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  • Google teases Pixel smartphone launch, takes on iPhone X on October 4th

    Responses to the iPhone 8/Plus and iPhone X launch have ranged from “meh, unimpressed” to “holy crap this is going to change everything.” But if you’re waiting for Google’s response to the iPhone X camera, you won’t have to wait long. In fact, you can mark October 4th on your calendar and start the countdown today.

    The release date was announced in the snarky little teaser video above, which points people to a landing page complete with the tagline: “Thinking about changing phones?” Billboards asking you to ‘Ask more of your phone’ have been sighted, possibly a nod to Google Assistant’s generally accepted superiority over Siri.

    Indeed, questions in the video like ‘why is my phone so dumb?’ or ‘impersonal’ seem to be a jab at Siri, while other questions like ‘why is my phone so fragile’ point to a more durable phone than last year’s not-so-durable Pixel phones, with far less glass than the newly launched iPhones. We hope the ‘why does my phone take so many blurry photos’ question refers to the addition of optical image stabilization.

    Even without OIS, when the original Pixel and Pixel XL came out, the phones’ exceptional camera performance wowed reviewers. And that was even without the use of a dual camera module like the iPhone 7 Plus. From a photography perspective, we can’t wait to see what Google does next. Apple already played their hand, the ball is in Google’s court now.

    Maybe I am thinking of changing phones Google… convince me.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Ford Disguised a Person as a Seat to Test How We React to Driverless Cars

    [ By SA Rogers in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

    A Ford van zooming around the Washington D.C. area last month, seemingly without a human in the driver’s seat, wasn’t self-driving after all: it was a man in a ‘seat suit.’ A fake driverless car might seem like a weird experiment, especially considering the fact that there’s an entire fake town for testing self-driving vehicles at Ford’s disposal. But as it turns out, they have their reasons: observing how people react to seeing it. While Virginia Tech has already been testing autonomous vehicles in the area, they’re still using human overseers to take over the wheel in case something goes wrong.

    In the video above, a few people muse aloud, “Is that a self-driving car?” Slow-motion shots show the vehicle passing by with a seemingly empty driver’s seat. But the fact that there’s a man camouflaged as a car seat is almost more interesting, anyway. After learning of the stunt, Adam Tuss of NBC Washington followed the car around until he could pull up next to it at a red light and get a shot of the interior, revealing the driver’s hands and legs. “Brother, who are you?” he asks in the video. “What are you doing? I’m with the news, dude.”

    John Shutko, a Ford self-driving researcher, divulges some answers in a piece on Medium.

    “We’re teamed up with [Virginia Tech] to test our communications method and to explore how pedestrians and bicyclists react to self-driving vehicles with no human in the driver’s seat. Of course, we do need someone in the seat right now, so we dressed a human up in a seat suit to make it appear as though there was nobody inside our simulated self-driving Ford Transit Connect. This seat suit allowed us to collect real-world reactions to an autonomous vehicle driving on miles of public roads in northern Virginia, without actually using an autonomous vehicle.”

    Six different drivers wore the suit throughout August, reporting that they started out on a test track before moving onto the streets, and that the suit was definitely uncomfortable.

    Mobility Vision: Hyundai Concept Connects Smart Home to Driverless Car

    Who needs a garage when your autonomous vehicle could simply pull up into a port inside your home and seamlessly integrate itself with the interior? Hyundai wants to give us all another reason to …

    Robot City: Entire Fake Town Built to Test Driverless Vehicles

    Opening this week, Mcity is a completely artificial village for self-driving cars, bringing the future of automobiles back to Michigan, the historical home of Motor City. Taking lessons from …

    View Forward: Driverless London Train Cars Arriving in 2020

    Called the New Tube, the next phase in London’s Underground system will feature partially and entirely automated cars, including ones that let passengers sit up front in the space heretofore …

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    [ By SA Rogers in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

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  • Netflix acquires rights to Kodachrome: a movie about the final days of the iconic film

    Photo courtesy Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

    Netflix has acquired the rights to Kodachrome, an upcoming Jason Sudeikis movie about the last days of the Kodachrome film era. The news was first reported by Deadline, who is claiming that Netflix paid $ 4 million for the rights and plans a widespread theatrical release that could cover theaters in major regions around the world—including the US, UK, Canada, and Japan.

    Kodachrome the movie revolves around a father and son on a road trip to get to one of Kodak’s photo processing labs before it closes down forever. The screenplay was inspired by a New York Times article about the last lab in the world that was processing the now-iconic film stock; in the movie, the characters are racing against time to try and get four rolls developed before it’s too late.

    True to the film’s theme, Kodachrome was shot on film, not digital, and features the acting talents of Jason Sudeikis, Ed Harris, and Elizabeth Olsen. Here’s hoping it comes to a theatre near you… and pays proper tribute to the analog legend.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Video: The pros and cons of natural light vs off-camera flash

    Photographer Manny Ortiz took to the woods with his wife and model Diana during golden hour to film a comparison video that many amateur photographers on up will find useful: natural light vs off-camera flash. What are the pros of each setup, why would you choose one over the other, and how can off-camera flash make natural light photos look even better? Manny dives into all of this while performing a live shooting demo.

    The video starts with a quick demo where Manny alternates between shooting natural light and off-camera flash to illustrate how each style changes his settings and the final product. Then, once he’s finished, he breaks down the pros and cons of each style.

    Here are a couple of before and after pictures Manny shared with us from his demonstration, so you can see the difference between his natural light only portraits and the ones augmented by off-camera flash:

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    After the demo Manny discusses the reasons he shoots both natural light and off-camera flash, and when he chooses to shoot which style.

    Traditionally a flash photographer, shooting natural light only is ‘liberating’ for Manny. He also appreciates the ability to stay mostly incognito when shooting on-location in a popular area—nobody wants to draw a crowd or unwanted attention during a portrait shoot.

    On the other hand, flash photography gives Manny the option to create his own light when mother nature doesn’t cooperate or the time of day isn’t ideal. And since so many portrait photographers start out shooting natural light, properly using off-camera flash can help you to stand out from the crowd.

    To hear more of Manny’s thoughts or see him in action, check out the full video above. And if you want to see more of his work, don’t forget to follow him on Instagram where he’s most active.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Godox announces affordable XPRO-C wireless flash trigger for Canon users

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    Godox has unveiled the new XPRO-C, an affordable wireless flash trigger compatible with all of the company’s X1-series 2.4GH lamps and flashes, and built specifically for Canon cameras. The new trigger seems to be competing with both Canon and Nissin, whose Air 10s trigger features some similar features at a steeper price.

    The XPRO-C supports manual, high-speed sync, and TTL control alongside TTL-Convert-Manual (TCM) functionality. The TCM function enables users to meter flashes in TTL and then switch to manual mode; the settings are auto-adjusted to maintain an equivalent output.

    User control is simplified via a large dot matrix LCD able to display five groups alongside five physical group buttons. Selecting a specific group pulls up additional information on the LCD, according to Godox, and there’s support for multiple custom functions. High-speed sync ranges up to 1/8000, manual flash power from 1/1 – 1/256, and there’s support for X1/R2 receiver flashes in up to 16 groups.

    The XPRO-C (also called Flashpoint R2 Pro in the US) has a retail price of $ 80 and is already available for pre-order online.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon Asia accused of sexism over D850 promotion that featured 32 men and 0 women

    32 photographers featured… all of the men.

    Nikon Asia is taking some serious heat today after a Nikon D850 promotion featuring 32 photographers caught the eye of the blog Fstoppers. The issue with this so-called “awe-inspiring” promotion? It featured 32 men, and 0 women, a realization that has led to wide-spread criticism of the promotion and of Nikon as a whole.

    The original article didn’t hold back, claiming that “Nikon thinks [the D850] is too much for women to handle,” since the company didn’t select a single woman photographer for this particular promotion. Responses online were equally harsh, with some users asking Nikon when the female version of the D850 would come out… and if it would be pink:

    Others implied they would be taking their business elsewhere:

    The controversy has gotten so much attention online, in fact, that CNN Money picked up the story.

    For its part Nikon Asia did respond on Twitter, thanking users for “challenging us to do more” to support its female photographers. According to that statement, Nikon Asia did invite women to be part of the promotion (no word on how many) but none were able to participate. Here is the full statement:

    All in all, it’s been a very bad 24 hours for Nikon. But inflammatory as the original story is and obviously unacceptable as this all-male promotion was, it’s worth pointing out that this doesn’t seem to reflect Nikon’s philosophy as a brand, and particularly not Nikon USA.

    The D850 has been promoted like mad, and one of the main photographers spreading the word around the United States is Dixie Dixon. When we reached out to Nikon for comment on this story, the company was adamant about its support for all photographers, sending us the following statement just a few minutes ago:

    At Nikon, we champion all passionate photographers. Women are an integral part of the photography community and we are dedicated to celebrating any talented storyteller and their work. We appreciate you raising this concern and we will continue to support the immense creative talent of female photographers in the US and globally.

    Nikon—and more specifically Nikon Asia—certainly made a big mistake with this promotion. And given the attention this story has gotten (and will continue to get) it’s safe to say they’ll never host an all-male event or promotion again, nor should they. But to say “Nikon thinks [the D850] is too much for women to handle” is a stomach-churning extrapolation to make… albeit a very click-y one.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Lastolite unveils two new ‘stone effect’ panoramic backgrounds for portrait photographers

    Studio accessories manufacturer Lastolite has introduced a pair of new stone effects to its panoramic background range. Granite and Limestone are the first textured materials to join the range that currently just includes white, black and Chromakey Green plain finishes.

    The Lastolite Panoramic Background system consists of a three-part collapsible frame that is self-supporting once erected. Plain or patterned covers stretch over the frame to form a 4×2.3m/13×7.5ft backdrop suitable for shooting groups, and once packed away the kit measures just 100cmx30cmx35cm/39x12x14in.

    The new patterns will be available with or without the panoramic frame, and will cost £306 on their own or £600 with the frame (US prices still to be released). For more information see the Manfrotto website.

    Press Release

    Lastolite by Manfrotto presents new Granite and Limestone panoramic backgrounds to the collection

    Lastolite By Manfrotto, the world’s leading manufacturer of backgrounds and lighting control systems has announced the launch of the new Panoramic Background in Granite and Limestone.

    The Panoramic Background has quickly become the go to background for busy photographers needing a 4m wide, seamless, crease free, collapsible solution. Built around a three-panel collapsible lightweight aluminium framework, the Panoramic background is completely self-supporting so there is no need for additional stands and crossbars. The Panoramic Background is assembled in a matter of minutes and, once assembled, is simply clipped onto the framework. The stretchable cover fabric ensures a flat, crease free surface at all times. Unlike other large seamless background solutions, the Panoramic collapses down to an impressive 100cm x 30cm x 35cm size, making it very easy to transport. The Panoramic Background is perfect for shooting larger groups, shooting with props or creating the negative space in a photograph that agencies so often request.

    The new themed covers now bring textured surfaces to the range and perfectly complement the existing black, white and Chromakey Green solid colour surfaces. There are two new covers available – Granite and Limestone. Granite offers a stone texture effect with a full range of grey tones and a dark vignette around the edges, whilst Limestone is much lighter, offering a subtle range of mid to light greys giving the effect of a Limestone surface.

    The Granite and Limestone Panoramic background includes the framework and the cover. For existing Panoramic background users the new covers are also available separately.

    Click here to see a video of the new Panoramic Background in action https://vimeo.com/230936776

    The Granite and Limestone Panoramic Background has an RRP of £600.
    The Granite and Limestone Panoramic Background covers have an RRP of £306.

    For more information, please visit www.manfrotto.co.uk/lastolite

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • How To Retouch Old Photos In Photoshop

    Family photos can be incredibly precious keepsakes. Most of us have in our possession old pictures of our parents, our grandparents, or ourselves, but unfortunately, as a result of time and poor protection, these photos often become scratched or torn, or lose their original spark. Thanks to Photoshop, we can easily restore our old photos in a fun and creative Continue Reading

    The post How To Retouch Old Photos In Photoshop appeared first on Photodoto.


    Photodoto

  • Photo of GoPro Hero6 leaked, will be able to shoot 4K at 60 fps

    We’ve already knew the GoPro Hero6 was on the way thanks to company CEO Nick Woodman, who revealed the camera’s existence back in February. But a newly leaked photo of the Hero6 reveals one very exciting feature we didn’t know about: the little camera will allegedly be able to shoot 4K at 60fps.

    The leaked photo was sent to Photo Rumors by a reader of theirs, and as with any unofficial leak, it’s worth taking the image with a grain of salt. But if it is legitimate, this is what the GoPro Hero6 will look like in its final packaging:

    If the packaging is legitimate, we can see that the Hero6 is waterproof to 10m, takes 12MP photographs, and can shoot video at 4K and 60fps. The current Hero5 maxes out at 4K 30fps, which puts it at a disadvantage when you compare it to cheaper action cameras like the Yi 4K, which shoots 4K 60fps and costs just $ 340.

    The Hero6 will very likely cost more than this—even the Hero5 still goes for $ 400—but with more accessories to choose from and a brand name people recognize, it might just convince some Yi fans to return to the mothership.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Cooling Cities: L.A. is Painting Streets White to Combat Heat Island Effects

    [ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

    Thanks in part to heat-absorbing materials and colors, cities tend to be warmer than their natural surroundings, and in hot places with lots of dark roads like Los Angeles that can prove a serious public health hazard.The mayor has pledged to reduce temperatures in the city by 3 degrees over the next 20 years, in part by dealing with urban heat island effects in new and different ways.

    As part of this promise to help make bring down temperatures for its millions of residents, LA is trying something that could dramatically change its urban landscape: repainting roads in white. The aim is to reflect rather than absorb heat and so far the results are extremely promising.

    “We found that on average the area covered in CoolSeal is 10 degrees cooler than black asphalt on the same parking lot,” said Greg Spotts, the assistant director of the Bureau of Street Services for San Fernando Valley, an area with particularly severe heat problems.

    It’s not just about open public spaces either: reducing exterior temperatures has impacts on adjacent interiors. Heat reductions outside and mean cooler spaces inside area homes and businesses. In turn, this can help residents and owners save on cooling costs. It also isn’t just a daytime problem: heat captured during the day is released into the night air, keeping things hotter around the clock.

    The process doesn’t come cheap, however: each coat lasts for around seven years but prices out around $ 40,000 per linear mile. If it works, though, the cost could be offset in part by savings on other fronts, in addition to making for a more healthy metropolis all around. Meanwhile, other strategies are also in play — the city is looking to make roofs brighter, for instance, and bring more green into the mix. (via Inhabitat and L.A. Times, images by Greg Spotts and Giuseppe Milo).

    Ghost Architecture: Building Demolition Photo Composites

    Philadelphia native Andrew Evans takes pictures that give a new perspective on the processes of urban deconstruction, showing before, during and after images of once-proud civic …

    High Line West: Chicago & LA on Track for Elevated Greenways

    Following in the footsteps of the United States’ largest urban center, the 2nd and 3rd most populous cities in the country are each (respectively) developing and building extensive elevated …

    London Approves Europe’s First City-Spanning Bike Superhighway

    Catering to some of the 170,000 cyclists that ride across London every day, this segregated bicycle lane will stretch from west to east, pass through the heart of the city and span 18 miles when …

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    [ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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