The Verge - The cameras of CES 2012

Cerevo Live Shell with Contour+ (hands-on)

2012-01-14T00:13:02Z

We just dropped by Contour's booth at CES to check out the new Cerevo Live Shell accessory — it's a small, light, portable device that can hook up to an HD camera via HDMI and stream live video to Ustream over ethernet or WiFi. Settings for the Live Shell can be managed on a PC or through a smartphone app, and when paired with the Contour+, the system can capture roughly three hours of 1080p video on three AA batteries. Contour had a live demonstration at its booth which looked pretty smooth — video streamed from the Contour+ to Ustream, as promised, though the company says there's a 20-second delay for streaming video. (You can see Contour's live stream on Ustream, here). The Cerevo will be out starting Janurary 21st, for $299.

Tamaggo 360-imager camera prototype hands-on

2012-01-13T20:08:02Z

Panoramic photo technology is nothing new, but the Tamaggo 360-imager is a standalone fisheye camera that packs a decent amount of technology into a relatively small form factor. The prototype we handled felt pretty weighty, but its unique body made it comfortable to hold. The camera's name comes from the Japanese word for 'egg,' an obvious reference to the device's shape.

It can capture 360-degree panoramic images with its 14-megapixel sensor and 11-component lens setup. The internal accelerometer allows for capturing images in two modes: hold it vertically for 360-degree shots (see below) or hold it horizontally to capture wide-angle panoramas. The Tamaggo has two physical buttons — a large one to take photos and an on / off toggle *..

RED Epic-X insides exposed, photographed for all to see

2012-01-12T18:29:51Z

You already know its specs, and you've already seen it in action, but have you seen RED's $34,500 Epix-X torn asunder? We're sure any current owners wouldn't dare take the risk, but the FCC sure didn't mind. Take a look at those oh-so expensive (and red) innards and dream that you could have one of your own. More photos at the source link below.

Lytro's Eric Cheng on a video Lytro: 'there's no reason we can't'

2012-01-12T01:20:56Z

Alright, the Lytro light field camera technology is pretty impressive and emergent all by itself (it will be shipping in about a month), but I can't help wondering what's next: what about video? Eric Cheng, the Director of Photography at Lytro, was surprisingly forthcoming. Without promising any products in the pipeline, he described the exact technical requirements, and the exact technical feasibility. What's really interesting, and was helpful in me actually understanding how Lytro works, is that it's like a 3D rendering engine in reverse. Instead of tracking a point of light from an object to a virtual camera, Lytro takes the information it has from its sensor on a multitude of light rays and extrapolates the scene from that. Outside...

Sony NEX-FS100 and NEX-VG20 hands-on (video)

2012-01-11T20:42:06Z

We've wanted to check out Sony's NEX interchangeable lens video cameras, the VG20 Handycam and pro-level FS100, and finally got a chance on the CES show floor. We also got to see the full lineup of lenses for the E-mount system, including the new 50mm f/1.8 and 24mm f/1.8 Zeiss models, along with a pre-production 500mm f/4 telephoto for A-mount. Check out the gallery below — hands-on video impressions coming soon.

Update: Video below! Please excuse the audio.

Fujifilm X-S1 hands-on pictures

2012-01-11T20:38:04Z

Though it might be forgotten in the wake of Fujifilm's announcement of the X-Pro1, there was another X series camera released at CES: we got to play with the new X-S1 superzoom at Fujfilm's booth, and though it's not exactly clear where the camera fits or who might buy it, it's a pretty nice shooter. It's not nearly as retro or attractive as the other X series models (the X100, X10, and now X-Pro1), with a lot more plastic and rubber on the body — that's done in the name of ruggedization, reps said, since one of the target markets for the shooter is nature photographers.

It looks just like a traditional DSLR, only with fewer controls and no way to remove the gigantic lens. It's really heavy, but at least there's a good reason for it:...

Fujifilm launching limited edition black X100 for $1,700 (hands-on pictures)

2012-01-11T20:07:35Z

There probably aren't a lot of people who complain about the retro design of the Fujifilm X100, but if you're not happy, the company's shipping a limited run of blacked-out X100s. We got to check it out under the glass at Fujifilm's CES booth, and it looks...well, it looks like the X100, just black instead of silver. But it's gorgeous — I've always preferred the design of the X10 to the X100, and this limited edition makes the two look quite similar. Fujfilm's only making 10,000 of these, and they'll cost $1700 (a $500 premium over the silver model), so only the most aesthetically picky need apply.

Panasonic shows off concept lenses with better focusing, improved video performance

2012-01-11T19:07:28Z

CES is full of gadgets we'll see sometime in the next year, but Panasonic is showing off two concept camera lenses that are likely much further off. Underneath the glass at the company's booth are 12-35mm and a 35-100mm (their respective equivalents are 24-70mm and 70-200mm), f/2.8 lenses that Panasonic reps said will bring far better focusing to its Micro Four Thirds cameras, especially for video recording. The Lumix GX1 has already improved focusing performance over Panasonic's previous models, and the new lenses will bring the GX1's speed and accuracy to Panasonic's other cameras, along with a new hybrid image stabilzation feature that will combine electronic and optical stabilization. Panasonic's long been touting its lens prowess...