'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
March 28
March 27
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
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
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
March 26
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
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
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
March 25
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
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
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
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
March 24
Phase One has released its new Capture One Pro 8.2 software, and with the update comes a new Color Balance Tool making it easier to produce color graded images, as well as additional ways to find images and support for higher resolution displays, including 4K. In addition, support for a few new cameras and nearly a dozen lenses is in place. The update is available now for existing Capture One Pro users and new customers. Read more
James McDaniel is a self-taught photographer with a special interest in roller derby. He's also a Micro Four Thirds shooter, so when we were looking for someone to test out the E-M5 II in the real world with us, we immediately thought of James. Watch our latest video field test to see how how the camera performed on game day, and don't miss an opportunity to see Barney on roller skates. See video
March 23
It's not often that a smartphone being added to our studio test scene warrants a mention on our homepage, but it's not everyday we see the likes of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1. It's a photo-centric mobile device with a 1-inch 20MP sensor and an F2.8 28mm equiv. lens, capable of 4K video and Raw image output. See how it performs in our studio scene. Read more
[UPDATED] We were curious to see how the new Canon 11-24 F4 performed on a high resolution sensor, so we've updated our gallery with some landscapes and aperture progressions taken on a 36MP Sony a7R with a Metabones adapter. Though performance at extremes of the frame may not be representative of that on a native body, the 11-24 doesn't disappoint. Have a look at the new shots in our gallery
When we attended CP+ last month in Yokohama, Japan we sat down with senior executives from several major camera and lens manufacturers. Among them was Haruo Ogawa, President of the Imaging Business Group and Executive Managing Officer at Olympus Corporation. Among other things we spoke to Mr Ogawa about the current and future direction of Micro Four Thirds and the challenges of introducing 4K video. Click through to read our interview
March 22
'Conceptual' and 'commercial' photography are styles that relatively few are able to achieve success in, especially at the same time. But Dean Bradshaw’s intellectual and humorous approach to advertorial work sets his portfolio far above that of the typical commercial photographer. Take a look at a selection of his imagery and find out a few insights behind his success in our Q+A. See gallery
March 21
It was curiosity that got DPR reader Rutger Bus into photography. Of his dad's darkroom in his childhood home he says, ' I always wondered what was going on in that little dark room with the red light above the door.' That spark of curiosity comes across in his colorful landscapes, which first caught our eye in our Landscape Readers' Showcase. Check out more of his images and read our Q&A. See gallery
March 20
The weather spoiled today's solar eclipse for many would-be watchers in the UK but it was visible in some parts of the country. Dutch photographer Rutger Pauw teamed up with trials biking genius Danny MacAskill to get a rather different shot. Using a long telephoto lens and shooting from over 300m away, Pauw had to communicate with MacAskill by radio to time the shot precisely, a process complicated by only having enough battery power to fire their super-powerful strobe once. Read more
Adobe has released the final version of Camera Raw 8.8 for Photoshop CC/CS6. Support for several additional Canon, Panasonic, and Fujifilm cameras have been added, as well as the Hasselblad Stellar II, Nikon D5500, and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, among others. Read more
Italian accessory maker CPtech has launched a new holster in its B-Grip range that is designed for smaller cameras. The company says that its Uno holster will be suitable for compact system users, as well as those who own bridge and compact cameras. Read more
Recently we joined our friends at CreativeLive for a panel discussion as part of their 2015 Gear Day. Our live discussion centered on the continued rise of mirrorless cameras, 4K video and what it means for stills photographers, the benefits and pitfalls of high pixel sensors, and of course, lots of new and exciting gear. Watch the segment and nerd out with us all over again. See video
March 19
Atomos has released a major firmware update to the Atomos Shogun 4K external video recorder. The Shogun, already popular among filmmakers and professional videographers thanks to its 4K 10-bit ProRes recording capabilities, gains several important features that should appeal to motion picture shooters. The update, dubbed AtomOS6.2, adds important features such as 3D LUTs and Avid DNxHR/DNxHD recording formats. Read more
March 18
A new platform called Defrozo has launched on Kickstarter. Currently in beta, it offers photographers online services needed to market and run a photography business, including an online store through which customers can purchase prints and a website to showcase one's own work. When it fully launches in October, Defrozo will offer free and paid subscription options. Read more
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II follows-up on the groundbreaking original E-M5 and brings extra control points (a lot of them) a 40MP high-res mode, better video, improved image stabilization and a host of other refinements, large and small. We've been shooting a lot with the E-M5 II over the past few weeks, and that work has culminated in a full review, with our usual combination of studio and real-world tests. Click through to see what we think
March 17
A new filter manufacturer called Novo is promising a range of filters that will be made from super-durable sapphire crystal and Gorilla Glass, which should have enhanced scratch resistance. The company also claims its filters will have extremely thin brass frames, and will feature 'superior coatings'. Read more
As promised earlier this month, Nikon has made its ViewNX-i software available for download today today. Building on the camera maker's previous View NX 2 software, the new application works in conjunction with Nikon's NX-D photofinishing software for editing photographs, and bundles Nikon's ViewNX-Movie Editor for editing videos. Read more
UPDATED: We just added several images to this gallery, converted from raw. The Samsung NX500 is essentially a scaled down version of Samsung's flagship NX1. It uses the same 28MP BSI-CMOS sensor, advanced hybrid AF system, and a version of the same DRIMe V processor. The main differences are the form factor (resembling a rangefinder rather than an SLR), burst mode (9 vs 15 fps), and viewfinder (none vs electronic). We've been using a production NX500 for a couple of days, and we've put together a gallery of real-world samples. Click through for the updated gallery
March 16
It hasn't even entered production yet, but Samsung's S 300mm f/2.8 ED OIS telephoto lens is certainly shaping up to be a very nice addition to the NX line. We were fortunate enough to be allowed access to a pre-production engineering sample of this new lens for a few hours. As a result we've put together a small gallery of images which should give some idea about the lens's likely performance once it becomes available. See gallery
Lytro has announced the launch of Lytro Studio in Tokyo. The studio is open to the public so that anyone can visit to learn about light field imaging and the technology behind it. This includes training on how to use Lytro's platform and software, as well as demonstrations of how its cameras and related technology work. Read more
Bag manufacturer Lowepro has introduced a pair of new backpacks to its Fastpack range, with added weather-proofing and a compartment for a laptop or tablet. The Fastpack BP 150 AW ll and BP 250 AW ll are basically the same bag in two sizes, and each is divided into three sections that allow storage of camera equipment as well as other everyday items for photographers on the move. Read more
March 15
Maxime Siegler is a DPR reader who caught our eye with his contributions to our black and white Readers' Showcase. We wanted to share more of his work, and he was kind enough to answer a few questions about his photography. Find out how he stays inspired and why he's so fond of monochromatic photography. See gallery
March 14
After several iterations, Panasonic's GF- series compact mirrorless camera line has settled into a comfortable position: providing mass market point-and-shoot appeal while giving photographers the option to fully control settings. The latest camera in the series, the Lumix DMC-GF7, continues this trend. Check out our sample gallery
March 13
Adorama has launched a 400ws ring flash which uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Part of the Flashpoint brand, it features a circular flash tube with an aperture capable of accommodating a lens barrel with a diameter of up to 3.5in/95mm. With a guide number of 82ft/25m the ring is powerful enough not only for macro work, but also headshots and full-length portraits. Read more
The developers behind Facetune have created a new app called Enlight, a general purpose image editor. It challenges apps like VSCO Cam and Adobe's own mobile image editors, with adjustment tools, presets and various filters. Read more
March 12
Bag and accessory manufacturer Think Tank has announced that it will introduce a new range of shoulder bags and a backpack for compact system camera users in April this year. Dubbed the ‘Urban Approach’ range the bags are said to be ‘low profile’ to allow the photographer to carry equipment without standing out, and will be finished in low-contrast matte black. Click through for details
Eyefi, the maker of Wi-Fi memory cards, has today launched Eyefi Mobi Pro, a new 32GB WiFi SD card. It improves the existing Eyefi Mobi model by adding wireless transfer of Raw image files, along with new photo categorization and search functions. Read more
March 11
Tenba has unveiled a new customizable camera bag designed for mirrorless cameras and their accessories. The product is called Switch, a name derived from its interchangeable front flap. A total of three sizes are offered, all of which are now available through Tenba's website. Read more
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (TZ70 outside North America) earns its travel zoom designation with a 30x optical zoom range, equivalent to 24-720mm. It features a 12MP CMOS sensor, full manual controls, Raw shooting and a built-in 1.2M dot electronic viewfinder. Find out what it's capable of doing in the field. See gallery
Landscape photographer Erez Marom has taken photographs all over the world in all manner of locations, in all kinds of weather conditions. But whereas many landscape photographers are slaves to the weather forecast, Marom has learned that some of his best shots come from the most unlikely situations. Click through to read more, and see some stunning images
The Olympus Stylus SH-2 is a compact long-zoom camera that bears a remarkable resemblance to the company's PEN series of mirrorless cameras. While it shares the design and 5-axis image stabilization of some of the PEN models, the similarities end there, as the SH-2 is very much a point-and-shoot camera. Learn more about the SH-2 in our hands-on preview. Read more
Olympus has announced an update to its Pen-like travel zoom: the Stylus SH-2. The SH-2 replaces the SH-1 with added support for Raw shooting, while maintaining the previous model's 24x zoom (25-600mm equiv.), 16MP BSI CMOS sensor, 5-axis image stabilization and built-in Wi-Fi. Read more
March 10
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
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
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
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
March 9
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
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.
March 8
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
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
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