Computational Photography Technology

HDR Video for Canon DSLR Cameras

admin — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:37:04 +0000

high dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than current standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods.

Magic Lantern has developed firmware fad-on that will enable HDR video on Canon T2i (550D) T3i (600D) and 60D HD DSLR Cameras an it’s FREE! We’ve been expecting HDR Video Cameras to become the norm for years and this is a big leap in that direction. So much effort is going into 3D camera development that HDR isn’t getting it’s fair due. This firmware ad-on solution will likely turn a lot of heads and start a movement in the industry toward HDR video cameras development & design.

The firmware ad-on does not overwrite Canons camera firmware, it ads on to it. The Free firmware ad-on can be downloaded here http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Release_2011Dec22

HDR imaging is a technique that combines images with a range of exposures to provide higher range of detail from shadow to highlight. Photographers were doing this manually long before digital imaging, but digital solutions make it much easier and feasible, even for video. HDR Video has been accomplished by using multiple cameras in the past, but I’m not aware of any mainstream solutions like Magic Lantern’s firmware will provide. The firmware switches exposure between frames and creates two videos which can later be edited back together to to create a single High Dynamic Range Video. Many advanced still photographers are accomplished HDR technicians. The thought of combining 30FPS Video is mind boggling but today’s computational imaging hardware and software is capable of such mind boggling feats.

Magic Lantern’s first firmware add-on enhanced the sound and video capabilities of the Canon 5D Mark II. Sadly, the HDR Video firmware ad-on will not support the 5D Mark II or the 7D. Below is a video outlining the capabilities of the Canon 5D Firmware add-on. This video explains how the firmware ad-on works.

Vincent Laforet & HD DSLR Video

admin — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 13:55:42 +0000

Vincent Laforet’s HD DSLR film: Reverie was the first to show the amazing capabilities of HD DSLR cameras for shooting video. I believe Reverie was done for Canon to market the 5D camera. The short film really shows off the shallow depth of field and low light capabilities of the Canon 5D HD DSLR for shooting Video. Vincent combines short clips that capture a moment as though they were still pictures. If you haven’t seen Reverie, here it is:

This video on the making of Reverie shows how a small film crew can quickly make stunning HD Video imagery using a HD DSLR with it’s shallow depth of field and low light capabilities.

This video by Vincent is a prime example of how a good still photographers can apply their ascetics using video. The clips are pleasantly short and visually inspiring.

Here, Vincent speaks to a group of photographers about the use of HD DSLR cameras. I’m guessing this is an ASMP or APA Event (American society of Media Photographers or Advertising Photographers of America).

Check out Vincent’s Blog http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/workshopslearning/

Vincent has teamed up with Chase Jarvis, and CreativeLIVE to create an internet channel on HD DSLR Video production . For over two years they have streamed workshop videos about HD DSLR video & filmmaking. The initial workshops are FREE and the full workshops are available for purchase.

Groundbreaking High Speed Camera System

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:09:17 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

MIT Media Lab researchers have created a high speed camera system that can capture images at a rate of one trillion frames per second. This high speed camera system can capture light traveling through objects. There are a multitude of scientific and artistic uses for a system such as this. For more on the MIT Media Lab visit their site http://www.media.mit.edu/.

RadioPopper Review-By Andrew Collings

admin — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:26:30 +0000

The RadioPopper system allows the photographer to fine-tune the interplay between the existing light and the speedlights.

How the RadioPopper system works:

The RadioPoppers don’t add any functionality to the flashes. But they are essential to using the flash on location. This is because what the RadioPoppers do is to relay, via radio signals, the existing light-based (tiny quick pulses of strobe from the flash) communication system that the Canon flashes and cameras use.

RadioPopper system consists of a device that sits on top of the hot shoe-mounted Master flash and a separate unit that is mounted via an included plastic cradle to the Slave/remote flash(es). The Master flash fires a pre-flash each time you take a photograph and this pre-flash is the control signal to the other flashes. The RadioPopper system captures this preflash light/information, turns it into a radio signal, relays that signal to the RadioPopper receivers mounted to the slave flashes and these receivers then emit out that original master pulse into those slave flashes. The Canon slave flashes are tricked into thinking they received a pulse from the master flash. And it all happens as fast as 1/8000s. It seems like it wouldn’t work consistently. But it does.

Camera with RadioPopper sender unit. All my 580′s have the Honl speedstrap on them permanently as well as a tungsten gel. We built custom holding straps for the camera flash mounted sender.

Examples of our small strobe location lighting kit:

Left: Honl 1/4″ grid (hard light). Right: Honl Photo traveller8 Softbox (long-throw soft spot).

Left: Westcott 43″ Collapsible silver umbrella. We use this umbrella when we need maximum power. Right: Our setup for flare-oriented shooting during dancing.

Contents of our small strobe location lighting kit. I like the Manfrotto Nanostands for many lighting situations and it’s great that they fit right in the case! But we also bring 2 10′ heavy duty stands in a stand sling bag.

Example photographs shot with RadioPoppers and our small strobe system;

Being able to shoot TTL fill flash outdoors without worries of sync problems is great! So is shooting at high shutter speeds and wide apertures–here at 1.4 and 1/4000s !

Our experience with the RadioPopper system has been excellent. We have very rarely had any issues with the electronics. It really is like magic, especially when one uses the system with the 5DmkII and 1DmkIV and the 580exII flashes. When those items are used, you are able to control all your remote flashes with the menu system on the back of the camera. While it’s more complicated to turn the Master/Slave flash mode on and off than it is on the 580ex flash (the 580ex has a physical switch to do that right on the flash), it’s much easier to configure the settings with the 580exII. It’s great that it works so well, since one has virtually no understanding of why it isn’t working since it’s all wireless electronic hocus pocus.

http://www.andrewcollings.com

Updates for DxO Optics Pro

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:08:23 +0000

Updates for DxO Optics Pro are now occurring more frequently in order to support more cameras and lenses as quickly as possible. Here is the latest news:

New for January:

The Panasonic DMC-GH2 and Sony SLT-A55 cameras are now supported.

165 camera/lens combinations have been added to the DxO Optics Module library, providing support for additional lenses from Canon, Nikkor, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, Pentax and Sony for numerous Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Panasonic, Pentax and Sony cameras. See the complete list

The current version of DxO Optics Pro is v6.5.3

Update via your customer account

Planned for February:

DxO Optics Pro version 6.5.4 will support the following cameras:

-Olympus EPL2
-Sony A580
-Panasonic LX5

Many camera/lens combinations will be added for these cameras as well for numerous other cameras already supported.

To access the list of supported camera/lens combinations as well as those planned for February and the ensuing months, follow this link and then select the 2nd tab:
Supported and planned combinations