When camcorders first launched decades ago the image quality was bad, the cameras were huge, and lots of tapes were needed to record anything. Today camcorders are very small, image quality is now often HD, and tapes are mostly a thing of the past.

Canon introduced three new camcorders that all record to internal storage in full 1080p HD resolution. The camcorders are all in the VIXIA line and record in 24Mbps bit rate in AVCHD format. Canon says that 24Mbps is the highest bit rate that can be used in the AVCHD format and makes for more detailed and smoother video recordings.

I usually shoot pictures with a Nikon D80, but I still like to keep a nice, small point-and-shoot around for the times I don’t feel like hefting the behemoth D80 around. A thin point-and-shoot that can be slipped into a pocket or backpack is a welcome addition for most people who like to shoot with more advanced cameras typically.

Sony announced a pair of new cameras this week that are perfect for those looking for thing cameras. The DSC-T77 is very thin at under 5/8-inch thick — making it perfect to complement my DSLR. The T77 may be thin, but it still packs in lots of features including a large 3-inch touch sensitive LCD, Smile Shutter, face detection and ISO sensitivity up to ISO 3200.

Digital cameras are hot and there have been a slew of new and cool ones introduced so far this summer. I am sure we will see even more digital cameras introduced as the holiday shopping season gets closer. The most recent digital camera introduced comes from Fujifilm and is called the FinePix S2000HD.

The camera has a 15x optical zoom lens and a 10-megapixel CCD sensor. The camera can shoot images and record HD video at 1280 x 720p. Still images are recorded in JPEG format and movies are recorded in AVI. Video and still pictures are stored to 55MB of internal memory, andSD/SDHC memory cards.

Digital cameras are getting smaller, cheaper and growing megapixels all the time. It’s funny to think about how expensive digital cameras with 10-megapixels were not so long ago and now even the cheapest entry-level cameras sport 10-megapixel resolutions.

For example, Pentax announced its Optio E60 digital camera that will retail for under $140 when it launches in October. The camera has a 10.1-megapixel sensor and a 3x optical zoom lens. In addition to shooting still images, the camera can also record video.

When it comes to digital cameras you can go with the simple point-and-shoot camera or you can opt to go for the more difficult to use, but infinitely more flexible DSLR camera. For most users the point-and-shoot camera is the better option and many of the newer point-and-shoot cameras are starting to add features that were previously only found on DSLRs.

Case in point is the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 digital point-and-shoot camera. The camera has a 10.1-megapixel 1/1.63-inch CCD developed specifically for the camera and can shoot RAW format images. Panasonic says that the special CCD used in the camera is 40% more sensitive and saturation is increased by 35% compared to other Panasonic 10.1-megapixel cameras. The CCD can also capture images in three aspect ratios including 4:3, 3:2, or 16:9. The camera also features a Multi Aspect mode that shoots images in all three modes at once and allows users to pick the one they prefer.

When it comes to cameras I really don’t care what they look like for the most part as long as the image quality is good and the camera isn’t pink or some other girly hue. I normally shoot with a Nikon D80 DSLR to get the best image quality, but the thing is heavy.

I have found myself wishing on several occasions though that I was using a nice and compact point-and-shoot. I particularly like the new thin style point-and-shoot cameras like the new Samsung TL9 that have internal optical zoom. This features means that the lens doesn’t protrude out the front of the camera at all and you still get good levels of zoom.

Since YouTube has become such a popular destination for users looking to post videos and those looking to view videos, camcorders aimed specifically at YouTube have started becoming more and more common. These camcorders store video digitally in formats compatible with YouTube.

The latest such camcorder is the Samsung SC-MX20. The camcorder uses H.264 compression to allow up to 4 hours of video to be stored on one 8GB SDHC card. The camera supports SD and SDHC cards up to 32GB.

No one will argue that the digital camera has changed the photography world. Digital camera have made it easier and cheaper for camera users to shoot pictures and print them without the added cost and hassle of having film based pictures developed.

Canon is a major manufacturer of some of the best point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras on the market and today Canon has introduced its new entry-level Canon EOS Rebel XS DSLR. Canon says that the Rebel XS is aimed at the amateur photographer who is looking to upgrade form a point-and-shoot to their first DSLR.

Going on summer vacation is lots of fun, but for the gadget hound that likes to take their camcorder with them to the pool or beach it can be a bit unnerving with the risk of getting sand or water into your camcorder leading to the death of your gadget. If you want to film your snorkeling expedition with a normal camcorder you can forget it.

Panasonic has a new camcorder that can not only withstand rain or getting a drink spilled on it, but can actually record video underwater. The Panasonic SDR-SW20 can record video and still shots at 640 x 480 in up to 5-feet of water.