Photography
If you’ve ever sold something on eBay or Kijiji, you’ll know how surprisingly difficult it can be to get a clean, well-lit shot of even the simplest of objects - you don’t want a distracting background, insufficient light, or overly asymmetrical lighting. Or, perhaps you’re required to get a large number of on-location shots for something such as a catalog, but you don’t want to drag along a lot of gear. In either case, the Simp-Q is what you need. Putting it simply, it’s a self-contained photo studio. We had a chance to check it out at this year’s China International Consumer Electronics Show (SINOCES), and were pretty impressed with the shots it allowed us to take. Read More
Samsung outs new Dual View and budget-friendly camera models
Samsung has announced that the time has come to add a couple of new flagship cameras to its Dual View range. The new models benefit from even bigger LCD's at the front and rear, some interesting photo modes and both sport 5x optical zoom lenses, one of which has internal zoom functionality. At the same time, the company has also unveiled a feature-rich budget point-and-shoot model capable of recording high definition movies. Read More
Chinese photographic accessory company Fotopro has developed a heavy-duty flexible tripod that has interchangeable feet. The Fotopro RM-110 is comprised entirely of adjustable joints and comes standard with four sets of feet: spiked, suction, rubber and magnetic. We’ve tried all four and they offer a stable mount on any surface, but particularly so on flat or metal surfaces - the suction cups and magnetic feet are capable of affixing so solidly they can handle the weight of even a middleweight pro video camera. We’re predicting the USD$60 RM-110 will become a standard fixture in the kit of every photographer and videographer. Read More
In these days of PhotoShop and its brethren, it’s becoming almost impossible to tell whether or not an image has been digitally manipulated. While some ‘shopping is done simply for whimsical reasons (see picture above), the matter becomes a bit more serious when things such as military images are altered. Visible watermarks are sometimes overlaid on digital photos, but these permanently alter and obscure that copy of the picture. Recently, however, researchers in India came up with a system for verifying a photo’s authenticity, without altering it in any way. Read More
One of the more remarkable technological innovations amongst hundreds currently on display at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai can be found in the Japanese Pavilion where major sponsors Canon, Panasonic and Toyota are all showing their visions of the future. Most of it we’ve seen before, but Canon’s “Wonder Camera Concept” is entirely new – it’s the camera of the future as visualized twenty years hence by the world’s largest camera company and it is incredibly thought-provoking. Read More
Who said film photography was dead? Definitely not Lomography, whose Lomography Spinner 360-degree camera lets shutterbugs take a full 360-degree photo with a flick of the wrist. The camera uses standard 35mm film to capture super-wide-angle images that are four times longer than standard landscape pictures, with a standard 36-exposure roll capable of capturing around eight shots. Read More
The new iPhone 4 finally has an LED flash but that hasn't stopped a bunch of manufacturers such as Quirky and Snapturelabs creating accessories for prior models. We saw another ripping contender at Computex last week in the form of the Holomagic which puts out an intense light from an LED from a battery case with plenty (285 mAh) of battery life and a choice of leather or plastic protective cases too. Read More
The dates for 2011’s PMA International Convention and Trade Show have been confirmed. In an unexpected twist, rather than being held in its traditional first quarter slot, the convention has been moved from February to September. The event will now be taking place September 8-10, 2011, in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The shift in dates has been attributed to changes in “industry buying cycles and technology developments." More significant, though, is the announcement that the convention will be open to the public on September 10, with photo enthusiasts welcome throughout the day. Read More
As mobile phone manufacturers continue to squeeze more megapixels into device camera modules, Sharp has added a new ingredient to the mix and claimed an industry first in the process. The company has just announced the development of a 3D camera unit compact enough to be used in mobile devices and capable of capturing movies in 720p high definition. Read More
No sooner do we take off our Avatar-issue 3D glasses, than we hear about 3D video cameras from Fujifilm, Panasonic and Ikonoskop. These cameras use twin lenses to record a three-dimensional image, but a new imaging camera from Italy’s Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) gets the job done with just one lens and a laser. Read More
