Online Photography News

Just posted! Canon EOS Rebel XS / 1000D review

Just Posted! Our review of the Canon EOS Rebel XS / EOS 1000D. The latest entry-level DSLR from Canon has a lot to live up to and some fierce competition to face so can the baby Rebel make as big an impact on the market as its forebears. And, more importantly, does it deserve to? Read our in-depth review to find out.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Panasonic has today announced the Lumix DMC-FZ28. The new camera is the successor to the popular FZ18 and comes with a slightly increased resolution (10.1 vs 8.0 MP) and all the zoom range you could ever need (27-486mm, 35mm equivalent). However, if that's still not enough there is also an optional 1.7x tele converter available. The Lumix DMC-FZ28 will be available in the UK from August for £329.99.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150

Panasonic has today announced the Lumix DMC-FX 150. The new camera offers a whopping 14.7 megapixels effective resolution which makes it (together with the Samsung NV100HD/TL34HD) the currently highest resolving compact camera on the market. Other features include Panasonic's new Venus IV imaging processor, a 28-100mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens and not one but two baby modes! The Lumix DMC-FX150 will be available in the UK from August for £299.99.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Panasonic has today announced the Lumix DMC-LX3. The camera is aimed at DSLR users who are looking for a compact camera to complement their existing SLR gear. Consequently the LX3 comes with comprehensive manual controls and a fast F2.0-F2.8 24-60mm (35mm equivalent) Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens. Images are captured on a 1/1.63-inch CCD sensor sporting 10.1 million effective pixels. The Lumix DMC-LX3 will be available in the UK from August for £399.99.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37

Panasonic has today announced the successor to the FX35 digital compact camera - the FX37. The new model comes with Panasonic's Venus IV imaging processor and an enhanced Intelligent Auto mode which is now capable of tracking an object once the AF has locked onto it. All this fancy new technology has been built around a 10.1 MP sensor and a 25mm (35mm equivalent), 5x zoom lens. The Lumix DMC-FX37 will be available in the UK from August for £249.99.

Just Posted! Sony DSLR-A200 review

Just Posted! Our review of the Sony Alpha 200. The simplified version of the ambitious A350, the A200 does without Sony's clever live view system but comes instead with a very competitive price tag. The result is a more conventional DSLR that boasts a feature set almost the equal of the older A100 at a fraction of the cost. So is this enough to make it the ideal DSLR for users looking to upgrade from their compact digital cameras? Read our full review to find out.

Just posted! Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 lens review

Just posted! Our new lens review of Sigma's latest iteration of its popular fast telezoom, the snappily-entitled 70-200mm 1:2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II. Offering fast and silent autofocus to users of all brands of DSLR via its HyperSonic Motor (HSM) autofocus, and with a closest focus distance of just 1m, this certainly looks like a strong contender on paper, but with a parent design dating back to 1999, how does it match up to the current state of the art?

Samsung NV100HD offers high density specification

Samsung has announced the NV100HD (Known as the TL34HD in the US), which it describes as "The World's highest 14.7 megapixel 28mm Wide angle lens digital camera." And even without the qualifiers, that's an awful lot of pixels. More impressively, it can record 720p HD video and incorporates a high-resolution, 460K dot, touch screen. It also features optical image stabilization alongside Samsung's digital stabilization system and many of the company's other image processing features.

Samsung tops-up NV range with new NV9

Samsung's distinctive NV range gets another member with the announcement of the NV9 (TL9 in North America). It's got a 5x optical zoom, 10.2 megapixel sensor and the ability to play MP3 music files. It also contains all sorts of metering and image processing cleverness to help optimise photographs of social situations, with tricks and tweaks to help ensure well-exposed, smiley faces with smooth skin and open eyes. There are even fuel-gauge-style indicators for battery life and memory card space on the top of the camera that we think will polarize opinion into either 'cool' or 'entertaining'.

Samsung L310W widens range's appeal

Samsung has announced the L310W (Known as the SL310W in the US), a 13.6 megapixel camera with a 28mm equivalent wide angle lens. The camera includes all sorts of features to help take photographs of friends and family, and an Auto Contrast Balance feature to boost dark area of back-lit scenes.

Samsung announces S1070

As part of Samsung's new model onslaught, it has released the S1070. The S1070 is a compact camera with a 3x optical zoom and what the company describes as a "premium quality" 10.2 megapixel sensor. A large 2.7" LCD screen, face-detection mode and 10 scene modes are provided to help capture and review the best possible images.

Samsung launches L201

Samsung has announced the L201 (SL201 in the US), a 10.2 megapixel compact camera. It has Samsung's Auto Contrast Balance feature to brighten dark areas in high-contrast and back-lit scenes. It also has the potentially handy ability to charge batteries, in-camera. Photography purists will be able to buy the camera in black or silver, while more adventurous purchasers can splash out on the pink, turquoise or lime green versions.

Kodak fits 50MP into dynamic range

Kodak has announced the creation of a new medium format 50MP chip, to be used in the newly-unveiled Hasselblad H3DII-50. The KAF-50100 Image Sensor offers a sensitivity range of ISO 50 - 400 and the highest resolution currently available in the 36 x 48mm format. The company spoke to us to explain the chip and the technologies behind it.

Hasselblad assembles megapixel monster

Engineers at Swedish medium format specialist Hasselblad have cooked-up the highest resolution 48 x 36 mm camera: the H3DII-50. The company has announced its intention to produce a 645 format sensor. Continuing the company's long history of collaboration with Kodak, the new camera is based around the US company's new 50MP sensor. The new body is also designed to accomodate the company's HTS 1.5 Tilt/Shift cradle that allows traditional lenses to be tilted and shifted.

Canon invests in XS capacity

Canon USA has announced the EOS Rebel XS, launched in other markets as the EOS 1000D on June 10th. In the United States, the camera will be available in a choice of black or silver but will not be available as body-only, with all units coming bundled with the EF-S 18-55mm IS lens. Canon has also announced its plans to build its first new Japanese camera factory for over a quarter of a century.

Pixel Density: when Moore is less

We've added some new information to our product database to make it easier to understand the characteristics of camera sensors. The idea of megapixels is generally well understood but, mainly because of the way they've historically been presented, sensor sizes aren't. We feel that relating these two pieces of information gives a clearer understanding of how they interact. To achieve this, we've added the new field: "Pixel Density" to our database, to help when comparing cameras. We think you'll find it useful.

D3 and D300 get firmware fixes

In addition to the announcement of the D700, Nikon has revised the firmware of the D3 and D300. The latest D3 firmware adds new function button customization options though not the ones featured on the D700. In addition to these and a virtual horizon in live view mode, Nikon has also addressed the problem that some users experienced in which the battery indicator would incorrectly register an empty battery. This problem, which has come to be known as 'Dead Battery Syndrome,' has also been addressed in new firmware for the D300.

Nikon D700 plus hands-on preview

Perhaps the worst kept secret of any recent announcement Nikon has now officially revealed the compact, professional, twelve megapixel, full-frame (FX format) Nikon D700. From the outside the D700 is virtually identical to the D300, albeit for its larger 'full frame' viewfinder, internally it's almost identical to the D3, except for a slightly slower shutter (five frames per second up to eight frames per second with the MB-D10 battery grip). By comparison it also includes several function improvements over the D3 including Image Sensor cleaning ('sensor shake'), more flexible 'hard button' programming, virtual horizon in Live View and different DX mode indication on the focusing screen. The D700 also becomes the first professional Nikon DSLR to sport a built-in flash. As far as competition is concerned the D700 really only faces the Canon EOS 5D (and any replacement that may be in the works). On sale in July for US$2999 or €2599 body only. We've had a D700 for a few days now, just enough time to produce a detailed hands-on preview.

Nikon PC-E Micro 45 mm and 85 mm lenses

Nikon has confirmed two tilt and shift (also known as perspective correction) lenses we first heard of in January this year. There is the 'normal focal length' PC-E Micro Nikkor 45 mm F2.8D ED and 'medium telephoto' PC-E Micro Nikkor 85 mm F2.8D, both of which provide ±8.5° tilt, ±11.5mm shift and 90° axial (rotation) movement and also have the much touted 'Nano Crystal Coat'. When used on the D3, D300 (and we presume D700) these lenses also provide automatic aperture control as well as manual override using the aperture ring on the lens.

Nikon announces Speedlight SB-900 flashgun

Nikon has today announced its new top-of-the-range flashgun - the Speedlight SB-900. The new model features a Multi-step auto zoom covering a 17-200mm zoom range, three illumination patterns (standard, center-weighted and even) and automatically detects if you are using the Nikon FX or DX format. The SB-900 will be available from the 25th of July.

Just Posted: Pentax K20D review

Just posted: our in-depth review of the Pentax K20D. The K20D is a fully-featured semi-pro DSLR available for the cost of some of the latest, upper-entry-level digital cameras. It adds a handful of features and tweaks to the highly-respected K10D and attempts to address some of its shortcomings whilst also incorporating a colossal 14.6 million photosites on a sensor co-developed with Samsung. Is this enough, given the quality of some of the competitors?

Ricoh Caplio GX-200

Ricoh has today announced the GX200 digital compact camera. The new model is replacing the GX100 and inherits the old model's 24 to 72 mm (equiv.) lens, manual controls and a removable (optional) tilting electronic viewfinder. Resolution has been increased to 12 megapixels, the screen now measures 2.7 inches and the camera is controlled by the latest version of Ricoh's imaging processor - the Smooth Imaging Engine III. The GX200 will be available in the UK from the beginning of July.

Just Posted: Olympus E-420 review

Just Posted: Our review of the Olympus E-420. The E-420 was launched exactly one year after its predecessor, the E-410, and comes with only a relatively small number of modifications such a larger screen, contrast detect autofocus in live view and the Auto Gradation feature that we've first seen on the E3. It's the smallest SLR on the market but can it compete with the larger and more expensive models from the competition? Find out after the link...

Just posted! Olympus 25mm F2.8 Pancake lens review

Just posted! Our new lens review of Olympus's dinky little Zuiko Digital 25mm F2.8 Pancake. As an accompaniment to our E-420 review (and a welcome change from yet another 70-200mm F2.8), we examine the credentials of the only fixed focal length lens currently bundled as a kit with a DSLR. It's certainly an attractively tiny package in combination with the E-420, but is it actually any good?

Sony announces HVL-F58AM flagship flash unit

Sony has announced the new HVL-F58AM flagship flash unit. The new model replaces the former HVL-F56AM model, and features a new Quick Shift Bounce system. The flash head can pivot 90 degrees left and right on a horizontal axis in addition to the conventional up and down. It offers a higher degree of flexibility for external lighting control and is compatible will all existing models as well as Sony's upcoming flagship camera that will be unveiled later this year.

Just Posted: Pentax K20D Preview

Having recently been provided with updated firmware, we have been able to restart our postponed Pentax K20D review. To tide you over while we're tinkering away in the studio, here's a full preview of Pentax's flagship DSLR. So what does the K20D offer, beyond that 14.6 megapixel Pentax/Samsung sensor?

Just posted! Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 Macro lens review

Just posted! Our new lens review of Tamron's latest baby, the SP AF 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro. In the third of our epic four-part series of telezoom reviews, we take a look through the viewfinder using a lens said to inherit its 'product concept' from Tamron's highly regarded 28-75mm F2.8. So does this young pretender really inherit the same compelling mixture of fine optics at a bargain price, and provide a challenge to the camera manufacturers' own fast telephoto zooms?  

Pentax K20D firmware prevents pixel problem

Pentax has just released updated firmware for its K20D DSLR. The update, which takes the camera to version 1.01, addresses the problem characterized on the DPReview forums in which 'hot' pixels could appear when the 2-second self times was used.

E3's whiter than white following firmware fix

Olympus has issued updated firmware for its flagship DSLR, the E3. The latest firmware, V1.2, makes an update to improve the consistency of the camera's auto white balance. As usual, owners can download this latest update through Olympus's Master or Studio software.

Just posted: Early Canon EOS 1000D sample images

Just posted: Early samples gallery from the new Canon EOS 1000D / Digital Rebel XS. Canon's new entry-level DSLR has generated a lot of interest, racing to the top of our most-clicked-on cameras list, so we've gone out and shot a samples gallery to give you some idea of what to expect. We must stress, however, that these are beta-standard images from a pre-production camera.