Nikon Blog
New Part 107 and Remote ID drone rules take effect starting today in the US
Today marks the ‘effective date’ that some pertinent Part 107 and Remote ID rules become active in the United States. Notably, this includes the Operations Over People rule. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first published their Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Remote ID) on December 29, 2020. Simply put, Remote ID is the concept that every drone should have a ‘digital license plate.’ This creates a uniform system for authorities to track who is operating a...
read moreCanon announces two new PIXMA all-in-one wireless photo printers
Canon has announced a pair of new PIXMA inkjet printers, the Canon PIXMA TS3520 Wireless All-in-One Printer and the Canon PIXMA G620 Wireless MegaTank Photo Printer. Canon PIXMA TS3520 Wireless All-in-One Printer The Canon PIXMA TS3520 is aimed at new Canon printer users and students. The PIXMA TS3520 promises ease of use, an improved user experience, and a simple set-up process thanks to a web-based, user-paced navigation manual for getting up and running with the TS3520. Compared to its predecessor, the TS3320, Canon promises that it will...
read moreSony shows off its upcoming Airpeak drone flying steadily in 44MPH winds
[embedded content] Since originally announcing its Airpeak drone project last November, Sony has been rather quiet on what to expect with its first foray into the world of UAVs. Until two days ago, that is, when Sony published a teaser video, showing the drone flying in sustained 44 MPH winds inside a test tunnel. The test was done at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) wind tunnel, which uses a large fan and a pair of tunnels to simulate real-world wind speeds. Sony says its goal ‘was to see how the drone could be affected by...
read moreDJI Air 2S drone sample gallery
Published Apr 21, 2021 | dpreview staff DJI’s new mid-level Air 2S drone delivers substantial image and video quality improvements over its predecessor thanks to a larger 1″ -type sensor. Check out our sample gallery for a sense of what this $1000 unit is truly capable of. And be sure to give our complete DJI Air 2S drone review a read for impressions of handling and video quality. DxO has just released PureRaw, a simple, standalone program that can automatically apply its high-quality lens corrections and impressive...
read moreRaven remote flash control and camera trigger supports multiple flash brands
FusionTLC has announced Raven, a lighting control product that uses 2.4GHz wireless communication to control flashes from numerous lighting brands including Profoto, Godox and PocketWizard. Raven is developed by Jim Clark, who is a founder of PocketWizard. FusionTLC says that Raven is ‘poised to revolutionize the shooting experience for photographers.’ Raven attaches to your camera’s hotshoe and allows you to control lights from two brands simultaneously. The device includes a 1.4″ OLED touchscreen and a haptic...
read moreFirmware Update for All Nikon Z Cameras – And Our Wishlist Gets Smaller
Nikon just announced firmware updates for its entire Z-series camera lineup, to be released on April 26. Rather than routine bug fixes, all the changes Nikon is listing so far are performance related. Let’s take a look at the features that were added to each camera. Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II The new firmware for both the Z6 II and Z7 II is called version 1.20, and it’s primarily an update to autofocus speed and tracking performance. Nikon’s wording in the press release is pretty confusing, but here are the improvements we seem to be getting:...
read moreColorcinch is a powerful, free-to-use browser-based photo editor
Web browsers have become increasingly capable. This is evidenced by Colorcinch, a browser-based photo editor. Colorcinch, formerly known as Cartoonize, includes essential photo editing tools, text editing, layers (with blend modes), effects and filters, stock photo access and more. Better yet, you can use Colorcinch for free, although some features require a premium subscription. Using Colorcinch is as simple as visiting the website and uploading an image. Once your image has been uploaded, you are treated to a simple, straightforward user...
read moreApple’s new M1-powered iPad Pros have Thunderbolt, 5G and a ‘Liquid Retina XDR display’ for the 12.9″ model
Alongside its new, colorful M1-powered iMacs, Apple also announced an update to its iPad Pro lineup that sees its flagship tablet models get the company’s M1 chipsets. In addition to the more powerful processors, Thunderbolt and 5G and WiFi 6 in both the 11” and 12.9” models, the larger 12.9” iPad Pro also gets a new ‘Liquid Retina XDR display’ that takes inspiration from Apple’s Pro Display XDR monitor and brings it to the iPad line. Both the 11” and 12.9” iPad Pros now have Apple’s 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU M1 chip. In addition to improving...
read moreApple announces new 24″ M1-powered iMacs in an array of bright new colors
At today’s ‘Sping Loaded’ event, Apple announced, amongst other products, a redesigned line of 24” iMac computers, powered by its 8-core CPU M1 chip, with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, and a 16-core neural engine. The new iMacs mark the first major iMac redesign in almost ten years and brings back colors we haven’t seen since the now-iconic iMac G3 desktop computers. The new iMac features a 24” 4.5K display with 11.3-million pixels. The display covers the wide P3 color gamut, has a maximum brightness of 500...
read moreHands-on with the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM
Sony has just announced the impressively small FE 14mm F1.8 GM. The design philosophy behind the lens is simple: offer a super wide field-of-view, a bright aperture, achieve high sharpness across the frame and all-round optical quality at its maximum aperture, and offer it all in a compact and lightweight package. Yes, that makes it sound like it could be the ideal design philosophy for any lens (just swap out ‘super wide’ for your desired field of view) so, jokes aside, does this Sony deliver? So far, it looks promising. Read on...
read moreDPReview TV: Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM review
Published Apr 20, 2021 | dpreview staff [embedded content] In this episode of DPReview TV, Chris and Jordan get their hands on Sony’s new compact, ultra-wide 14mm F1.8 G Master lens, and share how well it performs for both stills and video. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week. Sample images from this episode Gear in this story The DJI Air 2S is exactly what many drone enthusiasts have been asking for: a consumerdrone with a 1″-type camera sensor that’s budget-friendly. Does it live...
read moreSony FE 14mm F1.8 GM sample gallery
We got our hands on Sony’s new fast and compact FE 14mm F1.8 GM lens. Perfect for landscapes, architecture, astrophotography and more, we found it plenty sharp, even wide-open. It’s also quite fast to focus thanks to twin linear motors. And as you’d expect from a G Master lens, the 14mm is incredibly well-built. Have a look at our samples. See our Sony 14mm F1.8 GM lens sample gallery Gear in this story The DJI Air 2S is exactly what many drone enthusiasts have been asking for: a consumerdrone with a 1″-type camera...
read moreSony introduces compact FE 14mm F1.8 GM ultra-wide lens
Published Apr 20, 2021 | dpreview staff Sony has introduced the FE 14mm F1.8 lens for its full-frame mirrorless bodies. The lens is surprisingly compact and light: roughly 1/3 the weight of the Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art lens for Sony E mount (460 vs 1170 grams). The 14mm F1.8 has 14 elements arranged in 11 groups, including one aspherical and two ‘extreme’ aspherical elements, as well as ED (extra-low dispersion) and ‘super’ ED glass to suppress chromatic aberrations. Sony’s ‘Nano AR Coating II’...
read moreNikon releases firmware updates for all six of its Z series mirrorless cameras
Nikon has announced it will release firmware updates for its entire line of Z series mirrorless cameras on April 26, including updates the Z50, Z5, Z6, Z7, Z6 II and Z7 II. Although not major, the respective firmware updates should do add new and improve upon existing features. Firmware version 2.10 for the Nikon Z50 and firmware version 3.30 for the Z6 and Z7 adds the ‘Save Focus Position’ option ‘that allows the current focus position to be saved when the camera is turned off and restored when next turned on.’ The Z6 — and only the Z6 —...
read moreVolcano for the People: Stunning visuals from Iceland’s spectacular volcanic eruption
Following thousands of earthquakes beginning in February, the Fagradalsfjall volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula erupted on March 19. Since then, the volcano has been erupting with new fissure vents opening, including a new one over this past weekend. Given the volcano’s accessible location, thousands of people have visited the site and seen the eruption for themselves. Photographer and wildlife conservationist Donal Boyd and director and filmmaker Frank Nieuwenhuis created a short human interest film, ‘Volcano for the...
read moreNikon Z April Camera Sale: Which Deals Are Worth It?
Nikon just announced temporary rebates on many of its mirrorless cameras, up to $600 off. As always, we’ll list the deals below and then analyze which ones we think are worthwhile for photographers considering a Nikon Z camera. Here are the Nikon Z5 deals: The Nikon Z6 deals: And the Nikon Z7 deals: If you buy any of the above cameras, you can bundle an FTZ adapter to your order for $100, when it ordinarily costs $250. If you don’t have an FTZ adapter already, and you have Nikon F lenses in your collection, we highly recommend getting...
read moreCharles ‘Chuck’ Geschke, co-founder of Adobe and inventor of the PDF, dies at 81
Charles ‘Chuck’ Geschke, who co-founded Adobe, a graphics and software publishing company, with John Warnock in 1982, died this past Friday at age 81 of cancer. Notably he was instrumental in developing the Portable Document Format technology, better known as PDFs. “This is a huge loss for the entire Adobe community and the technology industry, for whom he has been a guide and hero for decades,” Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen wrote in an email to the company’s employees. Geschke was born on September 11, 1939. He grew up in...
read moreVideo: Shooting and vlogging with the Panasonic Lumix DC-G100
Published Apr 19, 2021 | This is sponsored content, created with the support of Amazon and Panasonic [embedded content] The Panasonic Lumix DC-G100 is a 20MP Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera designed specifically for vloggers and multimedia content creators. The G100 features a tracking audio system that works in conjunction with the camera’s face detection system and a flip-out screen that, by default, engages several easy-to-use modes. In this video, editorial photographer and vlogger Robert Silver takes the Panasonic Lumix DC-G100...
read moreNASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter transmits back the first image of its historic inaugural flight on Mars
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter captured this shot as it hovered over the Martian surface on April 19, 2021, during the first instance of powered, controlled flight on another planet. It used its navigation camera, which autonomously tracks the ground during flight. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which hitched a ride on the bottom side of the Perserverance rover, has transmitted back the first image of its inaugural flight from April 19. The monochrome image was captured with its navigation camera, which is used...
read moreTiming and Direction in Landscape Photography
Landscape photographers would have a much easier time if only we could move the sun to suit our whims. (We’d make sure to put it back afterward.) Alas, unless you’re an unapologetic Photoshopper – or maybe a Luminary these days – you can’t do much to change the natural light. That’s both good and bad. On one hand, natural light can be some of the most beautiful, inspiring, and emotive light you’ll ever capture as a photographer. On the other hand, if it doesn’t look good at the moment, it almost feels like you’re stuck. Portrait photographers...
read moreCosina announces new 28mm F2 Ultron ‘Vintage Line’ lenses
Cosina has announced the release of the Voigtlander 28mm F2 Ultron Vintage Line lenses for Leica M mount camera systems. As with the other lenses in the growing Voigtlander Vintage Line series, the 28mm F2 Ultron lens seeks to combine modern optical performance in a vintage-looking package. The lens comes in two models: Type I and Type II. The only notable difference between the two is the design of the focus ring, which is a single lever on the Type I and a more thumb grip style notch on the Type II model. As a result, the Type I weighs 190g...
read moreHands-on with the Sony FX3 cinema camera
Sony’s FX3 is the company’s smallest entry for its cinema lineup of cameras, slotting in between the existing a7S III and larger FX6. We’ve already covered a lot of the deeper technical aspects of the camera, but that was before we’d had a chance to handle one ourselves. Now that we’ve got one, let’s take a little tour of the camera and see how it handles: as expected, it’s quite a bit different than your standard a7-series camera. After all, that’s an AF joystick on the top of the...
read moreReview: DJI’s Air 2S is the ultimate consumer drone
Introduction Arriving just one year after its predecessor, the Mavic Air 2, the Air 2S is DJI’s newest mid-range consumer drone. The new model sheds the familiar Mavic branding in favor of a shorter naming scheme, following the lead of DJI’s Mini 2 model, but receives some significant upgrades in return. Most notably, the Air 2S features a camera with a 1″-type sensor – something that was previously exclusive to DJI models costing over $1,500. Whereas the Mavic Air 2 emphasized resolution over sensor size, with features like...
read moreFujifilm XF 18mm F1.4 R LM WR sample gallery (DPReview TV)
Published Apr 17, 2021 | dpreview staff You’ve watched the video, now see the stills that Chris and Jordan took while reviewing a pre-production version of Fujifilm’s brand new XF 18mm F1.4 R LM WR wide-angle lens. This lightweight lens, which is equivalent to 27mm on X-mount bodies, impressed our DPReview TV friends. Check out their photos to find out why. View DPReview TV’s Fujifilm XF 18mm F1.4 gallery Gear in this story Pre-order now Released on Apr 30, 2021 The DJI Air 2S is exactly what many drone enthusiasts have been...
read moreMissing hiker rescued after Twitter user tracks him down using his last-sent photo
A photo may very well have saved a missing hiker’s life this week. 46-year-old hiker Rene Compean was reported missing near Mount Waterman in southern California on Monday evening. After disseminating a photo online that Compean had sent to a friend earlier on Monday, authorities located Compean on Tuesday. While hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains, located about 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles, Rene Compean realized he was lost. His cellphone battery was dying, so he snapped a photo of his feet hanging over rocks and sent the image...
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Started out doing photography at the age of 6 using an uncle's old 1940 kodak brownie box camera. At 15 years of age, I decided to buy my very own 1975 Praktica SLR camera. I now shoot with a Nikon D850. I do unpaid TFP and commercial paid work.