Nikon planning "new concept" mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras with enhanced video modes

The past year has seen both Sony and Samsung unveil tiny interchangeable lens cameras designed to compete with the Micro Four Thirds units from Panasonic and Olympus, and now Nikon's getting in the game as well -- company president Makoto Kimura told Bloomberg Nikon will introduce a "new concept" mirrorless cameras with enhanced video functions as early as this year. (That sort of sounds like the Canon G11 competitor with DSLR tech Nikon was hinting at earlier this year, but we can't tell if they're the same.) Kimura says that Nikon is "intensively" focused on developing the new mirrorless product as part of a plan to increase SLR revenue -- Nikon's goal is to increase interchangeable lens camera sales a whopping 80 percent over the next three years. That's ambitious, but if Nikon can produce a tiny shooter with some of the D3S's low-light capabilities and the ability to accept even a subset of its modern family of lenses, we don't think it's out of the question. We'll see what happens.

Pentax Optio I-10 reviewed: 'perfectly average compact camera' in a decidedly stylish case

We had high hopes for the Pentax Optio I-10, a little compact camera that breaks out of the brushed metal box and delivers a style reminiscent of a '70s SLR. Unfortunately, initial hands-on reports weren't encouraging and, now that we've had a chance to read a full review, it seems this one lacks the performance to back-up its looks. Neutralday.com put this 12.1 megapixel, 5x zoom model through its paces and found that it delivers thoroughly average images in most situations, with highlights being its compact size and fast startup, but low-points including inaccurate auto-focus in low light and poor ISO performance. Ultimately it's not a bad camera and we're certainly not opposed to paying a little extra for a gadget that makes you feel warm inside, but if you're strictly looking for the best performance you can save money by choosing a model without faux leatherette styling.