Yesterday's Sneak Peek report concentrated on accessories and gadgets. More were encountered more today, but for the first day of the show, I've decided to restrict coverage to new cameras.

As noted yesterday, this wasn't expected to be a record-breaking show for camera introductions, as most majors announced new models a few weeks ago (if not at CES).

And it isn't. But even though coverage of new Pentax and Fujifilm cams will have to wait for tomorrow's report (after completion of scheduled interviews), you'll note more than a handful of interesting new designs in this report.

Sony showed a minimalist mockup body housing an APS-C sensor that, like Samsung's NX, offers interchangeable lens flexibility in a mirror-less design. It's attractive, in its blocky solidity; but other than guessing that there'll be a pancake lens and a zoom upon its introduction (judging from the trio of mock-ups locked under glass) there's no word on much else about the camera, other than it would see the light of day sometime this year. Can Canon and Nikon models be far behind?

Samsung, meantime, increased its lead in the non-reflex APS-C race with five new lenses, including an 18-55mm (non O.I.S.) and an 18-200mm f4/5.6.
In its point-and-shoot (P&S) line, the Korean firm stresses its luminous organic light emitting diode display technology (AMOLED) that provides stellar resolution (900k VGA) and superb contrast.

This includes a new Superzoom model, the WB650 (US$349) fitted with a 15:1 optical package providing the valuable super-wide coverage of a 24mm (35mm eq.) field of view. It also offers a novel geo-tagging feature that requires the user to download a map in each country he visits (one at a time) to a PC and then link up the Samsung camera. Other features are dual mechanical and optical stabilization, and a 12 MP sensor.

AMOLED figures also in the ST5500, which has a 14 MP sensor, 7:1 zoom, and Bluetooth connectivity.
It shares a feature with Samsung's ultra-thin ST70 (also 14 MP, 27mm-wide 5:1 zoom, dual image stabilization): a seven-degree canted base that provides the right tilt for unattended tabletop timer shooting.

I still regard the TL 500 as the cream of the crop (see yesterday's report); and you have to handle it to appreciate its brick-like solidity, textured handgrip, and fine finishing.

We covered Olympus' new ‘tough' compacts recently. Although most firms now have a tough contender, Olympus invented the category and has the broadest range. This was underlined by a colourful ‘mural' Olympus created at its exhibit by arranging every tough-cam model it has ever introduced along several rows. Those of a sadistic bent could torque away at a kind of vise that inflicted over 200 pounds of pressure on a recently introduced tough cam. It was still unharmed when I left the exhibit, with the meter somewhere north of 200 pounds.

Samsung's new waterproof (10 feet) contender, the AQ100 (US$199.99) is a 12MP, 5:1 zooming compact offering mechanical stabilization, 720p video, special effects, and "Perfect Portrait System" (face detection with smile shot, blink detection, beauty shot, and red-eye fix).

Sony, meanwhile, introduced a water-resistant (10 feet for one hour) and shock-proof (six-foot drop) design in the 10MP Exmor R CMOS sensor-equipped DSC-TX5. It will retail for US$349 stateside, and is reportedly the thinnest waterproof camera to sport a touch screen. The same outlay buys the new DSC-HX5, a 10MP Superzoom with a 25-250mm (35mm) zoom. This design shoots AVC HD video, offers 10 fps continuous shooting, and built-in GPS and compass.

Both take SD/SDHC flash cards, besides Sony's Memory Stick.

A third PMA Sony intro, the DSC-H55 ($249) is a 14MP/10:1 zooming compact that shoots 1080p (but not AVC HD) video.

Just about every new Sony cam does virtually automatic panorama shooting: press the shutter, and slowly drag the camera horizontally or vertically is all it takes.

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