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Posts Tagged ‘Beast’

Canon is now selling CMOS image sensors, including a 120MP APS-H beast

23 May

It looks like Canon is getting into sensor sales. The three specialized CMOS sensors the company has been recently showing off—including a 120MP APS-H model and an ultra-low light sensor—have been listed for sale by special order through Canon, and through Phase 1 Technology Corp in the US. As far as we know, this is the first time Canon has publicly gotten into the semiconductor business.

That in and of itself is big news, despite the fact that these sensors are likely meant for security, machine vision and, say, astrophotography camera makers. There’s the 120MP APS-H sensor, which outputs images measuring 13280×9184 pixels; there’s a 2/3″ 5MP global shutter sensor that boasts “remarkably wide dynamic range”; and, finally, a 2.2MP full-frame unit with 19µm high-sensitivity pixels designed for extreme low-light shooting. All three are available in RGB and monochrome variations.

B2B sensor sales like this usually require you purchase more than one sensor, so at-home camera makers may not be able to get into the action, but we’ve contacted the company for a quote so we can share the price with you all the same. We’ll update this article if and when we hear back. In the meantime, you can find more information about all three sensors on the Phase 1 Technology Corp website.

Specifications

Canon 120 Megapixel CMOS Sensor

Available Variations:

  • 120MXSC: RGB
  • 120MXSM: Monochrome

Ultra-High Resolution CMOS Sensor

The 120MXS is an ultra-high resolution CMOS sensor with 13280 x 9184 effective pixels (approx. 60x the resolution of Full HD). It has a size equivalent to APS-H (29.22mm x 20.20mm), and a square pixel arrangement of 2.2µm x 2.2µm with 122 million effective pixels. Ultra-high-resolution is made possible by parallel signal processing, which reads signals at high speed from multiple pixels. All pixel progressive reading of 9.4 fps is made possible by 28 digital signal output channels. It is available in RGB or with twice the sensitivity, in monochrome.

Technical Information:

  • Sensor size: APS-H (29.22mm x 20.20mm)
  • Filter types:
    • 120MXSC: RGB
    • 120MXSM: Monochrome
  • Number of effective pixels: 13280h x 9184v, approx. 122MP
  • Pixel size: 2.2µm x 2.2µm
  • Progressive Scan
  • Rolling Shutter
  • 188pin ceramic PGA
  • Sensitivity:
    • 120MXSC (Green): 10,000e/lux/sec
    • 120MXSM: 20,000e/lux/sec
  • Saturation: 10,000e @ gain0.5x
  • Output Channels: Data 28 lanes, Clock 14 lanes
  • Dark Random Noise: 2.3e rms @ gain x8, Room Temp.
  • Dark Current: 8.1e/sec @ gain x8, 60°C
  • Number of output channels: Data 28 lanes, Clock 14 lanes
  • Main clock frequency: 45MHz (Recommended)
  • Output format: 720Mbps in LVDS output 9.4fps @ 10 bit
  • Built in column amplifier (Pre-amplifier gain mode: x0.5, x1, x2, x4, x8)
  • Serial communication
  • All pixel progressive scan reading function, Region of Interest (ROI) reading function (Vertically)
  • Vertically intermittent reading function (1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/5, 1/7, 1/15)
  • Power consumption: 2.5W (under recommended operating conditions)
  • Power supply voltage: 1.7 V, 3.5 V
  • Package size: 55.0mm x 47.8mm x 4.49mm

Canon 5 Megapixel Global Shutter CMOS Sensor

Available Variations:

  • 3U5MGXSC: RGB on-chip color filter
  • 3U5MGXSM: Monochrome

Global Shutter CMOS Image Sensor

The 3U5MGXS global shutter image sensor employs a new pixel design introducing new drive readout and light guiding technologies significantly expanding the full well capacity, reducing noise, and contributing to remarkably wide dynamic range with a power consumption of 500mW. Equipped with a global shutter and all pixel progressive reading at 120fps, the 2/3″ sensor size, and pixel size of 3.4µm with 5.33 million effective pixels (2592 x 2056) easily allow for applications in machine vision and other industrial environments where smaller size and high performance are required. It is available in RGB and Monochrome.

Technical Information:

  • Sensor size: Approx. 2/3 inch (8.8mm x 7.0mm)
  • Number of effective pixels: 2592h x 2056v, approx. 5.3M
  • Filter types:
    • 3U5MGXSC: RGB on-chip color filter
    • 3U5MGXSM: Monochrome
  • Pixel size: 3.4µm x 3.4µm
  • Maximum Frame Rate: 120fps
  • Global electronic shutter function
  • Progressive scan
  • Main clock frequency: 36MHz (Recommended)
  • Sensitivity:
    • 3U5MGXSC (Green): 30,000 e/lx/sec @Analog gain x1(TBD)
    • 3U5MGXSM: TBD
  • Saturation: 14,000e gain x1 (10 bit 60 fps) (TBD)
  • Output Channels Data: 12 lanes, Clock 2 Lanes
  • Output from LVDS: Maximum output of 864Mbps
  • Analog gain: 0 to 36dB
  • Digital Gain: 0 to 24dB
  • Dark Random Noise: 2.6e rms @ Analog gain x4(TBD)
  • Dark Current: 1.3 e/sec @Analog gain x4, Room Temp
  • Maximum Dynamic Range: 74dB (TBD)
  • Function: ROI function (8 region) Inverted output function (horizontal and vertical)
  • 180pin ceramic LGA
  • Power consumption (Typ): 500mW (full pixel scan at 60 fps)
  • Power supply voltage: 3.3V, 1.2V
  • Package size: 19.0mm x 18.1mm x 2.5mm
  • Exposure control by external trigger

Canon 19µm Full HD CMOS Sensor

Available Variations:

  • 35MMFHDXSC: RGB
  • 35MMFHDXSM: Monochrome

Full HD, High-Sensitivity, Low-Noise Imaging

The 35MMFHDXS CMOS sensor delivers highsensitivity, low-noise imaging performance, even in exceptionally low-light environments. The sensor’s pixels and readout circuitry employ new technologies that reduce noise, which tends to increase as pixel size increases. High sensitivity and increased well depth have been achieved through a larger pixel size of 19µm x 19µm (square) with proprietary device design technologies. The 35MMFHDXS CMOS sensor is available in RGB or Monochrome.

Technical Information:

  • Sensor size: 35mm film size (36.48mm x 20.52mm)
  • Number of effective pixels: 2000h x 1128v, Approx. 2.2MP
  • Filter types:
    • 35MMFHDXSC: RGB
    • 35MMFHDXSM: Monochrome
  • Pixel size: 19µm x 19µm
  • Progressive scan
  • Rolling shutter
  • Serial communication
  • 180pin ceramic PGA
  • Sensitivity:
    • 35MMFHDXSC (Green): 1,100,000e/lx/sec @gain x1
    • 35MMFHDXSM: 2,100,000e/lx/sec @gain x1
  • Saturation: 61,000e @gain x1
  • Dark RN: 2.2e rms @gain x16, around 35°C
  • Dark Current: 250e/sec @gain x16, 60°C
  • Simultaneous reading of vertical 4 lines
  • Drive frequency: 16ch x 18MHz (Recommended)
  • Output format: Source follower output (Analog)
  • Built in column amplifiers: (Basic pre-amplifier gain: x1, x4, x16)
  • Power consumption: 2.2W (At 60 fps under recommended operating conditions)
  • Power supply voltage: 5V, 3.3V, others
  • Package size: 60.9mm x 44.6mm x 3.57mm

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Surface Beast: A photographer’s review of the Microsoft Surface Book 2

17 Nov

This review was originally published on Blair Bunting’s blog, and is being republished in full on DPReview with express permission from the author.


Over the last year I have been slowly migrating from Apple to Windows, and to be honest, breaking out of the walled gardens that I lived within (some known, some unknown) has not been easy, but it has been freeing.

I have to hand it to Apple, they made a system, an environment, that has been comfortable and creatively useful for many years; however, slowly the sparkle that was once held in such high regards by artists, has begun to dull. For me, there was one piece of hardware that remained from my Apple past, one that traveled with me to all my photoshoots and pre-production meetings, coffee shops and airport bars, studios and locations alike… my MacBook Pro.

When I began transitioning to Windows, I had made concessions. I thought at the time, that one of the few pieces of Apple hardware that would stay in my repertoire was the MBP. I had even decided to upgrade it to the newest one before the announcement, for I knew it would be cutting edge in the ways that other Apple products of the past had been. Then, to the horror of myself and many around, we watched as Apple gave us the new MacBook Pro, complete with… wait for it… the scroll bar (ready to suit all of my emoji needs).

That very day I bought a Microsoft Surface Book (the very one that I am typing this blog on) and never looked back. To be honest, I had intended to write a review of it for quite some time, however, that blog had been put on the backburner. What was striking about the original Surface Book was something I had a very hard time quantifying. While there were many things I fell in love with on it, such as the keyboard, and the detachable screen, the thing that won me over more than anything was how much it just worked.

Almost overnight I started to see my productivity rise as I was able to re-focus on the business side of advertising photography.

I was transporting my RAWs from set on the original Surface Book and would occasionally do minor edits on it in airports; however, the 100-megapixel files from the Hasselblad H6D-100cwere taxing on it once layers were added in Photoshop and file sizes surpassed the 5GB mark. Now I know that 5GB files are rarely opened on a laptop, but I had to test it out and did notice that the large files sizes were tough on the processor.

Then, about a month ago, the phone rang and it was Microsoft, wondering if I would like to hear about a new piece of equipment… the Surface Book 2. Previously they had let me try out their Surface Pro, which I liked, but still found myself using the Surface Book more. It was a no brainer and I quickly signed to have a loaner unit sent over immediately.

The Surface Book 2 arrived only days before I was to fly out for a campaign I was shooting in New York and New Jersey. I have always had a rule that any gear headed to set has to have a backup. No matter how different the backup is, there needs to be a safety net in case something unforeseen happens.

For the past year, I was traveling with the Surface Book in my carry on while the MacBook Pro was in my checked baggage. Perhaps there was part of me that was nervous about letting go of that laptop. However, the campaign on the East Coast would be the first one completely void of an Apple product, backups included.

All this had been planned before the Surface Book 2 arrived.

Then the FedEx delivery man arrived with the package that I had been sitting next to the door waiting for all day (on a side note, does FedEx know when I am anxiously awaiting a package and then decide to be late as hell delivering it?).

In the box was the clean white box containing a new Surface Book 2, and to my surprise… IT WAS THE 15” MODEL. While I knew it existed, I had told the gentleman on the phone to send out whatever was easiest and I didn’t want to hassle them with demands. To be honest, I had grown quite comfortable with the 13-inch model that I bought and didn’t think there was a need for the extra two inches… I was wrong.

As it turns out, the new model was completely rebuilt from the ground up, and I could tell it within the first hour of using it. The details were even more refined and it was even MORE comfortable to type on. A funny little side note… with the screen being completely detachable, you can pop it off and walk around set with a tablet bigger than any other on the market and, as it turns out, the only thing my clients talked about for hours.

Now at this point you are probably asking, “but Blair, how does it perform?” … please refer to the title of this blog.

I have NEVER used a laptop that felt as powerful as the Surface Book 2. The thing ate 100 megapixel files for lunch and came back for more. In a way, it felt as though my laptop had hooked up with my desktop and the resulting baby was the Beast. Credit where it is due, the phrase “Surface Beast” was actually coined by one of the art directors on the photoshoot when he compared it to his MacBook Pro (scroll bar and all) and decided we would preview the shoot on the Surface from there on out.

One area where there isn’t even a comparison to my previous Apple MBP life is when it comes to retouching. More specifically: while traveling. Even more specifically: sitting at the airport bar while the airline tells you the delay is because the plane can’t fly (FML).

The Surface Book 2 has an option to have a secondary processor in the keyboard base of the computer. What this means is that you can detach the screen, flip it around and fold it backwards and have a drawing tablet with near desktop power—it is completely insane. This feature, combined with the increasing inebriation, led to me laughing/near-cheering with the announcement that my flight was further delayed.

In three hours of sitting at the airport bar, I had finished key art retouching on one of the images from the campaign (this is huge) and rung up a healthy bar tab of Hendricks.

For me, the Surface Book 2 was the MacBook Pro that we had all wanted/expected from Apple—it just wears a different logo.

While other reviews will read off the spec sheets and talk about the 17 hour battery life and GX yadda yadda yadda processor, they sometimes forget that we (the creative professionals) use these as tools. What Microsoft has done with the Surface Book 2 is make a system void of gimmicks, because gimmicks don’t hold up in the working world. Our jobs will not benefit from being able to tap an emoji on a scroll bar… they will benefit from the ability to get work done.

As a photographer, it feels extremely odd to say this, but I sincerely feel that the Surface Book 2 is not only a strong contender for the laptop to own, but actually the clear cut choice of the computer to have on set.

These weeks with the Surface Beast have won my allegiances completely, and probably resulted in me making a third computer purchase for the year. However, it has also given me the confidence and comfort to say that the transition away from Apple will soon be complete.


Blair Bunting is an advertising photographer and Hasselblad ambassador who has shot campaigns around the globe for a diversified list of clients that range from television shows shot for The Discovery Channel to athletes photographed for Muscle Milk.

To see more of his work, visit his website, check out his blog, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sphericam Beast studio camera lives up to its name with 6K 10-bit Raw 360-degree video

12 Nov

Sphericam has introduced ‘Beast,’ its new pro-grade 360-degree VR camera. This beastly model features four 1″ 4096 × 2160 image sensors, four 190º fisheye lenses, and four M.2 SSD drives with a 2.8 GBs bit rate. This combination of hardware enables the camera to record ‘more than’ 6K resolution footage, according to Sphericam, at 60 fps in a 10-bit Raw format (30fps for stitched content). Beast is designed for use by studios and other companies in need of pro-grade VR hardware.

Beast spent ‘several months’ in development, says Sperhicam, and was recently launched at NAB in NYC on November 9. In addition to recording ultra-high-resolution 360-degree videos, Beast can livestream content to headsets or the web, making it suitable for broadcasters as well as filmmakers. The company hasn’t yet revealed how much Beast will cost, nor when it plans to commercially launch the camera.

Via: Digital Trends

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Beast of a Bicycle! Mechanical Modification With a Spider-Like Walk

30 Jun

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

strandbeest bike 1

This bizarre new take on the Strandbeest bicycle isn’t going to get you from point A to point B much faster than a casual stroll, but it’s fun to watch, with the rear mechanical mechanism ‘walking’ in spider-like motions. Borrowing from the wind-powered kinetic sculptures pioneered by Dutch artist and engineer Theo Jansen, this new creation by Californian collective Carv is half bike, half beast with a front wheel, three functional legs and over 450 handmade components. The designers started with a simple blueprint of Theo Jansen’s rod-linking technique, which he describes as “skeletons which are able to walk on the wind.”

strandbeest bike 2

strandbeest bike 4

It took Carv a whole seven months to develop and build the bike, with the assembly of the rods alone taking three days. Whereas Jansen’s walking sculptures use sails and wind to generate movement, the bike uses pedal power. The designers used a single-speed bike from Walmart as the base and added the rear linkage. Get the technical details here.

An earlier version of the ‘walking bicycle’ by Hanno Smits also uses pedal power, but takes out both wheels, opting for a full walking mechanism that seems to navigate a little more smoothly. The Panterragaffe, a third version, is a two-person pedal-powered walking machine conceived as a public performance piece.

strandbeest opt

It’s hard to deny that Jansen’s original sculptures are just plain cooler and more interesting, though, no matter how many hybrid knock-offs people try to make. Still tempted to try it, or just want to know more about how they work? Jansen sells a few books as well as DVDs and miniature ‘beasts’ on the Strandbeest website.

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[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

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The big beast: hands on with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8

16 Jul

We got a chance to get our hands on Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-GX8 recently, and have prepared a slideshow running through its features. It’s the first Micro Four Thirds camera to gain a 20MP sensor and it wraps a whole host of cleverness, including a Dual IS system, into its substantial magnesium alloy body. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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?Hornsman Coyote & Jah Mason: BELLY OF THE BEAST Official Video (HD)?

08 Dec

First official collaboration of internationally known reggae artists from Serbia and Jamaica! Download single: www.cdbaby.com Hornsman Coyote: www.balkanmusicbox.com / www.facebook.com Jah Mason: unitedreggae.com Riddim produced by: House of Riddim www.houseofriddim.com Production & booking: Balkan Music Box – www.balkanmusicbox.com Director of Photography: Ivan Žugi? Editor, Colorist: Madhatter Production Manager: Slobodan Vidi? Producer: Vladimir Leši? Screenwriter, director: Rastko Šeji? Lyrics BELLY OF THE BEAST Fire Mason Iyah Coyote Inna the Belly of the beast you can’t get no peace This is the belly of the beast Their intension is their invention of their pollution To divide and rule, that is their tool for their illusion They make us fussin and and fight, and that’s not right Unto human Only god alone can keep us safe and make us strong… Coyote Amazing abstraction all over Complicated time System make it so complicated Yes they keep us so oblicated Outrageous destruction all over, yeah Perilous time Inna the Belly of the beast you cant get no peace This is the belly of the beast Perilous time Jah will man those broken hearts Babylon try to tear this world apart Jah will man those broken hearts Babylon try to tear this world apart Regulations, bleeding nations Fear control and observations Execute your souls Intoxicate your minds Regulations, bleeding nations Fear control and observations Execute your souls Intoxicate your minds We dont overstand They have a
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Today I made Ice Cream with Liquid Nitrogen! I really enjoy making nerdy themed goodies and decorating them. I’m not a pro, but I love baking as a hobby. Please let me know what kind of treat you would like me to make next! SPECIAL GUEST: Travis: www.youtube.com Ro’s Facebook: www.facebook.com Ro’s Twitter: twitter.com BIG THANK YOU TO: Monstercat Media for the song “Pump It” www.youtube.com AWESOME SAUCE CREW: Director of Photography: Mike Schmidt Editors:Erin Sievers www.youtube.com Opening Credits: Michael Schroeder www.youtube.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

 
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Day of the Atomic Beast 3-D (yt3d:enable=true) Youtube 3D

17 Feb

Radioactive cats become gigantic monsters and wreak havoc on Lego Land. A post apocalyptic stereoscopic vision of the future so horrific you must sign a waiver before viewing. Did I mention it’s in 3D?
Video Rating: 4 / 5

The Slingshot Channel now also produces 3D slingshot videos! Here is the first example: www.youtube.com In order to shoot in 3D, a special videocam is needed. The camera presented here is a setup of two HD JVC camcorders, mounted side by side so they record stereoscopic material. The video also shows different glasses, which are needed to view the stereoscopic youtube videos.