According to the various leaks and sources, the Olympus E-P5 will be offered to consumers in three varieties: black, white, and silver. The cameras will feature 17mm, 45mm, and 75mm offerings, and a shutter speed as fast as 1/8000th of a second. In addition, the specs are pointing at some improved features over the previous E-M5 digital camera.

Image stabilization is said to be new and improved, offering 5-axis stabilization with an IS-Auto mode, which allows for improved stabilization over the E-M5, as well as better auto focus and all-around clearer photographs. Under the hood, users will find a TruePic VI engine for image processing, as well as the E-M5′s 16-megapixel image sensor.

There is said to be focus peaking and a 5-frames-per-second shooting burst mode for rapid image capture. The display, which you can see in the gallery below, is on a hinge and can be tilted. And a feature that is beloved by many, the E-P5 is also said to offer integrated Wi-Fi for easy image transfer, possibly as well as remote display viewing and remote control of the device. Word has it we’ll be hearing something official on May 9th or 10th.

[via 4/3 Rumors]

The clause in question is called the Orphan Works and Extended Collective Licensing Clause 79, which says that an orphaned work can be licensed under the law for use by organizations, something that is beneficial under certain conditions for some companies. The sticking point is what qualifies as an orphaned work – content who’s copyright holder cannot be located or identified “after a diligent search made in accordance with the regulations.”

The obvious issue to this is the glut of images posted online that have nothing on them announcing the copyright holder. For example, the images you post on Facebook are under your account, and so your Facebook friends may understand that they are your images. If one of them is saved and later posted elsewhere, say on a forum, and it spreads across the Internet, its original association with your account is lost.

Thus, your image can now qualify as an orphan – a piece of content that cannot be traced back to its copyright holder. If a company in the UK finds the image and likes it, it can easily gain a license to use it because of its orphaned nature. Although this is a UK bill, it will affect images taken by anyone located anywhere in the world – after all, if they can’t find the image’s copyright holder, they have no way of knowing if the image is from the UK or elsewhere, just that it is an orphan, thusly requiring neither credit nor compensation.

[via Digital Trends]

While the camera has fairly standard features, it does offer optical image stabilization, which is a welcomed feature in any camera, especially compacts, which usually offer digital stabilization instead and are especially prone to image shake when recording video. And while the previous JZ-series cameras utilized a CCD camera sensor, the latest model uses a CMOS sensor that is said to provide better low-light captures.

There’s a burst mode for capturing rapidly-moving subjects, such as events during sports games or active child who have trouble posing for an image. The continuous shooting mode has a maximum of 8 images per burst, shooting at a rate of up to 8-frames-per-second when taken at full resolution. Dropping the resolution down will speed up the burst rate by a tenth of a second, which isn’t much but might be a sliver long enough to catch that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Videos can be recorded in 1080p HD at 30 frames-per-second, with the announcement also mentioning a 200fps recording mode without additional details. Presumably, users will need to drop the recording resolution very low to use the slow-mo mode. There are filters for photos, such as Toy Camera and Miniature. Such effects can be previewed on the 2.7-inch LCD display before snapping the picture.

[via Fujifilm]

There are two different versions of the lens, one built for the full-size iPad and the other built specifically for the iPad mini. The full-size iPad version sports a 10x zoom, while the iPad mini lens has a 12x zoom. The lens also comes with a minimalistic case for your iPad that allows you to attach the lens to the tablet.

The two lenses also have manual focus rings on them so that way you can adjust the photos to your liking, offering you a bit of manual control over the iPad’s camera app, which leaves a lot to be desired in that respect. The lens is about the size of a small handheld flashlight, and it quickly screws on and off the iPad shell for easy storage when you’re not using it.

As for price, you’re looking at $25 for one of these lenses, which isn’t too terrible, considering that a smartphone lens from the same company is around the same price. As far as compatibility, Photojojo says that the full-size iPad lens will only work with the 3rd- and 4th-gen iPads, although you may be able to squeeze it on the iPad 2 if you really wanted to.

The process he used to do this was fairly simple for those technically-inclined, utilizing Arduino, the open-source platform/board often used by hobbyists. He created the hidden camera himself, using the Arduino board and a timer circuit. The end result is a fun look at a package’s journey from his hands to the post office and back again, which you can watch in the video below.

While he didn’t provide too many details about how be created the hardware, he did publish a few pictures of the setup, including the camera/circuit by itself, in the box, and finally the box all wrapped up and reinforced with duct tape. He doesn’t mention how long the journey was, but we’re guessing it was probably longer than a single day, which adds up to quite a bit of recording time.

To avoid hours on end of video, he created the timer circuit to record 3 seconds’ worth of video every 60 seconds, changing that setting when the box began moving for longer video recordings – thusly, only short glimpses when the box was sitting unattended, but longer recordings when the action was happening. Looking for the camera in the box pictures? It’s hidden in the middle of the “B” in “Ruben.”

[via Ruben van der Vleuten]

The added Advanced Healing Brush allows users to heal imperfections and remove distracting elements in photos, and Smart Previews allow users to continue editing photos without the need for original RAW file. Other than that, there’s also the addition of the Upright tool, a Radial Gradient tool, and video slideshows that allow users to combine images, videos, and music to create festive video slideshows.

Lightroom 5 beta is currently compatible with Windows 7 SP 1, Windows 8, Mac OS X 10.7 and 10.8. You can grab the beta right now at no cost for a limited time. Overall, Lightroom 5 seems to be a sizable update over the previous version, and avid users will no doubt enjoy the beta.

Adobe has yet to announce pricing or an exact release date for Lightroom 5, but the beta program will end on June 30, with a release date sometime later this year. The software competes with Apple’s Aperture, and in order to compete with Apple on a more competitive level, Adobe lowered the price of Lightroom to $150, so we should be seeing a similar price with Lightroom 5.

By purchasing Kodak’s Digital Imaging business, Brother will also assume the deferred service revenue liability of the business, which equals $67 million. The deal will not close until the court approves it however. The deal has to comply with regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. While the court is still in the process of analyzing the deal, Kodak will be allowed to seek out a better offer for its Digital Imaging business from other buyers, or through a court-approved auction. If all goes well, the deal should close in June.

Kodak’s Digital Imaging business will compliment Brother’s current offering of products and services. Brother will receive a portfolio of scanners, and image capture software and services. All of the products will enhance Brother’s appeal to enterprise users. Dolores Kruchten, the President of Document Imaging for Kodak, says,

“We are pleased that under this agreement with Brother, Document Imaging will continue to strengthen its position as a leader of information capture and management solutions for enterprise customers. Our valued customers will receive the highest quality product, world-class customer service and reseller support that have been the hallmarks of our business.”

Alongside its Document Imaging business, Kodak also hopes to sell its other businesses before the second half of this year. Earlier this year, the courts approved the sale of Kodak’s patents to many major companies, including Google, Apple, and Microsoft, for the grand total of $527 million. Eastman Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection back in January 2012, and it hopes to emerge from bankruptcy this year.

The NX1100 packs in a 20.3MP CMOS sensor that can shoot 8 frames per second in either RAW or JPEG formatting, with up to a 1/4000 shutter speed. The ISO can be cranked all the way up to 12,800 if need be, and videographers out there can use it to shoot full 1080p HD video. The NX1100 sports a 3-inch display, as well as built-in WiFi.

Plus, you can grab companion mobile apps for the camera, either on iOS or Android. As for the kit lens, you’re looking at a 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, which isn’t anything too special, but what kit lens is these days? However, the camera comes with an external flash in the box to give your photos a little more pep and zing.

If that’s not enough of a deal, though, Samsung is throwing in a free copy of Adobe Lightroom 4, which normally costs a whopping $125, but if you snag the NX1100, you don’t have to pay a dime for it. Plus, if you’re even remotely thinking about jumping into the photography profession, Lightroom is a great tool to have at your disposal.

[via Engadget]

The GF6 with Wi-Fi features a Live MOS Sensor and a Venus Engine, offering ISO up to 25,600. Images come in sharp via the Light Speed AF system, which offers tracking and full-time auto focus for video recording. There’s also low-light auto focus, and when combined with a start-up shooting time of 0.5 seconds, photographers can use this device to shoot in fast-paced environments.

There are several different functions and modes, including Stop Motion Animation, Creative Panorama, and Self-Shot, as well as 19 photo effects with different filters for the Instagram-lover in you. There’s Clear Retouch for in-camera editing to remove blemishes and other unwanted parts of an image. There’s also the standard P/A/S/M modes, including for video recording, which goes up to full 1080p HD.

Once taken, an image can be easily transferred to a smartphone or tablet via Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity and Panasonic’s Image App, which is available for both Android and iOS. In addition, photos can be taken and videos can be recorded remotely using a mobile device, which works as an external monitor and remote shutter. Focusing, zoom, and device settings can all be controlled from the device as well.

[via DPReview]

The Pentax K-30 is now available in nine new colors for a total of 15 color options overall, with both “silky finish” matte and “shiny crystal” options comprised of: Crystal Black, Crystal Bordeaux, Crystal Green, Crystal Red, Crystal Silver, Crystal Yellow, Crystal Orange, Silky Blue, Silky Bordeaux, Silky Green, Silky Red, Silky Silver, Silky White, Silky Yellow and Silky Orange.

The K-30 is a DSLR designed to withstand rugged and somewhat harsh environments, offering a combination of a lightweight body and durability features, including weather, dust, and cold resistance. The DSLRs can be pre-ordered now from Pentax, with no word on when they start shipping. The price comes in at $799.99, and includes a PENTAX DA 18 – 55mm lens.

Pentax’s Senior Marketing Manager John Carlson said: “The K-30 already offers great features, such as dust and weather sealing, the 100% field of view viewfinder and dual control dials that are only found in more expensive cameras. By adding additional color choices, the K-30 now appeals to an even wider array of customers who are looking for exciting, personalized options in their digital camera.”

[via Pentax]

The Olympus VH-520 offers a 14-megapixel CMOS sensor, and utilizes the TruePic V processor, which was first developed for use in digital SLR cameras. Zoom is fairly high at 10x optical zoom with a digital boost to 20x, and image stabilization is achieved in the form of lens-shift. ISO range goes up to 6400, and there’s HDR Backlight Adjustment. The display is a cool 3-inches.

There are also a some decent video recording specs to talk about, including the ability to record in full high definition, as well as High Speed Movie mode, which provides slow motion playback. For sharp videos, there’s also a Multi-motion Move IS mode, and audio is recorded in stereo to provide a soundtrack that is the same quality as its full HD video counterpart.

Finally, images and video can be edited with Magic Filters, which are presets available for photographers to apply effects to recorded and saved content a la Instagram and other similar popular photography apps. The Olympus VH-520 compact digital camera will be available in red, purple, blue, black, and brown in April for €149.99.

[via Olympus]

The 500px app can be found by way of the Chrome Web Store. The app is free to download, free to use and thankfully, it brings the features that one could expect. Of course, some may remember the 500px app from the Chromebook Pixel announcement as the app was briefly shown using the touchscreen display on the Pixel. In fact, they are touting this app as being touch-enabled and as being built for the Chromebook Pixel laptop.

Another feature of the 500px app includes being able to browse images by category including Popular, Editors’ Choice, Upcoming and Fresh. The app will also allow users to create a personalized photo stream using Flow, click (or in the case of the Pixel, tap) images to view them full-screen and read descriptions and photographer’s information. Additionally, social sharing also comes in with Google+ as well as Facebook and Twitter.

Otherwise, it was pointed out that the 500px app is more than just a Chrome extension, it is actually an app. That is to say the app launches outside the browser and works offline by default. 500px for Chrome aside, the company has also said they are working to release an update to their Android app in the near future. The Android app update is expected to bring it “up to iOS parity and beyond.”

[via TNW]

The panorama can be viewed on BT Tower’s website in all its glory. It was shot over the course of three days by three different people: Jeffrey Martin, Holger Schulze and Tom Mills, who all work for a panoramic photography company called 360Cities, where they — you guessed it — make 360-degree panoramas of cities around the world.

The panorama consists of 48,640 individual shots stitched together. The photos were taken with Canon EOS 7D cameras using EF 400mm f/2.8 IS II USM lenses, with Extender EF 2x III teleconverters. The cameras were operated by Rodeon VR Head ST robotic panorama heads in order to get the effect you see in the panorama shot. Processing all the photos together took around three months.

If the panorama was printed at normal resolution, it would be almost 322 feet long and over 75 feet high. That’s over the length of an American football field and about as tall as a two-story house. Previously, the world record for the largest panorama was 80 gigapixels, and that was also taken in London back in 2010.

[via The Next Web]

The Olympus Stylus XZ-10 features a 5x, f/1.8 – 2.5, 26mm to 130mm i.ZUIKO Digital optical zoom lens. The lens is treated with what Olympus calls its ZERO – which stands for ZUIKO Extra-low Reflection Optical – coating. This coating is inteded to reduce both flares and ghosting by halfing reflectivity. There’s a 3-inch, 920k TFT display, dual image stabilization, 5x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom, and a 12-megapixel sensor.

There’s a Super Macro mode that allows macro images to be taken as close as 1 centimeter, as well as an ND filter for exposure control. Videos can be recorded in slow-motion at 240fps/432 x 324 resolution, in 720p at 120fps and 720p widescreen at 30fps, and full 1080p HD at 30fps. Videos are recorded in MOV format (H.264 MPEG).

In the age of smartphones and Instagram, it’s not surprising that Olympus has also included both filters and what it calls Photo Story on the XZ-10. Photo Story allows users to take several images and combine them into one, hence telling a story with images. The photo filters include 5 art effect and 11 art filters. As can be seen in the image above, the camera will also be available with a vine-like design, presumably also aimed at the artistic among us.

The Stylus XZ-10 will be available in late February in black, white, and brown; price not yet specified.

[via Olympus Global]

The WG-10 is a compact, lightweight camera offerings basic specs, making it an underwater-capable point-and-shoot that can be easily pocketed and pulled out for impromptu images. The camera can be taken to water depths of nearly 33 feet (10 meter), and can withstands drops from nearly 5 feet (1.5 meters). Likewise, it can handle temperatures down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition, the WG-10 is crush-proof with up to 100 kilograms of force and dustproof, being tested at JIS Class 6. The battery offers 2 hours of continuous use, and a Digital Microscope mode that utilizes five LEDs arranged around the camera’s lens for uniform lighting. The lights are designed to illuminate brighter briefly during the shutter release in order to reduce blurs that result from slight vibrations and handshakes in macro photography.

As far as specs go, this camera from Pentax offers a 2.7-inch LCD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and anti-reflection coating. There’s a 28mm wide-angle lens, as well as 5x optical zoom and 6.7x digital zoom. The CCD sensor clocks in at 14-megapixels, ISO ranges from 80 to 6400, and videos can be recorded in up to 720p HD. The camera is set to hit shelves in April for $179.95.

[via Pentax]

The Z10′s camera app offers quite a few integrated photo filters, several of which are used during the demonstration. As with Instagram and similar photo filter applications, the filters are designed to give the photos certain feels and styles, such as sepia and greyscale. Users can scroll through the various filters and see them applied to the photo before saving and sharing it.

In addition to the photo filters, the camera app also has some editing tools built in that make it easy to adjust an image without using a third-party app or transferring it to a computer. The editing tools are pretty basic, and include transforming the image, increasing or decreasing the brightness, and “enhancing” the image.

While we don’t see it in the video, Gadget Masters also notes that in addition to altering the look of the image, it can also be cropped, resized, rotated, etc. As noted in the video, the camera software being shown off is not the final version (and neither is the Z10). It still provides a solid look at what prospective buyers can expect, however, as well as the array of filters RIM has integrated into the app.

[via Gadget Masters]

AllThingsD notes that the service’s monthly active user base is actually up 10% from last month, so it seems that the privacy policy debacle wasn’t a huge deal for its users after all. Instagram’s Kevin System says that the company “continues to see very strong growth around the world.”

Along with those 40 million photos being posted every day, Instagram says that its users are liking photos at a rate of 8,500 per second and are posting 1,000 comments per second as well. This actually marks the first time that Instagram has posted statistics on its user base, but detailed numbers are still scarce.

According to AppData, Instagram use on iOS and Android actually rose quite a bit late last month, but with use on Facebook falling by 25%. Furthermore, according to AppStats, Instagram apparently saw their active user numbers cut in half to 40 million, but according to Instagram’s own numbers, that’s clearly not true.

[via AllThingsD]

The camera also has 20 times digital zoom and the lens is a wide-angle 25 mm unit. The little camera is capable of shooting bursts at 10 frames per second. The camera also has 12 creative effects built-in and is compact enough to fit in a pocket.

Panasonic fits the little camera with Intelligent Resolution technology to keep image quality high when zoom is used. The image sensor used inside the camera has a 16.1-megapixel resolution. The camera has a 2.7-inch LCD on the rear for viewing images and lining up shots. The 12 creative effects inside the camera include soft focus, retro, and more.

The compact camera can also record 720p HD resolution video. Camera users can also retouch photos from within the camera using the beauty retouch feature. The camera will be available in black, blue, and white with availability set for the end of March. Panasonic is taking pre-orders right now $149.99.

The NX300 replaces the NX210, and other than the 20.3 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, there’s a 3.31-inch AMOLED touch display, and it can shoot 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second, as well as taking up to 8.6 shots per second in burst mode. There’s also an ISO range of 100 to 25600, and a maximum shutter speed of 1/6000th of a second.

While the NX300 doesn’t have an Android OS (like other NX-series cameras), it does have built-in dual-band WiFi, and an accompanying Android and iOS app will allow users to connect their smartphone via WiFi to the NX300 and instantly upload photos and video to the web, and can even use the smartphone as a remote viewfinder for the camera.

The NX300 is slated to cost $750 with a 20-50mm kits lens and a copy of Adobe Lightroom, while the 2D/3D lens will set you back $499.99. You’ll also get your pick in either black or white when the camera eventually releases this March. The new camera is certainly priced competitively, so we don’t think Samsung will have a problem selling these things.

The new sensor is a 1/2.3-inch, backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that hits a crazy 20MP, which is a big jump from the 12-16MP sensors in many point-and-shoot cameras that are available today. To combat the noise and sensitivity issues that usually come with a denser design, Toshiba is using pixels that can absorb 15% more of a charge, and therefore more light.

Toshiba has also catered the sensor for high-speed shooting and video as well, with the potential for 1080p video recording at 60FPS and 30FPS burst shooting at full resolution, provided the camera’s processor can keep up. Megapixels certainly aren’t everything, so having a powerful camera to power the sensor is just as important.

Don’t expect this new sensor to come anytime soon. Ideally, though, we should expect new cameras with the Toshiba sensor inside of them sometime in 2014, since mass production doesn’t start until August 2013. Sadly, you won’t have one of these bad boys for your summer vacation, but it’s possible that you’ll be able to grab one by the next summer.

Other features also include the ability to quickly export CSS code for text and objects, import color swatches to easily design websites, refinements to the Crop tool, 3D enhancements including improved live previews of shadow effects, additional control over illumination using 32-bit color picker to create glow effects, and Conditional Actions that automatically select the appropriate action based on user-defined rules.

Creative Cloud has also been enhanced with a new version designed to support teams of users, making it easier to collaborate with colleagues on various projects. There are also updates to the Adobe Muse web design tools, a new Creative Cloud Connection desktop syncing app, and new training tools.

Adobe is announcing these features at today’s Create Now event. They already announced Retina display support for newer Apple computers using Photoshop and Illustrator, as well as HiDPI support. Adobe’s Creative Cloud service ended up bringing around 200,000 paying subscribers to the service during the first four months of availability, and it now has over 1 million users. If you’re thinking about hopping on board, plans start at $49.99 per month.

Perspective Shift allows Lytro camera users to alter a photo’s point of view after it has been taken. Viewers can then move the “living image” around, no special application necessary, meaning photographers can share the interactive images with the general public. In addition, the Perspective Shift feature can be used retroactively on pictures taken with the Lytro light field camera.

Lytro’s founder and Executive Chairman Ren Ng offered this statement. “By capturing the light field, the Lytro camera lets photographers achieve things that were never before possible. The first groundbreaking capability was focusing pictures after they were taken and now we are excited to offer Perspective Shift, which brings living pictures to life in an entirely new way.”

As for the Living Filters, users will have eight options: Carnival, Crayon, Glass, Line Art, Mosaic, Blur+, Pop, Film Noir, and 8-track. The filters change the way the images look, much like standard image filters, with the exception being that they are applied based on the light field depth. Like Perspective Shift, the filters can be applied retroactively to images taken with a Lytro camera.

Facebook launched the app “Facebook Camera” earlier this year, a dedicated app for taking and filtering photos, then uploading them to the social network. Now the functionality of this standalone app has been merged with the main iOS app. Users can apply one of several different filters to images, including Neon, B + W, Highlight, and Boost.

In addition to merging the photo filters into version 5.1 for iOS, Facebook has also added a multi-photo upload feature. By combining these two features, individuals who use Instagram to upload to Facebook might find that they no longer need the former in favor of using the new integrated features. Facebook acquired Instagram earlier this year for $715 million.

In addition to the photo features, version 5.1 for iOS also brings with it the ability to buy Gifts, something previously only available to Android and online users. Also added is the easy ability to see what friends are chat by swiping left. Friends you chat with most often are located at the top of the list, and in case that’s not enough, there’s also a Favorites option.

[via Tech Crunch]

The biggest downside to smartphone cameras versus regular digital cameras is image noise, which is the result of the incredibly small sensors used in smartphones. The smaller image size causes less light to reach the sensor, resulting in noisy photographs. Depending on the smartphone, the noise may be reduced using filters that result in slightly blurred or otherwise degraded images. The iPhone 5, which was rated by Consumer Reports as having the best camera on a smartphone, has more artifacts than the Galaxy S III, for example, but the Galaxy S III has overall poorer image quality due to using image filters to reduce noise.

Videos, however, are another story. Many high-end smartphones offer 720p HD video recording, while a select few offer 1080p recording, such as the Galaxy Note II. The Galaxy S III scored very high in video quality at 71, outranking many digital cameras, including the Canon Powershot S1000, which ranked in at 66. The S1000 is only one year old. DxOMark noted that high-end smartphones provide “incredible advantage over quite recent DSCs.”

Ultimately, DxOMark’s study showed two things: one, that mobile cameras have come a long way from the 0.1MP Sharp camera phone of years gone by, and two, that consumer level digital cameras are going to have serious competition in the next few years. For the time being, however, most modern smartphones still offer inferior image quality compared to the equivalent modern consumer digital camera. Consumer camcorders, however, have officially been trumped by mobile devices.

[via DxOMark]

The Spark is priced well at $80 and is available for Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras. The lens is designed to let photographers capture creative images that have a sweet spot of focus surrounded by artistic blur. The Spark is a manual focus lens that photographers squeeze to focus and then tilt to move the sweet spot of focus around the image.

The Spark is a lightweight lens that uses a 50 mm selective focus multi-coated class doublet optic. The optic features a fixed f/5.6 aperture making it easy to use. Photos taken using the lens have a clear sweet spot of focus and that sweet spot of focus is surrounded by gradually increasing blur.

The focus range is about 13-inches to infinity according to Lensbaby. The lens is compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, and all Lensbaby 37mm threaded accessories. The lens will be available on September 18 online and in retail stores.