New on IR
Announced just last month, the new Panasonic G6 and Panasonic GF6 are two compact system cameras we've been eager to get our hands on and put to the test in the IR Lab -- as well as out in the field with our reviewers. The cameras' predecessors were both enthusiastic Dave's Picks, and we have high hopes that the latest models will show marked improvements. While the Panasonic G6 and GF6 continue to go through our rigorous battery of laboratory tests, we've posted First Shots from both of them for your...
The Sigma DP1 Merrill marks a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the DP1x, and delivers some of the most beautiful, detailed images at low ISOs that we've ever seen from a camera in its price range. Paired with a sharp 28mm-equivalent lens, the DP1M's 46-megapixel, three-layered Foveon sensor captures images that demonstrate remarkable per-pixel sharpness and an extra-special dimensionality that has created an almost cult following of Foveon faithful.
In addition to its massive sensor upgrade, the Sigma DP1M boasts a faster...
We've just posted First Shots of the latest camera the IR Lab has put through its initial paces -- the Sony HX50V -- which the company bills as "the world's smallest and lightest 30x optical zoom camera." Judging by the popularity of its predecessors, we're sure many of you are eager to see how this new hybrid model's images stack up against those of the Sony HX200V bridge camera with its 30x zoom and the Sony HX30V with its more compact body. In fact, you can pit the Sony HX50V's images against its parents' side...
The Olympus PEN E-PM2 just may be one of the most ideal compact system cameras for budding photographers looking to step up into a more sophisticated, interchangeable-lens system.
The E-PM2 is slightly smaller, lighter and more affordable than its fraternal twin, the E-PL5 -- which we also recently reviewed. It also features a less robust build and lacks a physical Mode dial, relying heavily instead on the touchscreen controls of its fixed 3-inch LCD monitor. However, the E-PM2's touchscreen is responsive and convenient, and even...
We've been very pleased with the image quality and overall speedy performance of the Olympus PEN compact system camera line over the past couple of years, and the E-PL5 stands out as a significant evolution on almost every front.
First off, the Olympus E-PL5 inherits the exceptional 16-megapixel sensor from the groundbreaking OM-D E-M5, one of our all-time favorite cameras. Bolstered by this sensor and the TruePic VI image processor (also borrowed from the E-M5), the image quality we saw from the E-PL5 proved to be nothing less than...
Olympus' PEN-series mirrorless camera line has proven to be very popular for the company, and today it grows by one, with the introduction of the Olympus E-P5 compact system camera. (And the first sample photos are already available. Click here to see six full-res images from ISO 200 to 1,600 equivalents on the official website of Olympus Asia.)
We weren't alone in praising their most recent PEN flagship -- the Olympus E-P3 -- for its well-considered design, very fast autofocus, good image quality at base sensitivity, and its...
One of our team mentioned the other day in our staff meeting how there have been more than 100 cameras announced so far in 2013. Wow, that realization just floored us. We're doing our best to keep up with this high-tech onslaught -- and to turn around in-depth reviews for our readers as quickly as possible -- but you can hopefully appreciate the amount of work it takes to get all of them through the IR lab and into the hands of our reviewers.
So, while you wait, we have posted a robust set of "First Shots" from...
Just days after Nikon announced the first mainstream Android camera, Samsung responded with its Samsung Galaxy Camera -- and Android fans found themselves with ringside seats to an epic battle. In one corner, a company with one of the most recognized brands in imaging. In the other, a consumer electronics giant with a long history in smart devices. The two cameras themselves trod equally different paths. Nikon aimed for small, conservative, and camera-like. For its part, Samsung essentially cross-bred the heart of a smartphone with the...
Despite a few quibbles, the 20.2-megapixel Canon 6D lives up to its promise of housing a glorious, full-frame CMOS sensor inside a smaller, lighter and more affordable digital SLR camera body designed for prosumers, enthusiasts, and even novice photographers. Are we in love with everything about this camera? No, but Canon's done a great job of not dumbing down, or cheapening the 6D to fit its "sweet spot" pricing.
The Canon EOS 6D is a responsive shooter that boasts image and video quality that rivals the stepup 5D Mark III, one of...
2013 is looking to be the year of the connected camera, and Samsung assuredly got the memo. Almost all of the company's recent NX-series mirrorless cameras already boast Wi-Fi wireless networking connectivity, and the Samsung NX2000 kicks it up a notch by also adding Near-Field Communications support.
While it sports much the same image sensor as the NX1100, coupled with the image processor from the NX300, the Samsung NX2000 also has a brand-new body that does away with the Mode dial and adds a significantly larger 3.7-inch LCD panel,...
Fuji released its XF 14mm f/2.8 R lens in February of 2013, and we've been looking forward to having it in our test lab. It's Fujifilm's beefiest prime lens to date for the X-mount system, and offers a 21mm-equivalent field of view for the X-E1 and X-Pro1 cameras. Click here to read our full review of the Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8 R lens!
Last January, Tokina revealed that it was developing the AT-X 12-28 PRO DX wide-angle zoom lens, a replacement for the now rather long-in-the-tooth AT-X 124 PRO DX II.
The existing lens, which first shipped in 2009 as a tweaked variant of a 2004 design, has proven popular for its f/4 constant aperture, as well as an optical design that was both sharp and controlled distortion quite well. Its successor is near-exactly the same size and weight, but now has a slightly more complex optical formula, focuses closer, and offers both a...
Apparently the pocketable Sony HX30V long-zoom digital camera and the DSLR-like Sony HX200V bridge camera have had a love child. The new Sony HX50V carries some excellent DNA from both "parents," packing a 30x optical zoom lens like the HX200V into a body that's almost as compact and lightweight as the HX30V. In fact, Sony calls the HX50V "the world's smallest and lightest 30x optical zoom camera," measuring about 4.3 x 2.5 x 1.5 inches and weighing approximately 9.6 ounces (with battery and Memory Stick Duo). And...
Japanese consumer electronics giant Panasonic has today launched two new cameras aimed at enthusiast use. If you've been shopping for an enthusiast compact, but you've been put off by the lack of a viewfinder, the Panasonic LF1 might be the camera for you. Let's face it, we don't all like shooting at arm's length -- the traditional camera-to-the-eye stance has a number of advantages, not least of them the better visibility under harsh sunlight. It's also easier to hold the camera steady in low-light shooting, and you feel more...
In the fall of 2012, headlines trumpeted the debut of the Nikon S800c, the first smart camera to be launched by a mainstream manufacturer. Based around Google's Android operating system, the Nikon S800c is a shot across the bows of smartphone photography. By pairing the soul of a smartphone with the body of a digital camera, the S800c aims to take the humble digicam to the next level, turning it into a capture, editing, and sharing powerhouse.
But revolution is risky business: the Nikon S800c sails in uncharted waters, facing new...
When adding up the pros and cons to the Sony NEX-6, it's pretty clear that there's a lot to love -- and not much to dislike -- about this compact system camera. The NEX-6 truly carves out its own space in Sony's CSC lineup, and even though its resolution has been scaled down to 16 megapixels (compared to the NEX-7's 24 megapixels), it still delivers image quality that rivals other APS-C cameras at a very affordable price. The NEX-6 delivers sharp, detailed photos in most shooting situations, with a strong balance of noise and detail up...
For the best part of the last decade, there's been something of a dark horse in the enthusiast camera market in the form of Ricoh's GR Digital series. With the launch of the new Ricoh GR, the status quo could be about to change. Now that Ricoh finally has a foot in the door in both the United States and Europe -- thanks to its acquisition of the Pentax camera business -- the company is boldly putting forward a camera that's going to attract a lot of attention. Better still, we've already been hands-on with a production-level camera, and...
Fujifilm released its first zoom lens, the Fujinon XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS, alongside the compact X-E1 mirrorless camera; the lens features a variable aperture that's a bit brighter than your average kit lens (f/2.8-4), as well as optical image stabilization. We've put Fuji's kit lens through its paces in our test lab: click here to read our full review of the Fujinon XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS!
The 16-megapixel Pentax X-5 may look and feel like a digital SLR, but it clearly belongs in the entry-level superzoom class. Photo enthusiasts who have shot with a DSLR and who may be drawn to the X-5's serious-looking but compact design -- it reminds us of a shrunken Pentax K-30 -- might want to look elsewhere, unless they're seeking an all-in-one, superzoom camera with a massive focal range they can throw in their bags for casual use.
For beginners and family photographers who might be going on a trip with the kids, the versatile...
Panasonic has today announced its latest Micro Four Thirds-mount mirrorless camera, the Panasonic GF6. For the fifth straight generation, the company courts consumers and enthusiasts alike with a relatively compact interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera that nonetheless packs in the features.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 has grown ever so slightly since its predecessor, and has gotten rather heavier as well, but that's allowed for more than a few new additions inside its completely redesigned body. Key among these are new wireless...
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