Cameras

Forget to put a lens cap back or even worse — lose it — and you're setting yourself up for the potential heartache of photos tainted by a dusty, scratched lens. Keep your lens safe and your photographs top-notch by making your own version of this too-cute camera lens pouch from Melissa of The Polka Dot Chair.

With a hook that snaps onto the camera strap, finally solve the case of the missing lens cap. Check out The Polka Dot Chair for the step-by-step directions on this weekend DIY that doesn't require too much sewing experience.

Serious camera enthusiasts have a new toy: the high-end Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR Camera. Canon promises strong image quality with the 22.3 MP CMOS full-frame sensor and low-light boosts with a standard ISO adjustable from 100 to 25,600 and extended ISO settings that reach 102,400; never fear a dim lighting situation again.

An inclusion in the camera that iPhone 4S users have grown accustomed to is the HDR function, a process that stitches together multiple exposure levels into one image. A dual memory card slot ensures you won't have to delete images to clear up space, while the 61-point autofocus system shows off the camera's state of the art technology.

With the capacity for longer video recording times — up to 29 minutes — and a built-in headphone jack to monitor audio, the EOS 5D is a videographer's dream. Available at the end of March for $3,500 not including lens, the EOS 5D is for professionals that use any sort of photography in their line of work. For the rest of us who are unlikely to shell out several thousand for a camera, we can look at the EOS 5D's release as sign that professional camera features will be trickling down to affordable consumer cameras soon.

No need to scour the Internet for the perfect sturdy, cool camera strap to take on your travels; just peek inside your closet. This camera strap DIY by Photojojo calls simply for a silk scarf or piece of cut silk fabric, sturdy key rings, and some basic sewing skills. Silk is an incredibly sturdy fabric, which makes it an ideal candidate to keep a precious DSLR safe. Silk rope is actually stronger than steel cable — its prohibitive costs keep silk from becoming a standard manufacturing option.

Head over to Photojojo for the full how-to on making a boho-chic camera strap of your own and share pics of your creations on our Facebook page!

The success of The Impossible Project has shown that demand for the nostalgia of capturing memories via instant photography is strong. Years ago we mourned Polaroid's decision to stop producing instant film and cameras, but today's announcement that the Z340 Instant Digital Camera is finally available promises to breathe new digital life into one of our favorite mediums.

Polaroid's Z340 Instant Digital Camera ($300) integrates a 14MP digital camera with a ZINK-enabled printer directly in one gadget. The printer uses classic Polaroid-size three-inch by four-inch paper with ZINK's ink-free technology, which embeds the paper with cyan, yellow, and magenta dye crystals. The paper looks like normal white photo paper before printing, but the heat of the camera causes the crystals to activate and print the captured image. Within the camera itself you can choose to print using the basic Polaroid border or download additional photo borders.

The digital aspects of the Z340 include the 2.7-inch LCD screen and the auto saving of photos to the included SD card. Settings can be configured to automatically print each image as it's taken, or store pictures in the camera and wait to print until just the right frame is captured. Use the LCD screen for in-camera editing and cropping before storing or printing photos. Thirty sheet refills of the ZINK three-inch by four-inch paper are $20, a relative bargain considering old Polaroid film packs cost the same for much fewer prints.

The Fujifilm X100 has been on our hot list for a while, but now that I've seen the tan leather Fujifilm X100 Special Edition, I'm updating my wish list.

Since the original X100 will set you back $1,200, you can expect this limited-edition entry to have a sticker price of much more. Oh, and since it's only available in Hong Kong, you better start setting up your Ebay alerts now.