Digital Photography Review Newsletter: Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Sigma has announced new firmware for its 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lenses, claiming that it makes the autofocusing system up to 50% faster. The firmware applies to lenses fitted for Canon EOS and Nikon F cameras, and can be installed via the company’s USB dock and the Optimization Pro software program. Read more

Flash manufacturer Nissin has announced it has produced a receiver unit for its NAS wireless flash communication system that allows flash units from Canon, Nikon and Sony to be used within its radio command structure. Read more

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 is a radical reworking of the first X-Series mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. It may look essentially the same but just about every aspect of the camera has been refreshed, extended and enhanced. Read our full review to find out what these changes amount to.

A full-frame, ultra-wide angle macro lens from a very new brand provides a unique option for users of many different systems and lens mounts. Combining a 1:1 macro, wide angle of view and shift lens into a single body, the Venus LAOWA 15mm F4 is a lens with more than a few tricks up its sleeve. This article explores those abilities and provides some real world samples from both full-frame and APS-C cameras. Read more

Part of what can make an image both visually appealing and conceptually interesting is the connection between its different parts. An image is a whole made of different elements, which can either be separate or have a variety of relations between them. Seasoned landscape photographer Erez Marom takes a quick look at some examples of parallelism in action. Read more

Kodak Alaris has announced a major update to its Moments image sharing app, which allows for direct printing to Kodak Picture Kiosks and online ordering of print products. The company has added to the app what it calls visual storytelling capabilities. Read more

Chinese lens manufacturer Venus Optics has announced the Loawa 105mm F2, a portrait lens that uses an apodization element and dual diaphragms in an effort to produce better looking out-of-focus highlights. Read more

Portland, OR is also known as 'Bridgetown' for its many crisscrossing bridges slicing through the urban landscape. Rather appropriately, then, the Leica Q is a bridge of sorts for one DPReview staffer, as it is the first mirrorless camera he's used alongside DSLRs while shooting a wedding. So, can the Q replace a full-frame DSLR and wide-angle lens? Read more

Over the past few years, Tenba has gained a reputation for its solid line of messenger-style shoulder bags. The Cooper line, introduced in late 2015, promises the same reliability with luxury materials like full grain leather accents. Suitable for mirrorless and DSLR kits, we took a look at the Cooper 13 Slim and Cooper 15. Read more

A recent update for the DxO ONE has introduced a live image preview via the camera's built-in OLED when the device is used in standalone shooting mode. The camera is also offered at a lower $499 price point, without software bundled. Read more

Sony's new FE 24-70mm F2.8 G Master lens is as pro-level as pro lenses come. It offers some of the fastest AF speeds we've seen, especially when paired with the Sony a7R II, and impressive sharpness throughout its focal range, even wide open. Read more

We knew that Sony's FE 85mm F1.4 G Master lens was sharp, but after spending some quality time with it in Miami last week, we're even more impressed with its quality. See more

Canon has announced its latest entry-level DSLR, the Rebel T6 (also known as the EOS 1300D). While the T6 shares many features with its predecessor (the T5/1200D), it has a faster Digic 4+ processor, higher resolution LCD, new 'white priority' white balance mode, and Wi-Fi with NFC. Read more

The Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 is a bit of a rarity. It's a fast telezoom designed specifically for Canon, Nikon and Sigma APS-C bodies, providing 75-150mm equivalent range. We were lucky enough to get our hands on a pre-production model while we were in Japan for CP+ 2016. Read more

Samsung has announced a new smartphone image sensor that offers 12MP resolution, 1.4μm-pixel-size and Dual Pixel technology for fast focusing. Interestingly, those are very similar specifications to that of the Sony IMX260 sensor that has been found to be used in Samsung's new flagship smartphones S7 and S7 edge. Read more

Flickr’s desktop Auto-Uploadr, a tool that automatically and privately uploads photos to a user’s account, is now only available to paying 'Pro' customers. Read more

Sony invited us to come out to Miami and field test the company's new a6300 mirrorless camera. With 4K video capabilities, an overhauled AF system and new sensor, we were more than eager to put it to the test. Read more

Among all its releases at CP+ 2016, Sigma's 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is the smallest in size, but its wide aperture should help it pack an image quality punch. We were fortunate enough to have a chance to try out a pre-production model outside Sigma's factory in snowy Aizu, Japan. Click through to see how it did. Read more

Canon has announced two new large format imagePrograf Pro series printers. The Pro-2000 and Pro-4000 both use 12-color Lucia pigment ink systems and produce either 24in or 44in prints. With their black bodies and 'accentuated red line' the printers are designed to link visually with Canon's pro camera bodies and lenses. Read more

The Samsung NX500, which launched in the U.S. early last year, is shown as discontinued on B&H Photo, which may indicate that the camera is no longer being manufactured. Read more

At first glance, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 looks like just another rangefinder-style mirrorless camera. But flip it around and you quickly notice it's unique tilting electronic viewfinder, one of several features that make this camera stand out from the crowd. We've put the GX8 through some rigorous testing. Read more

Luxury camera bag manufacturer Ona has launched a new leather backpack that is its first bag to feature a completely removable insert as well as removable dividers. The Clifton is designed to hold a DSLR with a lens attached along with up to six other lenses or accessories, as well as a laptop or tablet of up to 13in. Read more