Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Tuesday, 20 August 2013

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Tuesday, 20 August 2013 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Hello! And welcome to the 471st Digital Photography Review newsletter. So last week we were finally able to give you a working preview of our new studio scene in our revised comparison 'widget'. We've completely reworked our studio test image, it's now flatter, bigger (much bigger) and offers a greatly increased resolution for today's generation of sensors. We've also introduced a new 'low light' comparison, and the option to view images at approximately 'web' and 'print' output size. This should be especially useful when it comes to comparing cameras with different output resolutions. Thanks to everyone that has given feedback - keep it coming. We've also been working hard on the Canon EOS 70D, and in addition to the studio and real-world samples that we posted recently, we published a detailed look at its innovative AF system, and added it to our preview. Although we've still got some work to do, the Dual Pixel AF system is certainly looking mighty impressive. Let's take a look at some recent highlights! User experience: In-depth look at Canon 70D's Dual Pixel AF system Following last week's update to the Canon EOS 70D preview, we've been spending a little more time with the camera to get a feel for its new Dual Pixel CMOS phase-detect autofocus system. What we've seen so far has impressed us: in live view the camera offers very responsive AF, eliminating the annoying focus seek we've seen in past models. We have a complete rundown, with samples, on how the Dual Pixel AF performs in both live view and movie mode, as well as a brief studio and low light analysis. Click the links below to go to our review-in-progress. Click here to read our user experience of the Canon EOS 70D's AF system Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 Studio and Real-world Samples The GX7 is Panasonic's latest Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens camera, and one of the company's most interesting models yet. It features a new 16MP sensor, tiltable EVF and LCD, and offers several enthusiast-friendly features including highlight and shadow tone adjustment, an electronic (entirely silent) shutter and in-body image stabilization - a first for Panasonic. Also, we've been working on a brand-new studio comparison scene for some time, and we've decided to give you a sneak peek, using images from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7. We'll be speaking more about this new scene (and the new interface that goes with it) very soon, but for now we wanted to let you have a look, try it, play around and tell us what you think. As well as the new scene, you'll find two new options - 'daylight' and 'low light' simulation modes and the option to 'normalize' resolution to simulate print and web output, as well as 100%. Click here to view our gallery of real-world samples from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 Click here to try out our new studio comparison scene using sample images from the GX7 Sony Cyber-shot RX1R Samples Gallery Expanded! We've expanded our gallery of real-world Samples from Sony's Cyber-shot RX1R. The RX1R is essentially the same camera as the older RX1, but without an AA filter on its 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor. We've been shooting with it since we received a production-quality sample and recently took it on a camping trip here in Washington State. We've added 35 images from that trip to our original gallery of real-world samples, including a handful of Raw conversions 'to taste', to give you an idea of what the camera can do. Click here to view our expanded gallery of real-world samples from the Sony Cyber-shot RX1R 'Film was never this sharp': Breaking Bad photographer interviewed Commercial photographer Frank Ockenfels III has worked on several high-profile blockbusters like Harry Potter and Men in Black 3, as well as a number of TV shows, and his most recent work is currently being used to promote the season five finale of Breaking Bad on AMC. PopPhoto has published an interview with him, in which he explains how he got started in the TV and movie business, the equipment he uses, and why he bases his career around the concept of 'never having just one idea'. Click here to read 'Film was never this sharp': Breaking Bad photographer interviewed When bad Weather = Good Photography Landscape photographer Carsten Krieger is no stranger to poor weather, but in this article he explains how you can get great shots even when the sun is hidden from view. His three-page article features several images taken in Ireland which should provide plenty of inspiration for those damp, rainy days that are just around the corner. Click the link below to read the full article. Click here to read 'When Bad Weather = Good Photography' What's coming up? We're getting close to finishing full reviews of the Olympus E-P5, and Sigma's impressive new 18-35mm F1.8 standard zoom. We've also been getting all nostalgic, looking back through our archives to find the most interesting oddities and lost classics from the early days of digital, and we'll be publishing a short article in the next couple of days. Also, remember that autumn (or 'fall', if you'd prefer) is just around the corner, which is traditionally the time when manufacturers start putting out new cameras, so watch out for announcements on our homepage. As always, remember that you can leave feedback, share images and ask questions in our 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. Thanks for reading! Barney WTD #1427 Check out What The Duck in our Link Directory GearShop update - a message from Laura Late last week, GearShop launched 4% rewards that can be redeemed soon after making a qualifying purchase. The good news is that nearly every camera and lens we sell qualifies! Compact, mirrorless and DSLR cameras and their respective lenses have all made the cut. If you aren't sure whether the item you're interested in qualifies, look for this graphic on its GearShop product page: More details are available on our Help Page. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me on the GearShop forum or contact our customer service team. This week's best deals: Save up to $200 when you buy a Nikon D800 with select lenses or speedlights. Buy Sony's Alpha NEX-7 with the Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm f/1.8 ZA Lens and save $200 instantly. Now shipping: Fujifilm's newest X-Mount mirrorless camera, the X-M1 is now available. We have the black and silver kits with the new 16-50mm lens in stock and ready to deliver with free two-day shipping (offered every day, on everything we sell). Thanks! See you next week. Laura and the GearShop Team
News updates Epic fail? 70-200s of all makes among least reliable lenses Published on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 10:17:12 AM GMT Which words spring to mind when you think about 70-200mm zoom lenses - solid and dependable or fragile and unreliable? Lensrentals' Roger Cicala has just published an analysis of the failure rates of the 12,000 lenses he rents out, and the results may surprise you. Even having taken into account popularity and accidental damage, five 70-200s turn up in his highest failure rate table - including the latest models from Canon and Nikon. Read full story → Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70 Sample Images Published on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 11:00:24 AM GMT We've just posted a 39-image gallery of real-world samples shot on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70 zoom compact. Spanning the equivalent of 20-1200mm the FZ70's lens is the largest zoom available in a consumer compact, and we've spent a few days testing it out in a variety of situations, to see what this new superzoom can do. Click through for a link to our gallery of real-world samples.  Read full story → Is the snapshot dead? Seattle collector thinks so Published on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 5:39:35 PM GMT Is the snapshot dead? Seattle-based photo collector Robert E. Jackson believes so. In an interview with National Public Radio, Jackson argues that today's snapshots, stored digitally rather than printed out, are about self-promotion: 'creating an identity about who I am and that's what you want to transfer to Facebook'. You can read extracts from the interview, and watch it in its entirety over at our sister site, connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → 'Film was never this sharp': Breaking Bad photographer interviewed Published on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 9:16:35 PM GMT Commercial photographer Frank Ockenfels III has worked on several high-profile blockbusters like Harry Potter and Men in Black 3, as well as a number of TV shows, and his most recent work is currently being used to promote the season five finale of Breaking Bad on AMC. PopPhoto has published an interview with him, in which he explains how he got started in the TV and movie business, the equipment he uses, and why he bases his career around the concept of 'never having just one idea'. Click through for a link to the full article.  Read full story → Did you miss it? Take a look at the Perseid meteor shower's peak Published on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 10:00:00 AM GMT While some of us were sleeping this weekend, photographers around the northern hemisphere were capturing the Perseid meteor shower as it peaked. The annual shower continues through August 24th, but it reached its highest activity levels on August 11th and 12th as debris from a passing comet produced as many as 100 meteors per hour. This year's relatively dim waxing crescent moon meant more meteors were visible to eager stargazers. Businessinsider.com has put together an impressive gallery of shots. Click through to take a look.  Read full story → Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 Real-world Samples Published on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 4:28:08 PM GMT We've just published a gallery of real-world samples shot using the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7. The GX7 is Panasonic's latest Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens camera, and one of the company's most interesting models yet. It features a new 16MP sensor, tiltable EVF and LCD, and offers several enthusiast-friendly features including highlight and shadow tone adjustment, an electronic (entirely silent) shutter and in-body image stabilization - a first for Panasonic. Click through for a link to our gallery of real-world shots.  Read full story → Lowepro introduces Photo Sport Shoulder bag in two sizes Published on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 6:16:58 PM GMT Lowepro has announced the Photo Sport Shoulder bag, in two sizes for both DSLR and mirrorless ILC camera kits. The Photo Sport Shoulder 18L is designed to fit a 'pro DSLR without grip' and a standard zoom lens, with a second small lens and room for accessories, including a 10" tablet computer. The smaller Photo Sport Shoulder 12L is designed for an interchangeable lens camera with two lenses, and similar capacity for accessories - including a 10" tablet - as its bigger companion. Both bags are available now for $84.99 and $74.99 respectively. Read full story → Prepare yourself for the 41-megapixel... wristwatch? Published on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 6:53:17 PM GMT Swiss company Hyetis has created a new wristwatch which features a built-in 41MP camera (because anything less would have been soooo 2012...) which is expected to cost around $1200 when it goes on sale. Details are sketchy, but according to the manufacturer, the watch's built-in camera features an 'optical zoom lens', with an integrated ring flash, as well as communication features including a microphone. Click through for more details on our sister site, connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → 20 people injured trying to win new LG phone Published on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 7:58:02 PM GMT What would you do for a new smartphone? At recent promotional event in Seoul, South Korea, twenty people were injured, seven seriously, while trying to collect free phone vouchers for LG's new G2 handset. According to authorities, the stunt went badly wrong when crowds showed up carrying BB guns and 'knives on sticks' to retrieve the vouchers, which were suspended from helium balloons. This simply confirms our long-standing suspicion that the human race truly is doomed. Click through to read more at connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → New test scene beta begins with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 samples Published on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 10:44:11 PM GMT We've been working on a brand-new studio comparison scene for some time, and we've decided to give you a sneak peek, using images from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7. We'll be speaking more about this new scene (and the new interface that goes with it) very soon, but for now we wanted to let you have a look, try it, play around and tell us what you think. As well as the new scene, you'll find two new options - 'daylight' and 'low light' simulation modes and the option to 'normalize' resolution to simulate print and web output, as well as 100%. Click through for more.  Read full story → A Day in the Life of the KKK: Anthony Karen talks trust & photojournalism Published on Thursday, August 15, 2013 2:05:49 AM GMT Photographer Anthony Karen has built a career around gaining access to ostensibly inaccessible societies. After a trip to Haiti documenting Vodou rituals, he has gone on to photograph white supremacist groups, the infamous Westboro Baptist Church and the Ku Klux Klan. His compelling photos and unrestricted access to the KKK resulted in a collaboration with the Discovery Channel, and slate.com has published an interesting profile of his work, in which he explains his approach. Click through for extracts, and some of his compelling images.  Read full story → Exposure: Jason van Genderen on 'pocket filmmaking' Published on Thursday, August 15, 2013 5:11:18 PM GMT Sometimes, the best thing that you can do creatively is to give yourself limitations. For filmmaker Jason van Genderen, that meant putting down his camera and picking up his smartphone. Van Genderen prides himself on being a 'pocket filmmaker.' Living in Terrigal, Austrailia, van Genderen spends his days running a creative agency and whenever he gets a chance, he uses smartphones to create films. We spoke to van Genderen about his experience using the Lumia 920 for filmmaking. Click through to read the full interview on connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → User experience: In-depth look at Canon EOS 70D's Dual Pixel AF system Published on Thursday, August 15, 2013 7:20:08 PM GMT Following last week's update to the Canon EOS 70D preview, we've been spending a little more time with the camera to get a feel for its new Dual Pixel CMOS phase-detect autofocus system. What we've seen so far has impressed us: in live view the camera offers very responsive AF, eliminating the annoying focus seek we’ve seen in past models. We have a complete rundown, with samples, on how the Dual Pixel AF performs in both live view and movie mode, as well as a brief studio and low light analysis. Click through to read our review-in-progress. Read full story → What The Duck #1427 Published on Friday, August 16, 2013 2:00:36 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.  Read full story → ThinkTank introduces TurnStyle sling bag Published on Friday, August 16, 2013 3:00:00 PM GMT ThinkTank has announced a new sling-style camera bag. Called the TurnStyle, it's available in three different models, the smallest of which is targeted to mirrorless camera owners. TurnStyle 5 is designed to hold a mirrorless body and up to four lenses. ThinkTank claims the larger TurnStyle 10 and TurnStyle 20 will hold a standard DSLR body and up to three and four lenses, respectively. All three are built with weather-resistant materials and include a rain cover. Click through for details. Read full story → Bolivian airline's demise documented in haunting photos Published on Friday, August 16, 2013 6:37:00 PM GMT Photographer Nick Ballon stumbled across the Lloyd Aero Boliviano headquarters on an annual trip to Bolivia. He was captivated by the expansive property and dilapidated buildings he saw, and his curiosity sparked a photo series and collaboration with Bolivian writer Amaru Villanueva Rance. Six months exploring the grounds, talking with employees and researching the long history of the dying airline has resulted in a stunning photo series and a book called Ezekiel 36:36. Click through for a glimpse into the L.A.B.  Read full story → Full 360-degree camera rig takes your 3D portrait with 60 DSLRs Published on Sunday, August 18, 2013 12:00:00 PM GMT Printing in 3D is in the news a lot lately, but applications are usually limited to industrial prototypes. A company called Captured Dimensions has a different use for this technology. They've rigged 60 DSLRs in a 360-degree array to capture 3D portraits. The likeness is then printed using a substance containing gypsum powder, resulting in a 3D sculpture of 1/12 to 1/5 scale. Ready for your 3D closeup? Click through for more details (including how much it'll set you back). Read full story → Gorgeous color photos of America in the 1930's and 40's Published on Sunday, August 18, 2013 1:00:00 PM GMT World War II and Depression-era America was mostly documented in black and white. That's why these color photos of the time belonging to the Library of Congress are so engrossing. Shot in color at the same time as more widely recognized black-and-white photos, these images offer a vivid look into American life in 30's and 40's. We've picked a few favorites of the more than 1500 images total contained within the Library of Congress' Flickr account.  Read full story → When Bad Weather Means Great Photography Published on Monday, August 19, 2013 9:00:17 AM GMT Landscape photographer Carsten Krieger is no stranger to poor weather, but in this article he explains how you can get great shots even when the sun is hidden from view. His three-page article features several images taken in Ireland which should provide plenty of inspiration for those damp, rainy days that are just around the corner. Click through for a link to the full article.  Read full story → Sanna Dullaway Adds Color to the Most Iconic Photos in History Published on Monday, August 19, 2013 9:44:57 AM GMT General-interest blog The Roosevelts has posted a selection of artist Sanna Dullaway's colorized images, showing what iconic images might have looked like to the photographer that captured them. Among the (exceeding well-done, it must be said) adjusted images are Malcolm Browne's iconic shot of monk Thich Quang Duc's self-immolation, Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous image of the kiss in Times Square on VJ Day, and Anne Frank's haunting 1942 portrait. Click through for a selection of shots, and links to both the full article and Sanna's website. Read full story → Rokinon launches Cine 16mm T2.2 lens for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds Published on Monday, August 19, 2013 6:43:29 PM GMT Rokinon has made available a video version of the Samyang 16mm f/2.0 prime. The 16mm T2.2 Cine lens is available for pre-order in Nikon F, Canon EF, Micro Four Thirds, Sony A, and Sony E mounts. Like other video primes, it offers focus and aperture racks for use with cinema rigs, stepless aperture control, and calibration in T-stops rather than F-stops. Rokinon's website lists compatible mounts for Pentax, Samsung NX and Fujifilm X though they aren't yet available for pre-order, and lists the lens at an MSRP of $499. Read full story → Sony Cyber-shot RX1R Samples Gallery Expanded! Published on Monday, August 19, 2013 9:57:51 PM GMT We've just expanded our gallery of real-world Samples from Sony's Cyber-shot RX1R. The RX1R is essentially the same camera as the older RX1, but without an AA filter on its 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor. We've been shooting with it since we received a production-quality sample and recently took it on a camping trip here in Washington State. We've added 35 images from that trip to our original gallery of real-world samples, including a handful of Raw conversions 'to taste', to give you an idea of what the camera can do. Click through for a link.  Read full story →
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