New Sony G Series XQD v2 memory cards: extreme speeds

Sony has announced a new series of XQD memory cards (currently only in use by the Nikon D4/D4s DSLR cameras and a select number of Sony video cameras). This new series of cards promises amazing speeds of up to 400MB/s (read) and 350MB/s (write). More than twice as fast as the fasted Compact Flash Card. The new cards will be available from 3 November in sizes 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB. Each card will include a USB 3.0 adapter for easy transfer of images & video to your computer.

Nikon releases Capture NX-D 1.0.3 and ViewNX 2.10.2

Nikon has released an update to its image editing and browsing applications Capture NX-D and ViewNX2.

You can download the new versions from the Nikon support site:

• NX-D 1.0.3: EU / USA
• ViewNX 2.10.2: EU / USA

Enhancements/bug fixes for Capture NX-D 1.0.3

• When images were adjusted in any of the following ways using Edit palette functions, and Capture NX-D was then launched again, the results of adjustments were not reflected. This issue has been resolved.
  - When White Balance was fine-tuned after selecting Use Gray Point or using the Gray Point Sample Tool
  - When the Quick Adjust setting under Picture Control was changed
  - When the luminosity curve was adjusted by moving the black-point input slider to a setting other than "0" with Master Lightness selected for LCH
  - When the chroma curve was adjusted by moving the output slider to a setting other than "0" with Chroma selected for LCH
  - When the tone curve was adjusted by moving the Levels & Curves black-point input slider to a setting other than "0"
• When a settings file, with which the Quick Adjust setting under Picture Control had been changed, was saved, the value saved for Quick Adjust only was "0". This issue has been resolved.
• When RAW images captured with cameras that support the Better Quality 2013 option for Noise Reduction in the Edit palette were adjusted, and the Intensity setting under Luminance was once changed to "0", subsequent changes to the Intensity setting were not reflected. This issue has been resolved.
• When the output slider was moved to a setting other than "0" with Chroma selected for LCH in the Edit palette, anchor points could not be added to the chroma curve at the intended positions. This issue has been resolved.
• When multiple images were captured with a User Custom Curve modified using a camera that does not support Picture Controls applied, changes made to the User Custom Curve during shooting were not reflected in images captured after the User Custom Curve had been changed. This issue has been resolved.

Additional modifications to the Windows version

• When Capture NX-D was launched with a single-display system after having been used with a multi-display system, an error was displayed and the application could not be launched. This issue has been resolved.
• An issue that sometimes caused Capture NX-D to freeze when keyboard operations were performed while working with the Edit palette has been resolved. 

Additional modifications to the Macintosh version

• When the keyboard shortcut (SHIFT + 0) was used to delete ratings, labels rather than ratings were deleted. This issue has been resolved.

Enhancements/bug fixes for ViewNX 2.10.2

• Support for the COOLPIX S6900 has been added.
• When image files are moved, copied, or deleted in ViewNX 2, sidecar files associated with the image files are now also moved, copied, or deleted along with image files. However, when image files are moved or copied to destinations outside of ViewNX 2, such as the desktop, sidecar files associated with the images files will not be moved or copied accordingly.

Camera Raw 8.7RC and DNG Converter 8.7RC now available on Adobe Labs

Camera Raw 8.7 is now available as a release candidate on Adobe Labs for Photoshop CS6, Photoshop CC and Photoshop CC 2014. An update of DNG Converter is also available on Adobe Labs.

Note: updates to Camera Raw 8 for Photoshop CS6 only include new camera support, lens profile support, and bug fixes. The new features listed in the release notes are only available in Photoshop CC/CC 2014.

Note: Release candidates are not the final versions of the software, those will be made available through the regular update channels.

You can download the software from the Adobe Labs website:

• Camera Raw 8.7RC for CS6
• Camera Raw 8.7RC for CC and CC 2014
• DNG Converter 8.7RC

New Camera Support in Camera Raw 8.7 Release Candidate:

• Casio EX-100PRO
• Fujifilm X30
• Leaf Credo 50
• Leica V-Lux (Typ 114)
• Nikon D750
• Panasonic DMC-GM1S
• Sony ILCE-5100
• Sony ILCE-QX1

New Lens Profile Support in Camera Raw 8.7 Release Candidate

Mount	Lens
Canon	Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8
Fujifilm X	HandeVision IBELUX 40mm F0.85
Leica M	SLR Magic 50mm T0.95 Hyperprime Cine Lens
Leica S	Leica SUMMICRON-S 100 mm f/2 ASPH.
Nikon F (DX)	Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8
PENTAX 645	HD PENTAX-DA 645 28-45mm F4.5ED AW SR
Sony Alpha	Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM
Sony Alpha	Sony DT 18-70mm F3.5-5.6
Sony Alpha	Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6
Sony Alpha	Sony 300mm F2.8 G SSM
Sony Alpha	Sony 500mm F4 G SSM
Sony E	HandeVision IBELUX 40mm F0.85
Sony E	SLR Magic 50mm F0.95 Hyperprime Lens
Sony E	Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS
Voigtlander VM	Voigtlander VM 12mm F5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar
Voigtlander VM	Voigtlander VM 75mm F1.8 Heliar

Release Notes

New features:

• Camera Raw 8.7 RC includes HiDPI support for Windows.
• When Photoshop CC 2014’s option to scale the UI 200% is enabled (Edit > Preferences > Experimental Features), the Camera Raw dialog will also be scaled.
• Known issues:
• Sometimes the Camera Raw dialog will not scale after the initial Photoshop relaunch to enable the feature. Workaround: relaunch Photoshop again.
• Some UI flashing/redrawing during interactive operations such as dragging a local adjustment gradient or toggling fullscreen mode.
• Improve performance on processors with AVX/AVX2 vector instruction support (Intel Sandy Bridge (2011) processors and later; AMD Bulldozer (2011) processors and later).

Bug Fixes:

• Fix crash when rapidly adding corrections with the Spot Removal tool.
• Fix bug that prevented the Filter Brush cursor from displaying while changing brush size when the Graduated and Radial Filter overlay is turned off.
• Improve quality of Camera Matching color profiles for the Nikon D810. Fixes visible banding issues with the Camera Standard, Camera Vivid, Camera Landscape, and Camera Monochrome profiles.

Canon updates DPP, EOS Utility, and Picture Style Editor

Canon has released new versions of its Digital Photo Professional (DPP), EOS Utility, and Picture Style Editor software.

You can download the updates from the Canon website.

Changes for Digital Photo Professional 3.14.41 Updater for Mac OS X & Windows

• Supports images taken with EOS 7D Mark II, PowerShot SX60 HS, PowerShot G7 X.
• Mac OS X 10.7 is no longer supported
• Windows Vista & Windows XP no longer supported
• A function to delete the shooting data when executing [Convert and save] has been added
• For EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, EF-M22mm f/2 STM, EF-M18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, the latest lens data can be used, of which Digital Lens Optimizer’s performance has been improved
• Fixed a phenomenon that a file may not be converted and saved if specific character is used in the file name’s first character
• Supports new lens (EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM, EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM, EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM)

Changes for Digital Photo Professional 4.0.2 for Mac OS X & Windows

• Supports EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

Changes for Picture Style Editor 1.14.20 Updater for Mac OS X & Windows

• Supports EOS 7D Mark II
• Mac OS X 10.7 is no longer supported
• Windows XP & Windows Vista no longer supported

Changes for EOS Utility 2.14.10 Updater for Mac OS X & Windows

• Supports EOS 7D Mark II
• Supports EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM, EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
• Mac OS X 10.7 is no longer supported

Changes for EOS Utility 3.0.1 for Mac OS X & Windows

• Supports EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM