Casio Exilim EX-FH100 hands-on in super-slow-mo

We're suckers for slow motion video, and Casio's clearly tapped into a vast supply of FPS to feed our cravings. The latest in its series of high speed cameras is the Exilim EX-FH100 point and shoot. It does 10 megapixel stills, high speed burst capture and up to 1,000 FPS video. Like with other Casio models, the higher the frame rate, the lower the resolution, but you can get a full VGA image at 120 FPS. At $349 it's practically a bargain if you absolutely need to do slow motion, and while it's a bit chubby and heavy in comparison to "fashionable" point and shoots, it's plenty capable as a stills camera to keep this from being a one trick pony.

Veho's Muvi adventure-oriented camcorder claims to be world's smallest, probably isn't

It's outrageous claim time again, with Veho is saying its new Muvi micro DV camcorder is "officially the smallest high resolution DV camcorder in the world." We'd have to say it looks a little bit bigger than that Wrigley's-sized model we spotted a few years back, and 640 x 480 is hardly high resolution, but let's move on. The Muvi is designed as something of an actiony cam in the vein of a Twenty20 or a ContourHD, able to clip to your jersey or stick to your helmet and record video plus two megapixel stills onto a microSD card. Voice activation means you should be able to activate it without pressing any buttons, and hopefully you can teach it to start filming whenever someone says "Hold my beer and watch this." The cam appears to be shipping to European adventure-types for a good bit less than its £79.99 ($132) MSRP, but there's no word on when thrill-seekers elsewhere can clip one on.

Olympus E-P1 'digital Pen' gets official, so does our lust

It's official, Olympus' first MIcro Four Thirds camera is up and dancing upon the global stage. Dubbed, E-P1 "digital Pen" (reflecting the camera's Olympus Pen-series heritage) this MFT shooter aligns with the looks and specs that came our way yesterday in leaked format. In other words, we're looking at an image stabilized (sensor-shift) 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor with TruePic V image processing, ISO 100-6400 sensitivity, a 3-inch LCD, 20 shooting modes (5 exposure, i-Auto, and 14 automatic scenes), an SDHC slot, and HDMI TV-out for playback of 720p (1280x720 pixel) recorded video at 30fps. The 14-42 lens kit retracts into the barrel when not in use and Olympus' Supersonic Wave Filter helps keep dust under control when swapping-out the lens for Micro Four Thirds, Four Thirds, or OM lenses. A few advanced previews of the E-P1 are already available -- peep those in the read links below if you can't wait for the July launch or the full-blown reviews due in a few weeks.

Fujifilm debuts touchscreen-based FinePix Z300 camera

Fujifilm has laid a little low since it stormed into CeBIT and PMA with its latest slate of cameras, but it looks like it's now back to slowly trotting out new models one at a time, like this just-announced FinePix Z300. As you can see above, this one stays fairly close to the previous Z200fd model in terms of design, with the notable exception of a touchscreen on the backside that seems to replace just about every button but the bare essentials. Otherwise, you can expect the same 10-megapixels and 5x optical zoom as before, along with image stabalization, an apparently improved macro mode, ISO settings up to 1600 and, of course, your choice of four different colors. No word on a release 'round here just yet, but folks in Japan will be able to pick this one up on June 20th for ¥40,000, or just about $400.

Philips SPC1330NC webcam reviewed: high quality but not exactly high speed

If you're still Skyping in VGA you need to get with the times, brotherman. Two megapixel webcams are where its at, and according to the review at Register Hardware, the £70 ($110) Philips SPC1330NC delivers. It'll interpolate up to eight megapixel stills if you want to play pretend, its f2.0 aperture gives it great low-light performance, and a stereo mic puts it ahead of the competition, like Microsoft's mono-tastic LifeCam Show. Overall the chromed cam earns high marks, only disappointing by not delivering its advertised 90fps max speed until the resolution is dropped to decidedly sub-VGA resolutions. But, unless you plan on kung-fu chatting, chances are you can get by with less.

Pentax gets official with 14.6MP K-7 DSLR: HD movies, HDR mode

After digesting loads of scuttlebutt here lately, we're elated to see that Pentax has finally come clean with its new K-7 DSLR. The 14.6 megapixel shooter packs a rugged magnesium alloy body and arrives with an HD movie mode that captures video at 640 x 416, 720p (1,280 x 720) or 1,536 x 1,024 -- all at 30fps. Needless to say, that's more than the D90 and D5000 offer (both top out at 720p), and while Canon's T1i does 1080p, it does so at just 20fps. There's also an HDMI port, a 3-inch Live View LCD, in-camera lens correction, shake reduction and an improved dust reduction system. The real kicker, however, is the High Dynamic Range (HDR) capture mode, which snags a trio of images, then combines them in-camera to widen the exposure gamut. The body alone should ship in July for $1,299.95 -- which is notably more expensive that recent wares from Canon, Nikon and Sony -- and you can peek the full slate of specifications just past the break. For more specs click here.

Panasonic breaking more arbitrary records with two new 1080p24 camcorders

Another day, another couple of Panasonic HD camcorders. This pair may not be the make the same "world's lightest" (with an asterisk) claims as the entrants we saw yesterday, but each sports a dubious record of their own. First is the HDC-TM30 (pictured after the break), another "world's lightest" cam, this one with the caveat that, at 227 grams, it's the lightest with 32GB of internal storage. It sports a 16x (44 - 706mm equivalent) optically stabilized zoom ahead of a single CMOS sensor that can record 1080p24 video. The other player, the HDC-TM350 (above), offers a bit more on the quality front and pledges the "world's largest capacity" full HD camcorder, offering 64GB of storage. That equates to a nigh-ridiculous 16 hours of 1080p24 video shot through a stabilized 12x (45 - 540mm equivalent) lens. It even records 5.1 audio, but with the mics all placed within what looks to be a one square inch patch don't expect great channel separation here. Both are set for release in late-June for undisclosed (but hopefully non-record-breaking) prices.

Pentax K-7 hands-on shots leak out

Poor Pentax. The company's just three days away from the much-hyped May 21 launch of the K-7, and here we've already seen specs and press pics, and now we've got a whole slew of hands-on shots. Just as we'd heard before, the K-7 will pack a 14.6 megapixel sensor with a 720p movie mode and a 3-inch VGA display in a body just a hair smaller than the K200D. Of course, we're really wondering how this guy'll be priced -- if it comes in around $1000, it'll be a solid competitor to the Canon Rebel T1i and the Nikon D5000. Guess Pentax still has one surprise in store, eh?

Sigma DP2 gets reviewed but not respected

With the the Sigma DP2 now officially on sale it's time for the in-depth reviewers to have their say, and Photo Review is first at bat to weigh in with its opinion of the $699 compact, a shooter that doesn't exactly hit a home run. Sigma's latest is a pocketable camera that can take fantastic shots when properly used, but is frustrating to use, requires plenty of manual tweaking, and sends you wading through a mire of confusing menus to make those tweaks. Beyond that its low-light image quality disappointed, its LCD doesn't compare to those on cheaper compacts, there's no AF assist lamp, and of course there's that significant admission price. Overall, it sounds like the sort of camera many Sigma fans will appreciate -- and the sort that won't do much to extend the brand's appeal.

Panasonic's HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10: nearly the world's lightest Full HD camcorders

"World's Lightest*," says so right in the Panasonic press release. What's that? It's a qualified statement? Oh we see it now, it's the world's lightest Full-HD AVCHD camcorder. Well, that'll make Sanyo's lawyers happy. Anyway, the new Panny's bring SD/SDHC card support, touch-screen control, intelligent auto scene selection and AF tracking along with Panasonic's optical image stabilization to keep the shake under control while zooming in at a 16x optical max. The TM10 differs from the SD10 in that it records to 40GB of internal storage before automatically switching to SDHC/SD cards of up to 32GB. The cameras also feature a 3 second Pre-Rec function that continuously pre-records content into an internal buffer which is then added to the beginning of the clip as soon as you hit record -- never miss a goal again. Pricing in the UK is set at £529.99 for the HDC-TM10 and £499.99 for the HDC-SD10 with June availability.

Sony's Alpha 230, 330 and 380 DSLRs get flood of official pics

Sony's latest mainstream DSLRs cameras got the seal of officialness this past Saturday, and now the company's added some icing to the cake by releasing of plethora of pictures for its α230, α330, and α380.Pre-orders for the trio are supposed to start today at Sony's official retail site, but as of this writing, they're not yet there.For more of these pics Click here.

Sony confirms new Alpha 230, 330 and 380 mainstream DSLRs

Sony's been pretty generous with the Alpha leaks in the run up to this launch, but it looks like this new trio of DSLRs for "first time" SLR buyers, the Alpha 230, 330 and 380, is ready to go. The press release confirms all of what we already knew, along with bringing word that the cameras will support SD/SDHC cards in addition to Sony's still-kicking Memory Stick format. The best news is in pricing, however: the shooters will retail in two different kit types, with the L-series cams ringing in at $550, $650 and $850, respectively, when paired with the SAL-1855 standard zoom lens. The Y kit series adds a second lens, the telephoto SAL-55200, along with bumping the kit price $200 across the board. Pre-orders will start on May 18th, with the cameras becoming available in July. Oddly, while parts of the press site are live, the press shots are still on lockdown, beyond a nice stack of thumbnails -- we'll keep you updated.

Casio EX-FS10 reviewed, slides 1000 fps capture into the back pocket of your mom jeans

Casio's really blown out the feature list on the EX-FS10, and now PhotographyBLOG has taken the compact fashioncam through its paces. Sadly, like many modern compacts, straight up image quality is a bit scarce here, with obvious noise at ISO 200 and up, no optical image stabilization, and not even the silly 12 megapixel extravagance of its counterparts to blame it on -- the EX-FS10 shoots 9 megapixel stills. The HD and slow-motion video recording is also severely hampered by a lack of zoom during shooting, bad sound, and the oversized AVI format. Still, the camera is incredibly well built, very slim, and it can pull off some really wild feats -- 720p might be growing increasingly common, but 1000 fps slow motion, burst mode for stills and pre-record shutter lag adjustment make the FS10 quite unique in its category. It's obviously a tradeoff, but at least there's some good news: while the camera was supposedly slated to retail at around $450, it's hovering pretty close to $300 at the moment.

Pentax Optio E75 compact is perfect for capturing giraffes in the air or water

In the cutthroat world of compact cameras it takes a certain something special to stand out -- and we're not entirely sure that Pentax's new Optio E75 has it. The 10.2 megapixel shooter offers a CCD sensor with an ISO range of 80 - 1600 tucked behind a perfectly average 3X, 32 - 96mm equivalent, non-stabilized zoom. It has room for a 2.7-inch screen, shoots video in good 'ol VGA, has all the de rigueur face and smile detection modes, and will cost €120 (about $160) when it drops in Europe this July. No word on a domestic release, but perhaps we'll find out more next week.

Olympus' Micro Four Thirds throwback beauty set to launch early July

The Micro Four Thirds format has received quite a bit of attention lately thanks in large part to the impressive reviews coaxed forth by Panasonic's diminutive Lumix DMC-GH1. But Panny's not the only player here, there's Olympus, the other half of the Micro Four Thirds team remember? Not that you'd forget the camera above taking its visual cues from classic rangefinders while promising a DSLR-sized sensor and Four Thirds lens compatibility stuffed into such a gorgeous compact body. According to AVING, the summer launch has now been narrowed to "early July" with an official announcement coming on June 15th. Oh boy.

14-megapixel Sigma DP2 camera now officially available

A few retailers went ahead and put the Sigma DP2 up for pre-order back in March, but it looks like the camera is now finally officially available to own in the UK -- and, judging from some of those aforementioned retailers, at a few places in the US as well. Those in the UK can expect to pay £599.99 for the camera, which updates the DP1 with a new 41mm f/2.8 lens and Sigma's improved TRUE II processing engine, while folks in the US will apparently have to pay $699 retail (although at least some places still seem to be listing the $649 pre-order price). Interestingly, Sigma will also apparently be offering the older DP1 alongside the DP2 for the time being, although it's not clear how long it'll continue to do so.

Sony Alpha 230, 330, and 380 DSLRs leak out a little early

We've been hearing vague murmurs of revised Sony Alpha DSLRs all week, but now we've got some actual proof: these shots of the new Alpha 230, 330, and 380 went up briefly on Sony's Russian website earlier today. The biggest improvements seem to be smaller cases, a revised interface, and HDMI out, but there's also a new "handbook" to help new users get started and a Bravia control mode that allows the camera to be controlled by your TVs remote while it's displaying pictures. A nice enough upgrade, but unless these are somehow super cheap we'd say the omission of a video mode is going keep most people focused on the Nikon D5000 and Canon T1i.

Canon's PowerShot D10 adventure cam shot with a bazooka in this in-depth review

The gang at Photography Blog have got their hands all over the PowerShot D10, and it looks like Canon didn't fare too badly with its first "adventure camera." Even if the reviewer didn't really drop it from a helicopter or shoot it with a bazooka (as we had originally hoped) the unit was found to be as intuitive, sensible, and dependable as the company's other point-and-shooters. Of course, a device with this robust of a design is going to suffer in a few areas, and the 3x, 35-135mm zoom lens and 2.5-inch display can easily be considered "rather hum-drum" for a camera in this day and age. That said, the lens is "quite fast," great for underwater use, and the display is bright enough for all of your spelunking needs. The verdict? If you're going to be dropping from airplanes or scavenging sunken treasure (actually, make that "reading on the beach" and "taking the kids snorkeling") this summer, you could do worse than shell out $329.99 for this bad boy.

Nikon S630 unboxing and hands-on: pretty in pink edition

What's that, another compact digital camera unboxing? Yes, dear readers, we've got a mega-megapixel story cooking for you, and another ingredient has arrived. This time it's Nikon's Coolpix S630, a 12 megapixel, 7x optical zoom compact that features optical stabilization and a particularly vibrant hue. So far we're impressed by the camera's shape, lightness, and build quality, but this one has plenty more testing ahead of it before we make any solid conclusions.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 gets unboxed, takes some test shots

Wow, it's been a great day for camera nerds -- the Nikon D5000 got a ship date, the Canon Rebel T1i started arriving in stores, and now the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1's been unboxed. That's a hat trick of hotly-anticipated DSLRs* right there, and the GH1 might be the most anticipated of the bunch. Sadly for would-be importers, the Japanese version here can't be set to display