Cameras and camcorders to fall for

Camera manufacturers typically do the bulk of their new product announcements in the first half of the year. With weddings, graduations, and spring and summer vacations at that time of year it makes perfect sense.

Cameras make good holiday gifts, too, of course, so there are always a few big releases at the end of summer as well. For that reason, we've rounded up some of the more interesting shooters headed our way in the coming months.

Price: $399.99

Availability: Now

The outlook: The Lumix DMC-FZ70 is fitted with a 60x f2.8-5.9 20-1200mm lens, which tops the 50x zoom lenses found on models from Sony, Fujifilm, and Canon. Definitely something for zoom fiends to get excited about here.

Price: $299.99

Availability: Late September

The outlook: Though I wasn't a big fan of the AS30V's predecessor, the AS15, most of my issues revolved around its housing and accessories. Sony addresses those things with this update, which has a smaller and lighter waterproof housing with external controls, more mounting options, some cool accessories, and it now has built-in GPS. Sony beefed up the included editing software, too, to take advantage of the GPS by allowing you to add things like speedometer overlays to your video.

Price: $499.99; $249.99

Availability: Late September

The outlook: Sony's answer to the boom in mobile photography, the QX100 and QX10 are designed to work with your smartphone. Essentially entire cameras inside lens-shaped bodies, the cameras connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi to Android or iOS devices. You then use your mobile device to frame your shots and control the cameras. It's nothing that can't already be done with several of Sony's other cameras, but the QX models have clearly gotten consumers excited: Amazon has had so many preorders it won't be able to fulfill orders with its first allocation.

Price: $249.99

Availability: Now

The outlook: One of the smallest, lightest cameras available with a 30x zoom lens, this camera has the same look and feel as its popular predecessor, the SX500 IS, but gets a superior high-sensitivity 12-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor. The sensor, along with giving it better low-light performance, enables the camera to record video at 1080p at 24fps. Should be a quality camera for those who want a lot of zoom on a budget.

Price: $399.99

Availability: September 2013

The outlook: Mirrorless insides, a compact, dSLR-style outside, and priced on the cheap, Sony's newest ILC might be just what point-and-shoot upgraders have been waiting for.