Cameras

Orange SPV E610 – Now available from Orange Shops

It’s been a while since we last saw an SPV branded device, but here’s the latest incarnation, in the shape of the E610.

Orange SPV E610

According to reports, and from what we’ve seen in the past, Orange staff will probably have no knowledge of the handset, and it won’t be available to play about with either. However, it is available, providing you get a decent sales rep to help you, and can be picked up for £99 + £10 topup on pay as you go.

No details yet on contract pricing, but we can assume free on any, based on the low pay as you go price.

Posted By: Mark

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Orange]

Olympus announces new Flagship E-3 DSLR

Olympus today announces the new Olympus E-3, which is the flagship of its Digital SLR line and provides the high-precision performance demanded by professional and enthusiastic photographers. It combines speed and weatherproof durability for capturing exceptional images in any situation. Olympus pioneered Full Time Live View and Dust Reduction technologies for digital SLR cameras, leading where others have followed. Now, the new E-3 enhances those technical innovations and raises the performance bar with the fastest autofocus in the world. Body-Integrated Mechanical Image Stabilization to stabilize every lens, a 10-megapixel Live MOS image sensor to capture beautiful images, and a magnesium alloy body for dust-proof and splash-proof durability join the impressive innovations developed for the E-3, including:

Olympus E-3

Speed: When coupled with three new ZUIKO DIGITAL Supersonic Wave Drive™ Lenses (SWD) announced today, like the ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 (24-120mm equivalent), the E-3 offers unmatched AF speeds, and the fastest AF speed in the world with that lens.1 It employs a newly-developed high speed 11-point biaxial cross type AF system, 5 frames-per-second continuous shooting, and 1/8000 second top shutter speed for the quickness required in any shooting situation.

Superior Image Quality: In-Body Mechanical Image Stabilization with Supersonic Wave Drive technology ensures blur-free images for all lenses attached to the E-3, so now even low-light telephoto shots are clear and sharp when holding the camera in shaky hands. Its 10-megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor delivers high-resolution images for large format print sizes, and TruePic III™ digital processing engine ensures high-speed image processing, accurate color and improved detail with low noise. The camera’s interior components combined with digital-specific lenses offer the edge-to-edge crystal clarity that only 100 percent digital optics can provide.

Swivel Live View LCD: A dual-axis swivel 2.5-inch Live View LCD covers all the viewing angles from low to high and side to side, to assure accurate composition. Real-time image monitoring of white balance and exposure enables greater creative control of settings to secure the best possible photograph.

Reliability: The E-3’s large optical viewfinder provides a 100 percent accurate view and its 1.15x magnification makes it one of the largest and most accurate viewfinders for reliable composition. The proven effective built-in Dust Reduction System with the Supersonic Wave Filter eliminates spots from photos. A durable shutter mechanism with the lifespan of 150,000 exposures meets the demands of serious photographers. Also, the E-3’s sealed magnesium alloy chassis is completely splash-proof and dust-proof for use with pro lenses on expeditions to the most extreme environments on the planet.

“Olympus was the first to bring body-integrated Dust Reduction, 100 percent digital-specific lenses and ‘Full Time Live View’ to the digital SLR market,” said John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Digital SLR, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “Olympus continues to innovate by producing cameras of the highest quality with breakthrough technology. The new E-3 will satisfy the pro-level needs of our customers with incredible AF speed, superior image quality due, in part, to In-body Mechanical Image Stabilization that stabilizes all lenses attached to the camera, and a durable body to capture it all.”

World’s Fastest Autofocus
When it comes to measuring camera speed, autofocus is a key factor. If a camera’s AF system does not meet photographers’ demands and lock focus accurately and quickly, they will miss shots regardless of the camera’s shot-to-shot speed or start-up time. The E-3’s new AF system is the world’s fastest in combination with the ZUIKO DIGITAL SWD ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 lens, to ensure fast focus for clear, sharp photos. Additionally, every lens attached to the E-3 benefits from faster AF, not just the SWD lenses, so the E-3 can lock focus on a fast-moving subject and capture that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

The secret to the camera’s high-speed focusing is a unique Twin cross type (fully biaxial) 11 point AF sensor, based on proprietary Olympus micro-sensing technologies, that achieves equally effective performance on both the vertical and horizontal axis. With most biaxial sensors, performance on the vertical and horizontal axes is not equal, and there is often a perceived difference in response time when using different lenses. However, unlike systems that respond at nominally lower f-stop values simply by boosting sensitivity, the E-3’s AF sensor features a totally redesigned hounds tooth-pattern phase detection sensor layout that uses micro-lamination technologies to achieve superior real-world performance.

AF accuracy is further ensured by precise alignment of the optical axis from the lens to the AF phase detection sensors, and accurate mounting of the sensors within the AF unit. The AF unit used in the E-3 is made of high-tensile engineering plastic, which is further protected by the camera’s high-rigidity magnesium body. In addition, data from a dedicated temperature sensor is used to compensate for changes in operating temperature.

The 11 AF target points on the E-3 can be selected to work individually or dynamically in combination with adjacent target points. Once a photographer knows the general direction of a moving subject – a Formula One racecar zooming around a track for example – the AF area can be selected based on the anticipated motion to maintain accuracy.

The newly developed Olympus Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) lenses on the E-3 enable auto focusing at ultra-high speed with precise and quiet operation. Quietness is essential when shooting in a situation where silence is truly golden, such as photographing exotic birds up close in the wild or musicians at a classical music quartet. But this technology truly shines in combination with three new Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL SWD lenses that employ Supersonic Wave Drive motor technology inside: the ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD (24-120mm equivalent); ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD (100-400mm equivalent), and the ED 14-35mm f2.0 SWD (28-70mm equivalent). The new ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD lens focuses twice as fast as the previous ZUIKO DIGITAL lens with that focal length, and the new ED 14-35mm f2.0 joins the existing 35-100mm f2.0 as the brightest lenses in their class. Mechanical focusing is also available for easy and accurate manual focusing by hand.

The E-3 can capture images at the highest image-quality setting at a rate of 5 frames per second. With shutter speeds of up 1/8000 second, it is possible to freeze action when photographing a cheetah in fast pursuit across the plain, or a fastball before it connects with the bat.

Superior Image Quality: Steady As It Goes
To prevent image blur caused by camera shake, which can occur in dim lighting or with longer telephoto lenses, the E-3 employs In-body Mechanical Image Stabilization, which compensates for camera movement up to 5 steps EV and delivers blur-free images taken with any of the ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses available for the camera. Moreover, built-in SWD Image Stabilization offers the advantage of image stabilization for every lens attached to the camera body, so there is no need to purchase image stabilized lenses at a premium price.

At the heart of the built-in image stabilizer unit are the Olympus-exclusive Supersonic Wave Drive motors with excellent responsiveness and control. The motors use information about camera shake gathered by a gyro sensor that detects and analyzes hand vibrations, and move the image sensor with a piezoelectric element.

The E-3’s high-performance Live MOS image sensor delivers excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity, and a new state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to eradicate noise and capture fine image details in both highlight and shadow areas.

The camera’s Live MOS image sensor is complemented by Olympus’ TruePic III Image Processor that produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible with accurate natural color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal expression in between. TruePic III also lowers image noise in images shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.

Swivel Live View LCD: What You See Is What You Get
Olympus Live View empowers users to easily compose their subjects live on the LCD and see precisely how the settings they select impact the image before the shutter is released and the image is captured. By altering settings like white balance and exposure, and visually confirming how these changes affect the final image, this real-time monitoring offers a level of versatility and creative control that cannot be achieved by other digital SLR cameras that only offer an optical viewfinder.

The E-3’s 100 percent accurate swivel Live View HyperCrystal™ LCD can be rotated freely so photographers can compose with the camera held overhead or down low, enabling them to take shots from angles impossible until now without feeling like a contortionist. Because Live View enables an E-3 photographer to communicate face-to-face with subjects and still have everything in the frame with the camera body out of the way, an encouraging smile or wink of the eye can be used with a shy or nervous subject to get the desired results.

Live View provides an advantage for everyone who enjoys taking extreme close up macro shots, when composing on an optical viewfinder may be awkward, because it provides a magnification of the subject right on the LCD by a factor of 5, 7 or 10 times for sharp, pinpoint focus. The E-3 will also enable photographers to see over barriers because its swiveling LCD panel keeps subjects in view even with the camera held overhead.

The bright 2.5-inch adjustable LCD displays 230,000 pixels in vivid color and includes HyperCrystal™ technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors for easier viewing in both preview and playback. It also provides a wide viewing angle of 170 degrees, which ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles. The 2.5 inch LCD makes viewing icons and text on the camera’s menu a squint-free process.

Reliability: Built for Adventure
The E-3 employs a large, easy-to-see optical viewfinder with 1.15x magnification and 100 percent accuracy. Photographers can rely on the E-3 to capture exactly what they compose through the optical viewfinder, so they aren’t disappointed when viewing images back at the computer. This optical viewfinder also both reduces eyestrain and makes manual focusing easier.

Olympus’ proven Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter™. The patented ultrasonic technology physically vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor, and captures the debris on a special adhesive membrane every time you turn on the camera. It can even remove dust attached by intermolecular force that cannot be removed by physical vibration or by discharging static electricity. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped inside.

The E-3 is the ideal combination of strength and mass, and was built with a new casting technology to create a stronger magnesium chassis for greater durability. The camera is also sealed to make it splash-proof and dust-proof, and when used with Pro lenses it is sealed from the elements to perform in the most rugged conditions. Its classic penta-mirror design is portable enough to comfortably shoot with all day, and measures 5.59 inches (142mm) by 4.56 inches (116mm) by 2.93 inches (74.5mm), excluding protrusions, and weighs 28.2 ounces (800 grams) body only. Photographers will experience unparalleled ease of use – from menus that make sense and buttons on the body that are easy to understand and operate for total manual control, to customizable settings for every imaginable situation. Moreover, the camera’s durable shutter mechanism is rated up to 150,000 cycles, so it will withstand heavy day-to-day use.

Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, UDMA, Microdrives and xD-Picture Cards, the camera provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.

Availability
The Olympus E-3 Digital SLR will be available in November 2007. It includes: E-3 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLM-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCM-2), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master 2 Software CD-ROM, Manuals and Registration card.

Posted by: John

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, olympus]

Panasonic Event at the Tower of London

Tracyandmatt were pleased to be one of only a handful of blog sites invited to an extremely interesting launch and information event held by Panasonic on Tuesday 18th September held at the Tower of London. The direct approach of a major manufacturer to the blog community is a fresh step in our minds and shows the importance and steady growth of independent blogs such as TracyandMatt.

If we mention to our readers products such as Vacuum Cleaners, then names such as Dyson, Electrolux and even Panasonic may come to mind, However, mention Digital Cameras and DSLR Cameras and we are sure that Canon, Nikon and Fuji may spring to mind but how many of us would actually associate Panasonic with main stream digital cameras?

Well, Tuesdays event demonstrated Panasonics marketing and awareness generating arms in full force with two very novel and extremely well put together web sites aimed fairly and squarely at increasing amateur and professional photographers awareness of their product range in a fun and educational way.

First off we were introduced to Panasonics Our Place World Heritage site. http://ourplaceworldheritage.com/ by Geoff Steven, the director of the Our Place web site. This site has been created in partnership with UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to be the worlds first official World Heritage photographic databank. Panasonic have basically equipped some of the most famous and well regarded photographers with a range of Panasonic Lumix cameras and sent them around the world to record all of the World Heritage sites. In today’s changing climate and with a number of Heritage sites under threat we can’t argue with this major sponsorship and believe this is an excellent idea and should be supported. Of course, there are plenty of links back to Panasonic’s web site as you would expect!

To help increase awareness for “normal” camera users (like me!) Panasonic have over the past couple of weeks launched a second major web site initiative called “My Place”. www.my-place.tv (My only comment is, although likely to be associated with TV based advertising, the use of the .tv extension is still to be widely excepted – Could Panasonic not obtain the normal top level domain identities?)

My Place has a novel concept of inviting amateur camera users (with any make or model of camera) to submit a picture of their own “Favourite place” as in the words from the My Place web site:

MyPlace aims to celebrate photography, culture and heritage, and welcomes all those who have a passion for taking photos of splendour and individuality.

MyPlace has been launched in the UK and Ireland as a result of the successful ‘Our place – The World’s Heritage’ project where professional photographers armed with Lumix Cameras have gone all over the world to shoot UNESCO World Heritage sites.

MyPlace allows you to upload photos of your very special place and share with members of the community why this place is special to you. There are regular prizes to be won for the best photos voted by YOU, the MyPlace community, the ultimate prize being a trip to China’s most treasured World Heritage sites. A pro photographer will pick the best photos every month & comment on them

Looking through the site demonstrates quite a quick take up, although I am sure Panasonic would like to see this as widely used as My Space, You Tube and the various other web sites but in a sense, a more grown up way? I have to say though their map plotting technologies used are pretty phenomenal (better have a good broadband connection) and allow the person who submits the picture to directly “Pin” the location on to a full scale OS style map. This will allow any users who see a location or place they like to be able to find this on a map and make their own journey from the Visual to the Real World.

We at Tracyandmatt like this idea and concept and feel their could be quite a bit of take up by users, especially as Panasonic are offering expert advice, competitions and prizes to users who submit photographs.

With many of tracyandmatts viewers having interest in Mobile Phones and similar technology we have suggested to Panasonic that we would like to hold a competition for our users to submit photographs of their favourite places taken on Mobile Phone Cameras. Mobile phone cameras are probably the most common form of cameras out in the market these days and could offer a fantastic chance for our readers to submit and even win Panasonic Lumix vouchers or prizes. We will keep you updated on these conversations!

Once the formal presentations had finished, we were given the chance to review the latest Panasonic range of Cameras, including the soon to be released latest Digital SLR the Panasonic Lumix L10. Whilst time was limited at this launch, the range of cameras being offered should enable Panasonic to gain far greater market recognition for their camera range.

With the majority of parts inside the cameras being manufactured directly by Panasonic, as well as their history in the AV range of goods we believe they are certainly on the right track.

One of the best features we have seen across the whole Lumix range is the “imaginatively titled” intelligent Auto mode. This basically controls every function of the camera to ensure the best possible picture taken under almost any conditions from Snow, Beach to the darkest of surroundings like an October day in London….. All of the cameras in the range also have inbuilt Image Stabilisation within the Leica branded lenses to ensure the most stable, jitter free examples of pictures I have ever seen (I’m an avid Canon 10D DSL user and I can’t get such stable pictures in certain lighting conditions)

We have said to Panasonic that we would be very pleased to provide a full review on the new Lumix range of cameras and hope to be able to do this soon for our readers.

For those of you who want to have a look, take a look at: http://www.panasonic.co.uk/lumix/

We must once again thank a major main stream manufacturer like Panasonic for inviting the blogging community directly to one of its major launches. This is not only a brave thing to do for a manufacturer as they have no control over blog contents, but shows, as we have mentioned a forward looking view and increases the credibility of blog sites like tracyandmatt.

My only negative comment of the day was (albeit I understand this is the first event held for bloggers) was, as many of us in the room were obviously technical people, Please Panasonic don’t apologise to the audience for introducing the “Techie Panasonic” person to the stand with the infamous “don’t worry he is really human……”

Posted by: John

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, Panasonic]

Parrot DS3120 Universal Stereo Speaker Dock with Bluetooth

Parrot, one of the leaders in wireless peripherals around the mobile phone, today launched the Parrot DS3120, an innovative home stereo that combines Parrot’s award-winning wireless music and handsfree calling technology in one unit. It lets consumers enjoy their music without being tethered to headphones, allowing them to listen to music, out loud virtually anywhere, anytime.

Parrot DS3120

The Parrot DS3120 allows users to play music from mobile phones, MP3 players such as an iPod®, PCs and laptops wirelessly via Bluetooth® – with a 10m range – or through a USB connection. It also has an SD card slot, a line-in for an iPod® and a built-in FM radio.

“Music is part of our every day life. The Parrot DS3120 is a clock-radio with unique high-quality sound, amazing new features like the built-in screen display, all packed in an exceptional wireless design” says Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. “The Parrot DS3120 has been designed to offer unmatched audio performance, and provides a smooth connection to a wide range of audio sources”.

Once paired with a mobile phone, the unit also allows users to search through their contacts and channel voice calls through its high-quality 20W speakers.

The 1.8” colour TFT screen displays track and album details when playing music and phonebook information when making or taking a call. When in music mode, the track details are grouped by source, artist, album and title. Users can select their source, see the track information and enjoy their music.

The Parrot DS3120 has its own battery power source when required, allowing for up to 10 hours playback, and weighs only 1.5kg, making it highly portable.

Voice calls are very high-quality thanks to Parrot’s heritage in making high-end in car communications technology. A microphone built into the unit picks up the user’s voice from wherever they are in the room and effectively cancels out all background noise.

Music is automatically muted with incoming calls, and with caller ID, any phonebook images stored on the user’s mobile is displayed on the bright screen.

The Parrot DS3120 will be available worldwide in stores and on www.parrotshopping.com from October 2007 onwards and will be available for the MSRP of £119.99.

More information on www.parrot.com.

Spec::

Plays music from:

Additional functions:

Bluetooth profiles supported:

Posted By: Mark

Nikon announce 25,600 ISO flagship D3

Nikon has announced its newest flgaship DSLR, the Nikon D3.

Nikon D3

The Nikon D3 has a few rather astonishing points in its specification. First of all, Nikon claim that the D3 has the fastest start up time of any DSLR and the shortest shutter lag. There’s also a 12.1 mega pixel, full frame CMOS sensor and a 190,000 pixel, 3″, LCD monitor on the rear. You also get a 51 point auto focus system. But the thing that’s truly amazing is the 25,600 ISO setting! Most DSLR’s have a 3200 or 6400 ISO maximum so clearly the D3 has one sensitive sensor!

The Nikon D3 will be launched in November and will cost around $4999 (£2600).

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Nikon, Nikon D3, Windows Mobile Blog]

Orange SPV brand… Axed!!!

The Orange SPV range, which has covered all smartphones and pdas on the Orange network, is no more

In the beginning, the Sounds, Pictures, Videos brand was given to the first ever Microsoft Smartphone. Commonly known these days as the SPV Classic, it may have been buggy, slow and horrifically irritating, but at the time it was a massive leap forward for the smartphone world. Indeed, without the Orange/Microsoft partnership, and the SPV brand, this site might not exist, and today’s HTC Touch may have been running Symbian!

So, not unexpected I guess, but a sad day for those of us who have been around a while! Orange phones will be branded HTC, in a similar way to Nokia, Motorola et al.

Posted by: Mark

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, SPV, Orange]

Nikon announce D40x

Nikon announces the arrival of the D40x, its smallest camera to date that packs a punch with a host of innovative features. Featuring a 10.2 megapixel CCD the D40x is loaded with everything a photographer needs, despite its miniature size. Within the stylish and compact casing of the D40x, Nikon has packed in a number of exciting features to ensure that the user is able to achieve optimum results.

With 10.2 megapixels image quality is excellent and the D40x comes with Nikon’s exclusive 3D Colour Matrix Metering II and auto white balance which enables the user to produce quality shots that capture the vivid detail and true colour of the subject matter.

The D40x is equipped with a compact lightweight 55-200mm Zoom-Nikkor telephoto lens. This lens – the R708 – is fitted with an ED glass element, making it easier to achieve images with higher resolution and high contrast. The Silent Wave Motor offers quiet and smooth autofocussing.

For those taking pictures in a hurry the D40x is fast, despite its petite design. It has near instant power-up (0.18 seconds) whilst a continuous shooting mode enables the keen photographer to capture 100jpegs of images as fast as three frames per second. And with autofocus built-in even shots taken in a hurry are crisp and clear. Nikon’s innovative i-TTL flash control evaluates ideal flash exposure so the image light is always correct, whatever the conditions.

An ample 2.5-inch LCD screen means the budding photographer can view, manipulate and navigate their images at ease. Unique Nikon innovations make it possible to manipulate the images in-camera, enabling amateurs to achieve results that a professional would be pleased with. Nikon’s unique D-Lighting function improves underexposed images or shots taken with too much back light by creating a copy of an image with added light and detail wherever necessary, leaving well-exposed areas untouched. Photographers can even fix red eye at the touch of a button or use the D40x’d monochrome effect to make an image black and white. Nikon’s exclusive PictureProject software also makes it easy to edit, organise, transfer and share the high quality images.

For the creative photographer the fast and simple vari-program modes (the D40x has eight of them) also enable the enthusiast to be adapt the photographs at will, with the flick of a rotating mode dial.

The Q560 is world’s lightest D-SLR with interchangeable lens using 10-effective-megapixel-class APS-C size CCD, without battery, memory card or body cap, as of March 6th, according to Nikon a survey.

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Nikon, Nikon D40x, Windows Mobile Blog]

Nikon announce COOLPIX S200

The new COOLPIX S200 model brings world-class photographic results to professionals and amateurs alike, packed into a sleek compact casing.

Measuring just 18.5mm, the stylish aluminum body of the COOLPIX S200 blends pleasing classic design with modern features, demonstrating Nikon’s commitment to quality state-of-the-art craftsmanship.

Combining 7.1 effective megapixels of image resolution with an impressive 38-114mm 3 x Zoom-Nikkor lens, this camera is able to faithfully capture the detail of the closest portrait to the broadest panorama, even after enlargement of the shots.

Image quality is further guaranteed by the Vibration Reduction function (activated in Anti-Shake mode), which compensates for camera shake and delivers clear pictures even in unsteady conditions. In combination with the High-Sensitivity mode which extends to ISO 1000, the VR function also enables the user to take quality photographs in lower light conditions.

Fast-moving and shaded shots present no challenge to the COOLPIX S200, and the results can be enjoyed with friends on the ample 2.5-inch LCD screen. This also allows easy navigation of the new menu interface which offers quick access to a variety of exciting modes and functions.

Packaged within the COOLPIX S200, three unique Nikon innovations make it possible to manipulate the images in-camera, enabling amateurs to achieve results that a professional would be proud of. Face-priority AF detects people’s faces to achieve sharp focus on them, no matter where they happen to be located in the frame; In-Camera Red-Eye Fix tackles this effect by providing automatic compensation for more flattering, natural-looking portraits in low light. Finally, Nikon’s unique D-Lighting function improves underexposed images or shots taken with too much back-light, leaving well-exposed areas untouched.

Nikon’s exclusive PictureProject software allows the user to further manipulate images once they have been uploaded onto a computer. This is an easy-to-use programme which makes it simple to edit, organise, transfer and share the photographs taken with the COOLPIX S200.

Nikon COOLPIX S200 Specification:

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Nikon, Coolpix S200, Windows Mobile Blog]

Nikon announce COOLPIX S500

Nikon has announced the COOLPIX S500, a camera that packs fantastic features and the latest technology into a compact exterior.

This solid yet lightweight camera is encased in a stylish stainless-steel body. Sleek design and classic contours make this model as striking to look at as the quality pictures it produces, and is testament to Nikon’s commitment to quality.

The technology and the features inside the COOLPIX S500 are worthy of their impressive casing. The combination of a full 7.1 megapixels of resolution and the powerful 3 x Zoom-Nikkor lens with a healthy range of 35-105mm enables the COOLPIX S500 to deliver excellent picture detail whether the subject is a close-in portrait or a broad panorama, even after the photograph has been enlarged.

The Vibration Reduction function is able to compensate for camera shake to produce clearer, steadier pictures, and also prevents blurring in lower-light conditions. Light-sensitivity of up to ISO 2000 further guarantees picture clarity in unsteady or poorly-lit conditions.

Nikon is constantly seeking ways to make the experience of taking a photograph as simple and as exciting as possible. All functions are optimised to respond immediately, ensuring that the user never misses a fleeting opportunity for a great shot. The COOLPIX S500 powers up in an impressive 0.8 seconds and has a practically imperceptible shutter release time lag of less than 0.005 seconds.

The results achieved with the COOLPIX S500 can be fully appreciated using Nikon’s exclusive PictureProject software, which makes it simple and straightforward to edit, organise, transfer and share images. Compatibility with a range of feature-extending plug-ins also makes it easy to add new capabilities on demand.

Nikon COOLPIX S500 Specifications

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Nikon, Coolpix S500, Windows Mobile Blog]

Nikon COOLPIX S50c WiFi enabled camera

Consistent performance has earned Nikon the reputation for being the pioneer of state-of-the-art photographic technology. The new COOLPIX S50c model is the next stage in this legacy, combining stunning, exciting features with chic good looks along with Wi-Fi capability.

Excellent image quality is guaranteed by an impressive 38-114mm Zoom-Nikkor lens and 7.2 effective megapixels of resolution. The COOLPIX S50c is able to capture the finest detail, whether the subject is a close-in portrait or a broad vista, making the experience of photography simple and enjoyable for the camera user.

The Vibration Reduction function is able to compensate for camera shake and poor lighting, delivering clear pictures even in unsteady or dark conditions. The light sensitivity of up to ISO 1600 also liberates the photographer, making it possible to explore opportunities in new conditions that would be too dark to capture with other models.

The results achieved by the COOLPIX S50c can be immediately appreciated on the impressive 3.0-inch wide-angle LCD monitor, with room for a few friends to gather around. This ample screen also provides an excellent platform for the Pictmotion function, which allows users to select and combine their favourite movies, images and graphics, enabling them to create and share media in a dynamic, innovative way.

Packaged within the COOLPIX S50c, three unique Nikon innovations make it possible to manipulate the images in-camera, enabling amateurs to achieve results that a professional would be proud of. Face-priority AF detects people’s faces to achieve sharp focus on them, no matter where they happen to be located in the frame; In-Camera Red-Eye Fix tackles this effect by providing automatic compensation for more flattering, natural-looking portraits in low light. Finally, Nikon’s unique D-Lighting function improves underexposed images or shots taken with too much back-light, leaving well-exposed areas untouched.

The COOLPIX S50c’s Wi-Fi capabilities open up a new world of possibilities to the camera user with COOLPIX CONNECT. Picture Mail is one of the services within this package; it triggers an email notification to the user’s friends when new pictures are available to download and view. Picture Bank sends a large volume of images to the server at once, backing up images in case the camera is lost and uploading all images automatically when the battery is recharged.

Nikon’s exclusive PictureProject software allows the user to further manipulate images once they have been uploaded onto a computer. This is an easy-to-use program which makes it a simple and straightforward to edit, organise, transfer and share photographs taken with the COOLPIX S50c.

Nikon COOLPIX S50c Specification:

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Nikon, Coolpix S50c, Windows Mobile Blog]