What's New - May 2009
May 26
First test shots posted for 
Sony A330!
We've just posted the first set of test shots taken with the recently announced Sony A330 digital SLR. The Sony A330 has a 10.2-megapixel sensor, and although the Alpha A330 has the fastest Live View mode available, it has no built-in movie mode. Describing the Sony Alpha A330 comes down to a relatively short list of what's new compared to the A300: a smaller, simpler body design, a new kit lens, a few tweaks to the menus and display screens, a new Self-timer mode, and a few other feature tweaks, plus some new accessories pretty well sums it up. See our Sony A330 Hands-On Preview and click on the Samples tab to see all the test shots we've taken so far. We'll be adding more Sony Alpha A330 test images in the coming days, so check back often.
May 25
Nikon D3X Test Results posted!
In the "It's about time" category, we've posted our test results analysis for the Nikon D3X. It's not a slam-dunk in all areas relative to the very stiff competition from the Canon 5D Mark II (and EOS-1Ds Mark III), but our overall conclusion is that the Nikon D3X produces the highest image quality of any camera we've tested to date. If you need extraordinary resolution in a 35mm-style body, the Nikon D3X is clearly the way to go. See our Nikon D3X Review for all the details.
May 20
Hands-On Preview posted for 
Pentax K-7!
The Pentax K-7 has a compact water/dust/cold-proof magnesium alloy body, 14.6 megapixel CMOS image sensor, five frames-per-second shooting, piezo-ceramic dust reduction, and sensor-shift stabilization which corrects not just horizontal / vertical motion, but also rotation around the lens barrel's axis. Other Pentax K7 features include a high-res 3" LCD display, 100% coverage glass prism viewfinder, SDHC card storage, 77-segment metering, 11-point autofocusing, 1/8000 max. shutter speed, electronic level gauge, a live view mode with contrast / face detection autofocus, a 30 frames-per-second high-def movie mode, and high / standard-def video connectivity. Priced at US$1,300 body-only, the Pentax K7 should ship this July. See our Pentax K-7 Hands-On Preview for more details on this exciting new Pentax SLR.
May 18
Hands-On Previews posted for three new 
Sony SLRs!
Bucking the trend toward greater complexity and higher resolution, Sony has revamped their consumer digital SLR line with a new focus on even greater simplicity, lower-cost cameras, and more affordable beginner optics. Indeed, the three new SLRs, the Sony A230, Sony A330, and Sony A380 share more specifications in common with their predecessors than they do differences, with the main changes occurring in the size, weight, and shape categories. Resolution for all three bodies is unchanged. The Sony A230 and Sony A330 both have a 10.2-megapixel sensor, and the Sony A380 has a 14.2-megapixel sensor. And though the A330 and A380 both have the fastest Live View mode available, thanks to the secondary image sensor built into the pentamirror housing, they have no built-in movie mode in any model. See our Hands-On Previews of these models for more!
May 15
Express Review posted for 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3!
Few WiFi digital cameras have everything we like to see in terms of image quality, usability, and functionality, but the Sony Cyber-shot G3 was a pleasant surprise. Slide the body open and you're wowed by the slick Sony engineering as the two shells click into their open position. On comes the wide, 3.5-inch LCD, displaying 921,000 dots, for smooth image framing and even smoother image playback. The Sony G3's onscreen buttons will have you navigating the Cyber-shot G3 in no time; even uploading your images wirelessly from your digital camera to the service or computer of your choice. Other features include 4GB of onboard storage, a 4x optical zoom, sensitivity from ISO 80 to 3,200, Face detection, and Intelligent scene recognition. Using the Sony G3 was quite an experience. Click here for our Express Review of the Sony Cyber-shot G3 for more on the finest WiFi digital camera we've seen to date.
May 7
First Shots and videos posted for 
Panasonic DMC-GH1!
We've posted test shots and sample videos for the Panasonic GH1 Micro Four-Thirds digital camera, the highly anticipated hybrid version of the Lumix G1 that adds HD video recording complete with autofocus support. The Panasonic GH1 features a compact, mirrorless SLR-like body, a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, 12-megapixel still images, 1080i or 720p HD video, ISO range from 100-3200, and a 3.0-inch articulating LCD. The Panasonic GH1 comes bundled with an all new Lumix G VARIO HD 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8 lens that is optically stabilized. Click here for our Panasonic Lumix GH1 preview page, and then click on the Samples tab for all the images we've shot so far, as well as links to select RAW files. Stay tuned for more Panasonic DMC-GH1 test images in the very near future!
May 4
Accessory Review: 
LensAlign Long Ruler!
For several months, Michael Tapes has been working on a long ruler for his LensAlign Pro focus calibration device. The task proved to be a lot more complicated than you might think. But his solution proves to be as elegant as the original LensAlign. Rather than a metal ruler, Tapes realized the design in a vinyl ruler that won't bend if you drop it, reinforced by a carbon fiber rod. To make the long ruler manageable, he built it in two halves that lock together magnetically with the aid of the original base ruler. Drop the assembled long ruler onto the LensAlign Pro just as you would the base ruler and you have a 47-inch scale to measure front and back focusing on long lenses at smaller apertures. Read our LensAlign Long Ruler Kit review for the details.
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