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.

Back in January we told you about the luxurious $10,000 limited edition Leica Safari M8 camera. Now we're informed that the world renowned German camera maker is readying its next special edition digital rangefinder camera, an all-white version of the M8. The very first one made is pictured above. An extremely limited number of the cameras will be produced, and the price has not yet been established, but anyone interested in the special edition can call Leica's toll free number at 800-222-0118 to inquire. Like all Leica digital rangefinders, each camera body is hand-assembled and manufactured from the finest materials available. Leica is the favored camera for famous photographers ranging from Henri Cartier Bresson and Diane Arbus to Nan Goldin.

World renowned German camera maker Leica has come out with a limited Safari edition of its beautiful M8.2 digital model. Leica, the favored camera for famous photographers ranging from Henri Cartier Bresson and Diane Arbus to Nan Goldin, is limiting the Safari to only 500 pieces worldwide, and it is priced at about $10,000. It comes bundled with a 28mm F2.8 Summicron lens and a matching canvas and leather camera bag. The 10.3-million-pixel M8.2 is an updated version of the original M8, the firm's first digital rangefinder camera, the prototype for which was auctioned off last summer. The Safari model features a matte green vulcanite finish body combined with brushed silver accents and a saddle leather strap.

Okay, this thing creeps me out. Totally. And I don't really understand why somebody would take a real human skull and convert it into a camera, but this guy did it with the blessing of a Tibetan Lama.

On the inside it's two individual and separate cameras that each "see" out of pinholes in the eyes, creating three dimensional (and very spooky looking) photos. On the exterior the skull is adorned with various precious metals, stones, and gems (diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and opals), along with other interesting tidbits like sand and blood.

Interesting? Yes. Creative? Yes. A camera I want to use? No.

Via Bornrich

If you know what a "daguerreotype" is then you know more about cameras than most of us. A daguerreotype is an early type of photograph -- the first kind to be made commercially available. Along with daguerreotype photos came the first commercially available daguerreotype cameras, one of which was recently found in somebody's attic in Germany.

Built in 1839 and touted as "the world's oldest camera" (commercially produced), it went up for auction last week and sold for a whopping $792,333 to an anonymous online bidder. That sale price earned it the additional title of "world's most expensive camera."

Really? There's no "$1 million camera" anywhere? I doubt that.

Via BornRich

Our siblings at Engadget have been all over this since mid last year but the Archos 404 just popped up on my far-less-gadget-attuned radar. The cool thing about the Archos 404 camcorder is that it is an media player with a built-in camcorder that records 80 hours of VGA-quality video (640 x 480) on a 30GB hard drive. It can also store 25 movies, 300,000 photos or 15,000 songs. It can also record directly from TV in high-quality MPEG-4 with an optional DVR station, has a 1.3 megapixel camera for still photos and is compatible with a PC or a Mac. The device weighs under seven ounces and has a 3.5 inch screen. The vacation friendly device sells for $299.99.

No way. Posh looks and brains to boot? Heck yea, says Pentax; the company's celebrating their 60th anniversary by combining high-end style with high-end functionality with their new gold-plated ASAHI PENTAX LX Gold. We've recently seen wooden and diamond-crusted shooters, but this puppy comes with some new specs for actual photographers; not only is this SLR covered in 18 carat gold and brown leather, but the camera boasts the "world's first" completely dust-proof and water-proof SLR case design. And just to be safe (or, as it were, a bit more posh), the camera comes complete with a wooden box with red lining and white silk gloves to handle the camera without leaving fingerprints on the sensitive gold plating.

The Samsung SCH-B600 is a camera phone for those who want really quality pictures, not just those blurry little shots of half-recognizable faces. In fact, it is more like a camera with a phone built into it than the other way around. It has a 10-megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom and other features that include a satellite multimedia service, Bluetooth, an MP3 player, a business card reader, and a TV-output. The phone retails for about $950.

Before you get too excited, however, keep in mind that this camera will only be released in Korea - at least for the time being.

The three dimensional designation of the stunningly beautiful Olympus 3D Wooden Camera, a prototype camera that Olympus is testing out, does not come from the fact that the object itself is three-dimensional. Instead, the name refers to the process used to mold and compress the single piece of Japanese cypress into the smoothly curving shape pictured, which applies pressure from all directions at once. The wood is some of the most desirable in Japan and is used to build Shinto temples. It is renowned for its beauty, quality and durability, which would make it last longer than a plastic-cased camera.

[via Gizmodo]

With all the various gadgets we've seen gold-plated, crystal-studded or diamond-encrusted, there is one gadget that has had little attention paid to it: the digital camera. Digital cameras have been getting sleeker and faster, but there has been a noticeable lack of really over-the-top ones until now. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Canon will be auctioning off ten Diamond IXUS cameras on eBay, where the proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross. Nine of the ten cameras are described as "his and hers" cameras and are valued at €3,500. The last camera is the Super Diamond IXUS, covered with 380 diamonds and valued at €40,000 (about $50,800).

[via Shiny Shiny]

We've already mentioned that you can get iPods, video games and GPS devices at hotels. Now Rosewood has announced that they will be providing Fujifilm digital cameras to guests. Guests will get the use of a Fujifilm FinePix F30 during their stay at selected Rosewood Hotels. Even more helpful, the tech-savvy staff at Rosewood properties will download guests' pictures onto a CD that they can take home with them. The FinePix F30 has picture stabilization and a high light sensitivity that reduces the need for flash, a handy feature since many Rosewood properties are in sunsplashed locales such as the Acqualina in Florida and Las Ventanas in Cabo. This isn't the first hotel we've seen to offer such a feature, after all the Hyatt announced they were offering EasyShare wifi cameras last year but the CD option is a great idea. While iPods and GPS systems involve a certain amount of personalization (songs, maps, etc.) and are things you may want to bring from home a camera seems the perfect thing to use while just passing through.