The most interesting new digital cameras from Photokina 2010

There have been many new digital camera models announced in the days leading up to and during Photokina, Europe's large digital photography and camera trade show, which ends on Sunday, Sept. 26. The following stand out:

• Casio has announced a pricey compact, the 14-megapixel Exilim Hi-Zoom EX-H20G, $350, which includes special "hybrid" GPS technology that lets you geotag photos and videos both outdoors and indoors. It also lets you view your current location on a map, which can be viewed on the camera itself.


• Panasonic has debuted its newest advanced SLR-like model, the 16-megapixel Lumix DMC-GH2, $900 body only or $1000 with the 14-42mm kit lens. If you attach its (recently announced) 3D lens, you can capture 3D video and photos. Panasonic also announced three new lenses, available in November, for its SLR-like models, including the Lumix G 12.5mm / F12, $250, which is a 3D lens designed for the GH2 and future models with 3D capability. The other lenses are a 14mm lens, $400, and a 100-300mm zoom lens, $600.

• Nikon unveiled two powerful advanced cameras: The Nikon D7000, $1200 body only, falls between the Nikon D90 and D300s in the company's SLR product line. Nikon says it has a very sophisticated and improved autofocus system for both photos and 1080p video. Nikon also introduced the 10-megapixel P7000, $500, which has a long 7x zoom, captures RAW files, has a hot shoe, shoots 720p HD video and has many physical controls to tweak settings.


• Canon has updated its flagship point-and-shoot and introduced a superzoom with a very long zoom: The models are the 10-megapixel PowerShot G12, which now includes 720p HD video capture, and the 14-megapixel PowerShot SX30 IS, which ups its zoom lens to 35x, the longest on the market.


• Pentax has updated its line of SLRs: The 16-megapixel K-5, $1600 body only, can shoot 1080p HD video, and the 12-megapixel K-r, $850 with a 18-55mm lens, which comes in a rainbow of camera body colors, including olive green, pink and chocolate.


• Samsung has launched its second SLR-like, the 14.6-megapixel NX100, which appears to be a very nicely designed camera that includes many physical controls, such as a customizable function ring around the lens, a 3-inch AMOLED LCD, and also includes the ability to geotag. The price has not been set yet.

We hope to get many, if not all, of these models into our labs soon for testing. So, stay tuned.

—Terry Sullivan