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Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 1 April 2015

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Digital Photography Review Newsletter

Wednesday, 1 April 2015
The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
 

Welcome to the 554th Digital Photography Review newsletter.

March was a four review month here at DPReview, and this morning we posted the latest - our in-depth look at Sony's a7 II. We expected to be able to knock this one out pretty quickly but it didn't take long for us to realize that a proper look at its new in-body stabilization system and improved autofocus was quite a big task. I'm a little ashamed to say that my shooting report on the Samsung NX500 took much less time to write. You can find links to both pieces of content below.

Ready, steady: Sony Alpha 7 II Review

The Sony Alpha 7 II provides a number of features and ergonomic enhancements over its predecessor, but its standout feature is the 5-axis image stabilization system surrounding its 24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor. Sony also claims improvements to the camera's hybrid AF system, and it also sports a redesigned grip. Find out all about the a7 II's added features and see what difference they make.

Read our review of the Sony Alpha a7 II

Island life: Samsung NX500 Shooting Experience

The Samsung NX500 takes some of the best bits of the NX1, including the same 28MP APS-C format sensor and still imaging pipeline, and wraps them up in a smaller, less expensive body. We recently had the opportunity to shoot with an NX500 on the beautiful island of Hawaii. We've already published a couple of samples galleries, but click through to read about how we got on with Samsung's newest mirrorless interchangeable lens camera

Read our writeup of the Samsung NX500's shooting experience

X-Transformed? Fujifilm X30 Review

The X30 is the latest iteration of Fujifilm's line of premium compact cameras. Featuring a 12MP X-Trans sensor coupled with a 28-112mm equivalent fast zoom, the X30 is a capable camera, made more enjoyable compared to its predecessors by the addition of a high-resolution electronic viewfinder. Our man in England, Damien Demolder has been shooting with one and shares his take.

Read our review of the Fujifilm X30

Readers' Showcase: Raymond Pang

'Whales made me do it' isn't exactly what we expected to hear when we asked DPR reader Raymond Pang how he got started in photography. Then again, he's not really your typical photographer. When he couldn't find an app to help him plan out shoots in advance, he learned iOS app development and created one. Take a look at some of his images and read more in our Q&A.

Click here to view DPReview reader Raymond Pang's portfolio

DPReview recommends: Best smartphone cameras

In many users' pockets consumer-level digital compact cameras have been replaced by smartphones. The cameras of the latter don't usually have zoom lenses or xenon flashes but image sensor technology has been rapidly improving, making smartphones important photographic tools for many. We've made a list of our current favorite smartphone cameras - we'll update this article over time as we test more devices.

Click here to read our roundup of smartphone cameras

What else is coming up?

We've got two reviews in the final stages of completion - the Samsung NX1 and Nikon D5500 - and we'll be sharing real-world and studio samples from the Nikon D7200 in the next few days. Keep an eye on the homepage!

Barney

 
 
News updates

Phase One Industrial's new 80MP drone camera is the smallest of its kind

Published on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 10:01:18 PM GMT

Phase One Industrial designed a new camera specifically for drones, billed as the smallest 80 megapixel medium format camera in the world. The iXU 180 camera features an 80 megapixel CCD sensor, taking 4:3 ratio images with your choice of five Schneider-Kreuznach lenses and an overall modular design. The camera won't be arriving until the middle of next month, but Phase One Industrial has detailed its specs ahead of time. Read more

Read full story

Microsoft announces Surface 3 tablet running full Windows

Published on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 7:42:49 PM GMT

Microsoft has announced the latest model in its Surface line of tablets, the Surface 3. The big news here is that, unlike its predecessors which were running Windows RT, the new model comes with a full version of Windows 8.1. This means, like on the more expensive Surface Pro models, you can install and run any Windows application including Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, making the Surface 3 a real alternative to a conventional PC. Read more

Read full story

Ready, steady: Sony Alpha 7 II Review

Published on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 6:06:00 PM GMT

The Sony Alpha 7 II provides a number of features and ergonomic enhancements over its predecessor, but its standout feature is the 5-axis image stabilization system surrounding its 24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor. Sony also claims improvements to the camera's hybrid AF system, and it also sports a redesigned grip. Find out all about the a7 II's added features and see what difference they make. Read review

Read full story

Yale acquires Meserve-Kunhardt Collection with iconic Abraham Lincoln portraits

Published on Monday, March 30, 2015 10:01:00 PM GMT

Yale has announced the acquisition of the Meserve-Kunhardt Collection, which is comprised of more than 73,000 items including portraits of Abraham Lincoln. The collection was assembled by Frederick Hill Meserve and his daughter Dorothy Meserve, and serves to document American history spanning from the Civil War up to the end of the 19th century. Read more

Read full story

Mint introduces Instantflex TL70 instant film TLR camera

Published on Monday, March 30, 2015 6:00:43 PM GMT

Polaroid camera repair and maintenance company Mint has introduced its own instant camera called the Mint Instantflex TL70. Fitted with a 65.4mm lens the camera offers aperture settings of f/5.6, f/8, f/16 and f/32 with an additional setting called f/bokeh – which creates a 5-pointed star shaped aperture. The Instantflex also features a flip-up flash unit housed above the viewing lens. Read more

Read full story

DPReview recommends: Best smartphone cameras

Published on Monday, March 30, 2015 7:01:00 AM GMT

In many users' pockets consumer-level digital compact cameras have been replaced by smartphones. The cameras of the latter don't usually have zoom lenses or xenon flashes but image sensor technology has been rapidly improving, making smartphones important photographic tools for many. We've made a list in no particular order our current favorite smartphone cameras for those who are looking to buy their first smartphone or upgrade their current device. Read more

Read full story

Readers' Showcase: Raymond Pang

Published on Saturday, March 28, 2015 12:30:00 PM GMT

'Whales made me do it' isn't exactly what we expected to hear when we asked DPR reader Raymond Pang how he got started in photography. Then again, he's not really your typical photographer. When he couldn't find an app to help him plan out shoots in advance, he learned iOS app development and created one. Take a look at some of his images and read more in our Q&A. See gallery

Read full story

Lee Filters introduces updates to super-wide SW system to fit more lenses and reduce flare

Published on Friday, March 27, 2015 11:37:13 PM GMT

A new version of the Lee Filters SW150 system holder has been introduced that allows compatibility with a broader range of extreme wide angle lenses, and which has been designed to reduce the impact of reflections from the rear surface of fitted filters. The Lee Filter SW150 Mark ll now allows the existing 150mm-wide filters that were developed for the original SW150 to be fitted to four lenses using model-specific adapter rings - with more on the way. Read more

Read full story

Adaptalux introduces portable lighting studio for macro photography

Published on Friday, March 27, 2015 6:35:19 PM GMT

Adaptalux has introduced a new portable lighting studio, likewise called Adaptalux, which is designed specifically for macro photography. The design is modular in nature, allowing photographers to 'rebuild' it in different ways to meet different needs. This is achieved using a core Control Pod into which Lighting Arms are plugged, with each Lighting Arm being customizable in regards to color, beam angle, brightness and diffusion. Read more

Read full story

X-Transformed? Fujifilm X30 Review

Published on Friday, March 27, 2015 12:30:00 PM GMT

The X30 is the latest iteration of Fujifilm's line of premium compact cameras. Featuring a 12MP X-Trans sensor coupled with a 28-112mm equivalent fast zoom, the X30 is a capable camera, made more enjoyable compared to its predecessors by the addition of a high-resolution electronic viewfinder. Our man in England, Damien Demolder has been shooting with one and shares his take. Read review

Read full story

Manfrotto launches miniature Lumie LED lights

Published on Thursday, March 26, 2015 8:41:00 PM GMT

Accessories manufacturer Manfrotto has announced a new series of consumer LED lights that offer portable continuous output for stills and video photographers. The Lumie Art, Play and Muse lights are powered by a USB rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that is said to deliver over an hour’s worth of continuous lighting. While the Art and Play models come with a hotshoe adapter and a tripod mount, the Muse additionally has a ball and socket head that makes angling the light easy. Read more

Read full story

Island life: Samsung NX500 Shooting Experience

Published on Thursday, March 26, 2015 5:25:00 PM GMT

The Samsung NX500 takes some of the best bits of the NX1, including the same 28MP APS-C format sensor and still imaging pipeline, and wraps them up in a smaller, less expensive body. We recently had the opportunity to shoot with an NX500 on the beautiful island of Hawaii. We've already published a couple of samples galleries, but click through to read about how we got on with Samsung's newest mirrorless interchangeable lens camera

Read full story

Amazon launches unlimited cloud photo storage for $11.99 per year

Published on Thursday, March 26, 2015 4:16:00 PM GMT

Amazon has announced two new 'unlimited' storage plans as part of its Cloud Drive service. The Unlimited Photos plan costs $11.99 per year and an 'Unlimited Everything' plan allows users to store an infinite number of photos, videos, documents and music for $59.99 per year. Both services can be tried out for free for three months, starting now. Click through for more information 

Read full story

Reikan announces major update to FoCal AF tuning software

Published on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 9:52:51 PM GMT

Reikan has announced a major update to its AF tuning software, FoCal. FoCal automates the process of calibrating your lens to your DSLR camera body, important - if not absolutely necessary - for critical focus when using fast lenses that yield shallow depth-of-field. Version 2 introduces the ability to check your copy of a lens against other users' test results. Read more

Read full story

Impossible launches B&W 2.0 quick-process instant film for 600 series cameras

Published on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 9:05:31 PM GMT

Instant film manufacturer Impossible has launched what it calls a Generation 2.0 film called B&W 2.0. The company claims it's not only sharper and clearer than previous Impossible products, but also develops much quicker. The new film is the result of a new chemical formula for Impossible that has been developed by former Polaroid research chemist Stephen Herchen. Read more

Read full story

University of Texas crowdfunding project will release macro images into public domain

Published on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 8:23:44 PM GMT

The University of Texas has initiated a new crowdfunding campaign that, if successful, will result in macro photos of insects being released into the public domain. The funding for the project will be used to support the students learning to use the imaging system, to improve the photography hardware, and to help pay for the Web hosting. Read more

Read full story

Retro, refined: Fujifilm X100T reviewed

Published on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 7:05:00 AM GMT

The Fujifilm X100T offers seemingly small improvements on its predecessors, the cult classic X100 and X100S. Its 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor and fixed 35mm equiv. f/2 lens are now accompanied by an all electronic shutter mode with increased 1/32000sec maximum speed, redesigned hybrid viewfinder and an upgraded 1.04m dot rear LCD. Find out how much of an impact these incremental updates make. Read review

Read full story

 

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