Lytro camera gets manual controls, new colors and accessories for exacting light-field fans

Posted on 09/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

A frequent gripe of Lytro camera owners has been the hands-off nature of the photography, with that signature infinite focus about the only real fine-tuning that's on tap. As of a fresh firmware upgrade, the light-field camera is much friendlier to demanding shooters. The unconventional point-and-shoot now lets owners manually adjust the ISO sensitivity (80 to 3,200) and shutter speed (1/250th of a second to 8 seconds) as well as lock the exposure or invoke a neutral density filter. Regardless of their precision demands, anyone who was already sold on the concept still gets a few perks with today's refresh: the 8GB model now comes in Seaglass green and a Target-exclusive Moxie Pink, and there's both a $30 sleeve as well as a $60, accessory-friendly case for those who've fully committed to the Lytro lifestyle. Neither upgrade will bring higher resolutions or video, but they'll go a long way towards accommodating those who were at least on the fence. Check out an interactive sample of the shutter speed control's benefits after the break.

Continue reading Lytro camera gets manual controls, new colors and accessories for exacting light-field fans

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Lytro camera gets manual controls, new colors and accessories for exacting light-field fans originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon unveils lightweight, full-frame D600 DSLR — hands-on and low-light samples (video)

Posted on 13/09/2012 by Sharif Sakr

We've been watching out for the D600 since images leaked a couple of months ago, and today it's been made official: a full-frame DSLR that's priced ever-so-slightly closer to the reach of mortals (read: "high-end enthusiasts") who perhaps can't claim everything off their tax. At just shy of $2,100 (update: €2,150 in Europe), the 24-megapixel camera's US list price is significantly lower than that of the 36-megapixel D800, and undercuts Canon's rival EOS 5D Mark III and Sony's brand new full-frame Alpha A99.

What's more, aside from the resolution, you're getting something pretty close to the D800 -- including a weather- and dust-resistant magnesium alloy build, fast Exspeed III processor, and AF that works down to f/8 -- but here it's all contained in a body that sheds a full 15 percent off the D800's weight. It feels great to hold a full-frame DSLR like this, which is barely any heavier or more conspicuous than an APS-C shooter like the D7000.

Nikon is also making a big deal out of the fact that the D600 handles wireless transfers and triggers using the new WU-1b widget, which is identical to the familiar WU-1a we reviewed on the D3200 except that it plugs into the camera's USB port rather than the HDMI port. There's an Android app to allow your mobile device to communicate with the camera, and an iOS app is set to land by the end of September.

Read on a few more initial impressions and a quick look at the D600's high-ISO performance.

Gallery: Nikon D600 hands-on photos

Gallery: Nikon D600 publicity photos

Continue reading Nikon unveils lightweight, full-frame D600 DSLR -- hands-on and low-light samples (video)

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Nikon unveils lightweight, full-frame D600 DSLR -- hands-on and low-light samples (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leica Monochrom test turns up the ISO, doesn’t bring the noise

Posted on 30/05/2012 by Steve Dent

In the case of "why would you pay $8k for a black and white camera," exhibit 'A' would surely be the lack of a color filter array corrupting the image. Without one, the Leica Monochrom -- with a similar CCD to its M9 stablemate -- should have less noise. Tests comparing the two cameras on Red Dot Forum confirm it, with the Monochrom cleaner in glorious black & white at all ISO's up to the M9's maximum of 2500. Past that, a touch of NR gave the Monochrom a pleasing film-grain look to our eyes at ISO 5000, but at ISO 10,000 images started to sparkle and approach the "barely usable" range. Still, combined with the increased sharpness and resolution, very well-heeled purists might be tempted.

Leica Monochrom test turns up the ISO, doesn't bring the noise originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 12:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon D3200 sample pics appear on Flickr, make a slightly noisy entrance

Posted on 20/04/2012 by Steve Dent

Ahead of getting trigger happy with a fully-working D3200 -- rather than the pre-production unit from our hands-on -- we've been checking out some official 24-megapixel samples on Flickr. To our eyes, the images befit the smaller pixel size, namely sharp and high-res, but with a good dollop of noise on the side. Albeit completely unscientific, a blowup compared to an image from the similarly priced Sony NEX-5N looks grainier at the same 1600 ISO. On the plus side, the JPEGs show almost zero compression artifacts, so budget-minded shooters could easily print poster-sized images -- of course, providing they have enough light for a low ISO shot in the first place.

Gallery: D3200 official samples