Thought we were done with Olympus cameras for one day? Think again! Next up on their long list of releases today is the SZ-31MR super-zoom compact camera.

The successor to the SZ-30MR, it offers the same 16 megapixel backlit sensor and 24x (25-600mm) optical zoom as its predecessor, but adds in a new image processor in the shape of the dual engine TruePic V.

Olympus's new iHS (Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed) tech is onboard, which the company claims leads to sharper, more vivid images. ISO range is 80 to 640. You'll also get a smart panorama mode, HDR backlight adjustments, an advanced i-Auto mode, Auto Focus tracking, and face and pet detection for your pooch.

Full HD video can be recorded too, while a 3-inch, 920k dot touchscreen LCD sits on the rear, offering touch auto-focus and shutter controls.

Hitting stores in late March, the SZ-31MR will set you back £299.99.

A pair of new rugged cameras are on the way from Olympus. The TG-820 and TG-620 will be available from the middle of this month, and are priced at £269.99 and £229.99 respectively.

So what do the dollars buy you?

Well, for starters, both cameras are (10m for the TG-820 and 5m for the TG-620), shockproof (2m, 1.5m), freezeproof (minus 10 degrees) and the TG-820 is even crushproof up to 100kg. Double lock mechanisms protect the battery and input ports, while a metal ring protects the lens.

Getting down to your more standard snapping specs, both cameras shoot at 12 megapixels, with a 5x wide optical zoom (28-140mm) lens powered by the Olympus TruePic VI image engine.

iHS tech, HDR backlight adjustment, 3D shooting modes and 1080p Full HD video recording are all featured too. Eye-Fi, are SDHC and SDXC memory cards are all compatible, while HDMI out is supported by both cameras too.

If you're looking for one big differentiator to help you decide between the two, the TG-820 sports the better screen with a 3-inch 1,030k dot Super Precision HyperCrystal III LCD. It's only a 460k dot one on the TG-620.

What with all the launches from Canon and Nikon over the last few days, the second week of February will have to be re-christened "Camera Week" we think. Olympus are the next to tout their latest wares, revealing this morning the Olympus OM-D Micro Four Thirds system.

With this snapper using the Micro Four Thirds compact/interchangeable set up, here the OM's heritage is really only shown through positioning and styling. You'l still be able to use OM lenses from the 35mm original SLR, but yo'll have to purchase an MF-2 OM Adapter ring to do so, priced itself at £160.

Elsewhere the camera is bang up to date though; using a 16 megapixel Live MOS sensor, the camera offers five-axis stabilisation and super-quick autofocus settings.Olympus's existing MFT range of lenses are compatible with this new kit, while the OM-D ships with a M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm lens (24-100mm in 35mm terms).

The OM-D also sports a 1440k-dot electronic viewfinder for traditionalists, as well asa 3-inch adjusable touchscreen OLED display. ISO goes up to 25600,and you'll get all the usual array of scene filters, as well as Full HD video recording, that you'd expect from a high-end compact.

Due in April, theOM-D will sell for £1149.99.

Got butter fingers? Like swimming up mountains? Then check out the new ruggedised camera from Canon, the PowerShot D20.

Built around a "a robust and sporty body", it's waterproof down to 10m, shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof, with a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, backed by the DIGIC 4 processor.

Zoom is of the 5x optical variety, with 1080p video recording on board and the same Movie Digest feature seen in some of the A -Series cameras, making a mini movie from the four seconds prior to each photo taken.

A 3-inch 460k dot PureColor II screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio sits on the back, while the actual lens itself is a 28mm wide angle. As well as a series of silly filter effects, the D20 also comes with GPS photo tagging.

Due in May, expect to pay about £349.

Today's camera onslaught continues with not one, not two, but six new entry-level compacts from Canon. Their PowerShot A Series range just expanded considerably, with the Canon PowerShot A810, the Canon PowerShot A1300, the Canon PowerShot A2300, the Canon PowerShot A2400 IS, the Canon PowerShot A3400 IS and the Canon PowerShot A4000 IS all soon up for grabs.

First, what they all have in common; each has the DIGIC 4 processing engine(rather than the slightly more impressive DIGIC 5), and each has a 16MP sensor. Video recording is of the 720p HD variety, and all have 28mm wide angle lenses with at least 5x optical zoom and 2.7-inch LCD preview screens.

Top of the pile is the A4000, which ramps up the optical zoom to 8x, and the preview screen to a full 3 inches.

Next, the A3400, which lacks the longer zoom of the A4000, but matches it in preview screen size, and throws in touch screen controls too. The A3400, A4000 and the A2400 have optical image stabilising with Intelligent IS technology too.

If you're after an optical viewfinder, you need to look at the A2300 and the A1300 models. The A2300 has a recahrgeable battery, while the lower end models run on pesky AA batteries however. The A810 also loses out on the smart auto modes too.

The Canon PowerShot A4000 lands in shops first, arriving this month for £169. In March, the A2300, A2400 and A3400 will touch down, priced £119, £129 and £149 respectively, with the £89 A810 and the £109 A1300 in stores by April.

Canon have launched a pair of new super-slim long zoom compacts. The PowerShot SX260 HS and PowerShot SX240, look to be the perfect companion for travellers not looking to get too close to the action.

Both share practically the same specs.Each has a 20x optical zoom, 25mm wide-angle lens, and each has a 12.1 MP CMOS sensor powered by the DIGIC 5 HS System. Again, each uses Canon's Intelligent IS (Image Stabilisation) tech.

As well as the 20x optical zoom, you can pop a digital zoom on top too, pushing that zoom range to 39x.

3-inch PureColor II G LCD screens sit on the rear of the cameras, with Face ID facial recognition. It's a smart system that can learn up to 12 individual faces, and details about each person, tagging their names and applying age-related set ups to their snaps. For instance, a recognised baby would see the camera turn off its flash so as not to startle the baby. Both amazing and creepy, no?

Both cameras have Full HD video recording, and an interesting feature called Movie Digest, which, while not only cribbing the mighty Tech Digest's name, also records the four seconds of action prior to your photo being taken, editing them altogether at the end of the day into a mini film.

So what's the difference between the two cameras? GPS; you'll only find geo-tagging in the Canon PowerShot SX260 HS.

In shops from from March, the SX260 will cost £329 and come in four colours (silver, black, red and green), while the SX240 will be £299 and come in three; silver, black and red.

Nikon have just revealed the full frame, 36-megapixel D800 DSLR.

Carrying over much of the styling of its predecessor the D700, it offers an unprecedented amount of detail and excellent low-lighting shooting modes thanks to its whopping 36MP CMOS sensor, reaching new megapixel highs for a consumer camera.

Processing power is more of less identical to the Nikon D4, using the Expeed 3 processor, while the auto-focus module also carries over.

Full HD video modes are now onboard, with full manual controls, as well as the ability to shoot slow motion 50/60fps options in 720p, meeting the rival EOS 5D Mk II head on. You'll also get the option to shoot in different crop modes, from the native FX to DX (APS-C equivalent), as well as 5:4 and 1.2x.

Normal ISO range hits the 100-6400 marks, with options to drop to ISO 50 or push to ISO 25600.

A sturdy bit of kit, it's weatherproofed for your trip to Niagra Falls. On the rear you'll find a
3.2-inch 921k-dot LCD display with an ambient light meter, helping you pick the best settings for your surroundings. There's also a 00 per cent field of view viewfinder, which will display 51 AF points.

Battery life is good, offering 900 shots per charge. Output to HDMI with uncompressed video is supported, while other connections include USB 3.0, headphone and mic sockets. Slots for CF and SD cards are on board, and can be used in combination.

Very much a bit of kit for the budding pro then, you're looking at an asking price of £2399.99 when this launches on March 22nd.

Nikon have revealed two new superzoom cameras, the P510 and Coolpix L810, for budding wildlife photographers and/or peeping Toms, which will replace Nikon's P500 and L120 models.

Kicking off with the £400 P150, it features a giant 42x optical NIKKOR zoom lens, which hits an impressive 1,000mm super-telephone focal length, and down to a 24mm wide-angle. Taking 16MP stills from its illuminated CMOS sensor, it also shoots 1080p video and houses a tiltable 921K-dot LCD preview screen.

GPS tagging, and Auto HDR mode, Easy Panorama and 3D shooting mode also feature.

Next, a quick look at the Coolpix L810. It again is a 16MP snapper, but with a 26x wide angle optical zoom, with a range of 22.5 to 585mm. 720p video recording and 3D modes also feature.

Both cameras are due out on March 22nd.

Fujifilm's latest super-zoom digital camera, the XS-1, has hit UK stores.

A darling of this year's CES show, the bridge camera features a Fujinon 26x optical zoom lens and the EXR CMOS sensor, which can also be found in Fujifilm's top-notch X10 compact.

Shooting 12MP stills and Full HD video at 30fps, the X-S1's fixed lens has a range of 24-624mm (in 35mm terms) and max aperture levels of f/2.8. Thanks to Fujifilm's Intelligent Digital Zoom engine and you can double the focal range without any noise added to the picture quality, for a zoom level of 1,248mm.

On the rear you'll also find a 0.47 inch electronic viewfinder, with a 3-inch LCD preview screen that hits a 460k dot resolution.

In shops now, you can pick up the X-S1 for £699

The latest in a host of Sony compact camera announcements is the March release of their Sony Cyber-Shot TX200V snapper. The successor to the TX100V, it's a slim number that's surprisingly good looking considering it's rugged-ready specs.

Waterproof up to 5m and freezeproof down to -10 c , it's very much an adventurer's compact, fitting snugly into a trouser pocket with just a 16mm thickness and a 3-inch 921-k dot LCD touchscreen display.

In terms of imaging tech, you've got a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens giving a 5x zoom (26-130mm in 35mm), and an 18-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor. An "Extra High Sensitivity" Bionz processor should help reduce noise in low-light scenarios too.

Optical SteadyShot should help keeps snaps from the slopes nice and clear, while Full HD 1080/60p video capture, with Sweep Panorama, face recognition and face detection modes are also included.

Hitting US stores in March, the Sony Cyber-shot TX200V is up for pre-order at $499.99 . We'll pass on word of a UK release as we get the details.

A handful of new compact cameras from Sony are heading their way into stores in March. Part of their CyberShot range, the WX70 and WX50 are slim, pocketable cameras perfectly friendly to beginners.

Sharing many features, both measure 92.2 x 52.0 x 19.1mm and have a 16.2-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor. Sony's Bionz processor is onboard with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens. A 5x optical zoom is backed by a 10x digital Clear Image Zoom, with ISO up to 12800.

HD video can be shot with both cameras in AVCHD 1920 x 1080 / 50i format. MP4 formats are also an option.

The battery will last 120 minutes of continuous still shooting with the LCD on, while Sony's Optical SteadyShot Active Mode  keeps shot clear for even the shakiest of hands.

The only important difference between both models comes with their screen specifications. The WX70 comes complete with a 3-inch Xtra Fine LCD touchscreen, with a 921k dot resolution, while the WX50 has a non-touch 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD screen, with a 460k dot resolution.

No pricing available yet, but the range of colours for each camera is Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX50 will be available in silver, black, pink, gold and blue. The WX70 is said to come in less colours (just black, silver and white) but an image attached to the press release also shows the camera in pink and purple shades too. These colours may only be set for other territories outside of Europe though.

After a gruelling period of decline, Kodak last week were forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, leading many to wonder about the future of the company and, in many cases, just what was going to happen to the much-needed consumable products that Kodak's gear needed, such as printer cartridges.

"After considering the advantages of chapter 11 at this time, the Board of Directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak," Antonio M. Perez, Kodak chairman and CEO stated.

"Our goal is to maximise value for stakeholders, including our employees, retirees, creditors, and pension trustees. We are also committed to working with our valued customers."

That customer commitment has been backed up today by a statement from the Kodak UK team, who confirmed to Tech Digest that it was very much "business as usual" for the British arm of the veteran camera makers:

"The Kodak UK team is still very much in business and we are going full steam ahead with our planned activity," said the Kodak spokesperson, who also settled loyal Kodak customers' fears by explicitly stating there would be no changes made to the distribution of consumables in the wake of last week's news.

Kodak also took the opportunity to reveal UK launch details of their CES 2011 star compact camera, the EASYSHARE Wireless Camera M750.

Offering 16 MP stills, a 5X optical zoom, HD video recording and 3 inch touchscreen, it lets users send photos straight to Facebook, email or tablet devices over Wi-Fi, pairing up with the KODAK EASYSHARE Camera App on Android, iOS and blackBerry devices.

"The launch of the EASYSHARE Wireless Camera M750 marks the perfect union of the smartphone and digital camera," said Phil Scott, Vice President of Digital Capture and Accessories.

"The two technologies are now married to bring consumers the best experience from capture to share. Socially savvy users no longer have to compromise on image quality, now we can take great pictures and share instantly."

Available in silver and red for £129.95, it'll be hitting all major photography retailers in the Spring.

Looking to jump on the same retro wagon as Olympus and Fujifilm, Samsung are rumoured to be planning to launch the NX20 mirrorless compact camera system in February, packing high-class specs into a vintage chassis.

Said to have a 1.8 million pixel electronic viewfinder, swivelling AMOLED preview screen and full manual controls, the NX20 is though to be using the same sensor as seen in Samsung's NX200 model, but with a significantly faster processor and buffer.

Two new lenses are also rumoured to be launching within the same February window, in 16-80mm and 12-24mm variations.

The news follows the announcement of a re-jigged retro variation of Samsung's NX200, to be released in South Korea.

Via: Mirrorless Rumours

Camera and printer manufacturers Kodak have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, ending months of speculation of to the fate of the 131 year old company.

The company will go through a dramatic period of reorganisation, entering a protected period and taking $950 million worth of credit to settle their sinking ship.

"Kodak is taking a significant step toward enabling our enterprise to complete its transformation," said Antonio M. Perez, chairman and CEO.

"At the same time as we have created our digital business, we have also already effectively exited certain traditional operations, closing 13 manufacturing plants and 130 processing labs, and reducing our workforce by 47,000 since 2003. Now we must complete the transformation by further addressing our cost structure and effectively monetising non-core IP assets. We look forward to working with our stakeholders to emerge a lean, world-class, digital imaging and materials science company.

"After considering the advantages of chapter 11 at this time, the Board of Directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak," Mr. Perez continued.

"Our goal is to maximise value for stakeholders, including our employees, retirees, creditors, and pension trustees. We are also committed to working with our valued customers."

A glimmer of hope lies in Kodak's sizeable patent catalogue, the sale of which has already generated $3 billion for the company since 2003.

Via: Investor.kodak.com

Casio have launched a bevy of new beginner compact cameras at CES 2012. Packing a handful of specs that belie their entry-level status, the Exilim ZS150, ZS20, ZS12 and ZS6 are all looking very capable little snappers.

Top of the line is the ZS150, offering a 24mm wide angle lens and a 12.4x optical zoom. Perhaps its most attractive feature is its use of the Exilim Engine HS. This allows for a super-fast boot-up time of 0.99 seconds, letting you take consecutive shots with a gap of just 0.29 seconds.

HD video capture at 720p is also possible, with decent low light performance with an f3 aperture. Premium Auto Mode helps take great, optimised snaps straight away. A 2.7inch LCD sits on the rear and with a USB-rechargeable battery tucked away inside.

Though the rest of the entry-level cameras launched by Casio share similar specifications, there are a few notable difference. Firstly, XS20 has a slightly narrower 26mm lens, with a 6x optical zoom. The ZS12 and ZS6 also have a 26mm wide angle but only a 5x zoom, while the ZS12 model is slimmest.

Check out Casio's page for more info.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Is it a phone? Is it a camera? Is it an Android camera phone? Tell us, Polaroid!

Polaroid's SC1630 Smart Camera, powered by Android, got many a tongue wagging at CES 2012. While many hoped it would have smartphone functionality, Polaroid's tight-lipped approach seems to suggest that, despite housing "optional cellular connectivity", it wont replace your day-to-day blower.

What it does offer though is access to all the Android apps you could ever want, including photo editing apps, as well as taking 16MP snaps with a 3X optical zoom.

For more info click here, and be sure to check out our hands-on demo video above.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

To answer the headline question...well...we're not totally sure to be honest. Polaroid are never ones to shy away from a crazy product launch (remember last year's Lady Gaga Polarez G10 camera shades?), but they've got quite a mysterious hybrid here in the shape of the Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera.

Is it an Android powered Wi-Fi camera, or a camera touting Android device? Perhaps that's not an important distinction to make, but what is important is whether the device can be used as a phone as well as a camera, something which Polaroid are staying tight lipped about for the time being. Though the device has "optional cellular data connections", Polaroid haven't stated whether or not it can make calls too. If it can't, you're annoyingly going to have to keep your smartphone with you along with this device, as it'll be no true Android-powered replacement.

On the other hand, it's still an intriguing prospect. Packing a 16-megapixel CCD sensor with 3x optical zoom lens offering 36-108mm (in 35mm terms), it's a fair sight more fully-featured than your average smartphone camera. If it can manage to squeeze in a sensor larger than your average cameraphone, it could be genuinely exciting, particularly when paired up with the bevy of Android photo editing apps available.

So a few questions left unanswered by the SC1630. But if you do need a camera that lets you play Angry Birds at the same time as snapping decent shots, you're now in luck.

UPDATE - Here's a video we shot at CES 2012 in Las Vegas of the Polaroid SC1630 which answers some of the questions although the guy demonstrating is, strangely, a bit vague about the product too!

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Samsung have been showing off five new smart cameras and camcorders at this year's CES. The WB850F, WB150F, ST200F, DV300F and QF20 models come after three earlier Samsung models were revealed at the show.

Of the "WB" range, the WB850F is the most impressive. With a 21x optical zoom, it can send images wirelessly directly from the camera itself to sites like Flickr and Facebook, meaning the days of hooking up a transfer cable would be well and truly gone.

The DV300F is Samsung's latest dual-screen offering. A social camera that lets you preview those vanity shots you and your mates take on a night out clubbing, it too has sharing features that let you post straight to YouTube and Facebook.

Thinnest of all Samsung's newly-announced smart cameras is the ST200F. Perfectly pocketable, it has a one-click camera-to-PC back-up button, protecting your valuable shots from being lost should you mislay your SD card. It also supports Microsoft's Sky Drive if you're looking to push your snaps to the cloud.

As with most of Samsung's CES announcements, no word yet on pricing or availability, but we'll pass the details on once the hit our inboxes.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Three new compact cameras on the way from Samsung. Comprising the ST66, St77, and ST88, each shoots 16.1MP stills from a brushed metal chassis, have a F2.5 25mm wide-angle lens and will be available in black, white and plum colours.

There's a few small differences between each model though. While all three have a 5x optical zoom, only the ST77 and ST88 offer 720p video recording at 30fps. The ST88 also boasts the most impressive preview screen with a 3-inch hVGA LCD. The ST77 and ST66 are stuck with a 2.7 inch screen.

Apart from that though it's practically all the same across the board, with Smart Auto 2.0 intelligent scene selection modes, panorama shooting, and in-camera post processing for picture-in-picture shots and all manner of filters.

No pricing or availability yet, but we'll pass them on as we get them.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Better performance from a smaller body is the order of the day for Canon's just-unveiled PowerShot G1 X compact. Aimed at pros and enthusiast amateurs, its CMOS sensor is an impressive 18.7 x 14mm, close to the APS-C ones found in their top tier EOS gear.

14.3 MP in a 4:3 aspect ratio and propped up by a Digic 5 processor, the CMOS sensor offers a standard shooting range of ISO 100-12,800, as well as on-chip noise reduction.

A 4x lens give a 28-112mm range when in terms of 35mm, with a max aperture of F/2.8 and 4 stop points of image stabilisation.

Full manual controls, similar to Canon's G12 are onboard, while the lens gives a 3-stop ND filter, letting you muck around with settings easier without having to worry so much about over-exposure. 1080p recording at 24fps is supported, with HDMI output for big-screen playback.

As well as a pop-up flash and optical viewfinder, you'll also find a 3-inch 920k-dot resolution display on the rear.

Though technically a compact, this is still a hefty bit of kit however. With measurements of 116.7 x 80.5 x 64.7mm and a weight of 534g, you're gonna need some clown-sized pockets to fit this in.

Available in late February, it'll be pricey for a compact, sitting at the £699 mark.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.