Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 11 March 2015

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 11 March 2015 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 551st Digital Photography Review newsletter. My goodness, whatever this late winter malaise is, it's hit us hard. Several of us here in the DPReview office are still coughing and spluttering, Allison has fractured her wrist (in an unrelated accident) and nobody has heard from Dale since he got back from the WPPI show last week in Las Vegas. Let's hope we make it through the week. We're still putting out content though - don't you worry about that. Cough cough... Here's what's been going on over the past few days. Making 'Art': We go inside Sigma's lens factory On our recent visit to Japan to attend the CP+ show in Yokohama we were fortunate to be invited to tour Sigma's factory in Aizu. The Aizu factory is where all of Sigma's lenses are manufactured, including the company's impressive new 'Art' line of primes. Click through to take a virtual tour of the factory, in the company of Kazuto Yamaki, Sigma's CEO. Click here to view our tour of Sigma's Aizu lens factory Prepare to be impressed: Tamron 15-30 F2.8 vs. Nikon 14-24 F2.8 While we were at CP+ 2015 in Japan, we met with Tamron, and the company was kind enough to lend us their newly announced 15-30mm F2.8 Di VC USD. In Nikon mount, no less. It's a wide range for a full-frame zoom, made more impressive by the inclusion of vibration compensation (VC). With a price tag of $1200, Tamron is taking the Nikon 14-24 head-on, and so we decided to do the same: pit the two against one another in a shootout. Read more about Tamron's impressive new 15-30mm zoom CP+ 2015: Canon Interview - 'every day I'm saying 'speed up!'' We recently returned from the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan, where we sat down with executives from most of the major camera and lens manufacturers to get their insights and opinions on the challenges facing their companies and the market as a whole. One of them was Masaya Maeda - Managing Director and Chief Executive, Image Communication Products Operations at Canon. Click here to read our interview with Masaya Maeda of Canon Sony Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35mm F1.4 ZA real-world samples gallery posted We got our hands on the Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 and spent some time shooting with it around Seattle. It features a 9-blade circular aperture and a Direct Drive SSM focus system. It also offers a unique switch on the lens barrel that lets users toggle whether or not the aperture ring is stepless. It's a beefy lens, measuring nearly 12cm in length and weighing 630g. We shot with it on a Sony a7 II and a Sony a7R. Click here to view our gallery of samples from the new Sony Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35mm F1.4 CP+ 2015 Ricoh Imaging interview - full-frame DSLR may have 'something extra built-in' We recently returned from the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan, where we sat down with Kazunobu Saiki - General Manager of the Marketing Communication Department, in the Global Marketing Division of Ricoh Imaging. We spoke to Mr Saiki about Ricoh's forthcoming full-frame DSLR, the success of the 645Z and about his desire to improve AF performance in Pentax's DSLRs and lenses. Click here to read our interview with Kazunobu Saiki of Ricoh Imaging What else is coming up? We're still powering through work on the Sony Alpha a7II and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II reviews, and we're very close to being able to publish more content on both products. We've also been out shooting with Panasonic's Lumix DMC-GF7 and ZS50, and Rishi has been preparing a detailed comparison of the current crop of 35mm F1.4 full-frame primes, which should be coming up soon as well. Barney
News updates Elinchrom announces new ELB 400 portable flash system Published on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 11:37:00 PM GMT Flash equipment manufacturer Elinchrom has launched a new portable flash system that promises faster recycling times, more bursts per charge and greater flexibility than the company’s current battery-powered kits. The Elinchrom ELB 400 is a 424Ws pack that can manage up to 350 full power flashes per charge and can recycle in 1.6 seconds after a maximum output burst. Read more Read full story → Flat elements developed by Harvard could make camera lenses smaller, lighter and better Published on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 10:55:49 PM GMT A team at Harvard School of Engineering has developed a method for making flat lenses that could dramatically reduce the size and weight of camera lenses in the future. The method employs tiny silicon antennas positioned on flat glass components to redirect light when it reaches the surface of the lens instead of relying on refraction and the thickness of glass to bend light in a particular direction. Learn more Read full story → Video: A conversation with Olympus' Richard Pelkowski about the OM-D E-M5 II Published on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 6:06:03 PM GMT The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II has attracted a lot of attention, both for its technology and because it succeeds an already popular camera. We sat down with Product Manager Richard Pelkowski to find out more about the technology that went into the E-M5's successor and what might be possible in the future. See video Read full story → CP+ 2015: Canon Interview - 'every day I'm saying 'speed up!'' Published on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 4:08:00 PM GMT We recently returned from the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan, where we sat down with executives from most of the major camera and lens manufacturers to get their insights and opinions on the challenges facing their companies and the market as a whole. One of them was Masaya Maeda - Managing Director and Chief Executive, Image Communication Products Operations at Canon. Click through to read the interview Read full story → Flasher smartphone flash launched on Kickstarter Published on Monday, March 9, 2015 7:23:34 PM GMT A poor built-in LED-flash is still one of the smartphone camera's most glaring weaknesses. We've seen a number of accessory makers addressing the problem with different external light solutions. The latest one comes from Vision global which has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund mass production of its Flasher accessory. Read more Read full story → Making 'Art': We go inside Sigma's lens factory Published on Monday, March 9, 2015 1:46:00 AM GMT On our recent visit to Japan to attend the CP+ show in Yokohama we were fortunate to be invited to tour Sigma's factory in Aizu. The Aizu factory is where all of Sigma's lenses are manufactured, including the company's impressive new 'Art' line of primes. Click through to take a virtual tour of the factory, in the company of Kazuto Yamaki, Sigma's CEO.  Read full story → CP+ 2015 Ricoh Imaging interview - full-frame DSLR may have 'something extra built-in' Published on Sunday, March 8, 2015 12:00:00 PM GMT We recently returned from the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan, where we sat down with Kazunobu Saiki - General Manager of the Marketing Communication Department, in the Global Marketing Division of Ricoh Imaging. We spoke to Mr Saiki about Ricoh's forthcoming full-frame DSLR, the success of the 645Z and about his desire to improve AF performance in Pentax's DSLRs and lenses. Click through to read the interview Read full story → Altitude adjustment: Alpine photographer Jonathan Griffith Published on Sunday, March 8, 2015 11:30:00 AM GMT Based out of the climbing town of Chamonix, France, Jonathan Griffith has been making 'life threatening' a sport for more than a decade. With exceptional sets of images from extended mountain hikes and nearly vertical ice climbs as well as perilous extreme sports like cliff-face paragliding, the alpinist and photographer has toured worldwide sites from Alaska to the Alps. We asked him a few questions about his photography and passion for climbing. See gallery Read full story → National Media Museum to display three of the world's oldest photos Published on Saturday, March 7, 2015 7:38:57 PM GMT Three photographs taken by Joseph Nicephore Niépce, a Frenchman born in 1765, will soon be exhibited by the National Media Museum. These particular images, which their creator called 'heliographs', were taken during the 1820s, and are part of a set of 16 image located throughout the world. All three images are said to be amongst the earliest of photographs ever taken. Read more Read full story → Nikon D5500 real-world samples Published on Friday, March 6, 2015 1:01:00 PM GMT A slight update to the D5300, the Nikon D5500 is a midrange DX-format that sports a 24MP CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter (OLPF) and the company's latest Expeed 4 processor. This combination offers an ISO range of 100-25600 and 5 fps burst shooting, while the 39-point AF system can track subjects in '3D'. Other features include a fully articulating 3.2" touchscreen LCD with 1.04M dots and 1080/60p video. We've been using it for a few days - click through to view our gallery of samples Read full story → Livestream's new Broadcaster mini dongle broadcasts live video Published on Friday, March 6, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Livestream has introduced its new Broadcaster mini device for live-streaming video directly from a camera. The dongle is compatible with any camera that offers a mini HDMI port, and works wirelessly in conjunction with Android/iOS devices and Livestream's Studio software. The Broadcaster mini will be joined by the Broadcaster Pro next month, which will offer longer battery life, more connectivity options and higher-quality streaming. Read more Read full story → Sony Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35mm F1.4 ZA real-world samples gallery posted Published on Thursday, March 5, 2015 8:13:00 PM GMT Sony announced three new FE primes yesterday, including a 28 f/2, a 35mm f/1.4 and a 90mm f/2.8 macro. We got our hands on the Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 and shot with it around Seattle. It features a 9-blade circular aperture and a Direct Drive SSM focus system. Check out our samples gallery Read full story → World Press Photo revokes prize from Giovanni Troilo Published on Thursday, March 5, 2015 8:03:05 PM GMT Following an investigation into Contemporary Issues winner Giovanni Troilo's photo story 'La Ville Noir - The Dark Heart of Europe,' World Press Photo has stripped the photographer of his prize. The organization found Troilo to be in violation of contest rules - specifically, a photo he submitted that he alleged to have been taken in the Belgian city at the heart of the project turns out to have been taken in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, Brussels. Read more Read full story → Prepare to be impressed: Tamron 15-30 F2.8 vs. Nikon 14-24 F2.8 Published on Thursday, March 5, 2015 5:20:00 PM GMT While we were at CP+ 2015 in Japan, we met with Tamron, and the company was kind enough to lend us their newly announced 15-30mm F2.8 Di VC USD. In Nikon mount, no less. It's a wide range for a full-frame zoom, made more impressive by the inclusion of vibration compensation (VC). With a price tag of $1200, Tamron is taking the Nikon 14-24 head-on, and so we decided to do the same: pit the two against one another in a shootout, which you can view here Read full story → CP+ 2015 Sigma Interview - "small office, big factory" Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 9:46:00 PM GMT At this year's CP+ show in Yokohama Japan we made time to sit down with several senior executives from major manufacturers, including Sigma. In this interview with Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, we spoke about the challenges of making lenses for ever-increasing pixel counts, the company's 'small office, big factory' philosophy and why the company is continuing to make cameras. Read more Read full story → Manfrotto releases XPRO Geared tripod head for precision adjustments with heavy kit Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 9:37:00 PM GMT Italian tripod and accessory manufacturer Manfrotto has announced it is introducing a new heavy-weight head to its XPRO range. The XPRO Geared Head is designed for photographers who use weighty equipment and who like to be able to make precise adjustments to their composition. Read more Read full story → Nissin launches radio-controlled Di700A and Commander Air 1 wireless flash system Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 8:17:19 PM GMT Independent Japanese flash manufacturer Nissin has announced a new wireless flash system that uses radio transmission. The first gun to be compatible with the company’s Nissin Air System (NAS) will be an adapted version of the Di700 flash unit. The Di700A will have the same specification as the GN48m/157ft current model, but will also feature a 2.4GHz radio transmitter that will be able to communicate with other NAS guns and the Nissin Commander Air 1 command unit from a distance of up to 30m. Read more Read full story → Chinese maker Xiaomi challenges GoPro with new Yi Action Camera Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 7:05:51 PM GMT Chinese company Xiaomi, perhaps best known for its smartphones, has introduced a new GoPro competitor called the Yi Action Camera. This new action camera will only be sold inside of China for the equivalent of approximately $64 USD (399 CNY); the company doesn't, as of now, have plans to sell it elsewhere. This still poses a problem for GoPro, however, which has recently been looking to expand into the Chinese market. Read more Read full story → Sony releases 28mm, 35mm, and 90mm macro full-frame primes Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Three full-frame prime lenses on Sony's lens roadmap officially arrived today which, including the 24-240, brings the total number of FE lenses to eleven. The least expensive of the trio is the 28mm F2 lens, which also supports ultra-wide and fisheye adapters. Next is the long-awaited Zeiss 35mm F1.4 ZA, which is Sony's fastest FE lens to date. Close-up shooters will be interested in the new 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS lens, which uses a Direct Drive SSM mechanism for ultra-precise focusing. More details here. Read full story → Sony brings big zoom power to FE-mount with 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 lens Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Another full-frame lens from Sony's roadmap that hit the market today is a consumer-friendly super zoom. This 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 FE lens features optical image stabilization, five aspherical elements and one ED element, and is sealed against dust and moisture. The lens will ship this month for around $1000. Read full story → Firmware updates to reduce Sony FE lens startup times on the way Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Sony is releasing a pair of firmware updates this month that will reduce startup times when FE lenses are attached to both full-frame and APS-C bodies. The first update, available now, will make your E-mount camera get ready to shoot in less time when using five currently available FE lenses. The second update, due later this month, will do the same for Sony's a7 series, this time for the four new lenses announced today. Read more Read full story → Sony adds wide-angle and fisheye adapters for full-frame and APS-C lenses Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Sony has officially announced four new conversion lenses - two for full-frame and two for APS-C - that can be screwed onto a select group of lenses. On the full-frame side there are ultra-wide and fisheye adapters for the new FE 28mm F2, which drop the focal range to 21mm and 16mm, respectively. The adapters for APS-C lenses - the 20mm F2.8 and 16mm F2.8 specifically - and reduce the focal lengths by 0.75X for the ultra-wide adapter and 0.6X for the fisheye. More details. Read full story → Kowa announces pricing for three Micro Four Thirds lens Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 12:30:00 AM GMT Japanese optical manufacturer Kowa has released pricing for the three Micro Four Thirds lenses it first announced a year ago. The trio, Kowa Prominar MFT 12mm f/1.8, Prominar MFT 8.5mm f/2.8 and Prominar MFT 25mm f/1.8 are available now and will come in a choice of black, silver or green finishes. The lenses are all manual focus, and do not feature electrical contacts for communicating aperture or focus distance data to the camera. The company had them on show at the Broadcast Video Expo in London. Read more Read full story →
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