Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
It seems that Nikon D5100 is quite hot item. Amazon is pretty thin on stock right now and appears to only have availability through third-party vendors at the moment.
B&H Photo has updated its stock status to show the D5100 as “Available for Pre-Order” which generally means that B&H has stock on the way and will be shipping it out in a matter of days. Here’s the link to the D5100 product page at B&H Photo.
We have been waiting for this news since Nikon posted its new AF-S 50mm lens on its website and then removed it last week. Finally, the lens has been officially unveiled (permanently this time) and it’s got a decent price point of $220. All I can say is that it’s about time!
The Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8 lens should be available beginning on June 16, 2011. You can watch for availability on Amazon (update: pre-order up on Amazon), B&H Photo and Adorama.
More details in the official press release from Nikon below. [Read more…]
Just a heads up for those chomping at the bit to get your hands on the Nikon D5100. Amazon.com has it in stock at the time of this post.
Here’s the link to the D5100 at Amazon.
If there has ever been demand for a company to produce a single lens, it’s the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8 lens. Ever since the Nikon D40 came out (with it’s lack of AF motor), Nikon users have been clamoring for something to replace the staple 50mm f/1.8D lens. Heck, I even wrote an open letter to Nikon last year pleading for this lens with a built-in AF motor.
And, finally, it appears that they have. [Read more…]
The Nikon L22 is a very basic point and shoot camera. B&H and Amazon are offering it for $79, which is quite cheap even for the most basic of cameras. Check it out at the links below.
A whole lot of glass…
As of March 2011, Nikon has produced over 60 million NIKKOR lenses.
Check out Nikon’s nostalgic press statement below. [Read more…]
Now that the Nikon D5100 is officially out of the gate, you may be interested to know that the US price is $799.95 (body only) and $899.95 with an 18-55mm VR kit lens.
You can find it for pre-order or notification status at the following links. It’s scheduled to ship this month (April 2011).
Nikon D5100 (body only): Amazon | B&H Photo
Nikon D5100 w/ 18-55mm VR lens: Amazon | B&H Photo
Nikon ME-1 Stereo Mic: Amazon
The US price for the Nikon ME-1 hot shoe mic is $179.95. However, if you’re going to spend that much on a hot shoe mic, spend a little extra and get the Rode VideoMic Pro instead.
With press releases already leaking out on the web, it looks like Nikon is about to lower the hammer with its new D5100 DSLR, which sports a 16.2MP sensor, 11-point AF system and 1920 x 1080/24p video capture. Other juicy specs are a new HDR feature, video special effects and 4 fps still frame rate.
The most obvious new addition to the D5100 is a swivel LCD, which attaches to the side of the camera. This is a bit of change up from the D5000, which sported a swivel LCD that attached to the bottom of the camera. The LCD itself is a solid 921k-dot res display that weighs in at a full 3 inches.
The D5100 offers a sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400, and is expandable to ISO 25,600. What’s more, the D5100 sports a new “Night Vision” mode for video capture that records in low light up to ISO 102,400.
The D5100 captures both 1080p and 720p at 24p or 30p frame rates. Notably absent is the ability to record at 60p when shooting 720p video (like the Canon 7D and 60D models). Of course, this isn’t new to Nikon HDSLRs – with the recent Nikon D7000 locked down to the same frame rate options. Manual exposure control is confirmed for video mode. [Update: DPReview confirms that the D5100 suffers from the same, frustrating aperture lock that cripples the D7000 when in Live View mode. This seriously hampers the use of the D5100 as a video-centric tool.]
Those interested in using the D5100 to capture video will find the addition of a stereo mic input will be a welcomed bonus.
Speaking of mic inputs, Nikon looks to be launching the Nikon ME-1 stereo mic alongside the D5100 – although its spec sheet is hardly inspiring. Nikon Rumors picked up word that the frequency response only covers 70Hz to 16kHz. It will be powered by the camera and will sport a switchable low-cut filter (not sure what the low-cut boundaries are though). Given that the ME-1 appears to be strictly intended for using on-camera and mounted in the hot shoe of a consumer-grade camera, it might be good enough.
[via Nikon Rumors]
Full Nikon Canada (replaced with US version) press release follows. [Read more…]
Nikon has extended its DSLR and lens instant rebates through April 30 with a couple of modifications. The high-end pro DSLRs are out, but the new stuff like the D7000 and D3100 are still part of the program.
B&H Photo has the full details on available DSLR and lens combos.
A photojournalist from Malaysia National News Agency was covering a cycling race from the back of a motorcycle when he dropped his Nikon D3s. The camera was then ploughed over by the race marshal’s vehicle. When he recovered the camera and applied some duct tape to the battery cover, he finished shooting the race with it. See the video below for his story about how the Nikon D3s saved his job. [Read more…]