There are a lot of impressions circulating about the Olympus OM-D mirrorless camera. The full metal styling of the new Olympus OM-D is very retro and the OM heritage is unmistakable. So far so good. But what about the technical aspect? What sensor is it using? Any better than the “old” micro four thirds sensors?
The trouble of course is the micro four-thirds sensors that while bigger than your regular compact camera chip, are smaller than regular APS-C sensors. What is most disconcerting is that there seems to no serious m4/3 sensor technological development. Since image quality is arguably falling behind in the four-thirds segment, one can only wonder if the technology has reached a boundary of capabilities. We look forward to the start of Sony micro four thirds sensor manufacturing.
We welcome the Olympus digital OM, but would very much like to see a serious advancement in sensor capabilities.
The upcoming retro styled Olympus OM is accompanied by a Olympus M4/3 to 4/3 converter and this would also mark Oly's final support for the aging four thirds mount.
Fuji xPro-1 is better than the Leica M9
Many photographers will probably find the new Fuji X-Pro1 as being a poor man´s Leica wannabe, and want to place it in between the Leica and the Nex-7. This is not a good comparison though because the new APS-C equipped rangefinder from Fuji is 1) showing better image quality than the extremely expensive Leica and 2) is much more of a true rangefinder than the Nex-7. To top it off, the Fuji x Pro-1 comes with an assortment of fast primes that are very very good.
The sensor in the X1 Pro is probably the same 16 megapixels as used in the Sony Nex-5N, Nikon Nikon D7000
, Pentax K5 and if you like their image quality - you will love the Fuji. Fuji has a reputation for pushing Vevlia colors but the Fuji xPro-1 tone curve is very soft and realistic.
The camera takes 6 fps and takes full HIGH DEFINITION Movies. The battery is capable of producing at best 300 shots, which considering the size of this APS-C digital rangefinder camera is very good indeed. At 450 grams and 140 x 82 x 43 mm this camera is a lot more portable than the Leica, without being too small for photographer hands.
Take look at the Fuji x Pro-1 design and compare it to the legendary Leicas of the lost golden film age, and you immediately want to get hold of one of these. If you want top of the line photography gear that is as much a professional imaging tool as well as a lifestyle marker the Fuji x Pro 1 does it even better than the Leica M9 - without being ridiculous about the price.
You can´t buy the xPro-1 yet but if you want a cheaper model with extremely good IQ performace try the Fujifilm X100 12.3 MP APS-C digital rangefinder
.
The sensor in the X1 Pro is probably the same 16 megapixels as used in the Sony Nex-5N, Nikon Nikon D7000
, Pentax K5 and if you like their image quality - you will love the Fuji. Fuji has a reputation for pushing Vevlia colors but the Fuji xPro-1 tone curve is very soft and realistic.
The camera takes 6 fps and takes full HIGH DEFINITION Movies. The battery is capable of producing at best 300 shots, which considering the size of this APS-C digital rangefinder camera is very good indeed. At 450 grams and 140 x 82 x 43 mm this camera is a lot more portable than the Leica, without being too small for photographer hands.
Take look at the Fuji x Pro-1 design and compare it to the legendary Leicas of the lost golden film age, and you immediately want to get hold of one of these. If you want top of the line photography gear that is as much a professional imaging tool as well as a lifestyle marker the Fuji x Pro 1 does it even better than the Leica M9 - without being ridiculous about the price.
You can´t buy the xPro-1 yet but if you want a cheaper model with extremely good IQ performace try the Fujifilm X100 12.3 MP APS-C digital rangefinder.
Nikon D3100 best price and lenses
So what is the current Nikon d3100 best price out there? While you may fins some price variation from quite honestly dubious retailers we would never suggest going for the cheapest advertised price on the D3100. 
And there really is no need to risk dealing with anything than reputable outlets because the Nikon D3100 best price
has been coming down on every market recently to under 600 dollars for the complete kit. We buy all our gear from Amazon for 2 reasons: 1) trust - amazon honors their returns and is the worlds most established online market 2) shipping - many products come with free shipping and are generally in stock for same day shipping.
While the Nikon D3100 digital slr camera is sometimes referred to as a entry level camera this is not really accurate because the camera takes awesome images. The difference between this one and a more costly camera is features and believe me, you do not need features to take great pics... you need a good sensor and processing (which the D3100 has) and you need something to shoot (that's your job).
Nikon's lens portfolio is extremely generous and the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S kit lens is not a bad performer. The VR on the lens helps to get sharper pics in dim situations. I would suggest you start with the D3100 kit build from there. For your next Nikon D3100 lenses consider a macro lens such as the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G Micro-Nikkor which will provide you with a new world of interesting subject. Very sharp lens which has a five out of five star consumer rating.
This is one of the best nikon d3100 lenses to add to your collection due to being a macro, weight and being a almost perfect portrait lens.
If you would rather own a all-in-one zoom, then perhaps just buying the Nikon D3100 body is a better option. The zoom I would get would be the Nikon 18-200mm ED VR II which is one of the best priced and bestselling long zooms on the market. While it may cost more by itself than the camera and kit lens together, it makes the perfect walkaround and travel zoom for the Nikon D3100.
To recap: the nikon d3100 lenses we like are therefore the kit lens, the Nikon 60mm Micro-Nikkor
, and the Nikon 18-200 walk-around travel zoom
.
Tags
Nikon D3100 best price
Nikon D3100 lenses
And there really is no need to risk dealing with anything than reputable outlets because the Nikon D3100 best pricehas been coming down on every market recently to under 600 dollars for the complete kit. We buy all our gear from Amazon for 2 reasons: 1) trust - amazon honors their returns and is the worlds most established online market 2) shipping - many products come with free shipping and are generally in stock for same day shipping.
While the Nikon D3100 digital slr camera is sometimes referred to as a entry level camera this is not really accurate because the camera takes awesome images. The difference between this one and a more costly camera is features and believe me, you do not need features to take great pics... you need a good sensor and processing (which the D3100 has) and you need something to shoot (that's your job).
Nikon's lens portfolio is extremely generous and the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S kit lens is not a bad performer. The VR on the lens helps to get sharper pics in dim situations. I would suggest you start with the D3100 kit build from there. For your next Nikon D3100 lenses consider a macro lens such as the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G Micro-Nikkor which will provide you with a new world of interesting subject. Very sharp lens which has a five out of five star consumer rating.This is one of the best nikon d3100 lenses to add to your collection due to being a macro, weight and being a almost perfect portrait lens.
If you would rather own a all-in-one zoom, then perhaps just buying the Nikon D3100 body is a better option. The zoom I would get would be the Nikon 18-200mm ED VR II which is one of the best priced and bestselling long zooms on the market. While it may cost more by itself than the camera and kit lens together, it makes the perfect walkaround and travel zoom for the Nikon D3100.
To recap: the nikon d3100 lenses we like are therefore the kit lens, the Nikon 60mm Micro-Nikkor
, and the Nikon 18-200 walk-around travel zoom
.
Tags
Nikon D3100 best price
Nikon D3100 lenses
Samsung NX 2050 pancake zoom is a NEX killer
Sony may be more popular but Samsung is catching up fast with a impressive offering of compact quality primes and the new NX 20-50 zoom for the mirrorless NX cameras.The Samsung NX 20-50 compact zoom
is a 30 - 75mm equivalent lens with an extremely small format. The 4 cm length makes this a superb walkaround lens which has also gotten top results in the Photozone tests. Samsung was the first brand to create a mirrorless camera with a APS-C sensor. That in itself is a testament to their determination to develop and in time be one of the biggest on the photography scene. Sony is certainly under fire from the Samsung camp. The Samsung NX series now pulls another triumph with the compact 20 megapixel NX-200 and the upcoming NX-20 which has EVF and is considerably cheaper than Sony's offering.
Samsung has a lot of aces up their sleeve. Their 20 - 50 NX lens is exactly what Sony does not have. In fact, Samsung has a number of lenses (which are also great optical performers) that the NEX series lacks (and that the NEX community bemoans. The Samsung NX 30 f2 for instance is a true pancake lens and a stellar performer with contrast and sharpness on par with pro dslr lenses.
In our view, Sony has only one thing that makes it attractive: the swivel screen. Why Samsung is not putting swivel screens on their NX cameras is beyond us and a shame. Apart from that, the Samsung has a vastly better lens lineup and two different body types to choose from. The 20 megapixel NX APS-C sensor image quality is on par with Sony´s more expensive NEX-7, and adding upp the points we recommend the Samsung NX as the better buy.
If you own a Samsung NX body, you can't go wrong with the S 20-50 lens. Check price and availability here.
The best cameras for stock photography
If you want to sell your images you need to deliver image files that have the right image quality to be accepted for sale by a agency. Unless your photos pass the quality guidelines of the stock photo business, your shots, no matter how good they are, will never make it to the sales page. At the same time, you may be taking photos today with gear that delivers the required quality without knowing it. So what are the quality requirements for selling images online? What consumer camera has the quality output for commercial stock photography?
You will of course have to have a well-composed image of something interesting that has been adequately exposed, but here we will just stick with the technical aspects of the gear you will need.
For stock-photo work you do not need a professional camera. However, the quality requirements are continuously raised as the camera sensors improve and the buyers demand better image quality. Because of this, you need a modern DSLR camera. Image quality keeps getting better and a currently selling enthusiast or even budget camera has better image output than some pro gear that is just 5-6 years old.
While there are many cameras on the market that are good for stock photography we have selected a few that stand out from the rest.
Our list of recommended consumer cameras that are approved for stock-photography will deliver image files straight out of the camera that you can upload to most stock agencies. These cameras all come with a price tag of around 1000 dollars or less. Shoot raw for optimal quality.
Canon 60D
- 18 megapixels - under $1000 - image quality is very good but a bit bulky, starting to feel a bit old
Canon 600D T3i
- 18 megapixels, kit with 18-55mm, flip and swivel screen - under $700 - excellent image quality, compact build with superb handling and flip out screen
Nikon D3100
- 14 megapixels, kit with 18-55mm lens, under $600 - truly excellent image quality at a budget price - great little camera to take on the trips to exotic places where expensive gear may put you at risk, limited features
Nikon D5100
- 16 megapixels with flip and swivel screen - under $700 - superb image quality with versatile flip screen for odd angles - great performer in a compact yet solid build
Pentax K5
- 16 megapixels, semi-pro, weather sealed body - $1000 - very good image quality in a sealed semi-pro body with the best ergonomics of the bunch - sharpen the raw files a bit for more pop
Samsung NX200
- 20 megapixels, mirrorless, kit with 18-55MM - $800 - mirrorless cameras are on the rise, the NX200 produces extremely good raw files - true DSLR image quality in a extremely compact but solid body - carry it anywhere
Sony NEX-5N
- 16 megapixels, mirrorless, flip out screen - $600 - incredibly small size for a true APS-C sensor - excellent image quality - extensive list of accessories and converters for manual and exotic lenses
We like all of the above cameras and will not hesitate to use all for shooting stock photography. If we had to choose the best cameras for stock photography from this list the winners would be Canon 600D T3i, Nikon D5100 and Sony NEX-5N.
If you are just staring out and on a budget - consider a second-hand Canon 550 T2i or Nikon D3100 and start building your lens setup. Get the best lens you can afford and start with that. Both cameras can be found for cheap second hand and are perfectly adequate for most online photo agencies such as Alamy, iStock and Dreamstime.
As you may have noticed we do not recommend any compact cameras nor do we feel the 4/3 cameras are up to the task. Time has flown past the four thirds sensors and they can simply not match even the budget APS-C sensor class.
You will of course have to have a well-composed image of something interesting that has been adequately exposed, but here we will just stick with the technical aspects of the gear you will need.For stock-photo work you do not need a professional camera. However, the quality requirements are continuously raised as the camera sensors improve and the buyers demand better image quality. Because of this, you need a modern DSLR camera. Image quality keeps getting better and a currently selling enthusiast or even budget camera has better image output than some pro gear that is just 5-6 years old.
While there are many cameras on the market that are good for stock photography we have selected a few that stand out from the rest.
Our list of recommended consumer cameras that are approved for stock-photography will deliver image files straight out of the camera that you can upload to most stock agencies. These cameras all come with a price tag of around 1000 dollars or less. Shoot raw for optimal quality.Canon 60D
- 18 megapixels - under $1000 - image quality is very good but a bit bulky, starting to feel a bit old
Canon 600D T3i
- 18 megapixels, kit with 18-55mm, flip and swivel screen - under $700 - excellent image quality, compact build with superb handling and flip out screen
Nikon D3100
- 14 megapixels, kit with 18-55mm lens, under $600 - truly excellent image quality at a budget price - great little camera to take on the trips to exotic places where expensive gear may put you at risk, limited features
Nikon D5100
- 16 megapixels with flip and swivel screen - under $700 - superb image quality with versatile flip screen for odd angles - great performer in a compact yet solid build
Pentax K5
- 16 megapixels, semi-pro, weather sealed body - $1000 - very good image quality in a sealed semi-pro body with the best ergonomics of the bunch - sharpen the raw files a bit for more pop
Samsung NX200
- 20 megapixels, mirrorless, kit with 18-55MM - $800 - mirrorless cameras are on the rise, the NX200 produces extremely good raw files - true DSLR image quality in a extremely compact but solid body - carry it anywhere
Sony NEX-5N
- 16 megapixels, mirrorless, flip out screen - $600 - incredibly small size for a true APS-C sensor - excellent image quality - extensive list of accessories and converters for manual and exotic lenses
We like all of the above cameras and will not hesitate to use all for shooting stock photography. If we had to choose the best cameras for stock photography from this list the winners would be Canon 600D T3i, Nikon D5100 and Sony NEX-5N.If you are just staring out and on a budget - consider a second-hand Canon 550 T2i or Nikon D3100 and start building your lens setup. Get the best lens you can afford and start with that. Both cameras can be found for cheap second hand and are perfectly adequate for most online photo agencies such as Alamy, iStock and Dreamstime.
As you may have noticed we do not recommend any compact cameras nor do we feel the 4/3 cameras are up to the task. Time has flown past the four thirds sensors and they can simply not match even the budget APS-C sensor class.
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