Category Archives: news

Hasselblad has announced the mirrorless medium format 50-megapixel X1D Mark II 50C

Three years after launching the world’s first medium-format mirrorless camera, the X1D 50C, Hasselblad announced its replacement on June 19. Called the X1D II 50C, this second-generation model seeks to smooth out the X1D’s various rough edges with a refined user experience, improved speed, and upgraded screen and viewfinder. The 50-megapixel, 43.8 x 32.9mm sensor returns, offering 1.7 times more surface area than a full frame. Also returning is the minimalist, all-metal body and ergonomics that photographers loved about the first X1D, albeit in a new “graphite gray” color that, we have to admit, looks really good.

Hasselblad says that improving operational speed was one of the primary goals of the X1D II. To that end, the camera uses a new processor and boasts a claimed 46% improvement in startup speed. Shutter lag and viewfinder blackout time have also been reduced. Image playback and menu responsiveness should all be snappier, with speed improvements of 30 to 40% across the board.

The LCD screen is entirely new, now measuring an expansive 3.6 inches with a resolution of 2.36 million pixels. It is still touch-sensitive, and the user interface has been redesigned to make it even easier to navigate. The menu system is now also available in the electronic viewfinder (EVF), making it easier to change settings on bright days where the screen might be washed out.

That’s not the only new thing about the EVF. It’s now an OLED panel with a resolution of 3.69 million dots and has even greater magnification than before, at 0.87x. Both the EVF and the LCD monitor now refresh at a rate of 60 frames per second, a significant improvement from the 37 frame-per-second refresh rate of the original X1D.

While the X1D II still relies on contrast-detection autofocus, Hasselblad said that it is faster than before thanks to that higher refresh rate. Continuous shooting speed has also been bumped up to 2.7 frames per second. That’s not fast in absolute terms, but for a camera that’s all about slower, more methodical types of photography, it’s enough to let photographers shoot short sequences when they need them.

Hasselblad also rolled out a key workflow improvement in a new version of Phocus Mobile. With it, photographers can shoot tethered straight to an iPad Pro over USB-C or wirelessly through Wi-Fi. Both JPEGs and full-resolution RAW images can be culled and edited right on the iPad. The camera can also be remotely controlled from the iPad.

But perhaps most important of all, the X1D II will launch in July at a price significantly lower than the launch price of the original X1D. That’s still a big chunk of change, but it puts the X1D II below the MSRP of flagship full-frame DSLRs like the Nikon D5 and Canon 1D X Mark II.


Jamia Diploma Engineering Student’s Photograph Selected in World Photography Contest organized by UNESCO

A student of Jamia Millia Islamia, Mohsin Javed, has caught all the eye balls with his photograph of world heritage monument Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi. The picture has been selected for International Photo contest “Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads” organized by UNESCO’s Silk Road Project. student of Jamia Millia Islamia, Mohsin Javed, has caught all the eye balls with his photograph of world heritage monument Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi. The picture has been selected for International Photo contest “Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads” organized by UNESCO’s Silk Road Project. The international selection committee chose the picture among 6625 entries taking into consideration its quality and creativity. Sixty of the best images, including Mohsin’s picture, have been selected to be part of a travelling exhibition, which has been displayed so far in China, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Oman, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan and at UNSECO Headquarters in Paris, France. The exhibition will continue to tour in other countries.


Moreover, the selected photographs have been also presented in a professionally bound photo album, “Youth Lens on the Silk Roads”, which reflect youth’s visions and understanding of the Silk Roads common heritage. A copy of the album has been sent to Mohsin by the UNESCO.


Mohsin, 18, developed his passion for photography when he was in class 8th and took it seriously after 10th class. His pictures have been widely carried by many national and international agencies and publications including international photo agency Getty Images, Germany’s Public International Broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) website and various magazines in India. Mohsin says he wants to pursue his career in photography.

Honor 20 Pro, Honor 20 and Honor 20i launched in India

Huawei’s sub-brand launched Honor 20 series smartphones in India on 11th June, 2019 at an event in New Delhi. The Honor 20 series phones include Honor 20 Pro, Honor 20 and Honor 20i. The Chinese company had launched Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro in May at an event in London. Honor 20i was also launched in China in April. All the three models will be available in India on Flipkart and also on the company’s own eStore.


According to Honor, Flipkart will begin selling Honor 20 from June 25. On the other hand, the Honor 20i will be made available from June 18 via Flipkart and other offline retailers. However, Honor hasn’t said much about the availability of Honor 20 Pro and has just said that the phone will be available “very soon.”


As far as pricing is concerned, Honor 20 is priced at Rs 32,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. The Honor 20 Pro will retail in India at Rs 39,999 for thethe 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage option. The cheapest Honor device, however, will be the Honor 20i and will take on Redmi series devices in India. The Honor 20i is priced at Rs 14,999 for the 4GB RAM and 128GB storage variant.


Honor 20 Pro will be made available in the sole Phantom Blue colour in India. The Honor 20 will be available  in Midnight Black and Sapphire Blue colours. Colours like Gradient Red, Gradient Blue, and Magic Night Black colours will come with Honor 20i.


As for the specifications, Honor 20 Pro is powered by the 7nm Kirin 980 processor with dual-NPU and up to 8GB of RAM. Inbuilt storage is offered up to 256GB. The regular Honor 20 also runs on a HiSilicon Kirin 980 SoC, paired with dual-NPU, GPU Turbo 3.0, and 6GB of RAM. The Honor 20i, on the other hand, is powered by the octa-core Kirin 710F SoC paired with the Mali G51MP4 GPU, up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.


Design wise, there isn’t much difference between Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro. Both the models have a 6.26-inch “All-view” IPS LCD with a 4.5mm hole punch in the top-left corner for selfies. Honor had bragged about having the smallest punch-hole in the category with a screen-tobody ratio of 91.6%. The punch-hole display of both Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro holds the 32MP selfie sensor. At the back, Honor 20 Series comes with a V-shaped color gradient with a gleaming effect. The company is calling the design on the back their “Dynamic Holographic Design”.


For Optics, Honor 20 Pro and Honor 20 have a quad camera setup. Honor 20 Pro comes with a primary 48-MP Sony IMX586 sensor. The secondary 16-MP super-wide-angle camera comes with f/2.2 aperture and a 117-degree angle lens. There is also an 8-MP telephoto camera. For selfies, there is a 32-MP selfie snapper. The budget Honor 20i comes with a triple rear camera setup that houses a 24-MP main camera, 8-MP ultra-wide camera and another 2-MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 32-MP camera with support for HDR, portrait mode, and face unlock for authentication.

HMD Global launched Nokia 2.2 as a succeeder of Nokia 2.1

HMD launched the Nokia 2.2 in India on Thursday as the most affordable Android One device. The Nokia 2.2 succeeds last year’s Nokia 2.1, which was an Android Go smartphone running on a trimmed down version of Android Oreo. Not only does the Nokia 2.2 get an upgraded software, but it also comes with a new design as well as a few AI features.


Some of the biggest highlights of the Nokia 2.2 are AI-related such as the dedicated Google Assistant button and AI low-light photography. These features give the Nokia 2.2 a pretty good edge over the competition in the budget segment.


Nokia 2.2 specifications


  • Display: The Nokia 2.2 sports a 5.71-inch HD+ display with a 19:9 aspect ratio and 400 nits brightness.

  • Processor: It is powered by a 2GHz MediaTek Helio A22 chipset.

  • RAM: The Nokia 2.2 comes with 2GB and 3GB of RAM.

  • Internal storage: The 2GB RAM variant comes with 16GB of inbuilt storage, while the 3GB version offers 32GB storage.

  • Rear camera: The phone gets a 13MP f/2.2 primary camera with LED flash.

  • Front camera: It comes with a 5MP selfie camera.

  • Battery: The Nokia 2.2 houses a 3,000mAh battery.

  • Software: That Android One phone runs on stock Android Pie.


Nokia 2.2 features


  • The Nokia 2.2 brings an updated design over the Nokia 2.1. The biggest change comes to the display, which sees thinner bezels all around to bring a 19:9 aspect ratio as opposed to the Nokia 2.1 that was bezel-full and offered a 16:9 display. The Nokia 2.2 gets a waterdrop notch on top of the display to house the selfie camera. Overall, the front of the Nokia 2.2 bares a lot of similarities with the Nokia 4.2 and Nokia 3.2.

  • The rear panel is a unibody plastic shell in a glossy finish. It comes in Steel and Tungsten Black colours, but the rear cover can be interchanged for Xpress-On covers that come in Pink Sand, Green and Ice Blue colours.

  • The Nokia 2.2 also gets a Google Assistant button like the Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2. The button on the side of the frame will allow users to quickly launch the AI with a tap. Users will also be able to double tap the button to bring up relevant information for the day, or long press the button to make longer requests.

  • Software has been upgraded as well compared to the Nokia 2.1. While last year’s Nokia 2.1 was an Android Go phone running on Android Oreo (Go edition), the Nokia 2.2 is now an Android One device which runs a full-fledged stock Android Pie software. This means you get a full stock Android experience along with features like Adaptive Battery, Adaptive Brightness, new navigation gesture and Digital Wellbeing. It also means the Nokia 2.2 will get two major Android updates and at least three years of monthly security updates.

  • An interesting feature that comes with this budget smartphone is what the company calls AI powered low light fusion which is essentially a long exposure mode that works for both the rear and front cameras. The night mode will use AI to detect low-light scenarios and will stitch multiple simultaneous shots to offer a brighter low-light photo.



Nokia 2.2 price in India and availability


The Nokia 2.2 has been launched in India starting at Rs 6,999, which makes it the most affordable Android One device in the market right now. This is the price for the 2GB + 16GB variant, while the 3GB + 32GB version costs Rs 7,999. These are introductory prices that will last for a limited time.


After the limited period offer, the Nokia 2.2 will cost Rs 7,699 and Rs 8,699 for the two variants. The Nokia 2.2 is already up for pre-orders on the Nokia online store and will go on sale starting June 11 via offline retail markets across India, Nokia online shop and Flipkart. Jio subscribers on Nokia 2.2 will get instant Cashback of Rs 2,200 along with 100GB additional data which will be applicable on recharges of Rs 198 and Rs 299. The cashback will be offered in the form of 44 coupons worth Rs 50 each.

Photoquip launches Problitz DC 400 monolight and Problitz TX-BLT transmitter.

Problitz DC 400


Photoquip, a photography equipment manufacturing company, recently launched a new product Problitz DC400 – a battery powered TTL monolight and a digital TTL Transmitter Problitz TX-BLT for Canon, Nikon, Sony and Fujifilm.


The Problitz DC 400 is a powerfull, battery powered monolight with both TTL and HSS capabilities, designed for photographers who like to shoot in real world. The Problitz DC 400 TTL function and the wireless triggering makes it easier for photographers, especially wedding and event photographers, to capture any moment without hassle. It automatically adjusts the power up to 400Ws across a 9-step range to get the perfect exposure. For photographers who prefer to have control of their lighting, the Problitz DC 400 manual mode gives you the freedom to adjust the flash output as per need. The manual mode with HSS overpowers the sun and any ambient light with a shutter speed of 1/8000s. It consists of three creative suite, Freeze Mode, Delayed Mode and Continuous Mode. Freeze motion with no compromise and a short flash duration of up to 1/19000s. In delayed mode, sync it with the second curtain with a delay range from 0.1s to 30s. In Continuous Mode, the power output range from 1.0 – 4.4 capture continuous bursts of up to 20fps. The Problitz DC 400 comes with a 15W warm colour LED modelling Lamp that provides bright light, conserves energy and extends lamp life. The heat ressitant glass shield securely guards the light bulb for added safety protection. The large LCD screen makes it easy to glance at all the controls in any weather.


The rechargeable 4400mAh Lithium battery specifically designed for Problitz DC 400 gives upto 400 full power flashes. The built-in battery level indicator makes it easy to check the charge level on spare batteries. The battery clicks on or off the Problitz DC 400 effortlessly and can be recharged quickly with the battery charger giving the photographers freedom and mobility to venture out from the studio and rapidly set up the lights on outdoor locations.


PROBLITZ TX-BLT


The Problitz TX-BLT is a digital TTL flash trigger that controls PROBLITZ DC 400. The clear LCD screen provides easy control of each of the functions such as power, modeling and sync settings, TTL, HSS, and rear curtain.


Compatibility:

TX-BLT C for Canon

TX-BLT S for Sony

TX-BLT N for Nikon

TX-BLT F for Fujifilm


It features High-Speed Support with 1/8000s and 2.4GHz, 16 channels x 3 groups (A/B/C). Its effective Range works with 300 meters in radius. USB firmware update is also available in Problitz TX-BLT and works on two 1.5V AAA batteries.

Can a OnePlus 7 Pro Replace Your DSLR?

The OnePlus 7 Pro was launched a few days back as a premium phone by the manufacturer. At Rs. 57,999 the phone is loaded with specs and good features. A three-camera setup with a 48-megapixel primary camera seems whopping. But can it replace a DSLR with such specs?

See the video to find out:


Olympus introduces its Tough TG-6 waterproof compact camera

Olympus announced the Tough TG-6 on Wednesday, May 22. The Olympus Tough TG-5, released in 2017, is one of the favorite point-and-shoot cameras. The waterproof compact boasted good for the class, image quality and introduced a host of new features, including the sensor, processor, and GPS tracking capabilities. It’s been the go-to recommendation for anyone looking for a rugged vacation camera they can take anywhere.


The TG-6’s spec sheet reads a heck of a lot like the TG-5’s. There’s the 12-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch backside-illuminated sensor; the 4X, 25-100mm (full-frame equivalent) f/2-4.9 lens; the 20-frames-per-second continuous shooting speed; and, of course, the waterproofing, drop-proofing, and crush-proofing that make it part of the Olympus Tough line. The very impressive microscope mode, which can focus as close as 1 centimeter from the front of the lens, also returns. Battery life remains unchanged at 340 shots per charge.


The lens does have a new antireflective coating designed to reduce ghosting and flares, which is actually a nice addition as excessive lens flare was one of the few cons we listed in our Tough TG-5 review. There is also a new fisheye adapter, the sci-fi sounding FCON-T02 which can produce a true circular fisheye image. And there’s the FD-1 flash diffuser, which routes the light from the built-in flash into a diffuser ring around the lens and is designed to be used underwater. But, the FCON-T02 and FD-1 are adapters which are not actually anything new about the camera, itself.


In-camera focus stacking has seen a slight modification: You can now select from three to 10 images to be merged, whereas the TG-5 was locked at 10. The full macro focus range is also now available in Program and Auto exposure modes, and there are five underwater modes instead of the TG-5’s four.


Seeing as the TG-5 remains best in class 3 years on, maybe Olympus figured it just didn’t need to fix what wasn’t broken. Other than the lens coating, the TG-6 is basically a firmware update with a camera attached. It looks to be a classic example of a marketing department upgrade.


ASUS releases a 30th anniversary edition ZenFone 6 and ZenBook

ASUS turned 30 last month, so it’s no surprise that the company saved some special edition products for Computex. What we have here are the ZenFone 6 Edition 30, ZenBook Edition 30 and Prime X299 Edition 30 motherboard a fitting trio to reflect the company’s expanded portfolio over the decades (though a new Zenbo would have been nice, too). While the hardware isn’t brand new, they all feature ASUS’ 30th anniversary “A” logo, along with some exclusive looks and specs.


In the case of the ZenFone 6, it sports ASUS’ classic concentric-circle finish on a curved matte black body, and it’s maxed out to 12GB of RAM plus 512GB of storage (these were originally capped at 8GB and 256GB, respectively). The phone is otherwise identical to the rest of the series, featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, a flip dual camera, a 6.4-inch notch-less FHD+ LCD and a massive 5,000mAh battery. You’ll also find the same rear fingerprint reader, stereo speakers, dual-microphone noise cancellation, headphone jack and NFC.


The ZenBook Edition 30 (UX334FL) is a little more extravagant, almost stealing the limelight from the new dual-screen ZenBook Duo series. Paying homage to the leather-bound W6 and S6 from 2006, this special edition laptop has its lid wrapped in “Pearl White” genuine Italian leather, topped off with an 18-karat rose gold-plated logo. The machine also comes with a matching white mouse, mouse pad plus a leather sleeve. Spec-wise, it’s based on the freshly updated ZenBook 13 with ScreenPad 2.0 and NVIDIA MX250 GPU. You’ll find the same old 95 percent screen-to-body ratio, 8th-gen Intel Core i7 CPUs, 16GB of RAM, PCIe SSDs and gigabit WiFi here as well.


Finally, the Prime X299 Edition 30, which pays tribute to ASUS’ first-ever motherboard, the ISA-386C from 1990. It’s basically a spin on the Prime X299-Deluxe II with the same dual M.2 slots (with passive heat sinks), dual Thunderbolt 3 ports (with DisplayPort input), 5G Aquantia Ethernet, Intel Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6, and a fancy 2-inch LiveDash OLED for showing system vitals or custom art. As a bonus, the Edition 30 comes with a “Smart Control Console” USB module, which offers a second LiveDash display as well as voice and hand-gesture control.

As per usual, ASUS stopped short at providing details on pricing and dates for all three products, but given their significance, these should show up some time this year.


Oppo Reno and Reno 10x Zoom Edition Launched in India

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition and Oppo Reno have been launched in India. The two smartphones, part of Oppo’s new flagship Reno series, were launched at an event in New Delhi on Tuesday. The biggest highlight of the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition is of course its 10x lossless hybrid optical zoom, a fact that is within the name of the smartphone. One thing both the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition and the Oppo Reno have in common is the side-swing selfie camera, another highlight of the smartphones. The company is also offering an international warranty service. Oppo at the launch event also announced the first premium Oppo flagship store in India, and it will host the first sale, launched in Hyderabad. Read on for more details about the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition and Oppo Reno price in India, release date, launch offers, and specifications.

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition price in India starts at Rs. 39,990 for its 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant, going up to Rs. 49,990 for its 8GB RAM/ 256GB storage variant. It will be available in Jet Black and Ocean Green colour variants. On the other hand, the Oppo Reno price in India is set at Rs. 32,990 for the 8GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant. Both smartphones will be available from Flipkart from June 7. Launch offers should be detailed ahead of availability. To recall, the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition and Oppo Reno were first launched in China last month, and then launched in Europe earlier this month alongside the Oppo Reno 5G.

The Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Edition and Oppo Reno share some common specifications. Both run ColorOS 6 based on Android Pie. Oppo has provided Hi-Res and Dolby Atmos support on the Reno series. Further, the new phones have HyperBoost performance enhancements, including Game Boost 2.0 acceleration engine with Frame Boost and Touch Boost accelerations to enhance mobile gaming experiences. There is a 3D curved glass protection on both the Oppo Reno and Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition models to omit camera bumps. There is also an O-Dot ceramic point at the back of the phones to slight left the camera when placed on a flat surface. This helps to protect the lens to some extent. Moreover, the Oppo phones have an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. Both also feature a ‘Shark Fin’ side-swing selfie camera design.

Canon India launches its first experiential flagship store in Delhi

Camera brand Canon has reportedly launched its flagship Canon Image Square (CIS) store in New Delhi. As per the reported company statement, the store is positioned as a hub for photography buffs while offering “immersive product experience for the consumers”.


The flagship CIS store aims to enhance consumer experience for all Canon products from entry-level cameras to high end professional cameras. Besides, the store will also reportedly showcase cinema cameras, a few leading Canon printers and a wide range of Canon lenses.


The key highlight of Canon Image Square flagship store, as per the company, is that it provides more than 80 products to choose from a wide array of products displayed right from professional to entry level DSLR’s and mirrorless cameras and other cameras in PowerShot range. Along with that, CIS flagship stores provides variety of lenses and selected printers. The company claims that this is the only store where it has displayed the Cinema EOS product line up along with Cine and Block lenses for cinematographers to choose from according to their needs and requirements.


The company says that its various sales and marketing tools like live demonstration of the products, touch and feel experience, trainings and workshops further will help the customers to make informed purchases. Apart from that, the store will also provide easy finance facilities such as EMI through various credit cards, paper finance through Bajaj Finance and cash back options.

Kazutada Kobayashi, President & CEO, Canon India, is reported to have said, “With the launch of first of its kind Canon Image Square flagship store, Canon India marks another milestone to ensure an interactive and informative buying experience for our existing and potential customers.”