Cameras - SlashGear

Posts Tagged ‘Cameras’

NEC zoom-lens noise cancellation system promises quieter video

By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Nov 18th 2009 No Comments

NEC have developed a technology that, they claim, will cut out zoom lens and auto-focus motor noise during video recording. The system uses a microphone and DSP that generates “pseudo-noise” to cancel out background buzzing from the camcorder’s own hardware; the advantage of a predominantly software system is that it can be fitted to even the smallest of point-and-shoot camcorders and video-capable digital cameras.

As well as ongoing, steady noise from hardware, the system is apparently capable of cutting out intermittent or unexpected sounds, such as noise from the cylinder lens or mirrors. In fact it’s even clever enough to take into account the ageing of motors and tweak the “pseudo-noise” accordingly.

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Samsung DualView TL225 camera reviewed: good idea, poor implementation

By Chris Davies on Friday, Nov 6th 2009 No Comments

The best laid plans can so easily go awry, and while Samsung’s DualView TL225 digital camera – which has a second, front-mounted display – seemed like such a great idea, the end result is actually tipped as more than a little disappointing. Wired have been putting the TL225 through its paces, and they’ve concluded that not only does the second screen cause its own share of problems rather than solve them, the underlying camera itself is a let-down.

Samsung DualView TL220 TL225 1 540x404

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Giger DIY $10k walking robot [Video]

By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Nov 4th 2009 1 Comment

giger robot 1 263x350 custom Over at Let’s Make Robots! Tyberius is showing off Giger, his two-foot tall DIY humanoid ‘bot. A roughly 100 hour project so far, Giger runs embedded Linux and has both an integrated camera and WiFi, and apparently cost around $10,000 to build.

Now that might sound like an awful lot – probably because it is an awful lot – but you can blame the pro-quality servos. Tyberius used Dynamixels RX-64 and RX-28 units, which come in at $300 and $200 each, respectively; however unlike cheap servos they put out a whopping 1,000 ounces per inch of torque.

We’re not sure what we like most about Giger: his classic Cylon-style eye, mean looking pincers, or how easily he segues from a butch fighting stance to a reasonably camp wave. Tyberius’ next job is tightening up the dynamic balancing and getting the walking gait more natural; right now Giger looks a little drunk.

Video demo after the cut

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DIY Medium-Format Camera built from scratch

By Chris Davies on Monday, Nov 2nd 2009 No Comments

Nothing like an ambitious project to get the juices flowing, and Peter Johansson has certainly picked a particularly saliva-stimulating one. He’s decided to build his own pro-grade medium-format camera from scratch, and when we say “scratch” we mean literally: he’s fashioning the whole casing himself, using cardboard, basic lenses and LEGO.

homemade medium format camera 1 540x429

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Olympus Pen E-P2 accessories spotted; launch on November 13th?

By Chris Davies on Friday, Oct 30th 2009 No Comments

Olympus' own little Pen E-P2 tip may have been nothing more than a menu mention, but thanks to 43rumors we now have a better idea not only what the Micro Four Thirds camera might look like, but what its rumored rangefinder might look like. As for a timescale for the Pen E-P2's launch, Olympus have apparently sent out invitations for a press event on Friday November 13th at the Photo Fair in Stockholm.

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Olympus Pen E-P2 Micro Four Thirds camera prematurely listed

By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Oct 28th 2009 No Comments

Confirmation of Olympus’ second Micro Four Thirds camera, the Pen E-P2, has been spotted over at the company’s Chinese site. While there’s no actual product page for the E-P2 – and as such no definitive specifications – it is listed as a new camera under the Pen Digital category.

olympus e p2 micro four thirds camera 1 540x273

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Mamiya DM22 and DM28 DSLRs: sub-$10k “entry-level”

By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Oct 21st 2009 No Comments

Double-take time again, when a press release drops happily proclaiming “digital camera for under $10k”, but when the manufacturer is Mamiya and the DSLR is the Mamiya DM22 you know you’re onto something special. Hot on the heels of their DM33 and DM56 cameras comes an “entry level” model, packing 22-megapixels, a vast 48 x 36mm sensor and an ISO range of 25 – 400.

Mamiya DM22 11 540x499

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Kodak “new type of camera” promised for CES 2010

By Chris Davies on Tuesday, Oct 20th 2009 No Comments

kodak logo 540x272 Kodak’s recent performance may not quite live up to the company’s photographic heritage, but when they say they’ve got an “entirely new type of camera” lined up for CES we’ll still take notice. According to electricpig, a “highly placed source” at the company has revealed that Kodak are planning to bring both a new camera and a new camcorder to the electronics show in January, although details beyond that are more than scarce.

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SenseCam lifelogging camera hitting production

By Chris Davies on Monday, Oct 19th 2009 No Comments

The SenseCam prototype we first mentioned back in February 2007 has finally spawned a production version, albeit initially intended for researchers with deep wallets. The handiwork of Microsoft Research in Cambridge, UK, the SenseCam is worn on a lanyard around the neck and takes images either periodically, when movement is sensed, or when a person is encountered (via a PIR sensor on the front). Vicon, who have licensed production rights from Microsoft Research and who will launch it as the Vicon Revue, expect the camera to be used by lifeloggers wanting to document their everyday movements.

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Superheadz Digital Harinezumi retro-110 camera reaches US shores

By Chris Davies on Friday, Oct 16th 2009 No Comments

superheadz digital harinezumi 1 Retro-camera addicts may have remembered mutterings of Superheadz’s Digital Harinezumi camera a few months back, the unusually-shaped Japanese shooter promising Super 8 style images and silent video. At the time, finding one outside of its native country was tougher than selling Nokia shares, but now arch-importers AudioCubes have stepped in with a $169.99 sticker price.