Best Buys: our top camera recommendations - all reviewed and rated
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27th August 2008: Nikon D90 preview
Today sees Nikon announce the long-awaited successor to its popular D80 Digital SLR. The new D90 follows a similar strategy to its predecessor, aimed at a slightly higher level than many of its rivals. The resolution has been increased to 12.3 Megapixels, the maximum sensitivity to 6400 ISO, and the screen enlarged to a 3in model with VGA resolution. Unsurprisingly the D90 offers Live View facilities, but the big new feature, and a first for any DSLR at the time of writing are video recording capabilities. The D90 can record in a variety of formats including 1280x720 pixel HD and is also fitted with an HDMI port for connection to HDTVs. There's even more features including an optional GPS accessory, so to find out more about what looks set to be one of the most exciting DSLR launches of 2008, check out our Nikon D90 preview.
26th August 2008: Canon EOS 50D launched
Today Canon announced the EOS 50D Digital SLR, which complements the EOS 40D rather than replacing it. The EOS 50D greatly resembles the EOS 40D from the outside, but features a new 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor backed-up by the newly developed DiG!C 4 processor. In reaction to Nikon's D300, the sensitivity has been boosted to 3200 ISO with extended 6400 and 12800 ISO modes, the screen resolution improved to VGA / 920k dots, and an HDMI port fitted for HD slideshows; Live View now also includes contrast-based AF and face detection options. Continuous shooting is only a fraction slower than the 40D at 6.3fps, and Canon has finally launched an EF-S 18-200mm IS lens to go with it which will also please owners of existing APS-C Canon DSLRs. The 50D is due in September, but where's the long-awaited EOS 5D replacement? Discuss this news in the Cameralabs forum and look out for a preview coming soon.
17th August 2008: Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS - full review / video tour
Canon's EOS 1000D, or Rebel XS as it's known in North America, is the company's latest entry-level DSLR, and successor to the best-selling EOS 400D / Rebel XTi. The new 1000D / XS shares the same 10 Megapixel CMOS sensor as its predecessor and also the same sized 2.5in screen, but now adds Live View and comes bundled with an Image Stabilised kit lens. Interestingly some specifications have actually been downgraded a little: the AF system now has 7-points to the 400D / XTi's 9-points, and the 3fps continuous shooting rate now only applies to JPEG files. But the core specification of 10 Megapixels, Live View and a lens with anti-shake at an affordable price will greatly appeal to anyone in the market for a budget DSLR. Find out how Canon's latest DSLR compares against others in the range and key rivals in our EOS 1000D / XS review, and as always you can see the highlights in our EOS 1000D / XS video tour.
11th August 2008: Nikon D700 - full review / video tour
The D700 is Nikon's second full-frame DSLR, taking the 12.1 Megapixel 'FX' sensor from the flagship D3 and squeezing it into a D300-sized body. This allows the D700 to share the same excellent high ISO performance as the D3 in a smaller, lighter and more affordable form factor. The D700 also features a 51-point AF system, high resolution 3in VGA monitor with Live View, an HDMI port for connection to HDTVs and superb build-quality with resistance to dust and moisture. It's one of the most feature-packed DSLRs to date, but with so many features matching the D300, the big question is how the quality compares - and whether it's worth spending the extra for the full-frame sensor. Find out in our Nikon D700 review where you'll see it directly compared against the D300 and Canon's EOS 5D. And as always, you can see the highlights in our Nikon D700 video tour.
5th August 2008: Olympus and Panasonic launch Micro Four Thirds
In what’s arguably the first pre-Photokina 2008 announcement, Olympus and Panasonic have launched a new standard for interchangeable lens cameras: Micro Four Thirds. This takes the existing Four Thirds sensor, but dispenses with the traditional SLR mirror and optical viewfinder to allow a much shorter lens to sensor distance; this in turn means smaller cameras. So don’t think of it as a shrunken DSLR, but rather a compact with a big sensor and interchangeable lenses. Micro Four Thirds does employ a new lens mount, but can accommodate existing Four Thirds lenses with an adapter. Details are currently brief, but we’ve posted today’s press release from Olympus in the Cameralabs forum where we invite your comments.
1st August 2008: Camera Labs Assignment: vote for your favourite!
It's the first day of a new month which means a new Assignment in the Camera Labs forums.
The theme as suggested by the winner of June's Assignment, richcaw, is 'Trees'. To enter, visit the August Assignment Submissions page. This also means submissions for last month's Assignment are now closed so you can vote for your favourite entry of Georgie2H's 'Minimalism' theme. So to vote, register or sign-into our forums and head on over to our July Assignment Submissions thread.
22nd July 2008: DSLR Tips workshop - how to use a polarizing filter
Polarizing filters are an essential accessory for every DSLR owner. They cut through haze, deepen blue skies and make the colours more vibrant. They’re also one of the few filters which can’t be simulated with software. In our video workshop at DSLR Tips we'll show you how to use polarizing filters to improve your landscape photos, along with providing a step-by-step guide for reference. Discover everything you need to know in our polarizer workshop.
14th July 2008: Pentax K200D - full review / video tour
The Pentax K200D is a 10 Megapixel budget DSLR with a big difference: with no fewer than 60 seals against the elements, its boasts an unprecedented degree of weatherproofing for its price. The body also features built-in Shake Reduction which works with any lens you attach. The K200D additionally sports an upper LCD screen, support for Adobe's DNG RAW format, along with optional in-camera RAW processing and even a dedicated RAW button. It's an impressive array of features, many inherited from the former flagship K10D, although there's no Live View. So the big question is whether traditional aspects and tough build quality can outweigh modern gadgetry. Find out it measures-up against rivals in our Pentax K200D review and to see a demonstration of its highlights, check out our Pentax K200D video tour.
29th June 2008: Olympus E-520 - full review / video tour
The Olympus E-520 is the successor to one of the best-selling DSLRs of last year, the popular E-510. The new E-520 takes the 10 Megapixel resolution, Live View, built-in stabilisation, and effective anti-dust features of its predecessor and adds new contrast-based AF in Live View with Face Detection, a bigger screen, quicker continuous shooting, support for wireless flash control, an extra IS mode for panning with the camera held of its side, and a new optional underwater housing. It also offers improved dynamic range and previews of many adjustments. So one of the most feature-packed DSLRs has just got better, but is it enough to compete with the latest rivals? Find out in our Olympus E-520 review and to see a demonstration of its highlights, check out our Olympus E-520 video tour.
16th June 2008: Sigma DP1 - full review / video tour
The Sigma DP1 is one of the most unique and highly anticipated compact digital cameras on the market. It's the World's first compact to house a full-sized DSLR sensor, which should allow it to avoid the noise artefacts which plague modern compacts. It also shuns zoom lenses in favour of a fixed focal length model with an equivalent wide-angle coverage of 28mm. On top of this you get full manual control over exposure, manual focusing capabilities and unusually for a camera with a DSLR sensor, a movie mode. So has Sigma really managed to squeeze DSLR quality into a compact body? Find out in our Sigma DP1 review and as always, to see a demonstration of its highlights, check out our Sigma DP1 video tour.
10th June 2008: Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS compared to rivals
Today Canon announced its latest DSLR, the EOS 1000D / Rebel XS. This new model replaces the EOS 400D / XTi as the entry-level model in Canon’s range and sports the same 10.1 Megapixel resolution, 3fps continuous shooting rate and 2.5in screen. The big new feature over the 400D / XTi is of course Live View, although the 1000D / XS is also Canon's lightest DSLR to date at just 450g. To help you decide if it's the new DSLR for you, we've compared the features of the new EOS 1000D / Rebel XS against its predecessor and several other key rivals. So to find out all the details about Canon's latest DSLR and how it measures-up, check out our Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS feature comparison.
9th June 2008: Olympus Zuiko Digital 25mm pancake lens - full review / video tour
The Olympus Zuiko Digital 25mm is the smallest and lightest lens available for DSLRs based on the Four Thirds standard. Weighing 95g and measuring just 23.5mm thick, it justifies the pancake nickname, and transforms smaller Four Thirds bodies into working kits which could squeeze into larger coat pockets. With 50mm equivalent coverage and an f2.8 aperture, the lens is ideal for general-purpose use, but do its compact dimensions compromise quality or performance? Find out in our Olympus Zuiko Digital 25mm pancake lens review where we'll compare it against other Olympus zooms and the specialist 50mm macro lens. And to see a demonstration of its highlights, check out our Olympus 25mm video tour.
1st June 2008: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 - full review / video tour
The Panasonic DMC-FX500 is the flagship of the Lumix compact range. It features 10.1 Megapixel resolution, a 3in touch-sensitive screen and a 5x optical zoom with impressively wide angle facilities which are equivalent to 25mm. It's the first model from Panasonic to feature a touch-sensitive screen, and making the most of it are full manual controls. The FX500 also sports High Definition video recording in the 720p format and has an optional component output for HDTVs. It's a compelling feature-set, but several key aspects are shared by Panasonic's already popular FX35 and TZ5. So does the new FX500 deserve the title of the flagship Lumix compact? Find out in our Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 review, and for a demonstration of its features, see our FX500 video tour. Note the FX500 is known as the FX520 in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
27th May 2008: Olympus E-420 - full review / video tour
The Olympus E-420 is an unusually small and light 10 Megapixel DSLR aimed at point and shoot owners looking to upgrade, along with enthusiasts who want a camera they can use in situations where a traditional DSLR would be too cumbersome. It shares virtually the same design as its predecessor, the E-410, which makes it the World's smallest and lightest DSLR. New to the E-420 are enhanced Live View facilities with contrast-based AF, face detection and an 11-point AF system. The screen's also slightly bigger, there's a stack of customisation, support for wireless flash, shadow adjustment technology, a larger grip and an improved sensor. Coupled with the new slim pancake lens, the E-420 makes for an extremely compact DSLR, but does it compromise comfort, quality or usability? Find out in our Olympus E-420 review where we'll test it with the new 25mm lens, and as always for a demonstration of its highlights, see our E-420 video tour.
18th May 2008: Pentax K20D - full review / video tour
The Pentax K20D is a 14.6 Megapixel mid-range DSLR which packs-in a broad range of features. It inherits an impressive core specification from its predecessor, the K10D, including a dust and weather-resistant body, built-in Shake Reduction, a decent optical viewfinder, a number of innovative exposure modes, a wealth of custom options, and the option of recording RAW in Adobe's DNG format. To this Pentax has increased the screen to 2.7in, boosted the sensitivity to 6400 ISO, added Live View, an X-Sync port, and improved the optional DA 18-55mm kit lens, along with that big jump in sensor resolution. The big question is how it measures-up to today's other 14 Megapixel DSLR, the Sony A350, not to mention Canon's EOS 450D / XSi and the semi-pro EOS 40D. To find out how the new Pentax compares, check out our Pentax K20D review, and as always for a demonstration of its highlights, see our K20D video tour.
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