6Sight

INVISIBLE FLASH

The blinding glare of flash photography is a given – or is it? A newly developed “invisible flash” uses infrared and ultraviolet to light a scene unobtrusively.

Researchers at New York University modified a flashbulb to emit a wide range of light frequencies and to filter out visible light. They then removed the standard filters in the camera that prevent it from detecting IR and UV.

The resulting device takes a bright shot without blinding anyone; however, the color of the photo is off. To address the deficiency, the camera was made to automatically take two shots, the second without a flash – a dark, blurry, flash-free photograph that nonetheless correctly captures color. The two shots are combined in software for a well-lit, color accurate image.

July 20, 2009

CAMERAS AND CAMCORDERS FROM SAMSUNG

The HMX-U10 is an ultra-compact camcorder from Samsung Electronics that also captures 10-megapixel still photos. 

Samsung says its “wave design” angles the body of the camcorder at 7 degrees, “allowing users to grip the camcorder more comfortably, reducing any related stress on the wrist or arm.”

The $199 model has a fixed focal length lens. 

It records video at a 1,920-by-1,080 resolution, has a 2-inch LCD, measures 56.0-by-103.0-by-15.5mm, and weighs 95 grams.

Two other camcorders capture standard definition video, but play back upscaled video through the HDMI connector. 

Both have a 2.7-inch LCD and a 52x zoom with optical image stabilization, which “drastically enhances the ability to capture any moment … no matter how far away it may be,” Samsung says.

The SMX-K45 has a 32GB solid state drive to hold more than 20 hours of video and costs $499; the SMX-K40 requires an SDHC card and costs $329.

Samsung also debuted two new still cameras, which, of course, capture video. 

The cameras’ facial recogintion stores up to 20 preferred faces and, when taking a portrait, will recognize if one is in the frame and identify it as a priority for focus and exposure. 

The SL720 is a 12-megapixel model with a 5x optical zoom lens that starts at the equivalent of 28mm, and a 3-inch LCD. 

The $230 camera records 720p, high-definition video. 

The $150 SL502 lens starts at the equivalent of 35mm, and its LCD measures 2.7 inches diagonally.

July 20, 2009

In the Weekly Briefing July 20, 2009

6SIGHT SPOTLIGHT: Top stories this week

Invisible flash 

A new paradigm for photography publishing

DIGITAL CAMERAS

Cameras and camcorders from Samsung

Make an SLR see in the dark

MOBILE and INTERNET IMAGING

Sony Ericsson, AT&T claim best camera phone

Images emailed returned as panorama 

Mobile phone markets analyzed

Kodak online Gallery offers upgraded prints

Improving iPhone images

Free guide on mobile advertising

COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURES

ArcSoft adds video upscaling support for ATI Stream 

64-bit ImagXpress SDK 

INDUSTRY UPDATES

3Dsee makes modeling easy

Light Crafts adds to Aurora

First sale of Kodak Prosper S10 imprinting system 

Sony smoothes shakes, sees sensitively

Sony says its back-illuminated CMOS sensor captures more light than conventional sensor designs for “a dramatic 2x increase in sensitivity” that yields “phenomenal picture quality in low light with dramatically reduced picture noise” as compared with ordinary CMOS models. 

“You'll really see the difference in dimly-lit interiors and atmospheric twilight moments,” the company claims.

The chip is at the heart of the new flagships of Sony’s HD camcorder line. The $1,300 HDR-CX520V has 64GB of storage; the $1,100 HDR-CX500V has 32GB. The cameras have a 3-inch LCD, and automatic geo-tagging of clips and still images with GPS location data.

The new Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode yields wobble-free images, Sony says, for up to 10 times less camcorder shake as compared with its standard optical SteadyShot function. It has three-way shake-canceling stabilization: vertical and horizontal shake are corrected with optical image stabilization, while lateral-roll shake is fixed with electronic image stabilization.

A new “Face Touch” function takes facial detection one step further: you can select a person to be prioritized by just touching a detected face on the camcorder LCD, and it prioritizes and optimizes focus, skin color, and brightness for the selected individual, even if they leave the scene, for the entire recording session. 

Other cool features include:

• An optimal playback mode automatically converts video to 60 progressive frames per second when connected to a compatible high-definition television.

• The built-in “zoom” microphone has Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound.

• The video camera  turns on when the LCD is opened to “capture the moment without delay.”

July 13, 2009

In the Weekly Briefing July 13, 2009

6SIGHT SPOTLIGHT: The week’s top stories

Sony smooths shakes, sees sensitively

Adapting to change

DIGITAL CAMERAS

No other news this week.

MOBILE AND INTERNET IMAGING

No news this week.

COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURES

OmniVision enables automotive imaging 

INDUSTRY UPDATES

Samsung claims LCD with 5 million:1 contrast 

Multiple simultaneous filter effects

Jobo throws a curve

Canon’s compact color correction 

Topaz smooths JPEGs

1.4 MILLION FRAMES PER SECOND

Vision Research claims its new Phantom v710 is the world’s fastest CMOS-based digital camera, with a maximum recording speed of 1.4 million frames per second.

The company says its “unrivaled throughput of over 7 gigapixels-per-second” allows the camera to record at 7,530 fps at its maximum resolution of 1280-by-800. 

At 720p HD resolution, the Phantom v710 can record events at speeds of 8,360 fps, providing unmatched ultra-slow motion repla...

… It’s only at greatly reduced resolutions that the Phantom v710 can reach the 1.4 million fps mark.

Meanwhile, the Wayne, N.J.-based company says that “the evolving marketplace has placed significant budget constraints on a number of industries, making it difficult for professionals in these sectors to utilize digital high-speed video to maintain a competitive edge.” 

To fit in these lower budgets, Vision Research is selling the Phantom v210, which offers 2 gigapixel-per-second throughput with a maximum frame rate of more than 2,000 fps at full resolution. 

At reduced resolution, the Phantom v210 can record at speeds as fast as 300,000 fps. 

July 6, 2009

In the Weekly Briefing July 6, 2009

6SIGHT SPOTLIGHT: The week’s top stories

1.4 million frames per second 

DIGITAL CAMERAS

Hasselblad claims double sensor size

AgfaPhoto goes swimming

MOBILE AND INTERNET IMAGING

MyPhotoAlbum shares to Facebook

Free online image editor

COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURES

Micron, Lexar deliver faster, smaller cards

Sony to acquire Epson LCD assets

Freescale improves LCD image

Nikon partners with Fujitsu on firmware

Epson shrinks projector panels

INDUSTRY UPDATES

12 LCDs in one display

MIT MEDIA LAB RESEARCHER TO KEYNOTE 6SIGHT

A technology visionary whose leading-edge thinking is reshaping the future of imaging, Ramesh Raskar of the MIT Media Lab will keynote the 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference.

Raskar is the head of the Camera Culture research group and codirector of the Center for Future Storytelling at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He focuses on developing tools to help capture and share visual experiences. His research includes novel cameras with unusual optical elements and programmable illumination. Raskar’s team is also creating a universal platform for the sharing and consumption of visual media. 

In 2004, Raskar received the TR100 Award from Technology Review, which recognizes top young innovators under the age of 35, and in 2003, the Global Indus Technovator Award, instituted at MIT to recognize the top 20 Indian technology innovators worldwide. In 2009, he was awarded a Sloan Research Fellowship and has received four Mitsubishi Electric Invention Awards. He holds 35 U.S. patents and is currently coauthoring a book on computational photography.

Raskar is also at the forefront of developing new ways to incubate and bring to market imaging innovations through the entrepreneurial process. 

“I believe we’re on the cusp of significant technical and conceptual changes in how we view and practice imaging, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to share these thoughts and engage in a dialogue with the high-powered audience 6Sight is known for,” said Raskar.

The 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference is an executive-level affair that explores the transformative impact of recent and forthcoming imaging technologies on businesses, homes, and communities. It will be held Nov. 10-12, 2009, in Monterey, Calif.

“UNPLUG AND SHARE” – BATTERIES POWER KODAK FRAME

This sounds like a cool but simple twist on a crowded product category: rechargeable batteries in a photo frame. This way, instead of being mounted on a wall or sitting on a table, it can be passed around, “putting the frame in people’s hands so everyone can browse through pictures as they would with a photo album,” Kodak says. 

The Easyshare S730 picture frame has a 7-inch LED-backlit display with an 800-by-480-pixel resolution. 

The built-in rechargeable battery provides one hour of use – enough, Kodak says, to “bring it from shelf or table into the hands of family and friends for more intimate sharing of moments and memories. It’s a wonderful way to get your pictures back into your life.”

Also, “when users see a compelling picture in the collage, they can select that picture, touch the Picture Finder control, and the frame automatically retrieves and displays more pictures from that date,” Kodak says.

It will sell for $139 in September.

June 29, 2009

In the Weekly Briefing June 29, 2009

6SIGHT SPOTLIGHT: The week’s top stories

“Unplug and share” – batteries power Kodak frame

MIT Media Lab researcher to keynote 6Sight 

Motivate like a CEO

DIGITAL CAMERAS

Leaf now part of Phase One 

Pentax, DXG operate underwater

MOBILE and INTERNET IMAGING

Google demos computer vision research

AGGREGATE your own content with thisMoment 

COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURES

CalTech settles Sony suit

Sharp “Memory LCDs” save power

SanDisk speeds 32GB SD 

ON turns on LED phone flashes

INDUSTRY UPDATES

HP printer connects to Web content

Blurb books PDF

OLYMPUS POCKETS INTERCHANGEABLE LENS CAMERA

Olympus says it E-P1 is the smallest interchangeable lens digital camera available, and delivers the professional-quality images of a DSLR without the bulk. 

Built around the Micro Four Thirds specification, the small interchangeable lens camera does without the mirror box and optical viewfinder of an SLR. The E-P1 also lacks a flash. 

The camera has a 3.0-inch LCD with live view, a 12.3-megapixel sensor, and in-body sensor shift image stabilization that works with any lens. 

It captures 1,280-by-720 pixel video at 30 frames per second, and has stereo audio recording. 

A digital level sensor detects camera pitch and roll, and indicates it on the control panel.

The retro-styled stainless-steel camera body measures 4.7-by-2.7-by-1.4 inches, and weighs 11.8 ounces. 

It is priced at $750 (body only), or $800 with a 14-42mm lens.

June 22, 2009

LAYAR AUGMENTS REALITY

Augmented Reality combines a camera and location data to identify surroundings and overlay additional information on a camera phone screen. That’s been the theory, anyway. Now Amsterdam-based SPRXmobile will test it with what may be the first mobile Augmented Reality browser.

The company says Layar, available for Android now and for iPhone 3G S soon, lets you see houses for sale, popular bars and shops, jobs, healthcare providers, and ATMs. 

Layar works on mobile phones that include a camera, GPS, and a compass. With those sensors, it knows the location of the phone; and the compass determines in which direction the phone is facing. Relevant information is layered over the real-time display of what the camera is pointed at, and Layar “combines digital and reality to offer an augmented view of the world.”

June 22, 2009

PURE PROVIDES PROGRAM TO PUSH PERSONAL VIDEO

Pure Digital Technologies says it is “taking video sharing to a new level” with new software that lets users publicly publish video online or email private video with one click.

With “Flip Channels,” users can simply share video publicly, privately, or with groups, the company says, and provide individual “channels” for user content at FlipShare.com. The FlipShare software comes installed on the pocket video cameras. The free PC and Mac programs also have tools to save, organize, and edit videos, and then upload them to YouTube and MySpace. FlipShare can now also capture still photos from videos “using enhanced freeze-frame capabilities.”

Pure Digital is also providing a free iPhone application to view videos and snapshots on an iPhone or iPod Touch, and “access Flip Channels from anywhere.”

Since its launch in 2007, more than 2 million Flip Video camcorders have been sold and millions of videos have been shared using FlipShare software, Pure Digital says. 

Cisco acquired the company in May 2009.

June 22, 2009

In the Weekly Briefing June 22, 2009

6SIGHT SPOTLIGHT: The week’s top stories

Pure provides program to push personal video 

Layar augments reality

DIGITAL CAMERAS

Olympus pockets interchangeable lens camera 

Simpler surveillance

MOBILE and INTERNET IMAGING

Silverlight searches Photobucket 

RIM shot

Samsung smart screen

Print and post a picture card from iPhone

Logitech simplifies video conferencing

Two ways to telepresence

COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURES

OmniVision boosts low-light sensitivity

Excited sensor sees in low light

Flexible camera sensors

INDUSTRY UPDATES

Projectors a’plenty

INDEPENDENT PHOTO IMAGERS SUPPORTING 6SIGHT CONFERENCE

The nation's largest buying group for service specialty retailers urges its members to attend the 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference.

The Independent Photo Imagers "is extremely proud to be a supporter of the 6Sight conference," says Brent Bowyer, executive director of IPI. "It provides a clear view into the future of the many opportunities that are evolving in the image capture and image archiving industries. For those responsible for vision within their organization, it’s an annual event that is not to be missed."

6Sight holds its conference on Nov. 10-12, 2009, at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, Calif. 

It will feature numerous developments relevant to successful retail operations, and a special discount is being offered to IPI members.

June 15, 2009

CASIO MOVES STILL AND MOTION IMAGES

Casio says its “Dynamic Photo” function creates composite moving images using the camera’s image processing, and in the new camera, a moving subject can be cut out of a number of images and combined with a different still shot that forms the background -- and the size of the subject can be changed to suit the background image. 

The technique is featured on the new EX-H10, a 12 megapixel camera with a 3-inch display, and a 10X optical zoom lens that starts at a wide 24mm, and works with the camera’s CCD-shift image stabilization. Casio says the $299 camera can take up to 1,000 shots on a single battery charge.

June 15, 2009

RUGGED CASIO CAMPHONE

Verizon Wireless will finally offer a standout camera phone: the Exilim from Casio has a 5 megapixel camera with an *optical* 3x zoom and a 180-degree rotating display.

The company bills the phone as a “picture-perfect blend of digital camera functionality and entertainment features for the adventure seeker.”

Why “adventure?” Because it meets military specifications 810F standards for water immersion and rain, humidity, fog, shock, vibration, dust, solar radiation, altitude, and low and high temperatures. 

It will sell for $279.

June 15, 2009

In the Weekly Briefing June 15, 2009

6SIGHT SPOTLIGHT: The week’s top stories

Rugged Casio camphone

New Apple and Nokia phones

Independent Photo Imagers supporting 6Sight Conference 

Leading a business in tough times 

DIGITAL CAMERAS

Casio moves still and motion images

Fujifilm takes pics with a touch

Smallest DV camcorder; lightest HD

MOBILE and INTERNET IMAGING

Other new camera phones

Eye-Fi serves ’em Raw

Fotonauts launches wikipedia of photos

Shutterfly shares video 

Tracking Creative Commons usage

Mobile MyHeritage 

COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURES

Samsung paper plays video

Kopin shrinks display 

INDUSTRY UPDATES

Toshiba deepens blacks

Independent color adjustment

Discount prices announced: 6SIGHT AND I3A OPEN REGISTRATION

Online registration is open for both the 2009 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference and the I3A Annual Conference.

The 6Sight Conference is Nov. 10-12, and I3A is Nov. 9-10. In March, the International Imaging Industry Association announced it would colocate its annual conference at the 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference in Monterey, Calif.

I3A members receive a $245 discount for attending both their annual conference and the 6Sight conference for a rate of $1,695. The normal I3A member fees are $1,495 for the 6Sight conference and $445 for the I3A conference. 

The fee for nonmembers to attend both events is $1,950, a savings of $340.

“I3A members will benefit from our higher level of cooperation with 6Sight and PMA through our colocated conferences,” says Lisa Walker, president of I3A. “I urge everyone to take advantage of the synergies we have created as a result of sharing our events, as well as the discounts for joint registrations.”

“We are preparing an innovative program that will appeal to attendees of both events, where executives, investors, media, and analysts will explore the opportunities of technologies, such as 3D at 6Sight, and discuss the challenges of setting standards around such emerging technologies at the I3A conference,” says Joe Byrd, president and cofounder of 6Sight. “In the current economic climate, having both events colocated just makes good sense for leaders in our industry who need to work together to shape the future, while saving time, money, and travel by attending two conferences at one venue. The exciting innovation in event design should pay off for all concerned.”

GOOGLE ADDS 3D TO NAVIGATE STREET VIEW PHOTOS

Google Street View combines thousands (if not millions) of photos into continuous panoramas of major cities worldwide, but directing the display could be difficult.

Now the company has developed a new mode of navigation that “liberates you from the road arrows and gets you where you want to go in just a few clicks.”

Google programmers say they made a compact representation of the building facade and road geometry for all the Street View panoramas, using laser point clouds and differences between consecutive pictures. [That sounds like an understated way to describe a monumental undertaking!] The result, they say, “gives a sense of depth, and makes the flat image almost feel three-dimensional.”

What’s more, adds the software programmers, “not only is it an easier way to browse cities in Street View, it allows users to do superhuman things like jump from one side of a river to another to see a faraway building.”

Google also recently added user photo overlays and a full screen display to Street View.

June 8, 2009

MICROSOFT GAME SYSTEM CAMERA SEES ITS PLAYERS

Microsoft debuted its Project Natal device for camera-based controller-free gaming with the Xbox 360.

The forthcoming peripheral for the game console combines a camera, infrared depth sensor, and proprietary software to track full body movement in 3D and respond to directions, the company says. Also, a multi-array microphone picks up voice commands.

While the demo wowed many at a game conference this month, Microsoft says the device will not ship this year.

June 8, 2009

DISPLAY DOUBLES AS CAMERA

A new technique integrating OLEDs with photodetectors may revolutionize head-mounted displays.

The result is a display with eye tracking, with which users can view new content, scroll through a menu, or shift pictures – by moving their eyes, rather than using a mouse, keyboard, or other device.

Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems in Germany first developed a light-sensing chip with evenly spaced photodetectors (what we call pixels in a camera sensor). They then combined a mosaic of the photodetectors with OLEDs encapsulated in a thin polymer film.

The current version is monochrome with 320-by-240 pixel resolution. Of course, color and higher res are in the works.

June 8, 2009

In the Weekly Briefing June 8, 2009

6SIGHT SPOTLIGHT: The week’s top stories

Display doubles as camera

Developing displays demonstrated

DIGITAL CAMERAS

Microsoft game system camera sees its players

MOBILE and INTERNET IMAGING

Google adds 3D to navigate Street View photos

Samsung phone packs 12 megapixels

Google speeds up Picasa Web Albums

Blurb books 12-by-12

COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURES

Zoran improves video conversion

INDUSTRY UPDATES

Micron sells majority stake in APTINA

June 8, 2009

CONTROL VIA GESTURES

3D sensor chip maker Canesta demonstrated its “new dimension in interaction,” a display codeveloped with Hitachi and GestureTek that can be controlled with gestures instead of dials, buttons, or remotes. 

“Once a device can see reliably in three dimensions, natural interfaces that work by interpreting human behavior become possible,” Canesta says. 

The Canesta chip outputs a continuous stream of 3D frames with depth maps of the distance to resolvable features in view of the sensor.

Software interprets gestures, obstacles, faces, and individuals, depending on the application. 

Canesta says it has 50 filed and 40 granted patents, and makes “the only 3D sensor that operates from absolute darkness to bright sunlight, with complete indifference to confusing backgrounds.” 

Canesta was founded in April 1999, and is located in San Jose, Calif. 

June 1, 2009

PHOTO BOOKS BOOMING AT LIFEPICS

Boulder, Colo.-based book maker LifePics says its photo book business grew five times last year, and further growth is expected as “they provide a pleasant relief from the melancholy caused by the down economy.”

LifePics is spreading the wealth with several options retailers can directly make in-store, printing on HP Photo Centers, HP Indigo printers, Noritsu D701s, several Xerox printers, and others. 

The company also says it now offers 450 designs for custom photo books.

June 1, 2009

ANTHROPICS AUTOMATICALLY ENHANCES SKIN

Anthropics Technology claims its patent-pending ClearSkin technology automatically removes skin defects such as acne, blotchiness, roughness, wrinkles, age spots, grease, and other skin problems, “leaving the skin looking natural and well textured – no more featureless, plastic, over-airbrushed look that characterizes much skin touchup.”

The $150 Portrait Professional 9 Studio also features a built-in “knowledge base” of human beauty that makes it faster and easier to use than conventional airbrushing software. For any given face, the company says, the software creates custom controls specifically to enhance that particular face. “For example, if the face has a heavy jaw or double chin, the Portrait Professional “jaw slider” control will reduce the fatness of the jaw. On the other hand, if the jaw was rather weak or small, the slider would subtly enlarge it.” The software contains more than 100 such “intelligent” sliders.

June 1, 2009

In the Weekly Briefing June 1, 2009

6SIGHT SPOTLIGHT: The week’s top stories

Nikon meets Matrix at MTV

JVC aims LCD at SLRs

Sharp LCD reproduces real color

The Blurb on photo books

DIGITAL CAMERAS

Canon DSLR update improves video control

MOBILE and INTERNET IMAGING

Tweet your webcam

Sony satiates

HD capture on a phone

COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURES

Inkjet method makes OLED

Abrisa heats optics

INDUSTRY UPDATES 

Photo books booming at LifePics 

Anthropics automatically enhanced skin 

Control via gestures

Emulating the brain in black and white 

Zune in HD

Simpler geo-tagging from ATP

Tessera completes acquisition of Dblur