cameras

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given the flurry of competing products this past fall, it's neither surprising nor distressing that it's being superseded.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

LAS VEGAS--Just like it did at CES 2012, Samsung's newest compact cameras announced at CES 2013 are ready to shoot and share.

Last week's announcement of the NX300 interchangeable lens camera gave us a look at what wireless features would be coming to Samsung's other Wi-Fi cameras. Those include wrapping its multiple apps for iOS and Android into a single app for each OS and an AutoShare option, letting you take a picture, then automatically send it wirelessly and save it straight to a smartphone.

The flagship point-and-shoot Smart Camera model is the WB250F, featuring an 18x, … Read more

We decided to make this year's CES even more interesting. We've partnered with our friends at Sprint to bring the CNET audience a chance to win big in the Hidden #Hashtag Sweeps.

In the From the Floor series I'll be bringing an exclusive pass to the CES 2013 show floor for all of you who can't be there. We'll show you the big screens and the bright lights that you'll find only at CES. Plus, we'll get you a first look at products, and throw you right into the center of the action … Read more

Some news about Fujifilm's new digital cameras leaked today, but the company is officially showing off its new products at 2013 International CES tomorrow. Its press conference starts at noon PT, and CNET will be there to cover it live. We'll have a live video stream, along with a live blog of news and analysis.

Check out the live blog here:

Last year at CES, Fujifilm's big centerpiece was the introduction of the Fujifilm X-Pro 1, a mirrorless camera aimed at wedding photographers.

Rumors about updates … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Fujifilm's X20 advanced compact gets to play in the same sandbox as the company's higher-end cameras, thanks to the incorporation of the X-Trans sensor technology that originally debuted in Fujifilm's interchangeable-lens models, most recently in the X-E1. To fit in the camera body -- and price segment -- the replacement for the X10 incorporates a new 2/3-inch version of the sensor, albeit at the same 12-megapixel resolution.

The new camera also includes hybrid phase-detection/contrast autofocus, which should provide a nice speed boost, 1080/60p video support with manual focus and mic input, and an … Read more