Pentax K-7 review posted After nearly two weeks of hard work, I've finally posted my lengthy review of the Pentax K-7 digital SLR. This rugged, compact camera offers features found (and not found) on cameras costing two or three times as much. How does it perform? Read the review to find out!
There's just one more review left before I head out on vacation, and that's my final look at the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1.
Panasonic updates LX3 firmware in a big way Panasonic has released a firmware update for their Lumix DMC-LX3 camera. This camera has been out for 14 months and remains nearly impossible to find due to its popularity. Kudos to Panasonic for adding all of these features to what most would consider an "old" camera:
Improved auto white balance performance.
Faster autofocus
New 1:1 aspect ratio
New white balance bracketing option
New high dynamic range option
New lens and menu resume features
Exposure compensation range now +/- 3EV
Guide line position can be set manually
Digital redeye removal has been "modified"
Highlights can be displayed in playback
And more!
Thursday update: Panasonic has yanked the update due to "issues", and promises it's return by October 20th.
{ Thursday, September 24, 2009 }
Pentax K-7 gallery posted, plus site news Okay, I finally got my act together and have posted the Pentax K-7 photo gallery, so check it out.
I am going to have to reshoot the Fuji FinePix F70EXR gallery, as my particular camera appears to be defective (a replacement is on the way).
The K-7 is the next camera to be reviewed here, followed by the final review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. That'll probably be all I'll have time for before I go to Asia for three weeks. Since I don't have a "staff", there will be no reviews posted while I'm away in October, and news updates will be spotty. Thanks again for your support and patience!
{ Monday, September 21, 2009 }
FinePix F70EXR and Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 galleries posted I was hoping to post three galleries today, but I made one too many mistakes with the Pentax K-7, so that you'll have to wait a few more days for that one. In the meantime, I have photos from two "high sensitivity" compacts for you:
Nikon D3000 reviewed I've posted my review of Nikon's entry-level digital SLR, the D3000. I plan on reshooting the night photos in the next couple of days, so keep an eye out for those.
Update 9/27/09: Night photos were reshot with a different lens
{ Thursday, September 17, 2009 }
Pentax announces K-x digital SLR, new lens Pentax has rolled out a new compact digital SLR, known as the K-x. This camera
replaces the K2000, and will be available in a whopping four colors, including
a red that will certainly catch people's eyes. And now, the specs:
Supports all Pentax K-mount lenses with a 1.5X focal length conversion
ratio
Sensor-shift image stabilization
Uses Pentax Prime II image processor
Dust reduction system
2.7" LCD display with 230,000 pixels; live view available, with two
types of autofocus, face detection, a histogram, and more
Optical viewfinder has a magnification of 0.80X and covers 96% of the frame
11-point AF system, with 9 cross-type sensors
Full manual controls
Shutter speed range of 30 - 1/6000 sec, plus bulb mode
ISO range of 200 - 6400, expandable to 100 - 12800
Support for two RAW formats: PEF and DNG
Can take up to 5 RAW or 17 JPEGs at 4.7 frames/second
High Dynamic Range feature combines three exposures into one
Capable of recording movies at 1280 x 720 (24 fps) using the Motion JPEG
codec
SD/SDHC memory card slot
Uses four AA batteries; can take 1100 shots per charge with alkalines (per
CIPA standard)
Will be available in black and white initially, with navy, and a rather
loud red coming later
Ships in October 2009 in three kits: with an 18-55 lens for $649; with
the 18-55 plus a 55-200 for $749; and with the 18-55 plus the new 55-300
(see below) for $849
There's a new lens that goes along with the K-x. The F4.0-5.8, 55 - 300 mm
DA L lens features ED glass, and is equivalent to 84.5 - 460 mm when paired
with the K-x. For now at least, it will only be available as part of the $849
K-x kit I just mentioned.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 reviewed I've posted my lengthy review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35. This super zoom has all the still shooting features one could ask for, plus an elaborate HD movie mode. Read the review to see what I thought about it -- and suggestions about working with AVCHD Lite videos are welcome, too!
Tuesday update: Adobe just released the final version of Camera Raw 5.5 with full support for the FZ35, so I reconverted the RAW images, which look a lot better now.
{ Wednesday, September 9, 2009 }
Leica announces M9 digital rangefinder camera Leica today introduced two new cameras, with the highlight undoubtedly being
the new M9 digital rangefinder. Featuring an 18MP, full-frame sensor, this
is pretty much a Leica lover's dream come true. The M9 falls into the "too
rich for my blood" category, so I won't be reviewing it, but you can read
a preview right
now over at Digital Photography Review. Here are the highlights on this pricey,
one-of-a-kind camera:
Leica M9
18 Megapixel, full-frame, Kodak-designed CCD
Supports Leica M-mount lenses from 16 to 135 mm
Classic compact Leica rangefinder design
Magnesium alloy body built like
a tank
Available in black and steel/gray
Lack of an anti-aliasing filter means insanely sharp photos; moiré is removed
digitally
Glass sensor cover eliminates the need for UV/IR filters
2.5" LCD display (for menus and photo review only)
Large rangefinder with auto parallax correction and 0.68x magnification
Full manual controls
RAW (DNG) format supported, compressed and uncompressed
Shutter speed range of 32 - 1/4000 sec, plus a bulb mode
ISO range of 80 - 2500
Hot shoe for external flash
SD/SDHC card slot
Uses proprietary lithium-ion battery; battery life numbers not available
Shipping later this month, priced at $7750 (I think)
Leica X1 features a 36mm lens, APS-C sensor The other Leica camera for today is for the more budget-minded consumer (well,
by Leica standards). The X1 is a fixed-lens camera with a 36mm-equivalent
lens, APS-C CMOS sensor, live view, and a host of manual controls. Here
are all the details:
Survey results and upcoming reviews The results of our "what camera do you want to see reviewed" survey are in! The top ten cameras that you want to see reviewed here on the DCRP are:
Canon PowerShot G11
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1
Canon PowerShot S90
Canon EOS-7D
Pentax K-7
Nikon D300s
Fuji FinePix F70EXR
Sony Alpha DSLR-A850
Fuji FinePix S200EXR
Nikon D3000
I'm going to try to review most (if not all) of those before the holidays, plus a few more that I find interesting. I've reworked the upcoming reviews list on the homepage to reflect what cameras are here at DCRP headquarters, and those which I want to review, but haven't been able to get my hands on just yet.
Thanks to everyone who voted!
Post Labor Day weekend photo galleries I've posted the photo galleries of
three cameras which I hope to review this month:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 review finally posted I've posted my review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580, an ultra-compact camera with a wide 5X zoom lens, touchscreen LCD, and full manual controls (!). I've been sitting on this one for ever, so thanks for your patience!
And an additional thank you to everyone who's taken the "what camera do you want to see reviewed" survey. I'm leaving it up for the weekend, and will post the results on Tuesday!
{ Wednesday, September 2, 2009 }
Help choose what gets reviewed! Want to help pick the cameras I review over the next few months? Now's your chance!
It'll take 30 seconds of your time to complete this very brief survey, which
asks "which of the following cameras do you want to see reviewed?". I'm going
to leave it up for a week, and I'll share the results with you all when it's
done. Thanks! Update: voting is now closed.
Samsung announces HZ25W super zoom Samsung has introduced their first super zoom camera, known as the HZ25W (and
the WB5000 in some countries). Here are the specs on this intriguing new camera:
HZ25W
12.5 Megapixel CCD
F2.8-5.0, 24X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 26 - 624 mm
Optical image stabilization
3-inch LCD display with 230,000 pixels + electronic viewfinder
Full manual controls, with RAW format support
Smart Auto mode selects a scene mode for you
Perfect Portrait System merges face detection, face recognition, smile
and blink detection, and "beauty shot" (smoothes skin tones)
Records videos at 1280 x 720 using the H.264 codec; user can operate the
zoom while recording
Uses SLB-11A li-ion battery; battery life numbers not available
Ships in October for $399
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 announced, preview available Panasonic today introduced the new Lumix DMC-GF1 interchangeable lens camera
-- their third to use the Micro Four Thirds standard. Like the Olympus E-P1,
the DMC-GF1 really fulfills the promise of the MFT format. You get all the
benefits of having a digital SLR, with a lot less bulk. And did I mention the
super-fast autofocus and 720p movie mode? Even this jaded reviewer is licking
his chops over this one.
You'll learn the basics of the GF1 below. For more details, check out our detailed preview of the camera!
12.1 effective Megapixel Live MOS sensor (same as the DMC-G1)
Supports all Micro Four Thirds lenses with a 2X focal length conversion
ratio
Also supports legacy Four Thirds and Leica R- and M-mount lenses with
optional adapters
Compact body (for a camera with interchangeable lenses), roughly the size
of the E-P1
3-inch LCD display with 460,000 pixels and live view
Live view features super-fast 23-point AF, face detection, custom guidelines,
a live histogram, and more
Optional electronic viewfinder ($200) attaches to hot shoe and provides
the same benefits as the main LCD; screen has 202,000 pixels and a 1.04X
magnification; it can also tilt upward 90 degrees
Built-in pop-up flash (yay) has a GN of 6 meters at ISO 100
Full manual controls
ISO range of 100 - 3200
Shutter speed range of 60 - 1/4000 sec, plus a bulb mode
RAW, RAW+JPEG support
Continuous shooting as fast as 3 frames/second (7 RAW, unlimited JPEGs)
Intelligent Auto mode selects a scene mode, detects faces, brightens shadows,
and more
My Color mode similar to Olympus' art filters; a new peripheral defocus
mode makes it easy to have a sharp subject and blurry background
Dust reduction system
Capable of recording movies at 1280 x 720 using AVCHD Lite or Motion JPEG
Unlimited recording time with AVCHD Lite, unless you're in Europe
Frame rate is 60 fps (sensor output of 30 fps) when using AVCHD Lite
Aperture and exposure compensation can be adjusted
Camera can focus continuously while recording, though you'll want to
use the 14-140 lens for the most camcorder-like experience
Wind-cut feature for recording video outdoors
HDMI port
SD/SDHC card slot
Uses DMW-BLB13 lithium-ion battery; battery life ranges from 350 - 380
shots depending on which lens you're using
Ships in October with your choice of the 20 mm pancake lens (described
below) or the 14 - 45 mm lens from the DMC-G1; price is $899 for both >> Read our preview for lots more <<
There are two new Micro Four Thirds lenses to mention, as well. The first
is the 20 mm pancake lens that you see in the photo of the GF1. This F1.7 lens
is compact, light, and equivalent to 40 mm on a MFT camera. It will be available
in about a month for $399.
The next lens isn't just the first macro Micro Four Thirds model -- it's also
the first lens to carry the Leica name. The F2.8,
45 mm Leica DG Macro-Elmarit lens has image stabilization, a minimum focus
distance of 15 cm, and it's set to ship in early October for $899.
Canon announces the EOS-7D Canon today introduced the new EOS-7D digital SLR (you've probably read bits
and pieces about it over the last week). Despite its name, the 7D is not a full-frame
camera; rather, it's an APS-C model that fits between the EOS-50D and EOS-5D
Mark II. I'd personally call it Canon's answer to the Nikon D300s.
Supports all EF and EF-S lenses with a 1.6 focal length conversion ratio
Rugged magnesium alloy body has weather seals and a shutter rated to 150,000
cycles
3-inch LCD display with 920,000 pixels
Intelligent pentaprism viewfinder has 100% coverage, a magnification of
1.0X
An LCD is overlaid on top of the viewfinder to show AF points, composition
grids, spot metering, electronic level, and the usual shooting info
New 19-point, all cross-type AF system
Supports AF point expansion (surrounding AF points used to track a moving
subject) and Zone AF (divides all focus points into five selectable zones)
Intelligent Macro Tracking detects when a macro lens is attached and
adjusts the AI Servo sampling frequency to compensate for forward/backward
camera movement
New iFCL 63-zone dual layer metering system
Full manual controls
ISO range of 100 - 12,800 when fully expanded
Shutter speed range of 30 - 1/8000 sec, plus a bulb mode
Three RAW sizes to choose from
Continuous shooting at 8 frames/second (15 RAW, 126 JPEG with UDMA card)
Dual axis electronic level handles roll and pitch; data can be shown on
LCD or viewfinder
Pop-up flash has built-in wireless flash transmitter; external flash supported
via hot shoe or flash sync port
Dust reduction system
Records movies in Full HD (1920 x 1080) with sound, using H.264 codec
Frame rates at 1920 x 1080: 30p, 24p, 25p; at 1280 x 720:
60p, 50p; at 640 x 480: 60p, 50p
Exposure and focus can be manually adjusted
Dedicated movie recording button
Stereo mic input
CompactFlash Type I/II slot
HDMI output
Optional battery grip and wireless file transmitter (see below)
Uses LP-E6 li-ion battery; 800 shots per charge
Ships in late September for $1699 body only, or $1899 with the F3.5-5.6,
28 - 135 mm IS lens
Along with the 7D comes the new WFT-E5A wireless file transmitter. This attaches
to the camera like a battery grip and offers 802.11a/b/g wireless support,
plus Ethernet and USB ports (to which you can attach a hard drive). The WFT
can send photos to your computer or another DNLA-enabled device, supports
geotagging with a compatible GPS, and even has a built-in web server that
allows you to control it (complete with live view) from your PC or smartphone. The
WFT will be shipping in early November for $699.
Three new Canon lenses There are also three new lenses to talk about today from Canon:
The F2.8L, 100 mm macro IS USM lens is the first to use Canon's new
"hybrid IS"
system. This
system compensates for both angle and shift camera shake, thanks to its
new acceleration sensor. The lens ships in late September for $1049.
The new F3.5-5.6, 18 - 135 IS EF-S lens has a nice 28.8 - 216 mm range
when attached to an APS-C camera. It too ships in late September, for $499.
Finally, there's the F3.5-5.6, 15 - 85 mm IS USM EF-S lens, which hopefully
performs better than the 17-85 that's gathering dust on my bookshelf. It
will be out in late October for $799.
Photos of each of the lenses and a few more details after the link.
