New Intel Core Ultra processors deliver breakthrough performance, efficiency for the AI PC age Intel launched its most efficient family of x86 processors ever, the Intel "Lunar Lake" Core Ultra 200V series processors. Designed to deliver low-power leadership for AI PCs with up to 50% lower package power and up to 120 total platform TOPS across CPU, GPU and NPU, Lunar Lake marks the debut of Intel’s new Xe2 graphics microarchitecture that delivers a significant leap in mobile graphics performance. The built-in Intel Arc GPU includes as many as eight new 2nd Gen Xe-cores, eight enhanced ray tracing units, support for up to three 4k monitors, and new built-in Intel Xe Matrix Extensions AI engines. [See Intel media release] -- Posted Wednesday, September 11, 2024 by chb
Tough and simple, Kyocera's rugged flip phones are ideal for digital detox Popular detoxes and cleansing programs have been favored by those pursuing physical health and well-being. Now, "digital detoxing" is rapidly growing for those who wish to improve their mental health by reducing stressors from constant online connectivity and, instead, enhance genuine connections with friends and family. To help encourage periodic tech breaks, Kyocera International, Inc., the North American leader in rugged mobile solutions, today announced a gift with purchase of a DuraXA Equip or DuraXV Extreme+ rugged flip phone. Consumers can choose between a free digital detox starter pack, a spare battery, or a single-wire PTT earpiece kit with purchase of one of these Kyocera rugged flip phones through August 31, limited quantities available. [See Kyocera media release] -- Posted Thursday, July 25, 2024 by chb
Microsoft introduced Copilot+ PCs In a May 20 event, Microsoft introduced "a new category" of Windows PCs designed for AI. The Copilot+ PCs, according to Microsoft, are "the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built". These seem to be "AI-enhanced" PCs with advanced AI capabilities integrated into their hardware, leveraging AI features across Microsoft software (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc), but also certain third party software, such as Adobe. In addition to Microsoft's own Surface Pro and Surface Laptop hardware, Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and perhaps others will all launch Copilot+ PCs, available starting June 18. All these will likely be based on Intel 14th gen "Meteor Lake" Core Ultra processors that contain, in addition to performance and efficient cores, the requisite new NPUs (Neural Processing Units). [See Microsoft's Introducing Copilot+ PCs] -- Posted Tuesday, May 21, 2024 by chb
New FLIR Si2-Series acoustic imagers In industrial settings the early detection of air and gas leaks as well as machinery faults is crucial for preventing costly breakdowns and ensuring the smooth operation of equipment. Revolutionizing predictive maintenance in manufacturing, the next-generation FLIR Si2 acoustic imager prevents critical failures, cuts energy costs, reduces maintenance expenses, and boosts productivity, ensuring a rapid ROI. [See FLIR Si2-Pro acoustic imagers] -- Posted Wednesday, May 15, 2024 by chb
DJI launches Inspire 3 professional 8k video drone Drones are getting ever more professional in their capabilities, opening massive productivity and efficiency gains in numerous industries. DJI's new Inspire 3 comes with a full-frame 1/1.8-inch-sensor FPV camera that can record up to 8K/75fps video, transmit live feeds at up to 1080p/60fps, fly waypoints and repeatable routes, have night vision, centimeter-level RTK positioning, 14 F-stop dynamic range, and more. [See DJI Inspire 3] -- Posted Thursday, April 13, 2023 by chb
DPReview.com to close Digital photography review site DPReview will close down, after 25 years of covering the digital imaging market and generating arguably the best camera reviews you can find. Amazon bought DPReview in 2007, and why they would shut down what is likely a very small cost item to them (and likely very helpful in fueling imaging equipment sales) is anyone's guess. As is, with DPReview, the world will lose a site that could be considered part of its technical heritage. [See DPReview.com to close] -- Posted Thursday, March 23, 2023 by chb
EU ministers give final approval to one-size-fits-all charging port The Council of the EU today gave its final approval to the common charger directive. This means that in 2024, a USB-C port will become mandatory for a whole range of electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and headphones. It will no longer be necessary to buy a different charger every time you purchase a new mobile phone or similar device: all of them can be recharged using the same charger. [See EU Council media release] -- Posted Tuesday, October 25, 2022 by chb
French Ministry of the Interior chooses Motorola Solutions to modernize frontline policing with 30,000 body-worn cameras Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI), today announced that the French Ministry of the Interior will deploy 30,000 of Motorola Solutions' VB400 body-worn cameras to its National Police and the Gendarmerie (military police) to modernize policing. The roll-out of body-worn cameras, valued at $17.5 million (15 million Euros), is one of the largest ever deployed and is expected to start in July 2021. The deployment will support the French government's goal to improve trust and safety in policing by having all law enforcement officers wearing body-worn cameras. [See Motorola Solutions media release -- Posted Monday, May 10, 2021 by chb
Janam unveils most affordable temperature sensing kiosk Janam Technologies LLC, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers and contactless access solutions, today unveiled the newest addition to its Guardian family of access management hardware solutions. With advanced thermal imaging and facial recognition technology, GT2 is an extremely affordable and easy-to-deploy temperature sensing kiosk that quickly and accurately reads the body temperature and confirms the identity of individuals entering a facility. [See Janam media release] -- Posted Wednesday, July 1, 2020 by chb
Olympus getting out of the camera business After making cameras for 84 years, Olympus is getting out of the business. Citing "rapid market shrink caused by the evolution of smartphones," Olympus will sell the camera division to Japan Industrial Partner, the same folks who took over Sony's Vaio PC operation in 2014. While Olympus says JIP will see to "continuous growth of the business," we'll miss all those awesome rugged, adventure, mirrorless, dSLR and underwater Olympus cameras. And as for the smartphone excuse, we feel the digital camera industry brought this upon itself. [See Olympus media release] -- Posted Wednesday, June 24, 2020 by chb
Olympus TG Tracker now US$199! While the Olympus TG Tracker isn't anywhere near as popular as GoPros, it is an absolutely fabulous, super-compact little 4k video camera that can also do 8mp stills. It can handle depths to 100 feet without housing and comes with everything you need to shoot above and under water. The TG Tracker is so good that we take it on every dive trip and every dive. And now Olympus has them on sale for $199 (usually $349). [See Olympus TG Tracker deal] -- Posted Friday, March 22, 2019 by chb
The GoPro Hero6 is here GoPro releases a new top-of-the-line action camera with the Hero6. It's the same size as the Hero5 and looks the same, but can record 4k/60 and 1080p/240 instead of the Hero5's 5k/30 and 720P/240. Other new features include wake-on-voice, touch-zoom, and better image stabilization. Price is US$499 vs US$399 for the still available Hero5. [See GoPro press release] -- Posted Friday, September 29, 2017 by chb
AI at the Edge: Motorola Solutions and Neurala to work together on intelligence for cameras Interesting things are happening in mobile cameras used as bodycams and similar. Instead of just recording footage, there emerging camera systems can actually analyze image streams on the fly and search for objects (like types of cars) or persons of interest such as missing children and suspects.Motorola Solutions announced that it will work with artificial intelligence (AI) company Neurala to develop intelligent cameras for public safety users. The companies will work together to integrate Neurala’s AI capabilities with Motorola Solutions’ software and cameras, including its Si500 body-worn camera. [See Motorola Solutions press release] -- Posted Friday, July 21, 2017 by chb
Digital film "canister" for old 35mm cameras? Are all those old film SLR cameras still sitting on shelves and in closets just museum pieces — like record players — or do they still have some use? Probably not, but look at the Pseudo film canister idea that envisions a digital camera packaged into a 35mm cartridge, using the SLR's optics and mechanisms. See A digital film canister for old 35mm cameras -- Posted Tuesday, May 31, 2016 by chb
Nikon joins the premium compact camera market
Nikon is finally joining Canon and Sony in offering compact premium cameras with their new US$799.95 DL18-50 and $649.95 DL24-85. With footprints of roughly 4.5 x 2.5 inches and weighing about 3/4 pound, they are handy and pocketable. That's good news for those who want something more than just a smartphone camera, but a lot smaller than a big dSLR. -- Posted Thursday, February 25, 2016 by chb
Leica X-U — the Grey Poupon of adventure cameras
Outdoor cameras are going upscale with the new Leica X-U. Designed (albeit not made) in Germany as a shockproof, dust and water sealed expedition camera, the Leica X-U can handle 4-foot drops, go on 50-foot dives, has a 16.5mp CMOS imager, a fixed Leica Summilux 23mm lens and a fast f1.7 aperture. How much? Ummm... just under US$3,000. [See Leica media release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 20, 2016 by chb
Digital camera vendors, except Canon and Sony, shunning the consumer camera market According to DigiTimes, camera manufacturers no longer have much interest in the consumer digital still camera market. Only a limited number of new models have been released over the last year. The exception to the rule are Sony and Canon, both of which still released new DSCs every quarter during 2015. In particular, the two companies are releasing high-end DSC models featuring large image sensors in order to differentiate their devices from smartphone cameras. Examples are the Sony RX10 II and RX100 IV - which use stacked CMOS image sensors with DRAM chips, the RX1R II with a full-frame CMOS sensor , and bringing 40-megapixel resolution into the consumer DSC market. And Canon launched the G5 X and G9 X with a 1-inch 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor in the fourth quarter. -- Posted Friday, January 8, 2016 by chb
Samsung pulls out of UK digital camera market In another blow to the dedicated digital camera market, Samsung is pulling out of the digital camera and camcorder market in the UK. According to TechRadar, Samsung stated that "In the UK, we have seen a gradual and sustained decline in demand for standalone digital cameras and camcorders and related accessories. For this reason, we have taken the decision to phase out the sales and marketing of these products." -- Posted Thursday, December 3, 2015 by chb
RAM Mounts reveals new and improved website RAM Mounts, the company that makes our preferred mounting solutions, has totally rebuilt its entire website and the result is extremely impressive. While we've seen a number of less than optimal website makeovers during the last year (usually on Wordpress), RAM's new site is terrific. [See new RAM Mounts site] -- Posted Thursday, November 19, 2015 by chb
Canon to automate camera production The Japan News reports that Canon plans to fully automate domestic production of digital cameras as part of an effort to shift production back to Japan while reducing costs. The implementation, aided by a new Canon technology development facility, will start in 2018 and take place in phases. Production of high-end models and lenses will also be automated. Canon expects the automation to cut production costs by around 20%. [See Japan News article] -- Posted Friday, August 7, 2015 by chb
GoPro charges ahead While most traditional camera companies are hurting, GoPro posted $16.8 million in profit and $363 million in sales for its first fiscal quarter, up from $8.5 million profit on $236 million sales the same quarter last year. [See GoPro Q1 2015 financials] -- Posted Tuesday, April 28, 2015 by chb
New GoPros!
GoPro announced three new cameras, those being the top-of-the-line Hero 4 Black (US$499), the Hero 4 Silver (US$399), and a new basic camera, just called Hero (US$129). Most important features: the Hero 4 Black can do 4k/30fps, 2.7k/50fps and 1080p/120. The Hero 4 Silver seems to have roughly the same capabilities as the old Hero 3 Black but includes, a first for GoPros, an integrated LCD. The new entry-level Hero can do 1080p/30fps and 720p/60fps and is built directly into a waterproof housing. [See GoPro press release] -- Posted Monday, September 29, 2014 by chb
Nikon announces new D750 dSLR Nikon announced the new D750, an exciting addition to its FX-format D-SLR camera lineup. This full-frame camera features a powerful combination of pro-caliber photo and video features for both professionals and enthusiasts in a compact and lightweight body. The Nikon D750 features a 24.3-megapixel sensor and is the first FX-Format Nikon D-SLR to feature a tilting vari-angle LCD display and built-in Wi-Fi capabilities. [See Nikon press release] -- Posted Friday, September 12, 2014 by chb
Canon celebrates 80th anniversary of its first camera Canon U.S.A. announced that its parent company, Canon Inc., is commemorating the 80th anniversary of Canon’s first camera, the Kwanon. Marking Japan’s first 35mm focal-plane-shutter camera, the Kwanon was produced in prototype form in 1934, the culmination of the dreams of engineers who wanted to catch up with Europe, the leading presence in the camera industry at the time. The engineers who created the camera decided to name it after Kwannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, hoping the deity would share her benevolence as they pursued their dream to produce the world’s finest camera. -- Posted Tuesday, September 2, 2014 by chb
GoPro goes public June 26, 2014
On June 26, 2014, GoPro CEO and founder, Nick Woodman, rang the bell on the NASDAQ trading floor, signaling the start of the trading day and GoPro’s first day listed on the NASDAQ exchange thus marking another huge milestone for GoPro. GoPro's stock (GPRO) started around US$30 per share, and as of June 30 reached US$40. [See GoPro's announcement] -- Posted Monday, June 30, 2014 by chb
Canon launches new optics microsite Canon U.S.A. announced a new microsite devoted to helping people understand the incredible power they can access when they look at the world through the right lens. While a DSLR camera body is a very important creative tool, lenses help photographers of all levels realize their artistic vision. This microsite will help consumers grow creatively and expand their photographic tools beyond kit lenses. [See Canon's Through the Right Lens site] -- Posted Thursday, June 26, 2014 by chb
Cool and useful gear: StarTech's 7-port USB charger Every now and then we need to mention some of the truly useful gadgets that come into our lab, that we end up using all the time, and that a lot of our readers out there could probably use, too. One such gadget is StarTech's 7-port USB charger. It's amazing how nice it is to charge all your gear at once and use only one wall outlet. [See StarTech 7-Port USB Charging Station] -- Posted Monday, June 16, 2014 by chb
GoPro files to go public Action camera sensation GoPro has filed for an initial public offering. The filing showed that GoPro had revenues of US$985 million for2013, almost twice that of the year before. GoPro also recorded US$61 in net income and shipped 3.85 million Hero cameras during 2013. Of potential concerns listed was a Q1 2014 revenue drop (that may be the result of new product introduction timing). On the other hand, GoPro does not feel that smartphones and tablets would have the same negative impact on its camera sales as they're having on regular dedicated compact cameras. -- Posted Tuesday, May 20, 2014 by chb
Discover 4K and the mirrorless camera revolution at free event from Adorama and Panasonic Adorama, one of the world’s largest photography, imaging, video and electronics retailers, is teaming up with Panasonic to present a free Next Generation Workflow event to discuss working with 4K video on Tuesday, May 20, 2014. This event will feature two sessions, at 3pm and 6pm, and will be held at the Adorama store located at 42 West 18th Street in Manhattan. Refreshments will be served. Register now for this Next Generation Workflow Event with the Panasonic LUMIX GH4. -- Posted Wednesday, May 14, 2014 by chb
Canon adds two new EF ultra wide-angle lenses and white EOS Rebel SL1 digital SLR Canon announced two new wide-angle lenses and a new white color model of the EOS Rebel SL1 Digital SLR, just in time for summer. The introduction of the new Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM and the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM wide-angle zoom lenses provides Canon digital SLR users with the ability to capture stunning photographs and videos of spacious landscapes and many other iconic scenes. The new white EOS Rebel SL1 comes with a matching white EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens and offers a stylish alternative for those who like to stand out from the crowd. [See Canon's EF lens lineup] -- Posted Tuesday, May 13, 2014 by chb
Calumet Photographic sold to C&A Marketing Photo retailer Calumet Photographic, which shut down in mid-March 2014 after filing for Chapter Seven bankruptcy, is under new ownership. C&A Marketing Inc. is acquiring Calumet stores in several major cities, beating out a rival bid from former Calumet employees. C&A marketing is the same company that bought the rights to Polaroid, and also purchased a number of Ritz Camera stores. [See article in Wall Street Journal and Sentinel article on how Loss of darkroom supplies could hurt photography students. -- Posted Saturday, May 10, 2014 by chb
More doom for compacts: Samsung Galaxy K Zoom PCMAG had a nice first look at the new Samsung Galaxy K Zoom. The K Zoom looks like your standard big-screen phone, but it also has a 10x optical zoom that motors out from its backside, and what PCMAG calls a "relatively large" 20.7-megapixel sensor (relatively??) The specs, honestly, show right away why compact cameras are in trouble. 4.8-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. Up to 16GB of storage. A dual-core and a quad-core processor. LTE network. A second camera on the front. [See what PCMAG had to say] -- Posted Wednesday, April 30, 2014 by chb
CONTOUR returns to POV camera market Contour, pioneers of the action sports camera industry, is now under new ownership and seeks to once again be a key contender in the Point of View (POV) camera market. After completing a financial overhaul, reorganizing its plans for new product innovation and building a framework for improved distribution, Contour says it is back on the map, re-launching its website that currently offers the Contour+2 with wireless smartphone connectivity, the waterproof ROAM2 and a range of accessories. -- Posted Thursday, April 3, 2014 by chb
Olympus reveals its latest outdoor camera Olympus, the company that pioneered outdoor cameras, is expanding outdoor shooting and sharing capabilities in even the most challenging of conditions with a new flagship. The STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 brings a high-speed f2.0 lens, expanded macro capabilities, GPS, and Wi-Fi for sharing pics and full 1080p video from (almost) anywhere. Divers can take it down to 50 feet, and the camera can handle almost any abuse in the great outdoors. [See description, analysis and specs of the Olympus TG-3] -- Posted Tuesday, April 1, 2014 by chb
Columns: Photo Gadgetry by Leo Heppner After a 5-year hiatus, Leo Heppner's "Photo Gadgetry" column is back at Digital Camera! Leo promises to report on the latest and the greatest products ranging from simple lens caps to super-telephoto lenses, or from memory cards to the latest software every month! In his first new-era column, he reports on the coolest photo gadgetry at the PhotoPlus Expo 2013 in New York. [See Leo Heppner's Photo Gadgetry] -- Posted Monday, March 31, 2014 by chb
Canon celebrates milestones Canon U.S.A., announced that Canon, Inc., its parent company, is celebrating two milestones. First, Canon is holding the No. 1 global share in the interchangeable-lens digital camera market for 11 straight years, and second, the combined production of the company's compact digital and interchangeable-lens digital cameras is surpassing 250 million units. -- Posted Thursday, March 27, 2014 by chb
Digital camera market in the US 2014-2018 Research and Markets forecasts the digital camera market in the US to grow at a CAGR of 8.3% over the period 2013-2018. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing demand for mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras. The US is also seeing an increase in demand for personalized digital cameras. The forecast cautions that the increasing threat from smartphones could pose a challenge to the growth of this market. -- Posted Tuesday, March 18, 2014 by chb
Canon pulls out of budget camera market Wow. Canon apparently decided to get out of the market for budget-priced digital cameras, defined as those under roughly US$200. Instead, Canon will concentrate on their dSLR business and higher end compacts. On the one hand, that decision is understandable, given that every smartphone has integrated cameras that can do most, or more, than dedicated budget compacts can do. On the other hand, the camera industry has brought this upon itself by falling behind the times in the budget class, ignoring advancing technology in storage, technology, connectivity, and software. Another issue was competing against smartphones that are "free" or cost just a few dollars PLUS a 2-year telco contract. -- Posted Monday, February 24, 2014 by chb
Mid-tier camera makers facing hard times Reuters reports that Japanese mid-tier camera makers Panasonic, Fujifilm, and Olympus are struggling against the tide of camera-equipped smartphones. Compact camera sales are expected to fall more than 40% in 2013 compared to 2012, and the price of those compact had fallen so low that they hardly generated any profit anyway. The photography industry had elected mirror less cameras to catch on, as a way to create higher quality pictures than smartphones can take, but at a lower price than digital SLRs. Yet, mirrorless camera sales have been stalling as well. So for now, the digital camera market that was such a boon since its inception in the late 1990s is in a funk, with only Canon, Nikon and perhaps Sony standing a chance to prevail. [See article] -- Posted Monday, December 30, 2013 by chb
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