Archive for July, 2009

Nikon Launches 2 new DSLR cameras and 2 new lenses

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Nikon Canada just announced the D300s and D300 DSLRs plus new 18-200mm and 70-200mm lenses. The D300s is a close upgrade to the excellent D300 reviewed on Neocamera last year while the D3000 is a halfway between a D60 and D5000. The two new lenses replace older models with the same focal-length and maximum aperture but bring improvements including a new VR II (Vibration Reduction system).

Since the Nikon D300 is one of the best cameras reviewed last year we are happy to report that everything good about it was carried over to the D300s. The major features are:

  • 12 megapixels sensor
  • Maximum ISO range from 100 to 6400
  • 1/8000s-30s Shutter-speed range
  • Large 100% coverage viewfinder with 0.94X magnfication
  • 3″ LCD with 920k pixels
  • 7 FPS continuous drive, up from 6 FPS on the D300
  • Added virtual horizon in live-view
  • New HD 720p movie-recording (1280×720 @ 24 FPS)
  • Same metering, focus and white-balance system (which were found to be very good)
  • Dual CF and SDHC slot, the SDHC slot being new compared to the D300
The Nikon D3000 sits at the lower end of the range and is designed for simplicity rather than flexibility. It inherits most features from the D60 and design from the D5000.  Headline features are:
  • 10 megapixels sensor
  • Maximum ISO range from 100 to 3200
  • 1/4000s – 30s Shutter-speed
  • 95% coverage viewfinder at 0.8X magnification
  • 3″ LCD with 230k pixels
  • 3 FPS continuous drive
  • 11-point autofocus
  • Supports SDHC memory
Note that the D3000 does not feature movie-mode or live-view, two common functions of recent DSLRs. Both these new DSLR cameras are expected to ship to stores next month, August 2009. Pricing has not been announced yet. The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II should be available in September year while the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II should arrive in November.

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Pentax K-7 Full-Review Published

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Neocamera just published a full-review of the Pentax K-7, an extremely feature-rich DSLR which brings a pro features in a relatively compact and very robust body. Headline features include:

  • 14.6 Megapixels sensor
  • ISO 100-6400
  • 1/8000-30s Shutter-speed
  • Built-in image stabilization
  • Automatic horizon correction and digital level
  • Dust reduction and alert
  • 100% coverage viewfinder, 0.92X magnification
  • 5.2 FPS drive up to 40 FPS, Unlimited 3.3 FPS drive
  • 1536×1024 @ 30 FPS Video recording with internal mono or external stereo sound
  • Independent control over highlight, midtone and shadow contrast
  • Weather-proof and coldproof down to -10C (14F)
Automatic horizon correction is a unique feature which we predicted in 2006 on this blog and put on our wish-list in the K20D review. In that wishlist we also hoped for a 100% viewfinder which the K-7 got.  A good deal of requests for a K20D future upgrade – but not all – were addressed in the K-7. Found out how well it performed in our in-depth review of the Pentax K-7, now including Neocamera’s first video sample.

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Top 10 Summer Photography Tips

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

With summer comes sun, beaches, pools and parties – is your camera ready? Whether its a vacation with friends, family picnics, backyard barbecues, cottage getaways or a trip to the zoo, outdoor activities make taking pictures in the summer fun and exciting. Here are some tips to get the most out of your camera this season:

1. View it from a different angle – Be creative with angles and take your photography to a new level.  Choose a camera with a vari-angle screen that swivels, swings down and rotates, allowing users to comfortably shoot from interesting angles in Live View mode. This will help you create bold compositions from virtually any shooting perspective (i.e. over crowds or close to the ground) and is ideal for self portraits.

2. Get up close and personal – Explore the beauty of nature in finer detail. Often animals, plant foliage and flowers are more compelling and beautiful close up. Cameras with macro ability help to achieve a closer focus with clarity.

3. Straighten your horizons – Unnatural horizons can distort the most beautiful summer pictures. Utilize camera features such as on-demand grid lines and in-camera editing features to avoid lopsided sunsets, beach shots and skewed perspectives.

4. Animate your compositions – Create, shoot and direct your very own picture show! To create an animation of a blooming flower or setting sun, take advantage of an interval timer, which allows you to set a length of time between pictures, as well as the number of pictures to capture over a period of time. Show your pictures in continuous sequence using a stop-motion feature.

5. Get on the move – Summer is a great time to get up and go. Road trips, family outings and camping excursions offer a wide variety of opportunities for taking pictures. Be adventurous this summer and tag your photos using geotagging technology. This automatically pinpoints your location on a world map so you never forget where and when your memories were made.

6. Be fast and furious – Don’t miss the moment you want to capture, whether its a hummingbird in your garden or a spectacular dive into a pool. Quick start-up, autofocus and fast shutter speeds are required to catch those perfectly timed moments.

7. Let the good times roll – If a picture is worth a thousand words, then HD video will leave you speechless.  Video shot with a digital SLR camera is of superior quality and low noise compared to a standard video recording device. You can even swap lenses, opening up a wide range of possibilities for dramatic expression including fisheye, wide-angle and extreme close-up. Use your camera to take video of dynamic summer fun in the sun.

8. Light your fire – The beauty of a campfire scene or blowing out birthday candles in low-light conditions can provide some of the best summertime memories.  Check to see if your camera has a candlelight setting. Fire can be better photographed through emphasizing the reds and oranges of the light it gives off, and with a quick shutter speed you don’t have to worry about that perfect moment passing you by.

9. Be sensitive to light – Variability in ISO allows for a wide range of shots to be taken in various lighting conditions. For everyday general photography a low ISO is ideal, but for low-light or movement, a higher ISO is often necessary to achieve the same standard. Your camera should have a large ISO variability, from around 200 to 6400. Try experimenting with different automatic and manual camera settings.

10. Click it up a notch – Digital cameras can take and store many photographs on memory cards, giving you an opportunity to snap and review hundreds of pictures, choosing the best ones.  So be creative, have fun and keep on clicking!

There are cameras in the marketplace that offer some of these features. However, the Nikon D5000, Nikon’s newest and easy-to-use digital SLR, embraces them all in one sleek, light-weight body. The D5000 has advanced features for the best shots under any conditions. The 2.7-inch vari-angle screen, 12.3 megapixel resolution, Scene Recognition System, Subject Tracking and 11-point autofocus helps photographers of any skill level take professional-looking pictures. Its 19 Scene Modes, including Sunset, Silhouette, Candlelight, Pet Portrait, Close Up and Sports, automatically optimize your camera for a particular scene. Interval timer, stop-motion, GPS capability and HD video provide you with a wide variety of advanced options to suit all of your trigger-happy needs.  This summer your photography can be creative, fun and easy.

For more information on this or other Nikon cameras please visit www.nikon.ca.

Submitted by Nikon Canada

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