Photography

Thanks to tabloids, we know more than we really should about celebrities. I mean, do I really need to know that Hugh Jackman is in Hawaii? If I went to some tropical place, the only ones who would see fit to report about it is me.

I’m sure it is harder to be a celebrity than the tabloids make it look. You’ve seen the video footage with the barrage of flashing cameras by the paparazzi. For those celebrities who are sick of all the flashing, they can now flash back! I’m not talking about Britney Spears when she forgot her underwear.

The Flash Purse is a concept gadget that works by sensing the activation of other flashes. I’m not certain how it does that, but somehow the device senses the flashes and gives its own flash. So when the paparazzi guy goes to get his pictures developed, all he will see is one large spot where his subject’s face will be. So much for his million dollar paycheck.

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Sure, digital cameras are very common, and unless some company has a camera that really stands out in some way, there is very little that distinguishes one digital camera from the other.

I suppose the “standout” feature on Pentax’s Optio W80 is that is one bad mother…shut my mouth! I’m just talking about the Optio W80! Then you should dig it, because the W80 is “shockproof”.

How shockproof? Well, this 12 Megapixel camera can withstand a drop of 3.3 feet, and can go underwater for 16 feet for up to two hours. It can also work in temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

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We’ve seen a lot of changes in traditional film since the rise of digital film, including the discontinuation of Polaroid instant film. Now, here comes another one: Kodak has announced that they are ending production on Kodachrome film.

If you’ve never heard of Kodachrome, you should know that it is a film that uses a fine grain and warm colors. There are several pictures taken with Kodachrome that are considered landmarks today. Some of you might remember a green-eyed Afghan refugee girl with a hypnotic gaze on the cover of a 1985 National Geographic. That was a Kodachrome pic, as was a very famous photo taken of the Kennedy assassination.

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Not satisfied with giving their customers YouTube capability, Pure Digital - the makers of the Flip pocket video cameras, are updating their on board software to make it easier to upload videos by creating their own custom channels which thhey can then invite others to enjoy.

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Canon made headlines with the 5D Mk. II’s ability to shoot high definition video in 1080p. This was a major development as it allowed photographers the ability to get a big movie look to the videos shot. This was because it brought lenses, shutter and aperture settings and depth of field to video. And it looked like a million. Panasonic sees the handwriting on the wall that convergence is the watchword in photography. But they’ve upped the ante to the next level with the Lumix GH1, which can not only shoot 1080p video, but it also adds Dolby digital audio to the mix, meaning photographers have a serious movie studio in their camera.

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New iPhone 3GS: faster and now with video!

At the World Wide Development Conference, the new iPhone, dubbed iPhone 3GS (speed) introduces a much faster interface and processor, cut and paste, yada yada yada, but what iPhone fans will really enjoy is the new 3MP camera with autofocus, auto white balance, and VIDEO!

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Samsung Pixon 12 appears to be raising the standard for cellular phone cameras with an LED flash, a wide-angle 28mm lens, and a whopping 12 Megapixels. I’m sure there are cellular phones with a higher number of Megapixels, but most consumer digital cameras don’t go that high.

The Pixon 12 can also record video at 30fps for a resolution of 720 x 480. The photos or video footage can be viewed with the 3.1 inch full AMOLED touchscreen. Nice.

By the way, the Pixon 12 is also an HSPA and GPRS/EDGE phone, and comes with Wi-Fi, and FM tuner, and Bluetooth. Very nice!

I’m glad that Samsung has put so much work into the cellphone camera. I know that I have said this before, but why is it that every phone has to have an obligatory camera?

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We’re not even a year into HD Pocket camcorders shooting 720p when word comes of a model that has a Pico projector built in for instant projection of home movies. Yeah, that’s right, now you can shoot vacation videos and bore your friends in real time by projecting them anywhere!

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