Welcome to the 583rd Digital Photography Review newsletter. Leica and Sony have been busy during the past few days, releasing one high-end full-frame camera each. Sony's RX1R II is a welcome refresh of the RX1/R, and inherits its 42MP full-frame sensor from the flagship a7R II. It also incorporates an electronic viewfinder and a tilting screen. Meanwhile, Leica's SL is a full-frame DSLR-style mirrorless camera which takes the Leica Q's 24MP sensor but pairs it with an all-new (kind of) lens mount. You'll find links to both announcement stories below. A lot to Leica? Hands-on with the Leica SL (Typ 601) Last year Leica entered the mirrorless ILC market with its T (Typ 701). And now, just in time for the PhotoPlus Expo later this week in New York the company is going big - and we mean big - with the SL (Typ 601), a full-frame mirrorless model for enthusiasts with a high credit limit. Click here to read more about the new Leica SL 
Second time lucky? A closer look at Sony's new RX1R II Sony has just announced a brand-new full-frame camera, the Cyber-shot RX1R II. Successor to the RX1 and RXIR, the new model brings some significant updates, most notably the same sensor and hybrid AF system as the company's flagship mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the A7R II. We've had our hands on the R1XR II and we've put together some first impressions. Learn more about the Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II 
Wide lens, right price? Nikon 24mm F1.8G ED real-world samples Earlier this year Nikon expanded a series of F1.8 primes with the 24mm F1.8G ED, sitting alongside 20mm and 35mm models. Compact and lightweight, it hits a $750 price point that's relatively reasonable, considering the F1.4 version retails for over $2000. We've spent some time shooting with the new 24mm prime - take a look at its performance out and about. View our gallery of sample images from the Nikon 24mm F1.8G ED 
New York, New York: Low light Sony a7S II stills and 4K sample videos from the Big Apple  The Sony a7S II looks a lot like its full-frame Alpha mirrorless counterparts, but behind the familiar face are some important new features - namely, the ability to record 4K video internally. Its specifications are tuned to videography, with features like Full HD recording at 120fps, but its low light stills potential is equally compelling. We had the opportunity to shoot with the camera, so naturally we put its internal 4K and still photo capabilities to the test.
Click here to see sample images and videos from the new Sony a7S II Like father, like son: Hawkeye Huey's knee-high portraits of the American West  Hawkeye Huey's photos don't follow traditional photography conventions of composition or exposure. They're often blurry, cut off subjects, and use hard flash. The National Geographic-represented photographer is launching his first photo book with a little help from a Kickstarter campaign and a lot of help from his partner in crime - his dad, Aaron Huey.
Click here to read more about Hawkeye Huey and see some of his work What's coming up? In a few hours I'll be leaving sunny Seattle with a couple of my colleagues for New York, to cover the annual Photo Plus Expo show. Meanwhile our hard-working reviews team is finishing up our full review of Sony's flagship mirrorless camera, the A7R II, and working to update our in-depth seasonal camera roundups. Lots to look forward to! Barney |
| News updates | Published Monday, October 19, 2015 9:10:59 PM GMT A picture of the Dorset coastline on a snowy day has won a UK photographer the £10,000 top prize in the 'Take A View' competition. Andy Farrer, a professional photographer from Dorset, England, has become the ninth Landscape Photographer of the Year with his image of 'Bat's Head In The Snow’. Read more | | Published Monday, October 19, 2015 6:38:52 PM GMT The U.S. government may soon require most drones to be registered, according to the Associated Press. Sources speaking on the matter state the FAA is working with unspecified industry and government officials to create a registration system. While the exact requirements aren't known, it is believed small and toy drones will not require registration. Read more | | Published Monday, October 19, 2015 12:00:00 PM GMT Sony has gradually been updating its Alpha line of full frame mirrorless cameras, and the a7S II is the latest to get the update treatment. The original a7S gained a bit of a cult following as an outstanding HD video camera, thanks to its full sensor readout, outstanding HD video, and impressive low light capability. As a result, it should come as no surprise that Sony has largely aimed the a7S II at the videography crowd. Click through to read more | | Published Sunday, October 18, 2015 12:00:00 PM GMT Hawkeye Huey's photos don't follow traditional photography conventions of composition or exposure. They're often blurry, cut off subjects, and use hard flash. The National Geographic-represented photographer is launching his first photo book with a little help from a Kickstarter campaign and a lot of help from his partner in crime - his dad, Aaron Huey. Read more | | Published Saturday, October 17, 2015 12:00:00 PM GMT Thirty years after it first began, the Nikon International Small World Competition continues to highlight outstanding photography of the invisible world right in front of our eyes - the world captured by photomicrography. The competition is open to professionals and amateurs alike worldwide, and first prize nets the winner $3,000 toward the Nikon gear of their choosing. Read more | | Published Saturday, October 17, 2015 12:00:00 PM GMT Taylor Gray may be young, but he's serious about photography. After taking a borrowed DSLR on a backpacking trip, Gray was hooked on photography and found a new love for adventure and travel. See some of the young photographer's work. Read more | | Published Friday, October 16, 2015 11:10:27 PM GMT Earlier this month Microsoft launched the long-awaited successors to the Nokia Lumia 930 and 1520: the Lumia 950 and 950XL. Now a post on the Microsoft Devices Blog provides some more detail about the camera hardware and software in the new models, along with some impressive-looking sample images. Read more | | Published Friday, October 16, 2015 6:05:00 PM GMT Polarr has released Photo Editor 3, the third version of its lightweight photo editing software. The new version brings with it support for using a mouse and a touchscreen, as well as a new user interface, adjustment sliders, photo editing guides, and other features. Read more | | Published Friday, October 16, 2015 5:17:02 PM GMT Lens manufacturer Sigma has introduced a new lens to its Art range of premium optics that it claims is the fastest 20mm in the world. The new 20mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art is designed for full frame cameras and will be available in mounts for Canon EF, Nikon F and Sigma models. Read more | | Published Friday, October 16, 2015 12:22:00 AM GMT Change may come soon for the web's most widely adopted image format. Earlier this week at a meeting in Brussels, the JPEG Committee discussed adding a DRM (Digital Rights Management) security feature to the regular JPEG image format. Read more | | Published Thursday, October 15, 2015 8:13:56 PM GMT DJI, the maker of Phantom drones, has introduced a stabilized handheld 4K video system that uses a gimbal head to produce smooth video footage. The DJI Osmo is a handle-mount with a 3-axis head that senses movement and cancels out sudden jerks and bumps to ensure the camera moves slowly and the footage looks professional. Read more | | Published Thursday, October 15, 2015 6:12:00 PM GMT Next week sees the return of PhotoPlus Expo, the largest photography and imaging show in the United States. Held October 21-24 in the Javits Center in New York City, PPE 2015 will play host to more than 100 educational seminars, Photo Walks and Master Classes, and over 250 exhibitors displaying thousands of products. As usual, DPReview will be at the event, reporting from the show floor. Read more | | Published Thursday, October 15, 2015 12:00:00 PM GMT The Sony a7S II looks a lot like its full-frame Alpha mirrorless counterparts, but behind the familiar face are some important new features - namely, the ability to record 4K video internally. Its specifications are tuned to videography, with features like Full HD recording at 120fps, but its low light stills potential is equally compelling. We had the opportunity to shoot with the camera, so naturally we put its internal 4K and still photo capabilities to the test. Read more | | Published Wednesday, October 14, 2015 9:51:05 PM GMT Last month Sony promised to address a key concern of a7-series camera owners with a firmware update adding 14-bit uncompressed Raw support. The a7R II was named as the first in line to get the update, and Sony has confirmed that the firmware version will come Monday, October 19. Read more | | Published Wednesday, October 14, 2015 9:15:00 PM GMT Sony has just announced a brand-new full-frame camera, the Cyber-shot RX1R II. Successor to the RX1 and RXIR, the new model brings some significant updates, most notably the same sensor and hybrid AF system as the company's flagship mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the A7R II. We've had our hands on the R1XR II and we've put together some first impressions. Click through to read more | | Published Wednesday, October 14, 2015 5:44:32 PM GMT Lexar recently introduced a 128GB version of its Professional 2000x SDXC UHS-II memory card. Once it launches, this new version will be the fastest 128GB memory card to utilize the Ultra High Speed II, UHS Speed Class 3 standard. The card is built to support capturing 4K video and other demanding content. Read more | | Published Wednesday, October 14, 2015 3:24:00 PM GMT Sony has announced its Cyber-shot RX1R II, an update to 2013's RX1 and RX1R full-frame, fixed-lens compact cameras. The RX1R II brings a 42.4 Megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor borrowed from the a7R II, 35mm F2 Zeiss Sonnar T* lens, retractable viewfinder, variable low-pass filter and greatly improved autofocus. Read more | | Published Wednesday, October 14, 2015 1:59:15 PM GMT German optical manufacturer Zeiss has announced it is to introduce a wide angle to its Otus family of lenses designed for full frame SLR cameras. The Zeiss Otus 1.4/28 is a 28mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4, and will be available with ZE and ZF.2 mounts for Canon EOS and Nikon F cameras. Read more | | Published Wednesday, October 14, 2015 12:00:00 PM GMT Tamron seemed to have taken a cue from Sigma when it launched the SP 35mm and 45mm F1.8, following that company's lead in offering fast, high quality fixed focal length lenses. Designed for full frame camera bodies, the SP 35mm and 45mm boast weather-proofing, fluorine coatings and close-focusing abilities not usually found at these focal lengths. Take a look at two full galleries of real-world sample images. Read more | | Published Tuesday, October 13, 2015 7:27:50 PM GMT Lomography has introduced the Lomo’instant Wide camera. Using Fujifilm Instax Wide film, the camera offers a 35mm equivalent lens and Auto, Bulb, and 1/30sec Fixed Shutter Speed modes. Features cater to those who want to take a little more control over their instant prints, including a multi-exposure button and a lens cap that functions as a shutter remote control. Read more | | Published Tuesday, October 13, 2015 5:16:00 PM GMT The Sony RX10 II is the follow-up to a camera we already thought quite highly of. While the 24-200mm F2.8 equivalent lens and external body design remain unchanged, the RX10 II sports a new stacked sensor and can record 4k video internally, with full sensor readout. It also features improved AF performance and a higher-res EVF, but is it worth the sticker price? Read more | | Published Tuesday, October 13, 2015 4:37:00 PM GMT The camera in the new Apple iPhone 6s comes with an increased pixel count, better responsiveness and an updated panorama mode. Our friends at DxO have just released their full report on the iPhone 6s camera, and you can read the whole thing at our sister site, Connect. Read more | | Published Tuesday, October 13, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon has dropped a trio of new cameras on the world - one mirrorless and two fixed lens - and we wanted to give you a quick summary of the most interesting features are for each of them. Keep reading if you've got a hankering for more about the EOS M10 or the PowerShot G5 X and G9 X. Read more | | Published Tuesday, October 13, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT Canon has introduced two new enthusiast compacts with 1"-type CMOS sensors: the PowerShot G5 X, which will sit above the PowerShot G7 X, and the entry-level G9 X which is roughly the size of the PowerShot S120. Read more | | Published Tuesday, October 13, 2015 4:00:00 AM GMT The Canon EOS M10 makes its debut with a new collapsible 15-45mm F3.5-6.3 IS kit lens, taking up residence below the more advanced EOS M3 in that company's mirrorless lineup. A replacement for the M2, the M10 offers an 18MP CMOS sensor, 3" 1.04M dot tilting touch screen LCD, built-in Wi-Fi with NFC and 1080/30p video recording. Read more | |
