 |
|
Canon announced the 24-70mm f/4L IS USM in November of 2012 as a lighter, less expensive alternative to the 24-70mm f/2.8. The lens is also equipped with image stabilization, and a specific macro mode. We've put the lens through its paces in our test lab: Click here to read our full review of the Canon 24-70mm f/4L IS USM!
The new Panasonic G5 takes the best features of the earlier G3, steps them all up a notch and tosses in much-improved ergonomics as icing on the cake. We immediately fell in love with the G3 when we first saw and shot with it back in May of 2011, feeling it was a real watershed product in the Micro Four Thirds space. In the intervening time, models from other manufacturers have caught up with and in some cases surpassed the G3's achievements. Announced last July, the new Panasonic Lumix G5 has upped the ante...
Our review for the Sony A77 has languished in an almost-finished status for months now, but we've finally tied it off. Or at least we have until we hear back from Sony on a significant video AF issue we encountered.
You can check the video page of our Sony A77 review for the details, but the gist of it is that the camera couldn't seem to track a relatively slow-moving, well-lit, easy-to-focus subject at all. We're particularly puzzled by this because the same AF system performed brilliantly in continuous-still...
No one was voted into Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame this year, mainly due to the taint of performance enhancing drugs. But when it came to adding another model to the pantheon of legendary DSLRs, the Canon 5D Mark III -- introduced last spring -- earned IR's full support in just its first year of eligibility. And, yes, you can call the Canon 5D Mark III a mid-range DSLR on steroids, and we have no problem with that.
As one of the true superstar DSLRs launched in the past year, the Canon 5D Mark III...
Are you the designated photographer for your family? If so, there's a good chance something is missing from your photo albums: you. Fulfilling the duties of family record-keeper means you spend almost all your time behind the lens, making an occasional appearance only for posed, tripod-mounted shots. The Sony NEX-F3 aims to solve the problem with an updated, tilting LCD panel that can now be seen from in front of the camera, putting you back into the family album.
That's not the only worthwhile update over Sony's previous entry-level...
Sony's been trying to crack the pro DSLR market for years, but with relatively little success until now. With the Sony A99, it looks like the company finally has made a breakthrough: It's a blazingly fast shooter that also delivers 24 megapixels of resolution, and Sony's new dual phase-detect AF system means it can focus rapidly, continuously and accurately -- whether shooting videos or rapid-fire bursts of stills.
Moreover, the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 boasts some of the most impressive technology ever placed in a DSLR, even...
It's sadly been many months since we last managed to post Judges' Comments for the monthly Photo of the Day winners, and we apologize to all the winners over that period of time whose photos haven't received the recognition they deserved. The reason has simply been the ongoing editorial overload here at Imaging Resource headquarters.
Reasoning that some recognition is better than none, though, we're going to try posting with briefer comments, rather than the deeper analysis we've done in the past. At least this way, the winners will...
Eager to see how the Nikon V2 mirrorless or Olympus XZ2 premium compact compare perform in terms of image quality? Now's your chance: we've just posted our first test images from both cameras on their respective previews, and have added them to our Comparometer(tm) tool, so you can make direct comparisons to your favorite cameras from the many we've tested.
Visit our Nikon V2 samples page or Olympus XZ-2 samples page for the lab images we've shot with each camera so far, and check back in the coming days for additional test images as...
Sigma announced the 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM "A" lens during the 2012 Photokina, the inaugural lens to its new "Art" series of lenses. Designed for an enthusiast market, the lens is also one of the first to be compatible with Sigma's new USB lens dock, allowing users to make fine-tuned adjustments to the performance of the lens. While we didn't have the opportunity to play with the new dock, we did put the new lens through its paces in our test lab: click here for our full review of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM "A"!
...
Canon so far has made one of the biggest digital imaging splashes at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with its new PowerShot N, a small, square-ish digicam that's so simple that it does away with the traditional shutter button and zoom controls. We got our hands on one at the show, and we found it to be a pretty nifty, unusual device that looks like it's a perfect camera for parties and outings with friends.
In the two videos below, IR founder and editor-in-chief Dave Etchells demonstrates how to...
The Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED VR AF-S was released near the end of 2012, offering a smaller, lighter alternative in the 70-200mm range. Incorporating Nikon's latest version of its Vibration Reduction technology, we've put the new lens through its paces in our test lab: click here to read our full review of the Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED VR AF-S!
Fujifilm's X-Trans sensor technology was arguably one of the most significant technical developments of 2012 for the photo business. Offering superior resolution without moiré patterns or other aliasing, the Fujifilm X-Pro1 was a true breakthrough product.
Now, an updated version of the unique X-Trans sensor technology is appearing in the Fuji X100S, an update to the highly popular Fujifilm X100, as well as moving downmarket into the new Fuji X20, which sports a 2/3" style sensor. The result is two cameras with...
Pentax's first fixed-lens enthusiast model.
Until now, there's been a clear differentiation in Pentax's camera lineup. Between its various mirrorless, SLR, and medium-format models, the company provides quite a few options for experienced shooters and those looking for room to grow. Its fixed-lens models, meanwhile, are aimed at consumers who want to keep things simple and affordable. With the debut of the Pentax MX-1, that line is blurred: Pentaxians can now aspire to a camera that fills the middle ground between simple compacts and...
Big, bulky cameras aren't for everybody. You don't need chunky, SLR-like styling to get interchangeable-lens versatility, and some of us are more than happy to forgo a few features for street shooter anonymity. Back in 2011, Samsung answered that need, dropping the electronic viewfinder from the then-flagship NX11, and creating the stealthy NX200 mirrorless.
The Samsung NX300 is the latest successor to the NX200, and unlike last year's NX210, it makes some pretty significant changes throughout. Nutshell view: It's gotten a little...
As we wind down our lens reviews of 2012, we take a close look at a lens designed for close up looking: the Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Macro. As a micro four-thirds lens, it offers an effective field of view of 120mm and a full 1:1 reproduction ratio, all encased in a small and light package. Click here to read our full review of the Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Macro!
The Nikon D800 caused huge buzz when it was introduced, with owners and reviewers alike marveling at its incredible resolution. If the D800 was great, the Nikon D800E, with the low-pass filter effectively removed, must be even more incredible, right?
As you might guess, low-pass filters are present on cameras for a reason: Seeing the world through a pixelated grid introduces unusual problems, especially when lines and repeating patterns cross that grid at specific, usually shallow angles. Preventing these...
It's taken three tries, but Nikon has finally produced a flagship Coolpix digital camera that solidly holds its own against its top competitors. The new Nikon P7700 boasts an upgraded 12-megapixel sensor and a fast 7.1x zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.0, as well as a number of other enhancements. Nikon removed the optical viewfinder from the Coolpix P7700, but we actually see this as a plus, especially since the 3-inch vari-angle LCD screen is easy to view and allows you to compose in tight spots. Sans...
We've put the Canon EOS 6D through the lab and have our first shots posted! Designed as an affordable, full-frame addition to Canon's DSLR lineup, the enthusiast-aimed, 20.2-megapixel 6D just started shipping this December.
Announced a week later than the Nikon D600 -- which we've already reviewed -- the Canon 6D also looks like a capable alternative to the more expensive 5D Mark III.
We'll have more on the Canon 6D soon, but check out our first studio sample shots of the Canon 6D and read our in-depth...
At just 9mm in width and a weight of 22 grams, the 15mm f/8 body cap lens by Olympus is probably the smallest lens we've ever tested. Its concept is surprisingly innovative: take a body cap, and put a fixed aperture lens in it. When paired with an Olympus or Panasonic micro four thirds body, the result produces a pocketable point and shoot style camera. With its extremely economical price point, we've been looking forward to testing this lens: check out our full review of the Olympus 15mm f/8 body cap lens!
...
Nikon leads the way again, with the first "affordable" full-frame digital SLR. Fun to shoot, the Nikon D600 offers as little or as much control as you want, perfect for both amateurs and more advanced photographers; even pros will feel right at home. Its 24.3-megapixel sensor offers excellent detail, and performs well in low light. In addition to stills, the Nikon D600 captures Full HD video at a greater range of frame rates, and includes not only great audio controls and an external mic jack, but a headphone jack...
