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The Digital Photography Review Newsletter
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Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Welcome to the 839th DPReview Newsletter!

Can you believe it's December already? Just when we thought product announcements were done for the year, Sigma released a trio of prime lenses for E- and L-mount bodies. We were able to get our hands on two of the three, and have galleries and videos of both. And believe it or not, there are more announcements still to come in December!

Last week saw the update of our Nikon Z6 II initial review, along with more gift and camera buying guides. Richard also weighed in with his gear of the year: the monstrous (but lightweight) Canon RF 800mm F11. And, in case you missed it, check out the winners of the 2020 DPR Awards.

Barney is taking some well-deserved time off, but I'm told that he'll return to newsletter writing soon. Thanks for reading, and stay safe out there!

Jeff


Nikon Z6 II initial review update

Our original initial review of the Z6 II covered the basics, and last week we took it into the lab to see how it performs in terms of image and video quality, as well as dynamic range. Given that it's a minor update to its predecessor, not a whole lot has changed in those areas. 

Read our updated Nikon Z6 II initial review

Hands-on with the Sigma 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 DG DN

Sigma announced three new lenses on Tuesday: a 24mm F3.5, 35mm F2 and 65mm F2. We got our hands on the last two and put together a short overview of their features, with a quick mention of the 24mm that we expect to receive in the near future.

Go hands-on with the Sigma 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 DG DN


2020 buying guide: treat yourself

There are plenty of guides out there telling you what to buy for other people, but what about looking out for number one? Our own Dan Bracaglia picked out some fun gear for yourself because, let's face it, you deserve it.

Find the best holiday gifts for YOU

Richard's Gear of the Year: the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM

The Canon RF 800mm F11 is one of the most unusual – and fun-to-use – lenses that was announced this year. Its aperture may be slow, but it has incredible reach and doesn't require a shoulder strap to carry around. 

See why the Canon RF 800mm F11 is Richard's Gear of the Year for 2020

News updates
Published Tuesday, December 1, 2020 6:50:00 PM GMT

For now, the app is in beta and limited to a handful of Samsung Galaxy smartphones, but as development continues, it's safe to assume support for other Android devices is on the way.

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2020 6:09:00 PM GMT

Sony's new Visual Story app for iOS promises event and wedding photographers a variety of useful tools, designed to simplify their workflow and enhance their business. The app includes automatic image transfer, gallery creation, editing tools and more.

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2020 3:01:00 PM GMT

Yongnuo, makers of lenses, cameras and other photo accessories, has filed a patent for a modular mirrorless camera system.

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2020 12:30:00 PM GMT

Sigma's new primes promise very good performance and light weight, when paired with L-mount and Sony E-mount mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. Take a closer look.

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2020 12:30:00 PM GMT

Chris and Jordan take a look at the new Sigma 35mm F2 and 65mm F2. Depending on which system you're in and what your needs are, they might just be the compact, well-priced and impressively sharp little primes you've been looking for.

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2020 12:30:00 PM GMT

The Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN is for the photographer who wants a focal length that falls squarely between 50mm and 85mm. Have a look at our initial sample gallery taken on a full-frame Sony body.

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2020 12:30:00 PM GMT

While they were out shooting their video about Sigma's new lenses, Chris and Jordan filled up a memory card with photos from the 35mm F2 DG DN using Panasonic bodies.

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2020 12:30:00 PM GMT

Sigma has introduced its new 'I series' of compact, premium full-frame lenses for E and L mounts. The 24mm F3.5, 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 DG DN share similar designs and have weather-sealed metal bodies.

Published Monday, November 30, 2020 8:33:00 PM GMT

The 65mm T2 completes Vazen's set of anamorphic lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system. With a 1.8x squeeze, the lens produces a more pronounced anamorphic effect than the 1.33x lenses offered by Sirui, albeit at a much higher cost.

Published Monday, November 30, 2020 6:44:00 PM GMT

The Primoplan 75mm F1.9 II is a redesign of the original Primoplan 75mm F1.9 designed in 1936. It's available in Canon EF, Fuji X, Leica M, M42, MFT, Nikon F, Pentax K and Sony E mounts and the first units are expected to ship in January 2021.

Published Monday, November 30, 2020 5:55:00 PM GMT

As we continue to test Nikon's update of its multimedia full-framer, we've added more of our findings so far on image quality, dynamic range and video quality. Take a look.

Published Monday, November 30, 2020 4:27:00 PM GMT

When we first reported on the alleged ransomware attack back in August, Canon said it was 'investigating the situation.' Now, three months later, the company has confirmed in a statement that the personal information of past and current employees was taken from its servers.

Published Sunday, November 29, 2020 7:09:00 PM GMT

Photographer and YouTuber Todd Dominey has shared a video that details the history of Kodak Aerochrome film, a film stock he says has 'an origin story unlike any other.'

Published Sunday, November 29, 2020 2:00:00 PM GMT

Senior Editor Barney Britton's Gear of the Year part two details how he ended up with a Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11, and despite its quirks, why it was ideal for a creative project in the COVID-era.

Published Saturday, November 28, 2020 8:00:00 AM GMT

Planning to treat yourself to a new full-frame camera this holiday season? We compare the Canon EOS R6, Nikon Z6 II, Panasonic S5 and Sony a7 III.

Published Friday, November 27, 2020 2:38:00 PM GMT

Photokina has announced via a press release that after 70 years of shows in Cologne, Germany, it will be indefinitely suspended due to 'decreases in the imaging market’ that have ‘force[d] a hard cut.’

Published Friday, November 27, 2020 2:00:00 PM GMT

What follows are the headiest products of 2020, the ones photographers really want. So pour a tall cold one and get ready to treat yourself, 2020 style.

Published Friday, November 27, 2020 8:00:00 AM GMT

The new Laowa 15mm F4.5 Shift lens lets you go wide with perspective control. View our sample gallery to see how a bit of shift can change a photo or introduce creative effects.

Published Thursday, November 26, 2020 7:47:00 PM GMT

The rear camera (or cameras) on an iPhone has all the latest bells and whistles, but how do you use them to capture a selfie or record a video of yourself? Enter the Ulanzi ST-09, an adjustable mount that allows you to turn an Apple Watch into a live viewfinder on the rear of your iPhone.

Published Thursday, November 26, 2020 2:00:00 PM GMT

Technical Editor Richard Butler's pick was the unusual lens that gave him the opportunity to try something new. The Canon RF 800mm F11's unique combination of telephoto reach, affordability and light weight will likely enable even more people to do the same.

Published Thursday, November 26, 2020 2:00:00 PM GMT

The Laowa 15mm F4.5 Zero-D Shift lens lets you shift perspective without moving the camera, correct for converging lines and more. Oh, and it's a lot of fun too.

Published Wednesday, November 25, 2020 7:00:00 PM GMT

MIOPS has announced Flex, a new smart camera gadget designed to make it easy and simple to capture lightning strikes, action images, holy grail timelapse videos and much more.

Published Wednesday, November 25, 2020 3:00:00 PM GMT

This year, despite the disruption, plenty of amazing cameras, lenses, accessories and other products came through our doors. Now, as the year winds down, we're highlighting some of our standout products of the year. Check out the winners of the 2020 DPReview Awards!

Published Wednesday, November 25, 2020 2:35:00 PM GMT

Fujifilm's 3.00 firmware update adds a new Pixel Shift Mult-Shot mode to its GFX 100 camera that works alongside a new Pixel Shift Combiner program to output 400MP Raw images made up from 16 individual still images.

Published Wednesday, November 25, 2020 1:00:00 PM GMT

You don't need to spend a fortune to buy a camera that's designed for videography. We took a look at the field and selected the Panasonic S1H and GH5 as the best cameras for serious videographers.

Published Wednesday, November 25, 2020 5:54:00 AM GMT

Fujifilm has announced a special version of its 100MP GFX 100 for infrared imaging. The new camera will be available for special order in early 2021.