England-based institutions and inspiration from the depths, but the two seem to have some kind of intrinsic connection. The latest company to prove such a wacky assertion true is Boston's own Scallop Imaging, a Tenebraex subsidiary that has developed a "low-cost" security camera that sees 180 degrees of view without fisheye distortion or the lag present in pan-and-tilt alternatives. Additionally, the multi-eyed cam automatically stitches and downsamples images, and can capture a new 7-megapixel still to transmit over Ethernet "every second or two." It's small enough to be placed into a light socket-sized hole, and it's powered by the same Ethernet cable that links it into a building's surveillance system. Of course, the fun won't stop there, as the outfit is already looking at automotive applications of the Digital Window, including "distortion-free backup cameras for the rear ends" of vehicles.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: boston, cctv, Digital Window, DigitalWindow, Imaging, Scallop, Scallop Imaging, ScallopImaging, security, security camera, security cameras, SecurityCamera, SecurityCameras, sensor, sensors, surveillance, Tenebraex ]
JVC's new Everio camcorders feature HDD and microSDHC recording, YouTube
It looks like JVC has added a pair of dual hard drive / microSDHC cameras to its Everio lineup. Currently available in Japan, both the GZ-MG840 (60GB) and GZ-MG860 (120GB) count among their features 720 x 480 wide format image capture, 42x optical zoom, image stabilization and the seemingly ubiquitous YouTube mode. Shooting at DVD quality, the 120GB model can hold over 28 hours of MPEG-2 footage, or just shy of 2 hours on an 8GB microSDHC card. Available in blue, red, or silver, the cameras are not yet slated for Stateside release, but the GZ-MG880 has been seen going for ?75,000 ($816), while the GZ-MG840 can be yours for about ?70,000 ($761).
[Via: Electronista ] [Tag: camcorder, gz-mg840, gz-mg880, jvc, JVC GZ-MG840, JVC GZ-MG880, JvcGz-mg840, JvcGz-mg880, microsdhc ]
Olympus Mju Tough cameras are tougher, mjuier
If you need a pocketable digi-cam that works in all the extremes you do -- from the aquatic expanse of water jogging class to the frigid wastelands at the ski lodge's heated terrace -- you traditionally haven't had many choices. Olympus is the biggest player with its SW series of non-flimsy Mju cameras (ยต if you dig special chars), and is now extending and re-branding that line to reinforce its durable nature, completely dropping "SW" and instead going for the rather more apt label of "Tough," as in Mju Tough and Stylus Tough (monikers already applied to the lineup elsewhere on this hostile planet). The series will include options at varying levels of durability, with the lightweight ones handling shock and submersion, and the more hardcore models adding the ability to work in freezing temperatures and survive some crushing action. They sound perfect for capturing your next expedition to the park on a cold, rainy day, but sadly there's no mention of improving the one aspect that's been lacking in these cameras: picture quality. We'll see how well they fare in that department when the new models drop in January.
[Via: PhotographyBLOG ] [Tag: mju, olympus, olympus mju, olympus sw, olympus tough, OlympusMju, OlympusSw, OlympusTough, sw, tough ]
Nexto ND-2725 video backup: has Sean Penn met his match?
It looks like NextoDI is back with another storage device aimed at the hot-to-trot paparazzi set. Like the last offering we saw from the company, the ND-2725 sports a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive (up to 200GB) and supports just about every other memory card out there. Additionally, data can be backed up via USB and FireWire, including SxS and P2 cards from Sony and Panasonic camcorders, respectively. The company bills this guy as the "world's fastest backup device," and while we wonder about that, at a max speed of 32MB/s, it's certainly no slouch. Besides, you can't put a premium on data integrity -- you wouldn't want a loused backup to come between you and all those National Enquirer greenbacks, would you?
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: esata, image storage, ImageStorage, nd-2725, nexto, nexto nd-2725, nextodi, NextoNd-2725, sata, storage, video storage, VideoStorage ]
JingPeng E1181 shoddyphone harbors totally excellent detachable spy camera
We don't want to judge a book by its cover, but JingPeng's China-bound E1181 doesn't really scream quality. Still, there's some pretty great stuff here, like a 3-inch stylus-based touchscreen, number buttons, and an incredibly great detachable wireless digital camera. The 2 megapixel spy cam can transmit a continuous stream of images to the phone over some unspecified RF technology from up to 30 feet away, and hooks back into the phone for charging. Espionage opportunities abound, and we think it goes without saying that we want every single phone on earth to harbor such detachable wonderment.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: detachable camera, DetachableCamera, e1181, jingpeng, spy, spy camera, SpyCamera, wireless camera, WirelessCamera ]
eStarling's ImpactV digiframe does video, WiFi, handstands
It usually takes a lot to get us stoked on a digiframe -- after all, there are so many, and they all pretty much do the exact same thing. That said, the new ImpactV from eStarling doesn't seem so shabby. Of course, we've seen some of these features on prior models (such as an 8-inch display, WiFi, the ability to email pictures to the frame, photo scheduling, and RSS feeds), but DVD quality video playback (up to 4 minutes), a custom iPhone app, Photobucket and YouTube search, and Facebook support are all very interesting. Retailing for $199, the PR we received may be stretching things a bit when they call it "an exciting evolution in furniture," but that's OK. They've probably never seen the RoboStool.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: digiframe, digital photo frame, digital picture frame, DigitalPhotoFrame, DigitalPictureFrame, estarling, furniture, ImpactV, wifi, wifi frame, WifiFrame ]
Adapter weds Leica lenses to Micro Four Thirds cameras -- for real, Heidi
The German outfit Novoflex has just announced an adapter that will allow you to mount Leica lenses onto your Micro Four Thirds system cameras. Due out this month at €149 (about $193), the mount is one in a planned series, with adapters for Leica R, Nikon, Contax / Yashica, Olympus OM, Pentax and Minolta MD lenses expected in February. Of course, the only MFT camera out there is Panasonic's Lumix G1, but with a new Olympus on the horizon and more sure to follow, this is certainly good news for all of you budget-conscious photographers out there.
[Via: Wired ] [Tag: Contax, Leica, Lumix G1, LumixG1, micro four thirds, MicroFourThirds, Minolta, nikon, Novoflex, Olympus, yashica ]
Blurry pics of T-Mobile branded Samsung "Memoir" cameraphone emerge
We love nothing better than a good blurry photo around here to add a little dose of vague confusion to the rumor mill. These two artistically hazy snaps are purported to be of a US-bound T-Mobile Samsung Behold-style phone with an 8-megapixel camera. Tmo News is also reporting that it's going to run on Touchwiz, the same UI as the Behold, and that it's called the Memoir. We don't have any other details for now, but we'll let you know as soon as we see a fuzzy scan of a semi-redacted press release.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 8 megapixel, 8Megapixel, behold, cameraphone, leak, leaked photos, LeakedPhotos, memoir, rumor, samsung, tmobile ]
Hands-on shots of Creative's Vado HD 720p pocket camcorder
Creative's recently unleashed Vado HD 720p pocket camcorder isn't dramatically different (design wise, anyway) than its predecessor, but it's obviously what's tucked inside that counts. Still, we have to admire the subtle but meaningful updates that Creative has applied here, and while beauty will strike everyone differently, we personally like the direction the Vado HD has taken. For a few more looks, saunter on down to the read link.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 720p, 720p camcorder, 720pCamcorder, camcorder, creative, flip, flip video, FlipVideo, hands-on, pocket camcorder, PocketCamcorder, vado, vado hd, VadoHd ]
Nikon D3x DSLR preview roundup
You've heard the rumours and the tales of hacked firmware, and you've seen the glamor shots -- and now that the Nikon D3x has hit the streets, we've got some significant previewage for you to check out. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive -- as you would expect from a 24.5-megapixel, $8,000 camera. Trusted Reviews was impressed not only by the quality of the pictures and the bright, clear viewfinder, but by the overall build of the camera as well, stating that it felt "extremely well-balanced in the hand even with heavy lenses. And ... the D3x's controls were surprisingly easy to operate and use, with everything laid out very intuitively." CNET pointed out that the camera "shares similar dimensions with its sibling, the D3, so this means accessories produced for the latter can be used on the new camera." One omission that the review pointed out was the Nikon's inability to capture 1080p full HD video, making Canon's EOS 5D Mark II your only option if that's what you're after. But don't take our word for it -- check out the reviews below for more info.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: d3x, dslr, nikon, nikon d3x, NikonD3x, review, review roundup, ReviewRoundup, roundup ]
Leica introducing special edition M8.2, D-Lux 4, C-Lux 3 cameras
It's just been a few months since Leica rolled out its standard issue M8.2, D-Lux 4, and C-Lux 3 digital cameras, but it looks like the company is already set to enter the special edition fray, with new, somewhat "limited" versions of each apparently set to roll out over the next few weeks. That includes two special edition versions of the M8.2, one with a Hammertone finish and one with a "green safari" finish, as well as a limited titanium edition of the D-Lux 4 that also comes with a presumably pricey leather case (it'll run $1,400). Slightly less limited is the Zadig & Voltaire-designed C-Lux 3 pictured at right, which is apparently the first of the lot to become available and, at just €670 (or just under $850), one of the cheapest.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: c-lux 3, C-lux3, d-lux 4, D-lux4, leica, m8.2 ]
Nikon's geotagging GP-1 dongle now available
When we asked how you'd change Nikon's 720p-recording D90 DSLR, many of you globe-trotting photogs let out wistful sighs, gazed at the brightest star, and wished with all your might for automatic geotagging of photos. like some trickster genie, Nikon is granting your wishes, but we're not sure the GP-1 GPS add-on is exactly what you had in mind. It slots into the hot-shoe on most cameras (clipping onto the strap for a few) and uses an unwieldy looking cable to connect to the body of your D200, D3, D700, D90, D300, or D3X. We can't say that we're particularly fond of the device's means of indicating status, either: red blinky light = no satellites; green blinky = three satellites; green solid = four satellites or more. C'mon Nikon, for $240 you couldn't integrate that cable into a hand strap and put more than two LEDs up in there?
[Via: Gadget Lab ] [Tag: d200, d3, d300, d3x, d700, d90, geotagging, gp-1, gps, nikon, nikon gp-1, nikon gps, NikonGp-1, NikonGps ]
Nikon's D3X DSLR hits the scene in official fashion
After a quick outting in its own mag, Nikon has gone and gotten all officially official on the D3X. The big boy DSLR sports a bone-crushing 24.5-megapixel CMOS FX format sensor, full resolution shooting at 5 FPS, ISO from 100-1600 (expandable to 50-6400), TIFF, JPEG or NEF (RAW) file formats up to 138MB, and a newly updated EXPEED image processing system. The top-tier digicam won't come super cheap, hitting shelves at $7,999.95 -- but if you need something like this, money probably isn't much of an issue. The camera goes on sale this December, so you might want to get the piggy banks out. Check the gallery below for a full look at the magic. [Via: Engadget ] [Tag: breaking news, BreakingNews, d3x, dslr, nikon ]