1080p – photography news!

Nikon D5100

With so many digital cameras released every few weeks, it wouldn’t be easy to notice the better ones, right? The Nikon D5100 is different though, mainly because of the new things it has to offer. Despite being an entry–level DSLR, the D5100 is one of the first Nikon cameras to offer 1080p Full HD video recording. And to make that more fun, it incorporates a new system that allows for continuous autofocus while recording video.

The Nikon D5100 also features a “Night Vision” mode, effectively equivalent to ISO 102400, which should be a nifty selling point for first–time buyers. No word yet though on how effective it will be, considering how much noise APS–C sensors produce at such ridiculous boosted sensitivity levels.

The camera will come with a new vari–angle (flip–out) LCD with 921k-dot resolution; along with the optional ME-1 stereo microphone accessory, the Nikon D5100 clearly shows a strong leaning towards being a competitive “HDSLR”—digital SLRs with strong HD video capabilities.

Would the Nikon D5100 sell as much as Nikon has positioned it for? We’ll know soon.

Canon EOS-5D Mark II officially announced

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Yes, it’s now confirmed, the Canon EOS-5D Mark II is a real camera! After months (or was it years?) of speculation on how Canon would update the full–frame 5D, it is now finally here. Unfortunately, it’s not even close to the rumored 5D update we wrote about last March.

Highlights of this new camera:

New 21.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor with improved EOS Integrated Cleaning System (E.I.C.S.)
New Full HD 1080 resolution movie recording
3.9 frames per second continuous shooting
High performance DIGIC 4 providing superb image quality
Maximum 310 large JPEG images in a single burst with a UDMA card
3.0” VGA (920k dots) Clear View LCD
ISO 100-6400 (expansion from 50 up to 25,600)
9 AF points + 6 Assist AF points

Not to be outdone by Nikon’s D90, movie recording is available at HD 1080p, besting the Nikon which maxes out at the not–too–shabby 720p setting. Certainly, most of the changes are evolutionary, except for the new CMOS sensor which stands out, almost doubling the 12–megapixel model it replaces. And with sensitivity expansion reaching ISO 25600, the 5D Mark II will certainly be in the bags of Canon–shooting pros pretty soon.