Digital Camera Repair Blog

From Gizmodo.com:

The first wave of Micro Four Thirds cameras were scarcely smaller than DSLRs. Panasonics new GF2 is certifiably tiny, though it still packs a flash and a tricked-out touchscreen LCD, shoots 1080i video, and can handle Panasonic’s interchangeable 3D lens.

The GF2 is 19% smaller than the GF1, though it still sports an on-board flash as well as a new interface centered around its 460,000-dot, 3-inch touchscreen. You’ll be able to tap to lock focus on a subject or to snap a shot, as you’d expect, and a new feature called the touch Q-menu lets users create touch shortcuts for the settings they access most.

When the camera’s in iA mode with Intelligent Scene Selector on, tapping on various parts of the screen sets the appropriate scene mode—touching a face switches to portrait mode, touching the background switches to scenery mode, etc. A peripheral defocus mode makes depth of field a matter of a simple touch slider. All that combined with dedicated buttons for intelligent auto mode and video recording should make navigating the GF2 a breeze, even for the photographically uninitiated.

The GF2 employs Panasonics’ Venus imaging engine, shoots 1080i video and has a 12.1MP Live MOS sensor, as well as a super Dust Reduction System for those clumsy lens changers. Speaking of, the GF2 won’t have any trouble in THE FUTURE—it can take on Panny’s 3D Micro Four Thirds lens with no trouble.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 will be available in January in a variety of colors, price TBD.

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Well it would seem as though people have nothing better to do than waste money and destroy things. This poor Canon 5D Mark II had water damage, but so what? There were still plenty of good parts on the camera (water won’t hurt plastic…) and I would have been happy to buy it from the arsonist.

Maybe one day I will have one of my own… when they are considered ‘old’ technology and nobody wants one that is, as I sure can’t afford one now.

Hmm… maybe if I start charging $100 more per repair (like the manufacturers do) I would be able to afford one!!

Thomas

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Ok seriously? So often people get caught up in the megapixel hype and just buy whatever the “geek” at the store tells them to buy its amazing. A camera is not better because it has a higher resolution sensor, it just takes bigger pictures. Bigger doesn’t always mean better. I’ve talked about this before, you want quality, not quantity.

Now Canon has announced they have developed a 120MP APS-H sized CMOS sensor. This is great, but just imagine what size memory card you would need to store a few snapshots of the kids! And how long is it going to take to transfer those pictures to your computer… where they will sit and you will never do anything with them?

The New Canon 120MP CMOS Sensor

The sensor will probably see life in high end equipment that you and I will never see. It’s interesting news, but has nothing to do with technology that we will see or use anywhere in the near future.

Here is the press release from the Canon website:

TOKYO, August 24, 2010—Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed an APS-H-size^*1 CMOS image sensor that delivers an image resolution of approximately 120 megapixels (13,280 x 9,184 pixels), the world’s highest level^*2 of resolution for its size.

Compared with Canon’s highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor of the same size, comprising approximately 16.1 million pixels, the newly developed sensor features a pixel count that, at approximately 120 million pixels, is nearly 7.5 times larger and offers a 2.4-fold improvement in resolution.^*3

With CMOS sensors, while high-speed readout for high pixel counts is achieved through parallel processing, an increase in parallel-processing signal counts can result in such problems as signal delays and minor deviations in timing. By modifying the method employed to control the readout circuit timing, Canon successfully achieved the high-speed readout of sensor signals. As a result, the new CMOS sensor makes possible a maximum output speed of approximately 9.5 frames per second, supporting the continuous shooting of ultra-high-resolution images.

Canon’s newly developed CMOS sensor also incorporates a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) video output capability. The sensor can output Full HD video from any approximately one-sixtieth-sized section of its total surface area.

Images captured with Canon’s newly developed approximately 120-megapixel CMOS image sensor, even when cropped or digitally magnified, maintain higher levels of definition and clarity than ever before. Additionally, the sensor enables image confirmation across a wide image area, with Full HD video viewing of a select portion of the overall frame.

Through the further development of CMOS image sensors, Canon will break new ground in the world of image expression, targeting new still images that largely surpass those made possible with film, and video movies that capitalize on the unique merits of SLR cameras, namely their high mobility and the expressive power offered through interchangeable lenses.

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I’m not a fan of taking video with a DSLR, but maybe you are. I guess I figure why not use a camcorder to do a camcorders job, but then again who wants to carry around two large cameras? Also, have you seen how amazing the video is with the Canon 5D Mark II?

Well it looks like Nikon has finally made video a decent option with the D3100 entry level DSLR camera. How? This is the first DSLR anyone has put out that has constant autofocus while shooting video! The D3100 will cost about $700, so be sure you really want to use the video option, otherwise you can get an entry level DSLR for $200 less.

MELVILLE, N.Y. (AUGUST 19, 2010) – The new Nikon D3100 digital SLR camera speaks to the growing ranks of enthusiastic D-SLR users and aspiring photographers by providing an easy-to-use and affordable entrance to the world of Nikon D-SLR’s. The 14.2-megapixel D3100 has powerful features, such as the enhanced Guide Mode that makes it easy to unleash creative potential and capture memories with still images and full HD video. Like having a personal photo tutor at your fingertips, this unique feature provides a simple graphical interface on the camera’s LCD that guides users by suggesting and/or adjusting camera settings to achieve the desired end result images. The D3100 is also the world’s first D-SLR to introduce full time auto focus (AF) in Live View and D-Movie mode to effortlessly achieve the critical focus needed when shooting Full HD 1080p video.

Via NikonUSA.com

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