At the CP+ show in Japan, Ricoh is showing off a new camera prototype its developing that can capture full 360-degree immersive photographs with a singel push of the shutter. The omnidirectional camera looks like a cross between an electric toothbrush and a hammerhead shark. Lift it up into the air, press a button, and it will capture an image that shows every direction around you.
Lens caps are a great solution for protecting the front element of lenses when they're not in use, but can be misplaced when you take them off. On the other hand, screw-on lens filters are a great solution for protecting the lens' glass as well, but they introduce an additional layer of glass between your camera and the world. Is there a middle ground?
At the CP+ trade show in Japan, Kenko International is showing off a new product that aims to deliver the best of both worlds. It's called the Flip Cap, and is a lens cap that screws on permanently, but flips out of the way when you're using your camera.
Olympus isn't the only camera company toying around with the concept of cheap body cap lenses. At the CP+ show in Japan, Pentax took the wraps off a body cap lens of its own for its Q system line of mirrorless cameras. Officially called the "Mount Cap Lens," the accessory is a pint-sized hyper-focal lens that will reportedly produce toy-camera-style photographs.