Samsung has introduced a new f/1.4 lens for their mirrorless NX200 camera. The lens makes the camera rather front heavy, but the lens shoots some beautiful photos. We need to see more fast lenses (my bias) like this for many of the mirrorless cameras. I found the NX200 to have a very clean user interface. Pretty much all controls are on the menus, but they are easy to navigate - the instruction manual for this camera is probably the best camera manual ever written (Nikon manuals come in closely behind this - they too are excellent).

This post was an accidental duplicate - I deleted the text.

The Canon G1X. This new camera is a bit like their Powershots, but not really. First, it has an optical viewfinder, not electronic. Second, it has a large format sensor, almost as big as an APS-C sensor. This is the first compact-type, all-in-one, to feature a large sensor.

Unfortunately, the countertop folks did not explain the features and benefits of the G1X very well; may be they were tired. CES is pretty exhausting. But the G1X brings DSLR like capabilities to a high end, all-in-one, kind of like a point n' shoot camera. This also seems intended to compete with the large number of mirrorless cameras (the Samsung NX 200 has an APS-C sized sensor, for example).

The zoom and auto-focus both work while shooting video.

Overall, the G1X has similarities to the all-in-one Powershot, but with performance more like that of a DSLR. This might be purchased by someone that wants high performance, high image quality shooting - without having to carry a larger DSLR around. It might also be carried by a serious DSLR shooter who - at times - would rather just carry an all-in-one for convenience, yet get the quality shots typical of a DSLR.

I've also added a photo of the Canon ELPH 520 HS. These tiny cameras are amazing. Due to their compact size, a little camera like this would very useful for shooting 3D as a pair. With this small a camera, the two camera lens would be space fairly close as compared to trying to shoot 3D through dual DSLRs. (I shoot 3D using two GH-2s).

Where's Olympus? Olympus does not have a public booth at CES this year. Instead, they are in private meeting rooms in the Convention Center only. No public display.

Pentax, acquired by Ricoh Imaging, is located in a separate convention center that I hope to visit on Thursday afternoon.

@edwardm Can you ask Fuji about the bitrate of the X1-Pro? And about the shutter speeds for PAL area's? 24fps with PAL 50hz and NTSC shutter speeds 30,60,125 etc. don't go very well together. What about available controls during filming? What is the ASA rating for low-light? Does Fuji aim at the videographer/filmmaker?

@edwardm - if possible ask how video is achieved - how the camera downscales it's image for video.. Though quite possibly they have no idea about that. It would also be good to know if they have incremental stops of shutter speeds aswell (adjustable from menu or something like that?).

The JVC 4k is a "reference exhibit" which means no price info. What they did say is that it has a 1.25" (about 32mm) 8.9 megapixel sensor. I assume they mean 1/1.25 sq in but that is not what the display said.

Some answers to earlier questions

the JVC 4k camera "reference model" works with Nikon F-series lenses
• the Fujifilm rep said, in response to PAL and 25p support question, that Fujifilm is an international company and recognizes the importance of 25p support. He did not answer the question, but I do not think he knew the official answer. But that is a sensible answer.
• As to the data rate for video encoding on the X Pro 1, that information was not available. He did tell me that they view the X Pro 1's main focus as still photography, with some video capabilities, and that video is not the main focus of the camera. Every time I visited Fujifilm - about 4x - they were lots of people looking at the X Pro 1. It is a very unique camera with a lot of interest from camera enthusiasts.
• I asked another big photo company about their ever opening up a software development kit for even one camera. The guy I talked to was very technically knowledgeable but said that they have decided their policy is not to open up the cameras over concerns about 3rd parties creating solutions that would cause risks to their reputation, and gave some examples. He understands the desire and mentioned that, for example, they have had requests to put a bar code reader in their cameras, and this is the sort of creative feature that could be added by a 3rd party software developer.
• My wife (who is not a photographer!) suggests that a camera company might, perhaps, OEM a camera model to a partner, who sold the camera under a different brand name and with product differentiation, so as not to risk the well known brand. That is an interesting idea.
• The other possibility would be for a bunch of us to get together and define our own open camera platform.

I will probably post more photos later. Time for a late dinner now!

Photo of sample lens next to JVC 4K camcorder, plus the electronic sign on the wall.

Nikon D4 skeleton.

Nikon D4 sensor.

Nikon D4 ASIC.

SnapitHD has this interesting fish eye lens, all weather camera, with a huge field of view. They've got software that processes the images so you don't see the gigantic fish eye view but only a perspective corrected section. You can then scroll around the view - without having to move the camera. Since this camera sees everything, I ended up in a self portrait all bent out of shape.

The image can be sent via WiFi or wired networks or even cellular.

Thanks for the write up on the SnapitHD Cam. It was good to meet you! See: www.snapithd.com for more information which is coming on the 360 Cam ;)

I have more things to post but I got really sick last week and am still just getting over this - plus I am now behind in everything. Oh well.

This is the back of the Canon "booth" at the 2012 CES where you can check out Canon's telephoto and zoom lenses on actual cameras. Directly behind me is the Sony "booth" (I put that in quotes because these are enormous "booths") and when I took this photo, Sony had the music group "Earth, Wind & Fire" performing on the Sony stage. Guess where everyone had those Canon lenses pointed?

This next item is a very cool mount from Manfrotto. As we all want to mount extra stuff on our tripods (lights, mics, 2nd camera), lots of vendors have come up with various mounting brackets. This little ball mount has holes all over it, in to which you can insert extender tubes. Using this, you can mount just about anything, anyway you want.