Little megazoom camcorder from Panasonic

Available in champagne, black, blue, and red, the compact SDR-S26 camcorder features no internal memory for storing video (it records only to SD/SDHC cards), but shares the features of the newly announced hard-drive-based SDR-H80 and SDR-H90. This includes its 70x megazoom lens and advanced O.I.S system to help control the resulting--and potentially nauseating--effects of hand-shake when its fully extended.

Other key features include a fast quick-start option for recording in less than a second and the company's iA technology that does face detection and automatic scene recognition.

It rolls out in April 2009 at the cost of US$329.95.

Via CNET.com

Panasonic shock-, waterproof camcorder gets a little tougher

The Panasonic SDR-SW21 is a very compact, standard-definition camcorder that records to SD/SDHC cards. Oh, and it can survive a 4-foot drop, is waterproof down to 6.5 feet, and the seals are tight enough to make it dustproof, too. (For those interested in the actual tests, Panasonic goes by IEC 60529 IPX8 for water, MIL-STD-810F METHOD 516.5 for shock, and IEC 60529 IP5X for dust.)

The SW21 also features a 0.6-second quick-start recording option and a Web mode that when combined with the included VideoCam Suite software allows you to "seamlessly" upload your video to sharing sites such as YouTube.

I reviewed the previous version, the SW20, and wasn't all that impressed with its video quality. But, there aren't a lot of options out there that have its advantages of small size, easy operation, and rugged body. It's definitely a niche product, but its a larger niche than most.

Look for SDR-SW21 in April 2009 for a little less than $400 and in three color options: lime green, orange, and silver.

Via CNET.com

Fuji helps Polaroid fans move on

The next generation of instant film has made its way into the US market to delight those of us who never had the chance to say goodbye to the classic Polaroid camera.

Fuji's Instax Mini camera creates credit card-size photos in a funky camera that comes in pink, blue, and white.

Last February, Polaroid announced that it's shutting down factories of its instant-film cameras. Websites like SavePolaroid, which actively contacted Polaroid in a bid to save the classic camera, have sprouted in response to the sad departure. Unlike Kodak, which was successfully sued for creating an instant camera, Fuji has produced the Instax with permission from Polaroid, and therefore has some production limitations.

Though Fuji's Instax Mini is no Polaroid, it is a great alternative for photographers who like instant gratification. The 5-inch by 5-inch by 2.5-inch camera sells for US$130 at Urban Outfitters, and film is about US$1 a photo. Compared with what avid Polaroid fans are currently paying for film, this may actually be a cheap and practical solution.

Via CNET Crave

Kodak delivers compact, rugged mini camcorder

Showing it's serious about the mini camcorder market, Kodak rolls out a sibling model for its nice, but somewhat clunky, Zi6, the smaller and weather resistant (IP43 certified) Zx1. It's 30 percent smaller than the Zi6, but the trade-off is a smaller 2-inch LCD.

In many ways it's the same, however. It uses the same sensor, but a different image processor, to shoot its 60 frames per second 720p video, and also offers a VGA mode and still-capture mode. Kodak says it's tweaked the low-light performance, improved the exposure, and decreased lag time for stills. And good news: Unlike the Zi6, the Zx1 lets you delete all, format the memory card, and turn off the sound. Those capabilities will be available in a firmware upgrade for the Zi6. Yay!

Unlike other HD models, the Kodak Xx1 supports HDMI and even bundles a cable. It lacks onboard memory, and the SD card is optional, though it ships with AA NiMH batteries and a charger. Unlike the Zi6, but as has become standard for the category, the software comes built into the device. It uses the same H.264 codec as the Zi6, so the files are Mac compatible, but the software isn't.

The Zx1 also comes in more colors than just the black and pink of the Zi6--it adds blue, red, and yellow. It's slated to ship in early April for US$149.95.

Via CNET's CES 2009 blog

Pentax's face-tracking, vertical-snapping, HD-recording Optio P70

The US$199.95 Optio P70 isn't short on the point-and-shoot features I've come to expect from new models. You get your Smile Capture, your Blink Detection, and some manner of shake reduction (in this case, it's the company's new Pixel Track Shake Reduction, which promises "sharp images in challenging lighting conditions without adding ISO noise").

There's also face detection, and while that's not new, the P70 is apparently capable of hunting down up to 32 faces in as little as 0.03 second. And if you've never been good about switching to an appropriate scene mode, the P70 will pick out one of eight automatically. (That again is more than most auto-scene recognitions can choose from.)
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