Camera

Featuring an excellent 1” sensor and Zeiss f/1.8 zoom lens packed into a solidly-made black metal cylinder, the Sony QX100 is a nice piece of hardware. Unfortunately awkward ergonomics and seriously deficient software leave it adrift as more of a curiosity or a niche product than any type of segment-defining breakthrough. Let’s look at what it does right, and wrong, and whether it still might be in your future…

For the last year, the Nikon D800 (and especially the Nikon D800e) have reigned as the highest-scoring camera in DxO’s extensive and widely-cited tests. For those willing to carry the moderately large 2.2 pound camera, and shell out $3K to buy one, you get massively sharp, colorful 36MP images. However, the Sony a7R is threatening to knock the Nikon D800e off its pedestal…

Nikon’s poorly kept secret of its classicly-lined Df photo-only DSLR is finally out in the open. The Nikon Df, harkening back to Nikon’s flagship “F"-Series” pro SLRs is now available for pre-order, and the specs are head-turning. It isn’t for everyone, but serious street photographers, classic photojournalists, collectors, and hobbyists should take a look.

I wrote up the camera and its features, along with new 50mm lens for Extremetech, so see what you think. If you decide to buy, you can pre-order in either Silver or Black for $2750, or in Silver with the new 50mm lens or Black with the new 50mm lens for $3000 from B&H. 

Nikon has continued to push the envelope of what’s possible with DSLRs, by relentlessly taking technologies – especially sensors – from its more expensive models and using them in less expensive versions. The Nikon D5300 is a perfect example. Using the excellent, very sharp, 24MP sensor from the Nikon D7100 and an updated EXPEED 4 processing chip, the Nikon D5300 is likely to make those looking for amazing images in a small package very happy.

I am really excited about the Nikon D600 as a new, less-expensive, way to get high-performance full-frame images. Mine is arriving tomorrow, and I'll be writing more hands-on when I get it. But in the meantime, I was blown away by the amazing test results achieved by the D600 by the folks over at DxOMark. In their exhaustive tests the D600 bested not only the Canon 5D Mark III, but Nikon's own D4 for low-light performance and overall image quality...

Remember when I wrote that I wished Nikon would make a camera with specs similar to the Canon 5D Mark III, but at a lower price? well now they have and it sounds awesome. the Nikon D600 is a 24mp 5.5t fps monster tucked into a package not much bigger than a Nikon D7000. Somehow it also manages to have a 100 percent viewfinder and a pop up flash. All that for $2100 from B&H, shipping next week!