To celebrate the design, it created a full-size model of part of this open space in the massive hangar-like building where parts of the ship were being built in Finland.
By adjusting its overall shipments and the volume of each unit (iPad Mini sales are now expected to outpace the full-size model), Apple is sending the message that its original stance toward seven-inch tablets was dead wrong.
Ms. McAlister recommends that beginners opt for a full-size 88-key model that has a "weighted action, " which simulates the feel of actual piano hammers.
Also new this year is RAW shooting -- a feature that could help position this mid-range model as a companion shooter for advanced amateurs and pros alike, for those occasions where a full-size rig wouldn't be practical.