Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Saturday, 5 May 2012

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Saturday, 5 May 2012 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 474th Digital Photography Review newsletter. Olympus E-M5 As promised in the last newsletter, we've published our review of the Olympus OM-D E-M5. Olympus' first Micro Four Thirds camera with built-in electronic viewfinder combines a traditional two-dial user interface with DSLR styling, a magnesium alloy shell and in-body image stabilization, and does so in an impressively compact package. Does this smaller size mean too many ergonomic compromises and can its 16MP Four Thirds sensor compete with its mirrorless peers? Read our hands-on review to find out. Nikon D3200 previewed with studio and real-world samples We've got our hands on the latest baby Nikon, the D3200. As well as taking it into our studio we've been able to get out of the office a bit to shoot some real-world samples. Despite using the 18-55mm VR kit lens for the samples gallery, we were pretty impressed with the 24MP camera's performance. Click here to see if you agree. Pentax K-01 test samples It was the Pentax K-01's turn to be wheeled into the studio this week, so we've published our standard test samples. While we're still not quite sure what to make of the K-01, there's no arguing with its image quality - building on the already impressive K-5's performance. Click here to see just how well it does at high ISO settings. More reviews coming soon To again give a bit of advanced notice to newsletter subscribers, we can tell you that our Nikon D800 review is nearly ready. A couple of other reviews of high-profile cameras are also progressing nicely, so we're hoping to bring you more studio test samples, alongside the D800 review, next week. Richard
News updates Software Review: CameraBag 2 for Mac/PC Published on Saturday, April 21, 2012 12:31:42 AM GMT CameraBag from Nevercenter has been popular with lo-fi photo fans for years as an iOS app. With CameraBag 2 it has redesigned it from the ground up, for desktop computers. With a series for customizable filters, batch processing and support for RAW files, CameraBag 2 is significantly more capable than its mobile ancestor. Click here to read our review. Read full story → Mamiya Leaf announce Leaf Credo 80MP, 60MP and 40MP digital backs Published on Monday, April 23, 2012 7:00:00 AM GMT Medium format maker Mamiya Leaf has launched the Leaf Credo range of digital camera back designed for working with cameras such as the 645DF. There are 80MP, 60MP and 40MP, all CCD based. The Credo backs feature 1.15 million dot touch-screens with touch-sensitive regions that extend beyond the display area. They also all feature FireWire 800 and USB3 connections for fast data transfer. Read full story → Adobe announces Photoshop CS6 and CS6 Extended Published on Monday, April 23, 2012 4:55:20 PM GMT Adobe has announced Photoshop CS6 and CS6 Extended as part of its latest suite of creative packages. The latest version includes all the features seen in the recent public beta, including a content-aware move, video editing, the blur gallery and Adobe Camera Raw 7, which features a revised series of controls. More than ever Adobe is pushing its subscription option and Internet-based Creative Cloud service. Prices range from $999/£794 ex VAT to buy Photoshop CS6 Extended down to $19.99/£14.29 ex VAT per month for an annual subscription of the basic version. Read full story → Martin Evening demonstrates extreme tonal edits in ACR7 and Lightroom 4 Published on Monday, April 23, 2012 4:55:23 PM GMT Adobe Camera Raw 7 and Lightroom 4 feature a revamped tool set for making tonal edits to raw (and non-raw) files. The changes are substantial and allow for more refined and intuitive editing options. Professional photographer and best-selling author Martin Evening shows how you can use these latest tools to make extreme corrections to both high and low contrast images. Read full story → Dpreview launches redesigned and improved on-site search (beta) Published on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 12:30:57 AM GMT We've just launched a redesigned and improved on-site search feature. The search system, currently in beta, is designed to give more relevant results from all of dpreview's editorial and forums content. We've also redesigned the way results are presented, to make it easier to get to the information you wanted. We're looking for user feedback during the beta process to help fine-tune the system and how the results are provided, so there's a 'Feedback' link at the top of every results page, to let you report back to us. Read full story → Fujifilm issues firmware for X-Pro1 and XF lenses to silence chatter Published on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 6:24:16 PM GMT Fujifilm has updated the firmware of its X-Pro1 high-end mirrorless camera and the three X-mount lenses that go with it. The updates make a series of changes, including a promise to reduce the aperture 'chattering' that has been common when using the camera. It also adds parallax-correction of frame lines to the optical viewfinder in manual focus mode, along with a series of bug fixes. Read full story → Just Posted: Nikon D3200 preview samples gallery Published on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 11:34:00 PM GMT We've prepared a samples gallery using the D3200 - Nikon's latest entry-level DSLR. While many of the features are familiar from the D3100, the latest model incorporates a 24MP sensor, so we thought we'd see what the pictures look like. Given the kind of user it's aimed at, we decided to see what the D3200 could do using the 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 VR II kit lens, at a various of ISO settings and in different lighting conditions. Click here to see how it performs. Read full story → Nikon recalls batch of 1 V1, D7000, D800 and D800E batteries Published on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 9:54:46 PM GMT Nikon has announced a voluntary replacement scheme for a sub-standard batch of batteries for its 1 V1, D7000, D800 and D800E cameras. EN-EL15 batteries with an E or F as the 9th character of their serial numbers are at risk of overheating and becoming distorted, though the company says no customers have yet reported the problem. Nikon says it will replace any battery from the affected batch (which only became available after February 29th 2012). Read full story → Fujifilm provides modified-sensor X10 to address white-orb issue Published on Thursday, April 26, 2012 1:29:17 AM GMT We've just received an updated Fujifilm X10 featuring the revised, orb-resistant sensor, announced in March. We've rushed it straight into our studio to see how it performed, alongside the existing X10 we had been putting through our review process. We'll be doing more in-depth testing, to check whether the changes Fujifilm have made have had any other impact on image quality but, given the interest surrounding the issue, we thought we'd show our preliminary results. (Updated with image quality comparison) Read full story → Just Posted: In-depth Review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20/TZ30 Published on Friday, April 27, 2012 12:21:49 AM GMT Just published: Jeff Keller's in-depth review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 (TZ30 outside the US). The ZS20 is the slimmest 20x zoom camera on the market, with a lens covering a 24-480mm equivalent range and featuring the company's latest Power O.I.S stabilization. The 14MP high-speed MOS sensor allows the ZS20 to autofocus in as little as 0.1 seconds, and shoot at up to 10 frames per second (5fps with AF-tracking). It also has GPS and an updated mapping function to show photos on a map with greater detail. The ZS20 can capture 1080p60 movies in AVCHD or, in an interesting step for one of the creators of AVCHD, it can shoot 1080p30 in MP4 format. Read full story → Canon offers EOS 5D Mark III firmware v1.1.2 Published on Friday, April 27, 2012 5:33:24 PM GMT Canon has made the latest firmware (v1.1.2) for the EOS 5D Mark III available from its customer support websites. The update fixes a number of small bugs and adds compatibility with the GP-E2 GPS receiver. The file can be downloaded from your region's Canon support website. Read full story → Adobe launches Photoshop Lightroom 4.1 Release Candidate 2 Published on Friday, April 27, 2012 6:09:58 PM GMT Adobe has released a second Release Candidate version of Lightroom 4.1, its Raw conversion and asset management software. The latest version adds support for 13 additional cameras, including the Nikon D3200, Olympus E-M5, Pentax K-01, Ricoh GXR A16 24-85mm and the three latest Samsung NXs. Interestingly, it also adds an improved 'defringe' option to reduce axial chromatic aberrations. A series of blog posts by Adobe explains the latest changes. Read full story → Just Posted: Nikon D3200 hands-on preview with test samples Published on Saturday, April 28, 2012 12:24:04 AM GMT We've just posted our hands-on preview of the Nikon D3200 entry-level DSLR. The D3200 builds on the the company's line of simple, accessible beginners' DSLRs by adding a higher-resolution screen, boosting its continuous shooting rate and adding details such as a microphone jack and infrared remote sockets. And then, of course, there's the 24MP CMOS sensor, making it by far the highest pixel-count camera in its class. Our preview builds on the samples gallery we posted earlier this week and includes our standard studio test shots. Read full story → Just Posted: Olympus OM-D E-M5 review Published on Monday, April 30, 2012 9:07:54 AM GMT We've just posted our review of the Olympus OM-D E-M5. The E-M5 is the first in a line of OM-D Micro Four Thirds cameras, featuring an electronic viewfinder and resembling the company's classic OM line of SLRs. It boasts a 16MP Four Thirds sensor and a '5-axis' image stabilization system, wrapped-up in a compact, weather-sealed magnesium alloy body with a tilting rear screen. It's also one of the most customizable cameras on the market. So does the range-topping camera live up to Olympus' promises? Click here to find out. Read full story → Triggertrap releases mobile app for iPhone-controlled cable release Published on Monday, April 30, 2012 5:00:00 PM GMT Triggertrap has announced a mobile app that converts your iPhone into a highly-configurable remote release for your camera. It works in concert with two hardware components, a 'Mobile Dongle' that connects to the phone plus a suitable camera cable, to offer a wide range of methods to release the shutter. These include timelapse, distance lapse (based upon the phone's GPS), face recognition, and sound, motion, and shock detectors. It can also control High Dynamic Range bracketing up to 19 exposures. A free trial version of the app is available for evaluation purposes. The full app and Mobile Dongle each cost $9.99, and are available now from the iTune App Store and Triggertrap web shop respectively. Read full story → Book Review: Joel Sternfeld - First Pictures Published on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 10:43:00 PM GMT Joel Sternfeld was one of the photographers that pushed for the acceptance of color photography in fine art and documentary photography. Adam Koplan looks at a 'First Pictures,' a collection of his early work (1969-1980) and how it foreshadows his work that was to follow. Read full story → Filter maker 84.5mm announces its first range of photographic products Published on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 10:43:16 PM GMT Slovakian startup 84.5mm has announced it range of filters for photography and cinematography. The company's name is a reference to the size of its filters, which are designed to be compatible with Cokin's 'P' filter holders. Initially 84.5mm will offer a series of predominantly handmade ND Grads and colored filters, made from CR-39 (often called 'organic glass'). Read full story → The Luminous Landscape sheds some light on Photography in Space Published on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 10:43:32 PM GMT Luminous Landscape has published an interesting article by former NASA captain Alan Poindexter about photography in space. Poindexter commanded the penultimate mission of the space shuttle Discovery in 2010, and had been lead photo/TV crewmember on previous missions. In the article he provides a unique perspective on the challenges of taking photographs in space. Read full story → Adobe issues ACR 6.7 - final version of Camera Raw for CS5 Published on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 8:04:28 AM GMT Adobe has released the finalized version of Adobe Camera Raw v6.7, the last update that will work with Photoshop CS5. The final version include support for Canon's EOS 5D Mark III, Nikon's D800 and the Olympus E-M5, as part of a list of 21 cameras added. The update includes the most recent NX cameras from Samsung as well as coverage for a range of Fujifilm models. No support is yet included for the Fujifilm X-Pro1, however. Read full story → DxO Optics Pro 7.2.3 adds Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Pentax K-01 Published on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 1:00:00 PM GMT DxO Labs has updated DxO Optics Pro to v7.2.3, adding support for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Pentax's K-01. The latest version includes 70 camera and lens combination modules for the 5D III and 26 for the Pentax K-mount mirrorless camera. As usual, a 30-day free trial of the software is available. Read full story → LensRental's Roger Cicala examines Canon EOS 5D Mark III light leak 'cover-up' Published on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 6:29:42 PM GMT The ever-inquisitive Roger Cicala at LensRentals has dismantled a light-leak-fixed Canon EOS 5D Mark III and compared it to an unmodified version. The solution, as proposed by every tool-shed tinkerer, appears to be a piece of black electrical tape, which Cicala says successfully stops stray light reaching the camera's metering sensor. When asked if he'd send his own Mark III back to be modified, Cicala points out that he doesn't 'do long exposure night photography with autometering.' But, in the unlikely event that you do, you can rest assured that Canon can fix your camera for you. Read full story → Visual Supply Co's VSCO Cam app offers image filters before compression Published on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 10:38:15 PM GMT Software maker Visual Supply Co has created the VSCO Cam iOS camera app, to go alongside its 'VSCO Film' film simulation software. The $0.99 app works with both iPhone and iPad cameras, offering ten filters and a series of simple editing tools, including Grain, Fade, Contrast and Fill Light. It also makes it easy to share the images via social networks. Unusually, the app applies its filters to the pre-compression camera output. The company's blog features a selection of images taken on the launch day of the app, to give a taste of what its users can do. Read full story → Pentax K-01 studio test shots published Published on Thursday, May 03, 2012 12:35:44 AM GMT Just posted: Pentax K-01 studio sample shots. We're in the process of running a production K-01 through our studio tests, so wanted to present the results of our standard test scene. The K-01 fits a lot of the excellent K-5 into a somewhat avant-garde mirrorless body. Retaining a similar 16MP APS-C sensor to the K-5, we expect great things from it, in terms of image quality, so does it live up to those expectations? Raw shots corrected following the discovery of a processing error. Read full story → Think Tank announces Airport line of carry-on compliant camera bags Published on Friday, May 04, 2012 2:18:22 AM GMT Bag maker Think Tank has announced an update to its Airport series of camera bags. Designed to meet the restrictions imposed by airlines on carry-on luggage, the series includes a model designed for international flight as well as smaller versions for space-limited short-haul flying. The three bags are all designed with room for an iPad and increasingly large laptops, and give clear indications of the camera bodies and lenses they will accommodate. All three come with a seam-sealed rain covers. Read full story → Nikon tells PDN it is looking for a fix for D800 and D4 lock-up bug Published on Friday, May 04, 2012 5:35:50 PM GMT Nikon has confirmed to PDN that it is investigating a problem that can cause the D800 and D4 to lock-up while shooting. The company says that the issue - identified while PDN was reviewing the camera - can be avoided by disabling Highlights and RGB Histogram on the display. At present the lock-ups require the battery to be removed to restart the camera but PDN thinks it likely that Nikon will be able to come up with a permanent fix. Read full story → LockCircle brings LockPort secure HDMI ports to Nikon D800 Published on Friday, May 04, 2012 11:14:04 PM GMT Accessory maker LockCircle has announced it will offer its 'LockPort' durable HDMI socket bracket for the Nikon D800. The LockPort800 combines a mounting plate that secures to the base of the camera with a miniHDMI-to-standard HDMI adapter that bolts onto it. This provides an easy-access full-size HDMI connector while also protecting your camera's miniHDMI socket from damage. The mounting plate is designed so that the camera can still be used with other mounts, tripod plates and accessories, in tandem with the LockPort. The LockPort800 will be available from June 2012 at a cost of $199/€99. Read full story →
How to unsubscribe To unsubscribe from the Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) weekly newsletter, visit the newsletter homepage (http://www.dpreview.com/newsletter/), enter your email address into the Your email address box, then click on Unsubscribe.