Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
After the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, Apple’s smartphone presence just grew and grew, ultimately becoming the top dog in the market. But last year, Samsung knocked Apple from their throne to become the world’s most popular smartphone brand.
This year, findings published by IHS Markit shows that Apple has now also been overtaken by Huawei and Oppo, dropping Apple down into 4th place.
Time-of-Flight (TOF) has started popping up more and more lately. It feels like a bit of a buzzword, but it’s actually pretty cool tech. Essentially, it sends out some kind of light (typically a laser) into the environment and then times how long it takes for it to bounce off those objects, creating a pretty accurate 3D map of its surroundings.
It can then use this data for various functions. In the case of phones, that means things like the fake bokeh everybody seems to love these days, but also for faster and more accurate autofocus. And according to a report on MacRumors, it’s coming to two 2020 iPhone models.
For the 12th year in a raw, iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) has selected the best iPhone photographers of the year. We may argue forever (and we probably will) if gear matters or not. But these photos show us a fact that remains true: no matter what gear you use, you still need talent and knowledge to capture a great photo.
You like photography, you’d like to take stunning photos, but you’re bummed because you don’t have a camera? But hey, you’ve got your phone! Photographer Noe Alonzo took a challenge to shoot only with his smartphone for six months. He did it to encourage all of you to just go out and shoot, and in this video, he shares some of the lessons he learned during the process.
Last year, British tech firm, Nanoco announced a partnership with a “large, undisclosed U.S. listed corporation” worth £17.1 million ($21.7 million). The Telegraph now reports that this undisclosed company is none other than Apple. They say that Apple contracted Nanoco to develop quantum dot (QD) technology for the next generation of high tech iPhone camera sensors.
They now also say that Apple has pulled the plug on the project, causing Nanoco to lost almost 80% of its share price. According to BlueFin Research, the decision was made as Apple deems the QD image sensors to be too expensive for mass production.
This is interesting for your iOS folks. There’s a new Kickstarter in town for something called the HyperCube. It’s an interesting little device that sits in between your phone’s charger cable and the USB socket and provides a microSD slot as well as a USB slot for plugging in a hard drive, SSD or flash drive.
When it hits retail (which won’t be for a while), it’s going to be $49, although it’s as low as $29 right now through the Kickstarter campaign.
It’s happened before that musicians get fed up with people who watch a concert through their smartphones. This time, the frontman of punk-rock band Fidlar, Zac Carper, fought against it. Quite literally. As a fan jumped onstage and tried taking a selfie, Carper slapped the phone right out of her hand, sending it into the crowd.
Smartphone cameras are getting better and better, plus they are easy and very intuitive to use. This is why many of us rely on them for taking photos in everyday situations. However, because of their ease of use, some camera options remain hidden and unknown to users. In this video, Evan Ranft shares three lesser-known iPhone camera features. You may not have known about them, yet they can help you take better photos with your phone camera.
The US Patent & Trademark Office has published a patent application from Apple that details a submersible iPhone capable at taking pictures down to a depth of 90-140 feet of water. They’re not just looking at making the iPhone more waterproof, though. They actually want it to overcome the visual issues of shooting at such a depth to actually produce decent images.
Along with today’s release of the Sony A9 firmware v5.0, Sony as also released a pair of mobile apps. Sony Imaging Edge Mobile now replaces the somewhat terrible PlayMemories app, and there’s a new Transfer & Tagging add-on for it which enables continuous FTP transfers in the background (for the Sony A9) which they claim doesn’t affect continuous camera use.
You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.
can change a lens mid-rappel, swap a memory card while treading water, or use a camel as a light stand.
To see more of his work please visit his studio website blurMEDIAphotography, or follow him on Twitter, 500px, Google Plus or YouTube.
JP’s photography is available for licensing at Stocksy United.
FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!