Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Polaroid Resurrects Instant Photo - As Digital Picture Frame]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/03/13/polaroid-bringing-back-the-instant-photo-in-digital-form/http://www.switched.com/2008/03/13/polaroid-bringing-back-the-instant-photo-in-digital-form/http://www.switched.com/2008/03/13/polaroid-bringing-back-the-instant-photo-in-digital-form/#commentsFiled under: ,



As reported by Engadget's Nilay Patel, it looks like Polaroid is bringing back the iconic instant picture, albeit in a 21st-Century form:

"For every terrible mockup we see, there's a few that stand out -- and it looks like that Digital Polaroid frame concept we spotted a couple weeks ago caught some eyes over at Polaroid as well, because the company has apparently contacted designer Dave Friedman and is working on making it a real product. That's a pretty fitting tribute to a classic gone by -- but we won't be appeased unless you can shake this thing to make new photos appear."
We can't wait for this nifty, retro-shaped digital picture frame to see the light of day, so we can put it on our hall credenza!


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Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Introduces Two New DSLR 'Quick Auto-Focus Live' Cameras]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/31/sony-introduces-two-new-dslr-quick-auto-focus-live-cameras/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/31/sony-introduces-two-new-dslr-quick-auto-focus-live-cameras/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/31/sony-introduces-two-new-dslr-quick-auto-focus-live-cameras/#commentsFiled under: ,

For the growing market of point-and-click users moving up to the digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras comes Sony's 10.2 megapixel α (alpha) 300 and 14.2 megapixel α 350 DSLRs. Aimed at an easy transition for first-time DSLR users, these two cameras come with "Quick AF Live View" technology that allows users to frame photos easily in the LCD without sacrificing auto-focusing times common to other DSLRs, which rely on the optical viewfinder.

The cameras also feature at 2.7-inch "Clear Photo" LCD screen with variable angling abilities so that users can easily take shots from high or low positions and still frame the scene perfectly. Another boon to first-time DSLR users is the 'Super SteadyShot' image stabilization, which enables very slow shutter speeds in low light to make sure you get the brightest and clearest shot possible with or without the flash.

The DSLR-A300 body will be available in April for $800 and the DSLR-A350 body will be available in March for $900. Both will be available in retail stores and online at SonyStyle.com.

Gallery: Sony DSLR A300 and 350



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Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Just Tell Me What To Get: Digital Camera Under $300]]>http://www.switched.com/2007/12/20/just-tell-me-what-to-get-digital-camera-under-300/http://www.switched.com/2007/12/20/just-tell-me-what-to-get-digital-camera-under-300/http://www.switched.com/2007/12/20/just-tell-me-what-to-get-digital-camera-under-300/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33
A reader writes: I'm getting ready to go on vacation for the holidays, and I want to bring along a small point-and-shoot digital camera. Thing is, I want the thing to be able to do a little bit of everything, so I'm willing to spend around $300. I'm mostly concerned about picture quality, fast movement, and lots of flexibility in terms of lighting situations as I'll be taking pictures both during the day and at night, inside and outside.

Hey reader: There are plenty of $300 point-and-shoot digital cameras out there, so we understand your confusion. Sounds like you need a feature-packed camera that won't break the wallet -- or the fanny pack -- for your vacation.

We recently got to play around with Panasonic's new Lumix DMC-FX33 camera, and despite the crazy confusing name, it's a great little unit. It's super small, has a big 2.5-inch screen and has plenty of scene modes for all your vacation-taking needs.

One thing that really sets this one apart is how easy it is to use. If you want to turn off the flash, just push a button. If you want to take a picture inside and don't want to think about the flash and ISO settings, just put the camera in auto mode and it will adjust everything for you. All that said, if you're a bit of a camera geek like we are, you can manually set just about everything.

What makes this camera stand out is Panasonic's use of 28mm Leica optics, which are some of the best lenses in the biz. Typically, Leica lenses are only available in much more expensive cameras.

Outside of that, this camera has all the standard features you would want in this price range. It does 8.1 megapixels, has a wide 28mm lens, uses inexpensive SD cards, does 4x optical zoom, has a macro setting (for close-up pictures of flowers and what-not), a widescreen video mode and this it's pretty quick when you need to take multiple pictures. Finally, for fashionistas, the Lumix comes in an assortment of colors: black, silver, blue, and the brown seen above.

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