Tuesday 29 January 2013

New Nikkor AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED from Nikon

Nikon has today announced a new wide zoom lens for the lower end of the market. It will replace the previous 18-35 lens and it sends a signal to the Nikon FX market.

The lens have a list price of $750 which isn't that much higher than the current versions street price, so I guess that the new lens soon will reach the same street price. Normally you would see an increase in the price when the lens gets upgraded. This will be a lot cheaper than the other wide zooms that are available from Nikon, but still a high price for a zoom lens. The thing to remember about wide zoom lenses is that it there isn't any cheap models that you can buy even if you look at lenses made by third party manufacturers.

This sends a signal to the FX market that Nikon also want the lower end of the FX market. Today with the Nikon D600, but this year or next year we will see a lower end FX model that will fit in below the Nikon D600. We will most likely see more zooms that targets the advanced amateurs and amateurs market soon.   

Nikon has provided us with a couple of sample images taken with the lens. They have chosen f/8 to take the pictures with, which normally is where the lens produces the sharpest images, so it is hard to tell from these pictures how the lens will produce in real life.



Nikon also announced the Nikkor AF-S 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR with a 1.25 teleconverter, so the lens can reach 1000mm. The price of this lens is $18000, so you have to a professional to buy this lens. 

I expect the Nikkor AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED to have a better performance than the current model, but not on the level with the professional models such as Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR, Nikkor AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED and my favorite Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED N.

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Monday 28 January 2013

Canon 650D/T4i vs Canon 600D/T3i: What to buy?

What makes these two models difference? They are in the same product line, with the Canon 650D being a follow up to the Canon 600D.
Canon 600D

Here is what is new and better in the Canon 650D:
  • The sensor size is about the same. They scores also about the same level at Dxomarks with the older 600D a little bit higher, but expect them to have the same level of output.
  • The image processor is a newer model, which means it should process the pictures better and faster
  • The autofocus points are of crosstype in all 9 points vs just one in the Canon 600D. This means that it will be better at getting a sharp image.
  • The ISO can be pushed one step higher to ISO 25600 in the Canon 650D, so you will be able to take pictures in more dark situations without flash
  • The Canon 650D can shoot at 5 frames per second vs 3.7 frames per second in the Canon 600D. This is important if you shoot a lot of action or wildlife
The current price difference is $150 (January 2013). Does the above quality for spending and extra $150 dollars? Well for some having better autofocus, go higher in ISO and shoot more frames per second will be important, but for most people I would recommend going for the cheaper Canon 600D and use the saved money on some better lens, which is the second part of the equation of making good pictures.

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Thursday 24 January 2013

Nikon D3200 vs Nikon D3000: What to buy/upgrade?

So what is the difference between these two cameras. Both are entry level models with a couple of years a part and you might be the owner of the older version and want to know if the new model is an upgrade option.

Here is what makes the Nikon D3200 better:

  • You get a much improved sensor with 24 megapixel, where the sensor in the Nikon D3000 only is 10 megapixel. The sensor improves the output of your images greatly
  • You get a 4 frames per second vs 3 frames per second in the Nikon D3000. This is a nice increase for those that shoot action or wildlife
  • You get a self-timer with a little more options, where it can take more than one picture. A nice feature
  • You get to push the ISO to 12800 which is two stops. This means that you will be able to take pictures in dark situations without flash
  • You get movie options for you to use the camera as a video camera
Here is what you will miss going forward to the Nikon D3000:
  • Ýou image files will become larger, but you can choose in the camera just to save in smaller sizes
The Nikon D3200 is a great upgrade for you as a Nikon D3000 owner, where you get a camera that produces a lot better pictures and you get the video options as the two main differences. If you don't own any of those two you only choice should be the Nikon D3200. It is by far the much better camera.

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Tuesday 22 January 2013

Nikon D3200 vs D7000: What to buy?

With the two year newer Nikon D3200 you might consider to buy this camera instead of the Nikon D7000 as it is a couple of hundred dollars cheaper. Look here what the difference is.

Here is why you might want to buy the Nikon D3200:
  • It has a newer sensor, but the sensor scores about the same as the sensor in the Nikon D7000. You just get some bigger image files with the same image quality
  • It is a smaller and not as heavy camera, which can be an important factor for you.
Here is why you might want to buy the Nikon D7000:
  • It has a second card slot, which could be important if you shoot a lot of video and pictures as it will give you more space or you can use it to make a backup at the time you take the picture/movie
  • The viewfinder is bigger and more clear, so you will be able to see the things you take picture of more clearly
  • It has the possibility to autofocus with non AF-S lenses, which lenses that were introduced before year 2000, but some of the lenses are still sold as new today
  • It has the possibility to shoot at 1/8000 second, but 99% of all photographers wouldn't need this
  • It can shoot pictures at 6 frames per second vs 4 frames per second in the Nikon D3200. This can be important if you shoot a lot of action or wildlife.
  • The metering engine in the Nikon D7000 is better, so there is better chance of getting a right exposure in hard light situations like sunrise and sunset
  • The camera has bracketing function where the camera automatic takes a couple of pictures with different settings, which is a good feature to have under hard light situations
  • The ISO can be pushed to 25600, so you can shoot in more dark situations without using a flash
  • The autofocus is better, so there is a better chance of capturing a sharp picture 
If you just want to take pictures and movies then you should go for the Nikon D3200. If you like to explore the camera, use advance functions and shoot action and wildlife pictures then you should go for the Nikon D7000 camera.

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Saturday 19 January 2013

Nikon D5200 vs D3100: What to buy?

You might have had your Nikon D3100 for a couple of years and you might want some more advance options and this might you lead you to think that the Nikon D5200 might be an option?

Here is what you get extra in the Nikon D5200:

  • You get a new 24 megapixel sensor vs the 14 megapixel sensor in the Nikon D3100. The performance in the sensor is greatly improved. This means that you will get some better pictures
  • You get to shoot at 5 frames per second vs 4 frames per second. This is important if you take a lot of action or wildlife pictures. It might just be the picture you capture with the Nikon D5200
  • You get a better metering system in the camera, so that there is a bigger chance of getting the right exposure
  • You are now able to push the high ISO to 25600, which is one step higher than in the Nikon D3100
  • You get a better autofocus system with more options, so there should be a better chance of getting some sharp pictures
  • You get more video recording options, so this can be an important factor if you shoot a lot of video with the camera
  • You get a flip lcd screen which can be nice to have
The Nikon D5200 is a great upgrade option from the Nikon D3100. You get a lot of great extra options that makes it possible for you to take some great pictures or video.


Links to Nikon D5200 articles:

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Wednesday 16 January 2013

Nikon D5100 vs Nikon D7000: what to buy?

The two cameras uses the same sensor, so a good question is which camera should you buy. The cheaper Nikon D5100 or the more expensive Nikon D7000?

Here is what you get extra if you buy the Nikon D7000:

  • You get a camera with two card slots. This can be very nice if you shoot video or you just want a backup of your pictures.
  • You get a bigger viewfinder with complete coverage of the scene
  • You get a camera that can autofocus with older non AF-S lenses. If you have a good deal of those then you should choose this model
  • You get a camera that can shoot 1/8000 second. I don't think I have shoot at that speed ever
  • You get a flash sync speed of 1/250. If you just are an amateur this really doesn't mean much.
  • You get a camera that can shoot 2 frames per second faster. If you shoot action or wildlife this can be a deciding factor for you
  • You get a better metering system, so there is a better chance of getting a good exposure of the picture
  • And you get a better autofocus system that makes it easier to get a sharp image
Here is what you get in the Nikon D5100:
  • It is a cheaper body
  • You get a flip LCD screen
  • and it is a bit smaller and doesn't weigth as much
The sensor in the two cameras performs at the same level, so there shouldn't be any difference in the image quality you get out of the camera.

In some cases where you have older lenses or you shoot a lot of action/wildlife it would be wise to go for the more expensive D7000 model, but otherwise you will be better off choosing the Nikon D5100. 

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Tuesday 15 January 2013

Social network, Facebook and Google+

Two of the most popular social networks Facebook and Google+ lets you create pages, so it is easy to follow the information that you are interested in.

This blog also has a page on Facebook and a page on Google+. The page on Google+ has two communities connected too it, where it is possible for you to discuss your Canon or Nikon gear. If you have written a nice blog post about you Canon or Nikon gear I hope that you will share it in the community. (spam will be deleted and other things that aren't relevant will be delete).

See you there soon (I hope).

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Monday 14 January 2013

Canon 60D vs the Canon 7D: What to buy?

Are you in the market for a good Canon camera you might need to choose between the Canon 7D and the Canon 60D. They look a lot a like, so what is the difference?


Here is what makes the Canon 60D different:
  • It has a flip screen like you might know from point-and-shoot cameras. This might be a deciding factor if you use live view a lot for shooting pictures or video.
  • It has a little bit higher resolution, but not by much. Most people wouldn't know the difference
  • It is a bit smaller and lighter, but again not by much
  • It uses SD cards, which can be a deciding factor if you already have these kind of memory cards
Here is what make the Canon 7D different:
  • It has a better autofocus system with 19 AF points where the Canon 60D only has 9 AF points. This translate to faster and more precise autofocus, so if you shoot a lot of action or wildlife picture you really want to choose the Canon 7D
  • It is possible to make autofocus adjustments on you lenses. The adjustments is there to fine-tune the combination of lens and camera. Most people wouldn't use this feature
  • It has a 100% viewfinder compared to a 96% in the Canon D60. What you loose is the border part in you pictures in the Canon 60D. Just a very small part
  • It can shoot more pictures per second with 8 fps vs 5.3 fps. If you shoot wildlife or action scenes this is important
  • It uses compact flash card, so this can be a deciding factor, but memory cards are pretty cheap these days, so most likely not the deciding factor
  • It has a professional build quality body in magnesium
  • It has two image processor to process the pictures
  • and the output of the sensor is almost the same with just a very minor advantage to the Canon 7D
The decision really comes down to if you shoot a lot of wildlife and action scenes. Here you will really benefits from the Canon 7D. If this isn't the case then save the money and buy the Canon 60D.

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Sunday 13 January 2013

A little Sunday reading for Nikon and Canon users

Here are some nice articles for your Sunday reading list. A little bit for everyone...

Nikon cameras

Nikon D800

William Beem Photography (If it sounds like I’m try­ing to con­vince you that you shouldn’t buy the Nikon ...)
Amateur Photographers (We talk about the bar being raised occasionally, and Nikon has certainly raised ...)

Nikon D3S

Amateur Photographers (When this technology is combined with high-definition video, the D3S becomes a t...)

Nikon D4

Neo Camera (It is hard to describe the D4 without superlatives. This large professional DSLR...)
Amateur Photographers (Both the Nikon D3 and D3S were hugely important cameras when released, and for a...)

Nikon D600

Dan Carr Photography (  But the AF points and shooting speed WILL make a difference to sports and wild...)
Amateur Photographers (Although initially slightly disappointed in some of the D600's specification, th...)

Nikon D7000

Amateur Photographers (Nikon DSLR users have been waiting a long time for the D7000, not so much as an ...)

Nikon D3200

Amateur Photographers (The nikon D3200 handles in a very similar way to the less expensive D3100, so th...)

Nikon D5100

Amateur Photographers (As technology filters down from professional models, some pretty stunning featur...)

Nikon D300S

Amateur Photographers (With the D300s, Nikon has taken a good camera and made it better. Although there...)

Nikon D3100

Amateur Photographers (Thanks to the improvements in features and build quality, the Nikon D3100 has re...)

Nikon wide zoom lenses

Nikon standard zoom lenses

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR

Amateur Photographers (Although this optic will not appeal to many professionals, it would seem that Ni...)

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

The first 10.000 (The bottom line is that it’s silly to expect a lens to do something that it wasn...)

Nikon tele zoom lenses

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR

SLRGear (There is a lot to like about the Nikon 70-200mm ƒ/4G ED VR AF-S, not the least o...)

Nikon DX standard zoom lenses

Nikon AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G

Amateur Photographers (Although the AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G has obvious limitations when it co...)

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

Amateur Photographers (The AF-s DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is an ideal lens for those times wh...)

Canon cameras

Canon 5D Mark III

Dan Carr Photography (These are really the main points to consider in this argument and it seems that ...)
Amateur Photographers (It was always going to be a challenge to replace the EOS 5D Mark II. Thankfully,...)

Canon 6D

Photography Blog (On paper the new Canon EOS 6D seems rather poorly specified compared to its main...)
Dan Carr Photography (These are really the main points to consider in this argument and it seems that ...)
Dan Carr Photography (  But the AF points and shooting speed WILL make a difference to sports and wild...)

Canon 1D X

Amateur Photographers (Cameras at this level have extremely high standards to live up to and the 1D X c...)

Canon 600D / Rebel T3i

Amateur Photographers (The Canon EOS 600D is more of a tweaked EOS 550D than a completely new model, an...)

Canon 550D / Rebel T2i

Amateur Photographers (Those who are concerned that the EOS 550D only has nine AF points rather than th...)

Canon 650D / Rebel T4i

Amateur Photographers (Canon sticks to a successful formula by using the same 18-million-pixel sensor a...)

Canon 7D

Amateur Photographers (Nikon’s enthusiasm for putting the same (or similar) technology in top-level and...)

Canon 1D Mark IV

Amateur Photographers (In many situations the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV captures superbly detailed images wi...)

Canon 1100D / Rebel T3

Amateur Photographers (Three years is a long time to wait and in some respects it is easy to feel a lit...)

Canon wide zoom lenses

Canon EF 8-15 mm f/4L USM Fisheye

Dan Carr Photography (Hats off to Canon’s engineers for coming up with the idea for this lens, it’s al...)
Amateur Photographers (The Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM remains a slight oddity and yet an extremel...)

Canon standard zoom lenses

Canon tele zoom lenses

Canon EF 70-200 2.8 L IS II

Dan Carr Photography (So would I recommend this lens despite the couple of flaws that are noted ? ABSO...)

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM

Dan Carr Photography (The two things that people will likely fixate on first with this lens are the va...)
Dan Carr Photography (So would I recommend this lens despite the couple of flaws that are noted ? ABSO...)

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM 

Dan Carr Photography (The two things that people will likely fixate on first with this lens are the va...)
Amateur Photographers (Canon's EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens doesn't have the impressive numbers you...)

Canon wide lenses

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

Dan Carr Photography (By now you’ve probably gathered that I quite like this lens. I went into this re...)

Canon EF 35mm f/2

Ken Rockwell (There's really no reason to pay more for the newest 35mm f/2 IS (2012-) or profe...)

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

Ken Rockwell (If you would you pay almost three times as much as the perfectly good previous-m...)

Canon normal lenses

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM

Canonrumors (I knew why I purchased the Canon 50mm f/1.4 over the 50mm f/1.8; the more rounde...)

Canon tele lenses

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

Dan Carr Photography (Beyond that though there was really not much to write home about, they are both ...)
Dan Carr Photography (Comparing any lens to the 300mm f2.8 L IS is tough because it will have a tenden...)
Dan Carr Photography (I never thought that I would be more than mildly impressed with the 2X TC but fr...)

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Dan Carr Photography (Beyond that though there was really not much to write home about, they are both ...)

Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

Dan Carr Photography (Comparing any lens to the 300mm f2.8 L IS is tough because it will have a tenden...)

Canon EF-S lenses

Canon macro lenses

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 IS Macro USM

Dan Carr Photography (The first thing to say about this lens is that it is extremely fun to use.  I’m ...)

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Friday 11 January 2013

Nikon D5200, an upgrade option for Nikon D3000 users?


If you are a Nikon D3000 user you might have had your camera for a couple of years and thinks that it is time to move on to a more advance camera. You might look at the Nikon D5200 and wonder if this is the right choice for you.

Here is what you get extra from the Nikon D5200:
  • You get a better sensor. In the Nikon D5200 the sensor is 24 mega pixel vs 10 mega pixel in the Nikon D3000. This means that you get some bigger image files which can be both an advantage and disadvantage. The advantage is that it will give you more details and better options to crop the picture. The disadvantage is that you get bigger image files, which will have a greater demand on you PC/MAC for post image work. The sensor is better in every way. 
  • You can still use the same memory cards
  • You get to capture faster action. In the D3000 you can push the camera to 3 frames per second, but in the D5200 you can push it to 5 frames per second. What this really means that if you shoot sport or wildlife then you get a much better chance of grabbing a good picture
  • The metering engine is better. What this really means is that there is a higher chance of you getting a picture with the right amount of light and darkness.
  • You get the options to do exposure bracketing. This is important in difficult light situations like sunrise and sunset situations, where you can make the camera take more than one picture of the same situation with different exposure settings
  • You get better high ISO options. First the pictures in high ISO will be better and second you can push the camera to ISO 25600 which is 3 stop higher. This will make it easier to take pictures indoor without using the flash
  • The autofocus is better. This means that there is a higher chance of getting a sharp image 
  • The camera has a swipe LCD screen like you might know from the point-and-shoot cameras
  • The camera can shoot video movies up to Full HD
  •  and the LCD screen is better with a higher resolution, so it is easier to watch details in you images for quick review
What you loose in moving to the Nikon D5200 from the D3000 is:
  • The body is a little bit larger (not much) and a little bit heavier (still not much)
The Nikon D5200 is a really nice package if you want to move on from your Nikon D3000 with a lot of great options that you don't have in your Nikon D3000. This camera can take you to the next step in shooting pictures, but it is not the only options. Check out some of the other articles which compares the D5200 to a number of other cameras here on the site.
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Wednesday 9 January 2013

Nikon D5200, is it an upgrade option for Nikon D300s users?

If you are a Nikon D300 or Nikon D300s user you might have been looking for an upgrade at this time, but so far there isn't any D400 model, so what about the Nikon D5200 is this a valid option?

Here is what you get buy choosing the Nikon D5200:
  • You get a newer sensor that is 24 megapixel vs 12 megapixel in the Nikon D300s. This means a sensor that will give you better image quality and is better in low light.
  • The metering engine in the D5200 is better than the one in the D300s, which will give you a better chance of a correctly exposed picture.
  • The high ISO performance is better in the Nikon D5200 than in the Nikon D300s, which makes it possible to take more pictures without flash in dark situations
  • The video options in the D5200 includes a full HD mode, which isn't available in the Nikon D300s
  • You get a swipe LCD screen which some might like.
  • and the body is lighter in the Nikon D5200
Here is what you have to live without from the D300s:
  • You don't get to autofocus with older non AF-S lenses. So if you have and use old lenses that isn't AF-S, then you should look at the D7000 or wait for what is coming this year.
  • You will only have one card slot. So if you use this feature then you should look elsewhere.
  • You loose a little in frame coverage and the magnification factor in the viewfinder isn't as close to real life as in the D300s, but this shouldn't be a problem. You will get use to the new viewfinder pretty quickly
  • You are going to loose a bit in build quality as the D5200 isn't a pro level body
  • You will loose the option to shoot 1/8000, but then again do you really use this shutter speed? Most don't
  • You don't get the fast flash sync speed, but this again is mainly used by professional photographers
  • You don't get to shoot 7 fps, but only 5 fps. This really doesn't mean much unless you shoot a lot of sport or wildlife
  • and the autofocus system is a step down, but not huge.
The Nikon D5200 isn't the ideal choice for an upgrade. You loose a lot of nice features. Not many of them are deal breakers, but they all add up. If I were to upgrade from the Nikon D300s I would wait to see what comes along this year or move on to full frame with Nikon D600 or Nikon D800.
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Monday 7 January 2013

The Nikon D5200, should I upgrade from Nikon D90?

If you have a Nikon D90 you might like to know if the Nikon D5200 is a good upgrade for you. Or if you just want to buy a new camera and you choice comes down to the Nikon D90 or the Nikon D5200.

Here is what you get if you buy/upgrade to the Nikon D5200:
  • You get a 24 MP sensor, where it is only is 12 MP in the Nikon D90. The new sensor has been measured yet at Dxomark, but expect the performance to be a little bit better than the Nikon D3200, so you will get a nice performance upgrade with better high ISO, more dynamic range. This means that you get better image quality
  • You get a better metering engine in the Nikon D5200. This means that there is a better chance of you getting a picture with right exposure (not to light or not to dark) as it has more information to decide the exposure
  • You get better better high ISO performance where you now can push the ISO to 25600 vs 6400 in the Nikon D90. That is two stops better. So with this you can take pictures in more dark situations without using flash
  • You get a better autofocus engine. The Nikon D90 uses the intro autofocus engine from Nikon, where the autofocus is a middle model in the Nikon D5200. This will mean you have a better chance of getting a sharp image.
  • You get a lot more in video options. The Nikon D90 was the one that introduced the video to the DSLR market for Nikon, but a lot has happened since and with the D5200 you get possibility to use autofocus in video mode and to shoot in Full HD. If you use the DSLR camera to shoot a lot of video this alone is reason enough to upgrade
  • You get a swipe LCD screen which is primary known from the point-and-shoot cameras.
Here is what you loose from the Nikon D90:
  • If you have older non AF-S lenses. You might want to consider the D7000 or wait for an upgrade to this camera. The Nikon D5200 wouldn't autofocus with these lenses
  • The viewfinder in the Nikon D90 is closer to real life with a magnification factor of 0.94x vs a magnification factor of 0.78x in the Nikon D5200. Not that important as you quickly will get use to the new viewfinder.
The Nikon D5200 is a great upgrade from the Nikon D90, where there are four main factors that might lead you to an upgrade. Better sensor, better metering, better autofocus and a lot more video options. The only reason not to upgrade is if you have a lot of non AF-S lenses. Then you might want to take a look at the Nikon D7000 or wait to see what gets introduced in 2013.


Links to Nikon D5200 articles:

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Sunday 6 January 2013

Update to lens and camera database

Here are some new articles for you to enjoy about different cameras and lenses from Nikon and Canon. Remember to check out some of the earlier links too.

Nikon cameras

Nikon D800

William Beem Photography (I know. I’m not exactly the first per­son to get a Nikon D800. It’s not as excit...)
Nikon Rumors (Working with the D800 underwater was generally a pleasure, but in low light cond...)
Pixiq (Now "clean video" offers the potential of recording uncompressed video, which is...)

Nikon D600

Terry White (I love this camera! It’s perfect for my needs of a travel body and backup body. ...)
Nikon Glass (So after using 2 different cameras for review purposes and actually owning one, ...)
Gizmag (Capable of producing images as good as any other camera in most conditions, if y...)
Ryan Brenizer (I could have easily made this my next camera, as its strengths make it a good co...)
Terry White (For the price, there’s really no reason not to get the WU-1b module if you have ...)

Nikon wide zoom lenses

Nikon standard zoom lenses

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

Jose Rocha Photo (A sharp and reliable standard zoom lens for the professional that just delivers ...)
Steve Wakeman Photography (At the end of the day digital is so forgiving that great results can be achieved...)

Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED

Wexblog (The new Nikon 24-120mm f4 VR isn’t half bad! Whilst it’s not quite Pro status an...)

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR

Photography blog (Still, the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR does offer a useful focal ...)
Photoreview (While this lens is solidly constructed and provides good enough image quality to...)
Camera Stuff Review (Thanks to the good qualities of the Nikon D600, the Nikon 24-85 mm has done well...)

Nikon tele zoom lenses

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR

Pixiq (All in all the lens seems very impressive, and while I have yet to complete my t...)
Camera Labs (That's it for now based on the tests that I have performed to date. So far the n...)
Moose Peterson (his lens does a number of things the f/2.8 does not do: focuses much closer, clo...)
Lensrental (The Nikon does very well on our standard D3x test camera. ...)
ePhotozine (Those looking for similar optical performance to Nikon's top of the range 70-200...)
Moose Peterson (When the 70-200f4 VR3 was announced, I was excited to read the specs. While I ha...)
Photography Life (Is the new Nikon 70-200mm f/4G VR perfect? No, of course not. It has its share o...)

Nikon wide lenses

Nikon AF Fisheye-Nikkor 16mm f/2.8D

Stuck in Custom (One great thing about the lens is how TINY it is. You can throw it in your bag a...)

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G

Pop photo (Some Nikonians may be tempted by the 28mm f/2.8D and its $275 street price. That...)
Neil Van Niekenk (In summary, this lens is superb! It is sharp, and an affordable entry into the r...)

Nikon tele lenses

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G

Neil Van Niekenk (I would highly recommend this lens for any photographer who wants a portrait len...)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G

Neil Van Niekenk (My first impression already is that lens is even better than I anticipated …...)

Nikon DX standard zoom lenses

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

Photozone (Optically it is, without doubt, a very good lens but it has a few issues. The ce...)

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

Photozone (It is hardly surprising that it is a difficult quest to optimize a lens with a 1...)
Photography Life (As you may already know from my review of the Nikon 28-300mm VR, I am not a fan ...)

Canon cameras

Canon 5D Mark III

Better Family Photos (You were, technically, the best camera that I have ever used, but I was never ab...)

Canon 1D X

The Photographer (I’m not going to give you the full answer to the original question of “Is it rea...)
Pop photo (Photographers who are entrenched in either system, of course, should just trust ...)

Canon 6D

Gizmodo (In comparing still image quality, we found the 6D to produce nearly identical re...)
Michael Stringer Photography (Overall my impression is that it is a very capable and compact machine that take...)
Canon Rumors (I’ve had the luxury of using some great cameras like the EOS-1D X and EOS 5D Mar...)
Canon Rumors (The image quality is top notch, the color and dynamic range of the new 20mp sens...)
Ken Rockwell (The 6D is a smaller, lighter version of the world's best DSLR, the 5D Mark III. ...)

Canon wide zoom lenses

Canon standard zoom lenses

Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 L II

(I am overall very pleased with the 24-70mm and from now on it will certainly be ...)
Lens Rental (On the basis of this information, though, I’m . . .  well, I don’t know what I a...)

Canon tele zoom lenses

Canon wide lenses

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

Better Family Photo (I enjoyed owning this lens, but since I don't usually shoot "stuff", I don't see...)
Camera Stuff Review (The combination of a very compact and lightweight Canon 40 mm STM lens on a larg...)

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L

The Photographer (That left one lens in the bag: the 35mm f1.4. Initial tests have come out testin...)
Ken Rockwell (The Canon 35mm f/1.4 L is optically superb, handles very well and no Canon lens ...)

Canon normal lenses

Canon tele lenses

Canon EF-S lenses

Canon EF-S 18-135mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 IS STM

ePhotozine (For a lens intended to be bundled as a kit with Canon's consumer Digital SLRs, t...)

Canon macro lenses

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 IS Macro USM

Canon Rumors (If you’re looking for a very versatile lens, this may be right up your ally. It’...)
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Wednesday 2 January 2013

Canon autofocus system

In the many years that Canon has produced digital SLR cameras there has different variants of the autofocus system. Canon doesn't name their autofocus system, so it is only possible to group them together by AF points and each group most likely share the same autofocus modul, but there might be different minor versions. Here are the list:

7 AF Points

9 AF points

9 cross-type AF points

9-point AF (plus 6 Assist AF points)

11 points

19 cross-type AF points

45 AF points (Area AF)

19 AF points (cross-type) and 26 Assist AF points (total 45 points)

61 Point / 41 f/4 cross-type AF points inc 5 dual cross type

A couple of interesting things to note from this list. The Canon 5D Mark III is the first non professional camera to share autofocus sytem with the professional top models. This might be a new trend from Canon or they might just want to match what Nikon does. Canon really like the number 9 and 45 autofocus points. 15 cameras has 9 AF points and 8 cameras have 45 AF points. That is about 75% of the total list.

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Tuesday 1 January 2013

Canon 600D/T3i vs 1100D/T3: What to buy?

If you are looking for your first Canon Digital SLR camera then you might wonder if you should get the Canon 600D/T3i or the Canon 1100D/T3.

So here is why you should buy the Canon 600D/T3i:
  • You get a bigger and better sensor, where the sensor rating at Dxomarks gives it a 65 vs 62. This means that you get better picture quality, but your picture files will also be larger
  • You will be able to take pictures at higher ISO, where you can push it up to ISO 25600. This means that you will be able to take pictures in dark situations without the flash.
  • You get a little bit bigger LCD screen with higher resolution. This is important as you will be able to review you pictures better
  • You get a camera that is capable of shooting full HD video. If you will use the camera to shoot a lot of home video it great resolution, then this is the camera to get.
So here is why you should buy the Canon 1100D/T3:
  • You get a camera that is a little bit lighter. 50g or about a chocolate bar. Not much.
  • It is presently (January 2013) about $150 dollar cheaper
You really get a lot of extra good features with the Canon 600D/T3i, so if you have the money and are not on a tight budget you really should go for the Canon 600D/T3i instead of the Canon 1100D/T3.

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