Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 17 July 2013

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 17 July 2013 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Hello! And welcome to the 466th Digital Photography Review newsletter. We 're keeping busy here, as always, and taking advantage of the nice weather to take a lot of pictures. We've also had some very interesting meetings already this week with a couple of major manufacturers, and although I can't reveal who - or what they showed us - I can tell you that there are some exciting products in the pipeline for the next few months. And when they're released, we'll be right there with detailed news and preview content, as always. Be careful though - you don't want to succumb to Gear Acquisition Syndrome... Let's take a look at some recent highlights from the past few days! Panasonic Lumix DMX-TS5/FT5 review In the latest of our series of reviews of this year's crop of waterproof tough compacts we've put the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5/FT5 through our usual studio and real-world tests to get a feel for how well it performs. On paper, the 16MP TS5 is one of the best specified cameras of its type, offering built-in GPS, Wi-Fi and NFC (near field communication) inside a tough body and Leica-branded lens. Does it live up to expectations? Read our review to find out. Click the link to read the review, and don't forget that we'll be publishing a roundup of everything we've reviewed in the near future. Click here to read our review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5/FT5 Olympus Body Cap Lens 15mm F8 review In essence this is a tiny three element optic hidden inside a body cap, and probably the cheapest lens of any description made by any camera manufacturer. But is it any good? In the latest of our lens reviews in collaboration with DxOMark, we take a look both at how well it performs in studio testing, and in real-world use. Does it have any place in the Micro Four Thirds user's camera bag? Click through to find out. Click here to read our review of the Olympus Body Cap Lens 15mm F8 Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM preview updated with DxO data We've just updated our preview of the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM with lens test data, courtesy of DxOMark. This lens has generated a lot of excitement as the fastest zoom ever made for SLRs, but the big question is whether its speed comes at the cost of optical quality. We've looked into this by comparing the 18-35mm to some current benchmark designs - and the results may surprise you. Click here to read our updated preview of the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM, now with DxO data Olympus PEN E-P5 real-world samples We've been shooting with the Olympus PEN E-P5 for the past few weeks, in preparation for our review. Using a selection of lenses, we've put together a real-world samples gallery showing what the latest big PEN can do. In addition to shooting at the default settings, we've also tried adjusting the noise reduction and sharpening settings, and have included both out-of-camera JPEGs and Adobe Camera Raw conversions to give an idea for the choices you're offered. Click here to check out gallery of real-world samples from the Olympus PEN E-P5 Hands-on with the Nokia Lumia 1020  Aimed squarely at photo enthusiasts, the Nokia Lumia 1020 employs a large and extremely high resolution 41MP imaging sensor that we first saw in the ground-breaking 808 PureView. However, the 1020 has the decided advantage of running on the Windows Phone 8 platform instead of the end-of-life Symbian OS. Our sister site, connect.dpreview.com was at the launch event in New York and published a detailed hands-on look at the new phone last week. Click through for more. Click here to read our hands-on look at the Nokia Lumia 1020 What's coming up? Aaaaaargh, something really interesting that I can't tell you about! (but keep an eye on the site over the next few days for a major announcement). More usefully, I can tell you that we're getting close to having our review of the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 finished, as well as a gallery of samples from the new Fujifilm 55-200mm zoom lens (which is looking very nice indeed) and the fifth in our series of reviews of this year's crop of waterproof/tough cameras. Until then, remember that you can leave feedback, share images and ask questions in our revamped forums, and if there's something you really want to write about, you can also submit your own articles for consideration. We'd love to hear from you. As always, thanks for reading! Barney WTD #1419 Check out What The Duck in our Link Directory
News updates Are you an addict? Photographer blogs about 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome' Published on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 12:21:47 AM GMT Florida-based Olivier Duong has been blogging about a common addiction among enthusiast and professional photographers  - G.A.S., or 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome'. Among its symptoms are 'hoarding gear that you don’t really need and getting stuff for the sake of getting it'. Does this sound painfully familiar? In his blog post, entitled 'How buying cameras and lenses made me miserable and lose thousands', self-confessed former 'gear addict' Duong explains how his gear acquisition got out of control. Click through for a link to the full article. Read full story → Just posted: Olympus PEN E-P5 real-world samples Published on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 9:27:26 AM GMT We've been shooting with the Olympus PEN E-P5 for the past few weeks, in preparation for our review. Using a selection of lenses, we've put together a real-world samples gallery showing what the latest big PEN can do. In addition to shooting at the default settings, we've also tried adjusting the noise reduction and sharpening settings, and have included both out-of-camera JPEGs and Adobe Camera Raw conversions to give an idea for the choices you're offered. Click through for a link to the gallery. Read full story → Robotic Nikon cameras capture Wimbledon 2013 Published on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 12:26:58 PM GMT In the aftermath of Andy Murray's historic victory at Wimbledon 2013, Nikon UK has been explaining how its cameras were used in a robotics setup to capture images from unique angles during the championship. The system was developed in partnership with Mark Roberts Motion Control, and operated by photographer Bob Martin. It used a Nikon D4 mounted on the roof above Centre Court, with 200-400mm and 80-400mm lenses. Click through to see some of the resultant images. Read full story → DxO Viewpoint 1.2.1 now compatible with Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5 Published on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 1:00:00 PM GMT DxO Labs has updated its distortion-correction software Viewpoint to version 1.2.1, meaning it's now compatible with Adobe Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5. Viewpoint works both as standalone software and as a plug-in, and is designed to correct for perspective distortions such as converging verticals, and to restore more natural proportions to objects at the edge of the frame when shooting with wideangle lenses. The company has also announced that all of its software is on sale at reduced prices until 31st July. Click through for more info and download links. Read full story → Pentax Q7 added to our studio comparison database Published on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 11:37:54 PM GMT We've added the Pentax Q7 to our database of studio comparison images. The Q7 is the first Pentax Q-mount camera featuring a 1/1.7" sensor to match its enthusiast compact peers. We'll be adding a comprehensive review in the coming weeks but, in the meantime, click through to see how the Q7 stacks against the competition.  Read full story → Just posted: Olympus Body Cap Lens 15mm F8 review Published on Thursday, July 11, 2013 10:33:10 AM GMT Just posted: Our review of the Olympus Body Cap Lens 15mm F8. In essence this is a tiny three element optic hidden inside a body cap, and probably the cheapest lens of any description made by any camera manufacturer. But is it any good? In the latest of our lens reviews in collaboration with DxOMark, we take a look both at how well it performs in studio testing, and in real-world use. Does it have any place in the Micro Four Thirds user's camera bag? Click through to find out. Read full story → Blogger Olivier Duong continues look at 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome' Published on Thursday, July 11, 2013 4:44:29 PM GMT Florida-based photographer Olivier Duong has expanded his ongoing examination of so-called 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome' with a description of how he overcame his own personal addiction to buying photographic equipment. Categorizing G.A.S. as a 'habit', Duong identifies three components - trigger, routine, and reward, and describes how he went about overcoming his addition by 'changing the routine [but] keeping the trigger, and the reward'. Click through for more details.  Read full story → 41MP Nokia Lumia 1020 brings PureView camera tech to Windows Phone Published on Thursday, July 11, 2013 7:52:13 PM GMT After months of rumors and leaks, Finnish handset maker Nokia today officially launched its latest flagship Windows phone, the Lumia 1020, at a press event in New York City. As far as we're concerned of course, the most interesting feature is the Lumia 1020's 41MP imaging sensor, an iteration of the groundbreaking technology that Nokia debuted last year in the 808 PureView phone. Click through for more details and some hands-on pictures on our sister site connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → Hands-on with the Nokia Lumia 1020 Published on Thursday, July 11, 2013 8:53:11 PM GMT Today Nokia unveiled the Lumia 1020, its flagship 41MP camera-centric smartphone for Windows Phone 8. Aimed squarely at photo enthusiasts, the Lumia 1020 employs a large and extremely high resolution 41MP imaging sensor that we first saw in the ground-breaking 808 PureView. However, the 1020 has the decided advantage of running on the Windows Phone 8 platform instead of the end-of-life Symbian OS. Our sister site, connect.dpreview.com is at the launch event in New York and has published a detailed hands-on look at the new phone. Click through for more.  Read full story → Nikon gets social with Facebook app Published on Friday, July 12, 2013 9:00:21 AM GMT After company president Makoto Kimura made it clear that Nikon really is forward-thinking in an interview earlier this week, the camera manufacturer has launched its My Nikon World Facebook application and community. My Nikon World is designed for photographers to display and share images, compete in challenges and learn from pros and peers. Click through for more details at connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → Capturing colorful high-speed lightbulb explosions with a low-cost rig Published on Friday, July 12, 2013 10:00:21 AM GMT Ever since Harold Edgerton photographed a bullet tearing through an apple, it seems the urge to document these split seconds of destruction has not flagged. In photographer Jon Smith’s case, his victims are lightbulbs filled with colorful objects. He creates the images using a DSLR, a pellet gun and a relatively inexpensive lighting setup all in his garage. Click through for more details.  Read full story → DxOMark investigates Samsung NX cameras and lenses Published on Friday, July 12, 2013 11:21:25 AM GMT Our friends and collaborators over at DxOMark have been investigating Samsung's NX system, and have recently published reviews of the NX210 and NX300 cameras, alongside an article covering how the company's lenses measure up in comparison to those from the Sony NEX system. Other reviews on the site this week include lens tests on Nikon super-telephoto primes, an assessment of the Sony RX100 II's new back-illuminated CMOS sensor, and the first installment of a multi-part article looking into which lenses score best on the Canon EOS 6D. Click through for the links. Read full story → Camera review: Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone Published on Friday, July 12, 2013 6:22:36 PM GMT Samsung's successor to the popular Galaxy S3 has a lot to live up to, especially given the S3's impressive performance as a camera. We've put Samsung's latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, through our rigorous imaging tests to see if it meets the high expectations set for the new model. Read our full camera review now on connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → Just Posted: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 Review Published on Friday, July 12, 2013 7:43:22 PM GMT We've just posted our review of the Panasonic Lumix DMX-TS5/FT5. In the latest of our series of reviews of this year's crop of waterproof tough compacts we've put the TS5 through our usual studio and real-world tests to get a feel for how well it performs. On paper, the 16MP TS5 is one of the best specified cameras of its type, offering built-in GPS, Wi-Fi and NFC (near field communication) inside a tough body and Leica-branded lens. Does it live up to expectations? Read our review to find out. Read full story → What The Duck #1419 Published on Friday, July 12, 2013 10:00:04 PM GMT We've been fans of Aaron Johnson's comic strip 'What the Duck' for years. 'WTD' is one of the best satirical comic strips in the world, and it's published here every week, as well as being included in our weekly newsletter. Barbed, topical and always amusing, we hope you enjoy WTD as much as we do. Click through for this week's strip. Read full story → First image samples from Nokia's 41MP Lumia 1020 Published on Friday, July 12, 2013 11:12:39 PM GMT Nokia has released some images showing off the photographic capabilities of the Lumia 1020 smartphone it announced yesterday, and the results have us eager to try out the 41-megapixel model ourselves. Check out the results for yourself over at connect.dpreview.com.  Read full story → Teen photographer puts surrealist spin on summer photo project Published on Saturday, July 13, 2013 4:00:42 AM GMT With summer finals out of the way, 17-year-old photographer Ian Komac has devoted his newfound free time to a photo project. Called 60 Days of Summer, the Belgian teen's manipulated photos give landscapes and everyday objects a whimsical twist. Click to see more of his photos and gain a little inspiration for your own summer photo project. Read full story → Shooting Goðafoss: Erez Marom takes us behind the picture Published on Saturday, July 13, 2013 4:00:22 PM GMT In the second in a series of articles, landscape photographer Erez Marom takes us through the process of getting his striking shot of Goðafoss - the 'waterfall of the gods' in Northern Iceland. As well as gear choices, Marom explains his compositional approach, and the software techniques that he used to get the final result. Click through for the full story.  Read full story → DxO Optics Pro 8.3 with Samsung NX, Go Pro, and smartphone support Published on Monday, July 15, 2013 1:00:00 PM GMT DxO Labs has released version 8.3 of its Optics Pro RAW conversion and image correction software, adding support for the Samsung NX system, GoPro cameras, and the most popular smartphones. The Samsung models added are the NX10, NX11, NX20, NX100, NX200, NX210, and NX300, along with the EX-1 and EX-2 compacts. The GoPro HERO3 line (Black, Silver, and White editions), and the HD HERO2 are also now covered, along with the iPhone 4, 4S and 5, and the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4 smartphones. Click through for the full press release, including download links. Read full story → New study investigates online reviews - makes surprising discoveries Published on Monday, July 15, 2013 10:01:45 PM GMT Online product reviews are a huge part of our lives these days, and often, they're the nearest thing we get to a 'hands on experience' before we buy something. But how do we know they're honest? Dishonest reviews are a serious problem for retailers (and indeed for content websites like dpreview.com) and a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been investigating why people are driven to leave reviews of products that they haven't actually used. Their findings might just surprise you. Click through to read more.  Read full story → Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM preview updated with lens test data Published on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 3:06:55 PM GMT We've just updated our preview of the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM with lens test data, courtesy of DxOMark. This lens has generated a lot of excitement as the fastest zoom ever made for SLRs, but the big question is whether its speed comes at the cost of optical quality. We've looked into this by comparing the 18-35mm to some current benchmark designs - and the results may surprise you. Click through to read all about it. Read full story → Aptina's Clarity+ sensor tech promises 1EV improvement Published on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 6:33:39 PM GMT Sensor maker Aptina has given more details of its Clarity+ technology that it claims will offer a 1EV improvement in sensitivity over conventional sensors. The company believes it has found a way to use clear pixels to capture more light while retaining the image quality of a standard Bayer sensor. Although initially intended for smartphone sized sensors, the company says it could have applications in larger formats. Find out more over at connect.dpreview.com Read full story → Researchers in Tokyo develop high-speed subject tracking system Published on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 6:58:37 PM GMT Engineers at Tokyo University's Ishikawa Oku Laboratory have come up with new technology to track extremely fast motion. Their new system - which uses 'Saccade Mirrors' for pitch and tilt, a 'pupil shift system', and very fast image processing - is able to keep even the quickest subject in the center of the frame at all times. According to engineers, the initial application for this system could be to capture video at sporting events. They expect it to be market-ready in about two years. Follow the link for a video demonstration of this intriguing new technology. Read full story → 'Letting Go of the Camera': Olivier Duong concludes look at gear addiction Published on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 6:59:50 PM GMT Florida-based photographer and blogger Olivier Duong has concluded his examination of so-called 'gear acquisition syndrome' with an article that explains how he broke free from his addiction. Starting with the mantra 'there is more to photography than gear', Duong describes how he make a conscious effort to appreciate the equipment he already owns, and to concentrate on using it to improve his photography. Click through for more details. Read full story → Toshiba announces first UHS-II SD cards as world's fastest Published on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 11:41:08 PM GMT Toshiba has announced the Exceria and Exceria Pro ranges of SD cards - the first to conform to the UHS-II standard and the fastest SD cards yet announced. The Exceria Pro cards will be available in 16GB and 32GB sizes from October 2013 and will offer read/write speeds of 260MB/s and 240MB/s respectively. 32GB and 64GB Exceria series cards offering the same read speeds but half the write speed will follow a month later. Read full story →
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