Hasta La Gadget!

The full-frame sensor, usually reserved for only top-of-the-line DSLR cameras, represents the finest standard of DSLR picture-grabbin.’ It doesn’t come cheap. Canon fit a full-frame sensor into its new 6D—and offered camera buyers a pro-level detail at a surprisingly low price. Does it make the 6D worth buying? More »

Cameras in cell phones have come a mighty long way in the past few years, from the pixelated shit-vision of yore to the current breed that have replaced most of our compact digicams. But the sense of wonder is fading, and we need some new features. Who’s gonna step up? More »

Smartphones make reasonably adequate cameras, especially if all you want is to capture some photos of your family and daily life. However, one thing that iPhonetographers will quickly find limiting are the optics included in their cameras. There’s not much you can do about improving them, unless you use some sort of add-on lens or filter.

After having made a pretty useful lens filter case, which was also successfully funded through Kickstarter, Trygger is back with a clip-on filter for your iPhone 5. Unlike their previous design, this camera clip is pretty small and can easily be removed and carried in your pocket. It’s designed to help balancing out colors and improve overall image fidelity using an adjustable polarizing filter. Here are some example images with and without the filter in place (left image is the stock iPhone, the right is with the Trygger).

The image on the right definitely exhibits fewer blown-out areas, and is more pleasing to the eye. In addition to improving color and hotspots, the lens filter can all but eliminate unwanted glare off of reflective surfaces. The result is pretty impressive from the looks of this example:

The Trygger camera clip was launched as a Kickstarter crowdfunding project, and they’ve currently amassed about $2,000 out of a $10,000 goal, with about a month to go to reach their funding goal. You’ll have to pledge $30(USD) to get yours.

[via Ubergizmo]

Since smartphone cameras are becoming just as good as most compact point-and-shoot cameras, steps must be taken in order to keep point-and-shoot cameras relevant. Toshiba thinks they have a solution and have unveiled the TCM5115CL 20MP image sensor, and it’s the highest-resolution ever built specifically for point-and-shoots.

The new sensor is a 1/2.3-inch, backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that hits a crazy 20MP, which is a big jump from the 12-16MP sensors in many point-and-shoot cameras that are available today. To combat the noise and sensitivity issues that usually come with a denser design, Toshiba is using pixels that can absorb 15% more of a charge, and therefore more light.

Toshiba has also catered the sensor for high-speed shooting and video as well, with the potential for 1080p video recording at 60FPS and 30FPS burst shooting at full resolution, provided the camera’s processor can keep up. Megapixels certainly aren’t everything, so having a powerful camera to power the sensor is just as important.

Don’t expect this new sensor to come anytime soon. Ideally, though, we should expect new cameras with the Toshiba sensor inside of them sometime in 2014, since mass production doesn’t start until August 2013. Sadly, you won’t have one of these bad boys for your summer vacation, but it’s possible that you’ll be able to grab one by the next summer.

Toshiba unveils 20MP sensor for point-and-shoot camera is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s time to get extremely bright with the Flashpoint 500C LED Light from Adorama – so bright it’ll make your photo session as visible as the sun. What this unit actually consists of is 500 individual Ultra Bright 5mm LED bulbs in a lamp with 4 barndoors, a 2-way switch , two color temperatures, and a 13-foot long power cord. This unit is both extremely light and super bright, especially for the cash you’re going to lay down on it.

We used this array of LEDs in a single unit for several product shoots as of late, including (but not limited to) the Parrot Zikmu Solo speaker, Sony HX850 BRAVIA hdtv, and the Samsung UN75ES9000 HDTV (as seen above and below). This light is more than ready to be one of your key lights in any portrait or product shooting situation, without a doubt.

You’ll be working with 50%-5900 K (Kelvin) Color Temp and 50%-3200 K (Kelvin) Color Temp and there’s a two-way switch for when you only need 250 bulbs instead of all 500 at once. You’ve got AC V style battery pack or XLR connection for power and of course four lovely barndoors to pull the light in what ever direction you do so desire. The light itself is 35 cm X 19 cm X 7 cm / 14 X 7.5 X 2.75 inches in size and you’ve got the ability to work with an add-on Flashpoint battery V Lock mount Li-ion 162.8-watt battery if you do so desire. We just used the massively long cord straight to the wall, this coming in standard with the package.

You do need to purchase a stand separate if you don’t have one handy, this costing around $40 from Adorama as well. The final cost of the light itself without the stand or the add-on battery is $199.95 USD, and for such a price you’ve got yourself a heck of a deal. Brighten up your life with so much light blasting from this beast that you’ll never know how you lived, breathed, and shot without it!

Adorama Flashpoint 500C LED camera light Review is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.