Visualization

Camera stabilizer for less than a £1

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:56:54 GMT

Don't be a slave to your tripod. Build this stabilizer and see how much better you photos and video can be. Get professional results. This instructional video shows you how to build your own stabilizer in 5 minutes for less than £1. It is super light weight and folds up small enough to fit in your pocket. With this stabilizer, you can hand-hold your camera with shutter speeds at least 3 stops slower than without. It works just as well with video cameras.

Nikon | Imaging Products | Nikon D700

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:26:27 GMT

Nikon D700

Nikon, Inc. today introduced the new D700 digital SLR camera featuring a 12.1-effective megapixel Nikon FX-format sensor that measures 23.9 x 36mm, which is nearly identical to the size of 35mm film. Benefiting from Nikon’s legacy of imaging technology innovation, the D700 offers both advanced and professional photographers stunning image quality, accurate color reproduction and revolutionary low light performance.

Nikon FX-format performance combined with superior mobility and functional versatility

Main Features

Nikon's original FX-format CMOS image sensor with 36.0 (H) x 23.9 (V) mm image size; 12.1 effective megapixels
Superior picture quality throughout a wide ISO sensitivity range of ISO 200 to 6400; can be set to ISO-equivalent 25,600
Incorporates Nikon's original EXPEED digital image processing concept
Continuous shooting speed is up to 5 frames per second with the included Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e, and up to 8 frames per second when using the optional Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D10 and Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4a/4 or eight AA-size batteries
Nikon's original Scene Recognition System, utilizing the 1,005-pixel RGB sensor, greatly improves autofocus, auto exposure and auto white balance performance
Active D-Lighting automatically compensates highlights or shadows while you shoot, creating images with natural contrast ? even in difficult lighting
Picture Control System for image finishing optimized to match individual preferences
3D Color Matrix Metering II for ideal exposures in almost any lighting situation
Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module featuring 51 AF points offers fast, efficient and precise autofocus
Two Live View modes enable shooting while confirming subjects in the LCD monitor
3-inch LCD with 920,000-dot (VGA) resolution and a 170° ultra-wide viewing angle
Built-in flash with 24mm lens coverage and Nikon’s dependable i-TTL flash control
Magnesium alloy used for the exterior cover, rear body and mirror box reduces weight and provides rugged durability
Optional Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D10 extends shooting capability, enhances stability, and provides the further shooting potential of added controls
Support for the Wireless Transmitter WT-4/4A (optional) enables direct cable-free image transfer to a compatible computer
Included Nikon ViewNX software makes browsing and organizing your images easy
Optional photo-editing software, Capture NX 2 allows users quick and easy photo editing

Nikon | Imaging Products | Nikon D700

Run Your Car On Water | Convert Your Car To Use Water As Fuel | Hydrogen Fuel Car

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:28:11 GMT

Can this be true visit the link below to see the video

Would You Like To Know How You Can Easily Convert Your Car To Run On Water and Gas Today To Double Your Gas Mileage and Save Thousands Of Dollars On Fuel Costs?

Are you sick and tired of rising gas prices? Would you like to stop paying for expensive gas and save over 50% on fuel costs at the same time as helping the environment by running a vehicle with cleaner emissions?

Running your car on water will save you thousands of dollars every year in fuel costs, whilst significantly improving your vehicles fuel efficiency.

Our do-it-yourself conversion guide is easy to follow with step-by-step instructions and extremely affordable! Get set up today for less than $100!

Works on gas or diesel powered cars, trucks, vans and SUV's

Will enable your vehicle to become at least 50% more fuel efficient

Boost performance whilst producing cleaner emissions

Receive IRS refunds owed to you by law for using green technology in your vehicle!

Works anywhere in the world

100% safe/legal - guaranteed!

Works with plain tap water

Get set up for the cheapest, best value price.

Enjoy incredible fuel savings.

This conversion is very easy to install and remove, it does not void your vehicle warranty in any way and best of all, you don't need to know anything about cars, everything you need to know is covered in simple, step-by-step format with diagrams to get you set up in no time at all.

Run Your Car On Water | Convert Your Car To Use Water As Fuel | Hydrogen Fuel Car

Live Labs Seadragon on Surface

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:13:33 GMT

You have got to watch the video below. Stick with it though, as its a bit jumpy

GBM Shortcut: Live Labs Seadragon on Surface
- Rob Bushway
I'm in Redmond for some meetings with Microsoft's Surface team, and we had an informal meet and greet last night. During that time, we got to get our hands on the Surface and see some pretty cool stuff, one item in particular had not previously been seen outside the Surface team - Live Labs Seadragon running on a Surface. These pictures are gigapixel in size, and just watch how seamlessly they are manipulated, scattered about, zoomed, etc. We also have some fun with another demo app towards the end, with Slashgear's Vincent Nguyen face. I gotta tell you, this Surface stuff goes way beyond multi-touch. It is a whole different paradigm in computing, and the Surface team is leading this pioneering effort.

GottaBeMobile - GBM Shortcut: Live Labs Seadragon on Surface - Tablet PC & UMPC News & Video Reviews, and Tablet PC / UMPC Forums

About time! - Support grows for universal power adapter

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:29:16 GMT

Startup Green Plug's smart power technology could help the environment by eliminating the need to ship a power adapter with every electronics device
For full article click link below

Support grows for universal power adapter | InfoWorld | News | 2008-06-16 | By James Niccolai, IDG News Service

BBC Money Programme Special - Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World.

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:50:42 GMT

Earlier this year Bill Gates was in the UK for his final trip in his full time role at Microsoft. In July, Bill will make the transition to spend more of his time at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation while remaining as Chairman at Microsoft. In preparation for this transition,, the BBC presenter Fiona Bruce and the Money Programme film crew traveled with Bill throughout his day in the UK to prepare for a BBC Money Programme Special - Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World.

This specially extended one hour programme will be aired on this Friday 7–8pm 20^th June on BBC2.

The programme is set up to tell the definitive story of Bill Gates and Microsoft, including views from friends, colleagues and critics. It will look in more detail at some of the most important episodes and turning points in the company’s history right up to date, including the recent bid for Yahoo! and an examination of the challenges currently facing Microsoft, as well as Bill’s future work with the Foundation.

Schneier on Security: The War on Photography

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:29:21 GMT

This is an interesting article from Bruce Schneier blog, who is an internationally renowned security technologist and author. Described by The Economist as a "security guru," he is best known as a refreshingly candid and lucid security critic and commentator.

June 05, 2008

The War on Photography

What is it with photographers these days? Are they really all terrorists, or does everyone just think they are?
Since 9/11, there has been an increasing war on photography. Photographers have been harassed, questioned, detained, arrested or worse, and declared to be unwelcome. We've been repeatedly told to watch out for photographers, especially suspicious ones. Clearly any terrorist is going to first photograph his target, so vigilance is required.
Except that it's nonsense. The 9/11 terrorists didn't photograph anything. Nor did the London transport bombers, the Madrid subway bombers, or the liquid bombers arrested in 2006. Timothy McVeigh didn't photograph the Oklahoma City Federal Building. The Unabomber didn't photograph anything; neither did shoe-bomber Richard Reid. Photographs aren't being found amongst the papers of Palestinian suicide bombers. The IRA wasn't known for its photography. Even those manufactured terrorist plots that the US government likes to talk about -- the Ft. Dix terrorists, the JFK airport bombers, the Miami 7, the Lackawanna 6 -- no photography.
Given that real terrorists, and even wannabe terrorists, don't seem to photograph anything, why is it such pervasive conventional wisdom that terrorists photograph their targets? Why are our fears so great that we have no choice but to be suspicious of any photographer?
Because it's a movie-plot threat.
Click the link below for the full article

Schneier on Security: The War on Photography

Imagine - BBC1, Tuesday 10th June

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:38:58 GMT

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through A Lens

When asked what a photographer's life is about, the subject of this film replies that it is 'a life looking through a lens'. She should know: Annie Leibovitz has been looking at all kinds of life through her lens for the last 30 years.
Viewers who haven't heard her name will certainly have seen her pictures: from a naked and pregnant Demi Moore to Bette Midler on a bed of roses; from Bruce Springsteen's famous pose in front of the American flag, to a naked John Lennon curled up and vulnerable next to a distant-looking Yoko Ono, Leibovitz's images are instantly recognisable.

If you miss this episode, catch up on BBC iPlayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

BBC - Imagine

Smile, You're On Camera: Eye-Fi Card Catches Thief | Gadget Lab from Wired.com

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:41:41 GMT

Smile, You're On Camera: Eye-Fi Card Catches Thief

By Charlie Sorrel June 06, 2008 |

Here's a new use for the Eye-Fi wireless SD card that we hadn't considered: A virtual private eye. Eye-Fi user Alison DeLauzon lost $1,000 worth of photo gear while on holiday in Florida.
The Eye-Fi SD card, once plugged into your camera, hooks up to the Internet and sends your photos to either an online sharing site or directly back to your home machine. In this case it was the latter, and the hapless thief not only sent the precious vacation shots back to Alison's computer, but -- according to the email we received from Gadget Lab reader Joe Volat -- "pictures [of] the thieves proudly displaying Alison's lifted camera equipment."
"I opened up the Eye-Fi manager on the computer and, lo and behold, there are the guys that stole our cameras," DeLauzon told Reuters.
This is certainly not the first time that technology has foiled a foolish felon: remember the tattooed man who fell afoul of the auto uploading FlickBooth? But in this case, the thief was extra unlucky. The current generation of Eye-Fi cards need to be preconfigured for each hotspot they access.
In this case, the thief was unlucky enough to stumble across an access point with the exact same SSID and lack of password as one of Alison's regular haunts. We're guessing it was an unsecured hot spot with the default SSID.

Smile, You're On Camera: Eye-Fi Card Catches Thief | Gadget Lab from Wired.com

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

Thu, 29 May 2008 10:39:31 GMT

Having taken a few days of recently, I manage to catch up on some reading. One of the books was Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. When I first started to read it you say to yourself "I already know that", but if stay with it and actually read all of the words of this book then you'll discover many little gems of info that will help you to be more creative in your photography.

The exercises in the book changed my view of the world and hopefully my photography will get better in the process.

Microsoft makes a 216megapixel camera

Thu, 29 May 2008 10:10:50 GMT

The UltraCamX, a large Format Digital Aerial Camera, uses CCD technology, employing 7.2 micrometer pixels thus achieving an even larger image format at 14,430 x 9,420 pixels without sacrificing radiometric performance.
UltraScan 5000
A highly automated photogrammetric scanner designed and field-tested by photogrammetrists, producing digital images of un-compromising quality.
UltraMap Workflow Software System
A complete and integrated photogrammetric workflow for UltraCam images, with a flexible and scalable distributed system for managing and processing vast amounts of UltraCam data.

Microsoft Ultracam Home

WorldWide Telescope

Wed, 14 May 2008 08:25:14 GMT

Microsoft has launched WorldWide Telescope, a free application that enables users to navigate the universe and view celestial objects through the lenses of the world's best observatories
What is WWT?
The WorldWide Telescope (WWT) is a Web 2.0 visualization software environment that enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope—bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world for a seamless exploration of the universe.
Choose from a growing number of guided tours of the sky by astronomers and educators from some of the most famous observatories and planetariums in the country. Feel free at any time to pause the tour, explore on your own (with multiple information sources for objects at your fingertips), and rejoin the tour where you left off. Join Harvard Astronomer Alyssa Goodman on a journey showing how dust in the Milky Way Galaxy condenses into stars and planets. Take a tour with University of Chicago Cosmologist Mike Gladders two billion years into the past to see a gravitational lens bending the light from galaxies allowing you to see billions more years into the past.
WorldWide Telescope is created with the Microsoft® high performance Visual Experience Engine™ and allows seamless panning and zooming around the night sky, planets, and image environments. View the sky from multiple wavelenghts: See the x-ray view of the sky and zoom into bright radiation clouds, and then crossfade into the visible light view and discover the cloud remnants of a supernova explosion from a thousand years ago. Switch to the Hydrogen Alpha view to see the distribution and illumination of massive primordial hydrogen cloud structures lit up by the high energy radiation coming from nearby stars in the Milky Way. These are just two of many different ways to reveal the hidden structures in the universe with the WorldWide Telescope. Seamlessly pan and zoom from aerial views of the Moon and selected planets, as well as see their precise positions in the sky from any location on Earth and any time in the past or future with the Microsoft Visual Experience Engine.
WWT is a single rich application portal that blends terabytes of images, information, and stories from multiple sources over the Internet into a seamless, immersive, rich media experience. Kids of all ages will feel empowered to explore and understand the universe with its simple and powerful user interface.
Microsoft Research is dedicating WorldWide Telescope to the memory of Jim Gray and is releasing WWT as a free resource to the astronomy and education communities with the hope that it will inspire and empower people to explore and understand the universe like never before.

WorldWide Telescope

DNG Codec - Adobe Labs

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:42:01 GMT

DNG Codec

From Adobe Labs

Welcome to the Adobe® DNG Codec release candidate on Adobe Labs. The DNG Codec provides a method for Windows Vista users to view DNG files in the Windows Explorer and Photo Gallery. The ‘release candidate’ label applied to this technology indicates that the codec includes all of the intended features and is well tested but will not be released as a finished product until the community is able to help ensure that a larger set of hardware and software configurations are used with the Codec.
For more information on the DNG format, please visit the DNG pages on Adobe.com

System Requirements

Microsoft Windows Vista (This codec is not compatible with the Windows Vista 64-bit platform)

Download and Installation

Download the DNG Codec
Double click the downloaded dngcodec_r1_051208.msi file
Follow the on-screen installation instructions
The DNG Codec may require that you restart your computer before use

Release Notes

Please provide feedback on your experience with the DNG Codec on the Adobe User to User forums
The DNG Codec will move from a release candidate to a shipping version once sufficient feedback is received
Additional information about the Windows Vista codec system can be found on the Microsoft web site

Retrieved from "http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/DNG_Codec"

DNG Codec - Adobe Labs

The best selling digital photography book

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:47:25 GMT

Peachpit Press announced that The Digital Photography Book Vol. 1 by Scott Kelby is the best-selling book on digital photography ever, having sold over a quarter-million copies so far. Congratulations to Scott for the tremendous success of this volume.

Microsoft Pro Photo: Geotagging Goes Mainstream

Fri, 02 May 2008 07:59:33 GMT

What does it mean to say, "Find your photos?" Traditionally that meant literally just finding where particular photos reside on your computer (or a physical location back when film was king). But with new tools and advanced technology, finding your photos can mean finding not just the photos themselves, but finding the exact location where you took a photo. This, in turn, will make it even easier to search for the photos themselves later. Microsoft Pro Photo Tools, a free download available at the Microsoft Pro Photo Web site, enables you to apply location information to your photos so you can always know exactly where they were captured.

It gets even better though. Leveraging the power of Windows Live Local, Pro Photo Tools will then determine the location name information for the photos based on the GPS coordinates. This allows you to have more meaningful location information attached to your photos, which is especially helpful when you want to later search or images based on their specific location. Full article at the link below

Microsoft Pro Photo: Geotagging Goes Mainstream

'CSI' sleuths out Microsoft's latest technology - USATODAY.com

Thu, 01 May 2008 08:30:02 GMT

'CSI' sleuths out Microsoft's latest technology
The Microsoft technology behind the scenes:
Photosynth. Stitches together a large collection of photos and turns them into 3-D images, viewable from any angle. Due out by year's end. Preview at labs.live.com/photosynth/default.html
HD View. Still in the labs, this imaging technology is kind of like Photosynth on steroids. research.microsoft.com/ivm/HDView/HDabout.htm
Microsoft Surface. Interactive tabletop computers recently made their commercial debut in some AT&T stores. Microsoft.com/surface
Orb motion-based controller in futuristic bedroom on Microsoft Home website uses OLED (organic light emitting display) technology to change the artwork, video clips and Web pages shown on the wall. Considered five to 10 years out.

Enlarge
By Randy Tepper, CBS

By Edward C. Baig, USA TODAY
A guidance counselor at a Manhattan prep school is murdered while the prom is taking place in the gymnasium.
Forensic scientists for the New York police attempt to recreate the crime scene by uploading hundreds of camera phone thumbnail photos snapped at the dance onto a computer.
STORY: Toddlers coming of digital age
The PC screen fills up in a concentric square pattern, revealing a wide shot of the gym at the center. Investigators can manipulate the images to show close-ups of the scene from every angle.
This episode of the CBS crime drama CSI: NY, scheduled to run Wednesday night, is fiction. But the technology at its core, Microsoft's Photosynth software, is real. It analyzes scores of images for similarities and stitches them into a three-dimensional reconstruction.

'CSI' sleuths out Microsoft's latest technology - USATODAY.com

Pictures taken at just the right angle..

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:18:57 GMT

I don't know the source of these photos so cannot apply any credits, but thought they were worth a post.

FORTUNE: Microsoft Surface: consumer version in 2011?

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:00:06 GMT

Microsoft Surface: consumer version in 2011?

Microsoft Surface is a tabletop computer that’s controlled by physical touch instead of a mouse or keyboard. Image: Microsoft
Microsoft’s tabletop computer could appear in homes in three years or less, the executive in charge of its development said this week.
Since unveiling the Microsoft Surface product last year, the company has gotten plenty of feedback from businesses and enthusiasts who want to get their hands on the technology, said Tom Gibbons, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s (MSFT) Specialized Devices and Applications business. And Gibbons said he feels confident that the touch-based computer could be affordable enough for consumers in three years or less. “In the three-year time window, we absolutely see how to get there,” Gibbons said. “If we can beat that, we’ll try to beat that.”

FORTUNE: Big Tech Microsoft Surface: consumer version in 2011?

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/index.html

Follow up to Adobe releases Photoshop Express for the web, make sure your happy with this clause in the T&C's

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:53:48 GMT

8. Use of Your Content.

Adobe does not claim ownership of Your Content. However, with respect to Your Content that you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of the Services, you grant Adobe a worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable license to use, distribute, derive revenue or other remuneration from, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, publicly perform and publicly display such Content (in whole or in part) and to incorporate such Content into other Materials or works in any format or medium now known or later developed.

Adobe releases Photoshop Express for the web

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:38:49 GMT

I haven’t tried it yet but I thought the group mind find this interesting.

No, it’s not a Photoshop replacement, but it is a remarkably well designed basic photo-editing and sharing application.

No layers here, no fancy pants masking. But for 95% of your photos, it offers pretty much all you need to fix ‘em up, and it does it with style.

Whether adjusting exposure, white balance, or hue, touching up blemishes, or distorting your image, Photoshop Express provides an easy slider and thumbnails to give you an instant preview of your image at various settings.

So what does it cost? It’s free

http://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html

Photo Album: Macro / Close-up

Fri, 02 May 2008 08:00:26 GMT

Macro / Close-up

Book

Bulb

Cards

Coins

Dragon Fly

Fork

Grass Hopper

Hover Fly

Letters

Lilly Stamen

More Photos...

Photo Album: Orton Effect

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:50:26 GMT

Orton Effect

Bridge-with-effect

Bridge-without-effect

Butterfly-with-effect

Butterfly-without-effect

Clover-with-effect

Clover-without-effect

Mushrooms-with-effect

Mushrooms-without-effect

Photo Album: Wildlife

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 16:28:57 GMT

Wildlife

Wildlife (10)

Wildlife (11)

Wildlife (12)

Wildlife (13)

Wildlife (14)

Wildlife (15)

Wildlife (16)

Wildlife (17)

Wildlife (18)

Wildlife (19)

More Photos...

Photo Album: Tanzania November 2006

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 15:46:58 GMT

Tanzania November 2006

Tanzania 2006 (10)

Tanzania 2006 (11)

Tanzania 2006 (12)

Tanzania 2006 (13)

Tanzania 2006 (14)

Tanzania 2006 (15)

Tanzania 2006 (16)

Tanzania 2006 (17)

Tanzania 2006 (18)

Tanzania 2006 (19)

More Photos...

Custom List: Windows Vista

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:45:23 GMT

Windows Vista

Windows Vista
See Windows Vista
Windows Vista Community
Tweaking with Vishal - Microsoft MVP
Windows Vista Tips & Tricks
Win Vista Club
UK Resource for Windows Vista Hints & Tips

Custom List: What's in the Bag

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:43:58 GMT

What's in the Bag

Book List: Book List

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:36:51 GMT

Chris Weston: Digital Wildlife Photography
Chris Weston: The Essential Wildlife Photography Manual
Andy Rouse: Wildlife Photography
The Lonely Planet Guide to Wildlife Travel Photography (a guide to taking better pictures) Great book

Custom List: Links

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 16:34:32 GMT

Links

Lets Go Digital
Online Magazine for Digital Imaging
ephotozine
Online Photo Magazine

Custom List: Magazines

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:52:06 GMT

Magazines

Custom List: Wildlife Links

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 21:25:32 GMT

Wildlife Links

Wildlife Extra
Wildlife Extra is for people who like wildlife, who like watching wildlife, who like conserving wildlife, who like photographing wildlife and who like hearing the latest wildlife news.

Custom List: Blogs

Fri, 13 Oct 2006 12:03:21 GMT

Blogs

Microsoft PIX Team
Microsoft Photo Experience Team Blog
Allister Frost's Blog
OfficeRocker
Darren Strange's Blog on 2007 Microsoft Office system