Canon EOS77D

So something that I find really confusing is the way that Canon name or more correctly number their cameras. So at the moment you have the entry level 1300D then you have the 750D then the 80D, then the 7D, 6D, 5D and 1D in ascending order or professional type cameras and of course cost. So they have just announced the 800D but this seems to be step down in the ‘professional’ category, but at the same time they also have announced the 77D which is said to occupy the space sitting below the 80D in the lineup, so logically is the replacement for the 750D. Canon need to get their numbers people together and bash their heads about a bit.

So the new 77D shares the 80D’s 24.2MP sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus and adds an updated Digic 7 processor to the mix. Users opting to focus using the optical viewfinder will be greeted with a 45-point all-cross-type AF system and 7650-pixel RGB+IR metering system, which work together for better accuracy and subject recognition.

Rounding out the package is an ISO range of 100-25600, continuous 6 fps burst shooting with autofocus (4.5 fps when using Live View), 1080/60p video capture and wireless connectivity featuring NFC and Bluetooth LE.

Canon EOS 77D smaller in the hand

 

The EOS Rebel T7i and EOS 77D (same camera different names in different parts of the world?)both feature an optical viewfinder with a 45-point All Cross-type AF system^* to help enable more precise focusing. In live view mode, both cameras utilise Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF to deliver the world’s fastest AF focusing speed of 0.03 seconds.¹ This technical achievement allows users to find their subject, focus accurately, and capture the shot more quickly than ever before. Both models also have built-in Wi-Fi®², NFC³ and Bluetooth®⁴ technology for easy transfer of images.

In addition to the focusing enhancements, common features of the EOS Rebel T7i and EOS 77D cameras include:

• Optical Viewfinder with a 45-point All Cross-type AF System*
• Fast and accurate Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Phase-detection
• 24.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) Sensor
• DIGIC 7 Image Processor, ISO 100–25600
• Built-in Wi-Fi®², NFC³ and Bluetooth®⁴ technology
• Vari-angle Touch Screen, 3.0-inch LCD
• Movie Electronic IS
• HDR Movie & Time-Lapse Movie
• High-speed Continuous Shooting at up to 6.0 frames per second (fps)

The EOS Rebel T7i is the first camera in the EOS Rebel series with a 45-point, all cross-type AF system* within the Optical Viewfinder. It is also the first in the series with Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Phase-detection and the first with a DIGIC 7 Image Processor. Creative filters for both still images and video will allow users to customise the look and feel of their content in new and imaginative ways.

Much of this information comes from DP Review and they have a full list of specifications here

The camera should be available in April and cost £830 for the body only

The 3″, 1.04 million-dot touch-sensitive rear LCD works in concert with a generous suite of physical control points to allow control over every aspect of the 77D’s operation. In live view and movie modes, the screen can also be used to set focus point by touch. Dual Pixel autofocus means that like the EOS 80D, servo AF can be used in these modes, too. 

By default, the 77D uses Canon’s standard UI, but it can be switched to the more beginner-friendly graphic UI also found in the new T7i (shown above) if desired. 

Canon EOS 800D

DP Review has a hands on look at this new camera from Canon.

The T7i will be sold with a new kit lens: the Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM. This new zoom is 20% smaller than its predecessors and a little slower, but in terms of handling, it suits the equally diminutive camera quite well. According to Canon, image stabilization should produce up to four stops of shake reduction. 

Able to focus in just 0.03 seconds in Live View, the Canon EOS 800D Digital SLR Camera Body is a high-quality DSLR that boasts the world’s fastest Live View AF system. It features a 24.2-megapixel sensor and fast DIGIC 7 image processor, which together deliver ready-to-print, detailed images. Its dual pixel CMOS AF mode tracks subjects as they move, focusing smoothly for professional results

On the left of the top-plate you can see the tiny LED light which indicates when the camera’s built-in Wi-Fi is active. Speaking of Wi-Fi, the T7i has that plus NFC for easy pairing with Android devices and Bluetooth LE for instant photo transfer to a compatible smartphone. It’s also compatible with Canon’s new BR-E1 Bluetooth remote control.

A brand new user interface guides beginner photographers through the process of choosing the right exposure modes and settings to get the shots they want.

A fully-articulating 3″, 1.04 million-dot touch-sensitive LCD makes video shooting easy. In live view and video modes, focus can be set by touch. For video shooters, a 3.5mm diameter stereo mini jack is available for recording sound via an external microphone.

Key Features: Canon EOS 800D Digital SLR Camera Body

• 24.2-megapixel sensor
• DIGIC 7 image processor
• 6 frames per second continuous focusing
• Bright optical viewfinder
• 45 cross-type autofocus points
• Vari-Angle touch screen colour LCD screen
• World’s quickest Live View AF system* focuses in as little as 0.03 seconds
  _{*Among interchangeable-lens digital cameras with APS-C sized sensors with phase-difference detection AF on the image plane as of 14th February 2017, based on Canon research.}
• Built-in flash with Guide Number of 12
• Able to record 1080p Full HD video
• Dual pixel CMOS AF tracking for focusing on moving subjects
• In-body 5-axis image stabiliser
• HDR movie shooting allows users to capture detail in shadows and highlights
• WiFi, NFC, and Bluetooth connectivity
• The body only will cost about £780 and available from April

 

2015 DSLR and Mirrorless cameras

From the excellent DP Review

In late 2015, many (if not most) consumers are likely to shop based on price and capability, rather than according to whether a certain model contains a mirror, or not. We think this is a good thing; with all the increased competition, cameras are improving more and at a faster rate than ever before. From the gear perspective, it’s certainly an exciting time to be a photographer.

In this category, you’ll find both mirrorless and DSLR cameras that are highly capable under a variety of shooting situations, offer built-in high-spec viewfinders – either optical and electronic – and an extensive array of external controls. The biggest differences in performance tend to come down to autofocus sophistication and video capability, but neither of those is dictated by the presence or lack of mirror.

The contenders are:

• Canon EOS Rebel T6s
• Canon EOS 70D
• Nikon 1 V3
• Nikon D5500
• Nikon D7200
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8
• Sony Alpha a77 II
• Pentax K-3 II

Most of the camera in this roundup are built around either Four Thirds or APS-C sensors. Sensor size plays a large part in determining the image quality a camera is ultimately capable of and, in general, the larger a camera’s sensor, the better the image quality and the more control you have over depth-of-field. APS-C sensors are larger than Four Thirds chips, but the differences are rarely huge. The outlier here is a single camera with a 1″-type sensor, a format that is significantly smaller than the other two.

Of course the sensor sizes and image quality of these cameras are not the only thing that varies; the feature sets and performance of each camera are also quite different across the board. Within this category you’ll find weather-sealed cameras, cameras that can capture 4K video, cameras that can shoot bursts at incredibly high speeds with autofocus, and cameras that are simply well-balanced all-rounders. Which one should you buy? Read on to find out…

Sony Alpha 7R II Review

Like me you may be a bit confused by the very many Sony A 7 cameras, there seems to be many versions and understanding why and which you might want is a bit of a struggle. This review on the ever helpful DP Review might help you with the Sony Alpha 7R II

The Sony a7R II is a 42MP full frame mirrorless camera with 5-axis image stabilization, featuring the world’s first (and currently only) 35mm BSI CMOS sensor, and including a hybrid autofocus system and 4K video capabilities. It’s the fifth in the company’s a7 range of full frame cameras and the second high-resolution ‘R’ model. However, although its name and appearance are very similar to the first round of a7s, the R II arguably represents just as significant a step forwards as those first full frame mirrorless models did.

The reasons for suggesting this are two-fold. Although the a7R II’s body is essentially the same as that of the 24MP a7 II (albeit with more substantial magnesium alloy construction), the camera includes two significant changes:

The first is that this is the first full frame camera to feature a sensor based on BSI CMOS technology. Although Sony always stressed that the benefits of BSI designs are most valuable in small sensors, its application on larger scales should reduce the pixel-level disadvantages of moving to higher pixel counts (which means an improvement in quality when viewed at a standard output size).

Secondly, and perhaps, most unexpectedly: the camera’s phase-detection autofocus capabilities have been increased to the point that it not only focuses quickly and effectively with its own lenses but can also do so with lenses designed for other systems. This may not sound like a big deal until you think about what Sony needs to do to make the camera a success: win-over dedicated photographers, many of whom are already committed to other systems.

Sony a7R II Highlight specifications

• 42MP Full Frame BSI CMOS sensor
• 399 on-sensor Phase Detection points
• 5-axis image stabilization
• Internal 4K recording from full sensor width or ‘Super’ 35 crop
• Picture Profile system including ITU-709 and S-Log2 gamma
• Full magnesium alloy construction
• 2.36m dot OLED viewfinder with 0.7x magnification
• High speed AF with non-native lenses

	Sony a7R II	Sony a7R	Sony a7 II	Sony a7S II
Sensor	42MP full-frame	36MP full-frame	24MP full-frame	12MP full-frame
Image Stabilization	In-body	In-lens only	In-body	In-body
Electronic First Curtain Shutter	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Silent (full electronic) Shutter	Yes	No	No	Yes
ISO Range (Stills) Standard / Expanded	100 – 25,600 50 – 102,400	100 – 25,600 50 – 25,600	100 – 25,600 50 – 25,600	100-102,400 50-409,600
Continuous Shooting (with AF)	5 fps	1.5 fps	5 fps	2.5 fps
AF system	Hybrid (399 phase detect and 25 contrast detect points)	Contrast AF with 25 points	Hybrid with 117 phase detect and 25 contrast detect points	Contrast AF with 169 points
4K from Super 35 crop?	Yes	No	No	No
4K Movie specs	UHD 30/24p XAVC S (100/60Mbps)	N/A	N/A	UHD 30/24p XAVC S (100/60Mbps)
HD Movie specs	1080 60/30/24p (50Mbps) XAVC S	1080 60p (28Mbps) 60i/24p (24/17Mbps) AVCHD	1080 60/30/24p (50Mbps) XAVC S	1080 120p (100/60Mbps) 60/30/24p (50Mbps) XAVC S
Picture Profile (inc S-Log2)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes + S-Log3
Front panel construction	Magnesium alloy	Magnesium alloy	Composite	Magnesium alloy
Optical low pass filter	No	No	Yes	Yes
Battery life (CIPA) LCD/EVF	340/290 shots per charge	340/270 shots per charge	350/270 shots per charge	370/310 shots per charge
Weight w/ battery	625 g	465 g	599 g	627 g
MSRP	$3,199 body only	$2,299 body only	$1,699 body only	$2,999 body only

 

Canon EOS 760D vs 750D vs 700D: 9 things you need to know

You wait around for new cameras and then they all come at once. Canon has introduced 2 new mid range cameras, the 750D looks like an update of the 700D although the latter has not been ditched from the line up and the 760D has a number of other improvements that pitch it higher.

This report from Digital Camera World covers the basic differences and explains why you will choose one rather than the other to suit your photography.

EOS Rebel T6s / T6i (760D / 750D) key features

• 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• 19-point autofocus system
• Hybrid CMOS AF III focus system (live view)
• 7560 pixel RGB + IR metering sensor with skin tone detection
• 3″ fully articulating touchscreen LCD
• Eye sensor for use with optical viewfinder [T6s only]
• LCD information display on top plate [T6s only]
• Quick control dial on rear [T6s only]
• 5 fps continuous shooting
• 1080/30p video
• Servo AF in live view [T6s only]
• Wi-Fi with NFC

DP Review has more detail as you would expect, if you want that here is a link

Digital Camera World come up with these as conclusions

Canon EOS 760D vs 750D vs 700D: Conclusions

With the launch of these two new APS-C DSLRs, alongside the announcements of the Canon 5DS and Canon 5DS R and the new EOS M3, Canon has made a bold start to 2015.

Will the 760D and 750D cannibalise existing EOS DSLRs? Although the 700D remains in the range, we anticipate it being gradually phased out and the 750D becoming the flagship entry-level EOS.

The 760D is certainly going to be tempting to those photographers looking to step up the range and who would otherwise be considering the 70D. If you don’t need the 70D’s faster frame rate and weather sealing, then the 760D is the smarter buy.

In our opinion, the additional convenience offered by the EOS 760D’s top LCD display and Quick Control Dial alone are worth the £50 premium over the 750D.

Canon 5DS 50-megapixel

At last Canon have responded to Nikon and produced a camera with significantly more pixels, a 50 megapixel camera will produce approximately a 150mb file! It is not one new camera but 2, the 5Ds and the 5DS R The planned release is June so start saving.

Canon’s new full-frame sensor offers a resolution of 50.6 million pixels (megapixels). That’s 40% more than the Nikon D800/D810, a camera which caused jaws to drop on its own launch Comparisons with Canon’s own cameras are even more stark. The EOS 5D Mark III was previously Canon’s highest resolution DSLR, with 22 million pixels – but the 5DS more than doubles this at a stroke writes Techradar

This kind of resolution might be overkill for the average amateur photographer, but for professionals it could be crucial. It could even take away the need to move up to the much more expensive world of medium format digital photography, and will be particularly well-suited to landscapes, architecture, fashion and portrait photography. It provides the kind of resolution needed for large-scale displays like advertising billboards or posters.

Professionals are the main target, but Canon also talks about ‘personal’ photography. The EOS 5DS isn’t cheap, but it’s not unattainable either. It goes on sale from June 2015 at a price of £3,000/US$3700 (about AU$4726), which is not a whole lot more than the EOS 5D Mark III

The 5DS R is sharper still

When Nikon launched the D800 in 2012, it also announced a variant the D800E. Until that point, all DSLRs had an optical ‘low-pass’ filter in front of the sensor to prevent moiré (interference) effects with fine patterns and textures. This slightly softens fine detail as a side-effect, and the D800E variant had the low pass filter effect removed (reduced actually – it was removed entirely for the D810).

Canon has done the same. The 5DS is the ‘regular’ version with a low pass filter, while the 5D R has the low pass effect removed.

In fact, apart from the resolution and a some external details, the 5DS is practically the same as the 5D Mark III. The 5D Mark III will continue alongside the new models too, and not just as a cheaper but outdated predecessor – it’s better in low light, for a start. The 5DS has a maximum non-expanded ISO of 6400, but the 5D Mark III goes up to ISO 12800

Canon EOS 5DS / SR key features

• 50MP CMOS sensor
• 5fps continuous shooting
• ISO 100-6400 (Extends to 12,800)
• 61-point AF module with input from 150k pixel metering sensor
• Dual Digic 6 processors
• 3.0″ 1.04m dot LCD
• CF & SD slots (UHS-I compatible)
• 1080/30p video
• M-Raw and S-Raw down-sampled formats
• 30MP APS-H crop and 19.6MP APS-C crop modes
• USB 3.0 interface

 

It is interesting that as DP Review mention having such resolution means that focus and stability becomes more of an issue, this implies these cameras are better suited to tripod based photography

Most of the big new features on the high-res 5Ds are about ensuring you’re able to get the best of the cameras’ extra resolution. Our experiences with the Nikon D8X0 series cameras has shown us that simply having a high resolution sensor isn’t enough: to take full advantage of it you need to really obsess about stability.

To this end, Canon has reinforced the tripod socket and surrounding area to allow stable engagement with a tripod. It has also used a more controllable, motorized mirror mechanism, like the one in the EOS 7D II, that allows a deceleration step before the mirror hits its upper position – reducing mirror slap.

The third change a revised mirror lock-up mode that allows you to specify an automatic delay between the mirror being raised and the shutter opening to start the exposure. It allows the user to choose the shortest possible delay that has allowed mirror vibration to subside: maximizing sharpness while minimizing the loss of responsiveness.

How funky is this picture, looks like the T20 Terminator

A series of features in the EOS 5DS and S R are ones we first saw in the EOS 7D Mark II. This includes the flicker detection function that warns you of lighting flicker and can synchronize the camera’s continuous shooting so that it only fires at the brightest moments to ensure consistent exposure (rather than the constant variation you can otherwise get in such situations).

Two other 7D II features to make an appearance in 5D camera for the first time are the built-in intervalometer function that can be used to shoot time lapse sequences. And, as a first for Canon, these can then be combined in-camera to create a 1080/24p time-lapse movie.

You can get further information from DP Review and Techradar or even Canon 

 

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II: new camera with surprising ability

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II – price tag £899.99 body only; release date late Feb 2015 – has been announced today, offering photographers the opportunity to create 40-megapixel images using its 16MP sensor.

I don’t quite know how they have done this, it seems like smoke and mirrors, maybe that is it.

This new Olympus camera is able to offer this new functionality thanks to an enhanced 5-Axis Image Stabilisation system first introduced in its predecessor, the Olympus OM-D E-M5.

The OM-D E-M5 Mark II is able to capture 40-megapixel still images by moving its 16-megapixel LIVE MOS sensor between each shot and merging eight single exposures into one final image with detail and resolution far beyond the sensor’s normal capacity.

Normally used by manufacturers to counteract the effects of camera shake, Olympus has used this sensor shifting technology to create high-resolution composites that Olympus says rivals the quality of many full-frame cameras.

But it also eliminates camera shake, too. Olympus says the enhanced 5-axis Image Stabilisation system can eliminate shake in all five planes of movement, achieving the equivalent of 5 EV steps faster than shutter speed. And because the system is built into the body of the OM-D E-M5 II it will work with any lens, is what we learn from Digital Camera World

More information is available at DP Review

Olympus’s OM-D E-M5 II is, like its predecessor, a small, attractive and usable 16MP camera. In fact, at first glance it looks relatively unchanged. The most obvious additions are its more advanced movie capabilities and a clever multi-shot 40MP mode, but you have to look a bit more closely to see how much work Olympus has put into this new model.

How do you follow up a classic? A little more time is going to have to pass before the E-M5 can truly wear that mantle but I have little doubt that that’s the question Olympus’s engineers and product planners have been asking themselves. And, it must be said, it’s quite a challenge. Technology has moved forward since the first OM-D was launched but simply bringing the camera up-to-date risks feeling like a let down.

Sure enough, the E-M5 II doesn’t feel like as big a step forward as its predecessor was. But how could it be? Cameras such as the Sony’s a6000 and a7, and Samsung’s NX1 have raised the expected level of capability so far that it would be hard for any new model to represent as much of a breakthrough. Nonetheless, Olympus has probably done as much as it can to move things forward.

Close examination of the camera shows that almost every aspect of its design has been tweaked, refined and polished. Without access to a higher pixel-count sensor, it’s not obvious what else Olympus could have added to the Mark II.

Olympus E-M5 II key features

• 16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor
• 40 MP multi-exposure mode
• 1080/60p shooting and 1080/30p at up to 77Mbps (All-I)
• 5-axis image stabilization in both stills and movie modes
• 10fps continuous shooting, 5fps with AF
• 1/8000th sec maximum shutter speed (1/16000th with electronic shutter)
• Built-in Wi-Fi
• Clip-on rotating, bounceable flash
• The standout change for stills shooters is likely to be the 40MP multi-shot mode. This uses the camera’s sensor-shift system to move the sensor to eight fractionally different positions and create a high-resolution composite image from these eight exposures.

As digital photography and cameras continue to develop new and innovative ways of improving results step into the light every so often. These new innovations make us think wow I would like one of those but rarely do we actually stray from our preferred camera manufacturer. I still see classes on our excellent Understanding Your DSLR Camera where everyone has either a Canon or a Nikon. There is an very occasional Pentax, sometimes a Sony and less often still an Olympus but by a huge margin it is Nikon or Canon. We try to keep you up to date with new developments in cameras, do you remember last year we reported on the revolutionary Lytro. A camera so advanced that it allows you to refocus your image on the computer after you have taken the picture. Choose anything you want in focus in your image and it can be! If you don’t believe me here is a link to our post. Well I have never seen one, have never met anyone who has one or who has seen one. Will this be the case with this new Olympus, who knows? If the idea works and is a useful addition to the process of making images I guess Canon and Nikon will make their own version once they have figured out how to get around the patents.

So should you be considering changing all your gear for one of these? Personally I would wait to see how good it is, what problems with the moving sensor and then whether you actually need a 40mp camera. That will make a 120mb file! The Nokia Lumia 1020 phone has a 41mp camera, honestly who cares.

Nikon D750 – First Review

Nikon have just released their new camera, as DP Review says

Nikon has released the enthusiast-focused D750, a 24MP full-frame DSLR which sits between the D610 and D810 in the company’s lineup. The D750 offers an improved version of the 51-point AF system from the D810, a 6.5fps maximum frame-rate, plus built-in Wi-Fi and a vari-angle LCD. Video features are lifted directly from the D810 and include 1080/60p recording and full manual exposure control.

The Nikon D750 will be available in September body-only for $2299.95, or later in October with the AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 VR lens (price still undetermined). A dedicated MB-D16 battery grip will be available for $485.

You may be thinking do we need another camera to sit between two perfectly good cameras, well as we know in the digital world there are constant improvements and it is that which drives the industry. If you have recently purchased a D610 or even a D810 you might feel a bit cheated but the answer to that is when you buy a camera DO NOT look at any sites about cameras for at least 6 months.

If you want to read all the guff that Nikon say about their new camera visit the DP Review site here, you will not be surprised to read “The Nikon D750 is the camera many have been waiting for; never before has this level of functionality and vast feature set been offered in a full frame D-SLR” pretty much like any other camera, always better, always faster etc.

Here is the basic spec

Nikon D750: Key Specifications

• 24MP Full-frame CMOS sensor with AA filter
• Flip up/down 3.2″ 1,229k-dot RGBW LCD screen
• Maximum framerate of 6.5fps at full resolution
• Improved 51-point Multi-CAM 3500FX II AF system (sensitive to -3EV)
• Built-in Wi-Fi
• Highlight-weighted metering
• 1080/60p video recording
• Powered aperture for control during live view/video
• Group Area AF mode
• Simultaneous internal recording and HDMI output
• Here are the first impression and summary by DP Review, always a trusted site
• We’ve only had access to a pre-production camera, but even so it’s hard not to be impressed by the Nikon D750. Its combination of D810-inherited features (especially when it comes to video) and speed is very attractive at this price point. We’re intrigued too by the new camera’s AF system which should – in theory – be more reliable than the D800-series’ in poor light. Unique in Nikon’s FX lineup is a tilting rear LCD screen – another feature that we suspect might prove very tempting, especially to casual videographers.

  It isn’t hard to imagine some D800 owners actually upgrading to the D750 for the sake of details like this – and of course the extra speed. Depending on the kind of photography that you practice, 24MP may well be perfectly adequate – Canon certainly thinks so, having yet to exceed the 21MP mark in any of its DSLRs.

  The D750 is a camera that ostensibly occupies a new position in Nikon’s DSLR lineup, but which can arguably be seen as the successor to two previous models. The most obvious is the D700 – the affordable, fastenthusiast-targeted full-frame camera that the D800 never quite was. A lot of photographers don’t need 36MP after all, but do value speed, and may have been disappointed by the D800’s pedestrian 4fps continuous shooting rate. The D750’s ergonomics might have more in common with the entry-level D610 than the semi-pro (at the time) D700 but don’t be fooled by externals – this is a serious, fast, and tough camera which won’t leave an enthusiast wanting.

  I suggested that the D750 could be seen as the successor to two previous Nikon cameras. The second is theD300S. This one’s a bit more controversial. I know a lot of DPReview readers continue to hope for a D400 which will replace the D300S in spirit and sit above the D7100 in Nikon’s APS-C format DSLR lineup. Increasingly though, the signs are that Nikon is keen to push its enthusiast DX users upwards into full-frame, not sideways.

  It would be ridiculous to suggest that FX format will totally replace DX, but it certainly appears that Nikon believes that full-frame is the future for professional and semi-pro users. It’s possible that Nikon will one day offer another truly high-end APS-C camera, but the company’s obvious focus on updating its FX lens lineup is probably a significant indicator to the contrary.

  Nikon has released more than twice as many FX lenses in the past five years as DX. The only truly fast, constant-aperture standard zoom for DX is the Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF, which was announced more than ten years ago. Could we see a sudden rash of new DX lenses released in 2015 and beyond? Maybe. But honestly, we’re not betting on it. So if you’re one of those people that’s still holding out for a replacement for the D300S… well, you might be looking at it.

 

Nikon D810 – first look and review

Nikon have updated their ground breaking D800 with the snappily named D810 here is some information and a review from DP Review

Two years after Nikon shook up the high-end DSLR market with the 36MP D800 and D800E, it has consolidated the 800-series with the release of a new camera, the D810. The D810 replaces both previous 800-series models, and will be offered at an MSRP of $3299 – about the same as the D800E, and a little more than the D800. Why is the D810 priced like the D800E, and not the D800? Well, the D810 takes the D800E’s ‘AA filter cancellation’ trick one step further by dispensing with an AA filter entirely, which should result in a camera that offers greater resolution than either of the two models that it replaces.

Anti-aliasing filter aside, the D810 is not by any means a reinvention of the popular D800/E concept, but the handful of major changes should make the new camera more capable than its predecessors. Perhaps more importantly, they should also make the camera more attractive to potential buyers who have been weighing up whether or not to jump into full-frame. The D810 isn’t a camera that you should necessarily sell your D800 or D800E for, but it’s a better camera than both older models – at least on paper.

Following Nikon’s general philosophy a few of the refinements made in the D4S have trickled down into the D810 and videographers especially should be pleased with a couple of the additions to its video feature set. Other welcome changes include a redesigned shutter and mirror mechanism to mitigate resolution-reducing shock from shutter actuation, and a new S-Raw mode for reduced-resolution raw capture (Nikon owners have been asking for that one for years).

Nikon D810: Key Specifications

36.3MP Full-frame CMOS sensor (no AA filter)
ISO 64-12,800 (expands to ISO 32-51,200)
Electronic first-curtain shutter and redesigned mirror mechanism
New ‘RAW Size S’ 9MP Raw mode
Expeed 4 engine
Max 5fps shooting in FX mode, 7fps in DX (with battery grip + EN-EL18 / AA batteries)
3.2in 1,229k-dot RGBW LCD screen with customizable color
OLED viewfinder information display
Improved Scene Recognition System allows face detection in OVF mode
‘Split screen zoom’ display in live view allows horizons/lines to be leveled precisely
51-point AF system with new ‘Group Area AF’ mode (inherited from D4S)
New ‘flat’ Picture Control mode (intended to appeal to videographers)
Auto ISO available in manual exposure mode
Zebra strips for focus checking in video mode
Uncompressed HDMI output with simultaneous recording to memory card
Built-in stereo microphone

D810 versus D800/E: Specification highlights

36.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor with no AA filter (D800E has effects of AA filter ‘canceled’)
5fps maximum shooting in FX mode (compared to 4fps in D800/E)
New ‘Group Area AF’ mode (5 AF points can act together)
New electronic first-curtain shutter and redesigned sequencer/mirror balancer to reduce vibrations
New ‘highlight-weighted’ metering option (to preserve highlight detail in contrasty scenes)
1080/60p movie recording with built-in stereo mic (compared to 1080/30p with monaural audio)
3.2″ 1,229k-dot RGBW LCD screen (compared to 3.2″ 921k-dot RGB)
Power aperture available while shooting video to SD/CF card (compared to only when using HDMI)
The ability to record to memory card while simultaneously outputting video over HDMI
New ‘flat’ Picture Control mode (intended for videographers who need broader dynamic range)
Unlimited continuous shooting (previously 100-frame limit)

See the full review here

1939: England in Color

The pictures are not the most thrilling but on the eve of the second world war these images seem to imply the most tranquil life, found on DP Review

See all the images (23) here