Pentax announced their new mid-range K7 digital SLR today. The new Pentax K7 is more compact than the K20D it replaces and has several new features, including a new image sensor and 720p movie mode:

Pentax K7
(Mid-range digital SLR camera)

• 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor (1.5X crop factor)
• Sensor-shift image stabilization
• Weather sealing
• Dust reduction
• Pentax K lens mount
• Viewfinder with 0.92X magnification, 100% frame coverage
• 11 point AF
• 3 inch super-high resolution LCD
• Live view with contrast detection AF
• Full manual controls with hotshoe, RAW and wireless flash
• Shutter+aperture and sensitivity priority modes
• Distortion and chromatic aberration reduction; built-in HDR and multi-exposure features
• 5.2 FPS burst mode (take up to 40 JPEG or 15 RAW photos)
• 720p (1280 x 720) at 30 FPS movie mode with sound; external microphone port available
• Takes SD/SDHC cards
• Uses a lithium-ion battery
• Available in July for $1300 (body only)

Pentax also announced two new lenses today, both are weather-sealed:

• 18 - 55 mm, f3.5 - f5.6 AL WR; available for $200
• 50 - 200 mm, f4.0 - f5.6 AL WR; available for $250

I’ve just published my review of the Nikon Coolpix P90, Nikon’s latest ultra-zoom camera with a huge zoom lens, manual controls and all. As usual, full-sized photos taken straight out of the camera are available in the Nikon Coolpix P90 photo gallery.

What are you waiting for? The full review of the Nikon Coolpix P90 awaits you after the link.

Read the Nikon P90 review

Here’s the Nikon Coolpix P90 Photo Gallery containing full-sized pictures taken by the camera. Be sure to check out the Nikon Coolpix P90 review as well.

View the Nikon P90 gallery

Sony announced three new digital SLR cameras today - the new Alpha A230, A330 and A380 cameras are incremental upgrades of last year’s models, announced a little over 16 months ago. From what it seems, the changes are mostly cosmetic and user interface changes; the rest of the specifications sheet remains the same. And Sony also claims that they’ve revamped the image processing area of the cameras… so hopefully these guys will produce good image quality once I get my hands on them for review:

Sony Alpha A230
(Entry-level digital SLR camera)

• 10.2 megapixel CCD sensor (1.5X crop factor)
• Sensor-shift image stabilization
• Dust reduction
• Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount
• Viewfinder with 0.83X magnification, 95% frame coverage
• 9 point AF
• 2.7 inch fixed LCD
• NO live view
• Full manual controls with hotshoe and RAW
• 2.5 FPS burst mode
• Dual memory card slots for Memory Stick Duo and SD/SDHC cards
• Uses a lithium-ion battery
• Available in July for $550 (18-55 mm kit lens) or $750 (18-55 mm + 55-200 mm dual lens kit)

Sony Alpha A330 & Alpha A380
(Entry-level digital SLR camera)

• Alpha A330: 10.2 megapixel CCD sensor (1.5X crop factor)
  Alpha A380: 14.2 megapixel CCD sensor (1.5X crop factor)
• 2.7 inch LCD that can be tilted to face up/down
• Live view; autofocus via secondary image sensor in the viewfinder area
• Smaller viewfinder: 0.74X magnification, 95% frame coverage
• Alpha A330: Available for $650 (18-55 mm kit lens) or $850 (18-55 mm + 55-200 mm dual lens kit)
  Alpha A380: Available for $850 (18-55 mm kit lens) or $1050 (18-55 mm + 55-200 mm dual lens kit)

In addition, Sony announced four new lenses and a low-end external flash. The new lenses are:

• 18 - 55 mm, f3.5 - f5.6 DT SAM; available for $200
• 55 - 200 mm, f3.5 - f5.6 DT SAM; available for $230
• 50 mm f1.8 DT SAM; available for $150
• 30 mm f2.8 Macro DT SAM

Note that all of them are DT lenses (which Sony says are “APS-C sensor optimized”) and feature something new called SAM (Smooth Autofocus Motor), which is a fancy name for in-lens focus motor drive with silent operation. Sony also comments that these lenses are targeted at “first-time digital SLR users”, thus their low prices.

There’s also a new flash unit, called the HVL-F20AM and priced at $130, which has an adjustable head for bounce flash and a guide number of 20 meters.