Nikon just published a firmware update for Nikon D7000 DSLR. The update claim able to reduce the number of hot pixels that happen when user records video or using liveview on dark objects.
Bright spots were sometimes noticeable with live view mode or movie recording of especially dark scenes or subjects. Occurrence of this issue has been reduced.
Thom Hogan’s Nikon D7000 review is now online at his site. Overall , he strongly recommend the camera. His long review is full of technical stuff so it’s really not for someone new in DSLR/photography. He stated some interesting points in his review like why Nikon don’t name D7000 as D90 successor and he also discuss late hot-pixels problem with the sensor: “The D7000 is somewhat prone to hot pixels on longish (but not long) still exposures or when the camera is hot and shooting at high ISO values” .
Strobist@blogspot got their hands on the new middle-class Nikon flashgun : the SB-700. The SB-700 designed to become the succesor of Nikon SB-600 with slightly less power ( GN28, ISO 100) , zoom covers wide 24-120mm angle of view, and advanced functionality of the SB-900 Speedlight.
Review highlights :
the SB-700 is a very well-built and capable flash
this is truly the Nikon SB-900′s little brother. The design and interface are pretty much exact replicas
The optical port is mounted flush, rather than recessed
The button sequence for getting an SB-700 into SU-4 slave mode is just like the SB-900
The head goes 180 degrees both ways, so you will not need to do the chicken neck mod
The SB-700s have awesome build quality, super-fast recycle and lots of bells and whistles. But are they worth 2X an LP160? That is totally a case-by-case call, depending on your wallet and how much you will use them.
According one of SAR source, Sony will introduce a new Quad-Bionz processor for their next full-frame DSLR. Could it be Sony A950 DSLR ? The new DSLR will be announced by end of 2011 , exactly one year from now.
Quad-Bionz processor features:
> 30 MegaPixels resolution
at least 8 fps
Also, current Sony full-frame DSLRs are available on Amazon : Sony A850 and Sony A900 QUICK , as i am writing this post only 2 item available in stock
DPReview just finished their full in-depth review of Pentax K-5 DSLR. The camera got people attention last month when DXOmark results put Pentax K-5 above its closest rival : the Nikon D7000 . And still , from this review , Pentax K-5 is got better score than Nikon D7000. Overall score is 83 versus 80 ( Nikon D7000 ). And yes , despite the late issue about sensor stains , Pentax K-5 got the highest medal from DPReview : Gold Award ! This prove that the camera is worth to buy ! (Check Amazon)
Apple just release the latest update of RAW support for new cameras such as Nikon D7000, Canon G12, Leica D-Lux 5, Leica V-Lux 2, Nikon P7000, Lumix GF2 and GH2. Check the full list of supported cameras by Apple RAW here . Pentax K-5 is not in the list btw
Several Pentax K-5 owners has reported that their Pentax K-5 camera has stains on its sensor. What exactly are stains ? EnticingTheLight had the best descriptions : “they tend to come in groups and are perfectly circular in shape, with a halo around a dark center. Interestingly, many users report finding them close to the center of sensor. They are not affected by in-camera dust-cleaning or air blowing.”
The Pentax Imaging President , Ned Bunnel , has confirm the issue :
I can confirm that Pentax Japan is fully aware of this situation and is diligently investigating the cause of these stains. I’d like to remind our US customers that their K-5 is covered under the 1-year warranty and that we’ll of course honor that. However, until we find out which batch(es) are affected by the stains, we recommend that photographers keep their cameras and refrain from exchanging them for another unit if purchased from an online retailer. Once we fully understand the origin of the stains and how to deal with them we will encourage affected K-5 owners to send in their cameras for warranty repair.
Lets hope that Pentax find ways how to deal with the stains because this issue , imho , is very serious.
The Alexander White’s “Photographer’s Guide to the Panasonic Lumix LX5″ book now available for order at Amazon. The book available in paperback format contains 270 pages.
Photographer’s Guide to the Panasonic Lumix LX5: Getting the Most from Panasonic’s Advanced Digital Camera is the third book in a series by Alexander S. White. His previous guides to the Leica D-Lux 4 and Panasonic Lumix LX3 were extremely well received by enthusiasts searching for comprehensive books that explain the features and operation of some of the most sophisticated compact digital cameras being sold today. The current book is a detailed resource, illustrated by more than 150 color photographs, that covers all operations, menus, and controls of the Panasonic Lumix LX5, the newest in a line of highly sophisticated, yet very portable cameras that are equipped with full manual controls as well as advanced digital technology. The book provides detailed guidance to beginning, intermediate, and more experienced photographers in plain English. The photographs illustrate the camera’s menus and controls, and provide examples of many of the camera’s shooting modes and special effects. For those who find the documentation provided by the camera’s manufacturer to be hard to read and difficult to understand, this book fills an information gap and serves as a single source of information to let the photographer derive the maximum benefit from his or her Panasonic Lumix LX5 camera.
Fujifilm has released a firmware update for its FinePix Real 3D W3 compact camera. Version 1.10 will not add / improve features but fix several problems with movie recording.
List of updates:
In [HD][1280] movie recording mode, Economy mode ([HD][1280]E) can be selected.
In this Economy mode, movie quality for long period is optimized.
For long continuous recording of 3D HD movies, Economy mode setting is recommended.
The firmware available for download at Fujifilm website
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