Nikon unveils D600, its first budget full-frame DSLR

Here it is, folks. Nikon's long-awaited D600 DSLR, a camera that's sure to prove very tempting for Nikon shooters looking to make the leap to full-frame photography.

Nikon fans who’ve been wanting to get their hands on a full-frame DSLR, but found prices for the likes of the D800 and D4 to be prohibitive, will be taking a keen interest in the Japanese camera company’s latest addition to the market, the D600, which comes with a body-only price tag of $2,099.

Packed inside the weather-sealed magnesium alloy body of the new shooter is a 24.3-megapixel CMOS sensor and the same EXPEED 3 image-processing engine found in high-end Nikon DSLRs such as the D4 and D800.

The body is similar in size and weight to the D7000, making it the smallest and lightest of any of Nikon’s full-frame offerings.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the D600’s key features:

- 24.3-megapixel CMOS sensor

- 39-point autofocus system

- ISO range from 100 to 6400

- maximum of 5.5fps

- dual SD card slots

- 1080p HD video at 30, 25 or 24 fps

- 3.2-inch LED display

- 100 percent viewfinder coverage

- $2,099 (body only)

- $2,699 with the 24-85mm lens

The D600 is reportedly scheduled to start shipping next week.

Launching with the new camera will be the new $60 WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter that allows the quick and easy transfer of photos to mobile devices (most Android and iOS devices; free accompanying app required), and can also be used to fire the shutter remotely at a distance of up to 50 feet.

The D600’s price tag is at least $1,000 less than Nikon’s next-in-line D800, and may be tempting for some D800/D3/s/x/D4 owners in need of a back-up body.

At the other end, this camera is sure to appeal to DX shooters looking to make the leap to a full-frame format, considered to produce better high-ISO results and offering more creativity with depth of field. However, users of cameras such as the D7000 and D300s should keep in mind that any DX lenses they currently use may produce a vignette effect when used with an FX camera, which means forking out for a bunch of new lenses. DX users fond of shooting sports and wildlife might also miss the 1.5x crop factor they enjoy with their current camera.

For full information on the D600, check out its dedicated webpage here.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

New IKEA catalogs feature computer renders, moving away from still photography

In an attempt to cut costs and have more creative freedom, IKEA is pushing toward computer-generated press images rather than photography.

If you’ve ever looked at an IKEA catalog wondering how impossibly flawless the model rooms look, it might be because those pictures aren’t actually stills of a real showroom. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, IKEA is now pushing toward 3D renderings of marketing pictures instead of real photographs — making our interior design dreams that much more difficult to attain.

The shift toward CGI renderings will both help IKEA cut production costs and think more imaginatively. ”With real photography you’re constrained by the four walls,” Anneli Sjogren, Head of Photography at IKEA, said. “A kitchen has to be built in a week or two and then torn down the following week to make room for a bedroom shoot… everything has to run like clockwork.”

Calling it a “clever way to save money,” Sjogren said with photoshoots, teams would toss out props for the previous shoots, making the entire process wasteful. With virtual renderings, artists can design entire sets for various rooms and adjust the color to appeal to particular audience. For example, American IKEA customers might find darker wood more modern while Europeans might prefer lighter wood hues. Designing the photos in 3D allows for artists to manipulate the changes without setting up new photoshoots.

This year, about 12 percent of photographs found in IKEA catalogs were created virtually. IKEA hopes to increase this margin up to 25 percent by next year. But will you miss the real life photograph?

If you can’t tell the difference between these two pictures, then probably not. One of the photos above is a real set while the other is a digital creation. The ability to make virtual renderings will also help IKEA cut down the time it takes to create a full catalog, which can run up to 10 months from concept to publication. IKEA’s first stab at 3D photographs began in 2005 with just three interns who specialized in graphic design for their graduate school thesis. Now, the Swedish furniture company is collaborating with photo schools to teach its staff of 285 photographers, carpenters, and interior designers more complex computer skills.

And in case you were wondering, the right photo is the 3D-rendered image. To see more photos of real versus fake IKEA photographs, check them out at the Wall Street Journal.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com