November 2015 news and reviews

The DxO ONE smartphone companion camera is to benefit from a host of improvements and new features when the company releases new firmware early in December. Read more

The team behind the Lumu smartphone light meter has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of Lumu Power, their next generation device. In addition to ambient light levels, the Lumu Power is also capable of measuring flash exposure and color temperature. Read more

Phase One has launched Capture One Pro 9, the latest iteration of its tethering and image editing software. Capture One Pro 9 offers a 'completely updated contrast engine,' additional brushes, color editor masks and new keyword tools, among other features. Read more

Ricoh's string of teaser coverage for its upcoming full-frame Pentax DSLR continues today with a new image of the camera and a press release - though not much in the way of more concrete information. Read more

Fujifilm's XF 35mm F2 strikes an appealing balance between size, cost and durability. It's sealed against moisture and dust, making it a great candidate for use with the weather-resistant X-T1, and at $399 is a fairly affordable 'normal' prime for Fuji's X-system. The Pacific Northwest is just the place to test weather-resistant gear, though thankfully we've had enough unseasonably dry and sunny days to put together a real-world sample gallery with the 35mm F2. Read more

As announced on Friday, Panasonic has just released new firmware that enables a post-capture refocusing feature in some of its cameras that run 4K video on a Micro Four Thirds sensor. We got hold of a pre-release copy of the firmware and have been able to try it out on the Lumix DMC-GX8 body. Read more

Canon's new EF 35mm F1.4L USM II lens has some pretty big shoes to fill. Its older brother, now on the market for 17 years, has become both a benchmark and a staple of many a pro Canon shooter's kit. We've had the Mark II version for a few days, and we've spent that time shooting some environmental portraits, landscapes and lots more in between. Read more

Our friends over at Photo District News and Rangefinder Magazine have just published their first ever holiday gift guide, with contributions from Rolling Stone, Tiny Atlas Quarterly, TIME and our very own editor, Barney Britton. Click through to read the full guide!

For our latest Field Test video we went not-quite south of the border to Marfa, Texas. There, photographer Theron Humphrey and his internet-famous dog Maddie help us test the Sony Alpha 7R II and a collection of Sony FE lenses. Despite the oppressive heat and rough roads of Big Bend National Park, the impressive sunsets are well worth the trip. Read more

We've been producing more video content than ever before, including tons of content from our recent PIX show, our ongoing series of long-form Field Tests, overviews of the latest cameras and lenses, as well beginners' technique guides and interviews. We post videos right here on our homepage when they're first uploaded, but the best way of not missing anything is to subscribe to DPReview's channel on YouTube. Read more

As far as advanced fixed-lens compacts go, it doesn't get much more enticing than the Sony RX1R II. Like its predecessor, it couples a full-frame sensor with a fast, wide-angle prime, but this time it's equipped with a 42.2MP chip to complement its 35mm F2 lens. We were pretty darn excited to get outdoors with the RX1R II and see what it can do. Read more

Earlier this month, Sony announced firmware v2.0 for its Alpha 7 II. This update gives the Sony a7 II uncompressed Raw and better autofocus performance with adapted lenses. Previously, the a7 II could only use Contrast Detect AF to acquire focus when using adapted glass, resulting in quite a bit of hunting. Read more

Accessories manufacturer Manfrotto has introduced a new series of backpacks designed for photographers who fly drones. The Aviator D1 Drone Backpack holds a medium sized quadcopter such as the DJI Phantom 3 along with all the accessories that go with it, as well as a DSLR, a laptop and a tripod. Read more

In July, Panasonic revealed plans to launch a feature it calls Post Focus for select camera models via a firmware update. Panasonic today announced that firmware update will be available via the Lumix Global website on November 25. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8, DMC-G7, and DMC-FZ330 will be supported. Read more

In the latest of our roundup we're looking at interchangeable lens models ranging from roughly $1200 - $2000. This price range spans sensor sizes from Four Thirds to full-frame, and contains a diverse range of cameras geared toward fast-action still shooting, ultimate resolution, great video and more. If you are considering this price range for a camera, you have an opportunity to choose the camera that is really right for you based on features, size and operation. Read more

A portable photo printer called LifePrint, now seeking funding on Kickstarter, creates 'living' photos by combining a printed photograph with a digital video. An augmented reality app makes this possible, so that when a print is viewed through a smartphone's camera, the video appears where the photo is located, making it seem as if the image - called a HyperPhoto - has come to life. Read more

Photographer and author Tim Grey argues that sometimes the difference between getting a good picture and a great picture can be as simple as taking a few steps to the right. His PIX 2015 talk highlights 13 smalls changes photographers can make that can add up to some huge improvements in their images. Read more

If you've been shopping for a camera recently you've probably seen the term '4K video' plastered on shop displays and even written on the labels stuck on the front of products. 4K is a new video format that offers considerably higher resolution than standard HD, and even if you're not someone who's particularly interested in shooting video, you shouldn't completely ignore 4K. We've put together an article explaining why. Read more

In an email to freelance photojournalists this week, Reuters has confirmed a change in its photo submission policy requesting that photographers submit JPEGs rather than edited Raw files to the news agency. The message also states that original JPEGs with 'minimal processing' are acceptable, for example, level corrections and cropping. Read more

The Sony RX1R II is the kind of camera that turns heads. With a full-frame 42.2MP sensor, fixed 35mm F2 lens, optical variable low pass filter and a 399-point phase-detect AF system that's much improved over its predecessor, it's just about in a class of its own. We've had a full-production model for a few hours - just enough time to get it into the studio to see how it handles our test scene. Read more

In a brief press release, Nikon announced the development of its D5 digital SLR, which will be the company's next flagship camera. There aren't any real details in the release, other than the expected promise of better performance and image quality. A new SB-5000 Speedlight and WT-6 Wireless Transmitter are also on the roadmap. Read more

A photographer who has charted the growing up of his daughter and four of her friends has won the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Award with a re-staged picture he entered into the 2008 competition. Five Girls 2014 shows the group six years on from an original image that was taken right before their GCSE school exams (11th grade). Read more

Adobe has released Lightroom CC 2015.3 and Lightroom 6.3, bringing back the Import tool that had been, to many users' dismay, removed from Lightroom 6.2. The new version also provides fixes for some of the bugs introduced in the last version of Lightroom, along with additional lens profile and Raw support. Read more

Though it's the fifth model in Sony's full-frame E-mount lineup, the a7R II arguably represents just as much of a technological leap forward as its first mirrorless full-frame predecessors did. Its 42MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, 399 on-sensor phase detection point AF system and 5-axis IS are just a few reasons why the a7R II is one of the most talked-about cameras of the last year. See how it performed in our comprehensive testing. Read more

In late 2015, many (if not most) consumers are likely to shop based on price and capability, rather than according to whether a certain model contains a mirror or not. In this category, you'll find both mirrorless and DSLR cameras that are highly capable under a variety of shooting situations, offer built-in high-spec viewfinders - either optical and electronic - and a bevy of external controls. Read more

In June 2014, Gura Gear acquired the Tamrac brand and assets as part of the latter company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Now, more than a year later, it has been announced that the two brands have been consolidated under the Tamrac label, as the Gura Gear brand is retired. Read more

Canon's PowerShot G9 X and G5 X offer two distinctly different shooting experiences, but are based around the same 20.2MP 1"-type sensor. The G5 X provides an SLR-style grip and an EVF with a 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens, while the smaller G9 X offers a 28-84mm equiv. F2.0-4.9 lens. We've put them through our standard studio scene testing. Read more

Each fall, PhotoPlus Expo brings together some of the top working photographers and industry experts under one roof. We took the opportunity to sit down with some of these pros and have a conversation about what they do, what inspires them and gather some insights on their specialties. Kicking off the series, we talked to fellow Seattle-ite John Keatley about his work in portraiture. Read more

Olympus has released its Q2 results for the financial year ending March 2016, showing some positive growth in OM-D and PEN series camera sales in Japan and Europe. Read more

The $500-800 category (based on US MSRP) features quite a few strong offerings, some of which should satisfy first-time camera buyers with easy-to-use interfaces and point-and-shot style functionality. Others are aimed more at seasoned enthusiasts, offering direct manual controls and high-end features. Read more

SmugMug's latest film follows photographer, filmmaker and Camp 4 Collective co-owner Tim Kemple as he explores Iceland's Vatnajökull glacier with world-leading ice climbers Klemen Premrl and Rahel Schelb. Read more

It's not easy shopping for a photographer. We're notoriously picky, our gear is confusingly named and the difference between something we like and something we don't can come down to what seem like trivial details. But before you give up and just get a gift card, take a look through our carefully selected holiday gift suggestions, grouped by price range, for the photographer in your life. Read more

Startup InVisage has announced a smartphone sensor with global shutter for distortion-free video and greater dynamic range than its CMOS rivals. The Quantum13 is a 13MP sensor based on the company's Quantum Film technology that moves away from silicon as the light-sensitive medium. The sensor, now available in small quantities for testing by smartphone makers, can also be built into a smaller package for slimmer smartphones. We spoke to CEO Jess Lee about the sensor and what it brings to the market.

It's not often we get to eat what we photograph, but that's what we did in our latest Field Test. We took the Samsung NX500 into the woods with pro photographer and mycology enthusiast Eirik Johnson to forage for some wild mushrooms. While providing a keen eye to make sure we didn't try to eat anything poisonous, Eirik also helped us try out the NX500's imaging and 4K video features. Read more

While most of the cameras in this category fall within the $500-$800 range (with a few exceptions), offerings vary quite a bit in terms of sensor size, control points, zoom range, video capabilities and built-in electronic viewfinders (or lack thereof). In general, we only included flagship compacts from each brand. All of the cameras here offer some sort of zoom range, in general, less than 8x. Get an overview of the category and find out our recommendations. Read more

Software developer Macphun has announced a new package designed to help photographers to combine multiple exposures into HDR images. Created in partnership with HDR specialist Trey Ratcliff, Aurora HDR provides tools for a wide range of effects via manual controls and a collection of pre-sets. Read more

The Samsung NX500 is the baby brother to the company's superb NX1 mirrorless camera. It brings over many of the features of the NX1, including its 28MP BSI CMOS sensor and AF system, and puts them into a compact body at a price competitive with other midrange mirrorless models. Read more

Travel and photography are two pursuits that are often intertwined. While photographers who've been bit by the travel bug will usually have a long list of destinations they plan to visit in their back pocket, others may need a little inspiration or encouragement to head in a particular compass direction. Lonely Planet is happy to help out, as always, with its annual list of top travel destinations. Read more

The Fixed Prime Lens Camera category is our smallest roundup of 2015 but also one of our most interesting. Cameras in this category range quite a bit, from the affordable, to the jaw-droppingly expensive. If you prefer to zoom with your feet, instead of your lens, then this is the roundup for you. Read on

Commercial Photographer and camera blogger Ming Thein has shot with almost as many mirrorless cameras as we have, and has put together a list of all the things they get wrong or, at least, all the things he thinks they should all do. It's a fairly comprehensive list that we very much agree with. Thein echoes a lot of our own concerns about camera handling, behavior and operation, as he works through camera design point-by-point. Read more

Lytro, a company known for its light field cameras and technologies, has introduced Immerge, a professional-grade cinematic virtual reality rig. According to Lytro, this is the first 'end-to-end' virtual reality hardware and software solution, with the entire system comprising four primary components: a light field camera array, storage and processing server, an editor, and a video player. Read more

Sony Europe has announced a new Alpha-mount camera, the a68. High on its list of features is a 79-point phase detect '4D FOCUS' AF module likely borrowed from the a77 II. With a 24MP APS-C sensor and Sony's translucent mirror technology, the camera is capable of 8 fps shooting with AF tracking. Read more

Mikey Schaefer is no stranger to the great outdoors. As a professional photographer who specializes in shooting in some of the most extreme environments on earth, he tests his body - and his gear - to the limits. In this field test we're following Mikey on a sports lifestyle / editorial shoot with Canon's EOS 5DS and 5DSR, near his home town in Oregon. Read more

We've all witnessed the megapixel race in digital cameras and, just a few years later, the trend has caught on in the smartphone camera sector. Lately though, manufacturers seem to putting more of an emphasis on low light performance. This may be the case with the newest Samsung Galaxy device, expected to launch in early 2016, which is rumored to use a 1/2-inch 12MP imager. Read more

Over the span of a 35-year career as a professional photographer, Joe McNally knows what it means to chase light. Known for his work with studio and off-camera lighting, McNally is just as well-versed in the art of natural light as he is in artificial. In his PIX 2015 talk, he discusses the choices he makes about lighting to help bring out the most from his location and subject. Read more

Medium format and aerial camera maker Hasselblad has sold a minority stake to the Chinese drone giant SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, in what the two companies describe as a 'corporate partnership'. The exact size of the stake has not been revealed, but both sides are keen to point out that there will be no merging of the businesses and from an external viewpoint nothing will change. Read more

StatGear, a Brooklyn-based manufacturer of first aid and EMS products, is venturing into photography accessories with BOOMR, a unique camera strap featuring internal bungee cords for shock absorption and increased comfort. The design is inspired by bungee cord rifle slings, and the company is seeking funding for the product on Kickstarter. Read more

Emerald Expositions, the company that owns PhotoPlus Expo and the WPPI Wedding and Portrait Photography Conference, announced today the formation of a new association - the Professional School & Sports Photographers Association. The group will exist under the company's Photo+ umbrella, alongside properties that include PPE, WPPI, PDN and Rangefinder magazine. Read more

Sony's a7 II will receive a firmware update that will boost its AF performance with adapted lenses as well as adding support for uncompressed Raw. The update adds a menu option that pushes the camera to either use phase detection (for speed) or contrast detection (for accuracy) when using non-native lenses. Read more

On paper, the Sony a7R II is one of the best-specified cameras we've ever tested, and it is generating a lot of interest. We wanted to see whether the a7R II's impressive specifications live up to their promise in the real world, so we decided to subject it to perhaps the ultimate stress test: a professional sporting event. DPReview writer Jordan Stead headed to a pre-season NFL game to see what the a7R II could bring to the football field. Read more

C&A Marketing, a Polaroid licensee that makes the Cube action cameras, has sued GoPro over its newly introduced Hero4 Session camera. The new GoPro model is cube-shaped and resembles Polaroid's own Cube and Cube+ action camera models, allegedly infringing upon C&A's design patent. Read more

Manfrotto has announced a new travel tripod in the BeFree series. Only the second BeFree model, the BeFree One is designed to fold away into a compact form and to be lightweight for easy transportation. The aluminum model uses 4-section legs to collapse to just 32cm/12.6in from a maximum height of 130cm/51.18in. Read more

Most smartphone cameras seriously struggle when it comes to macro photography. A number of accessory macro attachment lenses are available, but many of them are device-specific and bulky enough to discourage carrying every day. Now the makers of the 150x Micro Phone Lens microscope attachment have come up with an ultra-portable and very affordable solution compatible with virtually all smartphone cameras - a stick-on macro lens. Read more

The accessory brands Lastolite and Manfrotto, both of which are owned by the Vitec Group, have combined to form the new brand 'Lastolite By Manfrotto'. The new brand name will eventually encompass the entire Lastolite product range, but for now it includes a new version of the Ezybox Speed-Lite softbox for hotshoe flash units and three new scene-painted backgrounds. Read more

Sunset is coming early in the day again, and while that marks the start of a grey season here, the beginning of fall makes for some glorious golden hours. Recently, Tech Editor Rishi Sanyal ventured out with the Sigma 24-35mm F2 Art for a sunset portrait session. Take a look at our expanded real-world samples. Read more