Photokina 2012 wrap-up: Canon, Nikon, lust-worthy Leicas, a full-frame Sony compact and more

Posted on 20/09/2012 by Zach Honig

The sun is setting on Germany's monster of a photo show, but Photokina didn't come and go without shaking up the industry. The biennial trade show drew all the big names -- Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and many more manufacturers all had their latest wares on display for tens of thousands of photographers, journalists and local attendees -- with each company releasing a suite of impressive products. Canon and Nikon made an impression with their $2,100 6D and D600 full-frame DSLRs, while Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Fujifilm each upped the ante with new mirrorless lineups, and Leica demoed its new M, which for the first time brings live-view and video capture to the high-end rangefinder series. The fun doesn't stop there, though -- there was plenty more to explore, and you'll find it all in our wrap-up just after the break.

Gallery: Photokina 2012 wrap-up

Continue reading Photokina 2012 wrap-up: Canon, Nikon, lust-worthy Leicas, a full-frame Sony compact and more

Filed under: Announcements, Cameras

Photokina 2012 wrap-up: Canon, Nikon, lust-worthy Leicas, a full-frame Sony compact and more originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ion The Game action cam has built-in WiFi and 2.5-inch display, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on 20/09/2012 by Brian Heater

Ion The Game action cam has builtin WiFi and 25inch display, we go handson

Between big guns like GoPro and Contour and big names like Sony, the action camera market is getting pretty full, pretty fast. Back in May, we saw the arrival of the Air Pro WiFi from Ion, an oblong mountable camera with an add-on WiFi module, and now the company's got another addition to the line, the punnily-named (wait for it) Ion The Game (get it? Eye? Eye-on The Game?). The whole "action" part is far less pronounced here. This sports cam is intended to be more stationary than its predecessor -- mounted on a still spot to capture soccer games (don't let them catch you calling it that here in Europe) and to help you critique your golf swing.

The key differences here -- aside from its boxier shape -- are the 2.5-inch display and the WiFi, which is built directly into the device, rather than relying on an add-on. The display isn't much to write home about. It's small, a bit dull in the color department and a little choppy. It'll get the job done though, when it comes to monitoring action (or lack of action, we guess) on the fly. The WiFi meanwhile, adheres to the company's whole "shoot-and-share" motto, letting to send videos directly to Facebook and the like.

The camera looks reasonably rugged, with a plastic protected lens -- it's also water-resistant up to 10 meters. The Game records to SD cards and will be arriving by the end of the year, priced at an admittedly lofty €329 here in Europe.

Gallery: Ion Your Game sports camera

Continue reading Ion The Game action cam has built-in WiFi and 2.5-inch display, we go hands-on (video)

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Ion The Game action cam has built-in WiFi and 2.5-inch display, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Interview: Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy (video)

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Brian Heater

The Engadget Interview Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy video

There's a big frame in Polaroid's Photokina booth -- a giant, blown up version of the iconic white border that graced the company's instant photos for so many decades, beckoning passersby to stand behind it and pose, like muscle man cutouts at a traveling carnival. Directly to its right, attendees stand around a row of product from the company aimed at recapturing some of the nostalgia inherent in the Polaroid name. It's nothing compared to the gathering at a booth 20-or-so feet across the room, where international guests stand fascinated by the Instant Lab, an accordion-style gizmo that transforms iPhone images into instant photos, utilizing film produced at the last remaining Polaroid factory, since purchased by a company fittingly named "Impossible."

The early 21st century is a strange time to be the head of a company like Polaroid, standing at a bit of a crossroads between new and old technologies, attempting to harness the cache (and nostalgia) that comes with 75 years of history, while keeping up with the latest trends in digital imaging and slates. We sat down with the company's CEO Scott Hardy to discuss precisely what it means to be Polaroid in 2012, where the company goes from here and how much looking back is necessary to keep it moving ahead.

Continue reading The Engadget Interview: Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy (video)

Filed under: Cameras, Tablets

The Engadget Interview: Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Interview: Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy (video)

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Brian Heater

The Engadget Interview Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy video

Continue reading The Engadget Interview: Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy (video)

Filed under: Cameras, Tablets

The Engadget Interview: Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with anti-shake video demo (video)

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Zach Honig

Sure, Nokia's recently announced Lumia 920 runs Windows Phone 8, but its banner feature is actually the PureView camera, which in some ways seems more capable than that of its 808 sibling. Company reps were on hand at the Carl Zeiss booth at Photokina demonstrating this latest handset's low-light abilities -- which are quite striking. Just as impressive, however, is the device's heralded stabilization feature, which captures an impressively smooth clip even with exaggerated hand shake. Considering the degree to which the Nokia rep was shaking, users with steadier hands shouldn't have any issue capturing excellent quality video. We were unable to view the clip on a computer, so our impressions are only based on what we saw on the LCD, but the feature was impressive nonetheless. We'll of course need to reserve formal judgement until we can conduct our own tests, but this PureView preview was certainly convincing, and quite encouraging -- especially the side-by-side clip comparing the 920 to a "US-based manufacturer's" smartphone. Catch it in full in the hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with anti-shake video demo (video)

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Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with anti-shake video demo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentax’s Q10 mirrorless shows its tiny sensor to the world, we give it the hands-on treatment (video)

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Brian Heater

It's tough to express just how much Pentax's new Q10 mirrorless looks like a toy camera until you see it in-person, so unless you're in Cologne this week, you're going to have to take our word for it. It's probably mostly its tiny size -- and the fire engine red probably doesn't help its case much in that respect, either. Still, in spite of its diminutive stature and weight, it does feel like a solid camera. All of these body image issues are thanks to its tiny 12.4 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor. Like its brethren, the Q, this interchangeable lens camera's got a retractable flash, which works whether it's extended or not.

On the front, next to the lens, you'll find a knob which lefts you dial through four different effects. The Q10 also does full HD recording, five-fps shooting and, like the K-5 II, boasts improved autofocus over its predecessor. On the back, is a surprisingly large three-inch LCD. When it launches here in Europe next month, it'll run you €499 for a single lens kit and around €300 for the body alone -- compare that to $600 for the kit here in the States.

Gallery: Pentax Q10 Mirrorless camera

Continue reading Pentax's Q10 mirrorless shows its tiny sensor to the world, we give it the hands-on treatment (video)

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Pentax's Q10 mirrorless shows its tiny sensor to the world, we give it the hands-on treatment (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 09:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs hands-on (video)

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Brian Heater

Everyone loves a sequel, right? This here is the K-5 II, the new DSLR from Pentax, making an appearance on the show floor, here at Photokina in Germany, alongside the rather similar, if somewhat pricier K-5 IIs. Let's start with differences between the K-5 and the K-5 II, shall we? Megapixel-wise, we're still talking 16.2, though the II models have the new SAFOX X AF sensor, which delivers the promise of better low-light sensitivity and quicker auto-focus. On the rear, that 3-inch, 925k LCD promises a sharper image and better image angles -- both looked pretty good in our time with the camera.

As for differences between the K-5 II and IIs? Well, you wouldn't be able to distinguish between the two, if it weren't for the difference model names on there front. So, what are you paying that extra $150 for? Well, the premium ditches the low-pass filter, promising sharp images (though you're losing anti-aliasing in the process). On the top of both, you got a big monochrome display and a somewhat tricky function wheel that makes you press down a button to turn.

Both of these guys are coming to a camera store near you next month for $1,200 and $1,350, respectively.

Gallery: Pentax K5-II and K5-IIs

Continue reading Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs hands-on (video)

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Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casio’s Exilim EX-H50 superzooms its way to Photokina, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Brian Heater

Looking for a superzoom camera without the bulk of a DSLR? Casio's Exilim EX-H50 is a pretty slick proposition. The camera's got a reasonably slim profile that's a bit more like an oversized point-and-shoot, slight bulk that's presently largely because of the extended soft grip and big three-inch TFT display on the rear -- and then, of course, there's that 25 mm wide-angle lens with 24x optical zoom that certainly adds a good deal to the camera's footprint when extended. The flash adds a bit too, but that'll lay dormant until you pop it out via the devoted switch just to the left of the bump, on top of the camera.

The zoom is quite smooth -- it certainly did the trick snapping photos of strangers socializing in the halls of the Cologne Convention Center. That three-inch screen is big, if not particularly bright, but does the trick for the camera's fairly simple menu system, which also includes a number of filters like Fisheye, Sepia (move over Instagram) and Monochrome -- the processing on each occurs after the photos are snapped. Inside, you've got a 16.1-megapixel sensor.

The superzoom will run €250 when it hits Europe next month.

Gallery: Casio EX-H50 point and shoot super zoom

Continue reading Casio's Exilim EX-H50 superzooms its way to Photokina, we go hands-on (video)

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Casio's Exilim EX-H50 superzooms its way to Photokina, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 04:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casio joins the self-portrait LCD ranks with the €350 Exilim EX-ZR1000, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Zach Honig

Watch out, Samsung MV900F, there's a new self-portrait cam in town. Many camera manufacturers may not consider high-end models from Casio to be a threat to their own market share, but the company's new Exilim EX-ZR1000 has more that a few tricks up its €350 barrel. First and foremost is the 180-degree swiveling LCD, which, like Samsung's MultiView flavor, flips all the way forward to simplify composition for self-portraits, but it also offers some nifty gesture controls, letting you wave briefly to trigger a two-second countdown, for example. The camera also includes features that should appease more-advanced users, such as a dedicated mode dial, a versatile lens ring control, a top ISO sensitivity of 25,600 and a 6 frames-per-second burst mode. There's also a 16.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and Casio's Exilim Engine HS 3 on board to handle processing.

We caught up with the snappy shooter at Photokina, and were pleasantly surprised with its looks and performance. Its body construction may not make it feel like a premium shooter, despite the decidedly high-end price tag, but performance was speedy and the 3-inch LCD looked quite nice, even when viewed at an angle. As we mentioned, that display flips up and faces forward, but it can also tilt at various other angles, enabling below-the-waist or overhead shooting, too. The mode and lens dials had a reasonable amount of resistance, and the camera focused quickly and accurately. We can't speak to image quality, unfortunately, but shots we captured appeared to be sharp and properly exposed based on what we were able to gather from the display. Overall, the Exilim EX-ZR1000 seems to be a pretty capable shooter, and we're eager to see how it performs after it makes a formal debut this November. Catch our hands-on gallery below, followed by a video walkthrough after the break.

Gallery: Casio Exilim EX-ZR1000 hands-on

Continue reading Casio joins the self-portrait LCD ranks with the €350 Exilim EX-ZR1000, we go hands-on (video)

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Casio joins the self-portrait LCD ranks with the €350 Exilim EX-ZR1000, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 04:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impossible Instant Lab iPhone photo booth hands-on (video)

Posted on 18/09/2012 by Brian Heater

Life's hard when you're an analog enthusiast in the early 21st century. Thankfully, however, you're not alone in this world -- there are fellow travelers like the folks behind The Impossible Project, folks who bought a Polaroid factory to continue production on the company's famed instant film. As we noted roughly a week ago, the company's also launched a Kickstarter to create an iPhone-friendly gadget to go along with it. It's since handily met its goal and is still chugging along at around $440,000 (from a proposed $250,000), with a full 19 days to go. The company also made an appearance on the show floor here at Photokina to show off what its been working on.

The Impossible Instant Lab is still in the prototype stages, as with a number of devices we've seen here today -- though it's fully operational. We got a demo of the thing from one of the folks at Impossible -- just load the film into the rollers on the bottom, extend the old timey accordion top, choose the proper settings in the company's iPhone app and place it in the holder.

Gallery: Impossible Polaroid iPhone