EDDIEWONG

Another new D-SLR. This time, by renowned lens maker, Sigma (their lenses are hit and misses). To be honest, I didn’t even know Sigma made cameras until now. I alwyas thought they soley concentrated on lens like Tamron. Or do Tamron make cameras too? I’ve never really paid attention because for me, it’s either Canon or Nikon, period.
Anyway, this Sigma D-SLR will debut in Photokina in Germany on September 26th. For now, check out the Sigma SD14 D-SLR teaser.

You believe that all digital cameras capture all colours?You’re satisfied with a sensor that detects one colour per pixel?

You believe that all Raw data is created equal?

If you could have fundamentally better technology, would you settle for added, improved functions instead?

The truth will soon be revealed…

Update 15:55pm: leaked images can be found here.

This is weird… today I took 2 pics with my cellphone of a promo flyer in BIC (Yurakucho) which actually lists the price for the upcoming Nikon D80 (and lens kits). But for some reason, I can’t seem to find the images from my cellphone. This is not the first time this has happened, dammit!

Actually, come to think of it, maybe my cellphone is trying to tell me that it is time for it to be replaced with something newer and meaner. Hahahahaha… don’t you just love it when you can always make up excuses like this to justify buying new stuff? Anyway…

Here are the prices and kit combos which will be available from September 1st and September 15th (for the DX18-135 kit):

• Nikon D80 - AF-S DX18-135 Lens Kit: JP¥159,800
• Nikon D80 - AF-S DX18-70 Lens Kit: JP¥149,800
• Nikon D80 - Body only: JP¥119,800

Hahahahaha… I can’t believe I totally forgot about the Mac Pro. Usually, when Apple releases a new product, I would go to see it in a shop as soon as it arrives on our shores. But this time, the Nikon D80’s announcement totally overshadowed the Mac Pro for me. I mean, I literally forgot the Mac pro existed until I accidently came across it today in Shinjuku… hahahahahaha! I think the reasons being: 1) Recent Macs didn’t get new enclosure designs. Since Macs have moved to Intel CPUs, I believe new enclosures are totally justifiable across the whole line of Intel Macs. So, yeah, I’m disappointed in this department. 2) There is no native Adobe CS2 for Intel Macs. Basically, I live on Photoshop. Without it, an Intel Mac is meaningless no matter how fast they claim to be. 3) I can’t afford a new computer at the moment.

→ Keep reading…

… in any shop for me to see, darn! All they had were promo flyers with no price point either. I think I will head off to the Nikon showroom in Shinjuku tomorrow and see if it’s there. Anyway, instead, I picked up a good few Nikon D-SLR brochures so I can compare every model. Damn, that Nikon D200 is so nice! And so friggin’ expensive too! I never really realised before but today I spent some time messing with it and I’m totally in love. But the problem is, there are just too many buttons and switches on this thing that I don’t even know what they are for. Doh! Definitely too pro of a cam for someone like me therefore I think the Nikon D80 better suits my needs and my low budget…

And there you have it! The new Nikon D80 with a new ED 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 lens which will go on sale here in Japan from September 1st.

The official Nikon websites have not yet been updated with the D80 info but this Japanese website has it with a minor comparison chart against both the D70S and the D200. The D80 definitely seems to be a major improvement over the D70S but it is not quite where the D200 stands, although I’d say it’s pretty close (and for that price, it’s well worth it, imho). Now…, all I need to see are some sample photographs produced by this new baby.

• 10.2 megapixel DX format CCD
• 3D Color Matrix Metering II, 420 pixel sensor
• 11-area AF system
• Configurable high ISO and long exposure noise reduction
• Mechanical only shutter (maximum 1/4000 sec, flash sync to 1/200 sec)
• Larger, brighter pentaprism viewfinder
• Support for SD-HC
• Higher capacity EN-EL3e battery
• Wireless flash integration

→ Keep reading…

Well, as you can see from the image, which is captured from the official Nikon Japan website, the D80 countdown has now reached 000 days! Man, didn’t these 20 days just fly by? It is now 3am in Tokyo therefore by the time I wake up in the morning, the announcement regarding the specs should have been made. As for the industrial design, well, I guess the whole world has already seen these leaked images.

Because this new Nikon uses SD cards, I doubt it is targeted towards current D70 users. I believe it is more of an upgrade for current D50 users whom have acquired better photo-shooting skills and need a bit more control (and some first time D-SLR users). For current D70 users, it’s only natural to go for something with more controls like the D200, rather than jump onboard an upgrade with a minor megapixel bump and slightly tweaked controls.

→ Keep reading…

And yet another, another, another, another, another, slick looking T-series digicam from Sony, the DSC-T10. But again, if design is what they’re thinking about here, they need to seriously get rid of the slider! OK, maybe it’s a great mechanism for turning the cam on and off but it leaves permanent streak marks on the body! Hardly cool-looking when that happens.

It was this exact flaw that put me off the original T1. I remember seeing images of the T1 a good few weeks before it came out and I was stoked by it’s good looks, the thin-ness, and the huge LCD screen. But when it finally came out, I went to see it a day later at Sakuraya in Shibuya and I was horrified by the streak marks! From just one day! Damn, I hate imperfections!

Anyway, here are some specs for this new T10:

• 7-megapixel
• Up to ISO 1000
• 2.5-inch Clear Photo Plus LCD screen
• Long battery life - up to 250 shots per charge
• A choice of colors - pink, white, black or silver
• Debut 2006 August 28 (Japan)

Yes, the Panasonic Lumix L1 D-SLR is finally here and boy does it look and feel super-retro! For whatever reason, the Lumix L1 is not getting anywhere near the amount of attention the Sony a100 is getting. There’s only 2 Lumix L1s on display and no one is really looking at them. Instead, the crowd is sucking up to Sony’s a100! And they have 8 on display! Hmmmmm…..

Panasonic’s Lumix L1 does not come cheap. It costs more than a Nikon D200 and it virtually doubles the price of Sony’s a100. I mean, that’s a pretty bold move (the pricing) from Panasonic because just like Sony’s a100, the Lumix L1 is Panasonic’s first stab at D-SLR market. Yes, I know and am sure the Leica lenses are top notch but hey, the Carl Zeiss lenses on Sony’s a100 is no slouch either. So yeah, the pricing is something worthy of debate.

→ Keep reading…

Don’t you just love leaked images of upcoming products?

Wooooooo… could this be the successor to the Nikon D70s? I can definitely see some Nikon D50 looks in there, though. Or might it be an update D50, the D50s? Either way, I’m totally excited!

I was so tempted to get myself a S70s not so long ago but because it had already been on the market for like a year, I was worried that a successor would surface soon therefore I gave up on the idea of buying it. And thank god, I did just that! Otherwise, I’d be beating my own b*lls right now if I bought the D70s!

Anyway, 20 days till we can see this beauty! The countdown begins! Damn, I’m broke…