Category: Equipment

Link: Luminous Landscape

Photographers and photo enthusiasts often get all wrapped up in product specifications and marketing pitches from manufacturers. They also get wrapped up in the minutiae of technology, even though very few truly understand it. Unfortunately, the web certainly does not help, because there are lots of self proclaimed “experts” that are, in reality, far from being true experts and do not understand either the craft or the science beyond a very cursory lay person superficial level. This situation has two immediate consequences: First, there is a lot of “missing the forest for the trees” taking place; second, it gives rise to lots of misunderstandings and myths that need to be busted, and I hope I can bust some of them in the second part of the essay.

Luminous Landscape

Fuji has followed up with the very desirable X-Pro1, the first in what is likely to be a series of interchangeable lens rangefinder-style large sensor cameras. Here are the main points about the X-Pro1

STEVE HUFF

Rob Galbraith DPI:

Called the PowerShot G1 X, it combines a Canon-developed 14.20 million image pixel CMOS image sensor, one that’s almost as large as the company’s 1.6X crop factor digital SLRs, with the general styling and features of the company’s current PowerShot flagship, the G12. The G1 X is expected to deliver similar image quality and depth of field characteristics as a camera like the 60D, but in a smaller, lighter package that’s meant to operate more like a top-end point-and-shoot than a digital SLR

DSLR News Shooter

In terms of video the D4 can shoot full 1080p or 720p at 29.97, 25 and 24.98 frames a second (fps). It can also shoot standard def 640×480 at 30 or 25 fps. Interestingly, according to Dpreview, it crops the output of the video in FX full frame mode to 91% of its sensor width (I’m not sure why Nikon have done this and I’m trying to find out). Rolling shutter and skew is said to be improved over previous Nikons.

Rob Galbraith DPI:

Nikon has announced the D4, a new pro digital SLR that features a 16.16 million image pixel full-frame CMOS image sensor, 10fps top shooting rate (or 11fps with restrictions), a standard ISO range of 100-12,800 (and an extended range of 50-204,800), a revised 51-point AF system capable of autofocusing with f/8 lenses, all-new 91,000-pixel RGB ambient/flash metering sensor, twin memory card slots (CompactFlash and the emerging XQD format), EXPEED 3 image processing, 1080p video capture with audio monitoring and optional uncompressed video export through the HDMI port, built-in Ethernet, a new EN-EL18 battery, in-camera HDR and timelapse creation, all in a dust and weather sealed magnesium alloy body.