The end of the year is a time for retrospection. It's also a great time to take a look back at your photo library and revisit the images you created over the past year. Whether it included a personal project, a memorable trip or snapshots from the year's activities, chances are there's a photo in your collection that you're particularly proud of. Share it in a DPReview gallery with the tag 'my-best-shot-2014' and it may be featured on our homepage. Learn more
Over the past few months we've been busily updating various areas of DPReview - not least our portfolio of product roundups and buying guides. But we've also been adding to our catalog of video product overviews. These short pieces are intended to offer a high-level introduction to the key features and performance of several current cameras and lenses. Click through to check them out
A lot happened in 2014, both in the camera industry as a whole, and on DPReview. 2014 was the year of 180-degree 'selfie screens', 4K video, affordable (almost) full-frame, and also the year when - perhaps - mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras first started to seriously compete against DSLRs in terms of autofocus. In this article, Editor Barnaby Britton takes a look back at the year, and at some of the major themes and highlights of 2014. Click through for a look back into the recent past...
Photographer Don Komarechka likes to explore the world that we cannot see with our own eyes. Every winter he produces an incredibly detailed photo series on snowflakes, using a pair of black mittens as the backdrop and a high quality macro lens to reveal the unique crystalline structures in incredible detail. Read our Q&A and take a look at his photos. See gallery
Camera and software manufacturer Phase One has released a new version of its Capture One Raw file converter that includes new tools, added flexibility and options, as well as support for additional cameras. Updating the version 8 that was made available in September 2014, Capture One 8.1 allows users to edit files in other applications, such as Photoshop, from inside the program and it now allows up to 16 adjustment layers to be used at one time. Read more
Each year Olympus hosts an international competition for images captured through light microscopes. Entries come in from around 70 countries and number in the thousands, revealing the weird and wonderful microscopic world otherwise hidden from the human eye. See this year's winning entries
With start of a new year, many photographers will take up a '365 challenge', creating and sharing a photo every day of the year. If you're looking for inspiration to start your own, Toni Ahvenainen's 'Year of the Alpha' project is the perfect place to start. He's a DPR reader, an enthusiast photographer and, of course, a Sony shooter. In our Q&A he tells us how the project started, how it evolved and what he learned along the way. See gallery
The entire team at DPReview would like to wish all our readers Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, Merry Christmas or whatever you say in your part of the world. It's been a productive - and at times challenging - year here at DPReview, and we're really excited about our plans for 2015. Wherever you are, and whatever you're doing today, enjoy yourselves and thank you for being a part of dpreview.com!
Many of us have dabbled in astrophotography, but it's a fair bet that none of us have captured star trails quite like Don Pettit has. A NASA astronaut and photographer, part of his job aboard the International Space Station has included photographing Earth from space, capturing aurora and vast glowing cities. Want to learn how to shoot like an astronaut? Read his eight tips for shooting in space. Learn more
It's been a busy few weeks around the DPReview office. Alongside full-length reviews, we've been busy making sure our camera roundups are up to date as well as preparing seasonal content like our holiday gift guides. We know you've been busy too, and you might have missed some of the most recent additions to our studio test scene. Read more
Photographer Adam Woodworth has been taking photos in one way or another for as long as he can remember. Over the past few years one of his many areas of focus has been landscape astrophotography, specifically imagery that captures perfect alignments of the galactic center of our Milky Way Galaxy over haunting New England locations. Take a look at his work and read our Q&A. See gallery
Winners of the National Geographic's 2014 Photo Contest have been announced, with first place winners in three categories bringing in cash prizes. The overall Grand Prize winning photo (above) has earned a total of $10,000 and a trip to National Geographic headquarters. Take a look at some of the winning images. See gallery
The D750 is Nikon's newest FX-format camera, offering a number of features from the D810 in combination with a 24MP sensor. It also boasts a faster frame rate than any non-professional full-frame Nikon DSLR since the D700. Aimed squarely at enthusiasts and full-frame upgraders the D750 boasts a comprehensive video and still photography specification - see how it performed in the field and in our extensive studio tests. Read review
Flickr has apologized to users upset over its Creative Commons-licensed print options. Effective immediately, all CC images have been removed from its Wall Art printing service. Users are still able to order prints of their own images, photos provided by Flickr’s own licensed artists and photographers who have requested their images be included. Read more
Leica has released firmware version 1.3 for its T mirrorless camera (Typ 701). The latest update promises a collection of performance improvements for the unit's startup time and image quality, along with general bug fixes. Learn more
Update: Firmware updates are now available - click through for a download link. Fujifilm has unveiled two macro extension tubes for its X-series interchangeable lens cameras, as well as a launch date for the previously-promised Fujifilm X-T1 firmware. More firmware updates are also announced for the X-E2, X-E1, X-Pro1 and X-30, as well as the introduction of tethering software for PC. Read more
Despite using the same name as its predecessor, the new Moto X is a very different device. Its 5.2-inch 1080p OLED screen, thin bezels and aluminum body give it a premium feel. In the camera department it offers a 13MP sensor and F2.25 aperture, 4K-video and a dual-LED ring flash. We put it through our comprehensive testing - see if the 2014 edition is a better choice for mobile photographers than the original Moto X. Read review
Camera bag manufacturer Think Tank Photo has announced a backpack designed specifically for photographers using Phantom Quadcopters paired with GoPro cameras. The Airport Helipak is said to accommodate DJI Phantom 2, Phantom 2 Vision or similar quadcopters with their accessories, along with a 15-inch laptop, small cameras such as GoPros, and personal effects. Read more
Stumped for a gift for your favorite photographer? Or maybe you came in under budget on your holiday shopping and you have just enough left over for a little something for yourself? Either way, we've got some suggestions. Our holiday gift guides cover gifts in three price categories - $25-100, $100-500, $500 and up - to help you find the right present at the right price. Click through for links to all three guides
Canon has updated its Digital Photo Professional 4 (DPP) software to version 4.1.50. The update brings support for a couple of new lenses and several camera models, improvements to multiple functions, and compatibility with 64-bit native environments, among other things. The newest version, says Canon, incorporates feedback from both APS-C and older full-frame owners eager for 'the very latest Raw workflow solution'. Read more
The X-T1 is Fujifilm's first weather-resistant interchangeable X-series camera. It is built around a 16.3 MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor housed in a die-cast magnesium body. Offering a traditional design with five physical top plate dials, two command dials, and six programmable function buttons the X-T1 also has a high resolution OLED viewfinder. In the latest in our series of real-world video tests, we took the X-T1 to a local studio, to see how it would perform in the hands of a professional fashion and portrait photographer. Click through to watch the video
Phase One has announced official details of its new A-Series medium format cameras after information about the new pairing of the company's digital backs with an Alpa body and lenses was leaked in November. As was reported at the time, the series will comprise Phase One 50MP, 60MP and 80MP backs, combined with the Alpa 12 TC body and a choice of three lenses – the Alpagon 5.6/23mm, Alpar 4.0/35mm and the Alpagon 5.6/70mm. Read more
Entry-level mirrorless cameras provide a nice middle ground between fixed-lens point-and-shoots and lower-end DSLRs. It's an ever-growing category with options for photographers of varying skill level and intentions. The common factors in this class are the huge step up in image quality over most compacts and smartphone cameras and the friendly interfaces. In this roundup, we'll talk you through the current crop of entry-level mirrorless cameras. Click through to read more
ProGearX has announced the availability of several new accessories for mounting GoPro action cameras to a variety of surfaces. Among the new accessories is an extendable pole, body mounts, and a kit for mounting the action cam on different sports boards. The accessories are available now, and ProGearX will be showcasing them during CES 2015 next month. Read more
Huawei has announced the Honor 6 Plus with not one, not two, but three 8MP cameras. One serves as a selfie-capture unit at the front while the other two are lined up side-by-side on the rear of the device. As on the HTC One M8 the dual lens setup allows for refocusing of already captured images. Read more
There's no doubt that JPEG is the web's go-to image format, offering both widespread compatibility and small file sizes, but it's far from perfect. Alternative image formats have been developed that provide higher-quality compression, but nothing yet has come close to toppling JPEG thanks to its ubiquity. BPG is the latest new format to challenge it. Read more
2014 was an impressive year for camera and lens launches. We've shared our thoughts on many of them, from high-quality high-end DSLRs to some very enticing enthusiast compacts. Now it's your turn - our 2014 Readers' Polls are open! Cast your vote in four categories: Best High-end ILC, Best Lens, Best Consumer ILC and Best High-end Compact Camera. Read more
Seattle PI.com, formerly the Seattle Post Intelligencer, was the first major metropolitan newspaper in the USA to go online-only. Since then, the website has gained a reputation for high-quality photojournalism, covering events in Seattle and throughout Washington State. Remarkably, the PI only employs two full-time staff photographers, who between them in 2014 covered everything from the Superbowl to the tragic shooting at the Marysville-Pilchuck High School. Click through for a small selection of the PI's 'pictures of the year'
Submissions are still being accepted for the Sony World Photographer Awards, but with competition deadlines fast approaching the organization has just released a selection of preliminary 'submission highlights' for a little inspiration. See gallery
Sony has released a firmware update for the SLT-a77 II, its 24MP semi-pro APS-C camera. Firmware 2.00 claims improved autofocus speed in all light conditions, but notably a 2.5x improvement in low light. Support for XAVC-S full HD video recording is also added. Read more
Adobe has announced plans to acquire stock photography service Fotolia. Once the acquisition is complete, Fotolia will be offered to Adobe users as a 'single Creative Cloud marketplace experience', as well as a standalone service to others. Read more
The latest update for Camera FV-5, a third-party camera app, makes Android the second mobile OS to allow capture of Raw image files. The app has been rewritten to take advantage of the improved camera support under the latest Android version, 5.0 Lollipop, now offering an option to save a DNG file with your JPEG image. Read more
Adobe Camera Raw and DNG Converter 8.7.1 final releases are now available, adding support for the Sony Alpha 7 II and a handful of lens profiles. A bug related to chromatic aberration with the Samsung NX1 has also been addressed in this update. Read more
Canon's EOS 7D Mark II was a long time coming. It arrived in time for Photokina 2014, combining a pro-grade AF module with a 20MP APS-C CMOS sensor using Dual-Pixel AF. The 7D II also provides 10 fps continuous shooting, a 150,000 RGB +IR pixel metering sensor and 1080/60p video recording. Our full review takes an in-depth look at its performance. Read review
The world's most expensive photograph has sold for $6.5 million to a private collector. The photograph 'Phantom' was taken by fine art photographer Peter Lik, and was joined by sales of his "Eternal Moods" for $1.1 million and "Illusion" for $2.4 million for a total of $10 million. Read more
Renting gear from professional camera rental services has served as a vital resource for many photographers borrowing expensive or niche equipment for a shoot. Now, a new challenger has arrived, and the Los Angeles startup aims to create a peer-to-peer alternative to online rental services – enter, ShareGrid. Read more
ACD Systems has announced ACDSee Ultimate 8, bringing for the first time layer-based editing to its Digital Asset Management and image manipulation software. It offers the same image adjustment capabilities provided by ACDSee Pro 8 with the added ability to create and manipulate layers, as well as support for 32-bit and 64-bit transparency. Read more
Lytro's processing software just received a significant update. Lytro Desktop 4.1 provides some additional features for users of the Illum light field camera, including Focus Spread, which allows photographers to pick beginning and ending points for depth of focus. Learn more
Alien Skin software has announced Exposure 7, a new version of its flagship film emulation software. This iteration introduces non-destructive Raw editing, supporting files from a number of Canon and Nikon cameras as well as a handful of mirrorless models from Fujifilm, Olympus and Sony. Read more
The World Photography Organization has announced its judges for the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards. Photo editors from major publications around the world make up the judging committee. The competition is open to youth, amateurs and pros alike and is accepting entries until early January. The organization has also released a selection of standout submissions. Read more
It seems ultra-portable LED-based external light sources are the flavor of the season. Last month brought the Lume Cube, and today there is Relio. Relio is a 35mm small aluminum cube that uses a USB connection as power source for its LED light. It can be mounted on tripods and other camera supports using a 1/4-inch standard thread. Read more
Update: Leica has issued an official statement addressing the reports of sensor corrosion. A growing number of Leica users are reporting white spots appearing on images taken with M9, M9-P, M Monochrom and M-E cameras. The common element in all of these models is their 18MP full frame Kodak CCD sensor which is protected by a piece of Schott S8612 glass. Read more
Adorama has announced the Aries Blackbird X10 quadcopter. The Blackbird X10 features an integrated 16MP camera with 1/2.3-inch type sensor able to record up to 1080p video at 30fps. Feature-wise the drone is decidedly mid-tier, falling between the lower-end Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 and the higher-end DJI Inspire 1 drones, for example, while retaining a moderate $799 price. Read more
The Pentax 645Z is a highly sought-after camera, offering 50MP resolution from its medium-format CMOS sensor, and a range of features closer to those of a 35mm DSLR than a traditional digital MF camera. We've been working with the 645Z for a little while, running it though our studio tests to see what it's capable of. As part of this process we handed the camera off to David Wentworth, a local Seattle studio photographer, for his opinion. Our very own Sam Spencer - DPReview studio manager - provides another perspective. Click through to read more
Photographers in need of portable tripod stabilization have a new option called WaterWeights. These balloon-like devices are made from PVC and weigh 139g / 0.3lb when in storage, expanding to a weight of up to 1.3kg when filled with water. A WaterWeight can slide down the length of a tripod to rest over its feet or can hang from its handle to keep gear stable. Read more
The Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD is a general purpose 'carry everywhere' zoom for users of APS-C format DSLRs. Covering an equivalent focal length range of 24-450mm, this lens should be a perfect camera for travel and day-to-day use, allowing you to frame a huge variety of different subjects without changing lenses. We've been using one for a while and we've prepared a gallery of samples. Click through to take a look
Full-frame sensors have made their way into more and more cameras, and are no longer reserved for DSLRs only. Whether you are a pro, an enthusiast, or simply looking to upgrade to a body that offers the most firepower possible, we've got you covered in our high-end full frame camera roundup. Read more
Nature photographer Erez Marom shares the story of his image 'Dali's Dream', taken in the Namibian ghost town of Kolmanskop. As usual, in this article he will cover preparation for the shoot, a walkthrough of the gear used to get the picture, and a detailed description of the post-processing work required to achieve the final shot. Click through to read more
ONA is known for high-end camera bags and accessories that go big on style - and price. The Capri leather tote is no exception - it's an attractive bag with padded storage for photo gear that could easily double as a high-end purse. Can it replace a camera bag and a purse, and is it worth the price? Read our review
Organizers of a worldwide competition for scientific photography are calling for entries for the International Images for Science competition. Photographers are encouraged to submit visually exciting and revealing pictures of objects and concepts relating to all areas of science. The competition, which is run by the Royal Photographic Society (RPS), is free to enter, and this year will be accepting work from members and non-members alike for the first time. Read more
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