RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Updates’

Instagram updates iOS app with support for iOS 13’s native Dark Mode UI

09 Oct

Instagram is the latest app to add support for the newly introduced Dark Mode in iOS 13. The redesign features white and gray text on a black background, as well as simple black icons outlined in white. The brightest elements in the new UI are avatars and the content shared by users.

In addition to reducing eye strain, the new Dark Mode support will reduce battery drain on devices that feature OLED displays. Users are not able to manually turn this mode off or on in the app, however; it is tied to the iOS 13 settings, meaning Dark Mode must be enabled on the user’s phone. The update is rolling out on Instagram for iOS now.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Instagram updates iOS app with support for iOS 13’s native Dark Mode UI

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Microsoft launches ARM-powered Studio Pro X, updates Surface Pro 7 with USB-C

03 Oct

Today, Microsoft released the details on its two new Surface Pro 2-in-1 PCs, the Surface Pro 7 and the Surface Pro X. The new devices might look similar on the outside, but take quite different approaches to mobile computing on the inside.

Surface Pro 7

The Surface Pro 7 remains largely unchanged from its predecessor on the, well, surface. Aside from the jump to USB-C (finally), the Surface Pro 7 is identical to the Surface Pro 6, including the 12.3-inch PixelSense touchscreen display (2,736 x 1,824, 267 ppi), Surface Type Keyboard and Surface Pen.

After years of Microsoft using its proprietary Surface Connector, the Surface Pro lineup now gets USB-C. It’s not Thunderbolt 3, but it’s a welcomed change nonetheless. Other ports include USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, Surface Connect and a Micro SD port.

Internally, the Surface Pro 7 is powered by Intel’s 10th generation processors with a number of options ranging from dual-core 1.2G GHz i3 processors to quad-core 1.3 GHz i7 processors. The Surface Pro 7 can max out with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but the base model will include just 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

On the wireless side of things, the Surface Pro 7 will include 802.11ax Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Microsoft claims a runtime of up to 10.5 hours on a single charge, although a specific Wh rating was not given for the battery.

The Surface Pro 7 starts at $ 749 for the base model—$ 150 less than the base level price for the Surface Pro 6. It’s available for pre-order today in black and silver and will ship starting October 22, 2019.

Surface Pro X

Microsoft is switching things up a bit with the Surface Pro X. Unlike the Surface Pro 7, which relies on Intel processors, the new Surface Pro X will use a custom ARM-based processor.

Microsoft says the processor is a co-developed version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx processor called the Surface SQ1. Microsoft says the 7-watt processor can get upwards of ‘three times more performance per watt than the [Intel-driven] Surface Pro 6.’ Microsoft says the GPU inside the Surface Pro X was also co-developed with Qualcomm.

Other benefits of using an ARM-based processor is that the Surface Pro X will support LTE connectivity, offer up to 13 hours of battery life and will offer fast charging (0-80 percent with just an hour charge).

The device itself looks very similar to its Intel counterparts on the outside, with a few notable exceptions. Rather than a 12-inch PixelSense display, the Surface Pro X will offer a 13-inch display. The edges and corners of the Surface Pro X have also been rounded off compared to the Surface Pro 7.

The Surface Pro X is just 5.3mm at its thinnest point and weighs only 762g (1.68lbs). Microsoft says the Surface Pro X will run a full-fledged version of Windows 10, unlike the toned-down version the ARM-powered Surface RT used.

The Surface Pro X is available to pre-order today for $ 999 and will arrive at retailers on November 5th.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Microsoft launches ARM-powered Studio Pro X, updates Surface Pro 7 with USB-C

Posted in Uncategorized

 

DJI updates Ronin-S with ActiveTrack 3.0, Force Mobile and Auto 3D Roll 360° modes

30 Sep

When DJI announced the Ronin-SC this past July, it included features not found on the original Ronin-S. The Chinese manufacturer has now added Force Mobile, ActiveTrack 3.0, and Auto 3D Roll 360 modes to its original 3-axis gimbal stabilizer for mirrorless cameras. The V2.0.0.90 firmware update allows Ronin-S users to add these features.

DJI’s Paul Pan has created a few videos, seen above, demonstrating how Force Mobile, which controls the gimbal’s movement with a mobile device, and ActiveTrack 3.0, which tracks subjects, work.

Here is what’s new with v1.2.4 of the firmware update for the Ronin-S:

  • Added ActiveTrack 3.0.
  • Added Force Mobile.
  • Added quick switch to 3D Roll 360 mode. Press M button three times to enter, and press three times again to exit.
  • Added Auto 3D Roll 360. When the gimbal is in 3D Roll 360 mode, push the joystick left or right twice to enable Auto 3D Roll 360. The gimbal rotates continuously without needing to hold the joystick. Press the trigger twice to stop Auto 3D Roll 360.
  • Added video recording, autofocus, and focus pull support for Sony A7R4 cameras with supported E-mount lenses using a Multi-Camera Control Cable (MCC-C). To use autofocus on the A7R4, press halfway down on the camera control button of the gimbal.
  • Added photo capture, video recording, zoom, and focus pull support for Sony A7R4 cameras using a Multi-Camera Control Cable (Multi USB). To use autofocus on the A7R4, press halfway down on the camera control button of the gimbal.
  • Optimized 3D Roll 360.
  • Added Track mode settings for Command Unit.
  • Optimized follow experience in Flashlight mode.
  • Optimized the Profile LED display by changing the pulsing frequency when gimbal in sleep mode, and the LED will become red to indicate low battery warning when battery level is less than 20%.
  • Sleep mode can be enabled by pressing once or twice of the gimbal power button.
  • Optimized zoom adjustment when using Sony cameras’ multi-port with Power Zoom lens, The zoom speed can be set from 1 to 100 (requires DJI Ronin v1.2.4 app or later).
  • Fixed other minor bugs.

DJI has also provided a few tips on successfully updating the Ronin-S firmware:

  • Make sure that the DJI Ronin App is the latest version when updating the firmware.
  • Make sure Ronin-S is powered off and update the firmware through the DJI Pro Assistant for Ronin by connecting the USB-C port on Ronin-S to your computer. Do not disconnect the gimbal from the computer while updating.
  • After the update is complete, unplug the USB-C cable from Ronin-S and proceed to power on the gimbal.
  • If Ronin-S has a camera attached and is turned on while updating the firmware, make sure to protect the camera and lens as the motors will shut off during the update.
  • If the firmware update fails, restart the Ronin-S and retry.

The Ronin-S retails for $ 749 while the essentials kit costs $ 559.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on DJI updates Ronin-S with ActiveTrack 3.0, Force Mobile and Auto 3D Roll 360° modes

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Canon’s new EOS R, RP firmware updates improve AF accuracy, performance and more

27 Sep

Today, Canon published the latest firmware updates for its EOS R and EOS RP camera systems. Firmware version 1.4.0 and firmware version 1.3.0 improve the autofocus capabilities fo the EOS R and EOS RP, respectively.

Below is the changelog for the firmware version 1.4.0 update for the Canon EOS R:

Firmware Version 1.3.0 incorporates the following enhancement:
1. Enhances eye detection Auto Focus (AF) for improved face and eye recognition at greater distances.
2. Improved Auto Focus (AF) performance helps the camera to focus on and track smaller subjects.
3. Reduces lag time between the actual Auto Focus (AF) and the AF frame display for images in the viewfinder or on the LCD.
4. Fixes a phenomenon in which the AF frame size cannot be changed in the Servo AF setting.
5. Fixes PTP communication vulnerability.

The changelog for the firmware version 1.3.0 update for the Canon EOS RP reads the same with the exception of bullet point number four which instead reads:

Fixes a phenomenon in which main dial icon may not appear when magnify/reduce button is pressed during the image playback.

The two updates are currently available to download from Canon USA (EOS R, EOS RP).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Canon’s new EOS R, RP firmware updates improve AF accuracy, performance and more

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Fujifilm updates X-T3 firmware to fix an issue that can occur when shooting in ‘S’ drive mode

13 Sep

Fujifilm has released a small firmware update for its X-T3 mirrorless camera that fixes a specific ‘phenomenon’ that can require you to turn your camera off and back on again.

Firmware version 3.01 (previously version 3.00) addresses an issue wherein a message reading ‘turn off the camera and turn on again’ can appear when shooting in the ’S’ drive mode while repeatedly taking photos within a short timeframe.

Aside from that, Fujifilm doesn’t mention any other fixes in this update, even basic bug fixes.

You can find information on how to install the firmware and download the update on Fujifilm’s website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Fujifilm updates X-T3 firmware to fix an issue that can occur when shooting in ‘S’ drive mode

Posted in Uncategorized

 

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)

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

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Apple announces new photo features and tools in iOS 13, macOS and iPadOS updates

04 Jun

Today, at its World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2019, Apple unveiled a collection of new photo-oriented features and tools inside its upcoming iOS 13 and macOS operating systems, as well as its new iPadOS, a spin-off of iOS designed specifically to utilize the larger, more powerful tablets from Apple.

Below we’ve rounded up and summarized the best photo-related features from each of the three operating systems. Additional details will be added over time as we gather more information and details.

iOS 13

The main feature changes in iOS 13 are new and improved features inside the Camera and Photos applications.

On the Camera app front, Apple has added a new Portrait Mode setting it calls High Key Mono. As its name suggests, the new AI-powered filter will create a high key black and white image when captured with Portrait Mode in the Camera app.

A collection of Portrait Mode images showing the five different lighting filters available.

Also new to Portrait Mode is the ability to adjust the intensity of the lighting. Apple says its new feature is designed to simulate the light source moving closer to or further away from the subject and even accounts for the higher intensity light being softer, as would be the case with a physical light source. And like before, each adjustment is made individually to images using AI to achieve the most accurate results.

Screenshots provided by Apple showing the ‘Years,’ ‘Months’ and ‘Days’ tabs, respectively.

Moving onto the Photos app on iOS, Apple has switched up the interface a little to add a new tab at the bottom that will automatically sort images into ‘Years,’ ‘Months,’ ‘Days’ and ‘All Photos.’ In addition to the new ‘Pinch’ gesture that can be used to zoom in and out of large numbers of photos, these tabs make it easier to chronological sort through images and the tabs are even contextual, so if, say, it’s your child’s birthday and their information is in your phone, the ‘Year’ tab will show photos of your child on the thumbnails of each year.

Another UI change in the Photos app is in the photo editing section. The interface now uses buttons, akin to what you see in Instagram and other third-party photo editing applications. Apple has also added the ability to edit video directly in the Photos app, just as you would photos. Now, videos can be rotated, adjusted and have filters added to them just as you would with a still image.

You can read more about iOS 13 on Apple’s dedicated preview page.

iPadOS

You might’ve noticed the lack of any mention of the iPad. That’s because Apple has finally given the iPad an operating system of its own, iPadOS. Unsurprisingly, the operating system is effectively a more powerful version of iOS, complete with a number of features photographers around the world have been asking for.

First up is support for external drives. Now, the Files app supports browsing, editing, sorting and transferring content from hard drives, solid state drives, USB drives, SD cards and even direct import from cameras. We haven’t found any additional details, but Apple CEO Tim Cook specifically mentioned the ability to import images directly into Lightroom CC from an SD card or connected camera, bypassing the need to first import images into your Camera Roll.

The first iteration of iPadOS also brings the aforementioned changes found in the iOS 13 version of the Camera and Photos apps.

Apple has also managed to further decrease the response time when using the Apple Pencil with an iPad. Apple already leads the industry with a 20ms response time, but in iPadOS that’s been further reduced to 9ms, thanks to improved algorithms.

You can read more about iPadOS on Apple’s dedicated preview page.

macOS Catalina

The newest version of Apple’s desktop operating system, macOS, has strayed from the desert theme and has officially been deemed macOS Catalina. Of all the changes, one change, in particular, stands out for photographers—Sidecar.

Until now, it’s required third-party hardware and software to use your iPad as a secondary display for your macOS computer. Now, the functionality is baked directly into macOS Catalina via Sidecar.

Sidecar works both wired and wirelessly, and supports the Apple Pencil, effectively turning your iPad into a dedicated drawing tablet that’s connected directly to your macOS computer. Sidecar will support gesture inputs and will display various Touch Bar functions on the bottom of the iPad display, even if you don’t have the Touch Bar MacBook Pro.

Apple has shared a list of supported apps, which include Affinity Photo, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Cinema 4D, Final Cut Pro, Maya and others. However, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Capture One and other photo-related apps are noticeably absent from the list for the time being.

A list of apps Apple has specifically mentioned as supported by Sidecar for the time being.

By adding this functionality, Apple has more or less pulled the rug out from underneath third-party software and hardware options including Astropad and Duet Display. However, until iPadOS and macOS Catalina are available for public use, third-party options are the only means of using your iPad as a secondary display.

You can read more about macOS Catalina on Apple’s dedicated preview page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Apple announces new photo features and tools in iOS 13, macOS and iPadOS updates

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Google suspends Android updates and support for Huawei, Intel & Microsoft join in

20 May

With devices like its recent P30 Pro flagship smartphone Huawei has managed to established itself as one of the prime manufacturers and a major innovator in the mobile imaging space within a very short period of time.

However, it looks like the company’s meteoric rise could be slowed significantly over the coming months. Over the weekend Reuters reported that the maker of the Android mobile operating system that runs on pretty much all Huawei mobile devices, will stop working with Huawei on future Android updates and device certifications. The move is a reaction to an executive order signed by US president Donald Trump and a resulting U.S. Commerce Department blacklist which prohibits US companies to do business with certain foreign entities, including Huawei.

Huawei is accused by the Trump accusation to work with the Chinese Government to install backdoors in its network equipment for spying purposes.

Companies on the blacklist are barred from purchasing equipment from U.S. companies without prior government approval. Previously Huawei devices had already been dropped by US network carriers under political pressure. Huawei is accused by the Trump accusation to work with the Chinese Government to install backdoors in its network equipment for spying purposes. However, no proof of such practices has been published so far.

The latest development is problematic for Huawei’s device division in so far that it relies on Google for access to closed portions of the Android OS and the Play Services suite. The latter has to be approved for each new Android device. According to the reports Play Services won’t be removed from existing devices but no new certifications will be issued.

That said, Huawei will be able to continue to use Android’s open-source components. The company uses Android’s open source libraries (AOSP) to build the core codebase for its EMUI mobile platform and release software updates in China, where Google Play services are not available.

Huawei has issued an official response to the developments, saying it will continue to provide security updates to all Huawei and Honor devices:

‘Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. As one of Android’s key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry.

Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally.

We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally.

Plus, nothing has changed for HONOR. We will be having our exciting launch event tomorrow in London for HONOR 20 Series.’

Google has also confirmed that Google Play services and Play Protect will continue to work on existing Huawei devices via a tweet:

Today a range of other US companies have joined Google in severing ties with Huawei. According to a report by Bloomberg Intel, Qualcomm, and Broadcom will stop supplying their chips and modems to Huawei. Nikkei reports the same for German chipmaker Infineon Technologies and US memory chip suppliers Micron Technology and Western Digital. There is no word from Microsoft yet but the software company is expected to cease supply of its Windows operating system for Huawei’s range of laptops.

Huawei is quite well protected against some of those impacts as the company is designing and manufacturing chipsets, modems and many other components in-house. It is also reported that the company has been stockpiling chips from US suppliers in anticipation of the current events. Supplies are said to last three months which hopefully should be enough time to solve the situation.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Google suspends Android updates and support for Huawei, Intel & Microsoft join in

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Sony pushes firmware updates for eight of its cameras to improve overall stability

18 May

Sony’s software engineers might have some sleep to catch up on, as eight Sony cameras have received incremental firmware updates to smooth out the stability of the cameras.

Specifically, Sony has released firmware updates for its a9 (version 5.01), a7R III (version 3.01), a7 III (version 3.01), a7R II (version 4.01), a7S II (version 3.01), a7 II (version 4.01), a6500 (version 1.06) and a99 II cameras (version 1.01). Sony doesn’t elaborate on what exactly has been fixed, other than to say the updates ‘[improve] the overall stability of the camera[s].’

Before downloading and installing the latest firmware updates, be sure to read through the instructions provided by Sony on each of the firmware update pages linked above.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Sony pushes firmware updates for eight of its cameras to improve overall stability

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Nikon firmware updates add direct Wi-Fi connectivity to D850, D5600 and D7500

10 May

Nikon has released firmware updates for its D850, D5600 and D7500 cameras that adds new and improved features, including direct Wi-Fi connectivity, a feature found in Nikon’s Z6 and Z7 full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Firmware version 1.10 (for all three cameras) now supports direct Wi-Fi connectivity for devices running SnapBridge 2.5.4. Inside the menu system of each of the three cameras is a new option titled ‘Establish Wi-Fi connection.’ When selected and set up via an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network, the D850, D5600 and D7500 cameras are able to connect with smartphones and tablets, as well as third-party remote control apps.

Aside from the new Wi-Fi capabilities, Nikon has also addressed a few issues for each of the cameras. On the D850, Nikon has fixed an issue where the camera would struggle to focus on subjects near the edge of the frame. On the D5600, Nikon addressed an issue where the Touch Fn would sometimes be unavailable. Lastly, Nikon has fixed a dial mode issue with the D7500, as well as an obscure issue that could occur when zooming in and out during live view movie shooting.

You can download firmware version 1.10 for the D850, D5600 and D7500 on Nikon’s Download page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Nikon firmware updates add direct Wi-Fi connectivity to D850, D5600 and D7500

Posted in Uncategorized

 
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »