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Nikon D3000, new entry-level SLR

It's had a loooong run, but now it's over; the Nikon D40, which the company unveiled in November 2006, is finally being put out to pasture. That's a pretty good lifespan for a consumer dSLR, and I'm sure Nikon is hoping that its replacement, the D3000--announced today along with the D300's replacement, the D300s and a pair of lens updates--can match or surpass its popularity.

The body remains mostly unchanged from the D40, but as you'd expect, Nikon beefs up some of the performance and features aspects of the camera, including a much-needed update of the AF system, which includes behind-the-scenes face detection. Other improvements inherited from across the line include enhanced air flow for improved dust reduction and better midtone correction in the Active D-Lighting.… Read more

Nikon D300s adds video capture

Though Nikon fans on message boards around the Web were hoping today's announcements would include a "D700x," we'll all have to settle for a not-too-shabby replacement for the D300 instead. Along with the D40's update, the D3000, and a pair of lens replacements, Nikon unveiled the D300s, which most notably includes support for 720p video capture.

The D300s incorporates the same video engine as that of the D90, which, at 720p resolution but limited to 24fps, isn't the greatest video we've seen, but it's significantly better than nothing. And the D300s goes it one better by supporting autofocus during recording--though we'll have to see how usably implemented that is--and use the Picture Controls to adjust the tone and color. The camera also has a stereo mic input. … Read more

Nikon gives the VR II treatment to two popular lenses

Improving on two already-popular Nikon lenses, Nikon today announced the new AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 ED VR II, and the new AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 G ED VR II. One is a popular FX series lens, the 70-200 f2.8, which has long been a staple for working professionals due to its fast aperture and versatility. And one is a popular DX series lens, the 18-200mm f3.5-5.6, which is one of Nikon's best sellers for the simple fact of its amazing versatility in a single lens. Both new lenses share Nikon's latest … Read more

Nikon Coolpix L20 Quick Take

The $129.95 Nikon Coolpix L20 is a budget-friendly compact camera with a 10-megapixel resolution, 3.6x zoom lens, and 3-inch LCD. It's a very basic point-and-shoot, but it does have a few extras--such as that large LCD--to make it worth considering.

The L20 is small at 3.8 inches wide by 2.4 inches high by 1.2 inches deep, but it has the added convenience of AA batteries as its power source. It's fairly lightweight, too, at 4.8 ounces without batteries and SD/SDHC memory card. You'll only get about 240 shots from two … Read more

Road Trip gadgets: MacBook Pro, Nikon D5000, LiveScribe Pulse

CASPER, Wyo.--Each year, when I plan for my annual Road Trip project, I coordinate both a long list of destinations to visit and a big box full of tech gadgets to test out. Plus a car.

Some of those gadgets get used once or twice, and then get put away again. But others, for better or worse, become integral components of the trip.

Over the next week or so, I'll be posting my (amateur) reviews of all these gadgets, in each case talking about what I thought of them, and how they fit into the trip. In most … Read more

Nikon D5000 won't turn on? It's not you, it's broken

Bought a Nikon D5000 and can't figure out why it won't work? Are your symptoms:

The camera cannot be operated when the power switch is on, even with a fully charged battery. The camera cannot be operated with the EH-5a AC adapter connected through the EP-5 power connector and the power switch on.

Nikon's there for you. The company issued a statement promising to post a list of affected serial numbers on July 23 (you'll be able to find it on this service advisory page), and perhaps more importantly, details on how it will streamline the … Read more

A romp through the camera rumor mill

While none of these seem verifiable, there are simply too many rumors about new dSLRs and interchangeable-lens cameras floating around on the Web to ignore. So here, for your delectation, is a summary of all the bits that are fit to post.

The most frequent topic playing Ring Around the Web is for a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV. A host of sites have repeated a set of specs first posted at Northlight Images by a supposed tester of the aforementioned model. He specifies the following:

Same 1.3x multiplier (APS-H) as previous models. 16-megapixel sensor with 8-megapixel sRAW ISO 50 to ISO 26,500 Same video and display as the 5D Mark II Slight redesign of button layout and grips

Said tester reports good high ISO photo quality (as you'd expect), faster continuous shooting than the 1D Mark III, "Nikon fast AF", usable Live View AF, and an overall better feel.

Supposedly there'll be a late summer announcement and end-of-year ship. Start saving those pennies now. Use a really big jar.… Read more