Cheap Price Canon EOS 60Da 18.0 MP CMOS Digital Astrophotography SLR Camera with 3.0-inch Vari-Angle LCD for sale in USA

Canon EOS 60Da 18.0 MP CMOS Digital Astrophotography SLR Camera with 3.0-inch Vari-Angle LCD From Canon Price: $1,499.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Ships from and sold by Amazon.com 4 new or used available from $1,499.00

Product Description

Canon EOS 60DA The first astrophotography-specialized DSLR since the 2004-vintage Canon EOS 20Da, the 60Da shares most of the features of the 60D, but with one key differences that will put a smile on any stargazer's face. The Canon EOS 60Da features increased IR sensitivity for astrophotography (IR cut filter is modified to achieve a hydrogen-alpha (Ha) light (656nm) transparency approximately three times higher than the EOS 60D and other digital cameras) allowing crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae. To capture the full range of colors given off by diffuse nebulae in the sky, the EOS 60Da features a specially tailored infrared blocking filter that allows the light normally blocked by a typical DSLR's filter to be captured by the camera's sensor. This means that the reddish hydrogen-alpha (Ha) light (656nm) gasses unseen by a normal DSLR are captured brightly and clearly on the EOS 60Da. With its modified infrared blocking filter, the EOS 60Da captures approximately 3x the hydrogen-alpha (Ha) rays than the EOS 60D, resulting in astrophotography that is sharper, clearer and more accurate. Along with the the Canon EOS 60Da a Remote Controller Adapter RA-E3, which allows compatibility with the optional Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 for accurate control of long exposures and automatic shooting of repetitive shots with the interval timer is being bundled with the camera.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2682 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Black
• Brand: Canon
• Model: 6596B002
• Dimensions: 5.43" h x 7.10" w x 9.60" l, 1.49 pounds
• Display size: 3

Features

• Increased IR sensitivity for astrophotography
• 18.0 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, ISO 100-6400
• Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor
• Newly bundled Remote Controller Adapter RA-E3
• Compatible with Canon's extensive family of EF and EF-S lenses and EOS accessories

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description 
Canon EOS 60DA The first astrophotography-specialized DSLR since the 2004-vintage Canon EOS 20Da, the 60Da shares most of the features of the 60D, but with one key differences that will put a smile on any stargazer's face. The Canon EOS 60Da features increased IR sensitivity for astrophotography (IR cut filter is modified to achieve a hydrogen-alpha (Ha) light (656nm) transparency approximately three times higher than the EOS 60D and other digital cameras) allowing crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae. To capture the full range of colors given off by diffuse nebulae in the sky, the EOS 60Da features a specially tailored infrared blocking filter that allows the light normally blocked by a typical DSLR's filter to be captured by the camera's sensor. This means that the reddish hydrogen-alpha (Ha) light (656nm) gasses unseen by a normal DSLR are captured brightly and clearly on the EOS 60Da. With its modified infrared blocking filter, the EOS 60Da captures approximately 3x the hydrogen-alpha (Ha) rays than the EOS 60D, resulting in astrophotography that is sharper, clearer and more accurate. Along with the the Canon EOS 60Da a Remote Controller Adapter RA-E3, which allows compatibility with the optional Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 for accurate control of long exposures and automatic shooting of repetitive shots with the interval timer is being bundled with the camera.

From the Manufacturer 

Stellar Performer

 

For photographers who look to the sky, Canon is proud to offer the new EOS 60Da DSLR. Following in the popularity of the EOS 20Da, the EOS 60Da is tailor made just for astrophotography. It’s designed to ensure accurate depictions of the reddish hues when photographing diffuse nebulae in the nighttime sky with the increased sensitivity of hydrogen-alpha (Hα) lines (656nm). With the same advanced features of the EOS 60D DSLR, including a Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor for Live View compositions, an amazing 18.0 Megapixel CMOS sensor, an ISO range of 100–6400 (expandable to 12800) and more, the EOS 60Da is both capable and simple. Perfect for long exposures while gazing up into the sky, there’s nothing like the EOS 60Da.

Brilliant Capture of the Entire Spectrum of Color in the Sky

Increased IR sensitivity for astrophotography allowing crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae.

To capture the full range of colors given off by diffuse nebulae in the sky, the EOS 60Da features a specially tailored infrared blocking filter that allows the light normally blocked by a typical DSLR’s filter to be captured by the camera’s sensor. This means that the reddish hydrogen-alpha (Hα) light (656nm) gasses unseen by a normal DSLR are captured brightly and clearly on the EOS 60Da. With its modified infrared blocking filter, the EOS 60Da captures approximately 3x the hydrogen-alpha (Hα) rays than the EOS 60D, resulting in astrophotography that is sharper, clearer and more accurate in the depiction of naturally occurring reddish hues of diffuse nebulae.

EOS Performance, Brilliant Results

18.0 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor

The EOS 60Da features an 18.0 Megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor that captures such a high level of resolution it’s easy to crop images for enlargement without concern of losing detail. A major factor in reducing noise, the CMOS sensor assures that images shot at highest sensitivity will be remarkably smooth even with the long exposures associated with astrophotography.

ISO 100–6400; expandable to ISO 12800 in H mode

With a broad range of ISO settings, expandable up to ISO 12800 with Custom Functions, the EOS 60Da cancapture fine details with low noise, which is exceptionally ideal for the challenging conditions of astrophotography.

DIGIC 4 Image Processor

The DIGIC 4 Image Processor – the same found on the original EOS 60D – ensures that images are captured, processed and saved with remarkable speed. The EOS 60Da offers multiple aspect ratio shooting, in-camera RAW image processing, creative filters, image resizing and provides S2 and S3 image-recording quality thanks to the power of the DIGIC 4 Image Processor. With dazzling results, the DIGIC 4 Image Processor also works to capture and process data of images shot at 18.0 Megapixels at 5.3 fps, as well as 14-bit signal processing for excellent image gradation, no matter the exposure.

Bright and Easy Viewing at Any Angle

Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD and Live View.

The EOS 60Da features a bright, high resolution, flip-out Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor for shooting at a variety of angles. Convenient in all situations, the monitor’s flexibility lends itself to tripod-mounted shooting towards the sky, offering a comfortable alternative to through-the-lens composition.

With 1,040,000 dots for spectacular detail, the advanced, smudge-resistant monitor includes high transparency materials plus anti-reflective and water-repellant coatings to provide clear and bright viewing. Superb for reviewing, editing and deleting photos or composing new images in Live View function, the Vari-angle Clear View LCD monitor is also the perfect means for accessing camera settings like ISO, metering modes, AF Point selection, and the horizontal Electronic Level.

EOS Control in the Palm of Your Hand

Remote Controller Adapter RA-E3.

The EOS 60Da comes bundled with the new Remote Controller Adapter RA-E3 for total compatibility with Canon’s remote switch for EOS cameras with the N3-type socket, the Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3. This remote switch has a self-timer, interval timer, long exposure timer and exposure-count setting feature. The timer can be set from 1 second to 99 hours. A dial enables numerous settings to be accessed one-handed. It has an illuminated LCD panel and a 2.6ft/80cm cord. Perfect for nighttime setups, and for shooting at the sky, the Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 is the perfect complement to the EOS 60Da’s power.

An Extensive Family of Lenses and Accessories

EF and EF-S Lenses.

The EOS 60Da is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF and EF-S lineup, ranging from ultra-wide angle to super telephoto lenses. Canon lenses employ advanced optical expertise and micron-precision engineering to deliver unprecedented performance in all facets of the photographic process. Special optical technologies, such as aspherical, ultra-low dispersion, or fluorite elements are featured in the universally acclaimed L-series lenses. And Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer technology is featured in select lenses to minimize the effect of camera shake. Additionally, the lenses used for astrophotography are compatible with every other EOS SLR; Canon wide-angle, macro, super-telephoto, tilt-shift and fisheye lenses provide a wealth of focal lengths, depth-of-field and other creative shooting options.

EOS Accessories.

Canon offers a host of accessories to help photographers make the most of the EOS 60Da’s powerful features. For long exposures using Live View, the AC Adapter Kit ACK-E6 provides a constant source of AC power to the camera. For composing through the viewfinder, Angle Finder C enables an adjustable viewing angle while providing a 2.5x magnification for critical focusing with a full screen image that also shows exposure data. Battery Grip BG-E9 enables the use of AA batteries or two LP-E6 batteries and adds the convenience of access to all the cameras features in both portrait and landscape orientation.

Kit Inlcudes:

• 60Da Camera Body
• Eyecup Eb
• Battery Pack LP-E6
• Battery Charger LC-E6
• DC Coupler DR-E6
• AC Adapter AC-E6
• ACK Plug
• Stereo AV Cable AVC-DC400ST
• Interface Cable IFC-130U
• Remote Controller Adapter RA-E3
• Wide Strap EW-100BIII
• EOS DIGITAL Solutions Disck ver.25.0(EFSR)
• Software Instruction Book CD (JEFSsC)
• Camera Instruction Book
• Pocket Guide
• Warranty Card

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Cheap Price Fuji FinePix S2980 HD Digital Bridge Camera for sale in USA

Fuji FinePix S2980 HD Digital Bridge Camera From Fuji Price: $187.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Ships from and sold by safe t stucco 12 new or used available from $185.00

Product Description

The S2980 sports an impressive 28mm - 504mm high precision Fujinon optical zoom lens. Simple to operate with an electric powered zoom lever, the huge zoom range means that you can capture all the detail, even when you're at a considerable distance away. You can even operate the zoom during video shooting. Unlike a bulky D-SLR, bridge cameras allow you great versatility of zoom, without the hassle of carrying a bag of lenses.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2847 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Fuji
• Model: S2980

Features

• 3.0in LCD screen (230K dot resolution) and EVF (200K dot resolution)
• HD stills (Full HD) and 720p HD movie capture (30 fps)
• Face Detection with Blink detection and Smile and shoot mode
• Motion Panorama mode
• Auto Rotate

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Cheap Price Sony Alpha SLT-A57K 16.1 MP Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor DSLR with Translucent Mirror Technology, 3D Sweep Panorama and 18-55mm Zoom Lens for sale in USA

Sony Alpha SLT-A57K 16.1 MP Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor DSLR with Translucent Mirror Technology, 3D Sweep Panorama and 18-55mm Zoom Lens From Sony List Price: $799.99 Price: $799.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Ships from and sold by Amazon.com 14 new or used available from $774.99 Average customer review:   (6 customer reviews)

Product Description

Even when shooting in challenging conditions, the cutting-edge Sony Alpha SLT-A57 DSLR camera with Translucent Mirror Technology ensures beautiful results. Capture the decisive moment with up to 10 fps with continuous auto focus, and lock in every detail with the 16.1MP Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor. Whether you're stepping up to your first DSLR, or an avid enthusiast adding to your arsenal, discover the pleasure and creativity of class-above interchangeable lens photography and 1080/60p/24p AVCHD moviemaking. Also features: Tilt/swivel 3" LCD screen, Eye-Level Electronic Viewfinder, SteadyShot INSIDE stabilization, 15-point Auto Focus, Sweep Panorama Mode, and much more. Includes an all-purpose SAL 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DT Zoom Lens, excellent for snapshots, portraits, interiors and more.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #656 in Camera & Photo
• Color: No Color
• Brand: Sony
• Model: SLTA57K
• Dimensions: 6.00 pounds
• Display size: 3
• Included Software: Hotshoe

Features

• 16.1 megapixels
• Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor
• Translucent Mirror Technology
• High-speed 12 fps continuous shooting
• AVCHD Version 2.0 (Progressive) Full HD Movie at 60p (50p)

Customer Reviews

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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Great step up from the A100 
By Derrick 
I purchased this from another retailer before it was available from Amazon. I needed it in a hurry because my A100 failed. The a57 is a very good camera but it took some getting used to.
This is my first SLT so I found the LCD viewfinder to be a bit strange at first when using a DSLR. It is very bright, and has a bit too much contrast when shooting in very bright sunlight. The LCD multiple angle live/playback/menu screen is great. Easy to see even in bright daylight. Being an SLT (single lens translucent mirror) camera, the a57 is extremely quiet when taking pictures. I use the Intelligent auto mode or the P mode most of the time as opposed to the Superior mode. I don't want the flash to pop up on its own when shooting in low light, which it does very well. All my older Minolta AF A mount lenses work well with the camera, including my Sigma 28 f2.8 macro lens. My older HVLF36am flash is completely compatible with the a57 as well.

The camera body is the same size as the a100 although a bit lighter in weight. It has a comfortable grip with room for all my fingers (no pinky hanging off like with earlier Sony DSLR models). The controls are layed out logically. There is one minor problem...it is possible to hit the movie button by accident. I would prefer a slide switch to start a movie as opposed to a button. You can eat up your memory card without even knowing what happened if not careful.

I am still a guy who misses film (I had my own color darkroom) I shot mostly 200 ASA negative film and 400 ASA in very low light conditions. So at 16 MP I feel that the A57 takes very sharp pictures in all conditions. I took a look at the a65 with its 24 MP and its brighter OLED View Finder but really did not see enough advantage to the camera to spend an extra 200 bucks. I think Sony had that in mind when they replaced the a55 with the a57. If you really want the extra MPs then 200 bucks is not bad, but you don't sacrifice much if you go with the a57. As a matter of fact you get a couple of new features with the a57 not available with the a65. One is Auto Portrait Framing. When taking a picture that captures a face, you can center and snap and the camera will automatically save a second image, re-frame the shot using the rule of thirds. Pretty cool I think. Also, if you are willing to shoot at a smaller picture size, the a57 will fire at 12 frames per second. At the largest pic size it will shoot at 10fps. Not bad for action shots. Last the a57 will shoot at 16000 ISO which for all of us old film buffs translates to a lot of pushing in the darkroom.
Not having used an SLT with electronic viewfinder before, I found out that there are things I like... such as the level indicator, and things I don't like..like too much info cluttering up the viewing area. Fortunately info displayed is optional and you can change how much you want to see.

The a57 uses the larger M size battery, the same newer battery for the a100. The a55 which the a57 is replacing uses a smaller battery, which doesn't last as long and tends to get hot as well.

The Pros of this camera are many....sharp pictures even in low light. Records movies easily (also a con)
Terrific number of auto shoot modes for all kinds of conditions including portrait re-framing and auto HDR along with multi frame exposure for low light conditions.
Uses the large M batteries.
Bright LCD multi angle live/review/menu screen.

Cons (keeping the camera from getting a full five stars)

View Finder screen has too much contrast when shooting in bright daylight, .
Easy to hit the movie button by accident...with a finger or against your chest.

The camera has some fun things I have not used yet..such as the panorama sweep mode, both 2d and 3d. Not having a 3d television I doubt that feature will get used much.

All told I look forward to using this camera for a long time to come. I will say this...I still like looking through an optical VF so my a100 is going in for repair. Using the a57 and the a100 together should allow me to do just about anything including shooting HD movies.

I am updating my review, now that I have learned a bit more about the camera and giving it five stars.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
This camera is a very nice upgrade of the already very good SLT-a55 
By N Doxey 
I have used a Sony SLT-a55 for the past year and a half and purchased a number of the Sony and Zeiss professional lens. This combination has produced very good output. Some of the finest pictures I have ever taken were with the a55. However I was annoyed that the camera was not as responsive as my a700 and the overheating problem during video recording. So I preordered the SLT-a57 March 18th and it arrived yesterday. I have only had the camera one day and I am very impressed and think the upgrade from the a55 is very good. I think the Sony SLT cameras offer an excellent feature set. I am a fan of the EVF technology. Much of my photography is done shooting stage events where the lights vary greatly across the stage. I love being able to see the adjustments of the camera setting in the EVF and shoot without needing to refer to the output on the LCD screen. What you see is what you get. I can concentrate on the subjects and wait for just the right moment in the action. I prefer to compose the scene through a VF anyway. I no longer take an OVF camera to stage events. Getting the right exposure is so easy with an SLT camera. The exposure on stage can easily vary from 1/30 to 1/640 sec at F4 depending upon the subject position relative to the lighting, especially spotlights. I no longer do any exposure bracketing. I also enjoyed the continuous focus during video recording (DLSR AF during zooming while video recording is poor), and in camera HDR feature that works very well. I do prefer an OVF camera for studio work with strobes. I have been very impressed with two other features of the SLT-a57 already. The first one is focus peaking during manually focusing. I have poor eyesight and could no longer manually focus a scene. But with the focus peaking feature my manual focusing that been restored. It is like a part of my vision has been restored. I now would buy a Sony SLT or NEX camera just for this feature alone. The other feature that appears very impressive is the clear zoom feature where the picture quality is processed and improved over what one usually gets from a digital zoom which degrades the IQ. You can zoom up to 2.8x on any lens attached to the camera. I have uploaded two pictures for you to see the magnification of my CZ 16-80 zoom lens at 80mm while lighting the subject with bounce flash (These are jpg pictures right out of the camera. Notice the knots on the beaded jug as a reference). I now will have a very nice combination with my a77 for event photography with some SSM lens. I want to thank the engineers at Sony for this feature set. In the past I felt that Sony offered some excellent lens but that each of their camera models was lacking an important feature. Now I feel that Sony has produced two excellent cameras in the SLT a77 (I bought it for its AF system (which is great) and the ability to micro adjust lens focus) and the SLT-57 model. They are very fun to use with a super feature set. They are fast, feel good in the the hand and produce very nice pictures indeed.

I tested the clear zoom feature further tonight and I think that it works as advertised which is amazing. You can digitally magnify the image up to 2.8x more while still retaining very good image quality through Sony's image enhancement feature. I included some pictures taken with my telephoto lens on the Sony a57 product page here on Amazon shot at an 8 Mp resolution. Look for yourself. I made my 200mm telephoto lens a 400mm with the push a button. There is a picture taken with my 400mm lens for comparison. It doesn't look like a gimmick to me. 4-29-12 I uploaded more pictures to the Sony SLT-a57 product page after a trip out "birding" with an 400mm lens. I think people interested in photographing wildlife should consider this camera.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
wonderful camera 
By luke 
I am not a professional photographer but I would like to say something about my comparison of the slt a57 and the slt a65. I may be crazy but I cannot tell the difference in the oled viewfinder and the supposed lesser tech slt a57 viewfinder. both are great. the resolution of the slt a57 is better at iso 3200 and above. the slt a57 has 12 fps with the 1.4 crop and the slt a65 does not. the slt a57 has the slt a65 body which is very ergonomic. there is 200.00 price difference. I would take the slt a57 for the 12fps 1.4 crop alone. my d700 will not take sports pictures that are better than the slt a57 except at very low light. I use the tamron 70-300 usd and the sony 16-50 and it is a beautiful combination. the focus on both cameras is faster than my d700 and the continuous af is outstanding. you cannot go wrong with the slt a57.

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Cheap Price Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for sale in USA

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens From Canon Price: $4,299.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com 8 new or used available from $4,299.00 Average customer review:   (64 customer reviews)

Product Description

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera KIT with EF24-105mm IS Lens 5260B009AA

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #513 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Black
• Brand: Canon
• Model: 5260B009
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 4.60" h x 6.00" w x 3.00" l, 1.90 pounds
• Display size: 3.2

Features

• Newly designed 22.3 Megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, 14-bit A/D conversion, wide range ISO setting 100-25600 (L:50, H1: 51200, H2: 102400) for shooting from bright to dim light and next generation DIGIC 5+ Image Processor for enhanced noise reduction and exceptional processing speed.
• New 61-Point High Density Reticular AF including up to 41 cross-type AF points with f/4.0 lens support and 5 dual diagonal AF points (sensitive to f/2.8).
• iFCL Metering with 63 zone dual-layer metering sensor that utilizes AF and color information for optimizing exposure and image quality.
• EOS HD Video with manual exposure control and multiple frame rates (1080: 30p (29.97) / 24p (23.976) / 25p, 720: 60p (59.94) / 50p, 480: 30p (29.97) / 25p) with 4 GB automatic file partitioning (continuous recording time 29 minutes 59 seconds), selectable "All i-frame" or IPB compressions, embedded timecode, manual audio level control while recording, and headphone terminal.
• 3.2-inch Clear View II LCD monitor, 170° viewing angle, 1,040,000-dot VGA, reflection; magnesium-alloy body with shutter durability tested up to 150,000 cycles, enhanced dust-and-weather resistance, and updated EOS Integrated Cleaning system for improved vibration-based dust removal.

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221 of 240 people found the following review helpful.
Should you upgrade? Photo and video shooters, read and decide! 
By David Siegfried 
I was able to pre-order and the Canon 5D Mark III arrived on March 29th. I had mixed feelings when the press release first came out with the specs on the new Mark III. Several features that were high on my wish list didn't make it into the camera, but when I started seeing some of the image samples, particularly in low light, I knew I wanted it anyway.

I'm currently an owner of the 5D Mk II and the 60D and my expectations were that the Mk III would inherit many of the superior handling features of the newer 60D. I am an enthusiast and not a professional photographer but I do make my living shooting product photography for online sales. For pleasure I shoot nature, architecture, and the occasional portraits. I'm also an avid fan of DSLR video and the fact that these cameras can literally capture Hollywood quality footage with few modifications is a big deal to me and a lot of people in the independent cinematography community.

The much anticipated release of the 5D Mark III was a bit of a letdown to me initially. One of the things I LOVE about the 60D is the articulating screen. The articulating screen is so handy to have and a joy to use in situations where the camera needs to be at an odd angle, such as low to the ground, high above your head or in tight quarters. The other indispensable use for the articulating screen is shooting self-portraits and videos of yourself. As a one-man act, you can't shoot a video and also be in it at the same time if you can't see the screen! So I really couldn't believe it when Canon came out with the specs on the Mark III -- and NO articulating screen!? It's a feature that has been in the lower-grade 60D and T3i for over a year and a half already, and here we're paying three times the price of the 60D we don't get it? COME ON, Canon!

Canon's reason for not including an articulating screen to preserve weatherproofing. To remedy this I'm getting the Swivi 5.6" HDMI LCD Screen which is a giant 5" articulating LCD screen that even has FOCUS PEAKING (really cool). I guess I'm making lemonade out of the lemons in this situation. Another feature that didn't make it into this camera that has all the cinematographers grumbling is there is no clean HDMI output which would allow the uncompressed video footage to be captured on an external recorder. This feature would have made this a true high-end movie making machine to rival the $30,000 RED ONE and knock the socks off the Panasonic GH2 and even the AF100. For myself, not a deal breaker... but the Nikon D800 has this.

Probably the most vexing thing that did not make it onto my wish list is the elimination of the rolling shutter problem. It has been reduced a little, but it has by no means been eliminated, so the jello effect remains an issue and impossible to completely remove in post. And so far, there has been NO program that has been able to eliminate it entirely without creating additional artifacts (believe me, I've wasted untold hours trying them all). Rolling shutter has only been reduced by 20% or so and I won't be fully satisfied shooting video until we get the global shutter and eliminate this unprofessional looking artifact altogether.

Continuous autofocus during video? It's not even an option. The Panasonic GH1/GH2 have it, and do it well. And now the Nikon D800 can auto focus continuously during video recording too, and includes face detection to keep subjects in focus. The only option for autofocus with this camera whole shooting video is still the old way: press the AF-ON button, and you'll set a clunky, noisy, re-focus point. So don't think about replacing your camcorder yet. Shooting video with this camera remains a manual focus affair best handled with a rig and follow-focus setup... classically handled as a two-man operation.

Those are my three primary disappointments. Now the fun part: all the great things (and more) that DID make it into my wish list:

1. Live View focusing with half depress of shutter button. The Mk II had a really awkward way of focusing while in Live View mode. You had to depress the separate AF button on the BACK of the camera, then hold absolutely still while you moved your finger back to the shutter button, and then take the shot. The Mk III acts just like the 60D in that you half press the shutter to focus, just as it SHOULD, which is to say exactly like shooting with a viewfinder. And you no longer have to go into the menu and set Live View to Stills-Only in order to get Exposure Simulation: The Mark III has a handy dedicated movie/stills mode switch.

2. Better low-light performance. Nikon has been beating out Canon in high ISO performance since the D3, then the D3s, the D3x, and the D700. It's taken two product cycles for Canon to finally catch up. The Mk II was the low-light king when it came out, and still performs exceptionally well, but the Mk III takes it to a new level. My initial test shots show that ISO 12800 on the Mk III has about the same noise levels as ISO 6400 on the Mk II, but with better sharpness and improved color rendition. ISO 12800 is actually usable for high-quality work, whereas at ISO 25600 things start to fall apart--but still plenty good enough for smaller web images. These ISO settings will allow you to actually get the shot even at night in situations that were previously unthinkable. Most importantly, overall image quality in terms of dynamic range and the quality of the noise at high ISOs has been improved for both stills and video.

The claims were that ISO 25600 on this camera was going to be like ISO 6400 on the Mark II, a two stop improvement. The truth is that it's not. It's just about a one stop improvement, maybe slightly more, but that's still a significant achievement.

3. No megapixel escalation! I was relieved that Canon DIDN'T try to stuff 36 megapixels into the Mk III. They kept it roughly the same at 22mp. Way to go, Canon! It's been proven time and time again that more megapixels doesn't make for a sharper image, only larger file sizes. "More megapixels equals better image quality is what's known as "the megapixel myth" Cramming in more megapixels means a lower signal-to-noise ratio and less full well capacity for each photo site. At some point you don't get more detail with a higher pixel count; you just spread the detail around on more pixels. I hardly ever need 21mp as it is, and I am absolutely relieved not to be dealing with larger files because I often shoot RAW.

4. Exposure bracketing. The Mk II could only do 3 exposure bracket shots automatically; the Mk III can do up to 7. Bingo! But you have to go to page 316 in the manual under Custom Settings to read how. It's not even in the index and the main entry under Exposure Bracketing says it does 3 (the default) and doesn't even mention that it can do up to 7. There is also White Balance Bracketing (redundant if you shoot RAW), but unfortunately no focus bracketing (focus stacking). That would have thrilled me. (Focus bracketing/stacking function is available via the Unified Magic Lantern Firmware for the 550D/60D/600D/50D/500D.)

5. Chromatic aberration correction. A feature inherent to Nikon and Panasonic micro 4/3, it's about time Canon got it. But it's unclear whether RAW images processed with PhotoShop Adobe RAW already have this applied or not... and you have to load in lens profiles manually. I will have to experiment with this.

6. Improved White Balance settings. One of the major gripes I have with all cameras is the accuracy of the Auto White Balance. Sure AWB works fine outdoors in natural light, but in indoor light it's usually awful. Even the tungsten setting is rarely accurate. Invariably I've had to create custom white balance settings on all my cameras using a white card. But FINALLY, on the Mk III, not only is the tungsten setting accurate, even the Auto setting gives decent results indoors.

7. Electronic Level. The 60D has it on the LCD. The 5D Mk III now has it. But get this--the Mk III not only has a side-to-side level, it has a FRONT TO BACK level too! Great for architectural photography. And there's more--a grid overlay and electronic level in the VIEWFINDER. (Once again you must go into Custom settings to set a shortcut button to enable this.) This is way more than I was hoping for and Canon gets bonus points for this.

8. Quiet shutter. The shutter noise from "mirror slap" has been greatly reduced even in Standard mode, and there's a new "silent shooting mode" where you don't hear the mirror at all. This is something I've always wanted in an SLR, and was pleasantly surprised. I guess Canon WAS listening after all.

9. Auto ISO in manual mode. This is so cool. You can set the camera to M, set the exact shutter speed and f/stop that you want, and let Auto ISO choose the ISO for the correct exposure. Considering that this camera gives good results up to ISO 12800, this is a really great way to achieve the exact depth of field and stop motion effect that you want, and let the camera pick the right ISO. Couldn't do this in Mk II. Works with stills and video.

9. Full video exposure control. Speaking of videos, the ability to control exposure when shooting videos has been greatly improved. The Mk II was the camera that started the whole DSLR movie craze. I'm sure that Canon never imagined when they stuck this feature onto the Mk II as an add-on, that it would explode into the DSLR cinematography revolution that it has. But the Mk II was severely hampered by crude exposure control. Now, full manual control is available. Strangely though, only auto ISO is available in Av, Tv, and P. There are more shooting modes: 1080p at 24, 25, or 30 FPS and 720p mode now does 50 or 60 FPS, with two compression options,including an I-frame only compression for better quality suitable for grading.

A whole wave of enthusiasts use the Magic Lantern firmware patch that allows cinematographers to gain access to enhanced functionality like manual audio, zebras, focus assist tools, and more. The Mk III now handles a few of these functions naively such as manual audio (and a headphone jack), plus a video ISO range that goes to 12,800 with 25,600 as an option.

10. The 4GB video file size limitation. Finally, Canon has crossed the 4gb file size barrier and supports file spanning. Now clips can go as long as 30 minutes instead of 12. A big improvement, but come on... The Panasonic GH1 & GH2 have been able to shoot video with NO time limitation for years. Continuous shooting is a MUST HAVE for event videographers. Sorry, this wish-list item still doesn't make the full cut. Why do camera manufacturers hamstring this when it's obvious these cameras are capable of unlimited video recording? Thirty minute cutoff due to a European tax law... can someone fix this PLEASE?

There is much more... of course the completely overhauled complex AF system, primarily for action shooters, dual CF and SD card support, and in-camera HDR and other image combining effects...

Biggest annoyance: the AF point selection button no longer controls magnification in Live View and playback mode. This is a big pain when you want to use focus assist in Live View, because you can no longer just use your right thumb... you have to take your left hand from the lens to press the magnify button which is now on the left side of the LCD. I hate when they move a button from the perfect spot to one that is NOT ERGONOMIC. Workaround: You can assign Magnify to the `Set' button which is on the right (but not to the old button which would have been better).

So here's the big question: at list price of thirty-five hundred dollars, should you upgrade? My thoughts:

A. If you are primarily a through-the-viewfinder still photographer shooting in good light (outdoors and flash), it's rather hard to justify the extra cost. Many of us have barely scratched the surface of the creative possibilities of the Mk II, and in many ways this is not a major upgrade for traditional style, properly lit photography. This camera isn't going to make you a better photographer, though some of the new tools like the electronic level are quite handy.

B. Cinematographers: There's already a lot of carping and moaning in the video camps that this upgrade is a big disappointment. I think it's great for part-time video shooters like me, but it's missing a lot of features that the pros were hoping for. Of course if they want all those pro features they can buy the Canon C300 for $16,000. But current users locked into Magic Lantern are probably going to have to wait for Magic Lantern to catch up anyway. They've already got Magic Lantern for the T2i, T3i, 50D and 60D, so it's just a matter of time.

C. Low light / night photographers, action sports, theater and concert shooters, documentary videographers: This upgrade is a MUST! This camera sets a new benchmark for image quality in less than optimal light conditions. That one stop advantage, better color depth and dynamic range in existing light is important to these guys and gals. The image quality improvement in low light is very noticeable.

C. The rest of us. Many pros are going to want this model, if not now, eventually. The state-of-the art feature set is quite impressive; the handling improvement is modest. For hobbyists, the steep price may be difficult to justify. The Mk II is still a fantastic tool and unless you really need ISO 12800 this isn't going to give you significantly better images than you can already achieve with the marvelous Mk II.

My verdict: An enthusiastic Five Stars as a still photography camera; Four Stars overall due to the lack of three important features that have been available from Panasonic for several years already: articulating screen, continuous autofocus during video, and unlimited video recording time.

If you're on the fence about upgrading or even a first time buyer, I hope my review has been useful. Happy Shooting!

UPDATE 4-24-2012: Users have reported and Canon has confirmed that exposure value when shooting in extremely dark conditions may be affected slightly if the upper LCD backlight is turned on at the same time. People have been calling this a "light leak" issue but that is a misnomer. It's really a non-issue. See details in the comments section.

74 of 78 people found the following review helpful.
A home run for the 5D series, finally! 
By J. Howell 
I didn't rush to make a review of this camera, as I wanted to really put it through it's paces first. I won't try to list every feature or go over every bullet point (the above description does a fine job), but instead try to go over a few things which make a big difference to me as a 5D Mark II owner. For some background, I bought an original 5D in 2007, a 5DII in 2008 and have been working with these bodies ever since then. I also have experience with all of the Canon 1-series up through the 1DIII and 1DsIII. I currently log about 60,000 photos per year with the 5D Mark IIs as a professional wedding and portrait photographer. I shoot almost exclusively with fast L prime lenses in my work.

So after a week of solid shooting with the camera, here are the areas which are of note relative to previous 5D bodies:

**AUTOFOCUS**
AF is the elephant in the room here so I'll address it first. Good news, we now have a focusing system worth of it's price point. The AF system here is identical to that in the 1Dx and is THE most sophisticated AF system EVER put in any Canon body. It is superior to that in the 1DV and all bodies before it.

I have tested the AF point in servo and one shot mode with my fastest lenses. Speed, accuracy, and consistency have been exceptional and better than anything I have used before. AF gets the job done with zero drama. NO focus jitter, NO frontfocus, NO backfocus, nothing but near-instant, dead accurate focusing with all of my lenses. Even with my Sigma 85/1.4 (which gives my 5DII bodies absolute fits) is 100% accurate with no jitter on the 5DIII. Center AF point and all peripheral AF points are all usable with fast primes. With the 5DII you just use the center AF point and hope for the best (with often mixed results). You could forget using the outer AF points with fast lenses on previous 5D bodies. That has all changed now.

Just to see how far I could push it, I took my most difficult to focus lens (24/1.4 II), put it on the 5DIII, and tried to focus on my black lab in my dimly lit apartment. At a distance of about 2 feet I would able to lock focus on the dog's eye with the far left AF point at F1.4, 1/40, ISO4000. Think about that. I was able to focus on a black eye on a black dog in a dimly lit apartment at F1.4. The 5DII would have hunted all day long trying to do this, even with it's center AF point.

I could sit here and write a book on how happy this performance makes me. For what I do, if this were the only upgrade from the 5D Mark II, it alone would be worth of the $3500 price tag. That said, there is more...

**BUILD QUALITY**
It's hard to put my finger on exactly what changed, but the 5DIII just feels more substantial. It feels like a chopped down 1-series instead of a buffed up 10 series. The contour of the body has changed to fit your hand better. The rubber is also a new compound which is much grippier than before. The 5DIII feels much better to hold and use than the previous 5D bodies.

**SCREEN**
I wasn't expecting a big improvement here, but the screen is drop dead gorgeous. The height is about the same, but it's wider than that in the 5DII and fits the aspect of horizontal images perfectly now. The screen itself has better coatings which allow you to see it easier outside. The contrast, viewing angle, color, and saturation have all improved noticeably. It has a very similar look to a high end smartphone screen. This is a substantial upgrade from the 5DII's screen.

**IMAGE QUALITY**
Image quality is better than the 5DII, but not substantially so. Let me explain.

The 5DIII now natively amplifies the sensor data to ISO 25,600 whereas the 5DII only natively went to ISO 6400. This means that for anything higher than ISO 6400, the 5DIII is better. In RAW you are looking at an improvement of about 1/2 to 3/4 of a stop at high ISO. At lower ISOs, the noise level is about the same.

JPEG quality has improved much more though. The JPEG engine in this camera is staggeringly good and a solid 2 stops better at controlling noise at high ISO than the 5DII. It strikes the best balance of detail and noise control of any camera on the market right now. Note though that default NR in JPEG mode is fairly strong and that you will generally attain a better "look" from your files with the "low" NR setting.

As an aside, the nasty cross-hatch banding present in the deep shadows of 5DII files is now gone with the Mark III. There is still mild vertical banding, but it's similar to the original 5D and only visible when pushed heavily (3 or more stops).

**METERING**
I don't have any hard data on this, but I'm fully convinced the metering of the 5DIII is better than that of the 5DII. I find myself correcting with exposure compensation MUCH less now with the new body than with the mark II. Shooting with the two side the newfound metering accuracy of the mark III is very obvious. I found the 5DII metering very similar to the original 5D. The new 5DIII is much improved here.

**SPEED AND STORAGE**
Camera startup and operation is near-instant. Shutter lag and mirror blackout is now faster than before and leads to a more instant, responsive feel while shooting. This, combined with the vastly improved AF make for a radically different experience from previous 5D bodies.

Dual memory card slots mean you can now either backup your data to a 2nd slot *OR* you can "span" cards. Spanning means that once one card is full it will automatically swtich to the second card. SUCH a nice feature. I can't tell you how many times my card has filled up at the most inopportune moments and shooting stopped. No more.

Shooting speed is either 3fps or 6fps and the buffer is about 18 frames deep in RAW only with a fast CF card. You can shoot almost indefinitely in JPEG mode without hitting the buffer. For RAW I would recommend a 60MB/s CF card to take full advantage of the CF slot speed. The SD slot is slower, but still capable of about 30MB/s write speed.

**COLOR**
The 5D Mark II had a slight magenta color cast. This was easily correctable in post processing and wasn't a huge deal most of the time. I now report that color cast is gone and that the 5DIII's color is much more neutral. Skin tones in general look better due to the more neutral tone.

Additionally I have found auto white balance to be improved over previous 5D models. I've noticed that while post processing I'm having to correct color less with the 5DIII files than the 5DII files. This is very exciting, as it will save me a fair amount of time in post processing. Per usual, all of the cameras struggle under tungsten lighting. However, AWB is able to get color surprisingly close with anything that contains natural lighting.

**MENUS**
I would strongly advise reading the manual because there are a lot of new settings and options which won't be familar to 5DII users. There are also a LOT of different ways to set up your AF system, so a little experimentation is needed. In general, the menu system is more complicated that before, but this also allows a much greater degree of customization of the camera. In that regard, the 5DIII is much closer to a 1-series than before. Take the time to learn it and set it up correctly.

**MISC**
You now have the option to one-click zoom to 100% at your AF point. This means you can instantly check focusing with one button push. This saves a lot of time and frustration while shooting. There is also a "silent" shutter mode which only makes about 1/2 the noise as the standard shutter. You can do one-shot or 3FPS in silent shutter mode. 6FPS continuous is only available with the standard shutter mode.

Another brand new feature that's exciting is the ability to re-map buttons on the camera to perform other functions. The options are very extensive. One in particular I'm excited about is the ability to toggle one-shot with AI-Servo by clicking the DOF preview button (which is now on the right hand side of the camera, in perfect reach of your middle or ring finger). If you are shooting a still subject in one-shot and they start to move, simply push the DOF preview button and you're instantly in AI Servo mode. There is no need to move your hand, or even look away from the viewfinder. When you are done, simply release the button and you're back in one-shot mode.

**CONCLUSION**
Canon finally woke up with the 5D Mark III. The completeness of this refresh is hard to overstate, as there is no part of this camera that was left untouched from the Mark II. The overall experience of using the camera has been transformed to an entirely different level. You will be faster, better, and more efficient with a 5D Mark III relative to its predecessors.

The improvements here will most cater to those who shoot in demanding environments which require high ISO and fast, accurate autofocus. Canon basically fixed most every complaint anyone ever had with the 5DII while maintaining the things which made the 5DII great (resolution, image quality, small body).

The price of this body is probably about $500 too high compared to its primary competition - the $3000 Nikon D800, which is likely to annoy some people. Though individually they cater to different types of photographers and have different strengths over the other, overall these two cameras are comparable products. If you are starting from scratch or have minimal gear investment, the D800 is worth a hard look at. If you are heavily invested in one system or another, you would probably do best just to stick with your current brand. Both are fine cameras and you can't go wrong with either one.

86 of 97 people found the following review helpful.
4.8 stars 
By Coronet Blue 
Some quick observations on the 5D3. Before I go further I should explain I'll be comparing vs. the 5D2 and second, if you need to know about video, I can't be of any help there.

Received camera body from Amazon on 3/23. Lots of new features (5D2 manual is 259 pages; 5D3 manual is 403 pages). For the work I do, I was looking for two improvements over the 5D2: Ability to bracket more than 3 shots and much lower noise. The first wish was granted. As you probably know, the 5D3 does 7 exposures. Nikons do 9, but 7 is almost always enough. Those who need more will probably have a Promote remote anyway. Noise? Well, the 5D3 images are cleaner but I wouldn't say dramatically so. With the default noise settings and long exp NR set on, I'd say it's 1 to 1.5 stops better than the 5D2. Now, with a little Noiseware or other NR, you can get very clean images at 12800 with very little loss of detail so I don't consider this a problem. I guess it was unrealistic to expect the 5D3 to match the very low noise of my D700 but it would have been nice.

It's true that nearly every feature on the 5D3 is an upgrade over the 5D2. Not all of these will result in better images but it's fair to say that the entire "feel" of the 5D3, the layout, viewfinder, displays are all nicer than the 5D2. The two things that may be game changers, IMO, are the shutter and the AF. If you haven't heard and felt the shutter on the 5D3, you're in for a treat. It isn't just quieter; there is much less kick from the mirror. Add the "silent" mode and, wow. I would not be surprised to see signs in the future that say "Please set your camera to silent mode". As for AF, I never had a problem with the AF on the 5D2 so I'm less impressed here. But if you shoot moving subjects, the 5D3 has it all--predictive, wrap around, sequential, selective. The manual devotes 45 pages to setting autofocus.

A small thing that I've been waiting for, a dual axis electronic level is wonderful. For some time, digital SLRs have had an "artificial horizon" that tells you if you are tilting the camera to the left or right. That's nice but in almost all imaging software, rotating an image takes just a second. What these left/right levelers don't tell you is if you are tipping the camera up or down which can be a real pain with a super wide lens. Well, problem solved with the 5D3.

The in-camera HDR is a mixed bag. Output is jpeg only and even at that, it takes awhile for the 5D3 to register the images. (This could be my cards which are Lexar UDMA 400x & Sandisk Extreme IV). Anyhow, it's a fun feature. This brings me to yet another interesting feature. Since the 5D3 has two cards (CF + SD) you can record different file types to each card. In other words, you could have a RAW-only card and a JPEG-only card. I haven't tried this but I presume this would mean that you could shoot everything RAW except in-camera HDRs which, being jpegs, would end up on the other card. I get requests for jpegs so now I can put them on one card while keeping an all-RAW card for myself. You can also have redundant cards for backup, sequential for extra capacity, etc. As with the autofocus options, the possibilities are endless!

So, to summarize. Pros: Better AF, 100% viewfinder with electronic grid (no more screens), better LCD, faster drive and processor, fabulous shutter/mirror, 7-stop bracketing, 2-axis level, somewhat lower noise and thus somewhat cleaner images vs. 5D2, two card slots, uses same batteries as 5D2. Cons: Still no built-in flash (yes, it's very handy), in-camera HDR so-so, mode knob still feels flimsy (and it locks now, so be careful). All in all, this is a very nice, refined camera and anybody trading up from a 5D2 will be happy. And if you do get a 5D3, the person getting your 5D2 will be happy as well.

Just a footnote. One thing that comes through loud and clear from these reviews is how very different people's needs are and how differently they use a camera. I can only explain how a product meets or fails to meet my needs. I would not dream of saying you do/don't need this feature or "read and decide" as if I was some sort of oracle. You know what is or is not important to you and how much you're willing to pay for it. The web has made everybody a professional and an expert but when it's your money, the only expert is you.

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Cheap Price Sony Alpha SLT-A57 16.1 MP Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor DSLR with Translucent Mirror Technology and 3D Sweep Panorama (Body Only) for sale in USA

Sony Alpha SLT-A57 16.1 MP Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor DSLR with Translucent Mirror Technology and 3D Sweep Panorama (Body Only) From Sony Price: $699.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Ships from and sold by Amazon.com 11 new or used available from $698.00 Average customer review:   (6 customer reviews)

Product Description

Capture your perfect moments with Sonys next generation Translucent Mirror Technology DSLR enabling simultaneous focus and capture. Shoot up to an amazing 12 fps in Tele-zoom High speed mode, complete with continuous auto focus. Auto focus is also visibly faster in Live View and HD Movie modes. Translucent Mirror Technology accelerates AF performance Up to 12 fps w/ Continuous AF in Tele-zoom High Speed mode Up to 10 fps at full 16.1 MP with Sony?s Exmor HD APS sensor Clear Image Zoom extends the reach of any lens Get professional portrait composition with Auto Portrait Framing 1080/60p/24p Full AVCHDor 1080/30p MP4 movies Tru-finderElectronic Viewfinder: big and bright Tilt/swivel 3.0 LCD , 921K dots, TruBlackscreen Auto HDR captures more contrast than one exposure can SteadyShot INSIDEimage stabilization built into body Accurate 15-point Auto Focus system; 3 cross sensors Image layering: Multi-Frame NR & Hand-held Twilight shot Sweep PanoramaMode captures landscapes beautifully 3D Sweep PanoramaMode: incredible views to enjoy on 3DTV Translucent Mirror Technology Other DSLRs can shoot. Or they can focus with the speed and precision of Phase Detection AF. They cannot do both at once. The SLT-A57, with Translucent Mirror Technology?, directs light to both the image sensor and the Phase Detection AF sensor simultaneously. Up to 12 fps Tele-Zoom High Speed Shooting By capturing the center 2/3 of the image sensor (8.4MP), Tele-zoom high speed shooting brings the action closer with a 1.4x effective increase of focal length. Shoot up to an incredible 12 frames per second with continuous auto focus and auto exposure to capture the decisive moment. Up to 10 fps at 16.1MP capture Shoot up to 10 frames per second in incredible detail with the 16.1 megapixel Sony Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, the camera achieves high resolution with no penalty in low-light sensitivity or sensor noise. Clear Image Zoom Utiliz...

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #486 in Camera & Photo
• Color: No Color
• Brand: Sony
• Model: SLTA57
• Dimensions: 5.00 pounds
• Display size: 3
• Included Software: Hotshoe

Features

• 16.1 megapixels
• Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor
• Translucent Mirror Technology
• High-speed 12 fps continuous shooting
• AVCHD Version 2.0 (Progressive) Full HD Movie at 60p (50p)

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Great step up from the A100 
By Derrick 
I purchased this from another retailer before it was available from Amazon. I needed it in a hurry because my A100 failed. The a57 is a very good camera but it took some getting used to.
This is my first SLT so I found the LCD viewfinder to be a bit strange at first when using a DSLR. It is very bright, and has a bit too much contrast when shooting in very bright sunlight. The LCD multiple angle live/playback/menu screen is great. Easy to see even in bright daylight. Being an SLT (single lens translucent mirror) camera, the a57 is extremely quiet when taking pictures. I use the Intelligent auto mode or the P mode most of the time as opposed to the Superior mode. I don't want the flash to pop up on its own when shooting in low light, which it does very well. All my older Minolta AF A mount lenses work well with the camera, including my Sigma 28 f2.8 macro lens. My older HVLF36am flash is completely compatible with the a57 as well.

The camera body is the same size as the a100 although a bit lighter in weight. It has a comfortable grip with room for all my fingers (no pinky hanging off like with earlier Sony DSLR models). The controls are layed out logically. There is one minor problem...it is possible to hit the movie button by accident. I would prefer a slide switch to start a movie as opposed to a button. You can eat up your memory card without even knowing what happened if not careful.

I am still a guy who misses film (I had my own color darkroom) I shot mostly 200 ASA negative film and 400 ASA in very low light conditions. So at 16 MP I feel that the A57 takes very sharp pictures in all conditions. I took a look at the a65 with its 24 MP and its brighter OLED View Finder but really did not see enough advantage to the camera to spend an extra 200 bucks. I think Sony had that in mind when they replaced the a55 with the a57. If you really want the extra MPs then 200 bucks is not bad, but you don't sacrifice much if you go with the a57. As a matter of fact you get a couple of new features with the a57 not available with the a65. One is Auto Portrait Framing. When taking a picture that captures a face, you can center and snap and the camera will automatically save a second image, re-frame the shot using the rule of thirds. Pretty cool I think. Also, if you are willing to shoot at a smaller picture size, the a57 will fire at 12 frames per second. At the largest pic size it will shoot at 10fps. Not bad for action shots. Last the a57 will shoot at 16000 ISO which for all of us old film buffs translates to a lot of pushing in the darkroom.
Not having used an SLT with electronic viewfinder before, I found out that there are things I like... such as the level indicator, and things I don't like..like too much info cluttering up the viewing area. Fortunately info displayed is optional and you can change how much you want to see.

The a57 uses the larger M size battery, the same newer battery for the a100. The a55 which the a57 is replacing uses a smaller battery, which doesn't last as long and tends to get hot as well.

The Pros of this camera are many....sharp pictures even in low light. Records movies easily (also a con)
Terrific number of auto shoot modes for all kinds of conditions including portrait re-framing and auto HDR along with multi frame exposure for low light conditions.
Uses the large M batteries.
Bright LCD multi angle live/review/menu screen.

Cons (keeping the camera from getting a full five stars)

View Finder screen has too much contrast when shooting in bright daylight, .
Easy to hit the movie button by accident...with a finger or against your chest.

The camera has some fun things I have not used yet..such as the panorama sweep mode, both 2d and 3d. Not having a 3d television I doubt that feature will get used much.

All told I look forward to using this camera for a long time to come. I will say this...I still like looking through an optical VF so my a100 is going in for repair. Using the a57 and the a100 together should allow me to do just about anything including shooting HD movies.

I am updating my review, now that I have learned a bit more about the camera and giving it five stars.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
This camera is a very nice upgrade of the already very good SLT-a55 
By N Doxey 
I have used a Sony SLT-a55 for the past year and a half and purchased a number of the Sony and Zeiss professional lens. This combination has produced very good output. Some of the finest pictures I have ever taken were with the a55. However I was annoyed that the camera was not as responsive as my a700 and the overheating problem during video recording. So I preordered the SLT-a57 March 18th and it arrived yesterday. I have only had the camera one day and I am very impressed and think the upgrade from the a55 is very good. I think the Sony SLT cameras offer an excellent feature set. I am a fan of the EVF technology. Much of my photography is done shooting stage events where the lights vary greatly across the stage. I love being able to see the adjustments of the camera setting in the EVF and shoot without needing to refer to the output on the LCD screen. What you see is what you get. I can concentrate on the subjects and wait for just the right moment in the action. I prefer to compose the scene through a VF anyway. I no longer take an OVF camera to stage events. Getting the right exposure is so easy with an SLT camera. The exposure on stage can easily vary from 1/30 to 1/640 sec at F4 depending upon the subject position relative to the lighting, especially spotlights. I no longer do any exposure bracketing. I also enjoyed the continuous focus during video recording (DLSR AF during zooming while video recording is poor), and in camera HDR feature that works very well. I do prefer an OVF camera for studio work with strobes. I have been very impressed with two other features of the SLT-a57 already. The first one is focus peaking during manually focusing. I have poor eyesight and could no longer manually focus a scene. But with the focus peaking feature my manual focusing that been restored. It is like a part of my vision has been restored. I now would buy a Sony SLT or NEX camera just for this feature alone. The other feature that appears very impressive is the clear zoom feature where the picture quality is processed and improved over what one usually gets from a digital zoom which degrades the IQ. You can zoom up to 2.8x on any lens attached to the camera. I have uploaded two pictures for you to see the magnification of my CZ 16-80 zoom lens at 80mm while lighting the subject with bounce flash (These are jpg pictures right out of the camera. Notice the knots on the beaded jug as a reference). I now will have a very nice combination with my a77 for event photography with some SSM lens. I want to thank the engineers at Sony for this feature set. In the past I felt that Sony offered some excellent lens but that each of their camera models was lacking an important feature. Now I feel that Sony has produced two excellent cameras in the SLT a77 (I bought it for its AF system (which is great) and the ability to micro adjust lens focus) and the SLT-57 model. They are very fun to use with a super feature set. They are fast, feel good in the the hand and produce very nice pictures indeed.

I tested the clear zoom feature further tonight and I think that it works as advertised which is amazing. You can digitally magnify the image up to 2.8x more while still retaining very good image quality through Sony's image enhancement feature. I included some pictures taken with my telephoto lens on the Sony a57 product page here on Amazon shot at an 8 Mp resolution. Look for yourself. I made my 200mm telephoto lens a 400mm with the push a button. There is a picture taken with my 400mm lens for comparison. It doesn't look like a gimmick to me. 4-29-12 I uploaded more pictures to the Sony SLT-a57 product page after a trip out "birding" with an 400mm lens. I think people interested in photographing wildlife should consider this camera.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
wonderful camera 
By luke 
I am not a professional photographer but I would like to say something about my comparison of the slt a57 and the slt a65. I may be crazy but I cannot tell the difference in the oled viewfinder and the supposed lesser tech slt a57 viewfinder. both are great. the resolution of the slt a57 is better at iso 3200 and above. the slt a57 has 12 fps with the 1.4 crop and the slt a65 does not. the slt a57 has the slt a65 body which is very ergonomic. there is 200.00 price difference. I would take the slt a57 for the 12fps 1.4 crop alone. my d700 will not take sports pictures that are better than the slt a57 except at very low light. I use the tamron 70-300 usd and the sony 16-50 and it is a beautiful combination. the focus on both cameras is faster than my d700 and the continuous af is outstanding. you cannot go wrong with the slt a57.

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Cheap Price Nikon D4 16.2 MP CMOS FX Digital SLR with Full 1080p HD Video (Body Only) for sale in USA

Nikon D4 16.2 MP CMOS FX Digital SLR with Full 1080p HD Video (Body Only) From Nikon Price: $5,999.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com 4 new or used available from $5,999.00 Average customer review:   (10 customer reviews)

Product Description

The FX-format Nikon D4 Digital SLR Camera provides professional photographers with a powerful tool that redefines the boundaries of DSLR versatility, while maintaining superior image quality and high speed performance. The D4 enables not only new opportunities in low-light photography, but also provides photographers with added shutter speed and aperture freedom with a base ISO sensitivity range from ISO 200 to a remarkable 12,800. The D4 offers speed and accuracy with a 16.2 MP FX-format CMOS sensor, 10 fps continuous shooting, a 91,000-Pixel RGB sensor and Advanced SRS, improved 51-point AF System, and 1080p HD video at 30p with stereo sound.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #251 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Black
• Brand: Nikon
• Model: 25482
• Released on: 2012-03-20
• Dimensions: 6.18" h x 3.58" w x 6.30" l, 2.95 pounds
• Display size: 3.2

Features

• 10/11 frames per second continuous shooting in FX-format for up to 150 frames
• Nikon FX- format (35.9 x 24.0mm) CMOS Sensor with 16.2 effective megapixels
• Full 1080p HD broadcast quality video
• View simultaneous Live View output on external monitors and record uncompressed video via HDMI terminal
• Multi-Area Mode Full HD D-Movie: FX, DX (1.5X crop) and New 1920X1080 (2.7X) Crop modes settings

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Editorial Reviews

From the Manufacturer 

This new flagship D-SLR offers speed and accuracy with a 16.2 MP FX-format CMOS sensor, 10/11 fps continuous shooting, a 91,000-Pixel RGB sensor and Advanced SRS, improved 51 point AF System, ISO expanded to 204,800 and 1080p video at 30p with stereo sound.

Catch moments others miss

Speed and accuracy in total harmony

D4 offers a level of speed and accuracy that will redefine your notion of the fleeting moment. A carefully selected FX-format 16.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor is paired with Nikon’s powerful EXPEED3 image processor for stunning stills up to 11 fps. A 91,000-Pixel RGB 3D Color Matrix Metering III sensor partners with Nikon’s Advanced SRS to deliver unmatched accuracy in every frame. Add a faster, more responsive 51-point AF system for a camera that can keep pace with you.

 

Stunning images every time

Superior quality you expect from Nikon

What are speed and accuracy without image quality? Nikon’s FX-format (36.0mm x 23.9mm) CMOS image sensor delivers 16.2 effective megapixels of resolution for exquisite detail. Each of this remarkable sensor’s 7.3-micron pixels is designed to collect maximum light to produce stunning images and video across D4’s broad ISO range of 100 to 12,800 (expandable down to 50 and up to 204,800). Expect the highest image quality in bright and dark shooting. Plus, EXPEED3 image processing yields the most faithful colors, tones and a wide dynamic range.

 

Enhance stories with HD video

Broadcast-quality and outstanding control

When an assignment calls for broadcast-quality video and audio, D4 is ready. Choose from three Multi-area mode Full HD D-Movie (1080p) video formats: FX, DX or the new 2.7x Crop mode—all at 16:9 aspect ratio. Manual exposure control helps keep the same look from start to finish. Built-in HDMI lets you view footage on an external monitor or record uncompressed 8-bit 4.2.2 footage directly to an external recording device. Even take 2MP stills simultaneously while filming. Attach the ME-1 Stereo Microphone and record high fidelity audio with minimal camera noise. On-screen audio level indicators and a headphone jack help you monitor and adjust audio in 20 incremental steps. D4 takes you from inspiring still to amazing videos with ease.

 

Complete control and comfort

Designed for an efficient workflow

D4’s remarkable design is the culmination of photographer feedback and Nikon innovation. Adjust AF and AF Area modes without moving your eye from the viewfinder. Quickly select AF points with a new joystick style sub-selector—positioned for both horizontal and vertical shooting. In low-light, all operation buttons and dials are beautifully backlit. Two media card slots offer flexibility and control. Built-in wired LAN and the optional WT-5A Wireless Transmitter enable secure, high-speed file transmission as well as remote camera functionality. Simply put, D4 was built to meet professional demands.

 

Expand your opportunities

Nikon imaging system compatibility

Draw on the full potential of D4: world-renowned NIKKOR lenses, the Nikon Creative Lighting System, Speedlights, accessories and software. Each impressive FX and DX lens in the NIKKOR lineup is fully tested to deliver sharpness, accuracy and reliability. Bring studio quality lighting to assignments with Nikon Speedlights. Only Nikon offers i-TTL (Intelligent Through The Lens) flash control, which allows Nikon Speedlights to access extensive exposure and metering data from D4 to provide unprecedented levels of flash precision and performance. Nikon’s professional imaging software, and a robust line of compatible accessories will help you expand your capabilities.

 

Never miss a deadline

The WT-5A Wireless Transmitter

When the world is waiting, being the first to publish makes all the difference. Nikon’s powerful new wireless transmitter, WT-5A, attaches directly to D4 to securely and quickly transfer files.

HTTP Mode: Now you can use the web browser on your iPhone® and/or iPad®** to operate camera controls or begin Live View shooting, including starting and stopping HD video and more.

Image Transmission Mode: Transmit images to an FTP server or computer two times faster than the Nikon WT-4A.

Operate the D4 via Camera Control Pro 2. From one master camera, simultaneously release up to ten remote D4/WT-5A combinations.

**iPhone® and iPad® are are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.

 

New 51-point AF system

Nikon’s new advanced AF sensor uses 51 strategically placed AF points for faster focus operation by working together like a net to capture moving subjects or individually for pinpoint accuracy. Each of the 51 selectable AF points delivers fast and accurate AF detection to a low light level of -2 EV (ISO 100, 20° C) with every compatible AF NIKKOR lens.

Rich image previewing

D4’s beautiful 3.2-inch, 921,000-dot LCD includes an ambient brightness sensor for maximum visibility and crisp playback, menu adjustment and Live View shooting. Quickly enlarge images and videos up to 46x for spot focus confirmation—crucial for high-resolution shooting.

 

Our most rugged body yet

To sustain peak performance in the most demanding environments, D4’s body, exterior and mirror box are comprised of strong yet lightweight magnesium alloy. Thorough measures are taken to seal and protect against invasive moisture, dust and electromagnetic interference.

Dual memory card slots (CF and XQD)

Dual memory card slots (one CF and one XQD) Record two full cards of data, the same still image data on both cards for instant backup, RAW on one card and JPEG on the other or transfer data from one card to another. You can even designate one slot for data-heavy HD video recording.

 

AF detection up to f/8

D4 aligns its 15 cross-type sensors in the center to detect contrast for both vertical and horizontal lines with lenses f/5.6 or faster. The five central points and three points to the left and right of them in the middle line are compatible with f/8.

Multi-Area Full HD D-Movie Video Recording Modes

FX-format renders exquisitely shallow depth of field and wide-angle shooting. DX-format offers a 1.5x crop of the lens focal length, and 1920x1080 Crop format gives you a 2.7x angle of view—ideal for extending lens reach when you can’t get close enough.

91,000-pixel RGB 3D Color Matrix Metering III with Advanced SRS

Face detection using the optical viewfinder and detailed scene analysis using the 91,000-pixel RGB sensor enables superior auto exposure, auto white balance, AF performance and i-TTL flash exposure.

Built-in HDR

Combine two exposures at up to 3EV to create a single image revealing an extremely wide dynamic range but with less noise and richer color gradation than ever before.

Two-axis Virtual Horizon indicator

Determine if the camera is level—horizontally or forward—through the viewfinder or LCD monitor.

New mirror balancer

Minimizes the bounce of the mirror’s down movement, extending viewing time and allowing more time for AF operation—one reason D4 achieves AF and focus tracking even during high-speed continuous shooting.

Intelligent power management

Expect greater operating efficiency thanks to a new, small, high-capacity EN-EL 18 rechargeable Li-ion battery that can deliver up to approximately 2,600 images* per charge.
*Based on CIPA Standard.

View simultaneous Live View output on external monitors and record uncompressed video via HDMI terminal

Check video recording on the camera’s LCD and external monitor simultaneously; ideal for focus pullers and camera operators. When the highest possible image quality is required, you can bypass memory cards and record uncompressed footage directly from the image sensor onto an external recording device.

Time lapse shooting

Set intervals and frame rates in order to dramatically relay slow-moving activity at dramatic speeds. D4 lets you shoot time-lapse photography with replay rates from 24 to 36,000 times faster than normal and save them as movie files.

Two Live View shooting modes

Photography Live View and Movie Live View modes add flexibility; exposure, white balance, monitor hue, histogram, focus mode, AF area mode and focusing accuracy are easily confirmed.

Dedicated Nikon Picture Control button

Quickly access six preset picture control options—Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Landscape and Portrait—and up to nine customizable settings with a single button.

400,000-cycle tested shutter

For the utmost reliability and rigorous performance, D4’s shutter has been tested on fully assembled cameras for 400,000 cycles at extreme continuous burst rates.

Self-diagnostic shutter monitor

Should any shutter variance be detected, D4 automatically corrects and adjusts between the actual shutter speed and correct shutter speed to sustain precision shutter operation throughout the mechanism’s lifespan.

 

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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
Fast handling, beautiful images... 
By Hankk 
I've had this camera a few weeks, and taken a few thousand shots with it. I'm upgrading from a Nikon D700. I'm not a pro, but I do occasional commercial jobs. I'll update this review, but here are my initial thoughts on it.

Vertical orientation: Nice. The vertical grip isn't nearly as contoured as the main horizontal grip -- there's just not as much stuff to grab your hands onto (no deep pockets for your fingertips). Too bad. But when holding it for any length of time, it's sure a lot easier than holding twisting my arm above my head and rotating the camera. Note that the vertical grip has a programmable button on it, which I use for Mode (A/S/M/P). I understand the D3s didn't have this, which seems crazy -- I use it all the time.

I shoot one-handed a lot, at events where I have a flash in one hand an a camera in the other (using a set of PocketWizards). I thought the weight of the D4 would make this harder. But no: when holding it vertically, the D4 is a lot easier to manage than the vertical D700. (I never had a vertical grip for the D700, so I can't compare.) Even holding it horizontally, the larger grip makes it easier to manage the D4 than the D700 one-handedly -- it makes the camera honestly feel substantially lighter. One gripe: the vertical joystick for adjusting the focus point is still a bit too much of a stretch to use with one hand.

Shutter: yep, it's 10 fps. Let it rip! Great for capturing faces of both kids and adults at just the right moment.

General ergonomics and build quality: Great.

Weight: Having never had a pro-sized body before, I feared it'd be too heavy. But no: once you throw a 70-200 2.8 on there, the difference between this and a D700 is pretty small, certainly not a big deal. I carry it around on an Op Tech slider strap bolted into the tripod port, plenty stable and strong.

Battery: 2000+ shots (including lots of live view and some movies), and it's down to half. That's plenty of capacity for me. The charger is a real monster to carry around, about 4x the size of a D700 charger, too big to just slip in a pocket. One BIG PROBLEM: after charging it the second time, I had the camera turned on and sitting out overnight. The next morning, the battery was completely dead. I have no idea what happened -- the D700 never ever did this to me. Was the camera turned so the AF was being pushed all night? Or is there a bug in the auto-off? No idea, but I'll post if it happens again.

Lit up controls: Nikon won't point this out, but they don't *all* light up! Most do, but not the trash, or playback, or EV+-, or Mode, or Live View. Huh? All the buttons on my cell phone lit up 10 years ago. It's not that hard.

XQD card: Fast to write, fast to transfer. I love it. Being able to shoot off dozens of RAWs without stopping is great. Nice of Nikon to include the card and reader (but really, I'm not sure they had any other option here -- the market isn't exactly flooded with these cards).

Live View: Works a million times better than it did on the D700. It's kind of funny though: it now makes the pro-DSLR able to shoot as easily as a $200 point-and-shoot. But whatever: Live View is nice to have. It's fast and intuitive. One advantage that isn't obvious: you can use it to set the focus point to the far corners of the frame, well outside the small area of the sensor covered by the 51-point AF grid. (How I wish Nikon would allow the main AF system to focus in the far corners too: those 51 points still only cover about 20% of the camera's full frame! More in DX mode, but come on, Nikon...)

Focus modes: I was initially bummed to see that the three-position focus-mode switches from the D700 had been removed, replaced by 'software' settings using the main control wheels. But after using them I'm fine with the change, even in favor of it. The number of focus modes has increased (because you can change between 9-, 21-, and 51-point tracking easily now, which were hidden in a menu before), and the design works pretty fast.

The built-in AF motor is noticeably faster than on the D700. Live View mode uses contrast-detection focusing which was ultra-slow on the D700 (especially using motor-driven lenses like the AF-D's), but pretty usable now.

Face Detection (in Live View) works great. It's super easy to get low-angle shots holding the camera away from your body. If the subject moves you'll see a green box on the LCD follow the face around -- it's pretty cool to watch it track. Allegedly Live View also works through the pentaprism. This may be true, but if so it's doesn't give you any obvious feedback on what faces it found. One cool thing about face detection is that it also finds faces on playback (even if face detection wasn't used on that shot). With the right setting, it'll zoom in to just the face on every image, so you can easily check focus on the parts you care about. Super.

Metering modes: Too bad that the three-position metering switch is now an electronic controller, set in the viewfinder. But it turns out to be no big deal, because the metering on the D4 is really an improvement from the D700. I used to have to go to spot metering a lot for faces in the shade, and the auto face-detection now catches that so much better than it used to, that I haven't been using spot metering very much. Really, the new metering is very, very good. It has its quirks though: like, let's say you're taking 10 shots in a row of someone's face. If on one shot they turn or are blocked and the face-recognition doesn't work right, then that shot is likely to be underexposed by a stop relative to the rest in the series. In the end under- or over-exposure by a stop or two is no big deal on this camera if you're shooting RAW, because the files give you tons of leeway to work with to fix the exposure in post. But it's always best to get the exposure right the first time, and the D4 does a better job of that than the D700.

'Quiet' and 'Silent' modes. Quiet mode is indeed a lot quieter than the regular shutter. It seems to move all the mechanical parts slower -- so you hear it for longer, but it's definitely quieter. Limited to 1 fps or so, and it doesn't work in Continuous mode (except if you're in Live View, in which case it does). Silent mode takes 2 MP shots in Live View mode (essentially movie stills - shutter must be between 1/30 and 1/125 sec, and JPEG-only, no RAW). I could see using it occasionally, though I wish the resolution were higher. ** Silent mode is exclusive to the D4, and isn't on the D800.

Image quality: Beautiful... really crisp and sharp and smooth. The D700 was great too.

ISO: It's a stop or two better than the D700. The ultra-high ISO's (like 200,000+ = H4.0) are there, but pretty silly. Even in bright sun, they're so full of noise so as to be useless. In low light they're even worse. (I guess you could use H4.0 if you were trying to monitor license plates of speeding vehicles under moonlight, or something crazy like that... but no normal photographic application is going to use that.) Up to ISO 10,000 or so, images are very clean. Focusing works really well in low-light, better than the D700 for sure. A nice change is that Auto ISO can now be easily turned on/off by holding ISO and rotating the front control knob -- no more going into the menus.

Ethernet connection: Plug in a cable, and the camera has a built-in web server, for doing tethered shooting. Not something I'll use much, but it seems to work. No additional software needed -- just a web browser.

Auto white balance: as advertised, seems to work better than before. No big deal, but a nice bonus. One weirdness though is that the white balance seems to be less consistent than it was before. For instance, shooting outside in the shade, in the past I could set the right WB correction in Aperture and it'd be right-on for every shot in the series. No more -- a good number of individual shots require more hand-tweaking now. This seems like a bug, like maybe the RAW files are getting tagged with the wrong color temp. It could well also be a bug in Aperture's handling of the D4 RAWs; I haven't tried it with Lightroom yet. A bonus with

Display: Better than before. Not really a big deal to me. Minor point: the display itself is polarized such that if you're wearing your polarized Ray Bans, the screen will look dark until you turn it to vertical mode. The D700 was polarized, but at a 45 degree angle, so it was still visible in horizontal mode.

Viewfinder: The image looks a bit bigger and fuller than on the D700. Not that big a deal -- I could always see my subject just fine before. Maybe a bit less squinting necessary now.

HDR, timelapse, multiple-exposures: they all work as advertised. Probably won't use them much.

Video: I'm not a video shooter but I tried it out outside under streetlights, where the video was super-clean. Inside with a night light it was a total failure at high ISO's -- too much noise to see anything at all. Others know a lot more about video than me, so read their reviews instead.

Minor operational change: On the D700, the control wheels went dead right after taking a shot, requiring a half-press to wake up the metering system again. On the D4, they stay live after the shutter press. Awesome. This was always a minor annoyance before, and I'm glad it's changed. (Maybe I just never found the right setting on the D700? Please fill me in on the comments if so.)

Flash: There is none. Occasionally I used CLS for remote triggers on the D700 and you obviously can't do that any more. But my PocketWizards work great. I haven't put them through serious testing, but haven't noticed any weirdnesses either. The firmware version is not advertised as D4-compatible yet, but don't sweat it.

Flash exposure: The EV+- and the Flash EV are now separated. It use to be that lowering the camera EV would also lower the flash output (so dropping the background while keeping the subject lit would require two sync'd setting changes). No more. Nikon took after Canon here, good to see. This stuff works fine with the PW's. ** This Flash EV setting (custom e5) is exclusive to the D4. It's not on the D800.

Manual: 456 frikkin' pages. I like camera manuals and this one's pretty well written. It's not literature but it explains the settings clearly enough.

Why not the D800? 50 MB images are too big for me, and I'm not going to be printing any banners or posters from my work anyhow. Almost everything I do goes online. Virtually any camera has enough resolution for me. I'm more interested in handling / ergonomics / ISO / dynamic range / speed, than resolution. If I was doing landscapes instead of people, I'd of course go for the D800 instead.

Is six thousand bucks too much to spend on a camera? Probably. But Nikon bodies remain in high demand, and used prices are high. I can likely sell this in a year or two for not much less than I paid for it. (My three-year-old D700 has only lost 1/3 of its value since it was new, or about a thousand dollars over three years.) Is having a camera like that worth a dollar or two a day to me? Absolutely.

P.S. I'll answer any questions below. And if you found this useful, feel free to click and tell me so!

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
D4 sets new benchmark 
By R. Adams 
This will be an ongoing product review and something I will be updating as time goes on.

Ordering from Amazon -
As soon as I saw the news on nikonrumors.com that amazon had opened up the website for D4 orders, I placed mine. Thank you nikonrumors! This was January 6th. Since then, Amazon sent their usual emails informing me that the product was backordered and such. The only problem was amazon.com kept listing March 20th as the release date and March 21st as my "Estimated Shipping Date". Of course this didn't happen. In fact, at least for those that watch dpreview.com, this happened to all amazon.com D4 orders. The only bummer about the whole ordering experience was that the Amazon customer service was pretty much useless and uninformed. In the future, amazon should be quicker to correct their release dates. At least I got the camera..moving on...

Camera shipping from Amazon -
In the past I have been contacted by Amazon concierge to make sure my order was going smoothly. DIdn't happen with the D4. Not a big deal. Camera shipped next day UPS Saver on March 28 and arrived March 29th just past 5pm. Shipped was free due to the release date screw ups. Camera was boxed OK..and it did the job. I would have packed it better..but it arrived ok. Signature required.

D4 contents -
Good news here! The D4 came with the Sony XQS Card Reader and one 16 gig Sony XQS card. Very cool - considering my 32 gig order is still pending. The Card reader and card were in a white envelope placed on top of the camera contents.

Additional contents -
1x EN-EL18 battery
MH-26 Battery charger (charges 2 batteries)
Instructions in both Spanish & English
Warranty Programs
Nikon ViewNX2
Strap
USB cable
Caps - body, hotshot
Clips - USB & body
UF1 & UF2 connectors

D4 Specs (and compared to the D3s) -
Weight - 41.6 oz (D3s 43.7 oz) (Weight difference is noticeable!)
Pixels - 16.2 million (D3s 12.1)
FPS - 10/11 (D3s 9 FPS)
ISO - 100 - 12,800 with lo-1 as 50, HI-4 as 204,800 (D3s 200 - 12,800, Lo-1 100, HI-3 102,400)
Video - Full 1080 HD up to 30 FPS (D3s 720 at 24 FPS)
Monitor size - 3.2 inches (D3s 3.0)
Viewfinder - 100%
Integrated network port

D4 camera (first impressions) -

Ergonomics & Buttons - WOW a lot has changed here. If you are coming from a D3s like me, all sorts of little changes mean some big adjustments. Here is my list of just what I've found so far -
- Metering selector is gone!!! It used to be on the prism and adjusted with your right thumb. Not any more! It is now replacing the "Lock" button and press with your left hand - and adjusted INSIDE the viewfinder.
- Focus Mode Selector - Gone too! The button to toggle between manual and autofocus is still there, but to toggle between C & S is now inside the view finder
- Hand grip is different for both portrait and landscape photos - including a small black piece of rubber attached near the camera bottom
- The camera back - Just looking at the back of the camera has sent me back to the full manual to learn this camera from the beginning. This includes changes to the thumbnails, picture control, and playback buttons and removal of the Area AF mode selector button.
- Overall I like the changes, and love the ability to see changes inside the viewfinder. Might be a while to get my fingers to adapt. Overall it's good.

New D4 Network capabilities -
New to the D4, the camera can do FTP photo and movie uploads, control camera functions from a laptop using an optional software package (Caera Control Pro 2), and take pictures using an iPhone and remote browser. You can also control multiple cameras and do synchronized releases using the WT-5.

New D4 Chips & Batteries -
The battery and XQS memory chips are new to the D4. This means having to spend more money to buy new stuff - as opposed to those that upgraded from the D3 to D3s. Sure it is good for the long term, but is a bit of a pain right now. If you shoot any other camera as well, then you will need to lug about two battery charges. If you don't have a backup camera, you will still need two sets of chips.

Shooting the D4 -
- Quiet shutter option. There is a new shutter setting for a quiet shutter. This is on the command dial next to the high speed shutter release.
- a bump up in FPS is subtle, but nice. I have yet to fully test this, but for shooting motor sports, I like it
- Viewfinder is now 100% and nothing to dislike about this!
- The virtual horizon is now inside the viewfinder! I constantly have to correct my pictures and love this feature. This is used by setting the Fn button in the menu to use the virtual horizon feature. The horizon only works when holding the camera normally - not vertical. Still...great feature and I love it.

ISO -
- The D4 takes pushing up the ISO beyond the D3s. But the difference is minimal as far as I can tell.

Overall (so far) - D4 is every bit as good as the D3s and then some. The upgrades to the buttons are annoying, but I think will really be more useful in the field than the D3s version. The new chips and batteries are just progress in my mind. Not a big deal, just a little more money that has to be spent. I've only had this camera one day (and one night) and plan to add to this as I hit up some car races and concours...

37 of 46 people found the following review helpful.
The camera i've always wanted. 
By D. KIMBALL 
I will attempt to keep this short because there are a lot of reviews of this camera and I only want to give my nonprofessional feedback. I don't take photo's for a living, in fact I take photos of my life which to me is equally as valuable. I am preparing to have children, get married, you know the American dream. I need to capture these precious moments as accurately as I can, this is the reason I purchased the D4.

For me, the low light performance is key - anyone can take decent pictures with point and clicks in the daytime, and most any camera can take excellent creative shots if the user understands his or her camera. What I have a problem with the most is low light photography, taking pictures of friends and family using existing light. I might be in my house, out at a party, or enjoying a camp fire out in the woods. For these situations I need to be able to take clear and accurate photos which to me means increased ISO sensitivity, maintaining freeze frame shutter speeds, and with the combination of the two capturing a crisp and colorful shot each and every time. I can't tell you how many times I've thrown away those perfect moments because of camera shake or overall subject movement. So for the money, I needed something that could do all of this and out of all the cameras I was left with two options, the Nikon D3s and the Nikon D4.

Why the D4 over the D3s? Even though the D3s is 1/6th a stop improved sensor sensitivity I am set on the 16mp over 12mp improvement, set on the dynamic range, set on it being new and an overall improved camera. 30 minutes of 60FPS video capture, better low light metering, better color. For me, this camera has exceeded my expectations and truly captured my imagination and excitement each and every time I go out to shoot.

I have played with every setting so far except the web server via Wi-Fi/Ethernet and the in camera HDR. I prefer to Bracket my HDR shots and post process them, what I love about the speed of this camera is I can bracket all 9 shots hand held in under 1 second - seriously. In fact for continuous shooting this thing is simply impressive, with the XQD card that came with the camera I can take something like 75 shots before the 10 raws per second slows down due to buffer limit being reached.

The colors are amazing, the shutter sounds awesome, I can't tell you how much I love this imaging beast. Thank you Nikon!

See all 10 customer reviews...

 

"CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME."

Cheap Price Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR NIKKOR Zoom Lens (Red) for sale in USA

Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR NIKKOR Zoom Lens (Red) From Nikon List Price: $699.95 Price: $699.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com Average customer review:   (10 customer reviews)

Product Description

Don’t let the D3200’s compact size and price fool you—packed inside this easy to use HD-SLR is serious Nikon power: a 24.2 MP DX-format CMOS sensor that excels in any light, EXPEED 3 image-processing for fast operation and creative in-camera effects, Full HD (1080p) movie recording, in-camera tutorials and much more. What does this mean for you? Simply stunning photos and videos in any setting. And now, with Nikon’s optional Wireless Mobile Adapter, you can share those masterpieces instantly with your Smartphone or tablet easily!

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #171 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Red
• Brand: Nikon
• Model: 25496
• Released on: 2012-04-18
• Display size: 3

Features

• Wi-Fi Connectivity with adapter (not inluded)
• 24.2 MP DX-format CMOS sensor
• EXPEED III Image Processing
• Wide ISO sensitivity range
• One-touch Full HD 1080p movie recording

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Editorial Reviews

From the Manufacturer 

Take your photos and videos to the next level. Unrivaled 24.2 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor for truly dazzling photos and Full HD 1080p movies in any light. Innovative Guide Mode to help you master the camera. HD-SLR power; point-and-shoot ease.

Take your photos and videos to the next level

24.2 MP DX-format CMOS sensor and EXPEED 3

Why do photos and videos shot with a Nikon HD-SLR look so good? It all starts with Nikon’s exclusive image sensors, and the D3200 has the most powerful CMOS sensor we've ever put in a HD-SLR at this level. Boasting an astounding 24.2 effective megapixels, it captures sharper, richer images—even in low light. Combine that with EXPEED 3 image processing, the processing power behind the acclaimed Nikon D4, for super-fast operation, exceptional image capture, in-camera filter effects and more. Your photos and videos will amaze even you.

 

Master the camera simply by using it

Guide Mode ensures success

It’s never been easier to create HD-SLR quality photos, thanks to the D3200’s Guide Mode. Learn the camera’s key features and controls while you shoot, and even get advice and sample images to succeed in difficult shooting situations. Guide Mode is easy to access and easy to understand. You're never shooting alone with the D3200.

 

Capture the best of every scene

Six Scene Modes and Scene Auto Selector

Experienced photographers optimize their camera settings for the scene they're shooting. With the D3200, optimizing your camera settings is as easy as turning a dial. Choose from six common Scene Modes like Portrait, Night Portrait, Landscape, Close up and more, for flawless results even in demanding circumstances. When using Live View, Scene Auto Selector automatically sets the D3200 for the most suitable Scene Mode for the situation. A highly accurate 420-pixel RGB sensor powers Nikon’s Scene Recognition System, which compares scene data against an extensive database to optimize the shot accordingly.

 

Create cinema-quality HD videos

One-touch Full HD 1080p movie recording with stereo sound

Nikon is committed to developing HD-SLRs that are not just superlative still image cameras, but superlative video cameras, as well. With a touch of a button, the D3200 starts recording Full HD 1080p video with full-time autofocus, manual exposure control and stereo sound. Its breathtaking 921,000-dot, ultra-high-resolution display makes it easy to frame, monitor and review your footage. Even record in super-smooth slow motion up to 60 fps! Unleash your inner cinematographer.

 

Get a new view of your world

Versatile AF-S Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm

Nikon’s renowned NIKKOR lenses have long been the choice of pros and serious photographers. Marvels of clarity, consistency, precision and reliability, they draw peak performance from Nikon HD-SLRs. The D3200 comes equipped with the AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm, a versatile, high performance VR image stabilized lens. And when you're ready to expand your system and extend your creativity, you'll have your choice of over 70 legendary NIKKOR lenses.

 

 

Fast and accurate shooting

The D3200’s 11-point Autofocusing System is as fast as it is precise. Check your focus points, track your subject or shoot carefree right from the viewfinder. And when the action speeds up, simply aim, hold down the shutter and fire off approx. 4 fps at 24.2 MP resolution.

Wi-Fi Connectivity—Now you can easily get GREAT pictures on your smartphone

Using the WU-1a optional wireless mobile adapter you can now automatically send great images to your smartphone and even use your smartphone to remotely capture images from your D3200. With an easy to use app, now, when you can't wait to share that great shot, you don't have to. Share it to your smartphone in an instant.

 

Compact, lightweight and durable

Your D3200 is designed for comfort, intuitive use and durability. Its compact, lightweight and rugged body puts key controls at your fingertips. You'll never hesitate to bring along your D3200.

Dramatic low-light photos

The D3200's wide ISO range of 100 to 6400 allows for shooting in very low light without a flash or in very bright light with zoom, macro, fixed focal length or wide aperture lenses. For extreme low-light situations, set the ISO to Hi 1 and achieve ISO 12800 equivalent sensitivity.

 

All photography © Robin Layton

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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful.
Amazing camera - D800 replacement? 
By Waikiki 
Like many folks, I pre-ordered the D800 the same day it was available. Alas, Nikon has big-time blown the market analysis vs production vs. supply chain formula. After waiting 2 months, I have to leave the country before Nikon gets it's D800 act together. I needed a beat-up D90 replacement camera. The D3200 seemed like a decent place-holder, so I quickly ordered it before they were back-ordered too! Sure, the D3200 is DX, not FX. Sure, it is not nearly as flexible. Sure, it can only AF with newer lenses. BUT, you can buy about 4-D3200's for the price of a D800, AND it comes with a decent kit lens for $699!

The graphical-based menu system is geared more to beginners, which I am not, so I find it maddening. Most will love it. It is amazingly light weight - lighter than most lenses! It is very quiet. The AF could be faster, but it's plenty fast enough. When you dig deeper, you shockingly find that the D3200 has many advanced internal features from the highest-end cameras. The high-res LCD rear screen, the EXPEED 3 image processing engine, and a new 24MP sensor. The EXPEED 3 image processing engine allows the D3200 to perform at an altitude unheard of for a so-called entry level camera. Nikon's Active-D dynamic range enhancement at 4 frames per second requires substantial in-camera processing power. The amazing HD video offerings just wouldn't be possible without this pro-level image processing engine.

I bought this camera primarily for still photography. With the proper lenses & technique, the results are stunning. Low-light/high ISO performance is far beyond what you should expect at this level camera. Candle-lit face images are noise-free, and look great. Still life's on a tripod at ISO 100, have more resolution that ANY DSLR I have ever used, with very little shadow noise. In short, I might not accept my D800 when it becomes available. I might use the D3200 longer than I thought, (waiting for the 24MP FX D600 for $1999 later this year -- my guesses on price & stats & date)...or, just keep using the D3200. If it breaks (I'm hard on cameras), I'll just buy a new one.

Bottom line -- the D3200: super light-weight, very quiet, super high resolution (& low noise, high dynamic range, superb colors), incredible HD video with slow motion. It is no doubt THE most amazing DSLR value on the planet!

5/14/12 UPDATE: I've now shot 100s of images, using lenses from 11 mm to 600 mm. I've learned a lot. Super-high resolution cameras are a new arena for most of us. On the surface, one automatically thinks you will get images twice as sharp as before. Wrong. When you enter the hi-res camera stratosphere, photographic technique & lens choice are critical. While these high MP cameras are capable of amazing results, you have to work to get all this camera has to offer. Do not blame the camera if your initial results are less dramatically sharper than your old 6-8-12MP Nikon. It's probably you...

Set-up a table with clean background and a few artifacts on it. Use the sharpest lens you have, at f 8, on a sturdy tripod, perpendicular to the table, Shoot the scene with the in-camera flash on both old & new camera bodies. You will see the difference pretty easily when images from both cameras are compared side by side, enlarged to 100% on your PC monitor.

How does this translate to everyday casual shooting? Not easily. Sub-par technique still results in sub-par images no matter what camera is used. If you are a beginner looking for the best entry-level DSLR ever made, all of this won't matter much to you -- grab a D3200 and shoot away! Just note that the D3200 is capable of world-class imagery. If it takes more effort to take photographs of this caliber, it's a good thing -- the D3200 forces you to up your game to get there!

63 of 71 people found the following review helpful.
5100 VS 3200: Good Job Nikon! (Still do not have RAW plug-in for LR/PS 64bit) 
By J Sual 
Just received this Camera today, and this is my preliminary Review (will update progresively).
Background: I have upgraded my Nikon Digital D100->D200->D90->D5100->D3200.
Okay, seemed I downgrade every single time, but actually not. (I also use D300, D3X, but those are different class of equipment). This path, is more for daily activity platform (lightweight).
D90 -> D5100: I actually considered to buy D7000, but chose D5100 simply because the price, and the articulated LCD because I use it 50% for Video. I am glad I did! D5100 image quality is SUPERB and on par with D7000. D5100 is lot FASTER than D3000 & D3100, but a little bit slower than D7000. From D90 to D5100, it has lots of improvement in image quality, low noise in low light, much better video (with 20 minutes max per session). The only drawback I can see, is the battery coverage is not long enough (on Video mode), but it is understandable, and the solution is add another spare.

D5100 -> D3200:
Other than the obvious layout design difference, the only thing I eager to know is the Low Light Noise!
So I am glad to report that IT IS COMPARABLE!

See my attached photo (The Costco Connection image) and judge yourself (both image are taken with the same setting at ISO 6400)

So, 3200 is a clear winner!

*** Update ***
I upload an image taken at ISO 12800 (Hi1). For me the image is very usable.
Will update the review in a couple of days, once I get the whole importance difference between 5100 & 3200 ...

*** Update After 200 shots ***
1. My copy of 3200 has slightly over exposure consistently (but not much, probably 1/3 ev, but I actually like slightly under exposed)
2. I noticed a slight improvement of Dynamic range. I take a shoot at an overcast day, but surprise how it can capture the clouds, the trees and shadows
3. An improvement in response. It is slightly faster than 5100, but not in the same level as D7000.
4. Smoother Mirror, and quieter. It is noticable (but not sure if this is consistent between model, or just batch/production variance).

*** Update in Video ***
The Video is also amazing. It is comparable to D5100, especially the color rendetion is great!
The low light performance is on par with D5100.
The addition of 720p 60fps, and the Manual Audio Level control + Stereo Audio Meter is a real plus for Video Maker, making this DSLR a good choice for Serious Video taker. I wish it has a headphone Jack, but probably too much to ask for considering the price level. The focus tracking in Video mode is also improved, not substantially but good enough to be considered. I did 4 songs video clip and really satisfied with the result. Both the end result and the operational experience are great. I use the 720p 60fps mode for this project, and really like the result.
I noticed slightly longer battery time, but not sure whether this is consistent or only slight production/batch variance. (*** Update: I finally found that It is a batch variance, because the other battery I have give me noticable longer running time ***).

The additional Audio Meter view (press Info several time in the live view mode), is a really good addition for me, especially while attaching external Mic for Video mode (see my image). Also the option to set the Audio Level (Mic Input) is very useful. I took 10 Video clips already, and use the Mic Input to capture the Audio from A Mixer. The audio quality is SUPERB!

For all the test, I didnt use the kit lens, but use Tamron 17-50 F2.8 VC.

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful.
Nikon D3200 hits it out of the park! 
By Mr. Chute 
I was sceptical about the need for 24mp and what an entry level camera could do. I went to Hunts in Melrose MA and I took two shots with my 40mm 1x macro and 1 x distant on three bodies, the D40x, the D3200 and the D5100.

The D40x was crushed by both the other two cameras. The colour saturation on both the D5100 and the d3200 were on par but the D3200's resolution even blew the D5100 away!!

I got a good deal on the trade in of my D40x and I am now the happy owner of a D3200 and I'm blown away with the image quality! I'm not sure what Nikon was thinging but this enty level dslr beats the 5100 on resolution which make me think it might also have better resolution than the D7000!!

I'm happy with mine and my advice to anyone interested is to test the various cameras and judge for yourself. If you want more bells and whistles and less resolution go with the D5100, however if you are like me and want the best image quality then go with the D3200.

See all 10 customer reviews...

 

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