Super Zooms

All-in-one zooms—those that go from wide-angle to medium telephoto—are quite versatile.

By Mike Stensvold

All-in-one zooms—those that go from wide-angle to medium telephoto—are quite versatile. They provide a whole range of focal lengths, from wide through tele, in a single, compact package, terrific when you want to reduce the weight and bulk of your gear. With focal lengths from 28mm to 200mm (and sometimes more), and everything in between, you can... Read more

Is It Time To Go Full-Frame?

Full-frame DSLRs are hot! The reasons?

By Mike Stensvold

Full-frame DSLRs are hot! The reasons? Well, image quality, for starters: All other things being equal, a full-frame sensor can collect more light than a smaller one, and that means a better signal-to-noise ratio (see the sidebar for more about this). And that means better image quality, with less noise, especially at higher ISO settings—full-frame... Read more

Nikon 1 V2

Estimated Street Price: 799 (body only) INTRODUCED 10/2012 While the new Nikon 1 J2 compact mirrorless, interchangeable-lens camera closely resembles its predecessor, the V2 has a new look and incorporates a number of improvements. And inside, there’s a new 14.2-megapixel CX-format CMOS sensor and EXPEED 3A processor, enhancing image quality and operating speed, and providing Read more…

By The Editors

Smart Cameras

Everywhere you look, people are snapping photos and shooting videos with their smartphones, iPads and Android tablets.

By Michael J. McNamara

Everywhere you look, people are snapping photos and shooting videos with their smartphones, iPads and Android tablets. Most of those devices, unfortunately, lack the low-light sensitivity, zoom lenses, image stabilization and exposure controls found in even the most basic compact digital cameras. But do the owners care? Nope! They’re too busy... Read more

Hybrid AF

Phase-detection AF, used in DSLRs for non-live-view shooting, is quick and very good at tracking moving subjects.

By Mike Stensvold

Phase-detection AF, used in DSLRs for non-live-view shooting, is quick and very good at tracking moving subjects. Contrast-detection AF, used in compact and mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras—and DSLRs (other than Sony’s) when shooting in Live View mode—is very accurate, but historically slow, and not good at tracking moving subjects.... Read more

Olympus Pen E-PL5

Olympus’s PEN mirrorless camera lineup received a double update at Photokina.

By The Editors

Estimated Street Price: $649 (body only) INTRODUCED 9/2012 Olympus’s PEN mirrorless camera lineup received a double update at Photokina: the new E-PM2 and E-PL5 (the M stands for “Mini,” the L for “Lite”). The E-PL5 updates the tilt-monitor E-PL3 (there was no E-PL4), improving image quality noticeably by replacing the... Read more

Olympus Pen E-M2

The new PEN E-PM2 can be considered the "little brother" of the new E-PL5.

By The Editors

Estimated Street Price: $549 (body only) INTRODUCED 9/2012 The new PEN E-PM2 can be considered the “little brother” of the new E-PL5. In fact, the two cameras more closely resemble each other than their E-PM1 and E-PL3 predecessors (in large part because both now have grips). Like the E-PL5, the E-PM2 provides the opportunity to get... Read more

Pentax Q10

The concept behind the first mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras was to fit a DSLR-size sensor into a compact-size body.

By The Editors

Estimated Street Price: $599 (body only) INTRODUCED 9/2012 The concept behind the first mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras was to fit a DSLR-size sensor into a compact-size body. Pentax produced the smallest mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera by building it around a compact-camera-size sensor. The Q10 improves on that original Pentax Q model... Read more

Pentax k-5 II

The K-5 II retains those features and adds some new ones, all at a good price.

By DPMag

Estimated Street Price: $1,199 (K-5 II/body only); $1,299 (K-5 IIs/body only) INTRODUCED 9/2012 Pentax’s K-5 DSLR offered a lot of great features in a compact package, including an excellent 16.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, 7 fps shooting, two 14-bit RAW formats (PEF and DNG), and dustproof, cold- and weather-resistant construction with a stainless-steel... Read more

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3

A new 16-megapixel Live MOS image sensor delivers even better still image quality, as well as new video capabilities.

By The Editors

Estimated Street Price: $1,229 (body only) INTRODUCED 9/2012 The new Lumix DMC-GH3 improves on Panasonic’s popular GH2 flagship mirrorless model in many ways, not the least of which is providing a rugged, dust- and splash-proof magnesium-alloy body that’s a bit larger for easier video shooting. A new 16-megapixel Live MOS image sensor... Read more

Canon EOS 6D

Canon’s newest full-frame DSLR is the EOS 6D, which features a 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor that delivers 14-bit images measuring 5472×3648 pixels.

By DPMag

Estimated Street Price: $2,099 (body only) INTRODUCED 9/2012 Canon’s newest full-frame DSLR is the EOS 6D, which features a 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor that delivers 14-bit images measuring 5472×3648 pixels. DIGIC 5+ processing provides shooting at up to 4.5 fps and a normal ISO range of 100-25,600, expandable to 50-102,400. A new 11-point... Read more

Fujifilm X-E1

Now comes the X-E1, with the same unique sensor and a much lower price tag.

By The Editors

Estimated Street Price: $999 (body only) INTRODUCED 9/2012 Fujifilm’s first interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera, the X-Pro1 ranked high in desirability, but also commanded a $1,699 price—on the high side for a mirrorless model. Now comes the X-E1, with the same unique sensor and a much lower price tag. Fujifilm’s X-Trans image sensor... Read more

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