Category: Uncategorized

  • NVIDIA’s latest AI project is ‘face swap’ for animals. Kind of…

    NVIDIA researchers are back with another project that uses artificial intelligence to generate entirely new images from existing source images. Unlike past work that involved portraits of humans, however, this latest work — called GANimal — transforms an image of an animal into different animals, including other species.

    Using an AI technique called generative adversarial networks (GANs), among other things, the researchers developed GANimal, an app that takes the expression of an animal from an image and recreates it on an image of a different animal. Examples include taking an expression from one breed of dog and replicating it on other dog breeds.

    Though this is a fun example of the underlying technology, NVIDIA researchers say it could one day be put to use in more serious work. One given example of GANimal’s potential use is engaging filmmakers to shoot images of a tame animal doing stunts, such as a dog, and then using the AI to apply those movements onto a less tame animal, such as a tiger.

    NVIDIA’s past artificial intelligence research includes an AI that can accurately scrub noise from images, generate portraits from source images, and transform simple sketches into photorealistic photos.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • The new Loupedeck Creative Tool editing console packs improved software integrations

    Loupedeck has introduced Loupedeck Creative Tool (CT), the latest product in its line of editing consoles for creatives. The Loupedeck CT is small and nearly square at 160 x 150 x 30mm (6.3 x 5.9 x 1.2in) with a weight of 365g (12.9oz). The new model joins the previously released Loupedeck and Loupedeck+ consoles, offering a design that can ‘work in sync with all editing tools and software.’

    The Loupedeck CT is a plug-and-play console with native integrations for a variety of popular software, including Final Cut Pro X, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and Lightroom Classic. This model also introduces Loupedeck console support for Adobe Illustrator and music production software Ableton Live; later on this year, there will also be support for Autodesk Fusion 360.

    The ‘fully adaptable’ Loupedeck CT is made with a high-quality aluminum cover and dials, plus it features LED backlighting, touchscreens, and what Loupedeck says are machine-quality ball bearings. The console packs preset workspaces designed for each software product integration, as well, though users retain the ability to customize the workspaces to meet their own needs.

    Loupedeck designed its latest console with portability in mind; joining its small size is a removable USB cable. In addition to its software integrations and various buttons, dials, and touchscreens, the Loupedeck CT features Bluetooth 5 LE connectivity and support for macOS 10.12 or later and Windows 10. Below is a short intro tutorial shared by Loupedeck:

    The new model is available to preorder now for $ 549 from Loupedeck and B&H Photo; shipping is expected to start on November 11.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • This app can modify Aperture and iPhoto so they will continue to work with macOS Catalina

    Apple’s new macOS Catalina operating system added plenty of new features, functionality and performance improvements, but in streamlining the experience, Apple also killed off a number of apps. While plenty more apps (including all 32-bit apps) were killed off, two photo-specific apps macOS Catalina can no longer run include Aperture and iPhoto.

    Thankfully, there are determined developers and programmers who are always looking for the next problem to solve. Tyshawn Cormier is one of those programmers who has created an app called Retroactive that modifies both Aperture and iPhoto so the apps are usable on Apple computers running macOS Catalina.

    Aperture was effectively neutered back in 2014 when Apple announced it was ceasing development of the pro-oriented photo management and editing application. Despite this, many clung on to the last update, which worked until macOS Catalina. If you’re one of those photographers who has loyally clung to Aperture, Retroactive should ensure you can continue to use the app without having to avoid the latest macOS update.

    Likewise, Apple’s iPhoto app can also be modified to run in macOS Catalina with Retroactive. The app has since been replaced with Apple’s Photos app, but whether for nostalgia purposes or something else, you can now run iPhoto.

    In order to use Retroactive, you’ll need to make sure you still have a copy of Aperture or iPhoto still on your computer. If you do, it’s simply a matter of downloading Retroactive from GitHub, giving it the required permissions to alter the apps and letting it do its thing.

    Not all functionality is salvaged, but by and large the apps still run without much issue. Specifically, neither Aperture nor iPhoto are able to play videos or export slideshows, but aside from that all former functionality remains.

    You can download Retroactive from GitHub and read through a wonderfully detailed guide on how to install and run Retroactive on macOS Catalina.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sony a6100 review: Should it be your next family camera?

    The Sony a6100 is a 24MP APS-C mirrorless camera, aimed squarely at beginners and people who want attractive photos but don’t necessarily think of themselves as photographers. A new, powerful autofocus system makes it one of the easiest cameras to use, if you just trust it to do its thing and concentrate instead on what you’re shooting.

    The a6100’s specifications aren’t cutting edge, and it’s priced accordingly. But that simple, effective autofocus system means it makes it easy to get the photos you want, and hence, arguably, it’s better value than those less expensive rivals. On paper it looks a lot like the bargain-basement a6000 but in use this is a vastly better camera.

    Our main doubts about the camera come if you want to get more involved in the photographic process.

    Key features:

    • 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor
    • Advanced AF system with highlight dependable subject tracking
    • 1.44M dot OLED electronic viewfinder
    • 0.9M dot LCD tilting rear touchscreen
    • Wi-Fi for image transfer to smart devices (with NFC for quick connection)
    • 4K video capture
    • USB charging

    The Sony a6100 has a list price of $ 750, a $ 50 premium over the launch price of the original a6000, which suggests it may take a similar low-cost position in the lineup, long term. It has a list price of $ 850 with the small but uninspiring 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 power zoom. A two-lens kit adds a 55-210mm zoom for an additional $ 250.


    What’s new and how it compares

    The a6100 contains many familiar components, combines them in a way that can be excellent as a family camera. After some initial setup.

    Click here to find out the camera, its features and its rivals

    Image quality

    Improved JPEG color, a good sensor and sophisticated processing mean the a6100 delivers attractive images.

    Click here to take a closer at the a6100’s images

    Autofocus and Video

    Autofocus is the camera’s great claim-to-fame, and its video is easy to capture.

    Click here to read more

    Conclusion

    The a6100 has probably the most powerful, easy-to-use autofocus systems on the market. But there are a few too many inconveniences, we feel.

    Click here to read what we found

    Sample gallery

    We think the a6100 can turn its hand to a bit of everything, see what you think of its performance.

    Click here to see our sample gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Kipon releases two Mamiya 645 to Sony E mount adapters with electronic aperture control

    Photography accessory manufacturer Kipon is now shipping two new adapters for mounting medium format lenses to Sony E mount camera systems.

    The adapters come in two varieties: the M645-S/E E, which adapts Mamiya brand Mamiya 645 mount lenses to Sony E mount cameras while the M645-S/E ES adapters Phase One or Schneider brand Mamiya 645 lenses to Sony E mount cameras.

    The two adapters are constructed of aluminum and brass, offer an infinity focus feature, and offer electronic aperture control through the camera. A previous Mamiya 645 to Sony E mount adapter has been available for some time, but it doesn’t offer the electronic contacts for aperture control and features a less pleasing design.

    The M645-S/E E and M645-S/E ES are available to purchase for $ 289 and $ 389, respectively. Shipping dates vary depending on your geographical location.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Pixel peeping the everyday: Explore our Google Pixel 4 sample gallery

    Google’s Pixel 4 promises many clever benefits thanks to computational photography, but what does that mean when you go out and shoot with it?

    We’ve been using a Pixel 4 as our always-with-us camera for the past week, trying out many of the modes and unique features available to it, including ‘Night Sight’, ‘Dual Exposure Controls’, and multiple zoom ratios. We’ve captioned each image with the mode it was shot in. Have a look at what the results look like.

    We’ve also included Raw files for download, which are the result of Google’s burst photography modes with its robust align and merge algorithms.

    $ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_0674242834″,”galleryId”:”0674242834″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sony Japan says the RX10 IV will soon receive real-time Animal Eye-AF via firmware update

    Sony Japan has announced its RX10 IV superzoom bridge-camera will receive the company’s Animal Eye-AF feature via an upcoming firmware update.

    The impending firmware will add real-time Animal Eye-AF support for still images, improve the reliability of the real-time Eye-AF already present in the camera and overall improve general stability. No definitive date has been given for the update, but Sony says it should be out before the end of the year.

    Translated press release:

    RX10IV main unit software update schedule

    Target product: “DSC-RX10M4”

    Software update contents:

    1. Real-time pupil AF support for animals (still images only)
    2. Real-time pupil AF operability improvement (Support for half-pressing the shutter button)
    3. Improved operational stability

    Scheduled release date for software updates: Scheduled for 2019

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • ‘Pro’ (noun.), abbreviation of ‘Professional’: born 1798, died 2019, aged 221 after a long illness

    We cannot stress this enough: There is no such thing as a professional AirPod user.

    We are sad to report that the word ‘Pro’, an abbreviation of the noun ‘Professional’, has died, aged 221.

    ‘Professional’, meaning “one who does it for a living,” was first defined in modern English in 1798. it rose in popularity in the early 20th Century but in recent decades has been under near-constant attack.

    Along with its abbreviation ‘Pro’, the noun form of ‘Professional’ had been showing signs of ill health for some time, but its decline accelerated in the mid-2000s, after which point it was routinely and arbitrarily appended to everything from computers and software to smartphone apps and kitchen equipment. Even then, it hung on bravely for a while, still managing to retain some of its original meaning in the face of determined misapplications which would have killed a lesser word years ago.

    When Apple added ‘Pro’ to the name of its latest smartphone, friends were warned to prepare for the worst.

    But the writing was on the wall. As a word originally created to describe a person that gets paid for doing something, it was clear by the end of the first decade of the 21st Century that ‘Pro’ had been tortured into taking an almost opposite meaning: Something that a person has to pay for.

    When Apple added ‘Pro’ to the name of its latest smartphone last month, friends of the word were warned by etymologists to prepare for the worst.

    Sadly, with the launch this week of Apple’s ‘AirPods Pro’, the word has finally been rendered meaningless, and as such, dead. Killed by professional marketing executives.

    ==

    Published from my iPhone 11 Pro

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Adobe gets license from US government to continue offering Creative Cloud in Venezuela

    Earlier this month, Adobe made the controversial announcement that its customers in Venezuela were going to lose access to Creative Cloud services as a result of an Executive Order in the United States. In an update on the matter shared on Monday, the company’s Customer Experience VP Chris Hall revealed that Adobe has been granted a license that will allow it to continue offering its services and products in Venezuela.

    Customers in Venezuela who already lost access to the services they paid for will see that access restored ‘within a week,’ according to Adobe, which will do so free of charge. Adobe will give these reactivated users 90 days of access to the same products and services for which they previously received a refund.

    For customers whose subscriptions are still active, Adobe says they’ll be able to continue accessing both Creative Cloud and Document Cloud like usual. ‘As always,’ Hall said in the blog post, ‘we continue to be deeply committed to powering creativity for all, and we’re delighted to have the ability to continue to do so in Venezuela.’

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Funleader LensCap 18mm F8.0 is an ultra-light, ultra-wide body cap lens

    Artboard, a photography gear company located in Hong Kong, has launched a new Kickstarter campaign for the Funleader CapLens 18mm F8.0 lens, a small, slim, and lightweight ultra-wide model with a fixed aperture. The lens can double as a camera body cap, according to Artboard, offering protection while retaining the option of quickly snapping ‘playful’ images.

    The Funleader CapLens 18mm F8.0 isn’t intended to offer a high level of quality, Artboard explains; rather, the company launched this model to give photographers ‘a lens for playful usage.’ The lens offers greater color accuracy and detail when compared to a Lomo camera while retaining a similar vignetting effect.

    The lens features 6 elements in 4 groups, multi-coated glass, a 0.8m minimum focusing distance, and 100-degree FOV. The model is constructed from brass with a chrome plating finish and it is ultra-light at 80g (2.8oz). Below is a gallery of a few low-resolution sample photos:

    $ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_1260982875″,”galleryId”:”1260982875″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

    Artboard is offering the Funleader in Sony E-mount and Leica L-mount as a reward for Kickstarter pledges starting at HK$ 833 (approx. $ 107). Assuming the campaign is successfully funded and the lens is produced as anticipated, the company expects shipping to backers will start in December 2019. You can find out more information and secure your pledge by heading to the Kickstarter campaign.


    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)