Moving up the food chain, Canon introduced their latest digital SLR camera today called the EOS 50D. The new 50D features a whopping 15.1 megapixel resolution, Canon’s latest DIGIC 4 image processor, an expanded ISO range, improved noise reduction, and in-camera photo editing features.

The 50D (which is the successor to the 40D model which will still remain in Canon’s line of digital SLRs), has the following specs:

• 14 bit Analog to Digital conversion process for smooth tones
• Enhanced noise reduction
• Supports up to 6.3 frames per second shooting
• 15.1-megapixel CMOS APS-C size image sensor
• ISO 100 up to ISO 3200 in 1/3-stop increments and two high speed settings - ISO 6400 and ISO 12800
• Multiple levels of noise reduction (four settings - Standard/Weak/Strong/None)
• Peripheral illumination correction, which automatically evens brightness across the image field
• Enhanced Auto Lighting Optimizer analyzes the brightness of subjects and automatically adjusts dark images so that they appear brighter
• 3 inch Clear View LCD screen
• Includes HDMI output
• new “CA” Creative Full Auto setting - allowing users to make adjustments before shooting while still in an Automatic mode, without needing to know the meaning of technical terms such as aperture, shutter speed, etc
• Live View supports Quick Mode AF, Live Mode AF, and Face Detection AF
• Two small RAW formats
• EOS integrated cleaning system

Make sure to read the press release for much more detailed information on the new EOS 50D. The camera will be coming out in October for a price of $1399 for the body only.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Canon, EOS 50D digital SLR

You want MAJOR megapixels? How about say.. FIFTY MEGAPIXELS!! Yes.. that’s right. You heard me.. 50.. that’s 5 0 megapixels! That’s what you get if you shell out god knows how much for the new Hasselblad H3DII-50. This digital camera features Kodak’s 50 megapixel 36 x 48mm sensor and is ideal for those of you out there who need the ultimate in image resolutions. Just how crazy is that 50 megapixel image sensor? Well Kodak states the following:

At 50 {megapixels] the sensor captures digital images with unprecedented resolution and detail. For instance, with a 50 megapixel camera, in an aerial photo of a field 1-½ miles across, you could detect an object about the size of a small notebook computer (1 foot by 1 foot)

Well alrighty then…

If the 50MP didn’t impress you, here are the other specs to the H3DII-50:

• 3 inch display
• Hasselblad Natural Color Solution
• Integrated CCD cooling sink for lower noise
• Direct ISO/WB control
• Thumbwheel control of digital menus
• GPS accessory option
• Full Digital APO Correction for improved image sharpness and detail
• Choice of eye level or waist level viewfinders
• Field FW upgrade of H3D cameras
• Easy sensor cleaning
• Un-tethered and tethered operations
• RAW or DNG export
• CF or SanDisk Extreme IV’s

According to ExtremeTech, the H3DII-50 can record at 1 frame per second with RAW files at around 65MB in size. No word on the price but I’m pretty sure it’s more expensive than my car.. or heck.. two of my cars.

[Check it out via ExtremeTech]

Technorati Tags: Hasselblad H3DII-50, 50 megapixel

Canon has a new digital SLR for the entry level market and it’s called the EOS Rebel XS. With the Rebel XS, Canon brings to the market a fast, easy to use, lightweight camera that will satisfy both first time SLR photographers as well as advanced enthusiasts. The Rebel XS features the following:

• Optical Image Stabilized kit lens
• Canon’s DIGIC III image processor
• 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor
• Live View
• Auto Lighting Optimizer
• 7 point wide-area autofocus (AF) sensor
• 3.0 frames per second continuous JPEG burst rate
• 2.5 inch LCD screen

The EOS Rebel XS is compatible with Canon’s lineup of 60+ EF and EF-S lens and will be available in black or silver colored bodies.The Rebel XS will ship in August with an estimated price of $699.99.

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Technorati Tags: Canon, Rebel XS

Nikon has formally announced the new D700 Digital SLR camera featuring a 12.1 effective megapixel Nikon FX-format sensor which measures 23.9 x 36 mm - that’s nearly the size of 35 mm film. The D700 builds upon the Nikon D3 professional digital SLR camera incorporating capabilities such as Nikon’s EXPEED image processing system, Nikon’s 51 point auto focus system with 3D focus tracking, and two Live View shooting modes.

Here’s a list of some of the key features found in the new D700:

• Nikon original 12.1 megapixel FX format CMOS sensor
• ISO sensitivity up to 6400 and low noise
• Continuous shooting up to 5 frames per second
• Three inch 920K dot VGA display with 170 degree viewing angle
• Two Live View shooting modes
• Rugged magnesium alloy construction
• 51 point auto focus system with 3D Focus Tracking - can be used individually or in groups
• Dynamic integrated dust reduction system - utilizes four distinct vibration frequencies to free particles from the sensor’s optical low-pass filter at startup, shutdown, or on demand
• 1005 pixel 3D color matrix metering II
• Nikon’s Scene Recognition System - analyzes information from the 1005 pixel RGB light sensor for use in auto exposure auto white balance, and autofocus calculations
• Nikon Picture Control settings
• Active D-Lighting with new auto mode
• CompactFlash card support and support for high speed UDMA CF cards
• Starts up in 0.12 seconds
• Shutter lag response time of 0.40 ms
• Outputs video via HDMI-C standard

The Nikon D700 will be available in late July for an estimated price of $2999.95 for the body only.

[Check it out]

[Check out the press release]

Technorati Tags: Nikon D700, Digital SLR

PENTAX introduced two new digital SLR cameras this week - the PENTAX K20D with 14.6 megapixel support and the PENTAX K200D with 10.2 megapixel support. Both digital SLRs comes with dust proof and weather-resistant bodies, an improved PRIME image processor, and PENTAX developed Shake Reduction system.

Some of the features on the PENTAX K20D include:

• 14.6 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor
• Custom image functions allows users to select between six preset options and further adjust image processing including saturation, hue, contrast and sharpness
• Expanded dynamic range function
• Live View support
• 2.7 inch LCD monitor
• Dust Reduction system featuring a new Dust Alert function which tells you where the exact location of dust particulars for the photographer to remove
• Weather and dust resistant body
• PC sync socket

The K20D will be available in April for $1299.95.

Some of the features on the PENTAX K200D include:

• Contains imaging technology found on the K10D
• 10.2 megapixel
• 2.7 inch wide view LCD display
• Auto picture and scene modes that offer shooting ease
• Weather and dust resistant body
• Custom image functions
• Expanded Dynamic Range for more contrast and detail in bright settings
• Improved dust reduction system
• PENTAX developed Shake Reduction system

The K200D will be available in March for $799.95 with a new 18-55 mm lens.

Technorati Tags: PENTAX, K20D, K200D

There’s a new Rebel in the midst and it’s called the Canon EOS Rebel XSi. This entry level digital SLR features a 12.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, improved autofocus sensor, enhanced 14 bit A/D conversion, advanced Live View function, and the Canon proprietary DIGIC III image processor. Here’s the complete feature list for the XSi:

• 12.2 megapixel CMOS sensor
• DIGIC III Image Processor
• 14-bit A/D conversion
• extensive noise reduction technology
• Auto Optimization for superior highlight-shadow control
• 3.5 fps continuous shooting - up to 53 full resolution JPEGs or 6 RAW images in a burst
• 3 inch LCD display with 170 degree wide viewing angle
• Live View function
• Fast 9 point AF systems and two types of AF during Live View
• Compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards
• Spot Metering, External flash settings on the camera’s menu, and a new higher magnification viewfinder
• Compatible with 60 EF/EF-S lenses and wide range of EOS system accessories

The Canon EOS Rebel XSi is due in April and will come in two versions - a body kit and a lens kit version. The body kit will sell for $799.99 while the lens kit with an EF-S17-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens will sell for $899.99.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Canon EOS Rebel XSi

Those of you looking to get the power of a digital SLR but not looking to deal with the details of changing lens and accessories might be interested in the newly announced Fujifilm FinePix S100FS. The FinePix S100FS comes with a 14.3x Fujinon manual zoom lens, an 8th generation Super CCD sensor with 11 megapixel resolution, RP III processor, a 2.5 inch tiltable LCD display and ISO capabilities up to ISO 6400 at 6 megapixels and ISO 10,000 at 3 megapixels. Other features include:

• 14.3 x optical zoom 28-400 mm (35 mm equivalent) lens
• Face Detection 2.0 with Auto Red Eye Correction
• Dual Image Stabilization combines Optical Image Stabilization with Fujifilm’s Picture Stabilization
• Wide Dynamic Range up to 400%
• Film Simulation modes offer pro photographic characteristics
• Multi Bracketing functions
• High Sensitivity ISO 3200 at full resolutions
• Support for xD/SD/SDHC
• Movie Mode with sound at 30 frames per second in VGA quality
• High Speed Shooting using newly developed Super CCD VIII “HR” and a new image processor RP III processor. At 3 megapixels, a maximum of 50 continuous shots at 7 frames/second is possible. 14 scene settings and customer settings can be selected
• Capture images in both JPEG and RAW formats

The Fujifilm FinePix S100FS will be coming out in February for a retail price of $799.95.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Fujifilm, FinePix S100FS

Congratulations to Canon for shipping 30 million EOS-series SLR cameras since the introduction of the EOS line 20 years ago. This number combines both EOS-series film SLR cameras and EOS digital SLR cameras. Production of EOS digital-series SLR cameras alone reached the 10 million unit mark.

This achievement coincides with Canon’s 70th anniversary as well as the EOS’s 20th anniversary. The very first EOS camera was introduced in March of 1987 with the launch of the EOS 650 AF SLR. The EOS 650 incorporated the world’s first fully electronic mount system. On the 10th anniversary of the EOS product line in 1997, production reached 10 million units. In 2003, production of the EOS line reached the 20 million mark. Now we’re at 30 million EOS SLR cameras.

Congrats again to Canon.

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Technorati Tags: Canon, EOS, 30 million units

The folks at Digital Trends have published a review of the Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital SLR camera here on their website. Features of the A700 include the following:

• 12.24 megapixel Exmor imaging sensor
• Accepts new Sony wide aperture zoom lens, Sony G series lens with advanced motorized autofocusing, Carl Zeiss T coated lens, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount lenses
• Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization
• Bionz Image Processor
• Dynamic Range Optimizer
• Continuous 5 frames per second advance at 12.24 MP
• Advanced Pentaprism Viewfinder
• Eye-Start Autofocus System
• 11 point center dual cross AF sensor
• Super accurate exposure control
• Quick setting recall
• Built in flash
• Anti-Dust technology
• Rugged Magnesium Alloy Body
• XtraFine 3.0 inch LCD screen with 921K pixels
• HDMI output
• Wireless Remote Control

Digital Trends gave the Alpha DSLR-A700 an 8.5 out of 10 and had this to say about the camera:

The alpha DSLR-A700 is an excellent camera and I recommend it without reservation…

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Sony Alpha DSLR-A700, Digital Trends, Review

Today, Panasonic unveiled its new entry into the ultra-zoom digital camera market. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 boasts an 8.1 megapixel sensor with a Leica 18x optical zoom lens (28-504mm equivalent for a 35mm film camera). The Mega OIS (Optic Image Stabiliser) provides anti-shake reduction, a necessity for cameras with such long zooms. Rounding out the package is a 2.5″ LCD for capturing and reviewing your photographs.

Targeting the amateur photographer, the FZ18 provides SLR-like features without the with the convenience of a point-and-shoot.

For those looking for something more compact, the DMC-FX55 and DMC-FX33 were also launched today.

More at DPReview.

Technorati Tags: Panasonic Lumix, DMC FZ18, FX55, FX33