Nikon Blog
DPReview TV: Does bird detect AF make the Olympus E-M1X a crazy bird finding machine?
Published Dec 23, 2020 | dpreview staff [embedded content] A new firmware update adds bird detection autofocus to the E-M1X and, oh boy, it finds all the birds. The E-M1X and E-M1 Mark III also get ProRes Raw video recording, but does it meet Jordan’s standards? If you’re an Olympus user you can download the latest firmware updates. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week. Learn more about the Olympus firmware updates Gear in this story The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III is our favorite Micro...
read moreDJI’s GO 4 app adds local data mode, preventing third parties from accessing flight info
DJI’s GO 4 app powers its Phantom 4 series, Mavic series, and Inspire 2 drones. A recent update for iOS revealed that Local Data mode is now available. The feature, which is already available on the Fly and Pilot apps, keeps your data strictly on your phone as opposed to sending it to DJI-controlled servers and third-party service providers. News first broke on DJI’s intention to address cybersecurity concerns with the GO 4 app, this past September, and the notion of including Local Data mode with it was introduced. While it has...
read moreNetflix adds the Sony FX6 to its approved camera list for shooting Netflix Originals
Sony has announced its FX6 camera has been added to the Netflix Approved Camera List, meaning Netflix Originals can be recorded on using the $6,000 cinema camera. In order to achieve certification from Netflix, cameras must meet minimum resolution and capture specifications, as well as other ‘attributes like dynamic range, form factor, stability and workflow compatibility were also taken into consideration,’ according to Sony. According to Netflix’s Camera Production Guide for the Sony FX6, footage should be shot in Cine EI mode with...
read moreMiNT Cameras launches Kickstarter campaign for InstantKon SF70 instant camera, a modern take on Polaroid SX-70
The classic Polaroid SX-70 instant camera came out nearly 50 years ago. Aiming to create a modern take on the SX-70, MiNT Camera has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the InstantKon SF70 camera. MiNT Camera hopes the SF70 captures the spirit of the SX-70 while improving upon Polaroid’s old instant camera in meaningful ways. Making an instant camera better than the Polaroid SX-70 (manufactured from 1972-1981) is a high bar to clear, says MiNT Camera, and to do so, it would need to have the best features of the SX-70 while bringing to...
read moreGear of the year 2020: Dan’s choice – Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
I’ve been writing about photography and camera gear for about ten years and in that time I’ve had the privilege of shooting with all sorts drool-worthy, piggy bank/ground-breaking cameras and lenses: the kind of gear I dreamed of one day owning as a kid. But these days, what gets me most excited is not the gear with the highest price tag, most impressive specs or prettiest bokeh, but that which makes photography more accessible to the masses. Tamron seems to be on a roll lately when it comes to conjuring up good glass with the...
read moreMegadap’s MTZ11 adapter gives (almost) any manual lens autofocus with Nikon Z mirrorless cameras
[embedded content] Hong Kong adapter manufacturer Megadap has released the world’s first autofocus adapter for mounting Leica M mount lenses on Nikon Z mirrorless cameras. The adapter relies on a patented ‘circular extension structure’ that moves back and forth to adjust focus. Communication between the adapter and camera is done using the built-in contacts, which allows the adapter to make use of Nikon’s phase-detection autofocus system. Megadap says the adapter currently supports Single-Shot AF (AF-S), Continuous AF (AF-C) and Servo...
read moreNikon Z 50mm F1.2 S sample gallery
Nikon’s new Z 50mm F1.2 S is a fast, versatile prime lens for the full-frame Z-series. Optical construction is complex, with 17 elements arranged in 15 groups, including three aspherical elements and two ‘ED’ extra-low-dispersion elements, and both Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coating and the newer ARNEO coating for flare, ghosting and coma suppression. All of this makes the Z 50mm F1.2 a seriously big, seriously pricey lens, but does its performance justify its cost? Take a look at our samples gallery to find out. Gear in...
read moreProMediaGear Pro Stix 77 Carbon Fiber Tripod Review
This is a review of the ProMediaGear Pro Stix 77 Carbon Fiber Tripod (model TR424L), a tall, heavy-duty, yet lightweight tripod considering its size and functionality. Generally, this is a bigger tripod than many will ever want or need, but because the company makes such nice gear and has a variety of carbon fiber tripods, I suggest that you read on and then consider your specific needs. If you’re unsure of what you need in a tripod, take a look at Nasim’s article on choosing a tripod. If your gear is heavier and potentially more...
read moreZeiss, Vivo form partnership to bring Zeiss camera components to Vivo’s premium smartphones
Zeiss and Vivo have announced in a joint press release that the two companies are entering a global partnership that will see the optics and smartphone manufacturer co-engineer an imaging system for Vivo’s new flagship smartphones. ‘The strategic, multi-faceted collaboration is designed to allow vivo, one of the largest global smartphone makers with deep consumer insight and integrated imaging capabilities, and ZEISS, a global leader in optics and opto-electronics and a pioneer in the field of professional and mobile imaging, to build on...
read moreAdobe brings native M1 support to Premiere Pro, Premiere Rush and Audition with new public betas
Adobe has released the first public beta for its Arm version of Premiere Pro for macOS. This update means owners of Apple’s new M1-powered computers will be able to run the video editing application natively. In the announcement post, Adobe reiterates that this beta version is very much in the works and will be updated frequently as new compatibility gets added. ‘Since Premiere Pro is built on a large codebase with support for a wide range of media and workflows, we will implement native support for Apple M1 in phases and some parts have...
read moreVideo: How to make your own paper developer at home
Historic Process Specialist Nick Brandreth of the George Eastman Museum is back with another episode of ‘Darkroom Magic’. The ongoing video series teaches photographers how to safely complete analog photography projects. In the latest video, Brandreth shows us how to make paper develop from scratch in the comfort of your own home. Brandreth says, ‘Making a paper print is one of the most rewarding parts of the darkroom experience.’ However, when he recently purchased his favorite paper developer, Brandreth realized that...
read moreCheck out that lens: Zeiss ZX1 studio scene uploaded
We’re continuing to work through our Zeiss ZX1 review, and have just finalized the studio scene images – here they are! While we’re less impressed with the camera’s JPEG engine, we have to say, in Raw mode, that 35mm F2 lens really shines. Check out the chart’s far corners to see how it compares against other fixed-lens, large sensor cameras. But regarding the JPEG images, after multiple attempts, what you see here was the best white balance we could get the custom white balance function to give. And, since the...
read moreNASA celebrates Hubble’s 30th birthday with 30 new stunning images of space
Image credit: Caldwell 78 (NGC 6541). This is a star cluster roughly 22,000 light-years from Earth. It can be viewed from the southern hemisphere using binoculars. Image credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Piotto (Universitá degli Studi di Padova); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) The Hubble Space Telescope turned 30 this year and NASA has celebrated the milestone by releasing dozens of newly processed images showcasing 30 galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. NASA notes of the ‘celestial gems,’ ‘All of them can...
read moreHave your say: Best gear of 2020 – winners and final vote!
Published Dec 21, 2020 | dpreview staff Have your say: Best gear of 2020 For the past few weeks, our readers have been voting on their favorite photographic gear released in the past year in a wide range of categories. Now that the first round of voting is over, it’s time to reveal the winners. Remember though, it isn’t over just yet! It’s time now to pick an overall winner. Don’t miss your chance to cast your ballot – this one’s for all the sweeties. Have your say Voting is easy – you pick your favorite...
read moreReport: After more than 70 years Nikon ends domestic camera production, planning move to Thailand
The outside of Nikon’s Sendai Factory. Japanese publication AERAdot has reported Nikon is ending domestic camera production in Japan. According to the report, Nikon will be moving camera production from its Sendai Nikon factory in the TÅhoku region North of Tokyo to its Thailand factories in an effort to reduce costs. Nikon’s Sendai factory covers nearly 27,000 square meters and has been running near-continuously since opening in 1971. The first camera to be produced in the facility was the Nikon EM, released in 1979. Since then, the...
read moreGear of the Year: Dale’s choice – Fujifilm X-Pro3
Photo: Dan Bracaglia I think we can all agree that 2020 has been an unpredictable year, so it seems appropriate that my gear of the year is a camera I wouldn’t have predicted a few months ago: the Fujifilm X-Pro3. But first, a bit of context. Some of my earliest photography was done with a hand-me-down rangefinder camera, a Kodak Retina IIc. I loved the experience of shooting it and still remember exactly how it felt in my hands. I even remember how it smelled, no doubt the result of the grease used to lubricate gears, something you don’t...
read moreThe 7 most clichéd photography gifts (and what to buy instead)
What follows is a list of seven of the most common cliched gifts likely to be received by photographers this holiday season, based on informal polling around the DPReview office. If you’re thinking about giving that special photographer in your life one of these items, we implore you, consider our alternatives. No one needs another damn camera lens...
read moreDPReview TV: Sony FX6 Review
Published Dec 19, 2020 | dpreview staff [embedded content] What would the Sony a7S III look like if it were a cinema camera? Spoiler: it would look like the Sony FX6. This week, Jordan reviews the FX6 to see how it compares with the a7S III. Which one would he pick? You might be surprised. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week. Fujifilm’s latest X-S10 is a likeable mirrorless camera with some of the company’s best tech packed inside, and it doesn’t cost the earth. We think it could be...
read moreHow to Calibrate Your Apple Mac Monitor
In this article, I will go over the process of calibrating Apple’s iMac and MacBook monitors. I will be using a hardware colorimeter along with DisplayCAL software, and demonstrate why properly calibrating your Apple display is extremely important. Apple’s iMac and iMac Pro displays should be properly calibrated for use in photography As photographers, it is important for us to establish a consistent and accurate editing environment, which means that ideally, we should be looking at an accurate representation of colors in photographs in...
read moreChinese drone company DJI added to U.S. economic blacklist
The U.S. government recently added the world’s leading drone manufacturer, Da-Jiang Innovations, better known as DJI, to its economic blacklist. Joining dozens of other Chinese companies, including leading chipmaker SMIC, DJI was also recognized by the agency’s Commerce Department for being one of 4 companies that ‘enabled wide-scale human rights abuses within China through abusive genetic collection and analysis or high-technology surveillance.’ As a result, American companies may be prohibited from exporting parts to...
read moreIconic Ansel Adams image sells for nearly $1M at Sotheby’s auction, total sales of $6.4M
Ansel Adams, The Grand Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming ‘A Grand Vision: The David H. Arrington Collection of Ansel Adams Masterworks‘ completed auctioned at Sotheby’s New York on December 14. The collection comprised 123 individual lots, 94% of which were successfully sold to buyers both in person at Sotheby’s New York and online. A mural-sized print, ‘The Grand Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming’, sold for a record-high for an Ansel Adams print,...
read moreVenus Optics’ new $399 Laowa 10mm f/2 Zero-D MFT lens is just four Oreos tall
Venus Optics has announced its second Laowa ultra-wide-angle lens with ‘Zero-Distortion’ for Micro Four Thirds camera systems, the Laowa 10mm F2 Zero-D MFT. The ultra-compact lens features a full-frame equivalent focal length of 20mm and is constructed of eleven elements in seven groups, including three extra-low dispersion elements. Like the other lenses in the Laowa ‘Zero-D’ line, the 10mm F2 lens is specifically designed to minimize distortion for a ‘more natural wide-angle perspective. Below is drone footage captured with the...
read moreThe best compact travel tripods for any budget
From left to right, the MeFoto BackPacker S, Manfrotto BeFree Advanced, Peak Design Travel Tripod and Gitzo Traveler Series 1. Although image stabilization technology has come along in leaps and bounds over the past few years, there are few things you can do to improve your low-light or telephoto images more than mounting your camera on a tripod. But many tripods are heavy and bulky, making them inconvenient to bring along on longer hikes or when traveling by air. That’s where the humble travel tripod comes to the rescue. In this review...
read moreTTArtisans releases a $98 50mm F1.2 lens for APS-C camera systems
Chinese optics manufacturer TTArtisans has announced the release of a $98 50mm F1.2 APS-C lens for Canon M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds and Sony E mount camera systems. The fully-manual lens is constructed of seven optical elements in five groups and features an all-metal design. The lens uses a ten-blade aperture diaphragm, has a 50cm (1.64FT) minimum focusing distance and uses a 52mm front filter thread. The lens measures in at 60mm (2.36â€) long, 62mm (2.44â€) in diameter and weighs 336g (11.85oz). It is available to purchase today for...
read moreStocking stuffers: Five film camera bargains
Published Dec 18, 2020 | Aaron Gold Stocking stuffers: Five Film Camera Bargains If you’ve read any of my previous articles here at DPReview ($20 film camera challenge, electronic vs mechanical cameras), you know I love a good film camera bargain. With time on my hands these last few months, I’ve been scouring the auction sites and I’ve come across some tremendous buys. If you’re looking to expand your 35mm camera collection for the holidays, here are five(ish) film cameras you can find at stocking-stuffer prices....
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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.