Think full-framers are the only professional-grade cameras out there? Nikon’s new APS-C-format DSLR, the D500 ($1997, street, body only), challenges the notion that a crop-sensor camera can’t deliver pro-level performance. This latest release follows in the footsteps of its heavy-duty predecessors in the high-end DX-format line, the last of which was 2009’s 12MP D300S. In the intervening years, Nikon has made significant advances in autofocus, ISO range, burst speed, and of course sensor resolution.

Full-sized JPEG and RAW files now top out at 20.9MP, nearly doubling the output of the D300S. The standard sensitivity range has broadened to ISO 100–51,200 and can be expanded to ISO 50–1,640,000. High-speed continuous shooting has jumped to 10 frames per second, with an impressive buffer capacity of 79 uncompressed 14-bit RAW images. The D500 borrows the powerful 153-point autofocus sensor from Nikon’s flagship D5, which it uses in tandem with its 180,000-pixel metering sensor to provide enhanced 3D subject tracking.

Also like the D5, the more affordable D500 incorporates the same 2,359,000-dot resolution touchscreen, and video capture, again on par with Nikon’s highest-performing DSLR, now reaches 4K at up to 30 fps. Like its predecessor, the D500 has two card bays and, while it maintains an SD card slot, its second port has been updated from CompactFlash to XQD, which Nikon boasts has transfer speeds of 400 MB/s.

Since the last addition to this line debuted seven years ago, we began our tests in Popular Photography Test Lab with high expectations. We were not disappointed.

In The Test Lab

In our rating of overall image quality, the new Nikon nabbed an Excellent score from its lowest sensitivity of ISO 50 all the way up to ISO 3200. In context of comparable APS-C-format cameras—the Nikon D300S, Canon’s 7D Mark II, Pentax K-3, and Sony Alpha 77 II—the newer Nikon was a significant improvement over its predecessor, though the Canon came in at a close second with an Excellent score that it retained through ISO 1600.

Tests for color accuracy revealed a Delta E of 5.3 for the D500, which leads the pack by more than a full point. Second best of the bunch was the long in the tooth D300S, followed closely by the Canon, Pentax, and Sony, which all garnered similar results.

The D500 came out about a year and half after its newest rival, the 7D Mark II. Given the rapid advancements in sensor manufacturing, it should come as little surprise that the new Nikon performed admirably compared with the other cameras in our resolution testing. At its lowest sensitivity of ISO 50, the D500 earned an Excellent score of 2650 lines per picture height. The Pentax also garnered an Excellent rating at its lowest sensitivity of ISO 100, but with a more impressive score of 2750. The Canon, which barely edged out the newer Nikon, snagged a 2660 lines per picture height, also at ISO 100. Sony’s A77 II wasn’t able to match the new Nikon, but still achieved an Excellent rating with 2620 lines at ISO 50.

Impressively, the D500 retained its Excellent resolution grade far beyond its lowest sensitivity settings, hanging onto the score all the way up to ISO 6400. At each progressively higher ISO setting we tested, the camera’s resolving capacity dropped by small and predictable amounts until we hit ISO 51,200, where resolution dropped precipitously to 2175. By the top ISO of 1,638,400, resolution fizzled to a mere 775 lines, a level of quality degradation that renders the image effectively useless.

In our tests for noise at various sensitivities—as we did with the D5—we processed the RAW images with Adobe Camera Raw, this time applying 25 percent luminance noise reduction from ISO 50 through ISO 400, stepped up to 50 percent at ISO 800, and then moved up to 75 percent at ISO 1600 and above. At those settings we encountered Extremely Low noise at the D500’s two lowest ISO settings. From there, noise vacillated between Very Low and Low up until ISO 3200. By ISO 6400, the new Nikon showed only Moderately Low noise, after which its noise rating dropped to Unacceptable.

Compared with the D300S, which reached an Unacceptable rating at ISO 3200 and above, the D500 shows significantly improved low-light performance. The older Nikon and the Pentax K-3 brought up the rear in this test, failing to produce images of acceptable noise at or above ISO 3200. The D500 and Sony’s A77 II proved to be about equally matched, although the Sony held on to a better Moderate noise score up to ISO 12,800.

In the Field

A glance at the D500 will tell you a good deal about its capabilities. Its rugged and partially rubberized chassis incorporates a deep right-hand grip for a firm grasp, an improvement over previous models that is made possible by a slimmer body. The control configuration should be familiar to Nikon shooters, with the welcome addition of LED-backlighting on the buttons lining rear LCD screen on top of the mode dial.

Also new to the line is the incorporation of a small joystick located near where your thumb lands on the back of the body, allowing you to easily pinpoint your desired autofocus point. Instead of navigating through menu options, you’ll find white balance, image quality, ISO, and drive settings all available at the touch of a button at the top of the camera, where they are easy to reach. Two programmable function buttons on the front and the back of the body add to the personalized interface possibilities. Front and rear command dials for easy exposure navigation in manual mode are customizable and move with satisfying clicks.

In line with its other professional-grade DSLRs, Nikon has equipped the D500 with a comfortable, round eyepiece fitted with an eyepiece shutter. Landscape photographers, long-exposure fanatics, and those using remote triggering systems should appreciate this feature, which helps ensure proper metering and keeps excess light from entering the camera through the viewfinder.

The sophisticated autofocus system allows you to choose from 55 points out of a grand total of 153 AF sites. Of these, 99 points are of the cross-type variety, but how many the camera actually engages varies depending on the focal length of the lens attached to body. A number of autofocus modes include the ability to utilize dynamic-area groups of 25, 72, or all 153 AF sites to track the movement of subjects around a pre-selected point. Using the 3D-tracking setting in tandem with continuous autofocus, the camera will even track a subject’s movement across the whole frame. Because the AF sensor is the same one that’s in the full-frame D5, it covers a much larger portion of the D500’s APS-C-sized frame. This allows for better tracking around the edges of the frame and makes following along with subjects while focus tracking significantly easier. In our tests it performed as expected, maintaining a solid lock on a variety of different moving subjects.

Field testing the video capabilities of the new Nikon revealed minimal rolling shutter distortion from fast moving subjects and low-light capabilities to be expected with this class of camera. Our 4K footage looked [PLEASE DESCRIBE BRIEFLY HERE. Anything to say about dynamic range???]. Our only gripe, and it’s minor, is that the frame rate tops out at 30 fps rather than 60 fps for smoother motion.

The Bottom Line

Nikonians with APS-C-sensor bodies who are looking to upgrade would do well to step up to the D500, especially if you’ve already amassed a selection of DX glass. The sophistication of the new camera and the many features Nikon has passed down to it from the D5 reaffirm the company’s dedication to the crop-sensor system after the long wait since the D300S had some shooters wondering whether we’d ever see this camera.

Fine-art photographers and still-life shooters should be more than pleased with its top-of-the-line color rendition. Its overall image quality and resolution stand up to pixel-peeping, and the camera’s 20.9MP sensor natively outputs files ready to print at the popular 13×19 size, perfect for high-end home photo printers.

The D500 has much to offer more active snappers, as well. Those enamored with photographing skateboarders, children, and other fast-moving subjects should appreciate its advanced AF system. Plus, relatively low noise at higher ISO settings allow for faster shutter speeds in more challenging lighting situations.

No matter what your preferred style of photography, the D500 is an excellent tool. It transcends the limitations some people associate with the APS-C format. It’s a great back-up body for pros or a great choice for serious photographers looking to switch into a new system.

The post Camera Review: Nikon D500 DSLR appeared first on Popular Photography.

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If it seems like it was just last month that we tested a Fujifilm camera, that’s because we did. The company continues to put out cameras at a breakneck pace as it builds out its line of X-series interchangeable-lens compacts. Its new flagship, the X-T1, has the same imaging sensor as the X-E2 we tested in March.

But in this new model ($1,299, street, body only; $1,699 with 18–55mm f/2.8–4 Fujinon XF R LM OIS lens), that sensor finds its home inside a weather-sealed magnesium-alloy body that also houses the snazziest electronic viewfinder yet to grace a Fujifilm body. Along with a bevy of dials, a pair of command wheels, and even a PC sync terminal to trigger strobes, the camera evokes yesteryear while also evokes yesteryear while also providing a very high-level shooting experience.

As soon as we saw it, we were eager to run it through the Popular Photography Test Lab and see how it stands up to field testing.

In the Test Lab
Test results of the same model sensor in different camera bodies sometimes turn out slightly different, especially if the manufacturer has ample time to fine-tune the way the images are processed, manage heat better, or other such factors. In this case, we saw nearly identical results for all the sensitivity settings that the cameras share, but the X-T1 does offer one extra stop of sensitivity over the X-E2.

The new camera earned an Extremely High rating in image quality from ISO 100 through ISO 400. As with other Fujifilm X-series cameras, the X-T1 will let you record only JPEGs when set to the extremes of its sensitivity range, in this case ISO 100, 12,800, 25,600, and 51,200. So our test results at those settings are based on JPEGs straight from the camera. We should also note that we used the Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 R lens (a 52mm equivalent) for our lab testing, as we have with every Fujifilm X-series camera to date.

With the recent spate of cameras that leave out anti-aliasing filters, we’ve seen varying amounts of aliasing effects on images of our resolution chart. And we did notice evidence of aliasing in the X-T1’s resolution images. Interestingly, we noticed no false-color aliasing in the vertical or horizontal line arrays, but did see prominent false colors in the diagonal arrays when processing RAW images into uncompressed 16-bit TIFFs with the included Silkypix conversion software.

When viewing JPEGs generated by the camera, most of that false color was gone. It remains to be seen if other third-party RAW processors will do a better job than Silkypix in this regard, as the X-T1 was not yet supported by any as of press time.

Resolution measured 2475 at ISO 200, the lowest setting at which you can capture RAW. JPEGs at ISO 100 showed 2440 lines, which is a tad better than the X-E2. At the X-T1’s highest sensitivity of ISO 51,200, resolution was 2010 lines in our test. Otherwise, the X-T1 showed the same results as the X-E2, dropping to 2300 lines at ISO 6400—the highest sensitivity at which you can capture RAW.

In our color accuracy test, the two sibling cameras turned in the exact same result, earning Excellent ratings with average Delta E measurements of 6.2. That means extremely accurate color reproduction when using the Standard film simulation mode and a gray card to normalize white balance, as we always recommend when striving for the most accurate color.

Noise tracked almost exactly to the X-E2’s results, though there was a tad more noise at ISO 100, while still remaining controlled enough for an Extremely Low rating.

In the Field
The X-T1 feels very solid in the hand, and it sports a nice grip that, while not as extensively sculpted as you’ll find on some cameras of this caliber, provides a more-than-adequate hold. A very comfortable ridge on the camera back affords plenty of leverage when tilting the camera.

The control system is made for people who like dials. ISO, shutter speed, drive mode, metering mode, and exposure compensation all have dedicated dials. The drive and metering wheels are stacked underneath those for ISO and shutter speed, respectively, and can be moved using a tab on the front of the camera. One of our field testers accidentally reset the drive-mode dial while the camera was in his bag; other testers did not run into this, but you may want to be careful here. The very nature of the dials, of course, means that you can check this before you even turn the camera on.

The biggest fault we found in the control system is that Fujifilm didn’t add an H3 setting on the ISO dial. Instead, if you want to make use of ISO 51,200, you must dig down into the setup menu, and switch the H2 setting on the dial from ISO 25,600 to ISO 51,200. It is very inconvenient, and makes it feel like Fujifilm decided to add the highest sensitivity setting very late in the design process.

The X-T1’s new EVF marks a big improvement for Fujifilm—and for ILC design in general. The 0.5-inch 2.36-million-dot OLED has 0.77X magnification and an extremely fast 0.005-second display lag, according to Fujifilm (we don’t currently have the means to measure EVF display lag time).

The image presented is enormous—so much so that Fujifilm includes both a Full and Normal setting so you can reduce the size if you prefer. The larger Full setting was the one we preferred for most of our field testing. The smaller Normal setting does push most of the information outside of the image area, which gives a less cluttered framing experience, but we still preferred the more immersive feeling of Full.

As always with EVFs, you sacrifice the true through-the-lens view, but you gain the ability to access menus without taking your eye away from the finder, and can make use of a histogram as you frame. You can also shoot with an electronic level overlaid, which can be extremely helpful to any shooters with horizon issues.

Video showed a pleasing amount of detail and well-saturated colors, but also more artifacts than we’ve seen in a lot of other ILCs. It should be plenty good for most casual shooting, though. Burst shooters should enjoy the X-T1’s continuous drive of 8 frames per second. When shooting JPEGs, you can capture up to 47 images before the buffer fills, though if you use the slower 3 fps mode you can shoot until your card is full. If you’re shooting RAW, you can get up to 23 shots at 8 fps before the buffer fills.

Even better, the EVF’s short lag time lets you see what’s happening as you shoot bursts more easily than most other ILCs. Sony’s OLED finders are the only competition, and we’re hard-pressed to pick a favorite.

As any camera maker should these days, Fujfilm includes Wi-Fi in the X-T1. The Camera Remote smartphone app lets you use an iPhone or Android to view what the camera’s sensor is currently seeing and capture images. You can select your AF point on your phone’s touchscreen and adjust any major camera setting, including the flash mode, white balance, self-timer, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation. You can also record video and there’s even a battery level indicator. Olympus’ app does provide more menu settings, but we’re pleased with what Fujifilm offers here.

The Bottom Line
For about $300 more than you’d spend on an X-E2, the Fujifilm X-T1 offers a significantly more comfortable shooting experience. Not only is your eye centered above the lens when using the EVF, but the EVF itself is much better, especially for bursts. The dials provide great control of the camera, especially if you don’t see yourself ever using ISO 51,200.

Minor gripes aside, the X-T1 is a wonderful camera to use and we don’t look forward to having to send our test camera back. But as consolation, there are always more cameras waiting to be tested.

SPECIFICATIONS
IMAGING: 16.3MP effective, APS-C-sized X-Trans CMOS II sensor captures images at 4896×3264 pixels with 14 bits/color in RAW mode
STORAGE: SD, SDHC, SDXC slot stores JPEG, RAF RAW, RAW + JPEG files
BURST RATE: Full-sized JPEGs (Fine mode): 8 fps up to 47 shot; RAW: 8 fps up to 23 shots; RAW + JPEG: 8 fps up to 23 shots when using a Class 10 or higher memory card
AF: TTL contrast and phase detection with 49 selectable focus areas; single-shot and continuous AF with face detection and subject tracking
VIEWFINDER: Eye-level 2.36-million-dot 0.5-inch OLED with 0.77X magnification
SHUTTER SPEEDS: 1/4000 to 30 sec, plus B (in 1/3-EV increments); shutter life not rated
METERING: TTL metering with 256-zone Multi (evaluative), centerweighted, spot (approximately 2% of the frame at center)
ISO RANGE: ISO 200–6400 (in 1/3-EV increments); ISO 100 and ISO 12,800–51,200 JPEG only
VIDEO: Records at up to 1920x1080p60 in H.264 format; built-in stereo microphone; 2.5mm stereo mic input; maximum clip length 14 minutes at 1920×1080 or 27 minutes at 1280×720
FLASH: No built-in pop-up; comes with EF-X8 hot shoe flash, GN 27 (feet, ISO 100); flash sync to 1/180 sec
MONITOR: Tilting 3-inch TFT LCD with 1.04-million-dot resolution; 11-step brightness adjustment
BATTERY: Rechargeable NP-W126 Li-ion, CIPA rating 350 shots
SIZE/WEIGHT: 5.0×3.5×1.8 in., 1.0 lb with a card and battery
STREET PRICE: $1,299, body only; $1,699 with 18–55mm f/2.8–4 OIS lens
INFO: www.fujifilmusa.com

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If you’re serious about photography but find full-frame DSLRs too pricey, a camera like Nikon’s D7200 will likely catch your eye. With enough resolution to make large prints, bursts speedy enough to keep up with fast-paced sports, and the versatility of high sensitivity, a model in this class will meet most enthusiasts’ needs. While this new $1,197 (street, body only) DSLR is very similar to the D7100, Nikon has made the buffer deeper to get more out of the 6-frame-per-second bursts, added black-and-white JPG capture at ISO 51,200 and ISO 102,400, and built in Wi-Fi. Movie recording has been refined, notably with the addition of the Flat Picture Control setting to allow more control of dynamic range in postproduction.

How does the Nikon D7200 stack up against similar cameras, such as Canon’s EOS 70D, Pentax’s K-3, and Sony’s Alpha 77II? We ran it through the rigors of our Popular Photography Test Lab and extensive field-testing to find out.

With results very similar to those of its predecessor, the Nikon D7200 earned an Excellent rating in overall image quality from ISO 100 through ISO 1600. To achieve this overall rating, a camera must earn an Excellent rating in color accuracy, serve up an Excellent rating in resolution, and score a Low or better rating in noise. The Nikon D7200 easily won an Excellent rating in color accuracy with an average Delta E of 6.7 from uncompressed TIFFs generated from losslessly compressed, 14-bit NEF RAW files converted in Nikon’s Capture NX-D, the software that comes with the camera. Its 24.2MP APS-C-sized (Nikon calls it DX format) CMOS sensor managed to capture 2825 lines per picture height at ISO 100 in our resolution test. That’s almost exactly what the D7100 captured, and it beats the Pentax K-3 (2750), Canon 70D (2630), and Sony A77II (2620). Of course, at lower ISOs all of these cameras provide enough detail for prints as big as most people want to make with them.

Toward the top of its sensitivity range, the Nikon D7200 holds a respectable portion of its resolving power. For instance, at ISO 12,800 the Nikon served up 2325 lines; the Pentax topped it with 2375 lines, but the Canon reached only 2220, a level to which the Sony dipped one stop earlier, at ISO 6400. Going monochrome with the Nikon D7200, the only option at the two top sensitivities, netted us 2050 lines of resolution at ISO 51,200 and 1900 lines at ISO 102,400, though noise at those sensitivities was heavy.

Keep in mind that Nikon’s new Capture NX-D software doesn’t automatically vary the amount of noise reduction applied for each ISO. We’d very much like Nikon to provide some defaults for noise reduction to indicate where it thinks the best starting point is for each level of sensitivity. Since it didn’t, we did what we’ve done with cameras that ship with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom: We applied noise reduction at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 90 percent and then judged which level provides the best balance of noise control and resolving power at a given ISO. In this case, it was with 25% noise reduction at ISO 100, 50% from ISO 200 through 6400, and 75 at ISO 12,800 and 25,600. Since at ISO 51,200 and 102,400 you can only shoot black-and-white JPGs, we tested those files straight from the camera.

At these settings, the same ones we used to process the resolution test images, the Nikon D7200 kept noise to a Low or better rating through ISO 1600. At the lowest three sensitivities, the camera earned our highest honors of an Extremely Low rating. Better still, the Nikon D7200 didn’t reach Unacceptable noise levels until its top standard sensitivity of ISO 25,600. For comparison, the Canon 70D held Noise to a Low or better rating up to ISO 400 and reached Unacceptable by ISO 6400; the Pentax K-3 turned in Low or better ratings up to ISO 800 and Unacceptable at ISO 3200. Which won this race? Sony’s A77II, with Low or better noise ratings up to ISO 3200; like the Nikon, it reached Unacceptable at ISO 25,600.

In our AF test, the Nikon D7200 focused quickly at brighter light levels, managing to lock and capture an image in 0.33 sec at EV 12. It was able to lock and capture in less than half a second at EV 4, which is roughly equivalent to a dimly lit room in a home. Dipping down to nighttime-level darkness of EV 0, the Nikon D7200 could focus and shoot in under a second. While Nikon rates the AF effective down to EV –3, our test ends at EV –2, where the AF became less consistent in its timing but averaged 1.37 sec in our test.

Sharing a very similar design with its predecessor, the Nikon D7200 is a very comfortable camera to use. Dual command wheels make it much easier to control exposure manually than with single-wheel entry-level DSLRs. The grip’s shape feels natural in the hand, and a cutout area on the inside gives your fingertips a comfortable place to land.

The control system is nice, with plenty of customizable buttons and dials. You can even reverse the direction of exposure indicators and dials in case you’re accustomed to another camera system’s controls. We just wish there were a way to let one of the command wheels adjust exposure compensation when shooting in aperture- or shutter-priority mode—we’ve become quite used to being able to doing that with a wheel on other cameras and found ourselves craving direct access rather than having to hold down a button while turning a wheel; it would also open up the exposure comp button to be reassigned to something else. Hidden in the right side of the grip is a pair of SD memory card slots. These give you the usual options for mirroring or parceling out different file types between the cards, as well extra storage space.

The monitor remains a 3.2-inch LCD with 1,228,800-dot resolution. It also remains fixed in place. Of the three competing cameras mentioned earlier, only the Pentax uses a fixed screen. For shooters who plan to capture video without a big rig, or who, like us, have come to enjoy the versatility of an articulating or tilting screen, this is a small flaw.

One nice addition: This time around, Nikon built in Wi-Fi for instant sharing and remote camera viewing and control through a smart phone or tablet. This is the first of the company’s higher-end cameras with this increasingly common feature. Burst shooting is the one area where the Nikon doesn’t really compete: Action shooters might point to the Pentax K-3’s 8.3 fps, the Sony A77II’s 8 fps, or the Canon 70D’s 7 fps, and ask, what gives? The same question arises on seeing the deeper buffer for RAW capture of the Pentax and Sony. Still, it wasn’t too long ago that the Nikon’s burst rate of 6 fps was considered more than adequate in a camera of this class, and we still consider it plenty fast for shooting sports. If you acquiesce to a further 1.3X crop in your image frame, you can up the Nikon D7200’s burst speed to 7 fps. Videographers should appreciate the movie capture of the Nikon D7200. We saw little in the way of the dreaded jello effect, and footage we captured looked relatively clean and full of detail. Regular capture tops out at 1920×1080 at 30 fps, but you can get to 60 fps if you accept the same kind of 1.3X crop that allows a faster burst speed. You can also use the HDMI output to send an uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2 signal to an external recorder through the HDMI output. There are also options for zebra stripes to help monitor exposure, a flat picture control for those who choose to do color grading in postproduction, and an automatic time-lapse mode.

Overall, the Nikon D7200 is a worthy upgrade from the D7100, though you may not feel the need to step up from that body unless you are serious about video or need the added buffer depth in burst shooting. In comparison to other cameras in this class, the case for it strengthens. We were happy to see that it has Wi-Fi built in. (The only competitor that doesn’t include this is the K-3, though that is about to be replaced by the K-3 II, which does have Wi-Fi.) The Nikon D7200 also has a moderate amount of weather sealing, though not as much as the Pentax.

More importantly, we’re struck by the image quality that you can get from the Nikon D7200 and by its noise control. Sony’s A77II, the major competitor in this arena, uses an electronic instead of an optical viewfinder. For some shooters this will prove a boon, since it gives you access to menus without having to take your eye off the finder; others may see the EVF as a detriment and gravitate toward this Nikon. One thing we know from our own testing: The Nikon D7200 is an incredibly capable camera that offers a massive amount of versatility at a price that should appeal to a wide array of photographers. With the added benefit of compatibility with the vast number of accessories and lenses made for the Nikon system, it’s hard to find fault with the Nikon D7200.

Specifications:

Imaging: 24.1MP effective, DX-format CMOS sensor captures images at 6000×4000 pixels with 14 bits/color in RAW mode Storage: SD, SDHC, SDXC. Stores JPEG, NEF RAW, or RAW + JPEG files Video: Records up to 1920x1080p60 in MPEG-4 H.264 format; built-in stereo microphone; stereo microphone input; approx. 10-min maximum clip size at highest quality Burst Rate: Full-sized JPEGs (Fine), up to 100 shots at 6 fps; RAW (14-bit), up to 18 shots at 6 fps using a UHS-I compatible SD card AF System: TTL phase-detection with 51 illuminated focus points (15 cross-type points, center point supports f/8 maximum aperture); single-shot, continuous, predictive focus tracking; tested sensitivity down to EV –2 (at ISO 100, f/1.4), rated down to EV –3 Live View: Full-time contrast-detection Shutter Speeds: 1/8000 to 30 sec, plus B (1/3-EV increments); shutter rated to 150,000 cycles; flash sync to 1/250 sec Metering: TTL metering using 2,016-pixel sensor; evaluative (Matrix), center-weighted (75% weight given to 8mm circle in center of the frame), and spot (approx. 2.5% of finder at center); range, 0 to 20 EV (at ISO 100), 2 to 20 EV when using spot metering ISO Range: ISO 100–25,600 (in 1/2- or 1/3-EV steps), expandable to allow black and white capture at ISO 51,200 and ISO 102,400 Viewfinder: Fixed eye-level pentaprism LCD: Fixed 3.2-in. TFT with 1,228,800-dot resolution, 11-step brightness adjustment Output: Hi-Speed USB 2.0, mini-HDMI video, and stereo mini jack audio Battery: Rechargeable EN-EL15 Li-ion; CIPA rating, 1150 shots Size/Weight: 5.4×4.2×3.0 in., 1.7 lbs with a card and battery Street Price: $1,197, body only; $1,697 with 18–140mm f/3.5–5.6G ED DX VR lens Info: nikonusa.com

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While Fujifilm’s X-Series cameras first won attention for their retro rangefinder styling, its new X-T1 resembles a diminutive DSLR. And with its rugged weather-sealed body, outstanding electronic viewfinder, plethora of dials and wheels, and extremely high image quality up to ISO 400, this flagship interchangeable-lens compact packs DSLR-style capabilities too.

The X-T1 uses the same 16.3-megapixel, APS-C-sized X-Trans CMOS sensor that Fujifilm put in its recent X-E2, but the sensitivity reaches an extra stop to ISO 51,200—a setting hidden in menus and not evident on the camera’s otherwise well-marked dials. Like its siblings, the X-T1 permits only JPEG capture, not RAW, at the extremes of sensitivity (in this case ISO 100 and ISO 12,800 and above).

Our sister magazine’s report from the Popular Photography Test Lab rated overall image quality extremely high through ISO 400, with solid noise control to that point and only moderate noise at ISO 800. After this, noise turns unacceptable—not surprising in a camera this small. Some false-color aliasing was detected in diagonal line arrays, though JPEGs from the camera showed little of this effect.

Solid in the hand, the magnesium-alloy body has a comfortable grip. ISO, shutter speed, drive mode, metering mode, and exposure compensation all have dedicated dials; the drive and metering dials are stacked underneath those for ISO and shutter speed, respectively, and can be adjusted using a tab. There’s a PC sync terminal to trigger studio strobes.

The X-T1’s new EVF offers a vast improvement. This 0.5-inch, 2.36 million–dot OLED has 0.77X magnification and an extremely brief display lag—billed as 0.005 second. The image feels enormous, and users can choose between an immersive “full” setting and a smaller “normal” that pushes most data outside the image frame. Technical-minded photographers can even see a histogram while framing the shot.

Action shooters will enjoy the X-T1’s continuous drive of 8 frames per second for up to 47 JPEGs (23 in RAW) before the buffer fills; in slower 3 fps mode, bursts can continue until the memory card is full. And the EVF’s short lag time affords a view of what’s happening during bursts, unusual in ILCs.

Wi-Fi, sensibly, is built in. Fujifilm’s Camera Remote app works with iOS and Android devices for viewing, controls, and capture. Users can select auto­focus points and remotely adjust any major camera setting, including flash mode, white balance, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation; there’s even a battery-level indicator.

Video should be good enough for most casual shooting: It showed a pleasing amount of detail and well-saturated colors, but also more artifacts than we get from other ILCs.

These minor gripes aside, the X-T1 is a wonderful camera with plenty to offer outdoor and indoor location photographers alike.

Noteworthy Spec:
SENSOR 16.3MP APS-C-format X-Trans CMOS II
SENSITIVITY ISO 200–6400 (RAW and JPEG); ISO 100 and 12,800–51,200 (JPEG only)
AUTOFOCUS TTL contrast and phase detection with 49 selectable focus areas
SHUTTER 1/4000–30 sec plus Bulb in 1/3-EV steps
VIEWFINDER Eye-level 2.36 million-dot 0.5″ OLED with 0.77X magnification
BURSTS 8 fps up to 47 shots (full-size JPEG); 8 fps up to 23 shots (RAW)
LCD Tilting 3-inch TFT LCD with 1.04 million-dot resolution
DIMENSIONS 5.0 x 3.5 x 1.8 in.
WEIGHT 1.0 lb with battery and memory card
BUY IT $1,300 body only; $1,700 with 18–55mm f/2.8–4 Fujinon XF R OIS lens; fujifilmusa.com

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Olympus had an instant hit when it kicked off its premium OM-D line of Micro Four Thirds cameras with the E-M5. From the looks of the new flagship E-M1, history may repeat itself.

This interchangeable-lens compact doesn’t push the pixel count much higher, sporting a 16.3-megapixel Live MOS sensor, but Olympus fans will notice improvements to most other aspects of the camera.

Check out a full Camera Test of the OM-D E-M1 on our sister site, PopPhoto.com

First off, the grip, a solid protrusion that contrasts with the E-M5’s slight bump that had many photographers springing for an accessory grip. The E-M1’s extensive weather-sealing makes it dust- and splash-proof; the Supersonic Wave Filter dust-reduction system should cope with what comes in during lens changes. And the sensor-based, five-axis image stabilization allows handholding at slower shutter speeds, no matter what lens is on the camera.

Like the Olympus Pen E-P5, the E-M1 includes the company’s 2×2 dial control system. This small lever switches the two command dials between different sets of functions, letting the photographer control aperture and shutter speed with the dials while shooting, then switching them to control ISO and white balance (or other such combinations) when adjusting for the next shot. It’s a fantastic way to provide direct access to more settings on a fairly small camera. Compared with previous Olympus electronic finders, the E-M1’s new EVF is a big step up. Its 2.36 million–dot LCD, with a 1.48X magnification factor equivalent to 0.74X on a full-frame DSLR, is a great way to frame.

The lever next to the autoexposure/autofocus lock button lets users switch between two pairs of controls assigned to the command dials.

Perhaps more important: The E-M1’s new Dual Fast autofocus system, which incorporates 81 contrast-detection points and 37 phase-detection points into the imaging sensor. In our brief hands-on with a preproduction camera, this made focusing with Four Thirds lenses much faster (Olympus’s legacy glass works well with its $160 MMF-3 adaptor). Plus, when using Micro Four Thirds lenses, the contrast- and phase-detection systems work in concert during continuous AF to bolster tracking performance.

With continuous AF and metering, Olympus claims the E-M1 will capture at a rate of 6.5 frames per second for up to 50 RAW shots. Without continuous AF, the rate jumps to 10fps for up to 41 RAW shots.

Like many new cameras, the E-M1 has built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for uploading and control on smartphones and tablets. While Olympus’s old camera control app supported only auto shooting, the new Olympus Image Share 2.0 app gives access to all the main shooting modes for full manual control. It will even operate in Oly’s Live Bulb shooting mode, which shows the progress of a long exposure during capture.

Besides some new creative filters, the E-M1 can automatically merge an HDR image from three exposures, assemble a time-lapse movie up to 1.67 minutes long, or shoot at intervals from 1 second to 24 hours for up to 999 frames.

With the camera, Olympus announced two new lenses. The 12–40mm f/2.8 M.Zuiko Pro Digital ED (a 24–80mm equivalent), shown at left from the top view, will be available as a kit with the initial release of the E-M1 in October. The 40–150mm f/2.8 M.Zuiko Pro Digital ED (80–300mm equivalent), shown on the opening page, will be available in the second half of 2014. Meant to be the best that Olympus makes for the Micro Four Thirds system, the new M.Zuiko Pro line will have dust- and splash-proof construction to complement the weather sealing in the E-M1.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 is estimated to retail for $1,400 for the camera body only, while the kit with the 12–40mm f/2.8 lens is estimated at $2,200.

Olympus’s new 12–40mm f/2.8 M.Zuiko Pro lens, offered in a kit with the OM-D E-M1, shares the camera’s ruggedness.

Noteworthy Spec:
SENSOR 16.3MP Live MOS (Four Thirds format)
SENSITIVITY ISO 100–25,600
AUTOFOCUS 81 contrast- detection points and 37 phase-difference detection points, all on imaging sensor
SHUTTER 1/8000–60 sec (in 1/3-, 1/2-, or 1-EV steps); Bulb/Time: 8 min default setting; 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 20, 25, or 30 min selectable
EVF 2.36 million–dot LCD; 1.48X magnification
LCD MONITOR Tilting 3.0-inch, 1.037 million-dot touch screen
MEMORY CARDS SD, SDHC, SDXC; single slot
VIDEO Up to 1920×1080 pixels 30fps H.264 MOV
DIMENSIONS 5.1 x 3.7 x 2.5 in. (130.4 x 93.5 x 63.1 mm)
BUY IT $1,400, body only, $2,200 with 12–40mm f/2.8 M.Zuiko Pro Digital ED lens; getolympus.com

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When Sony introduced the Alpha 7 and 7R full-frame interchangeable-lens compacts last year, we tested the A7R first, given that its breathtaking 36.4MP sensor made it the hotter news by far. The A7’s 24.3MP sensor makes it a different beast than the A7R, and one with a significantly lighter street price ($1,698, body only; $1,998 with 24–70mm f/3.5–5.6 FE OSS lens)—which alone might make the A7 a bigger seller. But how did it perform in our actual testing?

In the Test Lab
With fewer pixels in the same amount of sensor space, the A7 unsurprisingly produces less image noise at equivalent ISOs than the A7R. Sure, it delivers less resolution than its pricier sibling, but it still serves up enough for an Excellent rating. If you don’t crop heavily or print huge, the A7 might make more sense for you.

The camera earned an overall image quality rating of Excellent from ISO 50 through 800. At its lowest available sensitivity, ISO 50, the A7 turned in 2650 lines per picture height, well above our cutoff of 2500 lines for top honors in this test. At ISO 800, resolving power held strong with 2575 lines. By ISO 3200, it dipped to 2450 lines—still rated Extremely High. By ISO 6400, it resolved 2380 lines, with noise reaching more serious levels. At the A7’s highest sensitivity of ISO 25,600, resolution fell to 2200 lines, a Very High rating on our scale.

In our noise test, the A7 showed impressive results. Images at ISO 50 are clean enough for our best rating of Extremely Low, and the A7 maintained this up to ISO 200. At ISO 400 noise rose only enough to bring it to Very Low. From there noise sank one rating with each whole step up its sensitivity range: ISO 800 brought a Low rating; ISO 1600, Moderately Low; and ISO 3200, Moderate. At ISO 6400, test images became noisy enough for an Unacceptable score.

Applying just a bit more noise reduction in processing RAW files would definitely bring that into Acceptable territory. Sony doesn’t make this very easy, though. We used the default automatic noise reduction in Sony’s Image Data Converter software that ships with the camera; unlike Canon’s Digital Photo Professional (in the box), Nikon’s Capture NX (separate purchase), and other manufacturers’ RAW converters, this doesn’t show a numerical value for the amount of NR applied. Having this information makes it easier for you to fine-tune your own images.

In the Field
Since the A7 shares much of its body and control design with the A7R, we’ll reiterate some of the things we said in that test (January 2014, available on PopPhoto.com).

The weathersealed metal body feels sturdy, and the nicely sculpted grip is one of the best we’ve experienced on an ILC. As with the A7R, we wished the dedicated exposure compensation dial were just be another assignable command wheel. Not to denigrate it—the current design lets you use the two assignable command wheels atop the camera, plus the four-way controller on the camera back—but the dedicated EC dial lets you apply only +/– 3 EV in 1/3-EV steps. Want ½-EV steps, or a range to +/– 5 EV? You’ll have to plunge into the menus.

Burst shooters will find the A7 slightly faster than the A7R, but still slow by today’s standards—only 2.5 frames per second. The buffer runs deep, though, allowing about 32 RAW (14-bit) shots before filling. We suppose building a full-frame shutter mechanism to operate at 5 fps or faster in a camera this small is a tall order. So if this is one of the A7’s bigger shortcomings, take it as a compliment.

The A7’s shutter has taken flak on the internet from shooters who complain that it causes too much noise and vibration. While some cameras are certainly quieter, we found the shutter noise softer and less jarring than on most DSLRs.

Videographers will like the A7’s 1920x1080p60 AVCHD movies. Colors are particularly well–saturated, even at higher ISOs in dim lighting. You can send uncompressed video to an external recorder though the micro-HDMI jack, plus there’s a headphone jack to monitor audio and an input for an external mic.

The camera’s built-in Wi-Fi and NFC make sending images to your smartphone fairly painless. You can also trip the shutter and adjust exposure compensation through the SmartRemote app—another area where Sony could add more functionality. Some apps, notably Olympus’, give you far more control over the camera.

The Bottom Line
Comparisons are tricky for the A7, since there are no other 24MP ILCs, other than Sony’s discontinued NEX-7 and newly announced Alpha 6000, which we haven’t tested; the only other full-frame ILC is the A7R. Samsung’s NX300, with a 20.3MP sensor, produced Excellent tested resolution at ISO 100—but the A7 offers higher resolution and lower noise through ISO 800. Both cameras earned Excellent ratings in color accuracy, though the Samsung scored a bit higher. And while the NX300 costs much less than the A7, it lacks an electronic viewfinder (and can’t accept an add-on), doesn’t have as nice a grip, and its control system falls short of the A7’s.

While few FE (full-frame) lenses are available yet, Sony has more in the works. We used the 24–70mm f/4 , 35mm f/2.8, and 55mm f/1.8 FE lenses, and all worked well. We also used a classic 35mm f/2.5 Nikon rangefinder lens through a Voigtländer adapter. You can adapt nearly any DSLR lens, including Sony’s highly regarded glass. For full-frame shooters who want a small body to supplement an existing Sony DSLR, the A7 offers a consistent experience by providing the same field of view, regardless of whether you shoot from behind a flipping mirror or not.

So should you consider an A7? Unless you need to capture bursts of fast-paced action, absolutely. The only like camera that beats it in pure image quality is Sony’s own A7R—which costs $600 more and has a one-stop disadvantage in noise suppression. The A7 makes more sense for a typical photographer looking for a luxurious shooting experience along with top-notch imaging.

SPECIFICATIONS
IMAGING: 24.3MP effective, full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor captures images at 6000×4000 pixels with 14 bits/color in RAW mode
STORAGE: SD, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo, PRO-HG Duo, XC-HG Duo. Stores JPEG, ARW RAW, RAW + JPEG
VIDEO: Up to 1920x1080p60 AVCHD v2/MP4; built-in stereo mic, stereo minijack mic input; continuous AF; maximum clip length approximately 29 min 59 sec
BURST RATE: Full-sized JPEGs (Fine mode): 2.5 fps up to card capacity; RAW (14-bit): 2.5 fps up to 31 shots when using a UHS-I memory card
AF SYSTEM: TTL hybrid phase/contrast detection with 25 selectable contrast focus points, 117 phase detection points. Single-shot and continuous with predictive focus tracking, face detection
SHUTTER SPEEDS: 1/8000 to 30 sec (1/3-EV increments); shutter life not rated
METERING: TTL metering using 1200-zone sensor with Multi-segment (evaluative), centerweighted, and spot (size of spot not specificied) metering; 0–20 EV (at ISO 100)
ISO RANGE: ISO 50–25,600 (in 1/3- or 1-EV increments).
FLASH: No built-in flash; Multi Interface shoe accepts accessory flashes
EVF: Fixed 0.5-inch eye-level 786,432-dot OLED with 3-step brightness adjustment; 100% accurate; 0.71X magnification
LCD: Tilting 3-in. LCD screen with 921,600-dot resolution; 5-step brightness adjustment
OUTPUT: Hi-Speed USB 2.0, micro-HDMI video, stereo headphone minijack
BATTERY: Rechargeable NP-FW50 Li-ion, CIPA rating 340 shots
SIZE/WEIGHT: 5.0×3.8×1.9 in., 1.0 lb with card and battery
STREET PRICE: $1,698, body only; $1,998, with FE 28–70mm f/3.5–5.6 OSS lens
FOR INFO: store.sony.com

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There’s something reassuring in the way Nikon upgrades its pro-grade DSLRs. The company typically adds the performance and features to keep the models highly competitive, while maintaining the fundamentals of ergonomics, control layout, and ruggedness. And so the D4s arrives looking like a virtual twin of the earlier D4—but boasting record-breaking low-light performance, a top ISO of 409,600, high-speed Ethernet for tethered shooting, and a full suite of video recording tools. And yes, a street price of $6,497 (body only).

We were naturally eager to get the D4s into the Popular Photography Test Lab to see what it could do—especially with the lights turned down low.

In the Test Lab

As the D4 did before it, the Nikon D4s earned an Excellent rating in overall image quality from its lowest sensitivity setting of ISO 50 through ISO 800. Moreover, it did so with less noise than the D4. While DxOMark.com’s analysis of the two sensors shows the D4s enjoys slight improvements in dynamic range and low-light performance, we suspect that changes in Nikon’s processing, as well as the new sensor, made the difference in our test results.

As always, we converted the D4s test images from 14-bit uncompressed RAW files to uncompressed TIFF files for our noise test. The results, which we measure with DxO Analyzer 5.3, are the best we’ve ever seen. The D4s achieved top honors in this test—an Extremely Low rating—up to ISO 1600. It scored a Low or better noise result all the way up to ISO 12,800. The only other camera that can claim Low or better to ISO 12,800 is Canon’s EOS 5D Mark III, though this managed an Extremely Low rating only to ISO 400. Of course, the Canon has a 22.3MP sensor and the Nikon a 16.2MP sensor, with proportionally bigger pixels.

The D4s doesn’t reach an Unacceptable noise rating until ISO 102,400, though even at that point the noise was not terribly objectionable, and images reproduced at smaller sizes could easily pass muster.

In our resolution test, the Nikon D4s essentially matched the results of the D4. At ISO 50 the new camera captured 2550 lines per picture height, just over our cutoff for an Excellent rating. The D4 turned in 2530 lines at that same sensitivity, a difference that’s negligible in this test. A difference of 200 lines is more significant, and that’s how much more the EOS 5D Mark III was able to get with its extra pixels.

However, we expect that anyone considering the D4s will care more about the extra 5 frames per second it’ll give you in burst shooting compared with the 5D Mark III. And if the bursts do matter, then you’ll likely be eyeing the Canon EOS 1D X’s 12 fps instead. That Canon turned in 2530 lines in our resolution test, essentially matching the D4s.

To compare further, the EOS 1D X maintained an Excellent overall image quality rating up to ISO 1600, compared to the D4s’s ISO 800. But the difference here is mainly in resolution. The D4s, like the D4 before it, falls below our 2500-line cutoff once sensitivity is increased beyond ISO 800. In the D4s’ favor, however, the 1D X reached Unacceptable noise levels by ISO 12,800, while the D4s managed three more stops of acceptable noise performance before crossing the Unacceptable threshold at ISO 102,400. The Canon just can’t match the cleanliness of the Nikon’s images at very high ISOs.

Color Accuracy garnered another Excellent rating for the D4s; its average Delta E of 5.4 beat the 7.0 we saw with the D4.

In our autofocus test, the D4s showed slight improvement over its predecessor’s already impressive results. The camera focused in under 0.4 sec down to EV 6, about the light level of a well-lit living room. At EV 0 it was able to focus in 0.75 sec; in the ultra-dim light of EV –2, the AF became slightly less consistent and averaged out to 1.18 sec.

In the Field

The body design of the D4s is basically the same as the D4—incredibly comfortable to hold, though on the heavy side thanks to the integrated vertical grip and its massive battery. With that battery comes enough energy to power more than 3,000 shots between charges when shooting with the 100-percent accurate optical finder. The rugged magnesium-alloy body is weathersealed, houses a 51-point AF system, 91,000-pixel RGB metering sensor, and Nikon’s latest Expeed 4 processing engine. Dedicated control buttons abound, and both grips have a pair of command wheels and a joystick to make changes to AF points or other camera settings a breeze.

The standard sensitivity range of the D4s spans ISO 100 through 25,600 and is expandable to cover ISO 50 through 409,600. Standing in a dim Manhattan street at nighttime, we were able to use an available-light exposure of 1/640 sec at f/11 with the camera set to ISO 409,600. Sure, it was a noisy image, but imagine being able to use a shutter speed that fast at night. At ISO 102,400, you can get nice images in situations you’d otherwise never shoot with available light.

Those faster shutter speeds might come in handy if you plan to use the D4s’s 11-frames-per-second burst shooting. The camera’s 3D focus tracking did an admirable job of keeping up with fast-moving subjects. We were able to capture accurately focused bursts of cars that were obviously driving in excess of the city speed limit. Plus, with up to 200 JPEGs or 60 uncompressed 14-bit RAW images before the buffer fills, there’s no excuse not to quickly fill your Compact Flash or XQD cards when shooting with the D4s.

Speaking of XQD, Nikon remains the only company making use of the fledgling card format in its DSLRs. We like the rugged feel of the cards and appreciate the speedy data transfer they provide. While we’re sure that some day XQD will have to battle it out with CFast, after using XQD we wouldn’t mind seeing the format stick around for the long run—with the future surely poised for faster video frame rates and 4K video capture, the faster data transfer of these cards will become more and more necessary.

As for video, the D4s adds 1920×1080 video capture at 60 fps. This allows for half-speed slow motion, which is nice to see in a DSLR. The D4s also allows for simultaneous capture to a card in the camera and to an external recorder via the camera’s HDMI port.

Though it’s more likely that serious videographers will use external audio, the windscreen on the internal mic has been improved, and you can not only adjust audio levels during recording but also limit the frequency range of the audio recording to let voices stand out more. Video quality remains among the best you’ll get from a DSLR today.

Time-lapse fans should note that the D4s increases the number of frames the camera will assemble into a video by 9,000. You read that right—the D4s lets you make a time-lapse of up to 9,999 shots compared to the 999 of the D4. And photographers who prefer to shoot tethered to a PC might be able to appreciate the fact that the camera’s Ethernet port is now Gigabit.

The Bottom Line

The Nikon D4s competes mainly with Canon’s EOS-1D X. As outlined above, the D4s ends up winning the image quality comparison with better low-light performance, even though its resolution trailed the Canon by a small amount at ISO 1600. The Canon does eke out one more frame per second than the Nikon, though, so some action shooters still might opt for the 1D X. We must admit that we like the way the Nikon feels in the hand compared to the Canon, which can be very important in a pro-level body.

Ultimately, both the D4s and the 1D X are the best of their breed, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Canon comes along soon with an update to match the D4s’s low-light performance. But for now, we think Nikon has taken a slight lead in the pro DSLR game.

The Nikon D4s is a meaningful improvement over the D4. The additions and refinements to the camera’s capabilities might not look like a lot on paper, but the improved noise performance goes a long way toward refining the overall shooting experience. To put it plainly, this camera lets you capture images that you weren’t able to before.

SPECIFICATIONS

IMAGING: 16.2MP effective, full-frame (FX format) CMOS sensor captures images at 4928×3280 pixels with 14 bits/color in RAW mode

STORAGE: CompactFlash and XQD. Stores TIFF, JPEG, NEF RAW, or RAW + JPEG files

VIDEO: Records up to 1920×1080 pixels at 60 fps in MPEG-4 H.264 format; built-in monaural microphone; stereo microphone input; continuous AF available; uncompressed video output through HDMI; 10-min maximum clip size at highest quality

BURST RATE: Full-sized JPEGs (Fine mode), up to 200 shots at 11 fps; RAW, up to 60 shots at 11 fps (14-bit uncompressed); TIFF, up to 55 shots at 11 fps

AF SYSTEM: TTL phase-detection with 51 illuminated focus points (15 cross-type sensitive to f/5.6, 11 sensitive to f/8); single-shot, continuous, 3D Focus tracking; tested sensitivity down to EV –2 (at ISO 100, f/1.4); AF points can be grouped and selected by area.

LIVE VIEW: Full-time contrast detection, or single-shot phase-detection AF with mirror interrupting view momentarily

SHUTTER SPEEDS: 1/8000 to 30 sec, plus B (1/3-EV increments); shutter life rated to 400,000 cycles; flash sync to 1/250 second

METERING: TTL metering using 91,000-pixel RGB sensor; Matrix (evaluative), centerweighted (75% weight given to 4.5% circle in center of frame), and spot (approx. 1.5% of finder at center); range, –1 to 20 EV (at ISO 100)

ISO RANGE: ISO 100–25,600 (in 1- or 1/3-EV steps), expandable to ISO 50–409,600

VIEWFINDER: Fixed eye-level pentaprism

LCD: Fixed 3.2-in. TFT with 921,000-dot resolution, five-step brightness adjustment

OUTPUT: Hi-Speed USB 2.0, mini-HDMI video, stereo headphone minijack, Gigabit Ethernet

BATTERY: Rechargeable EN-EL18a Li-ion; CIPA rating, 3,020 shots with optical viewfinder

SIZE/WEIGHT: 6.3×6.2×3.6 in., 3.0 lb with a card and battery

STREET PRICE: $6,497, body only

INFO: nikonusa.com

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The progression of camera technology from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s through today has steadily made street photography easier to accomplish. Focusing distance scales on lenses make it easier to grab shots without adjusting focus through a finder or on ground glass. Advancements in film sensitivity, and later the sensitivity of digital sensors, have further expanded the realm of acceptable shooting conditions. Smaller and less noticeable cameras have helped shooters attain truly candid moments. Finally, cell phone cameras have allowed a vast number of people to capture scenes at a moment’s notice and often without being noticed. Here are 10 examples of cameras that have helped define street photography through the years.

We haven’t found absolutely conclusive evidence that Strand used this particular camera for the shot. However, his use of this camera in that time frame is well known and the details of the print have led us to believe that it is the camera used for the shot. Originally sold in 1905, the Idento is a folding camera that could be used to shoot glass plate negatives of varying size, though Strand is believed to have shot on 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 inch plates. The camera could also accept various film holders sold at the time. Shutter speeds ranged from 1/2 second to 1/100 second with an option to hold the shutter open as long as the photographer wished (which we now know as Bulb mode). According to Anthony Montoya, former director/curator of the Paul Strand Archive, Strand used a prismatic lens for this shot to avoid being seen shooting.

Everyone can agree, though, that she made many wonderful images. While she used multiple cameras throughout the years, lots of people associate her with twin lens reflex cameras. She is known to have owned a Rolleiflex 2.8C. Introduced in 1952, the year after Maier moved to New York, the 2.8C employed a Schneider Xenotar 80mm f/2.8 taking lens and a Compur Rapid MXV shutter with a self timer.

With a lens that swings as it captures an image, the Widelux provides a view of the world unlike most 35mm film bodies. Known to be a favorite of the actor and living embodiment of zen Jeff Bridges, it was also used by the noted photographer Harold Feinstein, who includes some wonderful examples of panoramic street photography on his blog.

Like the Nikon Coolpix A and Ricoh GR of today, this Contax joined cameras such as the Nikon 35Ti and the original Ricoh GR, to offer a true high-end shooting experience in a small camera. The T3 also boasts a good-looking and durable titanium shell. While there’s autofocus, the camera also has a manual focus option that will work well with zone focusing, if that’s your thing. Plus, the top shutter speed of 1/1,200 second improves nicely on the T2’s top speed of 1/500 second.

The body is on par with pro-DSLRs with integrated vertical grips in terms of size. With an 80mm lens, the Mamiya 7II weighs 2.6 pounds– not bad for medium format. A true rangefinder, the 7II has automatic bright line selection for 65mm, 80mm, and 150mm lenses. The lenses have leaf shutters and the body has a dark slide so you can change lenses while film is loaded. If 65mm (32mm equivalent) isn’t wide enough for you, there are 50mm and 43mm options, though they require separate finders. On 120/220 roll film, the Mamiya 7II makes 56 x 69.5mm images. A 35mm panoramic adapter lets you use 35mm roll film in the Mamiya 7II to create 24 x65mm images.

Indeed, there is something very special about using a Leica that is not easy to put into words. Beyond that special something, these cameras are also built to last. You can still buy a working Leica from the 1930’s on eBay and hit the streets to capture the hustle and bustle of the world. It is said that Winogrand’s wife sold his the last M4 he used to a family friend so that it would continue to be used after his death.

While not the first cell phone to let you make images, the iPhone ushered in the notion of really embracing the cameras built in to the various devices we carry with us everywhere. Furthermore, successive generations of iPhones have continued to improve on the built-in camera in meaningful ways. The latest and fanciest, the iPhone 6 Plus, includes an 8MP sensor with built-in phase detection, an f/2.2 maximum aperture lens, and optical image stabilization.

Recently, DxOMark named the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge the best smartphone camera; the two models share the same camera module and software. The S6 has a 16MP sensor and a fast f/1.9 lens with optical image stabilization. DxOMark notes that the camera has, “very fine detail and low noise levels when shooting in bright light,” and has, “a good level of detail preserved in low-light shots.” They also note that it has fast autofocus and, “nice white balance and color in all outdoor conditions.”

Indeed, it is lightening fast. If you’re looking to shoot on the street and are on a budget, the A6000 makes a nice choice. Plus, if you use your smartphone with Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile app to control the camera, you can get all the benefits of stealth that come with smartphone photography with the better image quality that comes with the A6000’s larger APS-C-sized sensor. If you’re not on a strict budget, Sony’s A7 series offers even better image quality with the full-frame sensors found in those models.

While the cameras don’t use a rangefinder for manual focusing, they do let you display a distance scale with an indication of depth of field on the LCD screen and/or in the electronic viewfinder. The company is clearly looking to satisfy the yearnings of shooters who admire, but can’t afford, a Leica. Fujifilm even makes an adapter to use Leica M glass on their bodies. But, given the selection and exceptional quality of Fujifilm’s X-series lenses, you might be tempted to sell off any Leica lenses you have to fund your new Fujifilm habit.

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Interchangeable-lens compact cameras were supposed to be the smaller alternative to DSLRs, but lately we’re getting the impression that some people don’t think they’re small enough. Panasonic recently introduced their Lumix DMC­-GM1, which is so small that they had to make a specially-designed shutter mechanism with a top shutter speed of 1/500 second. The little Lumix uses an electronic shutter system for any shutter speeds faster than that. Samsung has now followed suit with their new NX Mini camera body that is even slimmer front-to-back than that Lumix, but slightly taller and wider. The NX Mini has a fully-electronic shutter and uses a new lens mount designed for a 1 ­inch sensor format. Astute readers will recognize that sensor size as the same one found in Sony’s RX100 and RX10 cameras, as well as the Nikon 1-series.

So far, Samsung has announced three lenses for the new system:­­ a 9mm f/3.5, a 9­-27mm f/3.5-5.6, and a 17mm f/1.8. With the format’s 2.7X lens factor those are, respectively, 24.3mm, 24.3­-72.9mm, and 45.9mm. The first two will be available with the body in kits in April, while the last won’t hit stores until July. Samsung will also offer an NX-­to-­NX Mini adapter ($150, estimated street) so that you can use any of the glass for its APS-­C-­format NX system with this new cameras.

The NX Mini uses a 20.5MP BSI CMOS sensor and has a top shutter speed of 1/16,000 sec. It has a burst rate of up to 6 fps, and can capture video at up to 1080p30 in the H.264 codec. It also has built­in Wi­Fi and NFC to connect the camera with your smartphone. Speaking of smartphones, the NX Mini uses the same battery as the one found in Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Zoom smartphone. According to the company, the NX Mini will get about 650 shots per charge.

A non­standard accessory shoe sits atop the camera and so far will only accept the SEF­-7A flash unit, which boasts a guide number of 23 (feet), in case the NX Mini’s built ­in GN 13 (feet) flash isn’t powerful enough for your needs. The camera’s 3 ­inch, 460,800­-dot touchscreen LCD is the only way to frame your shot. Samsung hasn’t made an EVF for the NX Mini.

In classic consumer electronics fashion, Samsung said that they originally were planning to target women with the NX Mini, but further research showed that men are just as interested in a small, fashionable camera that’s easier to carry around. The NX Mini will be offered in white, black, brown, mint green, and pink finishes. The body is made of magnesium alloy, while the top is covered with aluminum. The lenses also sport aluminum barrels, which should make the whole package relatively durable despite its small size.

Samsung will offer the NX Mini in two kits. The first bundles the body with the 9mm f/3.5 lens for $449. The second bundles the body, 9­-27mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, and the SEF­-7A flash together for $549. Pricing for the 17mm f/1.8 lens has yet to be announced.

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Samsung continues to make impressive progress with its interchangeable-lens compact camera system, with bodies made in both the rangefinder and DSLR styles. The newest in the latter category, the NX30, makes steep improvements in both performance and handling compared with its predecessor, the NX20.

In addition to a new sensor, Samsung graced the NX30 with a more secure-feeling grip, an articulating, 3-inch, 1.037-million-dot OLED touchscreen, and a 2.36-million-dot LCD electronic viewfinder that can be pulled out away from the finder hump and tilted upward. Plus, as is now the case for all of Samsung’s ILCs, the NX30 ($999, street, with 18–55mm f/3.5–5.5 OIS lens) comes with a full version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

All told, the package looked like an attractive option in a mirrorless camera with built-in EVF, so we decided to find out if it lives up to its promise.

In the Test Lab

Though the NX30’s 20.3MP CMOS sensor carries the same number of pixels as its predecessor’s (as well as that of Samsung’s current top rangefinder model, the NX300), this new sensor has shallower pixel wells intended to let more light reach the photodiodes. As we did with our tests of the Samsung NX300 and Leica M, both of which ship with Adobe Lightroom, we processed the test results with varying amounts of luminance noise reduction applied and found the best balance of noise reduction and resolution for each of the camera’s ISOs in whole-stop increments. This worked out to 25% noise reduction at ISO 100 and ISO 200, 50% reduction at ISO 800, and 75% reduction at ISO 1600 and above. Some photographers may feel that 75% noise reduction is too much, so this shouldn’t be seen so much as a recommendation as a starting point—you can always adjust it to your liking when you process your own images.

With these noise-reduction settings applied, the NX30 earned an Excellent overall image quality rating from ISO 100 through 400. That’s the same result that the NX300 got when we tested it for the August 2013 issue, and one full ISO step better than the NX20 tested in October 2012.

In our resolution test, the Samsung NX30 captured 2560 lines per picture height at ISO 100, which is high enough for an Excellent rating and a virtual tie with the NX20’s result. At ISO 400, it dropped to 2530 lines. After that point the new camera dropped below the 2500-line cutoff for our top rating. Still, it managed to turn in 2430 lines at ISO 6400. Resolution drops more precipitously as sensitivity increases from there, though, finally landing at 2030 lines at the camera’s top sensitivity of ISO 25,600.

In our noise test, with the stated settings, the NX30 held noise to a Low or better rating up to ISO 3200. That’s impressive enough, but remember that it’s obtained with 75% noise reduction. With 50% noise reduction at ISO 3200, the test result would still be in the acceptable range with a score of 2.9, just below our cutoff for an Unacceptable rating. These results leave the NX20 in the dust—its noise was Unacceptable by ISO 1600.

We were also impressed at how low noise stayed at ISO 100 through 400 with only 25% noise reduction applied. Given Lightroom’s particularly good noise reduction, there is minimal loss of resolution at the 25% setting. With no noise reduction at all, the NX30 would have gotten a Low rating at ISO 100 and an Unacceptable by ISO 800.

Nearly matching the results of Samsung’s NX300, the NX30 earned an Excellent rating for color accuracy with an average Delta E of 5.6—remarkable, 
and significantly better than the NX20’s Excellent-level 7.4. As always in our tests, we click a neutral gray patch for white balance during RAW conversion. You should always use a gray card when shooting for critically accurate color.

In the Field

While the NX30 generally looks a lot like the NX20, it benefits from some obvious improvements. The grip is considerably more ergonomically shaped. You’ll find a divot for your middle finger that gives a more secure feel when angling the camera body; on the camera back there is a wonderful angled ridge for your thumb to press against for a better hold.

The controls aren’t quite as sophisticated as we’ve been seeing lately in some cameras, but they get the job done. Plus, if you’re a fan of Samsung’s i-Function lens-based controls, then you may give the NX30 a few extra points here. There are three assignable buttons, though the functions you can assign are pretty limited. One of those buttons defaults to Wi-Fi activation, and we left it at the default for the entire field test to have that direct access to wireless.

There are two command wheels, but one of them surrounds the pad used for menu navigation. We prefer a second command wheel toward the top of the camera back, where your thumb can more easily reach it.

The EVF is quite nice, with a fast refresh rate. We didn’t find ourselves angling it upward much during our field-testing, but if you like shooting while looking down, this feature could set the NX30 apart from some other cameras. We’ve heard from some landscape and portrait photographers who really like to shoot that way, and some portraitists say that the disconnect created when the subject can’t look them in the eye helps their subject gaze into the lens more intensely. We ended up getting more use out of the articulated touchscreen, whether to frame images at awkward angles or just to fight glare during playback by tilting the screen.

Autofocusing is quite fast for an ILC, but not the fastest we’ve seen. The AF did a fine job of keeping up with the camera’s burst speed of 9 frames per second—a noticeable improvement over the NX20. And with 28 JPEGs per burst, or 11 RAW, burst fans should have an adequate number of shots for most purposes. Also, unlike the NX20, this camera will let you access menus and controls while it’s clearing the buffer.

Samsung continues to do a great job at implementing Wi-Fi and NFC into its ILCs. The NX30 can push images to your phone as you shoot, let you manage all the most important camera controls from your phone, and give you a live view of what your camera is seeing. Olympus lets you control more esoteric camera settings, but we were pleased with what Samsung offers, since it is particularly easy to control the camera remotely and share pictures on the go. Plus, the NX30 uses dual-band Wi-Fi, so it should be able to deal with situations in which you face a lot of radio interference. For instance, we saw the NX30 seamlessly operated by a cellphone in a demo at a trade show—an environment where Wi-Fi connections usually fail.

Video shooters should be pleased with the footage from the NX30, which shows relatively few artifacts, plenty of detail, and nice-looking colors. There’s an HDMI output that allows a clean output for recording to or streaming through an external device.

The Bottom Line

The Samsung NX30 is a meaningful improvement over its predecessor, the NX20. For shooters who want a built-in EVF, this camera is the best option that Samsung offers.

Sony’s upcoming Alpha 6000 will, we predict, provide stiff competition for the NX30. In demos of preproduction units, that 24MP APS-C Sony has wowed many with its fast AF speed and OLED EVF. Fans of the DSLR-style body design, though, will note that that Sony doesn’t have the same form factor as the NX30. Olympus’s OM-D E-M5 does though, and fans of Four Thirds can get it for about the same price as the NX30.

Samsung continues to fill out an already impressive line of lenses: We were able to use such gems as the 60mm f/2.8 macro and 85mm f/1.4 during our field testing, and very much enjoyed the experience. We’re confident that if you do the same, you’ll have fun too.

**SPECIFICATIONS: **

IMAGING: 20.3MP effective, APS-C-sized CMOS sensor captures images at 5472×3648 pixels with 12 bits/color in RAW mode

STORAGE: SD, SDHC, SDXC slot stores JPEG, SRW RAW, RAW + JPEG files

BURST RATE: Full-sized JPEGs (Fine mode): 9 fps up to 28 shots; RAW: 9 fps up to 11 shots; RAW + JPEG: 9 fps up to 11 shots when using a Class 10 or higher UHS-I memory card

AF: TTL contrast and phase detection with 105 phase and 247 contrast AF points; single-shot and continuous AF with face detection and subject tracking

VIEWFINDER: Tilting eye-level 2.359-million-dot LCD with 0.96X magnification and 100% accuracy

SHUTTER SPEEDS: 1/8000 to 30 sec, plus B (in 1/3-EV increments); shutter life not rated

METERING: TTL metering with 221-zone Multi (evaluative), centerweighted, spot (spot size not specified)

ISO RANGE: ISO 100–25,600 (in 1- or 1/3-EV increments)

VIDEO: Records at up to 1920x1080p60 in H.264 format; built-in stereo microphone; stereo mic input; maximum clip length 29 minutes 59 seconds at 1920x1080p

FLASH: Built-in pop-up flash with A-TTL autoflash; GN 37 (feet, ISO 100); flash sync to 1/200 sec

MONITOR: Articulating 3-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with 1.037-million-dot resolution; five-step brightness adjustment

BATTERY: Rechargeable BP1410 Li-ion, CIPA rating 360 shots

SIZE/WEIGHT: 5.0×3.8×1.6 in., 1.0 lb with a card and battery

STREET PRICE: $999 with 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 OIS i-Function lens

INFO: www.samsung.com

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