Retra, in conjunction with Italian photographer Michele Davino, has created an underwater motorized zoom system. The eZoom is an aluminum structure that contains an electric motor and power supply which meshes with a lens’ zoom ring. The motor can be controlled with push buttons on the device. This can create images wherein zoom lenses are zoomed out while the shutter is open, creating a motion blur around the outside of the frame, but typically leaving the center in focus, similar to what can be achieved with Fresnel lenses. This technique has been used for some time, but the practicalities of zooming whilst maintaining camera focus and steadiness with one hand has limited its use.

Price and availability of the eZoom are still to be announced.

Continue Reading

Ocean Views 2012, of which Wetpixel is the online media partner is making a final call for entries. The contest will hand out many prizes, including a Grand Prize of two live-aboard dive holidays, one on the Thailand Aggressor, and the other on the Carib Dancer. In addition, there are many other significant prizes for those in the competition’s placings, including great dive holidays and shiny scuba gear. The contest is open at all, with no specific categories, but with prizes for the top 12 placings and 5 honorable mentions. Entries may be of life below, above or around the ocean’s surface and for a one-off $25 US entry fee, you can submit up to 20 images.

The deadline for entries is 18 December 2012, and full rules and procedures are listed on the Nature’s Best Photography website.

Continue Reading

Gizmodo has published a comparative review of four new action cams that have hit the market recently namely: The Drift Ghost, Sony Action Cam, Contour+2 and GoPro HERO3 Black. The testers found that the Ghost seemed somewhat unfinished and had a poor image quality, the Sony also did not deliver great footage, and seems to suffer from a poor build quality. The Contour was reliable, but lacked color accuracy. The HERO3 was, predictably, the leading product with only a limited battery life letting it down.

The testing was carried out with the cameras mounted on a surfboard, static shots were taken from a rooftop and then all three were strapped to a cyclists helmet while he pedaled around Brooklyn. The full test results are available on Gizmodo.

Continue Reading

The BBC reports that the Cook Islands has approved the creation of a shark sanctuary within its waters, which abuts onto the one created by French Polynesia last week. This gives an area of around 6.7 million square kilometers (2.6 million square miles) in which shark fishing and the sale or possession of shark products is banned. Teina Bishop, Cook Islands minister of marine resources, said:

“We join our Pacific neighbours to protect this animal, which is very vital to the health of our oceans, and our culture.”

Continue Reading

Microsoft has released a Camera Codec Pack for Windows Vista, 7 8 and RT, The update allows native Microsoft applications to view Raw files and in this case, adds support for 43 new camera models. These include: EOS M, EOS-1D X, PowerShot G1 X, PowerShot G12, PowerShot G15, PowerShot S100, PowerShot S110, 1 J2, CoolPix P7000, CoolPix P7100, OM-D E-M5, PEN E-PL2, PEN E-PL3, PEN E-PM1, XZ-1, Lumix DMC-FZ150, Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix DMC-GF2, Lumix DMC-GF3, Lumix DMC-GH2, Alpha NEX-7 and Alpha NEX-C3.

Windows Vista and 7 users will have to download the update from the Microsoft support site, whilst Windows 8 and RT users will be able to access the Codec Pack via Windows Update.

Continue Reading