Finally, a pair of video glasses that don't make you look like an extra on an '80s sci-fi B movie.
(Credit: Vuzix)There's little doubt that as we inch closer to the technological singularity, video-enabled glasses will play a part. Unfortunately, manufacturers have yet to produce a pair that don't make you look like a complete idiot, and bionic eye camera implants still seem a ...
Read the full post at CNET's CES 2009 blog.
3VR Security announced on Monday the 3VR SmartCam, a new line of megapixel surveillance cameras, and a new 3VR SmartSearch Network Video Recorder. The two work together to create a complete network surveillance solution.
Because it sends only critical information, such as motion and faces, to the 3VR system for analysis, the 3VR SmartCam uses less storage, network, and computer requirements than comparable megapixel cameras, the company says. This helps minimize CPU requirements by as much as 90 percent.
The SmartCam also comes with digital pan-tilt-zoom capabilities. Operators can quickly view specific regions and see important details of scenes, or pick a smaller area of the screen to record.
The SmartSearch Network Video Recorder, on the other hand, is specifically tuned for megapixel Internet-connected cameras. With improved speed and storage, 3VR says it is ideal for monitoring, recording, analyzing, and searching video across the enterprise. It supports facial and license plate recognition, designed for integration with point-of-sale and access control systems. And although it can certainly coordinate with the SmartCam products, it also works with third-party megapixel cameras.
(Credit:
BMI Gaming)
We've never quite understood why so many high-end game simulators for the home basically look the same as the ones at the mall or the theater lobby. After all, if you're going to shell out several grand, the least they can do is design some that don't look like they came directly from an arcade fire sale.
That's why we appreciate Global VR's efforts on its "Blazing Angels" simulator, which is designed to look like the cockpit of a World War II fighter plane, complete with faux bullet holes in the fuselage. It doesn't hurt, of course, to have a 42-inch HD LCD, rumble seating, and 5.1 Digital Dolby Surround Sound either, as Uber-Review notes.
But what good would all that be if you had to hide it in the garage because it looked like it belonged to the kids? Then it would be just like any other $9,475 toy.
Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6G VR lens.
(Credit: Nikon)As an increasing number of competitors add sensor-shift image stabilization to their consumer dSLRs--Olympus and Pentax, to name but two--OIS diehards Nikon and Canon have to keep up by moving lens-based stabilizers farther down their product lines. Earlier this year, Canon updated its staple f3.5-5.6 18-55mm kit-optimized lens with the IS moniker and technology, and now it's Nikon's turn to follow suit with its AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR lens.
For those of you who lack the Nikon lens-speak decoder ring (though there seems to be an e-version on bythom.com), the lens features run as follows:
- AF = Autofocus
- S = Silent Wave Motor, dubbed USM (Ultrasonic Motor) by Canon and SWM (Silent Wave Motor) by Olympus
- DX = designed specifically to match Nikon's APS-sized sensors.
- G = no aperture ring
- VR = Vibration Reduction
I consider the slow 18-55mm lenses the kittiest of kit lenses. And by that, I mean they're perfect for the work I do--photographing cats in cages--where I don't have a lot of latitude on distance, and where the relatively narrow maximum aperture won't accidentally widen--I shoot shutter priority--and deliver a rather disturbing depth-of-field. (I love the fast lenses, but I end up with shots of a sharp eyeball and the rest out of focus.) The moral: Sometimes the cheap solution is the appropriate one. And cheap certainly applies in this case--it'll cost a mere $199 when it ships in December. A nice little gift for your favorite D40x shooter, perhaps?
Update, 5/30/07: I knew this wasn't the first concept of its kind, and sure enough, our own Candace Lombardi had covered one in a previous life. Cedric Tay's 360 Degree Digital Camera even won a European design award.
360 Degree Panoramic Camera
(Credit: Fresh Pics)While it lacks the visceral impact of the film version shown to the left, designer Ye Chen's hypothetical digital camera optimized for shooting 360-degree panoramas has the advantage of being a lot smaller and cooler looking. The camera concept, posted today on the Yanko Design site, incorporates a rotating camera lens, essentially turning the entire camera body into a tripod. It's a simple, relatively elegant design.
Ironically, though, the camera itself isn't the most interesting aspect of the story. What is? For one, the designer dubs the camera the "Nikon 360." Given all the attention it's getting on the Web, can you think of a better way to draw the attention (hopefully non-legal) of a potential client?
The other thing that intrigued me was the response of the blog sites that covered it. Gizmodo says, "If this were to actually be manufactured I highly doubt it could sell enough to stay afloat, but it could be a good schtick camera." And Tech Digest comments, "I wonder how much of a selling point panoramic shots are outside people who hike up and down hills for fun." With all the Web sites and businesses reliant on practical tools for visualizing an environment--applications such as Hopstop and Google Streets, not to mention the huge potential for real estate and travel sites--relegating panoramic imaging tools to a niche market seems surprisingly short sighted.
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