It doesn’t get much bigger, or better, than the CES show in Las Vegas. And in Las Vegas, size matters! In this photo, Panasonic shows off its 152-inch plasma TV. Price? If you have to ask, you can’t afford it!

Every time I head out to cover the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January several questions go through my mind: Is it going to be warmer in Las Vegas than it is here in NY? Are the lines going to be as long again? And what will be the hottest technology at the show? The answer to the first question is always a gamble (appropriate for the town in question, don’t you think?): I’ve actually been to the CES show three times when it was snowing before, during, or just after the show, and several times when it was actually warmer in NY than in Nevada. This time around, however, I got a break on the temperature, as daytime highs in Vegas averaged in the mid to upper 60’s, and the show floor was even hotter, literally and figuratively! (Back just one day from the show and the temp outside my studio in NY right now is 1 degree! Brrrr!)

As for question number two: In the past I’ve referred to CES as the “Hurry up and wait!” show. This year, despite my best efforts to avoid the slowdown in Vegas by getting there several days early for “Press only” events, I ran smack into the slowdowns again. First, it took nearly 13 hours to get to Las Vegas (compared to a normal 8 hours), thanks to major incompetence on the part of U.S. Air (USeless Air). Second, the onslaught of approximately 110,000 attendees flocking to the show this year taxed the taxi system as usual, with wait time stretching from 20 to 40 minutes in many cases. And thinner than usual staffs at all of the hotels led to longer lines at check in, restaurants, and other venues. As a veteran of the show, I always pick a hotel near the monorail, stock my fridge with Starbucks coffee the night before to avoid morning lines, and take the monorail whenever I can. But this year, unusually long lines were also the norm at the MGM monorail station heading towards the show, and even my secret short cuts around the show floors were little help.

However, if I had to do it all over again, I would—but perhaps I’d stay a day or two after the show to enjoy the great weather I barely had time to enjoy, or wander through the show on its closing day to enjoy more of the incredible displays and new technology that I’m sure I missed. My primary goals at the CES show have always been to find new and innovative technologies that will affect the way photographers and videographers capture, display, and share their photos and videos. At this year’s show, there were many exciting developments on the capture front, and quite a few online, picture-frame, or cell-phone based “sharing” technologies announced. But I’d have to dub CES 2010 as the year that large screen TV’s finally got to the point where they can’t go much further—especially when it comes to image quality, 3D capability, thickness, or size. (I’m sure I’ll be proven wrong on the size, but size isn’t everything when you can’t even fit the current size champ, a 152-inch Panasonic plasma screen, through the doorway of even the typical mac mansion. See photo above.)

After analyzing last year’s CES show and a number of other big shows I had attended in 2008, I predicted the rapid growth of 3D capture and display technology during my presentation at the DIMA show prior to PMA in February, 2009. (What’s Next in Consumer Digital Photography? DIMA 2009). However, even I didn’t expect to see the advancements in 3D capture and display technology showcased by Panasonic, or the 3D and LED displays that wowed the audiences and stopped floor traffic dead at Samsung, LG, and Sony booths. Panasonic introduced the first pro-level, relatively compact 3D HD camcorder with a dual optic lens that helps feed a stereo view to dual HD sensors within the camera. I believe this model is just a hint of what’s to come out this year on the camcorder front—but I’ll bet money that Panasonic is working on a similar solution for its G-Series interchangeable lens hybrid cameras. At the same press conference, Panasonic introduced several large 3D-capable plasma screens, a 3D capable Blu-Ray disc player, and a announced a partnership with Direct TV to support a full HD, 3D channel in 2010. (Note: At the Panasonic press conference it was revealed that unless a “3D-capable” TV or monitor features a new HDMI version 1.4 connector, it won’t be compatible with standardized 3D playback devices such as the Blu-Ray player mentioned. Nice surprise to anyone who bought a 3D TV over the holidays featuring the advance 1.3 HDMI connector!)

While Panasonic gets my vote for numero uno on offering the best end-to-end solution for 3D technology, it had quite a bit of competition from the other display manufactures when it came to 3D TV and LED TV. At LG, ultra thin LED monitors were the big attraction, with colors that jumped off the screens. The same can be said of the LED displays at Samsung, which also showcased several 3D-ready LED models that combine the best of both worlds. Samsung gets my vote for having the best monitor display I’ve every seen in my life—on a scale that defies description, but hopefully can be approximated by some of the photos in the following gallery:

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At home, I not only watch my HD videos on it. I’m looking to replace my ailing 2003 vintage- 57-inch Sony HD CRT rear projection model this year, and until I saw the Samsung 3D LED display, I was leaning towards an LED TV vs a 3D capable plasma or LCD model as my next purchase for the living room. For me, the color accuracy, expanded color gamut, and the glass-free viewing experience you get from an LG, Sony, or Samsung LED TV is superior to any other display technology. (Ok, I was impressed with the color and viewing angle on the 20+-inch OLED teaser Sony had hidden in a back room, but that’s still several years away from the mainstream especially when it comes to competing on size.) Also, for the moment, there really isn’t enough 3D content to make me want to purchase a TV based on its 3D capability (plus I’d have to add a 3D- Blu Ray device, and several pairs of high tech 3D glasses to the purchase.) Hopefully, with the success of 3D movies such as Avatar (which grossed over 1 Billion dollars worldwide in just a few weeks!) that will change over the next few years. But for now, I think I’ll wait till after this year’s Infocomm 2010 show to see what the other manufacturers bring out on the 3D LED front, then save up for next Christmas’s big screen for the family. Oh yeah, they want one too!

Also, check out the official CES video podcast interview done by Sarah Myers on day two of the show with yours truly:

On day two of the CES 2010 trade show Sarah Myers of CEA asked me to give a roundup of the trends and products I found most interesting on the show floor. Check it out:

McNamara Report & Panasonic Go Down Under for UNESCO World Heritage – Our Place Project

First Underwater World Heritage Site Documented With Photos
And HD Videos Taken With The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

NEW YORK, NY and Osaka, Japan – January 8, 2010 – Michael J. McNamara, award winning photo journalist and editor of the McNamara Report (www.mcnamarareport.com) has recently completed two photo & video documentaries for – OUR PLACE – The World Heritage Collection (http://ourplaceworldheritage.com/),a publishing house that is creating the world’s largest photographic collection of UNESCO World Heritage (WH) sites.

The award winningPanasonic LUMIX® DMC-GH1(http://panasonic.net/lumix) enabled McNamara to capture both high-res still photos and full HD AVCHD format videos of the Great Barrier Reef of Australia (www.gbrmpa.gov.au/), the worlds largest coral reef system, as well as the Wet Tropics of Queensland (www.wettropics.gov.au/). While OurPlace photographers have documented over 230 of the 890 World Heritage sites, the Great Barrier Reef is the first underwater World Heritage site; it and the Wet Tropics are the only World Heritage sites that share a common border.

Panasonic (http://panasonic.net/lumix/) has continually supported the UNESCO partnered World Heritage photographic project, OUR PLACE since its inception in 2006.  “Panasonic is keen to contribute to the photographic culture, and help promote and protect the important UNESCO World Heritage sites through the OUR PLACE Project.  This exciting project gives us the opportunity to communicate both about the value of the World Heritage sites and about Panasonic’s strong commitment to protecting the environment.  Our vision for LUMIX coincides with the UNESCO goal to photo document the World Heritage sites, and we are proud to contribute our latest innovative digital imaging technologies, such as those found in the award winning Lumix DMC-GH1, to achieve that goal,” states Ichiro Kitao, Managing director of Panasonic Digital Still Camera Business Unit.

McNamara, an advanced scuba diver and underwater photographer, took advantage of the compact Panasonic LUMIX GH1 12.1-MP photo and exceptional full HD video capabilities, as well as its interchangeable lens system and live viewfinder. Paired with a custom underwater housing and unique lighting system (http://www.mcnamarareport.com/underwater-gear-for-great-barrier-reef-documentary), the ‘hybrid’ features of the DMC-GH1 were rigorously tested during his 23 dives on the reef, some below 130 feet. With assistance from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Mike Ball Dive Expeditions (www.MBDE.com), McNamara captured a treasure trove of still images and HD video footage that includes sharks, turtles, exotic tropical fish, colorful fan corals, barracudas, and giant clams. McNamara also visited the Osprey Reef system in the Coral Sea, a site under consideration for inclusion into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park that boasts an impressive shark population and dramatic coral walls.

Eye to Eye With A Shark from Michael J. McNamara on Vimeo.

After completing his 8-day expedition to the Great Barrier Reef, McNamara trekked to the mountains and coastal regions of the Wet Tropics. With the assistance of park rangers from the Wet Tropics Management Authority, McNamara documented wild orchids, rare blue and red crayfish, giant ferns, and scenic vistas on mountaintops nearly 4000 feet above sea level. Excursions included spotlighting endangered ringtail possums at night, visiting a bat and flying fox hospital, searching the rain forest for tree kangaroos, and exploring Cape Tribulation’s blue holes, mangrove forests, and crocodile-filled rivers. Notably, there was little rain during his week-long stay in the Wet Tropics, and several of his landscape photos show signs of the giant dust cloud that covered much of Australia in late September, 2009, as well as damage to the rainforest from the worst drought to hit the Wet Tropics region in decades.

“It has been an honor to be part of the international team of photographers who document the World Heritage sites for their physical and geographical aspects, flora and fauna, and the human elements that make them of outstanding universal value. The partnership between UNESCO and OUR PLACE helps increase our awareness, knowledge and appreciation to better protect these remarkable places, many of which, like the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics of Queensland, are fragile and threatened by extreme climate events and man-made stresses.” McNamara comments.

To minimize the environmental impact and transportation costs typically required for equipment and support crews during an overseas photo and video documentary, McNamara carefully selected his camera gear, underwater still and video lighting components, computer and storage systems, communications equipment, and clothing so that it all fit within his standard international checked and carry-on baggage allotments. His low travel “footprint” enabled him to travel incognito in the Wet Tropics, and kept his photo and video subjects at ease during filming. For more on the lightweight, state-of-the-art equipment McNamara carried, visit the McNamara Report.com: “What’s in MIKES BAG:” (http://www.mcnamarareport.com/whats-in-mikes-bag)

You can also follow McNamara’s expeditions in his GOOGLE EARTH JOURNAL: http://www.mcnamarareport.com/virtual-field-trip-to-the-great-barrier-reef/, an interactive platform that leads you on a day-by-day virtual treks through both areas. It contains commentary, plus video & still images tied in by GPS data to Google Earth’s satellite imagery. Through this tool, you can experience these World Heritage sites from McNamara’s unique perspective and get a closer look at the astounding marine and rainforest creatures he encountered along the way.

About McNamara Report

The McNamara Report is a content portal website that includes discussions and analysis on consumer electronics technologies and products, as well as trends affecting pro photographers, photo enthusiasts, and the digital imaging industry. The website encompasses articles, photo illustrations, radio and TV interviews, multi-media test reports, how to’s, and hands-on reviews of the latest cameras, imaging software, printers, computers, displays, storage systems, and consumer-electronic devices.   Portfolios of McNamara’s award winning travel, nature, sports, portrait, and fashion photography can also be viewed at the McNamara Report website – for more visit: http://www.mcnamarareport.com.

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.77 trillion yen (US$78.4 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2009. The company’s shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE: PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company’s website at http://panasonic.net

About the World Heritage – OUR PLACE PROJECT

There are currently 890 special places around the world that have been awarded prestigious World Heritage status by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. They are some of the planet’s most unique and significant locations and are places of both Natural and Cultural importance. OUR PLACE is photographically documenting these sites for posterity.
Explore and enjoy the photo galleries which represent OUR PLACE on OUR PLANET at www.ourplaceworldheritage.com.

For more information, contact:

CJC Strategists

Charlé-John Cafiero

Tel:
(212) 777-7654

Email – PR@cjcstrategists.com

Only a few weeks have passed since Panasonic and Olympus announced the new Micro Four Thirds system of cameras and interchangeable lenses. (For a discussion on that system’s potential, see “New Micro Four Thirds system promises smaller, lighter DSLRs) Frankly, I didn’t expect to see anything more than a wooden or plastic mockup of a camera based on that new system by this month’s Photokina 2008 show in Cologne, Germany. After all, it took forever for the first Four Thirds System camera, the Olympus E-1, to make its debut after the system was announced.

For more of my analysis and initial reactions to this camera, listen to the Sept. 13 segment of the McNamara Report on Inside Digital Photo (slide to the 11min 50sec mark for that segment);

So I was surprised to see a pre-production, fully functional model of Panasonic’s new G1 several days before it’s debut on Sept. 12, 2008. Two things jumped out at once: the incredibly small size of the camera and kit lens, and the attractive blue and red camera bodies that were being introduced along with the standard all black body.

All photos courtesy of Panasonic USA, Inc.

Normally, I wouldn’t be caught dead carrying around a red or blue-bodied DSLR, but I know women and teenagers are going to love the radical color combination. And even if I did venture out into the public eye with the red body and the event was captured for all to view on YouTube, I technically wouldn’t be carrying a red-bodied DSLR since the G1 isn’t an SLR at all! (Don’t you love loopholes?) For a camera to claim SLR status, it has to have a Single Lens Reflex mechanism, which is a tech term used to describe a camera with a reflex mirror that swings out of the way during exposure and then drops back into place to allow light to reach the optical viewfinder.

This bold-colored model will go perfectly with my red Farrari––after I win the lottery.

The new G1 uses an electronic viewfinder, albeit the finest one I’ve ever seen boasting 1.44 million dot resolution (more than four times the dots of a typical EVF viewfinder) and great color made possible using a LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) engine similar to those found in some high-end digital projectors. So without the reflex mirror it’s not a DSLR, and it accepts interchangeable lenses so its not an EVF, and it has a live view mode so it’s not a rangefinder. Bottom line? The G1 is really in a class of its own. But we can’t have a camera class without a cool acronym, can we? So should we call the G1 and its offspring EVI (electronic viewfinder interchangeable) cameras?  (I decided to drop the “lens” from the end of the full name so as not to give it an EVIL acronym.) Or ILEV (interchangeable lens electronic viewfinder) cameras? Either choice is better than calling it a Micro Four Thirds System camera (although MFTS might work!)

Until I get my hands on a G1 for field testing, I can’t tell you much more about its performance or eventual image quality. It already wins a prize for its EVF clarity (and data display capability), compact size, and the lightweight, compact size of its image stabilized lenses. However, there are several features that could make this camera a big hit despite its expected street price of $800 with the LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S lens (see photo) and its limited lens selection (just one other offered–the LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S. telephoto lens).

LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S lens

download U.S. Marshals

LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S. telephoto lens

For starters, you can expect image quality to be greater than that found on any high megapixel EVF super-zoom or compact camera (especially in low light) based on the larger (17.3 x 13.0 mm) size of the G1′s Live MOS imaging sensor (which has the same dimensions as the sensors found in existing Four Thirds Standard DSLRs such as the Olympus E-3) and use of the new Panasonic Venus Engine HD processor.  It’s 12.1MP sensor should deliver closer to the resolution we’ve seen in 14MP APS-format sensors due to its narrower 4:3 aspect ratio. And from my experience with the pre-production model, I expect this camera to focus faster than most EVFs and even DSLRs using their Contrast Detection AF capability in the Live View mode. The 23 focus zones rely on additional lens information to speed AF and track moving objects or faces. This Contrast-Detection AF system on the G1 seems fast whether using the EVF or the relying on the 3-inch, 460,000 dot rotating LCD monitor.

With Nikon and Canon both recently introducing DSLRs with video record capability, I was shocked that the G1 didn’t have that ability, since it would be far easier to achieve in this “mirror-less” system than on a DSLR, and there’s a great history of video recording in the Panasonic family of cameras. Panasonic reps have hinted that we could expect live video recording in the next generation of this camera.

Expect a Panasonic-brand waterproof housing to surface (pun intended) in the near future, as the size and weight of this camera, plus the smaller lenses, make it an ideal camera for use in an underwater housing. Panasonic offers housings for a wide variety of its compact cameras, and I know a few Panasonic technicians in Japan who can’t wait to go diving with their own brand in hand. With this system’s compatibility with Olympus-brand external flash units, and at least one from the manufacturer, Panasonic could finally break into the undersea world for serious photographers.

To listen to this topic discussed on the Inside Digital Photo show, Aug. 16, 2008, click the play button:

On August 5, 2008 the new Micro Four Thirds camera and lens standard was announced by currently behind-the-scenes partners Panasonic and Olympus. (Unlike the original Four Thirds system team, Kodak isn’t a partner in this venture, having left the DSLR landscape for good.)
Featuring a decreased lens-to-sensor distance, 6mm smaller lens diameter, and two more electrical contacts between the lens and body, the goal of the new Micro Four Thirds system is to offer a lower calorie alternative to the current crop of DSLRs. There’s also potential for higher performance lenses (especially wide and ultrazooms) and a promise of backward compatibility with existing Four Thirds Standard lenses. But are photographers ready for another interchangeable lens standard in the crowed arena of Canon, Leica, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus Four Thirds, Sigma, and Sony lens mounts?

Time will tell, but the development of this new system didn’t surprise me–in fact I’ve been predicting it for quite some time. At the 6Sight conference in November, 2007 I made this prediction (among several others), and even got the players right:

COMPACT EVF CAMERAS:

On the high end of compact camera design there’s still lots of room for improvement. Compared to DSLRs, electronic viewfinder (EVF) cameras currently enable thru-the-lens viewing, lighter and more compact forms, and image-stabilized lenses up to 18X all at a price below comparable DSLR systems.

Currently, there is little after-market profit with these cameras in terms of lens accessories or flash, and electronic viewfinders are course and jumpy. However, as the EVF improves in sharpness and processing systems enable the ability to track motion without screen blackout, I expect the following:

1. An EVF camera with a new Interchangeable lens system. And I expect it will be developed by one of the a major Four Thirds System player such as Olympus or Panasonic. (But even Sony could pull it off.) This direct DSLR competitor would maintain a smaller, lighter form factor, and feature a vastly improved electronic viewfinder.
2. Sensor resolution would be 12MP or less, and the sensor will be slightly larger in size than current sensors used in this category. Perhaps it will be called a Two Thirds System instead of a Four Thirds system camera.
   
3. It will allow for the use (and sale) of true ultra-wide angle, bright aperture zooms that are not available in any current model. These, and other lenses in this system, will be much smaller and lighter than current DSLR lenses.
   
4. Vacuum dust removal and ultrasonic dust removal will keep sensor clean.
   
5. Image stabilization will be sensor-shift based, keeping lens prices lower.

We’ll have to see if vacuum dust removal will show up in Micro Four Thirds cameras or elsewhere, and I was wrong about these new cameras using a smaller sensor. Instead, the sensor remains the same, giving much desired backwards compatibility with existing Four Thirds Standard lenses (via an optional adapter.)

To listen to this topic discussed on the Inside Digital Photo show, Aug. 2, 2008, click the play button:

Believe it or not, the recently announced Leica DC VARIO-SUMMICRON f/2.0, 24-60mm equivalent lens is now available for under $500! That’s 8X less than the price of the 28mm f/2 SUMMICRON-M ASPH and 5X less than the LEICA Elmarit-M 24m f/2.8 ASPH. And it’s also the first 24mm f/2.0 Leica lens with optical image stabilization built it!

There’s only one catch—at that price it also comes permanently affixed to the new Panasonic 10.1MP Lumix LX3 compact digital camera. Is this black-bodied digital camera the only one pro photographers won’t be embarrassed to carry in public? Sure looks like it.

Now available in the more desirable black body–-

similar to the Leica Digilux III (made by Panasonic) without the RED Leica logo

To listen to this topic discussed on the Inside DIgital Photo show, August 2, 2008, click the play button