Cameras

At the annual PMA show in Las Vegas this year, Nikon introduced a new interchangeable-lens digital SLR, the D70. The camera had been rumored for some months, but the trade show offered the first up-close look at the new model. Unlike many PMA introductions, the D70 was shown to the press as a final production and completely functional camera. Typically, we're shown mock-ups or we see the camera in a glass case (don't touch, please) rather than actual production models.

Olympus has designed a fine camera in the new 8-megapixel C-8080. After shooting with it for a while, I found the camera to be well worth considering, even if you don't need the added megapixels, just because of the rich feature set it offers.

If you've snorkeled or scuba dived on vacation, you already know about the amazing world that lies beneath the water's surface. The remarkable creatures and seascapes are so stunning that they beg to be captured in photographs. Thankfully, you don't have to be a professional photographer with expensive gear to take dramatic underwater images.

The Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n is designed to meet the demands of many pro shooters. A 14-megapixel CCD, improved noise reduction, larger image buffer and powerful image software for an efficient workflow make it a formidable challenger for the top digital SLR position.

Designed for the serious photographer who wants extensive controls in a compact package, the 8-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8700 delivers. Weighing only 17 ounces, it's amazing how much camera Nikon fits into such a small package. The design of the generous 35-280mm ED zoom lens includes extra-low dispersion glass, which ensures improved color accuracy and contrast. As well as including its best glass in the lens design, the camera has a precise, 256-segment Matrix metering system, a five-area autofocus sensor and an accurate flash exposure meter.

A 6.1-megapixel, interchangeable-lens digital SLR, the Nikon D70 offers an incredible collection of capabilities for less than $1,000. Although it's a full-featured SLR, the D70 utilizes simplicity of design to make it easy to learn and use—even for photographers new to digital. The D70 is an excellent value with a wealth of features.

Sophisticated technology goes into the design and manufacture of your digital camera. Understanding some of that technology can help you to predict how the camera will fare when you're shooting in a variety of situations. For our annual How-To issue, we're including this article on the anatomy of an image sensor.

After nearly seven years as an editor here at PCPhoto, I recently purchased my first digital camera. I've been shooting with digital cameras all along, but since there's a constant flow of the latest and greatest equipment through our offices, I never felt compelled to commit myself to a purchase. Content with just borrowing a camera for a time, I was reluctant to buy because I assumed that something better would always be on the horizon.

The high-performance camera provides instant power-up and a fast 37 ms shutter lag. The continuous firing mode delivers 5 fps for 15 consecutive NEF images. The 6.8-megapixel High Speed Cropped mode provides 8 fps for 25 NEF images.

Yes, the Canon EOS 20D has 8.2 megapixels, and everyone keys in on that impressive number, but megapixels aren't everything. The quality of an image coming off of a sensor is strongly affected by the sensor design itself as it, in turn, affects noise, color and tonal range. The Canon EOS 20D features superb results for all of these points.