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Olympus E_620 review 0

9:37 AM

Olympus' latest entry-level camera combines a diminutive body, similar in size to the E-420, with key features taken form the E-30.
Billed as the smallest DSLR with buil-in image stabilisation, the E-620 packs a 2.7" tilt and swivel Live View LCD, 12.3 megapixel sensor end enticing E-30 techonology such as a range of Art Filters, Mutiple Exposure mode and a choice of four aspect rations, into one far from bulky shell, it only weghs a shade under 19 ounces.
On-body features such as the familiar Dust Reduction System using Supersonic Wave Filter and three blur- reducing Image Stabilisation modes(one for general shooting, two for tracking moving subjects, for when the camera's held either horizontally or vertically) improve the chances of getting clean, sharp images.
The aforementioned Art Filters, activated using the mode dial on the left of top-plate, can be viewed using the camera in Live View or during image playback. The Multiple Exposure function is equally as flexible, enabling you to shoot one image, the the other, or to shoot each frame separately and combine them in- camera later. Offering this level of crative control in a camera body certainly goes some way to making photography a fun experience for newcomers who may be intimidated by the idea of working up shots on a PC.
Needless to say a range of accessories are on their way too, including a new HLD-5 power Batterry Holder which holds two Lithium lon BLS-1 batteries to extend the shooting time. while it may add a little bulk to a package that's being pushed on its portability, the vertical grip it offers does improve handling.
Olympus will also release the PT-E06 underwater housing, which will protect the camera down to depth of 130 feet.

E-620 Art Filters explained
POP ART
enhances colours, making them more saturated and vivid, evoking the Pop Art style of the 1960s
SOFT FOCUS
Creates an ethereal atmosphere that renders subjects in a heavenly light without obscu

ring details.
PALE & LIGHT COLOUR
Encloses the foreground of an image in flat gentle light and pastel colours reminiscent of a flashback scene in a movie
LIGHT TONE
Renders shade and highlight areas softly to lend an elegant air to the subject.

GRAINY FILM
Evokes the feeling of documentary footage shot in monochrome with grainy, high-contrast film.

PIN HOLE
Reduces the peripheral brightness of an image as though it were shot through a pin hole

The headline-grabbing feature of Sony's new 9 megapixel superzoom compact is its ' sweep panorama' mode. Simply press the shutter and pan the camera to create a 224 degree horizontal or 154 degree vertivcal panorama where all the frames are stitched for you as you go. It's quick and simple.
In practice, we found it had a few wobbles, with a few stuttering stitches and elongated blends, but we were testing a pre-production model handheld without any guidance from a user manual. It's very enjoyable and accessible for all though. the maximum resolution for an horizontal panoramic image is 7152x1080.

The DSC-HX1 is also capable of capture bursts of up to ten frames per second using its 1/2.4 inch EXmor CMOS sensor and high-speed mechanical shutter. Each frame is at full 9.1MP resolution of the sensor, so there was some processing time from capture to on screen display in our brief test, but it does provide a very flexible system. Sony also claims that compared to images ' shot with traditional sensors', the HX1 model ' takes clearer images with about 50 percent less noise when in handheld twillight or anti blur modes'.
Other notable features include a 28 - 560 mm (35mm equivalent) 20x zoom and 1080 high definition movie capture, with stereo sound capture via a built in microphone. Optical SteadyShot comes as standard, while a 3" LCD monitor, face-detection modes and nose-reduction technology that uses the high speed shutter to capture six shots within a fraction of a second and superimposes them into one picture in order to improve sharpness and clarity, should ensure it appeals to gadget fans and photographers alike.

What's in the Box?

The DSC-HX1 has an average bundle. Inside the box, you'll find:

The 9.1 effective Megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 camera
NP-FH50 rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Battery charger
Lens cap w/retaining strap
Shoulder strap
USB + A/V cable
HDMI adapter
CD-ROM featuring Picture Motion Browser software, Cyber-shot handbook and Step-up Guide
74 page basic manual (printed) plus 176 page full manual (on CD-ROM)

CANON'S FLAGSHIP DSLR PACKS A PUNCH WITH ITS RESOLUTION AND ERGONOMICS F4490 BODY ONLY 21 MP FULL FRAME SENSOR. LIVE VIEW. DUST CONTROL

At around f4,490 the EOS 1DS Mark III is out of reach for most consumers, but nevertheless people are always interested in the top-end desirable but unaffordable gear. Affer all,what comes from the top eventually filters to the bottom into the enthusiast and entry leve offerings. This is a big camera with a big feature set. The magnesium alloy body alone weighs 1,210g without a lens and and battery. Whithin the body lies a pair of DIGIC III processors, required to transform the large files that are generated by the hefty 36 x 24mm ful-frame sensor. That sensor is a CMOS type with 21.1 million effective pixels, and features built-in dust reduction courtesy of the EOS integrated Cleaning Sytem. With a frame rate of 5fps it's not the fastest, but it's still fast and doubling the processing power at least keeps the camera's sped at a working level. As a professional camera, there are no scene modes, but within the menu are Canon's Picture Styles that are standerd on all current EOS models. As for the camera's focus system of the MK II, but now includes 19 cross-type points instead of the seven on the older model. Similarly the new model has an improved metering system upping the evaluative stakes with 45 zones, over the previous 21 all of which are linked to the AF system. Finally, Canon has added live view to the 3in monitor. Disappointingly, this feature works only in manual focus mode, though a 10x zoom view is availble fo critical focus checks. The viewfinder matches the size of the sensor, noticeably larger than that of an APS-C type DSLR, and is bright and clean with a clear green LED readout and red projected LED AF points. The AF points Can be selected LED AF points. The AF points can be selected individually using the front command dial and the AF is both quick and quiet. The shutter release button is responsive, too, and though the monitor is a useful size, its resolution and clarity really fail to match that of the ultra-high resolution of models from Nikon and Sony. What is impressive, though, is that large files can pass through the system so quickly, thanks to the dual processor inside the camera. With a SAnDisk Extreme III card, For instance, a sustained burst of 60 jPEGs may be captured. VERDICT: Canon has certainly done it again with the 1DS MK III, nd I expect that studios across the globe will be ordering them as a matter of course, just for the hing resolution. In use this DSLR is a workhorse, and what it lacks in grace and beauty is made up fo with its strength and results - and body what results

Nikon's high-resolution full-frame model isn't cheap, but perfomance is impeccable
F4790 body only 24.5MP sensor* full-frame fx format
when Nikon reaealed its first full-frame DSLR, the D3 , a few eyebrows were raised at its 12 MB sensor. But the unprecedented levels of noise control and supperb image quality of the D3 soon silenced the doubters, and even led some to question the need to ever cram more than 12 MP on a sensor a gain.
However, there some professionals who do demand the extra resolution that can only be achieved by having more pixels such as studio, commercial, landscape and stock photographers who need large image files and who rarely shoot handheld or above ISO 100. The D3x is Nikon's attempt to court these resolution junkies with a 24MP version of the D3.

The D3x is identical in almost every way to the D3 except for the sensor, a more restricted ISO range and a slower burst speed. Not to mention the whopping f6,000 RRP price of the D3 and f1,000 more than its direct rival, the Canon EOS 1Ds Mk III. It's also three times the curent price of the 24MP Sony Alpha 900, upon whose Sony-made sensor the D3x chip is based.
Housed inside a magnesium alloy body, the D3x is comprehensively protected against the element. It has a 100% viewfinder along with a 920k-dot 3in LCD screen with two live view modes: TTL phase-detection AF(for trippod-based work) and contrast -detect AF.
Exposure is controlled via Nikon's 3D color Matrix Metering II and internal Scene Recognition technology that identifies the type of subject being photographed to provide information to the focus, exposure and white balance systems, while Active D-Lighting controls highlight and shadow detail.

Focusing is handled via Nikon's 51 point MultiCam 3500FX AF module, with 15 cross-type sensors. The camera is compatible with both FX and DX lenses, though the latter results in a smaller image and a 10.4MP file. Like the D3 the D3x lacks a built-in flash and dust reduction.
In use the D3x handles identically to the D3, which is to say exceptionally well. Despite its weight it's comfortable to use even for extended periods. All of the camera's key controls are easily accessible and the D3x offers a tremendous degree of customisation from within the menu.Metering is as sure-footed as the focusing, and performs impeccable. If resolution is everything and you can afford the asking price, then the D3x is probably the camera for you.

Verdict: The D3x is a stunning camera the pushes the boundaries of DSLR perfomance to a new level. It isn't perfect, though-the omission of any form of built in dust control is a major disappointment. However, if you want the finest image quaility at the hightest possible resolution, the D3x is now the best camera of its kind.

Short version: If you are familiar with the Nikon D300, then you can just expect more of the same. The D300s doesn’t do anything ground breaking, but what it does is add some nice features to an already excellent DSLR — most importantly, HD video and SD card support.

The D300s is the latest version of Nikon’s award-winning D300, which was released in August of 2007. The D300s features a 12.3 megapixel, DX-format sensor, and supports an ISO range of 200 to 3200. Nikon also gave the D300s their 51 point auto-focus system, which makes it exceptionally easy to get a crisp image while shooting. The D300s also has the same 3 inch LCD display as the D300 on the back of the body, which is great for reviewing your shots or when you are using the “Live View” mode. At $1800, it’s firmly in the “prosumer” price range.

There are a few major differences from the D300, which I own. The biggest change is the inclusion of video. The D300s allows you to capture video at 24fps, at either 720p (for a 5-minute continuous shot), 640×424 (for 20 minutes), or 320×216 (also 20 minutes). The D300s also has a “quiet shutter” mode, which is perfect for wildlife photography, and they added the ability to use an SD card as well as a CF card, the previous standard. It is possible to use both cards at once, and there are a couple of ways to do that. You can specify that you want video on one, and pictures on the other, use one as overflow for the other, or manually shuffle them between the two cards as you see fit. I actually prefer to use the backup mode, which writes the picture to both cards at the same time.
comparison
Ergonomics: Not much has changed, really: the D300s uses the same magnesium alloy body as the D300, with the same textured rubber that most cameras use. The controls are a bit more intuitive, and the memory card cover release has been replaced with some more function buttons.

Picture Quality: Outstanding. Nikon used a faster processor in the D300s, and it shows. The autofocus (one of the things that didn’t work *quite* right on D300) is fast and intelligent, the picture controls are intuitive, and the end results are outstanding. Nikon’s inclusion of custom picture control settings makes it easy to get everything exactly how you want it, consistently. I use a couple of custom settings that allow me to duplicate the look of some of the most famous types of film, like Fuji Velvia and Agfa Optima.

Video: The 720p looks very impressive. I’ve always been somewhat skeptical of those cameras that try to do two things, because they rarely do them well. Camcorders rarely shoot good still pictures, and still cameras just don’t do video that well. The bad news is, that’s still the case here. Yes, the picture quality is great because the D300s uses great lenses, and a huge (comparatively) sensor. However, the auto-focus is pretty sketchy, and you can REALLY hear the focus motors when you are recording. Also, if you’re not using a tripod, you’re going to have a video that looks like it was filmed by Matt after his energy drink post.

Battery life: The EN-EL3e Li-on battery takes up 950 shots on a single charge, depending on how much time you spending viewing and editing your pictures in camera. I recently went on a trip to Yosemite (the sample pictures you see are from that trip) and shot the entire weekend on one charge. One. That’s pretty damn impressive, and I wasn’t even trying to stretch the battery life out.

Pros: The D300s is a great camera. This is the second version of this model, and Nikon has done a great job improving it. The quiet shutter mode is nice, the auto-focus is faster now, the dual memory slots are nice, if not particularly necessary (SD memory cards are cheaper than CF card though). Also, adding the new dedicated “Info” button was a really good idea.

Cons: Video isn’t quite there yet. Yes, the image quality is much better then what you’ll get from a camcorder, and the HD video is crisp and clear, but that auto-focus noise is just too much (plus it’s slow). I also noticed that the auto ISO and auto WB aren’t accurate all of the time. This could be my personal bias, but I typically end up adjusting those items myself.

Now, in the interest of comparison, I mentioned that I own a D300. I bought one a few months after it came out after much research and reading, and I’m a fan of the original. As such, I was very interested when I heard that Nikon was going to be releasing an update to my much loved D300. Will I be upgrading? Probably not. The video feature isn’t enough to make me switch, and I think I’ll be waiting to go to full frame for my next upgrade. If I didn’t already own D300, would I buy a D300s? Absolutely. No question about it. The Nikon D300s is still the best “prosumer” level DSLR on the market today.

To be fair, there is another possible contender for the crown that is ~~not on the market today~~ just arriving on the market. That would be the Canon 7D. It’s around the same price point (MSRP is actually a bit cheaper, at $1699), and if the published information is to be believed, the Canon’s video modes will be better then the D300s (though likely have the same problems). Canon has stated that their camera will capture HD video at 30, 25, and 24 FPS, and will also allow more manual control then the Nikon. As for the rest, well, the eternal Nikon vs. Canon conflict goes on. We’ll just have to wait and see who exactly rules the roost after the Canon is released.

The D300s has an MSRP of $1799.95, for the body only.

Olympus E_620 review 0

What's in the Box?

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