A Blog for Cool Gadgets, Smart Things and New Products…
Safety comes first, especially when you take out your expensive DSLR camera for a spin. You already know that the world is a rough place for cameras, with all sorts of jagged nasties waiting to take their toll on your beautifully finished pride and joy. And the solution to that problem is Camera Armor – a close fitting stay-on glove for your Digital SLR. A solution that will definitely help you to add additional protection to your expensive photo equipment, especially when you take photos in an unfriendly environment, without needing to pay too much for it.
Each Camera Armor model is made from shock absorbing, flexible silicon-rubber, with each set designed to fit your digital SLR model like a glove. This ensures the best possible fit and protection while continuing to allow full access to all buttons, cable ports, and battery/memory compartments. The unique thing about Camera Armor is the fact that it protects your camera wherever you go, regardless of what you are doing. You put it on, and leave it on, so no matter what bumps life throws at you, your camera is protected.
Camera Armor products come with the “Body Armor”; an LCD shield made from polycarbonate that protects the screen from impact and abrasion; and the Lens Armor, a rugged protective ring that stretches to fit most common lenses. The Lens armor doubles as a sun hood, and can be rolled out of the way for wide angle shot. It even comes with a handy lens cap leash that attaches your lens cap to the lens armor with a silicone tab.
Currently there are Camera Armor kits designed specially for 10 digital SLR cameras: Canon EOS 30D, Canon Digital Rebel XTi (400D), Canon EOS 5D, Nikon D70/D70s, Nikon D80, Nikon D200, Nikon D40, Sony Alpha A100, Canon Mark II Series 1DN & 1DS and Fuji FinePix S5. The price for a complete Camera Armor kit is between $49.95 and $79.95, depending on the model.
– If you want to get a Camera Armor kit for your Digiral SLR camera…
PENTAX Imaging Company announced today the PENTAX K10D digital SLR camera with 10.2 effective megapixels and a host of advanced technologies including a PENTAX-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system and a weather- resistant body. Designed to deliver high-quality digital images and responsive operation for advanced photo enthusiasts, the K10D features an array of PENTAX innovations in image capture and camera functionality.
The most significant features in the K10D include:
– A PENTAX-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system that effectively offers a 2.5 to 4 stop advantage for sharp, blur-free images even under difficult shooting conditions, such as macro and telephoto photography or low light settings without a flash. The SR mechanism is designed to minimize camera shake by oscillating the CCD image sensor vertically and horizontally at high speed using magnetic force, while adjusting the speed of oscillation in proportion to the amount of camera shake detected by built-in sensors. As a result, the system does not require special anti-shake lenses and can be used with more than 24 million PENTAX lenses produced since 1964.
– A newly-developed Pentax Real IMage Engine (PRIME) designed exclusively for PENTAX digital SLR cameras to produce well-balanced, true-to-life images. In order to meet the performance requirement in handling 10 megapixel data, PENTAX also incorporated a new high performance 22 bit A/D converter to quickly transfer images with accurate color tones and richer gradation from the CCD to the imaging engine.
– A new Dust Removal (DR) system incorporating PENTAX-original Special Protect (SP) coating to help keep the CCD surface dust-free, and a shift mechanism to shake dust off the CCD.
– A dependable dust-proof, weather-resistant body construction featuring 72 seals throughout the camera to allow photographers to continue shooting even in dusty or rainy environments.
The K10D body will ship by November 2006 for US $899.95, and as a kit with the DA 18-55mm lens for US $999.95. The D-BG2 Battery Grip will ship at the same time for less than US $190.00. The PENTAX DA 70mm lens will ship in October 2006 for less than US $600.00.
– For more information about the Pentax K10D Digital SLR Camera…
Canon announced the EOS 400D digital SLR (D-SLR) camera. It is replacing one of the most affordable and well made D-SLR cameras, the EOS 350D. The new model includes a new 10.1 megapixel CMOS image sensor that delivers stunning, professional quality photographs and super-fast image processing, thanks to Canon’s proprietary DiG!C II processor, that ensures the camera is capable of capturing three frames per second (fps) for a burst of up to 27 consecutive frames. The 400D camera also comes with EOS Integrated Cleaning System providing total protection from appearance of sensor dust in images.
General Specifications
Image sensor: 10.1 Effective Megapixel CMOS sensor; 22.2 x 14.8mm effective size
Sensitivity (equivalent film speed): ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 (selectable via ISO Speed menu)
Image data storage: Compact FlashT (CF) card Type I or Type II standard; 1 slot
Image compression: Raw / Fine / Normal
Image compression level: Still image: JPEG or RAW – simultaneous recording possible
Lens: Canon EF and EF-S series, effective focal length 1.6x
Still image: JPEG or RAW – simultaneous recording possible
Shutter: Vertical-travel, mechanical, focal plane shutter with electronic control
Shutter speed: 1/4,000 sec. – 30 sec., Bulb; maximum flash sync at 1/200 sec.
Focusing method: TTL-CT-SIR type. Wide area AF with 9 selectable focussing points.
Focusing modes: Autofocus (One-shot AF, Predictive AI Servo AF, One-Shot /Predictive AI Servo AF switching) and Manual Focussing
Light metering method: Evaluative, Partial, and Centre-weighted average metering
Metering range: EV1-EV20
White balance control: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash and Custo
Shooting modes: Program AE, Shutter-priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Depth-of-field AE, Full Auto, Programmed Image Control modes (6), Manual, E-TTL II autoflash Program AE
Continuous shooting speed: 3 frames per sec for up to 27 in a single burst
Self timer: Yes – 10 seconds
Flash (built-in): Auto pop-up, retractable, built-in flash in the pentaprism
Flash guide number (built-in): 13 at 100 ISO (m)
Flash (external): Hot-shoe: X-sync contacts, with EX-series Speedlites: E-TTL II autoflash
Optical viewfinder: Eye-level SLR (with fixed pentamirror)
Viewfinder adjustment: -3 to +1 dpt
Viewfinder coverage: 95% (vertically and horizontally)
Monitor type: 2.5″ TFT colour, liquid crystal monitor – 230,000 pixels
Interface: Digital Terminal – USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, Video Output Terminal – NTSC / PAL, Remote Control Terminal – E3-type, Wireless Remote Control for RC-1 and RC-5
Power source: Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery (type: NB-2LH), AC adapter (type: ACK-700)
Dimensions (W x H x D): 126.5 x 94.2 x 65mm
Weight: Approx. 510 grams
The Canon EOS 400D 18-55 kit will be available from late September 2006 with a price of ??????¬1039.99 (euro) or about $1340. For only the 400D body you’ll have to prepare ??????¬939.99 (euro) or about $1205.
– For more information about Canon EOS 400D D-SLR camera…
– For some sample photos made with the Canon EOS 400D D-SLR camera…