Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 27 November 2013

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 27 November 2013 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Hello! And welcome to the 485th Digital Photography Review newsletter. We're very busy at the moment, finishing up the roundup and product recommendations content that we've been publishing over the past few days, and gearing up for a day of live video broadcast which will take place this coming Monday! See more details below. We're very excited. Coming Soon: DPReview LIVE! Exciting news! We're planning a day of live video coverage on Monday December 2nd in partnership with CreativeLIVE which will be covering product highlights from the past year, as well as live shooting demonstrations and panels discussing the current state of the phototelegraphy market, and predictions for the future. We're really looking forward to it (although with a degree of trepidation) and we hope you'll join us on the day. Coverage starts at 9am (PST) but even if you miss the live broadcast the segments will be archived and available to replay. OK, without further ado let's take a look at some content highlights! Camera Roundups 2013: What to Buy and Why The holidays are a great time to take pictures - and they're a great time to get a camera for yourself or for a loved one. With more than 50 cameras going through the hands of the DPReview team over the year, we've seen it all (or so we think). Based on our collective knowledge we've been preparing and publishing a series of roundups covering current gear in all of the major product categories which we hope will help you make an informed decision on which camera will fit your needs. We've already published a lot and there's more on the way, so keep checking back on the site. Click here to read our published (and coming soon) product roundup content DPReview Gear of the Year Part 2: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 A lot of equipment passes through our Seattle and London offices, everything from high-end cameras to inexpensive accessories. A lot of it gets reviewed, but we can't cover everything. In this series of short articles, DPReview staff will be highlighting their personal standout products of the year. In part 2, Allison Johnson comments on her personal favorite - the Panasonic Lumix GM1. Click here to read all about why the DMC-GM1 is Allison's favorite product of the year DPReview Recommends: Best Cameras for Beginners It's that time of year when thoughts turn to gift-giving, and photography is more popular than ever before. Choosing a first camera is extremely important. If you've got a friend or a family member who's taking his or her first steps into the world of photography, we've prepared some recommendations for you, from best cameras for absolute novices, up to models more suitable for a student or budding enthusiast. This is the first in a series of articles giving our current recommendations for various different people and scenarios, so keep checking back on the site for more. Click here to read our recommendations for best cameras for beginners DPReview Recommends: Best Waterproof Cameras Most cameras are delicate objects, and the last thing you want to do is drop them or subject them to wet or freezing conditions. But there are cameras which are specifically designed to handle rough treatment. In this list, we've chosen our top five recommendations for tough cameras. Every model in this list can be dropped, soaked, frozen and, in some cases, crushed. Our recommendations cover the entire class, from stylish compacts that can handle the occasional accident to high-end rugged cameras capable of serious image quality. Click here to read our recommendations of top five waterproof cameras Breathtaking test data for the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 DxOMark has just reviewed the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55, a $4000 standard prime for full frame SLRs, and as part of our ongoing collaboration we've added the test data to our lens widget. Spoiler alert - it's pretty stunning. We've also added test data for the Nikon mount version of Sigma's exceptional 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM. Click the link for more details and analysis, including a comparison between the Zeiss 55mm and the Nikon 58mm f/1.4G, and a link to DxOMark's own review. Click here to view the stunning test data from the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 What's coming up? More buying guides and product recommendations of course, plus the usual industry news and comment and of course our day of live coverage on Monday. See you then! Barney GearShop update - a message from Laura Let the crazy deals begin! Tons of big discounts are already on. Check on our deals page often to keep up with the holiday sales. First off, tell us what you think of your current camera and we'll reward you with GearShop credit. It only takes a few seconds to participate in this DPReview poll, and you'll walk away with $15 to spend on holiday gifts. You can still build your own bundle, too! Just shop for cameras and lenses you want, add accessories you need - filters, a spare battery or new bag - and see 5% of the hardware value automatically deducted from your accessories. Learn more. Big deals on now: Canon: Save up to $200 on select EOS DSLRs and up to $60 on select PowerShots. Fujifilm: Save up to $250 when you buy an eligible X-series mirrorless camera with select XF lenses. Click on the green "DEALS" button to see what's included. Plus, save $300 on the Raw-shooting super zoom, X-S1 compact. Nikon: Save on your new kit when you buy select DSLRs with eligible Nikkor lenses and speedlights. Save $70 on the Coolpix P520 super zoom. · Olympus: Save $100 on the Pen E-P5 and E-PL5, $200 off the OM-D E-M5, plus save up to $100 on many popular micro four thirds lenses. Panasonic: Save $300 on the GH3, Save $50 on the FZ200, and the new GX7 kit is $200 off too! Sigma: Save up to $200 on Sigma's most popular lenses, teleconverters, and flashes. Sony: The already budget friendly a3000 kit is $50 off. The NEX lineup is on sale with $250 off the NEX-7 kit, $150 off the NEX-6, $100 off the NEX-5T and NEX-3N. Now shipping: The impressive gold award winning Olympus OM-D E-M1 is in stock as type… but it's going fast! Until next week - Laura and the GearShop Team
News updates DPReview Gear of the Year Part 2: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 Published on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 11:59:59 AM GMT A lot of equipment passes through our Seattle and London offices, everything from high-end cameras to inexpensive accessories. A lot of it gets reviewed, but we can't cover everything. In this series of short articles, DPReview staff will be highlighting their personal standout products of the year. In part 2, Allison Johnson comments on her personal favorite - the Panasonic Lumix GM1. Read full story → Fujifilm launches free digital magazine for X series owners Published on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 5:36:04 PM GMT Fujifilm has launched a digital magazine for owners of its X series cameras. Available in six languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Italian), it's available from the Apple Newsstand or Google Play store, or alternatively can be viewed using a web browser. Click through for full details. Read full story → Adobe expands Photoshop and Lightroom offer Published on Thursday, November 21, 2013 4:45:15 PM GMT When Adobe announced a version of Creative Cloud for photographers in September, there was a catch -- you had to already own Photoshop CS3 or later to qualify for the special pricing. Now Adobe is lifting that requirement for a limited time. Through December 2, 2013, the $9.99 (£8.78/€12,29) per month subscription is available to everyone. Learn more  Read full story → Sigma fixes Nikon D5300 lens compatibility issues Published on Thursday, November 21, 2013 11:21:06 PM GMT Sigma has posted a firmware update of SIGMA Optimization Pro, the dedicated software for the SIGMA USB DOCK, that enables the D5300 to be fully functional with five lenses. Learn more Read full story → Sony Alpha 7 test scene samples added to first impressions review Published on Friday, November 22, 2013 1:32:58 AM GMT We've updated our first impressions review of the Sony Alpha 7 with our studio test scene showing image quality for both JPEG and Raw files, making it easier to see the differences between it and its sister model, the Alpha 7R. The new scene also offers downloadable Raw samples of both daylight and low light scenes. As always, you can compare the A7 to the increasing number of cameras in our test scene. Read full story → Lens reviews update: test data for the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 Published on Friday, November 22, 2013 10:09:42 AM GMT DxOMark has just reviewed the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55, a $4000 standard prime for full frame SLRs, and as part of our ongoing collaboration we've added the test data to our lens widget. We've also added test data for the Nikon mount version of Sigma's exceptional 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM. Click through for more details and analysis, including a comparison between the Zeiss 55mm and the Nikon 58mm f/1.4G, and a link to DxOMark's own review. Read full story → Holiday gift guide for the mobile photographer Published on Saturday, November 23, 2013 11:00:00 AM GMT 'Tis the season for holiday gift guides, including for the mobile photography fanatic in your life. We've got gifts for the Instagram enthusiast, serial smartphone documentary photographer and the DSLR-turned-mobile photography convert. See our extensive smartphone photography gift guide on connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → What to buy and why: Enthusiast interchangeable lens cameras Published on Saturday, November 23, 2013 7:30:47 PM GMT The holidays are a great time to take pictures — and they're a great time to get a camera for yourself or for a loved one. With more than 50 cameras going through the hands of the DPReview team over the year, we've seen it all (or so we think). Based on our collective knowledge we hope this guide will help you make an informed decision on which camera will fit your needs. In part 1, we look at enthusiast interchangeable lens cameras. Read full story → Rare 1932 Leica fails to set record at Hong Kong auction Published on Saturday, November 23, 2013 9:00:00 PM GMT A rare Leica camera has been sold at auction in Hong Kong for around $620,000 (~£380,000). The gold-plated 1932 Leica Luxus II is one of only four ever made, and comes in a crocodile skin case. The camera was expected to raise around $1.2 million at auction, but ultimately sold for around half of that amount. Learn more Read full story → What to buy and why: Mid-level mirrorless cameras Published on Sunday, November 24, 2013 7:30:53 PM GMT The holidays are a great time to take pictures — and they're a great time to get a camera for yourself or for a loved one. With more than 50 cameras going through the hands of the DPReview team over the year, we've seen it all (or so we think). Based on our collective knowledge we hope this guide will help you make an informed decision on which camera will fit your needs. In part 2, we look at mid-level mirrorless cameras. Read full story → What to buy and why: Enthusiast compact cameras Published on Monday, November 25, 2013 3:07:14 AM GMT The holidays are a great time to take pictures — and they're a great time to get a camera for yourself or for a loved one. With more than 50 cameras going through the hands of the DPReview team over the year, we've seen it all (or so we think). Based on our collective knowledge we hope this guide will help you make an informed decision on which camera will fit your needs. In part 3, we look at enthusiast compact cameras. Read full story → Nostalgic images combine miniatures and real-life backdrops Published on Monday, November 25, 2013 9:07:09 PM GMT Michael Paul Smith's photos look like snapshots of classic cars. In reality, they're clever creations that use forced perspective to combine miniatures and real-world backdrops in an utterly convincing final product. His miniatures live in a fictional U.S. town called Elgin Park, a place populated with vintage cars and the trappings of everyday life in the 1950's and 1960's. See gallery Read full story → Roger Cicala cynically re-defines photography Published on Monday, November 25, 2013 9:10:19 PM GMT Lensrentals' Roger Cicala continues his recent run of fine satirical form with his latest blog post - a series of cynical definitions for widely-used photography terms. We're almost tempted to use it to replace our glossary, as it should be considered recommended reading before commenting on any photography or 'gear' forum. It's certainly going to make us think carefully about the terminology we use in future reviews. Read full story → What to buy and why: High-end pocketable compacts Published on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 2:44:50 AM GMT The holidays are a great time to take pictures — and they're a great time to get a camera for yourself or for a loved one. With more than 50 cameras going through the hands of the DPReview team over the year, we've seen it all (or so we think). Based on our collective knowledge we hope this guide will help you make an informed decision on which camera will fit your needs. In part 4, we look at high-end pocketable compacts. Read full story → DPReview Recommends: Best Cameras for Beginners Published on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 5:12:11 PM GMT It's that time of year when thoughts turn to gift-giving, and photography is more popular than ever before. Choosing a first camera is extremely important. If you've got a friend or a family member who's taking his or her first steps into the world of photography, we've prepared some recommendations for you, from best cameras for absolute novices, up to models more suitable for a student or budding enthusiast. This is the first in a series of articles giving our current recommendations for various different people and scenarios. Click through to read more. Read full story → Google reworks Android to allow for Raw imaging Published on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 7:39:04 PM GMT Google has given its camera API a complete makeover in an attempt to make app development easier for programmers. When the new API rolls out, it will allow apps to save Raw files and will also enable burst shooting. Learn more on connect.dpreview.com. Read full story →
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Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 20 November 2013

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 20 November 2013 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Hello! And welcome to the 484th Digital Photography Review newsletter. As the weather gets progressively worse here in Seattle, and we all recover from the cold that's been doing the rounds of our office, we're scrabbling around to get sample images from the latest crop of new cameras and pull content together for our growing catalog of holiday roundups and buying guide content. I've just returned from a trip to Japan, and I'll be writing more about that very soon but for now, let's look at some recent content highlights. Shooting with the Sony Alpha a7 and a7R We've been shooting with Sony's Alpha 7 and Alpha 7R over the past few weeks to get insight into how the compact full-frame cameras behave. While the two models are twins they're by no means identical, with each sibling very quickly showing its own, distinct personality. We'll be publishing more in the coming weeks as we move towards completing our review, but we wanted to share our perspective now that we've had some experience to inform our opinion. Click the links below to read more. Click here to read about our experience of shooting with the new Sony Alpha 7 and 7R Galaxy NX First-impressions We take a closer look at Samsung's latest Android camera: the Galaxy NX. It's a rather bold experiment that integrates a high-end Android smartphone OS with an interchangeable lens camera. With a 20.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, Samsung NX lens mount, and a tried-and-true mobile operating system, the Galaxy NX offers plenty of intriguing promise. Click the links below to see how we got on. Click here to read our first-impressions of the Samsung Galaxy NX at connect.dpreview.com Sony Alpha 7R studio comparison added to our first-impressions review We've updated our first impressions review of the Sony Alpha 7R with our studio test scene showing image quality for both JPEG and Raw files. The new scene also offers downloadable Raw samples of both daylight and low light scenes. As always, you can compare the A7R to the increasing number of cameras in our test scene. Click here to check out how the Sony Alpha 7R compares in our studio comparison LG G2 review: First 13MP Android with optical image stabilization The G2 follows the Optimus G/G Pro as LG's flagship smartphone, with plenty of tech spec to warrant a second look. From its huge 5.2-inch IPS LCD display to its 13MP CMOS sensor with optical image stabilization system, there's a lot here for mobile photography fanatics. We tested out the smartphone's camera capabilities as only Dpreview can: check out our in-depth 10-page review on connect.dpreview.com. Click here to read our review of the LG G2 at connect.dpreview.com Rare photos of Rolling Stones emerge from estate sale Photos of the Rolling Stones are not hard to find, but the majority of images from the height of the band's career consist of on-stage performances and posed publicity shots. That's why a stack of photos uncovered at a Southern California estate sale have attracted a lot of attention recently. Click here to view the gallery of newly-found Rolling Stones tour photographs What's coming up? Lots and lots of content for the holiday season, including buying guides, product roundups and more. We're aiming to start publishing in the next couple of days, and we should have a great set of articles on the site by the end of this month. Watch this space! Barney WTD #1413 Check out What The Duck in our Link Directory GearShop update - a message from Laura At GearShop, we want you to be able to get great deals on products you actually want. We've all bought those prepackaged bundles that other camera stores and big box stores create for you, making assumptions about what kind of "free" extras you want with your new camera or lens. You spend big money on a new piece of hardware and end up with a bunch of cheap filters, batteries, or cleaning products that just collect dust or end up in the trash. We're challenging that by allowing you to use a percentage of your hardware purchase (5%) to pick out the accessories that you actually want -- a new tripod, camera bag, battery, high quality filter, or a memory card... Or maybe you want to get something to experiment with, like a plastic Holga lens for your DSLR. It's up to you what you want to spend it on. You can buy multiple cameras and/or lenses and watch your savings grow. Learn more. This week's best deals: Save an extra $200 when you buy the already-on-sale Panasonic Lumix GH3 or GX7 with a 20mm F1.7 II, 12-35mm F2.8 OIS, or 35-100mm F2.8 OIS lens. Save $100 on Sony's a58 DSLR kit, plus another $100 discount when you add a select telephoto zoom lens. Check out more featured deals. In stock now: Sony's QX100 smartphone attachable camera, Canon's new 5D Mark III kit with 24-70mm F4 L IS lens, and Nikon's Coolpix P7800. Until next week - Laura and the GearShop Team
News updates Lens reviews update: test data for the Nikon 58mm f/1.4G Published on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 2:58:41 AM GMT DxOMark has recently reviewed Nikon's AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G, a high-end (and very expensive) standard prime for full frame SLRs. As a taster for our upcoming review we've added the test data to our lens widget; as usual you can compare it to similar lenses, including the Nikon and Sigma 50mm F1.4s. Click through for more details and analysis, and a link to DxOMark's own review of the Nikon 58mm F1.4. Read full story → Smartphone versus compact camera: Which is best when it comes to zoom? Published on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 6:17:38 PM GMT Nokia says it 'reinvented zoom' with its Lumia 1020 smartphone, but how does it stack up to the zooming prowess of a compact camera? We put Nokia's flagship phone up against Canon's PowerShot S120 in our zoom showdown today on connect.dpreview.com. Click through for more, you may be surprised by the results. Read full story → Apple Raw update brings support for 10 cameras, including D610 Published on Thursday, November 14, 2013 4:45:46 PM GMT Apple recently released Digital Camera RAW Compatibility 5.01 for Aperture 3 and iPhoto '11. The update adds Raw image support for the following 10 cameras: Canon PowerShot G16, Canon PowerShot S120, Fujifilm X-A1, Nikon COOLPIX P7800, Nikon D610, Olympus PEN Lite E-PL6, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX7, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LF1, Sony Alpha ILCE-3000, and the Sony Alpha NEX-5T. Get the update Read full story → Nikon updates firmware for D3100, D3200, D5100, D5200, and P7700 Published on Thursday, November 14, 2013 5:11:11 PM GMT Nikon has posted firmware updates for the following cameras: D3100, D3200, D5100, D5200, and P7700. More accurate detection of the remaining charge for the EN-EL14a rechargeable li-ion battery is the only fix. Get the update Read full story → Toshiba ups capacity and speed of its Wi-Fi SD card Published on Thursday, November 14, 2013 7:05:57 PM GMT Toshiba expanded its lineup up of Wi-Fi enabled SD memory cards with a high capacity 32GB FlashAir II model. The new 32GB card boasts Class 10 speed compared to the previous model's Class 6 speed. The FlashAir II card features a new 'Internet pass thru mode' that enables users to access the card and Internet simultaneously – enabling the ability to upload images in real-time. Learn more Read full story → Casio enters enthusiast compact sector with well-specified EX-10 Published on Thursday, November 14, 2013 7:38:02 PM GMT Casio Japan has announced the EX-10 - a flagship high-end compact with a 1/1.7" type sensor and a fast 28-112mm equivalent lens. The model, which will be coming to other markets, features magnesium alloy construction and, like the existing EX-ZR1000, an LCD that flips all the way up, for shooting self-portraits. It also has built-in Wi-Fi and ability to shoot Raw. Learn more Read full story → Sony Alpha 7R test scene samples added to first impression review Published on Friday, November 15, 2013 2:34:35 AM GMT We've updated our first impressions review of the Sony Alpha 7R with our studio test scene showing image quality for both JPEG and Raw files. The new scene also offers downloadable Raw samples of both daylight and low light scenes. As always, you can compare the A7R to the increasing number of cameras in our test scene. Read full story → Shooting with the Sony Alpha 7 and Alpha 7R Published on Friday, November 15, 2013 2:37:24 AM GMT We've been shooting with Sony's Alpha 7 and Alpha 7R over the past few weeks to get insight into how the compact full-frame cameras behave. While the two models are twins, they're by no means identical, with each sibling very quickly showing its own, distinct personality. We'll be publishing more in the coming weeks as we move towards completing our review, but we wanted to share our perspective now that we've had some experience to inform our opinion. Read full story → LG G2 review: First 13MP Android with optical image stabilization Published on Friday, November 15, 2013 4:00:00 PM GMT The G2 follows the Optimus G/G Pro as LG's flagship smartphone, with plenty of tech spec to warrant a second look. From its huge 5.2-inch IPS LCD display to its 13MP CMOS sensor with optical image stabilization system, there's a lot here for mobile photography fanatics. We tested out the smartphone's camera capabilities as only Dpreview can: check out our in-depth 10-page review on connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → What The Duck #1413 Published on Friday, November 15, 2013 11:00:00 PM GMT We've come to the end of another week here at dpreview, and as our thoughts drift to weekend shooting opportunities, it's time to take things a little less seriously. Aaron Johnson's comic strip ‘What the Duck’ is just the thing, taking a gently satirical look through the lens of a photographically inclined waterfowl. You can find it published here (and in our newsletter) every week; we hope you enjoy it, and your weekend. Read full story → In Photos: Portraits of the living legends of blues Published on Saturday, November 16, 2013 9:00:00 AM GMT Since 2008, photographer Lou Bopp has made regular trips down Mississippi's Route 61 — known as 'The Blues Highway' — to document the lives of unknown musicians who have made important contributions to the classic American musical genre. In this work, he recorded the juke joints, roadhouses, and the culture that has supported Mississippi Delta style blues. See gallery Read full story → Rare photos of Rolling Stones emerge from estate sale Published on Sunday, November 17, 2013 9:00:00 AM GMT Photos of the Rolling Stones are not hard to find, but the majority of images from the height of the band's career consist of on-stage performances and posed publicity shots. That's why a stack of photos uncovered at a Southern California estate sale have attracted a lot of attention recently. See gallery Read full story → In Photos: Family business documented shipwrecks Published on Monday, November 18, 2013 5:08:12 AM GMT The National Maritime Museum in London recently acquired a dramatic shipwreck photo collection from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. John Gibson started a family photography business in the 1860s and took his first photograph of a shipwreck in 1869. His family has created some of the most evocative images of misadventure at sea over the last 125 years. See gallery Read full story → French newspaper publishes issue with no photos Published on Monday, November 18, 2013 5:46:11 PM GMT At a time when the journalism industry is struggling to stay in business, photojournalists have been hit especially hard. Earlier this year, the Chicago Sun-Times laid-off its entire staff in favor of giving reporters iPhones. The French newspaper Libération showed its support for photographers by publishing its November 14th issue with all the images removed. See the spread Read full story → Leica invites entries for 2014 Oskar Barnack Award Published on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 10:58:10 AM GMT Leica has announced the 2014 Leica Oskar Barnack Award international photography competition will be open for entries starting December 15, 2013. The winner of the main category of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award will win a cash prize of €10,000 (~ $13,500) in addition to a Leica M camera and lens, valued at an additional €10,000. Learn more Read full story → Sigma issues advisory on lens compatibility with Nikon D5300 Published on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 11:50:23 AM GMT Sigma has posted a statement on its website regarding incompatibilities between its lenses and the Nikon D5300. Lenses with built-in focus motors may not autofocus correctly in Live View mode, and Optical Stabilisation (OS) may not work correctly. The company says it will provide a free firmware update for affected lenses to fix the issue, but this may not be possible with discontinued models. Click through for full details. Read full story → Google working on Raw format for Android Published on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 7:02:50 PM GMT It looks like Raw capability for Android is in development. After digging into the publicly-available application programming interface (API) for Android 4.4 Kitkat, code-reading sleuth Josh Brown made some observations on his Google+ page that indicate the possibility of storing uncompressed images alongside JPEG ones. 'Looks like Google was working on a new Camera API, but it didn't make the KitKat release', he said. Learn more on connect.dpreview.com Read full story →
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Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 13 November 2013

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 13 November 2013 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Hello! And welcome to the 483rd Digital Photography Review newsletter. The last couple of weeks have been pretty manic, trying to report on a wave of interesting camera launches, without it completely distracting us from reviews. But, of course, there's a reason for all these launches - Christmas and the holiday season are coming. We're working furiously to make sure we have a comprehensive set of buying guides and camera roundups, to make sure we offer some coverage on all the most interesting cameras on the market (including those we might not get a chance to write full reviews of). This means we're desperately grabbing sample images at the slightest hint of sunshine and trying to get as many cameras into our studio comparison tool as possible - in the sure and certain knowledge that the just-announced cameras will start arriving soon. But all this looking forward hasn't stopped us publishing reviews, samples galleries and opinion pieces, alongside all the day-to-day news we're hoping you've come to expect from us. The highlights you might have missed this week include: Panasonic GX7 Review The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 is the company's latest enthusiast-targeted Micro Four Thirds model - offering a true successor to the original and much-loved GF1. It adds a host of features, including built-in image stabilization (a first for Panasonic's G-series), focus peaking and an articulated electronic viewfinder, all of which should lend themselves to shooting with non-native lenses. On paper it looks rather impressive but how does it behave when on a camera strap or a tripod? We've been using the GX7 extensively and have published our review. Click here to read our review of the Panasonic GX7 Pentax K-3 Real-world Samples Ricoh's Pentax K-3 is the first camera we've encountered that provided the option to choose whether you want an low-pass filtering effect to be applied to your images, as you shoot them. The camera's 24MP sensor has no optical filter in front of it, but the camera is able to apply a filter effect by moving the sensor during an exposure, to prevent moiré caused by high-frequency patterns. Beyond this, it builds on the ergonomically impressive, weather-sealed compact DSLR design used for the K-5 and K-5II. We've been shooting with a K-3 for around a week and have put together a Real-world samples gallery of its images. Click here to view our gallery of real-world samples from the Pentax K-3 DPReview Gear of the Year 2013: Part 1 Over the coming weeks, members of the DPReview editorial team will be discussing the products that have stood out for them, this year. In Part One, Editor Barnaby Britton talks about how Fujifilm's X100S has found a place both in his heart and, perhaps just as significantly, his camera bag. Click here to read about what earns the Fujifilm X100S a place in our Gear of the Year What's coming up? Well, we're not writing all this holiday content for ourselves - if all goes according to plan, we'll be publishing more guides, roundups and advice than ever before, in the coming weeks. This also means a massive expansion to the range of cameras available in our test scene and a host of samples galleries. We'll also be continuing to build on our coverage of the Sony a7 and a7R, so do stay tuned. Richard WTD #601 Check out What The Duck in our Link Directory GearShop update - a message from Laura This week's best deals: Save $20 on the silver award winning Olympus Tough TG-2 rugged camera. This time of year, its freezeproof features will start coming in handy. The Panasonic GF6, now $100 off, would be a great first-interchangeable-lens-camera for someone looking to upgrade from a compact without gaining too much heft. Now shipping: Manfrotto's recently revamped 190 series tripods are starting to arrive. These new versions of the popular line now have an easier to adjust 90° center column mechanism, allowing the column to be extended normally or horizontally without any disassembly. Also redesigned are the leg lock levers, which promise to be easier and more comfortable to open and close than older models. Learn more. Coming soon: We expect to start fulfilling pre-orders on lots of new products in the coming days: Nikon's D5300, Fujifilm's XQ1 and X-E2 and Pentax's K-3 are all set to be released later this week. Until next week - Laura and the GearShop Team
News updates Canon offers Dual Pixel AF upgrade for Cinema EOS C100 camera Published on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 11:31:57 AM GMT Canon is offering owners of its Cinema EOS C100 the chance to add Dual Pixel AF to this video-centric camera. This will enable continuous autofocus during recording with all Canon EF lenses, and double one-shot AF speed with 104 fully-supported lenses. Interestingly the upgrade doesn't involve a change of sensor, but instead enables a hitherto-unused hardware capability. However it will require the camera to be sent to a Canon service centre, and isn't free (in the US it will cost $500).  Read full story → Fujifilm updates X-system lens firmware for X-E2 compatibility Published on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 1:01:06 PM GMT Fujifilm has updated the firmware for many of its X-system lenses to offer full compatibility with the recently-announced X-E2. The upgrades allow the lenses to work properly with the camera's phase detection AF and, for XF optics, its Lens Modulation Optimizer function. They apply to the 14mm F2.8, 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OIS, 35mm F1.4, 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 OIS, 60mm F2.4 Macro, and XC 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 OIS lenses. Click through for the download link Read full story → Non-destructive photo editing feature coming in Android 4.4 KitKat Published on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 5:00:00 PM GMT Google is giving a sweet treat to photographers in its new KitKat operating system. Android 4.4 will be shipping with a non-destructive photo editing feature in the native Gallery app. From what we've seen of the software so far, it appears to offer a huge collection of some of the most advanced editing tools available on any mobile photography app. Learn more on connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → Weather-resistant Pentax Limited 20-40mm F2.8-4 zoom lens announced Published on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 11:01:00 PM GMT Ricoh has announced the HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 ED, the first zoom lens in its Limited series. It boasts a weather-resistant build (another Limited first) and provides an equivalent focal of length 30.5-61.5mm in 35mm terms when mounted to a Pentax K-mount DSLR body. The lens barrel, hood and cap are all made of aluminum. Click through for the full press release and details. Read full story → Ricoh launches Pentax Q-mount ultra-wide-angle zoom Published on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 11:01:00 PM GMT Ricoh has announced the PENTAX-08 WIDE ZOOM lens for Q-mount interchangeable lens cameras. The F3.7-4 ultra-wide-angle compact provides a focal length of 3.8-5.9mm (when mounted to the Pentax Q7 it provides a 35mm equivalent of 17.5-27mm). The lens is equipped with its own shutter and also comes with a built-in neutral density filter. Click through for the full press release and details. Read full story → A different point of view: Our Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 Review Published on Thursday, November 7, 2013 3:30:00 AM GMT We've just posted our full review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7. With a 16 megapixel Four Thirds sensor, in-body image stabilization, and built-in articulated EVF, the GX7 boasts a lot of refinements to tempt enthusiasts away from similar Olympus and Sony offerings. Panasonic engineers have thrown just about everything they've got into this mid-range mirrorless camera, will it find a loyal audience the way its GF1 predecessor did? Click through and read our review. Read full story → Tamron to develop 150-600mm F5-6.3 ultra-telephoto zoom Published on Thursday, November 7, 2013 7:00:00 AM GMT Tamron has announced the development of a 150-600mm F5-6.3 zoom lens for full-frame and APS-C sensor cameras. It will feature 20 elements in 13 groups and have a minimum focus distance of 2.7m. Tamron will also include VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) technologies. The lens will be developed for Canon, Nikon, and Sony mounts.  Read full story → Roger Cicala gives Nikon D610 a clean bill of health Published on Thursday, November 7, 2013 9:28:48 AM GMT Lensrentals' Roger Cicala has beaten us to testing the Nikon D610 for oil and dust accumulation - concluding it's 'certainly no worse than other cameras.' Cicala has had an initial look at 25 D610s and a further look after the first ten of them came back from being rented-out, making him uniquely well-placed to comment on the phenomenon. Click through for a link to his article. Read full story → DxOMark report: Nokia Lumia 925 scores nearly as high as Lumia 1020 Published on Thursday, November 7, 2013 4:30:00 PM GMT Nokia's Lumia 925 is PureView branded but doesn't use the Lumia 1020's large sensor and pixel-binning algorithms. However, the 8.7MP smartphone just scored nearly as well as Nokia's 41MP flagship phone in DxOMark's extensive imaging tests despite the conventional 8.7 MP CMOS sensor. Learn what they found Read full story → In Photos: Olympic torch to make first-ever spacewalk Published on Friday, November 8, 2013 9:00:00 AM GMT A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying an unlit Olympic torch and three astronauts blasted off to the International Space Station on Thursday ahead of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. On Saturday the ISS crew will take the torch made for the Sochi games on a historic spacewalk. NASA photographer Bill Ingalls was there to document the launch. See gallery Read full story → Sample Gallery: LG G2 smartphone images Published on Friday, November 8, 2013 3:42:32 PM GMT We could hardly wait to get our hands on LG's newest G2 smartphone to try shooting with its 13MP Optical Image Stabilization camera and huge 5.2-inch IPS LCD display. There's plenty of exciting specs, but how does it translate to photographs? See our first sample gallery of images on connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → SD card labeling for 4K video announced Published on Friday, November 8, 2013 8:00:00 PM GMT As of now there are not many consumer products, aside from a from a few smartphones (and the GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition), that can shoot 4k video. However the SD Association's announcement of new Ultra High Speed Class 3 (U3) card labeling anticipates it becoming more common. The U3 designation guarantees a 30 MB/s constant minimum write speed, making it easier for buyers to know which cards are '4k ready.' Read full story → Adobe releases Camera Raw 8.3 and Lightroom 5.3 release candidates Published on Friday, November 8, 2013 11:31:11 PM GMT Adobe has issued Camera Raw and DNG Converter 8.3 release candidates, along with a similar preliminary version of Lightroom 5.3. ACR 8.3 is designed as different versions for Photoshop CC and Photoshop CS6. DNG Converter is available for free for users of older versions of Photoshop. The latest versions brings support for 15 additional cameras, including most of the latest models from Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus and Sony. Eight lens correction modules are also added, including support for the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8. Read full story → Award-winning wildlife photos capture candid moments Published on Saturday, November 9, 2013 9:00:00 AM GMT An owl in mid-flight, a polar bear peering from under icy waters, to a monkey being blasted by snow are some of the winning images from this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Elephants surrounding a watering hole in Botswana by South African photographer Greg du Toit was the overall winner. See gallery  Read full story → Canon Korea teases new camera, EOS M2 or SL1/100D? Published on Saturday, November 9, 2013 4:30:00 PM GMT Updated: Canon Korea has put up a page teasing about a new camera release. Showing a camera covered in a white sheet, the teaser text reads, 'November 2013, Canon will start from the white world. Coming soon.' Applying a few Photoshop tweaks reveals details that make the camera look an awful lot like a more familiar digital SLR with a new white finish. A video post on Canon Japan's site today further teases a 'White Kiss.' Click through for more. Read full story → Classic photographs recreated in Lego Published on Sunday, November 10, 2013 9:00:00 AM GMT Video game programer Mike Stimpson loves Lego. He also loves photography. Combining his two passions has resulted in a series of fascinating images that recreate iconic photographs with Lego blocks. From Henri Cartier-Bresson to W. Eugene Smith, see if you can recognize the classic images. See gallery  Read full story → Pentax K-3 real-world samples gallery Published on Monday, November 11, 2013 6:00:00 AM GMT When Ricoh's Pentax K-3 was announced we were intrigued by the 'anti-aliasing simulator' feature, a first for a DSLR. The K-3 allows you to engage its low-pass filtering at the push of a button. We recently shot some real-world samples taken in a range of conditions to see how it stacks up against the current K-5 models. Our gallery was shot on with the anti-aliasing filter set to off (the default setting). See gallery Read full story → DPReview Gear of the Year Part 1: Fujifilm X100S Published on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 6:00:00 AM GMT A lot of equipment passes through our Seattle and London offices, everything from high-end cameras to inexpensive accessories. A lot of it gets reviewed, but we can't cover everything. In this series of short articles, DPReview staff will be highlighting their personal standout products of the year. In part 1, editor Barnaby Britton takes us through his personal favorite - the Fujifilm X100S. Read full story → Galaxy NX First Impressions: An Android-powered camera with promise? Published on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 3:45:00 PM GMT We take a closer look at Samsung's latest Android camera: the Galaxy NX. It's a rather bold experiment that integrates a high-end Android smartphone OS with an interchangeable lens camera. With a 20.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, Samsung NX lens mount, and a tried-and-true mobile operating system, the Galaxy NX offers plenty of intriguing promise. See how we got on at connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera now supports Raw CinemaDNG Published on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 6:00:00 PM GMT Blackmagic Design has announced its Camera 1.5 software update which adds new 12-bit Log CinemaDNG RAW recording to the Pocket Cinema Camera. The CinemaDNG Raw lossless compression works like a ZIP file where the Raw files are compressed during 1080p recording without the loss of any part of the image. This allows videographers to capture files with wider dynamic range for increased flexibility during color correction.  Read full story → CaptureNX 2.4.5 and ViewNX 2.8.2 released with D5300 and Df support Published on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 6:30:00 PM GMT Nikon has released Capture NX 2.4.5 and ViewNX 2.8.2 updates with Raw image support for the new D5300 and Df DSLR cameras. Also added to Capture NX 2.4.5 are menu updates and separate intensity and sharpness adjustments for both luminance and color.  Read full story → Lytro adds 3D viewing capability to its photos Published on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 7:38:24 PM GMT Lytro, the tiny camera that allows you to choose your focus point after your image has been shot, has announced a software update to its desktop and iOS app that allows photos taken with the device to be displayed in 3D. The update lets users show off Perspective Shift processed images in 3D when connected to a 3D-capable TV over HDMI or Apple AirPlay. Read full story →
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