A Scene from Photographyreview.com and the Holy Grail (with apologies to Monty Python)

Pixelpeeper: Stop! Who would photograph the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the RGB files he see…

Laurencelot: Ask me the questions Pixelpeeper, I am not afraid!

Pixelpeeper: What…is your name?

Laurencelot: My name is Sir Laurencelot of Chimpsalot.

Pixelpeeper: What…is your quest?

Laurencelot: To seek the Holy Grail.

Pixelpeeper: What…is the pixel count of a 12 MP APS-C imaging sensor?

—————————————————————————————-

Well, you can finish the ending of that scene as you wish. (“And make it a nice one.”)

My definition of digital photography’s Holy Grail: It’s a compact digicam that rivals the quality and functionality of a digital SLR. In short, it’s the perfect camera: fast and consistent AF, fast shot-to-shot, fast lens, wide zoom at least 28mm, customizable color, clean and detailed files up to ISO 800, and of course, RAW format. I left some things out like excellent controls and ergonomics, but given the history of digital cameras all this is probably too much to ask for anyway.

Since the early days of Canon’s G-series compact cameras, I have been on the quest (read: waiting) for the holy grail. It always seemed like it was just around the corner, but then it was not. The G-series had some standouts, but never fully lived up to its potential in my opinion. Nikon teased us but like Canon, they took RAW away too. Could the 2007 Powershot G9 finally be the camera to save Chimpsalot? Not based on the criteria I set out above, but for all intents and purposes the Powershot G9 may perhaps come close enough for most folks.

Canon’s announcement of the Powershot G9 is getting a lot of attention for one big reason: The return of the RAW file format. That alone is probably going to sell this camera. The price point at US$500 shouldn’t hurt either. And Canon’s improving image quality in compact cameras (as seen with the SD800 and SD850) holds additional promise. Otherwise, the G9 appears to be an evolutionary step up from the G7 which it replaces. In fact if RAW format isn’t important to you, there are plenty of other camera options out there. I like the flexibility that RAW offers so here’s what I think we might expect from production G9 units.

The camera body design is basically the same as the G7. People miss the vari-angle LCD of G-series cameras past, but the new 3-inch, 230,000 pixel monitor is also found on the EOS 40D and EOS 1D Mark III digital SLRs. The grip is the same as the G7, and the controls on the back are essentially the same as well. Finally, the lens is the same 35mm-210mm (equivalent) f/2.8-f/4.8 6x zoom which means at 210mm you’ll likely be nudging up the ISO setting to get hand-holdable shutter speeds (even with image stabilization). For some reason Canon opted to move away from the G6’s fast f/2-f/3 lens. I’d trade the 210mm reach for a 28mm-135mm f/2-f/3 any day–it’s much more practical.

Image quality of the Canon G9 of course remains to be seen, but you can find what are supposedly production Canon G9 JPEG image samples online. Remember that at least in theory RAW files processed properly will look superior to in-camera JPEGs. Based on the JPEGs I downloaded and examined, the JPEG files appear to strike a reasonable balance between detail smearing noise reduction and contrast edge sharpening. On the whole, the JPEGs were flat and desaturated, and exhibited the usual grey digital patina that is removed by increasing contrast or by intelligent use of Photoshop Lightroom’s clarity and vibrance tools. In other words, they look to have potential. Some more of my pixel-peeping observations:

Color and Contrast - Canon files have a reputation for being a little flat while also exhibiting a slightly red to magenta color cast. The G9 is no exception but I find that in good light, the color cast is not too objectionable. In tungsten light, well, it depends but generally it isn’t Canon’s finest hour. To be fair, tungsten is difficult for a lot of cameras. What I do like in what I’ve seen is that a lot of subtle color variation is captured across the board, and every file examined had a range of color that I found generally to be acceptable (and much more pleasing after post processing). Even better is what seems to be a wider dynamic range with more detail in the shadows and a less muddy appearance. Presumably the Picture Styles can be modified to suit one’s taste and thereby minimize the post processing.

Overall Detail - At first blush, the detail strikes you as extremely good, especially at lower ISOs and with the lens at wide angle. But there is a tinge of that oversharpened, almost pastel crayon-like color around many contrast edges. The effect is as if you ran the photo through your noise-reduction software with the strength set just a little too high. Thus, I can easily imagine the G9’s JPEG files looking excellent with the sharpening dialed down. There also seems to be a very slight halo around all contrast edges–this is very subtle but to my eye, it’s as if the entire image has this odd oversharpened texture or glow.

Fine Detail - For some subjects it appears to be excellent at low ISOs, wide angles, and under adequate light. On the other hand, very fine detail such as hair or eyelashes appear to be smeared and soft depending on the light and contrast. It’s definitely not as crisp as my Panasonic LX-1 with Leica glass. Ideally, you would want to see sharp images from the G9 at 210mm telephoto, especially with the sample people shots since most of the subjects are relatively close to the lens. Unfortunately the samples are not as crisp as one might expect (despite what appears to be an adequate shutter speed for the situation).

Overall Noise - Given the camera’s 12 MP compact sensor, it’s no surprise to find some digital noise even at ISO 80. But overall I’m optimistic about what this camera can do. I did not see blocked up shadows and blotchy globs of “continuous” tone. I saw about average pitting at ISO 400. In fact the lack of noise at low ISOs is excellent and might perhaps be up there with the best considering the sensor’s pixel count.

Highlights - To my eye they look better than some recent models but not much better or different from Canon’s current compact cameras. Since Highlight Tone Priority is a new feature this year on the EOS Mark IIIs and the 40D, perhaps we’ll see this trickle down someday. My feeling is that some other cameras render highlights better. This is one area where RAW files may make a big difference in image quality.

Keep in mind that these subjective observations are drawn from someone else’s JPEG files and we’ll have to wait and see how the camera’s images actually turn out. Despite my image quality caveats above, my guess is that images from this camera will please most consumers and prints from this camera should be excellent for most subjects. When the production units arrive, the things I’d hone in on are:

• Fine details (like hair) as captured over the entire lens zoom range
• Realism and smoothness of highlights and other tonal gradients
• RAW format conversions for improvements over the JPEGs
• Auto white balance capability indoors under tungsten light
• High ISO captures, JPEG vs. RAW
• Picture Styles
• AF speed and shutter lag
• Shot-to-shot speed, especially for RAW capture

What about the competition? At PMA 2007 in Vegas last March, there were a few cameras that aspired to be worthy, but I thought they fell short in one or more critical areas. This isn’t to say they are bad cameras! Indeed, there are quite a few cameras that do many things well but that aren’t outstanding overall. My current favorite is hated by many yet it does what I want and it does it well. Let’s face it, it’s hard to build the perfect camera.

For now the Canon Powershot G9 may get us a step closer to the perfect compact camera but whether or not it achieves legendary status remains to be seen. Personally, I applaud the return of RAW files, but I find the zoom lens to be a drawback (not wide enough, not fast enough). And despite the pixel-peeping details, my guess is that the G9 will be a successful offering; a balanced mix of features and image quality that will satisfy, if imperfectly.

In the meantime, the quest for “the grrrrahill” continues. Right! Off you go…

Related Content:
Canon PowerShot G9 Reviews >>
All Canon Camera and Equipment Reviews >>
Canon Cameras Forum >>
Canon Cameras and History Page >>
Canon Web Site >>

By Laurence Chen | buythebestcamera.com

The Olympus EVOLT E-510 is a compact consumer DSLR based on the Four Thirds digital camera standard created by Olympus and Kodak. The E-510, as tested, is available in a kit that includes the body and two Olympus Zukio Digital lenses-the 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and the 40-150mm f/4-5.6. The E-510 is also available as body only or in another kit with the 14-42mm lens only.
Want to buy an Olympus Evolt E-510?

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Olympus Evolt E-510 Studio Test Images
	ISO 100 Sample >> ISO 200 Sample >> ISO 400 Sample >> ISO 800 Sample >> ISO 1600 Sample >>

Pros Reasonably priced two-lens kit (as tested) Natural, film-like color balance Excellent overall image quality Sensor-based, mechanical image stabilization Live view mode Small, comfortable body and lenses Two-lens kit is compact and lightweight Compatibility with Four Thirds lenses from other manufacturers Uses CompactFlash or xD Picture memory cards High quality metal body	Cons Four Thirds aspect ratio may feel too square for some photographers Very small viewfinder image No erase function immediately after capture Memory card door may open inadvertently Customization may be excessive and confusing Quick Erase function requires caution Default Noise Filter setting sacrifices detail Optional card format is xD instead of SD (Secure Digital)

Introduction
Olympus delivers a well-rounded Four Thirds System digital SLR to the sub-$1,000 camera space. The EVOLT E-510, like the Pentax K10D I reviewed early this year, offers a balanced combination of technical features, usability, and customization that works well in the field.

Features
The Olympus EVOLT E-510 comes with everything we expect from a modern digital SLR. This includes mechanical image stabilization, long-exposure noise reduction, and an automatic sensor cleaning system. The E-510 also offers a Live View shooting mode that enables the rear LCD display to be used as a viewfinder (just like point-and-shoot digital cameras).

For me, the EVOLT E-510’s most important feature is the image stabilization system. Mechanical image stabilization, like the E-510’s sensor-shift system, enables you to handhold the camera at slow shutter speeds. This is especially valuable for low light photography. I found that Olympus’ image stabilization works very well at normal to wide focal lengths (i.e., with the 14-42mm zoom lens). It also works, but not as well, with the 40-150mm telephoto lens. This is to be expected from sensor-based image stabilization, as opposed to optical image stabilization systems, which are designed for and built into specific lenses. The benefit of Olympus’ mechanical system is that it’s built into the camera body and therefore works with any lens mounted on the body. I think the E-510’s image stabilization system works well overall-even better than the Pentax K10D, which I tested and own. I consistently captured sharp handheld photos at 1/8th of a second. And when I used Live View, which automatically locks up the mirror, I was able to handhold for up to half a second and get usable photos.

Live View is another key E-510 feature. It allows you to use the rear LCD to compose and shoot, instead of the viewfinder. Olympus was the first to introduce live view to digital SLRs, with their EVOLT E-330. This is particularly useful for macro photographers because you don’t have to contort your body to see through the viewfinder when you’re shooting at odd angles. It appears that Olympus had macro photography in mind with the Live View mode, because mirror lock-up is only available in Live View mode. In fact, mirror lock-up is required for Live View as the mirror normally blocks the Live View sensor. Live View is a benefit for macro work and landscape photography. It would also be useful for portrait and product photographers working on a tripod in the studio.

Camera Menus

Olympus Evolt E-510 playback		Olympus Evolt E-510 playback with RGB histograms
Olympus Evolt E-510 playback with brightness histogram		Olympus Evolt E-510 Live View mode w. histogram
Olympus Evolt E-510 detailed control panel screen		Olympus Evolt E-510 main menu

Design
Digital SLRs under $1,000 have matured to the point where the differences between models are less about features and performance than about the specific trade-offs a photographer is willing to make in order to satisfy their particular photographic needs and style. These distinctions can be subtle and personal to be sure. But they can mean the difference between a satisfying camera and a frustrating one. As with a tough photo competition’s final round of judging, camera usability comes down to the smallest details and can be a very personal thing. In this regard, Olympus’ engineers made some thoughtful design choices for the EVOLT E-510.

Like most DSLRs, clicking on one of the directional keys on the back of the E-510 (up-down-left-right) accesses primary camera settings like white balance or ISO. Olympus takes this one step further: clicking the center “OK” button allows you to navigate around the rear LCD’s INFO display and change any setting shown. It’s easy and intuitive to navigate this visual grid and that makes it easier to access secondary settings normally buried in the menu tree.

Olympus Evolt E-510 Back and Top Controls

Another thing I liked about the E-510 was the flexibility of the exposure controls. There’s a rear thumb-activated control dial on the top right side of the camera, with function buttons just below. I find using the rear dial preferable to an index-finger dial next to the shutter button It’s more comfortable and secure to change exposure with your thumb while maintaining a light touch on the shutter button. Thus most E- 510 exposure changes are just a quick twist of the thumb. I also feel that finger-thumb combos such as changing exposure compensation (by holding the top button down with your index finger while turning the thumb dial) are easier with the E-510 than the opposite arrangement (e.g., with Canon’s Digital Rebel XTi, you hold a button with your thumb while dialing with the index finger). The E-510’s arrangement feels more secure to me. This makes a subtle but positive difference for aperture-priority and metered manual shooters like me.

Since the four-way keypad on the back has become standard for most digital SLRs, it’s difficult to judge the usability of the E-510 controls without some hands-on shooting time. The camera doesn’t seem unusual in your hands. But after shooting a few hundred photos with it, I think that the Olympus engineers put more than cursory thought into the design of the camera interface. I’ll be looking for “thumb-priority” control dials on future digital SLRs from Olympus and camera makers.

Camera Experience
Overall, the Olympus E-510 performed reliably in many everyday situations. It easily handled landscapes and close-up photos, which don’t usually require rapid control operation. It was also fast and responsive enough for chasing erratic butterflies around with the 40-150mm zoomed out all the way to 150mm. As I reviewed (”chimped”) my shots throughout the test, I noticed that the E-510’s exposure metering performed consistently well across a variety of lighting conditions. It held highlight detail pretty well and exposures generally needed little or no post-processing. Automatic white balance was often right on, outdoors. Indoors it came close, although it wasn’t as consistently as I would like. Fluorescent lights, the bane of all automatic white balance systems, were handled reasonably well by one of the three fluorescent presets. If anything, they tended to have a slight magenta cast, although it wasn’t objectionable.

The E-510’s auto focus, while not the fastest in its class, was quick and accurate for most subjects, short of pro sports. I found it performed best with the 14-42mm zoom lens. The AF system isn’t perfect - it missed occasionally (especially with the 40-150mm telephoto zoom lens) and took a little longer to focus in low light than I’m accustomed to.

The Herbie Hancock snapshots (crops at 100%) were taken at 150mm (300mm equivalent) at a shutter speed of 1/640^th second, easily fast enough to eliminate camera shake and freeze motion. The first frame (above left) demonstrates how sharp the E-510 and 40-150mm lens combo can be. But the other photo (above right) is soft, probably as a result of auto focus inaccuracy. It appears that the camera focused on the audience instead of the performers, in spite of my using only the center AF point and recomposing the shot – the most accurate auto focus technique

On the other hand, I felt the AF was tracking fairly well as I chased butterflies on the ground. It seemed to me that little focus errors tended to occur with distant subjects at long telephoto zoom lengths. Despite this minor issue, I generally was confident that the E-510 would acquire focus without my having to double check.

A lot of customization is possible with the E-510. One custom function I found useful programs the E-510’s Function (Fn) button to activate the auto focus. I’ve used rear-activated auto focus for almost my entire career and was pleased to be able to do so with the E-510. By swapping the operation of the AEL/AFL button with the Fn button to activate auto-focus, the most important exposure controls are literally right under my thumb. I can operate the shutter independently of the AF system, as well as lock exposure if my desired exposure differs from the metered composition.

There were a few things about the E-510 that bugged me. One is the itty-bitty optical viewfinder. Like Canon’s Digital Rebel XTi /EOS 400D, the E-510’s viewfinder image is so small that it makes some photographic situations difficult. For example, I found it difficult to see people’s facial expressions when shooting environmental portraits. If you can’t see the subject’s facial expressions clearly, you have to either take more pictures as insurance, or you have to get out from behind the camera to see their face better - thus taking your eye from the viewfinder and possibly tilting your horizon.

Another minor inconvenience is the inability to erase an image file during the immediate playback after capture. With a high contrast scene like the chairs below, you may want to see if the highlights are blown and make an exposure adjustment immediately, before the light changes. You can’t rapidly review, delete, and reshoot with the E-510. The obvious workaround is to bracket your exposures and just keep shooting although that requires more memory cards. The E-510 does have an optional “Quick Erase” function. And if you do enable Quick Erase, I recommend caution, as there is no “are you sure,” confirmation step. One click and the picture is gone.

The memory card door popped open a few times while I was using the camera one-handed. When I reached with my thumb to push the AEL/AFL or Fn buttons, my palm sometimes pulled the memory card door open. If the camera happened to be writing to the card at the time, that data would be lost. Maybe my hands are a little big for the E-510. But this is something that should never happen, regardless of the size of the photographer’s hands. Perhaps Olympus will design a better memory card door latch in the future. The E-510 needs a lock mechanism to prevent this situation from occurring.

The Olympus E-510 body and lenses also look and feel much more like a traditional film camera than a digital SLR. The body is compact and almost as small as an XTi, and the kit lenses are proportionally sized for the body. The E-510 also has one of the most comfortable grips I’ve ever used on a small DSLR. There’s a gradual bulge in the middle of the grip, along with an indent that cradles your middle finger under the shutter button. This gives you a secure grasp on the camera and is a big reason why I was shooting one-handed so much during my testing. This grip should be suitable for a wide range of hand sizes as well. The compact size of the E-510, combined with the very comfortable grip and control layout, makes handling the camera a breeze.

About The Four Thirds System
A little discussion about the Four Thirds digital format and its underlying philosophy is important for a well-rounded Olympus digital SLR review. The Four Thirds system was conceived in 1999 with the premise that the ideal digital sensor should be large enough to produce a quality image file, yet small enough to keep the camera body and lenses small. The Four Thirds moniker comes from the sensor’s 4:3 aspect ratio, as opposed to 35mm film’s 3:2 ratio. The first Four Thirds camera, the Olympus E1 digital SLR, was introduced in 2003. Because the Four Thirds sensor is smaller than full frame or APS-sized sensors, lenses can be smaller with approximately twice the effective focal length power of 35mm camera lenses. So the Olympus Zuiko Digital 40-150mm kit lens used for this review is comparable to an 80-300mm lens in the 35mm format or a 60-225mm lens on digital SLRs with a 1.5x digital crop factor (most).

Although the Four Thirds system was intended to produce smaller cameras and lenses, the E-510 is about the same size as other digital SLRs in its class - think Canon XTi / 400D, Pentax K10D, or Nikon D80. It’s the lenses the set it apart. They are definitely smaller than comparable 35mm and dedicated digital SLR lenses - especially with the two lenses in the kit we tested. The tradeoff may be a sacrifice in image quality compared to cameras that have sensors with more surface area. But with improved sensors and better noise-reduction technology it may not be a real issue to anyone but people who have to compare everything with a magnifying glass. And it’s always important to consider how much image quality is really necessary. How much is good enough?

Personally, I find the 4:3 aspect ratio a bit cramped and narrow. I frequently cropped E-510 images to 3:2 proportions, thinking to myself, “what a waste of pixels.” The 3:2 ratio may feel more natural to me because I grew up with it. It’s also closer to the proportions of Euclid’s Golden Mean (1.618:1). The 4:3 ratio does feel well suited to portrait orientation (vertical) images, however. And, the Four Thirds sensors also deliver image files with a subtle character, which I’ll discuss in the Image Quality section of my review. So what to make of Four Thirds? In the end it’s a personal decision. The cameras and lenses are smaller, but a smaller sensor means restricted image quality compared to cameras with more sensor surface area. And the appeal of the 4:3 aspect ratio depends on the individual photographer.

Official Four Thirds Web Page >>

Image Quality
The Olympus E-510 generally has very good image quality. But as with the camera design and performance, it’s the balance of elements, rather than one characteristic, that makes it noteworthy.

The color palette is natural and pleasing while the highlights are well controlled with realistic gradients. I still recommend shooting a little dark to hold highlights, as you would with any digital camera. Shadow areas have plenty of detail, so underexposing a bit isn’t a problem, if you’re willing to do a little post-processing. Other professional reviews have indicated that Olympus E-System cameras might have a little less dynamic range than some other cameras in the same price range. My experience with the E-510 suggests that this may be true. But not enough to make photos unusable or make me overly concerned.

I primarily shot RAW files and converted them using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. I found that the colors captured by the E-510 often needed little, if any, correction. And I did substantially less post-processing than I normally would with other cameras. The E-510 produced files that almost had a film-like color palette (perhaps a bit like Fujifilm Provia slide film). This aspect of the E-510’s character may be more valuable than a wider dynamic range because it means less time sitting in front of the computer.

The E-510’s image files are a cross between DSLR and small sensor, compact digital camera image quality. The E-510 renders fine details well, but with a slight “pastel” color smearing - probably from noise reduction or contrast enhancement. This is most noticeable in fine details like distant tree limbs. It’s less of an issue with close subjects that fill the frame. This detail/pastel-smearing is not necessarily a bad thing and is common with point-and-shoot digital camera images because of their smaller sensors and the processing algorithms they use. Digital SLRs tend to produce smoother-looking images due to their physically larger image sensors. The E-510 combines the best of both worlds, in my opinion. You can see detail in the building as well as the broader “brush strokes” of distant rocks and trees.

In this image of Crater Lake in Southern Oregon, you can see some of the pastel effects in the foreground trees and distant cliffs. The image itself is a bit muddy due to my (over!) use of a polarizing filter.

The detail captured by the E-510 is quite good if you turn off the Noise Filter feature (Note: there are two noise-related features on the E-510. Noise Reduction corrects for noise in exposure of half-a-second and longer. The Noise Filter looks for and softens “random pattern” noise in low contrast areas and solid fields of color like skies). I found reducing the in-camera sharpness to -2 also helped. In the butterfly image below, I shot with the 40-150mm zoom lens at f/8 to see if I could get a vaguely impressionistic background and use the sensor’s “pastel” rendering characteristics for dramatic effect. I also bumped up the color saturation is a hair in this photograph with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

Conclusion
The Olympus EVOLT E-510 eventually won me over thanks to its overall usability and image quality. Because of my bias for a 3:2 aspect ratio, I often caught myself feeling that the E-510 somehow wasn’t “serious enough” as a photographic tool. However, I found that photos I took with the E-510 compared well to photos from Canon, Nikon, and Pentax bodies I’ve recently tested or owned (even though I did crop a lot of my E-510 photos back to a 3:2 aspect ratio). The Olympus E-510 yields images with a well-balanced, film-like color palette, right out of the camera. The kit offers the camera body with two great starter lenses at a very attractive price. This combination of camera ergonomics and image quality does a lot for the E-510’s fun-factor. Compact size and light weight make the Olympus E-510 a natural “take-with-you-always” digital SLR.

Who Should Buy It
The Olympus EVOLT E-510 is an attractive alternative for photographers who value out-of-the-camera image quality and light, compact portability. The E-510 offers a unique design philosophy with the Four Thirds system, and enables the use of other manufacturer’s Four Thirds lenses (currently, Leica and Sigma). The two lens kit is a great value for beginning photographers. Based on my experience, the E-510 may not appeal to serious sports or wildlife photographers who require their DSLR to be part of a large system of lens and lighting accessories. On the other hand, it’s the simplicity of the Olympus E-510, along with its light weight, compact size, and great ergonomics that should appeal to photographers who want DSLR quality without DSLR bulk and weight. In addition, the E-510’s pleasing, film-like image quality will satisfy photographers looking for good images right out of the camera without the time and hassle of post-processing.

By Laurence Chen | BuyTheBestCamera.com

- end -

Contents of the Olympus Evolt E-510 Box
• Olympus Evolt E-510 Digital SLR
• 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital Lens
• BLM-01 Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery
• USB Cable
• Video Out Cable
• Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCM-2)
• Strap
• Body Cap
• Olympus Master 2.0 CD
• User Manual
• QuickStart Guide
• Registration Card

Other Resources:
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Olympus Evolt E-510 User Reviews >>
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Olympus Evolt E-510 Camera Specs >>
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All Olympus Digital Camera Reviews >>
Olympus Web site >>
Olympus Evolt E-510 Camera Manual >>
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Digital Camera Buyer’s Guide >>
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LRY Profile >>

Want to make a huge leap in the quality of your images right now? Put
away the flash. Learn to use available light.

Yes, that means sometimes boosting the ISO, it may even (rarely) mean
spending a little bit on a faster lens, but your images will be the
better for it.

Direct flash is great when there’s no light around. It’s even nice
sometimes for fill, though rarely. But the problem is that it comes at
the subject in a straight line from the photographer. The flash
destroys all rendition of shape, creates harsh highlights, potentially
makes the background dark and even causes the dreaded red eyes.

So why is flash always recommended as a must-have accessory? Often
it’s because of the ability to bounce it. A built-in flash gives you
absolutely no control. But an accessory flash, even at the low end,
will have some ability to swivel or tilt, preferably both. This gives
you the ability to move the flash away form being a direct, harsh beam
and lets you use nearby walls and ceilings to diffuse the light for a
much more pleasing effect.

STEP 1 on the road to flash freedom: Use the swivel and bounce on your flash.

You’ll notice right away the diffused light is much nicer than the
deer-in-headlights/DMV look. But after a while, you’ll get tired of
this look as well. As nice as it is, unless you really creatively use
the ability to bounce, you’ll notice a lack of drama. Every shot will
have soft, even lighting. Much better than the DMV look, but still not
where it could be. You’ll start looking for more impact. And you’ll
start looking for a way to get it without the need to carry a ceiling
or wall around.

STEP 2 on the road to flash freedom: Move the flash off the camera.

For this you’ll need an off-camera flash cord. This is another money
spending step, but it’s one we all take. And honestly, it’s not wasted
money. The cord itself will not be used often, but when you need it,
you’ll be really glad you have it. To use it, attach the cord to the
camera’s hot shoe and the flash to the other end of the cord. Now you
can easily hold the flash anywhere for added modeling, fill, or
whatever other effect you can come up with. Suddenly shadows behind
the subject are no problem; just move the flash to avoid them. You
gain the ability to use a swiveling flash bracket as well, for the
same shadow elimination ability. You also gain control, although short
lived. At this point, you’ll begin to realize that handling the flash
with one hand and the camera with the other is a little bit of
trouble, and the technique starts being used sparingly. You get to a
point where all the gear is simply more trouble than it’s worth to use
on a regular basis. So how do you improve images from here?

STEP 3 on the road to flash freedom: You leave the cord and flash in
your bag and start using whatever light’s available.

Yes, that means shooting wide open and shooting at high ISOs. It means
potentially having to manually focus, and it definitely means having
to manually expose. What you lose is the ability to control every
facet of the shot, but what you gain is incredible freedom of
movement, which makes it much easier to be more open-minded to shot
possibilities. On top of that, you get the look of naturally lit
images, along with all the mystique, drama and emotion.

You still have to make the image. You’ll have to move to get the light
where you want it, but you’ll quickly realize it’s worth it. Your
subjects will seem less removed from their context, you’ll feel more
free and you’ll reach a new level of comfort in your ability to create
the image your mind envisions.

And in the end, you will gain one more tool that allows you to create
stunning images. Except that this tool is free and doesn’t take up any
space in your bag.

Today is the day that Nikon shooters around the world have waited years for. Ever since the Nikon D2 series debuted with the announcement of the D2H in July 2003, Nikon shooters have wanted more. The D2X, which hit the streets in early 2005, brought Nikon back into the high resolution fray, but disappointed many with its performance above ISO 400 and its “High Speed Crop” mode which was required to get beyond 5 frames per second speed. Nikon users still wanted more: They wanted a faster camera, more AF points, Bigger viewfinders, Bigger LCDs, More Dynamic Range, Better High ISO, and especially Full Frame.

Today, Nikon checked everything off the wish list with their new speed demon, the Nikon D3.

The D3 is just one part of a long line of groundbreaking Nikon F-Mount SLRs going back almost 5 decades. In recent years, Nikon suffered the loss of many professional customers with Canon always seeming one step ahead. Nikon chose to challenge Canon in the consumer and advanced amateur market first, with sales climbing at a record pace, even besting Canon in Japan recently with the D40, D40x, D80, and D200 filling out the sub-$2000 market. Nikon still hadn’t challenged Canon’s 1D mark II/Mark II N for speed, or matched the 16.7MP 1Ds Mark II for overall resolution (although due to the smaller format, the overall resolving power between the two was quite similar). With the release of the Canon EOS-1D mark III earlier this year, it seemed Nikon might never catch up. Never say never, though. With last night’s Nikon announcements, Canon should be shaking in their boots and thinking hard about new and exciting ways to compete. And that’s great photographers, who will benefit from the innovation that results from the competition.

The new Nikon D3 isn’t designed to challenge Canon’s new high resolution studio body, the EOS-1Ds Mark III. The D3 is aimed squarely at the 1D Mark III, Canon’s 10.1-megapixel, 10 frames-per-second beast. The EOS-1D Mark III, despite some AF system issues affecting a number of bodies, has rapidly become the camera to beat in terms of auto focus, overall image quality, dynamic range, speed, and high ISO performance. Nikon realized this, and the D3 is a across Canon’s bow. Featuring a 12.1-megapixel full frame “FX Format” sensor, it outdoes the EOS-1D Mark III in resolution by 2 million pixels. The sensor has a very large photosite size (individual pixel size) for incredible light gathering ability. The D3’s CMOS sensor also has gapless microlenses and on-chip noise reduction. The sensor features 12-channel data readout, versus the 4 channel readout that was used in the D200 to achieve 5 frames-per-second at 10-megapixels for long bursts.

Beyond Nikon’s long-standard nearly instant startup time, imperceptible shutter lag, and a mere 74ms mirror blackout time, the D3 is now the fastest full frame DSLR on the planet with a continuous shooting rate of 9 frames-per-second at its maximum resolution of 12.1 megapixels. It even outpaces Canon’s EOS-1D Mark III, shooting at 11 frames-per-second in the lower resolution, DX crop mode. However, the top speed of 11 fps comes without the benefit of auto focus tracking.

That isn’t to say the Nikon D3’s AF system is any slouch. In fact, the D3 features a groundbreaking Multi-CAM 3500 FX auto focus system, with 51 auto focus points- the most ever in an SLR. With luck there won’t be any issues with it as there have been with the Canon EOS-1D Mark III (something I personally learned the hard way). Nikon retains easy control over the point selection process with its 8-way multi controller, plus a number of configuration options. Like Canon’s 1D Mark III and the just-announced 1Ds Mark III, a feature is included to tweak auto focus performance for individual lenses. Nikon has also included color AF tracking to improve accuracy, using a modified version of the 1,005 pixel RGB metering sensor that has given Nikons incredible metering  and white balance accuracy.

Naturally, image quality is paramount. Those familiar with the D2X will recall that ISOs above 800 were ISO boosts- H1.0 was 1600 and H2.0 was 3200. Nikon does not offer a speed within the normal range lightly. That is why it is mind-boggling that the base ISO range of this camera is 200-6400: not 100-800 like the D2X, or 200-1600 like the D2Hs, or 100-1600 like the slew of 10mp Nikons in production today. Even Canon’s 1D Mark III, which actually has usable ISO 6400, doesn’t offer it as a normal sensitivity setting. Nikon has even enabled shooting in 1/3, 1/2, or 1 stop increments all the way up to ISO 12,800. And above that, they offer HI 2.0: ISO 25,600- a first for digital SLRs. A noisy, poor image quality ISO 25,600 gimic setting would be easy to believe - Nikon hasn’t had the greatest high ISO performance of late - but initial reports from Japan indicate that pros testing the preproduction bodies at the release were astounded. Unfortunately, they aren’t allowed to share images from preproduction bodies. But the results are said to be above and beyond anything available today. Besides ridiculously high sensitivity settings, the D3 also offers an ISO 100 equivalent Lo ISO setting.

Nikon has taken a new approach to in-camera image processing. The new image processing system has been dubbed “EXPEED”. It features a 14-bit Analog to Digital Converter and 16-bit data processing. JPEG shooting can also use Active D-Lighting in camera to improve shadow and highlight detail, which only adds to the attractiveness of the 14-bit ADC. 14-bit is the new standard set by Canon’s 1D MkIII. The D3’s 16-bit processing and Active D-Lighting is another reason its more attractive than the Cnon EOS-1D Mark III with just 14-bit data conversion. Branding the processing system with the EXPEED name is clearly targeted at the Sony Bionz and Canon Digic II and Digic III image processing engines. Nikon has lagged on effective marketing for years. Canon and other manufacturer’s marketing has given the impression that Nikon is further behind than they actually have been. And Nikon has stepped up to the plate with their most recent digital SLRs - they started with the D70. But the D80, D40, and D40x have been very well-designed and competitive cameras - and they’re selling quite well.

The D3 is truly designed to be an image quality beast. But what good would that be without a way to see it? Nikon obviously gave this a lot of thought, as the D3 offers an HDMI 1.3 port to output directly to high definition displays (HDTV).

The really incredible feature on the D3 as far as output goes though is undoubtedly the 3-inch LCD display. It isn’t the first 3-inch LCD on a DSLR. The Canon EOS-1D Mark III and the recently announced EOS-40D and 1Ds Mark III have a 3-inch 230,000 pixel LCD. But the D3’s LCD is a leap ahead. Featuring an astounding 920,000 pixel screen, the D3 has the highest resolution display on a DSLR today, by a huge margin. This makes a big difference in the next big thing in digital SLR features: Live View. While the 1D Mark III offers Live View, it’s manual focus only and is a separate function. The recent Canon announcements added a system similar to Olympus and Panasonic’s mirror-drop AF, but Nikon also offers contrast-detection auto focus in live view. Live View is a standard shooting mode on the dial, with single shot, Continuous low, Continuous High, Mirror up and self timer in addition to Lv. Having used Live View on the 1D Mark III, I kinda miss AF (though manual focus is very easy, even remotely). But it will be a treat to use Live View with such a high resolution display - especially for macro photography.

Nikon has paid attention to the rest of the camera as well. Minor refinements are everywhere, demonstrating that Nikon knows how to keep track of the little things that make a camera easy to use. Angled command dials, viewfinder masking for 5:4 crop mode and DX crop, and the new Picture Control system all improve overall user experience and continue the long tradition of easy to use Nikon controls and ergonomics. The addition of dual CF card slots and support for UDMA high speed cards offers improved flexibility, with options to backup to both cards, auto switch when full, and write JPEG to one card and RAW to the other. As expected, the camera is weather-sealed and has a durable shutter rated to 300,000 shots.

If pressed, I couldn’t pick one favorite new feature. I can tell you a few I think are important, though. Undoubtedly the new auto focus system is one of them. I loved my Nikons’ 11-point AF system (Multi-CAM 1000 and 2000). It was pretty accurate but the AF points were more sparse and weren’t always perfectly centered in the brackets. With the D3, I think the accuracy will be better, plus there are now 15 cross-type sensors, which are the most accurate. Not that Nikon’s line-only sensors are bad. The D200 only has one cross sensor and did great at AF tracking. The D3’s new 3-inch, 920,000 pixel LCD really gets me going, because I’m a big fan of a really great image review that lets me judge overall sharpness at full magnification. And although I’m definitely an optical viewfinder guy, Live View is a nice feature - especially for macro and tripod-mounted photography.

However, the killer feature that made me decide to buy a D3 as soon as I can, (I’m a fast decision maker with photography) is ergonomics. Nikon seems to have taken everything that was right with the D2 series (most everything), put in everything that was awesome about the F6 35mm SLR, added a pinch of magnesium alloy, and made a camera out of it. The tilted command dials are something I’ve wanted since the moment I first held the F6, almost 2 years ago. Turning them is that much more easy and natural. In fact, a friend and I made a composite drawing about 6 months ago that was very close to the finished product. Nikon knows how to make a camera that feels like pure heaven in your hands.

The D3 is a flagship camera if there ever was one. However, compared to Canon’s full frame DSLR, it seems to be missing a few million pixels. The reason? The D3 is built for speed. Word on the street is the next body is still being tested and will be released early in 2008. It should also be an FX format (full frame) body like the D3, but with much higher resolution. Despite being full frame and high speed, the D3 will be competitively priced: right around the $5,000 mark - not far from the EOS-1D Mark III that it competes with.

Nikon D3 Key Features:
12.1 Megapixel FX format Full Frame CMOS Sensor
ISO 200-6400, L( 100) H up to ISO 25,600
9FPS Full Frame, up to 11FPS DX
Multi-CAM 3500FX 51-point autofocus system
3.0″ 922,000 pixel LCD, HDMI video output
EXPEED Image Processing System
Scene Recognition System
Live View with AF in all modes
Picture Control System
14-bit A/D, 16 bit processing
300,000 cycle shutter
AF Fine Tuning
Complete Nikon D3 Specs >>

The D3 maintains compatibility with many accessories from the D2 series, including the DK-17M magnifier, 10-pin remote accessories, and GPS. The D3 now has an F6-style built in remote terminal cover, which many nikon D2 series users will tell you is a smart move. The old terminal caps were way too easy to lose. The D3 uses the same powerful battery pack as the D2, but with a new dual slot charger included. It also mantains compatibility with the full range of AF Nikkor lenses, AI-P and non-CPU AI Nikkor lenses. The only major accessory that isn’t compatible is the wireless transmitter. But Nikon announced the new WT-4 transmitter along with the other announcements, today.

The D3 wasn’t the only show at Nikon’s press conference in Japan by any means. The big surprise was almost a year ahead of their usual replacement cycle, the D200 is already obsolete. Nikon announced the 12-megapixel D300 at the same time as the D3. The D300 is to the D3 what the D200 was to the D2X and then some. Truly the digital equivalent of the F100, perhaps even the F6, the D300 is a true baby D3. It features a 12.3 megapixel DX format (1.5x crop) CMOS sensor, the same 51-point AF system found in the D3, self-cleaning sensor, live view, instant startup and almost imperceptible shutter lag. It can shoot continuously at 6fps: clearly aimed squarely at canon’s new 10-megapixel, 6.5fps EOS-40D, which also features a self cleaning sensor. The D300 one ups it, however, with the same 3.0″ 920,000 pixel LCD as the D3, a much more complex AF system, 12MP, and with the optional MB-D10 power booster can shoot at up to EIGHT frames per second- just as the F6 can with its MB-40 booster attached. The MB-D10 offers additional flexibility- not only can the D300 be powered by the same EN-EL3E batteries as its predecessor and the body only, but it can also be powered by the D2 and D3 series’ EN-EL4A battery and AA batteries.

The D300 also offers the EXPEED image processing system with 14-bit A/D conversion and 16 bit processing, autofocus during live view, ISO 200-3200 in normal settings, Lo 1.0 (ISO 100), and Hi up to ISO 6400. It is compatible with the new WT-4 wireless transmitter, and has HDMI output. It also offers the same durable build quality of the Nikon D200 that thousands of photographers trust implicitly, and has full lens compatibility with AF Nikkors, AI-P, and non-CPU AI nikkors. As usual, it offers a built in manual release pop up flash, ergonomic styling and controls, promising to be as easy and comfortable to use as the D200 and more than likely surpass its predecessor in that way too. It manages to do this without breaking the bank. It is more expensive than the Canon 40D, and the D200 today, but release price will be under $2,000, not far from where the D200 debuted at. Considering that the D200 has been immensely successful placed at a higher price point than the Canon 30D but with a larger feature set, and the D300 is still more compelling than perhaps any Nikon to date (save the D3) , it will undoubtedly be a hit. I can see quite a number of journalists and action photographers using the D300 as a backup or as a main body with the MB-D10 grip and an EN-EL4A battery inside, and if it is as good at high ISOs as we’re hearing, it really will be a compelling offering at an incredible price. This is what Nikon does best- break price barriers.They did it with the N90, bringing the performance of an F4 in a small package for a great price….they did it again with the F100 /F5 combination, and again with the D100, D70, D200, D40/40x, and now the D300.

D300 Key Features:
12.3MP DX format CMOS sensor
EXPEED image processing
ISO 200-3200, L(100), H(6400)
New 51 point Multi-CAM3500DX AF system
Live View with Autofocus in all modes
Weather Sealing
Sensor Cleaning
3.0″ 922,000 pixel LCD
HDMI output
UDMA Card Support
6FPS continuous shooting, 8FPS with MB-D10 battery pack
AF Fine Tuning
14-bit A/D, 16 bit processing
Complete Nikon D300 Specs >>

These new cameras bring with them a new software setup: Nikon Capture NX remains, while Camera Control Pro reaches version 2.0. The Cancelled Nikon View Pro has been renamed Nikon ViewNX and is now free of charge.

Nikon has also included a slew of lens upgrades. For many these are welcome additions. The AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens is a full-frame zoom with a field of view reaching an astounding 114 degrees on full frame cameras like the D3’s FX format sensor. The new 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S is the new standard zoom in the range developed to be smaller and lighter, improving sharpness across the frame. This thankfully eliminates a great deal of overlap: previously it would have meant a 17-35mm and 28-70mm lens, and the 14mm prime to cover 14mm to 70mm. Now, the 14-24mm and 24-70mm cover from 14-70 without overlap or gaps.
Both lenses feature Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat, which was introduced on the 300mm f/2.8G AFS VR and greatly reduces flare and ghosting.

Also upgraded were Nikon’s super telephoto lenses: the 400mm f/2.8G AF-S ED VR, 500mm f/4G AF-S ED VR, and 600mm f/4G AF-S ED VR. All three feature Nikon’s VR II system with up to 4 stops of shake correction, with the Nano Crystal Coat like their smaller 300mm brother. Together with the existing 300mm f/2.8G AFS ED VR, 200mm f/2.0G AFS VR Super-ED, and 200-400mm f/4.0G AFS ED VR zoom, Nikon’s super telephoto range is the ultimate in flexibility and quality available. Of interest to birders, the VR II system now offers tripod mode, so no more overcompensation for tripod stability. They also have focus preset systems, and a new manual focus override designed to keep AF engaged in the event of accidental override. Weight is more or less in line with their predecessors, the AFS mark II versions, and weather sealing is included. Each lens improves on the minimum focus distance of their predecessors as well.

Curiously absent were updates to Nikon’s aging prime lenses. One area that Canon has an undisputed edge is in fast glass under 200mm. Canon offers the excellent L-series 24mm f/1.4L USM, 35mm f/1.4L USM, 50mm f/1.2L USM, 85mm f/1.2L II USM, 135mm f/2.0L USM, and non-L series lenses such as the 28mm f/1.8 USM, 50mm f/1.4 USM, 85mm f/1.8 USM, and 100mm f/2.0 USM. Nikon, however, has the discontinued and almost impossible to find 28mm f/1.4D AF (an aged design, with slow screwdrive AF and a going rate of over $2,000 used), the still tough to find 85mm f/1.4D AF, which also uses screwdrive AF and has in my opinion a bit too much chromatic aberration, and the 105mm f/2.0 DC and 135mm f/2.0 DC, which not only use screwdrive AF but have Defocus Image Control, an expensive and complicated feature that many photographers would never use. Additionally, the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 is poorly build compared to their other fast lenses, and uses screwdrive AF. Nikon’s fast 24mm and 35mm pro lenses and their professional 50mm f1.2 are all manual focus lenses dating from the 1970s, and while they will work on the D3 and D300, they simply don’t cut it in today’s world. If Nikon wants to really make the most of its newfound high ISO capabilities, they would be served well with a new line of fast AF-S ED Nano-Crystal primes at or around 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 100-135mm, with professional grade build and the Nikon optical quality that built the company and has kept it a leader in photography.

Nikon however really has created a compelling offering and the competition will only heat up from here. Canon has already tipped all of their hand but the entry level and the rumored 5D replacement, and competition is good- both brands will go back to the drawing board with bright ideas and plans for the future. Complacency by any brand is deadly to the company and a blow to their customers. Nikon has clearly challenged Canon on their home turf now, and their offering in the spring is likely to be exciting as well. Nikon is ready to regain dominance in the whole DSLR market, and as far as Nikon is concerned: This is the beginning of the rest of Digital Photography.

Related Nikon Content:
Nikon D3 Press Release >>
Nikon D3 Specs >>
Nikon D300 Press Release >>
Nikon D300 Specs >>
Nikon AF-S 400mm, 500mm, & 600mm VR II Nikkor Lenses Press Release >>
Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Zoom Nikkor Lens Press Release >>
Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Zoom Nikkor Lens Press Release >>
All Nikon Camera News >>
Read and Write Nikon Camera & Lens Reviews >>
Nikon Cameras Forum >>
Nikon Cameras Resource Page >>
Nikon Web Page >>

Canon made their annual holiday camera announcements at midnight last night. There’s a new G-Series camera - the PowerShot G9, two new Digital ELPH cameras, two new A-Series PowerShots, two new SLR lenses, a bunch of new printers, a couple of flatbed scanners, and the two main announcements; the Canon EOS 40D and EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLRs.

This flurry of products clearly demonstrates Canon’s push into several major segments of the photo industry. Canon’s new product offerings, particularly the cameras, set ever higher standards for others to meet or beat. Here are my quick impressions and the benefits that most interest me.

After the announcement of the EOS 1D Mark III at PMA this year, people knew the EOS 1Ds Mark III couldn’t be too far behind. And indeed, Canon trots out their flagship in time for the holidays. Normally, the second half of the year’s camera announcements are consumer products intended for holiday sales. So the EOS 40D was right on schedule. The 100% professional-level EOS-1Ds Mark III would have been a more traditional fit for the spring 2008 PMA tradeshow or even the semi-annual Photokina show, which takes place in late 2008.

The full frame, 21-megapixel EOS-1Ds Mark III suggests that Canon is going after a piece of the medium format market. And at $7,999 instead of the approximately $20,000 investment for a Hasselblad or Mamiya digital system, it’s quite likely they’ll carve out a significant slice for themselves. The EOS 1Ds Mark III sends a pretty strong message to photographers and other manufacturers about who’s leading the market right now. At present there is no competition for Canon’s 21-megapixel full-five frames per second digital SLR from other digital SLR manufacturers. And when there is an alternative, it will be at least a full generation behind Canon’s technology. The competition will have to price quite aggressively to build a user base.

Moving on down the line, many people have been expecting the EOS 40D for quite some time as the EOS 30D was hard pressed to stand out against its rebellious little brother, the Digital Rebel XTi. Canon obviously paid attention here as well and assuming everything works as advertised, the EOS 40D brings some EOS 1D Mark III features down to the $1,200 price point. Some key features (among many) for me are:

* Highlight tone priority
* ISO displayed in viewfinder
* New quiet shutter
* New AF
* Weather sealing
* New menus and LCD
* 6.5 frames per second
* 10 MP

As with the EOS 1D Mark III, there are many little improvements in addition to these items that add up to a very compelling package. I have really been waiting for these features to adorn a 5D Mark II, but the EOS 40D just might be the better deal if you don’t have a strict need for a full-frame sensor.

Canon doesn’t let up in the compact camera department either. Most noteworthy for me is the Powershot G9 which brings RAW files back. Finally. I think I can hear a collective “hooray!” coming from the blogosphere. And I haven’t used this camera yet but if it renders highlights anything like the Powershot SD850 or SD800, this could be a serious contender in the “point-and-shoot-that-almost-replaces-a-DSLR” department. As for the 12 MP sensor and 3 inch screen–I’d guess the latter is nice but we’ll have to see about 12 MP in a compact. If anyone can make a compact 12 MP look reasonably clean, it’s Canon.

At the low end, you have to admit Canon offers a lot of camera for the price with its A-series of compacts. The Powershot A650 IS and SX100 IS are affordable compacts sporting features like manual exposure control that will please serious photographers on a budget. I always recommend that my students consider one of these models if they’re just getting started in photography. As for the cameras’ image quality, let’s hope the highlights and dynamic range are as good as or better than last year’s models.

Of course, you don’t really know how good the cameras are until you get your hands on one and see the files for yourself. But as always, the announcements are intriguing!

Finally, there are a couple new lenses. I’m only going to discuss the EF-S lenses: the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS. These new lenses are inexpensive and while they may work well, the main drawback is their slow maximum aperture at the telephoto ends of their respective zooms. Ideally you want f/4 or better if at all possible. The usefulness of a zoom at f/5.6 is limited in practical photographic terms. You lose the ability to create selective focus/blurred background shots and you can only use the telephoto ends of the zooms in bright light or at high ISO. Sure the image stabilization helps but it’s not really the same as having f/4 or f/2.8 all throughout the entire zoom range. Plus the image backgrounds will still have that f/5.6 “look.”

If you’re on a budget, then you’re on a budget and if you had to choose one, I’d only buy the wide zoom (EF-S 18-55mm IS). Save your money and buy a faster telephoto lens such as the EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS (that’s f/4 throughout the entire zoom range) or an f/2.8 zoom. I’ve also heard good things about some third party lenses that are less expensive than Canon’s but beware that the build quality can be hit or miss. Another possible solution is to buy a prime (fixed focal length) lens such as the EF 85mm f/1.8 for selective focus images.

Stepping back a bit, right now all the manufacturers are making impressive digital SLRs. I think there is still plenty of room for improvement, but Canon has been able to keep just ahead of the competition in most areas. They surprised us this spring with the EOS-1D Mark III, a camera which was the arguable “winner” at the PMA (Photo Marketing Association) tradeshow. And following up so quickly with a new EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 40D models make a statement to the photography world about Canon’s intention to hold their position as the leading force in digital camera design and sales. That said, let’s watch for the competition’s response; it’s sure to be interesting.

Related Content:
Canon EOS 40D Press Release >>
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Press Release >>
Canon PowerShot G9 Press Release >>
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS Press Release >>
Canon PowerShot SD950 IS and SD870 IS Digital ELPH Press Release >>
Canon PowerShot A650 IS and A720 IS Press Release >>
All Canon News >>
Read and Write Canon Camera Reviews >>
Canon Cameras Forum >>

By Laurence Chen | buythebestcamera.com

Throughout every technical revolution in photography one thing has always remained a constant: It’s all about the photograph.

Features, everybody thinks they need them, the more the better. The latest buzzwords, the latest showpieces in the eternal struggle to “keep up“ with technology. Yet how often do we ask ourselves if these features we’re clamoring for so desperately actually help with taking pictures?

“What features should I look for?“ Is a question asked often, in person and all over the internet. Whenever I see the question asked I cringe. I cringe because one more person has been convinced that technology makes their 24-month old gear obsolete. But more importantly, I cringe because once again I’m dealing with the realization that no matter how hard I try, I simply am incapable of effectively communicating why a camera should not be shopped for that way. I have a feeling I’m not alone. It’s something that comes with time, the shift from it being a technical craft to it being an artistic and emotive one. At some point, the camera becomes an enabling tool, it becomes invisible until it hinders me. And until it hinders me, I tend to not think about it too often. At that point, I identify the problem area and start researching ways to surmount it. This state is liberating, because it keeps me from making the same mistake the person asking the features question is making. It keeps me from looking to technology and money to improve my photographs. This is a state that is very important to be in early on, and it’s also the most difficult thing to explain to someone who isn’t there yet.

Beyond the trite adage of “It’s the photographer, not the camera“ and all the other “wisdom“ passed down by those of us who think we have half a clue, the most important question to remember whenever shopping for ANY piece of gear is this:

What do I need it to do?

At the most basic level, even the most inexperienced person is aware that the bare minimum requirement is taking decent pictures. However, they get lost in the sea of acronyms, technologies, bad advice from salespeople and heavy advertising by companies clamoring for their money. So the budding photographer starts to believe it’s the technology that creates the images and starts trying to research the latest advances that will give them the edge. In this skewed world of advertising and misunderstanding, that is totally reasonable. It’s also completely misguided. Proof is only so far as the incredible work coming out of people with nothing but the most basic P&S cameras, and the utter garbage coming from folks with gear costing more than a small car.

Where’s the disconnect?

It’s simply experience. The longer you shoot, the longer you live with the gear day in and day out, the more you realize that year after year, cameras change very little. Manufacturers would prefer that you think otherwise, and you can’t blame them, they need to make money. But the simple truth is that most of these annual revolutionary developments, well, really aren’t all that revolutionary.

For example…

The difference between ISO 1600 and 3200 is only one stop. If your shutter speed is 1/2 of a second, going to 1/4 won’t help you much.
Image Stabilization doesn’t stop the subject, only slightly steadies your shaky hand.
There’s no way a kit lens can get a full-frame shot of a receiver at a football game. ESPECIALLY from the stands.
Beautiful 8×10s were made with 3 megapixel cameras. Just how large will you be printing?
Be honest now, how may times do you turn the dial on your current camera away from the green box? The green box on the new camera isn’t much different.
A larger pixel always beats a smaller pixel. That 10 megapixel cam you’re eyeing will never give you twice the detail of your current five megapixel due to all the noise it has to remove, and along with it the fine detail. Physics. It’s the law.
In the hands of a good photographer, RAW and JPG will look identical.

Those things are obvious to someone that has done this for a while. But to someone that has only read about RAW on the side of a camera box, or worse, on some internet forums, it might be the fix for their exposure problems. Of course, it isn’t, the only fix for exposure problems is knowing how to expose.

When considering an “upgrade“ we all really need to consider our needs. But needs are boring, utilitarian, they lack the sex appeal of a shiny new gadget with acronyms and standards stamped on its sides. And that, I think is an even bigger problem: Experience has terrible PR.

If you’re shopping for a camera because the noise level is too high and you’d like cleaner files, then by all means do so. You’ve identified a problem and know the solution. But if you think it’s “just time” for a new camera or want to get something new just because you “heard” that stabilization makes the tripod obsolete and you want to take pictures of your dog at night, then stop and just sleep on it. And when you do come to someone looking for advice, start by telling them two things: 1) what you want to accomplish and 2) what’s preventing you from accomplishing it. Often you’ll find that the advice will be much more helpful, and no matter if it steers you towards new gear or not, it will allow you to make a much more educated investment of your hard-earned dollars. Because nothing sours the joy of a brand new toy more than buyer’s remorse.

Tonight I catch a plane from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. From there I’ll travel to Yellowstone National Park to attend one of Canon’s free national park photography workshops with Canon Explorer of Light photographer, Lewis Kemper. Canon has been kind enough to provide me with their current king digital SLR, the EOS-1D Mark III. We haven’t done a pro review for the 1D Mark III yet, and a workshop at Yellowstone will be a great way to get acquainted with the camera. I already shot controlled studio tests with the Mark III and am very, very impressed with the high ISO noise levels. The ISO 6400 image quality really is as good as we were told at the PMA tradeshow in March (see links below).

I’m really excited to give the 1D Mark III a full workout. After I get back from Yellowstone I’ll take it up to the Deer Valley ski area in Park City for some action photography tests with downhill mountain bike racers. I know there have been some focus-related issues with the camera and I plan to test those out, rigorously. Right now my camera doesn’t have the latest firmware. I’ll leave it as-is for the Yellowstone trip and then update it when I get back. If I encounter any problems at Yellowstone, we’ll see if the new firmware takes care of them.

Stay tuned for a full-length, hands-on pro review of the Canon EOS-1D Mark III.

Canon EOS-1D Mark III Studio Sample Photos:
 

Canon EOS-1D Mark III ISO 50 Sample Photo >>
Canon EOS-1D Mark III ISO 100 Sample Photo >>
Canon EOS-1D Mark III ISO 200 Sample Photo >>
Canon EOS-1D Mark III ISO 400 Sample Photo >>
Canon EOS-1D Mark III ISO 800 Sample Photo >>
Canon EOS-1D Mark III ISO 1600 Sample Photo >>
Canon EOS-1D Mark III ISO 3200 Sample Photo >>
Canon EOS-1D Mark III ISO 6400 Sample Photo >>  

Other Canon EOS-1D Mark III Resources:
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One of the trickiest skills photographers learn is the ability to mentally convert the world they see from three dimensions to a two-dimensional plane (such as a print). While each individual varies in their ability to visualize, I believe that this skill is greatly influenced by our camera framing technology–you know, those high tech camera features known as the optical viewfinder or the LCD monitor. Is one better than the other? Do we have a choice?

Unfortunately, one size doesn’t fit all: our choices, such as they are, are limited by the type of camera we use and the type of photography we do. But as digital cameras improve, DSLR users may have the best of both worlds.

We all know that regardless of the camera type, digital enables us to playback the image immediately after capture. Casual and serious photographers alike find that this immediate feedback aids the development of “photographic seeing.” Put another way, digital playback performs the visual 3D to 2D conversion for you, simplifying if not eliminating this mental process. If there is some compositional problem present, it’s pretty obvious on the screen. So why not use the screen for framing full-time?

Compact consumer cameras (point-and-shoots) do exactly this. They typically exclude any optical viewfinder (that’s why they’re compact!) or they come with a viewfinder of limited practical use. Compared to an optical viewfinder, compact camera LCDs display far more information about control settings and provide other useful feedback such as the histogram. In a way, consumer cameras have an advantage over DSLRs in their size, weight, and LCD screens. They combine almost all the qualities we want for general imaging purposes.

On the other hand, DSLRs are tough to beat for speed, quality, and versatility. And now with live-view capabilities appearing in several models from different manufacturers, it’s easy to expect that most DSLRs will offer this functionality in the future. Live-view LCDs are appearing on DSLRs as engineers overcome the challenge of designing such a system while maintaining the traditional optical system.

As I point out in my upcoming review of the Olympus EVOLT E-510 DSLR, live-view is very useful for tripod mounted shooting of subjects from formal portraits to landscapes to macro work. It performs the 3D to 2D conversion in real-time, making it easier for photographers to see the results of their compositional choices. Live-view on DSLRs complements the optical viewfinder for these and many other shooting situations.

However for most common photographic subjects, I still prefer the optical viewfinder. Sports, people, and candids are some general areas where seeing directly through the camera just makes more sense to me. With a good viewfinder, I can see specific facial expressions or elements of the composition moving into place. The LCD monitor seems at times limited to conveying general information about the overall composition and lighting. And practically speaking, it’s much more stable and less obtrusive to hand hold a DSLR up to your eye than at arms’ length. Live view will also consume more battery power.

Another circumstance where an optical viewfinder is more desirable than an LCD monitor is any event where photographers can distract or detract from the event itself. Weddings, conferences, and other events requiring discretion and sensitivity to the participants generally don’t benefit from a bright LCD screen held up by the photographer. There seems to be something less intrusive about a camera momentarily lifted to one’s eye, but perhaps this will change in the future.

Of course, not all optical viewfinders or live-view capabilities are built the same. Naturally, I expect future camera reviews to evaluate LCD monitors by their color, contrast, and resolution. I expect reviews to evaluate the interface design and critique how well photographic information is conveyed on screen. And I hope to find big, bright pentaprisms mounted atop DSLRs for big, bright optical viewfinder images.

For now, live-view is very likely coming to a DSLR near you, and may well become a standard feature on DSLRs of tomorrow. Wedding shooters may not benefit as much as macro shooters, and experienced photographers may not find as much to like as beginners, but try it out for yourself and perhaps you’ll discover that it opens new horizons for your photographic seeing.

By Laurence Chen  |  www.buythebestcamera.com