Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Archives for 2008

Canon 1Ds Mark III Review at PopPhoto

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PopPhoto has posted a camera test of the 21.1 megapixel Canon 1Ds Mark III.

Color accuracy on the 1Ds Mark III also lands in the top tier, with an Excellent rating based on an average Delta E of 6.98 (compared with 7.3 on the 1D Mark III and 7.28 on the Nikon D3, also Excellent ratings.) The color accuracy remained similarly high all the way up through ISO 1600, while resolution dropped only 15 percent when we applied full noise reduction at ISO 1600 and 3200 in Canon’s sophisticated (and included) Digital Photo Professional software. (Read more . . . )

Keep up with the latest news and reviews on the Canon 1Ds Mark III page.

 

Pentax K20D Review at PopPhoto

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PopPhoto has posted a full review of the Pentax K20D.

Impressive specs? Yes, but the K20D produced impressive results in the Pop Photo Lab, especially in resolution and detail at most ISOs. At 2350 lines of resolution at ISO 100-400, the K20D delivers slightly higher resolution than the Nikon D300.

Get the latest news and reviews on the Pentax K20D Review page.

Nikon D300 Firmware Update

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Nikon has released a firmware update for the D300. The new Version 1.02 adresses “[a]n issue that, in rare cases, caused vertical bands (lines) to appear in images captured at shutter speeds slower than 8s has been resolved.” You can download the firmware update via the following pages:

D300 Firmware update 1.02 – Windows

D300 Firmware update 1.02 – Macintosh

Nikon D300 Review at Photo.net

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Photo.net has posted a full review of the Nikon D300, which they were very impressed with – as most reviewers have been.

The D300 is a strong successor to the D200. The D300 maintains all of the D200’s advantages as an excellent general-purpose, prosumer DSLR and improves on several key areas. For about $3000 less, the D300 offers Nikon’s current best AF module, which is also featured in their top professional model, the D3. With the Multi-CAM 3500 and the ability to capture 8 fps, the D300 also replaces the D2H and D2X as Nikon’s top DX-sensor DSLR suitable for action and sports photography. (Read the whole review.)

For the latest news and reviews, check out the Photography Bay’s Nikon D300 page.

Olympus E-430

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Rumors and photos of an alleged Olympus E-430 have surfaced on the web. The E-430 would most likely serve as a step-up to the outdated E-330. If this is true, it may be a sign of things to come for the E-410 and E-510 successors. Interestingly, the E-430 would go a long way in bridging the gap between the E-330 and E-410. Maybe Olympus has the idea of consolidating its camera line? Other than the unique body design, some of the headline features are as follows:

  • New 12MP Live MOS sensor and TruePic III processor
  • CCD-shift image stabilization
  • Live View
  • Flip-out and up 2.5″ TFT LCD monitor
  • Faster USB interface (‘real’ USB 2.0 speed)
  • Wired remote option
  • Slightly higher continuous shooting frame rate and larger raw buffer

Stay tuned to this page for the latest news and rumors on the Olympus E-430.

Updates

2/18/08: Camera Town reports that this rumor looks like a hoax.  I tend to agree.  Read the post on Camera Town for more.

Nikon P5100 Reviews

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The Nikon P5100 is the top-of-the-line COOLPIX point & shoot camera in Nikon’s lineup. It features 12.1 megapixels, a 3.5x zoom (35-123mm), a hotshoe for Nikon Speedlights and the EXPEED digital image processor. Further, the P5100 has the ability to shoot images at ISO 3200 with image files sizes at 5 megapixels. The P5100 also features Nikon’s lens-based VR (Vibration Reduction). The street price of this point & shoot digicam is about $300. [Read more…]

Apple Releases Aperture 2

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Aperture 2Earlier today Apple announced the release of Aperture 2, which is the follow-up to Apples original streamlined RAW image editor. At $100, Aperture 2 is a force to be reckoned with and could attract a few photographers that are in a coin-tossing mode between Aperture and Adobe Lightroom. The new, improved Aperture 2 has over 100 new features.  Update:  Also available for $189 from Amazon.  Some of the highlighted features are as follows:

  • Image adjustment controls such as Highlight Recovery, Definition, Vibrancy, and Vignette
  • Retouch tool with soft-edged brush to remove unwanted elements from photos.
  • Next-generation RAW image processing for highest-quality images
  • Quick Preview mode for rapid-fire photo browsing
  • Simplified user interface that maximizes screen space and provides direct access to your iPhoto library from within Aperture
  • Integration with .Mac Web Gallery to instantly publish your photos, allowing visitors to view and download images [Read more…]

45 Photo Sharing Sites

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A while back, I posted 7 Alternatives to Flickr. I asked for your thoughts on my suggested alternatives and other recommendations that you had. I got more than I bargained for in your comments. I quickly realized that I had left many great sites out of my abbreviated list. Due to all of your great suggestions, I felt that you deserved a more complete list of photo sharing sites. I’ve included my original 7, all of your suggestions and a few others that I’ve scoured the web to find. Read on for 45 ways to share your photos. [Read more…]