Canon Launches PowerShot SX410 IS

 

Canon launch of two more cameras - #PowerShot SX410 IS and PowerShot ELPH 350 HS. Additionally, the Japanese camera giant also teased the existence of the PowerShot G3 X, a premium point-and-shoot with a 1-inch sensor.

The $280 PowerShot SX410 IS is expected to hit the markets in March. This super-zoom bridge camera is a direct upgrade to the PowerShot SX400 and boasts of a 40x optical zoom lens. It has a 20.2-megapixel CCD sensor. Unlike the PowerShot cameras revealed at CES 2015 in January, the PowerShot SX410 IS doesn't have Wi-Fi or NFC pairing mode. Also, the video recording resolution tops off at 720p, which is surprisingly low.

 

Samsung NX500 28-Megapixel Mirrorless Camera

 

 Samsung on Thursday pulled the wraps off its latest mirrorless camera in the NX range - the NX500. This camera, an upgrade to the Samsung NX300, has a 28-megapixel APS-C-size BSI-CMOS sensor with 4K video recording capability. Samsung states that the NX500 will be available for $799.99 from March 2015 and come bundled with 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 Power Zoom ED OIS lens.

The 3-inch Super-AMOLED touchscreen can flip 180-degrees hence enabling users to take selfies at a whopping 28-megapixel resolution. Samsung adds the new DRIMeV imaging processor inside the NX500 and claims that it is much faster than the predecessor. It can shoot UHD (4096x2160 pixels) video and the captured video is compressed in H.265 format. The NX500 can also shoot images in RAW format.

With respect to the connectivity features, the NX500 packs Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC for sharing photos directly with connected smartphones/tablets/computers. Samsung offers HDMI and USB ports for displaying and sharing photos using cables. The NX500 will be offered in three colours - white, black and brown.
The NX500 has dimensions of 120x64x43mm and weighs 370g. Samsung claims that the battery inside the camera can last 370 shots on single charge.

Canon PowerShot SX530 HS Launched

Canon PowerShot SX530 HS Launched

The 16-megapixel PowerShot SX530 HS has a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor and the new Digic 4+ image processor. The camera has a super-zoom 50x optical zoom lens which can operate in an equivalent focal length range of 24-1200mm. Canon adds intelligent image stabilisation to reduce the shakes. Canon also claims that the lens has the capability to capture macro shots even as close as 0cm of the subject. It can operate in the ISO range of 100-3200 and has Center-weighted, Evaluative and Spot exposure metering modes. The camera can shoot 1080p video at 30fps.

The PowerShot SX530 HS is a bridge camera with dimensions of 120.0x81.7x91.9mm and it weighs 442 grams. It has a 3-inch LCD with 461,000 dots on screen. With respect to connectivity options, the camera can connect to smart devices over Wi-Fi and it can also create a connection using NFC.

At CES 2015, Canon also showcased a few other cameras in the PowerShot SX range - the PowerShot SX710 HS and PowerShot SX610 HS, with 30x and 18x optical zoom lenses respectively. There is no word on the availability or pricing of these cameras in India, yet. The firm also unveiled cameras in its PowerShot ELPH range - PowerShot ELPH 170 IS and the PowerShot ELPH 160 - and new VIXIA handycams - VIXIA HF R62, VIXIA R60 and VIXIA HFR600.

How to Unlock hidden features on your Canon dSLR

 

There are many hidden features inside your Canon dSLR. Magic Lantern is the key you need to unlock them.

Magic Lantern is one of the most popular firmware add-ons available, opening up many possibilities for photography and video. It's free, runs alongside the stock Canon firmware and new features are constantly being added.

Before you install Magic Lantern, be aware that it is not in any way supported by Canon. Proceed at your own risk and note that it may void your warranty.
Current cameras supported include the 5D Mark II, 5D Mark III, 6D, 7D, 50D, 60D, 500D/T1i, 550D/T2i, 600D/T3i, 650D/T4i, 700D/T5i, 1100D/T3 and EOS M.

Installation process

Step one: Find a spare SD card and format in-camera. Then, head to the Magic Lantern downloads page and choose your model number from the list.

Step two: Make sure the official firmware on your camera is up to date. The Magic Lantern download page will tell you which is the latest version number. Check what is installed on your camera by choosing any of the manual exposure modes (PASM) on the dial, then press the Menu button. Scroll through until you find the version number.
If required, head to Canon's official support site and download the latest version of the firmware for your dSLR.

Step three: Connect the SD card to your PC or Mac and download the Magic Lantern build for your camera. Extract the zip archive, then put all those files in the root directory of the SD card.

Step four: Insert the SD card into the camera and turn it on. Install the firmware by going to Menu and finding the firmware option. Press Set and confirm your selection to update the firmware. You will be prompted to restart the camera by turning the power off and on again.

Step five: Clear any custom settings by pressing Menu, and find Clear settings. Exit the Canon menu system by pressing Menu again, then press the trash can button to bring up the Magic Lantern options.

 

Sony FDR-AX33 Compact 4K Handycam Launched at CES

 

 

At the ongoing CES 2015 expo in Las Vegas, Sony pulled the wraps off the FDR-AX33, which the company claims is its 'most compact 4K Handycam camcorder to date'. It undercuts the size and weight of last years FDR-AX100 4K camcorder by 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively. It will be available from February for a price of $999 (approximately Rs. 63,200)

Sony is introducing its Balanced Optical SteadyShot (B.O.SS) image stabilization technology in its new camera which reduces the blur while recording 4K video. The camcorder has the ability to record 4K video in XAVC S format with a high bit rate of 100Mbps (requires SDXC UHS-I U3 or higher capacity card). The manual ring and manual button are customisable to suit the needs of the videographer. It has a 3.0-inch LCD, which Sony calls 'Xtra Fine LCD WhiteMagic'. Sony also claims that the electronic viewfinder has approximately three times the resolution of its previous models. Users can extract up to 8.3-megapixel resolution of still image from the captured 4K footage.

Sony has also extended its Handycam lineup to include four new full-HD camcorders - HDR-PJ670, HDR-PJ440, HDR-CX440 and HDR-CX405. All the cameras can shoot 1080p XAVC S 50Mbps high-bitrate video, and feature either B.O.SS or Optical SteadyShot with Intelligent Active mode. All the cameras will be available sometime later this month. The HDR-PJ670, HDR-PJ440, HDR-CX440 and HDR-CX405 will be available for $700 (approximately Rs. 44,300), $400 (approximately Rs. 25,300), $300 (approximately Rs. 19,000) and $230 (approximately Rs. 14,600) respectively. Keep watching this space for India price and availability. 

 

Sony Alpha 7 II Camera

Sony Alpha 7 II Camera 

Sony  unveiled the new Alpha 7 II (ILCE-7M2) mirrorless camera. The new Alpha 7 II has a special 5-axis optical image stabilisation (sensor-shift), which is the first of its kind in a full-frame mirrorless camera.

The five axis optical image stabilisation (OIS) can move along the regular left/ right and up/ down axis. The sensor can try to negate three other angular movements of the camera - tilting up/ down (pitch), swinging left/ right (yaw) and rotating clockwise/ anti-clockwise (roll). Using the CIPA standard, Sony claims that the this OIS system can reduce shakes up to 4.5-stops, which indicates that you can hold the camera in your hands and use shutter speeds that are 4.5-stops slower without a perceptible shake.

Since the OIS is reliant on the sensor, it will work with any lens attached to it, including non-Sony lenses that are attached using an adapter. In fact, if a Sony-Standard E-mount lens with image stabilisation is attached, then the camera leverages on both the image stabilisation systems to further reduce camera shake.

The Alpha 7 II comes with a 24.3-megapixel Exmor CMOS Sensor that features the predecessor's 117 phase detect and 25 contrast detect points, but Sony claims there is a 30 percent improvement in the auto-focus speed.

With respect to video recording, while Sony hasn't added 4K video capability, the Alpha 7 II does get support for the XAVC S codec, which can record 1080/ 60p video at 50Mbps. The camera also has support for S-Log 2, thus adding a wider dynamic range.

The Alpha 7 II has a bigger grip and has an additional front dial. The shutter release button has now been placed on the grip, which Sony claims is similar to DSLRs. We will have to test the camera to figure out how it performs ergonomically.The Sony Alpha 7 II is slated to be available in Japan from December 5 and should hit the European markets by January 2015.

How to add more camera modes on Galaxy S5 and Note 4

Both the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S5 are excellent options with their 16-megapixel cameras. As a bonus, these devices offer camera modes to get just the right shot.

Camera modes -- such as Animated photo, Sports or Panorama -- offer more control over the performance of your device's ability to take photos. While some camera modes come installed by default, Samsung offers extras through the Galaxy Apps store. Here's how to add more of them to your Note 4 or S5:

 

Step 1: Open the Camera app and tap on the Mode button.

Step 2: Scroll through the list until you reach the end, where you will find a tile named Download. Tap this and you'll enter the Galaxy Apps store.

Step 3: You'll be presented with a list of available camera modes. These are all offered by Samsung and can be downloaded for free by tapping on each one and pressing "Install."

 

Nikon 1 AW1, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon 1 J4 Compact Cameras Launched in India

Nikon 1 AW1, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon 1 J4 Compact Cameras Launched in India

Nikon on Friday launched the Nikon 1 AW1, Nikon 1 V3, and Nikon 1 J4 compact cameras in India.

While the Nikon 1 AW1 comes with a 11-27.5mm F/3.5-5.6 lens kit at Rs. 39,950, the Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 J4 come with 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM lenses priced at Rs. 43,950 and Rs. 24,950 respectively. The cameras are also listed on the company's India website.

The Nikon also states that the 14.2-megapixel sensor featuring AW1 camera is the first waterproof, shockproof and freeze-proof interchangeable lens camera. While it can stay underwater without any camera body for up to 15 metres, it can also absorb fall shocks from up to 2 metres and temperature as low as -10 degrees. The camera also features an Advanced Hybrid Autofocus System, which chooses the best image and records videos depending on the contrast and other settings.

The Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 J4 sport 18.4-megapixel sensor along with the company's own Expeed 4A image processing engine. Both the cameras also feature wireless connectivity and can send images or videos directly to smartphones and tablets via Wi-Fi. However, the wireless transfer is only available for Android-running devices. Also, the cameras are not waterproof and would need a separate waterproof case to click underwater images.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100

Sony may be a camera-come-lately with its Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 enthusiast compact, but boy, what a debut: a fast performer equipped with a relatively large sensor and a bright, fast lens, and wrapped in a small, sleek body. It seems like Sony made a lot of intelligent decisions about design and feature tradeoffs to get the job done. Compared with many of its competitors it's relatively expensive, but it doesn't feel overpriced for what you get.

Image quality
The RX100 generally displays good JPEG processing and noise reduction; it does a creditable job of balancing trade-offs between color noise and softness. Out-of-focus areas still suffer from mushiness as low as ISO 400 -- a common problem with cameras with smaller sensors -- but in-focus spots stand up pretty well until about ISO 800. Overall, the camera's JPEGs look solid up to ISO 400 and acceptable through ISO 1600, depending upon scene content. From a noise and artifact perspective, I was happy with an uncorrected 13x19 print of the ISO 1600 photo downloadable below.