I was walking next to Washing Square Park when was stopped by these two very strange creations. One van seems to have close to every film camera ever made located somewhere on the body. You Polaroid nerds can fact check it for me. Some of them work, letting this guy act like his own Google Maps crew. The camera van homepage has a full bio.

The other is a van covered completely in brass trinkets. Belt buckles, coins, diving helmets, statues, daggers, everything. Guess the story is that these guys are promoting the independent film Automorphosis from coast to coast. Check the link for screening info if you’d like.

What does this mean? It means they probably won’t sell the new iPods immediately at stores after tomorrow’s iPod event and instead roll them out slowly over the next few weeks. AppleInsider could also be completely wrong.

Advanced Video Communications may have a winner on its hands with the internet-connected LiveLine video camera. Simple setup, a low $10-per-month access fee, and a fairly straightforward user experience make the LiveLine worth a closer look.

Early beta testers got a free camera, which AVC claims to be a $299 value. And while the company has sold out of all its initial freebies, it’s currently restocking its inventory. The actual selling price of the system once it’s out of beta will likely dictate the overall popularity of the product.

If the actual camera itself costs $299 on top of a $10 monthly service fee, it’s not going to do well. There are plenty of IP cameras with similar features available for well under $300 that don’t carry monthly charges. So let’s keep in mind that this thing hasn’t really been priced yet. If it stays at “free camera plus $10 per month,” it’ll be compelling.

As for features, the camera uses a wired or wireless internet connection and the pan, tilt, and zoom functions can be controlled remotely through most web browsers. The system can also be set up to record video files any time it senses motion. Those files are then made available with time and date stamps and playable inside your browser (they’re Flash video files).

Setup is pretty easy. You have to first connect the camera to your router with an Ethernet cable. Then you go on LiveLine’s website and enter the camera’s MAC address as part of your account setup. Once that’s done, you can type in your router’s wireless network name and from that point on, the camera will use its built-in wireless antenna.

As far as controlling the camera remotely, take this test account for a spin. It’ll give you a good idea of what to expect.  The interface is pretty ho hum right now and the overall motion and video quality is a bit choppy, but it gets the job done. There are other relatively inexpensive IP cameras on the market, however, that promise 30 frames-per-second video. This one does not do fluid video — at least it didn’t in my tests, and I have a Comcastic 30Mbps down/7Mbps up internet connection.

Here’s an actual still from the camera. The resolution is only 320×240.

And here’s a clip of actual footage (3MB AVI) to give you an idea of the framerate and whatnot.

Apparently the camera’s capable of recording audio, but I was never able to hear any during my testing. Everything’s still in beta, though, so that functionality may not be enabled yet.

AVC also touts the ability to view your camera from your phone’s mobile web browser. You lose all of the camera controls and access to recorded clips, though. Right now it’s little more than a static still image with a refresh link underneath it. That’s fine for older phones, but it’d be nice to see a more robust offering for newer mobile browsers.

Overall, it’s a pretty solid effort from AVC so far, provided they keep the price low. If the camera stays at free or maybe $50 plus the $10 monthly fee, it’d be a much easier purchase for most people to justify.

It might also be a good idea for AVC to drop the monthly fee altogether. There’s a link on the company’s site for advertisers, which leads me to believe the camera pages may someday contain ads. In that case, AVC might consider trying to make a few bucks off of camera sales while keeping the web access free.

Product Page: LiveLine.net

The press release for the Canon EOS 7D has leaked. Unfortunately, it’s only available as a translation from Chinese, so it’s riddled with all sorts of gibberish. Not that that’s ever stopped us before!

Another bit of unfortunate news, the press release is nearly 8,000 words long. That’s as long, if not longer, than a New Yorker article. As such, I won’t even paste it here. Canon Rumors has the whole thing should you be crazy person.

I will, however, pick out what I perceive to be the highlights:

• 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor

• 3-inch LCD (920,000 dot resolution)

• ISO from 100 to 6400, but there’s also an ISO 12800 setting for when you’re taking photos in a black hole

• HD movie mode

• Available September, 2009; no price listed

And more! But again, this press release is machine translated from Chinese, so make of this what you will.

This will be nice for those self-portraits in the bar, or when you don’t want to ask someone to take a picture, I guess. And the screen can display something entertaining for your kid while you’re trying to take a picture. As if their mother or father, hanging over them with a strange object and smiling madly isn’t entertaining enough!

There are two models, the ST500 and ST550. Why they didn’t give them names like “Tapmaster” or “Screen On Front Camera” I don’t know, but let’s take a look anyway.

Well, looks like they’re identical except that the ST550 has a 3.5″ rear touchscreen instead of a 3″ one. They both have a 12-megapixel sensor, a 4.6x optical zoom (27-124mm equivalent), and the same 1.5″ front touchscreen.

There’s a T1000 as well, but it looks pretty normal aside from doing geotagging and wireless stuff.

Josh tried a few software solutions and some webware like Ugolog. He also tried the D-Link DCS-5220 and the WowWee Rovio. I just hope I made the right choice with the Linksys because it looks like the tilt and pan variety might be better. I didn’t think I needed it since I’m only looking for men in blue and brown uniforms but what if I want to zoom in on passers-by? What then?

What do you guys use to patrol your domiciles? Augmented dogs? Half-human cyborgs?

This is something special. Someone has allegedly seen a mock-up of the Samsung NX10, a digital camera of some sort, at a Korean trade show. (That’s not it, by the way.) There’s not photos to speak of, and no real specs. Just a forum post saying, essentially: Hey, I saw it. Believe me.

This is what’s spreading around the Internet:

Model Name: NX-10 — IT IS ACTUALLY WORKING ONE!!
It is very small and light!!
Good grip.
Stays on Mockup Design but a little different (additional parts added)

Lens: 3 ( Standard Zoom, Telephoto Zoom, Prime)
He checked Standard Zoom and Prime lenses are working.
All 3 lenses have “SAMSUNG” mark.
Prime is very small.
Has OIS ON/OFF button on it.

He didn’t mention about GX-30.
He didn’t check Prime lens speed.

Someone at another forum apparently corroborated this information.

So, to recap: the Samsung NX-10 exists, at least at a trade show in Korea.

This could be the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever written.

My favorite blogger after Jimmy Fallon, Joel Johnson, posted a video of himself fondling the Sigma DP2, a camera I would very much like to fondle myself. That came out wrong.

Joel writes:

Should you buy the Sigma DP2? Only if you’re in love with the sensor. While it’s definitely a better choice than its predecessor and is not without its manual charms, its high price puts it in range of DSLRs and other cameras that come without as many limitations.
Looking through a glass viewfinder is such a treat, though—too bad it doesn’t seem to actually line up very well with the actual pictures.

He also looks much more relaxed now that he left New York.

Secretly taking photos of people is sort of easy to do with a cell phone but it’s probably even easier to do with a Volkswagen-style car key. For $66, Brando will be more than happy to sell you one too.

The Fake Car Key Security Spy Camera captures images at 1280×960 and full motion video at 640×480. Recording is started by hitting the fake lock button on the keyfob itself. There’s a built-in lithium-ion rechargable battery, 2GB of storage, and a mini-USB connection for recharging and dumping the files onto your computer.

That’s right, a state-of-the-art “vedio” recorder.

Fake Car Key Security Spy Camera [Brando]

Although he transforms into an SLR-like shape, Voltron Camera is actually a regular point-and-shoot film camera. The big lens element is fakety-fake, but the little one is as real as as the threat of Robeasts from King Zarkon of Planet Doom.

[via The Daily What, Dvice, and Doobybrain]

I think I speak for every camera nerd out there when I say, Hallelujah!!! It’s about damn time Eye-Fi released an Ad Hoc enabled SDHC card. Live blogging will now be 100x easier.

The 4GB Eye-Fi Pro now supports RAW files on top of pre-existing support for JPEG and video files. Geotagging and Hotspot access are available on the Pro model as well. The Eye-Fi Pro is available now on Amazon and Eye-Fi for $149.

But that’s not all. Eye-Fi also announced a new feature, Selective Transfer, that lets you pick and choose what gets uploaded.

Using the “protect” or “lock” feature in the camera’s menu, users can select which files to wirelessly upload. Any “protected” photo will automatically be uploaded, and all photos will remain on the memory card until the user manually deletes them. Selective Transfer is free, and available now for all Eye-Fi card users through the Eye-Fi Manager.

On the Eye-Fi Connected camera front, the following cameras are all Eye-Fi Connected: Nikon D5000, Nikon D90, Nikon D60, Casio EX-S12, Casio EX-S5, Casio EX-FS10, Casio EX-FC100 and Casio EX-Z29.

Again, if I had any amount of money to my name, the first thing I’d buy would be a pair of alligator shoes. The second thing I’d buy? Probably a Leica, just because. But would I get this one, this “safari edition”? Not sure—that white one looks pretty mean. Or maybe I’d get a really old one!

What makes it so Safari? Well, it’s green, like grass. Safaris have grass, right?

There’s also a neat, khaki-colored bag that it comes with.

It’s water-resistant, etc.

It’s pretty much just a green D-Lux 4, which, in and of itself, isn’t altogether bad, to put it lightly.

Time to break out the expense account, ladies and gentlemen. This is the Sea & Sea MDX-PRO 5D Mark II. It’s a fancy waterproof cover for the Canon 5D Mark II. It costs ¥280,000, or just under $3,000. Yeah.

As you might imagine, this type of thing might be useful if you, say, work for National Geographic and are taking photos and/or video for a project about the Caspian Sea.

It’s probably overkill for your trip to the Jersey Shore!

I don’t know, this is one of those “hey look at this!” posts. As you were, folks.

Also, I made a big deal about the price—$3,000—but that could well be the going rate for this type of thing; I don’t travel in that scene, as it were.

via Akihabara News

“Do you expect me to take a picture by rubbing my ring against my chest, thereby activating my $96 Brando Spy Camera?”

“No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die.”

# Features: Button Built-in 4GB Spy Camera + Ring Controller
# Camera + Camcorder
# Place a ring near the Pin-hole camera to control: Switch ON, Record Video start/stop and Photo take.
# Ring Inner Diameter: 1.8 cm
# Button Spy Camera Dimension: 2 x 5.8 x 1.7 cm

Specifications:
# Pinhole Lens
# Image Resolution: 1200 x 1600 pixel
# Video Resolution: 608 x 488 pixel
# FPS: 15 frame per second
# Image file format: JPEG
# Video file format: 3GP
# Color Video and Audio

# Built-in 4GB Memory
# Rechargeable Li-ion battery

Package Included:
# 1 set Button Built-in 4GB Spy Camera + Ring Controller

Short Version: Joining the ranks of the Flip family, the UltraHD is one of the easiest-to-use digital camcorders on the market. This version features 8GB of storage, high-definition video capture, the ability to use an included rechargeable battery pack or off-the-shelf AA batteries, and HDMI output.

At $200, though, it’s pretty expensive considering its feature set.

Long Version:

Let’s get one thing out of the way. Flip camcorders — no matter which model — aren’t for the budget-conscious shopper. They’re targeted at people who want to casually shoot video without fumbling around with a bunch of settings and memory cards and cables. And even though Flip camcorders are priced at almost double what you’d be able to pay for competing compact camcorders with similar features, they’re still selling like hotcakes. So, yes, they’re too expensive for people who know how to use camcorders and want a bunch of features at a decent price, but they’re apparently priced just right for everyone else. And so we dance.

Features:

• 1280×720 H.264 video recording, 9.0Mbps average bitrate
• 8GB of memory (not expandable), 120-minute recording time
• 1/4.5″ HD CMOS sensor
• Two-inch 960×240 LCD
• 2x digital zoom, no optical zoom
• Up to 2.5 hours battery life, 6 hour recharge time via USB
• HDMI output (cable not included)
• Built-in video editing software with YouTube upload
• MSRP of $199

The Good:

The Flip UltraHD is a decent portable camcorder that features a big red record button, a four-way rocker, and play, delete, and power buttons. Put it in the hands of someone who rarely, if ever, shoots video, show them where the power button is located, and watch them go. It honestly couldn’t be easier to use.

The switchblade-style USB connector flips out for quick and easy connection to your computer and the included software (stored in the camera’s memory) makes simple edits and YouTube uploads a relatively painless process. Video quality is decent provided you have adequate light available. Audio quality is also acceptable assuming you’re not dealing with too much wind or ambient noise.

Again, the main focus for these cameras is ease of use and, in that respect, the UltraHD shines. You can do everything with one hand and the camera fits easily into an average pocket, purse, or small bag. The addition of user-replaceable batteries is a big plus; if the internal rechargeable battery pack runs dry, you can pop in a couple of store-bought AA batteries and you’re back in business.

The Bad:

While the ability to output video to your TV via HDMI is a nice, easy, and welcome addition, the UltraHD doesn’t come with an HDMI cable. And if you have an older HD television with RGB connections, you’re out of luck. Flip sells an HDMI cable for $25 on its website and considering the average person who buys a Flip camcorder probably isn’t all that technologically savvy, that’s going to be an unwelcome added expense. Even worse, I picture people buying this thing at Best Buy and getting talked into buying HDMI cables for $30 and up.

Also, aside from recording video, the UltraHD does little else. There’s no still photo feature (you can grab stills from video footage using the included software, though), the 2x digital zoom is an afterthought, there’s no optical image stabilization unless you mount the camera on a tripod, and taking videos of yourself is a no-go since the camera contains a fixed, non-swiveling LCD.

The Ugly:

Video quality, while decent, is certainly nothing to write home about. Your best bet for this camera is to shoot something outdoors with the camera mounted on a tripod, with as little side-to-side motion as possible. And while daylight and quality indoor lighting make this camcorder usable, low-light video is downright atrocious, producing a grainy mess.

Here are three sample clips. The first was taken outdoors on a somewhat overcast day with a bit of motion and some digital zooming, the second was taken indoors in my well-lit office with a fair amount of side to side motion, and the third was taken in a dark stairway, also with a fair amount of side to side motion. These are the actual clips from the camera, unedited and uncompressed.

Clip One: Outdoors, overcast

Clip Two: Indoors, well-lit

Clip Three: Indoors, low light

Conclusion:

The Flip UltraHD is an easy-to-use and very-portable camcorder that works well for casual video capturing by novice technology users. More experienced users, however, will likely find the camcorder’s high price tag, lack of features, and poor low-light performance to be a deal-breaker.

Flip UltraHD [TheFlip.com]

As I just said in out little chat room, brought to you by Campfire, if I won the lotto, the first, and possibly only, tech thing I’d buy would be that special edition Leica. I’d have no idea how to properly use it, of course, but I’d be willing to fly out to Germany and have the Leica folks teach me. It would only cost me ¥880,000 [JP], or just shy of $9,000.

The reason why I’d be willing to spend so much money on this Leica? Because the best comic working today, Louis CK, took these amazing photos with a Leica while he was on a USO tour in Iraq. I mean look at this:

That’s insane.

Dare to dream, I guess.

Here’s more from the product description:

The DP1 is a completely new type of camera offering the full specs and high image quality of a DSLR in the body of a compact camera. It is powered by the 14-megapixel Foveon X3 direct-image-sensor, which can reproduce high-definition images rich in gradation and impressive three-dimensional detail. It is possible to record images in RAW or the widely used JPEG in four resolution modes. It offers five Exposure modes and three Metering modes as well as being equipped with a built-in flash with the Guide Number of 6, hot shoe, neck strap and 2.5-inch TFT color LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 pixels. The DP1 has the high resolution and functionality of an SLR, plus adaptability in terms of accessories, all built into a small body.

And you can check out our previous coverage of the DP1 right here. The camera normally sells for well over $500, so $399 seems like a pretty good deal.

Sigma DP1 [Amazon.com]

For $65, you better not expect much. The Demekin is quite possibly the most basic camera you can buy, with a gunsight viewfinder and fixed focus. In order to save on space (and film cost), the camera uses a 110-size cartridge, rather then 35mm. So if grainy wide angle shots are your thing, this is the way to go.

[via Retro Thing]

Unfortunately I doubt they’re available outside Korea, but who knows? Maybe the demand for freaky 35mm point-and-shoots will suddenly spike and specialty stores will pick them up.

[via Gearfuse and Technabob]

- How to create lighting using the simplest of tools and techniques

- The difference between TTL, AUTO, and MANUAL exposure modes on the flash

- Mounting tips for using one’s show flash on a stand or clamp

- Wireless triggering made easy (and inexpensive!)

- Some of Crockett’s favorite light modifiers for making soft, portable, and pleasing light in any location

If that wasn’t enough, Bogen will be giving away three Metz 58 AF-1 Flashes that are worth $444. Sign up here.