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Posts Tagged ‘Digital’

This dead Polaroid SX-70 was rebuilt as a fully functional digital camera

27 Jun

Josh Gross, a managing partner at design and development studio Planetary, has published a writeup detailing the conversion of an old defunct Polaroid SX-70 into a fully functional digital camera. The finished product retains the same external design as the original, but the innards have been heavily modified to include a Raspberry Pi Zero W and CCD sensor.

Gross details the rebuild in a blog post on his website, where he explains the project’s trickiest aspect was fitting the CCD and lens camera assembly into the Polaroid’s head. The original focus wheel and exposure wheels stayed intact, as well as most external components.

Moving on from the lens assembly, Gross says he removed the Polaroid camera’s Fresnel mirror and replaced it with a small 6.3cm (2.5in) screen in order to provide a live image preview. The screen assembly and battery were mounted within the camera’s film storage area, and the rest of the components were added.

One of the final images captured with the finished product.

Gross used OpenCV and Python on the software side for processing and displaying images. Size constraints required the use of a fisheye lens, so Gross used software to remove the fisheye effect for more authentic final images. Overall, he explains the project took 8 months of ‘on-and-off’ work to complete. Below is a full gallery of images shared with permission from Gross:

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‘Was there a point to it? Absolutely not,’ Gross says in his writeup. ‘Was it fun? Hell yeah.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Hasselblad updates CFV digital back for V-system film cameras, produces tiny 907X body

23 Jun

Hasselblad will be reintroducing its medium format digital back for its V-system medium format film cameras, and has announced a new slimline X-series body to go with it. The new CFV II 50C will feature a tilting screen to emulate the waist level finder experience, while the 907X camera will create an interface between the digital back and the company’s XCD lenses.

The CFV II 50C digital back will work on the company’s ‘V-Series’ cameras but can also be used with the new 907X camera, which uses XCD lenses to create a tiny combination.

The original CFV digital back disappeared at about the time the X1D arrived in 2016, with Hasselblad citing a shortage of 50 Megapixel (43.8 x 32.9 mm) CMOS sensors as it clambered to meet demand for the new medium format X body. This new version brings with it some of the advantages of the new X1D II 50C, including a touchscreen and the new style menu that the new camera has adopted. Of great relief will be that the battery is incorporated into the body of the back instead of hanging from below as in the original version. The battery will be the same 3400 mAh unit that is used in the X1D II 50C, and it can also be charged via USB while still in the back.

The 907X body with the new CFV ll 50C back compared to the X1D ll 50C

The new 907X camera is tiny slip of a camera that allows X-series lenses to be mounted on the CFV II 50C back. Designed in the classic Hasselblad style, the camera has a chrome shutter button on the front, and a black and chrome finish on the rest of the body. While the native mount will be for the X lenses, almost all H lenses will be able to be used via an adapter. Adapters will also allow XPan and classic V lenses to be used.

The company says a grip and an optical viewfinder will be available once the body is released.

Together with the CFV digital back, the new 907X isn’t a hundred miles from the V1D concept camera that Hasselblad displayed at Photokina in 2016. That idea was designed to be modular, and was shown with a grip and a moveable screen. This doesn’t have a screen that can be placed on the top of the body, but the CFV II 50C does have a flip up screen that might go some way towards feeling like the same thing.

Neither CFV II 50C or 907X have a price or a delivery date yet, but we are promised more information later this year. For more information see the Hasselblad website.

Press release

THE CFV II AND 907X CONNECT HASSELBLAD’S PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY INTO ONE SYSTEM

Hasselblad proudly announces the development of the modernised CFV II 50C digital back and the brand new 907X camera body, which together will connect Hasselblad’s photographic history into one system.

The CFV II 50C digital back, which will have an outstanding medium format 50-megapixel CMOS sensor (43.8 x 32.9 mm), will enable use with most V System cameras made from 1957 and onwards in addition to third party technical or view cameras. Improving upon the user experience of the previous generations, the CFV II 50C will feature a brilliant tilt screen with full touch support and Hasselblad’s renowned user interface for settings, image review, and menu navigation. Users of previous CFV digital backs will appreciate a new fully-integrated battery, the same used on the X System, which will reduce overall size and with the option to recharge in-camera via the USB-C port. Combining its iconic aesthetics with modern technology, the CFV II 50C gives a nod to Hasselblad’s history combined with the brand’s world-renowned image quality.

Coupling the CFV II 50C with Hasselblad’s smallest medium format camera body ever, the 907X, creates a highly compact package. This combination will offer a truly distinct photographic experience, including the classic waist-level shooting style of the V System enabled by the CFV II 50C’s tilt screen. With the 907X, the photographer will gain access to all of the high-quality X System Lenses in addition to a vast range of Hasselblad optics via adapters, including the H System, V System, and XPan Lenses. In addition, the 907X will enable compatibility with a wide range of third-party adapters and lenses. Planned accessories to beautifully complement the combination include the 907X Control Grip and 907X External Optical Viewfinder.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Leica will cut 100 jobs HQ, add 40 ‘digital experts’ to push its computational imaging forward

22 Jun

German business newspaper Handelsblatt is reporting [translated to English] that, as part of a restructuring process, Leica will eliminate up to 100 jobs at the company’s headquarters and add up to 40 new ‘digital experts’ to push forward its smartphone and computational photography technology.

According to Handelsblatt, Leica’s restructuring is due to ‘profound changes in the market.’ Leica CEO, Matthias Harsch, is quoted as saying ‘We are facing the second digital revolution in the camera business,’ an obvious nod to the market’s movement away from dedicated cameras to smartphone cameras.

Leica CEO Matthias Harsch

In addition to the recent controversy surrounding the ‘Tank Man’ advertisement that caused an uproar last month, Handelsblatt also notes Leica’s partnership with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei as a potential cause of worry at Leica. Huawei, who has partnered with Leica to put its camera technology in Huawei devices, is reported by Reuters to have lost its licensing of Google’s Android operating system as a part of restrictions put in place by the U.S. government amidst security concerns of Huawei devices.

Despite the uncertainty of Huawei’s future, Harsch sounds confident the partnership will remain beneficial and further states the significant role smartphone photography will play in Leica’s business going forward, saying:

‘The camera function with smartphones is a core business of our future […] After all, thanks to their smartphones, people have never photographed as much as they do today.’

An illustration of the Leica triple-camera system inside Huawei’s P30 smartphone.

Harsch also specifically notes the growing role of artificial intelligence and computational photography in digital images. Leica has been working alongside Huawei for the past four years, developing both the hardware and—arguably more importantly—the software used for mobile image capture and processing. He says ‘These experiences [developing smartphone cameras technology] can be used for the further development of our classic cameras.’

Evidence of Leica’s interest in becoming a leader in computational photography is backed by the news that it will be hiring up to 40 experts in the field, investing a ‘double-digit million amount,’ according to Handelsblatt.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Why You Need a Digital Photo Frame

12 Jun

The post Why You Need a Digital Photo Frame appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

One of the unsung heroes of modern photography is the tried-and-true digital photo frame. These simple devices have been around for years, and yet they are rarely discussed in photography circles. With huge televisions adorning our walls, and smartphones stuffed into our pockets, one might wonder why there is any reason to own a digital photo frame. In the past few years, I have grown to greatly appreciate these devices, and I have realized how valuable, useful, and downright practical they are. If you or someone you know needs a good solution to viewing photos, a digital frame might be just what you’re looking for.

When digital frames first came on the market back in the mid-2000s, they were a great idea severely hampered by bad technology. Bezels were huge, the screens were small, and the images were dim and blurry. Setting up frames required toiling through a myriad of menus with nonsensical buttons and on-screen context clues.

Adding images to a digital frame was an exercise in frustration and required many steps on the part of the user. Plus, transitions between pictures were garish and often unbecoming of the memories on display.

It’s no wonder most people have stopped thinking about digital frames!

If this sounds like you, you’re not alone.

I was in the same boat until recently. However, the more I investigated what modern technology offers, the more impressed I became. In contrast to their counterparts from a decade ago, today’s digital frames have bright displays, show large high-resolution photos, are thin and sleek, and cost less than you might think. They often have cloud-based interfaces, offer companion smartphone apps, and can even show video clips.

The Nixplay Seed Wave has a large screen and wi-fi connectivity.

One-Trick Pony

One of the best reasons to get a digital frame isn’t because of what they can do, but what they can’t do. It seems silly to have yet another device in a world where screens already surround us, but the digital frames eschew the traditional idea of a computer screen by turning it on its head. They follow the adage of doing one thing and doing it well.

Most digital frames don’t let you do anything but view pictures. And this is precisely what makes them so great. They don’t run thousands of apps, let you surf social networks, or make video calls. They don’t play games, won’t let you binge-watch Netflix or YouTube, and don’t bombard you with notifications.

Digital frames sit there, passively doing only one thing: showing your pictures.

The Aura Digital Photo Frame has facial-recognition built into its companion app and a touchscreen for navigating options.

In an era where every device and gadget continually begs for our attention, digital frames are like an oasis in the middle of the desert. It’s downright refreshing to see a bright digital frame sitting on a shelf, knowing you can’t do anything with it other than look at pictures.

You don’t have to worry about software updates, and your viewing experience isn’t cluttered with dozens of icons and bubbles vying for your attention. In a media-saturated world, digital frames are a great way to slow down and enjoy, appreciate, and reflect on your pictures without distraction.

Some smart appliances like the Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub act as photo frames, but I prefer the simplicity and focus of a dedicated frame. Other devices like that are nice, but the features they offer can often distract you from just enjoying your photos.

Advanced frames like the Google Nest Hub Max do lots of things, but I prefer simpler frames that don’t have built-in cameras, digital assistants, or alert bubbles begging for your attention.

To print or not to print

Like many people, my wife and I have struggled for years with the question of what to do about getting prints made of our pictures. We’ve made yearbooks that adorn our end tables, mounted framed snapshots on dressers, and festooned our walls with large prints and canvases. These are great, and we enjoy them a great deal, but every one of them eventually grows old over time.

When that inevitably happens, we have to consider what to do next. Do we keep the old prints around? Do we put up new images in place of what was once there? There are also practical concerns, like where to get prints made, what size to make them, and what happens when our favorite photo book publisher goes out of business?

We enjoy seeing prints as much as anyone, but the logistical hassles have added layers of stress and indecision onto what should be an enjoyable process.

The Pix-Star 15-inch frame lets you see your photos without printing them.

A digital frame solves almost all of these problems. Our 8×10″ Nixplay Seed sits in our living room showing a massive assortment of images without any effort from us. In the course of a single day, we see photos of family vacations, our kids when they were infants, and old slides that we scanned from negatives. We don’t have to think about switching photos out, spend entire evenings trying to decide which images are worth printing, or wonder whether a particular photo is worthy of being displayed for all to see.

Of course, there are still plenty of reasons to get pictures printed. But if you want a simple way to enjoy your pictures without the hassle of making physical copies, a digital frame might be right for you.

As is the case with most digital gadgets these days, storage space is not the same constraint as it used to be. Many frames have internal storage of at least 8GB, which is enough for almost 10,000 images. If that’s not enough, you can look for one with a removable memory card slot to add even more space.

Modern digital frames have more than enough storage space for your pictures. Unlike your walls and bookshelves, which can quickly fill up with physical prints.

Image quality

If you think that displaying your images on a digital frame means sacrificing overall quality, think again. This might have been true in 2005, but now, frames are leaps and bounds beyond where they used to be. As recently as a few years ago, many frames had resolutions of about 72 or 96dpi – similar to that of older computers.

This resolution is fine if you’re viewing your images from a distance, as often is the case when using frames in a household setting. However, frames today often have much higher pixel densities or anywhere between 150-300dpi that put them on par with most laptop screens and even that of some mobile phones.

This means that your images, even when viewed up close, are as crisp and sharp as you would see if you got them printed and you’ll be able to make out every detail from wisps of hair to blades of grass.

Aura makes a 9.7-inch frame with 2048×1536 resolution, which shows your memories in crisp, clear detail.

Most modern digital frames use bright screens that are now viewable from any angle, unlike older versions which required you to stand in the right spot to see your images. Your pictures appear bright and colorful, and some digital frames even let you show video clips alongside your images.

Worry-free sharing

With all the recent problems regarding data privacy on social network sites like Instagram and Facebook, it’s no wonder so many people are deleting their accounts! If you, or your friends and family, are limiting your social media usage but still want to see pictures of the important things in your life, a digital frame is just the answer. To illustrate this, I’m going to use my in-laws as an example.

My wife’s parents aren’t on any social media at all, and they prefer to spend their time reading, gardening, walking the dogs, and going out with friends. This means they don’t get to see any pictures of their grandchildren unless we send them physical prints, which they have to find a spot to display. A few months ago, my wife and I bought them a digital photo frame and have since populated it with well over a thousand images of us and our kids.

Do you have friends or family members who aren’t on social media? Get them a digital frame and fill it with photos for them to enjoy.

We shared their frame information with other family members who have also sent pictures to the frame. My wife’s parents love it! The frame sits in their living room, showing photos of the people they love without any effort on their part. And, they didn’t have to join a social network or share any personal data.

If you have people in your life who are concerned about data-mining and privacy, consider a digital frame as a happy medium. It allows you to share pictures on a more limited and intentional basis than sites like Instagram or Flickr. But the tradeoff is, you are in full control of the images, and none of your personal information is sold to third-parties for advertising.

This simple Tenker 7-inch frame, and others like it, won’t send your photos off to be analyzed for advertising.

Tips

Here’s a few more tips that might help you with digital frames.

  • Set your display to change pictures less often. Every hour or less is much better than every 30 seconds. It will seem slow at first, but you’ll get a lot more enjoyment in the long term. You won’t feel like you’re seeing the same images over and over.
  • Export your photos to the resolution of your frame to save on storage space. Sending a 24-megapixel image to a 3-megapixel frame won’t do you any good at all.
  • Set your friends and family up with sharing permissions so they can send you photos. Then make sure to return the favor and send photos to their frames too.
  • You can build your own photo frame with a cheap Android tablet and some software, but I recommend getting an off-the-shelf model. It’s just easier and will probably make your life a lot simpler in the long run.
  • Most modern frames have built-in memory but also sync with cloud storage options like Dropbox and Google Drive. You might have to configure a few settings, but it can make the already-easy process of sending pictures even simpler.

Do you use a digital photo frame? Or, are there reasons why you don’t? Feel free to share with us in the comments below.

 

why you need a digital photo frame

 

The post Why You Need a Digital Photo Frame appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.


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Top 5 Best Leica Digital Cameras

05 Jun

The digital era is here and photography has taken many strides into the future of artificial intelligence, thanks to camera lenses that beat human imagination. That is not all. There are many different brands to choose from such as Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus among others. But, does it mean everything you are going to buy should be automated and have Continue Reading

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Are Early 2000s Digital Cameras Secondhand Bargains?

26 May

The post Are Early 2000s Digital Cameras Secondhand Bargains? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

Today, digital photography is ubiquitous, but there is still a demand among enthusiasts for classic film cameras. By all accounts, the analog medium has made a comeback over the last 2-3 years. What you don’t often hear of is people hankering for older digital cameras, even for the sake of nostalgia. Technology has moved on, but has it moved on so much that they are obsolete? Or are early 2000s digital cameras secondhand bargains? We’ll find out.

film cameras - Olympus OM10

There is still plenty of love out there for old film cameras. This is an Olympus OM10 (c. 1978-87).

Inescapable truths

Those of us that have been shooting digitally for over ten years probably don’t miss the early days of post-processing. The sensors were noisier and there was no in-camera dust removal. One way or another, a lot of time was spent trying to clean things up. Less advanced, too, was the software we used to process photos. Trying to recover highlights or remove noise, for instance, was harder than it is today. Photos were abandoned that might be saved with modern editing.

Canon EOS 5D sensor dust

The original Canon EOS 5d (c. 2005) had no dust-cleaning capability. Neither did I. Whenever I had the sensor cleaned, dust spots quickly reappeared.

Aside from noisier, dirtier sensors and editing limitations, exterior hardware on cameras was also inferior in the early days. LCDs were smaller with a lower resolution, and electronic viewfinders weren’t as clear. The benefit of a bright viewfinder shouldn’t be underestimated, and it’s still a feature of higher-end cameras today over entry-level models (e.g., pentaprism vs. pentamirror optical viewfinders).

Sensor resolution

With camera age comes the question of sensor resolution. Modern cameras have high-res sensors. More resolution gives you more freedom to crop pictures after the event and still end up with a decent-sized print. It’s like having an extra lens. Many photographers prefer not cropping pictures, but it’s a luxury that didn’t always exist. In the “old” days of low sensor resolution, there was more discussion among photographers on interpolation methods. People wanted to make their digital files bigger so they could create larger prints. That subject is now almost archaic.

Panasonic FZ-28 CCD sensor

The CCD sensor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 (c. 2008). Despite having a smaller sensor than the earlier FZ30, the FZ28’s resolution was higher. Advances in sensor technology are frequently used to increase resolution rather than substantially decrease noise.  Photo: Thomas Bresson [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Glimmer of light

Despite the drawbacks of using old digital cameras, some had useful features that are rare or even extinct today. And the minuses are mostly surmountable. Let’s examine three cameras that are all 10+ years old and see what we can do with them. All of the following are eminently affordable on the secondhand market: more so than many classic film cameras.

Old camera #1: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1

Even by today’s standards, the 2005 10.3-megapixel Sony DSC-R1 is an innovative camera. It never sold well, but it had a unique combination of a fixed 24-120mm Carl Zeiss lens, an APS-C sized CMOS sensor, full-time live-view LCD display (a first at that sensor size), and live histogram. The technical quality was/is excellent.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 - early 2000s digital cameras

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 is a bridge camera with a large APS-C sensor. It was unusual in 2005 and remains so today.

The main limitation of the Sony R1 is a sensor that gets noisy above ISO 400 combined with an absence of image stabilization. This is not a camera you can easily use for high-quality interior photos without a tripod. You have to employ old-school sturdy shooting methods with controlled breathing, a good stance, a steady hand, and a camera braced against pillars or posts if necessary.

Sony R1 JPEG and fill flash

This is a Sony R1 JPEG with a bit of fill light from the built-in flash. I persist with the raw files despite their slowness in writing.

At ISO 160-200, Sony R1 pictures are clear with great color. At ISO 400 they’re still good. When viewed at 100%, the images are satisfying with lots of detail. On the minus side, raw files take a long time to write on the R1 (several seconds, typically). This was never a rapid-fire camera for those aiming to pull the most quality from it. The R1 takes CF cards or Sony memory sticks – no SD cards.

The quality of the R1’s Carl Zeiss T* 24-120mm lens doesn’t disappoint. Exposure: 1/160th sec, ISO 160, f/8, approx 40mm equivalent focal length.

The R1’s WLF (waist level finder)

The flip-out 2″ LCD of the R1 didn’t appeal to everyone as it swivels upwards, effectively making the camera bigger. It’s already quite a bulky bridge camera. Personally, I love the fact that the LCD screen can slot flush into the top of the camera, turning it into a waist-level finder. That’s great for candid portraits or street photos, even if you have to wait for those big Sony raw files to write (you can shoot JPEGs). The camera has an electronic viewfinder that’s dimmer and lower resolution than you’d expect from today’s cameras, but it’s usable.

Sony R1 waist level finder

I’m not aware of any other digital stills camera that allows this. The LCD is only 2″ wide, but that allows it to slot neatly into the top of the camera like a WLF.

Of all the digital cameras I’ve used, the Sony R1 is one of the few that I haven’t sold over time. I can’t bring myself to get rid of it because of its quirkiness and quality. For those familiar with him, well-known US photographer and blogger Kirk Tuck was still singing the praises of the R1 just a few years back. This is a secondhand bargain if you can cope with the cons.

Old camera #2: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30

The main problem with the 2005 Panasonic Lumix FZ30 is the noise from its 8-megapixel CCD 1/1.8″ sensor. Even at ISO 80, it’s there. That aside, there are many appealing features. The 12x Leica-branded optical zoom lens with image stabilization is sharp across its whole range. Despite its age, the electronic viewfinder in this camera isn’t bad, even if the dioptric dial nudges out of place too easily. I tend to use the EVF more than the 2″ flip-down LCD.

The 12x optical zoom of the Lumix FZ-30 is fairly modest by today’s standards and isn’t very wide at the wide end. But still, you get good long-lens versatility that doesn’t seem to exceed its Mega O.I.S. ability (Optical Image Stabilization).

Offering all the exposure control you’d expect from an SLR, the Lumix FZ30 also allows raw shooting – a strong point in its favor. With today’s processing, and by restricting your photography to base ISO where possible, you can achieve good results. Limiting? Yes, but you get 36-432mm versatility for your trouble. The stabilization is effective, allowing you to make use of that long zoom at relatively low speeds with good technique.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 controls - early 2000s digital camera

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 feels well made and gives you as much control as you want. Aside from allowing raw files, it captures modest VGA res video (typical for its age).

This is a camera that yields detailed pictures, is quick to handle, has long battery life and doesn’t hold you up with big raw files. One frustrating aspect is the need for 2GB SD cards to run it, which many people will not have in this day and age. It doesn’t accept SDHC cards (4GB+).

This is a 100% section of an FZ30 file with Adobe’s “enhanced details” and some basic masked capture sharpening applied in Lightroom. The detail isn’t at all bad at base ISO and unsharpened noise is unimposing. (Best viewed full size @ 1500 pixels.) Exposure: 1/500th, f/5, ISO 80.

Although noise is an issue with the Lumix DMC-FZ30, that is less important now than 14 years ago when the camera came out. Software like Topaz AI Sharpen, though not perfect, is good at suppressing noise and bringing out detail. The tools in Lightroom and other programs have also improved no end. Old cameras become more viable as processing technology advances.

Panasonic Lumix FZ30 - Early Digital Cameras

Exposure: 1/160th @ f/4 – ISO 80. The focal length is 52mm, equating to around 250mm in 35mm terms. Image stabilization is probably helping a little here.

Old camera #3: Canon EOS 450D/Rebel XSi

I wouldn’t recommend early digital SLRs to anyone based on dust problems alone, but that becomes a non-issue four generations in. The Canon EOS Rebel XSi (450D in Europe) came out in 2008. It was an entry-level DSLR offering many benefits over previous models. Among them were a sizeable 3″ LCD, Live View with phase and contrast detection AF, spot metering and a bigger, brighter viewfinder.

Canon EOS 450D - Rebel XSi

The lightest camera among the three even with its lens is the EOS Rebel XSi (450D). The kit lens is good, but a cheap 50mm f/1.8 would make even more of the camera’s excellent sensor.

The Rebel XSi is small and light by SLR standards and won’t give much satisfaction to metal-loving traditionalists. It doesn’t feel substantial. However, it’s understated and functional, and lets you go about your work stealthily. No-one is going to think you’re a pro, no matter how well you hold the camera. The most noticeable flaw is some wacky white balance results from time to time, especially under artificial light. Shooting raw, that’s not a deal-breaker.

Caanon EOS 450D - eary 2000s digital cameras - bargains

This 100% view (with capture sharpening) shows good detail from the 18-55mm Canon kit lens. A 50% view creates more of a real-world impression, so this is okay at full size.

As you might expect from a Canon CMOS sensor, noise levels are low with the EOS Rebel XSi (lower than the Sony R1, for instance). Obviously, they’re not as impressive as a high-end camera from today or even yesterday, but you can risk ISO 800 or even max ISO 1600 images for some indoor shots and polish them up later. Better still, you can make use of live view, manual focusing and a tripod if circumstances allow.

Canon EOS 450D - Topaz Sharpen AI

Topaz Sharpen AI is good at sorting out detail from noise, though you have to check over the result for artifacts. This is an ISO 800 shot viewed at 100% with Topaz sharpening and noise suppression. This type of software is only going to improve.

A question of balance

If you’re using heavy “L” series lenses, they may not sit well on the Rebel XSi. It doesn’t have any heft. The original 18-55mm kit lens is sharp, lightweight and has good image stabilization. A modern equivalent of the Rebel XSi would give you more resolution, more advanced processing (a little quicker, less noise at high ISOs), a higher res LCD and video. All this was available in the camera that superseded it in 2009 – the EOS Rebel T1i (500D). But the stills photographer looking for a bargain DSLR might find an answer in the Rebel XSi. It has just enough and a bit more.

Canon 18-55mm IS kit lens - EOS 450D - bargain early 2000s cameras.

This 50% crop gives you a good idea of what the 2008 18-55mm kit lens can do, albeit through a compressed JPEG. There’s not much to complain about quality-wise, even if the sensor promises more.

Conclusion

With modern processing at our disposal, digital cameras from the early part of this century have more potential now than they had when new. Especially those that shot raw files. Yes, you’ll find it hard to go back to them if you’ve spoiled yourself with ultra-high-res LCDs and mega-bright EVFs. But some of the downsides in old cameras have upsides of their own: less brightness and resolution means better battery life. Low-res sensors mean not editing football-pitch-sized files.

You wouldn’t use old cameras if your living relied on the best high-ISO performance. Still, any of the three models I’ve discussed can easily produce a publishable, high-quality photo if you accept their constraints and process the files carefully. Other than the Sony R1’s slow write times, the cameras are quick and easy to handle.

So, with one or two caveats, I’d say early 2000s digital cameras can definitely be bargains.

Do you use any of these cameras, or have any to add to this list? Please share with the dPS community in the comments below.

 

The post Are Early 2000s Digital Cameras Secondhand Bargains? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.


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Creating Spectacular Photo Displays with Digital Projectors

24 Apr

If you are reading this, it is likely that you take copious amounts of photographs. A few years ago, families would gather around their Kodak carousel slide projector and look at 35 mm slides of family vacations. There was something that was almost magical about seeing images on the big screen in living color. Really, back then, a homemade slideshow Continue Reading

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Nikon announces COOLPIX W150 kid-friendly waterproof digital camera

24 Apr

Nikon has announced the COOLPIX W150, a colorful and rugged point-and-shoot digital camera that’s shockproof from drops up to 1.8m (5.9ft), waterproof down to 10m (33ft), dustproof and coldproof down to -10C (14F). The new model features a 13-megapixel sensor and a 3x optical zoom NIKKOR lens, Target Finding AF, multiple scene modes and support for recording Full HD videos with stereo audio.

Nikon has positioned the W150 as a digital camera suitable for both adults and children; the camera maker utilized a modified user interface that is simple enough for first-time users to navigate. The camera supports SnapBridge for automatically transferring images from the camera to an Android or iOS device.

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The W150 includes a few unique scene modes, including ‘underwater face framing,’ ‘add clarity underwater,’ ‘picture-in-picture’ and ‘add little planet effect.’ Other features include image lock, Smile Timer, Exchange Messages for adding voice messages to photos and a grading function for rating images and videos.

The Nikon W150 will be available in white, orange, blue, flower and resort color and pattern options. Nikon hasn’t made any mention of pricing or availability yet.

Press release:

Nikon releases the COOLPIX W150 compact digital camera

A waterproof and shockproof camera with a wide variety of scene modes and editing functions to offer users an enjoyable shooting experience

TOKYO – April 23, 2019 – Nikon Corporation (Nikon) is pleased to announce the release of the COOLPIX W150, a compact digital camera that offers superior water- and shock-proofing.

The COOLPIX W150 is a highly water-, shock-, cold- and dust-proof camera that supports shooting in a wide variety of situations, including capturing leisure activities at the pool or beach. A compact, rounded design makes it easy to handle for both children and adults alike. The addition of new and appealing color options and patterns to the camera body will make shooting leisure activities even more enjoyable.

The camera offers an effective pixel count of 13.2 million*1 pixels, and is equipped with a 3x optical zoom NIKKOR lens. It is also equipped with functions that make recording photos and movies with superior image and picture quality fun and easy for anyone. These include the Target Finding AF*2function, where the camera detects and focuses on the primary subject, and a function for recording Full HD movies*3 with stereo sound.

It also offers a variety of scene modes*4 and editing functions that allow users to capture memories and experiences in impressive photos. The variety of scene modes and effects allow users to explore unique possibilities and share these photos and movies with their loved ones.

Its compatibility with SnapBridge allows photos taken with the camera to be automatically downloaded*5 to a smart device*6 for easy sharing of high-quality photos.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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CIPA’s February 2019 report shows huge drop in global digital camera shipments

09 Apr

The Japanese Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has published a new graph showing the number of cameras shipped in February 2019 and the figures aren’t reassuring. According to the association, sales were down from January 2019 and had substantially decreased compared with February 2018.

Global digital camera shipments in February 2019 came in at only 935,148 units compared to the 1,001,398 shipped in January 2019. This is a more than 30% decrease year-over-year, with January 2018 having seen 1,340,492 shipments and February 2018 having maintained a consistent rate at 1,340,995.

A decrease was experienced in the interchangeable lens camera market as well, dropping from 798,014 in February 2018 to 521,217 in February 2019. Both the February 2018 and 2019 shipment periods were lower than February 2017, which had 843,217 in global interchangeable lens camera shipments.

A similar, though not quite as dramatic, decrease in global built-in lens digital camera shipments was experienced in February 2019 compared to February 2018 at 413,931 units versus 542,981.

According to the CIPA data, global digital camera shipments remained very similar from January to February 2017 and increased slightly for those same months in 2018. The trend changed in 2019, with overall February shipments dipping a little more than 6% below January’s global shipment numbers.

The numbers are concerning due to the general decrease year-over-year, but also because the shipment numbers decreased during a time in the year when they previously remained relatively steady or began increasing. It’s yet to be seen whether March’s figures represent yet another decrease or if February’s shipment numbers end up being an unfortunate, concerning fluke.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Unreal Engine’s latest demo videos show just how photorealistic the digital world has become

23 Mar

At this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC), Epic Games showed off a new pair of demo videos that show just how capable its Unreal Engine has become thanks to advanced ray tracing technologies.

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The first video, seen above, is titled Rebirth and showcases just how photorealistic scenes can be when developed with the gaming engine’s technology. The demo, designed by the studio Quixel, highlights how realistic the lighting technology inside Unreal Engine 4 has become.

The demo was created by just three artists who developed it all using a standard version of Unreal and real-world scans from Quixel’s Megascans Icelandic collection. The result is a stunning showcase of textures and details that rival reality, as seen in the gallery of screenshots above, captured from the 4K stream.

The second demo is a teaser for an upcoming movie titled Troll. Still in the works, the movie is a collaboration between Deep Forest Films and Goodbye Kansas Studios. The short glimpse we get of it once again highlights just how realistic the animated lighting is in the scene, with the face of a woman being dynamically illuminated by little fire fairies of sorts.

As for what this means in the world of photography, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Aside from the inevitable point in time when we can no longer tell a rendering from an actual image — if it’s not already here — the ability to replicate precise lighting situations could open up the door to new software and technology that could not only help to simulate lighting setups in the digital world before testing them out in the real world, but also open up the door to adding realistic lighting to scenes and portraits in post-production.

Keep in mind that unless you’re viewing the videos in Google Chrome on a 4K monitor, you won’t be able to see them in their 4K glory. Even in 1080 though, the videos look incredible.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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