Hasselblad acquired by Ventizz Capital Fund, will explore ‘brand new markets'

Change may be afoot over at Hasselblad, now that the high-end camera maker has been acquired by Ventizz Capital Fund IV — a private equity firm based in Switzerland and Germany. Neither party disclosed any financial details, but Ventizz said it will implement “no major structural or key management changes” at its newly acquired company. It remains to be seen whether or not this acquisition brings about any changes at the strategic level, though Hasselblad CEO Larry Hansen said his company is looking forward to exploring “brand new markets”. Hopefully that includes the “sub-$10,000″ category.
source: 2DayBlog.com

Play with camera settings using CameraSim's online simulator

So you've just bought yourself a brand new camera, or perhaps it was given to you as a gift, but like all budding amateur photographers, the dials, the numbers and the deep menus will probably confuse you quite a bit. So instead of poring through the camera's manual or buying a guide book on how to use your camera, how about this online camera simulator that will let you experiment with the basic features of a camera in a more fun and easy way.

CameraSim apparently requires no registration whatsoever, so you can just pop on down to their website and start using the simulator right away with absolutely zero fuss. You are then presented with a sample "view" of a girl in a playground, holding a spinning pinwheel in her hand with a variety of basic camera features for you to mess around with.

You have "Lighting" (white balance), "Distance", "Focal Length" (zoom), "ISO" (film speed), "Aperture", and "Shutter Speed". Play around with the settings and click "Snap photo!" and you will be presented with the results of what your photo would have looked like had you used those settings on an actual camera. It's a pretty fun simulator, of course the results will vary from camera to camera but we're guessing that it should at least provide the basic knowledge of some of the features and what they do for those who may be new to a camera.
source: Ubergizmo

SVP Aqua HDV1000 Waterproof Digital Camcorder

Check out this affordable waterproof digital camcorder from SVP, the Aqua HDV1000. Priced at only $87.99, this pocket-friendly digital camcorder (waterproof up to 3 meters) sports a 5.0-megapixel CMOS image sensor, a 2.0-inch LCD screen, a microSD card slot (16GB card included), an HDMI port and can capture both 720p HD video as well as up to 8.0-megapixel digital still images.
source: TechFresh

Underwater Boat Camera With Sony Super HAD CCD

The Underwater Boat Camera from Chinavasion allows you to explore and check the bottom of your ship from the cabin. This waterproof camera features a powerful 1x3-inch Sony Super HAD CCD chipset (420TVL), allowing you to see clear images of sea water species and ocean floor up 10-meter under your boat. If you are interested, you can buy the Chinavasion Underwater Boat Camera for $152 each.
source: TechFresh

Powershovel's CLAP Digital Camera Is Tiny

Looking to do some espionage? Or perhaps you want a camera that can fit into your pocket without creating unnecessary bulge, or perhaps you're just looking for a novelty item. Either way, Powershovel's CLAP digital camera could be what you're looking for.

Measuring in at 1.4-inches x 2.8-inches x 0.59-inches, it weighs only 24g and it has a very minimalist look, very means it could pass off as being rather discreet. The CLAP camera is reported to feature a 2MP F2.8 (3.2mm) lens and can shoot images at 1280 x 1024 resolution (which is usually more than enough for regular use) while saving them as JPEG files. It is also said to be able to record videos at 720 x 480 resolution which will then be saved as AVI files.

It also comes with USB 2.0 connector which can be used to transfer files as well as to charge the camera's Li-ion battery, as well as a microSD card slot which supports up to 16GB. The camera is available at Amazon's website and is listed for $49.95 and you will be able to choose from six different colors.
source: Ubergizmo

Olympus FL-300R Flash

Olympus is bringing you their newest flash ‘FL-300R' for Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds cameras. Powered by 2x AAA batteries, this extremely compact flash offers an approximately 75 degree angle of coverage and features a built-in wide panel that allows the flash to be used with ultra-wide lenses such as the M.Zuiko Digital 9-18mm f/4-5.6. The FL-300R sells for 140 GBP (about $224). [PhotographyBlog]