Hasta La Gadget!

Assuming you own a Sensefly Swinglet CAM or some other high-res camera-equipped UAV, you could be just minutes away from turning your plain old 2D aerial photos into comprehensive 3D maps. Pix4D, a new software program coming out of EPFL — the same institute that brought us this race of altruistic robots — takes images shot using an aerial drone to render 3D maps in the cloud in just 30 minutes. Users upload images taken with their flying machines, at which point Pix4D kicks into action, defining high contrast points in the phots and pasting them together based on those points. It then renders a 3D model, overlays the graphics, and spits out a Google Earth-style map. So what’s with this 4D business? Well, its developers claim that users can easily see the progression of any model by deploying their Sensefly drone whenever they see fit, throwing the added layer of time into the mix. You can see the fruits of Pix4D’s labor in the video after the break.

Continue reading Pix4D turns your 2D aerial photographs into 3D maps on the fly (video)

Pix4D turns your 2D aerial photographs into 3D maps on the fly (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 May 2011 00:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ever wondered what it feels like to tear down a $58,000 professional video camera? Well, unless you’re as minted as Peter Jackson or James Cameron, chances are you’ll never get close to a RED EPIC-M (without breaking the law) to find out. That said, you may get some insight from this fresh batch of disassembly shots, courtesy of the FCC. Sure, there aren’t any jewels or unicorns hidden inside this powerful 5K imager, but you’ll get plenty of close-up shots of its delicate circuitry — it’s actually pretty impressive how much the hand-machined chassis holds. Head over to Wireless Goodness to admire the full glory, but make sure you don’t dribble over your keyboard.

FCC gives the RED EPIC-M its teardown treatment, so you don’t have to originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony is still staying mum on any official details for the NEX-C3, but the camera’s instruction manual has now made a brief appearance on the company’s Czech Republic site, offering yet more evidence that the successor to the NEX-3 is set for an imminent launch. The camera mock-up on the description page appears to be identical to previously leaked photos, and judging by control layout, NEX-3 and NEX-5 users should have no trouble adjusting. The full manual is no longer available, but DPReview points out that the camera is smaller than both previous models, and includes a 16 megapixel sensor. A post on Mirrorless Forum also reveals a new lens — a 30mm f/3.5 macro priced at €259 (about $383) — adding a fourth option to the limited mix of NEX-compatible optics.

Continue reading NEX-C3 instruction manual appears on Sony’s Czech site, quickly removed

NEX-C3 instruction manual appears on Sony’s Czech site, quickly removed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 15:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re not the only site to put Nikon’s new mid-range DSLR through its paces. Plenty of others have taken the D5100 for a spin and we thought you might like to know: they’re all pretty impressed. The new 1080p30 video mode was much appreciated as was the larger, higher resolution swivel screen around back. The biggest props generally went to the improved high-ISO performance (which was already quite respectable on the D5000 it’s replacing) and the boost in autofocus speed, especially when using the LCD as a view finder in Live View mode. Oddly, the built-in effects also garnered a lot of attention. The Miniature Effect (a tilt-shift simulator) and Selective Color mode impressed reviewers the most with their surprising level of sophistication for in-camera processing. All of the effects can also be used when shooting video, so you can make your HD footage look like black and white 8mm by turning on Night Vision. Criticisms were relatively minor and applicable to most mid- and entry-level DSLRs — primarily that the body is plasticy and there is a slight lag in focus and shutter performance. The D5100 is an obvious upgrade over the D5000 and more than holds its own against its competitors, but if you want to dig deeper check out our review and the ones below.

Read – DPReview
Read – Photography Blog
Read – CNET
Read – Nikon Rumors
Read – Pocket-Lint
Read – Pocket-Lint (2)

Nikon’s D5100 impresses, captures children’s birthday parties with incredible clarity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen plenty of tablets go under the spudger at the iFixit teardown labs, but seldom has a DSLR been gently gutted and photographed for all to see. Today’s victim is the $900 Nikon D5100, which just hit stores last week. After popping out the battery (the D5100’s only user-serviceable component), the engineers removed the motherboard, 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, and everything else they could get their hands on, even going so far as to desolder some wires. The verdict? The camera is very difficult to disassemble — perhaps because “approximately 4 billion screws hold the device together.” Teardowns are arguably more fun than unboxings (trust us, we know), so hit the link below for more camera-in-the-buff shots.

Nikon D5100 gets the iFixit teardown treatment, camera status confirmed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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