Right this minute the biggest names in smartphones are speeding toward the next "big thing" in mobile devices: Augmented Reality. Qualcomm is the latest company to make a public showing of their efforts with what they call "Qualcomm Spectra ISP, 2nd Generation." That' ISB as in Image Signal Processor, this paving the way for high-powered smartphone cameras that can do things we've never seen before.
It's official: Nikon is developing the model D850, a DSLR camera it says will be a full-frame offering with other high-end features. The camera is targeted solely at professional, serious photographers (it will, no doubt, be priced in the thousands of dollars, lenses not included), and it'll be the successor of the current Nikon D810 model. We don't know the release date yet, but Nikon has revealed some of the camera details.
Imagine taking selfies using an iPhone, only to notice one day that your self-portraits are consistently higher quality than they used to be. Perhaps you won't know why, assuming your skills have improved. Per a newly published patent, it may in fact be Apple's own software improving your selfies by subtly forcing you to take better shots.
Japan's space agency has an adorable ball-shaped camera that looks like something from Wall-E, and it is live on the International Space Station right now. The camera, which is called Int-Ball, comes from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and it qualifies as a camera drone of sorts. Despite its location in space, operators can control this camera drone from Earth.
Following weeks of rumors, Leica has officially launched its new TL2, a compact camera based on the Leica TL-System. This time around, Leica has fitted its TL camera model with a new 24-megapixel CMOS APS-C format sensor, as well as the new Maestro II series image processor. The camera is, despite its compact size, intended for serious photographers in need of serious quality.
High-end camera manufacturer RED has announced its latest product, the RED Hydrogen One, its first ever smartphone. Described as "the world's first holographic media machine in your pocket," the Hydrogen phone promises not only to capture high-quality images and video, but offer "holographic multi-view" without the need for special glasses. However, it won't come cheap.
In an increasingly competitive world of connected security cameras, Nest has turned to Alphabet-sibling Google and its facial recognition tech to make the Nest Cam IQ stand out. Not just the latest in the company's sophisticated home security camera line-up, the Nest Cam IQ represents a complete platform upgrade, with an all-new sensor, lossless zooming support, and the ability to recognize and track faces. On the downside, it also commands the highest price of a Nest camera so far, so does it deliver for $299?
It appears Samsung is gearing up to launch a new consumer-tier security camera, one designed for use in and around one's home. The camera has appeared on Best Buy's website with the name 'SmartCam,' though the Korean company hasn't officially announced the product at this time. The listing shows the camera as featuring a 1080p resolution with WiFi support. The launch date isn't known, though.
Logitech has announced that its soon-to-launch Circle 2 home security camera can now be used with the Amazon Echo Show device, enabling users to view their security video feeds on Amazon's latest IoT product. This is thanks to Logitech's newly announced support for the latest Alexa camera API on the Echo Show. Logitech Circle 2 owners will be able to take full advantage of the Echo's Alexa abilities, including using voice to pull up a camera's video feed.
The next big thing in the world of smartphones are dual rear camera arrangements, one where a high-resolution camera is joined by a second typically low-resolution camera. The combination of the two enable the camera to pull off some interesting effects, one of which is bokeh effects applied to the shallow depth-of-field -- that is, to the blurred background of a image where where the subject itself is in focus. If you haven't updated your smartphone in a while, don't fret -- you can get this effect using your single-camera phone, as well.
Leica has unveiled its new Leica M Monochrom Limited Edition Jim Marshall set, a model made in homage to the only photographer who has been honored with a Grammy's Trustee Award. The new set was made in collaboration with the Jim Marshall Estate, and it is only available in a very limited quantity: the company will only produce and sell 50 of the sets, after which point they're gone for good.
Canon has taken the wraps off a pair of new cinema cameras, the EOS C200 and the EOS C200B. Both cameras are targeted at professionals, studios, filmmakers, and others in need of high-end videography content. Canon describes both models as offering high-end features with entry-level simplicity; both offer 4K video recording in two different 4K film formats, as well as a new image processor and more.
