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D90 unboxed in semi-secretive fashion


If one thing's clear, this D90 thingy is ready to go. We just got our second set of in-store pictures (thanks, Best Buy!), but these ones include the camera itself, rid of its pesky packaging. Street date is apparently tomorrow, with that $1,299 price standing firm.

Crapgadget: pathetic peripherals on parade


Seriously, our hands are trembling at the mere thought of having to actually use any of these shameful peripherals. A camera that takes the good with the (mostly) bad? A star-shaped mouse guaranteed to accelerate the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome by 409%? A USB fan that blatantly lies about purifying the hot air coming from that clogged up tower of yours? All present and accounted for, sir, and that's not even the half of 'em. We have all ideas you too would want to keep your digits far, far away from any of the disasters linked below, but give the list a look and let us know which one you think is the most pitiful of all.

Read - Mouse pad / USB hub / mic
Read - USB Whack It
Read - Yang Ying Camera
Read - Star Mouse
Read - Key-shaped USB key
Read - Totally original touchscreen MP3 player
Read - USB fan with super-secret germ killing powers

Crapgadget: Which peripheral is most pitiful?

Sony's A900 DSLR caught in the wild


Apparently, not only is Sony's fancy new full-frame DSLR -- the A900 -- showing up in ad leaks all across the interblogs, but it's been caught with its lens cover down in real life. An eagle-eyed forum poster managed to snag shots of what appear to be the camera in action, taken in Belgium this August doing what it does best... snapping pictures. There's not much more to say, but this should thoroughly wet your whistle for the model's forthcoming introduction, which we can only imagine will be happening sometime around the upcoming Photokina.

[Via Digital Photography Review; Thanks, Douglas]

Nikon D90 box in the wild, anticipation is palpable


No matter where you fall in this crazy DSLR war between Canon folks, Nikon folks, Sony folks and "how do you turn this thing on?" folks, there's no denying the D90 has sparked quite a lot of interest from all the right places. The video feature is just plain exciting, as is Live View and that 3-inch LCD (oh, and we hear it also takes pictures), and Nikon could very well have a hit on its hands when it actually starts shipping the thing. Which is where this box comes in. A tipster says it popped up at his Best Buy, but he's getting the impression from inventory that it won't actually be for sale this week. We hope he's wrong, but we're almost out of week. Anybody manage to nab one of these yet? Another blurrycam pic after the break.

Sony's WiFi-enabled VAIO CP1 hands-on


Sony's VAIO CP1 looked mighty sexy in the press shots, but trust us when we say it's even more stunning in person. We still think it's overpriced at $300, but this WiFi-enabled frame was showing off all of its sides (RSS reader, split-screen Picasa viewing, music player) at CEDIA. Take a look at this fine piece of technological goodness in the gallery below.

Canon starts teaser campaign, evolved 5D expected


Canon just launched its teaser campaign dubbed, "Destined Evolution." There's no way at this point to know for sure, but that certainly looks like a compact, full-frame 5D body (pictured after the break) given the button locations, mode dial, and seemingly lack of a pop-up flash. Three years since the 5D was originally launched, Photokina suddenly can't come soon enough.

Update: Another teaser shot with slightly more detail from Canon Japan posted after the break.

[Thanks, Andrew]

Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-G3 with WiFi diddled by the FCC


The FCC didn't give us much to go on here besides these wireframe images and a few radiation reports. From that we can tell you that Sony's about to release its new DSC-G3 Cyber-shot boasting 802.11b/g WiFi. As a followup to the WiFi-packing DSC-G1 announced more than a year ago, we're expecting the 3.5-inch LCD (now probably touchscreen like the T700) to carryover with storage twisted above 2GB and a sensor bump into the 10.1 megapixel range like Sony's new T500. Just a guess though, we hope to hear more at the Photokina show later this month.

Sony debuts HDR-FX1000, HVR-Z5J high-def camcorders


It looks like those not willing to give up on DV tape for their HD recording needs now have a pair of new options to consider from Sony, which has just introduced its HDR-FX1000 and HVR-Z5J camcorders in Japan. The HDR-FX1000 (pictured above) is the slightly more consumer-minded of the two, with it boasting a not-outrageous price of ¥400,000 (or roughly $3,700), and some impressive specs all around, including a 20x optical zoom, both 24p and 30p modes, and Sony's G-series lens, which promises to deliver some top-notch images. The HVR-Z5J, on the other hand, offers some more specialized features like XLR audio inputs, PAL and NTSC compatibility, and support for the DVCAM format in addition to usual DV/HDV option. Look for it to set you back ¥554,400 (or just over $5,000) when it lands in December, with the HDR-FX1000 set to slip out ahead of it on November 10th.

[Via PC World]

Ads reveal Sony's 24.6 megapixel A900 full-frame DSLR


It's not quite on Sony's schedule, but a new series of not-quite-precisely-timed ads have now revealed the company's new full-frame A900 DSLR, which boasts a mighty 24.6 megapixels. In addition to that desirable spec, it seems you can also expect to get Sony's Dual BIONZ image processing engine, "Intelligent Preview," a 3-inch "Hybrid LCD," 5 fps continuous shooting, and Sony's SteadyShot image stabilization, to name but a few features (head on past the break for the full spec list). Of course, there's no price or release date to be found in any of the ads, but we're guessing Sony will be spilling those little details when it gets official with the camera next week.

[Via Photography Bay, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Coaster-sized origami-optics lens boosts focal length, shrinks photog egos

Coaster-sized origami-optics lens boosts focal length, shrinks photog egos
Sports photogs aren't compensating for something by swinging gigantic, monopod-mounted lenses; they need the focal length. Focusing and zooming on outfielders usually means glass far from the camera body, but not so when using so-called "origami optics," flat lenses being researched at UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering that use internal reflection to achieve long focal lengths. Only the outer ring actually captures the image, while the others bounce it around before depositing light onto the film or sensor. The military is sponsoring this research, wanting better eyes on its UAVs, and we're hoping for improved optics in our gadgets -- though we were equally jazzed about liquid lenses, and those haven't exactly revolutionized mobile photography yet. A snooze-inducing Engineering TV clip after the break explains it all in more detail, so don't click on until you've had your morning cuppa -- or two.

Canon posts up 1.0.9 firmware update for EOS Rebel XSi

By and large, Canon's EOS Rebel XSi was widely adored. Still, even the fanboys in attendance can't deny that firmware updates that solve any number of quirks are loved just the same. Canon has just posted up firmware v1.0.9 for the aforesaid DSLR, which purportedly fixes three primary issues. The 7.81MB download addresses a "phenomenon in which AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) shooting does not operate normally under specific conditions," another in which "the Live View exposure simulation warning indication does not properly display during Live View shooting, and yet another in which "images cannot be played back after continuous shooting when a printer is connected to the camera or a video output terminal is used." Tap that read link to get your download on, and be sure to let us know if this update actually works as advertised.

[Via CNET]

Sony brings WiFi-enabled VAIO CP1 digiframe to the States


We had a hunch that Sony's VGF-CP1 was just too svelte to stay locked in Japan forever, and now that CEDIA is upon us, we're finally getting the news we've been waiting for: it's coming to the United States. Rechristened the VAIO CP1 WiFi photo frame, this device features a 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, support for Google Picasa streaming, 128MB of internal storage space, an SD / Memory Stick / CF multicard reader and an RSS reader to keep you abreast on the latest happenings. Furthermore, it touts built-in stereo speakers and an internet radio player, not to mention the digital / analog clock. Check it in mid-October for three bills.

Sony, Panasonic both introducing new DSLRs next week

The big Photokina show may be fast approaching but, as is often the case, some camera makers aren't waiting for the doors to open to debut their latest wares, and both Sony and Panasonic look to be carrying on the tradition by introducing new DSLRs next week in advance of the event. Of course, details on either of 'em are pretty light at the moment but, as Macworld notes, Sony had said previously that it was planning on adding a full-frame, 24.6 megapixel camera to is Alpha line, and that would seem to be a likely fit here. For its part, Panasonic will apparently be introducing the follow-up to its Lumix DMC-L10, although its staying tight-lipped on any details beyond that. Look for Sony to get things started at a special event in Tokyo next Wednesday, with Panasonic following-up two days later at a press conference of its own. Both, as you might have guessed, will also have plenty more to say about the cameras at Photokina.

Sanyo confesses its love for water with Xacti E2 pocket camcorder

The predictably named successor to the Xacti E1 has finally arrived, and it's just as waterproof as the original. The Xacti E2 records MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 video at 640 x 480, snaps stills at 8-megapixels, captures content onto SD / SDHC cards and features a 2.5-inch flip-out LCD for easy viewing of what footage you're snagging. There's also a 5x optical zoom and Face Chaser technology, the latter of which uses a "proprietary Sanyo algorithm to compensate for distracting up-and-down or side-to-side camera movement, keeping your subject steady and easy to follow." The 9.1-ounce device (in brilliant blue or pearlescent white) is available now in the US for a penny shy of $400.

[Via Macworld]

Sanyo's Xacti 1010 gets the hands-on treatment


Sanyo's latest 1080i pocket camcorder (that'd be the Xacti 1010) was just sitting there all pretty like at IFA 2008, so our compadres over at Engadget Spanish took the liberty of posting up a gallery of hands-on shots. Not too many surprises in terms of design, but the demonstrative video of the super slow-mo mode is pretty trippy to say the least. Head on over and give it a look, won't you?



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