As you probably know by now, recently, I’ve been repurposing old digital cameras from the 2000 era and putting them to everyday use. What started off as an experiment to find great-looking, film-like images from their CCD sensors, turned into something very different.
Lomography goes retro with $22 reloadable film point-and-shoot camera
Lomography has just released a reloadable point-and-shoot camera that uses 35mm film. No, this isn’t 1983, don’t worry, we haven’t invented the time machine… yet. But Lomo wants to take older ones among us on a trip down memory lane, and reintroduce film photography to the youngsters. And at the price of $22, it’s cheaper than a roll of film!
Panasonic reported to be dumping “low end models” to target professional photographers and filmmakers
It seems that Panasonic is dumping development of their lower-end camera systems in favour of higher-end kit for enthusiast and professional photographers and filmmakers, according to a report from Nikkei Asia. Exactly how low-end Panasonic will go is unclear, but it seems that they’ve finally admitted defeat in certain sectors of the market against the onslaught of ever-improving smartphones.
It’s not much of a surprise. Many companies have been killing off compacts for several years already, putting their efforts where things pay a little better. Only a handful still produce even high-end compacts now. And, well, it looks like Panasonic’s following suit and killing off their lower-end stuff.
Your favourite camera doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars
It’s always a bit of a dilemma when you’re travelling regarding what to pack. Somehow all life choices become distilled into the weight of your bag and whether you should put lithium-ion batteries in the hold or in your carry-on (they go in the carry-on), whether to bring prime lenses (lighter!) or zooms (only need 1!), and whether you really need to bring a second camera body or would the space be better taken up with additional snacks (always choose the snacks!).
But maybe just maybe we are overthinking it, and the best travel camera might not be the ‘best’ camera for your normal day-to-day life or photography. It also doesn’t have to be the most expensive or have all the latest technological advances. In this video, James Popsys is risking life and limb when he leaves his sleeping wife and baby on their honeymoon to go and take some early morning photos in a beautiful Tuscan village, using a camera that cost him just $60.
How a film camera superimposes the date onto photos
Have you ever wondered how on earth old film cameras added the date onto photos? I know I was always curious about this as a kid. Well, Ben Krasnow of Applied Science has the answer to our question. In the latest teardown, he disassembles an old camera from 1990 to show us how it superimposes the date onto photos.
Nikon Coolpix W150 waterproof camera now available and it wants to get your kids into photography
Despite the compact market largely dying to smartphones, there are a few exceptions out there that still manage to survive. You’ve got the high-end compacts like the new Canon G7X III and Sony RX100 VII, but then you’ve also got some lower end special purpose compacts that haven’t quite died off yet.
One such entry-level compact is Nikon’s range of waterproof point & shoot cameras. Now, Nikon has announced availability for the new Coolpix W150. It’s a waterproof and shockproof compact camera with a 13.2-megapixel sensor, 3x zoom, 2.7″ LCD that shoots 1080p video.
Nikon wants to get kids into photography with the new waterproof Coolpix W150
Aimed at children and absolute beginners, the Coolpix W150 is a new waterproof and shockproof compact camera from Nikon. It comes in a variety of patterns and colours designed to appeal more to children and get them excited about photography. It’s also built tough to withstand the kind of abuse children can often dish out on electronic devices.
It’s waterproof to a depth of 10 metres (33ft) and shockproof to handle falls up to about 1.8 metres (5.9ft). It’s also dustproof and cold-resistant down to -10°C (14°F) for use on the beach, in snow, on rainy days or even in the sandpit at the local park.
Ricoh adds FlashAir card compatibility to their rugged WG-60 compact camera
The Pentax line of waterproof compact cameras has built up a pretty good track record over the years. Going from simple waterproofing to a full rugged build, the line was continued when Pentax was bought by Ricoh. And they’ve now announced the new Ricoh WG-60.
The WG-60 appears essentially identical to the popular WG-50. It has the same physical look and mostly the same specs. But what they have done is (sort of) given it WiFi capability by adding support for FlashAir WiFi SD cards.
Leica launches new C-Lux 20.1MP 15x optical zoom 4K compact camera
Leica has announced a new point & shoot; The Leica C-Lux. It contains a 20.1MP 1″ MOS sensor, shoots 4K 30fps video, features 5-way optical image stabilisation, and its 8.8-132mm lens offers the equivalent field of view to 24-360mm on a full frame body. Surprisingly, it’s not the most expensive point & shoot out there, coming in at slightly less than the newly announced Sony RX100 VI. Although it’s more than it should be, thanks to the Leica name.
Panasonic announces Lumix DC-TS7, a water/dust/shock/freeze proof camera for all sorts of adventures
Looking at the new Panasonic Lumix DC-TS7 reminds me a lot of my high school days before GoPro was even around. Waterproof point-and-shoot cameras were cool back in the mid-2000s, but is this newest point-and-shoot offering by Panasonic still worth buying today? With a few new features such as 4K video, optical image stabilization, built-in wifi and Geotagging support, it’s at least worth taking a closer look.
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