Sony rolls out new DSLRs

Sony rolls out new DSLRs

Sony is back in the digital camera game, introducing new models which are powered by the world’s first translucent mirror technology that paves the way for simultaneous auto focus and capture in an interchangeable lens digital camera. These new models are capable of deliver continuous phase detect AF during 10 fps High-Speed Shooting and Full HD Movie Shooting moments. The two models that we’re talking about would hail from the Alpha range, where they are known as the SLT-A55V and the SLT-A33. Just what is Translucent Mirror Technology, you ask? More on that in the extended post.

Translucent Mirror Technology basically delivers performance that was previously unattainable with traditional DSLR technology. Both the a55 and a33 models are able to continuously and quickly focus (with TTL phase-detection) while shooting stills and recording video, even when you decide to take the full HD route, letting desired moments to be captured in tack sharp focus, high-definition video. As mentioned earlier, they are able to shoot continuously at up to 10 frames per second on the a55 (the a33 can muster up to seven only though), making them the fastest shooting speeds in the industry for an APS-C size sensor-equipped interchangeable lens cameras that do not cost more than $1,000.

The translucent mirror will enable light to pass through the lens in order for it to be simultaneously received by the image sensor and the auto focus sensor, which in turn enables continuous shooting and continuous focusing at speeds never before possible. Since there is no longer any need to raise and lower the mirror between shots, such technology enables one to focus while images are captured – something existing systems cannot do. They will also feature continuous Advance Priority AE Mode and can automatically adjust for the best exposure to help you get the most professional looking results. The inclusion of Full-time Live View also delivers unprecedented freestyle shooting versatility with fast, precise AF using either the viewfinder or LCD monitor. These new camera models will play nice with both Memory Stick PRO Duo and SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card formats for added versatility. The Sony a55 and a33 cameras will retail for around $750 and $650, respectively for only the body – if you want to include the 18-55mm zoom lens, that will cost you another $100.

Epson has two more projectors for the market

Epson has two more projectors for the market

Epson seems to do really well in the projector market, churning out new models time and again, making them the number-one selling projector brand worldwide. Well, they certainly aren’t going to rest on their laurels, having announced a couple of affordable, feature-packed and easy to use projectors which will target both small and medium-sized businesses. We will look at the Epson PowerLite 1220 and the PowerLite 1260, where the former will cost $649 while the latter is a Benjamin more expensive. The PowerLite 1220 will feature XGA resolution, while the PowerLite 1260 has a higher resolution at widescreen WXGA, boasting 16:10 aspect ratio in order to fully utilize the capabilities of a widescreen notebook. Both models will sport 2600 lumens color and white light output that ought to make them suitable for bright presentations and true-to-life color. We will look at both models in greater detail after the jump.

First off, the Epson PowerLite 1200 series will deliver features which are found in higher end models most of the time, and we’re talking about the presence of USB Plug ‘n Play Instant Setup which can instant projects images and presentations from a PC or Mac machine using nothing but your humble USB connection. This works great when traveling from place to place doing presentations, since you no longer need to deal with bulky VGA cables and toggling between computer keys. Apart from that, both models will also sport another USB port for direct connection of a USB memory device, giving even those with no netbooks or notebooks to present a slideshow. As for the more expensive PowerLite 1260, it is equipped with an HDMI audio/video connection for delivery of high-definition video content for powerful entertainment possibilities.

Among their other features include :-

Positioning Flexibility: Automatic keystone correction and 1.2x optical zoom for easy setup

Convenient Control: Direct Power On and Off allows for an installed projector to be powered on and off with a flip of a wall switch

Instant On/Off enables presenters to avoid delays when starting and finishing presentations and be up and running in only five seconds

A/V Mute Slide instantly turns off the sound and images to create a quick pause in the presentation, conserving lamp life and energy, and helping to save costs

Easy Portability: Sleek, compact design and included carrying case offers easy portability and protection

3LCD Technology: Features the latest, 3LCD, 3-chip technology to deliver amazing, true-to-life color and detail for powerful presentations; the 3LCD light engine

efficiently uses available lamp light to create stunning images; in contrast to 1-chip DLP technology, 3LCD requires, on average, 25 percent less electricity per lumen of brightness

Extended Lamp Life: Using Epson’s exclusive E-TORL lamp technology, the lamp life can last up to 5,000 hours(4) in economy mode, helping to maximize presentation time

Canon EOS 60D DSLR ready to rock and roll

Canon EOS 60D DSLR ready to rock and roll

Are you in the market for a new DSLR, but am not quite sure on which model to purchase? Well, the new Canon EOS 60D DSLR might just fit the bill, considering it will be able to deliver high-quality digital capture as well as skillful post-processing that will deliver superior end results, not to mention better control over in-camera image processing which translates to less time editing and more time shooting. Apart from that, Full HD video recording capability is also thrown into the mix, with manual audio level control and flexible LCD displays adding to the EOS 60D’s desirability.

One of the things that make the EOS 60D DSLR special would be the inclusion of a three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD display, Creative Filters for easy image manipulation, Full HD video recording with manual overrides, and in-camera functionality for RAW image processing. Meant for advanced amateurs, those who are just starting out in the world of digital photography might want to consider other models such as a Micro Four Thirds camera. Meant to take over where the EOS 50D left off, its large Vari-Angle LCD display boasts anti-reflective and smudge-resistant coatings, making it ideal for composing low-angle or overhead shots without missing a beat.

It’s new Multi-Control Dial also sees a Multi-Controller and Set button located within the Quick Control Dial, helping to streamline camera navigation for vertical as well as horizontal shooting while obtaining a cleaner camera design simultaneously. Canon also heard their customers, and will introduce a locking mode dial that makes camera operation a whole lot more secure as it prevents inadvertent changes to the photographer’s selected shooting mode. Among the other in-camera RAW image processing features include Picture Style, White Balance (WB), Color Space, High-ISO Noise Reduction, Peripheral Illumination Correction, linear distortion correction and chromatic aberration correction. There is also a new Aspect Ratio feature that lets the Live View screen can display cropping lines for 1:1, 16:9 or 4:3

aspect ratios, apart from the regular 3:2 ratio. These cropping lines do tremendously help one to compose images in Live View. Expected to hit the US at the end of September, it will cost $1,099 for a body-only configuration, while a kit version with Canon’s EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens will cost you $1,399

Samsung outs 90 and 30 Series Monitors with HDTV Tuners

Samsung outs 90 and 30 Series Monitors with HDTV Tuners

Samsung grabs the headlines yet again with 90 and 30 Series Monitors which will come equipped with HDTV Tuners, letting viewers switch between work and play easily, boasting enhanced picture quality without taking up additional space in your living room/work area. Both the 30 and 90 series monitors can function as a small TV if you happen to live in an apartment, but it will not compromise in terms of quality since it can deliver full HD resolution while boasting Picture in Picture (PiP) for multi-tasking users to use their computer for work while watching the latest news reports in a corner of the display without the need for another monitor or coughing up extra for more connections.

These monitors will be equipped with a couple of HDMI inputs for easy connection to multiple HD devices, be they cable boxes, video game consoles or Blu-ray players amongst others. Samsung’s Connectshare feature will also introduce a new dimension where multi-media capabilities are concerned, enabling users to instantly view and listen to music, movies and photos on the monitor from a range of devices such as a memory stick, portable media player, or digital camera through a plug-and-play USB connection. As for enhanced viewing options and productivity, the 30 and 90 series monitors will also boast Samsung’s MagicAngle that lets you enjoy full brightness and color range when viewing the monitor from above, below or to the side. Other magical options include Magic Eco, Magic Return, Magic Color, MagicTune and Magic Bright.

The 24-inch LED 90 series is definitely a looker, featuring a Touch of Color Mystic Brown finish accented with a chrome-coated quadruple stand. Just like all other Samsung LED technologies, the new 90 series monitors is eco-friendly in the sense where it will consume up to 40% less juice compared to non-LED displays. As for the 30 series which will come in 21.5-inch, 23-inch and 24-inch screen sizes, is finished in a sleek black with a clear acrylic bar along the bottom bezel. Not only that, the 30 series will boast a rear wave pattern for added attraction when seen from the side. Expect the 90 Series to hit the market next month for $419.99, with the 30 Series starting from $269.99 and going all the way to $329.99, depending on its size.

T-Fal Digital Toaster

T-Fal Digital Toaster

This toaster is definitely making my toaster look bad. I really thought I was doing pretty good, mine even has buttons for bagels and frozen items. Sadly it turns out that my shiny metal toaster is getting behind on the times thanks to T-Fal feeling the need to show off. Not only do they have the buttons I adore, but they also have added an LCD screen.

They have the usual buttons, but they have some added ones that could come in handy. Things like defrost and reheat are a little new to me. Although I can’t really think of an instance that I’ve needed a reheat function. The toaster shown here is $34.95 through Cooking, but that’s not the only Digital Toaster that T-Fal has fixed up. They also have a longer one that will accommodate 4 slices of bread and it’s not much more. To get the larger one it’s only $39.95.

Iomega offers new USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives

Iomega offers new USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives

Iomega is at it again when it comes to portable hard drives, and the company has just released their latest device – the all new USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drive. Not only will it take advantage of the super fast USB 3.0 connection, it will also be able to keep your precious data inside safe and secure using hardware encryption as well as boasting exterior toughness that ought to put even the most paranoid person to shame. This new eGo will surely boost your very own whenever you take it out for a spin, and you won’t even find your jaw dropping when your friend or colleage drops it to the floor by accident, courtesy of a drop spec which is double that of the industry average.

Iomega is proud to announce that they are the first to move towards an all USB 3.0 portable hard drive lineup without charging a price premium to their customers. For those who are not in the know, USB 3.0 connectivity will help deliver speeds of up to 10 times that of USB 2.0, and as we mentioned earlier, this new range is extremely tough considering it can withstand a 7-foot drop without missing a beat. Not only that, your important data within can be kept secure thanks to AES 256-bit hardware encryption, placing Iomega’s eGo Portable Hard Drive comfortably within the premium must-have portable storage product range. It isn’t just all hardware though, as Iomega ensures you get value for your money on the software front as well thanks to a bundled software Protection Suite that comprises of popular titles such as Iomega’s QuikProtect, v.Clone and Trend Micro’s Internet Security.

Iomega aims to move all eGo Portable Hard Drives in 500GB and 1TB capacities to the new USB 3.0 interface before October is over, where it will play nice with all USB 2.0 computers as well. From the first quarter of 2011 onwards, the entire Iomega Prestige Portable Hard Drive line will migrate to USB 3.0 across all models, and this 2.5″ hard drive is also highly portable since it is bus-powered, which means there is no need for an external power adapter. The 500GB and 1TB drives will cost $114 and $189, respectively, when they ship.

Kodak announces new PLAYTOUCH Video Camera

Kodak announces new PLAYTOUCH Video Camera

Kodak isn’t just all about photo prints, you know, as the company also has its own range of digital imaging hardware. The latest among the entire bunch would be the PLAYTOUCH video camera, where it will attempt to keep up with the times by featuring a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen display that allows you to go through your entire collection of high definition videos using nothing but the swipe of a fingertip. Thanks to new on-camera editing as well as Kodak’s exclusive Share Button, it will make the PLAYTOUCH Video Camera all the easier for consumers to share their favorite moments with friends and family – in full 1080p HD, no less.

Coming in a rather unique design, the Kodak PLAYTOUCH Video Camera is not short on features to help even the budding videographer to capture their memories with clarity and precision. Among the features thrown into the mix to make life a whole lot easier (and more fun) would be built-in image stabilization, a LCD glare shield and an external microphone jack. If you want to share your videos with family and friends, the process is made a whole lot easier thanks to its built-in USB connector as well as Kodak’s Share Button which allows you to tag videos and pictures on the camera itself for direct, automatic upload to popular social networking sites the moment the camera is hooked up to an Internet-connected computer.

For the list of features and capabilities of the Kodak PLAYTOUCH, here they are below.

Share Button for easy video upload to YOUTUBE and FACEBOOK sites, and email

3-inch capacitive touchscreen LCD optimized for reviewing in landscape mode for the ultimate 1080p HD video sharing experience

On-camera editing features to trim and extract still pictures from video

5 MP HD still pictures

Sharper videos and less blur with built-in digital image stabilization

Built-in USB arm for easy sharing, charging, and transferring

Smart face tracking technology

LCD glare shield feature

External stereo microphone jack to add high-quality sound to videos or to plug in headphones for discreet playback

4 capture effects, including B&W, sepia, high saturation, and ’70s film look

HDMI output (HDMI cable included)

Up to 10 hours of HD video with expandable SD/SDHC card slot (up to 32 GB)

Li-Ion rechargeable battery with in-camera charging

PC and MAC iLIFE product compatibility

You will be able to choose from Smoke Gaze (Black), Chrome, Wine Country (Magenta), Cabana (Orange) and Spa Blue (Teal) colors as it hits the US market this fall for $229.95 

Canon Selphy CP800 compact photo printer

Canon Selphy CP800 compact photo printer

When you talk about consumer class printers, one of the names that is surely high up on anyone’s rating list would be Canon, as it mixes with the best to say the least. Well, the company has just another compact photo printer ready to rock and roll – we’re talking about the Canon Selphy CP800 that will come with a new tilt LCD display apart from the innovative and fun Shuffle feature which will go some way in enhancing its ease-of-use and functionality. This will succeed where the hugely successful Canon Selphy CP780 Compact Photo Printer left off, delivering an innovative design that enables consumers to enjoy the flexibility and convenience of printing high-quality photos from just about anywhere without the need to wait in line at busy kiosks at retail locations.

The size and portability of the Canon Selphy CP800 Compact Photo Printer will definitely surprise you (pleasantly, I might add), where it allows you to produce instant keepsake photos from almost anywhere. A good place to use it would be at wedding receptions, where you can always print out snapshots on the spot for your guests to bring home as a memento, although the environmental impact of this act might turn away from Greenpeace activists, what with the amount of ink used when a digital photo for them as a keepsake is more than enough. Thanks to the optional battery pack, you can immediately print memorable photos from a day camping in the woods or of a child’s first big catch while fishing. Of course, this printer will have nothing to do with the virtue of waiting for something, so it is the perfect tool for the chronically impatient.

It’s 2.5-inch tilt LCD display allows for easy viewing, selecting and editing of images, and thanks to the Smooth Skin feature, it is capable of delivering more natural and appealing colors at a glance. Not only that, more support is provided by the Image Optimizer which will do its part in correcting exposure and adjusting the brightness level, contrast and sharpness of images. As for the Portrait Image Optimize feature, it is smart enough to deliver face detection, backlight correction and noise reduction automatically. Available in either black or white colors, the Canon Selphy CP800 Compact Photo Printer will retail for $99.99.

Razer ups gaming ante with Razer BlackWidow

Razer ups gaming ante with Razer BlackWidow

Everyone by now should more or less have heard of the Razer brand when it comes to computer gaming peripherals that are of high quality. Well, the latest device to join the fray would be the Razer BlackWidow, where this mechanical gaming keyboard was specially engineered for gamers who want nothing less than superior tactile feedback and comfort while playing. It is interesting to note that from Razer’s point of view, the majority of mechanical keyboards in the market today are standard mechanical keyboards rebadged as gaming keyboards that feature stiff keys that cause key actuation fatigue. Basically, what Razer is saying is this – such keyboards will leave gamers off for the worse since it decreases gameplay performance instead of enhancing it. Razer’s BlackWidow offers something different, being built from ground up by gamers while boasting a uniquely tactile mechanical key architecture that provides each key on the keyboard with a crisp response and tactile feedback similar to a mouse click. When used in tandem with a unique key actuation point halfway through the full travel distance, the optimized mechanical key structure found in each of the Razer BlackWidow’s keys provide for greater precision and accuracy versus other traditional mechanical keyboards.

The keys on the Razer BlackWidow also boast one of the lightest actuation forces for all keyboards. They have been specially optimized by the Razer design team from readily available components, albeit going through rigorous quality standards from Razer to deliver a product of unparalleled quality. Apart from that, the Razer BlackWidow is also the only mechanical keyboard which comes with fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording, not to mention five additional gaming keys to up the ante when it comes to gaming compatibility and performance. It will be out this September for $79.99, although folks living across the pond will have to fork out theoretically more (after conversion) at €79.99.

Canon EOS 7D Studio Version is top of the line shooter

Canon EOS 7D Studio Version is top of the line shooter

Are you a budding photographer who wants something that is far out and able to help you achieve the next level in your photo shoots? Or are you already a seasoned professional who is looking for yet another piece of equipment to assist you in maintaining your position at the echelon of your industry? The Canon EOS 7D Studio Version will definitely appeal most to wedding and portrait photographers not to mention professional school and event photographers, where it comes with four levels of “locking” camera controls for studio environments. Not only that, the new EOS 7D Studio Version is also accompanied by the announcement of a Canon Barcode Solution that will link customer data directly with the image file in order for it to be maintained through the whole workflow process, making it perfect for school photographers, forensic and medical photo workflows.

Administrators can disable unwanted features and settings in the new “Locking” EOS 7D Studio Version DSLR, letting professional studio operators work with the comfort of knowing the end result will be both reliable and repeatable. Hmmm, guess this means even having a kid around won’t be too much of a worry that he/she will fiddle with your controls whenever you are not around. With a quartet of lock leves as mentioned, it allows administrators to enable the appropriate level of camera functionality for any studio operation. Not only that, custom functionality management can also be achieved via each level by unlocking individual features according to operator-specific needs. Security is further augmented with a daily password that prevents anyone with a different vision from changing the camera settings as well as disrupting the overall project and workflow.

The new EOS 7DSV (Studio Version) Barcode Kit (EOS 7DSV and WFT-E5A with firmware change) will retail for $2,599, while the body only EOS 7DSV (Studio Version) will cost much less at $1,829.