September 2015 news and reviews

Corel has introduced a trio of new versions of its video editing software applications: Pinnacle Studio 19 Ultimate, Pinnacle Studio 19 Plus, and Pinnacle Studio 19. A couple new features have been added to the software, including a new Multi-Camera Editor in each version of the application. In addition, the latest version offers support for 6th-generation Intel Core i7 processors. Read more

DxOMark has published its test results for the Sony Xperia Z5, a high-end smartphone with a 23MP 1/2.4" BSI CMOS sensor, F2.0 lens and dual-LED flash. Calling its hybrid AF system 'impressive in all conditions,' the Z5 takes the top spot in DxO's rankings, sending the Samsung S6 Edge to second place. Read more

Fujifilm has added to its instant camera lineup, introducing the INSTAX Mini 70. The Mini 70 features a sleek re-design, a mirror on the front panel for selfie-framing, and automatic exposure with flash for better balanced low-light photos. Read more

In an interview for Adobe's blog, NASA has revealed some of the processes its scientists use to transform technical data into images that the rest of the world can appreciate and understand. From simple tasks, such as straightening and cropping, to compositing multiple layers of scientifically calculated color, the agency uses programs including Adobe Photoshop to interpret the sometimes quite abstract images sent back to Earth from devices such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Mars rover. Read more

We're less than a week away from PIX 2015, and we're taking the opportunity to introduce you to some of our talented re:FRAME speakers. Dixie Dixon acquired her first camera, a Nikon FG, when she was just 12 years old. Now she's made a name for herself in fashion and commercial photography - find out a couple of her tips on breaking in. Read more

Google has today launched two new Nexus showcase-devices, giving consumers more choice in terms of device dimensions after last year's 6-inch Nexus 6 wasn't universally well received for its large size, among other reasons. The Nexus 5X is made by LG and seen as an upgrade to the original Nexus 5 from two years ago, and the Nexus 6P is made by Huawei. Read more

Just when you thought HTC's smarpthone line-up couldn't get any more confusing, the Taiwanese manufacturer has launched two new models, both with a focus on camera capabilities and performance. Read more

As far as pocketable cameras go, the DxO ONE is the most likely to fit into the smallest of pockets. Built as a companion to Apple mobile devices, it connects directly via integrated Lightning connector to bring your iPhone a 20MP 1"-type sensor and 32mm equivalent F1.8 lens. We put its standard shooting mode as well as its SuperRAW mode up against our studio test scene. Read more

With just a week until PIX 2015, we're taking the opportunity to introduce you to some of our talented re:FRAME speakers. As a veteran photojournalist, Jonathan Alcorn has acquired some impressive clients on his resume including Reuters, Bloomberg, Getty Images and the New York Times, among many more. Read more

Ricoh has introduced a pair of underwater cameras to its WG range that feature enhanced color control for still and movie photographers. The Ricoh WG-40 and WG-40W, which are being released only in Japan at the moment, are very much like the current Ricoh WG-30 and WG-30G models, but offer a new Mermaid mode that boosts contrast and reds when used underwater. Read more

Samsung is bringing its Ditch the DSLR event to Seattle on October 7th, giving PIX 2015 attendees the opportunity to swap out an old DSLR for a new Samsung NX500. Read more

GoPro has introduced a new entry-level action camera, the HERO+ with Wi-Fi. In terms of specification, this model sits above the HERO, but below the recently launched HERO+ LCD. Read more

With just over a week until PIX 2015, we're taking the opportunity to introduce you to some of our talented re:FRAME speakers. A former features editor at a daily newspaper, Aaron Draper's passion for lighting is evident from his 'Underexposed' photo series. Read more

As part of CreativeLive's annual 'Photo Week', DPReview took part in a panel discussion with other members of the photography industry to discuss technology, photography, and a lot more besides. Read more

RED has launched its new RED RAVEN camera. The model offers 4K recording at 120fps and 2K recording at 240fps using an 8.8 megapixel RED DRAGON image sensor. The new model is one of RED's smallest and lightest cameras at 3.5lbs, making it suitable for handheld and drone use. Read more

With PIX 2015 right around the corner, we're taking the opportunity to introduce you to some of our inspiring re:FRAME speakers. Aaron Huey is a National Geographic photographer whose favorite gig is playing photo assistant to his talented 5-year-old son, Hawkeye Huey. Read more

Adobe has announced updates to its Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements imaging applications that introduce some new features and a number of improvements. A de-haze filter, similar in effect to that used in Photoshop CC and Lightroom, helps to cut through atmospheric misting in Photoshop Elements 14, while Premiere Elements gains the ability to work with 4K footage. Read more

Phottix has launched its Laso Flash Trigger System today for the Canon RT Wireless radio flash system and the camera maker's non-radio E-TTL flashes. The Laso Transmitter can be used with up to 15 radio flashes in five groups, while the Laso receiver enables the setup to be used with non-radio E-TTL flashes. Read more

The Sony Alpha 7R II has been the topic of much discussion and in our office, much testing. We've published a number of articles with results of our tests, picking apart Raw files from its 42MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor and pushing its 399 on-sensor phase detect AF points to their limits. This first impressions review is the culmination of that work to date, including an in-depth analysis of the camera's image quality and the effects of shutter shock. Read more

With PIX 2015 right around the corner, we're taking the opportunity to introduce you to some of our amazing re:FRAME speakers. Kiliii Fish is an adventure and outdoor photographer who on a recent trip to Guatemala encountered something he wasn't quite expecting. Read more

Vantage Robotics has a new 4K camera quadcopter called Snap, and it's now up for pre-order. The company calls this a 'flying camera', one that fits in a backpack and is safe enough to grab out of the air with a bare hand. Read more

DxOMark has released its test results for the LG G4, which boasts a 16MP 1/2.6" sensor and F1.8 lens. Other camera features include a laser system to support autofocus speed and accuracy, 3-axis optical image stabilization and an LED flash. We've updated our LG G4 camera review with a summary of DxO's findings - find out what makes the G4 worthy of DxO's top 10 mobile rankings. Read more

Sony has just announced that its latest cameras will gain the option to shoot uncompressed Raw files. Given the interest that was generated when we detailed the effects of Raw compression, we though it was equally important to make clear the benefits of the newly-added uncompressed Raw option. Here's what we've found so far. Read more

With two weeks until PIX 2015, we're highlighting some of the talented re:FRAME speakers who will be at the show. First up is David Fitzsimmons, who has made it his work to photograph critters for curious young minds. Read more

Today LowePro launched a new backpack and three new shoulder bags, all of them in its 'urban-inspired' ProTactic series. With the new ProTactic SH 120 AW, SH 180 AW, SH 200 AW, and BP 250 AW, the ProTactic product line now contains a total of six camera bags. Read more

Fall weather has arrived here in Seattle, so what better time to head for the Valley Isle of Maui? The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 superzoom, which features an 25-600mm equiv. F2.8 lens and weather-sealed body, somehow found itself in a suitcase. You can see how it handled the tropical weather in our real-world sample gallery.

Premium bag manufacturer ONA has introduced a new range of soft camera bags made from Nylon and leather with brass fittings. The Black Collection comprises the company's Camps Bay backpack and Brixton messenger bags redesigned in the new materials, as well as a new rolling duffle bag that has space for clothes as well as cameras. Read more

Hard to believe, but PIX 2015 is fast approaching! Whether you're planning on tuning in live October 6th and 7th or joining us in person at Seattle Center, there are more reasons than ever to get excited about PIX - our expo and interactive photo playground. Read more

Rokinon has introduced 21mm F1.4 and 50mm F1.2 fast prime lenses, both of which are up for pre-order now. These new lenses flesh out the maker's existing offerings for mirrorless cameras. Read more

The DxO ONE is a clever little iPhone companion camera with a 20MP 1"-type sensor and 32mm equiv. F1.8 lens. With an integrated Lightning connector it's designed to be used while attached to an iPhone or iPad, and is an easily transported little device offering a big boost in image quality over a mobile device's integrated camera. We've put it through its paces in the field and have a full gallery of real-world samples to show for it. Read more

We've just expanded our real-world Olympus Tough TG-4 sample gallery with underwater images from the sparkling blue waters of Maui. The TG-4 is Olympus' 16MP rugged compact with Raw support and built-in Wi-Fi with GPS, making it a truly road-ready travel companion. Read more

Ricoh has launched a teaser website promoting the introduction of its Pentax full-frame DSLR in spring of 2016. The news of a full-frame K-mount camera came in February when we also got a glimpse of an early mockup at CP+. Read more

MindShift Gear has launched its new BackLight 26L Photo Daypack for pre-order, and will begin shipping it next month. The bag features a 26 liter capacity with compartments able to accommodate a 15" laptop, 10" tablet, a standard sized DSLR with up to six lenses, a flash, and two large water bottles. Read more

A DPReview community member and forum moderator has created a free desktop application designed to help Nikon users wirelessly transfer files from their cameras to their computers. Compatible with OS X, Windows and Linux, Airnef is an open-source utility that works with Nikon's external Wi-Fi adapters as well as cameras with built-in Wi-Fi. Read more

Amazon has today updated its Fire tablet line and announced three new models, the Fire HD, Fire and Fire Kids. Not only are the new models lighter and thinner than the previous generation, but with their introduction the Kindle name is dropped from the Amazon tablet lineup. Read more

New Zealand-based EXO Camera Equipment has launched a Kickstarter campaign to get its camera-style casing for GoPro cameras off the ground. The company hopes to produce the EXO GP-1, a metal body into which GoPro cameras can be placed, to take on a more traditional camera form. Read more

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II is an extremely versatile camera and so far, it has impressed us with its ability to perform well in most scenarios. But what about sports photography? We decided to bring it to the soccer field and pit it against a DSLR to see if it could keep up. The results? Find out here

As the National Football League season sweeps in, sports photographers across the United States take to the stadiums to create iconic images. In a Q&A below, veteran sports photographer Otto Greule shares insider knowledge & outstanding imagery to give insight into his fast-paced, visual craft.

Paid apps have been in decline for some time across all platforms and now the makers one of the most popular camera apps for iOS, Camera+, have decided to adopt the so-called freemium model and offer a free version of their app that can be expanded via in-app purchases. Read more

One of the first cameras to make a permanent photographic image has left the UK for the first time to be part of an exhibition hosted by the Japan Camera Museum in Tokyo. Read more

Canon unveiled its next generation Connection Station this week at Canon Expo 2015 in New York. The new model is similar to the original CS100, first introduced at CES earlier this year, but with the addition of two new big features: wireless charging and support for 4K playback. Read more

Sony has announced an uncompressed Raw option for its forthcoming a7S II model and will offer firmware updates for some existing models, starting with the a7R II. Up to now, Sony's cameras have only recorded compressed Raw files that can have a visual impact on some images. The company says the move comes in response to feedback from its users.

The four images in the running for the £12,000 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize have been revealed by Great Britain’s National Portrait Gallery. The often-controversial award is again set to spark some debate as one of the shortlisted images features a naked boy that many media outlets will have to think twice about reproducing. Read more

Tamron's 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 takes the superzoom concept it made famous a few steps forward. It offers a significant increase in telephoto range, and also goes wider to bring real wide-angle capability to the superzoom category for the first time. It's also earned a 'Macro' designation with its close focusing ability. Is it truly a super zoom? Take a look at our analysis. Read more 

Three winners were announced for the inaugural grant, meant to to reward photographers who use Instagram as a means to document stories from underrepresented communities around the world. Read more

The latest of SmugMug's series of feature videos profiles photographer and digital artist Renee Robyn. While recovering from a serious motorcycle accident, she fell in love with an art form that was within her physical capabilities at the time - making digital composite images. Read more

Chinese optics company Shenyang Zhongyi Optical and Electronic has announced that it is adding a super-fast standard lens to its range designed for the Micro Four Thirds system. The new 25mm lens features a maximum aperture of F0.95 but has a very small and lightweight body. Read more

What's the plural of Milvus? Milvi? We're not sure, but one thing we do know: Zeiss's new lens family has arrived in a big way. The German manufacturer announced six new manual focus lenses this week bearing the Milvus name. Take a look these mighty new lenses. Read more

The days are ticking down to PIX 2015, our interactive photo expo on October 6 & 7. We're excited to announce some new speakers have been added to our re:FRAME lineup and that single day passes are now on sale. Now's the time to make your PIX plans! Join us online or in Seattle for two days of hands-on photography activities, inspirational talks and practical demonstrations. Read more

Drone maker DJI has announced a pair of Micro Four Thirds aerial cameras including a model that can shoot lossless 4K Raw footage. The Zenmuse X5 and X5R are built around 16MP Four Thirds sensors, are compatible with a handful of small Micro Four Thirds lenses and can be flown on the company's Inspire 1 drones. Read more

Photographer and designer Philipp Schmitt has created a concept camera called 'Camera Restricta' with a unique feature: it won't allow the user to take a picture in an area where too many other photos have been taken. Read more

The Canon EOS M3 has been available in European and Asian markets for some time, but it's making its debut on US store shelves next month. The M3 is Canon's most serious mirrorless camera yet, offering a 24.2MP APS-C sensor, twin control dials, 3" tilting LCD and built-in Wi-Fi with NFC. Welcoming it to our shores, we took the M3 out during some of our last long days of summer. Read more

Think Tank has expanded its Retrospective photography bag lineup with leather versions of its bags - the Retrospective Leather 5, Leather 7, and Leather 30. The company describes these as 'upscale, rugged shoulder bags' with a new Dual Cross buckle on the front flap, Sound Silencers that eliminate front flap noise, YKK zippers, removable padded dividers, and a removable carrying handle. Read more

Data storage manufacturer G-Technology has revamped products within its Evolution series and has added adapters to make its family of docks and drives more flexible. Read more

Apple has launched the long-rumored iPad Pro today. With its 12.9-inch Retina screen offering 2732 x 2048 resolution the new model is the largest in the iPad line-up. In its presentation, Apple showcased a range of new software applications that take advantage of the iPad Pro's features including Photoshop Fix, which lets you edit images of up to 50MP size using the new Apple Pencil. Read more

Canon has released firmware version 1.0.5 for the EOS 7D Mark II. This update fixes a couple of bugs and claims to improve AF accuracy when the camera is used with the EF 16-35MM F2.8L USM or EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS USM lens. Read more

Nikon's flagship APS-C DSLR is a real workhorse. Offering a 24.2MP CMOS sensor, the D7200 provides a 51-point AF system sensitive to -3EV, an increased buffer depth with 6 fps continuous shooting and 1080 HD video at 60p. We tagged along with pro photographer Gabe Bienczycki on a desert photo shoot to push the D7200 to its limits. Read more

Canon is clearly in a forward-looking frame of mind: announcing more development projects that it has under way. These include a 120MP DSLR and a Cinema EOS camera that can shoot 8K video. Although it adds caveats that specifications can change, the press release suggest both projects are planned for commercial, rather than research purposes. Read more

Kodak licensee JK Imaging has introduced the PixPro SP360-4K camera, a variation of its PixPro SP360 Action Camera model that includes a 4K resolution option for still images and video. The camera comes with desktop software that transcribes recorded footage into YouTube's 360-degree video format. Read more

Red Dot Camera is a new camera app for iOS by Lifelike Apps. Its makers, who call themselves avid Leica M shooters, have tried to convert the look and feel of the legendary camera series to an iPhone app complete with rangefinder-style manual focusing. Read more

The Sony RX10 II is built just like its predecessor, but under the hood are a lot of interesting improvements. We've done a lot of real-world shooting with the camera, but now we've put its 20MP 1"-type stacked CMOS sensor to the test in our studio. Take a look at how it stacks up against its peers. Read more

We first became acquainted with Andrew Suryono's name when his 'Orangutan in the Rain' photo popped up as one of the top submissions to the Sony World Photography awards. As we later found out, he's a DPR regular and his photo eventually took first place in Sony's Indonesia National Award category. Find out the story behind the image. Read more

That inkjet printer ink costs more than champagne is the frequent moan of anyone who has to replace their cartridges. Take heart though, as Epson has launched a range of printers called EcoTank that it claims will help users save 70% on home printing. The five new machines come with what Epson says is enough ink to last two years, and once empty the tanks can be refilled from a bottle instead of being replaced. Read more

Ricoh has unveiled the latest version of its 360-degree camera, the Theta S. Thanks to two 12MP 1/2.3" sensors, the S is capable of 14MP 360-degree still image capture, up from the previous model's 6MP images. Brighter lenses, 1080/30p video and integration with Google's new Street View app are all onboard. Read more

Epson UK has announced a further model to the SC range of A3+ printers with the SC-P400, a printer it claims is smaller and lighter than any other A3+ pigment inkjet machine. Although no pricing has been released, the new model is said to be part of an 'affordable' package that includes the lowest cost pigment ink-set on the market. Read more

Following a development announcement in July, Panasonic is making good on its promise of a 25mm F1.7 lens. With a seven-blade aperture, it acts as a 50mm equiv. on Micro Four Thirds bodies and takes advantage of Panasonic's 240 fps contrast detection AF system. Read more

Sony has launched an online content hub and community called αUniverse to showcase its alpha brand. The website is a portal for videography, photography, news content, and instructional content aimed at the imaging community, and will also be used as the primary outlet for news directly from Sony Imaging. Read more

A Raw file is a Raw file, right? Well, not exactly. Lately, there's been a lot of talk and a lot of anger about the compression Sony uses in its Raw files. Compressed Raw files aren't uncommon, but they're usually compressed in a way that retains all the original 'raw' data from the sensor. That doesn't seem to be the case with Sony's latest cameras. Read more

Narrative, maker of the Clip wearable camera, has launched the Clip 2. In addition to a sensor resolution boost from 5MP to 8MP, the Clip 2 is capable of shooting 1080p video clips unlike its stills-only predecessor. Read more

Updated Japanese lens manufacturer Tamron has announced it has revamped its SP lens range, starting with the SP 35mm F1.8 Di VC USD and the SP 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD. As a company that usually produces zoom lenses it's surprising to see the first two SP models are fixed focal lengths primes, boasting new design values inside and out according to Tamron. Read more

Feature Shoot is accepting submissions for its latest group show, and winners will have their work displayed at PIX 2015 - our interactive photo expo. The show centers on themes of 'vertical living,' and will be curated by Feature Shoot Editor-in-Chief Alison Zavos. Read more

GoPro has added a Trim and Share feature to its mobile app and some of its camera models, allowing users to pull short clips from video footage and share the finalized video. The feature is available now in the latest version of the GoPro mobile app, and is offered on the HERO4 Black + LCD BacPac, HERO4 Silver, and the HERO+ LCD. Read more

Updated: Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-GH4R, a Europe-only variant of the GH4 that offers a Log gamma curve and unlimited 4K video recording. There will also be a paid-for firmware update adding the V-Log L Photo Style to the GH4 - a super-flat tone curve designed to capture the maximum dynamic range for greater flexibility while color grading. Read more

Sony's Alpha 7R II breaks a lot of new ground in terms of photographic technology. Its 42MP chip is the first full-frame backside-illuminated sensor, and it's bolstered by a 5-axis stabilization system. We've been testing its autofocus and low light capabilities, and now we've put it in front of our studio test scene. Find out if a BSI sensor gives it an edge over its peers. Read more