Our Canon EOS Rebel T2i (550D) In Depth Review is Now Live
We’ve just posted our in depth review of the exciting Canon EOS Rebel T2i! This is a camera that a lot of folks are excited about because it seems be both feature packed, yes still relatively affordable. Find out our thoughts in our review of the brand new Rebel, right here.

Canon EOS Rebel T2i (550D) In Depth Review

The latest in the Rebel lineup, and its new flagship, the Canon EOS Rebel T2i offers entry level shooters some degree of professional level camera features in a compact, and more importantly, affordable camera body. The gap it bridges is that mysterious realm between the Rebel lineup and the more professional/prosumer-ish EOS 7D. In that gap it floats far more to the entry level than prosumer, especially when it comes to camera look and feel and overall camera performance. But with two features the Rebel T2i reaches right up to the Canon EOS 7D, it uses a very similar sensor design with the same resolution and offers the same full fledged video features. One more notable aspect, the new Rebel is graced with Canon’s latest and greatest LCD display, a beautifully crisp and clear 1040K LCD, with a 3:2 aspect ratio no less. The question for many photographers will be, is this new Rebel just a slight upgrade from the Rebel T1i, or is it a poor man’s EOS 7D?

Availability

Canon EOS Rebel T2i (body only) at B&H Photo Canon EOS Rebel T2i with 18-55m lens at B&H Photo Get the new Canon EOS Rebel T2i and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the links above at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there made this and hopefully future articles possible .

Competitors

Of course some folks might be wondering how the newest Rebel stacks up to the actual competition. I find this a bit unfair, as at the time of this writing the T2i is brand new, and some of its would be competitors have drifted down in price, so that a camera like the Nikon D90 for instance is now in the same price range, while the Nikon D5000 is priced far less. In many respects though, Canon’s latest Rebel essentially competes with other Canon DSLRs, as many consumers interested in this particular model might be considering either it, or the now more affordable, but still quite competent, EOS Rebel T1i. So we’ve gathered key specifications for both cameras, as well as the Canon EOS 7D, so that you can see how the three roughly compare to each other.

Leica X1 vs. Sigma DP2: Two Photographer’s Compacts Compared

We’ve just recently wrapped up our time with the Leica X1 and while we work on our final in depth review, I thought it’d be interesting to show how the X1 compares and contrasts with one of my well known favorites, the Sigma DP2. First, a look some key specifications for these two fixed lens, big sensor compacts.

Specifications

Briefly, a quick look at several of the two cameras key stats.

Availability

Leica X1 with Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH. Lens at B&H Photo Sigma DP2 Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Leica X1 with Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens or the Sigma DP2 and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the links above at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content.

Field Notes

Of the two cameras, clearly the Leica X1 features the more robust build. It is a very well constructed camera, and combined with its handsome looks, the Leica X1 is a camera that nearly every photographer could be inspired by. The Sigma DP2 is also a well built camera, but its overall design is less polished than the X1 and clearly aesthetically the DP2 isn’t quite the art piece that the X1 is. Still it is a sturdy camera, and the minimalist in me quite likes this little black box.

From a control point of view, both cameras offer just the basics, it’s strictly PASM shooting only with either. We’re quite familiar by now with using the DP2, and its control setup once learned is pretty straightforward to use. The X1 makes things far more elegant with its top deck controls. A combination of two dials puts the camera in program, aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual. Menu options are limited with both cameras, once gets the sense that the two cameras intend to stay out of your way, and they do it pretty effectively.

From a performance point of view, the biggest hindrance with either camera is autofocusing speeds. Of the two, the Leica X1 is generally faster, usually taking less than a second to focus, where the DP2 can take up to 1 and half seconds. The X1 is the first to fire off a shot when the camera is just turned on, and can shoot continuously a bit longer than the DP2 (6 frames vs 4) though both cameras shoot at roughly 3.3 frames per second, (followed by lengthy write times)

One other note, given their costs (especially the X1), the two cameras both feature rather paltry 230K LCD displays. The DP2’s is particularly bad, giving the photographer no real sense of what has actually been captured, especially from a color point of view. I must say that the Leica X1 does have a larger screen, and for a 230K type display, it’s as good as it can be.

In the end, both cameras perform and work about the same, though in most regards the X1 does things better and faster. Irrespective of which camera you are using, both are slower than most DSLR cameras and cameras like the Olympus E-P2 and Panasonic GF1. Even things like scrolling though captured images in playback mode can take a bit of time as opposed to the instant change you might be used to, but then again these aren’t really competing with DSLR cameras, the focus is image quality in your pocket, not speed in your pocket.

ISO

When it comes to low light performance, the competition isn’t all that close, the X1 wins hands down. While both cameras have ISO ranges extending from 100 to 3200, the X1 produces usable imagery throughout that range, far better than any camera this size. The DP2 struggles at ISO 800 and beyond, and isn’t just a noise issue, which isn’t that bad. Instead the Foveon sensor suffers from huge saturation losses and color shifts. The good news is that for black and whites, the DP2 is capable of making some fascinating imagery even at higher ISO (though the X1 certainly can as well).

The following samples were taken in the same controlled light setup, with both set to f/8 (aperture priority).  Use the source image below to orient yourself to the crop positions. You can click each thumbnail for a 100% view and the full size, unedited files are available here. You’ll note the crops for the DP2 are substantially smaller, but that’s because it’s file sizes are much smaller than the X1’s, more on that in a moment. Leica X1 crops are on the left, the Sigma DP2 on the right.

Crop 1

ISO 100	ISO 200
ISO 400	ISO 800
ISO 1600	ISO 3200

Crop 2

ISO 100	ISO 200
ISO 400	ISO 800
ISO 1600	ISO 3200

Image Quality

If you looked at the specifications, you’ll have noticed that the two cameras have similar sized sensors (sort of close anyway), but even though the DP2 claims 14 odd megapixels, it’s really in the neighborhood of 4 and half megapixels, at least when it comes to print sizes. As you can see in the image to the right, the X1 produces much bigger files than the DP2 does. We’re not making a judgement on dimensions, but it does provide the DP2 an advantage with apparent sharpness. Don’t get me wrong, both cameras properly focused can take very sharp picture out of camera, but I’ve noticed the DP2 at least looking sharper initially. In the comparisons below I’ve provide some 100% crops to give you an idea of what’s happening in these hand-held shots, but I also added an additional sample where I’ve resized the X1 crop to the same size as the DP2. As you can see both capture equal amounts of detail.

As to the character of the files, the DP2 offers a more unique look, thanks largely to its unique sensor. The DP2 can’t be relied on for accurate color, instead things to shift green or other directions, and for me personally this gives the DP2 files a dash of flavor, setting it apart from the crowd. The X1 is far more accurate, a very good “what you see is what you get” type camera, it literally is DSLR image quality in your pocket, offering no surprises other than the large beautiful files coming from such a small camera.

One little note, in the side by side testing I’ve done, you’ll see the DP2 underexposing relative to the X1 even at exactly the same settings. Possibly this a deliberate attempt by Sigma to provide highlight protection which the DP2 does do well, but in general it’s better to slightly overexpose than underexpose, as more information (detail) is preserved that way, and that’s exactly what the X1 does. Of course the solution is simple, just (exposure) compensate more than you might think with the DP2.

Use the image below to orient yourself to the crops below. Click each thumbnail for a 100% view. The actual images are to be found lower in the comparison gallery. Leica X1 crops are on the left, the Sigma DP2 on the right.

Comparisons

100% crops, Leica X1 on the left, Sigma DP2 on the right.	Leica X1 crop resized to Sigma DP2 size, Leica X1 on the left, Sigma DP2 on the right.
100% crops, Leica X1 on the left, Sigma DP2 on the right.	Leica X1 crop resized to Sigma DP2 size, Leica X1 on the left, Sigma DP2 on the right.
100% crops, Leica X1 on the left, Sigma DP2 on the right.	Leica X1 crop resized to Sigma DP2 size, Leica X1 on the left, Sigma DP2 on the right.

Comparison Gallery

I’ve provided a handful of near identical image for your analysis. Click each thumbnail for a larger view, or explore the original size link for the full size, right off the camera files. Download them for you own personal use only, if you like.

Camera: Leica Camera AG Leica X1 Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25) Aperture: f/5.0 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: SIGMA DP2 Exposure: 0.1 sec (1/10) Aperture: f/5.0 Focal Length: 24.2 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size
Camera: Leica Camera AG Leica X1 Exposure: 0.008 sec (1/125) Aperture: f/8.0 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 400 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: SIGMA DP2 Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80) Aperture: f/8.0 Focal Length: 24.2 mm ISO Speed: 400 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size
Camera: Leica Camera AG Leica X1 Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: +1 EV original size	Camera: SIGMA DP2 Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 24.2 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: +0.7 EV original size
Camera: Leica Camera AG Leica X1 Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30) Aperture: f/5.0 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: SIGMA DP2 Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25) Aperture: f/4.5 Focal Length: 24.2 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size
Camera: Leica Camera AG Leica X1 Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25) Aperture: f/5.0 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: SIGMA DP2 Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15) Aperture: f/4.5 Focal Length: 24.2 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size
Camera: Leica Camera AG Leica X1 Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25) Aperture: f/5.0 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: SIGMA DP2 Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15) Aperture: f/4.5 Focal Length: 24.2 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size
Camera: Leica Camera AG Leica X1 Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80) Aperture: f/5.0 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: SIGMA DP2 Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40) Aperture: f/4.5 Focal Length: 24.2 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size

Leica X1 with Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH. Lens at B&H Photo Sigma DP2 Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Leica X1 with Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens or the Sigma DP2 and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the links above at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content.

In Depth Review of the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV Now Posted

Our review of the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV is now posted for your reading and viewing pleasure. Find out our take of the new and improved Mark IV in our in depth review right here.

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV In Depth Review

Introduced on October 20th, the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV came out from behind the curtain with a good deal of pressure placed on it. The problem for the EOS 1D Mark IV is that its predecessor, the EOS 1D Mark III, went through something of roller coaster with its well discussed autofocusing issues, while its competitor, the Nikon D3, won over many frustrated photographers with both impressive AF performance and amazing low light capabilities. And so, the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV now has to step into the limelight and restore the luster to Canon’s pro series, while at the same time now having to go to toe to toe with the newly introduced Nikon D3s.

So what has Canon done to impress professional photographers? For starters, the EOS 1D Mark IV gets an all new AF system, with 45 points, 39 of them being the cross-type variety. Next, the 1D4 gets a nice bump in resolution, up to 16 megapixels from the 1D3’s 10.1 megapixels, but still on the same and somewhat strange APS-H sensor which offers an unconventional 1.3x crop. Incredibly the Mark IV is able to maintain its predecessor’s frame rate of 10 fps, with the help of dual DIGIC IV processors. Also incredible, the Mark IV’s ISO range that extends to an eye-popping ISO 102,400, which just so happens to be the same range found on the competing Nikon D3s. Finally, the Mark IV gets Canon’s robust video recording options, including 1080p and 720p video with selectable frame rates.

On paper anyway, the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV sounds a bit more exciting than the Nikon D3s, which looks like more of a refresh than the Mark IV, but Nikon’s task was simpler, tweak and improve an already highly regarded camera responsible for perhaps reducing the amount of long white lenses seen on the sidelines. The challenges for the Mark IV are more daunting, erase photographer’s angst from the Mark III, and face down the Nikon D3s. Is it up to the task? Read on in our in depth review of the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV.

Availability

The Canon EOS 1D Mark IV is available for order at B&H Photo.

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the following links at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content. Camera Body (only) $4999

Competition

The most clear competitor to the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV is the Nikon D3s, at least when it comes to the intended market for both cameras. From a hardware point of view, the 2 cameras are a bit challenging to compare exactly, given the Nikon’s full frame sized sensor and the Mark IV’s smaller APS-H sensor. Still the cameras are intended to perform similar roles, and outside of sensor sizes, the specifications of the two cameras are quite similar.

Key Specifications

Highlights

A look at some of the feature highlights to be found on the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV.

1.098 x 0.73 in./ 27.9 x 18.6 mm (APS-H size CMOS sensor)	Canon claims sensor improvements like closer gapless microlenses are the biggest reason for improved ISO performance.
Dual DIGIC IV processors help the EOS 1D Mark IV fire off 14-bit files at 10 fps.	Magnesium alloy construction and 76 points of sealing.
The EOS 1D Mark IV is the first Canon to receive their newest implementation of auto lighting optimizer.	The AF unit promises to help improve autofocus performance of the EOS 1D Mark IV's predecessor.
The 45 point AF system now provides 39 cross-type points.	You can select from several different AF point layouts.
The AF system even keeps track of AF points through changes in camera orientation, moving them accordingly.	The EOS 1D Mark IV uses Canon's integrated cleaning system, including a self cleaning sensor unit.
The EOS 1D Mark IV features the same extensive HD recording options as the EOS 7D, including framerate choices.	The FEL button can be programmed to activate movie recording, even if live view has been turned on.

Leica X1: First Impressions
The topic of large sensor compacts is one of our favorite points of discussion here at Neutralday.com, and we’re personally enamored with any camera that aims to put a DSLR sensor in your pocket. For some time, Sigma has been the only contender here, and despite some operational flaws, I remain infatuated with the results captured by the Foveon sensor inside the DPx series. More recently, Olympus and Panasonic, working together, have put out some highly appealing camera products, keeping the compact size, and the DSLR sensor, but adding the functionality of a DSLR camera, by adding the ability to change lenses. Not to be outdone, Samsung has joined the mix with their NX10, which takes a similar route as Olympus and Panasonic’s micro four thirds cameras, but provides an even bigger APS-C sensor, and Sony announced at PMA this week they’d be entering the fray with their own interchangeable lens compact camera. We’ve of course omitted one additional option, one that like the DPx series from Sigma, takes a more precise path, that camera is the Leica X1.

Availability

Leica X1 with Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH. Lens at B&H Photo Get the Leica X1 with Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the links above at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content.

Some Details

What Leica offers with the X1 is simplicity in function, and ideally, exceptional image quality, by combining and elegant and intuitve control setup, and a large 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor with 12.2 megapixels, all housed in a finely crafted, and frankly, just beautiful camera body.

The Leica X1 isn’t all about looks though, (but we’re certainly not going to stop talking about them), but most photographers will recall, that Leica also happens to make some of the most highly regarded lenses on the planet, and the X1 provides one, permanantly affixed to the front of the camera. The Leica Elmarit 24 mm F2.8 lens features 8 elements in 6 groups, and the 24mm lens provides the equivalent view of 35mm.

With the camera turned on, the lens extends about 3/4″ of an inch, and curiously the black grooved bezel screws off to reveal threads for some as of yet unknown lens accessory.

Finely Crafted

Without a doubt, the Leica X1 is extremely well built, but it isn’t just about build quality, instead the X1, like many a Leica, combines beauty, build, and function all in one cohesive design. It’s a handsome camera, but an even better looking machine, understated, but eye-catching at the same time.

Camera controls are elegantly implemented. There is no shooting mode dial, instead you have a dial for shutter, a dial for aperture, and a lever around the shutter to control the X1’s drive mode. Set the shutter to “A” automatic, and you’re in aperture priority, set the aperture dial to “A” automatic, and you’re in shutter priority mode. Set both to “A”, and you’re essentially in the equivalent of Program mode, but you still have full control over exposure compensation and ISO settings. This setup is instantly intuitive and easy to use, but while the dials have decided steps or “clicks”, they are a bit too easy to turn, at least inadvertantly, which means the photographer is advised to check his settings when the X1 is pulled from a pocket.

The camera’s rear reveals the two-handed nature of using the X1, with the Leica-like buttons on the left side of the LCD, and a manual focus dial on the right, with a 4-way multi-selector surrounded by a rotating command dial below it. The far right of the camera is a hinged door that reveals HDMI and USB ports. The controls are well done, the X1 doesn’t overwhelm the photographer with excessive settings or information, everything has its own purpose, so the learning curve is instantaneous. One gripe, the 2.7 inch LCD only offers 230K of resolution, and can be overwhelmed when shooting outdoors. It isn’t as bad as the ones on Sigma’s DPx cameras, but given the sensor inside, the X1 doesn’t seem well served by this decision.

Performance and Image Quality

We’ve only recieved the X1 quite recently from Leica, and we don’t want to be hasty in our judgements one way or the other. Suffice it to say that one issue will quickly be noted by photographers as it relates to performance, and that is the X1’s relatively slow auto focusing system. Like the DPx cameras from Sigma, the X1 is somewhat slow to acquire focus, taking anywhere from 1 to 2 seconds for a confirmation. This isn’t the worst thing in the world, it works fine for most street photography, but it does rule out a good deal of more dynamic subject matter, and limits the photographer to more stationary type subjects. Pressing the play button to view images also takes a couple of seconds, and in general the X1 doesn’t present itself as a scorching performer, which is bound to strike some consumers as odd, given the price of the X1.

Making up for any performance issues is excellent image quality. The tandem of big CMOS sensor and the Leica Elmarit 24 mm F2.8 lens make for highly detailed images, at least of the ones we’ve captured thus far. Noise management is excellent too, and the captures are largely devoid of any lens aberrations, all in all, things are looking good on the IQ front, at least from the DNG’s (the X1 records RAWs to the DNG file format, of note: the X1 includes a free download of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2) we’ve looked at.

Coming Up…

We’ll have some image and ISO samples up soon, and we fully intend on giving comparisons with the Olympus E-P2 and the Panasonic GF1 as well (along with the Sigma DP2). It goes without saying that a full in depth review of the Leica X1 is forthcoming.

Leica X1 with Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH. Lens at B&H Photo Get the Leica X1 with Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the links above at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content.

I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I’m a big fan of the Pentax K-x, an entry level offering that provides super compact size, great image quality, compelling feature set, and all for super reasonable price. Check out our in depth review of this impressive little camera right here.

Pentax K-x In Depth Review: Much Better Than Just Entry Level

With the Pentax K-7, one got more than just a sense that Pentax had really decided to take the fight to Canon and Nikon, and perhaps separate themselves from the “other guys” just a bit by offering a pro-sumer camera that did away with as many compromises as possible and instead offered a very compelling camera, at a very attractive price. So in attendance for the unveiling of “something exciting” from Pentax back in September, it was refreshing to see them take the same approach with their new entry-level Pentax K-x.

Looking every bit like the Pentax K-m/K2000 on the outside, the K-x changes things up on the inside by borrowing the 11 point AF system and PRIME II processing from the K-7. The K-x also shoots 720p HD video, again similar to the K-7. The sensor inside is 12.4 megapixels, a step somewhere in-between the K-7 and the K-m. Finally, the K-x offers a frame rate of 4.7 fps which also puts it quite close to the K-7 (though not in burst depth). On the other hand, like the K-m you still can’t see visible AF points in the viewfinder (something that still leaves us scratching our heads, but at least you can select a point now) and the K-x runs on 4 AA batteries, which we still see as a negative no matter who tries to convince us otherwise.

Still, when we got our hands on the display samples at the event we were impressed by the handling, and the feature set–and then there were the colors, black, red, navy, and white, with other markets outside of the U.S. getting even more options. Most impressive of all was the price point, with Pentax once again trying to win the day with an aggressive feature to price ratio. Were our initial impressions well founded? Find out in our review of the Pentax K-x.

Availability

Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens Get the Pentax K-x and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the following links at B&H Photo. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content. Black Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens at B&H Photo & free shipping Red Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens at B&H Photo & free shipping Navy Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens at B&H Photo & free shipping White Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens at B&H Photo & free shipping

Competition

The Pentax K-x is spec’d for most intents and purposes as a higher end entry-level DSLR camera, though we’re quick to recognize that these boundaries are being blurred all of the time. For comparison purposes, we’ve put together some key specifications from the Nikon D5000, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i, the Olympus E-620, and the Sony A380.