Sony Handycam DCR-HC30 Mini DV Camcorder - Price and Review

Strengths: Digital, Mini DV, NTSC, 1 x CCD, Up to 0.31 Megapixels Still Shots, 10x Optical Zoom, 0.81 lb. , Battery life: Up to 2 Hours.


Overall Evaluation: The Sony DCR-HC20 is the MiniDV Handycam Camcorder that doubles as a digital camera. It features a compact Memory Stick DUO slot which allows 640 x 480 resolution digital still image capture, which is perfect for e-mail or printing. It also includes a big 2.5" hybrid SwivelScreen touch panel LCD display, Super NightShot Plus infrared recording, USB streaming, and a professional Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens. It even includes a 3D menu system that makes adjusting the camcorder settings easier than even. Best of all, these big features come in a package thats 25% smaller than the previous years camcorders.
Automatic amenities on the DCR-HC30 include the aforementioned options of Spot Metering and Spot Focusing, allowing users to focus or adjust the exposure to a particular area of the image by touching the corresponding area on the camcorder's touch screen. The DCR-HC30 also includes an Easy mode function -- convenience is king.

Just as the touch screen menu on many of this year's Sony camcorders sometimes yields attractive and useful functions like spot metering and spot focusing, these menus also bury much of a camcorder's manual control within a Byzantine matrix of options both difficult and cumbersome to navigate, especially if your fingers are those giant stubby ones I keep seeing in strip malls and fast-food chains
Features of the DCR-HC30 include Super NightShot Plus, which is just super. It comes with Sony's proprietary editing software, and includes a digitally manipulated 16:9 "wide screen" mode.

The DCR-HC30 is a good camcorder for the point-and-shooter who wants to stay in a moderate price range. It includes some cool options like spot metering and spot focus and, if you can stand the touch screen, a few manual controls. The port selection is nice, and the body is a stylish Sony nugget, waiting to extract the beauty and grace of third-grader birthday parties.

Price Range: $280 - $480

Sony Handycam DCR-TRV19 Mini DV Camcorder - Prcie and Review

Strengths: Digital, Mini DV, NTSC, 1 x CCD, 10x Optical Zoom, 1.13 lb. , Battery life: Up to 2.08 Hours.

Weaknesses: there is a limit to the amount of manual control that Sony allows operators. While you can access manual focus and exposure through a menu tree on the LCD, there is no manual shutter or gain control. The LCD menu is another draw back, for if you're using the viewfinder you need to flip the LCD and click it back into the body to engage the optical. It stands to reason that videographers framing a shot through the viewfinder, would like be the one's using the manual controls that they can feel.
The major disadvatage with this camera is that very little editing software is supplied as standard, but using a program such as Moviemaker, which is supplied with WIndows XP, provides good results for beginners.


Overall Evaluation: The subject here is the performance factor! The super compact DCR-TRV19 MiniDV Handycam camcorder offers a powerful combination of digital video, digital audio and USB Streaming at an amazing value. Features include 1/4" 680K pixel Advanced HAD CCD, Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar Lens and 10x Optical/120x Digital Zoom. Convenient on-screen Touch Panel helps you navigate through the menu system right on screen. With supplied PIXELA ImageMixer software, you can burn a Video CD on your PC from the recorded video and share it with your family and friends. Small, compact, lightweight with the latest in features and benefits. It doesn't get any better than this!
The SONY DCR-TRV 19 is an excellent camcorder for an amatuer.
It has a host of useful features including 10X optical zoom, Nightmode - which allows you to record pictures in total darkness with its in-built infrared sensor, and DV-in/out - which enables you to transfer your recordings onto PC for editing, and then back onto the camera again.
The built quality of this camera is superb, as is the case with other Sony products, and the Touchscreen LCD panel makes a welcome, and surprisingly user-friendly addition to the models in this range

Price Range: $398 - $600

Sony Handycam DCR-IP220 Micro MV Camcorder - Price and Review

Strengths: Digital, Micro MV, NTSC, 1 x CCD, Up to 1.92 Megapixels Still Shots, 10x Optical Zoom, 1.13 lb. , Battery life: Up to 2.17 Hours.

Weaknesses: Poorly placed zoom and photo shutter controls; touch-screen navigation poorly implemented; LCD can't tilt backwards; MicroMV not widely supported.


Overall Evaluation: The DCR-IP220 model is the world's first camcorder to offer 2.1-megapixels (1600 x 1200) resolution for digital still images, the highest available from a camcorder. It also offers 530 lines of horizontal video resolution to produce stunning video clarity and definition of the subtlest colours.There's a built-in flash with red-eye reduction mode, manual focus/zoom ring, night and low-light shooting modes and an innovative Hologram autofocus system which uses laser light to enable you to focus virtually in the dark when taking still pictures.

The IP220E uses Sony's proprietary MicroMV format, which records in mpeg-2 format onto tiny 60-minute tapes. The new model is Bluetooth enabled and is packed with networking features, including a built-in browser and email.

Still image focusing in low light is aided by new laser hologram technology. An emitter at the front of the camera shines a laser light pattern on the subject, and this is used to determine the focusing distance.Auto metering systems usually allocate a central part of the screen for spot metering; you point this at the area you want to meter, take the reading, then compose your shot.With the 220E you compose your shot, touch the spot meter menu button, then touch the screen area you want to take the meter reading from.

Price Range: $478 - $699

Sony Handycam HDR-UX1 DVD Camcorder - Price and Review

Strengths: DVD, NTSC / PAL, Up to 3.98 Megapixels Still Shots, 10x Optical Zoom, 1 lb. Sharp, saturated, low-noise video; excellent build quality; fast, smooth focus with effective image stabilization.

Weaknesses: Mediocre still photos; optical and occasional motion artifacts in video; discs unreadable by most devices; lame but necessary bundled software; no windscreen filter for microphone


Overall Evaluation: Experience the remarkable picture quality and convenience of the HDR-UX1 AVCHD DVD Handycam® Camcorder from Sony. Recording Full HD 1080 video on standard or dual-layer 8cm DVD media, the HDR-UX1 marks a revolution in high-definition. Its ClearVid™ CMOS Sensor produces dynamic, distortion-free moving images, while the precision-crafted Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T* lens captures the scene with exceptional clarity. The extra-large 3.5” Touch Screen LCD brings added control right to your fingertips. This widescreen display also features anti-reflective Clear Photo LCD plus™ technology, providing enhanced resolution while shooting. Jump to your favourite scene with the Visual Index or enjoy the flexibility of simultaneous digital video and still image capturing. The Sony Handycam HDR-UX1 is a very nice camcorder; unfortunately, its myriad compatibility issues make it almost impossible to recommend over other similar models.

Price Range: $567 - $849

Sony DCR-PC55 Mini DV Camcorder Review

Strengths: Digital, Mini DV, PAL, 1 x CCD, Up to 0.31 Megapixels Still Shots, 10x Optical Zoom, 0.64 lb. , Battery life: Up to 2.08 Hours.

Overall Evaluation: Sleek, stylish and amazingly portable, the Sony DCR-PC55 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder provides excellent video recording quality in an ultra compact design. The Advanced HAD CCD imager provides stunning detail and clarity with exceptional video performance. Professional quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens capture vivid, life like images while minimizing distortion. Weighing at only 10 ounces, the camcorder's body measures only 4 inches tall and almost 3 inches wide - making it fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. The 3-inch Hybrid LCD display provides a clear, sharp monitor and rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles. Its metallic silver design makes it stand out wherever you go.
the image quality is quite good. Decent color reproduction and great details make this a strong camcorder for consumer needs. There is not much to complain about here. Bright colors look vivid with a healthy amount of light. You might run across problems indoors if you can't find enough light.
A still photo mode allows you to take snapshots and movies recorded to a Memory Stick Duo. This mode features a progressive shutter system to provide more crisp details in still photos. Included with the Handycam is Picture Package Software. The software allows you to burn VCDs, create music videos/slideshows, save to CDR and view content on your computer.

Price Range: $230 - $698

Sony Handycam HDR-HC3 HDV Camcorder Review

Strengths: Digital, HDV, NTSC / PAL, 10x Optical Zoom, 1.1 lb., Up to 1.92 Megapixels Still Shots, Battery life: Up to 1.75 Hours.

Weaknesses: No microphone jack; no 24p support; HDV editing and distribution options are limited.
Overall Evaluation: The HC3 sets the industry standard in resolution quality with its ClearVid CMOS image sensor™, capturing precise detail and superior color reproduction. Dual record Mode lets you capture 2.3 megapixel stills while shooting high definition video. Smooth slow recording captures fast movement with precise detail for slow motion playback.Though significantly cheaper than Sony's previous consumer HD camcorder, the Sony Handycam HDR-HC3 still offers superb HD video quality. The Sony Handycam HDR-HC3, on the other hand, resembles a typical high-end consumer DV camcorder. It's small enough to fit in a jacket pocket, though at 1 pound, 5 ounces with battery and tape, it's a bit on the hefty side for a camcorder so compact. It fits very comfortably in your right hand, with controls well placed for one-handed shooting. However, much of the HDR-HC3's weight falls on the left side, and the imbalance can make extended handheld shooting tiring. The stylish dark-gray brushed-metal and black-plastic case feels very solid, and it should hold up well to typical handling in the field. The lens incorporates an automatic cover to protect it when you're not shooting.

Sony HVR-V1U Mini DV Camcorder Review

Strengths: Digital, Mini DV, NTSC / PAL, 3 x CCD, 20x Optical Zoom, 3.38 lb.It adopts the world's first 2-3 pull-down HDV recording system for storage of 24p scanned images - keeping your existing gear in action. Battery life: Up to 7 Hours.

Overall Evaluation: The HVR-V1U is a professional camcorder for better and easier mobile filmmaking. Achieve breathtaking HD video and create unique visuals for video production that delivers an impact. In addition to typical 60i, the HVR-V1U offers 24p/30p progressive scan capture, enabling cinema and drama productions. Playback your 24p/30p scan footage using Sony HDV equipment, or feed it to a compatible Non-Linear Editing (NLE) system without changing your HDV deck or monitors.with this multiquality camcorder, Producing high-quality HDV is as simple as that.7 hrs.battery life is also appriciable.

Price Range: $3070 - $4290

Sony Handycam DCR-VX2100 Mini DV Camcorder Review

Strengths: Digital, Mini DV, PAL, 3 x CCD, Up to 0.31 Megapixels Still Shots, 12x Optical Zoom, 3.38 lb. , Battery life: Up to 1.33 Hours.

Overall Evaluation: Take control of sound and vision with the DCR-VX2100 3 CCD camcorder, with its Advanced HAD progressive scan CCD technology, By increasing the CCD's sensitivity to light, clearer video with more lifelike color can be captured.totally it is a complete worthy product with many good features.

Price range: $1600 - $3000

Comparison of Canon EOS 300D with Canon Digital Rebel EOS20D

Canon has revealed the successor to the 300D, the new, smaller, eight megapixel, EOS 350D (Digital Rebel XT). There is some changes and comparison of EOS 300D with the EOS 20D's eight megapixel sensor, but in actual fact it has a new CMOS sensor (it's 8.0 megapixels versus the 20D's 8.2 megapixels), the 350D also has a smaller body, re-worked design, DIGIC II, new features and custom functions.

Summary of changes (compared to the EOS 300D / Digital Rebel)

* Eight megapixel CMOS sensor (not same as EOS 20D)
* Second generation CMOS (same generation as rest of current range)
* DIGIC II image processor (better image quality, faster processing, less power consumption)
* Instant power-on time, faster shutter release, shorter blackout time
* Continuous shooting speed increased (3.0 fps vs. 2.5 fps)
* Buffer increased (14 JPEG frames vs. 4 JPEG frames)
* Image processing time decreased (thanks to DIGIC II)
* Compact Flash write speed increased
* Smaller body (15 x 5 x 8 mm smaller)
* Lighter weight (17% lighter including battery)
* Matte plastic finish, standard body color to be black, sliver will also be available
* Re-designed control layout (drive mode button, new metering mode & AF buttons)
* Metal mode dial
* Harder rubber finish on hand grip (doesn't feel much like rubber)
* Smaller and lighter NB-2LH battery (same as PowerShot S60 / S70) which is 48% lighter
* Rear LCD panel changed
* Flash pop-up slightly higher (just 5 mm)
* E-TTL II flash
* Nine custom functions
o Customizable SET button
o Control noise reduction
o Flash sync speed in Av mode
o Shutter button / AE button
o AF-assist beam control
o Selectable 0.3 or 0.5 EV exposure steps
o Mirror lock-up
o E-TTL II mode
o Flash shutter curtain sync (1st or 2nd)
* Selectable Metering mode
* Selectable AF mode
* Flash exposure compensation
* Independently selectable color space
* Two preset and three custom image parameter sets, B&W mode (same as EOS 20D)
* White balance fine tuning and bracketing (improved)
* Proper RAW+JPEG (one RAW, one JPEG; although only Large/Fine)
* Record review histogram via Info button
* Play Jump mode by shot date, 10 or 100 images
* USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connection
* New BG-E3 battery grip (portrait controls), takes two NB-2LH or six AA batteries
* Two additional menu languages added; Korean and Russian
* Subtly re-designed kit lens now named the EF-S 18 - 55 mm II (still no USM)
* Software now includes ZoomBrowser, DPP and EOS Capture
* Lower initial list price

Dil Se - Movie Review - Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta

It is indeed a case of truth proving stranger than fiction with the release of a film on terrorism at the very height of a global terrorist scare. One would think that this fact could only aid "Dil Se" by heightening the impact on the audience. Unfortunately, this is not the case. "Dil Se" is a valiant effort on Mani Ratnam's part but gets lost somewhere along the way in a weak screenplay and sketchy characterizations.

The first half of "Dil Se" relies more on images than a solid screenplay, but Santosh Sivan's camera work is simply stunning and perhaps the best I've ever witnessed on the Hindi screen.The locations are gorgeous! Mr. Sivan single-handedly holds the audience's interest despite the fact that they are left to contend with the very drawn out interactions between Amar (Shahrukh) and a cold, lifeless caricature called "Meghna" (Manisha).

Amar is on a terrorist interview assignment for All-India Radio somewhere in a northern territory, where he keeps bumping into "Meghna" . Despite repeated attempts to get close to Meghna, all Amar really finds himself in is trouble, and after being ditched by Meghna, Amar quickly returns to his family in Delhi and an engagement to the frank and outspoken Preity (Preity Zinta).

Shahrukh's character talks forever about how much he loves Manisha, but his "love" really has no reason to be anything more than infatuation and intrigue. Not once do you have reason to suspect otherwise. Again, Shahrukh does the best one can do with his role, but the redundancy and ignorant nature of the part work against him. The chase sequence towards the end shows a new, diversely intense side to Mr. Khan's acting.

I would give this film a much, much lower rating. Ironically, with a title like "Dil Se", the film loses its heart somewhere along the way.

Review for Apple MacBook Pro 15" with intel

Build & Design
The MacBook Pro keeps the same utlimate design as its predecessors, using an aircraft grade anodized aluminum chassis that provides a sturdy build to the laptop, as well as a sleek, refined and sexy look. With the lid closed the MBP has a side width of only one-inch and while Opening the lid reveals the gigantic one button track-pad, along with the full size back-lit keyboard, and power buttons, all keeping with the shiny,sliky silver look of the outside. The screen's hinges are thick and firm, pushing back on the screen from the front shows no visible wobble.

MacBook Pro machine spcification
* Screen: 15.4" LED Backlit Screen @ 1440 x 900 Native Resolution * Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 CPU at 2.2ghz (4MB Shared L2 Cache) * Memory: 2GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667mhz RAM * Hard Drive: 120GB HDD @ 5400RPM (Fujitsu) * Graphics: Nvidia 8600M GT with 128MB VRAM GPU * Optical Drive: Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVDRW/CD-RW) * Wireless: Apple Airport Extreme Wireless B/G/N * Built-in Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR * Mac OS X 10.4.9 (Tiger) * Dimensions & Weight: *14.1" x 9.6" x 1.0" (35.7cm x 24.3cm 2.59cm) *5.4lbs (2.45kg)

Build & Design
The MacBook Pro keeps the same utlimate design as its predecessors, using an aircraft grade anodized aluminum chassis that provides a sturdy build to the laptop, as well as a sleek, refined and sexy look.

With the lid closed the MBP has a side width of only one-inch and while Opening the lid reveals the gigantic one button track-pad, along with the full size back-lit keyboard, and power buttons, all keeping with the shiny,sliky silver look of the outside. The screen's hinges are thick and firm, pushing back on the screen from the front shows no visible wobble.

Screen
A big improvement for this generation of the MacBook Pro over the last is the introduction of the LED back-lit screen. LED back-lighting is touted to provide a more evenly lit screen with sharper images and colors without sacrificing battery life. With the brightness up to full, even in the most well lit rooms, solid whites are almost blinding, which allows you to turn down the brightness and use less battery.One other perk is the ambient light sensor, which will adjust the screen's brightness according to the lighting in the room.


Performance
The processor in the model of the MBP I have is Intel's Core 2 Duo T7500, with a speed of 2.2GHz on two cores, a front-side bus speed of 800MHz, and 4MB's of L2 cache shared across both cores. This MacBook Pro has an updated GPU in the form of Nvidia's brand new 8600m GT, our particular version supporting 128MB's of dedicated VRAM. This version is slightly underpowered compared to the next model up in the MBP series, which has 256MB's of VRAM. Our hard drive is a Fujitsu 120GB drive, spinning at 5400RPM's. The stock amount of RAM included is 2GB's of DDR2 PC5300 clocked at 667MHz.

The New sensetion in moblie - Apple iphone Review

The iPhone indeed is a path breaking mobile device - Lets take a better look.

1) Multi-touch

With multi-touch you can flick, pinch AND tap. To zoom out of a photo, pinch, to zoom in, just reverse the pinching action. It senses touches by means of an electrical field and allows very natural actions.

2) OS X

The legendary,sexy Apple OS X on a phone!! You gotta be kidding me! Well, no I’m not. And somehow Apple seem to have got the whole integration very right. Its very multitasking friendly and I only wish there was someway to control all the running applications like on Symbian OS.

3) Accelerometer

This has to be one of the coolest features on the phone! In essence it is a motion sensor, which detects whether the phone is vertical or horizontal. Accordingly it changes the viewing from Portrait to Landscape.(only in apps that support it, mind)

4) Proximity Sensor

This is another cool feature. When you get a call, the screen and your cheek make all sorts of contact, and there might be inadvertent touches. So, in order to avoid that, we have a sensor which, during a call, turns of the touch screen and saves battery.

Looks,Design and Build Quality

Apple always makes sure that their products might not always have the best of features but they certainly do have gorgeous looks. Nothing different with the iPhone here. Sleek, sensuous and sophisticated. The smooth curves, the chrome lining, the lightly brushed aluminum finish at the back… its all best. It has a solid feel to it and makes for a nice fit in the palm.

Input and Output

The beautiful 3.5 inch 480 x 320 multi-touch screen is the primary input as well as output. It is easily the most stunning display i’ve ever seen on a mobile device. Period. Your fingers are the only way to operate it, and its quite the fingerprint magnet. But it is absolutely scratch resistant, and you can use your shirt sleeve or jeans to wipe it off. Better still, get a good screen protector, and life will be much better.

The on-screen keyboard is the way to enter all the numbers and letters. This one is easily the best on-screen keyboard in mobile history and can easily stake claim to be the best substitute for the physical keyboard. The iPhone uses a combination of dictionary and keymap prediction to help out typing.

iPhone Handsfree

There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack to the top and Apple provides a pair of ear buds. They are the ones which can be found on iPods with a slight difference. It has a mic-cum-switch. I was really amazed by the size of the microphone and was even more surprised when it turned out to be a switch as well. Apple; jaw drop inducer par excellence. And the voice quality (according to the people on the other end) was better than the in-built microphone. All the more reason for you to use it.

Battery life is just too good. The claimed figures are 8hrs of talk time and around 20hrs of music. I havent tested it to such levels yet, but other reports tell me, that actually is the case. Which is all too good. The iPhone wont demand a run to the wall socket for its cuppa every day even under heavy usage.


iPod

If you want to play a song from a certain album, just get it to the middle of the screen by flicking it and tap on the album cover once. The album cover will rotate smoothly to display the tracks in that album, tap it once to play your song (sigh, why cant we have such eye-candy on other phones). The audio quality is just as on the iPod’s and we wont get into the “Apple ear-buds, suck or not”, debate. Thats personal taste and for you to decide.

Camera and Internet

The camera is a 2.0MP unit. You can just click and watch the shutter animation. Thats about it. The image quality is pretty good, considering the fact that, there are no settings, whatsoever.


Surfing the net on the iPhone is a joy! Rendering is spot on, and the muti-touch gestures are applicable here too. Safari works for me and the speed on the Vodafone EDGe network is perfectly usable.

Take a fast look

* Seamless design
* Multi-touch, accelerometer, proximity sensor
* OS X on a mobile device!
* Awesome interface
* Amazing Media Player
* Great Internet Experience

Disadvantage

* No MMS
* No 3G
* AT&T only (can be hacked, not much of an issue)
* No custom camera settings
* No native 3rd party application support (this too can be worked around)
* Screen prone to finger prints (slap on a screen protector as soon as you buy it)

Review For Ghajini - Aamir Khan,Asin

Ghajini is a revenge saga, It is a powerful film. It has a riveting story, which has been told with flourish by director A.R. Murugadoss.It has a great performance by Aamir Khan.

There's so much happening in every scene and the screenplay is so gripping that you don't feel the need to look at the auditorium ceiling. You aren't restless. The story has been told differently and most importantly, the story offers so many twists-n-turns that you just can't guess what would unfold next.

Ghajini is commercial Hindi cinema at its best. The film has 'super Hit' written all over it. Aamir Khan is suffering from acute short-term memory loss set off by the violent murder of his girlfriend Asin. He's got to work around this handicap, but with methodical and meticulous determination. Aamir etches a path of clues that lead him on his road.To aid him in his quest, he carries around a sheaf of Polaroids and when he is really sure of a piece of information, he has it tattooed on his body, which stands in for the damaged part of his mind. His indelibly marked torso is the repository of his grief, his rage and his reason to go on living.

Hindi movies have often depicted people suffering from amnesia/memory loss, but Ghajini is poles apart because the protagonist recalls events only for 15 minutes. The story is its USP, without a doubt. But what adds sheen and glory to the story is Aamir's portrayal of a man suffering from short-term memory loss. Aamir hardly speaks. In fact, the leading lady [Asin] speaks more than Aamir in the film. But Aamir speaks volumes with his eyes, he conveys whatever has to be conveyed through his body language, he says it all with his facial expressions and that only makes Ghajini a memorable, never-seen-before experience.

Director A.R. Murugadoss deserves brownie points for not just coming up with an interesting story, but also presenting it [refreshingly] differently. The storyteller balances the light moments and the ones demanding intensity with expertise. There's dum in every sequence. Even if the director has to depict violence, he doesn't resort to blood-n-gore or knives-swords-pistols for effect.

A.R. Rahman's music is top notch. At least three numbers have the unmistakable stamp of a genius -- 'Guzarish', 'Behka' and 'Kaise Mujhe'. Ravi Chandran's cinematography is stunning. The film bears a stylish look all through. The action sequences are brilliantly executed. The Hindi moviegoers haven't seen such scenes ever.

Aamir delivers his career-best performance. A lot has been said and written about the Ghajini look -- Aamir's hairstyle and his dream physique. It's awe-inspiring and if more and more people adopt the 'Aamir look' or hit the gym, it would be courtesy the actor.

Starring - Aamir khan, Asin, Jiah khan
Director - A.R.Murugadoss
Music - A.R.Rahman.

Kodak Z980: 24x superzoom Review

Kodak Z980 Megazoom camera
The Kodak Z980 is an ideal camera for photographers looking to do more and get more from their digital camera,” said John Blake, General Manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “The versatile lens, combined with our exclusive Smart Capture feature, lets consumers shoot great pictures in any setting - from daylight to night or from close-ups to landscapes, the camera makes adjustments automatically."

Kodak Z980 camera features
• Kodak’s exclusive Smart Capture feature, which analyzes scenes and adjusts camera settings to deliver beautiful pictures more often;
• 26 mm wide angle/24X Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon Image Stabilized Optical Zoom Lens;
• HD picture and video capture;
• Vertical shutter release and detachable vertical grip, for greater comfort and control when shooting scenes vertically;
• Hot shoe for the optional Kodak P20 flash;
• 12 MP for prints up to 30”x40”;
• Bright and detail-rich 3-inch indoor/outdoor color display;
• Compatible with new Kodak WI-FI Memory Cards and Kodak SDHC/SD Memory Cards;

Canon Powershot SX10 IS Digital Camera Review

The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is an excellent 10 MP point-and-shoot with a powerful optical zoom and an excellent wide angle for close-up shots. The manual control gives the camera excellent options for creative photography. A good performing "Super Zoom" with various features at a reasonable price. The optical zoom range is fantastic and the 28 mm wide angle is very handy indoors.
Other features include face detection, face tracking and face self-timer, which works on group shots by snapping when the photographer enters the frame. Both models boast full manual control, with a multi-control dial giving quick access to all key settings with the lightest caress of your fingertips.
The PowerShot SX1 IS packs a 10-megapixel CMOS sensor and can manage 4 frames per second in burst mode. It also does full high definition movies, capturing 1080p HD video at 30fps. You also get an HDMI connection for playing back on your HDTV. Sound is in CD-quality stereo, with optical zooming and face detection while filming. The SX10 meanwhile does VGA movies.

Canon Powershot SX10 IS digital camera specifications
Max resolution - 3648 x 2736
Low resolution - 2816 x 2112, 2272 x 1704, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480, 3648 x 2048
Image ratio w:h - 4:3, 3:2
Effective pixels - 10.0 million
Sensor photo detectors -
Sensor size - 1/2.3 " (6.16 x 4.62 mm, 0.28 cm²)
Pixel density - 35 MP/cm²
Sensor type - CCD
Sensor manufacturer - Unknown
ISO rating - Auto, 80 ,100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
Zoom wide (W) - 28 mm
Zoom tele (T) - 560 mm (20 x)
Digital zoom - Yes, 4x
Image stabilization - Yes, Lens
Auto Focus - AiAF TTL 9-point (with face detection)
Manual Focus - Yes
Normal focus range -
Macro focus range - 0 cm
White balance override - 6 positions & manual preset
Aperture range - F2.8 - F5.7
Min shutter - 15 sec
Max shutter - 1/3200 sec
Built-in Flash - Yes, pop-up
Flash range - 5.2 m
External flash - Yes, hot-shoe
Flash modes - Auto, Fill-in, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Off
Exposure compensation - -2 to +2 EV in 1/3 EV steps
Metering - Evaluative, Center Weighted, Spot
Aperture priority - Yes
Shutter priority - Yes
Focal length multiplier -
Lens thread - Yes
Continuous Drive - Yes, 0.7 fps
Movie Clips - Yes, 640 x 480, @ 30 fps, 320 x 240 @ 60 / 30 fps
Remote control - No
Self-timer - Yes, 2 or 10 sec or custom
Timelapse recording - No
Orientation sensor - Yes
Storage types - SD/SDHC/MMC card
Storage included - 32 MB SD card
Uncompressed format - No
Quality Levels - Super-Fine, Fine, Normal
Viewfinder - Electronic
LCD - 2.5 "
LCD Dots - 230,000
Live View - No
USB - USB 2.0 (480Mbit/sec)
HDMI - No
Wireless - No
Environmentally sealed - No
Battery - AA batteries (NiMH recommended)
Weight (inc. batteries) - 600 g (21.2 oz)
Dimensions - 128 x 88 x 87 mm (5 x 3.5 x 3.4 in)

Pentax K2000 digital SLR

Pentax announced a new entry-level digital SLR today, known as the K2000 (and the K-m outside of the USA) -- plus two lenses and a ring flash. In an unusual move, Pentax is including an external flash with the K2000 kit, It has a built-in flash. Here are the details on the camera and the new toys that go with it.

Pentax K2000 [specs]

* 10.2 effective Megapixel CCD
* Support for all Pentax K-mount lenses
* Compact, yet easy to hold body (which has a stainless steel chassis)
* Sensor-shift image stabilization system, also used for dust reduction
* 2.7" LCD display with 230,000 pixels; camera does not support live view
* Optical viewfinder with 0.85x magnification and 96% coverage
* Full manual controls + auto scene selection mode
* 5-point autofocus system
* Can shoot continuously at 3.5 frames/second
* Adjustment dynamic range and shadow adjustment features
* RAW image format supported; in-camera RAW development feature
* Hot shoe foe external flash; 1/180 sec x-sync speed
* SD/SDHC memory card slot
* Uses four AA batteries; no battery life numbers yet
* Includes the new F3.5-5.6, 18 - 55 mm kit lens, plus the AF200FG external flash; a double lens kit (adding the new F4.0-5.6, 50 - 200 mm lens) will be available next year

Now onto the new accessories. The 18-55 and 50 - 200 mm lenses that I mentioned above are the first Pentax lenses with the "DA L" designation.
Two lenses that are definitely new are in Pentax's DA* line. First we have a new F1.4, 55 mm SDM lens.There's a new F4, 60 - 250 mm ED SDM lens.

Digital Camera Binoculars Reviews

Digital-camera binoculars let you take digital photos (and usually short videos) of what you see enlarged in the binoculars at 7X, 8X or even 10X magnification -- much larger than the 4X optical zoom most digital cameras offer.

However, if your aim to get very good image quality then you're better to buying regular binoculars plus an ultra-zoom digital camera. Ultra-zoom digital cameras can match or exceed the magnification offered by digital cameras by using sharp optical zoom, offering much better image quality than any camera binoculars now available. As with a lot of convergence electronics, camera binoculars are neither the best camera nor the best binocular, but the convenience factor may ultimately outweigh those drawbacks, as long as you're not expecting the best photos.

Other factors, such as image stabilization capabilities, would do more to improve the image output from camera binoculars. More megapixels might mean that you could make a larger print, but if the photo isn't great in the first place, there's not much benefit. Still, if your expectations for binocular and photo quality are not too high, camera binoculars can be both fun and useful.