Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Thursday, March 10, 2016

The Digital Photography Review Newsletter for Thursday, March 10, 2016

The Digital Photography Review Newsletter The most popular weekly photography newsletter, with over 400,000 subscribers Thursday, March 10, 2016

Welcome to the 603rd Digital Photography Review newsletter. Rishi and I are back from CP+, and more or less readjusted to the Pacific timezone, if not the almost-constant rain. The awful weather has made it hard to get nice sample images for the past few weeks but we've been trying, and this week we added new pictures to our Sony a6300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 galleries. Rishi also got his hands on the new Sigma 30mm F1.4 'C' and 50-100mm F1.8. Meanwhile, we posted a bunch more images from Sony's new 85mm and 24-70mm G Master lenses and we published a full review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8. You'll find links to all of this below. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 Review At first glance, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 looks like just another rangefinder-style mirrorless camera. But flip it around and you quickly notice it's unique tilting electronic viewfinder, one of several features that make this camera stand out from the crowd. We've put the GX8 through some rigorous testing Click here to read our review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 Stunningly sharp: Sony GM 24-70mm F2.8 & 85mm F1.4 Samples Dan was in Miami last week, shooting with Sony's new FE 24-70mm F2.8 and FE 85mm F1.4 lenses. These new 'G Master' lenses are intended to be paired with Sony's flagship high-resolution full-frame cameras, and their performance matches their high price. We're pretty impressed by how they perform - check out our samples and see for yourself. Click here to view our sample galleries from Sony's GM 24-70mm F2.8 & 85mm F1.4 Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 'Art' & 30mm F1.4 DC DN 'Contemporary' Samples The Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 is a bit of a rarity. It's a fast telezoom designed specifically for Canon, Nikon and Sigma APS-C bodies, providing 75-150mm equivalent range. Meanwhile, Sigma's 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is small in size, but its wide aperture should help it pack an image quality punch. We were fortunate enough to have a chance to try out pre-production samples of both outside Sigma's factory in snowy Aizu, Japan. Click here to view our sample images from Sigma's new 50-100mm and 30mm lenses Action packed: Shooting the Sony a6300 in Miami Sony's new a6300 replaces the incredibly popular a6000 at the top of the company's APS-C product line. With 4K video capabilities, an overhauled AF system and new sensor, we were more than eager to shoot with it, so when Sony invited us to come out to Miami and field test the company's new a6300 mirrorless camera we jumped at the chance. Read about our experience shooting with the new Sony a6300 CP+ 2016: Full coverage This year's CP+ show was the busiest yet, and we were there, reporting from the show floor. As well as hands-on looks at the latest gear we also published several videos, samples galleries and interviews - with more on the way. Check out our full show coverage. Click here to see our complete show coverage from CP+ 2016 Thanks for reading! Barney Collaborations for Cause 2016 Are you in Seattle this spring? Come down to the Seattle Downtown Public Library, on Friday April 15th and Saturday April 16th 9 AM-4 PM, and join our friends the Blue Earth Alliance for Collaborations for Cause 2016. Innovations in Visual Storytelling for Impact. Harnessing the power of new technology, platforms and distribution channels opens up the potential to reach millions of people. But thriving partnerships are critical. No one can do everything well. Content creators and cause-driven organizations recognize the importance of compelling visual storytelling. Images have impact. They can ignite movements to preserve and protect our world. They may well save us as a species. This year’s Collaborations for Cause theme is “Innovations in Visual Storytelling for Impact.” It’s a rare opportunity for visual storytellers, writers, funders, non-profits, corporations and public agencies to join together as peers: to learn new strategies, tools and ideas to leverage the power of story and affect social change. Click here to learn more about Collaborations for Cause 2016

News updates Samsung announces in-house 12MP dual-pixel sensor Published Wednesday, March 9, 2016 10:19:00 PM GMT Samsung has announced a new smartphone image sensor that offers 12MP resolution, 1.4μm-pixel-size and Dual Pixel technology for fast focusing. Interestingly, those are very similar specifications to that of the Sony IMX260 sensor that has been found to be used in Samsung's new flagship smartphones S7 and S7 edge. Read more Flickr makes Auto-Uploadr tool a Pro-account exclusive Published Wednesday, March 9, 2016 6:51:00 PM GMT Flickr’s desktop Auto-Uploadr, a tool that automatically and privately uploads photos to a user’s account, is now only available to paying 'Pro' customers. Read more Action packed: Shooting the Sony a6300 in Miami Published Wednesday, March 9, 2016 1:00:00 PM GMT Sony invited us to come out to Miami and field test the company's new a6300 mirrorless camera. With 4K video capabilities, an overhauled AF system and new sensor, we were more than eager to put it to the test. Read more Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary real-world sample gallery Published Wednesday, March 9, 2016 12:28:00 AM GMT Among all its releases at CP+ 2016, Sigma's 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is the smallest in size, but its wide aperture should help it pack an image quality punch. We were fortunate enough to have a chance to try out a pre-production model outside Sigma's factory in snowy Aizu, Japan. Click through to see how it did. Read more Canon launches a pair of new large format printers aimed at the professional market Published Tuesday, March 8, 2016 8:28:00 PM GMT Canon has announced two new large format imagePrograf Pro series printers. The Pro-2000 and Pro-4000 both use 12-color Lucia pigment ink systems and produce either 24in or 44in prints. With their black bodies and 'accentuated red line' the printers are designed to link visually with Canon's pro camera bodies and lenses. Read more Samsung NX500 shown as discontinued Published Tuesday, March 8, 2016 8:06:00 PM GMT The Samsung NX500, which launched in the U.S. early last year, is shown as discontinued on B&H Photo, which may indicate that the camera is no longer being manufactured. Read more Great Eight: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 review Published Tuesday, March 8, 2016 4:17:00 PM GMT At first glance, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 looks like just another rangefinder-style mirrorless camera. But flip it around and you quickly notice it's unique tilting electronic viewfinder, one of several features that make this camera stand out from the crowd. We've put the GX8 through some rigorous testing. Read more Ona launches Clifton leather backpack Published Tuesday, March 8, 2016 2:00:00 PM GMT Luxury camera bag manufacturer Ona has launched a new leather backpack that is its first bag to feature a completely removable insert as well as removable dividers. The Clifton is designed to hold a DSLR with a lens attached along with up to six other lenses or accessories, as well as a laptop or tablet of up to 13in. Read more CP+ 2016: DPReview behind-the-scenes Published Monday, March 7, 2016 9:06:00 PM GMT Between all of our hands-on features, video stand reports, Instagraming, press-room snacking and bemused wandering, we shot a lot of extra footage this year at CP+ 2016 in Yokohama. Take a look behind the scenes at some of the lighter moments of CP+ 2016. There really is nothing quite like a hot can of coffee from a vending machine. Read more Profoto launches collapsible OCF Beauty Dish Published Monday, March 7, 2016 8:27:00 PM GMT Profoto has launched the OCF Beauty Dish, a collapsible, lightweight, fabric version of its Softlight Reflector. Unlike the Softlight Reflector, the OCF Beauty Dish can be collapsed and stored in a carrying case when not in use, making it a more attractive option for photographers on the move. Read more UPDATED: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 / TZ100 real-world sample gallery Published Monday, March 7, 2016 6:39:00 PM GMT The Panasonic Lumix ZS100 made its debut in early January, offering a sizable 25-250mm equivalent zoom range to complement its 1"-type sensor. With a built-in viewfinder, it certainly looks to be travel-ready. After some more time with the ZS100 and some springtime Seattle sun, we've added a few more samples to the gallery. Read more UPDATED: Sony a6300 real-world samples Published Monday, March 7, 2016 6:26:00 PM GMT The Sony a6300 has some sizable shoes to step into. With a 24MP CMOS APS-C sensor, 8 fps continuous shooting with live view, 425-point on-sensor phase detect AF system and 4K video capture it looks like a solid update to the a6000, at least on paper. We've been shooting with the a6300 for a few days and we've just added several images to our gallery of real-world samples. Read more Sony announces development of wireless flash control system Published Monday, March 7, 2016 5:00:00 PM GMT To kick off WPPI in Las Vegas, Sony has announced that it's developing a wireless radio flash control system for its range of flashguns. Consisting of the FA-WRC1M radio commander and FA-WRR1 receiver, the system will offer control over 15 flashes in 5 groups up to 30m away. Read more Sony introduces Cyber-shot DSC-HX80 30x travel zoom Published Monday, March 7, 2016 5:00:00 PM GMT Sony is unveiling its third in a series of 30x zoom compacts, the Cyber-shot DSC-HX80. It offers a 24-720mm equivalent lens, built-in pop-up EVF like the HX90V, and uses an 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor with Bionz X processor. Read more 'Details matter': Ian Goode on visual storytelling Published Sunday, March 6, 2016 1:00:00 PM GMT Ian Goode has over 12 years of experience working in advertising, and until recently owned a production company that specialized in photo illustration and compositing. He has a keen eye for the subtle influences that details can have on an image as a whole, and on the story that it tells. In his PIX 2015 talk, he brings his perspective from advertising to the creation of any imagery. Read more What a view: Aukey Super Wide Angle lens quick review Published Saturday, March 5, 2016 1:00:00 PM GMT Aukey is a mobile device accessory maker that has been in the clip-on lens business for quite some time. We've had a chance to try out one of the company's latest models, the 'Super Wide Angle' lens which at 238 degrees offers quite an extreme angle of view. Read more Samsung Galaxy S7 teardown reveals Sony IMX260 Dual-pixel sensor Published Friday, March 4, 2016 7:45:00 PM GMT At the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge the Korean manufacturer did not provide any official information about the makers of the the new devices' camera module. However, now a teardown from Chipworks has confirmed rumors that the S7 captures its images on a Sony IMX260 sensor with 12MP resolution, 1.4um pixel size and dual pixel AF across the entire sensor. Read more Lee introduces 15-stop Super Stopper neutral density filter Published Friday, March 4, 2016 7:04:00 PM GMT Lee Filters has announced a 15 stop neutral density filter, able to convert what would normally be a two-second exposure into one that lasts 17 hours and 4 minutes. The new Super Stopper reduces the amount of light entering the lens to enable especially long shutter speeds in normal daylight conditions. Read more UPDATED: CP+ 2016: shooting the Pentax K-1 in Yokohama Published Friday, March 4, 2016 6:46:00 PM GMT UPDATED: now with larger 2000px samples instead of original VGA size. It may be true that much of the appeal of the Pentax K-1 lies with existing Pentax owners. But are its impressive spec sheet and even more impressive price going to sway owners buying into a new system? At CP+ 2016, we had a chance to use a pre-production K-1 around Yokohama. Find out what we thought. Read more Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 / TZ80 real-world samples and studio comparison Published Friday, March 4, 2016 1:00:00 PM GMT Panasonic's ZS60 puts a lot of enticing features in a very small package. It's an iteration on a tried-and-true travel zoom formula that combines a 24-720mm equiv. lens, 18MP sensor, 3" touchscreen and a built-in electronic viewfinder. We spent some time outside with the ZS60, even managing to catch a few breaks in the late winter clouds, and have some samples to show for it. Read more Corephotonics launches 5x zoom and low noise smartphone camera modules Published Thursday, March 3, 2016 11:02:00 PM GMT Corephotonics, a provider of computational camera solutions based in Israel has launched a new dual-camera module for smartphones called Hawkeye. Hawkeye combines a standard 13MP camera module with a second 13MP module that uses proprietary folded optics. Read more End of an era: Fujifilm to discontinue FP-100C instant film Published Thursday, March 3, 2016 8:19:00 PM GMT Fujifilm Japan has announced that it is to stop production of its FP-100C instant film that enthusiasts use in old Polaroid-type cameras. The film has only been available in the 3.25x4.25in size recently, but it has been keeping vintage cameras clicking since Polaroid stopped production itself. Read more Polaroid-branded BrightSaber Pro wand packs 298 LEDs Published Thursday, March 3, 2016 7:48:00 PM GMT A Polaroid-branded handheld light wand 'BrightSaber' is now available, packing 289 LED lights into a frosted tubular diffuser. The BrightSaber offers a built-in, secondary tungsten filter. Read more Visual appetite: Eric Wolfinger's food photography Published Thursday, March 3, 2016 1:00:00 PM GMT Eric Wolfinger is a traveling food photographer who spent six years cooking and baking professionally before working behind the lens. His first project, 'Tartine Bread,' was nominated for a James Beard Award and is now in its ninth printing. Twelve books later, he's still going strong. In this presentation from PIX 2015 Eric shares his journey from food to photography, and explains what he went through to achieve success. Read more CP+ 2016: Nikon D5 / D500 - key features you need to know about Published Thursday, March 3, 2016 3:33:00 AM GMT Tech Editor Rishi got his hands on the D5 and D500 at CP+ this year, and has been very impressed by initial, informal testing. AF is much improved, as are ergonomics. Join him as he dives deep into the menus to highlight new and improved features, and get an idea of the extensive customization options available. Read more

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