Canon and Sony News for Aug 2011 (Page 4)
From Canon USA:
Canon U.S.A. And Ron Howard Select Eight Winners From 96,362 Photo Entries For 'Project Imagin8ion'
"Project Imagin8ion," the First Hollywood Film in History Inspired by a User-Generated Photo Contest, Will Begin Production in September
NEW YORK, August 4, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, has collaborated with one of Hollywood's most influential directors, Ron Howard, to select the eight winners of the "Project Imagin8ion" contest from 96,362 submissions. Launched on May 22, photographers of all levels were invited to submit their most imaginative photographs based on a series of eight separate movie themes, each one a core tenet of storytelling, to ultimately inspire Ron Howard's short film. The "Project Imagin8ion" film will be directed by one of today's most versatile and dynamic young talents, Bryce Dallas Howard. The eight winning photographs can now be seen at www.youtube.com/imagination.
The winners chosen span in age from 20 to 44 years old and are from across the country. They include:
Walter Arnold of Hendersonville, N.C., winner in the SETTING category for the photo, "The Final View"
Jen Berry of Los Angeles, winner in the CHARACTER category for the photo, "Dreams"
Mikey L'Heureux of Tarzana, Calif., winner in the MOOD category for the photo, "City Lights"
Brooke Shaden of Canoga Park, Calif., winner in the TIME category for the photo, "Running From Wind"
Alan Michael Martelly of Peachtree City, Ga., winner in the GOAL category for the photo, "My Word"
Lexia Frank of Wesley Chapel, Fla., winner in the RELATIONSHIP category for the photo, "Too Much"
Chris Wehner of Broken Arrow, Okla., winner in the OBSTACLE category for the photo, "Yea, Though I Walk"
Kelly Shipp of Conway, Ark., winner in the category of THE UNKNOWN for the photo, "Where One Day Ends, One Day Begins"
"This project has opened my eyes to the infinite possibilities of tapping into a larger community for creative inspiration," said Ron Howard. "As I selected the photographs, the story started to take shape using these building blocks to drive the tone and narrative possibilities. I was handed this challenge by Canon and I'm very interested to see how this exercise plays out with Bryce now taking charge to direct a film that is very much influenced by these eight photos."
Ron Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard and Freestyle Productions are currently working with the eight winning photos to craft the story, develop the script and produce a short film using Canon DSLR products. The film goes into production in September and will premiere later this year in New York City, where the winners will be invited to a red carpet event and have the opportunity to meet Ron Howard.
"Our goal was to launch a long-term campaign that demonstrates how Canon's technology enables artistry among photographers of all levels, championing the imagination of the masses," said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. "The number of entries has by far surpassed our expectations and we know the finished product, 'A Ron Howard Production,' will be a truly beautiful film, one that would never have been made without the enthusiastic online community."
Grey New York, Canon's agency partner for over thirty years, continues to develop the creative and digital elements of the multiphase campaign that will go beyond the short film. Alliance, the entertainment and lifestyle marketing division of Grey, is managing the partnership with Ron Howard and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Just posted: Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens Review
DxO Labs has added 30 new lens / camera combinations to the DxO Optics Modules library, providing supports for Canon, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, and Nikkor lenses, for numerous Canon and Nikon cameras.
Visit this page to see the new combinations.
DxO Optics Pro is available at B&H.
Tamron has posted 2nd Quarter 2011 Financial Results (PDF 49KB).
Kingston Digital has launched a new USB 3.0 Media Reader.
"The Kingston USB 3.0 Media Reader supports multiple card formats including the newer high-capacity SDXC. With its quick and easy plug-and-play design, it delivers up to 5.0Gb/s data transfer speed for high-resolution images, large data files and more making it ideal for serious enthusiasts who need a fast and reliable data transfer device. It is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0."
Kingston Digital also announced that the SandForce-based HyperX SSD is now shipping.
Kingston HyperX SSD highlights include:
120GB and 240GB capacities. Ships as a standalone SSD (includes HyperX branded 2.5" to 3.5" desktop mounting plate); or as a bundle with the HyperX Upgrade Kit for easy installation (includes Acronis® True Image™ HD migration software, desktop mounting plate, external drive bay, multi-head screwdriver, SATA data cable.
Incredible sequential read/write throughputs of 555 / 510MB/s1.
SandForce SF-2281 controller featuring SATA Rev 3.0 (6GB/s).
Max 4KB random read/write of 95,000 / 70,000 IOPS2 (120GB).
Premium Intel 25nm Compute NAND (P/E 5K).
From Datacolor:
You can now color calibrate your Apple® iPad®
Datacolor announced in May the release of our new SpyderGallery, the first custom calibrated viewing app for your iPad . . . and it's FREE!
We wanted to make sure you heard this news because as an existing Datacolor customer you can now take advantage of this new feature. Just visit Apple iTunes store and download the SpyderGallery for FREE!
The app provides an easy-to-use calibration utility for owners of our Spyder3 display calibration solutions to create a custom color profile on your iPad. Using the Spyder3, the app will measure and profile color on the iPad and then apply color correction to images displayed through the SpyderGallery. Viewing images through the color-managed viewer will allow for more accurate colors and provide you with a closer match to desktop monitors and other color-managed displays. If you are a photographer who uses the iPad as a portable portfolio tool, SpyderGallery is a critical component to your photo gear to ensure your work is being displayed correctly. If you want to display images while on-the-go, whether for professional or personal use, you will no longer need to compromise color accuracy for the convenience of the iPad.
Check out these features of the SpyderGallery:
• World's first custom calibrated viewing on your iPad
• SpyderGallery for iPad® is a FREE app that can be downloaded from the iOS App Store®
• Compatible with Apple iPad (original) and Apple iPad 2
• View all images loaded on iPad in one easy to use GalleryViewer, no photo importing required
• Color corrected viewing from your standard photo library albums
• Personal photo watermarking feature
• Pixel-level zooming capabilities
• Works with all Datacolor® Spyder3 monitor calibration solutions
• Easy to use calibration utility for Mac® and Windows®
• See your photos color-corrected with simple Before & After viewer
So visit the Apple iTunes App Store to download this free app and enjoy managed color and accuracy on your iPad! And let us know what you think.
I am currently using a Datacolor Spyder3Elite for my calibrating needs - it works great.
From PMA:
PSPA/SPAA conference dates set for Feb. 18-19, 2012
School portrait and sports/event photographers return to Las Vegas following successful 2011 event
JACKSON, Mich. – PMA – The Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations announces two member associations, the Professional School Photographers Association International™ (PSPA™) and the Sports Photographers Association of America (SPAA®), will hold their annual meetings at the Renaissance Hotel Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nev., in February, 2012. The event begins Friday, Feb. 17, with a kick-off reception, and PSPA and SPAA programming will be held Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18-19, 2012.
Conference attendees can attend without charge the Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) trade show, Feb. 20-23, 2012, at the MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas, Nev.
In 2011, nearly 560 attendees spent two full days attending sessions, luncheons, and receptions. The show also included a Vendor Reception, which many members cite as a highlight, says 2011-2012 PSPA President Bill Glover of Strawbridge Studios Inc.
"Overall, the response to the [2011] show was overwhelmingly positive,” says Glover. “There were lots of familiar faces but also many new ones as well. I love the turnout we had, and the tracks were well-received.”
“PMA remains committed to these two important photographer groups,” says Ted Fox, executive director, PMA. “This arrangement allows PMA to continue to provide industry-specific educational and networking opportunities at this more convenient timeframe to these important industry segments.”
SPAA Committee members are enthusiastic as well with the announcement, heading into their 6th annual conference since joining as a member association of PMA.
"Those of us working in sports photography as a career are hungry for information and embrace the opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow industry colleagues," says Tom Hayes, Visual Image Photography Inc., Cedarburg, Wis., and chairperson, SPAA committee. “We are going to have a focused group of photographers and vendors meeting together, networking, and figuring out together how to make our respective businesses and industries prosper."
Kenko Tokina has announced a variable neutral density filter - the Variable NDX (Google translation).
Variable ND filters offer advantages over fixed ND filters including the ability to quickly reduce the amount of light filtering during focusing - and the reduced quantity of filters needing to be carried.
Singh-Ray offered the first popular variable ND filter (I carry one).
Canon USA has announced:
"Captain America: The First Avenger" Action Shots Captured With Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR Cameras
Full 1080P HD Capture, 24p Frame Rate and Canon EF Lenses Provide Compatibility and Creative Options for Movie Production
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 1, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., a leader in digital imaging, announced today that the highly anticipated feature film, "Captain America: The First Avenger", used Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR cameras to capture many of the movie's action shots. Throughout the super hero action picture, the 5D Mark II was used to shoot motion sequences that were seamlessly integrated with the production's 35mm film footage.
More compact and lightweight than traditional motion-picture cameras, the 5D Mark II offers creative advantages such as compatibility with Canon's wide range of high-performance EF lenses, user-selectable frame rates, including 24p (23.976 fps), the standard for motion-picture cinematography, and full 1920 x 1080 HD imagery captured by the camera's high-resolution 21.1-megapixel (36mm by 24mm) Canon CMOS sensor. According to Jonathan Taylor, second unit director/director of photography on "Captain America: The First Avenger", these features made the 5D Mark II an excellent choice for the capture of dramatic POV (point-of-view) action shots.
"The challenge with a lot of action photography is getting the camera in the right position," Taylor noted. "I'm always looking to get the camera into impossible to reach places because those kinds of shots make action sequences much more exciting. Most 35mm motion-picture cameras and even the leading digital cinematography cameras are just too big to get into interesting positions."
Action scenes in "Captain America: The First Avenger" in which Taylor used 5D Mark II cameras for POV shots include a car chase and crash, and a high-speed motorcycle pursuit. The small size of the camera enabled Taylor to mount it on the interiors and exteriors of moving vehicles to capture dramatic action shots. The camera's size also ensured that it was "invisible" to the film cameras shooting the same scene from a distance.
"The thing with action is that the more angles you can shoot, the faster the cuts you can use, and the more energy you get into a sequence," Taylor added.
Previously, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II cameras and EF lenses were used for action shots in the blockbuster hit "Iron Man 2".
Vimeo has announced a new Pro Video Hosting Service:
New Vimeo PRO Service Combines High Quality Video Hosting With Business-focused Features for Small Businesses at a Yearly Rate of $199
NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Vimeo®, an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI), building on their reputation as the home for high quality video sharing today launched Vimeo PRO. The new Vimeo PRO account is the easiest and one of the most affordable professional video hosting solutions for small businesses available. The product will go live on the site today at 1:00pm Eastern.
Online video continues to experience explosive growth. Recent predictions(1) show that video will account for 50% of all consumer Internet traffic by the end of 2012. Nearly 60 percent of viewers(2) watch video before reading text on the same webpage and are more likely to make a purchase. This year, 83 percent of small businesses plan to use social media channels for their business(3). With the web rapidly moving from text to video, small businesses need to adapt to the shift in technology or quickly become irrelevant or less impactful to their consumers who expect to see video everywhere online.
"Until now, quality video hosting has been expensive, confusing, and extremely difficult for a small business owner to understand. Small businesses have fallen between the cracks of free video services and massive enterprise video solutions," said Dae Mellencamp, Vimeo's General Manager. "Vimeo PRO resolves the contradiction that best-of-breed video quality and hosting can also be easy and affordable."
Vimeo developed its PRO account, which will exist as a separate service outside of the Vimeo.com community, based on demand for a cost-effective video-hosting service equipped with core features that meets the growing needs of small businesses. It's priced at $199 for 50GB of storage and 250,000 plays as a flat annual fee. Customers can purchase increased storage capacity in 50GB increments for $199. Businesses can also purchase additional plays in increments of 100k for $199. Vimeo PRO is one of the most affordable professional video hosting solutions on the market.
Enabling small businesses to compete with larger companies, Vimeo PRO offers robust product features including exceptional video quality, customizable Portfolio websites, extensive video player customization, Video Review Pages, advanced statistics, social media sharing and broad privacy settings. Production companies will be able to create many separate portfolios and share rough cuts with clients. Restaurants can show their atmosphere and signature dish preparation online to potential diners. Real estate agents can provide home hunters with higher quality housing previews. And, even doctors can create private groups to educate patients and medical students.
Customers can upload up to a 5GB file at a time with no time limits and Vimeo will not run any advertising over their videos. Coupled with its current array of popular features like HD and HTML5 video, full tablet, mobile and connected TV support, and Vimeo Video School, Vimeo PRO provides all the major tools small businesses need to host videos online. In addition, Vimeo PRO accounts can opt-in to the Community Pass, which is a feature that allows PRO accounts to interact with the Vimeo.com community as long as the account and each individual video abide by the community guidelines.
About Vimeo, LLC
Leading video sharing site Vimeo® provides the easiest way for people to host and share their videos in high quality. The site provides great privacy features and inspiring videos from a vibrant, respectful community of creative users who care about how and where they show their work. Launched in 2004 and headquartered in New York, NY, Vimeo offers users a video sharing experience that is both entertaining and easy to use. Vimeo is a 2010 & 2009 Time Magazine Top 50 Website. Vimeo, LLC is a subsidiary of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI).
(1) "Cisco Visual Networking Index: Forecast and Methodology, 2010-2015"
(2) December 2010 Forbes Insight survey
(3) (Source: Emarkerter).
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