Canon EOS 60D launched, priced (Philippines)

Canon Philippines yesterday launched 7 new products in their digital imaging line. Among them is the much-anticipated Canon 60D and the new Powershot G12.

Canon EOS 60D specs:
18MP CMOS sensor
Full HD 1080p video
9 AF points
ISO 100 – 6400 (12800 via Custom Function)
1/8000 to 30 sec shutter speed
5.3fps shooting speed
SD/SDHC/SDXC card
Canon EF lenses (including EF-S lenses)

The suggested retail price of the Canon 60D is Php57,950 (body only). As for the Powershot G12, it will go for Php31,950.

Here’s the complete line of new Canon cameras and Selphy printer with their corresponding SRP:

PowerShot SX130 – Php15,950
PowerShot SX30 – Php28,950
PowerShot S95 – Php27,950
PowerShot G12 – Php31,950
IXUS 1000 HS – Php26,950
Selphy CP800 – Php7,950

Our blogger correspondent, Rommel David, was there yesterday to check out the new Canon products.

Canon Launches Seven New Products

Canon Philippines introduced seven new items in the digital imaging line yesterday, ranging from point-and-shoot cameras, a successor to the G11 and a new dSLR.

First on the list is a bunch of compact camera shooters — the Ixus 1000HS, a 10MP rangefinder with a solid, chiseled metal body, 10x optical zoom that can do full HD videos; the PowerShot S95, an upgrade to the S90 that comes with a high f/2 opening, 10MP sensor; and the PowerShot SX130 IS with a 12.1MP CCD that can do 12x optical zoom. All three can record 720p HD videos.

The Canon SX30 IS is notable for its 35x-wide angle optical zoom — starting with a wide 24mm and can go up to 840mm on the other end of the spectrum.

A new Canon G-Series camera was also introduced  — the Canon Powershot G12. Not a huge upgrade with only a few things improved — 2.0fps continuous shooting and HD recording capability (720p @ 24fps).

The event also featured the newest DSLR — the Canon EOS 60D, an upgrade to the Canon 50D from two years back. Canon included a vari-angle 3-inch LCD monitor that can be twisted and turned in almost any direction (read:swivel LCD).

The ISO level is expandable up to 12800. A few fancy effects were also added in (normally relegated to the PnS before) — a toy camera effect, soft focus, and miniature effect. Full specs and features of the Canon 60D posted here earlier.

The last item in the line is the Canon Selphy CP800, a compact photo printer. The CP800 can print up to postcard size prints and comes with an optional battery so you get that really portable benefit. The printer can grab images straight from the memory card, the camera or via a USB stick.

Nikon D7000 DSLR; Goodbye D90

16MP Nikon D7000 has landed --

What's new with Nikon D7000?

D7000 incorporates a freshly-designed 16.2-megapixel sensor coupled with Nikon's EXPEED 2 processor. With this combo, Nikon aims to up its analog-to-digital conversion to 14-bit processing, which should produce better dynamic range. Nikon D7000 also gets a new metering sensor, a viewfinder with 100% scene coverage and a more sophisticated autofocus system that's presumably better than D90 in sensitivity.

Shoots 1080p HD Videos with Continuous AutoFocus

Like previously announced Nikon D3100, D7000 records 1080p High-Definition videos with full-time autofocus (or autofocus while capturing the video). Users will have to keep in mind, however, that there's a 20 minute limit on uninterrupted video captures; While that's clear limitation in this department, Nikon tries to compensate by giving D7000 an added control dial for adjusting shooting modes and stereo mic input.

Stellar Build

Nikon D7000's body consists of a magnesium-alloy shell and a shutter system that's 150,000 cycle-rated. Additionally, D7000 is dust and moisture sealed and features Nikon's dust reduction system to keep image-degrading particles away from the image sensor.

Pricing and Availability

Nikon D7000 dSLR is slated for October 2010 release. Suggested retail price is $1,199.95 (body only) and $1,499.95 (with 18-105mm lens). No word yet on its availability in the Philippines

Specification

16.2MP CMOS sensor
3-inch TFT LCD display
39-point AF system
6fps continuous shooting
ISO 100 to 6400 (ISO 25600 extended)
Dual SD card slot
Live View
Full HD movie recording (1920×1080p @ 24 fps)
Weight: 780g w/ battery

The D7000 will replace the mid-range position of the D90 which it held for about 2 years now. The D7000 can also shoot Full HD video with continuous autofocus.

Canon Camera Parade (with Price)

     Canon recently showcased its newest gadget offerings that incorporate the improved Smart AUTO Mode with Scene Detection Technology. This feature enables Canon cameras to analyze shooting situations and to automatically select the optimal settings to give users the best shots every time. The digicams also have the Servo AF/AE which enables the camera to continuously adjust focus and exposure even after the shutter button has been pressed halfway.

• Digital IXUS 200IS
• PowerShot G11
• PowerShot SX20 IS
• Digital IXUS 120 IS
• PowerShot SX120 IS
• PowerShot S90
• EOS 7D

Here’s the latest Canon cameras w/ Philippine Price (SRP):


1. Digital IXUS 200IS

- 12.2 Megapixels
- 5x optical zoom with optical image stabilizer
- 24mm ultra wide-angle lens
- 3-inch high-resolution touchscreen LCD
- Active display

SRP: Php 27, 950

2. PowerShot G11

- 10 megapixel high-sensitivity CCD
- 5x optical zoom with optical image stabilizer
- 28.8mm wide-angle lends
- 2.8-inch PureColor II LCD screen
- RAW image recording
- HD movie recording (720p) with HDMI output

SRP: Php 33,950

3. PowerShot SX20 IS

- 12.2 megapixels
- 20x optical zoom with optical image stabilizer
- 2.5-inch vari-angle LCD screen
- 28mm wide-angles lends
- HD movie recording with HDMI output

SRP: Php 31,950

4. Digital IXUS 120 IS

- 12.1 megapixels
- 4x optical zoom with optical images stabilizer
- Ultra slim with 28mm wide-angle lends
- 2.7-inch PureColor II LCD
- Smart Auto with improved scene detection technology

SRP: Php 24, 950

5. PowerShot SX120 IS

- 10 megapixels
- 10x optical zoom with optical image stabilizer
- 3-inch LCD screen
- Smart Auto with improved scene detection technology
- Digic 4 image processor

SRP: Php 22,950

6. PowerShot S90

- 10 megapixel high-sensitivity CCD
- 28mm wide-angle lends
- RAW image recording
- Bright F/2.0 aperture lends
- HD movie recording (720p) with HDMI output
- Full-fledge shooting modes

SRP: Php 31,950

7. EOS 7D

- 18 megapixels
- APS-C size CMOS sensor
- Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors
- Cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo AF subject tracking
- Intelligent Viewfinder
- iFCL Metering with 63-zone dual-layer metering system
- Full HD video recording capability at 30p (29.97 fps), 24p (23.976 fps)
- Magnesium alloy body

SRP:
Php 99,950 (Body Only)
Php 124,950 (with EF-S 18-135mm lens)
Php 133,950 (with 15-85mm lens)

Cellphone with 10Megapixel Digital Camera at the Back!!

As I said before Cellphone with 10Megapixel DIGITAL CAMERA (LG PHONES)

10 megapixel camera phones, or more, HD video on your mobi and even speech recognition GPS technology... these were amongst the bold promises being made by LG at a London gathering this week.

The phone manufacturer invited a select few journalists to have a chat about converging technology – focusing on its new KC-910 mobile phone – which, as well as having an 8 megapixel camera, also offers a whole host of image and video editing tools, Dolby sound and DivX compatibility.

But the roundtable event also gave Pocket-lint a chance to quiz execs from LG, Dolby and DivX as to what we can expect in the phones of the future, and it seems next year could see a whole host of developments.

On the camera phone front – the emergence of three 8 megapixel models has caused all kinds of excitement amongst phone fans, and doom and gloom amongst digital compact camera manufacturers.

And quite rightly so, said Jeremy Newing, LG’s UK head of marketing who claimed that there is no reason why camera phones could not take over from point and shoot cameras.

Indeed – the megapixel race that we saw amongst camera makers is now being battled out between mobile manufacturers, and, said John Barton, LG UK’s sales and marketing director, he’s already seen camera phone offering megapixel counts in the double digits.

The KC-910 also has up to 16x digital zoom, provided by Schneider Kreuznach, but no optical zoom however, there were hints that this might change.

The new relationship with DivX, which sees the Renoir bundled with software for converting files into DivX files for viewing on the phone, could also be a sign of things to come.
When we asked about the possibility of HD video recording in mobile phones – after all this seems to be the next big thing in digital cameras – again – it was a case of watch this space.

Andy Glasson from DivX explained that the company is already working on the H264 encoding and decoding technology that could make this possible.

Moving onto music, the KC-910 is the first global launch to feature special dedicated technology from Dolby to make the sound better from the phone, whether from its speaker or when you are listening through headphones.

Jonathan Jowitt from Dolby told us that this is the first device of many: “This is the start of many products we hope, and we also hope to be working with LG for a long time to come”.

Sticking with music – way back in February, with not many fireworks, LG announced its own mobile music downloads service called MusicStation Max.

It’s all been a bit quiet since, even as both Nokia and Sony Ericsson have launched Comes With Music and PlayNow, but LG may be up to something.

John Barton said that the time was not yet right for the company: “You can’t go to each individual label and do a deal, and then only offer your customers the music of the labels that sign up. You need an aggregator. For the KF700, we created MusicStation Max with Omnifone, which we can see being popular in the Scandinavian markets.” He added, however: “For the rest of the world – watch this space.”

And so what else can we expect from LG? Developers may finally see LG opening up its software for third party applications, and the clever bods in the R&D department are also, apparently, working on technology to stop us getting smeary fingers prints over our nice, shiny, LG touchscreens.

Let’s hope it’s not just a cloth in the box.

Picture-taking made hip, fun and easy

There was a time that photo ops were only reserved for special moments.

Those that we would all want to look back to. Nowadays, everybody can aspire to be a shutterbug. With the digital camera, every moment can be a special moment. Even simple things like going to the mall are treated with pomp and circumstance, oftentimes preserved by the click of a digital camera. It is now one of the must-haves, a staple item found in most handbags.

Digital cameras of today now combine innovative functions and handsome styling so apt for the people who covet it so much: the young. Nikon’s Coolpix digital camera series promises to be a must-have digital camera for people who are happiest clicking away.

Coolpix features the innovative VR Image Stabilization technologies on selected models that produce blur-free images when shooting in unstable conditions or at slower shutter speeds. It also has ISO capabilities that go beyond the range of other conventional digital cameras, delivering excellent light exposure, broadens the scope of possible subjects, and allows scenes to be captures beautifully without compromising natural light.

Coolpix also features the face-priority AF, ensuring crisp portraits at all times. It automatically detects the people’s faces in the frame, allowing the photographer the freedom to press the shutter for sharp portraits for definite focus.

The Coolpix also has the Pictmotion that sets the slideshow to music which makes viewing the shots taken more fun and interesting. Some new models feature smile detection.

And because Nikon is in the forefront of changing the face of the digital camera, it created the Coolpix with the built-in WiFi capability on selected models to allow you to download your pictures not needing any cable or wire connection.

Each Nikon Coolpix digital camera comes in varying pixels ranging from 7.1 million pixel-capable L16 model to the 10 million pixel-capable S600, P80 and S550 models and the 12.1 million pixel-capable P5100 model. This means there is a Coolpix camera that meets every personal preference. Nikon Coolpix pays the same importance to styling as well as function so each model comes in elegant and chic design and styling. This is one camera that really knows its customers.

Canon unleashes EOS 5D Mark II (21.1 Mega pixel)

Nikon may have been the first to offer an HD video-capturing DSLR, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be the only ones to do that.

As a matter of fact, Canon’s brand new EOS 5D Mark II also offers that same feature but does it much better with full HD 1,920×1,080 video recording capability. Video recording files size caps off at 4GB per clip, and is saved in .MOV format. Another neat feature is that you can likewise connect external stereo mics to the camera making it a very capable DSLR video recorder.

On its SLR attributes, it features a 24×36mm 21.1-megapixel CMOS sensor coupled with a DIGIC 4 image processor. It’s not as massive as the Sony Alpha A900, but it’s pretty close and is definitely more featured-packed. Other specs include a 3-inch Live View LCD, 15-point AF with 9 selectable AF points, 3.9fps burst rate for unlimited JPEG images and up to 14 RAW files.

Those looking to upgrade to the EOS 5D Mark II better start saving up as this one sure won’t come cheap. It’s expected to come out at the end of November with a body-only price of $2,699 (P125,368). The one bundled with a Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens will sell for $3,499 (P162,528). I guess HD video is the in thing for SLRs these days.

Sony Alpha A900 a 24.6-megapixel is ready for pre-order

Well, it’s now up for pre-order in the US. For those not familiar with it, this is Sony’s latest digital SLR which showcases a massive 24.6-megapixel 35mm full frame Exmor CMOS imaging sensor. Yup, it’s not holding back on the megapixels, but unfortunately (or not) everything else looks pretty much standard fare. There’s not even a mention of Live View or a sensor cleaning mechanism built into it which has become almost a standard feature in most of the new DSLR releases. They must have decided to skip out on those features since it’ll just add to its already hefty price tag of $2,999.00, (P141,027) and that’s just for the body only.

However, if money isn’t an issue for you and you’ve been dying to get a DSLR with 20+ megapixels for whatever reason, then treat yourself to the Sony Alpha A900. It’s expensive, but it’s definitely cheaper than a Hassleblad.

What's new with Canon EOS 50D

While we have to yet to hear from the Nikon camp, Canon has made their EOS 50D official. This 15.1-megapixel DSLR is the first to feature the new Digic 4 image processor and it also boasts of having the highest ISO speed to date topping off at a ridiculous 12800.

Other notable specs include a 6.3fps burst rate, 3-inch display with face detection, HDMI, dedicated Live View button, auto-focus with microadjustment, and a cleaning system that incorporates a fluoride coating for improved dust resistance. The SRP for the body only is set at $1399 while the one bundled with a EF 28/-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens will roughly cost $1599. DP Review has an in-depth preview of this yet to be released DSLR so you might want to check it out.

October will be the big day for this new DSLR in the US, and I’m guessing it might make a local debut as early as November or December. With this early announcement, that gives you enough time to either save up or sell your current gear to make room for this new DSLR.

Nikon D90 now up for order at Circuit City

Nikon's still unofficial D90 DSLR may have been pulled from Target's website after making a brief appearance a few days ago, but it looks to be holding steady at Circuit City, where you can now get your pre-order in for the expected price of $1,299.99. As you can see above, the site is also listing the camera with a release date of September 5th, which is only a tad off the mark of some of our earlier tips. There's also no surpises with the specs, although the "real movie-like" video recording mode that piqued our interest yesterday is apparently now officially known simply as an "HD movie mode" -- a step backwards if you ask us.

Nikon D700 for Professional Photography

Nikon, the leading name in professional photography, brings the Nikon D700 and the Nikon Speedlight. These innovations allow profess ional photographers to capture the most memorable moments with ease and convenience without compromising the quality of the image. Now, creativity is boundless because the D700 and Speedlight is the product of extensive innovation in photo- graphic technology.

The Nikon D700’s 12.1 mega pixel FX format CMOS image sensor provides the highest level of photographic performance. The D700 is equipped with super low noise performance from 200 to 6400 ISO with added versatility of Lo-1, Hi-i and Hi-2. And because of Nikon’s D-Lighting feature, previously lost details in shadow and light can now be captured in normalized contrast. Not to mention it has the capability of full frame from it’s bigger brother the D3.

Its new and exclusive Scene Recognition System optimizes autofocus, auto exposure and auto white balance through the use of its 1,005-segment RGB sensor to recognize the conditions of the subject matter being shot. This means moving objects are clearer. The D700 also allows for continuous shooting of up to 5 frames per second. And to view your images, the D700’s 3” super density 920,000-Dot VGA color monitor. It allows for a 170-degree wide angle viewing, calibrated color and tempered-glass.

While having the right camera can make all the difference to the photographer, the right degree of lighting in the other hand, impacts greatly on the subject matter. The play of color and light does much to add drama to, convey the emotions, or hide the imperfections of the subject matter. Lighting is a vital component of all images, but the past complexities of flash photography have made many photographers hesitant to explore its full potential. In the past, lighting was crude and primitive. Often, photographers had to rely on the availability of natural light to get the most dramatic shot, or make do with the available technology that was oftentimes too stark, drowning out the subject matter.

Nikon’s Speedlight brings innovations in photographic lighting.’ Now used by working photographers around the world, Nikon’s Creative Lighting System simplifies the usability employing flash photography. This is because of the i-T11 flash control technology that offers consistently accurate flash exposures that adjusts to nearly any lighting situation allowing for the most clear photos.

Nikon Speedlights communicates with the camera to perform all the complex lighting situations necessary. This means that there is less danger of over or underexposure. Its exclusive pre-flash offers precise feedback information that registers everything from available lighting and shadows to color temperature and reflective surfaces within the scene.

Its built-in database of over 30,000 scenes integrates the information to determine the ideal exposure within a millisecond before each shutter release. The result is clear, crisp and vivid photographs.

As the art and profession of photography become more and more sophisticated and the demands by photographic artists more and more discerning, the need for having the right camera and lighting equipment is all the more pronounced. Over the years, the artist and the equipment have influenced each other. In this race, the evolution of the art form and the equipment go almost hand in hand. Indeed, one needs the other to grow.

Liquid Image Camera Diving Mask

Liquid Image offers a diving mask with integrated camera. The Camera Diving mask was introduced earlier this year and is now selling in Japan. The cool diving gear is also listed on Amazon.com, but is not available for purchase.

The Camera diving mask features a 5MP camera or 3.1MP camera, 16MB of storage internal memory, USB port, and MicroSD card slot.

The camera mask is powered by two AAA batteries and has cross hairs in the glasses to easily target on which fish you want to film or make a photo of.
The Liquid Image Camera Diving Mask sells for about $114 in Japan.
More details on the Liquid Image site. Via AkihabaraNews.