Engagement photo sessions are not only an additional source of income for photographers but, as New York City-based wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer explains, these shoots provide the perfect opportunity to establish a relationship with the couple and learn how to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera before the big day. See video

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.

Toshiba has announced the industry's first microSD memory cards to comply with the UHS-II standard. Also being UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) enabled will allow the new cards, available in 64GB and 32GB capacities, to capture 4K video at constant minimum write speeds of 30MB/s. The 64GB cards offer a maximum read speed of 260MB/s and a maximum write speed of 240MB/s. The 32GB cards have a maximum read speed of 145MB/s and maximum write speed of 130MB/s. Learn more

The Olympus Stylus SH-1 brings the manufacturer's well-regarded 5-axis image stabilization to a fixed lens compact for the first time. The SH-1 looks the part too with its Pen-inspired styling, and offers a substantial 25-600mm equivalent zoom. Who could resist taking it for a spin? That's exactly what we did, and we've come back with a gallery of real-world samples to prove it. See photos

Pixels.com is a new image licensing marketplace that aims to give photographers more control than competing services. Users can set their own prices for images and manage the type of licenses they want to offer. There is even an option to create custom licenses with your own terms and conditions. Learn more

National Geometric is a social enterprise that brings a personal touch to charitable giving. Through the sales of single-edition, 10x15 prints of a person with a specific need, National Geometric helps provide food, water, medical care, tuition for school, and other basic necessities. The cost of each photograph reflects the amount needed to help the person in the photograph. Learn more

So far Google's in-house camera app has only been available on Nexus devices but now a new version of the app is available to anyone in the Google Play Store. The app only works on devices running Android Kitkat 4.4 but Google is planning to make it work on older versions too. It comes with a minimalist design and a brand new feature called Lens Blur to simulate shallow depth-of-field. Learn more

What was the first digital camera in space? It turns out in 1991 NASA sent a modified Nikon F3 with small Kodak CCD sensor and external processing unit on a shuttle mission. Called the Hawkeye II, this system used a RS-232 serial port to connect to its external gear. Kodak would use this platform as the basis for the DCS system, the first commercially available digital camera. Learn more

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM 'Art' is a fast normal prime for full frame cameras, with an unusually complex optical design. Its premium price tag of $950 / £850 makes it substantially more expensive than either its predecessor, or Canon and Nikon's 50mm F1.4 lenses. However Sigma's recent high-end offerings such as the 35mm F1.4 DG HSM and 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM have been truly excellent, so how does the new 50mm measure up? See the lens test data and our analysis

The 50mm F1.4 DG HSM is Sigma's latest fast normal prime for full-frame cameras, and one of the most hotly-anticipated lenses of the year. But how does it perform in real-world use?  We've been using the lens for a couple of days, and put together a gallery of samples. We've concentrated on large-aperture shots to show sharpness and bokeh, but have also included several taken at smaller apertures. See photos

The maker of popular Wi-Fi SD cards has launched Eyefi Cloud, a private photo-centric cloud service that makes photos instantly available on a smartphone, tablet, PC or smart TV. Once users send images from their camera to mobile device using the Eyefi Mobi SD memory card and updated iOS and Android Eyefi apps, images can now be transferred to Eyefi Cloud for viewing on any browser-enabled device. Learn more

Nikon's latest in a series of behind the scenes videos features photographer Joe McNally. An off-camera lighting wizard, McNally shares some useful tips from three different flash scenarios. No diffusion panel? No worries, McNally explains you can get the same results by placing a bed sheet between the flash and the subject. And as natural light began flowing through his studio, like any good photographer, McNally moved his model to make some pictures — without flash, this time. See video

Getty Images has announced a call for entries for its Getty Grants, a series of photographic grants for editorial and portrait photographers totaling $130,000 (~£77,737). To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its grant program, Getty Images is offering six prizes for editorial photography, three creative grants for non-profits and individual photographers, and one for portrait photographers. Learn more

Canon's PowerShot G1 X Mark II is an intriguing update. It keeps the 1.5"-type sensor from its predecessor, but adds a faster processor, longer and brighter lens, tilting LCD, dual control rings and has Wi-Fi with NFC. The big change for 2014 is no more optical viewfinder. Our first impressions review covers the usual aspects of the camera (Controls, Body and Design, etc.), but also has our Shooting Experience report where we talk about it handles in the real-world. Learn more

Fujifilm has formally announced the TCL-X100, a 1.4x teleconverter for the X100 and X100S that was first shown at CP+ back in February. The converter brings the focal length up to 33mm (50mm equiv.) and features an HT-EBC coating to reduce flare. Owners of the X100 and X100S will need to update their firmware in order to take advantage of the TCL-X100. The teleconverter will be available this May in your choice of black or silver for $349.99.

Fujifilm UK has announced a host of accessories for its X-T1 mirrorless cameras. These include two extra accessory grips for the X-T1, which build on the features offered by the MHG-style grips already available for the X-series cameras. The MHG-XT Small and Large offer a choice grip sizes and include integrated Arca-Swiss compatible flanges, as well as full-time access to the battery port. Other accessories include a deeper viewfinder eye-cup and a handgrip-style strap that's compatible across the X-mount range. Pricing and availability dates have not yet been announced.

If you are the kind of person who gets uncomfortable at the thought of somebody recording you on Google Glass, the search company's latest patent application will probably make you feel even more uneasy. In January Google announced its smart contact lens project and now has filed a patent application for a micro camera module to go with the smart lenses. Learn more

Sony has released a firmware update for its QX10 and QX100 camera modules that bring a couple of improvements. The shutter button can now be used to pre-focus with a half-press which allows you to focus and recompose with the QX modules just like you would do with any digital camera. Learn more

We all know the situation just too well. You're out shooting with your DSLR or mirrorless camera when you decide to swap lenses and have no idea where you've put the lens cap for the lens that's mounted on your camera body. Usually it's in the very last place you look for it. In the worst case scenario you never find it at all. Two Canadian designers have a solution to this problem. Learn more

Most manufacturers of Android devices have designed smaller versions of their flagship smartphones to cater to those user who prefer more pocketable devices. In this shootout we pit three of those models against each other: the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, HTC One Mini and Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. Learn more

Two New York Times photographers are honored with Pulitzer Prizes in photojournalism this year. Tyler Hicks takes the award for Breaking News Photography for his work documenting a terrorist attack at a mall in Kenya, and Josh Haner's photos of a Boston Marathon bombing survivor take the top award in Feature Photography. Five finalists also receive recognition for their contributions to photojournalism in 2014. Read more

It's hard to resist the opportunity to play with a new medium format DSLR, so we quickly took up Ricoh's offer to try out its 645Z. While it may look intimidating, the 645Z is surprisingly accessible, with an experience that feels strangely familiar to those who have handled Pentax cameras like the K-3. It's also a bargain by medium format standards, and not a huge step up from full-frame. Learn more about the 645Z.

Ricoh has launched the Pentax 645Z, a medium-format camera with a 51.4 megapixel CMOS sensor. Boasting an articulated 3.2-inch LCD, top ISO of 204,800, 3 fps continuous shooting, and 1080/60i video, the 645Z is cold-resistant, dustproof and weather-resistant with 76 weather-seals. It's also compatible with the Pentax FluCard, offering wireless remote control and image sharing from the camera to a smartphone, tablet or computer.

In 2001 Microsoft released the Windows XP operating system and with it an iconic desktop photograph. Referred to as 'Bliss', the lush landscape of rolling grass hills and a crystal-blue sky has, to Microsoft's estimation, been seen by at least a billion people. To celebrate the retiring of the XP operating system, Microsoft tracked down the original photographer and talked to him about the shot. Learn more

The Fujifilm X-T1 is surely one of the most desirable cameras of the year so far, with its SLR-like styling, huge electronic viewfinder, and wealth of external controls on its compact, weathersealed body. It also promises class-leading autofocus performance, including the ability to track focus on moving subjects -  something that's traditionally eluded this type of camera. But is this enthusiast-oriented mirrorless model really a match for a traditional SLR? Read our in-depth review to find out.

Ten years ago, James and Karla Murray set out photographing New York City's distinct and varied storefronts. The project was known as Storefront: The Disappearing Face of New York. With ten years passed they revisited the same locations and photographed them again, where over and over one-of-a-kind signage has, in fact, disappeared. Banks and fast food restaurants have sprung up in some places, while others decay behind bars and graffiti. See gallery

The World Photography Organization has announced that American photographer Mary Ellen Mark is the recipient of the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Photography. She has published eighteen books, with her nineteenth available this spring. Mark is known for becoming deeply ingrained in the lives of her subjects, providing a unique view of their lives without making those on the edges of society look inhuman. Learn more

Photographers and astronomy fans in North America are gearing up for a rare meteorological event the night of April 14-15. According to Sky and Telescope magazine, on April 15th, the lunar eclipse will begin around 1:20am ET. While astronomers race to observatories, many photographers will take to the outdoors to capture this unique event. Here are a few tips for those looking to capture a good image of the moon. Learn more

On average, Americans send about half of their waste to landfills. Focused on spreading awareness about this issue, The Glad Products Company sponsored award-winning photojournalist Peter Menzel and writer Faith D’Aluisio's project called 'Waste in Focus.' The photo series looks at what eight families around the U.S. are recycling, composting and sending to landfill. See gallery

The Samsung NX30's launch got rather drowned-out by the other launches around CES. We've been shooting with it over the past few weeks and have written about our experiences. The NX series boasts a strong range of lenses, one of the more advanced Wi-Fi systems and the innovative i-Function system. What impact do these have on how we used the camera? Learn more 

Lensbaby, maker of popular selective focus lenses, has announced a 5.8mm F3.5 circular fisheye lens for Canon and Nikon mounts. With a 185° angle of view, the lens produces a full-circle fisheye image when used with APS-C-sized sensor cameras. The lens also allows you to focus as close as 1/4-inch. Lensbaby is taking pre-orders now. The circular fisheye will sell for $299.95. Learn more

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.

Tamron has announced pricing and availability for its 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro 18.8x superzoom for APS-C SLRs. The lens, which was announced in February, will go on sale in mid-May at a street price of $629. The 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 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. Learn more

Earlier this week Sony got a lot of attention with its Alpha 7S announcement - a 12MP full-frame mirrorless camera with 4k video capabilities and ISO expandable to 409,600 for stills and video. This sounds impressive, but how does it actually perform? See for yourself as Sony just released a video demonstrating the high ISO performance of the Alpha 7S. Watch video

Sigma has released pricing and availability information of its new 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens. First announced in January at CES, the 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is a completely new lens, rather than a revision of Sigma's existing 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM. The lens employs the company's Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) system and has 13 elements in eight groups. It will be available for Sigma, Sony, Nikon, and Canon mounts in late April for $949. The UK RRP will be £849.99. Learn more 

Designed by Lomography and manufactured in Russia by Zenit, the Russar+ is an update to the 1958 Russar MR-2 wide-angle lens. The new lens is handmade out of brass and offers a 20mm focal length. It's compatible with L39 and M mount cameras. The lens can also be used on mirrorless systems using adapter mounts. Lomography is taking pre-orders now for $649.00, or £499 in the UK. It is expected to ship in July. Learn more

While smartphone processing power, screen resolutions and camera performance have all improved significantly over the last few years, one area of development is seemingly standing still. Under heavy use most smartphone batteries still won't make it through the day, and once plugged in, devices take a long time to charge. Faster charging batteries are certainly welcome news to smartphone and tablet users but could also reduce the need for carrying spare batteries on longer photographic excursions. Learn more

Reuters reports six Japanese trust banks have filed a lawsuit against Olympus for ¥27.9bn (around $273 million) in damages relating to the company’s false financial statements. According to the report this is the fifth publicly recognized lawsuit stemming from a 2011 accounting scandal. Olympus said it would set aside ¥17bn ($166.49m) to settle three of those five suits. Learn more

Pentax cameras have always been innovative, and Ricoh has upped the ante with the K-3. Its image stabilization system not only reduces shake, but it can also simulate an anti-aliasing filter. The K-3 marks the latest evolution of one of the best-handling DSLRs in its class. It features a new autofocus system, 24 megapixel CMOS sensor, 8.3 fps continuous shooting, and USB 3.0 support. Has Ricoh put together a top-notch DSLR in the K-3? Read our review to find out

Nikon's recently announced flagship V3 1 System camera gave us a look at the latest technology the company has been working on, and many of those features have trickled down to the new, less-expensive J4. The camera features an 18MP CX-format sensor, an improved Hybrid AF system with phase detect points across nearly 100% of the frame, 20 fps burst shooting with continuous AF and, of course, Wi-Fi. Learn more about the Nikon 1 J4.

Nikon introduces the Coolpix S810c, a compact point-and-shoot running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. With a 16 megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor, a 12x (25-300mm equiv.) zoom lens with VR stabilization and built-in Wi-Fi, it replaces the Coolpix S800c. The S810c offers 1080/30p HD video and built-in GPS, both offered in the preceding model, and adds a larger 3.7-inch touch screen LCD with 1.2 million dots of resolution. 

Nikon has unveiled the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 ED VR (27-450mm equivalent). It doesn't replace the company's existing 18-300mm lens - rather it's 1/3-stop slower at the long end and 30% lighter, weighing 19.4 ounces. The new 18-300mm has Nikon's Vibration Reduction system, which can reduce shake by up to 4 stops. Built with three Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements and Nikon's Silent Wave Motor for quieter focusing, the 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 will be available in May for $899.95.

For those who want to take a swim with Nikon's latest 1 System mirrorless camera - the J4 - the company is also releasing both an underwater housing and speedlight. The WP-N3 housing lets you take the camera up to 45m underwater and supports several 1 System kit lenses. It also has a port for connecting to a strobe, such as the new SB-N10, which has a maximum depth of 100m and works with the already waterproof AW1, as well.

Canon U.S.A. has recalled about 14,000 PowerShot SX50 HS digital cameras. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, 'A chemical used in the rubber part of the viewfinders on the camera can cause skin or eye irritation or an allergic reaction to the user'. The cameras in question have serial numbers beginning with 69, 70 or 71 and have 1 as the sixth digit of the serial number. Learn more

Atomos has released the latest in its series of field video recorders, the Shogun, at the NAB show in Las Vegas. It's capable of 4K Apple ProRes and Raw recording in 24, 25 or 30p, and up to 120p in HD. The device features a 7-inch touchscreen for operation, and accepts two SSD or HDD drives. Additionally the Shogun offers wireless remote control to trigger recording. Learn more

The W. Eugene Smith Grant for Humanistic Photography is seeking entrants to win a $30,000 (~£18,062) grant to work on a current or future documentary project, and up to $5,000 (~£3,010) if a finalist is deemed 'worthy of special recognition'. Up to forty images may be submitted for the grant. Photos must be from an ongoing project but can include past work that is representative of the photographer's vision of a proposed project. Deadline for submission is May 31, 2014. Learn more 

As part of their continuing video series, Photo District News has released an interview with James Estrin, founder of the New York Times 'The Lens' blog. Estrin provides a series of tips for the aspiring photographer. While many of these aren’t groundbreaking, the video has some real gems. Notably, in his advice to photographers looking to document strife or crisis in exotic places, he says to pursue stories that are closer to home. Learn more

Camera Raw 8.4 is now available as a final release for Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CC. Lightroom 5.4 is also now on Adobe.com and available through the update mechanism in the application. The updates include bug fixes, new features and support for a number of new cameras such as the Nikon D4s and D3300, Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II, Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Fujifilm X-T1. Learn more

The Xperia Z2 is Sony's latest flagship smartphone and replaces the Z1. The full-HD display measures 5.2 inches and offers better viewing angles than its predecessor's 5-inch equivalent. While a new Snapdragon 801 processor and 3GB of RAM offer plenty of power, the camera specification is nearly identical to the Z1's. Images are captured by a 20.7MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor on a F2.0 lens. Nevertheless, Sony has managed to improve the image quality of its new flagship. Learn more

Adobe has released Lightroom mobile for Apple's iPad as a companion app to the Lightroom desktop application. The app offers many of same image editing and organizing functions found on the desktop version. It also uses cloud technology to synchronize your edits across various devices with the image catalog on your desktop computer. Learn more