Becca Farsace
I put the two most beloved fixed lens cameras head to head.
And better than my video are all the comments about which system folks are most aligned with, either the $1,599.00 Fujifilm X100VI or the $1,046.95 Ricoh GR IIIx.
Cameras
Digital cameras changed photography, and now smartphones are changing digital cameras. There’s never been more interesting ways to take a picture or record a video, and there’s also never been more ways to view those images. We’re focused on finding the most interesting innovations happening in all parts of photography.
Sheena Vasani
Scientists created a car-sized digital camera to understand the universe
The 3,200-megapixel Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Camera will help researchers address cosmology’s biggest questions, including the nature of dark matter and our solar system, by photographing the southern sky for 10 years.
It took the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory over 20 years to build, and now the largest digital camera ever created for astronomy will be shipped to the Andes.
Quentyn Kennemer
Jess Weatherbed
Elgato’s updated Facecam adds a privacy shutter and new HDR mode.
The $150 Facecam MK.2 is cheaper than its $200 predecessor and includes the virtual Pan-Tilt-Zoom tech that was previously only available on the Facecam Pro.
The field of view has also been increased from 82 to 84 degrees, alongside other visual improvements mentioned in the post below. There’s still no built-in mic, but good riddance because webcam mics tend to suck anyway.
Allison Johnson
Chris Welch
“The most capable and versatile smartphone camera around” is only available in China.
Verge alum Sam Byford did a deep dive on Oppo’s new Find X7 Ultra for his Multicore newsletter. It’s a great read for photography nerds like me.
This is the first phone to ship with two periscope cameras. It’s stacked with today’s best sensors. And there’s a neat Master mode that makes the Find X7 Ultra’s images feel less computational and more genuine.
If only a gadget like this could be easily obtained in the US...
Oppo Find X7 Ultra review: hidden master
[www.multicore.blog]
Vjeran Pavic
So you’re telling me there’s a chance?
Last week Fujifilm released a limited edition of its popular X100VI camera. But Fujirumors.com cites scalpers who say they snagged 92 percent of the cameras, which only included 300 in the US.
But not all hope is lost! Fujifilm announced on Instagram that it intercepted “a large number of suspicious orders” and canceled them, so Fuji fans will get one more chance to get their hands on the LE X100VI via a raffle. More details to come soon.
Jess Weatherbed
“Photography itself is not really real.”
That’s according to portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz, who offered her hot take in the “what is a photo” debate on Wednesday while discussing how generative AI may impact the industry.
“That doesn’t worry me at all,” she told AFP, likening AI image generation to Photoshop. “With each technological progress, there are hesitations and concerns. You just have to take the plunge and learn how to use it.”
Chris Welch
Logitech’s new Mevo Core camera is designed to make on-location live streaming way simpler.
I feel like the whole ethos of Logitech hardware boils down to “here is an reliable and easy option.” The company’s new Mevo Core 4K live streaming video camera is yet another example.
Designed for wireless on-location streaming wherever your content creation ambitions take you, it’s got a Micro Four Thirds sensor inside, supports interchangeable lenses, and you can control several Mevos with your phone for a multi-angle production. The price? $999 for the camera body only.
Logitech acquired Mevo back in 2021.
Image: Logitech
Vjeran Pavic
Good luck getting one of Fujifilm’s limited-edition X100VI units.
From March 21st to March 23rd, 100 cameras will be sold daily on a first come, first served basis for $1,999. ($400 more than the regular X100VI).
It’s already plenty hard to buy the “regular” X100VI — it’ll be even harder when there’s only 300 of them.
Andrew Webster
You’ve heard of “what is a photo?” Now it’s time for “what is a selfie?”
The question is being raised by a new exhibition called “Art of the Selfie” at the National Museum Cardiff. It will display, among other works, Vincent van Gogh’s famous “Portrait of the Artist” as a way of asking the question “is a self-portrait the original selfie?” Maybe it’s time for a new t-shirt.
Allison Johnson
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra photography kit is a beaut.
I’m busy testing the Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s camera but please take a minute to appreciate this gorgeous photography accessory kit. It updates last year’s version with a beefier battery that can power the phone. Just feast your eyes on that gorgeous two-stage shutter button!
One thing I’m noticing so far? It’s heavier than the previous version. That’s not so hot.
1/5Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Chris Welch
Who among us can’t relate to being in “cloud storage hell”?
Charlie Warzel has written a piece at The Atlantic that will likely resonate with many of you. He’s got years worth of photos and videos spread between Apple’s iCloud Photo Library and Google Photos and now feels indefinitely beholden to these services as a result.
In my case, you can add Lightroom to the mix. What’s the endgame in these situations? Do we just keep paying a handful of companies forever? I don’t have a great answer.
I Am in Cloud-Storage Hell
[The Atlantic]
Richard Lawler
Leica’s $6,995 camera is doing the most.
Becca Farsace explains how 8K video, impressive heft, and an HDMI port are just a few of the notable features of the new SL3.
Jon Porter
From security cameras to temperature sensors, pet feeders to smart sprinklers, here’s the pet tech I use to look after my critters.
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jess Weatherbed
Sean Hollister
Did today’s update improve your Samsung Galaxy S24’s camera?
Inquiring minds would like to know. Officially, there’s a new “vividness” option, and “image quality and sharpness optimization code has been applied” as well.
Unofficially, SamMobile says it “improves text clarity while using high zoom ranges,” improves “the exposure of dark parts of a scene while capturing images indoors,” helps with backlit photos, improves colors and exposure in various photo modes, and more.
Chris Welch
People have very strong opinions about Fujfilm’s latest camera.
The Fujifilm X100VI is here, and as our own comment section and any number of Reddit threads can demonstrate, there are a lot of takes on this camera. Is it overhyped or a worthy upgrade? Are those film simulations good enough to choose Fujifilm over competing cameras from Sony or Nikon?
Here’s Becca’s quick rundown on what’s new with the X100VI, and stay tuned for our full review in the coming weeks.
Quentyn Kennemer, Brandon Widder and 1 more
Vjeran Pavic
GoPro is working on a ‘tech-enabled’ helmet.
ICYMI, in January 2024, GoPro announced plans to acquire Forcite — an Australian company that makes tech-enabled motorcycle helmets. Those helmets include features like communications, digital imaging, navigation, and safety alerts.
GoPro is aiming to close the acquisition by the end of this quarter and is expected to launch its first smart helmet in 2025, said Christopher Clark, GoPro’s VP of corporate communications, during a Q4 earnings call.
GoPro to acquire Forcite, maker of tech-enabled helmets
[investor.gopro.com]
Sheena Vasani
GoPro will launch new cameras starting at $199 this year.
GoPro will launch multiple cameras this year, the company announced during its Q4 earning call. The new cameras will start at $199 and go all the way up to $599. It’s possible the $599 camera could be the new GoPro Max, which founder and CEO Nick Woodman confirmed the company was working on last year.
Sheena Vasani
GoPro launches Premium Plus subscription and a desktop version of its mobile app.
After announcing it late last year, GoPro launched the $99.99 Premium Plus subscription ahead of its Q4 earnings call today. For twice as much as the original GoPro Subscription (now called GoPro Premium) it offers additional benefits like 500GB of cloud storage for any camera and built-in Hypersmooth Pro stabilization.
GoPro also launched a macOS version of its mobile app, Quik, that’s free to subscribers on all tiers. It’ll be available for Windows as well later this year.
Allison Johnson
The real photo was the friends we made along the way.
I joined my pals Chris Niccolls, Jordan Drake, and Jaron Schneider on this week’s PetaPixel Podcast to talk about some of our favorite subjects: computational photography, Sony camera menu systems, and whether or not photos are real. Check it out for a delightful chat with some of the very best photography nerds I know.
Wes Davis
Halide sums up the stereoscopic photography of the Vision Pro.
Portrait mode images aren’t 3D — iPhones use depth mapping to determine where everything is in space, then they use machine learning to apply simulated bokeh (that is, the blur that optical lenses give you when focusing on a subject).
iPhone camera app maker Halide explains how the Vision Pro’s “spatial” photos, which use the Vision Pro’s “stereoscopic 3D camera system,” aren’t that.
Becca Farsace