Category Archives: Cameras

Business, Cameras, Software, Still photography, Technical

Open Platform Community cameras from Olympus

Open Platform Community cameras from Olympus.

It’s an interactive initiative for users of Olympus’ new open platform cameras.

Anyone can hack, share, and join in on the fun. So come and share your experiences and photos taken using these revolutionary cameras.

I do not know much about this – yet – but am hoping it is what I think it is! This could be big – think of what independent software has done for the iPhone or Android or Windows platforms. Software created a massive ecosystem of features and accessories.

Two years ago, I spoke to every camera company except Olympus (could not reach them during their financial mess) about doing something like this. And then boom- Olympus steps forth! Good for them!

3D, 3D Tech, Cameras

Olympus E-M1 firmware update will add “keystoning” feature

“Keystoning” refers to the distortion that occurs when the camera sensor is not in the same plane alignment with the subject and is very noticeable when, say, pointing your camera upwards at a building or big ship.

According to this rumor, a firmware update to the Olympus E-M1 will provide a software feature in camera to correct for this distortion: (FT4) E-M1 firmware update will add “keystoning” feature. | 43 Rumors.

Keystoning also occurs when shooting 3D and using toe in on the left and right cameras to position the primary subject at the viewing plane. Some 3D photographers choose to shoot 3D using cameras that are strictly parallel in their forward view, while others toe in the camera slightly (I believe director James Cameron does this in his films). The non-parallel view is helpful for alignment but can create keystone effects in the image. These keystone effects can be corrected during editing (e.g. Sony Vegas and Movie Studio include features for this) by warping the original (but keystone distorted) image back to normal.

Which leads to a question: would this firmware upgrade enable toe-in of a paired E-M1 cameras with in-camera keystone conversion for 3D application?

Who knows!

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Cameras

2015 Mobile phones to feature 4K video support and massive megapixel imaging

Suspect many phones will be shooting 4K video as well as the new Qualcomm smart phone chipset features 4K video encoding and decoding:

2015 will see handsets with 4K displays and 55MP cameras. It’s going to be EPIC.

via Snapdragon 810 & 810: 4K Displays, 55MP Cameras & 64-Bit Android | Know Your Mobile.

Android L is a future release of the Android OS and it will move Android from a 32-bit OS to a 64-bit OS. This means too that future phones will feature much more memory and higher performance processors.