Dpreview have posted a full review of this camera!

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Nikon announced the simplest, most accessible DSLR to date, the Nikon D3000. With its stylish discrete appearance it is compact, light and durable and is suitable for first-time users.

The camera features 10.2-megapixel DX-format CCD Sensor, 3.0 LCD Monitor with Live View Function, 11-point autofocus system and EXPEED image processing to help it deliver rich, bright results close to what you saw with your own eyes.

To make your images great the camera uses Scene Recognition System and Nikon’s Active D-Lighting function which can vastly improve shadows and highlights of high-contrast scenes. D-Lighting works also during processing and restores details in the highlight and shadow areas of the image that may have been lost.

The D3000 is designed for anyone who wants to take pictures without worrying about settings. Of course, there are full manual controls in the camera, but it can take great pictures automatically with its Scene Recognition function. And the intelligent Guide mode employs an easy-to-use interface and shows you how to get better pictures.

The company promises that the D3000 is a fast camera, so you can capture the shot almost instantly, without any delay that is typical of compact cameras. It also features 3fps continuous shooting.

The Nikon D3000 is compatible with the extensive lineup of NIKKOR AF-S and AF-I lenses. It sells with 18-55mm VR Kit Lens.

The camera also has its own built-in flash and supports the Nikon Creative Lighting System with SB-900, SB-600, or SB-400 Speedlights, or the SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander.

Camera Reviews:

Neocamera.com:
The D3000 is great because it delivers what novice DSLR users expect from a DSLR: image quality and speed above all. A simple and durable body round off its place as an excellent choice among entry-level DSLR cameras.

Photographyblog.com:
While Nikon D3x is the manufacturer’s top model, the D3000 is just at the very opposite end of the scale. It’s a solid model in every sense of the word that should see the amateur photographer through years of happy service.

Digitalcamerainfo.com:
As to resolution and color accuracy, the D3000 is unimpressive. White balance is decent. As for burst mode shooting, the D3000 delivered the promised, if not particularly exciting, 3 shots per second.

Letsgodigital.org:
The picture quality is excellent and frankly. With its broad experience and the success of its predecessors, the destination of the Nikon D3000 seems already determined.

Cameralabs.com:
The camera is very friendly and easy to use with its goal-oriented Guide mode, though some settings require too many clicks. And unfortunately there’s no AF with older (non AF-S) lenses.

Imaging-resource.com:
Despite its good printed performance, the camera produced quite oversaturated color, and had several very bright hot pixels across the frame. One can also be put off by its difficult focusing system with which you should always make sure that you don’t move the AF point accidentally.

Dpreview.com:
The D3000 is an excellent camera, and great value at its current street price. What the D3000 conspicuously lacks however, compared to competitive cameras, is a Live View mode.

Sample Photo Galleries: letsgodigital.org, photographyblog.com, digitalcamerainfo.com, cameralabs.com, imaging-resource.com.

Sample Photo Galleries: dpreview.com.

Alternatives/Rivals: Canon EOS 500D, Nikon D5000, Olympus E-620, Sony A330.

Nikon D3000 – Specifications (Full Specs):

• 23.6 x 15.8 mm CCD Sensor
• 10.2 Megapixels
• Maximum Image Size: 3872 x 2592
• Optical Fixed Eye-Level Viewfinder with 95 % Frame Coverage
• 3.0″ TFT LCD Monitor with 230,000 pixels (Live View)
• AF Area mode: Single Area AF, Dynamic Area AF, Auto Area AF, 3D Tracking (11 points), Closest Subject Priority Dynamic Area AF
• Focus Tracking
• Focus Lock
• Shooting Modes: Scene Mode (6), Programmed auto, Shutter-priority, Aperture priority, Manual
• Scene Recognition System
• Metering: Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot
• Sensitivity: ISO 100-3200
• Shutter Speed: 30 to 1/4000 sec, Bulb
• Continuous shooting: 3 fps
• GUIDE mode (Intuitive In-camera Assistance)
• Nikon Integrated Dust Reduction System
• Compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards
• Price (Body + 18-55mm VR Lens): US: $599

Official Information: europe-nikon.com.

Recent Camera Reviews are here again - Let’s go!

Let’s start with the Nikon D5000 that has gathered a great deal of attention lately. This 12.9 megapixel with DX-format CMOS sensor, 4fps continuous shooting and HD video capture has been reviewed at dpreview.com and they call its image quality and dynamic range undeniably impressive.

Digitalcamerainfo.com also did a reviewed of the D5000. They are a bit stricter - they found its noise performance good and liked the way it handled high-contrast scenes. But as to image sharpness, the camera didn’t meettheir high expectations.

Its lack of sharpness was also stated by Dcresource, but it is “like most of Nikon’s D-SLRs,” they said. Additionally, they mentioned the colors being generally pleasing, though reds could’ve been a bit more saturated.

If you are still not tired of the Nikon  D5000, you can drop at one more place to read its review - photographyblog.com.

The Pentax K-7, the most intriguing announcement of last month has been already reviewed – at photographyblog.com. Its specifications read like a keen photographer’s wish list and the image quality appeared to be very good with few drawbacks.

A non-SLR digital camera that uses interchangeable lenses, 12.1-megapixel Panasonic GH1 joins this company. Though it doesn’t have the mirror box and pentaprism arrangement, it produces image quality that is pretty close the Canon Rebel T1i’s. Its review has recently appeared at imaging-resource.com.

On the contrary, Photographyblog in their review state the GH1’s so-so image quality in low-light conditions, allthough praising the work of its video recording function.

And what about the Canon Rebel T1i (aka 500D in the US, naturally) itself? Well, it has recently won a review at digitalcamerareview.com. According to it, this 15.1-megapixel camera with APS-C sized CMOS sensor delivers excellent HD video quality, exceptional ISO performance, andaccurate color and dynamic range.

12-megapixel Olympus Evolt E-620 SLR camera that crosses the bridge between entry level models E520 and E-450 and the semiprofessional E-30 DSLR was reviewed at letsgodigital.org. They don’t complain much about its image quality but would like to see its signal/noise ratio improved.

Dcresource are really glad that such a camera can enter your home without breaking the bank.

And at last we have the Sony A-380 that was reviewed by letsgodigital.org. This 14.2-megapixel camera is the successor of the Alpha 350 though only its design is entirely new. As to image quality, it was slightly improved.

Next time we’ll meet either lenses or compacts, I am not sure. Anyhow, stay in touch. Bye!

What’s new: Imaging-resource have posted the camera’s review!

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Olympus launched the Olympus E-P1, the first Olympus Micro Four Thirds model, a digital camera with interchangeable lenses but without a mirror!

The E-P1 is peculiar in its incredibly small size, retro style, and ease of use – without giving up any of the benefits of D-SLR quality. It includes all the advantages of Olympus imaging technology e.g. image stabilization, a dust reduction system, and interchangeable lenses.

The camera features a 12.3 Megapixel Live MOS sensor, 3 inch LCD Screen and Dual Image Stabilization (electronic and mechanical). A new TruePic V image processor ensures crisp and clear images or movies and guarantees ultra-high processing speeds. It also enables the application of six Art Filters to both movies and still images.

Among its interesting functions you can find an intelligent i-Auto option, Multi Exposure mode (allows several RAW images overlay in real-time) and e-Portrait (smoothes away wrinkles and eliminates imperfections and blemishes) in the camera.

Video function allows shooting of high-resolution HD (1280×720p, 30fps) movies, the application of Art Filters, the ability to vary depth of field, angle of view, and autofocus during recording. This can be done with all lenses. Unfortunately, it records only up to 5 minutes in one single shot.

The new model is compatible with all Micro Four Thirds lenses and, via an adapter, the full range of existing Four Thirds lenses.

The Olympus E-P1 will be available for purchase in July 2009 in two stylish options: silver or white.

Camera Reviews:

Steves-digicams.com:
The E-P1 is a well-rounded digital camera .While there are a few things that could be better (shooting performance, low-light AF performance), there’s the ability to capture beautiful photos, a host of creative still and video options, pleasing HD video quality, and various accessory options in the camera.

Photoreview.com.au:
With the Pen E-P1, Olympus has stated a clear intention to establish the first product in what we hope will be a profitable niche between top-end advanced digicams and compact DSLRs. However, in its attempt to create a camera that offers something for everyone, Olympus has produced something of a ‘curate’s egg’ (only excellent in parts).

Dpreview.com:
Although it’s fractionally noisier than the best APS-C models, and the dynamic range isn’t as good as the very best-in-class cameras, the E-P1’s image quality is overwhelmingly positive.

Letsgodigital.org:
It’s a true cross between a compact and an SLR, though there are still points of improvement to be worked on, especially for professional photographers, whilst for consumers the downsides are far less important.

Dcresource.com:
Very good photo quality; better high ISO performance than previous Olympus D-SLRs. But it takes the E-P1 about 1.3 seconds to prepare for shooting. That’s on the slow side for an interchangeable lens camera. And autofocus performance is by far the E-P1’s weak spot. At least, the shutter lag isn’t an issue.

Digitalcamerareview.com:
The camera delivers excellent image quality in a tiny package. The single biggest problem with it is that it is unacceptably slow.

Digitalcamerainfo.com:
The E-P1 takes damn good pictures, shoots video, uses interchangeable lenses and finally makes the new Micro Four Thirds camera format a challenger for a place in your pocket if you have a spare $800 in there now, that is.

Imaging-resource.com:
The camera corrects for chromatic aberration and geometric distortion and its built-in image stabilization helps stabilize all lenses. It shows very good color rendition and better than average detail.

Sample Photo Galleries: dpreview.com, letsgodigital.org, digicamreview.com, dcresource.com, digitalcamerainfo.com, imaging-resource.com. 

Alternatives/Rivals: Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 and DMC-GH1 (both Micro4/3).

Olympus E-P1 – Specifications:

• 12.3 Megapixels
• 4/3″ Hi-Speed Live MOS sensor, 17.3 x 13.0 mm active area
• Maximum Image Size: 4032 x 3024
• File formats: RAW, RAW + JPEG, JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
• 3.0″ LCD screen (fixed, 230k dot resolution)
• HD movies (720p) with stereo sound
• Built-in Image Stabilization
• Face Detection & Shadow Adjustment
• Shooting Modes: Auto, Program AE (with shift), Aperture priority AE, Shutter priority AE, Manual, Art Filter, Scene select (14)
• Art Filters: Pop art, Soft focus, Pale & light color, Light tone, Grainy film, Pin hole
• Sensitivity: ISO 100 - 6400
• Metering system: 49-zone multi-pattern
• Metering modes: Digital ESP, Center-Weighted Average, Spot (2%), Highlight based spot, Shadow based spot
• Shutter speed 60-1/4000 sec
• Continuous Shooting: 3.0 fps, RAW: 10 frames max
• External Flash
• Live View: 100% field of view
• Weight (no batt): 335g (0.7 lb)

Official Information: olympusamerica.com.