94x zoom lens patented—is a Canon SX100 planned?

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By Mike Tomkins, December 27, 2013 (http://www.imaging-resource.com)

Photographers looking for the ultimate in image quality might avoid zoom lenses like the plague, but the popularity of increasingly long-zoom cameras suggests that some people just can’t get enough telephoto reach. If you’re in their number, you may find the promise of a recent patent filing by Canon Japan to be rather thrilling.

Admittedly, most patents make for somewhat dry reading, but this one, uncovered by Japanese engineering blog Egami, suggests that Canon could soon offer a camera with close to a 100x zoom range. (Given that the existing Canon SX50 HS sports a ~50x zoom, Egami cheekily suggests the name Canon SX100 HS for a followup, tagging its image on the lens diagram with the moniker.)

Full article at the source>

Cameras becoming part of police’s uniform

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By  Lori Kurtzman The Columbus Dispatch Dec.15, 2013 (http://www.dispatch.com/)

The police officer rounds the corner of the house, his flashlight searching out the young girl standing quietly on the back deck. She is 10 and barefoot and holding a butcher knife.

“Can you put the knife down for me?” the Greensboro, N.C., cop asks. The girl is still. “Can you lay the knife down?”

Without warning, she hurls the blade like a dart. The officer ducks. His partner walks quickly across the deck and snaps handcuffs on the girl’s wrists, and what he says next — to the girl who just threw a knife at a police officer — might be unbelievable if the entire incident hadn’t been recorded.

“You OK, honey?”

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2013 Best Cameras. Find the Top Cameras Released in 2013

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By  (http://cameras.about.com/)

2013 was another very good year for digital cameras, with plenty of innovations. As they have for several years, prices continue to drop, giving photographers more value for their dollars. Advanced fixed-lens cameras have been especially plentiful from manufacturers, offering a clear set of advantages over point-and-shoot models and cell phone cameras. Interchangeable lens camera, both DIL and DSLR models, also have been popular in 2013.

Having had a chance to fully test and review several cameras during the year, and having had a chance to informally test and consider dozens more models, here are some of the best cameras I’ve seen during 2013.

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How To: Take Great Photos With Your Point and Shoot

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By Howard Creech, DigitalCameraReview Staff 12-06-2013  (http://www.digitalcamerareview.com)

When we see professional photographers on the news and in the movies it often appears that only the dSLR cameras and super-fast lenses they carry are capable of making great images.  Most amateur shooters want to take good pictures too, but they don’t want to spend a lot of money on esoteric photographic gear or learn anything about f-stops. Consequently, many amateur/casual photographers believe that only complex and expensive gear can produce truly beautiful photographs. Socket wrenches and screwdrivers don’t fix cars–good mechanics do! Cast iron skillets and French saut–pans don’t create delicious meals–good cooks do! The camera (like a cast iron skillet or a socket wrench) is simply a tool. And learning how to use that tool is how you can create amazing images.

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Click! Google rebuilds Android camera base for better photos

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Rebuilt software plumbing in Android should give new power to camera apps — once Google makes the interface available to other programmers besides its own.

by Stephen Shankland. November 25th, 2013 (http://news.cnet.com)

Want a better camera on your Android device? Google does, too.

For that reason, the company has overhauled the mobile OS’s plumbing. Google has built deep into Android support for two higher-end photography features — raw image formats and burst mode — and could expose those features so that programmers could tap into them, the company said.

Evidence of raw and burst-mode photos in the Android source code surfaced earlier in November, but Google has now commented on the technology. Specifically, spokeswoman Gina Scigliano said the support is now present in Android’s hardware abstraction layer (HAL), the part of the operating system that handles communications with a mobile device’s actual hardware.

“Android’s latest camera HAL (hardware abstraction layer) and framework supports raw and burst-mode photography,” Scigliano said. “We will expose a developer API [application programming interface] in a future release to expose more of the HAL functionality.”

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Pinhole, Printed – a 3D printed pinhole camera

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A Kickstarter Project by: by Clint O’Connor

Pinhole – a 3D printed camera. Get one or print your own – either way, take magical photographs from a new, yet old perspective.

 

Sellout!

For 3D printing enthusiasts, the files and kits are available, or you can get photos or just back my project.  It may only be a dollar, but every backer is an additional encouragement to continue my work.

For photography enthusiasts, I have sold out of the Flyers that I’m making for Kickstarter (see Update #7).

Do keep an eye on the pledges, though. Occasionally someone cancels and you might get lucky.

If you’ve missed the Kickstarter cameras and want one, contact me throughwww.pinholeprinted.com on the Contact form and let me know if you want a Flyer or Clipper (panoramic).  I will get back to you about printing some more after the Kickstarter rewards have shipped.

All Stretch Goals Hit!

Funded in 13.5 hours – that is awesome for a photography project! We have also hit all the stretch goals.

Link to Kickstarter Project Page>