Digital Camera News and Reviews

Canon PIXMA MP560

Printer Comparison has tested the Canon PIXMA MP560 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One printer. This printer is a follow up to the popular Canon PIXMA MP620 so it will be interesting to see how the MP560 performs.

Some key features for the Canon PIXMA MP560:
-Print resolution up to 9600 x 2400 dpi
-Print speeds up to 9.2 ipm in black and 6.0 ipm in color
-2″ LCD screen
-Easy Scroll Wheel
-5-color ink system
-Automatic duplexing

Printer Comparison ends up giving the Canon PIXMA MP560 a very good review as it is able to produce prints of very high quality especially when you consider the price tag. The only downsides are a bit slow print speeds and low paper capacity. The Canon PIXMA MP560 seems like an excellent choice for hobby photographers who want good photo prints.
Read the full review of the Canon PIXMA MP560 printer here.

Canon XH A1S

Camcorder has reviewed the Canon XH A1S HDV camcorder. The Canon camcorder feature three 1/3-inch CCD sensors and records with HDV codec. With a price tag around $4000 it will be interesting to see how great the video quality is.

Some key features for the Canon XH A1S camcorder:
-Three 1/3-inch CCD sensors
-HDV codec
-20x HD lens (32.5 – 650mm)
-Canon DIGIC DV II HD Image Processor
-2.8-inch Widescreen LCD

Camcorder Info ends up giving the Canon XH A1S a pretty good review as you get quite a bit of features for the value, but there are other camcorders on the marked than can probably give you more for $4000. Tape-based media is a bit outdated and the reviewer thinks the build quality could be better, but the camcorder has a lot of adjustable features for being in this price class.
Read the full review of the Canon XH A1S HDV camcorder here.

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Photography Blog has reviewed the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS compact digital camera. This Canon super-zoom camera feature 20x optical zoom, high definition video and 12 megapixels. It is always interesting to see what the reviewer thinks about the image quality of a camera with a zoom this long.

Some key features for the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS:
-20x optical zoom lens (28-560mm)
-12 megapixel image sensor
-HD video recording (720p)
-2.5″ LCD screen
-Image stabilization

Photography Blog ends up giving the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS a “Recommended” 4 out of 5 stars review. It does not get top score when it comes to image quality as there is quite a bit of noise at higher ISO levels. The video recording on the other hand seems to be good with a handy 20x optical zoom and HD quality. Overall the SX20 IS seems like a good camera with a few shortcomings.
Read the full review of the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS digital camera here.

Pentax K-7

Nissin has announced a new flashgun for both Canon and Nikon cameras. The flashgun is called Nissin Di866 Professional Speedlite has an USB-port making it possible to upgrade its firmware. The Canon version works with DSLR cameras from Canon and Powershot cameras using ETTL and ETTL-2 systems. The Nikon version also works with Nikon DSLR cameras and Coolpix hotshoe cameras using i-TTL.

The Nissin Di866 Professional Speedlite will cost about £370.

Press release:
New Nissin flash gun available now

The new flash gun from Nissin, the Di866 Professional Speedlite, is now available to UK photographers, as first announced by Kenro at Focus on Imaging earlier this year.

The Di866 is available with either a Canon or Nikon fitting. The Canon version is compatible with Canon Digital SLR and Powershot hotshoe cameras using ETTL and ETTL-2 systems, while the Nikon model fits Nikon Digital SLR and Coolpix hotshoe cameras using i-TTL. The unit carries a SRP of £369.95 including VAT.

The Di866 has been specifically designed for use with digital SLR cameras and comes with many ‘world’s first’ features. This new clip-on type flash unit is simple to use and incorporates an easy to read rotating colour display, it can also be fired wirelessly where it can be used as a master or receiver.

With a guide number of 60m (ISO 100 @ 105mm) the Di866 features Nissin’s original ‘My TTL’ user adjustable TTL light output level and is firmware upgradable thanks to an onboard USB port.

The gun also features high speed synchronisation, allowing synchronisation for shutter speeds over 1/250th second and a recycling time of 3.5s which is able to offer up to 150 full-power flashes per set of batteries. Furthermore the Di866 features a fill in sub-flash (12m100 ISO), which is activated while the main flash is bounced and also a built-in wide angle diffuser and catch-light reflector.

“Nissin has been a world-class manufacturer of high quality electronic flash units for over 40 years and this latest addition to their range is a truly impressive piece of kit. A recent reviewer described the Di866 as ‘the most powerful hotshoe flashgun available,’ and I think everyone who uses the flash will agree with that statement.” says Kenro managing director, Paul Kench. “The technological advances contained in the Di866 make it the perfect choice for professional and advanced photographers.”

Kenro is the official UK distributor for the range of Nissin flash guns. See http://www.kenro.co.uk for details of your nearest stockist, or call Kenro on 01793 615836 for more detail.