A Guest Post by Chris Folsom.

Lineup of Lenses – by canonsnapper

It’s a question I hear a lot from new photographers: “what lenses should I buy?”

And while there are a lot of different types of lenses appropriate for many different situations and needs, time and time again I find myself primarily relying on three lenses in my bag: a fast general purpose zoom (18-50mm), a macro lens and a telephoto zoom (70-200mm). These three lenses will give you enough versatility to shoot in almost any conditions. Also, these three lenses are available for just about every camera system and lens mount on the market.

The general purpose zoom

This is the lens that sits on my camera the most. For APS-C cameras, something in the 18-50mm range is best… for 35mm format cameras, a 24-70mm will work. This will give you the ability to go fairly wide while also being able to zoom into objects off in the distance. This lens might be your kit lens, but it should preferably be fairly fast (a fixed f/2.8 if possible) to give you greater control over depth of field. It makes a great “walkabout” lens when you aren’t sure what you will be shooting.

The macro lens

The length of this lens isn’t as important as its ability to create a 1:1 magnification of subjects. I currently keep a 50mm f/2.8 macro in my bag because it is small and light… easy to carry around for when I might need it. It makes a decent portrait lens (very sharp and the f/2.8 provides a fairly shallow area of focus) and the level of detail you can get when shooting objects up close is fantastic. Having a macro lens opens up a whole new world of tiny objects to photograph. Also, if you do any type of product photography (jewelry, food, etc.) this lens will allow you to capture a much greater level of detail than is possible with non-macro lenses.

Fortune by Chris Folsom http://www.flickr.com/photos/zero101/3335373821/

The telephoto zoom

The telephoto zoom should be in the general range of 70-200mm with a maximum aperture of at least f/4 (faster is nice though). This will give you a lot of distance to work with and a very shallow depth of field to bring focus to your subjects. For faster moving objects, the bigger aperture will allow you to shoot at faster shutter speeds which will help capture moving objects (birds, sports) too. This is also an excellent portrait lens as the focal length minimizes distortion and narrows the angle of view to fill the frame with your subject.

Wait… what about?

I am sure many of you reading this have other lenses you would consider essential. A fast 50, or a wide angle or a longer zoom… and all of those are great lenses to own also. However, for someone who is new to photography or who has just bought their first DSLR, these three lenses will give them the versatility to shoot in almost any situation. Family gatherings, sports events, birds, insects, flowers, landscapes, portraits, etc. Once you narrow in on a particular type of photography that most interests you, other lenses may be more useful for that specific subject, but until then these are the lenses all photographers should be carrying with them.

What lenses would you include in your ‘every photography should own’ basket?

If you’ve always hungered for a DSLR and more importantly, a Nikon DSLR, but never had ‘the ready’ to fill your ambition … The Nikon D3000 DSLRcould be your opportunity.

It’s hard to quantify the allure of the breed but undeniable is the bloodline, the technical excellence and innovative achievements of Nikon cameras and lenses. Priced just above point-and-shoot fixed lens digicams and well beneath the semi pro and full pro model DSLRs, the D3000 is an excellent pathway to the higher quality such a camera can deliver.

Nikon D3000 DSLR Features

In the hand, the camera is delightfully compact, light and — to the novice’s eye — ‘unsplattered’ by intimidating external controls. You view via an optical turret viewfinder or the rear 7.6cm LCD screen.

The review camera was supplied with the f3.5/18-55mm VR lens that handles hand-induced vibration. With this lens attached the gear weighs just under a kilo — no penalty in my book.

Of course, there are a few issues when you deal with a Nikon DSLR: image stability is provided by the lens’ internal optics, and some of the attractively-priced kit lenses usually offered with the D3000 do not provide this.

With 10.2 million pixels on its CCD the camera can shoot a maximum 3872×2592 pixel image; when printed this accounts for a 33×22cm output at 300 dpi.

The mode dial has settings for auto, Program AE, aperture and shutter priority as well as manual exposure plus a number of scene modes (landscape, sports, portraits etc).

The built in flash can be useful especially as a ‘fill’ for portraits; the more adventurous can also experiment with light trails thanks to the flash’s ability to sync with the rear shutter curtain.

And note: DSLRs at this level have a macro mode, not available on the upper level reflex cameras. So, if you’re into ECUs (extra close-ups) of bugs and beetles, a camera like the D3000 is ideal.

Fire up the camera and the first thing you see is the LCD display confirming that the CCD is being cleaned — pre-shoot; post-shoot, cut the power and the camera cleans the sensor again. With an interchangeable lens camera, this function is important, eradicating dust that may enter when you switch lenses.

Right from the start the beginner can feel at home, thanks to the Guide, selectable from the mode dial and shown on the LCD display. This will hold your hand through the various shooting modes and even help you move through some of the more advanced techniques. As well as this, settings made with Guide mode can even be tweaked before making the shot.

There is a Scene Recognition System that optimises exposure, white balance and autofocus; continuous shooting can be made at up to 3 fps and an 11-point selectable autofocus scheme tracks focus in any of four modes (static or moving subjects, auto area and 3D tracking).

The D3000’s photo editing functions give you in-camera retouching, and here again is a Tilt-Shift mode that I first encountered in the Ricoh CX2 … it creates a miniature mode effect from normal shots. Cute.

The ISO range runs from 100 to 3200.

Optimum ISO at 100.

Still very clean at ISO 400.

Minimal noise at ISO 800.

Noise becoming evident at ISO 1600 but still useable.

Hitting its straps at ISO 3200 this is only when you really have to!

A movie house foyer, shot at ISO 3200 — with the right subject, quite a useable setting. Detail in the picture covers the noise.

Photography at this level lets you into the exalted arena of RAW capture, where you can manipulate your shots to a degree not achievable with JPEG shooting. However, the D3000 will still shoot JPEGs, if you sometimes need only snapshot quality.

Digging around the manual I found a terrific mode that can shoot stop motion clips from a series of stills. You can make short video sequences from puppets or even hand-drawn animation that will run successfully on an SD TV set at 640×480 pixel res or you can even smaller create clips for use on the Web. Magic!

Comment

A great piece of kit. Beginners star here!

Why you would buy the D3000: attractive price for a DSLR; entrée to Nikon system and lenses; RAW capture.

Why you wouldn’t: no Live View; no video capture (but you can make a stop motion movie from still shots!); low resolution LCD.

I figure the D3000 is a perfect entry-level camera, with some modes (like stop motion movies) that will give you a lot of fun, without the need for a lot of techy knowledge. Good one Nikon!

Nikon D3000 Specifications

Image Sensor: 10.2 million effective pixels.
Metering: Matrix and centre-weighted metering, spot.
Effective Sensor Size: 23.6×15.8mm CCD.
35 SLR Lens Factor: 1:5x.
Compatible lenses: Nikkor AF-S and AF-I.
Exposure Modes: Auto, Program AE, shutter and aperture priority, manual.
Shutter Speed: 30 to 1/4000 second, Bulb. Flash sync: 1/200.
Memory: SD/SDHC cards.
Image Sizes (pixels): 3872×2592, 2896×1944, 1936×1296.
Viewfinders: Optical pentamirror, 7.6cm LCD (230,000 pixels).
File Formats: RAW, RAW+JPEG.
Colour Space: Adobe RGB, sRGB.
ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 100 to 3200.
Interface: USB 2.0, AV, DC input.
Power: Rechargeable lithium ion battery, AC adaptor.
Dimensions: 126×97×64 WHDmm.
Weight: Approx. 485 g (body only).
Price: At Amazon the Nikon D3000 is $448.93 with 18-55mm lens or $369.95 Body Only.

Body only: $799. With Nikkor f3.5/18-55mm VR lens: $949.

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

In this post Kim Brebach from Get the Picture shares his review of the Nikon D700.

Full Frame becomes affordable

Makers of Digital SLR cameras long ago settled on the APS-C sensor, named after a small film format that came in the late nineties and disappeared soon after. APS-C sensors have an area less than half that of a 35mm frame – about 16 x24mm compared with 24 x36 for full frame. Kodak and Canon were the first to use full-frame sensors in 2003 but the prices of these cameras were quoted in 5 figures.

Advances in sensor technology, along with greatly improved yields, have driven the cost of full frame sensors down while megapixels went up. Nikon took until 2007 to release its first full frame DSLR, the D3. Both the D3 and the D700 that followed it made do with 12 megapixels, where Canon went as high as 21 for the big SD1 Mk III and the new 5D MkII.

Sony had jumped into the full frame market as well with the A900 late in 2008 and then the A850, both delivering 24 megapixel detail. At US$2000, the Sony A850 became the cheapest full frame DSLR on the market, and offered 24 pixels.

Moore’s Law

Much like laptops, digital cameras are good for about 18 months after release, when they tend to drift into rapid obsolescence. And, just like laptops, DSLRs follow Moore’s law and double their grunt or halve their prices every year or two. Sony forced the issue because Sony wanted to muscle in on this lucrative market, and because Sony had the technology – it makes the full frame sensors for Nikon.

So here we are with what look like several affordable choices, at least on paper: the 12mp Nikon D700, the 21mp Canon 5D MkII and the 24mp Sony a850, all for around US$ 2,500.

Only a year ago, Nikon launched the D3x with its version of Sony’s 24mp sensor and a US$8,000 price tag, and a chorus of voices shouted ‘rip-off’.

Shouting is easier than switching with these ‘system’ cameras, as there are strings attached in the form of expensive lenses which only fit one brand. That explains why Nikon guru Thom Hogan penned a piece called Sony Envy, where he offered us some ‘cold-shower’ advice along the lines that we should focus on our shooting skill not on our shooting kits.

Make no mistake, these cameras are serious kit. You know that from the moment you pick one up. The three contenders pictured above each weigh a kilo without lenses attached, or two kilos with batteries and pro-grade metal-lenses. Their bulked-up bodies tell the world that you’re a dead-serious photo geek since no one else would cart around a camera this big.

These things are loaded in other ways too: they offer more features than a thousand faces and give you more menu options than a Chinese restaurant. They let you shoot umpteen frames a second at a sports carnival, and shoot without flash on a moonlit night. What they don’t let you do is walk easy or travel easy.

Never mind the Size

I managed to get my hands on a Nikon D700, a solid lump made from magnesium alloy, not plastic. It’s not too big in my long-fingered hands, but it makes me nervous holding a camera that costs as much as this. Clearly it’s too expensive for shooting the grand kids if it involves rolling around the floor with them, or frolicking in the sand on the beach. And just as clearly, the D700 is too big for taking on leisurely walks around the harbour.

This is a serious camera for serious photography, and it belongs to a good friend who’s a pro shooter. For him, the D700 is a bargain because it cost half as much as a Nikon D3. The Nikon D700 is a D3 in a more compact body, relatively speaking.

It misses out on a few tweaks like the 4:5 aspect ratio option, a second memory card slot and 8 frames/sec continuous shooting. Instead, the D700 gets a built-in flash, sensor cleaning and LiveView. You can read the gory details in these excellent reviews here and here.

Light becomes obsolete

Fewer pixels on a bigger sensor are a good omen for minimising digital noise, and the D700 is proof of that concept. Not long ago, ISO 3200 was a silly boast on a camera’s menu but it’s become a realistic default option on the D700, and even ISO 6400 produces images with very little noise. This means that you can take shots at a dimly lit dining room table with a shutter speed fast enough for handholding.

Nikon isn’t resting on its laurels. The new D3S has three ‘Hi’ settings – ISO 25,600, 51,200 and 102,400 – which means we’re talking about shooting in total darkness, taking photos of objects our eyes would never see. The D3X with 24mp is not in the same low-light class.

High ISO isn’t just good for low light, of course. It lets you shoot much faster in all kinds of conditions without reaching for the tripod: in dark forests, under stormy skies and in dim churches. And inside sports stadiums, where the D700 shines with a continuous frame rate of 5 per second. Regardless of the file type you choose – raw, JPEG or TIFF, 12-bit or 14-bit, ten shots take about ten seconds to store in flash memory. Of course, the buffer will accommodate far more JPEG files than raw ones.
?To me, the Nikon D700 looks like the perfect all-round camera, from landscapes to sports. 12 megapixels may be a limitation for pro shooters who have to shoot prints that cover the side of a bus, so they’d need to reach for a Canon or Sony or Nikon’s new 24mp D3X or a Hasselblad.

There’s always a downside

The heft of full-frame cameras is an obvious issue for amateur shooters, and Canon’s and Sony’s contenders aren’t any smaller or lighter than Nikon’s. Size may be an acceptable trade-off for those of us who still own Nikon film lenses, which are full-frame by definition and which are granted a new lease of life by these cameras.

If you’re starting from scratch, APS-C sensor cameras literally stretch your dollar further because the bodies are cheaper. Then there’s the 1.5 crop factor of what Nikon calls ‘DX’ lenses vs ‘FX’ for full frame. FX tele-zooms get seriously expensive over 300mm but, because of the crop factor on a DX camera, a cheap Sigma 70-300mm FX lens becomes a 105-450 lens. It’s a different story at the super-wide end where the crop factor works against the smaller sensor.

If you’re eyeing off a 21 or 24mp DSLR, you should also allow for practical considerations: for one, your PC hardware will feel the strain, from your chipset to your storage and backup systems. A 14-bit RAW+JPEG image will take 30MB or more of memory card or disk space, and suddenly you need to buy double or triple everything. These cameras give you the option of shooting in APS-C mode, but that’s not what you bought them for.

The Bottom Line of the Nikon D700

The Nikon D700 is an envy-inducing device, a camera of breathtaking all-round competence. It’s hard to think of anything you could improve here, and that includes Nikon’s class-leading ergonomics with logical menus and enough buttons to assign your favourite functions to, and everything else falling to hand readily. We could argue that you don’t have to be much of a photographer to shoot great photos with a camera like this, and that the camera isn’t the most crucial ingredient for good photography, but we could also argue that a camera like this opens greater creative possibilities.

It’s hard to argue with the price, though, and it will come down some more once the D700X (or whatever the new model is called) is announced in February 2010. The real question is: do you need a camera this serious and this competent? And do you want to lug around a camera this heavy? Unless you’re a pro shooter or a very serious amateur, the answer is probably NO.

Postscript

There’s an interesting piece in Mike Johnston’s blog about the Sony a850 he tested recently, where he says that ‘the Sony A850 should be thought of as a medium-format digital camera in a conventional SLR form-factor body.’ ?

The photo shows Mike holding a 20 x 30″ test print made on a wide-format printer by a colleague who thinks ‘it looks better than a 20×30 print from 6×7 cm film.’ Mike adds: ‘I just can’t see a 30″-wide print needing to look better, for almost any conceivable application.’

I assume that means commercial applications involving large format image reproduction, which has been the traditional domain of Hasselblad and other $40,000 cameras with larger than full frame sensors and 50mp.
It will be interesting to see what impact these 24mp DSLRs will have on the professional market. Bear in mind that you can get Sony’s body for $2,000, but some of the excellent Zeiss lenses cost almost as much again so you’ll end up spending close to 5 figures for a full system. One issue is that Sony can’t yet offer the same wide choice of lenses Canon or Nikon does, but neither can Hasselblad.

The Nikon D700 is priced at Amazon at $2,399.95 (Body Only) or $2,952.98 with 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF VR Nikkor Zoom Lens.

A guest Review of the Sigma DP1s by Patrick Dean from NeutralDay.com.

The idea is simple really. Put a large sensor inside a small compact body and you’ve got a camera that enthusiasts can carry around easily and still secure the same level of quality from their captures as they would from their larger DSLR camera. Recently a number of cameras have been released that fit this bill, but just a short time ago, Sigma was flying solo in this market sector with DP1.

Using the unique Foveon X3 sensor, the DP1 offered users a 28mm equivalent lens, excellent image quality, all in a fairly compact body. The “DP” lineup was then augmented with the DP2, which provided the same sensor technology and form factor, but brought users a 41mm f/2.8 lens, along with some improved functionality (a quick set feature). Now Sigma has in effect refreshed the DP1 by adding the DP2’s quick set feature and improving the DP1’s ability to shoot backlit subjects. Though this review is of the DP1s, it largely applies to the DP2 and DP1 as well. The key differences will boil down to the users lens length preference, remember the DP1s offers a 28mm f/4, while the DP2 provides 41mm length at f/2.8. Image quality and usage is essentially identical.

Sigma DP1s Highlights

DSLR sized full color sensor: The DP1s uses the Foveon X3 sensor, which at 20.7mm x 13.8mm is much larger than a compact sensor. The X3 is a full color sensor, and unlike the Bayer sensors found in most DSLR cameras doesn’t require demosaicing. Sigma claims the Foveon X3 used in the DP1s is a 14 megapixel sensor, but in dimensions it is actually a 4.7 megapixel sensor, while in resolution it appears to offer about 10 megapixels. Long story short: the X3 takes high quality, but modestly size images that are full of detail, while offering a certain unique “look”.

28mm f/4 lens: The DP1s is perfect for wide angle fans, and is well suited for landscape work. The lens manages distortion and flare quite well for a wide angle.

RAW and JPEG recording: The DP series offers the ability to record RAW files, as well as JPEG files (though not RAW+JPEG)

Accessorize: With the DP1s, users can opt to accessorize with an external flash (via hot shoe), lens filters, viewfinder, and a number of filters.

In The Hands

The DP1s is a simple black box and is about as minimal as a camera design can be. The front side of the camera offers a slightly dimpled surface for grip and the lens bezel, while the back is home to the 2.5 inch 230k LCD, several camera function buttons, and a multi-directional D-Pad type controller that also doubles for additional camera functions. Up top you have the mode dial, hot shoe, power button, pop-up flash, and shutter release. Overall the DP1s is a solid, well built camera. I do have two gripes with the DP1s (and the other DP models), the first one being the rubber cover that hides the USB port is easily bent out of shape and fails to line up flush with the camera if the cable is left in for too long (though it eventually returns to position). The second complaint is with the lens cap that given a lack of connector, could be easily lost. Neither complaint has stopped us from liking the overall design of the DP1s though, it’s comfortable to hold, good to look at, and able to handle a fair amount of abuse.

Sigma DP1s – In Use

Much like the DP1 and the DP2, the DP1s is a quirky camera to use, to put it nicely. From the typical point and shoot photographer’s point of view, the DP1s will be entirely unsatisfying, and any photographer looking for “AUTO”, or worse “Sunset”, “Birthday”, and “Fireworks” shooting modes should look elsewhere. There is no face detection here, no image stabilization, and no art filters. The DP1s is a “PASM” shooting camera only (Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual) and is intended for enthusiasts, but specifically enthusiasts with a bias toward image quality rather than user experience. Even for such photographers there will certainly be some frustrations. The LCD remains quite poor, offering low resolution and less than vivid colors. Also the AF, though consistent, is definitely on the slow side, and it can make capturing dynamic and low light subjects quite difficult. But getting past those 2 issues, if you’re used to shooting in a programmed shooting mode, the DP1s is easy to use. The added quick set feature from the DP2 makes changing settings like ISO and WB on the fly very easy, the manual focus dial works quite effectively, and we like being able to bracket shots in the field to ensure having good results when getting back home.

A look at the shooting screen and quick set screen

From a performance point of view, the DP1s is best described as average. It takes several seconds to power up, focus to capture time can take several seconds, and write to card times can also take some time. By now you’re sensing that the DP1s isn’t well suited for run and gun photography, and I’ll admit, it does require some patience. Still the DP1s is a fine performer for doing landscape work and general walk around type photography, and is quite adept at grabbing the little slices of life that is so easily turns into fascinating and unique looking images.

Sigma DP1s – Image Quality

Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60) | Aperture: f/4.0 | Focal Length: 16.6 mm | ISO Speed: 200 | Exposure Bias: +0.3 EV

This is where the DP1s and the Foveon X3 sensor really shine. Open an image up in the included Sigma Photo Pro raw converter software, and be prepared to be quite enthralled with your results. Thanks to its lens and sensor combination, the DP1s can take very sharp photos, full of detail, that frequently take on a 3-D look. Color accuracy is typically a tiny bit off, but usually in an aesthetically pleasing way. In short, the DP1s takes fantastic looking pictures that easily best the best compact and rival many DSLR cameras. Photo Pro is uniquely suited at developing the images too, producing distinctly better results than Adobe’s Lightroom and other RAW editors, but like the camera, Photo Pro can be slow to use. The time is well worth it though, as it doesn’t take very much work at all to dial in crisp, vivid, and extremely dimensional looks from your DP1s captures. It remains hard to describe, but after all the time I’ve spent with various “DP” models, I remain struck with how much different their files look versus any other camera. It doesn’t translate well via the confines of the internet, but there’s definitely something special, and yes, unique about the Foveon “look”.

Note the saturation loss at ISO 800

As for low light performance, the DP1s tops out at ISO 800, but does provide much better results at this level than your average compact. There is a degree of noise to be had past ISO 200, but even at ISO 800 the images are very usable despite having lost considerable saturation. Optically the 28mm lens, is very sharp and handles distortion and flare quite well for a wide angle lens, but you will find some chromatic aberration in the files in areas of contrast.

The Canon EOS 500D has been replaced with the Canon EOS 550D today, and by the looks of it, replaced with style.

*Images to follow*

• 18MP

• 1080p HD Movies

• ISO 6400

United Kingdom / Republic of Ireland, 8th February 2010 – Canon today announces a groundbreaking new addition to its expanding, world-famous EOS range of Digital SLR cameras – the EOS 550D.

The EOS 550D redefines the boundaries of Canon’s consumer DSLR range, incorporating technologies and features more commonly found in semi-professional DSLRs into the compact, lightweight body favoured by consumers. With a newly-developed 18 Megapixel (MP) APS-C CMOS sensor, coupled with Canon’s advanced DIGIC 4 image processor and the ability to shoot Full HD movies, photography enthusiasts are empowered to explore new levels of creativity.

Creative control with no compromise on quality.

The EOS 550D makes Canon’s powerful imaging technology more accessible to consumers. Canon’s advanced DIGIC 4 image processor and 18MP sensor support standard ISO settings of 100 – 6400 (expandable to 12800), while enhanced in-camera noise reduction technology boosts performance in low light conditions. The system’s 14-bit image processing also produces smoother tonal gradation and natural looking colours for high quality prints and on-screen display.

For swift and accurate focusing, the EOS 550D features a 9-point AF system with one extra-sensitive cross–type point at the centre for f/2.8 or faster lenses. The EOS 550D also supports high-speed, continuous shooting at 3.7 frames per second (fps). These features provide users with the opportunity to exert greater control over their images, allowing them to capture split-second moments with ease and accuracy.

Continuing Canon’s tradition of filtering new technology and features down from its advanced and professional DSLR ranges, the EOS 550D includes the iFCL metering system first launched in the EOS 7D. New for EOS is the ability to set the top limit for automatic ISO, allowing users to control the maximum amount of noise in their images. In a first for entry level EOS, exposure compensation and bracketing can be set up to plus or minus five and two stops respectively, allowing the photographer to take a number of differently exposed versions of the same shot to ensure they capture a well-exposed image, even in difficult lighting conditions.

“Digital SLR photography has captured the imagination of consumers globally,” said Kieran Magee, Director of Product Planning, Consumer Products, Canon Europe. “Every year, more and more individuals are looking to record key life events with unrivalled quality or to test and explore their creativity. The EOS 550D redefines the entry level DSLR category, putting technologies and features previously the preserve of the professional into the hands of the consumer – allowing them to achieve outstanding results. With the EOS 550D, consumers are free to explore the limits of their own creative vision.”

EOS Movies: Full HD video with creative control.

As the ability to record Full HD video becomes increasingly important, Canon continues to deliver DSLR technology that sets the industry benchmark for multimedia functionality. The EOS 550D records video in full 1920×1080p HD resolution, allowing photographers to select the frame rate preferred from 30, 25 and 24fps, as well as offering 720p video at 60 and 50fps. The EOS 550D also includes a 3.5mm stereo microphone socket, enabling the use of an external microphone when capturing video.

Photographers can also take manual control over exposure settings, changing the depth of field and degree of motion blur to shoot more creatively. To provide the best possible video quality, highlight tone priority (HTP) can be set independently for movie capture, without changing any still image capture settings. In situations where the subject is further away, the EOS 550D Movie Crop function records with the central 640×480 pixel area of the sensor, creating an effective magnification of approximately seven times. The EOS 550D is the first in the EOS range to feature Movie Crop and gives consumers more flexibility to capture important moments which would otherwise be too far away.

A clear view of your world.

The EOS 550D also allows photographers to view their images and video in unhindered clarity. A 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 Clear View LCD screen with 1,040k dot resolution makes it possible to see 100% of captured images with no borders. The anti-reflective, water-repellent coating also makes it easier to see the screen in bright conditions and from a variety of angles.

EOS build – Canon quality.

As consumers would expect from an EOS DSLR, the EOS 550D is built to a high quality specification. It features bigger, more intuitive buttons which have been redesigned following feedback from users. Based on this feedback, the EOS 550D also features an additional button on the new, battery grip, allowing aperture settings to be changed when shooting with the camera in a vertical position, without having to reorient the body.

Share the moment with friends and family.

For EOS 550D photographers, shooting great pictures and video is just a first step. Thanks to an integrated HDMI port compatible with High-Definition Multimedia Interface – Consumer Electronics Control (HDMI-CEC), video and images stored on the EOS 550D can be viewed on an HD-ready TV and controlled via the TV remote.

For users who want to transfer content wirelessly, the EOS 550D includes Eye-Fi connected functions. The EOS 550D features a dedicated Eye-Fi section in the User Interface and it disables the automatic power-down function when an Eye-Fi card is transmitting – allowing users to transfer content easily and without interruption.*

Accessories

The EOS 550D is fully compatible with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX series Speedlite flash units, including the compact Speedlite 270EX. The EOS 550D is also compatible with the new RC-6 Remote Control, allowing photographers to capture high quality stills and Full HD video without touching the camera body. The slim line infrared controller can trigger the shutter release from up to five metres away, with users able to select either immediate release or a two second delay for greater flexibility when shooting. As well as supporting EOS 550D, the RC-6 is also compatible with the EOS 450D, 500D, 7D and 5D Mark II.

CANON iMAGE GATEWAY – share your stories

Owners of the new Canon EOS 550D can join the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY, a free online facility for Canon users that makes it easy to share their photos and video. Users can take advantage of up to 2GB of personal storage space, creating enough room for hundreds of high-quality images. Mobile browsing is also supported, making it easy for friends and family to view photos on the move.

Features at a glance:

18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor

DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800)

Continuous shooting at 3.7fps

Full HD movie recording with manual control and selectable frame rates

7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 Clear View LCD with 1,040k dots

iFCL metering System with 63-zone Dual-layer Metering Sensor

Quick Control screen to change shooting settings

Exposure compensation +/-5 stops.

Select maximum value for Auto ISO

External Microphone socket

Movie crop function

Eye-Fi connected functions compatibility

Canon’s G series cameras have been around for a while and are much used by semi pros and pros needing an easy to use backup camera that still offers quality image capture.

The G11 continues the breed, with some improvements tucked away under the bonnet but with one or two surprising omissions.

Image capture maxes out at 10 million pixels; the lens is an optically stabilised and reasonably fast f2.8 Canon optic that has a 35 SLR equivalent of 28-140mm … or 5x.

The ten million pixel CCD delivers a maximum image size of 3648×2746 pixels or, in print-speak, a 31×23cm output at 300 dpi. RAW and JPEG capture are available. In the current climate, the movie specs are disappointing with only 640×480 pixel capture.

While many compact digicams shout about their higher res capture — 12 megapixels and more — it’s useful to compare apples with apples: the G11’s CCD measures 14.9mm across the diagonal while the compacts mostly reach 11mm — a significant difference. This is what Canon is all about.

At first look, the G11 seemed to be smaller than the previous G10 model and it sort of was — and wasn’t! Overall, the G11 is about five percent larger … a little wider and higher. However it’s still a very compact camera and could fit most outer coat pockets.

Canon Powershot G11 Features

Looking more and more lonely these days is the G11’s optical viewfinder, uncorrected for parallax and with little more going for it than it gives a bright view of the scene, even in bright sunlight. You will have to be careful of vertical parallax when shooting subjects a metre or so from the camera.

Supporting this optical finder is the rear 7.1 cm LCD screen, tiltable vertically and swingable horizontally. Compared to its compact digicams peers the LCD has relatively low resolution but worked well in my shooting adventures with the G11.

What sets the G11 apart is its direct control of the some of the camera’s settings via two concentric mode dials. The inner one leads you to auto, Program, aperture and shutter priority exposure modes, give access to scene modes, two custom settings and movie shooting. A Quick Shot Mode offers display LCD of the camera’s current settings like white balance, image size etc with idea that you view with the optical finder and just fire away.

The other mode dial is an ISO speed dial, which gives direct access to all settings — ISO 80 to 3200: a far better approach than a dig and delve in the finder menu.

The ISO test shot at the 80 setting showed superb quality, with no sign of noise

(insert Canon G11 ISO 80 f4.5 1/25 sec.JPG)

Same quality at ISO 800 — ideal for low light work

Pretty good at ISO 1600 — with only a slight loss of definition

A direct access to an interesting Low Light Mode is here also: the ISO speed will be varied between 320 and 12,800, with a faster shutter speed, according to ambient conditions.

To the left of these controls is another direct access button to raise or lower exposure compensation: two f stops up or down in third stop increments.

In the area of face detection Canon has chosen a smart approach: aim the camera at a face, press the frame detector button and the AF system will lock on this face, no matter how much you reframe and alter its position in the picture.

The G11’s continuous shooting abilities are less than superb: a rate of 1.1 pictures/second is available, with focus and exposure locked; step back to 07 pics/sec and the camera continues to focus.

I managed to capture this shot by using an exposure of f8 at 1/13 second. Had I needed more water blurr I also could have switched in a neutral density filter that shrinks the incoming light levels to 1/8 or three f stops.

Startup Time

The camera was ready to shoot about one to two seconds after startup; follow on shots at about a second each.

Distortion

There was noticeable barrel distortion at the wide end of the zoom, with little visible at the tele end.

Comments

The G11 is a fine camera and should win friends who want an easy to use, high quality picture maker.

Quality: about as good as it gets with a compact digicam. If you need better colour capture and higher resolution you may have to pick up a DSLR.

Why you’d buy the G11: optical finder; direct access to important settings.

Why you wouldn’t: poor movie specs; poor burst rate.

The Canon post man arrived today with a little package just for me, it contained one of their shiny new Canon Ixus 200 IS compact cameras. The same camera is called the Powershot SD980 in other parts of the world, but for this review, I’m in the UK with the UK model.

Canon Ixus 200 IS / PowerShot SD980IS

Canon released the new 12mp Ixus 200 IS recently and followed it up, here in the UK at least, with a very vigorous ad campaign. I must admit it made me want to know what all the fuss was about! Well, I’ve got to say that after using the camera for a week or so that it’s compact, cute, solid and quite well priced, and I’d be quite happy to have one in my pocket 24/7!

I am a little wary of “touch screen” products and I think this is all because of the iPhone and how very good its touch screen capabilities are. On the iPhone, with a quick finger stroke you can be on another page or another track or another photo, well because of this thinking, the first thing I did when I powered up the little Canon was to take a couple of quick shots and try out the “flip through” of the image review, and I must say that the Canon Ixus 200 IS started out by disappointing me to be honest, because you can’t just lightly touch it to change things, you have to press a little harder to get the camera to realise what you’re after. I’ve since changed my mind on this! here’s why… Imagine if you’re half way through taking a photo and brush a fingertip against the screen and the camera changes its focus to be on a passing car or a running dog or even a flying pig! and you miss the shot you’re after – so, I understand the thinking behind the sensitivity level required by the touch screen, and with that little issue out of the way, let us move on!

The camera is small, but not silly small. It’s a good size to pop into a pocket in fact, I’d say that it’s even better to carry around than my Ixus 960IS which is a little thicker and slightly bulkier. The little Ixus is 99.9 x 53.4 x 22.9mm in physical size and weighs in at about 130g Which isn’t going to break your back. For such a small camera, the 3.0″ 16×9 (230,000 dots) screen is impressive and in various shooting modes holds some of the icons required for setting things like your flash settings in auto mode and exposure in program mode.

The Ixus 200 IS / Powershot SD980 has a 5x Optical zoom and an aperture of f/2.8 – f/5.9 and shift type image stabilisation as well which is all very lovely and seems to work well together. I won’t go into digital zoom because I firmly believe that it should always remain switched off – hey, that’s just me.

The advert on television shows a sprightly group of people running through the forest using the “Face Tracking” auto focus… It actually works quite well on something like a face, it’s a bit tricky on less contrasty scenes but still, works very well! With all of the gadgetry included (There are 20 different shooting modes to choose from, including Foliage!) you’re not going to be lost for things to try out and then switch off, I say this because I think the little camera does a very good job in standard P mode, or even auto mode for that matter, the image quality is great and with an image of 4000×3000 you could print yourself out a nice poster