Are you searching for the perfect gift for the adventurer-dad in your life? Allow them to experience the ultimate fusion of telescope and digital camcorder capabilities with the HD Digital Camera Binoculars. These advanced binoculars are now on sale for only $121.99, just in time for Father’s Day.

This remarkable gadget lets users capture indoor and outdoor moments with great precision and detail, and just in time for Father’s Day, you can gift your dad these fantastic binoculars for only $121.99 (reg. $199). You’ll have to act fast, though, as they must be ordered no later than June 5 to ensure on-time delivery by the holiday.

With its 12X magnification and exceptional focus adjustment, these HD binoculars excel at recording high-quality videos and capturing stunning photographs. These binoculars are ideal for obtaining unforgettable memories, whether your dad’s camping, bird-watching, traveling, or engaging in various activities like traveling.

Dad can capture high-quality content in any environment with the HD Digital Camera Binoculars, which boast impressive video resolutions of 1440x1080p and 1280x720p and image resolutions ranging from 1.3M to 5M. Equipped with a premium full glass HD lens, this device records videos at a smooth 30 frames per second in 1080p, while its decisive autofocus ensures stunning 720p resolution at 60 frames per second. 

Thanks to its waterproof, anti-dust, anti-fog, and anti-shock design, Dad can confidently take this gadget anywhere, regardless of the weather conditions. And with a weight of 15.8oz, these compact binoculars can easily be stowed in Dad’s pant pocket, jacket, or bag.

The HD binoculars offer a range of additional features, including a 750mAh battery, support for JPG and AVI formats, an anti-reflective coating that enhances light transmission and prevents water filtration, a convenient 2″ LCD screen, and much more. Thanks to its budget-friendly pricing, you can gift your dad professional-quality video content without breaking the bank.

Make your dad’s day this holiday and upgrade how he records his next outdoor adventure.

Give Dad the HD Digital Camera Binoculars for just $121.99 (reg. $199) this Father’s Day. Hurry, June 5 is the last day to order to ensure on-time delivery.

Prices subject to change.

The post These HD digital camera binoculars are now only $122 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Sennheiser MKH 416		SEE IT	Professional sonics and build capture the sound and fury of whatever you’re doing, wherever you are.
Best compact		Rode NTG3B		SEE IT	A relatively moderate price tag but wide frequency response means this giant sound from a small package.
Best for DSLR		Rode VideoMic Pro+		SEE IT	Able to run off of AA batteries, with a build that belies its affordable price tag, this is a perfect beginner mic.

Shotgun mics are flexible tools for capturing natural, focused sound for film and television, environmental recordings, sporting and live events, vlogs, or voice-overs. Their narrow pickup pattern rejects noise from the sides and, to a certain extent, the back, keeping the focus on your subject. The best shotgun mics are light enough to mount on a camera or carry on a boom pole all day and, in many cases, built with enough durability to survive the rough-and-tumble life of location recording. 

Plenty of times, you’re on the street or live streaming and don’t have the luxury of individually miking people, or you’re filming a scene where you can’t have a visible lavalier mic. That’s why you’ll find top-notch shotgun mics throughout the professional world—often accompanied by professional-level prices. But shotguns have been around for a while, and these ubiquitous tools of the trade are often inexpensive enough that even beginners and budget-minded users can add quality equipment to their kit bags. 

With every reputable—and less than reputable—microphone manufacturer producing them, it’s sometimes hard to figure out which shotgun mics deliver on their promise of great sound. So to help you out, we’ve rounded up a list of tips, advice, and the best shotgun mics.  

• Best overall: Sennheiser MKH 416
• Best compact: Rode NTG3B
• Best for DSLR: Rode VideoMic Pro+
• Best for most situations: Shure VP89M
• Best professional: Neumann KMR 81 i
• Best mini: Rode VideoMicro II
• Premium pick: Schoeps CMIT 5
• Best budget: Audio-Technica AT897

How we chose the best shotgun mics

We based our selection of the best shotgun mics on our own personal experience in the film, TV, and professional audio worlds, as well as conversations with other professional audio engineers and filmmakers, experts at equipment rental houses, and musicians. We consulted specialty review sites, industry trade magazines, and blogs, and read through the online impressions of typical users to see if performance typically matched a mic’s promise. In evaluating our selections, we prioritized sound quality and looked at construction (including moisture resistance), price, size, and how each microphone is powered.

The best shotgun mics: Reviews & Recommendations

Shotgun mics are ideal for recording dialogue on a movie set, the action on the court at a basketball game, or animals out in nature. It’s important to note that no shotguns will reject all off-axis sound. But they do an excellent job of keeping the focus on your subject.

Best overall: Sennheiser MKH 416

Sennheiser Pro Audio

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 6.17 ounces
• Length: 9.84 inches
• Frequency response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Wide frequency response for clear, natural sound
• Tight polar pattern isolates sound sources
• Moisture resistant

Cons

• Expensive

Sennheiser’s name repeatedly pops up when discussing the best microphones, and the venerable German manufacturer doesn’t slack off with their flagship MKH 416 shotgun mic. This professional-grade piece of kit has a wide 40-20,000 Hz frequency response, with a hyper-cardioid polar pattern at the low to mid frequencies that does an excellent job of rejecting off-axis sounds while zeroing in on the dialogue and other mid-frequency sources.

The shotgun works great indoors or out across various environments, thanks to an RF condenser design that’s highly moisture-resistant. And the MKH 416’s compact and light construction makes it easy to mount the mic on a boom pole without sacrificing maneuverability or tiring out your operator.

Make no mistake; you can get excellent shotgun mics for less money. But as good as they are, none provide the combined level of sonic quality, robust construction, and all-around utility of the MKH 416.

Best compact: Rode NTG3B

RØDE Microphones

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Specs

• Weight: 5.75 ounces
• Length: 10.4 inches
• Frequency response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Wide frequency response for natural sound
• Moisture resistant 
• Easy to mount on a camera or boom

Cons

• Slightly thinner sounding

Rode makes excellent mics. And thanks to its relatively moderate price tag, the NTG3B represents a common first step into the world of high-quality microphones. But thanks to its wide, natural 40-20,000 Hz frequency response and excellent build quality, it’s also the last stop for many pro and semi-pro indie filmmakers, documentarians, broadcast journalists, podcasters, and in-house audio-video teams.

It has excellent off-axis rejection, and its RF condenser technology protects it from moderate moisture. It isn’t quite as sensitive or directional as our top pick, Sennheiser’s MKH 416, but it usually costs about $300 less—and includes a handy metal case. For all but the most demanding users, that is often worth the trade-off. It’s still not what we’d consider “budget-priced,” but you definitely get what you pay for in terms of sonic integrity and build. 

Best for DSLR: Rode VideoMic Pro+

RØDE Microphones

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 4.3 ounces
• Length: 6.69 inches
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Built-in shockmount resists handling noise
• Extremely compact design
• Multiple power options
• 3.5mm TRS connectors

Cons

• No XLR connectivity
• Off-axis rejection could be better

Rode designed this compact and handy shotgun mic with mobile journalists, vloggers, and run-and-gun shooters in mind. It connects to cameras or audio recorders via a 3.5mm TRS cable and features an integrated shockmount that protects it from handling noise. The VideoMic Pro+ also has a built-in cold-shoe mount—so no extra arms or connectors are needed to mount it on your camera. 

The mic can be tuned to handle different recording environments, with buttons providing low-cut filters at 75 Hz or 150 Hz. You can also boost the frequency at 7 kHz if things start sounding a bit muddy. The mic has adjustable gain, as well, to help compensate for very loud or soft sounds. 

The VideoMic Pro+ won’t accept phantom power, but it does allow you to use AA batteries, Rode’s rechargeable battery, or an external battery that can connect via USB. 

With a shorter barrel, this shotgun mic sometimes has trouble rejecting off-axis sounds, especially in environments with large and noisy crowds. But if you want to keep your kit low-profile and nimble, this trade-off might be worth it.

Premium pick: Schoeps CMIT 5

Schoeps

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Specs 

• Weight: 3.35 ounces
• Length: 9.88 inches
• Frequency response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Natural sound
• Three switchable filters
• Shielded against electronic interference
• Compact design

Cons 

• Very expensive.
• Sensitive to environmental issues

Shoeps makes some of the best-sounding microphones in the business, and the CMIT 5 is no exception. It has a frequency response of 40-20,000 Hz tuned to provide flat, transparent, natural audio. But it also has three filters in case some additional acoustic sculpting is required: increase vocal clarity with a 5 dB boost at 10 Hz; roll off some bass at 300 Hz to offset proximity effect; or do a steep cut below 80 Hz to help wrangle handling-noise from a mic boom. It’s designed to perform best when paired with a high-gain mic preamp and is ideal for high-end applications like capturing dialogue, foley work, sound effects, or recording nuanced instruments.

However, Schoeps mics are some of the most sensitive to environmental issues like humidity. You don’t want to bring the CMIT 5 into the jungle or shoot down in Florida outside of an environmentally controlled building. This microphone is for the studio, concert hall, or closed set.

Remember that the best of the best comes with a high price tag, and the Schoeps CMIT 5 might be more microphone than many people outside the professional field need. 

Most versatile: Shure VP89M

Shure

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Specs 

• Weight: 4.9 ounces
• Length: 9.41 inches (Capsule), 4.02 inches (Preamp)
• Frequency response: 50 Hz to 20 kHz

Pros

• Unique modular capsule design
• Excellent sound quality
• Switchable low-cut filter
• Rugged yet lightweight build quality

Cons

• Requires 11 to 52 VDC phantom power

If you record in various situations, you typically need multiple shotgun mics to suit each scenario. But the Shure VP89M offers a unique modular design with interchangeable capsules, so you can stick with one mic even across indoor or outdoor applications. This version has a medium capsule, but you can also purchase short and long capsules to round out your kit. 

Shure built this mic around a Class-A transformerless preamplifier. It features a switchable low-cut filter to assist with less-than-desirable bass frequencies. The Medium capsule provides a narrow 50-degree acceptance angle, while the Long capsule offers a narrower angle, and the Short is wider. The mic produces a clean and natural sound that is very well-balanced. And it can easily pick up sound from up to 10 feet away, making it a worthy long-range mic option.

The Shure VP89M features a standard XLR 3-pin output. The aircraft-grade aluminum alloy construction adds to its durability but keeps the mic lightweight, making it easier to use for long periods. And it can operate in a wide range of temperatures and humidity levels. Though you must purchase the different capsules separately, this comes with a windscreen and carrying case. 

Best professional: Neumann KMR 81 i

Neumann

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Specs 

• Weight: 5 ounces
• Length: 8.9 inches
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Warm, clear sound
• Works in a variety of situations
• Low sensitivity to wind and handling noise
• Compact enough to mount on a camera

Cons

• Expensive

Neumann makes some of the best microphones, and the KMR 81 i is no exception. It has a steep price tag, but you get a lot for that high price. It is a super-cardioid mic and uses a pressure gradient transducer and an interference tube depending on the wavelength of the frequency for versatile use. 

The Neumann KMR 81 i is compact and light enough to be used on a camera for handheld shooting. Though the mic is specifically designed for film and TV applications, it also works well for recording individual musicians, orchestras, and more. The limited off-axis coloration keeps the sound consistent even if the subject is moving around. 

Most importantly, the KMR 81 i produces a high-quality, clear, warm sound. The 90-degree recording angle picks up just the right amount of sound. It offers switches to control a 200Hz low-cut filter and a -10dB pad to reduce traffic and wind noises. It also comes with a windscreen for even better results when outdoors. You’ll also get a leather carrying case and a one-year warranty.

Best mini: Rode VideoMicro II

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

Specs 

• Weight: 1.4 ounces
• Length: 3.1 inches
• Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Pros

• Very compact and lightweight
• Affordable
• Straightforward and easy to use
• Excellent sound quality

Cons

• Only supports 3.5mm analog output

The Rode VideoMicro II, is, as the name suggests, tiny. At only 3.1 inches long and weight 1.4 ounces, it’s smaller than just about everything out there. This small shotgun mic is ideal for beginners getting into filmmaking or vlogging, partly because of its compact size. It’s also very simple to use. You mount it to your camera’s hot shoe, plug in the 3.5mm TRS cable, and you are good to go. It can even connect to a smartphone or tablet should you want to.

The VideoMicro II is also reasonably priced, under $100. But, despite the budget-friendly price, it produces quality sound. It comes with both foam and furry windshields, which do an excellent job of filtering out background noise. And Rode’s built-in HELIX isolation mount system keeps noise from any knocks and bumps down to a minimum. 

The mic has no physical controls, so you are more limited than when using more expensive models. But it only draws a tiny bit of power from your camera, so you won’t have to cut recordings short to charge back up. The short form factor even makes it feasible to use on gimbals, making it an ideal microphone choice for run-and-gun videographers and vloggers.

Best budget: Audio-Technica AT897

Audio-Technica

SEE IT

Specs 

• Weight: 5.11 ounces
• Length: 10.98 inches
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Inexpensive
• 80 Hz low-cut switch
• Lightweight
• Battery and phantom powered

Cons

• Susceptible to moisture
• Slightly brittle sounding 

With microphones, you often get what you pay for. But Audio-Technica’s AT897 delivers high-quality results while still costing less than $250. Its wide 20-20,000 Hz frequency response, with a switchable roll-off at 80 Hz, allows the mic to capture very natural sound. That said, the response across all those frequencies could be flatter, and you can expect some brittleness in the higher end that you won’t find on more professional-grade mics. Off-axis sound rejection is good but not great.

The AT897 is built like a tank, and while I wouldn’t suggest tossing it onto concrete or driving over it with a truck, it’ll generally survive the mishaps you’re likely to encounter when recording on location or out in nature. However, it’s susceptible to moisture and high humidity, so keep an eye on the weather if you’re using it outdoors. 

A nice bonus: This mic can run off an AA battery, which is particularly handy when the budget doesn’t allow for recorders or cameras that supply phantom power—for instance, in a classroom. Despite some shortcomings, this is an excellent shotgun microphone for beginners who want to develop their technique, schools, or anyone operating under a tight budget while still wanting plenty of features and quality. 

Things to consider before buying the best shotgun mics

Microphones have polar, or response, patterns, which describe how they “hear” sound sources depending on where they’re placed. A shotgun microphone is a type of mic with a very narrow, front-facing response known as a “supercardioid” pattern. This means the mic mostly picks up sound from whatever you point it at while rejecting sound from the sides and, to a lesser extent, the back.

Frequency response

Frequency response is measured in Hertz (Hz) and describes how well the microphone captures sound at different frequencies. Shotgun microphones tend to have very wide, flat responses—that is, they pick up a range of frequencies more or less equally well—to better represent what the human ear can hear. They’re often tuned a bit to help emphasize dialogue and other mid-range frequencies. 

Condenser vs. dynamic microphones

There are two main types of microphones: condenser mics and dynamic mics. In very basic terms, microphones use diaphragms that vibrate when hit by sound waves. These vibrations generate electronic impulses that can be recorded or converted directly back into sound. Condenser mics have very thin diaphragms sensitive to subtle, quiet, nuanced sounds. But they’re more delicate and susceptible to heavy handling and moisture.

Dynamic mics, with their thicker diaphragms, aren’t as good with nuance but do very well when blasted with loud noises. They’re also robust and can survive a lot of abuse. (Singers usually use dynamic mics on stage; if you’ve ever been to a punk show, you’ve seen the damage they can withstand.) 

Because shotguns are meant to capture even whispered dialogue, they’re almost always condenser mics. Some mics—like those in Sennheiser’s MKH series—use RF condensers in their capsules versus AF condensers, which do a better job of resisting humidity. But it’s important to understand the options and even test a mic to ensure you get the right one for the job at hand.

Length

Shotgun mics come in various lengths, from a compact 3 inches or 4 inches to more than one-foot long. Consider how you’ll use the mic when deciding whether you want a compact one. If you’re mounting it on a camera, a smaller profile makes the mic lighter and much more maneuverable. Longer shotguns tend to have tighter polar patterns; they’re great when recording concerts or sporting events, and you want to minimize the overwhelming crowd noise. But put one on a camera, and you’re liable to poke someone’s eye out!   

Power

Like all condenser mics, shotguns require some power source. They usually rely on 48v phantom power delivered from a recording device, mixer, or camera. But some also have an option of using an AA battery, which can be a lifesaver if you find yourself in a situation where phantom power isn’t available. (For instance, some wireless rigs don’t deliver power themselves, so pick up and power up those rechargeable batteries.)

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best shotgun mics

• Best overall: Sennheiser MKH 416
• Best compact: Rode NTG3B
• Best for DSLR: Rode VideoMic Pro+
• Premium pick: Schoeps CMIT 5’
• Most versatile: Shure VP89M
• Best professional: Neumann KMR 81 i
• Best mini: Rode VideoMicro II
• Best budget: Audio-Technica AT897

If you’re shopping for a shotgun microphone, you’ve got a lot of options—that’s the good news. Manufacturers like Sennheiser and Rode make mics at different prices that all deliver excellent audio. The trick is figuring out which mic suits your needs best without accidentally overspending. It’s not easy—and that’s the bad news. Navigating all these microphones takes time and careful research. It also helps to use the mics before you buy one so you can tell from first-hand experience if it’s right for you.

That said, our own experience working with these mics professionally takes us back, time and again, to the classic Sennheiser MKH 416. It’s hard to beat the sound quality, which is simply excellent. But if you can’t quite afford one, Rode’s NTG3B, our pick for the best compact shotgun mic, is an excellent second choice. It sounds almost as good and has the same resistance to humidity. I’ve used both in professional settings and never had any complaints. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best shotgun mics in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best Overall		Sanken Cos-11D		SEE IT	Professional-grade audio in a tiny package
Best For DSLR		Sennheiser EW 112P G4		SEE IT	Natural-sounding mic with a powerful wireless kit
Best Mic For Streaming		Audio Technica AT899		SEE IT	A wired lav that’s used throughout many industries

Lavalier mics capture clear and clean audio in a small and lightweight package while leaving people’s hands free for other things. It’s a simple mission, and whether they’re used on a movie set, news broadcast, live presentation, or podcast, these ubiquitous clip-on mics have performed it well for decades. 

Lavaliers—also commonly known as a lapel mic, body mic, or, simply, a lav—come in wired varieties that plug into a power source and then directly into a recorder, computer, mixer, or PA system. Wireless models rely on a small transmitter and receiver pack that allow wearers a full range of unencumbered movement. Both can sound excellent, and choosing the right one depends entirely on your goals.

Lavs have a place in any dedicated audio kit, studio, or camera bag—or attached to your computer for Zoom meetings. And because they’re available at a variety of price points, you don’t need to be a professional sound engineer to afford one. We’ve assembled five of the best lavalier microphones to help you cut through the noise and find the one that best suits your needs.

• Best lavalier mic: Sanken Cos-11D
• Best for DSLR: Sennheiser EW 112P G4
• Best for iPhone: Rode smartLav+
• Best mic for streaming: Audio Technica AT899
• Best budget: Giant Squid Audio Labs

How we chose the best lavalier mics 

When considering which lavalier microphones to include in our recommendations, we relied on our own experience and also consulted with other professionals in the film, TV, streaming, and recording worlds to find out which mics they use. We read trade journals and websites and checked online impressions to see what typical users thought of the equipment. We narrowed the field down to 10 excellent microphones, focusing first and foremost on audio quality and then considering size, types of connectors, power sources, and, of course, price. When evaluating wireless kits, we evaluated the quality of the lav first and then looked at transmitter and receiver specs to check things like the robustness of their signals, their effectiveness in handling interference, and the flexibility of their features.

The best lavalier mics: Reviews & Recommendations

Best overall: Sanken Cos-11D

Sanken

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This professional-grade microphone captures the human voice without noticeable coloration, and its small size makes it easy to hide. No wonder you’ll find the Cos-11D on many TV and movie sets.

Specs

• Frequency Range: 50Hz-20kHz
• Connection Type: XLR-3M, Locking 3.5mm TRS
• Polar Pattern: Omni-Directional

Pros

• Natural, open sound
• Small and easy to hide
• Picks up very little clothing rustle
• Resistant to sweat and moisture

Cons

• More expensive than many lavs

The Sanken Cos-11D condenser mic has a frequency response of 50Hz to 20kHz and captures wide, open, and natural sound. This 4mm lavalier hides easily under clothes, and a small boost in the upper-mid frequencies helps to counter any muffling effect.

With an omnidirectional polar pattern, the mic captures audio clearly even when positioned off-axis—it’s pretty forgiving when not placed perfectly. A built-in mesh screen helps resist RF interference while also providing a fair degree of protection against sweat and smeary makeup. Sanken makes the lapel mic in various connector configurations to fit any use and it comes with an alligator clip; small snap-on windscreen; and plastic sleeve to help when mounting it under clothes.

Finding fault with the Cos-11D isn’t easy, but this level of quality comes with a higher price tag. If your budget isn’t there yet, or your applications just aren’t as demanding as the professional broadcast world, other mics can deliver excellent sound in almost as small a package for less money.

Best for DSLR: Sennheiser EW 112P G4

Sennheiser Pro Audio

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Sennheiser pairs their excellent ME2-II microphone with a flexible wireless transmitter and receiver for a kit that won’t tie up filmmakers or streamers with extra cables.

Specs

• Frequency Range: 50Hz-18kHz
• Connection Type: Locking 3.5mm TRS
• Polar Pattern: Omni-Directional

Pros

• Rugged construction
• Easy to set up
• Comes with transmitter and receiver

Cons

• Requires a lot of batteries
• Audio can sound somewhat boxy

Sennheiser’s EW112P wireless kit includes their ME2-II omnidirectional microphone, a wireless transmitter, and receiver. It’s a clean-sounding, affordable kit that’s become a workhorse on indie films, documentaries, live presentations, worship services, business events—basically, any situation where movement is key. The 5.6-ounce receiver won’t weigh down your digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera and the transmitter easily slips into a pocket or clips to a belt. 

The microphone 50Hz to 18Khz frequency response doesn’t match those found on higher-end, professional lavaliers. But it still performs well without coloring the sound too much or adding mud to the low-end. The mic handles sudden boosts in volume well. Like other mics with omnidirectional polar patterns, the ME2-II isn’t picky about where you place it. However, it’s susceptible to rustling from clothes, so be careful if trying to hide it. 

The plastic and metal transmitter sends a signal up to 330 feet and features 1680 RF channels to help you avoid interference from other wireless sources. Digital displays on both the transmitter and receiver provide information on battery status, output level, and RF level. Each runs on convenient AA batteries, though you’ll want to buy a lot of them—best practices are that you change batteries before each shoot just to be safe. The kit includes cables terminating in both XLR and 3.5 TRS jacks for connecting the receiver to any kind of camera, as well as a convenient, plastic cold-shoe mount. 

Best for iPhone: Rode smartLav+

Rode

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The smartLav+ includes Rode’s iPhone recording app that features editing functions and EQ settings, and can export files to SoundCloud and Dropbox.  

Specs 

• Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz
• Connection Type: 3.5mm TRRS
• Polar Pattern: Omni-Directional

Pros

• Kevlar-reinforced cable resists stretching and tearing
• Included pop filter to cut down on plosive B and P sounds
• Custom iPhone recording app
• Compatible with third-party recording apps

Cons

• May require a TRRS-to-TRS adapter for use with some DSLRs.
• No version of Rode’s app for Android devices

Rode has a reputation for building affordable, high-quality mics. The smartLav+ plugs into an iPhone and you can use the company’s custom app to record, edit, and upload your audio. It’s great for anyone looking for a simple, streamlined recording solution that doesn’t require additional equipment. This body mic will work with Android phones as well, but you’ll need a third-party app. You can also plug it into DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, but you consult the camera’s manual to see if you’ll also need a TRRS-to-TRS adapter. 

As expected, this omnidirectional microphone picks up sound from all sides for easy use. It comes with a pop-filter to cut down on plosives—the hard B, P, and T sounds that can wreak havoc on a recording. Kevlar-reinforcing protects the cable from snapping, and the included mic mount includes an extra clip to help with wire management.   

Best mic for streaming: Audio Technica AT899

Audio-Technica

SEE IT

Why It made the cut: The AT899’s small profile won’t distract your viewers, and it works off an included battery pack or 48v phantom power, making it easy to integrate into any type of streaming studio. 

Specs

• Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz
• Connection Type: XLR
• Polar Pattern: Omni-Directional

Pros

• Professional-quality sound
• Small profile
• Multiple power options
• Includes battery pack

Cons

• Moderately expensive

The AT899 is a wired lavalier that offers professional-quality sound in a small, flexible package suitable for any streaming studio. The included power-pack connects the mic to any device, including computer interfaces, mobile recorders, or cameras. But this lav also supports 48-volt phantom power for streamlined integration into higher-end mixing consoles, streaming interfaces, or pre-amps.

The low-profile 5mm hides easily under clothes; but even when exposed, it’s small enough that it won’t distract your audience. A wide, flat 20Hz-20kHz frequency response captures the nuances of the human voice and an omnidirectional polar pattern offers flexibility.

You’ll need an XLR to 3.5mm TRS adapter if you want to plug it directly into a DSLR or computer without a balanced audio interface.

Best budget: Giant Squid Audio Labs

Giant Squid Audio Lab Company

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Why it made the cut: This lavalier from Giant Squid Audio Labs has a low price and surprisingly wide frequency response, making it ideal for people with tight budgets. 

Specs 

• Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz
• Connection Type: 3.5mm TRS
• Polar Pattern: Omni-Directional

Pros

• Good sounding for a sub-$100 mic
• Convenient six-foot cord
• Low price

Cons

• Windscreen falls off easily
• Needs a TRRS adapter for smartphone use

With microphones, you often get what you pay for. However, Giant Squid Labs has done a nice job of delivering a reasonably flat-sounding lavalier for less than $50. Does it compete with a Sanken Cos-11D? Of course not—but the Sanken is about eight times the price. Still, Giant Squid Labs’ 20Hz-20kHz frequency response captures reasonably natural sound—even if it lacks a lot of the presence found in higher-end mics.

This budget lapel mic comes with an alligator clip, small windscreen, and a 6-foot cord. The latter is nice; no one looks great in a Zoom meeting when sitting too close to a web camera. And the windscreen helps cut down on noise when using the mic outside. However, it falls off easily, so consider avoiding heavy winds. The mic connects to a computer or other device using a 3.5mm TRS connector. If you want to use it with a smartphone, you’ll need a TRS-to-TRRS adapter.

Things to consider before buying the best lavalier mics

Wired or wireless

Lavalier microphones come in two basic varieties: Wired and wireless. Wired lavs connect to a small power source (usually an AA battery pack) that plugs into a recorder, PA system, or computer interface. It’s a strong signal path that won’t suffer from any interference. However, the length of the mic cable limits the wearer’s movement.

Wireless lavaliers plug into a small, wearable transmitter that sends the audio signal to a receiver plugged into a recorder or PA system. Wireless lavaliers provide complete freedom of movement, making them useful for video projects or presentations. While the transmitters and receivers have adjustable channels and frequencies to help avoid interference, sometimes they’ll still run into trouble in areas with too many other wireless systems. 

Pick-up pattern

Microphones have something called pick-up (or polar) patterns, which describe the way mics capture or reject sound. Most lavaliers have either omnidirectional or cardioid patterns. The first picks up sound evenly from all sides, a handy trick when there’s no way to perfectly position the mic. An omnidirectional mic attached to someone’s collar will capture sound almost as well as one placed on a lapel or tie. Mics with cardioid patterns, on the other hand, are directional, requiring more careful placement—make sure they’re pointed toward the speaker’s mouth. A less forgiving mic might sound like a big drawback, but because cardioid patterns are better at rejecting sound from the sides, these lavs work well in noisy spaces. When purchasing a body mic, think hard about the environment where you’ll use it the most.  

Power

Many lavaliers are condenser mics, and condensers need external power to operate. And let’s not forget, wireless mics require power for their transmitters and receivers. In either case, most of these body mics, as well as transmitters and receivers, run off AA batteries. Best practices say to change batteries before each use to avoid the risk of bad audio—or transmitters that drop signals entirely. Be prepared to stock up on AAs, and factor that into your budget. Good quality rechargeables will cost more at the outset, but they will cut costs and waste in the long run. 

Some lavaliers also accept 48+ volt phantom power from recorders, mixers, cameras, or other sources. These also have battery packs for use with other equipment. And other mics, like Rode’s smartLav+, can draw power through their 3.5mm jack. 

Connectors

The wires connected to lavaliers can terminate in a number of different jacks, including XLR, 3.5-inch TRS, and 3.5-inch TRRS for use with smartphones. Many companies manufacture their best clip-on mics in a variety of jack configurations. 

Durability

Lavaliers often take a lot of abuse. Not only can they get banged around, but their wires get twisted, and they’re sometimes attached to sweaty bodies. The best clip-on mics are durably built with at least a nod toward protecting them from low levels of moisture. Don’t submerge them, but don’t be afraid to attach them to someone who might be working in the sun all day. 

Attachments

Clip-on mics can attach to people in a variety of ways. Alligator-style clips are common and use a loop made from metal or rubber to hold the mic in place. If you don’t have anywhere to clip something like that, vampire clips use two small pins to attach the mic to clothing (hence the name). There are also magnetic attachments, which have a small metal disk that gets placed inside a shirt, and a small, magnetized loop that connects to it and holds the mic. Third-party manufacturers also make small foam or plastic sleeves that encase mics to minimize the rustling noise when hidden under clothes. Most lavaliers come with at least some basic attachments, but when buying others, find one that isn’t too big or small for your lav. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best lavalier mics

If you’re looking for the cleanest, clearest, professional-quality lavalier for your film or streaming program, and you’re not worried about your budget, then I absolutely recommend the Sanken Cos-11D. It’s become my go-to mic on documentaries and TV shows, and I often pair it with a Sennheiser wireless transmitter and receiver for the most flexibility. 

But I’ve also used mics that cost a third as much. Before I upgraded to the Sanken, I was happy with the Sennheiser ME2-II lav that comes in the EW 112P G4 wireless kit. As long as I placed it carefully and watched my levels, it never let me down. I still carry it in my kit as a backup. 

In the end, great equipment won’t do much if you don’t know how to use it. Take the time to learn proper miking techniques and develop your skills. 

The post The best lavalier mics of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best Overall		HP F660		SEE IT	Loop recording, a wide angle lens, and G-Shock sensor are just some of the features of this easily installed option.
Best 2-Channel		Ssontong Dash Cam		SEE IT	Including a backup cam with guidelines and a sensitive G-Sensor, this bundle (also available with four channels) offers a full value.
Best Parking Mode		Vantrue N1 Pro		SEE IT	Superior night vision, quality collision and motion detection, plus battery protection help make sure your car is monitored even in the dark.

For years, dash cams for cars have been a great way to catch hit-and-run automobile accidents, staged pedestrian accident scams, and even Russian meteor showers. For a long time, having this ability to monitor what really happens on the exterior of your car, and being able to carefully review the data after the fact, has seemed like a luxury. It was something you might have appreciated but didn’t necessarily seem like something that’d be worth the extra buck to put in your car. But now, the year is 2022 and the best dash cams under $100 that we’ve collected are actually solid, working units ready to help you out in a pinch. 

• Best overall: HP F650
• Best 2-channel: Ssontong Dash Cam
• Best parking mode: Vantrue N1 Pro
• Best heat handling: REXING V1
• Best budget: Angel Case Dash Cam

How we selected the best dash cams under $100

Selecting budget products can always be a bit tricky due to manufacturer shortcuts, inferior hardware, and the possibility of outright fraud. Fortunately, for dash cams, there are still high-quality products in the budget range. To find the best of the best, we scoured dash cam reviews from critics and real-world users, combining these with peer suggestions to select dash cams that boasted good specs but also provided intensive value for the cost. Highlighting cams across the full price spectrum—from the REXING V1 at just under $100 before tax to the Angel Case Dash Cam sitting at under $40—was also made a priority. In the end, we were able to compile a list of dash cams that you will be able to select something from.

The best dash cams under $100: Reviews & Recommendations

The following dash cams provide quality in a variety of different situations for people of all budgets. While none are particularly specialized, it is quite incredible that we were able to find one that can handle many channels well, another one that handles parking mode and night vision well, and yet another one that can handle fairly extreme temperatures, all on one budget list. As a result, it is our firm belief that you’ll be able to find something worthy of both your dash and your wallet from the following selections.

Best overall: HP F650

HP

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This is a quick installation product that will get you started and dash cam ready within minutes.

Specs

• Storage: 32GB MicroSD
• Viewing angle: 150 degrees
• Resolution: 1080P front

Pros

• Warning system
• Low effort installation
• Loop recording with event highlights
• Locks video clips when an accident occurs

Cons

• No rear-facing camera

The F650 is a dash cam from your favorite laptop and printer maker, HP. It has a lot of features built-in that you will certainly want, but probably weren’t necessarily expecting to come together in one budget model. The F650 has simple, stick-on installation, and smart loop recording that locks files around the time of collisions. The dash cam’s 150 degree field of view means it’ll capture view of four lanes of traffic.

If you get into an accident, the F650’s G-Shock sensor will trigger, which will lock any video it records to prevent it from being overwritten. This is handy if you need to present evidence to the police several days after the incident occurs. This dash cam records video onto a MicroSD card, and while HP doesn’t include one in the box, you can get a 32GB card for well under $10.

It goes without saying that the HP F650 tops our list due to its insane value for the cost and its feature-packed nature. Like a lot of HP products, the F650 isn’t the best possible model out there but is instead an affordable product that tries its best to provide value to average customers. We wish it had a rear-facing camera to record video of what’s happening in your vehicle, but that isn’t a dealbreaker considering its sub $50 price.

Best 2-channel: Ssontong Dash Cam

Ssontong

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Ssontong Dash Cam comes with a fully featured backup cam, all for under $50.

Specs

• Storage: 32GB SD
• Angle of view: 170 degrees front / 140 degrees rear
• Resolution: 1080P front / 720P rear

Pros

• Includes backup cam with guidelines
• Sensitive G-Sensor
• Full value for price
• Bundles available for four channels

Cons

• Low angle of view rear cam

While the HP F660G has a second cam, the Ssontong’s second channel cam acts as a full backup camera with guidelines and everything. While the rear cam isn’t quite up to the standards of a backup cam proper (it has a low 140-degree angle of view), you are also getting it as part of a complete system for under $100. Note, too, that the Ssontong can become a four-channel system and has bundle deals available if you wish to expand the system to be larger.

The Ssontong comes alive when you aren’t driving quickly via the G-Sensor, which rapidly detects vibrations. Even small wiggles, such as from a shut trunk or when you go back into your car to retrieve the bag you left in the back, will trigger it into full recording mode.

Overall, the Ssontong takes the throne for low-budget multi-channel dash cams. Even if you upgrade to include more channels, which might take you over $100, you’re still getting discounts and good deals at every corner. Ultimately, the Ssontong is a solid choice worthy of its dollar value.

Best parking mode: Vantrue N1 Pro

Vantrue

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Why it made the cut: The Vantrue N1 Pro works wonders at night, making its 24-hour parking mode worth every dollar.

Specs

• Storage: Up to 256GB MicroSD (not included)
• Angle of view: 160 degrees
• Resolution: 1080P 

Pros

• Superior night vision
• Quality collision AND motion detection
• Battery protection

Cons

• Front cam only

The Vantrue N1 is a seemingly standard forward-facing dash cam but—much like vampires, werewolves, and teenagers—doesn’t begin to show its real power until night falls. Again, it’s not bad during the day with the standard 1080P resolution, relatively good 160-degree angle of view, and high storage capacity. You can even get GPS functionality for around $20 more if you buy the N1 Pro add-on, which will put the total purchase right around the $100 mark. However, what you really want to see is how it functions at night.

When engaged in parking mode, you have a couple of modes to explore. First, there is collision-detection mode, which requires no extra steps to use. When your car is hit during parking mode, your Vantrue N1 camera will come alive and take a quick 20-second video for you to review later. The other option is a slightly more complex motion-detection mode, which requires a bit of wiring so the cam has access to your car’s battery. Your battery is protected from draining completely even while this mode is engaged due to battery protection mechanisms.

All of these great parking features go hand-in-hand with the “SONY Sensor.” This night vision brand is well-received by customers and actually works pretty well in a variety of environments. Combined with the recording modes above, you’re likely to have a good parking-mode experience with Vantrue. If it only had an included rear cam, it’d be just about perfect.

Best heat handling: REXING V1

REXING

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: If you’ve ever worried about heat (or cold) affecting a dash cam, you can relax with the REXING V1.

Specs

• Storage: Up to 256GB MicroSD (not included)
• Temperature range: -20 degrees to 176 degrees Fahrenheit
• Angle of view: 170 degrees

Pros

• Best temperature range
• Sharp, clear image
• Phone support

Cons

• Tax could take it over $100
• Front cam only

As heat does affect cams to some degree, you’ll want some tough heat resistance if you are expecting to blast through yet another summer heat wave and possibly leave the cam in your car. With a 176 degree Fahrenheit max, way above the 117 degrees your car can become after an hour in 95-degree heat, the REXING V1 is a cam you can feel truly secure leaving in any conditions.

Furthermore, the REXING V1 can even function down at an extreme: -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Compare that to the Vantrue N1 Pro’s already ambitious -4 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit range and you’ll see that you’re gaining 28 degrees of flexibility with the REXING V1.

All of this comes with a high-quality cam that produces sharp, clear imagery. In addition to the typical loop recording, the REXING V1 is also capable of connecting with your phone and you can offload clips that way as well. If only it came with a rear camera that was just as capable, it’d be perfect.

The only other downside I can really see for this one is that it is on the higher side of product costs. If you encounter any sales tax, you’ll probably slide over $100. It’s a technicality, but worth mentioning!

Best budget: Angel Case Dash Cam

Zhrmghg

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Angel Case may not be easily pronounceable, but it is an ultra-low budget, legitimate dash cam with outstandingly good customer reviews.

Specs

• Storage: Up to 32GB MicroSD (not included)
• Angle of view: 170 degrees
• Resolution: 1080P 

Pros

• Quick installation
• Fully featured
• Incredible customer satisfaction

Cons

• Cheap suction mount
• Front cam only

For your super-budget needs, the ultra-affordable Angel Case is here for you. This cam is under $35 dollars and comes fully featured, making it our cheapest dash cam pick. It has the loop recording (with locks for special events), the parking modes and G-Sensors, and even the night vision you expect from higher models. Its installation is remarkably quick, too, though it does use an admittedly cheap suction-cup mechanism.

It’s worth noting that Angel Case has something special, in that it is one of the best-rated dash cams on Amazon. Not just in the best budget dash cams but in all of them, though the outrageously low price certainly is a contributing factor. Customers just love it and that certainly makes it something worth checking out.

Still, there are things to be desired coming from the Zhrmghg. In addition to somewhat more secure mounting, it’d be nice to see a rear cam, too. However, it is hard to expect too many extras when you’re getting sub-$50 quality. The Zhrmghg will serve you well and get you far beyond that bare minimum of peace of mind that you’re after.

Things to consider before buying dash cams under $100

Overall, selecting a dash cam under $100 isn’t too far off from buying other dash cams for your car. However, when looking at low-price products, different trends and problems will emerge. So, while things like resolution and screen type are still important, you may run into more important problems or have different concerns altogether as a budget customer. Here’s what we suggest you look at, specifically, when searching for the best dash cams under $100:

Recording time

How much time can a dash cam under $100 record for? It’s actually a pretty complex question, that won’t have the simple numeral answer you’re hoping for. At the most basic, you have to worry about power supply, but also the dash cam’s storage capacity. When you’re working within price limitations, there is a chance that either one of these factors will become the limiting one.

Manufacturers are, of course, aware of the difficulties of giving you something functional while keeping within tight production budgets. While not all companies will be dedicated enough to give you something functional, there are some pretty intelligent design features that make dash cams under $100 workable. Here are just a few of them I’ve seen quite a bit of:

Shake-on recording: You might be aware of systems that make a note of when activity is detected so you can come back and review the relevant footage later. Unfortunately, that mechanism won’t save battery and storage space. Instead, dash cams with shake-on recording come “alive” when the car is shook or jostled, recording what happens in these key moments.

This tech comes by many names, such as “collision detection” or “G-sensor,” but all of them work similarly. While the feature is fairly ubiquitous, more advanced units have settings that will let you determine the threshold for turning on. For example, if you park in a parking tower that vibrates a bit as cars drive by, you might not want just any bump setting off your dash cam. 

Loop recording: First-In-First-Out, or “FIFO,” is one of the first rules of the kitchen. It also appears as “loop recording” for dash cams and can make for a really good file storage system when you’re working on a budget. Instead of stopping future recordings when the system becomes full, dash cams with this style of recording start deleting your oldest files automatically to make room for new stuff.

This system has the advantage of making sure the latest information is taken into account but you do run the risk of losing something important if you don’t regularly backup your data. Many dash cams with shake-on recording will designate files taken around the time of a shaking incident as important and ‘lock’ them for later viewing.

All of the dash cams on our list use loop recording and it isn’t hard to figure out why—the system is a fantastic complement to the way dash cams operate. Still, if you’re planning on searching for your own budget dash cam, this is a keyword to look out for.

SD storage: Dash cams, and especially those under $100, typically store footage to an SD or MicroSD storage card. In many cases, a card will be provided with the purchase, but double-check to be sure.

This supplied card probably won’t have as much storage space as the ones we’ve detailed in our best MicroSD and SD card articles, considering the cost restrictions. If you are concerned about the storage space of the card given, be sure to check those articles out. Also, pay careful attention to which type of memory card your purchased dash cam uses, as MicroSD and SD are not the same!

Lastly, some of the dash cams on the list actually have a storage maximum. In other words, they aren’t designed to work with cards above a certain value. So, getting the best MicroSD or SD card isn’t necessarily going to be the best decision for your dash cam experience.

Viewing angle

Viewing angle becomes very important when you’re trying to get as much information as possible. Having too narrow of a view angle, and subsequently completely missing out on an accident that you should have been able to capture, completely misses the point of having a dash cam in the first place. On the other hand, if your viewing angle is too wide you could encounter other problems, such as barrel distortion, which causes straight lines to appear awkwardly bent. A viewing angle between 150 degrees and 170 degrees will be best in most cases.

Night-vision quality

If you’re wanting to know what goes bump in the night, or at least what bumps into your car at night, then you’ll need some degree of night vision. There is a lot of technical jargon, mixed with some company labeling, so expect to see a lot of different claims out there. Examples include technical explanation, such as using f/2.8 aperture lenses, or more vague gestures that reference the brand name’s “special” night-vision formula.

Luckily, you don’t really need to look at numbers or technical stats to understand night-vision quality—you need to look at pictures or at least get a sense of what you’ll be able to see. In reality, when it comes to night vision quality, your best friend is going to be user reviews, image stills, and word of mouth.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best dash cams under $100

• Best overall: HP F650
• Best 2-channel: Ssontong Dash Cam
• Best parking mode: Vantrue N1 Pro
• Best heat handling: REXING V1
• Best budget: Angel Case Dash Cam

By now you should have a good idea of what dash cam you want for your car, depending on your needs. Additionally, you’ll have a firm idea of what the best dash cams under $100 have to offer in case you decide to do some further digging. In any event, while your package is on its way, be sure to check out the easiest way to install a dash cam so you’re 100% ready when it arrives!

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best dash cams under $100 in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame		SEE IT	With unlimited storage, an intuitive app, and the ability to be oriented either portrait or landscape, the 2K Aura Mason Luxe frame truly has everything you could want.
Best touchscreen		Sammix Digital Picture Frame		SEE IT	Maximum usability is the name of the game with the SAMMIX digital picture frame, which boasts touchscreen capabilities, motion-sensor activation, and more.
Best budget		Aluratek Digital Photo Frame		SEE IT	This frame is all about simplicity: Just plug in your USB full of photos and watch a slideshow of memories come to life.

Whether its Mother’s Day, Grandparents’ Day, or just any day that ends in “y,” a digital picture frame helps make even the smallest moment make a big impression as favorite memories and unexpected flashbacks pop up. Created to store your most cherished memories and put them on display, these smart frames—many of them wirelessly connected—exponentially increase how many photos can be showcased. For the indecisive among us, this is really good news. And for those who hate clutter, getting rid of 25-plus picture frames and replacing them with a single digital one is even better news. And a digital picture frame you can remotely update for a loved one truly is the gift that keeps on giving. Which leads us to the most important question: How do you pick just one? By reading our informative guide, that’s how! Here’s our selection of the best digital picture frames.

• Best overall: Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame
• Best large: Pix-Star Digital Photo Frame
• Best small: Atatat Digital Frame With IPS Screen
• Best touchscreen: Sammix Digital Picture Frame
• Best budget: Aluratek Digital Photo Frame

How we chose the best digital picture frames

To make our selections, we honed in on the following criteria:

Storage: Whether in the cloud or on your USB flash drive, photos have to live somewhere. We looked at what kind of storage each photo frame provides and the pros and cons of each option.

Design: If a photo frame is going to live in your home or office long-term, it has to look good. All of the frames in this list are not only functional but aesthetically pleasing as well.

Usability: With any technological advancement comes the difficulty of adjusting to new tools and gadgets. We made sure to select picture frames that provide a friendly user experience.

Size: Like traditional picture frames, digital ones come in different sizes. We included several different options in this category and explained the benefits of each.

Customization: Looking at family photos can be an intimate experience; we made sure to include what level of personalization each picture frame provides.

The best digital picture frames: Reviews & Recommendations

On the surface, a digital photo frame looks almost exactly like the traditional photo frame it was designed to replace. But with many hidden technological features and perks, these well-rounded rectangles are a whole new ball game.

Best overall: Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame

Tess Ware

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Aura app enables anyone in the family with a smartphone to add photos to the Mason Luxe picture frame from anywhere, making it the best choice for a household with lots of memories or members to put on display.

Specs

• Screen size/type: 9.7-inch screen
• Connection type(s): WiFi enabled
• Storage type(s): Unlimited cloud storage

Pros

• A sleek, stone-inspired hand-speckled design makes this frame appropriate for almost any room
• Portrait or landscape orientation
• Extremely high resolution for an ultra-crisp display
• Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Cons

• The most expensive frame in this roundup

Aura makes digital picture frames that stand out for the full-featured technology contained in their chic minimalist design. Thanks to 2.4GHz WiFi capabilities and free unlimited cloud storage, you could send tens of thousands of photos (or short videos) to any Aura Mason Luxe frame on a home network and still not run out of space. Once invited to contribute, anyone with the Aura app on on iOS or Android phone or tablet can edit and add photos from anywhere in seconds, with none of the hassles that come with using email. Once the photos are in the frame, the 2K 2048×1536 (256dpi) display—which can be set up either portrait or landscape, and automatically rotates the screen if reoriented—presents them intelligently cropped in chronological order or randomly shuffled, though you can adjust the speed as you see fit. Auto-dimming technology automatically adjusts brightness for the environment, plus shuts the frame off at night. And an interactive touch bar lets you change photos, view details, and more if you don’t want to reach for your phone.

A straightforward setup process makes it easy to gift an Ausa Mason Luxe, which will display a personalized welcome message/image as soon as its online. Gunning for the “Best Son of 2023” award, the PopSci gear team’s associate managing editor sent one of these frames to his mother for his birthday, and she’s been constantly delighted as new pictures of her other son in Japan, grandchild on the soccer field, or contemplative granddog (shown above) pop up every few days. From the recipient herself: “What I have enjoyed the most … is the burst of joy every time I see a photo of a loved one or a picture a loved one has shared with me!”

Got a bigger family or group of friends but want to spend a little less? Consider the $149 Aura Carver Smart Frame, which has a 10.1-inch HD (1200×800 150dpi) display with a landscape orientation within its modernist setting. While it’s a lower resolution than the Mason Luxe and vertical images will be displayed as pairs, the horizontal alignment means there’s still lots of room for a crowd of smiling faces, as well as beautiful vistas. Aura’s convenient, beautiful digital picture frames check every box regarding usability, accessibility, and aesthetics.

Best large: Pix-Star Digital Photo Frame

Pix Star

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Why it made the cut: This extra-large photo frame from Pix-Star is best for displaying your loudest, proudest moments (in both photo and video form).

Specs

• Screen size/type: 15-inch IPS LED screen
• Connection type(s): WiFi enabled, USB stick, SDHC card, or SDXC card
• Storage type(s): 8GB internal memory
• Additional features: Motion-sensor activated

Pros

• Share photos and videos via the Pix-Star app
• 8GB internal memory
• Motion sensor activated

Cons

• Large display could make low-res images look pixelated

Pix-Star made this 1024×768, 4:3 photo frame with your biggest memories in mind: those moments that, even when condensed into a photo, seem to jump out from the screen. Think weddings, graduations, international vacations—the memories that really deserve front and center display are about to have a serious moment.

Conveniently, Pix-Star has an app via which you can share images from anywhere in the world, meaning that even if you can’t be with your loved ones at the moment, you can still send them memories of a happier time. Pix-Star doesn’t have cloud storage, though, so you’ll have to rely on the frame’s internal storage. But with 8GB (around 30,000 images), it’s unlikely that you’ll run out of room. Additionally, you can connect a social media account and share photos directly from your Facebook or Instagram profile, for example. Other ways to share include a USB stick, SDHC card, or SDXC card. Simply pick the 25 photos you’d like to display on this (huge!) screen and connect via whatever form is easiest for you.

Best small: Atatat Digital Frame With IPS Screen

Atatat

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This digital photo frame allows you to add background music, adjust the brightness, edit the slideshow, and more, making it one of the most customizable picture frames.

Specs

• Screen size/type: IPS screen
• Connection type(s): USB
• Storage type(s): 128GB
• Additional features: Adjustable brightness, background music

Pros

• IPS screen for optimized viewing
• Comes with a remote control
• Multiple slideshow modes

Cons

• No app or WiFi capabilities
• No cloud storage

This digital photo frame may not have the bells and whistles of a more technologically advanced frame, but what it lacks in features, it makes up for in customization of what it does and does well. Here you’ll get an alarm clock, calendar, personal music (uploaded via USB), multiple languages, a remote control, and adjustable slideshow settings to create a truly personalized viewing experience. 

With only 7 inches of screen, this is also one of the most compact digital photo frames. Despite being physically small, it has tons of storage: 128GB, to be exact. What’s more, an IPS screen makes for a much better viewing experience than an LED screen, so every photo you upload will look its best. Take this frame with you wherever you go, or find it a permanent home in your space. The options are endless with a small, portable screen like this one.

Best touchscreen: Sammix Digital Picture Frame

Sammix

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Why it made the cut: It’s never been easier to set up, share, and enjoy a digital picture frame. Sammix’s laundry list of capabilities empowers every user, and a separate app means you can share photos from anywhere in the world.

Specs

• Screen size/type: 10-inch IPS touchscreen
• Connection type(s): WiFi enabled
• Storage type(s): 16GB

Pros

• Easy setup with an IPS touchscreen
• Turns on and off via motion sensor
• Built-in 16GB storage

Cons

• Instant sharing only works with a 2.4GHz WiFi network
• No built-in battery

Sammix makes sharing images with loved ones easy; it’s as simple as downloading their app, Ourphoto. With a 2.4GHz WiFi network, adding photos to the frame can happen in seconds. Other features include a motion-activated on/off switch so that the slideshow automatically starts up when you walk into the room; a user-friendly touch-screen interface; and a sleep mode for evening or naptime. 

This Sammix frame isn’t perfect; the instant sharing only works with a 2.4GHz network (so if you have a 5GHz network, this may not be the frame for you). And the frame won’t work unless it’s plugged in since it doesn’t have a built-in battery. Otherwise, Sammix does an excellent job of making the user experience accessible, and the IPS screen keeps things looking crisp. Lastly, additional features like background music, video compatibility, an alarm clock, a calendar, and daily weather reports make this digital picture frame a winner, though not quite top of its class.

Best budget: Aluratek Digital Photo Frame

Aluratek

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Why it made the cut: Though Aluratek lacks a lot of the fancier features seen in other products, it’s much better priced than those items and still performs the most important duty of a photo frame: displaying your photos!

Specs

• Screen size/type: 7-inch screen
• Storage type(s): USB flash drives, SD cards
• Additional features: Automatic slideshow, high-quality wood frame

Pros

• Compatible with both USB flash drives and SD cards
• Various display and transitions options for your slideshow
• Frame adjustable for both horizontal and vertical orientation

Cons:

• No built-in battery
• No remote control
• No touchscreen

It’s back to basics with the Aluratek digital photo frame. It’s wallet-friendly, but there’s a price: It doesn’t boast many of the features that come standard in other frames. There’s no battery, no remote control, no touchscreen, and no built-in memory. However, let’s not be deterred by the overt simplicity of this frame. For a very affordable price, the Aluratek frame performs the same basic function as the pricier frames. And without all of those gadgets, you may find it’s much easier to use, too. 

Regarding storage, no built-in memory means that capacity will depend entirely on the size of your USB or SD card. Further, you’ll have to keep this frame plugged in for it to work, so be sure you have a spot in mind to display it that’s near an outlet. Choose from landscape or portrait orientation, select from several slideshow options, and you’re all set to enjoy this frame.

Things to consider before buying a digital picture frame

Unlike traditional photo frames, purchasing a digital picture frame isn’t necessarily a small expense. So it’s important to be intentional about what features you prioritize and whether or not there are features you can live without. And as technology advances, we should all be conscious of what gadgets could become obsolete in the near future. For example, will you really still have that SD card in 10 years, or will everything be on the cloud? Here are some more considerations:

Essential features

First, ask yourself if you’re OK with a digital picture frame that requires an outlet or whether you would pay extra for a built-in battery. Then do the same for features like motion-sensor activation, WiFi capabilities, and the like. Do you need them, or are they irrelevant?

Style

You won’t be able to change out the color or size of your frame, so make sure it’s timeless.

Extra perks

When so many digital picture frames boast almost the exact same set of tools, it’s the additional features that really start to stand out. Think about those extra features—the motion-sensor activation, the background music, the weather reports—and decide which ones are make-or-break for you. Understanding your own preferences and priorities is the easiest way to weed out imperfect options and find the right frame for you.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best digital picture frames

• Best overall: Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame
• Best large: Pix-Star Digital Photo Frame
• Best small: Atatat Digital Frame With IPS Screen
• Best touchscreen: Sammix Digital Picture Frame
• Best budget: Aluratek Digital Photo Frame

After looking at each of these five digital picture frames, we can clearly see that there are several options and priorities to consider before purchase. The capabilities and perks run the gamut, and so do the prices. But, compared to the other four options or simply viewed as a standalone product, the Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame is unmatched. Combining high-tech features with an easy user experience and a chic design, this photo frame will stay useful—and beautiful—for years to come.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best digital picture frames for 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Sony FX30		SEE IT	This compact and relatively affordable camera is ready for serious filmmaking.
Best compact		DJI Pocket 2		SEE IT	Despite its small size, this camera shoots super-smooth 4K video.
Best for vlogging		Sony ZV-1		SEE IT	This compact camera offers just about everything you need to get started.

Having a quality video camera will upgrade the production value of whatever you may be shooting. Whether working on a short film, a YouTube channel, or video content for social media, having more than your phone to capture your footage will ultimately make your final product look more professional. Although most modern cameras can shoot 4K video, when selecting a video camera, you should also consider specs like resolution, frame rate capabilities, sensor size, and bit-depth. The video cameras in this buying guide should appeal to a diverse group of videographers and fit various budgets. Of course, you can spend Michael Bay money and get true cinema rigs, but those fall outside the scope of this article because of their cost and complexity. Keep reading to learn more about the best video cameras currently available.

• Best overall: Sony FX30
• Best for filmmaking: Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro
• Best for photo and video: Canon EOS R6 Mark II
• Best for vlogging: Sony ZV-1
• Best compact: DJI Pocket 2

How we chose the best video cameras

When selecting the cameras that appear in this buying guide, we considered video cameras that fit a variety of budgets, experience levels, but also a variety of needs based on the kinds of videos that might get created. We evaluated cameras that would be a good fit for filming documentary films, capturing events, and for YouTube creators. The cameras in this buying guide were selected through hands-on experience, user feedback, and trusted editorial reviews.

The best video cameras: Reviews & Recommendations

Your phone has a video camera baked into it, but these dedicated cameras all offer something the device in your pocket can’t. Here are our specific picks to meet your cinematic (or social media) needs.

Best overall: Sony FX30

Sony

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This 4K APS-C sensor camera is optimized for video and offers a wide variety of capture formats, making it our pick for best overall video camera.  

Specs

• APS-C sensor 
• 10-bit 4:2:2 S-Log3 capture
• Shoots oversampled 4K up to 60p

Pros 

• In-body image stabilization 
• S-Log3 capabilities with uploadable custom LUTs and S-Cinetone color profiles
• Rig-ready body 

Cons 

• No mechanical shutter 

The compact Sony FX30 was built with small-scale filmmakers in mind. The 4K APS-C camera features excellent in-body image stabilization, five thread holes for attaching mounts, and three command dials for straightforward operation. The FX30 can shoot oversampled 4K up to 60p, features the same Log shooting modes found inside Sony’s high-end cinema cameras, and can upload customized LUTs (Look Up Tables, which work like visual styles you can apply to footage) to judge what final image quality will look like. Although it can technically shoot stills, the lack of a mechanical shutter doesn’t make it the ideal camera for the job because moving subjects can look distorted due to sensor readout. However, since it’s a camera designed with filmmakers in mind, we wouldn’t count that as a drawback. 

Best for filmmaking: Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro

Blackmagic

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Why it made the cut: Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera combines a high dynamic range, excellent low light performance, and a massive sensor to offer Hollywood-style production value at a fraction of the price. 

Specs

• Super 35 sensor
• 13 stops of dynamic range
• Records in 12-Bit Blackmagic RAW 

Pros 

• Built in ND filters
• External controls make it easy to adjust settings while rolling
• USB-C port allows you to record to external drives
• EF lens mount makes it compatible with Canon lenses

Cons

• Have to build out with accessories 

The Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera makes it easy to capture Hollywood-style video thanks to its high dynamic range capabilities and ability to record in 12-bit  Black Magic Raw. Although it’s pricey compared to many of the 4K and 6K mirrorless cameras currently on the market, it’s a much more affordable option than the ARRI and Red rigs typically found on big-budget film sets. You can shoot 50 fps at 6K and 120 fps at 2.8K. USB-C expansion ports allow you to record directly to external drives. The external controls make it easy to change settings while rolling, plus it has an extremely intuitive interface for easy operation. 

The integrated Canon EF mount gives the camera native access to Canon’s DSLR lenses. Since Canon is phasing out cameras with that mount, there are a ton of great deals out there on the secondary market for extremely high-end lenses.

Best for photo and video: Canon EOS R6 Mark II

Abby Ferguson

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Why it made the cut: This second-generation Canon EOS R6 is an excellent choice for shooting stills and video, thanks in part to a design that keeps video and still settings clearly separated from one another. 

Specs

• Full-frame 24-megapixel CMOS sensor 
• Shoots oversampled 4K up to 60p
• 10-bit C-Log3 

Pros 

• Supports ProRes RAW workflow with an Atomos recorder
• Dedicated switch for stills and video settings
• Offers false color displays

 Cons 

• Unreliable AF in video mode
• Histogram unavailable when recording video 

The Canon EOS R6 II made some substantial improvements to video features compared to the original, which is why it’s our pick for best hybrid camera. It’s built around a 24-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, a comfortable hand grip, and an intuitive control system that keeps video and photo settings separate. It can shoot oversampled 4K video up to 60p and has an improved system for thermal management—meaning it won’t overheat while shooting. Although the autofocus isn’t always reliable when shooting in video mode, this is still an excellent option for the creator looking for something that can shoot both video and stills.

Best for vlogging: Sony ZV-1

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: A compact camera designed specifically with vloggers in mind, the SV-1 has excellent autofocus and a simple touchscreen interface that makes it easy to control while doing a walk and talk. 

Specs

• 20-megapixel 1” BSI CMOS sensor
• Shoots 4K up to 30p
• 8-bit Log and ‘HLG’ shooting modes

Pros 

• Has a directional 3-capsule mic for audio 
• Supports HLG and S-Log2/3 for easy color grading
• Real-time Eye AF 

Cons 

• No headphone jack for audio monitoring
• Limited zoom range

The ZV-1 is a compact, easy-to-use camera that makes it easy to start vlogging without much technical know-how. It has a clever directional three-capsule mic that makes it easy to capture quality audio while recording. It can shoot 4K up to 30p and Full HD video up to 120fps. There is a giant record button on the top of the camera and a simple touchscreen interface that makes operating the ZV-1 extremely intuitive. 

Its autofocus is fast and accurate, and settings like background de-focus and product-showcase mode are aimed specifically at content creators. If you are looking for an easy-to-use, compact camera with 4K capabilities, the ZV-1 has much to offer. 

Best compact: DJI Pocket 2

DJI

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This pocket-sized all-in-one gimbal and 4K camera is great for capturing stabilized footage. 

Specs

• 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor 
• Shoots 4K video at 60fps
• Built-in 3-axis gimbal for smooth, stabilized footage

Pros 

• Pocket-sized and easy to travel with
• Offers 140 minutes of recording time on a fully charged battery
• Fast f/1.8 lens 

Cons 

• Difficult to operate when attached to smartphone
• Subpar zoom quality 

This clever all-in-one gimbal and camera makes it easy to capture 4K stabilized footage. As the name suggests, the DJI Pocket 2 is compact enough to fit inside a pocket easily. The Pocket 2 features four mics with directional audio and a feature called soundtracking. The Pocket 2 is great as a secondary camera on a shoot or for capturing BTS footage from the day. Ultimately the Pocket offers an extremely easy way to grab some stabilized footage while shooting video.

Things to consider before buying a video camera 

Before purchasing a camera, it’s important to consider what your goals are and what kind of videos you are trying to create. You should also consider where your final video will be displayed. Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have specific requirements for video specs that often require shooting on higher-end cameras. If you want to create video content primarily displayed on YouTube or other social media platforms, a mid-range video camera might be a more appropriate choice. Ultimately a person working on a full-length film or a short documentary will have very different needs than someone creating video for a YouTube channel. 

Camera types

One of the most important things to understand before buying a video camera is the different types of cameras available on the market. At the high-end, there are cine-cameras. Cine-cameras are some of the most expensive and largest cameras on the market because they often have the largest sensor, can shoot at very high resolutions, and allow for more flexibility when color grading. 

There are currently several mirrorless cameras aimed at videographers who don’t necessarily need a high-end cine camera. These cameras are great for creating videos that will primarily live on YouTube, making them a nice choice for vloggers, event videographers, and content creators. The nice thing about this set of cameras is that they also can shoot high-quality stills. 

Resolution

You’ll likely want to export 4K footage when you’re done editing, and you’ll need at least 4K capture for that. That’s table stakes at this point. Some cameras offer higher-res shooting which allows creatives to shoot over-sampled 4K footage to provide more detail.

Lens mount

If the camera doesn’t have an integrated lens, you’re going to have to provide some glass, and that plays a huge part in how your productions look. Camera manufacturers (like Sony and Canon) typically offer their first-party lenses to go with their bodies. Other manufacturers like Blackmagic equip their cameras with mounts that can accept lenses from a third party. Many filmmakers also use vintage manual focus lenses on their video cameras because they provide a unique look, and they typically cost a lot less than their modern high-end counterparts.

Heat management

True cinema cameras offer robust cooling because the electronics inside can get very hot as they pull in high-res footage. Dedicated video cameras are better equipped to deal with these issues than most hybrid-oriented mirrorless cameras. Manufacturers often indicate in the specs how long you can expect a camera to go before it runs into heat issues. It’s also worth noting that some modes heat things much more quickly than others. If you’re maxing out resolution and framerate while capturing a data-hungry format, things will get toasty a lot faster than if you’re shooting basic 4K footage.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best video cameras

• Best overall: Sony FX30
• Best for filmmaking: Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro
• Best for photo and video: Canon EOS R6 Mark II
• Best for vlogging: Sony ZV-1
• Best compact: DJI Pocket 2

Choosing the best video camera ultimately depends greatly on what you are shooting and where the final video will end up. It’s not unusual for videographers to shoot on various gear, depending on what a project calls for. When selecting the best video camera, you should always consider what type of gear is the best for getting the job done. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio, to video games, to cameras, and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best video cameras for 2023 as chosen by experts appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Panasonic CR2016		SEE IT	Power key fobs, calculators, and other small electronics with the CR2016 battery.
Best for watches		LiCB LR1130		SEE IT	Keep watches, children’s toys, and more powered up with this affordable 15-pack of alkaline batteries.
Best budget		AmVolt LR44		SEE IT	The LR44 batteries in this budget-friendly value pack are ideal for clocks, toys, watches, and more.

Coin batteries are tiny energy sources that power mobile devices, computers, remotes, toys, key fobs, calculators, electronic thermometers, flashlights, watches, and more. These batteries come in a wide range of different sizes and voltages. But while there are many different types of coin batteries, it’s important to note that even if two different batteries have the same voltage, only the type of battery specified by the device will work properly. In addition, some coin batteries also have safety features, such as a bitter-tasting coating, to discourage kids and pets from swallowing them. Keep reading to learn how to choose the best coin batteries for your devices.

• Best overall: Panasonic CR2016
• Best for cameras: Duracell 2032
• Best for remote controls: Energizer 2450
• Best for watches: LiCB LR1130
• Best budget: AmVolt LR44

How we picked the best coin batteries

Coin batteries are known by this name because of their shape and because people often had to put a coin into a slot to twist open the compartments to change the batteries. Key factors that helped to select the top products included the battery type, battery shelf life, safety features, and the overall value of the product.

While coin batteries can be used in many different electronic devices, not every device uses the same type of coin battery, and the different types are not interchangeable. With this in mind, the top products are each a different type of coin battery. In addition, we considered the value and battery shelf life together because while it may seem like a great bargain to invest in a 30-pack, you may risk not being able to use all of them before the end of their useful life.

Finally, safety features aren’t something most people consider when purchasing batteries, but some coin batteries can cause death within two hours of being swallowed, so products that attempted to prevent accidental ingestion were considered superior to similar products.

The best coin batteries: Reviews & Recommendations

Our extensive research into more than 40 different coin batteries is backed by years of firsthand experience dealing with a wide variety of different devices that required specific types of batteries to operate.

Best overall: Panasonic CR2016

Panasonic

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: These CR2016 coin batteries are excellent for key fobs, alarm sensors, clocks, watches, and many other electronic devices.

Specs

• Type: CR2016
• Quantity: Two batteries
• Voltage: 3 volts

Pros

• Child-resistant packaging
• Shelf life of up to eight years
• Advanced sealing technology reduces the chance of chemical leaks
• Temperature resistant from 14 to 140 degrees F

Cons

• Only two batteries in a pack

Ensure that your wall clock and alarm clock tell the correct time by replacing dead batteries with a Panasonic CR2016 coin battery. This pack includes four lithium coin batteries that have a nominal voltage of 3 volts and can last for up to eight years. Just keep in mind that this is the batteries’ shelf life, so a battery installed in a device will likely need to be replaced within that eight-year window.

These coin batteries should be used only in devices that require CR2016 batteries to ensure that the device receives the appropriate amount of power without any ill-fitting connections that may cause internal damage to the battery compartment. The batteries come in a child-resistant package that must be opened carefully with scissors. This attempts to prevent the batteries from being swallowed by kids and pets. Additionally, the batteries are resistant to extreme cold and hot temperatures, ranging from 14 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, though exposure to these temperatures will still degrade the batteries’ life.

Best for cameras: Duracell 2032

Duracell

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Designed for various electronic devices, such as cameras and medical devices, these CR2032 batteries are one of the most frequently used coin batteries.

Specs

• Type: CR2032
• Quantity: Four batteries
• Voltage: 3 volts

Pros

• Bitter coating to deter ingestion by children and pets
• 10-year shelf life
• Child-resistant packaging
• Popular battery type suitable for many devices

Cons

• Only four batteries in a pack

One of the main benefits of using a coin battery instead of a standard cylinder battery is that coin batteries are lightweight, making them ideal for portable devices such as flashlights and watches. Used in cameras, computer motherboards, key fobs, watches, garage-door openers, toys, doorbells, medical devices, fitness trackers, and more, these CR0232 batteries are one of the most popular types of coin battery available, and this small package of four will likely be put to good use quickly.

The Duracell CR2032 3 Volt coin batteries are an excellent option for homes with kids and mischievous pets because not only do they come in a child-resistant package, but they also have a bitter-tasting coating to deter kids and their furry friends from putting them in their mouths. Each 3-volt battery can last for up to 10 years; however, it should be mentioned that some users found that they received an old, dated package with batteries that were already dead. This situation should be able to be resolved by the company with a replacement package, but always make sure to check the date of manufacture to ensure that the products are indeed new.

Best for remote controls: Energizer 2450

Energizer

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Store these lithium batteries for up to 10 years or use them immediately in various electronic devices for reliable, long-lasting power.

Specs

• Type: CR2450
• Quantity: Two batteries
• Voltage: 3 volts

Pros

• Child-resistant packaging
• 10-year shelf life
• Leak-resistant casing

Cons

• Only two batteries

In contrast to the short shelf life and battery life of alkaline coin batteries, these Energizer 2450 3 Volt lithium coin batteries can last for up to 10 years before the stored energy is fully discharged, which should be more than enough time to put these two batteries to good use instead of worrying about throwing them out unused. Additionally, each battery is individually sealed and cannot be accessed without scissors. While the packaging may frustrate some adults, it was intentionally made difficult to open to protect kids and pets from accidentally swallowing the batteries.

These coin batteries have leak-resistant casings to prevent the battery wall from rupturing and leaking chemicals into the package or within a device. This product only comes with two batteries, so users with more than two devices that operate on CR2450 batteries will need to purchase more than one of these two-packs.

Best for watches: LiCB LR1130

LICB

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Keep track of the time, stand out during a presentation, and double-check calculations with these LR1130 alkaline batteries for watches, laser pointers, calculators, and more.

Specs

• Type: LR1130
• Quantity: 20 batteries
• Voltage: 1.5 volts

Pros

• Affordable 20-battery pack
• Leak-resistant casing
• Individually sealed compartments for each battery in the package

Cons

• Short shelf life could lead to wasted batteries

While alkaline batteries are known to have a shorter shelf life than most lithium batteries, they are still a popular choice for powering a variety of electronic devices because they cost less than lithium batteries, and the short shelf life isn’t a concern if the batteries are going to be used immediately. This 20-pack of LiCB LR1130 coin batteries can last up to three years, giving users a decent amount of time to use them in small electronics such as watches, calculators, children’s toys, laser pointers, electronic thermometers, and more.

These alkaline coin batteries are made with a leak-resistant casing to help prevent the batteries from rupturing and damaging the devices. To help protect the batteries that are not currently being used, the package has individually sealed compartments for each battery. 

Best budget: AmVolt LR44

AmVolt

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The three-year shelf life and leak-resistant construction help preserve the batteries both when in use and when stored for later use.

Specs

• Type: LR44
• Quantity: 15 batteries
• Voltage: 1.5 volts

Pros

• Leak-resistant casing
• 15-battery value pack
• Compatible with a wide variety of devices

Cons

• Packaging is not child-resistant

The AmVolt LR44 1.5 Volt coin battery is an affordable option that can be used on numerous electronic devices, including laser pointers, watches, clocks, calculators, cameras, remote controls, toys, flashlights, cholesterol-testing meters, blood glucose testers, and digital voice recorders. This impressive range of uses makes the 15-battery value pack with a three-year shelf life an ideal option for most homes. 

Additionally, these LR44 1.5V coin batteries are made with a leak-resistant casing intended to prevent the battery from rupturing. However, if these batteries are exposed to extremely high temperatures, even this resistant casing may bulge and break. Also, it should be noted that the packaging of these batteries is not child-resistant, so the package needs to be kept out of reach of kids and pets.

Things to consider before buying coin batteries

Before grabbing the first coin batteries that look like they might work, take some time to learn about the various factors that are important to think about before your purchase, such as the battery type, the battery life, and any safety features that can help prevent accidental ingestion.

Coin battery types

 It’s necessary to differentiate between the various coin batteries because even if two coin battery types have equal voltages, the different types are not interchangeable. With this in mind, it’s necessary to check each electronic device to determine the specific type of coin battery the device needs to operate.

Some of the most common types of coin batteries include CR2032, CR2016, CR450, LR44, and LR1130, but there are many more. They also typically come in alkaline or lithium options and may differ in voltage, though 1.5V and 3V are standard voltages for coin batteries.

Battery life

The life of a coin battery is difficult to determine because the rate at which the stored energy is absorbed and used depends on the amount of energy used by the particular device, the frequency with which the device is used, and the number of batteries in the device. For this reason, manufacturers do not often provide this detail; instead, they advertise the shelf life of the battery, which refers to the amount of time the battery can remain effective while not being used.

Alkaline batteries are an affordable option for low-power devices like watches, and they can last up to three years, but they have a short shelf life compared to lithium batteries, which can last up to 10 years in some cases. If you are looking for a battery value pack, remember that even when batteries are not in use, they can still lose the stored energy and become useless.

Safety features

Coin batteries certainly don’t seem as dangerous as poison or power tools. Still, if these little batteries are accidentally eaten they can cause serious harm to the body’s interior. They may even lead to death if the powerful chemicals inside the batteries leak out. Due to this inherent danger, many coin battery manufacturers have improved the battery packaging in an attempt to prevent kids and pets from opening the packages and swallowing the batteries.

Additionally, some companies have added a bitter flavoring to the exterior of each battery so that if a child or pet puts the battery in their mouth, the bitter taste will make them want to spit the battery out and avoid ingesting batteries in the future.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best coin batteries

• Best overall: Panasonic CR2016
• Best for cameras: Duracell 2032
• Best for remote controls: Energizer 2450
• Best for watches: LiCB LR1130
• Best budget: AmVolt LR44

The child-resistant packaging and convenient four-pack make the Panasonic CR2016 coin batteries an excellent option for a home with kids or pets. Still, if you need LR44 batteries, the 15-pack of AmVolt LR44 coin batteries is an affordable option for watches, clocks, remotes, and even game controllers.

The post The best coin batteries of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

By now, you’ve seen cameras—even those attached to smartphones—with specs boasting the ability to shoot 8K footage. It’s an impressive number and it looks great on marketing material, and it does comes in handy for some specific purposes. But for many pro and high-end shooters, it’s still overkill. Here is our Blackmagic 6K Pro review.

This week, Blackmagic Design introduced a new model in its Pocket Cinema Camera, the 6K Pro. Like the rest of its siblings, the 6K Pro utilizes Black Magic’s slightly odd-looking body design with a Super 35mm sensor inside and a Canon EF mount (its autofocus DSLR lenses) on the front.

The back of the camera, however, is where you’ll find the biggest upgrade, at least from a usability standpoint. The new 6K Pro now has a five-inch tilting HDR touchscreen display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. It also puts out 1,500 nits of brightness, which is enough illumination that it should be easy to see even in bright surroundings. For reference, the iPhone 12 Pro maxes out around 1,200 nits on its brightest HDR setting.

Inside, Blackmagic has equipped the 6K Pro with the same color processing tech found in its IMAX-worthy (and 2020 Best of What’s New award-winning) URSA Mini Pro 12K. The extra resolution allows for oversampled 4K footage, which pulls in more details than native 4K. That can come in handy later for editing and color grading.

In addition to the sensor itself, the 6K Pro includes motorized neutral density filters that can block two, four, or six stops of light coming into the camera. If you’re a still shooter, this may not sound very handy, but it’s extremely useful for video. Shooting with shutter speeds that are too short can make video look jittery, which can be cool for John Wick-style action sequences, but doesn’t really work in many other instances. By reducing the amount of light hitting the sensor, neutral density filters allow shooters to shoot at slower shutter speeds and wider apertures, even in bright settings.

For power, the 6K Pro draws on Sony’s NP-F570 batteries, which are extremely common and portable between different devices in the cinema world. Adding the optional grip ups the capacity to two batteries for extra-long recording sessions. The previous models utilized the common Canon EP-L6 cells, which aren’t as versatile and don’t provide the same kind of battery life.

While the 6K Pro’s body is built to fit easily into a cinema rig, Blackmagic also sells a removable electronic viewfinder that sits on top of the camera to give it a more DSLR-like form factor. It comes with four interchangeable eye-pieces depending on what the shooter feels most comfortable with. The finder tilts upward, which makes it look and feel similar to the modular EVF found on the original Fujifilm GFX medium format camera.

Blackmagic 6K Pro: Final thoughts

For all that firepower, Blackmagic is asking $2,495 for the camera body, plus $495 if you want the additional viewfinder. The grip will cost $145.

The post Blackmagic 6K Pro: The budget camera filmmakers have been waiting for appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

The entertainment category for Best of What’s New used to primarily contain devices meant for consuming content. But that’s changed. While our Grand Award Winner goes to a big-budget movie this year, you’ll find an increasing number of devices meant for actually making content. Self-flying drones, all-encompassing camera rigs, and even high-end monitors give people the opportunity to make their own content rather than simply consuming it. Other items on this list—primarily the earbuds—provide a reminder that content is a constant part of our lives. We’ve changed the content we consume for entertainment, but more than that, we’ve changed the way we interact with it. And these gadgets help shape that relationship.

Looking for the complete list of 100 winners? Find it here.

Grand Award Winner

Top Gun: Maverick by Skydance Media/Paramount: A high-speed upgrade to practical filmmaking

Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films

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We’re all too used to watching computer-generated action sequences in movies. When Hulk smashes up the scene or aliens attack a city, we know it’s fake. The sequel to Top Gun, which arrived in May—36 years after the original—did it differently. Actors trained in real aircraft to prepare to climb into Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets, and when they did, they experienced crushing G forces as the jets maneuvered at speeds that ranged from about 250 mph to more than 400. To film it, the studio turned to custom cameras carefully mounted within the cockpits, and other aircraft like the L-39 CineJet shot while airborne, too. That approach, plus scenes shot on both the USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carriers, all add up to give the film a degree of excitement and verisimilitude that’s rare. While the film is still a product of Hollywood that made some use of CGI, and doubles as a recruiting vehicle for the Navy, we still salute its commitment to capturing the thrill and speed of Naval aviation.

Freestyle Projector by Samsung: An advanced projector that handles its own setup process

Samsung

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Samsung’s Freestyle fixes one of our biggest complaints with projectors: that moving them to find the perfect angle is a pain. The floating, tube-shaped all-in-one projector is attached to its frame on a pair of hinges, which lets it be tilted up or down with very little force. The Freestyle can be twisted a full 180 degrees, allowing it to be pointed forward for a traditional viewing experience, or vertically to play games on your ceiling. You can use your phone to enable “smart calibration,” which adjusts its brightness and color settings based on the color of your walls and the room’s lighting conditions. The Freestyle’s fun form factor and smart settings are complemented by impressive hardware features, like native 1080p resolution, stereo speakers, and an HDMI port for connecting external devices. There’s also a USB-C port in case you’d like to connect the Freestyle to a high-capacity power bank to take it on the go.

Frame TV Anti-Glare Matte Display by Samsung: A 4K TV that isn’t afraid of a bright room

Samsung

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A couple of years ago, Samsung imagined a creative way to make use of a large, borderless, high-resolution screen when you’re not using it to watch videos or play games: displaying famous artwork on your wall. The problem was the TV’s LCD panel, which reflected light and made older paintings look like they were displayed on a screen rather than a canvas. That changes with the second-generation Frame, which has an anti-reflective matte display. Despite the change in technologies, Samsung says you’ll still be able to see a billion colors on the screen, and that it’ll continue to automatically adjust its color balance based on your brightness preferences. If you can’t justify the cost of an original Rembrandt, Samsung’s new Frame will be the next best thing.

Linkbuds by Sony: Earbuds that mix your audio with the real world

Sony

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Sony created its LinkBuds to be the antithesis of noise-canceling headphones. They let outside sound in so you never need to take them out. The buds have a hard-shelled body, which means they won’t create a tight seal around your ear, and boast a circular cutout, which Sony calls an open ring. The ring gives LinkBuds their unique look, and is also where the earbuds’ driver is located. Sound is fed from the ring through the bud into your ear, along with some noise from the outside world. You’ll hear cars honking, airplane engines, and people on the street. But if you’re a runner who wants to hear a vehicle approach, this is a feature, not a bug.

QC II earbuds by Bose: Active noise cancellation that works across every frequency

Bose

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Typical noise-canceling headphones have trouble blocking out sound in the middle frequencies between roughly 120Hz and 400Hz. That allows sounds like voices to occasionally get through. Bose has totally reconfigured its noise-canceling algorithm and hardware setup in order to fill in that ANC gap without creating uncomfortable ear pressure or compromising audio quality. The company adjusted its noise cancellation and tuning to a user’s body by measuring the way a chime reflects off the inside of your ears back to the earbuds’ microphones. The attention to detail paid off, as outside noises are greatly reduced even if you’re not listening to music. Bose offers three listening modes by default, but you can create custom ones using the company’s app if you’d like to crank active noise cancellation all the way up, or mellow it out.

Ronin 4D by DJI: An all-encompassing cinema rig and steadicam for creators on a budget

DJI

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DJI’s Ronin 4D rig looks like a futuristic weapon pulled from a Star Wars flick. In reality, it’s a full-featured cinema rig that combines a number of essential movie-making tools into one compact and extremely stable camera rig. The modular system includes DJI’s flagship Zenmuse camera, which can capture 6K raw video at up to 60 fps or 4K video at up to 120 fps. It also boasts a full-frame sensor and interchangeable camera mounts. The whole imaging rig sits on a 4-axis gimbal that stabilizes footage so convincingly that it sometimes looks like it was shot on a dolly or a crane. Because the whole system is modular, you can swap parts like monitors, storage devices, batteries, and audio gear on the fly and customize it for your shooting needs.

Alienware AW3423DW QD-OLED Gaming Monitor by Dell: The first gaming monitor with a new brighter version of OLED tech

Dell

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OLED monitors typically provide unmatched contrast, image quality, and color reproduction, but they lack brightness. Quantum dot (or QLED) displays crank up the illumination, but lose some of the overall image impact found on an OLED. Enter QD-OLED. Like a typical OLED display, each pixel provides its own backlight. But the addition of quantum dots adds even more illumination, giving it a total peak brightness of 1,000 lumens while maintaining the certified HDR black levels to create ridiculous levels of contrast. And with its 175Hz native refresh rate, and super-fast 0.1-second response time, you can’t blame this pro-grade gaming monitor if you’re always getting eliminated mid-game.

Arctis Nova Pro Headset for Xbox by SteelSeries: A gaming headset that works across all of your machines

SteelSeries

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Gaming headsets typically require players to pick a platform for compatibility when you buy them. Some work with a console as well as a PC, but SteelSeries has given its Arctis Nova Pro headset the hardware it needs to work with Xbox, PS5, PC, and even the Nintendo Switch—all at the press of a button. Its secret lies in the GameDAC (short for digital audio converter), which connects to multiple systems and pumps out high-res certified sound with 360-degree spatial audio from whatever source you choose. Plush ear cups and a flexible suspension band ensure comfort, even during long, multi-platform gaming sessions.

Skydio 2+ drone by Skydio: A drone that follows commands or flies itself

Skydio

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Crashing a drone is bad for your footage—and your budget. But this high-end flying machine avoids obstacles with an advanced system that adjusts more than 500 times per second to prevent disaster. A fish-eye lens allows the drone to see 360 degrees around the craft. A dual-core Nvidia chipset generates a 3D-world model with more than 1 million data points per second to identify and avoid anything that might get in its way. With all those smarts, creatives can simply tell the drone to track them or program complex flight paths and the Skydio2+ will capture 4K video at 60 fps on its own. The drone also comes with more than 18 predetermined paths and programs that can make even basic action look worthy of a Mountain Dew commercial.

Dione soundbar by Devialet: True surround sound on a stick

Devialet

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Most soundbars allow buyers a chance to expand their audio system and add satellite speakers or at least a subwoofer. The Dione is different. It’s a totally stand-alone system that relies on nine 41mm drivers and eight built-in subwoofers in order to fulfill the entire sonic range you need to enjoy everything from high-pitched tire squeals to rumbling explosions. Thanks to its Dolby Atmos integration, it mimics a true 5.1.2 surround sound system. The sphere in the center of the bar contains one of the 41mm drivers; it rotates to allow the soundbar to achieve its spatial audio ambitions, whether it’s sitting on a TV stand or mounted somewhere around the television. Devialet’s Speaker Active Matching technology watches over the entire array to make sure none of the individual drivers surpass their optimal operating frequencies, and it even has a dynamic EQ mode that brings up dialog—so you can finally turn off the closed captioning and still understand what the actors are saying.

The post The most exciting entertainment innovations of 2022 appeared first on Popular Science.

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I leave my smartphone sitting face down on my desk most of the day. I hear it vibrate. I pick it up and it shows me my notifications. I didn’t realize quite how ingrained this whole process is in my psyche before I started testing the iPhone 14 Pro Max and its always-on screen display. Now my phone sits face-up so I can see those tantalizing notifications without having to lift the device. I like it.

I’ve been living with Apple’s flagship iPhone as my main device for roughly a week now. And while its new features don’t profoundly shift the overall experience, it feels like a different phone in many small, but impactful ways. Some of that comes from iOS 16, the new iPhone operating system, but the device itself offers a few hardware tweaks that ripple throughout the entire iPhone experience. So far, I like them. And combined with a substantial leap in camera hardware, Apple’s flagship phones offer a bigger upgrade than you might expect based on what you can see on a feature list or spec sheet.

Stan Horaczek

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Welcome to the Dynamic Island

The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s overall shape and industrial design haven’t changed much since the iPhone 12 ushered in a return to flat edges and glass faces. Apple has, however, made a big change to the sensor array found at the top of the screen. Instead of a notch that fades into the screen’s bezel, the front-facing camera and Face ID sensor now reside on a thin, pill-shaped area called the “Dynamic Island.”

While the overly dramatic name inspires hard eye rolls, it’s more than an aesthetic update to the previous models’ notch (which I will now call the “Lazy Peninsula”). The Island can display app-specific information that you can expand and interact with by pressing and holding on the Island. 

For instance, if you’re listening to music on Apple Music or Spotify, the Island will display a tiny thumbnail of the album art and a small moving icon to let you know that music is currently playing. If you tap and hold the Island, a set of basic audio controls expand out from it. 

That space also displays information about other typical activities. You’ll see the little unlocking icon every time Face ID works. That’s where you’ll see the connection notification when your AirPods sync with the device. The space doesn’t feel wasted the way it did with the notch. 

Making the Island useful prevents it from feeling like an eyesore. I find the Island hard to ignore. That thin band of screen between the Dynamic Island and the bezel makes the black space more noticeable. It has only been a week with the device and I’m sure it’ll fade from my attention over time. For now, I still see it even when it’s not providing mildly useful information. 

Always on

As I mentioned earlier, the new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max offer an always-on screen similar to what you’ll find on an Apple Watch. Even if you’re not touching the phone, a quick glance at the device will reveal all of the notifications piling up at the bottom of the display. Apple claims it can enable this feature by dropping the screen’s refresh rate all the way down to 1Hz, which means the screen only updates once every second as opposed to the typical 60Hz or 120Hz modes. 

As with other always-on phone screens, I find myself picking up the device less often. With previous iPhones, I was prone to picking up my phone to see what kind of notifications were waiting for me. Then, because I’m already holding the phone, I might as well just check my apps. Then it’s 20 minutes later and I’ve accidentally watched 13 TikToks about how to go hunting for rare action figures at Target stores in my area. It’s easier to avoid distractions when I can let the phone lie. 

On the downside, iOS 16 and the always-on screen have tricked me into thinking my phone was ringing on several occasions. The notifications stack near the bottom of the lock screen where the “swipe to answer” slider would have previously shown up. 

Again, it has only been a week, so I may slide back into my same habits after a while, but only time will tell. For now, I’m opening my phone less, which I consider a plus. 

Refresh and so clean

The screen’s always-on nature isn’t the only screen upgrade present in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. When you pick between the two, you’re essentially deciding between a 6.1-inch screen on the Pro or a 6.7-inch screen on the Max. I prefer the larger Max model because I figure a flagship should be a flagship, and if I’m going to watch YouTube videos reviewing obscure Russian camera lenses until 2 a.m., I want to do it on the biggest screen possible. 

Both the Pro and the Pro Max offer up to 120Hz refresh rates, which I consider one of the most tangible reasons to upgrade over a standard iPhone 14 or 14 Plus (though you could also get it in the 13 Pro and Pro Max). Smooth scrolling spoils eyeballs for paltry 60Hz devices with their jutter-laden on-screen motion. Games that support 120 fps also look great. Psychedelic rhythm racer Thumper looks impressive even with tons of wild colors, shiny surfaces, and inexplicable tentacles waving all over the screen. 

Compared to the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, the 14 Pro and Pro Max offer higher overall brightness. Apple says it’s more than twice as bright, with a maximum output of 2,000 nits, which is the same as its Studio Display. I compared the 13 Pro Max directly to the 14 Pro Max and found that the newer phone is, in fact, brighter. It’s not a huge difference, however, at least under normal settings. It does improve visibility in bright settings, though, so you’ll reap the benefits if you spend a lot of time staring at your phone outdoors.

A16 Bionic chip

A brand new chip typically makes for a great marquee selling point when companies announce a new phone. With the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, Apple has introduced its new A16 Bionic chip, while the A15 Bionic has moved down into the standard iPhone 14 models.

New smartphone chips always promise faster performance than their predecessors. You can likely easily find in-depth benchmarks online to tell you exactly how much faster the new chip really is but those numbers hardly ever translate directly into your real-life experience. I edit video and huge raw photo files on my iPhone 13 Pro Max without issue. Unless you’re really pushing the iPhone hard with elaborate games, computing power likely hasn’t been an issue for you. 

In terms of real-world performance, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max feel snappy and didn’t stutter even under heavy tasks. I tried editing some 8K video shot with the phone and used Adobe Lightroom to process a few of the phone’s native 48-megapixel raw files. The processes were quick and lag-free. The new chip does provide some advantages that you may not even notice, however, like upgraded image processing, which powers Apple’s revamped HDR process. 

I’m not worried about the A16 Bionic’s ability to handle any commercial app I can throw at it. At least not yet during my testing.

Camera upgrades

Hardware updates in new camera phone models make it tough to get excited. Companies typically make the lenses a little brighter and the sensors a little bigger to help their overall performance. The software updates and the image-processing upgrades usually make a more tangible difference on overall image quality. For the first time in a while, that isn’t the case. With the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, the hardware matters.

We’ll start with the lenses because they’re simpler. You still get three individual camera modules with their own lenses, but the focal lengths have changed a bit. The 48MP main camera is now slightly wider-angle than previous models. If you’re familiar with lens focal lengths, it’s now a 24mm equivalent compared to a roughly 28mm equivalent before. The ultra-wide camera stays around 13mm, as it was before, and the telephoto is still around 77mm, so not much has changed there. 

The sensor, however, looks much different. It now relies on a feature called pixel binning to create highly detailed 12-megapixel images with a brand new 48-megapixel sensor. This isn’t a new concept. In fact, Nokia first brought it to smartphones a full decade ago with its Pure View devices and it often shows up in modern Android phones. It’s popular for good reason. By essentially combining groups of four pixels into larger photon receptacles, the sensor collects light more effectively. That’s especially handy in low-light situations.

This new sensor structure fundamentally changes the way the iPhone’s camera works, at least behind the scenes. When you press the 2x zoom button, the camera can now simply crop into the high-res sensor and deliver a full-resolution final image without having to rely on computational photography to fill in details that might otherwise get lost. 

If you want to shoot in raw, you can also now get a full 48-megapixel image out of the iPhone. That’s useful if you’re the type of photographer who edits images later. 

Camera performance

I’m working on a much more in-depth camera-specific review for our sibling publication, PopPhoto.com, because of the considerable hardware change. For now, I can say that the 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce some tangible differences when it comes to camera performance. 

Moving to a slightly wider lens on the main camera may not feel like much of a shift, but I find it fairly noticeable. It can fit more of the subject in the frame now, which is good for capturing sweeping landscapes without introducing the distortion that comes with the main camera, or group photos in tight spaces. The overall image quality has also noticeably improved. I typically use the high-contrast picture style in the camera menu because I think the default style typically washes out black areas and shadows too much. I found that the 14 Pro and Pro Max handle that noticeably better, at least in my early testing. 

That wider viewing angle comes with some quirks, though. Try to get close to a subject and you’ll likely find that the phone switches into its dedicated macro mode before you get as close as you wanted. Because the macro mode relies on the ultra-wide camera, you don’t get the full image quality you wanted out of the main camera. Switching focal lengths also fundamentally changes the field of view, so the background will suddenly look farther away from your subject and you’ll notice some perspective distortion. I quickly turned off auto macro mode because I found the switching very annoying. 

Overall image quality, however, has improved in both photos and videos. The main camera captures tons of fine detail—in fact, sometimes it’s a little too much. The edges of objects can start to look a little crunchy. Still, it’s better than I’ve seen on some other high-end smartphones. 

Images shot in dark settings also seem improved simply because they’re more likely to let shadows look like dark shadows. 

I admittedly haven’t shot many videos with the 14 Pro or Pro Max just yet, but it looks solid in my early impressions. The new Action Mode provides impressively smooth footage while walking or riding in a vehicle. I considered the iPhone 13 Pro one of the very best smartphone cameras for video before and that hasn’t changed in this generation. 

The cool stuff I can’t test

Apple announced a few very interesting new features that I can’t really test. The new Car Crash Detection feature relies on a series of built-in sensors (which includes everything from the microphone to the barometer) to sense when you’ve been in a wreck so it can notify emergency services and your chosen emergency contacts. Apple has a solid track record with its Fall Detection feature, so I’m inclined to believe the Car Crash Detection will work as well. I hope I never find out. 

The new SOS feature allows the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max to communicate with emergency services via a satellite connection that will work in many places typical cell service can’t reach. It’s a very clever system that relays text-based messages to rescuers using an aggressive compression technology that minimizes required bandwidth to cut down on transmission times. 

These are both very cool and novel features, and I hope they work in case I need them someday. 

The rest of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max experience

I have been using the Pro Max for about a week and I find that the always-on screen really doesn’t have much of an effect on overall battery life. I typically finish the work day with more than a third of my battery life left—half if I didn’t use the device all that much. That’s still plenty of juice to go to the gym, watch a bunch of random videos, fall asleep without putting my phone on the charger, and waking up to a device that’s not even in the red yet. That’s one of the benefits of carrying a giant phone. Overall, it’s extremely similar to the iPhone 13 Pro Max under regular usage.

It’s worth pointing out that all of the iPhone 14 models have ditched the SIM card tray and now rely solely on Embedded Sim cards, or eSIMs, in the US. This made my activation process a little more involved as my T-Mobile service needed a nudge from the company before I could get it working on this device. If you’re used to simply swapping SIMs into your new phone without having to do much in the way of logging into your account or talking to customer service, there might be a hiccup. 

So, who should buy the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max?

Once again, the highest-end iPhone is the best iPhone. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise at this point. If you’re already using an iPhone 11 or later, there probably isn’t quite enough here in terms of features to make it worth rushing out and dropping at least $999 on a new 14 Pro or Pro Max. If you’re coming from an older device, though, this is likely the move if you can stomach the cost because it’s going to offer you the most future-proof performance.

If you’re trying to decide between the Pro and the Pro max, just get the screen size you prefer. The Pro Max offers a battery advantage due to its sheer size, but the hardware is basically identical otherwise. There’s no difference in camera hardware like there was in earlier models.

It seems likely that the new quad-pixel camera will eventually trickle down into lower models and Apple will refine it over time. More and more apps will likely support integration for the Dynamic Island, which older phones won’t be able to take advantage of. That will leave you on your own smartphone version of a lonely island. Nobody wants that.

The post Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max review: Welcome to the Dynamic Island appeared first on Popular Science.

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In my mind, the world of webcams is fairly static. Most models, at least the best ones, cost between $100-$300. The less expensive ones offer 1080p resolution at 30-60 frames per second, which is as good as most video call platforms can handle. The more expensive ones can go up to 1440p or even 4K. Despite the growing need for everyone to have a webcam, there hasn’t been a surge of affordable options elevating the quality of camera you can to your desktop for less than $100. Creative Labs’ newest webcam, the Live! Cam V3, shows that it is definitely possible to elevate the budget webcam, but also highlights the challenges of doing so. 

On paper, the 1440p webcam looks like a higher-quality camera than many of our favorite webcams at just $50, or literally half the price. Despite the resolution bump, the image quality you’ll likely achieve with the Live! Cam Sync V3 out of the box falls well short of more expensive cameras. It produces a darker, warmer image, and lacks a strong configuration app to let you fine-tune your settings in real-time. However, if you’re willing to work at it (and maybe buy a key light), the Creative Live! Cam Sync V3 gives you more to work with than many budget webcams.

Mike Epstein

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What is the Creative Live! Cam Sync V3 webcam?

We have to start by talking about money. The most important thing to keep in mind when looking at the Creative Live! Cam Sync V3 is its price. At $49.99, it costs roughly half as much as most of Logitech’s webcam did at launch. It is, at least by our standards, a “cheap webcam,” and that categorization is important because there is a very deep divide between the webcams that cost more or less than $100 (or did when they first launched).

The Cam Sync V3 is a 5MP webcam that can shoot photos and video at up to 2560 x 1440 pixels, more commonly known as 1440p. (Creative calls it “2K,” but 1440p is the more common term; it’s also sometimes called “Quad HD” or “QHD.”) The frame rate is limited to 30 frames per second at any resolution, though that’s not a huge loss. Most webcams limit their framerate to 30fps at their highest settings. 

It also boasts an extremely wide field of view, up to 95 degrees, which means it naturally captures a lot of your surroundings. Sitting at my desk, the Cam Sync V3 captures most of my office, rather than simply my head and shoulders. That can be very helpful if you need a webcam for a classroom, or conference room, or simply want to get a few people in your shot. When you want to tighten the picture for a standard video call, you can tap a button on the webcam for 2X, 3X, and 4X digital zoom. You can also adjust the position quite a bit: The standard, tripod-mountable monitor clip stand has a joint that rotates 360 degrees horizontally and provides plenty of vertical tilt.

The Cam Sync V3 is fully equipped for video calls, which means it comes with a built-in microphone as well. More specifically, it features a dual, omnidirectional mic array, which also works great for recording groups or people who plan to stand off-center. I found the mic quality was fine—neither exceptional nor particularly problematic. That’s par for the course with most webcams: great for casual calls, but you’d never want to use one to record a podcast or make a video.

Last, but not least, it features a built-in privacy shutter, so you can cover the lens when you aren’t using the camera. This paints a very promising picture at any price, but especially when we’re talking about $50.

Sometimes the specs don’t tell the whole story

Despite the specs, the picture quality you get out of the Cam Sync V3 is very inconsistent. Depending on what app you use, it may vary greatly. For example, when trying it out with the Windows Camera app, my whole room looked extremely orange, even when I switched to using cooler light sources with more blue light. (I happen to have an overhead light and key light with “cool” and “warm” settings.) In Google Meet, the image was more malleable but also defaulted to an oddly warm picture. Finally, moving into Open Broadcaster Software (OBS), I was able to fine-tune my settings to the point where the picture looked bright and neutral.

In all of the software I tried, I found the camera captured much less light than my Logitech C922 Pro, so my room looked much darker and created deeper shadows on my face. The difference was large enough that I ended up using a small key light to brighten up my face when taking video calls, which I don’t have to do with a more expensive webcam.

Once I found a piece of software that let me fine-tune my picture and then spent a few minutes dialing in how my picture looked, I was very happy with the picture I got with the Cam Sync V3. It’s sharp and clear without any graininess or digital fuzz, even at the higher zoom levels. Of course, using OBS—a program most commonly used for recording Twitch streams and YouTube videos—for work calls is a comparatively extreme measure that I don’t expect too many people will want to take. And, no matter what you do, you will likely need to spend more time thinking about how your room is lit than with more expensive webcams.

The real problem is the software

Technically, Creative does offer a configuration app, called the Creative app, which allows you to adjust many of the core picture and sound settings. It also offers some basic AI-assisted ambient noise cleanup for the microphone. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t allow you to test your adjustments with a real-time image, so it can be very hard to use. Meanwhile, companies like Logitech not only make it easy to configure your picture quickly, but their software includes tools for enhancing your image or customizing it with custom backgrounds. For most people, who aren’t looking to build a camera setting for everyday video calls, you’re effectively restricted to the most basic functionality.

So, who should buy the Creative Live! Cam Sync V3 webcam?

The Creative Live! Cam Sync V3 is a great option for people with more time than money. You can get a great, high-quality photo or video image out of it if you’re willing to put in some time to find the right setting and make sure your room is properly lit. For many people, particularly those who use their webcam for work, this will probably be too big a barrier. The difference between a camera that requires a real setup and a true set-it-and-forget-it option is less than $100, so we’d recommend most people spend a little more and save a little time. If you want to save a few bucks and/or enjoy spending time tinkering, though, it may be a hidden gem.

The post Creative Live! Cam Sync V3 webcam review: A little elbow grease appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on Popular Photography.

Just four months after launching, Snap (the company formerly known as Snapchat) has grounded its Pixy selfie drone. The diminutive $230 drone got middling reviews and suffered from low presales. Somewhat understandably, given the current economic climate, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel told staff that future development was being halted as “part of broader reprioritization of company resources.”

But the Pixy’s swift crash from grace got us all thinking here at PopPhoto about other products that were announced with great fanfare and then—just didn’t do much. Some are pure vaporware and never even launched, others were just colossal flops. These are some of our favorite defunct photo gadgets.

Light L16

The Light L16, announced in 2015, crammed 16 different smartphone cameras into one super-sized smartphone-sized package. It could take 52-megapixel images with a full-frame equivalent focal length of between 35mm and 150mm. Because every image was a composite of the 16 cameras, the resulting depth map made it possible to adjust the focus and depth-of-field in post. Light claimed the L16 offered DSLR-like image quality and great low light performance—though the reviews (when it finally launched in 2017) said otherwise, and considered some of the user experience “a chore”. 

Instead of working on a follow-up, Light took a huge $121 million funding round from SoftBank and established partnerships with mobile phone companies like Nokia. 

That didn’t work out either, and in 2020 the company abandoned consumer imaging to focus on the automotive industry. It was quietly acquired by John Deere earlier this year. Presumably, there is no plan to release a consumer camera. 

GoPro Karma Drone

For action camera company GoPro, the drone market must have seemed like a gimme. Plenty of drones were (and still are) using its Hero line of cameras to capture aerial footage, so why not cut out the middleman and release its own drone?

When the GoPro Karma launched in 2016 the reviews were fine. It wasn’t as feature-filled as DJI’s offerings, but the removable stabilizer grip was considered a clever touch. Then they started falling out of the sky. GoPro had to issue a recall and then re-released it a few months later. 

Understandably after that fiasco, consumers weren’t that interested in the Karma, and with sales also poor for the company’s other products, the company was restructured and scrapped its entire drone division in 2018. 

Lytro in general

Unlike many companies on this list, Lytro managed to launch two products that actually did what they claimed to. Unfortunately, the underlying light-field technology—while undeniably impressive—just didn’t really deliver in the real world. 

Lytro’s schtick was that its cameras took photographs at multiple depths. The resulting merged image could have the focus and depth-of-field edited in post. This genuinely worked with both 2012’s Lytro Light Field Camera and 2014’s Lytro Illum—but the user experience left a lot to be desired. 

Photographers, it seemed, preferred having a nice-to-use, high-resolution camera, even if it meant handling focusing and aperture themselves. 

Lytro pivoted to VR, flailed around a bit, and was then sold to Google in 2018—who promptly shut it down. 

Kodak’s “New” Super8 camera

In 2018, Kodak announced a brand new Super8 camera. Despite shooting film, it had a few digital touches like an LCD viewfinder and an SD card slot. It was due out later that year and we even got some test footage.

And then… nothing. 

So you can imagine how surprised we were when researching this article to find that, at least according to Kodak’s website, it’s still in development. Sure, it doesn’t look like it’s been updated since 2018, but there is a reservation form where you can sign up to purchase a camera—should they ever materialize. 

Nikon DL series 

In 2016, Nikon announced the DL series of 4K compact cameras designed to go head to head with Sony’s RX100 series. There would be three models with different zoom ranges: the DL 18-50, DL 24-85, and the DL 24-500. All were due to cost less than $1,000 and, at least from a spec perspective, looked like they could be a great option for street and travel photography. 

But then there were problems. An issue with the integrated image processing circuits caused a delay. And that delay turned into a full-blown cancellation in 2017 without even a single unit sold. 

(Nikon’s KeyMission foray into action cameras was equally misguided, but at least the cameras made it to market.)

The post The failed photo gadgets that were supposed to ‘change everything’ appeared first on Popular Science.

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This story has been updated. It was originally published on May 16, 2019.

Digital cameras can snap better photos

Smartphones have undoubtedly revolutionized photography. With cameras in nearly everyone’s hands, we’re now documenting and sharing much more of our lives than ever before. From social media to breaking news, phone photography has changed the game.

It’s fair to say phones have eaten up the cheap compact camera market, but the jump in quality from a phone to a pro-level DSLR camera is still a significant one, even as mobile cameras continue to get better.

Control over lenses, particularly zoom levels, is a big factor. Even with top smartphones now finding ways to offer 5x optical zoom, an actual camera can go way, way beyond that and get you much closer to the action.

Tweaking the amount of light that hits a camera’s sensors is also crucial for getting the best shots, and DSLRs simply give you more control and more options. Most phones don’t offer much in the way of controlling aperture, light sensitivity (ISO), and shutter speed settings, so users can’t easily customize how much light reaches the lens.

For fast-moving action, detailed close-ups, or really low-light situations (especially when a flash is necessary), it’s still worth carrying a standalone digital camera and a lens or two. You’ll find you generally get better shots and can capture them more easily, too.

E-readers can help you read more comfortably

Smartphones function perfectly well as e-readers—there’s even an official Kindle app for iOS and Android that lets you do without an actual Kindle entirely. Both Apple and Google make dedicated e-book apps for their platforms too.

So why bother packing a separate e-reader into your backpack or suitcase? A few arguments can be made for it, not least that the e-ink screen of a Kindle or similar device is much easier on the eyes than the bright display of a phone.

As well as mitigating eye fatigue, dedicated e-readers last much longer between battery charges. Amazon’s most basic Kindle ($90 on Amazon) stays juiced for around four weeks, according to the manufacturer, so you don’t have to worry if you forget to pack its charger.

[Related: How to efficiently charge your devices]

E-readers also have the benefit of doing just one job, so your reading won’t be interrupted by WhatsApp notifications or incoming emails. When you want to unwind on vacation or simply concentrate during a lunch break, that’s a bonus.

Phones are still good for short bursts of reading, of course—and the aforementioned Kindle apps will sync reading positions with a dedicated e-reader—but for serious digital reading it might be better to use a separate device.

Digital music players can keep you immersed in sound

Remember, the iPod was Apple’s first breakthrough portable gadget before the iPhone came along and scooped up all its sales.

Today, the main reasons you would want to pack a separate digital music player are similar to the arguments for using an e-reader: you’ll be able to listen to your tunes without distractions, and it will give you more battery life while saving your phone’s power cell.

Another factor is portability. Something like the Mighty music player ($120 on Amazon) can sync your Spotify playlists for offline listening and is small enough to strap on your arm or keep around your neck—perfect for that early morning run.

Apple discontinued the iPod Touch earlier this year, but is still offering support and selling them while supplies last. It works with Apple Music, Spotify, and every other music app on iOS, while offering access to a whole host of other apps and games as well.

If you need something cheap and compact that’s not going to light up every five minutes with a new messaging alert, or run out of battery in half a day, a dedicated music player still has appeal, particularly for runners, cyclists, and frequent travelers.

Smartwatches are a little more portable

Plenty of us rely on our phones to tell the time and, probably, to wake us up in the morning. If you think about it, though, there’s a compelling argument for using a smartwatch, or even a regular watch, to do the job instead.

For a start, it saves you from having to fish around in your pocket or bag (and then getting distracted by 100 Instagram notifications) every time you just want to know what time it is.

[Related: Trying to use your smartphone less? Get a smartwatch.]

When it comes to exercising, a smartwatch also gives you access to apps like maps and calls, right from your wrist. Alternatively, a smartwatch will let you leave your phone at home, but still take your music with you.

For the outdoor adventurer, higher-end smartwatches can provide accurate directions to and from your destination long after your phone’s battery has died. And once it’s time to hit the hay, smartwatches can track your sleep without being intrusive, too.

So, a smartwatch can be a useful extension of, and in some cases, a complete replacement for, a smartphone. You’ve got plenty to pick from as well, including the Apple Watch Series 7 ($400 and up from Apple), and the Garmin Instinct ($175 from Amazon).

Digital radios keep the party going, but don’t drain your phone

You might be used to streaming radio stations through your phone, but a pocket digital radio might be worth taking along in some situations.

First up: battery life. These small radios will last for hours between charges, so your smartphone can take a breather or spend its precious battery on other tasks.

Second: data usage. Even if you’re on a generous cellular plan, you’re going to be using a big chunk of data trying to stream radio stations to your phone. That won’t happen with a dedicated radio, and you’re more likely to get a signal in crowded spots, too.

If you want to crank out the tunes at a beach or picnic without using your phone’s data or battery, you can spring for a bigger portable radio. Sure, it’ll mean more bulk when you’re packing, but it might be worth the extra weight.

With good-quality models costing as little as $35 on Amazon and offering Bluetooth connectivity and memory card support (for your MP3s), radios are worth considering as complements to your phone.

Portable gaming systems let you play on the go

Another type of gadget smartphones have nearly killed off is the portable gaming console, because a phone with a huge selection of games is, effectively, the same thing.

Some portable systems live on, though, and they’re worth taking with you. Most notably, there’s the Nintendo Switch ($300 on Amazon), which gives you a bigger screen and better graphics than a smartphone can offer, and plugs right into your TV when you get home.

Unlike your phone, the Switch has its own controllers, and can offer a better overall gaming experience. As mentioned during the discussion of other gadgets on this list, it will also save you from draining your phone’s battery while gaming.

The explosion of smartphone use has largely scared manufacturers away from portable gaming devices, but older systems like the Sony PlayStation Vita ($285 and up on Amazon) and Nintendo 3DS ($300 and up on Amazon) are still around and worth considering.

Even so, it’s really the Nintendo Switch that’s currently carrying the torch for portable gaming systems. Fans of gaming on the go can only hope its popularity is enough to prompt the development of a few more gadgets just like it.

The post Why it’s worth carrying more than one gadget appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This article was originally featured on Popular Photography.

We like to say it’s not about the gear, that a photographer with any camera can create good photos. And in most situations that’s true.

Then there’s bird photography.

To get the highest quality photos of feathered subjects you need special equipment: zoom lenses with a lot of reach, plus (ideally) image stabilization to compensate for the exaggerated movement caused by being zoomed so far in. You also need a camera body with a focusing system that can lock onto such dynamic aerial targets.

Those systems are reinforced with AI technologies. Some high-end cameras now even feature Bird AF (autofocus) modes that identify and track birds, some with priority for focusing on avian eyes. Examples include the Nikon Z9, Sony a1, Fujifilm X-H2S, and OM System OM-1 bodies. Other models, like the Sony a9, include Animal AF modes that look for animals and birds of all types.

These use the same detection principles as Face and Eye AF modes, but with the added complexity that birds and animals move faster than your Uncle George. An eagle yanking fish out of a creek for dinner isn’t going to stop and pose, or come closer to the camera if you ask it nicely (then again, George might not either). But with the right equipment and AI assistance, you can capture that moment with tack-sharp focus.

How it works

A number of elements go into making Bird AF and Animal AF work well. On top of the core autofocus systems, the camera needs to understand what it’s looking at. The camera manufacturers’ developers feed thousands of photos containing birds and animals (and cars, planes, and other objects on some systems) to the autofocus software, and train it to recognize similar visual patterns.

The software also requires fast hardware to process what the camera sees in real-time. The image sensor absorbs a frame of the incoming light information, passes it off to an image processor that determines if anything in the frame matches the objects it understands, and then directs the lens mechanisms to adjust the focus. All of that happens in milliseconds. Then the sensor sends a new frame’s worth of data and the process is repeated so you get real-time tracking and focus lock for when you decide to press the shutter button.

Bird AF in the wild

The technology is impressive, but how well does it work in the field? I reached out to two photographers I know to get their perspectives. Hudson Henry shoots all sorts of subjects but recently returned from a workshop in Costa Rica where he hauled a Nikon Z9 and an AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR into the jungle to capture birds, monkeys, and other elusive inhabitants. Marie Read is the author of the book Mastering Bird Photography (Rocky Nook).

When I asked Henry about his experience on his trip, he replied by email, “I can tell you [Bird AF] worked just shockingly well, with the Z9 picking up just about every bird’s eye I had reasonably sized in the frame.”

Occasionally, the feature was spoofed by areas that were similar to bird eyes. “There were lizards with big spots on the sides of their faces that fooled it,” he says, “and butterflies that had eye-like markings that wanted to lock as eyes, necessitating single point selection at times. But all-in-all it was just shockingly good on a wide array of birds and wildlife.”

Read’s experience is with a Sony a9, which offers Animal AF, not specifically Bird AF. But she says the shift to the technology has been substantial.

She writes, “It’s hard for me to tease out the effects of the ‘animal eye’ function from the general increase in the proportion of sharp shots that I experienced after I made the switch to the mirrorless Sony a9 from Canon DSLRs three years ago. I get many more in-focus keepers in a burst of images than I ever could have achieved before the switch. Sony’s tracking AF is astonishing!”

She also points out the significance of Bird AF and Animal AF features for anyone looking to get into bird photography, writing, “Scroll through any online nature photography forum and it will be obvious that there’s been a huge increase in great bird shots, including some amazing action images, in recent years. The downside is now, the bar has been raised so high.” The best way to stand out from the crowd? Become much more creative with compositions and lighting.

Getting the shot

Henry and Read both offer their strategies for using AF tracking, including bird and animal detect features, to capture their targets.

To get the shot, Henry takes full advantage of the Nikon Z9’s customizability, setting up the camera to seamlessly switch between a variety of AF modes. He writes, “I use a hybrid AF method for birds and wildlife that I teach on my YouTube channel. ‘Wide’ or ‘Small’ area AF on the shutter release (kind of like group in the DSLR days) for fast erratic subjects like birds in flight, with a conversion to ‘3D-tracking’ (Nikon’s name for subject tracking) on the back button to follow a subject you pick up all over the frame. I program a front function button that converts the shutter AF to single point AF-C for those subjects where the eye detection is missing and you need to direct the point. But I leave the 3D-tracking on the back button. A press of the Function 3 button flips the shutter button AF between’ Wide Area’ and ‘Single Point’ that way.” 

As with so much of photography, a varied approach is required depending on the circumstances. Read shares, “As a Sony a9 shooter, for me the important things are selecting the optimal AF area size and whether or not to use tracking. Because my subjects are usually moving, in general, I use ‘Tracking: Flexible Spot Medium.’ I usually start out with the AF area positioned in the center of the screen but then I move it around as necessary for composition. For birds in flight where the flight pattern is extremely fast and erratic (think small terns or swallows), ‘Tracking: Zone’ can work well, but [it works] best if against a clean background. One more thing to fine-tune AF is via ‘Tracking Sensitivity.’ Sony offers settings from 1 (Locked On) to 5 (Responsive). I have mine set to 2.”

Sometimes the tracking isn’t necessarily better than good old-fashioned manual spot-focusing. Read writes, “It’s not the best idea to shoot a bird against a busy background, especially if it is small in the frame, but in that case try an even smaller AF area (i.e. Sony’s ‘Tracking: Flexible Spot Small’). Shooting through vegetation, which can give a lovely vignetted effect if done properly, is another place where you’d want to use the smallest AF area. You might need to turn the tracking function off to avoid the camera focusing back and forth.” 

Good bill hunting

Good bird photography still requires more equipment than your average camera body and kit lens. And of course, you need to put yourself in the position to photograph birds in their habitats. But with Bird AF and Animal AF technologies in the latest camera models, you’re far more likely to end up with more sharp keepers than in the past.

The post Some cameras now have bird autofocus modes. Do they work? appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Nanit Pro-Smart Baby Monitor		SEE IT	This high-definition video baby monitor features sleep tracking and night vision.
Best for vitals tracking		Owlet Smart Sock 3 Baby Monitor		SEE IT	A wearable smart sock allows parents to keep track of their baby’s vitals.
Best stylish		Lollipop Baby Monitor		SEE IT	This baby monitor connects through an app and can detect crying, see in night vision, track sleep quality, and play lullabies and white noise.

People sometimes complain that modern parents are too nervous and overprotective and that parenting “back in our day” was a more relaxed and hands-off endeavor. But anyone with a newborn knows that the early days are a time of incredible joy … and intense neuroses. And if those supposedly “lax” parents of years past had access to the kind of technology we have now, we bet they’d be just as excited to use the best baby monitors.

In fact, in addition to being a practical and convenient way to check in on little ones, baby monitors give parents the freedom to take care of their other duties with peace of mind: They’re always just one cry, coo, or cough away from being by their baby’s side. Understanding your family’s living situation and personal preferences is key to picking the best baby monitor camera and baby items for you, so here are some things to take into consideration.

• Best overall: Nanit Pro – Smart Baby Monitor
• Best audio-only: Motorola Audio Baby Monitor
• Best stylish: Lollipop Baby Monitor
• Best smart: Miku Smart Baby Monitor
• Best for vitals tracking: Owlet Smart Sock 3 Baby Monitor
• Best budget: VTech DM221-2 Audio Baby Monitor

How we chose the best baby monitors

Being responsible for an entire living being is no easy feat—which means baby monitors have to be up to the challenge. Our selections are based on personal testing (we’re parents ourselves), research, reviews, recommendations, and user impressions from babies and parents—you’d be surprised to know who is more opinionated.

What to consider when buying the best baby monitors

Gone are the days when monitors were little more than CB radios delivering crackling noises that might be your child crying or might just be static interference. The best baby monitors are essential, and are much more sophisticated and allow for more technology integration, mobile device usage, stat monitoring, and much more.

Knowing your own needs is important—for example, if you have a small living space, an audio-only model may suffice—and will ensure you get a device that does what it intends and works with your parenting style. Here are some of the variables to keep in mind as you research.

Video vs. audio

Opting for a baby monitor with a high-quality video camera along with traditional audio allows for immediate peace of mind: You can literally see and hear your baby in real-time. The best baby monitors offer high-def video, a wide-screen camera for optimal viewing, night vision, and an alert system if the little one is moving too much. Some cameras offer pivoting to change views, while others are stationary.

A video baby monitor gives parents access and control so they can relax (or, you know, get laundry done). Higher-end models even utilize HD video to obtain data that can then be analyzed to offer sleep-tracking guidance. Apps can take sleep footage and replay it in a timelapse reel, allowing you to observe your baby’s sleeping patterns.

While audio-only devices might seem old-fashioned compared to their shiny new video competitors, they still get the job done. One major advantage of these types of baby products is that they’re generally cost-effective. Some audio-only options even combine older radio technology with newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as some neat bonus features, like a two-way radio, temperature monitoring, sleep analysis, and the ability to download soothing songs and stories to play for your child through the app

It’s important when buying any monitor, but particularly a radio-based one, to consider the frequency range: You need to be sure the signal reaches anywhere you plan to go, potentially even outside. The best baby monitors have rechargeable batteries with a good lifespan. When fully charged and within range, audio monitors can be very reliable, especially if you have spotty Wi-Fi in your home. Hybrid audio-only baby monitors combine older radio technology with the ability to connect via Wi-Fi and smartphones, which gives you more modes of use.

Design

If you don’t want your baby’s room to look like the surveillance hub at a casino, there are styles that combine form and function. Some baby monitors take the necessary camera feature and playfully turn the shape into a friendly robot; others try to minimize size and use rounded organic shapes in bright colors and soft silicone material.

While enjoying the look of the monitor is important, obviously nothing is more crucial than safety and functionality. The best baby monitors offer all the features you want and still look good.

Sleep stats

For the sleep-deprived tech-savvy parent, being able to study your baby’s patterns with the hope of improving them is a pretty cool feature. By gathering digital sound files, high-definition video, and temperature, humidity, and vitals info, apps can provide helpful guidance to get the baby (and you) to sleep. A smartphone app then relays detailed charts and information to help kiddos stay healthy and sleep soundly. Some monitors that provide sleep analysis do this through audio only, some through audio and video, and others include a wearable component to monitor the baby’s oxygen and breathing.

Vitals tracking

Your particular parenting needs will determine which features matter to you. For example, baby monitors that track vitals can measure a baby’s pulse rate and blood oxygen levels via wearables like a sock or blanket wrap, or other non-wearable gadgets. The data is then sent to the product’s base station, which keeps parents informed with real-time updates and alerts in case any abnormalities are detected.

No device will ever replace good parenting, so think of a vitals-tracking monitor as an extra protection measure, like wearing a high-tech belt with suspenders. Especially because technological errors can occur—like server crashes or the wearable getting placed in the wrong position—parents could potentially receive inaccurate results or false alerts. So they should only ever be used as an addition to—not a substitution for—good parenting.

Budget

There are a variety of baby monitors available with a budget in mind. In general, you can get simple video monitors that include one small camera and a transportable parent unit to see and hear your baby (including night vision) and monitor the temperature. However, most video monitors with higher ratings are over this price point. Most monitors in the audio-only category are under $50.

The best baby monitors: Reviews & Recommendations

With Wi-Fi capabilities and even built-in cameras, the best baby monitors will give you peace of mind as your little one slumbers peacefully in their crib. Here are our picks.

Best overall: Nanit Pro – Smart Baby Monitor

Nanit

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Why it made the cut: This overhead baby camera uses computer vision for accurate sleep, sound, and motion tracking, and sends alerts about your baby to your favorite device.

Specs

• Range: N/A
• Batteries: N/A
• HSA/FSA Eligible: Yes
• Video: Yes
• Phone-compatible: Yes

Pros

• 1080p camera
• Breathing band included
• Personalized sleep coaching

Cons

• Video history and data only free for one year

An award-winning, innovative baby monitor, the Nanit offers an impressive variety of video capabilities including 1080p HD bird’s-eye view, night vision, sleep tracking, sound and motion notifications, and temperature and humidity checks. You can even talk back to your baby, thanks to two-way audio. The Nanit Pro is compatible with iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, and Echo Show, which allow you to get sound, sleep, and motion alerts delivered to your devices. FSA/HSA approval gives you peace of mind when it comes to safety certification, and the included Breathing Ware gives you sensor-free motion monitoring for accuracy. Be aware that the Nanit includes a free one-year subscription to your video history and data, but after that, you’ll have to pay for access.

Best audio-only: Motorola Audio Baby Monitor

Motorola

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Why it made the cut: This audio-only baby monitor doesn’t lack features, which include app connectivity, a built-in nightlight, and a high-sensitivity microphone.

Specs

• Range: 900 feet
• Batteries: Yes, rechargeable
• HSA/FSA Eligible: No
• Video: No
• Phone-compatible: Yes via app

Pros

• App compatible
• Download playable audio for baby
• Built-in nightlight

Cons

• Three-hour battery life

This audio baby monitor is a great option, as it’s powered by traditional radio connectivity up to 900 feet. Plus, it uses smart technology to connect to an app via Wi-Fi. A high-sensitivity microphone picks up even the slightest sound and can record and analyze noise to determine sleep quality. Two-way radio functionality allows parents to talk to and soothe a child through the monitor. You can also download songs and stories to play for your baby, as well as monitor room temperature and turn on a nightlight. Downloading the Hubble app on your device gives you access to sleep data and soundtracking.

Best stylish: Lollipop Baby Monitor with True Crying Detection

Lollipop

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Why it made the cut: This flexible baby monitor packs motion and sound sensing in its compact, whimsical design.

Specs

• Range: N/A
• Batteries: N/A
• HSA/FSA Eligible: No
• Video: Yes
• Phone-compatible: Yes

Pros

• Mounts anywhere
• App connectivity

Cons

• Sleep tracking and continuous recording only free for 30 days

This unique-looking baby monitor comes in vivid pastels and is made out of flexible non-toxic silicone. The camera is encased in a round white built-in speaker that gives the device the look of a cute cartoon eyeball. Loaded with smart capabilities, it connects through an Android/iOS app and can accurately detect crying, see in night vision, track sleep quality, and play lullabies and white noise. Although the monitor offers sleep tracking and continuous video recording, it’s only free for 30 days—you’ll need to buy a subscription to Lollipop Care to get that functionality year-round.

Best smart: Miku Smart Baby Monitor

Miku

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Why it made the cut: This award-winning baby monitor uses SensorFusion technology to track breathing and sleep patterns contact-free, with insights delivered to your device in real-time.

Specs

• Range: N/A
• Batteries: N/A
• HSA/FSA Eligible: Yes
• Video: Yes
• Phone-compatible: Yes

Pros

• Cyber-secure
• Great picture quality
• Easy installation

Cons

• No backup power source in case of an outage

This award-winning video baby monitor offers high-definition video and sound along with the ability to track sleep without any wearables. For best results, strong Wi-Fi is necessary throughout your home, as the data is transmitted and analyzed via smart tech on your smartphone app. Data is secured with an embedded tamper-resistant crypto chip, two-factor authentication, and 256-bit encryption. Parents can receive access to sleep and breathing trends, along with tips on sleep, health, and developments from experts. The monitor also features custom dual Ole Wolff speakers, which provide powerful sound clarity when playing music, lullabies, or using the two-way talk feature.

Best for vitals tracking: Owlet Smart Sock 3 Baby Monitor

Owlet

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Why it made the cut: This smart sock tracks important vitals like oxygen levels and heart rate, along with sleep quality indicators for in-depth data on your baby.

Specs

• Range: 100 feet
• Batteries: N/A
• HSA/FSA Eligible: Yes
• Video: No
• Phone-compatible: Yes

Pros

• Vitals tracking
• Smartphone alerts
• Sock is sturdy and comfortable

Cons

• Expensive for a wearable children will eventually grow out of

Owlet’s smart baby monitor has advanced features which allow parents to track a baby’s vital signs and sleep quality indicators—including heart rate, oxygen levels, wakings, sleep state, movement, and more—with a wearable smart sock. Set up the base station within 100 feet of the baby’s crib and Bluetooth technology will transmit pulse rate and blood oxygen levels. The base station will glow depending on the levels reported, and parents will get alerts on their smartphones. The system can also measure room temperature and humidity levels. The company also offers the Dream Sock Plus, which tracks vitals for children up to five. And, the coordinating app includes sleep prompts and a digital sleep coach to help the wee one go to bed.

Best budget: VTech DM221-2 Audio Baby Monitor

VTech

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Why it made the cut: You don’t need to shell out a lot of cash for a monitor that features customizable volume, two-way audio, and vibrating sound alerts.

Specs

• Range: 1,000 feet
• Batteries: 6 AAA batteries (Included)
• HSA/FSA Eligible: No
• Video: No
• Phone-compatible: No

Pros

• 16-hour battery life
• 5-level sound indicator
• Vibrating sound alerts

Cons

• Battery takes 11 hours to fully charge

This highly rated baby monitor has a range of up to 1,000 feet and provides parents with a vibrating sound alert and LED-light visual when it detects sound. Additional features include a talk-back intercom that allows parents to soothe their baby, as well as a night-light feature and customizable volume. You can also choose to hear sounds from the baby unit all the time, or only hear sounds that exceed a certain level. The parent monitor can adjust the microphone sensitivity of the baby unit, and a belt clip on the parent unit lets you take it anywhere in the house.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best baby monitors

Technology has been rapidly changing the baby-monitor market. The best options provide you with a reliable and secure way to check in on your baby to be sure of their safety. With loads of choices, you can go big or small, high-tech or low—but whatever you decide, you’ve now got some of the best baby monitors currently on the market to choose from—so you and your little one can catch some much deserved Z’s.

The post Best baby monitors of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This article was originally featured on Popular Photography.

Instant photos sure pack a nostalgic punch. Maybe it’s the tangible aspect of a real photo in your hands instead of one floating in the cloud. Maybe it’s the way the images come out just a little imperfect that adds to the charm. But whatever it is, there’s no denying that where there’s instant film, there is fun being had. And no company is more synonymous with instant photography than Polaroid. 

With the release of Polaroid Go’s two new colorways, we decided to finally give this tiny camera a whirl for ourselves. In short: it’s definitely a delight. Pocketable and extremely portable; the design should appeal as much to the younger set as to those who grew up with the original. It creates prints in miniature (though personally, I find the colors leave something to be desired), and has a fun double exposure feature for the adventurous experimentalist. 

Polaroid Go keys specs

• f/12 and f/52 apertures
• Focal length of 51.1mm
• Shutter speeds ranging from 1/250 to 1 second
• Automatic flash, can be disabled 
• Viewfinder doubles as a selfie mirror
• Double exposure mode
• Self-timer, but no tripod mount
• LED frame counter window
• Compatible with Polaroid Go film, 8 shots per pack
• Pocket-sized
• Built-in battery with USB-C charging, 120 shots per charge

What’s new

In addition to the classic white, the Polaroid Go now comes in black and red models. In tandem with the release of the camera bodies, the company also debuted a set of lens filters in red, yellow, and blue, as well as a matte black-edge Go film.  

Polaroid Go handling and design

As the world’s smallest instant camera at 4.1 inches long, 3.3 inches wide, and 2.4 inches tall, the Polaroid Go makes compact efficiency its middle name. With the camera in hand, all the buttons you’d need—shutter, flash, and power—are situated together on the right side while the viewfinder is on the left.

On the front of the camera, the lens sits center, flanked by the flash on the left and the viewfinder on the right—the latter doubles as a selfie mirror thanks to a reflective coating. Because of the compact nature, I sometimes found my finger obscuring the flash, but overall, I appreciated the size of the Go, which felt manageable. However, I do have fairly small hands, so I could see how the diminutive size of this camera could be a major point of frustration. 

The camera’s shooting options are all controlled by the flash button. Press it twice in rapid succession to activate the double exposure mode. Activate or deactivate the self-timer by holding it down for two seconds. Hit it once to turn the flash on and again to turn it off. And that’s it. Everything else is automatic, so just press the shutter when you’re ready.

The entirety of the camera is basically plastic, which makes it incredibly light and easy to handle while still feeling solid. There’s nothing fragile about it, and it happily dangles from the included wrist strap for easy access. Essentially, the Go is the mini version of the Polaroid Now, but the layout and lens do allude to the extremely classic SX-70 Land Camera.

In use

Loading the film is self explanatory. Line up the arrows on the cartridge with those on the camera and drop it in, chunky end first. Unlike the larger cameras, which load from the front, the Polaroid Go has a little film hatch at the bottom. Do not peel off the tape on the cartridge; you’ll need it to pull it out after it’s empty. 

To test the Go, I took it on a spin at my local botanical garden and also to a Waffle House (as one does in the South) to see how it’d do at night. I shot a mix of flash/no flash and a handful of double exposures (plus one selfie).

I admit that I was already smitten before the first picture, purely on the basis of its size. My current obsession is the pocket camera. And while the Go is indeed a portable dream, there are other features worth discussing, for better or worse. 

Double exposure confusion

The camera has a nifty double exposure feature that’s activated by quickly hitting the flash button twice. Once in this mode, the frame counter will flash “1” indicating it’s time for the first shot. Tap the shutter and the counter will flash “2”; hit it again, and voilà, your double exposure ejects out.

While this feature is fun, it can at times be confusing, specifically when there’s a delay between the first and second exposure. For example, I wanted to do an overlay of flowers at the botanical garden with my typewriter at home. So, I put my camera in double exposure mode, took a photo of the typewriter, and turned it off. According to Polaroid, the camera will “remember” you’re in double exposure mode, so when you arrive at your next location and turn it on, you can make the second photo.

However, this is where things got tricky. After I arrived at the gardens and turned on the camera, the film counter no longer showed I was in double exposure mode. This made things confusing. Did I lose the picture of my typewriter? Did I need to put the camera back in double exposure mode for it to work? I tried that, but the counter started at “1” again, so I took it out of double exposure mode, took a picture of some roses, and waited to see what would happen. As it turns out, you don’t need to put the Go back in double exposure mode for that second shot. My final image was my typewriter/flower overlay as planned.

Remember to turn off the flash…

As far as flash is concerned, I preferred to keep it off in broad daylight. But, it perfectly delivers the harsh ‘90s candid vibe, if that is what you’re after. However, one thing that frustrated me—particularly with double exposures—is that the flash is automatically activated. This meant I had to remember to disable it each time I went to take a new shot. I’m forgetful and thus ended up firing it a few more times than I had planned.  

A flimsy film shield

Like the other Polaroid cameras, you only get eight shots per pack of film, which is fine. What I did find odd (and somewhat counterintuitive to the whole ‘instant’ promise) was the awkward film shield that rolls out on top of the photo after it’s printed, as well as the necessity to wait five seconds before pulling the print out of the slot. The film shield is just a thin sheet of dark gray plastic that rolls out with the picture to protect it from light. Though you are supposed to let the Polaroid develop in the dark, other instant cameras I’ve used do not require such a feature. You simply stuff the picture in your pocket as fast as possible. I’m not particularly fond of the shield as it felt that I might accidentally bend it.

Finally, while I love the compactness of this camera, I did have a couple of scares, including nearly wasting a precious sheet of already scarce film by accidentally pushing the shutter button. Since I’m right handed, I would always reach for the camera with that hand, but the shutter is also on the right side. It doesn’t help that I’m also notorious for forgetting to turn off any camera—I have had plenty of “what is that?” shots in the past. 

Polaroid Go Image quality

Objectively, I would describe the Polaroid Go image colors as moody ‘90s nostalgia with exuberant sepia undertones. With or without flash, there’s a hazy imperfection that lends a certain charm. Am I head-over-heels? Not exactly, but in a way that is more so personal taste than quality. 

Compared to photographs I have made with the Polaroid One Step and the Fujifilm Instax Wide, the latter two produce cleaner, brighter images. I tend to favor this in my work. However, the Polaroid Go is a vibe—I see many people shoot their film (instant or not) this way, so it’s by no means bad. 

Compared to…

Polaroid’s main competitor in the instant space is Fujifilm, which offers a fine line of products, too, and at a slightly (emphasis on slightly) lower price point. Cameras like the Fujifilm SQ1 will also produce a square image, and you can snag a pack of 20 frames at a little less than $1 each on Amazon. Meanwhile, 16 Go photos will cost you about $20.

That being said, the Polaroid Go is a solid choice if you value a compact design, as the Fujifilm options are a lot bigger. It also comes down to your stylistic choice and how you want your colors to turn out. The Go flash covers up to two meters (6.56 feet), while Fujifilm claims that its flash on the SQ 1 is effective up to 7.2 feet.

Overall, the Go rides on a retro reputation

Overall, the Polaroid Go really appeals to those who love the brand and what it’s represented over the years. From the retro, reminiscent design to the vintage cast in the film, it’s definitely something that’ll bring back (and preserve) memories, new and old. 

However, the price of the film and hiccups in user experience design leave a little bit to be desired. And with the price of film these days, saving a few pennies never hurts. It ultimately comes down to your personal artistic preferences, which should then dictate the system you buy into. 

Pros 

• Fits easily in a small bag or pocket
• Can be operated by one (small) hand without much trouble
• Flash can be disabled
• Double exposure mode creates the potential for cool shots
• Self-timer mode is handy for more complex selfies

Cons

• Polaroid Go film is more expensive than the competition
• Double exposure mode is confusing if you turn off the camera between shots
• Colors are muddier/moodier than the competition (this is subjective taste)
• The film shield is a little awkward/flimsy, and so is waiting five seconds before pulling out the picture
• Flash cannot be permanently disabled; you must remember to turn it off for each shot

The post The tiny Polaroid Go is lots of fun, but a little awkward appeared first on Popular Science.

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Drone enthusiasts know that the DJI Mavic Air 2/2S is equipped with a great camera, but there’s a catch: it can only shoot flat footage. For those wanting a 360-degree view on their flight, Insta360 recently released the Sphere, a 360-degree drone camera that allows creators to capture crazy footage by attaching the dual camera to the drone and then adding the desired effects after the flight.

One of the challenges of recording such footage is the requirement that the drone pilot have deft mastery of their aircraft to create the dramatic dives, swoops, twists, and turns. Insta360 Sphere now puts that ability in the hands of less-experienced drone operators by capturing every angle with the ability to add effects during the editing process.

How the Insta360 Sphere works

Mounted on a DJI Mavic Air 2/2S drone, the Sphere captures 360-degree 5.7k footage as the craft flies. The operator does not need to execute any maneuvers to capture unique perspectives. Piloting the drone forwards and backwards more than suffices as the Sphere does all the heavy lifting.

This is what video shooters call an “invisible” camera. Ordinarily, a 360-degree camera will capture the drone in its field of view, which requires extensive editing in post-production to remove. The Sphere employs a pair of cameras—one facing out from the top of the craft and the other pointing down from the bottom, attached to the drone with a locking mechanism. This arrangement cuts the drone from the image completely. 

“Insta360’s proprietary dynamic stitching algorithm makes the whole drone (including the propellers) disappear automatically, leaving the user with glorious, uninterrupted shots,” the company writes. 

Insta360 claims the Sphere won’t disrupt the drone’s GPS signal nor remote control. This is a worthy highlight, as a previous product, the One R Aerial Add-on, blocked the Mavic 2’s GPS signal, which made flying considerably more challenging for amateurs.

Editing Insta360 Sphere footage

Insta360 employs its proprietary image stabilization system, FlowState, which is also used in other products such as the One X, X2, and Go 2. FlowState promises to reduce shakes and vibrations, even in windy conditions. 

Intuitive framing tools allow you to readjust the angle and direction of the camera in post-production using either an app or your desktop. You also have the ability to create multiple edits from the same flight using the video captured by the Sphere and the drone’s own camera. With just a tap, the software can simulate complex aerial cinematic techniques like daredevil barrel rolls and dolly zooms with a simple command.

How to buy the Insta360 Sphere

The Sphere is now available on the Insta360 website for $429.99. Those who want the Memory Card Kit, which comes with a 64-gigabyte MicroSD card, will pay $439.99.

The post The Insta360 Sphere easily captures amazing 360-degree drone footage appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on Popular Photography.

Welcome to part three of our series on traveling with film and analog cameras. In previous installments, we covered general guidelines for traveling with film as well as air travel with film. In this article, we’ll talk about travel by car and train, both of which are particularly film-friendly; and traveling by water, which requires a bit more care.

Traveling with film by car

Car travel is great for film photography, as you’ve got plenty of space to bring all of the gear you want, and unlike air travel, you don’t need to worry about sending your precious film through airport scanners that could potentially damage it.

Your film and film cameras will be fine just about anywhere in your car; however, film prefers cool and dark conditions, and if you can maximize those, all the better. Avoid packing film or film cameras where they will be in direct sunlight, such as near windows or under hatchback tailgates. If possible, cover your gear with a towel or blanket to protect it from the sun.

Some cars have “hot spots” in their trunks: Hybrids and electric cars may have batteries or motors that warm the trunk floor, while mid- and rear-engine cars may have front-mounted radiators that bake the contents of their frunk (front trunk). Before traveling, take your car for a lengthy drive, then feel around your trunk to check for hot spots. 

Amtrak does have some restrictions on photography; they don’t want you taking pictures of other passengers or railroad personnel. Railroad staff may be overly cautious about photography on station platforms, as many train buffs have wandered into the path of an oncoming train while trying to get that perfect shot. If you’re using your camera on the platform, be hyper-aware of your surroundings and avoid platform edges. Don’t ever go near railroad tracks to get a photo! Trains are significantly wider than the tracks they run on, and many modern trains are electric or pushed by locomotives at the rear, which means you may not hear them coming.

If you are checking bags with cameras, bear in mind that some Amtrak train routes are run by buses, which means your luggage will be crammed and stacked into the underfloor bays. On the trains themselves, carry-on luggage that does not fit on overhead racks may have to be stored in common areas that are out in immediate sight and accessible to all. We recommend keeping cameras in small carry-on bags that will fit near your seat. Amtrak’s long-distance coaches have lots of legroom and their sleeping cars offer plenty of personal space, so there should be no shortage of room for your gear.

Travel with film by sea

Cameras and film have two enemies on the water: The water itself and the salt air (if you’re on the ocean). You need to protect your gear from both. 

Small, fast boats can generate a lot of spray and give your camera a good soaking. A weatherproof camera like the Pentax IQ Zoom WR should be fine, as will a fully waterproof camera like a Nikonos or a Canon Sure Shot A-1. Obviously, sea spray should be avoided at all costs for non-waterproof cameras, as the salt water can find its way into crevices and cause fatal corrosion. Consider bringing a waterproof disposable like the Kodak Water & Sport or Fujifilm Quicksnap Waterproof—and definitely bring one if you’re planning to swim.

Dropping your camera into the water is a bigger hazard than you might imagine. Your author’s grandfather, an experienced sailor, put wrist straps on every tool he had on his boat. His rule was “Tie it to your if you don’t want it to go into the drink.” Whether you’re on a small boat or a big liner, every camera should have a wrist or neck strap. Neck straps can be used the traditional way or securely wrapped around your wrist. Remember, all it takes is one good jostle to knock your camera out of your hand and into the water.

If you’re traveling on saltwater, opening the camera exposes its innards to salt air. A little bit won’t do much harm, but it’s best to minimize exposure just to be safe. Film changes are best done indoors or below decks. Same for lens changes, but if you must change lenses on an open deck, take your time and be deliberate. Remember, a dropped lens will roll—likely somewhere inaccessible, including straight to Davy Jones’ Locker. Always assume you are in imminent danger of dropping your gear into the water (because you are). 

As with all forms of travel, consider leaving your best gear home and traveling with cameras that can be repaired or replaced if something bad happens. Happy travels!

The post The safest way to carry your film and camera across land and sea appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This article was originally featured on Popular Photography.

A new report by ABC 7 News in San Francisco has revealed where a lot of stolen electronics—including cameras—are sold. It’s a good reminder that expensive camera gear is very easy for thieves to sell, which makes it such a tempting target. You can check out the full video to see it all in action, but more importantly we’ve gathered up our best advice for safeguarding your kit. 

What’s going on in San Francisco?

Whether it’s down to large amounts of media coverage or genuine underlying social issues, San Francisco seems to have an outsized camera theft problem. It’s not that photographers aren’t at risk everywhere, but in San Francisco they seem to be targeted more deliberately. 

Here at PopPhoto, we covered a photographer being followed home from the Golden Gate Bridge and robbed at gunpoint just a few months ago. Our colleagues at Petapixel have paid even more attention to the issue, covering the Canadian camera crew that got robbed at gunpoint last month, a San Francisco Chronicle photographer getting robbed (also at gunpoint) while on assignment, and a woman who got shot after refusing to give up her camera gear—all in the last year. One Petapixel contributor even had his camera stolen while it was rolling.

The report from ABC 7 adds an important bit of context to all this. It shows how easy it is for thieves to sell stolen cameras, laptops, and other expensive electronics at the side of the road—sometimes within an hour of the robbery taking place. Sadly, it also shows how little the police are able to do about it. It’s no wonder that photographers, who can easily be carrying thousands of dollars worth of equipment, are such lucrative potential targets.

Your gear is not worth your life

No amount of photography gear is worth losing your life over. As a European, one of the things I find most concerning about all the reports of camera theft from San Francisco is that many involve a gun. Just in the news stories linked above, one person was shot and another had their family members shot at. It’s hard to deny that—particularly in the US—there is a very real risk of getting hurt in a camera gear robbery. If someone does threaten you, hand over your gear and walk away.

Similarly, very few photographs are worth risking your life—or your gear—for. The point of this article isn’t to say “no one should take photographs in San Francisco,” but it’s pretty clear that popular photography spots, like the parks overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, are riskier environments, and so you should weigh up your options when planning your shots. If something doesn’t feel right, walk away.

How to protect your camera gear 

Whether you’re in San Francisco or any other city, there are some simple, sensible steps you can take to lower the risk of getting robbed. I’ve traveled the US, Mexico, Europe, and Southeast Asia with my camera gear without ever having anything stolen.

Be discreet. Don’t advertise you’re a photographer. If you’re in a busy or potentially risky environment, don’t keep your camera out. You might miss a few photos, but you lower your chances of being robbed. 

Conceal valuables. Don’t use an obvious camera bag and, where possible, hide other gear like tripods. A normal looking messenger bag—I use the Peak Design Everyday Messenger—just fits in better in most places. When I’m bringing a tripod, I often wrap it in a sweatshirt. 

Hide branding. If you shoot with particularly valuable gear—say a Leica or Hasselblad—cover the logos with tape. It won’t stop a theft, but it will make it seem like you are carrying hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of equipment, not potentially tens of thousands of dollars worth. 

Carry selectively. Don’t bring all your gear everywhere. If you know you probably won’t need a certain lens or your flashes, leave them at home. At least then if you do get robbed, you won’t lose everything. 

Downgrade your kit. Bring an old camera as a travel camera. I still shoot with a Canon 5D Mark III but when I upgrade to an EOS R, I’ll keep it as a beater camera for riskier situations.

Pay attention to your surroundings. It’s easy to get caught up working an image, so make sure to keep checking your environment. If someone appears to be paying you undue attention, walk away.

Don’t shoot alone. Go with your partner, a friend, or another photographer. You’ll be less of a target and someone is there to help out if things do go wrong.

Insure your gear. You might need specialized camera insurance to cover everything, but if you photograph a lot, it can be worth it. At least that way, if a disaster happens, you can recover.

And no matter what, don’t take silly risks, don’t try and defend your camera gear, and if someone holds a gun in your face, hand them your camera and walk away.

The post How to protect your camera gear from theft appeared first on Popular Science.

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GoPro has just announced a surprising new camera: a stripped-down version of its Hero10 Black called the Hero10 Black Bones. For an extra $50, it weighs a lot less but doesn’t come with a battery or screen. Confused? Here’s what you need to know.

What is the Hero10 Black Bones?

The GoPro Hero10 Black costs $499.99 (or $349.99 with a 1-year GoPro Subscription). It has a rechargeable battery, front and rear screens, and is waterproof to 33 feet, but weighs 5.4 ounces.

The GoPro Hero10 Black Bones, on the other hand, costs $499.99 (or $399.98 with that GoPro Subscription), doesn’t have a battery, has no screens, and isn’t waterproof, but weighs just 1.9 ounces.

Crucially, both come with the same great 1/2.3-inch sensor and GP2 processor, HyperSmooth 4.0 in-camera stabilization, and the ability to shoot 5.3K footage at 60 fps, 4K footage at 120 fps, and 2.7K footage at 240 fps. 

Who is the Hero10 Black Bones for?

Okay, so there is a reason that GoPro is stripping out a load of headline features from its flagship action camera and then charging an extra 50 bucks to save 3.5 ounces. 

The Hero10 Black Bones is designed exclusively for first-person view (FPV) drones—the kind of drone that’s often used to shoot footage like Tesla’s recent fly-through of its Gigafactory in Berlin or the video of a drone flying through a bowling alley that went viral last year. These drones normally have a low-latency camera connected to a VR headset so the pilot can fly, and a second camera (often a GoPro but sometimes a 35mm film camera!) to capture high-quality footage.

In an interview with The Verge, GoPro Head of Product, Pablo Lema, explains that many of these FPV pilots have already taken to chopping the bits they consider unnecessary off their GoPros in an attempt to lighten them so the drone can stay in the air longer. The DIY approach, however, is not without its downsides. According to Lema, this often leads to the camera overheating, especially on takeoff or landing. 

The Hero10 Black Bones is GoPro doing the weight saving for FPV pilots, and adding a heatsink and some venting to solve any overheating issues. Sure, as a niche product it is a bit more expensive, but it still has a warranty unlike a Franken-GoPro that someone has taken a knife to. 

How does the Hero10 Black Bones work without a battery?

In a word: soldering. 

The Hero10 Black Bones is designed to be connected to your drone’s battery through its Power Connector port. It’s got a built-in regulator circuit so it can run off anything from 5V to 27V, depending on what LiPo battery is keeping your drone in the air. 

How do you control the Hero10 Black Bones?

Since there are no screens, controlling the Hero10 Black Bones is a little different. There are a few ways though:

• The two physical buttons on the camera.
• The $80 GoPro Remote.
• The GoPro Quik app.
• QR codes.
• By soldering a control wire to your drone, and using a flight controller software like Betaflight. 

How to buy a Hero10 Black Bones

If you’re in the US, you can buy a Hero10 Black Bones from GoPro right now for $399.98 with a Go-Pro subscription, or $499.99 without one. (Yes, it’s odd to us too.) 

To get the most from it, however, you’ll also need your own custom FPV drone—and some soldering skills. 

The post GoPro drops a niche new action cam for FPV drones appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This article was originally featured on Popular Photography.

There was a time when traveling with film cameras was a no-brainer: Nearly all cameras used film, and you’d find all the support you needed almost anywhere you went. Today, the rise of digital photography and changes in transportation security make traveling with film gear more of a challenge.

In this three-part series, we’ll cover the specifics of traveling with film by air as well as by land and sea. For this first part, we’ll discuss some general guidelines, including cautions about traveling with film and what you should bring on your trip.

[Related: How photographers fly without ruining their film]

The perils of traveling with film

We love film and hate to speak ill of it, but the truth is that shooting travel photography on analog is not a sure thing. Unseen camera faults and mistakes in technique and/or handling can cause problems with your photographs, and unlike digital, you may not realize your photos didn’t come out until you get home. There’s also the potential for damage or mistakes in processing.

Does this mean you should avoid film photography for travel? Absolutely not! Film gives its own special look to travel photos and we wouldn’t miss that for the world. However, there’s nothing wrong with doing what our film-only forbears couldn’t, which is to use modern technology as a backup. If you’re facing that once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity, there’s nothing wrong with snapping an extra shot on your phone or a digital camera, just in case.

Traveling with film: What film to bring

Back in the day, no matter where you were headed, you could almost always find film—and often good-quality processing—at your destination. Not so today, so modern film photographers will most likely be carrying both new and exposed-but-unprocessed rolls. This is particularly tricky with regards to air travel, which we cover in Part 2 of this series.

[Related: How photographers fly without ruining their film]

If you’re traveling with film, you’ll want to take plenty with you; running out of film on a trip is never fun. What kind of film should you bring? We prefer to stick to film stocks we know and like. We’ve experimented with unfamiliar emulsions while traveling, only to get home and find that new-to-us film didn’t give us the look we were looking for. Our recommendation is to experiment at home and travel with film you know.

It’s a good idea to check the weather conditions at your destination to help determine what speed film you’ll need. If it’s bright and sunny, we’ll pack mostly ISO 100 film with a couple of rolls of ISO 400 in case the clouds roll in. If we’re expecting inclement weather, we up the proportion of faster film. For indoor photography, many filmies pack some ultra-high-speed film (such as Delta 3200 or T-Max 3200) or a flash. Another option is to shoot ISO 400 or 800 film at 1600 and push-process it. (Be sure to note which rolls need pushing!)

It’s worth noting, though, higher-speed films are more susceptible to the negative effects of airport X-rays. And if you’re bringing along film faster than ISO 400, we recommend carrying it on board (this goes for all film, actually) and requesting a “hand inspection” at security. We’ll cover this more in part 2.

Alternatives to bringing your own film

If you’re traveling to a large city, you may be able to buy film locally. Do a little Googling and be sure to call or email ahead to make sure local stores have adequate stock of your film(s) of choice. If you regularly mail-order film, you may be able to get your mail-order house to ship film to your lodgings; be sure to call ahead to your hotel to make sure they can receive packages for guests. Alternatively, you can mail film ahead to your digs. This method isn’t foolproof—packages do get lost or delayed—so it’s best to bring a couple of rolls with you, just in case.

If you use a mail-order lab for processing, consider mailing your exposed film to the lab directly from your trip. That’ll save some bulk in your luggage (and an X-ray inspection if you are flying).

The case for bringing more than one camera

Digital cameras offer variable ISO settings and can switch seamlessly between color and B&W, but film cameras can’t do that, and mid-roll film changes are time-consuming (and difficult or impossible on some auto-wind cameras). That’s the reason why, back in the film days, avid photographers frequently traveled with a second camera (or third). One camera might be loaded with color film, the other with B&W, or one with slow film and one with higher-speed film. If you travel with a second camera, we recommend keeping that extra camera unloaded until you know what you need it for, to provide you with extra flexibility.

Traveling with 35mm point-and-shoot cameras

If you’re a compact point-and-shoot photographer, you’re in great shape—after all, P&S compacts were designed with travel photography in mind. A compact camera with a zoom lens will give you the most flexibility, but the 35mm lens fitted to many fixed-focal-length cameras works nicely for travel snapshots.

Most point-and-shoot cameras are made to withstand a little foul weather, but if you are concerned about getting seriously rained on (some vacation!), consider a “weather-resistant” camera like the Pentax IQ Zoom 90 WR. There are other fully-waterproof compacts like the Canon Sure Shot A-1, but if underwater film photography is on your agenda, consider a one-time disposable camera like the Kodak Water & Sport or Fujifilm’s Quicksnap Waterproof—that way you don’t have to worry about your hard-to-replace camera getting damaged.

Traveling with 35mm SLRs

SLRs give you more creative control over your photos, but they do add bulk, which can slow you down while traveling. SLRs come in all shapes and sizes, and we recommend smaller ones for smoother travel. Older manual-wind cameras (particularly the Olympus OM-series and Pentax M-series) and later-model plastic-bodied SLRs (like those from Minolta and Canon) are among the lightest and easiest to travel with. Pro-level cameras like the Nikon F4 are bulky and heavy.

But isn’t pro-level gear best for travel? Not necessarily: A once-in-a-lifetime trip might seem to warrant your best film equipment, but there’s an argument to be made for leaving your nicer cameras home. Remember, with film—and unlike digital—it’s not the camera that determines image quality, but rather the lenses and the film stock. For travel, consider taking older bodies that you don’t mind getting knocked around a bit, and which will be easier (and cheaper) to replace if they get lost or stolen.

If you’re bringing a second camera body, it should be one that is lens-compatible with your primary body so there’s no need to bring a second set of lenses. Your backup camera need not be anything fancy or expensive. A $20 Nikon N65 makes a great backup for your Nikon F5 or N90s and takes up little extra space in your camera bag.

What lenses should you bring? If you’re using an autofocus SLR, a pair of zoom lenses in the 24-70mm and 70-200mm range should meet most of your needs. For manual-focus SLRs, the standard wide/normal/tele “prime trifecta”—28mm, 50mm, and 135mm —will suit you well. Again, consider the value of your equipment and the difficulty of replacing it in the event of breakage or theft. We’d much rather risk a $25 Vivitar lens than a $250 Nikon lens. Consider fitting a UV filter to all of your lenses to protect them from damage.

Traveling with other types of film cameras

35mm rangefinder cameras give you the portability of a compact, and most offer the creative control of an SLR, so they’re great travel companions. The only thing that gives us pause is their value: Some of us find it hard to relax and enjoy our trip while worried about damaging or losing our $5,000 Leica.

Point-and-shooters might want to consider a bridge camera, which offers the creative control of an SLR in a more compact package. Their wide-range zoom lenses make them great for travel, and they offer a variety of automatic, semi-automatic, and manual modes.

Instant cameras are great for snapshots, but not so great for landscape or architecture photos—and with the high cost of film, instant travel photography can get very expensive very quickly.

What about medium- and large-format gear? A small TLR like the Yashicamat or Mamiya 645 takes up only a little more space than a bulky 35mm rig, but bigger cameras like the Mamiya RB67 and Pentax 67 can really weigh you down, as can large-format cameras, which generally require a tripod. We tend to reserve the bigger gear for trips by car. If you do take large and expensive gear via commercial travel, be sure to keep it with you and avoid checking it at all costs.

What else should you bring with you?

If you have extra space in your film kit, here are a few items you should consider bringing, in order of importance:

• Extra batteries. Manual-wind cameras use button batteries that last for years; one extra set should suffice. For auto-wind cameras with a higher power appetite, it’s best to know before you go how many rolls a set of batteries will get through, and bring lots of extras.
• Extra lens-cleaning cloths. Travel is filthy business!
• Filters. It’s a good idea to have a good-quality UV filter on all your film-camera lenses to protect from damage. A circular polarizer can be very handy for reflective surfaces (cars, windows, water). If you’re shooting B&W film, consider a yellow or red filter to bring more contrast and texture to the skies. 
• Film Changing Bag. If you have the space, a dark bag is a handy thing to carry. We’ve had old cameras jam while traveling, and a dark bag provides a safe place to open the camera and retrieve your film.

One last tip: Don’t forget to vacation!

We love traveling with film gear because it presents so many opportunities to take great photos, but we try to avoid seeing our entire vacation through a camera lens. Always be on the lookout for good photo opportunities, but make sure you take time to enjoy and experience the sights with your own senses.

The post How to travel with film cameras today appeared first on Popular Science.

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We’re living in a “pics or it didn’t happen” world. If you failed to capture a specific moment, did it even occur in the first place? And sure, it’s always a must to document your memories and adventures for later viewing, but why stop at pictures?

Capture 2022 in an entirely different way by scoring adventure cameras and drones that let you take your photography and videography to new heights. Here are 10 options to choose from, all of which are on sale for a limited time:

FITT360: Hands-Free Neckband Camera

Dubbed as the world’s first neckband type wearable 360-degree camera, the FITT360 is a device that you wear around your neck for hands-free and hassle-free recording. It uses three FHD cameras to capture everything around you and connects directly to the app to stitch the recorded footage into a 360-degree format. It usually retails for $599, but you can get it on sale for $489.99.

HD Digital Camera Binoculars

With a clear field of vision, 12x magnification, and precise focus adjustment, this camcorder and telescope hybrid is ideal for capturing even the most minute of details. Waterproof, anti-fog, anti-dust, and anti-shock, you can use it for hunting, bird watching, hiking, or taking photographs of wildlife, landscapes, travel, and more even in the harshest weather conditions. It normally goes for $199, but you can get it on sale for $129.95.

Global Drone 4K Platinum Version

This quadcopter pretty much ticks all of the boxes in what you’d want in a drone: 4K video capability, 360-degree roll and flip technology, and 3-level flight speed. It’s crafted out of high-strength and resistant-engineered plastics too, making it lightweight and durable. Originally $119, it’s on sale for $109.95.

Mini Helicopter UFO RC Drone

Designed to be kid-friendly, this mini helicopter has sensors on each side and at the bottom to protect it from collisions and built-in LED lights for maximized fun. It’s also built with a flexible barrier for added durability. Usually $50, you can grab it on sale for $21.95.

Dark Gray Eachine E58 4K HD Camera Flying Drone

Thanks to this drone’s headless mode, you no longer have to adjust the position of the aircraft before flying it. It’s also capable of finding its way back to you automatically with its one-key automatic return function. Of course, with its 4K/1080p wide-angle camera, you can capture the best images and videos with better highlights and shadows. Typically $225, you can score it on sale for $62.95.

Newest Gray E68 Drone 2 with 4K/1080P Wide-Angle Camera and WiFi

This drone comes with a remote control to help you navigate it from a higher distance. It’s equipped with a 4K HD camera for crystal-clear images, and an altitude hold mode that stabilizes the drone’s flight. It also has a partner app that allows you to view what you’re capturing on your smartphone in real-time. It usually retails for $320, but you can grab it on sale for $79.95.

EXO X7 Ranger 4K Dynamic Camera Drone

Boasting a 4.1 out of 5-star rating on Amazon, this drone equipped with a 4K video camera, with a 1/3 in-camera sensor, and a 3 axis gimbal is ideal for beginners. Its dual camera delivers a more dynamic range, brighter colors, and a soft look, while its 120 camera tilt lets you capture bird-eye shots and skyline shots. It formerly retailed for $327, but you can get it on sale for $277.99.

Black Drone with Dual HD 4K Camera

Armed with a 3-axis mechanical gimbal and electronic image stabilization, this 4K drone can capture steady photos and footage. With a control distance up to 1,200 meters, you can navigate it from a taller height or a longer distance via the accompanying remote control. It typically retails for $89, but you can grab it on sale for $74.95.

4K Action Pro Waterproof All Digital UHD WiFi Camera

Record all the fun parts of your adventures with this waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof camera that lets you view the live feed on your phone. It can record high-quality and stable video in stunning 4K resolution and has a built-in Gyro stabilizer and in-body sensor stabilization feature to get the perfect shot every time. It formerly retails for $149, but you can get it on sale for $49.99.

Alpha Z PRO 4K + Flying Fox 4K Wide Angle Dual Camera Drones Bundle

The only thing better than one drone is two drones. This deal nets you two quadcopters, both of which feature a 4K front camera, a 720p bottom camera, and a sleek design. Both drones are capable of not only capturing picturesque shots, but also executing all sorts of moves and tricks. Buying them separately would set you back $398, but you can get both on sale for only $174.99.

Prices subject to change.

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One of my many, many pet peeves is folks who discourage would-be analog photographers by telling them film is too expensive. They cite $25 rolls of slide film, $20 E-6 developing, and $40-per-shot drum scans, and declare film as a financial quagmire compared to “free” digital photos.

The fact is that while film can be expensive, it doesn’t need to be. My 35mm B&W photography costs me less than a quarter per frame—not just for film, mind you, but for film, processing, and scanning. And here’s the punch line: I’m actually spending more than I have to. If I did things differently, I could be shooting B&W film for less than 14 cents per photo. And while color film is more expensive, it need not cost much more than what I currently spend on B&W.

Stick with me through this article and a bit of math, and I’ll explain how I do it.

Step 1: Save on film by rolling your own

Many popular B&W emulsions are sold in 100-foot bulk rolls, which the photographer winds onto reusable 35mm cassettes. 100 feet yields approximately eighteen 36-exposure rolls. A bulk roll of my favorite film, Ilford HP5 Plus, sells for $89.99, which works out to $5 per 36-exposure roll (about $3 cheaper than pre-rolled HP5+) or 13.9 cents per photo. 

My beloved HP5+ is hardly the least-expensive film on the market. I also like Ilford’s Kentmere 100. At ~$70.00 for a 100-foot roll, it costs just 11 cents per shot. Freestyle’s Arista EDU film costs $51.99 per 100-foot roll—just 8 cents per exposure.

Bulk rolling has advantages beyond costs savings. Chief among them, you’re not stuck with 24 or 36 exposures. When I buy a used camera, I don’t need to burn a whole roll of film to test it out; instead, I’ll whip up a 5-exposure test roll. For general use, I load around 25 exposures per roll, though this does increase my development costs slightly, as you’ll see in the next section.

What about equipment? You’ll need film cassettes, which sell for around $1.25 each. They last for years, making their per-shot costs basically negligible. Some photographers use a bulk loader to wind film onto the cassettes. A loader costs around $50, and if you only keep it ten years—chances are it’ll last five times that long—it’ll add about a third of a cent per frame to your film costs. Me, I don’t use a bulk loader; I simply spool up my film in my dark bag.

My film cost (Ilford HP5 Plus): 13.9 cents per picture.

Buying color film

Color film for still photography is difficult to find in 100-foot rolls; however, you can still save money by buying in quantity. A five-pack can save a couple of bucks per roll, and if you can find a dealer who will sell you a “brick” of film, you can drop your costs much closer to bulk-roll levels.

Step 2: Save on film development by doing it yourself

I develop all of my own B&W film, and not just because it saves money. I genuinely enjoy the process. If you’ve never done it, don’t be intimidated—B&W development is dead-easy and hard to screw up. Also, it’s a huge cost savings over lab development. 

For those unfamiliar, there are four (or so) types of chemicals needed (developer, stop bath, fixer, and a washing agent) and some basic hardware. Let’s look at the costs of each.

Developer

There are several choices of B&W developer; I’m very fond of Kodak D-76. It’s sold as a $9.99 package of powder, which mixes with a gallon or so of distilled water (about 99 cents). For most of my developing, I dilute this stock solution 1:1 (so, ad another 99-cent gallon of distilled water). If I use my single-roll developing tank, that’s enough for about 23 rolls of film, which comes out to 52 cents per roll. That’s 1.4 cents per frame for 36 exposures, but since I shoot 25-exposure rolls, my cost is 2.1 cents per frame.

Granted, I don’t always spend that much. I have a two-roll tank that uses about 25% less developer per roll than if I develop two rolls individually in a single tank. Besides D-76, I also use Kodak HC-110, a liquid-concentrate developer that costs about 35 cents per roll. And there are cheaper alternatives to Kodak developers: LegacyPro’s L-76, for example, is identical to D-76 and sells for $6.99. (As a former resident of Rochester, New York, I use Kodak developers out of loyalty—or perhaps guilt for shooting Ilford film.)

Other chemicals

I use Kodak Indicator Stop Bath and Ilford Rapid Fixer, both sold as concentrates that are mixed with water. Stop costs 0.9 cents per roll; fixer, 11.2 cents. I use Kodak Photo-Flo 200 as a rinsing aid, which adds another 3.8 cents per roll. That breaks down to 0.4 cents per frame for 36 exposures or just under 0.7 cents for 25-exposures.

Again, there are more cost savings to be had. Some people use water instead of stop bath (but for less than a penny a roll, I think it’s worth splurging on). I change my stop and fixer every 25 rolls, but they could probably go longer—there’s an easy test for fixer (drop in a scrap of unexposed film and time how long it takes to clear), and Kodak stop bath changes color when it’s done (hence “Indicator” in its name). As with developers, there are cheaper alternatives from brands like LegacyPro and Arista.edu.

Equipment

I was lucky to have my developing tanks, reels, and thermometer given to me. This meant I only had to buy a dark bag/film changing bag (a light-proof bag with arm-holes, used to transfer the film from the cassette to the developing tank), measuring beakers, and bottles for mixed chemicals. (I buy brown bottles of hydrogen peroxide and empty them out.) In all, I spent less than $40, but if you’re starting from scratch, you might spend closer to $150. Most of this equipment will last forever, but if you only get ten years out of it, and like me, shoot about 35 rolls per year, that’ll average out to about 2 cents per frame. (For me, the costs are half-a-penny per photo.)

My developing costs (D-76, single-roll tank, 25 exposures): 3.3 cents per photo.

DIY developing for color film

Color film development used to be so cheap and widely available that doing it yourself wasn’t considered cost-effective. Today you can buy C-41 (color negative) developing kits that contain all the needed chemicals in a single box. Color is a bit more fiddly to develop than B&W—temperature control is paramount—but not much more difficult. Equipment is the same as for B&W, plus something to keep the chemicals warm. Many DIYers use a sous vide immersion cooker, which costs around $75.

CineStill sells a one-liter C-41 kit that costs $27.99 and processes 8 rolls—$3.50 per roll (way cheaper than commercial developing!) or 9.7 cents per frame. Arista EDU makes a one-gallon kit that develops 32 rolls; at $79.99 it breaks down to $2.50 per roll or about 7 cents per frame. (Color processing chemicals, once opened, have a short shelf life, something to keep in mind when choosing quantities.)

Shooting slides? There are development kits for E-6 processing, too. An eight-roll kit from Arista EDU costs around $5.50 per roll, while a 32-roll kit brings the costs down to $3.59 per roll.

Step 3: Save on scanning with your own scanner

I scan all my own film with an Epson V550 flatbed scanner (which has since been replaced by the Epson V600). Some photographers buy third-party scanning programs, but I’ve been happy with Epson’s own software, which I find works well for B&W, color negatives, and color slides. Obviously, the Epson can’t compare to a drum scanner, but I am very happy with the results I get—I think they’re fine for editing and sharing photos online.

I paid $195 for my V550. If I only get five years out of it—I’m hoping for more!—and if I shoot 35 rolls per year, my scanning costs are about $1.11 per roll. At 25 exposures per, that’s 4.4 cents per scan. Of course, if I keep the Epson longer, or if I shoot more film, that lowers my per-shot costs even further.

My scanning costs: 4.6 cents per photo.

Adding up the costs—and how I could save more

If I shoot a 25-exposure bulk-loaded roll of Ilford HP5 Plus (13.9 cents per frame), develop with D-76 (3.3 cents), and scan with my Epson (4.4 cents), I’m at 21.6 cents per frame. I buy my supplies locally, so I have to add 9.5% for sales tax. Grand total: 23.7 cents per frame, or $5.93 to shoot, develop and scan a 25-exposure roll of B&W film.

Still, I could be spending far less. If I shot Kentmere 100, loaded each cassette with 36 exposures, developed with LegacyPro L-76 in my two-roll tank, and kept my scanner for ten years, my costs would drop to $4.91 per roll—just 13.6 cents per photo. To put that in perspective, for the price of a new Nikon Z7 kit, I could shoot, develop and scan one roll of film per week for twelve years—and still have some cash left over to buy a decent 35mm camera.

Color is more expensive, but not overly so. With bulk purchasing and home developing and scanning, it’s easy to get color negative film down to $10 per roll (27.8 cents per shot) or less. Even the cost of pricey slide film can be greatly reduced.

So the next time you hear someone disparaging film as prohibitively expensive, please help me out by setting them straight. In fact, you might want to ask how often they replace their digital rigs and how much that costs—and then explain how much money they could save by shooting film.

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This story originally featured on Popular Photography.

With the rise of smartphones and mirrorless cameras, photography gear has gotten more compact over the past decade. But for some uses, like medical imaging and miniature robotics, current camera tech still proves far too bulky. Now, researchers have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with an experimental camera that’s similar in size to a grain of salt and yet offers image quality that’s an order of magnitude ahead of prior efforts on a similar scale.

What’s a metasurface camera?

Designed by a team of researchers from Princeton University and the University of Washington, the new system is detailed in a paper published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications. It replaces the complex and bulky compound lens found in most cameras. With a metasurface that’s just 0.5mm wide, the camera is studded with 1.6 million cylindrical “nanoposts” that shape the light rays passing within.

The metasurface camera is said to provide image quality on par with a conventional camera and lens that is 500,000 times larger in volume. After comparing the sample images in the paper and YouTube video above, we’d say that’s perhaps a little too generous, but we don’t want to take away from the team’s achievements in the least, as they’re certainly impressive.

How it compares to other cameras

The combination of a 2/3-inch sensor and an Edmund Optics 50mm f/2.0 lens used to provide the conventional camera comparisons still has noticeably better image quality, especially in the corners. But at the same time, the metasurface camera’s results are deeply impressive when bearing in mind its spectacular size advantage. And the results it provides are also far in advance of what was achieved by the previous state-of-the-art metasurface camera just a few short years ago.

Compared to the earlier metasurface cameras, the new version differs in the design of its individual nanoposts as well as in its subsequent image processing. The nanotubes’ structure was optimized using machine-learning algorithms which prioritized image quality and field-of-view. The image processing algorithms, meanwhile, adopted neural feature-based deconvolution techniques. Finally, the results of the new image processing were fed back to allow further improvements to the nanotube structure.

These strategies have clearly worked well, yielding a huge step forward from the results possible with past efforts. While the compound optic still has a pretty obvious advantage in terms of fine detail, color, contrast, vignetting and corner sharpness, the gap between technologies is certainly shrinking.

What’s next

Next up, the research team is planning to increase the metasurface camera’s computational abilities. This should allow not only another step forwards in terms of image quality but also other capabilities such as object detection.

In the longer term, the study’s senior author, Felix Heide, suggests that the goal is to break into the smartphone market. Heide predicts that one day, you could see the multiple cameras in your smartphone replaced by a single metasurface that turns its entire rear panel into a camera. Is the era of awkward camera bumps soon to meet its end? We can only hope.

The post This camera is as small as a grain of sand—but it still takes great pictures appeared first on Popular Science.

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Open the Camera app on your Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, and swipe along the modes underneath the shutter button—Camera will be the default. Tap Motion, choose Action pan and then tap the shutter button as normal to capture an image. 

Your device will process the picture in the background, and when you go and look at the finished product in Google Photos, you should see the main object of the shot in focus against a blurred background.

From the Camera app, swipe across the camera modes to find Motion, choose Long exposure and then tap the shutter button as normal. You’ll need to keep your Pixel stable for a few seconds while the camera captures the long exposure.

As with Action Pan, the processing takes place in the background, so head over to the Google Photos app to see the results. 

This is an automatic feature, so you should notice improved results from the get-go thanks to the Artificial Intelligence-packed Tensor chip inside the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro.

For this one, you have to go directly to Google Photos. Tap on the image you want to work with, tap Edit, then choose Tools, and Magic Eraser. You can either tap on a marked area to accept the suggestions the app makes, or draw around an object or person you want to get rid of. You’ll see the results after a few seconds. 

Despite its name, the Magic Eraser works better on some photos than others, as it needs a constant background to work with, like a wall or a sky. But when it works, well, it really does look like magic.

On top of that, both the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro offer Super Res Zoom. This digital zoom lets you go way beyond the optical zoom capabilities to let you get even closer to your subject and get much sharper, less pixelated images. To do this, Super Res Zoom captures several frames at once and uses that information (plus some smart Google algorithms) to fill in the details, like colors, lines, and shapes, that aren’t there. 

When Night Sight is active, Google’s software will work wonders with the darkest parts of your picture, using AI interpolation to enhance the details the phone camera has captured.

[Related: Google’s Night Sight photo mode is great—here’s how to fake it with your smartphone]

There’s also an astrophotography mode for shooting the night sky. Your Pixel will notify you it has enabled this feature automatically when you point your device at the night sky for a few seconds. Google recommends using a tripod and getting as far away from urban lights as possible, as exposure will take several minutes. But when it’s over,  you should be left with a fantastic night sky shot.

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Nikon

SEE IT

The concept of “zooming” on a smartphone camera is mostly a lie. They often “zoom” by simply cropping the image to narrow the angle of view or adding an extra camera module with a more telephoto lens to handle the longer shots. Both methods come with downsides in terms of usability and image quality. Dedicated camera makers like Nikon know this, and the company’s latest long-lens camera is an emphatic reminder of just how different dedicated camera lenses can be from their smartphone counterparts.

The Nikon P1000 has 125x optical zoom, which means it starts a little wider than your typical smartphone camera lens, and can zoom far enough that you can focus on objects that are literally miles away depending on your vantage point.

In camera terms, the 125x lens has an equivalent focal range of 24mm to 3000mm. To put that in perspective, the massive, telephoto lenses you’ll typically find on the sidelines of sporting tend to hover between 400mm and 600mm. Those high-end lenses have higher-quality glass, more advanced motors, and wider apertures for letting in more light, but in terms of pure zoom, the P1000 is in a totally different league.

Nikon P1000 lens comparison

We could in theory design the same spec lens for a DSLR, but it would be nearly impossible to create the parts and assemble such a lens in the factory,” a Nikon representative told us via email. “Thirty years ago Nikon developed an AI Zoom-Nikkor 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8P IF-ED lens, and it weighed 16kg! And that’s for 1200-1700mm. If you were to design and build a 24-3000mm DSLR lens for an FX-format sensor, you might need a truck to carry it. To give you a rough idea of size, a 3000mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/8 built for a DSLR sensor would need to have a front lens element with a diameter of about 360mm (more than 14 inches)!”

While you don’t need a truck to carry the P1000, it’s still a sizable chunk of gear. It weighs roughly 3.1 pounds and extends to a length of 14 inches at full-zoom. A considerable amount of that weight comes from the 17 glass elements in the lens (arranged into 12 groups).

Keeping the camera steady at an equivalent of 3000mm can be difficult, even on a tripod, but Nikon equipped the P1000 with its latest vibration reduction technology, which it claims can mitigate camera shake by up to five stops. “Dual Detect VR is so-called because the system calculates and corrects for the direction and amount of camera shake using two methods simultaneously: an angular velocity sensor and imaging information from the image sensor,” a Nikon representative explained. “This enables the kind of enhanced vibration reduction performance required by a camera with this kind of focal length.”

Nikon P1000 zoom example

Behind the lens is a 16.1-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor in the 1/2.3-inch format. It’s considerably smaller than the 1-inch sensor found in some other bridge cameras like the Sony RX10, but it’s a function of accommodating all that zoom. Unlike the previous P-model Nikon cameras, however, the P1000 offers RAW photo capture, which should provide more leeway when it comes to noise reduction and exposure recovery.

The P1000 will cost $1,000 when it hits store shelves, and we’re curious to see what kind of performance it can achieve when pushed to its extremes.

The post Nikon’s new 125x zoom camera has a lens that would be impossible on a DSLR appeared first on Popular Science.

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Pentax K1000 film camera

Today, Kodak announced it was bringing back one of its iconic black-and-white films, TMax P3200, which has been out of production since 2012. It’s a monochrome film that’s extra-sensitive to light, so you can shoot with it in dark settings, and it will give you a gritty, grimy look that so many smartphone filter apps have tried to replicate. But that’s not the only good news in the film photography world at the moment. Kodak is still preparing another iconic film called Ektachrome for market later this year, and a new film SLR from a company called Reflex slated to ship later this year camera just had a crowdfunding run that raised 150 percent of its goal.

In short: Right now is a really great time to try out film photography. Of course, it’s not as simple as your smartphone camera, but that’s the point. It’s a process—and that’s a large part of what makes it great.

Of course, the first thing you’ll need is a camera. Luckily, there are still lots of old film shooters waiting to you take you to hipster photography heaven in thrift stores, garage sales, and online auctions. Sadly, this renaissance has pushed prices on the secondary market up from rock bottom a few years ago. But, if you know what to look for, you can find a shooter that will hold its value while churning through roll after roll of cellulose acetate (the material from which film is made).

Pick your perfect old camera

There are three general types of film cameras: SLRs, compacts, and rangefinders. The type you should pick depends on lots of variables including your budget, shooting style, and even aesthetic preferences. If you see something you think you like, check it out on a site like Camerapedia, which offers tons of useful knowledge about old gear.

Nikon F3

SLRs

What are they? This is the classic form factor many people imagine when picturing an analog camera. They have interchangeable lenses in the front and a viewfinder that lets you look out through the lens and into the world with some help from a mirror inside. That’s where they get their three-letter name, which stands for single-lens reflex.

Advantages: SLRs are typically the most durable option and, if you’ve ever used a DSLR (which stands for digital SLR), the whole experience should seem familiar. They typically offer manual controls to help you learn, and you can swap the lenses if you get really into it and want to expand your collection.

If you already have a DSLR from a company like Nikon or Pentax, your lenses might even work (a quick Google search for compatibility will confirm it). If you have a modern Canon camera, however, it’s worth noting that their newer lenses won’t work with older film models.

Disadvantages: They’re the biggest cameras out of all the options, and some older models don’t offer much in the way of assistance when it comes to figuring out exposure, so brush up on your aperture and shutter speed knowledge.

Some models to check out: The Pentax K1000 and the Canon AE-1 Program are both iconic film cameras that are perfect for learning. They were extremely popular, so the companies manufactured millions of them, many of which are still around. I’ve paid as little as $5 for a K1000 at a garage sale. The Minolta SRT-101 is another iconic camera you can find on the cheap, but it’s big and heavy compared to those two.

If you want to step up to a slightly higher-grade camera, the Canon A-1, the Nikon FM2, and the Nikon F3 are also excellent choices. Expect to pay well over $100, and sometimes much more depending on condition, for one of these.

All the SLRs mentioned to this point have been manual focus, which means you have to rotate the lens yourself in order to get things sharp. There are plenty of modern autofocus SLRs out there, but they typically aren’t as affordable as their manual counterparts.

One note about old manual-focus SLRs is that the zoom lenses you sometimes see with them are terrible in terms of build and optical quality. If the camera comes with a big Vivitar, Sears, Quantaray, or another third-party lens, be prepared for soft focus and a clunky user experience. Sticking to a lens that matches the camera’s maker is your safest bet until you learn the intricacies of picking out new glass.

Olympus Stylus Epic

Compact cameras

What are they? They look like black or silver bars of soap, but this segment of the film camera market has taken off over the past two years. They’re also called point-and-shoot cameras, because they don’t offer much in the way of manual controls.

Advantages: If you just want to get the film look without having to learn lots about exposure and other photographic concepts, compacts are a great solution. They’re much smaller than the other types of film cameras, and they often use batteries that are cheaper and easier to find. They’re also conspicuous than a big camera, too.

Disadvantages: Since most compact cameras were designed for mass audiences, many of them are terrible in terms of image quality and build. Again, they don’t offer much in the way of manual controls, which may be a negative depending on your outlook. Also, because of the way their lenses are constructed, they often have to rely on the built-in flash to get the proper amount of light in the photo. Shooting a flash in 2018 immediately draws a lot of attention. You also can’t change lenses if you get sick of the same field of view.

Some models to consider Unfortunately, the demand for any truly excellent compact cameras has spiked hard over the past year or so, thanks in part to their stylish nature. Kylie Jenner, for instance, recently touted the virtues of her Contax T2 (a truly iconic camera), and the average price on the second-hand market spiked several hundred dollars to around $1,000.

Olympus made some excellent point-and-shoot cameras under the Stylus series, and the zoom lens versions are still pretty affordable at less than $100. There’s another version called the Stylus Epic (or the international name, the MJU II), which has an exceptionally sharp lens, and doesn’t zoom. It’s getting more difficult to find them all the time for anything below $200.

If you go thrifting, keep an eye out for pretty much anything made by Contax, Olympus Stylus compacts, or anything in the Ricoh GR family.

If you don’t want to go bargain hunting or drop hundreds of dollars, the Nikon L35AF, which you can often find at estate sales and on eBay for under $100, is an underrated camera that’s bigger than most point-and-shoots, but has a great lens attached.

Minolta Easy Flash camera

Rangefinders

What are they? The rangefinder resides somewhere between the compact and the SLR. You compose and focus using a viewfinder held up to your eye, but you don’t actually see through the lens of the camera, as you would with an SLR. The lens is coupled to the viewfinder so it knows when something is in focus. Shooting with a rangefinder is likely different than anything you’ve experienced with a digital camera, unless you’ve used something like the Fujifilm X100F. Try it before you make the leap.

Advantages: Some rangefinders allow you to swap out your lenses, while others opt for a fixed lens system that tunes the glass for that specific camera. They’re typically smaller than SLRs, but offer more manual controls than a compact. They’re also often some of the best-looking cameras around.

Disadvantages: The focusing process will likely take a little getting used to. The good ones are fairly expensive. Many of the older models don’t have a built-in light meter, so you’ll have to get a separate one or use a digital camera as a benchmark.

Some models to consider The Leica M series is often considered the gold standard against which all other rangefinders are judged. Unfortunately, that means most of them cost absurd amounts of money. A Leica M6, for example (which is desirable because it was the last all-mechanical M camera before the company introduced electronic elements in the M7) typically costs more than $1,000 before you add a similarly pricy lens.

In the world of the more realistic purchases, the Canon QL17 ($25-$100) is a great option for a beginner because it has a very sharp fixed lens. It’s small and relatively easy to use as well. The Yashica Electro 35 ($40-$100) is another good, stylish option.

If you want to get the most out of each roll of film, you can opt for a half-frame rangefinder like the Olympus PEN (roughly $150). It shoots photos that are only half the size of a typical 35-millimeter picture, which means you get 72 images on a single roll that usually only holds 36. You’ll lose some image quality as a trade-off, but if you’re going for the low-fi look, it could actually be a benefit.

Canon point-and-shoot

Making sure it works

Now that you’ve found a perfect picture machine, it’s time to inspect it and make sure everything is in working order. There’s a chance that any dusty, neglected camera you pick up now has been sitting around for a while unless you get it from a shop—and that can lead to problems.

The first thing to check is the battery compartment. Storing a camera with a battery inside often leads to corrosion, which can literally eat away at the inside of the camera as the acid liberates itself from the cell. If you open the battery door and find green gunk, it’s definitely a warning sign, but it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker. Check and see if the parts look intact and make sure nothing is falling off. If it’s just a little battery gunk, you can typically clean the majority of it with some rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab.

If you have a chance to test out the camera before you purchase it, bring a spare battery with you to try it out. Many newer cameras won’t work at all without a battery inside, so you can’t test to see if you can trigger the shutter with the button. Camera batteries aren’t necessarily easy to find anymore, so don’t be surprised if you have to order one from Amazon or another camera shop after googling which one you’ll need. Typical batteries include CR123 and CR2 cells.

Make sure to try out all the moving parts, as well. If there are knobs, twist them. If the lens has a ring used for focusing, turn it and make sure it doesn’t groan from internal friction (if a lens is making a sound like Chewbacca, it won’t be fun to shoot). If there’s a film advance lever, make sure you can push it, because they often jam up; if it’s frozen, you won’t be able to advance your film.

Konica A4

One crucial element of your new camera is the light meter that measures the illumination in a scene and tells you which settings to use for your shot. Light meters usually engage when you push the camera’s shutter button (the button you use to take the picture) halfway down. When activated, you’ll typically see an indicator through the eyepiece like a needle that fluctuates or a light that moves around an exposure scale to show you what settings to use. Life will be hard if you try to learn without a working light meter, so make sure it’s operational.

Lastly, check the optics. Use your phone’s flashlight to look through the glass of the lens. If you see little tentacle-like streaks inside—especially around the edges—that’s likely lens fungus, which is extremely difficult to remove and might affect your photos, and not in a good, Instagram-filter way. Some lens glass will also yellow as it ages and, which is similarly hard to treat and can add a tinge to your snaps. (If you’re shooting black-and-white film, however, the yellowing is actually less of an issue, for obvious reasons.)

You also might notice a bunch of dust. While that can be annoying, it’s typically harmless. Film cameras employ a focusing screen, which is a piece of glass underneath the viewfinder. It’s often simple to open and clean out the dots of junk. Little bits of dust inside the lens itself are often inconsequential when it comes to image quality, as long as they’re small.

Nikon L35AF

Get some film

By now, you’ve noticed that pretty much every one-hour photo place on the planet has disappeared, which means you should plan on sending your film away for development unless you want to do it yourself (which is totally fun and you should definitely try it, but the subject of a different article!).

If you want to shoot color, start with Agfa Vista (now discontinued), Kodak Gold, or Fuji Superia. They will set you back less than $4 per roll and give you a semi-grainy, and very film-esque look. Expect to pay roughly $11 to have each roll developed and scanned. No, it’s not cheap, but that’s part of what helps the process feel more precious and fun. Labs like The Find Lab and The Darkroom do an excellent job.

If you want to shoot black-and-white, pick up some Kodak T-Max, Kodak Tri-X, or Ilford HP5 (The new TMAX P3200 film from Kodak is aimed at more advanced users since it requires careful processing, which costs extra if you’re sending it out.) All of those stocks have been around forever and there are lots of guides (like ours!) online to help you develop it on your own. You can also send it away to the labs mentioned above, but expect to pay a little more.

Right now, things are relatively great in the film world, but there’s no telling when the boom will end. Film stocks are still going out of production here and there, but it’s easier to shoot film in 2018 than it was five years ago, and that’s a good thing. Let’s hope it lasts.

The post A normal person’s guide to buying an old film camera appeared first on Popular Science.

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Social media has provided us with endless ways to get our messages to the masses. At the same time, the cost of video equipment continues to drop even as the number of camera features and level of quality rises. It’s no wonder that video blogging—or vlogging—has become so popular over the last few years. But navigating the world of cameras can be daunting. Can you get away with just using your phone? What about the camera on your computer? Do you need a fancy DSLR or professional video camera? The right tool depends on your personal needs and the style of your show, but there are certain features to look for that makes a camera good for vlogging.

• LCD Screen: First, you’ll want a sharp LCD screen that rotates—giving you easy access to take self video when necessary. A bright LCD screen will also help you ensure you’re capturing video correctly before uploading onto a larger desktop.
• 1080p: The camera should shoot at least 1080p—which is full HD. This quality can easily convert across various social media platforms, but is especially useful if you want to create high quality YouTube videos.
• Audio: Most cameras have lack-luster built-in microphones, so an 1/8-inch audio input is a great feature. This lets you take advantage of the many external microphones available. You can easily record yourself speaking to input without buying a microphone or additional equipment.
• Auto-focus: High-quality auto-focus is important so you don’t worry about drifting out of focus while taping. Video cameras come with different types of focus—some auto-select eyes, while others have smart-detect for figures. Consider what kind of content you want to create and choose a camera that has an auto-focus feature suited to your needs.

Our Picks for the Best Video Cameras on Amazon

Top Pick Overall: Sony Alpha A6600 Mirrorless Camera

Sony

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Runner Up: SEREE Video Camera Camcorder Full HD 1080P

SEREE

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Budget Pick: kimire Video Camera Camcorder kimire Digital Camera Recorder Full HD 1080P

kimire

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Premium Pick: Sony RX100 VII Premium Compact Camera

Sony

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Popular Science is here to help you choose among the most popular products on Amazon, and hidden gems our experts think are worth checking out.

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DJI Mavic Air Drone

There’s a real sense of accomplishment that comes from learning how to nimbly pilot a drone. Unfortunately, that’s also frequently accompanied by a nervous anxiety stemming from the potential for your pricy flying machine to smash into a tree, mountain, building, or any other hard object. Luckily, modern drones have obstacle avoidance tech inside to cut down the chances of collisions, and DJI’s new $799 Mavic Air is chock full of sensors and computers to keep your craft in the air and out of the “drone fails” section of YouTube.

DJI announced the Mavic Air at a press event earlier today in NYC. It was the public’s first chance to see the revamped guidance system, which works similarly to a self-driving car. Sensors look around the environment and processors use algorithms to interpret that data and guide the craft down the path of least obliteration.

Meet the sensors

The most obvious sensors on DJI’s new drone are the seven cameras. The main camera’s primary function is to create 12-megapixel still images and 4K video, but it’s also tied in with the rest for navigation purposes. The other six cameras are arranged in pairs on the front, back, and bottom of the drone. The space between them creates two slightly different perspectives on basically the same field of view, which allows the system to calculate depth. The two-camera setup is a common method for capturing 3D video. The previous version didn’t have rear-facing cameras, which means the Air has considerably more coverage of its 360-degree surroundings.

In addition to the traditional cameras, the Mavic Air has a pair of infrared sensors that face the ground to help create a 3D map of the environment below. This comes in handy when typical cameras struggle, like when there isn’t enough visual contrast for it to make sense of what it sees. So, if the drone is flying over a field of visually identical and ever-shifting grass, the regular camera won’t be able to find many usable landmarks with which to navigate.

There are two inertia measurement units (typically referred to as IMUs) inside, which monitor the angle of the craft as it relates to the horizon (typically referred to as attitude). It also keeps tabs on the craft’s acceleration.

Lastly, of course, it has built-in GPS for when you’re flying it outside and you can get a reliable signal.

The sensors have built-in redundancy in case one system goes out. For example, the downward facing cameras can help orient the drone even if the internal compass experiences interference.

DJI Mavic Air Drone

The algorithm

In addition to the hardware upgrades, DJI has also improved its algorithms for crunching all that data it’s sucking in. For instance, instead of stopping when the drone sees an object in its path, it will now examine the 3D map of the terrain it created and look for a clear path around the obstacle. I got to demo this at the announcement even today and it’s impressive, at least in a controlled environment.

When the drone is flying, the IMU tracks its attitude and speed, while the dual cameras image the ground. This helps the drone keep track of its relative position, even when it can’t access GPS. That’s increasingly important for a drone that’s small and light enough to fly around inside.

DJI also claims that these systems increase the reliability with which it can return to the point from which it took off. The camera takes an image of the takeoff point, and the IMUs track the flight progress in real time to help the craft backtrack to where it started. Like the Mavic Pro before it, it also takes a picture of the ground as its taking off and uses that as a reference when it’s trying to return home and land.

DJI Mavic Air Exploded

The drone is the pilot

Ultimately, it’s clear that DJI has had success with its assistive systems. The company has already revamped the subject tracking features. You have to have to draw a box around the subject you wanted it to track, but now it’s a simple tap. It can track up to 16 individual subjects and lets you switch between them on the fly.

DJI has also added two new automated shooting modes, including one that sends the drone flying in a boomerang shape around a subject that stays centered in the main camera’s frame.

Gesture control, which allows a pilot to guide the drone around using hand motions, have also gotten a serious upgrade in terms of sensitivity and responsiveness. In the short time I was able to experience the drone today, the craft’s responses to gestures seemed much snappier.

The most interesting thing about the Mavic Air, however, is that it’s a pro-grade drone that you don’t really need to fly on your own if you don’t want to. Between the gestures and the automatic flight modes, you could—at least in theory—get decent results without ever touching the joysticks on the included controller or even using the controls in the app.

Even if you’re a more seasoned pilot, better object avoidance is almost always a welcome features. A close call with a pine tree is never fun, no matter how much skill you have.

The post DJI’s Mavic Air Drone uses more than a dozen sensors to keep it from crashing appeared first on Popular Science.

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Stan Horaczek

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CES 2018 was conspicuously devoid of new flying machines from drone-making behemoth DJI. Just a few weeks later, however, the company announced one of its most interesting crafts to date. The Mavic Air is the middle child in the DJI lineup, but its water-bottle-sized body and a bevy of high-end features make it one of the company’s most compelling offerings.

With a $800 base price, it sits comfortably between the adorable, consumer-oriented, $500 Spark and the more-powerful, $1000 Mavic Pro, which was introduced back in 2016. Despite how close all these models are in price, they’re quite different, so you have some considering to do before you make your pick.

What is it?

By now, the form factor of a drone like this should be pretty familiar—four blades, a couple antennas, a whole pile of sensors, and a controller that links up with your phone to command the whole thing.

The Air uses a collapsible form factor like the 1.6-pound Mavic Pro, but weighs just 15-ounces and is about the size of three or four iPhone 8 Plus devices stacked on top of one another. It’s seriously portable, especially if you’re already planning on carrying a camera bag with you.

Unlike the Mavic Pro, however, the Air takes its commands via Wi-Fi instead of radio frequency. This may be something many consumers wouldn’t even notice without looking at the spec sheet, but it does have an effect on the flight. Syncing it up, for instance, can be a little finicky if you’re in the vicinity of other familiar Wi-Fi networks. I found that the connection was rock solid if I waited for the drone and app to ready themselves completely before syncing, but when I got impatient, I’d lose connection from time to time.

The drone creates its own Wi-Fi connection, which is broadcasts from two fold-out antennas that double as its landing gear. Because it uses WiFi instead of radio, it can’t touch the four-mile range of the Pro—the Air maxes out around 2.5 miles. While that may matter for some more advanced users, it’s entirely possible that more casual pilots won’t get that far away anyway, especially when you consider the fact that the drone has to stay in your line of sight when you’re flying it.

DJI Mavic Air controller

Flying it

You can control the drone with your phone, but it comes with a dedicated controller, which provides a much better experience and enhanced features, like a faster top speed. The controller for the Air is very similar to the one that comes with the Mavic Pro, sporting a pair of sticks, a dial to change the angle of the camera, and buttons to trigger the camera.

It doesn’t have a built-in display, however, to give you details about the craft. It’s not a deal-breaker, but having all that info at a glance and not on the camera preview screen is nice. One thing I actually prefer about the Air controller is that the joysticks unscrew and store inside the controller when they’re not in use, so you don’t have to worry as much about snapping them during transit. They’re small, so losing them isn’t out of the question, but DJI provides an extra set as a backup.

Like the Mavic Pro, the Air can record a detailed log of its take-off point. If you leave this option on, the drone immediately goes up to 20 feet and takes images of the spot from which it took off. This helps it find its way to its exact home later on.

You have a couple options when you actually get the drone up into the sky. Beginner mode limits the speed and the range of the craft, but that’s really only useful if you’re a total beginner or you want to let someone else—like maybe a child—fly it without risking catastrophe.

Normal mode lets you push the drone out to its full range, while sport mode, which requires the controller, pushes the top speed all the way up to 42.5 miles per hour. Sport mode feels very fast, especially with such a little craft. Interestingly, you also get the opposite of sport mode called cinematic mode, which slows down the drone and tapers the speed with which it starts and stops. This is to make the video footage look smoother, even if your thumb work isn’t on par with a bigtime cinematographer.

Crashing it

One advantage the Air has over its bigger sibling is the fact that it has an increased number of sensors—as well as a tweaked object avoidance algorithm—to prevent it from crashing into things like trees, people (as you can see above), or the cubicles of your co-workers who are busy trying to make a magazine and really wish you would “take that stupid thing outside already.”

The Air has cameras on its backside to help keep it from backing up into objects, which is something the Mavic Pro lacks. The object avoidance system that guides the craft has also improved in the air. Now, instead of finding an obstacle and hovering in front of it, the drone references a 3D map created by its onboard sensors to find a path around whatever’s in its way.

This feature takes some getting used to, especially if you’re already really accustomed to the old stop-and-hover method of avoiding a crash. Ultimately, however, I found it to be very effective. The only time we really managed to crash it was in the very tight quarters of our office, where it didn’t have GPS and the tight tunnels created by walls and cubicles played havoc with the air displacement.

The battery life claims 21 minutes of flight time per charge without much wind (gusty conditions require the craft to work harder in order to stay airborn and stable), compared to 29 minutes in the Mavic Pro. In my real world experience, I got roughly 15-17 minutes before the Air started bugging me with the low-battery warning. One particularly windy flight gave me just 13 minutes before it wanted to head home. Still, I found that amount of flight time totally fine for a craft of this size, but I absolutely recommend getting some extra batteries if you buy one.

The camera

You can capture 4K footage at 24 or 30 fps using the Air’s built-in camera. It would have been nice to have 60 fps at 4K, but I definitely wouldn’t expect it at a craft with this price tag. The footage looks rather excellent in bright conditions, but starts to suffer some digital noise when things get a little darker. If you’re looking at the footage on a phone, it’s typically fine, but if you blow it up to a big screen, you can start to see it. Still, the quality is excellent for a tiny camera like this.

The camera is clearly doing some image processing on the back end to try to optimize the picture (pretty much all smartphone cameras do this), and it can get bit carried away. Sometimes it adds a little too much sharpening and saturation to make things look a little unrealistic and jagged around the edges.

The gimbal, which is the system that helps keep the camera steady even as the drone moves around, is one of the most impressive parts of the whole package. DJI has a track record for making excellent stabilizers and this is no exception. When you take off and hover, you might have to wiggle the controller sticks around a little to tell if you’re looking at a static image or an actual video feet. Impressive.

Stan Horaczek

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Automation

While I’ve spent a lot of time comparing the Air to its bigger sibling, it also pulls some features from the consumer-oriented Spark. You can use hand gestures to control the air to perform simple operations like moving forward and backwards, or even taking a selfie. I liked this feature in the Spark and it’s very noticeably improved here. The drone follows your commands with a lot less lag and I didn’t feel like I needed to wave my arms around like a mad orchestra conductor to get it to go where I want.

I still don’t think flying a drone with gestures is very efficient or even really that useful, but it’s certainly a lot better than it was and it makes a really cool trick to impress people.

The automatic shooting modes from the Spark also made their way into the air, with a few new options added as well. The system is based on the Air’s ability to track an object. This used to require actually drawing a box around something on the screen, which worked sometimes, but wasn’t totally reliable. The new version, however, automatically detects subjects and locks on, letting you select something to track by simply tapping on it. It’s much more intuitive and fails less often.

The pre-baked maneuvers include a rocket-mode, which shoots it up into the sky, as well as a move that circles a subject while keeping the camera trained on it. You still need a serious amount of open space to make these work—consider a sporting field or some other kind of area with nothing to smash into—but they look impressive when they work.

Should you buy it?

Now comes the tricky part. There’s a lot to like about the DJI Mavic Air, but it fits a specific type of flyer. The basic functions of the non-folding Spark can probably satisfy most needs of a truly casual pilot for half the price of the Air.

On the other hand, more advanced pros will probably appreciate the extended flight time and longer range of the Mavic Pro.

That leaves the Mavic Air between the two. At the announcement event, DJI used photographer Chris Burkhard as an example of a the target demographic and that seems very apt. If your primary goal is drone footage, the Pro is better, but this is great as an extra tool to have in the bag. It folds down in such a way that it’s actually easier to tote around than the non-folding Spark and you can sneak it into a camera bag a lot easier than you can a Pro.

If you do decide to buy this drone, you should seriously consider getting the “Fly More” package, which costs $1,000, but comes with two extra batteries, a bag, extra blades, and a fold-out charger that can juice up to four batteries at a time.

Ultimately, this drone further solidifies DJI’s title as king of the consumer drones. With GoPro totally dropping out of the drone game earlier this year, and Yuneec skimping on any new products at this level, it’s clear that DJI isn’t giving up the quadcopter crow any time soon.

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Most photographers rely on the light that humans can see, known as the visible spectrum. But photojournalist Steven Saphore thinks they could do a lot more with the light our eyes can’t detect. By hacking cameras, he says, photographers can take pictures in the infrared spectrum—just as he does in his World in Infrared project.

While we can’t see infrared light, we experience it all the time in the form of heat, which almost every object on Earth emits. Dark objects tend to radiate more heat than pale ones because they can absorb more light energy. This makes them appear brighter in infrared. In that way, Saphore’s photography flips expectations: Leaves on a tree, for example, might look muted and dark in visible light, but through his lens, they become glowing and vibrant.

“It’s mentally challenging because you are forced to see beyond your perception,” says Saphore. “You can’t detect infrared with your own senses, but you have a tool in front of you that can.”

Saphore’s favorite demonstration is to create infrared images of people with varying skin tones. In the presence of infrared light, the pigment melanin is more transparent. “Differences in skin tone are less obvious,” says Saphore. “It’s hard to make a snap decision based on what you see.”

How To Hack Your Camera

Hack Your Camera

Infrared cameras are often expensive and specialized. But with a few tweaks, any camera, from a point-and- shoot to a DSLR, can snap infrared images.

All cameras can capture infrared light, but a filter allows only visible light through. To photograph both, first open up the camera so you can see the lens and the glass filter over it. Carefully remove that filter. (Warning: This might permanently alter your camera.)

To give your images a more washed-out look, you can add a relatively inexpensive (ranging from $50 to $100 and up) filter that will block visible light, leaving only infrared.

This article was originally published in the May/June 2016 issue of Popular Science, under the title “Set Your Filter to Infrared.”

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Modern digital cameras typically have a fixed digital sensor inside to capture light. Medium format systems, like Hasselblad and Phase One, however, work a little differently. They employ digital “backs,” which contain a sensor and attach to a camera body with interchangeable lenses. This practice goes back to the film days—it allowed shooters to swap backs on the fly and switch between different film speeds or between color and black-and-white film.

Hasselblad’s cameras have gained iconic status throughout the decades—they’re the cameras that went on the first moon walk, after all. But, those Hasselblad V cameras are boxy and rather bulky. Now, the company has released a new modular system that pairs the CFV II 50C medium format back—the sensor is larger than the typical “full frame” chips found in pro DSLRs—with a 907X slim body, and its X1D lenses.

Because the body is so slim, there’s no room for an optical viewfinder—the typical V-series cameras employ a mirror that flips up and down as you shoot in order to give you a view through the camera’s lens. Since the 907x 50C is digital, you can simply use the screen on the camera back to compose shots, or opt for the optional optical viewfinder attachment, which fits on top of the camera and uses guidelines to help you line up your image.

The camera itself sports a 50-megapixel sensor, which should look familiar from the X1D mirrorless cameras. It measures 43.8 x 32.9 mm, which makes it more than 65 percent larger than a full-frame chip. It also captures 16-bit raw files, which provide more color information than typical digital camera images.

If you want a more traditional experience, you can purchase attach the back directly to many of Hasselblad’s legacy cameras, some of which are more than 60 years old. You won’t get features like autofocus, but it will give you access to iconic lenses like the 80mm f/2.8 Planar, which I personally consider one of the most beautiful pieces of photographic optics you can buy.

Other manufacturers have made cameras similar to this one. Recently, Capture One introduced its Landscape-specific XT series camera system, which employs a similarly slim body to attach a lens mount and digital back. In that case, however, the electronics reside in the lens mount itself rather than the body.

Looking back in Hasselblad’s history, the company has also produced some camera bodies without mirrors on its own. The Hasselblad Flex Body, for instance, didn’t have a mirror box, but it did provide tilting and shifting functions to allow photographers to mess with the plane of focus and field of view. Those are still available, but remain prohibitively expensive considering their specialized use.

If you want a 970X body with a CFV II 50C back, you can expect to pay $6,400 before you have a lens to actually shoot with. Getting glass is going to cost you another $1,099 at least. That’s not cheap, but we’re also not talking about a standard DSLR here. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that getting into medium format digital started around the same price point as a nice family sedan. If you want to upgrade the camera, you can add the $740 control grip as well as the $500 optical finder.

The post This $6,400 camera system works with gear from 60 years ago appeared first on Popular Science.

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This post originally featured on Popular Photography.

By now, you’ve probably seen the picture of the President and First Lady Biden hanging out with former President and First Lady Carter. It’s notable for its historic aspects, but it also looks plain weird. The Bidens dwarf the Carters, who are sitting in oversized armchairs. It almost seems Photoshopped. 

I’ve already seen a few explanations kicking around attributing the weirdness to a wide-angle lens, but that’s only part of the story. 

Yes, the photographer almost certainly used a wide-angle lens like the Nikon 14-24mm or Canon 16-35mm zooms. Both are extremely popular with photojournalists who typically like to get close to their subjects and often need to shoot in tight spaces.

When you shoot with a wide-angle lens, you’re going to get some distortion. You’ve probably already experienced this, but if not, fire up your phone’s ultra-wide camera (if it has one) and take a close-up picture of your face. Your nose will be enormous and your ears will fall away into the background. It’s not very flattering unless you’re going for the Johnny Depp in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas look. 

Super-wide-angle lenses rarely make for flattering portraits, especially up close. That’s in part because of the optical distortion inherent to the lens itself. Light from the very edges of the frame enters the lens at an extreme angle. Pick an object in your room that’s off to one side. (It should be 70 degrees rather than 90 degrees from your line of vision.) Now hold your smartphone or any other camera directly up to your eye. The sensor that catches the light will sit parallel with your face and faces straight ahead.Imagine the path light bouncing off of your off-center subject has to take to make it to that sensor. It’s a seriously sharp turn.

That weird light path leads to distortion. Many high-end lenses (especially zooms) have a glass element inside specifically designed to help correct this. But when you get very wide, it’s hard to overcome the amount of distortion that happens. 

The different kinds of distortion

In wide-angle lenses, you’ll typically experience a phenomenon called barrel distortion in which the whole image appears to bow outward from the middle. For instance, if you take a picture of a square box on a lens with barrel distortion, it’ll look bloated with its edges curving outward. 

The opposite effect is called pincushion distortion in which the image pushes in from its edges toward the middle of the frame. This happens more in longer lenses or at the longest end of a zoom lens. Lastly, there’s a hybrid form of distortion called mustache distortion in which the middle bows out more than the sides. 

It can be hard to pin down exactly what kind of distortion you’re looking at if it’s not a straight-on shot with straight lines in the frame that would appear skewed. To combat any warping, photographers can use optical technique and software like Adobe Lightroom, which automatically applies lens profiles to images shot with specific glass to clean up the optical distortion. Every time you take a picture with your iPhone, it applies similar correction.

The presidential photo doesn’t have any EXIF data left to indicate exactly which lens was in use when it was taken, but it was obviously a wide-angle model. To say that it was simply “lens distortion” that makes the Carters and Bidens look disproportionate seems inaccurate. 

It’s all about perspective

When you move closer or farther away from a subject using any lens, you experience a phenomenon called perspective distortion. This has little to do with the lens and everything to do with the distance between the camera and the subject and the relative distance between objects in the image. 

Consider that wide-angle selfie you took with your smartphone. To fill the frame with your face, you have to get super close. Now let’s say you had to be four inches away from your face just to get a full-frame headshot. In that scenario, the distance between the tip of your nose and your ears is probably about the same distance.

Take a photo with that same super-wide angle lens from arm’s length and then zoom in on your face. You’ll lose some image quality because your phone’s camera doesn’t have a ton of megapixels, but you’ll also notice that your face looks fairly normal. That’s an example of perspective distortion.

Now consider the picture of the presidential families again. That photographer is almost certainly right up against his subjects due to space constraints, so they have to use a wide-angle lens to fit all the people into the frame. Rosalynn Carter is clearly farther away than any of the other subjects, which is why President Biden looks like a giant next to her. Just look at his foot—it’s almost even with Jimmy Carter’s.It’s the relationship between the objects and the distance from the photographer that matters here. 

If you zoom in on Dr. Jill Biden’s face, which is the closest to the edge of the frame, you’ll see that it doesn’t appear stretched out if at all because it’s facing the camera straight on, so there’s no perspective distortion. With barrel distortion, you’d expect it to shrink as it approaches the edge of the frame. With pincushion distortion, you’d expect her face to stretch. In this case, it really hasn’t done much of either.

Because wide-angle lenses typically require photographers to get closer to their subjects, we often inexorably link the lenses themselves with the distortion effect. But it’s not always that simple. The classic photographic manual called Light: Science & Magic by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, and Paul Fuqua goes out of its way to clear this up. “When most photographers first use a wide-angle lens, they decide that the lens introduces a great deal of distortion,” it states. “This is not quite accurate. Camera position determines perspective distortion, not the lens.”

So, what can you do with this tedious knowledge? Well, other than boring your friends with the differences between optical and perspective distortion, it could help you take better pictures. That includes selfies. If you hold the camera too close to your face, you’ll exaggerate the distance between your features, which could make you look bad. Try holding the camera a little farther away and then zooming in. Or just lean into it.

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Ethan Moses of Cameradactyl loves a wacky camera—he has been building his own for years now. Thanks to the accessibility of 3D printing, his creations include foldable 4×5 field cameras, a 4×5 hand camera, a medium format shooter, and a number of plastic 3D printed photographic accessories like grips and film holders. His most recent creation is a 35mm panoramic camera that he is calling the Brancopan. The project is currently raising funds on Kickstarter. Panoramic cameras, like the Hasselblad XPan or the Widelux are rare and typically prohibitively pricy on the second hand market, they are also really expensive to fix. Creating a 3D printed plastic camera solves both of these problems.

Although Moses has successfully raised funds on Kickstarter for his brightly colored cameras in the past, for the Brancopan he wanted to do things a bit differently. Instead of giving his Kickstarter backers a physical product at the end of the campaign he plans to release the STL files that he uses to 3D print the cameras. Campaign backers who donate any amount of money to his campaign will receive these files. Anyone who has access to a 3D printer, approximately $40 worth of printing supplies, and some free time will have the tools to create their very own panoramic film camera that will work with a Mamiya Press lens

“Selling physical objects is how I have paid for my research and development in the past, but selling physical objects is getting to the point of getting in the way of some of the research and development I would like to be doing,” Moses explains.

A single Brancopan takes between 60-70 hours to print and 6 to 8 hours to assemble, if Moses were to recoup the time he needs to put in to create a single camera at a minimum of $650—way too much for something that is built from plastic. For Moses, rewarding his Kickstarter backers with the files to print the camera and teaching them how to assemble and use it, just made a whole lot more sense.

If he meets his goal, he plans to create a series of videos instructing backers how to print the files, how to assemble the camera, and how to use it out in the world. Moses is raising funds for the camera through January 10th.

“I think that my skills and talents are probably best used developing new products, and teaching people how to build them on simple machinery, rather than spending 5 hours out of every day printing, assembling and shipping already tested and proven designs,” he explains.

Any backers who pay $1 or more will receive the files if the campaign successfully raises $12,000 by January 10. Backers who donate over $50 to the campaign will receive the STL files and one laser cut frame counter dial that they can attach to their 3D printed camera. Backers who donate over $100 will receive the STL files and three of those laser cut frame counter dials. Ultimately though Moses is hoping that a large number of people will donate small amounts to the campaign so that more people can begin 3D printing their own cameras.

The camera has two cold shoes, a ratchet film advance, and a frame counter with a lockout mechanism to give each frame even spacing. Other features include a spring loaded film door, a tripod mount, and strap lugs. Moses says he has shot over 100 rolls of film through his plastic Brancopan camera and has been very happy with the results.

“It’s plastic, but it’s oversized and super tough,” he says.

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Photographers can be notoriously difficult to shop for. We’re picky about our gear, tend to already own a lot of it, and the crucial pieces of our kits are prohibitively pricey. But there are plenty of practical gifts to get for the photographer in your life that isn’t a cheesy coffee mug shaped like a camera lens. (You’re photography-inclined loved ones probably has a few of these from holiday seasons of yore.)

We’ve handpicked gifts that are budget-friendly and that almost any photographer would find useful.

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Every photographer needs a good tripod in their kit, and the Joby GorillaPod is a top-notch, compact option for anyone (though it’s particularly great for those dabbling in video). This compact ball-head tripod has legs that wrap around anything—tree branches! wire fences! ceiling beams!—and can be rotated 360 degrees. It’s made of anodized aluminum and can hold a camera that weighs up to 11 pounds.

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Adding a shine of color with a gel—see how it looks here—is an easy way to enhance your flash photography or compensate for crummy lighting. The thin sheets of colored plastic fit any speedlight and have a clever band to keep them in place. The whole package includes 20 color options, all of which fit nicely into a secure carrying case, which will help keep your gear bag organized.

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Photographers always need more storage options, but a hard drive is not as fun to purchase as a new lens or a set of gels. While a portable external drive might not be the sexiest of gifts, your photographer friend will be happy you got it for them. The Western Digital drives come in a variety of colors, boast a USB 3.0 port, and offer automatic backup. Don’t think you need something more sentimental; practical gifts rule.

Nikon’s D850 is an established powerhouse in the competitive world of high-resolution DSLRs. The camera allows photographers to capture fast action in 45.7 megapixels of brilliant resolution. With remarkable advancements across the board—sensor design, autofocus, dynamic range, sensitivity, speedlight control, battery life, shutter, and mirror drive mechanisms, Silent Photography in Live-View mode, focus shift capability and more—this remains quite possibly the most impressive, well-rounded DSLR yet.

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Gaff tape is a magical product that can fix a variety of photography-related problems quickly. It can tape up camera logos, fix a broken strap, secure power cables, hang a lightweight backdrop—the list goes on and on. These mini rolls fit easily into an accessory bag, lens pouch, or pocket. And unlike duct tape, when you pull it off at the end of your shoot, you won’t leave behind a sticky residue.

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Sony’s new memory cards are dustproof and waterproof to help protect the precious images stored inside. These cards have a new design that eliminates both the finicky lock switch and the fragile plastic ribs over the connectors, both of which have a tendency to break. They’re also the first SD card to use a totally sealed monolithic structure (conventional SD cards are made of three pieces) to help keep the data safe.

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A flash won’t do you much good if it doesn’t have enough battery power to fire. Ripping through your bag to find your fresh batteries is stressful when you’re on a job. This nifty, compact battery holder from Think Tank helps alleviate that problem. It stores eight (the perfect number needed for a speedlight and a set of radio triggers like PocketWizards) and will keep you from losing track of pricy rechargeable batteries.

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Adobe’s Creative Cloud is an integral part of many photographer’s professional lives. A year-long subscription to the service is a great way to save your photography-inclined loved ones some cash in the upcoming year. This package deal comes with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC, and 20 GB of cloud storage for image access anywhere.

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Every photographer can benefit from a fresh burst of knowledge and inspiration. The Photographer’s Playbook offers 307 strange assignments and ideas to spark creativity and engage with their art in a new way. The book features anecdotes and ideas from photographers like John Baldessari, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Jim Goldberg, Susan Meiselas, Alec Soth, and Roger Ballen.

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This lens pouch from Peak Design keeps a low profile and attaches to your belt loop, making it easy to access a second lens or a speedlight when out on a shoot. It’s padded to keep your glass safe and comes in three sizes to accommodate different pieces of gear.

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The best camera is the one in your pocket, and for many people that means a smartphone. Help your loved one enhance their smartphone photography with this wide lens from Moment. This lens works with the brand’s phone case (sold separately) and offers an expanded view (about 0.63x magnification) for a fresh perspective of any scene. The lens comes with a cap and a microfiber bag to keep it safe when its not attached to your phone.

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When it comes to editing, faster is always better, and this tiny drive is big on speed. This portable SSD has read speeds of up to 550MB/s, capacities up to 2TB, and an IP55 ruggedness rating (meaning it can handle a bit of moisture). It’s 0.35 inches thick and weighs just 0.086 pounds, so it’s a great way to quickly back up your files or transfer them to a client.

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A leather camera strap is always in style, and this one from Heavy Leather an absolute favorite. The handmade strap is two-inches wide, making it super comfortable to wear on your shoulder or around your neck. Its sturdy quick-release clasps won’t give out and send your camera tumbling to the floor. It’s an excellent choice for shooters looking for something understated.

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A simple, portable light shaping tool is an incredible way for photographers to enhance their flash photography. Gary Fong’s collapsible lightsphere gives photographers a soft omni-directional light. This modifier works with any large speedlight and collapses down to 1.5 inches, making it great for travel.

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Fujifilm’s analog instant camera have been a hit with all types of photographers. The SQ6 in particular gives shooters the ability to shoot Instax square frames in a true analog format. The instant camera can shoot in double-exposure mode, macro mode, landscape mode, and selfie mode and comes with gels to add pops of colors to your film photos.

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We all swooned when Canon brought 1080p video recording to the Eos 5D Mark II cameras and showed off the gorgeous footage. But unless you’re a pro photographer who can get a tax write-off for it, how likely are you to shell out $2700 for the Mark II? Now, Canon brings HD goodness to the entry level with the $800 Rebel T1i. (Fortunately, Canon’s products are more user-friendly than their names are.)

Like its predecessors, the latest Rebel brings Canon’s latest SLR tech to the entry level. Included are a 15.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor and the DIGIC 4 imaging processor. Together they allow the camera to capture photos at up to ISO 12800 (i.e. seeing better than you can), and grab HD video.

The definition of high definition is a little bit mangled, though. 720p video is captured at a standard 30 frames per second. But the “full” HD, with 1080 lines, is limited to 20fps, which will likely give the video a choppy look if you have any fast action. Still, the 720p mode is a welcome feature. And unlike Nikon’s 720p shooter, the D80, it appears that the Canon offers autofocus while you are shooting video. (Still the best video-still hybrid may be the recently announced Panasonic GH1, which shoots 1080p at a film-like 24fps and 720p video at 60 fps for fast-action shots.)

With an asking price of $800, Canon is basically adding the HD options for free. And the more photographers that get video capabilities, the better the chances that budding filmmakers will stumble upon the art. Or we’ll just have a lot more junk in the HD offerings on YouTube.

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Almost every subculture and craft has its own specific lexicon that can quickly identify outsiders. Say “tattoo gun” instead of “tattoo machine” in a shop, for instance, and you’ll immediately reveal yourself as an outsider who hasn’t learned the parlance. The same goes for photographers. Call digital noise “grain” in front of a photo snob and you’ll likely find yourself on the receiving end of a pedantic explanation about how the two aren’t the same—at all.

That distinction is part of what makes Leica’s new M10 Monochrom camera so interesting. It costs over $8,000 before you add a lens and it doesn’t have the capacity to capture color photos. This isn’t one of those cases where a company uses software to cripple a device like Nikon did with its DF DSLR that doesn’t shoot video. Instead, Leica built the M10 Monochrom around a sensor that isn’t physically capable of producing a color photo. (See some sample images here.)

The sensor itself boasts a 40-megapixel resolution. In a typical digital camera sensor, each one of those pixels would sit behind a red, green, or blue colored filter. They’re typically arranged in the Bayer pattern, which uses a ratio of 2:1:1 green to red to blue. When you snap a photo, each pixel only captures its specific color and the camera then crunches that data into a full-color image. The picture isn’t a pixel-by-pixel recreation of the scene. This process affects the appearance of the final image, specifically when you dig into the fine detail and when noise starts to pop up as you crank the camera’s ISO sensitivity.

The M10 Monochrom eschews the need for these colored filters which allows more light to hit the pixels that collect the photons. More importantly, however, the individual pixels provide a more appealing pattern when viewed up close—it actually resembles grain instead of digital noise, which typically shows up as ugly colored dots and artifacts throughout the image.

When Leia introduced the original version of the M Monochrom way back in 2012, you could realistically shoot at ISO 10,000 and maintain lots of image detail, dynamic range, and reasonable noise. The new camera goes all the way up to ISO 100,000.

In the world of pro photography, monochrome sensors aren’t uncommon on high-end medium format camera backs that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. They’re specialized tools specifically for shooters looking to squeeze impossible amounts of detail out of an image.

Filters offer another advantage. In the film days, black-and-white shooters would often employ a yellow filter over the lens to increase contrast or a red filter when shooting landscapes to block blue light coming from the sky and make it appear darker in the final image. The presence of colored filters on a digital camera prevent this from working correctly, but a black-and-white sensor can handle it.

Of course, the Monochrom sensor does come with some caveats. Typical DSLR raw files capture data in red, green, and blue channels. The final JPEG images can’t hold all of that information, but you can access it when you’re editing. So, if you blow out a sky by overexposing your image, you might be able to pull some of that detail back in with the raw file. That’s not the case with the Monochom, however, so it’s important to keep track of when you’re losing details in the highlights and the shadows because you probably can’t recover them.

With modern software and editing presets, it’s possible to make very appealing black-and-white digital conversions from color photos. And if you only shoot monochrome images every once in a while, this $8,300 camera obviously isn’t for you. But, there are tangible differences that make a difference for some shooters, especially those who make larger prints of their photos. That’s when that extra detail and the appealing noise pattern really come into play. It’s also handy for bragging about your fancy camera on Instagram.

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A lot of people have a new-ish DSLR or mirrorless camera just sitting in a drawer. It’s just that there’s really not a pressing need for one—most of the time, your smartphone will be able to capture that photo you want, or you’ll be able to get close enough to the action that there’s actually no point in more camera power.

But, as much as smartphone cameras have evolved tremendously in the last few years, DSLR cameras still have the potential to take better photos—if you know how to use them.

Get yours out of the drawer and start shooting the photos that your smartphone can’t.

Learn to use it

Smartphones not only fit in your pocket, but they’re much easier to use than any DSLR. You don’t even have to unlock your phone: just open the camera app tap the shutter button, and bam!—you have a photo ready to upload to Instagram. Sure, you can put more thought into it and take as much time as you need, but even then, the process is still super straightforward.

What makes a DSLR more intimidating is that you have options—oh, so many options. You still might get good pictures using automatic mode and leaving things up to the camera to decide, but that sort of defeats the purpose of having a DSLR. If you’re bothering to carry a heavy camera, you might as well use a semi-automatic mode, like aperture priority, or even manual mode, for which you’ll have to think about the camera settings.

If your camera’s been sitting in the drawer for a while, right now you’re probably wondering if you even remember how to control it, which you’ll need to know if you want to take more photos with it. Get reacquainted with your camera by starting with the basics of exposure and its different exposure modes and controls—shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. I recommend you pick up a copy of Bryan Peterson’s Understanding Exposure or a similar intro-to-photography book. Books are still the best way to really get a handle on things.

Once you’ve got a decent grasp on the basics of photography, grab your camera and spend some time just trying out different exposure settings—use the manual to learn how. You’ll want to get comfortable controlling your camera so you don’t have to think too much when you’re trying to take photos with it. There’s nothing worse than missing your perfect shot because you spent five minutes trying to get things set up for it—that’s why so many people just grab their phones.

Make it easy to bring around

Most people barely have to think about having their smartphone at hand. I know mine is seldom farther away than arm’s reach. Under the same principle, if you want to use your camera more, you need to make it easy to bring around too—even if it will never be as easy to carry as your smartphone.

The first thing is to look at what you’re actually carrying. You have the camera, but there’s also the lens. If you only have the kit lens that came with your camera, then you don’t have any other options. But, if you have other lenses, then you’ll need to choose between them. Although they’re bigger and heavier than single focal length prime lenses, zoom lenses are good candidates to win some coveted space in your bag—they’re more versatile and you’ll find it easier to take photos in more situations when using them. If you’re concerned about weight, I recommend you go with the smallest, lightest lens you can, at least in the beginning. Once you’ve gotten into the habit of carrying your camera about, you can make it bigger and heavier.

You also need some way to carry it comfortably. Sticking your camera in a bag is not a good option if you want to use it—just the effort required to take it off the and take the camera out is enough to deter most people. You’ll need to carry your camera somewhere you can grab it quickly—preferably turned on and with the lens cap removed.

Most people go straight for the neck strap that comes with their camera, but I find them awkward and barely fit-for-purpose—it also screams tourist. Instead, you should replace it with a more versatile strap that can be used as either a neck strap or over-the-shoulder sling strap. I really like the Slide strap from Peak Design—I’ve had it for about five years and it’s stood up to all the abuse I can throw at it—but any similar strap will do.

I also recommend carrying your camera over your shoulder—it will hang more comfortably by your side and it’ll always be ready to use. You’ll still notice it’s there, but it’ll sit closer to your body and less in the way than with a neck strap. You can also look at something like Peak Design’s Capture Clip if you want to firmly mount your camera to a bag strap or belt.

Schedule some time to take photos

As with everything you try to incorporate into your routine, if you don’t set aside time for it, it just won’t happen. With photography, it’s the same thing. This doesn’t mean you have to be strict in deciding on a specific time and day—although if you’re a structured person, that can actually work. Instead, make rules for when you’ll carry your camera with you. A few useful ideas:

• Always take your camera with you when you walk your dog.
• Take your camera with you whenever you leave the house on the weekends.
• Leave your camera in your car and stop and take a photo whenever the light is good.
• Spend one afternoon a month hiking somewhere to take a photo.

With rules like these, it’s important to focus on the act of taking photos rather than the photos themselves. And don’t use the weather as an excuse—even if it’s miserable outside, you should still bring your camera with you and challenge yourself to take photos in different light conditions. Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter if you don’t actually take any photos: just by having your camera with you, you’re forcing yourself to think about it, and if you see something worth photographing, you’ll definitely be ready.

Similarly, if you take a load of photos and none of them turn out to be particularly good, that’s okay, too—it’s all practice.

Push yourself with challenges

Carrying your camera around with you is all well and good, but it can still be hard to find things to photograph, especially if you have a regular routine. Taking your dog on the same walk every day isn’t particularly helpful when you’re trying to find new things to shoot.

One of the best ways to push yourself to take pictures is with creative challenges, which can be anything you want. I originally got into photography by forcing myself to take a photo every day for a year. Some days they were quick snapshots of whatever was nearby but, at least some of the time, I put real thought into what I was doing. I learned a lot about photography that year.

Another option is to create a photo series. Document the same location as it changes through the seasons or pick a theme—like “love” or “a sense of place” or “football”—and create images related to it. Or if just thinking about it is giving you a headache, just go for one of these 40 photo challenges. Having even a small amount of direction will stop you from getting photographer’s block, and the very limitations will give you enough guidance so that you can focus on a certain amount of things at a time and not feel overwhelmed.

Just do it

Whatever way you look at it, there is one surefire way to take more photos with your DSLR: doing it. You can put all the effort you want into learning how to use your camera and coming up with ideas for photos, but unless you get out and take the damn photos, it’s all for nothing.

If you really want to take more pictures, close this tab, go get your camera, and take one today.

The post Tips to get your fancy camera off the shelf and start taking more pictures appeared first on Popular Science.

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This afternoon Fujifilm announced the fifth generation of its popular premium compact camera, the X100V. The camera features a redesigned, fixed 23mm f/2.0 lens and the same sensor and processor combination found inside Fujifilm’s mirrorless cameras like the X-Pro3 and the X-T3—meaning the tech inside has come a long way since the last X100 was released.

We had a chance to check the camera out prior to its announcement during a photowalk in New York City. These are our first impressions of this new premium compact.

Design and feel

The Fujifilm X100V is designed to be lightweight and compact, and—like the cameras that have come before it—the X100V delivers here. The camera only weighs 1.05 lbs with the memory card and battery. The top and bottom plates are milled from single pieces of aluminum, which gives the camera an impeccably clean edge. The control dials on the top of the dial have been reorganized into a simplified configuration, the grip and the lens barrel also feature subtle ergonomic changes. There is a new two-way tilted touchscreen LCD on the back of the camera as well.

The camera feels great in your hands: it’s very compact, but the aluminum top and bottom plates give it heft. Hanging it around your neck, slinging it over your shoulder, or wrapping the strap around your wrist are all comfortable ways to carry and shoot with this camera. The camera’s controls are placed intuitively making it easy to change settings on the fly. The redesigned 23mm lens is an unexpected treat as well—it features a control ring that allows you to change settings like film simulation, while the ring for changing aperture feels much more substantial than the lenses found on earlier versions of the camera.

Shooting experience

Although our time with the X100V was brief, it was enjoyable. The 23mm lens has the same field of view as a 35mm lens—making this a great camera for street shooting or everyday candids. The camera’s small size gives it a discrete footprint as well. It’s really not that much bigger than your phone, but will provide images with much better image quality. Plus, the intuitive touch controls on the LCD screen make this an easy jump for anyone who is used to shooting with their smartphone. The fixed lens also means that you can take the X100V into places where interchangeable-lens-cameras are typically not allowed, like large concerts and major sporting events. The focal length won’t be ideal for far-away shots, but if you are sitting close to the action, we suspect that this camera would deliver some quality results.

During our time with the X100V we appreciated that although the camera is quite small, it doesn’t feel cheap. It feels substantial and seems as if it would be a fun camera for a day of exploring a new city. The hybrid viewfinder makes it easy to switch between the 0.52x magnified optical viewfinder or the 3.69M dot OLED viewfinder. The camera’s EVF gives shooters a real-time look at the images they are recording.

Check out additional sample images from the X100V below.

The post Fujifilm’s X100V improves on one of the best all-around compact cameras appeared first on Popular Science.

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Yesterday, Samsung threw a big party on the west coast to debut its new smartphones. The flashy Galaxy Z Fold with its flexible glass screen stole most of the spotlight, but the company also announced new flagship phones. The Galaxy S20 comes in three versions, all of which have fancy new 120 Hz refresh rate screens and even 5G connectivity. Of those, the S20 Ultra boasts the burliest camera in the bunch. The wide-angle lens funnels light into a 108-megapixel sensor, while the built-in telephoto lens promises the equivalent of a 100x zoom. That’s an impressive number, but it comes with a few caveats.

The term “zoom” has taken on two different meanings in the digital camera era. The traditional version of zooming involves physically moving around glass elements within the lens itself to change the appearance of light hitting the sensor. This is an uncommon feature in smartphones because it requires physical space, but it has shown up in some models like the Huawei P30 Pro and the Oppo Reno. Like those phones, the S20 Ultra uses a clever periscopic system that mounts the lens vertically inside the phone’s body, then uses refraction to bend incoming light to give the sensor a view of the outside world.

There are 100x optical zoom lenses out in the world—some even go beyond that. But, physics requires those lenses to occupy enormous amounts of space. Consider a Canon Digisuper 100 lens used for high-end TV broadcasts like you see during sporting events. It measures two feet long, 10 inches tall, and weighs roughly 52 pounds. It also costs close to $200,000 because of the amount of electronics and glass inside to achieve the desired effect. That’s not very practical for a phone.

The zoom lens inside the Galaxy S20 Ultra only actually optically zooms 4x using the lens itself. From there, it ventures into the complicated world of “digital zoom.”

Zooming beyond the range of a camera’s lens used to be relatively simple. Companies simply cropped in on the image like you’d do in Photoshop, or just by pinching and zooming with your fingers on an image in your camera roll. The resolution of the final image dropped, the image quality suffered, and you typically ended with a worse image than if you had just cropped it in post.

Eventually, digital zoom began to improve. Cropping in on the pixels made them more apparent and left photos looking noisy and grainy. A technique called pixel binning, however, allows manufacturers to group clusters of pixels together and have them act as a single unit, capturing more light and producing a final product with lower resolution, but higher overall fidelity.

Artificial intelligence also now plays a pivotal role in digital zoom. Cameras capture several images every time you press the button to snap a photo and they can use some of that extra data to help overcome the inherent downfalls involved with pushing a camera sensor past its natural abilities.

In the S20 Ultra’s case, the camera module has a ton of extra data to work with. The sensor behind the zoom lens checks in at 48 megapixels and the main camera has that beefy 108-megapixel chip tucked inside. In order to help optimize performance when zooming, the phone pulls info from both those cameras to try and capture as much detail as possible.

Still, that 100x number is pushing the limits. Even during Samsung’s on-stage demo, it was clear that there’s a considerable loss of sharpness and detail when you try to stretch out that far. Yes, it gives you a point of view that’s otherwise impossible with other smartphone cameras—and the vast majority of dedicated cameras—but taking advantage of all that range will be tricky for users.

When you zoom in on a subject, you’re narrowing your field of view. As you move toward the telephoto end of things, it becomes increasingly more difficult to capture an image without camera shake blurring into the picture. Internal vibration reduction systems use both physical movements within the lens and digital compensation to prevent motion blur, but they can only do so much.

With the 100x lens’s field of view approximating what you’d get from a telescope, hand-holding that long of a lens is nearly impossible. Even on a tripod, the simple vibrations from pressing the button to take the picture would likely be enough to shake the camera and cause some blur. If Samsung introduces this 100x zoom feature on the next version of the Galaxy Note, the remote camera activation capabilities baked into the S Pen stylus will come in handy for taking a picture without having to actually tap the screen.

The zoom lenses almost always have smaller apertures than the non-zooming (or prime) lenses, which requires longer exposures and introduces even more potential for blur. In the S20 Ultra’s case, the telephoto camera has a maximum aperture of f/3.5 which loosely means that it’s only letting in about a quarter of the light compared to the f/1.8 main camera lets through. That makes the sensor and the AI-powered multi-shot modes work a lot harder.

So, while you probably won’t want to use the 100x zoom very often, this is a big jump in terms of mainstream smartphone camera technology. Zoom has typically been a shortcoming for smartphones, but if these periscopic lenses catch on, we can reasonably expect the technology to improve rather quickly. Until then, maybe pick up a tripod with a smartphone adapter before you go out zooming.

The post Samsung’s 100x zooming smartphone camera requires a fancy lens and impossibly steady hands appeared first on Popular Science.

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For photographers, it’s easy to get too excited about a new piece of gear. Once you shell out cash for a fancy new lens, you want to use it all the time, whether it’s appropriate or not. Recently, Apple attached a new super-wide-angle lens to its iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. It offers a new perspective with a dramatic look you couldn’t quite get with the typical wide-angle or telephoto lenses from previous versions. And while it’s tempting to dive headfirst into that super-wide world, it’s easy to overdo it. Here are some tips for using it effectively.

Choose the right subjects

Some scenes look amazing with a super-wide-angle lens. Landscapes, for instance, look so much grander when you can fit more of them into the frame. The same goes for crowded interior scenes with lots of details.

There are some situations, however, where the super-wide falters. If straight lines are important in the photo, the distortion around the edges of the picture may ruin the effect unless you’re willing to spend time correcting it later in software.

People are also notoriously difficult to photograph with a super-wide—at least if you’re hoping to make it flattering. When capturing a person, it’s best to keep them near the middle of the frame. Don’t get too close, either, or the lens will distort their features in unnatural ways.

As a rule of thumb, the ultra-wide is good if you want to fit more information into the scene than you can capture with the standard lens and you can’t simply back up. Every once in awhile, it’s fine to go wide just because the effect makes a boring scene look more interesting, but doing it too much will deaden its impact over time.

When you go to switch to the ultra-wide, ask yourself why you’re doing it. If there’s no clear answer, maybe it’s not the right call.

Pay attention to your edges

Switching to the ultra-wide lens will allow you to get more information into a single photo, and that can work to your advantage if you’re thinking about it. Taking a photo of a large group in a small room without leaving anyone out? That’s great. Adding an ugly red minivan to your otherwise beautiful landscape photo? It can be enough to ruin a photo.

Before you press the button to take the picture, do a quick scan of the entire photo and look for objects that might distract from the actual subject. Things like pops of vibrant color, glaring highlights, and written words can attract a viewer’s eye to the background and distract them.

If something isn’t adding to your photo, it’s hurting it, and you should keep it out of the frame.

Look for leading lines

With so much going on in each picture, it’s important to guide a viewer’s eye to your actual subject, especially if they’re relatively small. Lines cutting across the picture look jarring and make the scene read in a disjointed way. That’s fine if it’s your intention, but it’s distracting if it’s not.

Scenes like hallways or staircases can really lend themselves to this. Any time lines converge in a frame, you would ideally like them to point toward the most important object in the picture.

Don’t expect it to look as good as the main camera

From a technical standpoint, the iPhone’s ultra-wide lens has a smaller sensor and a lens that lets in less light (because of its smaller aperture). You won’t notice much of a performance difference in good light, but once things get dark, you’ll likely notice considerably more grainy noise in photos taken with the ultra-wide. You also won’t have access to some of the iPhone’s fancy camera features like Night Mode or Deep Fusion.

Watch out for flare

When light hits the edge of a lens, it has a tendency to create flare, which creates weird optical objects in the picture and throws a haze across the frame. This effect works well for some shooters like lifestyle portrait photographers who enjoy the dreamy nature of it, or J.J. Abrams, whose name has become nearly synonymous with the effect. Most of the time, however, it looks bad and the iPhone’s ultra-wide lens is prone to it.

If you find yourself experiencing flare, you might be able to use your hand or some other object to shade the area around the lens. Preventing light from hitting the edges of the glass can fix it immediately, which is why pro camera lenses often employ hoods around the front element. If that doesn’t work, you can shift your perspective and try to get any super-bright objects out of the frame entirely. If none of that works, just embrace it and chalk it up to art.

Don’t force dead space

Start any photography book, tutorial, or class and you’ll almost certainly encounter the rule of thirds. It’s a compositional guideline that demands photographers do their best to split their pictures up into three pieces to make them feel “balanced.” It’s a good thing to know, but it’s also a great way to devote a third of any given picture to boring, non-essential details in pursuit of adherence to a rule.

Consider a beach scene with an incredible sky full of clouds above. The rule of thirds suggests you should make a third of the image boring sand instead of filling the frame with the interesting part that is the sky.

Balance is important, but the ultra-wide’s dramatic perspective gives you room to experiment and find the composition with the most impact, even if it won’t comply with a general “rule.”

Use perspective correction

While distortion comes with the ultra-wide territory, you don’t have to live with it as is. Adobe’s Lightroom Mobile offers a tool called Upright, which adds automatic perspective correction to photos. It can help straighten out buildings that appear angled because of the lens’s warping effect. It doesn’t always work, but it’s usually a good start and it allows you to make your own tweaks if the auto function doesn’t get it right.

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Early this morning Leica announced the SL2, a full frame mirrorless camera built around a 47-megapixel CMOS sensor. It brings improved ergonomics and a simplified three-button layout compared to the original SL, which came out in 2015. Mirrorless camera technology has obviously come along way since Leica first introduced the SL, and while other camera companies seem to release a new mirrorless camera at least once a year, Leica’s process works a little bit differently.

Prior to the camera’s announcement we had a chance to visit the Leica headquarters in Wetzler, Germany, tour the facilities where these cameras are produced, and be some of the very first in the world to get hands on time with this forthcoming camera. Read on to learn more about our shooting experience with the SL2.

Design and feel

The ergonomics of the SL2 have gotten an overhaul compared to the original SL. The camera has a full-metal housing made of anodized aluminum and machined magnesium and has an IP54 rating, which gives it a rugged and substantial feeling. As with all Leica cameras the SL2 feels like it is built to last for a long time. Hand-applied leatherette wraps around the body of the camera. The grip has been redesigned for a more comfortable shooting experience and the button layout on the back of the camera has been simplified to match what is found on Leica Q and M cameras. On the back of the camera to the left of the 3.2 inch touchscreen you will find buttons for “Play” “FN” and “Menu”. An On/Off switch sits to the left of the 5.76 megapixel OLED viewfinder with a comfortable rounded eyecup. To the right of the eyecup you find joystick and back dial. The top of the camera has two customizable buttons, a substantial top dial, and the shutter. The simplified design is intuitive and easy to operate without taking the camera away from your eye.

The user interface of the SL2’s menus also take a less-is-more approach. Photo and video functions get dedicated menus that are also color coded: photo options appear with white text on a black background, while the video menu feature black text on a white background. Major settings can be accessed via touch by pressing the back menu button: like shutter speed, ISO, file format and AF choices. Deeper menu options can be accessed using the joystick, but don’t expect to be overwhelmed with options, the SL2’s menu is only six pages long without many nested settings. It’s design is intuitive and things are easy to find, meaning you get to spend more time making pictures and less time fiddling with settings.

Shooting experience

Leica’s simplified design philosophy translates into a camera that’s fun to shoot in a wide variety of situations. It can work for journalists, portraits, or street photography. During our time with it we were pleased with the results that it got in the studio, on the streets, and even photographing New York City nightlife.

When shooting with the SL lenses the Autofocus inside the camera was speedy and accurate. The camera features face and object detection, and although the SL2 doesn’t feature the eye-AF boxes found in so many other mirrorless cameras, it did a nice job grabbing focus on our subjects eyes. There did seem to be occasionally lag in the time between shooting a picture and being able to review it on the camera’s LCD screen, but the version we were shooting with was running pre-production firmware, we suspect this issue will be fixed in the cameras that will hit stores at the end of this month.

One of the biggest appeals of the SL2 is the ability to shoot with any of Leica’s excellent M mount lenses. During our time with the SL2 we honestly spent the bulk of our time using an M mount adapter and manual focus M lenses. Nailing focus a manual focus lens can take a bit of getting used to, but we found that the in-camera 5-axis stabilization did an excellent job at minimizing shake when shooting with these lenses.

The SL2 has an ISO sensitivity up to 50,000, and although we didn’t have to boost that high, we found that the camera did a great job in dimly lit situations too.

Ultimately the SL2 has an intuitive design that lets photographers focus on the art of making pictures. This isn’t going to be a must-have for every type of photographer, but the camera’s autofocus capabilities, fast processor and that new 47 megapixel sensor, all make it very appealing—especially if you already have a nice stash of Leica M glass sitting on a shelf at home.

The SL2 will be available just before the holidays on November 21 for $5,995.

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Fujifilm just announced the arrival of the X-T4, a camera with a 26.1 megapixel back-side illuminated CMOS sensor, a larger battery than its predecessors, a redesigned body, and an overhauled in-body image stabilization system. The mechanical shutter can shoot 15 fps, making it the fastest camera in the X series. I got a chance to check out and shoot with a pre-production version of this compact mirrorless powerhouse a few days before its release.

Design and feel

The X-T4 has a more robust feel than the X series cameras that have come before it. The hand grip is more substantial, the dials on the top have been slightly reorganized, and the dual memory card slots now sit side by side. The larger battery motivates most of these ergonomic changes since it demands more space inside the body.. Although it’s bigger than the X series that have come before it, it’s still compact and the design changes in the handgrip make for a very comfortable shooting experience. The dials on the top of the camera have a bit more space around them and the simple switch for photo and video modes under the shutter speed dial is very convenient.

Like the X series cameras that have come before it though it the controls on the top remain very tactile and are reminiscent of what you might find on an old film camera. If you’ve used previous Fujifilm cameras navigating the X-T4 will be a breeze.

Shooting experience

The autofocus and the in-body image stabilization performed quite well during my brief time with this camera. Although I didn’t have a chance to test it out in any really dark settings where I’m usually shooting with an X-T2, the camera did an impressive job in the darker corners of Grand Central Station even at slower shutter speeds. I loved the new Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation as it provided a cinematic and somewhat moody look—the perfect aesthetic for city shooting.

Although I didn’t have a chance to put the longer battery life to the test, during my time with the camera the percentage didn’t seem to drop at all—impressive considering how quickly the old style of Fujifilm battery seemed to lose power.

The 47-megapixel RAW files that the camera produces gave me plenty of leeway in post-processing, although the Fujifilm presets are pretty enough that there wasn’t really much to do.

Overall this is a very capable compact mirrorless that we think will be able to handle a wide variety of photo and video jobs. Scroll down to see more sample images from the X-T4.

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One of the best things about DSLR and mirrorless cameras (and their main advantage over your smartphone) is their ability to be specific. While taking photos with a device you carry around in your pocket all day is easy, shooting with a dedicated camera gives you many more options to tweak depending on what you’re shooting. This is exactly why having an all-in-one lens that works perfectly for every photo, in every situation, just isn’t possible.

But lenses are not cheap, so figuring out which one to buy can be a challenge—the amount of choices out there can be overwhelming, and the specs sometimes include concepts that novices don’t fully understand.

Still, it doesn’t need to be hard. It’s only a matter of assessing what you need, working out what you can afford, and making sure that the lens you choose actually fits your camera.

Figure out what you need

The two biggest things you’ll have to consider when looking for a new lens are what you already have and what photos you want to take.

If you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera, you almost certainly also have the kit lens that came with it. For most cameras, this is a zoom lens with a focal length of somewhere between 18 and 50 mm. Because they are on the cheapest end of the spectrum and come bundled with cameras, kit lenses get some flack, but they actually cover a useful focal range. Specifically, they do a great job for holiday snaps, group family photos, landscapes, and street photography.

There are a few areas kit lenses fall down, though. For headshots and solo portraits, the maximum aperture isn’t wide enough to get that nice, shallow depth of field look, and the longest focal length of about 50 mm doesn’t provide much more zoom than your un-enhanced eyes. This means that if you’ve used your kit lens to shoot classic-looking portraits or shots where you want to zoom in close, like wildlife or sports photos, you probably haven’t been happy with the results.

There is no point in buying a lens that’s too similar to what you already own, so unless you shoot a lot of landscapes and want to upgrade to something even wider, your kit lens is already doing a fine job. Instead, you need to work out which of the weaknesses in your current setup you want to patch up.

The best portrait lenses are in the 50 to 100 mm focal range and have a maximum aperture of somewhere between f/1.2 and f/2.0—f/1.8 is a popular option. At those focal lengths and apertures, there isn’t much distortion, and if there is, it’ll most likely flatter your subject. This is why this kind of lens is perfect for getting that classic, blurry background portrait effect. If portraits are your thing, the 50 mm f/1.8—which almost all camera manufacturers make—is a great idea: they’re normally cheap and check all the boxes for this kind of photo.

For sports, wildlife, and, really, any shot that requires seeing far away stuff up close, the higher the focal length, the better. You’ll see a noticeable telephoto effect at around 70 mm and you’ll only get more magnification from there. Most affordable telephoto lenses are zoom lenses that cover a wide focal range, going from somewhere around 70 mm to either 200 or 300 mm.

Consider your budget

Lenses aren’t cheap. Professional photographers spend at least as much money on them as they do on the camera itself. When you’re buying a new lens, you need to carefully consider what you can afford.

All the major manufacturers offer a range of similar lenses at different price points. For example, Canon has three 50 mm DSLR lenses: a 50 mm f/1.8 ($125), a 50 mm f/1.4 ($349), and a 50 mm f/1.2 ($1,200). Most people will be totally fine with the cheapest option—the increased build and image quality, as well as the wider maximum aperture, only really matter to professionals or amateurs for whom price is no object. Similarly, there are dozens of different telephoto lenses available for Canon, Nikon, and Sony cameras, at a wide range of prices.

Now, that’s not to say it’s always a good idea to go with the cheapest lens—there are serious trade-offs when you just shop by price:

• Cheaper lenses have worse build quality and more plastic parts. They just can’t take as much of a beating.
• Expensive lenses often have weather sealing and are more resistant to dust, dirt, and water.
• Cheaper lenses generally have inferior optics and slower focussing, which is why their images are less-sharp than more expensive ones.
• Cheaper lenses have narrower maximum apertures and possibly a maximum aperture that changes through the zoom range. This will make it harder to shoot fast-moving things or anything in low light, at night, or while using a telephoto without a tripod.
• More expensive lenses can have a longer maximum focal length (although this isn’t always the case).

When it comes to buying a new lens, you’ll need to balance what you’re prepared to pay with the trade-offs. In an ideal world, you’d have thousands of dollars to buy the top lens in each category. But if you’re reading this article, you probably don’t.

Buy the right lens for you

Different cameras take different lenses so make sure you buy a lens that’s compatible with your setup. For example, if you have a DSLR, buy a lens specifically made for your DSLR camera. It’s not only about type, but brand too—a Nikon lens just won’t fit your Canon camera.

If you’re buying a lens from a third-party manufacturer, like Sigma or Tamron, you’ll need to be particularly careful when it comes to mount, since they make their lenses in different versions for each of the large brands (Canon, Nikon, and Sony).

Once you’ve decided what kind of lens you’re looking for and how much you’re prepared to spend, you can start digging into the lenses available. For mature systems like Canon and Nikon’s DSLR cameras, there might be 10 or 15 potential alternatives, though not all in your price bracket. For newer systems, like all the mirrorless cameras, you will have fewer choices, and perhaps only one appropriate option. Stick to your buying criteria and you’ll find the one that’s best for your needs.

As long as they’re well-treated, lenses will work for years and hold their value well. This means that if you bought a lens that didn’t turn out like you wanted, you can usually sell it with little loss, or you can save a bit of money buying second-hand. If a lens you want is out of your price range, consider looking at used options in a local camera shop or reputable online store like B&H. If it comes with a warranty, it’s probably a safe bet.

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Photographers are notorious for lusting after gear and gadgets, which makes an event like Amazon’s annual Prime Day festivities extremely attractive. While there isn’t a ton of hardcore camera gear lurking in the lists of sale items, there are some very useful accessories and on which you can save some cash. Here’s a list of some relevant items you can buy today while leaving some cash in your new lens fund.

Other worthwhile deals

• Datacolor SpyderX Pro – Monitor Calibration Designed for Serious Photographers and Designers SXP100—$136 (was $170)
• Kodak Dock & Wi-Fi Portable 4×6″ Instant Photo Printer—$100 (was $150)
• HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer—$60 (was $100)

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Ideally, we could all have fancy, reference-grade monitors for editing photos. But, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get something relatively reliable. This 21.5-inch monitor is just $89 and has IPS tech in the display, which helps maintain more accurate and consistent color than the clapped out screen you’ve been using since college.

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Instant film photography is undeniably fun, but buying endless refill packs to feed your camera is not. This monster lot of Instax Mini film is enough for 120 pictures for $79, but you’ll get another 10 percent off during Prime Day. It’s great for a wedding, event, or taking 120 photos of your cat while it’s sleeping, then pinning them all onto your wall in a makeshift shrine to scare people who come over to your house.

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You can never have too many memory cards and, during Prime Day, Sandisk’s Extreme cards are as cheap as we’ve seen them. The 128 GB cards are just $24, and the 64 GB cards (my favorite capacity) are only $14. Buy some extras and stick them in every bag you own so you’ll never be stuck in the embarrassing situation of bringing your camera but forgetting your card.

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If you’re constantly shuffling photo files onto and off of your hard drive, a portable SSD like this one from Sandisk will make your life a lot easier. The solid-state drive inside is fast enough that you can edit right off the device itself. Then, when you’re done working on a session, transfer it over to your main backup drives. The Extreme SSD weighs just 1.44 ounces and can easily fit in a pocket. It connects via USB-C to your computer and its rugged enough to withstand water, dust, and even drops to concrete. The 1 TB version is seriously on sale for just $135 (down from $349), but you can step down to the 500 GB model for $89.

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Right now is a fantastic time to shoot film, with new stocks popping up and a growing community of analog shooters sharing work online. Getting film processed, however, can be time-consuming and really expensive. Fortunately, it’s easy to do it yourself. The biggest challenge is controlling the temperature of your chemicals during the process, but a sous vide machine simplifies that, too. This immersion heater is meant to perfectly cook steaks, but you can use it to create a warm water bath to keep your developer and fix just the right temp. The sleek Anova is just $99 and Instant Pot model is even cheaper (though less powerful) at $54.

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Hard drives aren’t exciting to buy, but they’re essential if you don’t want your digital photo archive to vanish into the aether after a crash. There are a couple of hard drive options on sale during Prime Day that makes sense for a heavy shooter. Seagate has an 8 TB hard drive that’s just $119. If your collection isn’t quite that big, you can opt for something smaller and even cheaper like the WD 6TB Elements desktop drive, which gets you 6 TB for $89. Neither option is screaming fast, but they’re great for regular backups. Get a pair of them and have a backup to the backup.

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NASA sent lunar probes out to photograph the landing sites

A satellite called Ranger 7 sent the first images from the moon back to Earth via radio signal in 1964. Soon after transmitting the images, it crashed into the surface and broke for good. Several more probes followed in subsequent years, though they landed without a crash. Each probe had equipment onboard to process film, then essentially scan the images and send them back to earth.

Hasselblad cameras went to space before the moon landing

Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad created cameras for early space travel. In the early ‘60s, the Mercury mission astronauts brought several Hasselblad 550C cameras into space. The Hasselblad was a natural choice for the job. The internal mechanisms were entirely mechanical with few moving parts, and the modular system kept film in switchable modules called “backs” that easily swapped. So, when they finished shooting one batch of film, it was easy to stow it and attach another fresh back. The original 550C bodies were unmodified.

Apollo 8 upgraded to the Hasselblad EL, which added some creature comforts

A motorized film-winding system made the EL cameras on Apollo 8 easier to use. Previous models required manual film advance, which involved turning a crank to move the roll along. The EL had a motor inside that automatically pulled the exposed film onto an uptake spool. The motor added weight and complication, but also drastically reduced the chances that the film would break inside the back and render some of the stock useless. It also cut down on the possibility of light leaks.

The astronauts shot color and black and white film

Typically, Hasselblad film backs can handle 12 or 24 frames worth of film at a time. That’s a lot of backs to lug along for the ride, however, so the space cameras used special modules that could hold up to 160 color or 200 black and white images. Kodak created special, thinner film stocks specifically for NASA’s purposes to maximize space inside the magazines. The color slide film was based on the Ektachrome emulsion, which you can buy and shoot still today.

The crosses on the lunar pictures came from a Reseau plate

A clear sheet of glass with crosses engraved into it sat in front of the film plane on one of the cameras. These precisely-created crosses gave the images scale so researchers can study them and get a sense of how large or far objects in the picture are from the point of capture.

Static electricity was a problem

Typical film cameras build up static electricity from friction as the material moves inside the camera. According to NASA, the metal components inside the body and humidity in the air disperse it before it can build up. In space, however, the glass Reseau plate and lack of humidity hindered the dispersion, which could have resulted in a spark, which is bad news in space. To remedy the situation, the film itself sported a conductive coating that funneled the charge to metal springs.

Some space cameras were black, but the moon camera was grey

Heat management is an issue when there’s no atmosphere. While early space cameras were black—they weren’t modified from their commercial designs—the moon cameras were silver. This prevented the camera from absorbing too much heat and possibly damaging the film.

They didn’t have a typical viewfinder

You can’t exactly put a viewfinder up to your eye to look through a camera in a spacesuit. Instead, the astronauts used distance scales on the lens to focus and basic guides to frame their shots. The wireframe stuck out from the side of the camera to show the astronauts what would be in the picture.

The cameras needed special lubrication

Liquids don’t last long in the vacuum of space, so the camera’s moving parts needed special lubrication that wouldn’t disperse immediately outside the craft.

NASA’s guide to photography with a Hasselblad camera is available if you want to read it

If you want to go shooting like an astronaut, you can download the NASA photography guide here and try out some of the techniques. It’s both kitschy and educational. The Johnson Space Center has also scanned many of the moon images to Flickr. If you want to see some of the more iconic space images, you can check out these high-res versions scanned by the Project Apollo Archive.

The cameras are still on the moon

In order to reduce weight on the trip back from the moon, Apollo astronauts jettisoned everything except the film backs before returning to earth. The bodies and lenses are still on the surface.

The post 11 super-nerdy photography facts about the cameras we took to the moon appeared first on Popular Science.

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Your smartphone can snap pretty good photos. But let’s face it—it’s not a dedicated photography device, and it shows. If quality photos are your thing, buying a digital camera means you don’t have to settle for blurred, dark shots. Explore the host of dedicated digital cameras, and you’ll enter a world of sharp focus, low visual noise, and optical zoom. Your only problem might be finding a route through all the different makes and models on sale. That’s where we can help.

In this guide, we’ll outline the different types of digital camera you can choose, how much you should expect to spend, and the sort of specs you need to keep an eye on. At the higher end of the market, you’ve got to choose between lenses as well as cameras, and we’ll explain the basics of these, too. Here’s what you need to know.

Camera types

The digital camera market shifts quickly, which means the labels and categories you’ll see as you shop around may be confusing. To make the purchasing process simpler, you can split your options into two major categories. Broadly speaking, you’ve got cameras with attached lenses that you can’t swap out, and cameras with interchangeable lenses that you can.

Traditionally, basic digital cameras have been known as point-and-shoot cameras, or compact cameras. As smartphone photography advanced, point-and-shoots have competed by becoming more sophisticated and expensive. Prices for this category range considerably, from less than $100 to $1,000, though smartphones continue to eat away at the bottom end of the market.

It is only in the optical zoom level—how close you can zoom in without degrading quality—and the choice of manual control where smartphone cameras and lower-end point-and-shoots really differ. Otherwise, the end results are similar, with handsets like the Google Pixel 3 that push what’s possible with a phone camera.

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At the high end of the compact section, you start to see better image quality than most smartphones. Here, you’re paying for larger sensors, better lenses and more manual control, but all wrapped in a device you can still fit in your pocket or bag. Look at the Sony RX100V ($898 from Amazon) for example—compact and without interchangeable lenses, but still offering higher-quality pictures thanks to a large 1-inch sensor and on-board image processing.

If you’re gunning for more settings to play with or maximum image quality across a variety of situations, you’ll need to invest in either a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR), or a mirrorless one. It’s here that digital cameras are the priciest, and the most bulky, but you get the very best in photo quality and the most control over your pictures.

DSLRs use a mirror-and-prism system to show you what you’re shooting through the camera’s viewfinder. Mirrorless cameras often have a similar form, but lose the mirror. Instead, they use the camera’s imaging sensor, and either a viewfinder or the rear LCD screen for composing shots. Which is better? It’s a tough call, but for many photographers it’s more about what works for them individually rather than any particular spec or feature.

It’s fair to say mirrorless cameras have closed the gap on DSLRs in terms of image quality in recent years, but DSLRs have their advantages too, even if they’re relying on older technology. Some users prefer the optical viewfinder approach, while others are more comfortable with the LCD screen viewfinder that more closely matches the experience of shooting with a smartphone.

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Various companies have different names for the mirrorless camera type—like compact system camera (CSC) or mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (MILC)—but in the end, the category represents any camera that can swap lenses and doesn’t have a mirror inside. The Nikon Z6 ($2,397 from Amazon), for example, is one of the best value mirrorless cameras on the market right now, even though it’s not top of the range.

Both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras start around the $300-$400 range, but can go up over $6,000 for a pro-level DSLR and over $4,000 for a high-end mirrorless body, and that’s before you add the lens. These interchangeable-lens cameras typically offer stronger specs and faster operating speeds than their compact, fixed-lens counterparts. The bigger cameras also often have larger image sensors inside, which typically translates to better overall image quality, especially when you’re shooting in low light.

DSLRs have traditionally offered the best overall performance, but right now it’s too close to call. It is worth noting that buying a DSLR from one of the big manufacturers like Canon or Nikon does open you up to a much bigger lens market, including a whole host of used gear available at cheaper prices on the secondary market. DSLRs are also typically much better on battery life than mirrorless cameras, too. A DSLR like the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV ($2,799 from Amazon), for instance, comes packed with all the shooting options and versatility a pro photographer could want (as well as exceptional image quality).

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Finally, you might see the term “bridge camera” as you shop. As the name suggests, these are basically a bridge between point-and-shoot models and the more advanced CSCs and DSLRs. Not everyone uses the term (you may find them bundled with the point-and-shoots), but they usually have more powerful features in terms of manual controls and extra optical zoom, while using only a single fixed lens. They’re a good option for those who want to pay a bit more for a better camera, but don’t want the hassle of swapping lenses. Prices range hugely here as well, from a couple hundred dollars to the low thousands.

You probably already have an idea of which category you’d like to dig into, but as with every gadget purchase, picking a camera is a compromise between power and price. If you want to know how good a camera is, looking at its cost is a helpful shortcut. But many buyers won’t need premium-level features—you can still get high-quality snaps and save yourself some cash.

Camera specs, explained

Whether it’s smartphones or digital cameras, megapixels have long been considered one of the key specs in any photo-taking device. This metric refers to the total number of pixels in a final image file. So, take the Nikon D850 DSLR ($2,997 from Amazon): it shoots images that measure 8288 by 5520 pixels, meaning an effective megapixel count of 45.7. However, megapixels aren’t the only spec that matters. When it comes to higher-end cameras, you’ve got more important details to look out for.

The size of the sensor inside a camera is another important factor in image quality. A larger sensor will pick up more light, giving you better shots, whether it’s broad daylight or the middle of the night. A bigger, better sensor also effectively gives you more options in terms of depth of field. If you want that effect where the subject is in focus and the background is wonderfully blurry, a big sensor will help. Of course, as the sensor size increases, so does the camera’s price.

Here’s the terminology to keep in mind: full-frame sensors are the largest (the size of a 35-millimeter piece of film), followed by Advanced Photo System type-C (APS-C), 1.5-inch, and then Micro Four Thirds. You’ll often find 1-inch sensors in high-end compacts. It’s worth noting that the sensors don’t measure 1 inch in real life, but follow a designation based on an archaic standard linked to video technology.

Zoom levels are pretty simple to understand. Essentially, they let you get closer to the action, and this is where digital cameras beat smartphones. While the very latest cellphones have 5x optical zoom—the genuine, no-loss-of-quality type of zoom—this is still a rare feature for a phone, and even the most basic point-and-shoot will match or go way beyond that. That’s because a camera lens has a lot more physical space to work with.

You might also see ISO range listed with a camera. ISO is a measure of the device’s sensitivity to light. One of the advantages of digital photography in general is that you can adjust ISO on the fly, something you can’t do with film.

While sky-high ISO ranges are good marketing tools (some manufacturers push the number into the hundreds of thousands), you should know that the higher you go, the more digital noise you’ll see in your photos.

So when you’re shopping, look for both the ISO range (the different levels you can pick) and the “native” or “base” ISO (the levels you can get without adding noise).

Many digital camera manufacturers also tout autofocus (AF) capabilities, which means how quickly and accurately a model can fix on its subject. Phase detection AF beats contrast detection AF for speed in most scenarios, though modern mirrorless cameras often use a hybrid system that combines elements of both. You might also see a list of the number of autofocus points, with higher-end cameras offering more of them, and thus more accuracy in your focusing.

Lens specs

If you plan to shoot many different types of photos—from night-time party shots to landscapes—you may need to buy some extra lenses. Whether you’re looking at a fixed- or interchangeable-lens camera, you’ll see some technical terms in the lens specs. The f-number is how wide the lens aperture can open to allow light in—the wider the better. It gets a little tricky because a lower f-number actually indicates a wider aperture.

So, a lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4 will let in more light than a lens that can only open to f/2. Lenses that don’t zoom typically open wider than those that do, so you have to consider which is more important when buying a new lens. The f-number of your lens also has a huge effect on the amount of depth of field you get in a photo. The more wide-open you shoot, the less depth of field you have and the more background blur you’ll see. This is why portrait photographers typically use a very fast lens to isolate their subjects.

The other number you’ll see is focal length. This number is typically used as shorthand to indicate the angle of view you’ll get when it’s attached to your camera. It gets a little complicated when you talk about cameras with different sized sensors, because that can actually change the effective angle of view. Most entry-level and even mid-level DSLRs ship with a “kit lens” that has a focal range of 18-55 millimeters. That’s what’s called a “standard” zoom because it goes from wide-angle up to a short telephoto on the long end.

Other buying tips

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We don’t exaggerate when we say we could write an article three times this size and not cover every aspect of digital cameras, but don’t get overwhelmed—there are plenty of professional and user reviews on the web to give you a better idea of what a particular camera can do and how it will suit your needs.

We haven’t mentioned video yet, but most higher-end cameras are capable of shooting acceptable 4K footage. If you’re going to be recording a lot of clips in addition to stills, look out for a camera that can handle video well. Also look for image stabilization (IS), which limits camera shake and keeps your shots and video clips looking sharp.

If you really want to progress with your photography skills, look for models that give you all the manual controls (for ISO, aperture size, and so on) that you’ll need. If you just want the best results from pointing the camera at something and hitting the shutter button, these manual controls aren’t as important. Plenty of cameras hit a sweet spot between quality auto modes and more granular control. Again, it’s something to look out for in reviews.

Here’s another thing to bear in mind— just because a camera is a few years old doesn’t mean it’s no good. Modern-day digital cameras age much better than smartphones. By going for slightly dated hardware, you can save yourself some cash and still get a perfectly decent device. Look for refurbished or second-hand options to save even more money.

That also means the money you’re spending is an investment, so factor that into your budgeting. Your camera of choice is going to be snapping away for years to come, so it might be worth spending a little extra at the beginning. Remember to add the cost of accessories, like bags and lenses, to the cost of the camera itself.

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To get the most out of your new camera, you’re going to want to shoot photos in raw mode, which means you’ll also need a more advanced editing software solution. Adobe’s Photoshop Lightroom (from $10 a month) is the most popular option for its balance of a simple interface and advanced editing tools. Capture One Pro (from $299) is another excellent option, but it has more of a learning curve and is more expensive (albeit a one-off fee rather than a subscription). Whichever one you pick will be able to help draw out more detail from a raw file than you could get from a camera that simply spits out JPEGs.

With specs improving and prices dropping all the time, there’s never been a better time to buy a digital camera. Once you start sifting through the different models on sale, you’ll find the specs aren’t quite as confusing as they first appear, and with this information, you should at least have a handle on the basics to help you narrow down your selection. Enjoy your camera shopping!

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At its recent product announcement event in New York City, Google showed off a handful of new gear. But, the company dedicated considerable time—and presumably money spent to hire iconic portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz—showing off the Pixel 4 smartphone’s new camera. That emphasis makes sense. Consumers still indicate that photo quality is one of the most-important factors they use to pick a new device. And Google is coming off of a very strong showing in the Pixel 3, which was (at least as far as I was concerned at the time) the absolute best smartphone camera.

The Pixel 4 adds some more AI-powered smarts, relying increasingly on its software to determine the overall look of the final image. And while the camera has some moments where it’s truly excellent, I ran into a few growing pains as Google tries to calculate its way to perfect photos.

What’s new?

On paper, the Pixel 4’s camera doesn’t seem all that different from the hardware that came before it. The primary exception is the notable addition of a telephoto lens, which Google intends to improve performance specifically when it comes to zooming and portrait mode. The shooter’s competition, however, is stiffer this year: Apple seems to have corrected some the over-zealous HDR tech that made iPhone XS images look unrealistic and unnatural at times, and the Cupertino company promises to further improve the iPhone 11 Pro’s already-very-good camera when its detail-enhancing Deep Fusion tech arrives in the next iOS update.

Image quality

Google doesn’t pull punches when it comes to computational photography, which relies more on processing power and algorithms than pure hardware performance. The company makes it abundantly clear that the software magic that happens during and after you press the shutter has become extremely important in determining the look of the final image.

Like almost every smartphone camera at this point, pressing the shutter doesn’t simply take one photo. Instead, it captures a burst and combines information from those images into one finished file. This “smart HDR” tech does a lot of good: It can prevent highlights from getting blown out, or flatten out a super-contrasty scene that could lose crucial details. But, as with iPhone 11 Pro, it can be unpredictable.

In good conditions shooting with the main wide-angle camera, I prefer the images that come out of the Pixel 4 to those from the iPhone 11 Pro. It’s close, but the Pixel’s camera still feels more neutral and natural to me. I don’t notice the HDR effect that can make subjects look unrealistic—and sometimes even cartoonish—as much as I do with the iPhone. This is especially useful for users who edit their photos after taking them (something very few typical users do).

Google made a few welcome improvements to its overall HDR experience as well. When you tap the screen to focus on an object in the image, two sliders now pop up for adjusting the brightness of the scene. One slider affects the overall exposure (how bright or dark everything looks) in the scene, while the other simply affects the shadows. That second slider is extremely useful. It allows you to do things like taking silhouette photos in which the subject is virtually blacked out while the background (usually the bright sky) stays properly exposed.

You can also achieve the opposite effect in which you can brighten up a dark foreground subject without blowing out a bright sky in the background. In a situation like the one pictured below, you’d typically lose some of those nice yellow leaf details to shadow unless you brightened the whole image and blew out the sky. Adjusting the shadow slider allows you to bring up the exposure on the leaves while leaving the sky alone.

That slider is one of my favorite additions to the Pixel 4 camera, and it’s a trend I’d love to see continue as we go forward into the future of HDR all the time on everything.

When the shooting conditions get tricky, however, the Pixel 4 has some real quirks.

The flickr effect

Most artificial lighting flickers, but your brain does a good job of making the glow seem continuous. The pulsing effect, however, is more difficult for digital cameras to negate, and the Pixel 4 seems to have more trouble in this arena than its competition.

In the video above, you’ll notice some dark bands going across the image. This kind of thing isn’t out-of-the-ordinary with artificial light sources, which have a generally imperceptible flicker to coincide with the 60 Hz electrical current flowing through them. Dedicated digital cameras, however, typically have “flicker detection” to help combat it, and even the iPhone 11 Pro does a better job of mitigating the effect.

With the Pixel 4, I noticed it in a variety of locations and artificial light sources. It’s subtle, most of the time, but if you have a bright light source in the frame of the picture or video, it can push the shutter speed faster than 1/60th of a second, which is when the bands start to creep in.

When I switched to a manual camera mode in the Lightroom app and used a slower shutter speed, it disappeared. In scenes like this, the iPhone seems to use its HDR+ tech to keep at least one frame in the mix with a shutter speed slow enough to stop this from happening. Once I figured out the circumstances that brought it on, I shot the example below, which shows it very clearly.

The flaw isn’t a deal breaker since it only appears in specific circumstances, but it’s very annoying when it does.

White balancing act

Another area where our brains and eyes routinely outperform cameras: color balance. If you’re in a room with both artificial light and a window, the illumination may look fairly consistent to your eye, but render as orange and blue, respectively, to a camera.

Smartphones often try to split the difference when it comes to white balance unless you mess with it on your own. The Pixel 4, however, analyzes the scene in front of it and uses AI to try and recognize important objects in the frame. So, if it notices a face, it will try and get the white balance right on the person. That’s a good tactic.

Generally, I think the Pixel 4 does an excellent job when it comes to white balance, except when it gets it very wrong. Move around the iPhone 11 Pro camera, and the scene’s overall color cast tends to stay mostly consistent. Do the same with the Pixel 4, and its overall white balance can shift drastically, even when you only slightly move the camera. Above, the grid-style screenshot show a series of photos I took in succession under unchanging conditions. I moved the phone subtly as I shot, and you can see the really profound color shift. Again, this primarily happens when shooting under artificial light.

As long as you pay attention and notice the change before snapping the shot, it’s totally fine and the Pixel does a great job. It’s also easy to correct later on if you’re willing to open an editing app. But, on a few occasions, I ended up with a weirdly yellow photo I didn’t expect.

Telephoto lens

The new telephoto lens is roughly twice the focal length of the Pixel’s standard camera, which effectively gives you a 2x optical zoom. It has an f/2.4 aperture, compared to the improved f/2.0 (lower numbers let in more light) portrait lens on the iPhone 11 Plus. It’s only a fraction of a stop, however, so it’s unlikely to make a huge impact, but it’s a reminder that Apple has been doing telephoto lenses for some time now and is already refining while Google is just getting started.

Like we said earlier, the telephoto lens counts zooming as one of its primary functions. The phone gives you the option to zoom up to 8x by combining digital and optical technology. Google claims pinching to get closer now actually gives you better image quality than simply taking a wider photo and cropping in, which has historically provided better results. I found this statement accurate. “Zooming” has come a long way on smartphone cameras, but you shouldn’t expect magic. You’ll still end up with ugly choppy “artifacts” in the images that look like you’ve saved and re-saved the photo too many times as a JPEG.

When you peep at the images on a smaller screen, like Instagram, however, they look impressive, and that’s ultimately probably the most important display condition for a smartphone camera in 2019.

If you zoom a lot, the Pixel beats the iPhone on the regular. It’s even slightly easier to hold steady due to the improved images stabilization system when you’re zoomed all the way to 8x.

Portrait mode

The other big draw of the telephoto lens comes in the form of improved portrait mode. Even with the single lens on the Pixel 3, Google already did a very impressive job faking the background blur that comes from shallow depth of field photography. Predictably, adding a second lens to let it better calculate depth in a scene improves its performance.

If you really want to notice the jump, try shooting a larger object or a person from farther back than the simple head-and-torso shot for which portrait mode was originally developed. Using portrait mode for larger objects is a new skill for the Pixel 4 and it does a good job of mitigating the inherent limitations of the tech. Any weirdness or artifacts like oddly-sharp areas or rogue blobs of blur typically tend to show up around the edges of objects or in fine details like hair or fur. The closer you get to your subject, the harder you’re making the camera work and the more likely you are to notice something weird or out of place.

Overall, the Pixel 4’s portrait mode looks more natural than the iPhone 11 Pro, but it struggles more with edges and stray hairs. In headshots, the areas around the hair typically give away the Pixel 4’s tricks right away. (The iPhone 11 Pro gets around those edge issues by adding a “dreamy” blur across most of the image.) The Pixel’s overall colors and contrast are generally better because they don’t try to emulate different types of lighting like the iPhone does. But, when you get a truly ugly edge around a subject’s face or hair with the Pixel 4, it can quickly ruin the effect.

If you’re only posting your portrait mode shot on Instagram, those rough edges may not really play for your followers. Viewing them on a laptop screen or larger, however, makes them obvious.

The Pixel 4 does give you almost immediate access to both the fake blur images and the regular photo in your library. Portrait mode takes a few seconds to process, so you can’t see those immediately. Considering the amount of processing it’s doing, that’s understandable—and also the case with the iPhone—but if you’re trying to nail exactly the right expression, you can’t really check your results in real time.

Night Sight

When Google debuted its impressive low-light shooting mode, Night Sight, in the Pixel 3, it was incredibly impressive. Google has clearly continued to refine its performance and, even with the iPhone 11 Pro adding its own version of the tech, the Pixel 4 still maintains a considerable advantage.

You’ll still have to swipe over to the Night Sight mode in order to enable it, as opposed to the iPhone, which springs it on you automatically when it thinks the conditions are right. I like having more control over what I’m doing, so I prefer the Pixel’s approach, especially since these night modes require long exposures that can result in blurry photos if you—or the objects in the scene—can’t hold still.

Compared to the iPhone’s Night Mode, the Night Sight’s colors are more accurate and the scenes just look more natural. Ultimately, this one will come down to personal preference, but I prefer the Pixel 4’s results over the iPhone 11 Pro’s.

During the camera presentation, Google flat-out said that it hopes you’ll only use the camera “flash” as a flashlight. I abided by this rule. The flash is not good, just like every smartphone camera flash photo that came before it. It’s useful if you really need it—especially if you don’t mind converting images to black and white after the fact—but you can ultimately just leave it turned off forever.

As an addition to Night Sight, Google also added functionality that makes it easier to shoot night sky photos that show off stars and the Milky Way—if you know what you’re doing. I didn’t test this feature because I didn’t have access to truly dark sky, and the weather hasn’t really cooperated. If you’re planning to use this feature, you should plan to use a tripod—or at least balance the phone on a stable object—since it still requires long exposures. Ultimately, I love that the company added this feature and I look forward to seeing what people create with it, but it’s a specialized thing that I imagine most users won’t try more than a few times.

The case of the missing super-wide-angle lens

When the Pixel 3 shipped without a telephoto lens, I didn’t really miss it. I do, however, have to wonder why Google would ship the Pixel 4 without the super-wide lens found on the iPhone 11 Pro and other high-end smartphones.

The super-wide is easy to abuse if the unique perspective blinds you to the inherent distortion and overall just kinda wacky perspective it offers. But, there are times when it comes in really handy. If you’re trying to shoot a massive landscape without creating a panorama, or you’re just taking a photo in really tight quarters, the extra width makes a tangible difference.

Ultimately, I advocate that people do the vast majority of their shooting with the standard wide-angle camera no matter which phone they choose, because the overall performance and image quality are typically far better than the other lenses. But, I like options, and a super-wide lens lets you achieve a perspective you physically can’t get by simply backing up.

So, what’s the best smartphone camera?

The Pixel 4 has left us in a tough situation. The image quality, color reproduction, and detail are really excellent—most of the time. The quirks that pop up, however, really do have a tangible effect on the overall usability of the camera as a whole. If you’re the type of shooter who is careful to pay attention to your scene and edits your photos after you shoot, then the Pixel is the best option for the most part. The more neutral colors and contrast take edits better than those on iPhone files, which come straight out of the camera looking more processed.

Ultimately, though, we’re in a time when smartphone camera quality has largely leveled off. I haven’t mentioned the Samsung cameras in this review for the most part, because I find their files overly processed with too much sharpening and aggressive contrast and saturation levels. But, a large contingent of people like that. At this point, there isn’t enough difference between overall performance and image quality on the Pixel 4 to jump ship from your preferred platform—only to eek out a slight edge on images that come straight out of the camera.

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Lenses don’t have to be complicated. In fact, you can punch a pinhole in an old oatmeal canister, add some film on the other side, and start making pictures. Once glass gets involved, however, camera lenses can achieve some truly amazing feats of refraction. Need proof? Look no further than the massive chunk of optics pictured above.

The C-4 Optics 4.9mm f/3.5 circular fisheye is unlike anything currently on the market. It’s a fisheye lens that creates a circular image on a typical full-frame image sensor, which is the same size as a frame of 35mm film. The lens has a 270 degree field of view, which means it can literally see behind itself. It’s not up for sale on Lens Authority for $39,000.

“We set it on a stool in the workshop facing upwards and you could see the whole room,” says Roger Cicala, one of the world’s foremost experts on lens testing and founder of Lensrentals.com. “You can even see the floor.”

The circular fisheye means the image will appear in the center of the frame as a circle with black corners. Software can unpack the images into a view that VR headsets like the Oculus Rift can understand.

That kind of field of view is typical for virtual reality, and shooters usually achieve it with an array of cameras that simultaneously capture footage in different directions while software stitches it all together. This ultra-wide lens, however, pulls enough information onto a typical camera sensor that software can expand it into a VR scene.

“The weather service is interested in using something like this to capture a scene all the way around,” says Cicala. He also says they’ve considered hanging it from the rafters of sports games to show off the entire scene during critical game moments.

Optical inspiration

Cicala and optical designer Brian Caldwell started C-4 Precision Optics back in 2015 with a blog post on April 1st. People thought it was an April Fool’s Day joke because of the date, but also because of the preposterous lenses the piece proposed. One lens codenamed “flying saucer” laid out the initial design and idea for the 4.9mm fisheye.

The lens drew inspiration from the iconic 6mm Nikon fisheye lens that has a 220-degree field of view and commands a price well over $100,000 at auction. No one knows for sure how many 6mm Nikons there were because the company only built them to order starting in 1972. The lens is rare and served a specific purpose, but its extreme design made it flawed. It suffered from serious lens flare, which manifests as bright artifacts in the image and reduced contrast across the frame. The effect is typically more pronounced when light hits near the edge of the lens, and fisheye lenses with rounded front elements are almost all edge.

Cicala and Caldwell, his business partner, set out to make a lens that was even wider, while increasing its ability to resolve detail and combat distortion.

Ahead of the curve

According to Cicala, the most difficult part of making the lens from a manufacturing perspective is the massive piece of glass—typically referred to as an element—on the front of the lens itself. The piece of curved glass alone weighs in around a 2.2 pounds and needs to be completely free of flaws. “It was hard to find a glass lens manufacturer who thought they could do this. It wasn’t just the making of the glass that was hard, but it’s out of the curves of a normal coating machine,” says Cicala. “We have four front elements for our prototypes. They had to cast 10 or 12 just to get those four.”

The bulbous piece also caused problems in other parts of the manufacturing process. For instances, its shape put it outside the typical tolerances allowed for applying anti-reflection and protective coatings to typical lens elements, which means machines needed adjusting.

Even the lens cap was a challenge to engineer. “We made a mock-up of the cap and the first time we put it on a mockup of the lens and it wouldn’t come off. It’s so huge that the air leak as you push it in put quite a seal on it,” says Cicala. “We ended up having to drill a little hole in the cap to get it off so we had to redesign the cap with vents.”

Caging the beast

Because the lens is so massive, it needs its own support structure, which the company built from custom manufacturer parts. The back of the lens is a piece of metal referred to in the industry as a “cheese plate” that allows shooters to mount accessories typical for shooting high-end video. The camera sites between the plate and the lens itself, so the legs extend to allow different cameras to fit inside.

Resolution

In order to capture light from behind the lens on a flat sensor, the lens does some extreme refracting when it comes to the light it takes in. But, despite its complex methods for capturing light, Cicala says the lens could theoretically capture footage at up to 14k resolution. While he’s skeptical the lens can pull of such a feat in real life, he does say the lens will have more than enough resolving power for 8K capture.

What’s next?

C-4 doesn’t expect many folks to outright buy one of these lenses, especially since the price tag be in the neighborhood of a well-equipped family sedan, but that’s not uncommon for high-end cinema or TV production lenses.

Cicala says that C-4 has some of its other outrageous lenses designed, but it’s a matter of turning them into reality. He says the 150mm f/1.0 could be the next on the docket. For those unfamiliar with lens nomenclature, that’s a telephoto lens that lets in much more light through a larger aperture. The resulting images would have profoundly blurred backgrounds with only a very small sliver of an image in focus. If you had a person against a background of some trees, for instance, only a portion of the person’s face would appear in focus.

“It would look like a scaled-up version of a normal lens,” says Cicala. “The front element is 9 inches in diameter, though.”

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Yesterday, at an event in New York City, Google introduced its new Pixel 4 smartphone. Of all its new features, the camera updates got the most attention. And that makes sense—side from battery life, camera performance is one of the key differentiators people use to decide which smartphone to buy next. In order to really emphasize the camera updates, Google paid iconic portrait photographer, Annie Leibovitz, to travel the country making pictures with the Pixel 4 and then spoke with her about it during the event.

In videos shown during the presentation, you can see Leibovitz in action, shooting portraits in the field. She was using the Pixel 4, but she wasn’t holding it like a typical phone. Instead, she had it secured into a roughly foot-long rig with handles. It’s a piece of gear more familiar to video shooters than photographers, but adding a rig to your camera can have some noticeable benefits no matter what you’re shooting.

What’s a rig anyway?

Essentially, you’re surrounding the camera with a frame that typically makes the camera easier to hold and allows you to attach various accessories to achieve effects the camera body can’t handle on its own. High-end video shooters, for instance, typically use a larger external monitor and a device called a follow focus, which gives the photographer more precise control over changing focus or tracking objects on the screen.

Some rigs integrate stabilization mechanisms like gimbals and suspension systems. They can get complicated and extremely expensive.

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When it comes to smartphone rigs, however, things get simpler. One of its primary functions is that is makes it easier to hold the camera steady. Holding the phone with your fingers requires a lot of exertion from those relatively small muscles, which can cause them to shake. A rig, or a grip, typically has a sturdy handle so you can hold it with your entire hand and let your arms and shoulders do most of the work rather than your hands.

This is also handy for shooting video because it’s much easier to move the camera smoothly during pans and tracking shots when you have a wider grip. If you just want to change the angle a little bit, you get much finer control. Imagine trying to steer a large truck with a steering wheel the size of your smartphone. Now, imagine steering the same truck with a normal-sized wheel. The latter gives you much finer control.

You’re still shooting through the phone’s lens and watching the screen for your shots. This simply changes the way you hold it.

The other benefit of a rig comes in the form of its attachments. Microphones make a big difference when you’re recording video, or an external LED panel can really help a photo with more light, but handholding that type of equipment is the worst. Attaching everything to a rig makes it easier to manage, and also ensures that your lights or microphone will point in the exact same direction as your camera.

Which one should you buy?

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Professional camera rigs can get extremely pricey, but the smartphone models start off pretty cheap. This $16 model from Amazon is popular because it offers pretty much everything you’d need. It has three cold shoes, which is the same type of attachment you’ll usually find on top of a DSLR to hold a flash or a microphone. It also has a typical tripod mount, which is important if you plan on using any of the new night sky photography long exposure features the Pixel 4 promises.

For less than $20, it’s a solid way to try out this method of shooting. But, as you might expect, it’s made of plastic, which means you’ll be putting your expensive phone—and any other accessories—onto a frame that likely won’t survive a hard bump. Options get a lot fancier from there.

Shoulderpod makes professional-grade rigs for journalists. Many of the company’s products use wooden handles and have ample places to attach accessories. The X1 Pro Rig costs $119, but I got the chance to try it out briefly at CES a few years ago and was impressed with how sturdy it felt.

The $139 Beastgrip Pro includes a threaded mount so you can attach filters or even additional lenses to the camera. It has a single cold shoe so you can attach an accessory, and it’s big enough to hold a phone without removing it from its protective case.

I’d recommend starting with something cheap and basic to see if it fits your shooting style. Obviously, you don’t keep these on your phone at all times, so it won’t get much use unless you’re actively taking your smartphone out to exclusively shoot photos and videos. But, if you do move up, going to something with a metal frame is worth the upgrade if only to protect all your gear if it gets hit or dropped.

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Your smartphone camera is pretty great at capturing most video footage you could ever want. But what if you want to get shoot hands-free footage walking down the street or take some actions shots skiing down a mountain? It’s fairly hard to stay safe since you need to have your phone out in front of you at all times.

The OPKIXOne portable camera system was designed for capturing live, social content without requiring you to have your phone in front of your face. According to the OPKIX, durability and weight were the two most important design factors. Since you don’t have to use your phone to capture footage, you can record without having to sacrifice being present at an event.

The OPKIXOne comes with two AA-battery-sized cameras that you can attach a range of their accessories like a necklace or sunglasses. Without the weight of an aluminum-encased camera—each one is less than half an ounce—you can almost forget the cameras are there if you use them enough.

The cameras shoot 1080p HD footage at 30 frames per second, which means you’re giving up some resolution and framerate compared to a camera like a GoPro or even your smartphone. The camera modules are IP-67 rated to protect against water and dust, and each camera can hold up to 15 minutes of video on 4GB of built-in storage.

A red button on the side of each camera starts and stops the recording. A white light turns on in the front when you’re rolling that you can’t turn off to intentionally notify others that you are recording. The is a small omnidirectional microphone built into the side of each camera so you’ll pick up audio while you’re shooting.

The camera comes with egg-shaped carrying case recharges the cameras. Each cam can hold a charge of 12 minutes after a full charge, which takes about 30 minutes to complete. The polycarbonate-bodied egg case also provides extra storage. It can hold up to 70 minutes of footage (16GB) and transfers the videos to a smartphone. After you record your footage, place the cameras inside the egg, and then open up the smartphone app. After the videos sync you to apply image stabilization, emojis, or effects to the footage within the app.

Each accessory lets you use the camera in a variety of ways. The sunglasses let you magnetically connect the cameras to both sides of the frames so you can walk around without having to use your hands at all. They’ve also got a necklace for a single camera, a short selfies stick, and even a ring mount, which would be impractical—and uncomfortable—to try with a smartphone camera. You can get the OPKIXOne single camera, egg, and accessory bundle for $495.

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Comparing megapixels has fallen out of fashion for the most part, at least when it comes to smartphone cameras. In fact, the iPhone XR camera boasts just 12 megapixels, and every version up to and including the iPhone 6 had just 8 megapixels. Now, however, Samsung and Xiaomi have teamed up to build a 108-megapixel sensor destined to fit inside of a future smartphone. It’s the first commercial chip of its kind to break the century mark in terms of resolution. And while it’s an impressive feat, you probably shouldn’t expect it to work just like its 100-megapixel competition which typically costs as much as a decent SUV.

Samsung and Xiaomi’s chip is called the 1/1.33-inch ISOCELL Bright HMX sensor, which is—if you can believe it—even more complicated to decode than it seems at first glance. The 1/1.33-inch number reads simple enough, but it’s actually a reference back to a rather arcane sensor sizing standard that started in video cameras. In reality, it’s still smaller than the chip inside a camera like Sony’s RX100 VII advanced compact camera, but bigger than a typical smartphone sensor.

That extra real estate on Samsung’s chip makes space for 108 million pixels, but its ultimate goal is to use that raw data to churn out 27-megapixel images. Samsung calls this process “pixel-merging,” in which the camera groups several smaller pixels together (in this case, it’s groups of four). That allows them to act like much bigger pixels and pull in more light.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because the concept has been around for quite some time. Back in 2013, Nokia introduced the PureView 808 smartphone camera, which used a 40-megapixel sensor to churn out high-quality (roughly) 5-megapixel images by grouping 7 pixels together.

How does that tech compare to a regular 27-megapixel sensor? That depends on a wide number of variables like the camera lens and the software doing the image processing, but the PureView 808 provided some truly impressive performance for its time.

While smartphone cameras using this capture tech don’t typically use each pixel individually, they still have the option to. And while you could use that to create a 108-megapixel image, you can also use it to create lossless digital “zoom.” Typically, this kind of “zoom” involves basically cropping into the image—you’re using a smaller section of the sensor with fewer pixels to create a final image with the same resolution. As a result, you lose some quality.

As you digitally “zoom” with a high-resolution sensor, however, you simply ungroup the pixels. So, the 27-megapixel image will use 27 million photosites on the sensor just like it would with a regular camera, but because that only covers a smaller portion of the sensor, it will make it look as if you’ve zoomed in.

If a smartphone maker did want to enable the 108-megapixel capture, it could. Though, the huge file size and likely poor low-light performance would require specific conditions to be useful.

We’re still waiting on quite a few details about the phone in which this camera will actually show up. But, the software that goes along with this new sensor will be key in determining its performance. After all, almost every smartphone camera now takes multiple pictures every time you push the button and mashes all that image data into one final image in a fraction of a second. This “computational photography” model often provides more consistent results—especially in challenging shooting conditions—but it also means that the software and processing in the phone has a much more profound effect on the overall look.

Ultimately, however, this new sensor takes up more room inside of the smartphone and will likely require a slightly larger lens to cover it. But, as manufacturers max out the capabilities of older camera hardware, this kind of evolution may be necessary. And that may ultimately be a good thing for smartphone camera users.

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Today, Fujifilm officially announced its GFX 100 medium format digital camera. While it has a number of impressive stats ranging from its 3.37-pound heft to its $10,000 price tag (which makes it cheap compared to its competition), none eclipse the fact that it has a 102-megapixel imaging sensor inside. While there are certainly higher-resolution cameras out there, this one is different from the typical medium format machines that break the century mark in terms of resolution. But do you really need that much resolution? The answer depends on who you ask and when you ask them.

What does 100-megapixels actually mean?

When we talk about a camera’s megapixel count, we’re typically referring to the final resolution of the images it produces, which can be different from the number of photoreceptors on the camera’s sensor. The two numbers are often very close—and sometimes identical—but there are some variables.

In the case of the GFX 100, the final images check in at a resolution of 11,648 x 8,736 pixels. Multiply those numbers together and you get 101,756,928, which is basically the 102-megapixel number you’d expect. Compare that to the resolution of screens on which you view images every day. The iPhone XS Max, for instance, has a resolution of 2,688 x 1,242 for a total of 3.3-megapixels. True 4K screens check in at 8.5 megapixels and if you go up to 8K screens that are coming down the line, the resolution jumps all the way up to roughly 33 megapixels.

In addition to the imaging pixels, the GFX 100 also has roughly 3.76 million pixels dedicated specifically to help it focus. These pixels don’t count as part of the overall megapixel count, but they’re extremely important in a mirrorless camera like this that doesn’t use a typical focusing sensor like a DSLR.

Are more megapixels better? In the beginning of the digital camera race, back in the late 1990s, the “megapixel war” raged on camera spec sheets and marketing programs. Back then, each megapixel was a big deal. Nikon’s first DSLR, the D1, debuted in 1999 with a total resolution of fewer than three megapixels. Even if you didn’t crop the 2,000 × 1,312 photos that came out of the camera, they were less than half the size you’d want for printing something like a full page in a magazine, which requires about 8 megapixels if you don’t need to crop and you figure a printing resolution of roughly 300 dots-per-inch.

When it comes to overall image quality, though, the relationship with the resolution isn’t quite as simple, as the number of pixels is just one element in a whole slew of things that determine what the final photos look like.

As digital cameras regularly started passing the 10-megapixel mark, the megapixel war started to cool off and consumers began to realize that more pixels didn’t always mean better looking images. Since sensors were staying the same size, the pixels themselves sometimes had to shrink in order to fit, and shrinking individual pixels meant each one received less light. That sometimes translates into more ugly noise in the final image because the pixels have less actual information about the light they’re capturing.

It’s a complicated issue, but the conversation surrounding it quickly simplified into the somewhat incorrect message that more pixels equal noisier images. It’s something you’ll still hear regularly in comment sections, but and it’s largely incorrect and entirely incomplete.

In fact, smartphone camera companies have recently shifted the focus of the camera improvements on software, rather than trying to squeeze even more hardware into smaller and smaller spaces. Software benefits from having more raw image data with which to work, and that goes for almost any kind of camera. For instance, when you apply noise reduction to an image, the software essentially smudges the details of the image a little in order to cover up the splotchy patches of digital noise. The photo looks less grainy, but it also doesn’t look as sharp or detailed. With gobs of image data from a huge sensor, the software can do a much better job of eradicating noise and still maintain small details.

So, what do you need 100 megapixels for anyway? Billboards? The first billboard I ever shot was with a 12-megapixel DSLR and, frankly, it looked just fine. Despite their massive size, billboards are typically seen by viewers who are hundreds of feet away. As a result, the images printed on the signs aren’t typically very high resolution. The digital billboards you see on the side of the highway, for instance, can be as small as 888 by 260 pixels. Even printed billboards typically don’t require high megapixel counts because they’re viewed from so far away. In fact, a single megapixel can be enough for a billboard in some circumstances.

As your viewer gets closer to the image, however, things change drastically. Big images that can be viewed up close, like the 4 x 6-foot ads found in subway stations, however, need to read from far away but are also often viewed up close. It’s this kind of situation where lots of resolution comes in handy.

More megapixels also lets you crop into an image harder without losing detail. With a 100-megapixel sensor, you can crop away 90 percent of the image and still have enough resolution left over to fill a printed page. It’s not quite like having extra zoom in your lens, but it can achieve a similar purpose. In fact, cropping into an image is basically how many smartphone cameras with “digital zoom,” achieve the zooming effect.

If there are already 100-megapixel cameras out there, then why does the GFX 100 matter? There are a couple things that make the new Fujifilm stand out. The primary difference is that it’s built to operate more like an enthusiast-level camera. Most high-resolution, digital medium format cameras (which have bigger sensors than typical consumer cameras) are often slow when it comes to things like focusing and processing images. The cameras also often lack the most relevant recent features like high-res video, and in-depth menu options to tweak the camera’s handling.

The GFX 100, however, shares a lot of features with the much smaller, $1,500 X-T3. It has a hybrid autofocus system, which should handle more like a smaller, faster camera. And it’s essentially the same exact size as the professional DSLRs.

And the $10,000 price tag is certainly high compared to consumer systems, but a quick check at B&H suggests that the 100-megapixel Hasselblad digital camera back costs $26,495 right now, and that’s without a camera body or a lens. Phase One also makes a 100 megapixel back attachment, but that will cost you a cool $24,990 without a camera body or lens.

These are pro-grade tools, and their prices reflect that, but check out the full-resolution files on the Fujifilm site and try not to drool just a little at all those pixels.

The post Why would you want a $10k camera with 100 megapixels anyway? appeared first on Popular Science.

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This morning, GoPro announced a new camera called Max 360. Its flat, square body has a super-wide-angle lens on either side of the device, while a small screen occupies the bottom of the camera. Like so many dual-camera devices before it, the idea is that you can capture a spherical image that includes an entire environment. We’ve seen similar-looking cameras before—in fact GoPro had a previous model with a similar design called the Fusion. And while the Max 360 has an impressive spec sheet and promises some unique uses for the all-around capture capabilities, it’s hard not to wonder what the future of this kind of camera looks like in the short and long term.

Making a successful 360-degree camera is tough. Earlier this year, Nikon fully discontinued its KeyMission 360, which debuted to ample fanfare back at CES 2016. Back then, introducing a spherical camera seemed like a reasonable gamble for a tech company. Facebook had just introduced native support for 360-degree photos and videos in September of 2015, and massive media brands like the New York Times were dedicating large swaths of time and effort into developing content for this immersive new platform.

By 2016, there was already a market for consumer-grade 360 cameras. The Ricoh Theta, for instance, was one of the first consumer-oriented devices in the space, and the original version debuted back in 2013. Smaller startups got in on the game, too, with companies like 360fly, which made a single-camera unit in the shape of a faceted ball. Then there were multi-lens solutions like the Panono, which promised 108-megapixel, immersive images and even encouraged users to gently toss it and catch it, even though its price tag was roughly $2,000.

Today, Chinese company Insta360 offers one of the most successful immersive shooting rigs called the One X. It costs $450 and it’s even available through the Apple store.

This video wasn’t shot on the new GoPro, but it’s one of the most representative examples of the kind of thing you can actually watch in 360 online at the moment.

But despite all these gadgets, when was the last time you encountered 360 photo or video in any of your social feeds? Unless you go looking for it, it’s likely not often.

Scroll over to Facebook’s page about 360 photos and it recommends some cameras for capturing this kind of content, but scrolling through it is like a time machine back to 2016. It lists the Ricoh Theta S from that year and similar models. It doesn’t include GoPro’s previous Fusion.

It does, however, include several smartphone add-ons meant to capture 360 video, which is interesting, but also kinda sad segment of the market. The Essential Phone famously used the 360 camera as the first device to use its modular, wireless connector system, though it was expensive and the quality wasn’t great.

Why hasn’t it caught on?

The only time I’ve ever really enjoyed taking in 360-degree content was during my initial review period of Facebook’s Oculus Go. The untethered VR headset wasn’t powerful enough to run some of the heavy-duty virtual reality games, but it was good for looking at immersive content. Watching videos of wild animals walking around you or simulating a trip to exotic locales is fun, but it got old. I hadn’t tried it in more than a year when I recently dusted off the Oculus to see what was happening—but that was just for this article.

Surprisingly, not a lot has changed, There are more VR games now, but finding native 360 content still kinda feels like flipping through screensavers on your Apple TV. Sure, they’re pretty to look at and interesting for a little while, but how long are you actually going to do that?

The tools for actually viewing this content are out there: VR headset sales are on the rise. An IDC report from earlier this year suggests a 27 percent uptick in VR and AR headset sales (skewed mostly toward VR) in the first quarter of 2019 versus the previous year. The report goes on to suggest it expects totally AR and VR headset sales to reach 7.6 million units in 2019, compared to 5.9 million in 2018.

But, even if people have the ability to view 360 content in a virtual way, it’s unclear if they’ll actually do so. YouTube doesn’t have any public stats about how many people are using its service for this kind of content, but you have to go searching for it if you want to find it, which isn’t a vote of confidence that demand is high.

So how does the new GoPro fit in?

Since it has become readily apparent people aren’t begging to look at 360 content in a typical VR setting, or using their phone as a little window to move around a scene, GoPro has baked a few clever uses into its Max 360.

The Reframe feature, for instance, lets shooters focus in on a single part of the scene, then simulate an epic zoom out, before zooming back in on another aspect of the environment. It’s a cool effect that’s meant to play on a typical screen, but would be nearly impossible with a traditional camera.

The Max TimeWarp feature (you can see a demo in the video above) produces a similar effect with a time-lapse function. The examples on the GoPro site depict the camera moving smoothly through city streets, rotating the view as it goes. I could see this coming in handy for some situations—slow-moving night scenes for instance—but I found even the pro examples disorienting. I can’t imagine how nauseous I could make viewers with my shaky hands.

GoPro has also hedged the camera’s dependence on 360 video for its overall success. If you just want to use it as a typical action camera with the company’s really excellent image stabilization tech, you can do so. The directional microphones it uses to create 3D audio (which is also largely a novelty for the moment) make it useful for vloggers who want to simulate the effect of an attached shotgun microphone. It reduces external noise and even environmental sound like which can easily turn into an annoying roar in your footage.

Perhaps more importantly, however, the Max offers something the iPhone camera can’t. With the release of the iPhone 11 Pro, Apple’s ubiquitous device now offers a super-wide-angle field of view, which was previously one of GoPro’s signature looks. The company—and pretty much every company that makes cameras—are constantly looking for ways to stay ahead of the iPhone camera crush.

You can pre-order the Max 360 now for $499 with a bonus memory card if you hop on early. If you’re thinking about buying it instead of the new $399 Hero8 Black, you’ll lose the 4K 60P recording mode—the Max tops out at 1440P at 60 fps. The Max also only does 2x slow-motion compared to the super-slow 8x mode in the Hero8 Black. Lastly, the Max is only waterproof to 16 feet instead of 33 feet, which might be a deal-breaker if you do most of your vlogging at 23 feet underwater.

So, you’ll have to decide if the 360-degree capture is worth losing those stats and tacking on an extra $100. If you find cool subject matter and practice, the effect can be really cool. The problem is wondering if anyone will actually watch it the way you intended.

The post 360-Degree cameras haven’t caught on, but GoPro’s Max camera hopes new tricks can change that appeared first on Popular Science.

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When photographers are shopping for a new camera bag they usually want to know how much gear it can comfortably hold. Some shoots call for a huge backpack that can hold two bodies, a variety of lenses, accessories, and enough trail mix to make it through a week in the woods. But, sometimes less is more. In those cases, you’ll want a bag that holds a single body and maybe an extra lens. As the mirrorless market has grown and bodies have gotten smaller, we have seen an influx of bags designed with a minimalistic photographer in mind. These are some of our favorites.

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The Peak Design Sling comes in two sizes, 10L and 5L, and I’ve found it to be a great quick-access bag for a day of casual shooting when I don’t need to lug a laptop or portable hard drive. The sling has a low-profile design, an easy to access loading compartment, flex fold dividers, two stretchy organizational pockets on the inside, and an additional zippered pocket with color coded pockets for items like memory cards. The 5L version that I’ve been using comfortably fits a mirrorless or APS-C body with extra lens with a little space left over for a compact film camera.

A slim back pocket holds a tablet (perfect for on-the-go editing) and a small pocket on the front for stashing personal items.The flex fold dividers are all customizable and the bag can be set up to hold a DJI Mavic drone, the DJI Spark, or even a full-frame DSLR. The bag is made of the same waterproof canvas and zips as the other bags in the Peak Design line.

The straps on the bag are totally adjustable. The Peak Design Everyday Sling arrives oriented for your left shoulder, I found this set up to be really uncomfortable and found the fit much better after a flip. The extra length on the straps tuck into a back pocket on the bag. A third metal adjuster known as the “low-profile adjuster” allows you to readjust the tightness of the bag while it is on your body—great for grabbing your gear while on the go. He 5L sling is technically small enough that it can also be worn around your waist—although I found this set up to be a little bulky for my frame.

The bag comes in black, ash, and sage for $99.95.

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The ISM Classic Leather Bag isn’t a camera bag per-say, but the minute I saw this sleek looking backpack I was intrigued. I love a bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag, and if I’m in a situation where I need a limited amount of kit it’s highly likely that I just end up using a padded insert like the Topo Camera Cube inside of a normal backpack.

The ISM was designed for simplicity. You won’t find endless small organizational pockets inside this one, but you will find everything that you need. The Classic version of the bag has a dedicated 15” laptop sleeve in the back and a 12″ W x 17″ H x 5″ D separate pocket in the front: a perfect size for my Camera Cube. The ISM is made of Full-Grain Leather, has a water-resistant nylon exterior, full-grain leather details, EVA foam and mesh padded straps and YKK zippers and hardware. There is a seperate front zip pocket for personal items or small accessories.

The ISM is a sharp looking bag that I’ve found to be ideal for bringing to client meetings or fancy post-work events where a typical camera backpack looks out of place. The bag comfortably holds a laptop, a full-frame body, with extra lens, an external drive, and some personal items without feeling overstuffed. If you are using the bag with a mirrorless setup the bag becomes roomier. It’s comfortable to carry around for an entire day and the classy, understated design makes it fit in anywhere.

The bag isn’t cheap—the all black version costs $225 while the version with gold accents is $235. When you consider the materials that were used to make it though the price tag makes sense. It also comes with a lifetime warranty and a thirty day money back guarantee if you find that the ISM isn’t a good fit for you.

RELATED: First shots with Sony’s new 135mm portrait lens that’s built for bokeh

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This Norwegian based bag company is poorly named. I covered the bags logo up with a patch almost immediately—sorry Douchebags. If you can get over the bad branding though, the products that this company makes are quite good. The bag company was founded by Swedish Pro Skier Jon Olsson, so these bags have plenty of technical aspects found in gear designed for skiers, snowboarders, and skaters.

The Backpack has a 21 liter volume, can hold a 15” Macbook in a separate back sleeve, and is compatible with the companies CIA camera insert. The bag has a Polyester 600D exterior and a Polyester 200D lining. It features a stretchy water bottle pocket, tripod straps, a separate top compartment, and six individual mesh pockets for your odds and ends.

The CIA camera insert that is compatible with the bag is sold separately for $79. The insert can hold 8 liters of gear and is compatible a mirrorless or DSLR setup. The insert has a fully foldable lid making it easy to see what is inside when The Backpack is fully unzipped.

It’s a sportier and more rugged style, but has a relatively narrow frame for the amount of gear it can pack inside.

The backpack comes in black, grey, red or a special black and red version and costs $179.

The post These compact camera bags carry just the right amount of gear appeared first on Popular Science.

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This story was originally published on Popular Photography

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Last week in New York City Sony announced two new APS-C interchangeable lens cameras, the a6600 and the a6100, as well as some APS-C friendly glass. The a6600 is the new flagship of the APS-C line, and for good reason. The camera is built around a 24.2 megapixel sensor with BIONZ X processor. All that processing firepower grants it features like autofocus as fast as 0.02 seconds, 5-axis in-body image stabilization, 425 phase-detection auto-focus points that cover 84 percent of the frame, and an 11 fps burst rate with continuous AF/AE tracking. During the launch event, Sony also announced that two new E-mount lenses on the way for the APS-C system: the 16-55mm standard zoom and the 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS super-telephoto.

We had a chance to shoot with the a6600 and both lenses last week after the announcement. This is what we thought.

Design and feel

The ergonomic changes to the a6600 are subtle, but amount to a camera that is much more comfortable to work with over long periods of time. The a6600 features the new Z type battery (first seen on the full-frame a7 cameras) which gives the camera substantial endurance boost—2.2x the capacity of the NP-W50 batteries found in other cameras in Sony’s APS-C line. The larger battery makes for a slightly chunkier grip as well. Memory cards still slot in beside the battery on the bottom of the camera.

The a6600 features the same 180 degree tilting touch-screen found on the a6400: good for shooting selfies, vlogging, and shooting from high angles. The new camera also features a headphone jack to monitor audio while shooting video—making this an appealing APS-C choice for creators that plan to shoot a lot of videos.

Sony has eliminated the pop-up flash on the a6600, and added a third customizable C3 button on the back of the camera near the menu button. Shooting with the a6600 feels similar to working with the a6500. There is no AF joystick or a front dial. Both the a6600 and the a6500 feature dial controls on the top right and the back of the camera. You can operate both with your thumb, but with a beefier grip it would have been nice to have a front dial to control with your index finger. The camera does have touchpad AF though, you can drag your finger across it to select a focus point while looking through the viewfinder. It’s a nice touch, although occasionally the camera will mistake your nose for your finger tip. The camera body has a weather-sealed construction, as one would expect with a new flagship.

Shooting experience

The increased battery life and redesigned grip are two key upgrades that make shooting with the Sony a6600 significantly more pleasant than other cameras in the APS-C line. It’s comfortable to hold in your hand for long periods of time or to wear across your body. The longer battery life means you can spend an entire day shooting without the worry of having a sack full of backup batteries. Our first day out with the camera was a drizzly one and although the camera was often covered in droplets we didn’t notice any decreases in its functionality during our shoot.

Sony’s real-time tracking AF and eye AF for both humans and animals is fast and accurate and the functionality now exists in the entire line of Sony cameras. In a perfect world we would love to see a camera that had an AF joystick on the back for selecting points, but the real-time tracking on the camera is so good that most of the time you don’t really need it.

A word of warning though, if you are shooting a subject wearing an outfit covered in circular gems the camera might mistake those bobbles for eyeballs, at least that is what we noticed when photographing an aerialist at Coney Island. The tech isn’t quite as accurate with exotic animals. During our time at the Central Park Zoo the camera’s animal eye AF worked well with the snow leopards, but had trouble with birds. Surprisingly when photographing snow monkeys human eye AF was more accurate than animal eye AF. There is noticeable buffer lag when shooting at high speeds with the a6600 though.

Of course a camera body can only do so much—you also need good glass. We shot with Sony’s new 16-55mm standard zoom and the 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS super-telephoto during our time with the a6600 and found both to be quite good. Although these two lenses aren’t cheap, they performed well in the field and having them both in your kit covers a substantial range that will work in a variety of shooting scenarios. The lightweight super-telephoto built-in image stabilization paired with the in-camera stabilization is a real treat. We were impressed by its ability to produce sharp images while shooting fast moving seagulls on Coney Island’s beach with a fully extended lens while shooting from an uncomfortable crouched position to keep from scaring away the birds. Both lenses feature a customizable focus hold button and a AF/MF switch on the barrel.

Ultimately when the a6600 is paired with these two new APS-C lenses it is a very fun and compact shooting solution. We were pleased with the results of the enhancements of real-time tracking in the camera, the longer battery life, and the larger grip. We’re looking forward to spending some more time with this one in the near future. Check out more sample images from the camera below.

The post First shots with Sony’s 24.2-megapixel a6600 mirrorless camera appeared first on Popular Science.

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This story originally published on Popphoto.com.

Early this morning, Canon released news about a ton of forthcoming products, among them was the Canon EOS 90D, a new EF-mount camera with a 32.5 megapixel APS-C sensor that is powered by a DIGIC 8 processor. The camera has an optical viewfinder (as you’d expect with a DSLR), enhanced dial controls, and a 45-point all cross-type autofocus system with 5,481 manually selectable AF positions in live view. ISO settings range from 100 to 25600, it is capable of shooting 10 fps, 120p/100p Full HD video, 4K video at 30p/25p, and features Dual Pixel CMOS AF. Ultimately its a DSLR that is aimed at advanced amateur shooters, that features some of the controls found in Canon’s top of the line DSLRs.

We got a chance to shoot with the new camera prior to its announcement. This is what we thought of it.

Canon EOS 90D DSLR design and feel

If you’ve shot with any of Canon’s APS-C DSLRs before, the 90D is going to immediately feel comfortable in your hands. The camera has a dust-proof and drip-proof build and a stand-alone multi-controller. That added joystick helps mimic the experience of shooting with a higher-end DSLR from the line, while still maintaining some of the design features more common with the APS-C cameras. The 90D has a 3 inch vari-angle LCD touch screen and a pop-up flash. Integrated WiFi and Bluetooth connections allow users to connect multiple devices to multiple cameras through the Canon app without having to cancel previous pairings.

The major design changes have happened on the inside. The new camera features a revamped menu system, notably the WiFi connectivity menu gets its own page. There is also an option to send images to your smartphone as you are shooting rather than selecting one by one. There have also been updates to the AF thanks to the Dual Pixel CMOS. Face and Eye Tracking AF and Single-point Spot AF are both available in Live View shooting in the new camera. Eye AF is supported when shooting video as well.

Although there are quite a few customizable settings for the camera, it only has a single SD card, no surprise there, since it is after all a camera aimed at advanced amateurs and not top level users.

Shooting experience with the Canon EOS 90D

During our brief time with the Canon 90D we were shooting race cars and spent a bit of time working with some models in natural light. Shooting cars at a race track obviously requires a camera that has fast AF and the ability to shoot a lot of fps without any lag time. The 90D performed exceptionally well in both regards,considering its place in the lineup. The camera did a good job grabbing onto the car, holding focus as it drifted by, and had no issues keeping up with the action.

There was nothing out of the ordinary of shooting portraits with the 90D. It did exactly what we wanted it to—we suspect that the ability to precisely select an AF point will be a welcome feature for a lot of APS-C shooters.

Unfortunately we weren’t able to test out any of the upgraded WiFi features just yet, but will once the 90D launches.

Ultimately working with the camera was as we expected it to be, no quirks or surprises to be found here. This one will likely be a good option for amateur photographers looking to upgrade from a Canon Rebel or early-career pros looking for an inexpensive second body.

The post Hands on with the 32.5-megapixel Canon EOS 90D DSLR appeared first on Popular Science.

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Polaroid Originals reverting back to its classic name: Polaroid. To celebrate, the company has announced its new Polaroid Now instant film camera. It’s an autofocus body that shoots both i-Type and 600 film. For a limited time the new camera will be available in red, orange, yellow, green, and blue alongside the classic black and white bodies. The camera is available starting today for $100.

Compared to the Polaroid OneStep and the OneStep+ the Polaroid Now is slightly smaller, has a less boxy shape and fewer buttons. The lens on the camera automatically switches between portrait and distance modes and there is only one flash mode.

Shooting with the Polaroid Now involves a simple, familiar process: Load it with film, turn it on, and fire away. During our time with the camera we found that the new auto flash and lens combo did a good job in both indoor and outdoor situations. Our sample images were consistently well exposed and more or less in focus—especially important when you consider the pricier i-Type and 600 Polaroid film that the camera takes.

In addition to the new camera Polaroid is also launching a special edition instant film called Color Wave that will have colored frames and introducing Black Frame Editions as a permanent fixture. Both films are available starting today for $17 a pack.

The post Hands-on with the Polaroid Now instant film camera appeared first on Popular Science.

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You don’t need a fancy camera to capture amazing memories. These disposable cameras are going to be a great way to take pictures wherever you go. Lightweight and easy to use, these cameras are going to give you some creative keepsakes to share, send, or save in a photo album for a rainy day. Not only will you feel a sense of nostalgia receiving your developed pictures, but you’ll also be able to enjoy the surprise and simplicity of the final print. You won’t regret going with a single-use camera when you see that picture of your mom, best friend, or pet surprised by the flash. The cameras we’ve listed here will give you unique options for taking pictures in any scene with any style.

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The Kodak single-use camera is undoubtedly a classic. The Funsaver operates at a higher speed than many of its competitors; pre-loaded with 800 speed-film (as opposed to the often seen 400 speed) to guarantee a clear capture for all 27 photos. The shutter is super responsive and makes a great sound, which means you will never be left wondering if you got the shot. This camera is great for capturing outdoor landscapes in natural light; perfect for a beach vacation, camping trip, or local park adventure. Don’t worry, it does come with flash so you can still get some great pics at night. This camera is also good for the environment. Kodak’s environment initiative has led to more than 70 percent of their cameras being recycled in the United States.

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This camera is going to be the one for you if you plan on jumping in the water. It has an incredibly sturdy build that will keep your photos protected in up to 35 feet of ocean, lake, river, or pool. It works great above the waterline too. Just like the Kodak, this camera works best outdoors and on sunny days, but unlike the Kodak, make sure you leave it at home during your night swim because it does not have flash. It comes loaded with Superia X-TRA 800 film for 27 pictures and has a convenient rubber wrist strap to keep it securely in the hands of kids and adults alike. Grab your beach bag and don’t forget to toss in your Fujifilm camera, just in case you see a stingray.

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Really lean into a vintage vibe with a black and white disposable camera. There are surprisingly a large number of options for a b&w single-use camera, but we have gone with the Ilford XP2. This camera will give you great contrast and tone on all your retro images. It works stunningly well in daylight conditions so you can feel confident shooting architecture, landscapes, and any other fanciful vacation finds. This camera does come with flash so you can feel free to experiment on an overcast day or in the dark of the night. The overall image quality is consistent and bright so you can feel free to be bold with black and white.

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If you are looking to get a little wild with your photography then this Lomography camera is the right choice for you. This camera can be a little tough to track down, but there are a few places that still carry it. Technically, you can reload this camera with any 35mm film, but it follows all the rules of other single-use cameras so we felt it was okay to bend the rules, just this once. The Lomochrome is quite simply the camera you can have the most fun with. It comes loaded with 36 exposures (almost 10 extra pictures). There is a built-in flash and it can shoot subjects as close as 3.3-feet away. The Lomochrome camera is going to give you the perfect way to preserve some party pics.

The post Four disposable cameras to capture your favorite moments appeared first on Popular Science.

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Smartphone camera flashes have a bad reputation—and it’s well-earned. No matter how hard companies try to bolster their on-camera illumination, the results come out smeary, oddly-colored, and often kinda blurry. Why are these smartphone flashes so bad? Well, mainly because they don’t really flash.

Typical smartphone flashes use LED bulbs. They are relatively bright—at least when there’s one shining directly into your eyes during a picture—power efficient, and incredibly small. That makes them fit nicely into the cramped spaces inside a mobile device.

Typical camera flashes, however, often use a hermetically sealed tube full of xenon, a noble gas, to create its illumination. It’s an extremely complex process, but it essentially requires a high-voltage capacitor to discharge into ionized gas that quickly transitions to its plasma state and back again.

Freeze frames

The light that comes from a traditional flash tube typically only lasts for a very small portion of a second. Some high-end studio lights like the Profit B2, for instance, have flash durations as short as 1/63,000th of a second. Even the flash from a compact camera is still shorter than 1/1000th of a second. Those super-short bursts of light do a good job freezing your in the frame and preventing blur from motion or your hand shaking while you take the photo.

The LED light on your smartphone, however, simply turns on and off at a long interval, which leaves plenty of time for your subject—or the phone itself—to move while you’re taking a picture and introduce ugly blur.

At this point, however, just about every major smartphone camera is doing some multi-exposure magic every time you take a picture in order to improve the image quality. The current iPhones and Google Pixel phones, for instance, take several photos every time you push the shutter and then combine that data to make a single finished image. Even if a xenon flash could strobe quick enough to expose every frame, it would generate excess heat and consume considerably more power than simply turning on a constant LED source, meaning that’s not a good solution for mobile phones.

Hot lights

Smartphone cameras like the iPhone have gone to great lengths to try and mitigate the naturally unnatural blue tinge that comes from a typical LED. It’s better than it was thanks to technology like Apple’s TrueTone, which mixes warm and cool colored lighting to try and match the ambient light in your environment, but it still typically falls short.

The reason for those sometimes sickly smartphone flash colors is due, at least in part, to the LED’s lack of power (relatively speaking). Even a smaller xenon flash typically puts out enough light to illuminate a subject all on its own. That allows the camera to manipulate the exposure in such a way that it doesn’t capture much of the ambient light from your surroundings. So, the light on your subject comes solely—or at least primarily—from the flash, which puts out light our eyes and brains consider white.

What about wireless?

While some content producers have opted for external lighting accessories like small, color-corrected LED light panels, or circular ring-lights that some video bloggers prefer because they evenly light every aspect of your face during a selfie.

But, just this week, a Kickstarter popped up for an off-camera xenon flash called Lit that promises to sync wirelessly with a smartphone camera. The idea mimics the radio-powered wireless systems many professionals use; the lights fire every time you push the shutter button.

While the $329 accessory has had success on the crowdfunding platform, there are some questions about how effective it will be. For one, it uses Bluetooth instead of 2.4 GHz wireless connection like typical wireless flash triggers. That means latency could be an issue. Also, the flashes will likely require a specific camera app that eschews the multi-shot HDR default now found in most smartphone shooters.

Even if it works well, the price tag is fairly steep, especially if you want to use several of them to create a real lighting solution (the app can sync up to four at a time).

Just turn it off

It’s possible we’ll see more photography-oriented smartphones sporting real flashes in the future, but historically, those have been specialty—and even novelty—models like Motorola’s Moto Mods unit which attached to the modular phone base. It was a great idea, but it was lacking in terms of real world performance when it comes to speed and reliability.

For now, your best bet with a smartphone camera flash is to keep it turned off in most situations. The multi-shot HDR functions have gotten a lot better in current generation smartphones, especially Google’s Pixel phones, which have an impressive low-light feature called Night Sight.

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By now, you’ve may have seen the video released by IMAX showing a standard theatrical presentation of the Avengers: Endgame teaser side-by-side with how the same images appear in IMAX. But like a lot things related to IMAX, it’s really difficult to communicate the experience in other media (like a YouTube clip). And while seeing it on a standard screen will still be thrilling, it’s not exactly the same experience.

Chief Technology Officer at IMAX, Brian Bonnick says the exact IMAX process of engineering a movie for the really big screen is proprietary but requires filmmakers to start thinking about the presentation before they even begin shooting. For the Russo Brothers directing team, their IMAX experience started out tentatively. They used a joint customized digital version of ARRI’s then-new large format camera, the Alexa 65, to shoot the airport superhero showdown at the center of Captain America: Civil War in 2016. The cameras clearly made an impression, as the duo quickly decided to use them to shoot all of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

The Alexa 65 actually has the ability to capture more data than most systems can even process—but that extra information still comes in handy. “In Christopher Nolan’s last film [Dunkirk], he wanted infinite detail in focus on a shot, so he chose a film-based camera with a resolution of 18K,” explains Bonnick. “Even though a projector’s 4K, we utilize that extra data to improve the quality of the presentation. It’s a technique called ‘oversampling.’ The Alexa is a 6K by roughly 3K pixel, so you’re dealing with more than 4K data, but we use that data in a post-production process that is designed to use every single pixel in the enhancement process.” Sampling from too much information is much easier than trying to extrapolate from a lower-resolution capture or stretch an existing shot.

The extra data also extends to the sound capture as well. As Bonnick explains, typically when sound is captured on set – say, for a massive explosion – the low end of the audio is recorded, but it’s pulled out in post-production because most systems aren’t capable of playing back low-end frequencies without distortion. “We manage the whole sound mix differently. It’s not a 5.1 channel system. We employ what’s called PPS, or Proportional Point Source sound.” This system creates what he refers to as “phantom images” – you can actually direct exactly where you want a sound to be coming from by triangulating three speakers (all of which have full range) to give the illusion of a precise sound origin. “You can hear a cannon going off and a pin drop,” says Bonnick. “This is why the ‘food chain’ idea is so important.”

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Modern smartphones have increasingly large collections of cameras strewn across their backs. The Nokia9 PureView, for instance, has five separate cameras, all with their own explicit purpose. This morning Huawei announced its new P30 smartphone, and while it doesn’t have the most cameras—just four rear-facing imaging devices here—it does boast some interesting photographic tricks.

The most compelling change comes in the form of the main camera’s sensor, which has 40 total megapixels, but combines them into groups to eventually create 10-megapixel final photos. Almost all modern digital cameras are built on the same basic premise. A field of light-sensitive pixels sit underneath an array of colored filters. Each pixel gets a red, blue, or green filter and the whole array is arranged into a specific pattern.

When you take a picture, each pixel captures light through its colored filter, then the image processor in the camera looks at that data and turns it into true color information.

The sensor in Huawei’s main camera uses basically the same red and green filters over the pixels, but it replaces the blue filters with yellow ones. Huawei says it’s doing this to let in more light. A blue filter essentially blocks out all of the light you could consider red or green, while a yellow filter allows both to get through. The company says this swap allows for up to 40 percent more light to hit the photosensitive part of the device.

Allowing in more light, at least in theory, lets the camera shoot in darker settings without creating an image that’s too dark or filled with digital noise. If you’re familiar with camera jargon, the P30 Pro claims an equivalent maximum ISO value of more than 400,000, which is comparable with very high-end cameras (though, other differences like sensor size and lens quality obviously make the comparison difficult to balance).

So does this setup create better photos? There are only some early sample images out there at the moment, but it’s important to note that most of this color filtering happens without the user ever even knowing about it. Even if you pry off the lens and look at the sensor itself, you wouldn’t necessarily notice a difference in its appearance. And while some have wondered if this will make images more yellow, it won’t. The camera’s processor is still crunching numbers to try and get realistic color data for the scene, but it’s just working from different raw materials. It’s possible there could be some color weirdness in certain situations, but the company could also tweak the computational process down the road to change the way it renders the images.

Because of its low-light acumen, the P30 has drawn some comparisons to Google’s really impressive Night Sight technology, which lives inside the Pixel 3 phones. In that case, however, Google is using more standard camera hardware and relying heavily on combining multiple exposures taken in rapid succession—the bulk of the real photography magic happens during the processing. Huawei is trying to cram more light into the sensor during every single shot.

The rest of the cameras on the P30 are interesting, too. There’s a wide-angle camera with a 20-megapixel sensor and a roughly 120-degree field-of-view, as well as a camera with 5x optical zoom.

The last camera on the P30 is specifically meant to help measure depth for things like augmented reality, although it’s not active yet for any practical purpose. Still, that’s something we’ll see more of as phones crave distance data for things like capturing 3D virtual images or even faking blur in portrait modes and the Samsung Galaxy S10 is already using one.

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Your smartphone camera is more capable than ever of capturing amazing pictures, but getting out to shoot anything epic—or even interesting, really—can be tough during social distancing. Adding a macro lens to your smartphone, however, will let you see boring objects around your house and in a new way that your eyeballs can’t perceive on their own. That’s because a macro lens makes little things appear bigger.

Even modern smartphones with all of their processing power and meticulously molded lenses can’t effectively replace a true macro lens add-on. Luckily, there are lots to choose from and they span a range of magnification, image quality, and price. Here are some tips for picking the right accessory and then getting the best shots once it’s up and running.

Choose the right macro lens

Macro lens attachments are typically ranked by magnification—the higher the number, the closer your subject will appear when you take the photo. Most models online fall between 10x and 25x, with the bulk of them checking in at 15x. While it can be tempting to just go for the most magnification, it really depends on what you want to do. High magnification will get you a truly unique view of a subject, but it will also get so close that you’ll lose any real sense of context for your picture. That’s great, though, if you like texture and really abstract images.

At the wider end of the spectrum, like 10x, you won’t get as close, but it’s easier to focus and gives you more leeway in terms of composing a shot.

A cheap-ish 15x lens is a good place to start and then you can decide whether you want to get closer or back off a little.

When it comes to quality, some lenses come in under $20, but you should expect some image-quality issues to go along with that cheap price. They typically lack coatings that fight reflections and flare and that can cause weird artifacts in your photos, a soft focus, or distortion around the edges of the picture.

My personal favorite is the Moment 10x because it allows me to get a little more creative with my compositions, and the high-quality glass is sharp and renders colors nicely. It’s on the pricier side, however, at $100 (and that’s before you add a compatible case).

Be curious about your subjects

With macro photography, texture is your friend. Getting up close to surfaces like plants, rough stones, wood, foods, or whatever will often show you details you never knew existed. The discovery is part of the fun, so try everyday objects and other weird things you may find around the house. Even if something looks boring on the surface, a macro might make it cool.

Steady your hands or even get a tripod

We don’t typically have to worry much about focusing with our smartphone cameras—the wide-angle lenses and tiny imaging sensors typically make most of a scene look nice and sharp. That’s not the case with macro, however. The closer you get to a subject, the smaller the area of focus will appear. So, while taking a normal picture of a flower with your phone may get the whole thing in focus, a macro shot will likely only give you a sliver of it—anything in front of or behind that spot will fade into blur.

Traditional camera lenses can help combat this by using a smaller aperture to get greater depth of field, but smartphone cameras don’t have that option.

Because the macro lenses are pre-focused at a single point, you have to move the entire phone in order to get your desired subject in focus. If you’re shooting an object on a flat surface, like a table, try resting your hands on the surface to keep them steady. When you move to focus, try to maneuver slowly and steadily.

Many smartphone macro lenses will come with a translucent hood that goes around the lens itself. The hood typically indicates the ideal focusing distance for the lens, so you can rest something flat on the table, then use the hood to hold it stable and at the right distance by allowing the edge of the hood to contact the table. Because it’s translucent, it won’t block light hitting the object.

Take a lot of photos

You’re going to make mistakes and get bad shots when you’re learning—and even after you’re good at it, really. Taking a lot of photos can make the difference between coming away with a keeper and ending up with a bunch of shots that are almost good.

Try holding down the button to take multiple photos rather than tapping it for each exposure. Every time you tap the button—no matter how deft your movements—the camera will move a little and it could be enough to throw things out of focus.

It can be hard, in the moment, to really see the finished photo, so having the ability to go back and compare different shots and angles will give you options you’ll be glad to have.

Try video

You can’t really shoot normal video of your friends or an event with your macro lens because it can only focus extremely close. That does, however, open up some interesting opportunities for video and small objects. Start some distance away from the object and it’ll appear blurry. As you get closer, it will sharpen until it’s clear. Smartphone cameras can’t typically produce nice-looking blur like this without some computational help, so the effect looks impressive.

Edit and crop your photos

Once you’ve shot your images, don’t be afraid to crop and edit them. The middle part of the lens is always the sharpest—objects at the edges typically get blurry or distorted due to the nature of the glass itself. This is especially true for cheaper glass.

Even when you’re shooting, find the thing in the frame that’s the most important detail and ensure that it’s sharp. You can always crop around it later, even if there are distracting or ugly elements in the full picture.

Editing in an app to add contrast or color correction also comes in handy since lens flare or other effects may sap some of the contrast and hue accuracy out of your finished picture. Advanced apps like Lightroom give you more options, but they have a learning curve and cost money. Snapseed is a great option with robust features for no fee.

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Long before people started using digital filters to make their pics look like old-school Polaroids, photographers employed analog prisms and fractal filters to play with light. You still can. Create your own signature style with just a camera, crystal glass, and your imagination—whether you’re using 35mm film or a DSLR. If you’re going to use them with your phone’s camera, keep in mind that results can be limited.

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This polyhedron is a classic prism made from professional-grade optical crystal glass. If you’ve never used a prism before, you’ll enjoy splitting the different wavelengths that make up light into red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Hold the prism in different positions in front of your lens to get hazy, ghostly, or double exposure effects, and of course, add rainbows to your subjects. This prism is six inches by one inch and comes with a microfiber cloth bag to wipe off fingerprints (which will show up in your photo). A handy PDF is included with tips to get you started, and the special scratch-resistant glass is hardy and forgiving.

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Hold fate in the palm of your hand (or at least control the fate of your pictures) when you use this sphere to get creative on a shoot. The lens ball is made from optical glass and goes through multiple quality checks to ensure your pictures remain flawless. Capture landscapes and portraits with a 180-degree view of your subject’s surroundings, which will appear inverted when you look into the ball. Simply flip the image when editing. The curved shape acts as a magnifying glass and can cause a fire or burns if you aren’t careful—so keep it out of direct sunlight, snug in its microfiber bag, or in the shade as much as possible.

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The repeating patterns in kaleidoscopes are also fractals, and are just one of the effects you can achieve with these unique filters. Designed by photographer Nikk Wong to make prism-ing less clunky and to enhance clarity and vibrancy, this set comes with three prismatic filters and a carrying case. There are multiple tutorials on the product website to give you ideas. Make sure the lenses and camera you plan to use have a focal length of 30mm-85mm, with an f-stop of f/1.4 – f/5.6.

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When OnePlus announced its 8 Pro smartphone, it included details about a curious camera that it calls the Color Filter camera. In reality, it’s an infrared (IR) camera that can pick up a part of the spectrum that your eye—and most commercial digital cameras—can’t. This gives the photos a unique, if slightly odd, look, especially after the phone has added some processing to it. Under normal circumstances, the resulting images look different and unique. Under some circumstances, however, an infrared camera will give you a glimpse of whatever happens to be under a layer of material.

As a result, some users have been able to use the camera’s IR mode to look through thin layers of plastic or even thin clothing that’s otherwise opaque.

That sounds more scandalous than it really is. If you’re expecting to pick one of these up and go around using it like a pair of X-ray specs ordered from the back of a comic book, you’ll be terribly disappointed. What you’ll get from the 8 Pro is a mostly gray-scale look through some thin, dark plastic surfaces or a blurry view at what’s in someone’s pockets.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. In 1998, Sony launched a Handycam—a bread-and-butter device for the company back then—with a special night vision function. Like the OnePlus camera, Sony’s lens could effectively see through thin, dark materials, including clothing. Many modern cameras with night vision tech baked in, like handicams and security cameras, can also do it.

Even in more modern cameras, turning on infrared night vision doesn’t work very well in daylight unless you have some extra equipment. The image typically washes out too brightly to see anything. However, putting an IR filter over the camera lens (or over the sensor, as camcorders did) enables the see-through effect by blocking the visible light that bombards the sensor and letting the infrared waves come through.

IR filters have been around for decades: Infrared film like Kodak Aerochrome was once a relatively common tool for photographers looking to shake up their images. In fact, they used the same basic technology we have now to prevent blowing out their film.

OnePlus hasn’t issued a statement yet about whether or not it plans to address the current issue, but the fact that the Color Filter has relatively low resolution and that cameras have been hacked for see-through photography for decades means this issue probably won’t turn into a massive scandal.

OnePlus’s bionic vision wasn’t the only big story happening in the tech world this week. Here’s a rundown of some of the other stories you may have missed.

Facebook bought Giphy

If you’re a fan of moving pictures that allow you to express your emotions, viewpoints, and love of The Office, then Facebook is now basically your daddy. Mark Zuckerberg and company dropped $400 million to buy Giphy, which means it will eventually get tighter integration into the company’s apps such as Instagram and Messenger.

HBO subscribers will soon be able to watch content with friends from afar

It’s going to be a while until you can get together with friends and watch movies and TV together like we did in the old days before social distancing. So, HBO is teaming up with a service called Scener to allow groups of people to watch content simultaneously while interacting via video chat. Up to 20 people can watch at a time, which sounds like it could be really fun for some content types and terrible for others. Nothing enhances the ambiance of prestige TV like the soothing sounds of your pal’s crying baby.

Dell brought back the 17-inch XPS laptop

There hasn’t been a 17-inch display in the Dell XPS laptop lineup for nearly a decade—but now the company is finally bringing it back. Dell claims it’s the smallest 17-inch laptop on the market, and that it rings in smaller than many 15-inch models, too. Big-display enthusiasts and those of us with very large laps are excited about the return.

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Earlier this week, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm all released high-profile new photo products on the same night. Go back more than a decade and an onslaught of new releases wasn’t out of the ordinary—when CES rolled around each January, we’d get new models by the dozen. But since then, the smartphone camera Godzilla has tromped all over the stand-alone digital camera market, leaving companies like Canon looking for the right direction forward.

Earlier this month, the Camera and Imaging Products Association released its annual report regarding digital camera sales, which includes stats from 2018 and predictions for 2019. The results were tough. Overall, the numbers show a nearly 23 percent drop in total cameras shipped, with attached-lens cameras like small compacts taking the brunt of the losses. The forecast for 2019 also predicts losses, but it’s not all doom and gloom.

Moving up

The bright spot here, however, is that the interchangeable-lens camera market has stayed stronger and the market has moved more toward high-end equipment and more robust offerings for users who want to move up from a smartphone without spending as much as they would on a good used car.

This week, for example, Canon announced the new EOS RP, which retails for just $1,300 despite its full-frame imaging sensor, which it had previously only used in its more advanced enthusiast cameras like the 6D Mark II DSLR (a staple camera for Youtubers), and more pro gear like the 5D Mark IV, which retails over $3,000. Canon just got into the full-frame mirrorless market in fall of last year and it’s already on its second new camera. It has announced six upcoming lenses designed specifically for the system. Canon was late, but it’s coming on strong.

Fujifilm’s announcement this week was similarly notable. Its new X-T30 retails for $900, but it has many of the same features you’d find in the upmarket X-T3, which retails for $1,400. The X-T30 is a ton of camera for that sub-$1,000 price.

The upgrade path for photography enthusiasts used to involve buying a small compact camera, then moving up to an interchangeable-lens system, but now companies have better adapted to the idea that the smartphone is the key entry point. If compact cameras exist in manufacturers’ lineups, they typically key on a feature that smartphones can’t provide. Fujfilm’s new XP140 for instance is built for underwater photography to a depth of 75 feet, something smartphones can’t do without a special case.

Other cameras with embedded lenses rely on optical zoom, which uses moving parts in the lens to change your field of view, rather than cropping into an image and using algorithms to try and make up for lost image data, which is how most smartphones accomplish zooming past 2x. Most companies still make a “superzoom” camera and Nikon made a camera called the P900 with an 83x zoom camera that’s basically a small telescope in terms of reach.

Houses of glass

According to the CIPA report, new lens sales took one of the smallest hits thanks to interchangeable-lens camera sales staying relatively resilient. While lenses typically have a longer refresh cycle than cameras themselves, the new lens crop has been impressive lately as well.

Canon and Nikon both introduced new mounts on their full-frame mirrorless cameras, which means they both created new lens lines to go with them. Canon even leveraged its new lens mounting system to create a 28-70mm f/2L lens, which has a wider aperture than the typical 24-70 f/2.8 lens that has been a staple in pro photographers’ kits for decades.

Beyond the numbers

Business tedium aside, right now is a pretty great time to nerd out about picture taking. As the market finds its footing, we’re beginning to get cameras that make sense for more people. If you can swing $1,500, which used to be the low-end of the enthusiast market, you have more good options for camera systems than you’ve had in years.

If you can move up from there, you have even more options. The Sony A7 III is arguably the best mirrorless camera on the market at the moment and it checks in under $2,000. The Sony A7R II is a generation old, but will save you roughly $1,200 if you buy one instead of the current-generation A7R III. Unless you have a specific reason to need the III, the II is probably more camera than you’d ever need.

Even at the pro-level things are interesting. A few weeks ago, Olympus announced the $3,000 OM-D E-M1x, which is one of the most feature-heavy cameras of all time. It can accomplish some truly impressive things like shooting 49 20-megapixel raw photos in less than a second.

Path ahead

CIPA projects that the camera market will fall another 10-20 percent next year as the rest of the attached-lens cameras continue to fall away. But for now, the upmarket options are abundant. Whether this shift works is a matter for the future, but it’s certainly an upgrade over the waves of nearly identical compact cameras which ruled the market in the old days of the mid-2000’s.

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There’s a decent chance your favorite vlogger or YouTuber uses a Sony camera. The company has captured a considerable chunk of the influencer market with cameras like its compact RX-100 and the A6600 with its interchangeable-lens. The cameras are small, relatively simple to operate, and pump out high enough image quality to differentiate themselves from the mostly adequate footage you get from a smartphone camera.

This week, Sony is launching a new camera aimed specifically at YouTubers. The ZV-1 looks a lot like the compact RX-100, which is about the size of a bar of soap and has a built-in zoom lens that you can’t swap out. If you’re familiar with camera terminology, it offers the same zoom range you’d get out of a 24-70mm lens on a full-frame camera. That puts it slightly wider than the typical smartphone camera when zoomed out, but not as wide as the ultra-wide cameras found on smartphones like the iPhone 11 Pro.

To make it more appealing for bloggers, however, the lens has a wide aperture (f/1.8-f/2.8), which, combined with its relatively large sensor, combine to make naturally blurry backgrounds without having to fake them with a software-based “portrait mode.” In fact, Sony has included a new mode in the ZV-1 that prioritizes background blur. It does this by adjusting exposure and adding a neutral density filter to block some light coming in to ensure backgrounds stay nice and blurry, even in bright settings where a large aperture typically wouldn’t work.

There are other software tweaks onboard to make the ZV-1 more appealing to YouTubers. The new Face Priority AE mode locks the exposure on a person’s face, so it’s always correctly lit regardless of the surroundings. That’s particularly handy if you’re trying to walk and talk to a camera under varying conditions. Often, if too much bright sky gets into the scene, the camera’s meter will try to prevent it from blowing out and will then underexpose the subject’s face. That’s no longer an issue.

From a hardware standpoint, the ZV-1 employs a simplified button layout that’s easier to navigate when you’re not looking at the back or top of the camera. A large video record button sits directly behind the typical shutter button, both of which are easy to press without looking. There’s now a red light on the front that indicates when it’s recording without having to look at the screen.

The display itself fully articulates, so you can swing it around to the front and watch what you’re doing as you record yourself. It’s a touchscreen, so you can tap to focus.

As for image quality, the 20-megapixel sensor captures 4K footage at up to 30 fps and 960 fps slow-motion footage at reduced resolution. That’s not shattering any specification ceilings, but that’s also not the point of the camera.

Audio recording options include a built-in mic with three capsules that prioritize forward-facing audio to capture someone speaking into the camera. If you want to go beyond the built-in mics—and you probably will if you’re looking for maximum production quality—the ZV-1 offers a standard 3.5mm mic jack as well as Sony’s own Multi Interface Shoe that interfaces with its own digital microphones. Oddly, however, there’s no headphone jack onboard, which is a common tool for video makers who want to check their audio output before recording.

Because shaky video is horrible to watch, Sony has bolstered its image stabilization efforts, which now utilize both optical stabilization (the glass in the lens moves to counteract camera shake), and digital (which uses software to make things look steady). In reality, serious video shooters will still almost certainly want to use an external solution like a gimbal to smooth out their footage.

Beyond the hard stats, a few nice touches round out the ZV-1’s vlog-specific feature set. The new Product Showcase mode lets a creator lock focus on a product they want to show off and prevents the camera from getting distracted by moving objects in the frame, or even faces that come into view. That’s very handy if you’re trying to show off a new gadget. A grip on the camera now makes it easier to hold than the RX-100, which felt slightly precarious to hold in some situations. The body also now incorporates more composite materials to improve heat management. Recording video can make a camera seriously warm—especially small cameras without a lot of heat management.

The camera will start hitting store shelves in June with an introductory price of $749. In July, the price jumps up to $799.

The vlogging camera market has been slowly growing in recent years. DJI’s Osmo Pocket camera shoots 4K video at 60 fps with a full-on mechanical gimbal stabilizer for around $300. Its much smaller sensor, however, doesn’t enable the same kind of image quality and naturally blurry backgrounds the ZV-1 can offer.

GoPros have been gaining in popularity for vlogging since the company announced its extremely effective HyperSmooth image stabilization system. The GoPro’s super-wide-angle lens and slightly awkward menu navigation make it less convenient, even if it’s considerably cheaper than the ZV-1.

In the future, expect to see more cameras adding features like this for vlogging to try and entice influencers into camera systems. After all, there are lots of new sneakers to show off and reaction videos to film.

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Social distancing suddenly made webcams extremely important. People are flocking to video-chatting services and big tech companies like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft are providing users with an ever-increasing arsenal of options when it comes to face-to-face calling. Chances are, the webcam on your computer wasn’t ready for its new place in the spotlight. Many built-in computer webcams are still relatively low-resolution with lackluster lenses that make you look equal parts grainy and smeary when you’re trying to interact with your friends, family, and coworkers. Now, however, people with higher-end Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm DSLRs and mirrorless cameras can use their upgraded gear to get clearer picture during streams and recording sessions.

Back in April, demand crushed the market for external webcams. Affordable models from recognizable brands dried up on store shelves and websites, only to quickly reappear days—or even hours later—for hugely inflated prices. As The Verge reported back then, the Logitech HD Webcam C270, which usually costs just $24.99 retail, was selling for up to $130. Even now, that same model still hovers around $60, with many listings still demanding a cool $100. Using the fancy camera you already have can help you avoid the hunt and expenditure.

For Canon users

At the end of April, Canon announced a new software update for some of its most popular cameras that allows them to tether directly to a Windows 10 computer and act like a humble webcam. Just this week, however, the company expanded that compatibility to include Mac computers. Making it work requires the Canon EOS Utility software that many users often skip for typical photo editing duties for more robust third-party solutions like Adobe’s Lightroom or CaptureOne.

The software is only a beta release, but I tried turning my 1D X Mark II into one of the world’s fanciest webcams and it worked as advertised. I also tried it with a 5D Mark III and it seemed to work just the same even though it’s not on the official list of supported models.

If you’re going to attempt it, make sure your camera has the most recent version of its firmware installed and you’re using the beta version of the EOS utility. It’s also important to note that this only works for people in the United States, at least for the moment.

You can also make it work using an extra piece of hardware called a capture card, which pulls a signal from the camera into the computer via HDMI. Unfortunately, most of the good options will cost you more than a webcam anyway if you can even find them in stock. The Elgato Cam Link 4K, for instance, will set you back $130, but it’s frequently sold out. You can get higher-end models, like the one from Black Magic, but those are designed more for production environments and cost considerably more.

For Sony users

The path to showing up the rest of your friends in video chat isn’t quite as straightforward for Sony cameras as it is with Canon’s new software update, but you can still do it for free. If you have a Sony A-series camera, Windows users can download the suite of Sony imaging software. In that grouping, there’s an app called Remote that allows you to control the camera with your PC.

That app provides a live feed from the camera itself so you can see what’s happing. Using a free piece of software called Open Broadcaster Software Studio (OBS Studio), you can stream out the part of your screen occupied by the live view of the camera. OBS isn’t the simplest program to use and I’ve crashed it a few times trying it, but it will work.

For Fujifilm cameras

Earlier this week, Fujifilm announced a new app called Fujifilm X Webcam. It only works on Windows machines for the moment, but it will make many of the company’s higher-end mirrorless cameras work for your video chatting needs. Some of the cheaper and older models aren’t supported, but those models also typically don’t support tethered capture, which involves shooting photos that upload directly into a computer via a USB cord.

The app even works with Fujifilm’s super-high-end GFX cameras, which have medium-format sensors even larger than those found in pro-grade DSLRs. I tried it with my X-T2 and it worked well. I had to stop and restart the app because the video lagged some on one occasion, but it otherwise seemed like a fairly smooth experience.

Troubleshooting

In the process of trying these out, I ran into a few issues that you might find as well.

With the Sony camera, leaving autofocus on made the camera frequently shift focus around the frame (this is called “hunting” in photography parlance). Keeping the camera in manual focus mode will help avoid this.

I also found that with my A7R, I had to keep the camera in manual mode instead of movie mode in order to get it to show up correctly, which is unintuitive.

Lastly, not every USB cable I attached seemed to work, likely because of power and data transfer issues, so if you can’t get it to show up, try another cable before you pull your hair out.

Once the camera is all set up, make sure to check out some lighting tips for looking your best, because no amount of fancy gear will save you from lousy illumination.

The post It just got a lot easier to convert your DSLR or mirrorless camera into a webcam for free appeared first on Popular Science.

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