Digital Cameras at CES: Zoom, Speed, and Go Wi-Fi or Retro

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
By Liz Cutting, Senior Imaging Analyst

Now that high resolution, face detection, and optical image stabilization have become digital camera table stakes, digital camera manufacturers are stepping it up and taking it broad. Imaging happenings at CES ranged from novel to retro, as manufacturers aligned with the overarching CES themes of connected, slim and smart, but also fun.

Marketers in the nearly saturated point-and-shoot digital camera segment must demonstrate tangible improvements to convince consumers to invest in new camera functionality. Zoom was a key word in imaging at CES, with new slim form-factor 10X entries from Samsung and Olympus on the horizon and zooms over 20X from Kodak and Olympus, all incorporating wide angle. With DSLR kits reaching new lows in the $400 average price range, 2009 will be a pivotal year to observe consumer choices in the DSLR / long zoom compact camera upgrade as these prices start converging.

With niche appeal beyond the zoom, Casio went for speed in a compact, packing its 30 frames per second burst shooting of 2008 into its new line of smaller models, enabling Matrix-like effects in a pocket camera. From high speed to improved functionality, Sony kicked digital camera WiFi up a notch with the CyberShot G3; it enables not just one-click uploads to popular photo sharing sites, but also a real web browser to enable password input.

From niche to simple, the tangible point, shoot, preview, print of the Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera brings nostalgia dating back to 1948 into modern times. Reviving the instant camera with a twist, the Pogo embeds Zink inkless color printing into a Polaroid digital camera for on the fly 2×3 prints.

In an era likely more reflective of evolution than revolution, we expect to see more color, slim form factors, and in-camera editing as we approach PMA.

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