The Digital Photography Show #65: Great News from Kevin Kubota and We Dissect the Canon 40D and the Nikon D3 and D300
The Digital Photography Show #65: Great News from Kevin Kubota and We Dissect the Canon 40D and the Nikon D3 and D300 (20Mb, 58 mins)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
August 26, 2007: Welcome to the sixty fifth episode of The Digital Photography Show!
It’s the triumphant return of Michael Stein and have we got what to talk about: Major new DSLR releases from Nikon and Canon. We compare specs on the Nikon D3 and the Nikon D300, as well as the Canon 40D.
But unlike many Canon/Nikon discussions, we’re not about player-hating. They’re both great companies and we’re glad to see so many great offering out there.
We also talk to Kevin Kubota to hear who won the charitable giving/community action scholarship he promoted on our show. The answer will shock and amaze you! We don’t want to give it away, but we will say: Kevin is The Man!!!
Please sign up for email notifications from our show! We will pick one subscriber at random to win either a copy of onOne’s Plug-In Suite 3 for Adobe Photoshop, Alien Skin’s Snap Art or Rick Sammon’s DVD “Rick Sammon Live.†You get to choose.
Click here to Subscribe to TPN :: The Digital Photography Show by Email. It’s free, and the work of a minute.
We’d love to hear what you thought of the show either here on the blog or at TheDigitalPhotographyShow@gmail.com.
Thanks to our advertiser DXO (www.dxo.com) for the 20% discount they are only offering to listeners of this show. Try the program for free, and when you’re ready to buy, use the code DPSSHOW.
And don’t forget the fifty buck discount on Alien Skin’s Snap Art (http://www.alienskin.com/snapart/index.html) and the 50% discount on Exposure (http://www.alienskin.com/exposure/index.html) . Just call and tell them you heard about it on The Digital Photography Show.
Thanks for being part of our community. We got so much great freedback from you guys last week. It really keeps us going.
Scott
August 28th, 2007 at 4:43 am
Welcome Back Michael!!! Great show today. Aaron and I have been going through all the specs on the Nikon cameras. We have now opened up savings accounts! he for the D3 and me the D300 – I will be upgrading from a D70s. I love the fact that you can still use your glass with the full frame sensor…makes all the difference.
We would love to see some of your vacation pics….post some soon!
Cheers,
Laurel
Queen of the DPS Photo contests
August 28th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Great show today Scott and Michael…although Michael should watch out as Laurel did quite well filling in during his absence.
I did have just one little nit to raise on one of the points you talked about on the new gear, and that is of LCD resolution. With only a 3″ screen, how much does it really matter for an in camera preview? If you are shooting with this gear, odds are your work flow includes porting to a computer for post processing anyway, so there’s really no point in high res screens on camera. Money wasted imho…
August 28th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Jason,
I have yet to see this screen. You might be right that there is a point of diminishing returns with regards to resolution. On the other hand, the high resolution provides much greater detail for reviewing images in the field; not for post processing. If a camera can provide better information to make decisions while shooting, then I think this is a good thing. Although this 3″ high resolution screen is new, it will probably soon become a standard for most cameras.
–Michael
August 29th, 2007 at 1:22 am
The large LCD is not a factor for me purchasing a new camera. To me it just eats up more precious battery life. I am also sure that a pro photogragher that shoots in camera RAW and only looks at the photo histogram also is not as impressed as the higest level of amatuers (like me).
OTOH, the better focusing is important as well as faster shutter speed when shooting multiple shots.
I think Nikon and Canon fans are all going to be happy with these new offerings.
- C. Garison
August 29th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Michael,
Just another follow-up on he LCD resolution vis a vis diminishing returns (did I use that right? – always wanted to and I think the context is right, but can’t remember the usage)…
Anyway, my follow-up comment is just that the LCD resolution really isn’t the make-it-or-break-it feature/improvement for me. In the interests of full disclosure, I am biased as a Canon shooter, and will likely end up getting the 40D myself. Having said that, it does seem there have been enough improvements in the way of features and technical jumps for anyone owning an XT/XTi grade body to make the move. I actually put together a little chart on my blog that illustrates the differences in these EOS bodies from the XT through teh 40D. Feel free to use this info (links are always welcome too! :D ) as you like. Scott and I had actually emailed on a separate occasion and subject, but this may be good material for further discussion on an upcoming podcast! :)
August 31st, 2007 at 5:14 am
Hi guys,
I’ve been listening to the show for a long time now, close to a year.
Scott, can you PLEASE turn off the call waiting or whatever it is that interrupts the show with that annoying beep? The past two shows have had this. Your production values are too high to let that slip through all the time.
Keep up the normally good work!
Todd
August 31st, 2007 at 5:36 am
Todd – You’re so right! I keep waiting to for someone to call me on this, and you’re the first one who has. Everytime the call waiting beeps, I want to hit myself in the head!
Michael – can you please remind me?
August 31st, 2007 at 6:59 am
Michael,
I’ve been a quiet listener for some time, but wanted to send a quick note after hearing of your potential problem with the new lens. For some pretty cool back/front focusing test charts and explanations, check out a peer podcast by Martin Bailey (martinbaileyphotography.com). He provides links to 2 sites, one by Tim Jackson (focustestchart.com/chart.html) and another straight resolution chart at http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/respat/#EIA1956. I recently switched from Nikon to Canon (sorry), selling my D70 and kit lens and 70 – 200, and buying a 5D with 2 L lenses (24 – 70 2.8 and 70 – 200 2.8). After reading all about back focusing and doing a series of tests, I sent them both back to Canon for calibration. Canon confirmed problems with both and actually replaced the 2/3/4th group lens ass’y and zoom unit part on the 70 – 200. On the 24 – 70 they say they adjusted the focusing spec. No charge except for shipping to them, and had them back in 7 – 10 days. I am in the process now re-testing the lenses with the charts I referenced above. Canon did say that if the problem is not resolved, I need to send in the lenses along with my 5D body (although they do use one of their 5Ds to do the calibration). I hope this is helpful, as you guys have provided quite a bit of useful information to me over the last few month. Best, Mike
August 31st, 2007 at 11:38 am
There seems to be another Jason photographer around here so I will use our show name. Anyway, the 40D sounds pretty good now I am debating which one I should lust after the 40D or the 5D or maybe both. Mmmmmm, Canon. D’oh! Anyway, love the show and I am really loving my DPS marathon, I’m on show# 43.
August 31st, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Regarding the discussion of high resolution 3″ LCD screens, while it may seem like silly thing to some … use a camera with one and then try to go back to a 1.8″ or even 2.5″. The larger screen is helpful for more than just reviewing images, it makes using the menus so much easier … especially for those of that that have logged a few years on this planet and our eyes are not what they once were.
Scott and Michael… I too did a podcast on the 40D, D3 and D300 this week. But it seems we all missed the other announcement, the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, the $8000 gorilla in the room no one is talking about :)
Great show as always guys. Welcome back Michael.
August 31st, 2007 at 8:46 pm
I just wanted to let people know that a website I use for software – http://www.giveawayoftheday.com – has got available today some watermarking software “uMark Professional”, normally $19.95 but today only (20 hours to go as I write this) it’s free – http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/umark-professional/ – I’m sure this will be helpful to some fellow photographers.
Mark
http://www.MarkVarleyPhoto.com
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:07 am
Cool, looks like my post made it up here after all. I didn’t realize how big this show was, just listen to show #54. Nice job, I was wondering when I’d get the whole story. You guys have a great story and a great podcast. Keep up the great work. Well, I have about 8 more shows and then I will be all caught up, so I’m off…
September 3rd, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Hi Scott
you got your link to the Canon 40D wrong, I know you didn’t do it intentionally.
scott
September 4th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Well, I took the plunge and pre-ordered the 40D. I have an arrival date of somewhere between October 4-16. I purchased body only and chose the 10-22mm EF-S lens to compliment my 28-200mm USM plus all of my other glass. I also ordered a 4GB memory card and an extra battery to go along with the camera body.
I will provide a nice review when it comes in. I am anxious if it will consume batteries like my horrid Mavica FD from 1999 or my HP PhotoSmart 310 from 2001. I will review the lens prior to the 40D arrival.