Like mobiles, cameras have their own dedicated tech hoedown, called PMA. But that didn’t stop some of the planet’s hottest snapper sellers from showing off some awesome new kit at CES 2010. In fact, this year’s show was positively buzzing with peerless new peepers, including some of our favourite gadgets of the entire show. Here’s our top five cameras and camcorders from the show floor.
Polaroid PIC-1000
Perhaps the most exciting gadget of CES, period, the Polaroid PIC-1000 is a return to the camera maker’s analogue roots. It uses the old-school Polaroid 1000 film, which the company so foolishly disregarded last year, and is being now made by The Impossible Project. It’ll shoot as close as two feet and pack in a self-timer, with a flash and red-eye reduction. Undoubtedly, it’s the CES gadget we’re craving the most.
Kodak Slice
Its first touchscreen compact, the Kodak Slice’s biggest draw is its auto-uploading feature. Shove it into your PC, configure once and it’ll automatically slap your snaps onto the social networking site of your choice. It’s a pretty nifty peeper too, with 14 megapixels, a 5x optical zoom and 720p video. Oh, and you can even get a “radish” coloured version. Best of all, it’s due out in the first quarter of 2010.
Sony Cyber-shot HX5V
Loaded up with Transferjet tech, the Sony Cyber-shot HX5V can load your shots up to a dedicated Sony Vaio F series PC just by sticking it onto the laptop’s frame. It even has GPS, so geotagging is a total cinch, letting you mark pics with your location as you take them. There are 10 megapixels, a 3-inch LCD slapped in the back and a specially rejigged sweep panorama mode too.
Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti VPC-CS1
With 8 megapixel stills, Full HD recording and a body that clocks in at just 1-inch thick, the Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti VPC-CS1 was the best all-rounder at CES without question. It shoots eyeball-stroking H.264 video and is possibly the most stylish basic camcorder we’ve ever seen. Sure, at $299, it’s not cheap. But take a closer look and you’ll see just why we’re happy to stump up our hard-earned dosh for one.
Casio Exilim EX-H15
14.1 megapixels, 3-inch LCD, 24mm lens and a 10x optical zoom might sound like standard fare. But what sets the Casio Exilim EX-H15 apart as its Dynamic Photo feature, which lets you take video and remove moving objects, before dropping them into a new background. You can even upload your handiwork onto YouTube. Not half bad for £249.
