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Canon EOS M mirrorless camera hands-on (video)
There have been plenty of false alarms in recent months, but Canon’s first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (ILC) is finally here — in fact, we’re holding it in our hands. The EOS M is clearly reminiscent of a point-and-shoot, such as the company’s high-end PowerShot S100. Sure, Canon could have added some of the dedicated controls that its professional user base would demand, but photojournalists aren’t the target here, for a few reasons. Canon’s primary motivation, at least from an official perspective, was to create a camera that serves to bridge the gap between pocketable compacts and full-size DSLRs with a simple user interface designed to educate, not intimidate. Also key, however, was avoiding cannibalization of the company’s low-end and mid-range Digital SLR models, which clearly still have a place in the lineup one tier above this ILC.
Samsung WB100 Camera With 26x Zoom Introduced
Samsung has taken the wraps off a new addition to their camera range in the form of the Samsung WB100 which is equipped with a massive 26x optical high zoom lens.
Other features of the new Samsung WB100 include a 16-megapixel sensor with Dual Image Stabilisation (OIS + DIS), 3D photo capture, and Live Panorama Mode to name just a few.
The Samsung WB100 is also equipped with ISO 80 to 1,600 sensitivity or up to 3,200 for 3-megapixel photos and is capable of recording 720p video. Samsung explains:
“Not only does the WB100 deliver superior quality images but it is also easy to use. Its easily-navigated menu screen makes it a versatile camera, designed to capture clear and beautiful photos with ease,”-”Available in Black or Red, it is a stylish camera with a range of creative features including Smart Filter and Magic Frame, designed to enhance image quality along with the shooting experience. The soft hand grip combined with the metallic design gives it a sleek and seamless look.”
Gary Fong Unveils Gamma Diffuser for Sony (Video)
Gary Fong has announced the launch of its new Gamma Diffuser. Designed specifically for the Sony HVL-F43AM and HVL-F58AM flashes, both of which feature Sony’s Quick Shift Bounce system, the Gary Fong Gamma Diffuser softens the harsh light emitted by the flash for more pleasing results. Carrying a list price of $32.95, the Gamma Diffuser is currently available from the Gary Fong eStore for $29.95. Click through / scroll down for a video demonstration released by the manufacturer.
Website: Gary Fong eStore
Canon 70D to Replace the 60D and 7D, 7D MKII To Become Entry-Level Full Frame?
According to Canon Watch, reliable unnamed sources have let a few big time rumors loose regarding upcoming DSLR releases from the Japanese camera giant. The first rumor is that the 70D, which up until now was thought to be the replacement for the 60D, might in fact be replacing both the 60D and 7D. This would bring the x0D line back up to its former glory by adding professional features, increased performance and better construction.
What’s more, Canon Watch was also told that the 70D would become Canon’s top of the line APS-C camera, a spot currently held by the ultra-tough 7D. This then frees up the 7D Mark II for rumor number two: Canon Watch’s source has said that the next 7D will become the entry-level full-frame we’ve all been speculating about for some time now.
It is true that a change in sensor type within the 7D line would be, at the very least, uncharacteristic. But if the 70D is upgraded as these rumors suggest, it’s very possible the next 7D will make the jump into the world of full-frame sensors. For now we’ll keep an eye out for more info until these rumors are either confirmed or shot down at Photokina in September.
(via Canon Watch)
Canon 650D: nuova DLSR con sensore da 18 Mp e display touchscreen da 3″ (Video)
Canon ha da poco annunciato ufficialmente la nuova EOS 650D, una DLSR che va a riprendere fedelmente l’estetica del predecessore 600D portando con se numerosi miglioramenti delle caratteristiche e funzionalità. Da sottolineare che il “vecchio modello” dovrebbe rimanere comunque in vendita ad un prezzo più basso, permettendo un certo risparmio a chi non interessa questo upgrade della nuova reflex.
La 650D sfoggia il nuovo sensore CMOS APS-C da 18 Mp e processore DIGIC 5, capaci di scattare a 5 fps e raggiungere un livello di sensibilità ISO tra 100 e 12.800. Troviamo sulla nuova reflex sia la messa a fuoco a rilevamento di fase che la messa a fuoco continua del soggetto quando si è in modalità Live View o in registrazione video.
Hands-on Preview: dpreview.com
Canon touts EOS Rebel T4i with improved video focusing system, EF-S 18-135mm and EF 40mm silent lenses (hands-on)
There wasn’t much reason to upgrade with last year’s T3i, but that’s certainly not the case with the Canon EOS Rebel T4i. This new entry-level DSLR packs a redesigned 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with brand-new focus capabilities, enabling the camera to use both phase- and contrast-detection autofocus when paired with one of two new STM lenses. The center portion of the sensor uses traditional phase-detection technology, while points nearer to the perimeter aid by recognizing contrast in a scene, enabling a more accurate autofocus technique for both stills and video shooting. On the video front, the new lenses — an EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM for $550 or the EF 40mm f/2.8 STM “pancake” for $200 — allow for much more silent zoom and focusing during video capture, so you don’t need to worry about those sensitive stereo mics picking up mechanical noise. The camera still did a bit of focus hunting while recording video during our hands-on, but autofocus performance was quite impressive while capturing stills, even in low light.
Nikon svela il prezzo della D3200: 720€ con obiettivo 18-55mm (video)
Nikon ha ufficializzato il prezzo dei quattro kit con il quale commercializzerà quanto prima in Italia la nuova reflex “entry-level” D3200 che, ricordiamo, sarà equipaggiata con un sensore CMOS in formato APS-C da 24.2 megapixel. La nuova arrivata segna un deciso passo avanti rispetto al predecessore D3100, con l’adozione di soluzioni apprezzate come l’ingresso per il microfono esterno, ampio display da 3″, scatti continui fino a 4fps, sistema di autofocus a 11 punti, processore EXPEED 3 e adattatore per la connessione wireless con altri dispositivi. Ovviamente è presente la modalità liveview e la registrazione video è garantita in full HD a 1920 x 1080 e 30/25/24p.
Sony Announces New A37 DSLR Camera
As well as announcing the new Sony NEX-F3, Sony has also added another DSLR to its range with the launch of the Sony A37, which features a 16.1 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor.
The Sony A37 features a high resolution electronic viewfinder, continuous AF, a high speed shooting mode which can shoot up to 7fps, it can record full HD videos in 1080p at 25 frames per second.
The A37 helps inexperienced photographers craft top-quality portraits without effort. Auto Portrait Framing mode identifies your sitter’s position, trimming the scene to create beautifully composed, high resolution portraits using the compositional ‘rule of thirds’. By Pixel Super Resolution Technology ensures that cropped, zoomed portraits retain a full pixel count to flatter your subject.
The Sony A37 will go on sale in Europe at the end of May, you can find out more details an the full specifications over at Sony.
Sony Alpha NEX-F3 Gets Official
We have already seen some leaked photos of the new Sony Alpha NEX-F3, it is now official and it comes with an APS-C size image sensor with 16.1 effective megapixels.
The Sony Alpha NEX-F3 features a 3 inch TFT LCD display with a 921k dot resolution and it can tilt upwards around 180 degrees, it also comes with a built in pop up flash.
Source Sony
Nikon D4 field review
Right around 2.5 years after the introduction of Nikon’s most recent game-changer (yeah, we’re bragging about the D3S), its proper successor has emerged. Without qualification, the amount of hope and expectation surrounding the Nikon D4 was immense. In a way, most Nikonians were (perhaps foolishly) expecting the D4 to be to the D3S what the D3S was to the D3, and we’ll confess that we were cautiously saving up precious pennies in the event that the game was changed yet again.
For better or worse, the actual specifications of the D4 ended up as hardly worth writing home about, with an ISO range mirroring that already seen on the D3S, a megapixel rating lower than that of the cheaper D800 and a battery rated for fewer snaps than the outgoing D3S. All at an MSRP that’s starting at $800 above where the D3S started. You’ll notice a lot of comparisons throughout this article with the Best Camera of 2009, but that’s intentional; yours truly has spent the last 2.5 years using the D3S for business and pleasure, and it’s only logical to pit the D4 against a camera that has become molded to many palms here at Engadget HQ. Is the D4 a worthy upgrade? Or even a worthy successor? Let’s find out.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 Gets Official
We have already seen some leaked photos of the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5, and now Panasonic’s latest Micro Four Thirds Camera is official and the device will go on sale for $599.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 features a 12.1 megapixel Live Mos sensor, which Panasonic calls a 12.1 megapixel ‘High Picture Quality’ sensor and it features an ISO range of up to 12,800 via an extended mode.
Other specifications on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 include a 3 inch 920,000 dot touchscreen display, and it can capture full HD video in 1080p at 60 frames per second.
Canon EOS 60Da: the DSLR for that astrophotographer in your life
What if all the answers to the universe resided in the stars? What if your real home was in space? What if you had a camera engineered specifically to capture the beauty of the night sky? You do. Canon has just outed the proper successor to the EOS 20Da, with the 60Da “catering to astronomers and hobbyists” who’d rather spend their clicks on galaxies than flowers and Earthlings. According to Canon, there’s a “modified infrared filter and a low-noise sensor with heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity” — something that presumably means the world to astronomers. In more understandable terms, it’s packing an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C), a 3-inch Clear View LCD (you know, the flip-out kind), a nine-point autofocus system and TV-out support. The Silent Shooting feature that we already praised on the EOS 5D Mark III is here as well, as is a native ISO ceiling of 6,400 and an expandable range that reaches 12,800. Canon also throws in its RA-E3 remote controller adapter — a vital accessory for those looking to shoot timed exposures greater than 30 seconds — as well as an AC adapter kit for those all-night sessions. It’ll hit select dealers later this month for $1,499, and no, this is not a joke.
New Sony A99 Camera Equipped With 102 Autofocus Points?
Its been reported on the SonyAlpha Rumours website today that a close source has contacted the and revealed that the new Sony A99 camera currently in development is equipped with a massive 102 point autofocus system. Apparently Sony is already testing the new system on A99 prototypes which according to the source are currently in the hands of photographers under going field testing.
The A99 will use a new generation SLT and OLED viewfinder technology, and now only will it be equipped with 102 point autofocus but all the points will be the more accurate cross-style points. Which provide a much more accurate way of focusing that just standard point focus systems. Cross-style points focus both vertically and horizontally providing a more accurate reading.
Unfortunately no information on pricing or worldwide availability has been released as yet regards the new Sony A99, but as soon as information comes to light we will keep you updated as always.
Source: Sony Alpha Rumours : CNET
Canon 5D Mark III High ISO Performance Tested at Night
YouTube member eaglejm shot this video in downtown St. Louis to show the Canon 5D Mark III’s high ISO video performance. Be sure to watch it full screen and in HD.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III field review
Shoot in the dark. That’s essentially what you can do with the Canon 5D Mark III — with a top sensitivity of ISO 102,400, what was once unfathomable could soon become an acceptable standard. While point-and-shoot manufacturers are adding WiFi and GPS, and tweaking algorithms in an effort to boost sensitivity beyond the 6400 mark, Canon and Nikon are making clear cases for a DSLR upgrade, by drastically improving image quality. The 5D Mark II had an excellent three-year run, but with its 22.3-megapixel sensor, 1.04M-dot 3.2-inch LCD, improved autofocus and high-performance video capabilities, Canon’s latest full-frame DSLR is an entirely different beast, and a very compelling successor.
Nikon D800 DSLR Goes On Sale In Japan
Nikon recently announced the latest addition to their DSLR camera range, the new Nikon D800 which has now gone on sale in Japan and Europe.
The Nikon D800 features a 36.3 megapixel FX-format (35.9 x 24mm) sensor, plus a new EXPEED 3 image processing engine and a 91K-pixel RGB sensor and a 51 point auto-focus system.
And it looks like the Nikon D800 is already sold out, in Japan according to the guys over at the Verge, the D800 is expected to launch in the US soon.
The Nikon D800 will retail for $2,995.95 when it launches in the US, and we suspect this is going to be a very popular DSLR for Nikon.
Olympus unveils SZ-31MR camera: 16 megapixels, 24x optical zoom
Japanese camera manufacturer Olympus has just introduced the successor to its SZ-30MR compact shooter. The new snapper not only sees a minimal increment on its stage name, SZ-31MR, but it also keeps the same 16-megapixel backlit sensor as its predecessor, as well as an identical 24x (25-600mm) optical zoom. Though, the newcomer does get a fresh image processor, making the jump from a TruePic III to a TruePic V, thus bringing along better low-light performance, scene enhancements and keeping high-quality shots while using the zoom feature. Amongst other traits, the device is packing a 3-inch (920,000-dot) LCD, 6400 ISO and 1080p video capture at 30fps. Olympus is also implementing a new technology dubbed iHS (Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed), which the company claims will produce sharper and more vivid images. All this can be yours for a mere $399 this April when it’s released, but if you want to know more before parting with that cash, check the pic gallery below and the PR after the break.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera preview (video)
Olympus has embraced the camera designs of yesteryear for several generations, from its first Micro Four Thirds models to last year’s E-P3. But now the Japanese camera maker is stepping up its retro game, announcing a brand new line of Micro Four Thirds cams. Meet the OM-D. A dramatic departure from the more modern-looking PEN cameras, this new line of mirrorless models, specifically the E-M5, in many ways duplicates the design elements of the 1970s-era OM System. The first consumer camera in that SLR lineup, the OM-10, served as clear inspiration for the slightly boxy, black or silver and black magnesium alloy digital model we have today. We were able to spend some time with the Olympus E-M5 before tonight’s announcement, and were very impressed with what we saw. Jump past the break for our impressions and an Olympus-guided video walkthrough, and thumb through the gallery below for a detailed look at the company’s answer to the Fujifilm X-Pro1.
Pentax refreshes its rugged camera lineup with the Optio WG-2 series
Exactly twelve months after the unveiling of the Optio WG-1 family, Pentax is now introducing the successors to its colorful and ruggedized shooters. And while its macho design hasn’t changed much, the newcomers usher in a host of predictable spec bumps. The new all-terrain shooters are sporting a 16-megapixel, back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 1080p (30fps) movie mode, micro-HDMI for when you feel like sharing your adventures and a 3-inch, 460,000 -dot LCD to help you frame your shots. Of course, this wouldn’t fall under the rugged category if it couldn’t handle anything you threw at it, which is why any WG-2 is waterproof up to 40 feet, shock-resistant and dustproof. If you’re thinking about taking one of these on the trails with you, be ready to unleash around $350 for the unguided model or about $50 more for a GPS-enabled number. Neither will be available until March, so you’ll have to wait a while, but in the meantime we’ve got the full PR below along with some press shots.
Nikon confirms 36.3 megapixel D800,D800E we go hands-on (Video)
Thirty six megapixels. That’s the native resolution of Nikon’s long-awaited FX-format digital SLR. The D800 was designed with all professional photographers in mind, but with 36.3-megapixel captures (yes, that also means 36.3 megapixels in RAW, or 15.4 in DX format), the Japanese camera maker’s latest DSLR output is likely to far exceed the needs of many. It also limits low-light shooting capabilities — the D800 is a full-frame camera, but even so, with a standard sensor capturing 36.3 megapixels, its high-ISO performance is unlikely to match the likes of the D4, or Canon’s new 1D X. It’s for this reason that Nikon limited the camera’s top native sensitivity to ISO 6400, or 25,600 in Hi2 extended mode. Want to see more? Thumb through the gallery below and jump past the break for a closer look at the latest full-frame DSLR to hit the market.
