Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Tuesday, 7 January 2014

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Tuesday, 7 January 2014 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Hello! And welcome to the 491st Digital Photography Review newsletter. And of course welcome to the New Year! 2014 promises to be very exciting here at DPReview.com, with some interesting projects in the works and a full site redesign planned, to bring us kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. For those of you who hate white text on black, salvation could be on the way... Many of us tried to get a bit of a break over the Christmas period but we're back now and busier than ever. I'm writing from a bright, chilly hotel room in Las Vegas, where the annual Consumer Electronics Show is underway. As well as televisions, games consoles, smartphones and other fancy gadgets, there are plenty of new cameras being announced, too. We're spending this week visiting manufacturer booths, getting hands-on with the new gear and being briefed on what's coming up later in the year. We've already spent hundreds of dollars on bottled water, antacid tablets and hand sanitizer, so we're fully prepared... Las Vegas might not be our favorite part of the world, but CES is a great opportunity to take a detailed look at what's going on in the industry, and hey - it's sunnier than Seattle right now. Without further ado, let's take a look at some recent content highlights! Which is the best of the best? Vote for your product of the year Last month we invited you to vote for the best gear in five categories, and now's your chance to let us know which of the winning products was the most impressive. With almost 30,000 votes cast already we know that you've got plenty of opinions about which cameras and lenses stood out, but we want more! We want to know which one you thought was the absolute best. Click through for a look at the category winners from our five classes, and a chance to cast your vote! Click here to cast your vote for the best product of 2013 Nikon AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G review The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G was one of the more unexpected lens releases of 2013. It's a fast 'normal' prime for full frame shooters, but its $1699.95 / £1599.99 price tag represents a huge premium compared to the existing (and very good) AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G. What's more, lab tests failed to show any clear sharpness advantage either. So why, exactly, is Nikon asking so much for this lens, and just how well does it perform in real-world use? Read our detailed review to find out. Click here to read our full review of the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G Samsung NX30 First-impressions review The Samsung NX30 puts the NX300's 20 megapixel APS-C sensor and Hybrid AF in a DSLR-like body. It also features a tilting electronic viewfinder and a fully articulated 3-inch AMOLED display, along with Samsung's familiar suite of connectivity features. Built-in Wi-Fi is available, as is NFC to mediate faster connections with compatible smart devices. We spent a little time getting acquainted with a pre-production NX30, and you read more about by following the link below. Click here to read our first-impressions review of the Samsung NX30 Nikon announces new 24MP D3300 Nikon has released its D3300 entry-level DSLR, which replaces 2012's D3200. The D3300 gets a new 24.2 megapixel CMOS sensor that lacks an optical low-pass filter, as well as Nikon's EXPEED 4 image processor. The camera's ISO range now tops out at 25,600, and continuous shooting has increased to 5 fps. The D3300 can also record 1080/60p Full HD video. A new 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 VR II kit lens was also announced, which can 'collapse' when not in use. The lens is 30% smaller and 20% lighter than the 'old' 18-55, and will be available as part of a D3300 kit or separately. The D3300 will be available next month at a suggested retail price of $649.95. Click here to read more about the new Nikon D3300 Fujifilm announces X100S in black and premium 56mm F1.2 lens for X-series mirrorless Fujifilm has announced a black version of its 16MP X100S, which unlike the special limited-edition black X100 will be available alongside the previously-released silver version, with no price premium. Speaking of premium, Fujifilm has also announced a 56mm (84m equivalent) F1.2 prime lens for its X-series range of mirrorless cameras. The fastest lens yet available for the X mount, the new FUJINON XF56mm F1.2 R is being billed as an ideal portrait lens, and will be available next month for a suggested retail price of $999.95 / £999.99. Click here to read more about the new black version of the Fujifilm X100S Click here to read more about the new FUJINON XF56mm F1.2 R What's coming up? As well as all of the new releases that we've been writing about over the past few days we're also working on publishing a robust series of articles covering accessories and technique, plus of course our ongoing review of some outstanding products from last year, including the Sony a7 and a7R, and Pentax K-3. There's much to do - thanks as always for your support and feedback. Thanks for reading - see you next week! Barney WTD #1083 Check out What The Duck in our Link Directory GearShop update - a message from Laura GearShop update - a message from Laura As CES comes around again, so do new product announcements! Visit DPReview for all of the up-to-the-minute product and show information, and when something catches your eye, head over to GearShop to get in line. When we take pre-orders for new releases, we always save your spot and only charge you when the product is ready to ship. New releases: Fujifilm's newest X-series lenses, the 56mm F1.2 and 10-24mm F4, are both available for pre-order. We're also excited about the new (the first!) weather-resistant superzoom compact camera: the Finepix S1. Or, if you've been holding out for a black X100S, today is your lucky day. Sony has also released a new entry level E-mount camera, the a5000, its smallest and lightest interchangeable lens camera to date. New videos: We've added four new videos to our series of informative videos hosted by professional photographer Ryan Phillips. In this installment, he explores how sensor size can help you decide on your next camera, the benefits of shooting video on mirrorless cameras, Fujifilm's unique technologies, and how image stabilization can make a difference in your photos. We encourage you to share our videos with your friends who have questions about photography, subscribe to our channel to keep track of new videos, and of course, support GearShop as your system grows. Until next week - Laura and the GearShop Team
News updates Fujifilm X-A1 real-world and test scene samples Published on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 6:00:00 AM GMT The following real-world gallery and test scene shots were first published in our 2013 Camera Roundups, but we're highlighting the Fujifilm X-A1 again in case you missed it the first time around. The X-A1 is nearly identical to the X-M1 except for one key detail - it uses a 16MP sensor with a conventional, Bayer color filter array, rather than the X-Trans design that's been used in other bodies. See gallery Read full story → New Samsung NX30 adds tilting EVF, improved display, more Wi-Fi features Published on Thursday, January 2, 2014 4:00:00 PM GMT Samsung's latest flagship mirrorless camera has arrived, in the form of the NX30. It borrows the 20 megapixel sensor and Hybrid AF system from the NX300, but has a more traditional design. The standout feature is the camera's XGA electronic viewfinder, which can be pulled away from the camera and tilted up as much as 80 degrees. The fully articulated 3-inch AMOLED display is 33% brighter than the screen on the NX20. The Wi-Fi feature has been beefed up, adding NFC support and a more robust remote control app. Find out more about the NX30. Read full story → Samsung adds premium and consumer 16-50mm lenses to NX system Published on Thursday, January 2, 2014 4:00:00 PM GMT Samsung added two new lenses to its NX mirrorless camera lineup, one for pros, and another designed to serve as a smaller alternative to the kit lens. Both lenses range from 16-50mm, but the first is a premium design with the 'S' designation, whose bulkier design accommodates an F2.0-F2.8 aperture and optical image stabilization. The second lens is a retractable F3.5-5.6 power zoom with OIS, which the company says offers improved performance over the 18-55mm kit lens.  Read full story → Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 adds processing power Published on Thursday, January 2, 2014 4:00:00 PM GMT Samsung has released its newest Android-powered Galaxy Camera, aptly named the Galaxy Camera 2. While the GC2 retains the slim form factor, 21X zoom lens, and huge 4.8-inch touchscreen LCD of its predecessor, it adds a faster quad-core processor, double the memory, a more recent version of Android (4.3), and a more powerful battery. Naturally, the camera has Wi-Fi built in (with NFC), and has the latest and greatest Samsung 'Smart' features, including a 'selfie alarm'.  Read full story → Best Gear of 2013: The results are in! Published on Thursday, January 2, 2014 10:46:37 PM GMT The results are in! Before Christmas, we asked you to vote for your favorite gear in five categories. Best lens, best DSLR / SLT, best fixed-lens compact camera, best mirrorless interchangeable lens camera and best enthusiast zoom compact. Now, with almost 30,000 votes cast since December 18th the results are in! Click through to take a look at the category winners and runners-up. Read full story → A smart camera gets smarter? Samsung NX30 first impressions review Published on Friday, January 3, 2014 7:45:00 AM GMT The Samsung NX30 puts the NX300's 20 megapixel APS-C sensor and Hybrid AF in a DSLR-like body. It also features a tilting electronic viewfinder and a fully articulated 3-inch AMOLED display, along with Samsung's familiar suite of connectivity features. Built-in Wi-Fi is available, as is NFC to mediate faster connections with compatible smart devices. We spent a little time getting acquainted with a pre-production model, and have put together some quick first impressions. Read full story → Smartphones versus DSLRs versus film: A look at how far we've come Published on Friday, January 3, 2014 8:00:00 PM GMT Just how far have we come since film? One photographer sets out to try and find the answers by comparing the results of several DSLRS, two leading smartphones and some Fuji film in both bright sunlight and low light conditions. See the results and judge for yourself at connect.dpreview.com. Read full story → Which is the best of the best? Vote for your product of the year Published on Friday, January 3, 2014 8:01:07 PM GMT Last month you voted for the best gear in five categories, and now's your chance to let us know which of the winning products was the most impressive. With almost 30,000 votes cast already we know that you've got plenty of opinions about which cameras and lenses stood out, but we want more! We want to know which one you thought was the absolute best. Click through for a look at the category winners from our five classes, and a chance to cast your vote! Read full story → What The Duck #1083 Published on Friday, January 3, 2014 9:28:16 PM GMT We've come to the end of another week here at dpreview, and as our thoughts drift to weekend shooting opportunities, it's time to take things a little less seriously. Aaron Johnson's comic strip ‘What the Duck’ is just the thing, taking a gently satirical look through the lens of a photographically inclined waterfowl. You can find it published here (and in our newsletter) every week; we hope you enjoy it, and your weekend. Read full story → Challenge of Challenges: vote for the best shot of 2013 Published on Saturday, January 4, 2014 12:39:02 AM GMT To showcase the talent and imagination shown by our Challenge hosts and entrants, we're once again running a 'Challenge of Challenges,' to find the dpreview.com Picture of the Year for 2013 (yes, it's a bit late, but we ran out of days before the holidays). We've whittled more than 1000 challenge winners down to a more manageable 25 - selected by the dpreview editorial team. We're also trying out a completely new voting interface for the first time. Click here to jump straight to the voting page. Read full story → Accessory Review: Vanguard Abeo Pro Tripod kit Published on Sunday, January 5, 2014 9:24:20 PM GMT The Vanguard Abeo Pro 283CGH tripod kit ($498) is a three-section carbon fiber tripod with a pistol grip ball head and an Arca-Swiss compatible quick-release plate. Other features include three foot options, an articulating center column, and a built-in shutter release, giving the Vanguard Abeo Pro plenty of options for customization. Click through for our detailed review. Read full story → Fujifilm unveils XF 56mm F1.2 R portrait lens for X system Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT CES 2014: Fujifilm has announced the XF 56mm F1.2 R, a fast short telephoto 'portrait' lens for its X system mirrorless cameras. With an angle of view equivalent to an 85mm lens on full frame, it uses an internal focus design for fast, silent autofocus. It has an aperture ring, but unlike the company's wide angle primes, no distance or depth of field scales. It'll be available in February, with a suggested retail price of $999.99 / £999.99.  Read full story → Fujifilm adds five lenses to X system roadmap, including fast zooms Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT CES 2014: Fujifilm has updated its X-system roadmap for 2014, adding five lenses to its list of upcoming releases. First up is an extended-range zoom, the XF 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS (28-200mm equivalent). Following this will be two fast zooms, the XF 16-55mm F2.8 R OIS standard zoom, and XF 50-140 F2.8 R OIS (24-83mm and 75-210mm equivalent respectively). All three feature aperture rings and optical stabilisation. They'll be followed by a 'high speed wide angle lens' and 'super telephoto zoom lens' in late 2014 / early 2015.  Read full story → Fujifilm to release X100S in solid black Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT CES 2014: Fujifilm has announced a black version of the X100S. It's a more discreet-looking variant that's in all other ways identical to the original X100S - including the price tag. It uses the same 16 megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS and fixed 23mm F2 lens that helped earn the X100S a dpreview gold award and recognition as one of our personal Gear of the Year favorites in 2013. Read full story → Fujifilm FinePix S1 is 'world's first' weather-resistant superzoom Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT CES 2014: Amid a string of pre-CES compact announcements, Fujifilm unveils the FinePix S1, the 'world's first' weather-resistant superzoom. It offers a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor and an F2.8-5.6, 24-1200mm equivalent zoom lens. With an articulating 3.0-inch LCD its specifications line up with the FinePix SL1000 in Fuji's current lineup, though with a slightly faster lens and the addition of Wi-Fi connectivity. While not a fully ruggedized camera, the S1 offers protection against dust and rain exposure. Read full story → Fujifilm FinePix S8600, S9200, S9400W long zoom compacts announced Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT CES 2014: Three new FinePix cameras are unveiled today, each with an emphasis on providing long zoom ranges. The Fujifilm FinePix S9400W and FinePix S9200 superzooms offer a 50x optical zoom lens covering a 24-1200mm equivalent zoom range, both using a 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor. The two cameras are identical, with the S9400W adding Wi-Fi functionality. The Fujifilm FinePix S8600 has a 36x optical zoom (25-900mm equivalent) and a 16 megapixel CCD sensor.  Read full story → Rugged Fujifilm FinePix XP70 offers Wi-Fi, Full HD video Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT CES 2014: The Fujifilm FinePix XP70 is the company's latest rugged compact, building on its predecessor's specification with Wi-Fi connectivity. It's also waterproof to 33 ft / 10m (compared to the XP60's 20 ft rating), shockproof up to a 5 ft / 1.5m drop and freezeproof to +14F/-10C. It offers a 28-140mm equivalent F3.9-4.9 zoom lens, 16 megapixel sensor, and 1080 HD video at 60i/30p.  Read full story → Small cameras, large zoom: Canon's new PowerShot ELPH 340 and SX600 Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 2:48:44 PM GMT CES 2014: Canon has unveiled two new low-cost cameras that pack big zoom lenses into compact bodies. The PowerShot ELPH 340 HS (known as the Ixus 265 HS in Europe) is slim and stylish, and sports a 25-200mm equiv. lens, 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, and 3-inch LCD. The SX600 is just a bit larger than the ELPH, but gains an 18X, 25-450mm equiv. lens along with 1080/60p video recording. Both cameras have Wi-Fi with NFC, which Canon says is easier to use than on previous models, plus numerous scene modes and special effects. Read full story → Canon shows off new PowerShot N100 'Story Camera' Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 2:49:04 PM GMT CES 2014: Canon has announced the PowerShot N100, which it's calling a 'Story Camera'. The feature that gives it this moniker is its rear-facing camera, which captures an image of the photographer at the moment the shutter is released (in both stills and video) and puts it into one of the corners of the image that was taken. Photo quality should be a strong point, as the N100 uses the same lens and a similar sensor to the PowerShot S120, but there's no Raw option. Other features include a 3-inch LCD that tilts upward by 90 degrees, 1080/60p video recording, and Wi-Fi with NFC. Read full story → Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 and ZS40 travel zooms unveiled Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 7:00:00 PM GMT CES 2014: Panasonic has introduced the Lumix DMC-ZS40 travel zoom, also known as DMC-TZ60 in some markets. Equipped with Wi-Fi and NFC, it provides a 30x zoom range (24-720mm equiv), an 18.1MP sensor, and a built-in electronic viewfinder. Its enthusiast-leaning feature set includes a control ring around the lens, Raw shooting, and focus peaking. Also introduced is a lower-cost model, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 (TZ55), with Wi-Fi connectivity (though no NFC). The ZS35 covers a 28-560mm equivalent 20x zoom range, uses a 16MP sensor, and lacks a viewfinder.  Read full story → Compact Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 offers 12x zoom and Wi-Fi Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 7:00:00 PM GMT CES 2014: Panasonic keeps the emphasis on zoom and connectivity with the introduction of the Lumix DMC-SZ8, a lower-end alternative to its ZS/TZ travel zooms. It covers a 24-288mm equivalent range and uses a 16 megapixel CCD sensor (a step down from the ZS-series' CMOS chips) and a top video resolution of 720/30p. Wi-Fi connectivity is included, as is a 3.0-inch 460k-dot LCD. Read full story → Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40 budget superzoom offers 42x optical zoom Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 7:00:00 PM GMT CES 2014: Panasonic has unveiled the Lumix DMC-LZ40, a budget superzoom with an F3.0-6.5 22-924mm equivalent zoom lens. It has a 20 megapixel CCD sensor, fixed 3-inch 460k dot LCD, and can record video at 720/30p. The LZ40 is also equipped with optical image stabilization, 13 filter effect modes, and a lithium-ion battery rated to 320 shots. Read full story → Panasonic formally launches Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 ASPH Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 8:12:39 PM GMT CES 2014: Panasonic has formally announced the Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 ASPH fast portrait prime for Micro Four Thirds. The lens, first revealed in prototype form back at the Photokina trade show in September 2012, offers an 85mm equivalent field of view and the brightest aperture of any autofocus lens on the system. The lens will be available during the first quarter of 2014 at suggested prices of $1,599/€1,499/£1,299. Read full story → Sigma announces all-new 50mm F1.4 DG HSM 'Art' lens Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 10:00:00 PM GMT CES 2014: Sigma has announced the 50mm F1.4 DG HSM | A, a fast 'normal' prime for full frame DSLRs. It will also work on APS-C / DX format cameras, offering a 75mm equivalent short telephoto effect. It's a completely new lens, rather than a revision of Sigma's existing 50mm F1.4, with an unusually complex optical formula for its type (13 elements in 8 groups). It'll come in Canon, Nikon, Sigma and Sony mounts; pricing and availability are still to be confirmed.   Read full story → Sigma releases updated 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM superzoom Published on Monday, January 6, 2014 10:00:00 PM GMT CES 2014: Sigma has announced the 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C, a superzoom lens for APS-C / DX format SLRs. With a 28-300mm equivalent zoom range, it's smaller and lighter than its predecessor, and has a shorter minimum focus distance. It will be available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma, and Sony mounts; as usual the Pentax and Sony versions won't have optical stabilisation. Pricing and availability are still to be confirmed. Read full story →
How to unsubscribe To unsubscribe from the Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) weekly newsletter, visit the newsletter homepage (http://www.dpreview.com/news/newsletter/), enter your email address into the Your email address box, then click on Unsubscribe.