The Holga camera - a 120 film camera from the 1980s which has recently seen a resurgence among low-fi photo fans - is going digital, thanks to a project seeking funding on Kickstarter. The Holga Digital camera features original optics that are known for their dark corners and vivid colors. Read more
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July 2015
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August 2015 news and reviews
August 31
The Leica Q certainly wowed us when we spent a little time with a pre-production unit back in June. Its 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor, 28mm F1.7 stabilized lens and 3.68M dot equivalent viewfinder cut an impressive figure, something modern and classic all at once. Now we've been out shooting with a full production camera and have been quite impressed with our results - take a peek. Read more
August 30
You may remember DPR reader Tony Eckersley by his impressive photo of the Las Vegas skyline featured recently. From the Pacific coast to the American Southwest, Tony spends his weekends in National Parks photographing desert vistas and rocky coastlines. Find out more about him and take a look at some of his work. Read more
August 29
Around here it was a week of 'twos' - Olympus debuted the second generation of its OM-D E-M10 camera, Canon introduced version two of its popular 35mm F1.4L lens, and we published our thoughts on shooting with Sony's RX10 II. We'll sum it all up for you just in case you missed any of the action this week. Read more
August 28
Fujifilm has released firmware updates for seven of its X-series cameras, providing them with support for Microsoft's Windows 10. Read more
The makers of the Astropad iPad app have launched a version for the iPhone, aptly called Astropad Mini. Like the iPad version, the new app allows you to use your Apple device as a graphics tablet when working with imaging applications such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom using Astropad's LIQUID technology for communication with the Mac. Read more
Canon recently announced an update to the wildly popular 35mm F1.4L lens, originally released in 1998 and undoubtedly designed back in the day for film. The original was always a favorite of our technical editor Rishi Sanyal, so join him as he takes a stroll down memory lane and recounts his favorite aspects of that lens, and what he looks forward to in the update. Read more
Camera companies are struggling to sell cameras - that much is widely known. But analyst Heino Hilbig says that it's not smartphones, market saturation or the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis that's caused this. Instead he argues that it's the fun-factor and easy operation that the iPhone brought that have made cameras seem less attractive. We think he's on to something. Read more
August 27
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Aug 27, 2015 at 21:47
NASA has turned to a process devised in 1864 to help it measure shockwaves created by supersonic aircraft flight. The method, schlieren photography, was invented by German scientist August Toepler to observe the effect of objects moving through transparent media, such as water or air. Read more
Instagram's latest update brings a fundamental change with it. Since the app's launch in 2010 users have been limited to posting images in square format. However, today this has changed. After installing version 7.5 of the app, you can post your images in portrait and landscape formats. Read more
Edelkrone has introduced its QuickReleaseONE, a device the company says is the first universal quick release on the market. The QuickReleaseONE screws into the tripod mount on the bottom of a camera, and attaches to the 1/4"-20 screw on any tripod plate. Read more
Canon has announced US availability for its EOS M3 mirrorless camera, which was launched in February for European and Asian markets. Set to be available in October, the EOS M3 includes a 24.2MP APS-C sensor, Hybrid CMOS AF III AF system, 3" tilting touchscreen LCD and Wi-Fi with NFC. Read more
August 26
Australian company Palette has announced a sampling device that can read the color of items it is placed on, allowing photographers to match the exact chromatic values when processing images in Photoshop. Read more
Kenko Tokina USA recently announced the Hoya HD3 series UV and Circular Polarizer lens filters. According to the company, the filters are 4 times stronger than optical glass, and offer a 99.7 percent light transmission rate. Read more
We've been toting around the Sony RX10 II for a little while now, testing its ability to capture 4K video, high speed stills and super slow motion video clips. And while a superzoom may not be DPReview writer Dan Bracaglia's first choice for his favored rock-and-roll and street subjects, he ultimately came around to the impressive capabilities of this camera. Read more
Originally announced last September, Leica's medium format S camera presents a number of key changes that bring it up to date with the latest models from its main competitors. Although the S Type 007 retains the same pixel-count as the previous Type 006, the company has switched from its traditional CCD sensor to a CMOS unit. It also claims the title of world's fastest framerate in its class. We spent a little time getting to know the S Type 007. Read more
August 25
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Aug 25, 2015 at 19:19
Pre-registration has opened for our photography expo, PIX 2015 - the photo interactive experience in Seattle on October 6&7. A limited number of FREE passes are available for the main hall, where you'll find photography experiences, educational programming, product demos, panel discussions, and brand and partner booths. For a limited time we're also offering an early bird special on PIX VIP All-Access Passes, which includes Hall Pass plus all re:FRAME talks and galleries at McCaw Hall, and the exclusive PIX awards and cocktail party. Learn more
According to a source speaking with Fuji Rumors, the Fujifilm X100T's successor will have a new lens. The present lineup of X100 cameras all feature the same fixed 23mm F2 lens, and if past announcement intervals are any indication, the X100 series may see an update just around the corner. Read more
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 II is the next evolution of an already impressive camera. The E-M10 II introduces 5-axis stabilization to the entry-level OM-D line, while it maintains the 16.1MP Live MOS sensor and TruePic VII engine of its predecessor. A number of ergnomic and feature upgrades make the E-M10 II an enticing little ILC at a nice price. Does it deliver? Read more
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 provides some user experience upgrades over its predecessor, though largely contains the same imaging components. We hit the road with our E-M10 II loaner as soon as it arrived a few days ago, to try out its new ergonomics and 5-axis image stabilization. Read more
The E-M10 II is the successor to the original E-M10, and Olympus's new mid-range Micro Four Thirds camera. Offering a raft of features in a compact body, the E-M10 II has everyone in the DPReview office quite charmed, and our impressions so far have been very positive. We've been using an E-M10 II for some time now, and we've created a short slideshow explaining some of its key features. Read more
Olympus expands its digital OM lineup today with the Olympus OM-D E-M10 II. Updates include a 5-axis image stabilization system (though not the same as the E-M5 II or E-M1's), a new 2.36M-dot OLED EVF and a 4K time lapse mode. Read more
August 24
Samsung has released another firmware update for the NX1 mirrorless camera, taking the model from firmware version 1.32 to 1.40. The newest software improves existing features such as the audio quality from external microphones, and adds new features including video digital image stabilization. Read more
Recently we've heard reports of some Apple iPhone 6 Plus cameras failing and producing blurry images. Apple has acknowledged the problem and is offering to replace the faulty camera unit for free. Read more
The recently announced Sony Alpha 7R II packs a lot of groundbreaking features, and one of its highlights is the new full-frame 42.4MP BSI-CMOS sensor. Sony sensors tend to show very high Raw dynamic range due to low noise characteristics, but we wanted to take a closer look at exactly how little noise the camera itself contributes to images. Read on
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 is the follow-up to the company's successful GX7 rangefinder-style mirrorless camera. The GX8 boasts a new 20MP Four Thirds sensor and 'Dual IS', which combines sensor and lens shift image stabilization for better results. The camera's ISO range tops out at 25,600 and it offers a max burst rate of 10 fps with single AF and 6 fps with continuous AF. We've been shooting with one for a little while - check out our gallery of samples!
August 23
Zhi Yuen Yap finds living in New Zealand a blessing and a curse. Getting off the beaten path to find unique locations can mean braving harsh, unpredictable weather and inhospitable terrain. Based on his photos, though, we'd say he's been pretty well rewarded for his troubles. Take a look at his work and find out more about him in our Q&A. Read more
August 21
Patent spotting site Patentlyaple has discovered an Apple patent application titled "Parallax Depth Rendering" which describes a methodology for rendering images and video that, when viewed on a standard 2D display, give the impression of showing a 3D view. Click through for more details
In a press release on its Japanese website, Nikon has announced that its new AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR lens - announced earlier this month - is being delayed from its original shipping date of 27th August to October. No specific reason for the delay has been given, only that it is necessary to 'satisfy the customer'. Click through for more information
August 20
Huawei has launched a new smartphone - the Honor 7i. In many ways the Honor 7i is very similar to its sister model the Honor 7. However, one major differentiator between the two models is the camera. On the 7i the Honor 7's conventional 20MP module has been replaced with a 13MP camera unit with dual-LED flash that, thanks to a flip-out mechanism, can be used as both front and rear camera. Click through to read more at connect.dpreview.com
When the Sony Alpha 7R II was announced, it promised a lot of game-changing features, but its low light AF capability was an unknown. We've already seen some of the incredible continuous AF abilities of the a7R II, including pinpoint eye AF for even moving subjects, but a lot of pros may be wondering: 'if I ditch my DSLR for some of the advanced AF features the a7R II offers, will I be sacrificing low-light AF performance?' Find out in our video
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have come up with a theory for a new way to solve the issue of bright skies burning out in a landscape photograph. Using what they call Unbounded High Dynamic Range photography they are working on the idea of pixels that reset themselves once they have reached their capacity for recording light so that they can carry on recording - and resetting if necessary. Click through for more details
August 19
UK company Scratch Ideas is seeking £25,000 in funding on crowdsourcing site Kickstarter for a new camera mount it's calling 'Loki'. Loki can be transformed into a dolly, underslung rig, shoulder rig, and cage, and folds up into a portable rectangular brick about the size of a battery grip for transportation and storage. Click through for more details
Leica has a reputation for making pretty rugged cameras, going back more than 100 years. But nobody would expect a rangefinder to survive a fall from a balcony, onto granite tiles. However, if a recent post on Chinese social network Sina Weibo is to be believed, that's exactly what happened to a Leica M9 recently, and somehow it survived the experience. Click through to read more
Earlier this week we took you 'under the hood' of the Sony a7R II, metaphorically. Now, thanks to our friends at iFixit, it's possible to take a literal look inside the a7R II. Ifixit took delivery of a production sample a7R II at around the same time as we did, but while we were out testing its AF system and checking to see how its sensor measures up, the hard-working crew at iFixit were busy taking it to pieces. Click through to see what they found
Premium tripod manufacturer Gitzo has released updates to its well-known Traveler range of carbon fiber tripods. The company has introduced its Carbon eXact carbon fiber tubing to the range, which it claims makes the legs stronger. Read more
August 18
What happens when you screen-cap and re-post a photo to Instagram 90 times? Artist Pete Ashton's 'Sitting In Stagram' project shows just that - and it's not pretty. Read more
Focal Camera is an open source project designed to teach participants about the inner workings of a camera. With access to a laser cutter, a supply of 3mm plywood and the directions provided, you can be well on your way to creating a camera of your own. Read more
August 17
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Aug 17, 2015 at 23:13
Canon has taken the main DSLR awards for the best products of the year as voted by the prestigious European Imaging and Sound Association. The EOS 7D Mark ll won 'European Prosumer DSLR Camera' while the EOS 5DS/5DS R won the award for 'European Professional DSLR Camera'. Read more
This month at the 2015 Flash Memory Summit, Samsung introduced an SSD with the highest capacity ever: 16TB. The new drive has a total usable storage space of 15.36TB, exceeding all other similar high-capacity SSDs. Read more
There's a lot of new technology in the Sony a7R II, and here we were briefed on some of the salient features by Sony engineers during a recent Sony Digital Imaging event in Portland, OR. Join our Technical Editor Rishi Sanyal as he explains some of the capabilities of this camera, and why they matter to photographers. Click through to read more
August 16
When he learned that he had a hearing condition that would make continuing his work in music production difficult, Greg Krycinski picked up photography. His stark black-white-landscapes and street scenes resonate in their simplicity. See a sample of his work here and find out more about him in our Q&A. Read more
August 15
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Aug 15, 2015 at 12:00
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have expressed concerns with some of the recent tactics used by paparazzi trying to photograph their two-year-old son. The letter details some of the methods photographers have used to try and get their shots, including hiding in sand dunes and using other children to lure Prince George into view at playgrounds. Read more
DPReview's home state of Washington has been hot and dry of late - severely so. As wild fires rage in the east of the state, local authorities are fighting to contain the flames and prevent property damage. KOMO News videographer Eric Jensen was in the town of Chelan today covering the evacuation, and captured some incredible footage of fire retardant being deployed from a low-flying aircraft. Click through to take a look
August 14
Join us in Seattle and online for PIX 2015, a live-streamed expo, conference and interactive photo playground! On October 6th and 7th we'll be hosting two days of talks, hands-on photo activities, demos and inspiration for your photography at the Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle. Read more
Pixbuf, a free social media management service for photographers, has launched a new analytics tool. With Pixbuf, photographers can upload images and then share them directly with several supported social networks, including 500px, Twitter, and Flickr. Pixbuf will then track analytics data related to the images. Read more
Qualcomm has announced the latest generation of its top-end chip, the Snapdragon 820, which is expected to start appearing in devices in the first half of 2016. It comes with the brand new Spectra camera ISP (Image Signal Processor), which it claims will make a number of improvements in image quality. Read more
One of this summer's biggest hits is undoubtedly 'Mad Max: Fury Road'. Its narrative is built around an extended car chase, brought to life through physical stunts and visual effects work. We spoke with a few of the film's visual effects supervisors about the gear used to shoot the film (from an Arri Alexa to an iPhone 6) and the impact it had on their work. Read more
August 13
We're busy planning our PIX show in early October, and we want your ideas! We're putting together a list of companies who are using crowd-funding to create fun and interesting photo-related gear, to exhibit at the event. We've got a few names already but if you've seen a particularly interesting crowd-funded project or product that you think we should feature, we'd love to hear from you. Click through to leave your suggestions
Gitzo has introduced new Center Ball Heads, a lineup composed of three different-sized models aimed at professionals and advanced amateur photographers. Each offers a tungsten disulfide coating for smooth movements. Read more
Samsung has today announced two new smartphones in its mobile device line-up. With their large 5.7-inch screens the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+ both qualify as phablets and share most components, including camera hardware borrowed from the Galaxy S6. Read more
Lighting manufacturers Elinchrom and Phottix are collaborating with the light meter brand Sekonic to establish a common standard for communication between wireless lighting devices. Read more
August 12
Nikon has released firmware updates for a pair of its Coolpix compact cameras. Firmware v1.2 for the Coolpix P900 superzoom resolves issues that can occur when using a wireless remote, while the v1.1 update for the S6700 fixes a rare problem where the camera locks up when powered on. Read more
Corel has released a new brush plugin for PhotoShop called ParticleShop. It uses Corel's Painter Particle brush technology to create photo-realistic effects like smoke, dust, fabric, fire, hair, lighting and fur. These effects are added to photos using brush strokes. Read more
We've condensed everything you need to know about the Sony RX100 IV into less than the length of a pop record. Having shot, tested and lived with the little Sony for more than a month, we've summed up the findings of our review in video form. Is it worth the extra cash over the Mark III? Come join us in sunny Seattle as we look at the pros and cons of Sony's capable super-compact. Read more
August 11
The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 II offers some impressive video capture capabilities including the option to record in 4K. And like the RX100 IV, the RX10 II can capture slow motion video at 240, 480 or 960fps, the latter of which gives the equivalent of 40x super slow motion. Read more
Korean lens brand Samyang has announced a new series of video lenses under the Xeen name. They feature wide apertures and resolution that the company says is aimed at users who shoot 4K and above footage. There will be 24mm, 50mm and 85mm focal lengths initially, and three more to follow next year. Read more
In our latest Field Test we put Olympus's new M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO and M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO in the hands of DPReview writer Dan Bracaglia. Dan put them to the test in some of his natural environments: a rock concert, skate park, and a beach landscape at sunset. See video
August 10
Love our galleries of real-world sample images but hate our galleries interface? You're not alone. We've been working on an improved system for uploading and displaying camera and lens samples for some time, and it's finally ready for you to try out. Our new gallery viewer fixes several of the most frustrating problems with the old one, and introduces many new features including a loupe and one-click 100% view. Click through for a quick walkthrough
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Aug 10, 2015 at 21:44
With the introduction of the Lumix DMC-GX8 and its new Dual IS mode, Panasonic promised firmware updates for most of its lenses to make them compatible. Included in this round are the Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II, Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2, and Macro 30mm F2.8 among others. Read more
While most of the rugged cameras we covered in last year's roundup have received minor upgrades, the Olympus Tough TG-4 brings something big to the table: Raw support. Does adding Raw put the TG-4 at the top of its class? Read more
August 9
Photographer Trey Ratcliff is known for imagery that couples saturated colors with dramatic flair and cinematic subjects. Shooting HDR for nearly a decade now, his work has been featured on major networks and is even displayed at the Smithsonian Institute. Read our Q&A and take a look at more of his colorful work. Read more
August 8
One of the common ways landscape photographers seek to set themselves apart from others is to shoot from hard-to-reach locations. The notion that a 'good' photographer is one that pushes his or her physical boundaries - hikes farther, climbs higher, endures pain - all to get a unique shot. In this opinion piece, photographer Erez Marom calls this idea into question. Read more
August 7
A new action camera called Graava is designed to produce ready-to-share, automatically edited videos that include only the most exciting parts of your POV footage. Using data from the camera's sensors and your input via a related mobile app, Graava picks out the most interesting parts of the raw footage and edits them into a polished final video. Read more
The online image sharing network 500px has redesigned its iOS app in an apparent move to compete with mobile platforms such as Instagram and EyeEm. With its white background, the new design looks simpler and more streamlined than the previous app. Read more
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Aug 7, 2015 at 10:00
Olympus has released its financial results for the first quarter of the company's fiscal year, giving credit partly to its Imaging Systems Business for a 12.3% increase in net sales year-on-year. Its OM-D and Pen series cameras saw a 25% increase in sales volume, helping to compensate for a sliding compact market. Read more
August 6
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sample galleryAug 6, 2015 at 21:47
The Sony Alpha 7R II is one of the most talked-about cameras of the year so far. And with a 42MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, 5-axis image stabilization rated to 4.5 stops and 4K UHD video recording, it's easy to understand why. Up to now we've only had access to pre-production models, but that changed this week. Read more
The Ricoh GR II's firmware has been updated to version 1.10 from version 1.0.5. The update is a basic one, improving the camera's 'stability for general performance' and bringing version 1.0.5 of the Image Sync software. Read more
Our full Fujifilm X-T10 review takes a look at many aspects of the camera's performance, with in-depth analysis of our studio tests and shooting experiences. But if you're looking for something more bite-sized, we've got that too. Take a look at the quick version of our review, shot in Seattle's lovely Golden Gardens where many of the images featured in our full review were taken. See video
August 5
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Aug 5, 2015 at 22:18
Researchers at MIT and Google have developed a technique for removing unwanted reflections and obstructions from photos. Taking advantage of the parallax effect, this method could prove quite useful in locations where shooting behind glass or a fence is the only option. Read more
The Panasonic GX8 introduces a new 20MP Four Thirds sensor to its class. It provides dual IS, ISO up to 25,600 and UHD 4K video recording. It's an all-around enticing update to Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds lineup, both for the potential of its new sensor and its rich feature set. We put it up against our studio test scene - take a look and compare it to its peers. Read more
DJI has announced a new camera drone called the Phantom 3 Standard. The DJI Phantom 3 Standard is a quadcopter with an integrated camera able to record video at up to '2.7K' at 30 fps and take 12 megapixel still images in JPEG and DNG formats. The quadcopter is designed for consumer-level use. Read more
Lowepro has introduced the Whistler and Photo Sport II backpacks, designed to keep gear safe in the great outdoors. The Whistler is a new series built for alpine adventures, while the Photo Sport II updates a popular rugged design. Read more
August 4
Lens Rentals Canada is closing permanently, according to a statement issued by owner Craig Blair on Monday. He cites logistical issues and personal reasons, saying numerous problems with the business 'didn't make it a fun endeavor'. Read more
Adobe has issued an update for Photoshop CC 2015 with a number of bug fixes. Notably, an issue with the healing brush tool has been addressed, as users reported that the tool was creating unwanted artifacts in images. Read more
The LxMeter from Italian manufacturer Optivelox has introduced an accessory that turns your smartphone into a light meter. It's similar to the Lumu light meter, but provides flash meter functionality and is capable of working with Android devices via a dedicated app. Read more
The Fujifilm X-T10 puts many of the X-T1's capabilities into a smaller, less expensive body. It uses the same 16MP X-Trans CMOS sensor and EXR Processor II and, despite a more compact body, offers an additional custom function button and even squeezes in a pop-up flash. Is the X-T10 capable of holding its own against APS-C competitors? Read our full analysis. Read more
Nikon has released three new full-frame lenses, including a prime and both standard zoom and super telephoto zooms. The one that will likely garner the most attention is the replacement for the venerable 24-70mm F2.8. The latest version adds Vibration Reduction, electromagnetic aperture control, a new optical construction and more. Also introduced is a 24mm F1.8 prime and a 200-500mm F5.6 super telephoto. More details
August 3
Olympus has patented a technology that records polarization information on the sensor itself, giving the effect of a polarizing filter but without the light cost. The patent is for a two-layer sensor that records color and brightness information on the top layer, just like a conventional sensor, but then has a second layer that captures information about the polarization of the light arriving at the camera. Read more
Sony's Cyber-shot RX10 II looks a lot like its predecessor, with a similar form factor and the same 24-200mm equivalent F2.8 lens. However, it adds some interesting new technology in the form of a 20MP stacked CMOS sensor, enabling 4K video, 14 fps burst shooting and slow-motion video recording. We recently got our hands on a full-production model - take a look at some initial real-world samples. See gallery
An update to the Kodak Moments app makes it a one-stop-shop for editing, sharing and printing, eliminating the need for a separate app to send images to Kodak's Picture Kiosks. Read more
Sony is planning to heavily target the full-frame camera market, according to a report from The Korea Times. At a press conference, Sony Korea's Digital Imaging & Alpha Marketing Department head Bae Ji-hoon said that Sony plans to first target current full-frame camera users, then shift toward attracting new customers who currently use 'entry and mid-class models.' Read more
Sales of image sensors helped push Sony to triple its net profit after the second quarter this year, up to 82.4 billion Yen. Sales of Devices, the category containing Sony's sensor business, rose 35% year-on-year, which Sony attributes to higher demand of mobile products containing its sensors. Read more
Fujifilm has introduced the X-T1 IR, a version of its flagship mirrorless camera designed specifically for infrared photography. The camera captures light from UV, visible, and infrared portions of the spectrum, from approximately 380-1000nm. Everything else is identical to the standard X-T1. Read more
August 2
Fujifilm announced the XF 90mm F2 in May, adding a 137mm equiv. focal length to its X-system's arsenal. We've been spending some quality time outdoors with the 90mm, take a look at how it performs against real-world subjects. Read more
August 1
Born and raised in New Zealand, DPR reader Sarnim Dean has been surrounded his whole life by wildlife and landscapes many of us only dream of visiting. He explores the country on his mountain bike and with his camera. Take a look at some of his images and find out more about him in our Q&A. See gallery
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