Pentax's white SLR for Imperial stormtroopers

It can be hard to get your lower-end SLR to stand out in the crowd of options these days, which is doubtless why Pentax on Tuesday announced a white version of its entry-level K2000 SLR and two bundled lenses.

The "very limited edition" model comes with white versions of the smc DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL and smc DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 AL lenses beginning in February, Pentax said. The company won't announce prices until later, but the ordinary versions of those products cost about US$800 today.

In the compact camera market, distinctive colors have proved a useful marketing tool, but I'm a crotchety curmudgeon who's generally scorns such superficial gimmicks.

So why do I find myself actually liking the look a little?
Read more »

What happens to the pictures you take?

As I strolled down the shopping district last week, I could tell that the festive spirit is indeed upon us. Beautiful lighting decorations adorned buildings, and there were shutterbugs everywhere snapping pictures. However, I realized this trend of taking pictures became common only after the prices of digital cameras went down.

But I wonder what will happen to these pictures? I am embarrassed to say, most of the time, pictures of friends and relatives at gatherings are buried deep in my harddisk, only to see the light of day only when I clean up the drive to free up some space. I don't usually print pictures anymore, and most of the time just upload them to the Web for sharing with friends.

Do you still print out your shots and keep them nicely in a photo album? I don't, but if you have other interesting ways of using the pictures you snapped, share those ideas with us here.

Photographer wins photo contest with outdated point-and-shoot

This is a wakeup call for those who lust after fancy imaging equipment and believe that superior cameras and lenses will definitely produce better pictures.

Joel Charlebois won the 2008 Metro Global Photo Challenge which attracted a total of 55,000 contestants, many I'm sure are professionals who tout expensive gear. The difference is Charlebois didn't even use a dSLR for his winning shot--Midnight Train to Humber. According to the report on Metro, all he used was the Canon Digital IXUS 700 (a 3 year-old camera) and a US$20 plastic tripod.

Besides the US$1,476 prize money, Charlebois will also be flown to Paris for a photo shoot and to give a talk about his winning picture. This is one of the rare imaging contests where cameras weren't part of the prizes.

Like what the photographer said about his win, "It's motivation for anyone with an eye--but not necessarily the fancy tools--to keep shooting", don't be disheartened if you cannot afford the top-of-the-line Nikon D3x or the much sought after Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Most of the time, having a good eye for pictures is more important than having the best camera.

Nikon's rumored D400 to capture full-HD video?

When Nikon unveiled the D90 in August, we thought its 720p video-capture function would be just another gimmick. However, when Canon's EOS 5D Mark II trumped its competition with 1080p-quality recording, we foresee a revolution taking place in digital imaging.

Nikon is rumored to have a D400 (which succeeds the D300) in the pipeline, and it will sport a 14-megapixel sensor, full-HD video recording (1,920 x 1,080 pixels), 7 frames per second burst mode (up to 9 fps with battery pack attached), 3-inch LCD capable of displaying 920k dots and all the goodies found in the D3 and D700.

That said, the speculated D400 will be going head-on with the 5D Mark II. But, as it is a DX-format camera (meaning no full-frame feature), the EOS 50D will be a competitor, too.

The Japanese company has yet to respond to our enquiries whether or not a D400 is due for 2009, but we are certain that it has to produce something similar to catch up with Canon's lead in the midrange/high-end dSLR segment.

Via Crunchgear

Canon to break silence about SLR's "black dot" issue

Some photographers have been frustrated with Canon's silence on the "black dot" issue that's afflicting its new EOS 5D Mark II camera, but the company plans to speak soon.

"Watch for an official Canon comment on this issue in the very near future," said Canon USA technical adviser Chuck Westfall in a Wednesday response to a question posted on his monthly question-and-answer column at The Digital Journalist.

The black spots appear to the right of very bright spots in some occasions, and many are wondering whether the issue is an unavoidable consequence of the sensor or something that can be altered with the camera's more mutable firmware.

Judging by Canon's earlier statements about issues such as the EOS-1D Mark III autofocus saga, though, it wouldn't be wise to count on a terribly revealing statement. This could well be at the stage of just acknowledging the issue still.

Via Underexposed

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