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Canon 760D Review

The canon 760D was first launched in February 2015. An entry level DSLR, it features an APS-C sensor and forgoes some of the flashier elements similar to the 5Dc. As quoted by Canon in their release, “The EOS 760D is the first entrylevel EOS camera to incorporate a top LCD panel, in addition to the main display”. We got hold of a body with an 18-135mm lens for a review, let’s see how it performed.

Look body feel
The Canon EOS 760D is comparatively almost identical to the EOS 750D. It has the same 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, the same DIGIC 6 processor and the same AF system that provides hybrid focussing whether you’re using live view or the viewfinder as the EOS 750D. Although compared to the Canon EOS 700D, a few important improvements have been made across the board. Focus points have been upped form 9 to 19 and we get the DIGIC6 processor rather than DIGIC 5 for faster shooting and processing. An additional add-on is that Wi-Fi and NFC are included, unlike the 700D. There’s no need to buy pricey Wi-Fi adapter or wireless memory card anymore. It provides a sophisticated top LCD panel which displays important information such as ISO speed, exposure level and battery life. Much alike higher-ends cameras, operating the menus and settings in the EOS 760D is achieved through Quick Control Dial and Main Electronic Dial – an advanced method that allows users to adjust their settings and search for images with maximum convenience and minimal effort. The mode dial of the camera is pretty much the same; however the position of it allowed Canon to fit in an LCD display on the right part of the top plate, something which is generally a feature of a high-end pro DSLR. It lets you read exposure settings without activating the rear screen or looking through the viewfinder. The grip however is much more comfortable than the previous to carry. Mounted on a 50mm the camera bodyweight hardly feels anything. the pairing of an amazing sensor and the DIGIC 6 processor allows the user a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100 to12,800 equivalents which performs well in low-light conditions. For the price and the range the ISO performance is better than other equivalents in the market. The touch screen on the LCD also has good touch capability and calibration.

Performance


The Canon 760D uses 19-point, all cross-type autofocus sensor that’s inherited from the EOS 70D. It replaces the earlier 9-point, all cross-type phase detection autofocus sensor of the 750D,more than doubling the total number of points. The camera gives a Mac video resolution of 1920 x 1080. Together, the pairing of an amazing sensor and the DIGIC 6 processor allows the user a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100 to12,800 equivalents which performs well in low-light conditions. For the price and the range the ISO performance is better than other equivalents in the market. The touch screen on the LCD also has good touch capability and calibration.


ISO


The Canon EOS 760D offers you a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-12,800 with an expansion setting of ISO 25,600 for stills. It’s also possible for the cameras to set sensitivity automatically within the range ISO 100-6400.The native range for movies is ISO 100-6400with an expansion setting of ISO 12,800. The camera gives no or low noise at the higher ISO, and the noise control works well through the range. For more on how the camera performed check out the ISO chart.

The Canon EOS 760D offers you a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-12,800 with an expansion setting of ISO 25,600 for stills. It’s also possible for the cameras to set sensitivity automatically within the range ISO 100-6400.The native range for movies is ISO 100-6400with an expansion setting of ISO 12,800. The camera gives no or low noise at the higher ISO, and the noise control works well through the range. For more on how the camera performed check out the ISO chart.

Conclusion
Overall, this camera provides more than enough to the ones who want to go beyond the auto mode and explore. It’s fun and easy to use. The top LCD and Quick Mode Dial both make it worth the money you are paying for it. However, if you are looking for something basic and never going to switch out of your program mode than this might not be it.

Look, body and feel rating – 4 *
Light camera body, with touch screen and the all-new function button placement makes this camera very easy to use.

Performance rating – 4 *
With the new sensor and the functionality, the camera performance is as good as any semi-professional, entry-level full frame camera.

Overall rating – 4 *
It’s lighter in weight, like all the APS-C bodies from Canon. The performance and looks are close to any present entry-level full frames, which make this worth the buy for its cost.


Nikon D4 Review

Nikon D4


Nikon India recently launched their new flagship camera, the D4 in India. The latest entrant in the professional DSLR camera market, the D4 employs a newly developed Nikon FX format CMOS sensor with 16.2 million effective pixels and boasts of improved video capabilities and a compelling set of features compared to the existing models. Having turned to its professional user base to work out some of the improvements and changes, the new D4 features a few big changes and a host of small improvements compared to its predecessor apart from the more obvious increased megapixel and expanded ISO range.


Look Body and Feel


One look at the camera gives you a hint of what you could expect from this beast! Quite like the D3, the D4 is built tough and seems like it can handle a fair amount of abuse. There’s little change in terms of shape when compared to the D3 or the D3s. The D4 provides better control in both landscape and portrait orientations, making the overall feel a lot more comfortable to use. Some of the controls have been repositioned so as to provide faster access to the front dial and shutter release, making it more comfortable. The control and ergonomics are different with respect to both the D3 and the D3s. Both the joystick and the autofocus control are now easier to access when holding the camera vertically in the portrait orientation. These changes seem to have been made keeping in mind photojournalists and sports photographers making the camera faster and easier to use.


The addition of a record button to the top panel is just one of the changes made to the controls. You’d think the record button would start video recording just by clicking it but it doesn’t quite work that way. You still have to switch live view on first, a button for which is present on the rear panel of the camera, just below the 3.2” LCD. The record button is customisable. The button for switching through metering modes has replaced the command lock button, which has been done away with, just like the AE-L/AF-L button so as to better support using the camera in its vertical orientation. The protect button now also works as picture control when shooting. The rubberised lump on the rear panel below the microphone gives users better grip while using the camera in its vertical orientation. Backlit buttons are a welcome addition and hugely improve camera usability in low light scenarios. 



Features


With the increasing demand for video footage from professional photographers, and with stiff competition in this realm, the improvements in terms of video capabilities don’t come as a surprise. Being able to see the audio levels on the rear display while recording video, a headphone jack for audio monitoring, improved audio fidelity are some of the small aspects that Nikon has taken care of with their latest offering.


The newly developed higher resolution 16.2 MP full-frame CMOS sensor enables better low light photography thanks to an ISO sensitivity range from 100 to 12800 at normal settings, and expandable from ISO 50 to ISO 204800 equivalent.


The new 91000 pixel RGB sensor manages to achieve better autofocus, enabling the system to recognise human faces even while shooting with the optical viewfinder. It also plays a significant role in subject tracking, white balance and Active D-Lighting.



The D4 has dual memory card slots – one Compact Flash and one XQD slot, Sony’s new memory card. While the new format might help improve speed, one concern is that it eliminates the possibility of using old CF cards as a second card for backup, and might also mean extra expenditure if you’re interested in purchasing the new card.


The D4 now allows users to vary Auto-ISO based on focal length, which is a welcome development, as earlier it lacked the ability to vary the shutter threshold based on focal length. 


Conclusion


The launch of the Nikon D4 was highly anticipated, especially in the wake of the launch of Canon’s EOS-1D X. Featuring a few big changes and a host of small improvements in comparison with its predecessor, the Nikon D4 more than exceeded our expectations with its performance in the mid ISO range. However, its performance at ISO 12800 and beyond did leave a lot to be desired. The improvements in the camera’s video capabilities are also significant. However, at a price of Rs. 324,950, the D4 isn’t exactly cheap, and only time will tell how this model will fare in today’s competitive market.


Too read the whole review and the performance and ratings, grab the April 2012 issue of the magazine today.


Text: George Kurien and Ajay Singh