Author: alex

Rumored Nikon Coolpix P7000 to compete with Canon G11

Nikon Coolpix P6000

Canon PowerShot G11

NikonRumors is reporting some basic specs for an upcoming new camera from Nikon, the Coolpix P7000, to replace the P6000. Its speculated that it will be announced in two weeks on August 19th, along with the rumored Nikon D3100, the DSLR replacement for the D3000 witih 1080p video and continuous focus (a first for DSLRs).

The rumored specs include:

  • A lower megapixel sensor, 10MP instead of 13MP (love it…! more megapixels in small sensors aren’t helping anything, would much prefer good quality 8 megapixel images vs low quality 16 megapixel images)
  • A larger 1/1.7″ sensor, similar size to the P6000
  • A 7.1x zoom lens (28-200mm equivelant, f/2.8-5.6), up from 4x in the P6000

Hopefully we’ll see a higher resolution screen on the P7000 too, replacing the low res 230k screen on the P6000. Hopefully the large sensor and lower megapixels result in better image quality, according to DXOMark benchmarks the G11 appears to have an edge in image quality over the P6000.

See Snapsort’s comparison of the G11 vs P6000.

Source: More info on the Nikon Coolpix P7000 from NikonRumours

Create slow motion movies of high speed action

A growing number of cameras now record high speed video, allowing you to capture fast action and slow it down, for example hummingbirds flying, matches being lit, etc. By recording the video at a high frame rate, say 240fps, it can then be slowed down to the standard 30fps and look smooth and natural!

Check out all the cameras that record high speed video at Snapsort.

Casio Pro EX-F1

The Casio Pro EX-F1 is a popular camera for high speed videos up to an incredible 1,200 FPS. The EX-F1 also features 40fps continuous still image shooting, 12x zoom, a large 1/1.7″ sensor, and full 1080p video. More recent cameras from Casio that shoot high speed video include the EX-FH25 super-zoom shooting up to 1,000 fps and the compact EX-FC150 also up to 1,000 fps.

Hummingbirds in slow motion at 300fps shot using the Casio EX-F1

Skateboarders in slo-mo at 300fps, 600fps and 1,200 fps shot using the Casio EX-F1

Casio Pro EX-F1

The Fujifilm HS10 is another popular camera for high speed videos up to 1,000 FPS. The HS-10 has some incredible features including an industry leading 30x zoom, and doesn’t sacrifice wide-angle either with its 24mm wide-angle lens, also industry leading. The HS10 shoots RAW, captures full 1080p videos, and has a wide f/2.8 aperture at 24mm.

Lighting a match shot at 480fps using the Fujifilm HS-10

Birds hopping about shot at 240fps using the Fujifilm HS-10

Samsung NX5 – Large sensor, interchangeable lenses in a small body

Samsung NX5

This is slightly old news now, but back in June Samsung announced the NX5, a new mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Compared to DSLRs like the Nikon D90 and Canon T2i, the NX5 is much smaller, and compared to other mirrorless cameras its a similar size (in between the Panasonic GF1 and G2), but has a much larger sensor (APS-C 23x15mm vs four thirds 18x13mm).

The NX5 looks like a little brother to the also recent NX10. I think the NX5 is meant to retail at a lower price than the NX10 due its screen (lower resolution, 230k vs 621k dots, and LCD vs the NX10’s OLED), but looks comparable on all other features. See Snapsort’s comparison of the NX5 vs NX10.

Samsung now has two models available in this hot new category of cameras, often called EVIL (electronic viewfinder interchangeable lens camera). Rumors abound about both Nikon and Canon entering this category soon, since so far they are leaving it wide open to the competition, Panasonic and Sony seemingly leading the pack, Olympus and Samsung not far behind. Check out the full line up of EVIL cameras at Snapsort.

Like the other mirrorless camera’s, the NX5 lacks a through-the-lens viewfinder required to be called a DSLR, but it maintains the styling of a DSLR and instead uses a digital viewfinder. The NX5’s viewfinder doesn’t look as good as the NX10’s though. The NX10 has a 921k dot electronic viewfinder, vs the NX5’s 201k dots, which is going to make it a bit harder to see detail in the image, for testing focus for example.

So far, it looks like the NX5 is not widely available for sale, but it is offered from amazon.de in Germany, see the NX5 with an 18-55mm image stabilized lens for EUR 599.

Source: The NX5 at Samsung.com

Create panoramic photos easily with in-camera stitching

Ever wanted to create a panoramic photo? The beauty of panoramic shots is that you can capture a really wide view, great for nature photos, and architecture. Several new cameras (and some older ones) make it really easy by doing all the work for you. All you have to do is take a few photos while panning the camera horizontally or vertically, and the camera will automatically stitch them together to form a beautiful wide or tall panorama.

Many cameras have a panoramic mode, but only some perform the stitching in camera for you, instead of requiring you to run some software on your computer. In fact, there is a group dedicated to in-camera stitched panoramic photos on flickr.

Boston Skyline by soelin, using a new mirrorless Sony NEX-5. The Sony NEX-3 also does in-camera panoramas.

185 degree Panoramic lobby by Debs (ò‿ó)♪

185˚ Panoramic lobby by Debs (ò‿ó)♪, using a Sony DSC-TX5.

Cph lakes panorama by extractor2000

Cph lakes panorama by extractor2000. Taken with a Sony DSC-HX5v.

sea panorama by blumblaum

sea panorama by blumblaum. Taken with a Fujifilm S1000fd.

montblanc by mako10

montblanc by mako10. Taken with a waterproof Pentax W80, presumably the newer W90 also does automatic panoramic photos.

dusk by heiwa4126

Dusk by heiwa4126. Taken with a Kodak V705, an older camera known for its dual lens system, seems to be very popular for panoramic photos!

Bridge Under The Freeway

Bridge Under The Freeway also by heiwa4126. Taken with a Kodak V705

Low light and shallow depth of field Canon S90 photos

Canon Powershot S90
The Powershot S90 from Canon is what we call a pro-digicam, its a compact point and shoot with full manual controls, and high end features like a wide f/2.0 aperture, and a large sensor great for high iso low light shooting.

Following are some photos that caught my eye, especially since they were taken with a tiny point and shoot rather than a big DSLR.

'Ghosts' by alexbrn, showing a pattern of light from stained glass
  • f/3.5
  • 28mm
  • 1/100s
  • 80 ISO

Ghosts by alexbrn. The color and light in this photo are really unique, nice eye to catch that.

'Heaven' by aurelien, concert photo
  • f/2.8
  • 35mm
  • 1/40s
  • 500 ISO

Heaven by aurélien. Concerts present a challenge because they’re so dark, but the lighting is also an opportunity for photos like this. The photographer took the shot at 1/40s (almost as slow as you’d want to go hand-held), risking blur, and even with a slow shutter speed like that needed to use a relatively wide aperture of f/2.8 and higher than normal ISO of 500 to get a good exposure.

'New Grassn' by koocbor, great example of shallow depth of field
  • f/2.0
  • 28mm
  • 1/320s
  • 80 ISO

New Grass by koocbor. Notice how only the grass in the front is in focus, and everything in the background is blurred. The photographer achieved this narrow depth of field using two techniques: a wide aperture of f/2.0 (only available on a few cameras), and by getting close to his subject while keeping the background distant.

'Escalator' by tetradtx, a low-light wide-angle photo
  • f/2.0
  • 28mm
  • 1/30s
  • 200 ISO

Escalator by tetradtx. The perspective in this photo really draws you in. Again, another low light shot, taken without a flash. The photographer used a wide aperture again of f/2.0, and a slow shutter speed of 1/30s to get a good exposure. The photo is very sharp, impressive if they didn’t use a tripod. The shot was taken at 28mm, which although isn’t as wide as some cameras is still fairly wide and is responsible for creating the wide-angle perspective you see.

Learn more at Snapsort