There’s the old adage, it’s not the camera that makes the photographer, but according to a by-the-numbers study by dating site OkCupid, the nicer camera might make you look more attractive.
Based on a random “snap decision” survey hosted by the site (two juxtaposed photos with the question, “Who would you rather date?”), people tended to favor photos of people taken with Panasonic Micro-4/3s, followed by Leica point-and-shoots. DSLRs ranked pretty highly as well, followed by big-brand compacts. Certain camera phones like the iPhone ranked as slightly less, though still producing attractive photographs. Minolta DSLRs and the Nikon Coolpix fell below the attractive standard, along with most other camera phones. Kodak really takes it hard, ranking third lowest with the EasyShare next to the Windows and Motorola phones. Read more…
This contraption is essentially a glorified egg timer with a tripod screw designed to allow for easy 360 degree time lapse images. The Camalapse, designed by video gear rental and retailer Camarush, slowly rotates in a full circle. If paired with a camera’s time-lapse feature, it can allow for pretty seamless, panning 360 degree time-lapse over an hour. You can also stitch resulting time-lapse photos together to make a 360 degree panoramic.
Here’s a really great way to turn photos from a novelty camera into something of practical use — make the photos into mini magnetic dry erase boards! Photojojo has some nifty ideas and instructions for turning Polaroid or Instax prints into colorful refrigerator magnets, a perpetual photo calendar, reusable magnetic reminder notes, and more.
If you’ve got boxes of old prints and family photos you’d like to salvage from those awful sticky photo album pages, SnapHaven will scan them for free. For a limited time, the photo storage and backup service is offering free unlimited scans for customers with an active membership — though you’ll have to pay to ship your own prints.
SnapHaven is still the only dedicated photo backup and storage site. They also offer services for making prints, photo books, and other photo gift accessories.
SnapHaven originally launched last December, but has just re-launched with new membership options. Previously, the company had plans based on upload limits, but membership is now available at a yearly flat rate, starting at $49.99. Now, rather than paying more for more space, annual memberships are straightforward and include unlimited photo backup, protected by the company’s 99 year lifetime guarantee. SnapHaven also assures that even if the yearly membership is not renewed, customers can still have full access to the photos for viewing, printing, sharing, and downloading.
Nikon and NASA are showcasing some amazing photos taken aboard the International Space Station with Nikon equipment. According to Nikon, NASA took over 700,000 photos with the Nikon gear kept on board, which includes one Nikon D3S DSLR, eight Nikon D2XS cameras, 36 NIKKOR lenses including three teleconverters, seven SB-800 Speedlights, and other gear. Nikon notes that the D3S is unmodified, and is the same quality as available on the consumer market.
Nikon has a long history with NASA since sending a Nikon F camera with Apollo 15 in 1971. Since then, Nikon’s enjoyed exposure while helping NASA get image exposures. Most recently, the D3S that is currently on board was delivered to the ISS via the Space Shuttle Discovery, launched April 10, 2010. NASA says each shuttle launch costs approximately $450 million — that is one expensive delivery! Here are more images from the International Space Station taken with Nikon gear:
Someone spotted a wild version of Sony’s upcoming EVIL camera, the NEX3, at a pub in Asia recently and anonymous sent the photographs to the blog Sony Alpha Rumors. This comes just a week after an iPhone 4G prototype was found in a California bar, purchased by gadget blog Gizmodo for $5,000, dissected, and published.
The photographs show the camera (labeled NEX-3) with a 16mm f/2.8 “pancake” lens, which supposedly has image stabilization built in to make capturing video smoother. They also reveal an external flash mounted to the camera via a proprietary hot shoe system. Both this camera and its sibling, the NEX-5, are expected to have 14-megapixel Sony ExmorHD sensors, though the NEX-5 reportedly boasts HD-video capability, while the NEX-3 will be limited to 720p.
Sony’s upcoming cameras are meant to challenge the Micro Four Thirds system cameras made by Panasonic and Olympus, which also feature electronic viewfinders and interchangeable lenses (EVIL). The rumor is that Sony will be announcing these cameras officially on May 11th, and that they will be “aggressively priced” compared to Micro Four Thirds systems.
Here’s a tip for those working for companies that make gadgets: leave the prototypes and not-yet-unveiled devices at home when going to drinking establishments.
Boom shaka laka! If you’re familiar with 90s arcade games, you might recall NBA Jam, the over-the-top basketball sim. EA Sports is developing a remixed, updated version of the classic for the Nintendo Wii, to be released this fall. As a major part of their art design, the game uses real photographs of NBA players’ heads, attached to digitized bodies.
Instead of conventional animation, the developers chose to use larger scaled photos of the players’ heads which change depending on their performance and experiences.
These digital Frankensteins are a clever way to update the game’s artwork while retaining the larger-than-life, old school feel that continues to endear so many fans 17 years after the original game was released.
Images Without Borders features and sells donated images by international photographers and artists to benefit Doctors Without Borders:
Each print is offered from Images without Borders at a limit of ten before being pulled from the collection and returned to the artist. This long-term project aids Doctors without Borders in their efforts on the ground in Haiti and the world.
Prints can be purchased for $50-$100, and iPhone prints are $32.
Doctors Without Borders, which was founded by doctors and journalists, has a track record of recognizing the value of photography in spreading and supporting their international cause to provide free medical attention to countries in need.
Last year, Doctors Without Borders published a collaborative graphic novel, The Photographer, featuring the work of the late photographer Didier Lefèvre.
The book combines art with photography gives a unique narrative about the work of the organization since 1986.
Here’s a recent panel talk about The Photographer:
Can’t wait for Polaroid to make its grand comeback this year? You can use your current camera like a digital Polaroid camera with the Portable Photo Printer by Pandigital, announced at the end of last year. It uses Zero Ink (ZINK) technology for ink-less, instant 4×6 printing, and is the first ZINK printer at this print size. The ZINK paper used by the printer has dye crystals embedded inside the paper itself, and is activated by the printer using heat.
You won’t need a computer to use the printer, as the memory card slots, LCD screen, USB ports, and controls are all located on the printer itself. The printer has an MSRP of $149.99, but is usually found online bundled with paper packs for less.
The past two days have been filled with increasingly grim news following the catastrophic magnitude 7 earthquake in Haiti. If you had a chance to catch MSNBC’s coverage of the aftermath in the video above, there are some very powerful images.
Boston’s Big Picture also has some extremely moving photographs, which, without words, speak to the devastation and dire need in the small island country.
How to Help
Consider a compassionate donation to reputable charities — but a word of caution: donate DIRECTLY to charities and be wary of scams.
Red Cross: Text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross in Haiti — via phone bill.
Compassion International: $35 helps provide a relief pack filled with enough food and water to sustain a family for one week.
Samaritan’s Purse (Canada)
Update: Photographer Lane Hartwell (@lanehartwell) has created a magazine containing powerful photographs from various photojournalists have documented Haiti in the past. It’s being sold on MagCloud, and all proceeds will go to the Red Cross.
There’s the old adage, it’s not the camera that makes the photographer, but according to a by-the-numbers study by dating site OkCupid, the nicer camera might make you look more attractive.
This contraption is essentially a glorified egg timer with a tripod screw designed to allow for easy 360 degree time lapse images. The 
The humanitarian organization, 
