New and used Nikon D3X auctions and review

It's very hard to justify a camera that costs about a sixth of what most American households earn in a year. Yet here comes Nikon with its latest flagship digital SLR, the $8,000 D3X, a camera which has been pilloried by some critics as too expensive, too extravagant, and too similar to what's already on the market to justify the pre-Recession price tag.

Superficially, the new flagship is the D3's identical twin. The body, controls, user interface and also a large proportion of the camera's electronic and mechanical innards have been carried over directly from the D3. The camera's core component, however, is brand new. The 36 x 23.9 mm CMOS sensor provides a resolution of 24.5 megapixels, and while this is - compared to the D3 - a massive jump in resolution, D3X users have to accept a smaller range of sensitivity (ISO 100 to 1600, extendable to ISO 50 to 6400) and slower continuous shooting of five frames per second (7 fps in DX mode) in return.

While the only other piece of news - the 'Extra High' setting for Active D-Lighting - won't make much difference for most users, the premium that Nikon is charging for the extra resolution most certainly will. For $8000 retail price you can bag yourself almost two D3s. The D3X is also roughly $1500 more expensive than its only real competitor in terms of specification and features, the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. This won't make the professionals who this cameras is targeted at contemplate changing systems, but can a camera be worth the equivalent amount of a small car? Read on and find out in our in-depth review of the Nikon D3X.

Nikon D3X Key Features

24.5 megapixel Full-Frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
ISO 100 - 1600 (ISO 50 - 6400 in Boost mode)
Also supports DX lenses, viewfinder automatically masks (10.5 megapixels with DX lens)
14-bit A/D conversion, 12 channel readout
Gapless micro lens array and on-chip noise reduction
Nikon EXPEED image processor (Capture NX processing and NR algorithms, optimized for D3X, lower power)
Super fast operation (power-up 12 ms, shutter lag 41 ms, black-out 74 ms)
Kevlar / carbon fibre composite shutter with 300,000 exposure durability
Multi-CAM3500FX Auto Focus sensor (51-point, 15 cross-type, more vertical coverage)
Auto-focus tracking by color (using information from 1005-pixel AE sensor)
Auto-focus calibration (fine-tuning) available (fixed body or up to 20 separate lens settings)
Scene Recognition System (uses AE sensor, AF sensor)
Seven frames per second in continuous and DX mode
Dual Compact Flash card slots (overflow, back-up, RAW on 1 / JPEG on 2, copy)
Compact Flash UDMA support
3.0" 922,000 pixel LCD monitor
Live View with either phase detect (mirror up/down) or contrast detect Auto Focus
Virtual horizon indicates if camera is level (like an aircraft cockpit display)
HDMI HD video output
'Active D-Lighting' with new 'Extra High' setting (adjusts metering as well as applying D-Lighting curve)
Detailed 'Control Panel' type display on LCD monitor, changes color in darkness
Buttons sealed against moisture
Dual battery charger as standard

Product reviews: http://ebayplex.com/new-and-used-nikon-d3x-auctions-and-review

Digital Camera Pentax Optio e60 10mp review

The Pentax Optio E60 is a 10.1 megapixel camera and provides beautiful, detailed images from this entry-level camera. You are able to print images as large as 8×10 inch, while still keeping the image clear.

Pentax Optio e60 10mp Digital Camera Pentax Optio e60 10mp

The Pentax Optio E60 10MP Digital camera is a decent camera for digital photography enthusiasts. While its not as powerful as some of the other models on the market, it is also not as expensive.

With 10.1 megapixels, the Pentax Optio E60 offers both new and experienced digital users beautiful high-resolution images and a variety of easy-to-use features at a budget price.
This latest member of the Pentax Optio E series is newly equipped with an optical 3x zoom lens featuring a wide angle of view (equivalent to 32mm to 96mm in 35mm format) that is perfect for group shots in narrow settings, landscapes and architecture. In addition, the Optio E60 features a variety of modes including Auto Picture, Face Recognition, High Sensitivity Digital Shake Reduction, and a popular Green mode that sets exposure, sensitivity and other parameters with just a touch of a button for the newest of digital users.
The Pentax Optio E60 also is a fine travel companion compatible with easy-to-find AA batteries, and featuring World Time and Date Imprint functions, and an Image Recovery function to retrieve accidentally-erased, once-in-a-lifetime pics.

Optio E60 Highlights
High-quality images
The Optio E60 features a 10.1-megapixel CCD sensor for maximum resolution in an easy to use camera. With a high-performance Pentax lens and a new image processing engine with improved performance, the Optio E60 delivers high-quality images even when enlarged.
Wide-angle 3x optical zoom lens
The Pentax Optio E60 features a 3x optical zoom lens with a wide angle of view equivalent to 32mm to 96mm in 35mm format (compared with more conventional 37.5mm to 112.5mm equivalent models). This wider view improves image capture of landscapes as well as group photos in narrow spaces. In addition, the Optio E60 offers an Intelligent Zoom function that extends the zoom range without compromising the optical zoom's image quality for high-magnification zoom photography at a maximum of approx. 17.1x.
Supports convenient AA batteries
Powered by AA batteries that are easily available world wide, the Optio E60 features an energy-saving design that captures up to 200 shots* with AA alkaline batteries, and up to 620 shots* with AA lithium batteries.

Advanced Auto Picture mode automatically selects the ideal shooting mode
The Optio E60 is equipped with the Auto Picture mode that determines the conditions of the scene and automatically selects an optimal shooting mode for the camera. The camera also features several new scene modes including: Standard, Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, Night Scene Portrait, Flower, and Sport modes.
Face Recognition AF & AE function for easy and convenient photography of people
The Face Recognition AF & AE function automatically detects up to 10 faces in the picture frame and automatically sets the optimal exposure and focus. In addition, the Optio E60 extends face detection technology with such features as Half-length Portrait mode that trims the area around the detected person and automatically captures a half-length portrait of the person based on the detected information, and blink detection that tells the user if anyone in the image has closed eyes during the exposure.
High Sensitivity Digital SR mode reduces camera shake and subject blurring
Digital Shake Reduction reduces camera shake and blurring of the subject when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically (to as high as the high sensitivity of ISO 6400) to match the brightness of subjects. This feature allows photography with fast shutter speeds and images with less blur. The Optio E60 now also features Movie SR to steady your video captures.
Green mode for automated setup
The Optio E60 Green mode automates camera setup so even digital beginners may enjoy effortless photography. With a single press, the Green mode automatically sets exposure, sensitivity, and other parameters according to the shooting conditions. This function also is useful when other users take your picture or camera settings are lost.
Additional Features

2.4 inch LCD monitor of approximately 112,000 dots with improved viewability outdoors
Panorama mode for composing photographs into an incredibly wide panoramic picture
World time function for 75 cities (28 times zones) worldwide
Date imprint function for easy image categorizing
Recording movies at sizes up to 640 x 480 pixels at 30 FPS with image quality rivaling camcorders
A sleek, more streamlined design usually found on higher-end digital cameras
16-frame continuous shooting that enables for 16 images (640 x 480 pixels/image) to be shot continuously and recorded in 2 seconds
Frame composite function allows photographers to shoot and create images with decorative frames
FotoNation's red-eye compensation function for flash shots
Includes the ACDSee for Pentax 3.0 viewer/image management software that supports Windows Vista
Supports PictBridge, DPOF functions, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching III
Product Description
With 10.1 megapixels, the stylish PENTAX Optio E60 offers digital users high-resolution images and easy-to-use features at a budget price. This member of the PENTAX Optio E series is equipped with an optical 3X zoom lens featuring a wide angle of view for group shots, landscapes and architecture. A popular green mode on the Optio E60 sets exposure, sensitivity and other parameters with a touch of a button for the digital users. A fine travel companion compatible with easy-to-find AA batteries and featuring world time and date imprint functions, the camera even offers an image recovery to retrieve accidentally-erased, once-in-a-lifetime pics.

The downsides of the Pentax Optio E60 10MP Digital Camera are considerable beyond just the lack of photo quality as compared to it's peers in the marketplace. The LCD screen is small. The user interface is plain and dated looking. The lack of onboard memory demands the purchase of an SD card to make the camera useable. And, lastly, the lack of rechargeable batteries means that you'll have to stay well stocked on AA batteries in order to avoid missing shots. I found the battery life to be quite short.

The bottom line is that the Pentax Optio E60 10MP Digital Camera is rather dated in comparison to other brands and even other Pentax models. It's no wonder that they're blowing this camera out on the closeout circuit, they want it out of their warehouse to make room for a decent inexpensive camera.

Product reviews: http://ebayplex.com/digital-camera-pentax-optio-e60-10mp-review