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Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL to go on sale in India on May 15

Google launched its budget smartphones – the Google Pixel 3a and the Google Pixel 3a XL — on the sidelines of Google I/O 2019 last week. Now, nearly a week after their launch, the two smartphones are going on sale in India. Interested buyers can head to Flipkart on May 15 to get their hands on the two newly launched Pixel smartphones in India.


If you are planning to buy any of the two newly launched Pixel smartphones, Google is offering interesting deals as a part of the launch offer that will motivate you to shop now. For starters, customers can get up to Rs 4,000 off on the purchase of Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL smartphones via their HDFC credit card or debit card. In addition to this, interested buyers can get up to Rs 3,000 Rs off on exchanging their old smartphones for a new Pixel 3a or a Pixel 3a XL smartphone.


Apart from this, interested customers can also buy the Google Pixel 3a or the Google Pixel 3a XL smartphones using a no-cost EMI of up to 6 months via Bajaj FinServe and all debit and credit cards. And if you shop frequently at Flipkart (or if you are a Flipkart Plus customer), you can get Rs 1,000 off by redeeming 20 Flipkart Coins.


But the offers don’t end right there. Apart from discounts on the purchase of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones, Google is also offering a three-month subscription of YouTube Music Premium for free. This will give you access to YouTube’s vast catalogue of music videos, concerts and new releases at no additional. And in case you don’t like the experience, Flipkart, which is hosting Big Shopping Days sale on its platfrom from May 15 to May 19, is offering users a chance to return their Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL smartphone within 90 days of the purchase at a 90 per cent buyback value as a part of its ‘Love it or Return It’ offer.


In case you aren’t sure of the details, here’s a crash course in Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL specs for you: Both Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor and they run on Android 9.0 Pie. The two buget Pixel smartphones sport 6GB RAM along with 64GB internal memory and they feature a 3.5mm jack along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC and Google Cast for connectivity.


In terms of the camera, both Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL sport 12.2MP rear camera with Sony IMX363 sensor and electronic image stabalisation and an 8MP front camera. The only point of difference between the two smartphones is their display and their batteries. While the Pixel 3a comes with a 5.6-inch full HD+ gOLED display with a 3,000mAh battery, the Pixel 3a XL comes with a 6.0-inch full HD+ gOLED display and a 3,700mAh battery. The Google Pixel 3a is priced at Rs 39,999 in India while the Google Pixel 3a XL costs Rs 44,999.

 


 

Olympus celebrates its 100th birthday with a short documentary on its imaging division

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Olympus has shared a trio of short documentary videos showing the history and subsequent evolution of its three primary business divisions: medical, scientific solutions and imaging.




The above video, officially titled ‘Olympus 100th Anniversary Documentary: A Great Moment,’ shares not only the history of Olympus’ imaging division, but also interviews with Olympus research and development executives, camera store technicians and Pulitzer Prize-winning National Geographic photographer and Olympic visionary Jay Dickman.


Olympus has also created a dedicated website for its centennial celebration, which includes a timeline of the history of Olympus products, from the first microscope it produced to the launch of its mirrorless camera system and beyond.

Fujifilm India launches its first ‘WONDER PHOTO SHOP’ in Hyderabad

Following the launch of three ‘WONDER PHOTO SHOPS’ in India’s metropolitan cities, Fujifilm India is all set to unveil its exclusive experiential store in Hyderabad – ‘Wonder Photo Shop’, making it the fourth concept store of its kind in India.

Located at Gachibowli, Miyapur Road, Hyderabad, the store will showcase Fujifilm’s latest gear and also serve as a hub for photographic education and inspiration. According to the company the store embodies a holistic vision of photography, from picture taking to printing, sharing and social networking. With the theme ‘Photo Renaissance’, the store reportedly offers an opportunity to experience an immersive and interactive retail space with Fujifilm’s products and services to meet the aesthetic taste of discerning customers especially the youth.


Today, with the growth of passion among consumers to explore their creativity to print photos and organize them in a fun and imaginative manner, Fujifilm claims that the Wonder Photo Shop allows these customers to discover the wonder of photography and learn how they can bring their favorite photos from smartphones and cameras to life by printing, personalizing, decorating and framing their image creations based on their personal preferences and artistic palate along with unique DIY photo creations.


The Wonder Photo Shop also reportedly features a DIY corner where customers can create their personalized photo products including photo books, wall decor and printed keepsakes like mugs or tumblers. The company wishes to offer a one-stop creative haven for customers by bringing photography, digital tools and handicraft together under one roof. It additionally presents photo booth and photo studio services that are exclusive to this new concept store to further encourage photographic discoveries.


Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Haruto Iwata, Managing Director, Fujifilm India said, “After the success of our Wonder Photo Shop stores in Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore we are delighted to take another step towards our goal of bolstering our imaging business with this fourth store launch in Hyderabad. With this expansion, we are looking forward to creating the same aesthetic world to cater to the needs of Camera enthusiasts, like we did successfully in the other 3 metropolitan cities.”


The company also claims that Wonder Photo Shop will be a learning center, giving customers an opportunity to experience the various product features thus enhancing the ultimate customer experience. The full range of Fujifilm’s instax instant print cameras and Share Printer SP-2, the line of X Series digital cameras and high-quality lenses will also be on display to touch and try.


According to Fujifilm, the store has been shaped in line with the brand’s philosophy of “Value from Innovation” to create a warm, welcoming environment for guests to spend their time and discover new ways of enjoying photos.


Digitek launches Flash Bot – A True Flash Photography companion

Digitek – a market leader in Photographic and smartphone accessories in India, today announced the launch of Flash Bot – a true flash photography companion for budding and professional photographers. Digitek is highly celebrated for its high-end and innovative professional photographic equipment and camera accessories.


The Flash Bot kit (Model No. DFB-001) is a remarkable package of various quintessential attachments for flash photography enthusiasts using flash guns of any available type, the kit includes Grip, Gel, Grid, Sphere, Bounce and different colored Creative gels. The kit delivers an awesome experience for the photography enthusiasts and takes away the hassle of carrying redundant flash kits. The easy to carry kit with instant universal fit, modular strong and sleek design comes in a box size of 14.5x13x18 cm.


The Digitek Flash Bot Kit includes Grip, Gel Mount, Grid, Sphere, Bounce, Creative Polycarbonate Gels. Commenting on the launch, Mr. Amit Saraf, Managing Director, IMS Mercantiles Pvt Ltd said, “We only address to what market is lacking and what our consumers want, with this focus we are being able to maintain the leading position in the market. The good responses and reviews of our products motivate us to bring even better products with time.” The Flash Bot kit is affordably priced at an MRP of INR 9995 and is available at All leading Photographic Stores and E-Commerce Portals such as Amazon & Flipkart.



Polaroid Originals Turns Upside Down for Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 3

This summer the widely anticipated third season of American sci-fi TV series, Stranger Things, lands on Netflix. To mark the occasion, Polaroid Originals have joined forces with the series creators to make a new analog instant camera and special edition film that, as the company claims, will turn your world ‘Upside Down’.
Available in stores and online from the 6th May 2019, fans can now brave the Stranger Things alternative dimension. Transformed into the TV shows’ red and blue colors, the special edition camera sees the classic Polaroid design flipped ‘Upside Down’.
Polaroid Originals is also releasing a collectable special edition film, perfect for super fans to capture their stranger moments. As a further ode to the Stranger Things universe, each pack of 8 will include 16 graphic design prints.
Stranger Things is renowned for re-imagining the early 80s, and is infused with popular culture from the period, from walkie-talkies and Fabergé Organic big hair to Dungeons and Dragons. Retro Polaroid cameras pop up throughout the series, capturing moments from the Hawkins middle school’s Snow Ball to the gang’s iconic Ghostbuster Halloween costumes. After all what would the 80s be without a Polaroid snap?
The new camera is reportedly optimised for today with a fixed-focus lens, a powerful built-in flash, easy USB charging and a self-timer. Taccording to Polaroid, the battery lasts up to 60 days, and the high-quality lens guarantees a sharp image from as close as 2 feet to infinity – perfect for selfies. The camera also reportedly works with a new generation of Polaroid Originals i-Type and 600 instant films.
The new season of Stranger Things premieres on the 4th July 2019, and will see the story continue in Hawkins in the summer of 1985 where things are heating up. The Stranger Things Polaroid OneStep 2 analog instant camera and special edition Stranger Things film will be available from May 6th, at polaroidoriginals.com for $109.99 and $17.99 respectively.

BENQ launches a Monitor for Professionals

BenQ disclosed a new 4K UHD 27” professional monitor for photographers–Photovue SW271 which has HDR10. It covers 99% of Adobe RGB, 93% DCI-P3, and 100% of both sRGB and Rec. 709. The monitor delivers the colour accuracy of Delta E2 with its 10-bit IPS panel and 14-bit 3D lookup table (LUT). Equipped with USB Type-C, it features customisable colour characteristics with X-Rite or Datacolor calibrators and BenQ Palette Master Element software.


“We want to make professional tools accessible to everyone, whether you’re just starting out or you’re a pro upgrading an old monitor, the SW240 is the perfect choice,” says BenQ Product Manager Jason Lee. “It fits in our professional lineup with pristine color accuracy and without the hefty price tag of similar professional monitors.”


The Adobe RGB, sRGB, as well as Black and White modes can be switched between using the addition of SW271’s Hotkey Puck. The GamutDuo mode feature enables users to simultaneously work on picture-by-picture in the two different colour spaces. The monitor has adjustable height, an SD card reader, USB 3.1 (Gen 1), HDMI 2.0, and DisplayPort 1.4 ports. The most important feature for this “value monitor” is its price, and that’s where BenQ may have missed the mark. The SW240 monitor is available now for $400 by itself and the optional shading hood will cost you an additional $100, or you can purchase the monitor and hood in a bundle for $450.

DJI ACTION CAMERA REPORTEDLY LEAKED TO COMPETE WITH GOPRO

GoPro is an American technology company founded in 2002 by Nick Woodman. Founded as Woodman Labs, Inc, the company eventually focused on the connected sports genre, developing its line of action cameras and, later, video editing software. It developed a quadcopter drone, Karma, released in October 2016. In January 2018, Karma was discontinued and the company hired JPMorgan Chase to pursue options of selling the company. However around February 2018, CEO denied to sell the company and continue its business in action cameras. Karma was discontinued because of DJI Drones, as they were a tough competitor to fight. Since Dji had many variations in Drones and features, people automatically moved on to it.


GoPro launched its new action camera GoPro Hero7 on October, 2018 with some amazing features for a great comeback in market and it performed pretty well. DJI is planning to keep a hand small camera section as well. After releasing the Dji Osmo Pocket, which was a great success and lot of customers moved from GoPro Hero 7 to DJI Osmo Pocket, and according to rumors soon DJI is moving into action camera as well. It’s interesting that DJI now may be encroaching into GoPro’s market after GoPro failed miserably to break into DJI’s. Since the current level of GoPro is down, DJI’s attempts to cross into a new market will be much more successful. Well this will have a new and tough competitor for GoPro in market and can lead a great loss for them.

                 


According to the rumors DJI will transform its Osmo Pocket into a new action camera with a wide angle lens, it may also include a dual LCD screen (front and back), that it will shoot 4k upto 60 fps and 1080p at 120fps and will have a rectilinear wide angle to produce a more pleasing look. Still there’s no news when DJI might announce its action camera because they haven’t confirmed they are working on it or no. Though GoPro is the first name whicch strikes the mind when you hear action camera, they’re still struggling, and who knows how longer they’ll survive in the market?

Travel Engineer – Eric Rubens

Eric Rubens is a San Diego Area, Southern California based self-taught photographer photographer, filmmaker, traveler and electrical engineer who enjoys traveling the world. Eric joined instagram in 2012 and he has built an audience of over 400,000 followers on his Instagram channel @erubes1 along with hundreds of thousands of followers across his other social channels. He loves travelling the beautiful world, meeting new people, and the experience of living every day like it’s the last day. He shoots a lot of lifestyle, swimwear, portraits and adventure photography, His clients include Disney, BMW, LG, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, AT&T, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Mercedes Benz, Toyota USA and many others.


  1. How did you get into photography being a full time engineer?

    I was working as an electrical engineer and looking for a creative outlet everyday after I got off work. Luckily I worked about 15 minutes from the beach in San Diego which made it easy to catch the sunset every day. I’d go for a run, surf, or just shoot almost every day! I was pretty fortunate to start sharing my work on Instagram and before I knew it, people were sharing my sunset shots all throughout Southern California. What started as an after work hobby somehow snowballed into the job I have today doing photo and video projects around the world.



  2. Does the engineer in you have an affect on the photography you shoot?

    Even though engineering and photography seemingly use different sides of the brain, I’ve always thought there were more parallels than people realized. Looking for angles, lines, and calculating settings and their effects on the picture all require a bit of a technical understanding. One of the things I love most about photography is how everyone views the world differently. Taking photos is my way to share the vibrancy and electric energy I feel each time I visit a location.



  3. What are your sources of inspiration?

    I’m inspired by the people and landscapes which make each destination unique from one another. When I’m on the beaches at home, there’s a genuine enjoyment amongst the people around me and it’s my job to try to capture that energy in a photo. Same goes for when I travel. I love trying to convey the feeling of the destination through my work. In terms of outside inspiration, I’m drawn to those who have a unique eye. I enjoy following photographers who are able to visit a place I’m familiar with, but through their creative eye capture it in a new way.



  4. As a content creator, how much time you spend on planning, shooting, and editing?

    When it comes to planning out pictures, I spend less time than most others in my field. When I’m traveling to a new destination, there’s obviously quite a bit of effort that goes into researching which places to visit and what the best times to go are. When I’m at home, I wing it almost every time. There’s too many variables that I have no control over like surf conditions, changing light, subjects in shots, etc. which make planning a shot not really realistic. I also think the more you plan an exact picture and have expectations for an outcome, the more likely you’re letdown if conditions aren’t how you thought they’d be. I have a really run and gun style. I very rarely shoot with a tripod and I love running around and getting as many different looking pics from a variety of angles as I can. Editing is when I have the real fun. I love pushing the boundary of light and color in my work. I’ve always been drawn to neon colors and trying to recreate that energy in my pictures is always the goal!



  5. What are the three new things you learnt in the past year about photography?

    I’m always learning new things about photography as I travel. I’ve learned that expectations doom trips. Go in with an open mind and eagerness to explore and you’ll never be letdown! I also learned that the people you surround yourself with are more important than the destination. I’ve had the best times ever in mediocre destinations and conversely trips to bucket list locations that weren’t that fun due to the people on the trip. Always build memories with those you care about! Finally, I learned to be appreciative of where I call home. I’ve been to remote islands and on top of some of the wildest mountains in the world, but I’d still pick a beach day at home with my friends and family.



  6. What are the best memories behind some of your favourite photographs?

    I love capturing my friends and families in travel photos. Having a person in the scene really helps me remember the people I was able to share my experience with. Sometimes when I’m home and can’t find someone to shoot with, I’ll default to landscape photography. As fun as it is capturing a sunset photo at the beach, I’d much rather grab the pic with a subtle human element to it.



  7. In order to be a good travel photographer what are the other areas of knowledgethat are critical apart from photography?

    One of the most important things is the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes quickly. Very rarely do trips go exactly as planned. There’s road closures, random thunderstorms, language barriers, and a myriad of other challenges that stand in the way of you and getting the shots you’re hoping for. You have to be able to pivot quickly from original plans and make new ones instantaneously. This all goes back to the important of having fewer expectations and living in the moment.



  8. What’s the story that you like to communicate with your pictures and how do you get your photographs to do that?

    One thing I like to preach is the beauty in each day. Whether it’s a morning walk, taking a break in the middle of the day, or even just catching the sunset after work, I think it’s important to take a few minutes to yourself each day. There’s enough stressful things in life and I don’t think we all take the time to relax and take a deep breath. I try to have my photography be a visual escape for someone having a stressful day. Whether someone scrolls by for a quick second on Instagram or takes a minute to look at the scene, I hope to help people unwind a bit from the business of life and provide inspiration for anyone who needs it. I try to push my edits a bit more surreal to capture this. I emphasize light and color and try to transport someone to a relaxing and dreamy world.



  9. What are the top 3 things you look for in a great travel photograph?

    I think it’s important to tell a story. Anyone can take a photo, but there a far fewer people who can captivate you with their work and make you think for a second. Building on that point, I look for photos that make me pause. We live in a world of quick attention spans and people scroll so fast through their phones. Photos that make me stop and think are the ones I always come back to. Finally, I look for creativity. Everyone knows the view at Moraine Lake in Banff National Park or Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park. I don’t think people should stop visiting these locations just because they’re overshot but I love it when someone can capture that view in a refreshing and creative way.



  10. What are a few tips you would give someone who wants to pursue travel photography

    Start local and grow from there. Your own backyard is a great launching pad into the world. Next, go on road trips with your friends. This is an easy way to break in the feeling of being gone for days and the challenges of travel (keeping gear charged, being adaptable, chasing golden hour, etc.) Once you have a hang of some closer trips, it makes staying organized while traveling internationally that much easier.



  11. What is your weapon of choice (Equipment)?

    As an engineer, I’m in love with everything Sony does. I think from a product evolution and evolving technology standpoint, they are progressing faster than all their competitors. I shoot with the Sony a7riii and also use the Rx0ii. I mainly shoot with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM lens but also use the 24mm f1.4, 12-24mm f4, 16-35mm f4, and 35mm f1.4. I also use a DJI Mavic Pro 2 for aerial work since the quality you get in that size can’t be beat.



Sony announces new feature upgrades in α9, α7R III and α7III cameras

Sony India recently announced a major upgrade to its α9 mirrorless camera that will be available to the users through a firmware updates. Sony’s α9 camera will receive several major enhancements to its autofocus (AF) performance and image quality, as well as a variety of new features that are designed to improve the overall workflow for professional photographers. In addition, new firmware updates for α7R III and α7 III will be available that update these cameras with the latest enhancements including Real-time Eye AF performance and add interval recording capacities.

 

Hiroyuki Tokuno, Head of Digital Imaging Division, Sony India said, “The new firmware upgrades to Sony’s acclaimed α9 to enhance its key features is an outcome of our commitment to the fact that we strive to offer nothing less than a premium experience to our customers. Their voice is critical to everything we do and being able to provide our customers with new capabilities is a source of great pride for Sony.”

The upgrades include Evolved Eye AF with half press activation and right and left selection; Real Time Tracking to capture subject with extreme precision; Real-time Eye AF for Animals for Wildlife photography; Interval Record Functionality for time-lapse movies; Improved Features and Imaging Edge Mobile applications support for professional photographers

 

In addition to the several new capabilities, the firmware also adds compatibility with Sony’s new ‘Imaging Edge Mobile’[iv] application – the successor to the PlayMemories Mobile application. The new Imaging Edge Mobile application features a ‘Transfer & Tagging add-on’[v] to assist professional workflow. This allows photographers to transfer images from their camera to their smartphone simultaneously using the FTP transfer functionality[vi],and adds support for including IPTC metadata[vii] on transferred images.

 

The new system firmware update version 5.0 and version 3.0 is already available. A variety of exclusive stories and exciting new content related to all of Sony’s exciting announcements can be found at alphacommunity.sony.co.in. The new content will also be posted directly at the Sony Photo Gallery and the Sony India Channel on YouTube.

Panasonic unveils the S1 and S1R mirrorless full-frame cameras in India

Panasonic unveiled their much awaited S1 and S1R mirrorless full-frame cameras in India recently under the banner of ‘Futurography’. The S1R features a 47-megapixel sensor whereas the S1 features a 26-megapixel. The cameras are priced at 2.99 lac (body only) and 1.99 lac (body only) are the company’s foray into the full frame mirrorless market, aimed at the professional photographers looking to push the boundaries in the full frame segment. The 3 biggest plays that the manufacturer is banking on is the ‘Pixel Shift’ technology, 4K with 60p and also new M mount, which with the help of the Sigma adapter allows users to use any lens on the cameras. ‘We’ve been waiting to launch a product like this’ said Manish Sharma, President and CEO, Panasonic India & South Asia. The S1R is aimed at the professional with a 47-megapixel camera while the S1 is aimed at the more affordable range. In terms of video both cameras shoot 4K and offer frame rates of up to 60 FPS. And that seems good considering that both offer Dual Stabilization, in-body as well as lens. And also the camera features the highest resolution EVF in the industry currently, giving a resolution of 5.7 million dots at the refresh rate of 120 FPS. The new cameras also come along with the new M mount lenses that are jointly developed with Leica and Sigma. Along with the cameras Panasonic debuted the 50 mm F/1.4, the 70-200mm F4 with OIS and also the 24-105 mm F4 Macro with OIS. Over time the M mount is expected to universally allow users to use other manufactures lenses on the Panasonic bodies.