Digital Camera Information

Could this be the next thing for digital cameras, a fuel cell? According to FuelCellToday, they say Samsung Electro-Mechanics has already developed a micro fuel cell and hydrogen generator that runs on water. Yes, that right water, H-2-0!

According to the Chosen Ilbo, mobile phones or even Digital Cameras which run on water could hit the market as soon as 2010 as a result of this development.

The micro fuel cell can be used to power mobile devices as it can generate up to three watts of electricity, Samsung has said, according to Chosen Ilbo.

This means that the fuel cell could power a handset for up to ten hours.

Explaining the process, Oh Yong-soo, vice president of Samsung Electro-Mechanics’ research centre, told Chosen Ilbo: “When the handset is turned on, metal and water in the phone react to produce hydrogen gas.

“The gas is then supplied to the fuel cell where it reacts with oxygen in the air to generate power.”

Cartridges would have to be changed once every five days based on usage of around four hours a day on average, the vice president added.

Samsung already has a fuel cell in their laptops (Sense Q35) that could run for up to 30 days and is due at the end of 2007.

Here are some interesting facts for 2006 for digital cameras. According to Reuters, Canon has topped the market share in global digital camera shipments in 2006, however South Korea’s Samsung Electronics jumped up the ranks to 5th place from 9th a year ago. Nikon is ranked 6th in the world.

Tokyo-based Canon shipped 19.7 million digital cameras in 2006 which accounted for 18.7 percent of the overall market. Canon’s shipments jumped 23.3 percent from 2005.

In total, the Industry wide digital camera shipments in 2006 rose 14.5 percent to 106 million units from a year earlier. This was driven by the strong popularity of Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras. DSLR shipments grew 39 percent to 5 million units last year.

Sony Corp was No. 2 in the market with a 15.8 percent share, up from 15.2 percent in 2005. This was helped with the introduction into the DSLR market with the Alpha A100.

Eastman Kodak which is the only U.S. Company among the top five digital camera makers, ranked third with 10 percent, a drop from its 14.2 percent share a year earlier. This could be due to their exit of the DSLR market a few years ago.

Olympus Corporation came in fourth with a market share of 8.6 percent, down 9.8 percent in 2005.

The big winner in 2006 was Samsung, who displaced Nikon and became the fifth-largest seller of digital cameras in the world. Samsung has expanded its market share to 7.8 percent in 2006 which is a huge jump from the 3.8 percent it had a year earlier.

Nikon Corporation, the world’s second-biggest maker of professional cameras (DSLR) after Canon, ranked No. 6 in the overall digital camera market with a 7.6 percent market share in 2006.

Digital SLR Market
Canon also dominated the booming DSLR market, securing a 46.7 percent share in 2006, with its shipments rising 30.7 percent from a year earlier. But its share was trimmed from the 49.5 percent it had in 2006 amid increased competition from rivals.

Nikon cemented the No. 2 position in DSLRs with a 33 percent market share. Its shipments jumped 35.9 percent with the introduction of successful models such as the Nikon D50, D70s, D80 and the D200.

Sony, which purchased the DSLR unit of Konica Minolta Holdings, shipped 326,240 DSLRs in 2006, accounting for 6.2 percent of the market. A great result after being in the market for under a year.

Samsung has announced an 8.4 megapixel CMOS image sensor with a 1.4㎛pixel design at Samsung’s fourth annual Mobile Solution Forum. This is the worlds smallest CMOS sensor.

The new CMOS image sensor chip provides a very high signal to noise ratio which is a key measure of overall image quality.

This was achieved by implementing advanced light sensing features and minimized noise levels. Notably, an extended photo diode technology was implemented to achieve higher light sensitivity and saturation levels, resulting in an enhanced fill factor.

In addition, it provides the same image quality as the charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensors currently used in the majority of digital cameras and camcorders around the world. Since the new CMOS image sensor only uses one-tenth the power of a CCD image sensor, it should quickly replace CCDs in all three key applications-mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders.

The CMOS image sensor product line of System LSI Division is one of the five major product areas that Samsung has been focusing on to enhance and balance the company’s overall competitiveness. Samsung’s present portfolio of CMOS image sensor technology spans across the range of 1.3 through 5 megapixel resolutions with the 8 megapixel CMOS image sensor expected to be available in the second half of this year.

The CMOS image sensor market is expected to show high demand for high-resolution devices. The current outlook toward 2009 shows a compound annual growth rate of over 90 percent for 3 megapixel and higher resolution devices over a four-year term from 2006 through 2009.

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Samsung has announced the release of three new stylist compact digital cameras to the market with the NV series. The NV series was developed following a two year consumer market research study to gain insight into the lifestyle and needs of consumers and their picture-taking interests. As a result Samsung has incorporated an attractive design and new user interface concepts to create a premium product group. In addition it also offers practical technology and easy usability with an identifiable black color and new blue ring design to distinguish itself from its competitors.

According to Managing Director of Samsung UK, Jake Kim says “The NV cameras present a unique offering to users with new and additional features not currently available on the market,”

“We are proud to use this range as the cornerstone of our compact camera vision and believe it will benchmark the quality and innovation that photographers of all levels can expect from Samsung.”

The Samsung NV3 is one of the three cameras and here’s what they say:

“Functioning as a high resolution 7.2 mega-pixel digital camera, the NV3 is both a luxurious and practical multimedia device sure to attract the next generation of digital photographers. Encased in a thin 17.5mm case, it also acts as an MP3 player using a special audio processing chip delivering 3D, Jazz, Rock, and other sound effects. The NV3 includes a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP) for realistic movie sounds. The NV3 also doubles as a digital camcorder with MPEG-4 TVD (720 x 480) 20fps &; VGA (640 x 480) 30fps with Auto Gain Control (AGC) technology to minimise zoom noise during video recording. A text viewer allows the user to read text on the LCD, or to use as an e-book, whilst the multi-tasking ability enables you to listen to music while taking pictures.”

Samsung has announced the release of three new stylist compact digital cameras to the market with the NV series. The NV series was developed following a two year consumer market research study to gain insight into the lifestyle and needs of consumers and their picture-taking interests. As a result Samsung has incorporated an attractive design and new user interface concepts to create a premium product group. In addition it also offers practical technology and easy usability with an identifiable black color and new blue ring design to distinguish itself from its competitors.

The NV Series introduces the innovative UI using Smart Touch buttons for the first time in a digital camera, offering easy and convenient control for the NV10, a gentle touch is all it takes to navigate menu items, manipulate the settings, or view your pictures.

According to Managing Director of Samsung UK, Jake Kim says “The NV cameras present a unique offering to users with new and additional features not currently available on the market,”

“We are proud to use this range as the cornerstone of our compact camera vision and believe it will benchmark the quality and innovation that photographers of all levels can expect from Samsung.”

The Samsung NV10 is one of the three cameras and here’s what they say:

“With 10.1 mega pixels and a 2.5″ wide-view LCD, the NV10 provides brighter, sharper, more detailed images. Coupled with Samsung’s unique Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR) system, the NV10 enables you to take clearer pictures indoors or in lower light conditions. The NV10 also features TV quality MPEG-4 VGA (640 x 480) 30fps video recording (zoom and pause). A virtual dial mode is also offered for added convenience in controlling the camera. The NV10 comes complete with a rechargeable battery and can also be charged via USB on a PC or Mac, or via the optional high capacity SBP-4442 battery kit.”

Samsung has announced the release of three new stylist compact digital cameras to the market with the NV series. The NV series was developed following a two year consumer market research study to gain insight into the lifestyle and needs of consumers and their picture-taking interests. As a result Samsung has incorporated an attractive design and new user interface concepts to create a premium product group. In addition it also offers practical technology and easy usability with an identifiable black color and new blue ring design to distinguish itself from its competitors.

The NV Series introduces the innovative UI using Smart Touch buttons for the first time in a digital camera, offering easy and convenient control for the NV7 OPS, a gentle touch is all it takes to navigate menu items, manipulate the settings, or view your pictures.

According to Managing Director of Samsung UK, Jake Kim says “The NV cameras present a unique offering to users with new and additional features not currently available on the market,”

“We are proud to use this range as the cornerstone of our compact camera vision and believe it will benchmark the quality and innovation that photographers of all levels can expect from Samsung.”

The Samsung NV7 OPS is one of the three cameras and here’s what they say:

“Delivering a more advanced photographic experience for taking scenery, sports or even more challenging shots, the 7 megapixel NV7 OPS has a 7x optical zoom and offers both the Optical Picture Stabilization (OPS) and the Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR) processing function to deliver optimum image quality. These combined technologies enable you to take clear and natural pictures anywhere and in lower light conditions without using a flash. Additional functionality provides TV quality MPEG-4 VGA (640 x 480) 30 fps video recording (including zoom and pause) and a photo gallery function for convenient picture viewing with the Smart Touch interface. The NV7 OPS comes with a rechargeable battery and has a multi-charging system including USB and optional high capacity SBP-4442 battery kit.”

Did you know that DSLR camera have an expected shutter-life on their camera? This is the number of times the shutter is activated (actuations) before the mechanism fails. Although it is not an absolute figure, it does exit.

You see, on a good days shooting, a normal film SLR camera could use up 10 rolls of film (200 - 300 shots) compared to thousands on a DSLR camera where multiple shots are standard. With this type of increased usage there is a limit before failure sets in and in reality it’s probably a good time to sell your camera. A good indication is when the shutter gets stuck.

So what is the expected shutter-life. Well from what I’ve been reading it ranges from 50,000 actuations for an amateur DSLR to 225,000 for the high models.

Here is a comment by Chuck Westfall, Director of Media and Customer Relationship Camera Division - Canon U.S.A., Inc:

“EOS-1N Service Life: Canon Factory Service has established a repair policy for the EOS-1N, EOS-3 and EOS-1V 35mm SLRs that basically considers these cameras Beyond Economical Repair when the number of shutter actuations exceeds a certain limit. In the case of the EOS-1N, that limit is 140,000 actuations. For the EOS-3 and EOS-1V, it’s 225,000 actuations. Incidentally, the advertised shutter life expectancy for the EOS-1N was 100,000 actuations, not 150,000. The advertised shutter life expectancy for EOS-3 and EOS-1V is 150,000 actuations. “

Considering the high number of shots taken by a DSLR camera these days, the rated shutter-life is not that long.

So for sellers, the best time to sell your DSLR camera is between 50,000 - 150,000 actuations with the higher range applying to the higher spec cameras. On the other hand when you consider the advances in new technology with new models appearing every 18 months it may not be an issue if you decide to update your camera regularly.

For buyers best to buy a second hand DSLR with under 50,000 actuations.

Samsung has unveiled their first 10 megapixel DSLR at the Seoul International Photo & Imaging Industry Show 2006 held in Korea. Not sure what the specification will be, however my guess is that it will be similar to the new 10 megapixel Pentax DSLR. It looks like Samsung is out to tackle the competition head on since starting their joint venture with Pentax in 2005.

Here are the pictures from the show.

Samsung has introduced the world’s first 8GB Hard Disk smart phone, the SGH-i310

It reinforces its technology leadership by unveiling the world’s first world’s first 8GB Hard Disk embedded smart phone (model: SGH-i310) at CeBIT 2006.

“Samsung’s development of the 8GB hard disk drive phone opens a new world in telecommunication industry,” said Kitae Lee, President of Telecommunication Network Business of Samsung Electronics.

“As consumers’ needs of mobile entertainment are growing rapidly, we are continuously introducing breakthroughs in mobile phones. Our i310, 8GB HDD smart phone will be the best match for business consumers who want a colossal of business functionalities as well as rich mobile entertainment contents.”

Enjoy Maximum storage in Mobile

Samsung breaks the storage limit in mobile phones by introducing the world’s first mobile phone equipped with a 8GB hard disk drive (model: SGH-i310). With the large storage of 8GB, SGH-i310 will change the way people manage and use the mobile phone.

Samsung is the first to adopt a hard disk drive into mobile phones and has launched three models equipped with a hard disk drive; the world’s first 1.5GB HDD embedded phone (model: SPH-V5400), the world’s first 3GB HDD embedded phone (model: SCH-V7900) and the world’s first 3GB HDD Music smart phone (model: SGH-i300).

The i310 works as a perfect platform for users by combining a phone, a digital camera, and a MP3 player with its immense storage capacity. It enables users to carry around 2,000 songs (4MB/song) wherever they go.

The i310 comes with the latest version of Windows Mobile 5.0 for Smart phone which allows users to view files and easily carry their music library with them. This will sync the play lists, songs, and videos from your PC so that your experience is identical to the user’s personal computer. It also offers USB 2.0 and Plug & Play feature which allows the phone to be utilized as a removable hard disk. Businessmen and students can easily transfer files to / from their computers, as well as store and transfer files in any format conveniently.

The i310 has all the latest features including a 2 mega pixel camera with flash, microSD slot, document viewer and TV output. Users can record video with the 2 mega pixel camera in high quality resolution.

It also supports enhanced music function with Bluetooth® stereo (A2DP), digital power amp and dual speakers. Uses can download music conveniently from online music store from their personal computer or directly via air.

The i310 will be introduced in Europe during the second half of this year.

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Samsung has recently unveiled their new 10Megapixel cameraphone (SCH-B600) at the 2006 CeBIT convention in Hannover this week.

The SCH-B600 features a massive 10 megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom, 5x digital zoom, flash, auto-focus, 1/2000 shutter speed, and self-timer. Other features include a 16M color 2.2″ QVGA TFT display, DMB satellite TV reception, music and image playback, voice recognition, Bluetooth, and microMMC memory card storage.

The SCH-B600 sets itself apart from its previous megapixel cameraphones by combining the mobile TV technology with the 10 megapixel camera.

The B600 offers the same level of picture-taking sophistication that a 10 megapixel digital camera offers and mobile TV capability in Satellite standard.

The camera function includes 3x optical zoom and 5x digital zoom. It also has auto focus and a flash unit that performs optimally for 10 megapixel photographs.

Also, the B600 comes fitted with a LED autofocus feature, the first time ever for a cameraphone. The B600’s LED autofocus feature assists users to capture clear, crisp photos even in dark settings. Located next to the lens, the LED autofocus automatically determines the distance and utilizes the appropriate focus setting for optimal photo shooting.

It also has the “Anycall Band” feature, where each person using this phone can play a specific melody of instruments and arrange it together to create a song for downloading.

It also supports Bluetooth functions, through which users can listen to their MP3 files, enjoy DMB and communicate with other people wirelessly via Bluetooth headset.

The high color Reproduction TFT-LCD produces the highest possible display for its size. The photo-fine chromarich LCD can reproduce 16 million colors, virtually any color found in nature, earning it the “True Color” appellation. Moving pictures can be recorded in QVGA resolution at 15-30 frames per second. Users can watch live TV in crisp picture through Satellite DMB function.

It also supports external memory (MMCmicro) in addition to its internal memory. The mobile phone supports a TV-out function where users can connect their phones to view still or motion pictures.

The B600 comes with a design reminiscent of a real digital camera. The front is designed as a bar-type mobile phone, while the back side is used as the digital camera.

Other advanced functions in the B600 include an MP3 player, business card reader, and 128 polyphonic sounds.

The B600 will be introduced in Korea during the 2nd quarter of 2006.

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