Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Nikon’s Website Gets Refreshed

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NIKON’S NEW INTERACTIVE WEBSITE IS DESIGNED TO EVOLVE WITH USER FEEDBACK

New Website Uses Imagery as a Catalyst for Interaction and Embraces Feedback from Users to Enhance the Browsing Experience


Nikon WebsiteMELVILLE, N.Y. (Feb. 27, 2008) – Nikon Inc. today unveiled a completely redesigned Web site with a new visual user interface that among other features utilizes images to display information about Nikon’s products and services. Visitors to the site will also have an ongoing opportunity to offer feedback and suggestions about the site’s content and usability to help define the evolution of the site over the coming months and years.

Similar to Nikon’s imaging products, which rely on customers’ feedback for development, the new site will be a continually evolving forum thanks to the addition of an innovative blog called “Your Shot” that encourages users to comment and share their ideas to improve the Web site’s design, interface and content. This open environment creates an online space that is better adapted to the needs of consumers and provides an unmatched level of functionality for visitors.

The launch of the newly revamped Nikon Inc. Web site emphasizes a strong commitment to photography. The Web site, www.nikonusa.com, is accessible starting February 27th at 8 p.m. EST. To access the new interactive site blog, please visit http://blog.nikonusa.com.

 

Sony W130 Reviews

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sony w130The Sony DSC-W130 is a 8.1-megapixel compact point and shoot digicam with a 4x optical zoom and 2.5 inch LCD screen.  The Sony W120 features a number of powerful features, including: Sony’s D-Range Optimizer to retrieve picture detail in photos with harsh highlights or dark shadows; semi-manual focus that allows you to select the focusing distance based on your subject’s location; an improved auto focus system that includes macro ranges; Super SteadyShot image stabilization; high sensitivity settings up to ISO 3200; and in-camera editing functions such as “unsharp mask” to sharpen images.

Reviews

Digicam Review

The Sony Cybershot W130 is very “point and shoot” friendly – the camera produces great results in almost every situation – and provides features designed specifically for taking photos of friends and family with face detection and smile shutter technology.

Steve’s Digicams

It is incredibly easy to use with several automatic shooting modes to assist you in difficult situations (not to mention a very handy Smile Shutter mode). The quality of our images was very good, as was the video.

Imaging Resource

It has a great selection of useful preset modes and creative shooting tools, and most impressive, it combines its Face Detection technology with a smile detector for an extremely useful Smile Shutter mode, giving you in-focus images of wiggly kids or small groups of people, without resorting to a continuous shooting mode.

Cnet

The W130’s quick performance and decent image quality make it a solid follow-up to the W90, and a good choice for a pocket point-and-shoot camera.

Where to Buy

If you’re buying online, I recommend sticking with Amazon, B&H Photo or Adorama. These three vendors are reliable, trustworthy and generally have the best (legitimate) prices.

Sony W120 Reviews

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The Sony W120 is a 7.2-megapixel compact point and shoot digicam with a 4x optical zoom and 2.5 inch LCD screen. The Sony W120 features a number of powerful features, including: Sony’s D-Range Optimizer to retrieve picture detail in photos with harsh highlights or dark shadows; semi-manual focus that allows you to select the focusing distance based on your subject’s location; an improved auto focus system that includes macro ranges; Super SteadyShot image stabilization; high sensitivity settings up to ISO 3200.


Reviews

Megapixel.net

Combines design, sturdiness, layout of controls, comfort in use.

Steve’s Digicams

The W120, like almost all other “W” models, is a stylish and durable digicam that can be tucked almost anywhere. It offers some appealing features for an ultra-compact, like 7- megapixels of resolution, a versatile Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 4x optical zoom lens, 9 area AF system, 2.5-inch LCD monitor, zoom-coupled optical viewfinder (something you almost never see anymore) as well as an exposure mode for just about everyone in your household or office.

Where to Buy

First off, consider going to your local camera store (and I don’t necessarily mean Wolf Camera at the mall). By going to your local camera store, you’re supporting your community and you just might build a lasting relationship with people you can rely on when you need some help or answers. If you’re buying online, I recommend sticking with Amazon, B&H Photo or Adorama. These three vendors are reliable, trustworthy and generally have the best (legitimate) prices.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens Reviews

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The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens is an easy-to-use standard zoom lens that can cover a large zoom area ranging from 24mm wide-angle to 105mm portrait-length telephoto, and its Image Stabilizer Technology steadies camera shake up to three stops. Constructed with one Super-UD glass element and three aspherical lenses, this lens minimizes chromatic aberration and distortion. The result is excellent picture quality, even at wide apertures. Canon’s ring-type USM gives silent but quick AF, along with full-time manual focus. Moreover, with dust- and moisture-resistant construction, this is a durable yet sophisticated lens that meets the demands of advanced amateur photographers and professional photographers alike. (Canon) [Read more…]

Sigma SD15

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The Sigma SD15 is the latest model in Sigma’s digital SLR camera SD series, powered by the 14 megapixel Foveon X3 direct-image-sensor it can capture all primary RGB colors at each and every pixel location arranged in three layers. The developing SD15 incorporates the “TRUE II” new image processing engine. It provides high resolution power and reproduces high definition images rich in gradation and impressive three-dimensional detail. Incorporation of the large 3.0 inch LCD monitor and improved processing speed provide ease of operation of the camera.

(More coming soon.)

Sony DSC-W300

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Sony has packed a mind-boggling 13.6 megapixels into a tiny CCD image sensor in its new DSC-W300, which features a Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom, up to ISO 6400 and a 5 frames per second burst mode. [Read more…]

Sony DSC-H50

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Sony has introduced the 9.1 megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-H50 as the successor to the DSC-H9 super-zoom point and shoot camera. It features Carl Zeiss glass accompanied by a 15x optical zoom and optical image stabilization. [Read more…]

Poll: DSLR Movie Mode

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This week’s poll relates to Photography Bay’s recent article covering the DSLR Movie Mode Patent Application.  If you’ve not read the interesting technological developments, you should check it out.

We’ve seen and heard several responses from around the web expressing both joy and disdain for such a feature.  Let’s see how those numbers shake out in the poll below.  If you’ve got any additional thoughts on why you do or don’t want a movie mode on DSLRs then sound off in the comments below.

Ricoh GR Digital II Reviews and Resources

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ricoh gr digital ii

The Ricoh GR Digital II is a 10 megapixel premium point and shooter. It features a 4x digital zoom, an improved GR II image processor, improved battery life and adds a continuous shooting mode, among other improvements. The GR II comes in at a relatively pricey $600 street.


Reviews

Cnet

The GR Digital II is a cute compact camera that might appeal to street photographers looking to step away from a rangefinder and into digital, but doesn’t deliver the features, performance, or image quality it should given its steep price tag.

Steve’s Digicams

Image quality from the 10-megapixel GRD2 is outstanding. The exposure and saturation are excellent, and the color is very vivid.

Think Camera

The Ricoh GR DIGITAL II is a specialist camera – it’s not for everyone, but for everyday for those who fall for its unique charms. Once you get into the ‘old’ style way of working, the conversion lenses and the like, it’s an inspiring way of working that delivers great results.

Digital Camera Resource Page

Photo quality was generally good, though you’ll get the best results out of the GRD by shooting in RAW. The camera generally took well-exposed photos, with pleasing, vivid color. Ricoh has taken a conservative approach to in-camera sharpening, so images are on the soft side here.

Photo Review

Shots taken with the test camera were richly detailed with natural-looking colours and atypically restrained saturation for a digicam. Skin tones were particularly well rendered.

Where to Buy

First off, consider going to your local camera store (and I don’t necessarily mean Wolf Camera at the mall). By going to your local camera store, you’re supporting your community and you just might build a lasting relationship with people you can rely on when you need some help or answers. If you’re buying online, I recommend sticking with Amazon, B&H Photo or Adorama. These three vendors are reliable, trustworthy and generally have the best (legitimate) prices.

Nikon D60 Review at ePhotozine

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ePhotozine has posted a review of the Nikon D60.

The new EXPEED processor has worked a treat on the lower ISO ratings with super smooth results on ISO100 and 200. A very very faint sharpening begins to appear on ISO400 but only at full size enlargement. Their is still plenty of detail in the petals even at ISO800, even though the noise has started to show.

For the latest news and reviews, check out Photography Bay’s Nikon D60 page.