dSLR Dad

Patrick Dean on Digital Photography School has published his review of the Canon EOS 7D dSLR Camera:

The Canon EOS 7D is a camera that excels in nearly every regard. From excellent build and handling, to beautiful high resolution images, the EOS 7D is perfectly suited for any enthusiast or semi-pro photographer. While Canon claims the EOS 7D isn’t intended to replace any of their current models, it is clearly intended to compete with the Nikon D300s, and in nearly every regard the EOS 7D is equal to or better than its competitor. It’s an adept performer with class leading high ISO capabilities and the most versatile movie options available from a DSLR camera. In total, the EOS 7D isn’t just a great value, it’s also the best APS-C DSLR that you can buy right now.

You can read the entire Canon 7D review at Digital Photography School. You can also read more articles about the Canon EOS 7D on dSLR Dad.

Digital Photography Review has also published their review of the 720p HD Nikon D300s dSLR:

The Nikon D300 made quite an impact when it was first launched – enough to prompt us to conclude: ‘There’s simply no better semi-professional digital SLR on the market.’ And, in many respects, it is still the camera to beat in that class – nearly two years later and it is still able to command essentially the same price as at launch (though the strong Yen has pushed all prices up). And this success appears to have left Nikon unsure how to improve on its APS-C flagship.

(more…)

Not one to shy away from a good discussion, Professional wildlife photographer Scott Bourne has published his thoughts on the Canon EOS 7D dSLR. For his first chronicle, Mr. Bourne assesses the EOS 7d’s prowess as an HD video cam:

I’ve been playing with all the current crop of DSLRs that shoot video. They are all very good at some things. None is perfect. But after all my tests, I have settled on two favorites. The Panasonic GH1 surprised me as the early favorite. It’s small, easy to use and has a ton of features that some of the more expensive cameras don’t. I like it a great deal and had pretty much settled on it as my favorite. Then came the Canon 7D. It’s a real game changer. It really caught my attention as well. It’s got very wide third-party support since most of the video accessories made for the Canon 5DMKII will also work with the 7D. It also offers access to more lenses and a larger sensor to capture video. That translates to better shadow detail and less data loss. In short, I have decided to use it as my primary video camera. Now I suspect Nikon is coming out with a new video platform any day. So could I change my mind? Absolutely. I may even end up using both. But for right now, I think the Canon 7D is the best hybrid video camera out there so that’s what I am going to use.

(more…)

Digital Photography Review has published their review of the Canon EOs 7D dSLR Camera:

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.

(more…)

Digital Photography Review has published their gargantuan 33-page review of the 15-megapixel Pentax K-7 dSLR Camera:

Our in-depth review of the Pentax K-7. When it arrived in May we were impressed by the way the K-7 managed to squeeze all the features of its predecessor and a handful of new tricks into such a compact package. It still has a 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor but gains a new metering system, revised autofocus, a faster shutter mechanism, a high resolution LCD, faster continuous shooting and the ability to shoot HD movies. And, as that svelte little magnesium alloy body has been passed around the office, it’s continued to leave a good impression. So, how did it fare in our studio tests?

As usual, they have released another gargantuan 33-page review. You can read the entire Pentax K-7 review at dPreview. You can find more dSLR Dad article on the Pentax K-7 here.

A note for Pentaxian dSLR Dads: There is now a $100 instant rebate available on the Pentax K-7 from retailers like Amazon and B&H Photo.

Photography Blog has published their camera test review of the 720p HD-shooting Nikon D5000:

The Nikon D5000 is a successful crossbreed of the D90 and the D60. The new DSLR combines the imaging assembly, AF module, Live View and HD video recording capabilities of the former with the beginner-friendly infopanel-based operation of the latter, in a form factor that lies somewhere in the middle between the two.

(more…)

Popular Photography Magazine has published their review of the Nikon D5000 dSLR Camera:

What’s Hot:
Flip-down, swiveling LCD.
Speedy autofocus. 4-frame-per-second bursts.

What’s Not:
Noisy at ISO 3200 and 6400.
Only one command wheel.
No wireless flash control via pop-up unit.

Who’s This For?

(more…)

Imaging Resource has published their camera test review of the 720p HD-shooting Nikon D5000 dSLR:

Though it stands out as an oddity in naming terms when compared to the other Nikon digital SLRs in the line, the Nikon D5000 is best described as a lower-cost D90 in a D60 body, with a smaller set of available autofocus lenses. There are a few usability issues related to the articulating LCD and autofocus in Live view mode, and the D-Movie mode won’t serve to replace the basic consumer camcorder, but as I’ve said of the Canon T1i, these things don’t make or break the Nikon D5000. What clearly makes the Nikon D5000 great is its excellent overall performance as a still camera, and its excellent image quality…

You can read the entire review at Imaging Resource. You can find more dSLR Dad articles on the Nikon D5000 here.

Digital photography Review has published their review of the Olympus E-620 dSLR camera:

The E-620 takes most of the features from the semi-pro E-30 and fits them into a body only slightly larger than the E-420, making it the most powerful entry-level Four Thirds camera yet. It has been a little overwhelmed by the buzz about E-P1, but does the little DSLR deserve a second look?

(more…)

Photography Blog has a digital SLR review of the Canon EOS 50D camera:

Released just one year after the 40D, the new EOS 50D DSLR is Canon’s answer to its main rival, the Nikon D300. The EOS 50D is both a worthy upgrade for current 40D owners and a real challenger to the D300, mainly thanks to the larger 15 megapixel sensor, new Digic 4 processor and expanded ISO range, which thankfully haven’t compromised image quality in any way. Despite the 50% increase in resolution, the EOS 50D offers the best image quality of any Canon APS-C DSLR camera to date, with very similar performance to the 40D at comparative ISO speeds, and the added bonus of ISO 6400 and 12800 modes. Admittedly the fastest setting is only really usable as a last resort and doesn’t quite match up to the low-light performance of the Nikon D3 and D700, but they are much more expensive cameras than the 50D. We’d happily use this camera on a daily basis up to ISO 3200 with 6400 as a back-up. All other image quality aspects are up to Canon’s usual high standards, although we’d swap the 18-55mm kit lens for the more expensive 17-85mm optic in order to get the most out of the 15 megapixel sensor. If you’re looking for the highest resolution for your money, the Canon EOS certainly doesn’t disappoint.

You can read the entire review at Photography Blog.