We take a closer look at Samsung’s latest phone-camera hybrid: the Galaxy NX. It’s a rather bold experiment that bolts a high-end Android smartphone to an interchangeable lens camera. With a 20.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, Samsung NX lens mount, and a tried-and-true mobile operating system, the Galaxy NX offers plenty of intriguing promise. See how we got on at connect.dpreview.com.
The widely rumored and much-leaked Nikon Df is here. The Df is a 16MP, full-frame DSLR with the sensor from the flagship D4 sensor and the 39-point AF system from the D610 packaged in a body inspired by film cameras from the 1970s. The Nikon Df can’t shoot video, but it will accept 50 year-old non-Ai lenses. A lot of Nikon users have been asking for a ‘digital FM2’ for years. Is the Df that camera? Click through for our first-impressions.
We’ve just updated our first impressions review of the Panasonic Lumix GM1 with a gallery of real-world sample images. Panasonic’s latest G-series camera underscores the ‘Micro’ in Micro Four Thirds as one of the smallest interchangeable lens cameras ever brought to market. Despite its size, it still offers a 16 megapixel Four Thirds sensor, 3.0-inch touch screen, and full suite of manual exposure controls. Does its image quality in the field measure up? Click through and see for yourself.
Roger Cicala of LensRentals is man after our own hearts, never happier than when tinkering with lenses and writing about what he finds, however obscure it may turn out to be. And in celebration of this, he’s launched what we’d like to think of as the ultimate photo competition: The First Annual Photogeek Geek Photo Contest. Full of entertaining categories, and with at least one hugely desirable prize on offer, it’s open for entries until November 15th. It’s Roger’s competiton so we’re not going to reveal too much here; head over to LensRentals and have a look. If nothing else, it should make you laugh.
Nokia is sharing the first examples of its new Raw DNG file format, soon available on both its forthcoming Lumia 1520 phablet and the Lumia 1020 smartphone. Available for download from the company’s blog, Nokia promises that its DNG files are high quality. See for yourself on connect.dpreview.com.
Up until recently, the only ‘real’ premium superzoom camera was the Panasonic DMC-FZ200. Two weeks ago Sony made a big splash with their pricey Cyber-shot RX10, which features a 1″-type sensor. The Olympus Stylus 1 slots in nicely somewhere between the two, offering a 1/1.7″-type sensor and constant F2.8, 28-300mm equivalent lens in an OM-D-style body. If that sounds appealing, then follow the link to read our First Impressions Review of the Stylus 1.
The Sony FDR-AX1 is the first practical and affordable 4K video camera. It becomes available in North America in the next few days. Is this the 4K camera for those that don’t want or think they need 4K?
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[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]
Living in close proximity to ever-rising water can be a difficult prospect, and while the Dutch have come up with all sorts of ways to work with instead of against it, this is a new achievement: apartments that float. The Citadel is a luxury development by Waterstudio NL, set to start construction in early 2014. Sixty stacked units will be built on a deck with easy access to land, on top of a large, heavy floating concrete structure.
The site where these floating apartments will be built is currently a ‘polder,’ one of 3,500 patches of low-lying land that are kept artificially water-free by constant pumping. Rather than continue the futile effort of keeping the water out, the architects will stop the pumping, re-flooding the area.
180 modular components will make up the complex, including large terraces and a car park, with the apartments arranged around a central courtyard. The Citadel will float on six feet of water, which will ultimately rise to 12 feet. Each unit will have views of the water, and many will offer space for the owners’ individual boats.
The flooded polder will act as a regional contingency water storage area, and is expected to host a lot more water-based development in the future, including 1200 additional dwellings. Energy saving features, greenhouse units and green roofs are among the efforts to make the complex sustainable.
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The Fujifilm XQ1 – the follow up to the stylish XF1 – is the company’s latest attempt to make a splash in the high-end compact camera segment. The big change on the XQ1 is its use of the X-Trans II sensor with on-chip phase detection, which promises higher photo quality and snappy focusing. If that sounds intriguing, then read our initial thoughts in our first impressions review of the Fuji XQ1.
The X-E2 represents the start of Fujifilm’s refresh of its X-series mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. It features a 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor that gains on-sensor phase detection over the one used in previous models. This and a 1.04m dot LCD are the major hardware changes – the X-E2 is mainly about handling and operations tweaks. We’ve got to grips with the camera’s handling to see how it’s changed, compared to the X-E1. Click through to find out more.