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Sony SLT-A58 and NEX-3N Announced

Feb
25
2013
February 25, 2013
By 11 Comments

Following Nikon’s announcement of the D7100 DSLR, Sony introduced a new SLT camera, called A58, along with their newest entry-level mirrorless offering, NEX-3N. As before, Sony is pushing a lot of innovative, consumer-friendly features into both cameras to attract customers. Not having all that much pedigree as a camera maker (at least when it comes to DSLR or, in their case, DSLT), features and numbers is their surest way of shifting attention of a potential buyer away from better-known camera manufacturers, such as Canon, Nikon and, perhaps, even Pentax.

1) Sony SLT-A58

The new SLT-A58 is a replacement for two older Sony cameras, A37 and A57, which is a good thing – I’ve always found they had too many models not that different in their positioning. Luckily for current Sony users and temptingly for potential new ones, however, the camera fitted with the usual 18-55mm kit lens will cost around $600, which is on par with Nikon’s lowest-end D3200 camera (while on $100 rebate program). Mind you, on paper, SLT-A58 is no slouch against its competitors.

Sony-SAL-A58-Top

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Nikon 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR Announcement

Jan
27
2013
January 27, 2013
By 55 Comments

Along with the Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED lens, the Nikon 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens has also been announced (the first announcement was posted here). Initially, I wanted to post both announcements in a single article, but after reading about the new 800mm lens in detail, I decided to do a separate post on it. Why? Because the new 800mm has a lot of new technological advancements that I believe will make their way into future Nikkor lenses. At a jaw-dropping price of $17,899.95, the Nikon 800mm f/5.6 is surely not for everyone. However, considering what this lens has to offer, there is no other equivalent lens on the market today in terms of optical performance – more on this below.

Nikon 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR

Until the 800mm f/5.6 came out, Nikon’s longest super telephoto lens was the Nikon 600mm f/4G VR. To get longer focal lengths, one would have to use teleconverters – 2.0x with the 400mm f/2.8 to get to 800mm f/5.6, 1.4x with the 500mm f/4 to get to 700mm f/5.6 or 1.4x with the 600mm f/4 to get to 840mm f/5.6. Unfortunately, no other TC combination resulted in acceptably good autofocus performance and accuracy. So why do we need a dedicated 800mm f/5.6 lens, if one could get to 800mm with teleconverters? Because teleconverters degrade image quality, AF performance and AF accuracy, whereas properly arranging optical elements inside the lens can yield maximum performance. So a true 800mm lens will always yield better results than a shorter lens with a teleconverter attached to it. In addition, with the latest generation Nikon DSLRs that can autofocus at small apertures up to f/8, one could get even longer focal lengths with a separate teleconverter. Which is exactly what Nikon did with the 800mm that ships with the TC800-1.25E teleconverter that provides additional magnification to get to 1000mm. Sounds like an overkill, but it has its uses – whether in sport, news, wildlife photography or other special needs.

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Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Announcement

Jan
27
2013
By 64 Comments

Along with a slew of new point and shoot cameras (which we at Photography Life do not particularly care about), Nikon announced an updated version of the Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 lens – a budget lens designed for both DX and FX cameras. The new Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED replaces the 13 year old 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D lens, which had never been a popular lens to begin with. So it was about time to update the lens with better optics, AF-S and other newer technologies.

Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED

So what does the updated 18-35mm bring to the table compared to the previous model? First of all, the focus motor has been replaced with the latest generation AF-S motor, which means that autofocus will work on any modern Nikon DSLR, including entry-level models like D3200 without a built-in motor. Second, the optical formula has been updated – the new 18-35mm has 12 elements in 8 groups, versus 11 elements in 8 groups on the AF-D version. More ED and Aspherical lens elements have also been added for better clarity and contrast. Third, thanks to this updated optical design, the minimal focus distance has also been shortened to 0.28m from 0.33m. Fourth, the new lens is of “G” type, which means that the aperture ring is no longer there. Fifth, the lens exterior has been completely redesigned to make it look just like all modern AF-S lenses and the typical M/A / M switch has also been added. Lastly, the new 18-35mm is slightly larger than the old version and also weighs 15 grams heavier.

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New Nikon 1 Cameras and Lenses, Same Mistakes

Jan
9
2013
January 9, 2013
By 34 Comments

We may be a bit late to publish this particular announcement, but it did take some time to comprehend what Nikon has done, or, to be precise, hasn’t done. Along with the USA availability of their D5200 DSLR camera, they have also introduced two new Nikon 1 cameras and lenses. Firstly, there’s the J3, which is a successor to the J2, which was announced less than half a year ago (click here for our review). If, previously, the J-series were thought to be entry-level Nikon 1 offerings, such positioning has changed with the introduction of a lower-end S1 camera. The two lenses are 6.7-13mm F3.5-5.6 VR wide-angle zoom (18-35mm equivalent) and 10-100mm F4-5.6 VR super-zoom (27-270mm equivalent).

Nikon 1 J3 Front

Key Specifications and Commentary

Lets start with the recent update to Nikon 1 J-series, the J3.

1) Nikon 1 J3

1.1)Specification Highlights
  • 14.2 megapixel CX (1″ sized) CMOS sensor with 4608 x 3072 image size and 2.7x crop factor
  • Tough metallic body construction, as with previous Nikon 1 cameras
  • Well-received Hybrid AF with both contrast- and phase-detect systems for very fast and accurate focus acquisition and up to 135 focus points
  • 3″ 921k dot LCD screen
  • Shutter speed range of 30s-1/16000s
  • 15 frames per second shooting speed
  • 1080p/60 video support with max 1200 frames per second recording at 320×120 resolution for super-slow motion playback
1.2)Commentary

In short, this is a Nikon V2 camera in a J2 body. If previously the J2 was only a minor update to the original J1, this time the newest camera in J-series gains 14.2 megapixel sensor from its bigger brother. As usual, it is very fast in both shooting speeds and autofocus, offering 15 frames per second with continuous AF. The high build quality is also a reassuring factor, no doubt. However, all is not so good when you take a closer look at what Nikon has done with the controls. I am about to rant now.

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Fujifilm X20 Announced

Jan
7
2013
January 7, 2013
By 7 Comments

Along with X100S, Fujifilm has also announced a new high-end compact camera. Replacing the very popular and attractively styled in recent Fujifilm X-series fashion, Fujifilm X10, the new camera retains all of predecessors’ strengths and gains a few more. With what X20 has to offer, it should end up as a very nice little camera for those who want a camera for simple occasions but with the usual flexibility of higher-end gear.

Fujifilm X20 Announced

Fujifilm X20

1) Commentary

Fujifilm X20 fits nicely into category first started with the Canon G series. It is a compact camera for advanced photographers. The things that make it different from ordinary point-and-shoot cameras is the amount of manual control available, high build quality, larger-than-average sensor for better performance as well as a bright, sharp, 28-112mm equivalent zoom lens with an aperture of f/2-2.8. X10 shared all of these features, but the new X20 further improves the camera’s capabilities. A new X-Trans sensor is present, which uses the same technology as larger sensors found in Fuji’s X-Pro1, X-E1 and X100S cameras. Employing a different, more random color filter pattern that traditional Bayer sensors, this one goes away without needing a low-pass filter, which results in better image sharpness. The new sensor has 12 megapixels, is 2/3 inch in size and is aided by a more powerful image processor.

Just as with X100S, the new sensor and processor are both dubbed “II”. X-Trans again contains phase-detect AF system in addition to the previous contrast-detect AF. As a result, hybrid AF should provide quicker and more reliable focus acquisition. But that is theory, of course. Canon M, which we reviewed very recently, also incorporates hybrid AF system, but its performance is disturbingly poor. We are yet to see how Fujifilm X100S and X20 stack up.

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Nikon D5200 Now Launched in USA

Jan
7
2013
By 7 Comments

UPDATED WITH PRE-ORDER LINKS.

Having been launched in Europe countries a while earlier, the new Nikon D5200 has just become available in USA, too. The 24 megapixel camera slots nicely between Nikon D3200 and D7000, gaining the latter’s great 39-point AF system. Articulated screen, 1080p/60 video, Expeed 3 image processor ad 100-6400 ISO range completes the attractive package for beginner photographers and those wanting a small, lightweight DSLR.

Nikon D5200

One notable difference from the previous European introduction is the price. In the first announcement, Nikon claimed a $1,150 MSRP price, which was staggeringly high for such a camera. We were right to doubt such price policy, luckily. The camera will cost around $900 with the 18-55mm VR kit lens. Click here to see image samples from the 24 megapixel APS-C sensor, and here to read our D5200 vs D5100 comparison.

Pre-Order Links

You can pre-order Nikon D5200 from our most trusted reseller, B&H, by following these links:

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Fujifilm X100S Announced

Jan
6
2013
January 6, 2013
By 25 Comments

Fujifilm’s storming 2013 with two refreshed models. Today, the Fujifilm X100S and X20 were announced (along with some other compact cameras). Both X100 and X10 were, and still are, immensely popular and well received by photographers of all levels. Strangely enough, their popularity is not due to outright perfection, but a very subtle balance between quality and… character? By all means, these cameras are not exactly easy to live with due to an enormous amount, for a finished product, of quirks. Luckily, Fujifilm is big on customer opinions – they seem to have heard the more known complaints and reacted accordingly. As a result, the two updated compact cameras carry certain welcome improvements. Lets see what those are in more detail, starting with the X100S and the X20 covered in a separate article.

Fujifilm X100S Front

Fujifilm X100S

1) Commentary

Having mentioned quirks, Fujifilm X100 (click here for our review) was received very enthusiastically by most photographers. Carrying a sharp fixed lens with the equivalent focal length of 35mm, large sensor and unique at the time hybrid viewfinder, its biggest complaint was overall sluggishness. Start-up time wasn’t exactly brilliant, nor card write speed. Most unfortunately, AF was also average at best with manual focus hardly usable at all due to very long focus throw. Despite these and other shortcomings, some of which have since been fixed via firmware updates, X100 still remains a very desirable camera. The X100S builds upon the strengths of its predecessor and promises to fix some of the shortcomings while carrying virtually the same attractive design, save for a small S at the front of the camera. Being Fujifilm, we are yet to see how much of promises turn out to be true, but already I’ve forgotten all about Sony’s RX1. X100S sounds fantastic!

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Instagram Me Not

Dec
19
2012
December 19, 2012
By 23 Comments

Instagram’s recent change to their terms and conditions raised quite a ruckus. It essentially said that the company had the right to sell your photos to someone else without your permission and without compensating you. Ouch… The reactions have been pretty extreme, from users dumping their Instagram accounts to those saying, “Suck it up and stop whining – you aren’t paying for the service!” Each perspective (and everything in between) has some merit.

Instagram

After the internet erupted in flames regarding this issue, Instagram’s co-founder quickly issued an Orwellian statement that went something like this, “Well, I know we stated that we had the right to sell your photos and not compensate you, but that was really not our intent.” Really? Hmmm… let’s look at the language:


“Some or all of the Service may be supported by advertising revenue. To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you. If you are under the age of eighteen (18), or under any other applicable age of majority, you represent that at least one of your parents or legal guardians has also agreed to this provision (and the use of your name, likeness, username, and/or photos (along with any associated metadata)) on your behalf.”

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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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