In this era of plastic-barreled mass-produced lenses, the Zeiss ZF lenses stand out in sleekly-elegant fashion, with their beautiful and durable all-metal design. For the past year, I’ve used the entire Zeiss ZF lines extensively on both Canon EOS and Nikon, with outstanding results(see the diglloyd blog beginning June 2008). My Guide, Zeiss ZF Lenses, goes into depth on the lenses. This page captures my thoughts on this superb lens line. If you’d like specifications on weight, size, etc, please see the Zeiss web site; this review won’t go into that stuff. You might also want to see the Zeiss July 2008 Camera Lens News.
The unanswerable question that will invariably be asked is whether the Zeiss ZF lenses are “worth it”—are they actually “better” than an equivalent Nikon or Canon lenses? There is no unequivocal answer to that question unless priorities are specified. Here are just a few of the considerations:
* Wide-open vs stopped-down sharpness and contrast throughout the frame;
* Ability to distinguish subtle tones, particularly in highlight or shadow areas;
* Color rendition, distinguishing fine nuances of color;
* Maximum aperture;
* Bokeh;
* Flare spots and veiling flare;
* Distortion;
* Automatic vs manual operation;
* Compatibility and ergonomics, especially focusing;
* Build quality;
* Cost.
diglloyd
more : photographyreview
Olympus E-520 Review
As well as using the kit lenses for our tests, Olympus also gave us the opportunity to use the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Super Telephoto zoom lens (which is being offered by some retailers instead of the 40-150mm lens) to test the performance of the body-integrated image stabilisation system in the E-520 camera. Some sample shots are shown below. With each of the lenses we used, we estimate the built-in stabilisation system provided approximately three stops of shutter speed advantage over the E-420 (which lacks stabilisation).
Picture taken with the test camera were similar to those from the E-420, which isn't surprising as both cameras have the same sensor and image processing system. Test shots in outdoor lighting were bright and colourful although some highlight details were lost in very contrasty situations. Shadows tended to block up when the subject's dynamic range was wider than the sensor could handle.
Exposure metering was accurate provided light levels were reasonably high. However, long exposures at night were consistently slightly under-exposed, as were flash shots in low light levels. Autofocusing was also reasonably fast and accurate under most shooting conditions, although we had a couple of 'near misses' when using the 70-300mm lens at full extension to shoot fast-moving subjects. Hunting was negligible in low-light conditions.
The slight warm bias we observed in our test shots with the E-420 was also present in shots taken with the E-520 and Imatest revealed increased saturation in the red colour band. Interestingly, saturation was only marginally below the normal 100% level in our Imatest tests, which also revealed minor shifts in the purple/blue and cyan/green hues. Skin hues were very close to the mark and overall colour accuracy was above average, with a mean colour error of 7.17.
Imatest showed the resolution of the test camera to be higher than that of the E-420 we reviewed and figures from the centre of the image field were in line with our expectations for a 10-megapixel camera. However, both lenses suffered from edge softening. With the 14-42mm lens this was most noticeable at wide lens apertures and with shorter focal length settings. With the 40-150mm lens it was general across the focal length and aperture range.
Margaret Brown
more : photoreview
Picture taken with the test camera were similar to those from the E-420, which isn't surprising as both cameras have the same sensor and image processing system. Test shots in outdoor lighting were bright and colourful although some highlight details were lost in very contrasty situations. Shadows tended to block up when the subject's dynamic range was wider than the sensor could handle.
Exposure metering was accurate provided light levels were reasonably high. However, long exposures at night were consistently slightly under-exposed, as were flash shots in low light levels. Autofocusing was also reasonably fast and accurate under most shooting conditions, although we had a couple of 'near misses' when using the 70-300mm lens at full extension to shoot fast-moving subjects. Hunting was negligible in low-light conditions.
The slight warm bias we observed in our test shots with the E-420 was also present in shots taken with the E-520 and Imatest revealed increased saturation in the red colour band. Interestingly, saturation was only marginally below the normal 100% level in our Imatest tests, which also revealed minor shifts in the purple/blue and cyan/green hues. Skin hues were very close to the mark and overall colour accuracy was above average, with a mean colour error of 7.17.
Imatest showed the resolution of the test camera to be higher than that of the E-420 we reviewed and figures from the centre of the image field were in line with our expectations for a 10-megapixel camera. However, both lenses suffered from edge softening. With the 14-42mm lens this was most noticeable at wide lens apertures and with shorter focal length settings. With the 40-150mm lens it was general across the focal length and aperture range.
Margaret Brown
more : photoreview
Olympus E-520 Review
A fully-fledged mid-range DSLR in a compact body, at an entry-level price – this is how one could distill the essence of the Olympus E-520 into one sentence. The new camera inherits the very well designed body, efficient handling and semi-professional feature set of its predecessor, and gains important capabilities such as wireless TTL flash control, Shadow Adjustment Technology and contrast-detect auto-focus in Live View. JPEG shooters will be delighted to learn that the default tone curve applied by the in-camera processing yields much more pleasing out-of-camera results, particularly with respect to the way specular highlights are rendered. RAW shooters will like the fact that the sensor has a wide dynamic range, even if they have to look beyond Olympus' own raw development solutions to extract the maximum out of it. Photographers who like to make big, detailed prints will be delighted to hear that the E-520, with the right Noise Filter setting applied, will retain most details right up to its highest sensitivity settings. Those interested in infrared photography will likely find it helpful that the camera's Live View Boost option makes it possible to frame and focus even with an R72 filter attached to the lens.
So, is the Olympus E-520 the perfect camera then? Well, not quite. The viewfinder – an important part of any SLR – is just as small as the one built into the E-510. I am pretty sure Olympus could have upped its magnification by sacrificing some brightness, but they have chosen not to. Similarly, they could have put a more versatile auto-focus system into the camera – the current system is fine as regards its speed and reliability, but it could use a couple more AF sensors, preferably of the cross type.
I personally enjoyed using the E-520 very much, and doubt it would disappoint anybody who decides to buy one after careful weighing of its strengths and weaknesses. The Olympus E-520 is a camera that I can recommend to beginners and enthusiasts alike, and I would not be too surprised to see it in the hands of a few pro photographers, either.
Zoltan Arva-Toth
more : photographyblog
So, is the Olympus E-520 the perfect camera then? Well, not quite. The viewfinder – an important part of any SLR – is just as small as the one built into the E-510. I am pretty sure Olympus could have upped its magnification by sacrificing some brightness, but they have chosen not to. Similarly, they could have put a more versatile auto-focus system into the camera – the current system is fine as regards its speed and reliability, but it could use a couple more AF sensors, preferably of the cross type.
I personally enjoyed using the E-520 very much, and doubt it would disappoint anybody who decides to buy one after careful weighing of its strengths and weaknesses. The Olympus E-520 is a camera that I can recommend to beginners and enthusiasts alike, and I would not be too surprised to see it in the hands of a few pro photographers, either.
Zoltan Arva-Toth
more : photographyblog
Olympus EVOLT E-520 Digital Camera Review
The E-520 is a camera that manages to package a significant number of excellent features and solid controls into a great body, but really let itself down in our performance testing. There’s one of the best Live View modes on the market (with auto focus), a good image stabilization system that’s built into the body, comprehensive presets and a high degree of customizability and control. However, the test results for noise levels, white balance and dynamic range were so poor that they dragged down an otherwise good camera.
If you don’t need Live View, you could save yourself $100 and get the Sony Alpha 200, which scored better in almost every category except color. Alternatively, the Canon Rebel XSi is only $100 more than the E-520 and outperformed it in every test. The XSi has a slightly less substantial feel in your hands, and lacks the Live View auto focus found in the E-520, but is a superior camera when it comes ot image quality. We admire the E-520 based solely on its features, handling, color accuracy and customizability, but the negatives are just too substantial.
Tim Barribeau
more : digitalcamerainfo
If you don’t need Live View, you could save yourself $100 and get the Sony Alpha 200, which scored better in almost every category except color. Alternatively, the Canon Rebel XSi is only $100 more than the E-520 and outperformed it in every test. The XSi has a slightly less substantial feel in your hands, and lacks the Live View auto focus found in the E-520, but is a superior camera when it comes ot image quality. We admire the E-520 based solely on its features, handling, color accuracy and customizability, but the negatives are just too substantial.
Tim Barribeau
more : digitalcamerainfo
TAMRON ANNOUNCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AF18-270MM Di II VC ULTRA HIGH POWER ZOOM LENS
A Technological Breakthrough—World’s Longest Range 15X Zoom Lens Has Exclusive Built-In Vibration Compensation Mechanism Optimized for Consumer Digital SLR Cameras
Tamron Co., Ltd., under the leadership of Mr. Morio Ono, President, has announced the development of a unique ultra high power zoom lens—the Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO (Model B003), the first(1) digital SLR lens in the world that delivers a remarkable zoom ratio of 15X (28-419mm equivalent) and is equipped with a highly effective Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. Designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sized image sensors(2) , the new lens delivers outstanding image quality over its entire zoom range and its exclusive VC anti-shake system facilitates sharp handheld photography even at the longest telephoto settings.
With its vast zoom-range, the Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC lens enables the user to cover virtually any photographic subject from wide angle to ultra telephoto simply by turning the zoom control. It covers angles of view equivalent to 28mm to 419mm when converted to the 35mm format(3) . In addition, this breakthrough lens is equipped with Tamron’s exclusive, proprietary tri-axial Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism that eliminates or substantially reduces the effects of handheld camera shake. As a result, the user can enjoy the convenience of handheld photography in virtually any situation, from shooting candid images, to covering sporting events, to news photography, without worrying about camera shake having an adverse effect on image quality. The new lens will be made available in Canon and Nikon mounts. The price and launch date of the new lens will be announced at a later date.
(1) “The world’s longest zoom range” and “world’s first” are statements that apply to interchangeable lens exclusively designed for digital SLR cameras equipped with APS-C sized image sensors, as of June 2008, according to Tamron’s survey.
(2) Di (Digitally integrated) II lenses employ optical systems designed for exclusive use on digital SLR cameras equipped with smaller sized (APS-C sized) image sensors. Di II lenses are not designed for use with 35mm film cameras or digital SLR cameras with image sensors larger than 24mm x 16mm. (This special note “APS-C sized image sensors” is hereinafter omitted.)
(3) Tamron’s conversion value is 1.55X
DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND
Since launching the Tamron AF28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 (Model 71D) in 1992 that was highly acclaimed as the first high power zoom lens suitable for practical use, Tamron has continued to develop innovative zoom lenses as the “pioneer in high power zoom lenses”. With the AF18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XI Di II (Model A14), Tamron realized an 11.1X zoom power for the first time in a zoom lens exclusively designed for digital SLR cameras and expanded the telephoto range further to 13.9X with the AF18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II (Model A18), making steady progress in extending the range of high performance, high power zoom lenses.
Tamron’s engineers faced the even more formidable challenge of finding solutions for the problem of “handheld camera shake” while expanding the telephoto range even further and have eventually developed the AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC. This lens has attained the maximum zoom power of 15X for the first time in the world, namely as a zoom lens exclusively designed for digital SLR cameras. It enables the user to cover an extremely wide angle-of-view range equivalent to a 28mm-419mm lens in the 35mm format. In addition, the lens is equipped with Tamron’s original and exclusive VC mechanism that effectively compensates for “handheld shake”, which would otherwise become visible as un-sharpness or blur in images shot handheld. Moreover this system is effective over the extremely wide focal length range of this extended ultra telephoto lens and Tamron’s VC mechanism provides maximum compensation performance at all focal lengths. The VC system enables the user to enjoy the full benefits of ultra-tele photography comfortably and provides amazingly stabilized viewfinder images as well. In short, this unique VC image stabilization system delivers the maximum potential built into the world’s longest-ratio zoom lens—15X.
Tamron was able achieve all these remarkable accomplishments thanks to its advanced optical/mechanical design technologies and production know-how accumulated over 16 years as the pioneer in high power zoom lens design, and its commitment to ongoing research and development. Even more important, in combining an amazingly high zoom ratio along with the VC function Tamron has maintained a high priority on its traditional goals of lightness and compactness. As a result the new Tamron AF18-270mm Di II VC delivers all the functionality and performance you expect from the latest Tamron ultra high power zoom, a lens that exemplifies our time-honored concept of “One great lens covering everything from wide angle to telephoto”.
Product Name AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO (Model B003)
Launching Date TBA
Price TBA
MAIN FEATURES
World’s first and greatest zoom ratio of 15X, covering 28-419mm 35mm-equivalent angle of view
Going back to the basic concept of “one lens covering everything from wide angle to telephoto,” engineers at Tamron took up the difficult task of expanding the zoom range of Tamron’s high power zoom lenses even further. Their unstinting efforts to extend the telephoto end beyond previous limits while retaining the wide-angle end at 18mm has borne fruit as an ultra high power zoom lens that is exclusively designed for DSLR cameras and boasts the greatest zoom range of 15X for the first time in the world.
Tamron’s original VC mechanism for effective shake-free hand-held photography
Tamron’s proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation) mechanism was built in the AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC (Model A20) for the first time. It demonstrated its powerful compensation effect employing a tri-axial system that is designed to let three coils drive a compensator lens electromagnetically via three steel balls. Since the compensator lens is supported on rolling steel balls with very low friction, follow-up performance is also enhanced, resulting in stabilized viewfinder images. Since the mechanism is designed to allow parallel shifting of the compensator lens solely by means of electrical control, the mechanical construction is simpler and more compact, so the lens can be kept as small and light as possible.
Designing a high power, compact zoom lens with VC mechanism: Optical design optimization meets optimum power distribution
In developing the long-range zoom lens, Tamron’s optical designers pursued the optimum distribution of power within the overall optical system based on the optical design know-how Tamron accumulated over 16 years since the introduction of the first compact AF28-200mm in 1992. The resulting optical system uses two LD (Low Dispersion) glass elements and three aspherical elements in order to effectively compensate for various aberrations including astigmatism, yet this design allows the first optical group to be small enough in diameter to realize the overall goal of a compact lens that incorporates a handheld-shake compensation mechanism.
Note: In order to realize the high zoom ratio of 15X, the optical system does not use any XR (extra dispersion glass) element. Instead, compactness is achieved through optimization of the power distribution within the whole optical system.
Minimum focusing distance of 19.3” over the entire zoom range for the max. mag. ratio of 1:3.5
The AF18-270mm Di II VC allows close focusing down to 0.49m (19.3 inches) from the subject over the entire zoom range even though it incorporates the VC mechanism. The maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.5(4) at its 270mm telephoto end is the top class capability among high power zoom lenses exclusively designed for digital SLR cameras.
(4) A format covered by an APS-C sized image sensor is smaller than that of 35mm format film. Therefore, this lens is capable of filling the frame by capturing an area that is almost the same as an area covered by a lens designed for the 35mm format and providing the maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.3.
Optical system optimized for digital SLR cameras by taking incident rays of light reaching the image sensor into consideration
In order to effectively compensate for changes in aberrations due to zooming, the zoom lens employs an innovative optical system that is designed to converge the angles of rays of light entering from the center to the periphery of the lens. The light rays thus reach the image sensor within a defined circle that assures high imaging performance and reduces light falloff.
High resolution performance
As a lens exclusively designed for digital SLR cameras, this zoom lens delivers high resolution and contrast performance for outstanding image quality with sufficient flatness of the field under an extremely wide range of photographic conditions.
Thorough countermeasures, including advanced internal surface coatings, prevent ghosting and flare
Tamron employs multi-layer coatings in order to reduce reflections on lens surfaces as well as internal surface coatings (coatings on the cemented surfaces of lens elements) in order to minimize reflections from the sensor itself within the mirror box, a problem inherent to all digital SLR cameras.
The world’s first and greatest zoom power of 15X plus built-in VC mechanism achieved along with a remarkably slim maximum diameter of less than 80mm
Designing a lens with the world’s first and greatest zoom ratio of 15X inevitably entailed a larger travel distance of the components within the optical systems, but Tamron has successfully accommodated the optical system as well as the special VC mechanism in a remarkably compact and slim package by employing mechanical design technology accumulated over many years. The result: A slim design measuring less than 80mm in diameter despite the fact that it is an ultra high power zoom lens that incorporates a VC mechanism. Production engineering this unique zoom lens meant incorporating complex optical/mechanical components, and Tamron’s engineers had to employ innovative manufacturing techniques including methods of further enhancing accuracy, reducing weight, and increasing the strength of many components.
Note: In order to achieve the world’s first and greatest zoom ratio of 15X, metal mounts are used in both Canon- and Nikon-mount lenses.
Zoom lock mechanism for convenience in carrying the outfit
The lens has a built-in zoom lock mechanism to prevent its barrel from sliding forward when the lens is being carried on the camera.
Flower-shaped lens hood as a standard accessory
The lens is supplied with a flower-shaped lens hood as a standard accessory. It is designed to efficiently cut harmful light entering at angles other than intended angles at all four corners of the frame. This ensures clear, flare-free images.
New outer design matches the newest generation high power zoom lens in the digital era
• The lens employs a new outer design that is more refined and smoother in its overall contours by minimizing concavity, convexity, and variations in profile in order to match the latest digital SLR cameras.
• A gold-colored metal ring is placed at a key portion of the lens as used in other Di II lenses. The “TAMRON” logo placed in the center portion of the lens enhances visibility of the brand while refining the overall design.
• Delicate matte finish is added to the black painting over the lens barrel in order to enhance the high quality appearance of the lens.
• The textured rubber pattern of the zoom and focus control rings has been improved again to a more pronounced, easy to grasp design than the conventional rubber pattern, for better feel and touch in manipulating the lens.
Specifications
Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO (Model B003)
Focal Length 18-270mm
Maximum Aperture F/3.5-6.3
Minimum Aperture F/22
Angle Of View 75°33’ (equivalent angles of view when converted to 35mm)
Lens Construction 18 elements / 13 groups
MFD (Minimum Focus Distance) 0.49m (19.3”) (entire zoom range)
Diaphragm Blades 7
Filter Size Ø72mm
Overall Length 101.0mm/3.8"*
Maximum Diameter 79.6mm
Weight TBA
Max. Mag. Ratio 1:3.5 (at f=270mm, MFD 0.49m)
Standard Accessory Flower-Shaped lens hood
Compatible Mount Canon AF, Nikon AF-D
*specifications based on Nikon mount
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM II Macro Lens Review
The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM II Macro Lens is shown mounted on a Canon EOS 40D DSLR in the above picture. The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM II Macro Lens is available in a wide range of mounts including Canon (reviewed), Nikon, Sigma, Sony/Minolta, Pentax and Four Thirds.
Full disclosure: You should know that there are potential issues when using a lens made by a manufacturer other than the camera body manufacturer. Since Sigma reverse engineers (vs. licenses) manufacturer AF routines (except for their own bodies), the possibility exists that a new body might not support an older third party lens. Though not common, this has happened. Sometimes a lens can be rechipped to be made compatible, sometimes not. Again unusual is the situation where the lens and body manufacturers place fault on each other for a problem. To its advantage is Sigma USA's 4-year warranty - it is far superior to Canon's standard 1 year warranty. The risk is probably low, but you should figure this into your purchase decision.
I generally buy my lenses new/retail to mirror the experience everyone else should expect to have. Being 0 for 3 on this lens model, I can't in good faith recommend that anyone buy this one. This is a shame as this lens has potential to be a good one - and a very good value.
The focal length range and fast aperture are very useful features. They are excellent for portraits, sports, landscapes and other general-type shots including those taken in lower light levels. But at this point, I'd rather have the Tamron that at least autofocuses correctly some of the time and delivers better image quality at 200mm (we tend to use the extremes of our zoom lenses the most). And of course, the Canon 70-200 L versions are the best answer.
more : the-digital-picture
Full disclosure: You should know that there are potential issues when using a lens made by a manufacturer other than the camera body manufacturer. Since Sigma reverse engineers (vs. licenses) manufacturer AF routines (except for their own bodies), the possibility exists that a new body might not support an older third party lens. Though not common, this has happened. Sometimes a lens can be rechipped to be made compatible, sometimes not. Again unusual is the situation where the lens and body manufacturers place fault on each other for a problem. To its advantage is Sigma USA's 4-year warranty - it is far superior to Canon's standard 1 year warranty. The risk is probably low, but you should figure this into your purchase decision.
I generally buy my lenses new/retail to mirror the experience everyone else should expect to have. Being 0 for 3 on this lens model, I can't in good faith recommend that anyone buy this one. This is a shame as this lens has potential to be a good one - and a very good value.
The focal length range and fast aperture are very useful features. They are excellent for portraits, sports, landscapes and other general-type shots including those taken in lower light levels. But at this point, I'd rather have the Tamron that at least autofocuses correctly some of the time and delivers better image quality at 200mm (we tend to use the extremes of our zoom lenses the most). And of course, the Canon 70-200 L versions are the best answer.
more : the-digital-picture
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2
Major Software Upgrade Further Simplifies Photography Workflows
Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 2 software, the photographer’s essential toolbox for managing, adjusting and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. With new enhancements such as dual-monitor support, radical advances in non-destructive localised image correction, and streamlined search capabilities, Lightroom 2 is a compelling upgrade that simplifies photography from shoot to finish. As Adobe’s first application to support 64-bit for Mac OS X 10.5 Macintosh computers with Intel® processors and Microsoft® Windows® Vista® 64-bit operating systems, Lightroom 2 also provides improved memory performance for dealing with large scale images.
“A worldwide community of photographers provided valuable insight and feedback, as part of the Lightroom 2 public beta program, ultimately helping us deliver a better product,” said Tom Hogarty, senior product manager for Lightroom and Camera Raw at Adobe. “We’ve considered their requests which helped us develop useful features that make it easier than ever for our customers to quickly refine, enhance and present brilliant photographs.”
Photoshop Lightroom 2: Smarter, Faster and More Accurate
The enhanced Library module in Lightroom 2 helps streamline and accelerate photographers’ workflows. With the ability to visually organise images across multiple hard drives, Lightroom 2 and its powerful Library Filter Bar makes it easy for users to quickly find the images they need. The Suggested Keywords feature helps photographers keyword their images by making intelligent suggestions based on their own previous efforts. New dual-monitor support allows users to expand their workspace, giving them flexibility to edit and organise images in a way that maximises an additional display.
In the Develop module, the new Local Adjustment Brush lets photographers fine-tune specific areas of an image to precisely adjust colour, exposure and tonal range without affecting other areas of the image. The new Graduated Filter expands the toolbox in Lightroom, allowing for edits to larger areas by applying gradually diminishing or increasing adjustment effects such as exposure, clarity, and saturation, alone, or in any combination. Lightroom 2 also helps photographers print more efficiently by quickly arranging photos of multiple sizes on one or many pages with flexible and customisable templates to maximise paper and ink. Intelligent algorithms automatically determine optimal sharpening for screen or print, producing crisper images faster. Developers can further extend the Lightroom workflow with Web, Export and Metadata Software Development Kits available at the Adobe Developer Connection, http://www.adobe.com/devnet/.
Ground-Breaking Innovation in Raw Technology
New raw technology gives photographers access to flexible camera profiles. Camera profiles are the visual starting point for the raw processing workflow, but image preferences vary for every photographer. To minimise surprises, Adobe is supplying default camera profiles that closely emulate the visual looks that photographers are used to seeing from their favourite camera, while also providing the ability to create highly customised profiles to suit different tastes. Camera profiles are available for immediate download on Adobe Labs (http://labs.adobe.com) for use with Lightroom 2 and Camera Raw 4.5, along with the DNG Profile Editor for the community to test and create their own profiles.
The Adobe Camera Raw 4.5 plug-in and DNG Converter 4.5 are also now available on Adobe.com and support over 190 camera models including the Olympus E 420 and E 520 models.
“One of the big reasons why Lightroom has become such a phenomenon among serious photographers is that Adobe built it with the input of a very vocal user community,” said Scott Kelby, president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). “Adobe really listens to the issues and challenges today’s photographers face and they’ve built a complete solution that not only meets the needs of photographers; it really feels like it was made just for us. The enhancements to Lightroom 2, combined with the power of Photoshop, give photographers the ultimate freedom to produce professional images quickly.”
Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 is available now through the Adobe Store at http://www.adobe.com/store in English, French and German with the Japanese language version planned to be released at a future date. The estimated street price is £175 for new users with an upgrade price of £69 for registered users of qualifying Lightroom customers. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4, 10.5 1 GHz PowerPC G4 or G5 or Intel® based processor, or Microsoft Windows® XP SP2 or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise, Intel Pentium 4® processor, 1 GB RAM and a 1024x768 resolution screen. Additional information on product features, upgrade policies, pricing, and language versions is available on http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/.
About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionises how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit http://www.adobe.com.
Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 2 software, the photographer’s essential toolbox for managing, adjusting and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. With new enhancements such as dual-monitor support, radical advances in non-destructive localised image correction, and streamlined search capabilities, Lightroom 2 is a compelling upgrade that simplifies photography from shoot to finish. As Adobe’s first application to support 64-bit for Mac OS X 10.5 Macintosh computers with Intel® processors and Microsoft® Windows® Vista® 64-bit operating systems, Lightroom 2 also provides improved memory performance for dealing with large scale images.
“A worldwide community of photographers provided valuable insight and feedback, as part of the Lightroom 2 public beta program, ultimately helping us deliver a better product,” said Tom Hogarty, senior product manager for Lightroom and Camera Raw at Adobe. “We’ve considered their requests which helped us develop useful features that make it easier than ever for our customers to quickly refine, enhance and present brilliant photographs.”
Photoshop Lightroom 2: Smarter, Faster and More Accurate
The enhanced Library module in Lightroom 2 helps streamline and accelerate photographers’ workflows. With the ability to visually organise images across multiple hard drives, Lightroom 2 and its powerful Library Filter Bar makes it easy for users to quickly find the images they need. The Suggested Keywords feature helps photographers keyword their images by making intelligent suggestions based on their own previous efforts. New dual-monitor support allows users to expand their workspace, giving them flexibility to edit and organise images in a way that maximises an additional display.
In the Develop module, the new Local Adjustment Brush lets photographers fine-tune specific areas of an image to precisely adjust colour, exposure and tonal range without affecting other areas of the image. The new Graduated Filter expands the toolbox in Lightroom, allowing for edits to larger areas by applying gradually diminishing or increasing adjustment effects such as exposure, clarity, and saturation, alone, or in any combination. Lightroom 2 also helps photographers print more efficiently by quickly arranging photos of multiple sizes on one or many pages with flexible and customisable templates to maximise paper and ink. Intelligent algorithms automatically determine optimal sharpening for screen or print, producing crisper images faster. Developers can further extend the Lightroom workflow with Web, Export and Metadata Software Development Kits available at the Adobe Developer Connection, http://www.adobe.com/devnet/.
Ground-Breaking Innovation in Raw Technology
New raw technology gives photographers access to flexible camera profiles. Camera profiles are the visual starting point for the raw processing workflow, but image preferences vary for every photographer. To minimise surprises, Adobe is supplying default camera profiles that closely emulate the visual looks that photographers are used to seeing from their favourite camera, while also providing the ability to create highly customised profiles to suit different tastes. Camera profiles are available for immediate download on Adobe Labs (http://labs.adobe.com) for use with Lightroom 2 and Camera Raw 4.5, along with the DNG Profile Editor for the community to test and create their own profiles.
The Adobe Camera Raw 4.5 plug-in and DNG Converter 4.5 are also now available on Adobe.com and support over 190 camera models including the Olympus E 420 and E 520 models.
“One of the big reasons why Lightroom has become such a phenomenon among serious photographers is that Adobe built it with the input of a very vocal user community,” said Scott Kelby, president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). “Adobe really listens to the issues and challenges today’s photographers face and they’ve built a complete solution that not only meets the needs of photographers; it really feels like it was made just for us. The enhancements to Lightroom 2, combined with the power of Photoshop, give photographers the ultimate freedom to produce professional images quickly.”
Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 is available now through the Adobe Store at http://www.adobe.com/store in English, French and German with the Japanese language version planned to be released at a future date. The estimated street price is £175 for new users with an upgrade price of £69 for registered users of qualifying Lightroom customers. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4, 10.5 1 GHz PowerPC G4 or G5 or Intel® based processor, or Microsoft Windows® XP SP2 or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise, Intel Pentium 4® processor, 1 GB RAM and a 1024x768 resolution screen. Additional information on product features, upgrade policies, pricing, and language versions is available on http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/.
About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionises how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit http://www.adobe.com.
Tamron AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Lens Review
Photographers on a budget who want a do-it-all lens, or travel photographers who need to travel light will appreciate the Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC lens. You will have to sacrifice some sharpness, though. Personally, I would rather give up the 300mm reach and carry two sharper lenses. But if size or price are limitations, then it could very well be a good compromise. If you want a sharper lens with this zoom range and image stabilization, be prepared to pay about four times the Tamron’s $600 price tag.
For those of us who are using APS-C sensor cameras like the Canon EOS 40D or the Nikon D60, a slightly shorter version of this lens with a truly wide angle-of-view would be nice. But I have definitely been in situations where the Tamron’s zoom range, size and Vibration Compensation would have made it the perfect lens - even if it is softer than other lenses I own.
The most exciting thing about this lens is Tamron’s Vibration Compensation image stabilization. It works great and transforms a 28-300mm consumer zoom lens into something kinda special. I’m really looking forward to seeing the VC image stabilization integrated into some of Tamron’s better lenses, like the AF28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di and the AF70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro zoom. Having high quality alternatives to expensive Canon and Nikon glass is always good. Tamron’s high-end lenses are excellent. And with the addition of Vibration Compensation, I think they can expect to sell a lot more of them.
Photo-John
more : photographyreview
For those of us who are using APS-C sensor cameras like the Canon EOS 40D or the Nikon D60, a slightly shorter version of this lens with a truly wide angle-of-view would be nice. But I have definitely been in situations where the Tamron’s zoom range, size and Vibration Compensation would have made it the perfect lens - even if it is softer than other lenses I own.
The most exciting thing about this lens is Tamron’s Vibration Compensation image stabilization. It works great and transforms a 28-300mm consumer zoom lens into something kinda special. I’m really looking forward to seeing the VC image stabilization integrated into some of Tamron’s better lenses, like the AF28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di and the AF70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro zoom. Having high quality alternatives to expensive Canon and Nikon glass is always good. Tamron’s high-end lenses are excellent. And with the addition of Vibration Compensation, I think they can expect to sell a lot more of them.
Photo-John
more : photographyreview
Canon EOS 1000D Review
Live View shooting with the 1000D is similar to Canon's other consumer DSLR models, with support for two focusing modes. The Quick Mode uses phase-detection and the dedicated AF sensor that is used for normal focusing. The array of AF points is displayed on-screen and photographers can select the AF point they wish to use. The mirror flips up briefly to permit autofocusing, blacking out the LCD display. But when it drops down again, the subject should be sharply focused (and a focus confirmation beep will sound).
The second, Live Mode is contrast-based and operates without blacking out the viewfinder. Although autofocusing is possible in this mode, it's very slow and more difficult to achieve than with the Quick View mode. The AF points array is not displayed; instead there's a single AF point in the centre of the field.
To focus a shot, simply position the AF point over the subject and press the * button. The AF point turns green when focus is achieved and the beeper sounds. (An orange AF point indicates that focus was not achieved.) The AF point can be moved about the field of view with the arrow pad keys and re-centred by pressing the delete button. Pressing the magnify button can enlarge a part of the subject by 5x or 10x - a very useful feature for confirming focus.
Manual focusing is possible with both Live View settings, although the switch on the lens must be set to Manual beforehand. You can check depth of field in Live View mode by pressing the depth-of-field preview button. Continuous shooting is also supported, with focus and exposure settings locked on the first frame of the sequence. But it's slower than using the viewfinder to compose shots.
When the real-time image is displayed on the LCD, the display simulates the brightness level corresponding to the exposure setting, enabling users to adjust exposure levels accordingly. It doesn't work for flash shots but provides a useful guide for available-light photography, although there's a lag of a second or so when you move the camera while Live View is engaged.
Toggling the Display button takes you through four settings: no overlay on the LCD, shooting data overlay, grid overlay and histogram overlay. Neither the data nor histogram overlay is translucent. You can connect the 1000D to a TV set via the supplied video cable and use Live View mode to view the image recorded by the camera on the screen.
Margaret Brown
more : photoreview
The second, Live Mode is contrast-based and operates without blacking out the viewfinder. Although autofocusing is possible in this mode, it's very slow and more difficult to achieve than with the Quick View mode. The AF points array is not displayed; instead there's a single AF point in the centre of the field.
To focus a shot, simply position the AF point over the subject and press the * button. The AF point turns green when focus is achieved and the beeper sounds. (An orange AF point indicates that focus was not achieved.) The AF point can be moved about the field of view with the arrow pad keys and re-centred by pressing the delete button. Pressing the magnify button can enlarge a part of the subject by 5x or 10x - a very useful feature for confirming focus.
Manual focusing is possible with both Live View settings, although the switch on the lens must be set to Manual beforehand. You can check depth of field in Live View mode by pressing the depth-of-field preview button. Continuous shooting is also supported, with focus and exposure settings locked on the first frame of the sequence. But it's slower than using the viewfinder to compose shots.
When the real-time image is displayed on the LCD, the display simulates the brightness level corresponding to the exposure setting, enabling users to adjust exposure levels accordingly. It doesn't work for flash shots but provides a useful guide for available-light photography, although there's a lag of a second or so when you move the camera while Live View is engaged.
Toggling the Display button takes you through four settings: no overlay on the LCD, shooting data overlay, grid overlay and histogram overlay. Neither the data nor histogram overlay is translucent. You can connect the 1000D to a TV set via the supplied video cable and use Live View mode to view the image recorded by the camera on the screen.
Margaret Brown
more : photoreview
Kim Kardashian At The Big Mac 40th Birthday Party
Kim Kardashian showing off the twins at the Big Mac 40th Birthday Party.
Nikon D700 Hands-On Review
Nikon fans have waited long for the coming of the Nikon D700 and as history have taught us many times, good things come to those who wait. The Nikon D700 is an ambitious camera loaded with features that will surely catch the appeal of both professionals and serious enthusiasts. Straddled between Nikon's D300 and D3, the D700 adopts the ruggedness and size of the D300 while housing the professional features and full-frame sensor of the D3.
Packing the FX sensor in a compact and lighter body, this will ultimately be the main attraction and success of the D700. Its arrival has finally given many users a great and sensible alternative to those that want to shoot in the FX format but without the bulk of a pro body like the D3. Tagged with a much more affordable price than the D3, the D700 is a groundbreaking camera guaranteed to be a sure fire hit. More importantly, it now opens the door for Nikon to rollout a higher megapixel pro model in the FX format and for the time being, fills a market vaccum against a technologically outdated Canon EOS 5D.
more : digitalrev
Packing the FX sensor in a compact and lighter body, this will ultimately be the main attraction and success of the D700. Its arrival has finally given many users a great and sensible alternative to those that want to shoot in the FX format but without the bulk of a pro body like the D3. Tagged with a much more affordable price than the D3, the D700 is a groundbreaking camera guaranteed to be a sure fire hit. More importantly, it now opens the door for Nikon to rollout a higher megapixel pro model in the FX format and for the time being, fills a market vaccum against a technologically outdated Canon EOS 5D.
more : digitalrev
DSLR Review: Olympus E-520
In the field
The E-520 body is compact, measuring 5.35 x 3.6 x 2.68 inches, and weighs just 16.75 ounces. The camera uses a penta-mirror design that makes it light and compact enough to shoot with all day and features a comfortable ergonomic grip to ensure that the camera fits snugly in either large or small hands. Its ergonomics were an excellent fit for both Mary (small hands) and I (medium-sized paws.) The E-520’s small size and high image quality make it a natural for travel photography when a larger more professionally-sized SLR might intimidate any of the locals you want to photograph.
The 10.1 megapixel E-520’s TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal-clear photos using all of the pixel information for each image to provide digital image files with accurate color, true-to-life skin tones, and brilliant blue skies. Olympus claims that TruePic III also lowers image noise by one stop to reduce graininess for images shot at higher ISO settings. A small chip such as the E520’s 17.3 x 13.0 mm Four-Thirds system sensor is technically more prone to noise under low light situations and long exposures, but the TruePic III processor does such a good job controlling noise so it’s not really an issue except under extreme conditions.
The E-520 outfit includes a compact Zuiko Digital ED 14–42 mm (28-84mm equivalent) f/3.5–f5.6 lens that perfectly matches the imager so light directly strikes the sensor to ensure accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. The lens weighs 7.5 ounces, uses ED glass, and covers the range most frequently used in everyday photography. Close-ups as near as 9.84 inches also are possible throughout the zoom range. The lens is so sharp that when magnifying images I made of hot rods to extremely large sizes on my monitor I could see the sharply outlined shapes of the metallic content of the paint.
Joe Farace
more : adorama
The E-520 body is compact, measuring 5.35 x 3.6 x 2.68 inches, and weighs just 16.75 ounces. The camera uses a penta-mirror design that makes it light and compact enough to shoot with all day and features a comfortable ergonomic grip to ensure that the camera fits snugly in either large or small hands. Its ergonomics were an excellent fit for both Mary (small hands) and I (medium-sized paws.) The E-520’s small size and high image quality make it a natural for travel photography when a larger more professionally-sized SLR might intimidate any of the locals you want to photograph.
The 10.1 megapixel E-520’s TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal-clear photos using all of the pixel information for each image to provide digital image files with accurate color, true-to-life skin tones, and brilliant blue skies. Olympus claims that TruePic III also lowers image noise by one stop to reduce graininess for images shot at higher ISO settings. A small chip such as the E520’s 17.3 x 13.0 mm Four-Thirds system sensor is technically more prone to noise under low light situations and long exposures, but the TruePic III processor does such a good job controlling noise so it’s not really an issue except under extreme conditions.
The E-520 outfit includes a compact Zuiko Digital ED 14–42 mm (28-84mm equivalent) f/3.5–f5.6 lens that perfectly matches the imager so light directly strikes the sensor to ensure accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. The lens weighs 7.5 ounces, uses ED glass, and covers the range most frequently used in everyday photography. Close-ups as near as 9.84 inches also are possible throughout the zoom range. The lens is so sharp that when magnifying images I made of hot rods to extremely large sizes on my monitor I could see the sharply outlined shapes of the metallic content of the paint.
Joe Farace
more : adorama
Review : Sigma DC 18-125mm 1:3.8-5.6 HSM Lens
The review lens was a rather tight fit when we mounted it on the EOS 40D body we used for most of our tests. It's slightly heavier than the kit lenses most manufacturers supply with entry- and mid-level cameras. However, when mounted, it proved a comfortable match for both the EPS 40D and the much lighter EOS 1000D (which we used for some test shots).
The HSM drive was quiet and autofocusing was fast and accurate, only slowing slightly at low light levels and with subjects where contrast was very low. Both the focusing and zoom rings moved smoothly and positively. Moving from the 18mm to the 125mm focal length requires a quarter of a turn and extends the lens barrel by just under 5 cm. Setting intermediate focal lengths was relatively easy, although the accuracy of the engraved focal lengths was not particularly high for the settings at the middle of the focal length range.
The focusing ring moves through about an eighth of a turn and feels a little slacker than the zoom ring. The degree of precision provided is not as high as we would like but adequate for most purposes.
Margaret Brown
The HSM drive was quiet and autofocusing was fast and accurate, only slowing slightly at low light levels and with subjects where contrast was very low. Both the focusing and zoom rings moved smoothly and positively. Moving from the 18mm to the 125mm focal length requires a quarter of a turn and extends the lens barrel by just under 5 cm. Setting intermediate focal lengths was relatively easy, although the accuracy of the engraved focal lengths was not particularly high for the settings at the middle of the focal length range.
The focusing ring moves through about an eighth of a turn and feels a little slacker than the zoom ring. The degree of precision provided is not as high as we would like but adequate for most purposes.
Margaret Brown
Review : Sigma APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Lens
Despite its length and weight, the review lens was relatively easy to mount on the EOS 5D body and surprisingly comfortable to use for hand-held shooting. This balance was retained when the camera and lens were tripod-mounted. It also handled reasonably well on the EOS 40D but was too heavy and out-of-balance on the much lighter EOS 1000D and 400D models.
The tripod mounting was easy to attach to a quick-release plate and provided excellent balance with the heavier cameras. A locking wheel on the left side allows the position of the camera-plus-lens to be adjusted along the vertical axis.
The HSM drive was quiet and autofocusing was generally fast and accurate under most shooting conditions. Both the focusing and zoom rings moved smoothly and positively, the former providing slightly more resistance than the latter.
Moving from the 150mm to the 500mm focal length requires a roughly one third of a turn and extends the lens barrel by 6.5 cm. Setting intermediate focal lengths was easy, thanks to legible markings and adequate spaces between them. In our tests, the marked positions were almost always in line with the focal length settings.
The focusing ring moves through roughly half a turn as you go from the closest focus to infinity. AF noise was relatively low, thanks to the HSM drive. We observed little tendency to 'hunt' with low-contrast subjects, except in dim lighting. Backlit subjects were handled with ease.
Margaret Brown
more : photoreview
The tripod mounting was easy to attach to a quick-release plate and provided excellent balance with the heavier cameras. A locking wheel on the left side allows the position of the camera-plus-lens to be adjusted along the vertical axis.
The HSM drive was quiet and autofocusing was generally fast and accurate under most shooting conditions. Both the focusing and zoom rings moved smoothly and positively, the former providing slightly more resistance than the latter.
Moving from the 150mm to the 500mm focal length requires a roughly one third of a turn and extends the lens barrel by 6.5 cm. Setting intermediate focal lengths was easy, thanks to legible markings and adequate spaces between them. In our tests, the marked positions were almost always in line with the focal length settings.
The focusing ring moves through roughly half a turn as you go from the closest focus to infinity. AF noise was relatively low, thanks to the HSM drive. We observed little tendency to 'hunt' with low-contrast subjects, except in dim lighting. Backlit subjects were handled with ease.
Margaret Brown
more : photoreview
Samsung GX-20 Review
At first glance the Samsung GX20 simply looks like an incremental upgrade of the GX10, with relatively few additions on offer apart from the headline-grabbing 14 megapixel resolution. Whilst the increased image size is certainly worthy of attention, Samsung have made a substantial number of improvements underneath the surface that add up to make the GX-20 a really compelling DSLR camera.
Samsung have made some notable improvements with the GX-20 in terms of it's responsiveness and ease-of-use, in particular offering much quicker file write times that really speed up using the camera. If you have a collection of Samsung or Pentax lenses, you'll love the new AF Adjustment custom function, which allows you to precisely calibrate each one to the GX-20, and the Dust Alert feature shows you exactly where the dust is on the sensor. Studio photographers can now seriously consider the GX-20 because of the welcome addition of an X-sync socket, and the camera still offers dust and water-resistance and effective anti-shake and dust-removal systems.
Mark Goldstein
more : photographyblog
Samsung have made some notable improvements with the GX-20 in terms of it's responsiveness and ease-of-use, in particular offering much quicker file write times that really speed up using the camera. If you have a collection of Samsung or Pentax lenses, you'll love the new AF Adjustment custom function, which allows you to precisely calibrate each one to the GX-20, and the Dust Alert feature shows you exactly where the dust is on the sensor. Studio photographers can now seriously consider the GX-20 because of the welcome addition of an X-sync socket, and the camera still offers dust and water-resistance and effective anti-shake and dust-removal systems.
Mark Goldstein
more : photographyblog
Lowepro Nova 160 AW Camera Bag Review
Overall, the Lowepro Nova 160 AW is a solid, functional compact bag that works well in the field. If you've ever hesitated to bring your camera with you because of a bulky camera bag then you know why this compact shoulder/beltpack makes perfect sense. Although the interior storage isn't big enough for professional-level DSLRs, many average consumers will likely find the size of this bag perfect for vacation and weekend photo opportunities.
Photographers who often find themselves in wet environments will probably find the all-weather rain cover a little frustrating to quickly use/and or remove. Still, the Nova 160 AW is a pretty nice compact camera bag and deserves a spot on your shopping list.
JerryJ
more : digitalcamerareview
Photographers who often find themselves in wet environments will probably find the all-weather rain cover a little frustrating to quickly use/and or remove. Still, the Nova 160 AW is a pretty nice compact camera bag and deserves a spot on your shopping list.
JerryJ
more : digitalcamerareview
Sony Alpha 200: Camera Test
Overall, image quality was Excellent from ISO 100 through 800. It slipped to Extremely High at ISO 1600-3200, when noise reduction, a default setting, kicked in at the expense of resolution. This dropped to 1725 lines at ISO 3200 from 2150 lines on average at lower ISOs.
The A200 also fared very well in our noise tests, slightly edging out Canon's Rebel XSi from ISO 100 through 800. But even at lower sensitivities, its noise advantage costs the Sony resolution: The Canon beats it by about 100 lines at ISO 100.
And color accuracy scored an Excellent rating in our Lab test, with an average Delta E of 7.6 -- more accurate than any consumer-grade film. Sony's Dynamic Range Optimizer does a good job of producing images with a wide range of tones from light to dark. Images also show excellent contrast.
Sony's 40-segment honeycomb-pattern metering system determines the right exposure for a given scene, and it's supplemented by both centerweighted-and spotmetering for trickier conditions. While its multisegment metering doesn't quite measure up to Nikon's nearly telepathic 3D Color Matrix Metering II in adapting to extraordinary situations, such as a heavily backlit portrait, we're still plenty impressed. We're also glad that Sony's multisegment metering errs on the side of preserving highlights, since it's easier to resurrect shadow detail in postprocessing than it is to salvage blown highlights.
Burst shooting came close to matching Sony's claim of 3 frames per second in our tests. A camera's actual burst rate in the field depends on a number of factors, sometimes including which memory card you use. We were able to get 25 images in 9 seconds, for an average of 2.8 frames per second using a Lexar 2GB UDMA 300X-speed card. Conveniently, you can shoot JPEGs continuously until your card fills up, though you're limited to 6 RAW images, or 3 RAW + JPEG frames, before the buffer runs out of space.
Philip J. Ryan
more : popphoto
The A200 also fared very well in our noise tests, slightly edging out Canon's Rebel XSi from ISO 100 through 800. But even at lower sensitivities, its noise advantage costs the Sony resolution: The Canon beats it by about 100 lines at ISO 100.
And color accuracy scored an Excellent rating in our Lab test, with an average Delta E of 7.6 -- more accurate than any consumer-grade film. Sony's Dynamic Range Optimizer does a good job of producing images with a wide range of tones from light to dark. Images also show excellent contrast.
Sony's 40-segment honeycomb-pattern metering system determines the right exposure for a given scene, and it's supplemented by both centerweighted-and spotmetering for trickier conditions. While its multisegment metering doesn't quite measure up to Nikon's nearly telepathic 3D Color Matrix Metering II in adapting to extraordinary situations, such as a heavily backlit portrait, we're still plenty impressed. We're also glad that Sony's multisegment metering errs on the side of preserving highlights, since it's easier to resurrect shadow detail in postprocessing than it is to salvage blown highlights.
Burst shooting came close to matching Sony's claim of 3 frames per second in our tests. A camera's actual burst rate in the field depends on a number of factors, sometimes including which memory card you use. We were able to get 25 images in 9 seconds, for an average of 2.8 frames per second using a Lexar 2GB UDMA 300X-speed card. Conveniently, you can shoot JPEGs continuously until your card fills up, though you're limited to 6 RAW images, or 3 RAW + JPEG frames, before the buffer runs out of space.
Philip J. Ryan
more : popphoto
Nikon D700 Review
The D700 presents a Nikon user (or a prospective one) with some interesting choices. The camera's mixed DNA, part D3 and part D300, makes both of these other cameras interesting alternatives.
All three offer essentially the same 12 megapixel resolution along with very similar shooting features and functions. In terms of current US pricing the D3 is about US $5,000, the D700 $3,000, and the D300 about $1,700.
Of course both the D3 and D700 are full frame (FX), while the D300 is reduced frame (DX), with a 1.5X factor lens magnification. Since they have the same effective resolution, it would appear that for those photographers with a preference for shooting with long lenses the D300 might be a better choice, at least so long as ISOs under about 1600 are used.
Naturally, the D700 or D3 would be preferable for those shooting wide, since regular full frame wide lenses, like the remarkable new 14-24mm Nikkor, can be used. (Now that Nikon has FX cameras, and presumably with more and less costly ones on the way eventually, I would be hesitant to buy DX lenses any longer. They could end up being dead-end investments).
So? Which camera to buy? A D3, a D300 or a D700?
My take is that if you need the highest image quality, with the highest ISO capability, fastest frame rates, most rugged shutter, a vertical grip and release, and longest battery life, along with audio note taking and dual card backup capability, the choice has to be the D3.
If smaller size, weight, and bulk are important, then the choice narrows. High ISO? Go for the D700 and get 95% of the D3's goodness along with a saving of $2,000. No need for ultra-high ISO, on a budget, and do a lot of long lens shooting? Then, the D300 is a compelling choice.
more : luminous-landscape
All three offer essentially the same 12 megapixel resolution along with very similar shooting features and functions. In terms of current US pricing the D3 is about US $5,000, the D700 $3,000, and the D300 about $1,700.
Of course both the D3 and D700 are full frame (FX), while the D300 is reduced frame (DX), with a 1.5X factor lens magnification. Since they have the same effective resolution, it would appear that for those photographers with a preference for shooting with long lenses the D300 might be a better choice, at least so long as ISOs under about 1600 are used.
Naturally, the D700 or D3 would be preferable for those shooting wide, since regular full frame wide lenses, like the remarkable new 14-24mm Nikkor, can be used. (Now that Nikon has FX cameras, and presumably with more and less costly ones on the way eventually, I would be hesitant to buy DX lenses any longer. They could end up being dead-end investments).
So? Which camera to buy? A D3, a D300 or a D700?
My take is that if you need the highest image quality, with the highest ISO capability, fastest frame rates, most rugged shutter, a vertical grip and release, and longest battery life, along with audio note taking and dual card backup capability, the choice has to be the D3.
If smaller size, weight, and bulk are important, then the choice narrows. High ISO? Go for the D700 and get 95% of the D3's goodness along with a saving of $2,000. No need for ultra-high ISO, on a budget, and do a lot of long lens shooting? Then, the D300 is a compelling choice.
more : luminous-landscape
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD Macro AF SP: Lens Test
Tamron means business with its first high-speed tele zoom in more than 10 years. This full-framer ($700, street) scales up, approximately, to a 109-310mm on most DSLRs, and as a member of Tamron's SP (Super Performance) family, was designed as a pro-quality lens. It boasts two costly LD glass elements that control color fringing and coatings to suppress flare off digital sensors. The lens makes a logical mate to Tamron's 28-75mm f/2.8 SP pro zoom.
HANDS ON: At 2 pounds, 14.6 ounces (including magnesium-alloy tripod collar and reverse-stowing lenshood), the lens might seem heavy, but it's actually lighter than most in its class. (Sigma's comparable 70-200mm f/2.8, for example, weighs more than 3 pounds, including hood.) With the petal-type lenshood in place, it's almost 11 inches long. Internal-zooming (and -focusing), at least it doesn't extend past that.
Its AF action is moderately fast, moderately quiet, and sure. Both manual-focus and zoom rings are very well-damped and even-turning. Each is textured with both knurled and ribbed patterns of rubber. Nearly 2 inches wide, the manual-focusing ring is unusually large, and well-designed for quick focusing touch-ups.
While the lens doesn't allow manual focus in the AF mode, it flips between the two with unusual ease thanks to this manual-focus ring that doubles as an easy-to-use, push/pull-type AF on/off switch. Its barrel markings are a bit unusual, though. When the switch is in the MF position, the markings that show the lens' AF/MF status are concealed under the ring. Result: First-time users can spend several minutes wondering how to go from manual to AF.
Julia Silber
more : popphoto
HANDS ON: At 2 pounds, 14.6 ounces (including magnesium-alloy tripod collar and reverse-stowing lenshood), the lens might seem heavy, but it's actually lighter than most in its class. (Sigma's comparable 70-200mm f/2.8, for example, weighs more than 3 pounds, including hood.) With the petal-type lenshood in place, it's almost 11 inches long. Internal-zooming (and -focusing), at least it doesn't extend past that.
Its AF action is moderately fast, moderately quiet, and sure. Both manual-focus and zoom rings are very well-damped and even-turning. Each is textured with both knurled and ribbed patterns of rubber. Nearly 2 inches wide, the manual-focusing ring is unusually large, and well-designed for quick focusing touch-ups.
While the lens doesn't allow manual focus in the AF mode, it flips between the two with unusual ease thanks to this manual-focus ring that doubles as an easy-to-use, push/pull-type AF on/off switch. Its barrel markings are a bit unusual, though. When the switch is in the MF position, the markings that show the lens' AF/MF status are concealed under the ring. Result: First-time users can spend several minutes wondering how to go from manual to AF.
Julia Silber
more : popphoto
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro Lens Review
The Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens delivers sharp images from a great focal length range and a wide/fast aperture. It is a light and economical package. The autofocus system is the clear downside to this lens.
Overall, and especially for the price, I'm very pleased with the image quality of the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens. On the wide end (70mm), this lens is sharp wide open (f/2.8) across the entire 35mm frame. Stopping down only makes a small improvement in sharpness - reduced vignetting is the primary difference seen. By 100mm, the center is still sharp wide open, but corner softness is setting in due to a slightly curved focus plane. Stopping down to f/5.6 results in excellent image quality across the frame.
The weak spot for this lens is 135mm - especially in my first purchased-retail-new copy of the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens which exhibited a very soft right side. This was due mostly to a curved focus plane but the left side was far sharper than the right side (examples showing the right side of this lens are shown in the ISO 12233 test results for lens sample #2). Here is a closer look at the problem that was most apparent at 135mm f/2.8.
more : the-digital-picture
Overall, and especially for the price, I'm very pleased with the image quality of the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens. On the wide end (70mm), this lens is sharp wide open (f/2.8) across the entire 35mm frame. Stopping down only makes a small improvement in sharpness - reduced vignetting is the primary difference seen. By 100mm, the center is still sharp wide open, but corner softness is setting in due to a slightly curved focus plane. Stopping down to f/5.6 results in excellent image quality across the frame.
The weak spot for this lens is 135mm - especially in my first purchased-retail-new copy of the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens which exhibited a very soft right side. This was due mostly to a curved focus plane but the left side was far sharper than the right side (examples showing the right side of this lens are shown in the ISO 12233 test results for lens sample #2). Here is a closer look at the problem that was most apparent at 135mm f/2.8.
more : the-digital-picture
Sony DSLR-A300 Review
The bundled software disk contains Picture Motion Browser Ver. 2.1.02 for Windows, Image Data Lightbox SR Ver. 1.0 for Windows and Macintosh and Image Data Converter SR Ver. 2.0 for Windows and Macintosh. Picture Motion Browser is a general-purpose downloading and image organiser application with basic editing facilities and support for printing images and burning them to optical disk.
The application initially requires you to 'register' folders of images. It will then display thumbnails in calendar form and you can select months and days by clicking on thumbnails. It will even show the time of day in which shots were taken.
Editing facilities include an automatic correction (which covers brightness and colour balance), brightness, saturation sharpness and tone curve adjustments and red-eye correction. You can also run slideshows of shots in selected folders.
Image Data Converter SR is a better-than-average raw file converter that supports a wide range of adjustments. It also lets you change the Creative Style settings, adjust the DRO parameters and apply colour and edge noise-reduction processing before converting raw files to TIFF or JPEG format. TIFF files can be saved in 8- or 16-bit format. You can also apply several special effects, including B&W and sepia conversion, solarisation and negative conversion.
Image Data Lightbox SR allow users to display and compare raw and JPEG images recorded with the camera and rate them on a scale of one to five. It also provides a seamless interface with Image Data Converter SR for raw file conversion.
Margaret Brown
more : photoreview
The application initially requires you to 'register' folders of images. It will then display thumbnails in calendar form and you can select months and days by clicking on thumbnails. It will even show the time of day in which shots were taken.
Editing facilities include an automatic correction (which covers brightness and colour balance), brightness, saturation sharpness and tone curve adjustments and red-eye correction. You can also run slideshows of shots in selected folders.
Image Data Converter SR is a better-than-average raw file converter that supports a wide range of adjustments. It also lets you change the Creative Style settings, adjust the DRO parameters and apply colour and edge noise-reduction processing before converting raw files to TIFF or JPEG format. TIFF files can be saved in 8- or 16-bit format. You can also apply several special effects, including B&W and sepia conversion, solarisation and negative conversion.
Image Data Lightbox SR allow users to display and compare raw and JPEG images recorded with the camera and rate them on a scale of one to five. It also provides a seamless interface with Image Data Converter SR for raw file conversion.
Margaret Brown
more : photoreview
Leica M8 review
Should you buy the Leica M8? That all depends on who you are, what you are trying to shoot, and how much money you have in your pocket. For the person who has $10,000 in Leica lenses at home, doesn't see the price of an M8 as an obstacle, and just wants to have a digital camera to use them on, the M8 is the best of your two choices (the other being to buy a used Epson R-D1) and your only choice if you want a new factory-warranty camera. If you are a less wealthy photographer who is dedicated to digital, but longs to have a digital RF, I would probably suggest the used R-D1 route. If you are the kind of person who cannot imageine spending $5400 on a camera that was not perfect in every way, you should probably keep walking. I'm not sure where you will end up (Canon and Nikon have their own issues even at that price point), but it sure won't be here in M8-land
Since the SLR revolution of the 1970's, the Leica M series has always been about something other than cramming the most gadgets and features in a camera. Buying a Leica M is a lot like buying a car such as a Lotus Elise. The Elise and a Lexus GS both start at around $45,000. With the Lexus, you get a fine performing car with all of the best creature comforts and reliability of a Japanese made luxury car. With the Lotus Elise you get nothing but a very fast very fun car to drive. The lotus has virtually no creature comforts, costs an arm and a leg to repair, and comes from a company with a dubious reliability record. Why get the Elise? Because you are buying more than the end result of getting down the road, you are buying an experience. No matter how many speakers or climate-control zones or cupholders the Lexus has, it will never EVER feel the same rallying around a twisty country road in the Lotus.
Josh Root
more : photo.net
Since the SLR revolution of the 1970's, the Leica M series has always been about something other than cramming the most gadgets and features in a camera. Buying a Leica M is a lot like buying a car such as a Lotus Elise. The Elise and a Lexus GS both start at around $45,000. With the Lexus, you get a fine performing car with all of the best creature comforts and reliability of a Japanese made luxury car. With the Lotus Elise you get nothing but a very fast very fun car to drive. The lotus has virtually no creature comforts, costs an arm and a leg to repair, and comes from a company with a dubious reliability record. Why get the Elise? Because you are buying more than the end result of getting down the road, you are buying an experience. No matter how many speakers or climate-control zones or cupholders the Lexus has, it will never EVER feel the same rallying around a twisty country road in the Lotus.
Josh Root
more : photo.net
Canon Digital Rebel XSi Review
The Rebel XSi seems to be a combination of the Rebel XTi and the EOS 40D, with a few new features of its own thrown into the mix. It has the basic form of the XTi with the same shutter speed range, the same flash sync speed and the same ISO range. However it also has features of the EOS 40D such as Live View, Highlight Tone Priority, High ISO Noise reduction, Spot metering, a 14-bit A/D converter and viewfinder ISO display.
The performance is perhaps closer to the 40D than to the XTi. Resolution is measurably higher, though the difference in practice is quite small. Noise appears to be a little higher, perhaps because of the smaller pixels.
Overall the XSi is an improvement over the XTi, though more in terms of features than image quality, which is good in both cameras. Upgrading from the XTi to the XSi makes sense if you need things like spot metering, a larger LCD and Live View, but if you're looking for a noticeable leap in image quality, I don't think you'll see it. If you want a significant increase in image quality, you'd probably need to look at a full frame DSLR like the Canon EOS 5D
Bob Atkins
more : photo.net
The performance is perhaps closer to the 40D than to the XTi. Resolution is measurably higher, though the difference in practice is quite small. Noise appears to be a little higher, perhaps because of the smaller pixels.
Overall the XSi is an improvement over the XTi, though more in terms of features than image quality, which is good in both cameras. Upgrading from the XTi to the XSi makes sense if you need things like spot metering, a larger LCD and Live View, but if you're looking for a noticeable leap in image quality, I don't think you'll see it. If you want a significant increase in image quality, you'd probably need to look at a full frame DSLR like the Canon EOS 5D
Bob Atkins
more : photo.net
Nikon D60 Review
The Nikon D60 is a good option for new DSLR owners. It is a well-built camera with very good image quality and excellent speed of operation. Most people upgrading from a fixed-lens camera are looking for speed and image quality. At the same time, the D60 gives users access to the second largest lens lineup of the industry.
Images from the D60 are characterized by low image noise, plenty of details and accurate colors. The only concern with respect to image quality is this camera's tendency to over-expose. It can always be correctly by using exposure-compensation, but requires more intervention than is ideal.
The feature set and ergonomics of the Nikon D60 are very reasonable for an entry-level DSLR. Pros may feel too limited but novices will not find this camera too daunting. The inclusion of the eye-start sensor is incredibly useful and numerous features like spot-metering and white-balance fine-tuning are made to make nearly any result achievable.
In the end, the D60 is impressive because it delivers what novice DSLR users expect from a DSLR: image quality and speed above all. With users building experience on the D60, Nikon can expect improved skills to eventually lead users to higher-end models.
more : neocamera
Images from the D60 are characterized by low image noise, plenty of details and accurate colors. The only concern with respect to image quality is this camera's tendency to over-expose. It can always be correctly by using exposure-compensation, but requires more intervention than is ideal.
The feature set and ergonomics of the Nikon D60 are very reasonable for an entry-level DSLR. Pros may feel too limited but novices will not find this camera too daunting. The inclusion of the eye-start sensor is incredibly useful and numerous features like spot-metering and white-balance fine-tuning are made to make nearly any result achievable.
In the end, the D60 is impressive because it delivers what novice DSLR users expect from a DSLR: image quality and speed above all. With users building experience on the D60, Nikon can expect improved skills to eventually lead users to higher-end models.
more : neocamera
Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 Review
Sony's start into the world of Digital SLRs was quite a slow paced one. The first Sony branded model, the A100, appeared on the scene in June 2006 and it took over a year for it to be joined by a companion, the A700 prosumer model which was launched in September 2007. More recently though Sony has stepped up a gear and launched not one, but three cameras to replace the A100 - the DSLR A200, A300 and A350.
There is now something for everybody in the Sony line-up. The A350 for the feature-loving photographer on a budget, the A200 for those whose number one buying criterion is value-for-money and the A300 for bargain hunters who want a balance of the two. The A200 is, in terms of specification, not a million miles away from the veteran A100. It's got a larger screen, comes with an ISO3200 mode and user controlled High ISO noise reduction but in turn lacks the A100's depth of field preview (it's unsurprisingly much cheaper though).
Sony is not the only manufacturer which is diversifying its offerings in the entry-level sector and the A200 will have to face fierce competition in the bottom bracket of the market. Let's see how it shapes up on the following pages.
Lars Rehm
more : dpreview
There is now something for everybody in the Sony line-up. The A350 for the feature-loving photographer on a budget, the A200 for those whose number one buying criterion is value-for-money and the A300 for bargain hunters who want a balance of the two. The A200 is, in terms of specification, not a million miles away from the veteran A100. It's got a larger screen, comes with an ISO3200 mode and user controlled High ISO noise reduction but in turn lacks the A100's depth of field preview (it's unsurprisingly much cheaper though).
Sony is not the only manufacturer which is diversifying its offerings in the entry-level sector and the A200 will have to face fierce competition in the bottom bracket of the market. Let's see how it shapes up on the following pages.
Lars Rehm
more : dpreview
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II review
The 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II is one of Sigma's latest lenses, which was first announced in December 2007 for Canon, Nikon and Sigma, with a slew of follow-on releases adding compatibility for the remaining SLR mounts (i.e. Four Thirds, Sony and Pentax; however none of these versions are yet shipping). It's a successor to the 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM of February 2006, with a refined optical layout offering improved optical performance, and becomes the fourth iteration of the same basic EX design first unveiled in 1999 (which was itself preceded by a well-respected 70-210mm F2.8 for 35mm). The HyperSonic Motor (HSM) focusing system promises fast, silent and accurate autofocus for users of all brands of DSLR, although Pentax users should be aware that this lens is effectively of 'KAF-3' mount specification, and therefore won't focus on bodies which don't support SDM lenses. Aside from that specific incompatibility, this is a design which will work on almost every DSLR ever made, and is therefore of unusually broad buyer appeal.
Sigma are fond of using a plethora of letters in their lens names (presumably on the principle that when faced with a choice, potential buyers will purchase the one with the most initials) and the 70-200mm declares its credentials accordingly. 'EX' stands for 'Excellence' and designates Sigma's premium lens line, with superior build and optical quality, while 'DG' means that the lens coatings are optimized for use on digital SLRs, and the image circle covers the full-frame 35mm format. Finally 'Macro' is a pointer towards the closer-than-usual minimum focusing distance of just 1m, which compares favorably to the 1.5m more typical of lenses of this class, although it has recently been trumped by the 0.95m of Tamron's SP AF 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro.
Of course as one of Sigma's flagship lenses, the 70-200mm F2.8 boasts a suitably complex optical design, featuring 18 elements in 15 groups, two of which are Extraordinary Low Dispersion (ELD) glass and two Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass for correction of chromatic aberrations. Other attractions include internal focusing and zooming mechanisms, and a quick-release tripod mount collar which can be removed from the lens in seconds. On paper at least, this is a lens which might interest a huge number of photographers across a range of abilities; so is it worthy of that interest?
Andy Westlake
more : dpreview
Sigma are fond of using a plethora of letters in their lens names (presumably on the principle that when faced with a choice, potential buyers will purchase the one with the most initials) and the 70-200mm declares its credentials accordingly. 'EX' stands for 'Excellence' and designates Sigma's premium lens line, with superior build and optical quality, while 'DG' means that the lens coatings are optimized for use on digital SLRs, and the image circle covers the full-frame 35mm format. Finally 'Macro' is a pointer towards the closer-than-usual minimum focusing distance of just 1m, which compares favorably to the 1.5m more typical of lenses of this class, although it has recently been trumped by the 0.95m of Tamron's SP AF 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro.
Of course as one of Sigma's flagship lenses, the 70-200mm F2.8 boasts a suitably complex optical design, featuring 18 elements in 15 groups, two of which are Extraordinary Low Dispersion (ELD) glass and two Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass for correction of chromatic aberrations. Other attractions include internal focusing and zooming mechanisms, and a quick-release tripod mount collar which can be removed from the lens in seconds. On paper at least, this is a lens which might interest a huge number of photographers across a range of abilities; so is it worthy of that interest?
Andy Westlake
more : dpreview
Canon EOS 450D Review
The digital SLR market is fiercely competitive, with the biggest sales and fattest profits in the hotly-contested consumer/entry-level area. Up until very recently Canon, the first company to break the sub-£1,000 barrier with its popular EOS 300D model in 2003, had a commanding lead in DSLR sales with a market share approaching 50 percent, following up the success of the 300D with the EOS 350D and 400D. However holding on to a lead in such a fast-moving game is as much about marketing and strategy as about making quality products, and over the past year Canon has seen its lead eaten away by its main rivals Pentax, Olympus, Sony and especially Nikon. It's not so much that the rivals are making better cameras than Canon, but more that they are offering the right products at the right prices.
In the crucial entry-level area of the market Canon has been relying on the continued popularity of the EOS 400D, a 10.1-megapixel model launched nearly two years ago and still selling well. However the 400D costs around £400 with an 18-55mm kit lens, which is starting to look like a lot of money for an aging model.
Nikon meanwhile has launched a three-pronged assault on the entry-level sector, with the 6.1MP D40 still available at around £280, the new 10.2MP D60 at around £380 and the superb D80 at around £600. Sony is continuing to carve itself a bigger share of the market with the Alpha A200, a bit of a bargain at £270 including lens, and the A350 with its advanced live view AF system and tilting monitor at around £450. Pentax has the weather-sealed K200D at around £450 while Olympus is also after the bargain hunters with its excellent E-420 at around £360. Faced with competition like that Canon must be worried that its once dominant market position isn't looking as unassailable as it used to.
Earlier this year Canon announced the launch of a new consumer digital SLR, the EOS 450D. It features a new 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, a larger 3-inch monitor with Live View mode, nine-point AF system and 3.5fps continuous shooting. What is perhaps surprising is the price, because the EOS 450D costs around £440 body only or around £500 with an 18-55mm image-stabilised lens. Canon has subsequently announced an even newer lower-spec entry-level camera, the EOS 1000D which we'll be reviewing next week, but even this model is currently around £500 on pre-order. Is Canon in danger of pricing itself out of one of its core markets?
Cliff Smith
more : trustedreviews
In the crucial entry-level area of the market Canon has been relying on the continued popularity of the EOS 400D, a 10.1-megapixel model launched nearly two years ago and still selling well. However the 400D costs around £400 with an 18-55mm kit lens, which is starting to look like a lot of money for an aging model.
Nikon meanwhile has launched a three-pronged assault on the entry-level sector, with the 6.1MP D40 still available at around £280, the new 10.2MP D60 at around £380 and the superb D80 at around £600. Sony is continuing to carve itself a bigger share of the market with the Alpha A200, a bit of a bargain at £270 including lens, and the A350 with its advanced live view AF system and tilting monitor at around £450. Pentax has the weather-sealed K200D at around £450 while Olympus is also after the bargain hunters with its excellent E-420 at around £360. Faced with competition like that Canon must be worried that its once dominant market position isn't looking as unassailable as it used to.
Earlier this year Canon announced the launch of a new consumer digital SLR, the EOS 450D. It features a new 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, a larger 3-inch monitor with Live View mode, nine-point AF system and 3.5fps continuous shooting. What is perhaps surprising is the price, because the EOS 450D costs around £440 body only or around £500 with an 18-55mm image-stabilised lens. Canon has subsequently announced an even newer lower-spec entry-level camera, the EOS 1000D which we'll be reviewing next week, but even this model is currently around £500 on pre-order. Is Canon in danger of pricing itself out of one of its core markets?
Cliff Smith
more : trustedreviews
Digital Foci Announces Photo Safe II - Ultimate Photo Companion For Travelers
Digital Foci, Inc. http://www.digitalfoci.com announced today Photo Safe II, the ultimate photo companion for travelers. Photo Safe II provides portable on-the-road digital photo storage with 80GB and 160GB hard drives and built-in memory card readers, so you can quickly and securely save your digital photos wherever you go. Photo Safe II lets you keep snapping away without worrying about losing important photos or running out of memory card space while on the road.
Essential Digital Camera Companion
Perfect for business travelers and summer vacations, Photo Safe II lets you go away without the need of a laptop to download your photos for safe-keeping. Based on the previous version of Photo Safe (winner of American Photo 2007 Editor’s Choice Award), Photo Safe II brings together its award-winning portable storage technology with a new compact design and additional features, such as support for MS Duo and miniSD; a safer card slot with rubber covers for more protection from dust; and a battery slot that makes it easier to insert/remove the rechargeable battery.
No cumbersome cabling or computer is ever needed to save photos in Photo Safe II. Just insert the digital camera’s memory card directly into Photo Safe II to free up expensive memory card space and reuse your card. When you get home, simply connect Photo Safe II to your computer to retrieve your saved pictures.
Photo Safe II easily copies the entire content of your memory card with its convenient one-touch “Auto Copy” button, which features copy speeds of up to 5.0MB/sec, so a full 1GB card can be copied in approximately 3½ minutes. Photo Safe II works with all popular card formats, including CF (Extreme III, IV, UDMA), MMC, SD/HC Card, miniSD, Memory Stick, MS PRO, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, and xD-Picture card. You can also make copies of photos taken from a friend’s cameras by inserting their card into Photo Safe II for instant archival of special moments.
Photo Safe II copies all file formats (including RAW images and videos), in their original file name and file structure. Its icon backlit LED screen shows key system information, including operational status, battery life, remaining hard drive space, and active partition (Photo Safe II supports multiple hard drive partitions). Copy status indicator displays percentage completed during copy; copy confirmation; and number of files copied upon completion.
External Storage Drive & Memory Card Reader
When connected to a computer, Photo Safe II also functions as an external hard drive and memory card reader. Use Photo Safe II to back-up and archive digital images, music and important files from your computer through its high-speed USB2 connection.
Photo Safe II Key Features:
Photo Safe II (PST-251) is available immediately, priced at $139 MSRP for 80GB and
$189 MSRP for 160GB. It is compatible with PC and Mac computers and includes a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, dual-plug USB cable, AC power adapter, and Quick Start Guide. Photo Safe II comes with a worry-free one-year warranty. For more information, see www.digitalfoci.com or http://www.digitalfoci.com/photo_safe.html.
Essential Digital Camera Companion
Perfect for business travelers and summer vacations, Photo Safe II lets you go away without the need of a laptop to download your photos for safe-keeping. Based on the previous version of Photo Safe (winner of American Photo 2007 Editor’s Choice Award), Photo Safe II brings together its award-winning portable storage technology with a new compact design and additional features, such as support for MS Duo and miniSD; a safer card slot with rubber covers for more protection from dust; and a battery slot that makes it easier to insert/remove the rechargeable battery.
No cumbersome cabling or computer is ever needed to save photos in Photo Safe II. Just insert the digital camera’s memory card directly into Photo Safe II to free up expensive memory card space and reuse your card. When you get home, simply connect Photo Safe II to your computer to retrieve your saved pictures.
Photo Safe II easily copies the entire content of your memory card with its convenient one-touch “Auto Copy” button, which features copy speeds of up to 5.0MB/sec, so a full 1GB card can be copied in approximately 3½ minutes. Photo Safe II works with all popular card formats, including CF (Extreme III, IV, UDMA), MMC, SD/HC Card, miniSD, Memory Stick, MS PRO, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, and xD-Picture card. You can also make copies of photos taken from a friend’s cameras by inserting their card into Photo Safe II for instant archival of special moments.
Photo Safe II copies all file formats (including RAW images and videos), in their original file name and file structure. Its icon backlit LED screen shows key system information, including operational status, battery life, remaining hard drive space, and active partition (Photo Safe II supports multiple hard drive partitions). Copy status indicator displays percentage completed during copy; copy confirmation; and number of files copied upon completion.
External Storage Drive & Memory Card Reader
When connected to a computer, Photo Safe II also functions as an external hard drive and memory card reader. Use Photo Safe II to back-up and archive digital images, music and important files from your computer through its high-speed USB2 connection.
Photo Safe II Key Features:
- One-touch operation and built-in card slots for instant photo backup directly from your digital camera memory card without the need of a computer.
- Memory card format support, including CF (including Extreme III, IV, UDMA), MMC, SD/HC Card, miniSD, Memory Stick, MS PRO, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, and xD-Picture card.
- Copies all formats (including RAW images and videos) in original file name and file structure.
- Fast copy speed – can copy 1GB in approximately 3½ minutes from high-speed cards.
- Backlit LCD screen displays operational status, active partition, remaining hard drive capacity, battery life.
- Copy status indicator displays percentage completed, copy confirmation, and number of files copied.
- Automatic sequential folder numbering: for each copy, Photo Safe II creates a unique folder name indicating media card type and copy sequence per card type to keep you organized.
- Supports copy from Memory Stick, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, SD/HC, MMC or xD-Picture Card onto a CF card.
- LED indicators show data access status for memory card and hard drive.
- User-replaceable Lithium-Ion battery with battery life of approximately 1½ hours.
- Li-Ion battery rechargeable via either computer’s USB port or external power adapter.
- Hi-Speed USB 2.0 for fast uploads and downloads to and from your computer.
- Delete card feature lets you empty memory cards.
- Functions as external hard drive and memory card reader when connected to computer .
- Compatible with both PC and Mac.
- Auto shut-off function saves battery power.
Photo Safe II (PST-251) is available immediately, priced at $139 MSRP for 80GB and
$189 MSRP for 160GB. It is compatible with PC and Mac computers and includes a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, dual-plug USB cable, AC power adapter, and Quick Start Guide. Photo Safe II comes with a worry-free one-year warranty. For more information, see www.digitalfoci.com or http://www.digitalfoci.com/photo_safe.html.
Nikon D3 Review
The D3 is not a new body. Nikon has taken what wasn't broken about the D2xs and simply morphed it forward into the D3. That's not to say that the bodies are identical. They aren't. Specifically, you'll need new Arca-style plates because the shape of the camera is slightly different. That means you need new doors for your EN-EL4 batteries, too (though if you don't mind an edge sticking out, you can use the old doors in a pinch). Other minor changes abound, as well: the hand position on the right side of the camera has been tweaked slightly, the ENTER button is now OK, the Direction pad has a real button in the middle now (yes!), the white balance detector on the front of the prism is gone, and a few of the buttons and controls have moved a bit (more separation between AF-ON and AE-L/AF-L for example. The autofocus method switch on the bank is missing a position (Group Dynamic), the larger color LCD now dominates the back, and under the rubber cover on the left side of the camera (from the back) is a surprise or two. The prism is wider and taller, too, but the net result is still the same any way you slice it: if you've handled a D2 series body, the D3 will immediately be so familiar that you'll at first think that nothing has changed.
Indeed, even disassembly of the D2xs and D3 is similar, and reveals just as many unchanging things internally as externally (yes, unlike some reviewers, I'm not afraid to pull out my screwdrivers and torq wrenches, though I'll admit I haven't dissected far into my D3 yet, as I prefer using it to operating on it).
As I noted with my D300 review, looking inside the D3 is a bit like observing the work of a bunch of nano-bots let loose on a D2xs to improve it. Everywhere you peek you find small changes, but overall, the result is so familiar as to be uncanny. So, suffice it to say, if you liked the body design of the D2 series, you'll like the body design of the D3.
The optional wireless function is now handled by the WT-4, which is not an older wireless transmitter worked on by nano-bots. No, the big bots took a whack at this option, coming up with a much different design (hip mount, not camera mount), and throwing in lots of bells and whistles (wired Internet should you want it). The WT-4 requires an EN-EL3e to operate, and draws less power from the camera than the older WT's did. The WT-4 is also shared with the D300, meaning you only need one wireless accessory if you use both bodies. I'll come back to that thought later.
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Indeed, even disassembly of the D2xs and D3 is similar, and reveals just as many unchanging things internally as externally (yes, unlike some reviewers, I'm not afraid to pull out my screwdrivers and torq wrenches, though I'll admit I haven't dissected far into my D3 yet, as I prefer using it to operating on it).
As I noted with my D300 review, looking inside the D3 is a bit like observing the work of a bunch of nano-bots let loose on a D2xs to improve it. Everywhere you peek you find small changes, but overall, the result is so familiar as to be uncanny. So, suffice it to say, if you liked the body design of the D2 series, you'll like the body design of the D3.
The optional wireless function is now handled by the WT-4, which is not an older wireless transmitter worked on by nano-bots. No, the big bots took a whack at this option, coming up with a much different design (hip mount, not camera mount), and throwing in lots of bells and whistles (wired Internet should you want it). The WT-4 requires an EN-EL3e to operate, and draws less power from the camera than the older WT's did. The WT-4 is also shared with the D300, meaning you only need one wireless accessory if you use both bodies. I'll come back to that thought later.
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