SONY ANNOUNCES 2 NEW CYBERSHOT U CAMERAS (05/28/03) NIKON ANNOUNCES NEW 5 MEGAPIXEL COOLPIX 5400 (05/28/03)
SONY DSC-V1 DISNEYLAND SAMPLES POSTED (05/28/03)
Late last week we received a new Sony DSC-V1 final production model for review, however the weather here turned mostly dark and cloudy until Monday, Memorial Day! We finally got the chance to take the Sony V1 out to Disneyland for our initial test shots on a fairly Sunny day, although the sky was somewhat hazy. In addition to the camera, we have most of the accessories Sony will be offering to V1 owners including a great new flash unit, which so far works great, a nice wired remote unit, a 1.7X zoom lens, a 256 Memory Stick Pro (which held over 100 highest quality 5 Meg shots), and a great 2 piece camera case with a shoulder strap to keep the V1 in good shape. We found the V1 hangs down from the neck very comfortably with this case and strap set-up and is easier to take around a crowded vacation spot like Disneyland, esp. when compared to say the F717.
Initially, we also really like the light weight and small size of the camera for taking out all day at a place like Disneyland. We often could forget it was hanging around the neck. The camera operates very fast after an initial average start-up to extend the lens. Our first day of shooting resulted in very good overall results, the images are coming out with correct focus, good sharpness, they have a slightly bright exposure/tone but neutral look to them with no major color casts and fairly good saturation. Due to the bright sunny conditions we encountered and often the bright exposure results we obtained, we did notice the colors are perhaps slightly less saturated compared to say the often pumped up color levels of other Sony point and shoot style cameras such as the recent Sony P72. However, on occasion the color red can be a bit strong in certain shades and lighting. We did notice on a few occasions that highlights were a bit overexposed in select colors such as whites and yellows, which may require use of -1/3 EV or more (some may find this is easy to minimize when they learn to use the histogram feature) to help reduce the issue in very bright lighting. We also did run out of battery power a bit sooner then we usually do with Sony cameras, getting about 70 shots on the initial charge with heavy playback and lcd use. We would highly recommend that V1 buyers get the accessory battery charger and extra battery to have just in case.
We are still very early on in our evaluation of the V1, so we will have more comments later this week. We are getting very nice overall results and the zoom lens as well as the flash are working great together with the V1. We will be posting our Disneyland sample image pages later this week, however due to the demand for samples, we are immediately making available the full resolution shots we took Monday on an index page at the link below. We hope these are helpful to those with fast connections in evaluating how the camera is performing. Print results and resized images for web viewing are just fantastic! Stay tuned for lots more coverage of the V1, and see if you can spot the shots we used the new flash unit for fill flash and the new 1.7X lens to get really close.
Sony DSC-V1 Production Camera Disneyland Sample Images Index Page
SONY ANNOUNCES 2 NEW CYBERSHOT U CAMERAS (05/28/03)
Sony has announced today 2 new 2 megapixel Cybershot U series cameras. The U30 camera is an updated version of the recent U20 however it now supports the Memory Stick Pro. The U60 is a more rugged & waterproof camera with 7 scene modes and is designed for use in one hand. Both cameras will be available in July with the U30 priced at just $200 and the U60 at $250. Here are pictures and further information supplied to us by Sony.
Sony's New Digital Cameras Promote Sports and Fashion
Latest Additions to Cyber-shot U-series Designed to Capture Moments as They Happen
SAN DIEGO, May 28 Capturing summer memories on the beach or at a nightclub just got more fun with the new Cyber-shot® U-series digital cameras from Sony. The Cyber-shot DSC-U60 digital camera's ruggedized and waterproof design brings picture taking to places users would be cautious in taking a conventional camera: the skateboard park, the side of a mountain and even up to 5 feet underwater. The Cyber-shot U30 model has a compact, fashionable design that turns it into an attention-grabbing, wearable accessory that is light enough to hook to a belt loop, drape around the neck or carry in a pocket. Both models will be available in early July, and will sell for around $250 and $200, respectively.
"Because so much of life's greatest moments occur at the most unexpected times and in unexpected places, we designed our new Cyber-shot U-series to accompany the user on any adventure," said Steve Haber, senior vice president for Sony Electronics' Digital Imaging Products Division. Finally, a Camera for the Sport Utility Lifestyle
Fully weatherproofed with O-ring sealing closures, the new Cyber-shot U60 unit is a digital camera designed to meet the rigors of an active lifestyle. Its unique vertical orientation (designed for one-handed operation) and fast start up time (less than a second) ensure that the user remains a part of the activity even when taking a picture.
Adding to that experience, the Cyber-shot U60 model's buttons are laid out to be easily accessible with the thumb. With a few clicks of the Scene button, users can switch between seven different scene modes, including an underwater setting (noted by a fish icon) to adjust for the blue hue of water and an action setting (noted by a running man icon) to capture fast moving subjects.
Style-Cubed: You, Your Friends and 'U'
If the ideal setting for the Cyber-shot U60 camera is the great outdoors, then its sibling, the Cyber-shot U30 camera, could easily be seen at parties, nightclubs and other urban activities. Small enough to wear and hip enough to flaunt, the new camera comes in three different colors (blue, silver and charcoal grey) to match any outfit or mood.
And because of its size, users will find that they will always have a camera on-hand to capture spontaneous and candid moments. For those instances when the user wants to be a part of the picture, the Cyber-shot U30 model features a circular mirror on the sliding lens cover to ensure that the picture is properly framed.
Both of the new cameras are designed with a simple-to-use interface, but behind-the-scenes, advanced photographic features work to ensure the user to concentrate on capturing the moment without being distracted by camera settings.
Pre-Flash Metering: For capturing a subject with a scenic background
under low-light conditions, the camera illuminates the subject and
calculates exposure through the lens directly from the CCD for accurate
flash metering. Adjustable flash level and red-eye reduction insure
great flash shots.MPEG Movie Mode (Video only): For those moments when a simple still
picture doesn't capture the entire mood, both new digital cameras
capture up to 15 seconds of MPEG video (160 x 112 pixel resolution) that
are perfect for emailing to family and friends.Bright LCD Monitor: For framing a picture accurately, the reflective
LCD absorbs and reflects the ambient light through the LCD to improve
brightness outdoors.Supplied Rechargeable NiMH Batteries: Both units come supplied with
Sony's Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) AAA Stamina(R) batteries with
external charger.
NIKON ANNOUNCES NEW 5 MEGAPIXEL COOLPIX 5400 (05/28/03)
Nikon has announced the new 5 megapixel Coolpix 5400 digital camera featuring a new high quality wide angle Nikkor ED 4X zoom lens (28 - 116mm), new 14 bit image processing, a huge 64 megabyte memory buffer, new Best Shot Selector, ultra close Macro capability (focus as close as 1/2 inch), full manual controls, use of Nikon accessory wide angle and zoom lenses, hot shoe for use of Nikon flash units, ISO 50 setting for low noise, Vari-angle LCD that can be positioned in almost any angle needed, 15 pre-set scene modes, 640 by 480 movie mode with sound at 15 fps, 3fps full size burst mode capture up to 7 images at a time, 7 mode Flash, new command dial similar to that used on the D100 dslr, faster shutter lag and camera operations, and use of Compact Flash type I or type II memory cards. The Coolpix 5400 is a fairly small camera we have handled at the PMA show a few months ago and is somewhat similar in looks to the Nikon 5000 which it officially replaces. It will be available in July 2003 at a suggested price of $799. Here is the Nikon press release.
NEW NIKON COOLPIX 5400 IS THE PERFECT TOOL FOR CREATIVE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
Wide-Angle Coverage, 4x Optical Zoom-Nikkor ED Lens And Assortment of New Creative Features Focus On “Digital Artistry”
MELVILLE, NY, May 28, 2003 - Nikon, the world leader in photography, today answers the call of creative digital photographers with the new 5.1-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 5400 (www.nikoncoolpix.com). This exciting advanced digital camera adds a new dimension to the popular Coolpix line of digital cameras and combines a host of enhanced features and design elements. With superior 4x Zoom-Nikkor ED optics, wide-angle coverage and the exclusive new Best Shot Selector (BSS) feature, the Nikon Coolpix 5400 provides the ideal tool for digital photographers who are serious about the art of photography. The durable and lightweight Nikon Coolpix 5400 is the perfect tool to enhance any advanced photographer's creative imagination.
“The Nikon Coolpix 5400’s unique combination of legendary Nikon quality and exclusive new features take ‘digital artistry’ to an entirely new level. The camera’s unique features, like ultra close macro from less than 1/2 inch, to Time-lapse Movie Mode and incredibly sharp Nikkor ED glass, allow the photographer to expand their own creative horizons in very unique ways,” said Jerry Grossman, vice president, marketing, Consumer Digital Products and Compact Cameras, Nikon Inc. “The Nikon Coolpix 5400 is the epitome of Nikon photography incorporating rugged construction with intuitive design and the latest technology to produce incredibly versatile digital camera for creative photographers.”
Legendary Nikkor Optics – It Starts With the Lens
The lens on a digital camera plays a vital role in making the highest quality photos. The Nikon Coolpix 5400 employs a 4x Optical Zoom-Nikkor lens with Nikon’s Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass with a zoom range of 28-116mm (35mm equivalent) for incredibly sharp, vivid images. More professionals choose Nikkor lenses than all other brands combined, including the overwhelming majority of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers, and that same quality is built into the Nikkor lens of every Nikon Coolpix digital camera, including the Nikon Coolpix 5400.The Nikon Coolpix 5400 produces high quality images at sizes of up to 2,592 x 1,944 pixels for prints well beyond 16x20-inches in size. The camera allows for extremely fast operation and split-second precision with its enhanced Continuous Shooting Mode. The Nikon Coolpix 5400 will now fire 7 pristine, full-sized images, at a rate of 3 frames per second. In addition, there is an all-new 5 shot buffer mode, with 64 MB buffer, enabling the user to capture the last 5 images of a fleeting moment.
‘Digital Artistry’ – Digital Photography, Your Way
The Nikon Coolpix 5400 offers the ultimate in full creative control for the photographer. The Coolpix 5400 employs a host of new and exciting features, including:
- High Speed Operation: The Nikon Coolpix 5400 is among the fastest and most responsive in its class with minimal shutter lag and high-speed Autofocus. The camera offers a vast range of shutter speeds from 1/4,000 second up to 10 minutes.
- Shooting Control: Choose from Programmed Auto (P), Shutter-Priority Auto (S), Aperture-Priority Auto (A) or full Manual (M) exposure modes. The camera’s ISO ranges from 50 to 400, with noise reduction options.
- 256-Segment Matrix Metering: Nikon’s legendary metering system gets shots other brands of camera just can’t. Plus, you can choose Center-Weighted, Spot and Spot Autofocus metering.
- Ultra Macro: The Nikon Coolpix 5400 is capable of shooting subjects as close as 0.4 inches with extreme detail and clarity. Ultra Macro is supported by the exclusive Best Shot Selector (BSS) feature, which automatically chooses the sharpest of three images.
- Auto Exposure AE--BSS: Depending on whether you want the best Highlight, Shadow or Histogram detail, users can choose one using the appropriate AE-BSS setting. The camera will automatically select the best relative exposure from a series of shots based on user-selected choice.
- 7 Mode Flash, including: Rear Curtain Sync and Repeating Flash Modes introduce Coolpix photographers to creative flash photography and stroboscopic image capture. Users can attach an additional Speedlight to the built-in hot-shoe and take advantage of Nikon’s wireless Speedlight system.
- Vari-Angle LCD: The Nikon Coolpix 5400’s enhanced, fully-articulating LCD allows the photographer to shoot at virtually any angle in order to get the best shot. The LCD is also optimized for easy viewing in bright sunlight.
- Versatility: The Nikon Coolpix 5400 is compatible with Coolpix accessory lenses including the 1.5x ED glass teleconverter (TC-E15ED)(174mm*), the 0.8x Wide Angle Adapter (WC-E80)(23mm*) and the new Fisheye converter lens (FC-E9)(5.6 mm* for an unprecedented 190 degrees of coverage), as well as the Slide Copy Adapter (ES-E28) for copying slides.
* 35mm equivalentIntuitive Design – Easy Operation
Nikon Coolpix 5400 photographers will have complete and immediate access to important camera settings at one’s fingertips without having to navigate through the menu system with the addition of a new command dial based on the award-winning Nikon D100 design. The new command dial will leave 5400 photographers free to seek out their next great shot. Nikon has also incorporated 15 Scene Modes into the Nikon Coolpix 5400 to allow for convenient point-and-shoot operation of the camera.
The Nikon Coolpix 5400’s enhanced Movie Mode can record up to 180 seconds of QuickTime™ video (at 15 frames per second) in Movie (320x240) Mode and 70 seconds in TV Movie (640x480) format with audio. With the optional AC adapter and a keen imagination, the camera can now produce incredible time-lapse movie sequences, shared as QuickTime™ movies, by capturing motion jpeg files showing slow-moving objects or events over a long duration such as a sunrise to sunset or a flower blooming.
Get the Red Out! – NikonView 6 and Nikon’s Exclusive One-Touch Red-Eye Fix™ Software.
The Nikon Coolpix 5400 features the latest version of NikonView 6, complete with Nikon’s new and exclusive One-Touch Red-Eye Fix software, which instantly fixes red-eye with the touch of a button from most typical red-eye digital photos.
One-Touch Red-Eye Fix™ software recognises and fixes red eyes, without desaturating the image and without affecting other red items within the photo. Nikon is the only photo manufacturer offering this powerful one-touch red-eye removal tool, which is great for beginners yet powerful enough for more advanced photographers.
The Nikon Coolpix 5400 also includes a host of exciting programs from ArcSoft® including PhotoStudio™ for image manipulation and enhancement, VideoImpression™ for editing and sharing QuickTime movies, and Panorama Maker™, which lets users easily stitch a number of images together to create beautiful panoramic photos. The camera also comes with PhotoBase™, which allows photos and slide shows to be downloaded and displayed on the screen of a PDA.
The Nikon Coolpix 5400 includes the new NikonView 6 software CD-ROM, shoulder strap, USB cable, video cable, a Lexar 16 MB “Speed Rated” Starter Memory Card and a Li-Ion rechargeable battery and quick charger.
The Nikon Coolpix 5400 will be available in Summer 2003 at an MSRP of $799.95.
A-DIGITAL-EYE CELEBRATES THIRD YEAR ANNIVERSARY (05/25/03)
We are very pleased to be celebrating our three year anniversary online as www.a-digital-eye.com. It was on this very date in 2000 that we moved all of our content and a forwarding link from our initial domain name www.gryfndor.com where we operated under the name "The Digital Picture". Our first coverage was of the PMA 2000 show held in Las Vegas in February, which we had on a special PMA Show page posted days after we attended in mid-February 2000. Several stories from that initial coverage and stories going back to the Spring of 2000 are still linked in our early Volumes including our first, VOLUME 1 EDITION OF A-DIGITAL-EYE.
During the Spring of 2000 as we operated from the previous domain name we were found primarily from the kind links posted by our good friends at Steve's Digicams and Imaging Resource, with a few links by others in Phil Askey's forums. (We stopped all of our own postings at DPReview at that time feeling any links to our site should come from Phil's loyal forum members who are just genuinely trying to help others find perhaps specific & interesting digital camera information).
We had about 10,000 visitors to our prior domain when we moved to this site 3 years ago. At that time only the main index page was designed to count visitors, so links to our many other pages went uncounted. Page views showed that many tens of thousands of our pages had been viewed in just over 90 days, and so with encouragement coming from so many sources, including our friends at the other web sites, we went forward with this new site in an effort to compliment their great digital camera coverage. We attended many local trade shows and felt we could offer unique photo samples from mostly sunny Southern California as well as coverage on related products such as photo printers and accessories. While we had used many film cameras & digital cameras prior to our launch and owned several digitals including the Canon A50, S10 and S20 as well as Olympus cameras, our first digital camera product loan came from Kodak, the professional 620X camera. We were then contacted by many others including Mike Rubin of Nikon, and suddenly by the Summer and Fall of 2000 we were being asked/offered by most all of the other major digital camera companies to review/test and post samples from their latest or upcoming digital camera products. We are amazed to see just how many readers still check out one of our our early reviews from almost 3 years ago, of what we found to be one of the ground breaking cameras of all time, the Nikon Coolpix 990. As many know by that time we had established Disneyland as a regular test ground, and now over 60 digicam visits later, we must have one of the largest collections of sample images found anywhere.
We have now handled several hundred digital cameras, including well over a hundred extensively. We are approaching almost 100 digital cameras that have been loaned to us, and we have obtained on our own dozens more, providing us with a vast set of experiences with the on-going development of digital cameras. From the Nikon 950, Canon A50 and early Olympus models we used about this time 4 years ago, to the brand new Sony V1 we just got from Sony, we have seen so many great changes and positive developments in this great industry. In addition, we have posted approximately 750 news stories, many on a daily update basis. We have information in our past volumes on close to 300 digital cameras that have been introduced in the past 3 years. We have met so many great people in the digital camera industry, and have had so many to thank for helping us along the way, making our very time-consuming work really a lot of fun.
While we do not want to leave anyone out we would especially like to take this brief moment on our 3 year anniversary to give a very special thanks to Steve Sanders, and Dannee over at Steve's Digicams, Dave Etchells and Michael R. Tomkins from Imaging Resource, Phil & Joanna Askey at DPReview, and Jeff Keller at DC Resources, who pioneered the online digital camera news and review concept, which has been of invaluable help to consumers and the digital camera industry alike (and that includes the retail market as well as print sources, who have unfairly complained about the online competition when the truth was and remains, they were ALL benefiting a great deal by the way the HUGE popularity of digital cameras was undeniably GREATLY aided by their online information!). We have been especially grateful to get to know our friends at the other major web sites and we look forward to seeing them often at the tradeshows and industry events as we all cover the future of digital cameras!
While there are just so many great people we have gotten to know at various PR firms, manufacturers, and other press sources, the numbers are just too many to list here, so please accept this heartfelt thank you to all of you who have helped us so much over the years! Those of you who read all the online sites should know that there are some really wonderful people at these companies who are trying very hard to help get great and useful information out to consumers, so that the digital camera advances in all of our lives making our experiences more rewarding. The effort it takes so that all of the online sites have such incredible reviews and instant information available to all of you in such a timely manner is really just remarkable. Don't forget, it is the professional communications with all of the major companies that makes a lot of this possible!
We would also like to thank two very special industry representatives, Karen Thomas who for the past several years helped us get to know so many great people in the press and industry insiders in her capacity as the PR firm for Olympus America, and Cozette Phifer with Sony, who showed us the absolute highest level of professionalism and fairness in this business while playing a major role in leading Sony to the number one position in digital cameras sales the past few years! Also, there is someone whose name we best keep secret (and we don't even really know his real name), but from our over 2 years of e-mails, we have learned so much in so many areas. Thank you so much Karen, Cozette and the mystery person!!!
Finally, we wish to thank all the many thousands of readers who have visited our site over the past 3 years. As we approach 1.2 million visitors, and over 3 million page views, we do this because we really enjoy digital photography and we certainly hope we can help all of you get the best information, to make your experiences with digital photography even better!
Now, with all that said, stay tuned we will soon have much more coming, as there are some new product announcemts to be posted very very soon, and we will have some Sony V1 samples and info. up, but just when we got the camera a few days ago, the weather turned cloudy and dark! We also will have more reviews of cameras, and a review of the Picasa Photo organizing software up later today. Please join us again soon. Gee, 3 years went by fast!!!!!
BRIEF NEWS & SITE UPDATES (05/18/03)
Olympus 24/7 Project Report Update
Professional Photographer Chris Stocker of CarPartArt.com shoots for Olympus in America 24-7. A-Digital-Eye had the chance to follow Photographer Chris Stocker out to the Drag Races. This is an intense sport where you feel the thunder of these powerful machines as they rattle your bones on their way to over 200 mph in only a quarter mile. Chris is shooting for Olympus for the America 24/7 in California.
We will be following the upcoming editing process for this most unique project all digital camera project! Stay tuned for more as editors will be looking at tens of thousands of pictures to find those to be included in the 53 books that will ultimately be published from this past week of shots taken from all across America! For more infomation of the Olympus 24/7 digital camera project please read our earlier posting, it is very interesting what they are doing!!
OLYMPUS PARTNERS WITH AMERICA 24-7, THE LARGEST PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT IN HISTORY (04/25/03)
SITE UPDATES (05/11/03)
We have added a link to some Pentax Optio Sample Images we have just posted, which we think is a great little 3 megapixel camera! We will have more on the Optio S soon. We also have posted much of our Minolta S414 Review, a camera which is a bit bigger but has nice 4 megapixel results. We are also posting comparison review between two of the current most popular 3 megapixel cameras now available, the Sony DSC-P72 and the Nikon Coolpix 3100. Also for more samples from the Sony P72 see our initial Impressions and Disneyland samples taken back in February.
Pentax Optio S Sample Gallery Minolta S414 Review Sony DSC-P72 and Nikon Coolpix 3100 Review Sony DSC-P72 Intitial Impressions and Samples
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