D3 and D300 get firmware fixes

July 1st, 2008 by admin
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.
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Panasonic TZ4 / TZ11 / TZ5 / TZ15 firmware

July 1st, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Panasonic releases firmware update vserion 1.2 for the Lumix models DMC-TZ4 and TZ5. This update should improve the auto focus performance as mentioned in some camera reviews. Update: This same update is applicable to the Lumix models DMC-TZ11 and TZ15 too...
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Nikon unveils high-performance Speedlight SB-...

July 1st, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Nikon announces the SB-900, a high-performance Speedlight and successor to the Nikon SB-800. It provides a wide 17-200 mm auto zoom range (expanded from the 800's 24-105mm), 3 illumination patterns, a full-information LCD panel, and AF-Assist illumination compatible with new-generation AF sensors. The SB-900 has an improved booster circuit for high-speed recycle time. In addition, firmware can be uploaded via a Nikon digital SLR camera - a world's first, assuring that the SB-900 can accept technological advancements...
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Nikon unveils the D700 pro digital SLR camera

July 1st, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Nikon introduces the D700 digital SLR, featuring an FX-format first introduced with the Nikon D3. The new D700 model incorporates an extensive array of features that boast a level of performance that is in many ways comparable to the D3. The D700 has everything it takes to satisfy a broad spectrum of professional photographic needs. The 12.1-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor with a sensing area of 36.0 x 23.9 mm; a sensitivity range of ISO 200 to 6400; continuous shooting at up to 5 fps, and Nikon's 51-point auto focus system...
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Nikon D700 plus hands-on preview

July 1st, 2008 by admin
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.
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Nikon PC-E Micro 45 mm and 85 mm lenses

July 1st, 2008 by admin
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.
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Nikon announces Speedlight SB-900 flashgun

July 1st, 2008 by admin
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.
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BenQ announces the new MP522 DLP projector

June 28th, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
BenQ announced today the expansion of its DLP Series projectors with the addition MP522 projector. The MP522 features XGA resolution, 2000 ANSI lumens, Wall Color Correction, a smart user-friendly interface and super-quiet operation with noise levels of just 26/31dB (in Eco / Normal mode). Media delight is elevated via HDTV compatibility that supports for up to 1080i. The MP522 will be available in China, North America and select countries in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America in July...
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Carl Zeiss launches 18mm super wide angle lens

June 26th, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Carl Zeiss expands its range of SLR lenses with the Distagon T* 3.5/18 super wide angle lens. The lens is designed with a floating lens element in the rear lens assembly, which results in impressive image quality from infinity to the closest focus range. The new lens uses the Zeiss 'color matching technology', for homogeneous color rendition across all focal lengths The lens for F-mount cameras is scheduled for delivery beginning July. For K-mount cameras the lens will be available within Q3/2008. The list price is 960,00 Euro...
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Just Posted: Pentax K20D review

June 25th, 2008 by admin
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?
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Fujifilm releases S1000fd firmware version 1.03

June 25th, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Fujifilm releases firmware update version 1.03 for the FinePix S1000fd digital camera. This update provides following improvements: 1) The brightness of the captured images when "EVF/LCD mode" is set to "60fps" is darker than that set to "30fps". 2) Some words in some languages which have spelling errors, are displayed on the EVF/LCD screen. This has been corrected...
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Ricoh unveils 12 megapixel GX200 digital camera

June 25th, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Ricoh releases the 12 Megapixel GX200, successor to the compact digital camera introduced in April last year. The GX200 inherits popular features such as a 24 to 72 mm high-performance wide-angle optical zoom lens on a 25 mm thin body, and a removable tilting electronic viewfinder. The GX200 achieves increased resolution via its 12 megapixel CCD and noise reduction via its new image processing engine. The GX200 will be available in July for 499.99 euro, the model with electronic viewfinder included for 599.99 euro...
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Ricoh Caplio GX-200

June 24th, 2008 by admin
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.
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Just Posted: Olympus E-420 review

June 23rd, 2008 by admin
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...
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Just posted! Olympus 25mm F2.8 Pancake lens r...

June 23rd, 2008 by admin
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?
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Motorola launches Motozine ZN5 camera phone

June 23rd, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Motorola launches the Motozine ZN5 mobile phone, combining a phone and high-quality camera experience. The new ZN5 is the first mobile phone to combine Motorola's ModeShift Technology and Kodak's imaging technology. To launch the camera, simply slide open the Kodak lens cover to transform the phone into a 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus, a Xenon flash, 4GB of optional external memory and optimized settings for low-light environments. The ZN5 will be available in China in July and worldwide during the rest of the year....
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Casio releases EX-Z9 firmware update ver. 1.02

June 23rd, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Casio releases firmware update version 1.02 for the Exilim EX-Z9 digital camera. This new firmware update offers the following fixes and improvements: 1. Adds the support for 16GB SDHC memory cards. 2. Fixes a problem with scrolling of a displayed image. At the same time Casio releases a firmware update to correct on-screen text in certain geographic regions (Chinese Simplified and Traditional) for the models EX-S10, EX-Z20, EX-Z60, EX-Z100 and EX-Z200...
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TI shows protoype Lamp-Free DLP projector

June 22nd, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
At the InfoComm 2008, Texas Instruments has introduced the industry's first Home Theater lamp-free projector, utilizing a PhlatLight LED light source and a BrilliantColor DLP. In addition to expanded color and contrast performance, the illumination system has an incredibly long life and offers up to 30% lower power usage and, most significantly, hundreds of dollars in savings from lamp purchases. Several manufactures have plans to develop DLP lamp-free LED-based projectors with units expected to ship in late 2008...
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Sanyo launches 4-LCD Optical Engine projector

June 21st, 2008 by DCVIEWS Digital camera and photography news
Sanyo launches the LP-XP200L, featuring the world's first 4-LCD optical engine and the brightest luminance of its class at 7,000 lumens. The projector still houses the standard red, green and blue LCDs of a typical LCD projector, but a fourth LCD referred to as the "Color Control Device" is added in the optical engine. The extra LCD balances yellows and prevents colors from suffering as the image gets brighter, a problem typically associated with very bright projections. The new projectors will be available in the Japanese market in September...
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Sony announces HVL-F58AM flagship flash unit

June 20th, 2008 by admin
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.
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