Fake Model/Tilt Shift

At first thought, the term "fake model" sounds like an oxymoron. Well, in fact it is. You see, an oxymoron is something that is seemingly self-contradictory. Ok, you're not here for an English lesson. But, a quick history on tilt-shift lenses.

The function of a tilt-shift lens is to allow you to have a wide depth of field all the way to maximum aperture. This is achieved by literally tilting and shifting the angle of your focal plane. However, just as with standard lenses, people get creative. One way to do this is by creating these interesting fake model shots. These types of shots are very engaging because usually an artist models reality through interpretation, but in this case, reality is directly replicated in a photograph, and is reminiscent of a model. In the image above, the trees really do look 1 inch tall, when in reality this is a real place.

If you are interested in learning how to make these images, check out this tutorial. Gimp users click here.

More fantastic images by Quemas.

Blackberry Playbook - RIM

UPDATE: The device is officially called the Blackberry PlayBook. It has a 3 mp front facing camera and a 5 MP in rear facing camera. It runs the QNX operating system.

Speed is always an important factor in this industry, and so is productivity. Talent and business practice fit in there as well. Then there is also the "flash" factor, no pun intended. Well, the iPad seems to at least dabble in most of those categories at least a little, so it has become a popular device among some popular Photographers, one being Scott Bourne.

Many users quickly reserved their iPad well before it was released, while many more picked one up on opening day or shortly after. At the $499 price point, some decided to pass. Others decided to wait for manufacturers to release a similar product, just as they have with other popular Apple devices like the iPod and the iPhone. Well, the wait is almost over. Manufacturers such as Dell (already released), HP and Samsung are all reported to have devices on the way. The latest news to surface is that of the RIM BlackPad. RIM has not released any information on the BlackPad, but hopefully they will come up with a more creative name.

Another device that people are looking forward to is the Samsung Galaxy Tab, announced earlier this month. The Samsung features a 7-inch, 1024x600 display, Android 2.2 OS, 1GHz processor, 16GB of internal memory and support for Adobe Flash 10.1. The Galaxy Tab is set to begin shipping in October. As for the BlackPad, we are hoping for more details at the Developer's Conference on Monday.

Sigma Announces New 120-300 f/2.8

Sigma has announced it's new 120-300 f/2.8 image stabilized [OS] lens. The lens is said to boast a weather resistant body and a fast, quiet HSM motor. The original version of this lens received average reviews, with complaints on speed of the auto-focus and it's weight. Sigma tagged their original 120-300mm as "compact & light-weight," but it weighed in at a whopping 5.7lbs, 2 lbs heavier than the Canon 28-300. The MSRP has not been released, but the original version of this lens was announced at $4200USD.

Other improvements include better optical performance, reduced flare and ghosting and better correction of chromatic aberrations. Unfortunately the cost of R&D is passed down to consumers.

R.I.P. VDSLR?

Not anytime soon, if ever. This HD video technology just recently reared it's head in the world of the DSLR and is still in it's major evolving stages. We have already went from 720 to full HD, from no control to manual control and from 30fps to 24/25/30/60fps. The video DSLR market is not only too fresh to be coming to an end, but it is still evolving in major ways - mostly due to a direct response from consumers. If you consider the demand and capabilities of these tools, you will understand why the 7 month old T2i is still sold out at some dealers. Sorry Frank.

What some fail to understand is the basic principle which has existed since "High Quality" became a relative term; and that is that there are many tools available to the industry. The DSLR is a DSLR no matter what you use it for. Not to mention film which has been around for two centuries, and still seen on the Hollywood set. HD capable DSLRs have barely been here for two years, so believe they will run their course. Even worse is to compare this sub $2k technology to a $10k+ technology. If you have the budget, you will proceed accordingly.

It was hard for some seasoned Photographers to make the leap to DSLRs, but the movement can not be denied. This isn't your S-VHS upgrade. Canon especially has provided the tools necessary to deliver compelling imagery. The fact remains that you need to be talented and know how to use the tools to follow through. And that's what a DSLR is, a tool, a still camera, not a video camera. So camcorders aren't "back" on the scene. They never left, neither did film.

7D vs 5DMkii Noise Comparison

POTN member Teamspeed put together a great comparison of the two bodies. As expected, the noise being created on the FF body of the 5D is less than that of the 7D, but the latter did perform quite well. It was noted that the images do have different focus points, so this comparison should be referenced for noise performance, not sharpness. One other note is that the colors on the 5D are a little more vibrant. It is unclear if this is due to difference in factory settings. The following are out of camera JPEGs, 100% crop. For a comparison of RAW conversions, click the link below the images.






References:
Original Images
Raw conversions [thread]
More Teamspeed Photography

Scott Thompson - Praying Mantis

When you get to know most people, you get to know unique things about them. Some people are very meticulous, some people love pancakes and many have a degree that is unrelated to their profession. Well you may not know Scott Thompson, but he has a nack for the Praying Mantis. Scott is a Photographer in the United Kingdom and has taken great interest in insect macro photography. Above is a beautiful, yet intimidating image of an Orchid Praying Mantis.

See more on Scott's Flickr.

Canon 60D Walkthrough With Mat Gallagher

A lot of people, Photographers included, have been questioning the xxD update's validity. Some feel that it's not an "upgrade" at all. Mat Gallagher of What Digital Camera does an interview with David Parry [Canon UK], which gives a wrap up of the sticky features, including "better weatherproofing than the 50D, but not as good as the 5D."

Flash Drives to Match

Image courtesy of pixelelement

Being a Photographer means that you often are in a situation where you are transferring media. With the size of small media cards growing and dropping in price, it is becoming less necessary to do this in the field. The one major exception being events. Whenever shooting an event, you want to be sure you are carrying images on more than one device.

Just as you show your style through your shooting, your car and your attire, you can also do it with your flash drive. The only time I use flash drives is when transferring data between editing suites. One interesting drive that caught my attention was this Transformers (only available in 2GB). With the upcoming release of Transformers 3 I would expect an increasing spike in sales.

To see the original post and other cool flash drives, head over to pixelelement.

Nikon Launches Coolpix P7000

Nikon has officially announced their newest member to the Coolpix family, the P7000. The small digital camera boasts a 10.1-megapixel 1/1.7-inch CCD sensor, behind a 7.1x wide-angle [28-200mm] NIKKOR ED glass lens. It also features 720p HD recording at 24fps (this can not be adjusted). The camera also has some features that you may not expect, such as the 1.3fps continuous shooting mode, RAW file function and native ISO6400. More at nikon.com

New Thinktank Sling-O-Matic™ Series

Image courtesy of Think Tank Photo

Thinktank has been around since 2005, and lately generated quite a presence in the Photography world. Their latest release, set for October, is the new "Sling-O-Matic" bag series. They have announced the Sling-O-Matic 10, 20 and 30. The number simply relates to the size of the bag. As with all Thinktank accessories, their motive was to produce something innovative and something that is needed. One thing essential in most scenarios is speed. The shining point of the Sling-O-Matic series is the ability to wear the bag on either shoulder, while still maintaining top-access. The bags feature a fully padded shoulder strap, and even the smallest model can fit up to 200mm of L glass. More details about the Sling-O-Matic™ 10.

New iPod Touch goes HD

Image © 2010 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The new iPod Touch looks promising, just as most Apple products do on their glamorous facade. A few Photographers ventured out and made a feature film [or at least a trailer] with the release of the iPhone4 and it's HD video capabilities. Now with the release of the new iPod Touch, Apple has included the same video features. Yes, 720p video on your iPod. Remember some video cameras don't even come with this famous frame-rate.

For your viewing pleasure, the famous "Apple of My Eye" by Michael Koerbel (shot and edited on iPhone 4).

iPhone 4 film - "Apple of My Eye" from Michael Koerbel on Vimeo.

Wedding Fight in Ulyanovsk, Russia

So much for professionalism. Very, very sad. A couple members of the crew loose their cool at a wedding in Ulyanovsk, Russia.

Canon 60D Video

Video from Chris George of PhotoPlus Magazine. Here Chris gives us a quick hands-on with the camera. Click here for part two.

First Shots: Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6L

All images protected by copyright

More news from the Canon Expo. Just as soon as most heard about the new 70-300L, pics and sample shots have surfaced. Most impressions from these admittedly quick shots are favorable, but it must be noted the lens is still considered a prototype. These images were taken with a Canon EOS 1D MkIV.

@70mm


@100mm


@200mm


@300mm


More from "Prodigy83" on Flickr.

Canon Develops World's Largest CMOS Image Sensor

Even the die-hard Canon user can admit that Canon usually prowls the forest and lets all of the other animals run out into the light, before unveiling a meaner and smarter beast. However, the image sensor is nothing new. At the end of the day, any professional Photographer will tell you they want the largest sensor they can afford, at least for commercial work. The larger sensor isn't always needed, but when you have it, all limitations dissipate.

Well now you may have to re-think what the largest sensor will bring. Canon has successfully developed the world's largest CMOS image sensor with a chip size measuring 202 x 205 mm! Canon states that the sensor is capable of capturing images in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by current professional DSLR cameras. It is about 40 times larger than the standard 35mm sensor, resulting in 120 megapixels.

PRESS RELEASE:

Canon Succeeds in Developing World's Largest CMOS Image Sensor, With Ultra-High Sensitivity

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 31, 2010 – Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed the world's largest*1 CMOS image sensor, with a chip size measuring 202 x 205 mm. The sensor is capable of capturing images in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a professional-model digital SLR camera due to its expanded size enabling greater light-gathering capabilities. Potential applications for the new high-sensitivity CMOS sensor include the video recording of stars in the night sky and nocturnal animal behavior.

At 202 x 205 mm, the newly developed CMOS sensor is among the largest chips that can be produced from a 12-inch (300 mm) wafer, and is approximately 40 times the size of Canon's largest commercial CMOS sensor.*2

In the past, enlarging the size of the sensor resulted in an increase in the amount of time required between the receiving and transmission of data signals, which posed a challenge to achieving high-speed readout. Canon, however, solved this problem through an innovative circuit design, making the realization of a massive video-compatible CMOS sensor possible. Additionally, by ensuring the cleanest of cleanroom environments during the production process, the sensor minimizes image imperfections and dust.

The increased size of the new CMOS sensor allows more light to be gathered thus enabling shooting in low-light environments. The sensor makes possible the image capture in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor, facilitating the shooting of 60 frame-per-second video with a mere 0.3 lux of illumination.

Through the further development of distinctive CMOS image sensors, Canon will break new ground in the world of new image expression, in the area of still images as well as video.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2009†, with global revenues of US $35 billion, is listed as number six in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies 2010 list, and is on the 2009 BusinessWeek list of "100 Best Global Brands." Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – "all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future" – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.
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† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

Availability, prices, and specifications of all products are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.

*1 As of August 27, 2010. Based on a Canon study.

*2 The approximately 21.1 megapixel 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor employed in the company's EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR cameras

Canon 4k Concept Camera at Canon Expo

Image is property of Philip Bloom | PhilipBloom.net

At the Canon Expo in New York this year, Canon has their 4k concept camera on display. Not many details are available yet about the 8 megapixal, 2/3″ CMOS, 20x Zoom lens camera, but Philip Bloom got a hands on at the Expo earlier today.

Digital workflow and Backup - Chase Jarvis

Any professional knows the importance of data. It is your capital, your history, everything that you've worked for. It's all stored as digital data. Whether you are talking about media or documents, it is important to keep all of your files safe. Some do just the minimum, but some do it right. Above, international Photographer Chase Jarvis explains his entire workflow, as well as his backup procedure. Chase also today introduced his new book Seattle 100: Portrait of a City. It is currently available for pre-order. Chase's blog.