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Olympus E-P1 now available for pre-order
You might've noticed this already, but for those out there who share our lust for Olympus' E-P1 "digital Pen," but haven't done too much digging, consider this a public service announcement. The retro-chich micro four thirds camera is now available for pre-order from a handful of online retailers, with several different packages to choose from based with various body color (silver or white) and lens color (silver or black) combinations. Looks like it'll still cost you about $750 if you want body only, but really, at this point we don't know why you wouldn't pay an additional Ulysses S. Grant and grab a lens with it. Ready to smash that E-P1 piggy bank a bit early? You've got plenty of retailers willing to help you out there, but don't feel too pressured, there's still a little bit of time to decide before the July launch.Read - AdoramaRead - AmazonRead - B&HRead - J&R
Engadget Labs: The best point-and-shoot camera for under $400
The summer looms, and so too does the summer vacation season. Despite the economy there are visions of great trips brewing in the backs of peoples' minds, visions that will soon turn into (hopefully) great memories -- and (hopefully) great pictures. Some folks wouldn't dream of going on those trips without an SLR slung 'round their neck or hanging at the hip, but then there are plenty of others who'd much prefer something a little more pocketable. Even for aspiring photographers there are times when lugging around five pounds of glass just isn't going to work. There are dozens and dozens of cameras intended for casual shooters all the time or serious shooters some of the time, with models suitable for pockets of every shape and size -- and for wallets of equally varying dimensions. So, let's take a look at some of this summer's greatest, and see which comes out ahead, shall we?
Nikon D5000 articulates its way into reality
Right on schedule, Nikon's announced the much-rumored D5000. Specs are almost exactly as predicted -- behind that articulating 2.7-inch display lies a 12.3 megapixel DX-format sensor that maxes out at ISO 3200 with a 4fps burst rate, one-button Live View, and a 720/24p movie mode. Other features include an 11-point AF system with 3D focus tracking and 19 scene modes, but the real noise is the price: $849 with a 18-55 VR kit lens, or $729 for the body only -- just slightly less than the Canon T1i, which has a higher-res sensor and can shoot 1080p video, but doesn't have the trick LCD. That's a tough call -- we seriously can't wait for the head-to-head. Full release after the break.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II spotted for sale in the wilds of Shanghai
It looks like that hint at a release date we got earlier this summer turned out to be right -- well, within a few weeks anyway. It's November and Canon's new 21 megapixel shooter, the EOS 5D Mark II, is now available. But, for the moment at least, it looks like you need to be a resident of China to pick up one for the local equivalent of $2,900 for the kit minus the lens (no word on what the full kit's going for). The picture above was taken at a Shanghai retailer, and while this particular hand model might prefer that you consider the A900 instead, those of you with duffels full of Canon glass would be well advised to get those credit card balances raised; this hot DSLR is sure to be dropping elsewhere in the world within the next few weeks. [Via 1001 Noisy Cameras]
Apple releases Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.3
Apple just released an update for RAW camera support for Mac OS X Leopard, Aperture 2, and iPhoto '08. With this new update, the following list of RAW-format cameras are supported: Canon EOS 50D Nikon D90 Sony DSLR-A900 Nikon Coolpix P6000 Apple also notes that this update "addresses issues related to specific cameras and overall stability." You can download this update by opening up Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple Support downloads site.Thanks for the tip, Tony!
Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 2.2
Today Apple released an update for Mac OS X's RAW compatibility. iPhoto '08 and Aperture will now be able to work with RAW formats from the following cameras: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS/Kiss Digital F/1000D Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n Nikon D700 Olympus EVOLT E-420 Olympus EVOLT E-520 Olympus SP-570 Samsung GX-10 Samsung GX-20 Sony DSLR-A300 Sony DSC-R1 I'm sure this isn't a fix for everyone, but will probably make most photographers happy to see their camera on the list. You can download this update by opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by visiting Apple's downloads website and downloading the installer package.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Nikon D90 gets UPC code
If there was any doubt that the Nikon D90 D-SLR was coming your way, and a Best Buy stock record wasn't enough after a Circuit City inventory screen didn't sway you, then perhaps a snapshot of the product UPC will convince you? This code showed up on UPC database last night and, well, let's just say that it's time to start saving your pennies for this $1300 wonder.UPDATE: Meanwhile, a UPC for the Canon EOS-9D also popped up on the site. UPC haters can (and should) move along, but the link is here. [Thanks, Scott F]
DIY time lapse intervalometer saves dough, improves creativity
We know you've had plenty of time to recreate that shutter release hack, and if you found yourself impressed with the results, you're bound to adore this one. Eagleapex has struck again with yet another swank camera mod, this time giving DSLR owners an easy (and affordable) method for handling time lapse photography. Granted, this creation isn't the simplest to build, and there's still a few notable limitations that keep it from supreme greatness -- namely the inaccurate interval setting and the occasionally problematic short output pulse -- but neither of those quirks are ones that pros can't remedy when concocting their own. Check out a video of the results after the jump, and don't ever say that watching ice melt is a bore.
Sony's Alpha DSLR brand
Following up on that farewell to Konica Minolta, Sony just announced their new D-SLR sub-brand hitting the streets this summer: Alpha. Yeah, Alpha as in "beginning" or "essential," not pre-beta instability (we hope). Sony will produce the complete camera system including the lenses (no Carl Zeiss?), accessories, CCD (hopefully not those CCDs) and CMOS imaging sensors, and other Sony imaging technologies. And like we already knew, the new Sony shooters will be compatible with Konica-Minolta lenses and accessories. That's it, we can all go back to waiting now for actual products to be announced. Oh, and we linked to the Sony Alpha website per the press release which is, er, down at the moment... "Alpha" indeed.Update: Thanks to everyone who pointed out that Minolta's SLRs were marketed in Asia under the Alpha brand. At this point, it looks likely that Sony will be using the brand globally, dropping Minolta's previous use of Maxxum (North America) and Dynax (Europe) branding for its SLRs. We'll let you know if we learn otherwise.[Via Sony]
