Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon 40D – “Not a Rumor”

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From the DPReview.com forums:

I’m not one to spread rumors and you’ve never found one by me on this site. My salesmen today at a local photo store in Rochester NY told me today that their Canon rep clearly stated their is indeed a 40d and the scheduled release date is sometime in November. No specific date was provided by the rep.

He’s never lied to me before, so I believe him to honest, at least in terms of what the rep claims anyway.

RonSt (Join the discussion here. . .)

Something’s surely up, the “legitimate” rumors are too numerous to be coincidental.

[tags]canon, 40d, eos, rumor, news, announcement, release, date, november, dslr[/tags]

 

What D3x?

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Second hand, but from Nikon?  Read between the lines:

Nikon USA is a client of mine (if you can believe that). When I first heard the rumors way early this year, I sat with the head of all sales (international), looked him straight in the eyes and said….I want a D3x. The guy just smiled. Looked around at the other execs, looked back at me and said “what d3x”.

by Stuart Photography member at 8:09 a.m.

(via Model Mayhem forums)

[tags]nikon, d3, d3x, dslr, rumor, release, announcement, availability[/tags]

Canon 40D is for Real

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Well, it looks like the Canon 40D is finally halfway official. It appeared on the CIPA Pictbridge certification list as reported by Engadget and everyone else, their brother and their cousin‘s uncle. You might even find a 40D discussion in the DPReview.com forums. Well Canon, we’re waiting…

[tags]canon, 40d, eos, dslr, digital, camera, rumor, cipa, certification, pictbridge, news[/tags]

New Sony Alpha and Lenses Launch Imminent

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A rather thorough article on imminent launch of one of the new Sony Alpha cameras can be read over at Photoclub Alpha:

THE appearance of press-release resolution (14Mb) images of the new Alpha – un-named but thought to be the Alpha 200 or 300 because of the product code earlier assigned to shots of prototypes at PMA – combines with reports on various forums from European Sony executives visiting Japan to suggest that the launch announcement for the new model and a range of full-frame lenses is imminent. Read more . . . .

[tags]sony, alpha, a100, a10, a1, dslr, lens, lineup, launch, news, rumors, release, announcement[/tags]

Sony Alpha Update – More Photos Surface

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This image appeared in the Sony SLR forum over at DPReview.com and is purported to be one of the next generation Sony Alphas. These photos are rumored to have been taken by Sony employees in Japan.

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Some other details also mentioned from the same source but can not be confirmed.

– APS-C
– CMOS sensor
– 12 Megapixel minimum resolution.
– New AF sensors and algorithm
– 5,5 fps
– 3 inch LCD

[tags]sony, alpha, a10, a1, new, dslr, rumor, news, digital camera[/tags]

Nikon D3 – July 25?

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Another firm date (*yawn).

There have been rumblings for some time now that the Nikon D3 will be announced in conjunction with Nikon’s 90th Anniversary at the end of July.  Uncle Vader offers support for this notion from a purported reputable source:

A source with a proven track record today has contacted our newsdesk with news of what most of the Nikon addicts out there have been waiting for and thats news of the professional range new model nikon D3 range will be announced on the 25th July !

Notably, we should “be ready for 2 new jaw dropping features said to put Nikon way above anything its rivals [Canon] currently offer.”  (source)

However, I’m sure if it doesn’t appear this month, someone will step in to vow its announcement for August.

[tags]nikon, d3, d3x, d3h, rumors, news [/tags]

Canon EOS 40D Rumor Report

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Interestingly enough, this info on specs appeared on a japanese forum:

EOS-40D

10,100,000 pixel 5 scene/second 40 shot buffer
iso100-3200 (Hi6400 expansion)
Digic3 dust reduction
Live view photographing
3 inch liquid crystal
Highlight brightness priority setting loading
Drip-proof dustproof

Actual sale 168000 Yen 10% restoration
7 end of the month sales

EF-S 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM
Simultaneous sale.

168,000 yen = $1364 USD.

Everyone expects a 40D sometime soon; however, I think the EF-S 18-200 IS USM would be a welcomed surprise. I imagine that this lens would sell like hotcakes given the success of Nikon’s 18-200 “never-in-stock” bad boy.

[tags]canon, 40d, 18-200, ef-s, usm, is, eos, news, rumors, price, announcement[/tags]

Olympus E-3 Rumors

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UPDATES 10/16/07:

The Olympus announcement letter is here.

Here’s an E-3 brochure in the wild. Click on it for a larger version. Unfortunately, much of it is unreadable due to scan quality.

Looks like the E-3 will arrive at 6:00 p.m. ET. See the Countdown.

The launch is close. This blurb appears in the search results for E-3 on Olympus Australia’s site:

The new range-topping Olympus E-3 is designed for the professional photographer and advanced enthusiasts requiring super fast auto-focus and responsiveness in a camera that delivers professional lev. . .

UPDATE 10/15/07: While we’re waiting on more news of the Olympus E-3, take a stroll over to the Olympus E-System: Passion for the Best site to discover some of the features and buzz that Olympus is promoting for it’s new E-3.

UPDATE 10/12/07: News on the Olympus E-3 launch event in New York.

UPDATE 8/29/07: More info on the E-3 at the Korean photo show.

UPDATE 8/28/07: The E-3 has shown up at a photo show in Korea. More images and discussion here. Stay tuned for more.

UPDATE 7/13/07: Apparently, Olympus has caught wind of their .PDF (discussed below) surfacing on the internet:

I have been asked to remove the PDF from public sight while the leak is being investigated. Too bad that my first and only phonecall from Olympus was so negative. But we will know in a few days, at least it looks like the camera is going to hit the shelves very soon now. I’m am already putting money aside for it myself.

(Source: 4-3system.com)

If anything, it sounds like this adds some legitimacy to the .PDF that some folks were originally skeptical of.

ORIGINAL POST: Olympus E-P1 has left the building. It appears that the goods on the Olympus E-P1 (apparently, that is the going name) has made its way to the Internet from a European Business Meeting presentation in .PDF form. The .PDF file has popped up on a number of sites. It looks like the source points back to a post by forum user “noone” over at fourthirdsphoto.com. (via 4-3system.com). Here’s a direct link to the .pdf file *it’s 14MB. (via fourththirdsphoto.com). I’ll try to keep current with the developments on this page.

Now for the good stuff from the presentation:

E-1 customers’ are expecting:

More pixels and less noise

Fastest AF and more AF points

More accurate AE

Larger LCD monitor

Faster burst rate

Higher shutter speed and flash sync. speed

Built-in flash

Wireless flash control capability

Live View capability with swivel monitor

Image stabilization

Nikon D200 / 30D customers are not satisfied with:

95% coverage finder

No sensor dust solution

Expensive images stabilized VR / IS lenses

No built-in wireless flash control (30D)

No splash-proof body (30D)

Main Specifications

World most effective anti-shake system (Max. 5 Steps)

10 MP High Speed Live MOS (5fps)

Live View with multi angel LCD

(SAT, White Balance & Exposure Compensation)

Dust reduction (SSWF)

Splash proof body

Wireless flash control in 3 groups

High speed shooting capability

(5fps, 1/8000, X=1/250

Big Viewfinder image with 100% coverage

Bigger finder magnification (x1.15) with full coverage ratio (100%)

AF performance

Quicker and more accurate World

quickest with SWD lenses

11 points

All cross sensor (D200/30D just

Center point)

Better low light performance –

2EV@ISO100 (D200 -1EV, 30D, –

0.5 EV)

Better continuous AF

Nikon D200 / 30D customers are not satisfied with:

95% coverage finder

  • Olympus provides 100% coverage and bigger finder

No sensor dust solution

  • Olympus provides the most effective dust reduction system

Expensive image stabilized VR / IS lenses

  • Olympus provides the body built-in image stabilizer available for all lenses

No built-in wireless flash control (30D)

Canon customers have to buy a bulky hot-shoe clipping wireless controller unit for wireless applications

No splash-proof body (30D)

E-P1 – “Capture qualified Images under any situations”

“World most effective Anti-Shake performance”

  • Photographers can take sharp images with slower shutter speed, or under darker situation, they have not taken before.

World quickest precise AF performance

  • Sharply captured every moment.

Live View

  • New shooting style also thanks to multi angle LCD.

“Dust Reduction System and Splash & Dust Proof Body

  • …performance is proved by E-1

“Big VF & Wireless Flash Control

  • For perfect control

E-P1, a camera made for professionals!

Perfect product, with a lot benefits to competition.

“Let’s promote and enjoy top down effect to E-410 & E-510 and accessory sales.”

E-P1 based on Four Thirds

Main benefits

Specifically designed for digital photography

Maximises the performance of image sensors and lenses

Flange back ratio allows thinner construction of the body

As of today the widest real digital lens line up exist on the market

Allows use of smaller, lighter lenses with same angle of view as 35mm lenses

Full wide-angle capacity because of newly developed standard

Dust reduction system planned into design

Secure investment due to future-oriented technology

Open standard ensures cross-manufacturer inter-changeability Olympus, Panasonic, Leica & Sigma with products

OPR

Latest status of local sales start in November

OPR & Press event planned around Mid October

Final confirmation from OT by end June

NEW Zuiko Digital Lenses

Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f2,8-4,0 SWD (Equiv. 24-120mm)

  • Faster Autofocus
  • Pro Lens
  • October 2007

Zuiko Digital ED 14-35mm f2,0 SWD (Equiv. 28-70mm)

  • Top Pro Lens
  • Spring 2008

Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f2,8-3,5 SWD (Equiv. 100-400mm)

  • Faster Autofocus
  • Pro Lens
  • Nocember 2007

________________________________

Tele converter EC-20 for double telepower

  • October 2007

______________________________________

Zuiko Digital ED 70-300mm f4,0-5,6 (Equiv. 140-600mm)

  • Faster Autofocus
  • Standard Lens
  • October 2007

In short, I’m impressed and will certainly be thinking a little more about Olympus as a real contender in the future.

As always, I’ll keep you posted when more word comes down the line.

UPDATE 7/17/07: Via 1001 Noisy Cameras:

ImagingInsider reports that Olympus is officially denying releasing the presentation of what became the “leaked E-P1 files”. Of course if you parse the sentence of the Olympus rep, he is only denying that Olympus (officially) released the presentation, which is true.

[tags]olympus, e-3, e-1, p-1, e-p1, four thirds, 4/3, system, e, dslr, digital camera[/tags]

More Nikon D3 Photos Surface

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Fake 1

Originally uploaded by paulshkodrani.


A posting of a couple photos in the DPReview.com forums really stirred the pot today. Some are convinced that the photos are the real deal and that the Nikon D3 is finally upon us. Others, however, remain skeptical (or downright rebellious) of the authenticity of the shots. Regardless, the rumor mill seems to be picking up steam again.

You can read the ongoing debate and view the other photos of the purported D3 on the DPReview.com forums here.

As always, I’ll keep you posted on the latest and greatest on the Nikon D3 rumor mill.

[tags]nikon, d3, d3x, rumors, news, photos[/tags]

More Nikon D3 News

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Here’s a couple o’ snippets from the rumor world (i.e., DPReview.com forums):

Actually met with the guy today. Got quite a lot more info, so perhaps his tight lips before was ’cause someone else was in the room when I was on the phone.

HERE’S WHAT I KNOW after my chat today:

The product is definitely a new professional DSLR

It is hardware final. Firmware is under testing and still in flux.

Production is scheduled to begin in July, in Japan, at a rate of 8-10,000 per month.

It has a revolutionary feature. I don’t know what it is, nor do I know whether it is revolutionary ‘across the board’ or just for Nikon.

It WILL NOT be announced this month.

It will be announced and demonstrated internally at Nikon Japan around the 10th of July.

It will now be publicly announced around late July/early August.

It will still be available for purchase late August.

HERE’S WHAT I DON’T KNOW:

Model name

Specs

‘The Feature’

Price

(Source)

And Thom Hogan chimed in as well:

stupormundi wrote:

> Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t that a really high production

> volume for a Pro-Camera?

Yes and no. The initial D2x quantity was 25k/mo according to Nikon (though it’s unclear whether or not that included built-up inventory that was released to shipment as well as the current production). Long-term production of the high-end pro models has generally been modest in number (1k-10k, depending upon the model).

Given the product Nikon is going to announce (remember, I used the words “big surprise” way back at the start of this year ;~), I’d say that 10k/mo is too low a volume to satisfy demand in 2007. And if the reports of hardware design freeze and initial production has begun with an August launch are true, that would mean that there would still be fewer D3 available at launch than D2x units were available at its launch.

Keep in mind that this comes from the former postings about a special NPS event in Japan that went up last month:

Just heard from a very reliable [ie, he has never been wrong] senior Nikon employee that Nikon are hosting a “pro product” prerelease information and demo session in Japan in the 2nd week of June 07. He will be there along with other worldwide Nikon-agency NPS managers, and Nikon in-house NPS managers. Invite only.

He would not tell me whether the product was lenses or body or both, just that it’s pro.

Unknown announcement date, ~August ship.

So, maybe we won’t see an announcement this week, eh? Keep tabs on the latest Nikon D3 developments here.

[tags]nikon, d3, d3x, rumors, news, 2007, july, august[/tags]