Everybody knows that girls are attracted to guys with dogs. This is why, if you’re desperate, you can rent dogs by the hour. But what kind of dog is most effective at picking up chicks? This is the burning question that the Puppy Pulling Power experiment was designed to answer. Five different breeds of dogs (a Border Collie, a Pug, a Samoyed, a Staffy, and a Yorkie) were outfitted with a Sony Ericsson C510 camera phone (with smile detection software) on their collars, and whenever the dog lifted up its head to receive the attentions of an adoring female, the phone would snap a picture when (or if) she smiled. As you might expect, the dogs had a rather, uh, advantageous angle, so I’m going to go ahead and call the following trailer slightly NSFW due to cleavageness.
Yeah, it seems pretty fake to me too (they were sponsored by Sony Ericsson), but I don’t think that necessarily invalidates the results. Have a look at those after the jump (including some of the pics that you really want to see), but here’s a spoiler: the Samoyed wins by a cute widdle nose. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’ve dropped a good bit of cash on one of the newer DSLRs that can actually shoot HD video, you’ve probably found it a bit awkward to actually shoot video. I mean, you don’t really want to hold that thing up like a regular camera for any real length of time, as it would just get old. Not to mention that’s not always the most comfortable way to walk around. Well the folks over at Redrock have seen this as a perfect opportunity to release some spiffy accessories that will help you out.
The DSLR 2.0 Hybrid Cinema Rigs are a collection of various camera holders that make it easier to shoot video (and stills) like the pros. These help with things like follow focus, attaching larger screens for viewing, and attaching mics. These accessories start at around $200 and turn your nice DSLR into a kick-ass video shooting machine.
GigaPan has updated their robotic camera mount line with the new Epic 100 which can now support a camera and lens combination of up to 3lbs, accommodating larger P&S models and smaller DSLRs. Other notable upgrades include a backlit display making it easier to setup the mount for night-time panoramas, an adjusted gearing pitch allowing for “greater holding torque and finer precision movements” and most importantly, the ability to capture multiple shots (up to 9) at each image location, facilitating those who like to take HDRI photos.
Of course if you read my review of the GigaPan Epic, you’ll know that while it’s a must-have tool for any photographer who’s into the whole panoramic thing, the battery life was lacking at best. And given the Epic 100 will be moving around heavier cameras on the same set of 6 x AA batteries, I have to assume the battery life situation isn’t any better, but hopefully not any worse.
Having used a DSLR for many years now, I much prefer looking through a viewfinder to compose a shot than starting at an LCD. But with more and more people making the upgrade from a P&S to a DSLR these days, it makes sense that Nikon would introduce a model like the D5000 which is their first to include a “Vari-angle” or flip-out LCD display.
The D5000 features the same 12.3-megapixel CMOS sensor as the D90, and is also able to capture HD video in 720P at 24fps. The LCD display is a bit smaller at 2.7 inches, but it’s not that much of a trade-off if you’ve been really hoping for a swivel LCD on a DSLR. Personally, I’ve still got my sights on the D90 because it features a larger viewfinder and a bit more flexibility when it comes to custom settings, but the D5000 kit which includes the AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens should be available in late April for about $850, making it an excellent choice if you’re looking to replace your P&S.
I love the results that talented photographers manage to get from cameras like Lomos and Holgas, and while I’d like to give it a go myself, I just can’t bring myself to spend money on film or developing ever again. But the keychain-friendly VistaQuest VQ 1005 from Superheadz promises Holga-like effects with the convenience of a basic 1.3 megapixel digital camera.
On-board there’s just 4MB of built-in memory, but surprisingly, even though it has a compact design, they’ve still included a built-in SD card slot which means you’ll probably be able to snap thousands of photos with a decent-sized card. I also managed to find a thread about the VQ 1005 on the Camera Hacker forums that included a couple of sample shots that don’t actually look too bad.
Adjusting the focus is apparently a bit of a pain, since you’ll need to open up the camera and screw or unscrew the lens to get what you’re after, but with some trial and error it seems a few users have been quite happy with the results. And while AudioCubes is currently selling it for $89.99, users on the Camera Hacker forum are reporting that they’ve found them at Wal-Mart for about $20.
A week or so ago, we wrote about some little miniature camera toys that you could get as prizes in Japan. They were cute, but they didn’t do anything. This tiny model of a Canon 5D DSLR actually does do something, with a 4 gig USB flash drive hidden inside the lens, which is a decent enough 24-105mm f/4 IS. ‘Course, if you want to store your files in high quality, you’d have to find yourself a Nikon D3X flash drive, instead.
These Canon 5D flash drives pop up on eBay for a totally ridiculous $100 and up, but if you can afford a 5D, you probably won’t care.
The best reason for buying a DSLR from a reputable camera store is that there’s a good chance they offer a sensor cleaning service, done by someone who knows what they’re doing. Of course cleaning the sensor yourself is always an option, particularly if you’re swapping lenses on a daily basis, but it can be a bit of a nerve-wracking experience. So it’s best to make sure you have the right tools before you give it a shot.
The SensorKlear Loupe, from the people who brought you the Lenspen, works like a miniature microscope when mounted to your camera, allowing you to see the illuminated sensor surface magnified 6x so you can make sure you’ve removed every last piece of dust. It also has a convenient access hole on the side allowing you to use it conjunction with a Lenspen, or even sensor cleaning swabs, whichever you prefer.
The SensorKlear Loupe sells for $79.95 and comes with a SensorKlear II which is basically one of the company’s Lenspens with an articulated head. And if you consider that a professional sensor cleaning might run you $20-$40, it could be worth it in the long run.
I guess just having their own digital camera isn’t enough to thrill kids these days, so Digital Blue’s U-Turn camera comes with a ‘morph’ feature that will distort the images with one of 12 preset effects including swirls and the technological breakthrough known as the stretchy head. (I heard Canon’s still struggling with that one.) The U-Turn’s also got a twisting lens allowing kids to snap self shots with the the 2.4-inch LCD display, and enough built-in memory to store a whopping 80 photos. Expect it to hit store shelves sometime this Spring for a mere $49.99.
It’s a cruel joke, but Hershey has partnered with Jazwares to develop a frustratingly inedible line of consumer electronics, starting with this chocolatey looking but not chocolatey tasting USB drive. Also on the menu are other things that you tend to find in Halloween grab bags but nowhere else, like Krackle and Mr. Goodbar. These drives are available in capacities from 1 gig to 4 gig, for $15 – $30.
What makes even less sense are plush (yes, plush) Jolly Rancher speakers, or a digital camera shaped like a Hershey Kiss. I can’t even imagine how that might work, but thankfully I don’t have to, since we’ve got a rendering of it right here:
Awesome, that’s just awesome. It’ll be $25. As for availability on all of this stuff, I have no idea, but I’m hoping for as long from now as possible.
Related Tags: Animals, cell-phones, Digital Cameras, Pets
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By Andrew Liszewski
