Sony has introduced what it says is the smallest drone ever capable of toting its Alpha camera system, making it a key new hardware option for photographers. The Airpeak drone is part of Sony's plan to launch a business that caters to video production and professional photography -- it'll arrive in spring alongside the Airpeak brand.
Dell has a whole bunch of new laptops and desktop computers in the mix this year, and at least one tiny, yet highly innovative new feature. The feature was announced this week on the Dell Latitude 9420 and 9520, two laptops with what might at first appear to be a standard webcam. But this webcam has an automatic shutter called SafeShutter.
A newly discovered Canon patent reveals a new handheld camera style that involves a joystick-like handle and a swivel lens. The device somewhat resembles DJI's Osmo handheld camera, but with one very big difference: the lens is interchangeable, indicating you could use many existing lens models. The model seems designed for vlogging use.
This week Amazon Fire TV devices were updated with a feature that ties the whole house together. Users of any one of several Fire TV devices now have the ability to run picture-in-picture with compatible smart home and doorbell cameras. This system works with Ring doorbell cameras as well as compatible systems from Ring, Nest, Wyze, Logitech, and others.
GoPro today announced what sounds like a very handy accessory in the GoPro Remote. As you might have already figured out, the GoPro Remote is used to remotely control your GoPro cameras - up to five of them simultaneously, in fact. That means users can get their GoPro cameras set up or mounted and then take over most of the controls using the Remote.
Leica has a new camera for its popular SL Series, and it's claiming the SL2-S is its best model so far for those who want to do both still and video work. Packing a new 24-megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor, the SL2-S trades the huge resolution of the SL2 in favor of speed and versatility.
It seems that smartphones have taken over the camera industry in a different way. While pro cameras still stick to sensors with double-digit megapixels, the likes of Samsung and Sony are already playing in triple-digit territory. If you thought that a 108 megapixel camera was already stretching it, your jaw might drop at the unofficial confirmation that Samsung is already working on a sensor that will boast 600,000,000 pixels sitting on the back of some smartphone in the distant future.
A rumor today suggests that Apple's next iPhone will have "folded" periscope cameras enabling far better zoom. That's zoom, as in the ability to get a whole lot closer to subject matter that's about to be photographed or captured with video. Apple's plans won't likely significantly change the look of the iPhone, as the "folded" keyword indicates compact and otherwise sized-down hardware action.
Given the onslaught of smartphones, camera makers have had to step up to offer features that would be difficult to pull off with a mobile device. Most have started turning DSLRs and ILCs into webcams, for example, to ride on the wave of video conferencing platforms today. Fujifilm has yet another such feature that would probably be impossible with smartphones today, allowing the 102MP GFX100 mirrorless camera to generate pictures with 400MP resolutions.
Leica has launched a new version of its infamous Q line of cameras, with the Leica Q2 Monochrom promising to be the only full frame compact camera to use a dedicated monochrome sensor. Tapping the same processing hardware and design as the existing Q2, the new Q2 Monochrom switches out the color sensor for a specially-developed 47.3-megapixel monochrome version.
Comcast is offering its customers a new home security package that offers the hardware and software necessary to protect their homes. The new offering is only available for Xfinity Internet customers who have the xFi Gateway, according to the company, which bills its Self Protection as a high-quality offering for those who aren't interested in professionally installed and monitored alternatives.
Despite initial fears and predictions that smartphones will eventually kill off at least the lower end of the camera market, dedicated shooters continue to thrive. Some might say that they have even grown thanks to smartphone photographers who want to graduate from amateur to pro. Digital cameras have definitely changed with the times but a few things have also remained constant like their heft and their price. There are definitely many ways to keep cameras safe but one of the simplest and also most flexible ways is a strap, such as one of the three new WANDRD straps designed to cover different camera sizes and weights.