Dpreview is covering this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in las Vegas Nevada, and the first event in our busy calendar was the Pepcom Digital Experience exhibition on Monday evening, where many of this year's exhibitors gather to give the delegates a taste of their latest and greatest products. We were there, and we took the opportunity to grab some hands-on time with two of this year's biggest CES releases - Canon's Powershot G1 X and Nikon's professional-level D4.
Canon PowerShot G1 X
The PowerShot G1 X handles much like the PowerShot G12. However, its fixed 28-112mm (equivalent) zoom and fully-articulated rear LCD are coupled with a sensor only slightly smaller than that used in Canon's APS-C format EOS DSLRs.
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| Despite its almost DSLR-sized CMOS sensor, the 14MP PowerShot G1 X doesn't feel much larger, in the hand, than recent PowerShot G-series compacts. | Although it is more angular in design than recent PowerShot models, the G1 X offers basically the same control layout as the G12 and also features an optical viewfinder with diopter adjustment. |
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| In this view you can see the G1 X's flash hotshoe, and one of the features of recent G-series PowerShots that we like the most - generous chunky dials for adjusting exposure mode and exposure compensation. In the G1 X these dials are stacked, but the camera lacks the G12's dedicated ISO sensitivity dial. | The G1 X's rear LCD screen is fully articulated and boasts 920k dots. The red button at the camera's upper right is a direct movie shooting button. |
We weren't actually able to use the G1 X in our limited time with this preproduction unit, but our first impressions are of a solid, well put-together camera which handles very nicely indeed. Although slightly larger and more angular than the G12, the G1 X doesn't feel much bigger in use, and we can't wait to get our hands on a production model for a full review.
Click here to read our in-depth hands-on preview of the PowerShot G1 X
Nikon D4
The 16MP Nikon D4 is the latest in a long line of professional SLRs going back to 1959. The fifth full-frame digital SLR from Nikon, the D4 follows in the footsteps of the 12MP D3S, and although the improvements to its still image shooting capabilities are relatively modest, the D4 boasts a completely overhauled movie mode and a host of ergonomic improvements.
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The D4 looks different from the D3 and D3S, and its smoother, flatter lines hide meaningful internal changes too. |
Nikon's new professional workhorse boasts 16MP resolution, 10fps continuous shooting (with AF) and a maximum ISO sensitivity of 204,800 (equivalent). |
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| Most of the significant ergonomic changes have been made on the rear of the camera. Dual joysticks and a redesigned portrait-format grip, as well as illuminated buttons, all serve to make the D4 easier to use than its predecessors. | The D4's movie mode is seriously updated compared to the D3S. The new camera offers 1080p30 HD video at up to 24Mbps with uncompressed video output. A direct movie shooting button is positioned just behind the shutter release and on/off switch on the front of the hand grip. |
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| The D4 is Nikon's fifth full-frame DSLR, and boasts its most sensitive sensor yet, offering a maximum ISO sensitivity setting of equivalent to ISO 204,800. | And here's a closeup of the new AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8, released at the same time as the D4. |
The D4 is aimed at working professionals who make a living from their cameras and as such, it's a lot more camera than most enthusiasts will ever need. The improvements that Nikon has made to the user interface compared to the D3S mainly take the form of tweaks, rather than fundamental changes but when you live with a camera every hour of the day, small things can make a big difference. We're keen to get our hands on a production D4 for a full review as soon as possible.
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