Watch the new, customizable Windows Phone 8.1 camera app in action (video)
Microsoft didn’t just equip Windows Phone 8.1 with a redesigned notification center and a Siri nemesis called Cortana, it also revamped its stock camera app. While many of the current app’s features remain intact, a video leaked by Unleash The Phones shows that the right side of the interface now features shortcut buttons for single photo, video and burst photo modes. The left side, however, is completely customizable, and a user can easily fill it with up to five shortcuts to settings (flash, lens picker, resolution, ISO among others) of their choice. Curious WP users who want to know how the updated app compares to Nokia’s camera software can watch the video after the jump. Of course, they might only have to wait a bit more to know everything about the OS… and to finally find out if they can install it on their WP8 devices.
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Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft
Source: Unleash The Phones
[LEAK] ‘HTC Duo Camera’ may be the official name of the All New HTC One’s dual-sensor Camera
Australia is known for many things: kangaroos, koalas, being amazing at cricket and being home to Crocodile Dundee. On this particular occasion though, we might have done the Android community a favour by leaking the official name of the All New HTC One‘s dual-sensor camera in a magazine ad. In the ad, Telstra refers to the camera as the ‘HTC Duo Camera‘, which isn’t quite on the same level as ‘BoomSound’ or ‘UltraPixel’, but it’ll do. As we’ve suspected all along, the Duo Camera will have Lytro Camera-like abilities (read more about the tech behind it here) and will be able to:
“Create vivid images even in low light and professionally edit memories after you’ve taken the shot. Choose where to focus, highlight what you love, soften backgrounds and add 3D effects.”
As well as possibly leaking the camera’s name, rough pricing for the device was also provided. Off-contract from Telstra, the All New HTC One is going to run you $840 AUD, which equates to about $760 USD; it must be noted that Australian prices tend to be a bit higher than the norm, but expect the phone to still be in that ballpark. The ad also makes reference to Sense 6.0 and introduces some of the abilities it has, like double tapping the screen to rotate the orientation of the screen.
What do you think about the naming of the camera as the HTC Duo Camera? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Google+ via Android Central
More giant photos still suggest the Oppo Find 7 has a 50MP camera
With the official launch event in less than 2 weeks now, we’re still getting very mixed messages about the Oppo Find 7. What we know for sure is that there are going to be two variants of the device, one with a more standard 1080p display and the other with a 1440p display, better known as a 2K display. Earlier today, a leak from red dot 21 suggests that at least one of the devices with have a Snapdragon 800 processor and a 13MP camera, though this contradicts the suggestions that the device might actually have a 50MP camera which has previously come in the form of a photo. Well, today we have yet another reason to believe the Oppo Find 7 has a 50MP camera, or to be precise, eight reasons.
Eight more photos have leaked out, which you can check out above, all bearing the resolution of 8160×6120. This massive resolution, which can only be taken by a 50MP camera, has been the basis for the rumour that the Find 7 has such a camera, though it’s definitely a puzzle given all the information we have currently. The only evidence we have is that the EXIF information states that the device which took these photos is the Find 7, but this could easily have been forged. I guess the only way to know for certain is the wait for 11 days till the March 19th event, but for now, we can just enjoy these incredibly detailed photos.
What do you think about these photos? Do you think the Oppo Find 7 could really have a 50MP camera? Let us know what your thoughts are on this rumour in the comments.
Source: News.go.vn via Phone Arena
Sony’s upcoming Alpha 7 and 7R updates will speed up your photo shoots
Sony’s Alpha 7 cameras shook up the photography world by offering full-frame shooting in a small body, but they also have their fair share of quirks, such as slow startup times and sub-par JPEG images. Some of those problems may vanish very soon, though, as Sony plans to roll out big firmware updates for both the Alpha 7 and 7R on March 19th. The two cameras should start faster, and they’ll also get a nebulous “image quality improvement” — hopefully, that means better JPEG output. The upgrade will also unlock more features when using the PlayMemories Mobile app to control either camera, and there’s better support for a recent 70-200mm telephoto lens. We’re not seeing any attempts to speed up the Alphas’ sometimes pokey autofocusing, but the updates should still help early adopters who’ve had live with some noticeable flaws for the past few months.
Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)
Source: Sony Japan (translated)
Nexus 5 Camera CPU bug fix coming soon
If you’re a Nexus 5 owner then you’ll know about the bug which causes the phone’s CPU to be maxed out when using the camera, resulting in high battery drain. According to a post by Google on the company’s issues tracker, it seems Google have isolated the issue and will be issuing a fix shortly.
The bug is caused by something called “mm-qcamera-daemon” which causes high battery consumption, and since this process is related to handling camera data, it means that third-party apps can trigger it, so it’s not constrained to an operating system calling function.
According to Google, one particular offender is Skype, which seems to be accessing the camera regularly from the background and by doing so is triggering that bug. We’ll ignore why Skype is trying to access the camera without you knowing…
As mentioned, Google has found a fix for the bug and is bundling it in the next maintenance version of Android, most likely 4.4.3. Until then, the only fix is to reboot the device, and Google are recommending that removing Skype may relieve the issue.
The more significant point is that this bug may not be constrained to Nexus devices, since third-party apps are able to call the camera, so KitKat devices running a Qualcomm chip for camera processing, like the Galaxy Note 3, are also most likely affected. Unfortunately a fix will have to go via the manufacturer for these devices, so may delay the patch being delivered to your non-Nexus device.
If you think you’ve been hit by this bug, drop us a comment below.
[Via Google Issue Tracker]
The post Nexus 5 Camera CPU bug fix coming soon appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Photo suggests Oppo’s Find 7 smartphone might have a 50-megapixel camera
Oppo may have just stolen Nokia’s camera resolution crown. The Chinese company has posted a whopping 50-megapixel (8,160 x 6,120) photo that was reportedly taken with the upcoming Find 7 smartphone. On a surface level, the image checks out — there’s a lot of detail here, including street signs that suggest Oppo took the picture in Barcelona (despite the likely fake Florida license plate). However, we wouldn’t be too quick to praise the Find 7′s photographic abilities. Oppo is known to occasionally post bogus teasers that don’t translate into shipping products, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the company’s new flagship relies on more modest camera technology.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: Sina Weibo (translated)
[RUMOUR] Could the Oppo Find 7 have a 50MP camera?
We’re expecting the Oppo‘s next smartphone, the Oppo Find 7, to be announced on March 19th, and from Oppo’s teasers, it’s suggesting that it could be a better device than the Samsung Galaxy S5. We have no reason not to believe them yet as the device is rumoured to have the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 as the S5, and a 5.5-inch, 2K resolution display. The device was also rumoured to have a 13MP camera, but if the latest photo (above) that Oppo has posted on Weibo is anything to go by, the Find 7 might actually have a lot more than just 13 megapixels.
While the photo shown above is scaled down, the original photo was shown to have an EXIF date that suggests it was taken with a Find 7, but most interestingly, has a massive resolution of 8160×6120. For anyone who’s counting, that actually makes for a 50MP camera. And no, that’s not a typo. Whether or not the Find 7 actually has a 50MP will have to wait till the 19th of March, but if its true, that could put Oppo in a very unique position in the Android market; the largest sensor on the Android market is currently the Sony Xperia Z2 at 20.7MP, and not since the Nokia 1020 with its 41MP PureView camera have we seen a smartphone camera that offers such photo quality.
Would you consider the Oppo Find 7 if it actually turned out to have a 50MP camera? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Source: Weibo via Phones Review
Camera deals of the week: 2.28.14
As winter begins to slowly depart here in the States, some of us here at Engadget are anxious to get outside and shoot some spring-like stills. What’s that? Oh, you are too? Well, we’ve collected a handful of discounted camera options this time around that await on the other side of the jump. Per usual, there’s a range of prices, so there should be something to suit most budgets.
If there are other cameras, lenses and the like you have your eye on that we haven’t included here — join us and add them to your “Want” list. Every time there’s a price cut in the future, you’ll get an email alert!
Canon EOS 5D Mark III (body only)
Price: $2,750
Regular Price: $3,500
Engadget Global Score: 88
Buy: Fumfie
While the Mark III was introduced back in 2012, it has become a workhorse for both stills and video. During the course of our review, our only major gripe was the lack of autofocus while capturing HD video. That steep $3,500 price tag is now seeing a $750 discount though, so the cost of admission has come down significantly.
Pentax K-3 (body only)
Price: $950
Regular Price: $1,300
Engadget Global Score: 90
Buy: Fumfie
The Pentax K-3 just went on sale in late 2013 and the reviews are starting to roll in. The verdict? So far, the DSLR as tallied a 90 Engadget Global Score — not too shabby. Despite snappy performance and solid output in the stills department, early adopters have noted a dip in video quality. While the K-3 hasn’t been on the market for a full 90 days, our Price Drop tool shows that $950 is the lowest we’ve seen so far.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 (body only)
Price: $330
Regular Price: $600
Engadget Global Score: 83
Buy: Newegg
Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-G5, despite being a body-only purchase, allows beginners to enter into ILC shooting with a fairly modest investment. If you’re unsure about this model though, you can browse all of the company’s offerings and compare them for yourself in our product database. Willing to hold out to save a few more bucks? The 90-day Price History shows that the current price tag is marked $30 above the lowest from back in December.
Olympus Stylus Tough TG-2 iHS
Price: $309
Regular Price: $399
Engadget Global Score: 86
Buy: 42nd Street Photo
Spring is just around the corner, so why not consider a rugged point-and-shoot for logging those upcoming outdoor expeditions? The TG-2 offers up respectable performance in a shockproof and waterproof shell for durable performance on the trail. Oh yeah, the current $309 price is on par with the 90-day low, too.
Filed under: Cameras
Nissan’s camera-equipped rearview mirror provides a clear view in low light
Rearview mirrors aren’t always as useful as you might like — bright headlights, weather or a basketball team in the back seats can make it tough to see what’s behind you. None of those should be a problem once Nissan’s new Smart rearview mirror reaches cars, though. The peripheral blends a traditional mirror with both an LCD and a rear camera that compensates for bad lighting. Flick a switch and the camera system takes over, giving you a clear view of traffic no matter the road conditions. The smart mirror will first show up in the ZEOD RC Le Mans racer, and Nissan plans to make it an option for everyday cars starting with Japan this spring. Drivers worldwide will get it in 2015. That’s just the start of the automaker’s plans, however. Since the smart mirror is as effective as a large rear window, Nissan expects the technology to influence car design; you may see more aerodynamic vehicles now that there’s less need for glass.
Filed under: Transportation
Via: SlashGear
Source: Nissan
Samsung NX mini leak hints at a very thin and tiny mirrorless camera
Samsung’s mirrorless cameras have so far been on the large side due to their DSLR-sized sensors, but the company may be ready to go small… very small. NXRumors claims to have leaked imagery for the NX mini, a tiny shooter that would use a 1-inch, 20-megapixel sensor like that in Sony’s RX100 Mark II. The technology shift would lead to a body under 1.4 inches thick, and removable lenses that are borderline cute; the initial lineup would include both a 9mm fixed distance lens and a 9-27mm standard zoom. Despite the compact frame, there would be room for a 3-inch flip-up LCD, a built-in flash and the horsepower to shoot at a continuous 22 frames per second. Rumors have the NX mini launching within a month’s time. Pricing is still up in the air, although the sensor choice suggests that the mini would be at the low end of Samsung’s camera spectrum.
Via: Mirrorless Rumors
Source: NXRumors (translated)
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