Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 29 January 2014

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 29 January 2014 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Hello! And welcome to the 494th Digital Photography Review newsletter. Hey, I just realized we're only six weeks away from our 500th newsletter! I should bake a cake... this is my 37th newsletter since taking it on last spring, and writing it is one of the highlights of my week. Thanks as always for reading and please keep your feedback coming. The big news this week is two small cameras - both mirrorless, and both very nice indeed, albeit aimed at different audiences. The much-rumored, much-teased and much-leaked Fujifilm X-T1 is Fujifilm's most serious X-series model yet, with a design inspired by the chunky Fujica SLRs of yore. We can't wait to start shooting with it. Meanwhile, Olympus has come out with the OM-D E-M10. The E-M10 is essentially a slimmed down version of the venerable E-M5, with a sprinkling of DNA from the flagship E-M1. Can cameras get much smaller while still offering SO MANY external controls? Answers on a postcard please (or in a comment on our article). OK, let's take a look at some recent content... Ready for anything: Fujifilm X-T1 first-impressions review The Fujifilm X-T1 offers many of the same inner workings as the X-E2, including its 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor with on-chip phase detection. On top of that it adds a revamped EVF, an OLED panel boasting 2.36M dot resolution with 0.77x equivalent magnification and a claimed lag time of 0.005 seconds. It also outdoes existing X-series models with 8 fps continuous shooting while tracking a subject. Fujifilm's engineers have wrapped all of this up in an SLR-styled body that's freezeproof as well as dust- and water-resistant. We've spent some time getting to know the X-T1; read our first impressions review and see what we think of this impressively specified mirrorless camera. Click here to read our first-impressions review of the Fujifilm X-T1 Olympus OM-D E-M10 proves good things come in small packages The Olympus E-M10 wraps much of the E-M5's feature set into a smaller, more compact body. It retains core OM-D features like twin dials, a built-in EVF and a 16 megapixel Four Thirds sensor, but manages to fit them into a body that's more Stylus 1 than ILC. It sits below its E-M5 and E-M1 siblings in terms of both price and specifications, but with features borrowed from two very strong predecessors it's potentially a very impressive camera in its own right. We've spent some time getting to know an early-production unit. Take a look at our first impressions and sample gallery - shot using the new M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8 and tiny M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ lenses. Click here to read our first-impressions review of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 DxOMark tests Nokia Lumia 1020's Raw image quality When the Nokia Lumia 1520 was launched in October 2013 it was the first smartphone to offer Raw image capture. Now the same feature was recently added to the older model Lumia 1020. Our partners at DxOMark have put the Lumia 1020 through its Raw-based sensor testing. The results are worth checking out. Learn more on connect.dpreview.com. Click here to learn more about the Nokia Lumia 1020's Raw image quality 10 essential time-saving Photoshop tips Fashion and fine art photographer Thomas Park shares the shortcuts that he finds most useful, along with tips for combining them in a fast, fluent manner. While many of these shortcuts and techniques may be familiar to you already, they can be combined to minimize context switches for maximum efficiency. Click here to read Thomas Park's tips to save time in Photoshop What's coming up? Thanks to two major new product releases, the status of our upcoming reviews is much the same as it was last week. Our review of the Sony a7R is in the pipeline, and reviews of Nikon's D5300, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 and the Pentax K-3 are progressing nicely. Voting remains open in our poll to find your favorite product of last year, and we'll be announcing the overall winner next week (at this point you can probably guess what it will be!) Thanks for reading - see you next week! Barney WTD #228 Check out What The Duck in our Link Directory   GearShop update - a message from Laura GearShop update - a message from Laura New releases: You probably know by now that Fujifilm and Olympus have announced a slew of interesting cameras and lenses this week. If anything has caught your eye, get in line by pre-ordering now. We never charge you until the product is ready to be shipped, and we'll send your order with free 2-day shipping when it's available. Check out the new weather-resistant Fujifilm X-T1, shipping in early March, or the affordable Olympus OM-D E-M10, which we expect to start shipping in about two weeks. Learn about the other new products Olympus announced yesterday, including a superzoom compact with a unique focusing aid, a waterproof compact, and some interesting new micro four thirds lenses and accessories. Until next week - Laura and the GearShop Team
News updates Nikon issues firmware updates for Df, D5200 and D3200 Published on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 7:19:29 PM GMT Nikon has posted firmware updates for the Df, D5200 and D3200. As well as a number of minor bugs and performance issues, support has been added to the D3200 and D5200 for the new collapsible AF-S DX 18-55mm F3.5–5.6G VR II, allowing them to display an error message if the camera is turned on with the lens in its collapsed state. Read more and get the updates Read full story → Sony Alpha 7 review: Full-frame mirrorless is here Published on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 8:40:00 PM GMT By putting a 24 megapixel full-frame sensor into a body nearly the same size as the Olympus E-M1, the Alpha 7 is arguably the most ambitious camera Sony has ever made. Never before has there been a full-frame camera this small - and one that supports nearly every 35mm lens format ever made, as well as Sony's own E-mount lenses. Does Sony get enough things right with the Alpha 7 to compete with more conventional full-frame cameras such as the Canon 6D and Nikon D610? Read our full review to find out Read full story → creativeLIVE's John Greengo gives 5-day course on digital photography Published on Thursday, January 23, 2014 7:44:10 PM GMT creativeLIVE is hosting a five-day course on the fundamentals of digital photography presented by John Greengo. The course is free to watch live, and runs through tomorrow, Jan 24th. Some of you may remember John as one of the expert photographers that contributed to our Cyber Monday 'DPReview Live' broadcast. Click through for a link to the course at creativeLIVE. Read full story → Pictures emerge showing widely-leaked Fujfilm 'X-T1' Published on Thursday, January 23, 2014 8:12:24 PM GMT Last week, Fujifilm teased a new, apparently high-end X-series camera. Inevitably this has lead to a flurry of new rumors, much speculation about the camera's specification, and now a slew of product photographs courtesy of Japanese site digicame-info.com, apparently showing an 'X-T1'. At this point, we're not sure whether Fujifilm will have anything new to announce when the camera finally gets officially launched. Click through for a taste of what's (probably) coming up.  Read full story → AP cuts ties with Pulitzer-winning photographer Published on Thursday, January 23, 2014 10:00:00 PM GMT The Associated Press news organization has cut ties with freelance photographer Narciso Contreras after he admitted to digitally altering a photo taken last September in Syria. The photo in question shows a Syrian opposition fighter taking cover during an exchange of fire. In the original photo, a fellow journalist's video camera can be seen in the lower left corner. Contreras cloned out the camera before sending back to AP editors. Learn more Read full story → 10 essential time-saving Photoshop tips Published on Thursday, January 23, 2014 10:30:00 PM GMT Fashion and fine art photographer Thomas Park shares the shortcuts that he finds most useful, along with tips for combining them in a fast, fluent manner. While many of these shortcuts and techniques may be familiar to you already, they can be combined to minimize context switches for maximum efficiency. Learn more Read full story → Samyang announces 14mm F2.8 filter holder, Cokin to make filters Published on Friday, January 24, 2014 6:00:00 AM GMT Samyang Europe has introduced the SFH-14 filter holder for its 14mm 1:2.8 ED AS IF UMC lens. Along with the holder, three rectangular filters will be manufactured by Cokin. The SFH-14 will come in standard and V-DSLR cine versions. The holder comes with double slideways to use one or two filters at the same time and can be used both vertically and horizontally. Learn more Read full story → Fujifilm files patent for color filter array with different-sized pixels Published on Friday, January 24, 2014 6:00:00 AM GMT Fujifilm has filed a patent for an image sensor that uses a novel layout, with green and clear rectangular pixels which are larger in area than their neighboring blue and red pixels. The idea behind it is apparently to reduce luminance noise at the expense of color noise, on the grounds that the human eye is less sensitive to the latter. Learn more Read full story → Phase One announces IQ250 50MP CMOS medium format back Published on Friday, January 24, 2014 1:06:53 PM GMT Phase One has announced the 'world's first CMOS-based digital camera back' - the 50MP IQ250. It uses a 44x33mm sensor - 68% larger in area than 35mm full frame -and promises the widest ISO range of any medium format camera system (100-6400). It sports a high-resolution 3.2" touchscreen for live view, playback and changing settings, and has built-in Wi-Fi. The IQ250 is available now, with prices starting at €24,990 / $34,990. Learn more. Read full story → What The Duck #228 Published on Friday, January 24, 2014 10:00:06 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 → Ricoh GR firmware version 3.00 now available Published on Saturday, January 25, 2014 2:03:48 AM GMT Ricoh has released firmware version 3.00 for its GR compact camera. The list of updated features includes two options for folder name settings, ability to develop RAW images in different aspect ratios, and customization to assign various AFL Focus Settings to the AF button when the AF function switching lever is set to AEL/AFL (previously only Spot AF was available). Get the update Read full story → DxOMark tests Nokia Lumia 1020's Raw image quality Published on Saturday, January 25, 2014 8:32:29 AM GMT When the Nokia Lumia 1520 was launched in October 2013 it was the first smartphone to offer Raw image capture. Now the same feature was recently added to the older model Lumia 1020. Our partners at DxOMark have put the Lumia 1020 through its Raw-based sensor testing. The results are worth checking out. Learn more on connect.dpreview.com.  Read full story → Russian Mother captures atmospheric photos of sons on farm Published on Sunday, January 26, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT Elena Shumilova's atmospheric photographs show a special bond between her sons Yaroslav and Vanya and their animals, on the family farm in rural Russia. Her images are deliberately dreamlike and highly evocative, capturing the bond between her young sons and their animal playmates. See gallery Read full story → Compare present day 'retakes' of U.S. National Parks to 1930's originals Published on Monday, January 27, 2014 6:19:22 PM GMT The past and present collided when the National Parks Service recreated a number of 1930's panoramic photos of fire lookouts, this time with modern photographic technology. The results are viewable in an interactive format that's helping the NPS study the changing landscape of U.S. National Parks. Learn more Read full story → Fujifilm X-T1 First Impressions Review Published on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 4:30:00 AM GMT The Fujifilm X-T1 has a lot in common with its X-series siblings - bearing an important distinction: it's weatherproof. It does in fact offer many of the same inner workings as the X-E2, including its 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor with on-chip phase detection. On top of that it adds a revamped EVF, an OLED panel boasting a claimed lag time of 0.005 seconds. Consider also that it shoots 8 fps with subject tracking and it all adds up to a very well specified package. Read our first impressions review Read full story → Fujifilm X-T1 offers weather-resistant body and improved EVF Published on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 4:30:00 AM GMT Following its first appearance in a teaser ad last week (and a comprehensive leak), the Fujifilm X-T1 makes its official debut. It's a weather-resistant, SLR-styled mirrorless camera bearing a 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor, a chip it borrows from its X-E2 sibling. What really separates it from the X-E2 is the X-T1's giant electronic viewfinder and triple control dials on its top plate. The X-T1 also has Wi-Fi built-in, and supports remote control from a smartphone. Read full story →
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