The full-review of the Nikon Coolpix L100 was just posted at Neocamera. The Nikon Coolpix L100 is a medium camera with a 15X wide-angle optical zoom, equivalent to 28-420mm and a large 3″ LCD with incomplete coverage (97%). The goal, it seems for the L100, is to be a comfortable-to-use ultra-zoom with minimal feature set, a zoom-and-shoot sort of model.
Archive for April, 2009
Nikon Coolpix L100 Full-Review Published
Monday, April 27th, 2009
Fuji Finepix F200 EXR Full-Review Published
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009
Neocamera just published its full-review of the Fuji Finepix F200 EXR. This is the new flagship ultra-compact digital camera from Fuji and features their new – and absolutely unique – SuperCCD EXR sensor. This particular sensor provides 3 modes of operation: 12 megapixels high-resolution mode 6 megapixels low-noise mode and 6 megapixels high-dynamic-range mode. These modes are possible due to a special arrangement of pixels and other technical wonders. Read the full-review to find out if it lives to expectations.
The Fuji Finepix F200 EXR features an impressive feature-set for an ultra-compact, including a wide-ange 5X optical zoom lens with image stabilization, manual and aperture-priority exposure, adjustable dynamic-range and ISO sensitivities up to 3200 at full-resolution (12800 at lower resolutions).
Due to the various modes of the F200 EXR, this review contains more crops and samples than usual, most of them taken in one of the camera’s special modes. This review also contains an extra page comparing crops of the Fuji F200 with the Nikon D90. Though certainly not without contraversy, this is designed to illustrate the remaining image quality difference between a state-of-the-art ultra-compact and a modern DSLR.
Getting frequent feedback from digital camera owners it happens that the number one request this year has been for ultra-compact with excellent low-light performance. Many peope buy a DSLR because it has such high image quality but end up feeling that it is too cumbersome and finally buy an ultra-compact digital camera.
Nikon Announces D5000 – HD Movie Recording DSLR
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
Nikon just announced an upper-entry-level DSLR with HD movie recording capability. The D5000 becomes the 4th DSLR to offer this ability and becomes the very first digital SLR to compete with another movie-recording DSLR. Up to now, the three offering had clearly different target markets, but this time the D5000 faces Canon’s just-announced upper-entry-level Digital Rebel T1i.
The Nikon D5000 is a 12 megapixels DSLR with 4 FPS continuous shooting capability, ISO 100-6400 range and a 2.7″ tilt-and-swivel LCD screen. While the sensor is probably nearly identical to the D90’s, the tilt-and-swivel LCD is a first among Nikon DSLRs. Like all movie-recording DSLRs, the D5000 has live-view capabilities as well. Movies are recorded at 720p 16:9 widescreen HDTV resolution, which is 1280×720 at 24 FPS, just like the higher-end D90.
The remainder of the camera has more in common with the entry-level D60: a small 0.78X magnification viewfinder, a single control-wheel and a light-weight body. As with the D60, the D5000 lacks a built-in focus motor, so it only fully-supports lenses with built-in focus motors. The D5000 kit should be available on May 8th with a suggested retail price of $1049 CDN.
Secrets of DSLR Shopping
Monday, April 13th, 2009
Shopping for a digital SLR – DSLR for short – can be quite easy if you know these facts:
- Even the most basic DSLR is a good camera. All current DSLR cameras capture high quality images with low noise and are quite responsive. Obviously, there are differences, some DSLR are better than others, but without specific needs, differences are not that significant.
- The biggest difference between digital SLRs are their lens mount. The set of possible lenses you can attach with fully automatic functions is determined by the lens mount. Certain lenses are only available for some mounts. If you have special needs, check which lenses are available first.
- Lenses limit the performance of the camera, cheap glass will not let through as much details as a modern DSLR can record. Invest in good lenses. Lenses typically significantly outlive camera bodies.
- The next most significant difference in built-in stabilization vs lens based stabilization. Digital SLR cameras from Pentax, Sony and Olympus (not all) have built-in stabilization. Other manufacturers offer stabilization on select lenses at an extra cost. This cost is encurred for each stabilized lens. Not only can this add up, many lenses do not have a stabilized equivalents.
- For a DSLR that shoots movies in addition to stills, there are currently only three choices which are all in different price-brackets: Canon Digital Rebel T1i, Nikon D90 and Canon EOS 5D Mark II. The Canon Rebel is a light entry-level model, the Nikon one is a mid-range model and the Canon 5D is a relatively costly full-frame camera.
- Expect pro-prices for pro-features: Full-frame models offer the highest resolution or the lowest noise; High-speed continuous shooting; 100% coverage viewfinder, Weather-sealed body (Pentax excluded).
- Pentax has the only DSLRs that run on AA batteries. Not only does this improve versatility, battery-life is exceptionally high with 1100 shots-per-charge for the K200D and 1600 shots-per-charge for the K200D (CIPA standard).
- Sony has the only full-frame DSLR with built-in stabilization, the Alpha A900. It is also the only compact (no integrated vertical grip) full-frame model with a 100% coverage viewfinder.
- Digital SLR cameras do not improve the photographer.
Avoing Converging Verticals
Monday, April 13th, 2009We could write an article about how to avoid converging vertical lines in digital photographs but Photography Blog posted excellent article entitled How to Avoid Converging Verticals just over a week ago which does exactly that. Read on, it’s a concise article that manages to cover the topic quite well. Well done, Photography Blog!
