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The German website digitalkamera.de have reviewed the 5 megapixel Minolta DiMAGE A1 digital camera, which has recently been drastically reduced in price by many retailers in the UK and USA, no doubt because of the Canon EOS 300D. The A1, however, is still proving to be quite a popular choice with consumers.
The German website digitalkamera.de have reviewed the 5 megapixel Minolta DiMAGE A1 digital camera, which has recently been drastically reduced in price by many retailers in the UK and USA, no doubt because of the Canon EOS 300D. The A1, however, is still proving to be quite a popular choice…
I’ve been working behind the scenes during the last month on a lot of new features for PhotographyBLOG, and at last they’re ready to share with you :-) So without any further delay, here’s a quick explanation of each one:
Gallery -:- PhotographyBLOG now has its very own Gallery where you can submit your photographs. There are several themed galleries in which you can share your photographs with everyone and get constructive feedback. Every member is automatically given 5Mbs of free storage space and there is a file size limit of 100Kb, which means that you can upload at least 50 photos.
Competition -:- A monthly photography competition with a specific theme and prizes for the top 3 photos! The winning entries will be decided by a panel of judges. You can only submit 1 photograph that best interprets the theme Autumn Colour, so choose wisely. Competition #1 starts on 1st November 2003 and ends on 30th November 2003. Please read the Monthly Competition Rules before entering.
Photo of the Week -:- A weekly photography challenge where you decide who the winner is by voting for your favourite photos. The photo with the most votes wins the coveted PhotographyBLOG Photo of the Week award. You can submit any photograph into the Photo of the Week competition. Competition #1 starts on 3rd November 2003 and ends on 9th November 2003. Please read the Photo of the Week Rules before entering.
User Reviews -:- Submit your own reviews of cameras, lenses, printers, scanners and lots more. Don’t agree with what PhotographyBLOG or some other website says about your camera equipment? Write your own review, good or bad. The User Reviews section is still being developed, so if the product that you want to review isn’t available, let me konw and I’ll add it asap.
Forums -:- The rather limited old forums have been replaced by some shiny new ones with a lot more features. You can still access the content of the old forums via this link, but you can no longer post new entries there.
PhotographyBLOG Membership -:- The membership of the site as a whole has changed. There is no longer any login required to add your comments to the weblog entries. You are only required to register as a member or login if you want to use the Gallery.
*If you are already a member of PhotographyBLOG, you have already been converted to the new membership scheme and you can use your existing username and password to login to the Forums / Gallery / Competition / Photo of the Week / User Reviews.
As these are all new features, there may be some initial teething problems, so if you experience anything strange then please let me know by emailing:
Many thanks to Sue for helping out with the coding :-)
I’ve been working behind the scenes during the last month on a lot of new features for PhotographyBLOG, and at last they’re ready to share with you :-) So without any further delay, here’s a quick explanation of each one: Gallery -:- PhotographyBLOG now has its very own Gallery where…
DCResource have reviewed the 5 megapixel Minolta DiMAGE G500, which has a 3x zoom lens with a range that is equivalent to 39 - 117mm on a 35mm camera.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the photo quality on the G500. For a compact camera, they are very good. Minolta definitely has the sharpness cranked up, which adds a tiny bit of noise to the images. Color and exposure were also good. Purple fringing / chromatic aberrations were nowhere to be found (except for a little in the torture test). I guess the blurry corner is my only real complaint—good job Konica/Minolta!”
DCResource have reviewed the 5 megapixel Minolta DiMAGE G500, which has a 3x zoom lens with a range that is equivalent to 39 - 117mm on a 35mm camera. “I was pleasantly surprised by the photo quality on the G500. For a compact camera, they are very good. Minolta definitely…
The Norwegian website DigIT have reviewed the Sony DSC-V1 compact digital camera, which features 5 megapixel resolution, 4x optical zoom, flexible exposure control and an infrared laser hologram.
Website: DigIT - Sony DSC-V1 Review
The Norwegian website DigIT have reviewed the Sony DSC-V1 compact digital camera, which features 5 megapixel resolution, 4x optical zoom, flexible exposure control and an infrared laser hologram. Website: DigIT - Sony DSC-V1 Review
Popular Photography have reviewed two light-weight light meters, the Minolta VF and Sekonic L-358 models. Find out which one came out on top in this head-to-head challenge.
“For most of my career, a Minolta has been my meter. In recent years, it?s been the Auto Meter IVF (that?s ?four F?) because of its light weight. But when they introduced the Minolta VF (that?s ?five F?) and Sekonic came out with the new L-358 Flash Meter, I wondered if the new Sekonic had the mettle to dethrone my Minolta dynasty. I decided to put the two new meters to the test, and since September ?02, the Sekonic has joined the Minolta in my arsenal.”
Popular Photography have reviewed two light-weight light meters, the Minolta VF and Sekonic L-358 models. Find out which one came out on top in this head-to-head challenge. “For most of my career, a Minolta has been my meter. In recent years, it?s been the Auto Meter IVF (that?s ?four F?)…
Popular Photography have published their 5-page review of the Olympus E-1 digital SLR camera.
“As for image quality, there?s very good news and a tiny bit of bad news. The good news is that the camera captures images with extremely high color accuracy and resolution. And, as promised, images shot at wide angle, using the 14?54mm Zuiko lens at a wide-open aperture, f/2.8, showed no measurable resolution falloff in the corners. Impressive! Contrast was also normal and adjustable, and JPEG artifacts were minimal at the highest-quality settings.”
Popular Photography have published their 5-page review of the Olympus E-1 digital SLR camera. “As for image quality, there?s very good news and a tiny bit of bad news. The good news is that the camera captures images with extremely high color accuracy and resolution. And, as promised, images shot…
The American photography magazine “Photographic” has published a review of the new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di AF lens on its website. With equivalent own-brand lenses from the likes of Nikon, Canon and Minolta costing several times more, the ?300 Tamron lens could find its way into quite a few photographer’s bags. (found via digicamera.net)
“Maintaining its fast f/2.8 aperture at all focal lengths, the AF28-75mm zoom is great for low-light shooting, allows you to use slower films and lower ISO settings on digital SLRs for better image quality, and produces beautiful blurred backgrounds for wide-open selective-focus shots.”
Website: Photographic - Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di AF lens Review
The American photography magazine “Photographic” has published a review of the new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di AF lens on its website. With equivalent own-brand lenses from the likes of Nikon, Canon and Minolta costing several times more, the ?300 Tamron lens could find its way into quite a few…
After a very successful first event, the unique photographic scavenger hunt 26 Things is set to be repeated in November. The first 26 Things was held in July 2003 with over 400 people hunting for the 26 items listed by Tracey of sh1ft.org. On Saturday November 1 (Australian time), a new list of 26 Things will be posted on the website at sh1ft.org/26things and you will have the whole month of November to search for them. It really is that simple :-)
Website: 26 Things : 2
After a very successful first event, the unique photographic scavenger hunt 26 Things is set to be repeated in November. The first 26 Things was held in July 2003 with over 400 people hunting for the 26 items listed by Tracey of sh1ft.org. On Saturday November 1 (Australian time), a…
The Dutch digital photography website LetsGoDigital are reporting that Rollei are set to release the dt4200 digital camera in November. The dt4200 will have a 4 megapixel CCD and uses a docking station to download your photos to a PC, much like Kodak’s range of EasyShare cameras. The dt4200’s 3x optical lens is equivalent to 35-104mm on a 35mm camera, and there is a high-resolution 1.6-inch TFT color LCD on the rear of the camera. There’s no indication of price yet.
Website: LetsGoDigital - Rollei dt4200
The Dutch digital photography website LetsGoDigital are reporting that Rollei are set to release the dt4200 digital camera in November. The dt4200 will have a 4 megapixel CCD and uses a docking station to download your photos to a PC, much like Kodak’s range of EasyShare cameras. The dt4200’s 3x…
Photoxels have published a guide to Area Focus, which apparently is one of the three focusing modes found on newer digital cameras. I must admit to never using or seeing this feature before, but if your camera has this mode and you’re unsure of how to use it, then the Photoxels tutorial is a good read.
“Area Focus extends Center Focus by allowing the AF frame to be moved anywhere on the screen. So now, if your subject is to the left of center, instead of moving the camera left, pre-focusing and then moving the camera back, all you do is move the AF frame left instead while keeping the camera still!”
Website: Photoxels - Area Focus Tutorial
Photoxels have published a guide to Area Focus, which apparently is one of the three focusing modes found on newer digital cameras. I must admit to never using or seeing this feature before, but if your camera has this mode and you’re unsure of how to use it, then the…
CNET have published their review of one of the more popular consumer digicams, the 4-megapixel Canon PowerShot A80, which sells for around $399.
“Though it’s not the cheapest model in Canon’s A series, the 4-megapixel A80 delivers the best combination of features, image quality, performance, and price that we’ve seen in any recent camera. The A80 improves on the A70 in almost every way while maintaining a great balance between point-and-shoot ease and room-to-grow sophistication. Just don’t let the myriad options scare you away.”
Website: CNET - Canon Powershot A80 Review
CNET have published their review of one of the more popular consumer digicams, the 4-megapixel Canon PowerShot A80, which sells for around $399. “Though it’s not the cheapest model in Canon’s A series, the 4-megapixel A80 delivers the best combination of features, image quality, performance, and price that we’ve seen…
It seems that multiple copies of today’s Newsletter (issue 37) were inadvertently sent out to everyone on the subscriber list. Please accept my apologies for this and rest assured that it won’t happen again!
Mark Goldstein
It seems that multiple copies of today’s Newsletter (issue 37) were inadvertently sent out to everyone on the subscriber list. Please accept my apologies for this and rest assured that it won’t happen again! Mark Goldstein
Well-known UK UK wildlife photographer Andy Rouse has has just published his review and 10-day field test of the Canon EOS 300D. Andy subjected the 300D to tests that are usually handled by the likes of the much more expensive 1D and 1DS, so this will be one of the more unusual reviews of the 300D that you’ll ever read.
“Speaking as a photographer I actually like these enhancements and they make shooting a whole lot easier with the 300D than the 10D. Having the settings information just below the viewfinder means I can quickly glance at it without having to shift the camera away from my eye. It?s a shame that the compass point buttons are only used for controlling the menu functions and setting the ISO / White Balance, as they would have been superb for controlling the autofocus points.”
Website: Andy Rouse - Canon EOS 300D Review
Well-known UK UK wildlife photographer Andy Rouse has has just published his review and 10-day field test of the Canon EOS 300D. Andy subjected the 300D to tests that are usually handled by the likes of the much more expensive 1D and 1DS, so this will be one of the…
Photo.net have published their review of the HP Photosmart 945 digital camera, which features a 5.3-megapixel total resolution and 56x total zoom (8x optical zoom). The HP Photosmart 945 digital camera is available now and has an estimated U.S. retail price of $549.
“I liked the digital flash which does a good job in bringing up the detail in darker areas of the image. The wide range zoom (37mm-300mm 35mm equivalent) was nice too. Generally exposure seemed accurate. Since there is no histogram display you can’t tell exactly when you have the best exposure, but you can get a reasonable idea from the image playback. Exposure compensation is available in full auto, aperture priority and shutter priority modes (there is no fully manual mode). I used the camera in full “idiot mode” most of the time (full auto with default settings) and in general the camera did a pretty good job.”
Website: Photo.net - HP Photosmart 945 Review
Photo.net have published their review of the HP Photosmart 945 digital camera, which features a 5.3-megapixel total resolution and 56x total zoom (8x optical zoom). The HP Photosmart 945 digital camera is available now and has an estimated U.S. retail price of $549. “I liked the digital flash which does…
Steve’s Digicams are once again the first website to review a recently-announced digital camera; this time they have the scoop on the Pentax Optio 555, a 5 megapixel updated version of the popular 550 model.
“The Optio 555 is the premiere consumer digicam offered in the Pentax line- up. It boasts a 5x optical zoom lens and is housed in a durable aluminum alloy case that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. Packed with features the beginner will love and the advanced user will appreciate. The automatic and manual exposure modes will make both the beginner and advanced users happy. Creative features like panorama assist, 3-D, digital filtering (color filters) and time-lapse shooting will allow your creative side to show. With its 5x optical zoom lens and all the other features, you’ll always want this camera by your side.”
Steve’s Digicams are once again the first website to review a recently-announced digital camera; this time they have the scoop on the Pentax Optio 555, a 5 megapixel updated version of the popular 550 model. “The Optio 555 is the premiere consumer digicam offered in the Pentax line- up. It…
Luminous Landscape contributor Andy Biggs has reviewed 4 of the latest inkjet papers available from the Moab Paper range. These fine-art papers were tested using the Epson Stylus Photo 2100 printer. I think these papers are only available in the USA at the moment, but as they are cheaper than the Epson equivalents, they may be worth tracking down or ordering from an online store.
Luminous Landscape contributor Andy Biggs has reviewed 4 of the latest inkjet papers available from the Moab Paper range. These fine-art papers were tested using the Epson Stylus Photo 2100 printer. I think these papers are only available in the USA at the moment, but as they are cheaper than…
Steve’s Digicams have reviewed the Casio EXILIM EX-M20, which measures a mere 83mm wide, 53mm high, and 11.3mm thick. The EX-M20 features a 2-megapixel CCD plus a built-in microphone and speaker for recording and playback of voice recordings and audio snapshots. The EX-M20 retails for $329.99 and is available now.
“For the “person on the go”, the fully automatic EX-M20 is just what they need to take great pictures at a precise moment, without spending a lot of time learning how to use a complicated camera. With the “BestShot” modes the camera’s settings are optimized for any of fifteen predefined shooting conditions. If you truly want to be creative and over-ride the camera’s automatic settings, you can adjust the White Balance, the ISO and the EV Shift (+/-2EV).”
Steve’s Digicams have reviewed the Casio EXILIM EX-M20, which measures a mere 83mm wide, 53mm high, and 11.3mm thick. The EX-M20 features a 2-megapixel CCD plus a built-in microphone and speaker for recording and playback of voice recordings and audio snapshots. The EX-M20 retails for $329.99 and is available now…
Canon have released a new version of firmware for the Canon EOS 300D / Digital Rebel DSLR.
Firmware Version 1.1.1 resolves the following issues:
- It increases the reliability of RemoteCapture application when the camera is used. The reliability of RemoteCapture, with which you can control the camera from your computer and take single-frame shots, timer shots and interval timer shots and save the images on your computer automatically, is increased.
- It increases the reliability of operations when used on Windows XP and Mac OS X with [PTP]* selected in [Communication]. It increases the operations with the camera when connected and disconnected with your computer in saving and deleting the images. You may now make a continuous printing of up to 100 images at one time.
This firmware Version 1.1.1 can only be installed on cameras with Version 1.0.2 firmware. If the camera already has the firmware Version 1.1.1 installed, you do not need to update it.
Website: Canon Firmware
Canon have released a new version of firmware for the Canon EOS 300D / Digital Rebel DSLR. Firmware Version 1.1.1 resolves the following issues: - It increases the reliability of RemoteCapture application when the camera is used. The reliability of RemoteCapture, with which you can control the camera from your…
I’ve just posted my review of the Epson Stylus Photo 950 Printer, a 6 colour, 2880 x 1440 dpi model that currently sits at the top of Epson’s range of A4 photo printers. I was especially interested in testing the Stylus Photo 950 because I own an older Epson model, the Stylus Photo 890, and I wanted to find out what improvements Epson had made to their latest model. Would I be impressed enough to consider upgrading? Read on to find out.
I’ve just posted my review of the Epson Stylus Photo 950 Printer, a 6 colour, 2880 x 1440 dpi model that currently sits at the top of Epson’s range of A4 photo printers. I was especially interested in testing the Stylus Photo 950 because I own an older Epson model…
Epson Press Release 22/10/03
Epson Unveils the Essential Printers for Digital Photo Enthusiasts: The EPSON Stylus Photo R300 and R300M
LONG BEACH, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Oct. 22, 2003—
New Direct Photo Printers Offer Convenient Photo Printing With or Without a Computer, and the Capability to Print Directly onto the Surface of CDs and DVDs
Epson America Inc. has added two new photo printers to its product line—the EPSON Stylus(R) Photo R300 and R300M. The EPSON Stylus Photo R300 and R300M are perfect for digital camera owners who want a flexible and easy to use photo solution. Both printers offer the same convenient and innovative features such as printing directly onto the surface of ink jet printable CDs and DVDs, and being able to print photos with or without a computer. The EPSON Stylus Photo R300M includes a 2.5” color preview monitor for viewing and selecting images before printing them. The preview monitor is not available on the EPSON Stylus Photo R300.
These printer models are perfect for the digital photographer who uses a digital camera and wants to share photos with friends and family.
“People are sharing memories now more than ever, and with a printer like the Epson Stylus Photo R300/R300M, anyone can pop in their digital memory card and print out amazing looking photos even without a computer,” said Steve Semos, product manager, consumer ink jet printers, Epson. “These printer models not only make it easy and convenient to print photographs, but customers can even personalize CD layouts and print directly onto ink jet-printable CDs and DVDs.”
Epson Press Release 22/10/03 Epson Unveils the Essential Printers for Digital Photo Enthusiasts: The EPSON Stylus Photo R300 and R300M LONG BEACH, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Oct. 22, 2003— New Direct Photo Printers Offer Convenient Photo Printing With or Without a Computer, and the Capability to Print Directly onto the Surface of CDs…