The recent Canon 7D rumors have been very accurate. Canon 7D is now officially announced. Read the details and hand-on preview at DPReview. Unlike Canon’s past lackluster upgrade path from 10D to 50D, this new DSLR with APS-C sized sensor is meant to counter what Nikon has just started shipping: the Nikon D300s. Nikon has been generating more buzz with the D200, D300, D700, D3/D3x, and the lastest D300s.
With the self-claimed “revolutionary camera that redefines the highly competitive mid-range DSLR”, Canon is certainly hoping to grab the title of the best APS-C DSLR camera on the market and answer Nikon’s continuous assaults in the past years.
To some degree, I think Canon will succeed. Canon 7D clearly wins in the video department with full HD shooting (1920×1080) at 30/25/24 frames per second and full manual control. Other compelling features include the 18 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, 8 frames per second continuous shooting speed, 19-point all cross type AF system, 1.0x magnification and 100% coverage viewfinder, Wireless flash control, rugged body with environmental sealing. Another nice feature is the built-in 3D electronic level that can detect both pitch and roll tilts.
Many Canon fans who feel the D50 less substantial can certainly find what they have been demanding from the Canon 7D. On the other hand, Nikon fans do not need to feel depressed. For most who are concerned mainly with still photo taking, there isn’t much difference between Canon 7D and Nikon D300s. In many aspects, Canon is still playing catch up. For example, the on-demand viewfinder grid line, wireless flash control, +/-5EV exposure compensation, etc. Canon 7D’s spot meter appears to be still the dreaded center-only type.
Availability
According to Canon USA, the Canon 7D will start shipping by end of September in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $1,699.00. It will also be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $1,899.00.
Further reading
Product image gallery
Posted in
Other on August 31st, 2009.
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Nikon D300s is currently in stock for the body-only option. The kit with the new Nikkor 18-200mm VR II lens will be available sometime in September.
For Canon fans, we are sure the Canon 7D is right around the corner.
Posted in
Marketplace on August 31st, 2009.
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Rumor mills have been busy pumping out the bits and bytes about the upcoming Canon 7D. At the beginning it was rumored to be a full frame DLSR but now it appears to be an advanced APS-C format DSLR with 1.6x crop factor based on the bundled EF-S kit lenses.
The most recent information about the Canon 7D specifications appears to have come from a post in a Chinese language photography forum. Canon Rumors and Neutralday both have translations of the specs. Read More…
Posted in
Digital SLR Cameras on August 30th, 2009.
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People pay great attention to image quality when making DSLR camera purchasing decisions. High ISO noise is one aspect of the image quality matrix. It is uncommon to see high ISO noise performance comparisons by shooting a scene with different cameras and compare the resulting images side-by-side at actual pixel resolution. Sounds simply enough, right? In reality, there are many complications.
Each camera has its own default settings. One may choose to perform more in-camera noise reduction (NR) than others by default. Some cameras have user controllable NR settings but others may only allow user control to certain degree. With NR, there is always a trade-off between noise level and image details.
Not only NR settings, sharpening, contrast, dynamic light optimizer or D-lighting settings can also affect noise levels.
The cameras may meter the scene quite differently and have exposure biases. Even if you choose the same ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, the images from one camera may appear darker or lighter compared to others. Exposure affects noise levels.
Cameras have different sensor sizes, sensor aspect ratios, and different pixel counts. Should the tester try to match the field of view or the magnification at 100% view (each image pixel is displayed as one pixel on a display)? Viewing an image at 100% magnification on a display is rarely useful for practical purposes. Typically the images are output to devices such as a display or a printer with a specific size. IMO, the comparison should be done with test shots matching the field of view in either horizontal or vertical direction. To make the comparison easy and fair, image from camera with higher resolution should be re-sized to match the magnification with lower resolution camera when viewed at actual pixels.
Bearing these complications in mind, here are some comparisons of Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) and Nikon D5000 high ISO noise performances by PhotographyBay.
Just recently, I also talked about the Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) vs. Nikon D5000 high ISO noise comparison done by Camera Labs. What is your conclusion after reading the above high ISO performance comparisons?
Posted in
Digital SLR Cameras on June 10th, 2009.
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Pentax’s latest K-series digital SLR camera, the K-7, has been officially announced. The mid-level DSLR features a rugged weather-sealed body, 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor, 100% viewfinder, a 3″ 921K dot LCD screen, 5.2 frames per second (FPS) continuous shooting speed, 11 point AF sensor (9 cross types), 30 fps video shooting at [0.9M] (1280×720, 16:9), [1.6M] (1536×1024, 3:2), [0.3M] (640×416, 3:2) resolutions using MPEG format, built-in dust removal and shake reduction, and HDMI port. Other interesting features include the ability to compose a high dynamic range (HDR) image using three photos, a built-in digital level, and in-camera editing using digital filters. The Pentax K-7 is indeed a solid offering, but the $1,299.95 body-only price seems a little high in the very competitive DSLR market. Read More…
Posted in
Digital SLR Cameras,
News on May 21st, 2009.
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Previously, we compared the spec sheets of two hot new entry level DSLR cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) and Nikon D5000. If that is enough for you to make a decision between the two, it would be too simple. The spec sheet should be considered a starting point for potential buyers to evaluate their needs against the specs. What follows next should be the verification of real world performances against your expectations.
For some people, the image quality, especially the high ISO noise performance is very important. So how well do they match up against each other? Camera Labs did the tests as part of their full review of the Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D). They also included the Olympus E-620 in the comparison.
The Nikon D5000 has a top ISO of 6400 while the Canon has top ISO of 12800. You would have thought the Canon have a better high ISO performance, wouldn’t you? Well, it turns out Canon’s marketing department may be a little too much into gimmicks. The Nikon D5000 appears to have won the noise competition handily above ISO800. The ISO6400 image from Nikon D5000 appears to have less noise and more details than the Canon’s. Perhaps Nikon should have made the ISO 128000 possible on the D5000. It wouldn’t be worse than the Canon’s.
Read: Canon EOS 500D / T1i vs Nikon D5000 vs Olympus E-620 High ISO Noise
Posted in
Digital SLR Cameras on May 19th, 2009.
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Canon announced the EOS Rebel T1i (500D/Kiss Digital X3) earlier (March 25) than Nikon D5000 (April 14), but somehow Nikon beat Canon in getting their camera out to consumers just a few days earlier. With both cameras targeting consumers, the ensuing battle between the digital imaging giants Canon and Nikon is going to be interesting to watch.
For consumers, making decision may be difficult since there is no such thing as perfect camera. Manufacturers carefully balance features and marketing needs to maximize profitability. They also study competitors to make sure their product is competitive in the market. Knowing your exact needs will help you make a good decision. Knowing the exact differences between the cameras will help you to evaluate your needs against the cameras’ features.
To get it started, you can look at the very detailed DPReview previews for both camera: Canon EOS 500D (Digital Rebel T1i / Kiss X3 Digital) and Nikon D5000. There is also a side-by-side comparison of the specifications. The gadget blog Engadget has a post about the two cameras as well. The following is a quick summary of each camera’s advantages.
Canon 500D wins
- More pixels – 15.1 vs. 12.3 megapixels on Nikon D5000
- Better videos – 1080P vs. 720P on Nikon D5000
- Better RAW file – 14 bit vs. 12 bit
- Larger and denser LCD screen: 3.0″ vs. 2.7″, 920K vs. 230K dots
- Wider ISO range: 100-12800 vs. 100-6400
- Depth of focus preview button: yes vs. no
- Viewfinder magnification: 0.87x vs. 0.78x
Nikon D5000 wins
- Tilt/Swirl LCD screen
- Faster continuous shooting speed: 4 frames per second (fps) vs. 3.4fps.
- Advanced scene modes
- Built-in filter effects and in-camera editing
- Better AF sensor: 11 vs. 9 point, with AF assist illuminator vs. none (uses built-in flash), slightly better AF sensitivity, 3D tracking
- Wider exposure compensation range; +/- 5EV vs. +/-2EV
- Better flash range: 17m vs. 13m
- Cost: ~$50 cheaper
Posted in
Digital SLR Cameras on April 30th, 2009.
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Amazon is now selling the Nikon D5000 and Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens kit
fulfilled by OneCall. The same thing is also available directly from OneCall. B&H has it in-stock as well.
If you’d like to get your hands on one to get a feel of it but cannot, Engadget has a dozen of photos from all possible angles for your to check it out.
If you are getting serious about photography, you may want to consider the D200. The $600 Bestbuy deal we mentioned a while ago appears to have come back again. The D200 has none of the ~20 scene modes that D5000 has. So you are forced to learn the real elements of the photography: ISO, aperture, shutter speed, etc.
