Month: December 2016

  • Canon EOS M5 added to studio scene comparison tool

    The EOS M5 is Canon’s current enthusiast-grade mirrorless camera. With a 24.2MP APS-C sensor, Dual Pixel autofocus and a pleasant-to-use interface, the M5 is the most competitive EF-M camera Canon has released.

    We’ve put a production EOS M5 through our studio scene so you can see how it compares with its peers. Note that we’ve used a different lens on the M5 compared with the M3; we may re-shoot the scene in the future for the sake of consistency.

    View the Canon EOS M5 in our studio scene comparison tool

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Have your say: Best enthusiast / professional ILC of 2016

    Have your say: Best enthusiast / Professional ILC of 2016

    2016 was pretty good for high-end ILCs, as we’d expect from a Photokina year. The world’s largest photography trade-show is held on every even-numbered year, in September, and this year’s show saw major announcements from several manufacturers. But we also saw several high-end ILCs released earlier in 2016, including flagships from Canon and Nikon.

    In this poll, you’ll get the opportunity to vote for your choice of the best enthusiast / professional ILCs released this year. For the sake of a manageable selection, we’ve drawn a line here between enthusiast and professional and enty-level / midrange, so the chances are that if your favorite camera isn’t listed in this article, it can be found here.

    You’ll find the poll embedded in the final page of this slideshow, but for now, click through to read more about this year’s crop of enthusiast and professional ILCs.

    Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

    The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is a thing of beauty, but it’s built for hard work. In addition to its new 20.2 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 6+ Image Processors, the Mark II includes a 61-point High-Density Reticular AF II system and a 360,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor with enhanced precision and performance compared to its predecessor, improving facial recognition and tracking, as well as nature scenes.

    The camera also boasts excellent dynamic range and reduced color noise compared to its predecessor throughout its standard ISO speed range of 100 – 51,200. The EOS-1D X Mark II camera offers high resolution DCI 4K video at frame rates up-to-60p, and full HD video at frame rates up to 120p.

    All of this adds up to a highly impressive camera. We rate it extremely highly, but what do you think? Cast your vote and let us know. 

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

    Canon’s EOS 5D-series is one of those long-established series of cameras that it’s hard to get too excited about, simply because they’ve always been very solid, very reliable, very good products. The latest in the series, the EOS 5D IV is the best yet.

    Featuring an all-new 30MP CMOS sensor, DIGIC 6+ processor, Dual Pixel AF system and 4K video capture, the 5D IV offers a fully expanded ISO range of 50-102400 and includes ‘Dual Pixel’ AF, allowing for responsive face detection and focusing in live view and movie mode. When shooting with the viewfinder you can take advantage of a 61-point AF system (41 of which are cross-type) with expanded vertical coverage.

    What do you think of the EOS 5D Mark IV? Head to the end of this slideshow and cast your vote. 

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Fujifilm X-Pro2

    The Fujifilm X-Pro2 is the long-awaited update to the original X-series ILC, the venerable X-Pro1. As well as slightly tweaked ergonomics it offers a new 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III sensor and an ‘advanced hybrid multi viewfinder’ that can be an optical or electronic viewfinder, or a combination of the two.

    The X-Pro 2’s new image processor is 4x faster than that of its predecessor and offers a maximum ISO sensitivity of 51,200. The autofocus system has been updated substantially, now offering 273 total AF points of which 77 are phase detection (covering 40% of the frame), and much faster performance.

    Are you in love with the X-Pro 2’s high performance and classic styling? Cast your vote and let us know.

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Fujifilm X-T2

    We really like the X-T1, and with the X-T2, Fujifilm improved an already very nice camera even further. The X-T2 is Fujifilm’s latest enthusiast SLR-style mirrorless ILC, and one of two X-series flagships – the other being the X-Pro 2. The X-T2 features a 24MP X-Trans CMOS III sensor and the company’s latest image processor (X-Processor Pro). The rugged magnesium alloy body is sealed against dust and moisture and has a unique articulating LCD as well as a large, high resolution EVF.

    The AF system has been greatly improved compared to the X-T1 and had 325 total focus points, 169 of which are phase-detect, as well as a higher readout speed. The addition of 4K video (and good 4K video, at that) rounds up an impressive spec sheet, and makes the X-T2 one of our favorite cameras of the past year. Is it one of yours? 

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Nikon D500

    They said it was a myth. They said it was impossible. They said we were fools for hoping for a D300S replacement after almost seven years, but 2016 was the year that Nikon granted the wishes of a great many of its loyal users and released the D500. 

    The 20MP D500 is Nikon’s flagship APS-C format DSLR. With continuous shooting speeds of 10 fps and a 200 shot buffer for Raw images, the camera is aimed squarely at action and fast-paced photographers who don’t mind the smaller sensor, or who might even benefit from its extra reach. It features the same 153-point AF system and 180k-pixel RGB metering sensor of the professional full-frame D5, along with the same EXPEED 5 processor. It can also capture 4K/UHD video.

    Since it was released, the D500 has become one of our favorite sub full-frame DSLRs ever. Were you one of those people who were waiting years for it to appear? Cast your vote and let us know. 

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Nikon D5

    The D5 is a professional full-frame DSLR with ‘Nikon’ on the front of it. That means it’s fast, has a battery life you can measure in thousands of frames, and has a world-beating AF system. The D5 is a significant upgrade to the D4S, and sets new standards in terms of autofocus, thanks to a new 153-point AF system with an almost uncanny ability to track moving subjects. Less impressive is the D5’s slightly half-baked 4K video mode, but for Nikon shooters who need to get stills in tough conditions, the 20MP D5 is as good as it gets. 

    Most of us mere mortals could never justify buying one, but is the D5 impressive enough to be one of your favorite cameras of 2016?

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

    Don’t be fooled by its small sensor – the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is a powerhouse. Featuring a newly designed 20.4MP MOS sensor and TruePic VIII engine, the E-M1 II is capable burst rates of 60 fps in Single AF and an incredible 18 fps with C-AF. The new Dual FAST autofocus system combines contrast detection with 121 on-chip phase-detect points.

    The E-M1 II has in-body 5-axis image stabilization which reduces shake by up to 5.5 stops. Its body is weather-sealed and features a large electronic viewfinder, 3″ LCD fully articulating touchscreen and dual memory card slots. The camera can capture both UHD and DCI 4K at 30p and 24p respectively, at bit rates of up to 237Mbps.

    We continue to be impressed by the performance of the OM-D E-M1 II, but is it one of your standout cameras of 2016? Vote now and let us know.

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Pentax K-1

    Something of a white whale for many long-time Pentax fans, Pentax’s long-awaited full-frame DSLR finally became real in 2016. The first 35mm format Pentax-branded DSLR (the first to make it to market, anyway), the K-1 offers a 36.4MP CMOS sensor, 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization, a ‘nearly 100%’ optical viewfinder and 33-point AF system with 25 cross-type points.

    The 3.2″ 1.04M-dot LCD uses a new flexible tilting design which allows for horizontal, vertical and diagonal movement while keeping the screen in alignment with the lens axis. Designed with the needs of landscape photographers in mind, what the K-1 lacks in speed and autofocus performance it makes up for with tough construction and well thought-out ergonomics. We love it, but is it one of your favorite cameras of 2016? Let us know.  

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Sony Alpha a99 II

    The Sony Alpha a99 II was a bit of a surprise when it was announced, but proves that there’s life left in Sony’s A-Mount system yet. And it’s pretty impressive – the a99 II features a full-frame 42MP BSI CMOS sensor, Hybrid AF system with 399 contrast detect and 79 cross-type hybrid points. The camera can shoot at 12 fps with continuous autofocus and 8 fps with live view. It can capture 4K video (UHD or Super 35) using the XAVC S codec with bit rates of up to 100Mbps. The a99 II also offers both S-Log2 and S-Log3 gammas and can output 4:2:2 4K video over its HDMI port.

    The rugged body is weather-sealed and has built-in 5-axis image stabilization. Are these features enough to put the a99 II on your list of best high-end cameras of 2016?

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Sony Alpha a6500

    Sony’s flagship APS-C camera gains five-axis image stabilization and touchscreen operation compared to its predecessor. A larger buffer and more processing power also help set it apart from the older a6300. In most other respects it is identical, and includes the same still image quality and 4K video features as the a6300, and the same 425 on-sensor PDAF system.

    The a6500 might not feel like an entirely ‘new’ product, but it’s one of the best-performing products of its type on the market. Is it one of your favorite cameras of 2016? Cast your vote and let us know.

    See full specifications, user reviews and more

    Vote now!

    Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to three, and rank them in order of priority.

    . 


    Have your say

    $ (document).ready(function() { Poll({“pollId”:”2073471655″,”openForVoting”:true,”mainElementId”:”poll0″,”slot”:null,”isSingleChoicePoll”:false,”minNumberOfChoices”:1,”maxNumberOfChoices”:3}); })

    Have your say: Best enthusiast / professional ILC of 2016
    Your answers
    1. Required
    2. Optional
    3. Optional
    You need to login to vote

    Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

    Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

    Fujifilm X-Pro2

    Fujifilm X-T2

    Nikon D500

    Nikon D5

    Olympus OM-D E-M1 II

    Pentax K-1

    Sony a99 II

    Sony a6500

    Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to three, and rank them in order of priority.

    Poll Rules:

    1. This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It’s not sponsored, promoted or paid for in any way and DPReview staff don’t care how you vote, so please don’t start a flame-war in the comments. I.e., please don’t be a troll.
    2. It’s fine to vote for the Pentax K-1 products that you haven’t used (some aren’t yet shipping, after all) but please don’t vote for the K-1 purely just to sandbag another product or brand. I.e., please don’t be a troll.
    3. Please only vote once, from a single account. Creating and voting from multiple accounts for a community poll of no consequence is a silly thing to do with your time. See points 1 and 2, above, about not being a troll.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Throwback Thursday: the dual-lens Kodak EasyShare V570

    Long before anybody put two lenses in a smartphone, the Kodak EasyShare V570 put dual lenses and sensors under the same roof – 23mm and 37-117mm equivalent folded-optic lenses coupled with 5MP CCD sensors. Introduced nearly 11 years ago for CES 2006, the V570 offered other cutting-edge features including:

    • 2.5″ 230k-dot LCD
    • In-camera distortion correction
    • 180-degree panorama mode, an ‘industry exclusive’
    • 2.3 fps continuous shooting
    • VGA 30p video recording

    It shipped with a ‘Photo Frame 2’ dock, which was a multitasking charger/image transfer/snazzy camera display. The charging feature was especially useful, since the V570’s battery was only rated to 150 shots per charge – pretty bad even by 2006 standards.

    We didn’t review the V570, but then friend-of-DPR and current DPR staffer Jeff Keller wrote about it on DCResource. He disliked that Kodak advertised the camera as having a 5x zoom lens, when it was really just a wide angle prime and a 3x zoom that you could switch between. Still, it was the first dual-lens implementation we can remember, and even though it didn’t catch on with camera manufacturers, the concept has found new life in smartphones like the iPhone 7 Plus. 

    Kodak V570 Sample Gallery

    $ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_9141298208″,”galleryId”:”9141298208″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });
    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Meyer-Optik-Görlitz reveals Nocturnus 50 F0.95 II lens for Sony E-Mount

    German lens maker Meyer-Optik has launched the Nocturnus 50 F0.95 II, a super-fast manual-focus standard lens for the Sony E-Mount that is optimized for use with full-frame sensors, but also works with APS-C cameras. 

    The lens comes with a focal length of 50mm and an aperture range from F0.95 to F22, offering lots of flexibility, both when shooting in low light and in terms of depth-of-field. The lens design features 10 elements in 7 groups and ensures high levels of sharpness in the focus-plane. Meyer-Optik says the 15 aperture blades with anti-reflective coating create a pleasant bokeh with circular highlights. The Nocturnus has a minimum focus distance of 50cm and weighs 680 grams. Manual focus control and the stepless aperture ring operate almost silently, making the Nocturnus an interesting option for video applications. 

    The Nocturnus 50 F0.95 II will be available from January 1st for €3000 (approximately $ 3225). More information is available on the Meyer-Optik-Görlitz website.

    Nocturnus 50 F0.95 II samples provided by Meyer-Optik

    $ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_1858460089″,”galleryId”:”1858460089″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });
    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Transformers: 2 Beijing Houses Packed Full of Space-Maximizing Tricks

    [ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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    Think you’ve seen it all when it comes to ideas for saving space in small houses and apartments? Beijing’s B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio is here to prove you wrong in the most delightful way, with a series of transforming elements and incredibly clever layouts in two tiny ‘hutong’ alley houses. Working with lots as small as 258 square feet that are squashed between existing buildings, the architects managed to produce functional, comfortable, private residences full of natural daylight and enough space for multi-generational families.

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    Both homes butt up against other structures, making it impossible to incorporate windows into the design. B.L.U.E. added skylights to both, utilizing open-plan lofted layouts inside to encourage a bright and cheerful atmosphere. The first home is on a narrow L-shaped lot and features a cool glass-filled rear wall that opens all the way up to the courtyard.

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    Inside, beds and children’s play areas are lofted above a pale wooden built-in full of sliding elements, fold-down tables, transforming stairs, beds that instantly double in size, retractible walls and a modest-sized table that expands to seat six diners.

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    The second house is even smaller, with a nearly-identical arrangement of skylights and cabinet-packed walls revealing an array of unexpected features when opened. Extra countertops and work surfaces pop out of the wall facing the galley kitchen, and storage space stretches from the floor to the ceiling.

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    Beneath the lofted bedrooms for the owners and their kids, a third bedroom area doubles as an extra dining space. Remove the mattress to reveal a pop-up table and cushioned bench seating that you climb into like a retro conversation pit, or lay it back down and pull down the blinds for privacy. A second table folds down from the adjacent wall in seconds, with storage cubes doubling as stools.

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    From the pictures, it looks like there are even more built-in elements that aren’t demonstrated in GIF form, like a mysterious hatch in the dining room floor. The whole setup is clean, modern and uncluttered enough for a minimalist’s sensibilities despite so many people living in such a small space – an inspiration for all the tricks and hacks we’re going to have to come up with to boost housing density in cities with burgeoning populations.

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    [ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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  • Urban Adventuring Apps: 13 Interactive Ways to Explore Your City

    [ By SA Rogers in Travel & Urban Exploration. ]

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    Whether you want to get to know your own city on a deeper level or explore secret spots in unfamiliar places, this collection of smartphone apps will take you on adventures you’d otherwise miss. Check out these scavenger hunts, walking tours, history lessons, interactive tasks that take you on random routes, user-submitted local favorites and other ways to interact with urban environments in fun and unexpected ways.

    Derivé: Random Tasks Send You on an Adventure

    urbex-app-derive

    Explore your city – or an unfamiliar city – in a totally new way with the Derivé app, which randomly assigns you a task to do, like “find your favorite building”, “follow a hat,” “sit for two minutes” or “find a tree.” Refreshed every three minutes, the task cards lead you on a single-person scavenger hunt that will encourage you to take routes you’d never take otherwise and experience your environment in a new way.

    History Pin: See History in Real Time

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    This user-generated history map lets you see what cities used to look like thanks to submitted historical photographs, which are pinned onto their real-life locations. The app uses Google Maps and Street View technology to overlay the historic photos onto the live camera view. Just hold up your phone in the street, and it’ll give you a glimpse of the past.

    Spotted by Locals: Get the Inside Scoop

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    When you’re traveling, it’s easy enough to wander randomly without the use of a smartphone or simply go by tourist guide recommendations, but finding out what locals love can be more challenging. The Spotted by Locals app tells you what’s popular in any given spot, and it’s constantly updated to keep track of business openings and closings.

    Geocaching: Treasure Hunting Challenge

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    The classic treasure-hunting app that has explorers digging for cleverly hidden containers called ‘geocaches’ remains the most popular way to participate in the adventure. The Geocaching app shows you geocaches near your location, allows you to message other players for hints and log the treasures you’ve found.

    Geo Street Art Apps for New York City & London

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    urbex-apps-street-art

    Available for major cities like New York City and London, the Geo Street Art apps feature hundreds of local and international street artists, pointing you to their work so you can see it in person. ‘Street Art London’ and ‘Street Art New York City’ provide a “comprehensive reference point” of the street art scene, including artist biographies. The London version boasts over 600 images from over 90 artists in 270 locations.

    Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
    Urban Adventuring Apps 13 Interactive Ways To Explore Your City

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    [ By SA Rogers in Travel & Urban Exploration. ]

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  • Flickr says smartphones were the most popular device this year, iPhone tops list

    Flickr has published its 2016 end-of-year report detailing the most popular devices and brands on its platform. Per the report, 48% of photos published on Flickr this year were captured using smartphones, and 47% of them were captured using iPhones specifically. The top three iPhone models were the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6, and the iPhone 6s.

    As far as brands go, Canon was the second most used at 24% and Nikon came in third at 18%. Device types, meanwhile, show DSLRs ranked second after smartphones at 25%, point-and-shoot cameras at 21%, and mirrorless models at 3%. Comparing the figures with last year’s report, smartphone uploads are up 9%, DSLR uploads are down 6%, point-and-shoot uploads are down 4%, and mirrorless uploads have remained steady.

    Via: Flickr Blog

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016

    Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016

    Although it’s true that ‘compact’ usually refers to cameras small in size, here, we use it to refer to any camera with a non-removable lens. This makes for an interesting spread of cameras, with 1″-type sensors and APS-C sensors, prime lenses and zoom lenses, pocketable wonders and DSLR-styled bridge cameras.

    So step (or sit) right up and take a peek through the high-end compacts of 2016, and let your voice be heard – which of these should be crowned the best high-end compact camera of the year?

    Note: This poll only includes high-end compact cameras released in the calendar year of 2016. If there’s a late 2015 product missing that you want to highlight, leave a comment and we’ll take this into account.

    Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II

    The Canon G7 X Mark II brings some impressive updates to Canon’s original 1″-sensor compact. It features a new Digic 7 processor, bringing with it increased operational speed and 8fps burst shooting in Raw + JPEG. There’s a (very comfortable) front grip, more effective image stabilization and the screen now tilts down as well as up (selfies will outlive us all).

    There’s abundant external controls and a well-thought out touch interface, the control dial around the lens can be ‘clicked’ or ‘unclicked,’ and a 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens sits in front of a 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor.

    In all, the G7 X Mark II is everything we hoped the G7 X Mark I would have been and more – is that enough to launch it to the top spot? Cast your vote and let us know.

    Fujifilm X70

    As is typical with Fujifilm cameras, the retro-styled X70 is quite the looker, with image quality to back up those looks. Along with 28mm equiv. F2.8 lens, it uses Fujifilm’s tried-and-true 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor and offers their famous film simulation modes.

    You also get a 77-point hybrid autofocus system, a 3″ touch-enabled LCD, and all the manual controls you could want – plus eight customizable buttons.

    The Fujifilm X70 is a camera for those that like a ‘hands-on’ experience, and it’s very petite considering the relatively large sensor. Do you think these qualities are enough to push it to the top of the pack this year? 

    Leica X-U

    The Leica X-U is the manufacturer’s first-ever rugged camera – it’s waterproof to 15m, and is also shock-proof and dust-proof. It features a 23mm F1.7 Summilux ASPH lens that works out to a 35mm equivalent field of view for its 16.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor. There’s a flash mounted directly above the lens barrel, which will be especially useful for use underwater.

    There’s always a certain cachet that comes with that red dot, reinforced here with Leica’s claims that they teamed up with Audi Design for the overall design of the camera. Are you a fan of the design? Excited by the prospect of dunking a Leica in the drink? Cast your vote and let us know.

    Panasonic Lumix LX10 / LX15

    The Lumix LX10 / LX15 is Panasonic’s answer to Sony’s RX100-series, offering a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor, a 24-72mm equiv. F1.4-2.8 zoom and 4K video as well as some clever 4K photo modes. It has an all-metal body and well-damped dials, a pop-up flash, and a refined touchscreen interface.

    The LX10 / LX15 also uses Panasonic’s Depth-from-Defocus (DFD) technology, ensuring swift and accurate autofocus, even for moving subjects, and also features varying levels of image stabilization between stills and video. Does the LX10 / LX15 tick all the right boxes for you? 

    Panasonic Lumix FZ2500 / FZ2000

    The Panasonic FZ2500 / FZ2000 is the followup to the older FZ1000. Like many other models in this poll, it features a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor, though unlike other cameras in this roundup, it has a whopping 24-480mm equiv. F2.8-4.5 zoom lens. As much a video camera as it is a stills camera, Panasonic has also added a built-in variable ND filter, fully articulating LCD, 4K capture and 10-bit 4:2:2 vide output over HDMI.

    It’s not the most… compact… compact camera in this poll, but that’s you price to pay for that staggering zoom range. Are you a video enthusiast who’s picked up the FZ2500 for yourself? Do you think it’s beaten out all the other compacts this year?

    Panasonic Lumix ZS100 / TZ100

    The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 / TZ100 marks the manufacturer’s return to the compact travel-zoom market, and it is a camera that more or less stands alone in this regard. It uses a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor behind a 25-250mm equivalent F2.8-4.9 zoom lens in a package that will easily fit in your jacket pocket. Typically for Panasonic, there’s also detailed 4K video capture and a slew of stills capture aids like Post Focus and 4K Photo. They’ve even shoehorned a popup flash and an electronic viewfinder into the all-metal body.

    Is the ZS100 your go-to travel camera? Let us know.

    Sony Cyber-shot RX10 Mark III

    The Sony RX10 Mark III is as much about its lens as it is everything else. That lens is a 24-600mm equivalent F2.4-4 Zeiss-branded unit, exhibiting impeccable sharpness throughout the zoom range. The sensor is a familiar 20MP 1″-type CMOS unit, and the camera is otherwise very similar to the RX10 Mark II. It offers 4K and ultra-slow-motion video capture as well as Sony’s industry-leading JPEG noise reduction.

    Is the RX10 III and its monster lens enough to take the compact camera crown? Let us know what you think by casting your vote in the poll below.

    Sony RX100 Mark V

    The RX100 V is the most refined RX100 model yet. It comes with a 20MP 1″-type sensor, 24-70mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 Zeiss-branded lens, and incredible 24fps burst shooting with full autofocus and autoexposure. There’s also oversampled 4K video capture, ultra slow motion video capture, a clever pop-up electronic viewfinder and a tilting rear screen.

    The RX100 V is about as much technology as can fit into a pocket. Does it make your list of best cameras of the year?

    Vote now!

    Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to three, and rank them in order of priority.

    Have your say

    $ (document).ready(function() { Poll({“pollId”:”4436302269″,”openForVoting”:true,”mainElementId”:”poll0″,”slot”:null,”isSingleChoicePoll”:false,”minNumberOfChoices”:1,”maxNumberOfChoices”:3}); })

    Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016
    Your answers
    1. Required
    2. Optional
    3. Optional
    You need to login to vote

    Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II

    Fujifilm X70

    Leica X-U (Typ 113)

    Panasonic Lumix FZ2500

    Panasonic Lumix LX10

    Panasonic Lumix ZS100

    Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III

    Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V


    Poll Rules:

    1. This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It’s not sponsored, promoted or paid for in any way and DPReview staff don’t care how you vote, so please don’t start a flame-war in the comments. I.e., please don’t be a troll.
    2. It’s fine to vote for products that you haven’t used (some may not yet be shipping, after all) but please don’t vote purely just to sandbag another product or brand. I.e., please don’t be a troll.
    3. Please only vote once, from a single account. Creating and voting from multiple accounts for a community poll of no consequence is a silly thing to do with your time. See points 1 and 2, above, about not being a troll.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Heliskiing the British Columbia wilderness with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II

    We took the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II up to Revelstoke, British Columbia and caught the season’s first helicopter out into the wilderness alongside some of the World’s top pro skiers. It was cold and terrifying, but we did it all in the name of putting this new flagship camera to the test. Part of a forthcoming feature video with Scott Rinckenberger, we wanted to share some of the images with you as soon as we got back. We also used the camera to shoot opening day at Revelstoke resort, which is famous for having one of the longest (and most fun) lift lines of any mountain in North America. 

    The gallery contains a mix of Raw conversions and out of camera JPEGs, including some shot using the Grainy Film II profile (a staff favorite), as well as a High-res mode sample. Many of the images shot in back country were done so under extreme conditions: sub-freezing temperatures, blizzard-like snowfall, avalanche warnings and the like. This in particular should demonstrate just how tough this this camera is, even if the photographer who shot the images was less so.

    See our Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Heliskiing Samples Gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Ricoh Keenai photo management system launches with smart tagging

    Ricoh has announced the launch of a new photo storage and management service called Keenai. With Keenai, photographers can upload and store original resolution photos and videos, sync the content across multiple devices and share the content with others. According to Ricoh, Keenai features smart technologies that facilitate rapid image searches via smart tagging and image recognition, as well.

    Once uploaded, photos and videos can be shared with others, including 360-degree panoramas. In addition to syncing across devices, Ricoh says Keenai stores content for offline access at ‘device-friendly resolutions.’ Each account allows an unlimited number of photos, including raw images, to be stored at original resolution, but only up to 300 15-minute videos can be uploaded per month.

    Ricoh Keenai is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, macOS, and Windows, and supports direct photo and video transfers from Toshiba FlashAir and Eyefi Mobi WiFi SD cards and WiFi-enabled cameras. The service is available for $ 4.99-per-month or $ 49-per-year. The service’s mobile and desktop applications are available here.

    Ricoh Innovations Corp. Debuts Keenai, One-Stop Smart Photo Management for All the Latest Smartphones and Digital Cameras

    Keenai automates the most tedious part of being a photographer: centralizing and managing your photos and videos; Keenai’s intelligent solution eliminates the frustration of managing photos and videos from different devices, and makes enjoying and sharing digital memories a simple and pleasant experience

    CUPERTINO, CA–(Marketwired – Dec 6, 2016) – Ricoh Innovations Corp. (RIC), a Silicon Valley-headquartered subsidiary of Ricoh Company, Ltd., has launched Keenai, a smart photo-management service that keeps digital memories safe and organized. Available immediately in eight languages on all popular platforms (macOS™, Windows®, Android®, iOS™ and Windows Phone®), Keenai is the only photo service that connects all your devices and cameras, and unifies all your photos and videos for viewing and sharing on any device.

    “Consumers are struggling to keep track of all the photos and videos they capture using the different devices they own. Keenai provides a smart solution to this problem, and is designed so that non-technical people can gain control of all their photos, share them with friends and family, and feel confident that their memories are safe,” said Toshinori Arita, senior vice president of Ricoh Innovations Corp.

    Finally, an app that handles everything: all devices and platforms — photos and videos

    Keenai is perfect for non-technical people with lots of photos (often, on different devices) who prefer to not be locked into any one vendor’s cloud services. Keenai delivers a beautiful, unified, cable-free photo sharing experience on every device. Plus, it is the only application that can transfer photos and videos directly from Wi-Fi® cameras, Eyefi Mobi, or Toshiba FlashAir™ Wi-Fi SD cards to all the latest smartphones and tablets (Android, iOS and Windows Phone).

    Some of Keenai’s standout features include:

    1. Automatic cloud backup of unlimited, original-resolution photos and videos. Users can store an unlimited number of original photos (including RAW) and up to 300 15-minute videos per month in the Keenai service.
    2. Syncs collections of photos and videos so they can be enjoyed on all your devices. Keenai lets you bring your entire photo collection with you, wherever you go — online or offline. Keenai’s smart syncing keeps the originals safe in the cloud, and stores only device-friendly resolutions on your local device.
    3. Bring your adventures to life as mixed-media experiences for family and friends. Keenai provides sharing of stories as gorgeous albums that combine photos, videos and even 360° images. Albums can be privately shared with friends and family via email or shared links, and accessed via any web browser.
    4. Automatic image recognition and smart tagging for fast photo search. Keenai’s intelligent suite of applications does all the tedious tagging work for you, and makes enjoying and sharing your memories a simple and pleasant experience, every step of the way.

    How to get started with Keenai

    All members start with a free trial of 30 days. Thereafter, membership costs only $ 4.99/month or $ 49.99/year. There are three easy on-ramps to Keenai: web, mobile app or desktop:

    1. Keenai Web Application: Create your account at www.keenai.com. No download required. After creating your account, simply visit app.keenai.com in your favorite browser for easy access to all your original-resolution photos and videos. You can upload and download photos and videos via the web application, and use intelligent tools like Smart Views and Discover dashboards.
    2. Keenai Mobile Applications: Use Keenai mobile applications to transfer images directly from your camera to your device, or upload photos directly to the cloud from your smart phone. Your entire collection is instantly synced with the cloud and can be browsed on all your devices — even later when you’re offline. Download here.
    3. Keenai Desktop Applications: Use the Keenai desktop utilities to upload photos and videos from your desktop collection to Keenai. You can also set up a folder to automatically sync your original resolution photos from the Keenai service to your desktop or networked drive. Download here.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)