This week, Firmware Friday comes bearing presents for Pentax and Sony shooters, as well as some fixes — and Panasonic fans get a dose of the latter, too.

If you’ve read part two of our Pentax K-3 Shooter’s Report, you’ll already be aware of the update for that camera: We installed and tested it on our review sample earlier this week, and reported on the results. Here, the new feature is the addition of a bracketing function for the K-3’s unique anti-aliasing filter simulation function.

If you’re not familiar with the tech, it’s described in-depth in our Pentax K-3 review, but briefly, the optional function uses the camera’s shake-reduction system to very subtly blur the image, preventing moiré and false color effects. There are two patterns used for this blurring — either linear or circular. Now, you can get all three possible outcomes — an unfiltered image that’s as sharp as possible, plus two moiré-fighting versions with linear and circular blur, all with a single press of the shutter button. It definitely beats delving into the menu system to make the change, although we admit we’d like to see it tweaked to allow use in concert with autoexposure bracketing. (Right now, it’s an either/or situation.)

That’s not the only change in Pentax K-3 firmware version 1.02, either. The update is also said to provide further-improved autofocus performance in continuous AF mode, and to improve operation of the battery level indicator when shooting with batteries installed in the optional portrait / battery grip accessory. And as always, Ricoh also says that it has “improved stability for general performance”, a catch-all phrase that presumably translates to “squashed a few minor bugs that weren’t important enough to mention.”

Get the update from the Ricoh USA website here, or contact your local Ricoh agent for details if you’re in another country.

You’ll already have known Sony’s updates were coming, if you’re a Firmware Friday follower. We first told you they were on the way back in late December, when the company announced new firmware for the QX100 and QX10 lens-style cameras would be forthcoming, although it was originally slated to drop in January. Better late than never, these version 2.00 updates gift QX-series lens-style camera owners with the following new features:

• Sony QX100: The upper sensitivity limit has been raised from ISO 3200 to ISO 12,800 equivalent. Additionally, a shutter priority mode has been added, offering exposures from 30 to 1/2,000 second. Finally, it is now possible to shoot standard Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) movies at a rate of 30 frames per second, rather than the current limit of Anamorphic HD (1,440 x 1,080 pixels) at the same rate.
• Sony QX10: The upper sensitivity limit has been raised from ISO 1600 to ISO 3200 equivalent. Movie capture at Full HD resolution has also been added.

Windows users can get either QX-series update by downloading the firmware updater here; Mac owners will want to nab a copy of the OS X version instead.

And so we come to Panasonic, whose firmware updates don’t any new features — but they do improve the experience when shooting with the Lumix G6 or GF6 compact system cameras. These mirrorless models both now use version 1.2 firmware, which makes the same changes for each. A Wi-Fi connection problem with Apple iOS devices has been fixed, and manual focus compatibility improved when shooting with the LUMIX G VARIO 12-32mm / F3.5-F5.6 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. (H-FS12032) lens. The latter fix was also applied to the Lumix GX7 last November. You can get the new firmware for either model from Panasonic’s Joint Update Service for Four Thirds website.

And that about wraps it up for this week. Join us next time for more Firmware Friday fun!*

* Installing firmware updates may or may not be fun, depending on your level of geekiness.

(Camera parts image courtesy of Kelly Hofer / Flickr; used under a Creative Commons CC-BY-2.0 license.)

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Let’s face it, if you take photos with your tablet, you look pretty ridiculous (regardless of what Apple thinks). But strapping a big lens to the front of your Galaxy Tab? That’s just going to make things worse. And while the QX10 and QX100 may come with built-in clamps for attaching them to your smartphone, buying an extra accessory so that you can use them on a tablet too defeats the whole purpose of how flexible and maneuverable they are. But Sony’s making one anyway.

One of the great strengths of the QX10 and QX100 is that you can mount them on your smartphone if you like, making an experience that’s very similar to using a traditional point-and-shoot, but you can also use the lens/sensor combo freely, as it’s linked to your phone via a Wi-Fi connection. By attaching it to a tablet, you’re just making it extremely awkward and difficult to hold-so you might as well simply grab the lens and point it at what you want, and keep the tablet on your lap.

So far, this accessory has only been announced for Japan, where it will fetch 3,434 yen (around $34), and will come with six different arms to attach to an array of different size phones, tablets, phablets, or anything else rectangular-up to an 11-inch device.

Have a look at the photos below, and try and imagine holding that up above your head to get a shot. And think what the people standing behind you might have to say about that.

(via Engadget, the Verge)

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It’s only Wednesday and the deals keep rolling in! We’ve got a bunch of cool and eclectic camera deals this morning including a dual-lens bundle on the new Sony A3000 as well as a price drop on a camera that’s not even out yet — the Fuji XQ1 (plus some more Fuji deals). There’re also some deals on a Samsung mirrorless camera, a Canon superzoom and a deal on the Sony QX10 lens-style camera. In the lens department there are deals on a couple versatile Canon L-series zoom lenses. That’s probably enough for today, but we’ll be back tomorrow for all new deals!

• Sony A3000 dual-lens bundle – $447 (compare to $696 if purchased separately) – Free Shipping
  BuyDig has the Sony A3000 with the 18-55mm lens kit plus you can bundle that with the Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 Telephoto Lens and the Sony 16GB SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 memory card for an in-cart of $447 with free shipping. To get this deal, add the Sony A3000 to your cart for $299, then add the Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 Telephoto Lens to your cart for $348. the price then drops to a total of $447 automatically (and the SDHC card is also added automatically).
  Read our Sony A3000 preview for more details.
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• PRICE DROP: Fuji XQ1 preorder – $450 (compare to $500) – Free Shipping
  Adorama and Amazon have dropped the price of the Fujifilm XQ1 preorder to $450 with free shipping. Amazon has listed the release date at Nov. 15.Â
  Read our Fuji XQ1 preview for more details.
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• Fuji X20 – $544Â (Compare to $600) – Free Shipping
  Amazon has the Fujifilm X20 compact camera with the X-Trans II sensor for $544.26 with free shipping.
  Read our Fuji X20 preview for more details.
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• Fuji XF1 – $249 (compare to $450) – Free Shipping
  Amazon also has the Fujifilm XF1 compact camera in black, brown or red for $249 with free shipping.
  Read our Fuji XF1 review for more details.
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• Samsung NX1100 with 20-50mm lens kit + Adobe Lightroom – $300 (compare to $350) – Free Shipping
  B&H has the Samsung NX1100 with the 20-50mm lens kit (in white or black), which includes Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for $299 with free shipping.
  Read our Samsung NX1100 preview for more details.
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• Canon SX500 IS – $190 (compare to $300) – Free Shipping
  Best Buy’s daily deal is the Canon PowerShot SX500 IS superzoom camera for just $189.99 with free shipping.
  Read our Canon SX500 IS preview for more details.
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• Sony Cybershot QX10 – $200 (compare to $250) – Free Shipping
  1Sale.com has the Sony Cybershot QX10 lens-style camera for $199.99 with free shipping. Deal ends by 11:59pm ET on Wednesday 11/13/13.
  Read our Sony QX10 preview for more details.
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• Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II lens – $1,900 (compare to $2,500) – Free Shipping
  Adorama has the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM lens available for $1,899Â with free shipping after $300.00 mail-in rebate (PDF). The reduced pricing will be shown during checkout.
  Read our Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II review for more details.
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• Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS lens – $720 (compare to $1,149) – Free Shipping
  BigValueInc via eBay has the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens for $719.99 with free shipping. Limited quantity available.
  Read our Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS review for more details.

The post Camera Deals of the Day: Sony A3000 2-lens bundle $447; Fuji XQ1 pre-order price drop $450; Samsung NX1100 kit + Lightroom $300 and much more! appeared first on Imaging Resource.

It’s time for another deal roundup, and we’ve got an eclectic mix of deals this morning. We found another deal on a Canon 6D bundle as well as a nice discount on a refurb Nikon DSLR bundle. There’s also a couple Sony deals include one of their new Lens-Style Cameras. In the lens department, there’s a big Pentax promo underway at Adorama and a couple deals on Nikon and Canon pro-level lenses. That’s all for now, but be sure to check back tomorrow for all new deals and discounts!

• Canon 6D body – $1,573 (compare to $1,900) – Free Shipping
  Adorama has the Canon 6D body available for $1,573 with free shipping plus 4% rewards and several free accessories like a case and SD memory card. Amazon also has the 6D body for this price, but without the extra rewards or bundled accessories.
  Read our Canon 6D review for more details.
• Refurbished Nikon D5100 with 18-55mm VR & 55-200mm VR lenses – $470 (compare to $797 new) – Free Shipping
  RobertsCamera via eBay has a Refurbished Nikon D5100 with 18-55mm VR & 55-200mm VR Lens Kit for $469.99 with free shipping. Limited quantity available.
  Read our Nikon D5100 review for more details.
• Sony QX10 lens-style camera – $230 (compare to $250) – Free Shipping
  1SaleADay has the Sony QX10 lens-style camera module for smartphones for $230 with free shipping. This sale lasts for one day only.
  Read our Sony QX10 preview for more details.
• Sony HX50V – $339 (compare to $450) – Free Shipping
  BuyDig has the Sony HX50V for $339 with free shipping. The discounted price will be displayed at the last stage of the checkout.
  Read our Sony HX50V preview for more details.
• Pentax DSLR lens promotion at Adorama – Free Shipping
  Adorama has started a 30% off promotion on a selection of Pentax DSLR lenses such as the Pentax DA 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 Fisheye lens now for $499.95 and the Pentax DA 50-135mm f/2.8 ED lens now only $999.95. Use promo code “S102831013” to get the discount. See the full selection of the eligible lenses here. Promo ends on Oct. 31.
  Read our Pentax 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 review and Pentax 50-135mm f/2.8 preview for more details.
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G lens – $1,700 (compare to $1,887) – Free Shipping
  DigitalRev has the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Lens for $1,699 with free shipping. Note to US buyers: items from DigitalRev are considered “grey market,” so manufacturer warranties might not be honored.
  Read our Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G review for more details.
• Canon EF 135mm f/2L lens – $889 (compare to $1,089) – Free Shipping
  B&H has the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM lens for $1,089 with free shipping. The price drops to $989 at final checkout and this $100 mail-in rebate (PDF) lowers it further to $889.
  Read our Canon 135mm f/2L review for more details.

The post Camera Deals of the Day: Canon 6D bundle $1,573; Sony QX10 Lens-Camera $230; Pentax lens promo @ Adorama and much more! appeared first on Imaging Resource.

If you’re eagerly awaiting the recently-announced — and extremely unconventional — Sony QX100 and QX10 lens-style cameras, your wait is just about over! Both models are just about to start shipping tomorrow, their maker has announced. And whether you’ll be buying one or not, Sony has just released a teardown video that offers an interesting look inside the more sophisticated of the pair.

The hardware of the large-sensor Sony QX100 is, with the exception of its lack of an LCD monitor, very similar to the existing large-sensor Sony RX100 II point and shoot. Nobody’s published a teardown of that camera yet, although the internals of its predecessor had something of an unintentional, brute-force teardown late last year. Still, watching the video it’s very clear how different the QX100 is from anything that’s gone before it, and why Sony didn’t have much scope to make it smaller. Between the lens, sensor, circuitry, and masses of heat shielding, there was a lot to pack in!

See the video below, and if you want to get your hands on the long-zoom Sony QX10 or its large-sensor sibling, the QX100, you’ll find shopping links at the end of this article. (You’ll also find them in our hands-on previews of the QX10 and QX100; click the camera names to read these.)

Place your pre-order for either the large-sensor Sony QX100 or long-zoom Sony QX10 with trusted Imaging Resource affiliates Adorama or B&H now:

Adorama:

• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 lens-style camera (US$498)
• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 lens-style camera (Black; US$248)

B&H:

• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 lens-style camera (US$499)
• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 lens-style camera (Black; US$249)
• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 lens-style camera (White; US$249)

The post Sony QX100 teardown goes inside the unusual lens-style camera that starts shipping tomorrow appeared first on Imaging Resource.

Almost every dedicated camera on the market shares one thing in common: It is — in some form or other — a box housing a lens. The long-rumored, large-sensor Sony QX100 and its sibling the long-zoom QX10 don’t just buck that trend, they toss it into orbit. The box is gone, leaving only the lens barrel behind. The result is a design radically different to anything that has gone before — a premium lens paired wirelessly with your smartphone — and one that aims to change the way you think about photography.

The concept for the QX-series “Lens-Style Cameras” is simple and rather clever. In much of the world, smartphones now account for more than half of all cellphones, and they typically have better screens than your camera does. So why do you need the bulk, weight, and expense of that second screen? Ditch the LCD, pare the camera down to its very basics, and you can do away with the boxy camera body altogether. And that’s precisely what Sony has done with the Cyber-shot QX100 and QX10.

The Sony QX100 shares much — including the same 1.0-inch, 20-megapixel, backside-illuminated image sensor and Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T*-branded 3.6x optical zoom lens — with the existing Sony RX100 II point-and-shoot. It’s the bigger of the two QX-series models, and sports the more sophisticated feature set, as well. It communicates with your smartphone via Wi-Fi, and can be paired using Near Field Communications if your smartphone supports it. And it includes its own shutter button, zoom, and manual focus controls, along with built-in storage and power, so it can actually be used standalone, too.

The Sony Cyber-shot QX100 lens-style camera ships from September 2013 in the US market, and pricing is set at US$500. Want to know more? Read our hands-on Sony QX100 review for our first impressions!

And then there’s the Sony QX10. This model is smaller, lighter, and aimed at the less-experienced photographer who just wants the zoom lens their cameraphone doesn’t have. It, too, is based on an existing camera, but this time it’s a small-sensor compact. It shares a similar 1/2.3-inch, 18-megapixel, backside-illuminated image sensor and Sony G-branded 10x optical zoom lens to those used in last year’s Sony WX150 point-and-shoot. Like the QX100, the Sony QX10 sports Wi-Fi, NFC, and built-in storage.

The Sony Cyber-shot QX10 likewise hits the market from September 2013, with pricing set at US$250. Want to know more? Read our first impressions in our hands-on Sony QX10 review!

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