True High Dynamic Range (HDR) video is here. Several years of research at Contrast Optical Design & Engineering have resulted in a working, commercially viable, HDR video system and the publication of a technical paper in the very prestigious SIGGRAPH 2011 conference.
What is HDRI ?
High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI) is a technique that photographers can use to extend the range of light intensity, or dynamic range, that can be captured in a single photograph. The camera is placed on a tripod, and a series of photographs (typically three of them) are snapped in quick succession. Each photograph is taken using a different exposure setting on the camera, providing a dark, medium, and bright picture of the scene. These three images are then combined in software to produce a single HDRI photograph.
The Problem with HDRI
One key problem exists with the current state- of- the- art in HDR images: nothing in the scene can move. Since the photos are taken sequentially, any movement causes the combined HDR image to be blurry.
The AMP™ Camera Solution
Contrast Optical’s AMP camera technology solves this key problem by capturing truly simultaneous, pixel- forpixel identical images. AMP is the first camera to use commercially- viable technology to deliver real- time, high dynamic range, high- definition imaging.
Contrast’s in- house developed AMP camera technology uses specialized optics to split the light from a single camera lens onto three camera sensors simultaneously. Image- splitting is performed optically, at the speed of light, guaranteeing perfect motion registration between images. A new image- combining algorithm was developed specifically for this AMP camera system to transform the data from the three camera sensors into a true HDR video stream in real time. Contrast, being a custom optical design firm, approached the problem from a purely optical standpoint, avoiding electronic tricks such as alternating exposure frames (bright/dark) or double- mosaic pixel arrays (red/green/blue and light/medium/dark). Their background in high- end optical system design gave them a unique perspective from which to solve this problem, and the results look impressive.
A fun video that introduces the AMP Camera Technology and gives a sneak preview of the GEN II camera features. AMP captures three images with the exact same exposure time, at the exact same moment in time. A custom blending algorithm is used to combine the images to produce a true HDR image for each frame in the video. Of course, we can’t display true HDR images (yet) so tonemapping is left to the user. For this video, we chose a wide variety of commercially-available tonemappers, just to get the idea across that all the HDR data really is there for every frame. AMP is a trademark of Contrast Optical Design & Engineering, Inc.
For more on tonemapping see our video “AMP Melting Snow”.
New Olympus E-P3 Leaked Images and Specification are shown below, the expected date of arrival of EP-3, E-PM1, E-PL3 and a new 12mm f/2 lens is on June 30th.
New Olympus E-P3 with 12mm f/2.0 lens attached!
Olympus EP-3 Rumored Specs:
12MP sensor (Made by Olympus)
Max ISO of 12800
built-in flash
1080i 60i video recording
a new, faster AF system
touchscreen LCD display
New user interface includes, buttons, menus, ports, additional pre-set filter
Olympus has launched a teaser campaign for “a new generation” of digital PEN cameras. Nothing available in the website, but You can, sign up for an e-mail notification. http://www.getolympus.com/PENteaser/
According to photorumors, Fujifilm may announce three new camera in September 2011 aimed for serious shooters,
Some expected specification are, The First Camera will have a large sensor with 20X Optical Zoom and Weather sealing. Remember DSC R1? The Second Camera will be targeting the Panasonic LX-5, Canon G12 and Nikon P7000 Pro Compact Camera, and the third one may be a Micro Four third camera similar to Panasonic G3 or Olympus E-PL2
The Kenko Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX lens was first seen on February 2011 at CP +2011, The Tokina 17-35mm f4 lens release dates are now confirmed, July for the Canon mount and September for the Nikon mount.
Fujifilm updates its latest large size compact camera X100 firmware, see the details below
The firmware update Ver.1.10 incorporates the following issues.
The contents of the owner’s manual will be partly changed along with this update.
Please check them in detail.
1. The following functions can be rocked during shooting by holding down [MENU / OK] button over 3 sec.
DRIVE / Flash / White balance / Macro (set on the Command Dial – 4 direction key)
2. “CORRECTED AF FRAME” menu is added in “SET-UP” menu (the last line on menu page 6) to display additional AF frame (corrected AF frame for reducing parallax) which can be effectively used for macro shots. (Factory default value is set to “OFF”)
3. Adjustment in1/3 step increment for shutter speed or aperture setting is enabled in Shutter-Priority AE and Aperture-Priority AE mode, on top of those in Manual Exposure mode.
Shutter-Priority AE : Adjustment is controlled by rotating the command dial
Aperture-Priority AE : Adjustment is controlled by moving left / right on the command control lever
4. In the post-view mode (display after shooting), focused area is magnified in the LCD (EVF) display when the command control lever is pressed.
Cf. “IMAGE DISP.” Setting must be set to “CONTINUOUS”,
5. Setting of the role for “Fn” button is enabled by holding down “Fn” button over 3 sec.
6. Actual ISO sensitivity for shooting is displayed just after pressing shutter button halfway, when “ISO AUTO CONTROLL” is set to ON.
7. When “eye sensor” is activated by pressing “VIEW MODE” button, “EYE SENSOR” is displayed on EVF / OVF or LCD just a while to notice the status.
8. Macro mode ISO sensitivity, Drive mode, Dynamic range, Self-timer mode, flash mode is maintained even if shutter speed setting or aperture setting is changed. Also, even after changing viewing mode into shooting mode or turning of the camera, these values are maintained.
9. The size of focus frame set through viewing EVF / LCD is maintained even after changing display mode between OVF and EVF (LCD).
10. When “SHUTTER SOUND” is chosen, each shutter sound is performed in each menu setting.
11. In viewing mode, the last viewed shot is maintained as even after changing into shooting mode.
Cf. After another image is shot after viewing former image, memory of viewing the image is cancelled and the last shot is displayed as the latest image.
12. When the aspect ration of the image size is set to 16:9, the line of bright frame line on OVF is displayed with aspect ratio 16:9.
13. Viewing mode with Photo Information on EVF / LCD is maintained even if another image is shot. On top of this issue, deleting picture directly is enabled even in viewing with Photo information by pressing the command dial up, or MENU operation is also enabled.
14. Occasionally, preview image on EVF / LCD after pressing the shutter halfway might be darker than live view, according to aperture setting or brightness of shooting target. This phenomenon is improved.
15. When “DISP. CUSTOM SETTING” is set to OVF or EVF / LCD, the setting value is maintained even after customizing the menu.
16. Even for only RAW data recording mode, “RED EYE REMOVAL” setting is selectable among ON or OFF.
17. In MF (manual focus) setting with OVF mode, OVF viewing is activated after pressing shutter half way, even if “FOCUS CHECK” (magnifying center of the image) is displayed in EVF by pressing the center of the command control lever.
18. Displaying period after pressing each command dial (Macro / Flash) is prolonged from 1.5 sec into 2.0 sec for confirming correctly.
20. For resuming from AUTO POWER OFF setting, the shutter release button was required to hold down halfway for a few second. For quicker operation, resuming is activated by just pressing the button.
21. Image quality captured by Velvia / ASTIA mode is improved on mainly shadow tone (dark area), when dynamic range is set to 200% or 400%.
22. When “OVF POWER SAVE MODE” is set to ON and “Fn” button is set to “MOVIE RECORDING”, the camera may be unstable occasionally. This phenomenon is improved.
23. Histogram display on OVF during exposure compensation is improved.
A “light field” camera for consumers that will forever change the way people take and experience pictures. Later this year, Lytro will start selling light field cameras that can capture all of the light rays in a scene to offer photographic capabilities never before possible, such as focusing a picture after it’s taken. Lytro cameras will also create interactive, living pictures that can be endlessly focused and refocused by both the photographer and the viewer, bringing new creative possibilities to photography. In 2010, consumers worldwide spent more than $38 billion on cameras.
Lytro camera capabilities will include:
Shoot now, focus later. People will no longer be disappointed by a picture that turns out focused on the wrong subject, such as the wall instead of a child’s smile. Lytro pictures can be flawlessly focused to one’s liking – days, weeks, even years after they’re taken.
Unparalleled speed: Since the camera doesn’t focus before a photo is taken, people will no longer miss important moments due to the conventional delay of the lens autofocusing as you press the shutter button.
Living pictures. Lytro creates interactive, living pictures that will engage and delight those who experience them online via social media networks, mobile phones, blogs, etc. Viewers can immerse themselves in a living picture to discover and focus in on new details by simply clicking on different parts of a picture. No software download is required.
Low-light sensitivity. By using all of the available light in a scene, light field cameras can capture better pictures in remarkably low light environments without use of a flash.
Immersive 3D. Using the full light field, Lytro cameras provide an immersive 3D picture that goes beyond the conventional stereo 3D by, for example, controlling the perspective view of a scene.
Lytro camera Sample Images: www.lytro.com/picture_gallery
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Olympus has launched a teaser campaign for “a new generation” of digital PEN cameras. Nothing available in the website, but You can, sign up for an e-mail notification.
