Month: November 2008

  • The Nikon D3X is imminent. And eminent!

    For those of you who are complete idiots and can’t already guess that a D3X would be a D3 with a high-res sensor at a reduced frame rate and lowered ISO capability, well, it’s as good as official.

    The D3X is a D3 body with nothing changed other than a higher resolution sensor, and therefore a slower throughput speed and lessened ISO rating.

    24.5 megapixels, some sort of new low-pass filter system for better per-pixel resolution…

    ISO 100-1600, with ISO 50 and 6400 expandable.

    5 frames per second, with 7 in DX crop mode. (10 megapixels)

    Other than that, it’s a D3.

    I guess really the only thing that most people will complain about is the lack of HD video. Hardly a quibble for me, though. If I wanna shoot video and stills at the same event, I’ll get a cheaper camera for the video, thank you very much. No reason to shoot video on your main, flagship body…

    Personally, I am sad about three things: 1.) Same rubber grips, apparently. Ugh. 2.) Same AF module which, although stunningly fast, should have it’s cross-type AF points more spread out over the frame instead of clumped in the center. 3.) Possible lack of intermediate size RAW capture.

    The Canon 5D mk2 on the other hand, well, Canon doesn’t have a rubber grip problem, and they DID debut intermediate RAW capture. Still, NO FULL-FRAME CAMERA has good focus point spread, period. So I’ll take the Nikon flagship autofocus such as it is and the general body design / quality over the 5D mk2, for most of what I do. If I got into landscape photography full time RIGHT NOW, I’d probably get a 5D mk2 and 17-40 f/4 L + 70-200 f/4 L, a setup Nikon still can’t really touch.

    But for the work I do right now the Nikon system is my choice, and I know that in the long run Nikon will have a 24 megapixel sensor in a D700 body, or something similar…

    Take care all,
    =Matt=

  • FILM VERSUS DIGITAL: CHECKMATE!

    http://fwd.five.tv/videos/challenge-blow-up-part-3

    I guess it is official, considering the british accent. For 35mm photography, the game is OVER.

    =Matt=

  • Price Watch: CF prices down, used D3 spotted!

    The price of (quality, leading brand) CF cards has dropped again. You can now get Sandisk Extreme 3′s for less than $30 per 4 gig card or close to $40 per 8 gig card. So yeah, we blew right past $10 per gig and we’re headed straight for $5 per gig! WOW. (The super-fast stuff, like Sandisk extreme 4, is rapidly approaching $10 per gig, too. MY PREFERRED MEMORY CARD, the Calumet Pro-spec 305X UDMA, is now $49 per 4 gig card. A 4 gig Delkin 350X (wow!) UDMA is also $49, I might have to try that stuff sometime… When you shoot landscape photos in 14-bit un-compressed 12 megapixel RAW, you need a lot of cards!)

    I have also just spotted a used Nikon D3, in mint condition for just under $4000!!! WOW! Grr I want…

    Used D300′s are down under $1400, too, but I have not seen any used D700′s on the market yet. New they can be had for as little as $2700, the price of a (yet unreleased) Canon 5D mk2.

    Speaking of Canon, the 5D mk1 can be had for AS LITTLE AS $1370!!! (If you already have batteries + charger and are just looking for a backup body. Or maybe you’re getting a 5D mk2 as your workhorse, but need a 2nd body / backup?)

    I have to say that is un-precedented. Even the much older, 11 megapixel 1Ds mk1 is still going for $1600. Of course that’s a 1-series body that will survive armageddon, but yeah. There must be truck-loads of 5D mk1′s hitting the used market right now; making it the perfect time to buy. If you are a studio / landscape photographer who doesn’t mind crappy autofocus, You really MUST own one!!!

    For sports shooters, Canon 1D mk2′s are down to $1700. Highly advisable for anyone who, unlike the studio / landscape photographers, needs speed and accuracy…

    For the Canon D-rebel shooters looking to upgrade, (and not considering Nikon / Olympus / Pentax?) …The 30D is now down to about $600, an awesome buy, and used 40D’s (If you just have to have that ridiculously large LCD) are down to $750-ish.

    The most affordable, pro-grade full-frame high-res camera body, the 1Ds mk2, (16 megapixels) can be had for $3500 in mint condition or $2900 in “bargain” condition. Not bad, but I’d rather have a D700 I think…

    At any rate the verdict is, unless you’re one of the poor out-of-luck (or out of a job) folks who are the victims, the substance (the cause?) of this financial / housing economic crisis, it’s nothing but good news! Prices are way down all across the board. Used camera prices are down, and gas is hitting record lows so now you can make those road trips to the awesome places you’ve been meaning to photograph!

    =Matt=

  • P&S: LX3 slaughters Canon / Nikon at ISO 1600…

    Anyone out there looking for a P&S camera that is half-decent at low-light photography?

    Anyone out there sick and tired of P&S cameras cramming more and more megapixels into their tiny little sensor?

    Anyone out there wish they could just throw their P&S in aperture priority or full manual mode?

    Panasonic heard “our” cries and gave us the LX3. I believe I blogged about it a while ago when it was announced; indeed it had some exciting specs: A 24mm equivalent wide zoom end, an f/2.0-2.8 aperture, optical stabilization, full manual control and un-restricted RAW shooting, and then last but not least, they STOPPED at 10 megapixels, unlike Canon and Nikon’s latest 14 megapixel P&S cameras…

    Well, the test results are in; the LX3 slaughtered the G10 and the P6000…

    http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmclx3/page13.asp

    Way to go, Panasonic! I’ll be seriously considering the LX3 as a pocket camera. Although ironically the Panasonic G1 ALSO looks very, very tempting as a “pocket-able” camera, and I cant wait to see the full effect of Olympus’ new “P&SLR” system.

    Nikon and Canon’s only hope at competing is to maybe get into the Sigma DP1 / DP2 market, making a P&S camera with a DSLR (crop) sensor…

    =Matt=

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