Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Thursday, 14 March 2013

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Thursday, 14 March 2013 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 458th Digital Photography Review newsletter. Panasonic DMC-GH3 preview extended We've recently received a Panasonic GH3 into the office and have rushed it straight into our studio. The company's flagship Micro Four Thirds model includes an impressive array of video features along with a more substantial, weather-sealed magnesium alloy body we think will appeal both to videographers and stills shooters. We've re-worked parts of the existing preview and added our standard test scene images, giving an insight into the camera's performance and making it easy to compare to every other camera we've reviewed in recent years. We'll be continuing to add to our preview over the coming days with more test data, a real-world samples gallery and first impressions of shooting with the camera. Click here to read our extended hands-on preview of the Panasonic DMC-GH3. What do the pros make of the latest professional cameras? Canon and Nikon both updated their range-topping professional cameras last year, promising even greater capabilities than the previously cutting-edge models that came before them. So how much difference do the latest models make for people shooting with them every day? What are the key features that professional shooters find themselves looking for and just how important is video to a stills photographer? We spoke to two professional shooters from The Seattle Times, to get a real insight into 'professional' DSLRs. Click here to read what they had to say. Richard
News updates Sekonic bundles L-478D/DR with X-Rite ColorChecker Passport in US Published on Thursday, March 7, 2013 5:03:17 PM GMT Sekonic's Lightmaster Pro L-478D and L-478DR touch-enabled lightmeters are now available as part a $512 special edition bundle that also includes X-Rite's ColorChecker Passport and White Balance Target. This offer is currently only available for US customers, who will save $50 compared to buying everything individually. The bundle also includes software to calibrate the meters and create exposure profiles for cameras. Current L-478D/DR owners can purchase the ColorChecker Passport and gray card for $49. Read full story → Picasa web is now redirecting to Google+ Published on Thursday, March 7, 2013 7:21:31 PM GMT Users looking for their Picasa Web Albums are now redirected to Google+ Photos. This change comes on the heels of Google's announcement in December 2012 saying the company's social media channel 'Google+ is the new home for your photos.' Two updates to Picasa's desktop app also promoted Google+ integration, encouraging users to tag photos with Google+ contacts and Circles. Click through for more information and to find out how to still access your pictures on Picasa. Read full story → PDN publishes 2013 list of 30 emerging photographers to watch Published on Thursday, March 7, 2013 7:44:28 PM GMT Photo District News (PDN) recently released its annual list of 30, 'new and emerging photographers to watch'. The portfolios of these commercial, fashion and editorial photographers from around the world were selected from more than 300 submissions made by industry professionals. Their work will be published in the magazine's April issue, providing valuable exposure in the US for these photographers as they seek to establish careers in print and online media. Read full story → Facebook further pushes photo prominence in the News Feed Published on Thursday, March 7, 2013 10:07:17 PM GMT Facebook has announced an upcoming update to the way photos are presented in user News Feeds. More space will be devoted to images, displaying them more prominently on the page. This is the second redesign that focuses on bigger pictures since July last year. The result of the redesign is not too dissimilar to Google+. In addition, the News Feed can be filtered to view only photo-based updates. The company says it is rolling the changes out in the coming weeks to both desktop and mobile version. Read full story → Article: Theme and Variation Published on Friday, March 8, 2013 1:19:47 AM GMT Great landscape imagery doesn't have to involve travel to faraway locales. Photographer Carsten Krieger believes there's much to be gained by shooting close to home. Over the years he has challenged himself to shoot from the same vantage point; a task made feasible by choosing a scene only minutes from his home. Learn how lens choice and attention to seasonal patterns can lead to surprisingly varied imagery. Read full story → DxOMark Mobile Report added to our Nokia Lumia 920 review Published on Friday, March 8, 2013 1:37:44 AM GMT We have added DxOMark's Mobile Report to our camera review of the Nokia Lumia 920. The report includes DxO Lab's usual industrial-quality scientific measurements and analyzes 14 aspects of mobile imaging including detailed image quality assessment, flash performance, autofocus reliability and more to calculate a final score. Click through to read our Nokia Lumia 920 review and turn over to page 2 for the DxO Mark mobile report. Read full story → Sigma US to ship 19mm f/2.8, 30mm f/2.8 and 30mm f/1.4 this month Published on Friday, March 8, 2013 8:01:00 AM GMT Sigma US has announced the price and availability for its three latest 'Art' series prime lenses - the 19mm f/2.8 DN and 30mm f/2.8 DN for mirrorless cameras, and the 30mm f/1.4 for APS-C DSLRs. The DN lenses will be available for street price of $199 and the redesigned 30mm f/1.4 will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts for $499. All three will start shipping from the end of this month. No details were given about the 60mm f/2.8 lens also announced during the CP+ tradeshow. Read full story → ACDSee 15 and Pro 6 gain Raw support for 19 additional cameras Published on Friday, March 8, 2013 10:00:00 AM GMT ACD Systems has extended the Raw support offered by its ACDSee Pro 6 and ACDSee 15 software packages. Version 6.2 of the Pro version and and ACDSee v15.2 gain support for an additional 19 cameras including the Canon EOS M, Nikon D5200, Sony SLT-A99V and the Olympus E-PL5. This update also includes performance improvements. Click through for more information. Read full story → Nissin announces Di700 flashgun and PS 8 external battery pack Published on Friday, March 8, 2013 7:26:56 PM GMT Nissin's UK distributor Kenro has announced the Di700 flashgun and the PS 8 external battery pack for Canon, Nikon and Sony digital SLRs. With a guide number of 50 (at 200mm), the Di700 is equipped with an external power socket making it compatible with the PS 8. The battery pack offers a heat-resistant plastic body, a USB socket for charging and an LED indication lamp. The PS 8 is available for £165 (including VAT), while the Di700 will be available from April 2013 at a price to be confirmed. There is currently no information about US price and availability. Read full story → Accessory Review: Cinetics Cine System Published on Friday, March 8, 2013 8:03:50 PM GMT The Cinetics Cine System is a low-cost kit which enables videographers to achieve smooth panning and zoom shots as well as window and vehicle mounted footage. The system is built around Joby's popular Gorillapod Focus flexible tripod, and includes wheeled feet and the 'CineSquid' attachment allowing you to firmly mount a DSLR or small video camera to windows. We covered the Cine System last year in an article about interesting photography-related Kickstarter projects, and were really intrigued by its potential. Click through for a link to our review.  Read full story → National Geographic celebrates 125 years of photography with Tumblr Published on Friday, March 8, 2013 8:45:25 PM GMT The National Geographic Society continues to celebrate its 125th anniversary, and has launched a Tumblr blog called 'Found', which hosts a curated collection of photos from the National Geographic archives. The curation is done by Nat Geo's William Bonner who has been scanning through the company's extensive photography archive in the basement of its Washington, D.C. headquarters. Click through for more information and some fascinating photos. Read full story → Guardian photographers share tips for getting a portrait in ten minutes Published on Friday, March 8, 2013 9:53:47 PM GMT British newspaper The Guardian is known for its editorial photography, but like all working pros, the staff photographers sometimes only get a few minutes to capture their subjects. In an article posted on the Guardian's Photo Blog, several of the paper's photographers share their tips for getting portraits in a hurry. Click through for some pictures, and a link to the article at guardian.co.uk. Read full story → Article: Blending images in Photoshop Published on Sunday, March 10, 2013 6:13:36 PM GMT Photographer and imaging professional Jean Miele demonstrates how to combine images in Photoshop for seamless and natural-looking results. In this article he takes you through the basics of making Gradient tool adjustments to layer masks. Follow along with a simple tutorial that adds a dramatic sky to an interesting foreground.  Read full story → Lowepro introduces Flipside Sport 20L AW weather-resistant backpack Published on Monday, March 11, 2013 5:59:11 PM GMT Lowepro has announced the Flipside Sport 20L AW weather-resistant backpack for adventure-oriented photographers. Priced at $179.99, the Flipside 20L can hold two pro-level DSLRs, two lenses, a tripod/monopod and a flashgun. Made of lightweight materials and breathable padding, the bag features expandable pockets for treckking poles and 1.5L bottles. The Flipside is also available in two smaller sizes with Orange/Light Grey and Galaxy Blue/Light Grey color options. Read full story → Pentax US offers mail-in rebates on 645D medium-format DSLR and lenses Published on Monday, March 11, 2013 6:37:17 PM GMT Pentax US has announced mail-in rebates on its 645D medium-format DSLR and select Limited series lenses when purchased with the K-5 IIs DSLR. Buyers of the 645D body will receive a free D-FA 55mm lens and $500 rebate on the purchase of the D-FA 25mm and HD 90mm lens. Those buying the K-5IIs camera body will receive a $250 rebate on the purchase of FA 31mm, 43mm and 77mm lenses. The rebates can be claimed from March 11th through March 31st 2013 and will be paid in the form of a Visa gift card. Read full story → Fujifilm harnesses silver for new touch-screen technology Published on Monday, March 11, 2013 7:22:41 PM GMT Fujifilm is looking to bring down the cost of touch-screen technology by harnessing materials and manufacturing expertise used in creating film emulsions. Touch-screens are quickly becoming the standard interface of nearly every piece of mobile technology. Currently these screens utilize the fairly rare metal, indium. Due to its rarity, indium is responsible for a significant portion in the cost of current touch-screen displays. Fujifilm hopes to use its long history with silver to bring down the cost of these displays and grab a piece of the ever expanding touch-screen market.(via Bloomberg) Read full story → Dblcam app captures both sides of the story Published on Monday, March 11, 2013 7:29:00 PM GMT Dblcam is a new free iOS app that simultaneously captures images with the front- and rear cameras of your iPhone. The app by developers Social Print Studio then combines the two pictures to a collage. Self portrait/scenery combinations are the most obvious results to come out of this process but some users are using Dblcam in a more creative way. Read more about the app and check out some sample images at connect.dpreview.com Read full story → Studio comparison images added to Panasonic GH3 Preview Published on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 12:00:04 AM GMT We've just posted an update to our preview of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3, adding updated product photography (the camera we originally used had a non-final grip material) and three pages of studio comparison images, both JPEG and Raw. We're working on the remaining studio tests, and intend to add at least four more pages to this preview in the next few days, with a samples gallery and more detailed impressions on the camera's handling and performance. Look out for that towards the end of the week, but for now, click through to go to the updated preview.  Read full story → Cinetics introduces CineVise camera mount with vise grips Published on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 4:55:18 PM GMT Video accessories maker Cinetics has announced the CineVise camera mount. Similar to its Cine System, it is built around Joby's popular Gorillapod Focus flexible tripod. The CineVise includes clamps around its feet, allowing you to firmly mount a DSLR or small video camera to any surface. It can be purchased from the Cinetics store as a complete system, including the GorillaPod Focus and Ballhead X for $295. You can also purchase just the CineVise grips for $165. Read full story → World Press Photo award enables photographer to resume his career Published on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 7:07:19 PM GMT Last October, Portuguese freelance photojournalist Daniel Rodrigues was forced to sell off all his camera gear to pay the bills. Only a few months later, however, one of his images took first prize in the Daily Life category from the prestigious World Press Photo foundation. As a result of the ensuing attention, Rodrigues has been able to acquire new gear and resume his career in photojournalism. (via New York Times Lens blog) Read full story → BBC and Forbes look at the booming action camera business Published on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 9:21:49 PM GMT Small, rugged, go-anywhere action cams have become increasingly popular. Both BBC news and Forbes magazine have taken a look at the booming action camera business over the last week. The BBC's Ian Hardy covered the overall market and the varied applications of action cams, while Forbes posted an interesting story about GoPro's Founder and CEO Nick Woodman with details on the company's success. Click through to read more and for links to the posts. Read full story → Pro DSLRs, Pro Photographers Published on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 10:32:26 PM GMT The Canon EOS 1D X and Nikon D4 are aimed squarely at the specific and demanding needs of working pros. We recently sat down with two staff photographers from the Seattle Times for their insights gained through using these pro-level cameras on a daily basis. Find out what it's like to shoot with these flagship models from Canon and Nikon under the pressure of breaking news and tight deadlines. Read full story → Actual Pixels - the pixel peeping app for iOS Published on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 10:48:14 PM GMT The latest generation tablets and even phones are great for presenting your images. But if your workflow involves evaluating detail and critical focus on a mobile device the situation is less than ideal. This is because the standard image viewers, such as Apple's Photo app or Android's Gallery app, don't display the actual images but a version that has been reduced in size to maker better use of the devices' limited resources. Actual Pixels is a free app for iOS that allows you to view images on your iPhone or iPad at a 100% magnification. We've checked it out for you. Read full story → Samsung UK to include Adobe Lightroom 4.4 with NX300 shipments Published on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 11:03:53 PM GMT Samsung UK has announced it will include a copy of Adobe Lightroom 4.4 photo-editing software for free with its NX300 APS-C mirrorless camera shipments. Announced at the CES 2013 tradeshow,the 3D-capable camera is built around a 20MP sensor, 3.3" OLED screen and built-in Wi-fi. We do not know whether this is a UK-only bundle, but we will update the story if more information becomes available. Read full story → Rokinon gives May 2013 release date for T-S 24mm F3.5 lens Published on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 6:03:39 PM GMT Rokinon has announced the T-S 24mm F3.5, a wideangle perspective control lens, for release in May 2013. Rokinon rebadges and distributes Samyang lenses for the US market, and this lens first appeared at Photokina 2012 as the Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC, but without a specific date for launch. The lens features manual focus and aperture setting, offers up to 12mm of shift and 8.5° of tilt, and is designed for full frame cameras. It'll be available in Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts, at an RRP of $1299.99.     Read full story → DSLR time-lapse images from the International Space Station Published on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 6:14:53 PM GMT Austrian photography enthusiast Christopher Malin has produced a short film featuring time-lapse photography taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Captured with several Nikon D3S cameras, these sequences make for a unique and compelling view of the Earth and its surrounding environment. The film also includes a first hand account of the considerable challenges of photographing from space.  Read full story → Nikon and Canon UK offer Spring 2013 camera rebates Published on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 7:12:55 PM GMT Nikon and Canon UK have announced Spring 2013 rebates with savings ranging from £30-£235. The Nikon offer applies to D3100, D3200, D5100, D5200, D7000 and D600 digital SLRs. The rebates are available on purchases made between March 14th- May 31st 2013. Canon UK is offering rebates on a number of DSLRs, lenses, printers and camcorders including the EOS 5D Mark III DSLR, 24-70mm f/2.8L II lens, G1 X compact camera and Pixma Pro-1 printer for purchases made between March 7th- May 31st 2013. Click through for links to the rebates. Read full story → Founders of Memoto wearable camera capture 10,000 pictures at SXSW Published on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 10:16:55 PM GMT Founders of the GPS-equipped Memoto wearable camera, Martin Kallstrom and Oskar Kalmaru captured around 10,000 photographers at the SXSW music and film festival in Austin, Texas. This wearable square device made headlines when it surpassed initial Kickstarter funding goal in just 5 hours. The Memoto camera automatically captures two 5MP geotagged photos every minute (one every 30 seconds) and the built-in accelerometer ensures pictures are turned to the correct orientation. All Things Digital has posted an article about the Memoto and its creators - click through for more details and a link to the original feature.  Read full story →
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