It’s definitely worth your time to check out Photojojo as well. They have some pretty cool photography tips and some suggestions for projects you might not have ever seen before.

Don’t expect to get this level of megapixel madness for cheap. The DM22 has an estimated street price of $9995, and the DM28 will sell for $14,990. This is one of those cases where it’s the only camera for the job, and you need one, no other camera will do.

For all the details, hit up Mamiya’s site.

Regardless of the D300’s demise, it’s still a great camera, and well worth your photography dollar. Sure it doesn’t do video, but it does have the same 51 point auto-focus that the D300s does, it uses the same lenses, and the processing speed hasn’t been actually defined by Nikon as being that different.

Now, I do need to confess something here: I have a D300, and I love it. I haven’t been tempted to upgrade to a D300s, because I’m not convinced yet that there is that much different in the new model (aside from the video, which I haven’t tried and so can’t comment on). I will be reviewing a D300s soon, so maybe it will win me over.

As it stands, it is worth it to buy a D300? It’s still a truly great camera, and the price will definitely be dropping on what many considered to be the best prosumer camera available. One thing is certain: Nikon will want to move out the old inventory to make room for the new model.

Ready?

Let’s start with the “compact, magnesium alloy body” because most cameras are initially judged by specs and how they feel. The K-7 has significantly more weight than previous DSLRs that I’ve handled from Pentax. To be specific, it weighs roughly 26.5 ounces with the rechargeable Li-ion battery compared to that of the K200D, which weighs 24.3 ounces. As you can surmise, it’s a bit of a lump in the hand, but it’s well balanced. The groove in the grip for your middle finger ensures a firm hold of the body, but it could have protruded out a little further for an even better grip. I can usually carry the K200D without a strap and not worry about it being easily knocked out of my hands, but I’m not as comfortable going without a strap on the K-7. And I don’t have the world’s largest hands either.

Buttons and controls are well laid out on the rear of the K-7 and it may be construed as a drastic change from previous models in the Pentax lineup such as the K20D, which the K-7 now replaces as the premier SLR in the family. The same can be said of the UI, but we’ll get to that in just a bit. The playback and delete buttons have been moved to the left of the viewfinder to allow for a 3-inch LCD. Said LCD is bright and vibrant and offers viewing angles from every which way. The K-7 now includes a dedicated Live View button and Green mode button. White Balance, Flash, Drive Mode and Image Tone have been given dedicated buttons and the Menu and Info buttons have been moved from the left hand side to the lower right below the aforementioned buttons.

Adjusting the AF point switching dial can lead to inadvertly turning on Live View mode and it’s a bit stiff so be prepared to dedicate a few minutes to adjust how to turn the dial without pushing the LV button. Pentax also decided to move the EV compensation button up top next to the ISO button.

Also new to the K-7 is a mode dial lock button that must be depressed while switching modes. It can be cumbersome when trying to switch modes quickly, but it also eliminates the chance of switching modes inadvertently. Other than that, there isn’t anything new when it comes to this area of the camera so let’s move on.

Starting with the K2000, Pentax drastically overhauled their UI and I initially found it awkward, but it’s much more streamlined with the way the hard buttons have been laid out. It’s also far more intuitive than the UI found on the K200D. Unfortunately, I haven’t had any time with the K20 so I can’t compare the two. I haven’t even begun to dip into the menu system and tweak things around to my preferences and just started shooting with it right out of the box. We’ll have more on this in the review.

I found the following features to be useful while shooting over the weekend: built-in level, auto-rotating menu and the AF assist light. Speaking of AF, the K-7 is much, much faster at locking on than the K200D and the 50mm f/1.4 that I primarily use with the K200D feels alive. However, I did notice that the K-7 struggled to lock onto multiple subjects even in continuous AF mode and would focus in on something stationary that didn’t seem to be focused on from my point of view. I can’t pass judgment, though. It could have been user error and I’ve only had the camera for a few days. We’ll investigate this further. I should also mention that the shutter is much more quiet than in previous SLRs from Pentax.

HD video has finally come to a Pentax DSLR, which is great and all, but why not go with full HD when competitors have been touting 720p capabilities for months. Hell, look at the Canon 7D that was just announced. As a consumer in the market looking at high-end DSLRs, I’d probably go with the 7D because for $400 more I get a rig that shoots in full HD regardless of everything else the K-7 may offer over the 7D. Either lower the price of the K-7 down to $999 or offer a badass rig that rivals the big boys, Pentax.

But I digress. A total of two videos were shot over the weekend and this was the best of them. This is just a sample that I shot during the practice round with the 300mm telephoto. You can imagine how difficult it is to manually focus such a large lens without a strap or monopod. User error, I know. Again, we’ll work with the video mode a bit more extensively for the full on review.

And now the sample images taken with the 300mm lens from yesterday’s post. The first and last were shot way atop the Penthouse E level at turn 1 while the second and third were taken from the turn 2 shooting pit. I’ve never photographed a race before, but I don’t think they’re horrible.

A few things that I wish were different based on my initial hands-on with the K-7 that others may or may not agree with. The 3-inch LCD is bright and the viewing angles are tremendous, but like any other LCD, it smears from body oil and it’s a pain in the ass to clean. How about an oleophobic screen? It makes perfect sense, right? Easy to clean and I doubt any photographer wouldn’t want one. An AF-L function would have been righteous, too. AF in movie mode would have been the killer feature on the K-7.

Again, this is the real deal hands-on and not me spouting off like a fanboy. Hope you enjoyed.

Big news this AM from Olympus with the announcement of the E-600 DSLR. Looks like another entry-level(ish) digital SLR. Big notables for the 12.3-megapixel shooter include a swiveling 2.7-inch LCD and slew of fancy art filters. That’s seriously about it, folks. The E-600 coupled with a 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 kit lens will retail for $600 in November.

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., August 31, 2009 – The new Olympus E-600 is a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera with everything you need to start enjoying the benefits of DSLR-quality photography today. It’s simple to use, so moving up from a basic point-and-shoot is an enjoyable and affordable experience, and packed with features to meet all of your still photography needs.

The E-600’s high-performance swivel 2.7-inch HyperCrystalTM LCD screen helps you compose from virtually any angle; in-camera Art Filters add more pizzazz to your pictures; its four-frames-per-second burst speed won’t miss a moment of the action, and In-body Image Stabilization removes blur caused by camera shake when you’re on the go. The 12.3-megapixel image sensor and TruePic III+ captures detailed, crisp images and accurate color.

“With the E-600, Olympus has answered the call for a more affordable and creative camera that has everything you could need to get great results,” said John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Digital SLR, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “The new entry-level SLR camera offers something for everyone to enjoy, including in-camera Art Filters for expanded creative freedom.”
Exceptional Image Quality

Whether you’re shooting a high school basketball game or capturing a city streetscape, the E-600’s high-performance 12.3-megapixel Live MOS image sensor delivers excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity, and a state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to reduce noise and capture fine image details in both highlight and shadow areas.

Its Live MOS image sensor is complemented by Olympus’ TruePic III+ Image Processor, which produces clear and colorful photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible. The new image processor is noted for accurate natural color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies, and precise tonal expression; it also lowers image noise in photos shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.
Swivel Live View LCD Swings into Action

The E-600’s 100 percent accurate 270 degree swivel 2.7-inch Live View HyperCrystal III LCD can be rotated freely so photographers can compose at any angle, including overhead and down low, without getting bent out of shape. This makes it easier to photograph young children on their own level or shoot high above a crowd. E-600 photographers can compose a subject right on the Live View LCD and see the results of the various creative features – live as they’re happening, before the shot is taken.

With Live View, settings like white balance and image brightness can be selected, and the result can be seen instantly on the LCD display. Real-time Live View offers amazing versatility and creative control. The LCD displays 230,000 pixels in vivid color and includes HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors for easier viewing in both preview and playback. It also provides a wide viewing angle of 176 degrees, which ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles. The 2.7-inch LCD makes icons and text on the camera’s menu easy to view.
Fast Autofocus

Life moves fast, so it’s important to have a camera that locks focus accurately and quickly. Whether you choose to use the super fast autofocus technology or focus the lens manually, the E-600 offers the same sophisticated focusing options as higher-end DSLRs. Use the optical viewfinder to track movement like birds or wildlife or your favorite team on the field, or use the large Live View LCD to frame up a flower or a group of friends at the family gathering. Consumers accustomed to composing and focusing using a point-and-shoot camera’s LCD will appreciate that the E-600 offers the same easy, seamless experience (what you see on its LCD is what you get!). Either way, the focus is quick, precise and easy.
Art Filters for Expanded Creative Control

If you’re hoping to get more out of your camera than simply capturing and documenting a scene, and enjoy enhancing or customizing an image to make it your own, then you will value the camera’s Art Filters. The filters, which are built into the camera, provide incredible individual artistic control over an image, so that you can spend more time shooting and less time computing.

Let your inner artist shine through and make a statement with these in-camera Art Filters:

* Pop Art: Enhances colors, making them more saturated and vivid, creating high-impact pictures that express the joyful, lighthearted feeling of the Pop Art style of the 1960s;
* Soft Focus: Creates an ethereal, dreamlike atmosphere that renders subjects in a heavenly light without obscuring details; and
* Pin Hole: Adds a nostalgic look and feel to the image with a darkened vignette around the subject connecting the viewer intimately with the subject at the center of the picture.

Art Filters are easily activated with the mode dial on the right side of the camera body, and the fun part is that you can see and experiment with the effects on the subject live, on the LCD, before you take the shot!
In-Body Image Stabilization for Sharp Images on the Go

The E-600 travels with you to more places, thanks to its compact size and light body. Capture sharp images on the go with the camera’s in-body Image Stabilization (IS), which virtually eliminates blur with any lens attached. Three IS modes handle any situation. The IS-1 mode is for general shooting and adjusts the sensor on both the horizontal and vertical planes to compensate for movement by the photographer so images stay sharp in low light even at slow shutter speeds. To capture the motion of moving subjects, the E-600 offers two specialized modes: IS-2 mode is ideal for capturing a runner or cyclist traveling by in the horizontal mode, preserving the sense of motion while panning; IS-3 mode achieves the same effect when the camera is held vertically. In either mode, the artistic effects of panning enhance the shot and render the subject in sharp detail with blurred background. Moreover, the E-600 is the world’s smallest DSLR with built-in Image Stabilization, so you’ll feel comfortable taking it on the road with you to capture the action.
Always Find a Face in the Crowd

The new camera’s Face Detection technology reduces the chance of blurred subjects in photography by distinguishing between people’s faces and the background. It tracks up to eight faces within the image area, even if people are moving, and automatically focuses and optimizes exposure for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures (ideal for large family or party group photos).
Fast Sequential Shooting

The E-600 can capture images at the highest image-quality setting at a rate of four frames per second. Whether you’re capturing a soccer game, children playing or a bird swooping through the yard, the E-600 ensures that you won’t miss a frame.
Preview a Multitude of Possibilities

Perfect Shot Preview enables users to easily preview and select from four thumbnail previews of the photographic effects of white balance and exposure compensation adjustments live on the LCD before taking the photograph. It is an ideal way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, visually, without having to scroll through menu options. With 13 preset scene-select modes for every imaginable shooting scenario, automatic modes and full manual controls, the E-600 offers a world of possibilities to photographers.
Versatile Memory

Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, UDMA, Microdrives and xD-Picture Cards, the camera provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.
Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images

Life moves too fast to spend time worrying about dust ruining the perfect image. Olympus’ proven Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave FilterTM. The patented ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor and captures it on a special adhesive membrane every time the camera is turned on. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped inside. With Dust Reduction and the new creative features, Olympus continues to liberate users from the computer and editing software, and enables them to have fun capturing it all while on the go.
Accessories

The HLD-5 Power Battery Holder can hold up to two Lithium Ion BLS-1 batteries to extend the performance life of the E-600 and its existing BLS-1 battery. It also enables effortless vertical shooting with its own separate shutter button and control dial.
Availability

The Olympus E-600 DSLR will be available in early November 2009. It includes the E-600 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLS-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCS-1), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master 2 Software CD-ROM, Manuals and Registration card.
U.S. Pricing / Product Configurations

E-600 Body with ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $599.99

via PB

The Bokeh Filter from The Bokeh Filter on Vimeo.

Awww, how sweet. You know that fuzzy effect that everyone loves where you have a figure in focus in the foreground and the background is all blurry? That’s called bokeh. Well, this lets you turn lights in the background into odd shapes using what is essentially a lens cap with a shape cut out of it (Hint: you can probably do this yourself).

The caps cost $9.99 and you can order online so if you don’t have a Dremel and a dream you can get some ready made shapes including a star, a heart, and a spiral.

via Giz

It seems a little unnecessary but (there’s a sucker born every second) the 24.6-megapixel full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor equipped α850 is being geared towards “a broader group of consumers,” says Kristen Elder, the Director of Digital Imaging at Sony. Before you raise an eyebrow and ask why Sony has another full-frame DSLR when the α900 is top dog, ask me how much the α850 is going to be. It’s coming in under $2000, which is $700 cheaper than the α900.

Compared to the flagship α900, the α850 comes up short in three main areas: FPS, viewfinder coverage and an optional IR commander control. The α850 only has a 98 percent field of coverage compared to the α900’s 100 percent. The flagship shooter handles 5FPS while the α850 musters up 3FPS.

The α850 will be available next month for “about” $2000, body only.

Out of nowhere Sony just dropped three new α DSLRs, the α550, α500 and the α850, which we’ll get to a little later. Key new features in the α500 series include the latest gen Exmor CMOS sensors and BIONZ image processors. Sony claims that the new sensors will capture high quality images in low light scenarios with the BIONZ image proc reducing color-noise as high up as ISO 12800. A couple other notables you might want to know about are in-camera HDR and improved Live View functions.

The 14.2-megapixel α550 and 12.3-megapixel α500 will retail for $950 and $750, respectively. Those are prices are for the body only. An 18-55m kit lens can be bundled for an additional $100.

The videos, by Robert Bosch and Ami Vitale and commissioned by Nikon to show off the D300s’s movie mode, don’t offer much on that point. I can’t see a lot of skew, but then again, it looks as if the creators went out of their way to avoid situations where skew would be evident (basically, any kind of horizontal movement). I’m also skeptical that YouTube adequately preserves 24fps video. There are some more videos here at Nikon’s site.

Here’s a frame that shows an example of skew (obviously the helicopter blades are moving very quickly, so skew is unavoidable):

Needless to say, this kind of distortion tends to distract the eye, and a filmmaker would be right to avoid it when using a camera prone to it.

Commenters at the original post are debating what manual controls, if any, there are. The consensus seems to be that there’s manual focus and a selectable aperture before shooting. That pretty much makes it difficult to use for serious filmmaking, but it doesn’t mean it won’t be great for this and that.

[ProLost via PDNPulse]

onOne is hard at work on v1.1 of their popular DSLR app or so says Mike Wong (the update should be submitted early next week) and while we wait for the update to get pushed out, the boys in Portland have published a list of compatible DSLRs.

Supported Canon Cameras

Supported Nikon Cameras

via onOne

Anyway, the rumored NX-series digital SLR-like camera, the NX-10, from Samsung will supposedly be coming in November, but I’m more interested in the Sci-Fi camera that this guy in Korea is talking about. Sounds bonkers.

I went to the exhibition today (July 14).

I heard from Samsung Imaging representative today that NX-10 will be available to customers on November. NX-10 displayed on July 7 is pre-production model and is not completed one.

It has VGA level EVF. The rear display quality is really good and it seems to have more than 920K pixels (should be AMOLED?).
There was a 24x zoom high-end camera (Model : WB5000) in the exhibition.

Also, he mentioned new compact camera, and it will be a camera could only exist in your imagination. He said it is a camera might be seen in SF movies. It is totally different from existing compact digital cameras. He said it has 2 parts while normal compact cameras usually have only 1, but he didn’t say no more what it is. (Obviously, it is classified.)

NX and new digital camera will be announced around August.

Also, Samsung is working on successor of GX-20.

SLR Club via DPR

Break out the credit card, photogs. Pentax is now shipping the K-7 DSLR body for $1300. You can find the HD shooting, all weatherproof, magnesium alloy shooter at the Pentax Store or Amazon. Adorama and B&H don’t seem to have them in stock yet. My birthday is this weekend, so if one of you could buy this for me that’d be great. K? Thanks.

Well, well. We told you that Nikon was going to launch two DSLR cameras this summer. These two are probably them and we need to point out that Nikon is getting good “leaking” pics of unannounced cameras. The last time around, everyone and their brother knew about the D5000 before it was official. This time we’re seeing the D300s – which we already know about – and the also unannounced D3000.

A quick look at the D300s pic (above) shows that it sports a microphone for the rumored video mode. But besides that little change, the rest of the body seems to be the same as the current D300, which is right in line with the rumor.

The D3000 pic shows a body that’s very similar to the new D5000 except for the lack of microphone holes and it’s slightly smaller. You can probably guess what that means. Also, LensTip examined the pic closely and found that it doesn’t have an HDMI port, articulating display, which all means this camera will likely be the entry level DSLR when it launches.

Given the product hero shots are already available – that is if these are real – there is a good chance that we’ll see both the D300s and D3000 sometime this summer.

Nikon Rumors, LensTip via Engadget

Now, I can’t attest to the legitimacy of this spec list leaked by PhotoRumors, but let’s take a gander at what the GX-30 is purportedly equipped with. Assuming you understand the relationship that Samsung has with Pentax then one would assume that the GX-30 is simply a clone of the recently announced K-7. But is the GX-30 just that? A clone?

The basic specs appear to be the same as the K-7, but it differs in the inclusion of two SD/SDHC memory card slots and built-in GPS. The AMOLED screen means nothing since Samsung is heavy into the screen technology these days.

-Magnesium alloy body
-Environmentally sealed (dust and weather resistant)
-CMOS sensor 14.6 effective pixels (15 total pixels)
-ISO 100-6400
-RGB primary color filter
-4 channel data read-out
-Built-in OIS system (Hyper OIS system*)
-Dual Dust Removal system
-DRIM Engine II image processor
-JPEG / DNG / JPEG + DNG image format
-Pentax KAF2 bayonet mount
-11 AF sensors (10 simple-cross AF sensors and center double-cross AF sensor)
-Built-in AF illuminator LED
-AF-S, AF-A and AF-S focus mode
-77 metering zones
-Pentaprism OVF 100% coverage and 0.95X magnification
-Ultra Clear Screen Focus
-High continue shooting 6fps (50 high quality JPEG and 16 DNG)
-Low continue shooting 4fps (JPEG full card and 24 DNG)
-Pop-up flash
-Flash Sync 1/250 (1/200 OIS on)
-3”Intelligent AMOLED 780K** dots swing and tilt display
-Automatic brightness adjustment
-Live View system
-Live View with contrast AF, face detection and tracking AF
-Video HD 720p/30fps (contrast AF available)
-Exposure, ISO and aperture control on video
-USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, HDMI and Video out connectivity
-Built-in GPS
-Double SD/SDHC slots
-Lithium Ion battery SLB-2000***
-Dimensions: 138×100×72mm
-Weight 728gr (no battery)

*Computational based power
**800×600 resolution
***GX10 and GX20 compatible

via PhotoRumors

According to Amateur Photographer, Pentax plans to tweak the sensor in the upcoming K-7 before it hits retailers. They’ve held off on their review of a pre-production K-7 after learning from Pentax UK reps that the DSLR would get a modified sensor. We’ve contacted Pentax here in the US to verify this information.

via AP

The boys at onOne are still on track for a July release of their popular DSLR remote control app and with v1.1 comes a new UI. As you can see, controls have been moved around to make things a bit more accessible and user friendly. Other than a UI update and support for Nikon DSLRs, onOne is mum on what else we can expect from the update app.

Please add support for Pentax, onOne. Please?

onOne

It seems that Nikon has scheduled press conferences for both July 30 and August 4. We hear that a new DSLR will be a announced at each presser. The D300s is a given, with its SD card slot and 720p24 recording, but what’s the other DSLR?

Photography Bay points out that it could either be a D60 replacement or an update to the D3s. We’re thinking Nikon would probably update the entry-level D60. The new must-have spec is video recording and the D60 doesn’t have the goods. Sure, neither does the D3x, but that camera is geared towards professionals and let’s be honest, the video recording junk is just a novelty.

So expect two new DSLRs from Nikon in the coming months. One will definitely be the D300s and we’re guess the other will be a D60 replacement.

Portland-based onOne Software has updated their list of supported Canon DSLRs for the DSLR Camera Remote app for the iPhone. Nikon owners should take note that the iPhone app will soon support Nikon DSLRs when v1.1 gets pushed out next month.

FireWire
* 1D Mark II
* 1Ds Mark II [1 ]
* 1D Mark II N

USB
*Your camera must be set to PC Connection and your Firmware must be up-to-date*

* Rebel XT/350D/Kiss Digital N
* 20D
* 5D

USB
*Your camera must be set to Print/PC (PTP) as the communication mode*

* Rebel XTi/400D/Kiss Digital X
* Rebel Xsi*/450D*/Kiss X2*
* Rebel XS*/1000D*/Kiss F*
* 30D
* 40D*
* 50D*
* 5D Mark II*
* 1D Mark III*
* 1Ds Mark III*

The following Nikon DSLRs will be supported in v1.1.

* Nikon D40
* Nikon D40x
* Nikon D60
* Nikon D80
* Nikon D90
* Nikon D5000
* Nikon D200
* Nikon D300
* Nikon D700
* Nikon D3
* Nikon D3x

Nikon D2 users – Unfortunately, the support for this camera is not documented in the Nikon SDK and as such, we cannot confirm that our iPhone app will work with any variation of the D2 camera body.

Canon Update [onOne]
v1.1 [onOne]

A rumor coming out of the Pentax Forums indicates that Samsung could be ready to launch the successor to the GX-20 DSLR, the GX-30. Last month similar rumors emerged with a June launch for the GX-30, but we have yet to hear anything official from Samsung. Others are speculating that it could be the vaunted NX series camera that Samsung announced at PMA. One commenter on the forum, Xian, states that Samsung will announce the GX-30, NX3 and two compact cameras.

Pentax Forums via PB