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High-resolution telescope images show Sun’s surface in ‘unprecedented detail’

01 Feb
‘This image covers an area 8,200 x 8,200 km (5,000 x 5,000 miles, 11 x 11 arcseconds).’ — Credit: NSO/AURA/NSF

The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope has produced high-resolution images that show the Sun in ‘unprecedented detail,’ according to an announcement from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The telescope is located close to the summit of Maui’s Haleakala volcano. Each of the ‘cell-like structures’ visible in the images and video are approximately as large as Texas, according to NSF.

Understanding the Sun is an important step toward improving space weather forecasts, which will help humanity anticipate potentially disruptive events. The Inouye Solar Telescope is a key tool that will shed light on a number of the Sun’s mysteries. According to the NSF, having hours of advanced notice about potential space weather events will give officials time to put satellites and important infrastructure like power grids into safe mode.

The Inouye Solar Telescope features a massive 4m (13ft) mirror and more than 11km (7 miles) of piping as part of the cooling system that protects the telescope and its optics. The NSF explains that Inouye feature’s adaptive optics designed with an off-axis mirror placement that compensates for the blur that would otherwise result from the Earth’s atmosphere.

Astrophysicist and cosmologist Katie Mack chimed in on the above video, sharing a fun little anecdote about how the forces at work on the sun can be seen here on Earth in everyday life:

Ultimately, the Inouye Solar Telescope has the largest aperture of any solar telescope in the world, according to director Thomas Rimmele. The first half-decade of the telescope’s operation is expected to produce more solar data than humanity has generated in the past few hundred years.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon launching limited-time ‘Trade Up’ program in the United States for its D780 DSLR

01 Feb

Nikon has launched a new trade-in program that gives its customers in the United States credit to put toward the purchase of a new D780 full-frame DSLR. The program will be live from February 3 through March 29 and includes credit for the value of the customers’ trade-in as well as an additional $ 300 credit. Nikon will allow customers to use the credits for the D780 body-only and for the D780 bundled with a lens kit.

The trade-in program is currently listed as ‘coming soon’ on Nikon’s website, though interested consumers can sign up to receive an alert when it goes live. The program will accept any camera from any brand; the only requirement is that it must be in working condition.

Nikon customers who have already ordered the D780 can retroactively apply the credit toward their purchase. The full-frame DSLR is available to purchase from a number of retailers for around $ 2,300 for the body only or around $ 2,800 with an included 24-120mm lens.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon’s Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S lens is being delayed ‘due to production reasons’

01 Feb

Nikon Japan has announced [translated] that the much-anticipated Nikkor Z 70–200mm F2.8 VR S lens and three of its accessories will be postponed.

Originally set to be released on February 14, 2020, Nikon Japan says the lens has been ‘postponed due to production reasons.’ No specific details have been given regarding production issue at hand and no timeframe is given for the new release date. Nikon Japan says it ‘apologize[s] for any inconvenience this may cause to customers waiting for this product.’

DPReview has contacted Nikon for a comment and will update this article accordingly when we receive a response.

We will provide further updates regarding the situation as they become available.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Profoto adds Android support to its B10, B10 Plus strobes via Profoto Connect app

31 Jan

Profoto has announced it’s added Android compatibility for its B10 and B10 Plus strobes via its Profoto Control Android app.

Until now, only iOS users were able to control their B10 and B10 Plus strobes on their mobile devices. Now, Android users can control nearly every setting available on the strobes and even perform wireless firmware updates.

The Profoto Control Android app is free to download in the Google Play Store and works with smartphones running Android 7 or later.

Now for Android – Profoto B10 & B10 Plus

Profoto announces Android compatibility for B10 & B10 Plus’s control, offering seamless smartphone connectivity to more photographers.

In September 2018, Profoto launched the B10, a powerful battery-powered flash in a compact size. Shortly afterward in 2019, Profoto released the ever so slightly bigger brother the B10 Plus. Since then, the B10 series has been the preferred light for on-location photographers globally.

At the time, iPhone users could enjoy the freedom to control light by a simple swipe on their smartphone screen. Today, Profoto also offers that freedom to Android users through the Profoto Control Android app available on Google Play Store.

The Profoto B10 series are seriously small with the Profoto B10 similar in size to a medium camera lens and the B10 Plus around the size of a large camera lens. That said, both lights punch significantly above their weight with the Profoto B10 delivering five times the power of a speedlight and the B10 Plus providing twice that amount; light that’s natural and beautiful with a soft, gentle fall-off.

Trigger and control them wirelessly with ease from any Profoto Air remote, from Profoto Connect, or the Profoto A1 or A1X. You can point and shoot with TTL or switch to manual control at any time.

With the B10 & B10 Plus connected to the Profoto Control Android app, you can easily view and control all B10 and B10 Plus settings from the palm of your hand and install new updates in seconds.

Wherever your shoot takes you, Profoto B10 series provides you the power to create with seamless smartphone connectivity – now available for all Android and iPhone users.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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PSA: Download your photos from Canon’s Irista platform by the end of the day before they disappear forever

31 Jan

Back in October, Canon announced it was shutting down its cloud-based photo platform, Irista. Today is the final day the platform will be live, so if you have any photographs still on the platform that you would like to download, you will need to do so by the end of the day, as the platform will no longer be accessible after today.

As noted in our original coverage, all of your photos can be downloaded as a ZIP folder using the ‘Download Your Photos’ link on the Irista homepage. It’s worth reiterating too that none of the tags, photo ratings, titles or albums you have assigned to the images will be downloaded alongside the images.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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US Interior Department grounds Chinese-made drones in its fleet citing ongoing security concerns

31 Jan

Yesterday, the United States Interior Department signed an order to ground its fleet of more than 800 drones for non-emergency operations following ongoing concerns of cybersecurity threats.

As reported by NPR, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt didn’t specifically say the fleet of drones were capable of being hacked in the order, but did note that information collected by the drones could potentially be ‘valuable to foreign entities, organizations and governments.’

This new order cements a ‘pause’ Bernhardt ordered roughly three months ago to cease the use of Chinese-manufactured drones for Interior Department business, with the exception of emergency use-cases. In a statement given to The Verge at that time, Interior spokesperson Melissa Brown said ‘the Secretary has directed that drones manufactured in China or made from Chinese components be grounded unless they are currently being utilized for emergency purposes, such as fighting wildfires, search and rescue, and dealing with natural disasters that may threaten life or property.’

No specific companies were mentioned in the initial order, nor yesterday’s, but it’s clear Chinese drone manufacturer DJI is in the crosshairs.

Following yesterday’s order from Bernhardt, Chinese drone manufacturer DJI issued a statement on its website, saying:

‘[DJI] is extremely disappointed by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) order released today which inappropriately treats a technology’s country of origin as a litmus test for its performance, security and reliability […] We are opposed to the politically-motivated country of origin restrictions masquerading as cybersecurity concerns and call for policymakers and industry stakeholders to create clear standards that will give commercial and government drone operators the assurance they need to confidently evaluate drone technology on the merits of performance, security and reliability, no matter where it is made.’

DJI manufactures specific ‘government edition’ versions of its Matrice 600 Pro and Mavic Pro drones, both of which are currently listed in the Interior Department’s fleet. These specific models use special firmware and software to fit the needs of the Interior Department and were previously signed off for use by the Interior Department following a 15-month testing period that concluded with a 53-page report. Other drones in the U.S. agency’s fleet include the Autel Evo, Parrot Anafi, FireFLY Pro/S, 3DR Solo Quadcopter and Pulse Vapor 55TM Helicopter.

DJI’s Matrice 600 Pro drone is just one of the half-a-dozen different drone models in the Interior Department’s drone fleet.

This new order will, like the pause announced back in October 2019, will remain in effect until a subsequent order overturns it, as there is no end-date mentioned. Like the pause back in October, emergency use-cases ‘will continue to be allowed in approved situations for emergency purposes, such as fighting wildfires, search and rescue, and dealing with natural disasters that may threaten life or property,’ according to an Interior Department spokesperson.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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NASA astronaut Jessica Meir uses Nikon D5 to snap two space selfies

31 Jan

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir caught the public’s attention over the weekend when she published two selfies captured during a spacewalk using a Nikon D5 camera. Meir has shared a number of images from the International Space Station since her arrival in September 2019, though few were as impressive as her full-body selfie captured as a reflection in ISS solar panels.

Meir shared the images on January 26, tagging them with the #SundaySelfie hashtag. One is a traditional shot of her face while the other image is a full-body shot of Meir in her spacesuit as seen reflected in some solar panels. The Earth is visible as a bright band of light behind her, as are bits and pieces of the space station.

As for the camera, Meir explains that she used a Nikon D5 camera with a 28mm lens and special protective housing that enables the camera to operate in space. NASA ordered a total of 53 unmodified Nikon D5 DSLRs from the camera company in 2017 with the intention of using them for recording ISS activities, as well as vehicular activities and astronaut training.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon’s annual results show a rough 2019, but tease ‘advanced’ mirrorless camera, lenses for 2020

31 Jan

Canon has published its 2019 fiscal year financial results and presentation. In the documents, Canon highlights how the company has done, shedding light on what we can expect in the coming year, both fiscally and on the development front.

On the financial front, Canon’s Imaging System division recorded net sales of 807.4B yen and a net operating profit of 48.2B yen a decrease of 16.8 percent and 62 percent, respectively, year-over-year. Canon anticipated a dramatic drop-off in both net sales and operating profit, due to ‘market contraction and the intensely competitive environment,’ but the final results are still slightly worse than expected at 14.6B yen and 2.6B yen lower than Canon’s projections as of last quarter.

Echoing CIPA data, Canon notes the interchangeable-lens camera market shrank 15 percent, with entry-level models being the most impacted due to the increasing capabilities and popularity of smartphones. Canon also recognized its own shortcomings, with a note in the presentation saying:

‘Although we have launched two full-frame mirrorless cameras as well as ten dedicated lenses, our lineup is still insufficient.’

Looking forward, Canon remains realistic, saying it ‘expect[s] camera revenue to decline due to the impact of continuing market contraction,’ but feels confident it will ‘put a stop to the decline in profitability, by further enhancing our mirrorless lineup with an advanced feature full-frame model and lenses, and by accelerating review of our business structure.’

Specifically, Canon makes it very clear that it’s working on more advanced mirrorless cameras, saying:

‘In order to recover from our late entry into the mirrorless camera market, we have plans to launch a model that incorporates a newly developed image sensor and image-processing engine that offer even more advanced features. We will work to raise our presence in the mirrorless camera category, leveraging large trade exhibitions around the world. Even amid increasing competition, we will expand sales of higher-end models driven by new products and aim for top market share even in the mirrorless camera market.’

Canon is projecting its net sales and operating profit for the 2020 fiscal year will be 787B yen and 53.7B yen, respectively, which would equate to a 2.5 percent decrease in net sales and an 11.5 percent increase in operating profit, year-over-year. In addition to offering more ‘advance feature full-frame’ mirrorless cameras and RF lenses, Canon’s projected increase in profitability will also likely be helped with fabrication costs now that it appears to have its mirrorless manufacturing facilities up and running.

Canon’s sentiments expressed in the presentation further lend credibility to the ongoing rumors about its forthcoming mirrorless cameras, but certainly fall short of telling the whole story, which we will only find out with time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Magic Plate quick-release plate makes it easy to toggle from landscape to portrait

31 Jan

A new Kickstarter campaign from Silence Corner is seeking funds for ‘Magic Plate,’ a new quick-release plate that enables photographers to quickly switch between landscape and portrait shooting. Magic Plate is CNC machined from aerospace-grade aluminum, is compatible with most Arca gear and includes a 14″-20 UNC screw in addition to a quick-release button and strap slots.

This quick release plate doesn’t need to be removed from the ball head, according to the team behind the product. Instead, users can toggle the camera from landscape to portrait mode by pressing the plate’s quick-release button, rotating the camera and then locking the plate into its new position. The device is more compact than L-brackets and lighter at only 40g (1.4oz).

Silence Corner’s Kickstarter campaign is offering the Magic Plate in Silence Black and Corner Gray color options for pledges of at least $ 55, a 32% discount off the anticipated retail price, assuming the product makes it to market. Magic Plate is expected to start shipping to backers in April 2020.

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)

 
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Tamron 20mm F2.8 Macro sample gallery

30 Jan

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Tamron’s new trio of compact, 1:2 macro prime lenses includes a 35mm F2.8, a 24mm F2.8, and this lens, a 20mm F2.8 for Sony’s full-frame E-mount cameras. We found that the lack of a super-fast maximum aperture is at least partially made up by the impressive close-focusing distance, and the lens is weather-sealed and affordable to boot. Take a look at what this lens can do on a 61MP Sony a7R IV, and catch a glimpse of some Seattle snow while you’re at it.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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