RSS
 

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha 5G will pack a 108MP camera and wrap-around ‘Surround Screen’

25 Sep

Xiaomi has officially introduced its Mi Mix Alpha, a 5G concept phone featuring a ‘true’ bezel-free experience. The phone has a massive 180.6% screen-to-body ratio, meaning the display wraps around the edges of the phone and covers the majority of the device’s rear panel. Similarly impressive is the device’s 108MP camera with its 12032 x 9024 pixel resolution.

Xiaomi teased the Mi Mix Alpha’s existence in early August at its Future Image Technology Communications Conference in Beijing. At the time, the company said it would be the first company to pack Samsung’s 108MP ISOCELL sensor into a smartphone, though it didn’t provide any other details at the time.

During its latest event today, Xiaomi introduced the camera that packs that sensor, its new Mix Mix Alpha with Surround Screen. This phone features aerospace titanium, a single power button on the top, pressure-sensitive sides, and a fingerprint sensor hidden underneath the display.

The Mi Mix Alpha is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset alongside 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM. Joining the 108MP sensor is a secondary rear 12MP telephoto camera with dual PD focus and 2x optical zoom. The phone doesn’t feature a traditional front ‘selfie’ camera due also having a display on the back of the handset — the rear camera is, technically speaking, a front camera as well.

Xiaomi describes the Mi Mix Alpha as a ‘5G concept smartphone.’ According to Engadget, the company plans to produce a small number of units for sale in China at 19,999 yuan (approx. $ 2800 / €2,550) starting in December, but the company’s broader plans for the model, including international availability, are unclear at this time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha 5G will pack a 108MP camera and wrap-around ‘Surround Screen’

Posted in Uncategorized

 

DULENS APO 85mm F2 is a new manual prime lens for Canon EF, Nikon F camera systems

25 Sep

A new Chinese optics manufacturer has released the DULENS APO 85mm F2, a manual medium telephoto prime for Canon EF and Nikon F camera systems.

Although not much is known about DULENS itself, Newsshooter is reporting it’s been told that the optical engineer behind DULENS is the same who helped bring the NiSI F3 and MAVO prime lenses to life.

The lens, which is inspired by the Zeiss Sonnar series, is constructed of seven elements in six groups and includes an Apochromatic element to reduce chromatic aberration. It measures 5.8cm (2.28in) long, weighs 350g (12.35oz), features a 29-degree field-of-view, uses a 55mm front filter thread and has a minimum focusing distance of 90cm (35.43in).

Below are a number of high-resolution sample images shared on the product listing. These were shot with the lens on a Lumix S1 using an EF adapter:

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_3582120122″,”galleryId”:”3582120122″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

The lens is available to pre-order in black and silver varieties for Canon EF and Nikon F camera systems. It’s currently listed for ¥2999 (approximately $ 420) on Chinese retailer Taobao, but Newsshooter says the company intends to release the lens in the United States and Europe market for $ 599.

We have contacted the retailer for more information on the lens and availability and will update this article if and when we receive a response.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on DULENS APO 85mm F2 is a new manual prime lens for Canon EF, Nikon F camera systems

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Samsung announces 43.7MP ISOCELL Slim GH1 mobile sensor with 0.7?m pixels

24 Sep

Samsung has announced its tiniest camera sensor to date, the ISOCELL Slim GH1.

Designed specifically for ‘slim full-display devices,’ the pixels measure just 0.7 micrometers (?m) each for a total 43.7-megapixels (7,968 x 5,480 pixels) of resolution. As its name suggests, the ISOCELL Slim GH1 uses Samsung’s ISOCELL Plus technology, which uses pixel isolation to minimize color cross-talk, an issue that becomes more problematic the smaller pixels get.

Samsung also notes the ISOCELL Slim GH1 offers its Tetracell technology, which uses pixel-merging methods to give the sensor ‘light sensitivity equivalent to that of a 1.4?m-pixel image sensor.’

The ISOCELL Slim GH1 is capable of recording 4K video at up to 60 frames per second by using Samsung’s Tetracell technology to downsample the footage down to 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, a resolution that covers the standard resolution of 4K video (3,840 x 2,160 pixels). It also features phase detection autofocus, real-time HDR capabilities and gyro-based electronic image stabilization (EIS).

Samsung says it will start production of the ISOCELL Slim GH1 by the end of the year, meaning we probably won’t see it inside any devices until 2020. Based on the ‘Slim’ nomanclature and the mention of ‘selfie’ in the press release, it’s likely this particular sensor will be used as a front-facing camera, although it’s certainly not limited to such implementations.

Press release:

Samsung Introduces Industry’s First 0.7?m-pixel Mobile Image Sensor

Samsung ISOCELL Slim GH1 offers 43.7 megapixels in an extremely compact package, ideal for slim full-display smartphones

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today introduced the industry’s first 0.7-micrometer (?m)-pixel image sensor, the 43.7-megapixel (Mp) Samsung ISOCELL Slim GH1. Thanks to advanced ISOELL Plus technology, the new ultra-high-resolution GH1 image sensor embraces 43.7-million 0.7?m-sized pixels in a super-small package, providing the optimum solution for slim full-display devices.

“Samsung has been stepping up in pixel technology innovation from the industry’s first 1.0?m-pixel image sensor, to most recently, 0.8?m ultra-high-resolution sensors at 64Mp and 108Mp,” said Yongin Park, executive vice president of the sensor business at Samsung Electronics. “We are pleased to deliver yet another breakthrough with the industry’s first 0.7?m pixel image sensor, the ISOCELL Slim GH1 that will enable sleeker and more streamlined designs as well as excellent imaging experiences in tomorrow’s smartphones.”

The ISOCELL Slim GH1 is the industry’s first mobile image sensor to adopt the smallest pixel size in the industry at 0.7?m. By utilizing ISOCELL Plus, Samsung’s latest pixel isolation technology that minimizes color cross-talk and optical loss, the tiny 0.7?m pixels are able to absorb sufficient light information to produce bright and vivid photographs. In low-light environments, the GH1 makes use of pixel-merging Tetracell technology that enables higher light sensitivity equivalent to that of a 1.4?m-pixel image sensor.

For video recording at 4K (3,840×2,160) resolutions, the ISOCELL Slim GH1, with a high resolution of 7,968×5,480, is able to take 4K videos with minimum loss in field of view (FoV), while most high-resolution image sensors crop or scale down full image resolutions that result in a reduced FoV. Using Tetracell technology, the GH1 is converted down to 3,984×2,740, a resolution that snugly covers the 4K (3,840×2,160) resolution, allowing users to capture more detailed backgrounds when recording high-resolution videos or selfies at 60T frames per second (fps).

For sharper photographs and video, the GH1 supports a gyro-based electronic image stabilization (EIS) and a high-performing phase detection auto-focus technology, Super PD, allowing fast and accurate autofocus. In addition, the real-time high dynamic range (HDR) feature delivers more balanced exposure and richer color even in mixed-light environments.

The Samsung ISOCELL Slim GH1 is expected to be in mass production by the end of this year.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Samsung announces 43.7MP ISOCELL Slim GH1 mobile sensor with 0.7?m pixels

Posted in Uncategorized

 

High resolution Sony a7R IV pixel shift images added to studio scene, sample gallery updated

24 Sep

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_0635778599″,”galleryId”:”0635778599″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

One of the eye-catching features of the Sony a7R IV is its 16-image pixel-shift mode. This shoots four images centered around one position then shifts the sensor half a pixel sideways and takes another four, then another half pixel… until it’s taken 16 images. These 16 images can be turned into 240 megapixel images.

We’ve added pixel-shift images to our studio scene at several different ISO settings, along with a couple of real-world examples to our sample gallery showing both the 4-image demosaicing mode as well as the high-res 16-image mode. Just for good measure, we’ve added more standard images to the gallery as well.

Studio Scene

$ (document).ready(function() { ImageComparisonWidget({“containerId”:”reviewImageComparisonWidget-52074786″,”widgetId”:715,”initialStateId”:4752}) })

Image Processing

We’ve processed the images in the studio scene using PixelShift2DNG, because it allows us to use our standard Adode Camera Raw processing to maximize comparability with other cameras in the scene.

It should be noted that Imaging Edge has a setting called ‘Px Shift Multi Shoot. Correction,’ adjustable in eleven steps between 0 and 1, that smooths some of the stair-stepping and chequerboard errors that can appear in the image. The shots in our test scene effectively have this set to 0.

Before making this decision, we compared this output with the results from Sony’s own Image Edge software. We’ve created a rollover that compares the PixelShift2DNG result to the Imaging Edge output with sharpening, noise reduction and Px Shift Correction minimized, and to the default Imaging Edge result.

DNG -> ACR Imaging Edge Modified Imaging Edge Defaults

We’ve uploaded the Image Edge-combined ‘ARQ’ files to the studio scene, but you can download the combined DNGs here:

16-image files merged using PixelShift2DNG
  • ISO 100
  • ISO 6400
  • ISO 51200
  • ISO 102400

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on High resolution Sony a7R IV pixel shift images added to studio scene, sample gallery updated

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Sony a9 firmware update adds Animal Eye AF, interval shooting and more

24 Sep

Sony has officially released the latest firmware for its a9 full-frame mirrorless camera, bringing with it Real-Time Eye AF for animals, interval shooting and more.

Firmware version 6.00 makes good on Sony’s promise to bring Real-Time Eye AF for animals to its flagship mirrorless camera. As detailed previously when Sony launched Animal Eye AF on its a7R III and a7 III, the new mode will be available to select alongside Human Eye AF in the autofocus menu.

Only one of the modes can be selected at once and the Animal Eye AF will be slightly slower than Human Eye AF due to the increased processing power required, but the a9 shouldn’t have any problem keeping up. Sony has a detailed documentation page to read up on all of the intricacies of the Animal Eye AF mode.

The firmware update also includes built-in Interval Shooting, a feature we previously detailed with the a7R III and a7 III update:

Now, it’s easy to capture between 1 and 9999 photographs in 1 to 60 second intervals. The new feature also includes an auto exposure (AE) sensitivity setting that can be adjusted between High, Mid or Low to account for changing exposures throughout the set capture time. The resulting images can also be put together into a full video using Sony’s Imaging Edge app, which will process the Raw photographs and output the final video to YouTube, PlayMemories Online and other online video services.

Another addition is the ability to select the Focus Frame Color so it’s easier to see it in various environments, as well as the ability to make the ‘My Menu’ appear when the menu button is pressed on the camera. Bugs have also been addressed to smooth out the overall stability of the a9.

Firmware version 6.0 for the a9 is available for free on Sony’s support page for macOS (direct download) and Windows (direct download).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Sony a9 firmware update adds Animal Eye AF, interval shooting and more

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Yasuhara announces Anthy 35mm F1.8 lens for Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras

24 Sep

Budget Japanese optics manufacturer Yasuhara has announced the Anthy 35mm F1.8 manual lens for full-frame mirrorless camera systems.

The Anthy 35mm F1.8 lens (translated) is constructed of nine elements in seven groups and features a nine-blade aperture diaphragm with an F1.8 to F16 range. The front filter thread is 52mm, it has a minimum focusing distance of 40cm (15.75in) and the lens weighs 409g (14.3oz).

The lens is entirely manual and doesn’t feature electrical contacts, meaning no metadata will be sent to the camera it’s attached to and, if applicable, the ‘release without lens’ setting will need to be turned on.

The lens is set for a fall 2019 release and will be available in Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony E mounts. No pricing information has been given at this time. We have contacted Yasuhara and will update this article if we hear back about pricing information.

Below are three full-resolution sample images captured with the lens on a Canon EOS R:

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_0613491610″,”galleryId”:”0613491610″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

We haven’t heard much about Yasuhara in the past and its lens lineup is rather limited, so we can’t attest to the image quality or durability of its lenses, but the company recently celebrated its seventh year in business. Yasuhara also has Anthy-branded 50mm and 85mm lenses in development (translated).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Yasuhara announces Anthy 35mm F1.8 lens for Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras

Posted in Uncategorized

 

The ultra-wide camera in the iPhone 11 models is fixed-focus, doesn’t support Raw capture

24 Sep

Last week, Apple debuted its new iPhone 11 devices, all three of which feature an ultra-wide camera module. This marks the first time Apple has put an ultra-wide camera in an iOS device and with the new camera comes all-new capabilities and shooting modes.

Not all of the cameras are made equal though. In addition to not having optical image stabilization, it’s been revealed the ultra-wide camera unit on all three models isn’t yet capable of capturing Raw image data or manual focus, unlike the wide-angle camera (and telephoto camera on the iPhone 11 Pro models).

Revealed by Halide developer Ben Sandofsky, the ultra-wide camera has a fixed-focus lens and doesn’t offer any Raw photo output. The reasoning isn’t yet known, but as noted by a number of responses to Sandofsky’s tweet, it’s possible the reason for not offering Raw output from the ultra-wide camera is due to the barrel distortion present in the uncorrected images from the ultra-wide camera. If not corrected, the distortion would be dramatic considering the 13mm (35mm equivalent) focal length, and without having iOS apps with that correction built-in it would result in rather distorted images.

It’s possible Apple could turn on Raw support in a later iOS update, but for now, Raw capture is limited to the other two camera modules.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on The ultra-wide camera in the iPhone 11 models is fixed-focus, doesn’t support Raw capture

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Rock Bar is a sleek and slim weighting system designed to replace sandbags

24 Sep

California company Rock Bar has introduced a much tidier solution to weighing down tripods and light stands with a new weight case that straps securely to legs and center columns to provide extra stability.

The Rock Bar system comprises a nylon zip-up tube that comes filled with seven pounds of recycled steel and which uses straps at either end of its body to attach to legs without swaying in windy conditions.

The number of weights in the body can be adjusted by the user depending on the conditions and the equipment being supported, and the slim-line pouch is designed not to get in the way or to catch the wind itself. Rock Bar is aimed at tripod users, and those hanging lights on high stands and boom arms, and is intended to replace sandbags and other types of hanging ballast.

The case measures 31.75×6.35×6.98cm (12.5×2.5×2.75in) and costs $ 45. For more information see the Rock Bar website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Rock Bar is a sleek and slim weighting system designed to replace sandbags

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom add support for newer Sony, Panasonic and Fujifilm cameras

24 Sep

Adobe recently released the September update for its Camera Raw plugin, the software that enables users to import and edit Raw images in the company’s creative software applications like Photoshop and Bridge.

Camera Raw version 11.4.1 adds support for four additional camera models: Fujifilm X-A7, Sony A7R IV (ILCE-7RM4), Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H, and the Sony RX100 VII (DSC-RX100M7). The new camera support is also available in Lightroom and Lightroom Classic starting with versions 2.4.1 and 8.4.1, respectively.

With the updated support, users can edit RAF images from the Fujifilm X-A7, as well as RW2 files from the Lumix DC-S1H and ARW files from the two newly added Sony cameras. Adobe Camera Raw 11.4.1 is available to download for Windows and macOS for free from Adobe’s website. The Lightroom and Lightroom Classic updates should be available through Adobe’s Creative Cloud desktop app.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom add support for newer Sony, Panasonic and Fujifilm cameras

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Rumor: The Olympus E-M5 III to be launched October 17th, use same 20MP sensor as E-M1 II

24 Sep

According to the most recent report from 4/3 Rumors, Olympus’ next camera, presumed to be the E-M5 III, will be announced on October 17, 2019, and feature the same 20-megapixel sensor that’s inside the E-M1 II.

In its report, 4/3 Rumors breaks down the summary of the rumored information it’s received thus far saying with ’99 percent’ certainty that the announcement will be made on October 17, 2019, and with ’80 percent’ certainty, the new camera will feature the same 20MP 121 cross-type phase-detection sensor as the E-M1 II.

The report also states with ’90 percent’ certainty the new camera will come with a new processor that should, in theory, result in better image quality despite using the same sensor. Other details in the report say with ’60 percent’ certainty that the camera will have a ‘lighter, more plasticky but still weather-sealed body’ and use the same BLS-50 battery also used by the Olympus PEN and E-M10 cameras.

If this information does end up holding true, the E-M5 III is shaping up to be an incremental improvement rather than a revolutionary advancement.

Update (September 23, 2019): Corrected to reflect the 20MP sensor the rumored E-M5 III will be based on is in fact the E-M1 II, not the E-M5 II.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Rumor: The Olympus E-M5 III to be launched October 17th, use same 20MP sensor as E-M1 II

Posted in Uncategorized

 
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »