News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Book Review: Visual Stories - Behind the Lens with Vincent Laforet

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:51:36 Z

Book Review: Visual Stories - Behind the Lens with Vincent Laforet. As Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Vincent Laforet transitions away from still photography and more towards film and video, he looks back at his photojournalistic and commercial career in this engaging book, published late last year. Adam Koplan takes a look.

Fujifilm X10 'Orbs' Investigated. Does the Firmware Fix Work?

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 01:39:13 Z

Not long after samples of the Fujifilm X10 became available reports started surfacing of 'white orbs' or 'white discs' appearing in images. We mentioned this phenomenon when we included the X10 in our pre-Christmas roundup of high-end enthusiast compact cameras, and Fujifilm has subsequently released a firmware update that promises to address the issue. So does firmware version 1.03 banish the dreaded 'white orbs' for good? Click through to find out.

Nikon D4 & D800: What the Professionals Think

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:20:17 Z

Following the refresh of Nikon's pro-level DSLRs, we asked four professional photographers to give us their take on the D800 and D4. We spoke to a group whose work and expertise spans a wide variety of genres and styles to see what they thought Nikon has got right and wrong about the 16MP D4 and the 36MP D800. Their insights aim to add context to our previews of the cameras and give a fresh perspective on Nikon's latest full-frame offerings.

NHK working on 8k video sensor capable of 120fps

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:30:13 Z

Japanese national broadcaster NHK has said it is developing a sensor capable of shooting 8k video at 120fps. It will be able to support the company's Super Hi-Vision standard of 7680x4320 pixels (generically known as UHDTV) which, at 33MP, is 16x higher resolution than current 1080 HD technology. The high-speed chip is being developed with Shizuoka University and was reported at the IEEE Internation Solid-State Circuit Conference currently taking place in San Francisco. (via The Verge)

Ricoh firmware brings user-requested features to GRD IV

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:12:20 Z

Ricoh has prepared a firmware update for its GR Digital IV enthusiast compact camera, based on user feedback. The update includes a series of function and user-interface tweaks to improve the camera's behavior, including the ability to write copyright information to EXIF, and the ability to save the snap-focus distance to the ADJ lever, avoiding the need to delve through the menus.

DxO Optics Pro 7.2.1 gains Canon G1 X, Sony NEX-7 and Nikon 1 support

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 Z

DxO Labs has updated its Optics Pro raw processing and lens correction software, including support for the Canon G1 X, Sony NEX-7, Nikon 1 system and the Olympus E-P2. The latest versions takes the software to version Pro 7.2.1 and is available free for existing users of Optics Pro 7 and anyone who bought Pro 6 after September 1 2011. Support for all five cameras is included in both Standard and Elite versions of the package.

First impressions shooting with the Olympus OM-D E-M5

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:39:31 Z

The European press event for the Olympus OM-D E-M5 gave us a chance to get some proper shooting time in with one of the most discussed cameras of 2012. Our preview already looks over the features and custom options but this trip gave us a chance to really use the camera. Andy Westlake hit the streets of Amsterdam with an E-M5, determined to find out how its features work in real-world use and looks at how well the Art Filters and processing options work.

Flickr poised for much-needed interface improvements

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:34:57 Z

Venerable photo-sharing site Flickr is reported to be on the verge of its most drastic redesign in many years. The New York Observer's tech blog, BetaBeat interviewed Flickr's 'Head of Product' Markus Spiering, during which he demoed a remarkably Google+-like gallery interface. He also appeared to rubbish the site's clean but rather dated 'small photos, lots of white space and information' appearance. Yahoo says the improved gallery view will apply to the 'From your Contacts' page from the February 28th, with the uploader coming in March. (from BetaBeat) Updated with detail from Yahoo.

Just Posted: Nikon Coolpix P7100 enthusiast compact camera review

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:39:13 Z

Just Posted: Our review of the Nikon Coolpix P7100. The P7100 is Nikon's second attempt at producing an enthusiast compact to go toe-to-toe with Canon's popular G-series cameras. The P7000 showed some promise but slow, quirky operation meant it fell short of the well-established Canon it so clearly mimicked. With the P7100 Nikon has put much of this right and added even more direct control. It offers the largest zoom range in its class, but is this enough to make it stand-out in a highly capable field? Read our review to find out.

PocketWizard Plus III transceiver makes remote camera/flash triggering easier

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:05:45 Z

PocketWizard has launched its latest camera/flash radio trigger: the PocketWizard Plus III transceiver. The Plus III is a big step forward from the Plus II, offering the ability to trigger four groups of cameras and flashes over 32 radio channels. It also offers faster continuous shooting, triggering at up to 14.5 fps and offers the ability to communicate via a repeater radio transmitter, to extend the system's range. It also gains the ability to half-press, rather than just firing the shutter on remote cameras. The biggest change, though, is the Plus III's back-lit LCD panel, making it easier to use than its predecessor.

Book Review: 'Vivian Maier, Street Photographer'

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 10:46:28 Z

When Vivian Maier died in obscurity in 2009 she left behind a huge collection of photographs, taken over several decades. A new collection of her work, 'Vivian Maier, Street Photographer' showcases the breadth of her hitherto unrevealed talent. Barnaby Britton takes a look.

Fujifilm X10 firmware: Appears not to fix 'white orbs'

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:55:48 Z

We've been taking a look at Fujifilm's recently released firmware update for the X10, which was designed to reduce the much-discussed 'white orbs' blooming effect. Our initial conclusions are disappointing enough for us to pre-empt our forthcoming coverage of the issue with a quick update on our findings so far. Sadly, all the indications from our studio and real-world shooting so far are that the update appears to have very little effect on the appearance or intensity of these artefacts.

Samsung US announces rugged and waterproof SD cards

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:58:48 Z

Samsung US is showing off a range of tough, waterproof and magnetproof SDHC and Micro SDHC cards. The range includes several high-speed versions in addition to the ones announced in Europe last July. The latest cards include 'Extreme Speed' Class 10 16Gb cards (24MB/s read, 21MB/s write), and 'High Speed' 32Gb (24MB/s read, 17MB/s write) cards also described as Class 10.

Former Olympus Chairman and President, and six others arrested over scandal

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:16:06 Z

The former President and Chairman of Olympus who oversaw the financial mismanagement that has seen the company's value more than halved, has been arrested. Tsuyoshi Kikukawa and his former vice-president Hisashi Mori who has also been arrested, were only forced out of the company after ex-CEO Michael Woodford spoke out, saying he was removed for uncovering their actions. Company auditor Hideo Yamada and four bankers connected to the cover-up of billions of dollars-worth of investment losses were also arrested. (from Reuters)

Just Posted: Canon G1 X studio test samples

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:00:21 Z

We've shot our standard test scene with Canon's latest PowerShot G1 X large-sensor compact camera. The images have been shot using a production-standard G1 X and, as usual, have been shot in both Raw and JPEG with all original files available for download. The images have been added to our comparison tool and the G1 X preview. They can also be called-upon from other reviews or the standalone comparison tool.

DPReview is looking for a Mobile Imaging Editor

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:12:33 Z

Dpreview.com is looking for a Mobile Imaging Editor to join our growing team based in Seattle, WA. This is a unique opportunity to play a key part in the design and launch of an entirely new content area, and to drive the expansion of the dpreview platform into the fast moving world of connected photography.

Article: Depth of Field in Macro Photography

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:50:26 Z

Controlling depth of field is of great importance when photographing subjects at a close distance. Nature photographer Erez Marom continues his series on macro photography with a discussion of the challenges this presents when shooting at extreme magnifications. He examines problems common to both beginners and experienced macro photographers and shares two approaches that allow you to overcome shallow depth of field.

CIPA starts to report growing mirrorless sales

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:06:48 Z

CIPA has started publishing sales and shipment figures for mirrorless cameras, giving a clear picture for their take-up around the world. The Japanese trade body will issue separate figures for 'Non-reflex' cameras and Single Lens Reflex cameras, rather than a combined 'interchangeable lens camera' category. The first batch of figures show mirrorless cameras are becoming increasingly popular in all major markets.

Just posted: Our Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 in-depth review

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:43:44 Z

Just posted: Our in-depth review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1. As the long-awaited spiritual successor to the highly-regarded Lumix GF1, this enthusiast-oriented offering from Panasonic combines its 16MP sensor and latest touchscreen interface with a rangefinder-inspired design. The wealth of external dials and buttons speaks to the photographer who prefers to take control over camera operation and exposure settings. Is this the camera GF1 owners have been waiting for? Read our in-depth review to find out.

Just Posted: Lensbaby Edge 80 Quick Review

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:08:32 Z

Lensbaby's products have always rather swum against the tide, but the company's latest optic offers something a little different from its existing range. The Edge 80, as its name might suggest, is an 80mm optic that behaves almost - but not quite - like a conventional tilt lens. It's designed for selective focus applications, and its short telephoto focal length makes it ideally suited for subjects such as portraits and abstracts. In our quick review we have look at how the lens works, and what it can bring to your photography.

Scalado's Remove technology takes distractions out of photos

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:57:13 Z

Mobile imaging company Scalado has created a multi-shot technology that identifies differences to allow unwanted objects to be removed. The 'Remove' technology, currently being shown-off in the form of an Android app, is the first object removal software on a mobile device, it says. The technology allows passers-by to be selected or automatically removed, or cars to be simply edited out of the scene you're trying to capture, without the need for Photoshop.

Lensbaby introduces Edge 80 telephoto optic

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:41 Z

Lensbaby has announced an addition to its unique range of selective-focus lenses, in the shape of the Edge 80. It's an 80mm F2.8 short telephoto that, unlike the company's existing products, is conventionally optically-corrected, and designed to be used as a tilt lens to produce 'slices' of sharp focus across the frame. It has a 12-blade circular aperture diaphragm for attractive out-of-focus blur, and a built-in extension tube for close focusing down to about 19". It's available to order now from the company's website for $300.

Book Review: Edward Weston, One Hundred Twenty Five Photographs

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:00:17 Z

Edward Weston was one of America's most celebrated photographers. Published to mark the 125th anniversary of his birth, Edward Weston: One Hundred Twenty Five Photographs showcases his work through both photographs and excerpts from his journals and letters. Adam Koplan takes a look at this lavish limited-edition collection.

World Press Photo announces 2012 contest winners

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:08:26 Z

Spanish photographer Samuel Aranda has won the World Press Photo 2011 award. The prize comes for his image of a woman holding a relative wounded during protests against Yemen's President Saleh. The World Press Photo Contest 2012 also awarded prizes in 18 other categories ranging from Arts and Entertainment to Portraits. Some of these images may be familiar from news coverage throughout the year but they make a compelling and inspiring reminder of the breadth of photography, even within the confines of press usage.

Facebook Lightbox vs Google+: which better presents your images?

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:59:35 Z

Facebook is making its first steps towards taking photography seriously with the launch of its Lightbox display interface. The change, which is being rolled-out to users in the coming weeks, darkens the rest of the screen when a photo is selected and shows images in greater detail than before (up to 960 pixels in each dimension). How does this presentation compare to the more obviously photo-friendly Google+ service?

'No Future in Photojournalism' - an interview with Dan Chung

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:04:44 Z

Award-winning photographer Dan Chung explains why he thinks there's no future for traditional photojournalism. As a staff photographer for the Guardian and Reuters, Dan has been touring the world's trouble-spots for more than a decade, supplying images to newspapers and websites all over the globe. But although he made his name as a stills photographer, he's been shooting increasing amounts of video both for the web and for TV. We asked him why.

Kodak to stop making digital cameras

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:17:59 Z

Kodak will stop making digital cameras within the next few months. The company, currently in bankruptcy protection, will also stop making pocket video cameras and photo frames as a cost-cutting measure. Instead it is looking to license its name to other manufacturers who wish to sell cameras under the Kodak brand. Closing the business will cost around $30m, mainly in the cost of laying-off workers, but will save around $100m per year in running costs. All product warranties will be honored.

Fujifilm firmware attempts to fix X10 white discs

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:34 Z

Fujifilm has released the promised firmware update for its X10 enthusiast compact that aims to reduce the 'white orb' blooming effect that users have complained about. The firmware claims only to reduce, not eliminate, the problem that we'll look at in our forthcoming review. The latest firmware adds a series of extra functions and improves behavior of some existing ones. This includes adding face tracking AF to both stills and video mode and preventing the ISO and dynamic range settings changing when you switch between exposure modes. The update also enables the RAW button to be reconfigured as a function button.

Sony full-frame camera coming, 500mm F4 lens finally announced

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:05:09 Z

Sony has confirmed it will be making a full-frame replacement for its flagship A900 DSLR. No further details were given during a round-table discussion at the CP+ show in Japan, but we find it hard to believe the result will step away from the SLT technology the company has invested so heavily in. The company has also finally announced the A-mount 500mm F4 lens that it has been showing in various states of preparedness since PMA 2007 will be available from late March.

Sony promises more NEX lenses in updated E-mount lens roadmap

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:00:00 Z

Sony has said it will have 15 lenses ready for the NEX system by the end of 2013. It made the annoucement of an expanded E-mount roadmap at the start of the CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan. The roadmap includes a variety of zooms and prime lenses, including a high-end standard zoom with Sony's premium 'G' branding. There will also be a pancake prime and a mid-telephoto prime lens some time during 2013.