Samsung Galaxy S4 10x Zoom Digital Camera with Phone

Samsung has just announced Galaxy S4 running Android with 10x zoom. It's basically a hybrid between the Galaxy S4 mini and the Galaxy Camera. This camera features a 4.3" Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 960x540 pixels and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection. The smartphone incorporaes a 1.5GHz dual-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM. The Galaxy S4 Zoom is capable of 1080p video recording @ 30fps (and 720p@60fps). The smartphone runs Android 4.2.2 with Samsung's TouchWiz coating on top.

Here is the official press release:

Samsung Introduces the GALAXY S4 zoom - the first smartphone to offer 10x optical zoom, for perfect picture taking

June 12, 2013

A revolutionary new device that converges the best of a high performance smartphone and camera, the GALAXY S4 zoom delivers the best of both worlds

LONDON, UK - June 12, 2013 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the launch of the Samsung GALAXY S4 zoom, a powerful new device which combines the stylish heritage of the latest GALAXY S4 smartphone with advanced photographic capabilities.

Part of the GALAXY S4 family, the GALAXY S4 zoom is the realization of Samsung’s mission to create a single device that can fulfill the role of both an industry leading smartphone and a high-end compact camera. Combining 10x Optical Zoom, 16 Mega Pixel CMOS Sensor, OIS and Xenon Flash with the very latest Samsung GALAXY S4 technology, the GALAXY S4 zoom sets new standards for perfect mobile photography. It is the ultimate smartphone and camera experience in one, and the only device you’ll ever need.

“The Samsung GALAXY S4 zoom represents yet another step forward in the way Samsung is working to enhance the lives of our customers around the world,” said JK Shin, President and CEO, Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “As communication continues to become increasingly visual in nature, people wish to capture and share their moments in the highest quality possible, but often do not have the space or inclination to carry a dedicated camera for this purpose. The GALAXY S4 zoom changes this forever, combining the industry leading functionality and connectivity of the GALAXY S4 with the high quality photographic experience you’d expect from a compact camera. The result is truly the best of both worlds, without compromise.”

Revolutionary new interface

Do it all and miss nothing thanks to the revolutionary new Zoom Ring, a simple and intuitive way to access the GALAXY S4 zoom’s key features.  When you’re in the middle of a phone call and you see something you absolutely have to share, a quick twist of the Zoom Ring will activate the In-Call Photo Share feature, letting you capture and send an image directly via MMS to whoever you are talking to simply.

For easy camera navigation, the Zoom Ring can be used to activate the Quick Launch andShortcut features, giving you instant access to multiple camera modes including Auto, Gallery and Smart Mode with a simple twist. 

The Zoom Ring also revolutionizes conventional camera zoom controls. Optical zoom control replaces traditional dials and buttons with smooth, easy-to-operate digital controls. Professional-quality accuracy and unprecedented ease of use are just a twist away, making it easy to compose a scene and capture wide-angle shots or tight close-ups. 

Capture the best images

When it comes to high quality photography, bigger isn’t always better. The compact GALAXY S4 zoom’s best-in-class 10x Optical Zoom and 16MP BSI CMOS Sensor lets you capture beautiful images from far away or up close and personal, in all light conditions, without having to carry heavy camera gear around with you.  Furthermore, the built-in Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) helps keep the camera perfectly still even when you’re not, reducing blur and stabilizing the image while zoomed in for high-quality photos and video.

Photo Suggest instantly connects you to huge libraries of images taken by fellow photographers, to help you find and compose your best shots anywhere in the world. Photo Suggest can even direct you to the ideal nearby location which will give you the vantage point you need for that perfect photo.

The GALAXY S4 zoom also features Samsung’s popular Smart Mode, so you can stop worrying about settings and start taking professional-quality artistic shots. Simply choose from a series of pre-set modes and the camera will automatically adjust to ensure you capture the best photo possible. Use Drama Shot to merge continuous shots of moving objects into a single composed image, or Action Freeze to instantly capture high-speed action. If you aren’t sure which Smart Mode to select, the Smart Mode Suggest feature can assess the scene for you and provide a short list of the best options for your consideration based on surrounding factors such as light levels, focal length, or face detection, ensuring you always get the best shot you want.

Unlimited entertainment in the palm of your hand

The GALAXY S4 zoom's heritage is evident throughout, from its sleek and stylish design to the powerful, yet intuitive user interface. Running on Android Jelly Bean 4.2, the GALAXY S4 zoom boasts many of the same features as the recently launched GALAXY S4, includingTouchwiz, which lets you fully customize various aspects of your device including the lock screen and notification bar, for a truly personal mobile experience. 

When you return from your travel adventures, Story Album lets you arrange all of your treasured images and videos into one timeline to share with friends and loved ones. You can also edit images and even order prints directly from the device through a partnership withblurb^＊. If you’d rather transfer your images to your laptop or tablet for safe keeping, Samsung Link lets you do so quickly and easily with just the touch of a button. Alternatively, you can sync all of your data in your own personal cloud through HomeSync, providing the ultimate peace of mind and ensuring your images and videos are waiting for you whenever you need them.

The GALAXY S4 zoom features the new Samsung Hub, a one-stop destination for all of the latest music, videos, books and games. Search, download and enjoy all of your favorite entertainment at the touch of a button, all directly from your device. When you find that amazing new track or game that you can’t wait to share with your friends, Group Play lets you connect directly with their Samsung devices so you can all listen and play together, without the need for a Wi-Fi AP or cellular signal. 

Note to Editors: 

Samsung GALAXY S4 zoom Product Specifications:



Network	LTE	2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz 3G (HSPA＋ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz 4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps) : up to 6 different band sets(Dependent on market)
	3G	2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz 3G (HSPA＋ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
Display	4.3 inch qHD sAMOLED (960x540) screen
AP	1.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ＊The selection of AP will be differed by markets
OS	Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
Camera	Main (Rear): 16 Mega pixel with x10 Optical Zoom and enhanced SMART Modes, OIS                         24-240mm, F3.1-F6.3 Sub (Front): 1.9 Mega pixel camera
	ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 Continuous Shot: 4fps MAX with AF Format: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, BMP, AGIF Xenon Flash,  SMART Mode, Expert Mode(P/S/M/C), My Mode
Video	Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark Recording & Playback: Full HD (1920x1080 30p)
Audio	Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC＋/eAAC＋, WMA, Vorbis(OGG), FLAC, apt-X
Camera  Features	SMART Mode(25): Smart mode suggest, Beauty face, Best photo, Continuous shot,  Best face, Kids shot, Landscape, Dawn, Snow, Macro, Food, Party/Indoor, Action freeze,  Rich tone (HDR), Panorama, Waterfall, Animated photo, Drama, Eraser, Sound & Shot, Silhouette, Sunset, Night, Fireworks, Light trace
Additional  Features	Samsung Link, Samsung ChatON
	S Voice, S Translator
	Group Play: Share Music(MP3), Share Picture(JPEG, GIF), Share Document(PDF, PPT), Play Games
	Story Album, Trip Advisor, Paper Artist
Google Mobile Services	Chrome, Downloads, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search, Google Settings, Google Plus,  Google Local, Google Play Store, Google Messenger, Google Navigation, Youtube,  Google Talk, Voice Search, Google Play Movie & TV, Google Play books, Google Play Music, Google Play Magazine
Connectivity	WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4＋5GHz NFC,  Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE) A-GPS ＋ GLONASS
Sensor	Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, RGB Light
Memory	8GB Internal memory (User memory approximately 5GB) ＋ microSD slot (up to 64GB) 1.5GB RAM ＊User memory space may be less than the total memory space due to system files. User memory may differ by region, carrier, and supporting language, and may change after software upgrade.
Dimension	125.5 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm, 208g (with standard battery)
Battery	2,330mAh



＊ All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

＊ Android, Chrome, Downloads, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search, Google Settings, Google Plus, 

Google Local, Google Play Store, Google Messenger, Google Navigation, Youtube, Google Talk, Voice Search, Google Play Movie & TV, Google Play books, Google Play Music and Google Play Magazine are trademarks of Google Inc.

＊ Samsung GALAXY S4 zoom uses Corning’s new Gorilla® Glass 3 with Native Damage Resistance™. This cover glass, Corning’s newest formulation, enables improved damage and scratch resistance and reduced scratch visibility. 

＊ Blurb, the global creative publishing platform, partners with Samsung to power worldwide book and magazine print production and fulfillment within the GALAXY S4 zoom’s new Story Album application. Users of Story Album will now be able to automatically create professional quality print photo books and magazines quickly and seamlessly from their camera phone images.

Sigma’s 60mm f2.8 DN Lens for Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras

Sigma announce the 60mm F2.8 lens on May 2, 2013. Here is the Press Release:

Sigma Corporation of America, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced that its new 60mm F2.8 DN Art lens for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILCs) will hit shelves in the United States mid-May for the street price of $239.

First revealed at the CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show in Japan earlier this year, the 60mm F2.8 is a new focal length in the Sigma lineup for both Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-Mount camera systems. It joins Sigma’s other DN lenses for MILCs: the 19mm F2.8 DN and the 30mm F2.8 DN.

“We’re constantly working to add new focal lengths to our lineup so photographers can have as many options as possible,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “This mid-range telephoto lens and its shallow depth of field will produce some very pleasing bokeh effects.”

As part of the company’s Global Vision category restructuring, the new 60mm F2.8 DN Art category lens has an angle of view equivalent to 120mm on the Micro Four Thirds system and 90mm on the E-mount system (35mm equivalent focal length). The minimum focusing distance is 19.7 inches; the maximum magnification is 1:7.2. This lens also contains Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass, which helps minimize axial and transverse chromatic aberration.

This lens incorporates telecentric optical designs and a linear, auto focusing motor that ensures accurate and quiet focusing for video recording. Featuring a metal exterior and a simply-shaped focus ring, it has varying textures to distinguish each part of the lens. Under its new manufacturing process, Sigma’s DN users can also choose between a black or silver finish to match their favorite equipment.
For information about Sigma Corporation of America, visit www.sigmaphoto.com.

Samsung NX300 Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera

The Samsung SMART CAMERA NX300 features a new, ultra-sensitive 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor and an advanced hybrid autofocus system. The camera can do 1/6000 shutter speed to keep up with the action—any action—and precisely capture a fast-paced moment you would otherwise miss. The 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor—now with Phase detection AF—delivers high-quality images. It’s also ideal for out-focusing photography, thanks to a sensor that’s the largest used in a mirrorless camera. The sensor, which measures 23.5mm x 15.7mm, collects the most light so you can create beautiful images without noise, even in low-lit situations. The hybrid AF (autofocus) system combines Phase detection AF and contrast AF for faster and more accurate autofocusing. The Samsung SMART CAMERA NX300 lets you shoot continuously at an ultra-fast rate of 8.6 frames per second to ensure you get the shot you want. Smart Camera 2.0 (Dual Band Wi-Fi) connect to your world—and to your smart devices. A dedicated Direct Link hot key lets you quickly and wirelessly send images to a mobile phone, tablet, PC or Smart HDTV—directly from your camera. The Hybrid Touch User Interface combines a 5-way button with a touchscreen so you can quickly select menu options to apply effects, share images, input text and more. The 3.31" (84mm) AMOLED Tilt Display flips up 90º and down 45º. Make vacation stills and videos pop off the screen with True 3D Creator. Featuring the world’s first single lens system for capturing 2D and 3D images, the Samsung SMART CAMERA NX300 is also the only interchangeable-lens camera that lets you shoot stills and movies in 3D via Samsung 45mm 2D/3D lens. The Samsung SMART CAMERA NX300 may not look like a camcorder, but it capably captures Full HD 1080/60P video. The Samsung SMART CAMERA NX300 lets you shoot up to ISO 25600 making it twice as sensitive to light as the previous model. Tap Smart Mode to access a variety of settings that help you get the perfect shot every time—even if you’re not a pro. Creative Shot automatically analyses the scene when you take the shot, and prepares the appropriate effects. So a happy face beams a little brighter, and a sunset glows with a touch more orange.

Leica X Vario - APS-C Mirroless Interchanges Lens Camera

On June 11, Leica officially released "Mini M" which is named Leica X Vario.  In addition to using a large size of the APS-C 1620 million pixels CMOS, X Vario camera for the first time also configures a 28-70mm equivalent zoom lens.  As the newest member of Leica of course maintains its camera aristocratic class price of US$3000 The camera uses metal body, and the top also features a traditional full flavor aperture and shutter dial. In addition to built-in pop-up flash, the camera also offers Hot Shoe for flash. X Vario can use the same EVF of Leica X2 and M Type 240. The Leica X Vario incorporates a Elmar 18-46 mm f/3.5- 6.4 ASPH zoom lens equivalent to a 35mm standard 28-70mm zoom.

 

In shooting, Leica X Vario has 16.2 million CMOS with high sensitive ISO 12500, while providing decent 5fps continuous shooting. The camera also supports 1080p @ 30fps in Full HD MP4 format film.

Samsung NX300 Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera

Samsung introduced the NX series also established a number of its own characteristics.  NX300 had ungraded in hardware and software with DRIMe IV image processing engine, hybrid AF system, 1/6000 seconds and 8.6FPS high-speed shutter continuous shooting speed; adding touch screen, as well as Smart Camera 2.0 WiFi networking capabilities
 

 

 The 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor with Phase detection AF delivers high-quality images and lifelike colors with the highest resolution in its class. The sensor collects the most light so you can create beautiful images without noise, even in low-lit situations. Phase detection AF (autofocus) determines the distance of your subject, while contrast AF fine-tunes the focus for maximum contrast. The hybrid AF system combines both into a single sensor which allows you to shoot accurate and sharply detailed images faster.
Continuously shoot at an ultra-fast rate of 8.6 frames per second. The advanced autofocus system brings crystal clarity to fast-moving subjects and the short shutter release lag helps you capture the fleeting moment before the subject moves out of frame.    

Olympus E-PL6 Announced

E-PL6 is announced to replace the E-PL5.  Basic Specifications is  almost identical E-PL5, carrying 16.1 million M4 / 3 Live MOS sensor, TruePic VI image processor, TruePic VI image processor with 3-inch 460,000 pixel flip-touch LCD. Only minor functionally equivalent E-P5, expected to be released in late June in Japan. Its  key Specifications included:

     16100000 M4 / 3 Live MOS sensor
     TruePic VI image processor
     35 District FAST AF focusing system
     324 division ESP metering
     8 shooting speed
     ISO200-25600
     60s-1/4000 shutter speed
     1920X1080 @ 30p, MOV / AVI file format
     MPEG-4/H.264 encoding formats, stereo radio
     3-inch 460,000 pixel flip-LCD (up to 170 degrees, down 65 degrees)
     SD / SDHC / SDXC (supports UHS-1, Eye-Fi)
     BLS-6 Lithium Battery
     Number of shots 360
     Weight 279g
     110.5x63.7x38.2mm
     Silver / White / Black / Red

E-PL6 Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera

New functions substantially improved from the OLYMPUS PEN Lite E-PL5, such as "Short Release Time Lag mode'', "ISO LOW setting'', "Interval shooting'', "Time Lapse movies'' and "Level Guide''.