In upgrading from last year’s multipurpose DMC-ZS3, Panasonic added manual exposure controls, support for SDXC cards, and in-camera editing features to the 12-megapixel Lumix DMC-ZS7. The DMC-ZS7 also has a built-in GPS receiver that geotags images, and it can shoot 720p high-definition video. Panasonic has not yet announced pricing or availability.
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The Samsung CL80–offering 14 megapixels, a 7X-optical-zoom lens, and a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen–pushes boundaries in more than one way. The CL80’s Wi-Fi capabilities allow instant uploading to the Web, and its Bluetooth support permits transferring photos and video to mobile phones.
Samsung makes the camera’s body through a process called hydroforming, which is more typically used for manufacturing car parts and bike frames; hydroforming creates a smooth shape through liquid pressure. The camera’s back also has a slight tilt, which is helpful for capturing group shots and self-portraits.
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Despite measuring little more than an inch thick, the Samsung HZ35W has a zoom range of 15X. This megazoom camera also has GPS capabilities for geotagging (which the company says provides city and country tags, not just latitude and longitude) and a 3-inch AMOLED screen. Samsung has not announced pricing, but the HZ35W should be available in March.
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At CES 2010, Sony introduced the Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V. It has TransferJet technology, which allows for wireless image transfers between compatible devices held about 1 inch apart (other manufacturers on board with TransferJet include Canon, Casio, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, and Samsung).
The Cyber-shot HX5V offers not only GPS-enabled geotagging but also an internal compass and automatic time-zone updates. It also has a 10X optical zoom and features a high dynamic range (HDR) mode, which overlays photos taken in rapid succession with different exposure settings.
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Like the DSC-HX5V, the 10-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX7 features TransferJet technology–but in other ways, this slim (less than an inch deep) point-and-shoot differs from its sibling. It has only a 4X optical zoom and less powerful optical image stabilization, and it lacks geotagging capabilities. It is a bit thinner than the DSC-HX5V, though, and it sports a 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen.
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