Pentax K20D review, new photo galleries posted I've posted my review of the Pentax K20D digital SLR. This review was quite
delayed, and I apologize for the wait. It seems like I received a bad copy of
Pentax's 16 - 50 mm lens, which resulted in significant corner blurring and general
focusing problems. Since the other lenses I used were fine, I don't believe that the
camera is at fault. I am going to try to get another lens, and if I succeed,
I will reshoot the photo gallery.
I also have several new photo galleries for you today:
Sony announces Cyber-shot DSC-T500 Our week of big camera announcements comes to an end with a new ultra-compact
camera from Sony. The Cyber-shot DSC-T500's biggest features are undoubtedly
its 3.5" LCD display and 720p HD movie mode (with stereo sound).
Here are the specs:
Nikon introduces new D90 digital SLR (you're kidding?!) Nikon has introduced the new D90 digital SLR, which has been battling it out with the EOS-50D as the worst-kept secret of the month.
The D90 is the replacement to the venerable D80, and it offers many of the same features found on its big brother, the D300. And did I mention that it can record HD movies? Yes, this is the first digital SLR with a movie mode, which is probably a sign of things to come.
Supports all Nikkor F-mount lenses, with a 1.5X focal length conversion ratio
3-inch LCD display with 920,000 pixels
Optical viewfinder has a 0.94x magnification
Live view with contrast detect AF and face detection
Full manual controls, with ISO range of 200 - 3200, expandable to 100 - 6400
11-point autofocus system with 3D tracking
Can take up to 100 JPEGs in a row at 4.5 frames/sec (not sure about RAW yet)
Can record "D-movies" at 1280 x 720 (720p) at 24 fps, with sound
The time limit for a single 720p movie is around 5 minutes
Lower resolutions are available, with longer recording times
As you'd expect, the zoom and focus must be operated manually once recording starts
Movies are saved in AVI format, using the M-JPEG codec
Built-in wireless flash support
Dust reduction system
Other features include Active D-Lighting, distortion control, image straightening
HDMI out port for connection to an HDTV
Optional GPS unit allows for easy geotagging; the GP-1 ships in November, pricing TBD
Uses EN-EL3e lithium-ion battery; 850 shots per charge
Includes new F3.5-5.6, 18 - 105 mm ED VR lens; lens will be available separately for $399
Ships next month for $999 body only, or $1299 with the 18 - 105 mm lens
I will have a D90 in my hands on Wednesday, and I'm going to review it right after the K20D and E-520. Look for sample photos before then, hopefully later this week!
Nikon D700, Pentax K20D, Olympus E-520 bonus galleries posted I've got three new photo galleries today that are a bit of a departure from the norm around here.
First up, I have a gallery of Olympus E-520 photos that I took last month at the Bank of the West Classic tennis tournament at Stanford University (which, as you may know, is one of my standard photo stops).
Olympus is a sponsor of the US Open, so I was able to pick up my review camera and take some photos courtside with some nice lenses.
The other two galleries are for the Nikon D700 and Pentax K20D, which I took in the Sonoma Wine Country. Although most of the photos are the same, this isn't meant to be a comparative test.
I'll have the standard galleries for all three of these cameras (and more) later this week.
Canon EOS-50D announced Canon has introduced their new EOS-50D digital SLR, which has been the subject of rumors for the last several days. Since we're under a non-disclosure agreement, we've been unable to publish anything until now.
Since Canon (as usual) didn't provide any specs, press releases, or product photos in advance, I'll be updating these news items frequently tonight, so check back often. It's pretty frustrating that those of us who sign and honor non-disclosure agreements are not given information ahead of time, only to watch Canon leak the information themself, and allow it to proliferate across the Internet.
Here are the details on the new EOS-50D. By the way, the 40D isn't going anywhere -- it'll slot in-between the Rebel XSi and the 50D.
Canon PowerShot SX110 IS Moving onto point-and-shoot cameras now, we have the PowerShot SX110 IS ultra zoom. As you might have guessed, it replaces the SX100, and it has these specs:
PowerShot A1000 / A2000 Next, we have two new A-series models, which replace the PowerShot A590 and A720, respectively. I'm disappointed to see that neither of these cameras have manual controls, which is a step back from their predecessors. Here are the specs:
PowerShot E1 The last of the new Canon cameras for the day is a totally new model: the PowerShot E1. While the press release makes it sound
like a camera for teens (it can capture every "OMG moment"), the E1 sounds like it's a good value for just about everyone. And I like the choice in colors, too. Here are the details:
Olympus SP-565 Ultra Zoom Adding onto last week's announcement of two entry-level cameras, Olympus today released three more models, this time a little higher-end. The first one I want to mention is the SP-565 Ultra Zoom, which packs a whopping 20X zoom lens like the SP-560UZ before it, but now it's smaller and lighter. Here are the details on this model:
