Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Thursday, 20 December 2012

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Thursday, 20 December 2012 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 455th Digital Photography Review newsletter. Sony Alpha SLT-A99 review Sony's SLT concept, that allows full-time liveview and focusing during movie shooting has been as divisive as the semi-transparent mirror it's based around. So the announcement of a flagship, full-frame model built around the technology was a significant statement of Sony's faith in the idea. The SLT-A99 includes a handful of new features, including a depth-aware autofocus mode and a programmable focus limit mode, along with the full range of features Sony has been building into its recent cameras. What does this mean for the 24MP enthusiast powerhouse? Read our full review to find out. Enthusiast zoom compact roundup The enthusiast compact corner of the market has been resurgent in recent years and 2012 has seen some impressive additions. We've gather together the nine main current models, gone out shooting and tried to get the measure of them all. We've also tried to narrow-down the field, to help you make a decision, should you be looking for a second camera or you don't want to mess about with changing lenses. Click here to see how we got on. Fujifilm X-E1 preview extended We've done a lot of testing on Fujifilm's attractive enthusiast mirrorless camera, the X-E1 and had a chance to get plenty of shooting done. This has allowed us to extend our preview of the camera with a healthy chunk of test data and some informed first impressions. Click here to see how the X-Pro1's little brother gets on. End-of-year poll 2012 has been a great year for photographers, as some excellent cameras have been launched. There's been plenty of innovation and still more of the steady progression we've come to expect, leading to an impressive crop of capable cameras. Fujifilm did great things with its X-trans technology while Nikon (with a little help from Sony's semiconductor division), raised the bar with its D800 and the Mirrorless camera arguably came-of-age with the Olympus OM-D. But which was the stand-out camera for you? Help us wrap-up the year with a little seasonal frivolity by voting in our poll. Richard
News updates Adobe releases Lightroom 4.3 and Adobe Camera Raw 7.3 Published on Thursday, December 13, 2012 10:17:34 AM GMT Adobe has released Photoshop Lightroom 4.3 and Adobe Camera Raw 7.3. These are final versions of updates that were originally posted as 'release candidates' on the Adobe Labs site, and are available for immediate download. The latest versions provide RAW support for 13 additional cameras, including the Canon EOS 6D, Nikon D5200 and Sony DSC-RX1. The Mac version of Lightroom features a Develop module that supports Apple's HiDPI mode, that makes the interface easier to read on the 'Retina' panels used on recent Macs.  Read full story → BBC examines how fake photographs can change our memories Published on Thursday, December 13, 2012 9:38:02 PM GMT Manipulation of photographs is nothing new. For as long as cameras have existed, photographers have staged, retouched and combined images and passed them off as 'real'. Sometimes for artistic purposes, sometimes for fun, but sometimes for more nefarious purposes. The BBC has published a fascinating article on its international 'Future' site exploring the power that faked photographs have over us, and draws some alarming conclusions about our memories, and how easily they too can be manipulated. Click through for more information and a link to the full article.  Read full story → Connect Review: Shooting with the Samsung Galaxy Camera Published on Thursday, December 13, 2012 9:44:39 PM GMT The Samsung Galaxy Camera is the the most serious attempt anyone's yet made to build a truly connected camera. It's essentially a hybrid of the company's WB850F compact superzoom and its Galaxy SIII smartphone - combining the zoom range and larger sensor of the camera with the powerful processor, touch screen and Android operating system of the 'phone. But how much extra capability does this bring? Mobile photographer Oliver Lang takes a look. Read full story → Time magazine showcases Top 10 photos of 2012 Published on Friday, December 14, 2012 10:15:30 AM GMT Time magazine has published its Top 10 photos of 2012. As part of its end-of-year series including the 'most surprising pictures of the year' and the 'Top 10 Photographic Magazine Covers', this set includes the images that moved the team the most in 2012. "They all deliver a strong emotional impact — whether they show a child mourning his father who was killed by a sniper in Syria; a heartbreaking scene in a Gaza City morgue  or a haunting landscape of New Jersey coastline after Hurricane Sandy" says Kira Pollack, Time's Director of Photography. Click through to see what they chose. Read full story → Nikon marks production of 75 millionth Nikkor lens Published on Monday, December 17, 2012 11:49:36 AM GMT Nikon is celebrating the production of its 75 millionth Nikkor lens for its interchangeable lens cameras. The lineup currently consists of more than 80 kinds of lenses, including specialty Fisheye, Micro, and PC-E lenses for SLR cameras, as well as 1 Nikkor lenses for its Nikon 1 cameras. The lens series was introduced in 1959 with the launch of the Nikkor S Auto 5cm f/2. Read full story → DxO Optics Pro 8.1.1 supports Sony SLT-A99, Pentax K-5 II & Canon EOS M Published on Monday, December 17, 2012 2:00:00 PM GMT DxO Labs has updated its DxO Optics Pro software to version 8.1.1 with the addition of support for the Sony SLT-A99, Canon EOS M, Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs. The latest update also includes over 300 additional camera/lens correction modules. The update is free for Optics Pro 8 users and is available immediately. New users can purchase the latest version with a 33% discount until December 25, 2012. Read full story → DxOMark introduces 'Perceptual MPix' score for lens sharpness Published on Monday, December 17, 2012 4:00:00 PM GMT DxOMark has introduced a new metric of lens sharpness that it's calling the 'Perceptual MegaPixel'. This is designed to give a simple, easily-understandable indication of how a lens impacts on the resolution of the camera with which it's paired. The measurement is based on standard MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) testing, but also takes into account the sensitivity of the human visual system to detail. The data can be explored over at the DxOMark website.   Read full story → What you need to know: Instagram's terms of service changes Published on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 5:50:51 PM GMT Photo-sharing service Instagram is making headlines for a change to its terms and conditions that appears to allow the sale of users' images. The updated terms of service talk in terms of letting other businesses or entities pay to display usernames, likenesses, and photos in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation. Understandably, some Instagram users are very unhappy, but do they need to be? Click through to read our quick guide to what the new terms and conditions mean for you.  Read full story → Samsung and Time Out announce contest for Londoners and New Yorkers Published on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 11:40:26 PM GMT Samsung and Time Out magazine have announced the ‘Share your Now’ contest. Participants can upload images they have captured of New York or London to a dedicated portal on the Time Out website. Each week, five entrants from each city will win a Samsung Galaxy Camera. When the nine-week competition closes on 4th March, Time Out will commission three winners from London, and three from New York, 'to share their take on their own city', using their Android OS-based camera. These final images will be featured on the front cover of region-specific Time Out magazines. The winners will also receive a free trip to the other city. A grand winner will be announced after readers vote for their favorite cover photo. The competition is open until 10 February 2013. Read full story → Instagram backs away from controversial changes to terms of service Published on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 11:55:50 PM GMT Instagram has backed away from controversial changes it planned to make to its terms of service. Co-founder Kevin Systrom has used the company blog to announce that the most sensitive phrase in the terms will be revised. The update would have given Instagram the right to sell user's images to third parties without compensating them. Systrom says this was never the company's intention. Instead, he says, wording will be developed to allow it to associate information such as users' profile images with commercial postings (as Instagram's owners, Facebook, do). Read full story → Just Posted: Enthusiast Zoom Compact Camera Roundup Published on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 6:10:49 PM GMT The holiday season is upon us once again and with all the sales and special deals around at the moment, this is a great time to start thinking about getting a new camera. Maybe for a loved one, maybe just as a treat to yourself. In this article, we'll be looking at the current field of enthusiast zoom compact cameras, and examining their relative strengths and weaknesses to help you make your buying decision. Click through for a link to our 12-page article. Read full story → Nikon patents revive the dream of a digital back for film SLRs? Published on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 8:41:16 PM GMT A patent filed by Nikon in Japan appears to revive the long-held dream of adding a digital sensor to an existing film SLR. The Japanese Engineering Accomplishment blog found the recently published patent that shows a mechanism for mounting and adjusting the position of a digital sensor on a rear door that could be used to replace the conventional film door. However, the patent only covers the mounting of the sensor relative to the film guides - it doesn't address any of the hurdles that have stood in the way of anyone realizing this long-discussed idea. (via PetaPixel) Read full story → 500px and the challenges of upscaling Published on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 9:18:30 PM GMT Photo sharing site 500px has become a popular venue amongst photographers - resembling in many ways the photography-friendly environment that made Flickr popular a few years ago. It faces a range of challenges as it grows - including the how to keep exposing great photography in the face of booming membership and attempts to 'game' its systems. Connect discusses these challenges and some clever cloud-based features about to be launched with 500px CEO Oleg Gutsol. Read full story → Dpreview Users' Poll: Best Camera of 2012? Published on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 10:21:08 PM GMT Well, hasn't 2012 gone by quickly? We're nearly at the end of another year, and 2012 was one of the busiest that we can remember, as camera manufacturers regained some momentum after the worst of the economic downturn and various natural disasters. This year saw a lot of innovation and movement at the top of the ranges of biggest camera manufacturers, making it a fantastic year for photo enthusiasts and reviewers alike (even if we are completely exhausted at this point). So at the end of an incredibly busy year we want to know which cameras stood out for you. Click through for a link to our end-of-year poll.  Read full story →
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Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 21 November 2012

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 21 November 2012 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 453rd Digital Photography Review newsletter. Nikon D600 analysed The process of converting our Photokina-period previews into full reviews continues with the publication of one of the most talked-about cameras of the show - the Nikon D600. Nikon's most affordable full-frame camera yet is essentially a full-frame D7000 - bringing huge gobs of D800 technology to an enthusiast-friendly format. With its 24MP and 39-point autofocus system, this is no corner-cutting piece of price-point targetting, but a capable camera in its own right. But what's it like to use and to live with? Click here to read our full review to find out. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 assessed It's not just the latest enthusiast compacts that have benefitted from faster lenses in the most recent round of model refreshes - Panasonic has looked back to the beginnings of its long zoom FZ series for lens of its latest model. The result is the FZ200 - a model that looks a lot like the existing FZs but with its 25-600mm equivalent lens maintaining an impressive F2.8 across its entire range. This should give benefits in terms of low light shooting, control over depth-of-field and in maintaining fast shutter speeds when working at the long end of that zoom. So how does it perform? Read our full review - prepared in collaboration with the Digital Camera Resource page. Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM reviewed The second of our re-launched lens reviews is our look at the Sigma 18-250mm Macro OS - the latest designed-for-APS-C stabilized superzoom lens from Sigma. It's smaller and lighter than its predecessor, putting it squarely into competition with Tamron's 18-270mm VC. We've included the DxOMark test data for the Tamron and a series of the Sigma's other competitors to show where it sits in the marketplace. Click here to read the review. More samples from the studio and beyond The gap between the camera's announcement and its still unconfirmed public release has caused some frustration amonst would-be buyers of the Canon EOS 6D. We've still not seen a production-standard camera, but have borrowed one that's near enough to finished spec that we've been allowed to go out shooting with it and have posted a gallery of real-world images. Click here to see our Canon EOS 6D samples gallery. As well as the EOS 6D, we've also got out to shoot with the Tamron 18-270mm VC and Leica's X2. The lens gallery makes it easier to compare with the Sigma we've just reviewed, while the X2 gallery makes a useful reference point for the forthcoming review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 - a camera that matches the Leica's 35mm equivalent point of view, while offering a larger sensor and wider maximum aperture. Click here to see what the Tamron has to offer, and click here to see how the Leica X2 performs. Connect competition winners announced Over on connect.dpreview.com we announced the winner of the site's photo competition. The theme of the competition was simply 'connect' - a theme we saw explored in a number of ways. Having carefully sifted through the thousands of entries, our judging panel settled on Sudeep Mehta's striking image. Click here to see the winners and some of the other top entries from our 'connect' competition. Richard
News updates Richard Franiec creates add-on grip for Sigma DP1 and 2 Merrill Published on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 10:34:28 PM GMT Accessory grip maker Richard Franiec has created a custom grip for the Sigma DP1 Merrill and DP2 Merrill. As usual, the grip is made from anodized aluminium alloy and attached to the front of the camera using high-strength 3M double-sided tape. The grip attaches securely but can be removed if necessary. It will be available from December 2012 at a cost of $36.95 plus shipping. Read full story → Olympus US gives $500 price and December date for 17mm f/1.8 Published on Thursday, November 15, 2012 6:00:00 AM GMT Olympus USA has announced its M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8 for Micro Four Thirds will be available in December for around $500. The lens features the same premium build quality and snap-focus manual focus mode as the company's 12mm f/2.0. The snap-focus mode is engaged by pulling the focus ring on the lens back, which reveals a distance scale and engages end-stops on the focus travel, applies firmer damping and switches the camera to manual focus mode. Olympus UK, meanwhile, has announced a price of £449.99. Read full story → Corbis buys 'citizen journalism' agency Demotix Published on Thursday, November 15, 2012 6:36:03 PM GMT Demotix, the photo agency created to distribute and sell newsworthy images from members of the public, has been bought by image giant Corbis. London-based Demotix, which has smartphone apps to make it easier to submit images, has a community of around 6,500 freelancers and semi-pro photographers and videographers submitting work. By contrast, Seattle-based Corbis' collection of 100 million images tends to come from professionals and it more tightly curated. Read full story → VII Photo Agency director praises mobile photography Published on Thursday, November 15, 2012 6:47:53 PM GMT Wired.com has published an interview with Stephen Mayes, director of the VII photo agency, about the importance of mobile photography in the digital age. According to Mayes, smartphone photography represents a 'pivotal moment' in photography, and calls cell phones 'a pretty pure implementation of the digital phenomenon'. Click through for more excepts from the interview and a link to the full article at wired.com Read full story → Connect: Review of Photo Editor by Aviary app Published on Thursday, November 15, 2012 6:54:00 PM GMT We've reviewed the multi-platform mobile app Photo Editor by Aviary. Even if you're not familiar with this app, you've likely seen Aviary in effect in other mobile applications as the photo editor is available to other app developers as a software development kit (SDK) for Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7, and there's a Web Widget too. We take a look at Aviary's version, optimized for both phone and tablet screens, on Connect. Read full story → Lytro adds 'perspective shift' and 'living filters' to light field captures Published on Friday, November 16, 2012 12:32:59 AM GMT Lytro has announced two extra features for users of its Light Field Cameras - perspective shift and living filters. Perspective shift allows the viewer to re-render the light field as if captured from a slightly different position - moving this viewing position around shows off the depth information captured by the camera. Meanwhile the 'living filters' are depth-aware versions of the processing filter modes that have become near-ubiquitous in cameras in recent years. And, because the Light Field Cameras download all the light field data to your computer, these effects will be available with all existing captures. Read full story → The 'in the moment' merits of camera phones - despite just 1.3MP Published on Friday, November 16, 2012 7:11:25 PM GMT Smartphone photography is taking increasingly seriously as a medium, but this isn't because the devices have reached a certain standard. In an interview from 2009, actor and photography Joel Grey discusses the work he's done using a 1.3MP phone camera. He discusses the snobbery surrounding cameraphones (including his own), and points our that 'pictures are pictures...the subject, light and framing is everything.' Read full story → Images from the 'Skyfall island' - Michael Gakuran goes urban exploring Published on Friday, November 16, 2012 8:55:53 PM GMT Skyfall, the latest James Bond film, is topping the box office charts around the world and wowing audiences with its cinematography. It includes a sequence set on a deserted island - modeled on Hashima, an abandoned former coal-mining island off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan. Dpreview member Michael Gakuran has written a blog post about his experiences on the island - filming for a Discovery Channel documentary and, earlier, being smuggled onto the island under cover of darkness to perform a little urban exploration (Urbex). Read full story → Just Posted: Leica X2 real-world sample gallery Published on Friday, November 16, 2012 10:38:07 PM GMT Just Posted: Our real world samples gallery from the Leica X2. Following the Sigma DP series, Leica was one of the first companies to offer a large sensor in a compact-bodied camera with its X1. The X2 retains its predecessor's 36mm equivalent F2.8 lens but adds a 16MP APS-C CMOS sensor. We've been shooting the X2 in a variety of lighting situations and at a range of apertures to give a taste for what the camera can do. The 49-image gallery includes a selection of Adobe Camera Raw conversions as well as out-of-camera JPEGs. Read full story → Just Posted: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 Review Published on Saturday, November 17, 2012 12:05:50 AM GMT We've just published a review of Panasonic's flagship super-zoom camera, the Lumix DMC-FZ200. The FZ200 goes back to its roots, offering a constant-aperture zoom range, like the FZs of old, but in most other respects it's similar to its well-regarded predecessor the FZ150. Features include a 12MP MOS sensor with a maximum ISO sensitivity of 6400, Raw shooting, and automatic panorama and HDR modes. We collaborated with Jeff Keller of the Digital Camera Resource Page to bring you this review of the FZ200 - click through to find out what we thought.  Read full story → Just Posted: Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD samples gallery Published on Sunday, November 18, 2012 10:00:00 AM GMT Just Posted: Our samples gallery from the Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD. The company's latest fast maximum aperture, stabilized standard zoom was announced back in February, but really comes into its own with the recent announcements of more affordable full-frame bodies from Canon and Nikon. We've put together a gallery of images shot in a variety of situations with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III to give a taste for what it can do. Read full story → USA gets Holiday deals on smartphones and accessories Published on Monday, November 19, 2012 9:22:19 PM GMT Over at Connect we're assembling a list of Holiday deals - with the first smartphone and accessory deals listed today. We'll be highlighting more interesting offers as they come to our attention. The period around the Thanksgiving holiday is particularly prominent for shopping in the USA, with the Friday afterwards (known as Black Friday) and the subsequent Monday (dubbed 'Cyber Monday') being a focus of in-store and internet deals respectively. A recent survey suggests that smartphone usage could see Thanksgiving itself become 'Mobile Thursday' as people shop from their 'phones. Read full story → Canon EOS 6D sample images added to hands-on preview Published on Monday, November 19, 2012 11:22:39 PM GMT We've added a gallery of real-world and studio images to our Canon EOS 6D preview. The EOS 6D won't be available until at least December but we've been able to borrow a pre-production model for which we've been allowed to post samples. We've shot with the camera in a series of lighting conditions, using a variety of lenses, including the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM and the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM. We've also shot an ISO sequence under challenging low-color-temperature artificial light. Click here to see how Canon's latest full-frame challenger performs. Read full story → Just Posted: Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Published on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 7:26:03 PM GMT Just Posted: Our review of the Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM. The latest version of Sigma's stabilized superzoom is smaller and lighter than the existing non-macro version, yet is able to add improved close-focus performance, helping it compete with the similarly-sized Tamron 18-270mm VC. These long-range all-rounders are a popular choice, so we've had a look at how Sigma's latest performs. We've also added DxOMark's test data for a selection of its competitors, to give a sense of context. Read full story → Hands-on with Android 4.2's Photo Sphere Published on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 7:44:14 PM GMT While most smartphones still lag behind dedicated cameras in image quality they come with a lot more processing power and the ability to install apps. This allows you to do things on the move which, when done with a digital camera, would require a computer, a piece of software and some serious screen time. Android's Photo Sphere feature is a good example - it allows you to stitch individual images into a 360° Photos Sphere and immerse yourself in a scene. Photo Sphere is part of the camera app of Android 4.2 - the latest version, as featured on the Nexus 4 smartphone. We've taken it out and had a play with it, click through to see how we got on. Read full story →
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Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Tuesday, 30 October 2012

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Tuesday, 30 October 2012 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 451st Digital Photography Review newsletter. Pentax K-30 reviewed... It's taken a little bit longer than we hoped, but we've just published our in-depth review of the Pentax K-30. As has become something of a tradition for Pentax, the K-30 offers a solid, photographer-focused feature set. It may be less expensive than the much-loved K-5 but it gives up very little in terms of specification - it has a 100% viewfinder and a level of weather sealing unique at this point in the market. Is that enough to compete in this popular part of the market? Read our review to find out ...with more on the way. The K-30 is just the first of a series of reviews we're pushing hard to bring you in time for the Christmas/holiday season. We've been adding elements to our forthcoming Nikon D600 review and have started to publish sample galleries from the enthusiast compacts we hope to test soon. The resumption of lens reviews is also just days away. Enthusiast compacts receive exposure We've also published a samples gallery from the Nikon P7700 - one of the handful of exciting enthusiast compacts announced in the last couple of months. It retains the 28-200mm equivalent range of the P7100 but has a lens that's a stop brighter, throughout that range. Our sample gallery, which we've added to our hands-on preview, gives a taste of what it's capable of. Another of the current generation of fast-lens, 1/1.7" sensor compacts is the Panasonic DMC-LX7. The latest in a well-respected line, the LX7 gains a CMOS sensor and more user-control than ever. We've published a review of this latest Lumix in collaboration with Jeff Keller from The Digital Camera Resource Page. Click here to read the review. Major processing software updated There have also been two major software updates in the past week, with both Phase One's Capture One Pro and DxO Labs' DxO Optics Pro being updated. Optics Pro 8 gains a 'Smart Lighting' tool that influences image contrast as well as brightness, along with a variety of other updates, while Capture One Pro 7 undergoes an even greater overhaul. It gains a new processing engine and more comprehensive digital asset management functions built on Phase One's experience with Media Pro.
News updates Nikon D600 Preview updated with resolution and menu pages Published on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 12:34:45 AM GMT Updated: We've just added our resolution and menu pages to our hands-on preview of the Nikon D600. These latest pages have been added to the preview as we work towards the full review. Our final analysis of the D600's image quality will come later, but for now, click through to see for yourself how Nikon's newest 24MP DSLR performs against our resolution chart in both JPEG and Raw modes.  Read full story → Connect: Using your tablet as a photographic light source Published on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 1:36:02 AM GMT Connect: When you're not using it to browse the web, show off your photos or check your e-mail, have you considered using your tablet computer as a light source for photography? It may not offer a high-speed sync mode but, with an inexpensive app, it can open up some creative opportunities. Read full story → Canon update for EOS 5D Mark III to offer uncompressed HDMI output Published on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 3:16:49 PM GMT Canon has announced it will be releasing a firmware update for the EOS 5D Mark III that will provide uncompressed HDMI output for videographers. It will also enable autofocus using lens / teleconverter combinations with an effective aperture of f/8, using the camera's central cross-type AF points in a similar fashion to the recently-released EOS-1D X Firmware 1.1.1. However EOS 5D Mark III owners will have to wait until April 2013 before the new firmware becomes available.  Read full story → Low-res iPad Mini and updated 'Retina' iPad released in Apple refresh Published on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 7:25:19 PM GMT Apple has announced an new 'Mini' version of the iPad with a 7.9 inch, 163ppi display. The iPad Mini's display offers a quarter of the pixel count (1024 x 768 pixels compared to 2048 x 1536) of its 9.7", A6 processor-equipped cousin (simply called 'iPad'), the fourth generation of which was also unveiled at an event in San Jose, California. The iPad Mini has created a lot of buzz, but photographers might be disappointed that its screen resolution is lower than the cheaper Google Nexus 7 tablet, which offers 1280 x 800 pixels and a pixel density of 217ppi. Read full story → Nikon announces 1 V2 - a more photographer-friendly, 14MP 1 series camera Published on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 4:01:00 AM GMT Nikon has launched the 1 V2 - a more enthusiast-focused 1-series camera built around a 14MP sensor. The V2 adds a built-in flash and mode dial and more extensive front grip. It can shoot at up to 15 frames per second in combination with its hybrid AF system. It also has a configurable 'F' button to give faster access to key camera settings. The V2 uses a processor that lives up to the latest Expeed 3A billing. It also retains the V1's original list price of $899 with 10-30mm kit zoom. Nikon has also announced an accessory SB-N7 bounce-able Speedlight for the 1 System. The V2 will be available from late November, with the SB-N7 following in January 2013. Read full story → Nikon launches 70-200mm f/4 VR telezoom with claimed 5-stop stabilization Published on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 4:01:00 AM GMT Nikon has launched the much-rumored AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR, a lighter and more affordable tele-zoom with a claimed 5 stops of image stabilization. This is delivered by what the company terms 'third-generation VR,' which we're told is not a successor to VRII. The lens joins Nikon's range of constant f/4 lenses, alongside the 16-35mm f/4 and 24-120mm f/4, and includes both nano crystal coating and a ring-type AF-S motor to give full-time manual focus override. At $1400 the lens is priced relatively closely to the Canon equivalent's list price - as is the $224 optional tripod ring. Read full story → Nikon announces development of three 1 Nikkor lenses Published on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 11:06:42 AM GMT Nikon has announced that it is developing three additional lenses for its 1 System mirrorless cameras. The 32mm f/1.2 will offer a classic short telephoto 'portrait' option, equivalent to an 86mm lens on the 35mm full frame format. The 6.7-13mm f/3.5-5.6 VR is an image-stabilized, 18-35mm-equivalent wideangle zoom. Finally the 10-100mm f/4-5.6 superzoom will offer a similar 27-270mm-equivalent range to Nikon's existing 1 System powerzoom, but in a smaller package with a mechanical zoom ring. Full specifications, price and release date are yet to be revealed. Read full story → DxO Labs unveils Optics Pro 8 with Smart Lighting Published on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 1:00:00 PM GMT DxO Labs has announced DxO Optics Pro 8, a major update of its image processing tool incorporating 'DxO Smart Lighting.' The company's Smart Lighting tool influences both image brightness and contrast using a single slider and will attempt to recover both highlight and shadow detail. Meanwhile a selective tone tool makes it easy to apply different changes to the highlight, mid-tone and shadow regions of an image.The software also allows the configuration of multiple output options. It also gains more lens/body optical correction profiles, with DxO aiming to double the current 10,000 combinations by the end of 2013. The software comes with the customary introductory pricing valid until November 15th. Read full story → Connect: What do reviewers make of Microsoft's Surface laptop/tablet hybrid? Published on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 9:06:14 PM GMT Connect: Microsoft has taken a different approach to the tablet market with its Surface, by including a fold-out keyboard. The device isn't formally available until Friday but various tech bloggers have already had a chance to play with the Windows RT-based machine. What are their first impressions and should photographers take interest? Read full story → Apple Raw update brings support for 11 cameras, including D600 and RX100 Published on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 11:05:02 PM GMT Apple has issued Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 4.01, adding support for 11 cameras to Aperture 3 and iPhoto '11. The update includes support for many of the latest cameras including the Nikon D600, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100, Canon EOS-M and Panasonic G5. Many of the latest enthusiast compacts, including the Canon G15 and S110, and Panasonic DMC-LX7 are also covered, though there's still no support for recent high-end Fujifilm models. Read full story → Phase One releases Capture One Pro v7 Published on Thursday, October 25, 2012 11:00:00 AM GMT Phase One has announced Capture One Pro 7, the latest version of its image processing and workflow tool. The latest version is based around an entirely new image processing engine and gains digital asset management tools, developed from the company's experience with its Media Pro software. The software's tethered shooting option now gains live view for some DSLR models. The software will cost $299/€229 with significant discounts for upgraders from previous versions. Read full story → Samsung NX 12-24mm to cost $600, 45mm F1.8 around $300 Published on Thursday, October 25, 2012 5:30:22 PM GMT Samsung has announced US pricing for the 12-24mm F4-5.6 ED wide-angle zoom and 45mm F1.8 mid-telephoto prime for its NX system. The lenses - announced at Photokina - will cost around $600 for the wide-angle zoom and $300 for the 45mm F1.8. Oddly we're told there are no samples of the 45mm F1.8 at the show where they're being 'unveiled', so we can't know if it's any closer to the promised 'ultra-professional look and feel' than the inexpensive-feeling early examples we saw at Photokina. Read full story → Hands-on with the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Published on Thursday, October 25, 2012 6:21:44 PM GMT We've been one of the first publications to get a chance to handle Nikon's AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR. The example we used is officially pre-production, so we weren't able to shoot samples with it, but it had the build and handling of a finished model, so we were able to form some initial impressions of this long hoped-for F4 tele-zoom lens. Read full story → Hands-on with the Nikon 1 V2 - 14MP mirrorless camera with built-in EVF Published on Thursday, October 25, 2012 7:30:09 PM GMT We got the chance to grab some hands-on time with Nikon's latest 1-Series mirrorless interchangeable lens camera - the 1 V2. It gains a 14MP sensor, built-in flash and more conventional control points than its predecessor. Here we give our first impressions of Nikon's smallest 'serious' interchangeable lens camera. Read full story → Just Posted: Nikon Coolpix P7700 real-world sample images Published on Friday, October 26, 2012 1:17:48 AM GMT Just Posted: We've just added a 36-image sample gallery to our hands-on preview of the Nikon Coolpix P7700. We've been using a production P7700 for a few days and as we work out way through the necessary studio and real-world shooting we've created a sample gallery to show you what the camera can do. Our gallery contains images shot in a range of different conditions, both indoors and out. Click the links below to go see our full hands-on preview of the P7700 now updated with with real-world samples.  Read full story → Panasonic FL360L wireless flash for use with GH3 - more details Published on Friday, October 26, 2012 7:41:34 PM GMT DCWatch has provided more details of Panasonic's DMW-FL360L - the company's first wirelessly controllable flashgun. The feature is designed to work with the company's recently-announced range-topping DMC-GH3. The bounceable flash has a guide number of 36 (m at ISO 100) and includes a flip-down wide-angle converter to provide coverage for an 8mm (16mm equivalent) lens' field of view. It also features an LED continuous lamp for video work. US pricing isn't available but is expected to cost around £250 in the UK and ¥30,000 ($376) in Japan. (via DCWatch) Read full story → Just Posted: Pentax K-30 full review Published on Monday, October 29, 2012 7:28:17 PM GMT Just Posted: Our review of the Pentax K-30 16MP DSLR. The K-30 continues a Pentax tradition of building cameras around a strong photographer-friendly feature set. It may be less expensive than the much-loved K-5 but it gives up very little in terms of specification - it has a 100% viewfinder and a level of weather sealing unique at this point in the market. Nor does it skimp on software features, including intervalometer, distortion correction and image processing filters. So do these features add up to the perfect mid-level DSLR? Read our review to find out. Read full story → Connect: Beamr app uses JPEGmini to make high-res images sharable Published on Monday, October 29, 2012 7:56:38 PM GMT Connect: The Beamr app allows full-res iPhone and iPad images to be shared as virtual magazines. We spoke to Dror Gill, Chief Technology Officer of ICVT about the way it uses the company's JEPGmini technology to make file sizes manageable and how this is just the consumer-facing beginning. Read full story →
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Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Thursday, 11 October 2012

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Thursday, 11 October 2012 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 450th Digital Photography Review newsletter. Introducing connect.dpreview.com This week saw the launch of connect.dpreview.com a mobile, social and connected photography site from dpreview.com. Mobile photography and the ability to share images across social networks have helped foster a vibrant and creative new genre of photographic arts - one that is having a profound effect on the way we all shoot, share, discover and enjoy photography. Connect will explore, explain and embrace the social, mobile, app-driven, connected side of contemporary photography. Simon Joinson, Editor-in-chief Let me start by extending you a warm welcome to Connect, a new website dedicated to the technology, community and culture of 'mobile photography', including smart phones, tablets, apps, connected cameras and the creativity and community, brought to you by the team behind Digital Photography Review. With billions of images being shared by millions of smart phone photographers around the globe, the world of photography is experiencing an explosion of creativity and engagement that hasn't been seen since the first consumer digital cameras arrived almost two decades ago. This time it's different though. It's about the power of the snapshot to tell a story, to build a community, to record the mundane as well as the remarkable. It's about people who don't even think of themselves as photographers never stepping out of the door without a camera. It's about photography's power to connect. And that's why we're here. Click here to discover connect.dpreview.com
News updates Accessory Review: Nimbus Cloud Dome Published on Thursday, October 04, 2012 9:02:49 PM GMT The Nimbus Cloud Dome is a plastic bell-shaped light diffuser designed to allow you to capture evenly-lit images of small objects using a smartphone. Aimed at avid eBayers, online jewelry retailers, Craigslisters and macro photographers, the Cloud Dome provides a surprisingly versatile - and very compact - solution for shooting small subjects with your phone. Click through for the full review.  Read full story → Nikon D600 Preview Updated with Noise & Noise Reduction Samples Published on Thursday, October 04, 2012 11:14:05 PM GMT Updated: We've just added a noise and noise-reduction page to our hands-on preview of the Nikon D600. We've got a production sample D600 in the office, and over the coming weeks we'll be adding test pages to the preview as we move towards the publication of a full review. Our final analysis of the D600's image quality will come later, but for now, click through to see for yourself how Nikon's newest DSLR measures up to its competitors in terms of noise in both JPEG and Raw mode.  Read full story → AT&T brings Samsung Galaxy Camera to USA, but at what cost? Published on Thursday, October 04, 2012 11:34:39 PM GMT US mobile carrier AT&T has become the first network to announce that it will be offering Samsung's Galaxy Camera - the first truly camera-like device to include a cellular data connection. The version being offered is being described as 4G but AT&T has confrimed it will use an HSPA+ connection, rather than the faster 'LTE' system that is more widely accepted as '4G.' Prices and details of data plans are also unspecified at this point. (via Engadget) Read full story → Adobe expands DNG format with inclusion of smaller, Lossy DNG option Published on Friday, October 05, 2012 8:52:36 PM GMT Alongside its ACR and Lightroom updates, Adobe has extended the specifications of the DNG format, including the creation of a more compact, Lossy DNG option. The format has also been extended to respect in-camera cropping and allow for the inclusion of full HDR data and the non-image areas around merged panoramas. We spoke to Lightroom Product Manager, Tom Hogarty, about the changes made in v1.4 and the reasons behind them. Read full story → Book Review: The Practical Zone System for Film and Digital Photography Published on Saturday, October 06, 2012 11:03:47 PM GMT First developed by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer, the Zone System is one of the most enduring methods for understanding - and mastering - exposure. In the fifth edition of his well-regarded book 'The Practical Zone System for Film and Digital Photography' Chris Johnson explains why the Zone System, developed as paradigm for film shooters, can also be easily applied in the digital age. Adam Koplan takes a look. Read full story → Aptina details 1" sensor for mirrorless, bridge or broadcast-video cameras Published on Monday, October 08, 2012 2:17:11 AM GMT Sensor maker Aptina has released more details of its two most recently-announced chips, including a 10MP, 1"-type sensor that uses its dynamic range-boosting DR-Pix technology. The company, which also makes the 1" sensors used in the Nikon 1 System cameras, is making this new sensor available to the wider market. It has also provided more detail about an 18MP 1/2.3" compact camera sensor that can shoot 1080p video with three different crops at up to 120 frames per second. Read full story → Getty Images' Flickr licensing deal reaches 1/2 million images Published on Monday, October 08, 2012 5:57:40 PM GMT Getty Images' scheme for licensing images from the photo sharing site Flickr has added its 500,000th image. The half-millionth image was shot by system engineer and photo hobbyist 'Jiangang Wang' for Tianjin, China, of the Minato Mirai development in Yokohama, Japan. The licensing deal, started in June 2010, allows Flickr members to offer their images for licensing by Getty. If Getty chooses to accept the request, the photographer can choose how to license their images, at rates comparable to Getty's other images libraries. Read full story → Just Posted: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 sample images Published on Monday, October 08, 2012 11:17:21 PM GMT Just posted: Sony RX1 real-world sample images - now updated with high ISO samples. We've had the chance to shoot with a near-production RX1 and have started to put together a samples gallery. These are some of the first full resolution independent samples to be taken with an RX1. We've shot a range of subjects, both in good light and in low light at high ISOs. As usual we've included a range af apertures and focus distances too. Read full story → Lytro provides more exposure control and additional colors Published on Tuesday, October 09, 2012 3:00:00 PM GMT Lytro has announced an update that provides greater exposure control for its Light Field Camera. It will also be offering the 8GB version of the camera in two addition colors - Moxie Pink and Seaglass that will be availble from Target.com/CityTarget stores and the Lytro website respectively. The update, that will be available to all existing customers, adds a manual mode, that provides control over shutter speed and ISO (aperture always being wide open). If you decide to specify both parameters, it becomes possible to apply exposure compensation and apply the camera's built-in ND filter. Read full story → Announcing connect.dpreview.com Published on Tuesday, October 09, 2012 7:22:14 PM GMT Today sees the launch of connect.dpreview.com, a mobile, social and connected photography site from dpreview.com. Mobile photography and the ability to share images across social networks have helped foster a vibrant and creative new genre of photographic arts - one that is having a profound effect on the way we all shoot, share, discover and enjoy photography. Connect will explore, explain and embrace the social, mobile, app-tastic, connected side of contemporary photography. Click through for more details and a link to the new site.  Read full story → DxO launches DxOMark Mobile - device IQ analysis as used on Connect Published on Tuesday, October 09, 2012 8:38:58 PM GMT DxO Labs has announced 'DxOMark Mobile' - its assessment of mobile phone image quality that will support mobile device reviews on connect.dpreview.com. In its first group of tests, DxO has found that the best contemporary mobile devices (in this case the Nokia 808 PureView, with its large sensor) will out-perform a 5-year-old high-end compact camera. And when it comes to video, the Samsung Galaxy SIII will trump last year's Canon PowerShot S100. DxOMark Mobile will analyze 14 aspects of mobile imaging and produce a final score that will be comparable to existing DxOMark figures. We'll be reporting DxOMark Mobile figures alongside our overall scores in connect reviews. Read full story → A sneak peek at our forthcoming camera test scene Published on Tuesday, October 09, 2012 11:59:19 PM GMT As part of the development of connect.dpreview.com we've created a more advanced, more detailed test scene, which will be launched on dpreview.com soon. The new scene is roughly eight times larger (in area) than the existing test, allowing us to test to even higher resolutions than before, amongst other improvements. Click through for more details. Read full story → DxO Optics Pro 7.5.5 Elite adds Canon EOS-1D X and Nikon D600 Published on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 1:00:00 PM GMT DxO Labs has announced Optics Pro v7.5.5, with support for the Canon EOS-1D X and the Nikon D600. The latest version of the company's raw processing and optical correction software also adds support for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and DMC-LX7. Support for the two full-frame DSLRs comes only in the 'Elite' edition of the software, while the Panasonic support is also included in the standard edition, that costs around half as much. As usual, the upgrade is free to existing Optics Pro 7 users and recent purchasers of Pro 6. Read full story → Just Posted: Sony Alpha SLT-A99 samples gallery Published on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 11:24:03 PM GMT Just Posted: Full-size, real world samples from the Sony A99. We've been shooting with Sony's latest full-frame flagship camera down in San Francisco and Monterey, California as part of a Sony press trip - our first opportunity to get hold of a production-standard camera. We've put together a samples gallery taken in a variety of lighting conditions and at a range of apertures and featuring multiple subjects. Click through to see how the 24MP camera performs. Read full story →
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