MIT has created a camera that can actually view light in motion. By firing trillions of pulses of light and syncing their cameras shutter, they can create a video that shows how light moves through space and reacts to mass. By recording this amazing detail, these cameras can actually see into objects and around corners by monitoring the way the light bounces off and around an object.
For the last few years photographers have been getting nervous about high res video cameras taking still photography jobs but we failed to see the biggest threat... robots! Apparently 12 of these robotic arms have been make to hold Nikon D4 cameras and shoot aerial photography at this year's Olympics Games.
Video monitor manufacturers SmallHD have recently released a port cover for the Canon 5DmII that prevents the HDMI port from getting damaged due to an accidental, uncontrolled removable of a mini-HDMI cable. This video makes you hold your breath as they drop a camera from the HDMI cord, but the Port Protector seems to hold strong. A very handy add-on to save you from a potential costly repair.
Even as Kodak Cameras have ballooned in value, Kodak is still struggling in their attempt to convert billions of dollars in patents into cash to turn around the haggard company. Unfortunately, they lost an appeal of a $1 billion patent suit against Apple and RIM, a turn of events that doesn't help the struggling former photography giant.
The Canon EOS M camera is now available for pre-order at B&H Photo. It's selling for $799.99 and is expected to ship October 15, 2012. We previously posted about the announcement of this camera and since then, Canon has updated their website with high resolution examples and videos.
Canon's mirrorless camera is due out Monday, but Digicame-info.com posted a photo of what promises to be this mirrorless camera. And if the picture is correct, it's quite a neat little thing -- not so bulky as these other 'semi-pro' mirrorless offerings.
This is a sad day. While I don't foresee the end of the world, the Mayans tell us we still have time...it can still happen. Certainly, this being the third post about discontinued film since I started on Fstoppers just six months ago, this is the start of the photographers' Armageddon. But don't go hang yourself just yet -- there's just enough good news to keep me going just a little longer.
Last month we published a post on Fstoppers informing you guys that the first batch of knockoff MB-D12 battery grips for the Nikon D800 were available on eBay. It took over a month for the grip to show up from Hong Kong but yesterday I finally got it. If you have been considering buying one of these you will want to watch our full review.
Many of you are familiar with Blair Bunting, one of the premier commercial portrait photographers in the United States, and a good friend of mine. A couple weeks ago we were chatting about lenses when he brought up this project he did several years back. I instantly wanted to share it, and we tweeted an image of his 50mm f/1.4 next to his 110mm f/.95, which many of you thought was fake.
Sinar's new Sinarback eXact boasts an impressive 12-192-megapixel capabilities within a single back. While it's just been announced, and so far without a price, there is definitely a catch or two...
I've been looking at the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-RX100 for a couple weeks now, and as awesome as the specs look on paper, I'm somehow still in a fog of "meh." The compact point-and-shoot camera used to be relevant, but I haven't felt that to be the case for some time now.
Over the past few months while other sites have been quick and ready with the rumor mill surrounding the entry level full frame Canon camera, Canon Rumors has remained skeptical. Today however, they have come out with a brand new rumor and they, rather begrudgingly, seem to put a little more legitimacy on the speculated camera with a set of new specs.
Touting some impressive specifications, (15 stops of Dynamic Range, Super 35mm Sensor) the Apertus Project is aiming to create a modular camera system that operates on an (free) open source software. This opens up opportunities for coders to develop and modify the system to meet their needs, and share with a community.
Alex Jansen, who is currently on a deployment in Afghanistan, recently created this video showing off the weather and dust sealing capabilities of his Pentax K-5 and K-7 cameras. I know that even though my Canon 1D claims to be 'weather and dust resistant' it would be a cold day in hell before I ever voluntarily did something like this to my camera (and lenses!).
XQ-What? Okay, so most of you have heard of the Nikon D4's new card slot and the XQD card that goes with it. But that still leaves the question: What are they good for? Lexar apparently knows the answer, as they announced they're introducing XQD cards due out third quarter of this year. So what is the hype? Should we get ready for an XQD revolution?
When the Canon 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens was announced a couple weeks ago, Canon fans all over were squealing with joy- myself included. This tiny lens would be great for life on the go, had a brand new AF engine called the Stepping Motor (or STM), and looked to be extremely versatile. But does it live up to the expectations?
We all take a lot of photos with our phones. And you know what? That's ok. The camera on the iPhone takes pretty darn good images, and the plethora of mobile editing apps gives us all more flexibility than we would ever need. But what happens to all these photos after we edit them and post them to Facebook or Twitter? We forget about them.
Wacom just announced the impending release of two new Cintiq interactive pen displays to their line of tablet/monitor hybrid products- a widescreen HD model as well as a widescreen HD touch Cintiq. In case you didn't know, the Cintiq is like an art board as a monitor, allowing you to use the popular Wacom pens directly onto a screen rather having a separate tablet.
Michael Zhang (PetaPixel) dug up this promotional video that shows in great detail how digital cameras work and how they are made. If you are a photographer (and I know you are) or have an engineering background then you will find this video fascinating.
Dave Dugdale from Learning DSLR Video has put together a fantastic video comparison of the Nikon D800 and the Canon 5D MarkIII. It's a unique view as Dave is an amateur and not an endorsed pro, so the video is unbiased and stays true to the facts.
Nikon seemed to have settled with their 600mm at the top of their line-up. But NikonRumors now reports there could be an 800mm on the way...
While there were supposedly rumors of an 800mm f/4, this one will likely have ended up an AF-S VR 800mm f/5.6. Still, this fills a gap Nikon has had recently, considering their last 800mm was originally released in 1986.
This month we teamed up with SLR Lounge and Kelly Moore for an awesome Facebook Fan giveaway. With an overwheleming number of entries, I'd say this contest was even more successful than last month's. Without further adieu the winner of this month's Facebook Fan contest is....
Sony just announced a new S Series XQD card that increases the speed of the card to 168MB/s -- that's just past the limit of the compact flash card.
At 64GB, the card also doubles the original series' capacity. The 64GB card is due out this month, where a 32GB version will be released in the fall.
Canon is recalling the popular S100 line of point and shoot cameras due to a lens error. The error occurs when a part disconnects on the inside when exposed to high temperatures or humidity. Only certain serial numbers are affected, so make sure yours in not one of them.
From Canon USA:
Some might say we're a little iPhone-biased. Well, this might change some things. The new Nokia 808 Pureview has not 8, not 20, but 38 usable megapixels packed in its shell! It's a little thicker than the new iPad right where the camera is, but the rest stays remarkably thin. Even if it's $700 or more (according to eBay pre-order listings), I can't wait for a Nokia 808 v.
After Sony's teaser, JVC's new action cam, the GC-XA1 Adixxion, seems to want the action camera market all to themselves. Full HD, a 1.5" screen, and 5x zoom will come standard on most of these kinds of devices. But what sets this apart? How about the shock-, water-, dust-, and freeze-proof housing that it's in? Or the standard Wifi included?
In this beautifully shot video, get an inside look into the process of which Leica crafted a limited edition Leica M9-P "Edition Hermès". This video has very dynamic sound that adds another level of texture, where you can almost feel the materials they are hand crafting into place.
FilmRiot has been quietly working on a series of educational behind the scenes videos over the last few months, and I think this one is definitely worth a mention (avoid the random skydiving tangent at 6:00). Aimed at beginner and intermediate videographers, this short video will walk us through some techniques for lighting people as they move through multiple rooms.
Canon has announced the impending arrival of Firmware v2.0.X for the Canon 7D, which has a whole host of upgrades that is bound to make any 7D owner jump with glee. Included is an increase to the maximum burst rate, GPS compatibility, increase in maximum limit for auto ISO, manual audio level adjustments and in-camera RAW processing among the eleven upgrades to the popular camera.
Clever camera angles and captivating b-roll are important when making a solid and complete video product. When you’re on the move in a car, dune buggy, sailboat or tank, great videographers create enthralling footage by capturing unusual angles and movement.
To promote their new app aimed towards making the film making process easier and to help the filmmaker really understand the decisions they are making, SMAPP has put out this quick and concise video on DSLR lens choices for video making. "when we are first starting out its often easy to shoot with the same lens over and over again.
We're still missing some key information, so it's hard to say. But Sony's gunning for GoPro with their newest little action camera.
If you haven't seen the movie Snow White and the Huntsman, then you'll want to go see it after watching this video. Filmed with the Red Epic camera, the amount of detail that went into creating the Mirror Man is amazing. The guys over at The Mill Visual Effects Studio did many tests with liquid before deciding to use cloth instead.
Last week we posted a video featuring a high speed robotic arm that is used for precise movements during high frame rate filming. Although this robot isn't as fast, it is on a dolly, which gives it the ability to move around the room. Check out Bot & Dolly's website to learn more about their "bot" and see a few examples of their work.
If you are into studio lighting at all you have probably heard about the D1 Monolight by Profoto. These lights are known for their size, flash consistency, and of course the wireless Air Remote system. In this video I'll take you through each of my favorite and least favorite features of this flash. If you are on the fence you may want to try renting these lights first.
When Nikon first released the MB-D12 battery grip for the Nikon D800 it cost a staggering $615. Since then the price has fallen to a still ridiculous $429. We have been waiting patiently for an affordable 3rd party version and today I got an email from a reader that they were available on ebay. The "Pixel MB-D12" is a much more affordable $109.00.
Blair Bunting is a good friend of mine, and by far one of the best commercial portrait photographers out there today. He just published a blog post regarding the highly lauded (while simultaneously seriously attacked) new MacBook pro with retina display. While the display is absolutely breathtaking, it has a serious disadvantage. Is the display too good?
In this video, Ren Ng discusses the history and future of photography. Ng has spent years studying light field technology and computational science. He created the Lytro camera in 2006 and is continuing to develop some mind-boggling photographic technology. This particular video is from a recent TEDx event in San Jose.
...Or do they? Camera manufacturers today -- especially consumer camera manufacturers -- have created sensors that keep growing the megapixel count on each chip year after year, meeting consumers' general expectations for a higher number of 'MP' with every subsequent refresh. But what do these numbers really mean? Do you need all of those pixels?
Cinema5D's Sebastian has put together a video reviews of the Canon T4i / 650D and even has a video at various ISOs to compare the noise to that of Canon 7D.
Amidst the leaked Nikon D600 and D400 specs, we have some rumors arising from the Canon side. The Nikon D600 is being called an entry-level full frame, so it's no wonder that Canon is also ready with their foray into this market with their revamped 7DII and replacing both the 60D and the original 7D with the upcoming 70D.
We've already had info about D600 specs. But today we have new information, including D400 specs and even some leaked photos of the D600, Nikon's entry-level full-frame DSLR! Rumored Nikon D400 Specs via Mansurovs.com:
Photographers like pulling for the underdog, and each year photographers are hoping to see Olympus return to the throne they once held, or at least make an appearance in the Court. Back when film was king, the Olympus brand was as strong as Canon, Nikon, and Kodak. But in the digital age and especially in the last year, things haven't been so great.
We've featured Tyler Stableford multiple times before on Fstoppers, as he seems to be one of the first to get his hands on all of the new gear before it hits the shelves. This time, he's at it again: working with action sports athletes high in the mountains of Colorado. However...the results left me scratching my head a bit. Read
Just a few hours ago Apple announced their all new Macbook Pro line of laptops. The most impressive of the group is the 15inch model which includes a retina display! I'm currently typing this on a massive 24inch ultra sharp monitor that has 1920x1200 pixels. Apple's new 15 inch screen has a shocking 2800x1800 pixels.
I've always held the opinion that Canon's T1i-T3i series were the best-bang-for-the-buck cameras out there. And they really are. No fancy weather sealing or anything, but for someone looking to step up to a DSLR for under $1000, this T4i ($849) bumps everything up a notch. Add to that a bargain 40mm f2.8 pancake lens for true portability!? Way to go!
Besides getting a great glimpse into the filming of a well put together sunscreen commercial, Gary Lankford offers some great perspective on the usefulness of DSLR's as opposed to using some of the bigger and more expensive rigs that might be out there. The versatility of having several cameras and being able to take them anywhere can outweigh some of the higher quality option cameras.
How big is your sensor? While bigger is more expensive, bigger is also better -- always. Thankfully, camera manufacturers are now able to fit larger sensors in smaller bodies, and for less money. And we like that. Check out these new announcements to stay on top of your large-sensor cameras.
GoPro has become one of those companies like Redbull where everything they put out there is pretty cool. It has been fun seeing such a small startup become the industry leaders in tiny HD video cameras. With their new Wifi BacPac, GoPro gives users the ability to control their cameras through tablets like the iPad and smart phones.
Yep, BH Photo currently has Sandisk memory card instant rebates today only! Now that your wallet is burning a hole in your pants from all those weddings you've been shooting, what better time to reinvest back into your business with some larger cards. Once that D800 finally arrives, you are going to wish you had larger cards.