With its latest update, the Google+ for Android app has gained filters and editing functions from Snapseed, among other new features.
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January 2014
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March 2014
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February 2014 news and reviews
February 28
We've been fans of Aaron Johnson's comic strip 'What the Duck' for years. 'WTD' is one of the best satirical comic strips in the world, and it's published here every week, as well as being included in our weekly newsletter. Barbed, topical and always amusing, we hope you enjoy WTD as much as we do. Click through for this week's strip.
February 27
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 was announced about a month ago, the third addition to the digital revival of the OM line. It lacks the weather sealing of its siblings but inherits a number of excellent features from the existing OM-D models. Sound enticing? We've gotten familiar with the E-M10 over the past few weeks. The full review is on the way but for now, read our shooter's report, and compare the E-M10 to a growing list of cameras in our new studio test scene.
February 26
After the CP+ show in Yokohama closed last week, editor Barnaby Britton journeyed out to Olympus's design facility in Hachioji to speak to executives and engineers. Among the people he spoke to was Hirofumi Imano, Division Manager of Product Strategy. In a broad-ranging interview, Mr. Imano explained the company's strategies for competing in a tough market, the genesis of the OM-D line, opportunities in video and why he thinks Canon and Nikon might not be making high-end mirrorless cameras.
Nikon has issued a worldwide technical service bulletin regarding 'dust' issues on its D600 DSLRs. Nikon says that it has evaluated user reports and has 'determined' that spots on the sensor are caused by dust particles which are visible in images taken in certain situations. The company will be offering all D600 owners a full inspection, cleaning, and replacement of the shutter mechanism in their cameras, free of charge and regardless of warrantee status. Read more and find out how to get your camera serviced.
February 25
After the CP+ show in Yokohama closed last week, editor Barnaby Britton journeyed out to Olympus's design facility in Hachioji to speak to executives and engineers. Among the people he spoke to was Hirofumi Imano division manager of product strategy.
Panning, tilting and sliding are essential actions in both photography and video. To elevate the quality of camera movement, particularly in video, you need professional-grade equipment, and it's usually very expensive. But the folks at Cinetics aim to bridge the gap with the Axis360, an affordable, motorized tripod head and slider to help photographers create dynamic video and time-lapse photography. Read our review
The MediaPad X1 may give Google, Amazon and Apple a run for their money.
BlackBerry announces the Q20 phone with QWERTY keyboard and the Z20 touchscreen model.
The second generation YotaPhone comes with upgraded specs, a new design and touch-sensitivity on both screens.
ZTE's new Grand Memo II phablet comes with a 13MP camera and a 6-inch 720p screen.
We first laid our hands on the Fujifilm X-T1 about a month ago when it was announced. Now that we've had some time to shoot with it, we've gathered our thoughts on using Fujifilm's latest X-Series camera. The X-T1 offers much of what the X-E2 does, including a 16 megapixel APS-C sensor with on-chip phase detection, but more than that, it offers an SLR-style sculpted handgrip and weather-resistant sealing. Find out what the X-T1 is like to use in the field.
Nikon has released a beta version of an update to its Capture NX software, a product which has been relatively stagnant in recent years. Capture NX-D is the first version of Nikon's Raw converter to be made since previous developer Nik Software was bought by Google in 2012. The software features a new user interface, batch conversion and a non-destructive workflow that saves adjustments in sidecar files alongside the original image. Find out how to try Capture NX-D for yourself.
Nikon's latest flagship body, the D4s, gets an updated 16 megapixel full-frame sensor, Expeed 4-level processing, 1080/60p video recording and can now autofocus at up to 11fps. Beyond that it boasts a laundry list of small (but potentially meaningful) improvements over its predecessor. After spending some brief time with the camera, we've prepared some first impressions of the pro-level body. For a detailed analysis of what's new in Nikon's top-of-the-line, take a look at our first impressions review.
Nikon has officially launched its new flagship DSLR, the D4s. Offering a number of improvements over its predecessor the D4, the D4s features greater ISO sensitivity in stills and video mode, a new 60p video capture option and some minor design changes. At the recent CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan editor Barnaby Britton was able to sit down with the new camera and two of the men responsible for creating it. Click through for a hands-on tour of the D4s and insights from its creators.
Nikon has released an update to their flagship D4 pro DSLR: the D4s. While not a major upgrade to the camera (hence the 's' in the name), the D4s packs more processing power, a refined autofocus system, faster continuous shooting, and more video features (including 1080/60p support). Two other items pros will appreciate are a 'small' Raw size and a noticeable improvement in battery life compared to the D4. The camera will be available in early March for $6499.95 / £5,199.99.
February 24
Samsung's new flagship smartphone comes with a 16MP camera, improved AF and 4K video recording.
Sony's new flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z2, offers a 5.2-inch Full-HD screen and 4K video recording.
Sony has revealed the successor to its Xpera Z Tablet, the Xperia Z2 Tablet, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Nokia launches three mid- to low-range smartphones, targeting emerging markets.
Chinese manufacturer Lenovo launches the next generation of its Yoga tablet. The Yoga 10 HD+ comes with a 10.1-inch Full-HD screen and an 8MP camera.
We've just returned from the CP+ show in Japan, where Fujifilm was kind enough to loan us a beta sample of its new 10-24mm zoom lens for the X-series interchangeable lens cameras. Although this is a beta (not final) sample, Fujifilm is confident enough about its performance to allow us to post images. We've prepared a gallery of sample images taken in various conditions at various ISO sensitivity settings on the X-T1 for you to take a look at. See gallery
Manufacturers are putting on brave faces as compact sales continue their decline and interchangeable lens camera sales fail to shine. Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Olympus have all put out their financial results covering the Christmas period, and there's little to be positive about, with falling sales of interchangeable lens cameras being reported by the industry's biggest players.
SanDisk has announced its new 128GB Ultra microSDXC UHS-I memory card with Class 10 performance and read speeds up to 30MB/s.
The Nokia Lumia 1020 gains Raw capture through the "Black" firmware update. We took a closer look at the DNG files for its photographic potential.
February 23
Think you have a striking picture of vast galaxies millions of light years away, or a dramatic night sky scene taken much closer to home? The Royal Observatory Greenwich, in association with Sky at Night Magazine, has launched its 2014 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. Entries must be submitted by April 24. Learn more
February 22
Ever wonder who looks after at all the old photographs in National Geographic's archive? Well, now you can meet that man. His name is Bill Bonner and they call him 'The Archivist'. For 31 years he's worked mostly by himself in the basement of National Geographic’s Washington, D.C. headquarters and has handled hundreds of thousands of photographs. In total, Bonner is responsible for about eight million images in the vintage collection. See the video
Google has announced Project Tango, which aims to develop mobile devices that are capable of capturing 3D-maps of your surroundings.
February 21
Adobe has updated Adobe Camera Raw, adding color profiles for Fujifilm cameras, as well as Raw support for some recent models. The Release Candidate versions of ACR 8.4 for Photoshop CS6 and CC are now better able to mimic Fujifilm's Film Simulation modes - at least in terms of color response. We've prepared a comparison to see how well Adobe's color profiles match those in the cameras. The camera and profile updates are available on Adobe Labs for CS6 customers, as well as Creative Cloud subscribers.
Fujifilm has announced firmware updates for five X-series cameras and three zoom lenses. It adds XF 56mm F1.2 lens compatibility to the following cameras: X-Pro1, X-E1, X-E2, X-M1 and X-A1. Improved optical image stabilization functions are added to the XC16-50mm, XF18-55mm and XF55-200mm lenses; the latter two also gain improved AF focus tracking on the X-E1 and X-T1. Get the updates
If you're looking for a Wi-Fi card that's simple to setup and blasts images off into cyberspace in a matter of seconds while you take advantage of your camera's far superior image quality (compared to a phone), you can't go wrong with the Eye-Fi Mobi. How does the Mobi stack up against the pricier Eye-Fi Pro X2 card? Find out in our review
February 20
LG launches a smaller version of its flagship G2 smartphone, the G2 Mini.
GoPro's latest fleet of little action bricks are fortified with several advanced features that cannot be found elsewhere in the market. The GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition ($399.99) is the newest flagship model, replacing the GoPro Hero 3 by adding some key upgrades. Having owned the first HD Hero and Hero2, our writer Mike Perlman wanted to know if the Black Edition was worth the extra cash. Read our review
February 19
Hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sochi has absorbed an influx of athletes, fans and media for two weeks of competition. What isn't apparent from the coverage is what Sochi looks most of the rest of the year - a seaside, summer resort town. Since 2007 photographer Rob Hornstra and writer Arnold van Bruggen have been documenting Sochi as they saw it change from quiet summer getaway to a world stage. Take a look at a different Sochi, as seen through Hornstra's lens. See gallery
They say "every picture tells a story." But sometimes, it takes two.
February 18
The Miggo straps and grips bring a lot of innovation to the way we tote and transport our beloved investments. Their versatile multi-use designs combine a high quality camera wrap, a method of securing the camera to your person and lens cap pocket all in one. Are the days of traditional camera toting coming to an end? Find out in our review
The Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* is one of the first lenses for Sony's fledgling full frame mirrorless system, offering a classic moderate wideangle view. It's a small lens that nicely complements the Alpha 7 and 7R, but at around $800 / £680 it's distinctly pricey for a relatively slow prime. So is it worth the money See the lens test data and our analysis
February 17
Japanese optical company Kowa - best known for its spotting scopes and binoculars - has revealed that it plans to make three lenses for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The Kowa Prominar 8.5mm F2.8 MFT, 12mm F1.8 MFT and 25mm F1.8 MFT will all feature manual focus and aperture control, and use low-dispersion XD glass and aspheric elements to minimise distortion and aberrations. They're due to be released in summer 2014.
The CP+ show in Yokohama Japan has closed, but we've still got plenty of content in the pipeline including more interviews with senior executives from the major camera manufacturers which we'll be publishing over the coming few days. Until then, click through for a look at some of the highlights from this years' show including a miniature model of Yokohama, lots and lots of snow, and plenty of things that had been cut in half. Oh - and some cameras.
The CP+ show in Yokohama Japan has just closed, but in between visits to the various booths we made time to sit down with four senior Nikon executives to get their thoughts on the state of the market, future opportunities and the inevitable coming together of stills and video. Click through to read the full interview.
February 16
We're at the CP+ show in Japan this week and one of the busiest stands belongs to Sigma. Best known for manufacturing lenses, Sigma is showing off its latest camera, the dp2 Quattro. Editor Barnaby Britton sat down with Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, for a chat about the Quattro, as well as the challenges of the modern photography industry and what it's like being the head of a family business.
Building modern digital cameras and lenses is an exacting business. Each product is made up of sometimes hundreds of tiny components, assembled to meticulously narrow tolerances and if one piece is out of alignment, the whole is compromised. But you want to see what stuff looks like when it's been cut in half? Yes. You do, you know you do. It's OK, we won't tell anyone. Click through for a look at things that we found at CP+ that have been cut in half.
We're at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan where Fujifilm is showing off its latest camera, the weathersealed X-T1. Yesterday the show was cancelled due to heavy snow and today the line of people waiting to get in is formidable. Editor Barnaby Britton finagled an exhibitor's pass to get in early and beat the crowds. Click through to read our report from the Fujifilm stand.
February 15
Sigma gives us another behind the scenes look at their Aizu, Japan lens factory in a video released during the CP+ trade show. It's an artsy factory tour highlighting the craftsmanship and the process of how their lenses are assembled. They released a similar video during Photokina 2012 and have since gained some popularity with their higher end 35mm F1.4 DG HSM and the 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM lenses. See video
We're at the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan where Japanese camera and lens manufacturers show off their latest products to a domestic and international audience. Today, Toshihisa Iida, senior sales and marketing manager at Fujifilm found time to sit down with editor Barnaby Britton to discuss a range of topics including the reception of the new X-T1, firmware updates to older and existing models and the possibility of larger-format X-Trans cameras in the future... click through to read the full interview.
February 14
American photographer John Stanmeyer's image of migrants on the shore of Djibouti city raising their cell phones attempting to capture a signal from neighboring Somalia was named World Press Photo of the Year. The picture also won first prize in the Contemporary Issues category. Stanmeyer of the VII Photo Agency was on assignment for National Geographic when he shot the photograph. Learn more
We're at the (currently very snowy) CP+ show in Japan and we've been checking out the Nikon stand, getting a feel for the latest products and exploring the various demonstrations. Click through for a look at what we found. trust us - it's worth it just for the scale model of Yokohama...
We're at the CP+ show in Japan, where Fujifilm is showing a new teleconverter for the X100S. Attached in the same way as the existing WCL-X100, the new TCL-X100 increases the X100S's effective focal length to 50mm, without effecting the minimum aperture. Details are scarce but unofficially we understand that the new converter will be available later in spring, for around $300. Click through for some hands-on impressions.
Canon has a large stand at this year's CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan, showcasing its current range of DSLRs, compact cameras and Cinema EOS video lineup. We're at the show, and stopped by earlier today for a look at what's on offer. Click through for our stand report, which we'll be updating over the next couple of days.
February 13
Two products that have been getting a lot of attention lately are the Sony a7 and a7R full-frame mirrorless cameras. Last month we took an in-depth look at the Alpha 7, and were mostly pleased with how it turned out. Now it's time to take a look at its big brother, the Alpha 7R, which offers a 36 megapixel sensor with no low-pass filter and a more conventional autofocus system. Is the a7R worth the price premium over the a7? Find out in our review
LG has launched the LG G Pro 2 in Korea. The global debut of the device is expected at MWC in Barcelona next week.
SLR Magic has created the Anamorphot 1,33x – 50, an accessory lens for film makers that compresses the image horizontally by a factor of 1.33x. This allows footage to be shot for 2.35:1 widescreen projection using the standard 16:9 aspect ratio that most cameras record, without having to crop vertically and lose resolution. The lens will be available by March 2014 and cost $899.
Cosina has announced a slightly revised version of its ultra-fast normal prime for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The Voigtländer Nokton 25mm F0.95 Type II gains an aperture ring mechanism that is switchable between clicked and clickless operation, a desirable feature for movie makers (and previously seen in its 17.5mm F0.95 and 42.5mm F0.95 stablemates). The optics are unchanged, but the updated lens is slightly heavier and larger in diameter. It will be available in March.
Sony is maintaining its near-hectic pace of new product releases into 2014, and the highlight product of the company's year so far is the a6000. Replacing the NEX-6 (and for now at least, the NEX-7 too) the a6000 is a 24MP APS-C interchangeable lens camera with a serious feature set including an impressive autofocus system. We've written a lot about the a6000 over the past couple of days but since we're at CP+ in Japan we wandered over to Sony's booth for a quick look. Click through for our hands-on impressions.
We've never accused Sigma of lacking innovation, and while the Japanese manufacturer is best known for making lenses, Sigma also markets a line of cameras. The latest - the DP2 Quattro - features an all-new ~19.6 million pixel APC-C Foveon sensor and a completely new body design. Is this (in Sigma's words) a 'reinvention of camera'? We won't know until we've tried one out, but in the meantime click through for an initial hands-on look.
We're at the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan where Canon is showing off its latest high-end compact camera, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II. The G1 X Mark II replaces the original G1 X, which was announced two years ago and offers several improvements over the older model including a faster 24-120mm equivalent F2.0-3.9 lens and a closer minimum focus distance. The G1 X Mark II is built around a 1.5 inch 12.8MP CMOS sensor and can be used with an (optional) electronic viewfinder. Click through for a hands-on look.
February 12
The Mobile Photography Awards announces the winners of its third annual worldwide competition for mobile phone photography and art.
Nokia introduces the Lumia Icon with a 20 megapixel PureView camera.
The Nikon D5300 presents an entry-level photographer with some serious specifications, starting with a 24 megapixel APS-C sensor. It shapes up to be quite the formidable DX-format camera with 1080/60p HD video recording, built-in Wi-Fi/GPS, a 39-point AF system and a flip-out LCD. It's not short on features, but do its handling and image quality match the tall specs list? Read our full review
When Olympus announced the high-end OM-D E-M1, it promised that it would be making a wideangle zoom and super-telephoto prime in its matching 'PRO' line of lenses. Now it's given a few more details for those products. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm 1:2.8 PRO shares many design features with the current 12-40mm 1:2.8 PRO, while the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm 1:4 PRO offers a 600mm equivalent angle of view. Both lenses are dust- and splash-proof, and will be available next year. Click through for more details and pictures of the lenses
One of the most exciting cameras released today is Canon's PowerShot G1 X Mark II, which retains the 1.5-inch-type sensor from its predecessor and adds a faster processor, longer and brighter lens, tilting LCD, dual control rings, and much more. We've put together a short article that covers the most interesting new features on the G1 X II. Have a look.
Canon has announced the long-awaited follow-up to its PowerShot G1 X large-sensor compact: the G1 X Mark II. The G1 X II improves upon its predecessor in many ways. It's smaller, features a faster 24-120mm equivalent F2.0-3.9 lens (with closer focusing distances), a 31-point AF system, dual lens rings, a touchscreen LCD that can tilt upward by 180°, and Wi-Fi with NFC. One added trick is that the G1 X II can shoot at 3:2 or 4:3 with the same field-of-view. The catch? No more optical viewfinder (though a $299 EVF is optional). It will be available in April for $799.
Sony has released its new a6000 mirrorless camera, which is the replacement to the NEX-6. This midrange mirrorless features a 24MP CMOS sensor, Sony's latest Bionz X processor, and a refined Hybrid AF system that covers 92% of the frame with phase-detect points. The new AF system allows for continuous shooting at 11 fps with subject tracking, and also promises the 'world's fastest autofocus', according to Sony. Video enthusiasts will be pleased to see that the a6000 offers a zebra pattern and clean HDMI output, though it lacks headphone or mic ports. Read more.
The a6000 sits in the middle of Sony's range of mirrorless cameras, just above the a5000 and aging NEX-7. The feature that makes it stand out from the crowd (and not just among Sony cameras) is its Hybrid AF system, which has phase detect points across 92% of the frame. To learn what that means to photographers, and learn more about the a6000 in general, then have a look at our a6000 First Impressions Review.
There's a new entry-level camera in Canon's DSLRs lineup, and it's the Rebel T5 (EOS 1200D). This model replaces the Rebel T3 (EOS 1100D) and features the company's familiar 18 megapixel CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and 9-point AF system. The T5 also has a 3" LCD, 3 fps continuous shooting, and 1080p video recording. Canon also announced the MR-14EX II Macro Ring Light, which offers 'independent flash head operation, increased responsiveness and enhanced custom functions'. Both the camera and ring light are priced at $549, with the former including an 18-55mm lens.
Buried at the end of its press release announcing the α6000, Sony has revealed pricing and availability for its previously announced FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS. Like the other FE lenses it's not especially cheap, though; the image-stabilised telezoom will be available in March for about $1500 (or £1240 in the UK). The lens will work on both full frame and APS-C sensor E-mount cameras, offering a 105-300mm equivalent range on the latter.
While the megapixel race has shown signs of slowing down, the competition for zoom range is still going strong. Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-H400's 63X lens covers an enormous 24.5-1550mm equivalent range. If that's a bit too much for you, the DSC-H300 has a 35X (25-875mm equiv.) lens and shares the same 20.1MP CCD as the H400. Stepping up, there's the DSC-HX400V, which has a 20.4MP CMOS sensor, Bionz X processor, 50X (24-1200mm equiv.) zoom, tilting 3" LCD, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 1080/60p video recording. Prices range from $220 to $500.
Canon has introduced its new PowerShot SX700 travel zoom, which features a 25-750mm equivalent F3.2-6.9 lens and the company's latest DIGIC 6 processor. While you're zoomed in tight, the camera's Zoom Framing Assist feature lets you quickly back out, recompose, and return to where you were. The SX700 also features manual exposure control, Wi-Fi with NFC, and 1080/60p video. The camera will be shipping next month in your choice of black or red for $349.99.
Canon has announced the PowerShot D30 rugged digital camera, boasting a new design and a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor. It's waterproof to an impressive 25m/82 ft, making it a class-leader. It's also temperature resistant from -10° C/14° F to 40° C/105° F and shockproof to 2m/6.5 ft. The D30 features built-in GPS and is capable of 1080p HD video recording. It's also equipped with a new Sunlight LCD mode, which boasts improved visibility in bright conditions. The PowerShot D30 is available in April for $330.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX350 features an 18.2 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor and the company's latest Bionz X processor, and puts it into a slim body with a 20X, 25-500mm equivalent F3.5-6.5 lens. The WX350 also shoots up to ten shots at 10 fps, records 1080/60p video, and has a 'Motion Shot feature' for capturing things like golf swings. And, like most of Sony's midrange cameras, the WX350 also has Wi-Fi with NFC. The camera will ship in March for $320.
Canon announces the PowerShot ELPH 150 IS, ELPH 140 IS and ELPH 135, replacing its A-series of budget-friendly compacts. Each model uses a CCD sensor, providing a top video resolution of 720p. The 20 megapixel PowerShot ELPH 150 IS offers a 10x optical zoom and Intelligent IS. The PowerShot ELPH 140 IS has a 16 megapixel sensor, Intelligent IS and an 8x zoom, and the ELPH 135 provides an 8x zoom and 16 megapixels without IS. All three cameras are offered with a sub-$200 MSRP - a significant step down in price for the ELPH series.
February 11
According to rumors Finnish manufacturer Nokia will launch an Android powered smartphone at the MWC trade show in Barcelona next week.
With Younity, you have mobile access to all your photos without a cloud storage service.
Nikon's new collapsible kit zoom, the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II rolled into our office Friday afternoon and we took it for a spin over the weekend. Like similar designs used in mirrorless kit lenses, the 18-55mm VR II twists to expand when you're ready to shoot, and contracts into a more compact 'at rest' state. It's a natural companion for Nikon's consumer-level bodies including the D5300. While we put the finishing touches to our D5300 review, we used that camera to put together a gallery of real-world samples. See gallery
February 10
The latest update of the MEGA cloud storage service's iOS app adds a feature to automatically sync your photographs.
Blackmagic Design has announced it is shipping its 4K, global-shutter camera for $1000 less than originally suggested. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is built around a Super 35mm (roughly APS-C-sized) sensor and can shoot 4K and 1080p footage in Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) or Adobe CinemaDNG Raw formats, direct to SSD. The camera offers 4K at 30p, 25p, 24p and NTSC equivalents. It has a Canon EF-compatible lens mount, offering electronic aperture control with Canon and Zeiss lenses. It is available for $2,995.
Sigma has revealed the next generation of its DP series of APS-C sensor, fixed focal length cameras, with the dp2 Quattro. The latest, 45mm-equivalent, model features dramatic styling and a fundamental re-think of the company's Foveon multi-layer sensor design. The Quattro sensor still uses three layers to detect color information but now only captures its full, 19.6 million pixel resolution in the top layer, with lower two layers capturing 4.9MP of information each. The sensor will also appear in 28mm and 75mm equivalent dp1 Quattro and dp3 Quattro models.
February 9
Photographer Brandon Stanton's Humans of New York Project has been around for a few years now and has been featured in the media quite a bit. The latest video of Stanton, made for Facebook's 10th anniversary, is a revealing look at how he interacts with his subjects. He's jovial. He's conversational. But most of all, he's human – and it shows through in his images. See video
February 8
The shortlist for the Sony World Photography Awards has been announced in the Professional, Open, and Youth categories. Photographers from 166 countries submitted nearly 140,000 images, the highest number of entries in the awards' seven year history. The winners of the Open and Youth categories will be announced on March 18. Professional category winners will be announced April 30. See gallery
Photo-sharing site 500px has launched 'Prime' a licensing service that it is describing as 'the world's most intelligent marketplace' with fees that start at $250. Interestingly, the company is also claiming that the photographer will get 30% of every fee for a licensed image, no matter 'how it is bought, who buys it, or under what license'. Click through for more details.
February 7
Nokia's Lumia 1520 enters the 'phablet' class and combines a 1/2.5-inch 20MP BSI CMOS sensor with a F2.4 lens and optical image stabilization. We review its photographic capabilities.
We were visited recently by Panasonic product experts and got some time to handle Panasonic's latest still/video hybrid camera - the Lumix DMC-GH4. We've dug through its feature set to get a feel for what it offers and have summarized what's new and improved. And, although it's the 4K-capability that will grab all the initial attention, there's also plenty for 1080p shooters and even still photographers to take notice of. Click through to read more...
Panasonic has announced its latest flagship Micro Four Thirds camera, the Lumix DMC-GH4. It's designed as a 'hybrid camera' that can shoot both stills and videos, and the emphasis of the improvements is clearly on the latter. Its revised 16MP Live MOS sensor and Venus Engine IX processor allow for 4K video, 12 fps continuous shooting and 1080p shooting at bitrates as high as 200Mbps. An optional 'interface unit' adds five SDI and two XLR terminals, and permits 10-bit 4:2:2 output with time code.
The Coolpix P340 is Nikon's latest pocket enthusiast camera designed to compete with the likes of the Canon PowerShot S120. It features a 1/1.7", 12.2-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor with ability to capture Raw files. The P340 has a useful 24-120mm equivalent stabilized zoom range with F1.8-5.6 maximum aperture, a high resolution 3" LCD screen and now includes built-in Wi-Fi. Learn more
Nikon introduces its Coolpix P600, P530 and S9700 high zoom cameras with 16MP BSI CMOS sensors. The Coolpix P600 and P530 feature built-in electronic viewfinders and 60x and 42x optical zoom ranges, respectively, while the Coolpix S9700 travel zoom compact has a 30x optical zoom. Both the P600 and S9700 offer built-in Wi-Fi, and all three cameras provide 1080/60i HD video recording.
Nikon has announced its Coolpix AW120 and S32 waterproof cameras. The AW120 features a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 3" OLED screen and a wide-angle 24-120mm equivalent image stabilized zoom. It's waterproof down to 18m (59ft), shockproof from a height of 2m (6.6ft), and freezeproof down to -10C/+14F. It also comes with built-in Wi-fi and GPS. The inexpensive S32 has a 13.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 2.7-inch LCD display and 30-90mm equivalent lens. Learn more
February 6
We just added studio test scene images to our First Impressions Review of the Fujifilm X-T1. The X-T1 takes many familiar elements we've seen before in X-Series cameras but incorporates them in more DSLR-like shape and with even more external control. We also got a version of Adobe Camera Raw that supports the camera and have added it to our test scene comparison tool.
Tamron has announced the development of an all-in-one 'superzoom' lens for APS-C SLRs with a huge 18.8x range. The 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro will offer an unusually wide angle view for its class (24-450mm equivalent), while also allowing close-up shooting with 0.34x magnification. It has an ultrasonic-type autofocus motor, splashproof construction and optical image stabilization. Pricing and availability are still to be announced. Learn more
Tamron has announced that it's developing a new 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD superzoom lens for full frame SLRs. A near-twin of the co-announced 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 for APS-C, it's distinguished from the current model by featuring an ultrasonic-type 'Piezo Drive' autofocus motor, splashproof construction and more-compact design with a 67mm filter thread. It'll be made in Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts; pricing and availability are to be confirmed. Learn more
February 5
The Ricoh WG-4 and WG-4 GPS update the previously Pentax-branded rugged WG-series as step-up models featuring a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor, 25-100mm equiv. F2-4.9 lens and sensor-shift image stabilization. The two models are nearly identical with the exception of the WG-4 GPS' built-in location tagging capability and front-facing display, and are introduced with a number of mount accessories for action videography and photography. Both cameras are waterproof to 14m/45ft, coldproof to -10C/+14F, crushproof to 220lbf and shockproof from 2m/7ft. The WG-4 and WG-4 GPS will sell for $329.95 and $379.95 respectively. Learn more
Ricoh has announced the WG-20, an inexpensive rugged compact that's waterproof to 10m/33ft, freezeproof to -10C/+14F, and able to survive a 1.5m/5ft drop. Sporting a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, it provides a 28-140mm 5x optical zoom lens and 720p HD movie recording. It's a continuation of Pentax's WG-line (minus the 'Pentax' logo), and presumably a WG-10 replacement, though the cameras appear to share the same sensor, lens and rugged specifications. Available in March, it will ship in red or white for $199.95. Learn more
Ricoh has announced the HD Pentax DA AF 1.4X AW Rear Converter - a weather-resistant 1.4x teleconverter. It's designed to maintain autofocus both with lenses that use built-in focus motors, and those which are driven from the camera body. It'll be available in March 2014 for a price of $599.95 / £379.99. See full details, including a list of compatible lenses
Ricoh Imaging has announced it will be showing four 'reference products' at the forthcoming CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan. The company's Pentax brand has previously shown early prototypes of future models at the show. This year's products include a CMOS-based 645D medium format camera with tilting LCD, scheduled for launch in Spring 2014, along with an ultra-wide-angle zoom for the 645 system. Also on show will be a telephoto macro prime lens for the small sensor Q-mount system and a DSLR accessory for making digital captures from slide and negative film.
The Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a very sophisticated and complex AF System. The possible combinations to tweak the AF properties are basically unlimited, so especially for beginners it can be hard to assess which configuration will yield the best results.
Pentax has released new firmware for its flagship K-3 DSLR, allowing users to bracket exposures by AA filter simulation mode. As a reminder, the K-3 lacks a physical anti-aliasing filter, but simulates the blurring effect via minute movement of its sensor, with two intensity levels available (three if you include 'off'). Firmware v1.02 allows you to shoot a burst of sequential images at each AA filter level, to fine-tune the optimal balance between resolution and artifacts like moiré.
Artist Emma Jaubert Howell has combined her passions for glass blowing and photography by adopting the wet plate collodion process to expose images directly onto her artwork. The process alone is tricky, but to expose onto her three-dimensional glasswork Howell had to create a camera from scratch that was large enough to accommodate the hand-blown bowls. We spoke to Emma about her project. Learn more about her process and see some of her art in our gallery.
February 4
As part of our forthcoming review, we've been shooting extensively with the Fujifilm X-E2. Dpreview's Richard Butler used the camera on his recent vacation and has written about his experience living with it during that time. It's a small camera that offers a high level of direct control, but does that make it the perfect traveling companion? Read our Fujifilm X-E2 shooting experience to find out
Nikon has released Capture NX version 2.4.6. The latest update adds Raw image support for the recently announced entry-level D3300 and the improved white balance adjustment options can now match the 'Auto 1' setting found in newer DSLR and Coolpix cameras. Version 2.4.6 also expands Fine Adjustment range from 4132–7042k to 2500–7042k when using the Direct Sunlight option for Daylight. Get the update
Tamrac has introduced the Apache Series photo messenger bags. The three new models are made of waterproof sailcloth and designed to look discreet. The smallest of the new bags, the Apache 2 Photo Messenger, can hold a compact DSLR kit or mirrorless system. The Apache 6 Photo Messenger, the largest bag, can hold a DSLR with lens attached and 2-3 extra lenses, along with a tablet or laptop. The Apache 4 and 6 also have a silent closure system. Learn more
February 3
After 4 weeks of voting the results of our annual Challenge of Challenges photo contest are in, and although it was a close contest there was a clear winner. Click here to jump straight to the results in full and to once again be impressed by the amazing photographic skills and vision of our Challenges community.
A factory-fresh Fujifilm X-T1 arrived in our office last week, and editor Barnaby Britton spent the weekend trying it out, taking a range of sample images in different environments, with several lenses. Highlights of the X-T1's specification include a 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor with on-chip phase detection, high-resolution EVF and 8 fps continuous shooting with AF tracking. See our gallery and detailed first-impressions review
Weeks after replacing its CEO and announcing a new 50MP CMOS-equipped medium format DSLR, Hasselblad has us scratching our heads yet again. The just-announced Hasselblad HV joins the Lunar and Stellar as a restyled Sony SLT-A99 that offers identical specifications but has a complete aesthetic overhaul and 'tough as nails' PVD-coated aluminum and titanium construction. And we thought those days were over... Learn more
Before Christmas, we asked you to vote for your favorite cameras and lenses in five categories. We announced the category winners earlier this year and created a final poll to find what - in your opinion - was the single standout product of 2013. Click through for a reminder of the category winners and to find out which of the winning products was your choice for 2013 product of the year!
February 2
SmugMug, the online photo storage and sharing site, has an all-new video series that gives a glimpse into the lives of pro photographers and their work. It's a behind-the-lens look at people who follow their passions in photography. SmugMug aims to highlight a different photographer every two weeks for the rest of 2014. Learn more
February 1
Originally announced in December 2013, Sony has now made available firmware updates for the QX10 and QX100 cameras that clip on to the front of your smartphone. Version 2.0 adds full HD movie recording and expands ISO settings on both cameras. The QX100 also gains an extra Shutter Priority mode. Get the update
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| Flashes2 by Cutka from Lightning strikes | Erawan waterfalls Thailand by aarif from My Best Photo of the Week |
