| Top Landscape Camera |
Comparison Chart for Top Landscape Cameras
Nikon D90 has a resolution of 12.3 megapixels, 4.5fps burst frame rate settings. There is an introduction of a feature called Sensor-shake dust reduction. The most fantastic feature is the crisp 3-inch LCD screen which helps in extra detailing for landscape pictures as well as for videos. Some other features are live view, face detection, in-camera retouching, and a calendar feature to view shots by day. ISO 3200 is normal settings but it can be stretched to a maximum of 6,400. The camera records at 720p in MJPEG format, which maintains the quality as well as editing is quickly done, and hence each frame is standalone. Nikon D90 has a large sensor and high quality optics providing superb quality. With the wide open aperture one can get cinematic depth-of-field effects, which is difficult in case of typical camcorders. The camera is a wonderful one with substantial feel, comfortable grip, good design, dedicated functional buttons and common scene settings on the dial at the top. But at the same time, with a number of additional features included the menu page becomes lengthy. On the software side, D90 or Nikon as a whole is disappointing.
FOR- Easy handling, ultrasonic sensor cleaning, high Image Quality, great pics in low light and fast auto focus, good battery life. AGAINST – No audio recording for stills, disappointing live view for stills, no self timer, limited size capabilities(3 in this case), non weather seal- plastic body, small grip. Conclusion – Performance- 9/10, Features and Design- 9/10, Value for money- 9/10, overall – 9/10. D90 provides great upgraded features and in competitive pricing it is a unique bargain. One will not be disappointed with this camera!
Canon EOS 7D
The 7D boasts of some aggressive features like an all new AF and metering systems, a new high-resolution eight-channel readout sensor. The sensor is coupled with dual Digic 4 image processors, a new 100 percent coverage viewfinder and a 1080p video capture. The 7D is durable with magnesium body with good grip. It provides a good quality image with bright colors and auto white balance closer than Adobe. The 7D is capable of up to 12800 ISO, which allows shooting in some seriously low light conditions. There is a lot of room to work with an 18 megapixel sensor, but if one’s CF card supports UDMA, then there will be no burden of saving large images. The 7D comes with two digital signal processors and offers 24 fps, 1080p video and an electronic level built-in flash. The 7D currently offers most High Definition Video modes as compared to other cameras, and is the first camera to feature 24fps. On the other hand 19-point auto focus is one of the best from Cannon so far.
FOR- 18 MP resolution, very fast (8fps), hence very handy to catch action shots, bright large viewfinder, useful electronic level, shoots at very high ISO level and can deliver fantastic images, Magnesium alloy body which is dust proof and weather resistant. AGAINST - No A-Dep mode which will be troublesome for landscape artists, hard to feel buttons, pictures come with yellow tint in Photoshop, Cannon’s RAW software DDP seem to be faulty with monitor color profiles. Conclusion – Performance- 9/10, Features and Design- 9/10, Value for money- 9/10, Overall- 9/10. Excellent work by Cannon, full returns to money spent.
Nikon D5000
The camera comes with a 2.7in screen, which isn’t too impressive but its flexibility criteria votes in its favor. The live view mode enables to frame shots very close to the ground, which is a fantastic feature and is supported by contrast-detect autofocus. The D5000 joins an elite class of cameras offering 720p HD video recording. There is no 1080p and the five minute HD recording is a big worry. But because of H.264 MOV file format, the camera offers a cleaner and a sharper video. The easy access button for setting the autofocus is missing, and there are two buttons with the same sign on it, generating confusion. In the PC World Test Center's evaluation of image quality, the pictures appeared a bit dark on automatic settings and were good on manual settings. The 12.3-megapixel D5000 uses an APS-C (DX)-size sensor, and has a 19 automatic-exposure scene modes with maximum burst mode of 4 frames per second.
FOR – great image quality, swivel LCD monitor, information display screen, light weighted compact camera, much better autofocus. AGAINST – no autofocus in video recording, unable to use swivel LCD on tripod stand for self portrait, lack of dedicated buttons for white balance, AF, ISO, etc., people with bigger hands would find it difficult to handle due to its compactness. Conclusion- Performance – 9/10, Features and Design – 9/10, Value for money – 10/10, overall – 9.5/10. This is a wonderful model with loads of features and full value for money.
Sony Alpha DSLR-A900
The model has a 24.6-megapixel, full-frame CMOS sensor, which is a boon for landscape shooters who wants to capture wide angles using lenses. The features include sideways rotating HVL-F58AM flash and VG-C90AM battery grip. There is a small status display on the top providing limited information such as shutter, battery, aperture and shots remaining. The A900 lets one access and edit all the settings directly via the display. There are three custom setting slots on the mode dial, which is very useful and the bright, large viewfinder is a pleasure to use. The body of the A900 is of magnesium alloy with a 3-inch, 922,000-pixel TFT screen, which is really awesome. The A900 has a dual processor to handle the megapixel data, additional noise-reduction modes and an expanded variety of dynamic range options. There are three custom modes on the dial, which may benefit the landscape photographers a great deal as it is quick, convenient and personalized. Sony’s intelligent preview is said to be live view but it isn’t that great
FOR- easy to handle, easy to use, accurate and solid camera, in-camera stabilization is fantastic, high resolution, great accessories. AGAINST – high price tag, noise reduction softens image, unable to lock focus-point selector, sub par aspects of performance, loud mirror. Conclusion – Performance- 8/10, Design and features- 8/10, value for money – 7/10, overall – 8/10. A900 provides great image quality and a full-frame 35mm sensor is indeed exciting, but at the same time it lacks on performance and usability grounds due to its high marked price.
Nikon D3
The camera is said to be raising the bar with fantastic imaging, extremely low noise at astronomical ISO sensitivities and at the same time maintaining pro- level control. The camera provides a good grip, with a magnesium alloy body. All major controls can be controlled through buttons or dials, and there is a lock mechanism to prevent any accidental button press. Some current settings are displayed next to the shutter on the LCD, whereas ISO sensitivity and white balance are displayed on 3-inch LCD on the camera back. The D3 can adjust automatically for smaller circles of light shining on the center; it can also crop this image to 5 megapixels. It offers a pair of live view modes- one for tripod use and other for handheld use. The LCD screen is a 3-inch one with 920,000 dots and a 170-degree viewing angle. The performance of D3 is excellent, taking 0.1 sec to start up and capture, whereas it took 0.3 sec between JPEGs and raw images. Shutter lag measures where 0.3 sec in high-contrast test, 0.6 sec in low-contrast test. In continuous shooting mode, D3 captures 37 frames in 3.3 seconds which is quite impressive. There is a 3D tracking mode to capture contrasting background colors.
FOR- great design, full frame sensor, weather sealed magnesium alloy body, a fast SLR with very low noise, great battery life, easy- 9fps, good highlights and shadow. AGAINST- resolution lags far behind as compared to other competitors such as Cannon and Sony. Fn button is a bit lackluster; no spring inside CF card door- this does not give estimate if the card is properly seated. Conclusion- Performance-9/10, design and features-9/10, Value for money-9/10, overall- 9/10. It is a highly versatile imaging powerhouse that can click pictures which were previously impossible.
Canon EOS 1D Mark III
The 1D Mark III has a built-in vertical grip, with duplicate shutter as well as control buttons. It has a 3-inch LCD with Menu and info buttons above the screen and playback button drops below it. The body is very heavy and big, which is the only designing drawback. There is a tiny joystick controller used to navigate between menus. There is no hard button for white balance and can be done only through Func button. There is a separate ISO button behind the shutter button, which is very handy. There is a new viewfinder with 0.72x magnification, and viewing angle 30 degrees. Landscape photographers tend to change the focusing screen and Mark III can delight them with 11 different kinds of optional focusing screens. At the heart of the camera one will find a 10.1 megapixel Canon CMOS sensor. Whenever the camera is turned on or off, the camera vibrates and the IR-cut filter shakes away any dust settled on it, and if any, their location is spotted and the data is stored so the included Digital Photo Professional software removes them during processing. The camera takes just 0.1 sec to start and capture and took 0.4 sec to capture between two shots. This is coupled with stunning image quality and accurate colors.
FOR- Very fast, 10 megapixel shooting, very low noise, weather sealing and great design, many optional accessories, highly customizable. AGAINST – heavy and too big, may be difficult for people with small hands. Conclusion- Performance- 10/10, design and features- 9/10, Value for money- 9/10. Overall- 9/10. With great features and high performance this is one of the hottest cameras of the year.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Mark II weighs just over 2 pounds, the body is a steel chassis covered with magnesium alloy, and it’s very comfortable to grip and shoot. There is a main dial on the top with four dual purpose buttons to adjust metering and white balance; AF and drive modes; and ISO sensitivity and flash compensation. The viewfinder is slightly larger and a bit brighter as compared to the 5Ds. Canon supports 1,920x1080 at 30fps, true 1080p HD, with clips of upto 12 minutes. One can adjust exposure while shooting as there is no autofocus. There is face detection AF, which works only in Live View Mode. Mark II makes use of LP-E6, a new battery pack, which lasts reasonably long. There is, of course, no on-camera flash, but it can come in handy during emergency. The camera starts and shoots in 0.3 sec and takes between 0.3 to 0.6 sec to shoot. This is the slowest camera this year when it comes to burst shooting. Its 3.8fps burst-shooting speed (unlimited JPEG/14 Raw) is not good; its center-intensive 9-point AF system is also slow. The camera works extremely fantastic for center focusers, and at the same time the image quality is fantastic with accurate colors, and given its resolution the noise is surprisingly good.
FOR- excellent performance, great image quality, fantastic video capture capabilities. AGAINST- absence of built-in wireless controller, no built-in flash, large spot meter, direct controls are limited. Conclusion- Performance- 9/10, design and features- 9/10, Value for money- 9/10, overall- 9/10. It is a top-class full-frame camera, delivering fine photos as expected from a professional.
Canon EOS 20D
The Canon EOS 20D is an 8.2 megapixel digital SLR, with1.8 inch LCD screen, a very small one as compared to its competitors. The most wonderful aspect of the 20D is that it is compatible with lenses designed for very wide angle images. Some of the good features of EOS 20D are- it starts up rapidly and its shot-to-shot speed with 5fps capture rate. For off-camera lighting, there is hot shoe and PC terminal features. There are separate buttons for auto focus activation and shutter release via custom functions. The rapid start up time of 0.2 sec and shooting speed means one can capture mast moving images in sports, wildlife etc. it is lightweight and durable magnesium alloy body with 1.6x focal magnifier. There is all new 9-point AF unit with high precision cross-type center sensor. EOS 20D offers 12 shooting modes and 7 basic zone modes, which is a delight for landscape photographers. It has high-speed USB 2.0 interface for fast image downloads. A new feature joystick-like scrolling button just above the rear quick-control dial is a pleasure to use. The image quality is excellent especially in low light.
FOR- excellent battery life, low start up speed, larger sensor makes low noise and has higher resolution with high ISO settings, high zooming, improved flash metering with 580EX Speedlites, good accurate colors. AGAINST- minimal weather resistance, 1.8 inch LCD is too small, automatic white balance with tungsten light gives yellow skin-tones, Flash-sync limited to 1/250th, image controls for color and contrast limited to five steps. Conclusion- Performance- 9/10, design and features- 9/10, Value for money- 9/10, overall- 9/10. The Canon EOS 20D is yet another winner from Canon and it is a worthy possession for serious photographers.
Nikon D700
D700 has a superb 3-inch LCD It weighs around 2.4 pounds which is lighter than D3 or Canon EOS-1D. Almost all settings are adjusted through combination of buttons. On the top left there is quality, white balance and ISO buttons. There is a locked wheel that selects among drive modes- live view, self timer and mirror lock-up. On the top right there is shutter release surrounded by power switch, with buttons for exposure compensation and exposure mode selection. On the front left side of the body there is a switch for focus mode, compensation buttons and flash pop-up, and ports for a wired remote and flash sync cable. There is a switch for directly selecting metering mode. D700 provides lots of customization capabilities, the dynamic area options are 9-, 21-, or 51-point AF areas plus 51-point 3D tracking. The D700's relatively low-resolution 12-megapixel CMOS is not good enough, but its other features make up for this ordinary feature. There is bracketing option of up to nine shots at +/- 5EV in third-, half-, or full-stop increments. D700 includes Picture Controls for adjusting and saving contrast, sharpness, brightness, saturation and hue. It also has a DX crop mode similar to D3. The camera takes 0.2 sec to start and shoot, which is not suitable for sports or fast moving captures. But the class-leading feature is that it takes 0.3 sec to autofocus and shoot in good light, whereas it takes 0.6 in dim-light. It takes 0.5 sec to take two sequential shots. The viewfinder delivers only 95 percent coverage. The SLR provides a great image quality with great color accuracy.
FOR- fantastic photo quality with as high as ISO 6,400, fast focus, great shooting in dim light, control layout, first-rate build quality. AGAINST- 2.4 pound is heavy enough, viewfinder delivers 95% coverage, low resolution, and automatic white balance may be troublesome in artificial light. Conclusion- Performance- 8/10, design and features- 9/10, Value for money- 9/10. Overall- 9/10. Nikon D700 has all the features one may find in a pro full frame camera at reasonable price.
Olympus E-3
E-3 consists of a new autofocus sensor, and with the magnesium alloy body its dust, weather and splash-proof. At around 2 pounds, it is comfortable to hold as well as have a deep rubber grip. The layout is logical enough with some multi-button plus dial combos looking a bit old-fashioned. Shooting settings can be altered by using Super Control Panel. The direct access options make the options appear in viewfinder readout; this is applicable even to the options not available there like white balance or image stabilization mode, which is a welcome move. The viewfinder is fantastic with 1.1x magnification and 100 percent scene coverage. E-3 can be annoying when operating at ISO 2,000 or higher. This is where the display blinks continuously and can get irritating for some. E-3 provides a flip-and-twist LCD which makes live view useful in situations where a fixed LCD fails. E-3 helps one to preview the effect of image stabilizer. Even due to such features the LCD of 2.5 inch is quite small. On entering live view, there is a message board reminding to switch on the viewfinder cover. This is a great feature that should be incorporated by other SLRs as well, but at the same time it can be irritating if one is impatient to shoot as a few seconds are lost in the process. There is a 10-megapixel live MOS sensor; a few may find it a bit low resolution. The flash system supports 1/8,000 sec focal-plane shutter sync. There is a standard two percent spot meter with high-key, low-key options. It starts and shoots in 1.3 sec which very slow as compared to others, at the same time it captures consecutive frames in half a second. It delivers a quick 4.9 frames per second for high-speed burst shooting. The picture quality is great, with impressive automatic white balance.
FOR- fast performance, excellent picture quality, 100% viewfinder, flip-and-twist LCD, built-in wireless flash controller. AGAINST- small LCD, low resolution, some designing flaws. Conclusion- Performance- 9/10, design and features- 8/10, value for money- 8/10, overall- 8/10. despite some flaws, the SLR fares quite well among its competition. |
