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Researchers launch Colourise.sg, a free web app that colorizes B&W images using AI

07 Mar

Engineers with GovTech Singapore’s Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Division have launched a website called Colourise.sg that uses deep learning AI to colorize black and white images. The website doesn’t require any technical skills from the user and is free to use. Colorized results are delivered in seconds and, more often than not, are very realistic.

The project was detailed by software engineer Preston Lim, who explained that Colourise.sg was trained specifically to colorize historical black and white Singaporean photos. This differs from some competing AI-based colorizers, Algorithmia being one given example, which are often trained using an image dataset called ImageNet.

“Singapore.” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library (left), colourised photo by Colourise.sg (right)

The tool remains an excellent option for colorizing images outside of a Singaporean context, however. There are limitations to the tool, primarily that users aren’t able to specify the original color of image elements, meaning the final colorized image may be realistic, but not reflect the scene’s true colors.

According to the team behind Colourise.sg, the colorizer works best with high-resolution images featuring humans and natural scenery. The system is capable of colorizing images that contain objects it can identify based on the dataset used to train it. In photos that contain objects the AI can’t recognize, the results may include unrealistic colors as the system must simply use its best guess.

Several excellent examples of Colourise.sg’s capabilities are provided on Medium.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DxO adds support for EOS R, Nikon Z6 and numerous new lenses in PhotoLab 2.2

07 Mar

The latest version of DxO’s raw conversion software PhotoLab 2.2 brings compatibility for Canon’s EOS R mirrorless camera as well as the Nikon Z6, the EOS M50 and the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom drone. The update also introduces corrections for a collection of lenses including models from the Canon R and Nikon Z systems, and three lenses for the Hasselblad X1D.

The company says the inclusion of the new lenses and cameras means almost 3500 new modules have been added to the package in this update, taking the total to 46,248. Nikon Z system users will now be able to access corrections for the Nikkor Z fixed focal length lenses (the Nikon Z7 was added in the last update) and Canon EOS R users will get to work on their raw files as well as to correct the RF 50mm F1.2 and the RF 24-105mm F4L. Sony users will get the benefit of corrections for five third-party lenses and Micro Four Thirds photographers will finally be able to work with images from the Panasonic Leica DG Vario 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH.

The update is free for users already running v2.0 of PhotoLab while new comers will need to pay £99/€125 for the Essential edition and £159/€199 for the Elite. For more information see the DxO website.

Press release:

DxO PhotoLab 2.2: Support added for the Nikon Z 6 and the Canon EOS R

PARIS — March 6, 2019 — DxO PhotoLab, DxO’s advanced photo editing software, continues to evolve with its new update to version 2.2. After introducing and improving DxO PhotoLibrary, an image and data management system that lets users search for, select, sort, and display images, DxO PhotoLab 2.2 adds support for four new devices: the Nikon Z 6, the Canon EOS R and EOS M50, and the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom drone.

More Than 46,000 Camera/Lens Combinations Available
DxO PhotoLab 2.2 adds no fewer than 3,472 new optical modules to its library, bringing the total number of available combinations to 46,248—among them the recent NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S and NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S, as well as the CANON RF 24-105mm F4L and the CANON RF 50mm F1.2. The software also includes modules from the Hasselblad X1D’s range of autofocus lenses specifically designed for high resolution: the Hasselblad XCD 21mm F4, the Hasselblad XCD 30mm F3.5, and the Hasselblad XCD 90mm F3.2. Further, the new version supports the Mavic 2 Zoom, a DJI consumer drone with 24-48mm F2.8-3.8 lenses. Finally, version 2.2 completes its offer for Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Pentax and Sony with the following modules:

  • Panasonic Leica DG Vario 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH
  • Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
  • Samyang AF 35mm F2.8 for Sony FE
  • Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM Art for Nikon F
  • Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN C for Sony E
  • Tamron SP 35mm F1.8 Di USD (F012) for Sony Alpha
  • Tamron SP 45mm F1.8 Di USD (F013) for Sony Alpha
  • Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4 ZE for Canon EF
  • Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4 ZF.2 for Nikon F
  • Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F2 for Nikon F
  • Zeiss Loxia 25mm F2.4 for Sony FE

These optical modules are designed in DxO’s laboratories according to a proprietary scientific characterization process. They contain all the information about the specificities of thousands of camera/lens combinations. Further, they allow DxO solutions—DxO PhotoLab, DxO FilmPack, and DxO ViewPoint— to automatically correct such optical defects such as distortion, chromatic aberrations, and vignetting with a high level of quality. In addition, DxO PhotoLab is the only software that corrects the lack of sharpness in lenses without otherwise degrading the image. Thanks to its unique know-how, DxO now offers the best optical corrections on the market.

Go to https://www.dxo.com/dxo-photolab/supported-cameras/ to see the list of equipment that DxO PhotoLab 2.2 supports.

Price & Availability:
The ESSENTIAL and ELITE editions of DxO PhotoLab 2.2 (PC and Mac) are immediately available for downloading from DxO website (shop.dxo.com) at the following prices:

GBP:
DxO PhotoLab 2.2 ESSENTIAL Edition: £99
DxO PhotoLab 2.2 ELITE Edition: £159

This update is free of charge for owners of DxO PhotoLab 2. The DxO PhotoLab 2 license does not require a subscription and allows you to install the software on two workstations (DxO PhotoLab 2 ESSENTIAL Edition) or on three workstations (DxO PhotoLab 2 ELITE Edition). Photographers with a version of DxO OpticsPro or of DxO PhotoLab 1 can purchase an update to DxO PhotoLab 2 by logging into their customer account at www.dxo.com. A fully-functional trial version of DxO PhotoLab 2, valid for one month, is available on the DxO website: https://www.dxo.com/dxo-photolab/download/.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Meike announces an 85mm F1.8 lens for Sony E-mount cameras

06 Mar

Meike has announced the MK 85mm F1.8 lens, a manual focus lens designed for Sony E-mount cameras.

The lens is constructed of nine elements in six groups and features a nine-blade aperture diaphragm. It features a 67mm filter thread and a field of view of 28.5 degrees.

Meike has shared a few sample photos on its product page (shown under the ‘Photo samples’ tab towards the bottom of the page), but they’re not full-resolution and it’s not clear what Sony E-mount camera they were shot with.1

The lens is currently listed on Amazon, but pricing and availability aren’t yet mentioned.

1 We try to share sample photos in our articles when provided, but Meike inexplicably decided to provide their sample images as one long image, which measures 790 x 16,187 pixels.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K gets Raw and URSA Mini 4.6K gets 2nd-gen update

06 Mar

Blackmagic has announced its new Camera 6.2 update, adding Blackmagic RAW codec support for the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. Upon updating, BMPCC 4K owners will be able to use the camera to record in Blackmagic RAW with 3:1, 5:1, 8:1, and 12:1 constant bit-rate encoding and constant quality Q0 and Q5 recording options.

Blackmagic RAW was introduced in September 2018, but was only available for the URSA Mini Pro at that time. The format’s arrival on BMPCC 4K gives users the option to prioritize image quality or file size, depending on need, including recording at the highest settings while keeping file size to a relative minimum.

According to the company, users can record more than two hours of footage in 4K ‘full cinematic quality’ via Blackmagic RAW on a 256GB SD UHS-II card. These same inexpensive cards can now also be used when recording 4K DCI images using Blackmagic RAW 12:1. On the flip side, Blackmagic has removed the CinemaDNG formats.

Joining the Blackmagic Camera 6.2 update is the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2, a second-generation update to the URSA Mini Pro. The new G2 model offers ‘dramatic enhancement’ over the original, according to Blackmagic, bringing a new Super 35mm 4.6K sensor with 15 stops of dynamic range and all-new electronics for faster processing.

The URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 captures 4.6K images at up to 120fps and 1080p video at up to 300fps. It’s also capable of recording Blackmagic Raw. As with the first-generation URSA Mini Pro 4.6K, the G2 model features interchangeable lens mounts and ships standard with Canon’s EF mount. Blackmagic has also added a USB-C expansion port for recording to external disks. Full details can be found on Blackmagic’s website.

The Blackmagic Camera 6.2 update is available to download for free. The URSA Mini Pro G2 camera is now available to purchase for $ 5,995 USD from the company’s global resellers.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Huawei P30 Pro to come with periscope-style tele lens and updated night mode

06 Mar

Huawei will unveil the successor of its P20 series smartphone at an event in Paris on the 26th of March. However, the company has already revealed a couple of interesting details about the P30 Pro camera to Android Central during a meeting at MWC in Barcelona.

According to Huawei’s VP of Global Product Marketing, Clement Wong, the top-of-the-range model in the P30 series will feature a periscope-style tele camera, similar to what we’ve seen on OPPO’s 10x prototype that is expected to make an appearance in a finalized product any day now.

Huawei hasn’t provided any information about the exact magnification the module will provide but given the P20 Pro already offered a 3x optical and 5x optical zoom last year, we’d expect an improvement over that. So maybe, the P30 Pro will beat OPPO to the line and be the first smartphone on the market to come with a 10x optical zoom.

A photo of the moon that was recently captured with the device in question by Huawei CEO Richard Yu would certainly indicate a zoom factor that is not available on any current smartphones.

Photo: Huawei

In addition to the powerful zoom, Huawei engineers have also been working to improve the previous generation’s low light capabilities. The company did not provide any detail but suggested the next version of its night camera will be major upgrade over the already pretty impressive existing one. Despite the current lack of detail, it seems there’s a lot to look forward to for mobile photographers at the Huawei launch in a few weeks time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Would you delete all your Instagram photos to fly free for a year? JetBlue hopes so

06 Mar

Budget American airline JetBlue has announced a new promotional contest called ‘All You Can’ that offers Instagrammers the chance the win free flights for a year. The catch? To enter the contest, users must delete (or archive) every image from their Instagram account.

Once they have removed all the images from their account, Instagram users must upload an image from JetBlue that features the ‘#AllYouCanJetSweetstakes’ hashtag and the caption ‘All You Can’ in order to enter the contest. The Instagram account must be publicly visible so that JetBlue can confirm the eligibility.

It’s unclear why JetBlue requires the images to be removed as part of its contest, but it does reassure people who enter the contest that they will be able to ‘post pics from everywhere we fly,’ assuming they are one of the contest’s three winners.

Users who enter the contest must keep their Instagram profiles clear — with the exception of JetBlue’s All You Can image — until March 8, 2019, at 11:59PM ET to remain eligible. Participants can find (and optionally customize) the contest’s hashtag image here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon patent shows off ultra-fast, ultra wide 14-21mm F1.4 RF lens

06 Mar

Canon hasn’t been shy about the improvements and flexibility its new RF mount affords lens designers, but if a recent lens patent ends up coming to fruition, it might just be the most interesting RF lens we’ve seen yet.

U.S. Patent Publication Number US 2018/0314060 details the optical design for an RF 14-21mm F1.4 lens, an ultra-fast, ultra-wide-angle lens that will inevitably have astrophotographers picking their jaws off the floor.

As with all patents, there’s a good chance the lens design will never make its way past the drawing board, but recent rumors suggest this very lens could be amongst the RF lenses Canon will be announcing in 2020.

Canon assured us the new RF mount would lead to unique lens designs — this may very well be one of the designs it had in mind.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Fujifilm GFX 50R Review

05 Mar

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The Fujifilm GFX 50R is a 50 megapixel rangefinder-styled medium format mirrorless camera. It shares most of its components with the existing GFX 50S, including both its sensor and processor, but re-arranges them into a slightly smaller and less expensive package. And though the GFX 50R provides essentially the same image quality as its elder sibling, the handling and controls make for a very different shooting experience.

Key Specifications

  • 51.4MP medium format CMOS sensor (43.8 × 32.9mm) with Bayer filter array
  • 3.69M-dot OLED EVF
  • 3.2″ 2.36M-dot touch LCD tilts up/down
  • AF-point-selection joystick
  • Weather-sealing
  • 1/125 sec flash sync speed
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • 1080/30p video capture
  • In-camera Raw processing
  • Dual SD card slots (UHS-II)
  • USB C socket
  • Wi-Fi with Bluetooth

The Fujifilm GFX 50R is available now with a recommended selling price of $ 4500.

Fujifilm has also announced a GF 50mm F3.5 ‘pancake’ lens, shown here in mockup form at Photokina 2018.

Alongside the announcement, Fujifilm also added a 40mm-equivalent ‘pancake’-style 50mm F3.5 lens to its lineup. This lens hasn’t arrived as of this writing, unfortunately, but should pair well with the (comparatively) compact 50R body.

What’s new and how it compares

The GFX 50R contains many familiar ingredients but what’s new?

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Body and controls

The GFX 50R has a different body style, how does that impact the handling and operation?

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Image quality

Check out how the GFX 50R performs in front of our standard studio test scene.

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Image quality vs. full-frame

The GFX 50R’s sensor is excellent but so are those of its full-frame peers. Even in a high dynamic range scene there’s little real-world difference.

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Autofocus and video

With a contrast-detection AF system and 1080P video, the GFX 50R isn’t a barnstormer in these areas. But then again, it’s really not meant to be.

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Conclusion

The GFX 50R is capable of incredible detail, but there may be other better-rounded options out there better for you and your style of photography.

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Sample gallery

Take a peek through our full production sample gallery from the GFX 50R.

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Specifications

See the full list of the GFX 50R’s specifications.

Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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SmallHD launches Focus 7, a $699 seven-inch touchscreen monitor

05 Mar

SmallHD has launched Focus 7, a new seven-inch on-camera model that features a 1000 nit display and which offers dual battery slots. The Focus 7 has a 1920×1200 pixel resolution which equates to 323 pixels per inch of the 16×9 display, and can accept footage of up to 4K in 30p.

Designed with a pair of mounts for Sony L-Type batteries and the ability to power the camera via an optional battery adapter cable, the Focus 7 allows batteries to be swapped out during recording. The monitor offers full size HDMI input, a 3.5mm headphone socket and SD card storage. SmallHD says the screen has a viewing angle of 160-degrees, so it is able to be comfortably used by more than one person at a time.

The monitor runs the company’s OS3 software that allows users to customise tools, pinch to zoom, to desqueeze anamorphic footage and view waveform, vectorscope and histogram displays. LUTs can be loaded via the SD card slot or the USB port.

The SmallHD Focus 7 is available now, and costs $ 699. For more information see the SmallHD website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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