May 2014 news and reviews

We're looking for an editorial writer and a web developer to join our growing team based in Seattle, WA. Responsibilities for the editorial role include testing and producing reviews of digital system cameras, compact cameras and other photographic equipment. Successful applicants for the web developer role will have strong visual design skills to help us craft the look, feel and functionality of dpreview.com. Click though for more information

Do your pictures need a bit of polish? If you're not comfortable with post-processing, a new service called PicTricks can provide quick photo 'fixes' like whitening teeth, removing unwanted elements from a scene and correcting unflattering lighting or skin tone rendition. Their services start at $5 per photo and a 24-hour turnaround from the 'team of editors' is promised. We've had a look at the service, and you can click through to read more

While most Android and Windows Phone devices act like external drives when connected to a computer with a USB-cable, transferring photos and files to and from an iOS device is a little more tricky. This is where the iStick, a Kickstarter project comes in. iStick is a USB-drive with an integrated Apple Lightning connector, making it compatible with more recent iPhone, iPad and iPod generations. 

We've just gotten ahold of a full-production Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III and we've added studio test scene images to our first impressions review. This third generation of Sony's much-acclaimed enthusiast compact features a 20.1 megapixel 1"-type BSI-CMOS sensor, a pop-up electronic viewfinder and a more consistently fast 24-70mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 lens than its predecessor. See studio results

Roller derby is a bit of an unconventional sport, so it's fitting that James McDaniel uses a somewhat unconventional system to photograph the action. He's been shooting roller derby with Micro Four Thirds cameras and lenses for the past couple of years. With no formal training in sports photography, he found himself with some exciting new equipment and an opportunity to photograph a fast-paced sport up close. He hasn't looked back since - see his work and read our Q&A. Read more

The Panasonic Lumix GH4's headline features revolve around its 4K video capture capability, but it's still a very attractive stills camera. It offers a newly developed 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor, 12 fps burst shooting (7 fps with continuous focus) and up to ISO 25600 sensitivity. A built-in 2.36-million dot EVF and a fully articulated LCD are also provided. Take a look at our gallery of real-world samples and see how it performs in the field. See gallery

If you shoot primarily with wide-angle and ultra wide-angle lenses, you know how difficult it is to add filters. A lot of wide-angle lenses feature deep petal-style lenshoods and lack normal filter threads, making it impossible to add standard threaded filters. The FotodioX WonderPana uses a threaded ring and mount system which enables the attachment of 145mm round filters and square drop-in filters to several ultra wide-angle optics. Read our review

Adobe has rolled out version 1.6.0.393 of Adobe Creative Cloud, bringing some new features and improved file transfer support. The biggest addition that this update brings to Creative Cloud is the ability to install previous versions of Adobe's design tools directly from the Creative Cloud installer. Graphics professionals and creatives will be able to maintain legacy versions of CC apps without having to juggle multiple serial numbers. Read more

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM 'Art' is a fast normal prime for full frame cameras, with an unusually complex optical design. However at $950 / £850 it's substantially more expensive than either its predecessor, or Canon and Nikon's 50mm F1.4 lenses. We've already published lab test data showing that it's optically excellent, but what does this mean in real-world use? Read our detailed review to find out.

We've been following SmugMug Films' ongoing behind-the-lens series, which provide a look at people who follow their passions in photography. The latest installment features Hawaii-based duo CJ Kale and Nick Selway, who have spent the last ten years photographing volcanic lava flows in their home state. We asked them a few questions about how they got started and what keeps them out of harm's way. Read the Q&A

The HTC One M8 is HTC's latest flagship smartphone and competes with the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2, Nokia Lumia 930, LG G2 and Apple' iPhone 5s. While HTC has stuck with the design language of the original One, the new model is slightly larger and comes with a faster processor, more RAM, bigger screen and new software functions. Images are captured on a 1/3-inch 4MP CMOS sensor but with the assistance of a secondary chip that records depth information. Read our review to find out how it performs

Lomography has announced a new Kickstarter campaign, looking to fund the production of the Lomo'Instant camera. This is the company's first fully instant camera, featuring a 27mm equivalent lens with 0.4m close focusing distance, a built-in flash, tripod mount, fisheye and portrait lens attachments and included color gels. It accepts Fujifilm Instax Mini film, and is estimated to become available in late 2014. Learn more

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 (TZ60 outside of North America) is a compact travel zoom camera with a 30X, 24-720mm equiv. lens and 18.1 megapixel 'high sensitivity' MOS sensor. The ZS40 features both a 3-inch (920k dot) LCD as well as an electronic viewfinder (200k dot). The camera has full manual controls, Raw support, focus peaking, plus a control ring. We've been out shooting with it, ahead of publishing a short review. Click through below to take a look at our real-world samples.

Leica has updated the firmware for its T (Typ 701) mirrorless camera to Version 1.1. In one of the stranger descriptions we've seen, Leica hasn't given any specific details of what's changed, saying instead that "you will get the complete scope of functions and performance as described in the manual of your camera". The firmware is available to download now - click through for the link.

Luke Evans is a student, just coming to the end of a three-year course in graphic design and photography at London's University of Westminster. Since starting the course Luke has received attention from media across the globe for his unusually fresh approach to the challenges of the course. Luke's work is imaginative, technically innovative and thought-provoking, and we spoke to him as he was preparing his final year show. Click through to read our interview and see some of his work.

Have you been lusting after a Leica Monochrom but anxiously hoping for its release in a new body finish? Well your long, nightmarish wait is over. Leica has announced that its M Monochrom, first announced in 2012, is now available in a new limited silver chrome 'color version'. Click through for (not much) more information, or just to take part in the inevitable comments debate about whether chrome and /or black really count as 'color' options. 

The National Park Foundation, a charitable organization partnered with the National Park Service, has announced the 2013 winners of its annual 'Share the Experience' photo contest. Open to U.S. residents, amateur photographers are invited to submit their photos taken within National Parks to compete for a top prize of $10,000. Take a look at the winning photographs from 2013 and submit your photos for this year's competition. Learn more

Filmmaker Paul Trillo has teamed up with Microsoft to build an apparatus which they call the 'Lumia Arc of Wonder'. It consists of 50 Nokia Lumia 1020 smartphones fixed to a custom-built metal arc on casters, some networking equipment and external power sources. Click through to read more, and see the results on connect.dpreview.com

In a unique spin on the typical Gigapan panorama we've come to know and love, the company teamed up with NASA on Earth Day this year for something big - an image comprised of self-portraits captured by citizens all over the world. When zoomed out, it resembles an image of Earth from space. The final product has been released, with submissions coming in from every continent. Take a look

Update: Following on the release of a significant new v1.4 firmware update for the Pen E-P5 last week, Olympus has issued another fix. Version 1.5 reportedly addresses a problem introduced by 1.4 in which displayed values for shooting parameters did not change. Firmware v1.4 introduced improved Wi-Fi remote control functionality to the E-P5 and a '0 sec' anti-shock setting. The latter was added to help prevent blurred images at certain shutter speeds - our main gripe when we reviewed the camera.

The BBC has posted a video looking at Leica's history, on the German company's 100-year anniversary. The very first Leica camera was designed in 1914 by engineer Oskar Barnack, who refined the basic design through multiple iterations, leading all the way to today's digital M-mount rangefinders. In the video, photojournalist and long-time Leica user Tom Stoddart shares his thoughts on the company, and on some of the classic images that have been captured on Leica cameras over the past 100 years. 

In April of this year an avalanche on Mount Everest took the lives of 16 sherpas who were preparing a route for their climbing clients. In the wake of this tragedy, a group of photographers have banded together to create SherpaFund.org, which will sell a collection of photographs to help the Sherpa families in crisis and establish long-term support for the wider community. Learn more

Nikon’s 800mm F5.6 FL ED VR and 400mm F2.8 FL ED VR lenses earn the 'FL' in their names from the coating of fluorine applied to the lens elements. But what exactly is fluorine coating, and why is it important? In this video from Nikon Japan, the coating's repellent properties are demonstrated as a variety of liquids are dripped, drawn and painted onto the lens surface. See video

The Nikon D800E, with its 36MP sensor and 'cancelled' anti-aliasing filter, is the highest resolution full-frame SLR on the market. Our friends and collaborators over at DxOMark have been looking into how various lenses score on it, and have now finished testing over 100 different optics from Nikon, Samyang, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina and Zeiss. They've picked out the highest-scoring in several categories, and published the results in a multi-part article. Click through to find out more

DxO Labs has released version 9.5 of its DxO Optics Pro software. This new release adds a non-destructive workflow that is completely integrated within Lightroom. It allows users to transfer Raw images from Lightroom cataloguer to DxO Optics Pro, process them, and then return them to Lightroom in Adobe's open DNG format. Learn more

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has made available access to more than 400,000 digital images in its collection. The museum is calling this new program 'Open Access for Scholarly Content', which provides 'access to images of art in its collection that the museum believes to be in the public domain and free of other known restorations'. Any images listed with the letters 'OASC' on the museum’s website are available to download without a fee. Learn more

You may have already noticed that we've made a small, but we hope very useful, change to the notifications system, adding on-site notifications for answers to your comments and activity in forum threads you've participated in. Click through for a little more detail on how it works, and to tell us how much you like it / hate it / how it could be improved / report bugs / ask us where the Nikon D4 review is...

The website Lenstag bills itself as a tool for helping photographers find lost or stolen gear, but now it’s branching out to help people find images used without permission, too. Lenstag maintains a database of a user’s lens, camera body and accessory serial numbers and then trawls the web looking for photos posted with those registration numbers in the EXIF data of a photo. Learn more

The GoPro camera is nearly ubiquitous in the adventure sports field. Now, that company is looking to capitalize on its success by preparing to go public. The San Mateo, California-based company is looking to raise about $100M in an Initial Public Offering, a recently disclosed prospectus shows. GoPro says it plans to use funds from an IPO for working capital, repaying debt, and new business and technology investments. Learn more

The Weather Channel and Toyota have announced a photographic contest with a $15,000 top award and thousands more in other prizes for the runners up in three categories. Photographic submissions 'should showcase a passion for nature, adventure, travel or weather'. Open to US residents only, the deadline for submissions is June 15. Learn more

In conjunction with the announcement of what Lytro is calling its 'professional-grade light field camera', the Illum, the company put its new product in the hands of five leading photographers. Lytro has released a promotional video that takes us behind the scenes as five 'creative pioneers' discover what they can do with this innovative new technology. See the video

We've seen a few interesting panoramic camera projects over the past few months but none of them capture panoramic video. Centr, which was launched by former Apple engineers and currently in the Kickstarter stage, is aiming to fill this gap. The camera is a doughnut-shaped device that records 360-degree video at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. Learn more

According to non-profit organization Professional Photographers of America (PPA) Walmart is 'bullying' a small Arkansas photographic studio over rights to images of the Walton family. The pictures were taken before the family business became the globe-spanning, multi-billion dollar business that it is today. Learn more

The mobile imaging platform, community and stock image marketplace EyeEm has announced the 2014 EyeEm Festival & Awards. The festival takes place in September in Berlin and the world-wide photo competition is now accepting submissions. Contributions are not limited to mobile photography and the awards are open to professionals and amateurs alike. Learn more

Apple recently released Digital Camera RAW Compatibility 5.02 for Aperture 3 and iPhoto '11. The update adds Raw image support for the following four cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T5, Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II, Nikon D4S and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. Get the update

Even longtime Photoshop and Lightroom users sometimes forget the myriad of keyboard shortcuts used to trigger the program’s powerful features. Now web developer Waldo Bronchart has made a web application called 'Application Shortcut Manager' to help you remember. It's an interactive website that displays all the keyboard shortcuts for Photoshop, Lightroom and Blender. Learn more

It’s not that uncommon for a photographer to create a new photographic backpack. But it's unusual for a photographer to put a high-tech photo streaming studio into one, creating a mobile photo transmission solution that shaves precious time off of submitting images to editors. But that's just what New York Times staff photographer Josh Haner did. 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.

Few compact cameras have garnered as much attention as the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 and RX100 II. Sony had managed to squeeze a much bigger sensor into cameras only a little larger than the Canon S-series enthusiast compacts. The RX100 III continues the tradition by adding a wider, faster 24-70mm F1.8-2.8 lens and a built-in, pop-up EVF. Along with a 20MP 1"-type sensor, does the RX100 III remain the ultimate compact for enthusiasts? Learn more in our First Impressions Review

Sony has announced the Cyber-shot DSC RX100 III, the most advanced model yet in its 1"-type sensor range of compacts. The RX100 III gains a pop-up electronic viewfinder, a faster lens and the latest Bionz X processor. The RX100 III's zoom now extends across a 24-70mm equivalent range, with a maximum aperture of F1.8-2.8. It also includes Wi-Fi and can run Playmemories Camera Apps. Video has also been upgraded - including full-sensor readout 1080p stored at up to 50Mbps in the XAVC S format. Learn more

Sony has announced pricing and availability information for its Alpha 7S 12MP mirrorless camera. The Alpha 7S is the first full-frame camera able to read out its entire sensor fast enough to output 4K 30p footage without the need for line skipping or pixel binning. It's also not constrained by the AVCHD standard with bitrates of up to 50Mbps. The body will be available in July and sell for $2,499.99. Learn more

The Google Photo Sphere 360-degree panorama feature was introduced in November 2012. However, until now, viewing 360-degree panoramas not created with Google Camera or a compatible app was a slightly cumbersome process. Google has now changed that with an update to Google+. Learn more

Wearable devices are the flavor of the season and the digital camera sector is no exception. A little while ago we reviewed the Autographer and now the Lifelogger, which is currently trying to get funded via a Kickstarter project, offers a similar concept. The idea is to record liife events from your point of view with the Lifelogger attached to your ear. It's similar to how you would wear a bluetooth headset. Learn more

HTC has unveiled the One Mini 2 which is a scaled-down version of its current flagship phone, the One M8, with a similar design but with downgraded internal components. And in a slightly surprising move, HTC has also decided to not deploy the 4MP "ultrapixel" sensor in the One Mini 2. Instead it comes with a 13MP chip. Learn more

After a few interesting Android smartphones Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has now launched its first tablet. Like its phone counterparts, the Xiaomi Mi Pad has impressive specs at a very reasonable price point. It has a 7.9-inch, 2,048 x 1,536 pixel resolution screen and is powered by a NVIDIA Tegra K1 quad core processor. Learn more

Lytro’s new Illum camera packs in a few tricks that will appeal to some still photographers, but its aim is really to introduce a new type of imagery. Time will tell if that medium succeeds. Technology writer Liam McCabe spoke with a few players in the light field camera industry to get a sense of where this technology is headed in the next few years and beyond. Learn more

A year on from the camera's announcement, Olympus has issued a significant firmware update for its PEN E-P5. The update not only adds a trigger-only 'cable release' mode to its Wi-Fi functions, it also provides a feature to combat the biggest problem with the camera. The new '0 sec Anti-Shock' option provides a work-around for the image shake that held the E-P5 back in our original review. Is the new firmware enough to elevate the E-P5 to the select company of Gold award winners? Find out

Nokia's Camera Beta for Windows Phone is arguably one of the best camera apps for enthusiast users. It combines comprehensive manual control with an excellent user interface. Now Nokia has released an update that makes the app even better. It now supports continuous autofocus and surround sound capture. Learn more

Lenovo has launched a 10-inch version of its ThinkPad tablet. Running Windows 8.1, the ThinkPad 10 is aimed at professionals and business users. The use of the optional ThinkPad Tablet Dock allows you to turn the tablet into a full-blown workstation. In terms of imaging, the ThinkPad 10 comes with an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front-equivalent. Lenovo promises 10 hours of battery life. Learn more

Nikon has announced US pricing and availability of its J4 1-System mirrorless camera. Originally launched last month, the J4 features an 18MP CX-format sensor with an improved Hybrid AF system. The company has also announced a new WP-N3 waterproof case and SB-N10 waterproof Speedlight. The underwater housing allows the Nikon 1 J4 and S2 cameras to be taken to depths of of 45m (148 ft). The new Speedlight is waterproof up to 100m (328 ft). Learn more

Nikon has announced updated versions of its 400mm F2.8 telephoto lens and 1.4x teleconverter. The AF-S Nikkor 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR promises improved autofocus, exposure accuracy and speed, while being 816g (nearly 2lb) lighter than its predecessor. Meanwhile the AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III  features revised optics, and a redesigned barrel for increased moisture and dust resistance. Both will be available in August 2014, with RRPs of $11,999.95 / £10,399.99 and $499.95 / £449.99 respectively. Learn more

Nikon has launched its latest 1-System compact mirrorless camera with the inexpensive S2. It features a 14MP CMOS sensor, hybrid autofocus system, continuous shooting at 20 fps and 1080/60p video recording. The S2 is also compatible with the optional WU-1a wireless mobile adapter for Wi-Fi connectivity and uses microSD memory cards. Learn more

The headline feature of the Panasonic GH4 is that it's a Micro Four Thirds camera that can shoot 4K video for under $2000, capturing either Quad HD (3840 x 2160) at up to 29.97p or 'Cinema 4K' (4096 x 2160) at up to 24p. Seattle-based photographer Erik Hecht recently took the new Panasonic GH4 for a spin to test the dynamic range and to see how well it takes color correction. See video

After being introduced in Japan and Europe, the white Canon EOS Rebel SL1 (EOS 100D) has made it to American shores. To avoid color clash, Canon also includes a matching EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 STM lens along with this compact DSLR. The white EOS Rebel SL1 will be available in June for $749.

Canon has officially announced a pair of new lenses. First is the EF 16-35mm F4L IS USM, an image-stabilised wideangle zoom for full frame SLRs. There's also an EF-S 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 IS STM wideangle zoom for APS-C SLRs, which gives a 16-29mm equivalent range. The two lenses will be available next month for $1199 / £1,199 and $299 / £299, respectively.

Parrot, the maker of the popular AR Drone 2.0, has launched a new model, the AR Drone 3.0. It also flies under the name Bebop. The Bebop is essentially a flying camera with four rotors. The camera comes with an F2.2 fisheye lens with a 180-degree field of view and a 14MP sensor. Learn more

Branding is critical for a successful photography business regardless of the genre, and photographer Art Wolfe has built perhaps one of the strongest brands in his field. Wolfe has been shooting nature and wildlife images professionally for more than 30 years all over the world. This story on Photoshelter's blog gives some insight on how he built his photography business. Learn more

Samsung has released a software update for the international version of its Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone. The new software is promising speedier camera and gallery app startup, plus more responsive fingerprint recognition. Apart from the faster camera startup, the update also brings improved general performance and better RAM management. Learn more

Some history of Nikon's lens generations and information about the difference between non-AI, AI, AI-S, AF and AF-S lenses.

Known for his conservation projects such as Freedom to Roam, a photographic project designed to encourage the creation of wildlife corridors, photographer Florian Schulz offers some tips and advice for shooting landscapes and wildlife in this six minute video. Learn more

Seene is a free app for iOS that lets you capture and share interactive and three dimensional images, just like Instagram and Vine do for 2D-images and videos respectively. The makers of the app, Obvious Engineering, are now showing off a preview of a forthcoming feature. Soon Seene will be capable of capturing a full 360-degree model of an object and export it for printing on a 3D-printer. Learn more

A little more than a week after C&A Marketing Inc. announced its Calumet Photographic acquisition, the company is reopening its first Calumet store this Sunday in Oak Brook, Illinois. One of the newer stores in the chain and, according to C&A, one of the most successful, the company promises the Oak Brook location will have the inventory that professionals expect. Learn more

According to a report by Engadget, Apple has hired Nokia's head of Lumia imaging, Ari Partinen. Partinen sent out a tweet saying today was his last day at Nokia and that in June he'll be starting 'a new chapter in Cupertino'. In a later tweet he confirmed the company he'll be working for in Cupertino is indeed Apple. Learn more

Cystic Fibrosis is an incurable, life-shortening genetic disease which affects roughly 70,000 people around the globe. Commonly thought of as a childhood disease, photographer Ian Pettigrew was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 37. He is currently trying to raise money to support a project entitled 'Just Breathe', which will feature portraits of adults living with CF. Get more details and make a contribution

We've seen almost all smartphone manufacturers put an emphasis on camera performance with their latest models. Now Chinese manufacturer Vivo is upping the ante with the Xshot. The new model is a high-end Android phone with a 13MP Sony camera module that features an F1.8 lens, the fastest we've seen on a smartphone in recent history. Learn more

Renowned advertising and commercial shooter Peter Hurley is the subject of a video in a series called #BehindtheGlass, where the New York and Los Angeles based photographer talks candidly about his non-traditional path into the industry. It’s one of those head-smacking, jaw-dropping stories that shows photography is part skill, some chance and a lot of hard work. Learn more

Apple Insider has discovered another interesting camera-related Apple patent application. The document titled "Super-resolution based on optical image stabilization" describes a way to use a camera's optical image stabilization system to capture a series of images at slightly offset angles and then stitch them together to create one large high-resolution file. Learn more

Photographers love simple solutions to challenging problems. How many of us have saved a shoot with a strip of duct tape and a piece of cardboard? This three-minute video shows seven clever photographic 'hacks' - from using an egg timer and GoPro for a panorama to creating a Gary-Fong style diffuser with a Tupperware container to creating a neutral-density filter out of welder glass and rubber bands. Learn more

The next time you’re in a thrift shop or antique store, keep a lookout for photographic treasures. While old cameras are always eye-catching, the images captured with those cameras are often more intriguing as Mike Ames and Derek Wong discovered. Ames came across some tins of developed Kodak Panatomic film and Wong bought a roll of developed Kodak Super XX film. They both discovered an unexpected look back at history. Learn more

While the latest generation of smartphones can in many ways rival traditional compact cameras, the lack of true long exposure functionality on most phones is a limitation. However, now there's an app for that with NightCap Pro. It has two unlimited exposure time modes. Learn more

Just a reminder - you can get a weekly update of all that's new in the digital photography world by subscribing to the Digital Photography Review Newsletter! As well as updates on what we've published, we'll also be sharing sneak peeks at what we've got in the pipeline, as well as a weekly cartoon strip, and occasionally also readers' polls, (bad) jokes and more. Click through for more details. 

The Chinese technology company Huawei has launched its latest flagship Android smartphone, the Ascend P7. At 6.4mm the new model is just a touch thicker than its predecessor, the Ascend P6, but it's still one of the thinnest devices on the market. The Ascend P7 doesn't come with 4K video recording but the front camera offers unusually high resolution at 8MP. Learn more

An IndieGoGo project called FlashQ seeks to make wireless flash triggers small in size and stylish to look at. The FlashQ is a 2.4Ghz wireless trigger and receiver system that mounts to a camera’s hotshoe and a flash’s hotshoe adapter. The compact device is aimed at owners of mirrorless cameras and other small camera bodies. Learn more

Fourandsix Technologies, Inc. has launched izitru.com (pronounced 'is it true') a new, free service and companion iPhone app that can determine whether or not an image has been processed. After uploading a JPEG file to the site, izitru runs six image analysis tests that can differentiate whether or not the image has been altered since it was captured with a digital camera. Izitru then assigns the image a 'trust' rating. Learn more

Datacolor has announced its Great Alaskan Photo Expedition Sweepstakes, an online contest that offers an all-expense-paid trip to Cook Inlet, Alaska. Winners will get to spend a week photographing wildlife in Lake Clark National Park with nature photographer David Cardinal. The grand prize has a $10,000 value and includes round-trip airfare to and from Anchorage as well as all meals, lodging and charter flights to the wildlife preserve. Learn more

On March 18th the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted a patent to Amazon covering a specific method to achieve the common photographic technique of capturing an image of a subject against a plain white background. Patent No.US 8,676,045 B1 describes a setup using multiple lights and a white backdrop which results in images that require no post-process retouching to remove shadows. Learn more

The Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm F0.95 is an ultra-fast prime for Sony E mount cameras, with manual focus and a clickless manual aperture mechanism. It offers full frame coverage, meaning it will work on the Alpha 7, 7R and 7S triplets, opening up intriguing low light options on the latter in particular. It will also work on APS-C E-mount models, offering a 75mm equivalent short telephoto angle of view. The lens is made in China by Shenyang Optical Electronics Ltd, and is available for pre-order now for $799. Learn more

Nick Fancher is a portrait photographer who has shot for clients like EPSN Magazine, Ohio State University and JackThreads - and is also the subject of an inspiring video by director and cinematographer Andy Newman. Fancher talks about opted out of becoming a wedding photographer and has instead focused on the process of picture-making, honing his lighting techniques and trying to find his identity as a photographer. See video

More bad news for photographers looking to use unmanned aircraft for photography - at least those hoping to use drones in Yosemite National Park. The National Park Service has issued a statement that makes it clear these devices are banned in the park under any circumstances. Learn more

In the latest of his series of 'Behind the Shot' articles, landscape photographer Erez Marom shows us how he captured a dramatic image of Kirkjufell mountain, overlooking a frozen lake in Iceland. Marom talks about his equipment choice and exposure settings, and also gives a step-by-step look at the post-processing required to achieve the final result. Learn more

Samsung's NX Mini is the slimmest and lightest interchangeable lens camera on the market. It packs a 1"-type, 20MP CMOS sensor into its body, along with Wi-Fi with NFC and 1080/30p video. With the NX Mini, Samsung also introduced a new NX-M lens mount. We've been shooting with the 9mm F3.5 (24.3mm equivalent) prime on the camera and having some fun with the Mini's flip up LCD for the occasional 'selfie'. See gallery

The American Museum of Natural History Research Library announced it has digitized and made available online its entire collection of more than 7,000 historical photographs. This massive archive was previously difficult to access, especially for those not in proximity to New York City. According to the Museum, its goal was to create digital representatives of the original photographs that maintained their integrity. They scanned the negatives whenever possible and scanned prints only when there were no negatives. Learn more

During pre-launch briefings for the T, Leica was very keen to stress the optical quality of the new lenses. Most interestingly, we were told they relied on optical corrections, rather than software to project the best possible image onto the sensor. So with this in mind, when processing some images from the Leica T, we were surprised by a notification that Adobe Camera Raw gave us. See our results

Less than two months after Calumet Photographic abruptly closed its U.S. retail stores, C&A Marketing Inc. announced it has acquired most of the company’s U.S. assets. C&A, which also licenses Polaroid instant imaging products has recently acquired four Cardinal Camera stores and is also expanding RitzPix.com, plans to 'incorporate the Calumet assets' into its Ritz portfolio. Learn more

The Fujifilm TCL-X100 is a screw-in teleconverter for the X100 and X100S which increases the effective focal length of their 23mm F2 lens to 50mm. We've been shooting with the TCL-X100 for a few days now, in a range of different situations and light levels to see how it performs in everyday use. Click through to read our first impressions, and see our sample images.

Where do you store your image archive? A file cabinet? Drawer? A documentary called 'The Invisible Photograph' created by the Hillman Photography Institute of the Carnegie Museum of Art explores an old limestone mine where Corbis Images keeps its Bettmann Archive, a collection of more than 11 million historical images. Learn more

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is already home to some of the most impressive aviation and astronomical technology in the modern wold, but it has also become the home of one of the most impressive photographs ever taken as well. On display now is a 107 feet wide 'camera-obscura' image of a decommissioned Marine Corps air station. Learn more

It may look the same as its predecessor, but the Sony SLT-A77 II's insides are quite a bit different. Featuring a new 24MP CMOS sensor and image processor, along with a dramatically improved AF system, this SLT could be one of the best subject-tracking cameras out there. While we've yet to test its performance, we did spend some brief time with the a77 II and have put together our first impressions.

Sony has announced the SLT-A77 II - its latest enthusiast-grade, APS-C fixed-mirror DSLR. The Mark II features the same pixel count as its three-year-old forebear, but delivers it using a new 24MP sensor. The camera also gains a 79-point autofocus sensor, which it combines with the most sophisticated autofocus system on a Sony camera yet. Other upgrades include the customizable 'Quick Navi Pro' function menu but the biggest change is the improved autofocus, which combines with the ability to shoot up to 60 JPEGs at 12 frames per second. The SLT-A77 II will be available this June for $1199 body only.

The power button and volume rocker are typically the only physical controls you'll find on a smartphone as almost all functions are accessed via soft-buttons on the touchscreen these days. The Pressy button is a new accessory that adds an additional programmable hard button to your Android device. It slots into your smartphone's headphone socket and once inserted is hardly visible. Learn more