Cameras, Printers & Scanners - Page 7

Sick of the distortions from modern day lens and cameras? Well, researchers clearly were too and have designed a flat lens that doesn't have any distortions. The only thing is that it will probably set you back more than a pretty penny. The new lens is crafted from silicon and gold, not exactly the cheapest elements.

The 60-nanometer thick lens was created by my favorite department at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the physics department. The flat lens "approached the ultimate physical limit set by the laws of diffraction." Federico Capasso, professor of applied physics said "Our flat lens opens up a new type of technology. We're presenting a new way of making lenses. It's extremely exciting."

The lens is created by creating a very thin layer of silicon and then coating that with a nanometer thin layer of gold. This design eliminates the "fish-eye" effect of current wide angle lens and the researchers state that the image doesn't require any sort of complex corrective techniques.

If you've ever wanted to get into 4K video, which comes in resolutions of 3840x2160 or 4096x2160, up until now it has been an expensive adventure. Usually you'd grab one of the RED One, Scarlet or Epic cameras, but they're many thousands of dollars, and not really consumer-based hardware.

But, a Canadian company, Point Grey Research Inc. is designing, researching and manufacturing the 4K-capable Flea3 webcam all in Canada. The camera is poised to become the next-generation of technology in surveillance, while providing some insane levels of details for those who need it in a security setting.

Flea3 is one of the world's first USB 3.0-based webcam, capable of delivering 1920x1080 at up to 150 frames per second, or 4096x2160 at up to 21 frames per second. Flea3 sports Sony's Emor R (IMX121) 8.8 million CMOS sensor, and captures 4K video, and not just a megapixel-riden gimmick of a number. For a sub-$1000 4K camera, this definitely looks like the goods. You'd want to have a 4K-capable screen to go with it, though.

Earlier on today we visited the VIA Technologies headquarters here in Taipei where we got our first up, close and personal look at 3D printing.

VIA had a demo of its 3D printing station earlier this month at Computex, but we didn't have enough time at this stage to stick around and see a full print. We were invited back to the VIA offices today where we got our first look at 3D printing. Although not a new technology, guys were first messing around with 3D printing back in the 1980's, it's our first time to see it in person, and for me personally, I'm impressed.

VIA hooked up one of their VE-900 Mini-ITX motherboards to a MakerBot Thing-O-Matic 3D printer along with a customised VIA user interface all displayed on a touch-screen panel. We are told the VIA user interface here is much more advanced than the standard 3D printing interfaces and it provides advanced ability such as providing Dropbox connectivity and more. It's a nice interface to use too with clear menus and information provided on screen such as the device temperatures and so forth.

I'm a bit of a fan of the maker community and I have a real interest in 3D printing and prototyping. I've been chasing a 3D printer for a while now, but the cost has always kept me from buying or building one. A former MakerBot exec has now created a 3D printer that is ready to print and it costs less than $500!

Solidoodle is the company that produces this latest printer. It is led by Samuel Cervantes, who is MakerBot's former COO. The new printer can print objects up to 6"x6"x6" and is strong enough that "a 200-pound man can literally stand on top of the machine while it's printing." Not quite sure why you need that, but there it is.

The video above gives a quick explanation of how the printer works and shows some examples. Some of the stuff, such as Yoda, is really cool! It's incredible what you can now make in your house. A quick design on the computer and it can be printed in almost zero time. This is perfect for case modders like myself.

The geeks over at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been fiddling around again. When this happens, cool stuff usually results. This time, they have provided us with a camera that can see around corners. Somehow the new camera is able to make sense of the reflections of scattered light.

The incredible specs of the camera allow it to take a picture every 2 picoseconds. One picosecond is equal to one-trillionth of a regular second. This allows the camera to track the distance traveled by a photon with extreme precision. Once they have collected this data, they use a complex algorithm to begin figuring out what's around the corner.

One curious issue of the camera is that a photon could travel the same distance and hit the same part of the camera lens after hitting a different part of the object. This issue was overcome by taking photos from multiple angles. The whole process takes several minutes, but MIT believe that it can be shortened to as quick as 10 seconds. The final application will have its place in military and rescue operations, as well as trying to see hard to reach places. Check out the video for more information:

Panasonic has made a couple announcements today with two new Lumix series cameras - the DMC-GX1 Micro Four Thirds and DMC-3D1.

Beginning with the former, the GX1 sports a Venus Engine image processor with a 16.01MP Live MOS sensor and a sensitivity of up to ISO 12800. It includes a Contrast AF focus system with 0.09 second (Light Speed AF) autofocus and the use of a dust reduction system, as well as One Push AE and the iA and iA Plus modes for automatic shots.

The LCD on the new GX1 is touch-enabled, being 3-inch (460,000-dot) in size. The camera is capable of recording video at up to 1080/60i and will come in two colour options - black and silver. There will also be two differing kits on offer from Panasonic for this model, the DMC-GX1-K which comes with the 14-42 standard zoom (priced at $800) and the DMC-GX1-X which has the Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S (H-PS14042) lens (at $950).

Three new models have entered Toshiba's long time running Camileo range of palm-sized camcorders this week, the Clip, X200 and X400. Focusing on the Clip to begin with, this is perhaps the more interesting of the refreshed Camileo trio with the clip on the back of the camcorder (hence, the name) allowing it to be clipped onto various objects for hands free shooting. The Clip runs measurements of just 46.5 x 80 x 16 mm, weighing about 85 grams. It sports a ruggedized, splash-proof casing and 1.5-inch LCD.

Getting a bit deeper into the specs, it does Full HD (1920 x 1080) video recording (at 30 fps in H.264 HD format), has a 5-megapixel CMOS sensor with BSI (back side illumination) technology, an electronic image stabiliser, 10x digital zoom, SD/SDHC/SDXC compatible memory slot and gives connectivity via both mini-HDMI and mini-USB 2.0 ports. The camcorder is capable of taking up to 16MP still shots and comes in four color choices - dark blue, hot red, bright yellow and snow white.

As for the X200 and X400 models, these also pack the aforementioned 5MP CMOS sensor with BSI tech, image stabiliser, mini USB and HDMI ports, SD/SDHC/SDXC memory slot, but both offer a double sized 3-inch LCD. What separates the models is the 12x optical zoom capability on the X200 versus the whopping 23x on the X400.

Panasonic has announced a couple new cameras into its Lumix series today, the FZ150 and FX90.

Focusing on the higher-end FX150 first up, this is quite the zoom happy contender with its 24x optical zoom capabilities. It uses a 25mm ultra wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens and is capable of recording 1080 60p video.

Looking closer at the specs, it's got a 12.1-megapixel MOS sensor, a Venus Engine processor, Power O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), a stereo zoom microphone, 3-inch LCD and sports a 3D Photo mode which works by taking 20 panning shots and selecting two images to synthesize a 3D composite.

I mentioned a new rugged digital camera from Panasonic earlier and Ricoh has also unveiled a new camera today. The only thing I know about Ricoh is their copier line so it's a bit odd to see a new digital camera to me from the company. The new cam is called the CX5 and it has some really cool features like high-speed focus. Being able to focus faster makes it easier to catch the image you want during fast action without blur.

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The CX5 can focus in as little as 0.2 seconds, which is about half the time it took the previous CX4 camera to focus. The camera has a 28mm wide-angle lens that can zoom up to the equivalent of 300mm. That gives an optical zoom range of 10.7x. The camera also has a super zoom mode that will give it the equivalent of 600mm zoom. That mode is a 2x digital zoom that multiplies the optical zoom.

The camera has a litany of automatic modes and automatic scene settings. The rear LCD is a 3-inch unit with 920k dots making it very high resolution. The camera has HDMI output for viewing photos and HD 720p video on a big screen. The camera will come in black, silver, and pink with pricing unknown right now.

Generally, when I shoot pics with my DSRL I don't have a problem with blur if I am outside where it is bright thanks to a really fast shutter. Inside or when I try to shoot pics in the dark things are different though. I end up with blur almost every time thanks to the fact that my D80 lacks any anti-blur tech inside.

Growing up in the country riding dirt bikes all the time I can tell you that a pair of goggles is required if you like being able to see. A bunch of people that ride off-road and do other sports like skiing that wear goggles also want to show off their skills on video to their friends that weren't around. The catch is that it's hard to find a camera that can withstand off road use and is small enough that it's not a bother to the user.

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Liquid image has unveiled a new set of goggles called the impact series that has a 1080p camcorder integrated into the frames. This same company makes the line of scuba masks that have video cameras inside. The Impact series comes in black or red colors and the video camera is in the center of the goggles right above the bridge of the nose for a perfect POV.

The field of view is 136-degrees to take in all that the rider sees. The camera will record 1080p resolution video at 30 fps and can record 60 fps video at 720p resolution. It can also take still shots at 12MP resolution. The video and photos are stored to a microSD card and the goggles ship with a 4GB card and support cards up to 32GB. Pricing and availability for the goggles is unknown at this time.

I have been shooting photos for years now using a DSLR camera. I bought the DSLR just for the faster shutter speeds so I could catch my kids actually in the frame instead of just an elbow or ear. I found out after using the thing for a while that the manual modes a DSLR offers and the ability to change a lens to your needs and situation makes for much better photos. The big downsides to a DSLR camera is that the things are big and bulky, plus they cost a lot.

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Over the last year or so there have been a growing number of smaller digital cameras coming to the market that lack the mirror box of a DSLR making them smaller and keep the image quality and interchangeable lenses. They aren't any cheaper than a DSLR typically, but they are easier for some to take with them. The latest of these interchangeable lens cameras to land is the Samsung NX11. This is not a micro four-thirds camera; it has a larger APS-C sensor than the micro four-thirds offerings have.

The camera works with the Samsung i-Function lenses that allow all settings to be adjusted from the lens. The rear LCD is a 3-inch AMOLED unit and the camera can record HD resolution video as well. It will be offered with a 20-50mm zoom lens and other lenses will be optional. The sensor in the camera is a 14.6MP unit and the video recording resolution is 720p. Samsung will ship the camera in February for $649.

Samsung has been making all sorts of electronic products for a very long time and is one of the largest electronics makers in the world. The company has a wide range of products with computers, TV, audio gear, and digital cameras. The latest new product to surface from the company is a new digital camera called the WB700 that promises some really impressive zoom levels in a slim device.

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The camera has a total of 24x zoom. That includes the 18x optical zoom and the 1.3x smart zoom, which is a digital zoom function. The camera uses a 16MP CCD sensor and it has full manual controls to give the user all the control over their photos they desire. The camera can also record video in 720p resolution. The camera has dual optical image stabilization and digital image stabilization, which is important at these zoom levels.

The camera also has a movie recording button, supports RAW format images, and has a HDMI output for watching those videos on your TV. It comes with all the automatic functions and features you expect to find on a higher end digital camera. Samsung will ship the camera in April for $299.99 and it will be shown off at CES next month.

This is a really kooky project that a guy has cobbled together DIY style. I am not sure why you would want to be able to see yourself in third person other than because it would allow you to see if your butt looks fat in your favorite jeans. I am not a third person fan in shooters; much less in real life but this strange project is sort of cool.

Every time I take my DSLR camera with me on the road, I worry that it will get broken. I know how fragile the thing is and if I take an extra lens with me, I worry more. I can keep the camera secure around my neck when I am out and about, but any extra lenses just have to sit in the bag. If you have expensive lenses that you take with you on the road and you want the best protection you can get the Beta Shell is for you.

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The Beta shell is a case with a threaded lid that is waterproof, impact proof, and resists temperature extreme. The case looks sort of like a high-tech coffee can with a lid that appears to screw on. The top of the lid has foam to and the bottom of the case has foam as well to pad the lens in case you drop.

The foam is visco-elastic memory foam. The Beta Shell will work with the top ten lenses for Canon and Nikon cameras. Even longer 70-200mm lenses will fit inside the case. That means you can use one case for several different lens sizes that you might own.

Growing up everyone I knew had one of the Polaroid instant cameras. My parents have photo albums of my youth that are packed with photos that came shooting out of the font of one of those instant cameras. My grandmother was always walking around shooting photos with the camera. The sound will forever be associated with Christmas for me and my cousins and I would fight over who got to shake the pic until it developed.

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I was among the many who were disappointed when the cameras were discontinued. If you have fond memories of the camera, you can get a very limited edition run of refurbished units right now that work and everything. The cameras come from Photojojo and have been polished to look and work just as if they were new.

My mom had one of those rainbow ones when I was a kid and later bought the block one with the pop up flash. If you have these old cameras sitting around, you could make some serious Christmas cash. Photojojo is selling the 660 Sun for $200 and it comes with a pack of film too. When you need more film, you can get new packs of film for $20 to $23 with eight exposures.

The first year I went to CES years ago, I saw a geek running around the halls wearing a backpack stuffed with batteries and recording gear all to support the camera mounted to a hat he wore so he could post video of him actually moving around the show floor. I saw the dude leaning against things resting a lot, the rig had to weigh 30 pounds or so. Today you can do the same thing with the wearable Looxcie camcorder that supports Bluetooth.