This is now on my wish list.  The Fujifilm FinePix Z33WP.  It’s a 10 megapixel waterproof digital camera that is small enough to be put in with your travel sack.  I’ve read a lot of the reviews online and it seems the picture sharpness might need some work, but for underwater travel photography, there probably isn’t a better choice.  4 Colors to choose from and priced around $150.  My next snorkel trip this little guy will be with me.

So I broke down and got a “Flip.”  This is a handheld video recorder that is about the size of an iphone…probably a little smaller, but thicker.  I’ve been testing it out with a few videos, and playing around with software.  Overall, I’m thrilled.  I can not wait to take this with me on my next trip, as it is so small, it’s not going to be a burden in relation to all the other crap I carry around.  The video for it is simple, great for web (which was my main intention), and looks sharp with good sound.  Initially, I was worried about the sound/mic for this device, as that seems to be the hardest part to get right, but The Flip nailed it.  It sounds very good when played back either through the device or on the computer.  My only complaint would be the software seems a little too simple and not exactly what I was hoping for.  Plus the USB plug which pops out of the top of the camera itself is a little weak.  I’m afraid it’s going to break off if I keep using it without support.  Time will tell.

A while back I wrote a post about the Zink Inkless camera. Well I guess that merged into the Polaroid Pogo with Zink Technology. Polaroid’s digital camera prints off 2×3 inch pictures in about a minute. Cost is $99. Personally, I think these would be a ton of fun if you didn’t cheap on the paper. The good thing is that it is digital, so you only print the pictures you like, and you can crop and alter images as well.

I’m a bit of a nut for retro gadgets, and nothing will beat the original polaroid camera, but this isn’t a bad remake. And it’s a lot easier to travel with.

This is how all travel guides sites should be.  Simple with awesome photography.  Although I feel the phrase ‘Great Strengths are Great Weaknesses’ applies here.  The reason I like it is the reason it’s not entirely practical.  The content is minimal…but the photography more than makes up for it.  Yes…I’m flip flopping I know!  Go check GoToChina out.  Then get more information from LP or RG.

Lisa Kristine is a six continent 60 country photographer. The best thing about Lisa, besides the pictures, is that she explains her work on her blog. You can read about her equipment, her travels and a lot more. It’s really interesting for amateur photographers like myself. If you are ever in Santa Fe, Sonoma, or Sausalito, go check out her galleries.

Interesting book American book stores probably don’t have on the shelves.  The Pink Box explores Japan’s sex fantasy clubs little known to westerners.  You can get a small sampling of the book and the crazy underground that is Tokyo here. Joan Sinclair takes some great photographs and dives into the scene.

Not sure exactly if Dan Kitwood took the photos or just got his name posted as the site was in German, but there are a few fascinating takes on the auto-less city known as Venice.  You can check them out here.

At first glance I thought this picture was fake as I didn’t recall any square island in Venice…but that’s typical I suppose, not seeing everything a European city has to offer in a two or three day trip.  There are probably about 5 stages of knowing a place.  Stage 1:  Not knowing it exists, Stage 2: Knowing it exists and having thoughts about what it is like, Stage 3: Visiting for 1 day  to three months, Stage 4: Living there, and Stage 5: Living there from birth to death.  Most travel just gets us to stage 3 unfortunately.  Perhaps I may become a Highlander…that would be better I think.

The Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras…..AAAAAAAAHHHHHH (High pitch single tone choir music going on inside my head). I’ve been a fan of Nikon for a while, and due to budget issues, it makes it difficult to be a fan of Nikon if you know what I mean. But this lens is priced right at $109.95.

Pros: Small, Great for Travel Photography doesn’t suck up valuable luggage space. Inexpensive, at least for Nikon, you won’t loose a lot of sleep if you drop it or it gets stolen while traveling. Autofocus, works great in low light situations, all the standard stuff that makes Nikon good is in this camera.

Cons: None that I can find for travel purposes.

Flickr now has a photostream for izunotravel.com. And yes, I’m an amateur, but you might still enjoy. I have posted a few pictures from the Dominican Republic, Greece, and Germany among others as of today.

We didn’t hear a whole lot about this, and I’m still not sure I understand everything going on, but these pictures help describe a bit.  It’s weird to see a place on fire that I was visiting about a year ago.  You can tell by the pictures, the Greek youth are protesting/rioting against police who murdered a 15 year old.  Of course I’m sure the actions are also tied into the center-right government.

I believe these incidents are more controlled now, and I wouldn’t let it change travel plans to the area.  But that’s just my take.