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The Iris Camera is controlled by your eye, and shoots exactly what you see!
It uses biometric technology (think face recognition) to detect where your eye is looking through the lens and capture a frame based off of that. It was designed by Mimi Zou.
Watch the vid to see it in action.
The Iris Camera Shoots Exactly What You See
via NotCot
BeetleCams: a Canon 1Ds MarkIII & Canon 550D DSLRs disguised in armor and set on wheels.
Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas rolled their Beetlecams right on up to these lions in Kenya and captured some amazing stuff!
The BeetleCam’s Up-Close Photographs of Wild Lions
via Engadget
All You Need is a Second
Mont Blanc, the prestigious watch-making company celebrated the invention of the chronograph, which recorded time to an accuracy of a 5th of a second, by holding a one-second film festival.
Clips were submitted to Mont Blanc and various clips are featured on their website. Gizmodo also set up a montage of the Round 1 of the one second clips here:
Now, watches aside, this gives a lot of creative lee-way for photographers. Whether you have video on a point-and-shoot or DSLR, or no video on any devices, or a small memory card....it doesn't really matter. We're talking about seconds here. Seconds can be captured in photographs. See where I'm going with this now? We're talking about 24 to 30 photographs you've taken. Preferably time-lapse >> or continuous shooting of your subject, in order to get a smooth video-like impression.
This opens the door for SO many possibilities! Short stories, short movies, unique b-roll for longer clips, messages, compilations, movements, words, waves! Anything!
I can just imagine all the beautiful things people could capture and put together. Forget the seconds. It's timeless.
Canon Announces a Video Camera for Filmmakers
Some of us followed it, some of us used it, some of us used our life savings to get it, and most of us loved it. In response to all those that used the Canon 5D Mark II video-feature for producing, Canon has announced that it shall be releasing a full-fledged video camera line called the Cinema EOS. Part of that line to be released next year is the C300 and the C300 PL with standard PL mount. (Canon c300)
Announced on November 3, 2011, this new, to-be-released videocamera will lead the way to Canons potential future in film. The Canon 5D Mark II already granted Canon a foot in Hollywood's door way through it being utilized to shoot parts of big budget movies like Iron Man 2 and Captain America. It's sleek and compact, and multi-functional with its interchangeable-lens feature. My buddy Mark, camera/video buff, elaborates for us, "It has a removable handgrip, LCD monitor with control and 2 XLR inputs, top handle, with the capability of attaching a wireless transmitter allowing connection via laptop, ipad, iphone or Andriod for video feed and controls," he said, "This will allow film makers to access camera functions while the camera is on crane or perhaps a different car then he director. In fact, you an take the tiny c300, which is about the width of an iPhone, and turn it into this:" This digital video camcorder operates with a Super-35 CMOS sensor (4k resolution) ((full-frame -35mm- for motion picture)), 2160×3840, around 8.3 mega-pixel's with dual compact flash slots. The exposure and focus will be manual only. The C300 seems to start the war with the RED camera company with it's modular design concepts. I have read conflicting reports on how much the camera is estimated to cost, but i've seen a range commonly around $16,000 to $20,000. I was widely impressed by the Mark II's video capabilities, so i am anxious to see how the C300 will end up!
Canon EOS 20D
(Photo by Natasha J.) So, I'm pretty stoked about this. I think I found out the perfect solution for those of you looking for a great and affordable DSLR camera! It's fully manual and semi-professional, but don't let that discourage you. Unless you're applying for a job, no one is going to fully judge you because no one is going to be able to tell. In fact, I encourage you to try it out, and build a portfolio AND apply for jobs, out-stand them, because you will. Do us all a favor, and break these damn awful barriers of, "WHAT? YOU HAVE AN 8 YEAR OLD DISCONTINUED OUTDATED KONIKA MINOLTA? THE COMPANY THAT STARTED OVER 30 DECADES AGO AND NO LONGER HAS ANY AUTHORITY IN THE CAMERA WORLD BECAUSE IT WAS BOUGHT OFF BY SONY? YOU MUST NOT BE FIT FOR MY BUSINESS."
Well, let me tell you, know what you're doing? Know how to fully dominate your DSLR's camera settings? Got that unique perspective? Well, you can still have an old/semi-manual/semi-amature camera and produce quality photos! Don't let anyone discourage you.
And I digress... So, I think I've found (one of the) excellent cameras you can have, on a budget (granted, some of us will still have to save for it), that will produce excellent quality photos, has some authority, and great features.
FEATURES: - This camera has 8.2 mega pixels, which isn't a ton comparing to leading DSLR's like the newer Nikon's and Canon's, but who cares? - It also shoots at 5.0 frames a second, which is pretty good. (My current DSLR only shoots at 3.0 fps, but It has always done what I've wanted it to do in every shooting situation that I have been in, so far.) So 5.0fps, In my opinion, should be just fine, unless for someone that's shooting something maybe more technical, or has a preference or need for more frames a second.
(Photo by Natasha J.)
- Focal Length's at f2.8-9, which, again, I think is pretty cool. (My camera only gets up to 3.5-8, and, again, I've never faced any major issues with it, nor has it ever hindered my creativity.) Would I love a 9f? Of course, so I'll accept that it is nice to keep handy for any aesthetic or technical photographs. - Shoots in RAW, JPEG, or RAW & JPEG. Never terrible to have all or either option.
- ISO: 100-1600 & 3200 " " "
(Photo by DownTime) - And by my own research and viewing of photographs, it seems that this camera also does well in low-light situations.
Now, this camera sells NEW for around $1,300-$1000 dollars. And you can buy it used for around $330.00 dollars. Give it a go! Again, if anyone has any suggestions or thoughts; recommendations, let me know!
Now people trust the Iphone with their weddings. I wouldn't recommend it alone for any serious photography business, however, with all these new iphone camera gadgets and photography applications, it may be a fun/creative addition for you more modern individuals. This video states it is the first wedding to be covered by the Iphone 4. Some of the photos don't seem that bad, however, if you want a photo with a 12-14 mpx feel, you're not going to get it. In fact the Iphone 4 camera works in VGA rather than mega pixels. This means that you're going to be working with a resolution of only around 600, so that's around only 3,000 pixels a photo, which further means you're working with a 0.3 mpx camera. You can forget about blowing up a photo too largely, and your sharpness and clarity is going to go down. Although there are downsides to capturing a momentous event by cellular phone, you could still bring nice photos with your unique perspective, and a lower quality camera can serve as great way to practice your technique and develop a certain style, as well as test out some of those accessories you got!
Effects
Now, you went out and took a couple hundred shots, however, the landscape was bland, or the detail not too heavy, but you really want to work with what you've got. There's a few ways to lighten up what may look like an ordinary and boring photograph. My favorite way to give nice, yet somewhat lacking, photos a little punch is through split-toning. Split-tones let you change the color of a photos shadows and/or highlights. You could pick anything from blue shadows with pink undertones. In the photograph above I used the combination of blue and red. There are certain colors that add to the effect of your photograph. This can be done on LightRoom, Photoshop, and even Picnik, the online photo-editor. Lightroom has its own Split-Tone section under the "Develop" section. You can do it in Photoshop by clicking on "Colors" from the editing drop-down: This is a little harder and less elaborate because you are going to end up choosing colors by shifting 3 bars on a scale, it is also less selective regarding where the color goes, where as in light room you can select the colors and the intensity of them from a color chart and choose which color gets the shadow and which gets the highlights. On Picnik you use this technique through "Create" under the "Effects" section, and it's called "Duo-Tone".
Telephoto Lens of Iphones
Not only can you make award winning camera movies using intricate gadgets that your iphone doesn't need, but you iphone/photography buffs could also buy a telephoto lens for your iphone 3 or 4. Prices aren't that high either. Last I checked the telephoto lens's ranged from mainly around $35.00 to $45.00. Don't expect the lens to bring superior quality to your phones photography. The sharpness will most-likely stay the same if not get unnoticeable lower given that the iphone doesn't have a DSLResque sensor to deliver excellent sharpness and quality. But if you're dead into your Iphone, like taking photos with it, and have money to splurge, this little telephoto lens addition doesn't seem terrible; in fact, it may be a bit fun to play around with! If someone has one, or gets one, you should share some samples with us!
IPhone
You were impressed when Iphone came out with a 5mpx camera, and aps like instigram allowed for cool photography effects. Well, Park Chan-wook has directed the worlds first professional movie using multiple Apple iPhone 4's & EnCinema 35mm Adapters. This means the only thing the Iphone hasn't done yet is make you lattes.
Ladies (and gentlemen?)! Carry your camera in style. Bags by Jill-E Designs carry your camera in many elegant and conventional styles. They seem to be heavy-duty and able to carry what they're supposed to, however, they are quite pricey. One on the Canon site is $109.99. The ones on the Jill-E website range from 100-300ish.
Problem with lighting? No time to experiment yourself? Too lazy to figure it out yourself? I know how daunting it is to figure it out. My first time working with light (also fun) took me a good 3 hours to see what light, in different angles do. That photo that I took above I put the light to my subjects left. So, i'm going to make your jobs easier, here's a spiffy chart you can print out to figure out where you want your light for your subject! You should still experiment though. You may find light at a different/untraditional angle that gives you a great effect. Try it out! Tell me what you find! Enjoy.
PANASONIC GH1
Another unmentioned camera is the Panasonic DSLR line. One that stood out to me particularly, was the GH1 because of its excellent video-mode capabilities. It won best camera of the year in 2009 by American Photo, and won Best multimedia camera of 2009-2010 EISA award. It is also doesn't have a price that will make you wish it was never made. The GH1 shoots in full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24 frames a second, or if you choose smooth HD mode you can shoot in 60 frames a second (1280 x 720) in AVCHD format with continuous auto focus. The GH1 allows the user to shoot video in manual mode, which is nice, because great DSLR's like the Mark II for instance, shoot excellent video (also double the price), but you have to download a component that came later to allow your typical DSLR photo-setting be applicable in video mode. This means, things like your shutter speed and aperature adjustments would not mean anything on a Mark II when first purchased, while the GH1 comes with it naturally, allowing you artists to better express your creativity. Some people even say that in comparison the GHdoes better in video mode that any of the prior Canons. Mark Grgurev, film maker and student, uses the Panasonic to shoot video. He helped me better understand the additions of the hack for the GH1, "By defauilt, the GH1 shoots 24p video at 17mps which is too low especially for how it compresses the video. The hack allows you to adjust the bitrate to whatever you can get it to stably run as. Mine records at 62mps." My response was , "TOO. MANY. NUMBERS! What do they all mean?!" Marks' response: "This means the picture quality in video mode goes up. It also helps prevent the image from breaking up when there's a lot of motion."
This is the movie Mark and his team created using the GH1, and actually won Viewers Choice and 3rd place in the Alternative Film category at the William Paterson University Film Festival. Just look how well it does! And what a nice movie, guys!
Free Photo Editing Tools
So, you want to edit photos, but you just dropped your life allowance on a camera, and don't exactly have $80.00 to shell out for Adobe PhotoShop, and Corel wont let you upgrade your 1993 version of PaintShop 3 because it was produced before it was illegal to copy and distribute. Well, there is still some hope for us all! 1. GIMP GIMP, sometimes nicknamed the "free photoshop" has everything you will need to edit your photo. Blur, sharpen, contrast, exposure. It has all the most commonly used tools like the airbrush, pencil, eraser, bucket, fill. There are also tools for more complex editing like the clone tool on Corel and the healing brush which doesn't come on copies of other more basic free photo-editors, there's even a perspective clone tool that allows you to make distance changes. You could also use the doge and burn tool to make select pixels brighter or darker. It's also open-source so it's often that developers will make adjustments and strengthen aspects where they are weak. Some people report issues with too much updates, but I do not see much of a burden in it, personally. Gimp is available for MAC/WINDOWS/LINUX users. There is even some excellent video-editing software often used by film-makers for those of you working on all that time-lapse photography. C; And it's also available on more platforms. 2. PHOTOSCAPE This is another pretty excellent free program used for photo editing. It pretty much works the same as Gimp, with nearly all the same functions, however, is ONLY available for Macs. :c 3. Paint.net Paint.net is the only god that heard our prayers of an unlimited undo option. This means, the program is great for those who constantly make errors. (Kidding.) That, and those who like to work with a lot of layers and like to edit within them easily. It even allows for transparent layers so it does very well for those interested in photo-manipulation. I'd definiely go for the first two if you're big into color editing, because this where the strength in this program lies. 4. Picasa Picasa is an alright program for very basic and simple editing. I find that it hurts photo quality a lot more than other programs, so I wouldn't recommend it for serious or essential editing. However, simple friend photos or family photos that you don't want to really put up on your profilio work. And it also does great at organizing photos, and has a nice little side feature where you can make collages in various forms. Secret: My favorite part of this free program is the part in the collage section where you get to superimpose images. It's fun, for those who like the idea of double-exposures in film.
SIGMA
Everyone always hears about Nikons and Canon's. This is for all the times I've gotten flack, or missed out on a job opportunity because of my Konica Minolta 7D was not deemed to be "good enough". Contrary to what the pretentious photographer, or the die-hard Nikon shooter, that swears by their Nikon but can't explain what it is they like so much about it, might say, there are INDEED tons (yes, tons) of cameras out there that are available for purchase that can do just as well, sometimes even better, depending on what you're shooting for.
If you're out shooting just for landscape, or portrait photography, I personally believe that the Sigma is excellent for that. Not only is a Sigma body (no lens) lower than your average, mediocre Canon/Nikon camera, but it integrates new (Foveon) sensor technology which uses three sensitive layers to detect red, green and blue light at each pixel. This is unlike anything ever seen before. Not only does this mean that the Sigma produces photos with super rich color and depth than any other regular-consumer/reasonably priced professional DSLR but the sharpness that comes from the extra precision of the sensor it's also a beautiful and useful compliment. Check it!
Speaking of multiple-exposures and time-lapse photography, this is an AMAZING video of an aurora (during the beginning.) Which was shot through a combination of time-lapse photography on a dolly (to propel the camera swiftly through the area). It was shot on a Canon 5-D Mark II, which is a camera I'm dying for. It has amazing video capabitlies and surprisingly does excellently during night time video. Not only that, but it is probably (in my opinion) one of the best consumer/economical DSLR's on the market!
Georges Méliès was a French filmmaker most known for his special effects in the 1900's. His techniques in film are now known as stop trick and were discovered accidently. He was one of the first filmmakers to use multiple exposures,time-lapse photography, dissolves, and hand-painted color in his films, which was all an amazing consideration considering the time and its lack of technology! He has some lovely films that are relatively short and are amazing to see given their era!
These are some samples I took with a 1970's film, Nikon FM series.
The Nikon FM, launched in 1977 (set to replace the Nikkormat FT3 which was introduced only a few months prior), was an entirely new design - compact, rugged and was built around a copper-aluminum alloy chassis that would become the basis for Nikon's highly-successful range of compact semi-professional SLR cameras.
Where Nikon's F2 and previous Nikkormats were prized for their toughness and reliability, this unusually high standard of workmanship and quality control was set equally even for amateur level SLRs. For the FM this meant the use of high strength machined metal parts, hardened metal gears, a bearing-mounted film and shutter transport, and a camera assembled to precise tolerances. As a result, the Nikon FM was one of the most reliable 35mm SLR designs ever built.
