Jayvee Fernandez on Hobby Photography

Cologne, Germany, Sep 22, 2008 – Samsung Camera announced today that it would seek to attain its market leadership by providing imaging solutions aimed at satisfying diversified consumer needs throughout the total digital imaging lifecycle from taking great photos to sharing images with their friends and families. This movement signals a bold step for the company away from the conventional way of business in the camera industry, which has primarily focused on technological advancement. Samsung is going to introduce innovations through combining existing solutions and technologies to answer to consumer needs and desires from 09 lineup. To showcase this new direction, Samsung is introducing sharing photos through Home Network, uploading and sharing photos through WiFi, and innovative UI at 2008 Photokina.

Meanwhile, recognizing consumers’ needs to capture a picture overcoming a physical distance and to carry easily, Samsung is introducing the world first 10x zoom and Ultra Wide 24mm compact, the “HZ1″, at Photokina this year. The HZ1 enables consumers to get sharper and wider images from a distance by simultaneously combining high technology, optical 10X Zoom and ultra wide 24mm. With the launch of the HZ1, Samsung Camera will enter the Compact High-Zoom market, strengthening its full lineup and showcasing its technological innovation.

These are the specs of the new HZ1 as of late:

Image Sensor 1/2.33” CCD
Mega-Pixels (Effective) Apporx. 10.2 megapixels
Optical Zoom 10x optical zoom
LCD Size 2.7” TFT-LCD (230k pixels)
Focal Length f = 4.2 ~ 42mm (35mm equivalent : 24~240mm)
Movie Mode HD 720p Resolution @ 30fps
Size 105 x 61.4 x 36.5mm

Special Features
- 24mm Wide Angle Lens
- High-Definition 720p Video (10x optical zoom w/ sound)
- Dual Image Stabilization (Optical + Digital)
- Perfect Portrait System / Face Detection AF & AE / Smile Shot / Blink Detection Self Portrait / Beauty Shot / Red-eye Fix
- Digital Contents Management
- Function Description, Photo Style Selector

Tags:   720p · HD · HZ1 · Point and Shoot · WiFiNo Comments.

Photokina is abound with new cameras for the holidays. Samsung launched three new consumer cameras - a high definition NV100HD with a beautiful 28mm lens, the more stylish NV9 with smile detection and a built in MP3 player (that’s what it says in the press release!!), and the HZ1 which is an ultra wide angle camera

NV100HD – Professional Picture Quality
Thanks to a 14.7 megapixel resolution and a 28mm wide-angle Schneider lens with a 3.6x optical zoom, the NV100HD guarantees sharp, clear and detailed images with every shot. Currently the most sophisticated point-and-shoot digital camera in the Samsung portfolio, the NV100HD boasts high-definition 720p video function and Dual Image Stabilization. A 3 inch touch-screen hVGA (460K pixels) LCD with Samsung’s Smart Touch 2.0 technology dominates the back of the camera, giving the user convenient one-touch access to the camera’s dynamic features and advanced controls.

NV9 – Built for Mobility, Designed for Style
The NV9 is an ultra compact, 10.2 megapixel digital camera featuring a large 2.7 inch LCD screen, an internal 5x optical zoom, and Dual Image Stabilization. It also offers a variety of the latest multimedia gadgets such as personal media player, MP3 and text viewer. Additionally, Face Detection Technology can detect up to nine faces, automatically focus the camera, and calculate the exposure for perfect composition and image quality. Smile Shot technology detects changes in the expression of the subject and automatically takes the shot, while Blink Detection makes sure that the subject’s eyes are open.

HZ1 (Tentative Name)
The HZ1 is a high-powered camera that features the world’s first 10x Optical Zoom and 24mm Ultra Wide Angle. In addition, the HZ1 includes various advanced functions such as HD movie capture, Perfect Portrait System, Function Description, Photo Style Selector and DCM (Digital Contents Management) which allows users to easily store and manage images.

Tags:   HZ1 · NV100HD · NV9 · Photokina · Smile Detection · Ultra Wide AngleNo Comments.

In all honesty, Nintendo should do more than just upgrade the features — but the graphics processor as well. Better graphics on the DS shouldn’t hurt anybody.

Via Kotaku:

The Japanese version of the report mentions that pictures taken via the DS’s internal camera can be used by games, opening up new gameplay options.

Nikkei Net writes that the new version is “expected to be priced below 20,000 yen.” The Nintendo DS Lite is currently priced at 16,800 yen in Japan. The new DS will launch first in Japan, with the country seeing an allocation of “several hundred thousand units” before any overseas sales.

Tags:   Camera · Nintendo DS · Portable GamingNo Comments.

It’s been a while since Nikon announced a new fixed focus 50mm lens. Perfect for portraits, the new f/1.4 G auto focus prime lens from Nikon is finally here! Below are some technical specs of the new Nikon nifty fifty:

This latest addition to the NIKKOR lineup features a large maximum aperture of f/1.4, enabling it to be used for easy handheld shooting in dark settings, such as a dimly lit room. It also allows photographers to easily create beautiful large blur effects. The lens’ Silent Wave Motor (SWM) ensures quick, quiet autofocus. Autofocus shooting is made possible with SLR models that do not have a built-in motor, such as the D40 series and D60. [Nikon]

Focal length 50mm
Maximum aperture f/1.4
Minimum aperture f/16
Lens construction 8 elements in 7 group
Picture angle 46°
Closest focus distance 0.45 m/1.5 ft.
No. of diaphragm blades 9 (rounded)
Filter attachment size 58mm
Diameter x length (extension from lens mount) Approx. 73.5 x 54 mm/2.9 x 2.1 in.
Weight Approx. 280 g/9.9 oz
Supplied accessories 58mm snap-on front lens cap LC-58, Rear lens cap LF-1, Bayonet hood HB-47, Flexible lens pouch CL-1013

Tags:   f/1.4 · Nikkor · Portraits · Prime LensNo Comments.

All I can say is … wow. It really makes me wonder if buying a new camera in the next few months is worth it. With the recent breakthrough in DSLR video processing and interchangeable lenses, I should be wary with what new thing our camera manufacturers come up with next. My prediction - DSLR’s are the next point and shoot, with underwater-compatible bodies becoming the next item on production.

It makes me wonder, as an amateur video podcaster or “vlogger” if I should get myself a Nikon D90 or one of those consumer cameras. Vincent Laforet hit it on the nail:

Keep in mind - this is raw footage (not RAW) from both Canon XH A1 camcorder - and a few clips for the Canon EOS 5D MKII - you’ll see that the two are toe to toe (not really) on bright scenes… but in low light - NO COMPARISON… so I’m not sure of how Canon feels about my trashing their top of the line XH A1 camcorder… but common sense leads me to state the following: if the Canon still camera team and the video team have come together to produce the Canon EOS 5D MKII - the next HD camcorder they come out with - may just floor us all… these are very exciting times - to be someone who focuses on “creating” as opposed to the “process” and “technique” of making your vision match the “reality” of the tools you have at your disposal. To view the main movie (not the behind-the-scenes), click here: REVERIE

Tags:   Canon · D90 · Reverie · Vincent LaforetNo Comments.

Well it’s not really iStock Photo, but Photrade is the latest innovation for photo sharing, licensing and stock photo trading in the USA. If you sign up now they give you a free one year premium subscription.

Imagine Photo Bucket with twist - sharing photos allows you to earn some cash on the side with ads embedded on your photos. This may be a good thing for those who are seriously into copyright scruples, with the addition of extra cash on the side and the extra watermarking feature is also great.

More than just another photo site, Photrade solves key photo licensing issues with online photo sharing today. With more than 46 million people in the U.S. sharing photos online in the last thirty days alone, (according to Media Mark research and intelligence) theft and misuse of photos is now as prevalent as the theft of music before iTunes.[PR Newswire]

Here are some of their services:

Custom Watermarking – we make it easy to put your own watermark in your photos. Get credit for your hard work!

Size Limits – Choose the largest size available; limiting the resolution.

LinkFind – Our patent-pending technology lets you see what websites are linking to your images.

LinkBlock – With LinkBlock, you can choose who can link to your images and block those you don’t like.

AdProtect – Our patent-pending ad system uses ads to protect your photos off site and at the same time makes you money

Tags:   Make Money Online · Monetization · Online Services · Photo Sharing · Photography · Photrade · Professional1 Comment