September 8th, 2010 by Digital Photographer Posted in Blog, Cameras, News
Nikon announced today the latest addition to the COOLPIX lineup of compact digital cameras—the P7000. The 10MP advanced compact follows the COOLPIX P6000 (reviewed here), although with its array of protruding knobs and more professional design, this new Nikon seems to have a similar look to the Canon PowerShot G series (G11 reviewed here). However, if the viewfinder on the P7000 is better than the G11′s (which wouldn’t be tough to beat), this would be a real contender in my book for an ideal high performance compact.
The P7000 aims to attract the professional photographer and new photo enthusiast alike, as it offers pro-level features such as Full Manual Controls (PSAM), RAW file function, 5-Way Vibration Reduction Image Stabilization System and a 7.1x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens (28-200mm f/2.8-5.6), as well as features like Scene Auto Selector for those less comfortable with Manual shooting. The P7000 will be available for $499.95 in late September. More info and images from Nikon below. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: announcements, Cameras, compact, HD, News, Nikon, Nikon COOLPIX, Nikon COOLPIX P7000, point-and-shoot, pro, RAW processing | 3 Comments »
February 20th, 2010 by Digital Photographer Posted in Blog, Cameras, News, PMA
Here at PMA in Anaheim, Samsung has just announced the new TL500—a 10MP “high end” compact camera that looks to be edging into the “prosumer” compact market, in which the Canon G-series and Nikon P6000 have found their homes. Samsung is calling the TL500 their new flagship compact digital camera, and “a milestone in the industry.” It has a 24mm ultra‑wide angle Schneider KREUZNACH, f/1.8 lens, a 1/1.7-inch CCD sensor, a DRIMeIII imaging processor and a 3-inch, swiveling AMOLED screen. The TL500 supports RAW and offers Aperture and Shutter-Priority, and Manual shooting modes. It shoots video as well (640×480 at 30fps in H.264 format)—same as in the recently reviewed Samsung DualView TL225. The TL500 will be available in Spring 2010 for $449.99. See the press release below.
From Samsung:
Anaheim, CA (February 20, 2010) - Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, proudly introduces the 10 mega-pixel TL500, a high-end compact digital camera designed specifically for today’s advanced and enthusiast photographers. The new flagship of the company’s compact digital camera family, the new TL500 incorporates a full-range of advanced features, including a high-performance imaging sensor and one of the brightest lenses ever featured on a compact camera – a 24mm ultra‑wide angle Schneider KREUZNACH, f/1.8. The TL500 will be on display during PMA 2010, February 21‑23, in the Samsung booth, #2227, in the Anaheim Convention Center.
“With the TL500, Samsung further differentiates its lineup from the competition and achieves yet another milestone in the industry,” said Mr. SJ Park, CEO of Samsung Digital Imaging Company. “With ultra-wide angle capability and unparalleled speed, the TL500’s lens offers a new level of versatility allowing the user to be more creative and take better pictures.”
High-Quality Optics and Images
The Samsung TL500 is sure to turn heads thanks to its ultra-wide, f/1.8 Schneider lens – one of the brightest ever featured on a compact digital camera. The impressive f/1.8 lens offers photographers a wider range of aperture steps and shallow depth-of-field, giving them the ability to blur out the background of their images while maintaining focus on their subjects. The ultra-fast, f/1.8 lens also allows users to take better photos in low-light environments as more light is passed through to the new high-performance 1/1.7” CCD sensor. Larger than the sensors typically found in compact digital cameras, the TL500’s 1/1.7” CCD offers unrivaled sensitivity (max ISO 3200/full-resolution). Together with Samsung’s re‑engineered and fast, DRIMeIII imaging processor, the TL500 captures high-quality images, regardless of the lighting environment.
The high-end Schneider lens offers a 24mm, ultra-wide focal length and 3x optical zoom. Much wider than traditional compact cameras, the TL500’s 24mm ultra-wide angle lens allows photographers to capture more of a desired scene, such as beautiful landscapes and large groups of friends or family. For blur‑free images, the TL500’s lens is also paired with Samsung’s Dual Image Stabilization technology.
Versatile Display Enhances the Viewing Experience
Composing and reviewing images on the TL500’s three-inch, swiveling AMOLED screen is a pleasure. The rotating AMOLED display will allow photographers to precisely frame their images the way they want and shoot from just about any angle, including overhead or low‑to‑the-ground shots. Compared to the traditional TFT-LCD found on most digital cameras, the TL500’s AMOLED provides users with a higher contrast ratio, deeper blacks and more accurate, vivid colors, even when viewed from an angle or in direct sunlight. The TL500’s AMOLED display is also more efficient when it comes to power consumption, allowing photographers to maximize battery life and shoot longer on a single charge.
Multiple Shooting Options
The TL500 supports RAW and gives enthusiasts full control over their images thanks to its shutter‑priority, aperture‑priority and full Manual shooting modes. When using these settings, shooters can experiment with features such as slower shutter speeds and depth‑of‑field; however, for those who prefer ease-of-use over manual controls, the TL500 also offers Samsung’s Smart Auto 2.0 (Still & Movie) scene recognition technology. Applicable for video recording (640×480 / 30fps / H.264) and taking digital stills, this intelligent feature analyzes the scene and then automatically selects the appropriate settings for the best results possible. Using this mode requires minimal effort and does not sacrifice image quality for simple operation.
August 12th, 2009 by Digital Photographer Posted in Blog, News
The brand new Summer ’09 issue of Digital Photographer includes profiles on renown nature photographer William Neill (whose photo is on our beautiful cover) and globe-trotting surf-photographer Mark Dimalanta, who is also a “Pentaxian” shooter. The issue also features comprehensive reviews of the awesome full-frame Canon 5D Mark II D-SLR, the Nikon D5000 D-SLR and the Olympus E-620 D-SLR with art filters. On the point-and-shoot side, we tested the Canon SX10 IS “megazoom” and the Nikon P6000 “prosumer” digicam. We also reviewed the Canon VIXIA HF S100 High Definition camcorder and compiled an overview of the latest flash-based camcorders, like the Flip, with tips on how to upload your videos the the Web. Also, look out for our story on “Extreme” cameras that photograph underwater and our software reviews, roundups of brand new products to the market and our ever popular “Inside the Image” column, in which Editor Lynne Eodice takes a look at DP reader Kim Corona‘s breathtaking shot of Yosemite. Happy reading! Feel free to let us know what you want to see more of in DP in the comments section below or on Twitter at twitter.com/digiphotomag.
Tags: camcorder, Camera Reviews, Cameras, Canon, Canon5DMarkII, CanonSX10IS, D-SLR, Digital Photographer Magazine, High Definition, Kim Corona, Mark Dimalanta, nature, Nikon, NikonD5000, NikonP6000, Olympus, OlympusE620, Pentaxian, point-and-shoot, summer, surfing, underwater, William Neill | 2 Comments »
