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Sony's ZV-1 II has a wide lens so you can fit your whole face in while vlogging
Sony has launched a successor to its popular compact ZV-1 vlogging camera, the ZV-1 II, which addresses a big issue with the past model.
Sony's lightweight 70-200mm zoom has features designed for video creators
Sony has unveiled the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II zoom lens that looks to be an interesting option for hybrid video and photo shooters.
Canon created a dual fisheye lens for its new VR video system
Canon has made a surprising product announcement, revealing a dual, RF mount fisheye lens that's part of an all-new system called Canon EOS VR.
Fujifilm's insanely fast f/1.0 lens is the first with autofocus
Fujifilm has unveiled the world’s fastest autofocus lens, the XF50mmf1.0 R WR designed for its APS-C sensor X-series mirrorless cameras.
Google brings Lens text translations to KaiOS phones in India
Google is bringing Assistant's Lens camera translation functionality to feature phones in India.
Pinterest's new Lens feature lets you find products based on your photos
It just got easier to snap and shop.
Snapchat's new lens helps users donate to the WHO’s COVID-19 relief fund
Snapchat’s latest AR filter lets users donate directly to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. With the Snapchat camera, users can scan 23 international currencies in 33 countries. The AR filter will show how donations to the WHO are used for patient care, medical supplies and research.
Polaroid's new $99 instant camera uses autofocus to change modes
More than a year after Polaroid Originals gave us the OneStep+, it's ready to share another old-school, analogy camera: the Polaroid Now. This time around, Polaroid Originals has traded the dual lenses for a new autofocus lens, and it has stripped away some of the connectivity features, like those that made remote selfies possible.
Snapchat's latest AR filters turn the floor into lava
There have been immersive Snapchat Lenses before, but this latest batch can literally change the world around you. Snap has unveiled "Ground Transformation" Lenses that turn the ground into a lava pit or water -- yes, you can pretend the floor is lava like you're eight years old all over again. Both use machine learning to understand the geometry of the land and help apply special effects, such as reflections from the buildings around you.
Pinterest lets users virtually try on makeup
Pinterest is joining the AR makeup game. From today, Pinners will be able to virtually try on lipstick from brands such as Sephora, Urban Decay, NYX and Lancôme before they buy, using a new Try On feature, powered by Lens. Just open the Lens camera icon in search, tap "try on" to explore different shades, then swipe-up to shop.
Snapchat Cameos lets you insert your face into a GIF
Snapchat's secret weapon is its uncanny face-swapping and -tracking algorithms, and it has just deployed those to great effect in a new chat feature called Cameos. The feature, which leaked out yesterday, inserts your selfie into short, looping videos featuring cats, shopping carts, cars and more. The idea is to send your pals an expressive GIF, starring... you.
Snapchat's Time Machine lens lets you slide between young and old
Earlier this year, the FaceApp filter that made people look old and wrinkled in selfies went viral. Then we learned that the Russian-developed selfie-editing app was uploading users' photos to the cloud and that it required "full and irrevocable access to their personal photos and data." That temporarily killed the craze, but now, Snapchat is ready to introduce a new aging filter.
VSCO's first Snapchat lens adds film-inspired effects
VSCO is giving Snapchat users a taste of what its photography app can offer. The popular photo-slash-filter app has teamed up with Snapchat and released its first lens for the platform called "Analog." It comes with two filters, and according to VSCO, they're new and exclusive to the platform. Film, the first of the two, mimics the light glares, leaks and distortion that can appear on film. Meanwhile, Prism can produce a whimsical, refracted double effect. Like any other filter, they can be used individually or combined -- they also work on both static photos and videos.
Snapchat's first swipeable lens is an AR partnership with Tinder
Tinder recently launched Swipe Night, an app that lets you choose your own adventure by -- wait for it -- swiping left or right. If you want to check out the experience without actually downloading Tinder, Snapchat has you covered with the new Swipe Night Lens. It will give users a sneak peek at the experience by bringing up various scenarios from Swipe Night and letting you swipe left to "save yourself" or swipe right to "save the world," according to Tinder.
Moving the largest high-performance lens ever built
Not all the most interesting telescopes need to live in space. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will sit on top of a mountain in Chile some 8,800 feet up and snap 3.2-gigapixel (3,200-megapixel) images of the sky every 20 seconds. All told, it will be able to snap digital images of the entire southern sky every few nights. By taking relatively long 15-second exposures, scientists will be able to study the early universe, track dimly-lit asteroids and better understand dark energy.
Google may soon let you search with a screenshot
Google might be about to do pair up two mobile screen-related features, "Edit & Share screenshots" and the AI-powered "What's on my Screen," according to some APK digging by 9 to 5 Google. A new feature called "Smart Screenshots," tucked into the latest version of the Google 10.61 app, brings up an updated toolbar when you take a screenshot. As before, you get edit, share and the option to use your favorite app to send the shot, but there's a new option with the latest version: Lens.
NFL celebrates 100th season with Snapchat AR Lens that comes to life
The National Football League and Snap have made another augmented reality experience together. In celebration of the NFL's 100th season, which kicks off on September 5th, the companies are unveiling an AR Lens that lets people scan an NFL 100 logo and bring it to life inside the Snapchat app. The feature uses Snap's Marker technology, introduced in 2018, to let people use their Snapchat camera to unlock a special video created by the NFL. After scanning an NFL 100 logo, the video will show historic highlights between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, the two teams that are playing the first game of the 2019-2020 season next Thursday. And right beneath the video, as pictured above, there's a clock counting down the days, hours and minutes to the beginning of the NFL 100 season.
Hasselblad’s X1D II mirrorless camera is faster and more affordable
Most of the recent updates from Hasselblad have had to do with the cameras popping up on drones or costing $48,000. But the company is still working on the mirrorless medium-format cameras and accompanying lenses that built its reputation. Today, it announced a handful of updates, including an evolved X1D II 50C camera, a new XCD 3,5-4,5/35-75 Zoom Lens, the Phocus Mobile 2 and details on more to come.
Lomography unveils its first lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras
It's been a while since we've heard about Petzval lenses, but Lomography just unveiled an interesting (and much needed) model for the latest full-frame mirrorless cameras. The Petzval 55mm f/1.7 MK II Art lens works on Sony E, Nikon Z and Canon RF cameras, but it's definitely not your typical lens. It not only has an offbeat antique-y brass look, but lets you take dreamy photos with very unique, swirley bokeh. You can make the effect either subtle or strong, thanks to a bokeh lever with seven different settings.
Nike's latest Snapchat Lens shows support for USWNT
With the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup drawing closer, fans of the US Soccer Women's National Team have one more way to show their support. The creatives at Nike have put together an AR Lens that slaps a team jersey on you, and of course links to Nike.com for a quick purchase. The USWNT soccer Lens will only be available tomorrow, May 9th, and the timing is close enough that users can snag a jersey in time for the team's "Send-Off Series" of matches begin on the 12th against South Africa, followed by Belgium and Mexico. Meanwhile, Snapchat is trying to deal with its identity crisis, but Lenses people like and using its login to power a popular new quiz app could help change the story.
