The Sigma SD14, powered by the 14 megapixel Foveon X3® direct-image-sensor, can reproduce high definition images rich in gradation and impressive three-dimensional detail.
The SD14 Digital SLR camera features four JPEG recording modes, a large and bright pentaprism viewfinder with 98% coverage, a built-in flash with a Guide Number of 11, 5-point AF system, a large 2.5” 150,000 pixel resolution LCD monitor as well as a new user friendly design. The durable shutter mechanism has over 100,000-cycle life and is ideal for the demands of digital photography.
(more….)

Sigma’s SD15 SLR camera is the latest model in Sigma’s SD series. Powered by the 14 megapixel Foveon X3 direct image sensor it can capture all primary RGB colors at each and every pixel location arranged in three layers. The new SD15 incorporates the “TRUE II” image processing engine which processes the large amount of data from the 14 megapixel direct image sensor. It also provides high resolution power and reproduces high definition images with impressive three-dimensional detail, rich in gradation. The camera adopts the SD card and incorporates a highly visible 3.0 inch LCD monitor, 77-segment AE sensor and AFE (Analog Front End). It provides high image quality and user friendly design. In addition, the durable shutter mechanism, which has a life of over 100,000 actuations, is ideal for the demand of digital photography.
(more….)

The EOS 40D becomes the sixth Canon ‘prosumer’ digital SLR, a line which started back in 2000 with the EOS D30, and how far we’ve come. It’s been eighteen months since the EOS 30D and although on the surface the 40D looks like a fairly subtle upgrade there’s a lot that makes this an even better camera. Of course we expect a step up in megapixels, and so the 40D comes with a ten million pixel CMOS sensor with the same sort of dust reduction as the EOS 400D, an ultrasonic platform which shakes the low pass filter. Other improvements bring the EOS 40D closer into line with the EOS-1D series, these include a move to the same page-by-page menu system, both RAW and sRAW (2.5 MP), 14-bit A/D converter and 14-bit RAW, cross-type AF points for F5.6 or faster lenses, a larger and brighter viewfinder, interchangeable focusing screens, a larger LCD monitor (3.0″) and faster continuous shooting (6.5 fps).
(more….)

The Pentax K10D is based around an APS-C sized CCD imager with an effective resolution of 10.2 megapixels. It uses a 22-bit Analog-to-digital converter (output is 8-bit JPEG or 12-bit RAW), and a new processing engine dubbed “PRIME” (Pentax Real IMage Engine). This is coupled with a Pentax KAF lens mount that’s compatible with an impressive array of K-, KA-, KAF- and KAF2 lenses, as well as screw-mount / 645-system / 67-system lenses with an adapter. Pentax also notes that the camera body is designed to be compatible with new “supersonic motor-driven” AF lenses which are currently in development. The K10D has a dust-proof, weather resistant body with a stainless steel chassis and some 72 seals that allow the camera to be used in dusty and/or rainy environments. The sensor sits on a free-floating electromagnetically controlled platter that can move horizontally, vertically, and even rotationally.
(more….)

Having risked being left behind by the speed at which the ‘affordable’ DSLR market developed, Pentax showed how serious its intentions were with the K10D, a semi-pro-level DSLR with a features list to humble the competition at a very attractive price. Having added so many bells and whistles to the K10D, it’s not much of a surprise to find that its successor, the K20D, is essentially a refinement of the same design. But, even though it can’t quite boast the same novel-feature-count as its predecessor, the K20D still finds room for some interesting changes.

The stand-out feature of the K20D is undoubtedly its 14.6MP CMOS sensor, co-developed with the giant South Korean conglomerate Samsung. The companies claim the design reduces the amount of circuitry around each photosite, offering a similar light-sensitive area, per pixel, to a 12MP chip of conventional design. The other major change is the addition of a live-view mode that provides a zoomable, live preview directly from the imaging sensor.
(more….)