Panasonic GX1

OK, this post comes a little late but, better late than ever! :)

I am really excited about the Panasonic DMC GX1!

Ok, finally, Panasonic has come up with a camera worth waiting for - DMC GX1. The GX1 is definitely better than both the GF2 & the GF3. It is perhaps, the replacement model for GF2 since it has almost the same size as the GF2.

Anyways, GX1 is a 16 Mega Pixel camera (GF2 being 12MP)  with ISO up to 12,800 (GF2: ISO 6400) with MFT sensor. It also has a Touch-Screen 3" TFT Display that allows you to do the "easy background DeFocus" & also the "Cool & Warm Colour selection".

If you are into taking videos, the GX1 lets you take Full HD videos at 30FPS & allows you to easily control your subject focus by touch on the screen. You can nw seamlessly take videos on the GX1!

Adding on, GX1 has a better grip compared to both GF2 & the GF3. You might have notice, a bigger hand grip is attached to the GX1, making it better to grasp for bigger hands like mine! Perhaps it is due to the bigger size ofGX1, I personally feel that holding a GX1 is better than holding the GF2 or the GF3.

Lastly, the GX1 is avaible in dual lens & "X" (14-42mm) lens kit. If you have not hear about the X lens, well, here is brief write up about the X Lens:

14-42 X lens is a power zoom lens - it is the size of a 20mm pancake lens but is able to zoom and be extended out. It has a nano surface coating which helps to reduce ghostings & flares. It also comes with a improved version of the Optical Image Stabliser (Mega O.I.S).

Last but not least, the GX1 is available in silver and black in power zoom lens kit & dual lens kit both price at RCP SGD 1299.

Review on Acer S3

Hi guys!

Yes! I'm the 'colleague' mentioned in the previous post. I am glad to be part of the review team! 

The long awaited Acer S3 is finally available in town! I've been waiting impatiently for the arrival of S3. This impressive ultra slim, light and powerful notebook is drawing lots of attention! At first glance, it looks pretty similar to the MacBook Air. However it certainly has its own differentiating factors.

Appearance wide, it has a very elegant design with aluminium lid that doesn't seem to pick up fingerprints. Its rounded edges makes user experience more comfortable and further enhances its design. Two thumbs up for its dedicated design!

Let us take a quick look at Acer S3 specifications:

Specifications:

Intel Core i3-2367M processor or i5-2467M processor  

Intel HDGraphics 3000

13.3 HD Acer CineCrystal LED-backlit TFTLCD

4GB RAM, 320GB HDD or 240GB SSD

Approx 1.35kg

Acer S3 is indeed one of the world’s first slimmest and lightest 13.3” notebook with powerful performance. Weighing at approx 1.35kg with thickness of only 13mm, it is the ideal choice for on-the-go consumers who are looking for an ultra portable notebook.

Another amazing feature of S3 is remarkably fast boot up speed. It is stated to be able to resume from normal sleep mode in 1.5 secs and deep sleep mode in 6 secs. Technically, it can hold its charge for up to 50 days in sleep mode.

The IT geeks may also opt for S3 with SSD drive at a slightly higher price. Another pleasant surprise is that S3 comes with a very spacious trackpad – a good move away from the traditional small trackpad.

Performance wise, I am able to run multiple applications smoothly on S3. High definition videos look pretty decent on the 13.3” display. I've no complaints about it.

Enough said, but what I didn't quite like about S3 is that some of the major keys i.e. Caps lock, Arrow Keys and Enter, are shrunk. A little less crowded keyboard would definitely be more appreciated. Also, an Ethernet port will be useful although not necessary.

So what's my verdict? Is the Acer S3 better than MacBook Air? You decide for yourself! Come down to Song Brothers (Sim Lim Square) to check out the S3 now!

Nikon 1 J1 & V1

Dear readers,

First of all, we would like to apologise for the slow updates. Before I have my colleague on board writing blog posts with me, I was doing it alone. With all the work piled up and stuff, I really did not had much time in writing.

I'm glad that my colleague will be helping me to update the blog as well so as to ensure that you can get weekly updates (2 times a week) on gadgets that we have or gonna have.

Well, let me re-kickstart our blog post with Nikon 1 J1 &V1.

First of all, I think Nikon Marketing actually came out with a cool campaign - "I AM" Campaign so you have the taglines for the cameras like V1 - I AM CHANGING EVERYTHING or J1 - I AM YOUR SMART PARTNER. Of course, when you have these kinds of powerful taglines, you really need to make sure that your camera can live up to it. Of course, Nikon, being in the industy for so long, they definitely have the confidence to come up with these really AWESOME taglines!

Anyways, I AM EXCITED when I receved the invitation to their official launch for their Nikon1 J1 & V1 last Friday. Before I go any more indept about Nikon1 J1 & V1 (hereby naming it J1 &V1 respectively), well, I  must let you know why we are so excited about it.

1. This is the 1st time Nikon is coming out with Mirrorless camera
2. This is a brand new system "engineered' from scratch from Nikon

The players in the Singapore market so far for the mirrorles cameras are Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung & Sony. And everyone is wating for Canon & Nikon to come up with mirrorless cameras as well. So FINALLY, IT HAS ARRIVED. Nikon's mirrorless, J1 & V1. My only concern, is the J1 & the V1 worth the long wait?

- TBC - look out for tml's post for more in-dept details about Nikon 1 J1 & V1!

IXUS 220 HS

IXUS 220 HS

Introducing IXUS 220 HS!

The latest Canon IXUS 220HS is gonna rekindle your love for Digital still camera.

Who says Still Cameras can't take quality pictures/videos? With IXUS 220 HS, nothing is impossible!

IXUS 220 HS weighs at 141g. It may not be the lightest but its the slimmest of its kind! The screen is 2.7 inch wide. It comes in 3 colours, Black, Red and Silver.

IXUS 220 HS is packed with a 12.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor provides high-speed shooting functionality and a 24mm ultra-wide angle 5x optical zoom lens. These features ensure that you will take high quality pictures and videos even if you are a novince user. It also has the ability to shoot full HD (1080p) videos with stereo sound in superb quality. Slow motion movie is also available on IXUS 220 HS, up to 320 x 240 pixel resolution at 240 frames per second.

Canon's lastest "smart auto" mode is ideal for users who are lazy to change the settings of the camera. The camera would automatically select the best shooting setting based on the environment to provide "point-to-shoot" for the convenience of the user. Also, it can now detect up to 32 faces in one picture. Hurray to group photos. You will never see a missing face in a picture.

Another feature of IXUS 220 HS would be the "movie digest" mode. What is this feature all about? Every still picture you take using your IXUS 220 HS, it would automatically be converted into a 4 second short video clip and the camera will combine an entire day's worth of clips into a single video. Whats more is that it doesnt require any editing!

Apart from the "normal effects" most cameras has, IXUS 220 HS has new additional "Toy Camera" and "Monochrome". Toy Camera Effect gives images the retro feel of pinhole camera photos, while Monochrome creates atmospheric shots with sepia, black & white or other monochromatic tones. In addition, Miniature effect/Fish eye/Poster effect.. you name it, you get it!

A dedicated button for the user to switch from normal to shooting mode is available in IXUS 220 HS. You will never miss a action with this convienient switch. With Dynamic IS, Zooming while shooting video would be stable.

Of course, there are still many awesome features in IXUS 220 HS! You will find it out when you have your hands on it ;)

Here are the specs of the camera/more information for you to know about the camera!

Style	Ultra Compact
Megapixels	12
Zoom	5x
LCD Screen	2.7
MemoryCards	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Resolution	4:3, 16:9, 3:2, 1:1
File Formats	JPEG
Focal Length Equivalent	24 – 120mm
Shutter Speed	15 to 1/2000 seconds
Aperture	f/2.7 – f/5.9
Sensitivity	AUTO, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
White Balance Settings	Auto (including Face Detection WB), Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom
ExposureCompensation	-2EV to +2EV (in 1/3EV steps)
Viewfinder	No
Flash Modes	Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, Slow Synchro, Red Eye Reduction
Flash Range	3.5m
Shooting Modes	Movie Digest, Portrait, Kids & Pets, Smart Shutter (Smile, Wink Self-Timer, FaceSelf-Timer), High-speed Burst (3.0MP) , Best Image Selection (3.0MP), Handheld Night Scene, Low Light (3.0MP), Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Color Accent, Color Swap, Beach, Underwater, Foliage, Snow, Long Shutter, Stitch Assist
Maximum Movie Resolution	1920 x 1080 pixels
Maximum Movie Frames Per Second	24 fps (Full HD)
Maximum Movie Duration	4 GB or 10 min (HD)

Canon IXUS 220 HS is available @ SONGBROTHERS @ $399!

Sony Cameras to look out for!

Many new Sony cameras will be launching in 2011.

I will be introducing you the new sony models that are launching this year in this post.

DSC TX10

First up, it would be DSC TX10. From its name, you might have guessed that its the replacement for DSC TX5.

TX10 is packed with 16.2-megapixel "Exmor R" CMOS sensor. An upgrade from TX5's 10.2 megapixel “Exmor R” CMOS image sensor. TX10 is also equiped with full HD recording in AVCHD format. Also, with TX10, you will be able to take 3D Still pictures and 3D Sweep Panorama(a better way to capture memorable events).

If you are an "outdoor person" and has been waiting for the right camera to buy, i highly reccomend DSC TX10! Better and upgraded functions from DSC TX5.

Why i say its highly reccomended? This is because, you can use your TX10 anywhere, everywhere, even underwater! It is made this way, with its airtight construction that allows it to be waterproof(up to 16 feet). Don't worry if you drop your TX10, it is shockproof(up to 5foot drop) and your camera wont hurt a bit. It is dustproof and freezeproof(down to 14 degree) as well!

View the world in a brand new way with TX10 in your hands!

-

DSC HX9V

 Another camera to look out for would be Sony's DSC HX9V, the replacement of DSC HX5V.

It has a 3 inch LCD screen. Weighs at 215g(might be heavier when compared to other dsc, but look at the functions, everything is worth it) and is packed with 16.2 "Exmor R" back-illuminated CMOS sensor(HS5V only has 10.2megapixel).

Another CyberShot camera first, the 16.2-megapixel "Exmor R" back-illuminated CMOS sensor inside the Sony CyberShot DSC-HX9V supports a brand-new Intelligent Sweep Panorama HR (High Resolution) mode. Just by clicking the shutter button, the camera would take 42.9 megapixel panoramic images with crisp 10480x4096 resolution!!

To make things convienient for users, HX9V has dedicated still image button and dedicated movie capture button. Another feature of HX9V would be its ability of doing dual recording. This means that you can now, record video and take still picture at the same time(dual recording was previously only available on camcorders)!!

For first-time camera users who are afraid that you might not know how to use HX9V, no worries! It is designed to help users learn about the camera's features and how to use it on the spot, there is an in-camera guide which can be accessed from the menu button on the camera.  Also, its "Superior Auto" mode ensures that the best setting is set on the camera. This means that you wont need to change the settings whenever you are at different locations(The camera will do it for you).

In conclusion, if you do enjoy using HX5V, HX9V would be the one for you! With upgraded and new features in this camera, you would definitely enjoy this camera! Also, don't worry if you hadn't handled any cameras, HX9V is very user-friendly!

-



J10

Lastly, it would be J10! This is a new J series from Sony. Do expect more J series coming out!

J10 weighs at 126g and is equipped with a 2.7inch LCD screen, which offer excellent, high contrast and wide angle viewing for the user. 16.1 effective megapixels CCD sensor to take high quality images. 4x optical zoom lens which produces crips, clear image at any level of zoom. Also, built-in 4GB internal memory allows you to take more pictures and movie clip!

Ever thought that finding your usb cable was the toughest job? With J10, you will never need to find you usb cable again! Why? J10 has a built-in usb connector! Pull out the user connector when you need it, keep it when you do not! When connector, the camera battery charges up automatically!

I guess, "user-friendliness" is a very important factor in the cameras nowadays. Every camera seems to have easy menus and in-camera guides. The clear LCD screen helps you pick the right settings with clear on-screen icons and simple menus. You will be able to operate your camera like a "pro" in no time!

Sony DSC WS530

Introducing the Sony Cyber-shot DSC WS530!

Enough of DSLRs, the new Sony Cyber-shot DSC WS530 is gonna take you away!

The device weighs only at 113g(with battery) and has a 2.7inch LCD Screen! Bringing it around would be easy and fitting in the pocket wouldn't be a problem.

WS530 comes in 5 colours(Silver, Black, Pink, Green and Blue). To me, apart from the functions of the camera, the looks and the colour of the camera is equally important. Therefore, i always emphasize on the different colours here.

The device includes a Intelligent Auto mode which includes "Smile Shutter" and also detection of up to 8 faces in a scene. Ever thought that taking picture was the most difficult task? With this function, you would enjoy picture taking! The smile shutter function would automatically trigger the shutter when the subject is smiling! You can also choose adult or children priority and the smile sensivity level is of your choice too! You would never miss a smiling face again! 



W530 in Lime Green!



WS530 has 14.1 mega pixel  which allows you to capture more detail and colour in your shots. It features a 26mm wide Carl Zeiss lens with 4x optical zoom. With this wide angle lens, you would not need to take a step back when taking group photos and more would be able to join in! Phototaking is made simpler!

Also, another feature which excites is the "Sweep Panorama" mode. Just by swinging the camera side to side/up and down, the image would be pieced together automatically forming your perfect art piece! The "Sweep Panorama" feature is really cool when you wanna take scenery photos when overseas like "the Grand Canyon" or the "Golden Gate Bridge" in the States.  

Being a novice user? Have yet to use a digital camera before? Sony Cyber-shot DSC WS530 would be the one for you! The simple settings of the camera allows you to take pictures anywhere easily! You would be able to take the perfect photo with this camera on your hands!

Style	Simple and Easy
MegaPixels	14
Zoom	4x
LCD Screen	2.7
Memory Cards	SD/SDHC
Resolution	4:3 16:9
File Formats	JPEG
Focal Length Equivalent	26-105
Shutter Speed	1 to 1/1600seconds
Aperture	2.7-5.7
Sensitivity	Auto / 80 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200
White Balance Setting	Auto (intelligent), Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent1, Fluorescent2, Fluorescent3, Incandescent, Flash
Exposure Compensation	-2EV to +2EV (in 1/3EV steps)
View Finder	No
Flash Modes	Auto/On/Slow Syncro/Off
Flash Ranges	3.5M
Maximum Movie Resolution	640x480 Pixel
Maximum Movie Frames per Second	30fps
Maximum Movie Duration	To capacity of memory card
Macro Focus	4cms
Metering	Multi Pattern, Centre weighted, Spot
Manual Controls	None
Image Stabilisation	No
Lens Converters	No
Self Timer	2 seconds/10 seconds
Video out(TV Playback)	Yes
Computer Connection	Yes
Batteries	Lithium Ion Rechargeable
Dimension	92.9 x 52.4 x 19.3
Weight	113g

Sony Cyber-shot DSC WS530 is available @  only $259! 

Panasonic GF2

 

The Panasonic GF2!



The Panasonic GF2 would be the camera i would introduce to you in this post.


The latest Panasonic GF2 Micro Four Thirds Camera comes in 4 colours(Black, Silver, White and Pink) which gives the user a wide range of colours to choose from. It is the first interchangeable lens camera. The Lens can be easily changed with this feature. Panasonic has further reduced the size of a compact system camera with the introduction of GF2. It is currently the world's smallest and lightest System Camera with built-in flash! Apart from being light, GF2 has other features like its touch control-LCD screen and being able to take full hd videos.


The size of GF2 makes its convenient to be brought around. Novince users would be able to adapt to the functions of the camera easily with its intuitive touch control. During shooting mode, you can easily change effects/modes to your choice. In addition to GF2's wide range of functions, "My colour" mode of the camera, lets the user choose the suitable effect before snapping(without any editing!). This allows the user to manually set the color, brightness, saturation and contrast levels of the picture(Save the trouble to photoshop your pictures :P)! You can focus by touching the screen and defocus by tapping again.You can also customise your own menu for your individual needs.




Below is a video on the camera.







The new GF2 can record high-resolution full-HD 1920 x 1080 movies. Movies can be saved in JPEG and AVCHD format. The 12.1 mega pixel ensures not only high quality picture but also the quality of the Video. It also has high sound quality of Dolby® Digital Stereo Creator. To help users record video easily, a red button on the top of the camera, would let user shoot video without the hassle of changing to video mode(like most of the cameras). Just a click, and you can start recording!

Yup, It's true that the camera has many good functions. However, not all function may benefit you. Take for example, the touch screen function of GF2. As the camera are bulkier than the normal Digital still compacq(DSC) cameras, people with small palms might find it difficult to hold the camera and tap on the screen at the same time. Some people may feel discomfort on their hands due to the size of their hands.

Specifications	Features
12.1 effective Megapixel Live MOS sensor	multiple AF modes with up to 23 focus areas, 1-area AF with a selectable focus area, Face Detection, and AF Tracking with Optical Image Stabilizer, Intelligent D-range Control and Intelligent Scene Selector in the iA mode; 3D NR and CNR (Chromatic Noise Reduction) advanced noise reduction system.
Micro Four Thirds lens mount, with 2X focal length conversion ratio	My Color mode with integrated conventional Film mode
Aluminium body is 19% smaller and 7% lighter than the GF1 (though it no longer has a mode dial); available in black, silver, white, and pink	Venus Engine FHD with Intelligent Resolution technology to automatically detects three areas – outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation
3-inch touch screen LCD with 460,000 pixels with focus, MF assist, background blur, customizable menus, and easy image playback	Capable to record video with a 1920 x 1080 videos at 60i option, a smooth HD 1280 x 720 movies or in AVCHD or HD Motion JPEG in 1280 x 720 and QVGA.
Accessory port for optional 1.44M pixel electronic viewfinder (same as before)
Live view with fast 23-point contrast detect AF and face detection/recognition
Intelligent Auto mode selects a scene mode, reduces blur, sharpens edges, brightens shadows, and more
Full manual controls, with support for RAW image format; ISO goes to 6400, shutter speed range is 60 - 1/4000 sec
Built-in flash (GN 6) plus hot shoe
Records videos at 1920 x 1080 at 60 interlaced frames/second (sensor output is 30p) with Dolby Digital stereo sound using AVCHD codec - Camera can continuously focus while recording - Lower resolutions available using AVCHD or M-JPEG codec -Wind cut filter and manual mic level adjustment
Supports 3D photography via Panasonic’s recently announced lens
SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot
HDMI output
Uses DMW-BLD10 li-ion battery; 300 - 320 shots per charge, depending on lens

Currently GF2 is on sale now @ $1299(DMC-GF2WGC), $1099(DMC-GF2CGC)