Sony aims to improve low-light photography

At the high end, the DSLR-A850, $2,000 (body only), is a full-frame camera aimed at experienced shooters, those who may also be considering more expensive models like the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Nikon D700. A full-frame D.S.L.R. has an image sensor that is roughly the same size as a frame of 35mm film, while most entry- and mid-level D.S.L.R.s use sensors that are considerably smaller. The larger sensor enables you to record more pixels with less noise, which translates to better low-light photography.

The A850’s CMOS sensor has a resolution of a whopping 24.6 megapixels and is capable of continuous shooting at the highest resolution at three frames a second. It has a high-resolution (921,000 pixels) 3-inch LCD for reviewing images and framing shots using Live View.

The A850 will hit store shelves in September. Sony also announced a new 28mm to 75mm (equivalent) F2.8 lens for the A850 that will be $800 when it is available in November.

Via NYTimes

Full-size sensor on DSLR cameras

David Einstein at SFGate answers a question about full frame sensor cameras in the Computing Q&A section of San Francisco Chronicle online.

Q: I'm in the market for a DSLR camera, and I can't decide whether to go for one with a full-size sensor. They're about $2,000 more than models with the smaller APS-C/DX sensors. What makes a larger sensor better, and why the big price difference?

read the answer at SFGate

Full-Frame DSLR Sensors Tested by DxO Labs, Compared by Adorama

Using data recorded by DxOLabs.com, Adorama has an article comparing the current lineup of full-frame DSLR camera bodies: the Canon 1Ds Mark III and 5D Mark II, the Nikon D3, D3x and D700, and the Sony Alpha 900.

From the article:
Not surprisingly, these five cameras earned DxOMark's top five overall image-quality ratings of all cameras they have tested so far. (The other full-frame DSLRs, the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II, EOS 5D and EOS 1Ds, are older but with the exception of the EOS 1Ds were near the top of the list as well.)

DxOMark conducts measurements based on the Raw image, which is the unadulterated image file as captured by the sensor (a jpeg, on by comparison, has already gone through some processing which may include grain reduction or color compensation, before you even get to see it.) DxO Analyzer, which has become an industry standard for camera image quality testing, was used in determining the results. DxO conducts its tests using specifically designed test targets under consistent conditions in a lab environment.

Read the review here.