Archives for July 2013

Camera Labs and DSLR Tips latest news and reviews        Go to the original article...

The Olympus PEN EP5 is the new flagship in the Olympus PEN series. It inherits the 16 Megapixel sensor of the OMD EM5 along with its built-in five-axis stabilization. There's built-in Wifi for wireless remote control or image transfer, a top shutter speed of 1/8000 (the first for any compact system camera) and focus peaking, while the higher resolution touch-screen can now tilt vertically and supports tap-focusing in movies. Complementing the body is the new optional VF4 electronic viewfinder, delivering a large, detailed image. It's an impressive camera, but as always up against tough rivals. I've compared it against Panasonic's GF6, Fujifilm's XM1 and the earlier Olympus OMD EM5 to help you find the best mirrorless camera! Check out my in-depth Olympus EP5 review!

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Canon's EF 50mm f1.8 II is now 12 years old, yet remains the company's best-selling prime lens for good reason: it's the cheapest way to enjoy very shallow depth of field effects on a Canon DSLR and a great entry into the world of prime lenses. But with its sub-$100 price and plasticky build, most assume the optical quality won't be up to scratch - but as I discovered, this just isn't the case. I tested the 'thrifty-fifty' on both cropped and full-frame bodies and found it could deliver impressively sharp results across the frame when stopped-down a little - and of course blur the backgrounds on portraits when wide open. Find out more in my Canon 50mm f1.8 review!

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Panasonic's Lumix LF1 is a pocket-sized camera aimed at enthusiasts. Looking like a cross between the Lumix LX7 and Sony's RX100, but measuring closer to Canon's S110, it's one of the smallest cameras to feature a built-in electronic viewfinder. Despite the small size, Panasonic has also squeezed-in a 7.1x 28-200mm equivalent zoom with an f2 aperture at the wide-end, along with Wifi and NFC for easy wireless communications. The sensor is also a step-up from those in typical point-and-shoot models. For my in-depth Panasonic Lumix LF1 review I compared it against a broad selection of enthusiast compacts, the LX7 in particular, to help you choose the right model!

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The Panasonic Lumix TZ35, or ZS25 as it's known in North America, is the company's latest affordable travel-zoom. It packs a 20x optical zoom, 1080i video, 3in screen, full manual control and a 16 Megapixel sensor into a pocket-sized body. Every year Panasonic offers two travel zooms, one packed with all the latest features and the other stripped-down to the essentials for those who don't need the bells or whistles. For 2013, the flagship model is the TZ40 / ZS30, and the more affordable version is the TZ35 / ZS25. In my Lumix TZ35 / ZS25 review I'll compare the quality and features of both models, along with Canon's SX280 HS to help you choose the best pocket super-zoom!

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The Olympus XZ2 is a compact camera aimed at the demands of enthusiast photographers. Successor to the XZ1, it sports the same 28-112mm equivalent 4x zoom with a bright f1.8-2.5 maximum aperture, but swaps its predecessor's 10 Megapixel CCD sensor for a 12 Megapixel CMOS with the latest image processor. The screen is now higher resolution and touch-sensitive, the AF system improved, the continuous shooting quicker and there's now 1080p movie recording. It all adds up to a significant evolution on the XZ1, but as always there's tough competition. In my Olympus XZ2 review I've compared it against the Panasonic Lumix LX7 and Nikon's COOLPIX A to help you choose the best high-end compact!

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The Nikkor 14-24mm f2.8 is an ultra-wide zoom designed for full-frame Nikon DSLRs. In the six years since launch, it's become one of the most respected lenses for any system, delivering a unique combination of ultra-wide coverage, fast focal ratio, pro build and superb results. Indeed many photographers consider it the ultimate lens for landscape and architectural work, with some even switching to the Nikon format just to use it; suffice it to say it's the one lens every Canon owners wishes was available in the EF mount. But since 2007 a number of alternatives have launched, including two from Nikon. So the big question is just how good is the Nikkor 14-24mm, and should it still command the high asking price? Find out in my in-depth Nikon 14-24mm review!

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