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Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 Review at DC Resource

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DC Resource has posted a review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1.

If you’re sticking to small prints and like all the unique features that the HX1 offers, then it’s worth a look. Those of you who’ll be making large prints or viewing the images on your computer may want to look at another super zoom model.

For more news and reviews, see Photography Bay’s Sony HX1 Reviews and Resources.

Apple iPod Camera Coming?

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Rumors abound (see Gizmodo, CrunchGear) of the next-gen iPod, which these renderings from iLounge.com suppose will include a digital camera.  The renderings suggest a design very similar to the current form factor of the 4th gen iPod Nano; however, the screen ratio is a 1.5:1 instead of the current 1.33:1 ratio.  This ratio would mesh perfectly with traditional 3:2 aspect ratio (as we photographers call it) found in most digital cameras today, leading to an appropriate format for 4×6 prints.

Whether it’s the real deal or not, we should know soon enough; however, iLounge makes it a point to note that their source “has a perfect track record for accuracy.”  If Apple is getting back into digital cameras, look out.

Apple already has a huge and powerful image editing platform in iPhoto and Aperture.  Apple has a gift for making products work intuitively and integrating multiple products into one design, which we’ve seen over the past couple years with the iPhone.

Stay tuned for the latest.  This could get interesting.

Canon 5D Mark II – Manual Exposure Control in Video Mode

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Canon has apparently been reading the numerous forum posts where 5D Mark II users have requested – nay, demanded – manual exposure control for their videos.  Well an email from Canon USA has confirmed that it’s coming . . . in June to be exact.

Canon will issue a firmware update to enable full manual exposure controls while shooting video, including ISO, aperture and shutter speed.  Although, I’m not sure what they mean by shutter speed. Isn’t the shutter always open in video mode?

Advanced Sound for DSLRs

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Advanced Sound for DSLR’s from Steve Weiss, Zacuto USA on Vimeo.

If there’s one huge gap in the video features of new DSLRs like the Canon Rebel T1i and Nikon D5000, it’s the sound.  Simply put, it was an after thought that seriously handicaps these cameras.  This video from the guys at Zacuto talks about how fix this problem with a little $349 solution called the Zoom H4n Handy Portable Digital Recorder.  They also give you a couple of quick and simple tips for synching your audio with your video in post-production.  Good stuff.

Samsung GX-30 Rumors

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Photo Rumors is reporting to have reliable info that the Samsung GX-30 will be introduced in June 2009.  Presumably, this will be a follow-up to the Samsung GX-20.  Perhaps Samsung will change its mind and bring the GX-30 along with the Samsung NX series to US consumers.

The Samsung GX-20 was practically a clone of the Pentax K20D.  The partnership between Samsung and Pentax has been rumored to be taking a different direction since the K20D and GX-20 were introduced.  While it would make sense to see a K-7 clone as the new Samsung DSLR, recent trends between the two suggest otherwise.

At PMA 2009, Samsung was certainly not banging the DSLR drum.  In fact, they were downplaying it.  It would be curious to see Samsung jump out with a new DSLR when the NX series is still on the drawing board as a product they hope to launch by Q4 2009.  However, when the Photo Rumors folks call something reliable, there’s usually something to it.  Stay tuned.