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Photokina Sees d-SLR Intro Blitz

NEW YORK

– Camera manufacturers lined
up some of their most ambitious new entries
of the year in time for this week’s Photokina
Show in Cologne, Germany.

Predictably, the emphasis heading into the
critical holiday selling season was on d-SLRs
and mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras,
which represent some of the biggest growth
categories of the year.

Nikon

unveiled its answer
to Canon’s recently
introduced EOS D60 d-
SLR in the D7000, offering
a step-up from the popular
D90 midrange model in
the company’s consumer
d-SLR line.

The D7000, which will
be available in October
at a $1,200 suggested
retail for the body alone,
or $1,500 for a kit with
an 18-105mm f/3.5 AF-S
DX Nikkor ED zoom lens,
was engineered for durability and functionality,
Nikon said.

Features include a new 16.2-megapixel DX
CMOS image sensor, improved Xpeed 2 image-
processing engine, FullHD 1080p video
recording with full-time autofocus, native ISO
settings up to 6,400, and a 2,016-pixel RGB
3D Matrix metering system.

Also added is a 39-point AF system with
nine cross-type points, 3D focus tracking, 6
fps burst shooting, dual auto white-balance
systems, dual SD memory card slots, top-mounted Active-Dlighting control and an optical viewfinder
with 100 percent field-of-view accuracy.

Olympus

introduced its latest midrange consumer d-
SLR in the E-5 (shipping in October for a $1,700 estimated
street retail for the body and accessory kit). The
camera features a 12.3-megapixel high-speed Live MOS
sensor and TruePic V+ image processing engine, with
Fine Detail Processing technology for greater detail. Other
new features include a 270-degree,
dual-axis, swivel 3-inch LCD monitor
with 920,000-dot resolution, and 10
in-camera art filters, including new
dramatic tone that can be used in all
shooting models.

The E-5 also introduces 720p/30
fps HD video capture in an E-System
d-SLR for the first time, and includes
a stereo mic input and HDMI port.
When paired with new Olympus
lenses, the E-5 is said to enable one
of the fastest AF systems in the market.

For action shots, the E-5 offers up
to 5 fps burst continuous shooting
and a 1/8000 second top shutter speed.

The camera’s ISO range is 100 to 6,400, for improved
low-light shooting flexibility.

In-body mechanical image stabilization compensates
for camera shake, and works with both long focal length
lenses, and wide, ultra-wide and fisheye lenses.

Pentax

introduced its new K-5 (shipping in October at
a $1,799 suggested retail for the body only) d-SLR, which
targets the company’s high-end prosumer customers.

The camera has a 16.3-megapixel CMOS sensor 80 to
12,800 ISO range with better noise reduction, up to 7fps
burst shooting, an 11-point SAFOX IX AF system, FullHD 1080p video capture, HDMI output and a stereo mic jack.

It also features an SD card slot that will support SDXC
format cards following a firmware update to be issued after
shipping.

The K-5 was constructed to be weather-proof, cold-proof
and dust-resistant and has a magnesium-alloy body.

The camera will capture 14-bit RAW files and includes
in-camera HDR image-processing capability.

Samsung

unveiled the NX100 as the next iteration in its
line of mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, as a followup
to the NX10.

The camera is billed as the world’s first to accept new i-Function
lenses, offering the ability to control the camera through
the lens without moving it away from the eye during framing.
Pricing and availability were not released at press time.

The NX100 uses a 14.6-megapixel APS-C size CMOS
image sensor, a 3-inch AMOLED screen, a fast AF system
and ISO settings up to 6,400.

Samsung said the compact camera’s design was inspired
by the shape of a dew drop on a leaf and offers two
color choices — black and brown.

Other features include a Super Sonic dust-reduction system
and a “Smart Filter” that applies creative effects in playback
mode, 720 HD video recording and a Sound Picture
mode that records audio when a still photo is taken.

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