A new version of CYME’s Avalanche application that converts image catalogs from one software brand to another has been introduced. This latest version now allows Aperture and Lightroom users to translate their current image collections for compatibility with Skylum’s Luminar AI.
The company says that V1.3 of Avalanche will import not only the original images themselves but also all the…
Laowa Adds 11mm f/4.5 for Canon RF and 65mm f/2.8 Macro for Nikon Z
February 19, 2021
Venus Optics is continuing to add support for more mounts and today the 11mm f/4.5 FF RL (full-frame rectilinear) lens is available for Canon RF mount and the Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO is available for Nikon Z mount.
The Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL was previously…
Sigma Provides Update on Foveon Camera: ‘Back to the Drawing Board’
February 19, 2021
Sigma’s CEO Kazuto Yamaki has published an update regarding the Foveon X3 1:1:1 sensor and camera that was delayed in February of last year after the sensor it was working with could not go into mass production due to a critical flaw.
Yamaki explains that the project had…
Researchers Release Improved 3D Models Made From Tourists’ Photos
February 19, 2021
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning advancements have allowed researchers to build detailed 3D models of real-world locations by using the reference data of thousands of tourists’ photos. The finished models have cleanly removed unwanted objects and even normalized lighting conditions.
The project and associated paper are titled Neural Radiance Fields for Unconstrained Photo…
NASA’s ‘Perseverance’ Mars Rover Has Sent Back New High-Res Photos
February 19, 2021
NASA’s Perseverance has been on the surface of the Red Planet for about a day now and is already sending back images that are far superior to the original two published yesterday, including one photo of the drone midair captured from its “jetpack.”
While not…
Hands-On with the Weird Fotosnaiper Soviet Sniper Camera
February 19, 2021
Photographer Mathieu Stern was browsing a flea market when he came across a Zenit Fotosnaiper, a Soviet-era camera rig that looks and feels more like a rifle. Stern jumped at the opportunity to have a copy of his own and to go hands-on with the camera.
The Zenit Fotosnaiper…
How a 16mm Motion Picture Camera Works, Revealed by Slow Motion
February 19, 2021
In a 7-minute video uploaded by The Slo Mo Guys, host Gav shows how an old-school handheld 16mm Russian film camera works thanks to detailed footage captured at 1,000 frames per second with a Phantom Flex 4K.
After showing how film is loaded into the camera (and what film specifically this particular model camera takes), Gav demonstrates how to adjust the frame rate and shows what that looks…
How to Easily Capture High-Detail Snowflake Photos at Home
February 19, 2021
Photographing snowflakes doesn’t have to be expensive. In this short 4.5 minute video from photographer Jens Heidler on his YouTube Channel Another Perspective, he teaches you how you can replicate these larger-than-life photos with even entry-level equipment.
Heidler…
Leica introduces APO-Summicron-SL 28mm F2 L-mount lens
February 19, 2021
Leica has introduced the APO-Summicron-SL 28mm F2 ASPH lens for full-frame L-mount bodies. It features 13 elements, 6 of which are aspherical; several of the elements are of the anomalous partial dispersion type to reduce chromatic aberration.
The lens can focus as close as…
Nikon's Z6 II, Z7 II are getting 1.10 firmware update with 4K60p shooting, improved Eye AF and Blackmagic Raw
February 19, 2021
Nikon USA has announced it will release pair of firmware updates for its Z6 II and Z7 II mirrorless camera systems on February 25. The updates add, amongst bug fixes and other improvements, the ability to shoot 4K video at 60 frame per second (fps), Blackmagic Raw recording and improved Eye-AF performance.
Firmware version 1.10 for both the Z6 II and Z7 II will bring 4K UHD video recording…