Sony’s new a700 (officially known as the DSLR-A700) displays the evolution of the Maxxum SLR camera line after Sony’s acquisition of Konica-Minolta technologies in 2005. The a700 is based on the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D yet expands that camera’s capabilities with a myriad of new ideas from Sony. I suspect Sony and Minolta fans will be very excited by this camera.
The a700 dSLR (that “a” is the Greek letter alpha) features a 12.24 megapixel Exmor™ CMOS sensor, Sony’s “Creative Style modes”, high-speed shooting, Super SteadyShot® image stabilization, Eye-Start® Autofocus system and Sony’s innovative Anti-Dust Technology to provide the photographer abundant new technology packed into a familiar, durable, magnesium alloy body that is dust and moisture resistant.
The alpha 700 accepts Minolta a-mount lenses, Sony’s “G” Series lenses with motorized auto focusing and Sony’s wide-aperture zoom lenses. A new APS-C size, CMOS imager with on-chip noise-canceling provides the quality you need to make the most of all those high-performance lenses. Sony’s line of accessories include a new vertical grip. Equipped with buttons and switches to control most functions, it offers the same ease of operation as when shooting vertically. It even houses two InfoLithium® batteries. And you can choose from a long list professional-quality flash units and system accessories to suit every photographic requirement.
Sony’s Super SteadyShot® stabilization technology moves the image sensor in response to camera shake, enabling every lens to benefit from automatic blur reduction. This technology can facilitate sharper images even in lower light or hand-held shots that would normally require a tripod. And the 40-segment honeycomb sensing system provides multi-pattern measuring for superior exposure control accuracy in a wide range of lighting conditions.
The alpha 700 uses the Sony Bionz™ Image Processor. Utilizing hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry, Bionz improves camera response time, handles Dynamic Range Optimization processing and prolongs battery life. The combination of the Bionz engine, a quick-response coreless motor to drive the shutter, and dual mirror stoppers to prevent mirror bounce all enable the alpha 700 to capture scenes at 3 - 5 fps, even shooting at full 12 megapixel resolution. Sony has optimized the Bionz processor to quickly process picture information and reduce noise in the RAW data stage, before final image compression and encoding. The results are high-resolution, detailed images with rich tonal reproduction.
A newly developed, auto-focus system features 11 wide-area sensors, including a center dual cross sensor comprised of two horizontal and two vertical line sensors for exceptional AF precision. An F2.8 line sensor leverages the brightness of fast aperture lenses for even greater precision. The alpha 700 utilizes both a static-free anti-dust coating on the imager’s filter and a anti-dust vibration system that automatically shakes the sensor to dislodge dust each time the camera is turned off.
The a700 uses Memory Stick Duo™ media cards compatible with the Memory Stick PRO-HG™ high-speed data transfer standard, and CompactFlash™ Type I/II media cards. The memory slots are compatible with the Ultra Direct Memory Access standard for up to 300x write speeds. Sony has introduced new 300x high-speed CompactFlash™ memory cards, ideal for high-end photographers requiring fast write speeds. The new models, available in 2GB or 8GB capacity, expand Sony’s current line of CompactFlash cards that also include 66X and 133X speeds, with capacities ranging from 1GB to 4GB.
On the subject of image preview, Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony has said “We … expect that this new camera will re-define the post-capture experience with HDMI™ output for high-quality playback of images on high-definition televisions.” Imagine viewing your 12 megapixel images in full resolution on a HDTV! You don’t have to wait, Sony provides this ability right now. You can even use the included Wireless Remote.
The DSLR-A700 camera body’s MSRP is $1,399.99.
DSLR-A700 Features:
Rugged Magnesium Alloy Body
Sony a Alpha/Minolta-A bayonet lens mount
12.24 MP Exmor™ Imaging Sensor
Bionz™ Image Processor
Super SteadyShot® Image Stabilization
Continuous 5 Frames-Per-Second Advance at 12.24 MP
Eye-Start® Autofocus System
11-Point Center Dual Cross AF Sensor
Easy-to-Use Exposure Mode Dial
Anti-Dust Technology
XtraFine™ 3.0”1 LCD Screen with 921k Pixels
PhotoTV HD Viewing with HDMI™ Output
Wireless Remote Control
Powerful Supplied Software
Dynamic Range Optimizer
Advanced Pentaprism Viewfinder
40-segment Honeycomb Sensing System
Up to 650 Shots with NP-FM500H InfoLithium® battery
Uses CompactFlash™ Type I/II media, Memory Stick Duo™ or Memory Stick PRO Duo™
Exif Print, Print Image Matching III, PictBridge, DPOF compatible
Olympus has finally announced their long-awaited flagship DSLR camera, the E-3. Billed as a pure pro camera, the Olympus E-3 is really more comparable to the cameras by Olympus’s competitors that we’ve been categorizing as semi-pro, such as the Pentax K10D, Canon 40D, and Nikon D200. Whatever you call it though, there’s no question that the new E-3 represents a sizable leap forward in technology and sophistication for the Olympus SLR line.
With the E-3, Olympus introduces their first new autofocus sensor in years: an 11-point array, each point consisting of twin cross-type AF sensors. They’re claiming this is the fastest AF system on the market. Combined with greater 1.15x magnification in the E-3’s viewfinder, framing and focusing with this Four-Thirds camera is a lot easier than past Olympus models.
A new shutter mechanism in the Olympus E-3 delivers 1/8,000 second speed, and 1/250 flash sync, and an expected lifetime of 150,000 cycles. Mirror blackout time is also said to be low, but there are no official numbers yet. Three dedicated processors handle three separate functions: one for image stabilization, one for autofocus, and the TruePic III for image processing. A UDMA-compatible CompactFlash slot promises fast write times, and the additional xD-Picture Card slot adds extra storage.
Body-based image stabilization is built into the Olympus E-3, taking advantage of the company’s Supersonic Wave Drive motor technology to drive the anti-shake system. A separate motor drives the Supersonic Wave Filter to remove dust.
Though the Olympus E-3 has a 10-megapixel sensor like the E-510 and E-410, the new sensor has been improved to support the faster read speed to help enable five-frame-per-second continuous shooting. Metering options include 49-zone ESP metering, Spot, Center-weighted, and a new Highlight/Shadow spot metering mode.
Another major highlight to the Olympus E-3 is the articulating LCD on the camera back, which makes Live View mode so much more valuable. It’s not the first such design to appear on a digital SLR, that distinction goes to the Panasonic Lumix L10, Olympus’s Four-Thirds partner, but it’s an incredibly versatile design, with the ability to face up down, left, right, and even forward, toward the subject.
Built on a magnesium alloy frame the Olympus E-3 feels solid, and is sealed against dust and splashes. Connections include a USB 2.0 high-speed jack, an AC power jack, video out, remote control, and an x-sync terminal. The introduction also includes five new optics and two new flashes that can be remote controlled from the Olympus E-3’s onboard flash in three groups. A new battery grip works with the E-3 to double capacity, and duplicate key controls for vertical shooting.
The E-3 is exactly the camera Olympus needs to break into this prosumer SLR market, which is already dominated by Canon and Nikon, with Pentax, Sony, and Panasonic starting to fill in the gaps. Expected to retail for about $1,700, the Olympus E-3 is slated to ship in November 2007.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 is the lates camera to enter the 18x optical zoom race. The FZ18 can capture 8.1 megapixel resolution and display them in HD. The long zoom Leica lens can do 28mm (equivalent) shots and has optical image stabilization. Another new feature that Panasonic has rolled out is the the Intelligent Auto mode, which bundles up automatic scene selection, face detection, intelligent ISO control, and continuous auto focus. The FZ18 is the successor to the FZ8. The biggest change is the inner workings of the camera which has a more powerful zoom lens, with a 2.5″ LCD and it also sports electronic viewfinder (EVF).
The FZ18 is ideal for the amateur photographer who enjoys using a camera with manual operation and the ability to shoot in RAW. The newest Lumix ultrazoom sports manual controls and offers three aspect ratio options: 4:3, 3:2, and wide 16:9. The FZ18 is fitted with a 2.5″ 207,000-pixel LCD monito, an optical viewfinder, and a rubber hand grip. Yhe camera retains the Intelligent Image Stabilization system, included on all 2007 Lumix cameras, which promises to reduce blur associated with hand shake and moving subjects.
There is full exposure flexibility, so if you are a beginner, you can start with Auto, Scene and Program AE exposur modes, then move on to Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and full Manual mode when you are ready to learn and explore. The panasonic is fast, with no practical shutterlag, and a very responsive auto focus.
Specifications:
See product page for specifications.
Canon Powershot G9
Given the succes of Canon’s highly acclaimed G Series, it is no surprise that ambitious photographers have been eagerly anticipating the next model in its evolution. Introducing the G9. In image quality and functionality, the G9 stands above the competition with 12.1 megapixels of resolution, a 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer, and RAW mode for the ultimate in creative control. Sophisticated design and high-quality construction complement the technology and make the G9 a camera to be reckoned with.
The PowerShot G9 offers a full range of shooting and recording modes including JPEG + RAW for ultimate creativity, along with a 3.0 inch PureColor LCD screen for bright, accurate color with greater viewing from a wider angle and with an anti-glare, anti-scratch coating. Genuine Canon face detection sets the focus, exposure and flash automatically, leaving you free to compose a group, capture an unguarded moment or coax a perfect smile. Plus the new Face Selector Buton lets you select the primary face. Compatible with a wide range of accessories including EOS Speedlites, Canon supplementary lenses and a water proof case.
Specifications:
See Product Page for Specifications