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ProCamera 8: A solid app with new features and manual adjustments
One of the nice things iOS 8 brought to camera apps is the ability to manually adjust your photos before you shoot them, meaning that photographers get the kind of control normally associated with a DSLR. Things like ISO, shutter speed and exposure can be adjusted to create just the right mood in a photo. Yes, automatic settings work most of the time, but in tough backlighting situations exposure compensation can mean the difference between a photo you keep and one you delete. ProCamera 8 (US$3.99) includes all these manual adjustments and quite a bit more. Video mode now supports slow motion, just like the Apple built-in software. HDR has been added as an in-app purchase for $1.99, and rather than add this feature on their own, the ProCamera developers partnered with the makers of vividHDR, one of the best HDR apps available. Before you use ProCamera 8, you'll want to take a moment or two to familiarize yourself with the operation of the camera. There is button for selecting shooting modes including video, HDR, scanner or night shooting. On-screen controls and indicators include a grid for composition, an anti-shake mode, white balance, a self timer and a tilt-meter that turns a set of crosshairs green when the camera is level. You can adjust exposure composition by turning an on-screen wheel, and I found that to be a really helpful addition when light levels were challenging. The app also has a live histogram which I didn't find all that useful. Of course the app can be used in fully automatic modes, but where's the fun in that? A word about the HDR option. It seems the HDR add-on doesn't work on the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. According to the developer the feature is coming, but isn't quite ready yet. I already had the vividHDR app and it crashed as well on the iPhone 6, so obviously there is some work to be done. HDR works fine on anything older than the iPhone 6 series. Other than that, ProCamera can certainly be your default camera for most situations. The app includes cropping and adjustment tools to give your photos just about any look you can imagine. There are some in-app purchases of other filters (San Fran and Street), but I think they are unnecessary and should be included in the app regular price instead of costing $0.99 each. I feel the same about HDR, which most photographers will want anyway. I'd prefer for ProCamera 8 to have HDR built in, even if the developers have to raise the price of the app. HDR is pretty common these day;, even Apple includes it in the standard Camera app. I checked the HDR on an iPhone 5s, and liked the results. ProCamera 8 takes three exposures very quickly, and then lets you select a variety of processing options before you commit to saving the final image. The HDR photo can be as natural or a garish as you like. ProCamera 8 is a terrific camera app. The addition of manual controls to the iPhone's camera is a big step forward, and there is no reason why ProCamera 8 can't be the app you use for most photos. I think the company is a bit too greedy for offering more filters for a price. They should be included, and the HDR feature should have been ready for iOS 8 since many other HDR photo apps are working just fine with the new OS. ProCamera 8 requires iOS 8 or later. It's not universal.
Disney Research uses trippy camerawork to tell a tale of immortality
Disney Research has done an awful lot of neat stuff in the past, but it hasn't really approached Walt's bread and butter before: video. Instead of going with animation, though, the team is using some pretty slick camera tricks to tell a live-action story about unconditional love and a mother attaining immortality through her son. Yeah, we thought the premise was kinda weird too. Dubbed Lucid Dreams of Gabriel, it features techniques like novel computational shutters, high dynamic range tone-mapping and a scene with a few different frame-rates happening all within the same shot. By applying these effects in post, the filmmakers, with help from ETH Zurich, were able to achieve results that otherwise couldn't be produced with conventional camera equipment. Fitting, considering the title references conscious dreams, eh? The full version of the short is due sometime in August, but you can watch the teaser for yourself just after the break.
TruHDR adds a Mac app after success on iOS
TruHDR is a really nice HDR (High Dynamic Range photography) app that has been around a long time for iOS. It improves on Apple's built-in implementation that lets you take pictures with much better dynamic range than a single shot can provide by using an algorithm to combine three photos taken at different exposures. Now, TruHDR is being offered at a bargain price for Mac users to try. At an introductory price of US$3.99 you can combine several exposures to produce a new image that gives you better shadow detail and avoids blown-out skies. TruHDR claims to be able to merge up to 100 images into one HDR image, and I tried with five and seven exposure bracketed images, which worked fine. Other similar HDR apps for Mac range in price from $29.00 to $100.00 and can only merge three to seven images. Of course, most photographers won't have a hundred images to combine, but it is good to see that feature exists if it's ever needed. The app is simple to use: click on import and select your images. They appear in a scrolling pane on the left of the app GUI. You can then do a simple merge if your shots were made from a stable tripod or a merge and align if you were shooting handheld and may have swayed a bit between exposures. When the images are combined, an edit panel shows up to let you adjust contrast, brightness, saturation, sharpness, tint and color temperature. There are also presets to render the image in various styles, including sepia tones and mono. I thought TruHDR worked quite well, and it is certainly one of the most reasonably priced HDR apps around for OS X. It doesn't have all the controls I would associate with HDR apps, like strength, tone-mapping or shadow detail, but I could get very nice looking images with the controls that are provided. The developer tells me those additional controls are coming in later updates. I tested some multiple bracketed RAW files from my recent trip to Monument Valley in Arizona, and was pleased with the results. Even though all my photos were taken on a tripod, the merge and align mode worked better at providing me with sharp final output. If you are serious about HDR, my app of choice is Photomatix, but it is almost a hundred dollars. If you've explored HDR on the iPhone and want to see what you can do from your DSLR images, TruHDR is an easy buy. There are a couple of rough edges in version 1, but judging from the success of TruHDR for iOS, I know the developer will continue to enhance and improve the program. While some of the other Mac apps offer more editing/rendering features, they are all more expensive, and it looks like TruHDR will get similar editing enhancements soon. TruHDR requires OS X 10.8 or later, and a 64-bit processor.
iOS 7.1 adds Auto HDR feature to the Camera app
Here's a little bonus that might sneak by you when you update to iOS 7.1. The Camera app has added an automatic function for HDR mode. HDR, or high dynamic range imaging, takes multiple exposures to allow for accurate capture of very bright objects, like the sky, when the photo also has part of the field in deep shadow. HDR was added in iOS 4.1, and it has been really popular. But until now, HDR is either on or off. IN iOS 7.1, with an iPhone 5s, the camera analyzes the scene to see if HDR will help the photo. If it comes back with 'yes', HDR mode is turned on. Otherwise it is off. You can still shoot manually, but the auto mode is a really good idea, because sometimes you don't want HDR, especially in flatter lighting circumstances. The camera can make an intelligent choice without you having to remember to change settings. To access the feature, launch the Camera app and select the photo mode. At the top of your display you'll see 'HDR Auto'. Tap that and you'll see HDR Auto, HDR On, and HDR Off. Tap your preference and you are good to go. The settings will 'stick' when you close out the Camera app. I don't think Apple's HDR is the best available for the iPhone, but it is pretty good. I'm a fan of Pro HDR and Fotor HDR to really push the camera for better images.
Google+ photos get more 'pop' with new dynamic range tool
So far, you've had to use Snapseed on your phone to add high dynamic range effects to Google+ photos after you've taken them -- not very convenient if you're at your computer. That won't be a problem after today, though. Google has brought its mobile apps' HDR Scape tool to the web-based photo editor in Google+, letting you brighten shadows and tone down highlights in a single step. And if you're fussy about your edits, it's now easy to zoom in and verify that everything is just right. The new tools are already available for some Google+ users, and they should reach the rest of the social network in the near future.
HDR Darkroom 3 is an easy way to create HDR images on your Mac
Many people first heard about HDR (High Dynamic Range imaging) when Apple added the feature to iOS. HDR uses sophisticated algorithms to overlay multiple images shot at different shutter speeds to increase the dynamic range of the camera. This helps prevent losing details in a face, for example, when your subject has a bright sky behind it. Of course, photographers have been doing HDR with more advanced cameras for quite a few years now. Mac users have some excellent high-end programs like Photomatix and HDR EFX Pro with which to post-process their photographs. There's a low-cost option, HDR Darkroom 3, that does a good job and is very easy to use. It's the latest version of an app that has been evolving for quite some time. At the time of this writing, it's on sale in the Mac App Store for US$14.99. The usual list price is $39.99, so be sure to check if the sale pricing in still in effect. I gave the latest version a trial run using several landscape photos taken with my Canon 5D. The photos were shot with varying shutter speeds about two stops apart with a fixed ƒ stop. The middle exposure is normally exposed. Next, the images are loaded into HDR Darkroom 3. There's an option to align the photos, which is helpful if you were shooting hand-held rather than with a tripod. The app can also remove ghosting generated by moving trees or water. When the images are opened, a range of styles is visible on the right side of the screen. Those styles can be subtle or over the top. There are also two black-and-white presets. Within each style, you can adjust exposure, saturation and vignetting. There are some rudimentary editing tools, like cropping and rotation of images. A handy compare button lets you go back to your original image to see how the HDR image compares with the original. You can easily move from style to style, because nothing is permanent until the photo is saved. There are several export options, and your masterwork can be shared to social media. The app imports almost any photo format, including RAW files. HDR Darkroom 3 is a very reasonably priced app for those photographers wishing to dabble with HDR. Both Photomatix and HDR EFX Pro are much more powerful and, to my eye, can make a more powerful image, but HDR Darkroom 3 gets you most of the way there for a fraction of the cost. I'd like to see more editing features in the app -- like dust removal or image straightening -- that would let you finish the photo without going to an external editor. You can learn more about the app and see example photos here. The app requires OS X 10.6 or later and a 64-bit processor.
Dolby Vision imaging finally comes home this fall with Netflix and Xbox Video as partners
Dolby's TV image-enhancement tech has been in development for a long time, and today the company is finally ready to show you when and where you'll find it. What we saw in December has been graced with the Vision name, and the outfit has promised we'll see TVs with it baked in this fall. What's more, Sharp and TCL have compatible hardware on display in their respective CES booths this week, and Amazon, Netflix, VUDU and Xbox Video are stepping up as content providers. Hit the Dolby link below for more information, and be sure to check back later this week for our latest impressions.
Vizio's HDTV plans for 2014 focus on Ultra HD, in sizes going all the way up to 120 inches
We took a peek at Vizio's CES 2014 booth and came away impressed with not only its current mainstream HDTV lines, but also what it's planning for the future. The current E- and M-series are rolling out now with features like smart apps (cribbed from its Co-Star LT platform) and local LED dimming backlighting that are usually reserved for higher-end HDTVs. It's also readying a number of new audio products, from those Android-packing Bluetooth speakers to its current soundbars and even an upcoming sound plate device that you can sit your TV on. Still, the models we think most will be the most interested in are Vizio's upcoming Ultra HD televisions. The P-Series holds its mainstream approach, with 64 zones of LED backlighting and a built-in CPU with two CPU cores and four GPU cores in sizes of 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70 inches. The custom Vizio design handles all the processing and per-pixel tuning needed to work at that high resolution, and the TVs even support the latest wireless tech like 802.11ac, and 4K streaming from sources like Amazon and Netflix when it's available. Vizio's most striking assault however, is planned at the extreme high end with its Reference Series. Consisting of two models -- a 65- and 120-inch versions -- they promise all the features of the others, plus an upgraded 384 zones of local dimming, Dolby HDR tech for unprecedented lighting and color quality, and an integrated 5.1 soundbar (with wireless subwoofer). We don't have prices or release dates for Vizio's 4K-ready TV lineup yet, but the company reminds us of its groundbreaking pricing history. That's enough to have us interested and thinking these may be some of the first cheap Ultra HD TVs worth purchasing -- assuming they debut in the second half of the year as planned.
Snapseed updates with new HDR mode, shadows slider
If you like to take photos on your iOS device, grab Snapseed. If you already have it, you'll see an update today that really adds some nice features. This latest release adds two very important features. One is called HDR scape, which gives your images an HDR look that can be as natural or as unnatural as you like. You also get a shadows slider that lets you increase shadow detail without ruining the overall look of the image. The app also offers auto enhancement, a selection of frames, black and white presets and tilt-shift effects. I found the new features impressive. If I didn't go over the top on the HDR settings, I could get a very much improved landscape image. The shadows slider also worked well, and kept the image looking natural rather than over-processed. Snapseed has been great since it was first released as a paid app. Happily, it's been kept up to date, and for many photographers it will be the only photo enhancer/editor they will ever need. Snapseed is a universal app and requires iOS 7 at the moment. There is a warning about using this latest version on iOS 5 or 6, and there will be a fix and an update soon. The issues involve sharing images to those older devices.
Daily iPhone App: Fotor HDR brings some new tricks to iPhone photography
Fotor HDR is a new iPhone app for those of you who like to take high dynamic range (HDR) photos. The US$1.99 app adds some very sophisticated processing options after you take the multiple images required for an HDR image. The main feature Fotor HDR offers is preset styles. Rather than simply providing filters, the Fotor styles are geared to HDR images, and are similar to what you see in the pro HDR apps you see on the Mac, such as Photomatix and HDR Efex Pro 2 from Nik/Google. Here's how the app works: you frame your image on screen, with Fotor offering a grid to help you compose and level the camera. There are two picture-taking modes -- one mode grabs the images and processes them, while the other mode allows you to continue taking photos rapidly without waiting for processing and aligning (you can do that after your photo session). Processing and aligning are pretty quick on an iPhone 5s, and I think it's quite acceptable on older hardware as well. Once the images are done, you have the option to select a style for your photo, or leave the HDR image alone. Some of the styles were a bit over the top, but may appeal to some photographers. Some, like surreal, worked well if there were lots of clouds and a contrasty sky. With each style, you can adjust saturation, brightness, contrast and create a vignette. I was able to turn out some really nice photos using Fotor HDR. In my tests, I found it far superior to the built-in HDR feature of the iPhone Camera app, and similar in quality to one of my favorite photo apps, Pro HDR. Apple's HDR is very subtle, but when there are deep shadows it doesn't do very well. It does work well when faces are in front of a bright sky, brightening the faces while still revealing the great outdoors. When I gave Fotor HDR my "dark room with bright window" test, it did very well, revealing details in the room without overexposing the bright scene outside. What also makes Fotor HDR stand out are the style presets and the ability to adjust within those parameters. Readers can view some comparisons in the slide show above. I'm impressed with what Fotor HDR brings as an iPhone imaging tool. In future versions, I'd like to see the option to combine three images rather than two for greater dynamic range. Fotor HDR is not a universal app, so it's best used on your iPhone or iPod touch. It requires iOS 6.0 or later, but the user interface has a nice iOS 7 look to it.
vividHDR brings some new features and ideas for iOS photographers
I'm always on the lookout for innovative photography apps and vividHDR certainly qualifies. It's a universal app that sells for US $1.99. Unlike many apps that take 2 exposures for HDR (High Dynamic Range imaging), vividHDR takes 3. It shows you a split screen of the normally exposed image, alongside the HDR tone-mapped photo. Unlike some apps that can give you 'overcooked' results, you can get natural looking photos from this app, with better shadow detail and more realistic colors. The app offers settings for Natural, Lively and Dramatic photos. Saturation and contrast increase with each step away from Natural. You can also select 'custom', and process the images any of the 3 ways before you save them. The app provides good exposure control, ghost removal and image alignment, which is important if you are hand holding your iPhone or iPad. The GUI takes some getting used to. I expected each finished image to show up in my camera roll, but the app maintains its own gallery which you access with a swipe to the right. Camera settings are a swipe to the left. It is all explained in the introductory screen, but it was still counter-intuitive until I got used to it. I took several images and was quite pleased with the results. You can see some in the gallery. The app helped in dark areas, improved the look of the skies, and the processing was quite speedy. On the minus side, the app failed my 'bright window-dark room' test. When processed, the image completely lost any outside detail so the window was badly blown out. Yet when I watched the screen, I could see that one exposure perfectly exposed that bright window. Something is going wrong in the processing. My reference HDR program, ProHDR handled the test perfectly. Examples are in the gallery. vividHDR is still an excellent approach to getting good HDR photos. It is far better than the built-in Apple HDR software, but it falls short in the toughest lighting conditions. If the developer can fix that issue, vividHDR will be among the very best HDR apps available. vividHDR requires iOS 6 or greater, and it is optimized for the iPhone 5. It also worked just fine on iOS 7 beta 5. %Gallery-195750%
Thalia Lapse HD/R lets you take high-quality time-lapse movies in HDR on your iPhone
Thalia Lapse HD/R is an unwieldy name, but it's an app that does something that has been a bit of a holy grail for iPhone photographers. The app takes time-lapse sequences, but that's not the unique part. This US$2.99 app takes multiple exposures and tone maps them to give you a high-quality finished HDR movie with much better dynamic range than you would get taking single shots. The app also includes de-ghosting, so if there is any variation within the multiple shots, like blowing vegetation, it will be automatically eliminated. The app outputs in Apple Quicktime format at 1080p resolution, and you can add music from your iTunes library. In addition, the app lets you adjust the saturation, for striking colors or something more subdued. You can take your movie at resolutions other than 1080p, including VGA and 720p. You can also select how many seconds each frame will occupy in playback. The app uses the sensors in the iPhone to let you know if the phone is level, which is a great idea. A tripod or some type of steady platform is needed for this app to be effective. You're not going to be able to handhold your camera and get any worthwhile results. For my tests, I used a Joby GorillaPod stand, which was perfect for this kind of work. It's also important to have plenty of battery or be hooked up to a power source, because hours of photography will keep the screen on and that is a battery eater. Thalia Lapse HD/R is a really terrific app with some unique features. The HDR capabilities are the standout feature, and the app works as advertised. To have all this capability in a smartphone is a wonder, and if you've wanted to explore HDR time-lapse photography, you no longer have any reasons not to try it. Check out this online video to get an example of how the app works. Thalia Lapse HD/R requires iOS 6 and is optimized for the iPhone 5. It is a universal app, but I think it's best suited for the iPhone 5's high-resolution camera. %Gallery-193403%
Vacation Coming? Here are my favorite iOS photo apps
It's that time of year. Vacations are likely in your future, and there has never been a bigger choice in apps and utilities to make and share great still photos from your iPhone. Among the multitude of apps I've tested over the years, I have some favorites, so I'm sharing those treasures with you. I'll miss some great apps, but these are the apps that have never let me down under a variety of conditions. Let me state that the majority of my photography is done with a Canon DSLR. It has great quality and unparalleled reliability, but there is nothing like the iPhone for a quick good quality photo or panorama, and there are plenty of great tools to edit that photo before you share it. I find I'm always using both cameras; the DSLR for the keepers I may print and frame, the iPhone for all the rest. Let's get started. I'm going to deal primarily with landscape or location photography. The built-in Apple camera app is fine for taking shots of people, and if you use the built-in HDR mode you can rescue photos from blow-out due to bright sky backgrounds. For landscapes, HDR is just the ticket. HDR gives you a wider dynamic range, so detail shows up in the shadows and bright skies won't overpower your image. The above-mentioned HDR feature from Apple is OK for landscapes, but won't give you the best quality your iPhone camera can provide. I've had the best results from three apps. Pro HDR (U.S. $1.99), Tru HDR($1.99), and Fotor ($2.99). Fotor is also a capable photo editor and camera app. %Gallery-192680% Non-HDR apps, for taking family pictures or photos where there is motion present, are also abundant. Among those I like are the already mentioned built-in camera controls from Apple. I'm also a fan of the popular free Instagram app that provides camera control and a variety of editing options and filters, and Camera + which is both very popular and a well performing $1.99 app. It contains granular camera control, and a host of features for both taking and editing photos. Let's not forget panoramas. Apple added a very good panorama feature in iOS 6, and it works great. (You need an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5.) Put the camera in Panorama mode, and slowly move it from side to side while the camera captures and instantly assembles a high-resolution horizontal image. Editing There are hundreds of apps that let you edit photos. Fotor and Camera + do a nice job, and both have a variety of filters if you want to apply them to your photos. I think the standout app is the free Snapseed app. It has an easy to use GUI, and best of all gives you a tremendous amount of control over several parameters that can make your images compelling. Even if Snapseed had a price tag associated with, it would still be my recommendation -- being free, it is a terrific choice. Apple's camera app does have some on-board tools like cropping and simple enhancing, but Snapseed is far superior. I also like to create collages and send them to friends while I am still traveling. My favorites in this area are Diptic ($0.99) and ProCollage ($1.99). Sharing You're on your trip, and want to share those photos before you get home. Again, there are plenty of options, including services like Flickr, Amazon Cloud Drive and Instagram, but I really like the free app Photoset. This universal app lets you select photos, upload them to a website, and send the url to friends. You don't need to sign up to anything, the photos look great, and unlike Apple's PhotoStream option, the pictures will never go away. My only wish for Photoset is that you could select multiple photos instead of selecting them one at a time before uploading. Where and When to take pictures Just like in real estate, location is everything. Sometimes you are taking pictures wherever you happen to be, while others look for the best places to visit specifically for photography. If you are in the US National Parks, the Chimani guides are indispensable. This series of free apps provides information like hours of operation, best photo spots, and travel tips for the major National Parks. The time of day that you take that picture is really important too, with the best lighting occurring during the so-called "golden time" just before sunrise and just before sunset. Magic Hour is just the ticket for figuring out the best time to take those wonderful pix. The app is free, uses GPS to figure out where you are, and then tells you the best time to grab those beautiful landscape photos. How about figuring out the best nearby photo locations? If you have an iPad, grab the free Stuck on Earth app. It shows your current location on a map, and scours the web for photos taken at that location. It gives you a great idea about what to expect and is also handy for trip planning before you ever leave on your vacation. Sadly, this app is not available for the iPhone, and there isn't an iPhone app that is comparable. Summing Up The apps mentioned here will go a long way toward making your vacation photos memorable and worth sharing. I still am amazed that such great technology can be stuffed in a smartphone, but there it is. Have a safe trip, and may you get lots of great photos.
The Daily Roundup for 06.06.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
University of Toronto student tech shoots HDR video in real-time (eyes-on)
Sure, you love the HDR pictures coming from your point-and-shoot, smartphone or perhaps even your Glass. But what if you want to Hangout in HDR? An enterprising grad student from the University of Toronto named Tao Ai -- under the tutelage of Steve Mann -- has figured out how to shoot HDR video in real-time. The trick was accomplished using a Canon 60D DSLR running Magic Lantern firmware and an off-the-shelf video processing board with a field programmable gate array (FPGA), plus some custom software to process the video coming from the camera. It works by taking in a raw feed of alternatively under and over exposed video and storing it in a buffer, then processing the video on its way to a screen. What results is the virtually latency-free 480p resolution HDR video at 60 frames per second seen in our video after the break. When we asked whether higher resolution and faster frame rate output is possible, we were told that the current limitations are the speed of the imaging chip on the board and the bandwidth of the memory buffer. The setup we saw utilized a relatively cheap $200 Digilent board with a Xilinx chip, but a 1080p version is in the works using a more expensive board and DDR3 memory. Of course, the current system is for research purposes only, but the technology can be applied in consumer devices -- as long as they have an FPGA and offer open source firmware. So, should the OEM's get with the program, we can have HDR moving pictures to go with our stationary ones.
Google Glass monthly update improves photos with HDR, captions
Google has committed to pushing software updates to its Glass headset each month, and a post on Google+ reveals this month's tweaks are focusing on pictures. If you're a fan of using the device for POV shots, it should take better pictures by capturing a sequence of images for improved low-light performance and HDR pictures in bright situations -- check out a gallery of enhanced images at the source link below. Also new is a prompt to add a caption after you take a picture. Users can tap their headset, speak the caption and it's automatically inserted. Last month's XE5 update addressed a wider range of issues, but this one will make sure any impromptu pictures (with your subject's full awareness and permission for the photo, we're sure) are high quality.
iPhone cameras are everywhere at one of America's best scenic spots
My last visit to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah was in pre-iPhone days. My, how things have changed. I went to Bryce on a landscape shoot this week with my usual semi-pro equipment: Canon 5D, Manfrotto tripod and the usual gaggle of batteries, timers and other esoterica. I was especially interested in seeing if people were toting different equipment in the age of the smartphone. I expected to see Android and iPhones snapping away, while the pros and semi-pros were hanging on to their expensive DSLRs. It wasn't quite what I expected. I saw a lot of iPhones in the crowds of people gathered at the rim of Bryce Canyon waiting for the sunset. I saw a couple of Android phones, but there could have been more. I walked up to a large group of young girls from Tennessee and asked how many were using iPhones? Every hand went up. I asked them if they were still using their old point-and-shoot cameras, and everyone had dropped them for an iPhone. The main reason? Instagram and other photo-sharing services. No one mentioned Apple's Photo Stream. You just can't get photos to friends with a point-and-shoot. None of those girls were into editing photos, it was mostly shoot and send. I asked about the iPhone HDR feature. The most frequent answer was "huh?" More marketing needed by Cupertino. I showed some of the people up there how easy it was to activate HDR, and let them compare the results. Sunset at Bryce Canyon is the perfect place for HDR. All were amazed, so I helped create some new converts. The biggest surprise were the pro and semi-pro shooters. Many had iPhones, which they would take out of a pocket for a moment, usually to shoot a panorama. One woman with a big Nikon said she loved her camera, but there was nothing like capturing a quick panorama with the iPhone. Easy to do, plenty of megapixels, and easy to send. A guy from Georgia with all kinds of pro equipment told me the same thing. %Gallery-188525% So here I was at one of the most beautiful scenery spots in the world and iPhones were everywhere. Young, old, novice, semi-pro and some pros. It's amazing that a company trying to make a better cellular phone has had such an impact on photography. Planning or accident? How about you? Have you dropped your point-and-shoot for an iPhone? And those of you with DSLRs, are you tempted to haul your iPhone out at times too? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
HTC One HDR microphone disappears from spec sheet after Nokia injunction (updated)
We've wondered what HTC would do after a Dutch court banned it from using HDR Microphones in its oft-delayed One handset, and now we know. It looks like the company has now nixed references to the Nokia-developed component on its website, raising the possibility that the handsets currently being manufactured have HTC's "improved" microphones rather than the original STMicroelectronics unit on board. None of this should affect phones that are already on the market, but we've reached out to HTC to find out what this means for future One owners and will let you know more when we do. [Thanks, Ted] Update: HTC has reiterated its position (after the break) saying that the company is entitled to use its remaining supplies of STM's HDR Microphones until they run out.
Rambus Binary Pixel brings single-shot HDR photos to phone cameras
Most high dynamic range photography 'cheats' by merging multiple exposures into a composite image, which can lead to blurry shots. While HDR camera technology is catching up and will even let us record HDR video on our smartphones, Rambus believes its new Binary Pixel technology can achieve the effect with less waste. Its new imaging chip tries to replicate the human eye's range through setting light thresholds and oversampling the scene in both space and time. The results are more natural shadows and highlights down to the pixel level, with processing processing fast enough for video. The overall image reportedly suffers from less noise as well. Companies will have to talk to Rambus to implement Binary Pixel, although it's a considered a drop-in technology that should talk to existing processors and camera sensors, whether it's for smartphones or point-and-shoot cameras. Rambus may just want to hurry if it hopes to get noticed -- it's joining an increasingly crowded field.
MIT imaging chip creates natural-looking flash photos
Mobile image processing in itself isn't special when even high dynamic range shooting is virtually instant, at least with NVIDIA's new Tegras. A new low-power MIT chip, however, may prove its worth by being a jack of all trades that works faster than software. It can apply HDR to photos and videos through near-immediate exposure bracketing, but it can also produce natural-looking flash images by combining the lit photo with an unassisted shot to fill in missing detail. Researchers further claim to have automatic noise reduction that safeguards detail through bilateral filtering, an established technique that uses brightness detection to avoid blurring edges. If you're wondering whether or not MIT's work will venture beyond the labs, don't -- the project was financed by contract manufacturing giant Foxconn, and it's already catching the eye of Microsoft Research. As long as Foxconn maintains interest through to production, pristine mobile photography won't be limited to a handful of devices.
