Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR packs photo navigation, augmented reality in a 16 MP digicam

GPS, a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, 15x optical zoom — we’ve seen it all before. But a feature that displays places of interest on the camera’s 3-inch LCD? Well, that sounds a bit like augmented reality (AR)! The Fujifilm FinePix F600 EXR’s new Landmark Navigator mode does exactly that, packing one million pre-loaded locations from around the world. Looking to find your way from Rome’s Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps? The compact cam will point the way, including other stops along your route. You can also add your own locations, or launch Photo Navigation, which lets you easily return to places you’ve photographed — or plot them on Google Maps once you get home. There’s also 1080p movie capture, a 12,800 ISO high-sensitivity mode (that you’ll probably never want to use), sensor-shift image stabilization, and a 24-360mm lens with an f/3.5 maximum aperture. But as you may have guessed, we’re most excited about those AR features, so jump past the break for the full scoop.

Continue reading Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR packs photo navigation, augmented reality in a 16 MP digicam

Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR packs photo navigation, augmented reality in a 16 MP digicam originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceFujifilm  | Email this | Comments

Sony’s Face-to-Avatar blimp soars through SIGGRAPH, melts the heart of Big Brother (video)

Telepresence, say hello to your future. Humans, say hello to the next generation of Chancellor Sutler. All jesting aside, there’s no question that Big Brother came to mind when eying Sony Computer Science Laboratories’ Face-to-Avatar concept at SIGGRAPH. For all intents and purposes, it’s a motorized blimp with a front-facing camera, microphone, a built-in projector and a WiFi module. It’s capable of hovering above crowds in order to showcase an image of what’s below, or displaying an image of whatever’s being streamed to its wireless apparatus. The folks we spoke to seemed to think that it was still a few years out from being in a marketable state, but we can think of a few governments who’d probably be down to buy in right now. Kidding. Ominous video (and static male figurehead) await you after the break.

Continue reading Sony’s Face-to-Avatar blimp soars through SIGGRAPH, melts the heart of Big Brother (video)

Sony’s Face-to-Avatar blimp soars through SIGGRAPH, melts the heart of Big Brother (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Visualized: 3D3 Solutions scans our face in two seconds flat

See that bloke? That’s Darren Murph. Well, a digital representation of the human version, anyway. That image was captured in two painless seconds at the hands of 3D3 Solutions, which was on-hand here at SIGGRAPH to demonstrate its newest FlexScan setups. The rig that snapped our face rings up at around $10,000, and relies on a Canon DSLR (strictly for capturing textures), a projector and a secondary camera. As you’ve likely picked up on, this is hardly designed for average DIYers, but these solutions are also far more detailed and flexible than using Microsoft’s Kinect. We’re told that the company recently started to support Nikon cameras as well, and for those who’d prefer to use their existing cameras / PJs, a hobbyist-centric software package will allow you to do just that. The only problem? Figuring out where the $2,700 (for software) is going to come from. Head on past the break for a demonstration vid, or peruse the gallery below if you’re feeling extra creepy.

Continue reading Visualized: 3D3 Solutions scans our face in two seconds flat

Visualized: 3D3 Solutions scans our face in two seconds flat originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  source3D3 Solutions  | Email this | Comments

Organic Motion’s OpenStage motion capture system grabs 200FPS, no backdrop required (video)

At just under $40,000 for an eight camera setup, we’re hardly in hobbyist territory here, but Organic Motion’s new OpenStage 2.0 motion capture system could certainly make do in the average basement. Unlike a few competing solutions shown here at SIGGRAPH, this one actually has no backdrop mandate, and better still, doesn’t require you to latch a single sensor onto your subject. The magic lies within the cameras hung above — kits are sold that contain between eight and 24 cameras, and even the latter can be handled with a single workstation. Multi-person tracking ain’t no thang, and while you aren’t capturing HD footage here, the high-speed VGA capability enables up to 200 frames per second to be logged. Not surprisingly, the company’s aiming this squarely at the animation and medical realms, and should start shipping bundles as early as next month. Looking to take down Pixar? You’ll need a lot more than 40 large, but perhaps the video after the break will give you a bit of inspiration.

Continue reading Organic Motion’s OpenStage motion capture system grabs 200FPS, no backdrop required (video)

Organic Motion’s OpenStage motion capture system grabs 200FPS, no backdrop required (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceOrganic Motion  | Email this | Comments

Unreleased Sony Alpha A77 already nominated for Good Design Award, reveals several new features

Sony may have yet to officially announce its upcoming Alpha A77 camera, but thanks to a nomination page ahead of this month’s Good Design Expo, we can finally get a glimpse of what this imager will pack internally. Indeed, the A77 will come with a 24 megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor, along with a translucent mirror that enables full-time continuous autofocus. Additionally, with the help of its new BIONZ engine, we have a “world’s fastest” burst rate of 12 frames per second, which goes nicely alongside the camera’s 60p and 24p video recording modes (presumably in AVCHD). What also caught our eyes was this “world’s first” XGA OLED electronic viewfinder, while the A55 and A35 come with just LCD versions. Well, only time will tell whether this camera lives up to expectations — by the sound of it, we’ll probably be able to play with one within a few weeks from now.

[Thanks, pontsuku.]

Update: And just like that, the nomination page has promptly been taken down. Good thing we saved a copy, though — check it out after the break, if you want to practise your Japanese.

Continue reading Unreleased Sony Alpha A77 already nominated for Good Design Award, reveals several new features

Unreleased Sony Alpha A77 already nominated for Good Design Award, reveals several new features originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGood Design Expo  | Email this | Comments

Vision Research’s Phantom v1210 and v1610 do slow motion in style (video)

No matter how fast that piece of Jell-O landed on the floor, you’ll be able to review the journey in all its slow motion glory with the newly announced Phantom v1610 and v1210 cameras. Vision Research is calling the latest entries in the Phantom line the “world’s fastest one megapixel digital high-speed cameras.” The v1210 is capable of capturing 12,000 fps to 16,000 fps, with its higher end buddy the v1610 capturing between 650,000 fps and one million fps, if you sacrifice resolution. Shooting 1280 x 800 widescreen images (at regular speed), the v1210 boasts 12GB, 24GB, or 48GB of segmented memory, while the v1610 can hold 24GB, 48GB, or 96GB of segmented memory. Other features include an image-based auto-trigger, ethernet port, SMPTE & IRIG timecode, genlock, 28 micron pixel size, 12-bit depth pixel depth standard, and an HD-SDI output. No word on pricing, but if you have a budget like NFL Films, let the epic sports montages and Truffle Shuffling commence. Check out some slow motion footage captured on the Phantom HD Gold after the break.

Update: pricing starts around a cool $100,000.

Continue reading Vision Research’s Phantom v1210 and v1610 do slow motion in style (video)

Vision Research’s Phantom v1210 and v1610 do slow motion in style (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceVision Research (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

Cam-wielding RC car used to investigate roadside bomb, saves lives in Afghanistan


The US military spends billions of dollars each year beefing up wartime tech, but a low-budget hacked RC car recently served as an unlikely hero, saving six soliders’ lives in Afghanistan. The home-built rig, which included a wireless security camera mounted on a Traxxas Stampede remote-controlled truck, cost about $500 when it was built in 2007. Since then, Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Fessenden has used it to locate roadside bombs, until it tripped a detonation sensor during a patrol last month, in turn saving Fessenden and fellow troops from coming head-to-head with 500 pounds of explosives. Unfortunately the RC cam didn’t survive the attack, so Ernie, the solider’s brother who built the first model, is currently working on a replacement. Sure, a half-grand may seem like a laughable sum compared to the Pentagon’s annual budget, but if the proven gadget gets enough attention, perhaps Chinese-made toys will play a role in entertaining our kids, and protecting our troops.

Cam-wielding RC car used to investigate roadside bomb, saves lives in Afghanistan originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceABC News  | Email this | Comments

Android app tethers handsets to Canon cams, live view fanboys rejoice (video)

We’re living in a post-pc world, folks. High time you got with the program and junked that heavy and outmoded relic called the computer. But how does one take tethered snaps from a Canon, sans EOS Utility? Meet DSLR Controller, an Android app from Chainfire that turns your little green robot into an external live view monitor, and gives you complete control over your shooter’s finer sensibilities. It lets you tweak exposure, aperture, shutter, white balance and focus with sensuous swipes of your fingertip. To make the whole shindig work, you’ll need an Android device packing a USB host port and an “on-the-go” USB cable — which lets your handset wear the pants in the phone / DSLR relationship. We should also warn you that the $8.51 application is currently still in beta and thus streams video in live view mode at a less than optimal 15fps. Those and other foibles may be remedied by the final release, but if you’re looking to practice your tethering voodoo immediately, hit the source below, and watch a vid of your photographic future after the break.

Continue reading Android app tethers handsets to Canon cams, live view fanboys rejoice (video)

Android app tethers handsets to Canon cams, live view fanboys rejoice (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Aug 2011 04:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceDSLR Controller (Android Market)  | Email this | Comments

HoodCap Flower concept gives you one less piece of camera gear to lose

We’ve seen our fair share of camera-related concepts that are decidedly out there, but there’s also thankfully some that are considerably more practical — and sometimes even eventually become actual products. Hopefully that ends up being the case with this so-called HoodCap Flower which, as you can probably surmise, combines a lens hood and a lens cap in one flower-inspired contraption. Just twist the dial to open it up and take some pictures, and close it when you want to protect your lens. Not quite as protective as a proper lens cap, to be sure, but we’re guessing plenty of folks would take that trade-off.

HoodCap Flower concept gives you one less piece of camera gear to lose originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Wired Gadget Lab  |  sourceYanko Design  | Email this | Comments

Ricoh GXR Leica M-mount module gets a September ship date, lets you swap lenses with one sensor

Sure, you’ve seen cameras with interchangeable lenses — you might even own one or two — but a cam that lets you swap out the sensor with the lens? Now that’s pretty unique. Ricoh’s GXR has been around since 2009 and does exactly that, with four lens / sensor combos, including two zooms and a pair of fixed lenses. Now, the company has confirmed that its new Leica M-mount module will ship on September 9th, letting you use your existing Leica lenses with the GXR. The module includes a 12.3 megapixel APS-C sensor and has a 27.8mm Leica M bayonet mount, with support for RAW image capture and 720p video. It also has an “open” price, which means it’s still anyone’s guess as to how much you’ll be shelling over. But if you own a collection of Leica glass and are interested in experimenting with such a unique sensor-swapping camera system, you’re probably somewhat open to open pricing.

Ricoh GXR Leica M-mount module gets a September ship date, lets you swap lenses with one sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Photo Rumors  |  sourceRicoh Japan (translated)  | Email this | Comments