Posts filed under 'Digital Imaging'
Scoopt, the world’s first ‘citizen journalism’ picture agency, officially launches on August 4th. Now anybody with a cameraphone can sell their pictures to the press on the same terms as a professional photographer. Scoopt bridges the divide between the public and picture desk.
Using MMS and mobile email technology, Scoopt members can submit photographs straight from the scene in seconds. Scoopt then licenses these photos for publication to the mainstream media. Membership is free and without commitment.
Scoopt members retain copyright to their photographs, and receive 50% of each and every licensing and syndication deal. This is in direct contrast to signing over universal copyright in exchange for a one-off flat fee, which is what usually happens when a member of the public tries to sell directly to a picture desk.
To protect media buyers, Scoopt applies vigorous measures to verify the authenticity of its material. Only members can submit material and Scoopt insists upon full and legally binding disclosure about each submission (the ‘who/what/when/where/how’). Scoopt also has a strong internal editorial policy governing what it will and will not handle.
The Scoopt premise is simple. Virtually everybody now has a mobile phone, and virtually every mobile phone has a built-in camera. This means that somebody, somewhere, is in a position to photograph just about anything that happens on the planet.
“The shocking events in London on 7th and 21st July brought citizen journalism into sudden, sharp focus, demonstrating once and for all that images taken by members of the public can be startling and evocative. Citizen journalism is here to stay and set to change the nature of news. Scoopt is at the forefront of this revolution, ensuring that frontline citizen reporters are properly and professionally represented. The key thing is joining Scoopt now so that you can send in your photos immediately next time you find yourself in the right place at the right time.”
August 3rd, 2005
Fujifilm have introduced three new models to its digital camera portfolio, inclusing the FinePix S9000 and FinePix E900 digital cameras - the world’s first consumer level cameras with nine MegaPixel sensors.
These three new models will feature Fujifilm’s innovative Real Photo Technology, a synergy of the newly developed RP Processor, the 5th Generation Super CCD HR sensor and a super-sharp Fujinon lens that provides many benefits including reduced noise for sharper pictures, better low-light shooting, faster operation and higher shutter speeds that minimize blurriness in photos even at the high ISO setting, as achieved by the FinePix S9000 model.
This novel technology arms users with a powerful photographic device that captures brilliant images just as the eye sees them.
Consumers are already experiencing the benefits of Real Photo Technology in Fujifilm’s FinePix F10 and FinePix Z1 digital cameras. Currently on the market, the FinePix F10 and FinePix Z1 models are the first cameras in Fujifilm’s lineup to feature this innovative technology and have received critical acclaim for offering best-in-class image quality, particularly in image sharpness. Catering to the needs of advanced amateur photographers, Fujifilm has incorporated the photographic innovation of Real Photo Technology into these three new models, offering the more serious digital shooter more robust bodies, higher resolution for picture enlargements, advanced wide angle optical zoom, and overall better picture taking and images.
“As the digital camera market has matured so have consumers, who now want their digital cameras to perform across the board, not just in terms of the number of megapixels,” said Bill Drysdale, Vice President and General Manager, Electronic Imaging Products Division, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A, Inc. “More than ever, consumers are looking for a digital camera that provides the whole package, including great image quality, form factor, and manual options allowing them to grow as they expand their digital know how. As an imaging technology leader, Fujifilm feels these new models will offer users across all levels cameras that are faster, smarter and most importantly armed with the ability to provide people with the high level of performance they seek when capturing memories.”
The FinePix S9000 offers traditional SLR-like styling for serious photo enthusiasts and Fujifilm’s proprietary Super CCD HR (High Resolution) sensor to capture nine million effective pixels - the first consumer digital camera on the market to offer such resolution. In addition to increased MegaPixels, the FinePix S9000 features a new 10.7x optical zoom with a 28mm-300 wide-angle equivalency for wider scene to longer range possibilities without a change in lens.
In the past, users of consumer-level digital cameras found that higher MegaPixels often meant more noise, resulting in pictures files that were big enough for enlargements, but often lacking in sharpness. With the FinePix S9000 users are able to capture beautiful digital images with very little noise at the high ISO settings at full resolution. Additional features of the S9000 include a tilting LCD screen for shooting from a variety of angles, the ability to shoot in the RAW file format, dual media slots, 30 fps video at VGA resolution, hot shoe mount for external flash systems and ultra high resolution achieved through the electronic viewfinder.
The FinePix E900 adds to Fujifilm’s current E-series lineup, providing consumers with a powerful nine million-pixel sensor in a compact design. Similar to its predecessors, the FinePix E900 is a point and shoot camera that expands with users as they broaden their imaging expertise. In addition to a 4x optical zoom and large two-inch LCD screen, the FinePix E900 also caters to users seeking more advanced features, including mode dial for easy access to common shooting functions, RAW mode and optional lens adapters. By incorporating Real Photo Technology, the FinePix E900 can also achieve higher shutter speeds that minimize blurriness in photos at ISO equivalent settings as high as 800.
The FinePix S5200 offers the mid-level digital photographer 5.0 million pixels with SLR-like styling with an advanced manual feature set including continuous shooting, continuous auto-focus, shutter priority AE and aperture priority AE modes. This model offers a 10x optical zoom capability, the longest in Fujifilm’s consumer category.
The FinePix S9000 will be available in early September at $699.95. The FinePix E900 and FinePix 5200 will be available in October at $499.95 and $399.95 respectively. The FinePix S9000 and S5200 models will ship with four AA alkaline batteries and the FinePix E900 model comes equipped with 2 NiMH rechargeable batteries. All three models use Fujifilm’s xD-Picture Card storage media.
July 28th, 2005
Konica Minolta is to market its cheapest ever digital SLR camera, in the process catching up with Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Olympus who have already released digital SLRs at the sub $900 price point for the camera body.
The new camera will be launched worldwide in August and sold under the name “alpha sweet” in Japan, “Maxxum 5D” in North America and “Dynax 5D” in Europe.
The Dynax5D/Maxxum5D ensures photo-imaging excellence using Konica Minolta’s proprietary Anti-Shake technology, which employs an exclusive CCD-Shift mechanism to compensate for blurring caused by camera shake - even when taking photos in dimly lit scenes, in natural light with a telephoto lens, or in macro shots where extra stability is vital for a sharp shot. This innovative Anti-Shake technology not only provides the equivalent correction effect with a shutter speed 2 to 3 stops slower, but also compatibility with any Dynax/Maxxum system lenses.
Boasting more than high performance, this digital SLR camera also features an ideal, compact design with a high-quality, stylish, and lightweight construction. Rubberized grips make it highly tactile and easy to handle and hold.
The Dynax7D/Maxxum7D ensures images of exceptional quality with a large, 6.1-megapixel (effective) CCD sensor, an Advanced LSI engine for high-speed image processing, as well as Konica Minolta’s CxProcess III image processing technology, an original technology highly acclaimed for rendering fine image detail and stunning color rendition.
Offering a better view for better pictures, the camera boasts a large 2.5-inch color LCD that provides simple navigation through easy-to-use on-screen menus and set-up options. The LCD makes camera control even easier, displaying detailed camera settings as well as captured images.
For even greater convenience and ease of use, the Dynax5D/Maxxum5D includes an Digital Subject Program Selector, which automatically designates an optimum exposure and image-processing program for five commonly used photo scenes.
The Dynax5D/Maxxum5D also offers a comprehensive range of easy-to-use functions that allow precision adjustments of all camera settings whatever the shooting situation. While high-performance functions satisfy the demanding and creative techniques of photography enthusiasts, the camera has at its core ease of use and simple operation with a basic level of control that makes it ideal even for novice users.
July 15th, 2005
JVC have taken the logical next step for the camcorder and introduced a hard drive-based line with no need for removable media, such as tapes or DVD-Rs.
The JVC Everio G series consists of four models GZ-MG20, GZ-MG40 with 20 GB HDD that provide seven hours of DVD camcorder-quality video recording and GZ-MG30, GZ-MG50 with 30 GB HDD and 1.33 Megapixel CCD lens that provide ten hours of recording.
Each camera is palm-sized with a design similar to a MiniDV camcorder, which means that they’re comfortable to hold and operate, and include a large, 2.5-inch flip-out LCD monitor for easy recording.
There are multiple connection options allowing convenient TV playback, dubbing to a VCR or DVD recorder, transfer to a PC or Mac for DVD creation or even burning directly without a PC to a full length movie DVD disc using an optional DVD burner.
The benefits of recording video to a hard disk are the same benefits that have made hard disk-based audio players so popular — random access to quickly locate desired material, the ability to effortlessly delete unwanted material, and easily rearrange the playback sequence. What’s more, there’s no danger of accidentally recording over video a user wishes to keep.
Look out for the Everio G series in August at the following prices:
GZ-MG20 $800
GZ-MG30 $900
GZ-MG40 $900
GZ-MG50 $1,000
June 15th, 2005
With camcorders now getting so tiny that they are almost smaller than the tapes themselves, manufacturers are having to innovate by packing more features into the same package.
Sony has just announced the Sony Handycam HDR-HC1 which it claims is the world’s smallest and lightest high-definition consumer camcorder, featuring full HD resolution based on HDV 1080i.
The HDR-HC1 features Sony’s CMOS imaging sensor technology, designed to deliver faster image processing speeds for richer colours, more vivid detail and significantly less glare from reflected light. Weighing only about 1.5 pounds, the model packs in a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens, which further enhances image clarity and richness, even when shooting in low light. The combination of the unit’s CMOS imaging sensor and Sony’s Enhanced Imaging Processor technology enables it to capture moving and still images with smoother movements and clearer pictures.
The camcorder also captures 2.8-megapixel digital still images, which can be stored directly on Memory Stick PRO Duo media for transfer to PCs and other devices (including we assume the PSP). It is one of few camcorders, in fact, the only HD one, that allows you to record high-definition video and take a 1-megapixel digital still image at the same time.
The HDR-HC1 also features InfoLithium Battery with AccuPower System to avoid the ‘memory effect’ and a bi-directional iLink port. It will be released in July 2005 at the pretty hefty price of around US$2000.
May 18th, 2005
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