Nikon AF-S Nikkor 300mm F/2.8 ED VRII – Review

Many will find the very idea of a lens costing well into five figures outlandish, but professionals exist on a different plane to even serious amateurs. The more specialised the photographer, the more specialised the gear in their bag. A 300mm fixed lens like this one has a limited range of applications, with pro sport, news and wildlife photographers its primary targets, along with creative fashion shooters and well-paid (or desperate) paparazzi.

It’s possible to pick up a perfectly serviceable 70-300mm Nikon zoom for around a thousand dollars, so what makes the 300mm f/2.8G ED VRII worth 12 times that price? Primarily, the many grams of state-of-the-art glass in that big lens barrel – maintaining a maximum aperture of 2.8 at 300mm is no picnic for a lens maker.

Nikon has also thrown all of its considerable technology and expertise into the design and construction of its flagship 300mm lens, so it’s blessed with the latest vibration reduction (VR) system and advanced coatings including ‘nano crystal’.

Not much has changed from the previous version of this lens (released in 2004), although the new model claims four stops of effectiveness on the VR system, rather than three.

The first thing you notice about this lens is that it’s huge; once mounted on Nikon’s full-frame D3s, the length from the camera back to the lens front approaches 40cm (without a lens hood), and the combined weight of the two is more than four kilograms. It’s an unwieldy thing to lug around and a beast to shoot handheld for any length of time – be sure to factor in the cost of a monopod.
Build quality is exemplary, the controls are smooth and easy to use and the lens feels as if it may last forever, assuming it’s well treated. It’s also tightly sealed against moisture and dust

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Fujifilm Finepix JZ300 – Review

In spite of a press release claiming that FujiFilm’s Finepix JZ300 is the “James Bond of compact cameras”, it’s actually one of what seems to be an increasingly rare breed: the plain old compact camera.

There are no pretentions here of ultra-sensitivity, water resistance, Spielberg-style movie abilities or more megapixels than a professional dSLR. The JZ300 is just a small, midrange point and shoot, designed to be popped in a pocket and to take photos when the button on top is pressed – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The JZ300 does well for itself in terms of specifications, with plenty of zoom (10x optical), a reasonably wide lens (28mm), sensor shift image stabilisation, 12 megapixels and 1280×720 HD movie recording.

The JZ300’s black and silver finish is attractive but, at almost 30mm deep, it’s not the slimmest compact around. Build quality is good and the camera feels remarkably solid, with even abuse-level prodding and twisting finding no weak spots.

Handling is uncomplicated, with simple controls laid out in the traditional ‘four buttons plus one’ style, with a comfortable concave rotating dial above.

Like most FujiFilm cameras, the menu system is less elegant and modern than some competitors, with slightly low resolution graphics; but with only two tabs and limited settings, it is easy to navigate.

In addition to full auto modes, the JZ300 offers a number of scenes with two positions on the dial allowing favourite shooting modes to be easily selected. It’s always worth trying the scene modes to see if they give a better result than auto.

Startup time is reasonably fast, as is the autofocus system, and there’s little shutter lag. Write times aren’t super-quick but they’re no worse than many in the class; the three-shot burst mode, however, has a lengthy write time that drags on for close to 10 seconds.

Image quality is about average for this type of camera. The photos aren’t razor sharp under magnification but they’re entirely adequate for prints up to A4. The metering system is accurate and produces nicely balanced shots in natural light or with the flash (which is quite small and doesn’t have much reach at all). Saturation is a little light, as is contrast in some shots but the overall results are pleasing.

Like many compacts the JZ300 has the annoying habit of increasing the sensitivity to levels where it just shouldn’t go, which leads to increased noise and lost detail; ISO3200 is limited to 3MP but is still noisy. Realistically, the JZ300 will cope well with daylight or well-lit shots but less so with dim rooms or night shots, even with the flash firing, so consider how often you shoot in the gloom before you choose your camera.

Video quality at 720p is good, with the ability to zoom while shooting, although the microphone picks this up as a large, angry robot moving around in the background, which limits its usefulness.

There’s a tendency to compare this type of camera with advanced compacts, which leads to opinions laced with faint praise. But on its own terms, FujiFilm’s Finepix JZ300 is a well-built compact at a nice price, and it’s capable of capturing images and video that will please point-and-shoot users for a long time to come.

Fujifilm Finepix JZ300 – Specifications

Effective Pixels: 12.1 million
Image Sensor: 1/2.3 inch CCD
Lens: F3.3-5.6 – 5-50mm (35mm equivalent 28-280mm)
Image Stabiliser: CCD shift
Shutter speed: 4-1/2000sec
Formats: JPEG, AVI, WAV
ISO: 100-3200
Monitor: 2.7-inch colour LCD, 230,000 dots
Viewfinder: None
Movie Modes: 1280×720/24, 640×480/30, 320×240/30
Media: SD, SDHC
Interface: USB 2.0
Battery: Lithium-ion rechargeable
Dimensions: 97 x 57 x 28.5mm
Weight: 148g excluding battery

CONTACT

www.fujifilm.co.nz

PROS

• Well built
• Speedy autofocus

CONS

• Average low-light performance
• Ineffective flash
• Slow continuous shooting

Design                      15
Performance           15
Features                   16
Image Quality         15
Value for money     15

TOTAL 76/100

This article is from D-Photo issue 37. Click here to check it out.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX5V – Review

Ashley Kramer tries out the new Cyber-shot and finds features galore but only average image quality.

Poor low-light performance is a common complaint in reviews of compact cameras. It’s a bugbear because blasting away with the flash doesn’t always get the photo you wanted. For example, shooting family snaps indoors with soft natural light often requires a high ISO setting to maintain a decent shutter speed. On most compacts, this gives a noisy result. Also, if your camera ramps up sensitivity as part of the image stabilisation system, you can be stuck with noise when you don’t expect it.

For years, every camera manufacturer’s priority was to have more megapixels than the competition. But cramming millions of extra pixels onto a tiny sensor is just a recipe for more noise. Canon took the bold step of dropping the megapixels in the G11 and S90 advanced compacts and the results were impressive.

The Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V is Sony’s stab at getting noise under control in a compact. It’s a fully featured camera with all the bells and whistles expected at the price point, including HD video with stereo sound, a high-spec 25mm, 10x optical zoom lens and a GPS receiver, which geotags images and videos with location information. The HX5V also supports TransferJet, which sends data wirelessly between compatible devices.

To improve low-light performance, the HX5V uses a new generation 10.2MP backlit Exmor R CMOS sensor, paired with Sony’s BIONZ image processor, which assists with noise reduction.

Unfortunately, despite the sensor’s claimed prowess and sensitivity, the HX5V selects unusually slow shutter speeds in its automatic modes. Combine that with the noise reduction and there’s a faint hint of softness and lost detail on all images, even at lower ISO settings. This is only really noticeable under close examination but from ISO500 onwards the noise reduction is aggressive enough to blur edges and soften images, while at ISO800-plus, images are very soft indeed.

It seems that the sensor isn’t living up to its promise here, forcing Sony to implement specific low-light modes. Thus the HX5V offers ‘Handheld Twilight’ and ‘Anti-Motion Blur’ settings, where multiple exposures are superimposed to form one optimised shot. These modes do work and produce decent low-light images with little noise but, again, they’re not all that sharp.

On the positive side, the HX5V is compact and well laid out, with simple controls. The LCD is bright and the menu system is clear and easy to understand. There are plenty of scene modes and an intelligent easy mode plus the cool ‘intelligent sweep panorama’ feature, which produces wide panoramas almost effortlessly. Shutter lag is negligible, image processing reasonably quick and the Sony can shoot a short burst of photos at 10 frames per second, which is great for capturing fast-moving subjects. The manual control mode is of limited use because the steps between aperture settings are just too wide.

One of my pet hates pops up here in the form of a proprietary data cable connection; yes, I get that the cable combines USB and analogue audio/video but standard USB is still the way to go. You’ll need an HDMI cable to connect the HX5V to a high-definition TV but the adapter is supplied.

Sony’s DSC-HX5V is a well-built, easy-to-handle camera with a comprehensive feature set. Image quality is good at the lowest ISO setting but softens as the ISO numbers climb, which sets back the overall rating, especially at this premium price point.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX5V -Specifications

Effective Pixels: 10.2 million
Image Sensor: 1/2.4 inch Exmor R CMOS
Lens: F3.5-5.5 – 4.25-42.5mm (35mm equivalent 25-250mm)
Image Stabiliser: Optical
Shutter Speed: 2-1/1600sec
Image Formats: JPEG, AVCHD/MPEG-4
ISO: 125-3200
Monitor: 3.0-inch LCD, 230,000 dots
Viewfinder: None
Movie Modes: 1920×1080-50i, 1440×1080-50i/25, 1280×720-25, 640x480x25
Media: SD, SDHC, Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo/PRO Duo (HS)
Interface: USB 2.0
Battery: Lithium-ion rechargeable
Dimensions: 102.9 x 57.7 x 28.9mm
Weight: 170g excluding battery

CONTACT

www.sony.co.nz

PROS

• Well-built and user-friendly
• Fun image modes
• GPS geotagging

CONS

• Soft images, especially at high ISOs

This article is from D-Photo issue 37. Click here to check it out.

Epson Stylus Pro 3880 – Review

Can Epson top its acclaimed 3800 semi-pro printer? Gary Pearce finds out.

Following up a commercial and critical success is a hard task, but that’s exactly what Epson has done with the Stylus Pro 3880 A2 photographic printer following the retirement of the acclaimed 3800.

Outwardly there isn’t much to differentiate between old and new, but under the bonnet this semi-pro printer has undergone some significant changes.

Firstly, the excellent Ultrachrome K3 pigment inkset used in the earlier model has evolved further – Epson has equipped the 3880 with a Vivid Magenta ink tank for an even wider colour gamut and an improvement in terms of D-max. This is good news indeed, especially for those wishing to output gallery-standard black and white prints.

Epson has championed its piezo print head technology for some time, and the 3880 uses the latest MicroPiezo AMC that employs variable dot technology to avoid moirés and banding, and to increase detail throughout each print.

The new print head also incorporates an ink-repellant coating for more precise placement of ink droplets, while the improved software includes an overhauled look-up table for more accurate colour information.

As befits a quasi-production inkjet printer, the 3880 uses 80ml ink cartridges – not only better in terms of dollars per ml compared with the cartridges supplied with lesser devices, it also means more prints before the ink runs out. Media handling is simple, heavyweight fine art media (up to 1.5mm thick) must be loaded through the front of the machine, while photographic papers can use the rear tray. There is no provision for roll media with the 3880.

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Leica M9 – Review

Tim Grey drools over Leica’s latest rangefinder

Leica is synonymous with quality. Associated with the Magnum school of documentary photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, Leica’s M-series of 35mm rangefinder cameras emphasised simplicity, discretion and reliability. But Leica struggled to maintain its relevance in the early 21st century, where technological advances began to undermine the brand’s reputation for excellence.

The company had always been stoical, if not stubborn, in adhering to its idea of design, and its cameras outwardly changed very little after the 1950s. Leica’s first digital rangefinder, the M8, wasn’t exactly welcomed with cheers, following serious issues with image quality. But after four years of headscratching, there’s a team of German engineers who might be listening for the sound of applause.

Announced late last year, the M9 might look identical to its forebears, but the addition of a full-frame, 18 megapixel sensor and a dual processor make Leica’s latest a significant step in the rangefinder evolutionary chain.

Build quality is, as expected, near perfect. In terms of simplicity of form, quality of materials, durability, strength and careful manufacturing, there’s nothing to fault on the M9.

Although the camera’s design was invented before the word ‘ergonomic’ entered the lexicon, the M9 and your hands were meant to be together. There are no dedicated grips or moulded handles because there don’t need to be; the bevelled corners and subtly rough trim provide enough purchase

There’s a compelling reason the camera is identical to the Leicas of yore: they’re beautiful.

The M9 comes in the standard black trim found on the previous model, but there’s also a titanium ‘steel grey’ option that hard-out Leica fanatics will be unable to resist.

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Pentax Optio W90 – Review

Ashley Kramer takes Pentax’s new Optio for a swim

Rugged cameras such as Pentax’s Optio W90 are perfect for active Kiwis who choose boats, beaches and ski fields over couches and cafés. There’s something comforting about a camera that doesn’t need to be treated like a delicate little flower and, clad in its armour, the W90 looks tough enough to survive a session with David Tua.

The W90 is waterproof to six metres, shock resistant to 1.2 metres, dustproof  and freeze-proof to a chilly minus 10. A weak link in a camera that will be beaten like a drum may be leaving the lens front exposed; as tough as that bit of protective glass is, it’s eventually going to get scratched.

Pentax has kept the W90 compact and though it isn’t super-slim, it’s still very much a pocket camera. The specification is appropriate for its intended use: there’s a 12 megapixel sensor paired with a 28-140mm (5x optical) lens backed up by no fewer than 22 scene modes and a stack of image editing functionality. The W90 is shipped with a standard wrist strap as well as a carabiner so it can be clipped to backpacks, belts and so on. The inclusion of a complete printed manual in the box is a great touch.

Operationally, there are few surprises with the W90; the controls are conventional and the menus simple. Startup is quick, as is the shutter release, but write times are slow, with an annoying ‘data being processed’ message popping up regularly. The autofocus is fast and accurate in good light but often hunts back and forth in dim conditions.

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Canon EOS 550D – Review

Phil Hanson takes Canon’s entry-level dSLR for a spin

They must be working up a sweat in Canon’s R&D and pricing departments. The EOS 550D comes just a year after the 500D in the company’s consumer SLR range and it’s so full of good stuff it’s a wonder they did it at a recommended retail price of $1700 for the body.

You wouldn’t be far wrong thinking of the camera as a ‘lite’ version of the acclaimed $2500 EOS 7D.

By the way, the 500 hasn’t been tossed; it says in the range a couple of hundred dollars below the newcomer.

ALL THE STUFF

Hero features for many will be the 18MP APS-C CMOS sensor coupled with the DiG!C 4 image processor, and the ability to take 1080p high-definition video at up to 30fps, with manual control. Those who take their videoing a little bit seriously will also welcome the ability to fit a stereo microphone via a 3.5mm socket.

It gains the 7D’s excellent 63-point iFCL metering system, has an improved widescreen 3-inch LCD panel with 1040k dot resolution, ergonomic improvements and a long list of other stuff including 3.7fps continuous shooting.

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