Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Wed, 2 Feb 2011

	Digital Photography Review Newsletter Wed, 2 Feb 2011
Welcome to the 438th Digital Photography Review newsletter The most popular weekly photography newsletter with over 140,000 subscribers Off into the sunset? We're readying the Champagne to smash across the bows of our soon-to-be published review of Olympus' flagship E-5. Assumed by many to represent the end of the conventional Four Thirds DSLR family, the range-topping E-5 could well represent something of a high water-mark. It inherits the battleship-like build and famously water-sealed body of the E-3 but featuring a newer 12MP sensor and the latest iteration of the company's impressive image processing. So there's a slightly elegiac feeling as the review rests on the slipway, ready to be launched into the unknowable swell and surge of the Internet. Richard
Ricoh unveils CX5 compact superzoom with Hybrid AF Wed, 26 Jan Ricoh has unveiled the CX5 compact superzoom with Hybrid AF. It represents the re-introduction of an AF system that combines a distance sensor with more conventional contrast detection method to offer focus times of as little as 0.2sec regardless of focal length. Beyond this, it offers the same 10MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 10.7x (28-300mm equiv.) zoom lens, 920k dot 3 inch LCD and 720p HD video recording as the CX4. It's not clear how the AF system differs from the one used by the company up until 2007, but it is claimed to almost double the speed of the CX4. Other new features include 'Super-Resolution' context-sensitive image processing and three additional scene modes. (more) Just posted: Olympus XZ-1 review Wed, 26 Jan Just Posted: Our review of the Olympus XZ-1. The company's latest enthusiast compact represents its return to the top end of the compact camera market. The impressive set of features builds around a 28-122mm equiv. F1.8-2.5 lens and includes a 3.0" VGA-equivalent OLED screen, high-sensitivity 10MP CCD sensor and dual control dials. The XZ-1 enters a competitive segment of the market but its specifications suggest it can hold its own. Does use in the real-world support that impression? (more) Topaz Labs updates ReMask 3 plug-in Thu, 27 Jan Topaz Labs has updated its ReMask 3 masking plug-in for Adobe Photoshop a month after its release. Version 3.1 enhances processing speeds and adds new menu items amongst other improvements and bug fixes. Compatible with Windows and Intel-based Mac OS, it is still available at an introductory price of $49.99 till February 18. (more) Phase One releases Capture One 6.1 Thu, 27 Jan Phase One has updated its Capture One PRO 6 and Express 6 Raw workflow software. Version 6.1 brings additional features and extends RAW support to cameras including the Canon PowerShot G12, Pentax K-5, Nikon D3100, and the latest Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras. The update is available for immediate download from the company's website. (more) Pentax releases service notice for K-5 DSLR Thu, 27 Jan Pentax is offering a free service to users of K-5 DSLRs that have been affected by the widely reported 'stained image sensor' issue. The company believes the problem occurred during the manufacturing process of the first batch of K-5's and cannot be resolved by ordinary sensor cleaning methods. Affected camera owners can contact the company's customer service center to send their cameras for the repair. (more) Sigma drops price for 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens Mon, 31 Jan Sigma has announced a price drop for its 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens to $1,399, down from $1,699. The company says 'the reason the price went down is to remain competitive in this category and incent sales for this very popular lens.' The lens was amongst the first to incorporate Sigma's FLD glass element. It is currently available for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony Alpha and Sigma DSLRs. (more) Sony unveils Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V and DSC-HX9V Tue, 1 Feb Sony has announced another two Cyber-shot compacts using its latest 16.2MP back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor. Both the GPS-enabled DSC-HX100V and DSC-HX9 are capable of recording full 1080p60 HD videos and offer 10fps continuous shooting. The HX100V superzoom with 30x (27-810mm equiv.) zoom lens and the DSC-HX9 compact superzoom with 16x (24-384mm equiv.) zoom both offer 921k dot 3.0" LCDs, can shoot high resolution panoramic images and generate 3D images. (more) Ricoh developing M-mount module for GXR system Tue, 1 Feb Ricoh has announced it is developing a lens mount module for its GXR interchangeable camera system. The module will combine a 12.9MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a Leica 'M' mount, allowing the use of a large variety of classic rangefinder manual-focus lenses. Details are limited at present but a mock-up is to be shown at the CP+ trade show in Yokohama on Feb 9-12. The company has also reasserted its plans to make non-camera modules for the system. (more)
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