Digital Cameras: 10-plus Megapixels the New Standard?

Almost every recent digital camera-related news story seems to announce another 10.1, 10.2, 10.4 or greater megapixel camera.

In early August, Nikon announced the D80 DSLR, with its sub-$1000 price tag for a full featured, professional level digital SLR with 10.2 megapixels and a bright 2.5-inch LCD.

Two weeks later, Canon announced the Digital Rebel XTi (aka 400D), also containing a double-digit image sensor (10.1 megapixels) and a 2.5" LCD. Although not including quite as many bells and whistles, the price tag is even more attractive than Nikon's newest.

The Sigma SD14 -- which will be officially announced in September during Photokina in Colonge, Germany -- will also certainly sport a 10+ megapixel sensor that is purported to be more color sensitive than current technology.

It's not only the digital SLR's that are pushing the ceiling. Many major camera manufacturers have recently announced user-friendly, point-n-shoot new digital camera models that have jumped the 10-megapixel limit.

Here are some examples:

* The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 digital camera is not a DSLR, but with its unique look, large lens and 2-inch LCD monitor, it offers a very high quality image for the amateur photographer who does not need the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.

* The easy-to-use Casio EX-Z1000 offers 10.1 megapixels, long battery life, anti-shake signal processor, and the unique "optimized for eBay" feature, which allows the photographer to take product photos optimized to upload to eBay without having to resize or compress them first.

* This month Canon revealed the Powershot A640, their first A-series point 'n shoot that includes a 10.0 megapixel sensor, a 2.5" LCD monitor and 640x480 movie recording.

* Today BenQ announced the C1000 with a 10.1 megapixel CCD chip, a 2.4" LCD, a shutter speed up to 8 seconds, and VGA moview recording.

Is 10+ megapixels the new standard for image quality in digital cameras?

Tags: Digital Cameras, Canon Cameras, Sigma Cameras, Sony Cameras, Nikon Cameras, BenQ Cameras, Casio+Cameras

Sigma Teases

The big news in the digital camera blogosphere today was the pre-announcement announcement of the Sigma SD-14. We're not going to talk about it... know why? Because there is currently nothing to talk about.

Jumping on the Nikon D80 rumor and speculation bandwagon that occurred when pre-release photos of the D80 were (supposedly *coff* *coff*) "leaked," Sigma's strategy for the next month is to build the buzz and tease us with hints as to what might be coming in the new Sigma DSLR. (http://www.sigma-sd14.com/)

Check back with us on or around September 26th, when we'll see if the new Sigma SD14 is truly offering "fundamentally better technology," or if it was only a tease.

Tags: Digital Cameras, Sigma SD14, Sigma Cameras, Photokina

Cool New Gifts from Coolpix

The recent release of the Nikon D80 DSLR isn't the only thing that Nikon is doing to prepare for the 2006 Christmas / holiday season. They have also just announced five new Coolpix cameras: The L5, L6, S7c, S9 and the S10. For more detailed information on these new models you can visit the Nikon digital Coolpix page at http://www.nikondigital.com/main.html?page=coolpix.

Tags: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Christmas Gifts, Nikon Coolpix, Nikon Cameras

Unique Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames

One of the things we like best about working for a large online retailer is being able to see all the cool gadgets and accessories before they become commonplace. I am certain that one of the hot - and most unique - photography gifts this upcoming Christmas/holiday season is going to be a digital picture frame.

Currently, digital picture frames are typically priced from approximately $100 and up, depending on which bells and whistles catch your fancy. The two most common types of digital frames are 1) those you plug your photo memory cards into, and 2) those that can communicate wirelessly or via phone cord.

For example, Edge Tech Corp sells a stylish, digital picture frame with a built-in MP3 player. (The music can be heard through the integrated speakers or privately via the earphone jack.) So not only can you see a slideshow of your favorite private photos, but you can play background music at the same time to set the mood.

The Edge frame accepts several different types of memory cards:

• SD Memory Cards
• MultiMedia (MMC) Cards
• Memory Stick
• Memory Stick Pro
• IBM Microdrive
• Type I/II Compact Flash Cards

The device is Plug n Play, so all you have to do is insert the memory card and start your show. You can set the display times and transition effects, and the Edge picture frame comes with a credit card-sized remote control for manual control when the digital slideshow is running.

(Note: Edge Tech is offering a $40 rebate on digital picture frames purchased from 8/1/06 to 9/30/06. You can download the rebate form here in Adobe PDF format. Click here if you need the latest Adobe reader.)

Another interesting type of digital picture frame is offered by Ceiva Logic. It does not require you to plug in a physical card or transfer your photos from a computer. Instead, the digital frame is live; that is, via a phone line or Ceiva's wireless adapter, anyone with permission can upload photos to your frame. You could literally wake up in the morning and see new photos being displayed that friends or family have sent to you from an event the night before. (It's the next best thing to being there.)

Ceiva Logic can also upload content. The Ceiva Network subscription service provides current content from ABC News, Weather Channel and ESPN.

The true uniqueness of giving a digital picture frame as a gift is in its personalization. Imagine giving this for Christmas, a birthday or a wedding, and then uploading photographs of the good times to the recipient shortly thereafter. Rather than just giving a digital picture frame to a new bride and groom, your present could be an entire digital wedding album.

For these and other digital picture frames, you can visit RitzCamera.com (who is graciously sponsoring this site) or other online retailers.

Tags: Digital Photography, Digital Cameras, Technology, Christmas Gifts, High Tech Gifts

Photographer That Inspired a Memorial Passes Away

Joe Rosenthal, the photographer who captured the famous image of U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Iwo Jima during World War II, passed away on August 20, 2006, at the age of 94.

Rosenthal was always humble about his Pulitzer Prize-winning shot, saying he was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time. The photograph was taken at the top of Mount Suribachi after one of the fiercest battles of the war. It was published on the front page of every major newspaper of the time, and gave Rosenthal instant celebrity.

Almost all agree that the photo has perfect composition, lighting and inspirational subject matter. In fact, the picture is so perfect that it spawned a controversy as to whether the shot had been entirely staged, and Mr. Rosenthal himself was threatened with a lawsuit. Fortunately, home movies taken by a Marine sergeant of the event provided the evidence that restored Rosenthal's reputation.

The photograph was used on many war posters, and was later honored with its inclusion on a postage stamp. The historic photo was also the inspiration for the Marine Corps War Memorial near Arlington National Cemetery.

Tags: Cameras, Photography, Obituaries, Joe Rosenthal, American History, Historical Photographs, Iwo Jima

Book: Rainforest by Thomas Marent

While browsing through Barnes and Noble this evening, I was literally stopped in my tracks by an end cap display of the photographic essay, Rainforest by Thomas Marent. Marent spent 16 years capturing these images in rainforests all over the globe, and in this case, the end result was definitely worth the effort. From an extreme close-up shot of a jungle tree frog to a time lapse photograph of a waterfall cascading downward through lush, green foilage, the photos in this book are captivating. If anyone needs an example of what nature photography can be, this is it.

Be sure to ask for this volume at your local bookstore, or find it online at Amazon, Barnes&Noble or many other online bookstores.

Tags: Photography, Nature Photography, Photography Books, Books, Thomas Marent, Rainforest

First Look: Nikon D80 Digital Camera

The new Nikon D80 digital SLR could just be the digital camera value of the year. Built for both professional photographers and serious amateurs, Nikon has taken the lion's share of the impressive digital technology from the extremely popular D2X and Nikon D200, and then cut over 40% off of the D200's street price.

Along with the speculation and pre-release rumors that accompanied the announcement of the D80 in early August 2006, some early reviews have claimed the Nikon D80 SLR digital camera is basically an upgrade to the D70s. While this is one way to look at it, in reality the Nikon D80 is much closer to the D200. The most notable and obvious features should place the D80 at the top of this year's Christmas list for any serious photographer. With a 10.2 megapixel CCD chip and Nikon's high-res image processor, this camera can render and store high-quality images fast. In fact, the Nikon D80 can take continuous shots at 3 fps for up to 100 frames in sequence. The bright, 2.5-inch LCD screen with 170-degree viewing angle allows easy review of photos, even when the DSLR isn't directly in front of the photographer. And for those who prefer to compose shots through the viewfinder, the quality optics and 0.94X maginification makes this a pleasure, as well.

You can see more features and the full technical specs of the Nikon D80 digital camera at http://www.ritzcamera.com/static/nikon/d80-review.html.

The new Nikon D80 is destined to be one of the most popular cameras for the rest of the year, so if you want one, you better pre-order it early. RitzCamera.com is already taking orders for the Nikon D80 body only, as well as several packages of the Nikon D80 combined with some of the most popular Nikkor lenses, for even more savings on this digital camera value of the year.

Tags: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Nikon Digital Cameras, Nikon Cameras, Nikon D80, Digital SLR