Earlier this week, Sony announced its new Xperia ZR waterproof smartphone that can double as an everyday underwater camera. After we reported on the story, we were contacted by reader Jeffery Richt, who shot the marketing photographs for Sony. The video above is a behind-the-scenes video showing how the underwater shoot went down.
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The iPhone has evolved in leaps and bounds since the smartphone first burst onto the scene in 2007, and one of the most impressive ways it has evolved is in its capability to take pictures. In the original iPhone, a camera was something of an afterthought; the current model has entire commercials dedicated to the camera.
But knowing intuitively that the camera has improved exponentially is a far sight from seeing it with your own eyes. And so, just like they did in 2011, the folks behind the popular iPhone app Camera+ got every model of the iPhone together took a set of comparison shots for your perusing pleasure. Read more…
Waterproofing is one specialization that compact cameras have had that smartphones (and their cameras) haven’t, but that’s about to change. Sony has launched a new phone called the Xperia ZR that will help smartphones further erode the point-and-shoot market by opening the door to underwater smartphone photography.
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Last Friday, Nokia launched its new Lumia 928 smartphone that has a strong emphasis on photography. The device features PureView technology, optical image stabilization, a Carl Zeiss lens, and a xenon flash.
It was exciting news for photo-lovin’ Nokia fans, but sit tight: there’s more to come. Nokia will reportedly have a major launch event tomorrow to unveil a phone that has some serious photography chops.
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The Samsung Galaxy S4 hasn’t even made it into the hands of everyone who wants it, and yet there’s already a rumor going around that the company is working on a different version geared more towards smartphone photographers with an eye for quality. Read more…
CyanogenMod is sort of like Magic Lantern for Android phones. It’s an open source, replacement firmware option for people who want to get more out of certain Android devices. And the most recent update targets the photographic community — in a hands-free sort of way. Read more…
Lytro is seeing more and more competition these days, as more and more companies are jumping into the “snap now, focus later” game. There are now apps that mimic the technology, and companies like Toshiba are working on building Lytro-style smartphone camera modules.
Lytro’s latest challenger may be quite a formidable foe: it appears that Nokia has invested in Pelican Imaging, another startup that’s working on building Lytro-style smartphone camera arrays.
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Earlier today, brothers-in-law Daniel Fujikake and Mac Nguyen of HI Resolution Enterprises announced a new product for the photography enthusiast community that they’re trying to get some help funding. Launched via Kickstarter campaign, the Snapzoom is a universal adapter that can attach a slew of optical scopes (i.e. binoculars, telescopes, etc.) to your smartphone in lieu of a telephoto lens. Read more…
Photographer and software developer Kostas Rutkauskas has launched a new mobile app called Helmut. Designed for Android, it’s a film scanning app that lets you digitize your old film strips quickly and on the cheap.
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Apple’s next iPhone release may come with enticing upgrades to the phone’s camera, including a 12-megapixel sensor, improved low-light capabilities, and HDR photography.
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