Energizer de-energizes Lithium batteries

Disposable Lithium batteries--a market seemingly cornered by Energizer's Ultimate Lithium batteries--are great if you need enduring power. They're not great for the environment and they're too slow to use in a camera flash, but they last much longer than alkalines and significantly longer than rechargeables. At US$3 apiece (based on the street price of a four-pack), they're also somewhat sticker shocking. So we shouldn't be surprised that Energizer has decided to sell the Energizer Advanced Lithium version with a kindler, gentler price of about US$2 each.

The company only cites the performance of the Advanced batteries to that of alkalines (Energizer Max)--claiming 4x the life in a digital camera compared with 8x for the Ultimates. So unless you can find the Advanced cells for less than half the price of the Ultimates, the Ultimates should remain the better buy on a per-shot basis.

Via Crave CNET

The Tao of photography

We're not sure if we can attain enlightenment with this Yang-Ying digital camera that Polish designer Kubasek Krzystof has come up with. It was designed so it could be taken apart with the black side housing the LCD/lens and the white half having an onboard USB port for transferring of stored images. The shutter button is the black dot on the white portion, and that forms the yin in the yang.

If Krzystof's idea of yin-yang is that they complement each other, this shooter would be a great representation of that notion--each portion needs the other to function properly as a camera. Images captured through the shooter's portion will require the storage area to keep the pictures. And without the camera components, the other part is probably as good as a flash drive.

The designer did not specify the digicam's specifications, but from the looks of the Yang-Ying snapper, it will probably have very basic features. Its best use would be to serve as a reminder to do good and elevate your karma.

Source: Design Spotter

Question of the day: How often do you damage your camera?

It's been said that a pair of steady hands will help shutterbugs snap sharper images, but it seems that this doesn't apply to most photographers, considering the report that three out of four camera owners drop their shooters onto hard surfaces such as concrete flooring.

A UK insurance company has revealed statistics for its camera claims, and it's funny that out of 100 claims, three would be from owners running over the camera with their vehicle. Some blame it on children or dogs (our feline friends weren't involved), while others took too many steps backwards (wouldn't have happened if they had wide-angle lens) and fell into a pond or water body.

This reminded me of the terrible fate my point-and-shoot suffered at the beach a few years ago. A friend borrowed it in a good state but returned it sloppy, cold and dead. Apparently, it dropped on the sand and before he could pick it up, the waves got to it. Any self-respecting photographer would know that sea water is the number one nemesis of camera gear (or any electronic gadget, for that matter), and this is probably why the hardy Olympus Mju-SW series is getting more popular.

Via Amateur Photographer

Vertical grip with IR remote for Canon EOS 450D and EOS 1000D

Users of Canon EOS 450D and the new EOS 1000D often opt for the additional battery grip for taking vertical shots, or simply to enhance the grip and prolong the camera's battery life. While Canon does offer that accessory, we stumbled upon the Ownuser BH-C100R Battery Grip and found that it has a lot of features the Japanese company left out.

We noticed two shutter buttons on either side of the vertical grip which make it user friendly for our south-pawed friends. The attachment also comes with an onboard infrared sensor and a remote control that lets you trigger the shutter without being near the camera. This is particularly useful for nature photographers who often set up their cameras a distance away to avoid frightening the wildlife, or simply for taking self-portraits.

Although the BH-C100R offers plenty of useful features, it should be noted that the camera's warranty is void if the third-party grip damages the shooter. But if you are willing to take the risk, the Ownuser battery grip is available online for US$118.

Photo Tourism lets you explore photos in "3D environment"

The developers over at University of Washington and Microsoft Research have conceived a system called Photo Tourism that will allow the viewing of large photo collections in 3D. For example, if you have 20 photographs of the Eiffel Tower taken from various angles, the algorithms will map them together and as you drag across the image, the picture "turns" and shows you different angles of the structure.

This is achieved by using a technique called Orbit Stabilization and this fixes "the orbit across all angles for a more consistent view". The result? Smoother transition and more realistic 3D effect that would probably require long hours of processing on the computer if done from scratch.

Also, to prevent images taken at different light situations from mixing with one another, Photo Tourism employs Appearance Based Selection, which will scan images of the same scene and remove any pictures that look conflicting from the rest of the bunch.
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