dSLR Dad

Hi everyone. I just wanted to let that the Nikon D300 Review Page has been updated.  You can check it out here.

Also, with all of the new camera announcements that have come out this week, check back often to the dSLR Gear page to see what’s new for 2008.

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Leaving everyone to wonder why it just wasn’t called the D40x Mark II

We are hitting the final stretch before PMA 20008. Today, Nikon USA issued their flood of Press Releases. The headliner for all of you dSLR Dads is the new D60. This is an update (although, a somewhat minor update) to the very popular Nikon D40X. Key features and “upgrades” include:

• Same 10.2 megapixel CCD sensor.
• Advanced 3-D Color Matrix Metering II with EXPEED image processor.
• New dual dust reduction countermeasures.
• Eye Sensor that turns the 2.5-inch (that’s right, still 2.5 inches) color LCD monitor on and off automatically. This is the same functionality as Canon Digital Rebel XSI and XTi.
• Stop-Motion Movie mode that enables users to create stop-animation movie clips from a series of as many as 100 consecutive JPEG picture files.
• Customizable LCD monitor user interface with in-camera editing tools.
• Supports Eye-Fi memory card functionality, enabling the convenient wireless transfer of images from the D60 to a computer, when using Eye-Fi Wireless SD Memory Cards.
• Kit will be packaged with the 3x zoom 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Lens
• Available in February 2008.  Order now at B&H Photo. (more…)
  

  Popularity: 12% [?]

  Tags: APS-C, camera, camera body, D60, DX lens, News, nikkor, nikon, Nikopn D60, photo, photograph, press release, SLR

Douglas Brown over at the Luminous Landscape has posted a field review of the Olympus Evolt E-3 dSLR (Available at Amazon and B&H Photo):

When you look back at the standout photos you’ve taken in a year most of the major thought process and effort that went into them had very little to do with the technology of photography. Joss Stone starts vamping at a press event, turns and shoots a look over her shoulder that’s pure, delicious trouble, then sticks her tongue out at you, and believe me you aren’t thinking shadow noise, sensor size, or dumping your current system because some other maker’s camera would be able to shoot the images 1 frame per second faster. You’ve got that camera up to your eye, unconsciously moving slightly to keep distracting background elements out of the way, while simultaneously thumbing the focus point over the eyes, firing a burst then zooming in closer for a second one (because closer is always better). You are running on muscle memory.

In too many of these kind of photographic moments the E3 stumbles over itself. Awkward positioning of major controls, buttons that are small or flush with the camera surface making it difficult to positively locate them, (more…)

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Tags: Digital Photography, Evolt, feature, Luminous Landscape, Olympus, Olympus dSLR, Olympus E 3, Olympus E3, Olympus SLR, report, review, SLR

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Pentax has announced the new 10-megapixel Pentax K200D dSLR Camera with Shake Reduction. The K200D replaces the entry-level K100D. New and upgraded features include:

• APS-C sized 10-megapixel CCD sensor (12-bit RAW output only)
• 2.7 inch Live View LCD (230,000 dots and 160° viewing angle)
• Improved dust reduction system
• weather /dust sealing
• IS0 up to 3,200 (but how does ISO 800 look)
• 11 point Auto Focus system with 9 cross-sensors
• SD and SDHC card
• Battery consumption reduced by a factor of 8 over the K100D

The K200D is available in two configurations:

1. Pentax K200D dSLR Camera with Shake Reduction (Body Only)
2. Pentax K200D dSLR with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

The following is an excerpt from the Pentax press release: (more…)

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Canon USA also announced today that the new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-55.6 IS zoom lens and EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS zoom lenses are now available.

The following is an excerpt from the Canon USA Press Release: (more…)

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Pentax has announced the new 14.6-megapixel K20D dSLR. It is expected to ship in March for $1,299.95 (body only price). New features include:

• APS-C sized 14.6-megapixel CMOS sensor (12-bit RAW output only)
• 2.7 inch Live View LCD
• Improved dust reduction system
• weather /dust sealing
• IS0 up to 3,200 (but how does ISO 800 look)
• 11 point Auto Focus system
• SD and SDHC card

It looks like Amazon already has the Pentax K20D 14.6MP dSLR available for pre-order. (more…)

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Every dSLR Dad has been there…….

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I have been tracking the progress of RadioPopper since I first heard about them six months ago. Unfortunately, I have not felt like they deserved a mention on dSLR Dad, until now.

RadioPopper is a new stratup company that is on a mission to provide a range of radio flash triggering solutions for dSLR Dads. What you see to the left is a preproduction prototype of the P1 system. The RadioPoppper P1 is a long range, remote trigger radio solution that also transmits the infrared signal.

• Attaches externally to your existing flash units
• No drilling, modifications, electrical contacts, or cords required
• RadioPopper Transmitter “sees” the infrared light signal and relays it by radio signal
• RadioPopper Receiver “repeats” the infrared signal for each slave flash
• Your flashes no longer require a “line of sight” for proper operation
• Put slave flashes anywhere within 500 ft and shoot - they’ll fire every time.

That sounds like a really great product, but it’s way more than what a dSLR Dad needs. What is even more exciting is the RadioPopper Jr. Expected in Mid-2008, the RadioPopper Jr. is their simple, low cost radio triggering solution for standard photo lights. And by low cost, they really mean low cost — just $25 per receiver/transceiver. (more…)

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Pro photographer Chase Jarvis has posted a great videos on how to pack your dLSR gear for travel. The following is Chase Jarvis TECH: Packing Photography Gear (Basic):

It runs 10 minutes and is a trimmed version of the Advanced version.You can check out more of Chase on his blog.

Popularity: 7% [?]

This is the kind of ‘review’ I love to bring to you dSLR Dads. Michael Reichmann has posted his detailed insight into the Nikon D3 and Nikon D300 over at the Luminous Landscape. What makes this article completely different and refreshing from all of the others is the focus on how these cameras compare from the Canon perspective. He also makes it perfectly clear that this is not a typical test report with an abundance of side-by-side comparisons at ISO 3200 with 100% crops. That really doesn’t matter. What does matter is how does a photographer use these new tools for photography.

In this essay I look at the new Nikon D3 and D300 though the eyes (mine) of someone who has been shooting with Canon cameras for the past 8 years. Prior to 1999 I used Nikons, shoot film, and used them to make a living in photography for some 30 years. I also used (and still do) Hasselblads and Leicas, and as a magazine reviewer have probably tested and shot with almost every major camera system available since the mid-1960’s. But for several decades prior to the advent of digital, Nikons were my 35mm tool of choice….. (more…)

Popularity: 23% [?]

Tags: camera features, canon, Canon 1D, Canon 1Ds, Canon EOS 5D, Canon vs Nkon, comparison, Luminous Landscape, Michael Reichmann, nikon, Nikon D3, Nikon D300, review, SLR

I have updated the main page of the dSLR Dad Amazon Store to list the top twenty items that you dSLR Dad’s have voted for to finish off 2007. That vote of course being with what is most important, your own wallets. On the first ten products listed on the storefront, there are the top-five books.

So what were the Books that made it to the top 5?

1. Understanding Shutter Speed: Creative Action and Low-Light Photography Beyond 1/125 Second by Bryan Peterson
2. The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby
3. Scott Kelby’s 7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop CS3 by Scott Kelby (more…)
   

   Popularity: 7% [?]

   Tags: amazon, book, book store, camera book, dSLR Dad, Lens, photography book, photoshop book, SLR