High Definition
Zoom has announced a smaller brother to the company's excellent Q3HD handycam. First shown at Frankfurt's Musikmesse 2012 in March, the new Q2HD shares many of the feature set with its bigger sibling, but sports something called Mid-Side stereo microphone technology instead of an X/Y pattern. Mid-Side stereo audio recording was first introduced in Zoom's H2n Handy Recorder and offers precision control over the width of the stereo field, allowing users to decide how much of the surrounding noise/ambient sound gets through to the recording. Read More
OmniVision details its highest resolution 1/3.2-inch optical format sensor to date
While smartphone cameras may never be able to fully replace a high end digital camera, they're definitely giving it a darn good try. We've already seen the first 8-megapixel camera phones hitting the streets, and now OmniVision has announced the development of a 12.7 megapixel camera chip sensor capable of full resolution stills at 24 frames per second. As well as helping ensure that mobile photographers are able to grab all the action by minimizing shutter lag between shots, the new sensor also caters for in-device image editing and high dynamic range photography. Read More
While 1080p has barely had time to establish itself as the standard for high definition video in the home, its replacement is already making its presence felt. Panasonic provided a glimpse of our ultra high resolution future with its 152-inch 4K resolution plasma TV at CES in 2010, but now Sony has become the first company to release a 4K home cinema projector that offers four times the resolution of existing 1080p displays. Read More
LG unveiled the world's largest and slimmest 55-inch OLED (organic light-emitting diode) TV at the Salle des Etoiles in Monaco earlier this week. First given a U.S. showing at CES 2012, the OLED TV's four-color pixel technology and Color Refiner work together to offer vibrant, natural and comfortable Full 1080p HD viewing in both 2D and 3D. Cutting edge technology doesn't come cheap though, so be prepared to gasp as the price is revealed after the jump. Read More
Whether you're speeding down the slopes, on a biking epic through the woods or riding the rapids in a kayak, having to wait until you get to a laptop to share your recorded adventures with friends and family is nothing short of inconvenient. The ION AIR PRO HD Sports Video Camera is said to be one of the first actioncams capable of recording full HD video and sharing it in real time on social networking sites. The camera does this by wirelessly connecting with a smartphone or tablet running the company's free-to-download app, although users will need to buy an extra bit of kit to make all this possible. Read More
Pivothead glasses record what you see in 1080p
Pivothead's entry into the small market of sunglasses with built-in video cameras threatens to knock much of the competition into a cocked hat this April, thanks to its ability to capture 1080p video. The glasses additionally include an 8 MP stills camera, a 44.1 kHz microphone, gyroscopic image stabilization and continuous auto-focus. Read More
At CES this week, Panasonic unveiled what it claims is the world's smallest, thinnest 4K2K-resolution, 20-inch IPS Alpha LCD panel. The prototype ultra-high definition monitor is only 3.5 millimeters thick, yet has about four times the resolution of a standard HDTV, at 3,840 x 2,160 pixels - this translates to approximately 8.29 million pixels in total, with the "world's highest pixel density of 216 pixels per inch." Read More
Fastec TS3 Cine shoots 720p at 720 frames per second
Despite the numerous digital cameras which now offer high definition recording capabilities, if you want to slow things down for Matrix-like action scenes, you usually have to sacrifice the resolution. There are somewhat unwieldy broadcast quality, high-speed solutions available, but the TS3 Cine from the Fastec Imaging Corporation puts high definition super slow motion in the palm of your hand. The DSLR-sized camera offers 720p resolution at 720 frames per second (fps), but if you do want to shed some pixels, then up to 20,000 fps capture is also possible. Read More
Having to stop shooting high definition movies to a take a still image is somewhat frustrating, and can lead to a rather disjointed digital record of an otherwise enjoyable or important moment. There is no such restriction with the SZ-30MR super-zoom from Olympus. Thanks to a dual image processor, users will be able to record full HD movies and snap a full resolution image at the same time. The camera also benefits from fast burst shooting, dual image stabilization and tracking autofocus. Read More
Prodigy jack-of-all-trades media streamer announced
As digital media streamers go, the Prodigy from Xtreamer appears to be something of a jack-of-all-trades. The budget-friendly box can store its own content in a wide variety of formats, connect to external drives or wirelessly hook up with a computer. It has a dedicated internet browser specially tweaked for TV, can play Flash media and will work with Apple's AirPlay technology. There's USB 3.0 and HDMI wired connectivity, and audiophiles will appreciate the lossless audio options, while movie buffs get treated to full 1080p high definition playback ... but it's the new Flash GUI that's said to be the real vote winner. Read More