By : www.basic-digital-photography.com
Have you been searching the market for a good professional SLR camera? If so, then the Nikon D70s could be right up your alley.
The successor to the hugely popular Nikon D70 camera, the Nikon D70s has a very impressive feature set.
With a maximum resolution of 6.1 megapixels and a 3.8x optical zoom, the Nikon D70s is a great digital camera that will prove to be suitable in many photographic environments.
The Nikon D70s struck me as I wrote this review - the fact that it has a very fast start-up speed, taking just 0.2 seconds to power up and is has minimal shutter release time lag and is very responsive. That being said, some of the quirks of this digital camera are that it is basically an improved version of the D70 and might not be worth the upgrade and has a very high price tag.
Let's now jump right into the review and check out the features of the Nikon D70s.
Design and Construction
In terms of design and construction, the Nikon D70s is sturdy and well-built. It It measures 5.5" by 4.4" by 3.1" (WHD) and weighs only 1.0 pound. Best of all, it looks like a professional SLR , given its black color and sturdy and big body size. All in all, the Nikon D70s is one beautiful digital camera.
Optics and Resolution
The optical system of the Nikon D70s has obviously been carefully thought out to enable one to take great photos. The digital camera comes with a 6.1 megapixel resolution and a 3.8x optical zoom. It also features an impressive ISO range of 200 to 1600, along with a shutter speed range of 30 - 1/8000 sec. Of course, the Nikon D70s allows you to attach a wide range of Nikkor lenses so you can take any kind of photo that suits your fancy.
Compared to the D70, one visible area of improvement was in the strength and coverage of the built-in Speedlight flash. In my tets shots, the D70s took flash shots that improved exposure by about one-half stop over the D70's. At 70 mm, the Nikkor lens's widest zoom setting, the image displayed more even illumination.
User Controls
Ok, now let's look at the user controls for the Nikon D70s. This digital camera has manual controls to allow one to better control the exposure settings. There are comprehensive focusing options available if you’re more adventurous and want to play around with advanced manual camera options. The Nikon D70s also does not come with a movie mode - so if you want to record videos, then you have to look elsewhere.
When handling the Nikon D70s, I was impressed by its 2.0 inch LCD screen. Colors on the LCD were vivid and bright, so I could easily see the pictures I took without having to strain my eyes.
Menus are displayed better, too—now set against black instead of blue in the D70. The D70s, like the D70, has some on-board help screens on the LCD, but they're only for the custom menus. It would have been nice to have them active throughout the various functions.
Battery Life
The Nikon D70s makes use of proprietary lithium batteries. The advertised battery life is more or less sufficient for a full day's shooting. If a long battery life is very important for you, you can always pack along some extras - buy them at your local camera store.
Storage and Transfer
The Nikon D70s allows your pictures to be stored in CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards cards. These days, its pretty standard practice to have at least a 128MB memory card in your digital camera (or even a 512MB card). You can also easily transfer the pictures from the camera to the PC via the USB 2.0 interface. In writing this review, I managed to transfer about a hundred photos in a very short time.
Shortcomings
There are some quirks I noticed in the Nikon D70s. What are these quirks? Well, for one thing, this digital camera is basically an improved version of the D70 and might not be worth the upgrade. That's not a problem if you're buying a brand new digital SLR though. Also, the Nikon D70s has a very high price tag - which will be very limiting for some consumers. On the whole, though, the Nikon D70s is still a pretty good camera which I highly recommend.
Conclusion
I do hope this review of the Nikon D70s has been of help to you. If you’re looking for a decent professional SLR camera to take shots with, then the Nikon D70s might be tough to beat. Of course, do your own research first before shelling out your cash. Happy shopping!
Canon's new entry-level PowerShot, the A310 features a 3.2 megapixel imager with an all-glass 33mm equivalent fixed focal length Canon lens and 5.1x digital zoom. This compact and affordable camera incorporates advanced features such as a 5-point AiAF focus system, close focusing capability of 1.2 inches in macro mode, direct-printing to any PictBridge compatible printer, and user selectable ISO speeds and light metering options.
Like its predecessor, the PowerShot A300, the new A310 has a shutter speed range from one second to 1/2000 of a second, offers a choice of evaluative, center-weighted and spot metering modes and the option of selecting the peak resolution of 2048 x 1536 or reduced resolutions of 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768 and 640 x 480 (Medium1, Medium2 and Small, respectively). Movie resolution options are 640 x 480 (up to 30 seconds with sound) or reduced resolutions of 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 (up to 3 minutes with sound). Additionally, sound memos of up to 60 seconds can be appended to any still image file and played back in the camera or computer.
The A310 also incorporates a number of high-end features including the popular Photo Effects mode originally introduced in the highly advanced PowerShot G2 camera. A low sharpening mode has been added to the Vivid, Neutral, Sepia and Black-and-White modes for a total of five separate effects for greater creativity.
Like all other 2004 PowerShot cameras, the A310 features Canon’s new Print/Share button for simplified, one-touch Direct Printing to Canon and PictBridge-compatible printers as well as one-touch downloading to Windows XP/Me/2000/98 computers. The PowerShot A310 also supports PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol), making it fully compatible with Mac OS X. It's powered by two AA-size batteries and is compatible with CompactFlash Type I removable media.
PowerShot A310 Features
o 3.2-Megapixel CCD for images up to 2048 x 1536 pixels.
o 33mm (equivalent) F3.6 optical lens, 5.1x digital zoom
o 1.5-inch TFT color LCD, approx. 78,000 pixels
o 5-point AiAF system with single-point center focus and focus lock
o Low-light focus assist illuminator
o Exposure modes: Auto/ manual/ stitch assist/ movie
o Motion video w/out audio, 640x480 up to 30 secs, 320x240 up to 3 min
o White balance options: Auto, daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, fluorescent H, or custom
o Shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/2000 second
o Evaluative metering linked to the focus point
o ISO settings: 50, 100, 200, 400 and Auto (50-150)
o Photo Effects: Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia, B&W
o Built-in flash with Auto, Red-eye reduction auto, Forced on, Red-eye on, forced off and slow-synchro
o 2x-10x enlarged playback function with scrolling
o Direct Print to PictBridge compliant printers
o CompactFlash Type I removable storage
o Canon's exclusive Print/Share button
o USB driverless downloads
o Powered by two AA type batteries
o Small (4.3 x 2.3 x 1.4 in.) and lightweight (6.2 oz)
By : Ben Long
The 8.2-megapixel sibling of the popular EOS 30D has a large LCD and a pleasing interface.
It might be logical to assume that Canon's new EOS 30D digital SLR camera, successor to the company's popular EOS 20D, would pack a higher-resolution sensor. But such is not the case. The EOS 30D ($1499 as of March 21, 2006) provides the same imaging circuitry as its predecessor, but it also includes some much-needed new features for only $100 more than the 20D.
In many respects, the 30D looks exactly like the 20D. The camera has the same control layout as the 20D, but its 2.5-inch LCD screen is a marked improvement over the 20D's 1.8-inch screen.
The 30D's interface is a model of elegant simplicity: Almost all of the controls that you'd use in everyday shooting are accessible via a button. Yet because Canon doubles up the functions of the camera's buttons, the unit is not overladen with buttons and knobs. As a result, finding the control you're looking for is uncomplicated, and making adjustments with one hand is easy. Still, I wish that there were an external bracketing control, so I wouldn't have to navigate a menu, and that the power switch weren't inconveniently located at the bottom of the back panel.
Canon's menu system is simple and intuitive; you can navigate quickly using the control wheel on the back of the camera. With the larger LCD, menu items are bigger and easier to read. Overall, Canon's interface is the best in the industry.
The most important change to the 30D is the addition of a spot meter. Previous models offered a partial metering mode that read the middle 9 percent of the viewfinder, but the spot meter capably reads the middle 3.5 percent. The evaluative and center-weight averaging metering modes remain available as well.
The picture styles feature, which originally appeared on Canon's EOS 5D model, is another enhancement. It allows JPEG shooters to save up to nine sets of image-processing parameters, each set containing custom sharpness, contrast, saturation, and color tone settings. Though not significantly different from the 20D's parameters feature, the 30D's picture styles feature gives you more sets to customize. JPEG shooters will also welcome the new ability to completely deactivate in-camera sharpening. (For RAW shooters, these additions are irrelevant, since the camera doesn't apply any processing to RAW files.)
Other important new additions include the ability to adjust ISO in increments of one-third stop; an ISO readout in the viewfinder, so you don't have to consult the LCD to change the ISO; an optional slower burst speed, which permits more shots in a single burst; and a more durable shutter. Still missing: the ability to auto-bracket more than three shots (and as few as two), and an easier-to-access mirror lockup feature.
By: Robert Bezman
Whether you’re embarking on a family vacation or your family reunion, it’s going to be a special time. When we think of trips we’ve taken, we tend to remember them best with photographs. Here’s some ideas to enhance your vacation as well as your memories of them.
Location Preparation
1) Since you know where you’re going (that's a minimum requirement), doesn’t it make sense to check out the location before you get there? Create a list of attractions, accommodations, special points of interest, amusement areas, shopping, etc. A good source to help you do this is: the Places and Travel section of msn.com ( http://groups.msn.com/Browse?CatId=179)
2) Figure out the photo opportunities for each appropriate venue. Anyone can take a “that’s nice” picture of the kids at an amusement park. Wouldn’t you rather capture a “WOW” photo that could be hung over the mantle?
3) Depending on the location you’re traveling to, you can see what books are written about them that highlight the best photo opportunities for the entire area
4) If you’re cyber-savvy, start at www.google.com and search using different combinations of: your destination, best photography locations, for images of the location, scenic spots, etc. The options are endless.
5) If you’re off to a non-big city area, scout out the national parks in the area. The great thing about national parks is that the scenery is usually so breathtaking, that a so-so shot looks outstanding, just because of the subject. Once in www.nps.gov, do a search on photos and you will be presented with terrific shots of all the parks
Photography Preparation
OK, you’re either traveling through or you’re at a wonderful location full of photo opportunities. You began this leg of your trip at the crack of dawn and as you’re pulling into the most scenic overlook for 400 miles, the sun is just starting to crack the horizon.
You instinctively pull the car over, grab your camera and your tripod, and look for the best spot to set up. Just one tiny little problem… YOU FORGOT YOUR TRIPOD! Rather than smack yourself on the forehead then, why not plan these things now, before you leave?
Your list should include AT LEAST the following consideration…
1) Do I need to repeat – BRING YOUR TRIPOD? It doesn’t take up much room, and as explained at www.best-family-photography-tips.com/tripod-photography.html, tripods allow you to capture entirely new categories of photographs that won’t be possible without one
2) Memory. Of course, bring all the memory you have, but also pack your portable storage device (explained at http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/digital-photography-tutorial.html)
3) If your camera has a hot shoe, bring your external flash, and any additional equipment that can be used to help with bounce flash
4) Remember your external shutter release cable for those long exposures. How else are you going to get that “angel-hair” look of the waterfalls?
5) Don’t forget the basics like: batteries, battery charger, camera bag, and additional lenses and filters (if applicable on your camera)
6) And just in case you need it, bring the manuals for your equipment.
Finally, don’t get so wrapped up in taking perfect shots that you don’t enjoy the trip. Remember to use the tripod so that you'll be in at least some of the photos.
Article courtesy of www.best-family-photography-tips.com, where you can see some sample pictures including more photography tips. Copyright 2005 Robert Bezman. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Robert Bezman is a professional photographer and owner of Custom Photographic Expressions. Robert has created www.best-family-photography-tips.com to help the digital photography users create better photographs.
By: Jakob Jelling
Every device needs a driving force to operate, just as every living thing needs a heart to keep it alive! Basically electric power does this job for any kind of devices nowadays. Similarly for any digital camera too, a good battery is necessary in order to ensure an excellent performance from it as long as possible. Being such a crucial task as if searching for a good heart for a human being, perhaps the most tedious thing about digital cameras is the quest for their battery consumption and thereby finding a suitable one for any particular one. Yet a basic overview regarding this so important component of a digital camera makes the ventures of the users somewhat less complicated and makes life easier with a proper selection of the battery!
Leaving aside the ever power thirsty LCD screens and flashes, the digital cameras themselves exhaust batteries much faster than film cameras, due to their state of the art electronic designs and intricate circuitry. Many digital cameras run from AA cells, around 4, and can even drain a set of alkaline cells in less than 1 hour of working! For example, the Kodak DC120 draws about 210mA during start or switch ON, but progresses to around 1.3A with the association of the LCD fully working and can go ahead to about 2.1A while picture taking and after it too.
With all these nightmares regarding the batteries of the digital cameras, it is worthwhile to analyze and reveal some of the available batteries for the digital cameras in an effort to explore area of power consumption in this fantastic device. Coming to first one of these, like its great name suggests, it is the Li-ion (Lithium Ion). It is one of the latest cell types available to digital camera users. This has many advantages to its credit. It is light in weight and currently available for many commercial uses and thus being so the Li-ion (Lithium Ion) battery type is becoming quite popular. This has an added advantage of being able to endow with more power than any of the other main cell types available. It is also free from the problems of memory effect, hat some battery types do have, and maintenance is least in this type of battery. These are but real goodies about this Li-ion (Lithium Ion) battery. Yet it has one major disadvantage, that is, the price is usually significantly higher than conventional batteries, due to its sophisticated design and technology.
Coming to the next one in the line, the NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride). This is a battery that is perhaps the most frequently under use for not only digital cameras, but also for other sophisticated devices like laptop computers! This has the advantage of being cheap in price due to the fact that it incurs cheap manufacturing costs, and thus a choice for many users! But this does have the problems of memory effect, and much more maintenance and care is required while handling this kind of battery.
Another such battery is the NiCAD (Nickel Cadmium) Battery. This is perhaps belonging to one of the older cell types generally available for older laptops and electronic devices. These batteries or cells have an aptitude for handling high power loads, and therefore is more frequently found in handy power tools and devices that require more amounts power to work efficiently and perfectly. Yet again, these batteries too have the problems of memory effect, and much more maintenance and care is required while handling this kind of battery.
Apart from the different batteries themselves, the selection should be based upon the charging techniques and the different charges available for all these digital camera batteries. Latest batteries come handy with charging free techniques too! So care needs to be taken in this area also, depending upon the requirements of the user.
With all the vivid conversation regarding the hearts of the digital cameras, their batteries, it is expected for every person going through the lines to have grabbed a significant amount of information in dealing with the intricacies of the purchase, and thereby also augment the ability of the person in using such a sophisticated device as a digital camera with a proper battery!
About the author:
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com Visit his digital camera guide and learn how to take better pictures with your digicam.
