Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 25 February 2015

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 25 February 2015 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 549th Digital Photography Review newsletter. Well I'm back from CP+, still a little jet-lagged but as always, deeply impressed by the products and the people I spent time with in Japan. There's a link to our full show coverage below, and I'm also working on transcribing the various interviews that we conducted at the show, as well as writing up a fascinating tour of Sigma's factory in Aizu. Watch this space for more. But for now... CP+ 2015 coverage We spent a few days in Japan recently, covering the CP+ show in Yokohama. An increasingly important show in the photography calendar, several manufacturers used CP+ this year to show off their latest and greatest gear. Click the links below for complete show coverage and watch this space for more, including interviews and a report on our visit to Sigma's Aizu factory. Click here to explore our CP+ 2015 coverage. Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Real-world Samples After handling a prototype at Photokina, we brought a final shipping sample of Tamron's new 15-30mm wideangle zoom back from CP+. The stabilized ultra-wideangle lens covers a full-frame sensor, offers a unique double lens hood design for added strength and boasts a very competitive $1200 price tag. We're impressed so far - check out our samples gallery. View our gallery of samples from the Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Olympus OM-D E-M5 II First Impressions Review updated with shooting experience Our first impressions review of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II covered the cameras updates, physical features and (of course) our first impressions on using it. Now that we've had some more time with the camera, we've put together some more thoughts on shooting with the E-M5 II - from gray Seattle to the bright sunshine of Bermuda. Click here to read about our experience shooting with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Sony Xperia Z3 camera review The Sony Xperia Z3 is the successor to the Xperia Z2, and in terms of both camera specification and design it's more of an evolutionary update than a major overhaul. In terms of camera specs the new model comes with the same 20.7 MP resolution on a 1/2.3 sensor as its predecessor but the new G-lens offers a wider equivalent focal length of 25mm. Click here to read our review of the Sony Xperia Z3 Into the woods: a video overview of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II We thought we'd try something a bit different for our video overview of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II. Given that two of the major changes are improvements in its video features and stabilization, we thought we'd use the camera to shoot its own video and see how it behaves handheld. And, since the camera is environmentally sealed, we thought we'd venture beyond the office for a bit. Click here to watch What else is coming up? Reviews of Sony's Alpha a7S, a7 II, and Samsung's NX1 are all in progress, as well as the Nikon D810 and Olympus E-M5 II. I'm also working on some additional content from CP+ including interviews with senior executives from several companies,. and a report from Sigma's Aizu factory, in northern Japan. Barney
News updates Sony Xperia Z3 camera review Published on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 9:47:00 PM GMT The Sony Xperia Z3 is the successor to the Xperia Z2, and in terms of both camera specification and design it's more of an evolutionary update than a major overhaul. In terms of camera specs the new model comes with the same 20.7 MP resolution on a 1/2.3 sensor as its predecessor but the new G-lens offers a wider equivalent focal length of 25mm. Click through to read our full review on connect.dpreview.com Read full story → Konost full-frame digital rangefinder in the pipeline for 2016 Published on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 7:45:00 PM GMT An American start-up company is promising to bring a 20MP full frame digital rangefinder camera to market for early 2016. The Konost FF will be a 20-million-pixel metal bodied M-mount camera equipped with a 4" LCD. The company has said that the rangefinder system will operate not with mirrors and prisms, as most rangefinders do, but with twin imaging sensors that overlay their images to produce the same dual image effect in the viewfinder. Read more Read full story → Historic prints from the beginning of photography to go on auction in London Published on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 4:10:38 PM GMT William Henry Fox Talbot prints from as early as 1844 are part of a collection of over 200 photographs that are due to go to auction in London next month. All of the pictures in the sale come from a single private collection which includes a many well-known and important works, and many of the prints were made at the time the original pictures were taken. See gallery Read full story → ARRI announces the ALEXA Mini 4K UHD, a lightweight carbon fiber cinema camera Published on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 1:26:00 AM GMT We don't normally write about thirty-thousand-dollar cinema cameras, but the ARRI ALEXA Mini caught our eye. This digital motion picture camera packs a whole lot of firepower into a super compact, carbon-fiber body. The specs also foreshadow what me might expect in future consumer-level cameras, in terms of video capabilities. Read more Read full story → CreativeLive kicks off Photoshop Week 2015 Published on Monday, February 23, 2015 9:33:56 PM GMT Starting today, the folks at CreativeLive are hosting a week of educational programs designed to help photographers and designers get the most out of Adobe Photoshop. Classes range from tips for beginners to more specialized sessions in landscape, architecture and portrait photography, to name a few. All classes are streaming live for free over the next six days, and will be available for purchase after the event. Read more Read full story → Panasonic introduces Lumix G 30mm macro and new 42.5mm portrait prime Published on Monday, February 23, 2015 5:14:00 PM GMT Panasonic has announced two new additions to its Micro Four Thirds lens lineup, a 30mm F2.8 macro and 42.5mm F1.7 portrait lens. The company had previously hinted that the 30mm was in the works, and as promised it offers Mega O.I.S stabilization along with 240 fps drive AF. The 42.5mm F1.7 isn't quite as fast (or presumably as expensive) as the existing Leica Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2. Both lenses will be available in May. Read more Read full story → Close Encounters: Will Burrard-Lucas' wildlife photography Published on Sunday, February 22, 2015 3:00:00 PM GMT Based in the UK, nature photographer Will Burrard-Lucas is highly dedicated to wildlife photography. He's even developed his own remote-controlled camera system for getting as close as you can with dangerous animals like rhinos, lions and… meerkats. The photographer spent an entire year living in Zambia where he used new technologies like drones, camera traps and remote-control devices to capture nature from tricky perspectives. See gallery Read full story → International Garden Photographer of the Year 2015 winners announced Published on Saturday, February 21, 2015 2:00:00 PM GMT Winners of the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition have been announced, the top prize has gone to Magdalena Wasiczek. She won the overall prize in 2012, and has taken the top prize again with a dramatic rendering of a red Hydrangea petiolaris against a heavily defocused background. See winners Read full story → FAA proposes regulations for commercial drone usage Published on Friday, February 20, 2015 8:08:29 PM GMT The FAA's plan to regulate drone usage has been a long running cause of concern among enthusiasts and those hoping to use UAVs for commercial purposes. Thus far speculation has pegged the budding regulations as unnecessarily restrictive, but the new officially revealed FAA proposal shows those concerns to largely be unfounded. Read more Read full story → Olympus OM-D E-M5 II First Impressions Review updated with shooting experience Published on Friday, February 20, 2015 3:18:00 PM GMT Our first impressions review of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II covered the cameras updates, physical features and (of course) our first impressions on using it. Now that we've had some more time with the camera, we've put together some more thoughts on shooting with the E-M5 II - from grey Seattle to the bright sunshine of Bermuda. Read more Read full story → New samples from the Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens Published on Friday, February 20, 2015 1:22:00 AM GMT We were recently lucky enough to visit Sigma's factory in Aizu, Japan, where Sigma allowed us to shoot with a pre-production sample of the recently-announced 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens. The wintry landscape of the Fukushima prefecture was a nice contrast to the CP+ convention center where we last gathered some samples with this lens, and our recent samples are more representative of lens performance on a native mount body (Canon 6D). Have a look Read full story → Into the woods: a video overview of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Published on Thursday, February 19, 2015 11:19:00 PM GMT We thought we'd try something a bit different for our video overview of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II. Given that two of the major changes are improvements in its video features and stabilization, we thought we'd use the camera to shoot its own video and see how it behaves handheld. And, since the camera is environmentally sealed, we thought we'd venture beyond the office for a bit. See video Read full story → Sony branches off audio and video business but remains committed to sensor development Published on Thursday, February 19, 2015 10:31:09 PM GMT Sony has announced that it will be branching off its audio and video departments into a separate subsidiary. Sony previously spun off its VAIO PC business one year ago, and the creation of new departments aims to make the company into a profitable entity. Read more Read full story → Adobe celebrates 25 years of Photoshop Published on Thursday, February 19, 2015 5:01:00 AM GMT Photoshop turns 25 today, and Adobe is marking the occasion with a look back at the software's humble roots, along with a chance for users under the age of 25 to take control of the company's Instagram handle for two weeks. Short of supplying its subscribers with complimentary birthday cake, the company has put together some entertaining graphics comparing Photoshop's icons, toolbars and splash screens for a short trip down the digital memory lane. Read more Read full story → Marumi introduces fixed and variable neutral density filters, including ND100,000 for solar shooting Published on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 10:34:07 PM GMT Japanese filter brand Marumi has introduced a collection of neutral density filters for its DHG (Digital High Grade) range including fixed density strengths of ND 8, 16, 32 and 64 as well as a variable ND filter with a range of ND 2.5-500. The company has also announced a ND filter for shooting solar eclipses. Read more Read full story → Astropad turns iPad into drawing tablet for Mac Published on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 6:46:29 PM GMT Two former Apple engineers have just launched Astropad, an app for Apple's iPad and Mac computer that turns the former into a drawing tablet for the latter. It works with most styluses, and allows use of applications like Photoshop for image retouching and editing with more precision. Read more Read full story →
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Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 18 February 2015

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 18 February 2015 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 548th Digital Photography Review newsletter. It's been a busy week for camera gear, with the increasingly important CP+ show in Japan being the forum for the launch of new models and the sketching-out of product roadmaps. Probably the most significant announcement was Ricoh's confirmation of a full frame Pentax DSLR - long wished for, rumoured about and hinted at but now finally appearing in mockup form. Plenty of other brands had things to show, too, and out intrepid team in Yokohama got hands-on time with all the major announcements and prepared samples galleries where possible. We'll be following up on those products and publishing manufacturer interviews in the coming weeks. But for now... CP+ 2015 coverage Whether you shoot DSLR, mirrorless or compact, there was probably something of interest to you announced or shown at the CP+ 2015 show in Japan. Whether it was Fujifilm's retro-styled 35mm F2 prototype or Canon's forthcoming G3 X, there were plenty of intriguing new and future products to be seen. We did our best to cover them all and went out to shoot with products such as Sigma's latest Art-series lens: the 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art. Click here to explore our CP+ 2015 coverage. Galaxy Camera 2 Review It's well understood that the success of smartphones as photographic devices has had a devastating effect on traditional camera sales, so it's no surprise to see lots of manufacturers trying to span the gap between the two. It should be equally unsurprising that Samsung, a brand with considerable experience in both fields should be one of the most enterprising. Unlike the original Galaxy Camera, which was available with cellular connectivity, the Galaxy Camera 2 is a Wi-Fi only camera but, to distinguish it from the plethora of connected cameras, it retains a vast smartphone screen and the user-experience of the Android OS. The key difference, then, is its ability to run apps and allow sophisticated image processing before you share your pictures. Does this trickery let it trump the traditional travel zoom? Read our Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 review Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 samples gallery Fujifilm continues its campaign to make the X series into a fully-rounded enthusiast system with the launch of a weather-sealed 24-83mm equivalent F2.8 zoom. The XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR is intended as a premium, constant-aperture alternative to the company's 18-55mm F2.8-4 OIS. We got a chance to go shooting with it and have put together a gallery showing the lens in a variety of situations. Click here to see our Fujifilm 16-55mm F2.8 samples gallery.   Shooting surfing with the Sony a6000 In our latest of real-world test videos, photographer Chris Burkard joins us in sunny California to help test out the Sony a6000's autofocus on some surfers. I'm told it was all pretty gnarly, but I had to watch the video to be sure what that meant.   Click here to watch Chris Burkard shooting with the Sony a6000   What else is coming up? We have several camera reviews in the works, as well as some insightful manufacturer interviews from CP+. Oh, then there are some videos about some of the latest products... A whole load of stuff, basically. You definitely shouldn't miss it. Richard
News updates Real-world test: the Sony a6000 goes surfing with Chris Burkard Published on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 10:52:00 PM GMT Chris Burkard is a well-established adventure and surf photographer. His landscapes and cold weather surf photos have earned worldwide attention and plenty of high-profile clients. Chris joined us recently in California to take Sony's a6000 for a spin to try out its hybrid AF system on - what else? - sun, sand and surf. See how the a6000 keeps up in our latest real-world test. See video Read full story → Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM real-world samples gallery posted Published on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 7:29:20 PM GMT Fujifilm's XF 16-55mm F2.8 is a weather-sealed zoom covering a 24-83mm equivalent range. With a fast F2.8 constant aperture, manual aperture control and a new Nano-GI coating to reduce flare, it's a high-end lens to be sure. Take a look at how it performs in the real world. See gallery Read full story → Russian gay rights story wins World Press Photo contest for Danish photographer Published on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 1:30:00 AM GMT A photograph that highlights the difficulties facing sexual minorities in Russia has won the World Press Photo contest's top prize. 'Jon and Alex', from a project called 'Homophobia in Russia', shows an 'intimate moment' between a gay couple from St. Petersburg and won Danish photographer Mads Nissen the Contempory Issues category of the competition, as well as the first prize for a single image, netting him 11,500 Euro and Canon DSLR equipment. See winners Read full story → Ten Hasselblad cameras up for grabs in 2016 Masters competition Published on Monday, February 16, 2015 10:14:00 PM GMT Swedish medium format camera manufacturer Hasselblad has launched its 2016 Hasselblad Masters competition, and will be giving away a total of ten cameras as prizes to winners. Open to 'active professionals' using film or digital cameras that have at least 16MP, the competition features 10 categories including a new street/urban section that seems angled at more positive images of city life. A category called Project//21 is open to all photographers under the age of 21. Learn more Read full story → Opinion: Canon EOS 750D and 760D Published on Monday, February 16, 2015 2:00:00 PM GMT In the new EOS Digital Rebel T6s and T6i (EOS 760D and EOS 750D in Europe) Canon has produced beginner and enthusiast versions of what is essentially the same camera. Is this really necessary, why has the company done it and who will notice the difference? Damien Demolder gives his opinion. Read more Read full story → On point: Steve Vaccariello's dance photography Published on Sunday, February 15, 2015 10:46:32 PM GMT 'I do not touch my dance work with Photoshop. Never!' says portrait photographer Steve Vaccariello - a bold statement in the digital age. But he's no luddite. His extended portfolio of commercial, celebrity and beauty work has certainly seen its share of image enhancement. When working with dancers, Vaccariello likes to use reductionist lighting designed to stay out of the way of the movements of the performers. See his work and find out more about him. See gallery Read full story → More things we found cut in half (CP+ 2015 edition) Published on Sunday, February 15, 2015 5:09:00 AM GMT Every year the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan is a hive of activity and innovation, as hoards of Japanese and western camera enthusiasts flood the Pacifico Yokohama conference center to get their hands on the latest camera gear. But that's not the only fun to be had - alongside the ranks of shiny new cameras and lenses, displays and presentation stages can be found a lot of things which have been cut in half. Seriously - loads. Click through to see for yourself Read full story → CP+ 2015: Sony shows off new technology Published on Sunday, February 15, 2015 3:04:00 AM GMT We swung by the Sony booth at CP+ 2015 in Yokohama, Japan, where they had displays of the latest technologies in their cameras and lenses, as well as an elaborate diorama of a bird in flight over a fabricated landscape, amongst other things. We even sat down with a couple of engineers at Sony to talk about the Alpha 7 lineup. Check out some of the interesting things we learned during our time here with Sony Read full story → CP+ 2015: Tokina reveals new 24-70mm F2.8 and 11-20mm F2.8 zooms Published on Sunday, February 15, 2015 2:44:00 AM GMT Tokina might not have the same presence at CP+ as Sigma and Tamron but its small booth is pretty busy, thanks to a brand new 24-70mm F2.8 for Nikon full-frame, and an 11-20mm F2.8 wideangle for APS-C. Just from first impressions, they seem impressively well-built, as we'd expect from Tokina. Click through for some images Read full story → CP+ 2015: Ricoh gets serious with new Pentax full-frame zooms Published on Sunday, February 15, 2015 2:12:00 AM GMT We're at CP+ in Yokohama Japan, where Ricoh is showing off two new Pentax lenses designed for full-frame imaging. Although the company's upcoming full-frame DSLR is still in the mockup stage, the D FA* 70-200mm F2.8ED DC AW and D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW are very real indeed. We snuck into the show early this morning before the crowds arrived, to take a look. Click through for more details and images.  Read full story → Soon, 40MP without the tripod: A conversation with Setsuya Kataoka from Olympus Published on Saturday, February 14, 2015 2:00:00 PM GMT According to Setsuya Kataoka, future OM-D cameras will create their multi-shot high resolution images in such a short time that photographers will be able to use the feature handheld. Mr Kataoka, General Manager of Olympus’s product and marketing planning division and the man behind the R&D of the OM film cameras and the E system, spoke to DPReview in the Czech Republic during a European event to demonstrate the features of the new OM-D E-M5 ll. Learn more Read full story → CP+ 2015: Olympus shares new OM-D E-M5 II, 'Air' and upcoming lenses Published on Saturday, February 14, 2015 8:55:00 AM GMT We're at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan, where Olympus is showing its new OM-D E-M5 enthusiast mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, and the 'Air' - a modular camera concept aimed at keen DIY enthusiasts and 'hackers'. As well as the two cameras, Olympus is also showing off two upcoming M43 lenses. Click through for more information, and images Read full story → CP+ 2015: Canon shows off new EOS 5DS and 5DS R Published on Saturday, February 14, 2015 5:45:00 AM GMT By far the biggest lines at this year's CP+ show in Yokohama are at the Canon booth, and they're made up almost entirely of people eager to see just two cameras - the new EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R. Canon's highest resolution DSLRs by far, both cameras offer an incredible 50MP pixel count, and almost identical ergonomics to the EOS 5D III. Click through for some hands-on pictures Read full story → CP+ 2015: Fujifilm shows prototype roadmap lenses Published on Saturday, February 14, 2015 4:07:00 AM GMT We're at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan where Fujifilm is showing off several forthcoming lenses, previously mentioned on the company's 2015 and 2016 roadmap. We spoke to Fujifilm at the show, and got our hands on some prototypes - some working, some not - to get a sense of how they feel and operate. Click through for some images Read full story → CP+ 2015: Hands-on with Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD Published on Saturday, February 14, 2015 12:13:00 AM GMT We were intrigued by Tamron's stabilized SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD when we first saw it in prototype form at Photokina in September last year. In tbe meantime, Tamron has confirmed pricing and availability for this fast ultra-wideangle zoom and is showing off the new lens at Japan's CP+ show in Yokohama. We're there, and headed straight to Tamron's booth on Saturday to get our hands on the new zoom. Click through for some images Read full story → The Droid you're looking for? Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 review posted Published on Friday, February 13, 2015 6:30:25 PM GMT The Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 is the second iteration of that manufacturer's ultra-connected camera running full Android OS. It's a 16MP camera with a 23-483mm equivalent lens that also happens to run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, though it lacks the 3G/4G connectivity of its predecessor and offers only Wi-Fi. Is this hybrid the best of both worlds, or does it come up short in the imaging department? Read review Read full story → [UPDATED] CP+ 2015: First samples from the Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens Published on Friday, February 13, 2015 9:33:00 AM GMT UPDATED: We're at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan, where Sigma is showing its brand new 24mm f1.4 full-frame prime lens. The latest in the company's 'Art' series of fast primes, we have high hopes for the new lens based on our extremely positive impressions of the 35mm and 50mm lenses which have come before it. Sigma very kindly let us shoot some sample images on a late pre-production lens and it does indeed look very, very nice. Click through to take a look. Read full story → CP+ 2015: Sony's new FE lenses almost ready for prime-time Published on Friday, February 13, 2015 9:04:00 AM GMT At the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas last month, we got our hands on some mockups of Sony's upcoming FE-mount lenses. Originally promised to start shipping this month, Sony has yet to announce final pricing and availability but it is showing working pre-production samples of the lenses at CP+ in Yokohama, Japan. We're there, and we wasted no time getting our hands on the new lenses - now complete with glass inside them, which is welcome change from the last time we saw them. Click through to see for yourselves Read full story → CP+ 2015: Hands on with Sigma's new 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens Published on Friday, February 13, 2015 9:02:00 AM GMT One of the most interesting lenses at CP+ for enthusiast photographers is Sigma's new 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art. We made a beeline for the Sigma stand as soon as we arrived on the show floor and got our hands on this intriguing new prime. Click through for some photos and our initial impressions of its build and image quality, based on some initial sample images.  Read full story → CP+ 2015: Canon shows off prototype 120MP CMOS sensor Published on Friday, February 13, 2015 9:00:00 AM GMT We're at CP+ in Yokohama, Japan, where Canon is showing off a prototype ultra high-resolution 120MP CMOS sensor. Canon is claiming it has a pixel count equivalent to the number of photoreceptors in a human eye. Its surface area is halfway between APS-C and full-frame, and it appears to be mostly directed at video applications, capable of recording at approximately 60x the resolution of Full HD. Click through to have a look Read full story → CP+ 2015: A closer look at Canon's forthcoming PowerShot G3X Published on Friday, February 13, 2015 3:08:00 AM GMT Alongside new DSLRs and the EOS M3, Canon quietly announced a new high-end PowerShot last week. The G3 X hasn't been released yet, but we're at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan, where a prototype (displayed under glass) offers some clues to its specification and ergonomics. Click through for some images and a little informed guesswork.  Read full story → Ricoh's newest lens roadmaps show four upcoming K-mount lenses Published on Friday, February 13, 2015 1:00:00 AM GMT Ricoh has released its lens roadmaps for the new year (and potentially beyond), and in the works are seven lenses spanning a wide range of types and focal lengths. The highest number of additions will come in the Pentax K-Mount lineup, which is set to get four new lenses this year or next. Read more Read full story → CP+ 2015: Canon shows 11-24mm in cross-section Published on Friday, February 13, 2015 12:37:00 AM GMT Canon's new 11-24mm F4 is attracting a lot of attention at this year's CP+ show in Yokohama, but away from the crows of keen enthusiasts waiting to get their hands on samples, we found a very much non-working example, cut in half showing its internal construction. Click through to take a look at what this complex lens is made of - literally.  Read full story → CP+ 2015: Hands-on with new Pentax K-S2 Published on Thursday, February 12, 2015 2:12:00 PM GMT The Pentax K-S2 doesn't replace the K-S1, but sits above it in Ricoh's Pentax lineup. And quite right too - it's a considerably more serious camera, even if we do miss the shiny disco lights on the handgrip. We're at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan, where Ricoh is showing off its new 20MP APS-C DLSR, in all manner of color combinations. Click through for some hands-on images Read full story → CP+ 2015: Up close and personal with Ricoh's full-frame Pentax mockup Published on Thursday, February 12, 2015 1:31:00 PM GMT After announcing the development of a full-frame DSLR recently, Ricoh is showing a very early mockup at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan. Although details are extremely limited (limited, in fact, to the words 'Full-frame' in the press release and 'Pentax' written on the front) Ricoh's mockup does give some clues as to the camera's specification. Kind of. Click through for images and some - frankly - rampant speculation.  Read full story → CP+ 2015: Nikon shows off new D810A Published on Thursday, February 12, 2015 4:23:00 AM GMT We're at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan, where Nikon is showing off its new D810A - a specialist version of the D810 which has been modified specifically for astrophotography. The world's first full-frame camera of its type, the D810A is essentially a Nikon D810 with a modified IR-cut filter to ensure the camera can capture light emitted by nebulae and additional features to support long exposure photography. We got our hands on the camera as soon as we could. Click through to take a look   Read full story → Sigma announces pricing for 24mm Art and 150-600mm Contemporary lenses Published on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 6:36:00 PM GMT Sigma has attached prices to its very recently announced 24mm F1.4 Art lens, as well as the 150-600mm F5-6.3 super telephoto that appeared at Photokina. The full frame 24mm lens, which supports Canon, Nikon, and Sigma mounts, will be available next month at a price of $849. The 150-600mm - also designed for full frame bodies - will be priced at $1089 and will ship next month for Canon and Nikon mounts. Read more Read full story → Opinion: Does the arrival of the EOS M3 mean Canon is finally taking mirrorless seriously? Published on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 1:00:00 PM GMT The Canon EOS M3 has 24 million pixels, an APS-C sensor, DSLR features and it looks like a camera. So, does this mean Canon is now taking the mirrorless market seriously? Senior DPR contributor Damien Demolder weighs in. Read more Read full story →
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Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 11 February 2015

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 11 February 2015 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 547th Digital Photography Review newsletter. I'm writing this on Monday, in the middle of final preparations for the CP+ show in Japan, later this week. As well as interviews with executives from several major camera and lens manufacturers, we'll also be getting our hands on some of the new gear that's been released recently, including The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and Canon's 50MP monsters - the EOS 5DS and 5DS R. Speaking of which... Nifty Fifty: Canon EOS 5DS / 5DS R First Impressions Review Canon's two newest professional DSLRs, the 50 megapixel EOS 5DS and 5DS R, share the distinction of offering the highest resolution available in the full-frame class. The 5DS uses an optical low-pass filter, while the S R's low-pass filter's effect has been cancelled out for optimal detail resolution. Aimed at studio and landscape photographers, the two models provide a 61-point AF module, dual DIGIC 6 processors and new mirror lockup options to help get the absolute most out of that high-res sensor. We've had our hands on the 5DS and 5DS R - take a look at what's new and find out our initial impressions. Click here to read our detailed first impressions of the Canon EOS 5DS/R Olympus OM-D E-M5 II First Impressions Review At a glance the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II appears relatively unchanged from its predecessor, so you have to look a little closer to see how much work Olympus has put into the new model. The E-M5 II uses a redesigned 16MP Four Thirds sensor and offers a 40MP high-resolution shot mode powered by its 5-axis image stabilization. Other features include 1080/60p HD video, a fully articulated 3" touchscreen and built-in Wi-Fi. See its high-resolution mode in action and learn more about the subtle improvements included in the E-M5 II in our First Impressions Review. Read our more about the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Rebels with a cause: Canon EOS Rebel T6s/T6i (760D/750D) First Impressions Review Canon has just refreshed the top part of its entry-level Rebel series and it's looking more serious than ever before. The Canon EOS Rebel T6s and its Rebel T6i sibling use the same 24.2MP APS-C sensor and offer a new Hybrid CMOS AF III system with sensor-based phase detection for improved live view focusing. We've spent some time with both models - take a look at a comparison between the models and our impressions on handling them. Read our more about the new Canon Rebel T6s and T6i   Hands-on with Canon's 'not-coming-to-USA' EOS M3 Alongside new full-frame and Rebel-class DSLRs, Canon also announced a new mirrorless camera this week - the EOS M3. The third in Canon's M-series range of mirrorless interchangeable lens models, the M3 uses the same 24MP APS-C format sensor and Hybrid CMOS III AF system as the new Rebel T6s and T6i, and features a control dial and articulating rear screen. Click here to read more about the new Canon EOS M3 Hands-on with Samsung's new NX500 Samsung has just taken the wraps off a new mirrorless camera, which inherits most of the features from the company's flagship NX1. The NX500 takes a lot of the core features of the NX1 and wraps them up in a much smaller, rangefinder-style body at a lower cost. We got our hands on an NX1 recently, to get a feel for how this new camera feels and operates. Click here to learn more Go wide! Hands-on with Canon's 11-24mm F4 L Canon's new 11-24mm F4 L wideangle zoom lens has been a long time coming. Canon's widest ever rectilinear zoom by some margin, the new 11-24mm may also challenge Nikon's venerable 14-24mm F2.8 as the tool of choice for landscape, property and architectural photographers. We got our hands on a prototype recently at Canon's US headquarters. Click here to learn more   What else is coming up? CP+ is later this week, so we're busy preparing for that, but there's still time for some more product announcements, too. Already, 2015 is looking like a pretty good year for consumer digital photography. Barney
News updates Drone maker DJI announces support for Micro Four Thirds standard Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 7:53:20 PM GMT Three companies joined the Micro Four Thirds system standard group this morning, including DJI, maker of both consumer and professional-level drones. JDC (GuangZhou) Optical Co., a small Chinese optics manufacturer, and Flovel Co., a Japanese optical company, both also announced support. Read more Read full story → Serif launches Affinity Photo, a Photoshop alternative for Mac Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 7:19:00 PM GMT Serif has launched Affinity Photo software, an alternative to Adobe Photoshop for Mac users. The company touches on a couple different notable selling points: its software is considerably cheaper than Photoshop, but no less robust, and comes with the added benefit of silky-smooth operation, at least according to its maker. Additionally, because it is newly created for the latest hardware, Serif says Affinity Photo offers performance that Photoshop struggles to match. Read more Read full story → Fujifilm adds new lenses and teleconverter to official X-Series roadmap Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 6:25:20 PM GMT A new macro lens, a miniature standard prime and a teleconverter have been added to the Fujifilm X-Series roadmap, while a previously hinted-at lens has been given a definite focal length range in an announcement from the company’s headquarters. The chart released indicates that a 1.4x teleconverter will be the first of the new products to become available in the second half of this year. Learn more Read full story → Sigma goes wide with 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 5:00:00 AM GMT With the CP+ tradeshow in Japan about to kick off, Sigma has unveiled a 24mm F1.4 DG HSM wide angle prime lens, joining its 'Art' series of premium glass. Designed to cover a full-frame sensor, it will be offered in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts with availability and pricing yet to be announced. Read more Read full story → Sigma dp0 Quattro announced with 14mm F4 lens Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 5:00:00 AM GMT Sigma has announced its fourth compact in its unique Quattro series. The dp0 features a fixed 14mm F4 lens (21mm equivalent) along with the unconventional styling of its peers. Its Foveon X3 CMOS sensor is divided into three layers to record red, green and blue wavelengths separately, and the top layer captures 19.6MP of information. Read more Read full story → Nikon aims for the stars with the D810A, world's first full-frame astrophotography camera Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Nikon has announced the D810A: the first full-frame astrophotography-specific camera. This is the largest sensor to appear in a consumer astrophotography camera, bringing improved light capture capabilities to the discipline. It's essentially a Nikon D810 with a modified IR-cut filter to ensure the camera can capture light emitted by nebulae and additional features to support long exposure photography. Read more Read full story → Nikon announces Coolpix P610, L840, S9900, S7000 and S6900 compacts with emphasis on zoom Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT The pre-CP+ announcements keep on rolling in, and with them, new cameras from Nikon, including six zoom-centric, stabilized compacts that all sport 16MP CMOS sensors and built-in Wi-Fi/NFC. The P610 offers the greatest reach of the bunch, a 24-1440mm equivalent range. Read more Read full story → Nikon announces Coolpix AW130 and S33 rugged compacts Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Nikon has just refreshed its rugged camera lineup with the Coolpix AW130 and budget-friendly S33. The AW130 sports a 16MP CMOS sensor, 24-120mm equivalent zoom range, a 3” 920k dot OLED, 1080/30p video capture, Wi-Fi/NFC and built-in GPS. It can be submerged down to 30m/100 ft, is shockproof up to 2.1m/7 ft and freeze proof down to -10C/14F. Read more Read full story → Ricoh announces Pentax K-S2 with Wi-Fi, no blinking lights Published on Monday, February 9, 2015 10:00:00 PM GMT Ricoh has announced the Pentax K-S2 DSLR, offering a 20MP APS-C sensor, fully articulated LCD, weather-resistant construction and Wi-Fi with NFC. Where the K-S1 took an unconventional approach, the K-S2 is more traditional with a mode dial on the top panel, dual control dials and a standard grip without the preceding model's flashing LED lights. Read more Read full story → Ricoh WG-5 GPS updates rugged series Published on Monday, February 9, 2015 10:00:00 PM GMT Ricoh has introduced the WG-5 GPS, the latest in its line of rugged compacts. It exceeds its predecessor's shockproof rating of 2m to 2.2m, and maintains its other rugged specs including -10C/+14F degree freezeproof rating, 14m/45 ft waterproof capability and 100kgf/220lbf crushproof rating. The WG-5 uses a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor, a 25-100mm equivalent zoom lens and as its name suggests, built-in GPS. Read more Read full story → Collapsible Pentax-DA 18-50mm F4-5.6 DC WR RE claims title of world's shortest zoom Published on Monday, February 9, 2015 10:00:00 PM GMT Ricoh has just announced a new collapsible standard zoom lens. The HD Pentax-DA 18-50mm F4-5.6 DC WR RE is the world's shortest zoom when its stored position, and is to be sold as a kit with the just-launched Pentax K-S2 DSLR. The lens offers weather-resistant construction for shooting in rain or mist, and uses Pentax's multi-layer HD coatings to reduce flare and improve light transmittance. Read more Read full story → Ricoh releases inexpensive all-weather AF201FG external flash Published on Monday, February 9, 2015 10:00:00 PM GMT Ricoh has announced the AF201FG external flash for Pentax interchangeable lens cameras. The AF201FG is weather-resistant, can tilt down ten degrees and up ninety, and has a  guide number of 20 meters at ISO 100. It also weighs just 141g (5oz). The AF201FG will be available in March for $149/£129. Read more  Read full story → Microsoft Image Composite Editor 2.0 offers new panorama features and improved interface Published on Monday, February 9, 2015 12:00:00 AM GMT Microsoft's Research's Interactive Visual Media Group has announced the release of Image Composite Editor 2.0. The software's latest update, taking advantage of the company's Photosynth technology, can seamlessly stitch together 'gigapixel images', create panoramas from video, and automatically fill in areas of missing photographs. Read more Read full story → Apple reveals Photos beta for developers Published on Sunday, February 8, 2015 1:00:00 PM GMT Last year Apple announced that it would replace both its desktop image management and editing applications, iPhoto and Aperture with one single app called Photos. Now the company has released a preview of the new software with a beta version of OS X 10.10.3 which has been made available to developers. As expected, Photos is much more consumer-geared than pro, and emphasizes iCloud Photo integration. Read more Read full story → Nifty Fifty: Canon EOS 5DS / 5DS R First Impressions Review Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:11:14 AM GMT Canon's two newest professional DSLRs, the 50 megapixel EOS 5DS and 5DS R, share the distinction of offering the highest resolution available in the full-frame class. We've had our hands on the new cameras - take a look at what's new and find out our initial impressions. Read more Read full story → Rebels with a cause: Canon EOS Rebel T6s/T6i (760D/750D) First Impressions Review Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon has just refreshed the top part of its entry-level Rebel series and it's looking more serious than ever before. The Canon EOS Rebel T6s and its Rebel T6i sibling use the same 24.2MP APS-C sensor and offer a new Hybrid CMOS AF III system with sensor-based phase detection for improved live view focusing. We've spent some time with both models - take a look at a comparison between the models and our impressions on handling them. Read more Read full story → Hands-on with Canon's 'not-coming-to-USA' EOS M3 Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Alongside new full-frame and Rebel-class DSLRs, Canon also announced a new mirrorless camera this week - the EOS M3. The third in Canon's M-series range of mirrorless interchangeable lens models, the M3 uses the same 24MP APS-C format sensor and Hybrid CMOS III AF system as the new Rebel T6s and T6i, and features a control dial and articulating rear screen. Click through for more information and some images Read full story → Rebel Alliance: Hands-on with Canon's new Rebel T6s and T6i Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT The Rebels are coming, and they're more powerful than ever. Alongside the new full-frame EOS 5Ds and 5Dr, Canon has announced two new Rebel-class DSLRs, the T6i and Tsi (EOS 760D and 750D in Europe) with new 24MP sensors, improved Hybrid CMOS AF III and a host of other refinements. We got our hands on the new models recently to see for ourselves how they operate. Click through for pictures  Read full story → Go wide! Hands-on with Canon's 11-24mm F4 L Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon's new 11-24mm F4 L wideangle zoom lens has been a long time coming. Canon's widest ever rectilinear zoom by some margin, the new 11-24mm may also challenge Nikon's venerable 14-24mm F2.8 as the tool of choice for landscape, property and architectural photographers. We got our hands on a prototype recently at Canon's US headquarters. Click through for a closer look Read full story → Interview: Canon's Chuck Westfall on the EOS 5DS and 5DS R Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon's Chuck Westfall has seen the company introduce a lot of new technology, but it's safe to say he hasn't seen anything quite like the launch of the EOS 5DS and 5DS R. Our own Richard Butler sat down with Chuck to talk about the new 50MP sensor, what sort of noise performance and dynamic range we can expect to see from it and the cameras' intended audience. See video Read full story → 50MP Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R offer maxed-out resolution, slimmed-down video features Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon has officially unveiled the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R, both of which offer a 50.6MP full-frame sensor inside virtually the same body as the EOS 5D Mark III. The effect of the EOS 5DS R's low pass filter has been cancelled out, but aside from that difference the two cameras are identical. Like the EOS 5D III the new cameras offer 1080/30p video but do not feature headphone jacks sockets or clean HDMI out. The 5DS and 5DS R will be available from June for $3699 and $3899 respectively. Read more Read full story → Canon EOS Rebel T6s and T6i introduced with boosted resolution and Wi-Fi Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon has introduced two new DSLRs at the top end of its entry-level tier, the EOS Rebel T6s/760D and Rebel T6i/750D. They both provide 24.2MP APS-C sensor and built-in Wi-Fi with NFC (firsts for the Rebel series), while the T6s assumes the flagship role with a top panel LCD, quick control dial, horizontal level guide and additional manual controls in video mode. Read more Read full story → Canon EOS M3 to see European and Asian release with no plans for a North American launch Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon has announced the EOS M3 in Europe and Asia, improving on its predecessors with a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor, front control dial, Hybrid CMOS AF III AF system and an articulated 3.2" LCD capable of flipping up by 180 degrees. Building on the original EOS M, it also adds a more pronounced grip, a new DIGIC 6 processor, an exposure compensation dial on the top plate and Wi-Fi with NFC. It's expected to launch in April for £599.99/€769.99. Read more Read full story → Canon introduces 11-24mm f/4L USM wide angle zoom Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon has added a new ultra-wide zoom to its EF lineup - the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM. The new lens offers the widest angle of view ever provided in a rectilinear full-frame DSLR lens, and uses 16 elements in 11 groups with a total of four aspherical elements for distortion control. Read more Read full story → Canon announces 'G3 X' with 25x zoom, to become available... at some point Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon has announced plans for a 'PowerShot G3 X' enthusiast compact with a 1-inch type sensor and a 24-600mm equivalent lens. The company hasn't released much more detail at this time, but it's obvious from appearances that the G3 X is close in spirit to both the PowerShot G7 X and the G1 X Mark II. Read more Read full story → Canon rolls out PowerShot SX410 IS and ELPH 350 HS compacts Published on Friday, February 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Rounding out its pre-CP+ announcements, Canon has introduced two new PowerShot compacts - the SX410 IS and the ELPH 350 HS/IXUS 275 HS. The SX410 offers a 24-960mm equivalent zoom range, a 20MP CCD sensor, 720p video and Canon's Intelligent IS stabilization. The PowerShot 350 HS assumes a more compact form with a 25-300mm equivalent zoom range, 20.2MP CMOS sensor, built-in Wi-Fi with NFC and 1080p video. Read more Read full story → Fujifilm adds film simulation to Raw File Converter EX 2.0 and tethered shooting for X-T1 Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 6:49:18 PM GMT Fujifilm is to release a new version of its Raw File Converter EX at the end of the month, bringing the film simulation modes used in its X-series cameras to the Silkypix-based desktop software package. Initially the new feature will be available for files shot with X-T1, X-A2, X100T, X30 and XQ2 cameras, but the company has said that other models will be included in a further update at a later time. Read more Read full story → Hands-on with Samsung's new NX500 Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 10:30:00 AM GMT Samsung has just taken the wraps off a new mirrorless camera, which inherits most of the features from the company's flagship NX1. The NX500 takes a lot of the core features of the NX1 and wraps them up in a much smaller, rangefinder-style body at a lower cost. We got our hands on an NX1 recently, to get a feel for how this new camera feels and operates. Click through for some images Read full story → Samsung introduces NX500 with NX1's 28MP BSI sensor Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 10:30:00 AM GMT Samsung has announced the NX500, which borrows many features from the NX1 starting with a 28MP APS-C-size BSI-CMOS sensor. It too provides 4K and UHD video recording, a sophisticated hybrid NX AF system III, tilting Super AMOLED display, and (naturally) built-in Wi-Fi. Read more Read full story → Olympus OM-D E-M5 II First Impressions Review posted Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 6:00:00 AM GMT At a glance the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II appears relatively unchanged from its predecessor, so you have to look a little closer to see how much work Olympus has put into the new model. The E-M5 II uses a redesigned 16MP Four Thirds sensor and offers a 40MP high-resolution shot mode powered by its 5-axis image stabilization. See its high-resolution mode in action and learn more about the subtle improvements included in the E-M5 II in our First Impressions Review. Read more Read full story → Olympus announces OM-D E-M5 II with 40MP high resolution mode Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 6:00:00 AM GMT Olympus has unveiled the OM-D E-M5 II. Picking up where its successor left off, the E-M5 II continues to offer weather sealing and 5-axis IS while adding a redesigned 16MP Four Thirds sensor and 5-axis image stabilization. The E-M5 II also boasts a 40MP high resolution shot mode, achieved by shifting the sensor in half-pixel steps and capturing eight images over a period of one second. Read more Read full story → Olympus 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 II offers cosmetic improvements and optical coatings Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 6:00:00 AM GMT Olympus has announced a revamped, second generation of its 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 zoom. Resistant to dust and moisture, it uses a new ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating to protect against scratches and minimize flare. Read more Read full story → Olympus announces OM-D E-M1 firmware version 3.0 Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 6:00:00 AM GMT The Olympus OM-D E-M1 is about to get an update with the release of firmware version 3.0 later this month. The update's primary function is to boost maximum framerate from 6.5 fps to 9 when shooting in continuous AF mode, thanks to enhancements for the camera's 37-point phase-detect algorithm. Read more Read full story → Olympus 'Air' clip-on camera for smartphones coming to Japan Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 6:00:00 AM GMT Olympus Japan has announced the 'Air' - a new camera module which clips onto smartphones in much the same way as Sony's QX-series products. The Air features a 16MP Four Thirds sensor behind a Micro Four Thirds lens mount, a physical shutter release button and tripod mount. Uniquely, the camera will be released with an open-source API, allowing developers to come up with different applications and explore the potential of the new platform. Read more   Read full story → Olympus 8mm F1.8 'pro' fisheye in development Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 6:00:00 AM GMT Olympus has revealed plans for an 8mm F1.8 fisheye lens with its 'Pro' designation. The super-wide lens will offer a 16mm equivalent angle on a Micro Four Thirds body. Keeping with the trend in the Pro line, the lens will boast a splash and dustproof design. Read more Read full story → Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860 updates rugged series Published on Thursday, February 5, 2015 6:00:00 AM GMT Olympus has refreshed its rugged compact series with the Stylus Tough TG-860. It offers a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor and is capable of diving to greater depths than its predecessor, the TG-850 iHS, as it's waterproof to 15m/50 ft (compared to 10m/33ft). Other new features include Wi-Fi and a pair of customizable buttons. Read more Read full story → Ricoh announces development of long-awaited full-frame Pentax DSLR Published on Wednesday, February 4, 2015 10:00:00 PM GMT And so it was written that since the beginning of recorded time, Pentax shooters have predicted the release of a full-frame K-mount DSLR. Today, their prayers have been answered, as Ricoh has announced the development of exactly that. The company didn't share a whole lot of detail, other than to say that it will be compatible with DA lenses via a crop function and that it will be available by the end of 2015. Click through for (very little) additional information Read full story → Ricoh introduces HD Pentax D FA * 70-200mm F2.8 and HD Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 zooms Published on Wednesday, February 4, 2015 10:00:00 PM GMT Ricoh has announced two new zoom lenses for Pentax K-mount DSLRs, the HD Pentax-D FA * 70-200mm F2.8ED DC AW and HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW. Both are designed to cover a full-frame sensor and are built to withstand exposure to dust and moisture. Read more Read full story → Wundershine smart frame prints, displays and stores your favorite images Published on Wednesday, February 4, 2015 8:51:32 PM GMT Dutch startup Wundershine has re-imagined the photo frame with Makerframe, a wooden frame that can print and display your images thanks to a built-in inkless thermal printer. Still in the development phase, the system is controlled via Android or iOS app. A simpler model called Reframe that doesn't include the printer is also in the works. Read more Read full story →
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