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Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Canon shows off new AI-powered plugin for Lightroom Classic that will cull images for you

10 Jan

Canon has announced it will soon be releasing a new AI-powered plugin for Adobe Lightroom Classic that will be able to cull through images and sort them based on image quality.

The ‘Photo Culling’ plugin, as it’s so aptly named, uses Canon’s Computer Vision AI engine and ‘technical models’ to select images for ‘sharpness, noise, exposure, contrast, closed eyes, and red eyes.’ As the plugin analyzes images, it will flag the photos with different colored flags within Lightroom Classic for easier curation.

Canon says the settings will be customizable so photographers can ‘remain in complete control,’ but doesn’t elaborate on how exactly the parameters will be controlled. There’s no mention of whether or not this plugin will work with images captured with other cameras, but we’ve contacted Canon for clarification and will update this article accordingly when we hear back.

The Photo Culling plugin will be available exclusively on the Adobe Exchange App Marketplace in Q1 2020 for a monthly subscription.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lucid’s new LucidPix AI app turns ordinary images into 3D photos

10 Jan

AI vision startup Lucid has introduced an upcoming app called LucidPix that transforms ordinary images into 3D photos. The app is currently in development but has been made available to some users as part of a private beta. LucidPix is made possible using a contextual artificial intelligence that replaces the need for depth of field sensors or multiple cameras.

Generally speaking, special high-end camera hardware including select expensive flagship smartphones are required to capture 3D images. Unlike old school red-cyan stereoscopic 3D images, this newer type of 3D image doesn’t require special glasses to view. Instead, the effect is generated in the image based on depth-of-field data. Users can perceive the depth of different elements in the images by tilting their phones while viewing them, giving the images a 3D effect.

The LucidPix app will make it possible for anyone to create 3D photos, including ones generated from existing 2D images, using any iPhone or Android smartphone model. The transformation happens entirely through software. The LucidPix app includes 3D effect frames and will be offered in both standard and for-pay Premium versions.

3D photos generated with LucidPix can be shared within the photo app, as well as on social media platforms that support 3D images, including Facebook. According to Lucid, more than 250,000 people are using the LucidPix beta app through the Google Play Store’s early access program. Lucid recently demonstrated the app at CES 2020; the product will officially launch in the second quarter of the year.

Additional examples of 3D photos generated with LucidPix can be found on the app’s official Facebook Page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon announces Image Connect, a new photographer matching service for the U.S.

09 Jan

In addition to its Robotic Camera System CR-S700R and Photo Culling plugin for Adobe Lightroom Classic, Canon has also announced it will be launching a new photographer matching service in the United States.

The service, called Image Connect, will use Canon’s RAISE photo community platform to connect customers with professional photographers. The process will go as follows, according to Canon:

  • Through the platform, customers can provide basic details for the job, such as event type, location, and date
  • Once photographers are matched with the customer through the platform, customers review photographer profiles and invite those they like to bid on the job
  • Photographers create an offer which allows them to set their own price (rather than adhering to standardized pricing) and allows them to communicate their rates and value to customers
  • Once an offer is accepted, the job is booked through the platform
  • Following the event, images are delivered electronically to the customers through a Canon customer portal

The service will be brand agnostic, so even if you’re not a Canon shooter, you’ll still be able to use the service. The service is expected to go live in a limited number of markets starting in Q1 2020. At the time of launch, the service will be limited to residents of the following states: Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas.

There’s no word yet on whether Image Connect will be available outside the United States. We have contact Canon for clarification and will update this article accordingly when we hear back.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon issues firmware update to fix front-focusing issues for RF 70–200mm F2.8 lenses

09 Jan

A month after the first reports came out that a number of RF 70–200mm F2.8 lenses were having issues with front-focusing, Canon has released a firmware update to address the issue.

As promised two weeks ago, firmware version 1.0.6 fixes the issue wherein certain units would focus in front of the active AF point, especially at longer focal lengths. The firmware changelog reads:

‘Fixed a phenomenon when performing AF shooting to capture a subject at close-range with the focus distance approximately set to the Tele-end (200mm), the image may become slightly front-focused.’

Firmware version 1.0.6 is available to download for both macOS and Windows computers. If your lens already has firmware version 1.0.6 installed, there’s no need to update. You can check your lens’ firmware in your camera’s menu system.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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4K sample reel: The Canon EOS-1D X Mark III goes to the blacksmith

09 Jan

When we learned that the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III would be one of the most capable stills and video hybrid cameras around, we knew we wanted to do some shooting and see for ourselves what it’s capable of. So we made some calls and wound up at Lawless Forge, a blacksmith shop in south Seattle, and got to work.

All footage was shot on a pre-production camera in Canon Log using the full width of the sensor at 4K/60p or 4K/24p, using IPB compression (CFexpress cards don’t yet grow on trees). Aperture and shutter speed were controlled manually, with Auto ISO gaining up or down as necessary, and ISO values varying from 800 to 6400.

Check out more on the EOS-1D X Mark III’s video specs here

Footage was compiled and edited in Adobe Premiere Pro, using a Canon-supplied Lut and minor tweaking beyond that. Lighting in the space was a mix of cool flickering fluorescents and tungsten (in other words, not good), so keep that in mind as you watch.

Also, if you don’t like guitars, I personally apologize for the music.

You can check out a ton of out-of-camera JPEG still images from this same shoot if you scroll a little ways through our pre-production sample gallery below.

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_0876082058″,”galleryId”:”0876082058″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

Read our Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
initial review

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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ShutterGrip 2 wireless smartphone grip aims to offer camera-like ergonomics

09 Jan

The team behind smartphone accessory ShutterGrip is back with an updated version of the product called ShutterGrip 2. The new iteration of ShutterGrip has been refined to offer improved ergonomics and appearance, adding a metallic finish and a non-slip grip.

In addition to its built-in selfie stick, the ShutterGrip 2 features a threaded 1/4-inch tripod mount, integrated hex wrench for tightening the hinge, a cold shoe for mounting accessories, support for both right- and left-hand usage, as well as vertical and landscape modes for different shooting styles.

ShutterGrip 2 is compatible with Android smartphones and iPhones using Bluetooth 4.0. With an assumed average of 500 button presses per day, the ShutterGrip 2’s battery will last for six months of continuous use or 18 months in standby mode using a CR2032 button battery. Despite its various features, the device is compact at 190mm x 76mm (7.49in x 2.99in).

The ShutterGrip 2 is compatible with the iPhone 5 and newer models, as well as the Samsung A6+ through the flagship Galaxy S10 and Note 10 handsets. Eary bird units are being offered to Kickstarter backers who pledge at least $ 35; shipping is estimated to start in February 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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SanDisk reveals 8TB SSD prototype and Ultra Dual Drive Luxe 1TB flash drive

09 Jan

SanDisk has introduced a sleek new flash drive that features an appealing metal body and a very practical dual-connector design. The new SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Luxe thumb drive will arrive later this year, offering users a large storage capacity in a small form factor.

As its name suggests, the Luxe drive features both USB-C and USB-A connectors, making it possible to use the drive with the majority of newer smartphones, tablets and laptops on the market. In addition to its high level of durability due to the metal build, SanDisk’s new drive has a slot for attaching the device to a keychain or securing it within a bag using a lanyard.

According to Engadget, SanDisk will release this model toward the end of 2020; the price hasn’t been revealed at this time.

In addition to the upcoming flash drive, SanDisk also showcased a prototype portable SSD with a massive 8TB capacity capable of 20Gbps transfer speeds. According to Engadget, the drive is slightly larger than the SanDisk Extreme External SSDs, though it’s still small enough to stuff in a pocket.

Though it would be the highest capacity portable SSD if it were to come to market, it only exists as a prototype at this time. It’s unclear when SanDisk anticipates launching the product and how much it will cost, though it’s likely to be quite expensive. The company’s existing 2TB Extreme Portable SSD model costs $ 270, for comparison.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon Europe confirms its focus is on RF, not EF lenses unless the ‘market demand[s] it’

09 Jan

Although Canon’s flagship 1DX Mark III DSLR is still on the horizon, it seems as though Canon has stopped research and development efforts for new EF lenses.

In an interview with Digital Camera World, Canon Europe pro product marketing senior manager, Richard Shepherd, said that while Canon will continue to support EF lenses, the plan is to focus on RF lenses, unless the ‘market demand[s] it.’ Below is the full quote, shared by Digital Camera World:

‘As you know, last year we launched the RF mount and EOS R system […] To date we’ve launched ten critically acclaimed lenses, and as it’s a new system we plan to continue this, launching more RF lenses while still fully supporting the EF lens system. And of course, should the market demand it, we are ready to create new EF lenses. But for now, our focus is on RF.’

While this is the first time we’ve seen detailed confirmation about Canon ceasing development of new EF lenses, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Canon’s EF mount was released 33 years ago when it replaced the FD mount in 1987. Since then, we’ve seen the rise of digital cameras, the fall of point-and-shoot cameras and now the rise of mirrorless cameras. Canon’s RF system is clearly the future for the company and as such it makes sense Canon would be more interested in investing its capital looking forward rather than behind.

As of October 12, 2017, Canon said it had surpassed production of more than 130 million EF-series interchangeable lenses—just shy of four million per year since the mount’s inception. The number has inevitably gone up by millions since and you can count on it continuing to rise for many years to come, even long after production has stopped.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Apple’s 2020 iPhone photography contest seeks best Night mode shots

09 Jan
Shot on iPhone 11 Pro Max in Night mode by Eric Zhang.

Apple has announced another iPhone photography contest, this one soliciting photos shot using the company’s Night mode feature found on the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. This new contest follows the first ‘Shot on iPhone’ competition announced by the company in January 2019. The new contest is open to submissions through January 29.

The 2020 iPhone Night mode photography contest opened to submissions on Wednesday, January 8; the five winning images will be announced by Apple on March 4.

Interested iPhone 11 owners can submit their favorite shots on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #NightmodeChallenge and #ShotoniPhone, as well as on China’s Weibo service using the tags #NightmodeChallenge# and #ShotoniPhone#.

Shot on iPhone 11 Pro in Night mode by Austin Mann.

Apple is also giving competitors the option of emailing a high-resolution version of their images to its shotoniphone@apple.com; in this case, photographers must use the following file naming convention: ‘firstname_lastname_nightmode_iPhonemodel.’

Social media submissions should include a note about which iPhone model was used to capture the image in the caption. Apple says contestants can use third-party and Photos app editing tools to edit the images. Submissions must be submitted by 11:59 PM PST on January 29 to be eligible. As well, contestants must be at least 18 years old.

The company has offered multiple tips on using the Night mode feature, including paying attention to the capture time displayed in the Night mode icon and using a tripod to keep the shots steady. Winning images will be showcased in a gallery on the Apple website, Apple Newsroom and Apple Instagram account; they may also appear in Apple’s digital campaigns, among other promotions.

The full list of judges and other details can be found in Apple’s announcement.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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HP Envy 32 all-in-one PC with built-in wireless charging is an NVIDIA RTX Studio system

09 Jan

During its time at CES 2020, HP has unveiled its new Envy 32 all-in-in PC with built-in wireless charging and a 31.5-inch 4K HDR600 display. This PC AiO model is offered with up to a 9th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card, as well as up to 1TB of storage and 32GB of RAM. The Envy 32 has the widest display available in an all-in-one system.

According to HP, its Envy 32 is the first all-in-one PC to join the NVIDIA RTX Studio program, which means that it is capable of running more than 40 design and creativity apps that feature RTX-accelerated ray tracing and AI-based features. This is particularly useful for filmmakers who engage in real-time high-resolution video editing and photographers who deal with large quantities of high-resolution images.

In addition to its considerable graphics capabilities, the HP Envy 32 is the first all-in-one PC to feature Advanced Audio Stream and the loudest volume level among AiOs, according to HP. A pair of integrated front-firing tweeters and subwoofers with Bang & Olufsen tuning offer audio even when the PC is turned off, eliminating the need to use an external speaker.

Other features include an aluminum stand with built-in wireless charging, edge-to-edge display glass, an included multi-device keyboard, heathered acoustic cloth, Nightfall Black matte finish and Dark Ash woodgrain accents. The HP Envy 32 AiO is available from HP, Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers with a starting price of $ 1,599.99.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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