GoPro Announces Three New Cameras: HERO4 Black, HERO4 Silver, HERO
GoPros have become one of the most reliable cameras to turn to for action and first-person videos. The diminutive, durable cameras have been used for everything from bike rides across the world, roller coaster rides, skydiving, concert videos, and more, helping GoPro cameras be some of the best and most popular cameras to use for video. Not wanting to rest on their laurels, GoPro announced a new suite of cameras to their line.
The "premium" camera is the GoPro HERO4 Black. With an MSRP of $500, the camera features twice the performance of its predecessor, with 4K quality video shot at 30fps, and 8.3 megapixels for video stills. Photos come in at 12 megapixels with a burst option that offers 30 photos per second. The HERO4 Black also offers a 50% faster Wi-Fi connection speed, which should allow faster upload speeds right on the spot.
The tier below the HERO4 Black is the HERO4 Silver. While it doesn't feature 4K quality videos, it does offer a built-in touch screen display to help get through those admittedly annoying GoPro menus. Like the HERO4 Black, the HERO4 Silver also features a 50% increase in Wi-Fi speeds. The HERO4 Silver retails for $399.
Finally, there's an entry-level GoPro HERO camera being offered. It comes in a permanent waterproof case that shoots videos at 1080p at 30fps or 720p at 60fps. It also shoots photos at 5 megapixels, which is a dramatically lower quality than the HERO4 Silver and Black, but at $129, it's the perfect price for those ready to test the GoPro waters.
The new line of GoPro cameras will be available on the GoPro website on October 5th. You can watch GoPro's official announcement video below.
[youtube id="wTcNtgA6gHs"]
Canon Might Develop New Medium Format Camera
As an undergrad, I took a lot of photography classes to hone my abilities. Following 35mm classes were 120mm/medium format classes where we utilized cameras beyond the standard 35mm SLR cameras. One of my favorite cameras to ever shoot with was a Yashica TLR (twin-lens reflex) camera. Shooting in 120mm after 35mm was like making the jump from standard definition to high definition. Colors were more vivid, the area shot was 4x6, and the amount of detail in each photo was beautiful. If rumors are true, the modern digital camera game is about to change.
While rumors have been swirling for months that Canon was interested in entering the medium format area, nothing concrete ever came of it. Technically, nothing concrete has happened yet. However, a recently-released questionnaire sent to prolific Canon users included questions about medium format cameras, including questions on "image quality, usage scenarios and lens requirements." Canon might make the announcement official next month, but for now, this is all speculation. Chances are, they won't develop a digital TLR, which would be my dream camera. However, I'm crossing my fingers and toes in the off-chance that their first foray into the digital medium format arena comes in the form of one.
[via PetaPixel]
Sony Xperia C3 Smartphone Is Built For Selfie Lovers
I guess it was only a matter of time before a company would make a smartphone aimed directly at those that love taking selfies. It seems like nowadays, taking selfies has just become the norm and has become part of the culture we live in. If you enjoy taking selfies, the Sony Xperia C3 might be a match made in heaven. What Sony has created is a smartphone that sports a wide angle 5 megapixel front-facing camera with a built-in soft LED flash, making it very easy to capture those special moments.
Not only does the Sony Xperia C3 have front-facing flash, there are some other software features that should help make the selfie-taking process a little easier, like a Smile Shutter, AR effects, and a feature that lets you tap the back of the phone to take a picture. Now, this smartphone probably won't change the digital photography game, and it won't be for everybody, but if you really like taking selfies you might want to give this a try.
[via Slash Gear]
[Video] Canon's Tips on Proper Camera and Lens Care
One of the things that comes with being a photographer is to make sure you maintain your equipment properly so it never fails when you need it most. It's always good to keep your camera in good working condition by cleaning both your camera and the lenses that you have in your arsenal. For those who have just entered the realm of interchangeable lenses, it's good to be aware of how important it is to properly maintain your gear. To help out, Canon has released a video that shows how to maintain your camera and lenses properly and a list of things to check for to keep your Canon camera working great. The video provides many tips like how to clean your cameras sensor and a bunch more things that are helpful to its maintenance and longevity.
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[via Canon USA]
The Nikon D300S Might Get A Replacement
For those of you that have been waiting for a follow-up to the popular Nikon D300s, you might be in luck because the cameras could quite possibly be making a comeback. The Nikon D300s was released in 2009 and many APS-C shooters have patiently been waiting for its successor, and after five years, they might actually get one soon. Nikon USA has moved the D300s from the active camera list to its archived list, meaning a new camera could be in the works. There were talks that Nikon would be releasing a D9300, which could have been the replacement to the D300s, but like all rumors you have to take it with a grain of salt. With talks of Canon releasing a the 7DMII in August, Nikon might very well release camera to counter it. For those who shoot with APS-C sensor cameras, you'll have some intriguing options to choose from if the rumors prove to be factual.
[via Northlight Images]
Nikon Dedicates $17.7 Million to Finally Repair D600 Issues
Nikon has certainly let down certain customers in a big way, more specifically, those who spent their money on the Nikon D600. The camera was plagued with oil and dust issues since its release, and Nikon did not handle the situation as one might have expected, leaving customers with cameras that were unusable. There was complete outrage from customers who bought the Nikon D600 because the company didn't ever really acknowledge the issue or provide a solution to the problem that many users were facing.
Now it looks like Nikon is finally manning up to the problem and is going to work on either repairing customer's cameras or completely replacing them. Nikon has set aside roughly $17.7 million to fix a problem that should have been handled earlier, and now it hopes to restore the confidence of the customers that had issues with the D600. As the company states it is "taking the matter very seriously." You can read the rest of the statement at Nikon's official website here.
[via Nikon]
GoPro Files For $100 Million IPO
When it comes to cameras, the conversation tends to revolve around the two giants in the camera world, Nikon and Canon. However, there are many companies out there that produce quality cameras. One particular company found their niche in the industry and ran with it, producing a product that many people have added to their arsenal of cameras: GoPro. From its humble beginnings to being one of the world's best selling cameras, GoPro has now announced that they have officially filed for a $100m IPO. Some say that this a rather odd time for GoPro to file with the uncertainty of the market and sales being lower from the previous year, but I guess we'll have to wait see how everything unfolds.
[via Forbes]
Introducing Otto: A Raspberry Pi-Powered GIF Camera
If you've ever been on the internet, you more than likely have came across a GIF. There are a few options out there where you can create your own custom ones, and Otto has stepped in as another option. Otto is a hybrid of sorts as it's part still camera and part video camera, giving the capabilities of creating your very own GIF. The camera is powered by a small Raspberry Pi computer with an accompanying app that lets you create all the GIFs you want. Otto not only makes GIFs, but is also capable of creating time lapse videos. Since the Raspberry Pi computer is installed in the camera, the possibilities are almost limitless as to what you can create with this tiny camera. As of right now, there's a Kickstarter campaign going on for Otto if you want to support it..
[via OTTO]