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Leica's full-frame SL2 mirrorless camera has 5K video and higher resolution
Leica has unveiled the SL2, the new flagship of its full-frame mirrorless system, and it has been improved in nearly every way over the original SL. That includes a new body, 47 megapixel sensor, a Maestro III processor and menu system, improved electronic viewfinder/touchscreen and pretty incredible new video capabilities. To get all these features, Leica appears to have used the sensor and guts from the S1R built by its L-Mount partner Panasonic.
Steve Dent11.06.2019
Dell built a color calibrator into its new monitor
Dell's newest monitor, unveiled as part of the Adobe Max event today, has been designed with creators in mind. The UP2720Q is the world's first 27-inch 4K monitor with a built-in colorimeter -- a light-sensitive device that measures the intensity and concentration of color. It offers 100 percent Adobe RBG, 98 percent DCI-P3 and 80 percent BT2020, allowing designers to maximize a larger color gamut and more accurately work with images on devices such as smartphones, computers and TVs, where the DCI-P3 standard is increasingly being used.
Rachel England11.04.2019
Roku’s best streaming player is $30 off today
Roku really wants you to buy its streaming devices. Last week, the 4K Streaming Stick+ got a permanent price drop to $50, and today, the Roku Ultra is down from $100 to $70 on Amazon. While the device is a bit larger than Roku's other options -- the Ultra is a small set-top box rather than Roku's typical HDMI stick format -- streamers with 4K- or HDR-capable TVs may want to take advantage of the low price.
Marc DeAngelis10.28.2019
TCL's 2018 6-Series 4K TV is on sale this weekend for $400
TCL only recently introduced its new 6-Series and 8-Series 4K TVs for 2019, but their predecessors were among the most well-reviewed and highly rated TVs last year. The new 6-Series TVs add quantum dots to the mix, and start at $599 for a 55-inch version. However, there's still some of the 2018-era TVs to clear out, and TCL has announced that Best Buy will sell the 55-inch version for just $400. The sale starts at 2 AM ET on Friday morning and will run through Sunday night, or as long as supplies last. These 4K TVs bring excellent picture quality, Dolby Vision HDR and the Roku smart TV platform, however as The Wirecutter noted in a recent updates, there have been some complaints about color uniformity and lip sync issues when using HDMI-ARC. Still, it's hard to find a TV this good at that price, so think hard -- the sale starts in just a few hours. Buy TCL 6-Series 4K TV on Best Buy - $400
Richard Lawler10.24.2019
Fujifilm's X-Pro3 can focus in almost complete darkness
Fujifilm has officially unveiled the X-Pro3, the latest in its esoteric X-Pro lineup aimed at street photographers and photojournalists. Teased last month, it has a number of eccentric features, including a 3.5-inch, 1.65-million dot rear display that you can't even see without flipping down. Otherwise, it only shows the shutter speed, aperture and other basic information, or the film simulation if you're using one. The idea is to free the photographer from distractions and help them "stay in the moment," as Fujifilm puts it. "With your mind and your eye always on the scene in front of you rather than the scene you've just shot, you can find a connection not just with your subject, but also with your art," the company wrote in a press release.
Steve Dent10.23.2019
Hulu brings 4K content to the Xbox One
Hulu is still in the midst of returning 4K content to its streaming service. As of today, owners of 4K-capable Xbox One models can play The Handmaid's Tale, Castle Rock and other shows (mostly Hulu originals) at full resolution. You can also expect 4K support on Amazon Fire TV devices and LG's webOS-based TVs sometime in the near future.
Jon Fingas10.14.2019
Watch ESPN's first native 4K game Saturday -- if you have DirecTV or Comcast
By now we've seen Ultra HD TV broadcasts of sports and other content, but for the first time ESPN is getting into the game. The network just confirmed that Saturday night's college football matchup between Florida and LSU at 8PM ET will be the first one it ever broadcasts live in native 4K resolution. The only problem now is that the only way to watch this broadcast is via DirecTV with the right equipment. ESPN's 4K productions in the future may be available via more distributors, but so far only the one satellite broadcaster has signed on. The broadcast is the first of six planned college football 4K events this year under the "Samsung QLED 4K Game of the Week" banner, which will include a 4K feed of the National Championship BCS game on January 13th, 2020. Unlike Fox's recent (upscaled from 1080p) NFL broadcasts, there won't be any use of HDR, but it is high resolution. Also unlike Fox, ESPN isn't using its apps -- or even Samsung's apps -- to stream the game in 4K, which seems like an unfortunate missed opportunity when the network has been preparing to handle 4K for many years now. Hopefully all goes well, and this doesn't end up like its 3D push that shut down after a couple of years due to a lack of adoption. Update (10/11, 7:14 PM ET): Comcast has also signed on to distribute the first live ESPN 4K broadcast, so if you have one of the cable company's Ultra HD boxes then you should be able to watch too. Additionally, ESPN informed Sports Video Group that along with the 4K game feed, it's also providing an Atmos audio stream.
Richard Lawler10.10.2019
You can see 'Gemini Man' in 120 fps or 4K, but not both
Ang Lee wants people to see his latest movie, Gemini Man, in 3D at 4K resolution and 120 frames per second. But it'll be a tough ask to watch the Will Smith thriller that way if you're in the US -- it seems no American theaters will project it in the director's intended format.
Kris Holt10.08.2019
Sony A7R IV review: 61 megapixels of pure camera power
Sony changed the camera landscape with its popular and powerful A7 and A9 full-frame mirrorless lineup, forcing its rivals to adapt or die. Now that its camera series does have some competition, Sony's response is the A7R IV, a 61-megapixel camera that trounces its mirrorless rivals in terms of resolution. It's also loaded with the latest AI-powered eye autofocus (Eye-AF) F image processing, an electronic viewfinder and in-body stabilization technology. Sony also aimed to please demanding pro users by making the A7R IV tougher and easier to handle than previous models. On paper, this looks like it should be a top pick for anyone looking for a high-resolution camera, especially as it's reasonably priced against rivals. Now, let's see if it measures up to that in the field, where it counts.
Steve Dent10.07.2019
Skydio’s next self-flying drone is ready to take on DJI
When Skydio revealed the fully autonomous R1 drone, it was truly impressive. This thing could follow you like no other drone before, or since. You didn't need to wear anything (like AirDog), and its visual tracking system was smart enough to avoid almost any obstacle in its way, even at speed. But the R1 was kinda big (like a large pizza box) and at $2,500, prohibitively expensive for the majority. You also couldn't really control it yourself in a meaningful way, so it wasn't as versatile as DJI's cheaper Mavic 2 Pro.
James Trew10.01.2019
Vizio's best TV from last year is on sale for $1,080
As usual, one of the biggest questions about buying a new TV is whether to buy a "new" model or grab one of last year's editions for a little bit less. It's been more than a year since Vizio debuted the P Series Quantum line that we loved at first sight and which quickly became a highly-recommended 4K TV. It launched with a sticker price of $2,100 and quickly dropped below that, but now Amazon's Woot is selling refurbished 65-inch models for $1,079.99. That's a decent price for a display The Wirecutter called "the best overall LED/LCD TV" when prices for a 65-inch ranged from $1,200 - $1,300. Unfortunately it's difficult to find a brand new model now that they've been discontinued to make room for 2019's TVs. Thanks to software updates, grabbing this one doesn't mean missing out on new features like AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support.
Richard Lawler09.30.2019
How and why to buy a projector in 2019
A 100-inch 4K screen? To get that the usual way you might be looking at paying close to six figures. Luckily, there's another option that can get you even more, up to a 150-inch screen for a fraction of that price. Yes, film aficionados are increasingly turning their attention toward home theater projectors. You may think of projectors as either expensive, dim or janky, but with the latest technology, that's all changed. It's possible nowadays to find reasonably bright 4K HDR projectors with near theater-quality images for $1,500 or less. Before you start running to the store for popcorn, it's important to learn a few things and beware of the pitfalls, so we're here to help.
Steve Dent09.25.2019
Canon unveils the EOS M200 with 4K video and eye-detect AF
Canon has unveiled the entry-level EOS M200 mirrorless camera, a successor to the popular EOS M100 with some interesting new features. While it retains the same 24.1-megapixel APS-C sensor as the last model, it has an updated Digic 8 processor. That extra power unlocks two important new features: Dual Pixel eye-detect autofocus and 4K, 24p video (with a big caveat).
Steve Dent09.25.2019
Fox Sports will broadcast Thursday Night Football in 4K
Fox is expanding its 4K offerings. After it streamed every Women's World Cup game in 4K, it's now doing the same for the NFL's Thursday Night Football -- the new season of which kicks off on September 26th. The game is being captured in 1080p and HDR, then upconverted, so streaming viewers will get the benefit of resolution beyond Fox's usual 720p broadcast plus the improved colors and contrast, if not all of the pixels you'd expect in a true 4K feed.
Rachel England09.20.2019
TCL's 2019 quantum dot-enhanced 4K TVs go on sale starting at $599
Over the last few years TCL has developed a reputation for releasing high-quality, low-price 4K TVs, with Roku's smart TV platform built-in as well as support for Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos audio. Its 2018 lineup garnered awards and recommendations from all over, and the 2019 model year TVs are ready to roll out. TCL announced details on its new 6- and 8-series models last month, and now revealed that the mainstream 6-series 4K TVs are on sale. That includes a 55-inch model that starts at $599, which is $50 less than the same size last year, and a 65-inch version that carries over the $799 starting price from 2018.
Richard Lawler09.20.2019
Vizio's updated Alexa app can search for movies and TV shows
VIzio has updated its SmartCast TVs with a better Alexa experience that will greatly expand the basic functionality they've had up until now. By enabling Vizio's new Alexa skill, you'll be able to simply ask for a show like This is Us, and SmartCast TVs will find it across multiple apps, complete with pricing and video formats. You can then use Alexa to launch apps like Amazon Prime Video or Hulu.
Steve Dent09.17.2019
Samsung's artistic The Frame TV is currently on sale for $649
Samsung's The Frame is alluring if you like the idea of a TV that can double as living artwork, but the price? Not so much -- you've usually had to pay a premium for that seamless look. It might be much easier to rationalize right now, though. BuyDig is running a sale that cuts the price of the 43-inch 2018 model to $649 if you enter the code "FRAME" while checking out. That's a huge discount over the $1,198 it goes for at the retailer, and beats even the $799 price at Walmart. It's still not a trivial purchase, but it's considerably easier to justify as long as you don't mind last year's version.
Jon Fingas09.12.2019
Fujifilm's entry-level X-A7 comes with 4K video and face detection
Fujifilm has unveiled the entry-level X-A7 with some key new features that make it a nice upgrade over its predecessor, the X-A5. It packs Fujifilm's latest 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and has 8.5 times as many phase-detect pixels as its previous entry-level model, the X-A5, for starters. That gives it much faster autofocus speeds and quick face detection, though burst shooting speeds remain at 6 fps.
Steve Dent09.12.2019
Panasonic's S1H is the pinnacle of mirrorless video, for a price
Panasonic was not willing to give away its crown as the ultimate mirrorless camera company for video shooters. It has officially unveiled the 24.2-megapixel S1H and it definitively blows away all rival mirrorless cameras from Sony, Canon and Nikon when it comes to video. For the first time on a mainstream mirrorless camera, you can shoot full-frame, uncropped 6K video (5,888 x 3,312) at 24 FPS, and 60 FPS 4K using a cropped, Super 35 (APS-C) sensor size. The S1H can handle video with 4:2:2 10-bit billion color depth, both internally and externally, for maximum flexibility when editing. Sure, this doesn't measure up to what Blackmagic's Pocket Cinema 6K camera can do -- at least, not yet. But unlike the Pocket 6K, Panasonic's S1H has a continuous contrast-detect autofocus system, a fully-articulating display and in-body stabilization -- huge features for vloggers and shooters on the go. This comes at quite a price, though, so to get a feel for the camera and see how it performs, I shot with a pre-production S1H for a day at Panasonic's launch event in Los Angeles.
Steve Dent08.28.2019
Canon leaks its EOS 90D DSLR and mirrorless EOS M6 Mark II cameras
Canon's Australian website appears to have accidentally leaked a pair of important new cameras, the EOS M6 Mark II mirrorless and EOS 90D DSLR. Promo videos for the cameras spotted by Canon Rumors (and quickly pulled by Canon) show impressive specs for the two mid-range models. Both feature all-new 32.5-megapixel APS-C sensors, 4K video at up to 30 fps with 120 fps full HD, and Dual Pixel autofocus with eye detection.
Steve Dent08.20.2019