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Archive for July, 2011

Jul 29

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Olympus Electronic Viewfinder VF-3 Announced and Compared

Yesterday Olympus announced a new electronic viewfinder, the Olympus VF-3. This viewfinder comes at the heels of the VF-2, which is a widely popular accessory for the PEN system, including the new PEN E-P3, as well as the extremely popular XZ-1 high-end compact point-and-shoot.

Olympus VF-3 Electronic Viewfinder

Olympus VF-3 Electronic Viewfinder - Launched Yesterday

Quick side note: The PEN E-P2, E-PL1, E-PL2 and XZ-1 will require a firmware update to properly operate the VF-3. This will be available soon.

The VF-2 features a very high-resolution display with excellent magnification and 100% image coverage. With such a high-quality, successful finder, why would Olympus bother to come out with the VF-3? Our best guess is price. The VF-2 retails for $249, while the VF-3 is just $179. Customers purchasing an XZ-1, which retails for around $500, have a hard time swallowing a $250 accessory finder (half the price of the camera itself). In addition, the more value conscious PENs, like the E-PL2 and the newly announced E-PL3, aren’t much more than the XZ-1 in price too. If the VF-3 is less money, what’s the catch? Less resolution and less magnification are the two biggest features to be compromised. Still the VF-3 has 920,000 pixels of resolution, 100% frame coverage, and .97x magnification. The competing Panasonic finder at the same price only has 220,000 pixels, but does have greater magnification. The performance should therefore be adequate for even more critical work required of the accessory VF-3 finder.

We thought it would be useful if we published the full specifications for the two Olympus viewfinders here, and also published the specifications for the Panasonic DMW-LVF1 too, for a full comparison. This will give you an idea of how each finder stacks up against the other in what is becoming a very popular micro four-thirds market.

Olympus VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder

Olympus VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder

 Price: $249
LCD Resolution: 1,400K dots
Field of View: 100%
Magnification: 1.15x
Eye-Point 18mm
Diopter Adjustment: Yes, -3.0 to +1.0 m
Shoe-Lock: NO
Articulating Body: 0-90 Degrees
Optional Eye-Cup: YES, EP-9

Olympus VF-3 Electronic Viewfinder

Olympus VF-3 Electronic Viewfinder

 Price: $179
LCD Resolution: 920K dots
Field of View: 100%
Magnification: .97x
Eye-Point 17.4mm
Diopter Adjustment: Yes, -3.0 to +1.0 m
Shoe-Lock: YES
Articulating Body: 0-90 Degrees
Optional Eye-Cup: NO

Panasonic DMW-LVF1 Electronic Viewfinder

Panasonic DMW-LVF1 Electronic Viewfinder

 Price: $179
LCD Resolution: 220K dots
Field of View: 100%
Magnification: 1.4x
Eye-Point 17.5mm
Diopter Adjustment: Yes, -4.0 to 4.0 m
Shoe-Lock: NO
Articulating Body: 0-90 Degrees
Optional Eye-Cup: NO

Jul 26

Instant Savings This Week on Select Nikon Products

Nikon D3100 DSLR with 18-55mm VR Lens
Nikon D5100 DSLR with 18-55mm VR Lens
Nikon Coolpix S4100
Nikon Coolpix L24
Nikon Coolpix S80

Jul 21

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens vs. Non-L Lens Comparison

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM L vs. non-L LensesWhen Canon announced the 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens late last year, we took it as very welcoming news. We could not think of a customer who was not happy with their 70-200mm L lens in terms of performance (whatever version it may be, although the f/4 non-IS is our most popular seller most likely due to the size, weight and price), but many of those 70-200mm owners wished they could have just a little more reach without the heft and weight of the 100-400mm L lens, in addition to the more awkward “push-pull” zoom function (the 70-200mm f/4 L is approx. 1.5 lbs., the 70-300mm L is approx. 2.3 lbs. and the 100-400mm L is just over 3 lbs.). The 70-300mm L lens now fits perfectly in that void of L lenses: a good compromise in size, weight, and focal length.

The non-L 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens has always been a good seller for us. The price is right for the quality and features packed into this lightweight and portable zoom telephoto lens. Our customers on the whole have always been pleased with this lens, although we normally do not market it to the most discerning enthusiasts or professionals. One question that we have been hearing for a little while now is how does this lens compare with the newer L version of the same focal length zoom? In terms of L lenses, the 70-300mm L lens is not necessarily considered expensive, but compared to the non-L 70-300mm lens, it certainly does seem expensive, considering it is close to $1000 more. So, again, customers wonder, how do they compare? Is the L lens really that much better? We decided we had to definitively find out for ourselves, so we got out our old lens test chart from the basement, and had a look. What we found was interesting.

We first tested both L and non-L 70-300mm lenses at the 300mm focal length. Customers purchasing a longer focal length telephoto lens are most likely purchasing it because they are planning on using the longer focal length. So, it only makes sense to start testing the lens at the longer focal length end of the zoom. We decided to try the testing with the Canon 60D, which is currently our most popular selling Canon digital SLR camera body. We set up the camera on a tripod at 26 times the focal length being tested, and shot with the exact same settings, only changing the lens in between shooting through a couple of apertures. We made sure to turn off any in-camera corrections, like Canon’s peripheral illumination correction, noise reduction, etc.. The differences between these two lenses at the 300mm focal length are very, well, different. The L lens, hands-down, wins. Browse through the images below to see for yourself. Each image is a 100% crop of the lowest most right-hand corner of the lens test chart.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens at f/16

non-L @ f/16

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens at f/16

L @ f/16

We took a shot at f/16 to see both lenses closed down a bit. Looking at just the non-L image, you would consider that fairly sharp considering it is a 100% crop at the very edge of an image taken with a lens at 300mm. But, when you scroll down to see the image taken with the L lens, you realize the first is really not all that good. The clarity of the image taken with the L lens is phenomenal. The green and red Chromatic Aberrations of the non-L lens are very unsightly and distracting. The L lens holds them in check quite wonderfully.

We then wanted to check the lenses both wide open. At the largest aperture, the optics of a lens are put to the test.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens at f/5.6non-L @ f/5.6
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens at f/5.6

L @ f/5.6

As you can see, the non-L lens falls apart and turns to mush while at the largest aperture of f/5.6 for this focal length. Although no longer tac-sharp, the L lens still maintains definition–you can make out what some of the numbers are supposed to be.

We then wanted to see what the images looked like at the shortest focal length of both these lenses–70mm. S0, we moved the tripod closer to the test chart and gave it another go. Here we are including just the image taken with these lenses wide-open, at f/4.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens at f/4

non-L @ f/4

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens at f/4

L @ f/4

As you can see, at 70mm, there is not as great a difference between the two lenses as there was at 300mm. Both lenses are very sharp. If you quickly scroll up and down the L 70-300mm appears to have a little bit more clarity. As the aperture was stopped down, the differences between the two became less apparent.

Although we did not have the time (this test was to just quickly see if there was a noticeable difference between the lenses) it would be interesting to try the lenses at other focal lengths to see how they compare. We imagine that most people purchasing a telephoto zoom will be leaning more towards the longer focal length end than the shorter focal length end of the zoom, and in comparing the two lenses at 300mm the L is therefore a much better lens to have in your camera bag. If you are looking for a telephoto zoom that will produce tac-sharp images, the L 70-300mm is an obvious choice. Also, you have to keep in mind that when purchasing this lens, the image quality is not the only part of the equation. The L lens is more solid, and better weather sealed. It just feels more sturdy in the hand. In addition, the speed of the autofocus is phenomenally fast. If you are looking to capture images of wildlife, the L 70-300mm is a great choice for getting quick-moving animals (think birds in flight) in focus and capturing them in a tac-sharp image.

If you are interested in purchasing either of the lenses mentioned here, please visit our retail website by clicking here.

 

Jul 21

Zeiss Camera Lens News Issue No. 40 – Macro Photography

More than 3 months ago Zeiss transformed their Camera Lens Newsletter into a blog. The previous newsletter was a series of articles assembled in an easy to download, print and/or view PDF file. The new blog format has the advantage of being more current and up-to-date by providing instant publishing of current topics. The Zeiss Camera Lens Newsletter is now simply a collection of blog posts for the last quarter (3 months), usually on a given subject or topic. This CLN is on macro photography, and the articles can be found here.

Our favorite articles are Mozart in Miniature, and the ongoing series of articles about Zeiss lens names with this one highlighting Planar. Mozart in Miniature helps to highlight the detail and artistic bokeh of the 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar, a customer favorite for our store.

Also, although this is not exactly on-topic in regards to Camera Lens News, it does involve Zeiss lenses. The Zeiss M-mount lenses continue to be tight in supply. Luckily, we have started to see more and more come through the pipeline. More recently we have received the Biogon T* 35mm f/2, which can be found here.

Jul 14

Nikon Support Article: “Why is ‘in-lens’ VR superior to ‘in-camera’ VR?”

Diagram of lens shift correction VR systems

Lens Shift Correction (from Nikon article mentioned in this post)

Let’s face it, the draw for many photographers to camera systems made by manufacturer’s like Sony and Pentax is the in-camera anti-shake technology. Take any lens, including older lenses being used with adapters, and you have VR. Nikon obviously recognizes this draw because they recently found it necessary to point out the benefits of an in-lens vibration reduction system over an in-camera system. See the support article here:

Why is ‘in-lens’ VR superior to ‘in-camera’ VR?

Nikon highlights four points in this article, which we will include here for quick reading:

1. Corrected finder image makes photo composition easy.
2. Each lens is optimally tuned to achieve reliable correction.
3. Image information captured by the AF and metering sensors is corrected with in-lens VR.
4. Patterns of image blur are not the same with all lenses.

We think point number 2 is probably the most important for arguing the in-lens anti-shake system over an in-camera system. It has now been widely accepted that in-lens anti-shake systems are more effective at reducing blur than in-camera systems, for the exact reason that point number 2 mentions.

One thing that Nikon does not mention, and it is no surprise that they don’t, is what benefit is the in-lens system if the lens does not have VR? Does Nikon manufacture a 50mm f/1.4 with vibration reduction? The answer is no. But mount a 50mm f/1.4 to a camera with an in-camera shake reduction system and you will see at least some benefit.

Jul 13

Inside the making of a Leica lens: A brief video

We recently ran across a brief video highlighting some of the processes involved in the manufacturing and assembly of Leica lenses. Many people ask: “Why are Leica lenses (and products in general) more expensive than many other camera equipment manufacturers?” After this video you’ll certainly get a better idea. Notice all of the people who are part of the manufacturing process. A lot of human hands go into making one lens.

Here’s the video:

Jul 13

1 Comment

Hoodman RAW STEEL SD Memory Cards: Why you need one (or two)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most major camera equipment manufacturer’s are now making almost all of their digital cameras with Secure Digital (SD) memory for the storage platform. The once popular compactflash card is slowly being pushed aside, and for very good reason–size. Using a smaller storage device allows equipment makers to either decrease the size of their cameras, or to pack more image-crunching electronics inside the same sized body.

Another benefit of SD memory: less breakdowns. As often as once every week we see a customer walk through our doors with a very sour look on their face. The culprit for the poor mood is a bent pin in their camera’s CF card reader. If you have a digital camera that takes CF memory, take a look inside the door where the memory card goes. Inside there you will see two rows of gold-colored pins. If a CF card does not align just right when being inserted into the card reader, you can very easily bend one or more of those pins. Once that happens, lights out, and time to send the camera in for a repair. SD cards have electrical contacts on the back side, and they do not require intrusive pins to transfer data–just other electrical contacts to press up against them.

Hoodman has been making innovative products for a while now, and we like their products and them as a company. Recently they developed a more ruggedized version of the standard SD card. These cards cost a little more than the ordinary card, but for good reason. More care is put in to the manufacturing of these cards, and it means better results and longer life for your precious photographs.

First, these cards meet class 10 specifications, so they are fast. Fast enough for the highest resolution, video-shooting DSLRs currently out there. Second, they are waterproof, so go ahead and forget them in your pants’s pocket and throw them in the wash. If you do a lot of shooting, you most likely know what that is like. Third, the actually memory chip is physically smaller. Why would that matter? The plastic housing has more plastic in it because the memory chip and associated electronics are taking up less room, which makes it more rigid and stronger. Fourth, there is an actual steel plate affixed to the top of the card. Again, more rigidity to help the card from being cracked or ruined. Fifth, and the coolest part, there’s no soldering. These cards have acid-etched circuitry right on board. Less solder means less additional conduits for the data to travel through where noise can be induced in your photographs (and you thought a photograph was just a photograph).

The product manager from Hoodman was recently at our store, and he allowed us to take his sample RAW STEEL memory card apart to photograph the insides. He also had a very well loved traditional SD card already taken apart for us to photograph too.

Here is the top view to showcase the steel plate of the Hoodman RAW STEEL card:

Hoodman RAW STEEL SD Card Steel Plate ViewHere is the card taken apart. The part with the gold electrical contacts is the entire memory chip. The rest of the plastic housing where this chip does not sit is filled in with more plastic to be more rigid (32GB memory chip is larger, so this does not apply for that card).

Hoodman RAW STEEL SD Memory Card Internal Components

Here is a closer look at the memory component and associated electronics:

Hoodman RAW STEEL SD Memory Card Memory ComponentCompare that to a traditional card where everything is laid out in the open and not as compact (probably not good if the card becomes water-born):

Traditional SD Memory Card Internal ComponentsDue to the larger size of the internal structure the external plastic housing is thin and frail (and as you can see cracks and breaks easily):

Plastic Housing of a Tradition SD Memory Card

If you are serious about your photography and use your equipment hard, you should definitely consider the RAW STEEL cards available by Hoodman. We carry the full line of Hoodman Raw Steel SD memory cards, and they can be found for sale at our website here:

Hoodman 4GB RAW STEEL SDHC Memory Card
Hoodman 8GB RAW STEEL SDHC Memory Card
Hoodman 16GB RAW STEEL SDHC Memory Card
Hoodman 32GB RAW STEEL SDHC Memory Card

Jul 12

Just Announced: Nikon AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Macro Lens

Nikon AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Macro Lens

Nikon AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Macro Lens

Nikon announces a new lens, the AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Macro lens (Nikon Part #2200, UPC 018208022007). This lens is designed for DX, “crop” sensor cameras, like the highly popular D3100, D5100, or D7000. On a DX-format camera the effective field-of-view is equivalent to a 60mm lens. One of Nikon’s most popular macro lenses has been the 60mm f/2.8. It only makes sense then for them to come out with a lens like this that has a 60mm equivalent field-of-view for DX camera bodies.

The tentative release for this lens is sometime in August. We already have our initial order in with Nikon, and when the lens comes in you will be able to purchase it from our website here. If you are interested in pre-ordering, please call our retail store at (802) 244-0883.

We are excited for this lens to come in for testing. It is the cheapest macro lens we have seen in a long time ($279). When we get one in we will test it out and let you know here, on our blog, our initial thoughts.

Jul 12

This Week’s Instant Savings on Nikon Digital Cameras and Lenses!


Nikon Coolpix P7000
Nikon Coolpix L24
Nikon Coolpix S6100
Nikon Coolpix S80
Nikon Coolpix S9100
Nikon D5100 18-55mm VR Lens Kit

Jul 1

Order Prints From Our Website, Pick Them Up In Our Store

Did you know you can order prints directly from our website and pick them up at a later time in our store? That’s right, you can! And, all from the comfort of your underwear. No need to lug around big, heavy memory cards, or no need to wait ages for CDs to burn. Just upload files directly from your own computer.

Here’s how you get started. At the bottom of our website is an area that looks like this:

Click on the link highlighted by the red circle.

You will be directed to a new page that looks like the picture below. You may encounter a pop-up or a dialogue at the top of your web browser asking if it is OK for Java to run. Make sure you say that it’s fine. If you don’t have Java installed, you will need it. You can find Java here for download.
Go ahead and click on the “Add Photos…” button. You will get this pop-up window that allows you to select a source for finding the photos you will want printed:

You can choose pictures from Facebook, but we almost never recommend that you do. Why not? Well, when pictures are uploaded to Facebook, Facebook automatically compresses the files for quick viewing. The decrease in file size is great for viewing on the computer because it allows for quick web browsing, but there is a caveat. Smaller file sizes mean poorer image quality when printed. Unless you want blurry, pixelated prints, we suggest you stick with choosing pictures from your computer.

Clicking on “My Computer” brings up a window that allows you to browse the file structure of your computer. Simply click to the folder where you store the photographs you want printed, and images will be shown on the right side of the window. Click the check boxes next to the pictures you absolutely want printed, and then hit the “Ok” button after all of your desired photos are selected.

Your selected images will now show up on the webpage. Hover you mouse icon over an image to get access to print sizes and quantities. Use the plus and minus to add or remove print sizes and quantities. Please note any sizes with a red “x” next to them. These indicate images that will suffer in quality if printed at those sizes. Print at your own risk if you see this icon.

Hover your mouse icon over another picture to select the desired sizes and quantities for that image. It is important to remember that print sizes and quantities are different for each image. Selecting the desired print size and quantity for one image will not automatically apply those settings to all images. So, feel free to mix and match! In the screen shot above, notice the “Crop/Edit” option. If you would like to alter an image, click this icon to crop, change colors, remove red-eye, etc..

When the “Crop/Edit” icon is clicked, you will be given the above window. Click the double arrow icon in the lower right-hand corner of the image and drag to alter the transparent box and indicate your desired crop. Any dark area around the transparent box will be cropped out during printing. Please note that the more you crop the more the image quality of your final print will suffer, so please make only minor crops or else your prints may look blurry/pixelated. Click the green arrows in the blue boxes to switch between images.

If you would like to add more photos for printing, feel free to click the “Add More Photos…” icon. Note the crop of any photos you have altered, and the print sizes and quantities for all photos. If everything looks correct, click the “Next Step” button. If you would like to print a lot of photos at, say, 4×6 and doubles, click the “Express Order” button. This will allow you to apply a specific size and quantity to all of the photos you have selected, so you won’t have to go through each one individually.

On this window, select the desired options you would like including either Matte or Glossy finish. Matte finish is textured. Make sure “Quick Photo Upload” is selected, otherwise you may have to wait a lot longer for the images to be uploaded. Also, make sure you make any comments or special instructions in the box at the bottom of this page.

Review your order, and please note that any cropping you may have selected will not be previewed on this page. Check quantities, sizes, and the total and then click “Add To Cart”.

This page shows your shopping cart. Continue with the order by clicking “Proceed to secure checkout”. Also, here is another chance to review your total to make sure it is correct. This is especially important if you used the Express Order feature in case you selected more photos than you originally wanted. If the total does not look correct click on the “Print Order# ……..” on the top-left of the page to alter the order.

On this final page, make sure to enter your information so we can identify your order. When all of your information is entered, click “Order now”. Once this button is clicked, your order and images will be sent to us for printing, and we will start printing your order as soon as possible.

Most orders are printed within 24-48 hours. If you require faster service, please contact us first to arrange for expedited printing before submitting any orders. All orders are printed in the order they are received. Please allow extra time during holiday/high traffic seasons. Please feel free to call us to check on an order before coming to the store for pick up.

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