About a week prior to Monday’s running of the Boston Marathon, and a year after the bombing at the 2013 marathon, photographer Gregory Heisler addressed a crowd of thousands gathered at the finish line. The group included runners, first responders and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, all ready to pose for Sports Illustrated's 'Boston Strong' cover photo. Directing the crowd through a megaphone and standing on a raised platform, Heisler captured a portrait of 3,000 proud, resilient Bostonians. Take a peek behind the scenes of this large scale photo shoot. Learn more

When Lensbaby launched the  Kickstarter project for its 'Sweet Spot' selective focus lens at the beginning of April it was initially iPhone only. Now the company has added a pledge level for Android users, too. For $50 you can pre-order the Sweet Spot lens and the Android application for your device. Delivery is expected in October. Learn more

The Sony a6000 features a 24MP APS-C sensor that includes phase detection AF points across 92% of the frame and 11 fps continuous shooting with subject-tracking. It's the first E-mount camera of its style not to be branded 'NEX'. As we work toward a full review, read our shooting experience report and check out our real-world samples gallery to find out if the a6000 is more than a refreshed NEX-6 by another name. Learn more and see gallery

OnePlus is a new smartphone maker based in China founded by a former Oppo executive. Today the company has released its first high-end smartphone, which is simply called the One. With its 2.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC, 5.5-inch 1080p screen, 3GB of RAM and a 13MP camera, the One's specifications are on a similar level as other flagship devices released this year. Learn more

We've been following SmugMug Films' ongoing behind-the-lens series and have found the clips to be an interesting look at people who follow their passions in photography. The latest installment features Joel Grimes. He's been a commercial advertising photographer for more than 30 years and is most known for his composite portraits. Grimes considers himself more than a photographer - an artist and illusionist, creating images that are larger than life. See video and read Q&A

These days shots from a flying drone are a dime a dozen - when engagement shoots are being covered from a hovering photographic robot you know that the technology is ubiquitous. It's getting increasingly hard to impress someone with images or video from drones. So it's lucky that privately-owned SpaceX happens to own its own rockets because it gives them the ability to capture stunning video, like this launch and landing test of its Falcon 9 Reusable rocket. See video

You don’t have to be a New Yorker to appreciate the 900,000 plus images available online through the NYC Department of Records archives. Some are photographs of well-known icons like the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, while others are Wee Gee-esque in their grit or as mundane as photos documenting local school buildings. Many of the images date back to the late 1800s. Learn more

The Coolpix P340 is Nikon's latest pocket enthusiast camera, featuring a large 1/1.7", 12.2-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, full manual controls (P, S, A, M) and Raw image capture. The P340 has a versatile 5x (24-120mm equivalent) wide-angle to telephoto zoom range plus 10x Dynamic Fine Zoom and a fast F1.8 maximum aperture lens with Lens Shift VR image stabilization. We've spent a few days shooting with it to see if these specs add up to impressive performance. See gallery

Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Nokia's Devices and Services division, and in March both companies confirmed the $7.2 billion deal would be closed by the end of April. Now Windows Mobile Power User got hold of a leaked letter which Nokia supposedly had sent out to its suppliers in Finland. In the letter it says that the name of Nokia Oyj will change to Microsoft Mobile Oy. Learn more

Lytro has unveiled the Illum light field camera, its first new hardware since the original Lytro launched more than two years ago. Like its predecessor, the Illum captures information about the angle from which light has arrived, allowing it to calculate images with different perspective and focus. The biggest change is the use of a much larger sensor: now a 1" type, rather than 1/3" type usually found in smartphones. Learn more

Before the launch of Lytro's new Illum camera, we spoke with Lytro CEO Jason Rosenthal and Founder and Executive Chairman Ren Ng about the the new product, to find out what's been added and improved over the original Light Field Camera. Learn more

Blurb, an online self-publishing platform for photo books, is announcing a new program that will allow books created with its online tools to be sold on Amazon. Once a book is created through Blurb, authors may choose to create an ISBN, name a price and list the book for sale with the online retailer. Blurb charges a base price per book to cover printing, and Amazon charges a fee based on list price. Profit left over is paid to the author via Paypal. Learn more

Nikon's introduction of the D3300 at this year's CES didn't shake up the industry, but it was still a noteworthy launch. The entry-level 3000 series have been popular with consumers looking to making a first step into more advanced photography, and the 24 megapixel D3300 is the latest generation in that popular line. With 1080/60p HD video capture, 5 fps burst shooting and 700-shot battery life it provides a beginner with some useful tools to experiment with. Is it a clear winner in the entry-level class? Read our full review

Ever wanted to shoot with the incredible image quality of large-format 4"x5" film? Well now you can without lugging around a massive view camera. Wanderlust’s Travelwide 4x5 camera is small enough to go wherever you go. At 6.3 x 3.9 x 5 inches and 9.7 ounces it’s relatively compact and definitely lightweight. Constructed of glass-filled ABS plastic, the point-and-shoot camera features a focusing screen, focusing marks on the barrel, and a trio of cold shoe accessory mounts. Learn more

Photographer, producer and Senior Photo Editor at National Geographic, Pamela Chen first picked up a camera at around 9 months old. Although she was pointing the camera the wrong way, as children often do, the photo that Chen shares with us in this video is a sweet remembrance. During the video, which is sponsored by Microsoft OneDrive, Chen tells the story of how capturing one blurry photograph when she was a college student changed the course of her life. See video

'Paris in the Springtime' is a new photography exhibition at the Beetles+Huxley gallery in London featuring notable photographers such as André Kertész, Robert Doisneau, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Willy Ronis and Elliott Erwitt. These classic black and white images are some of the scenes that have defined Paris' romantic street life cliché found in modern pop culture. The collection of mid-twentieth century photos are on display from April 7 - May 3. See gallery

Engagement photo sessions are not only an additional source of income for photographers but, as New York City-based wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer explains, these shoots provide the perfect opportunity to establish a relationship with the couple and learn how to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera before the big day. See video

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.

Toshiba has announced the industry's first microSD memory cards to comply with the UHS-II standard. Also being UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) enabled will allow the new cards, available in 64GB and 32GB capacities, to capture 4K video at constant minimum write speeds of 30MB/s. The 64GB cards offer a maximum read speed of 260MB/s and a maximum write speed of 240MB/s. The 32GB cards have a maximum read speed of 145MB/s and maximum write speed of 130MB/s. Learn more

The Olympus Stylus SH-1 brings the manufacturer's well-regarded 5-axis image stabilization to a fixed lens compact for the first time. The SH-1 looks the part too with its Pen-inspired styling, and offers a substantial 25-600mm equivalent zoom. Who could resist taking it for a spin? That's exactly what we did, and we've come back with a gallery of real-world samples to prove it. See photos

Pixels.com is a new image licensing marketplace that aims to give photographers more control than competing services. Users can set their own prices for images and manage the type of licenses they want to offer. There is even an option to create custom licenses with your own terms and conditions. Learn more

National Geometric is a social enterprise that brings a personal touch to charitable giving. Through the sales of single-edition, 10x15 prints of a person with a specific need, National Geometric helps provide food, water, medical care, tuition for school, and other basic necessities. The cost of each photograph reflects the amount needed to help the person in the photograph. Learn more

So far Google's in-house camera app has only been available on Nexus devices but now a new version of the app is available to anyone in the Google Play Store. The app only works on devices running Android Kitkat 4.4 but Google is planning to make it work on older versions too. It comes with a minimalist design and a brand new feature called Lens Blur to simulate shallow depth-of-field. Learn more

What was the first digital camera in space? It turns out in 1991 NASA sent a modified Nikon F3 with small Kodak CCD sensor and external processing unit on a shuttle mission. Called the Hawkeye II, this system used a RS-232 serial port to connect to its external gear. Kodak would use this platform as the basis for the DCS system, the first commercially available digital camera. Learn more

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM 'Art' is a fast normal prime for full frame cameras, with an unusually complex optical design. Its premium price tag of $950 / £850 makes it substantially more expensive than either its predecessor, or Canon and Nikon's 50mm F1.4 lenses. However Sigma's recent high-end offerings such as the 35mm F1.4 DG HSM and 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM have been truly excellent, so how does the new 50mm measure up? See the lens test data and our analysis

The 50mm F1.4 DG HSM is Sigma's latest fast normal prime for full-frame cameras, and one of the most hotly-anticipated lenses of the year. But how does it perform in real-world use?  We've been using the lens for a couple of days, and put together a gallery of samples. We've concentrated on large-aperture shots to show sharpness and bokeh, but have also included several taken at smaller apertures. See photos

The maker of popular Wi-Fi SD cards has launched Eyefi Cloud, a private photo-centric cloud service that makes photos instantly available on a smartphone, tablet, PC or smart TV. Once users send images from their camera to mobile device using the Eyefi Mobi SD memory card and updated iOS and Android Eyefi apps, images can now be transferred to Eyefi Cloud for viewing on any browser-enabled device. Learn more

Nikon's latest in a series of behind the scenes videos features photographer Joe McNally. An off-camera lighting wizard, McNally shares some useful tips from three different flash scenarios. No diffusion panel? No worries, McNally explains you can get the same results by placing a bed sheet between the flash and the subject. And as natural light began flowing through his studio, like any good photographer, McNally moved his model to make some pictures — without flash, this time. See video

Getty Images has announced a call for entries for its Getty Grants, a series of photographic grants for editorial and portrait photographers totaling $130,000 (~£77,737). To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its grant program, Getty Images is offering six prizes for editorial photography, three creative grants for non-profits and individual photographers, and one for portrait photographers. Learn more

Canon's PowerShot G1 X Mark II is an intriguing update. It keeps the 1.5"-type sensor from its predecessor, but adds a faster processor, longer and brighter lens, tilting LCD, dual control rings and has Wi-Fi with NFC. The big change for 2014 is no more optical viewfinder. Our first impressions review covers the usual aspects of the camera (Controls, Body and Design, etc.), but also has our Shooting Experience report where we talk about it handles in the real-world. Learn more

Fujifilm has formally announced the TCL-X100, a 1.4x teleconverter for the X100 and X100S that was first shown at CP+ back in February. The converter brings the focal length up to 33mm (50mm equiv.) and features an HT-EBC coating to reduce flare. Owners of the X100 and X100S will need to update their firmware in order to take advantage of the TCL-X100. The teleconverter will be available this May in your choice of black or silver for $349.99.

Fujifilm UK has announced a host of accessories for its X-T1 mirrorless cameras. These include two extra accessory grips for the X-T1, which build on the features offered by the MHG-style grips already available for the X-series cameras. The MHG-XT Small and Large offer a choice grip sizes and include integrated Arca-Swiss compatible flanges, as well as full-time access to the battery port. Other accessories include a deeper viewfinder eye-cup and a handgrip-style strap that's compatible across the X-mount range. Pricing and availability dates have not yet been announced.

If you are the kind of person who gets uncomfortable at the thought of somebody recording you on Google Glass, the search company's latest patent application will probably make you feel even more uneasy. In January Google announced its smart contact lens project and now has filed a patent application for a micro camera module to go with the smart lenses. Learn more

Sony has released a firmware update for its QX10 and QX100 camera modules that bring a couple of improvements. The shutter button can now be used to pre-focus with a half-press which allows you to focus and recompose with the QX modules just like you would do with any digital camera. Learn more

We all know the situation just too well. You're out shooting with your DSLR or mirrorless camera when you decide to swap lenses and have no idea where you've put the lens cap for the lens that's mounted on your camera body. Usually it's in the very last place you look for it. In the worst case scenario you never find it at all. Two Canadian designers have a solution to this problem. Learn more

Most manufacturers of Android devices have designed smaller versions of their flagship smartphones to cater to those user who prefer more pocketable devices. In this shootout we pit three of those models against each other: the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, HTC One Mini and Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. Learn more

Two New York Times photographers are honored with Pulitzer Prizes in photojournalism this year. Tyler Hicks takes the award for Breaking News Photography for his work documenting a terrorist attack at a mall in Kenya, and Josh Haner's photos of a Boston Marathon bombing survivor take the top award in Feature Photography. Five finalists also receive recognition for their contributions to photojournalism in 2014. Read more

It's hard to resist the opportunity to play with a new medium format DSLR, so we quickly took up Ricoh's offer to try out its 645Z. While it may look intimidating, the 645Z is surprisingly accessible, with an experience that feels strangely familiar to those who have handled Pentax cameras like the K-3. It's also a bargain by medium format standards, and not a huge step up from full-frame. Learn more about the 645Z.

Ricoh has launched the Pentax 645Z, a medium-format camera with a 51.4 megapixel CMOS sensor. Boasting an articulated 3.2-inch LCD, top ISO of 204,800, 3 fps continuous shooting, and 1080/60i video, the 645Z is cold-resistant, dustproof and weather-resistant with 76 weather-seals. It's also compatible with the Pentax FluCard, offering wireless remote control and image sharing from the camera to a smartphone, tablet or computer.

In 2001 Microsoft released the Windows XP operating system and with it an iconic desktop photograph. Referred to as 'Bliss', the lush landscape of rolling grass hills and a crystal-blue sky has, to Microsoft's estimation, been seen by at least a billion people. To celebrate the retiring of the XP operating system, Microsoft tracked down the original photographer and talked to him about the shot. Learn more

The Fujifilm X-T1 is surely one of the most desirable cameras of the year so far, with its SLR-like styling, huge electronic viewfinder, and wealth of external controls on its compact, weathersealed body. It also promises class-leading autofocus performance, including the ability to track focus on moving subjects -  something that's traditionally eluded this type of camera. But is this enthusiast-oriented mirrorless model really a match for a traditional SLR? Read our in-depth review to find out.

Ten years ago, James and Karla Murray set out photographing New York City's distinct and varied storefronts. The project was known as Storefront: The Disappearing Face of New York. With ten years passed they revisited the same locations and photographed them again, where over and over one-of-a-kind signage has, in fact, disappeared. Banks and fast food restaurants have sprung up in some places, while others decay behind bars and graffiti. See gallery

The World Photography Organization has announced that American photographer Mary Ellen Mark is the recipient of the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Photography. She has published eighteen books, with her nineteenth available this spring. Mark is known for becoming deeply ingrained in the lives of her subjects, providing a unique view of their lives without making those on the edges of society look inhuman. Learn more

Photographers and astronomy fans in North America are gearing up for a rare meteorological event the night of April 14-15. According to Sky and Telescope magazine, on April 15th, the lunar eclipse will begin around 1:20am ET. While astronomers race to observatories, many photographers will take to the outdoors to capture this unique event. Here are a few tips for those looking to capture a good image of the moon. Learn more

On average, Americans send about half of their waste to landfills. Focused on spreading awareness about this issue, The Glad Products Company sponsored award-winning photojournalist Peter Menzel and writer Faith D’Aluisio's project called 'Waste in Focus.' The photo series looks at what eight families around the U.S. are recycling, composting and sending to landfill. See gallery

The Samsung NX30's launch got rather drowned-out by the other launches around CES. We've been shooting with it over the past few weeks and have written about our experiences. The NX series boasts a strong range of lenses, one of the more advanced Wi-Fi systems and the innovative i-Function system. What impact do these have on how we used the camera? Learn more 

Lensbaby, maker of popular selective focus lenses, has announced a 5.8mm F3.5 circular fisheye lens for Canon and Nikon mounts. With a 185° angle of view, the lens produces a full-circle fisheye image when used with APS-C-sized sensor cameras. The lens also allows you to focus as close as 1/4-inch. Lensbaby is taking pre-orders now. The circular fisheye will sell for $299.95. Learn more

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.

Tamron has announced pricing and availability for its 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro 18.8x superzoom for APS-C SLRs. The lens, which was announced in February, will go on sale in mid-May at a street price of $629. The 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro will offer an unusually wide angle view for its class (24-450mm equivalent), while also allowing close-up shooting with 0.34x magnification. It has an ultrasonic-type autofocus motor, splashproof construction and optical image stabilization. Learn more

Earlier this week Sony got a lot of attention with its Alpha 7S announcement - a 12MP full-frame mirrorless camera with 4k video capabilities and ISO expandable to 409,600 for stills and video. This sounds impressive, but how does it actually perform? See for yourself as Sony just released a video demonstrating the high ISO performance of the Alpha 7S. Watch video