dSLR

Nikon D90 at long last: First dSLR to do video

The much-rumored and even more longed-for update to the Nikon D80 has arrived. Or will, in a couple of weeks. The Nikon D90 doesn't replace the popular D80, which moves down Nikon's dSLR product line, and unsurprisingly, provides some significant enhancements over that 2-year-old model. Most notably, the D90 is the first digital SLR to support movie capture.

Though its movie-capture specs aren't too shabby--24fps 1280x720 motion JPEG and support for VR optical image-stabilization if the lens has it--D-Movie still doesn't match the best of the snapshot-camera movie modes.

For instance, exposure is fixed for the length of the clip, it has monaural sound, and you can only focus manually while shooting. HD clips are capped at five minutes, likely to keep the sensor from overheating since movie capture operates in Live View mode. Still, this has been a long-awaited feature in the entry-level segment, since it's one of the two important most features users have had to sacrifice when moving up to dSLRs (the other being pocketability).… Read more

Canon 50D rumors heat up in a big way

Whoops. It looks like Canon's China site accidentally posted specs for the company's upcoming Canon 50D dSLR, which seems all but confirmed. The Web page that the specs were on has been taken down, but the Photography Bay grabbed them before it disappeared. The biggest highlights include a 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor (yes, you heard right, 15), ISO 100-12,800, and a 920,000 points VGA 3.0-inch LCD monitor.

No word on price, when the 50D will actually be available, or whether it will replace the 40D--but stay tuned.

Find the full leaked specs at Photography Bay. … Read more

Rumormongering: Nikon D90

Though he doesn't spill where he got the information, author Thom Hogan is usually a relatively reputable source of Nikon leaks rumors. The latest whisperings to come out of his mill are about the replacement for the D80. Although he mentions that Nikon's first quarter financial meeting is this week, he doesn't explicitly draw the cynical connection that my brain's making about the timing of this information.

But anyway...he claims the D90 will have a 12-megapixel sensor, shoot about 4.5 frames per second, and have a Live View mode that shoots video. Cool, if … Read more

Nikon offers to beef up buffers for D3 users

Nikon has issued a service note with some nice news for D3 owners: for $500 and a trip to the service center--for your camera, not you--the company will take your D3 and double its burst raw (as well as big JPEGs and TIFF) shooting buffer capacity. A handy-dandy chart in the notice indicates, for example, that the buffer for 14-bit uncompressed full-resolution raw files will jump from 16 to 36 frames.

Cynics might claim that Nikon's doing this to leapfrog the Canon EOS-1D's 20-frame buffer, but I don't think sports, catwalk or wildlife shooters are going to … Read more

Canon's EOS Rebel XS

updated 7/8: Today, Canon USA announced pricing and availability for the U.S. it looks like the company's only selling a kit version, with the EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens, for $699.99, and it's slated to ship next month.

(June 9) Say what you will about the rumor mill, it frequently comes through. In this case, except for the small detail of when it would be available, rumors about the Canon EOS Rebel XS turned out to be true. However, instead of waiting until Photokina to announce it, Canon debuted the new entry-level dSLR today.

The new Rebel, which replaces the XTi as the baby of its dSLR line, retains the 10-megapixel CMOS and 2.5-inch LCD, while moving up to the body of the more recent XSi. However, it also uses the newer Digic III processing chip--albeit with 12-bit processing rather than the XSi's 14-bit--so we expect to see some differences in photo quality, especially at higher ISO sensitivities, compared with the XTi. And the XS will ship with the image stabilized version of the EF-S 18-55mm lens; the XTi currently ships with the non-IS lens. The camera also adds Live View mode and, according to Canon, will have improved battery life.

Check out our preview video and comparative specs after the jump.… Read more

Nikon full-frame D700 for real?

Those amazing folks at Photography Bay are at it again, this time with a pretty well-documented rumor about an upcoming midrange full-frame dSLR from Nikon, the D700. They got their hands on what looks like pretty real proof sheets of an ad for said model, with specs and everything. I'm not going to repeat them here--they deserve the page views. And a nod to CameraPorn, where I saw the first reference, simply because "C" comes before "P" in my RSS feed list. They link to coverage on a bunch of other sites. Check it out.… Read more

Canon Rebel XS rumor

PhotographyBay translates a rumor from Kamera & Bild about possible specifications for the possible Canon Rebel XS which PhotographyBay speculates will possibly be announced at Photokina (early Fall). The speculative specs include a 10-megapixel sensor, 7-point AF, 3 frame per second burst, 2.5-inch LCD with Live View support and a "cheap price."

Olympus debuts E-520 dSLR

Today, Olympus announced the E-520 dSLR, the replacement for the E-510 and step-up model from its E-420. The feature set is very similar to the E-420, but for the extra dough you do get some significant capabilities, such as sensor-shift stabilization (including an updated system with a mode that accommodates panning while vertically oriented), a larger continuous-shooting buffer and a deeper grip.

Like the E-420, the E-520 incorporates the same sensor as in the higher-end E-3. It also seems to use the same viewfinder and LCD as its little brother, and also includes support for face detection (still unusual for … Read more

Get the Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10-megapixel dSLR for $319

The last time Dell had a deal on the Canon Digital Rebel digital-SLR camera, it was the 8-megapixel XT model for $382. Now you can get the 10-megapixel Digital Rebel XTi for just $319, in your choice of black or silver. Woo!

That price is for the body only; an extra $100 buys you Canon's 18-55mm lens. Like the XT and the original Rebel before it, the XTi is an extremely popular camera, as evidenced by CNET's review. I promise you Dell will sell out of these in no time, so if you want in on digital-SLR goodness … Read more

Olympus revs its entry-level dSLR

There isn't a helluva lot new about the E-420, Olympus' minor update to its E-410 bottom-of-the-line dSLR, but that's not unexpected for a model that will only set you back between $500 and $700. The most significant new capability is a built-in wireless flash controller, which Olympus seems to be putting in many of its enthusiast models (including the SP-570 UZ).

Though Olympus makes a big deal about the E-420's size, in truth it's only 0.01 to 0.02 inches smaller in any dimension than its predecessor, and in fact weighs a couple of ounces … Read more