So who makes better DSLR (digital SLR) cameras? Nikon or Canon? That's the question Stephen Shankland of CNET Asia wanted to find the answer to. According to their "smackdown" poll, "Canon's EOS 40D heads off against Nikon's D300." According to the article, Canon's "midrange EOS 40D has won favorable reviews for features such as revamped autofocus, a fast frame rate, weather sealing, and low image noise. Canon's third-generation full-frame flagship, the 1Ds Mark III that just started shipping, has a whopping 21.1 megapixels, leading Canon to position it against even higher-end medium-format rivals. Canon's solid base of professional photographers, built up through years of work, helps ensure a steady supply of high-quality new lenses. By designing and making its own SLR sensors, it's able to control some of its destiny and tightly integrate technology."
To me: once you go canon, you never look back.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Canon 40D Review
ThinkCamera has published Canon 40D review. Their verdict on whether or not to buy Canon 40D: "Bottom line is the Canon 40D is the sort of camera that does its job so well, you need to find something else to blame if your pictures aren't up to scratch. Right now, there is no better camera in its class. Buy one."
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Sony a700 digital SLR
Sony has launched Sony Alpha a700 digital SLR aka DSLR-A700, based on Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D.
Available for around $1500, Sony a700 features:
- new Exmor 12.23-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
- 3-inch LCD monitor
- 11-point cross-type AF system
- maximum sensitivity of 6400 ISO
- maximum shutter speed of 1/8000th of a second.
- Bionz Image Processor
- faster focusing than previous models
- Environmental Sealing to protect dust and moisture (doesn't beat the Canon EOS 40D integrated cleaning system)
- Full 1080 HD output
- Wireless remote control (something Canon was very stupid to miss in EOS 40D)
- Dual Storage Formats: supports CompactFlash™ Type I/II media, Memory Stick Duo™ or Memory Stick PRO Duo™
- Dedicated AF illuminator
- New 'Quick Navi' control system
- RGB histograms
- Sony Alpha (Minolta A) lens mount
- Viewfinder is glass pentaprism offering 95% coverage and 0.9x magnification
- Super Steady-Shot (IS) image stabilization enhanced
Image sizes
- Large - 4272 x 2848 - 12MP
- Medium - 3104 x 2064 - 6.4MP
- Small - 2128 x 1424 - 3MP
What's in the box?
- M-series Lithium-Ion Battery (NP-FM500H)
- Battery Charger w/cord (AC-VQ900AM)
- Wireless Remote Commander (RMT-DSLR1)
- Video Cable
- USB Cable
- Shoulder strap with eyepiece cap and Remote Commander clip
- Body cap
- Accessory shoe cap
- Software/USB Driver CD-ROM
- NOTE: No Memory Stick media is included.
Why I won't buy it:
- too expensive. Canon EOS 40D is much more affordable without any significant loss.
- Sony a700 lacks Live View. You heard it right folks, no form of live view is offered on Sony a700. Folks at DPReview (owned by Amazon) asked Sony about the missing live view functionality feature in Sony a700. Sony said that "the compromises involved in current systems are unsatisfactory, and they won't implement live view until they can 'get it right'"
Sony a700 Reviews: Following are a700 reviews published by some respectable sites:
- Sony Alpha a700 official site
- Sony a700 review on DPReview. Their review is based on "a pre-production DSLR-A700."
- Sony a700 review on TrustedReviews UK
- Sony a700 review by Imaging Resource: "With Sony's new Alpha A700, the digital SLR camera market just got even hotter. Sony and Minolta fans have needed this camera, and Sony has delivered."
- Alpha a700 review by Steve's Digicams: "With 12 megapixels of resolution, impressive shooting performance, superb image quality and the combination of Super Steady Shot image stabilization and anti-dust technology, this camera it a very worthy contender."
Updates:
Sony Alpha a700 camera firmware upgrade (Mac)
Sony a700 application update (Mac)
Monday, November 5, 2007
40d astrophotography
Going through my logs I see a lot of interest for Canon 40D astrophotography. Astrosurf has posted an informative article about faint light application of Canon 40D applied to astrophotography. The article also provides noise and electronic gain comparison of Canon 40D, Canon 20D, Canon 400D and Canon 350D. Read the 40d astrophotography article.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Canon 40D Video Review
A very useful Canon 40D video review for those still pondering whether to spend their money on Canon 40D by Camera Labs. Gordon Laing literally comments on most everything visible on this Canon DSLR as well things that are not visible. Enjoy!
Canon EOS 40D in words of Canon
This is one of the few videos where someone official from Canon (in this case Canon Development Consultant) sits down with Shiny Media and gives a demonstration and walk through of Canon 40D. Enjoy!
Canon 40D Shutter Sound
I found this cool video comparing Canon 40D shutter sound with Canon 300D. Enjoy!
Canon 40D software
Canon 40D comes with very powerful software to help you get the best out of Camera. You may be able to not install the Canon 40D software and instead use what you have. However, in order to use Canon's Live View on your computer, you will need to install the software. This video shows you how you can install Canon 40D software and use some of the features it provides.
Canon 50mm f1.4 lens vs Canon 50mm f1.8 lens
So I have been really wanting to get Canon 50mm F/1.4 lens which runs close to $300. There is a cheaper Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens that runs for less than $100. I asked my close friend who happens to know more about photography than me as to which one I should choose. He told me since Canon 50mm lens are such special purpose lens, I would basically be wasting money if I go with Canon 50mm F/1.8. I held Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens at Adorama. It felt like it was made of very cheap plastic. I am very impressed by Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens anyway so I think I am going to go with his suggestion.
Have you had a chance to use F/1.4 or F/1.8 lens? If so, I would love to hear about your experience.
Have you had a chance to use F/1.4 or F/1.8 lens? If so, I would love to hear about your experience.
Canon 40D Review
A new Canon 40D Review has been posted by Sydney Morning Herald. The Canon 40D review praises the extra megapixels, the larger LCD screen, the internal cleaning mechanism but gives the verdict that Canon EOS 40D faces stiff competition from Nikon, Sony and Olympus E-3 DSLRs. Here's the verdict (but you should read the full Canon 40D review):
PS: I am not going to be happy with price drop. Plus I think the battery unit on Olympus E-3 makes it look like a caveman-age camera.
This is a fine camera with worthwhile advances on its predecessor. Canon has dominated this segment of the market for DSLRs between $2000 and $3000 but now faces stiff competition. The Sony A700, the Nikon D300 and the Olympus E-3 are all coming soon, which means four superb cameras to choose from in the price range. Camera shops have already discounted the 40D to about $2600, so expect some serious price cutting.
PS: I am not going to be happy with price drop. Plus I think the battery unit on Olympus E-3 makes it look like a caveman-age camera.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Canon EOS 40D - Photos - 2
Canon 100mm Macro lens is great for taking macro shots using Canon 40D. I have got one now but waiting to find a subject like this. Guess I am going to need a lot of patient. While I work on taking my macro shots, here is one from ashleyhampson.
Canon EOS 40D - Photos
I have decided to hunt for photographers using Canon 40D on the web. Every time I find someone taking awesome photos using Canon 40D, I will try to post them here. If you are using Canon 40D or know someone with a blog or photo site using Canon 40D, drop me a comment and I will post them here.
A photo from frankcroft taken using Canon 40D.
A photo from frankcroft taken using Canon 40D.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Olympus E-3 - Commercial
Olympus E-3 has recently been announced by Olympus and is basically the top Olympus DSLR offering. Digging around on Youtube, I found this official Olympus E3 commercial.
The autofocus (AF) point array and swivel LCD screen of Olympus E-3 are really awesome. I think the swivel LCD would have been very useful in Canon 40D and I would have paid an extra $400 just for that feature. It really makes your DSLR that much more usable.
The autofocus (AF) point array and swivel LCD screen of Olympus E-3 are really awesome. I think the swivel LCD would have been very useful in Canon 40D and I would have paid an extra $400 just for that feature. It really makes your DSLR that much more usable.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Olympus E-3 vs Canon 40D
Olympus E-3 is Olympus' long awaited digital SLR targeted towards those in "pure pro" category. It was announced recently by Olympus. The reviews that have been coming out for Olympus E-3, however, are categorizing in same category as Canon EOS 40D and Nikon D200. The video from Olympus E3 launch event follows.
Look and feel
Both cameras feel very ergonomically designed though neither can be considered a light weight camera. Frankly speaking, Olympus E-3 has a hideous looking unit attached to the base which I believe serves as a power unit.
Autofocus (AF) sensor
Olympus E-3 has an 11-point array. Two cross-type AF sensors comprise each point. Olympus claims that Olympus E-3 has the fastest AF system available. There are rave reviews by professional aviation and sports photographers such as Jim Sugar about the autofocus sensor speed on official Olympus website.
There is a fine print associated with the Olympus E-3 having the fastest AF system available. Olympus E-3 is claimed to have the "fastest" AF sensor based on "in-house testing" performed by Olympus and only when the Olympus E-3 is equipped with one of three new Zuiko Digital Supersonic Wave Drive™ Lenses (SWD).
Here's what the Olympus official press release had to say about Olympus E-3's AF sensor speed:
Canon introduced a new AF system in Canon 40D with 9 cross-type sensors. In addition Canon claimed to have introduced "world's first diagonal high-precision cross-type AF at center point with f/2.8 and faster lenses."
Megapixels
Both Olympus E-3 and Canon 40D are 10.1 Megapixels digital SLRs.
Price
Olympus E-3 is priced at $1699 for the camera body only and a few retailers are accepting pre-orders. Canon EOS 40D is priced at $1299 for the body only.
Official Website
Olympus E-3 & Canon EOS 40
Reviews
Olympus E-3 Review by DPReview.com
Olympus E-3 Review by Imaging Resource
Look and feel
Both cameras feel very ergonomically designed though neither can be considered a light weight camera. Frankly speaking, Olympus E-3 has a hideous looking unit attached to the base which I believe serves as a power unit.
Autofocus (AF) sensor
Olympus E-3 has an 11-point array. Two cross-type AF sensors comprise each point. Olympus claims that Olympus E-3 has the fastest AF system available. There are rave reviews by professional aviation and sports photographers such as Jim Sugar about the autofocus sensor speed on official Olympus website.
There is a fine print associated with the Olympus E-3 having the fastest AF system available. Olympus E-3 is claimed to have the "fastest" AF sensor based on "in-house testing" performed by Olympus and only when the Olympus E-3 is equipped with one of three new Zuiko Digital Supersonic Wave Drive™ Lenses (SWD).
Here's what the Olympus official press release had to say about Olympus E-3's AF sensor speed:
When it comes to measuring camera speed, autofocus is a key factor. If a camera's AF system does not meet photographers' demands and lock focus accurately and quickly, they will miss shots regardless of the camera's shot-to-shot speed or start-up time. The E-3's new AF system is the world's fastest in combination with the ZUIKO DIGITAL SWD ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 lens, to ensure fast focus for clear, sharp photos. Additionally, every lens attached to the E-3 benefits from faster AF, not just the SWD lenses, so the E-3 can lock focus on a fast-moving subject and capture that once-in-a-lifetime shot.
The secret to the camera's high-speed focusing is a unique Twin cross type (fully biaxial) 11 point AF sensor, based on proprietary Olympus micro-sensing technologies, that achieves equally effective performance on both the vertical and horizontal axis. With most biaxial sensors, performance on the vertical and horizontal axes is not equal, and there is often a perceived difference in response time when using different lenses. However, unlike systems that respond at nominally lower f-stop values simply by boosting sensitivity, the E-3's AF sensor features a totally redesigned hounds tooth-pattern phase detection sensor layout that uses micro-lamination technologies to achieve superior real-world performance.
AF accuracy is further ensured by precise alignment of the optical axis from the lens to the AF phase detection sensors, and accurate mounting of the sensors within the AF unit. The AF unit used in the E-3 is made of high-tensile engineering plastic, which is further protected by the camera's high-rigidity magnesium body. In addition, data from a dedicated temperature sensor is used to compensate for changes in operating temperature.
The 11 AF target points on the E-3 can be selected to work individually or dynamically in combination with adjacent target points. Once a photographer knows the general direction of a moving subject - a Formula One racecar zooming around a track for example - the AF area can be selected based on the anticipated motion to maintain accuracy.
The newly developed Olympus Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) lenses on the E-3 enable auto focusing at ultra-high speed with precise and quiet operation. Quietness is essential when shooting in a situation where silence is truly golden, such as photographing exotic birds up close in the wild or musicians at a classical music quartet. But this technology truly shines in combination with three new Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL SWD lenses that employ Supersonic Wave Drive motor technology inside: the ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD (24-120mm equivalent); ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD (100-400mm equivalent), and the ED 14-35mm f2.0 SWD (28-70mm equivalent). The new ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD lens focuses twice as fast as the previous ZUIKO DIGITAL lens with that focal length, and the new ED 14-35mm f2.0 joins the existing 35-100mm f2.0 (70-200mm equivalant) as the brightest lenses in their class. Mechanical focusing is also available for easy and accurate manual focusing by hand.
The E-3 can capture images at the highest image-quality setting at a rate of 5 frames per second. With shutter speeds of up 1/8000 second, it is possible to freeze action when photographing a cheetah in fast pursuit across the plain, or a fastball before it connects with the bat.
Canon introduced a new AF system in Canon 40D with 9 cross-type sensors. In addition Canon claimed to have introduced "world's first diagonal high-precision cross-type AF at center point with f/2.8 and faster lenses."
Megapixels
Both Olympus E-3 and Canon 40D are 10.1 Megapixels digital SLRs.
Price
Olympus E-3 is priced at $1699 for the camera body only and a few retailers are accepting pre-orders. Canon EOS 40D is priced at $1299 for the body only.
Official Website
Olympus E-3 & Canon EOS 40
Reviews
Olympus E-3 Review by DPReview.com
Olympus E-3 Review by Imaging Resource
Friday, October 19, 2007
Canon 40D review
Doug Harman of Pocket Lint reviews Canon 40D in detail. He gives it 8 on a scale of 10. While I highly recommend you read his review for a lot of juicy information, here is his verdict for convenience:
"Overall, the Canon EOS 40D is a more than able update of the 30D and since the introduction of the first Canon prosumer DSLR, the 3.1-megapixel EOS D30 back in 2000, it is light years ahead on that base line.On a personal note, I couldn't be more happier than my Canon 40D. I have said it again and again because it's true. Recently a friend of mine, for whom I took some photos at an event, told me that my photos were "insane", which made me really happy. He told me that every time the photos turn out so bad. He was so happy that he invited me to another event. My friend, Ronald, is also very happy with his photos. He was just showing me some very clear photos of rain he took in very low light conditions with his 50mm f1.4 lens, which I have been dying to get.
In a nutshell, this is a cracking camera and one marred only by the odd metering performance, otherwise it is quite simply excellent and worth a close inspection for anyone either trading up or for those pros’ that need a back up body that is not a compromise to far."
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Canon 40D astrophotography
Recently, I posted a video about canon 40d astrophotography using the live view. Yesterday, I saw quite a few hits from people searching for ["canon 40d astrophotography"]. Therefore I thought, I'd compile a list of resources that will help you use your Canon 40D for astrophotography.
What is astrophotography? "Astrophotography is a specialized type of photography that entails making photographs of astronomical objects in the sky such as the Moon, Sun, planets, stars, and deep sky objects such as star clusters and galaxies," according to Wikipedia.
Many professional and amateur astrophotographers have published their work online. Jerry Lodriguss keeps his astrophotography collection online. He also publishes A Guide to Astrophotography with Digital SLR Cameras.
Christian Buill posted an excellent and detailed review of canon 40d astrophotography is available in both English and French. His tests found that "For the same exposure time and the same ISO sensitivity, the 40D image appears 4 time denser than the image 400D (but the noise increases also a little less than one factor 4 in the image of the 40D compared to the 400D)." A concise summary of Christian's review is available.
Another very informative resource about Astrophotography and Canon 40D is an article by Jeffrey R. Hapeman. Jeffrey covers basics of Long-Exposure Astrophotography. It is a very well written article and highly recommended.
There are so many informative resources about Canon 40D and astrophotography. I plan to post more in the near future. If you know of any great astrophotography resources, please write a comment.
Related posts:
What is astrophotography? "Astrophotography is a specialized type of photography that entails making photographs of astronomical objects in the sky such as the Moon, Sun, planets, stars, and deep sky objects such as star clusters and galaxies," according to Wikipedia.
Many professional and amateur astrophotographers have published their work online. Jerry Lodriguss keeps his astrophotography collection online. He also publishes A Guide to Astrophotography with Digital SLR Cameras.
Christian Buill posted an excellent and detailed review of canon 40d astrophotography is available in both English and French. His tests found that "For the same exposure time and the same ISO sensitivity, the 40D image appears 4 time denser than the image 400D (but the noise increases also a little less than one factor 4 in the image of the 40D compared to the 400D)." A concise summary of Christian's review is available.
Another very informative resource about Astrophotography and Canon 40D is an article by Jeffrey R. Hapeman. Jeffrey covers basics of Long-Exposure Astrophotography. It is a very well written article and highly recommended.
There are so many informative resources about Canon 40D and astrophotography. I plan to post more in the near future. If you know of any great astrophotography resources, please write a comment.
Related posts:
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Canon 40D Live View and Astro-photography
Canon 40D features live view using a 3.0 inch LCD. Folks at Camera Labs put a very interesting video about using Canon EOS 40D Live View for astro-photography.
Its amazing how he was able to achieve focal length of more than 1500mm with a simple trick.
Its amazing how he was able to achieve focal length of more than 1500mm with a simple trick.
Canon 40D Live View
Canon 40D has a very generous 3.0" LCD screen that can be used to shoot in Live View mode. You can select Live View mode by navigating through the menu. This video shows how you can put your Canon 40D in live view mode.
Keep one thing in mind though, Using live view mode to shoot will drain your battery quicker than you think. Also, there is a note in the manual that using Live view on canon 40d for extended periods of time can cause Canon 40d to start heating up. You can still continue using 40D but it may feel hot against your hands.
Keep one thing in mind though, Using live view mode to shoot will drain your battery quicker than you think. Also, there is a note in the manual that using Live view on canon 40d for extended periods of time can cause Canon 40d to start heating up. You can still continue using 40D but it may feel hot against your hands.
Canon 40D - video demonstration of Canon 40D menu
Just came across a cool and informative video posted by kbrady to YouTube. The video demonstrates the use of Canon 40D menu, which is quite feature packed. From choosing what formats to store, to the kind of photo you are taking, to setting white balance etc, it all can be changed through the menu.
He shows how to do manual sensor cleaning for your Canon 40D among many other operations. If you are still thinking whether or not to buy Canon 40D, this video may help you make the decision.
He shows how to do manual sensor cleaning for your Canon 40D among many other operations. If you are still thinking whether or not to buy Canon 40D, this video may help you make the decision.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Canon 40D or Canon EOS 40D or EOS 40D?
Ever wondered, what people use more when searching for Canon EOS 40D? I was wondering the same today and decided to check Google Trends, a service by Google that can give a relative idea of what term is searched more.
 | canon eos 40d |  | canon 40d |  | eos 40d |  | 40d |
Canon 40D features 6.5 FPS Shooting Speed
According to Canon, 6.5 FPS shooting speed of Canon 40D is the "fastest in class." Canon's high end digital slr, EOS-1V, "features the world's fastest continuous shooting speed, enabling film transport at an astounding rate of 10 fps." That's pretty impressive indeed!
For those unfamiliar with FPS, it stands for "Frames per second." In Layman's terms you can think of it as images captured by your Canon 40D per second.
The very impressive 6.5 fps shooting speed easily makes Canon 40d the dream camera for anyone that loves taking high action shots. It becomes even more appealing for those that are budget-minded among us. If you have never had a high speed shooting camera, then Canon 40d is just perfect for you.
How long will Canon will be able to tout 6.5 and 10 FPS shooting speed? After all, Casio recently announced a mind boggling 300 fps shooting speed in a six megapixel CMOS based camera that is still looking for a name. Casio's upcoming digital slr will be able to take 6 megapixel images at 60 frames per second. Casio still hasn't released a lot of details about this upcoming camera so we will have to see, however, I don't see Casio ever converting Canon fans. Nikon may, but Casio...I don't think so.
Over at AOL video, I found a video of Canon 40D high speed shooting demonstration.
-- update: October 7, 2007
Here is what Canon says about the Canon EOS 40D's 6.5 fps continuous shooting mode.
What all this means is that you will be getting some pretty impressive continuous shooting capabilities with your Canon EOS 40D.
For those unfamiliar with FPS, it stands for "Frames per second." In Layman's terms you can think of it as images captured by your Canon 40D per second.
The very impressive 6.5 fps shooting speed easily makes Canon 40d the dream camera for anyone that loves taking high action shots. It becomes even more appealing for those that are budget-minded among us. If you have never had a high speed shooting camera, then Canon 40d is just perfect for you.
How long will Canon will be able to tout 6.5 and 10 FPS shooting speed? After all, Casio recently announced a mind boggling 300 fps shooting speed in a six megapixel CMOS based camera that is still looking for a name. Casio's upcoming digital slr will be able to take 6 megapixel images at 60 frames per second. Casio still hasn't released a lot of details about this upcoming camera so we will have to see, however, I don't see Casio ever converting Canon fans. Nikon may, but Casio...I don't think so.
Over at AOL video, I found a video of Canon 40D high speed shooting demonstration.
-- update: October 7, 2007
Here is what Canon says about the Canon EOS 40D's 6.5 fps continuous shooting mode.
Quick camera response empowers you to capture every fleeting photo opportunity. When such moments arise, you can quickly start up the EOS 40D in only about 0.15 seconds. Then capture the scene at an impressive 6.5 frames per second in the continuous shooting mode, with up to 75 Large/Fine JPEG shots per burst. This speedy response was made possible by accelerated 4-channel reading and an optimized shooting sequence. You can also select a low-speed 3fps setting, depending on your needs. Response is further enhanced by a minimal shutter release time lag of 59ms. The shutter has a maximum speed of 1/8000 sec. and high speed X-sync at 1/250 sec.
What all this means is that you will be getting some pretty impressive continuous shooting capabilities with your Canon EOS 40D.
Canon 40D
I first heard about Canon EOS 40D by Ronald, a very good friend of mine. He was trying to get his hands on Canon EOS 40D, somewhat desperately I must say. The problem, he told me, was that he couldn't find it anywhere, online or offline. It had been a month since Canon 40D was launched, but no one seemed to have it in stock. That made me very curious. What was so special about EOS 40D that was making it sell like hot cakes.
Eager to help him with his problem and curious, I started researching Canon EOS 40D online.
One of the first sites that showed up on Google was the review of Canon EOS 40D by Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com), which was recently acquired by Amazon. The site was jam packed with information about EOS 40D making it a good starting point to learn about this digital slr. DPReview had some ads on their site from affiliate partners. At that time, I tried most of them and found none of them had Canon 40D in stock.
Another indispensable resource to learn about the camera was the official Canon press release announcing the launch of Canon 40D.
I ended up buying Canon 40D from B&H. My roommate got his EOS 40D the same day from J&R. On this blog I will document interesting things and things resources about my new love Canon 40D.
Eager to help him with his problem and curious, I started researching Canon EOS 40D online.
One of the first sites that showed up on Google was the review of Canon EOS 40D by Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com), which was recently acquired by Amazon. The site was jam packed with information about EOS 40D making it a good starting point to learn about this digital slr. DPReview had some ads on their site from affiliate partners. At that time, I tried most of them and found none of them had Canon 40D in stock.
Another indispensable resource to learn about the camera was the official Canon press release announcing the launch of Canon 40D.
I ended up buying Canon 40D from B&H. My roommate got his EOS 40D the same day from J&R. On this blog I will document interesting things and things resources about my new love Canon 40D.
- High speed action shooting is now possible, even if you're on a budget, with Canon 40D's 6.5 FPS Shooting speed
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