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Nikon D3500 vs Nikon D3400 Review

Nikon D3500 vs D3400 Review

Many of you have been asking us to review the Nikon D3400 against the new D3500 since a while. And if you already have bought the older generation cameras like the D3100, 3300 or the 3400, then this is a question that must be on top of your head. But you aren’t alone, there are many like you and this article is focused specially on people like you.

If you aren’t much of a reader and would like to see a video instead then you can log onto our YouTube Channel and see a complete comparison.

Similar Features:

So while there is much to deliberate when it comes to the new D3500. It has literally taken Nikon two whole years to launch the new update. And that is fair since the new product cycle in the photography industry is approximately that. But what is important to note is that there are many similarities between the two cameras.

Same size sensor: Both the cameras feature the same size sensor, which is 24.2 megapixel and are powered by the Expeed 4 processor. Unfortunately the new D3500 still doesn’t support in-body image stabilization. But while the specs of the sensors are the same, according to Nikon the sensor on the D3500 has been tweaked slightly as compared to the 3400 in order to give better performance. So whether this has an effect on its performance and the output is something that we will check later.

ISO capability and FPS: They both have an ISO range of 100-25,600 and shoot at 5 fps. They also feature the same 11-point focus system that has been around in the D3400 since years. At the back it has the 3-inch LCD screen with features 921k resolution.

So largely the D3500 features the specs as the D3400. The D3500 comes at Rs. 34,500 approximately with the 18-55mm lens. On the other hand the D3400 has been discontinued by Nikon and might be difficult to find in the Nikon authorised stores. But on aggregator platforms like Amazon and Flipkart one can easily find a deal for the camera at approximately Rs. 30,000 (which might include a dual lens kit).

So what are the Key Differences?

The first thing you notice is that the D3500 it is lighter a slightly compact than the D3400 (it is 30 grams lighter than the 3400). Next, all the buttons have moved to the right making it easy to operate. And since these buttons have moved to the right and the body is more compact, the screen seems a lot bigger.

The camera also features a deeper grip as compared to the D3400. But this deeper grip also means that your fingers might get stuck in the 3500, especially for someone which has bigger hands. The plus point however is that it offers a much more handy grip even when you attach and use more heavier lenses.

One of the key improvements in the 3500 is the increased battery life. The battery life has been improved by over 30% in the 3500 as compared to the 3400. As per the CIPA ratings a single charge can now give 1550 shots as opposed to the 1200 pics that the 3400 could give using the same battery.

What’s missing?

But where they have improved all of these things I felt that they should’ve also worked on some of the things to improve from the D3400.

For instance:

No external microphone input: The camera still doesn’t come with an external microphone input. Now this was not there in the D3400 also, but in today’s day and age with users migrating towards using the cameras as video recording devices, I think this is a must have.

Less customisable buttons: The D3500 unfortunately has less customisable buttons as compared to the D3400. In the previous camera, there was a Fn button on the front-left side of the body. But this has been removed in the D3500 in order to give the front a cleaner look. While that might be great, a quick customisable button usually proves very useful for consumers who want to toggle and change settings quickly.

No swivel screen: And as the other cameras in this category, the 3500 doesn’t have a swivel screen. Now this is something that you can still live with. But not have a touch screen at the back is not great. With more and more users looking to upgrade from their smart devices to the entry-level segment, a touch screen is an important feature to have.

Performance:

With both the cameras featuring the similar specs one might think that the performance of the cameras might be the same. But there certain changes in the performance that are noticeable.

Daylight Pic:

In terms of the performance of the cameras in daylight conditions, there’s hardly any difference in the pictures between the 2 cameras. The image of the flower that we have shot here is well saturated, sharp and also reproduces the colours accurately. Although the image from the D3500 seems slightly brighter and better exposed. But the difference between the two cameras is marginal.

As for the picture of the props and toys, the colour is also poppy, well-rounded and overall nearly similar. But in this case as well the sharpness and details in the D3500 is slightly higher than the D3400.

Daylight portrait:

It is nearly the same with the portraits as well during the day. All the images shot with both the cameras are shot on the exact same settings. And again the pictures are good. But the overall images in the 3500 seemed slightly more saturated as compared to the 3400. The image also has a slightly warmer cast than the 3400.

Low-light pictures:

In terms of the low-light images, whether portrait or otherwise we can see slight changes in the images. For instance the biggest one is the use of the older lens on the 3400, you can see a lot of lens flaring in the images from the 3400 as compared to the images from the 3500.

But as for the images again there wasn’t much to choose from. The images are nearly identical and one can hardly tell the difference.

Video Performance:

The video performance for the cameras was what differentiated things for me. While both cameras seemed to have a slight focus tracking problem, the 3500 was a lot better than the 3400. And while you don’t have a swivel screen making it easy for your to use it as a vlogging camera, there is enough there to make the cut in this department.

Conclusion:

So what is the overall answer then? Should you go for the D3500 if you are a new user or if you have an older camera like the D3100, 3300 or 3400? Well this is a mixed bag for me honestly. If you are in the market to buy a new camera then yes surely you should buy the D3500.

But if you are using an older camera like the 3300 or the 3100 then there are a lot of formidable upgrades that make the D3500 interesting enough for you. And if you already using the D3400 and are thinking of upgrading then this is a question best answered by you. If you see the specs then the specs are same, but there are small tweaks that have made the performance of the D3500 slightly better. So if you have the extra money and can afford that upgrade then you could go with the D3500.

But for the new users I would also suggest that you look at some of the other mirrorless options in the market around the same price range since that is where the future is heading according to us.

Text: Bhavya Desai

Best Mirrorless Cameras under Rs.50,000

It is very clear that Mirrorless Cameras are the thing of the future. All manjor manufacturers have not taken the plunge in this technology and this has eliminated the need of heavy camera bodies and lenses to some extent. They are priced almost in similar price brackets as the DSLRs and also the image quality is a good competition with the DSLRs. This month we asked the manufacturers to send us their Best Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras so we could put them to a head-to-head test in this year’s shootout. The price parameter for the cameras was set between Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 55,000

In this video we test the best cameras you can buy under Rs.50,000 ($700). The contenders in this line up are the Canon M5, Canon M50, Fujifilm XT100 and the Panasonic G85. We put them to test and see which one should you buy?

OnePlus 6T Review

In the last few years, OnePlus has really cemented its place in the minds of the consumer as a brand that offers the best specs at a very affordable price. But for many, the brand has become a beacon of innovation and the boundaries that they are constantly challenging. Whether it is their dash charger, or now the fingerprint sensor under the screen, they have truly been innovating in the smartphone industry. And with the OnePlus 6T they haven’t disappointed.

Every year the T version of the phone comes out, which is an upgrade in terms of the specs, but this year there is a serious upgradation to the phone which is beyond just a specs bump. The phone is available in the 3 variants as usual – 6GB RAM + 128GB storage – Rs 37,999 , 8GB RAM + 128GB storage – Rs 40,999 and

8GB RAM + 256GB storage – Rs 44,999. There is no 64GB version this time.

So what really are the changes that the 6T has introduced as compared to the 6?

Water drop notch

The first is the water-drop notch as they call it. The notch now is less intrusive and also gives you a very immersive experience to your phone. But with the new design the front side of the camera has seen a redesign in many ways. For instance, the camera is the only part that is featured here and the speaker has moved further up on the bezel. The design though is nice and it gives a much better experience when you are surfing the Internet and also watching videos compared to the OnePlus 6.

The phone is bigger

The 6T is now slightly bigger in terms of size as compared to the 6 and features a 6.41-inch screen. The bottom bezels have been pushed back a little in order to make the screen much bigger. But this also means that the phone has become more heavier and slightly bulkier than the 6.

But the change can’t just be attributed to some of these cosmetic changes. There is a lot that has changed under the hood as well. Like the phone now features a bigger battery with a 3700 mAh capacity as compared to the 3300mAh in the OnePlus 6. Which is great since the 6 already had a good battery life and now it has gotten much better with the 6T. And the Dash fast charging indeed makes life a bit easier.

No headphone jack

With the battery being bigger and more powerful, the headphone jack has been completely ditched this time. This isn’t much of a surprise to me honestly since the company moved to the wireless bullet headphones last year, it was evident that at some point of time this was going to happen. And this means that now you get an apple like USB-C connector for your headphones in the box.

And Oneplus has said that it was because of the bigger battery that they couldn’t have the headphone jack in the phone.

Finger print sensor

Now that the headphone jack is out of the way,the 6T also becomes the first OnePlus to use the fingerprint sensor under its screen. This means that the sensor from the back is gone and this makes the design look really beautiful and clean as compared to the 6. Personally I am not a big fan of the fingerprint reader on the back. Its just makes the design look very congested.

The finger print sensor has 3 new animations when you try and unlock the phone and I really wish these would’ve been better. In terms of performance, the fingerprint sensor works all right. It’s definitely not as fast as the one on the back of the 6. But as a first attempt, it is pretty good. And more importantly, it is innovating and gives something new to the user. You can still unlock the phone using the Face Unlock feature which continues to run pretty fast.

Camera Performance

There is no difference between the cameras of the 6 and the 6T. They feature the exact same cameras on the back, which are the 16-megapixel and 20-megapixel f/1.7 cameras. Usually the cameras in every smartphone works with a combination of hardware and software and in the 6T the performance of the camera is enhanced with software advancement.

A new feature called “Nightscape”, is part of the camera app now and that makes the pictures less blurry in low-light which works in combination with software. And if you are a OnePlus 6 user then fear not, this feature will be available as part of a free software upgrade for you as well.

In terms of the performance this feature didn’t make much of a difference to the pictures that we shot. Yes, the images very slightly less blurry but the fact that you have to hold the phone still for a very long time for the images to get captured, isn’t really the best experience. In the images that we have shot we have clicked the images with and without the software update. We have a OnePlus 6 which we have updated to the new release and it doesn’t have a night mode. And you can tell the slight difference in the images.

The camera also comes with the studio lighting and OnePlus says that in the 6t, it has made an effort to make the images much more true to life and neutral in nature. There is also a studio lighting feature now which is supposed to give a more even light to the images that you click, especially in the selfie mode.

It’s fast, really fast

One of the best things that I like about the OnePlus phones is that it gives you a near stock android performance. And the 6t is also the same. It’s powered with the Andriod Pie version and as usual it performs super fast. I also like the new navigation gestures in the phone and also the new about screen menu, which is a refreshing change since it gives all the info in a much more organised manner.

The performance of the phone is really quick and is very seamless with the new update. You can toggle between apps super fast and also move around a lot.

Conclusion

So what are my overall thoughts about the phone? In simple words, it truly is amazing. It’s fast, innovative, and gives you a great performance. It has taken all the good things it did with the 6 and has added substantial upgrades to the phone. Yes there is no headphone jack, but I think you should be used to it by now because all the smartphones might move in the similar direction in future. And the best part is that the company has stuck to their smart pricing principles and has placed 6t in a very accessible place , by just increasing the price slightly.

So if you are a OnePlus 6 user and have that extra cash to spare then it might as well be an upgrade, that is worth it. But if you are a new user and are looking to buy an android phone then the OnePlus 6 is definitely the phone for you.

Monitor Review – BenQ SW 240

Introduction

The latest BenQ monitor, the SW 240 is aimed at photographers and graphics professionals, wanting a wider gamut hardware calibrated display. The need for better viewing needs and competitive pricing makes this monitor a really interesting deal. We test the monitor with some standard parameters and see if it is really worth the price.

Look, Body and Feel

At 24.1-inches, the SW 240 is a good size option for those looking for something much larger than a standard laptop screen, but perhaps don’t have a huge amount of desk space to work with. It is a slim and stylish monitor, looking smart on a desktop. Setting up the monitor is very simple. Instructions come in the box on how you can attach the stand to the back of the monitor, but you don’t require any specialist tools, everything is very straightforward. The base of the monitor has an attachment for the vertical column to be fixed to it. The monitor can then be attached to the vertical post with a snap lock. There is a press button near the monitor mount which can be pressed to release the monitor from the vertical stand. The vertical stand also allows the monitor to be rotated to 180 degrees to get a vertical view.

The BenQ SW 240 allows the attachment of a hood which would sheild the light coming in from behind and the sides giving the user an easy and smooth editing experience.

The BenQ SW 240 comes with additional supplied cables which can be use d to connect the monitor to an existing system. However the monitor features a DVI port which is pretty much standard these days. It also features a thunderbolt port and a an HDMI out to directly connect it to an Apple computer or direct HDMI output from any source. There is also a built-in speaker for sound and card slot along with USB input ports.

The physical dimensions of the monitor are very manageable as the monitor has almost no bezels on the sides excluding the bottom which has a bezel and houses the buttons for input and adjustments. The buttons allow scrolling through the menu which features various color modes and an exclusive Black and White mode for editing in B&W. There is a dedicated button for switching the colour modes which is welcome as you do not have to go through the menu for changing the colour schemes.

The monitor allows colour calibration and it also automatically adjusts the colour according to the input source. This is quite useful for those who do not want to spend their time calibrating the monitor according to their systems and preferences. Overall the look and feel of the monitor is quite premium and its features give it a good edge from those very expensive made for the purpose displays.

Testing Parameters and Performance

To test this monitor for its colour accuracy (our main criteria) we decided to connect it to an existing computer and colour correct the same image using two different monitors to see the actual change in colour and the results after the correction. The selected images are plain JPEG files straight out of a Canon EOS 6D Mark II without any retouching.

The images after correction seemed to look different than the original. The one corrected on a regular TFT monitor screen looks dull when printed or viewed on a better screen. The images corrected on the BenQ SW 240 looked better and had more room for adjustments which points out at the display having the colour range to display even the slightest differences. The images when compared side by side using the BenQ monitor showed their apparent differences and made it pretty easy for us to decide. A dedicated photo-video editing monitor sure takes your colour game a notch higher.

Original Image

Standard TFT Monitor

BenQ SW 240

Conclusion

The BenQ SW 240 is a monitor aimed at the pros especially who are not looking to spend a fortune on a dedicated photo/video editing monitor but do realise the necessity of a good display for correcting their images. The main issue with the final output of the image (often in prints) is the change or shift in colours due to different sources and poor colour reproduction from their display devices which only include the monitor. The incorrect colours are seen when the pictures are printed from a high accuracy photo printer, making it lose its original charm. Hence photo dedicated monitors are a real necessity among the design and the editing fraternity.

The BenQ SW 240 has been priced at Rs 39,000 , but is still half or lesser than the price of some dedicated monitors. Sure there would be some differences like a 4K resolution, wider colours etc setting them apart but the overall results and the ease of use along with a approachable price tag makes it an excellent buy for the enthusiasts and pros alike. Not only designers and editors, but multimedia consumers and games also can enjoy the high quality output from the display. The absence of 4K resolution is a bit disappointing, owing to the fact that most videos, games and pictures are shot in very high resolutions and could have used a better crisper screen resolution to make things even better. However we must realise that this is a budget monitor and having a 4K enabled monitor would also increase its price by a few folds.

If you are an enthusiast, a designer or an multimedia editor who appreciates the need of good and true colours in your workflow, could definitely look at the BenQ SW 240 which is a good buy for the price.

Canon EOS 3000D Review: Should you buy it?

Our new video reviews the newly launched Canon EOS 3000D. The camera which was launched a few weeks back for Rs. 31,000 with the 18-55mm kit lens is the company’s new offering to the consumer.

Canon is trying to create a new segment with this camera. Check out the video as we test it.

Tamron 18-400mm Lens Video Review

Exclusive Review of the Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD

In recent times Tamron has come to be known well for its zoom-telephoto lenses. For instance, there was a considerable amount of success that the Tamron 16-300mm enjoyed before the launch of its successor. TheTamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLDwas launched recently in India and is the company’s evolution from the 16-300mm F3.5/5.6.

The 16-300mm had a zoom ratio of 18.8x and with the launch of the new 18-400mm, Tamron has launched the ‘world’s first ultra-telephoto all-in-one zoom lens that offers a 22.2x Zoom Ratio’. This means it offers the best of an Ultra-wide 18mm in a combined body with a 400mm telephoto option. The manufacturer has launched this at an extremely affordable price of Rs. 55,000 and aims to target any enthusiasts who are looking for one single lens to fulfil all their shooting needs.

The 18-400mm is an APSC lens which means it features a crop factor of 1.6x on a Canon mount and 1.5x on a Nikon mount. This means effectively it turns to a 29-640mm zoom lens on the Canon mount which we have used for the review. And for our readers who don’t follow what this means, then in simple words when you put this lens on a APSC body then it gets converted from a 400mm lens, which is its maximum range x 1.6 times on a Canon body giving us a farthest reach of 640mm. And a focal range of 620mm on a Nikon body with a 1.5x multiplication.

Look, Body and Feel

When it comes to the design, structure and the body of the lens then there are certain pluses and minus. For the sort of range that the lens provides it is housed in a very compact structure, and Tamron deserves much credit for the same. It seems pretty light as compared to the other telephoto zoom lenses in the same category and also the everything about the materials used in making the product screams tough, durable and rich.

It features a Design that houses 16 elements in 11 groups. The lens is divided into 3 structures in order to make it light and compact. The 3^rdstructure houses the lens when its contracted and on extension the 2^ndand the third housing is extended. But while Tamron has used this technology to make the lens compact it also acts as a small spoiler for the lens that we received for the review. The lens seems a little stiff when you are extending and using it in a real-world shooting scenario and this can pose a major challenge. I regularly found myself having this issue while zooming into the subject. But in time with the constant use of the same, it did tend to get slightly smoother in operation.

The lens is also weather sealed and comes with a ring lock in order to stop it from accidentally extending when not in use. A feature that many photographers/enthusiasts will surely appreciate.

Key Features

There are number of key features that the lens provides and they are below:

World’s first 22.2x Zoom ratio:

The lens is the world’s first lens to provide a zoom ratio of 22.2x with a max focal length of 400mm and beats the other options in the same category which includes popular manufacturers like Canon, Nikon and Sigma to name a few, all of whom have a 300mm lens in their portfolio.

Perspective flattening effect

Another feature that the lens provides is the Perspective flattening effect. Under this effect the background tends to draw closer and the effect appears stronger as the focal length gets longer. This makes the image look more dramatic, something similar to how the Portrait Mode on the new iPhones work. Now this isn’t different from any telephoto lens ideally, but this seems more pronounced with the Tamron lens.

HLD Motor

The 18-400mm also features the HLD (High/Low Torque Modulated Drive) motor developed by Tamron and is used for AF movement. With less mechanical contact compared to DC motor, both noise level and reliability are improved in HLD motor according to the manufacturer. The motor also has also enabled the company to minimise the size of the lens.

Performance:

In terms of the performance we checked the lens for the overall image quality, zoom ratio, chromatic aberration, distortion, flare and ghosting and bokeh among others.

We shot subjects at different focal lengths of 50mm, 200mm and 400mm and the performance of the lens in daylight conditions were very good. As seen in the sample images, the results are very sharp even on zooming in at 100% and there doesn’t seem to be much loss of detail. The lens produces well saturated colours and also doesn’t provide any issue while Focus Hunting.

But as good as the lenses performance is in daytime, it seems to lag slightly in low-light conditions. There tends to be loss in details in the night time, but we can’t really hold this against Tamron since most lenses in such situations are almost the same.

Chromatic Abbreation:

In terms of Chromatic Aberration, we ran the images through a benchmarking software which gave us an output of 3.22 pixels, which is fairly average for the telephoto lenses in this category.

Distortion:

We checked the distortion by shooting images at both 18mm as well as 400mm. The images showcased a high amount of distortion. As seen in these images the building appears to be leaning instead in a straight line which means it has a high amount of distortion.

Anti-Flare and Anti-Ghosting:

We pointed the lens to a light source to check its performance in this department and the lens performed well in this department displaying very minimal flare and ghosting. Most lens in such categories display a high amount of flare and ghosting.

Quality of Bokeh:

The quality of bokeh in the lens is pretty good and the reason why this is an important point is because when you are using a longer focal length and clicking subjects a good quality bokeh gives you a well-rounded circle which makes the pictures really stand out.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are number of things that the new 18-400mm from Tamron has going for itself. It delivers excellent performance in day-light conditions with sharp and detailed images combined with a decent low-light performance. The images are well saturated with the lens focusing really fast and the quality of bokehs are good.

But while it has some great things about itself there are also certain cautions when it comes to buying this lens. It has an average level of Chromatic Aberration but a high-level of distortion. And we would’ve liked that zoom ring to be a lot smoother.

So this brings us to the question whether you should by this lens or not? This ideally boils down to the what you are planning to use this lens for. If you are looking for an all-in-one lens that is a decent performer, then this is the perfect lens for you.

But if you are looking for a lens which delivers professional level performance then this might not be the lens for you. But if you are looking for that level of performance then be ready to shell out lenses which might cost nearly 2-3 times the Tamron 18-400mm.

Images and Text:

Bhavya Desai

Video Review of the Fujifilm X-E3

This video features a complete and unbiased review of the Fujifilm X-E3 Mirrorless Camera launched recently. The review talks about the cameras look, body and feel including its Still, Video, ISO Performances along with Key new features as compared to the predecessor.

Fujifilm XT-1 Review

Fujifilm’s latest addition to its popular mirrorless cameras, the Fujifi lm XT-1 is aimed at professional photographers who like to carry light and still get striking photographs. With this launch, Fujifilm looks to strengthen its X-series of cameras which include the X-E2, X-M1 etc. The camera features 16 megapixel 23.6mm x 15.6mm (APS-C) X-Trans CMOS II sensor and boasts of fast focussing. Let’s see how it performs.

Look, Body and Feel

At first glance, the Fujifilm XT-1 looks strikingly similar to older analogue SLR cameras but then the eyes instantly go to the big 3-inch LCD screen at the back and the big circular electronic viewfinder. The traditional X-E2 design has been modified and perfected and looks nothing like its predecessor now. The 2.6M dots OLED electronic viewfinder is large and crystal clear. When you have your eye to the viewfinder it feels like an LCD in itself. It has three large circular dials at the top of the camera body which controls the ISO, shutter speed and exposure control from left to right respectively. The design is sleek and the weather resistant body looks well built. There are a lot of buttons spread throughout the tiny body of the camera which is to provide easy access to the user without having to look at the LCD too many times. The3:2 tilting LCD is also a good touch, and the joints feel strong and quite sturdy. The view mode button that was replaced in the X-E2 has been added back again in this model, and you can switch on the viewfinder proximity sensor with the touch of a button. The camera is compact and packs a lot of physical features in terms of buttons, dials and switches. The grip is also quite good due to the leather finish on top of the magnesium alloy body but the small size of the camera might pose a problem to some.

Performance

The Fujifilm XT-1 was tested with the standard Fujinon 18-55 2.8-4 lens for our review. The camera performed excellently and the images were sharp, the colours were crisp and overall gave excellent quality images. The autofocus performed quite well, as promised by Fujifilm as we used it to take photographs of static objects with moving foreground and background objects. The 16 megapixel APS-C “X-TransCMOS II” sensor delivers to its reputation and the camera has seen considerable improvements in terms of faster autofocus compared to other mirrorless cameras from Fuji. The exposure dial came in handy to selectively expose a part of the frame and the results were quite good. The Fujifilm XT-1 also produced some vibrant colours. The camera which reportedly boasts of having the “world’s fastest AF of 0.08 seconds” also has a staggering burst mode of 8 fps with subject tracking features. As already stated this camera is all about buttons and dials, which Fujifilm has taken to new heights. There are six programmable buttons on the camera and the user can change the settings according to their needs.

The ISO performance of the camera is also quite good. It handles low-light very well till ISO 3200. Artifacts and grains start to appear from ISO 6400 but the photograph still remains sharp and quite usable. They start showing extreme grains at ISO 12800, which is the H1 or High1ISO. H1 and H2 should be avoided as much as possible and should only be used if extremely necessary when using this camera. A welcome feature that comes in handy for most modern photographers these days is the video capability of a camera. The camera allows the user to shoot full HD videos and HD videos at both 30 and60 fps. The videos recorded in the FujiXT-1 were crisp and the focussing was amazingly smooth. Another feature that Fujifilm has been constantly providing with its upper end mirrorless cameras is the Wi-Fi connectivity. This feature allows the user to instantaneously share JPEG images from the camera to different locations and social media sites over the Wi-Fi. One important thing missing from the camera is a built-in flash, which comes in handy in many situations. But Fujifilm has aptly added a small lightweight external flash as an accessory which has a guide number of eight meters at ISO 100. The flash attaches directly to the hot shoe. Another accessory that is compatible with this camera is an external battery pack, which is a very good feature to have during long shoots and is a welcome change to the mirrorless camera.

Conclusion

If you are looking to buy a high-end mirrorless camera not just for still photography but also for video recording this camera is highly recommended. Priced at around `119000 with fast and smooth focussing, a large tilt-swivel LCD, 2.36M doodled electronic viewfinder,8fps continuous shooting and good ISO performance this is a documentary photographer’s dream. Fujinon lenses another accessories from Fuji for this camera are trustworthy and have a very good built quality. Even though the number of buttons and dials in the camera and the small size can be problem for few, the Fuji XT-1is a good purchase for its price.

Look, body and feel rating – 3*

Beautifully designed, but too many dials can be confusing to some.

Amazing colour output, fast focussing, good video quality.

Performance rating – 5*

Amazing colour output, fast focussing, good video quality.

Overall rating – 4 1/2*

The Fujifilm XT-1 is a powerhouse of features, and the future of mirrorless cameras.

Nikon P900 Review

Launched recently in the optical zoom range market, the P900 has an 83x ratio equating to 24-2000mmin 35mm terms. Nikon claims this allows you to see things not visible to the human eye – such as details on the surface of the moon. There’s also a digital zoom, which boosts that reach to 166x, or 4000mm. A major issue with long zooms is image blur at the longest end of the zoom range, as the effects of camera shake are exaggerated. Nikon’s solution is to include its latest Dual Detect Optical VR system, which it claims offers a 5-stop shutter speed advantage. We thought that it would be a great idea to put these things to test and see how the P900 performed.

Look Body and Feel

The P900 like the other previous bridge models features the same 1/2.3-inch, 16million-pixel sensor. That’s the same size sensor as in many compact cameras – and, despite appearances, we feel that reason the P900 is classed as a compact camera is because of the lens being fixed and not the camera size. The P900 features a good quality plastic body. The camera has a large rubberised grip, with a large thumb grip on the rear of the camera as well. The left-hand side also features a rubber grip.

You can easily hold the camera with your hands thanks to the apt size and weight of the camera. The majority of options are available on the menu button; the camera body, like a DSLR, has less buttons on the body which makes it easy to hold and use.

You can set the exposure compensation, focus mode, self-timer and flash options with the scroll wheel on the back, or customise the Function (fn) button to give access to other options such as the ISO setting, or drive move. There is a snapback zoom button on the left of the lens barrel, and the side zoom control can be used to change the zoom, or can be set to manual focus. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is a decent size, bigger than some other compact cameras, but not as large as those found on mirrorless cameras. The front of the lens has a 67mm filter thread, which makes it possible to attach filters, although unfortunately the camera doesn’t come with a lens hood, or shade, and there aren’t any options to buy one on the website itself. The interface menus are clearly laid out, with options spread over five main screens, including a shooting menu, movie options, Wi-Fi options, location data options, and setup options. The screen is not a touch-screen; however, it does have good viewing angles, and shows a good resolution with clear results.

Performance

When it comes to producing rich and vibrant colours straight from the camera; the P900 does not disappoint you. The standard setting that the camera provides is apt for most of the shooting conditions and the vivid option in the camera helps you boost saturation although, if it’s not used with care, it can lead to slightly cyan skies in landscapes for an example. The Monochrome mode in the camera works apt but as there’s no way to revert to a full colour image if you change your mind later since there’s no camera RAW option; you need to be sure you want a black and white image before using it. You can also change the look of your images more dramatically by using the Effects mode, where you’ll find filter effects such as Cross Process and High-Contrast monochrome amongst all. Images taken at the longest optical zoom display a good amount of detail, and for those occasions when you need even more reach, shots taken using the digital zoom are also usable at small prints – but the 83x optical zoom offers such a high magnification that you may never need the digital zoom because the optical zoom covers it all. The P900 also performs well at shorter focal lengths. At normal focal lengths the images are pretty sharp and vibrant in colours. If you zoom in on the higher focal length images you’ll realise that the images are soft on the edges. It’s also worth pointing out that it’s only at the very widest focal length can you use the maximum f/2.8 aperture setting: as soon as you zoom a little, the maximum available aperture decreases to 4-5.6.Not all the aspects of the P900’s operations are as fast – for instance, the playback can take a second or two to respond, leaving you wondering if it’s working at all. On the plus side, making your way through menus is generally quicksand intuitive.

Conclusion

Clearly the big selling point of the P900 is its 83x zoom. It’s currently the market leader in this respect, but how long it retains that distinction remains to be seen. The downside of having such a huge optical zoom is that the camera needs to be large. The P900 is pretty much the same size as a DSLR with a kit lens attached. Although it’s great to have the option full manual control, and a range of exposure modes, it seems a little remiss of Nikon to not include raw format shooting – it’s something which appeals to enthusiasts.

Look, body and feel rating – 3 1/2 *

If you’re after a camera with a huge zoom range you can’t get bigger than this, for now at least. Images taken in good light look great, with vibrant colours. Having the option of full manual control is also helpful.

Performance rating – 4 *

It could be a small audience, but those looking for an ultra-zoom bridge camera should find the P900 very capable, especially if they don’t mind only being able to shoot JPEGs. The P900 is inexpensive purchase, but the price is likely to come down, and it has the longest zoom range of any camera currently on the market.

Overall Rating – 4 *

It could be a small audience, but those looking for an ultra-zoom bridge camera should find the P900 very capable, especially if they don’t mind only being able to shoot JPEGs. The P900 is an expensive purchase, but the price is likely to come down, and it has the

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.

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.