Alpha 500 and 550 press release | Photoclub Alpha. Sony has announced the Alpha 500 and 550 today with an official release to all press. No press conference was held for the UK press and any advance information received has been given indivudally to journalists. There is a press event tonight in London but this is VERY specifically stated to be for trying out the new Cyber-Shot models at twilight. The official release follows. Catch the moment in perfect detail with responsive new DSLR cameras from SonyEasy-to-use Alpha α500 & α550 offer enhanced Live View shooting and superb image quality Two powerful, feature-packed DSLR cameras from Sony make it easier than ever to capture beautiful pictures, carefree family portraits, stunning holiday memories and action-packed scenes.
The DSLR-α500 (12.3 megapixels) and DSLR-α550 (14.2 megapixels) are packed with advanced Sony technology that combines the spontaneity and freedom of Live View shooting with exciting new features that help to realise your creative vision. Sony DSLR A550 Hands-on Preview: 1. Introduction: Digital Photog. Preview based on a production DSLR A550 (Firmware V1.0) Sony's approach to the DSLR market has been an interesting one to watch - the first generation of the A2XX/3XX family was a three-camera assault on a market that most manufacturers had tried to address with a single model. Sony instead created three cameras that placed greater emphasis on attracting new users across from compact cameras (whether that be through price or what was, at the time, the most seamless, compact-like live view system on the market), rather than simply stripping down their higher-end models.
With the recent refresh of that range, its cameras have moved even further towards a compact-user friendly interpretation of what an entry-level offering should look like - with the predictable result that the A230, A330 and A380 have prompted disappointment and even derision from the company's DSLR fan base. The return of two-mode live view A550 vs A500 Key features. Canon EOS 7D Hands-on Preview: 1. Introduction: Digital Photogra. Review based on a production Canon EOS 7D, firmware v1.0.9 Canon's X0D series was, for many years, essentially the default choice for keen enthusiasts, professionals and aspiring-professionals who wanted top-level image quality and functionality without the bulk (or price) of a pro-level camera such as the 1D series.
The 10D, 20D and 30D were hugely successful and popular cameras, and you didn't have to spend long shooting with them to understand why. However, like every other sector of the DSLR market, there are some very competitive rivals, in terms of both price and features. Cameras such as Sony's A700 and Nikon's D200 and 300 have meant the most recent X0D EOSs have been held to higher standards and have found it a little harder to stand-out. Which brings us to the 7D, a camera that seems determined to wrestle back the king of APS-C crown.
Key features Show all listings (13) ... Nikon D300s brief hands-on. Not all of the changes made to create the D300S will be immediately apparent from looking at the specification sheets. Thankfully Nikon has loaned us a D300S which we've pored over and peered into, in an attempt to get to the bottom of the less obvious changes that have been made to its APS-C flagship. Click here for more information. Nikon D300S Brief hands-on by Richard Butler and Andy Westlake, July 2009 Based on a pre-production Nikon D300S The Nikon D300 made quite an impact when it was first launched - enough to prompt us to conclude: 'There's simply no better semi-professional digital SLR on the market.' And, in many respects, it is still the camera to beat in that class - nearly two years later and it is still able to command essentially the same price as at launch (though the strong Yen has pushed all prices up). And this success appears to have left Nikon unsure how to improve on its APS-C flagship.
Nikon D300S Key Features Nikon D300S vs D300: Key Differences In the hand. Nikon D300s. Home Donate New Search Gallery How-To Books Links Workshops About Contact Nikon D300s 12 MP DX, 7 FPS, 720p/24, $1,799. © 2009 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. Intro Specs Performance Recommendations Nikon D300s and 35mm f/1.8 AF-S (32.9oz/930g with battery and card but no lens). enlarge.
I'd get it at Adorama, Amazon, Ritz , J&R or Calumet. (Amazon and others also has it also kitted with the 18-200mm VR). Adorama pays top dollar for your used gear, especially the older model D300. 30 July 2009 More Nikon Reviews NEW: Nikon D7000, D300, D3 (D700) and Canon 5D Mark II High ISO Comparison 08 November 2010 Direct Comparison of Canon 5D Mark II, 7D, 5D and Nikon D300 at the Test Range 03 August 2010 Nikon D300s User's Guide iPhone and iPod App. Package Discounts March 2010 Nikon D300s Users' Guide Nikon D300s AF System Settings Guide Introduction top Intro Specs Performance Recommendations The D300s and older D300 are both solid, near-pro level cameras. Who cares? What is important is: Movies Wow. Leica M9 Hands-on Preview: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography. Leica M9 Hands-on preview, September 2009, Phil Askey Preview based on a pre-production Leica M9 with firmware 1.002 9/10/2009 - Updated with tests of the M9 sensor's infrared response compared to the M8.
Three years ago Leica revealed the M8, its first digital rangefinder. The M8 looked similar to the film M7 but was a completely new body, with a 27 x 18 mm (1.3x FOV crop) 10 megapixel Kodak CCD sensor and no resolution-sapping anti-alias filter. In September 2008 came a subtle update; the M8.2 was identical from a sensor and imaging sub-system point of view but added a few new features; a quiet metal shutter, discrete shutter re-cock, snapshot mode, sapphire crystal cover glass for the LCD and most importantly the ‘stealthy’ black Leica dot.
Leica M9 vs. . * This is effectively over-exposed ISO 160 which is then pulled down a stop by a different tone curve, it’s indicated as “PULL 80” and will have less dynamic range than ISO 160 Solving the corner vignetting problem Leica factory tour. Leica M9 First Look. Leica M9 Celebrates Its Birth Leica M9 with 50mm Noctilux f/1.0 1/2000 sec ISO 160 Introduction In mid-August, 2009, I was invited to join a small group of journalist on a visit with Leica at their headquarters in Solms, Germany. The purpose was to preview three new cameras, the M9, S2 and X1. We were each given an M9 and a selection of just-about any lens we wished for the duration of our visit. Over the three days Leica was extremely forthcoming about all of their new products. One of the other photographer / journalists on the trip to Leica was Sean Reid of Reid Reviews.
My M9 review is featured below. Full Frame Yes, Virginia, finally with the M9 Leica has produced a true full frame M series rangefinder. The M8 and M8.2 featured an 10.3 Megapixel sensor of 18 mm x 27 mm size, while the M9 is true full-frame (23.9 X 35.8mm) at 18.5 Megapixels resolution. Kodak KAF sensors as used in the Leica M8, M9 and S2 cameras Wetzlar Street. Leica M9 with 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH @ f2 and ISO 160. David Farkas Photography Blog: Leica M9 Review: Shooting in Wetz. The Leica M9 could very well be the most anticipated Leica M ever. With film users holding out for a full-frame digital M before making the switch, the tens of thousands of existing M8 users waiting to upgrade, and photographers new to Leica waiting patiently for a camera that wowed them, the M9 has generated an unbelievable response.
One of the most frequent questions I've received over the last six months has been, "When will Leica come out with an M9? " My honest answer has always been that I didn't know, just that the M9 was a top priority for Leica. What we didn't know was that they have been quietly working on one since April of last year. Wetzlar's Old Town M9 with 35mm Summicron ASPH, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/5.6 If you've been reading my blog you have a pretty good idea of how much I've been looking forward to the Leica S2. How could I refuse such a unique opportunity? M9 with 35mm Summicron ASPH, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/5.6 This trip wasn't done solo. Now, under the hood. Leica X1 and brief hands-on. Alongside the M9 Leica has also announced the X1, a compact camera with a large APS-C sensor and a fixed 35mm equivalent field-of-view F2.8 autofocus lens.
Featuring a design reminiscent of M-series rangefinders, complete with analogue-style shutter speed and aperture dials, the camera offers a choice of fully automatic or manual control. A 2.7" LCD and 12Mp CMOS sensor with an ISO range of 100 to 3200 round off the specification. Registered owners will be able to download a copy of Adobe Lightroom to process the camera's DNG raw files. During our visit to Leica two weeks ago we were lucky enough to get our hands on a pre-production camera, click through for our initial impression and hands-on pictures. Jump to: Leica X1 brief hands-on It's hard to think of a recent product announcement less expected, yet in retrospect more logical than Leica's fixed lens, large sensor compact, the X1. In the hand Side-by-side Here's the X1 showing off its distinct family resemblance to the M9.
An M9 In Paris – A Field Review. Leica's Latest and Greatest in The City of Light Mirrored. Paris, September, 2009 Leica M9 with Tri-Elmar @ 50mm. ISO 200 Caveat Reader Because this review will be read by current and previous Leica owners as well as people who have never seen one in the flesh, let alone shot with one, it will likely be impossible to satisfy the interests of both constituencies. But, I'll try and satisfy both, at the risk of this becoming quite a verbose piece. Biases I'm going to put my biases on the table up front – though if you've been reading my ramblings over the years there'll be nothing surprising here.
Firstly – I am a huge fan of M series Leica cameras (having worked with them professionally and personally for some four decades), and secondly Paris is my favourite city in the world. Though I am favourably disposed to both Leica the camera and Leica the company, this is by no means a relationship without its heartaches.
À Paris. But First But what is it then? Passing By. Get over it! Paris Wedding. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Digital Camera - Hands-On Preview - The. Imaging Resource rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Overview Review by Shawn Barnett, Dave Etchells, Mike Tomkins, and Zig Weidelich Hands-On Preview: 09/02/09Full Review: 10/13/09 Though Panasonic has released two Micro Four Thirds cameras in the last year, it's with the Panasonic GF1 that they truly realize the potential of the format. The Panasonic GF1 has a 12.1-megapixel sensor, a 3-inch LCD, and comes with either a 14-45mm zoom lens or a 20mm f/1.7 prime lens.
Users can switch between still and movie capture by choosing between the Shutter release or the Record button, both on the Panasonic GF1's top deck. There's a lot more to the Panasonic GF1, but it's also fairly simple. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 is available in two different kit versions, and started shipping early October 2009. Panasonic GF1User Report by Shawn Barnett and Mike Tomkins Rivals. Look and feel. From the top, the GF1 looks a lot like many of their point-and-shoot digicams. Flash. EVF. Sensor. ISO range. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photogr. Review based on a production Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 with firmware v0.1 When Panasonic showed us the first Micro Four Thirds camera, the DMC-G1, our first question was 'why does it look like an SLR? '. We'd been hoping for a much more compact body, something that more effectively straddled the line between the convenience of a compact and the quality and versatility of a digital SLR.
Well, a couple of months ago we were ushered into a private meeting with Panasonic to see the GF1, Panasonic's answer to all those critics who failed to see the point of Micro Four Thirds if it was simply going to ape conventional SLR styling. And, once we'd been fully briefed on just how secret this all was (totally moot, as it transpires, since pictures of the GF1 were leaked and published extensively a couple of weeks later), we got our hands on what Panasonic hopes will be the camera to convince those put off by the limitations of the Olympus E-P1. Micro Four Thirds Lens compatibility Foreword / notes. Hands-on Preview - Panasonic Lumix GF1 | David's Simple Photogra. LUMIX Digital Cameras - G Micro System - DMC-GF1 - Manuals - UK. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, digital cameras, digital photography, p. Full review In the GF1, Panasonic has challenged Olympus with a similar, rangefinder-like model that tackles some of the deficiencies of the E-P1 and exploits the not insignificant potential of the Micro Four Thirds (M4/3) sensor format.
In addition, by providing HD video recording - using the AVCHD Lite format offered in the company's digicams, the GF1 also confronts the main criticism levelled at the G1: the lack of video capture. With the GF1, Panasonic is targeting two types of photographers. The first are stepping up from an advanced digicam but don't want the large size of a digital SLR. The second group will be existing DSLR users. Both want DSLR image quality with greater portability. Significantly, both must face a premium price tag for these benefits (an entry-level DSLR with two lenses can be had for approximately $500 less). Consequently, each photosite on the GF1's imager has roughly nine times the light-capturing power of each photosite on the FZ35's imager. AVCHD lite. How to get RAW histograms (G1/GH1/GF1): Micro Four Thirds Talk F.
Apologies if someone has covered this already in the distant past. If you are a RAW shooter and like to ETTR (expose to the right) then you probably already know that the histograms the camera displays are actually based on the JPG engine and not the RAW pixel data. As a result even if you ETTR based on the camera histograms you probably still underexposed, often by as much as 1EV. Also, there is the problem of WB effecting the histograms and thus in many cases in the playback menu one of the colors may show it is about to clip even though it may actually still be more than one EV underexposed.
Without better feedback it is tricky to decide how much more exposure you can apply without clipping. Fortunately someone came up with a clever method around this, I modified the procedure slightly for the Panasonic cameras. Rebel XT, XTi, Pany G1, LX3, FZ28, Fuji F30, and a lot of 35mm and 4x5 sitting in the closet... Panasonic Lumix G-Vario 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. Lens, Full review The Lumix G Vario 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. lens is currently only supplied with one of Panasonic's G-series bodies.
Its optical design comprises 12 elements arranged in 9 groups with one Aspherical element. With a diameter of 60 mm and measuring 60 mm from the tip of the lens to the base of the lens mount, it is petite for its zoom range. The Lumix G Vario 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. The iris diaphragm has seven blades and closes to create a circular aperture. Build and HandlingBuilt from high-quality polycarbonate plastic, it has a metal bayonet mounting plate. The zoom ring is covered by a ribbed, rubberised ring roughly 15mm wide. The focusing ring is a narrow (5 mm wide) ridged band that is recessed into the lens barrel. Both rings turn smoothly and the zoom ring showed minimal creeping. The front of the lens is threaded to accept 52mm filters. The MEGA O.I.S. stabilisation system engaged quickly and worked almost noiselessly during our tests.
Retailers CamBuy. Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 ASPH Lens, digital cameras, digital. Olympus Pen E-P1, digital cameras, digital photography, photogra. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Review. Olympus E-P2 and two Micro Four Thirds zooms: Digital Photograph. Ricoh GXR Hands on Preview: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography.