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Fujifilm Japan announces X Raw Studio conversion software

08 Sep

With the announcement of several new lenses and a new X-series body, Fujifilm also snuck in news of a new Raw conversion program. X Raw Studio, which will debut in November, works when the camera is connected to a Mac or PC via USB and uses the camera’s own image processing engine to convert Raw files to JPEGs. The software will support single image and batch conversions.

The GFX 50S, X-T2, X-Pro2 and X100F will be compatible with X Raw Studio, with support arriving first for the 50S and X-T2. Mac users will get the software first, in November 2017, with a Windows version arriving in January 2018.

Fujifilm announces development of new RAW conversion system “FUJIFILM X RAW STUDIO”.

September 7, 2017

FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) has announced that it is developing a new RAW conversion system, “FUJIFILM X RAW STUDIO”.

“FUJIFILM X RAW STUDIO” enables users to quickly and easily convert RAW files with outstanding image quality, once a camera is connected to a Mac or PC via USB cable.

Exceptional image quality is retained, as the X RAW STUDIO system utilizes the X Processor Pro in the camera instead of the CPU in the computer,

Due to the increasing size of RAW files, users have found batch conversion to be an issue, as it takes more and more time as a result. However, using the high performance “X Processor Pro” processor, this batch conversion is handled far more efficiently as a result.

This new software is due to be available from late November 2017.

<Main Features>

– Convert RAW images on the computer (Single / Batch Process)
– Preview converting images
– Save, load, or copy conversion profiles.
* Specifications, window images subject to change without notice.
* RAW conversion is compatible with a RAW file taken by the same model as the connected camera.

<Due Release>

Application Software “FUJIFILM X RAW STUDIO”

for Mac : Late November 2017
for Windows : Late January 2018

“FUJIFILM X RAW STUDIO” system compatible camera firmware

FUJIFILM GFX 50S: Late November 2017 (Ver.2.00)
FUJIFILM X-T2: Late November 2017 (Ver.3.00)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2: Late December 2017 (Ver.4.00)
FUJIFILM X100F: Late December 2017 (Ver.2.00)

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon to launch new, partially-automated camera plant in Japan in 2019

02 Sep

Photo by Jakob Owens

Canon has revealed that it is building a new semi-automated camera plant in Japan, and that it expects to open the plant in 2019. The factory will be located in the Miyazaki Prefecture on a 300,000 square meter land parcel, marking this the first time Canon has built a new camera production facility in Japan since 2010. The plant will focus on producing single-lens reflex cameras, according to Nikkei.

This business move is part of a growing effort on Canon’s part to bring more of its production business back to its home nation, a move spurred in part by increased wages abroad. Though Canon had originally moved much of its production outside of Japan, the cost of domestic manufacturing has lowered thanks to factory automation technologies.

Per Nikkei’s report, Canon successfully brought 56% of its production back to Japan from overseas destinations last year, and it is working toward a goal of bringing that number up to 60%. In addition, Canon’s Oita Prefecture factory is said to be more than 70% automated, greatly reducing the number of laborers the company requires.

What will this mean for consumers? Hopefully lower prices, or at the very least a more economically efficient and cash-positive Canon.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Japan Camera Hunter StreetPan 120 Black & White film is now available for preorder

31 Jul

Bellamy Hunt of Japan Camera Hunter has just launched the JCH StreetPan 120 Black & White film for preorder through the company’s online shop. Hunt first released a 35mm version of the StreetPan film in 2016, and he has now launched this 120 version in response to popular demand.

According to Hunt, “It is the same old StreetPan you know and love, just in a larger size” for medium-format photographers.

Hunt goes on to explain that, while the film is available for preorder now, it is still in production; if everything goes as planned, the film will launch in mid-to-late August with shipping starting in early September. The film is offered in various quantities starting at a 3-pack for ¥3900 / $ 35 USD and ranging up to a 10-pack for ¥13,000 / $ 118 USD. Shipping is available globally.

As with the original StreetPan film, the 120 version offers a very fine grain alongside ‘excellent penetration’ through atmospheric conditions like fog and haze. Japan Camera Hunter explains that this high-speed film is sensitive to red light and has “near IR sensitivity.” Full details on its properties, including development times, are available here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Bic Camera will soon accept Bitcoin at retail stores throughout Japan

13 Jul

Bic Camera, a major Japanese consumer electronics franchise, will soon begin accepting Bitcoin payments at its retail stores throughout Japan and at select Kojima shops, according to local publication Nikkei.

Support for the digital currency could be introduced in Bic Camera stores as early as this month, though select locations in Tokyo already accept the payment option. Since introducing that initial support back in April, the retailer saw immense popularity, prodding it to expand the support to all of its locations.

The cryptocurrency Bitcoin has become an increasingly popular way to buy goods, and though its support was largely relegated to the dark web in its early days, many companies have since added support. Back in 2014, for example, Dell announced that it would accept Bitcoin through its Dell.com website, and many companies have followed suit with similar announcements—including Microsoft, Newegg and more.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Ferrari Designer Launches World’s Most Luxurious Sleeper Train in Japan

22 May

[ By WebUrbanist in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

Public transit meets luxury transport in this elegant and open train design with rich interiors as well as copious windows for viewing the passing landscape.

The champagne-colored Shiki-Shima sleeper boasts aesthetics by Ken Kiyoyuki Okuyama, the automotive designer behind the Ferrari Enzo as well as Maserati Quattroporte. Inside, branching window frames are meant to conjure images of tree-lined forests.

Window geometries on the exterior reflect the different needs of interior spaces, from lovely common rooms and fancy dinner cars to split-level sleeping compartments.

The design is also distinctly Japanese, featuring traditional wood, paper and lacquer interiors with tatami mats and artistic techniques developed over centuries of history.

and brings the elegant physique of a supercar to public transport. with dome cars, large geometric windows and a plush sofas, a trip on the rain suite shiki-shima is comparable to a luxury cruise.

“Okuyama nods to japanese artisanal crafts with his use of bentwood—made by curving wood with steam—to frame the sofas and seating. Meanwhile, oriental carpet mills takes car of the design under foot, using their signature ornate carpets that can already be found in the Vatican palace and Kyoto state guest house. The train consists of 17 rooms in total, with two large suite rooms and 15 smaller ones. JR east, the rail operator behind the luxury masterpiece, seeks to provide ‘a high-grade space’ that is currently unseen in existing railway journeys.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

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A Taste of Japan: Immersive Animated Restaurant Shifts with the Seasons

15 Apr

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

The exclusive experience of dining at this Tokyo restaurant, which serves just eight patrons a day, is not really about the food – though Saga Beef restaurant Sagaya-Ginza is not necessarily lacking in quality. It’s just that watching nature spring to life all around you, cycling through the seasons to represent some of Japan’s most striking natural beauty, tends to eclipse whatever’s on your plate. Art collective teamLab, known for their creative projection-based installations, created a multi-sensory immersive experience with ‘Worlds Unleashed and Then Connecting.’

In classic teamLab form, this projection is not just immersive, but also interactive, responding to the dishes as they’re placed on the table as well as movements of the diners and servers. While other well-known works by the collective tend to unfold within a larger space, like a warehouse or gallery, this installation is private and intimate.

“When a dish is placed on the table, the world contained within the dish is unleashed, unfolding onto the table and into the surrounding space,” the artists explain. “The worlds unleashed from each dish connect in the external space creating a new larger world. The worlds unleashed are affected by the other dishes on the table.”

“For example, a bird unleashed from one dish can perch on the branch of a tree unleashed from another. The trees that grow from each dish are not identical; their sizes and shapes are affected by the worlds unleashed by the other dishes on the table. These unleashed worlds are also affected by your behavior. If you stand still, a tiny bird might alight on your hand; if you move suddenly, it might fly away. The worlds unleashed from the dishes on the table influence each other, react to the actions of the visitors, and combine to create one single continuous world. The world is constantly changing from moment to moment and no two moments are alike.”

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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Leica M10 in Japan: Updated samples gallery

12 Mar

The Leica M10 is our favorite digital M-series camera yet, and we’ve been itching to get our hands on it again, ever since we had to return an early pre-production unit to Leica. Fortunately, another camera arrived just in time for a recent trip to Japan.

We spent a few days with it in Yokohama, Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazowa, and we’ve updated our gallery of samples. A shooting experience article is on the way, but in the meantime, check out our expanded gallery, including a few shots taken with a couple of very nice vintage lenses…

View our updated Leica M10 samples gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Nikon reportedly eliminating 1000 jobs in Japan

08 Nov

Senior Nikon Executives at CP+ 2016

Nikkei Asian Review reports that Nikon is cutting 1000 jobs, or 10% of its domestic workforce, over the next two to three years. The cuts are expected to have the highest impact on the under-performing semiconductor and digital camera business. Nikon’s camera sales have dropped 30% in the last three years, and the company will miss its ¥30 billion ($ 287 million) net profit forecast when this fiscal year wraps up in March.

Nikon isn’t alone in being affected by the declining camera industry: Canon’s imaging division is expecting a 25% drop in get group profit for 2016. But while most camera companies have shouldered plenty of setbacks recently, earthquake-induced and otherwise, Nikon’s consumer business seems to have had it particularly tough lately. Its enthusiast-friendly DL compacts have failed to materialize almost a year after their announcement, and the KeyMission series of rugged action cameras haven’t been well received since their launch last month.

Will the workforce reduction help stabilize Nikon? Is it a sign of more bad news to come? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Small in Japan: Tokyo’s Unique Museum of Miniature Architectural Models

22 Sep

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

archidepot storage

The first of its kind, this Japanese museum focuses exclusively on showcasing architectural models through rotating displays of miniatures, treating these crafted works as their own subset of art. The Archi-Depot in Tokyo is a huge warehouse space with 17-foot ceilings and a dazzling array of models from everyday architects as well as famous designers alike.

model warehouse

architectural models

Each model comes with a QR code that provides information about the work, including blueprints, renderings and photographs of finished works as well as details about the architects.

model shelves

model storage

Special lighting and climate control features help preserve and protect the models, just like art in an ordinary museum. The institution is as much oriented toward maintaining these works as it is toward displaying them.

model mini

model space japan

These miniature buildings can be fantastic in their details and visual expression, but are often only seen behind closed doors in architecture firms. This museum takes these carefully-constructed works and puts them on public display.

model city

model figure gound

Featured architects include Kengo Kuma, the designer selected to create the 2020 World Olympics Stadium, as well as Shigeru Ban, famous for his work with paper and cardboard.

model visitor

model racks

Not all of the models represent buildings either under construction or already completed. Some feature conceptual pieces or draft works that for financial or other reasons will never be built. Shelf space is also rented out to architectural firms needing a place to store their models (and, of course, wanting to advertise their skills to a broader audience).

model neat

model making

“Most architects have a store room full of lovely models that no one gets to see. But the situation is worse in offices in Japan, where space is really at a premium,” explained Klein Dytham co-founder Mark Dytham. “So this initiative is really brilliant – it’s a win-win for the architect and Archi-Depot. You rent a set of tall shelves, display your models on the lower shelves, and store the boxes and cases on the upper shelves. Hey presto, an instant architectural model museum with works by most of Japan’s leading architects.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

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Video: Hands-on with the Nikon DL trio at CP+ 2016 in Japan

26 Feb

It’s all well and good to imagine what Nikon’s trio of 1″-type sensor compacts might be like based on spec, but there’s nothing like getting them in your hands. See what the buzz is all about – straight from the show floor of CP+ in Yokohama, Japan.

See all of our coverage from CP+ 2016

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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360Photography

Posts Tagged ‘Japan’

Fujifilm Japan announces X Raw Studio conversion software

Fujifilm announces development of new RAW conversion system “FUJIFILM X RAW STUDIO”.

Canon to launch new, partially-automated camera plant in Japan in 2019

Japan Camera Hunter StreetPan 120 Black & White film is now available for preorder

Bic Camera will soon accept Bitcoin at retail stores throughout Japan

Ferrari Designer Launches World’s Most Luxurious Sleeper Train in Japan

A Taste of Japan: Immersive Animated Restaurant Shifts with the Seasons

Leica M10 in Japan: Updated samples gallery

Nikon reportedly eliminating 1000 jobs in Japan

Small in Japan: Tokyo’s Unique Museum of Miniature Architectural Models

Video: Hands-on with the Nikon DL trio at CP+ 2016 in Japan

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