Full-frame dSLR from Samsung?

Amateur Photographer has reported that Korean electronics giant Samsung is planning to join the ranks of Canon, Nikon, and Sony in making full-frame dSLRs.

The article states that Samsung is developing its own CMOS chip for this new camera. However, we won't be seeing this shooter anytime soon because the sensor has only just reached its design phase.

The dSLR is going to be a collaboration with Pentax, so we're guessing that Pentax should be announcing its own full-frame ambitions around the same time as Samsung.

There are no hints regarding the specifications, but the as yet unnamed dSLR should share the same mount as Pentax cameras so the lenses are interchangeable between the two systems.

Earlier, we reported that the successor to the GX20 would be introduced later this year at Photokina in Germany. Could this be the full-frame dSLR Samsung is alluding to?

At press time, Samsung couldn't provide us with any information regarding this news. But we will definitely update here once we get the information.

See like the birds

Ever looked up at the sky and wondered what birds see when they are in flight? One way of finding out is to scale the Himalayan peaks and you might get a rough idea. Over at CNET Asia, we prefer the slightly more high-tech approach--a camera mounted on a radio-controlled helicopter.

The Verhagen X2-Special 26Cam is not your typical toy R/C helicopter. Measuring 160cm in length, this "bird" can reach a maximum speed of 80kmh. It is powered by fuel, not batteries, and a full tank can let it fly for about 300km. A camera mounted at the front captures video feeds, which engineer Jan Verhagen said can be applied in various scenarios like rescue operations to documentary film-making.

However, the camera specifications are a little ancient. While the rest of the world has gone digital, the helicopter still deploys the super 35mm movie camera which requires special film cassette. The camera is mounted onto a pan/tilt head which can be controlled from the ground.

Although there is no indication on the pricing of this gadget on the Web site, it probably won't come cheap as each machine is hand-made. We think the Himalayas may be a cheaper option.

Adobe releases debugged Lightroom 1.4.1

After a debugging session to fix problems with the flawed 1.4.0, Adobe Systems on Thursday released Photoshop Lightroom 1.4.1.

Raw images from higher-end digital cameras have more flexibility and quality than JPEGs, but also require processing in a computer to convert to more useful formats. Lightroom handles that task, along with cataloging and other chores. Adobe also released the corresponding version 4.4.1 of Adobe Camera Raw, the raw-image converter plug-in for regular Photoshop.
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World's largest photo book

We have absolutely no idea what mode of transport was used to ferry this gargantuan photo album for display.

Measuring 4 x 3m, this 53-page book weighs 1,000kg. Titled Women of Vietnam, this book is the brainchild of Japanese photographer Hitomi Toyama. Currently on display in Hanoi, Vietnam, it got itself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the world's largest photo album. The book cover probably took up a quarter of the weight.

It requires two people to flip a page, and you probably have to stand 10m away to fully appreciate the beauty of the pictures. While we like big picture books, this one is too much of a good thing and will definitely not make it to the top of our "what to grab in case of fire" list.

Via Gearfuse

Yet another Bond-inspired camera gadget

We've seen a pair of spycam sunglasses a few weeks back, but this one just totally blew us away.

Hidden in this innocent-looking pen are a 2.4GHz wireless transmitter and a video camera. Click the top of the pen to start transmitting live video feeds from the pen clip up to 100m in an enclosed area. Plug in the receiver to any TV display to view what the covert is experiencing, and try not to feel nauseous when he starts spinning the pen around his fingers. After all, he has to look discreet, remember?

Just to be on the safe side when Dr Evil asks for a pen, this US$269 gizmo functions as one, too.

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