5 things we wish all DSLRs would have

Nowadays, more consumers are resorting to DSLR rather than point and shoot cameras. Major players like Canon and Nikon releases new DSLRs every year that vary in sizes, sensors, megapixels and a number of features. Since DSLRs today are reasonably cheaper and popular than before, here are 5 features we wish all DSLRs would have.

Internal IS

IS or image stabilizer (sometimes called VR or vibration reducer and other names) is responsible for keeping the lenses stable and free from sudden vibrations or shake during shots. Most IS are to be found with the lenses, but not with the camera body. Some lenses offer IS, some don’t. So if the camera body itself has IS, then all compatible lenses should take a blur-free shot every time. Also, hand-held videos will look smoother and more professional.

Olympus has employed this for the longest time but few others followed the same path.

USB Charging

All DSLRs have a removable battery, which are to be charged separately through its own cradle. Though it has been that way for sometime, it takes a while to actually remove the battery, slip it in the charger, plug the socket, and vice-versa. Plus, when travelling, there aren’t much sockets around. Solution? How about a DSLR that can be charged through its USB port?

If DSLRs support USB charging, it would be easy to refuel your shooter anytime. You will be able to charge it using your trusty powerbank as well. Also, there is no need for proprietary chargers since USB ports come in standard.

The closest we’ve seen that does this is the Sony NEX series (very reason why we bought one before). It’s a lifesaver whenever we forget to bring the charger during trips.

IP Rating

Waterproof, dust-proof, anything-proof. Since Sony introduced waterproofed smartphones and was able to slim it down, it gained popularity among smartphones. With more brands making “proofing” a staple feature, DSLRs have not embraced this yet. Well, there are weather-sealed DSLRs around but they doesn’t necessarily protect the camera from water and the like. An IP68 certified DSLR would be nice, meaning it will be dust-tight and can be immersed in water beyond a meter without any additional casing.

Internal Storage

Remember the camcorders with built-in hard drive? The ones that has an internal memory from 30GB to 60GB? Well, those were the days before memory cards can handle larger capacity at higher speeds. Though, not exactly a crucial feature to have, but in times it will be handy, DSLRs with internal memory is a great idea.

Besides, most people who have dSLR also use them to record full HD videos as well. And, with recording speed of up to 120fps, it would be best to have an internal storage to help buffer that huge amount of data being written to the card.

Internal WiFi

WiFi or Wireless Fidelity enables us to transmit gigabytes of data without any wires. That is why it would be nice if this will be a staple feature soon. Wireless transfer is such a great help when doing a photoshoot or even just managing your already wire-tangled life. It could also branch out to more features like wireless shutter and wireless flash. Goodbye optional accessories.

Some cameras have them but we though it would be best if it were the standard.

There you go. These are the 5 features we wish to see on every DSLR, may it be for professional or amateur. How about yours? You may list down 5 features you wish to see on every DSLR through the comment section below. Each user opinion varies depending on usage. You may never know, Canon or Nikon (or any) is already cooking it for us.

The post 5 things we wish all DSLRs would have appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

5 things we wish all DSLRs would have

Nowadays, more consumers are resorting to DSLR rather than point and shoot cameras. Major players like Canon and Nikon releases new DSLRs every year that vary in sizes, sensors, megapixels and a number of features. Since DSLRs today are reasonably cheaper and popular than before, here are 5 features we wish all DSLRs would have.

Internal IS

IS or image stabilizer (sometimes called VR or vibration reducer and other names) is responsible for keeping the lenses stable and free from sudden vibrations or shake during shots. Most IS are to be found with the lenses, but not with the camera body. Some lenses offer IS, some don’t. So if the camera body itself has IS, then all compatible lenses should take a blur-free shot every time. Also, hand-held videos will look smoother and more professional.

Olympus has employed this for the longest time but few others followed the same path.

USB Charging

All DSLRs have a removable battery, which are to be charged separately through its own cradle. Though it has been that way for sometime, it takes a while to actually remove the battery, slip it in the charger, plug the socket, and vice-versa. Plus, when travelling, there aren’t much sockets around. Solution? How about a DSLR that can be charged through its USB port?

If DSLRs support USB charging, it would be easy to refuel your shooter anytime. You will be able to charge it using your trusty powerbank as well. Also, there is no need for proprietary chargers since USB ports come in standard.

The closest we’ve seen that does this is the Sony NEX series (very reason why we bought one before). It’s a lifesaver whenever we forget to bring the charger during trips.

IP Rating

Waterproof, dust-proof, anything-proof. Since Sony introduced waterproofed smartphones and was able to slim it down, it gained popularity among smartphones. With more brands making “proofing” a staple feature, DSLRs have not embraced this yet. Well, there are weather-sealed DSLRs around but they doesn’t necessarily protect the camera from water and the like. An IP68 certified DSLR would be nice, meaning it will be dust-tight and can be immersed in water beyond a meter without any additional casing.

Internal Storage

Remember the camcorders with built-in hard drive? The ones that has an internal memory from 30GB to 60GB? Well, those were the days before memory cards can handle larger capacity at higher speeds. Though, not exactly a crucial feature to have, but in times it will be handy, DSLRs with internal memory is a great idea.

Besides, most people who have dSLR also use them to record full HD videos as well. And, with recording speed of up to 120fps, it would be best to have an internal storage to help buffer that huge amount of data being written to the card.

Internal WiFi

WiFi or Wireless Fidelity enables us to transmit gigabytes of data without any wires. That is why it would be nice if this will be a staple feature soon. Wireless transfer is such a great help when doing a photoshoot or even just managing your already wire-tangled life. It could also branch out to more features like wireless shutter and wireless flash. Goodbye optional accessories.

Some cameras have them but we though it would be best if it were the standard.

There you go. These are the 5 features we wish to see on every DSLR, may it be for professional or amateur. How about yours? You may list down 5 features you wish to see on every DSLR through the comment section below. Each user opinion varies depending on usage. You may never know, Canon or Nikon (or any) is already cooking it for us.

The post 5 things we wish all DSLRs would have appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Flagship Nikon D4s is made for action, outs 25 February

After being hyped at CES and made rounds on the Internet, Nikon’s next flagship model will finally be announced on the 25th of February. The Nikon D4s was reported to build on the success of the D4 with its beefier specs.

Nikon EDITED

According to the initial press release, the new D4s model will “…offer advances over the Nikon D4 HD-SLR camera, including enhanced image quality enabled with adoption of a new image-processing engine.” It was also mentioned that a more advanced autofocusing performance will be onboard, thus making it a perfect action camera for sports, nature, and events.

After this release, rumors regarding the new specs and improvements started surfacing. Some of which are:

Same 16MP sensor seen on its predecessor
Native ISO from 100 – 25,600
Full HD video recording @ 60fps
New focus mode that allows for 3D-tracking
New tuning of white balance
Adjustable LCD color
Better low light performance

Lastly, it was stated that the launch price of the D4s could be the same as the D4′s which is $5,996.95 (approx. Php268,425).

{sources 1, 2, 3}

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Nikon debuts AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G ED

In addition to the D3300 and its new kit lens, Nikon also unveiled the new addition to their FX-format lens portfolio – the AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G ED.

At first glance, the new full-frame glass looks a lot like its DX-format counterpart. But their similarities are only skin deep, as Nikon made a few improvements on the inner workings of their new wide-angle lens.

Nikkor 35mm 1.8G

Nikon’s new fast prime lens boasts a total of 11 optics, two of which (Aspherical lens and Extra-low Dispersion (ED) element) are intended to further enhance the image quality and address sagittal comma flare. Furthermore, the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G ED is equipped with Silent Wave Motor (SWM) which provides fast and silent autofocus operation.

These added optics explains why the 35mm lens is marginally heavier and taller than the DX-version. Nevertheless, it’s still a compact and lightweight, not to mention fast, wide-angle lens that should be a great addition to your lens lineup.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G ED specs:
Construction: 11 elements in 8 groups, including 1 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glasses and 1 Aspherical Element
Inner focusing mechanism (non-rotating front element)
SWM autofocus
Plastic body and mount
Manual Aperture Ring
Filter thread: 57mm
Aperture blades: 7
Aperture range: f/1.8 – f/16
Min. Focus distance: 25cm
Dimensions: 72 (Diameter) x 72mm (Length)
Weight: 305g

The new AF-S NIKKOR 35mm F1.8G lens will be available starting on February 20 and is going to cost USD600.

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Best Digital Cameras of 2013

2013 has been a good year for photography hobbyists and professional alike. In this post, we look back at the best cameras of this year that either trumped all of its rivals on its respective category or totally changed the game with its groundbreaking feature.


Best Full-frame dSLR camera: Nikon D610

Nikon nabbed the Best Full-frame dSLR award with the D610 not because it’s the best out there, but there isn’t much to choose from. Besides the D610, the only other candidate is the recently launched Nikon Df which some people may find a bit limiting because of the lack of video recording capability.

nikon d610

So unless you’re buying a full-frame camera purely for its looks, then the Nikon D610 is the better option compared to its “Pure Photography” counterpart.

Best Full-frame MILC: Sony A7

Sony stunned the photography world when they unveiled the CyberShot DSC-RX1; the world’s smallest full-frame digital camera. But apparently, the RX1 was just a primer for better things to come.

sony a7

A year later after the RX1’s debut, the Japanese company came with not one, but two full-frame mirrorless cameras with an interchangeable lens feature to boot. But although the two MILCs are nearly indistinguishable in terms of feature set, we gave the award to the Sony A7 for giving the most bang for the buck.

Best cropped-sensor dSLR camera: Nikon D7100

Of all the categories in this list, selecting the best dslr camera with a cropped-sensor has got to be the toughest one. That’s because we’ve seen quite a handful of formidable candidates like the Canon EOS 70D and the Pentax K-3.

nikon d7100

With all features taken into consideration, we think that the Nikon D7100 is the better camera among its peers. Sure it doesn’t have the Vari-angle touchscreen display or the Dual-Pixel CMOS AF of the Canon 70D (not to mention the lack of built-in Wi-Fi which is becoming a standard for modern cameras), but when it comes down it, the D7100 has the better OVF (100% coverage, 0.94x magnification), more AF points (51) and better construction (Magnesium alloy body).

Other benefits that the D7100 has over the 70D includes a spare slot for SD card, higher Megapixel count (24MP vs 20MP) and the lack of Optical Low-Pass filter on the sensor which, in theory, should account for sharper images.

Best cropped-sensor MILC: Fujifilm XE-2

After a period of hiatus, Fujifilm has recently been very aggressive in reasserting its place amongst the best camera makers through their X-Series cameras. And what they’ve come up with (X-Pro1, X-E1 and the X100) was no push-over and it hit the ground running, captivating the prying eyes of photography enthusiast all over the world.

fujifilm x-e2

The company is looking to have that same success with the second wave of X-Series cameras like the X100S and the X-E2 which sports all the bells and whistles of its predecessor, plus a handful of new optimizations that makes it an easy-pick in this category.

Best Prosumer Digital camera: Olympus Stylus 1

Due to the rise of smartphones with decent cameras, one can make the argument that Point-and-Shoot cameras are no longer relevant in this day and age. But that didn’t stop Olympus from releasing what is to us the best fixed lens camera to date – the Olympus Stylus 1.

olympus stylus 1

With a body that’s reminiscent to the gorgeous OM-D E-M1, coupled with a groundbreaking 28-300mm f/2.8 lens, Olympus proves that the bridge camera segment isn’t going anywhere just yet.

Best Consumer Digital camera: Nokia Lumia 1020

Interestingly, the last award goes to a smartphone not a camera. But as you may know, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is not your ordinary camera-equipped-smartphone because it has the same 41MP sensor of the PureView 808 which we reviewed in the past.

We acknowledge the fact that there are other great point-and-shoot cameras out there, maybe even better than the Lumia 1020 in terms of image quality. However, we can’t disregard the fact that you not only have a device the can pretty much do almost everything that a digital camera can, but you also have a smartphone (or is it the other way around?)

lumia 1020

In any case, the whole point of owning a camera is to take selfies to document life as it happens. The difference though with the Lumia 1020 is that it gives you the ability to share those most moments almost instantaneously without the need of another device.

That sums up the Best Camera of this year. We can’t wait to see what’s in store in 2014, but it sure looks promising!

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