RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Weird’

Video: Weird lens guru turns $20 Carl Zeiss projector lens into a swirly-bokeh camera lens

26 Oct

Weird lens guru Mathieu Stern is back at it with a new video that shows images captured with two $ 20 Carl Zeiss projector lenses he converted into camera lenses.

As with many of Stern’s DIY projector lens projects, both of these lenses — a 120mm F1.9 and a 105mm F1.9 — lack any way to focus and don’t have any adjustable aperture. While the adjustable aperture isn’t quite so easy to address, the video briefly shows how he uses an M65 Helicoid ring adapter to give manual focus abilities to the lens. Although not shown in the video, Stern then uses an M65 to Sony E-mount adapter to use the custom lens to his Sony camera.

The resulting imagery captured with the lenses produces pronounced ‘swirly’ bokeh and gives a very sharp separation between the subject and the background. It’s not going to win any resolution or edge-to-edge sharpness contests, but considering you can pick up similar projector lenses for around $ 20 or so online and a set of adapters for your camera for roughly $ 50 or so, it’s a cheap way to get some unique shots.

Stern has a full list of the components he used in the video’s description on YouTube. You can find more of his work on his YouTube channel and website, which also features his always-growing ‘Weird Lens Museum.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Video: Weird lens guru turns $20 Carl Zeiss projector lens into a swirly-bokeh camera lens

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Peak Design announces Travel Tripod launch date, unveils ‘Weird Times Sale’ with 20-40% off gear

02 Apr

We’ve already seen the Peak Design Travel Tripod and gotten our hands on it for a short period of time, but after successfully sending out units to its Kickstarter backers, Peak Design is ready to open up orders to the public. At 12am PST on April 7, Peak Design will allow the general public to purchase their latest piece of gear; but that’s not all. Peak Design says 100% of profits from every tripod sold will be split 50/50 to COVID-19 disaster relief and climate change relief funds.

The Travel Tripod launch announcement was originally embargoed for the day of the launch, April 7, but Peak Design Founder and CEO Peter Dering took to YouTube in the above video to explain the decision to launch the tripod at the time they’ve chosen, as well as announce a ‘Weird Times Sale’ that is currently live and sees nearly all Peak Design gear (everything except the Travel Tripod) between 20–40% off to help keep inventory moving during a time when sales have all but ceased.

A breakdown of the discounts for Peak Design’s sale.

Travel Tripod Updates

The Peak Design Travel Tripods were first introduced in May 2019. Over the course of its Kickstarter campaign, the company raised over $ 12.1 million from more than 27k backers. Over the course of production, Peak Design altered a few aspects of the design to refine the initial version to improve the overall experience. Specifically, Peak Design’s revisions include a new hex tool key with leg clip holder, an updated padded, weatherproof carry bag and an ultralight conversion kit that turns the tripod into a more compact tabletop tripod.

Peak Design also opted to use an aluminum center column for its carbon fiber tripod, citing testing its own engineering team came up with as well as insight from tripod testing extraordinaire David Berryrieser of the Center Column. Peak Design says Berryrieser’s testing, ‘revealed a significant improvement in the aluminum center column resisting lateral twist, less vertical slip and higher max load for the counterweight hook […] All this for the price of 16g or 10 paper clips worth of additional weight.’

As previously mentioned, 100% of profits from each Travel Tripod sold from April 7–10 through PeakDesign.com and Peak Design’s retail partners around the world will be distributed to the CDC Foundation and Climate Neutral.

You can find the ‘Weird Times Sale’ on Peak Design’s online shop and authorized Peak Design retailers. Travel Tripod sales should go live at 12am on April 7 if you’re interested in securing one.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Peak Design announces Travel Tripod launch date, unveils ‘Weird Times Sale’ with 20-40% off gear

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Video: Mathieu Stern of Weird Lens Museum visits The Camera Rescue Project

28 Sep

Mathieu Stern of the Weird Lens Museum recently traveled to Tampere, Finland, where he was invited to tour The Camera Rescue Project, a large collection of vintage cameras being rescued from disrepair and potential loss. Stern introduces his viewers to Juho Leppänen, the man running the project, as well as the small team’s huge collection of around 6,000 vintage camera items at the Camera Rescue Center.

The Camera Rescue Project’s team has tasked themselves with finding, inspecting, and repairing 100,000 vintage film cameras, a process that has thus far resulted in more than 57,000 camera ‘rescues.’ Stern is introduced to the sales side of the Camera Rescue Center, as well as the processes used to inspect the cameras. Malfunctioning cameras and lenses are sorted into the ‘repair queue,’ which is currently home to more than 2,000 units in need of work.

Stern is known for, among other things, his videos showcasing unusual lenses and projects, including a lens created from ice and, more recently, a rare projector lens given a new life. In his most recent video, Leppänen tells Stern that he will be given some unusual lenses to test around the city, something Stern plans to show to his viewers in a future video. The Camera Rescue Project was likewise detailed in a video from Cameraville earlier this year.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Video: Mathieu Stern of Weird Lens Museum visits The Camera Rescue Project

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Venus Optics launches ‘weird but revolutionary’ macro probe lens

03 Aug

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_6398760155″,”galleryId”:”6398760155″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

Venus Optics has announced a new probe-shaped macro lens that captures 2x life size images down a 40cm/15.7in barrel. The Laowa 24mm f/14 Macro Probe lens is designed to produce extreme macro on full frame bodies, and to reach subjects that are hard to approach with conventional macro lenses.

The tip of the lens measures just 2cm across and houses a ring of USB-powered LED lights for focus assistance and for lighting the subject. Animals in burrows and underwater can be photographed as the end of the probe lens is water and dust proof, and the LED lights can be used in those conditions. The closest focus-distance is 2cm at which distance the maximum reproduction ratio of 2:1 is achieved.

Constructed using 27 elements in 19 groups this is quite a complex optical arrangement

A wide angle focal length has been chosen to deliver more depth of field and more environment, while the size of the front element allows users to get truly ground-level view.

Constructed using 27 elements in 19 groups this is quite a complex optical arrangement and, according to Venus Optics, the first time such a probe lens has been available on a consumer level. It uses a 7-bladed aperture and offers apertures of F14 to F40. Although obviously designed for macro work the focus range covers 470mm / 18.5in to infinity. The whole unit measures 38 x 408mm / 1.5 x 16in, weighs 474g / 16.7oz and will be available in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony E mounts. An Arri PL model will also be available via special order.

The lens will cost $ 1,499 and is being launched via Kickstarter – where early birds can get discounted deals.

For more information visit the Venus Optics website

Press release:

Venus Optics officially announces the Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe lens, a weird but revolutionary lens for macro videography

Tubular barrel, Waterproof & built-in LED design unlock shooting possibilities.

Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, are proud to announce the Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe Lens, a unique & revolutionary macro tool.

Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe is the world’s first consumer-grade probe lens that was developed to provide photographers and videographers with a new perspective and remove their shooting barriers while using conventional macro lenses. Below are the key features of this lens.

Bug-Eye Perspective
The new Laowa 24mm Probe lens can create a Bug-Eye perspective that cannot be done by conventional macro lens. Not only can it focus really close (2cm @ 2:1) and show a great amount of detail and texture, but also achieve a compelling wide angle ‘Bug Eye’ view (84.1°). More background details can then be included into the shots to create a very informative and stunning macro bug-eye perspective. For telephoto macro lenses, the subject will fill most of the frame and appear isolated from the surrounding environment instead.

2:1 Magnification to Infinity Focus
The new Laowa Probe covers a focusing range from 2:1 macro magnification to Infinity Focus. Photographers can take advantage of the 2:1 maximum magnification to shoot really small bugs/objects and reveal details that cannot be seen by naked eye. The wide focusing range (from Macro to infinity) is also particularly useful for videography as both finer details and environmental background can be captured in one shot.

Deep Depth-of-Field
The wide angle design also means much more depth of field at close distance (compared to the telephoto macro lens) so that more background details will now be visible. Being able to focus so close but still having a deep depth of field is a BIG advantage for both studio and wildlife shooting. The less blurry background allows the habitat of the subject to be visible in your photo.

Waterproof front lens barrel
The front barrel of the lens is waterproof and it can be used to shoot in any environment. This makes shooting in liquid no longer a limitation. The waterproof design also implies that shooting in super dusty environment or with fine powders are not going to be a problem.

40cm long & Tubular Lens Barrel
Thanks to the 40cm (15.7″) long barrel, photographers can focus really close to the subject but still keep themselves and cameras distance away. This unlocks the possibility of shooting in areas which were not accessible in the past. E.g. Shooting a frog hiding in the bushes using our Probe lens, compared to getting a telephoto macro lens super close to avoid leaves blocking your subject. The long lens barrel also allows photographers to keep a safe distance away when shooting lethal animals. The big camera body and lens will no longer ‘alert’ the subject too.

Tiny 2cm lens tip
The tiny 0.2cm-in-diameter lens tip unlocks the possibility to get very low to the ground level to capture a ‘delicious’ perspective and maximize the visual impact. The viewers will be like walking on your shooting subject (e.g. Pizza) now. Moreover, you can insert the lens into tiny caves, bottle or burrows to shoot. The smaller lens tip also enables proper lighting hitting onto the subject whereas typical macro lenses with larger lens barrels will block most of the light.

LED Ring Light at the tip
A LED ring light (powered through the micro-USB slot on the barrel) is mounted at the tip of the lens to provide additional lighting for focus assistance and video shooting.

Full frame coverage
The Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe can cover both the standard 35mm full frame and Super35 image sensor.

Lightweight
The new Laowa weighs only 1.04 pounds (474 grams) and it’s super light and easy to carry.

The lens has one of the most complicated optics design and houses with 27 elements in 19 groups to deliver the exceptional image quality. Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony FE mounts are currently available for standard version. A cine version with click-less aperture and focus gears in Arri PL mount is also available to order.

Availability
The lens is expected to retail at USD 1,499/pc (ex-VAT). It is currently available to pre- order via Kickstarter at a discounted price. The earliest expected delivery date is September. The lens will also be available via authorized resellers from October onwards.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Venus Optics launches ‘weird but revolutionary’ macro probe lens

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Apple’s auto-generated Memories videos are still kind of weird in iOS 11

23 Sep

Starting with iOS 10, Apple has been scanning iPhone users’ photo libraries and automatically creating nostalgic videos it calls Memories. They’re basically slideshows of what it deems to be meaningful photos and videos from your collection, set to music, and arranged around a theme. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and sometimes you’ll remember that time you took a picture of the frozen pizza baking directions.

iOS 11, released to the general public yesterday, brought some updates to Memories. They’re now portrait-format friendly, and more Memories will be automatically created around a wider range of subjects and themes. But if my first Memory video after downloading iOS 11 is any indication, Apple hasn’t gotten much smarter about what photos to include.

An interesting photo for Instagram, but not a moment I wanted to reminisce about months later. It’s hard for a computer to know the difference.

Though it does a few things well – it generally picks up on the fact that I like nice photos of my boyfriend and me – Apple’s algorithm makes some pretty weird choices. My latest Memory, titled “Best of the last 2 months,” opens on an image of a discarded Craisins box on a bed of grass. I thought it was an interesting photo for Instagram, but not a moment I wanted to reminisce about months later. It’s hard for a computer to know the difference.

The misses are all much funnier because of the slightly dramatic treatment: panning, gentle transitions and music give the impression of something that’s been carefully curated to invoke nostalgia. It’s all very serious, and works very well for a post-hike selfie with a majestic backdrop. It’s downright laughable when it’s a photo of some acne-treating serum I took a picture of to send to my sister.

Ah, how I cherished this moment.

To be completely fair, Memories videos are meant to be customized and edited by the human viewing them. The algorithm gets you to a starting point, and it’s up to you to take out the shots that don’t work. And it’s a little bit narcissistic, but it’s kind of fun to watch a slideshow of your best moments over the past few months.

With new iterations, Apple’s subject recognition and photo-picking algorithm will no doubt get smarter, and the automatic videos will get better. Hopefully it’ll learn to ignore the kind of shots that are taken for utilitarian purposes, but it’s already pretty good with some stuff – it correctly identified photos of my boyfriend and put together a slideshow of images of him from baseball games and vacations. More of that please, Apple, and less reminders of my life with acne-prone skin.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Apple’s auto-generated Memories videos are still kind of weird in iOS 11

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Artistically Enabled: 18 Weird & Creative Handicapped Parking Signs

10 Apr

[ By Steve in Culture & History & Travel. ]

Blue & white Handicapped Parking signs and stencils are one of urban life’s most familiar icons… and then there are those that have been creatively hacked.

There’s a fine line between amusement and mean-spiritedness but when it comes to visual imagery, outrage is often in the eye of the beholder. With that in mind, this edgy, spiky, flame-enhanced “Parking Space Designator” (is that what the kids are calling them these days?) follows the road blazed by TV’s Dr House and his boss flame-graphic walking cane. You’ll find the stencil on steroids above outside a Retail Boutique Incubator, tentatively attributed to Sean McDougal of Disfunctional Design Store.

Interlocked & Loaded

Those interlocking driveway paving stones can be fit together in any number of patterns, including a reasonable, recognizable facsimile of the accessible parking graphic. Flickr user zwei zwei (zwei1189) captured this image on February 5th of 2015.

Brazil Not

A parking spot reserved for the “Sorcerer” truck, we assume? Not quite – this clever conjunction of a designated handicapped parking space and some awesome eye-fooling 3D graphic art comes from Brazil, where there’s an ongoing problem of able-bodied people parking in handicapped spaces “just for a minute”. Yeah, riiight. The explanatory text on the wall roughly translates from Portuguese to read “When you stop in place for disabled, you make his life more difficult”. It’s a theme we’ll revisit further on in this post.

Hold My Beer And Park This

Flickr user Mike Klassen snapped this mildly yet distinctively modified accessible parking sign behind a BC Liquor store in late September of 2008. As for that “fine line” we mentioned previously, well, this edges close to it but we’ll leave the last word to Nathan Ridge, one of the commenters at Klassen’s photo page: “I’ve heard of discrimination against disabled persons, but this is the first time I’ve heard of it the other way around! I love it, especially since I’m in a wheelchair myself!”

Triple Chair Lift

When Mexico sends us their handicapped parking place stencils, they’re not… actually sometimes they ARE sending us their best. Take the “EXCLUSIVO” stencil above, snapped by Flickr user Mary Doyle (buffoonmeatmary) on August 5th of 2007. We can’t say whether this awesome graphic shows a disabled person getting into or out of their wheelchair but either way, the image demands a Six Million Dollar Man bionic sound effect to accompany it.

Elderly Man Driver

Elderly man driver, that elderly man driver, he don’t say nothing but he must know something, he just keeps rolling along… at 10mph under the speed limit until he (or she) parks, right on top of this designated Elderly-only parking space. Who knew this even existed? One might state just being a senior citizen isn’t actually a “disability” in the strict sense, though don’t try convincing any grouchy cane-wielding oldster of that. Flickr user Wee Viraporn snapped what appears to be a standardized stencil on January 3rd of 2010.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Enabled 18 Weird Creative Handicapped Parking Signs

Share on Facebook





[ By Steve in Culture & History & Travel. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Artistically Enabled: 18 Weird & Creative Handicapped Parking Signs

Posted in Creativity

 

CP+ 2017: the weird, wonderful, and everything in between

01 Mar

Best of CP+ 2017 in Japan

While there weren’t a lot of new announcements at CP+, the theme of the show seemed to be glass: Sigma launched four new lenses, Tamron showed off two, Pentax announced the development of two full-frame primes, Fujifilm showcased a line of affordable cinema primes for Sony E-mount users and a ton of third-party brands had their latest glass creations on display.

So take a peek through our gallery for a rundown of the best of CP+ 2017… and some other stuff we found along the way.  

Fujifilm GFX 50S

While not newly announced, CP+ 2017 was the first time we were able to shoot with a final production Fujifilm GFX 50S medium-format digital camera. As you might expect, it’s an absolute peach to use. Barney and I spent most of the time in Japan fighting over who’d get to use it, which should tell you all you need to know. Simply put, we both found its form factor to be fabulous (it’s surprisingly light), and as for image quality – well, take a look for yourself.

Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM

Sigma announced four new lenses at CP+, three of which join the growing ‘Art’ series. They include a 24-70mm F2.8, a 135mm F1.8 and the one we are most excited for: a 14mm F1.8. In addition, the company also launched a 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens which is part of the company’s more modestly-priced ‘Contemporary’ series. 

But back to the 14mm F1.8. It’s the fastest 14mm in existence, yet despite its wide angle of view, distortion appears almost non-existent. It also appears to be crazy sharp! We’re hoping to be able to post some sample images very soon to prove it. 

Nikon D5 100 Year Anniversary Strap

Nikon didn’t launch any new products at CP+, but as part of its continuing 100th year anniversary celebration, it did unveil several special edition 100 year anniversary items including this swanky leather strap (and a gunmetal grey edition D5 and D500). We have no idea if these straps will eventually be for sale, or if acquiring one also means buying a D5/D500, but we’d hang them round our necks.  

HandeVision Iberit 75mm F2.4

We stumbled on a bunch of cool mirrorless lenses from HandeVision, including this matte grey Iberit 75mm F2.4 (shipping versions will be finished in chrome or black). Build quality seems good, and at just over $ 700, it’s a semi-affordable option for mirrorless (and Leica M) manual focus shooters. On crop sensor bodies it gives a 112mm effective field of view. Check out the other lenses HandeVision had on display. 

Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM

In addition to the 14mm F1.8, Sigma also dropped a 135mm F1.8 at this year’s show. It’s pretty large, and a little heavy, but it sure is pretty, especially that big front element. The lens mount also has a rubber gasket to keep dust and water out, something not offered in previously released Sigma’s ‘Art’ series lenses. And a 9-blade aperture should ensure attractive bokeh (as much as you can expect at 14mm, anyway) and hopefully nice sunstars, too. Simply put, we’re pretty jazzed to get it in the office and getting shooting. 

Exploded gear/gear cut in half

There was a lot of bisected and exploded gear at this year’s show (as always). As has become tradition, we made this gallery to highlight some of the best examples. 

Ricoh Pentax D FA* 50mm F1.4

Ricoh added two new full-frame prime lenses to its lens lineup this year, including this 50mm F1.4 as well as an 85mm F1.4. The 85mm wasn’t on display, but we were able to lay eyes (and our cameras) on a mockup of the new 50mm, tucked inside a very reflective and very secure plastic case. Details about the lens are forthcoming, but it’s certainly large. 

Canon EOS 77D

We didn’t get our hands on Canon’s new EOS 77D at the show, mainly because of the sizable crowds in the Canon booth, but we’d already seen it a few weeks ago back in the US. The EOS 77D is built around a 24MP APS-C sensor, Digic 7 processor and 45-point AF system. Take a look at our hands-on for more info. 

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art

We’ve included all three new Sigma Art lenses in this gallery because frankly, they’re all really enticing. The 24-70mm F2.8 is impressively small and light weight (for an Art-series prime). And like the 135mm it has a rubber gasket at the base to keep dust and moisture out. Even more impressive: it’s stabilized. Check out our hands-on for more. 

Pigeon camera

Every year, in the back corner of CP+ is a small camera museum exhibit. And one of my absolute favorite cameras on display was the Michel Pigeon Camera, which is exactly what it sounds like. Though the pigeon is no longer with us (we assume – it could just be very well-trained), the camera still looks pretty functional. You can read more about the Michel Pigeon Camera here. 

Used camera fair

Another fixture of CP+ is the used camera fair, which takes place upstairs. A great place to find weird old rangefinder lenses, camera cases, obscure film compact cameras. As such, a great place to spend money. We were disappointed when we missed the end of the fair when we returned on Sunday, but to be honest, it was probably for the best. 

Voigtländer Macro APO-Lanthar 65mm F2

Voigtländer unveiled three new manual focus Sony E-mount lenses at CP+ including this 65mm F2 macro. The build quality on these lenses, as you might expect, is marvelous. And unlike older Voigtländers, these lenses have electronic contacts, so they’ll communicate with the camera body to which they are attached. the 65mm F2 offers a 1:2 max magnification. Take a look at the other two lenses Voigtländer announced in our hands-on slideshow. 

Canon EOS Rebel T7i

Canon’s flagship Rebel, the T7i is the first in the series to incorporate Canon’s Dual Pixel AF. Take a look through our previously-published hands-on to find out more.

Ricoh Pentax KP

We were able to get closer look at the insides of Pentax’s latest APS-C DSLR. How cool is it to see the pentaprism cut right down the middle? In many respects a miniature Pentax K-1, the KP is well-featured, and weather sealed (when it hasn’t been cut in half). Also in the Pentax booth was a pretty cool demo showing off the company’s image stabilization. You can find a short video of that here. And for more on the Pentax KP, check out our hands-on. 

Tamron SP 70-200mm F2.8 Di VC USD G2

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding Tamron’s 2nd generation SP 70-200mm F2.8 lens and we were pretty excited to check it out in person. Compared to its predecessor, Tamron promises faster autofocus and better stabilization. It also offers a completely overhauled optical and mechanical design. Available in Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts, this high-end telezoom will only set you back $ 1500, making it a bargain compared to it’s non-third party counterparts.

Tamron was also showing off its new 10-24mm F3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD. You can read more about both lenses here. 

This poor man

It was freaking hot on the tradeshow floor! And this poor man had to spend all four days dressed in what seemed like fairly un-breathable getup all while posing with anyone who passed by and wanted to get a photo. Did he lose a bet? We have no idea.

Fujifilm MK cinema lens series 

Fujifilm is entering the affordable cine lens market with the launch of the MK series for Sony E-mount (and X mount, coming later). These lens are an affordable alternative to much more expensive cinema lenses and cover a Super 35 or APS-C imaging area. The lenses include an 18-55mm T2.9, and a 50-135mm T2.9. 

We recently made a short video using the MK18-55 T2.9. Take a look. 

Sony a7S rig for the International Space Station

Did you know that the International Space station has a Sony a7S mounted on it for low-light photography? Here’s a copy of the rig it sits in, in while flying around the Earth at 17,150 miles per hour. 

Mini space station

And just for reference, here’s a full-size model of the ISS. It’s smaller than you expect.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on CP+ 2017: the weird, wonderful, and everything in between

Posted in Uncategorized

 

CES 2017 show highlights: from the weird to the (kind of) wonderful

10 Jan

CES 2017: Show highlights

This year’s consumer electronics extravaganza in Las Vegas was the usual combination of the weird and wonderful, showcasing everything from a fish-finding underwater drone to Panasonic’s flagship DC-GH5. DPReview was there – click through the slides above to see what we found. 

CES 2017: Show highlights

One of the first booths we stopped at was Canon’s. Here, the company was showing off a range of technologies, including the 250MP APS-H format sensor that they’ve been wheeling out at various trade shows over the past year or so. Here you can see an 800mm lens attached to the sensor housing.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Just around the corner is another technology demo, but this one is a shipping product. The ME20F-SH was announced back in 2015, and made headlines for its ability to capture HD footage at equivalent ISO sensitivities up to 4 million, but it is now in the hands of filmmakers. At CES, Canon was showing off full-color sample footage of the African savannah shot in collaboration with a National Geographic filmcrew, and captured in almost complete darkness.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Back to consumer digital imaging, and Canon was also showcasing its newest compact camera, the PowerShot G9 X Mark II. Externally almost indistinguishable from its predeCESsor, the pocketable G9 X Mark II is much faster, especially in Raw mode. 

CES 2017: Show highlights

Meanwhile, just across the hall, Nikon was entertaining attendees with the return of ‘Project Helix’. Now featuring 72 simultaneously-triggered Nikon D750 full-frame DSLRs and one KeyMission 360, Helix creates an interactive 360-degree image of whoever steps into the ring.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Here are some of the 72 Nikon D750s, and their companion 14-24mm F2.8 lenses. That’s roughly a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of gear, right there.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Considerably less expensive is the new Nikon D5600, launched last year in Europe and Asia, and officially announced in the USA at this year’s CES. Boasting a 24MP sensor, 39-point AF system an redesigned body, the D5600 is an attractive beginners’ DSLR.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Over to the Ricoh booth, where this show floor demo Pentax K-1 has had its magnesium alloy swapped for clear polycarbonate, to show off the camera’s inner workings. 

CES 2017: Show highlights

Also on the Ricoh booth was an interesting technology demo showing what happens when the Theta 360 is hooked up to a Pentax K-1. While the 360 takes care of a low-resolution 360-degree image, the K-1 can capture a high-resolution image of a portion of the scene. The resulting multi-image file can be explored in the same way as a conventional Theta 360-image, with the addition of higher-resolution inserts.

Currently only a technology demonstration, We can imagine this being particularly useful for businesses, and real-estate photography.

CES 2017: Show highlights

This is Kodak’s Super 8 video camera, which offers a hybrid of very old technology (super 8 film) with modern digital display and audio. The Super 8 camera features a digital live view display (albeit not a very good one) and digital audio recording, in a stylish body.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Much more modern is Panasonic’s Lumix DC-GH5. Definitely the highest-profile camera release of CES 2017, the GH5 is a flagship Micro Four Thirds 4K stills/video camera which also incorporates a ‘6K photo’ mode and a range of advanced stills photography features. 

CES 2017: Show highlights

Not exactly new, but a new look at least – this is the just-unveiled ‘Graphite’ edition of Fujifilm’s X-Pro2, shipping soon with its matching 23mm F2 lens. 

CES 2017: Show highlights

Ambarella may not be a brand name that rolls off your tongue, but chances are pretty good you own their products since the company makes the cameras and SOCs that power some of the industry’s most popular devices. We were really impressed by the Yi 4K action cam, which uses the company’s new H2 SOC to deliver stunning 4K/60p video.

CES 2017: Show highlights

What happens when you arrange 128 Canon Rebels in a sphere? If you’re Solidiphy, you sync them up, stitch the photos together, and send the results to a 3D printer. We gave it a try and will report back when we receive our Barney and Dale action figures.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Along with vinyl records, slide film, and 1980s video game consoles, instant prints are doing their part to drive the retro revolution. The Polaroid Pop brings back the classic 3.5 x 4.25″ instant print format using ZINK Zero Ink printing technology. A representative told us the Pop should be available ‘later in 2017.’

CES 2017: Show highlights

Speaking of retro… If you’ve been saying to yourself “Gee whiz, I sure do wish I had an old fashioned console TV on which to view my photos,” your day has arrived thanks to Broksonic. It’s actually a flat screen mounted in a console, but the analog spirit is there. If we get a review unit we’ll order up a bunch of frozen TV dinners to give it a spin.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Sony didn’t have any new gear to show off at CES 2017, but this tech was keeping himself busy repairing a6000-series bodies as part of Sony’s Pro Support program.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Touch it. Touch the future.   

CES 2017: Show highlights

WE TAKE IT BACK – WE DON’T LIKE THE FUTURE!

CES 2017: Show highlights

If there was one product class that dominated this year’s CES, it was drones. From the very big…

CES 2017: Show highlights

…to the very small…

CES 2017: Show highlights

…to the downright silly.

CES 2017: Show highlights

One of the most popular products of the show was a drone that doesn’t even fly. The PowerVision PowerRay is an underwater drone with integrated 4K camera – perfect for filming your tropical adventures. (Note: mermaid not included.)

CES 2017: Show highlights

Not do be outdone by their own underwater drone, PowerVision also introduced the PowerEgg. It’s a drone. Shaped like an egg. Because… eggs. Right? After all, who hasn’t said to themselves, “I love drones, I just wish they were shaped like eggs?”

CES 2017: Show highlights

And yet, it’s strangely cool and fun to fly!

And to think, we put a man on the moon… 

CES 2017: Show highlights

Speaking of which, NASA was raising the average IQ of its fellow exhibitors just a short distance away, with a couple of small robots in tow. This one, called ‘Rovey’ (we’re not making that up) is a demonstrator used in schools and colleges. Loosely modeled on the Curiosity Rover, Rovey was obviously feeling the chill a little, over in the South Hall. Unfortunately, Rovey was nowhere near the BB-8 droid we saw rolling around, so chances for a robot romance were slim.

CES 2017: Show highlights

If VR is your thing, this Drone Volt aerial machine should be on your radar. It combines video from two separate GoPro Omni rigs (a total of 12 cameras) for a high quality VR experience that stitches the drone right out of the picture. Just don’t crash it…

CES 2017: Show highlights

In the future, all cars will look like this. Apparently.

CES 2017: Show highlights

Ride it. Ride the future. 

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on CES 2017 show highlights: from the weird to the (kind of) wonderful

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Devoted: 12 Weird & Unusual Election Polling Places

12 Sep

[ By Steve in Culture & History & Travel. ]

weird-polling-place-1aa

Voting in elections is one of our most cherished democratic rights but where we vote – and who the candidates are – can leave a lot to be desired.

weird-polling-place-1b

Polling places (or “polling stations”, as they’re known in the UK) are by their nature temporary establishments typically situated in schools or community centers. Sometimes, however, alternative voting locations must be set up when conveniently located suitable buildings are not available. Take the example above – the Urbanimal Pet Store in Chicago, IL – where local resident Barbara Hunter exercises her democratic rights while Oreo the cat exercises his legs.

A Grave Matter

weird-polling-place-2a

OK, so Chicago is notorious for its “deceased voters” but it’s not the only pace where those who’ve passed on can pass judgement on candidates. Here’s a polling station sign in the Wimbledon Church graveyard that looks eerily like the nearby tombstones. We wouldn’t be surprised if some nearsighted oldster leaves a bouquet of flowers at its base.

Election Re-Turns

weird-polling-place-3a

weird-polling-place-3b

Sure, most politicians are full of hot air and most voters are fed up with the windbags by the time election day finally rolls around. Well, what goes around comes around in Brighton, UK where returning officer Ahmed Jamee and volunteer assistants open a polling station set up inside the historic West Blatchington Windmill.

Political Life Finds A Way

weird-polling-place-feature-4a

One would hope the owner of this slapdash voting station in Mitrovica-North, Kosovo doesn’t have “Free Candy” scrawled on the other side of his van. Kudos to Flickr user Mitra Nazar for showcasing this small and conveniently mobile Balkan polling station in December of 2010.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Devoted 12 Weird Unusual Election Polling Places

Share on Facebook





[ By Steve in Culture & History & Travel. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Devoted: 12 Weird & Unusual Election Polling Places

Posted in Creativity

 

American Idle: 12 Weird & Wacky Drive-Thru Businesses

15 May

[ By Steve in Culture & History & Travel. ]

drive-thru-0
Drive-thru is all about fast food, fast service & fast company though getting what you want without ever leaving your ride can get a little weird at times.

drive-thru-1a

drive-thru-1b

Drinking and gunplay: two things that should never be done in a hurry, not to mention together. That’s what makes “Double Shot Liquor & Guns Drive Thru” so disturbingly delightful. While far from being the only drive-thru booze & boomstick emporium – think about THAT, if you dare – the Schulenburg, Texas business stands out thanks to its creative name and the ever-changing messages on its sign.

Mourning Commute

drive-thru-2a

drive-thru-2c

It’s not just life in the fast lane anymore. Sure, funerals can be uncomfortable and “viewings” are a tad creepy. That’s still no excuse for- er, actually it IS an excuse for drive-thru windows at funeral homes! Obviously there’s some demand for this feature, as the Paradise Funeral Chapel in Saginaw, Michigan has drive-thru counterparts in California, South Carolina and Virginia. When drivers pull up to the bulletproof glass (why bulletproof?) window, a motion sensor draws back the curtains allowing mourners to pay their final respects to the en-casketed loved one. Would you like flies with that?

Fastest Cash

drive-thru-3a

We’ll bet this is one of Chumlee’s ideas. If you’re looking to hock the family jewels on your way outta Dodge, then Dean’s Drive-Thru Pawn Shop in Oklahoma City is your one-stop-shop for a quick (and hopefully lucrative) getaway. All bets are off, however, if your clever plan involves driving in and pawning your car.

Fool Injection

drive-thru-4a

drive-thru-4b

A tattoo may be forever but ain’t nobody got time for that. Good thing there’s Outlaw Tattoo, your Route 66 headquarters for while-u-wait permanent body illustration. At least there was – the Tucumcari, New Mexico landmark appears to have been driven out of business, possibly by dissatisfied customers who own rough-idling vehicles. Kudos to Todd Longwood of A Love Of Two Brains for exposing this dist-inked drive-thru concept.

drive-thru-4c

Oh, and for those who feel drive-thru tattooing isn’t too far of a stretch… yeah, what could possibly go wrong?

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
American Idle 12 Weird Wacky Drive Thru Businesses

Share on Facebook





[ By Steve in Culture & History & Travel. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on American Idle: 12 Weird & Wacky Drive-Thru Businesses

Posted in Creativity