Tag Archive

Ricoh GXR gets acessorized, is ready for the town — or the shooting range

When the Ricoh GXR hit the review circuit back in December it certainly intrigued but didn’t necessarily impress with its swappable lenses and sensors. However, now that we’re seeing all the various and wonderful things it can do with its toys, we’re more tempted than ever to give this little transformer a shot. Ricoh recently set up an exhibit to show the body dressed up as everything from a portrait shooter to a tripod-mounted sniper support, hanging off the end of a giant Kowa spotting scope — complete with what looks to be a red dot rifle sight on the side. Rather less excessive (and olive drab) were Ricoh’s own new lenses for the camera, a 27mm F2.5 and a 28-300mm F3.5-5.6, both due out before the end of the year and both looking impressively thin. No prices for either of these official models, but we’re guessing they’ll come in somewhere under the $2,500 Kowa pictured above.

Ricoh GXR gets acessorized, is ready for the town — or the shooting range originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Impress  | Email this | Comments

Gunnar Optiks joining forces with Carl Zeiss to make new lenses

Gunnar Optiks, makers of advanced lenses to ease eye strain for computer users, is teaming up with Carl Zeiss to bring a whole new class of “optics” to you. Not a whole lot of details at this point, other than Zeiss coatings and tints “will be used on the Gunnar Optiks lenses to change the lenses to suit specific digital viewing environments.”

Indestructible map is indestructible

Maps are among the more invaluable travel tools. Android/iPhone apps are nice, but sometimes analog is just the best way to go. Industrial designer Emanuele Pizzolorusso has these Tyvek city maps in the pipes that look like they can handle anything you throw at them.
These maps are waterproof, crease-able, crumble-able, and when you’re done reading [...]

Logitech outs new clip-on USB speaker

Logitech promises that “Your built-in speakers just can’t compete with the stereo sound from this lightweight, portable speaker.” Whether or not that’s true will be up to you to decide, I suppose, but the single-cable operation of the “Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205” that’s “tiny enough to toss in your bag” may appeal to those of you looking for a bit more oomph.

Review: Razer Vespula double-sided mousepad (and giveaway)

Short version: A very slick, but rather small mousepad well-suited to those of you who like hard, slidey surfaces to mouse on. If that sounds good, maybe you should try winning it! Woo!

Features:

Two mousing surfaces in one!
One side is low traction, the other is… lower traction
Grippy corners keep mousepad in place
Removable gel wrist rest
MSRP: $34.99

Pros:

Very [...]

Belkin unleashes overpriced USB 3.0 peripherals: PCIe card, ExpressCard and cables

We’ve seen a few USB 3.0 peripherals pop up overseas, but by and large, the American market has been left to ponder the future of their transfers. Will they really be stuck with USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 (rest its soul) forever? Will no one rise to the occasion and provide the necessary gear to support the raft of SuperSpeed USB kit that’s just around the bend? At long last, those restless nights are coming to an end, as accessory mainstay Belkin has announced today a foursome of devices to help you get every last MB/sec possible from your next external HDD. The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCIe add-in card ($79.99) gives your existing desktop a pair of USB 3.0 ports, while the ExpressCard adapter ($79.99) adds a pair to your laptop. Closing things out are a duo of USB 3.0 cables (A-B and Micro-B), both of which are available for $39.99 in a four foot run or $49.99 in an eight foot version. Mama always said speed didn’t come cheap, and now you wish you would’ve listened. Don’tcha?

Belkin unleashes overpriced USB 3.0 peripherals: PCIe card, ExpressCard and cables originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Belkin  | Email this | Comments

Sony Alpha ultra-compact concept hands-off: leaves much to the imagination

We’d love nothing more than to extol the merits of Sony’s Alpha ultra-compact concept with an interchangeable lens — which bears a striking resemblance at face value to Olympus and Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds standard — but alas, the little device is hidden behind glass. Furthermore, all the Sony reps we managed to corner wouldn’t answer our questions. Will the lenses be interchangeable with Sony’s current Alpha DSLR line, or any of the MFT lenses? What’s been cut from traditional Four Thirds models to accommodate for the drop in size? Radio silence, save for a repeat of this morning’s information and a finger point to the adjacent ”
Exmor APS HD CMOS” sign — which, as we know from this morning, is larger than a Four Thirds sensor, but we’re not sure how much. Still, enjoy the pics we managed to take from behind the glass — and also be sure to enjoy the shots of this morning’s other Sony announcements, the
Super Telephoto Lens (500mm F4 G) and the prototype Distagon T 24mm F2 ZA SSM.

Sony Alpha ultra-compact concept hands-off: leaves much to the imagination originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Sony intros Alpha DSLR concepts, ‘ultra-compact’ interchangeable lens model included

PMA is just kicking off in earnest down in Anaheim, and it looks like Sony has arrived in a big way. Looking to make a splash in a DSLR world dominated by Canon and Nikon, the outfit has brought a few of its best and brightest concepts to SoCal. Up first is an ultra-compact “interchangeable lens” concept, which is no doubt Sony’s attempt to get in on the fledgling Micro Four Thirds game before it blows up big. Few details on the device are available, but we’ll be doing our best to pry whatever specifications we can from the booth representatives in short order. Moving on, there’s a conceptual model of the Alpha A700 replacement, complete with an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor that promises full AVCHD video capabilities. There’s also a prototype of a Super Telephoto Lens (500mm F4 G) as well as a prototype Distagon T 24mm F2 ZA SSM, which ought to make wide angle junkies drool profusely. The company’s also dishing out a raft of accessories, including underwater housing devices, HD lenses and output cables, tripods / accessory packs and a Compact PictureStation photo printing kiosk. Stay tuned for some hands-on action from the show floor.

Sony intros Alpha DSLR concepts, ‘ultra-compact’ interchangeable lens model included originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Sony 1, 2, 3  | Email this | Comments

Don’t you dare sync, Mr. USB cable

Initially I was like, “Why am I writing about a USB cable?” Then I read the little description and was like, “Oh, neat.” Yes, I used the word “neat” like a schoolgirl in 1954. Anyhow, the cable blocks data synchronization. Why would you ever want that?

Belkin outs new Laptop Cooling Pad

Hey there, Hot Thighs. Got an uncomfortably warm laptop there, Hot Thighs? Listen, Hot Thighs, I saw that Belkin’s coming out with a new Laptop Cooling Pad and I thought of you. I was like, “Who’s the perfect candidate for a laptop cooler? Oh, doi. Hot Thighs.”

Quick release $14 camera belt clip

Oh man, the unapologetic nerdacity of this product is through the roof. Yet somehow it seems useful and practical. Trying to get a DSRL camera out of a bag packed full of gear isn’t exactly an enjoyable exercise, but neither is walking a conference floor all day with your camera dangling around your neck like a lead balloon.

This arcade stick is quite large

The thing about arcade games is that, although you can easily play them on your Xbox or PC with a controller or keyboard, it never feels the same as the real thing. That’s possibly because arcade games are freaking huge and have buttons the size of silver dollars. There are a few options out there [...]