Canon EOS 5D MarkII

Back in August 2005 Canon 'defined a new DSLR category' (their words) with the EOS 5D. Unlike any previous 'full frame' sensor camera, the 5D was the first with a compact body (i.e. not having an integral vertical grip) and has since then proved to be very popular, perhaps because if you wanted a full frame DSLR to use with your Canon lenses and you didn't want the chunky EOS-1D style body then the EOS 5D has been your only choice. Three years on and two competitors have turned up in the shape of the Nikon D700 and Sony DSLR-A900, and Canon clearly believes it's time for a refresh.

So here is the 5D Mark II, which punches high in terms of both resolution and features, headlining: 21 megapixels, 1080p video, 3.0" VGA LCD, Live view, higher capacity battery. In other words, a camera that aims to leapfrog both its direct rivals, either in terms of resolution (in the case of the D700) or features (in the case of the DSLR-A900). Full detail below.

Key features / improvements

21 megapixel CMOS sensor (very similar to the sensor in the EOS-1Ds Mark III)
Sensor dust reduction by vibration of filter
ISO 100 - 6400 calibrated range, ISO 50 - 25600 expansion (1Ds Mark III & 5D max ISO 3200)
Auto ISO (100 - 3200) in all modes except manual
3.9 frames per second continuous shooting
DIGIC 4 processor, new menus / interface as per the EOS 50D
Image processing features:
Highlight tone priority
Auto lighting optimizer (4 levels)
High ISO noise reduction (4 levels)
Lens peripheral illumination correction (vignetting correction)
RAW and SRAW1 (10 MP) / SRAW2 (5 MP)
RAW / JPEG selection made separately
Permanent display of ISO on both top plate and viewfinder displays
AF micro adjustment (up to 20 lenses individually)
Three custom modes on command dial, Creative Auto mode
Image copyright metadata support
98% coverage viewfinder (0.71x magnification)
3.0" 920,000 dot LCD monitor with 'Clear View' cover / coatings, 170° viewing angle
Automatic LCD brightness adjustment (ambient light sensor)
Live view with three mode auto-focus (including face detection)
No mirror-flip for exposures in Live View if contrast detect AF selected
Movie recording in live view (1080p H.264 up to 12 minutes, VGA H.264 up to 24 mins per clip)
Two mode silent shooting (in live view)
New jump options in play mode
HDMI and standard composite (AV) video out
Full audio support: built-in mic and speaker, mic-in socket, audio-out over AV (although not HDMI)
IrPort (supports IR remote shutter release using optional RC1 / RC5 controllers)
UDMA CompactFlash support
New 1800 mAh battery with improved battery information / logging
New optional WFT-E4 WiFi / LAN / USB vertical grip
Water resistance: 10 mm rain in 3 minutes

Each easily can be programmed to recall everything about how you have your camera set: sharpening, color, saturation (and every setting for every one of the nine presets in the Picture Controls menu), self timers, LCD brightness, time-out settings, autofocus settings (modes and sensors selected), P Tv Av M exposure modes, resolution, file format(s), advance, metering, exposure compensation(s), white balance, WB tweaks, how many files the playback jumps when you move the top dial, everything in every menu, everything. The 5D Mark II instantly changes all of its settings as you click from one C setting to the other.

If you reset a few things to something screwy and want to return to your preset preset, simply turn the knob away and back to the C setting you desire, and it's all as you preset it. You can select these by feel without taking your eye from the finder. If you set something screwy for one shot, don't worry: after the camera times-out in about a minute (also selectable in a menu), when you wake it for the next shot, it's back where you preset it. Never again will you make the first shot of the day at ISO 12,800 and 2,500K WB from the night before.

Nikon has nothing similar, which is why I have to use two Nikons to do the same thing. I use one Nikon for my family pictures, and a second in my studio because Nikon's settings banks don't recall everything, and they take about twelve button pushes to recall those memory bank settings each time. With the 5D Mark II, everything is reset as I need it with but one click of the dial. The 5D Mark II is thus three cameras in one!

I'd gladly trade the toy-store settings, [AUTO] and [CA] to be C4 and C5.

I set my C1 position for general high-resolution photos in any light with one-shot AF, highlight optimization, LARGE JPG, auto ISO, high saturation, A5 tweaked AWB and more.

I set C2 for shots of my family: all-sensor AI auto focus to catch and track action, Auto ISO and highlight optimization, not as much saturation, and the SMALL JPG setting which is still more than enough for great 20x30" prints.

I set my C3 for serious daylight shots: fixed ISO 50, no highlight optimization, -2/3 exposure compensation, LARGE image size, +3 saturation, one-shot AF, and more.

If you're following me, one click gets me my entire slew of settings in an instant to catch nature or to catch family. Maybe you'd use one setting for night shots, since the 5D Mark II also recalls the LCD brightness and long-exposure NR settings. Maybe you'd set one for motorsports at a high ISO, Tv exposure mode and no Image Review. With my Nikons, I'd lose a minute each time resetting a zillion menu items since Nikon's settings banks still take a dozen button pushes to recall, and since they don't recall everything, I'd still have to set other things like Image review ON/OFF and AF settings each and every time I want to shoot something different.

Sample by Canon 5d mark II

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Sources : http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/5d-mk-ii.htm & http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos5dmarkii/

Sony Alpha A900

Key features

* 24.6 MP 35mm format full-frame CMOS sensor (highest res in class)
* SteadyShot INSIDE full frame image sensor shift stabilization (world first)
* High Speed Dual Bionz processors
* Eye-level glass Penta-prism OVF, 100% coverage, 0.74x magnification
* 9 point AF with 10 assist points, center dual-cross AF w/2.8 sensor
* 5 frames per second burst, newly developed mirror box
* Intelligent Preview Function
* 3 User programmable custom memory modes on mode dial
* Advanced Dynamic Range Optimizer (5 step selectable)
* 40 segment honeycomb metering
* 3.0" 921K pixel Photo Quality (270 dpi) LCD display, 100% coverage
* Direct HDMI output
* ISO 200-3200 (ISO 100-6400 expanded range)
* User interchangeable focusing screens (3 options)
* CF Type I/II and MS slots, LI-ION battery, STAMINA 880 shots
* Weight 850g (without battery, card, accs)
* New Image Data Converter SR software (includes vignetting control)
* New Vertical Grip
* Supplied with wireless remote control
* Magnesium Alloy body and rubber seals for dust and moisture resistance
* AF micro adjustment

In the cut-throat digital camera market it's increasingly unusual for products to be shown in prototype form or announced more than a matter of weeks before they hit the stores. There's several reasons for the manufacturers' habit of playing their cards so close to their chests, not least that they can't afford to harm sales of the models they've already released. Sony, the newest 'new kid' on the DLSR block, has no such worries, this being its first proper 'high end' DSLR. In fact, if anything the pressure was on the company to show it was committed to becoming a major SLR system player and that it wasn't going to squander Minolta's long legacy in this market after picking up the assets Konica Minolta shed when it pulled out of the photography market. Thus we saw the first prototype of the Alpha 900 - Sony's flagship full frame digital SLR - back in early 2007 (it appeared behind glass at trade shows such as PMA in March 07), and information has been trickling out ever since; most significantly with the announcement in January of this year of a 35mm full frame CMOS sensor.

And so when Sony finally showed the finished Alpha 900 to us back in the late summer there were few surprises at the basic specification or the appearance of the camera. As we started to dig a little deeper, pore over the fine print and actually use the Alpha 900 we were, however, increasingly surprised - and almost always pleasantly so - at some of the decisions made by Sony's engineers when designing its flagship SLR.

The success of the Alpha 900 amongst the Minolta, Konica Minolta and Sony faithful seems assured; at a launch price of just shy of $3000 it offers a lot of 'bang for your buck' and there is undoubtedly a significant number of Minolta film SLR users who've been waiting years for a full frame digital body on which to use their existing lenses. The challenge for Sony, however, is to generate some interest from people without an existing investment in the Minolta (or subsequent Alpha) system. And on paper the Alpha 900 looks promising - and we're already impressed with the build, handling and viewfinder, so let's find out how well the latest addition to the small but growing 'full frame club' performs.

Picture:

Sources : http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydslra900/

Nikon D90

Nikon D90 Key Features

* 12.9 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor (effective pixels: 12.3 million)
* 3.0-inch 920,000 pixel (VGA x 3 colors) TFT-LCD (same as D3 and D300)
* Live View with contrast-detect AF, face detection
* Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
* Illuminated focus points
* Movie capture at up to 1280 x 720 (720p) 24 fps with mono sound
* IS0 200-3200 range (100-6400 expanded)
* 4.5 frames per second continuous shooting (buffer: 7 RAW, 25 JPEG fine, 100 JPEG Normal)
* Expeed image processing engine
* 3D tracking AF (11 point)
* Short startup time, viewfinder blackout and shutter lag
* Slightly improved viewfinder (96% frame coverage)
* Extensive in-camera retouching including raw development and straightening
* Improved user interface
* New optional compact GPS unit (fits on hot shoe)
* Same battery and vertical grip as D80
* Vignetting control in-camera
* 72 thumbnail and calendar view in playback


Introduction

Almost exactly two years after the D80 was announced comes its replacement, the rather predictably named D90. The D80 has been one of Nikon's quiet successes, and even today, despite being positively Methuselah-like in digital camera terms it continues to sell and often makes its way into our top 10 most clicked on cameras. Because it looks so similar to the D80 the D90 appears at first glance to be one of those rather subdued incremental upgrades, but dig a little deeper and you'll find there's plenty to keep Nikon fans happy.

First and foremost there's a new CMOS sensor, which Nikon claim produces D300 quality output at up to ISO 6400 and - one of several features to 'trickle down' from higher models - the same highly acclaimed 3.0-inch VGA screen as the D3/D300. Naturally it has Live View with contrast-detect AF and it would have been surprising had it not sported some form of dust removal system. More surprising is the inclusion of the world's first DSLR movie mode (720p HDTV quality, no less) and HDMI output, though as we'll see later it does come with some limitations. A lot of the core photographic spec is the same as or very similar to the D80, though there is a new shutter and an implementation of the 3D tracking AF seen on the D3/D300.

And it's not just the high end models that have lent features and technology to the D90; the user interface has been given the same user-friendly treatment as the D60, as have the retouching options. As it was explained to us the D90 is intended to appeal to the broadest audience of any Nikon SLR, from first-time 'step up' customers moving from a compact to serious amateurs wanting comprehensive photographic control without the cost and weight of a D300. Whether the D90 is as capable as its feature set suggests, we'll see as the review unfolds.


The D90 is worlds beyond the old first-generation D80, which it replaces as Nikon's mid-line DSLR.The Nikon D90 is a D80 with Live View, ADR, an almost three-dimensional 3" LCD, it can shoot movies, and has far more advanced ergonomics.

Top, Nikon D90

(prototype with integrated WiFi; production model has no WiFi unless you use an Eye-Fi card, and then only for transferring files, not web browsing on the rear LCD).

Example picture by Nikon D90

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Sources : http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90/users-guide/index.htm & http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond90/

CANON EOS 7D

Key features :
18MP APS-C CMOS sensor
8 frames per second continuous shooting
1080p HD video recording with manual controls
3.0 inch Clear View II LCD screen with 920,000 dots
19-point AF system (all cross-type)
1.0x magnification and 100% coverage viewfinder
Wireless flash control
Environmental sealing

Canon's X0D series was, for many years, essentially the default choice for keen enthusiasts, professionals and aspiring-professionals who wanted top-level image quality and functionality without the bulk (or price) of a pro-level camera such as the 1D series. The 10D, 20D and 30D were hugely successful and popular cameras, and you didn't have to spend long shooting with them to understand why. However, like every other sector of the DSLR market, there are some very competitive rivals, in terms of both price and features. Cameras such as Sony's A700 and Nikon's D200 and 300 have meant the most recent X0D EOSs have been held to higher standards and have found it a little harder to stand-out.

Which brings us to the 7D, a camera that seems determined to wrestle back the king of APS-C crown. At first glance it looks a lot like the EOS 50D - it's unmistakably a member of the EOS family - but a closer look shows that this is far from being the gentle refresh that we're used to seeing in this range. And indeed, this is intended as big brother to the 50D, rather than as a replacement for it.

For a start, the camera is built around a new 18MP sensor, but the thing you're likely to notice before you even fire a shot is the impressive new viewfinder. 1.0X magnification and 100% coverage offers a noticeable improvement over the 0.95X, 95% finder in the EOS 50D and puts the camera on the same footing as the D300S (Its 0.94X finder ends up essentially the same size, once the focal length multiplier effect of its fractionally larger sensor is taken into account).

Good

1.) Canon's best ergonomics ever. The 7D is a joy to shoot and never gets in the way. Images, as expected, look great. If I was in the market for a 1.6x Canon, I'd get the 7D in a heartbeat: it's worlds ahead of the old 50D.

2.) Quick Control Screen makes setting the 7D fast and easy, without menus.

3.) Great LCD.

4.) Three Total Recall camera state memories, recalled instantly with the top dial.

5.) Movies are easy to shoot, much easier than with the 5D Mark II.

6.) Great pictures!

7.) I love the 7D. I'll go into what little I don't like about it in glaring detail below, but know that overall, the 7D is the best camera ever made by Canon, second only to the 5D Mark II, for my sort of shooting. I may make a lot of comparisons to Nikon, however for multipurpose shooting (think family vacations), Nikon's complete lack of any Total Recall camera state memories relegate my Nikons to single-purpose shooting.



Bad

1.) New AF system draws big, black rectangles as each AF sensor goes active — and they never turn off as you're trying to compose! These big, ugly, distracting rectangles don't go away until after you've taken your picture! This makes it difficult to see your subject's expression, or even your subject! (better cameras turn off the AF point indicators after focus locks.)

2.) New 19-sensor AF system is so complex that it doesn't work as well as Canon's classic 9-point system. This is because when you need to change among settings, there are now so many settings that you need to stop what you're doing and click a few buttons to do what you used to be able to do with one finger.

3.) New 2-color metering not as good good as the older monochrome metering system. I bet that Canon will improve this for via free firmware updates as time goes on.

Example Picture by Canon EOS 7D

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Sources : http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos7d/ & http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/7d.htm