The Black Magic Cinema Camera, if you remember from its surprise announcement this spring, is a $3000 video camera that shoots 12-bit RAW 2.5k video files. No other camera on the market offers this capability at such a low price. More »
After Google effectively killed Sparrow’s apps when it purchased the company (they’re still available and supported, but don’t expect much future development) there was some worry about the future of Nik Software. Well, Vic Gundotra took to Google+ to salve some of those fears.
Earlier this week I proudly welcomed +Nik Software to Google. They’ve been making pictures more awesome for 17 years, and we’re excited to bring Nik’s expertise to the entire Google+ community!
I also want to make something clear: we’re going to continue offering and improving Nik’s high-end tools and plug-ins.
Professionals across the globe use Nik to create the perfect moment in their photographs (e.g., http://goo.gl/aDtkO), and we care deeply about their artistry.
There is one bothersome caveat in that quote: “high-end.” Gundotra may be promising a future for Capture NX and Efex Pro, but it’s clear that the popular Snapseed doesn’t fit that description. Now, he has not expressly announced the death of the Instagram competitor, but it seems to us that the writing is on the wall. The Android camera app may already have a set of friendly filters, but it lacks the simplified sharing and marketing buzz of Facebook’s recent acquisition. Don’t be surprised if the Snapseed team simply gets folded into Google+ or Android while its creation slowly withers and dies.
Filed under: Cameras, Software
Vic Gundotra says Nik’s ‘high-end tools and plugins’ will survive. Snapseed? Maybe not. originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony would still like you to get excited about its upcoming Exmor RS stacked CMOS image sensors — just not too excited. Both the 8-megapixel IMX134 and 13-megapixel IMX135 are scaling back from their original RGBW (red, green, blue, white) coding to an ordinary RGB over concerns that they aren’t meeting Sony’s “image quality standards” as originally designed. Consequently, either sensor will be less sensitive to light and diminish some of that high dynamic range magic. The company also doesn’t want to get our hopes up for a quick arrival on shelves and clarifies that there’s a phased launch starting in January. Mobile shutterbugs may be crestfallen knowing that Sony won’t have the best possible camera sensor in future Xperia phones, but the honesty at least guarantees that the company gets a timely return on its $994 million investment.
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras
Sony’s stacked Exmor RS phone camera sensors detuned over quality worries originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Looxcie isn’t just a luxurious sounding word (and terrible pun), it’s also a maker of life-sharing head-mounted cameras. Up until now, it would only let you capture your life in a rather pedestrian 480p, but the new Looxcie HD does away with that, letting you grab that bike ride in full glorious high-definition. Other additions include WiFi (previous iterations relied on Bluetooth) to hook up to your Android or iOS device with, a larger 1,200 mAh battery and improved low light performance. Owners of previous models might spot that with new features comes a new, larger form. The price of evolution it seems. The price for the device, on the other hand, is $279, or $329 if you opt for the “Explore” bundle, which incidentally you can pre-order now. Peep at the source for more.
Continue reading Looxcie HD brings 1080p and WiFi streaming to a helmet near you
Filed under: Cameras, Wearables
Looxcie HD brings 1080p and WiFi streaming to a helmet near you originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Last month, Samsung showed us a glimpse of its Galaxy Camera: A weird and wonderful mashup of the Samsung Galaxy S III and a long-zoom point-and-shoot. Now, we’ve finally seen one of the first on American soil. Oh please, Samsung figure out how to bring this camera to America. More »
Casio’s not always the first name you think of when you’re shopping for a digital camera, but occasionally the company comes up with a neat feature that might have you reconsidering that Nikon or Canon. Such is the case with its new Exilim EX-ZR1000, which makes it extra easy with not only a flip around LCD display, but also a built-in stand keeping it propped up in either portrait or landscape modes. More »
The sun is setting on Germany’s monster of a photo show, but Photokina didn’t come and go without shaking up the industry. The biennial trade show drew all the big names — Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and many more manufacturers all had their latest wares on display for tens of thousands of photographers, journalists and local attendees — with each company releasing a suite of impressive products. Canon and Nikon made an impression with their $2,100 6D and D600 full-frame DSLRs, while Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Fujifilm each upped the ante with new mirrorless lineups, and Leica demoed its new M, which for the first time brings live-view and video capture to the high-end rangefinder series. The fun doesn’t stop there, though — there was plenty more to explore, and you’ll find it all in our wrap-up just after the break.
Gallery: Photokina 2012 wrap-up
Filed under: Announcements, Cameras
Photokina 2012 wrap-up: Canon, Nikon, lust-worthy Leicas, a full-frame Sony compact and more originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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I’m sure almost everyone out there is familiar with the name Polaroid. If you grew up in the 80s, someone you knew had one of those Polaroid instant cameras that spit photographs out the front. Polaroid and Sakar have announced a new line of easy-to-use and compact camcorders, including one of the world’s thinnest and lightest full HD resolution units.
The new line of Polaroid camcorders includes the iD820, iD879, iD450, and the iD640. The first camcorder is the iD820 being called one of the world’s thinnest and lightest true 1080p HD camcorders. The body of the camcorders only a half-inch thick and features a three-inch touchscreen that supports gestures. The camera has 12-megapixel resolution and weighs less than 4 ounces.
The camcorder features dual stream recording allowing you to record two sets of video on the memory card at one time. The dual videos give you one full HD stream and one stream at less resolution for uploading the YouTube. The camera will sell for $179.99. The iD879 is a camcorder that also features a three-inch touchscreen supporting gestures and it has five times optical zoom. The camera has dual memory card slot supporting both microSD and SD cards for storage. The camera is also a dual streaming unit recording full HD and YouTube quality at the same time. This camera will also sell for $179.99.
The iD450 has integrated Wi-Fi and allows users to stream live video to the Internet using the integrated Ustream app. The camera also works with apps for Android or Apple devices allowing you to view live video on those platforms from the camera. The camera records full HD and has the same three-inch touchscreen. This camera also sells for $179.99. The final camera is the Polaroid iD640, which is waterproof, shock proof, dustproof, and freeze proof. It has a two-inch LCD and can record 720p HD video. This camera sells for $99.99 with all four of the new Polaroid camcorders launching in mid-September.
Polaroid and Sakar show off new camcorder line is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Between big guns like GoPro and Contour and big names like Sony, the action camera market is getting pretty full, pretty fast. Back in May, we saw the arrival of the Air Pro WiFi from Ion, an oblong mountable camera with an add-on WiFi module, and now the company’s got another addition to the line, the punnily-named (wait for it) Ion The Game (get it? Eye? Eye-on The Game?). The whole “action” part is far less pronounced here. This sports cam is intended to be more stationary than its predecessor — mounted on a still spot to capture soccer games (don’t let them catch you calling it that here in Europe) and to help you critique your golf swing.
The key differences here — aside from its boxier shape — are the 2.5-inch display and the WiFi, which is built directly into the device, rather than relying on an add-on. The display isn’t much to write home about. It’s small, a bit dull in the color department and a little choppy. It’ll get the job done though, when it comes to monitoring action (or lack of action, we guess) on the fly. The WiFi meanwhile, adheres to the company’s whole “shoot-and-share” motto, letting to send videos directly to Facebook and the like.
The camera looks reasonably rugged, with a plastic protected lens — it’s also water-resistant up to 10 meters. The Game records to SD cards and will be arriving by the end of the year, priced at an admittedly lofty €329 here in Europe.
Gallery: Ion Your Game sports camera
Filed under: Cameras
Ion The Game action cam has built-in WiFi and 2.5-inch display, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The gurus of camera benchmarks at DXO Labs just published their review of the Nikon D600, rating its 24-megapixel sensor the third best of all time behind the two different versions of the Nikon 800. Where’s the top Canon? All the way down at number thirteen. Ouch. More »
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