March 2015 news and reviews

Microsoft has announced the latest model in its Surface line of tablets, the Surface 3. The big news here is that, unlike its predecessors which were running Windows RT, the new model comes with a full version of Windows 8.1. This means, like on the more expensive Surface Pro models, you can install and run any Windows application including Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, making the Surface 3 a real alternative to a conventional PC. Read more

The Sony Alpha 7 II provides a number of features and ergonomic enhancements over its predecessor, but its standout feature is the 5-axis image stabilization system surrounding its 24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor. Sony also claims improvements to the camera's hybrid AF system, and it also sports a redesigned grip. Find out all about the a7 II's added features and see what difference they make. Read review

Polaroid camera repair and maintenance company Mint has introduced its own instant camera called the Mint Instantflex TL70. Fitted with a 65.4mm lens the camera offers aperture settings of f/5.6, f/8, f/16 and f/32 with an additional setting called f/bokeh – which creates a 5-pointed star shaped aperture. The Instantflex also features a flip-up flash unit housed above the viewing lens. Read more

Adaptalux has introduced a new portable lighting studio, likewise called Adaptalux, which is designed specifically for macro photography. The design is modular in nature, allowing photographers to 'rebuild' it in different ways to meet different needs. This is achieved using a core Control Pod into which Lighting Arms are plugged, with each Lighting Arm being customizable in regards to color, beam angle, brightness and diffusion. Read more

The X30 is the latest iteration of Fujifilm's line of premium compact cameras. Featuring a 12MP X-Trans sensor coupled with a 28-112mm equivalent fast zoom, the X30 is a capable camera, made more enjoyable compared to its predecessors by the addition of a high-resolution electronic viewfinder. Our man in England, Damien Demolder has been shooting with one and shares his take. Read review

The Samsung NX500 takes some of the best bits of the NX1, including the same 28MP APS-C format sensor and still imaging pipeline, and wraps them up in a smaller, less expensive body. We recently had the opportunity to shoot with an NX500 on the beautiful island of Hawaii. We've already published a couple of samples galleries, but click through to read about how we got on with Samsung's newest mirrorless interchangeable lens camera

Amazon has announced two new 'unlimited' storage plans as part of its Cloud Drive service. The Unlimited Photos plan costs $11.99 per year and an 'Unlimited Everything' plan allows users to store an infinite number of photos, videos, documents and music for $59.99 per year. Both services can be tried out for free for three months, starting now. Click through for more information 

Instant film manufacturer Impossible has launched what it calls a Generation 2.0 film called B&W 2.0. The company claims it's not only sharper and clearer than previous Impossible products, but also develops much quicker. The new film is the result of a new chemical formula for Impossible that has been developed by former Polaroid research chemist Stephen Herchen. Read more

The University of Texas has initiated a new crowdfunding campaign that, if successful, will result in macro photos of insects being released into the public domain. The funding for the project will be used to support the students learning to use the imaging system, to improve the photography hardware, and to help pay for the Web hosting. Read more

The Fujifilm X100T offers seemingly small improvements on its predecessors, the cult classic X100 and X100S. Its 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor and fixed 35mm equiv. f/2 lens are now accompanied by an all electronic shutter mode with increased 1/32000sec maximum speed, redesigned hybrid viewfinder and an upgraded 1.04m dot rear LCD. Find out how much of an impact these incremental updates make. Read review

James McDaniel is a self-taught photographer with a special interest in roller derby. He's also a Micro Four Thirds shooter, so when we were looking for someone to test out the E-M5 II in the real world with us, we immediately thought of James. Watch our latest video field test to see how how the camera performed on game day, and don't miss an opportunity to see Barney on roller skates. See video

[UPDATED] We were curious to see how the new Canon 11-24 F4 performed on a high resolution sensor, so we've updated our gallery with some landscapes and aperture progressions taken on a 36MP Sony a7R with a Metabones adapter. Though performance at extremes of the frame may not be representative of that on a native body, the 11-24 doesn't disappoint. Have a look at the new shots in our gallery

When we attended CP+ last month in Yokohama, Japan we sat down with senior executives from several major camera and lens manufacturers. Among them was Haruo Ogawa, President of the Imaging Business Group and Executive Managing Officer at Olympus Corporation. Among other things we spoke to Mr Ogawa about the current and future direction of Micro Four Thirds and the challenges of introducing 4K video. Click through to read our interview

Adobe has released the final version of Camera Raw 8.8 for Photoshop CC/CS6. Support for several additional Canon, Panasonic, and Fujifilm cameras have been added, as well as the Hasselblad Stellar II, Nikon D5500, and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, among others. Read more

Italian accessory maker CPtech has launched a new holster in its B-Grip range that is designed for smaller cameras. The company says that its Uno holster will be suitable for compact system users, as well as those who own bridge and compact cameras. Read more

Recently we joined our friends at CreativeLive for a panel discussion as part of their 2015 Gear Day. Our live discussion centered on the continued rise of mirrorless cameras, 4K video and what it means for stills photographers, the benefits and pitfalls of high pixel sensors, and of course, lots of new and exciting gear. Watch the segment and nerd out with us all over again. See video

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II follows-up on the groundbreaking original E-M5 and brings extra control points (a lot of them) a 40MP high-res mode, better video, improved image stabilization and a host of other refinements, large and small. We've been shooting a lot with the E-M5 II over the past few weeks, and that work has culminated in a full review, with our usual combination of studio and real-world tests. Click through to see what we think

As promised earlier this month, Nikon has made its ViewNX-i software available for download today today. Building on the camera maker's previous View NX 2 software, the new application works in conjunction with Nikon's NX-D photofinishing software for editing photographs, and bundles Nikon's ViewNX-Movie Editor for editing videos. Read more

UPDATED: We just added several images to this gallery, converted from raw. The Samsung NX500 is essentially a scaled down version of Samsung's flagship NX1. It uses the same 28MP BSI-CMOS sensor, advanced hybrid AF system, and a version of the same DRIMe V processor. The main differences are the form factor (resembling a rangefinder rather than an SLR), burst mode (9 vs 15 fps), and viewfinder (none vs electronic). We've been using a production NX500 for a couple of days, and we've put together a gallery of real-world samples. Click through for the updated gallery

Lytro has announced the launch of Lytro Studio in Tokyo. The studio is open to the public so that anyone can visit to learn about light field imaging and the technology behind it. This includes training on how to use Lytro's platform and software, as well as demonstrations of how its cameras and related technology work. Read more

Bag manufacturer Lowepro has introduced a pair of new backpacks to its Fastpack range, with added weather-proofing and a compartment for a laptop or tablet. The Fastpack BP 150 AW ll and BP 250 AW ll are basically the same bag in two sizes, and each is divided into three sections that allow storage of camera equipment as well as other everyday items for photographers on the move. Read more

The developers behind Facetune have created a new app called Enlight, a general purpose image editor. It challenges apps like VSCO Cam and Adobe's own mobile image editors, with adjustment tools, presets and various filters. Read more

Eyefi, the maker of Wi-Fi memory cards, has today launched Eyefi Mobi Pro, a new 32GB WiFi SD card. It improves the existing Eyefi Mobi model by adding wireless transfer of Raw image files, along with new photo categorization and search functions. Read more

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (TZ70 outside North America) earns its travel zoom designation with a 30x optical zoom range, equivalent to 24-720mm. It features a 12MP CMOS sensor, full manual controls, Raw shooting and a built-in 1.2M dot electronic viewfinder. Find out what it's capable of doing in the field. See gallery

Landscape photographer Erez Marom has taken photographs all over the world in all manner of locations, in all kinds of weather conditions. But whereas many landscape photographers are slaves to the weather forecast, Marom has learned that some of his best shots come from the most unlikely situations. Click through to read more, and see some stunning images

The Olympus Stylus SH-2 is a compact long-zoom camera that bears a remarkable resemblance to the company's PEN series of mirrorless cameras. While it shares the design and 5-axis image stabilization of some of the PEN models, the similarities end there, as the SH-2 is very much a point-and-shoot camera. Learn more about the SH-2 in our hands-on preview. Read more

Olympus has announced an update to its Pen-like travel zoom: the Stylus SH-2. The SH-2 replaces the SH-1 with added support for Raw shooting, while maintaining the previous model's 24x zoom (25-600mm equiv.), 16MP BSI CMOS sensor, 5-axis image stabilization and built-in Wi-Fi. Read more

A team at Harvard School of Engineering has developed a method for making flat lenses that could dramatically reduce the size and weight of camera lenses in the future. The method employs tiny silicon antennas positioned on flat glass components to redirect light when it reaches the surface of the lens instead of relying on refraction and the thickness of glass to bend light in a particular direction. Learn more

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II has attracted a lot of attention, both for its technology and because it succeeds an already popular camera. We sat down with Product Manager Richard Pelkowski to find out more about the technology that went into the E-M5's successor and what might be possible in the future. See video

We recently returned from the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan, where we sat down with executives from most of the major camera and lens manufacturers to get their insights and opinions on the challenges facing their companies and the market as a whole. One of them was Masaya Maeda - Managing Director and Chief Executive, Image Communication Products Operations at Canon. Click through to read the interview

On our recent visit to Japan to attend the CP+ show in Yokohama we were fortunate to be invited to tour Sigma's factory in Aizu. The Aizu factory is where all of Sigma's lenses are manufactured, including the company's impressive new 'Art' line of primes. Click through to take a virtual tour of the factory, in the company of Kazuto Yamaki, Sigma's CEO. 

Based out of the climbing town of Chamonix, France, Jonathan Griffith has been making 'life threatening' a sport for more than a decade. With exceptional sets of images from extended mountain hikes and nearly vertical ice climbs as well as perilous extreme sports like cliff-face paragliding, the alpinist and photographer has toured worldwide sites from Alaska to the Alps. We asked him a few questions about his photography and passion for climbing. See gallery

Livestream has introduced its new Broadcaster mini device for live-streaming video directly from a camera. The dongle is compatible with any camera that offers a mini HDMI port, and works wirelessly in conjunction with Android/iOS devices and Livestream's Studio software. The Broadcaster mini will be joined by the Broadcaster Pro next month, which will offer longer battery life, more connectivity options and higher-quality streaming. Read more

Following an investigation into Contemporary Issues winner Giovanni Troilo's photo story 'La Ville Noir - The Dark Heart of Europe,' World Press Photo has stripped the photographer of his prize. The organization found Troilo to be in violation of contest rules - specifically, a photo he submitted that he alleged to have been taken in the Belgian city at the heart of the project turns out to have been taken in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, Brussels. Read more

While we were at CP+ 2015 in Japan, we met with Tamron, and the company was kind enough to lend us their newly announced 15-30mm F2.8 Di VC USD. In Nikon mount, no less. It's a wide range for a full-frame zoom, made more impressive by the inclusion of vibration compensation (VC). With a price tag of $1200, Tamron is taking the Nikon 14-24 head-on, and so we decided to do the same: pit the two against one another in a shootout, which you can view here

Italian tripod and accessory manufacturer Manfrotto has announced it is introducing a new heavy-weight head to its XPRO range. The XPRO Geared Head is designed for photographers who use weighty equipment and who like to be able to make precise adjustments to their composition. Read more

Independent Japanese flash manufacturer Nissin has announced a new wireless flash system that uses radio transmission. The first gun to be compatible with the company’s Nissin Air System (NAS) will be an adapted version of the Di700 flash unit. The Di700A will have the same specification as the GN48m/157ft current model, but will also feature a 2.4GHz radio transmitter that will be able to communicate with other NAS guns and the Nissin Commander Air 1 command unit from a distance of up to 30m. Read more

Three full-frame prime lenses on Sony's lens roadmap officially arrived today which, including the 24-240, brings the total number of FE lenses to eleven. The least expensive of the trio is the 28mm F2 lens, which also supports ultra-wide and fisheye adapters. Next is the long-awaited Zeiss 35mm F1.4 ZA, which is Sony's fastest FE lens to date. Close-up shooters will be interested in the new 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS lens, which uses a Direct Drive SSM mechanism for ultra-precise focusing. More details here.

Another full-frame lens from Sony's roadmap that hit the market today is a consumer-friendly super zoom. This 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 FE lens features optical image stabilization, five aspherical elements and one ED element, and is sealed against dust and moisture. The lens will ship this month for around $1000.

Sony is releasing a pair of firmware updates this month that will reduce startup times when FE lenses are attached to both full-frame and APS-C bodies. The first update, available now, will make your E-mount camera get ready to shoot in less time when using five currently available FE lenses. The second update, due later this month, will do the same for Sony's a7 series, this time for the four new lenses announced today. Read more

Sony has officially announced four new conversion lenses - two for full-frame and two for APS-C - that can be screwed onto a select group of lenses. On the full-frame side there are ultra-wide and fisheye adapters for the new FE 28mm F2, which drop the focal range to 21mm and 16mm, respectively. The adapters for APS-C lenses - the 20mm F2.8 and 16mm F2.8 specifically - and reduce the focal lengths by 0.75X for the ultra-wide adapter and 0.6X for the fisheye. More details.

Japanese optical manufacturer Kowa has released pricing for the three Micro Four Thirds lenses it first announced a year ago. The trio, Kowa Prominar MFT 12mm f/1.8, Prominar MFT 8.5mm f/2.8 and Prominar MFT 25mm f/1.8 are available now and will come in a choice of black, silver or green finishes. The lenses are all manual focus, and do not feature electrical contacts for communicating aperture or focus distance data to the camera. The company had them on show at the Broadcast Video Expo in London. Read more

The Sony Alpha 7S is a full-frame interchangeable lens camera sporting a 12.2MP CMOS sensor. It is identical in body design to the Sony a7 and Sony a7R, but don't let that fool you. Unlike the other two, the a7S is specially geared toward video and low-light shooters. It's capable of 1080/60p video with full-sensor readout and can turn out uncompressed 4K footage to an external recorder over HDMI. Read review

Nikon's D7200 has some big shoes to fill. The D7100 was one of our favorite midrange DSLRs of the past few years, and though it's by no means a radical upgrade, the D7200 presents some notable new features. It has a 24.2MP CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, an updated 51-point AF system sensitive to -3EV, a much larger buffer that can take up to 27 Raw images at 6 fps, and Wi-Fi with NFC. Read more

Nikon's new D7200 is an evolutionary upgrade to the D7100, and fixes one of the few major complaints about that model with an increased buffer depth. Other improvements are more subtle, but the addition of -3EV sensitivity to the D7200's 51-point AF array will please low-light photographers. There's also Wi-Fi with NFC, 1080/60p video, and improved battery life. Click through for some hands-on images

The Nikon Coolpix P900 has the longest zoom of any camera by a large margin. Whether you're a nature photographer or just spying on your neighbors (not that we'd recommend that), the camera's 24-2000mm should cover any situation. We got our hands on this monster zoom and will run through its most notable features right here.

Nikon's prosumer line gets an update today in the form of the D7200. With a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor it offers a very slight resolution increase over its 24.1MP D7100 predecessor, and like that model it lacks an optical low-pass filter. But the D7200's primary enhancements include a next-generation 51-point AF module with increased low-light sensitivity, built-in Wi-Fi with NFC and an improved 100-shot buffer depth when shooting JPEGs or Raw files at 6 fps. Read more

Nikon has extended its superzoom range to include the Coolpix P900, offering a 16MP sensor and world's longest zoom lens, which is equivalent to a mind-boggling 24-2000mm. It features built-in Wi-Fi with NFC, 7 fps burst shooting, built-in EVF and a fully articulated 3" 921k-dot LCD. The P900 uses a new Dual Detect optical image stabilization system, claiming up to 5 stops of shake compensation. Read more