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Rangefinder
Magazine Pro Digital Camera Options Expanding by Ron Eggers
While medium and large format digital gear is still quite expensive, prices for digital SLRs have gotten a lot better over the last six months. At the same time, higher-end consumer cameras are becoming increasingly sophisticated, to the point that, depending upon the application and requirements, they can serve pros as their primary digital camera.
The highest-resolution SLRs are the Kodak 14n and the Canon 1Ds, both of which use CMOS image sensors. The 14n has a 14 megapixel resolution while the 1Ds has a maximum resolution of 11 megapixels. The 14n, which is based on the Nikon N80 body and takes Nikkor lenses, and the 1Ds, which takes Canon EOS lenses, can be integrated into the respective film camera systems. But, unlike with other digital SLRs that have a lens conversion factor, the lens magnification factor for both bodies is the same as with film. That means that a 28–135mm lens for a film camera will have a 28–135mm coverage on the digital body. With these bodies, photographers can shoot true digital wide-angle, which had not been the case with previous digital SLRs.
There is another digital SLR that boasts a very high resolution, the Fuji Finepix S2 Pro, which is being marketed as a 12 megapixel camera. But it’s somewhat different than the competition. It uses what the company calls a Super CCD, which has an actual resolution of 6 megapixels. It can produce image files with pixel resolutions up to 4256 x 2848, but the added pixels beyond the resolution of the CCD are generated electronically. The images are of excellent quality, but the CCD is still only a 6 megapixel CCD.
One of the 6 megapixel Nikons is the Nikon D1x. There’s also the 1Dh, which only has a 2.7 megapixel resolution. Its lower resolution can limit its applicability, but shooting with it is virtually as fast as shooting with a film camera, making it a good choice for covering action. Over the last few months there have been several developments that are finally making it possible for just about any working photographer to get into digital, without having to sacrifice their system equipment. There are some very affordable digital SLRs now becoming available.
Another camera in that price range is the Sigma SD9, a digital SLR that comes equipped with a Foveon X3 CMOS chip. It has 10 million color photo sensors, but, because of the design, its actual resolution is just slightly more than 3.5 megapixels.
To counter competitive pricing strategies, Nikon has dropped the price of its D100 digital SLR, which has been advertised for as low as $1700. The S2 Pro, 10D, SD9 and D100 bridge the gap between lower end professional cameras and higher-end consumer cameras. Right below those cameras, there are several 5 megapixel digitals that have sophisticated professional capabilities, but are still classified as consumer digital cameras.
It doesn’t take interchangeable like the pro SLRs, but the image in the viewfinder is the exact image that the lens captures. The 9–36mm lens is the 35 mm equivalent range of 35–140mm. Its lens and advanced exposure options make it a good choice for either studio or field work. And, like the Fuji S2 Pro, it takes both CompactFlash and SmartMedia removable media. Always trying to stay ahead of the competition, Olympus is set to release an entirely new SLR camera format this summer. Called the Four-Thirds format, it will include new, somewhat smaller, digital SLR bodies and specially designed lenses that have been optimized for digital photography.
The other models advertised as digital SLRs are dual LCD models. They have one LCD on the back, and another in the viewfinder. The image that’s displayed on the viewfinder is the exact same image that the CCD will capture but the pixelated nature and sometimes limited viewability of viewfinder LCDs can make them harder to shoot with than true SLR viewfinders. That doesn’t mean that models with dual viewfinders can’t be the right choice. But it’s important to try shooting with the cameras that are being considered to make sure that the image in the viewfinder is acceptable.
Most of the other high-res consumer digitals have coupled viewfinders that roughly simulate what the lens sees, but there is the potential for parallax distortion. It takes more time and effort to select high-end consumer digitals than it does to buy a high-end consumer film camera. Features, zoom coverage and capabilities vary widely, even among consumer models with similar resolutions. Like with any camera, optics are a prime consideration. Most of the high-resolution models from the leading manufacturers, including Canon, Fuji, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus and Sony, have very good optics. Nikon, for example, has equipped its higher-end consumer lines for professional Nikkor glass while Sony uses Carl Zeiss optics in its high-end consumer models.
For professional applications, it’s best to compare only optical zoom ranges, since there’s the potential for image degradation with digital zooms. There are also major differences in zoom lens coverage. For example, some only have a 3X optical zoom, while others go up to 7X or 8X zoom. That gives some models the same coverage as a 300mm lens would have on a 35mm camera.
Most pro digitals that only take one type of removable media take CompactFlash. Some consumer models, like the Nikon line, take CF cards; some, like some of the Fuji line, accept SmartMedia. Many of the Sony models use Memory Sticks to store images. There are also cameras, like the Toshiba, that take SecureData cards, and some models, such as the tiny Olympus C-50, take the new miniature xD Picture Cards. Olympus’ C-5050 is the only camera that can take CF cards, SM cards and xD cards to store images. There are also models available that write their images directly to mini CDs. One dual viewfinder digital with very good LCD viewability and a long telephoto range is the Minolta DiMage 7Hi. Building upon the success of the original silver-bodied DiMage 7 and 7H, the new black-bodied 7Hi, has a 5 megapixel resolution and a 7X optical zoom range, for a 35mm equivalent telephoto coverage from 28–200mm. It’s lightweight and well balanced, making it a good choice for extended on-location assignments.
Besides its pro models, Nikon also has a complete line of consumer cameras. One of the newest models in that line is the 5 megapixel Coolpix 5700, which is also a dual LCD unit. It features outstanding Nikkor optics, and it’s the first model in the line to include extra-low dispersion glass elements to reduce chromatic aberration and ensure the highest quality images possible. Its zoom range, 35–200mm (35 mm equivalent) is very good for a camera its size. Another 5 megapixel digital, one that looks a little odd, but is well balanced and has strong imaging capabilities, is the Sony Cybershot F-717. It comes with a 5 megapixel CCD and a relatively fast, and extremely sharp, Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar 5X optical zoom lens with a 35 mm equivalent zoom coverage of 38–190mm. It utilizes Memory Sticks to store images. With its extended ISO range of 100–800 and special Slow Shutter Noise Reduction, it’s very effective for low-light and night photography.
These full-featured consumer models range in price from around $800 to $1500, with prices dropping the longer a model is on the market. It’s sometimes possible to get a better deal on a consumer digital by looking at a previous model than going for the absolute latest unit available. One of the more recent trends is the miniaturization of consumer digitals. There are a number of models on the market that are pocket-sized and smaller, but can still take high resolution images. Canon’s PowerShot S50 falls into that category. It has an effective resolution of 5 megapixels and a 35mm film equivalent lens coverage of 35–105mm. The company has always taken the lead in focusing systems. This model’s sophisticated autofocusing capabilities are built on that tradition. It also has advanced image processing capabilities and a wide range of shooting modes. The camera takes CF cards for image storage. Another compact high-resolution digital is the Pentax Optio 550, which also has a slightly higher than 5 megapixel CCD. It has a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 37.5–187.5mm and uses SD/MultiMediaCards for image storage. In spite of its small size, it has a 5X optical zoom lens. It has another interesting capability. With most cameras, once an image has been captured at a certain resolution, it has to be stored at that resolution, or, if the space is needed, erased. With the Optio, it’s possible to reduced the resolution (which reduces the pixel count and file size) of an image within the camera, to free up memory storage space.
Besides the DiMage 7Hi, Minolta also has a smaller 5 megapixel model, the F300, which has a 35mm equivalent coverage of 38–114mm. It comes equipped with a 3X optical zoom, as well as an oversized memory buffer, 32 MB, for faster image capture and much smoother camera operations. Focusing, playback and other functions are speeded up. That’s a real plus with consumer digitals, particularly since one of the greatest complaints about shooting with such cameras is that they are too slow for serious applications. Multiple-exposure capabilities and advanced metering make them a good choice as a general carry-along camera.
One of the smallest 5 megapixel cameras is Olympus Camedia C-50, which has the same resolution as the E-20n and C-5050, but in a much smaller package. The all-metal bodied C-50 comes equipped with a 3X optical zoom lens and features the same sophisticated TruePic image technology of the larger models. All four of these smaller cameras sell for around $600 each. Besides the various 5 megapixel consumer digitals that
are available, there are also a large number of 4 megapixel models on
the
market that,
while not as a high resolution, still have a high enough pixel count
for many business applications. |
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Until relatively recently, the only options available
to professional photographers who were interested in transitioning to
digital were very expensive pro models, such as high-priced medium and
large format digital backs, and over-priced digital SLRs. But digital
camera options for pros are getting a lot better, and somewhat less expensive.
Some
of the biggest advances are being made in digital SLRs. Just a few years
ago, they cost $20,000 and more. Now, there are models available
for considerably less than $2000. The highest-resolution digital SLRs
are still somewhat on the expensive side, but for their capabilities
and potential film savings, they are quite cost-effective.
Even though the 14n has a higher resolution, costing
about $4000, its list price is about half the price of the EOS 1Ds’ $8000
price tag. 
Like the Kodak, the Finepix S2 Pro is designed to take
Nikkor F lenses. And, like the Kodak, which takes both CompactFlash and
SecureData cards
as removable media, the S2 Pro also takes two types of removable media,
CompactFlash and SmartMedia. It’s priced at around $2400.
Nikon
has done something similar to how the S2 increases resolution. Instead
of increasing the pixel count of their 6 megapixel SLRs, the
company has developed algorithms that make it possible to increase the
file size of captured images through proprietary software to about 10
megapixels. Again, the results are very good.
For
one thing, Canon introduced the 10D, a CMOS-based digital SLR that has
a 6 megapixel resolution. It can easily be integrated into Canon
systems and takes many of the EOS accessories. While the 1Ds is the highest
priced digital SLR, the 10D is the lowest digital SLR available that
takes interchangeable lenses. It sells for around $1500.
The SD9’s X3 image sensor is the first
full-color image sensor that captures red, green and blue light at every
pixel in a single exposure.
That’s accomplished by embedding three photo-detectors in silicon
at each pixel position. The camera sells for $1800.
There
are several consumer digitals that are advertised as digital SLRs, but
the only true consumer digital SLR is the Olympus Camedia E-20n,
which has been around for some time, but is still one of the most sophisticated
consumer digitals available.
The
company hopes that other digital camera equipment manufacturers will
sign on to the format, so that, somewhere down the road, it will be possible
to mix and match bodies and lenses from different manufacturers and be
assured that they capture the highest quality images possible.
