Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 23 July 2014

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 23 July 2014 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 519th Digital Photography Review newsletter. Seattle's fever seems finally to have broken, with a couple of cooler days providing some welcome relief from the recent high temperatures. I'd have preferred the cloudy weather to have waited until after I had to create a sample gallery on the Nikon D810, but we don't always get what we want. That gallery is nearly ready, and should be published at some point tomorrow (Wednesday). I certainly enjoyed using the D810 a lot more than the Leica T, which - although it definitely has potential - feels like it's at least one firmware update away from being the camera that it really should be. You can read about my experiences shooting with it via the link below (let the trolling begin...) Here are a few content highlights from the past few days: Ready for its close-up: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Review If the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 premium superzoom was a game-changer, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 changed the game yet again when it was introduced last month. With its 1"-type 20.1MP CMOS sensor and 25-400mm equiv. F2.8-4.0 lens it's an ideal candidate for travel, offering a larger-than-average sensor and generous zoom range. With 4K video recording and a lower MSRP, it gave the already-impressive RX10 a run for the money. Is it the right fit for your carry-on bag? Read our full review. Click here to read our review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Travel tripods: Comparing 5 aluminum kits What makes a compact tripod a good traveling companion? We've collected 5 aluminum 'travel' tripod and head combinations that are compact, but are also comfortably tall and hold up a reasonable amount of gear. In this roundup we cover their features, functions and finish quality, and we put them to work in the studio and in the field. Read our roundup of aluminum tripod kits Touch and Try Again: Leica T Shooting Experience It's not a surprise that Leica's first autofocus mirrorless system camera is a thing of beauty - nor that it's wildly expensive. The Leica T (Typ 701) uses a 16MP APS-C CMOS sensor, and its operation is almost entirely dependent on a couple of dials and a large touchscreen. It may be beautiful, but a camera can't get by on its looks alone. See how it fared in our field testing. Read about our experience of shooting with the Leica T Archive from the world's oldest photographic society to go on show London's Science Museum is to host a major exhibition of prints and artifacts from the collection of the Royal Photographic Society, including prints and experimental cameras made by William Fox Talbot in the 1820s. Masters of Light: Treasures from the Royal Photographic Society Collection will display over 200 items from the archives of a collection that was started in 1853, and it will be held on the site of one of the UK's first ever photographic exhibitions. Take a look at some of the historic work that will be on display. Click here to read more What's coming up? Work continues on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4, Nikon D810 and various other cameras (including several current and older models which are overdue inclusion in our new studio scene comparison database). Allison is out shooting with Fujifilm's new high-end standard zoom for the X-series, the XF 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR right now too, and sample images from that, as well as Canon's new EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM are on the way in the next few days. See you next week! Barney WTD #1465   GearShop update - a message from the team Nikon is offering a $50 instant savings on its D3300 kit with 18-55mm lens. This package can give the eager beginner a great feel for the world of photography for a modest investment. For more professional handling and results, investigate the $300 instant savings on the D7100 kit with 18-140mm lens. Either camera kit is sure to inspire the artist in the family. For the more advanced visionary, a $400 savings awaits when the full-frame D610 + two lenses bundle is added to your cart. This deal also adds wireless connectivity with the WU-1B Wireless Mobile Adapter, a 32GB SD card and a stylish bag to keep it all safe. No matter which camera you choose, they all come with free 2-day shipping right to your door. Until next week - the GearShop Team
News updates Pentax firmware v1.10 for K-3 adds diffraction correction Published on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 10:00:00 PM GMT Pentax has released new firmware for its flagship K-3 DSLR, adding a new function - diffraction correction to the lens corrections menu. Firmware v1.10 also improves processing times when Digital Filters and Color Fringe Correction are applied, tweaks exposure bracketing in TAv mode, offers improved AWB performance and the usual 'improved stability for general performance'. Click through for more details and a download link. Read full story → Shiny object: Leica T Shooting Experience Published on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 6:27:00 PM GMT It's not a surprise that Leica's first autofocus mirrorless system camera is a thing of beauty - nor that it's wildly expensive. The Leica T (Typ 701) uses a 16MP APS-C CMOS sensor, and its operation is almost entirely dependent on a couple of dials and a large touchscreen. It may be beautiful, but a camera can't get by on its looks alone. See how it fared in our field testing. Read more Read full story → Registration Now Open for PhotoPlus Expo 2014 Published on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 4:43:00 PM GMT Registration is now open for PhotoPlus Expo 2014, the annual photographic tradeshow that takes place in New York City, every autumn. This year's show runs from October 29 - November 1 2014 in the Javits Convention Center, and the theme of the event (aside from photography of course) is Halloween. Click through for more details.  Read full story → Xiaomi unveils Mi 4 high-end phone with 8MP front camera Published on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 4:34:00 PM GMT Chinese device manufacturer Xiaomi unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Mi 4, today. With a metal frame and a distinctly iPhone-esque design the Mi 4 looks like a premium product and its specification sheet confirms this initial impression, boasting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC and 3GB RAM. Main camera specs appear standard for current-generation Android phones, with a 13MP rear camera but an unusually high-resolution 8MP at the front. Click through for more details. Read full story → Ready for its close-up: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Review Published on Monday, July 21, 2014 7:40:00 PM GMT If the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 premium superzoom was a game-changer, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 changed the game yet again when it was introduced last month. With its 1"-type 20.1MP CMOS sensor and 25-400mm equiv. F2.8-4.0 lens it's an ideal candidate for travel, offering a larger-than-average sensor and generous zoom range. With 4K video recording and a lower MSRP, it gave the already-impressive RX10 a run for the money. Read more Read full story → Travel tripods: Comparing 5 aluminum kits Published on Sunday, July 20, 2014 7:00:00 AM GMT What makes a compact tripod a good traveling companion? We've collected 5 aluminum 'travel' tripod and head combinations that are compact, but are also comfortably tall and hold up a reasonable amount of gear. In this roundup we cover their features, functions and finish quality, and we put them to work in the studio and in the field. Read more Read full story → Archive from the world's oldest photographic society to go on show Published on Saturday, July 19, 2014 7:00:00 AM GMT London's Science Museum is to host a major exhibition of prints and artifacts from the collection of the Royal Photographic Society, including prints and experimental cameras made by William Fox Talbot in the 1820s. Masters of Light: Treasures from the Royal Photographic Society Collection will display over 200 items from the archives of a collection that was started in 1853, and it will be held on the site of one of the UK’s first ever photographic exhibitions. Take a look at some of the historic work that will be on display. See gallery Read full story → MIT photography course materials freely available online Published on Saturday, July 19, 2014 12:00:00 AM GMT Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is making materials from 12 of its photography-related courses available free online under a Creative Commons license. Selected reference materials, syllabus structure and lesson plan guidance is published and free to download via the institute’s Open Course Ware (OCW) program, to alllow motivated individuals to teach themselves. Click through for more details. Read full story → What The Duck #1465 Published on Friday, July 18, 2014 10:59:00 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 → Dronestagram contest winners announced Published on Friday, July 18, 2014 1:00:00 PM GMT Dronestagram, a website that allows drone photographers to share their images and videos, has announced the winners of their 2014 photo contest. Sponsored by National Geographic and GoPro, the competition was open to photographers around the world. The photos taking top prizes are impressive - take a look at a gallery of the winning images. See gallery Read full story → Adobe Camera Raw 8.6 and DNG Converter 8.6 release candidates available Published on Friday, July 18, 2014 1:09:00 AM GMT Adobe has made Camera Raw 8.6 and DNG Converter 8.6 release candidates available. This version adds support for the Nikon D810, Panasonic Lumix AG-GH4 (GH4 with interface unit) and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. Color profiles are added for the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III, A7S and Alpha SLT-A77 II. Also included are a number of new lens profiles. Learn more Read full story → CreativeLive to host free one-day event with Art Wolfe Published on Friday, July 18, 2014 12:16:00 AM GMT On July 18th from 9AM PT to 4PM, CreativeLive will host a free, one-day event with nature photographer Art Wolfe. The class will be streamed live on CreativeLive's website, and viewers will be able to submit questions through Twitter, Facebook and CreativeLive's chat. Once it's aired, the class will be archived and available for download for $49. Learn more Read full story → LG launches G3 Beat with Laser AF Published on Thursday, July 17, 2014 4:06:00 PM GMT LG has announced the G3 Beat which in Europe will be marketed as the G3 „s“. With a smaller screen and downgraded specs compared to the LG flagship phone G3, the G3 Beat is to the G3 pretty much what the G2 Mini was to the G2. Despite its mid-range positioning the G3 Beat has a lot to offer to mobile photographers - click through to read more at connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → Drone lighting could be coming soon to your studio Published on Thursday, July 17, 2014 4:00:00 AM GMT A flying flash rig that tracks the position of both photographer and subject to maintain consistent lighting angles has been developed by researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cornell University. In a project designed to test co-ordination between aerial robots and ground-based targets, researchers programmed a flash-carrying drone to light people in the studio as the subjects and the photographer changed positions. Read more Read full story → Samung Galaxy S4 Zoom gets Android 4.4 KitKat update Published on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 8:56:00 PM GMT The Galaxy S4 Zoom, Samsung's first attempt to fit a zoom lens into an Android-powered smartphone-style body, is getting an update with the latest Android version: 4.4 KitKat. The new software version will give S4 Zoom users access to the KitKat improvements which include faster performance, a redesigned status bar, wireless printing support, full-screen album art in the media player and a camera shortcut on the lockscreen. Read more at connect.dpreview.com Read full story → Iconic 'Flag Over Reichstag' Leica to go Under the Hammer Published on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 4:36:00 PM GMT The Lecia III used by Yevgeni Khaldei to take Raising a Flag Over The Reichstag is to go on sale in Hong Kong this November with a guide price of $390,000 - 580,000. Khaldei took the famous shot in 1945, as Russian troops overran Berlin in the final days of World War II. Learn more Read full story →
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