The Nikon Coolpix A is a premium compact camera for professionals. Featuring the same DX-format 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor as the Nikon D7000 DSLR but with no optical low-pass filter, the Nikon A has a fixed wide-angle 18.5 mm f/2.8 lens (28mm equivalent). The Coolpix A also offers an ISO range of 100-25,600, an optional optical viewfinder (DF-CP1), 14 bit compressed RAW files, 3-inch 921k dot LCD monitor, Full HD (1080p) movie recording, and 4fps burst shooting. The Nikon Coolpix A will be available in the UK on 21st March 2013 for £999.99 / €1199.00. In the US it will be available for a suggested retail price of $1,099.95 in March 2013.

The Nikon Coolpix P330 is an advanced compact with a 1/1.7-inch back-illuminated 12-megapixel CMOS sensor, /1.8 NIKKOR 5x optical zoom lens, Full HD movie recording, RAW (NRW) data processing and Wi-Fi compatibility. The Nikon P330 also features a a built-in Global Positioning System, ISO range of 100-6400, 10 fps burst shooting, and a 99-point autofocus system. The Nikon Coolpix P330 will be available in the UK on 21st March 2013 for £349.99 / €419.00. In the US it will be available for a suggested retail price of $379.95 in March 2013.

The Nikon Coolpix L320 is a new super-zoom camera with a 26x lens. The L320 also offers a 16-megapixel CCD image sensor, 720p movie recording, four different automatic anti-blur functions, and is powered by convenient AA batteries. The Nikon L320 goes on sale in the UK on 21st March 2013 for £199.99 / €239.00.

Want to see exactly what the new Sigma DP3 Merrill compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Sigma DP3 Merrill compact camera.

The Sigma DP3 Merrill compact camera features a 50mm F2.8 lens and a 46 megapixel Foveon X3 sensor.

Sigma has announced pricing and availability for the Sigma DP3 Merrill in the US. As the final camera in the Sigma DP Merrill lineup, the DP3 Merrill features a high-performance 50mm f/2.8 lens, whose angle of view is equivalent to that of a 75mm telephoto optic on a 35mm camera. Like the previously released DP1 (19mm f/2.8) and DP2 (30mm f/2.8) Merrill cameras, it is equipped with a 15.4[x3]-megapixel Foveon X3 direct image sensor measuring 23.5×15.7mm. The Sigma DP3 Merrill will be available in early March for an estimated street price of $999.

Canon has posted a firmware update for the Canon Powershot S110 digital compact camera. According to the company, Version 1.0.2.0 incorporates the following improvements and fixes:

1. Fixes a phenomenon in which the focal length may not change when the control ring’s function is to control the step zoom, and the control ring is turned slowly, click-by-click.
(In AUTO, SCN, or Movie mode, the default function for the control ring is to control the step zoom.)

2. Changes the camera’s specification in accordance with the specification of iOS 5/6 so that the Wi-Fi connection between the camera and an iOS device will not disconnect after one minute, when the PowerShot S110 is set as an Access Point and an iOS device is connected to that Access Point.

Website: Canon Powershot S110 / Canon U.S.A.

Canon has issued a firmware upgrade for the Canon PowerShot S100 digital compact camera. According to the company, Version 1.0.2.0 “fixes a phenomenon in which the focal length may not change when the control ring’s function is to control the step zoom, and the control ring is turned slowly, click-by-click.” You can download the firmware update from the website below.

Website: Canon Powershot S100 / Canon U.S.A.

Canon have provided a rare opportunity to see into the minds of their product design team by providing early hand-drawn sketches for the innovative PowerShot N compact camera.

Four people from Canon’s Japanese team were responsible for the PowerShot N’s design. Miyabi Orihashi, Product Designer, Design Center, Canon Inc, and designer of the PowerShot N commented: “The PowerShot N is not only for consumers who want to record memories but also for those who are eager to capture beautiful, artistic photos for other people to enjoy. I hope people who don’t have a deep knowledge of camera functions and settings will find they are able to take a range of interesting and expressive images using this camera.”

The Nikon Coolpix S3500 is a new 20 megapixel compact camera with a 7x wide-angle zoom lens, 2.7 inch LCD screen, lens-shift vibration reduction, 720p video recording, and in-camera filter effects. Successor to Europe’s best-selling compact camera of 2012, the S3300, the new Nikon S3500 comes in eight colours: purple, silver, black, red, orange, pink, pink with lineart, and blue with lineart and retails for £129.99 / €155.00, available from 22nd February 2013. In the US it will be available in Silver, Red, Purple, Orange and Decorative Pink for a suggested retail price of $139.95 in March 2013.

The Sony Cyber-shot HX300, WX300, TX30 are three new power-packed compact cameras. The slim and super-stylish Sony WX300 is the world’s smallest and lightest camera with a 20x optical zoom, enhanced image stabilisation and speedy autofocus. The Sony HX300 has an ultra-powerful 50x optical zoom with DSLR-style handling and manual controls. The Sony TX30 is the world’s slimmest digital compact camera that’s waterproof up to 10m and freeze- and shock-proof.

The new Sony Cyber-shot HX300 will be available in the UK from March, and the WX300 and TX30 from April 2013, pricing to be announced.

Casio Europe has launched a new, 20.1-megapixel compact camera called the Casio EX-ZS30. Encased in a stainless steel body, the new model has a 26-156mm equivalent zoom lens and a beginner-friendly user interface. It is equipped with Premium Auto, which automatically analyses the scene to choose the best settings and performs optimal image processing. The Casio EX-ZS30 comes in five colour options: silver, black, purple, white, and pink. Pricing to be confirmed.

Casio has unveiled two new entry-level digital compact cameras, the Exilim EX-N5 and the Exilim EX-N50. The new models have rounded bodies that are easy to grip, and employ a CMF Design approach that considers not only colour, but also material and finish. Each of the new cameras has a CCD with an effective resolution of 16.1 megapixels and a 26-156mm equivalent lens. The Casio EX-N5 features a two–tone silver ring around the lens and comes in black, silver, white, and red. The Exilim EX-N50 sports a textured pinstripe pattern and a pearly finish. “The look changes slightly depending on the angle of the light, while the pearly shine and subdued color scheme creates an elegant impression,” the company says. The EX-N50 comes in three colors: silver, blue and red. Pricing for the new cameras has yet to be confirmed.

Samsung Electronics America today launched the first two models in its “Smart Camera 2.0” line-up. The Samsung WB250F long-zoom model (MSRP: $249.99) and DV150F DualView camera ($149.99) – which both offer Wi-Fi connectivity for photo sharing, backup and a range of other features – are available now at retailers across the U.S.A. Announced at CES, the “Smart Camera 2.0” range is aimed at smartphone users yearning for better imaging performance. As the flagship model of the WB long zoom line-up, the 14.2-megapixel WB250F comes with 18x optical zoom, a hybrid interface and a BSI CMOS sensor; while the DV150F combines Samsung’s unique DualView technology in the form of a 1.48” front LCD screen for easy self-portrait taking, with a 16.2 Megapixel CCD sensor, 5x optical zoom with an f:2.5, 25mm bright lens.

Sigma has posted forty-two full-resolution sample photos taken with the Sigma DP3 Merrill large-sensor compact camera. Evidently aimed at demonstrating resolution, accutance and colour, all of these official Sigma DP3 Merrill samples were taken at low sensitivity settings (ISO 100/21° and ISO 200/24°). You can download the sample images from the website below.

Website: Sigma DP3 Merrill Sample Images

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus XZ-10 premium compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus XZ-10 compact camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the previous XZ-1 model.

Although equipped with a much smaller sensor than the Olympus XZ-1 and Stylus XZ-2, the new Olympus XZ-10 may still be of interest to serious photographers owing to its bright lens, full set of manual controls, 120fps high-speed HD video recording capabilities and 40% smaller size.

Casio Japan has announced two new 16-megapixel models in its High-Speed Exilim line of digital compact cameras. The Casio Exilim EX-ZR700 comes equipped with a 25-450mm equivalent lens, a 3-inch, 920,000-dot LCD monitor. The Exilim EX-ZR400 has a 24-300mm equivalent zoom lens and a powerful battery rated for 515 exposures on a single charge. With the adoption of the latest EXILIM Engine HS Version 3, these two new models combine responsive operation and high-speed burst shooting. A new Triple Shot function allows the user to responsively capture three successive images with a single press of the shutter, while a new inset display enables the user to review shots shown in part of the LCD while taking photos. Both new models come with Premium Auto Pro, which automatically combines images taken with high-speed burst shooting according to the shooting conditions. International availability and pricing have yet to be confirmed.

The Fujifilm Finepix F850EXR is a new travelzoom camera with a 16-megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor and a 25-500mm equivalent lens. While the F850EXR lacks the 11fps burst mode and ultra-fast auto focus of the F900EXR, it’s still a highly responsive compact, with focus times as short as 0.21sec and a maximum continuous shooting speed of 9fps. Other highlights include full-manual controls, a sensor-shift image stabilisation system, Full HD video capture at a smooth 60fps with optical zoom, EXR-Auto, a 360° Motion Panorama mode, Film Simulation, Advanced Filters and Scene Recognition.

Fujifilm USA is launching three new 16-megapixel bridge cameras into its spring 2013 range, the Fuji FinePix S6600, S6700 and S6800 (pictured). Outfitted with 26x, 28x and 30x zoom lenses, respectively, these cameras all offer a 24mm equivalent wide angle setting and are all armed with sensor-shift image stabilisation. Other standout points include full manual controls, tilting 3-inch LCD screens with 460,000 dots, an autofocus speed of 0.3 second, start-up times of 1.0 second, a 0.5-second interval between shots and a continuous shooting speed of 10fps.

Pentax Ricoh have unveiled a compact and highly portable waterproof digital camera called the Pentax WG-10. Waterproof to depths of 33 feet, the WG-10 offers a 14-megapixel backlit CMOS image sensor and a 28-140mm equivalent zoom lens coupled with a ring of LED Macro lights that enable users to take shadow-free, evenly-lit close-up shots. The Pentax WG-10 will be available from March / April for £179.99 / $179.95.

Pentax Ricoh have just introduced the Pentax WG-3 “adventureproof” compact, which comes in two versions, one with GPS and one without. Key components include a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, a newly designed 4x zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/2 at the wide end, and a Shake Reduction mechanism of the sensor-shift variety. Waterproof down to a depth of 45 feet, shockproof from drops of up to 6.6 feet, coldproof to 14 °F and crushproof withstanding up to 220 foot pounds of force; the Pentax WG-3 also boasts six LED lights surrounding the lens barrel for bright, shadow-free macro images. The GPS model offers enhanced functionality for geotagging images that can be mapped back to your journey and a dedicated second display showing compass direction, elevation or depth below water. Priced at £329.99 / $349.95 the new WG-3 GPS will be available in a choice of purple or green. The WG-3 comes in black or orange for a price of £279.99 / $299.95. Both models are scheduled for a March 2013 launch.