p h o t o s    .    p h o t o g r a p h e r    .    u p c o m i n g    .    n e w s    .    t i p s    .    c o n t a c t

Digital Photography News/Reviews


- Sinar creates adapter to mount DSLRs as digital backs

Sinar has announced the p-slr system that allows DSLR owners use their camera bodies as digital backs with the companys view camera system via an adapter. Currently compatible with Canon and Nikon cameras, the system gives access to a range of medium format and view camera lenses and accessories such as bellows, filters etc. An included Quick Clamping adapter also allows users to easily change the orientation of the camera body from landscape to portrait and vice versa. The p-slr system comes in various combinations of mounting brackets, bellows and the Quick Clamping adapter, and a number of optional accessories. It will be available from next month at a retail price of 1980 Swiss Francs (~ €1440).


- Just posted: Sony DSLR A390 quick review

Just Posted: Our review of the Sony Alpha 390. Sonys latest DSLR is a minor upgrade to the A380, but Sony has made some important ergonomic changes that should make the new model easier to get to grips with (literally). At the core of the A390 is the same 14Mp CCD sensor as the A380 and A350, from which the A390 also inherits its innovative Fast AF Live View mode. Is a new handgrip enough to make the A390 stand out from the crowd? Check out our review and sample gallery to find out...


- Samsung announces ST80 Wi-Fi enabled compact camera

Samsung has introduced the ST80 Wi-Fi enabled digital camera allowing users connect to wireless networks for uploading or emailing images and videos. A simpler version of the companys CL80 and CL65 Wi-Fi cameras, it has a smaller 3.0" touch-screen LCD and more limited un-stabilized 3x zoom lens with no real wide-angle capability (35-114mm equiv.) rather than the existing models 7x and 5x stabilized zooms. Beyond this, it continues to offer 720p HD video recording with H.264 compression. The ST80 will be available from September 2010 at a suggested retail price of $249.99 in charcoal black, white, fuchsia pink and mint blue.


- Panasonic developing worlds first intechangable 3D lens for Micro Four Thirds

Panasonic has announced it is developing a digital 3D interchangeable lens for the Micro Four Thirds system, to be launched by the end of the year. The lens will include two optical paths, projecting left and right image pairs onto the camera sensor. These twin images can later be combined to provide a single 3D image using the companys 3D image processing system and displayed using one of its Viera televisions. The company says it will be the first such lens for a digital system.


- Pentax posts K-7 firmware update

Pentax has posted a firmware update for its K-7 mid-level DSLR. Version 1.10 adds in-camera movie editing options via its playback mode, an electronic level and a Reversal Film mode to the K-7. Additionally, autofocusing in live view can now be activated by half pressing the shutter. The latest firmware is available for immediate download from Pentaxs website.


- Sony Distagon T* 24mm F2 SSM preview and samples

Just posted: The star of the show amongst Sonys trio of newly announced lenses is undoubtedly the Carl Zeiss-branded Distagon T* 24mm F2 SSM. Weve had a pre-production sample on loan from Sony for the past couple of days, and have put together a detailed preview. Weve also shot a small samples gallery, using both full frame and APS-C cameras, to give you an initial flavor of its capabilities.


- Sony unveils 24mm F2, 35mm F1.8 and 85mm F2.8 Alpha lenses

Sony has released three prime lenses for its Alpha SLR system. First up is the eagerly-awaited Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm F2 SSM, which we saw in prototype form at PMA. Designed as a fast wideangle for full frame, it also offers a classic 35mm-equivalent field of view on APS-C. Second we have the DT 35mm F1.8 SAM, a fast normal lens for APS-C. Finally this is joined in Sonys newly-christened Easy Choice range of inexpensive primes by the 85mm F2.8 SAM, a compact portrait telephoto that works on both APS-C and full frame cameras. All of these lenses can also be used on the NEX mirrorless cameras via the LA-EA1 adapter, although in manual focus mode only. The 24mm and 85mm lenses will start shipping from late September at retail prices of €1,250 and €250 respectively, followed by the 35mm which will be available from mid-October at a retail price of €200. With regards to the US price and availability of the three lenses, the company says, “Announcement for US market is not being made at this time, but will be made closer to the products’ market introduction.”


- Novoflex releases Nikon G to Canon EOS mount adapters

Novoflex has announced the EOS/NIK-NT lens adapter for using Nikon F mount lenses without aperture rings on Canon EOS bodies. The -NT version differs from the existing EOS/NIK adapter through the addition of a lever that lets users control the aperture on Nikkor G-series lenses. The adapter provides a mechanical connection between the lens and the body but retains automatic metering for aperture priority mode and allow focusing to infinity. According to the the companys US distributer, HP Marketing it is available at retail price of $292.99.


- Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm 1:4G ED VR lens review

Just posted! Our lens review starring the worlds first optically-stabilized ultra-wide zoom: the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm 1:4G ED VR. Conceived as a relatively inexpensive alternative to the highly-regarded AF-S 14-24mm 1:2.8G, this lens features Nikons latest VR II stabilization unit in a high quality magnesium alloy body. Weve put it through our usual battery of tests to see how it performs.


- Just Posted: our review of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3

Just posted: our review of Adobe Lightroom 3. Its been more than three years since Adobe introduced the first version of Lightroom - its raw processing and workflow tool aimed specifically at photographers. In June 2010 the company released the third version which represented the biggest update the software has yet seen, including the incorporation of an entirely new raw processing engine. Weve been using the latest version extensively and have prepared a eight-page review assessing its usefulness as a tool for photographers. Weve also looked at its relationship with the rest of the Photoshop family and, most importantly, how its output compares to that of its rivals.


- Canon posts firmware update for EOS 7D digital SLR

Canon has posted a firmware update for its EOS 7D digital SLR. Firmware v1.2.2 fixes AF point selection and display bugs occuring under specific shooting conditions, and also addresses an error in movie mode. It also corrects misspellings in the Spanish and Thai language menus. The firmware is available for immediate download from Canons website.


- Samsung releases ST600 and ST100 DualView cameras

Samsung has launched 14.2MP versions of its dual LCD compact cameras in the shape of the ST600 and ST100. Both feature larger 3.5" rear LCDs and slightly bigger 1.8" front LCDs compared their DualView predecessors (known as 2View in Europe). The ST600 comes with a 5x image stabilized zoom starting at a useful 27mm equivalent, while the ST100 comes with a 35-175mm equiv. lens. The ST100 is a departure for the DualView series, being a card-style camera built around a periscope lens. Both cameras are designed around touch-screen interfaces. The ST600 and ST100 will be available from September at a retail price of $329.99 and $349.99 respectively.


- Samsung launches PL200 budget compact camera

Samsung has launched the PL200 budget compact camera. The 14.1MP camera features a 3.0 inch LCD and comes with 7x image-stabilized zoom lens (31-217mm equiv.) and records 720p HD videos using H.264 compression. The camera will be available from September at a retail price of $179.99.


- Just Posted: Panasonic DMC-LX5 sample gallery

Just posted: full sized images from the Panasonic DMC-LX5. We had the chance to shoot with the newly-announced LX5 and have prepared a 24 shot gallery of images. We intentionally shot at a variety of apertures, ISOs, focal lengths and aspect ratios to give a flavor of what the camera can do. The images were taken with a pre-production camera, so may not be representative of final, production image quality.


- Panasonic officially announces DMC-LX5 premium compact

Panasonic has officially unveiled the DMC-LX5, successor to the popular LX3. The latest model features a revised sensor, longer zoom range and improved control layout without fundamentally changing the existing models formula. It offers a more flexible 24-90mm equivalent lens with a bright F2.0-3.3 maximum aperture range and a comparatively large 10MP sensor in a small body. The body itself is barely changed compared to the LX3 - gaining an improved hand grip, clickable control dial, direct movie record button and a 1:1 position on the aspect ratio slider. Most significantly it gains a connector to add the DMW-LVF1 electronic viewfinder originally launched with the GF1. Other than this, the LX5 gains the AVCHD Lite format for its 720p video, and its image stabilization is branded with the companys latest Power O.I.S designation. It will be available from the end of August for a suggested retail price of $499.95. Weve had a chance to use an LX5 for a bit, so have prepared some notes on our first impressions.


Reviews/news conducted by dpreview.com