Canon Comes Out With Rebel T2i

February 8th, 2010 by Derek
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Canon has announced it’s newest Rebel, the reasonably (for once) named Rebel T2i. Updates? Well, it’s up to an 18.0 megapixel sensor, new wide-aspect LCD, 3.7 frames-per-second shooting, the 1080p shooting gets 30/25/24 fps selectable, there’s a stereo mic jack, ISO goes from 100 – 6400, and something about some hand-me-down techs from the 7D. So, evolutionary? Yeah, of course, but that’s still a pretty solid set of features for this newest Rebel.

It’s set to be released as a kit with the usual 18-55mm IS currently, and we’re of course taking preorder allocations over at our site. So, if you want your name on the list, best to shuffle over to http://www.robertsimaging.com/preorder.jsp and get that going.






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P100, other Coolpix point and shoots announced

February 4th, 2010 by Nick
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Today Nikon announced their refresh for the Coolpix line by adding the P100, L110, L22, and S3000, S4000, S6000, S8000 compacts. The P90 is to cede to the P100, and it looks like it’ll be a doozie of an upgrade. The Nikon Coolpix P100 will have a 10.3 megapixel back-lit CMOS sensor and a 26x optical zoom (26mm-678mm equivalent) Nikkor ED lens. It’ll also be able to churn out 10fps at 10MP, and near 120fps at 1.1MP. No idea how the 3200 ISO setting will perform yet, but maybe you won’t need to use it given the sensor-shift VR system. There’s a host of other software functions to make “minimal user intervention shooting” produce good looking pics. It’s also got a macro focusing distance of .4″, though no word on what the maximum reproduction ratio. Oh right, 1080p HD video is also on the menu.

If you’ve got to use AA batteries and don’t trust this new-fangled back-lit CMOS business, then step down to the L110 and take your pick between black and red. Your glass is 15x optical from 28-420mm (equivalent), supported by sensor-shift VR image stabilization and a max ISO of 6400. It also has the first ‘cyanotype’ color setting I’ve seen a manufacturer brag over. Ta da. It takes 12.1MP stills and 720p HD video (at 30fps).

The other AA offering is the L22, weighing in at 12MP with a modest 37-134mm equivalent focal range. The L22 has a ‘Big, Bright 3.0-inch LCD’ with an anti-glare coating and a maximum ISO of 1600.

The 000 (Tri-aught?) range of Coolpix this time around are the S3000, S4000, S6000, and S8000. The S3000 (for Style yeah) wields 12.0MP, a 27-108 equivalent focal range, a 2.7″ LCD, some firmware functions to correct for red-eye, florid, staggering friends who neither smile nor cease blinking, and a maximum ISO of 3200.

Next up is the S4000, which looks to succeed the S230 and put a 3.0″ touch screen in your hot, little hands for things like touch-shutter (which sounds like an alt-rock band who should be opening for Toad the Wet Sprocket) and touch-AF. Beyond that it records 720pHD movies, and sidles on up to 3200 ISO. It also has a cyanotype color mode.

The S6000 appears with 14.2MP, a 28-196 equivalent Nikkor ED glass lens, and spits 4fps for up to 45 frames in Sports Continuous mode. It also features the “make your friends look good without trying” firmware functions.

The S8000 crowns the Tri-Aught sorority with a 14.2MP sensor, 10x optical zoom with Nikkor ED glass (starts at 30mm equivalent), a 3.0″ VGA display at 921,000 dots, and Optical VR Image Stabilization and a close focus distance of .4″ in Macro mode.






Olympus Updates 9-18mm and 14-150mm into m4/3 Lenses

February 3rd, 2010 by Derek
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So, sorry, pictures of these are a little less forthcoming, but apparently Oly also formalized the release of it’s very popular 9-18mm f4-5.6 and the very long-lived (for a system as young as 4/3, anyway) 14-150mm f4-5.6 super-zoom for the m4/3 mount. The 9-18 has been a very popular super-wide angle lens for the price point, and the 14-150mm was always the affordable super-zoom, and I don’t imagine those will change with the change in mounts.

Again, more to come.






Olympus’ New PEN: E-PL1

February 3rd, 2010 by Derek
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So, if you read any of the same blogs I do, you’ll have already read about this many times by now, but for those of you who haven’t, or just really want my input on the matter, Oly announced a third sibling in the PEN line-up today.

This new one, the E-PL1, is already being billed as “the affordable PEN,” although in fact it’s the most mainstream of the three that sets it apart. It adds a pop-up flash, and retains the E-P2’s wonderful support for that hot shoe-mounted EVF. The core specs remain in the usual ballpark: 12.3 megapixels on a 4/3 sensor, in-body IS, art filters, and 720p HD video (now with a dedicated record button. Ooh, shiny).

The major changes really are in the design, which doesn’t really sacrifice anything to looks (although a Mr Charlie Sorrel over at Wired seems to be of quite the opposite opinion), with this camera clearly being the true entry-level PEN we’ve been waiting to see ever since it became clear the E-P1 wasn’t gunning for a pro market.

How can I tell? It’s the controls on the rear here. Gone are the “advanced” jog wheels, and enter a few buttons which leave it looking…. yup, like a modern point and shoot. Go ahead, click the image there to see them large. Again, and maybe it’s just my familiarity and love of the E-3 (itself widely known for having a friggin lot of buttons), but I’ll have to disagree with Mr. Sorrel’s assessment of this being a button-heavy mess here too. It’s controls are clearly designed to provide a smooth transition from high-end point and shoots.

Anyway, we’ll have more to come on this shooter soon, but, if you don’t need jog wheels and have been eyeing the Pen system waiting for a cheaper option, it looks like your time is finally coming.






Derek presents RPS Studio brackets…

February 3rd, 2010 by Nick
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Looking for a flash bracket? Take a word from Derek in the video below.

Source: RPS Studio online





Olympus Owns All Zoom

February 3rd, 2010 by Derek
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So, I have to admit, I’d stopped really paying attention to Olympus’ SP- UZ line of super-zoom bridge cameras because they’ve been in a pretty slim market for so long it wasn’t worth remembering their individual specs, it was just enough to point anyone who needed 24x zoom over to whatever the newest model was. Today, though, I want to take a moment to point out that a 30x wide-angle 28-840mm equivalent zoom is nuts. Nuts!

And yet, that’s exactly what Oly’s newest SP- UZ model, the SP-800 UZ, is packing. I mean, seriously, look at that lens barrel. Wowza. It’s also got 14 odd megapixels, a 3″ LCD, and 1.7GB of usable onboard memory. And, Oly’s continued its retro-minimalist controls started on the E-P series here, so the back is very clean and uncluttered. Not so much good news for button junkies like me, but for the target audience of point-and-shoot users needing more reach, it should present a stylish and undaunting interface.






Canon Hits 50 Million EF Lenses

January 30th, 2010 by Derek
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So, Canon has announced the production of its 50 millionth EF lens. I was surprised at this—Nikon did celebrate 50 million first, despite Canon being a larger company—until I remembered that Nikon was celebrating the F mount, which they’ve never abandoned, but Canon’s only been running on the EOS/EF mount for some 20ish years, having used the wildly different FD mount before. So, congrats, Canon, on this your newest milestone, and hopefully many more to come.

Oh, and that 50 millionth lens? It was one of the new EF 100mm f 2.8L Macro IS USMs. Just for the record.

Source: DPReview





Canon EOS 1D Mark IV firmware update available

January 28th, 2010 by Nick
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Canon’s firmware update for the

EOS 1D Mark IV is available for download from Canon immediately.

What’s the update do you ask?

This firmware update (Version 1.0.6) incorporates the
following enhancement:
Firmware Version 1.0.6 enhances the AF tracking performance.*
*AF performance has been enhances[sic] for receding subjects and for subjects that are approaching at a low speed.

Right on, Canon.

External Link: Canon USA firmware page





Canon PowerShot Flowchart (January 2010 Edition) Finished

January 26th, 2010 by Derek
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Click For Full-Size

So, continuing our series of “Which Point-and-Shoot is right for me?” flowcharts we now have the current Canon PowerShot line-up readied. It’s a biggie, so click on it over there and give it a moment to load.

If you missed it, the Nikon version is HERE

[UPDATE]: The fancybox popup is catching the link, try this one to see it full-sized:

http://robertsimaging.com/test/canon-pns-january-2010.png






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Sony A450 Not Doing US Tour

January 21st, 2010 by Derek
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Sony Alpha A450

Much like the best death and black metal bands, the Sony A450 mysteriously announced at CES but nowhere else is slated for a probable Euro-Asian tour, but not a US one. Citing immense similarity with the A500, the nearly-identical A450 is opting not to over-saturate the American Alpha market.

Me, I think it’s fear. The A450 knows in its little Bionz heart that the A500 would be stiff competition at any price point, and a truly impressive imaging machine.