Tag Archives: photo

A Fully Loaded iMac Pro Could Cost More Than $17k

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Apple logoApple has been under fire from professional-level users for some time. It’s been four years since the Cupertino-based tech giant refreshed its Mac Pro line, which may as well be a century in terms of modern computing. Many users have been wondering if Apple is abandoning the pro community for the more lucrative consumer smartphone/tablet market.

At last week’s Worldwide Developer Conference, most of Apple’s big announcements revolved around operating systems and other software updates. But there were a few hardware-related announcements, most notably, the upcoming iMac Pro. In some ways, the iMac Pro feels like a consolation prize for pro users. It’s overall a more up-to-date piece of hardware than the current Mac Pro tower. But it’s not the updated standalone upgradable CPU offering that most pro users are longing for.

Regardless of Apple’s intent in releasing a true pro-level iMac, the machine does have some decent specs at the base level. With a price tag of $4999, the iMac Pro is definitely not being aimed at typical college students or casual web surfers. And while that starting price tag might be worth it to some users, that is still the base model price. Which means it’s very likely it’ll be possible to spend much more on an iMac Pro.

Apple hasn’t released a price-based configurator yet for the iMac Pro. But one ZDNet writer decided to try and figure out just what a true tricked-out iMac Pro might cost. His conclusion: $17,324. That’s a pretty hefty price tag for a single computer. But it’d be an iMac Pro with all top-of-the line specs, which could be appealing to power users who need to do a lot of number crunching.

If you’d like to find out more about this theoretical maxed-out iMac, click the link in the paragraph above.

 

Apple Wants You to Be a Better iPhoneographer

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Apple logoPhone-based photography is really becoming an accepted way to take everything from snapshots to professional-grade photos. It wasn’t all that long ago that camera phones were shunned for their poor image quality and lack of features. But most people don’t even own point-and-shoot cameras anymore because the cameras on their smartphones are good enough to be the only cameras they need.

Apple made a serious step up in its own camera phone technology with last year’s release of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The cameras built into these phones contain the most advanced imaging hardware ever made by Apple (and some have argued, ever made for smartphones). I’m not sure if Apple is so thrilled with these cameras that they really want to make sure people know how to use them, or if they’re attempting some clever marketing to clear out old stock ahead of the release of a new iPhone later this year. Regardless, the company has released a series of short videos on YouTube to help iPhoneographers get the most out of their hardware.

This tutorial series is called How to Shoot on iPhone 7 and it contains five parts:

  • How to shoot a great portrait on iPhone 7 Plus
  • How to shoot a close-up on iPhone 7
  • How to shoot a vertical Pano on iPhone 7
  • How to shoot without a flash on iPhone 7
  • How to shoot action on iPhone 7

You can watch the entire playlist in under three minutes. These videos are quick and to the point. But they still contain plenty of that somehow-casual-but-still-well-produced vibe Apple is good at.

If you’d like to expand your skills with your iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus’s camera, this is a good place to start.

Sony Announces a9 Mirrorless DSLR Camera

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Sony a9Digital camera technology has made some real strides in recent years. It used to be that, if you wanted a good photography camera, you’d buy a high-end DSLR. If you wanted a good video camera, you’d buy a high-end dedicated video camera. But a great convergence has been happening between photo and video-capture, with many modern DSLR cams gaining the ability to take high-definition video, as well as high-resolution images.

Sony is pushing that convergence to the next level with its upcoming a9 camera:

This mechanism-free camera can deliver a-class-above performance conventional mechanical SLRs have only sought. For example, this system realizes a totally blackout-free viewfinder while conventional systems can only try to reduce blackout time. A high-speed, vibration-free, silent Anti-Distortion shutter vastly extends the range of shooting situations while a mechanical system can only aim for lower vibration and quieter shutter release sound. α9 provides continuous tracking of moving subjects for foolproof AF/AE… α9 allows its viewfinder to show not only images of the subject… but also the final image of a shot. Now, thanks to a new image sensor that superbly manages all these roles…

A few highlights of the Sony a9:

  • Full-frame stacked CMOS sensor with integral memory
  • 24.2-megapixel full-frame image sensor
  • Enhanced BIONZ X image-processing engine
  • High-speed continuous shooting at up to 20fps
  • Non-mechanical electronic shutter eliminates blackout with typical SLR mirror action
  • Light directly reaches the image sensor without mechanical interruption
  • Electronic shutter speeds up to 1/32000 sec
  • Anti-distortion electronic shutter allows silent shooting
  • Vibration-free electronic shutter that can keep the camera stable, for razor-sharp images

The Sony a9 DSLR camera body is available now for pre-order with a retail price of $4498.00.

Wolffepack Capture Is a Retractable Backpack For Photographers

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WolffePack CaptureHow many times have you been moments away from that opportunity for a perfect photo but your camera was packed safely away in a backpack pocket? By the time you removed the backpack, opened the necessary compartment, and got the camera ready, that prime photographic moment was gone. And while there are solutions available for making it easier to quickly access a camera (neck straps, etc.), those options can be a hassle. Fortunately, the developers of a new “retractable backpack” called Wolffepack Capture may have the item that’ll ensure you never miss another chance for a great photo.

Wolffepack Capture is a continuation of the company’s original award-winning Wolffepack backpack. Wolffepack was released after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Since then, fans of the original Wolffepack have been asking its makers to create a similar bag designed with photographers in mind:

Since launching Wolffepack, the original revolutionary backpack, people have told us over and over that they’d love us to apply our patented technology to a camera bag. We’ve worked with professional photographers and listened to our existing users’ suggestions, and we haven’t just come up with the ideal bag for camera access, but a fantastic backpack for everyone.

With the Wolffepack’s patented expetoSYSTEM, you can lower and bring your gear round to the front in one simple action. Get to your camera and your gear when you need it. Don’t miss a shot just because your gear is stowed away on your back and its just a bit inconvenient to get it out, all over again.

The designers of Wolffepack have once again turned to Kickstarter to raise the funds needed for the Capture backpack. They’ve already beaten their desired funding goal by $10,000 with more than a month left to go. An early bird pledge of $115.00 will get you a Wolffepack Capture at a $55 discount from the expected retail price.

 

Light’s L16 Camera Uses 16 Built-In Lenses

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light logoPhotography startup company Light recently unveiled its L16 digital camera. The L16 is about double the size of a typical smartphone but still much smaller than a standard dSLR camera. The L16 uses a series of 16 built-in lenses when it takes a photo. The lenses capture a wide range of information that result in 52 megapixel images. Having images made from so many different lenses actually allows L16 users to change aspects of the image like depth of field, focus and exposure after a photo is taken.

L16 cameras have built-in Wi-FI, making it easy to transfer photos to off-device storage. The camera runs on the Android operating system, which means it may be possible to extend its usability thru third-party apps and services. The L16 comes with an integrated 35mm-150mm optical zoom lens. It also has a five-inch touchscreen display.

The L16 is available now thru November on pre-order for $1299.00. The price jumps up to $1699.00 after that.