Archive for September, 2009

Jobi Gorillapod

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

B&H Photo has a deal on Jobi’s Gorillapod SLR-Zoom. This week it goes for $39.99 USD including USA shipping. A Gorillapod is a really flexible and quite useful camera support. It works extremely well for attaching a camera to poles, tree branches and the like. It also works as a small table-top-size tripod but is much more flexible. Because the legs bend, a Gorillapod can be used on uneven surfaces, window ledges, fences and pretty much anything. Gorilapods come in 4 sizes rated by maximum weight:

The two strongest Gorillapods make it more difficult to precisely orient the camera since they do not have an extra joint above the legs. This can easily be solved by adding a ball head to it such as the Manfrotto 482 Micro Ball Head pictured here on the left. Jobi also makes an SLR-Zoom with their own ball-head which supports to to 3kg as well.
The compact size of a Gorillapod makes it really fun for those who like low-light photography, you can have one with you more frequently than a tripod. The smaller models even fit in a pocket, the larger ones fit in most backpacks. For having access to a tripod every day, the Gorillapod SLR-Zoom with Manfrotto 482 works well for me. It can support most DSLRs with short lenses and any fixed-lens camera.

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Pentax K-x – The New Fastest Entry-Level DSLR

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Pentax pushes the limits of entry-level DSLRs with the launch of the K-x. The Pentax K-x is now the fastest entry-level DSLR with a 4.7 FPS continuous drive for up to 17 images. It also features a top shutter-speed of 1/6000s and battery-life up to 1900 shots per charge, all class-leading numbers. New to Pentax entry-level models is live-view and 1280×720 @ 24 FPS HD video (720p).

The Pentax K-x has the following main features:

  • 12 Megapixels sensor
  • ISO 100-12800
  • 1/6000s-30s Shutter-speed
  • Built-in stabilization for all lenses
  • 4.7 FPS Drive, up to 17 images
  • 1280×720 @ 24 FPS Movie mode
  • 11-Point autofocus system
  • 2.7″ LCD 230K pixels
  • AA batteries, up to 1900 shots-per-charge
The K-x is available in several colors including the usual black and white, blue and red. It will be available for $599 from October 2009.

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Cheapest Full-Frame Introduced by Sony

Monday, September 7th, 2009

In a move everyone will appreciate, Sony has recently introduced the Alpha A850, the cheapest full-frame DSLR to date. The good news is that it has nearly all the same specifications as its more expensive sibling, the flagship Sony Alpha A900. This includes the same 25 megapixels full-frame sensor with built-in stabilization and VGA-resolution 3″ LCD. Everything else remains identical except for a reduced viewfinder coverage of 98%, compared to the A900’s 100%, and slower continuous drive of 3 FPS, instead of 5 FPS.

This is not a bad compromise at all, although arguable the A900 will remain the better value for a while due to its 100% coverage viewfinder, the only one on a stabilized full-frame DSLR and on one without the integrated vertical grip. The Sony Alpha A850 is scheduled for availability in September for a suggested price of $2600 USD. Simultaneously, Sony is introducing new bright 28-75mm F2.8 SAM lens to be available in November for $800 USD and a 30mm F2.8 Macro DT whose price and availability information is not yet available.

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Pentax Launches Waterproof Optio WS80

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

Today Pentax Canada has announced the Optio WS80, an ultra-compact digital camera which is waterproof up to 5 ft. The WS80 is equipped with a 10 megapixels sensor and an internal 5X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 35-175mm. As Pentax’s other waterproof models, this one shoots 720p HD video as well, at 30 FPS no less. This is a rather small water-proof camera with dimensions of 3.6 x 2.3 x 0.9”.

 Pentax Optio WS80

Basic features of the Pentax Optio WS80 are:

  • 10 Megapixels sensor
  • 5X Optical zoom, 35-175mm equivalent
  • ISO 64-1600 at full-resolution
  • ISO 3200 and 6400 at 5 megapixels
  • 1/1500-4s Shutter-speeds
  • Auto, infinity, pan (hyperfocal), macro and manual focus
  • 2.7″ LCD 230K pixels
  • 1280×720 @ 30 FPS HD movie mode
  • JIS Class 8 waterproof submersible to 5’
  • JIS Class 6 dustproof
  • 240-shot battery-life

Compared to the rugged Optio W80, the WS80 is lighter and more compact with a longer zoom as well. It is part of the new trend of offering lower-cost underwater-capable cameras which can be used under a variety of conditions including rain, snow, dust, sand and more. It is much easier to take such a camera anywhere.

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Canon Launches New Series of DSLR

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

Today we have exciting news from Canon, the launch of the EOS 7D! This advanced DSLR sits between the 5D Mark II and the 50D, making it their most advanced cropped-sensor DSLR. With a 1.6X crop sensor having 18 megapixels, a 100% coverage viewfinder with 1X magnification, 8 FPS continuous drive, a two-axis digital level and weather-seals, the Canon EOS 7D is bound to be a very capable and versatile camera.

There are a number of Canon firsts on the 7D, other than the obvious increase in megapixels:

  • 100% coverage viewfinder on a cropped-sensor camera. This now puts them on par with the Pentax K-7, Nikon D300 and Olymps E-30.
  • 1X magnification viewfinder. Its big, the biggest one for such Canon cameras. Due to the slightly larger sensor of Pentax and Nikon DSLRs, it is not the biggest among all manufacturers.
  • 8 FPS on a cropped-sensor at full-resolution. The fastest in its class.
  • HD 1080p @ 30 FPS and HD 720p @ 60 FPS.  The fastest video modes of any DSLR.
  • Weather-seals on a cropped-sensor Canon body.
  • Dual-axis digital level, similar to the system on the latest Olympus interchangeable-lens cameras.
It is very interesting that Canon is producing such a model because up to know we have had a staggering of models between competitors where each model finds itself between the models of its competitors. Clearly the 7D is a take on the Pentax K-7 which is the only other cropped-sensor weather-sealed DSLR with a 100% coverage viewfinder and video-recording. The main feature differences are the Canon’s higher resolution, faster drive and higher frame-rate movie mode versus the Pentax’s built-in stabilization, automatic horizon correction and higher-resolution video. The Pentax’s weather-seals are possibly more resistant as well. On the Nikon side, the D300s is also in a similar category.
The Canon EOS 7D is scheduled to ship this month for a suggested price of $1699 USD or $2099 CDN (roughly $1900 USD as of Sept 1st), which really is not fair to Canadians! Along with this new DSLR, Canon also added 3 new lenses:
  • EF-S 15-85mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM: A versatile zoom starting at an ultra-wide 24mm, in 35mm-equivalent terms. Optical stabilization is included, which Canon does not often have among its wider-angle offerings.
  • EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM: An general-purpose lens with a broad zoom ratio, equivalent to 29-216mm in 35mm-equivalent terms. Also features optical stabilization.
  • EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM: A full-frame capable long macro with bright aperture and weather-seals. This model is equipped with a new type of image stabilization system which is more effective at close-range.

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