It seems that all the camera manufacturers are considering the implementation of smartphone operating systems in their pocket shooters, and Polaroid is no exception. The latest rumor has a new 18MP camera coming down the pipes that will be powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. And it’s doing the interchangeable lens thing.

This isn’t Polaroid’s first foray into this arena. You might remember the Polaroid SC1630 from earlier this year, but the leaked Polaroid IM1836 is supposed to take it to a new level. Rather than simply competing against point-and-shoots, it’ll tackle the likes of the Sony NEX series, the micro four-thirds format from Panasonic and Olympus, and other compact interchangeable lens systems.

The rumored specs include an 18.1-megapixel sensor, 3.5-inch touchscreen, Android 4.0, pop-up flash, Wi-Fi, HDMI, and a microSD slot. Some people say that it bears a striking resemblance to the Nikon 1 J2, so we might assume that it uses the same CX image sensor (13.2 x 8.8mm). That’s been one of the knocks against the Nikon 1 series in that its image sensor is far smaller than micro four-thirds (17.3 x 13mm) and even smaller than the APS-C sensor used on the Sony NEX series.

Even so, simply going with a mirrorless interchangeable lens format will give the Polaroid Android camera a leg up against other Android cameras like the Samsung Galaxy Camera and the Nikon S800c. Soon, in-camera editing, cellular connectivity, and social sharing will become the norm rather than unique selling points.

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Are you in the market for a compact interchangeable lens camera? You’re in luck, because the hot Samsung NX1000 has just hit the shelves and it’s actually priced quite reasonably for what you get. Not surprisingly, this camera is compatible with the full family of Samsung NX lenses, giving a fair bit of versatility.

Behind that is the 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor, capable of full 1080p HD stereo movie recording. There’s also a 3.0-inch VGA (921k dot) LCD on the back and Samsung’s Smart Auto 2.0 shooting functionality. The ISO range goes up to 12800 with shutter speeds up to 1/4000 sec. You can also use the Wi-Fi along with the Remote Viewfinder app to use your Galaxy smartphone or tablet to take pics from up to 30 feet away. Smart Filters, Selective Color, and full manual control round out the package.

While the MSRP on the Samsung NX1000 has been set at $699.99, you can find it on Amazon for $649, including the 20-50mm kit lens.

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The idea of being able to swap out your lens for certain purposes had previously been restricted to people who rock the SLR. That changed with the arrival of the NEX series from Sony and the micro four-thirds cameras from Olympus and Panasonic. Now, Pentax is taking that philosophy and going even smaller with the Pentax Q.

The Pentax Q is realistically the same size as a regular point-and-shoot. The trouble is that it’s 1/2.3″ image sensor is about the same size as a point and shoot too. Yes, you get 12.4MP of resolution, but it’s the size of the sensor that matters when it comes to image quality. In this way, the Pentax Q offers some added flexibility, but you probably shouldn’t expect to get the same deal as you would with a SLR or even with a M4/3 or NEX.

Rounding out the specs are a magnesium alloy body, 3-inch 460k pixel LCD, no optical viewfinder, and pop-up flash. The kit lens is a 35mm F1.9, but other Q-mount lenses include a f2.8-f4.5 zoom lens and a 160-degree fisheye, as well as a couple of “toy” lenses for deliberate aberrations.

The biggest hurdle I think the Pentax Q will face? Price. It’s going to sell for around $800 when it ships this fall. For that money, you can get well on your way into NEX or M4/3, both of which can likely give you better image quality than the Q…. and the E-PL2 or GF2 is a tad bigger.

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Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G10

Panasonic came out with a stellar camera way back when with the G1, it had a DSLR frame but a Micro Four Thirds System internally and was the first camera of its size to use interchangeable lenses. The Micro Four Thirds System  allows smaller frames to be built with lighter lenses, a huge advantage over DSLR cameras.

Panasonic has now revealed two high-end Four Thirds cameras, the G10 and the more powerful G2 both with a 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens, and both offering the “Intelligent Resolution Technology”  which smoothens and sharpens an image giving you superior quality.

The Lumix G2 comes with a touch screen LCD which is really becoming the standard of interfaces for any portable electronic device. Camera enthusiasts can use their finger to scroll through photos and photo albums easily. This makes older interfaces look Flintsonian!

But the advantages of the Touch Screen don’t just end there, once the user focuses on a subject the G2 activates AF tracking which locks onto your subject on a large 3″ 460,000-dot high-resolution LCD display like a heat seeking ballistic missile.  The subject can be enlarged by 1x, 5x or 10x. The menu navigation using the touch screen makes everything so much easier. Now that’s cutting edge.

If the question on your mind is “does this camera support HD?”  Yes, it records 1280 x 720 HD videos (720p) in the AVCHD lite format which expands on recording storage within the camera and this format is compatible with any audio and visual hardware you have. The camera comes bundled with Dolby Digital Creator software to maximize audio from the internal stereo microphone.

Other great features include 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor that delivers 60 frames per second full time Live View. The high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine HD II, where you can detect outlines and textures easily. Intelligent Resolution technology, a Dust Reduction System. And if that’s not enough it also comes bundled with software such as the Photo Fun Studio 5.0  to get you editing your home-made documentaries.

The LUMIX DMC-G2 can use any interchangeable lens that complies with the Four Thirds standard and comes in a stylish Ferrari Red, Sea Blue and a Jet Black color.  The LUMIX DMC-G10 will come in Jet Black only.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G2 and Panansonic LUMIX DMC-G10 Photo Gallery

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