Virtual Reality Contact Lenses 

Contact lenses that enhance normal vision with megapixel 3D panoramic images are being designed by scientists using military funding.

….

Innovega’s contact lenses could effectively generate displays with a screen size “equivalent to a 240-inch television, viewed at a distance of 10 feet.”

Moreover, by projecting slightly different pictures to each eye, the display can generate the illusion of 3D. “You get full 3D, full HD, fully panoramic images,” Willey said.

Although some might balk at using contact lenses, “100 million people already do, including 20 percent of the key target group of 18- to 34-year-olds, those involved in gaming and using smartphones,”

Source: Virtual Reality Contact Lenses Could Be Available by 2014

Eliminates the VR helmet and 3D glasses, apparently.

New Olympus E-M1II beats Fuji X-T1 dynamic range

ePhotozine published the interview with Olympus Imaging Global Marketing Manager Toshiyuki Terada. Here are a couple of notes: Dynamic range: “On Dynamic range, we have compared the dynamic […]

Source: Olympus says: E-M1II beats the Fuji X-T1 dynamic range! – 43 Rumors

Yikes! I think I want an Olympus E-M1 II. I love my E-M10! The E-M1 II has many amazing new features and capabilities 🙂

Nikon 1 still alive

Between lack of Nikon 1 product announcements, and a quote buried in a DPReview of a different camera, saying the author thought Nikon 1 development had ended, there have been rumors that Nikon’s mirrorless 1″ sensor based cameras, the Nikon 1 J-series and the V-series might be discontinued.

At Photokina, Nikon officials say the J-series (Nikon 1 J5) is selling well and they are not discontinuing the Nikon 1 series:  Nikon at Photokina 2016: J5 doing great, remote-controlled robot cameras, DL models missing | Nikon Rumors

My read on their statements is that Nikon intends to continue at least with the J-series line but that the V-series (with electronic viewfinder eyepiece) is probably over with. Nikon says that the 1″ sensor and the Nikon 1″ sensor lens mount, the CX line, will continue into the future.

Nikon has also announced a new DL line of 1″ sensor cameras, in February 2016. However, the shipment date of the DL line cameras has been indefinitely postponed, possibly due to disruptions caused by a major earthquake in Japan, in the spring of 2016.

Presumably, future Nikon 1 products might use similar components to the DL line and the delays in the DL line might be why we have not heard about new Nikon 1 products either.

There may be word on the DL shipments in a few weeks, however. And Nikon has now indicated that the Nikon 1 line will continue in some, unspecified fashion.


I shoot with both Nikon 1 and micro four thirds formats. I really like the small size and light weight of the 1″ sensor format bodies and lenses. With the J5, except for high ISOs, the 1″ line is delivering image quality essentially equal to my micro four thirds cameras.

iPhone app and 3D glasses for converting 2D video into 3D effect

Creator says they have a new secret sauce for 2D to 3D conversion, and when used on your iPhone with their glasses, will add a 3D effect to your existing 2D videos.

But of course, the obligatory 3D quote:

Remember 3D TV? It flopped. Turns out nobody wants to wear silly glasses while watching prime-time sitcoms. Who woulda thunk?

Source: These $50 Glasses Bring Anything On Your Phone To Life In 3D | Co.Design | business + design

Of course, the same author thinks VR helmets are cool but then also said that “people in VR look dorky“.

I do not understand this bias – ordinary glasses used in 3D are  called “silly” or “goggles”- yet Virtual Reality helmets are not a problem at all. If 3D died because of “silly” “goggles”, then VR is dead on arrival due to having to wear helmet headsets!

In the real world, 3D died not because of glasses but because there was almost no 3D content for consumers to watch on their new 3D TVs. But for some reason, the media perpetuate the myth about “3D goggles” halting 3D sales. (Meanwhile, cinema 3D, which also requires glasses, continues to thrive…. hmmmm.)