ePHOTOzine has reviewed the 24.3 megapixel Sony Alpha A77 DSLR/SLT with 12fps shooting, Full HD Video, 3inch tilting screen, GPS built in, SD/MS card slot, high-res electronic viewfinder, built in anti-shake sensor, weather sealed boyd, and more. The Sony Alpha A77 is available from Amazon UK. Here’s a quote:

“The Sony Alpha A77 is an enjoyable camera to use that is capable of producing some excellent photos, with great colour, detail and extremely solid exposure performance. Reds are extremely vibrant and colourful and the camera produces excellent JPEG output straight from the camera, even on default settings.”

Read more Sony Alpha A77 SLT Reviews: Photography BLOG, DigitalREV (Video), Luminous-Landscape, Mansurovs, Amazon Reviews

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Yikes! How many cameras have been announced today and yesterday? Around 22 if you count the SD1 Merrill as a new camera, or 23 if you include the Pentax Optio WG2-GPS as a different camera to the WG2 without GPS…

Nikon
Nikon D800 and D800E, Full Frame 36.3mp Sensor, 4fps, 3.2inch screen, With or Without AA filter! Hands-On Review at ePHOTOzine.

Olympus
Olympus OM-D E-M5 (Hands-On) Micro Four Thirds Retro / Classic 16mp, 9fps, EVF, 3inch touchscreen, Black or Silver
Olympus Zooms:
Olympus SH-25MR with GPS – Full HD, Stereo Sound, 12.5x zoom.
Olympus SZ-31MR Pocket Zoom, 24x zoom, 16mp backlit CMOS sensor, Full HD video stereo sound.
Olympus Waterproofs:
Olympus Tough TG-820 – 10m waterproof, Full HD Video, High resolution 3inch screen, 12mp backlit CMOS
Olympus Tough TG-620 – 5m waterproof, 12mp backlit CMOS, Full HD video.

Pentax
Pentax Optio WG2, WG2-GPS – 12m Waterproof, one with GPS, one without, crazy design!

Sigma – same sensor as DSLR introduced into compacts
Sigma DP1 Merrill – NEW DP1, 46mp Foveon X3 Sensor (or 14mp), 3inch 920k screen, VGA video, 28mm wide angle
Sigma DP2 Merrill – NEW DP2, 46mp Foveon X3 Sensor (or 14mp), 3inch 920k screen, VGA video, 45mm wide angle
Sigma SD1 Merrill, the SD1 renamed, repriced, 46mp/14mp Foveon X3 Sensor

Canon:
Canon IXUS Compacts 510 and 240: 12x, 5x optical zoom, 10/16mp, Wi-Fi
Canon Powershots: All 16mp, all 5x optical zoom, 28-140mm (apart from A4000), all 720p video
Canon Powershot A810, AA batteries, Budget Model
Canon Powershot A1300, Optical viewfinder, AA batteries
Canon Powershot A2300, Lithium-Ion
Canon Powershot A2400 IS, Lithium-Ion
Canon Powershot A3400 IS, Lithium-Ion
Canon Powershot A4000 IS, 8x zoom, Lithium-Ion
Canon Travel Zooms:
Canon Powershot SX240, SX260 HS (GPS): 20x optical zoom, 12mp backlit CMOS, Full HD
Canon Waterproof:
Canon Powershot D20, 10m waterproof,

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Nikon has announced a number or (15) new Coolpix cameras, more or less depending on location and suppliers etc, starting with the ultra zoom with the most zoom out of any camera, with a massive 42x optical zoom lens, from 24mm wide angle to 1000mm at the telephoto end! It has optical (lens) image stabilisation, electronic viewfinder and zoom control on the lens.

Ultra Zoom / Bridge Cameras:
Nikon Coolpix P510, 42x zoom, 16mp CMOS, tilting 3inch screen, Full HD, GPS
Nikon Coolpix L810, 26x zoom, 16mp, 3inch screen, 720p, AA
Nikon Coolpix L310, 21x zoom, 14mp, 3inch screen, 720p, AA

Pocket / Travel Zoom:
Nikon Coolpix S9300, 16mp CMOS, 3inch screen, 18x zoom, Full HD, 6.9fps, GPS
Nikon Coolpix S9200, (PC World / Currys Digital) 16mp CMOS, 3inch, 18x zoom, Full HD
Nikon Coolpix S6300, 16mp CMOS, 10x zoom, 2.7inch screen, Full HD

Compact Style Cameras:
Nikon Coolpix S4300, 16mp, 6x zoom, 3inch screen, 720p video
Nikon Coolpix S4200, 16mp, 6x zoom, 3inch screen, 720p video (Comet)
Nikon Coolpix S3300, 16mp, 6x zoom, 2.7inch slim, 720p video
Nikon Coolpix S3200, 16mp, 6x zoom, 2.7inch slim, 720p video (Currys Digital / PC World)
Nikon Coolpix S2600 (Argos), 14mp, 5x zoom, 720p, Compact, £69
Nikon Coolpix S30 – Waterproof, 3x zoom, 10mp, 2.7inch screen, 720p video, AA, RRP £99

Serious Compact:
Nikon Coolpix P310, 16mp CMOS, f/1.8 4.2x zoom, 3inch, Full HD, PASM, 6fps, White or Black

Entry Level / Life:
L26 – 16mp, 5x zoom, 3inch screen, AA, RRP £99
L25 – 10mp, 5x zoom, 3inch screen, AA, RRP £69

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Panasonic has announced six new compact cameras, all of them feature optical image stabilisation, even the budget model.

Waterproof compacts:
FT4 – 12mp, 4.6x zoom, 2.7inch, High speed shooting, 12 meters waterproof, Full HD.
FT20 – 16mp, 4x zoom, 2.7inch, 5m waterproof, 720p video. more info.
Travel Zooms:
TZ25 – 16x optical zoom, 12mp, 10fps, 3inch screen, Full HD.
TZ30 – 20x optical zoom, 14mp, 10fps, 3inch touchscreen, Full HD more info.
Entry Level Compacts:
LS6 – Budget, 14mp, 26mm 5x optical zoom lens, AA batteries, 2.7inch screen.
FX80 – 12mp, f/2.5 24mm 5x optical zoom lens, Full HD Video, 3inch screen. more info.

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Pentax has announced the new Pentax K-01, designed by Marc Newson, it features a K-mount to accept any Pentax K Mount lens, a 16 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, 6fps shooting, Full HD video, 3inch screen, HDMI out, microphone socket, pop-up flash, hot-shoe, HDR mode and is introduced with a new ultra slim 40mm f/2.8 lens. The camera will be available in black/silver, silver or black and yellow for £629 body only from March.

Hands-On Review at ePHOTOzine, plus Press Release, and new Pentax K-Mount lens roadmap announced for 2012/2013.

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Sony has announced three new compact cameras, including a new 18.2 megapixel waterproof model, the Sony Cybershot WX200v, it features built in GPS, 3.3 inch OLED touchscreen, 5x optical zoom lens, 10 fps continuous shooting, backlit CMOS sensor, Full HD video with stereo sound, and is waterproof to 5 meters. It used Micro SD or Sony M2 Memory Sticks.

Sony also announced the new WX50 and WX70. Both cameras feature  a 5x optical zoom lens, 10fps shooting, 16.1 megapixel backlit CMOS sensor, with the WX50 sporting a 2.7inch screen, and the WX70 a 3inch touch screen. These use standard SD cards. Full press release at ePHOTOzine.

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Lets look at some of the digital camera companies, and some of the things that have been happening over the last 12+ months:

Olympus: Ignoring all the bad stuff, they have grown to be the biggest selling Mirrorless camera company in Japan for 2012 (and possibly Europe / Germany – or at least Micro Four Thirds combined). Strengths in waterproof compacts. Extremely good range of mirrorless cameras this year – catching up with Panasonic for focusing speeds.

Panasonic: Growing Mirrorless market, particularly strong in the UK. The combined forces of Panasonic and Olympus on Micro Four Thirds (M43) makes M43 the most compelling mirrorless system, with sales in Japan for 2011 for Mirrorless 1. Pana, 2. Oly, and 2012 for Mirrorless 1. Oly, 2. Pana.

Nikon: Growing market share thanks to competitive DSLR products, and entry into Mirrorless market. Entry level mirrorless said to be selling increasingly well. Increasingly popular Coolpix range of compacts (year on year growth).

Sony: Bought Konica Minolta’s DSLR business, then launched the Sony A100, they said they were going to challenge Nikon and Canon for the top spot, and considering they came from nowhere, they’re now No. 3 in DSLR sales, it’s pretty impressive and something I didn’t expect if I’m honest. Extremely innovative with traditional DSLR, then the ultra fast “Translucent Mirror” SLT / SLRs with electronic viewfinders. Also No. 3 in Mirrorless after Olympus / Panasonic / Micro Four Thirds. Some would say leaders in the image sensor business (selling sensors to Apple for the iPhone, APS-C to Nikon/Pentax, Backlit CMOS sensors to everyone etc)

Pentax / Ricoh: Profitable DSLR business, fresh investment from Ricoh should inject new life into this area, and additional mirrorless APS-C camera should improve business further (with the potentially game changing camera). Ricoh are more of a niche market with premium GR Digital series (with cult following in Japan), and Leica M mount GXR (with APS-C sensor). Ricoh are profitable with a very successful print/copier business that is used in corporate and government environments for things like sending out mailings to 40,000+ people etc Serious stuff. Pentax / Ricoh combined could be a very interesting company to watch over the next 12 months. I expect growth. Pentax Q has some success in Japan as the smallest mirrorless camera.

Kodak: Ouch (recently filed for bankrupcy protection). Here is the perfect example that backs up the following statement: You don’t make profit from cheap “and cheerful” me too style point and shoot cameras. Sold sensor business (doh!).

Minox: Recently announced they aren’t going to make “cheap and cheerful” point and shoot cameras. Instead they’ll keep making those interested “Spy cameras” and “retro classics“.

Agfa/Vivitar/HP: See Kodak.

CASIO: Recently decided to close the Casio Exilim division in the UK (still available to buy through European distributers). Some innovation in High Speed cameras, but it’s very difficult to make profit from point and shoot cameras. Strong in Japan though. A mirrorless camera would really help you grow! (Why not bring high speed sensors and image processing to Micro Four Thirds?)

*Canon: Recently the CEO stepped down as profits aren’t growing as quickly as expected. Canon are being challenged by Nikon on all DSLR fronts, and then also challenged by Mirrorless cameras. So whilst DSLRs was (and is) a profitable area, Mirrorless is challenging both compact cameras, and entry level DSLR. And at the bottom end of point and shoot, this is being challenged by smartphones with decent(ish) cameras. A mirrorless camera would really help your profits!

Fujifilm: Making a market for itself by selling premium compact cameras, X100 (selling like hotcakes, in the 100k region!), X10, X-S1 (Premium Ultra Zoom Bridge camera), X-Pro1 Mirrorless, and strong in Bridge / Ultra Zoom cameras that look like mini-DSLRs. Strong in waterproof market as they can undercut competitors on price, and presumably still make profit from it?

Samsung: Sells the NX mirrorless system, with a decent range of lenses and good image quality. Not sure how well it is doing worldwide, but a good system, that can often undercut competitors on price. Compact cameras seem to be leading the way for features: WiFi, App / Phone style GUI. Samsung don’t seem to be rated in Japan though, rest of world, yes. Compact cameras can undercut competitors, making them a popular buy.

Leica: Premium ILC / Mirrorless cameras, with a premium price – growing and profitable (as far as I’m aware). “Me Too” Panasonic cameras. Really they should get back into “bed” with Fuji and make “Me Too” (premium compacts) products from the Fujifilm X series (X10, X100, X-S1,X-Pro1) or join Micro Four Thirds

Others? BenQ / Aigo / GE / Polaroid / Rollei / Praktica : – see Kodak, see Casio, unless you have an extreme niche (Ricoh) and are popular in your home market (Casio/Japan), or make a mirrorless camera then how will you grow?

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NeoCamera has reviewed the new Fujifilm X-S1, the new “bridge” / “Ultra Zoom” camera from Fujifilm, it sits at the premium end of the range with a larger than normal 12 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor, 7fps shooting at full resolution, Full HD video at 30fps, 3inch screen, 1.44million pixel electronic viewfinder, weather sealed construction, 26x optical zoom lens with metal cam, manual controls, RAW, flash hot-shoe, as well as Low noise, High dynamic range modes. The Fujifilm X-S1 should be available shortly from Amazon UK

Read more Fujifilm X-S1 Reviews / Previews: ePHOTOzine Preview

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ePHOTOzine has reviewed the new Panasonic Lumix GX1, and compared it to the Panasonic Lumix G3 – both cameras feature a 16 megapixel sensor, Micro Four Thirds lens mount, 3 inch screen, 4/4.2 fps shooting, with the G3 featuring an electronic viewfinder, and tilting screen, the GX1 features a smaller body and electronic level as well as customisable buttons.

The Panasonic Lumix GX1 is available for £469 body only. The Panasonic Lumix G3 is available for £449 with 14-42mm kit lens.

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ePHOTOzine has reviewed the Minox DCC 5.1 (Digital Classic Camera) – it’s a mini replica of the Leica M3, but with a 5.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, 2inch screen, lithium ion battery, optical viewfinder, and no optical zoom. It takes SD cards, and there are a number of accessories available for it, including a classic press flash, a wide angle converter, a telephoto converter and even a tripod adapter, as well as a metal lens cap, leather strap, leather case, and the camera even comes in a wooden presentation box! The Minox DCC 5.1 is available for around £139.

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