Archive for the 'Equipment' Category

Nikon D3 Announced - Nikon’s first full frame DSLR.

Craig August 26th, 2007

Nikon have announced the new D3, their first full frame DSLR.

A Nikon-original 12.1-megapixel FX-format (23.9 x 36mm) CMOS sensor, in concert with Nikonâ€™s exclusive Expeed digital image processing technologies, delivers breathtakingly rich image quality and greater handling speed, while also reducing noise to unprecedented levels, even high ISOs.
Continuous shooting at up to 9 frames-per-second at full FX resolution eliminates the image quality issues that face so many low-light sports shooters.
The 3.0-inch Super Density 920,000-dot VGA Color Monitor with 170-degree wide-angle viewing makes possible even more critical image review.
Nikonâ€™s exclusive Scene Recognition System, with an enhanced 1,005-pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II, provides even more intelligent light metering capabilities, along with smarter white balance detection and faster and more accurate AF performance.
Nikon’s self-diagnostic shutter system, tested to 300,000 cycles, is a clear indicator of advanced engineering and durable construction.
2 LiveView Shooting Modes are just one of the D3â€™s features that support unmatched versatility.
Available November 2007

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Equipment , Misc. , News , Nikon , Press Release
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Canon EOS 40D Specifications

Resolution: Approximately 10.1 million effective pixels (total pixels: approximately 10.5 million)
Recording pixels: 3888 x 2592
Sensor type: CMOS sensor, with primary R-G-B filtration
Sensor size: 22.2 x 14.8 millimeters
Pixel size: 5.7 microns square
Lens focal length factor: 1.6x
Sensor dust removal: EOS Integrated Cleaning System; active removal of dust by vibrating front low-pass filter; automatic removal of dust spots, in Canon Digital Photo Professional software (v. 3.1 or higher)
Maximum frames per second: 6.5 frames per second (fps) at full resolution
Maximum number of frames / burst: JPEG: 75; RAW: 17
Shutter speeds: 30 seconds to 1/8000, plus Bulb (1/3 or 1/2-step increments)
Flash sync speed: Up to 1/250, with EX-series Speedlites
Anticipated shutter durability: 100,000 exposures, based on Canon test methods
Computer interface: USB 2.0 (Hi-speed)
Image recording storage media: CompactFlash (CF) cards (type I or II, including Microdrives)
Card compatibility: “FAT32″ compatible–OK for cards over 2GB
Image format options: JPEG (choice of “Fine” or “Normal” compression); RAW (Canon .CR2 RAW file format); RAW + JPEG (any JPEG file size available; JPEG file written as separate file)
Analog to digital conversion: 14 bits per channel (16,382 separate tones from brightest to darkest, for each channel)
Resolution options: “Large”–3888 x 2592 (approximately 10.1 million pixels); “Medium”–2816 x 1880 (approximately 5.3 million pixels); “Small”–1936 x 1288 (approximately 2.5 million pixels)
File numbering: sRGB color space: IMG_0001.JPG or IMG_0001.CR2; Adobe 1998 RGB color space: first character is always underscore (_)
Folders: Automatically created for image storage; new folder can be user-created with “Manual Reset” function; folders cannot be freely selected on memory card by the photographer
Highlight tone priority: Expands tonal range of bright highlights by about one stop; ISO range limited to 200 to 1600; activated by C.Fn II-3-1
Data verification: “Original Image Data” can be appended to each image via Custom Function IV-6-1; requires optional Canon Original Data Security Kit OSK-E3 to check authenticity
Live View viewing options: Camera’s LCD monitor; computer monitor, via USB; computer monitor, via wireless transmitter WFT-E3A
Manual focus: Viewed on LCD monitor, with option to magnify focus area 5x or 10x
Autofocus: Possible–C.Fn III-6-1 active, press AF On button; mirror drops down temporarily while AF On button is pressed, allowing AF to function
Silent mode Live View shoot: Mode 1: First shutter curtain remains open; shooting up to 6.5 fps possible; Mode 2: Quieter option; 2nd shutter curtain doesn’t close until user’s finger is taken off shutter button
Accessory wireless transmitter: Canon WFT-E3A (optional, dedicated wireless transmitter)
Attachment to camera: Attaches to base of camera; totally integrated with EOS 40D’s design
Wireless transfer methods: 802.11b or 802.11g; link speed: approximately 11 megabits/second (802.11b) or 54 megabits/second (802.11g)
Connection method: Infrastructure or Ad Hoc (802.11g functions in Ad Hoc mode)
Maximum wireless distance: Approximately 490 feet (150 meters), if “receiver” has its own antenna (depends on environment)
Wireless channels: 11 (in North American market)
Ethernet (wired) transfer: Yes; Ethernet 100Base-TX (maximum distance approximately 1,000 feet); link speed: approximately 100 megabits/second
Transfer options: 1. FTP mode (images sent to folder on host computer); 2. PTP mode (remote control of camera possible from computer); 3. HTTP mode (view camera’s files using web browser; remote firing of camera possible)
Security options: Encryption: WEP or TKIP/AES; authentication: open system, WPA-PSK, or WPA2-PSK
USB “host” capability: Plug compatible USB devices into WFT-E2A, for use with the EOS 40D; GPS devices (write GPS time, coordinates, and altitude info into each file’s EXIF info); external hard drive (connect compact external USB hard drive, and write files directly from camera to the hard drive as if it’s an additional memory card)
LCD monitor: 3.0-inch (diagonal) TFT color; approximately 100% coverage; approximately 230,000 pixels on monitor; approximately 140 degrees viewing angle
LCD monitor brightness: Adjustable in 7 levels (via Menu)
Video-out: Yes (to standard TV monitor); NTSC or PAL, selectable on Menu
Number of AF points: Nine, all cross-type AF points
Center AF point: Unique hybrid cross-type AF point; world’s first high-precision AF point with both horizontal and vertical high-precision; additional standard precision, cross-type sensors for lenses from f2.8 to f5.6
AF point selection: 1. Manual AF point selection via 9-way multi-controller on back of camera; 2. automatic AF point selection
AF activation: Shutter button, or new AF On button at back of camera
AF modes: One-Shot AF (for stationary subjects); AI Servo AF (for tracking moving subjects); AI Focus AF (auto selection of One-Shot or AI Servo AF)
AF sensor: Entirely new Canon CMOS AF sensor
AF sensitivity range: EV -0.5 to 18 (at 73 degrees F / 23 degrees C, ISO 100)
Shutter speeds: 30 seconds to 1/8000 second, plus Bulb (1/3 or 1/2-step increments); x-sync at 1/250
ISO range: 100 to 1600, in 1/3-step or full-stop increments; ISO can be expanded to 3200 via C.Fn I-3-1
Auto ISO: Can be set in any exposure mode, including P, Tv, Av, and M; ISO usually based at 400; typical auto range is 100 to 800, depending on conditions; manual exposure mode: auto ISO fixed at 400
Exposure modes: Manual, Aperture-priority (Av), Shutter-priority (Tv), Program AE
Full-auto modes: Green Zone, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Action, Night Portrait, Flash Off
Metering: 35-zone metering sensor; Evaluative metering (linked to all AF points); Center-weighted metering; Partial metering; Spot metering at center of picture (approximately 3.5% of picture area)
Metering range: EV 0 to 20 (all patterns, at normal temperatures)
Exposure compensation: Possible in P, Tv, Av, and A-DEP exposure modes; +/- up to two stops, in 1/2 or 1/3-stop increments (via Quick Control Dial)
Autoexposure bracketing: Possible in P, Tv, Av, M, and A-DEP exposure modes; +/- up to two stops, in 1/2 or 1/3-stop increments
Compatible flashes: All Canon EX-series Speedlites, including new Speedlite 580EX II
Camera menu sets flash: Yes (580EX II only, as of August 2007)
E-TTL II flash metering: Flash metering not linked to active AF point; distance from compatible EF lenses now used; entire metering area can be averaged using Custom Function 14-1
Modeling flash: 1-second burst of flash possible at 70Hz when depth-of-field preview button is pressed (580EX/EX II, 550EX, 420EX, MR-14EX, MT-24EX, and Speedlite transmitter only)
Wireless E-TTL: Fully compatible, including ratio setting over six-stop range
Flash exposure compensation: Up to +/- 2 stops can be set on camera body (can also be set on compatible Speedlites)
Built-in flash: Covers lenses as wide as 17mm (27mm equivalent); Guide Number 43 (feet)/13 (meters), ISO 100
Viewfinder focus screen: New interchangeable “Ef” series focusing screens; standard screen: Ef-A–precision matte screen very similar to EOS 30D; optional Ef-D screen–precision matte with grid lines; optional Ef-S screen–Super precision matte (superior manual focusing with fast lenses, f1.8 to f2.8)
Viewfinder display: Similar to EOS 30D; new: ISO is always displayed; new: B/W shooting mode icon; new: maximum burst available now two digits
Dioptric adjustment: User-set from -3.0 to +1.0 (range can be extended using optional Canon dioptric Lens E, plus rubber frame Eb)
Mirror lock-up: Possible via Custom Function III-6-1
Eyepiece shutter: None (cover is provided on included strap)
Color space: Standard sRGB or Adobe 1998 RGB (separate setting on Menu)
White Balance: Auto; Pre-set (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash); color temperature (set by user from 2500K to 10,000K in 100K increments); custom (shoot white object or 18% gray card, base WB on that neutral object)
White Balance correction: Fine-tuning of overall color, in any white balance mode; amber/blue correction, in 9 steps; magenta/green correction, in 9 steps; set on graph on LCD monitor, using 9-way controller; both types of correction can be combined
White Balance bracketing: Three separate files written with a single click of the shutter; can be varied in the amber/blue direction, or the magenta/green direction; can be adjusted up to +/- 15 mireds (equivalent to 3 steps on the 9-step adjust scale); can be combined with standard auto exposure bracketing (9 files written to CF card)
Picture style: Extensive range of settings for user to tailor color, contrast, sharpness, etc. to their preference; same characteristics as previous EOS SLRs with Picture Style control
Black and white recording: Set via monochrome setting within Picture Styles menu
Computer connection: USB 2.0 Hi-speed, via small “B”-type USB connection
Remote control: N3-type push-in terminal (same as EOS 20D, EOS-1D Mark II, etc.)
Video-out: Single-pin mini-jack
Direct Printing compatibility: PictBridge printing to compatible Canon and other brand printers
Compatible images: JPEG, RAW, or sRAW, if they comply with DCF protocol
Preview effects on camera’s LCD: Printing effects can be previewed (includes brightness, levels, contrast, color saturation, color tone, and color balance–face brightener and red-eye correction cannot be viewed)
Connection to printer: Via USB cable included with camera
DPOF image marking: Compatible; images can be “tagged” while reviewing on LCD monitor
Battery: BP-511A, BP-511, or BP-512 (rechargeable lithium-ion, same as EOS 30D) (BP-511/BP-512: 1100mAh; BP-511A: 1390mAh)
Shooting capacity: Approximately 1100 shots (at 68 degrees F / 20 degrees C); approximately 800 shots (at 32 degrees F / 0 degrees C)
Charger unit: Canon CB-5L or CG-580 (also can be charged with compact power adapter CA-PS400)
AC adapter: AC adapter kit ACK-E2 (optional; consists of adapter AC-E2, and “dummy battery” DR-400)
Battery grip (optional): Battery grip BG-E2N or BG-E2
Date/time back-up battery: CR2016 lithium battery–coin-type; user-replaceable (estimated life 5 years)
Body exterior material: Magnesium alloy top, front, and rear covers
Chassis material: Polycarbonate and stainless steel
Lens mount: EF lens mount; metal; compatible lenses: all Canon lenses for EOS cameras
Compatible with EF-S lenses: Yes
Custom functions: 24 custom functions, in four distinct categories; 9 entirely new custom functions
Operating temperature range: 32 degrees to 104 degrees F, at 85% or lower humidity (0 degrees to 40 degrees C)
Dimensions (W x H x D): 5.7 x 4.2 x 2.9 inches (145.5 x 108 x 73.5 millimeters), very slightly larger than EOS 30D
Weight (without battery or CF card): 26.1 ounces (740 grams), approximately 1.4 ounces (40 grams) heavier than EOS 30D

Canon , Equipment , Misc. , News , Press Release
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Canon have announced the upcoming release of the Canon EOS 40D, the successor to the EOS 30D. Months of speculation and rumors have been put to rest, with the camera due to go on sale in September 2007, priced at US$1299. Also announced is a new lens, the EF 18-55mm f3.5/5.6 IS due to be available in October 2007 for US$199.

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Canon , Equipment , Misc. , Press Release
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Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year

Craig August 7th, 2007

Wanderlust, the UK’s leading adventure/travel magazine, is teaming up with Nikon and the South Australian Tourist Commission to present the UKâ€™s longest-running annual travel photography competition. Four winners from the Amateur category will win a trip to South Australia, while the winner of the new Portfolio category receives Â£5,000 cash.

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Nikon UK Press Release

Nikon teams up with Wanderlust

Misc. , Nikon , Press Release , Travel
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Pentax Photo Gallery

Craig August 7th, 2007

Pentax have announced the opening of the Pentax Photo Gallery. An online photo gallery dedicated to photographs taken with Pentax equipment with a very well done Flash interface, Pentax Photo Gallery allows you to browse images in collections, categories, artists and even by camera or lens. The entire site is available in six languages and already hosts over 2500 images by 300 photographers.

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Pentax Press Release