A New Wave of Cameras Unleashed

In past years, around this time, the annual PMA show is normally in full swing, studded with big camera announcements that weren't made at CES. This year, however, PMA is taking place in September (and has been renamed CliQ), so many observers expected early February to be a relatively quiet time for camera manufacturers in 2011.

But even though PMA has changed dates, the Camera and Photo Imaging Show (CP+) is underway now in Japan, and the past few weeks have been packed with exciting new announcements. In fact, it seems as though more new cameras have been announced since CES than during the show itself.

We've seen new DSLRs and lenses from Canon and Pentax; high-end fixed-lens cameras from Fujifilm and Nikon; single-lens 3D shooters from Olympus, Panasonic, and Sony; long-zoom powerhouses from Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Sony; bargain-priced shooters from Nikon, Olympus, and Samsung; and rugged cameras from Panasonic and Pentax.

A lot of trends are coming into focus for 2011, too. Built-in GPS is catching on big-time, with new geotagging-friendly camera announcements from Canon, Panasonic, Pentax, and Sony. Low-light-optimized CMOS sensors are all the rage for cameras in the $300-and-up range, with Canon, Nikon, and Sony all announcing new cameras with backside-illuminated sensors. And 3D shooting continues to make inroads into the mainstream, as new models from Olympus, Panasonic, and Sony offer shooting modes that capture the extra dimension.

We have all the details and photos of the latest camera announcements for 2011, so delve in to learn more about the year's new offerings. Read our full coverage of the post-CES camera deluge by clicking the links on the right side of this story.

And if you'd like to see a roundup of the most intriguing camera from CES 2011 (which was only a month ago, mind you), peruse our slideshow of the hottest camera announcements from the Consumer Electronics Show.