Home >> September 2008
September 2008
After being long overdue for update, Nikon has announced a new 50mm lens, the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G. The new lens features a Silent Wave Motor, complete re-design of the optical arrangement, rounded diaphragm opening with nine blade aperture, and new coatings including Nikon's Super Integrated Coating to reduce flare. Hopefully this will be the first of many redesigned Nikkor primes. The AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G will be available this December with an estimated selling price of $439.99.
Since the release of the Nikon D80, a lot has changed in the DSLR market. Entry level cameras like the D40 and D60 have made DSLRs much more accessible and opened up a lot of creative opportunities for amateur photographers all around the world. The D80 was an excellent camera but got a little lost in the Nikon lineup because it offered too many features for most beginning users and not quite enough for some advanced users. As the high and low-end models started to surpass the D80 in features, many began to wonder when we would see its replacement. The D90 started hitting retailers this past week, and I had the opportunity to get some time with the camera.
After over a year of speculation and a series of teasers, Canon has announced the EOS 5D Mark II. New highlight features include a Full-frame 21.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor, 14-bit A/D conversion, DIGIC 4 processor, 3.9 fps continuous shooting, a high-resolution 3.0-inch LCD with Live View capability, and improved weather-resistance. The camera also features Canon's highest ISO range to date, with a base range of 100-6400, with an expanded range from ISO 50 to ISO 25,600. Last, the camera is the first Full-frame DSLR with the ability to shoot Full 1920 x 1080 HD video, a feature that is sure to shake up the high-end video market.
The EOS 5D Mark II will be available at the end of November with an estimated selling price of $2,699.99 body only, or $3,499.99 with the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens.
Earlier this week, Nik Software introduced a new version of its Sharpener Pro software for Adobe Photoshop and Apple Aperture. Highlight features include the addition of U-Point technology, smart filter support, and the ability to save output presets. Perhaps one of the most promising features is the addition of Sharpening Soft-Proofing, a feature that is sure to help save lots of time and test prints.
Sharpener Pro 3.0 will be available this month directly from Nik, and starting in October from your local camera dealer for $199.95. Previous owners of Sharpener Pro 1.0 or 2.0 can upgrade for $99.99. If you're undecided, you can also download a 15-day trial directly from Nik.
This week's images of the week are a little different from previous weeks. This week we have a time-lapse sequence from Colonial Photo & Hobby in Orlando, FL. I used a D700 to take the sequence, and then compiled it with Quicktime Pro. Enjoy!
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