Camera Review Roundup – Nikon D3X, Panasonic G1, Canon EOS 5D Mark II

It seems that people like my Camera Review Roundup articles. They’ve been getting a lot of visitors and I’m finding more and more camera review fodder to write about. This is the third installment of what looks like it will become a regular feature on PhotographyREVIEW.com. The concept is a little bit of editorial inspired by new products, camera reviews and/or equipment discussions found on the Web. If you write or discover an interesting camera review, article, or discussion on digital cameras, feel free to post in the comments here or send an e-mail to john -at- photographyreview.com. This time I’m covering the new Nikon D3X, the Panasonic Lumix G1, and some more on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

Nikon D3X
The biggest recent news was the announcement last week of the 24-megapixel Nikon D3X pro digital SLR. I have to admit, it caught me by surprise. Although, a 24-megapixel Nikon body has been predicted since the spring, when Sony announced their 24-megapixel full-frame sensor. Obviously, the D3X is using the Sony sensor. But the question is – with the D3X costing $5000 (MSRP US $7999.95) more than the 24-megapixel Sony Alpha A900 (MSRP US $2999) – what has Nikon they done to justify the high price tag? Another question we’re starting to see more is, how much resolution is too much? Seriously – how many of us really need or want to deal with 24 million pixels of resolution? It means you need higher capacity memory cards, more computer storage, and transfer and processing times will be seriously slowed. Who really needs that kind of resolution and are the compromises justified? Here are some interesting and useful Nikon D3x resources, including the discussion on our Nikon cameras forum. First and foremost is the insightful article on O’Reilly’s “Inside Aperture” blog:

The Price of Mega-Megapixels
PhotographyREVIEW.com Nikon D3x discussion
Nikon D3x Press release
Nikon Review Page

Panasonic Lumix G1
Uwe Steinmueller runs the Web site www.OutbackPhoto.com. He’s been a friend for a long time and I respect his opinions about digital cameras and post-processing. His site features what he calls “Camera Diaries.” They’re like informal, ongoing reviews and feature his and his wife’s excellent photography. He bought the first Micro Four Thirds camera, the Panasonic Lumix G1, and has a diary about it up on his site. Uwe is more likely to be using an EOS-1Ds Mark III than a Digital Rebel, so I think it’s really interesting to see what has to say about the G1 – a camera that straddles the line between compact digital and DSLR cameras.

Panasonic Lumix G1 Review Diary

There’s another compelling Panasonic Lumix G1 review at Luminous-Landscape.com. Like Uwe, Michael Reichmann, the man behind Luminous Landscape, isn’t much of a low-end camera user. He’s also an outspoken Four Thirds format skeptic. But he does appear to be truly interested in the first Micro Four Thirds camera and the Micro Four Thirds format. His reviews are always among the best on the Web and I think his Panasonic G1 review is well worth reading:

Panasonic G1 Field Report

Here are links to some Panasonic Lumix G1 content on PhotographyREVIEW.com:

Panasonic Lumix G1 user reviews
Panasonic Lumix G1 announcement

Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Reports on the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II continue trickle in. Here’s a good one from Salt Lake City stock photographer, Rich Legg:

14 Days With a 5D Mark II

Here are links to some Panasonic Lumix G1 content on PhotographyREVIEW.com:

Canon EOS 5D Mark II user review page
Canon EOS 5D Mark II announcement

That’s it for the third edition of Camera Review Roundup. I hope you found it interesting and useful. I’d love to get some feedback. Please your links and comments in the comments section below. And if you own any of the cameras mentioned, please write a review. Your reviews are the foundation of this site!