Digital Cameras

To date the greatest detraction for digital camera enthusiasts is the long time it takes for the lens to properly focus and snap its subject. Add this to start up time and you're often behind the eight ball when trying to shoot spontaneously. Ricoh may have changed all this with the high speed, wide-angle Caplio R1 digital camera. The four Megapixel camera features a world first 'pendulum' retracting lens system that allows the R1 to focus and snap in just 0.05 of a second. Ricoh claims it is up to twenty-five times faster than other digital cameras. With the focus lock achieved the camera can shoot in an almost instantaneous 0.003 of a second.  Read More

The megapixel space race continues, and the 7 megapixel barrier was broken for a compact camera in Australia this week when the new Olympus C-70 ZOOM went on sale. Claiming it is the smallest 7.1-megapixel, 5x optical zoom model in the world the C-70 went on sale in Australia in September, retailing for $899 and measuring just 102mm (W) x 59mm (H) x 42mm (D). The C-70 features a newly developed 5x optical zoom lens that is specifically designed to maximise the imaging potential of its 7.1-megapixel CCD, as well as an Olympus-developed TruePic TURBO image.  Read More

Nikon has announced a new 8-megapixel Coolpix 8800 digital camera with a 10x optical zoom Nikkor ED glass lens, which opens the shooter to an unmatched 35-350mm (35mm equivalent) zoom range, the longest zoom range available in the 8-megapixel category, and delivers razor sharp images.  Read More

Nikon has announced a new D2X professional digital SLR camera that blends high resolution image quality, color consistency and blazing speed. The high resolution is achieved by an all-new 12.4 million pixel DX Format CMOS image sensor and a new image processing engine. Despite the high resolution, the D2X can comfortably shoot full resolution images at five frames per second and eight frames a second in 6.8 megapixel 'High Speed Cropped Image' mode.  Read More

Sony, the worldwide camcorder market leader, has released details of a new high definition camcorder which will completely blur the lines between the professional and consumer market. The HDR-FX1 Handycam camcorder records and plays back high definition video with 1080 interlaced lines of resolution - the highest resolution (1440 pixels x 1080 lines) of any consumer camcorder available.  Read More

Casio has announced the release of the world's smallest digital camera with an optical zoom (2.8X), the EXILIM CARD EX-S100. The camera and its lens owe their exceptionally compact packaging to another world's first - the application of ceramic lens technology providing a great advance in optical quality with even greater strength than glass. The EX-S100 will be available in October 2004 at an RRP of US$400.  Read More

Samsung Electronics has launched its second-generation DuoCam VP-D6050i which combines a 5.25 megapixel digital still camera and mini-digital video, with a dedicated lens for each function and switch between the two at the push of a button. For digital still pictures the DuoCam features 5.25 mega pixels, a 3x optical/12x digital zoom and a built-in auto flash. Images can be saved onto a variety of flash memory cards via an innovative 4 in 1 memory media slot.  Read More

Casio has developed the world's first lens using transparent ceramics. This breakthrough will make it possible to make zoom lenses for cameras which are much smaller. The technology is expected to find its way into the next generation of Casio's thin Exilim card-size digital camera and continues the major push in technological development to find better methods of creating smaller, thinner cameras.  Read More

Olympus has announced the Ferrari Digital Model 2004, the second in the Ferrari Digital Model 2004 series of Olympus cameras to be officially sanctioned by Ferrari. Based on the all-new Olympus AZ-1 compact digital camera, the aluminium body is finished in Ferrari Red and is graced with the famous 'Prancing Horse' logo.  Read More