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What started as rumor has now finally come true, as Canon introduced its latest professional DSLR camera model, the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera. It might have taken Canon three years to update its highly popular EOS 5D released sometime in 2005, but it looks like the three long years of wait may be well worth it. Improving on its predecessor’s features, the 5D Mark II features a full-frame CMOS sensor coupled with HD video capture. This may not be the DSLR industry’s first camera to have this feature since Nikon has introduced it with their recently announced D90 DSLR, but it is certainly the first Canon DSLR camera to have it.

Aside from the HD video capture, the EOS 5D Mark II is packed with great features and functionality that would certainly please professional camera users. These include; a 21.1 megapixel full frame 24 x 36mm CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 imaging processor and an ISO sensitivity range of 50 to a whopping 25,600. In addition, the 5D Mark II also has a 3.9 fps continuous shooting capability, 15-point Autofocus with nine selectable AF points, a 3-inch clear view LCD, optical viewfinder with 98 percent coverage and a 150,000-cycle shutter durability.

Want to know some more features? Keep reading.

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Rumors about Nikon’s next DSLR model, the D90 started surfacing as early as December last year. This was heightened a couple of days ago when leak photos and specs started appearing again. But finally, Nikon has ended all the speculations and announced the D90 with a new feature which some may love while others may not like at all. We’re talking here about the D90’s video function which is a first among DSLR cameras.

The D90’s D-Movie mode function allows for capturing high-definition movie clips at 720p. For some this might be the realization of a long time longing for a DSLR function, while DSLR purists might find this simply unacceptable. At any rate, we all have to accept the fact that from now on, the camera that we used to know is now a hybrid of a point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras.

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Move over, 007 – the doors to spy craft just opened to the public. Sharp recently announced its new 5-megapixel CMOS camera (RJ63SC100), purportedly the world smallest. Measuring in at only 9.5 x 9.5 x 6.6mm, the device even offers auto focus for better image quality. The new camera will expected to be available for mass production in July. The camera’s diminutive size, surprising thinness, and high resolution would enable future devices (phones, etc.) to have ultra small cameras.  While it is easy to see its use in the race for smaller and sleeker phones, more inventive uses (shades cam? Camera in your shirt buttons?) are also possible. 

Via [Hiptop3]

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Sanyo has released a new model for their Xacti handheld camcorder series, the Xacti CG9. Boasting of a 9.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, 40MB of internal memory, a 5x optical zoom and H.264 video codec. Sanyo is touting the Xacti CG9 as an entry level video camcorder. Hence the move from the usual Xacti CCD to CMOS, probably to enable Sanyo to put a competitive price to the Xacti CG9 since they are targeting the entry-level video camcorder users. But still, the CMOS sensor will produce decent quality videos and high quality still images as well. The Xacti CG9 also boast of 60/fps video recording capability.

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Eight is the new five. In terms of megapixels, that is. As you are well aware, Samsung holds the record for the world’s thinnest cellphones, be it in the clamshell, slider, or candy bar form factor category. How do they do it? Why, by packing the world’s thinnest cellphone parts in their phones, of course. The latest announcement from Samsung brings yet another record-breaking (or is it record setting?) item, an 8.5mm CMOS digital camera module that they will use for their next-generation mobile phones. This will upgrade their current generation 5-megapixel phones to 8-megapixel ones, and as if that wasn’t enough, the camera module also features anti-shake, 1-cm macro mode, face-tracking technology and a smile shutter feature. Expect cellphones to be released with this camera module during the second half of 2008.

Read [Samsung Korea] Via [Engadget]

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