Photography Review Blog

New Nikon AF-S 16-35mm VR Zoom & 24mm f/1.4 Lens

Photo-John — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:47:47 +0000

Wide-angle Nikon shooters rejoice! Nikon is introducing two new wide-angle lenses for FX format (full frame) Nikon digital SLRs. The AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR and AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G ED lenses offer new wide-angle options for the Nikon D700, D3, D3S and D3X digital SLRs as well as 35mm Nikon film SLRs.

Both new lenses use Nikon’s best optical technology; including ED lens elements, aspherical elements and Nikon’s Nano-Crystal Coat lens coating. The AF-S 16-35mm f/4G VR zoom will be the widest full-frame VR (Vibration Reduction) lens in Nikon’s lineup. Nikon claims the VR II optical image stabilization offers up to four stops of camera shake compensation, meaning you can shoot four shutter speeds slower than normal without having camera shake ruin your photos. The f/4 aperture is a bit of a compromise – many serious photographers want an f/2.8 aperture. But the smaller f/4 aperture should keep the lens size and weight down, so there are benefits to the slower lens.

Low light street and event shooters should be excited about the new AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED prime lens (see below). The f/1.4 aperture allows selective focus with blurred backgrounds and handheld low light shooting. Photojournalists, concert photographers, travel photographers and even portrait shooters will benefit from the wide angle-of-view and large aperture on the new 24mm f/1.4 Nikkor.

The AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR zoom lens should be available at the end of February. That’s just a couple of weeks so you might want to pre-order now. The MSRP on the 16-35mm Nikkor is $1259.95. The new AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G ED will be available in late March at a suggested retail price of $2199.95.

Nikon AF-S 16-35mm VR Zoom & 24mm f/1.4G Lens Press Release

2010 PMA Tradeshow

Photo-John — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:17:12 +0000

2010 PMA Camera And Photography Tradeshow

February 21-23, 2010 – Anaheim, California

Every spring the Photo Marketing Association has their annual PMA tradeshow. PMA is the main event for photography product makers to introduce new cameras, lenses, tripods, camera bags, software and more. PhotographyREVIEW.com has been at the show every year since 2000 and we’ll be there again this year to show you all the new photography toys and trends. We’ll have hands-on reports about new digital cameras, tons of photos from the show floor and video demos of new products. Let us know what you want to see and we’ll do our best to answer all your requests!

Bookmark this page to follow all of our PMA coverage. Below you’ll find links to 2010 PMA news by manufacturer as well as a link for all PMA news and articles.

2010 PMA Camera & Photo Accessory Announcements:
by Manufacturer

Adobe

Canon

Casio

Epson

Fujifilm

HP

Kodak

Leica

Lexar

Nikon

Olympus

Panasonic

Pentax

Samsung

Sigma

Sony

Tamron

Tokina

All 2010 PMA Articles And Announcements

2010 PMA Photo Gallery (coming soon)

Follow us on Twitter & Facebook to get live updates and photos from the show floor!
	@Camera_Review @Photo_John

Canon EOS Rebel T2i / 550D DSLR – 18 MP & Full HD Video

Photo-John — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:03:26 +0000

Canon is introducing a new camera to their entry-level EOS Rebel digital SLR line. The Canon EOS Rebel T2i will be the new flagship of the EOS Rebel line and it mixes features from the recently introduced EOS 7D and last year’s EOS Rebel T1i (EOS 500D). It inherits the Rebel T1i’s 9-point auto focus system and basic body design but it gets the 7D’s 18-megapixel CMOS sensor and 1080p HD video with full manual exposure control and a dedicated Live View / Movie button.

Key Canon EOS Rebel T2i Specs And Features:

18-megapixel CMOS sensor
ISO 100-6400, extended to ISO 12,800
DIGIC 4 processor
3.7 frames per second burst rate (34 high quality JPEG / 6 RAW)
9-point auto focus system
1080p video at 24, 25 and 30 frames per second; 60 frames per second at 720p
Dedicated Live View / Movie mode button
External microphone input
Full manual video exposure
New movie crop mode
New 3-inch LCD with 3:2 ratio and 1-million dot resolution
Pop-Up Flash
New battery with 10% more capacity
Quick Control button

Canon has a history of incorporating prosumer DSLR features into their entry-level Rebel cameras. The T2i gets the same 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor as the Canon EOS 7D but with a 4-channel “readout” instead of the 7D’s faster 8-channel readout giving the T2i a maximum burst rate of 3.7 frames per second, about half the speed of the 7D. The T2i gets the complete video feature set from the EOS 7D – full HD 1080p video resolution at your choice of 24, 25 or 30 frames per second, or 60 FPS at 720p. This is impressive, especially since the T1i had a somewhat hamstrung 1080p HD video mode that only captured 20 frames per second. With such high-end video performance, the T2i reinforces Canon’s video-enabled DSLR dominance. With the T2i, they now offer full HD video with selectable frame rates and manual exposure control in four digital SLRs with prices starting at well under $1000. No other DSLR-maker comes close. The only thing Canon is missing is a model with a tilt-swivel LCD. Maybe that will be next?

As well as mixing high-end features into their “entry-level” DSLRs, Canon also has a tradition of using their Digital Rebel line to introduce brand new features. The T2i gets two new features – a new 2:3 ratio, 3-inch LCD with a one million-dot resolution and a “Movie Crop” mode. Besides the T2i’s general high-level spec, I think the new Movie Crop mode is probably the most interesting thing about the camera. It’s sort of an obvious feature when you think about. It uses the middle portion of the sensor for an approximate 7x magnification – or crop, if you want to get technical about it. Don’t confuse the Movie Crop mode with digital zoom, though. The T2i’s 1080p HD video resolution is about the same as a 2-megapixel sensor – only a small portion of the camera’s full 18-megapixel resolution. There’s no need for the in-camera interpolation (digital resizing) that makes digital zoom look so crappy. I haven’t seen any samples from the Movie Crop mode but it’s a great idea and technically there’s no reason it shouldn’t work well.

More than ever before, it seems like Canon is pushing the top-of-the-line Rebel DSLR as a serious camera. I’m sure Canon would like to sell more high-end cameras. But for most photographers I can’t help recommending the “entry-level” Rebel cameras over a 50D, 7D, 5D etc. I believe a lot of camera purchases are more ego-driven than based on what photographers really need. I’m as guilty of this as anyone else. We *want* the pro camera just because we want it, not because it will really help us take better pictures. The truth is, the new EOS Rebel T2i is plenty of camera for most of us, most of the time – even the pros. And if you’re a beginner, buying the Rebel T2i means you can spend more on a better lens – always a wiser way to invest your money.

Canon is calling the new T2i the “flagship” model of the EOS Rebel DSLR line. The XSi (450D) will be discontinued and the T1i (500D) will take its place as the mid-range model. The Rebel XS (1000D) beginner digital SLR will continue to be available. The Canon EOS Rebel T2i will sell for $899 with a lens and $799 body-only. Canon hasn’t been specific about when it will be available but late spring is a good bet.

Canon EOS Rebel T2i Press Release >>

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Digital Camera

aquadog — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:00:27 +0000

Today, Canon announced the PowerShot SX210 IS compact digital camera.

The PowerShot SX210 IS features 14.1-megapixels, a 28mm wide-angle lens with 14x Optical Zoom, a 3.0-inch wide LCD screen, Optical Image Stabilization, the ability to shoot 720p High Definition (HD) video with optical zoom, stereo sound and Dynamic Mode Image Stabilization, a built-in HDMI mini-connector, Control Dial with Hints and Tips, Smart Auto mode, Canon’s Smart FE (Flash Exposure) function, Low Light Mode, Face Detection, Smart Shutter scene mode with Smile and Wink self-timers, Scene Modes, and Image effects with new additions such as Fish-eye and Miniature Effect modes. The SX210 IS will be available in black, purple and gold colors. It supports the new SDXC memory cards as well as Eye-Fi memory cards for wireless transfer of video and photos.

The PowerShot SX210 IS will be available late March 2010 for $349.99.

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Press Release >>

Canon PowerShot SD3500 IS Digital Camera

aquadog — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:50:41 +0000

Today, Canon announced the PowerShot SD3500 IS compact, touch-screen digital camera.

The PowerShot SD3500 IS features 14.1-megapixels, a 24mm ultra-wide angle lens with 5x Optical Zoom, a 3.5-inch wide LCD touch screen utilizing “tap” operations, Optical Image Stabilization, the ability to shoot 720p High Definition (HD) video, a built-in HDMI mini-connector, Smart Auto mode, Canon’s Smart FE (Flash Exposure) function, Low Light Mode, Face Detection, Smart Shutter scene mode with Smile and Wink self-timers, Scene Modes, and Image effects with new additions such as Fish-eye and Miniature Effect modes. The SD3500 IS will be available in black, silver and pink colors. It supports the new SDXC memory cards as well as Eye-Fi memory cards for wireless transfer of video and photos.

The PowerShot SD3500 IS will be available late February 2010 for $329.99.

Canon PowerShot SD3500 IS Press Release >>

Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS Digital Camera

aquadog — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:35:03 +0000

Today, Canon announced the PowerShot SD1400 IS compact, super-slim digital camera measuring less than one inch in thickness.

The PowerShot SD1400 IS features 14.1-megapixels, a 28mm wide-angle lens with 4x Optical Zoom lens, a 2.7-inch PureColor System LCD, Optical Image Stabilization, the ability to shoot 720p High Definition (HD) video, a built-in HDMI mini-connector, Smart Auto mode, Canon’s Smart FE (Flash Exposure) function, Low Light Mode, Face Detection, Smart Shutter scene mode with Smile and Wink self-timers, Scene Modes, and Image effects with new additions such as Fish-eye and Miniature Effect modes. The SD1400 IS will be available in pink, orange, silver and black colors and supports the new SDXC memory cards.

The PowerShot SD1400 IS will be available late February 2010 for $249.99.

Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS Press Release >>

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS Digital Camera

aquadog — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:18:13 +0000

Today, Canon announced the PowerShot SD1300 IS compact digital camera.

The PowerShot SD1300 IS features 12.1-megapixels, a 28mm wide angle lens with 4x Optical Zoom lens, a 2.7 -inch PureColor System LCD screen, Optical Image Stabilization, Smart Auto mode, Canon’s Smart FE (Flash Exposure) function, Low Light Mode, Scene Modes, and Image effects with new additions such as Fish-eye and Miniature Effect modes. The SD1300 IS will be available in silver, pink, green, blue and brown colors and supports the new SDXC memory cards.

The PowerShot SD1300 IS will be available late February 2010 for $199.99.

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS Press Release >>

New Olympus 9-18mm and 14-150mm Micro Four Thirds Lenses

Photo-John — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:58:52 +0000

Along with the new E-PL1 Micro Four Thirds camera announced on February second, Olympus also announced two new Micro Four Thirds lenses. The new M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 (18-36mm equivalent) and M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 (28-300mm equivalent) are designed specifically for the Micro Four Thirds cameras. They’re compact, light and best of all – they have significantly improved auto focus compared to the previous two Olympus Micro Four Thirds lenses. And I’m not just saying that because I read it in the press release. I got a little early hands-on with the new 9-18mm lens and the auto focus performance was noticeably quicker and more accurate than the 14-42mm Micro Four Thirds kit lens.

Scroll down for larger photos.

If you look around the Web you’ll find a lot of talk about the Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras having better auto focus than the Olympus Pen cameras. I haven’t been able to do a serious comparison but I have noted the somewhat pokey focusing of the E-P1 and E-P2 and chalked it up to the contrast detect auto focus system. The two new Olympus Micro Four Thirds lenses should change that. I got to check out an early version of the new Olympus 9-18mm Micro Four Thirds lens and the focusing was much quicker than I’ve come to expect from the Olympus Pen camera cameras. I tried it on an E-P2 along with the kit lens and the 9-18mm Four Thirds zoom with the Four Thirds adapter. Using the new lens made the E-P2 perform like a whole new camera in terms of AF behavior. It’s still not DSLR-quick but it’s definitely a big improvement. Even more important, the new lenses demonstrate that the auto focus speed isn’t a camera problem – get a better lens and you’ll have better AF performance. It will be interesting to compare the focus speed with the new lenses to the Panasonic Micro Four Thirds camera focusing. Whether or not the new Olympus lenses will make the Pen cameras as quick as the Panasonics, they offer a welcome improvement for the Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Besides improved auto focus performance, the two new lenses add much-needed focal range diversity to the Olympus Micro Four Thirds lens lineup. The Olympus MMF-1 adapter makes it possible to use the 21 Four Thirds lenses. But that defeats the whole “small and light” raison d’etre of the Micro Four Thirds system. The new M. Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm lens is much smaller and lighter than the Four Thirds version (see super secret spy photo, below) and the 18-36mm (equivalent) focal range adds a much-needed wider angle-of-view. The new 14-150mm is a great addition too, offering more than a 10x zoom range. I think that Olympus should offer this as a kit lens option, along with the 14-42mm lens. I didn’t get to see or try the 14-150mm lens like I did the 9-18mm, but hopefully it will have the same improved auto focus performance.

The next thing I’d like to see from Olympus is some professional-level Micro Four Thirds glass. So far, all of the Olympus Micro Four Thirds zoom lenses, including the two new ones, have had consumer specs. The 17mm f/2.8 pancake prime lens is the exception. To be fair, Olympus arguably makes the best consumer-level lenses on the market. But there are serious photographers and professionals buying the E-P1 and E-P2 and they want pro glass. Personally, I’m waiting for a Micro Four Thirds version of the wonderful Olympus 12-60mm Four Thirds zoom lens. That would be my ideal all-purpose lens for the Olympus Pen cameras.

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 zoom lens will be in stores in early May with an MSRP of $699.99. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 zoom will be available in June with an MSRP of $599.99.

Olympus 9-18mm and 14-150mm Micro Four Thirds Lens Press Release >>

Nikon Coolpix L110 and L22 Digital Cameras

aquadog — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:35:21 +0000

Nikon announced two new L-Series digital cameras, the Coolpix L110 and Coolpix L22.

The Nikon Coolpix L110 features 12.1-megapixes, a 15x Optical Zoom-Nikkor lens covering a wide 28mm to 420mm super-telephoto focal range, a 3.0-inch high-resolution (460,000-dot) LCD, High Definition (HD) 720p movie mode with a dedicated movie selector button, Sport Continuous Mode, 5-way Vibration Reduction (VR) Image Stabilization System (Optical VR Image Stabilization, Hybrid VR Image Stabilization, Motion Detection, High ISO 6400, Best Shot Selector), In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, Enhanced Face-Priority AF up to 12 faces, Smile Mode and Blink Warning. The L110 will be available in black or red colors.

The Nikon Coolpix L22 features 12-megapixels, a 3.6x Zoom-Nikkor lens, a 3.0-inch LCD, VR Electronic Image Stabilization, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, Enhanced Face-Priority AF up to 12 faces, Smile Mode, Blink Warning, Auto Scene Selector and AA battery convenience. The L22 will be available in black, red, blue and champagne silver colors.

The Nikon Coolpix L110 and Coolpix L22 will be available in February 2010 $279.95 and $129.95, respectively.

Nikon Coolpix L110 and L22 Press Release

Nikon Coolpix L110

Nikon Coolpix L22

Nikon Coolpix S8000, S6000, S4000, and S3000 Digital Cameras

aquadog — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:14:53 +0000

Nikon announced four new Coolpix digital cameras to their S-series, the Coolpix S8000, Coolpix S6000, Coolpix S4000 and the Coolpix S3000.

The Nikon Coolpix S8000 features 14.2-megapixels, 720p High Definition (HD) at 30 frames per second movie capabilities, a 10x Optical Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens, 3.0-inch 921,000-dot LCD screen, 4-way Image Stabilization System and ISO settings to 3200, Advanced Flash Control, Sport Continuous Mode, and Subject Tracking. The S8000 will be available in black, red, bronze and champagne silver colors.

The Nikon Coolpix S6000 features 14.2-megapixels, 2.7-inch 230,000-dot Clear Color Display LCD, Sport Continuous Mode, Advanced Flash Control, ISO 3200, 4-way VR Image Stabilization System, Subject Tracking, Scene Auto Selector Mode and Nikon’s Smart Portrait System. The S6000 will be available in champagne silver, black, red, and bronze colors.

The Nikon Coolpix S4000 features 12-megapixels, HD (720p) movie recording, a 4x wide-angle Zoom-Nikkor lens, 3.0-inch 460,000-dot touch-panel Clear Color Display LCD, Touch Shutter, ISO sensitivity to 3200, 4-way VR Image Stabilization System, Subject Tracking, Scene Auto Selector Mode, and Nikon’s Smart Portrait System. The S4000 will be available in plum, champagne silver, pink, red and black colors.

The Nikon Coolpix S3000 features 12-megapixels, a 4x wide-angle Zoom-Nikkor lens, 2.7-inch 230,000-dot LCD screen, ISO 3200, 4-way VR Image stabilization System, Subject Tracking, Scene Auto Selector Mode, and Nikon’s Smart Portrait System. The S3000 will be available in plum, champagne silver, black, orange, green and blue colors.

The Nikon Coolpix S8000 will be available in February 2010 for $299.95. The Nikon Coolpix S6000, Coolpix S4000, and Coolpix S3000 will be available in March 2010 for $249.95, $199.95 and $149.95, respectively.

Nikon Coolpix S8000, S6000, S4000, and S3000 Press Release

Nikon Coolpix S8000

Nikon Coolpix S6000

Nikon Coolpix S4000

Nikon Coolpix S3000