Wow, I never thought that would happen and I think I just wet my pants. Canon has today revealed a big upgrade to EOS DLSR 5D Mark II, unleashing the long-awaited manual controls on video capture mode! The new firmware, to be released next week, will permit manual adjustments on aperture, ISO as well as shutter speed when recording movie – a huge deal for DSLR video fanatics if you ask me.
As promised, Pentax have unleashed their latest DSLR, the 14.6-megapixel K-7. Pairing the new CMOS with the PRIME II imaging engine, the K-7 is also the first of the company’s DSLRs to support high-definition video recording. Where many rivals top out at 720p, the Pentax can climb all the way to 1,536 x 1,024 at 30fps (3:2 aspect; 16:9 720p is also supported), and has an HDMI output for easy viewing.
Video demo after the cut
After the official press shots yesterday, now come the images of the Pentax K-7 DSLR in the wild. Over at Pentax-Fans.com they’ve somehow scored a K-7 ahead of the launch tipped to take place in around two hours time. Their hands-on confirms the 14.6-megapixel sensor and PRIME II imaging engine, together with HD video recording at up to 1080i/720p resolution.
Photos and a specifications list for the Pentax K-7 have turned up at one enthusiast’s site, and while unconfirmed by Pentax themselves they do seem believable. The leak follows an advert for the camera that showed up yesterday, seemingly scooping Pentax’s own teaser campaign.
More photos and specifications after the cut
According to the Pentax Forums, this is the new K-series DSLR that will be officially announced on May 20th. If authentic, the image – which names the camera the Pentax K7D – suggests the DSLR has a 14.6-megapixel sensor, as with the Pentax K20D, but paired with the PRIME II imaging engine.
After no small amount of waiting, Sony have officially announced their trio of new DSLRs. The Sony Alpha 230 and 330 are both 10.2-megapixels, while the Alpha 380 climbs to 14.2-megapixels, and all have SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization that’s independent of lens. Interestingly for Sony cameras, the DSLRs can use SD/SDHC memory cards as well as the company’s own Memory Stick format.
Full gallery of the new DSLRs after the cut
It looks like Pentax is having a little bit of fun with the public at large. Even though rumors have already been circulating about a possible new camera from the company in the U.S., they’re now just offering a teaser on their website, stating that “the new K” will arrive on May 20th.
First the spy shots, now the official announcement. Nikon has unveiled the much-speculated D5000 12.3MP DSLR. It is essentially the D90 in a compact chassis at cheap price — aims to compete with the newly announced Canon Rebel T1i. The entry-level Nikon packs 12.21 million image pixel CMOS sensor, capable of 4fps continues shooting speed and 720P HD capture, which also features Nikon’s first DSLR with articulated 2.7-inch LCD display.
Pricing and release information for the Panasonic DMC-GH1 Hybrid has been revealed, as part of the camera’s launch in Japan this week. The 12-megapixel Micro Four Thirds System camera will go on sale in Japan on April 24th, priced at around 150,000 yen ($1,530).
It appears CNET has jumped the gun on Canon’s Rebel T1i. A long speculated Canon entry-level DSLR to be released tomorrow was leaked early today by CNET video podcasting. It was later pulled, reported from Chang’s Blog, with content revealed a 15MP crop sensor image sensor DSLR with ability to shoot 1080p video at 20fps (oddly), or 720p video at 30fps.
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