RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Camera’

Nikon is the latest camera company sued by DigiMedia Tech over alleged patent infringement

01 Jul

DigiMedia Tech, LLC, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against yet another camera company, this time going after Nikon over its alleged infringement of three different US patents. This lawsuit follows similar infringement cases brought against Olympus, Fujifilm and JK Imaging, all of them also over the alleged infringement of digital camera technology patents.

DigiMedia Tech is a non-practicing entity (NPE) of IPInvestments Group, which received many US patents from Intellectual Ventures LLC in November 2019. Following the patent acquisition, DigiMedia Tech has filed lawsuits against several companies over their alleged infringement of these patents — in the latest one involving Nikon, the company claims infringement of US patents No. 6,914,635, No. 7,715,476 and No. 6,545,706.

The ‘635 patent was first filed in 2001 by Nokia Mobile Phones; it involves a microminiature zoom system designed for digital cameras. The ‘476 patent was first filed in 1999 and then again in 2005; it covers a ‘system, method and article of manufacture’ related to a digital camera’s ability to track a subject’s head. The third and final patent in the lawsuit, ‘706, was filed in 1999 and likewise covers head-tracking camera technology.

The infringement lawsuit specifically names Nikon’s Coolpix A1000 as a model that allegedly infringes the ‘635 patent and the Nikon P900RM ‘and similar products’ as allegedly infringing the ‘706 and ‘476 patents. Among other things, the DigiMedia Tech lawsuit wants Nikon to pay ‘damages in an amount to be determined at trial for Defendants’ infringement, which amount cannot be less than a reasonable royalty.’

It’s unclear how much this could amount to, financially speaking. Likewise, Nikon hasn’t yet commented on the infringement lawsuit.

DigiMedia Tech’s decision to sue Nikon isn’t surprising in light of its recent activity. On May 29, the NPE filed patent infringement lawsuits against Fujifilm and Olympus, alleging that both have used digital camera technologies in select camera models that infringe on its US patents. Following that, DigiMedia Tech filed the Nikon lawsuit referenced above, then a similar complaint against JK Imaging, the company behind Kodak PIXPRO cameras, on June 24 in California Central District Court.

A full list of DigiMedia Tech’s lawsuits, including related documents, can be found through the Unified Patents portal.

A summary of each of the lawsuits DigiMedia Tech, LLC currently has against a number of camera manufacturers.

The NPE practice of exploiting acquired patents has been heavily criticized for years. These companies oftentimes don’t actually practice the invention detailed by the patent and usually don’t sell processes or products related to them. These non-practicing entities instead enforce the patent rights against companies allegedly infringing them, doing so to obtain licensing payments or some other type of revenue, such as royalties or damages, on the acquired patents.

Though not all NPEs exploit acquired patents, there are those that do. Ones that operate aggressively and file large numbers of lawsuits in order to cast a wide net to see what they catch are colloquially referred to as ‘patent trolls.’

In 2011, the Hastings Science and Technology Law Journal published a large PDF document titled ‘Indirect Exploitation of Intellectual Property Rights by Corporations and Investors’ that details NPEs and the ways they may be used. The discussion is extensive and ideal for understanding the reasoning behind these lawsuits, stating in part that patent infringement lawsuits from NPEs may be, among other things, used by:

…a sponsoring entity against a competitor to achieve a corporate goal of the sponsor. A corporation or investor, by serving as the sponsor for an IP privateering engagement, can employ third-party IPRs as competitive tools. The privateer, a specialized form of non-practicing entity (NPE), asserts the IPRs against target companies selected by the sponsor. The sponsor’s benefits do not typically arise directly from the third party’s case against a target, but arise consequentially from the changed competitive environment brought about by the third party’s IPR assertion.

Of course, DigiMedia Tech’s own reasons for filing suits against these camera companies are unclear and it’s impossible to say whether there would be an indirect benefit for a competing company as a result of these allegations. As these cases are only days and weeks old, the outcome of each lawsuit is yet to be seen.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Nikon is the latest camera company sued by DigiMedia Tech over alleged patent infringement

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Japan Camera Hunter now has a YouTube channel full of film camera geekery

30 Jun

Despite having claimed the channel name back in 2011, film photography expert Bellamy Hunt, better known as Japan Camera Hunter across the internet, only recently started posting videos to the Japan Camera Hunter YouTube channel. Much like the Japan Camera Hunter website, the Youtube channel is dedicated to all things film photography and in just the past two months, Hunt and his team have gotten out nine videos to help kickstart the channel.

As it stands, the channel currently consists of nine concise ‘Camera Geekery’ videos, which are quick summaries of cameras (and one lens) Hunt has sitting around his shop. The videos range from just under a minute to over three minutes and highlight unique features and historical backgrounds for each of the cameras. They’re quick to get through, but provide wonderful insight into just a few of the many cameras Hunt has on hand. Below are three more of the nine videos on the channel at this time:

Canonet QL17 GIII

Yashica Mat 124G

Plaubel Makina 670

In a blog post announcing the YouTube channel, Hunt notes the videos ‘are a work in progress,’ and goes on to say there are already ‘more cameras in the pipeline and [they are] are always open to (reasonable) suggestions.’ To view the rest of the videos and to subscribe, head on over to the Japan Camera Hunter YouTube channel.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Japan Camera Hunter now has a YouTube channel full of film camera geekery

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Olympus to Quit the Camera Business, Sell Brands to Investment Fund

28 Jun

The post Olympus to Quit the Camera Business, Sell Brands to Investment Fund appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

dps-olympus-to-quit-camera-business

Olympus is leaving the camera business.

After three years of financial struggle, the company has decided to sell its camera division to Japanese Industrial Partners (JIP), a firm known for its ability to successfully restructure unprofitable businesses.

In recent years, Olympus has become more heavily invested in other aspects of its business, and while the company attempted to keep its camera division moving forward, it has struggled to compete with players on either end of the spectrum. Smartphones have eaten into profits generated by hobbyist cameras, while APS-C and full-frame cameras have maintained an edge against Olympus’s semi-professional and professional models.

Then, last fall, rumors of an Olympus camera division shutdown were denied by the CEO, though it’s clear that the company was on a firm downward trajectory; as indicated in the official announcement, Olympus was hit hard by an “extremely severe digital camera market, due to, amongst others, rapid market shrink caused by the evolution of smartphones.”

And while Olympus’s mirrorless lineups were praised for their compactness and sharp lenses, the company struggled to find a habitable niche, especially as “small-but-powerful” became a common refrain of Google Pixels, iPhones, and more. And the release of higher-end bodies such as the OM-D E-M1 Mark III and the OM-D E-M1X wasn’t enough to pull more serious photographers away from leading brands such as Nikon, Canon, and Sony.

So what comes next?

JIP plans to take over the Olympus camera brands by the end of 2020. The announcement indicates that a “definitive agreement” will be signed by September 30th, with the two companies aiming to “close the transaction by December 31, 2020.”

JIP will then “succeed and maintain the research and development functions and manufacturing functions globally…to continue to offer high-quality, highly reliable products.”

This is technically good news for Olympus photographers. JIP will at least attempt to rebuild Olympus’s camera division in the interests of its current consumers. But if the camera market continues to bleed, it may be impossible for JIP to turn things around, leading to a more permanent end for the brand.

And here’s another important question:

What does this mean for the camera industry as a whole? Is Olympus an anomaly? Or is the first of many? At present, even leading camera companies are struggling to find footing, which makes me wonder whether we might witness the fall of at least a few more camera brands before the market stabilizes.

Now over to you:

What do you think about Olympus’s decision? Will it impact Olympus consumers? And will we see the decline of other major camera brands? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Olympus to Quit the Camera Business, Sell Brands to Investment Fund appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on Olympus to Quit the Camera Business, Sell Brands to Investment Fund

Posted in Photography

 

Sony Positions Announcement of New Camera to Better Compete With Canon

26 Jun

The post Sony Positions Announcement of New Camera to Better Compete With Canon appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

dps-sony-announcement-news

The Sony a7S III and the Canon EOS R5.

Neither camera is available, or even fully launched. But the Canon EOS R5’s 8K video has been the talk of the summer, leading photographers to ask:

How will Sony respond?

The a7S II is a video-centric stills camera that’s starting to show its age; it’s well in need of an update and, had Canon stayed quiet, we would have seen just that: a capable A7S II successor, released without excessive fanfare and prolonged waiting.

But with the suggestion of an 8K camera, Canon has raised the stakes. The ball is in Sony’s court, and it’s clear that Sony wants to make the most of it.

Now, the date of Canon’s EOS R5/R6 announcement has only just been confirmed as July 9th.

Which is why we are seeing a carefully-planned launch date of late July for the a7S II successor, despite Sony’s general preparedness for a launch (Sony is currently debuting the a7S II for the media and retailers, which suggests that the cameras could technically be announced at any time).

sony a7s ii successor announcement

In fact, as Sony Alpha Rumors points out, the a7S III has been registered for nearly two months, yet Sony has made no attempt to push it out into the open.

Apparently, Sony wishes to avoid any overlap with Canon, hence the later date for the a7S III. What’s curious, however, is that Sony wishes to announce their camera after Canon’s, given that the EOS R5 will surely maintain significant attention several weeks after the launch.

In fact, it’s enough to make you wonder whether Sony has a trick or two up their sleeve; for instance, is it possible that the a7S II successor might also offer 8K video? Or high-end autofocus? Or some other feature that makes it an appealing alternative to the EOS R5?

It’s impossible to know for sure, though Sony Alpha Rumors suggests that we may see some A7S III spec leaks in the weeks leading up to the launch (so keep an eye out for that!).

Bottom line:

July is shaping up to be an exciting month. And for those hybrid shooters out there, you’ll soon have two top-notch cameras to choose from!

Now over to you re the Sony announcement:

What do you think about Sony positioning the launch after Canon? And how do you think the A7S II successor will compare to the EOS R5? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Sony Positions Announcement of New Camera to Better Compete With Canon appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on Sony Positions Announcement of New Camera to Better Compete With Canon

Posted in Photography

 

Canon is sending a satellite with high-resolution camera tech into space

23 Jun

Canon will send its high-resolution CE-SAT-IB satellite camera into space as part of Rocket Lab’s next payload launch, enabling it to showcase its Earth-imaging capabilities. The private aerospace company, which is based out of California, aims to provide ‘frequent and reliable’ launches, something it will demonstrate by holding its upcoming ‘Pics or It Didn’t Happen’ launch only three weeks after its ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ mission.

The launch will be coordinated by Spaceflight Inc., the company said in a press release last week. Canon’s CE-SAT-1B is a microsatellite at only 67kg (148lbs), not to be confused with the CE-SAT-IIB satellite, which is scheduled to launch via Rocket Lab later on this year.

The optical imaging system inside the CE-SAT-1B (pictured) is based on Canon’s EOS 5D Mark III design. Image via Canon

The launch will take place on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from its Launch Complex 1 located on New Zealand’s North Island on July 4 local time. This mission will be called ‘Pics or It Didn’t Happen,’ the fourth Rocket Lab launch in the past year. The team had intended to launch the payloads earlier this year but were delayed by the pandemic.

In a statement, Canon Electronics Satellite Systems Lab group executive Dr. Nobutada Sako told Spaceflight:

This launch is very critical for Canon Electronics as we are launching a satellite where we have remarkably increased the ratio of in-house development of components compared to the previous launch. Partnering with Spaceflight on this mission has been very helpful and we look forward to a successful launch of our satellites.

Canon launched its CE-SAT-I microsatellite in 2017 from India, successfully putting its tiny satellite into orbit. The camera company detailed this effort on its global website, explaining that it already has many of the technologies necessary to build and deploy these small machines.

The CE-SAT-IB microsatellite is the first mass-produced version of the CE-SAT-1 from Canon Electronics. The satellite features solar cells and batteries for power, as well as an optical imaging system that is based on the Cassegrain 40cm telescope with a 3720mm focal length. The satellite’s detector is based on the Canon EOS 5D Mk.3 camera. With this tech, the CE-SAT-IB is able to capture Earth imagery with a resolution of 1m (3.2ft) from an orbit distance of 600km (373mi), according to NASA.

In its own announcement, Rocket Lab said last week that its launch will include a total of seven microsatellites with Canon’s CE-SAT-IB as the primary payload. Assuming everything goes according to plan, Rocket Lab plans to conduct additional launches every month for the rest of the year and into 2021. In addition to launching another Canon satellite in the coming months, Rocket Lab also anticipates its first launch for the U.S. Space Force for Q3 2020.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Canon is sending a satellite with high-resolution camera tech into space

Posted in Uncategorized

 

The ShiftCam ProGrip wants to turn your smartphone into the ultimate camera rig

19 Jun

Shiftcam is a maker of smartphone imaging accessories best known for its 6-in-1 lens slider cases and ‘Pro’ line of accessory lenses which were all launched via successful crowdfunding campaigns.

Now the company has returned to Kickstarter with a new project: the ShiftCam ProGrip. The ProGrip is a smartphone grip designed to emulate the ergonomics of a larger camera, like a DSLR or mirrorless model. Shiftcam says it wanted to create a product that combines the accessibility and convenience of mobile phones with the familiarity and control of a traditional camera.

Landscape orientation

In addition to a quite substantial hand grip the ProGrip features a Bluetooth shutter button and a pivot construction that allows for quick rotation of the phone from landscape to portrait orientation or vice versa. This means you can shoot photos or video in any orientation without altering your hand position on the grip.

Portrait orientation

Other camera-like features include a cold shoe mount that allows you to attach lighting accessories or external microphones, and a 1/4″ tripod mount. The ProGrip also comes with a built-in battery and can charge your device wirelessly using the Qi standard. ShiftCam says the battery’s 5200 mAh capacity roughly doubles your phone’s battery life.

ProGrip with accessories

Unlike previous ShiftCam cases the ProGrip is not meant to be used with a specific smartphone model but designed to work with a long list of devices including most recent Apple, Samsung, Google, LG, Huawei and Xiaomi high-end models. ShiftCam also says that ‘based on market intelligence from our case manufacturer’ the new grip will be compatible with the yet to be launched Apple iPhone 12 series.

The ProGrip doubles as a hands-free dock with charging capability when not used for image or video capture. Thanks to the pivot design it can adjusted for content consumption or video calls.

The ProGrip doubles as a charging stand.

The ProGrip will be available in two colors, Charcoal and Putty, and backers can choose from a range of pledging options on the project’s Kickstarter page. $ 99 secures you a basic grip. The $ 119 version includes some basic accessories, like a strap or pouch. For those who have more money to spend there are also dedicated photo, video, macro and ultra-wide kits that come with accessory lenses, with pricing around the $ 200 mark. The $ 399 Pro kit includes pretty much all available accessories and a total of seven lenses.

Shipping expected for November 2020. More information is available on the ShiftCam website.

Press release:

ShiftCam ProGrip: A Reassuring Battery Grip for Mobile Phone
A Smart Charging GRIP for Mobile Content Creators

ShiftCam’s latest release of an innovative ergonomic battery grip will take mobile photography to the next level. Transforming Your Mobile Device into a Professional Camera in Seconds

San Francisco, CA — (June 12, 2020) – ShiftCam, a global mobile photography gear company, has announced the launch of their latest product — ProGrip — that will be a game-changer of mobile photography for both enthusiasts and professionals. The ShiftCam ProGrip Launch will live on Kickstarter on June 16 at 1PM EDT (url: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shiftcam/progrip-areassuring-battery-grip-for-all-mobiles). This is ShiftCam’s 6th crowdfunding campaign and will be the company’s most ambitions launch yet. ProGrip will be available in two colors, Charcoal and Putty. Backers will also have the option to purchase bundle packs which includes accessories such as lenses and strap to complete the ultimate mobile photography and videography experience.

With the launch of the ProGrip, ShiftCam is on the rise to become one of the trend setters of the Mobile Photography Industry. Understanding that as the cameras on our mobile phones become more advanced and intricate with each new model, external lenses will eventually be replaced in the process. To stay ahead of the game, the designers of ShiftCam went back to their photography roots and asked themselves what is missing from the picture.

The designers recognized that one of the major differences experienced when it comes to
shooting on their phones is that it just doesn’t provide the security and balance of a traditional DSLR camera, especially while shooting for long periods of time across different locations. That is why during product development, the ShiftCam team focused on creating something that focuses on comfort and functionality to further optimize the mobile photography and videography experience. They wanted to create a product that can close the gap by combining the accessibility and convenience of mobile phones, along with the familiarity and control of a traditional camera. Thus, the creation of the ProGrip, an innovative reassuring ergonomic battery grip for your mobiles.

ProGrip is designed as a camera-like grip that allows users to securely and comfortably carry and shoot on their mobile phones. With a built in Bluetooth shutter button, you even can click and photograph like you would with a traditional camera. ProGrip also doubles as a Qi wireless battery bank which can charge your mobile phones as you shoot so you are ready to take on your next adventure. With a universal fit and a built-in pivot rotation, ProGrip can be seamlessly snapped onto most of the mobile phones and rotated to take the perfect shot. In addition, the designers also incorporated features such as cold shoe mount and 1/4″ tripod screw to the ProGrip, so you can attach your favorite accessories to complete the ultimate mobile photography and videography experience. As a bonus feature, ProGrip can also be used as a charging hands free dock for those Netflix marathons or video calls.

“We started ShiftCam with the idea to provide the tools to help safeguard the ophisticated
emotion called life and the memories that make us who we are,” said KL, founder and CEO of ShiftCam. “It is our passion for ShiftCam to be your help with the making of memories. After all, the best part of memories is making them, which is why we strive to create the best possible tool for our customers to do so, with their mobiles on the go.”

Over the last three years, the ShiftCam team has worked diligently to perfect their products. Their previous campaigns include the MultiLens cases for iPhones, as well as the ProLens Series which feature 6 distinct professional grade lenses that can be attached to mobile phones. Also, ShiftCam was notified as an honoree of the 2020 CES Innovation Awards. Prior to that, the company was honored as a recipient of the 2018 Red Dot Design Award winner and CES innovation Awards winner. ShiftCam has also been recognized by well-known media such as Mashable, CNET, Forbes, Tom’s Guide and D Preview etc. With the launch of ProGrip, ShiftCam will establish itself as one of the industry’s top players.

To learn more about ShiftCam’s ProGrip launch visit: https://progrip.shiftcam.com/

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)

 
Comments Off on The ShiftCam ProGrip wants to turn your smartphone into the ultimate camera rig

Posted in Uncategorized

 

O-Film demonstrates smartphone camera module with 85-170mm equivalent optical zoom

17 Jun

The zoom performance of smartphone cameras has improved dramatically in the last couple of years or but still lags behind conventional cameras, despite dedicated tele lenses pretty much being the norm on high-end smartphones these days. It’s fair to say that overall, zooming on a smartphone camera is at this point still a bit of a compromise, but that could soon change, though.

Chinese camera module supplier O-Film has demonstrated a periscope-style smartphone lens that provides an optical zoom range of 85-170mm (35mm equivalent). This, in theory, should provide a more consistent image quality across the zoom range than current models.

Most tele cameras inside flagship smartphones provide magnification factors between 3x and 10x compared to the primary camera, but speaking about ‘zoom’ factors in this context is slightly misleading. In most instances, the tele camera use lenses with a fixed focal length and computational methods are used to deliver the stated zoom ratios.

At intermediate zoom settings between primary and tele cameras most models use digital zoom/cropping and other computational imaging methods that combine image data from both cameras to create an output image. This Samsung system illustrated in the video below is a good example:

In practice, this means that if you want the best possible image quality you will have to shoot at the native focal lengths of either the primary or tele camera. At intermediate settings your images will, at least under close inspection, almost certainly show a loss of detail and/or a range of fusion artifacts. For example, on some models the level of detail at the center of the frame is high because this portion of the image is captured with the tele camera. Often a lack of detail is visible towards the edges, though, as these areas of the frame are ‘filled’ with digitally zoomed image data from the primary camera.

O-Film’s solution should avoid these kind of image quality inconsistencies by providing optical zoom across the entire range of focal length from 85-170mm (35mm equivalent). The module’s aperture ranges from f/3.1 at the wide end to f/5.1 at the maximum tele setting, which is pretty much in line with the apertures on most fixed-focal-length tele cameras. At only 5.9mm the module is also impressively thin which means it should fit into the sleek form factors of most current flagship devices.

The zoom range of the O-Film module is roughly equivalent to a 3-7x zoom factor but the company claims it can also provide 3-5x, 5-8x and 3.5-9.5x variants.

Like other periscope style lenses with a fixed focal length, such as the one found in Oppo’s 5x camera module, the O-Film module uses an optically-stabilized prism to divert incoming light onto the image sensor. What’s different in O-Line’s module is a piezoelectric motor that drives a module with three lens groups to adapt the focal length. The autofocus mechanism moves with the lens elements.

If the new system works as advertised in the near future image quality on smartphones could be much more consistent across the zoom range than it is now, offering greater flexibility to mobile photographers. Unfortunately, there is no word yet on when we might see the zoom in a production smartphone.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on O-Film demonstrates smartphone camera module with 85-170mm equivalent optical zoom

Posted in Uncategorized

 

L16 camera manufacturer Light abandons consumer imaging, turns to automotive

15 Jun

In 2015 a start-up called Light announced a product that appeared have the potential to revolutionize photography. The Light L16 was a portable camera that, according to the company, provided ‘excellent low-light performance and DSLR-like image quality’. However, now it looks like Light has abandoned the consumer imaging market altogether and is instead focusing on the automotive sector.

The L16 offered focal lengths between 35mm and 150mm, 4K video recording, and depth-mapping technology to adjust a photo’s depth of field and focus after it has been captured. Instead of a conventional camera/lens setup it used 16 separate cameras across its front and computational imaging methods the combine the data captured by all sensors into a single output image.

The Light L16

When the camera finally started shipping in July 2017, after some delays and a $ 30M funding round, the camera’s performance was underwhelming, though, resulting in lukewarm reviews and presumably lower than expected sales figures.

Instead of working on an improved follow-up model Light turned its attention to the mobile market, announcing partnerships with smartphone makers Sony and Xiaomi. Given the Light technology’s limited space requirements and ability to fit into a flat smartphone body this seemed like a logical next move.

It followed a $ 121M funding round led by the SoftBank Vision Fund that also included German camera makers Leica, and the news that Nokia was going to be the first smartphone brand to launch a Light camera-equipped device. The Nokia 9 PureView was launched in February 2019 and featured a circular penta-camera setup on its back.

Penta-camera setup on the Nokia 9 PureView

The five Zeiss-branded lenses all came with an equivalent focal length of 28mm, an F1.8 aperture and were placed in front of 12MP image sensors, three of which were monochrome and two RGB. In addition, there was a dedicated depth sensor.

Much like the L16, the 9 PureView camera could not convince the testers, though, with more conventional camera setups in the flagship phones from rivals Apple, Samsung or Huawei delivering better results across the board.

Now it looks very much like the Nokia 9 PureView was the first and last smartphone with Light camera technology as the company has told Android Authority in a statement that it is ‘no longer operating in the smartphone industry.’

On the Light website there are no traces of smartphone or consumer camera technology to be found anymore. Instead, a statement on the About page says ‘Light is a depth-sensing and perception technology company focused on providing automobiles with the ability to see like humans.’

The company is now focusing on the automotive sector.

Demand for camera technology in the automotive sector has been rising quickly and with autonomous vehicles being on the brink of mass production the potential for growth seems almost unlimited. If Light’s venture into automotive will be more successful than the company’s beginnings in consumer, imaging investors could finally see a return.

This said, despite the lack of success in the marketplace, both the Light L16 camera and Nokia 9 PureView smartphone will always be remembered as innovative imaging devices and secure their place in tech history.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on L16 camera manufacturer Light abandons consumer imaging, turns to automotive

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Looking to upgrade your camera battery charger? The Hähnel ProCube 2 is worth considering

14 Jun

Hähnel proCUBE2
$ 80 | Hähnel

Intro

The Hanhel ProCube 2 is a twin-battery charger that offers user-swappable plates to accommodate batteries from different camera systems. Several models are available for popular options – Canon, Nikon, Panasonic / Olympus and Sony. The only difference between them is the color of the unit and the set of plates it comes with. It is possible to swap plates between models and purchase additional ones for around $ 12 each, if you change camera systems.

I tested the ProCube 2 with batteries for the Sony A7 III (which does not ship with a charger). At $ 80, it is cheaper than Sony’s own BCQZ-1 charger (which retails for $ 98). Additionally you’re getting the ability to charge two batteries at the same time along with some other handy features not found in the BCQZ-1.

Key features

  • Ability to charge two batteries simultaneously
  • Can accommodate a wide range of batteries via interchangeable plates
  • Includes AA battery charging option
  • 12V Car lead in the box
  • Can act as a 2.4A USB power source

Hähnel claims that the ProCube 2 can charge two Sony NP-FZ100 batteries from empty to full in three hours and a single battery in two hours, something that we’ll be testing later.

The ProCube 2 is by no means the cheapest twin-charger on the market, but it does offer a unique combination of features, from an established brand. Let’s see how it performs.

What’s in the box?

Most of the popular Sony batteries can be charged with the included plates.

The Sony version that we tested includes the plates to charge Sony NP-FZ100, NP-FW50 and NP-BX1 batteries – you can only charge one type of battery at a time. Also included in the box is a plate that accepts four AA batteries which attaches magnetically to the top of the charger, with no requirement to take out the existing plate. You will have to install all four AAs though, due to the way the plate connects – and you can’t charge camera batteries and AAs at the same time.

The box also includes a 12v car adapter for charging on-the-go and various plug adapters for different countries.

Design

A simple pin and pad connection system makes plate swapping easy

As its name implies, the ProCube 2 is a small cube. It’s a solid unit finished in orange anodized aluminum. The internal battery contacts themselves are via spring loaded pins and connecting pads, so there is no need for fiddly cables . The plate ejection procedure is a little awkward as you need to use a supplied tool or other small-tipped device to release the locking mechanism. Some care is also required when changing a plate as there is only one correct orientation.

The front-mounted LCD shows you the current charge status, via a simple 5-segment capacity gauge of each battery. It also shows percentage readout for each and how much energy it has added since the start of the charge in milliamp hours – though it can’t show the actual capacity of the batteries unless you are charging from 0%.

Charging current is stated as up to 1700 mA for a single battery and 850 mA each when charging two.

The plate swap system could be simplified with a small button

When two batteries are installed The ProCube 2 charges both at the same time and it will adjust charging current individually depending on the state of charge of each battery.

The supplied eject tool is easily lost; it would have been a good idea not to have required one at all, a small button on the back would have been ideal

One thing struck me before I started testing, the supplied ejection tool is easily lost; it would have been a good idea to have a way of storing it in the base of the charger. It would have been an even better idea not to have required one at all – a small button on the back would have been ideal.

The LCD panel displays battery charge levels in %

Performance

I tested the charge time of a single battery from completely exhausted to fully charged and did it again with two exhausted batteries. The batteries I used were newish original Sony NP-FZ100s and the figures were averaged over three cycles.

Note: Sometimes, 100% on the charger doesn’t mean 100% in the camera. If the battery is removed immediately that the ProCube 2 indicates 100% charge, I noticed my camera would indicate anywhere from 95-100%. After leaving the battery charging for another five to six minutes, I’ve found that my camera will reliably report 100% charge.

Here are the results…

Time to 100% as indicated on charger

 Time to fully-charge as indicated by the camera Time to fully charge with in-box USB charger
Single Battery 1 hr 49 mins 1 hr 54 mins 4 hrs 3 mins
Dual Batteries 2 hrs 57 mins 3 hrs 3 mins

Hähnel claims that a quick 15 minute charge will provide enough power for 150 shots. This actually seems like a conservative figure from my testing, although it is very dependent on how the camera was being used. I managed to consistently get around 250-260 shots when using the LCD screen and manual focus (1 shot every 10 seconds). By comparison, a 15 minute charge via Sony’s USB charger provided enough juice for 126 -130 shots, given the same conditions.

Even your AA batteries can be accommodated

I also tested the ProCube 2 in a car with the supplied 12v lead. As the charger is designed to use 12 volts from the wall there was no change to charge times or functionality in the vehicle. This is provided the socket can provide 1.5 amps, which is usually well below the fused output on most vehicles.

It doesn’t take any longer to charge batteries in a vehicle with the ProCube 2 than it does connected to a wall socket.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that when charging batteries this unit is both much more convenient and quicker than charging up the battery in my Sony a7 III in-camera via USB.

If you’re planning a trip it’s small enough not to take up too much space in your camera bag and means that you don’t have to take a separate AA or USB chargers as well. It’s even possible to charge three batteries overnight if you connect your camera to the USB output. It will charge the batteries in the charger first, and then switch on USB power to charge the third.

The ProCube 2 also gives flexibility if you decide to change cameras and hence battery systems or if you have more than one battery type in your gear collection.

If you’re interested in the ProCube 2, are other options out there that are also worth considering. The Watson Duo gives the same sort of functionality at the same price although it’s a bit larger, and the Nitecore USN4 offers dual charging at a lower cost – although it lacks some of the features of the Hähnel.

Overall, the ProCube 2 provides a quick way of charging either single or dual batteries.

What we like

  • Works with multiple battery types
  • Quick charging
  • Sequential charge and USB power option
  • Ability to charge in a vehicle

What we don’t like

  • LCD panel percentage display sometimes disagrees with camera’s estimate
  • Tool or pen tip required for plate swap
  • No sequential AA charging feature

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Looking to upgrade your camera battery charger? The Hähnel ProCube 2 is worth considering

Posted in Uncategorized

 

DPReview TV: Do you still need camera filters for digital photography?

13 Jun

Are camera filters obsolete in the age of digital photography? Can’t we just Photoshop images? Not so fast! We take a look at four filters you still need in your camera bag.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

  • Introduction
  • Polarizers
  • Neutral density (ND) filters
  • UV filters
  • Graduated neutral density filters
  • Wrap-up

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on DPReview TV: Do you still need camera filters for digital photography?

Posted in Uncategorized

 
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »