Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 2 April 2014

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 2 April 2014 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 503rd Digital Photography Review newsletter! Time really flies. April seemed so far away just a few months ago, but here we are. April 1st already. As we motor towards summer we're focusing on finishing up our reviews of some of the major cameras from late last year and earlier this year including (you guessed it) the Pentax K-3, which is in the final stages of (near) completion. As I write this, Richard is running around outside in the sunshine testing AF tracking. And I must say it's a lovely evening for it. OK, let's run through some recent content highlights... Sony Cyber-shot RX10 added to our enthusiast compact roundup We just added Sony's RX10 to our previously-published enthusiast compact camera buying guide and also updated our aperture comparison chart with Canon's PowerShot G1 X Mark II. While image quality in this class won't compete with a good mirrorless camera paired with a good lens, they pack enough features that should satisfy serious photo enthusiasts. Many cameras in this range also offer long, flexible zooms, making them an excellent choice as a more portable second camera, or as a single do-it-all option. Click here to read our enthusiast compact roundup Budget lighting: Flashpoint 180 Monolight review Adorama's Flashpoint 180 Monolight is a battery-powered 180-watt strobe designed for on-location shooting in the middle of nowhere. The kit comes with everything needed to provide adequate fill light for scenes or soft key-light for portraits, minus the stand, which must be purchased separately. Despite its budget price tag, does the 180 Monolight have what it takes for professional use? Click here to read our review of the Flashpoint 180 Monolight Mockups emerge of new Olympus OM-D 'OM-G' Mockups have been published showing a new Olympus OM-D OM-G. Apparently released to mark the 30th anniversary of the original film OM-G (sold as the OM-20 in Europe), we understand the OM-G will offer full native support for legacy manual focus Olympus lenses, and a full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor. Details are scarce but rumors suggest the OM-G will offer a hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder with a ground glass focusing screen and six-axis image stabilization. Click here to read more about the Olympus OM-D OM-G   Olympus brings PEN style and 5-axis IS to Stylus SH-1 travel zoom The Olympus Stylus SH-1 may look like a PEN mirrorless camera, but it's actually a compact travel zoom. But it has inherited a pretty big feature from the PEN: 5-axis image stabilization. Other features of note include a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor, 25-600mm equiv. F3.0-6.9 lens, touchscreen 3" LCD, limited manual control, 1080/60p video, and built-in Wi-Fi. It will be available in May in black, white, and silver for under $400. Click here to read more about the Olympus Stylus SH-1 Get up high: Orion DVC210 DLSR crane review As more and more video production companies and independent videographers rely on DSLRs to shoot a majority of their work, finding more compact equipment is becoming easier. A decent fully-loaded DSLR jib setup can cost anywhere between $500 and $3,000, and the ProAm Orion DVC210 resides at the lower end of the spectrum. Can the Orion DVC210 take your DSLR video to the next level? Find out in our review Click here to read our review of the Orion DVC210 DSLR crane review What's coming up? Work continues on the new Nikon D4s with the intention of adding more test pages to our first-impressions review as soon as we can, and the same applies to the Samsung NX30 as well as Nikon's latest entry-level DSLR, the D3300. Yesterday we received two Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II bodies, one of which I'll be taking back to the UK with me for some sample images (maybe even including a shot or two of Tower Bridge if you're very lucky...) See you in a couple of weeks! Barney WTD #1458 Check out What The Duck in our Link Directory GearShop update - a message from Laura GearShop update - a message from Laura Recently announced: Get on the list for the new Samsung NX mini mirrorless camera, the incredibly small interchangeable lens camera with a 1-inch sensor that can actually fit in your pocket. Also available for pre-order are two new compacts from Olympus: the TG-3 rugged and waterproof camera with a bright lens, and the SH-1 travel zoom with 24x optical zoom and PEN style. This week's best deals: Fujifilm X-series lens rebates end soon, so take advantage of the savings now. Save up to $250 on popular primes, and $200 off the XF 50-200mm. Save up to $150 on select telephoto zooms when you bundle with Canon DSLRs. Watch for the green deals buttons as you browse the site to maximize your savings. Until next week - Laura and the GearShop Team
News updates Updated: Oppo launches Find 7 with QHD display and 50MP image option Published on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 12:38:00 AM GMT Last week we announced the introduction of the Oppo Find 7, the first smartphone to feature a QHD screen. Interestingly, the Find 7's camera claimed it could produce a 50MP image from a 13MP sensor using what Oppo is calling "Super Zoom". We've updated our story with a brief look at what this technology is, and what it might mean for photographers, based on our communications with Oppo. Learn more Read full story → Father's family photos capture the delightful chaos of youth Published on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 7:00:00 AM GMT While most photos of children and family put forth a cleaned up and polished look, Alain Laboile takes another approach. He photographs his six children in their natural state - which is often pretty messy - as they play and explore in their Bordeaux, France home. The results are delightfully honest and candid images of good old dirt-between-your-toes fun. See gallery Read full story → Apple applies for dual-sensor camera patent Published on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 1:00:00 PM GMT Having two distinct sensors in one camera appears to be the flavor of the week. HTC just launched the One M8, the first smartphone to feature a dual-sensor camera. At the same time Apple Insider spotted an Apple patent application that was published on Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The application is titled: 'Electronic device with two image sensors'. Learn more  Read full story → Bigger than life: Drone flight documents Alaskan ice caves Published on Thursday, March 27, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT The 12-mile long Mendenhall Glacier, located just outside of Juneau, Alaska may be one of the world's most easily accessible glaciers. But the crew of Firefight Films takes you far beyond the parking lot. Billed as the first documented drone flight through ice caves, Firefight Films’ co-founders, Lion El Aton and Christopher Carson, outfitted a DSLRPros DJI Phantom with a GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition to venture beyond the physical limits of a human film crew. See video Read full story → Zeiss announces Compact Zoom CZ.2 15-30mm T2.9 lens Published on Thursday, March 27, 2014 7:32:45 PM GMT Zeiss will have its new Compact Zoom CZ.2 15-30mm T2.9 lens on display at this year’s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas, April 7-10. The new lens fills the wide-angle gap in Zeiss' cine-style zoom lineup, complementing the already available CZ.2 28-80mm T2.9 and CZ.2 70-200mm T2.9 lenses. Also at the show will be a new Arri/Zeiss Master Anamorphic MA 135mm T1.9 lens. Learn more Read full story → What The Duck #1458 Published on Friday, March 28, 2014 12:01:00 AM 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 to give away cameras for 'photojournalism' competition Published on Friday, March 28, 2014 7:00:00 AM GMT Ricoh Imaging Company has announced an advertorial feature on cnn.com called 'Spherical Report 360', where 360 people will be selected to receive a free Ricoh Theta spherical camera to shoot local news and events. Images taken with the Theta will then be judged for a Pentax K-3 grand prize. To be considered for a free Theta camera visit the Spherical Report 360 website for application guidelines. Applications will be accepted between March 27, 2014 through April 10, 2014. Learn more Read full story → Get up high: Orion DVC210 DLSR crane review Published on Friday, March 28, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT As more and more video production companies and independent videographers rely on DSLRs to shoot a majority of their work, finding more compact equipment is becoming easier. A decent fully-loaded DSLR jib setup can cost anywhere between $500 and $3,000, and the ProAm Orion DVC210 resides at the lower end of the spectrum. Can the Orion DVC210 take your DSLR video to the next level? Find out in our review Read full story → Nikon to offer D600 replacements if 'spots' continue Published on Friday, March 28, 2014 4:12:00 PM GMT Nikon has announced on its website today that it will replace defective D600 cameras with a new D600 or equivalent model. This follows up earlier news of the Chinese government ordering Nikon to stop selling D600 cameras and Nikon's previous service announcement to offer D600 users free inspection, cleaning and replacement of the shutter assembly, even if the warranty has expired. Learn more Read full story → Photographing bubbles, one bubble at a time Published on Saturday, March 29, 2014 7:00:00 AM GMT British photographer Richard Heeks has made a project of taking something ordinary - soap bubbles - and making them extraordinary. Some of his images capture the exact moment when a bubble bursts, while others reflect the environment around with interesting color. One of his bubbles even looks like the 'Death Star' from the Star Wars trilogy. To get the photos, he took thousands of shots, gradually learning how light, weather, aperture and shutter speeds affect the final image. See gallery Read full story → Olympus brings PEN style and 5-axis IS to Stylus SH-1 travel zoom Published on Monday, March 31, 2014 5:00:00 AM GMT The Olympus Stylus SH-1 may look like a PEN mirrorless camera, but it's actually a compact travel zoom. But it has inherited a pretty big feature from the PEN: 5-axis image stabilization. Other features of note include a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor, 25-600mm equiv. F3.0-6.9 lens, touchscreen 3" LCD, limited manual control, 1080/60p video, and built-in Wi-Fi. It will be available in May in black, white, and silver for under $400. Read full story → Shockproof flagship: Olympus 'drops' new Tough TG-3 Published on Monday, March 31, 2014 5:00:00 AM GMT Olympus has announced the Tough TG-3, which takes its place as the flagship in the company's rugged camera lineup. The TG-3 sports a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor and 25-100mm equiv. F2.0-4.9 lens, plus a 3-inch LCD, GPS, and Wi-Fi. It's waterproof to 15m, shockproof to 2.1m, crushproof to 100kgf, and freezeproof to -10C. The TG-3 supports a new Light Guide accessory, which turns the built-in LED lamp into a macro ring light. Read full story → Olympus updates OM-D E-M1 with electronic first curtain 'anti-shock' Published on Monday, March 31, 2014 10:31:00 AM GMT Olympus has updated the firmware for its flagship mirrorless camera, the OM-D E-M1, adding a mode that's designed to eliminate image blurring due to 'shutter shock' by using an electronic first curtain at speeds below 1/320sec. The update also adds more options for audio control during movie recording. It's available to install now, using the 'Olympus Digital Camera Updater' program.   Read full story → Matterport shows off its 3D camera technology Published on Monday, March 31, 2014 9:41:00 PM GMT Capturing 3D models is one of the latest technology trends. The recent announcement of Google's Project Tango smartphone got tech heads excited and at the same time horrified users with concerns about privacy. Matterport is a startup that cooperated with Google in Project Tango and built its own 3D camera. The $4,500 device is linked with an iPad running the Matterport app and captures the interior of a room or any other scene. Learn more Read full story → LensRentals.com needs name for massive lens calibration tool Published on Monday, March 31, 2014 10:39:00 PM GMT One of the drawbacks of running a company devoted to renting out photographic equipment is that it’s necessary to evaluate and service equipment just about every time it comes back. That’s why the team at LensRentals.com have just purchased and installed a massive and cumbersome looking lens calibration system. In one of the geekier unboxing articles, they show every step of the assembly of the device. Learn more Read full story → SmugMug Films: Capturing what you can't control Published on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 7:00:00 AM GMT The latest video from SmugMug Films' ongoing behind-the-lens series is a look at water photographer Sarah Lee. She uses the unpredictability of nature and creates art that captures the interplay of people, water and light. SmugMug's videos aim to show people who follow their passions in photography. They plan to release a new clip every two weeks. See video Read full story → Budget lighting: Flashpoint 180 Monolight review Published on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 8:00:00 AM GMT Adorama's Flashpoint 180 Monolight is a battery-powered 180-watt strobe designed for on-location shooting in the middle of nowhere. The kit comes with everything needed to provide adequate fill light for scenes or soft key-light for portraits, minus the stand, which must be purchased separately. Despite its budget price tag, does the 180 Monolight have what it takes for professional use? Find out in our review Read full story → Mockups emerge of new Olympus OM-D 'OM-G' Published on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 4:32:00 PM GMT Mockups have been published showing a new Olympus OM-D OM-G. Apparently released to mark the 30th anniversary of the original film OM-G (sold as the OM-20 in Europe), we understand the OM-G will offer full native support for legacy manual focus Olympus lenses, and a full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor. Details are scarce but rumors suggest the OM-G will offer a hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder with a ground glass focusing screen and six-axis image stabilization. Click through to read more. Read full story → Sony RX10 added to enthusiast compact buying guide Published on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 5:30:00 PM GMT We just added Sony's RX10 to our enthusiast compact camera buying guide and also updated our aperture comparison chart with Canon's PowerShot G1 X Mark II. While image quality in this class won't compete with a good mirrorless camera paired with a good lens, they pack enough features that should satisfy serious photo enthusiasts. Many cameras in this range make an excellent choice as a more portable second camera, or as a single do-it-all option. See how the RX10 ranks Read full story →
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