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Photokina – 2006 – part 2

Enough has happened since my last post to warrant an update I think.

Pentax
Pentax has announced the K10D. A 10MP feature-rich DSLR at a sub-$1000 price point. This camera is, for the money, an amazing piece of equipment.

• 10MP CCD not developed by Sony.
• Anti-Dust using high-frequency vibration (user selectable) and anti-static coatings
• CCD-shift based Shake Reduction mechanism. On-body image stabilization means every lens you put on the camera "becomes" image stabilized.
• 22-bit A/D converter. First in the industry as far as I know. However, what the body does with this information remains to be seen. RAW files have traditionally been 12-bit and JPG files are, by definition, 8-bit.
• DNG support! Another first in the industry, Pentax has added support for the standardized RAW format "DNG" first created by Adobe.
• Weather-sealing. The camera body contains a host of weather-sealing keeping out dust and water from the body.
• A ton of new program modes. Not to be confused with "scene" modes, these new program modes offer a ton of control over ISO and Aperture/Shutter combinations
• DDR2-SDRAM. High-volume, high-speed data throughput. A first in the DSLR world.

See dpreview.com for a hands-on preview.

Canon
Having already released the 400D (the replacement for the 350D) and a couple point and shoots, Canon surprisingly released 4 more with a new image processing chip: Digic III. That the 400D did not include the Digic III goes a long way in detailing Canon's approach to segmenting the market space. Digic III will also enable support for DDR2-SDRAM.

The newly added point and shoot offerings are a range of entry-level and prosumer models. However, Canon is clearly indicating that the most advanced features (like RAW format) will require the consumer to purchase a DSLR. Point and shoots, even ones with other advanced features, are still point and shoots.

• Canon G7. Canon once said that the G-series was an evolutionary dead-end. The margins were too thin and the price too close (in some cases exceeding) to their DSLR line. They've released the G7 with a mixed-bag of new features: Digic III, Image Stabilization, High-ISO (1600), longer zoom (6x). However, they've eliminated the RAW mode, abandoned the rotating LCD, and dropped the fast f/2.0 lens for a f/2.8. They have kept the hot-shoe for an external flash. The 10MP sensor is the same as the one included in the A640, so one has to wonder, what is the point? Are the features of the G7 that really worth the more than $200 price difference between the two? Any user smart enough to know how to best use an external flash with this camera would be looking for something with RAW for maximum control of image quality.
• Canon SD800 IS. To me, the most interesting of the Digic III cameras, simply because Canon did not abandon the wide-angle zoom lens. This camera features a 28-105mm Image Stabilized lens, replacing the larger S80 (which did not have IS). If I were to choose a new digital point and shoot and were willing to give up the rotating LCD, I would look very closely at this one. I can't wait for the reviews.
• Canon SD900 and SD40. The new top-of-the-line SD-series from Canon features the same 10MP sensor as the A640 and G7 is the SD900. Like the SD550 it replaces, it does not feature any Image Stabilization. The SD40 is their smallest point and shoot and is more accessory than camera. Both feature the new Digic III image processor.

Olympus
A new DSLR has been announced: The E-400.

As was expected, the 4/3-sized sensor has been upped to 10MP. But completely unexpected is that the camera is NOT going to be offered for sale in North America. No word yet as to why or if perhaps the release to the US will simply come later. This is a confusing move on the part of Olympus. Perhaps they're feeling the pressure from Sony and Pentax making strong moves into the DSLR market.