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Posts Tagged ‘zoom’

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom features dual-cam with 2.3x zoom

09 Jan

Last year’s Asus Zenfone Zoom was one of very few smartphones to feature a conventional style 3x zoom lens. The downside to that was a slightly thicker than usual device and at F4.8 a very slow aperture at the tele end, for smartphone standards.

On the new Zenfone 3 Zoom, just announced at CES in Las Vegas, Asus has changed strategies and opted for an iPhone 7 Plus style dual-cam. The Zenfone 3 Zoom offers the usual ‘bokeh-effect,’ and similar to the Apple device comes with a ‘tele’ lens that offers a 59mm equivalent focal length next to a 25mm wide angle. Both modules come with a 12MP image resolution. On the wide angle image data is captured on a 1/2.55″ Sony IMX362 sensor with 1.4 µm pixel size, F1.7 aperture and optical image stabilization. The longer lens has an F2.8 aperture but sensor specifications have not been revealed yet. It’s fair to assume the chip will be smaller than the one in the wide angle module, though.

The camera also comes with phase detection and laser assistance in the AF system, a dual-LED flash and 4K video recording. Other specifications include a 5.5″ inch 1080p display with Gorilla Glass 5, a Snapdragon 625 chipset and a huge 5,000 mAh battery. At 7.83mm the Zenfone 3 Zoom is considerably thinner than its predecessor and could be the first real Android alternative to the iPhone 7 Plus. It will become available in February at which point Asus will hopefully also reveal complete camera specifications.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Gionee M2017 comes with 2x optical zoom and 7,000 mAh battery

28 Dec

Gionee is a relatively new name in the smartphone world but the Chinese brand has already established itself in Asian markets and is growing quickly in the Western hemisphere as well. With a price tag of approximately $ 1,000, its latest model, the M2017, places itself firmly at the luxury end of the mobile device spectrum; but looking at the specifications, that seems justified.

The M2017’s headline feature is its battery. The engineers have combined two 3500mAh units to create a massive 7000mAh battery that rivals those on some tablets. Gionee claims the device offers 32 hours of talk time or 26 hours video playback on a full charge. Quick Charge 3.0 is supported as well.

The camera specs sound very interesting, too, although Gionee has not provided too much detail. For now we know that the device features a dual-cam with a 12 and a 13MP sensor. This combination allows for 2x optical zoom, like on the iPhone 7 Plus, or a 8x digital zoom. The front-facing camera comes with an 8MP resolution.

The rest of the specification reflect the luxury price point as well. Images can be viewed and composed on a 5.7-inch dual curved QHD AMOLED display. In terms of memory, there are 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Unfortunately though there is no microSD-card slot, and for some strange reason, Gionee decided to use the mid-range Snapdragon 653 chipset to power the M2017.

The device is made from premium materials, weighs in at 238 grams and, despite the massive battery, is 10.78mm thin. There is no information yet on international availability, but we’d certainly like to have closer look at that dual-camera.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Kamerar ZOOM is a lens attachment for the iPhone 7 Plus dual-camera

26 Dec

With the 28 and 56mm equivalent lenses of its dual-camera, the iPhone 7 Plus offers more flexibility in terms of focal length than most smartphones. If that’s still not enough, the Kamerar ZOOM is now the first lens attachment designed for the iPhone’s dual-camera.

The system includes two lens attachments that slide into a special case and over the iPhone’s built-in camera lenses. One combines a fisheye lens for the iPhone’s wide-angle camera with a tele-converter for the 56mm lens. The other improves the macro capabilities of both lenses.

In the product images the tiny lenses and the attachment don’t have the same premium look as some of the high-end smartphone lenses, for example from Moment or Zeiss. However, at only $ 45 plus import duties the Kamerar Zoom could be an inexpensive way of widening the creative potential of the iPhone 7 Plus even further. It can now be ordered on the Kamerar website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony launches Cyber-shot HX350 with 50x zoom outside US

26 Dec

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Sony has launched the Cyber-shot HX350 in European markets, offering a 50x zoom lens and 20.4MP BSI CMOS sensor like its HX300 predecessor. In fact, very little has changed compared to the previous model – as best we can tell, it adds an up-to-date BIONZ X processor, lock-on AF and a new blue ‘Zeiss’ badge on the same 24-1200mm equiv. F2.8-6.3 lens.

It continues to offer a built-in EVF, optical image stabilization, 3″ tilting 921k-dot LCD, 1080/60p video recording and 10 fps burst shooting. Sony Germany lists the HX350 at €449 with availability in January 2017.

Press Release:

That’s so close! The compact 50x super zoom Cyber-shot™ HX350 is big on imaging power

ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* lens with 50x optical zoom and 100x Clear Image Zoom[i] for awesome close-ups
Shoot like a pro with manual controls and electronic viewfinder in a compact DSLR-style body
Back-illuminated Exmor RTM CMOS sensor with 20.4 effective megapixels and BIONZ X™ image processing engine
Optical SteadyShot™ and Intelligent Active Mode for smooth, stable stills and Full HD movies
Sharp, speedy focus of moving subjects with Lock-on AF and DMF (Direct Manual Focus)

From expansive landscapes to exotic wildlife and family portraits: every scene’s covered with the Cyber-shot HX350 high-zoom camera from Sony.

Discerning photographers graduating from smartphone snaps will love the mix of easy-to-use features and DSLR-inspired styling. Fitting beautifully in your hand, the HX350 packs big camera performance into a compact body – for limitless creative possibilities with a fixed lens.

You’re good for any shooting situation, with the ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* lens offering a huge 50x optical zoom range – corresponding to 24mm wide angle to 1200mmsuper telephoto (equivalent in 35mm format).Clear Image Zoom doubles maximum magnification to a breathtaking 100xi, bringing distant buildings, people and animals jaw-droppingly close.

Camera shake is the enemy of high-zoom shooting, as any pro knows. Optical SteadyShot cuts handheld wobbles for crisper stills, rapidly shifting a group of lens elements to correct for the slightest hand tremors. Intelligent Active Mode keeps Full HD videos equally sharp and blur-free with Sony’s proprietary frame analysis technology.

Enthusiasts will be impressed by the high-resolution back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor with 20.4 effective megapixels and speedy BIONZ X image processing engine. Even if you’re shooting handheld indoors or in low light, you’ll value crisp, low noise images and pristine Full HD video footage.

The easy to use Cyber-shot HX350 is loaded with serious shooting options. There’s a manual ring for smooth adjustment of zoom/focus, plus an easily-accessible mode dial and custom button for quick adjustment of favourite settings. And with full P/A/S/M controls, you’ve got all the exposure options you need to craft stunning pictures and Full HD videos. Movie-makers will also welcome the extra detail of a 24p shooting mode that gives footage that authentically cinematic look.

The choice is yours when it comes to framing shots with confidence. Look through the camera’s high-contrast electronic viewfinder – just like you’d expect on a DSLR – or switch to the manually tiltable 7.5cm (3.0-type) LCD with 921k dot resolution.

Extra shooting refinements include Motion Shot Video that traces your tennis serve or golf swing as a split-second series of superimposed images. After shooting, connect the camera to your 4K television for a big, beautiful view of your photos. Support for TRILUMINOS™ Colour on compatible BRAVIA™ TVs ensures still shots bursting with vivid, vibrant colours.

[i] At optical wide-end

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350 specifications

Price
MSRP	€450
Body type
Body type	SLR-like (bridge)
Body material	Composite
Sensor
Max resolution	5184 x 3456
Image ratio w:h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	20 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	21 megapixels
Sensor size	1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm)
Sensor type	BSI-CMOS
Processor	BIONZ X
Color space	sRGB
Color filter array	Primary Color Filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 80-3200 (up to 12800 in Multi-Frame NR mode)
Boosted ISO (maximum)	12800
Image stabilization	Optical
Uncompressed format	No
JPEG quality levels	Fine, standard
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.3)
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.)	24–1000 mm
Optical zoom	41.7×
Maximum aperture	F2.8–6.3
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Multi-area Center Selective single-point Single Continuous Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Digital zoom	Yes (2x)
Manual focus	Yes
Normal focus range	1 cm (0.39″)
Macro focus range	1 cm (0.39″)
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	921,600
Touch screen	No
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder resolution	201,600
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Exposure modes	Program Aperture Priority Shutter Priority Manual
Scene modes	High Sensitivity Night Scene Handheld Twilight Night Portrait Landscape Portrait Soft Skin Anti Motion Blur Beach Snow Fireworks Advanced Sports Shooting Gourmet Pet Mode
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash range	8.50 m (at Auto ISO)
External flash	No
Flash modes	Off, auto, fill, slow sync, advanced, rear sync
Drive modes	Single Continuous Self-timer Bracketing (Exposure, WB)
Continuous drive	10.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, portrait)
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Spot
Exposure compensation	-2–3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Modes	1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1440 x 1080 @ 30p / 12 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC + Memory Stick Pro Duo
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	No
Headphone port	No
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	NB-BX1 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	300
Weight (inc. batteries)	652 g (1.44 lb / 23.00 oz)
Dimensions	130 x 93 x 103 mm (5.12 x 3.66 x 4.06″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Throwback Thursday: Olympus C-211 Zoom Digital Printing Camera

15 Dec

If you want to see a truly rare camera, look no further than the Olympus ‘Camedia’ C-211 Zoom Digital Printing Camera. The big feature of the C-211 Zoom ($ 800 at launch) is immediately obvious – it’s a camera and photo printer in one. Even if you found a C-211 in a thrift shop you probably couldn’t even print anything, as it uses the now-defunct Polaroid 500 instant film.

From a spec point-of-view the C-211Z wasn’t any different than other Olympus cameras in 2000. It had a 2 Megapixel CCD, 35-105mm equiv. lens, TIFF support and no manual exposure control. One interesting feature was its 113k-dot LCD, which used a ‘Hybrid Collector Backlight.’ Just above the panel was a window, through which light passed through, brightening the display when shooting outdoors without requiring additional power from the traditional LCD backlight. The C-211 used the wondrous storage format known as SmartMedia.

The C-211 used Polaroid 500 film packs, which held ten pieces of film as well as a small battery to advance to the next sheet. The print area of 500 film was 2.25 x 2.875 in. (57 x 73mm) and it took about 15 seconds for the camera to pop out a sheet.

There were a number of options for photo printing. Naturally you could select a photo in playback mode and hit that large blue print button and be done with it. You could also print a contact sheet or a crop of a photo (cropping must have been fun on that tiny LCD.) You could even print a series of frame grabs from a video you’d recorded at a whopping 320 x 240.

While clever, the C-211 Zoom was the only photo printing camera Olympus ever made, and the concept never went anywhere – until quite recently that is, when instant cameras like Fujifilm’s Instax became a big hit.

Read original C-211 Zoom news story

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Have Your Say: Best Zoom Lens of 2016

09 Dec

Have Your Say: Best Zoom Lens of 2016

The end of the year is almost upon us, and as usual, 2016 saw plenty of new lenses released, including several excellent zooms. We’ve used a lot of them and tested some, but we want to hear from you – what were your favorite zoom lenses of 2016?

For the sake of a manageable list, we’ve omitted ‘kit’ zoom lenses and most variable-aperture telezooms from this poll. If there’s a particularly high-performing example of either type which you’d like to see represented in our final selection, or a late 2015 release that you think should be under consideration, leave a comment!

Click through this slideshow for a reminder of the major releases and a chance cast your vote. Voting ends at midnight on December 31st.

Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L III USM

The Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L III USM is the third revision of Canon’s well-known ultra-wide zoom lens. It has 16 elements, one of which is dual surface aspherical, while the other is ground aspherical. The lens has a fluorine coating and is dust and water resistant. The minimum focus distance is 0.28m.

Our early impressions of this lens are very positive indeed. It’s costly piece of glass, but for Canon photographers looking for a versatile wideangle zoom, the 16-35mm F2.8 III is hard to beat. Is this one of your lenses of the year? Cast your vote and let us know.