DSLR Reviews

Remember the Canon 7D Mark II? Well, we’re still waiting for a final production sample of that APS-C sensor-based DSLR to review but, in the mean time, you can enjoy this cool video clip (below) showing a photographer jumping out of a plane with a pre-production version of the 7D II.

(Editor’s Note: Shutterbug contributor Jack Neubart has been testing the new Nikon D810 pro digital SLR. Here’s his hands-on “first look” at the camera. His full review of the D810 will appear in an upcoming issue of Shutterbug magazine.)

I became a Nikon convert back when the D300 was first introduced in 2007. I appreciated the camera’s handling, but mostly they got me with the Creative Lighting System, or CLS. Specifically, on the D300 it was the fully integrated wireless Commander mode via the built-in flash that grabbed my attention.

Even though the new Pentax K-3 offers a very robust and massive body, it is quite compact; it’s only slightly larger than the ultra-compact Canon EOS Rebel SL1, although it’s almost double the weight. Using 92 O-rings and seals, the camera is splashproof and the covers that protect the card slots, interfaces, and battery look very robust and inspire confidence. The sealing doesn’t allow for use of the Pentax as an underwater camera, but it is certainly well protected for use even in a very hard rain.

The Nikon D5300 follows the Nikon D5200 and there is an important difference between the two. The D5300 has a new image sensor without a low-pass filter, which contributed to an excellent performance in our resolution tests.
The D5300 uses a display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, which shows the whole sensor image without black borders or frames. Compared to the Nikon D5200, the LCD screen is also larger, at 3.2”, and has a very high resolution of 1.04 million RGB dots. The monitor is fully articulated and makes for very comfortable shooting.

The Canon EOS Rebel T5i (700D) is the replacement of the EOS Rebel T4i but in many ways is quite similar to its forerunner. Just like the T4i it uses an 18MP APS-C-sized sensor, has a compact body, a swivel monitor, Full HD video recording, and numerous helpful functions for beginners.

The Nikon D7100 is the newest of Nikon’s D-SLRs with a DX sensor (APS-C size). This is a new sensor without a low-pass filter, a very unique feature in this class because nearly all compact and SLR cameras use low-pass filter systems to avoid moiré and aliasing effects. The sensor has a resolution of 24MP (6000x4000 pixels). We did our tests with the kit version of the D7100, using the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, said to be optimized for DX cameras.

The D5200 follows Nikon’s D5100 and offers a new sensor with higher resolution (24MP instead of 16MP in the D5100). The new camera has an APS-C-sized CMOS sensor and uses a fast and reliable AF system with 39 focus sensors, including nine cross-type sensors. The photographer can toggle between different AF modes with nine, 21, or 39 points with dynamic-area mode and use predictive focus tracking for moving subjects.