Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon EOS 40D Firmware Update Version 1.0.5

By

Canon has released firmware version 1.0.5 for the Canon 40D. It is currently available through Canon Japan’s website.

This firmware update (Version 1.0.5) incorporates the following improvements and fixes.

  1. When playing back images just after recovering from Auto Power Off, the display now shows the last image played back.
  2. During remote shooting, images are now displayed on the camera’s LCD monitor right after they are taken.
  3. Corrects a warning message in Korean that appears when updating the firmware.
  4. Corrects errors in the Spanish menu screens.
  5. Corrects a phenomenon that prevented printing with some print systems.
  6. Corrects a rare phenomenon in which file numbers or image numbers were sometimes skipped.
The Version 1.0.5 firmware being released this time is for cameras with firmware up to Version 1.0.4. If the camera’s firmware is already Version 1.0.5, it is not necessary to update the firmware.[tags]canon, 40d, firmware, update, 1.0.5[/tags]
 

Canon 5D Mark II Unofficially Official?

By

A poster over at fredmiranda.com forums pointed out that he was filling in the bug/feedback form on his Capture One beta 4 software when he noticed that the Canon 5D Mark II was an option to select as a camera model. If you recall, we saw similar leaks prior to the release of the Canon 40D earlier this year. Here’s a screen capture for the 5D Mark II:

You can see it for yourself on the Report a Bug page. Follow all the Canon 5D Mark II rumors on this page.

[tags]canon, eos, 5d mark ii, rumor, news, capture one, release, pma[/tags]

Pentax K10D Reviews and Resources

By

The Pentax K10D is a 10.2 megapixel DSLR, coupled with a 22-bit analog-to-digital converter and in-body Shake Reduction (.pdf fact sheet) which also provides a dust removal feature to keep dust off the sensor surface. The K10D features a new image processor called PRIME (Pentax Real IMage Engine), which interfaces with DDR2 RAM, providing a whopping 800MB/s bandwidth. The camera body is dust and weather-resistant featuring 72 seals throughout the camera. Images can be saved in JPG, Pentax’s proprietary raw image format (PEF) or standard DNG format. [Read more…]

Pentax K100D “Super” Reviews and Resources

By

The Pentax K100D Super is an incremental upgrade from the K100D. The upgrades include a dust reduction system, SDHC card compatibility and full compatibility with SDM lenses. It still features the same 2.5? LCD, an 11 point AF system with 9 cross-type sensors, ISO 200-3200 and 16-segment multi-pattern metering found on the K100D.  The in-body Shake Reduction (.pdf fact sheet) means that you get image stabilization with every K-Mount lens out there. [Read more…]

Sigma 10mm and 4.5mm Lenses Announced

By

Sigma has announced a couple of new fisheye lenses – the fast 10mm f/2.8 and the crazy-wide 4.5mm that stands alone with no real competition in the crop-sensor category. A couple of noteworthy points – first, both are DC lenses, which means that they are only for cropped-sensor cameras like the Canon Rebel and 40D series (along with all of Nikons DSLRs). These will not work properly on the Canon 5D, 1D or 1Ds series cameras. [Read more…]

Canon 1D Mark IIIn or IV Rumors

By

With the recent hoopla over Nikon’s new D3 and with the Canon 1D Mark III autofocusing issues, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that Canon shooters are calling for an all-out replacement of the camera with a new iteration of the camera. Well, the rumors weren’t too far behind. That’s right, rumors of a 1D Mark IV or Mark IIIn have started to rear their ugly head. Here’s some of the rumored specs floating around the web:

  • Same form factor as current 1D series
  • Full Frame 16MP sensor (no more 1.3x crop cameras)
  • ISO 100 to 6400 (expandable to 50 and 12800)
  • Live View with contrast detection AF and HD Video capture (It is rumored that this will revolutionize photo journalism and meet growing requirement for web news video and cross media feeds).
  • Capable of capturing stills from HD Video (but only at 2MP resolution)
  • 1.3x crop mode with viewfinder masking and reduced size RAW (10MP) with significantly improved buffer for cropped RAW images
  • 10 fps

Time will tell, but this could be out by Fall 2008. Photokina anyone?

As always, I’ll keep you posted.

UPDATES

2/22/09: More rumors of a 16MP sensor, no dates yet. Read more.

2/10/09: 1D Mark III replacement will not appear at PMA 2009. Read more.

2/2/09: Rumors of PMA 2009 release. Read more.

5/1/08: Rumored June announcement along with the Canon 5D Mark II.  Read more.

[tags]canon, 1d, mark, iiin, iv, rumor, af, autofocus, nikon, d3[/tags]

5 DSLRs Under $500

By

Just in time for the holidays, here’s 5 great DSLRs (with kit lenses) under $500:

1. Canon Rebel XT – The Rebel XT was my first digtal SLR camera. I bought it shortly after it became available in 2005 for $1000 (a Rebel XT is $499 with a lens as of Nov. ‘07). I still use it on almost a daily basis. I’ve shot somewhere around 25,000 – 30,000 shots now. No hiccups yet. Anyway, I can personally vouch for the reliability and image quality that this camera packs. (Read more about the Rebel XT here.)

2. Nikon D40 – I’ve been using a Nikon D40 for a few months. I’m primarily a Canon user; however, I wanted one of these cameras to play around with and to see what Nikon had to offer. I am very pleased with the capabilities of my D40. The D40 is significantly lighter than any DSLR that I’ve ever used, even the Canon Rebel series. It’s now $477. (Read more about the Nikon D40 here.)

3. Pentax K100D – The K100D is compatible with any Pentax lens ever produced. The in-body Shake Reduction (.pdf fact sheet) means that you get image stabilization with every K-Mount lens out there. This is the only DSLR under $500 that does this. The K100D also features a 2.5? LCD, an 11 point AF system with 9 cross-type sensors, ISO 200-3200 and 16-segment multi-pattern metering. All this at $449 is a heck of a deal. (Read some reviews of the K100D here.)

4. Samsung GX-1S – The Samsung GX-1S is a 6.3-megapixel digital SLR featuring world renowned Schneider optics and a high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD. The interchangeable-lens DSLR was developed jointly with partner Pentax Corporation, meaning that it accepts K-AF Mount lenses. The $441 GX-1S is essentially a rebadged Pentax *ist DS2, which is just fine for this price.

5. Olympus E330 – The E330 was the first Live View DSLR, meaning that the LCD screen serves as a viewfinder. You won’t find this feature on any other DSLR under $500 (the E330 is $450). The E330’s LCD is “articulated,” it can extend out from the camera body and swivel downward or upward so the E-330 can be held overhead to shoot over a crowd, held at the hip, or even placed on the ground–something that’s not possible with a traditional SLR that relies on an optical viewfinder alone.

As noted above, all these cameras come with a kit lens in the wide-normal zoom range, which is typical. Still want more shopping options? Consider this broader post on a variety of photographic gadgets that everyone wants for Christmas.

Where to Buy?

The links above are to Amazon.com, which usually has the best prices on these DSLRs and many other consumer electronic items. However, if you’re not interested in shopping online, 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.

Your local camera store probably won’t beat out Best Buy and other big box vendors; however, if you have a question later, it’ll be worth the extra $20 that you pay for your camera to walk into the store with it and talk to a professional about what’s troubling you. This kind of advice isn’t limited to technical problems either. If you simply want to get better photos of you’re kids opening presents on Christmas mornings, these folks will gladly show you how to set up your camera for those shots.

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. If you steer outside these three, be sure to read the reviews of the vendor on ResellerRatings.com. If you think you can get a Nikon D40 for $372, take a closer look at the 1.11 out of 10 rating and run away.
[tags]dslr, digital camera, shopping, christmas, gift, guide[/tags]

Nikon D40x Review at PhotographyBLOG

By

Photography BLOG has posted its review of the Nikon D40x:

The Nikon D40x is essentially a 10 megapixel version of the slightly older 6 megapixel D40, and thankfully the increase in resolution hasn’t negatively affected the overall image quality. Indeed, I couldn’t see any noticeable difference in terms of noise between ISO settings on the D40x and the same settings on the D40, which means that the D40x delivers a bigger image without the usual trade-offs of unwanted image artifacts.

It’s a steal for $620 (with lens) currently at Amazon.com!

You can see more reviews of the D40x on this page.

[tags]nikon, d40x, review[/tags]

PMA 2008 Report

By

PMA is the world’s largest annual photo trade show and it’s scheduled to take place January 31 – February 2, 2008. With over 650 exhibitors, it’s always full of the biggest announcements of the year. (You can see this year’s exhibitors here.)

After a rocking series of announcements this fall from Nikon (the D3 and D300), Canon (the 40D and 1Ds Mk III), Sony (the a700) and Olympus (the E-3), what more can we expect from major camera manufacturers at PMA 2008?


Below is the rundown of the latest developments from PMA. Please note that I will continue to update this page with the latest announcements throughout PMA (hence, I’ll delete rumors and speculations and replace it with news as the information becomes available).

Canon

Replacing the EOS Rebel XTi / 400D, Canon has announced the EOS Rebel XSi / 450D, which is a 12.2 megapixel DSLR. Along with the Rebel XSi, Canon announced the availability of the EF-S 55-250mm IS lens for US customers. This lens was announced in August 2007, however, it was previously unavailable in the US.

On the “pro” gear side of things, Canon launched the previously announced EF 200mm f/2L IS USM and EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lenses, priced at $6,000 and $12,000, respectively.

In the point & shoot realm, Canon announced the PowerShot A590 IS, A580 and A470 to update the popular “A” series digital cameras. Additionally, Canon updated the PowerShot SD1000 IS Digital ELPH camera with the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera.

For details on all of these new products from Canon, please click on the respective links above to go to Photography Bay’s in-depth coverage.

Nikon

Nikon announced the new 10.2 megapixel Nikon D60 on January 29, 2007. Rather than creating an entirely new DSLR that’s a true “step up” from the Nikon D40x, Nikon settled on the solid 10.2 megapixel sensor that has made the D40x such a great camera and “upgraded” the rest of the camera to include next generation features like built-in sensor cleaning, built-in filter effects, Active D-Lighting (featured in the Nikon D3/D300) and 3D Color Matrix Metering II (also from the D3/D300). For more info, check out the reviews, resources and other info on the Nikon D60 page.

What most people were expecting before the Nikon D60 rumors got to full steam was a successor to the Nikon D80.  The D80 was introduced by Nikon in August 2006, which would have made PMA 2008 the proper timeframe for the typical 18-month product life cycle that we’ve grown accustomed to in consumer/prosumer DSLRs. Additionally, the D80 is sadly behind on the technology curve in light of the current offerings from Nikon and other DSLR manufacturers. The D80 remains the little brother of the D200. The introduction of the Nikon D60 seems to convey the message that Nikon has consolidate their line with only one entry-level DSLR.  However, you can find any further developments/rumors/etc. on the Nikon D90 page.

In addition, Nikon has added some new lenses for its DSLR lineup, which are as follows:

Finally, Nikon added a number of point and shoot cameras to its stable:

For details on all of these new products from Nikon, please click on the respective links above to go to Photography Bay’s in-depth coverage.

Sony

Sony is expected to fully roll out all the details on their flagship DSLR, believed to be called the a900. The a900 will be a step up over the a700, which is now available.

Additionally, Sony rolled out their next iteration of the Alpha a100 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier in January – the A200. Just prior to PMA, Sony announced the Sony A300 and A350, which share the consumer-oriented body of the A200 and weigh in at 10.2 and 14.2 megapixels respectively. Both cameras will be available in April – at $800 for the A300 with a 18-70mm kit lens and the A350 in a $900 kit or an $800 body-only package.

Sony has also announced several new point & shoot models, which include the following:

For details on all of these new products from Sony, please click on the respective links above to go to Photography Bay’s in-depth coverage.

Olympus

Olympus doesn’t really have much more to show us as far as DSLR bodies are concerned. We saw the introduction of the E-410 and E-510 last Spring, and the E-3 was introduced just last month. Their entire line is new. We could see updates for the E-410 and E-510 at Photokina next fall, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on any new bodies from Olympus at PMA ’08. Olypmus could (and should) continue to introduce lenses to beef up their 4/3 System. Their new Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) lenses really boost focus speed, especially when coupled with the new E-3. Expect to see more of these, hopefully at PMA ’08.

Pentax

Pentax has replaced the K10D and K100D with new models – the K20D and K200D, respectively. The K20D has 14.6 megapixels and the K200D gets 10.2 megapixels and they are priced at $1299 and$799, respectively.

Additionally, Pentax has announced a number of new smc lenses to couple the with new K20D and K200D DSLRs. Details on the new lenses can be found on the K20D and K200D page as well. The lens pricing and shipping dates are as follows:

  • smc PENTAX DA* 200mm f/2.8 ED (IF) SDM will ship in March 2008 for $1099.95
  • smc PENTAX DA* 300mm f/4 ED (IF) SDM will ship in May 2008 for $1299.95
  • smc PENTAX DA 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED will ship in May 2008 for $399.95
  • smc PENTAX DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited will ship in April 2008 for $599.95
  • smc PENTAX DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II will ship as a kit lens with PENTAX K200D in March 2008 (value $199.95)

Finally, Pentax announced a four new Optio series cameras – the Optio M50, Optio S12, Optio E50 & Optio A40.

For details on all of these new products from Pentax, please click on the respective links above to go to Photography Bay’s in-depth coverage.

Samsung

Samsung has announced the new GX-20, the fraternal twin of the Pentax K20D, both of which tout nearly identical features but come in a different body, some display variations and other subtle differences. For further details, visit on the Samsung GX-20 page.

Sigma, Tamron & Tokina

We’re interested in what everyone’s favorite step-children are doing with their lens offerings. Sigma has rolled out more HSM lenses to go along with the Nikon D40(x) and D60.  Tamron has already announced a few internal focusing lenses that are compatible with Nikon’s consumer grade DSLRs (see below).  Now we’re just waiting on Tokina to jump on board.

Also, image stabilization is becoming more and more essential (and marketable) for Canon and Nikon cameras. This is due in part to the push we’ve seen from Sony, Olympus and Pentax to incorporate IS in the body of DSLRs. Sigma has a few lenses that offer Optical Stabilization, as Sigma calls it, including their new 18-200mm OS lens. Tamron’s got the superzoom 28-300mm VC (vibration compensation). Expect more of this feature as these companies introduce new lenses.

New Tamron Products 

New Sigma Products (via DPReview.com)

Stay tuned and I’ll keep you posted with the latest rumblings on the latest gear as it surfaces at PMA and elsewhere on the web.

More PMA Reports

PhotographyBLOG

DPReview.com

[tags]pma, nikon, canon, sony, olympus, sigma, tamron, tokina, 2008[/tags]