360Photography

Tag: Camera

  • TTArtisans releases its 21mm F1.5 prime lens for Leica M-mount camera systems

    Third-party Chinese lens manufacturer TTArtisan has released it’s latest lens, a 21mm F1.5 prime for Leica M-mount camera systems.

    The fully-manual lens is constructed of 13 elements in 11 groups, has an aperture range of F1.5-F16 and features a 10-blade aperture diaphragm. The lens has minimum focusing distance of 70cm (27.6in) and a clicked aperture ring.

    We haven’t tested any of TTArtisan lenses here at DPReview, but Vincent Bihler has a great review of the TTArtisan 35mm F1.4 on 35mmc and if the image (and build) quality of the 35mm lens is anything to go by from his review, the 21mm F1.5 will likely offer plenty of bang for your buck.

    The TTArtisan 21mm F1.5 Leica M-mount lens is available on Amazon* for $ 429.

    *Full disclosure: DPReview is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon. We maintain full editorial independence from our parent company.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • MIT project uses camera and AI to ‘record’ hidden objects using the shadows they cast

    Researchers with MIT’s Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have published a study detailing the use of cameras and artificial intelligence to recreate hidden actions based only on the shadows they cast. The method produces fairly low-quality results at this time but may be refined for future computational photography purposes that include helping self-driving cars ‘see’ hidden objects in their environment.

    Shadows can reveal the presence of things a person may not be able to directly see; in the most obvious example, someone could, for example, perceive that a person is standing around a nearby corner because of the shadow they cast on the sidewalk. Though humans can perceive the movement of objects using their shadows, we cannot determine their colors and may not be able to determine their shape.

    The newly detailed MIT AI can, however, recreate videos that include hints about an object’s color and shape based on the shadows it produces. As demonstrated in the video above, the AI was surprisingly capable of recreating the movement and general shape of hands and forearms in motion out of view of the camera. As well, the algorithm generated a video of hands moving large blocks and a small ball, recreating part of each object’s color.

    This is the latest example of researchers combining cameras and artificial intelligence to produce seemingly magical results. This past summer, for example, experts with Facebook Research and the University of Washington unveiled an algorithm that can generate ‘living’ animations from individual still images.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Are Camera Tripods Universal?

    A tripod is an essential part of every shutterbug’s gear. It is used by every type of photographer, hobbyist, or professional, no matter what they specialize in. When you start looking out for a tripod, you’ll notice that there are thousands of tripods available from different brands and different price points. Which brings us to the topic of this post—are Continue Reading

    The post Are Camera Tripods Universal? appeared first on Photodoto.


    Photodoto

  • Canon releases minor 1.6.0 firmware update for its EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera

    It’s been just over two months since firmware version 1.4.0 for the EOS R was released, but Canon is back at it again with a minor firmware update that adds support for a new lens and addresses a number of small bugs.

    Firmware version 1.6.0 doesn’t bring any major autofocus changes as firmware version 1.4.0 did, but it does add support for Canon’s new RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS lens and fixes a number of issues:

    • Corrects a phenomenon in which the function or setting value assigned to the control ring may change when the control ring is operated in Eco mode.
    • Corrects a phenomenon in which the camera may stop operating properly during “auto-transfer” when using Camera Connect with a Wi-Fi connection.
    • Corrects a phenomenon in which high-speed synchronization with the use of an external flash may not operate properly depending on the camera’s setting for C.Fn2 “Set shutter speed range”.

    Firmware version 1.6.0 is available to download on Canon USA’s website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sony Is Now Beating Nikon in Camera Sales. What Does This Mean for the Industry?

    The post Sony Is Now Beating Nikon in Camera Sales. What Does This Mean for the Industry? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

    Sony-beating-Nikon

    According to Nikkei, Nikon has now dropped behind Sony on overall camera sales, leaving the market with these adjusted rankings:

    Canon, #1.

    Sony, #2.

    And Nikon, #3.

    This hardly comes as a surprise, given recent market trends in digital camera sales, along with Nikon’s recently forecasted loss in imaging products (instead of an originally predicted profit).

    The truth is that digital camera sales are bleeding across the board, not just for Nikon. In recent years, sales have dropped for Canon, Nikon, and Sony, but Nikon’s poor performance has allowed Sony to creep past them in the rankings.

    Note that Sony was already leading the industry in full-frame camera market share, and was also leading Nikon in interchangeable lens camera sales.

    In other words: Sony’s success is simply another step on the road to its digital camera dominance.

    For Nikon shooters, this is far from good news. As of right now, Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless lineup is in its early stages, with only two cameras and a handful of lenses. But if Nikon decides that its imaging business is costing too much money, the leadership may decide to head into the safer waters of its precision equipment business (where Nikon is performing well and profits are steadier).

    If this happens, we could see a decline in both the number and quality of Nikon products.

    And then, assuming that digital camera sales continue in the downward direction, and assuming that Canon and Sony continue to push for market dominance, we might see the end of Nikon’s imaging business, period.

    Is speculating about the end of Nikon cameras a bit alarmist?

    Maybe.

    But reports regarding camera sales have been nothing but alarming in recent years, defying expectations and suggesting that things are changing faster than anyone could have predicted. And with recent speculation about Olympus’s camera business shutting down, well, it’s hard not to wonder.

    So what do you think? Will Nikon remain competitive in the camera industry? Or will the company decide to focus on other areas and drop its image business entirely?

    Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

    The post Sony Is Now Beating Nikon in Camera Sales. What Does This Mean for the Industry? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


    Digital Photography School

  • Have your say: Best camera of 2019

    Best camera of 2019

    Despite all of the doom and gloom about contraction in the digital photography industry as a whole, 2019 saw plenty of new cameras released, some of which were very important – and seriously impressive. These include Fujifilm’s 100MP GFX 100, Sony’s new flagship a7R IV, and Canon’s affordable full-frame EOS RP, among others.

    But which was your favorite? This your chance to let us know. And if you think we missed something, please leave a comment.

    Voting runs through December 15th, and once the vote has closed we’ll run a second poll to find your choice for overall product of the year.

    Canon

    Canon had a busy year, releasing products across its entire lineup from large-sensor PowerShot compacts to the full-frame EOS RP. Did any of them make it into your gear bag, or shopping list for the holiday season?

    Let us know if you think any of these cameras deserve a place on our list of best products of 2019.

    • Canon EOS M200
    • Canon EOS M6 Mark II
    • Canon EOS RP
    • Canon EOS Rebel SL3 (EOS 250D / EOS Kiss X10)
    • Canon EOS 90D
    • Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II
    • Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III

    Fujifilm

    Fujifilm consolidated both its APS-C and medium-format lineups this year. The 100MP, 4K video-capable GFX 100 was inevitably the release which generated most attention, but the X-Pro3 and X-T30 both represented strong competition in the midrange / enthusiast APS-C market. Meanwhile the X-A7 was among our favorite entry-level ILCs of the year. What’s your opinion?

    • Fujifilm GFX 100
    • Fujifilm X-Pro3
    • Fujifilm X-T30
    • Fujifilm X-A7

    Leica

    Leica gets a lot of criticism for making products which most photographers will never be able to afford, but in recent years the company has somewhat changed direction. While the SL2 and Q2 are undoubtedly pricey, they also offer a combination of features which is not available in any other single competitor, along with useful refinements like solid connectivity options and weather-sealing.

    We really like the Q2 and SL2, but do either of them deserve to be ranked among the best cameras of 2019? Let us know by casting your vote.

    • Leica Q2
    • Leica SL2

    Nikon

    The only mirrorless camera released by Nikon this year was the Z50. Resembling a downsized Z6 (which is not at all a bad thing, given how nice that camera is to use) the Z50 is Nikon’s first APS-C format mirrorless, and one of the most attractive and ergonomically refined cameras in its class. But that’s just our opinion – what’s yours?

    • Nikon Z50

    Olympus

    Olympus’s camera releases this year spanned the breadth of its lineup, from the TG-6 weather-sealed compact up to the OM-D E-M1X – the company’s first truly ‘professional’ Micro Four Thirds mirrorless model. Meanwhile the very compact, highly-specc’d OM-D E-M5 III is a camera solidly in the traditional OM-D mold, offering plenty of features in a very portable body.

    Do either or all three of these models make your list of favorite cameras of 2019?

    • Olympus Tough TG-6
    • Olympus OM-D E-M1X
    • Olympus OM-D E-M5 III

    Panasonic

    This year for Panasonic was mostly about growing its S1-series full-frame mirrorless cameras, but alongside the S1, S1R and video-oriented S1H, the company also launched the DC-G95, a very likable Micro Four Thirds model aimed at enthusiast and hobbyist photographers. Let us know what you think of them by casting your vote.

    • Panasonic Lumix DC-G95
    • Panasonic Lumix DC-S1
    • Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R
    • Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H

    Ricoh

    Ricoh only released one major camera this year but it’s one of our all-time favorites. The GR III is a tiny, powerful compact with an APS-C sensor and a sharp 28mm equivalent lens. In our opinion it’s a great travel companion if you don’t need a zoom, but what do you think?

    • Ricoh GR III

    Sony

    Sony hasn’t taken its foot off the gas much in recent years, and 2019 saw several major camera launches. The a6100 and a6600 update the company’s APS-C lineup, while the a7R IV is a full-frame high-technology flagship worthy of the term. Meanwhile the Cyber-shot RX100 VII updates the already highly capable RX100 VI with improved autofocus.

    Do any of these cameras get your vote for best of 2019? Let us know.

    • Sony a6100
    • Sony a6400
    • Sony a6600
    • Sony a7R IV
    • Sony a9 II
    • Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

    Vote now!

    .

    Have your say

    $ (document).ready(function() { Poll({“pollId”:”8788837718″,”openForVoting”:true,”mainElementId”:”poll0″,”slot”:null,”isSingleChoicePoll”:false,”minNumberOfChoices”:1,”maxNumberOfChoices”:3}); })

    Have your say: Best camera of 2019
    Your answers
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    Canon EOS M200

    Canon EOS M6 Mark II

    Canon EOS RP

    Canon EOS 90D

    Canon EOS Rebel SL3 (250D / Kiss X10)

    Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II

    Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III

    Fujifilm GFX 100

    Fujifilm X-A7

    Fujifilm X-T30

    Fujifilm X-Pro3

    Leica Q2

    Leica SL2

    Nikon Z50

    Olympus Tough TG-6

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 III

    Olympus OM-D E-M1X

    Panasonic Lumix DC-G95

    Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

    Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R

    Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H

    Ricoh GR III

    Sony a6100

    Sony a6400

    Sony a6600

    Sony a9 II

    Sony a7R IV

    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII

    Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick as many products as you like, and rank them in order of priority.

    Poll Rules:

    This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It’s not sponsored, promoted or paid for in any way and DPReview doesn’t care how you vote. Our readers’ polls are run on the basis of trust. As such, we ask that you only vote once, from a single account.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sony overtakes Canon and Nikon to dominate the full-frame camera market in Japan

    Sony has overtaken Canon and Nikon to claim the top slot for full-frame camera market share in Japan, according to BCN Ranking. Sony showed growth in the overall full-frame, APS-C and fixed-lens digital camera categories from November 2018 to October 2019, as well.

    Ultimately, Sony saw its total full-frame camera market share in Japan increase from 31.6% to 38%, while Canon was bumped down to second place at 36% market share compared to last year’s 37.8%. Nikon came in at 24% of the full-frame market, a decrease from last year’s 29.1%.

    As the figure below shows, Sony dominated both unit sales (dark blue) and total value sales (light blue) across all three camera categories. Canon and Nikon were down across the board with the exception of a slight 6.6% full-frame unit sales increase from Canon over the past year.

    Nikon saw the most severe decreases in unit and value sales across the board, experiencing more than a 30% drop in value sales in the APS-C market, among other things. In comparison, Sony experienced a more than 44% increase in value sales in the same category over the past year.

    BCN notes full-frame mirrorless and DSLR sales comprise of just 10% of the overall camera market, which is largely dominated by APS-C mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

    The company also notes that Canon and Nikon’s slow move into the full-frame mirrorless market has given Sony a headstart; only time will tell whether the company manages to hold its lead as competition heats up.

    In 2018, Sony stated intentions of becoming the ‘top brand in the overall camera market,’ a goal it has made considerable progress in achieving. As DPReview reported in May, Sony took the #2 spot from Nikon in the interchangeable lens camera market last year with 23% of the market share (based on revenue).

    Sony said at the time that it had claimed 24% of the overall global still camera market in its fiscal year 2018, an increase of 4% compared to its global market share in 2017. Meanwhile, Nikon’s struggles were reflected in its most recent quarterly financial report; the company revised down its Imaging Products revenue outlook for the fiscal year ending in March 2020 due to shrinking sales.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown

    The post News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

    olympus denies shutdown rumors

    Olympus photographers, look out:

    Over the past few weeks, the future of Olympus’s camera business has been the subject of much speculation.

    It started when a Personal View admin argued that the Olympus camera division was on the way out, claiming that “closure is near,” and it can “happen in less than 8 months.” The article stated that “it is total instability now in [the Olympus] camera division,” and went on to say that “in various countries, people are running and looking for new positions.” The author also pointed to an Olympus financial report, which revealed that camera revenue has fallen by 17%.

    Yet this was rebutted by Olympus; the company quickly released a statement:

    Olympus Imaging products play an important role as technology drivers for all Olympus business lines, including the advanced digital technologies used in Olympus’ Medical, Industrial and Scientific businesses. Olympus does indeed plan to continue to develop its imaging produce lines, bringing products to life that embody Olympus’ core benefits, including system compactness and superior lens optics.

    For Olympus shooters out there, the relief was short-lived. Because just days later, Bloomberg published an article reporting that the Olympus CEO, Yasuo Takeuchi, “backtracked on some his comments in the past that the camera business was not for sale, saying that may not be the case anymore.” This was followed by Bloomberg reporting that “Olympus plans to regularly reassess its business portfolio to focus on its medical business.”

    As expected, this resulted in another swarm of rumors and speculation, which were acknowledged in a recent statement by Olympus:

    As announced in our Corporate Strategy, Olympus is further focusing on our Medical business and follows the strong ambition for all of our businesses to be profitable and contribute to our overall business objectives. In that regard, we are continuously evaluating our overall portfolio, as announced in our Corporate Strategy on November 6, 2019.

    For Imaging, however, we currently have no plans to sell the business. The task is therefore to stabilize and strengthen its market position. To achieve that, we are actively running marketing activities, and have already established a clear and exciting product roadmap for the coming months and years. We are actively pursuing future technology developments that will enhance photography and video for creators. Furthermore, Imaging is and will continue to be an important technology and innovation driver for our other businesses.

    Our Imaging business features a unique product portfolio. Olympus products are compact and lightweight, feature market leading image stabilization and autofocus. Many of our high-end products are also splash-proof. No other product offers customers this level of optical excellence paired with the highest mobility.

    Just last month we launched our new OM-D E-M5 Mark III – a light yet feature packed addition to our semi-pro camera portfolio, inheriting pro-features like a high precision AF from our OM-D E-M1 Mark II model. Furthermore, we have announced the development of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO earlier this year to be launched by next year. Customers can follow our break-free campaign on various channels and worldwide.

    Out of everything that has been said, I find this statement to be the most reassuring, but I don’t think it puts the speculation entirely to rest. Olympus’s “no plans to sell the business” line doesn’t sound as firm as it could (compare it to a possible “we won’t be selling the business”), and plenty of companies have launched products right up until the end.

    What seems most plausible to me is that Olympus is keeping its options open. So while we shouldn’t be surprised if Olympus’s camera division continues to function, it shouldn’t come as a shock if Olympus announces the sale or shutdown of its camera business, either.

    So I’d like to know what you think. Do you find Olympus’s statements to be reassuring? Do you think Olympus will continue to manufacture cameras? For the Olympus photographers out there, are you worried? Let me know in the comments!

    The post News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


    Digital Photography School

  • 2019 Black Friday and Cyber Monday camera gear deals

    Love it or hate it, the deals weekend of the year is here, at least for our American readers. Between Black Friday, Small Business Saturday (yes, that’s a real thing) and Cyber Monday, there are deals aplenty.

    We’ve scoured the web for discounts and have rounded up the best cameras, lenses and major accessories deals we could find. We’re going to try our best to update this article throughout the weekend, but if you see a deal that we’ve missed, paste it into a comment. If you’re posting a non-US deal, that’s great! Just flag it clearly.

    Please note that the ‘SAVE’ figures below represent discount from original MSRP and we make no guarantees that the discounts listed will be available across the entire holiday weekend. If a deal has expired, let us know in a comment and we’ll remove it from this list.

    We’re focusing on deals from three major US online retailers in this article, and if you choose to shop via the Amazon links below, you’ll be supporting DPReview in a small way.

    Happy holidays!

    Canon

    Canon EOS R Camera Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 500
    $ 1,799, normally $ 2,299 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Canon EOS Rebel T7i Camera Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 150
    $ 599, normally $ 749 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Canon EOS Rebel T6 with 18-55mm IS & 75-300mm (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 350
    $ 399, normally $ 749 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Canon EOS M100 with 15-45mm and 55-200mm STM (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 400
    $ 549, normally $ 949 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 100
    $ 599, normally $ 699 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS III USM with Tripod & head SAVE $ 300
    $ 1,799, normally $ 2099 (Adorama) B&H also has the lens for $ 1,799, without the tripod.

    Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT SAVE $ 100
    $ 199, normally $ 299 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Fujifilm

    Fujifilm X-Pro2 Body SAVE $ 400
    $ 1,299, normally $ 1,699 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Fujifilm X-Pro2 with XF 23mm F2, Graphite (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 700
    $ 1,599, normally $ 2,299 (Adorama, B&H)

    Fujifilm X-T20 with XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
    $ 799, normally $ 999 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Fujifilm X-E3 Body, Black (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
    $ 499, normally $ 699 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Fujifilm XF 80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 250
    $ 949, normally $ 1,199 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f2.8 R LM WR (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
    $ 1,799, normally $ 1,999 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Fujifilm XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
    $ 1,699, normally $ 1,899 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Nikon

    Nikon D850 Body SAVE $ 500
    $ 2,796.95, normally $ 3,296.95 (Adorama [includes Nikon MB-D18 Battery Grip and FP Zoom Li-on X R2 TTL Flash], B&H [includes free accessory kit])

    Nikon D750 Body: SAVE $ 700
    $ 996.95, normally $ 1,696.95 (Adorama [includes Slik Pro II 4-section tripod and ball-head], B&H [includes free accessory kit])

    Nikon D610 (with 50mm F1.8G AF-S Lens, MB-D14 Battery Power Pack, WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter)
    $ 1996.95 (Adorama)

    Nikon D3500 Body with NIKKOR 18-55mm and 70-300mm (+ accessory kit): SAVE $ 450
    $ 396.95, normally $ 846.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Nikon Z50 with 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR & 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR: SAVE $ 150
    $ 1,196.95, normally #1,346.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Olympus

    Olympus OM-D E-M1X Body SAVE $ 400
    $ 2,599, normally $ 2,999 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II SAVE $ 400
    $ 1,299, normally $ 1,699 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III SAVE $ 250
    $ 399, normally $ 649 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 IS PRO SAVE $ 200
    $ 2,299, normally $ 2,499 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Panasonic

    Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 700
    $ 1,297.99, normally $ 1,997.99 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 with 12-60mm OIS & 45-150mm (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 550
    $ 697.99, normally $ 1,245.98 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Panasonic Lumix G9 Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 500
    $ 997.99, normally $ 1499.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG 12mm F1.4 ASP (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 300
    $ 997.99, normally $ 1,297.99 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 400
    $ 1,197.99, normally $ 1,597.99 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Panasonic G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4 (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
    $ 797.99, normally $ 997.99 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Ricoh

    Pentax K-1 Mark II Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 300
    $ 1,696.95, normally $ 1,996.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Pentax KP Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 500
    $ 696.95, normally $ 1,096.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Ricoh WG-60 (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 80
    $ 196.95, normally $ 276.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Sony

    Sony Alpha a7 III (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
    $ 1798, normally $ 1998 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Sony a7R II with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS SAVE $ 500
    $ 1,498, normally $ 1,998 (Adorama, B&H)

    Sony Alpha A6500 (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
    $ 998, normally $ 1,198 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Sony Alpha A6000 with 16-50mm and 55-210mm OSS (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 400
    $ 598, normally $ 998 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

    Please note, DPReview is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon. We are editorially-independent of our parent company and this article was put together entirely and exclusively by DPReview’s editorial staff.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Samsung Galaxy A80 teardown reveals complex camera swivel mechanism

    The Samsung Galaxy A80 is a Snapdragon 730-powered mid-range phone that would not stand out much from the crowd if it weren’t for its pretty unique camera swivel mechanism. Like the Asus ZenFone 6 and other swivel phones the A80 only has only one camera that can be used as both a main shooter and selfie camera.

    Youtuber JerryRigEverything has now put the A80 through a detailed teardown process and discovered that the swivel mechanism is quite a complex piece of engineering that uses a stepper motor with a threaded shaft for raising and lowering the camera module.

    At the peak of the extension the rotation of the camera is triggered through a clever gearing system. The camera ‘carriage’ is also running on rails at the side of the phone for smooth movement.

    The camera module itself features a 48 MP main camera with 1/2″ sensor, a 12mm-equivalent ultra-wide and a depth-sensing time-of-flight camera for bokeh simulation.

    JerryRigEverything concludes that the A80 is one of the most over-engineered phones he has seen but that it’s quite difficult to take apart, and especially to put back together again, with many more screws to remove and reinsert than on more conventional devices.

    No matter your opinion on the swivel design, it’s quite amazing to see how much engineering can be squeezed into the tiny body of a smartphone these days.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)