You’ll know from our Canon 7D review roundup that these semi-pro DSLR reviews tend to take a little while longer to cook than ones for, say, the world’s latest, fastest graphics card. That means we’re looking at analyses of a shooter that’s been out for a while, but boy are they thorough. The D300S (our unboxing can be found here) is Nikon’s gentle massaging of the D300 formula for success — with added 720p video recording and an extra frame for a 7fps burst mode — and that’s borne out by the reviews. You’re still getting an outstanding 12.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, 51-point AF, and a sturdy weather-proofed body, but question marks remain as to whether the new additions offer enough of an upgrade from the D300. The HD video recording is hamstrung by a mono mic and a frankly silly 5 minute maximum clip length (a limitation not present on direct competitors from Canon and Pentax), but the addition of a second memory card slot (now offering SD as well as CF storage) and a dedicated Live View button along with purportedly improved noise performance could just make the difference for new buyers. Hit the links below for more, including comparisons against the Canon 50D and 7D, as well as the Pentax K-7.
Read – dpreview
Read – Camera Labs
Read – Photography Blog
Read – Trusted Reviews
Read – Tech Radar
Read – ePHOTOzine
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Nikon D300S review roundup: it’s awesome, but D300 is better value originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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What’s this, another tiny, high-definition camera to strap onto your person before doing something wild and crazy? Yes, it’s the latest pixel-pushing contender for high-def helmetcam supremacy, the GoPro HD Hero; a little gray box in a waterproof case that can record 1080p at 30fps, 720p at 60, and comes with a selection of mounts that will enable the thing to hang on to just about whatever you want to sling it from — but at $299 you might not feel particularly inclined to put it in harm’s way. Worth the risk, and how does it compare to the competition and its predecessors? Read on for the full analysis, and of course plenty of gratuitous high definition footage.
Continue reading GoPro HD Hero review and helmet cam face-off
Filed under: Digital Cameras
GoPro HD Hero review and helmet cam face-off originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Pardon us while we freely admit that we have literally no idea what’s going on inside a camera — whether it’s digital or those quaint film-based ones you hear about from your grandma. Luckily, our own kids might not have to suffer as we have: a group at the Computer Vision Laboratory at Columbia University have designed and built a prototype
digital camera that should demystify the devices. The Big Shot digital camera kit, if / when it hits the market, will be a box of all the necessary parts for kids to be able to build their own simple, candy-colored digital camera. While the Big Shot is still in prototype testing phase, we really hope this gadget (and more like it) makes it to the market sometime soon.
[Via Make]
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Big Shot camera kit could help turn your kid on to the dark world of the teardown originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Functionality-wise there’s not much to complain about the new Olympus E-P2, and in fact it pretty much exactly addresses all the primary issues with the E-P1. The main physical difference is an accessory port right behind and below the hot-shoe, which allows for plugging in the new VF-2 Electronic View Finder, or alternatively the EMA-1 audio input module. We would’ve preferred to have both simultaneously, but we’ll take what we can get. In movie mode the camera now supports full manual shutter and aperture control, and the new Continuous Autofocus tracking system works both for stills and for video. The E-P2 has a new black paint job, but otherwise seems mostly unchanged, with just a few effects and a new “iEnhance” color adjustment mode rounding out the new features. Olympus will actually sell both of these micro four thirds cameras simultaneously, but here comes the real kicker: the E-P2 will retail in kit for for $1,099, a whopping $300 more than the E-P1 — less than the comparable GH1, but still more than an entry-level DSLR. That cash gets you either an ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens or a 17mm f2.8 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens, and both versions come with an Electronic View Finder standard. Check out the full PR after the break.
Continue reading Olympus E-P2 official, patches over E-P1 problems and jacks up the price
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Olympus E-P2 official, patches over E-P1 problems and jacks up the price originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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You saw our review, now the Spider Camera Holster is priced and ready for purchase. It’ll cost you $110 for the privilege of slinging your prosumer or professional DSLR from your hip; a price that fetches the SpiderPro kit that includes a $85 steel Spider Holster, $30 Spider belt, $7 pin, and $25 mounting plate (each sold separately). Of course, you can use the system with any point-and-shoot camera or camcorder sidearm by clipping or threading the Spider Holster onto your own belt. Just remember: the heavier your gear the greater risk of a trouser-dropping test of your humility — an issue avoided with the Spider Belt. A two-camera system is also available for $160 for those manly enough to tolerate the befuddled taunts of children. Confused? Then check the video after the break for a quick overview.
Continue reading Spider Camera Holster system lands for retail (video)
Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wearables
Spider Camera Holster system lands for retail (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Here we are at last. RED has finally dropped the full specs of at least one its “Digital Stills and Motion Cameras.” And what did you expect? RED has naturally blown this thing out. The first camera to be released will be the insanely high-end EPIC-X, which will come out in four stages and retails for $28,000 (ouch). A pre-production “TATTOO” version will hit this year, followed by a production model for pre-existing RED owners next year, a release after that for RED trade-ins and then finally a widespread release. Meanwhile the Scarlet 2/3-inch camera (which is much more akin to current video-shooting DSLRs, though it doesn’t have a full frame sensor) hasn’t been given a price range or a release window, but promises to please with dual XLR inputs, electronic lens interoperability with RED, Canon and Nikon lenses (adapters required) and 1080p shooting at 60 fps. One great function shared between the cameras is the ability to operate the camera with a touchscreen and perform “touch focus tracking.” So, now that we’ve frightened off all but the die-hards with a hint at pricing and some vaguely defined functionality, let’s let the bullet points take it away after the break:
Continue reading RED DSMC specs detailed, prices start at $28,000 for EPIC-X, lower-end Scarlet still vague
Filed under: Digital Cameras
RED DSMC specs detailed, prices start at $28,000 for EPIC-X, lower-end Scarlet still vague originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Minolta’s Sony’s DSLR range was refreshed only this August, but here we are, hearing rumblings of another new addition to the bunch. Set to occupy the space between the 14.2 megapixel A550 and 24.6 megapixel full frame A850, the imaginatively titled A750 is expected to strike the perfect balance between the two with a 14.6 megapixel full frame sensor. We see what you did there, Sony, very clever. If you ask us, anything over a solid dozen million pixels is overkill and just asking for noise trouble and processing lag, so in fact chopping a third off the A850’s pixels could turn out to be quite a boon for overall image quality. Then again, we’ve no idea what else Sony might sever from its higher offering, though we’re likely to find out by CES 2010 at the latest.
[Thanks, David G]
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Sony Alpha A750 keeps with tradition, leaks out ahead of release originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Underwater photography is tough, and, when you’re dealing with something less than Caribbean-clear blue seas, finding the right lighting can be near-impossible. Fujifilm’s Remora looks to make things a little easier, offering a 60 degree beam of light with a guide number of 20, so it’s bright enough even for nighttime cuttlefish documentaries but can be dimmed to save the retinas of sensitive cephalopods. Four AA batteries give you 240 flashes at a depth of up to 180 feet, but at £229 (about $370) only the most serious rebreathers need apply.
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Fujifilm’s Remora flash could save those underwater family portraits originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Canon’s $1,900 EOS 7D DSLR just started shipping a month ago to pros and those who’d like to be, and already the thing is causing all sorts of fits when shooting continuously. In a service notice posted today on the outfit’s website, we’re told that images “captured by continuous shooting and under certain conditions [can exhibit] barely noticeable traces of the immediately preceding frame.” The phenomenon isn’t apt to be noticeable with optimal exposure, but apparently a number of Photoshoppers have been irked by the additional (and unwelcome) elements added to their shots. Canon assures us that a firmware fix is on the way, and you can bet we’ll point you to a download link as soon as it hits.
[Via DPReview]
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Canon’s EOS 7D experiencing ‘residual image’ phenomenon, fix is on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It can’t be easy being the cost-cutter in a game as insanely expensive as digital medium format cameras, but after teaming up with Phase One for a $5990 medium format shooter (without lens), Mamiya is taking its own crack at the market with the $9,995 DM22. It comes with a Mamiya 80mm f/2.8 D Series lens, has a 22 megapixel sensor and can pump images straight out over FireWire if you think your RAW files are too good for a lowly CompactFlash card. It’s also being introduced with a $14,990 sibling, the DM28, which has a 28 megapixel sensor and handles higher ISO shots.
[Via Gear Diary]
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Mamiya’s DM22 is a medium format digital camera for the Walmart type at sub-$10k pricepoint originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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