This week on The Digital Story photography podcast: Sony drops the full frame bomb with the a7; The Nimbleosity Report - Panasonic's diminutive GM-1; From the Photo Help Desk - How can I repair a scratch on my camera's LCD screen? All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Sony's full frame a7 - Now you can have your compact system camera and full frame sensor too. As early as November, well-heeled shooters will be able to order the Sony Alpha a7 Mirrorless Digital Camera with FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens for $1,998. More lenses are promised, although they will not be cheap.

Highlights from this remarkable camera include:

• 24.3MP full frame Exmor CMOS sensor
• 3" tiltable TFT LCD with 1,229K dots
• 2.4M-Dot OLED electronic viewfinder
• Fast hybrid AF; 5 fps burst rate
• Wi-Fi and NFC
• 1080/60p video with uncompressed output
• 14-bit RAW output

A few drawbacks to consider. Oddly enough the a7 does not ship with a battery charger. You have to recharge in-camera. The new FE lenses would be available for months, and when they are, they will be pricy: (FE 35mm F2.8 ZA $799.99, FE 55mm F1.8 ZA $999.99, FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS $1,199.99 (coming in early February), FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 ZA OSS $499.99, FE 70-200mm F4 OSS G (Pricing and release date TBA). And even though you can you existing E-mount lenses, they will only work in a crop mode on the A7/A7r, since they were not designed to cover a full-frame sensor.

Story #2 - Nimbleosity report on the tiny Panasonic GM1 mirrorless M 4/3 camera with 12-32mm Lens ($749). Amazing, roughly the size of the Sony RX100 compact camera, this little guy is the smallest micro four thirds camera to date.

But there are tradeoffs for this pint-sized wonder. Top shutter speed is 1/500th, no in-body image stabilization, no 1080p video, so-so battery life, no option for electronic viewfinder, and no hot shoe.

Personally, I'd much rather have the Panasonic GX7, even though it costs $250 more, the feature set is much more appealing.

Story #3 - From the Photo Help Desk: How do I mitigate a scratched LCD on my camera. I have a home brew recipe to help.

And don't forget, I have an Aperture Workshop coming up on Nov. 16 and 17. Write me at derrick@thedigitalstory.com for more details.

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (32 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Monthly Photo Assignment

The October 2013 photo assignment is "My House is My Castle."

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Make Your Photos Sizzle with Color! -- SizzlPix is like High Definition TV for your photography.

Need a New Photo Bag? Check out the Lowepro Specialty Store on The Digital Story and use discount code LP20 to save 20% at check out.

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We spent the afternoon exploring the hills above Santa Rosa, CA at Safari West searching for African game. Among our many finds were these two Zebras playing.

Canon 70D, 70-200mm f/2.8, ISO 800, 1/1250th, f/2.8 - Photo by Derrick Story

The rest of our TDS Fall Color Workshop crew also captured compelling images during our afternoon shoot. The combination of good light, great subjects, and beautiful setting made our jobs as photographers so enjoyable. The Fall workshop will be on the calendar again for 2014.

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That wonderful 2/3" X-Trans CMOS II sensor that powers the Fujifilm X20 is now available in a smaller package: the just-announced Fujifilm XQ1 ($499).

Weighing in at 7 ounces and measuring only 3.94" x 2.32" x 1.30″, the XQ1 is truly shirt pocketable, but captures 12 MP Jpeg and RAW files. Its 25-100mm zoom lens has a maximum aperture of f/1.8 at the wide end, but quickly diminishes to f/4.9 for telephoto shots. The compact includes a 3" 920,000 dot LCD, image stabilization, 1080p video capture, and built-in WiFi.

The XQ1 competes with the popular Canon Power Shot S120 ($449) that has a smaller sensor and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II ($748) that has a larger sensor, but also has a higher price tag.

Keep in mind, that unlike its bigger brother the X20, the XQ1 only has an LCD for composition, and no accessory viewfinder options. But like the X20, it does have that terrific 2/3" X-Trans sensor. So if you're looking for excellent image quality at a moderate price for a luxury compact, you may want to further investigate the XQ1.

This product has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

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Long exposures for cityscapes are easy if you have a way to steady the camera. And the results can be beautiful.

The most important thing to remember is to shoot RAW so you can adjust the color later and play with the highlights and shadows. For example, I used the Tungsten WB setting for this shot.

You'll probably need a bit of exposure compensation too. Seems like I'm usually at -1 or more. And keep your ISO low. You'll need it at 100 or 200 in order to get the long exposures and to control image noise.

And finally, if you don't have a remote release, use the self timer. That's what I did for this shot with my OM-D E-M5 and the 17mm f.1.8 lens.

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The OM-D with 17mm lens that I used for this shot has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

The Samsung NX300 with 18-55mm OIS lens ($625 US) provides a legitimate alternative to the Sony NX and Olympus OM-D series. It's large APS-C sensor, sharp kit lens, and plethora of intelligent controls are worth investigating if you're thinking about a new Compact System Camera.

In my review of the NX300 for TechHive titled, Samsung NX300 review: Shoot like a pro, share like a teenager, I talk about its excellent image quality, intelligent WiFi integration, and creative Smart Modes. Bottom line, it stacks up like this:

Pros

• Large APS-C sensor with excellent high ISO performance
• High quality 18-55mm OIS kit lens (recommended over the non-stabilized 20-50mm kit lens)
• Built-in WiFi with companion Android and iOS apps
• Creative controls such as Smart Mode and Smart Filters
• Excellent manual focusing
• Excellent value for compact system camera with APS-C sensor ($625 with OIS zoom)

Cons

• LCD-only composition, No accessory viewfinder option
• Lack of built-in flash
• In-camera battery charging unless you buy accessory charger

Bottom Line

Legitimate competitor to mirrorless cameras from Panasonic, Olympus, and Sony.

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This product has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

With the announcement of the Sony a7 full frame mirrorless camera, could an Olympus model be far behind?

Here's my thinking. Olympus already uses sensors designed by Sony for the OM-D series. Plus, Sony actually has a sizable investment in the company. And Olympus has hinted that full frame is on their radar.

The difficulty, of course, will be lenses. Sony will manage to get a few full frame lenses out the door in 2013, but their roadmap doesn't really fill out until 2014-15. Olympus would have some serious decisions to make concerning glass if they decided to go the full frame route.

And finally, there's that large capital investment to launch such a product line. Sony has vast resources. Olympus, well, not so much.

And despite all of this, I could see an Olympus full frame camera in the future. Because the other thing that Olympus and Sony share is creativity. Maybe it will be an OM-D alpha-1...

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PhotoHelpDesk.com is a down-to-earth resource for curious minded photographers. Submit your questions, and we'll post an answer.

This week on The Digital Story photography podcast: Pentax's crazy K-3 DSLR, The Nimble Photographer lives, Easy hair light for portraits - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - The Impressive Pentax K-3 DSLR ($1,295) brings new innovation to the DSLR world. At the top of the feature list is the anti-aliasing simulator that applies microscopic vibrations to the image sensor unit at the subpixel level during image exposure, generating the same level of moiré-reduction effect as an optical anti-aliasing filter. And it's adjustable. Plus you get:

• Brand-new sensor with approximately 24 effective megapixels and a new imaging engine
• AF module with 27 auto focus points
• High-speed continuous shooting with a maximum speed of approximately 8.3 images per second
• In-body image stabilization
• 3.2-inch LCD monitor with approximately 1,037,000 dots
• Dustproof, weather-resistant body construction perfect for outdoor shooting
• Dual SD card slots for memory card flexibility
• USB 3.0 interface

What don't you get? There's no built-in WiFi and the LCD does not have touchscreen capability.

Story #2 - The Nimble Photographer Lives! What started as a fun idea into 2010 has now become a full-blown website and community. Today is the debut of thenimblephotographer.com.

The site features a Journal with comments, a store for Nimble photographer gear, Walkabout for photo sharing, Fit Kits to take you inside the nimble photographer camera bag configurations, and believe it or not, more. I tell you all about it in the second segment of today's show.

Story #3 - Easy Hair Light for Portraits - Adding a highlight to the hair gives that professional touch to portraits. But controlling the amount of light is not always easy. After lots of experimentation with just about every technique available, I have settled on a handy variable controlled LED light for hair lights. You can see an example of this technique here. I explain in the third segment of today's show.

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (34 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Monthly Photo Assignment

The October 2013 photo assignment is "My House is My Castle."

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Make Your Photos Sizzle with Color! -- SizzlPix is like High Definition TV for your photography.

Need a New Photo Bag? Check out the Lowepro Specialty Store on The Digital Story and use discount code LP20 to save 20% at check out.

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

It started with a YouTube video in 2010, and has gained momentum ever since. Now The Nimble Photographer has set up camp with a website that features a journal, photos, store, and a variety of gear configurations for those who subscribe to the motto: "Take only pictures; leave only footsteps."

The Journal entries are personal notes from a wandering photographer, but you can leave comments on topics of interest to you. Photos are displayed in the Walkabout section where my latest Instagram and Flicker pictures appear.

The Nimble Store is a first for me. But I've had a blast creating T-Shirts such as I'm WiFi Enabled, a custom cap with an embroidered Walking Man icon, and a limited edition messenger bag. At this time we can only ship to U.S. addresses. But I hope to expand in the future as I find a way to reduce overseas shipping costs.

And finally, on the Fit Kits page, I display a variety of packing configurations that have a high nimbleosity rating. After you've had a chance to view the different kits, you might want to share a photo of your Nimble Photographer tools. Use the Contact Form to send me a link to the photo, or send it to me via thenimblephotographer@gmail.com.

I look forward to sharing my adventures with you, and hearing about yours.

Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. And now Instagram features 15-second movies too.

When I walk out the door for a morning walk, the camera that I slide in my front pocket is the Fujifilm X20 compact camera. Why? Aside from its terrific image quality and handsome good looks, it's the optical viewfinder.

Angled morning light is great for photography. But it's hard on LCD screens. And I need a compact camera that allows me to comfortably compose the picture outdoors. The optical viewfinder for the X20 is perfect for these conditions.

"Two Trees in Shilo" - Fujifilm X20, ISO 200, f/4, RAW - Photo by Derrick Story.

Fujifilm's viewfinder zooms with the lens so I have a relatively accurate field of view. Plus its readouts keep me apprised of the current camera settings. It's not as accurate as the framing with a DSLR. But then again, the X20 fits in my front pants pocket and only weights 12 ounces.

I'm lucky that I get to use different cameras for different situations. And when I need a pocketable compact for a morning hike, the Fujifilm X20 is definitely my first choice.

Flickr Essential Training 2013 - I explore the entire Flickr universe, mobile and computer, in my lynda.com title, Flickr Essential Training. Stop by and take a look.

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Today on Photo Help Desk, bureau chief Jeremy Verinsky recommends a variety of tripods for mirrorless cameras. If you want to travel light, but steady, these selections have a high nimbleosity rating.

PhotoHelpDesk.com is a down-to-earth resource for curious minded photographers. Submit your questions, and we'll post an answer.