Capturebuzz

Liquid Image 5MP Underwater Digital VideoMask

Editor — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:35:43 +0000

The Liquid Image Underwater Digital VideoMask allows you to keep your hands free as you dive. It’s the world’s only dive mask that has an integrated waterproof digital video camera plus photographs at 5mp. Operates to a depth of 33 ft (10m) and eliminates the need to hand carry an underwater camera.

The Digital VideoMask is ideal for snorkeling, snuba, spearfishing, free-diving, shark cage diving and shallow scuba diving. The goggle lenses are made of tempered glass and have integrated crosshairs that help you to line up shots. Turn the Camera on, and choose a mode with the upper button. Simply press the shutter button to record pictures or videos. An LED inside the mask tells you if you are in still image or video mode. Downloading images is as easy as plugging in the mask to your PCs or Macs USB port (cable included) and pressing the power button. The bundled software (PC only) allows you to edit your content.

The built-in 16 MB memory can store approximately 27 pictures or approximately 40 seconds of video. A microSD/SDHC card slot allows you to expand memory up to 8GB for additional pictures or videos. Requires two AAA batteries (included).

Find out more at Liquid Image.

Bibble 5 Pro – Digital Photographic Workflow Software

Editor — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 01:37:00 +0000

Bibble 5 Pro has been released and is now available for purchase ($199.95). Bibble 4 customers can upgrade to the new version – either for free if they purchased after September 1, 2006, or for $99 if their Bibble 4 purchase was made prior to that date. Bibble 5 Lite isn’t expected to ship until the first quarter of 2010, so in the meantime, owners of Bibble 4 Lite are being allowed to use Bibble 5 Pro with their Lite license*. Upgrade instructions can be found on Bibble Labs’ new support forums. Also, see the FAQ’s.

Bibble 5 Pro supports Windows XP, Vista and 7, Mac OS X 10.4 or greater, as well as both Linux Fedora Core 6 or later, and Ubuntu 6.06 or later. The program can accept Raw files from a wide variety of manufacturers, including Canon (except sRaw), Kodak, Leica, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Samsung, and Sony, as well as RGB JPEG or TIFF files at resolutions of 30MP or below, with a maximum dimension of 10,240 pixels on the longer side. The full list of supported file types can be found on the Bibble 5 specs page.

Bibble 5 Pro includes a totally new, completely multi-threaded image processing engine, allowing it to process images faster than anything else. Efficient enough to be perfectly usable on netbooks and older computers, yet powerful enough to take full advantage of 4, 8, 16 or even more CPU’s, Bibble 5 Pro is designed to fully utilize all the computing power available to it. On high-end computers, Bibble 5 Pro is up to 88 times faster in processing and exporting images that other leading applications, while on single CPU computers and more modest machines, Bibble 5 Pro can still be 2 to 8 times faster.

“With dual core processors now being replaced with four-core processors, and with 6- an 8- and higher core count processors on the horizon,” says Eric Hyman, founder and owner of Bibble Labs, “it’s clear that utilizing the full power of those additional CPU’s is the key to true workflow performance.”

More information can be found in the Bibble 5 Pro Press Release.

*Once Bibble 5 Lite ships, the Lite keys will stop working on Bibble 5 Pro.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 10MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor

Editor — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 01:03:01 +0000

CMOS sensors previously found only in DSLR cameras are finding their to point-and-shoot cameras. Sony hopes CMOS point-and-shoot cameras will appeal to photographers who also want to carry a compact, high performance digital still camera. The 10.2 mega-pixel WX1 camera has a 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus display and measures just 3 9/16 x 2 1/16 x 2 5/32 inches.

The Cyber-shot WX1 camera features a Sony G lens with an extraordinary wide angle 24-120mm 5x optical zoom. Sony G lenses are used in top of the line digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and advanced pro-sumer HD Camcorders. The f/2.4 aperture lens gathers twice as much light as typical point-and-shoot camera lenses, allowing you to shoot indoors or in low light without flash with less noise.

When shooting in Program Auto Mode, selectable ISO settings include: Auto, 160, 200, 400, 800, 1600, and high-sensitivity 3200. The Cyber-shot WX1 can capture ten 10.2 megapixel resolution images at up to 10fps with its mechanical shutter.

Optical SteadyShot image stabilization uses a built-in gyro sensor to detect camera shake and automatically shifts the lens to help prevent blur without sacrificing image quality.

Sweep Panorama mode lets you capture wide landscapes (185 and 256-degree). Using the high-speed “Exmor R” CMOS sensor, the cameras shoot continuously while you sweep across the scene. The BIONZ imaging processor automatically stitches the pictures together to create panoramic photos.

The Cyber-shot WX1 records HD movies in 720p high definition MPEG4 format for large-screen home movie playback. It can record up to 29 minutes (or up to 2 GB) per movie in 720p format.

The Cyber-shot WX1 is priced at $349.99 (MSRP) and is available at Amazon USA.

Quattro Case for iPhone with Conversion Lenses

Editor — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:12:58 +0000

A Japanese company called Factron has released a metal iPhone case with a mount for conversion lenses. The Quattro Case for the Apple iPhone is currently only compatible with the iPhone 3G – a modified version for the iPhone 3Gs will be released later this year. The conversion lenses available include two close-up lens, a superwide converter and 2 circular fisheye lens (x0.24 and x0.33).

The case is made of aluminum alloy with a metallic gloss, polished finish and fastened with metal screws.

The case alone costs 19,600 Yen (about US$205). The lenses are available from 1,700 to 5,300 Yen (about US$20 – US$55).

Sample photos on the Factron website, show a significant amount of chromatic aberration.

Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 – Waterproof, High-Definition Dual Camera

Editor — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:04:24 +0000

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. has announced the Xacti VPC-WH1 – Waterproof, High-Defintion Dual Camera. The Xacti VPC-WH1 has earned the highest possible IEC 60529 waterproof rating (IPX8/IPX5) allowing users to capture high-definition (1280×720px) 30fps video without worrying about the effects of water or snow. The Xacti VPC-WH1 is operable down to a water depth of 3 meters (10 feet). Unlike the Xacti VPC-CA9, the Xacti VPC-WH1 has the shape of compact camcorder.

The Xacti VPC-WH1 acts as a high-definition video camcorder and a high-resolution camera. It retains full still photo functionality which has been improved from previous models to allow shooting of 2MP photos at 13fps.

Features

Waterproof up to 3 meters (10 feet)
2 megapixel photos and 720p high-definition video
Hi-speed sequential shooting at 13fps
30x optical zoom, aperture: F=1.8(W) – 4.3(T)
50x digital zoom (playback 25x max.)
2.5″ LCD monitor (approx. 150,000 pixels, 7-level brightness, 285 degrees rotation)
Photos: Digital Image Stabilizer (electronic)
Videos: Digital Image Stabilizer (electronic)
Face Chaser technology can detect up to 12 faces for photos and videos
ISO Stills: Auto (ISO 50 – 400), Manual (ISO 50/100/200/400/800/1600, Switching system)
Microphone: Built-in stereo, Speaker: Built-in monaural (L+Rch mixed output)
Internal memory: Approx. 43 mb
SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card (up to 32GB)
Lithium-ion battery x 1 (DB-L50 included: 1900mAh)

Languages

English, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, Japanese, Thai, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese

Price and Availability

Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 will be available in blue and yellow colors for US$399.99 (MSRP). Not available in white color!

For Amazon UK, go here. For Amazon USA, see below.

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA9 – Waterproof, High-Definition Dual Camera

Editor — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:55:27 +0000

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. has announced the Xacti VPC-CA9 – Waterproof, High-Definition Dual Camera. The Xacti VPC-CA9 has earned the highest possible IEC 60529 waterproof rating (IPX8) allowing users to capture high-definition (1280×720px) 30fps video without worrying about the effects of water or snow. The Xacti VPC-CA9 is operable down to a water depth of 1.5 meters (5 feet).

The Xacti VPC-CA9 acts as a very high-resolution camera and as a high-definition video camcorder. It retains full still photo functionality which has been improved from previous models to allow shooting of 9MP photos.

Features

Waterproof up to 1.5 meters (5 feet)
9 megapixel photos and 720p high-definition video
Hi-speed sequential shooting at 7fps
3D DNR noise-reducing function for clearer, more professional-looking video
5x optical zoom lens, aperture: F=3.5(W)-4.7(T)
Digital zoom: 12x max. shooting, 62.5x max. playback
2.5” LCD monitor
Face Chaser technology can detect up to 12 faces for photos and videos
ISO Stiils: Auto (ISO 50 – 400), Manual (ISO 50/100/200/400/800/1600, Switching system)
Microphone: Built-in stereo, Speaker: Built-in monaural (L+Rch mixed output)
Internal memory: Approx. 43 mb
SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card (up to 32GB)
Lithium-ion battery x 1 (DB-L20 included: 720mAh)

Languages

English, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, Japanese, Thai, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese

Price and Availability

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA9 will be available in black, red, and green colors for US$349.99 (MSRP).

Now available at Amazon UK.

Polaroid launches PoGo Instant Digital Camera

Editor — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:02:06 +0000

Polaroid has announced the launch of the Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera, the first digital camera and instant printer combination that is portable enough to take anywhere. With the push of a button, consumers can select from among the digital photos on the camera, crop or edit them and in less than 60 seconds, print full-color, 2×3-inch prints – all with a single device.

The Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera is a full-feature digital camera with 100 percent inkless printing. It outputs 2×3-inch sticky-backed photos with or without fun borders and has the advantage of reviewing photos on a three-inch color LCD screen before printing. The camera measures 4.7-inches wide by 3-inches tall and weighs 10 ounces. Unlike traditional Polaroid instant cameras, photos from the Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera emerge fully developed.

Features

Full-feature digital camera
2” x 3” borderless, sticky-back prints
PC, Mac and PictBridge compatibility
Smudge-proof, water-resistant, virtually tear-proof photos
Fade-resistant, long-lasting images
No waste – no ink cartridges
60-second print time
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery

Specifications

3.0” bright color LCD for viewing images
4x digital zoom
SD compatible for expanded memory
View and crop image on camera before printing
Automatic picture lighting enhancement
In-camera red-eye removal
Electronic self timer
PictBridge compatible
Size: Approx. 3.0” H X 4.7″ W X 2.0” D
Weight: Approx. 10 oz. (without battery, memory card, and photo paper)

The Polaroid PoGo™ Instant Digital Camera uses the same ZINK Paper and ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology from ZINK Imaging. ZINK is an ink-free printing technology which replaces ink cartridges or ribbons with ZINK Paper – a composite material that has embedded, heat-activated dye crystals. Before printing, ZINK Paper appears white like regular photo paper. Once the pictures are printed, they are immediately dry to the touch, durable and smudge and water resistant.

What’s in the box

Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera
Wrist strap
Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
10 sheets Polaroid PoGo ZINK Photo Paper
Carrying case
AC adapter/charger
USB cable

The Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera will be available beginning in March 2009 at major retailers for a suggested retail price of $199. Ten-packs of ZINK Photo Paper, which can be used in both the Instant Digital Camera and the Instant Mobile Printer, retail for $4.99 and 30-packs for $12.99, and widely available at retailers in the USA and Europe.

Canon Celebrates 50 Years of SLR Innovation

Editor — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:51:22 +0000

Canon is celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the introduction of their first SLR – the Canonflex.

Introduced in May of 1959, the 35mm focal-plane shutter SLR camera used a high-quality, breechlock lens mount. The lens flange ring was turned to lock the lens onto the camera flange’s bayonet lugs. The lens flange and camera flange did not rub against each other like today’s lens mounts.

The camera used Super-Canomatic lenses which had a fast, fully-automatic diaphragm. A 130-degree winding trigger at the camera bottom enabled quick film advance. An external selenium exposure meter could also be attached.

The top-class 35mm camera market gradually shifted from rangefinder cameras to single-lens reflex cameras. The major reason was that SLRs could handle close-ups, photomicrography, duplication work, and other applications without being constrained by the limits of rangefinder camera lenses. When Canon introduced the Canonflex, there were already eight SLR models on the market.

The cost of the Canonflex in 1959 was 59,500 Yen (US$ 643). Quite a bit if money in those days!

Canonflex Specifications

Type: 35mm focal-plane shutter single-lens reflex camera
Negative Size: 24 x 36 mm
Normal Lens: Canon R50mm f/1.8
Lens Mount R mount: Dedicated bayonet (spigot) mount (inner dia. 48 mm) with three outer lugs
Shutter: Two-axis, horizontal-travel focal-plane shutter with cloth curtains
Shutter Speed: X, B, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, and 1/1000 sec
Timer: Built-in self-timer and shutter button lock
Flash Sync: FP- and X-sync (automatic-switching sync contacts, X-sync speed of 1/55 sec)
Viewfinder: Interchangeable eye-level pentaprism. 0.9x magnification, 92% vertical coverage, 94% horizontal coverage. Split-image rangefinder (diffraction grating)
Exposure Meter: Aperture-reading selenium photocell coupled to the shutter speed dial. Metering range (at ISO 100) switchable between EV 10 – 19 (high) and EV 4 – 13 (low)
Film Loading & Advance: After opening camera back, insertion onto spool. Advances with camera-bottom trigger. (130 single stroke)
Frame Counter: Counts up. Resets automatically when camera back is opened. 1.5x loupe provided
Film Rewind: Collapsible crank
Dimensions & Weight: 145 x 100 x 49 mm, 940 g (body)

Want one for your collection? Try eBay:

Canon Super Canomatic R 50mm 1:1.8 PRIME STANDARD Lens from Canonflex RM Camera

US $145.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-02-2012 16:55:41 PST
Buy It Now for only: US $145.00
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Cyber-shot® DSC-T500 – High Def Movies on a Budget

Editor — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 04:10:48 +0000

Sony is adding high-definition movie recording to its digital camera line starting with the Cyber-shot® DSC-T500 model. The 10MP DSC-T500 features wide and full-screen 720p movie recording at 30fps in fine, standard and VGA recording modes. This resolution is three times higher than standard-definition movies. The movie function is based on the MPEG4 AVC/H.264 codec for video compression and stereo audio. Benefits of the format include high-quality video as well as small file sizes that are easy to download, upload and share.

The DSC-T500 can continuously record a video clip up to 10 minutes in length. It can hold hours of clips by expanding the camera’s capacity with a Memory Stick® media card (sold separately). Memory Stick® media is now available in capacities up to 16GB. It also features a dual photo and video capture mode. Simply press the photo button while in movie mode and capture up to three photos with no recording interruption.

Features

10.1-megapixel effective recording
5X optical zoom (2X digital/10X total zoom)
Optical SteadyShot® image stabilization
3-1/2″ touchscreen LCD with anti-reflective coating
35mm equivalent lens focal length: 33-165mm
highest JPEG resolution: 3648 x 2736
high sensitivity mode (ISO 3200) for low-light shooting without flash
face detection controls focus, exposure, and color for detailed portraits
16:9 widescreen high resolution photo mode
9 scene selection modes including Beach, Landscape, and Twilight Portrait
stereo microphone/speaker
720p high-definition movie mode with audio (1280 x 720 at 30 frames per second)
9-point autofocus for shooting multiple or off-center subjects
macro mode
burst mode takes up to 100 consecutive rapid-fire photos
variable ISO (film speed equivalent) settings
in-camera slide show with music playback
4MB built-in flash memory holds 1 photo at top resolution
high-speed USB interface
compatible with Memory Stick® Duo and Memory Stick® PRO Duo™ media
compatible with PictBridge-enabled printers
Dimensions: 4″W x 2-1/2″H x 15/16″D
weight (with battery): 6.4 oz.

The DSC-T500 camera integrates a wide (16:9), 3.5-inch (measured diagonally), transflective, touch panel LCD screen for easy navigation, framing and viewing in strong light conditions. It has a Carl Zeiss® 5x optical zoom lens with a wide field of view (33 – 165mm, 35mm equivalency). It incorporates Optical SteadyShot image stabilization and high sensitivity settings up to ISO3200 helps combat blur and facilitate flash-free shooting for natural-exposed photos. The DSC-T500 also incorporates face detection technology, an intelligent function that automatically detects up to eight faces in the camera frame and adjusts focus, exposure and flash.

What’s in the box?

Cyber-shot® DSC-T500
rechargeable InfoLithium® battery (NP-BD1)
battery charger (BC-CSD)
audio/video and USB multi-connector cables
wrist strap
software CD-ROM

Price and Availability

The Cyber-shot® DSC-T500 can be found at camera retailers in the USA for about $350.

Creative Vado HD Pocket Video Camcorder

Editor — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:26:23 +0000

Creative has followed the introduction of the Creative Vado with a HD version. The new Creative Vado HD is the only pocket video cam to feature HDMI connectivity (includes a HDMI cable that provides 1080i output to an HDTV). It also features a wide-angle precision glass lens for ’stunning’ video quality.

The Creative Vado HD captures H.264 AVI videos at 30fps using a 1,280×720 CMOS sensor. You get about 2 hours of battery life from its removable rechargeable battery. You can also shoot 640×480 VGA video.

Included is 8GB of built-in memory to carry up to two hours of HD video and is available only in carbon black. The built-in software allows posting videos to YouTube, Photobucket or Box.net. Also includes Muvee software for video editing and customization, and capturing snapshots.

Features

Slim, lightweight, pocket-sized design
720p HD video capture
8GB of built-in memory
HDMI connector provides 1080i video output to HDTV
Built-in 2-inch color antiglare LCD screen
Removable rechargeable battery
Wide-angle precision glass lens
Built-in USB cable for PC
Built-in Creative Vado Central software

What’s in the box?

Vado HD Pocket Video Cam
HDMI Cable
USB Extension Cable
Silicon Skin
Rechargeable Battery

Accessories

Optional accessories include a Waterproof Pouch, Mesh Pouch, Spare Rechargeable Battery and a Battery Charger.

Price and Availability

The MSRP is $229.99 although Amazon is selling the Creative Vado HD for $199.99. Pricing seems a bit steep given the fact that non-HD version can be purchased for $79.99.

Also, see our Vado eBay Listings page!

Creative Labs Vado HD 720p Pocket Video Camcorder with 8 GB Video Storage and 2x Digital Zoom (Black) OLD MODEL
Price: —

16 suppliers – prices from USD 49.95