As mentioned in my last blog, this is the weekend where camera manufacturers show off their new wares at the Photo Marketing Association annual show, this year in Orlando, Florida. And, as is the norm, there is no shortage of new products.
The two most interesting trends at this show are the inclusion of image stabilization in mid and low priced still cameras and the move to wide-screen format in some new camcorders. Today, I will focus on still cameras since it is the area I know best.
For those who don't know about image stabilization, it was a feature that first appeared in some of Canon's high priced lenses during the age of film cameras. It is an electronic component that renders the picture absolutely still, as if the camera is on tripod. I've seen several examples over the years of pictures that appeared perfect that were improved even more by image stabilization.
As I said, image stabilization appeared only in lenses...until last year anyway. Then, Konica Minolta came out with their first digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera...and it had image stabilization built into the entire camera, not just the lens. A great idea to say the least.
Now, Canon is releasing two new non-DSLR camera with image stabilization. Both are 6 megapixel cameras, which is good. The Canon SD700 IS is a compact style camera with a 6x zoom lens that will retail for around $500. The Canon Powershot S3 IS is a larger camera with a 12x zoom that will also retail for about $500. The S3 also features a higher ISO rating of up to 800, meaning it can take better pictures in low light situations, which is even more enhanced because of its built-in image stabilization. This camera won't be released until May.
Canon's lens shift-type optical Image Stabilizer counteracts the camera shake caused by slight hand movements. Vibration sensors detect the angle and speed of movement and send this information to a processor, allowing the camera to compensate. This adds stability to hand-held, telephoto or moving shots and enables shooting at shutter speeds of up to three stops slower with no noticeable increase in image blur.
Another non-DSLR camera that caught my eye was the Olympus SP-320, a 7 megapixel camera that will shoot both JPEG and RAW. As I explained in an earlier blog, RAW is my favorite way of shooting as it allows you to make so many corrections before you actually "develop" the shot in post processing. You can change exposure, color balance, contrast, sharpness, and other items quite easily to make your picture perfect. This camera will retail for $300, which is a bargain, in my estimation. As the owner of two Olympus cameras, I think they make an excellent product.
In the world of the more expensive DSLR cameras, the two new main entries were from Canon and Olympus. Canon introduced its new 8.2 megapixel EOS 30D, a performance-enhanced version of its excellent 20D model used by many professional photographers. This one will retail for about $1,500. I am thinking about this one myself.
Olympus announced its new E330, an upgrade of it E-300 model. Its main feature is that it is the first DSLR that allows you to look both through-the-lens and at the LCD screen to preview the picture. Up until now, DSLR's, like their film counterparts, used through-the-lens only. The E330 is 7.5 megapixel and takes excellent quality pictures.
If you would like to take a more in-depth look at the new products, I invite you to visit the following two Web sites: The CNET Web site and the Digital Photography Review web site. Lots of good information, especially at the DPR site.
No comments:
Post a Comment