Cameras

What’s cooler than a multi-cell pinhole camera? How about a multi-cell pinhole camera upgraded to a lensed version? That’s exactly what James Guerin has put together as a follow-up to a previous lens-less camera experiment. “When I saw the effects I could achieve with the pinhole multi-cell I decided to go and build a lensed version. I thought that the in focus and blurred areas would add another dimension and open up a world of original portraits,” says Guerin. Simultaneously, the camera shoots twenty images with twenty lenses in twenty compartments. That’s a whole lot of twenties! The added lenses (made of cheap plastic double convex) feature a focal length of 150mm, which are arranged in a grid, according to Guerin. “Due to the nested box design concertina style focusing is possible from a distance of 300mm (where 1:1 magnification is achieved) to approximately 550mm (overlapping of cells occurs).” Focusing accurately on this pinhole camera requires acrylic glass and scotch tape (also known as ‘ground glass’), and the shutter is controlled via a sliding plate. “I vary the aperture by placing custom ‘aperture plates’ that slide in front of the lenses. Of course the aperture changes depending on the focus draw, therefore I calculate my aperture for each shot by dividing the distance from lens to film by the diameter of my aperture disc (simple steel washers).” Camera-to-subject distance of 300mm yields 1:1 magnification, thus a “normal” picture, but longer distances produce rather interesting effects. Guerin says that most of the pictures he’s taken on the camera so far have been on photographic paper. He hopes to shoot portraits using 8×10 x-ray film in the near future. Image credits: Photographs by James Guerin and used with permission

The iPad mini and the Mac mini. Those are two “minified” products Apple has released to give its customers a choice for products that are cheaper and more portable. It appears Leica is planning to take a page from Apple’s playbook. The camera company’s website has begun teasing a new Leica Mini M, a camera that will presumably be a smaller (and possibly cheaper) version of the Leica M flagship digital rangefinder. Leica’s website currently features the teaser The teaser shows a lineup of Leica digital cameras in order from most “pro” to most portable. It shows the Leica M, the Leica X2 Micro M, and the Leica D-LUX 6 Nanon M. In between the M and the X2 is a mysterious black box with the label “? MINI M.” Leica says it’ll be unveiling “the new Leica family member” on June 11, 2013. If you want to be the first to know about the camera, you can sign up for Leica’s newsletter on the Leica Mini M product page. Leica Rumors reports that a new camera model that fits between the Leica M and the Leica X has been rumored for years now. The new camera will reportedly be a camera manufactured in Germany that isn’t simply a rebranded Panasonic camera.

Adorama has instant rebates right now for onOne Perfect Photo Suite 7 as part of its Memorial Day Weekend Sale. The Lightroom and Aperture edition is $94 (reg. $149). The full version is $189.95 (reg. $299.95). Check them both out here at Adorama. No related posts.

Photography on-the-go has never been easier with this convenient travel companion. UPPER SADDLE RIVER, N.J., May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Manfrotto, world leader in the equipment and accessories industry for photography and imaging, is proud to announce an innovative tripod dedicated to photographers who love to travel. BeFree is a light, compact, intuitive to use, stable option for capturing stunningly precise and sharp images. BeFree offers a stylish, functional option for traveling photographers, making it easy to capture memories without the hassle of bulky photography equipment. Its compact size and lightweight design make it an effortless tool to pack. BeFree also comes with a dedicated shoulder bag, protecting it from accidental damage, making it convenient to store in luggage. No longer will photographers have to compromise on picture quality because they weren't able to bring their heavy tripod along with them on trips. BeFree's size and portability doesn't detract from its sturdiness. This reliable tripod keeps your camera steadily locked into place in any desired position, delivering the sharpest of images. Key Features: Lightweight aluminum construction makes the tripod easy to carry. It weighs only 3lbs, less than the average laptop. Legs fold perfectly around the head and quick release plate attachment. It folds to only 15.7″. New aluminum ball head is solid, quick and simple to operate. It has a maximum payload of 8.8lbs, guaranteeing stability and sturdiness even with longer zoom lenses. The new patented leg angle selectors quickly allow you to select between two inclinations, offering maximum versatility for camera positioning. Key Consumer Benefits: Compact size and lightweight design, an easy tool to pack. Comes with a dedicated shoulder bag to protect it while you are on-the-go. The rubberized carrying strap makes it comfortable to carry. Eye catching premium Italian design and finishing makes it stand out from the crowd. Sturdy and reliable, keeping cameras steadily locked into place in any desired position, delivering the sharpest of images. BeFree (Order Code MKBFRA4-BH) is available for purchase through select Manfrotto retailers at a street price of approximately $199.99. For more information, visit www.manfrotto.us. About Manfrotto Distribution Manfrotto Distribution, Inc. is a leading distributor of key accessories brands for the photographic, video, cine and lighting production markets. Manfrotto Distribution is an international company within the Imaging Division of the Vitec Group, which owns the following leading international brands: Manfrotto, Gitzo, Kata, Avenger and Lastolite. As the U.S. distributor of National Geographic, Metz, Gossen, Elinchrom and Rotatrim, which are available nationwide through an extensive network of authorized dealers, Manfrotto Distribution offers the most complete range of exceptional camera and lighting accessories in the business. The Manfrotto Distribution international network covers the U.S., Germany, France, Italy, U.K., Hong Kong, China and Japan. www.manfrottodistribution.us. ImagingInsider.com #befreetripod #manfrotto #imaginginsider

Want to see what the camera arsenal of a world famous photographer looks like? A photographer whose work fetches millions of dollars at auction? Check out the photograph above. It was shot by photographer William Eggleston for the Wall Street Journal, and shows just a portion of Eggleston’s extensive camera collection. Eggleston’s owns three cases filled with cameras, and this is just one of them. This particular case holds 13 different Leica cameras and a bunch of Canon cameras. The case itself is a leather briefcase that was retrofitted with wood panels. Here’s a closer look at the Leicas: Eggleston’s collection mostly comprises Leica and Canon cameras. In addition to standard issue models, the stockpile also includes rare limited-edition and custom-painted bodies. The photographer tells the WSJ that the collection “has grown into something of an obsession.” He currently has about 300 cameras in his collection. The photograph above was shot by Eggleston using a Fuji X-Pro1 — a very rangefinder-like camera — for the June 2013 issue of WSJ Magazine, to be included in the May 25th, 2013 issue of the Wall Street Journal. You can find this photograph and a collection of Eggleston’s most famous images over on the Wall Street Journal‘s Photo Journal. Image credit: Photograph by William Eggleston for WSJ. Magazine. Used with permission.

It's a wonderful Thursday morning in the land of camera deals, and we've found a very nice selection of bargains on Nikon and Olympus cameras, Sigma lenses and Adobe software. Browse through the selection of deals below, and be sure to check back regularly for more deals and special offers! Nikon D600 with 24-85mm & 70-300mm Lens Bundle - $2,787 (compare to $3,287) - Free Shipping Adorama has a fantastic $500 instant rebate on a Nikon D600 2-lens bundle that includes the Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S VR and Nikon 70-300mm... (read more)

New Facebook Application Showcases Full HD Movie Print Technology to Turn Videos and Stills into High-Quality, Personalized Comic Strips MELVILLE, N.Y., May 23, 2013 – Starring in a comic strip isn’t just for superheroes anymore. Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the launch of Canon PIXMA Comix, an interactive new application found on the Canon U.S.A. Facebook page, that empowers fans to create fun, personalized photo comic strips to print and share with friends or share socially. Highlighting the Full HD Movie Print technology found in My Image Garden software, this application brings users’ adventures to life. Whether it’s video of a friend surfing a giant wave, photos of a baby’s first steps, or photos and video from the annual summer barbeque, Canon PIXMA Comix allows users to utilize up to six images to create a personalized comic strip. The images can be uploaded from photo albums or as stills pulled from an uploaded video stored on your computer or Facebook page. With creative options including comic strip templates, photo filters including fish-eye, toy camera and poster effects, various font styles, and the ability to select comic-style speech and sound effect bubbles where text can be added, the application provides the platform to create unique, personalized comics. After creating a comic, users will have the opportunity to print the final product to display and enjoy, or post and share within their social network. “The Canon PIXMA Comix application enables photo and video enthusiasts to easily apply comic book styling to their images, and share their story,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “We always strive to enhance the Canon consumer experience, and with this application, it’s easy to get creative with a home printer by printing personalized comic strips to enjoy for years to come.” Canon’s Full HD Movie Print technology allows users to select and print individual frames of a video, so every special moment – captured via camcorder or digital camera – can be enjoyed as an individual image. For those who opt to print their comic through the application, Canon is offering a special promotion, which will be available through the Canon Direct Store.* To create a personalized comic strip, visit Canon PIXMA Comix at www.PIXMAComix.com. To learn more about the full line of Canon PIXMA printers, please visit www.usa.canon.com/PIXMA. About Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $40 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2012† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2013. In 2012, Canon U.S.A. received the PCMag.com Readers’ Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the ninth consecutive year, and for camcorders for the past two years. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss. # # # †Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office. All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners. * For promotion details, please see Terms and Conditions at http://shop.usa.canon.com/estore/marketing/disclaimers/comixdisclaimer.html. ImagingInsider.com #canon #canusa #fullhdmovieprint #imaginginsider

Cloudian is integrating its platform with Citrix's CloudPortal Business Manager as it aims to make it easier to roll out and manage storage as a service.CloudPortal Business Manager is a services delivery platform that lets enterprises and service providers control user management, provisioning and other operational aspects of a cloud from a single interface. This is functionality Cloudian will take advantage of, according to Jay Desai, vice president of product management at Cloudian, whose platform is used to provide storage for private, public and hybrid clouds.To make the integration possible, Cloudian has developed a connector, aptly named Cloudian Connector for Citrix CloudPortal Business Manager. It works as a bridge between Cloudian's own application programming interface and the API Citrix has created for third parties that want to integrate with CloudPortal.Features such as service provisioning, multitenant user management, flexible pricing and billing are all available out of the box. IT staff can create a customized catalog of storage offerings with different amounts of storage and quality of service levels. Authorized users can then provision and consume storage on-demand.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

From Canon: New Facebook Application Showcases Full HD Movie Print Technology to Turn Videos and Stills into High-Quality, Personalized Comic Strips MELVILLE, N.Y., May 23, 2013 Starring in a comic strip isn't just for superheroes anymore. Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the launch of Canon PIXMA Comix, an interactive new application found on the Canon U.S.A. Facebook page, that empowers fans to create fun, personalized photo comic strips to print and share with friends or share socially. Highlighting the Full HD Movie Print technology found in My Image Garden software, this application brings users' adventures to life. Whether it's video of a friend surfing a giant wave, photos of a baby's first steps, or photos and video from the annual summer barbeque, Canon PIXMA Comix allows users to utilize up to six images to create a personalized comic strip. The images can be uploaded from photo albums or as stills pulled from an uploaded video stored on your computer or Facebook page. With creative options including comic strip templates, photo filters including fish-eye, toy camera and poster effects, various font styles, and the ability to select comic-style speech and sound effect bubbles where text can be added, the application provides the platform to create unique, personalized comics. After creating a comic, users will have the opportunity to print the final product to display and enjoy, or post and share within their social network. "The Canon PIXMA Comix application enables photo and video enthusiasts to easily apply comic book styling to their images, and share their story," said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. "We always strive to enhance the Canon consumer experience, and with this application, it's easy to get creative with a home printer by printing personalized comic strips to enjoy for years to come." Canon's Full HD Movie Print technology allows users to select and print individual frames of a video, so every special moment - captured via camcorder or digital camera - can be enjoyed as an individual image. For those who opt to print their comic through the application, Canon is offering a special promotion, which will be available through the Canon Direct Store.* To create a personalized comic strip, visit Canon PIXMA Comix at www.PIXMAComix.com. To learn more about the full line of Canon PIXMA printers, please visit www.usa.canon.com/PIXMA.

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