DPReview is reporting that Nikon has posted updates for quite a few DSLRS (D3, D3s, D3x, D7000, D4, D600, D800, D3200). The updates all include support for the new 800mm VR, but many models show other improvements as well, including better white balance, 100% video frame size output under more conditions, improvements to continuous AF, and more. To read over all the updates and grab links to the updates, we’re going to send you over to DP themselves.
› archive for ‘DSLRs’
Canon Announces Two New Rebel DSLRs, Levels Momentary Claim Of “Smallest”
Another day, some more camera announcements. Today’s are in the forms of Canon’s new entry level series, the well-liked Rebel line. There are two models, a lower and higher one as you’d expect. The lower one is being dubbed the SL1, and makes the time-limited claim of being the world’s smallest DSLR. The other is the T5i, which presumably is an incremental update to the T4i’s guts. So, let’s see what we’ve got here then.
The big news on the Rebel SL1 is “small.” It’s been made tinier. It’s not big. Actually, there’s a diagram Canon made to show you how not big it is. It looks like this:
Now, that’s the sort of decrease in size that Myron Reducto would be all over.
I feel shrinky, oh so shrinky, I feel shrinky, and dinky…
So, yus, it’s tiny. 4.6″ (w) x 3.57″ (h) x 2.74″ (d), and 14.36 back-breaking ounces, per their press release, but what kinda credentials is this guy packing inside that diminutive frame? Well, a Rebel, it turns out. It’s got pretty much everything you’d typically expect from a Rebel. 18 megapixel sensor, DIGIC V processor, native ISO 100-12,800 (25,600 expanded), a 9-point hybrid CMOS AF system, 3″ touchscreen, live view, HD video, yadda yadda. A quick read through the long and boring specs table shows a few more of the compromises made to keep this small and cheap. The AF points only work down to about +0.5 EV, metering only goes down to 1 EV (although it’s 0 in live view, interesting enough), shutter speeds top out at 1/4000 second, and x-sync stops at 1/200 (which is actually better than the far more expensive EOS 6D, mind you). Not a bad set of compromises given the target market will be much more casual users than pros, but it’s worth noting performance will start to get shakier once the sun is down due to some of those. The body has the usual entry-level omissions, such as no PC port or secondary control wheel, but otherwise actually does a good job of keeping the usual Rebel controls around and just pushing them tighter together.
The fun-sized Rebel SL1 will run all of $649.99 for the body only, or $799 with a new 18-55mm STM (STM indicating it has a stepping motor built for smoother, quieter AF during video use). Availability is slated for “April.” Read more specs or preorder one here: http://robertscamera.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=eos+rebel+sl1
And then there’s the EOS Rebel T5i (continuing the warm and familiar branding nomenclature we all know and get confused by). The core specs should sound familiar: 18 megapixels, DIGIC V, ISO 100-12,800 (25,600), max shutter of 1/4000, x-sync at 1/200, same AF and metering functions, both have built-in mics and phono ports for external ones, and so on. The Rebel T5i differs in the LCD (which is flippy in addition being a 3″ touchscreen, you see), an extra frame-per-second in continuous drive mode (5 instead of 4), and support for an external battery grip (BG-E8). It might also have some different scene modes to offer, but on the hard facts those are most of what separate this guy from the little brother. Well, that, and the $100 higher price tag, with the T5i running $749.99 body only or $899.99 with the new 18-55 STM. Once again, availability is in April. Read more about it or preorder it on our site here: http://robertscamera.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=eos+rebel+t5i
Nikon Supports Posts Advisory For D600
Got a D600? If so, Nikon has posted a new answer in their support section that might be relevant to your needs. We’ll let them cover it themselves, so, hit the link below to go give it a read.
Nikon Provides Minor D4 Firmware Update
Got a D4? Got problems with the subject tracking in AF-C when using your viewfinder? Well, boy, has Nikon got a treat for you! The new firmware update for the D4 addresses the following point:
Subject tracking performance in AF-C (continuous-servo autofocus) autofocus mode with framing using the viewfinder has been improved.
This is also a cumulative update, so, all the other fixes going backwards will be applied if you find yourself a bit behind. To check on things and get the ball rolling if you need to, hit the source link below to head over to Nikon themselves.
Nikon Announces New D7100 HD-SLR, Thinks Low Pass Filters Are Over
The word “flagship” keeps showing up in Nikon’s descriptions for this new DX shooter, and you know, the further into it I read the more I’m certain they’re correct. The D7100 doesn’t just succeed the D7000, but it pretty well stands in for the D300s’ successor as well. There’s a little less metal in the chassis than the D300/D300s had, but other than that you’d be hard-pressed to call it out on missing features.
So, what is the D7100 sporting then? Most immediately and obviously, it’s got a 24.1 megapixel DX sensor with no low-pass filter. That’s right, apparently demand for the D800E so exceeded expectations that Nikon feels it’s now safe to do away with the resolution-degrading low-pass filter wholesale. As a result, there’s no anti-aliasing either, but Nikon’s claiming that worrying about moire is a thing of the past with the new tech in the D7100. We’ll have to wait and see about that in practice, but it’s still a bold statement from Nikon. In addition, the D7100 sports a sensor crop mode, which reduces the active area by 1.3x (Nikon’s curious way of saying it drops the size down to a 2x crop sensor) to give wildlife and sports shooters and added telephoto boost while still maintaining a resolution of 13.5 megapixels.
Supporting that sensor are a slew of features, including a body with a magnesium top plate and back with weather-sealing throughout, a new 51-point autofocus that borrows from the D4′s algorithms for performance and has 15 cross type sensors (the center one works down to f8) sensitive to -2 EV, a nice high-resolution 3.2″ LCD with 1,228,800 dots of resolution, 6 fps continuous shooting, a viewfinder with 100% coverage and an electronic-overlay display, x-sync up to a proper 1/250, native ISO from 100-6400 (25,600 push), dual SDXC card slots, built-in screw-drive AF for older lenses, 1080p video, and all the usual stuff besides. It’s quite a beastie thing. Measured up against the D7000 and the rather dated D300s, it stacks like this:
| Spec | D300s | D7000 | D7100 |
| Sensor | 12.3 MP | 16.2 MP | 24.1 MP w/o Low Pass, with 1.3x Crop |
| Viewfinder | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| LCD | 3″ 920,000 dots | 3″ 921,000 dots | 3.2″ 1,228,800 dots |
| Continuous Shooting | 7 fps | 6 fps | 6 fps |
| HD Video | 720p | 1080p | 1080p |
| ISO | 200-3200 (6400) | 100-6400 (25,600) | 100-6400 (25,600) |
| AF Points | 51-point 15-cross (Multi-Cam 3500DX) | 39-points 9-cross (ulti-Cam 4800DX) | 51-point 15-cross (Multi-Cam 3500DX) |
| AS Sensitivity | -1 – +19 EV | -1 – +19 EV | -2 – +19 EV |
| X-Sync | 1/250 | 1/250 | 1/250 |
| Body | Mostly magnesium weather-sealed | Magnesium top/back weather-sealed | Magnesium top/back weather-sealed |
Above and beyond all that, the D7100 supports all the new toys, like the GP-1 GPS dongle and the new WR wireless remote system. It’ll come as a body only for $1,199.95 at launch, or with an 18-105mm VR for $1,599.95. Read the press release after the jump, or just click the link below to preorder one of those now:
Nikon D5200 and Wireless Triggers Now In Stock
Well, check it out. We’ve already got stock in on those just-announced Nikon D5200′s and all parts of their shiny new radio frequency remote trigger system (the transmitter, transceiver, adapter for 10-pin bodies, and kit with all 3 bits). Nice way to end the week for you Nikonians, right? OK, to be fair, we only got the D5200 in the kit with the 18-55 VR, no body only or 18-105mm kits yet. But, we did get all three colors: black, red, and bronze. Speaking of the bronze:
We’d like to know how you feel about it as a DSLR color. It strikes some of us here as.. well, a bit odd. So, sound off, let us know. Or, just use the links below to skip right to looking at the afforementioned products:
D5200 with 18-55mm: http://robertscamera.com/d5200-with-18-55mm-vr.html
Remote Triggers: http://robertscamera.com/directsearch/index/index/query_id/553/q/nikon%20radio%20triggers/
Loading ...Nikon D5200 Finally Coming to America
Remember back when I said there was a Nikon D5200 DSLR, but it wasn’t coming to the US and that I’d update you if it did? Well, here’s that update. If you haven’t already read it on like every other camera blog, the D5200 replaces Nikon’s D5100 DSLR (original, no?). The changes of merit look like this:
| Spec | D5100 | D5200 |
| Megapixels | 16.9 | 24.1 |
| AF Points | 11 | 39 |
| Display | 3″ Fixed LCD | 3″ Vari-tilt/swivel |
| Conitnuous FPS | 4 | 5 |
And that’s about it, it’s otherwise pretty much identical to its predecessor. Not that that’s a bad thing. The D5100 was a solid offering, and the D5200 beefs up the resolution, autofocus, and adds the swiveling LCD for easier video usage. Not a bad offering for your $899.95, with an 18-55mm VR kit, or $1,099.95 with an 18-105mm VR.
D5200 options - http://robertscamera.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=d5200
The D5200 also brings along with it a new wireless transmitter dubbed the WR-T10 ($94.96) and a wireless transceiver dubbed the WR-R10 ($126.96). These remotes use radio frequency communications, not the line-of-sight dependent infrared of days gone by, so you can do schmancy things like trigger the camera through walls now, and from up to 66 feet away. If you have’t used radio triggers before, you’ll be needing at least one transceiver and one transmitter to get going. These triggers work with many of Nikon’s newer models, including the D600 and D3200 as well as the D5200. For Nikon shooters with cameras using the older 10-pin connector (like me and my D700), an adapter called the WR-A10 ($74.96) will be available, so, we’re not being left in the infrared cold here. There will be a kit available with the transmitter, transceiver, and adapter (called the WR-10) for $277.96.
Availability on the lot of it all should start at the end of the month, though we don’t know what quantities will look like.
WR-T10 - http://robertscamera.com/wr-t10-wireless-remote-controller-transmitter.html
WR-R10 - http://robertscamera.com/wr-r10-wireless-remote-controller-transceiver.html
WR-A10 - http://robertscamera.com/wr-a10-wireless-remote-adapter.html
WR-10 Kit - http://robertscamera.com/wr-r10-wr-t10-wr-a10-wireless-remote-adapter-set.html
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Officially NLA
When the EOS 5D mark II went missing from Canon’s site back on Christmas day, we began to suspect something might be up. And, today we’re being officially notified that the EOS 5D mark II has gone NLA (No Longer Available, for you in the home audience.) Once we sell out of our remaining stock, that’s it for this venerable camera. The mark III rules the roost now.
We’re already out of bodies, but we still have a few kits with the 24-105 in stock here: http://robertscamera.com/photo/dslrs/professional/5d-mk-ii-with-24-105-is.html
And, if you just can’t justify the reach up to the Mark III, and are totally bummed the Mark II is gone, you can keep an eye on our used department. We get a lot of stuff in every day, there’s always a chance you’ll land a steal of a deal there: http://robertscamera.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=510&condition=1281&manufact_new=688&q=eos+5d+mark+II
The Nikon D5200 Is A Real Thing… Just Not In The US
If you happen to follow any of the usual photo gear blogs, you’re probably already aware that Nikon has announced a successor to its D5100 higher-end entry-level body. What you might not know is that at this time it has not been announced for the US market, and until such time as it is Roberts will not be stocking this model. Why? because, we don’t like dealing with gray market products, and pride ourselves on our relationship with Nikon USA, and the support and quality we can offer you as a result. We’ll talk more about this model if it gets announced for our market, but until then we’d like to point all US choppers wanting a genuine, non-gray-market Nikon to consider the short leap up to the similarly specced and well-loved D7000 for the time being. Or, there’s always still the D5100 if you can’t quite justify the extra budget.
Canon Updates Autofocus Niggles With EOS-1D X Firmware
nig·gle/?nig?l/
Verb:
Cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety: “a nasty leg wound which still niggled at him”. Noun:
A trifling complaint, dispute, or criticism: “it is an excellent book except for my few niggles”; “I have a few niggles about design”.
Got a 1D X? Don’t like how it won’t always show you the active photo point during AI-Servo in low-light? Wish maybe that center AF point would be a cross type even if you were using a teleconverter for a total effective aperture of f8? Well, boy are you in luck! Those are exactly the things that the newest firmware from Canon brings to the table. The second one is pretty self-explanatory, but the second one also has a rider where you can set how bright the AF point illumination is in low-light, so as to minimize your impact on the metering. The point will also only illuminate intermittently to further help with the same.
If you’re lucky enough to be shooting Canon’s new flagship, hit up the source link to review the changes in much more detail, and to find a big honking button that’ll whisk you off to get it downloaded.