Digital Photography Notes

Canon XSi / 450D vs Canon XS / 1000D

David Chin — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:58:01 +0000

Which camera would you choose, and why – the Canon XSi / 450D or Canon XS / 1000D?

What are the pros and cons of each?

In this post, I attempt to compare and summarize the benefits of, and the differences between these two digital SLR cameras from Canon and hopefully, this will help those who are researching whether to get the XSi / 450D or the XS / 1000D.

You'll have to make the final decision on which camera to buy.

Canon XSi / 450D Advantages

Can be operated with a wireless IR remote

The Canon XSi / 450D comes with an infrared sensor on the front of the hand grip, and this allows you to use low cost infrared remotes to trigger the XSi.

The XS / 1000D doesn't have this option, but rest assured that both the XSi and XS can be controlled remotely via third-party Radio Frequency (RF) shutter release remotes such as the Phottix Cleon C6.

You might like to read my post on using the Phottix Cleon C8 with the Canon 40D to get a better idea of how these RF shutter triggers work.

Bigger LCD

3 inches on the XSi vs 2.5 in. on the 1000D.

A bigger LCD simply makes previewing images a nicer experience, but half an inch difference isn't a deal breaker.

Greater resolution

12 MP on the XSi / 450D vs 10 MP on the XS / 1000D.

If you think you'll be shooting lots of nature, landscape or product photos which need to be printed really large, every extra bit of resolution helps, and this is where the XSi is the more logical choice, assuming photos are shot with the same caliber lens mounted on both.

Higher number of AF points

The XSi / 450D has 9 vs the XS / 1000D which has 7.

The main advantage of more AF points boils down to whether you'd need to track a moving subject across the frame, or whether you prefer to have more AF points which tend to reduce the need for focus-and-recompose techniques.

Having more AF points enables ensures a higher probability that a moving subject is always tracked by at least one point.

Better center AF point sensitivity

The XSi / 450D has a high-precision sensor in the center AF point which gives greater autofocusing accuracy with fast lenses, that is, lenses with a maximum wide-open aperture of f/2.8 or greater.

If you shoot a great deal of moving subjects and anticipate purchasing these (very often) more expensive fast lenses to take advantage of the greater AF accuracy, then the XSi / 450D is the camera to get as the 1000D / XS does not have this high-precision center AF sensor.

Pedro has more to say on the differences between f/2.8-sensitive and non-f/2.8 sensitive AF sensors in Canon DSLR cameras:

A – If the cross-type sensor is f/2.8 sensitive it means that when used in conjunction with lenses whose luminosity is equal or bigger/better than 2.8 (1.4, 1.8, 2.0) it will AF in between the 1/3 DOF of the lens widest aperture, regardless of the used/chosen aperture.

B – If the cross-type sensor is not f/2.8 sensitive it means that when used in conjunction with lenses whose luminosity is equal or bigger/better than 5.6 (3.2, 4.0) it will AF in between the DOF of the lens widest aperture, regardless of the used/chosen aperture.

C – Keep in mind, that except in the professional line (1D…), Canon AF will not work accurately with lenses whose luminosity is smaller/worst than f/5.6…

Better burst rate

On paper, the XSi / 450D is only slightly faster at 3.5 fps (frames per second) than the XS / 1000D which manages 3 fps, but this is only applicable to shooting in JPEG mode.

Where the really XS / 1000D pales in this comparison is the burst rate in RAW mode – it's only 1.5 fps.

In contrast, the XSi / 450D manages the same 3.5 fps in RAW mode.

This is a big deal if you're going to be shooting bursts in RAW mode a lot.

Spot metering

A built-in spot meter in the camera is a boon to photographers who like to set the exposure from a small spot in the frame rather than letting the camera evaluate the entire scene and deciding on the exposure for you.

Up until the Canon 30D, spot metering was only available in the higher-end 1D-series DSLR models from Canon.

For the Digital Rebel series, spot metering was introduced with the 450D / XSi.

The 1000D / XS does not have this capability, but it shouldn't be a deal breaker if you don't plan on using this feature in your photography.

14-bit vs 12-bit

This is definitely an advantage for the XSi / 450D, but what's debatable is whether you would benefit from the additional two bits.

More bits help a lot when you're post-processing a image which is underexposed or have limited tones. If you push the curve or level adjustment hard for such low-contrast images, the additional two bits help to reduce the occurrence of banding.

Plus, the benefit also can only be enjoyed if you shoot in RAW mode. You don't get this benefit if you shoot in JPEG mode as the camera would internally process the files into 8-bit JPG anyway.

Again, many photographers simply cannot see the difference in their photos (yes, even owners of high-end digital SLR cameras which permit the user to select either 12 or 14-bit image processing), but you might want to just read this and this forum post which has a more detailed explanation and sample photos to illustrate (in theory) what impact the additional 2 bits should have.

Here's one more link for you to digest – it's done with the Nikon D300, but should give you a better idea of what more bits is all about.

HIghlight Tone Priority

This feature found on the XSi (but not the XS) helps retain detail in the highlights by deliberately underexposing the RAW image and then using a tone adjustment to bring up the gamma. The process happens the instant the photo is taken, although it will slow down the continuous shot performance as the processor has to do extra work processing the image.

By the way, the RAW to JPEG conversion engine in the Canon-supplied Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software is able to process the underexposed RAW file correctly, while opening that same RAW image in other photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop CS3 will only show you an underexposed image, which you'll have to manually correct using the curve or levels tool.

Better VF

The viewfinder coverage is 95% for both the XS and XSi, but the XSi gives you 87% viewfinder magnification while you only get 81% magnification on the XS's viewfinder.

In short, you'll get a slightly better viewfinder experience in the XSi with less tunnel vision.

Canon XS / 1000D pros

Cheaper price

It makes sense to buy the XS / 1000D if you're just beginning photography and don't have a set target on how advanced you want to get with your photography.

The money saved can go towards purchasing an external flash, accessory or a better lens. This is the more practical approach to take for budding photographers.

After a year or two of taking lots of photographs, you'd then be in a better position to decide which advanced model to upgrade to.

When we're talking day-to-day consumer photography, the slight advantages of the XSi / 450D won't be practically apparent. If you really needed super-fast focusing and faster frames per second, you should be looking at the Canon 40D or a used 30D anyway, as they can blast off 6.5 fps and 5 fps respectively, and these figures are generally acknowledged to be the bare minimum burst rate for sports photography. The xxD class of Canon digital SLR cameras also tend to have more robust shutter mechanisms with longer life spans to support the higher fps rate.

To expand further on the huge performance advantage the 40D has over the XSi, please read Canon 40D vs Canon XSi / 450D.

Panasonic 7-14mm Micro 4/3 Lens Reviews and Samples

David Chin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:38:09 +0000

Last update (Dec 23, 2009): Two G1 plus 7-14 landscape photos by santaferich.

This post is a compilation of links to the following Panasonic Lumix Vario G 7-14mm f/4.0 ASPH Micro Four Thirds Lens resources:

Professional and user reviews, owner opinions and experiences, tests, ratings, conclusions and feedback.
Sample photos and examples, image galleries and user pictures, movie / video clips and footage.

Professional and user reviews, owner opinions and experiences, tests, ratings, conclusions and feedback

Panasonic 7-14mm f/4 ASPH LUMIX G VARIO Tested at SLRgear.com

Andrew Alexander, the reviewer, notes:

The 7-14mm ƒ/4 produced very sharp images. At the wider end of its focal length, images are sharp even when used at the lens' widest aperture; between 7-12mm at ƒ/4, the central region of the image is tack-sharp at 1 blur unit, with the corners showing just the slightest hint of softness at around 1.5 blur units. At 14mm there's a slight increase in corner softness as the central region of sharpness shrinks and the corners increase to 2 blur units. Stopping the lens down to ƒ/5.6 produces its best results, with the central region at a consistent 1 blur unit and the corners between 1.5 and 2 blur units.

The review is accompanied by full-sized sample images shot with a Panasonic DMC-GH1 12MP Four Thirds interchangeable lens camera at various focal lengths.

Sample photos and examples, image galleries and user pictures, movie / video clips and footage

Two landscape photos by santaferich

View the B&W (black-and-white) scenic pictures posted up by santaferich, who took them while en route to, and at, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, which is near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

View Larger Map

The color versions can be found here and here.

Snataferich mounted the 7-14mm lens on a Panasonic G1 to snap these pics. The RAW files were post-processed and edited in Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) and Adobe Photoshop CS3.

RAW samples file and feedback on the 7-14 by viztyger

viztyger shares a few Panasonic G1 plus 7-14mm sample RAW files, images and comparative crops showing the effect of in-camera lens barrel distortion correction.

He says:

Overall I’m very pleased with the 7-14. It’s fun to use and produces sharp images with good contrast. Detail holds up well in all but the extreme corners, but even there the lens is not distractingly soft.

Stunning 7-14 photos

Excellent landscape photos by Vittorio Fracassi, who used a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 camera to snap the pictures.

He further notes the following about the lens:

Very light and user friendly, very good resolution; the low edge res. and high CA in practice penalize only a small percentage of pics, in particular no problems with landscapes with an all-front subject.

Image editing was done using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

Olympus Pen E-P1 Preview Samples Gallery on DPReview, June 2009

The first E-P1 preview gallery features 3 photographs shot with the Panasonic 7-14mm f/4.0 Micro Four Thirds Lens mounted on an Olympus PEN E-P1.

Below are direct links to the reduced size (with image details) and original images.

Image 7 (on the London Tower Bridge – original)
Image 25 (detail at full wide-angle zoom – original)
Image 26 (original)

Official Sample Image at Panasonic Global

The full-sized photo was photographed with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 camera.

No related posts.

Panasonic FP8 Price Watch and Availability

David Chin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:58:40 +0000

The price of most digital cameras tend to trend downwards over time, and the same price drop should occur in the case of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 ultra-compact digital camera, which comes with a 4.6x, 28-128mm (in 35mm equivalent terms) zoom lens with folding optics.

The FP8 was announced on Monday, 27 July 2009, and offers the industry's fastest autofocus and start-up time of 0.95 seconds. Image stabilization and 720p HD video recording at 30 fps are standard features.

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest and best prices on the Panasonic FP8 and related accessories.

The Panasonic DMC-FP8 comes in three colors, black, silver and red, and the price may vary between them.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4.6x POWER Opical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Black): $179.00.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4.6x POWER Opical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Silver): $199.99.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4.6x POWER Opical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Red): $217.94.

Typical accessories for the FP8

Panasonic DMW-BCF10 Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery Pack. Get a second, backup battery for your Lumix FP8. This way, you can be sure your camera continues to have a power source during extended shooting sessions.

For storage, the FP8 uses SD or SDHC cards.

Refer to Rob Galbraith's SD / SDHC card write speed tests (done on a Nikon D90) to get an idea on the relative write and read speeds of different brands of cards. At the time of writing, the SanDisk Extreme III SDHC cards occupy the top two spots.

To ensure smooth recording of video and high resolution images, go for Class 6 or faster cards.

Good luck shopping for your Panasonic FP8!

Nikon D3S Reviews

David Chin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:01:01 +0000

Last update (Dec 16, 2009): Lloyd Chambers expresses great enthusiasm for the D3S.

This post is a compilation of Nikon D3S digital SLR camera professional and user reviews, owner opinions and experiences, tests, conclusions, ratings and feedback.

Full attribution is given by linking to the source and where available, the author's homepage or photo gallery.

Lloyd Chambers expresses great enthusiasm for the D3S – Lloyd has the following comments at his blog post Nikon D3s ISO 3200 examples posted:

I reiterate my enthusiastic recommendation to get the D3s — in my view it’s by far the world’s best low light camera, combining noise and color rendition to stunning effect. In fact, I like it so much that I might just have to buy the loaner camera I’m testing (even though I have a D3x). See yesterday’s comments below, as well.

[...]

This is ISO 3200! It’s not just noise, there is something exceptional about the Nikon D3s images, highly unusual and stunning in its luminosity and depth. This example and all the others in the review have noise reduction OFF.

Thom Hogan speculates on the possible origin and manufacture of the D3S FX sensor

DPReview forum post #1:

The two top theories are Renesas or leasing the new Sony fab that's underutilized. The markings on the sensor itself seem consistent with some other Renesas chips I've seen. But it doesn't matter. As far as anyone should be concerned, the D3, D700, and D3S sensor are "Nikon designed and manufactured." Nikon did the design, there's no disputing that. Even if they use a fab elsewhere, from what I hear Nikon is in charge of the process pretty much from start to stop. The toppings (Bayer, microlenses) is clearly a Nikon manufacturing process, too.

DPReview forum post #2:

Actually, the sensor change is one of the most significant aspects of the D3s upgrade. We haven't seen Nikon do significant sensor design changes this fast before. They've obviously put more resources into the sensor side.

Canon SX120 IS Price Watch and Availability

David Chin — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:24:25 +0000

The price of most digital cameras tend to trend downwards over time, and the same price drop should occur in the case of the Canon Powershot SX120 IS compact super-zoom digital camera, which comes with a 36-300mm (in 35mm equivalent terms) zoom lens.

The SX120IS was announced on August 19th, 2009, and is the successor of the Powershot SX110 IS.

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest and best prices on the Canon SX120 IS and related accessories.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Canon PowerShot SX120IS 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Images Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD: $199.00.

Typical accessories for the SX120 include:

AA batteries – IMEDION or Sanyo Eneloop NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries are your best bet, as they retain the charge for a very long period of time. Purchase additional batteries so that your SX120IS continues to have a backup power source during extended shooting sessions.

Alternatively, you could consider purchasing lithium AA batteries. These last a long time, but are not rechargeable.

A set of 2 alkaline batteries (non-rechargeable) are already provided in the box.

For storage, the SX120IS uses SD or SDHC cards.

To ensure smooth recording of video and high resolution images, go for Class 6 or faster cards.

Good luck shopping for your Canon SX120 IS!

No related posts.

Canon S90 Reviews

David Chin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:41:30 +0000

Last update (Dec 11, 2009): David Pogue's take on the Canon S90.

This post is a compilation of Canon PowerShot S90 professional and user reviews, owner opinions and experiences, tests, conclusions, ratings and feedback.

Full attribution is given by linking to the source and where available, the author's homepage or photo gallery.

David Pogue's take on the Canon S90 – David reviewed both the S90 and Panasonic GF1 in his article Big Sensors, Shrinking Cameras, and concludes:

This camera (the S90) takes better photos than any other pocket camera on the market.

[...]

These cameras proudly establish brand-new spots on the spectrum between little shirt-pocket cameras and great big S.L.R. cameras. None of them may offer Desirable Features 1 through 20, inclusive — no camera ever will. But if you’re willing to pay nearly double for better photos and less bulk, they come closer than any cameras have before.

An interesting poll on DPReview – An overwhelming majority of S90 owners say that they would buy the S90 again.

Full-resolution Canon S90 test images at DC Watch (Google's English translation)

There's a ton of full-sized images that come straight from the S90 in this article. The photos range from architecture to scenics to landscapes / cityscapes and macros / close-ups. There are even night photos taken at various ISO values (ISO80, ISO100, ISO200, ISO400, ISO800, ISO 1600, ISO 3200). High-ISO comparison shots of the same scene taken with the Panasonic LX3 are also provided.

ProtoPhoto has the perfect summary on the huge appeal that S90 presents to the photographic community:

If however, you are like me in that you are DSLR owner who doesn't want to carry a bag at all, but wants a true shirt pocket alternative… then such a small camera that has RAW, IS, extensive manual controls, and a fast lens with a large (for a compact) sensor that is specifically designed for low light conditions… are there any alternatives? I don't think so, not really.

This is why I am so interested in the S90 specifically, rather than some of the other enthusiast grade "compacts".

If you're still on the fence deciding whether to purchase the Canon G11 Canon S90, read the two-part forum post extravaganza by ebrandon (Part 1, Part 2), which details the differences and similarities between the Canon G11 vs Canon S90.

Ken Rockwell points out an outstanding usability feature on the S90:

First compact camera with two click-stopped direct control rings, which is better than DSLRs! Few compacts have even one control ring, and DSLRs have maybe one.

This means you can make your settings directly and instantly, without the stupid press-and-spin nonsense of DSLRs. The S90 lets you set your camera instantly, just like cameras of the old days. You can program the rings as you want. I program the ring around the lens as exposure compensation, and the one on the back as ISO. In manual mode, you can set one for aperture and another for shutter speed — just like a real camera!

You can flick the big front control ring with one fingertip. This is worlds better than the dorky top-mounted thing on the G10 and G11.

HardwareZone previews the Canon PowerShot S90

Alvin Soon focuses on the handling aspects of the camera in this review, and has this to say about the control ring:

In real life, we found that using the control ring takes some getting used to. Unlike a DSLR which has some size and weight to keep it steady when adjusting the lens' zoom or focus, the S90's small size and light weight means that when you adjust the control ring, the camera tends to jiggle about.

Is the control ring useful practically? Yes, it's a marvelous tool to get into and change settings like aperture immediately when you're in aperture mode. You can also set the control ring to control other settings (one at a time though), like ISO, zoom and exposure, so you'll always have a single, quick way to adjust those parameters on the fly.

At the same time, because the camera tends to move about while using the control ring, we found ourselves focusing, adjusting, and re-focusing again. So while the controls offer you as much power as a DSLR over settings like aperture and shutter speed, it doesn't offer you the power as conveniently as a DSLR.

How easy would it be to put the S90 in your pocket compared to the Panasonic LX3? Tom Hoots says:

The LX3 is fully two inches thick at the lens cap. I've always carried it in my front left jeans pocket, but it's just about the biggest thing you can barely fit in there.

The S90 is less than one-and-one-quarter of an inch thick — dropping three-quarters of an inch off of a camera's thickness is HUGE when it comes to "pocketability." Plus, the S90 is substantially smaller in its other dimensions. Plus, it is smooth, with rounded corners, and everything is "flush" — whereas the LX3 is a veritable porcupine with things poking out everywhere. The S90 is first and foremost a "pocket" camera — definitely, it's a big part of what appeals to me about it so much.

The S90 is only a few millimeters larger than the SD880IS — seven millimeters thicker, maybe ten millimeters wider, and one millimeter taller. And people have been pocketing cameras in this size range for years — the S90 should be as pocketable as any SD-series camera.

"Zoom Resume" on the S90 – Tom Hoots explains this feature:

If you're into Zoom Resume (camera starts up with lens at the focal length you last left it), you can assign the Zoom function to the control ring, and so long as you use that to adjust your zoom, the camera will indeed turn on and move the lens to the last zoom setting you chose.

This makes it very convenient to take multiple photos of the same scene (say, a still life or product photo) with the zoom at the last position you had it at before the camera goes into automatic power-off.

The same "resume" feature, unfortunately, isn't available for manual focus.

Night photos with the G11 and S90

Ebrandon has shared two sets of images of night scenes taken with the Powershot G11 in two forum posts. The two posts also compares the G11 to the S90 with regards to low-light shooting.

In the first post, Ebrandon mentioned the following noteworthy points:

… the S90 and G11 are both exceptionally good P&S cameras for night, indoor, low light, or artificial light shooting.
First, the AF (autofocus) is very fast and very accurate in low light. You just forget about this as an issue and shoot away.
Second, the IS (image stabilization) works exceptionally well on both cameras.
Third, the auto white balance (AWB) on these camera is nothing short of miraculous. I have shot Canon 20D & 5D & Rebels, Nikon D3, Olympus E-3 & E-520 & E30 & E-P1, Panasonic LX3 & ZS3 & G1 and have never seen auto white balance performance like this.
Next the evaluative metering was exceptionally good too. In this picture I pointed the camera right at the bright lights and did a half-shutter press. 99% of cameras would have underexposed the scene, giving you two lights against a black background. These Canons were smart enough to know that that's not the picture I was trying to take. Time after the time, the evaluative metering got it right like this.

Ebrandon concludes:

As for usage, both cameras were easy to use in the dark. A lot easier than some DSLRs actually where you have to hunt for a little button that briefly lights up the window that shows your settings.

The S90 was easy to use because the two main controls — the ring around the lens and the back wheel — are easy to find in the dark, and the settings appear on the back screen very clearly as you change them.

The G11 was particularly clever. It has little amber "courtesy lights" always on beside the exposure compensation wheel and the ISO wheel which allow you to read your settings in the dark. Beautiful.

Both LCDs at minimum brightness were at comfortable level.

I want to emphasize that the S90 is a really good low-light point and shoot, maybe the second-best in the world. It's just that the G11 is a tiny bit better.

In the second post, ebrandon posts some G11 vs S90 comparison pictures, and notes that the G11 has a slightly better color accuracy compared with the S90. He also shares a link to his Smugmug comparison gallery where full-resolution images from both cameras are properly labelled and can be downloaded.

Jim Boutilier's first impressions of the S90:

On the plus side, its startup speed is incredibly fast for a compact. I'm moderately impressed with noise and clarity through 800 ISO. Tried a couple shots at higher and while they are quite usable I'm not sure I'd want to print them very large. Still ISO 800 in a very compact package is impressive and higher ISO values are actually usable (which it wasn't on my G10). And I've been shooting jpg with no tuning yet.

Canon SD980 IS / IXUS 200 IS Price Watch and Availability

David Chin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:38:26 +0000

The price of most digital cameras tend to trend downwards over time, and the same price drop should occur in the case of the Canon Powershot SD980 IS, Canon's first touch-screen compact digital camera ever at the time of its announcement on August 19, 2009.

The SD980 IS is known as the Canon Digital IXUS 200 IS in Europe, and has a 5x zoom lens that starts really, really wide at 24mm and goes all the way out to 120mm (in 35mm equivalent terms).

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest and best prices on the Canon SD980 IS and related accessories.

The Canon SD980IS comes in four colors, silver, purple, blue and gold, and the price may vary between them.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Canon PowerShot SD980IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Ultra Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD (Silver): $299.00.

Canon PowerShot SD980IS 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Ultra Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD (Purple): $299.00.

Canon PowerShot SD980IS 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Ultra Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD (Blue): $299.00.

Canon PowerShot SD980IS 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Ultra Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD (Gold): $299.00.

Typical accessories for the SD980

Rechargeable Canon NB-6L Li-Ion Battery Pack: Get a second lithium-ion battery for your SD980 IS as a backup. A second, fully-charged battery is the best way to ensure that your SD980IS continues to have a power source when the one inside the camera runs out of juice.

For storage, the SD980IS uses SD or SDHC cards.

Refer to Rob Galbraith's SD / SDHC card write speed tests (done on a Nikon D90) to get an idea on the relative write and read speeds of different brands of cards. At the time of writing (Oct 29, 2009), the SanDisk Extreme III SDHC cards occupy the top two spots.

To ensure smooth recording of video and high resolution images, go for Class 6 or faster cards.

Mini-HDMI connector – This enables you to directly connect the SD980 to your HDTV or high-definition monitor and view HD movies with no degradation in image or audio quality.

Good luck shopping for your Canon SD980 IS!

No related posts.

Canon SD940 IS / IXUS 120 IS Price Watch and Availability

David Chin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:09:24 +0000

The price of most digital cameras tend to trend downwards over time, and the same price drop should occur in the case of the Canon Powershot SD940 IS, Canon's slimmest wide-angle compact digital camera ever at the time of its announcement on August 19, 2009.

The SD940 IS is known as Canon Digital IXUS 120 IS in Europe.

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest and best prices on the Canon SD940 IS and related accessories.

The Canon SD940IS comes in four colors, black, silver, blue and brown, and the price may vary between them.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Canon PowerShot SD940IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Black): $249.00.

Canon PowerShot SD940IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Silver): $249.00.

Canon PowerShot SD940IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Blue): $249.00.

Canon PowerShot SD940IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Brown): $249.00.

Typical accessories for the SD940

Canon NB-4L Battery Pack – Purchase additional batteries so that your SD940 continues to have a backup power source during extended shooting sessions.

For storage, the SD940IS uses SD or SDHC cards.

To ensure smooth recording of video and high resolution images, go for Class 6 or faster cards.

Canon WP-DC33 Underwater Housing – This waterproof case is rated for depths of up to 130 feet (40 meters) in the water. This is a required accessory if you intend to take your Canon SD940 diving or snorkeling for underwater photography, or to other destinations and places with inclement conditions.

Mini-HDMI connector – This enables you to directly connect the SD940 to your HDTV or high-definition monitor and view HD movies with no degradation in image or audio quality.

Good luck shopping for your Canon SD940 IS!

No related posts.

Panasonic ZS3 / TZ7 IS footage, movie and video clip samples

David Chin — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:14:46 +0000

This page is a compilation of annotated links to sample movies and video clips taken with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 / DMC-TZ7 digital compact superzoom camera.

Full attribution is given by linking to the source and where available, the author's homepage or photo gallery.

Panasonic ZS3 Video Test by T4ShowVideos

View the footage in HD on YouTube.

At approx. 1:45, Michael Manna remarks that he prefers the ZS3 / TZ7 over the Canon SX200 IS due to better functions and controls on the Panasonic for recording video.

The benefit of being able to zoom the lens while in video mode

The sample video clip below is an excellent demonstration of the usefulness of the zoom functionality on the ZS3 / TZ7 in movie capture mode, something most digicams cannot do, certainly not on competing cameras such as the Canon PowerShot SX200IS or Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR.

Note that the photographer starts at a focal length of 300mm (in 35mm equivalent terms), and slowly zooms out to 25mm.

PANASONIC ZS3/ TZ7 12X -ZOOM TEST VIDEO by kyo4890×115

View the footage in HD on YouTube.

Nikon 70-200mm VR II Nikkor Reviews and User Opinions

David Chin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:57:10 +0000

Last update (Dec 11, 2009): Thom Hogan's opinion on the shortening of focal length at close-focusing distances.

The Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S NIKKOR is an update to the older 70-200mm Nikkor professional lens, and was announced on July 30th, 2009.

This post summarizes and links to professional reviews, user opinions and feedback, tests, ratings, conclusions, recommendations and verdicts on this lens.

The weight of the 70-200 VR II is approximately 1,540 g / 3.4 lb, while dimensions (diameter x length) are 87 x 205.5 mm / 3.4 x 8.1 in.

Refer to Nikon Imaging or Nikon USA for the official specifications, lens construction diagrams, full description, MTF charts, technical details and other data.

The Nikkor 70-200 VR II zoom is an FX lens that can be used on both full-frame / FX (for example, the Nikon D3X and D700) and APS-C (1.5x crop) SLR cameras (for instance, the Nikon D300S and D90) from Nikon. In the case of the DX cameras, the lens covers a zoom range of 105mm-300mm in 35mm terms (multiply the specified focal length range with 1.5).

The AF-S mechanism on the 70-200mm VRII allows for full-time manual override of the focus. This makes it easier to manually focus the lens by just grabbing the focusing ring and turning it (for instance, during video capture on the D300S / D90 / D5000) without having to first slide the focus switch on the lens from M / A (Manual /Automatic) to M (Manual).

Note that maximum magnification of this new VR II lens is less than that of the older unit. According to photonut2008:

It would have been nice if Nikon didn't change the way they label maximum magnification of the lens at their USA website. I just checked and the old lens is labeled 1/6.1 (which is a number I readily understand as it relates to how micro lenses are labeled), while the new lens is labeled 0.12 (I had to do the math to figure out that that meant 1/8.33, or about 25% less than the old lens).

In that same post, photonut2008 notes that the new lens might make for a better portrait lens than the older, due to the shorter minimum focusing distance at 70mm:

Nonetheless, this new lens looks like it will be my next Nikkor. I'll probably buy one in 2012 since I will be spending all my photographic gear budget on Sony lenses until at least then. One thing I have found aggravating about the old 70-200 when I use it on my D300 as a portrait lens is that the MFD was too far to get useful framing at 70mm and by the time I was far enough back I was zooming past 105mm for relatively tight headshots.

One Nikon 70-200mm VR II Review So Far

Cliff Mautner is totally amazed by the new lens

Some noteworthy points from reading the review:

Cliff did a comparison of the effectiveness of the VR (vibration reduction) mechanism on the new lens versus the old. An image shot at 1/13th of a second at 200mm with the new 70-200mm appeared much, much sharper with no hint of hand-shake compared to the same photo shot with the same settings using the older 70-200mm lens. Nikon's claims that VR II "… enables handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper images" seems to hold true.
Chris also shared photos showing no vignetting with this lens.
A 100% crop of a beaming wedding bride's face shows off the sharpness of the lens.

Cliff mounted the 70-200 VRII lens on a Nikon D3 for the night photos and wedding shots.

Cliff has also written two posts on DPReview expanding on his thoughts about the new lens:

Post #1:

During this particular shoot, I could not get sharp images from the older version at the same shutter speeds, plain and simple. I found 1/13th-1/15th to be somewhat of a sweet spot with the new lens while at 200mm. That's 1/13th-1/15th. Not too shabby. I'm sure there are heroes out there who can handhold a 600mm at 1/8th, but I'm not one of them. Who knows. If it wasn't breezy outside perhaps I could have shot slower. Nobody seemed to mention the image posted at 1/4 second, although it was shot at only 70mm – still pretty damn good.

My point is this. The VR capability is improved. There is little no vignetting from the little I've seen so far on my 30" ACD . I have not had the opportunity to test the edge to edge sharpness quite yet but will do so soon. I'll post those results asap. I'll stake my reputation on the fact that from what I've seen so far, this lens is absolutely sharper.
Post #2:

Version one of this lens has been absolutely indispensable to me. I could typically try to shoot this lens @ 200mm in churches and whatnot at around 1/30th and still get sharp images fairly consistently in available light. I could get down to 1/20th, but not consistently. The results will vary from shooter to shooter. My hands might not be that steady, but they're pretty good. It's also important to keep in mind the obvious … that the subject needs to be stationary. As I stated, I LOVED the Version I. But I will absolutely buy this new lens. Yes, I said buy.

User Opinions

Thom Hogan's opinion on the shortening of focal length (approx. 130mm) at close-focusing distances – Thom writes:

But 70-130mm would be just as misleading. Because for most uses, it's not going to be that constrained.

The real issue that everyone is fighting is that some (actually many) lenses change a key property with focus distance (they also change properties with aperture, but we'll leave that aside for the moment). They didn't notice this difference until it got to a certain level, then it suddenly bothered them. Moreover, it bothered many of these people before they'd actually picked one up and used it to see what the actual difference is like in real life.

As I've written, there will certainly be people who are constrained by the new lens or don't like the perspective change for their closer in work. But does this make it a bad lens or Nikon's labeling deceptive? No.

A quick Nikon 70-200mm VR II vs VR I opinion from Marianne Oelund, who shoots indoor sporting events (mostly figure skating):

Because I almost always use the 70-200 wide open, I'm finding the new model to be a real improvement. The better colors and transmission efficiency are also important plusses, and with the D3S, AF improvements are significant, as well. Regarding focal lengths, my usage is biased toward the long end, but I definitely make use of the full zoom range. Focal length shortening at closer distances is not a problem for my work, in fact, it's a little helpful.

Here's a set of figures by Marianne which compare the relationship between subject distance and effective focal length at 70mm for both the new and old lenses.

VR I, Distance – Focal length
1.39m (minimum focus distance) – 80mm
1.5m – 79mm
2m – 77mm
3m – 75mm
5m – 73mm

VR II, Distance – Focal length
1.26m (minimum focus distance) – 70mm
1.5m – 70mm
2m – 71mm
3m – 72mm
5m – 72mm

No related posts.

Panasonic GF1 Reviews

David Chin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:09:28 +0000

Last update (Dec 11, 2009): David Pogue's take on the Panasonic GF1.

This post is a compilation of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera professional and user reviews, owner opinions, reports and experiences, tests, conclusions, ratings and feedback.

Hopefully, you'll be able to conclude whether the GF1's image quality, and the camera itself as a whole, meets your standards.

Full attribution is given by linking to the source and where available, the author's homepage or photo gallery.

David Pogue's take on the Panasonic GF1 – David reviewed both the GF1 and Canon S90 in his article Big Sensors, Shrinking Cameras, and concludes:

And the GF1 is a hi-def video superstar. It can change zoom and focus while you’re shooting video — something S.L.R.’s can’t do — although the refocus takes a second or so. Videos aren’t length-limited, either; you could record the entire school musical on, say, a 16-gigabyte memory card. And there’s a dedicated record button, so you never have to change modes to flip between stills and videos.

[...]

These cameras proudly establish brand-new spots on the spectrum between little shirt-pocket cameras and great big S.L.R. cameras. None of them may offer Desirable Features 1 through 20, inclusive — no camera ever will. But if you’re willing to pay nearly double for better photos and less bulk, they come closer than any cameras have before.

Lucky Singaporeans on the ClubSNAP forum managed to get their hands on the Panasonic GF1 on Sep 12, 2009, and one of the users posted his impressions of the GF1, and shared some re-sized (but unedited / unprocessed) test photos at ISO 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200.

In my opinion, the ISO series images at this size look pretty good until ISO1600. Even the ISO3200 picture can be usable with a little chroma / color noise reduction in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. I personally don't mind a little bit of luminance "grain", as long as tonality, colors and detail is retained as much as possible relative to the lower ISO images.

After looking at the images, my Nikon D5000 plus 18-55mm VR kit lens suddenly feels too large and heavy, and I'm tempted to buy the GF1 …

More remarks from the ClubSNAP thread:

Regarding AF / Autofocus performance of the Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Pancake Lens on the GF1:

Focusing with the 20mm is as fast as my Nikon D80 with 35mm f1.8 dx prime.

In the same forum, davidsim posted his mini-review of the GF1, which also has a quick comparison of the GF1 vs Olympus EP1.

Here's a summary:

The GF1's pop-up flash is tiny, and the mechanism feels flimsy.
AF / autofocus speed on the GF1 is noticeably faster than on the Olympus E-P1.
The Panasonic Lumix 14-45mm kit zoom lens is quieter in operation, and the front element does not rotate when focusing, unlike on the Olympus Zuiko m4/3 14-42mm lens.
The red model looks good, body color-wise.
Aesthetically, the E-P1's retro look is more attractive.
Rear LCD is bright, crisp and more useful for manual focusing.
The zoom ring on the Panasonic's kit lens rotates in the opposite direction compared to the E-P1's kit lens.
The GF1 uses the same, pricey Panasonic DMW-BLB13 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack as the Lumix GH1.

An interesting point was raised on the numerous user reports about slow-focusing on the E-P1 – it seems to be related to the 14-42mm kit lens supplied by Olympus. Davidsim reported that AF performance on the E-P1 was hugely improved when he mounted the Panasonic 14-45mm zoom lens on the camera. pphyll added that the AF speed on the Panasonic GF1 plus 20mm f/1.7 is comparable to that of the Olympus E-P1 plus 14-42mm.

Regarding the use of the optional Panasonic DMW-LVF1 EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) for manual focusing, rotisiao says:

The EVF is definitely not sharp enough for accurate manual focus – use the LCD screen instead. The GH1 / G1's EVF is better suited for manual focusing.

Visit Panasonic.net for a more detailed description of the DMW-LVF1 external Live View Finder, and Panasonic Australia for a larger, more detailed image.

For a deeper coverage of the effectiveness of the GF1's pop-up flash and the DMW-LVF1 viewfinder, head over to David Tong's Hands-on Mini-Review of the Panasonic Lumix GF1.

David also provides 100% crops from images testing noise control at ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600 and ISO 3200.

David concludes:

The insane cost of accessories for all Panasonic camera models is a major turn off, with a standard-capacity battery costing twice as much as Canon/Nikon DSLR high-capacity batteries will be tough to swallow especially if you’re buying the GF1 for travel and you need multiple batteries. The LUMIX G VARIO HD 14-140mm/F4.0-5.8 ASPH is a wonderful and unique lens offering superb optical qualities, focal range, and focus speed, but it’s a tough sell at the same price as pro-grade lenses from Canon and Nikon.

Olympus E-P1 or Panasonic GF1? Tough call, you can’t go wrong with either. As a camera, I’d pick the GF1 in a heartbeat, it has better AF, better UI, better features, and better lenses. However, that Olympus retro styling is extremely hard to ignore, and with the two cameras being so similar internally, it’ll all boil down to cost and availability of accessories, which I think Olympus has an upper hand

If you're having difficulty deciding on whether to purchase the Olympus PEN E-P1 or the GF1, read Radiant Lite Photography's Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic GF1 comparison, which has a list of pros and cons for each camera.

The article concludes:

After the long comparison above, it is difficult to conclude which camera is better. I feel that they complement each other. Each camera has its strengths and weaknesses. But here is what I found:

Olympus E-P1’s strength is its compatibility to a wide range of lenses, from micro four third lenses and four third lenses via adapter. It also has built-in image stabilization, meaning you are not restricted to only lenses with that have the image stabilization built into them.

The GF1’s advantage is it seems to be a more practical camera. You might enjoy using it more because of its very fast auto focus, 460k LCD screen and availability of built-in flash and AF assist lamp, which makes shooting in low light condition a breeze

This article at DC.Watch (Google's English translation) has more photos of the GF1. Those interested in the optional DMW-LVF1 viewfinder, the pop-up flash and side-by-side photos of the GF1 next to the Olympus E-P1 and DMC-GH1 should check the article out.

For me, there's something robotic-looking about the GF1 with the flash popped up plus EVF plus 14-140mm lens.

Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Samples

David Chin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:25:35 +0000

Last update (Dec 10, 2009): Canon 7D plus EF 400mm f/5.6L wildlife and bird photos by snow14.

This page is a collection of photo samples taken with the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Super Telephoto Lens, plus related image galleries, user pictures and other examples that I've come across in forums, online communities, blogs and related websites.

This should help in determining if the image quality of the 400/5.6L meets your expectations.

The Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM is one of the favorites among sports, bird and wildlife photographers, and is an extremely sharp lens even at f/5.6 wide open (you don't need to stop it down just to get sharp pictures).

Bear in mind that the majority of these photos are re-sized, and may have gone through post-processing, retouching or other edits. I just thought that it would be interesting to see, at a glance, what Canon 400mm f5.6 L owners and users are shooting with their lens.

Full-sized images, where available, will assist with judging the image quality.

Attribution is given by linking to the source and where available, the author's homepage or photo gallery.

Recent updates

Wildlife and bird photos – Snow14 mounted the 400/5.6L lens on the new Canon 7D to shoot a series of photos which have been shared here, and here.

Canon 50D plus 400 f5.6 bird photos from East Texas – Features Juvenile Cardinal, Female Indigo Bunting, Male Indigo Bunting, Swallow-tailed Kite, Great Egret, Assorted Waders and Canyon Towee.

Birds, in flight and otherwise, by Abby with a Canon 50D

Abby mounted the 400/5.6L on a 50D for this series of bird photos.

The finch image shows off the nice bokeh on this lens.

Birds from the San Francisco Bay Area by macshark with Canon 40D

Macshark used the Canon 40D for this series of bird photos.

The following birds were featured in the post:

See more images at Macshark's bird photo gallery.

MikeinTyler's birds from East Texas with a Canon XTi

MikeinTyler used the Canon XTi / 400D / Kiss X for this series of bird photos.

The following birds were featured in the post:

Carolina Wren.
Cedar Waxwing – this photo is my favorite from the set.
Cattle Egret.
Prothonotary Warbler.
Cardinal.
Chipping Sparrow.
Blackbird.

Landscapes with the 400/5.6L

Joel demonstrated how useful the 400/5.6 can be, especially when you need to capture far-away scenes of snowy mountain peaks.

AbBy's Amazing Birds

Species and location: San Francisco Bay Area; Black-necked Stilt Fledgling at Radio Road, Redwood City, Fledgling Avocet, Dowitcher, Sparrow, Mallard Ducklings, Yellow Legs at Shoreline Lake, Mountainview, and a boring Willet (sic).

The photographer shot these with the 400mm f/5.6L mounted on the Canon EOS 30D digital SLR camera.

This set is truly one of the best photos I've seen shot with this combination, and AbBy has more tips on approaching the juvenile birds.

View more pics from AmyAbby's gallery.

Ken's Southern California Variety

Bird species include: a Great Blue Heron, Peregrine Falcon, Dowitcher, Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, Osprey (caught a fish), Acorn Woodpecker, Goldfinch and a California Towhee.

Camera used was the Canon EOS 1D Mark II N.

This series is an excellent demonstration of the sharpness, contrast and bokeh qualities of the lens. You can view more of Ken's photos here.

Random images from user galleries on PBase.com

Don't forget to hit the refresh button on your browser to serve up another set of random pictures. You'll also find user reviews there. For instance this sharp bird photo (shot with a Canon XT / 350D) is a superb example of the kind of image quality you can get with this lens.

No related posts.

Canon 7D Samples

David Chin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:09:13 +0000

Last update (Dec 10, 2009): Wildlife, bird and nature photos by snow14.

This page is a collection of photo samples taken with the Canon EOS 7D, plus related image galleries, user pictures and other examples that I've come across in forums, online communities, blogs and related websites.

This should help in determining if the image quality of the 7D meets your expectations.

Bear in mind that the majority of these photos are re-sized, and may have gone through post-processing, retouching or other edits. I just thought that it would be interesting to see, at a glance, what Canon 7D DSLR owners and users are shooting with their camera.

Full-sized images, where available, will assist with judging the image quality.

Attribution is given by linking to the source and where available, the author's homepage or photo gallery.

Snow14 used the 7D, EF 400mm f/5.6L USM and Tokina 12-24mm f/4 Pro II lenses to shoot a series of excellent wildlife, bird and nature photos. A couple were photographed at high ISO values, eg ISO 3200. View the images here, and here.

David Tong mounted a Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 Image Stabilized USM lens on the 7D to snap a series of full-resolution, JPG test shots showing off the camera's ISO capabilities from ISO400 to ISO12800.

Visit David's post for the links to the full-resolution Large JPG / JPEG files, and camera settings used.

Lastly, the official image samples (Japanese version) on the Canon Japan website are some of the best I've seen Canon releasing in recent memory. Here's the breakdown:

	Canon 7D Portrait Sample Image 1 / 320 sec, F2.8, ISO100, Automatic White Balance, Portrait Picture Style. EF 50mm F1.2L USM lens Download the full-sized, original JPEG (3.66MB).
	Canon 7D Owl / Bird / Wildlife Sample Image 1 / 640 sec, F2.8, ISO100, Automatic White Balance, Standard Picture Style. EF 400mm F2.8L IS USM EF400mm F2.8L IS USM lens Download the full-sized, original JPEG (4.69MB).
	Canon 7D Rally Car / Action / Sports Sample Image 1 / 250 sec, F11, ISO200, Automatic White Balance, Standard Picture Style. EF-S 15-85mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM lens Download the full-sized, original JPEG (6.06MB).
	Canon 7D Praying Mantis / Nature / Macro / Close-up Sample Image 1 / 125 sec, F10, ISO100, 5000K White Balance, Standard Picture Style. EF 180mm F3.5L Macro USM lens Download the full-sized, original JPEG (4.61MB).
	Canon 7D Cityscape / Scenic / Landscape Sample Image 1 / 640 sec, F7.1, ISO100, Automatic White Balance, Landscape Picture Style. TS-E 24mm F3.5L II lens Download the full-sized, original JPEG (11.7MB).

Nikon D300S vs Nikon D300

David Chin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:33:49 +0000

Which camera would you choose, and why – the newer Nikon D300S, or the older Nikon D300?

What are the pros and cons of each?

In this post, I attempt to compare and summarize the benefits of, and the differences between these two digital SLR cameras from Nikon and hopefully, this will help those who are researching whether to get the D300S or the D300.

In terms of resolution, both cameras have the same 12.3 MP (Megapixels), so you'll have to make the final decision on which camera to buy based on the other comparison factors.

For a quick side-by-side comparison of both cameras, see this page on DPReview.

DC.Watch has a couple of side-by-side photos of both cameras. The images are self-explanatory, but you might prefer to read Google's English translation of the page.

The comparison photos (the D300S is the camera on the left in all images) are:

Front view – no significant changes.
Rear view – notice that the back button on the D300S has a better design, with an OK button in the center.
Left side ports – the D300S has the newer, mini-HDMI terminal.
Right side memory card slots – the D300S can accommodate two cards: one CompactFlash (CF), and one SD / SDHC.

Further down the article, there are low-light, night pictures taken with both cameras at all ISO values. The low- and high-ISO photos show that that there is no discernible image quality differences between the D300S and D300. The Nikon 16-85mm VR lens was mounted on the cameras for these images.

Nikon D300S Advantages

Two memory card slots – On the D300S, the additional SD / SDHC card slot means that you get to configure an additional storage source for backup purposes (simultaneous data writes) or for increased capacity. You could also choose to configure separate cards for RAW and JPEG files, or split still images and video / footage / movie files. The top LCD has indicators to show the status of each card (see this DC.Watch image).

Faster continuous burst speed – The D300S achieves 7 fps (frames per second) without the MB-D10 battery grip (and appropriate batteries) attached. The D300 manages 6 fps.

Better multi-controller button – This rear button now has a discrete OK button in the center (refer to this DC.Watch image), which makes it better for conforming settings. This central button is also used to start movie recording in Live View mode.

Quiet Mode – This new drive mode on the D300S (first introduced on the Nikon D5000, see this DC.Watch image) allows you to control the mirror return phase, which occurs when you release the shutter button.

Movie mode – The D300S can record HD (high-definition) video clips at 720p (1280 x 720 pixels), and audio with the built-in microphone on the front. A socket is also provided on the camera for connecting an external mic.

Wider illumination coverage from the built-in flash – The pop-up flash on the D300S goes as wide as 16mm, while the one on the D300 goes only up to 18mm.

"Auto" setting for Active D-Lighting – The camera can automatically decide on the appropriate strength based on the scene being photographed. On the D300, you had to manually choose from High, Normal or Low. The D300S has an additional Extra High option.

Faster AF – ArmatureMike, a Nikon D300 owner, tests the D300S and reports that the D300S has much faster initial focus acquisition and tracking, even with consumer lenses such as the Nikon 18-200mm VR.

Nikon D300 Advantages

Slightly better grip – In Nikon D300S hands-on report at DPReview, the following comment was made about the D300S:

… the reduced acreage of the grip on the back makes it feel just slightly less secure than the D300.

You can see what the reviewers meant about the differences in the grip area on the back of the cameras in this image (the D300S is on the right).

Price / Cost – From where I stand, this is the D300's only significant advantage. Because it's an older camera, the price of a new D300 body is about $400 cheaper than the D300S, at the time of writing.

There are also a lot more opportunities to purchase a used or refurbished unit that is in good condition.

Conclusion

Based on the specs and features alone, the D300S is the better camera.

However, if you don't require all the bells and whistles of the new D300S, the lower-priced D300 still represents a solid investment.

In a forum post, Thom Hogan shares some opinions on the differences between both cameras:

Okay, let's break this into a couple of pieces:

Image quality: nearly identical

Movies: not likely that you want to spend money on that, but if it is you wouldn't be asking the question, I think.

Other: lots of small and often meaningful changes. Quiet shutter is actually quiet. Moving the LV off the dial to a dedicated button is useful. Accessing menus directly from the Shooting Information display is useful. Slightly better AF tracking is useful. Auto ISO has been refined slightly, and in useful ways I think for external flash users. The extra card slot is useful for those that shoot a lot (event shooters, for instance).

The question really is this: are all those small other things worth the difference in price? That, I can't answer for you, because I don't know how you value each of them. For me, there's enough difference that I'd prefer to pick up my D300s instead of my D300. But I'm not really bothered if I pick up the D300 accidentally instead of the D300s. Is that worth US$100? US$200? US$10? I don't really think about it that way, so can't answer it that way. But there are differences. Find them and evaluate them.

Pentax K-x Price Watch and Availability

David Chin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:55:12 +0000

The price of most digital cameras tend to trend downwards over time, and the same price drop should occur in the case of the Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD, built-in sensor-based shake reduction (SR) and 720p (1280×720) HD movie capture at 24 fps (frames per second).

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest and best prices on the Pentax K-x DSLR and related accessories.

The Kx is available in four colors, Black, White, Red and Navy. The Black model can be purchased as a body only configuration, or as a kit (outfit) with three different lens options, the Pentax 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL lens, Pentax 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED lenses, or Pentax 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED lenses. The White, Red and Navy cameras come bundled with the Pentax 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL kit lens.

Remember to check the price for the kit and compare that to the individual prices for the body only and lens. Most of the time, buying the kit saves you money, but it's sometimes cheaper to buy the body and lens separately.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Pentax K-x 12.4 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body with Shake Reduction, HD Movie Capture (Black): $579.95.

Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Lens (Black): $599.00.

Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED Lenses (Black): $645.64.

Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED Lenses (Black): $729.00.

Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Lens (White): $602.99.

Pentax K-x 12.4MP Digital SLR with 2.7 inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Lens (Red): $610.96.

Pentax K-x 12.4MP Digital SLR with 2.7 inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Lens (Navy): $599.00.

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL lens: $69.00.

Pentax DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED lens: $182.83.

The Pentax smc P-DA 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED lens can be found online at Amazon (Adorama is the merchant of this package which includes a Tiffen 58mm UV filter, lens cap leash, and a professional lens cleaning kit for $363.24), Adorama ($429.95) and B&H Photo Video ($349.95).

Typical accessories for the K-x

4 pieces of Lithium AA batteries are already included in the box, but you might want to buy additional AA batteries so that your K-x continues to have a backup power source during extended shooting sessions. IMEDION or Sanyo Eneloop NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries are your best bet, as they retain the charge for a very long period of time. Lithium AA batteries last a long time, but are not rechargeable.

No memory card is included in the box. For storage, the K-x uses SD or SDHC cards.

To ensure smooth recording of video clips / movies / footage, go for Class 6 or faster cards.

For remote control of the K-x, purchase a wireless infrared (IR) remote (Pentax Remote Control F), which lets you shoot BULB exposures without having to hold down the shutter button for the duration of the exposure (once item "12. Remote Control in Bulb" in Custom Setting C2 has been set to start exposure with a press and stop it with another press of the release button on the remote control unit).

Good luck shopping for your Pentax K-x!

No related posts.

Olympus E-P1 Reviews, Samples, Accessories and References

David Chin — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:43:43 +0000

Last update (Dec 08, 2009): Olympus E-P1 at MacWorld.

This post is a compilation of links to the following resources on the Olympus Pen E-P1 12.3MP Micro Four Thirds Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable-Lens Digital Camera:

Professional and user reviews, owner opinions and experiences, tests, ratings, conclusions and feedback.
Sample photos and examples, image galleries and user pictures, movie / video clips and footage.
Accessories.
References and other resources.

The Olympus E-P1 was announced on 16-June-2009. You might like to read the DPReview's version of the press release.

Professional reviews, user opinions, tests, ratings, conclusions and feedback

Olympus E-P1 at MacWorld

Reviewer, Ben Long writes:

The EP-1 takes very good images, thanks largely to the exceptional lenses that Olympus has made. However, the larger sensor size definitely helps both in terms of noise, and because you can get a little more creative than you can with a point-and-shoot camera, thanks to the ability to shoot with shallower depth of field.

The E-P1’s ISO ratings are a little fast, which means that in low light your images will come out a little darker than they would from another camera. You’ll have to brighten them to get them back up to a good exposure, but still the noise levels are very low.

Olympus E-P1 Review at PhotographyBLOG

Reviewer, Mark Goldstein:

During the review, the Olympus E-P1 produced photos of excellent quality. Noise is very well-handled, being virtually absent from ISO 100-800 and not being too obvious at the relatively fast speed of ISO 1600. At the fastest settings of ISO 3200 and 6400, noise is easily detectable when viewing images at 100% magnification on screen, but the images are still perfectly usable for small prints and resizing for web use.

The E-P1 earned an overall rating score of 4.5 / 5 stars and comes in at "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED".

The gallery of full-resolution sample photos (great selection of female model portraits) has unedited JPEGs as well a RAW / .ORF files for your evaluation.

Olympus E-P1 Review: Field Test Report at Photocrati

Peter K. Burian on the PEN E-P1's image quality:

My Large/Fine JPEGs–made in New York and during festivals and family outings at ISO 100 to 400–are amazing: perfect in most technical aspects. They’re crisp, colorful and smooth, with great definition of intricate detail. Some E-P1 owners will want to set in-camera Sharpening to +1 while others will prefer to do all sharpening in image-editing software. In JPEGs made with Auto Gradation Control in harsh lighting, there’s plenty of shadow detail; some highlight areas are excessively bright (clipped), however. Even ISO 800 photos look very nice as 11×15? prints. Digital noise speckles are more obvious at ISO 1600, but well-exposed images are still suitable for decent 8×10 glossies. Frankly, the E-P1 produced even better JPEG quality than the E-620, thanks to the newer processor and improved algorithms.

DigiCamReview.com – Olympus PEN E-P1 Digital Camera Review

Joshua Waller, the reviewer, concludes:

The Olympus PEN E-P1 really is a ground breaking, genius product, with a gorgeous metal body that fits in your pocket, compact lenses that retract inside themselves, and image quality and features to rival some of the best Digital SLRs. It not only lives up to the hype surrounding the product, but in my opinion, exceeds expectations, and is well worth the seemingly expensive outlay. Highly Recommended!

Olympus Pen E-P1 digital camera review at Pocket Lint

Overall rating score: 9 / 10, and Doug Harman concludes:

True this camera will be neither fish nor fowl to some, who may not be able to see the point. However, others that may hanker for that “days of yore” feeling, evoked by the styling, design and handling will not be disappointed. As for me? Well, I was won over by the image quality and that at the end of the day is probably the single most important factor and so makes this a camera one I cannot help but recommend.

Interesting ( and humorous) take on the E-P1

In the blog post, Kenny Sia shares a couple of full-sized image samples, including a portrait shot of a newly-wed couple in low-light and without flash (here's a HD video clip shot at the wedding dinner ceremony).

E-P1 review by Lori Grunin, CNET

Lori:

Olympus is targeting 3 types of shooters with the E-P1: dSLR owners looking for a compact complement, enthusiast photographers who like that rangefinder feel of compact models like the G10 but who want interchangeable lenses, and snapshooters looking to step up from a point-and-shoot model but who are leery of the bulk of a dSLR. I can't really recommend the E-P1 to folks upgrading from a point-and-shoot, since the biggest motivation there, in addition to wanting better low-light photos, tends to be a desire for better performance to shoot kids, pets and sports. On the latter count, unfortunately, the E-P1 simply doesn't deliver. But, I think the first two groups would be more forgiving of the E-P1's performance–either because they have tricks to compensate or because they have a faster camera somewhere for shooting action–and most appreciative of the design and photo quality.

Lori also has a table comparing the E-P1 vs. the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 and Lumix GH1, and awarded the E-P1 3.5 out of 5 stars (VERY GOOD).

First Look: Olympus E-P1 digital camera by Derrick Story, Macworld.com – Derrick on the E-P1's responsiveness:

The biggest complaint I hear about compact cameras is their long shutter lag and overall sluggish behavior. When you turn on the E-P1, it’s ready to shoot in about a second. Focusing is fast using its 11 focusing points, and shutter lag is minimal. Burst mode is 3 fps. In other words, it feels like DSLR when you press the shutter button.

E-P1: A Short Review at Thru the eye of the Zuiko – "Overall, the Contrast Detect AF performance is quite rapid. Though considered sluggish compared to Phase Detect AF, the time to focus on the CDAF is acceptable even for an avid user like me. Actually, I am amazed with its accuracy and consistent performance; I have yet to get out-of-focus shots. From my samples, I only shot at lowest EV5 situations and for further evaluation maybe should test the CDAF for much lower EVs. (Note that the type of shooting with this camera is not really designed for low light and action scenes)."

First Look Review at Pocket Lint – "It is quite a large camera, which fits with the retro design, and is a good size and weight in the hand. The quality of construction is good: it feels like a premium product. The controls all fall easily under the fingers and thumbs, with the left-hand mode dial interestingly set in the bodywork. The right-hand sees not only a regular four-way navigator/shortcut arrangement, but also a vertically-mounted scroll dial, a breeze to flick round with your thumb to change settings as you go."

Olympus E-P1 review by Shawn Barnett and Zig Weidelich at The Imaging Resource – "In short, I had a hard time putting the Olympus E-P1 down. It was only other deadlines that kept me from using the camera more, and I could see myself spending a lot more of my free time taking pictures with the Olympus E-P1. You know, the kind of time you spend with a camera when all you do is explore its many features, re-read the manual, and try to get a different shot of some subject whose essence you've tried to capture for years."

Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera Preview at PhotographyREVIEW

This article has a nice image that shows the "Olympus PEN Since 1959" engraving on the E-P1.

There's also a 7:51 preview video of the camera. You might prefer to view it in HD on YouTube.

At 2:54, there's a clear demonstration of how unlocking the M.Zuiko 14-42 lens allows the barrel to pop out to its normal length.

At 4:00, you can clearly see how much smaller the circumference of the Olympus M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Micro Four Thirds Lens is compared to the Four Thirds 14-42mm kit lens on the Olympus E-620.

Beginning at 5:23, he demonstrates the cool auto-magnification feature on the E-P1 which zooms in on the subject as you turn the focusing ring on the lens. This should make manual focus using the LCD easy enough.

The conclusion?

The new Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds should appeal to all kinds of photographers. Pros and enthusiasts who want a compact camera with excellent image quality, consumers who want to upgrade from a standard point-and-shoot, and rangefinder purists will all find something to like about the E-P1. Personally, I'm excited about an even more packable, high-performance, changeable-lens Olympus camera that can deliver DSLR image quality. The sexy metal body and movie mode don’t hurt, either.

14-page Olympus Pen E-P1 Preview on DPReview, June 2009

This preview will become the final review in due course.

Why does the Olympus E-P1 have so much appeal? Simon Joinson, the author, sums it up perfectly:

There's no doubting this is a handsome little beast, and the choice of materials, sleek, simple lines and lack of unnecessary ornamentation give it the same 'real camera' appeal that makes otherwise rational photographers lust after the similarly timeless Leica M8. The E-P1 is one of the most attractive digital cameras we've ever seen, and we can imagine there will be a lot of people looking to justify buying one even if they have little or no real need for one. The 'pride of ownership' factor is going to be very strong with this one.

On Page 5, you get a side-by-side comparison table and an image, both of which show the E-P1 to be not much larger than the Sigma SP2, but much smaller than the smallest digital SLR at the time of writing, the Olympus Evolt E-450.

First Take of the E-P1 at CNET Asia

Leonard Goh, the author, says:

Dimensions-wise, at 35mm the Olympus snapper is 1cm slimmer than the GH1 and only slightly thicker than the Lumix DMC-LX3 and Canon PowerShot G10.

Hands on with the E-P1 at DigitalCameraReview

The article says:

It's certainly an impressive camera in hand, and as our video preview shows, it impressed us with its straightforward operation and retro-chic appeal during our time with an early sample.

They've also included a 4:18 video preview of the E-P1.

First Look at Digital Camera Resource Page

Jeff Keller, the reviewer has side-by-side photos (here and here) comparing the E-P1 vs the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1. I was slightly shocked to note how much smaller the E-P1 is, due in no small part to Olympus' decision to not include a pop-up flash for the E-P1.

He's also provided a table comparing weights and dimensions of the E-P1 vs the Canon T1i / 500D, Nikon D5000, Canon G10, Olympus E-450, Panasonic GH1, Pentax K-7 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380.

There's also an animated GIF showing the effects of different Art Filters.

Jeff also offers the clearest explanation on the E-P1's gradation setting:

The gradation feature takes advantage of Olympus' Shadow Adjustment Technology. The normal option is your standard automatic contrast feature. Auto gradation breaks the image down into smaller segments, and adjusts the contrast for each of those areas. This should result in more shadow detail. You can also use the high and low key options for subjects that are mostly highlighted and shadowed, respectively.

Sample photos and examples, image galleries and user pictures, movie / video clips and footage

Recent Additions

Matt posts some pretty good-looking sample Olympus E-P1 portraits with Art Filters applied.

The web-sized images are straight from the camera and makes use of in-camera adjustments.

Full-resolution comparison sample images: 5D Mark II vs Olympus E-P1

zerglan posted a couple of full-sized photos from the Canon 5D Mark II and Olympus E-P1 cameras. See the first post here, and the second, here.

For the 5D2, zerglan mounted the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, while on the PEN E-P1, the kit 14-42mm lens was used.

The images are JPEG files straight out of the camera, unedited.

Olympus PEN E-P1 Sample Photo Gallery at DigiCamReview

Huge variety of photos, form portraits to macros / close-ups to ISO noise performance and digital art filter tests.

Olympus E-P1 ZIP archive of sample RAW + JPEG images for download

Courtesy of Imaging Insider. See the bottom of the linked blog post for the relevant file.

Olympus E-P1 Gallery at The Imaging Resource

A nice variety of unedited, full-sized images to look at. Here's a nice ISO1600 sample taken indoors at a shop.

Four sample video clips at The Imaging Resource

Two of the clips were taken at 1280×720 @ 30 frames per second (~50MB AVI files) and the other two were at 640×480 @ 30 frames per second, with one of them shot indoors in low light (~30MB AVI files). The clips are viewable in the browser and downloadable.

E-P1 in New York

107 full-sized photos by 43photo on SmugMug.

Over 100 full-resolution images tagged E-P1 in Eleven Eight's photostream on Flickr

Most of the photos were taken during the launch event. Some of the images had Art Filters applied to them in-camera.

Full-sized Olympus PEN E-P1 Test Samples at Reality Scanner's Flickr Photoset

There are some stunning grab shots in this Flickr set. Don't forget to click the "All Sizes" icon found above each photo, then "Original", to access the full-resolution images.

Some of my favorite E-P1 images from the set are of the female model (splendid tonality, skin tones and overall color, though focus wasn't on her eyes – Test_175 and Test_178), a crowd of photographers and one model (Test_136) and a landscape-type picture (Test_122 – great sharpness and no smearing of detail).

You might like to read a forum reaction to this set of photos on DPReview.

Olympus Pen E-P1 Preview Samples Gallery on DPReview, June 2009

Two preview galleries have been posted. The images were taken with an E-P1 running Firmware Version 1.0, which is not the final firmware but is pretty close to the shipping version.

There are 49 images in the first samples gallery. Three lenses were used for the tests, Olympus M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Micro Four Thirds (one of two new kit lenses announced together with the E-P1), Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Telephoto Macro ED (a Four Thirds, not micro 4/3, lens) and Panasonic 7-14mm f/4.0 Micro Four Thirds lenses.

Note that you'll need an Olympus MMF-1 Four Thirds to Micro Four Thirds Adapter to mount a Four Thirds lens (such as the 50/2 macro mentioned previously) on the E-P1.

Below are direct links to the reduced size (with image details) and original images, categorized by the lens used.

Olympus M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Micro Four Thirds:

Image 1 (original)
Image 2 (original)
Image 3 (original)
Image 4 (ISO 400 – original)
Image 5 (original)
Image 6 (original)
Image 8 (original)
Image 9 (full-telephoto zoom detail shot – original)
Image 10 (full wide-angle zoom detail shot – original)
Image 11 (Black & White – original)
Image 12 (original)
Image 13 (original)
Image 14 (ISO 1600 – original)
Image 15 (full wide-angle zoom detail shot – original)
Image 16 (original)
Image 17 (original)
Image 21 (original)
Image 22 (original)
Image 23 (distant subject detail at full telephoto zoom – original)
Image 24 (original)
Image 27 (original)
Image 28 (original)
Image 29 (ISO 320, Black & White – original)
Image 30 (original)
Image 31 (original)
Image 32 (nice skin tones and detail in the t-shirt – original)
Image 33 (original)
Image 34 (original)
Image 35 (excellent – London Tower Bridge detail – original)
Image 36 (original)
Image 37 (London Tower Bridge detail – original)
Image 38 (London Tower Bridge detail – original)
Image 39 (Black & White – original)
Image 40 (Black & White – original)
Image 46 (ISO 6400 shot – original)
Image 47 (ISO 6400 shot – original)
Image 48 (ISO 3200 shot – original)
Image 49 (ISO 800 shot – original)

Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Telephoto Macro ED:

Image 18 (flower close-up at f/2.8 – original)
Image 19 (brick wall detail – original)
Image 20 (original)
Image 41 (studio still life shot – original)
Image 42 (studio still life shot – original)
Image 43 (close-up / macro shot – original)
Image 44 (close-up / macro shot – original)
Image 45 (ISO 100 Studio product shot of an Emmeline II "The Raptor" Headphone Amp – original)

Panasonic 7-14mm f/4.0 Micro Four Thirds:

Image 7 (on the London Tower Bridge – original)
Image 25 (detail at full wide-angle zoom – original)
Image 26 (original)

Second set of preview images

The second E-P1 preview gallery features 13 photographs shot with the Olympus M.ZUIKO 17mm f/2.8mm Pancake Lens mounted on the E-P1.

Image 1 (original)
Image 2 (original)
Image 3 (original)
Image 4 (original)
Image 5 (Architecture – original)
Image 6 (Casual outdoors head-and-shoulders portrait – original)
Image 7 (ISO 800 – original)
Image 8 (original)
Image 9 (Close-up of yellow flowers – original)
Image 10 (original)
Image 11 (Graffiti – original)
Image 12 (Brick structures – original)
Image 13 (Blue-white Volkswagen Camper Van, this is my favorite image from the series – original)

Olympus E-P1 Sample Photos at PhotographyBlog

PB used the 14-42mm lens to produce a collection of E-P1 photos, but what's more interesting is their ISO series tests which goes from ISO 100 all the way to ISO 6400.

Accessories

Photos of the E-P1 with accessories and lenses at DC.Watch – The article is written in Japanese, but have tons of pictures showing the E-P1 fitted with the leather case and strap (and how it'll hang on your shoulder), the Olympus VF-1 Optical Viewfinder, the Olympus MMF-1 Four Thirds to Micro Four Thirds Adapter, and other goodies.

I personally like the image of how thin the 17mm f/2.8 pancake lens is.

References

Recently added

Olympus E-P1: An Online Resource – by Dale Cotton. You might like to read the forum post in which Dale announced the availability of the site.

OLYMPUS PEN E-P1 TV Commercial

Official Sites

E-P1 product page at Olympus America.

Full Specifications

I like DPReview's presentation format for the E-P1's full specs.

Just before the official announcement

Is this the Olympus E-P1 micro 4/3 EVIL (Electronic viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) camera? Found the image on Nicolas Gut's Tumblr post.

I like the retro styling on this one.

Another image can be found at this 43rumors.com post – lovely camera. See a large photo of the white-beige E-P1.

Launch event in Japan

The article is in Japanese, but there are numerous photos which show how the E-P1 fits in your hand.

Nikon D3000 Price Watch and Availability

David Chin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:39:24 +0000

The price of most digital cameras trend downwards over time, and the same should occur in the case of the Nikon D3000 digital SLR camera.

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest prices and availability information on the D3000.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Nikon D3000 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens: $469.99 ($57.85 price reduction since the last update).

Click here to check out what other options, configurations and kits are available for the D3000.

Battery options and accessories for the D3000

Nikon EN-EL9a Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery for D3000 (7.2V / 1080mAh): $36.74. It's a good idea to purchase a spare battery as a backup so that the camera doesn't run out of power during extended shooting sessions. The D3000 is also compatible with the older EN-EL9 battery, which holds slightly lower amounts of charge (7.4V / 1000mAh).

Nikon ML-L3 IR (Infrared) Wireless Remote Control: $15.38

For storage, the D3000 uses SD or SDHC cards.

Good luck shopping for your D3000!

Price History Archive / Trend

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Nikon D3000 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens: $527.84.

Olympus E-620 Price Watch and Availability

David Chin — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:23:01 +0000

The price of most digital cameras tend to trend downwards over time, and the same price drop should occur in the case of the Olympus Evolt E620 digital SLR camera.

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest and best prices on the Olympus E-620 DSLR and related accessories.

The E-620 is available as a body only, or as a kit (outfit) with Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko Lenses, or with just the Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD (Body Only): $529.59 ($70.40 price drop since the last update).

Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens: $589.70 ($210.29 price decrease).

Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko lenses: $652.95 ($147.04 price reduction).

Olympus ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras: $219.23 ($58 price increase).

Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko digital lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras: $119.00 ($6.99 price drop).

Typical accessories for the E-620 include:

Olympus HLD-5 Battery grip: $147.88. This vertical grip has been specially designed for the E-620 and allows you to hold the camera comfortably in a portrait orientation, or if you have large hands. It can hold up to two additional PS-BLS1 (BLS-1) batteries.

For power, the E620 uses Olympus PS-BLS1 (BLS-1) Li-Ion batteries – be sure to purchase additional spares so that your E-620 doesn't run out of power during extended shooting sessions.

For storage, the E-620 uses MicroDrive (compatible with FAT 16 / 32) and xD-Picture cards.

To take the E-620 for diving, the Olympus PT-E06 Underwater Housing ($897.53) is a must. I must admit the housing looks very nice and functional. The housing allows you to access all of the camera's functions, and can be submerged up to 130 feet (40 meters) deep.

If you want to stick to the Olympus brand of camera bags, the Olympus Semi-Hard CS-6SH case ($50.10) is what you want for the E620.

Good luck shopping for your Olympus E-620!

Price History Archive / Trend

Monday, October 19, 2009
Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD (Body Only): $599.99

Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens: $799.99

Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko lenses: $799.99

Olympus ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras: $161.23

Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko digital lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras: $125.99

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

At the time of writing, Amazon is accepting pre-orders for the camera.

Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD (Body Only): $699.99

Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens: $799.99

Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko lenses: $899.99

Olympus ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras: $229.95

Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko digital lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras: $119.95

Nikon D3X Price Watch

David Chin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:52:58 +0000

The price of most digital cameras trend downwards over time, and the same price drop should occur in the case of the Nikon D3X 24.5MP FX digital SLR camera.

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest price on the Nikon D3X, body only.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Nikon D3X, body only: $7,489.93 ($29.05 price reduction since the last update).

You might need to add the item to your Amazon cart before you are able to see the price.

Battery options and accessories for the D3X

Nikon EN-EL4 Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery. This is an older model which offers a rated capacity of 11.1 volts / 1,900 mAh: $99.

The newer Nikon EN-EL4a Rechargeable Li-Ion battery has a higher rated capacity (by 30%) of 11.1 volts / 2,500 mAh: $101.57.

Bill has some advice on why it's best not to get third-party / knock-off batteries for Nikon's professional cameras, and the amazing number of shots he gets from a single charge.

Bob Elkind weighs in one why it's a better idea to purchase the EN-EL4A battery instead of the EN-EL4. Also, it's best to buy batteries from stores with high turnover of stock.

For storage, UDMA CF / CompactFlash memory cards generally give the fastest write speeds and performance.

Refer to Rob Galbraith's card write speed tests (done on a Nikon D3X) to get an idea of the relative write and read speeds of the various brands of cards available on the market.

At the time of writing, the four fastest CF cards are SanDisk Extreme Ducati 4GB, SanDisk Extreme IV 2GB, SanDisk Extreme Ducati 8GB and SanDisk Extreme IV 45MB/s Edition 16GB.

Newer, faster and higher-capacity UDMA CF cards are now available. Some examples are Lexar Professional Series UDMA 16 GB 300x, SanDisk 60MB/s Extreme and 90 MB/s Extreme Pro series cards.

Consider the use of RF (radio-frequency) wireless remote shutter control / triggers / release units such as the Phottix Cleon II or Plato.

Good luck shopping for your D3X!

Price History Archive / Trend

Thursday, October 15, 2009
Nikon D3X, body only: $7,518.98

Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Nikon D3X, body only: $7,318.98

Monday, March 30, 2009
Nikon D3X, body only: $7,704.79

Monday, February 2, 2009
Nikon D3X, body only: $7,999.00

Sunday, January 25, 2009
Nikon D3X, body only: $7,839.93

Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Nikon D3X, body only: $7,999.95

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
Nikon D3X, body only: $7,999.95

Nikon D3S Price Watch and Availability

David Chin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:23:54 +0000

The price of most digital cameras trend downwards over time, and the same should occur in the case of the Nikon D3S digital SLR camera.

I'm not planning for any scheduled updates, but do check back here from time to time for the latest prices and availability information on the D3S.

Click on the links to access in-stock and availability information.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only): $5,499.00 ($299.05 price increase since the last update).

Battery options and other accessories for the D3S

Nikon EN-EL4 Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery. This is an older model which offers a rated capacity of 11.1 volts / 1,900 mAh: $99.

The newer Nikon EN-EL4a Rechargeable Li-Ion battery has a higher rated capacity (by 30%) of 11.1 volts / 2,500 mAh: $101.57.

Bill has some advice on why it's best not to get third-party / knock-off batteries for Nikon's professional cameras, and the amazing number of shots he gets from a single charge.

Bob Elkind weighs in one why it's a better idea to purchase the EN-EL4A battery instead of the EN-EL4. Also, it's best to buy batteries from stores with high turnover of stock.

Nikon BL-4 Battery Chamber Cover for EN-EL4 / EN-EL4a and D3S (makes it a easy and quick to swap batteries): $25.41.

For storage, UDMA CF / CompactFlash memory cards generally give the fastest write speeds and performance.

Refer to Rob Galbraith's card write speed tests (done on a Nikon D3X) to get an idea of the relative write and read speeds of the various brands of cards available on the market.

At the time of writing, the four fastest CF cards are SanDisk Extreme Ducati 4GB, SanDisk Extreme IV 2GB, SanDisk Extreme Ducati 8GB and SanDisk Extreme IV 45MB/s Edition 16GB.

Newer, faster and higher-capacity UDMA CF cards are now available. Some examples are Lexar Professional Series UDMA 16 GB 300x, SanDisk 60MB/s Extreme and 90 MB/s Extreme Pro series cards.

Consider the use of RF (radio-frequency) wireless remote shutter control / triggers / release units such as the Phottix Cleon II or Plato.

Good luck shopping for your D3S!

Price History Archive / Trend

Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only): $5,199.95 – Pre-Order Now.

The press release for the Nikon D3S has the following statement on the availability and price:

The Nikon D3S digital SLR is scheduled to be available at Nikon Authorized dealers beginning in late November 2009 at an estimated selling price of $5,199.95**. For more information, please visit www.nikonusa.com. Users can see the new D3S, along with Nikon’s entire line of photographic, optical and digital imaging solutions, including the recently announced new AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR lens, on display at the Nikon booth (#501) at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York, from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24, 2009.

**Estimated selling price listed is only an estimate. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

Digital Photography Notes

Canon XSi / 450D vs Canon XS / 1000D

Canon XSi / 450D Advantages

Can be operated with a wireless IR remote

Bigger LCD

Greater resolution

Higher number of AF points

Better center AF point sensitivity

Better burst rate

Spot metering

14-bit vs 12-bit

HIghlight Tone Priority

Better VF

Canon XS / 1000D pros

Cheaper price

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