Posts Tagged ‘Review’
Sony Alpha NEX-7 Digital Camera Review
The high-end Sony NEX-7 is a compact system camera that offers enthusiasts more control over camera settings, as well as a built-in high-resolution electronic viewfinder. But that’s not all they’ll be enthused about, because the NEX-7 also has a 24.3-megapixel APS-C sensor and can shoot up to 10 frames per second; it can also shoot Full HD video (AVCHD 2.0).
Another key feature is the new XGA OLED electronic viewfinder, also inherited from its dSLR cousins, which may just be a game-changer, providing users an eye-level viewfinder in a super compact package. Of course, there’s also a fully articulating and tiltable 3-inch, 921,600-dot LCD. Other standout features include:
20-millisecond release lagISO sensitivity range 100-16000,Flash/accessory hot shoe, wireless control, and built-in flashUser-selectable lens compensation for chromatic aberration, distortion, and vignettingFull AVCHD progressive video recordingHigh-speed shooting of up to 10fps at 24 megapixelsObject tracking AFFace recognitionLevel gaugeMic input jack
Sony NEX-C3 Review
The 16-megapixel Alpha NEX-C3 builds upon the successes of its predecessor — the NEX-3 — sporting a slimmer body and redesigned APS-C sensor. It also adds a reported 20-percent boost in battery life, improved low light performance, and a slimmer, more attractive design. We spent well over a month using the NEX-C3 as our primary camera for product shoots, trade shows, hands-on videos, and vacations, and were blown away by its performance as both a versatile still snapper and a powerful video camera.
It’s important to note that while the C3 does capture 720p video, it can’t shoot in 1080p, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if you need full HD. Like all mirrorless cameras, there’s also no optical viewfinder, nor is there a traditional hot shoe. Instead, Sony included the same propriety connector found on the NEX-3 and NEX-5, enabling connectivity with a dedicated external microphone and a limited variety of external flashes, including the compact strobe that ships in the box.
While some photographers may find the NEX-C3 inadequate for their needs, we absolutely loved shooting with it, and we think you will too. Jump past the break to see why.
Nikon 1 J1 Review
Nikon employs both phase and contrast detection, because although current phase detection AF systems are faster, contrast detection is generally more accurate.
While the V1 has both an electronic and mechanical shutter (and the user can select which to use), the J1 just has an electronic shutter. Using an electronic shutter enables the continuous shooting rate to be pushed as high as 60fps, with 30fps and 10fps options also being available.
In Motion Snapshot mode, the camera shoots a snippet of full HD video footage at 69.94fps for replay at 23.976fps (making it around one second long), with accompanying music and ending with a still image. Footage is recorded to the buffer memory from the moment the shutter release button is half-pressed, so the video includes slow-motion action from the point immediately before the shutter release is pressed home.
Considering the size of the sensor, the Nikon J1 resolves a respectable level of detail. However, our resolution tests reveal that it can’t record as much detail as some Micro Four Thirds cameras. As usual, more detail can be extracted from raw files than is present in the simultaneously recorded JPEGs.
Noise is pretty well controlled, but even images captured at the lowest sensitivity settings have a faint texture that is just visible when they are examined at 100% on the computer screen.
Canon EOS-1D X Review
The Canon EOS-1D X is the latest in the company’s professional range of DSLRs. Its job is to replace both the sports-orientated 1D series and the high-resolution, studio-focused 1DS range of cameras. As is usual for upgrades in this class of camera, the changes are incremental and subtle but aim to raise the bar of what is possible.
The biggest specification change to the 1D X is its new sensor – an 18MP full-frame CMOS chip capable of shooting at 12 frames per second. This represents a big change over the 1D Mk IV (it represents a move away from the smaller APS-H format that Canon has previously used in its sports cameras), and a decrease in pixel count compared to the 1DS series. However, as Rick Berk, Technical Specialist in Canon USA’s Pro Engineering and Solutions Division says: ‘there’s more to image quality than just resolution.’
The move from APS-H up to full-frame is enabled by a sensor with faster data readout explains Chuck Westfall, Technical Advisor in Canon USA’s Pro Engineering and Solutions Division: ‘The new sensor has 16-channel, dual line readout, compared to 8-channel, single line designs in the previous generation of chips.’ This lets the company offer a large sensor (and the low-light capability that brings) for 1DS users, with the fast capture speeds that current 1D Mk IV users need. ‘It’s clear the time has come for the 1DX to replace the whole 1D series,’ says Westfall.
Under the skin, the big change is the more sophisticated metering sensor. A move from the 1D Mk IV’s sensor to a new 100,000 pixel unit affords the camera a much better understanding of the scene and this information is fed into the camera’s autofocus system to improve the quality of its AF tracking. This isn’t a new idea (Nikon’s sports cameras have done something similar for several generations), but it’s a sensible way of improving what’s already an impressive system.
The EOS-1D X will go on sale in Australia at roughly the same time it becomes available in the US (March 2012), but local pricing has yet to be announced. In North America the 1D X (body only) is priced at US$6800, not too far shy of the asking price for the soon-to-be-discontinued 1Ds Mark III (US$6999). So don’t be surprised if the new model retails here for around AU$9000.
ASUS Eee PC T101MT Review
For a resistive panel, the touchscreen is actually quite responsive, though unsurprisingly requires a firmer press to make selections. But since we have become so accustomed to using capacitive tablets we had to get the hang of having to really give icons a firm press or use a fingernail to maneuver through menus. Multitouch gestures are just not as smooth as they should be – there’s just something unnatural about having to firmly press two fingers down on the screen to scroll. The stylus, which pops out of the right side of the screen, was pretty much our best friend given the display frustrations and the lack of finger-friendly software. ASUS’ included PenWrite software is supposed to optimize the finger touch experience, but we didn’t really notice much of a difference when using the utility.
And this brings us to the “uh, we just don’t get it” question: why in the world would ASUS ship a $499 multitouch-capable tablet with an operating system that doesn’t support multitouch or even have integrated touch capabilities? That’s right, the T101MT ships with Windows 7 Starter, which — regardless of not supporting pinch-to-zoom or two-finger scrolling gestures — doesn’t include handwriting recognition or an onscreen keyboard. The company does make up for the latter concern by including SoftStylus’ keyboard, but you have to manually bring it up anytime you want to input text (i.e. into the address bar), and the handwriting recognition is quite sluggish.