Modeling is one of those extremely competitive careers complete with its own fairytale-like model discovery stories. We’ve all heard about how Kate Moss was discovered at JFK airport or how Gisele Bundchen was found in a shopping mall. However, actually getting yourself signed to an agency and booking modeling gigs can be (and usually is) more similar to getting any Continue Reading
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Posts Tagged ‘Models’
Top 65 Modeling Agencies in the US and Tips for Models
19
Mar
Bronine Volkit can change four different battery models at the same time
02
Dec
South Korean battery charger manufacturer Lycan has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help it introduce a single device that can simultaneously charge and manage up to four different types of camera battery. The idea of the proposed Bronine Volkit is that users will be able to save space, reduce waste and save money by using a single charger and a series of battery holders to deal with multiple batteries from most popular camera brands.
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Up to four individual battery holders connect directly to the main charging station and the station’s screen displays information about the amount of charge in the battery, the voltage of the battery and a graphic that shows how much more power is needed. The station is able to determine the voltage required by each battery and is able to tailor its supply between 1 and 20V through each of the four ports. The charger itself can be powered via a QC or PD high-speed USB charging adapter indoors, via the cigar lighter in a car or when outside by a USB power bank.
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Along with the charging unit Lycan has introduced what it calls Camera Kits which are holders for specific batteries. The company says it will have holders for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Fujifilm and GoPro cameras as well as the ability to charge batteries from DJI drones and the sort of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries used in some gimbals. It is recommended that those thinking of backing the campaign check to ensure batteries from their camera are compatible, as not all models from all manufacturers are covered.
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The Bronine Volkit chargers will come in two or four battery capacity options and will cost from $ 69 including two battery holders. The company says it already has working prototypes and it aims to begin shipping in March 2021. For more information see the Bronine Volkit Kickstarter page, or visit the Lycan website.
Disclaimer: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
iFixit discovers camera repairs for iPhone 12 models can’t be done by third-parties
03
Nov
 |
Repair site iFixit has discovered that repairing the cameras inside Apple’s new iPhone 12 smartphones will not be able to be, at least easily, done by third parties, as removing the cameras requires access to a proprietary tool that only authorized Apple technicians will have access to.
While trying to swap the camera modules inside two iPhone 12 devices, iFixit suspected something was up. After ‘exhaustive testing, comparing notes with multiple repair technicians, and reviewing leaked Apple training documents,’ iFixit discovered ‘the iPhone 12 camera is entirely unreliable when swapped between iPhones.’
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| Image credit: iFixit |
Below is a video from YouTuber Taylor Dixon, who also discovered this while attempting to swap cameras inside iPhone 12 devices:
This, of course, means any DIY fixes or even those by unauthorized third-party phone repair shops won’t be happening. The graphic below is a leaked chart from Apple that shows iPhone 12 models require an authorized technician to run ‘System Configuration’ to replace a camera module (or a display). Previously, these limitations were only in place for batteries.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
What might the Z6 II and Z7 II tell us about future pro Nikon mirrorless models?
02
Nov
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| The Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II are solid updates to the original Z6 and Z7 but neither represents a ‘new’ concept in the Z-series lineup. |
With the Z6 II and Z7 II, Nikon has modernized its high-end Z-series full-frame lineup, and made its offerings more competitive against midrange and high-end ILCs from Canon, Panasonic and Sony. But while the Z7 II is the nominal flagship, it’s clearly not a ‘professional’ model in the same sense as the D6 and (arguably) the D850. While new to the market, neither Mark II model represents a new concept. This means that the gap which has existed at the top of the Z-series lineup since 2018 is still there.
So how might Nikon fill it? What can the Z6 II and Z7 II tell us about a future Nikon pro model?
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that instead of a single semi-pro or professional ‘Z8’ we’ll actually see two high-end models from Nikon, probably announced sometime next year, to be available in summer 2021. They will offer extremely similar controls and UI, but will be based around different sensors and intended for different purposes: one for speed and versatility, and one for resolution and maximum image quality.
For the sake of simplicity as you navigate this article, I’ll call them the Z8 and the Z8 S – with the ‘S’ here being my shorthand for ‘speed and sensitivity’.
Nikon Z8 key specifications (hypothetical)
- 60MP sensor
- 10 fps continuous shooting
- Full-sensor PDAF down to -4EV
- Comparable autofocus performance to D850
- Expeed 7 processor
- D800-level weather sealing
- Dual card slots (2X CFe or CFe + SD)
- High-res sensor-shift mode/s
Nikon Z8S key specifications (hypothetical)
- 20-24MP sensor (possibly Sony 24MP stacked-CMOS from a9/II)
- Super-high maximum ISO
- 20 fps+ maximum continuous shooting (unlimited buffer)
- High-quality electronic ‘silent’ shooting
- Full-sensor PDAF, sensitive down to at least -5EV
- Comparable autofocus performance to D5/6
- Expeed 7 processor
- D800-level weather sealing
- Dual card slots (2X CFe)
- High-quality 4K video
Both models will feature D850-level build quality and will offer a similar UI, with a button-and-dial logic for switching exposure modes (rather than the Z6/7’s exposure mode dial). They’ll use the same battery pattern as the existing Z6/7-series, keeping the standard bodies relatively small, but both will be compatible with a twin-battery vertical grip, which will add at least one uniquely ‘pro’ expansion feature (a LAN port, maybe? Or a rear OLED sub-display?). Nikon isn’t going to make the ‘only one card slot’ mistake again so expect twin slots, either both CFexpress Type B, or maybe CFe + SD in the case of the resolution-focused Z8.
Expect the Z8 to feature a relatively low-resolution sensor in the 20-24MP range, paired with a new faster processor
The hardest thing to predict is which sensors Nikon will use in its next-generation of high-end full-frame ILCs. Let’s take the hypothetical Z8S first – the high-speed action-focused model. The 24MP sensor used in the current Z6 and Z6 II is excellent, but dated. It’s fast enough for most photography, but likely not fast enough to support super high frame rate shooting, really cutting-edge autofocus, or next-level 4K video.
It’s possible that Nikon might reuse the Toshiba/Sony sensor developed for the D6, or maybe a version of the 24MP stacked-CMOS chip introduced in the Sony a9 (assuming that Sony Semiconductor is willing and able to supply it). Either way, expect the Z8S to feature a relatively low-resolution sensor in the 20-24MP range, paired with a new faster processor called – and I’m going to go out on a limb again – Expeed 7.
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| The Sony a9 and more recent a9 II have defined what a ‘professional’ sports and action-focused mirrorless camera should be. I expect Nikon will want to put a Z-mount product into this category as soon as possible. |
Low-ish resolution will be the tradeoff for what I’d expect to be a very high frame rate and near-unlimited buffer. The 2020 Olympics never ended up happening but assuming the world of sports and events gets back on track in 2021, you can bet that Nikon will want its mirrorless cameras to be visible on the sidelines alongside high-speed pro models from Canon and Sony.
While it’s possible that the Z6 II will remain Nikon’s flagship video/stills hybrid camera for a while longer, I think it’s more likely that a hypothetical Z8S will represent a step up, offering meaningfully different (better) 4K, aimed at satisfying the needs of semi-pro and professional multimedia shooters. If the sensor does end up being in the 20-24MP range, It won’t be able to shoot 8K but maybe that’s not a bad thing…
A continuous shooting rate of 10-12 fps seems reasonable, but the Z8 doesn’t need to be any faster than that
It’s easier to predict the chip which might go into a hypothetical resolution and IQ-focused Z8. While not currently listed as available to third parties, the Sony Semiconductor 3.76µm 61MP sensor currently found in the a7 IV may become an option for Nikon in the coming months. While not a massive step up in terms of effective resolution over the 46MP sensor in the Z7 II, this high-speed BSI-CMOS chip is a solid technological leap forward.
If a version does make its way into one of Nikon’s future high-end ILCs, I’d expect to see it paired with beefed-up IBIS and a sensor-shift high-resolution mode. A continuous shooting rate of 10-12 fps seems reasonable, but a 60MP camera doesn’t need to be any faster than that.
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| The Nikon D6 and D850 feature backlit controls for comfort during low/no-light shooting. I’d expect that future professional Z-series cameras will do the same. This shot shows a D5, with its top and rear LCD status panels also illuminated (in pale blue). Maybe a future ‘Z8’ could have an optional vertical control grip with a secondary rear status LCD? |
As for autofocus, I’d expect the Z8 and Z8S to offer extremely similar systems (at least in terms of how they operate) which get much closer to the experience of the D850 and D6, including a true analog for 3D AF tracking. The Z6 II and Z7 II seem somewhat improved over the original-generation, but Nikon knows it needs to close the pro performance gap with Canon and Sony, and I expect that this will be a major priority (and a major marketing-point) in future high-end Z-series model.
Much of what I wrote above is wishful thinking, but while this is guesswork, it is somewhat informed
As for cosmetics, I wouldn’t be surprised if Nikon takes the opportunity to break from the slightly angular, skinny-feeling Z6/7-series and create somewhat larger, curvier bodies, somewhere between the D780 and D850. Expect a 10-pin remote release socket and flash sync on the front of the body (like the D850 and D6) and a return to DSLR-style rubberized, recessed control dials.
So that’s my article. And I won’t lie, much of what I wrote above is wishful thinking (I guess I just really want a Z8…). Despite the oft-expressed conviction among commenters that DPReview sees product roadmaps years ahead of time, I know no more about what Nikon is planning in 2021 and beyond than you do. But while this is guesswork, it is somewhat informed, both by Nikon’s approach to building out its DSLR lineup, and by the gaps and omissions in the current Z-series lineup compared to its competitors.
What do you think? Feel free to make your predictions in the comments.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
iPhone 12: Which models have which cameras?
23
Oct
Apple iPhone 12: which phone has which cameras?
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Apple doesn’t make its naming system easy to understand, but to be fair, the company is hardly alone in this. This year’s class of new iPhones includes four models – iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max – and aside from the size differences implied by ‘mini’ and ‘Max,’ you’re on your own to figure out what separates them. One of the differences that matters to a lot of people is the device’s camera features, and that’s what we’re here to help demystify.
We’ll go into depth on the more subtle differences between each device’s cameras below, but if you’re looking for a really quick answer here it is: the non-Pro models only have standard wide and ultra-wide cameras, while the Pro models have telephoto, standard and wide cameras. For visual learners, like us, here’s what that looks like in table form:
| iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 mini | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard wide camera | ? | ? | ? | ? |
|
Ultra-wide |
? | ? | ? | ? |
| Telephoto camera |
? | ? | ? | ? |
There’s more to it than that of course. There’s always more to it. Here’s a detailed rundown of each phone’s cameras and photo features.
iPhone 12 ($ 800 and up) and iPhone 12 mini ($ 700 and up)
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- Two rear cameras (Standard and Ultra-wide)
- Front-facing selfie camera
The two non-Pro models offer the exact same camera hardware and features, which makes a choice between the two much easier – choose between the 12’s 6.1″ display or the 12 mini’s 5.4″ screen. As mentioned, both of these models lack a telephoto lens, as well as the Pro models’ Time-of-Flight (ToF) LiDAR sensor, used for better depth mapping, augmented reality and Night Mode portraits.
So what’s changed since the iPhone 11? The 12, 12 mini (and both Pro models) use a new 7-element lens with a wider F1.6 aperture on the main wide-angle camera. All three of the 12 and 12 mini’s cameras (as well as the Pros’ telephotos) now support Night Mode and Deep Fusion; technologies that use computational methods to improve photo quality.
| Resolution | Aperture | Focal length (equiv.) | Stabilization | Night Mode portraits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard wide | 12MP (1.4 µm pixels) |
F1.6 | 26mm | ? | ? |
| Ultra-wide | 12MP | F2.4 | 13mm | ? | ? |
| Selfie camera | 12MP | F2.2 | 23mm | ? | ? |
iPhone 12 Pro (starts at $ 1000)
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- Three rear cameras (Standard, Ultra-wide and Telephoto)
- Front-facing selfie camera
- Includes a ToF LiDAR 3D mapping sensor
- Apple ProRaw (via update later this year)
Here’s where the differences in camera features start to get a little more complicated. The Pro and Pro Max both have standard wide and telephoto cameras, but they’re not the same. The Pro features the 12MP sensor found in the 12 and 12 mini, while the Max uses a different, larger sensor. The Pro offers a 52mm equiv. telephoto lens, while the Pro Max offers a slightly longer 65mm equiv. lens.
| Resolution | Aperture | Focal length (equiv.) | Stabilization | Night Mode portraits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard wide | 12MP (1.4 µm pixels) |
F1.6 | 26mm | OIS | ? |
| Ultra-wide | 12MP | F2.4 | 13mm | ? | ? |
| Telephoto | 12MP | F2.0 | 52mm | OIS | ? |
| Selfie camera | 12MP | F2.2 | 23mm | ? | ? |
iPhone 12 Pro Max (starts at $ 1100)
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- Three rear cameras (Standard, Ultra-wide and Telephoto)
- Front-facing selfie camera
- Includes a ToF LiDAR 3D mapping sensor (for better depth mapping, augmented reality and Night Mode portraits)
- Apple ProRaw (via an update planned for later this year)
The 12 Pro Max builds on the 12 Pro’s camera capabilities by opting for a larger sensor in its standard wide camera with bigger pixels, which should improve low-light performance. The standard camera also includes more robust sensor-shift image stabilization, and the Max’s telephoto lens is also a bit longer for tighter portrait framing.
| Resolution | Aperture | Focal length (equiv.) | OIS | Night Mode portraits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Standard wide |
12MP (1.7 µm pixels) |
F1.6 | 26mm | Sensor-shift OIS | ? |
| Ultra-wide | 12MP | F2.4 | 13mm | ? | ? |
| Telephoto | 12MP | F2.2 | 65mm | OIS | ? |
| Selfie camera | 12MP | F2.2 | 23mm | ? | ? |
Which one should you buy?
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The short answer is that if you care about getting the very best image quality from your phone, the iPhone 12 Pro Max looks to be your best option. We’re eager to test out Apple’s big image quality claims, but on paper at least, the improvements that have been made – especially to the main camera sensor – should add up to better performance.
Apple ProRaw is likely to be another key feature for those who care deeply about image quality, combining the flexibility of Raw capture with the benefits of computational photography. Unfortunately it’s another unknown at this point, since it will come to the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max later this year.
While it’s a relatively safe assumption that the 12 Pro Max’s camera will be better than that of the other 12-series devices, the question is how much better, and whether it’s enough to make a difference to most people. We’re looking forward to testing the phones and finding out for ourselves.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Google researchers use AI to generate 3D models from random Internet images
13
Aug
Researchers with Google Research and the Google Brain deep learning AI team have published a new study detailing Neural Radiance Fields for Unconstrained Photo Collections (NeRF). The system works by taking ‘in the wild’ unconstrained images of a particular location — tourist images of a popular attraction, for example — and using an algorithm to turn them into a dynamic, complex, high-quality 3D model.
The researchers detail their project in a new paper, explaining that their work involves adding ‘extensions’ to neural radiance fields (NeRF) that enable the AI to accurately reconstruct complex structures from unstructured images, meaning ones taken from random angles with different lighting and backgrounds.
This contrasts to NeRF without the extensions, which is only able to accurately model structures from images that were taken in controlled settings. The obvious benefit to this is that 3D models can be created using the huge number of Internet photos that already exist of these structures, transforming those collections into useful datasets.
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| Different views of the same model constructed from unstructured images. |
The Google researchers call their more sophisticated AI ‘NeRF-W,’ one used to create ‘photorealistic, spatially consistent scene representations’ of famous landmarks from images that contain various ‘confounding factors.’ This represents a huge improvement to the AI, making it far more useful compared to a version that requires carefully controlled image collections to work.
Talking about the underlying technology, the study explains how NeRF works, stating:
‘The Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) approach implicitly models the radiance field and density of a scene within the weights of a neural network. Direct volume rendering is then used to synthesize new views, demonstrating a heretofore unprecedented level of fidelity on a range of challenging scenes.’
There’s one big problem, though, which is that NeRF systems only work well if the scene is captured in controlled settings, as mentioned. Without a set of structured images, the AI’s ability to generate models ‘degrades significantly,’ limiting its usefulness compared to other modeling approaches.
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The researchers explain how they build upon this AI and advance it with new capabilities, saying in their study:
The central limitation of NeRF that we address in this work is its assumption that the world is geometrically, materially, and photometrically static — that the density and radiance of the world is constant. NeRF therefore requires that any two photographs taken at the same position and orientation must have identical pixel intensities. This assumption is severely violated in many real-world datasets, such as large-scale internet photo collections of well-known tourist landmarks…
To handle these complex scenarios, we present NeRF-W, an extension of NeRF that relaxes the latter’s strict consistency assumptions.
The process involves multiple steps, including first having NeRF-W model the per-image appearance of different elements in the photos, such as the weather, lighting, exposure level and other variables. The AI ultimately learns ‘a shared appearance representation for the entire photo collection,’ paving the way for the second step.
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In the second part, NeRF-W models the overall subject of the images…
‘…as the union of shared and image-dependent elements, thereby enabling the unsupervised decomposition of scene content into static and transient components. This decomposition enables the high-fidelity synthesis of novel views of landmarks without the artifacts otherwise induced by dynamic visual content present in the input imagery.
Our approach models transient elements as a secondary volumetric radiance field combined with a data-dependent uncertainty field, with the latter capturing variable observation noise and further reducing the effect of transient objects on the static scene representation.’
Upon testing their creation, the researchers found that NeRF-W was able to produce high-fidelity models of subjects with multiple detailed viewpoints using ‘in-the-wild’ unstructured images. Despite using more complicated images with many variables, the NeRF-W models surpassed the quality of models generated by the previous top-tier NeRF systems ‘by a large margin across all considered metrics,’ according to researchers.
The potential uses for this technology are numerous, including the ability to generate 3D models of popular destinations for VR and AR applications using existing tourist images. This eliminates the need to create carefully-controlled settings for capturing the images, which can be difficult at popular destinations where people and vehicles are often present.
A PDF containing the full study can be found here; some models can be found on the project’s GitHub, as well.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
GoPro and VSCO lay off employees, change business models over COVID-19 pandemic
18
Apr
 |
Amid ongoing social distancing efforts, both VSCO and GoPro have announced major business changes resulting from the economic downturn. In a post on his LinkedIn account, VSCO CEO Joel Flory revealed that his company had to lay off 45 employees this week. The announcement was followed by a similar message from GoPro, which revealed that it will be reducing its number of employees by 20%.
Many companies are struggling to stay above water as a number of states and countries implement lockdown measures. Many businesses have been forced to temporarily close down, and while others remain in business, a drop in consumer purchasing has left some companies struggling to keep their revenue up.
In a post on his LinkedIn account, Flory said that VSCO had expected 2020 to be ‘a year where we would continue to forward invest into our business.’ However, things didn’t go as planned and Flory said, ‘Overnight our environment changed. We realize that we would need to shift towards running a self-sustaining business.’
The company is giving its laid-off employees a minimum of two months of healthcare coverage and seven weeks of severance pay, according to Flory, who says that the company is also assisting them in other ways. VSCO plans to continue releasing new features this year, though details on what the company has planned weren’t revealed.
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GoPro, meanwhile, published its preliminary Q1 financial requests on April 15 and withdrew its 2020 guidance in light of the pandemic. The company said that it is restructuring its business model to focus on direct-to-consumer sales and that as part of its global restructuring, it plans to lay off more than 20% of its workforce.
These layoffs will contribute to a $ 100 million reduction in operating expenses for the year, according to GoPro, which plans to shed another $ 250 million in operating expenses next year.
Company CEO Nicholas Woodman said that GoPro’s distribution network has been hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic and that as a result, the company must expedite its shift to a ‘more efficient and profitable direct-to-consumer-centric business’ model this year, something GoPro had already been pursuing. ‘We are crushed that this forces us to let go of many talented members of our team,’ Woodman said, ‘and we are forever grateful for their contributions.’
Though GoPro will primarily sell directly to consumers, the company says it will continue to make its products available through ‘select leading retailers’ in only ‘key regions’ for consumers who prefer to buy items indirectly and at physical stores. Other planned changes include reducing office space in five different locations, reducing its sales and marketing throughout this year ‘and beyond,’ as well as cutting spending in other unspecified ways.
Despite the changes, GoPro said that it still plans to move ahead with its 2020 product roadmap, which will include releasing new software, subscriptions and hardware targeted at action camera and smartphone owners. Woodman has voluntarily decided to skip the remainder of his 2020 salary, according to the company, which says its Board of Directors has also made the decision to avoid any additional cash compensation throughout the remainder of the year.
Via: PetaPixel
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sirui launches AM-2 Travel carbon fiber tripod series with five models and a ball head
28
Feb
 |
Chinese camera accessory manufacturer SIRUI has announced its new carbon fiber AM-2 Travel Tripod series featuring a total of five tripod models. The company describes its new lineup as lightweight, with the largest and heaviest model weighing in at 1.22kg (2.69lbs). The tripods are suitable for uses that range from macro to travel photography, according to the company.
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The SIRUI AM-2 Travel Tripod series features the following models:
- AM-223 ($ 129.90): 350mm (13.78in) max height, 15kg (33lbs) max load
- AM-225 ($ 199.90): 1200mm (47.24in) max height, 6kg (13.23lbs) max load
- AM-254 ($ 199.90): 1200mm (47.24in) max height, 12kg (26.46lbs) max load
- AM-284 ($ 249.90): 1200mm (47.24in) max height, 15kg (33.07lbs) max load
- SL-200 ($ 29.90): 320mm (12.60in) max height, 15kg (33.07lbs) max load
The tripods are resistant to corrosion and have a high level of stability, according to SIRUI. Features vary based on the model, but include anti-slip leg locks, leg angle adjustment buttons, 1/4″-20 accessory port, interchangeable feet for use with metal spikes, included adjustment tools and tripod bag, as well as, in some cases, an included ball head. The AM-2 series can be used with the optional low gravity A-10R ball head priced at $ 99.90.
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The new models are listed on the SIRUI USA website at this time but don’t appear to have yet been added to other online stores like Adorama and B&H Photo.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The Autel Evo II will come in three modular models, including two with 8K video
15
Jan
Early last month, a forthcoming EVO II from Autel Robotics was revealed through an FCC filing. The portable follow up to the EVO officially launched at last week’s CES 2020 show. Drone and tech pundit OriginaldoBo made a prediction a week before the conference that this year, industry-dominating company DJI was not going to be the star of CES. Now we know why. Autel has introduced the very first 8K folding drone. The EVO II comes in 3 variants offering up 3 separate camera modules.
- The standard Autel EVO II has an 8K, 48MP camera with a 1/2″ CMOS sensor. It can capture content at resolutions up to 8,000×6,000 pixels for photos, meaning you could print an image as large as 100 inches wide. Video resolution will max out at 7720×4320 pixels. It also features lossless, in-camera zoom up to 4x. Its weight at takeoff is 1,127 grams (about 2.5 pounds).
- The EVO II Pro features a 20MP camera with a 1″ CMOS sensor, an adjustable aperture (ranging from f/2.8 to f/11), HDR, an ISO range of 100-12,800, and the ability to capture 6K video. The weight of EVO II Pro at takeoff is 1,174 grams (about 2.6 pounds).
- The EVO II Dual boasts both a FLIR Boson sensor, with a thermal resolution up to 640×512, plus the same 8K camera that comes with the standard model. Takeoff weight for the EVO II Dual 320 is 1,157 grams (2.55 pounds) and 1,192 grams (2.62 pounds) for the EVO II Dual 640.
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All 3 cameras have a maximum bitrate of 120Mbps. They will also feature 10-bit color depth. Autel’s states on its official site that it will continue to update specs, as they become available, but they have not specified whether there is an H.264 or H.265 codec. Information on frame rates is also notably absent at the time of this writing. Each variant of the EVO II is modular. You can upgrade, downgrade, and switch out camera systems without having to purchase a new drone.
The EVO II has a maximum flight time of 40 minutes and a transmission range of 9 km (5.6 miles). While most users will not need to fly this far, Autel states that a longer range ‘also means a stronger signal.’ It can operate at a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour (20.1 m/s). 12 AI-powered computer vision sensors give it omnidirectional obstacle avoidance that can also be disabled if the user wants full, uninterrupted control. 8GB of onboard storage is available with the option of adding an external microSD card up to 256GB.
What drone enthusiasts and professionals, especially, will appreciate is that Autel does not equip its drones with geofencing. While the feature, found in all contemporary DJI models, prevents drones from flying into restricted areas, including controlled airspace, it can also create a major inconvenience if a pilot secures permission to fly in a designated area and is unable to unlock the zone as planned.
The EVO II is currently in production. The EVO II is $ 1,495 and the EVO II Pro is $ 1,795. Those interested in purchasing an EVO II Dual will need to contact Autel for pricing. Availability and shipping dates will be announced soon, according to Autel’s official site.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Filmmaker Mode TV setting will be available on select Philips, Samsung and other TV models
14
Jan
 |
Motion smoothing, the controversial TV setting that uses interpolation to reduce motion blur, will be addressed with a previously announced television feature called Filmmaker Mode. During CES 2020, the UHD Alliance offered an update about this setting, revealing that Samsung, Kaleidescape and Philips/TP Vision will offer Filmmaker Mode on some of their 2020 television models.
Filmmaker Mode was first announced by the UHD Alliance in August 2019 with support from directors like Martin Scorses, Christopher Nolan and Rian Johnson. The goal of this setting is to present movies in the way they were intended by the filmmaker, including with the original frame rates, aspect ratios and colors.
Below is a brief video explainer of motion smoothing, provided by Vulture:
Motion smoothing has proven controversial among consumers and filmmakers alike. Though the technology is effective at reducing motion blurs, many viewers complain that it adds an unwanted visual effect that makes the content less enjoyable to watch. Most modern TVs, including many budget models, now offer motion smoothing as a standard feature, though some manufacturers make it possible to disable the setting.
In addition to the manufacturers announced at CES, Vizio, Panasonic and LG were previously revealed as companies that will also offer Filmmaker Mode on select television models starting in 2020.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)