Items tagged with cameras
If you find yourself reconnecting with nature and going on adventures during this time of social distancing, why not chronicle your activities on video? Now is the perfect time to consider such a thing—DJI's nifty and ultra-compact Osmo Action is on sale for $249.00 at Amazon and $249.99 at Best Buy right now, down from its $369.99 list price. Granted, this little camera has not been selling for MSRP for the past several months, but this is still the lowest it has been since a brief dip in May. And with this deal, the Osmo Action is also a cheaper alternative to the GoPro Hero8, which offers similar features and sells for $349. One of the standout bullet points is the inclusion of dual...
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Nothing lasts forever, folks. Not the supposed 'Curse of the Bambino' that prevented the Boston Red Sox from winning a World Series title after the team traded away Babe Ruth, not Tom Brady's reign in New England, and not Toys R Us being the neighborhood toy store. Oh, and if another example is needed, Olympus is selling off its camera division. What makes this particularly noteworthy is that Olympus has a been a mainstay in the camera business for 84 years—the company released its first camera, the Semi-Olympus I, way back in 1936. And then for the next eight and a half decades, it continued to introduce new models, including many digital SLR cameras in the digital era. The ride is coming...
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Just as expected, Canon on Wednesday expanded its camera lineup with a couple of new models for amateur photographers, including the EOS 90D (DSLR) and EOS M6 Mark II (mirrorless). While different in construction, design, and function, both new cameras feature a next-generation 32.5-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. Canon EOS 90D Several other features are the same for each camera as well. For example, both are powered by a Digic 8 image processor and can record video at up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at up to 120 fps). They each offer a dual-pixel CMOS AF in Live View with 5,481 manually selectable AF positions, they both have an electronic shutter (up to 1/16,000th), and they each offer built-in Wi-Fi...
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It appears as though Canon is getting ready to launch a couple of new cameras. Canon Australia posted a pair of promotional videos to YouTube, one depicting an unreleased EOS 90D APS-C DSLR and the other showing an EOS M6 Mark II mirrorless APS-C camera, which also is not yet available, nor has it been officially unveiled. Apparently uploaded and made available to view in error, Canon Australia quickly realized its mistake and yanked the videos offline. However, like Las Vegas, what happens on the Internet stays on the Internet (only not in secret, because unlike Las Vegas, practically everyone is already on the Internet). The folks at Canon Rumors had the foresight to download and re-post the...
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It's amazing how fast the industry is moving with regards to addressing selfie cameras and the increasing desire for minimal bezels on smartphones. The Essential Phone and iPhone X introduced us to notches in 2017, while we got slider mechanisms and punch-hole cutouts in 2018. This year, we've seen flip cameras from ASUS. Now, the rubber is really starting to hit the road with under-display selfie cameras, as witnessed by new technology demos from Chinese smartphone OEMs Oppo and Xiaomi. Oppo first showed off its new technology in a Weibo post that was first noticed by the folks at Engadget. The video was later posted to Twitter, and shows a prototype device with a full display...
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Samsung on Thursday announced a pair of new ISOCELL pixel image sensors that will likely find their inside the company's future phones, paving the way for higher resolution and sharper photographs. One of them, the 64-megapixel ISOCELL Bright GW1, could end up in the company's flagship Galaxy S11 next year. The other ISOCELL addition is a 48-megapixel ISOCELL Bright GM2. Both of them are 0.8-micrometer pixel image sensors. With these two new sensors, Samsung offers a lineup of 0.8-micrometer pixel image sensors ranging from existing 20 megapixels all the way up to now 64 megapixels. "Over the past few years, mobile phone cameras have become the main instrument for recording and sharing our everyday...
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How soon will consumers be able to purchase 100+ megapixel cameras? According to Qualcomm, 64MP and 100+MP cameras could be available as soon as the end of 2019. Qualcomm chips reportedly already support 192-megapixel sensors and the company is merely waiting for smartphone developers to catch up. Qualcomm Senior Director of Product Management Judd Heape noted that “multiple brands” are working on 100+MP camera sensors. The companies are in a race to see who can release a device with the highest pixel count. Heape believes that 100+ MP flagship devices could be released by the end of 2019 or beginning of 2020 Why has this information suddenly come to light? Heape argued that Qualcomm...
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Updated November 28th, 2018 @ 3:00pm DJI has now officially announced the Osmo Pocket and we have updated the following story with additional information, official images and video. DJI, a company that is best known for making powerful drones like the Mavic Air, is gearing up for 'Because LIve Is Big!' press event later today in New York. If the past is any indication, DJI will use the event as a launchpad for a new drone (or multiple new drones). However, it's also expected to unveil a handheld camera called Osmo Pocket. Images of the upcoming Osmo Pocket have begun surfacing on the web, including pictures of both the camera itself and its accompanying quick start guide. According to the guide,...
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Canon on Wednesday unveiled a brand new camera, though it's not another digital SLR (DSLR). As previously rumored, Canon announced its EOS R, a full-frame mirrorless camera featuring a redesigned RF mount and a 30.3 megapixel CMOS sensor powered by the company's DIGIC 8 image processor. It can shoot at up to 8 frames per second. This is a prosumer camera that is relatively compact and lightweight. It measures 5.35 x 3.87 x 3.32 inches based on CIPA standards (5.35 x 3.87 x 2.67 inches from grip to monitor) with a body weight of 1.28 pounds, or 1.46 pounds including the battery and SD memory card. Here's how it compares (in size) to the EOS 5D Mark IV... Canon is really pushing the new RF mount...
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It looks as though camera guru Canon is readying a full-frame mirrorless shooter for photographers who prefer to go that route as opposed to a digital SLR (DSLR). Called the EOS R, the upcoming mirrorless camera features a 30.3-megapixel full size CMOS sensor with dual pixel CMOS autofocus and a bunch of other goodies. Nothing is yet official, mind you, and all of the specs and photos are coming from a Japanese-language website that has leaked the details. We always caution to take these things with a grain of salt. That said, the information at least appears legitimate, and falls in line with other rumors that are out there. What's also interesting here is Canon's timing. Less than two weeks...
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Nikon has unveiled a pair of new mirrorless digital cameras that are both decidedly high-end: the Z7 and the Z6. The duo is nearly identical with the exception price, resolution, and autofocus (AF) system. The Z7 is a 45.7MP digital camera with ISO 64-25600 standard and ISO 32 and ISO 102400 expanded. Nikon's Z6 digital camera has a pixel count of 24.5MP and has sensitivity from 100-51200 standard and ISO 50 to ISO 204800 extended. Another major point of differentiation between the two cameras comes in the AF systems. The Z7 has 493 focus points while the Z6 has 273 focus points with Nikon pointing out that both cover approximately 90% of the imaging area horizontally and vertically. The...
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Never believe what you see in online ads and television commercials. Have you ever seen a breakfast cereal commercial? It looks delicious, but that's not really milk you see in the bowl—a common replacement is glue, as it won't make the cereal soggy for photos. Lest anyone need a reminder that what you see might not actually be what it purports to be, Huawei has once again been 'caught' using an image take with a DSLR camera to demonstrate one its smartphone cameras. The latest incident involves an ad in Egypt for the company's Nova 3 handset. It features two central characters, one of which is actress Sarah Elshamy. In the ad, her presumed boyfriend is attempting to take a selfie with...
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If you want to take better photos, the first thing you should do is put in the research, or even take a photography class, to learn things like the rule of thirds and the interaction between ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. Once you have a firm grip on the basics, you'll be ready for a more capable camera than what is found on your smartphone or that discounted point-in-shoot in Kmart's sale bin. In the right hands, a digital SLR (DSLR) can take outstanding photos, and you can grab one at a hefty discount today. Over at Woot, the Amazon-owned flash sale site is offering Canon's EOS Rebel T6 DSLR with 18-55mm lens for $309.99. That is 44 percent off its $549 list price, and a good chunk below...
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Photographers do not always have the luxury of getting up close and personal with their subject matter. So, it's sometimes up to the zoom capabilities of the camera. Nikon is hoping to help with far away shots with its Coolpix P1000, a compact digital camera with an mind boggling 125x optical zoom, which is the world's highest on any digital camera to date. The zoom lens on the Coolpix P1000 has the 35mm-equivalent focal range of 24-3000mm. On top of the optical zoom capabilities, Nikon's latest camera has a 250x Dynamic Fine Zoom to shoot up to 6000mm, when those situations arise. "The Coolpix P1000 is equipped with a 125x optical zoom NIKKOR lens that covers the wide-angle 24mm to super-telephoto...
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Samsung is rolling out a new image sensor technology called ISOCELL Plus that aims to deliver better looking photos taken with a smartphone and other mobile devices, especially when lighting is less than ideal. In short, ISOCELL Plus allows CMOS image sensors to capture more ambient light, which in turn significantly increases light sensitivity and color fidelity in photos. This can help reduce the unwanted 'noise' and graininess that plague photos taken in darker areas. As any photographer will attest, proper lighting is the key to taking a nice looking photo. The more light (or photons) a camera sensor is able to taken in and hold, the more accurate it can transmit the right color information...
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Back in November of last year, Amazon Web Services (AWS) unveiled the world's first deep learning enabled video camera for developers, called DeepLens. Now more than half a year later, Amazon is finally taking orders for DeepLens. The asking price is $249 with free two-day shipping for Prime members, and while DeepLens may not look like a $249 video camera, it has some special capabilities that belie its modest appearance. DeepLens is a fully programmable video camera designed to expand deep learning skills. This ability allows developers to run deep learning models locally on the camera itself to analyze and respond what it sees and records. For example, it can accurately detect and recognize...
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For many people, the most important aspect of a smartphone is the camera performance. That is why phone makers put so much focus on the camera, with each new generation handset upping the ante with better photo-taking capabilities. But what if these cameras were used to spy on you? According to a software developer, the permissions granted to iPhone apps gives them the ability to take pictures and record video without the user's knowledge. Felix Krause, a developer who obtained a Software Engineering degree from the University of Central Lancashire in the UK and currently works at Google, wrote an independent blog post warning of this functionality. And to borrow a line from Apple, this unsettling...
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Samsung does not seem to be as concerned as Nokia about the slow pace at which VR is entering the mainstream. As such, Samsung unveiled a new 360 Round camera for recording immersive 3D experiences. The announcement comes less than two weeks after Nokia canned its premium (and ultra pricey) Ozo VR camera amid a series of layoffs as it looks to pivot into the digital health sector. Like the Ozo, the 360 Round is equipped with multiple camera sensors and has a distinct look, though the two do not resemble each other. The Ozo looked like a modern version of Q-bert, for those of you old enough to get that reference, while the 360 Round is more puck shaped. Samsung's 360 Round also has a lot more...
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One of the challenges that exists for self-driving cars is being able to anticipate the unseen, such as a child running out from behind a tree and into the road. But what if there were cameras mounted to the car that could somehow see hidden objects? Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed a clever algorithm that allows cameras to detect people and objects hidden behind corners. The implication of this technology extends beyond autonomous vehicles and into a wide range of fields, including emergency response situations. Rather than wander into an area without known what might be found on the other...
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Do you remember the movie The Circle with Tom Hanks and and Emma Watson? It was not all that great, though the message of user privacy is one that could serve as a cautionary tale to consumers. Tesla founder Elon Musk is certainly aware of what is at stake, and he took to Twitter to voice concern over Google's new AI-based camera, Google Clips. Image Source: Google In response to an article link on the new camera, Musk responded, "This doesn't even *seem* innocent." Musk has made his reservations about the potential downsides of artificial intelligence well known, and when you mix in privacy concerns, it is not too surprising to see him raise an eyebrow over Clips, a small tool that both records...
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In a perfect world, we would not have to worry about intruders breaking into our homes and pilfering our belongings. Of course, we do not live in such a world, and the sad reality is that burglars and thieves exist. Fortunately there are home security products that make life tough for the bad guys. One of them is the Nest IQ Cam, a smart "security camera that outsmarts other security cameras." Behind that witty tagline is a smart camera that was built from ground up with completely new hardware with unique functionality. It's an inside version of its outdoor security camera released last year. Armed with an improved lens and beefed up processing power, the Nest Cam IQ can see better and think...
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It seems as though police body cameras are becoming the “new normal” for both police officers and everyday citizens across the United States. Body cameras have the ability to become an impartial eyewitness to police encounters with citizens and have the power to back up the story provided by an officer in a disputed altercation, or perhaps point to alleged misconduct by an officer. However, today’s body cameras are for the most part “dumb” units that simply record video and audio. But advances in technology could in the future bring live-streaming cameras and facial recognition to the cameras worn by police officers. This technology will of course add to acquisition costs for police departments,...
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