Digital Camera Swim Mask leaves you handsfree

Taking a leaf out of the miner's book, this swim mask plonks a camera right where a miner's lamp normally sits. Which is pretty convenient if you think about it, since this leaves you completely handsfree, with no need to lug along a camera in a bulky waterproof casing the next time you go exploring the Big Blue. Add to that the ability to snap spontaneous shots of Neptune's denizens without having to make sudden moves, like whip the camera into position.

This comes with a decent 5-megapixel sensor, an in-mask indicator to alert if you're in photo or video mode, integrated crosshairs in the eyepieces for zeroing in on the shot, and a microSD card slot. We'll assume that despite the lack of an onboard flash unit, this snapper has been designed for underwater capture. Good for up to 15ft. Hammacher Schlemmer touts this as "The only digital camera swim mask". For that little privilege, you only have to gurgle up US$100.

Via Uncrate

Fujifilm playing Cupid: Get closer to snap

We thought we'd seen it all with face, smile and even blink detection. But Fujifilm surprised us once more (after face detection 2.0) with the Couple Timer in its new FinePix Z200fd.

"Couple wha-?" We were amused by the name, too. Apparently, this feature is used in conjunction with face detection to gauge how close the two faces are in the frame. Depending on how intimate you are to the other subject, you can change the setting on the point-and-shoot from one heart to three. When the camera sees that the subjects are close enough, it will snap a shot automatically.

Also a new feature is the Group Timer. Once set, the shooter will wait for all the indicated faces (up to four) to be in the shot before it takes a picture.

Although the FinePix Z200fd is a slim shooter at only 19.8mm thick, it also offers 5x optical zoom, a 10-megapixel sensor and the usual features like image stabilization, automatic red-eye correction, etc.

Seen alongside the Z200fd is the 8.1-megapixel FinePixA850, a compact digicam powered by two AA-sized batteries. It has a 3x optical zoom and 14 scene modes to choose from, so even amateurs can take great shots.

The FinePix Z200fd will be available in Asia from mid-June, while the FinePix A850 will be on shelves only from end July. Pricing for both models has yet to be confirmed, but we will update once we have the information.

Photo credit: Fujifilm

Moist towelettes for your phone, body

La Fresh, a company that specializes in those handy, self-contained disposable cleaning wipes, has a new product launching next week called the Tech Pack. We got our (literally) grubby hands on the towelettes this morning and now have clean(er) glasses, hands, and electronics.

The kit comes with the standard hand and lens cleaners to clean your hands and glasses. It also throws in some dry, microfiber screen-cleaning wipes. The entire thing is bundled in a TSA-safe package you can throw in your bag or toiletry kit when you're traveling. I gave the wipes a spin on my digital camera and laptop and it made a noticeable difference, although if you've got actual solids on your screen (like latte remnants), you're better off with a wet solution.

The kit runs at about US$10 and is biodegradeable.

Via Crave CNET | Photo credit: Josh Lowensohn, CNET Networks

Canon's US$500 dSLR?

Yet another day, yet another rumor of a Canon dSLR. But this time round, it is not the highly anticipated and much speculated successor to the 5D. Instead, it is a budget model that seems to be priced even lower than the current EOS 450D, which was released for less than half a year.

For those who think the 450D is already a very basic model, Photographybay reported that this rumored model may be a scaled-down version of it. Named "EOS 1000D" by Netizens, this shooter is predicted to have a 10-megapixel sensor, seven autofocus points, 2.5-inch LCD display, and the much-coveted Live View feature.

The EOS 1000D is expected to be launched at Photokina in Germany later this year. Its price tag is estimated at around US$500, which will certainly drive consumers wild.

Personally, I think this rumor may be a fake because the 450D was just announced and this model, if released, may dampen sales. Unless Canon is looking to target another specific group of consumers with the budget unit, it doesn't really make sense. But if it does, expect a price war to rage. Naturally, we consumers will reap the benefits of cheaper dSLRs from it.

Update: Canon Singapore has mentioned that it "cannot comment on Internet rumors" but will update us if the company has any "relevant market information".

Limited-edition Sony Alpha 350

Camera manufacturers are known to create limited-edition models for their existing ones and slap on a higher price tag for the exclusivity. In 2000, Nikon re-released its S2000 rangefinder and, no prizes for guessing it right, limited this to 2,000 pieces worldwide.

Clad in a matt gold chassis instead of the conventional black, buyers can also expect a specially designed strap and each camera will have a serial number starting from 000 to 200. From the pictures, we understand the kit lens will also have a gold band around it to match the color scheme.

Other than the exterior, the specifications of the camera remain the same.

The shooter is available only from the Japanese Sony Style Web site and is priced at US$960. For a sum like this, it is pretty affordable for a limited-edition piece. If you're planning to get it, just pray that its value will rise over time.

Click for larger image:



Picture credit: Sony Style Japan

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