British photographer Richard Heeks has made a project of taking something ordinary - soap bubbles - and making them extraordinary. Some of his images capture the exact moment when a bubble bursts, while others reflect the environment around with interesting color. One of his bubbles even looks like the 'Death Star' from the Star Wars trilogy. To get the photos, he took thousands of shots, gradually learning how light, weather, aperture and shutter speeds affect the final image. See gallery

We've come to the end of another week here at dpreview, and as our thoughts drift to weekend shooting opportunities, it's time to take things a little less seriously. Aaron Johnson's comic strip ‘What the Duck’ is just the thing, taking a gently satirical look through the lens of a photographically inclined waterfowl. You can find it published here (and in our newsletter) every week; we hope you enjoy it, and your weekend.

Nikon has announced on its website today that it will replace defective D600 cameras with a new D600 or equivalent model. This follows up earlier news of the Chinese government ordering Nikon to stop selling D600 cameras and Nikon's previous service announcement to offer D600 users free inspection, cleaning and replacement of the shutter assembly, even if the warranty has expired. Learn more

As more and more video production companies and independent videographers rely on DSLRs to shoot a majority of their work, finding more compact equipment is becoming easier. A decent fully-loaded DSLR jib setup can cost anywhere between $500 and $3,000, and the ProAm Orion DVC210 resides at the lower end of the spectrum. Can the Orion DVC210 take your DSLR video to the next level? Find out in our review

Ricoh Imaging Company has announced an advertorial feature on cnn.com called 'Spherical Report 360', where 360 people will be selected to receive a free Ricoh Theta spherical camera to shoot local news and events. Images taken with the Theta will then be judged for a Pentax K-3 grand prize. To be considered for a free Theta camera visit the Spherical Report 360 website for application guidelines. Applications will be accepted between March 27, 2014 through April 10, 2014. Learn more

Zeiss will have its new Compact Zoom CZ.2 15-30mm T2.9 lens on display at this year’s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas, April 7-10. The new lens fills the wide-angle gap in Zeiss' cine-style zoom lineup, complementing the already available CZ.2 28-80mm T2.9 and CZ.2 70-200mm T2.9 lenses. Also at the show will be a new Arri/Zeiss Master Anamorphic MA 135mm T1.9 lens. Learn more

The 12-mile long Mendenhall Glacier, located just outside of Juneau, Alaska may be one of the world's most easily accessible glaciers. But the crew of Firefight Films takes you far beyond the parking lot. Billed as the first documented drone flight through ice caves, Firefight Films’ co-founders, Lion El Aton and Christopher Carson, outfitted a DSLRPros DJI Phantom with a GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition to venture beyond the physical limits of a human film crew. See video

Having two distinct sensors in one camera appears to be the flavor of the week. HTC just launched the One M8, the first smartphone to feature a dual-sensor camera. At the same time Apple Insider spotted an Apple patent application that was published on Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The application is titled: 'Electronic device with two image sensors'. Learn more 

While most photos of children and family put forth a cleaned up and polished look, Alain Laboile takes another approach. He photographs his six children in their natural state - which is often pretty messy - as they play and explore in their Bordeaux, France home. The results are delightfully honest and candid images of good old dirt-between-your-toes fun. See gallery

Last week we announced the introduction of the Oppo Find 7, the first smartphone to feature a QHD screen. Interestingly, the Find 7's camera claimed it could produce a 50MP image from a 13MP sensor using what Oppo is calling "Super Zoom". We've updated our story with a brief look at what this technology is, and what it might mean for photographers, based on our communications with Oppo. Learn more

As we're working towards finishing our full in-depth review of Ricoh's Pentax K-3, we've decided to publish pages of the review that are complete so far instead of making you wait. You'll find the new sections of the ongoing review in our original first impressions review. The additional pages include: A shooting experience report, operation and controls, menus, a look at the K-3's video mode, our two test scene pages and a new real-world samples gallery. Click through for more

HTC has launched their new flagship model, the HTC One M8, at simultaneous events in London and New York City today. As we've come to know through various leaks the new device's headline feature is its Duo Camera. In addition to a 4MP "Ultra Pixel" sensor, the HTC One M8 comes with a secondary image sensor that captures depth information which allows for the application of bokeh effects to your images. Learn more

Panasonic has announced the HX-A500, a wearable video camera with ultra HD 4K at 30p capability. Along with Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity options, the HX-A500 can also shoot 1080p at 60fps, 720p at 120fps and 480p at 240fps. Panasonic's action camera is also dustproof and waterproof for up to 30 minutes down to 10 feet (3 meters). The HX-A500 has a separate body unit that has a 1.5-inch color LCD display and camera unit that is connected by a cable. Learn more

Camera straps are not, on the face of it, the most exciting accessories in the world but they do inspire strong feelings on the part of many photographers. While most people stick with the strap that came in the box with their camera, for a lot of enthusiasts the quest for the 'perfect strap' is an ongoing diversion. DPReview editor Barney Britton recently picked up the Ona Lima strap. Find out if it makes practical sense. Read his review

The winners of the 2014 World Press Photo Multimedia contest have been announced and the work represents a staggering array of subjects and documentary styles. The international jury selected first, second and third place winners in three categories: Short Feature, Long Feature and Interactive Documentary. Learn more

Sony has announced its new Alpha 3500 (a3500) which, at this point, is only for the Australian market. The camera is identical to the a3000, with the exception of a new kit lens. This 18-50mm F4.0-5.6 lens is less impressive than the 18-55 F3.5-5.6 that came with the a3000, as it's shorter, slower, and lacks image stabilization. The a3500 will be available soon for AU$499.

A Hasselblad camera claimed to have been used by U.S. astronauts on the moon sold on at auction in Vienna for nearly $1 million, despite questions as to the veracity of its travels. WestLicht Photographica Auction in Austria reported the camera, a Hasselblad Electronic Data Camera, sold for €550,000 (€660,000 with the buyer’s premium which is about $910,400) and was won by Japanese businessman Terukazu Fujisawa. Learn more

Panasonic has officially announced the Leica DG Summilux 15mm F1.7 ASPH, a premium fast wideangle prime for Micro Four Thirds cameras. It offers an angle of view equivalent to 30mm on full frame, and features an aperture ring at the front of the barrel. It's also very small in diameter to match the tiny DMC-GM1 camera, with which it will be offered as a kit. It'll be available in black or silver from mid-June for $599/£549, with the GM1 kit costing £999.

Making a time-lapse video isn't trivial, but the end result is compelling. Photographer Eric Stemen explains how he made his tribute to Louisville, Kentucky. He talks about his shooting technique - everything from getting good exposures to using sliders. There's also a look at all the gear he used and some post-processing tips. Learn more

The Samsung NX30 is a midrange mirrorless camera that features a 20.3MP CMOS sensor and the company's latest DRIMeIV processor. The NX30 has a Hybrid AF system that combines on-chip phase detection with more traditional contrast detection and photos can be composed on a fully articulating 3-inch AMOLED display or a unique pull-out, tilting electronic viewfinder. We've spent some time with a production sample to see how it performs out in the real world.

Stephen Tourlentes started photographing prisons after a facility was built in his home town, in Illinois, USA. In his series of images entitled 'Building Absence', Tourlentes captures prisons at night, in the distance, their lights illuminating the landscapes in which they exist. By his own estimation he has photographed more than 100 prisons in 46 states, often from dead-end public roads and from within the communities that border the huge facilities. Click through for a look at his work. 

Sony World Photography Awards has announced the winners in their Open, Youth and National categories. The winning photos were selected from more than 70,000 images submitted by enthusiasts all over world. An overall winner with a $5,000 (~£3,024) cash prize and judging of the remaining categories will be announced on April 30. See gallery

We've come to the end of another week here at dpreview, and as our thoughts drift to weekend shooting opportunities, it's time to take things a little less seriously. Aaron Johnson's comic strip ‘What the Duck’ is just the thing, taking a gently satirical look through the lens of a photographically inclined waterfowl. You can find it published here (and in our newsletter) every week; we hope you enjoy it, and your weekend.

Kodak famously failed to adapt to the transition from film to digital photography, and finally stopped making digital cameras in early 2012. Now the famous old brand has been resurrected by JK Imaging Ltd, which is producing cameras in partnership with Asia Optical. We got a quick look at some of the 2014 product portfolio earlier this year at CES but this week we had a more detailed briefing at a European press event. Click through to take a closer look. 

Samyang has announced a wideangle prime for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, the 12mm F2.0 NCS CS. With manual focus and aperture control, it will offer an 18mm equivalent angle of view on cameras with APS-C sensors (19mm equiv on Canon EOS M), and 24mm equivalent on Micro Four Thirds. It uses nanocrystal coating to minimise flare and ghosting, and will be available in Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Sony E, and Micro Four Thirds mounts. Pricing and availability are still to be confirmed.

Photographer Donald Weber returned to his former home of Kiev during the civil unrest last month. Working without a commission, Weber avoided news-style images of the running battles between protestors and police, he says he attempted to take 'a macro view of the situation.' As well as architectural images of the homemade barricades and portraits of some of the participants, he also created a series of images detailing the protesters' weapons of choice - homemade Molotov cocktails. See photos of Weber's unique perspective

A Berlin-based start-up is aiming to produce and market a camera stabilizer for smartphones and actions cams, such as the GoPro. There is an abundance of similar devices available already but LUUV's design is unique because it allows for upside-down filming at very close proximity to the ground. Learn more

The Wall Street Journal has discovered a patent filing with the Korean Intellectual Property Rights Information Service that seems to indicate Samsung is experimenting with transparent displays for digital cameras. The idea behind the concept is that the photographer and their subject can maintain eye-contact while the image is being framed. Learn more 

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 looks at first glance a bit like a high-end superzoom with its 24-200mm equivalent F2.8 lens. That's a fairly modest range by modern standards, but then the camera's 1" sensor is very large compared to conventional superzooms. Sony has put a lot of effort into the camera's video capabilities and tools, making it more than just a stills shooter, but are the sum of these parts enough to make the whole worth $1300? Find out in our review

Chase Jarvis has posted another show-and-tell video about the core gear he carries with him on shoots. In this video, you can see bag upon bag of photo and video gear sitting on industrial shelving in the background. Rather than going through every piece of equipment he owns, Jarvis presents his essential camera gear, the stuff he takes with him on every shoot. See video

Several manufacturers were rumored to launch a smartphone with a QHD-display (2560x1440 pixels) at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but none of the models introduced at the show featured one of the high-resolution screens. Now the wait is over. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo has introduced the Find 7, the first smartphone to feature a QHD screen. Learn more

DxO Labs has released version 9.1.4 of its DxO Optics Pro software. Both the Elite and Standard versions gain support for the Sony A5000, Leica X Vario and GoPro Hero 3+ Black edition. The Elite version also gives support for the Nikon D4s. The update also adds 170 lens and cameras combinations to its library, with a list of over 18,000 combinations now available. Click through for the download link.

'Facial cartography' is an apt description of Swiss photographer Daniel Boschung's portraits. Folds, crevices and pores that are often invisible under normal viewing conditions are shown in extreme detail in his 900MP images. Each of his photographs is comprised of about 600 images captured by an ABB robot with a Canon 5D Mark II and a 180mm macro lens. Learn more

Robert Macauley wants to make photographs special again - by printing them. He's one of the heads behind the LifePrint Kickstarter project that is aiming to build a portable wireless printer that is controlled via an iOS or Android app. The LifePrint team is looking to secure $200,000 of funding to build a printer that will be capable of printing a 3x4" photo in approximately 30 seconds. Learn more 

A patent for a wireless accessory that allows users to remotely control the camera of an iPhone - including image preview, capture and review - has been granted to Apple by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Of course we don't know at this point if the patent will ever result in an actual product but there is no doubt that, at the right price, it could be a useful accessory. Learn more

This week camera manufacturers released a number of new firmware versions. Today Sony released the previously announced Sony Alpha 7/7R update that promises faster start-up speeds, improved image quality and better AF support. There are also updates for a host of other Sony NEX cameras. Meanwhile, Nikon and Canon released updates to the D4 and EOS 6D, respectively. Learn more

Samsung has announced the NX mini, the world's slimmest interchangeable lens camera. It boasts a 1-inch, 20MP sensor and provides all of the wireless connectivity we've come to expect from Samsung's cameras. We spent a little bit of time with a pre-production unit getting to know it, photographing it, and pondering its existence. Take a look at some hands-on photos and read our first impressions of Samsung's latest (and littlest) connected, mirrorless camera. 

Samsung has announced its new NX mini mirrorless camera, which uses a smaller sensor and lens mount than its existing NX system. Sporting a new 20.5MP 1"-type BSI-CMOS sensor, the NX mini is the slimmest mirrorless camera on the market. It  uses a new NX-M lens mount, with two lenses available at launch (9-27mm and 9mm) and a third (17mm) coming this summer. Other features include an LCD that flips up 180 degrees, Wi-Fi with NFC, 1080/30p video, and Samsung's usual assortment of bells and whistles. Learn more.

According to a Nikon support advisory there are a small number of Lexar 400x or 1000x compact flash memory cards that may have issues communicating with the new D4s camera. Nikon USA's service and support site has outlined how to identify the faulty cards and instructions for replacement. Learn more

The Nikon D600 had a rocky introduction in 2012, with countless users noting that the camera often produces images with dust/oil spots. Nowhere though is the D600 having as rough a time as China, were the government has issued an order to Nikon to stop selling the D600 entirely following an investigative report on CCT (China Central Television) that captured dealers trying to avoid refunding money to angry customers. Learn more

According The Guardian newspaper, a new law in Hungary that took effect on March 15th could have a potentially chilling effect on photographic freedoms in that country. It will make it illegal to take a photograph of someone without their express permission. This new civil code covers anyone in the frame, which means that photographers will have to seek permission from anyone in the foreground or background. Learn more

When Apple launched their latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 5s, they took the hardware of the predecessor, the iPhone 5, added iOS7 and a new colorful plastic body, and called the new creation the iPhone 5c. The 5c was meant to be a more affordable alternative to the 5s but it appears sales have thus far not met the expectations of Apple executives. Today the tech giant from Cupertino has made a move to fix this and released an 8GB version of the iPhone 5c. Learn more

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 is the third incarnation of Olympus' popular range of high-end mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. The E-M10 boasts some impressive DNA, using the same excellent 16MP Four Thirds sensor as its E-M5 sibling. We've been shooting with it extensively over the past few weeks, hoping to find out whether this 'digital' OM is as capable as the two that preceded it. Those are two solid acts to follow - how does the OM-D E-M10 perform? Find out in our review

We just added studio test scene images to our First Impressions Review of the Nikon D4s. The D4s is a refined version of Nikon's flagship DSLR, incorporating several changes - large and small - resulting from feedback from professional users. As well as minor ergonomic refinements and a slightly improved video mode the D4s also offers a highest ISO sensitivity of 409,600 (equivalent) - the highest we've ever seen. Click through to see for yourself what that looks like. 

Using a similar model as Adobe’s Creative Cloud, video effects maker Red Giant - creators of Trapcode and Magic Bullet - is making their post-production tools and plugins available via subscription. Instead of buying individual software licenses, Red Giant's service called Universe allows you to pay monthly or yearly for access to their suite of products that work in popular video editing software such as Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere. Learn more

Visual Supply Co., the makers of the popular VSCO Cam smartphone app, has announced the VSCO Artist Initiative which is a $100,000 (~£60,082/~€71,757) scholarship fund 'providing artists the resources to pursue their creative vision.' If you could do with a few extra dollars to fund your art and think you've got what it takes, you can apply on the VSCO website. Learn more

With its 16MP ISOCELL 1/2.6-inch sensor, F2.2 aperture, 4K video, reflector integrated LED-flash, water-resistant body and hybrid AF-system, the recently announced Samsung Galaxy S5 looks like one of 2014's hottest options for mobile photographers. However problems in the manufacturing process of the S5's new 6-element lens could delay its release in some markets. Learn more 

Filmed as part of a larger documentary, Michael Engler’s 'Contemporary Photography in the USA' features photographer Garry Winogrand just two years before his death in 1984 at the age of 56. Although the Bronx-born photographer is often referred to as a street photographer - perhaps one of the best of his generation - he hated the expression, explaining in the video 'I think it's a stupid term. Street photographer. It doesn’t tell you anything about the photographer or [the] work.' Watch video

In part 1 of our interview with Montreal-based photographer Benjamin Von Wong we asked him about his transition from mining engineer to full-time photographer. In part 2, Von Wong talks about how some of his more famous images were created. Follow the links below to read the concluding part of our interview and take a look at more of Von Wong's dramatic photographs. Learn more

Earlier this week, Japanese patent blog Egami reported that Olympus has patented a technology that would allow the photographer to selectively adjust exposure of different scene areas during an exposure. This might allow for a more balanced exposure of scenes where cameras might normally struggle. Click through for an explanation of what we think the patent might mean for photographers.