Olympus E-420 world’s smallest DSLR

Olympus decided it was time to replace its entry E-410 DSLR with an update unsurprisingly called E-420. Specifications are not changing by much, but still there is interesting features, attractive to the photography enthusiast:

• Smallest DSLR in the world. Although smaller to the E-410 by very little, the E-420 is a beautiful combination of DSLR functionality and convenient dimensions for travel or off-the-beaten-track photography.
• Live view that can be nicely combined with the large 2.7 inch screen to give compact-like picture taking if it is so wished.
• Dust reduction.
• Frame rate increased from 3 to 3.5 fps and buffer capacity of 9 RAW frames.
• ISO 100-1600.

PMA 2008 DSLR wrap-up

This year’s PMA has been nothing but exciting for DSLR cameras. The great news is that Canon and Nikon are no more alone in the arena. Of course we have the issue of legacy lens and photographer resistance to change when they have been served by their cameras for year on end…

The show’s disappointment? For me the fact that Canon did not replace its 5D with a newer model, but of course it is their regular practise to only release one major model per show. We will have more chances for this later in the year. Full-frame sensors are Canon’s strong card as it has the longest history and a proven record. If the 5D successor comes in at a low enough price point to become competitive against smaller sensor DSLRs it will be the most exciting development I could expect this year…

Sony makes impressive DSLR move with new A300 and A350 for PMA 2008

Today is the first day of PMA 2008 and I have to say that I have never seen before so many DSLR launches in a single show by so many manufacturers. Sony has been up to now silent but the wait was worth it as it is releasing two new DSLR models in its Alpha range, the A300 and the A350. They both squeeze between the entry A200 and higher end A700. Features are nothing but rich:

• A350 resolution is an impressive 14.2 megapixels, in direct competition with Pentax’s new K20D. The A300 has the usual entry DSLR 10 megapixels.
• Live view which means that pictures can be taken by just looking at the 2.7 inch screen. In fact, to leave free room for the live mechanism, the viewfinder is smaller than that of the A200 as this was deemed a necessary sacrifice for this very useful feature.
• Great -I will say it again great!- tilt 2.7 inch monitor that can be positioned at “difficult” positions to take advantage of the live view feature when unusual camera positions do not allow viewfinder use.

New DSLR cameras coming in PMA 2008

Tired of CES and Macworld yet? Time for something more focused, because PMA is no generalist show but concentrates exclusively on imaging stuff. I am not going to deal with compacts at all, as models change with the the frequency of weather changes, I am going to concentrate on my favourite part of the show, DSLR cameras :-) There is already wind of new DSLR models for the show, the timing is quite critical as 2008 is going to be good for this segment and fierce competition is a certainty.

Canon is going to reveal its 450D/Rebel XSi that will replace its current 400D/XTi. With 12 megapixel resolution, a larger viewfinder, live view, spot metering, 3 inch screen, 14-bit processing and high ISO noise reduction it is a definite improvement but times are changing and the competition is not as weak as in previous years… A point to note is that resolution is higher than the 10 Mp of the more expensive and capable 40D, a case of dismay among Canon customers expressed vocally in the past with the 400D/XTi and the 30D.

Canon and Nikon command more than 80% of the Japanese DSLR market

Japan is home territory for Nikon and Canon. For both it is not simply a matter of market share but also of prestige and fame. Therefore, the battle is nothing but fierce. According to dpreview the two brands together command more than 80% of the DSLR market. Nikon is ahead with 43.3% and Canon follows with 39.9%. Overall in digital cameras, Canon commands 21.2% and retains the number one spot for the fourth consecutive year. Numbers are up to the end of November 2007 but December is not expected to change the year’s results. The Japanese DSLR market grew in 2007 significantly, 50% by items sold, 35% by value. Predictions for 2008 are also optimistic as in the rest of the world.

Canon EOS DSLRs pass the 10 million mark

Since Canon released its first EOS DSLR the D30 in 2000 it has now shipped the significant number of 10 million digital reflex cameras! The EOS line first appeared in the market in 1987 and total sales up to now are 30 million cameras. This is no surprise as Canon together with Nikon completely dominate the single lens reflex segment, especially its professional top end. Here is a few facts and comments referring to the EOS DSLR part of Canon’s history:

• The 3 Mp resolution of the D30 caused laughs among film users but picture quality was a good sign of things to come.
• New product releases in the first part of the decade were major jumps in resolution. For example, in 2002 the D60 offered 6 Mp, effectively making the D30 obsolete.
• Again in 2002 Canon brought to market the first ever full frame DSLR, the 1Ds with an incredible resolution of 11 Mp. Film photography had a real challenger… Replaced by the 1Ds Mark II and later by the 1Ds Mark III, the 1Ds series has smashed the film myth and offers resolutions comparable to much more expensive medium format cameras.
• In 2003 the 10D did not offer more resolution but its picture quality became an instant hit and drew lots of amateur as well as professional photographers to the digital realm. The 20D, 30D and 40D models are direct evolutions of the 10D.

Do not postpone buying your DSLR!

 

 The DSLR market has evolved dramatically since the start of the decade. Prosumer cameras have been an important segment but as prices are compressed it becomes increasingly less logical to choose them instead of a DSLR. Having chosen a prosumer Olympus C5050 in 2004 has quickly led me to the conclusion that I desperately need something better and faster, in other words a DSLR… Of course all camera categories have evolved tremendously. I am not going to get in the DSLR vs non-DSLR debate here, but instead I would like to point out two pieces of good news for the prospective first-time DSLR buyer.

Firstly, the times of huge improvements every few months are gone. DSLRs are now a mature market segment, therefore new models are introduced at a more “human” rate than compact or prosumer cameras. The product life of a Canon, the market leader for years now, has typically been 18 months and it is doubtful whether this rate can be retained even in the medium term. Secondly, cut-throat competition and ridiculously low profit margins in the compact camera segment have forced manufacturers to increasingly concentrate on the DSLR segment. This is where the money is…