Tag: DSLRs
The Nikon D40 is Nikon’s most compact and most affordable D-SLR to
date. This camera combines a host of high-end features with an
easy-to-navigate layout to make the creation of quality photographs
easier and fun. Its straightforward layout and design, combined with
the D40’s compact size, make it an excellent entry-level D-SLR.
It’s a great time to be a digital photographer. The digital SLR
business is booming, with 10 manufacturers offering more than 25 camera
models as of this writing, and more than half of those carrying street
prices under $1,000. Even the lowest-end models can turn out quality
images, and they provide lots of versatility, including full control of
everything when you want it and the ability to accept a wide range of
interchangeable lenses to meet every shooting need. Here’s a look at
what each camera company currently has to offer.
The heart of any digital camera is the image sensor—an amazing device that converts photons, bundles of light energy, into electrons, which are then collected, analyzed, and transformed into a visible image. Unlike all other digital SLRs on the market, the new Sigma SD14 incorporates a 3-layer, 14-megapixel Foveon X3 sensor that is, quite literally, cutting edge. Because this unique sensor captures full color data in all three primary colors at each pixel location, it can resolve finer details in color images than conventional sensors that only capture one color per pixel location. The result: The Sigma SD14 delivers superior real-world performance whenever you shoot high resolution pictures in color—an enormous practical edge you can easily see for yourself in comparison pictures of color test targets as well as in your own colorful digital images.
Several camera manufacturers offer lenses featuring built-in image-stabilizing mechanisms that counteract camera shake, and these work extremely well. But you enjoy those stabilizing benefits only when using those particular lenses. More recently, other manufacturers have introduced D-SLRs with in-camera anti-shake mechanisms, which provide shake reduction with all lenses. The lowest priced of these is the new K100D from Pentax.
With the biennial fall Photokina show in Germany always come many
interesting product introductions. This year’s batch included seven new
feature-packed digital SLRs. All are scheduled to be on sale in the
United States by the time you read this, except the Fujifilm FinePix S5
Pro (which will be available in early 2024) and the Sigma SD14 (no
release date as of this writing).
Much of my photography involves walking the streets of Los Angeles,
looking at light, shapes and people, and searching for that special
combination of just the right elements that make a memorable
photograph. Carrying a huge pro-end D-SLR isn’t necessary, though it
may do wonders for my ego. Instead, a smaller camera with key features
like those found in the new Nikon D80 often provides just the tools I
need.
Today’s digital SLR is probably the best camera type for most
photographers, offering the widest variety of features, the quickest
autofocusing and burst-shooting performance, and the greatest array of
interchangeable lenses, along with excellent image quality, easy
portability and affordability.
Whatever brand D-SLR you shoot, Sony’s new entry into the market
affects you, as it puts a very strong camera into the competitive fray.
I had a chance to spend a couple of days shooting solidly with the Sony
DSLR-A100, or Alpha camera, early this summer.
I
love digital SLRs and do just about all my shooting with them. D-SLRs
have a couple of drawbacks, however. Dust can settle on the image
sensor each time you change lenses, and you can’t see the image live on
the LCD monitor or tilt the monitor for odd-angle shots as you can with
compact digital cameras.
From
the moment it was created, photography has been inseparably connected
to technology. Born of light-sensitive substances coated on a metal
plate and now evolved to today’s CCD and CMOS sensors, photography’s
growth has been measured as much by its technological advances as it
has by the creativity of its photographers.
Choosing a digital SLR is a bit trickier than choosing a film SLR
because you have all of the film-camera considerations, plus a number
of digital aspects to weigh. One benefit, though, is that you can’t go
wrong with any of today’s D-SLRs—they all offer lots of features, good
performance and enough resolution to produce quality 12x18 inkjet
prints.
There’s
a definite visceral reaction when taking pictures with an SLR. The look
of the camera and the way it seems to be an extension of my hand often
evokes a sense that something wonderful is only a fraction of a second
away. Although I’ve taken great photographs with a compact digital
camera, a digital SLR provides the features and controls I often need
to ensure I come away with the photograph I expect.
For discriminating photographers, the Holy Grail in digital cameras in
recent years has been the so-called full-frame image sensor. Such a
sensor is the same physical size as a frame of 35mm film, and as a
result, has no lens magnification factor. Nikon’s newest high-end
digital SLR, the D2x, isn’t full frame, but with an extremely high-res
sensor and professional-caliber features, it calls into question
whether there’s a real need for a full-frame sensor, especially in
light of new wide-angle lenses designed just for digital.
As photographers, we’ve always faced choices—automatic exposure vs.
manual, slides vs. negatives, large format vs. 35mm. It’s no surprise,
then, that digital photography has created another one—digital SLR
(D-SLR) vs. advanced compact. Both camera types offer their own
advantages and disadvantages; which one is best for you depends on the
kind of images you like to shoot and the trade-offs you’re willing to
make.
Yes, the Canon EOS 20D has 8.2 megapixels, and everyone keys in on that
impressive number, but megapixels aren’t everything. The quality of an
image coming off of a sensor is strongly affected by the sensor design
itself as it, in turn, affects noise, color and tonal range. The Canon
EOS 20D features superb results for all of these points.
The high-performance camera provides instant power-up and a fast 37 ms shutter lag.
The continuous firing mode delivers 5 fps for 15 consecutive NEF
images. The 6.8-megapixel High Speed Cropped mode provides 8 fps for 25
NEF images.
A 6.1-megapixel, interchangeable-lens digital SLR, the Nikon D70 offers
an incredible collection of capabilities for less than $1,000. Although
it’s a full-featured SLR, the D70 utilizes simplicity of design to make
it easy to learn and use—even for photographers new to digital. The D70
is an excellent value with a wealth of features.
The Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n is designed to meet the demands of many pro
shooters. A 14-megapixel CCD, improved noise reduction, larger image
buffer and powerful image software for an efficient workflow make it a
formidable challenger for the top digital SLR position.
At the annual PMA show in Las Vegas this year, Nikon introduced a new
interchangeable-lens digital SLR, the D70. The camera had been rumored
for some months, but the trade show offered the first up-close look at
the new model. Unlike many PMA introductions, the D70 was shown to the
press as a final production and completely functional camera.
Typically, we’re shown mock-ups or we see the camera in a glass case
(don’t touch, please) rather than actual production models.
The *ist D is the first digital SLR from Pentax. Weighing just 19.4
ounces and measuring 5.1x3.7x2.4-inches, it’s considerably lighter than
most current D-SLR models, but still has the functionality that you’d
expect in a full-featured D-SLR.
