Category Archives: Product Releases

Canon Announces EOS 500D / Digital Rebel T1i

Just a news note: A few days ago, Canon announced its newest addition to the popular consumer-level Rebel line-up. By the numbers, the T1i is an impressive camera, even if I find the new acronym/numbering “T1i” a bit awkward.
Here are the basics: 15.1MP, HD video capture (full 1080p HD video recording at 20fps), a DIGIC [...]

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Red Digital Goes EPIC

 I could talk about the newly announced “SCARLET” and “EPIC” photo/cinema systems from Red Digital for a very long time I’m sure. I won’t though. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so instead of wasting all that time on writing what I think about the mass of information and photos that they [...]

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Picasa for MacOsX Coming

According to TechCrunch a version of Picasa for Apple Macs will be coming along later:
I managed to pick the Google employee with the least amount of media training and immediately put her on the spot. Her response: Picasa for Mac is under-development and will be launched later this year.
This is great news, one of the [...]

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Canon 6D DSLR due in February?

Canon DSLR releases tend to be on a regular schedule, usually some announcement will be made at Photokina or other big trade show with news in August/September and February. Last new camera was the 400D last August, does this mean we should expect a new announcement in February?

I’m thinking we should see a replacement to the 5D in the next couple of months. Not that I have any actual evidence or inside track, but it is my best guess (and hope). My thinking is based on the recent releases were consumer equipment, the 400D and 30D. This says to me changes are due at the top end. Both the EOS 1D MKII N and 5D are due an update, both were released August 2005.

Have you seen the price reductions on the 5D lately? This is usually a good signal that a replacement is coming. All the hot news of late has been in the APS-C area, suspiciously quiet if you ask me. You could say that would mean a new flagship is required but if I was Canon I would announce a 1D beating 6D, then top it with a new top end pro unit. The other way round makes less sense to me.

My guess is (putting myself way out there now) a 20mp, 5fps, full frame, big LCD, around £3k mark, probably the 24-105 IS as a bundle.

I haven’t been following the news as much recently due to pressure of work and new projects, perhaps I have missed some discussion on this already. Or perhaps I am just way off mark. We will see in a few weeks, eh?

Rumours are circulating about a 40D, I am still hoping for a 6D (4D?). Perhaps on show at PMA in March?

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Nikon D40 DSLR Stocking Filler?

Nikon have done it again. I am a Canon fan but I have to say Nikon has done something pretty cool with their new D40 DSLR. $600 including kit lens? Bargain!

It’s not just a cheapo budget faux DSLR that you will quickly grow out of either

  • 6 megapixel, same as D70s
  • Same processing engine as D200
  • 2.5fps, same as D50
  • 2.5″ LCD as opposed to D50 2″
  • SD card slot, same as D50, plus SDHC
  • USB 2 (D70s is USB 1 I believe)
  • 18-55mm DX kit lens

The main “low” points are stuff that a beginner wouldn’t consider anyway such as no ISO 100 and only 3 area AF. The high points make it a very attractive camera. Makes me wonder if there is any point to the D50 now …

See the press release at Nikon USA

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Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 Announced

Photoshop Elements users might be interested to hear Adobe have upgraded the product. Not wanting to spend the kind of money required for the full CS package I bought Elements 4 and have been reasonably happy with it so far. I had to patch it up to be able to use layer masks in elements, after that it does everything I need I think. The new Elements 5 upgrade seems to be mostly consumer-oriented features as far as I can see, stuff like scrap book style layouts and mapping (as you might expect).

They have added some editing functionality, not sure of the detail as info is patchy right now at the Adobe Site

Make good photos great with superior editing tools. Fine-tune color, brightness, and exposure using new color curves adjustments; create rich black-and-white conversions; easily correct camera lens distortions; and sharpen blurred edges.

Personally I will be looking out for reviews before upgrading, and even then there will need to be something very compelling!

More Photoshop Elements 5 product info here and the press release is here.

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Sony Alpha DSLR Sales Cut Into Canon, Nikon

StudioLighting reports that the Sony Alpha 100 DSLR launch was better than anticipated, slicing 21.6% out of the total DSLR sales in Japan for the month of July.

Canon still holds on to the top spot but only barely beating Nikon into second place. Should be real interesting to see these giants jostle for position once all three consumer-level cameras are out in the marketplace.

Vendor July June
Canon 33.3% 51.6%
Nikon 27.4% 32.6%
Sony 21.6% 2.3%
Pentax 14.0% 7.6%
Olympus 2.8% 4.8%
Matsushita 0.8% 0.1%

Data from Bloomberg.com.

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New Sigma SD14 DSLR Teaser

sigma-sd14-dslr

This is the teaser for the new Sigma SD14 DSLR. All we know is it will be announced September 26th at Photokina. From the small amount of text in the intro it seems it will be incorporating a sensor able to capture more colour data. Sensors such as the Foveon X3, used in their previous DSLR, are sensitive to all three primary colours per pixel as apposed to standard sensors that only capture one primary colour per pixel. Rumour has it the camera will have a 14mp equivalent resolution.

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Rumours of Canon 3D DLSR?

Yet another Canon rumour, this time an alleged Canon 3D DSLR to sit between the 1D and the 5D. More info at Camera-news

A thread over on Fred Miranda appears to contain convincingly genuine details regarding a “Canon EOS 3D”, said to be launched in around three weeks. The timing seems right, and photographers are drooling in anticipation with their wallets in hand, ready to buy. Rumored Canon 3D features:
  • High performance AF system with 27 AF points, 11 of which are cross–type sensors up to f/4, with the center point cross–type up to f/5.6 and capable of AF up to f11. This performance is comparable or even better than the 1D series.
  • ECF: Eye–controlled focus. A unique feature carried over from the Elan 7NE.
  • 13.3 megapixel APS-H (1.3x) sensor with DIGIC III, capable of ISO 50 and 3200 plus ISO 25 and 6400 as expanded options.
  • 6 frames per second continuous shooting speed, up to 40 JPGs or 18 RAW files.

Personally I was expecting an update to the 5D or a new DSLR in the 1D line. We will see …

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Nikon D80 Release Pushed Back

Nikon D80 delayed? Who would have guessed? Well, we did. It seems we were right in predicting Nikon wouldn’t be able to meet demand (although there are some suggesting it is a marketing tactic to spoil the Canon 400D announcement …). Nikonians has the news …

The release of the Nikon D80 in Japan is pushed back from September 1st to September 15th, due to “orders which exceed expectation.” (note: the link is in Japanese and we are relying on machine translation)

Well, it’s only a couple of weeks and anything good is worth waiting for right? You could always buy a 400D instead, or get a great deal on a D70s …

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