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The power of Kickstarter: Bolex Camera project raises nearly $250,000 in a single day
If anyone was still skeptical about the power of Kickstarter, they should pay attention. We'd lined up the Digital Bolex for a forthcoming episode of Insert Coin, but the project managed to surpass its $100,000 funding goal within 24 hours of going online. The camera is the brainchild of Joe Rubinstein and the antidote to most HD video snappers, which record footage in compressed and often interlaced formats that make editing unwieldy. The Digital Bolex, however, shoots its footage as uncompressed RAW files with a native resolution of 2048 x 1152 in Super 16mm mode. The aim is to provide a low-cost (around $3,000) way of getting this technology into the hands of filmmakers who are into their pistol grips. The project fund has swelled to an impressive $245,726 and there's still 28 days left -- would it be possible for them to make a million? If you fancy adding to the tally, shoot the source link and start hoping they can pull this off.
Nikon 1 future plans revealed: 4K video, brighter lenses, picture effects
Tetsuya Yamamoto, Nikon's head of development was at CES talking up the future plans of the company's 1 system cameras after strong holiday sales. The 10.1 megapixel sensor inside the 1 body is sufficiently capable of shooting 2 and 4K video and bringing that functionality into the unit is planned for a future edition. There's a need for a set of brighter lenses with faster auto-focusing, although we're not sure how much bigger you can get on that petite body. It's also kicking around the option of letting V1 (i.e. more professional) users get at manual AF control and in-camera RAW editing -- while J1 users can expect plenty of features they won't use much, like in-camera effects. It's exciting stuff, but let's hope these new features don't cause the price to climb any higher, eh?
Corel introduces AfterShot Pro for $99 on Linux, Mac and Windows
The crew in Ottawa is now taking square aim at Aperture, Lightroom and other similarly situated products with its new product called AfterShot Pro. Available for Linux, Macintosh and Windows, the software retails for $99 and promises to deliver a complete workflow for RAW files, including file management, batch processing and non-destructive editing capabilities. AfterShot Pro is said to be fully multithreaded and optimized for multiple cores and CPUs. A trial is available for download from the company's website, while physical copies will begin shipping by month's end. It'll certainly be an uphill battle for the scrappy competitor up north, but with a product portfolio heavily leveraged in the graphics industry, it certainly seems time that Corel jumped into the fray.
Sony flashes new XQD memory cards, your pre-ordered Nikon D4 smiles coyly
We've been eagerly awaiting some of that next-gen XQD memory since it was announced right around a month ago, and now that we have something worthy to pop it in, we're doubly buzzed. Sony's the first to step forward, kicking off with QDH16 ($129) and QDH32 ($229) cards where the number represents the capacity. When the specs first came out of the darkroom there was talk of 5Gb/s write speeds; these might not be quite that rapid, but at 1Gb/s (125 MB/s), we're still not complaining. Sony thinks the cards will be good for up to 100 frames in RAW format in continuous shooting mode, based on its tests. There'll also be a card reader and adapter for easy portability, both setting you back a further $45 when the whole lot hits the shelves in February. Click the PR after the jump for more info.
Apple releases new Digital Camera RAW update
Apple has released yet another compatibility update for the RAW format in digital cameras for use with iPhoto and Aperture, and it makes the following (mostly new) cameras compatible: Canon PowerShot S100 Nikon 1 J1 Nikon 1 V1 Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Olympus PEN E-PL1s Olympus PEN E-PL3 Olympus PEN E-PM1 Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ150 Sony Alpha NEX-5N Sony Alpha SLT-A65 Sony Alpha SLT-A77 Spiffy! I'm interested to see the new PowerShot in there -- it's relatively inexpensive for cameras that can take pictures in the RAW format, and the PowerShot line is generally good for beginner to mid-level users. Of course, you should always do your own research before embarking on a camera purchase, but if you want a cheap(er) way to play with the RAW format, that might be a good option. As always, the update is available through Software Update.
Sony's F65 CineAlta 4K camera now available for a paltry $65,000
Sony's F65 CineAlta camera now has a price tag to match its name -- and its girth. The imager, which was first unveiled at this year's NAB Show, has now been officially released ahead of this week's IBC conference in Amsterdam. The newest member of the CineAlta family captures images in 4K (4096 x 2160) resolution and features a speedy 20.4 megapixel, Super 35mm CMOS sensor, capable of reaching up to 72fps at 4K resolution and 120fps on 2K. The F65 also comes boasts 16-bit RAW output at 19Gbps on 4K and WiFi connectivity that allows you to manipulate it from the comfort of your tablet. The shooter won't start shipping until January, but filmmakers or production houses with lots of disposable income can order one now, for a mere $65,000. More details await you in the press release, after the break.
RAW is WAR...riors and wizards and stuff
We've long believed that Diablo fans would glom on to any Diablo-esque game no matter what it was called, but Wizarbox and Focus Home Interactive are really putting that to the test with R.A.W. And yes, as the trailer after the break clearly demonstrates, it's really, honestly called that. As you'll see, the XBLA, PSN and PC release (due in 2012) doesn't stray too far from its demonic source material. In fact, the only real question we're left with is whether or not the fact that "R.A.W." literally stands for "Realms of Ancient War" makes the title better or worse. ... Oh, actually, scratch that. We just decided on "way, way better."
Mystery HTC Windows Phone sports 12 megapixel goodness, RAW support
Phone cameras still have a ways to go to catch up to the awesome capabilities of your standard DSLR, but the handset captured in the image above would certainly get them headed in the right direction. International phone review superstar Eldar Murtazin snapped a few shots of an as-of-yet unnamed HTC device running Windows Phone. It sports a look very similar to the HTC Trophy, although this particular gem is capable of capturing images at 12 megapixel resolution -- comparable to the Nokia N8. We can tell from Eldar's tweets and images, however, that it's gone one step further by adding support for pictures in RAW format. We're still waiting to get more information about this device, but for now we invite you to enjoy the images above and below.
Apple Digital Camera RAW and Apple Prokit updates available
Fire up Software Update, sports fans; there are two updates available this afternoon for slightly obscure corners of the Mac OS X world. First, it's the Digital Camera RAW compatibility update version 3.7, which adds import savvy to iPhoto '11 and Aperture for several cameras: the Fujifilm FinePix X100, Nikon D5100, Olympus E-PL2, Olympus XZ-1 and the Samsung GX-1S. The 6.62 MB update requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or 10.5.8; for information on all the RAW formats supported in Mac OS X 10.6, check here. Second, we have the ProKit 7.0 update for Apple's high-end creative apps, which offers the following fixes for minor issues: Improved support for PopOver style tooltips. Improved support for Font Smoothing. Addresses an issue with an unwanted gap between a menu and submenu. Fixes leaks and improves stability for the color picker and timecode interface in Final Cut Pro and Motion. Improved compatibility when importing assets from older versions of Soundtrack Pro. Fixes an issue with the scrubber appearance in Logic Express and Logic Pro. Addresses AppKit related crashes in Motion. Apple recommends the ProKit 7.0 update for all users of Final Cut Pro, Motion, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro, iPhoto, Aperture, Final Cut Express, Logic Pro, MainStage, Logic Express and iAd Producer. It's 15.7 MB and requires Mac OS X Snow Leopard, 10.6.7.
RAW compatibility update for iPhoto and Aperture 3
An update was released this week for Aperture 3 and iPhoto, providing really nothing more than RAW compatibility to a bunch of new cameras. For the most part, those concerned with RAW support in software are those who do professional-grade photo editing or are intent on saving uncompressed versions of photos, either for posterity's sake or because disk space is so cheap these days. The casual digital photographer wouldn't likely care about the RAW format. Added to the list of cameras now supported in these applications: Canon PowerShot SX1 IS, Olympus E-PL1, Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2, Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10, Samsung NX10, Sony Alpha DSLR-A390, Sony Alpha NEX-3, Sony Alpha NEX-5.
Ricoh GXR P10 sensor and lens combo gets reviewed
We're still not sure that the world knows it needs a compact camera with both interchangeable lenses and sensors, but Ricoh's giving us all another reason to believe with the P10. This is a 10 megapixel, 1/2.3-inch sensor combined with a 10.7x, 28 - 300mm lens that, according to Photography Blog performs much better than its compact-sounding specs would lead you to believe -- as it should for a price of $299 on its own, or $499 with the GXR body. It'll do 720p video recording and capture RAW images at 5fps with full manual controls. These features earn it a solid recommendation and it's said to be the best expansion pack for the GXR yet. That's despite not offering any new factions, levels nor, indeed, a single new playable character.
PhotoTrackr Plus brings geotagging to Nikon DSLRs, leaves your hotshoe open
Oh sure, Nikon's got its own solution for adding native geotagging to your existing DSLR, but the GP-1 dongle definitely has its drawbacks. Aside from sucking down around 4x more power than Gisteq's new PhotoTrackr Plus, it also eliminates the ability to use a dedicated flash in the hotshoe while capturing GPS data. Moreover, it has to warm up every time you turn the camera on / off, and there's just 18 tracking channels compared to the Gisteq's 44. Regardless of the back and forth, we do appreciate the PhotoTrackr Plus' ability to plug directly into the 10-pin terminal that few amateurs even think to recognize, though we do fear that the reliance on Bluetooth could cause issues if you stray too far from the transceiver. Still, this newfangled dongle is far superior to its past iterations, both of which simply logged data as you went and then added metadata after you synced the information with your images via PC; this dongle, however, embeds the data right away into every image. Better still, there's even a price advantage to going third party -- Nikon's aging GP-1 is pushing $200 on many webstores, while the Gisteq apparatus can be procured right now for $179. Take your pic, as they say.
Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 3.1 available
Apple has released Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 3.1 via Software Update. The update can also be downloaded here. The 6.77 MB (web) or 7.2 MB (Software Update) update requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.6.2, and extends RAW image compatibility for Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09 for the following cameras: • Hasselblad H3DII-50 • Leica M9 • Leica X1 • Olympus E-P1 • Olympus E-P2 • Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 • Pentax K-7 • Pentax K-x • Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 • Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 • Sony Alpha DSLR-A850 The two Olympus cameras and Panasonic Lumix model are examples of the new compact Micro Four-Thirds cameras, which provide SLR-like capabilities in a compact form factor. The Hasselblad is a high-end 50 Megapixel camera with a price tag to match (US$25,000 and up), so it's good to know that your Mac will be able to handle the digital output from this beauty.
Sanho crams 640GB of memories into your pocket with HyperDrive Album photo viewer
Photo viewers have been around for centuries (give or take a few score), but few have offered the capacity and speed found on the HyperDrive Album. Produced by none other than Sanho -- the same dudes and dudettes responsible for those spectacular HyperMac batteries -- this here device is essentially a 640GB pocket hard drive meant to suck down photos from your SD or CF card (it plays nice with both formats) as you shoot; it can either lighten the load on your memory card or act as on-site backup, and it's reportedly capable of downloading 2GB per minute with full data verification. Better still, it's capable of decoding and displaying RAW images on the 4.8-inch display (800 x 480 resolution), and the internal battery will last through 200GB worth of transfers. It's available now for $599.99 (or less if you opt for a smaller / empty model), but don't even bother if you're looking for SDXC compatibility.
Samsung's PMA gifts: HD pocket camcorders, point-and-shoots with AMOLED screens
Hey, didja hear the news? PMA is just about upon us, giving all the camera makers a perfect opportunity to refresh their lineup. In no particular order, here's what Samsung is providing, all set for a Spring 2010 release: New HMX-U15 ($230) and HMX-U20 ($250) 1080p HD pocket camcorders shoot H.264 and feature HDMI out, image stabilization, a 2-inch LCD, and some simple edit options. The U20 also throws in a 3x optical zoom and 10 megapixel stills, while the U15 instead takes 14 megapixel stills. The TL500 is a 10 megapixel camera with 24mm ultra-wide angle lens with an articulating three-inch AMOLED display, perfect for spying around the corner. It supports RAW format, shoots VGA video, and is due out for a hair less than $450. The 10 megapixel TL350 claims 1080p HD video recording with a maximum speed of up to 1,000 frames per second -- which invariably drops the video resolution to 138 x 78, but hey, sacrifices must be made. The three-inch AMOLED display and look for it set you back about $350. A pair of 12 megapixel point-and-shoots for the lower end, the waterproof AQ100 ($200) and the "scratch resistant" SL605 ($130), both with 2.7-inch LCDs and 5x optical zoom. The former shoots video in 720p and the latter just VGA. Plethora of pressers after the break, and we'll be catching our flight to Anaheim shortly to give hands on impressions and take pictures of cameras that'll put our DSLRs to absolute shame. %Gallery-86091%
OmniVision brings RAW shooting to mobiles with new 5 megapixel sensor
It seems that the megapixel race in the mobile arena has slowed (temporarily, at least), but it's not like innovation has completely ground to a halt. OmniVision, which made waves around a month ago with its 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor, has just announced what may be the most significant introduction in the cameraphone space... ever. The 1/4-inch, 5 megapixel RAW sensor is said to offer up best-in-class low light sensitivity (680-mV/lux-sec), and it can also capture 720p video at 60 frames per second or 1080p at 30 frames per second. The real kicker, however, is its ability to shoot in RAW, which would give cameraphone shooters a much greater range of editing options when it came time to tweak before hitting Flickr. We're told that the chip is sampling now and should hit mass production this July, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't falling over ourselves to get ahold of a RAW-capable smartphone.
Ikonoskop teases A-cam3D to shoot 1080p RAW video in stereo
We don't know much about this thing, Ikonoskop is only teasing the bare minimum of specs, but while we don't expect to be able to afford it, the upcoming A-cam3D is certainly an object of lust. The company has cut its teeth on a $10k 1080p RAW camera, the A-cam dII, and now it's taking that same tech into the realm of 3D. The new 6 pound unit (including battery and memory) will be able record to 25 or 30 fps in individual RAW sequences, has a TBD pricetag, and will be built on order. [Thanks, Mark]
Digital RAW Compatibility Update 2.7 available in Software Update
Apple today released a new digital RAW compatibility update for some Canon and Nikon cameras that shoot photos in RAW format. This update extends RAW image compatibility for Aperture 2, iPhoto '08 and iPhoto '09 for the following cameras: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Canon EOS 7D Canon PowerShot G11 Nikon D3S Nikon D300S Nikon D3000 If you have one of these cameras, you should check out this update to work with your photos shot in RAW format with any of these applications. As always, this update is available through Software Update, but it doesn't seem to be posted anywhere on apple.com yet.
PhotoTrackr Mini geotagging device shrinks down, adds Mac and RAW support
Looking for a geotagging solution that doesn't discriminate based on what kind of camera you have? Looking for one that can fit snugly into your Fifth Pocket? The PhotoTrackr Mini looks to be that very device, boasting a diminutive thumb drive-esque appearance and the same geotagging technology as found in the original. Put simply, the device works by syncing the time of your camera with bundled software; when you're back from a shoot (a shoot where your device also was), you just allow the application to figure out where a given shot was snapped at what time. There's also Mac and RAW file format support on this model, neither of which were compatible with the prior version. Pre-orders are being accepted now at $69, and the first shipments are expected to go out next month.
Samsung's upcoming WB5000 24x zoomer shoots RAW photos and HD video
Samsung has a new one in the works, the WB5000, presumably offering the price advantages of an 24x zoomin' all-in-one with some of the features and image quality of a DSLR -- that's the dream, anyway. The camera shoots 12.5 megapixel stills, with full manual controls, face detection and support for RAW formatted images, while also offering HD recording and a relatively compact form factor. True details are scarce, but it sounds promising on the surface. The WB5000 should be out in the fourth quarter, no word on price just yet. [Via Engadget Spanish]
