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New Canon Lenses

Nov
10
2012
November 10, 2012
By 4 Comments

In this article, I will talk about new Canon lenses – the 24-70mm f/4L IS and 35mm f/2 IS – and compare them both to most direct alternatives within Canon lens lineup. Both lenses have been very recently introduced and are best on full-frame cameras, such as the 5D series and the 6D, but will work well with APS-C sized sensors, too. By further implementing IS into new lenses, Canon is making them very tempting for photographers and aspiring videographers, but are advantages of new optics and IS worth the high asking price? A difficult question to answer, as Sigma and Tamron are now offering very well priced and high quality alternatives for both lenses. Lets see what Canon has released for its DSLR customers.

1) 24-70mm f/4L IS Lens

New Canon LensesThis lens was a huge surprise for me. The first thing I thought when it was announced – would I like a 24-105mm f/4L IS lens, but with a shorter focal length at the long end and for a lot more money? $1499, to be precise. I doubt first answer to come to your mind is “Yes, please!”. Obviously, it will have stellar optical performance with Canon’s latest Hybrid IS on top, but the old 24-105mm F/4L IS is no slouch, either. It is also a very popular lens and can be had for about $850 in the used market, brand new. Professionals use it for PJ work, as well as weddings. It’s also great for street photography and as a very versatile, lightweight travel lens. So what exactly does this new and, I must say, expensive addition to Canon L optics lineup offer? In a word – macro.
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New Sigma Lenses

Nov
8
2012
November 8, 2012
By 18 Comments

During Photokina 2012, Sigma announced three new rather exciting lenses – the fast 35mm f/1.4 prime lens, 17-70mm f/2.8-4 standard zoom for APS-C cameras and the still-unique 120-300mm f/2.8 telephoto zoom for sports and wildlife photographers. Two of the three seem to be mildly refreshed versions of their predecessors, but the 35mm f/1.4 has been highly anticipated and may prove to be very popular. Very recently, it’s price has been revealed and stands at a mere (in comparison with brand 35mm f/1.4′s) $899. Interestingly, it doesn’t feel right to say these new lenses will join Sigma’s lineup. In fact, it seems more like they are starting a new lineup, fresh. If you ever found yourself thinking Sigma was always about cheaply priced, cheaply built and cheaply performing lenses, well, they seem to have had an epiphany.

New Sigma Lenses

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Nikon D5200 vs D5100

Nov
8
2012
By 47 Comments

In this article, I will show feature differences between the new Nikon D5200 the previous generation D5100 (see our Nikon D5100 Review). What does the updated D5200 bring to the table and what are the key differences? Let’s take a look! Please keep in mind that this Nikon D5200 vs D5100 comparison is purely based on specifications. A detailed comparison with image samples and ISO comparisons will be provided in the upcoming Nikon D5200 review.

Nikon D5200 vs D5100

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Nikon D5200 Image Samples

Nov
6
2012
November 6, 2012
By 16 Comments

While we are still waiting for the final pricing and availability information on the upcoming Nikon D5200, I decided to post some sample photos from the camera. Nikon imaging only made a 5 images available by Douglas Menuez, but other images have also been posted by Nikon France on Flickr. The below images are all copyright of Nikon and all EXIF data is retained in photographs.

The sensor performance of the D5200 looks pretty impressive. It is hard to say whether the camera will yield better images than the D3200, since the number of megapixels is about the same. I will have to test high ISO performance between the two when I receive a sample unit.

Please keep in mind that the images are taken in RAW and simply converted to JPEG via Capture NX 2. No other editing has been done, including sharpening.

Nikon France

Link to download the image | Shutter Speed: 1/2000, Aperture: f/6.3, ISO: 400

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Nikon D5200 Announcement

Nov
5
2012
November 5, 2012
By 39 Comments

Nikon has just announced the D5200 DSLR, an update to the Nikon D5100 that we reviewed last year. The Nikon D5200 is an upper entry-level DSLR that comes with a similar 24MP CMOS sensor as on the D3200, but with a more improved Multi-CAM 4800DX AF system and metering system from the D7000. This is a surprising move by Nikon, since it seems like it is pushing more advanced features to basic DSLRs. This could also mean that the upcoming Nikon D7100 might have a better AF system, perhaps the same 51-point AF system used on the D800/D4 cameas (or somewhere in between). The feature gap between different DSLRs seems to be shrinking, probably due to the pressure from the mirrorless market. Next year will be interesting – will we see a D7100, a D400, or both?

Nikon D5200

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Nikon D600 for Sports Photography – by Mikhail Bezruchko

Nov
4
2012
November 4, 2012
By 20 Comments

Today’s guest post is by Mikhail Bezruchko on using the Nikon D600 for Sports Photography. Mikhail was kind enough to send his observations on the autofocus performance of the D600 for low-light and daytime sports photography. He photographed a local football game at night and then a local soccer game, using fast telephoto lenses. Although not a pro, Mikhail has had a long history with photography, starting out with Russian-made “Zenit” film cameras a while ago. But his interest in photography spiked up during the last few years and he has been shooting with Nikon D90, D700 and other high-end DSLRs, mostly freelancing. Enjoy!

When the D600 was finally announced, most of us got very excited about the new camera. Nasim’s review of the D600 and Bird Photography follow-up answered a lot of my questions, but I was still curious about the D600′s autofocus performance with sports. There are some similarities between sports and wildlife photography, but there are also many differences.

Nikon D600 Football Game (7)

While I mainly focus on portraiture and functions, I absolutely love shooting games, especially local, non-professional events. Anyone who has photographed a sports match knows that it’s a very challenging venture. Not only does it take experience, preparation and knowledge of the particular game you want to shoot, but it also requires decent equipment.

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How to Buy Used DSLR Cameras

Oct
27
2012
October 27, 2012
By 4 Comments

A while ago, I wrote an article giving tips on buying used lenses. In this follow-up on how to buy used DSLR cameras, I will try to give some advice on how to buy the other part of a photographer’s kit – the camera itself. You will see that many of the lens buying guidelines are also applicable here, so lets not waste any more time and get started!

Canon 60D

Why Buy Used Cameras?

Just like with lenses, we don’t always need or can afford the latest and greatest. Certain cameras, such as the now discontinued Nikon D700 or the soon-to-be discontinued Canon 5D Mark II (B&H has it for $1699 brand spanking new, which is a steal), will hold a lot of appeal for at least a couple more years in the used market. Because of that, they make a great choice as entry FF models (I’m quite sure I will be using my D700 for a while even with the Nikon D600 and the D800 around) or even as backup cameras. There is an even larger market when it comes to entry-level DSLRs, such as the Nikon D3100, which can be bought very cheaply and be a great learning tool, even exceeding some old semi-professional models in image quality.

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Latest Deals and Nikon 1 V2 Pre-Order Links

Oct
24
2012
October 24, 2012
By 3 Comments

Looks like B&H is already getting ready for the holidays, with some great deals on high-end Canon and Fuji cameras. The Canon 5D Mark II has a huge drop in price while supplies last – it is now $1,699, which makes it the cheapest full-frame DSLR on the market today. The Canon 5D Mark III has also been reduced to $3,199, which finally brings it closer to the Nikon D800 in pricing. On top of that, the Fuji X-100 is now $200 off, bringing it down to $999 (regular price is $1,199). And if you have been buying cameras like D600 and need plenty of storage, you might need some good cheap memory – the Transcend 64GB SDXC memory is selling for $49. If you need faster cards, the Lexar CF and SD cards are also heavily discounted until the end of this month.

Nikon 1 V2 Kit White

And here are the pre-order links for the newly announced Nikon 70-200mm f/4G VR and Nikon 1 V2 mirrorless camera + accessories:

  1. Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED VR for $1,399
  2. Nikon 1 V2 Body Only for $799.95 (White Nikon 1 V2)
  3. Nikon 1 V1 with 10-30mm lens (White Kit)
  4. Nikon SB-N7 Speedlight for Nikon 1 V1/V2 for $159.95 (White SB-N7)

Both Nikon 1 V2 and Nikon 70-200mm f/4G VR will be reviewed in November.

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Panasonic GX1 Review

Oct
24
2012
By 12 Comments

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with the GX1. Although I have owned some compact cameras and occasionally have the chance to experiment with those of others, this is the first mirrorless camera I have used. As Nasim and others have indicated, mirrorless cameras will increasingly play a larger role in the digital camera market, due primarily to their smaller size, lighter weight, reduced mechanical complexity, and faster FPS ( frames per second speed). They provide an impressive range of features in extremely small packages. But mirrorless cameras such as the GX1 still represent a modest investment and thus do not offer any cost reduction relative to entry and midlevel DSLRs. In this Panasonic GX1 Review, I will provide detailed information about the camera, as well as image comparisons to other DSLR cameras.

Panasonic GX1

Some of my questions prior to receiving my GX1 included:

  1. How well would the GX1′s picture quality compare against that of my D7000?
  2. How well would the GX1′s pictures compare to my D800?
  3. Would I find the weight advantage of the GX1 meaningful?
  4. How would I adjust to the GX1′s controls?
  5. What would cause me to consider a GX1 over a DSLR or point-and-shoot camera?

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Nikon 1 V1 vs V2

Oct
24
2012
By 27 Comments

In this article, I will show feature differences between the Nikon 1 V1 and the newly announced Nikon 1 V2 mirrorless cameras. Judging by the J2 and V2 updates this year, it seems like Nikon will be refreshing the 1 line fairly often, so I am planning to provide feature comparisons like this to show what has changed between cameras after each announcement. As you may already know, the whole Nikon 1 line has a CX mount with a 2.7x crop factor and the J1/J2 cameras are targeted for photo hobbyists, while the V1/V2 cameras are targeted for more serious shooters. Hence, there is a significant difference in size, feature and performance between the two lines. Please keep in mind that this Nikon 1 V1 vs V2 comparison is purely based on specifications. A detailed comparison with image samples and ISO comparisons will be provided in the upcoming Nikon 1 V2 Review.

Nikon 1 V1 vs V2

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