Digital Camera News
Recap: The Summer of SLRs
September 6, 2007 – The digital camera industry has undergone a major renovation this summer with the announcement of full-featured consumer DSLRs and new flagship models by almost every major camera manufacturer. The new cameras place emphasis on CMOS sensor technology, faster processing and shooting speeds, Live View LCDs, and dust reduction. The cameras range in price from $519 for the Pentax K100D Super to $8000 for the Canon 1Ds Mark III. Making headlines this summer are a new breed of elite camera models. The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, Nikon D3, and the Nikon D300 all include Live View LCDs, a function that was once limited to point-and-shoots and compacts. The Live View capabilities allow users to shoot at steep angles and provides 100% frame coverage.
The cameras' autofocus systems have also been greatly improved. The Canon 1Ds Mark III has autofocus 45 points, including 19 cross-type points, and the Nikon D3 has 51 with 15 cross-type.
Pro DSLR Camera Comparison Chart
|
Camera Model
|
Fujifilm IS Pro
|
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
|
Nikon D3
|
|
Announcement Date
|
July 13
|
Aug. 20
|
Aug. 23
|
|
Introductory Price
|
$2599.95 (body)
$4999 (forensic kit) |
$7999
|
$4999.95
|
|
Sensor
|
12.3 MP Super CCD Pro (S-6.17 MP, R-6.17 MP)
|
21.1 MP Full Frame
CMOS
36x24mm |
12.1 MP FX-CMOS 36x23.9mm
|
|
AF System
|
n/a
|
45 points (19 cross-type, 26 assist points)
|
51 points (15 cross-type)
|
|
Burst
|
n/a
|
5 fps
|
9 fps
|
|
Key Features
|
-UV, IR, Visible Light Detection
-Live View
-Post Capture Face Detection
-Bar Code Reading
|
-Live View
-Weather-resistant
-Cleaning System
|
-LiveView
-Scene Recognition System
|
|
News Link
|
Some of the trends mentioned above are incorporated into prosumer cameras, geared for serious hobbyists. There is a particularly heavy emphasis this season on the CMOS image sensor, instead of traditional CCD sensor. CMOS technology consumes less power than CCDs and are more cost effective to produce. The Canon EOS 40D, Nikon D300, and most recently, the Sony Alpha A700 have CMOS chips. Burst rates rose to a range of 5 frames per second to 6.5fps. Dust reduction and live view LCDs were also prevalent in the new models.
Prosumer DSLR Camera Comparison Chart
|
Camera Model
|
Canon EOS-40D
|
Nikon D300
|
Sony Alpha A700
|
|
Announcement Date
|
Aug. 20
|
Aug. 23
|
Sept. 6
|
|
Introductory Price
|
$1299 (body)
$1499 (with 28-135mm lens) |
$1799.95
|
$1400 (body)
$1500 (K kit with 18-70mm lens) $1900 (P kit with 16-105mm lens)
|
|
Sensor
|
10.1 MP APS-C CMOS
22.2x14.8mm |
12.3 MP DX-CMOS
23.6x15.8mm |
12.2 MP APS-C CMOS
23.5x15.6mm |
|
AF System
|
9 cross-type sensors
|
51 points (15 cross-type)
|
11 points
|
|
Burst
|
6.5fps
|
6fps
8fps (with optional battery pack) |
5fps
|
|
Key Features
|
- Live View
- Cleaning System
- Weather-resistant
|
- LiveView
- Dust Reduction - Scene Recognition
|
-Anti-Dust
-HDMI Output
-Hand Grip Sensor
|
|
News Link
|
The entry-level Pentax K100D Super and Panasonic Lumix L10 DSLRs also include dust reduction systems. The L10, interestingly enough, also borrowed features from point-and-shoots including face detection, a first for SLRs, and a rotating LCD screen.
Consumer SLR Camera Comparison Chart
|
Camera Model
|
Pentax K100D Super
|
Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10
|
|
Announcement Date
|
June 28
|
Aug. 30
|
|
Introductory Price
|
$519 (body)
$599.95 (with 18-55mm kit lens)
|
$1299.95 (with 14-50mm kit lens)
|
|
Sensor
|
6.1 MP CCD
23.5x15.7mm
|
10.1 MP Live MOS
17.3x13.0mm |
|
AF System
|
11 points (9 cross-type)
|
- TTL phase difference detection system: 3-point
- Contrast AF system: 9-point |
|
Burst
|
2.8 fps
|
3 or 2 fps
|
|
Key Features
|
- Dust Removal
|
-Live View
-Rotating LCD
-Dust Reduction
-Face Detection
|
|
News Link
|
Latest News
& Reviews
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09-Feb-2012
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Even the lesser of the new Panasonic travel zooms, the ZS15 could be a great value. Even without hot-button extras, it has almost all of the elements we look for in a travel zoom. Read More...
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08-Feb-2012
Nikon D800 First Impressions Review
We’ve taken the Nikon D800 for a spin here at CP+ 2012 in Japan, and we came away impressed with the camera’s capabilities, especially at a sub-$3000 price point. Read on for our full impressions of Nikon’s latest DSLR. Read More...
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Digital SLRs
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$1,049.951Canon EOS 60D
The Canon EOS 60D is a top-notch camera in terms of performance, handling and flexibility. However, the performance of the kit lens leaves something to be desired. Read full 7-part review
$1,049.95
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Excellent image quality, speedy performance, and a great design add up to the best superzoom that has ever graced our labs. That distinction seems to change hands every week, but trust us when we say that the FZ150 is a truly great camera. Read full 16-part review
$462.25 -

$589.952Nikon D5100
The D5100 is the latest entry-level DSLR from Nikon, with full 1080/30p video, an articulated LCD, and the same image sensor as the D7000. It lacks an internal focus motor, but we found it produced some of the most accurate colors we've seen yet. Read full 7-part review
$589.95
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$378.89 -

$1,329.953Canon EOS 7D
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$1,329.95
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$428.00 -

$1,199.004Nikon D7000
The Nikon D7000 is a powerhouse camera at an excellent price. It offers a huge range of features that will make shooting quicker and easier for the experienced shooter, with lots of customizable options and quick control access. Read full 7-part review
$1,199.00
$362.594Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
Panasonic resists the urge to cram more megapixels and more focal length into their latest ultrazoom. The FZ47 instead focuses on image quality and features, resulting in an incredibly strong camera that we loved shooting with. Read full 16-part review
$362.59 -

$699.005Sony Alpha SLT-A55V
The SLT-A55 is a well performing SLR, with a wide ISO range, good color and relatively low noise. . Read full 7-part review
$699.00
$429.005Canon PowerShot S100
Canon's PowerShot S100 improves on the popular S95 and takes its place at the top of the point-and-shoot food chain. Read full 16-part review
$429.00
Find the right digital camera for you.