Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wednesday, 4 June 2014

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wednesday, 4 June 2014 The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 300,000 subscribers
Welcome to the 512th Digital Photography Review newsletter. Shortly after I sent last week's newsletter a production quality sample of Sony's new Cyber-shot RX100 III plopped onto our doormat, and we've wasted no time getting out with the camera. In the past few days we've added studio and real-world samples, and a page examining the impressive video mode - you can find links to our updated first-impressions review below. We also completed our in-depth look at the very nice indeed Sony a6000 earlier this week. As someone who recently bought an NEX-6 on closeout, I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't have saved up for the newer model... For now, here's what we've been up to over the past few days: Full speed ahead: Sony a6000 Review The Sony a6000 offers some considerable advantages over its Sony NEX-6 predecessor. It has a 24.3 megapixel APS-C sensor and an updated hybrid AF system with 179 phase-detect and 25 contrast-detect points. Also included is a built-in 1.44 million-dot EVF and a tilting 3.0-inch display with 921,600 dots. With an impressive AF system, fast 11 fps continuous shooting with subject tracking and lots of extras, the a6000 is poised very competitively in the mirrorless class. Click the links below to read our in-depth review. Click here to read our in-depth review of the Sony a6000 Samples and video pages added to Sony RX100 III Preview The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III may have photographers drooling over its fast lens and pop-up electronic viewfinder, but it gains some serious video-related updates too. It now features full sensor readout for higher image quality (as previously seen on the RX10), and also supports the XAVC S codec which allows higher bit-rates. In a series of updates to our First Impressions Review, we've added a movie page, as well as studio and real-world sample images. Read our first-impressions review of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III Freewheeling: Shooting roller derby with Micro Four Thirds Roller derby is a bit of an unconventional sport, so it's fitting that James McDaniel uses a somewhat unconventional system to photograph the action. He's been shooting roller derby with Micro Four Thirds cameras and lenses for the past couple of years. With no formal training in sports photography, he found himself with some exciting new equipment and an opportunity to photograph a fast-paced sport up close. He hasn't looked back since - click through to see his work and read our Q&A. Click here to read our article about James McDaniel's Roller derby photos John Keys brings 19th Century process to 21st Century England John Keys is a UK-based photographer who captures the streets of England's north-east with a 19th Century camera using the wet plate collodion process. Although long since abandoned by most professional and enthusiast photographers, collodion has come back into fashion in recent years for its unique look. click through for a look at John's work and to learn more about how - and why - he chooses to work with a Victorian photographic medium. Click here to read our interview with John Keys and see some of his images What's coming up? Work on the Nikon D4S continues, and while progress has temporarily been suspended on the Samsung NX Mini (at least until we can get hold of some lenses for it...) we're hard at work testing Nikon's flagship mirrorless camera, the 1 V3. Jeff is currently up to his ears in Hawaii seawater getting sample images for our waterproof compact camera roundup, which we're hoping to publish very soon. A reminder that we're hiring right now so if you think you've got what it takes to join our Seattle-based team, please do get in touch. We're also looking for freelance news and features writers to help out our in-house editors - click here for more information! See you next week! Barney WTD #850 Check out What The Duck in our Link Directory GearShop update - a message from Laura This week's best deals: The newly announced Gold Award winning Sony a6000 mirrorless camera kit is $50 off, plus save an additional $200 when you bundle with a 55-210mm or $100 with a 50mm F1.8 OSS lens. Grab one of Manfrotto's Pro bags for your summer travels and save up to $60 via mail-in rebate. Olympus is offering $300 instant savings on the Gold Award winning OM-D E-M5 camera kit, and $100 off the E-PL5 camera kit. Until next week - Laura and the GearShop Team
News updates iStick allows for easy image transfer from iPhone to computer Published on Saturday, May 31, 2014 10:00:00 AM GMT While most Android and Windows Phone devices act like external drives when connected to a computer with a USB-cable, transferring photos and files to and from an iOS device is a little more tricky. This is where the iStick, a Kickstarter project comes in. iStick is a USB-drive with an integrated Apple Lightning connector, making it compatible with more recent iPhone, iPad and iPod generations.  Read full story → PicTricks offers cheap photo 'fixes' Published on Saturday, May 31, 2014 11:30:00 AM GMT Do your pictures need a bit of polish? If you're not comfortable with post-processing, a new service called PicTricks can provide quick photo 'fixes' like whitening teeth, removing unwanted elements from a scene and correcting unflattering lighting or skin tone rendition. Their services start at $5 per photo and a 24-hour turnaround from the 'team of editors' is promised. We've had a look at the service, and you can click through to read more Read full story → DPReview is hiring! Writer + Web Developer Published on Saturday, May 31, 2014 12:00:00 PM GMT We're looking for an editorial writer and a web developer to join our growing team based in Seattle, WA. Responsibilities for the editorial role include testing and producing reviews of digital system cameras, compact cameras and other photographic equipment. Successful applicants for the web developer role will have strong visual design skills to help us craft the look, feel and functionality of dpreview.com. Click though for more information Read full story → Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100 M3 : real world sample images Published on Saturday, May 31, 2014 5:53:00 PM GMT As soon as it emerged from our studio we went straight out shooting with the RX100 III, to give an idea of the results it gives. We'll be adding video and more samples over the coming days but this initial gallery aims to show a range of the camera's capabilities. We set the camera's ND filter to Auto, so we could shoot at wide aperture in good light, and include a real-world shot from the wide and long en of the lens, shot this way. Click through to see more. Read full story → Deutsche Börse Prize winner captures conflict in infrared Published on Sunday, June 1, 2014 6:17:00 AM GMT An ongoing war in eastern Congo has killed more than 5 million people since it started in the early 1990s. How do you draw attention to an armed conflict the world is largely ignoring? Photographer Richard Mosse spent years in the region documenting combatants with infrared film to make the camouflaged soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Congo stand out rather than blend in with their surroundings. Last week, Mosse won the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize for his installation The Enclave. Read more Read full story → John Keys brings 19th Century process to 21st Century England Published on Sunday, June 1, 2014 7:17:00 AM GMT John Keys is a UK-based photographer who captures the streets of England's north-east with a 19th Century camera using the wet plate collodion process. Although long since abandoned by most professional and enthusiast photographers, collodion has come back into fashion in recent years for its unique look. click through for a look at John's work and to learn more about how - and why - he chooses to work with a Victorian photographic medium. Read full story → Accessory review: Vanguard Heralder 51T Rolling Backpack Published on Monday, June 2, 2014 7:01:00 AM GMT The Vanguard Heralder 51T combines the conveniences of a backpack with the travel-friendliness of a rolling case. At almost ten pounds it's no day bag, but it is equipped with loads of compartments and pockets, a large removable interior tray, tripod sling, laptop storage and a rain cover. Is it the best of both worlds, or would you be better off with a dedicated backpack or roller? Read our review Read full story → Pocket movie maker? We examine the Sony RX100 III's video mode Published on Monday, June 2, 2014 12:42:00 PM GMT The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III may have photographers drooling over its fast lens and pop-up electronic viewfinder, but it gains some serious video-related updates too. It now features full sensor readout for higher image quality (as previously seen on the RX10), and also supports the XAVC S codec which allows higher bit-rates. In the latest update to our First Impressions Review, we take a detailed look at its movie mode. Click through to read all about it. Read full story → Phase One introduces 40-80mm Schneider leaf shutter lens Published on Monday, June 2, 2014 7:18:30 PM GMT Phase One has announced a new leaf shutter lens for its 645 camera platform. The new Schneider Kreuznach 40-80mm LS f/4.0-5.6 joins the existing Schneider Kreuznach 75-150mm f/4.0-5.6 leaf shutter zoom lens, and allows for flash synchronization up to 1/1000sec. Supposedly on a par with prime lenses in terms of critical image quality, the new lens is available now for $8990 / €6990. Click through for the press release Read full story → In iOS 8, Apple brings welcome refinements to Photos app Published on Monday, June 2, 2014 7:31:00 PM GMT As we've come to expect, Apple is using its annual developers' conference in San Francisco to announce new versions of its desktop and mobile operating systems. Along with a host of refinements in iOS 8 is a revamped Photos app, with improved native retouching options, better search, more complete iCloud integration and support for third party retouching apps as 'extensions'. Meanwhile, the native Camera app gains the option to lock focus and exposure separately, by touch. Click through for more details. Read full story → Nokia Lumia 1020 used in medical research Published on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 6:00:00 AM GMT A pair of scientists and experts in photomicrography have been using an unusual new tool in their research - a Nokia Lumia 1020. Taking advantage of the device's mobility, image stabilization and high pixel-count camera, they've used it with a state-of-the-art microscope to help digitally zoom in for a better view of detail of bacteria. Read more Read full story → Sony World Photography Awards 2015 open for submissions Published on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 6:59:00 AM GMT The Sony World Photography Awards are now accepting entries for 2015. The contest is open to professionals and amateurs alike, from anywhere in the world. Submissions will be accepted until early January 2015 for four different competitions: Open, Professional, Youth and Student Focus with a number of categories in each group. Winners receive cash prizes and Sony gear. Read more Read full story → Full speed ahead: Sony a6000 Review Published on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 9:15:00 AM GMT The Sony a6000 offers some considerable advantages over its Sony NEX-6 predecessor. It has a 24.3 megapixel APS-C sensor and an updated hybrid AF system with 179 phase-detect and 25 contrast-detect points. Also included is a built-in 1.44 million-dot EVF and a tilting 3.0-inch display with 921,600 dots. With an impressive AF system, fast 11 fps continuous shooting with subject tracking and lots of extras, the a6000 is poised very competitively in the mirrorless class. Read the review Read full story → Nikon sets aside 1.8 billion yen to cover D600 warranty repairs Published on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 10:07:28 AM GMT Nikon has revealed that it allocated ¥1.8bn (~ $17.6m / £10.5m) to cover the cost of warranty repairs and replacements for its D600 SLR in the last financial year. The camera has been plagued since its launch by a tendency to accumulate oil spots on its sensor, resulting in Nikon offering to replace the shutter mechanism or even the entire camera for free if necessary. In an investor relations statement on its website, the company says that it is taking the matter very seriously, and 'will be taking steps to restore confidence in the Nikon brand'. Read full story → HTC launches One E8 smartphone with 13MP camera Published on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 4:31:00 PM GMT If you like most things about HTC's current flagship smartphone, the One M8, but are, like ourselves, a little disappointed with its 4MP camera, HTC might just have launched the right phone for you. The HTC One E8 takes most of the M8's components, wraps them up in a polycarbonate unibody frame instead of the M8's brushed metal hull and provides a more conventional camera module. The E8 replaces the flagship's Duo Cam with a 13 megapixel, 1/3-inch BSI CMOS sensor and F2.2 maximum aperture lens. Read more Read full story → Adobe Camera Raw 8.5 and DNG Converter 8.5 release candidates available Published on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 8:13:39 PM GMT Adobe has made Camera Raw and DNG Converter 8.5 release candidates available for download. A short list of cameras are added for ACR support including the Canon Powershot G1 X Mark II, Olympus OM-D E-M10 and the Panasonic GH4 (with preliminary support). Camera Raw 8 users with Photoshop CS6 will get new camera support, lens profiles and bug fixes, but a few new features are added for Photoshop CC subscribers. Read more Read full story → Vertu Signature Touch comes with Hasselblad-certified camera Published on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 9:00:00 PM GMT If you've always wanted a Hasselblad camera, but found the real thing too bulky and the rebadged Sony cameras too ridiculous, smartphone manufacturer Vertu has just given you another option. Vertu's latest model, the Signature Touch, comes with a "Hasselblad-certified" camera. Despite a vague statement that Vertu has worked with Hasselblad to "perfect the image tuning of the camera onboard Signature Touch," it's almost certainly using a standard 1/3-inch CMOS sensor. Read more Read full story →
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