camera

LAS VEGAS--It's been an exceptionally busy and newsworthy past 12 months for cameras -- budget full-frame models, 4K action cameras and cinema cameras, full-frame compacts. Unfortunately for CES 2013, most of that happened at Photokina this past fall. So while this show brought a few nice, potentially ownworthy updates to existing product lines, none of it really stands out as particularly whizzy.

In advanced cameras, the most common update has been to autofocus systems, with combo phase-detection/contrast AF starting to take over in camera lines that have traditionally had rather slow performance -- new models like the Fujifilm X100S … Read more

The vanilla camera app on the iPhone and iPad does a decent job at capturing those special moments but sometime the occasion may calls for more. With Camera+ you can turn that little camera into something that will give most dedicated point-and-shoot a run for their money.

Packed with a ton of features, Camera+ will bring that dinky phone/tablet camera to the next level. With burst mode those fast-paced sports shots are now within your reach. Timer function will set free you from another self-portrait with the lower quality front-facing cam. Finally, the featured Stabilizer mode is available for … Read more

Microsoft has offered a glimpse into what the future of gaming may look like. The company's Research team has detailed on its Web site a visual IllumiRoom system that combines the virtual and physical worlds using a Kinect camera.

The system can alter the appearance of a room, trigger apparent motion, and extend a field of view, all in the name of enabling new gameplay experiences. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Vuforia is Qualcomm's new augmented reality development platform, and some of the early demos I saw at CES 2013 were very impressive.

In one section of the Qualcomm booth an exhibitor held a tablet and pointed it at a famous Leonardo da Vinci painting. The software was able to identify the painting (because it was already in the app's database) and the exhibitor was able to use her finger to "wipe away" the top layer of the painting to show the layers of art painted by da Vinci underneath.

Over the past few years, … Read more

When I first saw a photo of Hitcase's new chest mount for its ruggedized iPhone case system, I thought to myself, "Hmm, I wonder how that fits on a woman." I had to go find out for myself.

Let's backtrack before we get to the try-on stage. Hitcase has splashed down into the category of tough cases for the iPhone. It's a bit chunky and a bit heavy, but it does the job. Unlike the water-resistant and waterproof-for-a-few-inches cases, it can go for a serious dive of up to 33 feet under the blue.

Hitcase is trying hard to replace the need for a GoPro for action sports nuts who love to film mountain biking, downhill skiing, and other outdoor activities with a high probability of wiping out. Instead of treating your iPhone like a delicate flower, you can take it along to record the fun. The case opens up like a book, so it's easy in and easy out. The idea is you don't leave this on your phone all the time, just when you need it. … Read more

Editors' note, February 22, 2013: Updated with price and availability date.

LAS VEGAS--The Sigma DP series of cameras, which are based on the Merrill generation of the Foveon sensor -- an effective 14.8-megapixel sensor array with stacked rather than staggered color filters -- are the closest competitors in spirit (and price) to Fujifilm's X100 and now X100S. Unlike Fujifilm, which combines photographic simplicity with high-tech power, Sigma concentrates on the simple and relies on the Foveon sensor to differentiate itself. The past few generations have seen some tweaks but essentially the DP series remains the same from generation … Read more

LAS VEGAS -- Looxcie, the company that sells a Bluetooth camera that livestreams events, has landed a deal to sell its cameras in Apple stores in Europe.

The company announced the news tonight at CES 2013. Looxcie's recently released HD camera will go on sale in Apple stores beginning January 23.

Looxcie also unveiled its new enterprise product tonight. The Vidcie, a more rugged Bluetooth camera model that has 8 hours of battery life -- the Loocxie model has about 4 hours of battery life -- and is aimed at those in work that could use recorded surveillance. Think … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Nikon shipped the Nikon 1 J2 interchangeable-lens camera only five months ago and already it's obsolete. Given the lukewarm reception for such a meh update, especially given the flurry of competing products this past fall, it's neither surprising nor distressing that it's being superseded. Here at CES 2013, the company announced two new models in the Nikon 1 series: the Nikon 1 J3 and the cheaper entry-level model, the S1.

The J3 essentially has the same internals as the V2 in the body of the J2; the one physical difference is the mode dial has been … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Netgear unveiled at CES 2013 the latest in its VueZone Home Monitoring product line, the two-part VueZone Night Vision Camera (model VZCN2060).

This is a tiny and completely wire-free camera that monitors based on motion detection, both day and night.

The new VueZone Night Vision Camera comes in two parts: an AC-powered infrared lamp and the camera itself. The infrared lamp is required for the camera to work in darkness or low-light conditions. The two can be placed at different locations but still work together, as long as they point to the same location. This design is rather unusual, … Read more