Photography and movies have a lot in common. While one is the art of capturing a frame, another is capturing moving frames. However, both are powerful creative mediums to tell a story. Apart from practicing photography yourself, one of the easiest ways to learn and improve your photography skills is to watch other people’s work and be inspired. And, what’s Continue Reading
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Posts Tagged ‘watch’
65 Films About Photography: Our Picks to Watch
30
Jan
iPhone mount converts an Apple Watch into a live viewfinder for selfies and vlogging
27
Nov
 |
Apple’s iPhones have a front-facing camera for selfies and FaceTime, but the front camera’s performance and image quality pales in comparison to the rear cameras. For those wanting a high-quality selfie or to record video content of themselves, your options have long been to use the front-facing camera so you can see your phone’s display or to try your luck with the rear-facing camera and hope everything is framed properly. Ulanzi has a new product, the ST-09 Phone Tripod Mount for Apple Watch, designed to solve this exact problem.
By using a paired Apple Watch and the ST-09, you can mount your smartwatch to the ST-09 and clamp it onto your iPhone. With the accompanying Apple Watch app, your Watch’s face becomes a live viewfinder mounted to the back of your iPhone.
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As Gizmodo says, it may ‘seem like a foolish use for the $ 200+ smartwatch strapped to your wrist. But as you think about it more, you realize the mount solves a problem that many amateur vloggers who rely on their smartphones for all of their productions needs run into: using the back camera to film yourself is all but impossible.’ The target audience is somewhat niche, perhaps, but the ST-09 is an inexpensive, simple solution. Provided you already have an Apple Watch, of course.
On the bottom of the mount is a tripod a 1/4″ hole for mounting a tripod. On the top of the mount is a cold shoe, which can be used for attaching a fill light, microphone or other accessories.
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| Ulanzi ST-09 product details. Image courtesy of Ulanzi. Click to enlarge. |
If you’re worried about scratching your devices, Ulanzi states that the product features an anti-scratch silicone pad design for the Watch mount and the clamps which adjust to your phone. Speaking of which, the tension distance is 58-89mm, meaning it will fit most iPhones, including the latest iPhone 12 models. With respect to Apple Watch model compatibility, Ulanzi only mentions the Series 5, so Gizmodo observes that the ST-09 may only be compatible with the Series 5 and Series 6 Apple Watches.
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| The Ulanzi ST-09 can adjust from 58mm to 89mm in order to fit a variety of iPhones. Image courtesy of Ulanzi. |
The problem Ulanzi is trying to solve has been tackled by different manufacturers over the years. Gizmodo recalls the DJI Osmo Action, an action camera with a front-facing camera. (You can check out our hands-on with the Osmo Action right here). GoPro followed suit shortly thereafter with the Hero9 action camera. Smartphone manufacturers, on the other hand, have not gone this route. Smartphone displays drain battery and a second display on the rear presents power, engineering and cost concerns.
The Ulanzi ST-09 can be ordered directly from Ulanzi for $ 19.95 USD. The accessory is current on sale from its regular price of $ 29.99.
(Via Gizmodo)
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Watch ‘My Friends Were Mountaineers’, a film about photographer Dee Molenaar
30
Apr
Dee Molenaar, an icon in the Pacific Northwest mountaineering community passed away recently at the age of 101. Filmmaker Eric Becker, a long time collaborator of DPReview was lucky enough to spend some time with Dee around his 100th birthday. What resulted was a short film produced by Eric in collaboration with DPReview about Dee’s life, his love of the mountain climbing community and his prolific work as a visual artist.
The film takes a look into Dee’s expansive archive of paintings, hand drawn maps, 8mm film footage and a treasure trove of archival slide photographs. You can watch the final piece above, and read on for a personal account, from Eric, of the background behind the film.
Eric Becker – director
In 2018 I was finishing up my feature documentary Return to Mount Kennedy, which centers around the first ascent in 1965 of a remote mountain in the Yukon – Mount Kennedy – then newly named after assassinated president John F. Kennedy. Climber Jim Whittaker lead the expedition, which included JFK’s brother, Bobby Kennedy.
Dee Molenaar was one of the photographers in the group. I originally connected with his family to track down some of his original images, but in talking to Dee’s son Peter I learned that there was a lot more to his life and work than just that one trip, back in 1965. Peter invited me to come and go through his father’s photos, and it occurred to me that this might make for an interesting short film on its own.
When I arrived at Peter’s house to take a look through his father’s archives, I was shocked. There were just so many boxes of slides, reels of footage, and beautiful paintings that Dee had created during his life. Peter mentioned that Dee’s 100th birthday was coming up in June and that the family was planning to take him to Mt. Rainier to visit his favorite place on earth. At this point, I knew there was a story.
There was a bittersweet element to the trip which gave it an emotional thrust – the unspoken sense that this would probably be Dee’s last opportunity to see the place
Good stories need some key ingredients. First off, there needs to be visual material to work with, which we had in volumes, in the form of Dee’s photographs and paintings. Second, you need strong characters. Peter was totally comfortable being filmed, and the love and admiration he had for his father came through when he spoke. The same was true of his sister Karen, and his brother David.
The third ingredient is action. In this case it was the simple act of taking a 100 year-old man to see his beloved mountain. There was a bittersweet element to the trip which gave it an emotional thrust – the unspoken sense that this would probably be Dee’s last opportunity to see the place.
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During the making of this film we digitized about 40 reels of 8mm film footage and found some absolutely beautiful imagery of the Pacific Northwest in the 1940, 50’s and 60’s. I also read Dee’s autobiography and did as much research as I could to get some background on his life and work. We filmed interviews with the Molenaar family, and we joined Dee on the trip to Mount Rainier.
My favorite moment was when I showed Dee some of his films that we had digitized. He watched them on an iPad for about 45 minutes and was totally tuned in, even talking about some of the people and places.
This was a very archive-heavy project, and the bulk of the editing for this short film happened in early 2019 once we had collected all of the pieces. Editing is both my favorite and least favorite part of the process, but it’s where the magic happens. Whenever young filmmakers ask for advice, I tell them to learn the tools, including editing. The reality is that cameras and computers are so inexpensive and user-friendly these days that the way to distinguish yourself from the crowd is to focus on the craft of it all. And getting good at editing, as anxiety-ridden as the process can be, is one of the easiest ways to advance your craft as a storyteller.
Getting good at editing, as anxiety-ridden as the process can be, is one of the easiest ways to advance your craft as a storyteller
We made the film using the Fujifilm X-H1, some of it handheld shooting internal 4K but mostly paired with an Atomos Shogun, with Senheiser wireless lavs for sound. We have a simple rig that holds everything. Aside from the camera (which changes from shoot to shoot) this is the same basic setup we use for all of the DPReview long-form videos. Everything was shot in 24p, except for some 60p footage that we captured for slow motion. We used the Fujifilm Eterna profile, and I cut the piece in Adobe Premier Pro.
With this video and with all of the other pieces in the long-form series that we’ve shot with DPReview, I hope we’ve succeeded in inspiring people to get out and shoot. I’d like to think that Dee would approve.
Read Dee Molenaar’s obituary at mountaineers.org
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Video: Watch someone play DOOM on a Kodak digital camera from 1998
12
Dec
Retro tech and gaming YouTube channel LGR has published a new video showing the original DOOM video game being played on a 1998 Kodak DC260 digital camera. This model was quite expensive at the time with a price tag of $ 999.99; the cost was due, in part, to the surprisingly capable hardware packed into the camera, including a 66Mhz PowerPC CPU, 8MB of RAM and an 11khz sound chipset.
As explained in the video, the Kodak DC260 was unusual for its time in that it features USB and support for sideloading apps. Though this sideloading functionality was intended to expand the camera’s capabilities in unique ways, it also makes it possible to install and run a special version of the original DOOM video game, which appears to play without issue on the camera.
DOOM is one of the multiple apps demonstrated in the video, which includes instructions on downloading, sideloading and running the software.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Video: Watch 72 high-speed cameras capture bullet time slow-mo footage
13
Sep
Popular YouTube account Hydraulic Press Channel has introduced a major filming setup upgrade involving 72 high-speed Chronos 1.4 cameras mounted on a large rig suspended above the hydraulic press machine. The cameras are able to capture nearly 3,000,000 frames per second, according to the channel’s host, resulting in high-resolution 360-degree bullet-time videos.
The camera rig is used to show packs of playing cards exploding outwards under the pressure of the hydraulic press. It’s unclear how often this rig will be used for hydraulic press videos, but a comment published by the account indicates the team plans to introduce a new ‘Bullet Time Show’ on the Beyond The Press channel.
The Chronos 1.4 high-speed camera is offered by Kron Technologies with color and monochrome sensor options starting at $ 2,999.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Apple smartwatch patent hints at future Apple Watch models with built-in cameras
27
Jun
 |
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has published an Apple patent detailing a method for adding a camera to future Apple Watch models. Rather than packing the camera module into the smartwatch body like some competing models, Apple’s design embeds the camera into an adjustable strap over the wrist band.
Based on images included with the patent, Apple envisions a smartwatch camera that is hidden out of sight against the wrist band when not in use. To capture images, the user extends the flexible strap in which the camera is embedded, making it possible to capture selfies without contorting one’s wrist at an uncomfortable angle.
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Apple explains in its patent:
‘Such functionality can replace or at least meaningfully augment a user’s existing camera or camera-enabled device (e.g., smartphone, tablet). Such a wearable device that captures images and video may do so via an optical lens integrated into a distal end portion of a watch band that retains the device on a user’s wrist.’
Apple’s design involves a ‘core’ in the camera band that enables it to hold its position at whatever angle the user chooses. The patent indicates that some Apple Watch models may feature two cameras on the flexible band, making it possible to capture scenes both facing toward and away from the user.
In its latest iteration, the Apple Watch enables users to leave their iPhone behind by offering built-in cellular capabilities. The newly published patent indicates Apple views the camera as a possible future element for expanding the wearable’s independent functionality — users won’t have to choose between being able to snap images or leaving their iPhone at home.
The patent explains:
‘A smartwatch that has the capability of capturing images and video may provide an opportunity for users to be more reliant on their smartwatch and less reliant on other devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, digital cameras) to capture images or videos. Thus, a smartwatch with the capability of capturing images or videos may enable a user to forego carrying a smartphone when doing some activities, especially activities or environments where it would be difficult to take a smartphone (e.g., hiking, running, swimming, surfing, snowboarding, and any number of other situations).’
The patent raises questions over whether camera functionality is something consumers truly want from a smartwatch. Though it would be convenient for taking stealthy images (that is, without pulling out a phone), the image quality would likely be considerably lower than what can be captured with the iPhone. As well, a camera positioned at the end of a thin extended band on one’s wrist would likely face blur issues due to slight tremors and other movements.
As with any patent, it’s possible Apple will never bring an Apple Watch with built-in cameras to the market.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Video: Watch this cannon shoot (and destroy) a Canon at 264mph in a tornado projectile test
12
Mar
A compact camera reached speeds of 264 miles per hour during a test to demonstrate the dangers presented by normal domestic objects flying around during tornado. And no, it didn’t survive.
The test was carried out by storm-footage stock library owner Martin Lisius with the help of a pneumatic cannon housed at the National Wind Institute’s Debris Impact Facility in Texas Tech University. The unit usually studies what happens when large lumps of wood caught in storm winds strike building materials, but for this test Lisius wanted to show what happens when smaller more common objects get picked up and thrown around.
A Canon Sureshot 60 Zoom, known as the Autoboy Juno in Japan, was loaded into the cannon and when fired reached speeds of 264mph before meeting a messy end against a concrete wall. According to Lisius, the shape and relative density of the film camera helped it travel much faster than the researchers expected.
The twenty four year-old camera, which could only manage 1fps in its highest drive setting, was filmed at 240fps as it met the wall. Even with that frame rate though it is hard to see exactly what happened on impact. I’m certain the research was useful for something, but even if it wasn’t it makes interesting viewing. To see other videos of things hitting other things at high speed see the National Wind Institute’s Debris Impact web pages.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Watch out Profoto, the Godox V1 round head flash is just around the corner
08
Mar
 |
At Photokina 2018, Godox revealed plans to release a round head speedlight designed to compete with the Profoto A1. That product, the Godox V1, has finally arrived under Adorama’s Flashpoint brand and is expected to launch under the Godox name through B&H Photo soon.
The Flashpoint Zoom Li-On X R2 / Godox V1 features a round zoom head with both automatic and manual zoom control, a magnetic head rim for light modifiers, backlit matrix LCD, support for 330-degree rotation and 120-degree tilt, and a guide number of 92 ft / 28 meters at ISO 100 (50mm). The model’s removable Li-ion polymer battery can power up to 650 full-power flashes per charge with a full-power recycle time of less than 1.5 seconds.
Photographers can use the Godox V1 as an on-camera standalone TTL flash and as a ‘wireless command center’ for the company’s other monolights and speedlights. As well, the new model is fully compatible with the Canon E-TTL system with support for EXIF inscription, HSS, flash value lock, and exposure compensation.
When used as a master, the Godox V1 is able to control four wireless groups, and as a slave, this flash supports both intelligent and regular optical modes.
Other features include the promise of a ‘stable’ color temperature held at 5600±200K across the full power range, HSS shutter speeds up to 1/8000s, front and rear curtain sync, laser AF assist lamp, SMD LED modelling lamp, and the inclusion of multi-purpose buttons.
The Godox V1 is currently listed as pre-release by Adorama. Neither price or availability date are provided, though it is expected to be cheaper than the Profoto A1.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Halide update brings Smart RAW, Apple watch update and more
09
Oct
 |
Popular iOS camera app Halide has received its latest update. Halide version 1.10 comes with a new Smart HDR feature, an improved watch app for the Apple Watch Series 4 , and more.
Smart RAW is a feature specifically designed for the new iPhone XS, XS Max and XR models. In a recent blog post Halide founder Sebastiaan de With detailed how the new iPhones tend to use higher ISO values and more aggressive noise reduction than previous iterations, presumably to enable Apple’s new SmartHDR feature and/or reduce motion blur on moving subjects.
Smart RAW uses an exposure logic that is different from the default iPhone camera and uses lower ISOs for lower levels of noise and better image detail in Raw files. The feature is unnecessary on the iPhone X or 8 as those older models use smaller sensors and are by default programmed to use the lowest possible ISO setting.
The update also brings a feature that lets you easily compare JPG image output to its Raw counterpart, allowing you to decide which format is best for a particular job. The Halide watch component has been optimized for the larger screen on Apple’s new Watch Series 4.
The developers say they have also done some cleaning up of the code and have shrunk the app down to half the size of the previous version. You can download Halide version 1.10 now from the Apple App Store for $ 5.99.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Halide update adds Apple Watch support, self-timer and more
01
May
 |
The makers of Halide today released an update to version 1.8 of the iPhone camera app, introducing a number of major new features.
A new Apple Watch companion app gives you access to framing tools, lets you set the timer and trigger the camera remotely, all from your wrist. You get an image preview on the watch display and according to the developers the watch app has been designed for fast and responsive operation.
For those without an Apple Watch, there is now also a timer mode in the main app, which can be set to 3, 10, or 30 seconds and comes with a countdown on the display for front camera use. When shooting with the main camera, countdown progress is signaled by the flash LED.
In addition there is an updated image review module with a grid-style layout, support for Dynamic and Bold type and VoiceOver support for improved accessibility. For privacy purposes you can now also prevent location information from being embedded in your EXIF data and select options to limit location sharing with connected social apps.
The Halide 1.8 update is free to existing customers. Everyone else can download the latest version of the app from the App Store for $ 5.99.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)