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X-Rite unveils i1Studio: An all-in-one spectrophotometer that can calibrate all your devices

31 Oct

X-Rite has launched the i1Studio, an all-in-one spectrophotometer designed to make it easy to color calibrate a variety of devices—including projectors, scanners, monitors, printers, and mobile devices. The spectrophotometer is joined by new i1Studio software, the ColorTRUE Mobile App for calibrating iOS devices, and the ColorChecker Calibration for Cameras, a standard 24-patch target.

The i1Studio offers dedicated profiling for the aforementioned devices, as well as Black & White prints. Module features include ambient light measurement, Flare Correct, adaptive profiling technology, support for several video standards including NTSC and PAL, multiple monitor profiling, and extended user controls over luminance, gamma, contrast ratio, and white point.

The device’s related software is based on the platform X-Rite used for its 1Profiler software, promising a “perfect balance” between controls and automation alongside what X-Rite describes as a “streamlined user experience.” ColorMunki Photo & Design customers are offered a complimentary i1Studio software update, as well.

The kit is available now from X-Rite for $ 490 USD.

Press Release

X-Rite Announces its New i1Studio for Expert Color Results from Capture-to-Print

All-In-One color control solution with unmatched versatility for cameras, scanners, displays, printers, projectors and iOS mobile devices

X-Rite Incorporated, the world leader in color management and measurement technologies announces the i1Studio, an all new start-to-finish color management solution that delivers expert results from capture through to print.

The i1Studio enables exceptional color accuracy for photographers, filmmakers and designers of all levels to achieve consistent and predictable results across their workflow – saving time and money. The package comprises the i1Studio all-in-one spectrophotometer, i1Studio software, X-Rite’s market leading ColorChecker camera calibration tools and the ColorTRUE mobile app.

“Photographers tell stories with their pictures. Along with light, color plays an essential role in telling these stories. We want to make sure that your story is told as perfectly as possible, whether it’s color or black and white. Managing color should be easy with getting accurate repeatable results every time as the ultimate goal. i1Studio provides an intuitive, start-to-finish color management solution for every device in our users’ workflow so they can easily achieve this goal and get amazing results.”

– Liz Quinlisk, Marketing Director Photo & Video, X-Rite.

The i1Studio package comes with:

i1Studio Device: The all-in-one i1Studio spectrophotometer is the only device creatives will need to profile their monitors, projectors, scanners, mobile devices and printers.
NEW i1Studio software for Displays, Projectors, Scanners and Printers: The i1Studio software, based on X-Rite’s award winning i1Profiler software, provides an easy to navigate interface that delivers expertly calibrated and profiled monitors (including video pre-sets), projectors, scanners and printers, including a new dedicated Black & White print module for creating custom profiles for five unique B&W looks.
ColorChecker Calibration for Cameras: The included industry standard 24 patch target allows creatives to create custom camera profiles, set a custom white balance and have a neutral starting point no matter what light photographers are shooting in for a more streamlined editing process. (Also includes Adobe® Lightroom® Plug-In)
ColorTRUE Mobile App for iOS Devices: A simple way to calibrate Apple® iOS mobile devices for a true mobile to desktop color match of all images. (Downloadable from Apple App Store)

X-Rite’s i1 brand has long been the choice for color perfectionists around the world and is now extended to the i1Studio.

Amongst its wide array of features, i1Studio includes dedicated profiling for Black & White prints, scanners, mobile devices and video monitors. The new i1Studio software is engineered on the same platform as X-Rite’s i1Profiler, offering a streamlined user experience with the perfect balance of automation and creative controls. This gives users more options and more control, while delivering prints perfectly matched to their creative vision.

X-Rite’s i1Studio is now available through our global reseller network and on xritephoto.com, xritephoto.eu and xrite.com.

Existing ColorMunki Photo & Design customers can obtain a complimentary upgrade to i1Studio software at xrite.com/geti1Studio.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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New Qualcomm Spectra system brings 3D depth sensing to Android devices

16 Aug

Qualcomm launched the Clear Sight dual-camera system—which was powered by its Spectra ISP and used a combination of RGB and monochrome images sensors—in 2016. Today the company announced the second generation Spectra Module that introduces 3D computer vision to Qualcomm-powered Android devices.

The Qualcomm system is a dual-camera setup that is capable of sensing depth and motion in real time. In a smartphone’s rear camera, this technology could be used in apps to track motion and measure subject distance, which could ostensibly help improve simulated shallow depth-of-field effects.

In a front-facing camera, the Qualcomm system could help improve biometric security through iris scanning or 3D facial recognition. One of the technology’s advantages is the capability to capture and process image data in real time using off-the-shelf parts, unlike Google’s Tango project that relies on specialized hardware.

Qualcomm hasn’t yet announced any manufacturing partners yet, but given the popularity of the Qualcomm platform it’s arguably only a matter of time before we’ll see the technology pop up in the first Android devices.

Press Release

Qualcomm First to Announce Depth-Sensing Camera Technology Designed For Android Ecosystem

— Unveils next-generation Qualcomm Spectra ISP for computer vision, extended reality and computational photography technologies—

SAN DIEGO — August 15, 2017 — Today Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), through its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., announced an expansion to the Qualcomm® Spectra™ Module Program, capable of improved biometric authentication and high-resolution depth sensing, designed to meet growing demands of photo and video for a broad range of mobile devices and head mounted displays (HMD). This module program is built on the cutting-edge technology behind the Qualcomm® SpectraTM embedded image signal processors (ISP) family. Engineered by Qualcomm Technologies from the ground up, Qualcomm Spectra paves the way for future image quality and computer vision innovations in upcoming Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM Mobile Platforms.

“Whether used for computational photography, video recording, or for computer vision applications that require accurate motion tracking, it’s clear that power efficient camera image signal processing has become more important for the next generation of mobile user experiences,” said Tim Leland, vice president of product management, Qualcomm TechnologiesInc. “Our breakthrough advancements in visual quality and computer vision, combined with our family of integrated Spectra ISPs for Snapdragon, are designed to support an ecosystem of cutting edge mobile applications for our customers.”

Together, the new ISPs and camera modules are engineered to support superior image quality and new computer vision use cases that utilize deep learning techniques and bokeh quality image experiences with a faster time to market for smartphone and HMD devices. The next-generation ISPs feature a new camera architecture designed for advancements in computer vision, image quality and power efficiency for the next Snapdragon mobile and VR platforms. The camera module program additions consist of a trio of camera modules, including an iris authentication module, a passive depth sensing module and an active depth sensing module.

Qualcomm Spectra Module Program

Launched last year, the Qualcomm Spectra Module Program was designed to help customers accelerate time to market for devices with stunning image quality and advanced camera technology. Last year’s offerings provided customers with optimized, dual-camera module solutions that make it easy for manufacturers to produce smartphone cameras with improved low light photography and video recording with smooth zoom. Now, the camera module program is being expanded to include new camera modules capable of utilizing active sensing for superior biometric authentication, and structured light for a variety of computer vision applications that require real-time, dense depth map generation and segmentation.

Second-generation Qualcomm Spectra ISP

The second-generation Qualcomm Spectra ISP is the next family of integrated ISPs that utilizes new hardware and software architecture designed specifically for advancements in computer vision, image quality, and power efficiency in future Snapdragon platforms. It features multiframe noise reduction for superior photographic quality, along with hardware-accelerated motion compensated temporal filtering (MCTF), and inline electronic image stabilization (EIS) for superior camcorder-like video quality.

The low-power, high-performance motion tracking capabilities of the Qualcomm Spectra ISP, in addition to optimized simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms, are designed to support new extended reality (XR) use cases for virtual and augmented reality applications that require SLAM.

The Qualcomm Spectra family of ISPs and new Qualcomm Spectra camera modules are expected to be part of the next flagship Snapdragon Mobile Platform.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm’s technologies powered the smartphone revolution and connected billions of people. We pioneered 3G and 4G – and now we are leading the way to 5G and a new era of intelligent, connected devices. Our products are revolutionizing industries, including automotive, computing, IoT, healthcare and data center, and are allowing millions of devices to connect with each other in ways never before imagined. Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, all of our engineering, research and development functions, and all of our products and services businesses, including, our QCT semiconductor business. For more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Consumer Reports no longer recommends Microsoft Surface devices: too unreliable

11 Aug

Photo by Jared Brashier

Yikes. Microsoft’s Surface devices—particularly the versatile Surface Pro tablet computers—have become popular among photographers. But if you’re considering taking the plunge on the new Surface Pro, you might want to consider this news from Consumer Reports. The respected car, appliance, and gadget tester just completed a survey of over 90,000 Surface owners, and what they found forced them to remove the ‘Recommended’ label from the Microsoft devices.

According to the report on CR, the breakage rate of Surface devices is ‘significantly worse’ than competing laptops and tablets. How much worse? According to its survey, CR says 25% of Surface owners will run into issues within the first 2 years of ownership. This finding applies to Surface Pro tablets, Surface Book laptops, and standard clamshell Surface laptops.

Common problems reported by survey participants include freezing, unexpectedly shutting down, and have issues with their touchscreens.

For its part, Microsoft disputes the report, claiming their own support numbers don’t track with the CR survey. “We don’t believe these findings accurately reflect Surface owners’ true experiences or capture the performance and reliability improvements made with every Surface generation,” said the company in a statement.

To read the full report, head over to Consumer Reports.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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US bans most electronic devices, including cameras, on flights from eight countries

22 Mar

Image: Etihad

If you are planning to fly to the US from some Middle-Eastern and African countries and carry camera equipment or other electronics, you should probably have a closer look at the new rules put in place by the Trump Administration on Tuesday.

Passengers departing from 10 airports in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates won’t be allowed to carry on electronic devices larger than a cellphone. This includes laptops, tablets and cameras.

The new rules took effect at 3 a.m. E.D.T. on Tuesday, and must be followed within 96 hours by foreign airlines flying to the United States from the affected airports – but not US-carriers. It is currently unknown how long the ban will remain in place.

According to Royal Jordanian airlines, medical items are exempt from the ban and banned electronic items can still be transported in checked baggage. Officials estimate that overall 50 daily flights to the US will be affected. Homeland Security says the ban is not based on a threat of an imminent attack.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Charge your devices with a USB station shaped like a Sony mirrorless camera

18 Jan

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If you’ve searched high and low for the perfect USB charging station but come up empty handed, Fotodiox might have your number. It’s offering the Mirage Trio USB Charging Station, which is fashioned to look like a Sony a7-series mirrorless camera for no discernible reason. It offers charging for an Apple or Android phone, a USB port for another device and a compartment for an Apple Watch magnetic charging cable.

Here’s the kicker – the replica lens sold with the station can be removed and swapped out for any E-mount lens of your choice. And as Fotodiox points out, you can simply add an adapter (see what they did there?) to attach a beloved vintage lens so you can gaze upon it as you wait for your GoPro to charge.

Head to Fotodiox’s site to pick one up for $ 75.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Google brings RAISR smart image upsampling to Android devices

14 Jan

Google first showed off its RAISR technology, which uses machine learning to produce high-quality versions of low-resolution images, in November last year. Now the company has published a blog post to announce that RAISR has been implemented into Google+ for Android. Google+ is used by many photographers to display high-resolution images and the move is aimed at reducing mobile data requirements, which could be particularly useful in areas with slow connections or when using data is expensive, for example when roaming.

RAISR allows for viewing images at their (almost) full glory while reducing bandwidth requirements per image by up to 75%. Google has only just begun to apply the technology to high-resolution images in the Google+ streams of a subset of Android devices but is already processing 1 billion images per week, resulting in a total bandwidth reduction of about a third for the affected users. Google says it is planning to roll out RAISR more broadly in the coming weeks, so your data consumption might go down soon if you use Google+ frequently.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Omnivision introduces new sensors for mobile devices with wider DR and lower noise

11 Nov

Chinese sensor manufacturer OmniVision Technologies has announced four new image sensors for smartphones that feature improved dynamic range and noise performance. The 16MP and 20MP sensors offer higher full-well capacity which allows pixels to collect more charge before clipping: increasing dynamic range.

A new structure allows pixels to convert more of the light captured into electrical charge, resulting in a claimed 12.5% improvement in sensitivity, giving better low light performance. Better separation between pixels also improves noise by helping to prevent color crosstalk, and thus should produce a cleaner image in dim conditions.

The standard versions of each chip allow further improvements in dynamic range using a method that records two different exposures simultaneously called zHDR. The sensor divides the pixels in a zig zag pattern so that some record a long exposure and others a short one, and the two exposures are combined to form an image with a wider range of tones.

These are second generation sensors that already use phase detection AF and which can record 4K video.

‘4C’ variants of both chips include a non-standard color filter array pattern that makes it easier to combine the signal from four pixels, to give less noisy, lower resolution images.

The company says that they will be ready for mass production in the early part of next year. For more information see the OmniVision website.

Press release

OmniVision Debuts Second-Generation PureCel®Plus and PureCel®Plus-S Technology and Product Families

OmniVision’s Newest Pixel Architecture Brings Exceptional Low-Light Performance and Increased Dynamic Range to Advanced Imaging Applications

OmniVision Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced its latest advancement in leading-edge pixel technologies: second- generation PureCel®Plus and PureCel®Plus-S. In keeping with OmniVision’s tradition of delivering industry-leading image sensors, the second- generation PureCel Plus technology offers significant improvements over the previous generation, such as higher full-well capacity (FWC), better sensitivity, increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and enhanced low-light performance. Though the initial development was focused on supporting small-pixel products for mobile applications, this technology will ultimately benefit many other image sensor applications.

OmniVision’s second-generation PureCelPlus technology showcases various performance improvements, including:

20 percent increase in FWC, enabling higher dynamic range.
A newly introduced composite metal grid (CMG) structure, which increases pixel quantum efficiency and enhances sensor low-light performance, leading to a 12.5 percent improvement in sensitivity.
Improved deep trench isolation (DTI) structure, which further reduces color crosstalk and improves the SNR10 (low-light performance index) number by 10 lux.

These structure improvements also enable small-pixel sensors to have better tolerance to incident light angles. This in turn allows imaging systems to use lower F-number lenses for better brightness, and to realize lower module heights that are essential for slimmer phone designs.

“Maintaining good image quality and sensor performance for small pixels in low-light conditions has always been a challenge in the digital imaging space. OmniVision has delivered increasing engineering advances over the years to address this market need,” said Dr. Song Xue, senior manager of sensor technology at OmniVision. “Our second-generation PureCelPlus technology enables our end users to capture high-quality, high-resolution photos, even in challenging lighting environments.”

OmniVision’s second-generation PureCel Plus-S technology will empower new families of compact 20-megapixel and 16-megapixel sensors. The 20-megapixel OV20880 and OV20880-4C and the 16-megapixel OV16885 and OV16885-4C are designed to deliver high-resolution images to high-end smartphones across a variety of lighting conditions.

The OV20880, OV20880-4C, OV16885 and the OV16885-4C are currently available for sampling and are expected to enter volume production in the first quarter of 2017.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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LaCie unveils Thunderbolt 3 desktop storage devices

01 Nov

LaCie has launched three new Thunderbolt 3 desktop storage devices, the 12big, 6big and Bolt³. All three devices are, according to LaCie, the fastest desktop storage solutions currently on the market, making them suitable for storing and editing 4K and 6K video content, among other things. The Bolt³ offers 2TB of storage, the 6big offers up to 60TB, and the 12big offers up to 120TB.

The Bolt is the smallest of the three products, offering speeds up to 2800MB/s. According to LaCie, this model can handle raw video from a Blackmagic or RED camera, and can be used to transcode up to 6K footage using Adobe Premiere Pro or something similar. It only takes about 5 minutes to transfer a terabyte of 4K ProRes 4444 XQ video from the Bolt³ to the 12big.

The LaCie 6big offers speeds up to 1400MB/s and the 12big has speeds up to 2600MB/s. These models can be used to edit uncompressed 10-bit and 12-bit HD videos or multiple streams of ProRes 422 HQ and ProRes 4444XQ footage. The company also says raw photos can be accessed and edited in Lightroom without lag. A custom Pelican Storm case will be available for these two models.

The storage devices will be available this quarter starting at the following prices:

LaCie Bolt³: $ 1,999
LaCie 6big: $ 3,199
LaCie 12big: $ 6,399
Pelican Case: $ 349

Press release:

LaCie Announces World’s Fastest Desktop Storage and Complete Thunderbolt 3 Portfolio for Creative Professionals

CUPERTINO, CALIF. – Today, LaCie, the premium brand from Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ: STX), announced its Thunderbolt™ 3 portfolio of storage solutions aimed at helping video professionals excel with ultra high-resolution footage. First, the LaCie® Bolt3 combines Thunderbolt 3 speed with the latest M.2 PCIe SSDs to create the world’s fastest desktop drive. In addition, the LaCie 12big Thunderbolt 3 and 6big Thunderbolt 3 are ready to handle massive amounts of content thanks to fast transfer speeds, RAID 5/6 security and enterprise-class drives. These storage solutions, design by Neil Poulton, are ideal companions to the all-new MacBook Pro.

For the Bolt3, LaCie harnessed the breakthrough performance potential of Thunderbolt 3 and paired it with two M.2 PCIe SSDs striped into a 2TB volume. Bolt3 delivers record speeds of up to 2800MB/s and cuts valuable time off of post-production workflows, such as ingesting RAW footage from RED® or Blackmagic® cinema cameras or transcoding 4/5/6K footage using Adobe® Premiere® Pro or DaVinci Resolve. What’s more, videographers can transfer a terabyte of 4K ProRes 4444 XQ footage from the LaCie Bolt3 to RAID storage—such as the LaCie 12big Thunderbolt 3—in only 5 minutes and 11 seconds*.

The LaCie Bolt3 is engineered for long term reliability—from the enclosure to the internal components—to endure intensive storage tasks. Each product is individually Computer Numerical Control machined from solid aluminum blocks for rigid durability and heat dissipation. Effective cooling helps to ensure long-term component health. The stand securely docks the product with powerful neodymium magnets—and detaches for easy transport.

With up to 120TB of massive capacity, the breakthrough performance of Thunderbolt 3 and RAID 5/6, the LaCie 12big, and the new LaCie 6big help video professionals meet the data demands of 4/5/6K cameras. Both feature Seagate enterprise-class drives with 256MB cache and 7200RPM for superb accessibility, reliability and robust performance.

“From ultra high-resolution cameras to virtual reality to drones, the new experiences that content creators can bring to life are truly exciting,” said Tim Bucher, Senior Vice President of Seagate and LaCie Branded Solutions. “Creating these experiences generates unprecedented amounts of data while requiring extreme performance, and today we’re thrilled to help our customers by offering best-in-class storage solutions that excel in even the most demanding video workflows.”

Thunderbolt 3 speeds of up to 2600MB/s for LaCie 12big and 1400MB/s for LaCie 6big slash time off nearly every post-production workflow task. Users can then edit multiple streams of ProRes 422 (HQ), ProRes 4444 XQ, as well as uncompressed HD 10-bit and 12-bit video. What’s more, photographers can transfer RAW photos quickly and edit in Adobe Lightroom without lag. Plus, with up to 120TB of capacity, the LaCie 12big can store 100 hours of 4K ProRes 4444 XQ footage in RAID 5*.

With double the video bandwidth of its predecessor, Thunderbolt 3 lets a user daisy chain dual 4K displays or a single 5K display to the LaCie 12big or LaCie 6big. With two 4K displays, users can spread out their workspace by dedicating one display to the timeline and the other to previewing 4K footage, for example. It’s even possible to power a compatible laptop through the USB-C cable**. Additionally, the user can connect to USB 3.0 computers via the included USB-C to USB-A cable.

The LaCie 12big and LaCie 6big are engineered to handle demanding video workflows. Front-accessible drives offer convenient and quick drive replacement and front-facing drive status LEDs help the user keep track of drive health and RAID build status. The aluminum enclosure dissipates heat far better than plastic, while two thermoregulated fans pull heat away from internal components. Both the LaCie 12big and LaCie 6big are protected by a five-year limited warranty that covers drives, enclosure and spare parts.

LaCie has also partnered with Pelican Products to offer custom cases to safely transport the LaCie 12big or 6big to and from set. The Pelican™ Storm Case™ is an injection-molded case made of HPX® high-performance resin that is virtually unbreakable and resistant to dents and shatter. The custom, durable foam configuration houses a LaCie 12big or 6big, multiple LaCie Rugged® drives and accessories such as cords or a power supply. The cases are lightweight, airtight, watertight and backed by Pelican’s lifetime warranty***.

AVAILABILITY
The LaCie Bolt3 will come in a 2TB SSD capacity for $ 1999.00. The LaCie 6big will come in 24TB, 36TB, 48TB and 60TB capacities starting at $ 3199.00. The LaCie 12big will come in 48TB, 72TB, 96TB and 120TB capacities starting at $ 6399.00. The custom Pelican Storm cases start at $ 349.00. All LaCie Thunderbolt 3 solutions and the custom Pelican Storm cases will be available at LaCie resellers this quarter.

* Based on 764GB per hour of 4K GoPro footage (source) and 764GB per hour of 4K ProRes 4444 XQ footage (source). Quantitative usage examples for various applications are for illustrative purposes.
** Delivers up to 15W to power compatible laptops.
*** See pelican.com/warranty for full details.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Padcaster VERSE is a mobile media case for iOS and Android devices

05 May

A few days ago we wrote about the Helium Core Kickstarter project which aims to turn your iPhone into a full-blown imaging rig with a large number of accessory ports and mounting options. The Padcaster VERSE is the subject of another Kickstarter project and presents a very similar concept. However, it differs from the Helium in some fundamental ways. The original Padcaster was designed a couple of years ago for the iPad Mini but thanks to a universal bracket that is compatible with any phone or tablet up to 5.31 inches, the VERSE is much more (you guessed it) versatile. It works with both Apple iOS and Android devices.

While the Helium Core is made from aluminum the Padcaster VERSE is polycarbonate plastic. It comes with twelve ¼-inch threads and five cold shoe mounts, allowing you to mount it to any type of camera support and attach an abundance of accessories such as lights, microphones or teleprompters. Like the Helium Core the Padcaster Verse is targeted at filmmakers, video bloggers, mobile journalists, photographers and other such creatives. Its adjustable mount makes it look like an ideal solution for those who use more than one device or want to be prepared for eventual upgrades. You can secure yourself an early-bird Padcaster VERSE by pledging $ 50 on the project’s Kickstarter page where you’ll also find additional information.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Flexible sheet camera concept could lead to bendable capture devices

14 Apr

Researchers at Columbia University are working to produce a flexible sheet camera with stretchable lenses. The program aims to create very thin, high resolution cameras that can be wrapped around surfaces like car panels. Currently in concept form, the sheet lens array that such a camera might use has been developed to produce a seamless image on a flexible sensor when it is bent or wrapped around a physical object.

The focus of the research is in creating flexible lenses that are capable of changing shape (and hence the effective focal length) as they are stretched and compressed so that the imaging sensor can record a detailed image whatever the field of view.

With fixed lenses, gaps appear between the coverage of the lenses as the substrate is bent (left), but in the researcher’s flexible lens example (right) the lenses bend with the substrate and offer continuous coverage of the subject.

In previous attempts at flexible lens arrays only the substrate has been flexible, and as the sheet of lenses has been bent gaps have appeared in the subject coverage as the angle between the lenses increased beyond their individual field of view. These gaps lead to aliasing artifacts in the final image that can’t be corrected in post-processing software. In this new concept the lenses are also flexible and they stretch as the sheet bends, altering their focal length and providing better sampling of the subject.

So far the research has successfully produced a sheet of silicone with lenses molded on one side and a diffuser behind a sheet of apertures on the other. The apertures act as a low pass filter ensuring light from each molded lens reaches only one point on the viewing diffuser.

Images created with the substrate bend by different degrees, showing how the field of view changes

The system hasn’t actually been used with a sensor yet, but the study did use it to project images on to the diffuser screen to determine how effective it would be. Bending the sheet increased and decreased its field of view, or effective focal length, and the images were displayed without missing areas. All that is required now is a flexible sensor to go with it.

An array of lenses was formed by pouring silicone into a metal mold

The intention of the project is to work towards finding a way of making sheets of lenses to work with photosensitive materials that will record images when wrapped around real-world objects. The researchers want ultimately be able to produce these sheet cameras in roll format at a low cost so that the sheets can be cut to size to suit specific uses.

The released information suggests a sheet camera could be wrapped around the panels of a car to give the driver a view from all angles. Alternatively sheet cameras could be used by consumers to take normal pictures but with the user bending the sheet to alter the field of view, or zoom effect, of the system.

For more information see the project’s page on the University of Columbia website.

Press release:

Flexible Sheet Cameras With Elastic Optics

In this project, we pursue a radically different approach to imaging. Rather than seeking to capture the world from a single point in space, our goal is to explore the idea of imaging using a thin, large, flexible sheet. If such cameras can be made at a low cost (ideally, like a roll of plastic sheet), they can be used to image the world in ways that would be difficult to achieve using one or more conventional cameras. In the most general sense, such an imaging system would enable any surface in the real world to capture visual information. While there is significant ongoing work on the development of flexible image sensors, our interest here is in the design of the optics needed to form images on such sensors.

At first glance one might imagine that a simple lens array aligned with a flexible detector array would suffice – its field of view (FOV) can be varied by simply bending it. What is perhaps less apparent is the fact that, in a curved state, the FOV can end up being severely under-sampled. This under-sampling leads to a captured image that is not bandlimited. Thus, the Nyquist sampling criterion is violated and the image will suffer from aliasing artifacts when reconstructed. It is important to note that these artifacts cannot be removed via post-processing since scene information is lost during image formation.

To address the above aliasing problem over an entire range of sheet curvatures, we propose the design of a deformable (elastic) lens array. We show that, if designed carefully, the deformable lenses of the array will change shape (and hence focal length) under bending forces in a way that mitigates aliasing. A remarkable feature of our design is that the lens array can achieve aliasing compensation passively, without the use of any per-pixel actuation or control. Our optics can be combined with a flexible sensor array to obtain a complete sheet camera. This project was supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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360Photography

Posts Tagged ‘devices’

X-Rite unveils i1Studio: An all-in-one spectrophotometer that can calibrate all your devices

X-Rite Announces its New i1Studio for Expert Color Results from Capture-to-Print

The i1Studio package comes with:

New Qualcomm Spectra system brings 3D depth sensing to Android devices

Qualcomm First to Announce Depth-Sensing Camera Technology Designed For Android Ecosystem

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Microsoft Surface devices: too unreliable

US bans most electronic devices, including cameras, on flights from eight countries

Charge your devices with a USB station shaped like a Sony mirrorless camera

Google brings RAISR smart image upsampling to Android devices

Omnivision introduces new sensors for mobile devices with wider DR and lower noise

OmniVision Debuts Second-Generation PureCel®Plus and PureCel®Plus-S Technology and Product Families

LaCie unveils Thunderbolt 3 desktop storage devices

LaCie Announces World’s Fastest Desktop Storage and Complete Thunderbolt 3 Portfolio for Creative Professionals

Padcaster VERSE is a mobile media case for iOS and Android devices

Flexible sheet camera concept could lead to bendable capture devices

Flexible Sheet Cameras With Elastic Optics

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