The Best Digital SLR For You

April Newsletter - Canon 60D, Nikon D5100, Metering and More

I have recently published the April edition of the Digital SLR Guide Newsletter.

In this issue you can:

• Decide what level of photographer you want to be
• Learn about the Canon 60D
• Get more info on the new Nikon D5100
• Understand metering: area, center-weighted and spot
• Find out how to tweak the colors of your JPG photos in-camera

Several people have notified me that there is a display problem with the newsletter in Gmail. I am sorry about this and am working to fix the problem before the May issue is sent out.

For now, you can read the April issue online here: DSLR News - April 2011

2008 Digital Camera Satisfaction

JD Power recently announced the results of their 2008 Digital Camera Usage and Satisfaction Study.

Some interesting findings:

• Canon and Nikon digital SLR cameras are tied in terms of customer satisfaction, although Canon received better marks in terms of image quality while Nikons were easier to use
• The most desired new feature for future digital SLR cameras: waterproofing
• Digital SLR owners take the most photos per month (especially if you photograph your subject from every angle as I often recommend)
• The most frequently used resource used to shop for a digital camera is - you guessed it - Internet product and review sites (just like the Digital SLR Guide)

Read more results from the 2008 JD Power Digital Camera Study

PopPhoto's Camera of the Year 2007

I recently announced by pick for the best digital SLR of 2007, and claimed that - for me - the Olympus E-510 represented the best value for the money that you spend on it.

Well, if you're willing to spend a LOT more, then you can pick up PopPhoto's 2007 Camera of the year: the Nikon D300 (price without lens: $1,800).

There's no denying that the Nikon D300 has an impressive feature list, and from a performance standpoint, the camera out-did all of its competition including the Canon 40D, Olympus E-3 and the Sony DSLR-A700.

With its lightning-fast autofocus system and impressive continuous capture speed (6 photos per second up to 100 consecutive images) the D300 is an exceptional choice for any die-hard action photographer who can afford it.

Read more: PopPhoto's Camera of the Year 2007

Canon's Baby Photo Contest

Now this is the type of photo contest that I can get behind.

Canon has recently announced their baby photo contest. Participants may upload six photos of their loveable newborn and the public will ultimately vote for their favorites amongst the finalists.

The Grand Prize is $10,000 that can be applied toward the young one's future education (The Brooks Institute of Photography perhaps?)

Other prizes include a Canon EOS 40D digital SLR (sounds good to me), a Canon PowerShot digital ELPH and a Canon PIXMA printer.

So dig through those bazillion photos you have of your newborn babe and find six that are upload-worthy.

The contest runs from December 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008.

Baby Photo Contest Press Release
Contest Web Site

European Awards for Best Digital SLR Cameras

The European Imaging and Sound Association (or EISA for short) has recently announced their picks for the best digital SLR cameras in two different categories:

• Best European Camera
• Best European Consumer Camera

And the envelope please...

The EISA selection for Best European Camera is the Pentax K10D, which comes with a host of features including built-in image stabilization, a dust control system and fully weatherproofed seals and gaskets.

This selection doesn't surprise me all that much since the K10D is one of only two top rated digital SLR cameras - meaning that independent reviewers across the Internet also think highly of this camera.

The second award for Best European Consumer Camera was handed out to the Olympus E-510. Having just completed my guide for that camera, I can see why: the E-510 has exceptional image quality and - like the K10D - it also includes built-in image stabilization and dust control.

But the E-510 throws in one extra bonus: a live view LCD screen that lets you compose photos without having to look through the viewfinder (a lot like how your compact digital operates).

Pentax Digital SLR Showcase

Pentax recently announced the launch of pentaxphotogallery.com, a virtual photography gallery where you can browse through a variety of photos taken by photogs using Pentax digital SLR cameras.

There's a wide range of material here: over 2,500 images taken by photographers in over 40 different countries.

Due to the range, this is first and foremost a great place to go browse to get the creative juices flowing.

You'll no doubt be inspired by some of the images that you see, and one of the best ways to learn both photography as well as how your camera works is to de-construct the work of others. Figure out what type of lens they used, how they approached the composition, and what the light source is (whether artificial or natural).

But there's a second use for this Pentax gallery, even if you're not yet the owner of a digital SLR camera.

The majority of the photos on the site have been tagged with both the camera and lens that the photographer used to capture the shot. The site search is coupled with this information so you can quickly find sample photos taken with a Pentax K10D or a Pentax K100D.

You can also search by lens type, so if you're in the market for a new lens for your Pentax DSLR but aren't quite sure what to get, just browse the gallery by lens type and see the difference in between photos taken with the SMCP-DA 16-45mm f/4 ED-AL vs. the completely unique SMCP-DA 70mm f/2.4 ED pancake lens.

Only one word of warning: since the site is display a lot of high-resolution photos, it does take some time to load - best viewed when you have access to a nice fast Internet connection (like at work - but you NEVER research digital SLR cameras at WORK, right?)

E-410 and E-510 Firmware Updates

If you're the happy owner of either a new Olympus E-410 or E-510, then this news tidbit is for you.

Olympus has announced firmware updates for both the E-410 as well as the E-510 that improve how the cameras write to to high-speed Compact Flash cards.

The E-410 actually has TWO firmware updates, version 1.1 and version 1.2. While 1.2 takes care of the Compact Flash issue, version 1.1 improves the preview of the white balance setting in live view mode and addresses some file naming issues.

You can upgrade the firmware on either camera by using the Olympus Master software that was included in the camera's box.

E-410 and E-510 Firmware Update Instructions

Making Kids Smile

Technology simply amazes me.

Now there's a gadget out there that not only gets kids to smile for your photo sessions, but also can also keep your blood sugar level balanced.

And the best part? This nifty device attaches right to the hot shoe of your digital SLR camera.

But be warned - the price tag for this can be a bit, well, intimidating (after all, it does make kids SMILE for the camera, which is no easy task).

Read more about this inspired kid-friendly camera accessory (and thanks to Photojojo for pointing it out).

Canon's 451 Million Dollar Plant

If you don't know about the dominant company when it comes to digital SLR cameras, this should pretty much answer the question for you.

Canon to build $451 mln factory for key camera part - Boston.com.

On the plus side, as Canon brings more production in house - rather than buying from third party suppliers - it should reduce the cost of their future digital SLR camera models.

More digital SLR cameras for less money - music to my ears.

Canon Workshops in the Parks

OK all of you Canon gadget freaks out there - if you have a bit of spare time on your hands and enjoy the great outdoors then have I got the thing for you!

I'd do it myself but I'm just a little bit pressed for time right now and can't drop everything and head up to Yosemite (although I certainly wish I could).

Throughout the Summer, Canon is hosting free photography workshops at Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park.

You get to borrow the latest Canon digital SLR cameras (and lenses!) and a professional photographer will then lead you to some prime photography locations to try it all out. Canon printers will be on hand so you can take away some memories, and participants will also receive CDs with images downloaded from the memory cards.

Here's the schedule:

• Yosemite - June 15-19
• Grand Canyon - July 9-29
• Yellowstone - August 6-12

You can find out more about these free workshops at Canon's Photography in the Parks web site.