Pentax reveals Optio WG-1 and WG-1 GPS rugged cameras, limited edition K-5 DSLR

Who woulda thunk it? Half a year ago, finding a conventional point-and-shoot with integrated GPS was a chore, but these days, it's growing tougher and tougher to find one without it. Pentax is joining the geotagging frenzy this evening with its Optio WG-1 GPS, a rugged 14 megapixel shooter that's waterproof up to 33 feet, shockproof in nature and engineered with a "crushproof" body that can withstand weight force of up to 220 pounds (but not another Black Eyed Peas halftime show). You'll also get integrated face detection technology, the ability to snap in sub-freezing temperatures, a 5x optical zoom lens and a 2.7-inch rear LCD. There's also a 720p movie mode, HDMI output, IR control compatibility and support for Eye-Fi's wireless SD card. It'll ship this April in black or yellow-green for $399.95, and if you're uncomfortable remembering where you took each and every photograph, the GPS-less Optio WG-1 will also be available (in black or purple) for $50 less.

In related news, the company is taking this opportunity to issue a limited edition K-5 DSLR, with this one touting a silver body, a uniquely shaped grip and shock-resistant, scratchproof glass surrounding the LCD. Outside of that, everything else about the 16.3 megapixel shooter will remain the same as it ever was, and the $1,699.95 (body only) price point is most certainly no easier to swallow. For those still sold on the idea, Pentax will also be offering a trifecta of silver prime lenses: the 21m f/3.2 AL, 40mm f/2.8 and the 70mm f/2.4. Check out Sir Silver (and the full press releases) just after the break.

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Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR packs photo navigation, augmented reality in a 16 MP digicam

GPS, a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, 15x optical zoom -- we've seen it all before. But a feature that displays places of interest on the camera's 3-inch LCD? Well, that sounds a bit like augmented reality (AR)! The Fujifilm FinePix F600 EXR's new Landmark Navigator mode does exactly that, packing one million pre-loaded locations from around the world. Looking to find your way from Rome's Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps? The compact cam will point the way, including other stops along your route. You can also add your own locations, or launch Photo Navigation, which lets you easily return to places you've photographed -- or plot them on Google Maps once you get home. There's also 1080p movie capture, a 12,800 ISO high-sensitivity mode (that you'll probably never want to use), sensor-shift image stabilization, and a 24-360mm lens with an f/3.5 maximum aperture. But as you may have guessed, we're most excited about those AR features, so jump past the break for the full scoop.

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Best In-Camera GPS Features 2011

Edited by Tim Moynihan

These travel-friendly cameras include GPS antennas for geotagging your shots, and a few of them offer handy in-camera map interfaces. These rankings are based on each model's in-camera GPS features; to see how they rank in image and video quality.

1. Casio Exilim EX-H20G

The vacation-friendly EX-H20G has a 10X-optical-zoom lens, great GPS features, and in-camera mapping. It's a top performer in daylight, but it lacks manual controls and a few key features.

Full Review | Specs

2. Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR

The 15X-zoom FinePix F550EXR has GPS features and in-camera extras that go beyond the norm, but its image and video quality lags a bit behind competitors.

Full Review | Specs

3. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

The long-zoom, GPS-enabled Lumix ZS10 is a nice compact camera for travelers, but it suffers from indifferent image quality and mediocre battery life.

Full Review | Specs

4. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V

The 30X-optical-zoom HX100V may not have the zoom range or fine-tuning options of some competing cameras, but it compensates with futuristic extras, good video quality, and solid images.

Full Review | Specs

5. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V

The 16X-optical-zoom Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V is loaded with fun extras, including 3D shooting, excellent video quality, in-camera GPS, and groundbreaking scene modes.

Full Review | Specs

6. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V

Don’t call Sony’s GPS-enabled, feature-loaded DSC-HX5V a gimmick camera. It supplements its in-camera goodies with great image quality and terrific shooting modes.

Full Review | Video Review | Specs

7. Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

Building on an already-excellent camera, the 14X-optical-zoom PowerShot SX230 HS adds a new sensor, 1080p video capture, high-speed shooting, and in-camera GPS to the mix.

Full Review | Specs

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GPS Enabled Leica V-Lux 20 Review

Wired has a short review of the Leica V-Lux 20 we mentioned a while back which really resembles Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS7. Though it only deserved 6 dots out of 10 in their eyes we couldn’t really find what they didn’t like. Probably the fact that it costs $410 more than its identical cousin from Panasonic. Yes Leica V-LUX 20 costs $700 whereas the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 costs only $290. Some other negatives include laggy geotagging and laggy capture speed.

On the bright side it produces great photos, has 12.1MP, 12X optical zoom, and of course the built-in GPS!

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Geotag Your Pictures with Sony GPS-CS1

Sony just announced just announced GPS-CS1 tracking device which keeps track of time and your coordinates. When this data is combined with your digital pictures on your PC it will look at the timestamp of each image and create an interactive geotagged map. To accomplish this though, you’ll have to use digital pictures coming from a Sony digital camera and you’ll need their proprietary software. For example, to synchronize the images on your digital camera with the latitude, longitude and time readings from the GPS-CS1 device you’ll need the GPS Image Tracker software and to create virtual push pins on an online map for your photos you’ll need the Picture Motion Browser software which will be bundled with the latest Sony cameras and camcorders released after July.

The GPS-CS1 uses a 12-channel GPS receiver and measures 3-½ inches long, weighs two ounces, and is sold with a carabineer to easily attach to a backpack or a belt loop.

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Sony HX9V Gets GPS

Sony just made official the new 16.2MP Cyber-shot digital still camera called Sony HX9V. DSC-HX9V offers a high-performance G Lens with 16x optical zoom with 24mm wide angle. The camera allows for creating 3D content either in 3D Sweep Panorama mode or the 3D Still Image mode. In this mode, the camera takes two consecutive shots in different focus positions to calculate the depths, and then it creates left-eye and right-eye images to produce a 3D effect.

But better than the fake 3D feature Sony HX9V offers GPS/Compass which should become useful on your travel and holidays. The embedded GPS receiver along with the e-compass will capture your location and even shooting direction and lets you view them overlayed onto a map from your PC.

HX9V will be available in April but you can preorder starting in February. DSC-HX9V will cost $350.

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Pentax new O-GPS1

Pentax just announced the new O-GPS1, a new GPS enabled geotagging unit that is designed to work with Pentax SLR units. O-GPS1 sits on the hotshoe and lets you record GPS coordinates and the time photo was captured. In addition it can even keep track of which direction you were facing when you took the shot. All of this works with Google Maps giving you the chance to see your photos on a map.

The fun part though is the AstroTracer function. It only works with the K-5 or K-r camera bodies and it couples with the Shake Reduction system to let you shoot celestial bodies.

The unit can calculate the movement of stars, planets, and other bodies using the latitude obtained from GPS data and the camera’s alignment data (horizontal and vertical inclinations and aspect) obtained from its magnetic and acceleration sensors, then shifts the camera’s image sensor in synchronization with the movement of the objects.*** As a result, stars and other bodies are captured as solid points rather than blurry streaks, even during extended exposures.

That’s not all though. Pentax O-GPS1 even offers a simple navigation function to let you find location of photos you’ve taken or you’ve marked on your computer.

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Pentax K20D With GPS

Buzz at the Pentax forums predicts a new Pentax K20D with built-in GPS capabilities. Pentax has not yet returned an e-mail message seeking confirmation, but speculation is that an announcement could come as early as Tuesday. The rumors stem from a leaked press release on a Greek site that provides details of the camera.

The Pentax K20D is a midrange D.S.L.R. that was introduced earlier this year and is aimed at outdoorsy types (it’s water-resistant). Adding GPS would enable users to geotag photos by embedding a location stamp and mapping the images on sites like Flickr, Picasa, SmugMug and others.

No mainstream digital camera currently offers built-in GPS, although add-ons are available from companies that include Jobo and Sony. These devices cost about $150, and Pentax followers are questioning whether the added cost for built-in GPS will be worth it. The Greek press release mentions that the new model will be priced at less than 1,000 euros (about $1,350, body only). The current K20D had a list price of $1,299 when it was introduced in April, but Pentax later dropped the price to $999.

GPS and geotagging are enticing features for some photo enthusiasts, but too esoteric for others. And not everyone is taking it seriously. “I wonder if it will tell me where I left my lens cap,” one member wrote on the Pentax forum.

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Canon PowerShot S100 packs GPS

Canon last week added a new point shoot camera to its PowerShot range with PowerShot S100. The new Canon PowerShot S100 is a very compact camera with DSLR-like manual control and superb image quality low light. S100 is a successor to S90 and S95 and adds enhanced HS System, which combines a Canon high-sensitivity sensor with DIGIC 5.

Some other features include 24mm ultra-wide angle with 5.0x optical zoom lens, Image Stabilizer (IS), and more fun than any of this: the GPS functionality. With the newly added GPS feature you can record the time and location of every shot.

A few more of the key feature on PowerShot S100:

• 12.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS (1/1.7 type)
• HS System with powerful DIGIC 5
• Ultra-wide 24mm, f/2.0, 5x zoom lens. Intelligent IS
• Lens Control Ring, NR Control & RAW
• GPS
• Full HD, HDMI
• Large 7.5 cm (3.0″) LCD
• High-speed Burst HQ
• Smart Auto, Multi-area WB

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GPS with geo-tagging gets rugged compact outing in FinePix XP30

Fujifilm is about to release its first rugged digital camera to feature GPS geo-tagging of images, the FinePix XP30

Fujifilm is about to release its first rugged digital camera to feature GPS geo-tagging of images, the FinePix XP30. In addition to being water-, dust-, shock- and freeze-proof, the compact camera can guide you from your current location to a point where you snapped a particularly interesting shot, and use collected data to create a travel map, using your photos as illustrations. The camera can also record high definition video and includes a number of user-assist features to help capture the best shots without too much effort.

Like the FinePix XP10 before it, the XP30 benefits from dustproof sealing and the ability to operate in chilly 14ºF (-10ºC) temperatures. The improvements to the new model start with the waterproofing (you can now take the XP30 to a depth of 16.5 feet/5 meters), and then move on to its being able to withstand a drop from 5 feet (1.5 meters). The FUJINON f5.0-25.0 mm (28-140mm equivalent), 5x wide angle refractive optical zoom lens has a reinforced hardened glass lens barrier, and the camera benefits from a durable metal uni-body chassis with riveting to the front panel.

There's a 14 megapixel CCD sensor with ISO100 to ISO3200 sensitivity and sensor shift Dual Image Stabilization, which combines a mechanically stabilized sensor with high ISO to counteract camera shake. Tracking autofocus locks onto a fast-moving subject when the shutter is depressed half way, which places the in-focus subject in the center of the frame when the shutter is released.

Waterproof to a depth of 16.5 feet, able to withstand a drop from 5 feet, dustproof and capable of operating in sub-zero temperatures - the FinePix XP30

When a photo is taken, it is tagged with location information supplied by the built-in GPS. If you take a snap of a particularly impressive view and want to return later but can't remember how to get there, you can locate the photo in the image library and use a function called Photo Navigation to find out how far away you are and get directions back to where the photo was taken. An embedded list of around half a million places of interest located around the globe is included, and the camera's GPS Tracking Data function periodically stores location data which can later be used to generate a map of your travels, illustrated with photos taken along the route.

The 2.7-inch, anti-reflective, high contrast, 230,000 dot LCD display to the rear

The XP30 can also record high definition video in Motion JPEG format at 30 frames per second, albeit at 720p resolution and with mono audio. Recorded video and captured images are stored to a SD/SDHC/SDXC media card, and in-camera editing or viewing is undertaken via the 2.7-inch, anti-reflective, high contrast, 230,000 dot LCD display to the rear.

The Facebook/YouTube Automatic Upload feature allows you to tag an image for upload to social networking sites once the camera is connected to an internet-enabled computer. The camera can auto-stitch up to three images to create one modest panorama shot, and user assist features such as auto scene recognition, face detection and auto red eye removal are included.

The FinePix XP30 is available in black, green and orange starting next month for US$239.95.

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Best GPS Digital Camera

Since we can not stop sharing about our whereabouts and what we are doing, we need to connect instantly and stay connected always.

Sony DSC HX5V

Facebook, twitter, foursquare and so on, let us announce the world all the great stuff we are doing, amazing stuff that we have seen. Just like our phones got smarter, so did our cameras. Especially with GPS capabilities, cameras are helping us stay connected. Now we have GPS digital cameras. So we can keep sharing.

Samsung CL65

Some of these GPS cameras not just record where exactly you took that picture, but they also will let you connect instantly. You can also synchronize with Google Maps and get a bird eye view or from the direction in which the photo was taken (Sony HX5V).

The internal clock will be adjusted to the local time of the place where the camera is (Sony HX5V and Panasonic DMC-ZS7).

Ricoh G700SE

GPS enabled cameras will let you them as fully functional GPS device (Casio EX-H20G). You can upload your picture to Web, to the selected photo sharing sites ( Picturetown for Nikon Coolpix, Picasa for Samsung).

Panasonic DMC ZS7

Some cameras (Ricoh G700) will need optional GPS unit to be attached. They may also have WiFi, Bluetooth capabilties (Samsung CL65, Ricoh G700).

Casio EXH20G

With all the ones we reviewed <Nikon Coolpix<> has the heftiest price tag of $1000 at Amazon.com. Panasonic DMC-ZS7 is the most economical one; $249. Samsung is the easiest to carry around, it weighs only 5.5 oz. For most detailed pictures are offered by Panasonic thanks to its 14.5 MP and 12X optical and 4X digital zoom.

Nikon P600

Panasonic with its technical capabilities and price is a standout on our review. Apparently we are not the only one who likes it, it is #26 on Amazon.com’s best selling list on electronics.

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