When was the last time you carried around a 2nd device for taking pictures? No need! Phones now come equipped with cameras. With all these advances in camera phone technology, point and shoots just aren’t as important as they used to be. There is still lots of room for innovation in mobile phone cameras. Here are two recent innovations.
Turning a camera phone into a microscope article tells that researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre in Finland have developed an optical plastic lens accessory that can turn an ordinary camera phone into a microscope with a resolution between 6-10 microns. A new Finnish start-up called KeepLoop (Tampere, Finland) is already exploring the commercial potential of the invention (first products expected this spring).
Nokia announces camera phone with 41 megapixel sensor. Nokia has history of making best camera phones. Video and movie shooting with a smartphone tells how N8 phone has been used to shoot full lenght movie. Now Nokia has made a nice successor to N8. Nokia recently announced 808 PureView: Belle OS, 4-inch display and 41-megapixel camera. It has a sensor resolution of over 41-megapixels when shooting stills — or 34-megapixels for 16:9 images. One of the key advantages is it lets you zoom in three or four times in either photos or video and still have a sharp image with many megapixels resolution. Nokia said it can create a better five-megapixel image by using the data in the seven extra pixels to inform which single pixel it uses. It’s not about the amount of the pixels, it’s what you do with them.
Nokia 808 PureView – How good can a pixel be? video is a look at the technology involved and some sample shots taken with Nokia’s freshly minted 808 PureView imaging powerhouse .
If it were easy to put a decent zoom lens in a camera phone, Nokia might never have come up with its biggest breakthrough in mobile phone imaging in years. It has been difficult it is to achieve good optical zoom performance in smartphones. The lens must be very tiny to fit inside phone, so lenses lets very little light in and their structure is very complex and hard to manufacture.
Nokia 808 PureView ushers in a revolution in smartphone imaging: The Nokia 808 PureView features a large, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology. The Inside Story of Nokia’s 41-Megapixel Camera Phone: Five Years in the Making article tells the the development team inside Nokia had been working on the technology in secret for the last five years. “We were aware that it is possible to do zooming by very high resolution image sensor, but the idea of putting such a large and high resolution image sensor into a smartphone felt completely crazy,” Alakarhu said. “That was five years ago, and I guess it still feels like that.” One of the key advantages is it lets you zoom in three or four times in either photos or video and still have a sharp image. Finnish articles Zoomissa miehet Nokia Pure View –teknologian takana and Nämä miehet – Eero ja Juha – Nokian kamerahirviön takana give some more details on the invention and men behind the invention.
Nokia 808 PureView’s primary selling point: it’s a phone for camera enthusiasts. In many ways, Nokia’s phone more closely rivals a point-and-shoot camera in size than a smartphone. Let’s say bye to point and shooting cameras! Expectations of the future sales price of this camera-phone will be 450 euros (without taxes).
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Tomi says:
Nokia PureView Lumia Windows Phone Device Images Leaked ??
http://wmpoweruser.com/nokia-pureview-lumia-windows-phone-device-images-leaked/
Some pictures have leaked in China of what is said to be a Nokia Lumia running Windows Phone 8 and sporting Nokia’s 41 megapixel Pureview technology.
The handset features a very unusual curved designed, including a curved screen and of course very bold colours.
Mobile.it168.com noted because of the very unusual appearance of the handset a conceptual design instead of a development project can not be ruled out.
New camera technologies: Light field photos « Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog says:
[...] for taking pictures? No need! Phones now come equipped with megapixel cameras. It’s all these advances in camera phone technology, point and shoot cameras just aren’t as important as they used to be. Nokia has been the [...]
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia’s 41Mp cameraphone shoots towards retail
http://www.reghardware.com/2012/05/02/nokia_41mp_camera_phone_pureview_shoots_towards_retail/
Nokia focused attention on its PureView range this morning and announced that the first of its 41Mp cameraphones will shoot onto shelves this month.
Announced at Mobile World Congress 2012 in February 2012, the Nokia 808 PureView features a large 41Mp sensor with Carl Zeiss optics and a new pixel oversampling technology.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia 808 PureView: new pics and initial availability
http://conversations.nokia.com/2012/05/02/nokia-808-pureview-new-pics-and-initial-availabillity/
The Nokia 808 PureView uses a large, high-resolution 41-megapixel sensor with high-performance Car Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology to create stunning photos that have never before been possible on a smartphone.
Plus, The Nokia 808 PureView also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world’s first use of Nokia Rich Recording which enables audio recording at CD-like levels. Previously, this has only ever been achievable with external microphones
Also announced today, Nokia and Carl Zeiss have agreed to continue their exclusive partnership, a collaboration that has resulted in a whole series of best-in-class cameras on Nokia smartphones.
“Carl Zeiss was a crucial partner in the creation of the first PureView experience,” said Jo Harlow, executive vice president of Nokia Smart Devices. “The benefits of our ongoing collaboration will be more PureView innovation and further advancements in smartphone imaging in the coming months and years.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Instagram Passes 50 Million Users, Adds 5 Million a Week
http://mashable.com/2012/04/30/instagram-50-million-users/
So maybe that $1 billion it cost Facebook to buy Instagram was a bargain after all.
The photo-sharing app is on fire. It now has more than 50 million users — and is adding new ones at the rate of roughly 5 million per week, according to its API.
Of course, the fact that the app was recently released for Android — after being iPhone-only for its first two years — is likely driving a lot of those sign-ups. But Instagram also hit number one in the iOS App store for the first time in the wake of the Facebook acquisition.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Camera megapixels: Why more isn’t always better (Smartphones Unlocked)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57423240-94/camera-megapixels-why-more-isnt-always-better-smartphones-unlocked/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title
It’s time to forget megapixels as the measure of smartphone camera performance and pick a new yardstick.
Despite the fact that 8 megapixels is pretty standard for a high-end smartphone camera these days, one CNET reader described the Samsung Galaxy S III’s camera as “so last year.”
Rumors of a 12-megapixel camera leading up to the announcement were partly to blame. It’s no wonder that some felt that a perfectly good 8-megapixel spec was taking a step back, especially with the 16-megapixel shooter on the HTC Titan II out in the wild, and Nokia’s 41-megapixel 808 PureView, a Mobile World Congress stunner.
It isn’t that 5-megapixel cameras can’t be good, even better than phones with an 8-megapixel count lens; or that we’re due for another bump along the megapixel scale. It’s that to many shoppers, 5 megapixels just doesn’t sound as good as 8, even if the camera produces terrific, knock-your-socks-off shots. And well, if 8 is good, then 12 is better.
The dirty secret lurking behind today’s 8-megapixel yard stick for high-end status (and what any photography nut will tell you) is that the megapixel number alone is a poor way to predict photographic performance.
Most budding and professional photographers will tell you that the most important ingredient in the optical system is the sensor, because that’s that’s the part that captures the light. The sensor is essentially the “film” material of a digital camera.
The size of the image sensor is important, and generally, the larger the sensor, the larger your pixels, and the larger the pixels, the more light you can collect. The more light you can catch, the better the image.
You can start to see that cramming more pixels onto a sensor may not be the best way to increase pixel resolution.
“They would make the pixel sizes smaller [to fit in more pixels],” Erensen told me over the phone, “But keep the image sensor the same.” Erensen similarly used the water analogy, this time swapping “buckets” for “wells.”
The relationship between the number of pixels and the physical size of the sensor is why some 5-megapixel cameras can outperform some 8-megapixel cameras, and why we may not see, or want, a 12-megapixel camera on a smartphone.
HTC’s Bjorn Kilburn, vice president of portfolio strategy, did share that the pixel size on the 16-megapixel Titan II measures 1.12 microns whereas it measures 1.4 microns on the One X’s 8-megapixel camera. CNET’s Josh Goldman points out that this is a small pixel size
Nokia’s story behind its 808 PureView smartphone is really interesting.
As CNET’s Goldman has pointed out, this is an unusually large sensor for a smartphone, and it’s also larger than sensors found on the vast majority of point-and-shoot cameras.
In addition to the size and quality of the lens and sensor, there’s also the image processor. Most modern high-end smartphone CPUs have dedicated graphics processors built into their chip, which, being hardware-accelerated and not just software-dependent, can quickly render images like photos, videos, and games without overtaxing the main application processor.
Algorithms and other logic are what create the final image output on the phone’s screen. This where the most subjective element of photography comes in — how your eye interprets the quality of color, the photo’s sharpness, and so on.
There’s much more to know about the competing technology that goes into sensors, but backside-illuminated sensors are starting to be used much more in smartphones. This type of sensor is often synonymous with better low-light performance because it increases photosensitivity. However, if you shoot in bright light, it can also blow out your image.
While the total cost of a camera module is only one part of the total cost, Gartner analyst Jon Erensen said that high-end parts could double the price of a basic camera set, and thought that parts could cost $15 per phone. The smartphone makers I contacted for this article, like Samsung and Nokia, wouldn’t share sourcing or pricing information.
Usability is king
While trekking with 22 pounds of gear on his back — including a high-quality DSLR — Alakarhu repeatedly reached for the Nokia 808 PureView he kept in his pocket. Although he considers himself an amateur photographer who will put in the time to frame a great shot, Alakarhu said he found himself using the PureView more because of its easy availability and quick start time when he didn’t want to take the time to set up a more involved shot on his digital camera.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why the iPhone 4 takes good low-light photos: BSI CMOS sensors explained!
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20030382-1.html
Backside-illuminated CMOS sensors can be found in everything from the Apple iPhone 4 and HTC Evo 4G to camcorders and point-and-shoots. Here’s why you want one–and why you don’t.
Apple and HTC were the first to put this sensor type in mobile devices, but they’ve been popping up in digital still cameras and camcorders since Sony rolled out its HDR-XR500V and HDR-XR520V camcorders featuring the company’s own Exmor R sensor in February 2009.
Just about all of the major camera manufacturers have models that use BSI CMOS sensors now
What makes a BSI CMOS sensor better than a conventional CMOS sensor?
The simple answer is that the design makes it easier for light to reach the photo diodes on the sensor. In a regular, front-illuminated (FI) CMOS sensor the light has to travel through metal wiring and circuit elements before it hits the photo diodes, what’s labeled as “light-receiving surface” in the illustration above. In a BSI CMOS sensor, the wiring is moved behind the light-receiving surface. Doing this makes the sensor more light-sensitive. The more sensitive it is, the less light is needed to get a properly exposed photo and the less noise is created.
My compact camera has a CCD sensor in it. Is a BSI CMOS sensor better?
CCD (charge-coupled device) sensors are typically used in compact cameras because there’s nothing obstructing the light and keeping it from hitting the photo diodes. That means even at smaller sizes, CCDs are more sensitive than FI CMOS sensors. BSI CMOS sensors solve that problem, though, by moving the obstructions. Add in the fact that CMOS sensors–regardless of type–offer faster performance than CCDs as well as better battery life and heat dissipation, and you can see why BSI CMOS sensors are a popular choice.
If BSI CMOS sensors are so great, then why aren’t they in all cameras?
If you’re talking about smartphones and point-and-shoots, it’s because the sensors are still somewhat expensive to make.
OK, so they add to the cost. Any other issues?
That sort of depends on what lighting conditions you regularly shoot in. In our testing, we’ve noticed that shooting in full sunlight can make photos look washed out or slightly overexposed. Some we’ve tested seem to correct for this by adjusting exposure, but that in turn makes colors look darker. If you do all of your shooting in full sun, you may prefer a camera that uses a CCD sensor. Again, the benefits of having a BSI CMOS sensor are the increased sensitivity and lower image noise. This means they typically perform best outside in partial sun or cloudy conditions and indoors/low-light situations.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IEEE preps cameraphone image-quality test
http://www.edn.com/article/521715-IEEE_preps_cameraphone_image_quality_test.php?cid=EDNToday_20120507
The IEEE aims to release within two years a test suite to help consumers assess the picture quality of cellphone cameras. The suite will consist of a variety of metrics, probably simplified to a single score.
The CPIQ (Camera Phone Image Quality) effort, now IEEE P1858, started in 2007 as a project at the I3A (International Imaging Industry Association). The IEEE acquired the project and related assets from I3A and officially re-launched the project in March.
To date, the I3A identified fundamental attributes for a test suite, as well as existing standards related to them. The P1858 aims to define methods for measuring and communicating those features to consumers.
The image attributes the group aims to measure may include depth of field, glare, color consistency and white balance, said an IEEE spokesman. “The group wants to create something like a five-star rating system to let people know what quality a camera phone can deliver—they want to make it real simple for consumers,” he said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hands on with Nokia’s 808 41Mp camphone
http://www.reghardware.com/2012/05/28/hands_on_nokia_lumia_610_and_nokia_808_41mp_camphone/
With Leila Martine, Microsoft’s Windows Phone director taking part in the presentation, Nokia’s mention of the Symbian 3 powered 808 seemed just a little embarrassing for the WinPho love-fest – like having an ex-girlfriend attend your first wedding anniversary. Still, even though the message from all assembled was to “differentiate us from within the Windows ecosystem” as Conor Pierce VP, Nokia West Europe put it, evidently, Nokia is still free to differentiate with its platform choices too.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia confirms PureView is coming to future Lumia Windows Phones
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/12/3080334/nokia-lumia-pureview-windows-phones-chris-webber
Nokia’s PureView technology, first revealed in the company’s Symbian 808 PureView handset, will arrive on future Lumia Windows Phones. The company previously hinted that other platforms would benefit from its 41-megapixel camera sensor, but Nokia’s Chris Webber says “you can expect we’ll be bringing PureView technologies to the Windows Phone platform in future Lumia devices.”
Speaking to HowardForums, Webber doesn’t say when PureView Lumia devices will arrive, but he reveals Nokia is working with Microsoft “to make sure their platform supports the broad set of things we want to do with PureView imaging.” Nokia is “absolutely committed” to bringing PureView to Windows Phone, says Webber.
chip on board pcb says:
People think we make 3 million and 4 million a year. They don’t realize that most of us only make 5000
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia announced trade to acquire technology and patents from Swedish Scalado company. Scalado is a mobile phone camera technology manufacturing company that has been working with Nokia for years.
Nokia says its intention the camera in Lumia phones.
Camera technology has traditionally been one of Nokia’s strengths.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/lumioihin+paremmat+kamerat/a816622
Nokia: We do not intend to share our camera technology with competitors
Nokia just announced some improvements to camera technologies in Lumia phones.
The company says its attachment just acquired Scalado ‘s technology, developed and does not intend to license it to competitors.
The company last week acquired the ownership of the camera technology from Swedish Scaladon.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/msareena/msuutiset/kaikkiareenauutiset/nokia+emme+aio+jakaa+kameratekniikkaamme+kilpailijoiden+kanssa/a818349?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-21062012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia 808 PureView review
A camera that can make phone calls — or something more?
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/25/3113460/nokia-808-pureview-review
And yet, the one standout feature on the 808 PureView is so vastly ahead of anything we’ve seen before as to almost drown out the software complaints.
Not only does this phone have the best image quality at 5 megapixels, it can even produce good results at 38 megapixels. You won’t understand the thrill of exploring such enormously detailed pictures until you’ve tried it out for yourself. For my part, I can say that the 808 PureView delighted and surprised me in a way that I’ve not enjoyed since the time I moved from a 17-inch SXGA monitor to a 22-inch 1080p panel. The technological leap here is nothing short of exhilarating.
Even as it reaches terminal velocity in its descent from the cellphone market mountaintop, Nokia retains its signature ability to produce truly iconic devices. The 808 PureView raises the bar for cameraphones, but comes with a great many flaws as well, with the end result being a mediocre product. Still, it’s one that we’re unlikely to forget for years to come.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia 808 PureView Sim only as networks turn their backs on it
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/46293/nokia-808-pureview-sim-only-as-networks-say-no
It may have a camera that can blow the competition out of the water, but the Nokia 808 PureView is struggling to find much love from UK operators, with consumers wanting to get hold of the device having to buy the phone Sim free.
All four of the UK’s major networks, Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2, have told Pocket-lint that they won’t be stocking the device, as has Virgin Media though reasons for the snub were not given.
Some are speculating that it’s to do with Nokia’s decision to load the 41-megapixel sensor toting handset with the Symbian Belle operating system, an OS many feel is past its sell-by date, rather than Windows Phone or even Android.
Nokia has already hinted that PureView technology will be available on future smartphones, including those running on Windows Phones, so perhaps we can expect a bit more operator love with those.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Camera Cell phones are not turned the decline in sales of traditional cameras. Electronics wholesalers of SLR sales will continue to grow. Instead pocket cameras consumption is stagnating.
Mobile phone manufacturers have launched with enhanced camera-equipped mobile phones. Peak is presented in the spring of Nokia PureView-808 model, which is as much as 41 mega-pixel camera.
PureView costs the same as the average SLR cameras.
Low-end mobile phones have cameras that are much lower in quality. These are insufficient for quality and value-conscious high-tech consumers.
If the images are printed or taken in challenging lighting conditions, the traditional SLR cameras or pocket cameras give you better pictures than average mobile phone camera.
Source: http://www.iltalehti.fi/digi/2012081315948239_du.shtml
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia PureView was awarded the prestigious EISA Award
European Imaging and Sound Association has divided the 2012 EISA Awards for the best in Europe for sales of consumer electronics products.
Nokia was awarded PureView technology which mobile filming a special honorable mention. So far, technology has been in use for a Nokia 808 PureView model, but apparently also coming to the company’s Windows Phone models.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/nokian+pureview+sai+arvostetun+eisapalkinnon/a829224?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-15082012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Some technologies from smartphones seems to be going to camera manufacturers according to this news:
Nikon’s Coolpix S800c: an Android-powered point-and-shoot camera for $350
http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/22/nikon-coolpix-s800c-android-camera-pricing-ship-date-details/
It’s here: the first Android-powered camera, and it’s one that you’d actually consider buying. Nikon’s $349.95 Coolpix S800c is nearly as slim as a smartphone from the middle of last decade, boasting inbuilt GPS (you know, for excessive geotagging), a 10x optical zoom lens, 16 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 3.5-inch OLED WVGA touchscreen, a 1080p movie capture mode and Android 2.3.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://twitter.com/nokia/status/237797745484759040
Wohoo! Our Nokia 808 #PureView wins European Mobile Photo Achievement 2012-2013 award from EISA: http://nokia.ly/OTARDZ
NokiaVerified @nokia
@Zarniw0Op Just keep your eyes and ears open in the next coming weeks….
Tomi Engdahl says:
6 Tips For Shooting Magazine-Worthy Fashion On Your iPhone [Feature]
http://www.cultofmac.com/185829/6-tips-for-shooting-magazine-worthy-fashion-on-your-iphone-feature/
1. Test your equipment.
2. It’s the work, not the gear.
3. Scout your locations and backgrounds.
4. Find light that works with your tools. Light is everything for photography even more so when you’re shooting with your iPhone.
5. Do something crazy
6. Be mindful of motion.
And take a lot of photos. It’s not like you’re going to run out of film.
Tomi says:
Instacube, the Digital Photo Frame for Instagram
http://www.wired.com/design/2012/08/instacube/
Instaprint took Instagram old school, offering Polaroid-like prints from your feed. Instacube brings it back into the digital age, displaying your feed in real time on an updated digital photo frame.
Created by Design to Matter and launched today on Kickstarter, it’s got all the basics — wireless, touchscreen, flash memory — packaged up to look like the app.
“This is why we wanted to do a project on Kickstarter, since we have all of these disciplines in house,” says Whaley. “We really believe we’re the perfect team to do this kind of project, because we can execute.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smartphones with cameras, image quality Nokia jumped Pureview technology with great leap forward.
Nokia 808-model Pureview-camera device is 11.5 millimeters thick. It makes the Nokia 808 smartphone chubby.
Research director Carolina Milanesi from research firm Gatrner believes that not all Nokia 808 Pureview-camera features are found in Windows 8 phones.
Nokia Alakarhu does not confirm this. However, he says that the sensor may be more smaller. This allows the camera would take up less space and be less expensive to manufacture.
Source: http://www.3t.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/talous/tuleeko_tama_huippuominaisuus_nokian_windows_8_puhelimiin
Tomi Engdahl says:
My Camera is an Android
http://www.startapp.com/my-camera-is-an-android/
And not just any Android. It is a Gingerbread Android. We have very exciting news to all photography and Android fans out there!
Earlier this week Nikon revealed the first Android-powered point-and-shoot camera – the COOLPIX S800s.
The S800c allows easy sharing of photos and videos through social networks (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc) via a built in Wi-Fi connection.
Watch out Nikon, your camera has rounded corners and a large screen. Apple will be after you soon.
Tomi Engdahl says:
WU-1a: Nikon DSLR remote control via Android, iPhone coming
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/45338/android-remote-control-nikon-dslr
The launch of the new Nikon D3200 brings with it the chance to control your new DSLR camera using your Android smartphone.
To do so you’ll have to opt for the WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter, a £59.99 accessory that will connect to the port on the side of the camera.
Using a dedicated app, called the Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility, you’ll be able to connect your phone and your camera, so you can transfer photos to your device and share them through social networks like Facebook, or email them out.
The aim is to make it easy to share high-quality photos from your DSLR, rather than snapping a lesser photo on your phone for sharing instantly. Although, technically, you could use Eye-Fi with similar results, the Nikon accessory is not dependent on an external Wi-Fi network. Power comes from the main camera battery.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung announces EK-GC100 Galaxy Camera with Android Jelly Bean, massive 4.8-inch display, 21x zoom, WiFi and 4G connectivity (hands-on)
http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/29/samsung-ek-gc100-galaxy-camera-hands-on/
The electronics maker’s existing mirrorless and point-and-shoot lineups were the primary topic of discussion, but we did catch wind of a Galaxy product possibly to come, from the camera division. A Galaxy camera? That could only mean Android, and a heavy heaping of touch and connectivity. At the time, reps admitted only that they were “considering” such a device,
Nikon beat Samsung out the door with its Coolpix S800c — a 16-megapixel snapper powered by Android 2.3.3, but this latest version is an entirely different beast. The entire back of the camera is occupied by an edge-to-edge 4.8-inch 1,280 x 720-pixel (308 ppi) display. It looks like something you’d find on a cellphone, like, say, the Galaxy Note — having a touch-enabled viewfinder on a compact camera is certainly advantageous. There are still a few hardware buttons on board, including a flash release (there’s a pop-up strobe in the top right corner), a power button, zoom toggle and shutter release, but you’ll spend most of your time interacting with the Galaxy Camera through touch.
During its IFA press event today, Samsung confirmed additional specs, including a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and sensitivity through ISO 3200.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pureview-camera to give a big competitive advantage for Nokia, if it is able to make this feature an attractive price of Windows phones.
It is still unknown what kind of camera is Nokia’s upcoming Windows Phone 8 phones. Friday 3T Journal of experts called for the Pureview camera would be brought as early as the beginning of September in New York, has been made public to the new phones.
However, they estimate that Nokia may bring Pureview’stä a “light” version. Nokia 808′s 41 mega-pixel camera device is 11.5 millimeters thick. That’s why the phone is quite thick.
Nokia may still be under pressure to make a smaller and cheaper version, perhaps the 20-megapixel sensor. Even then, the end result could be a further four or five mega-pixel images, the image processor has optimized the large number of image information, the best pixels.
Source: http://www.3t.fi/artikkeli/blogit/tero_lehto/nokian_pureview_kamera_yllatti
Tomi Engdahl says:
TNW Pick of the Day: This iOS app lets you snap self-portraits by winking
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2012/09/03/wink-camera/
Wink Camera is a wink-controlled camera app for iOS – it’s as simple as that. You wink (assuming the lighting is good) and your photo is taken from the front-facing camera on your mobile device.
What does this mean? Well, no more reaching for the camera or + button. Whilst the app, in its current form, is aimed at people who like taking self portraits – perhaps those who update their profile pictures a lot – I can’t help but feel this app’s main raison d’être is as a show of technology.
If you agree that this feels like a show of technology, then it’s worth noting that Wink Camera is the first in a number of eye-controlled apps from Fixational. They’re working on a wink-controlled eReader app that enables the user to change pages while holding their iPad in both hands. This will cater for users with physical disabilities and motor skills disorders – so, the implications of Fixational’s tech hold far more potential than at first seems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Exclusive: Nokia Lumia 920 to include wireless charging, 32GB storage, and 8-megapixel camera
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/3/3286656/nokia-lumia-920-wireless-charging-specs-camera-pureview
One rumored aspect of the Lumia 920 is a PureView camera. We can confirm that Nokia will indeed brand its Lumia 920 camera as PureView, but that the camera will be an 8-megapixel one — not the 41-megapixel one found on the company’s 808 PureView handset.
Nokia is focusing on marketing the Lumia 920 as PureView thanks to some advancements in image stabilization and camera software that it plans to ship on the device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Review: Perfectly Clear for Android
http://www.thephoblographer.com/2012/08/24/review-perfectly-clear-for-android/
Perfectly Clear allow you to take an image and use various parameters to try to improve it. Many of the enhancements come standard to the app, but others need to be purchased in a business model almost synonymous to Hipstamatic’s.
Perfectly Clear will then try to work on it automatically and give you the options of making according edits. When you’re done, you can choose to either upload the image to Facebook, Twitter, email it, or simply save it on your phone.
using the app can be funner than Instagram despite the fact that you don’t get the organic feel of film renderings
Perfectly Clear is an extremely affordable app, but on a day by day basis I still found myself reaching instead of Instagram. The images I share on there are given the vintage look treatment
Perfectly Clear for Android is available in the Google Play Store for $0.99 as an introductory and will move up to $1.99 afterward. The portrait package unlocks are another $0.99
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia boss praises LED flash
Nokia N8 in and 808 PureView phone have used Xenon flash.
PureView does not mean only a single feature, but a sort of umbrella term for lots of cameras. Definition is not only of pixels, but also the device optics, and image processing software.
Source: http://www.itviikko.fi/uutiset/2012/09/05/nokia-pomo-hehkuttaa-led-salamaa/201237121/7?rss=8
Tomi Engdahl says:
After PureView, what’s next frontier for Nokia imaging? How about graphene based photo-sensors
http://www.unwiredview.com/2012/08/16/after-pureview-whats-next-frontier-for-nokia-imaging-how-about-graphene-based-photo-sensors/
Nokia’s PureView technology is already at the forefront of smartphone imaging. What may come next to make it even better?
How about graphene based photo sensors?
Nokia R&D is busy developing a graphene photo-detector, and already filed a patent for it.
Why use graphene for the sensor? The main reason is the transparency. This single layer of carbon cells absorbs only 2.3% of the passing light, and does it very evenly across the whole light spectrum (infrared, visible, ultraviolet). So, according to Nokia, it will should perform much better than traditional CMOS sensors in low light conditions.
the sensor manufacturing process itself should be more simple then current CMOS production, and it will use cheaper materials.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia Faked Its PureView Demo and Then Claimed They Never Said It Was Real
http://gizmodo.com/5940784/nokia-faked-its-pureview-demo-and-then-claimed-they-never-said-it-was-real
When we watched the latest ad from Nokia showing off its PureView technology in the Lumia and ridiculously fluid optical image stabilization, we were stunned. Excited. Happy. If the camera on the Lumia was that good, we wanted it. Badly. Immediately. But sadly, it was faked. Nokia isn’t showing off what the Lumia 920 can do—that video was shot with a big DSLR.
Nokia posted the video above on its official YouTube channel as an explicit demo of PureView technology—the same tech in the new Lumia 920.
And oh my god that optical image stabilization is so good. Unbelievably so! That’s what Nokia wanted us to see.
But as Pocketnow discovered, this wasn’t actually recorded with PureView technology—it was capped from a pro DSLR. If you look closely, as the girl rides by a reflection, you can see a van complete with a man holding what looks like the biggest phone on the planet or a RED camera. It’s a camera crew faking technology to trick its consumers. It’s cheating. Look at it.
a clear attempt to impress us with PureView by using something that isn’t PureView. That’s not dubious marketing, it’s just downright deceiving.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is Nokia’s Marketing Misleading?
http://pocketnow.com/2012/09/05/is-nokia-marketing-misleading/
The official Nokia video — called PureView The next innovation — is there to show off all the cool features of the new ‘PureView’ camera on the 920. OIS (optical image stabilization) is the key selling point and the Finns have managed to achieve that by employing what they call “floating lens” technology.
Amazing stabilization! But is it really the Lumia 920 capturing the video? Pause at 0:29 and check out the reflection in the window
Does it look like a Lumia 920 is used to grab that sequence? It sure looks like a professional camera
You’d ask: Why are they trying to show us their new PureView technology if they aren’t really using it?
If they’re trying to tell us that they’re showing us how Optical Image Stabilization works on their new Lumia 920, but they’re filming from a van using a possible DSLR, things just lose credibility.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Taking PureView to the next level
http://conversations.nokia.com/2012/09/05/taking-pureview-to-the-next-level/
After the tremendous reception deservedly received for the Nokia 808 PureView, our imaging team was perhaps entitled to a holiday.
Instead, though, we sent them back to the lab to work on two things: bringing the technology to Lumia smartphones and delivering a whole new set of improvements.
The results of this intensive labour are first found in the Nokia Lumia 920.
The initial PureView model focused on the problem of digital zoom and perfect details. Phase two of development focuses on low light performance, and adds more practical features that will allow more camera phone users to take better pictures.
Low light performance has been improved
First, the sensor type has been changed.
Second, we’ve adopted a massive f/2.0 aperture – in layman’s terms, it’s a bigger hole
Both these measures mean a lower sensor size is needed in order to get great results when you’re working in low light.
These advances are complemented by Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).
Crucially the rear-end of the camera is caged with a gyroscope to move the whole optical assembly to compensate unintended camera movement.
The Nokia Lumia 920 packs a new generation of LED flash.
the ‘denoise’ algorithm for reducing any visual noise from images is brand new and better than ever.
Carl Zeiss Optics
Optical Image Stabiliser: Barrel shift type
Stabiliser performance: Up to 3EV (8x longer shutter speeds)
Focal length: 3.73mm
35mm equivalent focal length: 26mm for 16:9, 28mm for 4:3
F-number: f/2.0
Focus range: 8 cm – Infinity
Construction: Five elements, one group. All lens surfaces are aspherical
Optical format: 1/3″
Tomi Engdahl says:
take a look at the white paper for more in-depth information
PureView imaging technology white paper 2 – the next breakthrough
in purity of imaging
http://i.nokia.com/blob/view/-/1824212/data/2/-/Download-pureview-820.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia faked the still photos too
http://sefsar.com/nokia-faked-the-still-photos-too
As if faking the video wasn’t bad enough.
Being a Finnish company, Nokia shot these scenes in Helsinki of course. I’ve lived in Helsinki, and where these photos were taken, there’s no lighting like this.
However, there is one thing, that once seen can’t be unseen. Diffractions. Diffractions are the sparkle affect generated around the bright lights in the background.
It’s impossible for a camera with a fixed aperture of f/2 to generate so many spikes from a light source. These kind of diffractions are typical of a DLSR camera with a smaller aperture like f/22. So, it makes perfect sense that if Nokia were to fake the video, they would also fake the stills; which they almost certainly have.
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY Cheap Macro Lens for Your Phone (16 pics)
http://www.cracktwo.com/2012/08/diy-cheap-macro-lens-for-your-phone-16.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is Nokia’s Marketing Misleading?
http://pocketnow.com/2012/09/05/is-nokia-marketing-misleading/#!prettyPhoto
Update: Read the final note in the Nokia Conversations article regarding the photos and video taken to demo the Lumia 920:
“Note: The Lumia 920 pictures in this post were taken using prototype hardware and software, and then reduced dramatically in size. In addition, the OIS video, above, was not shot using the Lumia 920.”
You’d ask: Why are they trying to show us their new PureView technology if they aren’t really using it? It’s just too bad that they left the “OIS on” text in the video. If they’re trying to tell us that they’re showing us how Optical Image Stabilization works on their new Lumia 920, but they’re filming from a van using a possible DSLR, things just lose credibility.
Update 2: Nokia now apologizes for misleading us in the video.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia Apologizes For Misleading Lumia 920 Ad
During Nokia’s press event for the launch of its flagship Windows Phone 8 smartphone — the Lumia 920 — the Finnish company made available some promotional materials wherein there was a video showcasing PureView’s main feature: optical image stabilization (OIS) but, it turns out these ads were faked following which Nokia has issued an official apology.
In its apology through a blog post Nokia confirms that the video ‘was not shot with a Lumia 920.’
Source: http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/12/09/06/1228244/nokia-apologizes-for-misleading-lumia-920-ad
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lumia Gate expands: “I do not think Nokia really expected it to go through”
Also a Finnish photography blogger Peter Forsgård is caught in the Nokia Lumia 920 video advertising photos. Hewonders why the image illumination conditions change when the image stabilization is turned on: When OIS is turned on a relatively soft-light flash unit illuminate the face.
If that light should flash the phone would be a more even light on the face and the eye in the middle of the light spot relative to the eye. Seriously, this seems to scams. Not overseer Nokia really expected it to go through: D
Youssef Sahran has blogged on the same subject. Nokia faked the still photos too: http://sefsar.com/nokia-faked-the-still-photos-too
A Hacker News user by the alias exDM69 astutely shared a photograph of the photoshoot in Helsinki city center.
There’s a link to the image-making of the video of that shooting: http://img.svbtle.com/youssef_24244962658776_raw.jpeg
What’s out there on left side?
You can just about see the DSLR lens on the very left center of the photo.
That is described in the center of Helsinki. Photoshoots are witnesses. And photographers.
On the professional stuff, tripod, light panels and DSLR camera.
Maybe the picture could have been taken with Nokia 920, but it is not.
Nokia already admitted that the video had not been shot with Nokia Lumia 920.
Nokia admits it needlessly faked PureView still photos.
Case closed.
Earlier on Thursday, Nokia’s camera director Damian Dinning said that Nokia, the photos are genuine, and that they have been described Lumia 920 prototype. Additional lighting Dinning said nothing.
Earlier this week, Nokia was forced to apologize when it was revealed that the image stabilization features do not describe the videos was not described in the Lumia 920, respectively. These new images are not, at least not reduce revolving around the subject of questions.
Sources:
http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/lumiagate+paisuu+quotei+kai+nokialla+todella+uskota+taman+menevan+lapiquot/a836194?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-07092012&
http://valokuvaaja.kotisivukone.com/blogi/2012/09/05/791#
http://sefsar.com/nokia-faked-the-still-photos-too
http://www.neowin.net/news/nokia-faked-the-lumia-920-pureview-stills-too
http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/kuva+paljastaa+kiusallisen+totuuden+nokian+mainosvideon+kuvauksista/a836235?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-07092012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Petteri Järvinen-fiction writer, described Nokia’s trick on his blog pr-disaster and found that none of the text “simulated images” to save it.
Has Nokia claimed what images taken with DSLR camera were taken with Lumia 920?
- It is not claimed, we produce, as the video which rotates so there was to demonstrate the image stabilization feature. In the final section of the still images, it was found that it had not been told that it only demonstrates the image stabilization feature, Communications Manager Tom Kuuppelonmäki Nokia says.
Guide you in the marketing mislead the consumer?
- We are sorry to hear that. It should have been a disclaimer.
Does this now end the trust in Nokia?
- I hope that does not go. Allow the product to speak for themselves, when they obtained the shops.
Source: http://www.iltalehti.fi/digi/2012090716050377_du.shtml
Nokia’s mega-gaffe
I would not have thought Nokia’s screw up in this way – and yet Pureviewin with. Now is a great technology name dragged through the mud really, just like yesterday I wrote a bit of exaggeration. There’s no need to dramatize.
It is advertising images with Nokia camera citing exceptional image quality. Web crowd quickly realized that showed the optical video stabilizer were shot with professional camera and not with Lumia 920.
Shortly after the discovery that the still image was something odd
Nokia’s images are not advertising images, but the product demos, which are intended to illustrate the product key features. Forgery of such images is a hoax.
Fortunately, these images could not be present in television commercials. Otherwise Nokia would threaten public relations disaster, in addition to one million compensation.
Nokia had a better camera release key product for the promise of opportunity. When it counterfeited, who no longer believes in any other Nokia promises?
One more photogenic look at the issue. If the prototype stage the camera phone faked with SLR larger opening or a lower noise illustrate, it could even go some way to explain through. But when the demo image illuminated by a number of soft light (and the LED-level) images generated by a camera phone, not even in theory, be able to produce. The latest scam then the limit is exceeded with flying colors, and even text “simulated picture” would have saved it.
Source: http://pjarvinen.blogspot.fi/2012/09/nokian-megamoka.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia wanted to bring the presentation of the new Lumioita particularly good description of the amazing features. It became embarrassing when observant found that the sample is described in the video was a completely different equipment than a Nokia mobile phone, which was subsequently granted. More mud started to fly when the Lumian still photo features the presentation of the images authenticity was suspected – and for good reason.
Source: http://www.tietokone.fi/uutiset/nokia_saa_lokaa_niskaansa_lumia_kuvista
Lumiagate « Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog says:
[...] references material on this can be found at New mobile phone camera technologies article discussion [...]
Tomi Engdahl says:
Exclusive photos: We put Nokia’s controversial Lumia 920 PureView camera to the test
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/7/3299784/nokia-lumia-920-pureview-camera-hi-res-photos
After faking a video and images to promote the PureView camera, Nokia goes into full-on damage control mode.
The apologies were needed, but the damage was done. The headline feature for Nokia’s headline phone has been flagged by controversy, putting a cloud over the launch and casting doubt on the very thing that was supposed to have been Nokia’s biggest strength.
it did offer us the full, untouched JPEGs out of the camera to publish online for the first time.
Instead, “PureView” has now become a more generic term for Nokia’s camera technology, applied to any device which Nokia believes is a step above the competition. Nokia tells us that “It’s about the benefits, it’s not about the spec.” On the Lumia 920, the main technical advantage is the Optical Image Stabilization technology (OIS) that “floats” the lens on springs. That enables video that’s less shaky and taking low-light images in situations where other phones would produce very dark images.
Nokia has posted actual images that came from a prototype Lumia 920 on its Conversations Blog, but with all the controversy it wanted to show definitively that those photos were real.
The prototype Nokia Lumia 920 certainly features the kind of camera technology that deserves some hype. It’s just too bad that Nokia decided to lie when it was hyping it. We’re hoping that the Optical Image Stabilization on video will be equally impressive on production hardware — but it’s much harder to take it on faith that it will be after all the recent drama.
Tomi says:
Samsung presented in IFA trade show Galaxy Camera.
It tries to combine the best features of camera and smartphone to one Android powered device that looks like pocket camera. Samsung’s smart camera did not convince the IDF video team.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/samsungin+alykamera+ei+vakuuttanut/a834795?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-10092012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Testing Nikon’s first Android camera, the Coolpix S800c
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/18/3346812/nikon-coolpix-s800c-hands-on-android-camera
Two companies lead the Android camera charge, and at Photokina in Germany both are going way out of their way to talk about it. Samsung held a press conference nominally to announce two lenses, but mostly to talk about the new Galaxy Camera; Nikon’s event introduced no new products but spent a long time telling us about the Coolpix S800c, and why Android is the future for digital cameras.
The biggest issue in my time with the S800c was simple: it’s slow. And slow is one thing on a phone, but it’s far worse on a camera. Your camera needs to take a shot as soon as you want it to — every miilisecond of lag is a perfect shot you didn’t get. So the fact that the S800c won’t even launch the camera app from anywhere but the home screen (pressing the shutter release does nothing otherwise) is a huge problem. So is the fact that it took two or three tries to turn the camera on every time, and that it took five seconds or more each time before it was ready to take a shot.
I assumed these problems were native to Android, that it just wasn’t a good OS for cameras. But the Galaxy Camera is fast and responsive, and feels as if its version of Android were tuned for the use case, whereas the S800c’s OS feels haphazardly applied.
The only time Android feels like a positive for the S800c is after you’ve taken a picture. Sharing shots is in fact fantastically simple — just the fact that it only requires a single device is wonderful.
When talking about the S800c, Nikon talks constantly about sharing — Android provides fast, easy ways to get pictures off your camera and onto the web. But for an Android camera to work, it must provide more: it needs to be fast, intuitive, and optimized for photographers. Sharing is good, but only if you’ve got great pictures to share. Samsung seems to understand that, but Nikon’s lagging behind.
Tomi Engdahl says:
LG’s new Optimus G-phone has as many as 13 mega pixel camera, which operates using voice control. The user can, therefore, by speaking to guide the camera to take pictures.
LG’s new device runs on Google’s Android operating system.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/lgn+uutuusluurissa+on+puheohjattava+kamera/a840304?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-20092012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPhone 5 Camera Battle: Is It the Best Smartphone Shooter?
http://gizmodo.com/5945262/iphone-5-camera-battle-is-it-the-best-smartphone-shooter
Overall
The iPhone 5′s camera is a significant improvement from the iPhone 4S both in terms of image and video quality. It holds its own compared to the Samsung Galaxy S III—the top camera on a smartphone people are actually going to buy. Still, there’s a lot of room for improvement. Apple really needs to add additional settings for darker conditions.
But if you’re serious about good-looking memories, you should keep a point-and-shoot around. We’re dreaming someday Apple will adopt a camera as good as the 808 PureView or the Canon S100. Sigh, someday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The truth of Mega Pixels: Number of pixels says very little actual picture quality
Cameras and camera phones are marketed in many features, but one is still above the rest: megapixels.
Camera image resolution, however, depends on many factors. Plain number of megapixels in camera sensors does not really tell other than the size of the image.
The final outcome is influenced by the camera lens at a very significant extent, cell type, structure and electrical properties, as well as the camera’s internal image processing software.
The sum of all the elements of the resulting image is not normal cameras virtually never as accurate as the image pixel count would suggest.
Source: http://www.mikropc.net/vertailut/totuus+megapikseleista+pikselimaara+kertoo+hyvin+vahan+kuvan+todellisesta+tarkkuudesta/a839684?s=by_tivi
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPhone 5 and Nokia Lumia 920 face off with image stabilization test (hands-on video, updated with Galaxy S III and HTC One X)
http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/25/iphone-5-lumia-920-image-stabilization-face-off/
Nokia’s Lumia 920 packs the industry’s best image stabilization — there’s no questioning that — thanks to a camera module that pairs both sensor and lens-based optical IS.
The iPhone 5 also offers a notable improvement over its Apple-made predecessor on the video front, but considering that its stabilization is of the digital variety, we wouldn’t expect it to top Nokia’s new flagship.
We had an opportunity to test both smartphones in a head-to-head demo at Nokia’s research and development facility in Tampere
As expected, the Nokia phone was able to capture far smoother video than what we snapped with the iPhone, with both devices secured side-by-side in a homemade foam holster.
Tomi Engdahl says:
PlaceRaider Builds a Model of Your World With Smartphone Photos
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/09/30/1321210/placeraider-builds-a-model-of-your-world-with-smartphone-photos
PlaceRaider, a trojan that can run in the background of any phone running Android 2.3 or above,
PlaceRaider quietly takes pictures at random that are tagged with the time, location, and orientation of the phone while muting the phone’s shutter sound. Once pictures are taken, PlaceRaider uploads them to a central server where they are knitted together into a 3D model of the indoor location where the pics were taken. A malicious user can then browse this space looking for objects worth stealing and sensitive data