Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
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This is the year of Micro Four Thirds. While Nikon and Canon still haven’t dipped their toes in this pool, I think it’s time for the average camera user to look at these things seriously and the power and elegance captured in the E-PL1 – and the affordability captured in its $599 price tag. Features: 12-megapixel LiveMOS sensor TruePic 5 image processor 14-42mm lens included Flash Live Guide Pros: Live Guide makes good photos easier Great size and weight Good video recording Cons: No optical viewfinder No stereo audio recording Lighter body materials Panasonic and Olympus have been riding the M4/3 train for quite a while now and each new device they’ve released has been met with resounding claxons of joy and then disappointment as photobloggers find and focus on the limitations of the format. I’m pleased to report, then, that the E-PL1, is one of the first M4/3 cameras that I could see using as a secondary shooter instead of – or as a back-up to – a DSLR. First, what is M4/3? It is, in short, a lens format based on the four thirds system that does not, in most cases, use the same mirror or prism set-up found in most DSLRs. Think of it as a more powerful point and shoot, like the Canon G11, but with changeable lenses. I shot with the E-PL1 for a few weeks and I found it to be a great portable camera. The kit lens is great for general shooting and the 17mm is a great for portraits and wider angle shots, depending on how you frame the scene. The real value, however, comes in the Live Guide. The Live Guide is a quick help system that changes your image on the fly by modifying aperture and focus. Using it, you can: Change Color Saturation Change Color Image Change Brightness Blur Background Express Motion Each of these features acts in real time. Blur Background, for example, gives you a nice bokeh effect in headshots while Express Motion adds motion trails to swiftly moving objects. All of these features change on the screen as you modify them. The sliders allow you to set multiple features and an onscreen guide explains how each function works. Why is this important? Because as point-and-shoot photographers begin to explore new tools, they want to recreate the photos they see in magazines and are frustrated when they shoot with standard cameras (take a look at this Answers thread. Depth of field? Aperture? What is this demonry!) A small, cheap M4/3 can do many of these tricks and using art and scene modes you can add even more to your shots. The E-PL1 falls somewhere between a Canon EOS Rebel and a G11 or, on the Nikon side, the something like the D5000 and the Coolpix P6000. It is decidedly an odd duck. Interchangeable lenses may put off some purchasers who are unsure if they want to maintain a relationship with Olympus on the long term, but presumably you can swap out lenses as more powerful M4/3 cameras come out. Obviously this lock-in is what Olympus wants but, in a way, I could see this as a second system to use alongside a more formal DSLR set-up. How is shooting with the E-PL1? First, this camera is small and light enough to carry in a bag or purse, which makes it a great solution. The 17mm lens is flat as a pancake and the majority of scenes you’ll encounter on your way can be captured by it or the kit lens with aplomb. Take this shot, for example, taken in full sunlight against a colorful background. There is a bit of a blow-out on the face but it’s a nice enough shot. In direct sunlight you get some nice effects although there is some noise in slightly less well-lit shots, as we see below (taken with the 17mm). Finally, there are wide angle shots taken with the kit lens. Click on the small image to see an example showcasing the haze of New York. I really enjoyed shooting with this camera, even without an optical viewfinder. You can purchase a viewfinder and stereo microphone for the E-PL1 but working directly on the screen was not the exercise in frustration I thought it would be. Folks used to the optical viewfinder will definitely be put off by the E-PL1 at first, but I got over it. I did, however, consistently bring the camera to my face when first started using it. In short, this camera is perfect for those who don’t want to lug around a heavier DSLR but still want to get some great shots. I worry a bit about durability, especially given the lighter composite materials used for the body, but that’s nothing a good, small camera bag can’t fix. While it won’t replace the shutter bug’s favorite piece of big glass, the E-PL1 is definitely worth some consideration.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
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While the Eye-Fi Pro X2 – an 8GB Eye-Fi card with RAW support and ad hoc mode – is already available, the company just released two new additions to the X2 line, the Explore and the Connect. The Explore includes automatic geotagging for images and videos. Here are the specifics: Eye-Fi Connect X2 – At 4GB capacity, the Eye-Fi Connect X2 will automatically upload JPEG photos and videos to the computer and one of more than 25 online sharing sites, such as Flickr, Facebook, YouTube or Picasa, through a Wi-Fi network. MSRP: $49.99. Eye-Fi Explore X2 – At 8GB of capacity, the Eye-Fi Explore X2 will automatically upload JPEG photos and videos to the computer and one of more than 25 online sharing sites. It offers lifetime automatic geotagging so photos and videos arrive at the user’s computer with location information already included to identify where the image was captured. Explore X2 also offers one year of hotspot access for uploading away from home at more 21,000 AT&T and Harborlink locations across the Unites States and through open hotspots. MSRP: $99.99. Eye-Fi Pro X2 – Unveiled at CES and winner of CNET’s “Best of CES” award, the 8GB Eye-Fi Pro X2 will automatically upload JPEG and RAW photos and videos to the home computer, and will send them to one of more than 25 online sharing sites. It also allows users to create an ad hoc connection directly to their computer to wirelessly upload photos and videos while away from a wireless router. Like Explore X2, Pro X2 offers lifetime geotagging and one-year of hotspot access to enable uploads away from home at more than 21,000 AT&T and Harborlink hotspots and open hotspots. MSRP: $149.99. These new devices can use multiple AT&T hotspots and feature faster video upload and a new “Endless Memory” mode that will upload images and video as you take them. They’re available today. Product Page
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
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Now here’s a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. LookTel is an object identifier – you point it at something and it tells you what it is. You can teach it to recognize new objects and by aiming it at a product, the program can tell what it is using real speech and when you need to ID something on the fly, you can stick on an image sticker and read that sticker. It’s more or less a barcode and QR scanner with some image recognition thrown in, but it really could be a boon to those with failing – or failed – eyesight. The system needs a little more computing power than is available in the average smartphone so you need a local PC to help ID some things. The machine learning works like this: Users running the LookTel Mobile software, which runs on compatible Windows Mobile Smartphones, use the cell phone’s touch-screen interface to navigate and the cell phone’s camera to recognize objects. The LookTel Mobile software transmits the live images from the cell phone to a PC running LookTel BaseStation, our sophisticated recognition software. When the PC receives a request to look up an image, it sorts through the image library to find the matching image stored in the database. It then sends back the information that permits the Smartphone to speak the description of the item to you. LookTel “learns” to recognize new items by storing an image of the item, captured by the Smartphone, and matching it with a tag. The tag can be your own voice or a text tag that is read by the text-to-speech engine, similar to what your home PC can do. There is also a live-assistant portion that lets human beings tell you what’s going on around you as you point your phone’s camera at the scene. It works with Windows smartphones and MIDs. There is no current pricing – I have an email into the company – but I looks like a great idea. Considering my eyes will probably eventually go from all this monitor usage, I may need this sooner than later.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Friday, March 19th, 2010
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The 5D mk II 2.0.3 firmware was supposed to be the end-all solution for the Canon super camera. But it wasn’t. It caused more issues not worth the enhanced movie mode it added. Canon of course of pulled the firmware from its site cause many 5D mk II owners to cry a little. Because, as everyone knows, Canon owners are notoriously emotional unlike the cool and collected Nikon crowd. But chin up 5D mk II owners, the proper firmware is now available. Canon In the Version 2.0.4 firmware, the following phenomena that occurred with the Version 2.0.3 firmware (which was to enhance the movie functions) have been corrected. There was a phenomenon in which the manual recording settings made in C1/C2/C3 were changed and sound could not be recorded if manual sound recording was used in the C1/C2/C3 settings and the camera was subsequently turned off (or if Auto Power Off was activated). This does not occur in modes other than C1/C2/C3. The Version 2.0.4 firmware includes the movie function enhancements listed in items 1 through 5 below, and also incorporates the correction listed in item 6. Adds or changes the following movie frame rates. NTSC: 1920×1080 : 30 fps (changed – actual 29.97 fps) 1920×1080 : 24 fps (added – actual 23.976 fps) 640×480 : 30 fps (changed – actual 29.97 fps) PAL: 1920×1080 : 25 fps (added – actual 25.0 fps) 1920×1080 : 24 fps (added – actual 23.976 fps) 640×480 : 25 fps (added – actual 25.0 fps) Adds a function for manually adjusting the sound recording level (64 levels). Adds a histogram display (brightness or RGB) for shooting movies in manual exposure. Adds shutter-priority AE mode (Tv) and aperture-priority AE (Av) mode to the exposure modes for shooting movies. Changes the audio sampling frequency from 44.1 KHz to 48 KHz. Fixes a phenomenon where communication between the camera and the attached lens is sometimes interrupted after manual sensor cleaning. (This phenomenon only affects units with Firmware Version 1.2.4.) Caution: Firmware Version 2.0.4 is for cameras with firmware up to version 2.0.3. If the camera’s firmware is already version 2.0.4, it is not necessary to update the firmware. Movies captured using EOS 5D Mark II cameras with Firmware Version 1.1.0 to 1.2.4 can be played back on cameras updated with Firmware Version 2.0.4. However, if you try to play back movies captured with a camera with the new firmare on a camera with a previous firmare version, a message, Cannot play back image, appears on the camera’s LCD monitor. It is recommended that you use the latest Canon applications*1 to edit movies captured with EOS 5D Mark II cameras that have the latest firmare because some previous versions do not support movie-editing functions and the frame rates that are added or changed by the latest firmware. You can download the latest Canon applications from our Web site. *1 ZoomBrowser EX Version 6.5.0 or later (compatible operating systems : Windows XP/Vista/7) ImageBrowser Version 6.5.0 or later (compatible operating systems : Mac OS X v10.4/10.5/10.6) In addition to the enhancements to the movie function, the accompanying instruction manual has also been revised. Users are asked to download both the latest firmware and the latest instruction manual. You can proceed to download the instruction manual by clicking the [I Agree] button from the bottom of this page.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Monday, March 8th, 2010
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Ready to get your pico-projector on? The Microvision ShowWX goes on sale today at 12:00 EST. Get excited. This little projector – think iPhone size – uses lasers to beam a 848 x 480 image up to 200-inches in size. The secret is the unit’s so-called infinite focus that keeps the image as clean as can be without any user intervention. Remember the gun-controller we played with at CES? Yeah, it was a demo of this projector to show off its goods. The standard edition will start out at $549, but there will also be a $999 limited edition bundle available as well that comes with a VGA dock, accessories, and special badging. Shipping is expected to start on March 24.
Posted by 010081
Tech
Friday, March 5th, 2010
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Here’s an interesting item, from artist Sascha Pohflepp. It’s called Blinks and Buttons, and it’s a “blind camera.” Possessing no lens and no viewfinder, the “camera” still takes a picture when you press the big red shutter button. What it does is tracks the exact time that the button was pushed, and then goes out and searches for another image taken at that exact time. Once the camera finds one, it displays the image in the LCD on the back of the camera. Sascha’s “Buttons” are part of a larger art project called “ Blinks and Buttons .” [via Make ]
Posted by 010081
Tech
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
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The Short Version: Definitely the best sounding consumer-grade in-ear headphones I’ve ever listened to. The price tag matches the sound quality however. If you want good audio fidelity on your phone headset, you’ll be hard pressed to find something better than these. Just be prepared to shell out some serious cash. Features: Super small form-factor In-line remote/mic with volume/playback controls In-ear design Multiple tip sizes MSRP of $349.99 Pros: Fantastic sound quality Lightweight and comfortable Small size Cons: Very expensive Full functionality only with iPhone 3GS Review: In-ear headphones usually sacrifice sound quality for small size and portability. It isn’t until you start spending upwards of a thousand bucks for professional in-ear monitors that you get good sound. But Klipsch has brought good sound to the consumer-range, albiet the upper upper end of the consumer range. The X10i have pretty even response across the audio spectrum, including decent bass levels. There is an inherent danger with in-ear headphones. Being so close to your ear drum, is it very easy to cause permanent damage to your hearing with any in-ear design. I was happy to see that Klipsch actually included this information in the user manual, complete with a chart of the length of time you can safely listen to various decibel levels. The form factor of the units are almost identical to the Image X5 , meaning yes, they are a bit weird looking. I personally didn’t like they way they sat in my ears. Nothing that I couldn’t get used to, I just prefer the more traditional monitor style more. The X10i comes with 5 different sizes of tips. They range from small, medium, and large in a single flange design, to small and large in a double flange configuration. A good seal inside your ear is critical to bass response, as well as eliminating outside noise and that stethoscope effect. The best option for in-ears is to get a custom mold taken of your ear, and have the headphones made accordingly. But this is definitely the next best thing. The small, single flange was plenty big for me. I wore these things all afternoon without my ears getting sore, all the while making the screeching of the subway bearable. The call quality from the mic keeps up with the rest of the unit. My test partner on the other end of the line was able to hear me clearly with minimal background noise as I walked down Broadway. It’s hard enough to hear yourself on that street, much less conduct a phone call. The specifications claim that the headset is capable of reproducing tones as low as 5 Hz. I’m not sure I believe that for two reasons. First is that 5 Hz is below the human range of hearing, making it a sort of useless effort. That also means I can’t really test for frequencies that low. Second is that low frequency waves have the most energy and the longest wavelengths. This means a 5 Hz wave won’t even complete a full cycle before reaching your eardrum, and you could be blasting your eardrums with all sorts of pressure you can’t even hear. Not the safest thing. There are three buttons on the remote, volume up, down, and a multi-purpose in the middle. Depending on the number of times you press it, it will pause, play, and go to the next or previous songs. Unfortunately, this functionality only works on the iPhone 3GS. I tested a few other Android phones with various degrees of success, but nothing reliable. The volume controls do work on a Macbook Pro, if anyone’s interested. I’m slightly amused that Klipsch warns you against using the X10i to listen to low-quality audio. From their FAQ section: Please be aware that the X10i is not for casual listening. If you rip your digital music files using a poor compression format and low bit rate, this high-resolution Klipsch headset will uncover all the flaws in your content. So these headphones are hi-fi enough to show the degradation of MP3 encoding, yet they are specifically designed to be used with the iPhone, where I’m sure most people don’t keep lossless files. These headphones have a very narrow application window, but if you have an iPhone, want a fantastic sounding headset, and don’t mind dropping $350, go for it. Product Page: Klipsch Image X10i Headset
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Monday, March 1st, 2010
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In case you can afford an LCD TV but not one of the good ones (I, for example, still have my Sony CRT-TV from 2004), Mitsumi Electric ’s new solution might be of interest to you. The company, which is known for manufacturing controllers for video game consoles , is developing an IC chip that can boost the sharpness of images LCD TVs produce. Once it’s placed on the image processor or the scaler chip, the so-called MRFX-0001 can boost the color, white balance and sharpness of pictures. Mitsumi says the chip automatically emphasizes flesh colors when the TV shows people or green colors when forests are displayed. The chip can be used for pictures with full HD resolution and a frame rate of up to 60fps. Mitsumi plans to start shipping the first chips to China- and Taiwan-based makers of inexpensive LCD TVs by year-end. Via Tech-On
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
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Reader Dan of the UK sent us this image of the UK iTunes store, where things are a little more Cool Britannia, if you know what I mean. As I said before , this is all about image in the US. We’re a delightfully prudish people, aren’t we?