Those cheeky PhotographyBLOG guys got into an exclusive Behind the Curtains presentation of the upcoming Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 and DMC-G10 and even got a few moments to play with them. They compared the new models to the original G1 and captured some comparison photos for the rest of the world to see. The headline feature of the G2 is it’s tilt/swievel /touch screen while the G1 omits just those features in order to achieve what Panasonic calls the “world’s lightest” interchangeable lens camera with a viewfinder.

Panasonic G2, G10, G1 Comparison
Panasonic G10 Hands-On Photos
Panasonic G2 Hands-On Photos

We are not done with digital camera news for today just yet. It seems as spring is closing in the camera manufacturers are starting to launch new models for the summer season. This time Canon is the one to announce more new models in form of 14.1 megapixel 4x optical zoom Canon IXUS 130, 12.1 megapixel 4x optical zoom IXUS 105, 14.1 megapixel 5x optical zoom IXUS 210 and 14.1 megapixel 14x optical zoom PowerShot SX210 IS digital camera. It looks like the megapixel war resumes. Seriously, what we need is a 10 megapixel camera with no noise and not 14 megapixel cameras that produce more noise as a result of this marketing war. When will the manufacturers realize that? Hit the link for more specifications and photos at TrustedReviews.

Howard Creech at DigitalCameraReview posted specifications comparison between Olympus E-P2 and Olympus E-P1 Pen Digital Cameras. Hit the link for full story.

Canon announced the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS 14 megapixel Compact Digital Camera with 14x optical zoom the successor of the excellent Canon PowerShot SX200. Hit the link for more info.

Remember the Pentax I-10 we teased a few days ago. It seems Stuart Miles at Pocket Link got lucky to get some hands-on with the camera. Hit the link for photos and first impressions.

Nilay Patel at Engadget posted link to photos and some info about the yet-to-be officially announced digital cameras the Pentax Optio I-1o, Pentax Optio H90 and Pentax Optio E-90. Not much is know about these cameras except what can be worked out from the photos which is 12 megapixel sensor and 5x optical zoom. But when a camera is looking that good as the one on this photo the specifications don’t even matter. Let’s hope the pricing and release date will be soon confirmed.

Olympus confirmed the PEN E-P2. Compared to the E-P1 it keeps  the 12.3 megapixel sensor, same interchangeable lens system with in-body image stabilisation and HD video recording.

Improvements over the E-P1 are:
- An accessory port for accommodating the VF-2 Electronic View Finder (EVF) or external microphone adapter EMA-1
- A newly-developed Continuous Autofocus (C-AF) Tracking System
- Diorama & Cross Process for greater creative expression in your still images and HD videos
- iEnhance to automatically adjust colour and contrast for a more dramatic effect
- Full Manual Control of shutter/aperture in Movie Mode
- HDMI Control of camera’s playback functions using the TV Remote when the camera is connected to an HDTV

Read more info at TrustedReviews.

Looks like Canon isn’t skipping the number four after all. While initially unveiling what looked to be a half-complete website with two teaser videos, the company has now gone official with the EOS-1D Mark IV. So what’s new to the table? For starter’s there’s a 16.1 megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor, ISO range of 100 to 12,800 native, up to 102,400 (hello, Nikon), 45-point area customizable autofocus with 39 high-precision cross-type focusing points, dual Digic 4 processors, 1080p HD video, and an option WFT-E2 IIA wireless file transmitter for connectivity over 802.11a/b/g and ethernet. Launch date is sometime in December, and body-only price is estimated at about $4,999 but subject to change. Press release after the break.

No surprises here (at all), but Leica’s 09/09/09 event has just led to the formal unveiling of the full-frame, 18 megapixel M9 rangefinder and the compact X1. The former (which is shipping now) supports all Leica M lenses and ships with a newly developed glass sensor cover designed to guarantee the suppression of the infrared portion of the light spectrum. There’s also a quick-access ISO adjustment button alongside a few other hotkeys, a full metal housing, Kodak-sourced CCD, a fresh microprocessor-controlled shutter (which is supposedly near silent) and a staggering £4,850 ($8,004) price tag. As for the X1, you’ll find a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C), a fixed-mount Leica Elmarit 1:2.8/24mm lens, numerous auto modes for the newbies in attendance, a maximum ISO of 3200, 2.7-inch rear LCD and a Live View function that replaces the optical viewfinder. Expect to hear more regarding price when the January 2010 ship date nears, but for now, feel free to peruse the hands-on galleries linked below.

Samsung Digital Imaging, leaders in innovation and digital technology, today announced the launch of the WB5000 – a camera which offers photography enthusiasts an unrivalled Schneider-KREUZNACH 26mm wide angle lens and 24x optical zoom, all within a compact camera.

The WB5000’s powerful zoom lens breaks new ground in offering users unmatched wide angle versatility, with the chance to take pictures much more closely than ever before. This cements Samsung’s position in the growing and important High-zoom category – compact cameras equipped with the sort of advanced zoom lens technology traditionally seen only in SLR cameras. Combine that with full manual control and taking professional looking shots is easy and fun.

Other Features Include:

• Full Manual Control and RAW Shooting
• Dual Image Stabilization
• HD Video Recording
• Smart Face Recognition