D3 and D300 get firmware fixes
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
In addition to the announcement of the D700, Nikon has revised the firmware of the D3 and D300. The latest D3 firmware adds new function button customization options though not the ones featured on the D700. In addition to these and a virtual horizon in live view mode, Nikon has also addressed the problem that some users experienced in which the battery indicator would incorrectly register an empty battery. This problem, which has come to be known as ‘Dead Battery Syndrome,’ has also been addressed in new firmware for the D300.
Perhaps the worst kept secret of any recent announcement Nikon has now officially revealed the compact, professional, twelve megapixel, full-frame (FX format) Nikon D700. From the outside the D700 is virtually identical to the D300, albeit for its larger ‘full frame’ viewfinder, internally it’s almost identical to the D3, except for a slightly slower shutter (five frames per second up to eight frames per second with the MB-D10 battery grip). By comparison it also includes several function improvements over the D3 including Image Sensor cleaning (’sensor shake’), more flexible ‘hard button’ programming, virtual horizon in Live View and different DX mode indication on the focusing screen. The D700 also becomes the first professional Nikon DSLR to sport a built-in flash. As far as competition is concerned the D700 really only faces the Canon EOS 5D (and any replacement that may be in the works). On sale in July for US$2999 or €2599 body only. We’ve had a D700 for a few days now, just enough time to produce a detailed hands-on preview.
Nikon has confirmed two tilt and shift (also known as perspective correction) lenses we first heard of in January this year. There is the ‘normal focal length’ PC-E Micro Nikkor 45 mm F2.8D ED and ‘medium telephoto’ PC-E Micro Nikkor 85 mm F2.8D, both of which provide ±8.5° tilt, ±11.5mm shift and 90° axial (rotation) movement and also have the much touted ‘Nano Crystal Coat’. When used on the D3, D300 (and we presume D700) these lenses also provide automatic aperture control as well as manual override using the aperture ring on the lens.
Nikon has today announced its new top-of-the-range flashgun - the Speedlight SB-900. The new model features a Multi-step auto zoom covering a 17-200mm zoom range, three illumination patterns (standard, center-weighted and even) and automatically detects if you are using the Nikon FX or DX format. The SB-900 will be available from the 25th of July.
Just posted: our in-depth review of the Pentax K20D. The K20D is a fully-featured semi-pro DSLR available for the cost of some of the latest, upper-entry-level digital cameras. It adds a handful of features and tweaks to the highly-respected K10D and attempts to address some of its shortcomings whilst also incorporating a colossal 14.6 million photosites on a sensor co-developed with Samsung. Is this enough, given the quality of some of the competitors?
Ricoh has today announced the GX200 digital compact camera. The new model is replacing the GX100 and inherits the old model’s 24 to 72 mm (equiv.) lens, manual controls and a removable (optional) tilting electronic viewfinder. Resolution has been increased to 12 megapixels, the screen now measures 2.7 inches and the camera is controlled by the latest version of Ricoh’s imaging processor - the Smooth Imaging Engine III. The GX200 will be available in the UK from the beginning of July.
Just Posted: Our review of the Olympus E-420. The E-420 was launched exactly one year after its predecessor, the E-410, and comes with only a relatively small number of modifications such a larger screen, contrast detect autofocus in live view and the Auto Gradation feature that we’ve first seen on the E3. It’s the smallest SLR on the market but can it compete with the larger and more expensive models from the competition? Find out after the link…
Just posted! Our new lens review of Olympus’s dinky little Zuiko Digital 25mm F2.8 Pancake. As an accompaniment to our E-420 review (and a welcome change from yet another 70-200mm F2.8), we examine the credentials of the only fixed focal length lens currently bundled as a kit with a DSLR. It’s certainly an attractively tiny package in combination with the E-420, but is it actually any good?
Sony has announced the new HVL-F58AM flagship flash unit. The new model replaces the former HVL-F56AM model, and features a new Quick Shift Bounce system. The flash head can pivot 90 degrees left and right on a horizontal axis in addition to the conventional up and down. It offers a higher degree of flexibility for external lighting control and is compatible will all existing models as well as Sony’s upcoming flagship camera that will be unveiled later this year.
Having recently been provided with updated firmware, we have been able to restart our postponed Pentax K20D review. To tide you over while we’re tinkering away in the studio, here’s a full preview of Pentax’s flagship DSLR. So what does the K20D offer, beyond that 14.6 megapixel Pentax/Samsung sensor?
Just posted! Our new lens review of Tamron’s latest baby, the SP AF 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro. In the third of our epic four-part series of telezoom reviews, we take a look through the viewfinder using a lens said to inherit its ‘product concept’ from Tamron’s highly regarded 28-75mm F2.8. So does this young pretender really inherit the same compelling mixture of fine optics at a bargain price, and provide a challenge to the camera manufacturers’ own fast telephoto zooms?
Olympus has issued updated firmware for its flagship DSLR, the E3. The latest firmware, V1.2, makes an update to improve the consistency of the camera’s auto white balance. As usual, owners can download this latest update through Olympus’s Master or Studio software.
Just posted: Early samples gallery from the new Canon EOS 1000D / Digital Rebel XS. Canon’s new entry-level DSLR has generated a lot of interest, racing to the top of our most-clicked-on cameras list, so we’ve gone out and shot a samples gallery to give you some idea of what to expect. We must stress, however, that these are beta-standard images from a pre-production camera.
Canon has today announced its participation in the scrum at the lower end of the DSLR league table, with the launch of the EOS 1000D (Rebel XS). Has its latest player got the ability to tackle the opposition or is it condemned to being a runner-up? We’ve given a pre-production sample a try-out to see how it shapes up. Just Posted: Our full preview of the EOS 1000D.
Canon has announced the EOS 1000D, a new entry-level DSLR that slots into the model lineup beneath the 450D. The 10 megapixel digital camera, known as the Digital Rebel XS in the US, takes many of the new features of its big brother and presents them in a lighter, less expensive format that Canon hopes will re-shape the market in the same way as the first Rebel (300D) did. No word yet from Canon US about their intentions.
Canon has today announced an update to its mid-range Speedlite 430 EX flash - the Speedlite 430EX II. The new model offers 20% shorter recycle times, a silent recycle process to minimize distraction and a new quick release and locking mechanism amongst other new features. When attached to an EOS camera the Speedlite 430EX II detects the sensor size and adjusts its angle of coverage accordingly.
Just Posted: Our review of the Sony Alpha 350. The A350 shows a much greater Sony influence than its Konica-Minolta-based predecessor, the A100. Its radical live view system uses a secondary sensor to provide a real-time preview image without slowing down the shooting process, promising the speed and quality of a DSLR with the familiar behavior of a compact. So what’s the biggest of the baby Alphas like to use and can it live up to that promise?
Pentax has launched a consumer-level standard zoom lens for its range of digital SLRs: the slightly unwieldily named smc PENTAX-DA 17-70mmF4AL[IF] SDM. The lens offers the useful equivalent zoom range of 26-107mm combined with a maximum aperture of F4.0 and Pentax’ SDM system which uses a supersonic motor for focusing. The latter is only compatible with Pentax’ latest DSLR offerings - the K20D, K200D, K100D Super and K10D. On all other bodies focus mode will default to manual focus.
