If your camera can’t take good low light images, maybe it’s time you got yourself a good DSLR which will allow you to increase the ISO, decrease the shutter speed or open up the aperture to take snaps in low light conditions. Or maybe you should wait for a cam with a molybdenite light sensor, which is being said to be five times more light-sensitive than current sensors.

In current cameras, a pixel’s semi-conducting silicon surface produces an electric charge when exposed to light. These charges are processed by the camera’s software to produce an image. An Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) team led by Prof. Andras Kis developed a sensor made of a one-atom-thick layer of molybdenite, which produces a charge when exposed to less amount of light when compared to silicon. And molybdenite is abundant and relatively inexpensive.

A pixel in the molybdenite sensor needed just one fifth the amount of light energy that was required by a silicon sensor pixel to produce a charge.

According to Kis, “Our main goal is to prove that MoS2 [molybdenum disulfide] is an ideal candidate for this kind of application. It would make it possible to take photographs using only starlight”.

We are seeing smartphone cameras becoming more impressive these days. Maybe in the very near future we will see one with a molybdenite sensor. What do you think?

[Source]

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Nokia’s 41-megapixel 808 certainly turned a lot of heads, especially those of all the shutterbugs out there. But only if it came with Windows Phone, right? Well, Nokia is said to be having plans to introduce a WP device (“EOS”) with the same camera sensor as the 808 and with their famous PureView technology, and that device could be the one seen above.

As you can see, the device has a pretty giant bulge on its back. Of course those who like to click a lot of pictures with their phone wherever they go won’t be bothered about that hump as long as the photos are amazing, and from the looks of things it should have awesome cam capabilities. Carrying it around surely won’t need as much effort as walking with a big DSLR.

It also seems to a have a big flash. And we have a doubt whether that “XX” is suggesting that it’s a 20MP camera.

Whether it’s the EOS Windows Phone or not we are expecting the device to be official sometime soon. In the meantime, we are digging in for more info. So stay tuned for updates.

Would you mind such a bulge on your phone if it can take great pictures?

[Source]

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If you’re in the market for a good quality entry-level digital SLR, it looks like a pretty good deal has sprung up at Best Buy. You can now save $100 on the Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18.0MP digital SLR with the 18-55mm kit lens, bringing your purchase price down to just $599.99.

In case you aren’t familiar with this camera, the Canon T3i features an 18.0-megapixel CMOS sensor offering a 1.6x field of view. It also has a 3″ Clear view TFT-LCD monitor with Live View technology, full 1080p (30fps) HD video recording, 3.7fps burst rate, built-in flash, DIGIC 4 image processor, and ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800). And this comes bundled with the EF-S 18-55mm f/42.5-5.6 IS zoom lens.

As an added bonus, Best Buy is also throwing in a free Lowepro all-weather camera bag (Rezo 170AW) valued at $52.99. It’s a shoulder bag with enough room for 2-3 extra lenses and some accessories. Head over to the product page for more details and to pick up the T3i bundle for $599.99.

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You know that cool effect in Hollywood movies where they shift the focus from something in the foreground to something in the background (or vice versa)? Trying to achieve that on your own can be quite the challenge, because autofocus doesn’t give you adequate control and regular manual focus can be finicky to do on the fly.

If you want an easier way to achieve that follow focus effect, you’ll probably want to have a look at this FocusMaker rig. It’s so brilliant in its simplicity. Basically, it’s a giant halo ring that latches onto the manual focus ring on your DSLR lens. There’s a big handle on the outside to give you greater precision and control, and then you can put little markers for your set focus points.

What this means is that when you are actually shooting your video, you can quickly (or slowly and smoothly) jump between the focus points that you’ve already set. Those focus markers can be active or passive. The active mode gets them to protrude, stopping the sight when they hit, whereas passive mode allows for free motion.

More information can be found on focusmaker.com. It retails online for $90.

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Are you looking to move on up into the wonderful world of DSLRs? Canon is easily one of the most respected names in photography and now you can get a killer deal on the Rebel T2i 2 lens kit that comes with the standard zoom lens and a telephoto lens for $150 off the regular price.

This Canon EOS Rebel T2i kit includes the DSLR body, of course, as well as a EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 IS standard zoom lens, plus the longer EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS telephoto zoom lens. Both of these are IS lenses, so the image stabilization should help with your shaky hands, especially at the telephoto end. Put these two together and you’ve got a great starting point for your digital photography exploits.

As far as the camera itself, the Rebel T2i is the new flagship of the EOS Rebel line. It features an 18.0MP CMOS APS-C sensor, DIGIC 4 image processor, ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800), enhanced 63-zone dual-layer metering system, full 1920×1080 HD video recording, 3.7fps burst mode, a wide 3.0-inch Clear-View LCD monitor, and a dedicated Live View/Movie shooting button. It’ll take the usual SD and SDHC cards, but it’ll happily accept the larger SDXC standard too. There’s even a menu status indicator for Eye-Fi.

The whole shi-bang can be yours for $849.00 from Amazon.com, which is $150 off the regular list price for this 2 lens kit. That also qualifies for 2% back in Rewards, as well as free super saver shipping.

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When it comes to movie magic, there are certain techniques reserved almost completely for massively-funded projects, making it rare to see them in use outside of places like Hollywood. One of these expensive yet amazing techniques is the use of motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, which involves taking a motion picture camera that can shoot time-lapse footage and mounting it onto a special device that can pan, tilt and dolly the camera as it shoots footage.
Motion-controlled time-lapse filming could soon be moving into the affordable movie making world thanks to the Radian, a special device being developed by California-based Alpine Labs. This cheese-wheel looking mount is designed to allow DSLRs or even smartphones to tilt and pan in a manner that is very similar to the more expensive motion-controlled techniques but at a price that is only around $150.

Whether you are using a DSLR for the video recording or your smartphone, an Android or iOS device is needed in order to calculate perimeters like the pan and tilt, the span, start and stop times, duration and other information. After everything about the movement is calculated you can detach your phone and place the phone or DSLR on the mount for recording.

For now, Alpine’s Radian is raising funds on Kickstarter in order to get off the ground, and for a limited time up to 150 backers can get their hands on these unique mount device for just $125, after that it can be secured for just $150, as mentioned above. Footage showing the Radian in action can be seen below.

[ source ]

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When you’re trying to get that perfect shot, mother nature doesn’t always agree with you. There could be rain, dust, and all sorts of other camera-destroying elements. If you’re in the market for a mid-range DSLR that can handle rugged environments, the new Pentax K-30 is a compact, lightweight option.

The key selling point here is the weather resistant body, being able to withstand less than ideal weather, as well as dust and cold. “Every seam, every button, every hinge has been weather sealed for adventure-proof creative photography,” says Pentax Senior Manager of Sales and Marketing John Carlson. “Whether enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking in the Rocky Mountains or on vacation cruising along the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls, photographers can stop worry about weather conditions and start focusing on capturing the perfect shot.”

You get a 16MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor, 1080p full HD video recording at 30fps, 6fps burst rate, up to 1/6000s shutter, dual electronic dials, SAFOX IXi+ autofocus module, and an ISO range of 100 to 12800, which can be further expanded to ISO 25600 with a custom function. The optical viewfinder offers 100% field of view and you get Advanced Live View too. Power can come by way of the included lithium-ion battery or with four AA batteries via the optional D-BH109 adapter.

Expect the Pentax K-30 to sell for $849.99 (body only) and $899.95 (including DA L 18-55mm lens) this July.

[Source]

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Although remotely triggering a DSLR camera is nothing new, the Kickstarter-funded Triggertrap was a bit more exciting as it allowed you to do that via diverse stimuli like lights and sounds.  But as of late, it has got a lot more exciting when the company introduced the Triggertrap Mobile app.  What once cost $75, is now just $19.98 for both the software and hardware.

The app will run on any iPhone, iPad or iPod that uses iOS 5, and you will have to buy a $9.99 dongle which should be connected to your DSLR by cable or infrared. Connect the dongle to your iDevice and then you can simply use your device’s sensors as triggers (motion, facial recognition and more).

The app, which will also gives you control over the focus and flash, works with over 300 cameras and specialises in distance-lapse and time-lapse photography. Its Distance-Lapse mode utilizes your device’s GPS to take a photo every so many meters. Stitch the photos together and the whole road trip will look as if it took place at the same speed. Via the Eased Timelapse mode, the stitched videos speed up at the beginning and slow down towards the end.

There’s no need to worry if you do not have a separate camera as the app will work fine with the iOS device’s built-in camera. There is also a free version of the app, but that just features three modes. Check out the videos to know more about Triggertrap.

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Imagine the idea of a lens that can look behind itself, that’s exactly what a Fisheye-Nikkor 6mm f2.8s can do, delivering a viewing angle of 220-degrees. So what’s this new technology and when did it first arrive? It isn’t new at all actually, the fisheye lens was first introduced at the Photokina trade show in Germany, in the year 1970. This thing is huge, 7-inches long and 10-inches in diameter, wit ha weight over 11 pounds. Imagine trying to comfortably hold this thing while taking a photo.

Few of these were ever produced, and that means that they aren’t exactly cheap to get a hold of. If you happen to have $160,000 just laying around somewhere though, you can own one of the strangest lens ever made in history by purchasing it through the specialty camera shop, Grays of Westminster. Just imagine pairing this with your modern DSLR. Cool concept, though only an extreme collector would ever have the want or means to make such a purchase.

[ source ]

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Samsung is known for incorporating new technology into their cameras and they have just introduced three new cameras into the company’s NX Series of compact, mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras – the NX1000, NX20 and NX210. Unlike other large sensor cameras which might require you to use an Eye-Fi memory card for getting online, the new NX models are coming with built-in Wi-Fi.

Coming equipped with Samsung’s own 20.3 megapixel APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) CMOS sensor, all the models feature ISO100 – 12800 sensitivity, one button upload to social networking sites, in-camera editing, 2D and 3D Panorama modes, the i-Function system which will allow you to control parameters at the lens, and are compatible with the full range of nine lenses.

The cameras will wirelessly link to a Samsung smartphone via the SMART technology and you can use the handset as a remote viewfinder, and the Samsung Mobile Link will allow you to enjoy the shots you have taken on internet enabled TVs or tablets. The models also feature Full HD 1080p H.264 video recording, and also offer an unusual 1920 x 810 pixel resolution setting.

Among the three new cameras, the above pictured NX1000 has the best resolution display at 921,000 dots on a 3-inch TFT LCD panel. Its 1030mAh battery promises 320 shots between charges and it will be available in black, white or pink in June, but no hints on the price tag. And no built-in flash, but you can attach external lighting.

The NX20 has a DSLR-like body and features an SVGA-resolution electronic viewfinder and a 3-inch, 614,000 dot AMOLED swivel display. It also comes with a fast 1/8000 shutter speed, a pop-up flash, and will allow you to take 360 stills between charges all thanks to its 1300mAh rechargeable battery. If interested, you can pick one up next month for $1,099.99.

The NX210 is also coming next month and it will take the place of the NX200. Featuring the same AMOLED display as the NX 20, the NX210 is coming with 8 fps continuous shooting. No built-in flash for this one as well, but external units can be attached. Similar to the NX1000, the NX210 has a 1030mAh battery for taking 320 stills in between charges. The camera comes with a price tag of $899.99.

So, which one has caught your eye?

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