Pushing the Nikon battle with the Canon EOS-1D Mark 3

Although this blog is not meant to serve as the newspaper, in a way, this post ties back to my last on the Nikon’s expected D3. Not willing to wait for the PMA 2007 and pushing the buck on Nikon, Canon has announced the launch of the newly designed Mark 3 digital camera on Thursday Feb 22 2007, the latest of their EOS 1-D series.

From the information available so far, the EOS-1D Mark 3 is a complete overhaul - a 10 mp APS-H Foveon CMOS sensor ( APS-H means a crop factor of 1.3 ) with the ability of shooting 10 frames per second. The updated DIGIC III image processor will reduce noise sufficiently to allow a shooting range upto 3200 and can be pushed further upto 6400 ASA. Added to that, it will have a 19 area AF system and a 3.0″ LCD monitor with a live-view feature.

EOS-1D Mark 3 Front

EOS-1D Mark 3 back

The model is to be shipped in April 2007 and is estimated to cost around US $ 3,999.

This launch, and the fact that there were absolutely no news of it whatsoever, took a lot by surprise. For the Nikonian’s though, not only does it put the pressure of the new D3 but also would make them look at repositioning the D2Xs and the D200.

The Next Generation Nikon - D3 Series

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[Read - Aug 23 2007: Here is the update on D3 - Nikon launches the D3!]

[Also read - Aug 23 2007: Nikon Launches the D300!]

 

 

With the PMA 2007 just months away, the rumours around the Nikon next generation digital revolution is hitting the peak. Gossips had been around for almost a a couple of years now and the stalwarts from Ken Rockwell to Thom Hogan all contributing their share of informations and tid-bits. Although the improvements are primarily expected in the one major areas of a better chip and its ability to pack in over 18 mega pixels with better noise reduction (Foveon chip), the debate is quite low on whether Nikon will bring out a 35mm chip or continue to build on the DX format. The Bayer pixel extrapolation methodology of the existing models could be dispensed with an improved physical sensor in terms of the RGB sensors.

There could be some amount of truth in the time of the release of the D3 series. The latest buzz around the D200 (Sept 2006) have died down and the prices continue to vary from $ 1,350 to $ 1,600, with a downward trend. With the D3 in the market, the D200 will obviously take up the space for a digital back up camera. And much like the fate of the F5, the D2Xs will be discontinued? The price proposition of the D3 is around $7,000 with the D2Xs at $3,500 and the D200 at about $1,300 it would be difficult for the current D2Xs owners to make a quick move onto the newer D3.

The pictures that added to the gossips are worth a last look. A jelly bean body for a camera that is supposed to fit onto your palms looks odd, but the rapid change in design on the film cameras from F5 over to the F6 could mean that the D3 could be smaller than the existing D2 body type. That does pose a challenge given that the body could hold a larger mega pixels sensor. With the users desperately in need for a smaller and lighter body with more efficient battery life, its unlikely that the new D3 body would be larger than the D2.

The D3 Pictures

Photographic Impression - the “Halo” effect

 

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One of the most beautiful effect of impressionistic photo art is the “halo“. This is a brighter background over a small area that tends to back light the subject in front. I have found that a macro photo gives the best situation to create and emphasize such a “halo” effect.

 

The Impressionistic Halo effect on a California wild flower.

Impression of a wildflower

As again with the art, there are many ways of creating such a halo. Theone that I love to do is on Fuji Velvia 50. The saturation, as you can see above, is high and the contrast is tremendous. The higher the contrast, the better the impact, however, you would need to limit the contrast so that not to render a large portion dark.

For more on Impression Art and Nature Photography, view photoduniya.com.

Photoshop & the Artist - the Technology Factor

The one biggest technological advance in imaging so far has been the creation of Photoshop ™by the geniuses in Adobe™. The artists, or at least their minds, have progressed so far ahead that Photoshop™ has emerged as one of the strongest factors in the success of the photographic art. Average photographers and point-n-shoot camera owners have started branding Photoshop™ Effects as “their” creation.

Most of the imaging community websites have started showing up that perfect picture - with the perfect lighting and colors and sharpness, capturing the perfect moment, where the bird of prey is just snatching the prey from water, the the landscape with the perfectly balanced morning light and the green of the grass as never seen before. So where does the credibility lie?

Photoshop™ isn’t a debate any more. To the professional studio photographers, it’s just the much needed tool to save time and money, to make the right image in their digital dark room, to the journalist, its just the right encouragement to make sure that you have not missed the shot, to the editor, its the perfect tool to make the image available right in time no matter where its shot. And to the amateurs, its just the right software to help them emerge out of mediocrity!

So while the difference is like between the user of a computer and the brains behind creating it, the competition between two such amateurs now depends on whether the creators in Adobe ™or Corel ™ could create such an effect with just the click of a brush and whether such a software would be made available to the enthusiast for an affordable price off the Walmart™ shelf!

While the software developers in these leading imaging corporations are expanding their minds, so is the photographic community. The ability to judge an image based on its merit and that of the photographer has returned and the initial wow of the amateurs’ ability to manipulate and master Adobe and such softwares have subsided considerably. These softwares have brought out another new genre of talents. The people who have so longed to express themselves through abstract art have found the perfect way to bring their creations to the table. They have not only mastered the software, but have started to push the limits by their constant effort to dive deep into the abstract world. And over the years, the corporations creating the imaging softwares have listened to them and have oriented their products to enable them move forward. A perfect synchronized effort of the mind and the technology!

So where does it leave the pampered amateurs? It looks like they will always be amazed by what these softwares can do. Some that perfect the ability to exploit the abilities of such softwares will spend considerable time on their computers and the others will keep fiddling with the saturation, hues and the brightness levels instead of spending more time on the field with their subject and camera.

I am also sure of doing a portion of my work in digital media. I would be doing some editing in Adobe™ softwares. Like it has been since ages, the print is the final art form. And the creation of the negative and the final print have to add to the success of the final art. The darkroom allowed the artist to expand their creation through burning, dodging, cropping and the like. I would definitely perform these activities on my digital editor as well. At the same time, since my primary interest is impressionistic art form, I would continue to do that on fim, as long as Fuji continues to make their chromes!



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