Technology

Stop Upscaling and Colorizing Photos and Videos, Historians Say

Colorizing and updating photos and footage from the past is becoming more common and much easier thanks to the advancements of AI. We've shared stories and images of colorized images and videos many times over the past decade, and colorists say it is designed to bring the past forward for a modern audience. However, there are some historians who believe the process is doing more harm than good.

This AI Generates Photos Using Only Text Captions as a Guide

Researchers at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2) have created a machine learning algorithm that can produce images using only text captions as its guide. The results are somewhat terrifying... but if you can look past the nightmare fuel, this creation represents an important step forward in the study of AI and imaging.

Canon Purchased a Supercomputer for ‘No-Prototype’ Product Development

According to Fujitsu, Canon Inc. has just placed an order for one of its ultra-powerful PRIMEHPC FX1000 supercomputers with the goal of turning their product development cycle into a "no-prototype" affair where things like impact, functionality, and airflow tests can be run on CAD designs instead of real products.

Twitter’s Photo Cropping Algorithm Draws Heat for Possible Racial Bias

Back in January of 2018, Twitter introduced an auto-cropping AI that detects the most interesting part of your image and crops the 'preview' photo to match. This works with everything from airplane wings to people, but as one engineer showed this weekend, it may suffer from some inherent bias.

Japan is Going to Send an 8K Camera to Mars

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has teamed up with national broadcaster NHK on a new project that is literally out of this world. As part of its Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, the agency is planning to equip a space probe with an 8K camera, giving humanity a more detailed view of the Red Planet and its moons than we've ever seen before.

This AI Can Transform Regular Footage Into Slow Motion with No Artifacts

Earlier this year, researchers from two universities and Google published a new AI-powered technique they developed called "Depth-Aware Video Frame Interpolation" or DAIN, and it's simply mind-blowing. The tech can interpolate a 30fps video all the way to 120fps or even 480fps with almost no visible artifacts.

Microsoft’s New AI ‘Authenticator’ Spots Manipulated Photos and Videos

Earlier today, Microsoft announced two new tools that will help identify manipulated photos and videos. The first is a metadata-based system, and the second is a "Video Authenticator" that will analyze photos and videos and provide a "confidence score" that tells you whether or not the media has been altered by AI.

Android 11 Will Limit Third-Party Camera Apps to Protect User Privacy

A few weeks ago, it was discovered that Android 11 would limit third-party camera apps' access, essentially "forcing" apps to use the phone's built-in camera app even if you have a different app selected as your Default. But while the limitation might seem a bit Apple-esque, Google says it's a necessary trade-off to protect users' privacy.

This AI Automatically Removes Harsh Shadows from Your Portraits

A team of computer scientists from Google, MIT, and the University of California, Berkeley have created an impressive AI-powered "shadow removal" tool that can realistically remove harsh shadows from portraits, while leaving natural shadows intact. The results are impressive.

This Model Doesn’t Exist: The New Age Of Modeling

I know it’s hard to believe, but this beautiful model has no feelings or emotions. Why? Because she’s not even real. No studio was rented, no lights setup, the entire shoot never happened. No photos were taken.

This AI Creates Detailed 3D Renderings from Thousands of Tourist Photos

A team of researchers at Google have come up with a technique that can combine thousands of tourist photos into detailed 3D renderings that take you inside a scene... even if the original photos used vary wildly in terms of lighting or include other problematic elements like people or cars.

The Business of Deepfakes, Cheapfakes, and Misleading Manipulated Media

Some speculate that overall fake news could cost the economy $39 billion a year. Quite a market to grab for a savvy tech startup, even at 1%! But while fake news and in particular deep fakes have been accused of wreaking havoc on minds and economy, there is surprisingly only a minimal amount of companies offering tools to combat them.

This Video Explains Exactly How Lens IS and IBIS Work in Modern Cameras

Most photographers know the basics of lens-based image stabilization (Lens IS) and in-body image stabilization (IBIS), but if you've ever wanted a technical deep-dive that explains exactly how these systems work to generate 4, 5, or even 7 stops of stabilization, this video from Imaging Resource is here to answer that call.

Intel Unveils Thunderbolt 4 with Better Baseline Features, Same Top Speed

It's a good week for specifications. Yesterday, we got the new H.266/VVC video codec; today, Intel unveiled Thunderbolt 4: an updated spec that features the same 40Gb/s top speed, but increases the baseline spec so that users get a more consistent (and consistently fast) experience no matter what Thunderbolt-equipped computer or peripheral they're using.

H.266 Codec Unveiled: Same Quality, Half the File Size

Fraunhofer HHI, the company behind the H.264 and H.265 video codecs, has just unveiled its latest creation: the aptly-named H.266. Just as the world has finally gotten around to adopting HEVC/H.265, we get a newer version that will offer the same quality at about half the file size.

Fujifilm is Working on a Massive 400TB Archival Storage Drive

Leaps in storage capacity are pretty common these days. However, the biggest jump in archival media storage won't come from spinning disks or solid state drives—Fujifilm is currently working on cramming an incredible 400TB worth of of capacity onto a single magnetic tape drive.

Olympus Patents ‘High-Performance’ Drone Camera

A patent recently that was recently unearthed purports to show a high-end drone camera that Olympus has been working on. PetaPixel has obtained the full patent application, which describes a camera system that would feature a high-end zoom lens and high-performance sensor.

A Deep Dive on JPEG Quality and What Export Settings You Should Use

Photographer Jamie Gillies recently went down the deep, dark rabbit hole known as "JPEG quality." Now that he's emerged on the other side, he's sharing the knowledge that h'se gained so that you too can understand how JPEG quality works, and what export settings to use for the best possible results.

Apple May Reveal Plans to Ditch Intel Later This Month: Report

According to a report in Bloomberg, Apple is about to drop a bombshell at WWDC later this month. After years of speculation, the company is finally ready to reveal its plans to ditch Intel and start using its own ARM-based CPUs in future Mac computers.

How to Use the Underrated FTP Transfer Feature on Sony Cameras

The FTP transfer feature in the Sony α7 Mark III (and other newer Alpha models) doesn't usually get a lot of attention. Sure, with all the modern technologies and apps, it's easy to overlook this humble feature. But when it comes to transferring RAW and JPEG files, FTP can really hold its own.

How an Aerial Mapping Company Uses Four Sony a7R IVs

AerialSphere is a Phoenix-based aerial mapping company that provides 360 degree imaging built for 3D software. “Our mission is to take the blinders off traditional mapping technology and allow our clients to see the world in 360° clarity.”

The OnePlus 8 Pro’s Infrared Camera Can See Through Plastic and More

The new OnePlus 8 Pro is a great Android phone for lots of reasons. It's got a 120Hz display, Snapdragon 865, and a quad-camera system with not one, but two 48MP Sony sensors inside. But that's not why it's making headlines. It's making headlines because of its 5MP infrared camera, which can actually see through some materials.

Incredible Game Engine Demo Blurs the Line Between CGI and Reality

Earlier today, Epic Games released a "first look" at the Unreal Engine 5 video game engine, and the results are mind-blowing. Using a gameplay demo running on a Playstation 5, they showcase an environment that is so close to photorealistic that it's often hard to tell the difference.