What Photo Gear

Announced just a few weeks ago - the Olympus E420, the world’s smallest DSLR - is definitely getting a lot of interest. And Olympus have done one better, by also introducing the Zuiko 25mm f/2.8 pancake lens. (It’s called a pancake lens because of it’s small flat profile, like a pancake, or a hockey puck - this particular Olympus one is actually less than an inch thick!) And this is definitely an amazing and very appealing combo for those looking for a lightweight DSLR set-up that won’t break your neck even if you carry it around all day.

With an expected release date of just under 2 months away - this compact body and lens combo is definitely on the list of photographers everywhere. And the awesome folks over at Four-Thirds User have just published a 2 sets of images using the 25mm f/2.8 mounted on an E420.

Click here to view the first set ; and click here to view the second set (taken in slightly better weather.) Full size JPGs are available for personal use, and they have even provided RAW versions of the images.

The Olympus E420 with the 25mm f/2.8 lens is available for pre-order from Amazon for just $699.99.

From: Four Thirds User via WhatPhotoGear

DPReview has a special Easter treat for all of us today - they’ve released just over a dozen sample images from a production model Canon EOS 450D DSLR.

And they’ve even taken the time to shoot with a few lenses, namely the 70-200 f/4 L, the 18-55 IS and the 100mm macro in various lighting conditions, and different ISO settings. Full size images are also available for download, so anyone seriously considering the EOS 450D aka the Digital Rebel XSi, can print and scrutinize the images to their hearts content.

Overall, the latest model in Canon’s entry-level DSLR series certainly looks to be one hell of a performer. If you haven’t yet, click here to jump straight to DPReview.com’s Canon Digital Rebel XSi samples gallery.

The Canon 450D / Rebel XSi is currently available for pre-order from Amazon - $899 with the 18-55 Image Stabilized Lens ; and $799 for the body only. With an availability of around April 27th - just a month away!

From: DPReview via WhatPhotoGear

While most will probably take notice of the 3 inch touch screen LCD that Panasonic is touting on their latest offering, the spec that has me most excited (and should excite you too!) is the 5x image stabilized zoom lens starting at a wide 25mm!

Not only will that wide angle lens open up a lot of shooting opportunities, it’s also extremely rare in compact camera’s nowadays. We’ll be lucky if we get a lens starting at 28mm or even 35mm (in 35mm terms) in compact camera’s - so this is definitely a welcome surprise from Panasonic.

Not only that, but you get full manual controls as well, including Tv (Shutter priority) and Av (Aperture priority) modes. And the much hyped 3 inch touch screen LCD as well, and of course, as standard on pretty much all Panasonic digital compacts - their lens-based Image Stabilization system (OIS).

ISO tops out at ISO 1600 (with a High Sensitivity Mode using ISO 1600-6400) - which pretty much means that those setting are just for emergency use only. (High ISO performance has always been the Achilles heel of Panasonic digital compacts) One feature that compacts can do that DSLRs can’t is shoot video’s and the FX500 does one better by letting you shoot HD video (1280×720p at 30 or 15fps) as well as take photo’s in a 16:9 aspect ratio.

So far this looks to be promising and pretty competitively priced and full featured camera from Panasonic. If image quality can compete with or do better than other compacts in the same price range, this just might become a “photographers compact.” I wouldn’t mind having a 5x 25-125mm compact with me while traveling too.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500:

• 10 megapixels (1/2.3″ CCD)
• 5x f/2.8-f/5.9 stabilized zoom lens (25-125mm in 35mm terms)
• 3 inch touch screen LCD
• 1024×720p Video Recording
• Uses SD and SDHC cards
• ISO 100-1600 (with High Sensitivity Auto ISO at ISO 1600-6400
• Adjustable noise reduction in ±2 steps.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 is available in May, with an MSRP of $399. Click here to download the full spec sheet from Panasonic.

Sigma has announced a new standard prime lens - the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM.

The EX tag is used by Sigma to denote a much superior optical and build quality, as well as a crinkle finish which I rather like (but some people say it chips off after a few years of abuse, but so far my Sigma EX lenses are still looking pretty.) The DG means it has been ‘digitally optimized’ - BUT it will work with full frame DSLRs. (A lot of people think this means it is a digital-only lens, similar to Nikon’s DX, but that is not true - Sigma’s designation for it’s digital-only lenses is DC)

HSM stands for Hyper-Sonic Motor which means the lens has it’s own motor providing a silent, high-speed Auto-Focus performance. (As opposed to the usual screw driven focus on other lenses, which while still fast, can be pretty noisy)

With a minimum focusing distance of 17.7″ (translating to a maximum magnification of 1:7.4) this is no macro lens, but then the big selling point is obviously the fast aperture.

From: DPReview via WhatPhotoGear

Photozone has just published their in-depth review of Nikon’s latest digital-only zoom - the Nikkor 16-85mm VR Lens.

Released just this year, the Nikon 16-85mm is, quite honestly, a lens that did not make much sense to me when it was first announced. Nikon had their basic 18-55mm lens, the 18-70mm, the 18-135mm and the 18-200 VR lens in it’s DX (for 1.5x sensor DSLR’s) lineup.

The Nikon 16-85mm with it’s 35mm equivalent zoom range of 24-127mm is obviously the DX version of the 24-120mm VR ; and at first glance seems to be a replacement for the 18-70mm - but with a price approaching that of the 18-200mm VR I still can’t figure out who this lens is for. The 18-135mm covers the same zoom range at half the price, granted without the very useful Vibration Reduction of course. And just a few dollars more gets you the 18-200 VR.

But the Photozone review does come as a bit of a surprise, as this lens seems to be quite the performer based on their tests. They proclaim the Nikon 16-85mm as probably “the best DX standard zoom lens in the Nikon mount to date.” Even claiming that this lens is even somewhat more desirable than the Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8 lens at twice the price.

Surprising results indeed (to me at least.) If it performs as well as claimed in real world shots, then perhaps this lens just might find a home in my bag. And perhaps it’s place in Nikon’s zoom lens line-up will make a lot more sense to me.

If you haven’t already, click here to read Photozone’s excellent in-depth review of the Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR. They also have a few high resolution images shot with the lens mounted on a Nikon D200 for your review.

From: Photozone via WhatPhotoGear

Pentax has just released an interesting budget compact today - the Pentax Optio V20. Boasting an 8MP sensor, a 5x zoom lens (36mm - 180mm equivalence) and a pretty generous 3 inch LCD all in a pretty compact 3.8 x 2.2 x .9 inch body.

Coming in at an MSRP of $279.95 this May, the V20 looks set to be a very interesting option for those shopping for a sub-$300 compact. The zoom range on the lens is certainly useful, but again, regular readers of this blog know that I much prefer a wider lens instead of a longer one. But the zoom range on the V20 isn’t all that bad, if not rare in this price range.

Unfortunately the lens lacks image stabilization, which would’ve been useful for a lens with that reach, but given the price, it’s hard to complain. Pentax does throw in a Digital Shake Reduction feature, which is just another way of saying that the camera simply ‘intelligently’ boosts your ISO when it detects shake. Useful, but it’s at the expense of image quality and more grain in your images. Which is of course still better than getting a blurred picture - but still not a real alternative to true image stabilization. But again, given the price range and the zoom range of the lens, it’s hard to complain.

The 3 inch LCD dominates the back, and as you can see there is no optical viewfinder (unfortunately) so you will have to do all your framing using the LCD.

The V20 also features what Pentax calls an Auto-Macro mode - which allows close-up photography to as close as 4 inches without changing the focusing mode.

You also get the latest gimmick in compact digital camera’s this year - the smile shutter. I’ve never actually seen one in action - but the camera supposedly ‘detects the key facial expression of happy people and releases the shutter automatically.’ (Not my description, that’s from the Pentax Press Release)

Plus a Blink Detection feature which warns you if the camera detects any subjects with closed eyes, so you can re-shoot if you want to. As well as the usual plethora of scene modes like ‘Night Scene, Portrait, Natural Skin Tone, Sports’ etc..

The Pentax Optio V20:

• 8 Megapixels
• 5x zoom (36mm - 180mm equivalence)
• 3 inch LCD
• Compact body, less than in inch thick
• ISO 80-3200 (ISO 6400 available in Digital Shake Reduction mode
• Uses SD Cards
• Auto-Macro Mode

The Pentax Optio V20 is currently available for pre-order from Amazon for just $279.95.