The power button and volume rocker are typically the only physical controls you’ll find on a smartphone as almost all functions are accessed via soft-buttons on the touchscreen these days. The Pressy button is a new accessory that adds an additional programmable hard button to your Android device. It slots into your smartphone’s headphone socket and once inserted is hardly visible. Learn more
Sony has announced the SLT-A77 II – its latest enthusiast-grade, APS-C fixed-mirror DSLR. The Mark II features the same pixel count as its three-year-old forebear, but delivers it using a new 24MP sensor. The camera also gains a 79-point autofocus sensor, which it combines with the most sophisticated autofocus system on a Sony camera yet. Other upgrades include the customizable ‘Quick Navi Pro’ function menu but the biggest change is the improved autofocus, which combines with the ability to shoot up to 60 JPEGs at 12 frames per second. The SLT-A77 II will be available this June for $ 1199 body only.
It may look the same as its predecessor, but the Sony SLT-A77 II’s insides are quite a bit different. Featuring a new 24MP CMOS sensor and image processor, along with a dramatically improved AF system, this SLT could be one of the best subject-tracking cameras out there. While we’ve yet to test its performance, we did spend some brief time with the a77 II and have put together our first impressions.
It was an interesting week when Nicole Lüneburg aka Peppermunk won Photo of The Week. Not only there very mixed and competitive voting, there was a bit of a mix up as well. Remind me not to do Facebook posts at midnight lol. I was very relieved that the confusion didn’t affect the week’s polling at all because the public voted using the photographers’ names so it was definitely clear that Nicole Luneberg won in the end, though second and third place was not far behind.
I was able to make contact with Nicole to talk more about her photographer’s journey and the story behind her winning photo that won that week. This Australian portrait photographer based in Adelaide, South Australia loves to capture people in creative ways. Her “Pretty In Pink” winner’s photo is no exception with a bold pink color palette, shimmering lights and alluring smoky make up that beckons attention.
When asked about how she got started in photography, Nicole replied “Growing up I loved looking at the glossy magazines. I still do! I loved looking at all the details in the clothing, the make up, the hair, the mini world that look perfect on a shiny A4 sized piece of paper. I always wanted my own camera, but wasn’t allowed one so when I was able to afford it, I bought my own. It took a long time before I gathered the courage to ask someone to pose for me. When I did that very first shoot, I fell in love with photography and it has consumed me since!”
I also asked her about the inspiration behind her work, particularly, the story behind her winning photo, she explained that “I always go through phases. For example, right now I’m going through a water phase and I just want to photograph models in water! At the time of this photograph of the model, Emma Watson, I was going through a pink phase. I wanted to photograph everything with a pink hue. I also have a weakness for faces, I can happily look at people’s faces for days on end because I find them interesting. I guess this photograph has both those elements, the beautiful face and the pink hues.”
This photograph was taken back when she was still using her Canon 350D and a very cheap 50mm lens. Both of these piece of equipment were extremely dear to her, “I used to have bad dreams about losing these two things, I loved them very much!”. There was also a single light through a soft box just above the model’s head.
When asked to explain her photographic style, Nicole replied “I’ve been told that I have a specific ‘style’. That a person is able to see a photograph and know that it’s mine. I wish I knew what exactly it is, but I don’t! Maybe someone can tell me what it is! I go with my gut feeling at every shoot. I know what I like seeing through my lens and that is when I click :)”
To find out more about Nicole Lüneburg and her work, you can visit her website: http://www.nicoleluneburg.com or via her Facebook page “Nicole Lüneburg Photography“. Nicole’s leaves her final words at the end of the interview, “I love hearing from people around the globe and chatting everything photography. Say hello!”
Currently, we have another round of Photo Of The Week running. To participate in the voting, make sure you “like” our Facebook page here and vote for your favorite photographer‘s photo out of the finalists in the comments section of the post. The photo with the most vote’s by the end of the week at Sunday midnight will win Photo of the Week and win the great prizes on offer.
Since FashionPhotographyBlog.com is Google’s #1 site on fashion photography in the world, you might be interested in entering our Photo Of The Week competition. this could be your entry to some great exposure if you submit your photo and win. To find out more details on how to enter, make sure you join our mailing list. We will send you the entry details via your email.
As a reminder, voting ends at the end of the week so make sure you get voting on our Facebook page here. Tell us in the comments below, do you agree with how this week’s voting outcome? What is your critique on this photo? We want to here from you!
DxO has launched an upgrade of its Optics Pro Raw conversion software. Version 9.1.5 now offers support for the Nokia Lumia 1020’s DNG Raw files. The Canon EOS 1200D (EOS Rebel T5), Olympus E-M10 and Stylus 1, and the Nikon Coolpix P340 are now supported as well. An upgraded version (2.1.5) is also available for ViewPoint, DxO’s software and plugin for geometric corrections. Learn more
Fujifilm has released a firmware update for its X-E2 mirrorless camera, bringing its viewfinder performance up to the standard set by the X-T1. Firmware 2.0 also adds a choice over the color of focus peaking and the ability to apply Face Detection and EVF/LCD Setting to one of the customizable buttons. A ‘Suppressed Flash’ option has also been added. The viewfinder now operates at 200Hz, meaning a lag of just 0.005 seconds. The firmware is available for download from the company’s website.
We’ve been shooting with the Fujinon XF 56mm F1.2 R – the fast 85mm equivalent prime lens for Fujifilm’s X mount mirrorless cameras. Its F1.2 aperture means it gives similarly shallow depth-of-field to an 85mm F1.8 lens on a full frame body, making it an ideal portrait or low light lens. We also spent time using the X-E2 with an advance version of firmware v2.0 while putting this gallery together. See gallery and read about our experience with the update
The Center for Documentary Studies is now accepting submissions for the 2014 Dorthea Lange-Paul Taylor Prize. For nearly twenty-five years this competition has provided money to ‘encourage collaboration between documentary writers and photographers in the tradition of acclaimed photographer Dorthea Lange and writer and social scientist Paul Taylor’. Learn more
The S5’s camera module keeps causing trouble. First there were concerns about problems in the manufacturing process of the S5’s new 6-element lens, now Samsung has confirmed that an unspecified number of the flagship phones have shipped with defective cameras. Learn more
Smartphone imaging components have improved a lot in recent years but the lack of an optical zoom is still a major disadvantage compared to traditional compact cameras. Now Samsung is aiming to make its hybrid model more attractive to consumers and has launched the second generation of the Galaxy Zoom series. Learn more