Camera

Gadgets are great and I especially love the ones that fill a legitimate need instead of being a gadget for gadgetry's sake. Take our camcorder. As much as I love my iFlip -- the camcorder that's the size of a smartphone and is just as easy to use -- I've missed the ability to check my shot. The iFlip's viewing screen is less than two inches square and in sunlight is rendered unusable by the glare. I have no idea whether I've loped my daughter's head off at the Halloween parade (I did) or caught my son sliding into home base (I didn't).

The Shoot 'n Share Camcorder Projector, which retails for about $300 plus a memory card through Hammacher-Schlemmer, provides a nifty solution. You can instantly project what you just shot on to the nearest wall or flat surface, zooming in to check facial expressions and zooming out to check backgrounds.

Some people look at the colder weather as an excuse to head south for the winter; we like to think of it as an opportunity to wear lots of new clothes and find fun ways of keeping warm. In the spirit of getting ready for the season in style we took the new 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, some classic country clothing and ruggedly handsome accouterments on a tour through the glorious autumnal landscape of northern New England, documenting our excursion with the cool new Olympus PEN E-PL1 digital camera. We let the foliage flaunt the bright colors, keeping the clothing to an elegant, understated palette of greens, grays and earthy tones with rich leather, suede and alligator skin details and subtle tortoiseshells and tartans for contrast. Warm textures of wool, cashmere, tweed, moleskin and waxed cotton combined with equestrian and hunting elements guard against the elements and the hazards of the terrain (and local fauna), handling any activity without sacrificing anything in the way of style.

That's also an apt description of the new Cayenne Turbo, hands-down the sportiest SUV around. For 2011 it gets a sleeker and more aggressive appearance, better performance and fuel economy, garnering it the 2011 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year title (they noted that "the Cayenne's driving experience eclipsed that of every other contender"). Powered by a 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine generating 500 hp, it can do 0–60 mph in just 4.4 seconds if you're so inclined. Equipped with the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel-drive system it can do just about anything else. Fitted with Porsche's new eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel and a luxurious leather interior influenced by the Panamera, it features a state-of-the-art navigation system with real-time traffic updates, a surround sound system with iPod interface, Bluetooth hands-free phone operation, 18-way adaptive sport seats and more – in short, all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a $105,000 SUV with a Porsche pedigree.

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jay Dickman (above) is leading an incredible 16-day private jet tour of Central and South America, part of the National Geographic Expeditions program, set to take place from Mar 26 - Apr 10, 2011. Dickman, a National Geographic Expert who has covered events as diverse as the war in El Salvador to the Olympics for numerous publications including National Geographic magazine, is part of the Olympus Visionary Program, a group of prestigious professional photographers who all use Olympus cameras like the brilliant new PEN E-PL1 for professional and personal assignments. The luxe trip via a custom Boeing 757 takes you through lush rain forests, magnificent mountain ranges, lively cities, and the legacies of mighty civilizations.

Destinations include Guatemala, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and Costa Rica, from "the soaring pyramid temples of the ancient Mayans to the alluring grace of Argentina's tango, and from the awe-inspiring rush of Iguazú Falls to the serene rain forests of the Amazon", with luxury hotel stays in between. As the excursion is priced at $46,950 per person, you'll obviously want to make sure you get great photos – which Dickman helps ensure, leading photographic expeditions and discussing technical as well as aesthetic issues that make for great photography and photographs. Book your seats now as space is limited.

Amongst fierce competition, roller blading enthusiast Kevin Dowling went on to win Olympus' "PEN your story challenge" contest which we wrote about back in May. Dowling won the prize of Olympus' great new compact PEN E-PL1 digital camera (above) and $5,000 to make his documentary video Blading, in addition to an all-expense-paid trip for two to New York City to attend the Olympus-sponsored US Open National Tennis Championships where a sample of his video was displayed on the giant board in the famed Arthur Ashe Stadium before an audience of thousands. Selecting a winner from the finalists wasn't easy – Olympus received hundreds of proposal submissions which were eventually narrowed down to 20 semi-finalists and then six finalists. Dowling's selection was based on a combination of popular vote and the panel of Olympus judges, and his video showcased the professional-grade digital single lens reflex (DSLR) image quality, point-and-shoot simplicity and high-definition (HD) video capabilities of the amazingly compact camera. You can see all of the finalists' submissions in the "PEN your story challenge" playlist at http://www.youtube.com/getolympus and view Kevin's Grand Prize Winning submission on the main page video player.

Already producing as they do some of the most desirable camera equipment in the world, Leica doesn't need much help in the design department. That didn't stop them from teaming up with the Volkswagen Group, however, and their chief designer Walter de'Silva.

One of the foremost designers in the business, de'Silva started with the compact M9 camera and reskinned it in titanium, trimming it out with a sapphire crystal screen, Nappa leather, diamond-texture grip surface and a shoulder harness, paying so much attention to the little details as to hone in on the iconic Leica logo.

The de'Silva-designed M9 Titanium will be available in a limited run of 500 examples, each fetching $26,500 – fitting for a machine penned by a car designer.

To shoot the right subject, you'll need the right equipment. And in the case of a Ferrari, this would be it: the Hasselblad H4D Ferrari Limited Edition.

Swedish photography outfitter Hasselblad already makes some of the most coveted cameras on the market. For the Ferrari edition, they went with their "entry-level" model and decked it out in Rosso Fuoco and Ferrari emblems and packed it into a carbon-fiber storage case. Only 499 examples will be offered. Prices are sure to dip well into five figures, but if you're going to be shooting a six-figure supercar, will anything less suffice?

Olympus' great new compact PEN E-PL1 digital camera with professional-grade digital single lens reflex (DSLR) image quality, point-and-shoot simplicity and high-definition (HD) video encourages you to realize your creative vision. To emphasize the point they have launched a contest to win one of the 12-megapixel cameras, along with $5,000 to bring that vision to life, and then some. Dubbed the "PEN your story challenge", the contest runs through June 6th at http://www.youtube.com/getolympus and http://www.getolympus.com, via video proposals submitted by entrants. Your "vision" can be anything you can produce with the PEN E-PL1 and a $5,000 budget, be it a short film with HD video, a fashion spread of pro-quality still images, an adventure chronicle combining both, or an amazing photomontage.

Once the proposal submissions have been narrowed down to 20 semi-finalists selected by the community via thumbs up "likes", six of the best will be selected by a panel of judges from Olympus, as well as the YouTube community. Those six individuals will receive the PEN, the funds and time to bring their proposals to life. Once the six finalists have uploaded their final creations to YouTube for the world to see, one lucky Grand Prize winner will be selected based on a combination of popular vote and the panel of Olympus judges. The Grand Prize winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to New York City to attend the Olympus-sponsored US Open on Olympus Day. The winner's work will be displayed on the giant video board at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center before an audience of thousands.

To help things along Olympus is offering professional tips on making your filmmaking dreams become a reality from multi Webby-Award winner Erik Beck, executive producer of the online DIY filmmaking network Indy Mogul . Beck has produced a how-to video with tips and tricks to assist you with the production of your submission for the PEN your story challenge. The challenge is open to residents of the United States and Canada. When submitting your video proposal for the PEN your story challenge, be sure to explain how, as a finalist, you plan to use the creative features of the Olympus PEN E-PL1 such as the in-camera art filters for your project. Meanwhile check out http://Twitter.com/getolympus, http://www.Facebook.com/getolympus and http://www.Flickr.com/groups/getolympus as well.

Leica has just launched the stylish new V-LUX 20 compact digital camera, equipped with 12.1 megapixels and a high performance Leica 12x zoom lens along with built-in GPS tagging and HD movie recording. Priced at $699, it's the first Leica camera to feature GPS tagging, with an innovative tracking system allowing photographers to record the exact geographical coordinates of their location automatically, as well as the local time for every shot, ensuring the user always has a useful and accurate record of their trip. In addition, the V-LUX 20 can display the names of interesting sightseeing locations from a total of 500,000 'points of interest' across 73 countries. For those posting images on social networks, image portals or map sites such as Google Maps or Google Earth, the GPS data automatically reveals exactly when and where the photos were taken.

For those who want to make movies as well as still images, the V-LUX 20 enables movie recording in HD quality. Its intelligent automatic features, such as face recognition, automatic scene modes and smart exposure, are all available in movie mode, together with the camera's zoom functions. The camera's three inch LCD display has a resolution of 460,000 pixels, and offers an extremely bright, sharp view for precise composition and framing of shots, as well as accurate quality control for captured shots in playback mode. In addition to all the high-tech features, the matte black V-LUX 20 is also available with a classic leather case for $175, making it as stylish as any of the brand's famed old-school models and a fitting complement to luxury accessories.

The Lomo LC-A has been around for more than 25 years and now a few lucky aficionados can own a rare collector's version: the Lomo LC-A + Gold limited edition. Featuring the original Russian Minitar lens for those authentic eye-popping colours and shadowy vignettes, this version is gilded in 24k gold and wrapped in fine leather. Available in a limited and numbered edition of 130, the Lomo LC-A+ Gold also comes with a wooden storage case, 2 rolls of Lomography 800 film, and a hardcover copy of Lomographiere. $600

Iconic German camera firm Leica has just unveiled a new, limited special edition – the Leica M7 Edition Hermès, designed in collaboration with the famed French fashion house. Only 200 silver chrome 35 mm cameras will be available starting next month wrapped in two colors of exclusive Hermès 'Veau Swift' leather: orange and étoupe (green), 100 examples of each priced at about $14,000. The special Leica M7 Edition Hermès set also includes a matching, silver anodised Leica SUMMILUX-M 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH. wide-angle lens. The lens is complemented by a classical round lens hood in silver anodised metal manufactured exclusively for the Edition Hermès. The set also includes a Leicavit M rapid winder finished in silver chrome. The finishing touch to the special edition is provided by a real leather carrying strap handcrafted by Atelier Hermès to match the color of the camera chosen. The camera marks the second collaboration between Leica and Hermès.

Leica Camera AG, manufacturer of the finest hand-crafted photographic equipment, just unveiled two new cameras, the Leica M9 (above) and Leica X1 (below), as well as the previously announced Leica S2, each heralded as the next evolution in Leica's legendary history. The next installment in the 55-year-old M-series, the M9 features a full-frame 18 megapixel sensor, extending the legacy of the M-series through the digital era, and will be available later this month. The X1, a new system product for Leica's camera division, is a point-and-shoot camera that closely resembles the beloved M-series, albeit in a more compact size. The X1 has a fixed focal length of 35mm and will be available to consumers in January 2010.

For the cost-is-no-object photography crowd, Leica is the be all and end all. We've reported on some of the high-end German optics company's products before, but they've just delved into the professional field of digital Single-Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras with its new S-System, announcing prices for its initial line-up.

Packed inside a body smaller than most SLRs is a 37.5 million pixel sensor that measures 30x45mm – more than 50% bigger than the industry standard. The camera body alone costs a whopping $23k – and as any serious photog worth his flashbulb will tell you, that doesn't even include a lens. Those start at around five grand, while the cheapest accessory in the catalog is the $400 charger. Upgrading to the sapphire crystal display and what Leica calls its Platinum service costs another five grand, which would be enough to buy a good Nikon or Canon with all the lenses and extra kit you could ask for. But then, of course, they're not Leicas.

Welcome to the first in a new series of exclusive photo features showcasing seasonal style essentials inspired by classic icons of elegance, sport and design, photographed with the most beautiful and coveted cars on the road. The emphasis is on luxury of course, but of the timeless variety as opposed to mere extravagance.

In our recent Classicist column on the 2010 Jaguar XK convertible coming out this August, we remarked on the sleek new cat's stylistic heritage dating back to 1948's XK120, as driven by the likes of Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable, as well as later models like the D-Type (or XK-SS) made famous by the great Steve McQueen. The first in our new series of exclusive shoots is inspired by them and stars the XK in homage to these stylish icons, both man and automotive (read all about the new XK here).

In particular, the influence of Gable (with his XK120 in 1954, top right) and McQueen (with his XK-SS, center right) can be seen in the summery style essentials we've assembled for this shoot. For the pastoral setting we drew on another classic Jaguar reference, an image of writer Truman Capote in a Jaguar XK-E, the model most closely aligned with the new XK, in the Hamptons in 1965 (bottom right).

In the spirit of summer we've chosen a classic combination of navy and white, popular as fashionable resort wear for a nearly a century and still going strong in the right circles. While navy blazers of the type shown here originated as part of English cricket club scenery and other elegant sporting occasions such as the Henley Royal Regatta, without gold buttons it needn't be unnecessarily nautical or costume-y.

The jacket shown here, in tropical weight wool with soft shoulders by the dashing Italian house of Etro, references its sporting antecedents with grosgrain tipping on the lapels, pockets and cuffs; however, since it is finished in the same color as the jacket the effect is a subtle one, while the slim cut updates the look with Italian flair. A cream linen camp shirt by Paul Stuart and white linen pants by Polo Ralph Lauren round out the rest of the ensemble.

As an alternative on cooler days or evenings - which we've certainly had plenty of this summer - we've also included a variation of the navy blazer by Brooks Brothers made of butter-soft goat suede with spiffy sporting details including a throat latch, stand-up collar, action back and pure Irish linen lining, which calls to mind the jacket worn by Gable above.

While a polka dot foulard silk scarf by the venerable British clothier Turnbull & Asser (shirtmaker to the Prince of Wales) provides not only another classic touch and added dose of sprezzatura, it also protects against the elements while piloting the XK with the top down at serious speeds. A hefty dose of McQueen meanwhile can be seen in the rakish cap, sunglasses and watch. For the feet and the road, a pair of pebble-sold leather driving moccasins by Tod's keep the haute Italian vibe going.

The checked linen driving cap - this model is made by Brooks Brothers - of the type favored by McQueen has no brim to collide with a car's headrest, and is infinitely more elegant than a baseball cap. Also on view: iconic Italian Persol sunglasses, in particular the model made famous by McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair. Starring in this feature are a foldable version of McQueen's faves, as well as a couple of other killer Persol models; all are available at Ilori. Also included is a pair of shades by Paul Smith. The watch is a classic and vintage stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II, available at Tourneau, of a similar design to the Rolex Submariner model favored by McQueen (and which recently fetched a record price at auction). Read on for details of the rest of the accessories after the jump.

Following the introduction of the limited edition Leica M8 Safari we wrote about in January, the famed camera company is releasing the D-LUX 4 Safari (above). The special limited edition model will be available in August. The body of the camera features an anodized olive green surface finish which is particularly resistant to wear and guarantees long-term protection against inadvertent damage. Like all models in the Leica D-LUX 4 series, the Safari has a tough metal body manufactured exclusively from the finest materials.

The 10.1 megapixel Safari edition's technical features such as a high-performance lens and lightning-fast image processing offer versatile options for any number of photographic situations. A waterproof carrying case is included with the camera, offering ample room for optional accessories for the D-LUX 4 collection such as a handgrip, optical viewfinder or flash. Additionally, the back of the case has a compartment containing a nylon "rain cape" that can be pulled out to cover the whole case and protect it from the elements.

The first model of Leica's chic new limited edition all-white digital camera which we scooped the world on earlier this month has just been spotted at the Audi Forum Tokyo. It's pictured above with a velvet purple Audi R8 as a backdrop. The German Car Blog posted the sighting along with the news that the camera is expected to be available around the end of May for roughly 7,000 euros, or around $9,000. The special edition camera is based on Leica's M8.2 model with 10.3 megapixel resolution and the Leica ELMARIT-M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH lens.