Pentax has launched a “Classic Silver” variant of the Pentax Optio I-10 digital compact camera in Japan. The Pentax Optio I-10 is a very distinctive compact camera that looks just like a retro SLR from yesteryear. In addition to its unique styling, the Optio I-10 also offers a 5x zoom lens with a 35mm eqivalent focal range of 28-140mm, 12 megapixels, 2.7-inch LCD screen, triple anti-shake protection, 720p HD movie recording, and wireless remote shooting. The Classic Silver variant will start shipping next month in Japan, but there is no word on international availability.

Website: Press Release (Japanese)

The Sony Cyber-shot WX5, TX9 and T99 compact digital cameras have been unveiled today. The WX5 and TX9 are the first Cyber-shots to offer 3D Sweep Panorama. The WX5 and TX9 also feature a 12.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS Sensor for low noise performance, 1080i Full HD movie recording, Superior Auto mode and Background defocus mode. The 14.1 megapixel Cyber-shot T99 offers Sweep Panorama and 720p HD movie recording. The Sony Cyber-shot WX5, TX9 and T99 digital cameras will be available from mid-September 2010.

Samsung has partnered with leading aerial photographer Jason Hawkes to capture the artistic brilliance of London and its famous landmarks from above after dark, using Samsung’s new EX1 camera. Hawkes travelled across the city by helicopter taking images with the new EX1, using its impressive capabilities for taking shots in low light conditions. Hawkes commented “The EX1 is a very impressive and intuitive compact camera, with a great build. It has a remarkable set of features, such as the bright f/1.8 Schneider lens, which would be valuable for any photography enthusiast, and I was pleased to be able to test the extent of its capabilities during the low-light conditions on the shoot. The swivelling AMOLED screen on the back of the camera is a great feature, and proved useful in the helicopter during the shoot. And finally, the ability to work with RAW files was also a real bonus for a camera within this category – until now this has often remained within the domain of the pro models.”

Read our Samsung EX1 Review

Panasonic has released firmware updates for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3 (pictured) and FS33 (also known as the FH22) cameras. Version 1.1 improves the responsiveness of the touch operation and reduces the time it takes to display an image in playback mode. N.B.: the latter enhancement has a slight negative effect on the total number of shots that can be stored on the memory card, as the speed boost is achieved by saving a smaller resolution copy alongside the original, for display purposes.

Website: Panasonic Firmware Update

Nikon has just released a firmware update for the Nikon Coolpix L110 superzoom. Version 1.4 improves the performance of the automatic white balance setting in “incandescent coloured fluorescent” light.

Website: Nikon Coolpix L110 Firmware 1.4 - Mac
Website: Nikon Coolpix L110 Firmware 1.4 - Windows

Hot on the heels of last week’s update for the TZ10, Panasonic has issued firmware upgrades for the Lumix FT2, TZ8, TZ9 and ZX3 (also called the TS2, ZS5, ZS6 and ZR3 respectively) digital compact cameras. As with the TZ10, version 1.1 - for all products - optimises the light output of INON external underwater strobes, including the following models: S-2000 / D-2000 / Z-240.

Website: Panasonic Firmware Updates

The new Sanyo VPC-E1403 is an affordable 14-megapixel digital compact camera with a metal housing and HD video recording capabilities. Movies are recorded at a frame rate of 30fps and a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, whereas for stills, there are a host of scene modes plus smile and blink detection on offer. Boasting a large, 3-inch TFT LCD screen, the Sanyo E1403 is available priced at €129 and comes with a three-year warranty.

Panasonic has issued a firmware update for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10 (DMC-ZS7) travelzoom camera. Version 1.1 improves stability on start-up and optimises the light output of INON external underwater strobes, including the following models: S-2000 / D-2000 / Z-240.

Website: Panasonic TZ10 Firmware

Pentax has added a vibrant-orange version of the Pentax Optio W90 waterproof camera to its digital compact line-up. Named the Pentax Optio W90 Shiny Orange, this new model has an orange-colour aluminium-alloy front panel that features a fine hairline finish. The 12-megapixel camera, which is equipped with a 5x zoom lens, is sand- and dustproof, waterproof down to a depth of 6 metres and shockproof to approximately 1.5 metres. The recommended retail price of the Pentax Optio W90 Shiny Orange is £269.99 in the UK, and $329.95 in the USA. Availability is slated for July.

A US Coast Guard investigator named Paul Shultz recently fished out a Nikon Coolpix L18 digital compact camera, housed in an underwater case, which has turned out to have floated to Florida from the island of Aruba. According to a report by Associated Press, it took the camera half a year to make the 1,100-mile journey on the back of the waves, helped by “various currents”. Owing to the underwater housing - whose make/model has not been disclosed - the camera remained functional, and it was possible to retrieve the pictures - and a video “recorded by” a sea turtle that accidentally turned on the floating camera while it was en route to Florida - stored on its memory card. Using clues found in the photos, Shultz was able to identify the owner of the camera as Dick de Bruin, a sergeant in the Royal Dutch Navy. “The camera is on its way to the de Bruin family via FedEx and should be there any day,” AP says.

Via Associated Press

The first ‘Create by Jason Wu’ digital camera intended for the UK market has been unveiled at the Graduate Fashion Week in London. The ‘Create by Jason Wu’ line was first announced in the U.S.A. earlier this year, resulting from the unique collaboration between General Imaging and Jason Wu, the 27-year-old designer who has claimed the international fashion spotlight, dressing celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Diane Kruger and Natalie Portman. The first UK model has a stunning leather body with luxurious matching case, elegant wrist strap and neck strap. The camera also boasts an internal memory capable of storing over 1,000 images, and a retractable USB plug for easy connection to a laptop or PC. Available this month, pricing to be determined.

The majority of GE’s new cameras, announced earlier this year, are now available in the UK. These include the GE X5 superzoom camera with 15x optical zoom (pictured), the GE E1486TW touch-screen model featuring an 8x optical zoom in a slim body, the 14.2-megapixel GE J1455 that sports a 5x zoom lens with image stabilisation, and the smart-looking GE A1255 and A1455, which come with 5x optical zoom and a 12 and a 14 megapixel imager, respectively. The 12.2-megapixel GE G5WP waterproof compact and the 14-megapixel GE E1486W - which is essentially an E1486TW without the touch-screen interface - are slated for July.

Fujifilm has posted firmware updates to a number of their S series digital cameras. The affected models include the FinePix S2500HD, S2550HD, S2600HD, S2700HD, S1800, S1850, S1880, S1900, S1600, S1700, S1730, S1770 and the S1780. Firmware version 1.04 addresses the issue that unwanted number of sheets are printed by setting with “PictBridge” function, and improves handling when playing back images.

Website: Fujifilm Finepix Firmware

Nikon has released firmware updates for the Nikon Coolpix S3000 and S4000 digital compact cameras. Version 1.1 for the S3000 and version 1.2 for the S4000 both address an issue related to the EN-EL10 battery. The issue was that when the battery was inserted in the camera and charged, charging sometimes did not stop after the designated amount of time had passed.

Website: Nikon Coolpix S3000 Firmware 1.1
Website: Nikon Coolpix S4000 Firmware 1.2

Panasonic has anounced the price of the recently-introduced Panasonic Lumix FX70/FX75. The new super-slim digital camera, which has a 24-120mm equivalent Leica DC Vario-Summicron 5x zoom lens, a 14-megapixel imager and a touch-screen interface, will be available in mid-July 2010 in black and silver for a suggested retail price of $299.95.

The Minox DC 1222 is a 12 megapixel compact camera with a 28-112mm equivalent Minoctar lens and HD movie recording capabilities. In keeping with Minox’s traditions, the Minox DC 1222 is a small and lightweight camera that measures only 95x55x19mm, and weighs in at just 114 grams. The 4x zoom lens has a maximum aperture of f/3.0 at the wide end and f/5.8 at maximum telephoto. Compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards, the Minox DC 1222 is available priced at €149.

The Panasonic DMC-FX70 (also known as the Panasonic DMC-FX75) is a new 14.1 megapixel compact camera with a bright f/2.2, 24-120mm wide-angle lens and a touch-screen interface. The FX70 can also record HD movies in the AVCHD Lite format, features a new Motion Deblur anti-blurring function in the iA mode to ensure that more of your photos are sharp, and has a large 3.0 inch 230,000-dot high-resolution LCD with full touch-screen operation. The FX70 / FX75 will be available from August 2010 in black in Europe and silver and black in the USA, pricing to be announced.

Sigma has released firmware updates for the Sigma DP2 and DP2s large-sensor digital compact cameras. Version 1.05 for the DP2 and version 1.01 for the DP2s incorporate the same improvement, namely, better image quality at ISO 400/27°. The firmware updates are accessible via the links below.

Website: Sigma DP2 Firmware Version 1.05
Website: Sigma DP2s Firmware Version 1.01

The Casio Exilim EX-FH25 is a new hi-zoom camera with a 26-520mm equivalent lens and a high-speed, high-sensitivity 10-megapixel CMOS imager. Featuring sensor-shift image stabilisation, the Casio EX-FH25 can capture photographs at up to 30 frames per second (fps) and a resolution of 9 megapixels. And those who press the shutter a little too late no longer need to get annoyed: the pre-record mode starts the recording as soon as the shutter is half pressed. With the aid of high-speed film recording with up to 1000fps, the EX-FH25 can capture fast movements that the human eye cannot see. The user can choose between different recording speeds. In-camera exposure blending, High-speed Anti Shake and High-speed Night Mode are all on board to help users make the most of the camera’s capabilities. The Exilim Ex-FH25 is available immediately across Europe for €399.

The Casio Exilim EX-H5 is a 12-megapixel digital compact camera sporting a 24-240mm equivalent zoom lens. Equipped with a sensor-shift type image stabilisation system, the Casio EX-H5 is a small and lightweight “tag along” camera featuring a 2.7” LCD screen, improved Dynamic Photo function and numerous Best Shot modes. The Exilim Engine 5.0 processing chip promises better colour and noise suppression. 720p high-definition movie recording rounds off the features list. In Europe, the Casio Exilim EX-H5 is available now priced at €199.