Our new lens review of the Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO.  It may have a name straight out of the web-pages of Acrophobia, but it also features a mind-blowing 15 times zoom ratio that leaves its competitors trailing in its wake. This is coupled with Tamron’s own optical image stabilization system to reduce the effects of camera shake. But is longer necessarily better? Read on to find out.

Source: www.dpreview.com

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Kodak EasyShare Z1015 IS digital camera : The high-zoom Kodak EasyShare Z1015 IS Digital Camera is equipped with intuitive functionality, perfect for the aspiring digital photographer who enjoys both automatic and manual control over their picture-taking experience. Boasting 10MP resolution and an impressive Schneider-Kreuznach 15x optical zoom and 28mm wide-angle lens, this versatile digital camera from Kodak allows consumers to capture both long distances and wide-angle shots. The image quality of the Kodak Z1015 IS Easyshare is further enhanced with its ability to take HD still images (16:9 aspect ratio) and video (720p at 30fps), which can be viewed on the camera’s large 3-inch LCD screen.

Kodak Z1015 IS
The Kodak EasyShare Z1015 IS digital camera also features smart capture technology, which intuitively detects the particular scene being shot and automatically adjusts the camera’s settings to capture the best still images possible. For greater detail in both highlight and shadow areas, the camera, while set in smart capture mode, will automatically and intelligently expose the image using Kodak Perfect Touch processing.

Kodak optical image stabilization
With best-in-class picture capture speed (

Kodak EasyShare Z1015 functions
• Powerful 15X optical zoom lens : The all glass 15X Schneider-Kreuznach VARIOGON Optical Zoom Lens (420 mm) zooms in fast to deliver extraordinary creative performance.
• Fast (f/3.5) 28 mm wide-angle lens : Capture dramatic shots in tight quarters or in front of spectacular landscapes
• Image stabilization : Get sharp, steady shots when shooting at long zoom ranges. Image stabilization automatically minimizes camera shake to deliver sharper pictures.
• Amazing quality prints with 10 MP : 10 MP means you can make stunning prints up to 30 x 40 in. (76 x 102 cm) However you choose to print – at home, at retail, or online – trust Kodak for picture quality that’s truly exceptional and for memories that will last.
• Best-in-class click-to-capture speed

Source: www.letsgodigital.org

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Continuing in the trend of packing more and more resolution into pocketable point-and-shoot cameras, Sony broke news Monday of its new Cyber-Shot W300, a slim new digital camera that takes 13.6-megapixel shots.

Like many cameras in Sony’s Cyber-Shot line, the W300 gets a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, which offers 3x zoom and benefits from Sony’s Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization. It also sports a titanium covering to resist scratches and fingerprints, and manages to fit both a 2.7-inch LCD and viewfinder on its back panel.

Besides offering ultra-high resolution, the W300 also includes an “extra high sensitivity mode” that boosts camera speed to ISO 6400, which Sony says cuts down on blur in low-light situations. A new high-speed burst mode also allows it to capture strings of photos at five frames per second, albeit at a lower 3-megapixel resolution. Three different noise reduction settings also allow users to balance noise versus resolution, and there’s even an automatic “Smile Shutter” option to allow the camera to automatically snap a photo when a subject smiles.

Sony will roll the W300 out into retail stores in May, with a price tag of about $350.

Source: news.digitaltrends.com

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Click photo for more images of the Ricoh R8.

Ricoh has upgraded its Caplio R7 point-and-shoot with the R8. The R8 uses a new 10-megapixel sensor and 460,000-pixel, 2.7-inch LCD, and retains the f/3.3-5.2, 28mm-200mm 7.1x zoom lens and sensor-shift optical image stabilization of its predecessor. Ricoh has made a few changes to the design of the ultracompact camera as well. The R8 sports a rubber grip, new strap eyelets, a metal top cover, and metal detailing on the lens barrel, mode dial, and shutter release. In addition, the camera’s Adjust button functions have been expanded for more efficient menu navigation.

Other notable new features include a 1:1 aspect ratio shooting mode, a minimum-aperture-priority mode that sets the lens at the minimum aperture and calculates exposure automatically, selectable autofocus and autoexposure points, and two selectable zoom speeds. There are also new fine-tuning controls for brightness, contrast, and color tone, as well as in-camera cropping.

Like previous Caplio R models, the R8 offers a macro mode that can focus as close as 1 centimeter at wide angle and 25 centimeters at telephoto, a top light-sensitivity setting of ISO 1600, and a shutter speed range of 1/2000 to 8 seconds. The camera does not offer manual or priority modes (except for the minimum-aperture mode), but it does provide some exposure flexibility with autobracketing and a spot meter.

Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.

Source: feeds.feedburner.com

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In the lead-up to the 2008 PMA trade show in Las Vegas, NV, Fujifilm has introduced a new advanced electronic viewfinder (EVF) camera. The Finepix S100FS is designed for serious photographers, with a 14.3x Fujinon manual zoom lens, lens-based optical image stabilization, Fuji’s eighth-generation 11.1-megapixel SuperCCD VIII HR, an RP III processor, and a tilt-up 230,000-dot, 2.5-inch LCD. Fuji also claims that this camera offers an improved dynamic range. The FS in its name stands for “film simulation,” which refers to several settings that apply film-like looks to the images it captures. Choices include Fuji Velvia, Provia, and Astia films. The lens provides an f/2.8-5.3, 28-400mm (35mm equivalent) range.

In addition to manual and priority modes, the S100FS provides 14 scene modes and custom settings. It saves both RAW files and JPEGs. Its shutter-speed range runs from 30 seconds to 1/4000 second. Other notable features include autobracketing on exposure, dynamic range, and film simulation effects; four autofocus modes; and a Super Macro mode that focuses as close as 1 centimeter. The camera captures smooth VGA video with sound and offers several continuous-shooting modes. They include Top 7 and Last 7 modes that shoot at 3fps and a Top 50 mode that captures up to 50 3-megapixel shots at 7fps. Other notable features include Fuji’s Face Detection 2.0, which can detect faces in profile and at high and low angles, and applies automatic redeye removal to shots of people. The S100FS offers light-sensitivity settings up to ISO 6400 at 6 megapixels and ISO 10,000 at 3 megapixels.

The S100FS will be available in February 2008 for $800.

Source: feeds.feedburner.com

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