A PBS profile of Dorothea Lange, the photographer behind iconic images of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, is set to air later this month. American Masters - Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightning will premiere on PBS stations Friday August 29th from 9-11pm. The documentary, directed and narrated by Lange's granddaughter Dyanna Taylor, features newly discovered interviews with the photographer, remembrances from family and friends, as well as a look into her career retrospective at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Read more
August 6
August 5
Lenovo has just announced what looks like one of the most interesting smartphones of the year, from a camera perspective. According to the announcement the Vibe Z2 Pro captures images with a 16MP camera that features an optical image stabilization system. Camera functions include a Pro Mode, which allows for manual control over a range of shooting parameters. The new device is also capable of 4K video recording. Read more
PocketWizard has announced the latest ControlTL firmware upgrade to its line of 'Control the Light' wireless flash transceivers and receivers, updating the MiniTT1 Transmitter and FlexTT5 transceiver and receiver units to work with all available Canon and Nikon DSLR systems. The company has also added resources to achieve a much faster turnaround on updates, as evidenced by new support for the Nikon D810, which was just announced in late June. Read more
August 4
Ricoh has announced the Pentax Q-S1, its latest compact interchangeable lens camera with a Q lens mount. It offers some cosmetic updates, but the internals like a 12MP 1/1.7-inch BSI CMOS have remained largely unchanged from the previous Q7 model. The Q-S1 will be sold in 40 different color combinations when it becomes available in September for a price of $499.95/£379.99 with kit zoom. Read more
Ricoh adds a new lens to its 645 medium format lineup, the weather-resistant HD Pentax-DA645 28-45mm F4.5ED AW SR. Covering a 22-35.5mm equivalent range in full-frame terms, it uses 17 elements in 12 groups. It's Pentax's first optically stabilized lens, with SR Shake Reduction technology that claims to compensate for camera shake for an additional 3.5 stops. The lens is dust- and weather-resistant, becoming available in August for a price of $4,999.95/£3,399.99. Read more
Though they come with vastly different sensor sizes and price tags, the Panasonic Lumix GH4 and the Sony Alpha 7S are similar in spirit. They're both meant for video recording as much as they are for stills. To that point, the 12.2MP full frame A7S and 16MP Micro Four Thirds GH4 are both capable of 4K video output and offer extensive video features. Our comparative review takes a detailed look at how these cameras perform in terms of video and stills, as well how they stack up against one another. Read part one
August 3
In his series 'tautochronos', Berlin-based artist and photographer Michel Lamoller takes multiple pictures of the same scene at different times, before physically combining the prints and using a scalpel to cut through the layers. In doing so, Lamoller's 'layerscapes' offer a vision of time and space that would be impossible in a conventional single exposure. His work is hard to describe in words - click through to read our Q&A and take a look at his work.
In all the talk about new gear, it's easy to overlook the end result of our shared passion - the pursuit of stunning images. Among our large community there are some incredibly talented photographers who share their work in our forums, galleries and photo challenges, and from time to time we like to showcase some of the best work on our homepage. This week we asked users of our Nature and Wildlife forum to submit their favorite shots and as usual, the submissions were excellent. See gallery
August 2
It would seem that a trip somewhere as exotic as Thailand would require a pro camera and a heavy bag of lenses. Photographer Jan Ras took a lighter approach on a recent trip to Thailand, photographing some of the native inhabitants of a village (monkeys, to be precise) with a Nokia Lumia 1020. He captures their expressive, curious nature in a documentary style, all while forgoing traditional photographic equipment. See gallery
August 1
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.
Just when Canon India had us all excited... it looks like the company's 'something BIG is coming' teaser was referring to a competition. 'Photomarathon India' is open for registration from August 5th, and prizes include a trip to Japan, worth $5000. This is great news for Indian photographers, but likely to disappoint those of us hoping that 'something BIG' might refer to new hardware. Oh well.
You'd know just by looking at it that the Samsung NX Mini is the slimmest and lightest interchangeable lens camera on the market. Tucked inside is a 1"-type, 20MP CMOS sensor along with Wi-Fi with NFC and 1080/30p video. The aptly named Mini also introduces a new NX-M lens mount. We've updated our existing NX Mini samples gallery with images from the 17mm F1.8 prime. See gallery
Lens Rentals Canada has announced that it is temporarily not accepting new orders. A brief notice on lensrentalscanada.com cites 'serious issues' with Canada Post Corporation, and states that current orders will be shipped using Purolator Courier. An email that a reddit user claims was sent to him by Lens Rentals Canada is more to the point, stating that a Canada Post employee has stolen equipment in transit. No estimated timeframe has been given as to when orders will be accepted again. Read more
July 31
Adobe has made final release versions of Camera Raw 8.6 and DNG Converter 8.6 available. This update adds support for the Nikon D810, Panasonic Lumix AG-GH4 (GH4 with interface unit) and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000, as well as several bug fixes. Color profiles are added for the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III, A7S and Alpha SLT-A77 II. Also included are a number of new lens profiles. Learn more
Canon India has posted a teaser on its Facebook page showing a 1-series DSLR alongside the words 'Get your camera ready, something BIG is coming'. Being a teaser rather than a leak, the meaning of the post is open to interpretation, although 'get your camera ready' suggests that the new product might be a lens. With Photokina just around the corner, the time is right for new product announcements. Click through for a look at the teaser.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX220 and W810, which have been available in certain markets for several months, are making their way onto US shores in August and September. The WX220 features an 18.2MP BSI-CMOS sensor, Bionz X processor, 25-250mm equiv. lens, 1080/60p video, and Wi-Fi with NFC. The W810 offers a 20MP CCD, 26-156mm equiv. lens, and 720p video. The cameras are priced at $200 and $100, respectively. Click through for details.
A group of big name Hollywood directors has nudged studio executives into talks with Kodak, negotiating a deal that would keep the company's movie film in production. With support from the likes of Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, and J.J. Abrams, the deal would see studios commit to buying a certain amount of film from Kodak for the next few years. Read more
July 30
The Nikon D810 represents a consolidation of its two predecessors, the D800 and D800E. The 36MP full frame DSLR lacks an anti-aliasing filter to make the absolute most of its high resolution sensor and provides a number of meaningful updates over the previous generation. After some extensive shooting in the field we've updated our First Impressions Review with a shooting experience. Read more
The Sony SLT-A77 II is that company's latest DSLR using translucent mirror technology. With a 24MP CMOS sensor, it has a newly-designed 79-point AF system and offers 12fps continuous shooting with autofocus. That's all very impressive on paper, but what's it like in the real world? We've pulled together a sample gallery and added it to our a77 II First Impressions Review. See gallery
July 29
Flickr has announced that it is expanding its photo licensing opportunities for users. Alongside its partnership with Getty Images, Flickr will now allow users to opt in to an 'image curation' initiative called Marketplace. Participating members may have their images featured across Yahoo's network of sites along with other media outlets including the New York Times and the BBC. Read more
We've been out taking advantage of Seattle's sunny July days and have just published a gallery of real-world samples from Canon's new 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 IS STM lens. Smaller, lighter and cheaper than the 10-22mm zoom that precedes it in Canon's lineup, the 10-18mm gives a 16-29mm equivalent range on the APS-C bodies it's designed for. See gallery
Canon has introduced a pair of budget-friendly superzooms: the PowerShot SX400 IS and SX520 HS. These cameras have 24-720mm and 24-1008mm equivalent lenses, respectively. The SX400 sports a 16MP CCD and 720p video, while the SX520 uses a CMOS sensor (likely BSI) that can produce Full HD movies. Canon claims that autofocus performance has been improved on both models compared with their predecessors. You'll be able to pick up the SX400 IS in August for $249.99, with the SX520 HS following in September for $399.99.
July 28
Pelican Imaging has released a set of re-focusable pictures taken with its light field camera for smartphones. Instead of placing an array of microlenses between the sensor and the main lens, Pelican uses an array of main lenses - each with a sensor behind it. Pelican's offering is more suitable for smartphones, and their sample images allow for re-focusing, changing DOF, and shifting perspective. Click through for more details and links to the images.
The Boeing 747 - or the 'jumbo jet' as it is commonly known, changed the world. The 747 first flew in 1969, and transformed modern air travel with its ability to carry more people - and more cargo - across the globe than any previous airliner, shrinking it in the process. Seattle's Museum of Flight houses RA001 - the very first 747, which flew as a test airframe from its inaugural liftoff in 1969 through until the early 1990s. The museum is currently restoring RA001 both inside and out. Click through for pictures.
What makes a tripod a good travel companion? We test out five carbon fiber 'travel' tripods that while compact and light, are also comfortably tall and capable of supporting a reasonable amount of gear. This review covers five models, examining their features, functions and ergonomics in use both in the studio and out in the field. Click through to read the roundup.
July 27
In all the talk about new gear, and which brands are best it's easy to overlook the end result of our shared passion - the pursuit of stunning images. Among our large community there are some incredibly talented photographers who share their work in our forums, galleries and photo challenges. From time to time we like to showcase some of the best work on our homepage. This week we challenged users of the landscape photography forum to submit their strongest shots, and the results were impressive. Click through to see more.
July 26
British photographer Kris Boorman summited Mount Fuji in 2012 and took a photograph from the top, showing the shadow cast by the giant mountain at sunrise. The image has since been used as a background for the Bing search engine and last year won a competition held by Gettty Images. A couple of days ago he posted the photo at low resolution on Reddit, and within a few hours it had garnered more than 6000 upvotes. Although this might sound like good news, Boorman quickly came to regret posting the picture. Click through to learn why.
Tripod and bag manufacturer Vanguard has launched a new range of tripods that are fitted with the company’s latest pistol grip style GH-30 head. The aluminium Alta CA leg-set comes in three or four-section options to achieve maximum heights of either 1565mm (61.6in) or 1550mm (61in) though both models are designed to carry a payload of up to 11lbs (5kg). Click through for more information.
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.
July 25
Everyone loves the look of a nice out of focus background, but it's hard to achieve in a home studio. Accessory manufacturer Lastolite believes it might have the solution, with two new reversible backgrounds printed with out of focus images of the ocean / autumn foliage and summer foliage / city lights. Measuring 1.5 x 1.2m, the backgrounds are big enough for almost full-length portraits of most adults, and weigh in at 3kg (6.6lb) each. Click through for more details.
Hasselblad has launched a new digital back for its V System camera bodies that it claims brings modern digital image quality to users of vintage film-era Hasselblad camera bodies. The Hasselblad CFV-50c back features a 43.8 x 32.9mm CMOS sensor that outputs images at a resolution of up to 8272 x 6200 pixels, and operates within an ISO range of 100-6400. Click through for more details.
Many modern digital cameras can be remote controlled via dedicated apps on your smartphone and a Wi-Fi link. Unfortunately this option is not available on older or lower spec models that come without a built-in Wi-Fi module. CASE Remote, currently available for pre-order on indiegogo.com, is compatible with a large number of Nikon and Canon models and slots into your camera's hotshoe. Click through to read more at connect.dpreview.com.
July 24
Photo sharing site 500px has announced that it is now supporting images uploaded in Lytro's unique 'Living Pictures' format, and is offering its customers a $250 discount on the purchase of Lytro's Illum camera (MSRP $1599). The Illum is available now for pre-order and is expected to start shipping within the next couple of weeks. Click through for more information.
Hong Kong-based manufacturer Cactus has launched a wireless flash trigger that it claims will work with any hotshoe or PC sync socket-equipped camera and can control the power output from Canon, Nikon and Pentax-compatible flash units all at the same time. According to the manufacturer, even photographers working with multiple flashguns designed for different TTL systems will be able to link them via the wireless trigger. Click through for more information.
Fujifilm has updated the roadmap for its X-mount lenses up to the end of 2015. One extra lens has been added, while a second lens previously included has been formally named. The release order of three others has changed. The new models are the XF 90mm F2 R and XF 16mm F1.4 R, both of which are due by mid-2015. Read on to see the full roadmap and see the new release dates for the other upcoming lenses.
Ricoh has announced a new 'Prestige' version of its Pentax K-3 DSLR. This special edition camera, which 'commemorates the many awards bestowed upon the K-3' (including from this website), comes in a special gunmetal gray color. The Prestige edition includes a matching battery grip, two batteries, and an 'exclusive' camera strap. If you want your K-3 to stand out from the crowd you'd better hurry, as only 2,000 kits will be sold worldwide.
July 23
Nikon's new D810 consolidates the older D800 and D800E into a single body with no AA filter on its 36MP CMOS sensor. A few days ago we received a final production sample Nikon D810 and we've been shooting with it intensely ever since. As well as putting it through our initial studio testing, we've also taken a quick look at the effectiveness of the new electronic first-curtain shutter and created a gallery of real-world sample images to show what the camera can do. Click through for links.
Reuters has reported that Sony is planning to invest 35 billion yen (approximately US$345 million) to expand its manufacturing capacity of smartphone and tablet image sensors. Sony says the investment will allow for a 13 percent increase in production to 68,000 wafers per month in 2015. Sony leads the market for smartphone imaging sensors, and supplies the sensors for Apple's iPhones and a large number of Android smartphones. Read more at connect.dpreview.com
Sony could be working on a phablet targeted at enthusiast photographers, based around its new curved Exmor-RS IMX271SMK sensor unit and an F1.2 lens. According to a post on Chinese forum digi-wo.com the Xperia Z3X's Android L OS will be powered by a 64bit Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC that is clocked at 2.86 GHz and 4GB of RAM. The screen is rumored to measure 6.14 inches, offering a QHD resolution and will use OLED technology. Read more on connect.dpreview.com
July 22
Pentax has released new firmware for its flagship K-3 DSLR, adding a new function - diffraction correction to the lens corrections menu. Firmware v1.10 also improves processing times when Digital Filters and Color Fringe Correction are applied, tweaks exposure bracketing in TAv mode, offers improved AWB performance and the usual 'improved stability for general performance'. Click through for more details and a download link.
It's not a surprise that Leica's first autofocus mirrorless system camera is a thing of beauty - nor that it's wildly expensive. The Leica T (Typ 701) uses a 16MP APS-C CMOS sensor, and its operation is almost entirely dependent on a couple of dials and a large touchscreen. It may be beautiful, but a camera can't get by on its looks alone. See how it fared in our field testing. Read more
Registration is now open for PhotoPlus Expo 2014, the annual photographic tradeshow that takes place in New York City, every autumn. This year's show runs from October 29 - November 1 2014 in the Javits Convention Center, and the theme of the event (aside from photography of course) is Halloween. Click through for more details.
Chinese device manufacturer Xiaomi unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Mi 4, today. With a metal frame and a distinctly iPhone-esque design the Mi 4 looks like a premium product and its specification sheet confirms this initial impression, boasting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC and 3GB RAM. Main camera specs appear standard for current-generation Android phones, with a 13MP rear camera but an unusually high-resolution 8MP at the front. Click through for more details.
July 21
If the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 premium superzoom was a game-changer, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 changed the game yet again when it was introduced last month. With its 1"-type 20.1MP CMOS sensor and 25-400mm equiv. F2.8-4.0 lens it's an ideal candidate for travel, offering a larger-than-average sensor and generous zoom range. With 4K video recording and a lower MSRP, it gave the already-impressive RX10 a run for the money. Read more
July 20
What makes a compact tripod a good traveling companion? We've collected 5 aluminum 'travel' tripod and head combinations that are compact, but are also comfortably tall and hold up a reasonable amount of gear. In this roundup we cover their features, functions and finish quality, and we put them to work in the studio and in the field. Read more
July 19
London's Science Museum is to host a major exhibition of prints and artifacts from the collection of the Royal Photographic Society, including prints and experimental cameras made by William Fox Talbot in the 1820s. Masters of Light: Treasures from the Royal Photographic Society Collection will display over 200 items from the archives of a collection that was started in 1853, and it will be held on the site of one of the UK’s first ever photographic exhibitions. Take a look at some of the historic work that will be on display. See gallery
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is making materials from 12 of its photography-related courses available free online under a Creative Commons license. Selected reference materials, syllabus structure and lesson plan guidance is published and free to download via the institute’s Open Course Ware (OCW) program, to alllow motivated individuals to teach themselves. Click through for more details.
July 18
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.
Dronestagram, a website that allows drone photographers to share their images and videos, has announced the winners of their 2014 photo contest. Sponsored by National Geographic and GoPro, the competition was open to photographers around the world. The photos taking top prizes are impressive - take a look at a gallery of the winning images. See gallery
Adobe has made Camera Raw 8.6 and DNG Converter 8.6 release candidates available. This version adds support for the Nikon D810, Panasonic Lumix AG-GH4 (GH4 with interface unit) and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. Color profiles are added for the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III, A7S and Alpha SLT-A77 II. Also included are a number of new lens profiles. Learn more
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