Specs aside — it’s a “typical” Leica with relatively noisy upper ISO levels and unsurprisingly moderate AF speed — the new Leica T is quite a stunner. Well the ISO and AF judgment I got from people who shot preproduction models, so it can only get better. But as with any Leica, you don’t buy […]
Order these fine new lenses, available for various mounts: Sigma’s state-of-the-art ART series add the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM ART Lens to the lineup — available from Adorama for Canon, Nikon, Sony and Sigma mounts ($949). Or order this 50mm from B&H Photo (Canon / Nikon / Sony / Sigma). Brand new as well: […]
Interesting insights from the Washington Post: why Leica decided to leave its popular R series behind. R lenses could be used on almost any SLR camera. In the end, we learn, it was a strategic decision about capabilities, about a method of winning, about a system in markets… BTW, one of the best all-rounder lenses […]
Interesting find making the rounds on the Net: Sony officially talking up their curved sensor technology. Forget microlenses, forget flange focal distance issues. A curved sensor has no light loss at corners, no soft corners, no aberration. Light rays would hit the sensor perfectly straight. Well this is no longer science fiction. Photofiles, rejoice. Today, […]
Grand old Neil Young needs no introduction, but his latest project does: Kickstarter’s PonoMusic campaign that’s all about the mission to provide the best possible listening experience of your favorite digital music. Shortly after kickoff the project already got 1 million dollars pledged, then 2… There’s obviously no shortage of lovers of music who miss […]
By B. D. COLEN There is practically no Internet photo site on which the term is not thrown around, but oddly enough, I have never seen it defined. Yes, I see various cameras labeled “pro cameras,” either by marketers or by owners who want to be thought of as “pros.” But I have not a […]
Must confess I like the look of the new Hasselblad HV, a full-frame Sony A99 converted by the Swedes into a stylish, grayish and blackish “DSLR with style, spirit and soul,” as Hasselblad praises its pepped up A99 on luxurious steroids. The camera will be available in an ultra robust, special TTX01 (?!) resin case […]
My currently favorite two cameras battling each other in the high ISO department: the Nikon Df, king of high ISO with it’s full-frame D4 sensor, pitched against a widely unknown gem of a camera, the Sony RX10 with fixed Zeiss optics. How the two cameras perform in the real world will follow. This short hands-on […]
Took the new Sony RX10 for a spin recently. Am still waiting for a reviewing model, so no sample images to post yet. But using and handling the RX10 was such a pleasant surprise that I’m seriously considering buying one myself. Was actually in the market for a pocketable RX100 II — right, albeit being […]
By BLAKE ANDREWS Right, everyone’s familiar with The Odyssey by Homer. No, the other Homer! Even though the good old Greeks didn’t have cameras, they have some handy advice for us photographers. 1. Don’t Be Lazy Odysseus could’ve shacked up with Calypso eating grapes on the beach forever. She was built like a goddess. Literally. […]
By KAREL VAN WOLFEREN Quite a few times I have regretted not to have had a different camera with me as I viewed results from a photographic excursion. In the past year and a half this was mostly the case when I had the Fujifilm X-Pro1 or X-E1 with their marvellous lenses and image quality […]
OK, they’re not the latest greatest generation, but these are excellent cameras for super prices — great as a backup or for the family and kids: Nikon 1 J3 with with 10-30mm VR and 30-110mm VR 1 for $496 (42% off)
Interesting article by the New York Times on Fujifilm finding its niche as digital camera sales sputter: old-style cameras that mask a high-tech core. For certain work you can’t replace a D800 or 5D Mark III. But it’s just not that much fun. Et voilà the state-of-the-art and retro-looking Fujifilm X series, designed by Masazumi […]
By KAREL VAN WOLFEREN Unlike what happened in some other Asian cities, Japanese photographers did not rush out en masse to get hold of that full-format camera (digital’s new medium format) miraculously squeezed into a palm-sized mirrorless body when it went on sale in Tokyo on November 15. There was no one else besides me […]
An official Nikon Q&A on the occasion of financial results for Q2 of the year ending March 31, 2014, reveals some interesting tidbits and strategic objectives; objectives that we actually discuss quite often here on THEME. Expect a shift to cameras with higher margins; might well be that the Nikon Df is a strategic corporate […]
Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke said that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” But even Clarke never envisioned Google’s Magic Picture Machine. They’re unlike anything else out there, the new Google+ photo and video features. Shall we take a moment to marvel at the technology behind it? The popularity of Google+ still […]
By TIM ASHLEY Of all the tempting bones that the News Feed of THEME regularly tosses us, new cameras that offer improved IQ and resolution to users of much loved legacy lenses (and for me that often means Leica M glass) are amongst the most toothsome. Sony has announced just such an item of late […]
What a beautifully diversifying industry digital photograph has become. As much as digital cameras seem to be “advancing,” they’re also diversifying. Photographers have access to more options than ever before. We all can enjoy photography with fewer compromises. Whatever your shooting style is, it’s highly unlikely you won’t find a camera that suits your style […]
For all details, specs and reviews of Sony’s revolutionary mirrorless full-frame system cameras A7 and A7R visit our dedicated, continuously updated The Sony A7(R) File. You can order the Sony A7 and A7R from: Amazon (A7 body / A7 kit / A7R body) B&H (A7 body / A7 kit / A7R body) Adorama (A7 body […]
+++ The File is continuously updated with the latest A7(R) reviews and hands-on reports. See further below. +++ Sony, in another bold move, raises the bar a full-frame and demolishes the status quo: its long rumored, eagerly anticipated and latest imaging device is palm-sized, takes interchangeable lenses, has a very responsive focus system, large bright […]
Here’s a nifty infographic by B&H on how light affects your subject (or is it object? I vote for the latter…). It’s about understand the effects of various light modifiers on a subject. Explains B&H: We’ve been hard at work trying to demonstrate to you the effects of various lighting modifiers. So we created this […]
Everyone talks Olympus OM-D E-M1. You get a lot of camera — for a serious amount of money. For some photographers, it may be too much camera for too much money. Take the closest competitor, Panasonic’s Lumix GX7. Its kit with the Lumix G Vario 14-42mm for $999 costs less than half of the Olympus. […]
By JAWAD RIACHI I’ve recently downloaded DxO Optics Pro (demo version) just for the sake of experimenting with the software on some photos I shot with a small Micro Four Thirds camera. The camera I used had a fairly sharp wide angle lens (14mm F2.5). When I uploaded the photos into the software, DxO Optics […]
You may laugh them off as atrocious gadgets. Revolutionary lens-style cameras, or more correctly: lens modules for smartphones, who would have thought of this? Think again: for two thirds of the price you get an RX100 II — without body and LCD that is, but the way the Sony QX100 allows the photographer to be […]
Not that THEME is the philosophizing photographer’s site. But we like to dwell upon things that are contrarian at times and not always mainstream. You should find on THEME what you don’t always find on other sites. This horse, however, has been beaten to death many times already — the question what’s more important: sensor, […]
Over at Leica forums the article is named and shamed — mainly because Ken Rockwell (who at least has made a name for himself) is interviewed as a Leica authority. But leaving personal grudges aside, the New York Times article Leica Cameras Have Eye-Popping Prices, With Photos to Match is a good read — and […]
The amazing Sony RX100 II is in stock at Amazon and B&H. The RX100 II’s additional flexibility over the already very capable RX100 makes the successor a very attractive proposition for enthusiasts who want a lot of power in a small package. What’s new? 1-inch 20.2MP Exmor R sensor for extreme low light shots Bright […]
Here’s a photography study by, surprise surprise, consumer giant Unilever’s personal care brand Dove. Right, they want women and men to look and feel beautiful. According to a new Dove global research, self-awareness and photography are closely related. If you don’t feel confident, you don’t want to have your picture taken. Women obviously feel less […]
Specs-wise, they got a promising lineup. Look at Samsung’s mirrorless NX300: fast AF, and I mean fast, just to mention Usain Bolt who gives his name for it. Excellent noise handling with incremental ISO steps, spot-on natural colors and tones, fantastic prime pancakes, a sleek design and don’t forget the plus of instant Wi-Fi image […]
Why anyone would want to simulate film? Today’s ultra clean digital files can border on the sterile if not handled correctly. As with any product, opinions will differ, but this is my unimportant one: if you want film images, you use a film camera. If you want to simulate the closest thing to film images, […]
