You are here: Home / Archives for Reviews

Pentax K-7 Digital SLR Camera: Field Test Report

November 29, 2009 By 13 Comments

Peter Burian tests this rugged, well-sealed 14.5MP camera with pro caliber versatility and extras such as Movie mode and in-camera HDR

q_K7_Product

The flagship of the Pentax DLSR series, the K-7 is an unusually rugged semi-professional 14.5 MP camera that’s built like a tank: with a splash-proof magnesium alloy body over a stainless steel chassis. While the 14.5 megapixel K20D is less pricey, the  K-7 is even more desirable. This newer model retains all of the K20D’s best features but provides significant benefits:  faster (5.2 fps) drive speed, larger 3″ LCD with 920,000 dot resolution, a viewfinder with 100% coverage, plus upgrades for the sensor, processor, autofocus system, built-in image stabilizer and evaluative metering (now with 77 zones). More importantly, the K-7 offers some entirely new functions, including HD Movie mode. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Pentax Reviews Tagged With: , ,

Pentax K-x Digital SLR Review: Field Test Report

November 16, 2009 By 60 Comments

Jack Neubart gets a taste of a sweet compact 12.4 MP CMOS APS-C DSLR with a suite of features.

Pentax K-x body, white version. Photo courtesy of Pentax.

Pentax K-x body, white version. Photo courtesy of Pentax.



I approach each new camera with a degree of skepticism. Unlike many out there, I’m not as easily swayed by all the media hype and promotional gobbledygook. I’m from Brooklyn and we need to see that something actually works. So when the Pentax K-x arrived, I looked at it, pleased that they sent me the “white” version, only because it reminded me of the Imperial Storm Troopers from Star Wars (would have been a great fit). I unpacked everything, mated the lens to the K-x body, installed the lithium batteries that came in the box, then added my own SDHC card-none included (also takes standard SD-but why hamper the machine out of the gate!). And I started to play with it.

Hmm, not bad, I thought. But let’s see how it performs in the real world. So, intrepid explorer that I am, I ventured outside. It may not be a tropical rain forest, but it is an urban jungle out there rife with photographic opportunities. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Pentax Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 Review: Field Test Report

November 15, 2009 By 3 Comments

With its HD movie mode, articulating LCD and ultra high resolution viewfinder, the GH1 may be the most desirable Micro Four-Thirds camera

L PRODUCT FRONT BACK

The first manufacturer to develop a Micro Four Thirds camera, Panasonic now markets three distinct models. These include the original DMC-G1, the pocket-size DMC-GF1, and the DMC-GH1 which benefits from the best features of the other models. These 12 megapixel cameras are all smaller/slimmer than DSLRs because they’re not equipped with a reflex mirror or a pentaprism. They also accept smaller lenses but employ a much larger sensor than most digicams with built-in lenses. That allows for much larger pixels for “cleaner” images – with a less “grainy” effect – at ISO 400 and above. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Panasonic Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,