Articles from April 2013

The mobile food photography phenomenon has been cooking up alongside our affinity for our always-with-us smartphones. Foodies flock to tap, snap and share the trendiest new treats on the culinary circuit, their camera phones now making it possible to document nearly every morsel. But what apps are best for snapping and sharing food photography? We take a look at connect.dpreview.com. 

Canon has released a firmware update for the EOS 5D Mark III with significant benefits for both stills and video shooters. Firmware version 1.2.1 allows uncompressed video output over the HDMI port as well as cross-type autofocus when working with a maximum aperture of F8. Click through for more details about the latest firmware and for the download link.

We've just posted our 15-page review of Fujifilm's X20 premium compact camera. This follow-up to the X10 adds a new X-Trans CMOS sensor, Hybrid AF system, and enhanced optical viewfinder, while retaining the fast lens, rangefinder-inspired body, and numerous manual controls of its predecessor. Is this the enthusiast compact camera you've been waiting for?  Follow the link to find out.

LensRentals' Roger Cicala has published an interesting comparison of the Zeiss ZE 135mm F2 APO-Sonnar and the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM lens, with both optics mounted on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. While you'd expect nothing less than excellent results from the Zeiss optic, just what advantages can the heavier and much more expensive lens offer compared to Canon's well-regarded prime lens? Click through to read Cicala's findings.

Olympus has opened an exhibition that it's calling the "OM-D: Photography Playground" in Berlin, Germany. Situated in the Opernwerkstaetten gallery space, it's an installation of works by 12 artists and collectives that visitors are encouraged to explore, interact with, and photograph. It's open daily from 11am to 7pm until 24 May 2013, and entry is free. Visitors can also borrow an OM-D E-M5 during their visit, to try out the camera at no charge.

Panasonic is now offering its Lumix DMC-XS1 compact camera - which was first introduced at CES in January - with ten custom 'skins'. The themes for these skins include pop art, gift wrapping, floral nature, digital, texture, and Japanese traditional. The XS1 features a 16 megapixel CCD, 5X (24-120 mm) optical zoom with image stabilization, a 2.7" LCD, and 720p video recording. The new 'skinned' XS1s are priced at $149 - a $20 premium over the red, silver, and black models that are currently available. We don't know yet if these designs will be available outside of the US in the future.

We've just published our 25-page, in-depth review of the Nikon D7100. Sitting atop Nikon's APS-C DSLR lineup, the D7100 offers a 24MP CMOS sensor sans AA filter and a 51-point AF system that borrows heavily from the D4. In terms of ergonomics and handling the D7100 will feel familiar to D7000 users looking to upgrade, but it also inherits recent changes we've seen from Nikon in the D600 and D800 models. Is the D7100 a compelling option for enthusiasts tempted by the recent wave of affordable full frame DSLRs? Click through to find out.

Just posted: Our samples gallery shot using a production Canon EOS 100D and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM. In this gallery we're aiming to give an idea of the image quality possible from Canon's latest miniature SLR with its new, silent-focusing kit zoom. We've also quicky tested its refocusing ability during movie recording. Click through to see the sample images and movies.  

Sony has announced the Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V, a 30x compact superzoom camera that includes both Wi-Fi and GPS. It's built around a 20.4MP 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor, sitting behind a 24-720mm F3.5-6.3 lens. It includes 3-axis SuperSteady Shot image stabilization and can shoot at up to 10 frames per second for 10 frames. Its battery is rated at around 400 shots-per-charge and the Wi-Fi can be used for both file transfer and remote control. It will be available from May at a recommended price of $450.

We've just posted our Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 preview, covering Panasonic's newest Micro Four Thirds mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The G6 comes barely a year after the G5, and offers several updates, including a 1.44 million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder and the same sensor as the GH2. Its body has also been restyled and the touch-sensitive technology of its fully-articulated screen has been upgraded. Like its little brother the GF6, the G6 also includes built-in Wi-Fi connectivity with Near Field Communication (NFC). Click through for our hands-on preview.

Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-LF1, the first in a new line of Raw-shooting enthusiast compacts. The LF1 marries the sensor from the LX7 to a longer, slower lens and adds an electronic viewfinder. The camera combines a 12MP 1/1.7" CMOS sensor with a 28-200mm equivalent F2.0-5.9 lens and finds room for a 202k dot-equivalent electronic viewfinder. It becomes the fifth Panasonic model to offer Wi-Fi for remote control and wireless communication that can be set up using NFC.

Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-G6 - the latest in its mass market series of DSLR-styled mirrorless cameras. The G6 gains considerably improved movie capabilities, including full exposure control, an external mic socket and the sensor from the GH2. It also adds the NFC-aided Wi-Fi for simple remote control and image download that we first saw in the GF6.

Panasonic has created the Lumix G Vario 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS, a second-generation 10x zoom for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The lens offers a smaller, lighter, less-expensive alternative to the original G Vario HD 14-140mm F4.0-5.8 ASPH Mega OIS. The latest version features three aspheric and two ED elements and an internal focus design with linear stepper motors to make the most of the faster focus processing of the latest Micro Four Thirds bodies.

Google's 'Project Glass' has seen quite a bit of buzz since the wearable communication device was made available to a limited amount of beta testers earlier this year. In an interview with the BBC, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt discussed when Google Glass will be commercially available and how the device will change human interaction and social norms. We look further into Google Glass at connect.dpreview.com.

Nikon has posted a firmware update for its Coolpix P7700 compact camera. Firmware 1.1 increases the accuracy of the P7700's virtual horizon, decreases delay between captures in auto exposure bracketing mode and addresses an issue that prevented shutter speeds slower than one second for the second and subsequent shots when shooting with Auto bracketing set to Exposure bracketing. The update is available for immediate download from Nikon's website. Click through for a download link.

Sony Japan has launched the AKA-DM1 camera harness to mount the company's latest line of action cams on man's best friend. Priced at ¥5,250 (approximately $50), this harness fits bigger-framed dogs that weigh at least 15 kgs and have a belly circumference of 50cms - 80cms. The company's line-up of action cameras, including the Wi-Fi enabled HDR-AS15 full HD rugged action cam that was released in August 2012, are tiny and weigh around 90 gms each, making sure you wont have the RSPCA hunting you down.

Korean website lcap.tistory.com has published what it claims are sample images from the new Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM lens, purporting to show its performance in a range of different shooting situations, on both a Canon EOS 600D and 5D Mark III. We doubt very much that the site had Sigma's permission to publish the images from a pre-production lens, but if you're curious, you can click through for a link to the original 'preview' at lcap.tistory.com.

A recently released app in the Apple App Store promises the focus-shifting experience of a Lytro camera for a much smaller price tag. FocusTwist takes a series of images with different focal planes and allows users  to choose a focus point after they have taken the photo. We take the app for a quick spin and offer our take at connect.dpreview.com.

If taking a photo with a nearly 10-inch tablet didn't look silly enough, you can now pair your iPad with a telephoto lens to expand tablet photography horizons. Regardless of the awkward appearance of the iPad as a camera, shooting with the tablet has grown in popularity. The new 10x zoom accessory for the iPad 3 and 4 and 12x zoom for the iPad Mini is a further proof. Read more about the lens at connect.dpreview.com.

As part of its partnership with the World Photography Awards, Sony is hosting a series of workshops at London's Somerset House. The sessions take place from April 26th - 28th and cover a range of interests from beginner topics to those looking to make a career out of photography. Individual sessions are are priced at £5 each. The workshops promote the Winners Exhibition of the World Photography Awards 2013 that will be showcased from April 26th - May 12th at Somerset House. Click though for more details

Just posted: Our hands-on preview of the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art lens. The announcement of the world's first constant F1.8 zoom caused a lot of discussion, much of it centered around the idea that the brighter aperture would help APS-C DSLRs to compete toe-to-toe with full frame cameras in many respects. We've had a chance to handle the lens and prepare a preview putting its capabilities in more context. Click here to find out more.

Ireland is a fantastically varied place with a lot to offer the travelling landscape photographer. In this three page article, Carsten Krieger explains Ireland's enduring appeal to photographers and as well as travel advice, he shares some of his own work, captured all over the 'emerald isle'. Click through to read his article, 'Ireland: A Photographers' Guide'. 

Pentax has released firmware updates for its K-5 II, K-5 IIs DSLRs and Q mirrorless cameras. Firmware version 1.04 for the K-5 II and IIs improves overall stability and resolves an issue where some of the controls stopped working on the cameras' status screens. The update Pentax Q firmware v1.12 resolves issues regarding one of its Smart Effect filters. The updates are available for immediate download from the company's website - click through for download links.

We just published the DxOMark Mobile Report for the Sony Xperia Z on connect.dpreview.com and the results don't look fantastic. DxO's imaging experts have analyzed 14 aspects of mobile imaging including detailed image quality assessment, flash performance, autofocus reliability and more to calculate a final score and the Sony scores lower than most of its competitors. We will start working on our evaluation once we receive a review unit at DPR Connect but for now click through to find out how the Sony Xperia Z's camera performed in the DxO lab tests.

Apple has added Raw support to its OS-X operating system for Fujifilm's X-Trans sensors. The latest update adds support for the four X-Trans cameras - the X20, X100S, X-E1 and X-Pro1. To install the Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update v4.05, users require Aperture v3.4 or later and iPhoto version 9.4 or later. Click through for the download link.

DPReview Connect contributor Lauren Crabbe was among those taking photos with her smartphone at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday. Following the explosion of two bombs in the area just over an hour after she left, her snapshots took on a new meaning when the FBI asked spectators to submit their images as evidence in the ongoing investigation. Read her first-person account today on connect.dpreview.com.

Sigma has announced the 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art lens for APS-C DSLRs - the world's first constant F1.8 zoom. The lens covers a 27-52.5mm equivalent range, and will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. As yet there is no announcement of a recommended price. The lens will offer the depth-of-field equivalent of a constant F2.7 on full-frame, and allow the use of lower ISO settings in low light, which may under-cut the need for some photographers to change formats.

Sensor maker Aptina has announced a 14MP 1"-type sensor for use in mirrorless and video cameras. The AR1411HS enters the range alongside the existing 10MP model and offers even faster shooting capabilities. The 14MP chip can shoot full-resolution images at up to 80 fps and can shoot either 4K or Quad HD (allowing high quality 4:2:2 color) at up to 60 fps. The company suggests the 1" format (actually 13.2 x 8.8mm) offers an effective balance of image quality, price and capabilities to make a sensible middle ground between the tiny 1/2.3" sensors in most compacts and the APS-C sensors used in many mirrorless models and DSLRs. 

Pentax-Ricoh has announced the much rumored and leaked Ricoh GR, a 16.2MP APS-C sensor enthusiast compact camera. The GR continues on from Ricoh's GR Digital series of high-end, fixed-lens models, gaining a much larger sensor but continuing to offer a 28mm equivalent field of view, now with an F2.8 maximum aperture. It also retains the GRD IV's high-res 1.2m dot LCD and a range of photographer friendly functions. Despite a sensor nearly nine times as big, the recommend price increase by just $200 over the GRD IV, to $799.

Just posted: Our hands-on preview of the Ricoh GR. The GR is the spiritual successor to the GR Digital series and features a 16MP APS-C sensor behind its 28mm equivalent, F2.8 lens. It's the first product to show signs of post-merger integration at Pentax-Ricoh, gaining the Pentax TAv exposure mode but retaining a host of traditional Ricoh features. We've been shooting with a production GR alongside the Nikon Coolpix A, click to find out more.

Fujifilm has officially announced the Fujinon XF 55-200mm F3.5-F4.8 R LM OIS telephoto zoom for its X system of mirrorless cameras. Headline features include optical image stabilisation with a claimed 4.5 stops benefit, dual linear stepper motors for focusing, all-metal barrel construction, and premium optics. The lens also features an aperture ring like that on the company's XF 18-55mm zoom. Fujifilm has also updated its roadmap of upcoming lenses to include the XF 56mm F1.2 R, which is scheduled for release in January 2014. Finally the company is promising firmware updates to improve the autofocus speed of both the X-Pro1 and X-E1, which will be available to download in July.

Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android, claims that the popular mobile operating system was originally designed for digital cameras, not phones. In an interview published by PC World, Rubin said that the original concept, as pitched to investors back in 2004, was for 'a camera platform with a cloud portion for storing images online'. By the time Google acquired Android in 2005, however, the plan had changed and Android was developed for mobile handsets. Click through for more details and a link to the full story at PCWorld.com.

Benro has announced a new 'Cool Walker' line of camera bags through its UK distributor, Kenro. According to the press release, the Cool Walker line is aimed at travel and sports photographers, and includes thirteen variants of backpacks, shoulder and zoom bags. The smallest bag in the line can carry one SLR and a lens, while the largest is designed to carry two SLRs, eight lenses, two flashguns and a 15" laptop. Click through for the press release from Kenro.

As Google Glass beta testers - so-called 'Explorers' - prepare to receive the first round of the wearable augmented reality tech, Google is also bracing the rest of us for what's to come. The company is pushing the Glass announcements this week with the release of its MyGlass app in the Google Play store and a developer preview of the Mirror API, along with the most revealing tech specs we've seen yet. Click through to check out the detailed specs and more at connect.dpreview.com.

Columbia University has announced the 2013 Pulitzer Prize winners for photography. The prize for Breaking News Photography was awarded to jointly to Rodrigo Abd, Manu Brabo, Narciso Contreras, Khalil Hamra and Muhammed Muheisen of the Associated Press, for their coverage of the conflict in Syria. The winner in the Feature Photography category is Javier Manzano, a freelance photograher, for his 'extraordinary picture' of two Syrian rebel soldiers illuminated by beams of light streaming through bullet holes. The annual awards include a cash prize of US$10,000. Click through for more information. 

Nikon has filed a patent covering the idea of a password-based security system for lenses. The patent lists the high value of lenses as a reason for the innovation - the camera would refuse to shoot with a lens unless the correct password was entered. This is an attempt by the the company to prevent resale of stolen gear. (via Nikon Rumors)

Timelapse photography can be mesmerizing with the right subject. We chose the new lighting system brightening San Francisco's Bay Bridge for our timelapse app experiments using an iPhone 5. The bridge is lit by 25,000 LEDs to create eye-catching displays controlled by several Mac Minis mounted inside the structure. As mobile phone cameras grow in quality and the storage capacity of these devices increase, it's possible to make a decent sequence with just what's in your pocket, plus a small tripod. Learn which apps we liked best at connect.dpreview.com.

Adobe has released a public beta version of its Photoshop Lightroom 5 workflow and image editing software and we've had some time to look at its latest features. Available immediately for free download from Adobe Labs, the beta introduces a more advanced healing/cloning tool, automatic image leveling and perspective correction, a new selective editing tool and the ability to edit files that are offline. Click here for all you need to know to begin exploring this new release on your own.

Sigma UK has announced its new USB dock for lenses will be available from May 2013 at a retail price of £39.99 (including VAT). The company has also announced the 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM lens will start shipping in Canon and Sigma mounts around the same time but has not confirmed the price. Launched at Photokina 2012, the USB dock enables users to easily update lens firmware and fine-tune focus parameters, while the 120-300mm F2.8 lens comes with a button to adjust the focus speed and the focus limiter.

500px has redesigned its online photo portfolio feature, offering photographers more customization tools and advanced options for interacting with followers and customers. The new portfolio UX is expected to roll out by May and will allow for store integration so visitors can purchase photos directly from a portfolio, and blog integration and even full CSS customization. Learn more about the upcoming changes at connect.dpreview.com.

Samsung has announced two 'phablet'-sized additions to its line of smartphones, the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Galaxy Mega 5.8. At 6.3 and 5.8 inches respectively, the large-display phablets push far beyond Samsung's 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note II, and the larger of the two sets a new industry-record for smartphone size. Learn more about when and where the devices will be available, and what the camera specs will be at connect.dpreview.com.

Canon has posted a firmware update for its EOS 6D Wi-Fi capable full frame digital SLR for enthusiast photographers. Version 1.1.3 of the firmware fixes a bug related to date and time settings of the camera. The firmware is available for immediate download from Canon's support website. Click through for the download link.

Samsung has announced the broader US availability of its 20MP NX1100 Wi-Fi mirrorless camera, which was initially announced by B&H. Priced at $599.99, the camera is available now in black or white and comes with a copy of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. In common with its predecessor, the NX1000, it includes 8fps continuous shooting, a 3-inch/921k-dot rear display and Full HD video recording. The only significant change is the Autoshare feature that automatically sends full resolution images and videos to mobile devices over Wi-Fi. There is currently no information about a European release.

Street photography isn't everyone's cup of tea, and for every Cartier Bresson, watching from a distance, there's a Weegee, pushing a camera into the faces of their bemused subjects without asking permission. Los Angeles-based photographer Johnny Tergo has taken this approach to a new level, rigging up his truck with a camera and bright studio strobes in order to 'bring the studio lighting aspect to everyday real life on the streets'. Click through for the full story, and images (via wired.com)

Citizen Finetech Miyota has developed an LCD panel for electronic viewfinders of digital cameras its claiming is the highest resolution available. It offers a 1280x960 pixel display (equivalent to 3.69 million dots). This exceeds the 2.36m dot (1024 x 768 pixel) resolution of the current Sony OLED and Epson LCD units. It uses a field-sequential design, showing red, green and blue information in sequence rather than being able to show them all at the same time, but the panels 120Hz design should avoid color breakup (tearing) the company says. The panel will enter mass produced in summer 2013.

Manfrotto has launched the StilePlus line of camera bags aimed at fashion-conscious photographers. Intended to appeal to shutterbugs who want a practical but stylish camera bag, the company offers this range in three varieties: the  Diva 15 Tote Bag, Bravo 50 Backpack and Amica 10 shoulder bag. The bags are available in a variety of colors and sizes. UK prices start from £39.95, £69.95, £19.95, respectively. U.S. prices have yet to be confirmed.

DxO Labs has released version 8.1.5 of its DxO Optics Pro software. Both the Elite and Standard versions gain Nikon D7100 support. The update also adds 131 lens and cameras combinations for Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina users. These modules join the existing list of over 11,000 combinations. Click through for the download link.

Just posted: Our Canon EOS 100D (Rebel SL1) preview samples gallery. We've been lucky enough to get our hands on a pre-production sample of Canon's latest miniaturised SLR, and have assembled a quick samples gallery to give an idea of how it performs. We've shot using the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lenses, and aimed to cover a variety of subjects and lighting conditions. The pre-production camera used offers 'Beta' standard image quality, so may not fully reflect the final image quality (although it's unlikely to be radically different).   

Photographer Finn Beales primarily uses his Canon EOS 5D Mark III when shooting for major brands as well as media outlets, but he also uses his smartphone to capture poignant moments like this image of his son floating in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, which recently won the children's category in the annual Mobile Photography Awards. Learn more about Beales' work on connect.dpreview.com.

High speed camera maker Vision Research has put together its first footage with the forthcoming Phantom Flex4K video camera. Capable of capturing up to 1000 fps at 4K resolution, the Flex4K features a 10MP Super-35 sensor, records either RAW or compressed footage and will come in PL, Canon EF and Nikon F/G mounts. For this video, NYC-based cinematographer Greg Wilson and director Brendan Bellomo captured the Hebron and Glastonbury Connecticut Fire Departments in action, highlighting the camera's slow motion capabilities. Click through to watch the video.

Just Posted: Our hands-on Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 preview. The GF6 expands the capabilities of Panasonic's GF series away from the point-and-shoot focus that it had increasingly pursued. The latest model adds a more sophisticated touch-screen and additional control points that will benefit a range of users but it's the NFC-mediated Wi-Fi system that we found really interesting. Add this on top of the 16MP sensor from the GX1 and you have a compelling combination of features. Click through to find out more.

Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-GF6 - a 16MP entry-level mirrorless camera with Wi-Fi. Like many of its competitors it has a capacitive touchscreen, that can tilt both downwards and upwards to face forwards for self-portraits. It gains a compact-camera style zoom lever around the shutter release that can alternatively be used to set exposure compensation, and an exposure mode dial on the top plate. It's also the first interchangeable lens camera with Near Field Communication (NFC) that allows setup of Wi-Fi connections with compatible smartphones and tablets, simply by tapping the devices together. Movie recording is available at 1080p30 in either MP4 or AVCHD format.

We've just updated our preview of the Nikon Coolpix A with a full set of studio shots, showing image quality in both JPEG and RAW capture modes. This is in addition to a gallery of real-world samples, and first impressions of our initial findings from shooting with the camera both in and out of the studio. The Nikon Coolpix A features a 16MP CMOS sensor, and a fixed, 28mm equivalent F2.8 lens. Click through for a link to our preview, which now includes our studio comparison pages. 

Blackmagic Design has announced the Production Camera 4K, a Super-35 format, 4K-capable camera with global shutter for smooth panning and image motion. The company says it will cost $3995. It can capture footage in Apple ProRes 422 HQ or losslessly compressed CinemaDNG Raw - promising 12-stops of dynamic range. The camera is built around a Canon EF mount and an internal SSD recorder to cope with the data rates. Blackmagic says it will be available from July 2013.

Digital video site www.newsshooter.com is at this year's NAB show in Las Vegas, and has been taking a look at the Pocket Cinema Camera from Blackmagic. The Pocket Cinema Camera is a small, 1080 video camera with a Micro Four Thirds lensmount and an eye-opening MSRP of $995. Click through to see newsshooter's video, straight from the floor at NAB. 

Blackmagic Design has announced a pocket-sized 1080p movie camera capable of 422 ProRes capture with promises of lossless CinemaDNG to be added via firmware. The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera uses a Super 16 imaging area (around 12.5 x 7.4mm - slightly smaller than a 1" sensor), and an 'active' Micro Four Thirds lens mount, giving full aperture control of native lenses. The camera can capture footage in Apple's 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes format Blackmagic promising to add the open, lossless CinemaDNG Raw standard later. The company has said this will cost just $995 and be available from July.

With the announcement of Facebook Home, a launcher or 'skin' that can be installed on top of the Android operating system of your mobile phone, the social networking giant has instantly transformed the role and importance of images in social media, bringing them to the forefront in a way that not even its desktop Timeline feature could. We are having a closer look at what Facebook Home is and what it means for image sharing.

Following the recent public release of Adobe Camera Raw 7.4, we've updated our studio comparison database with new raw conversions of files from the Fujifilm X-Pro 1, X-E1 and X100S. We've been using the release candidate version of ACR 7.4 for some time, which contained significant improvements to Adobe's treatment of files from Fujifilm's X-Trans sensors. The official public release version of ACR 7.4 brings some further (very minor) tweaks. Click through for links to the studio comparison pages in our X-Pro 1 and X-E1 reviews, and X100S preview, now with ACR 7.4 raw conversions. 

Aerial photographer Neal Rantoul has written an article for The Luminous Landscape, explaining how he got started in air-to-ground photography, and sharing some interesting advice. Click through for extracts from the article, in which Rantoul explains his artistic approach, methodology and equipment. We've also gathered a small selection of Neal's impressive abstract aerial landscapes, and provided a link to the original article at The Luminous Landscape. 

DxO Labs has tested 85 lenses on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and analysed the results, looking at its two proprietary measures: 'Perceptual Megapixels' for lens sharpness, and the overall DxOMark score. In the first section of a multi-part series, it makes comparisons against both the EOS 5D Mark II and the Nikon D800, with results that may be surprising. Click through for a link to the full article.

Samsung US has announced the Wi-Fi version of its Galaxy Camera will be available from the end of this month at a retail price $449.99 - $50 less than the version with both 3G/4G and Wi-Fi. Announced in February 2013, the Wi-Fi model shares the same feature-set as the 3G and 4G versions, including a 21x, 23-481mmm equivalent zoom lens on the front with a 4.8" touchscreen on the back. It runs Android 4.1 (known as Jelly Bean), the latest version of the operating system. Click through to read more at connect.dpreview.com

We've just posted a selection of real-world samples shot with the Nikon Coolpix A. The Coolpix A offers a 16MP APS-C sensor in a genuinely compact body, mated to a 28mm equivalent F2.8 retractable lens. We've put together a 21-image gallery of images shot in a variety of situations and at a range of apertures. Click through to see how it performed.

Nikon has come under fire from animal welfare groups and some wildlife photographers over its new 'Monarch' line of rifle scopes, designed for game hunting. Marketed as being 'Engineered for Safari' Nikon's Sport Optics division claims that the new Monarch-series scopes are created 'for those seeking dangerous game adventure on the Dark Continent' - an archaic term for Africa. Nikon has manufactured scopes like this for many years, and is not alone (so does Pentax, Leica and others) but the marketing behind its newest Monarch line has caused a degree of anger. Click through for more details. 

NAB 2013: Canon has announced the development of a 35mm prime lens in its Cinema EOS range. It is designed to be used on movie cameras with image sensors up to 35mm full frame in size, and includes a range of features optimized for movie shooting. The company has not finalized its specifications and pricing, but says it will release further details in due course. However as the Cinema EOS primes offer T-stops that correlate closely with existing L-series primes, it seems likely the 35mm will be approximately T1.5, and of course use the EF mount.

Adobe has released Photoshop Lightroom 4.4 and Adobe Camera Raw 7.4. These are final versions of updates that were originally posted as 'release candidates'. Both versions add Raw support for 25 additional cameras, including the Nikon D7100, Canon EOS 100D, Fujifilm X100s and Sony SLT-A58. Corrections to the demosaicing algorithms for previously supported Fujifilm X-Trans and EXR sensor cameras are also included along with several new lens profiles. Click through for a full list of supported cameras, lenses and bug fixes.

Benjamin Von Wong posted photos and a video from his impressive Paris photoshoot that combined fire, fireworks, and models into some dramatic imagery. 'Since we were messing around with consumable effects,' said VonWong in his blog, 'each time we started a burn I had to be ready to constantly change up my camera settings to be able to compensate for the lighting conditions.' (via FStoppers)

Photographer Nick Laham found himself in a tight spot as he squeezed into a locker room bathroom stall to take portraits of the New York Yankees during a spring training session earlier this year. He used both his DSLR and his smartphone to take the photos, but it was his iPhone-captured and Instagram-processed images that earned the attention of the New York Times, which ran Laham's portrait of baseball great Alex Rodriguez on the front page of the Sunday edition. Read more at connect.dpreview.com.

Nikon has posted firmware updates for a number of its DSLRs. Updates for the D600, D800, D4, D3s, D3x, D3, D7000 and D3200 include support for the AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens. The D600 and D800 see an improvement to the subject tracking performance in continuous autofocus mode when shooting using the optical viewfinder. And the D600 can now deliver 100% video scene coverage via HDMI output. The updates are available for immediate download from Nikon's website. Click through for a full list of feature updates, bug fixes and download links.

Following the recent release of Photosynth for Windows Phone 8, Microsoft held a contest to find the 10 best Photosynth images. Now that the feature is compatible with latest generation devices such as the Nokia Lumia 920, HTC 8X and Samsung Ativ Odyssey, we should be seeing more and more stunning 360-degree panoramas created with the software. Check out some of the top Photosynths selected at connect.dpreview.com.

Just posted: Our review of the Fujinon XF 14mm 1:2.8 R lens. Fujifilm has been steadily building up its X-system of rangefinder-inspired mirrorless cameras since its launch in January last year, and the 14mm F2.8 is the fifth lens in the family. It's a 21mm-equivalent ultra-wide prime that's designed to match the full field of view offered by the X-Pro1's optical viewfinder. Like the other XF primes it has an aperture ring on the lens barrel, but it also includes an improved manual focus ring with distance and depth of field scales. Fujifilm makes some grand claims for its optical performance; click through to see if it lives up to them in our detailed review.

Action sports video production company Teton Gravity Research (TGR) has posted the first video shot with the GSS C520, a five-axis gyro-stabilized 4K cinema system by GSS (Gyro-Stabilized Systems). The C520 is compatible with the RED Epic, Arri Alexa M and Sony F55/HDC-2500 video cameras. For this video, the system was fitted with a RED Epic video camera and mounted on a helicopter to capture 4K stabilized footage of San Francisco, California. (via FStoppers)