Pentax has released updated versions of three of its prime lenses, adding improved coatings and a more rounded aperture diaphragm for smoother bokeh. The updated 31mm F1.8, 43mm F1.9 and 77mm F1.8 'Limited' lenses will be available in April.
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January 2021
February 2021 news and reviews
February 24
NASA's Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016. A recent image captured by the spacecraft and processed by a citizen scientist gives us a beautiful look at the gas giant.
Last year, Isaac Lowe-Anker, younger brother of photographer Max Lowe graduated from college, but like a whole generation of students in 2020, his graduation was virtual. In this video, Max takes his brother on a celebratory road trip across the Olympic Peninsula.
The GN2 builds upon the foundation Samsung's GN1 sensor offers with new and improved features and capabilities thanks to its Dual Pixel Pro and Smart ISO Pro technologies.
The Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN is small, but how does it perform optically? Chris has the answers. Meanwhile, Jordan begins his stint filming episodes with the Pentax K-01. Let the fun begin.
The Sigma 28-70mm DG DN F2.8 is a compact standard zoom for full-frame L- and E-mount bodies. We've been shooting with the lens on the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R so you can get a first look at its image quality.
Sigma has introduced its 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens for L- and E- mount bodies. This small and light lens has numerous special glass elements, plus weather-sealing, and will be available in March for $899.
February 23
After landing on Mars on February 18, Perseverance has been busy. In addition to its first images, Perseverance has captured a 360° view of Mars using its pair of onboard 20MP Navcams.
Rode has released a new Wireless Go II kit, which comes with three units: a dual channel receiver and two transmitters. The updated kit features improved connectivity, onboard audio recording storage and more.
The Sony FX3 is a 'compact cinematography' camera built around a 12MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor. It shares a lot in common with the a7S III, so what does it do to earn its place in Sony's 'Cinema Line?'
Sony has formally announced the much-leaked FX3 full-frame video camera. The FX3 marks the entry point to the Cinema Line of video cameras, and wears Alpha branding, setting it between the FX6 and the a7S III.
Following the launch of Sony's new Alpha 1 full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, we sat down (virtually) with Masaaki Oshima, Deputy Senior Manager of Sony's Camera division. Click through to read our in-depth interview.
February 22
An email sent by Sony Nordic to newsletter subscribers appears to have let the preverbal cat out of the bag — the a7S III will get Sony’s S-Cinetone color profile in a version 2.00 update.
Huawei's Mate X2 is the Chinese company's latest foldable phone. It incorporates a Leica-branded four camera array, complete with a macro and telephoto camera.
Laowa has expended the mirrorless camera mount options for two of its most popular manual primes: the Laowa 11mm F4.5 FF RL and the Laowa 65mm F2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO.
Professional wildlife photographer and Olympus Visionary Scott Bourne is one of the best-known names in bird photography. In this interview, he explains his background, and what he thinks of the new M.Zuiko 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO lens
As we press on with our full review, we've had a chance to shoot more with the Sony a1 and also process some of our Raw images to get an idea of just how much dynamic range it's capable of.
February 21
Hasselblad has launched a new video series, 'Hasselblad's Home,' offering a behind-the-scenes look at Hasselblad's headquarters and its products. The first episode focuses on the design philosophy of the X System.
Our intrepid DPRTV team up in Canada has been braving the freezing conditions to bring us a gallery of images from the new Panasonic S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro OIS. Click through to see how they got on.
February 19
The Perseverance rover has successfully landed on Mars. The rover is in Jezero Crater, where it will spend its life exploring and analyzing the surface of Mars. The rover quickly sent back its first images.
A new version of Avalanche helps convert image catalogs from Aperture and Lightroom so they can be used with Luminar AI.
The Lumix S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro OIS is a tele-zoom lens designed for Panasonic's full-frame mirrorless cameras. We've been using one for a few days - click through to learn more.
1854 Media and the British Journal of Photography recently announced 30 images, along with three bodies of work, as winners for the 2021 Portraits of Humanity competition.
Hamish Gill of 35MMC compares and contrasts the user experience of two medium format titans: the Mamiya 7 and the Plaubel Makina 67. But which does he prefer? Click through to find out.
February 18
Pixel users have been reporting over the past year that their Pixel devices' cameras are failing at an unusually high rate.
Firmware version 1.10 for both the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II is set to be released on February 25.
Leica has announced the APO-Summicron-SL 28mm F2 ASPH lens for full-frame L-mount mirrorless bodies. It features six aspherical elements, a newly designed manual focus ring and weather-sealing.
Chris made it out of quarantine in time to review the new Panasonic 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 lens for L-mount. The temperature may be -20ºC, but in Calgary that's almost shirtsleeve weather.
Right about the time we got our hands on the new Panasonic S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro OIS zoom lens, Seattle got hit with a rare winter snow storm that provided a great backdrop for our pre-production sample gallery.
Panasonic has announced the Lumix S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro OIS for L-mount bodies. It offers 5.5 stops of shake reduction, a minimum focus distance of 54cm (21") and 1:2 macro capability.
Ricoh has published a development update for its forthcoming Pentax K-3 Mark III APS-C DSLR, citing supply chain issues as the reason for the delay.
February 17
The Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is an EF-mount Super 35mm camera that takes features from Blackmagic Design URSA lineup and brings it to the familiar, compact form factor.
Nikon doesn't specify what kind of products we might see this sensor inside, but due to its square format, it's more likely destined for industrial applications than consumer cameras.
Being cooped up inside doesn't mean you have to take a break from photography. If you've got negatives from way back when, what's the best software around to scan them? Check out our in-depth comparison to find out.
A new page on Sony Japan's website is teasing the release of a compact Cinema Line camera set to be released at 11:00am JST on February 24.
February 16
OmniVision’s new 50MP OV50A smartphone image sensor uses ‘Quad Pixel’ phase detection autofocus, which OmniVision claims offers ‘DSLR-like’ performance for both stills and video.
Fox Sports hired Beverly Hills Aerials to provide FPV and cinema drones to help cover the annual Daytona 500 auto race.
Have you ever wondered how a film motion picture camera works? The Slow Mo Guys YouTube channel is here to show us using an incredible 1000 fps 4K camera.
In this video, the team at Via Films takes the DJI RS 2 along on a shoot in Portland Oregon, creating commercial content for Seattle-based gear company SOG.
February 15
Commercial film director Nate Townsend experienced an immense personal loss last year when his father, Tom, passed away. Nate dealt with his grief through creation and made a short film for Leica exploring loss, legacy, and passing craft between generations.
The first is the Voigtlander Ultron Vintage Line 35mm F2 Aspherical Type II VM for Leica M mount camera systems and the other is the Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 35mm F2 Aspherical VM lens for Leica M and Sony E mount camera systems.
The kit isn't set to hit shelves until November, but you can already get a peek at the green-adorned GR III, which Ricoh says is the first product for its 'GRowING project.'
The 50MP sensor in the Alpha 1 is all-new, and represents the latest technology that Sony is capable of. We're moving full-steam ahead with our full review, and put it in front of our studio test scene. Check out how it compares.
Fujifilm's new XF 27mm F2.8 R WR is so nice, we decided to keep shooting with it and fill out our gallery with more samples. It's sharp, small and light-weight, making it the perfect lens for walking around; we especially enjoyed it paired with the X-Pro3.
February 14
The LA-FE1 makes it possible to use Sony’s latest AF technology, including Eye-AF, with Sony AF-I, AF-P and AF-S lenses.
Raw video is an increasingly common feature, but don't expect it to be easy to exploit its full potential, or for there to be as much to gain as the switch to Raw gives for stills.
February 13
The Sony a7 III and Fujifilm X-T4 aren't cameras we would normally compare head-to-head. Yet, they're two of the most popular enthusiast models available today. Watch Chris and Jordan duke it out over which one is best.
February 12
The video, uploaded by YouTuber Tech Buff PH, has since been made private, but in it, we get a glimpse at what appears to be an unreleased Xiaomi Mi 11 'Ultra' smartphone with a large, unique camera bump.
On regular neighborhood walks with his daughter, photographer and camera-maker Brendan has been amassing an impressive collection of wildflowers. Now, he's making near-life-size prints of them using a camera obscura and his color reversal process.
The Natural History Museum selected one winner and four finalists for the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year's People's Choice Awards.
The Voigtlander Bessaflex TM truly could've been the go-to body for folks looking to put their dusty manual focus lenses to good use, no matter what their mount. Unfortunately, it showed up to the camera party a bit too early.
February 11
Canon has announced a new computer-vision artificial intelligence system, and it underpins a brand-new iOS app, Photo Culling. Canon's new app helps you organize the photos on your smartphone by grading them and recommending images for deletion.
As far as what's inside the FX3 camera shown off in the images, little is known, but the two leaked photos give us a good look at what its form factor will be.
The Sony Alpha 1 is Sony's flagship mirrorless camera for, well, just about anything. With a 50MP sensor, it gives you tons of resolution, but it also lets you fire off burst images at 30 fps for fast action sports. Add in 8K video capture and you have a really impressive package.
Canadian developer Jacob Jackson has put his experience working with AI to interesting use with his new Same Energy search engine. Same Energy is developed to show you visually similar images with its results.
It's been almost three years since we launched DPReview TV. Relive some of our favorite episodes and support our subscriber challenge: help us reach 300,000 subscribers by Valentine's Day and give Jordan a special challenge of his own.
February 10
It's come to light that a Kickstarter campaign we shared back in November 2020 is very likely a scam. As such, we've gathered information, shared the rationale behind our decision to cover the project and more.
The 2021 National Award winners for Sony's World Photography Awards were recently announced.
Venus Optics has brought two of its existing ultra-wide-angle lenses and two macro lenses to L mount camera systems.
Wait... you're reviewing a what? Chris and Jordan work in some pretty frigid conditions, so they've been using the G-Tech battery-powered hand warmer. Find out why they think it's a useful accessory for cold weather photographers.
February 9
Sony Japan has posted a notice to its website informing consumers it's pushed back the planned February 12 release date of its FE 35mm F1.4 GM lens.
In addition to general stability and performance improvements, firmware version 2.00 for the ZV-1
Photographer Kevin Raposo wanted to see if the 108MP Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra could best a professional DSLR camera. He pitted the Galaxy against the Canon 1DX II, which has a 20.2MP sensor. Can you tell the images apart?
Join filmmaker Jordan Meyers as he uses the DJI Mini 2’s advanced camera and intelligent flight modes to capture stunning drone footage in the cold and wintery Cascade Mountains.
The Fujifilm GF 45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR is a medium zoom for the GFX system of medium-format digital cameras. It's equivalent focal length of roughly 36-80mm may not be all that familiar these days, but it makes for a nice walk-around lens for landscapes and portraits alike.
A Micro Four Thirds camera that uses the same AI photo trickery as smartphones to improve the way pictures look promises open-source access for custom applications and live streaming video direct through your phone
February 8
Last Friday, a pair of real estate photographers captured images near a park in San Francisco. After leaving, a vehicle pulled up behind them in traffic, smashed the back window, and made off with a bag of equipment worth $7,000.
The Society has literally photographed every page of its Journal magazine between 1853 and 2018, and made it all free to read online in a massive treasure trove of photographic history
Reveni Labs has launched a new Kickstarter campaign for its compact, lightweight Spot Meter. The project, which has been already met its funding goal, aims to offer film photographers an easy-to-use, small light meter at a reasonable price.
Nikon's 2021 fiscal year might look grim on paper, but it seems the company is taking the steps required to stay sustainable in a shrinking market.
We've topped off our Fujifilm X-E4 pre-production sample gallery with a wide variety of additional images showcasing an array of 'Film Simulations,' for your viewing pleasure. Have a look!
The Tamron 17-70 F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is a compact general-purpose lens for Sony's APS-C, E-mount mirrorless cameras. So how does it perform? Read our review to find out.
February 7
A lot has changed since Jake Hicks' excellent tutorial was written. Polaroid is now manufacturing instant film, again, and here's how you can make a negative from a print.
Robotics company MRMC has seen demand for its remote camera pods explode in the past 12 months, including at the recent presidential inauguration in the US. We sat down (remotely, of course) with representatives from MRMC and Nikon recently to learn more about the setup.
Our team at DPReview TV just finished their review of the new Sony a1. Here's a gallery of images they shot while testing the camera, straight from the frozen northlands.
February 6
Just for fun, we dusted off an old Nikon Micro-Nikkor 55mm F2.8 AI-S lens and slapped it on a Nikon Z7 and Z7 II to see what it's simple optical formula can do on a thoroughly modern full-frame camera.
With Chris still in quarantine, Jordan becomes a one man camera reviewing machine. He takes us through the Sony a1 from top to bottom, then tells us what he thinks. (Spoiler: he's impressed.)
February 5
Utah's Senator Mike Lee reintroduced his previously-defeated Drone Federalism Bill on February 4th. If passed, it could hit hobbyist and commercial drone operators, financially.
Affinity Photo has long been a strong competitor to Adobe Photoshop. With its new version 1.9 update, Affinity Photo is an even stronger photo editing application. Available for macOS, Windows and iPad, Affinity Photo 1.9 adds many new features and promises improved performance.
The fully-manual lens is set for a February 12th release for Canon EOS-M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds and Sony E mount camera systems.
One of the greatest joys of experimenting with color print film is discovering the wide variety of options out there, each rendering color/grain/contrast differently than the next. Want to know more? We've got you covered in our complete beginner's guide.
February 4
The Dutch Card House Company launches a set of neat playing cards with a fun photography theme.
It's taken Canon 34 years to produce more than 150,000,000 EF and RF interchangeable lenses for its various film and digital EOS series camera systems.
Fabian Oefner has combined science and art throughout his photographic career. His latest project is inspired by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and consists of a Leica M6 that Oefner cut into pieces using a bandsaw.
Seán Doran has been prolific with his incredible videos of space and astronomical objects. He has denoised, graded, repaired, and retimed archival footage from JAXA's Kaguya orbiter for his latest work.
We've only just gotten our hands on the new Sony Alpha 1, but we've already been taking advantage of some rare sunny Seattle winter days to get out and about with it. From the barnyard (animal eye AF!) to the Puget Sound, here's a first look at what this top-tier camera can do.
Sony's FE 35mm F1.4 GM is an impressively sharp and long-awaited pro-level 35mm optic for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras. It's well-built and is pretty compact, but it's still not quite perfect. Find out all the details in our field review.
February 3
According to a report from Nikkei Shimbun, Nikon will cease operations at its Nagai and Aizu plants at the end of March, leaving just a single factory for domestic interchangeable lens production.
ON1 has announced that its Professional Plugins are now supported in Capture One. This includes ON1 Effects 2021, ON1 Portrait AI 2021, ON1 Resize 2021 and ON1 HDR 2021. Plugins are available individually and as a bundle that includes all four plugins.
Pro tip: If you're planning to Photoshop yourself atop Mount Everest, be sure the composite is good enough to escape scrutiny, otherwise you could end up with a ten-year ban from actually visiting the mountain.
The Sony a7S III is a 12MP full-frame camera primarily designed with video in mind. We take a look beyond the specs to see what it offers to filmmakers.
The lens is Leica M-mount native, but also works with Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony E mount camera systems when used with Lomography’s ‘close-up lens base,’ which is effectively an M-mount to RF/Z/E mount adapter.
February 2
Yongnuo's lighting products have long proven popular for striking a balance between performance and value. The company has announced a revised version of its YN685 speedlight for Canon and Nikon, the YN685 II.
Smartphone cameras could learn what we do and don't like, and then tailor their output to suit the individual user, according to Samsung's VP of Visual R&D
The Sony Alpha 1's sensor is so fast that it got Jordan thinking... Could the new a1 use computational photography like a smartphone to create even better photos?
Really Nice Images has built All Films 5 for Capture One from the ground up. The product offers more than 180 film styles for use as ICC profiles in Capture One. RNI generates the profiles using real film stocks and advanced color science.
The new a1 is absolutely chock-full of the latest and greatest tech that Sony has to offer. Come take our tour of how this high-speed, high-megapixel machine operates and handles.
The annual Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) competition recently announced its winners and runners-up for 2020.
February 1
CIPA’s 2020 full-year data shows just how brutal the COVID-19 pandemic was for the photography industry.
Canon is bringing one of its recent concept cameras into reality. The PowerShot PICK is an AI-powered camera capable of automatically tracking and photographing subjects thanks to its 360º pan/tilt design.
Alongside the announcement of the new GFX 100S and X-E4 cameras, Fujifilm released a trio of lenses. Click through to learn more about the new GF 80mm F1.7 and XF 70-300 F4-5.6, and the updated XF 27mm F2.8.
After publishing a slideshow of the Monochrome Photography Awards winners, it was brought to our attention that a jury may have not decided the outcome. Here are our findings.
We've been putting the new Nikon Z7 II through its paces in our studio - check out our results to see how it performs!
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| Mid winter by Kaappo from Winter Landscape (horizontal orientation) | shoes by NEX51855 from Shoes | Nectar, nectar everywhere. by MikeKN from Amateur Photographer - Macro Challenge | Desolation by stemcell from Urban Exploration - Urban Decay | That's the last we'll see of him... by pocoloco from What passes for normal [New Shot] | Mother and Child by Kukla from SILHOUETTES, CONTOURS |
