RollingShutter, a plug-in for After Effects and Nuke, recently came to our attention, not because it's a good plug-in (although it is), but because it brings up a flaw with CMOS sensors: Video cameras using CMOS sensors tend to suffer from a major annoyance in the form of skewing anytime the camera is shifted or a fast-moving object flies through the frame. This is mainly due to the line-by-line top-to-bottom scanning done by these cameras and it will make your videos look like a mild acid trip.

The good news is that this pesky issue can be corrected post-production with tools such as RollingShutter. What RollingShutter does is use Local Motion Technology to correct that unsightly jiggling. This means that rather than globally correcting entire frames, the plug-in corrects individual parts of the images and prevents accidental introduction of new distortion.

Your camera won't learn to focus on the fly all of the sudden, but the difference in the before and after clips in the video is pretty huge and almost makes RollingShutters $500 price tag an easier pill to swallow for those who only want their jello to wiggle and jiggle. [The Foundry via badrobot]

Tachyon's XC system is shock/waterproof and records onto SDHC cards, meaning you can get anywhere between 4 and 32-gigabytes of storage. The 90mm lens provides a so-so amount of wide angle goodness.

OH, and did i mention you can use two of the normal XC cameras, combined with a bulky head mount, to create a 3D recording rig?! With this thing strapped to your dome, you can relay to the world what it really feels like to hardcore apartment hunt on Craigslist, then walk across the street for that iced americano.

Battery life for the normal XC setup is 12 hours, and since the 3D rig just uses two cameras, i'd assume it would last roughly as long. It's also compatible with any of the selectable 3D viewing options on YouTube, which means you can choose from dual picture-style 3D or anaglyphic, red/blue glasses-style 3D.

The complete 3D system will run you about $380, and includes the two cameras, head mount, 6 pairs of anaglyph glasses, and editing software. The single cam rig is available for $180. Not all that bad when you think about it. [Tachyon via BusinessWire]

The price: $180

The verdict: Kodak's first foray into pocket camcorders set them ahead of the pack, at least for a while—a trick they've pulled off again with the Zi8. They've stolen back the top spot not with video quality—though it is impressive—but with a few obvious features that, until now, hadn't trickled down to this price point.

Click for gallery

First though, the core improvements: This Zi's undergone a full hardware redesign which, once you peel the ugly, feature-touting sticker off the front, feels more modern, more solid, and more, well, designed than its lumpy predecessor. The screen is way, way sharper, which makes the whole camera, despite its similar interface and button layout, truly feel like a new piece of hardware. HDMI output works instantly and smoothly, and the microphone-in jack pulls concerts and noisy environments into the Things The Zi8 Can Do list. The hard, flip-out USB plug has been replaced with a rubberized flexible one, which makes life easier for situations where you don't have much clearance on a USB port. Oh, and the battery—a Li-Ion slab replaces the old model's rechargeable AAs.

The Zi8's ballyhooed feature is its 30fps 1080p video recording, which, along with a new 5-megapixel photo option, joins the 720p (30fps and 60fps) and WVGA video modes of the Zi6. The added resolution is technically impressive, sure, but it's also sort of excessive, and mostly unnoticeable. People have a hard enough time distinguishing between 1080p and 720p video when it's professionally produced and displayed on a high-end screen; the Zi8 is still very much a pocket camera, meaning that the video isn't quite crisp or vivid enough to gain much from the added pixels. Cameras like this are meant for uploading quality-sapping video sites—something the Windows-only software makes dead-simple—not Blu-ray discs.

That's not to say the raw video quality is bad—far from it. It's noticeably better than the Zi6, and a new, larger sensor boosts quality at all resolutions, especially in low light. Again, this is still a pocket camcorder, so expect some noise in dimmer situations. That said, the noise is subtle and tolerable, and a far sight less crappy than most of its direct competitors.

The reason the Zi8's video really stands out is image stabilization. This is a much bigger deal than it might sound, because it accomplishes something that might not be immediately obvious: it cuts down on shimmering—that queasy rippling effect you get whenever you move a cheap camcorder too quickly. It's still there, but with less microtwitches and jitters, it's way less apparent. In addition, the Zi6's macro mode makes a reappearance on the Zi8, but it' a lot more usable, since its field of focus has grown since the Zi6, which only gave you an inch or so of leeway before things got fuzzy. On top of it all, the Zi8's lens is wider. Some people might miss the extra optical zoom a little bit, but I found the wider angle much easier to film with.

The photo mode is acceptable, but not at the level of even a entry-level point-and-shoot, and prone to blurry shots, since the record button is a little stiff, and you're usually not holding the camera in an especially stable way. But in fitting with the ethos of this whole genre of device, it'll usually do just fine.

The takeaway here is that the Zi8, though still firmly a budget camcorder in terms of both price and image quality, is a device you'll be comfortable relying on in more situations than the old model, or for that matter, any other pocket cam on the market today. You'll worry less about how well-lit your subjects are; about just how macro you want to go; about keeping your hand steady enough to make your footage not look like frantic cellphone clip from a disaster scene; about how loud your surroundings will be. It's not going to replace a real camcorder in all situations, nor is meant to—but for a lot of people, it'll be more than good enough. At $180, that's nothing to smirk at. [Kodak]

Sharp, clean video in bright lighting, respectable video in low light

Antishake

Slimmer profile

More versatile USB Plug

Li-Ion Battery

More plugs!

No internal storage

Software is convenient, but not that powerful

Cosmetically, the HD Hero is basically indistinguishable from the previous version, and the similarities run deep: it's got the same 170° field of view, an identical 5MP still shooting mode and the same water-resistant credentials. But hardware performance has been bolstered elsewhere, with support for 30fps shooting in 1080p mode and 60fps shooting in 720p, all powered by a larger 1100mAh Li-Ion battery for up to three hours of recording per charge.

For such a large performance jump on such a new camera a price hike is inevitable, but it's really not that bad. The $300 price is at least in the same range as the $200 base model, and judging by the previous model, I'd expect the footage—especially in the 720p slo-mo mode—to be fairly spectacular. [HelmetCameraCentral via Engadget—Image from Freeskier Mag]

Dvice says the digital camera and the MP3 player were the only prototypes on display, which are limited both in function and technical prowess (1.3 megapixel sensor for the cam, 2 gigabytes of storage for the MP3 player). But it's the quirkiness of the stop motion cam that appeals to me. If you ever had a box full of Lego bricks and a video camera growing up, I suspect you've made some stop motion shorts in your time. Now, you can apply that same aesthetic to real world videos.

Lego plans to release the digital camera and MP3 player in the fall for $40 and $50, respectively. Who knows about the rest of the stuff—Lego didn't reveal many details on those. [Dvice]

Jarred Land from RED says this is the first footage from the 2/3" Scarlet prototypes and that the frame above was pulled straight from the video. He also says this "heavily compressed" and "quick and dirty." We should all aspire to assemble things as quickly and dirtily as this. [RED Forums]

The 600fps slow-mo shoots at a tiny 640x72 resolution—this isn't a surprise given the resolution of the Casio's awesome slow-mo cams—but you can bump up the resolution by bumping the frame rate down to 300 (480x112) or 120 (480x272). It uses a Konica Minolta lens with 5x optical zoom, with SDHC as for storage.

The Everio X supports 1920x1080 AVCHD, and like I said, can manage 5.3-megapixel stills while in video mode. It uploads to Youtube with one touch and has a new optical image stablization apparently so advanced, the presenter couldn't really tell us how it worked. It also includes a variety of scene modes, including Food mode, Document mode and the extremely creepy Sleeping Face mode (wtf?!).

JVC says this camera is for the early adopter market who want high-end features. As such, the camera is roughly 2.5" x 6" x 1.5", and weighs about a half a pound. It doesn't feel like the lightest, or the smallest camera, but for what it does, its a pretty small package. The jog dial on the back is able to run through most of the main shooting modes, which saves time and effort.

Build quality is pretty solid, and has a nice textured feel on the outsize so it sticks in your hand. The laser touch capacitive strip on the side of the LCD offers another way to zoom and record, though I still prefer the feel of the hard buttons. The JVC Everio X should be out some time in May or June and will cost $1000.

New Nine-Megapixel JVC Everio X Hybrid Camera
Simultaneously Shoots Full HD Video and Digital Stills

Small, light all-in-one camera also shoots slow-motion video and high-speed stills.

LAS VEGAS, March 3, 2009 – JVC today announced a new dual-use camera that shoots high definition video and high resolution digital still images. The new hybrid Everio GZ-X900, or Everio X, is a small, light, all-in-one camera that offers the powerful shooting combination of Full HD video and nine -megapixel still photos, plus creative shooting functions such as slow motion video and high speed "motor drive" still photography.

Highlights of the new JVC Everio X include:
The camera is small enough to slip into a shirt pocket and at just 0.66 pounds is one of the lightest cameras that can shoot 1920 x 1080 Full HD AVCHD video;
Shoots nine-megapixel (no interpolation) digital stills and Full HD video with 1000 TV lines of horizontal resolution – close to the theoretical maximum horizontal resolution for 1920 x 1080 high definition video for no-compromise images;
10x slow motion shooting plays back 2.4 seconds of recorded video over 24 seconds;
Up to six nine-megapixel stills can be shot at 15 images per second – faster than what digital SLRs can achieve;
Simultaneous five-megapixel digital still shooting while recording Full HD video – photos can be shot at shutter speeds as fast as 1/4000 second without interrupting video recording;
Records video and stills to SDHC memory cards.

The new Everio X was designed for the consumer who wants to shoot high quality digital stills and HD video, but wants the convenience of a single camera. While most conventional video camcorders shoot digital stills and most digital still cameras shoot video, the secondary capabilities of these cameras don't offer sufficient quality for many users. Everio X solves that dilemma by providing high quality stills and top quality HD video.

Unique Design
The design of Everio X is a distinct departure from other camcorders, including other Everio models. About the size of a chunky smart phone, Everio X is a slab-sided rectangle without the handgrip, protrusions or indentations found on most camcorders. The design allows plenty of flexibility in how the camera is held – from below, above, or whatever suits the situation and the user's preference. There are top-mounted zoom and record buttons, and a second set next to the LCD screen for additional shooting flexibility. The camera is black with silver accents, with the right side featuring a textured carbon fiber-like finish to provide a secure grip and resist smudges.

Small enough to easily slip into a pocket or purse, Everio X weighs just 0.66 pounds (including the internal battery and a memory card) and measures 2.6 inches tall, 4.88 inches long and just 1.46 inches wide.

1000 TV Lines of Full HD and Nine-Megapixel Stills
A 10.3-megapixel CMOS sensor is at the heart of the camera's superior image quality. The high quality nine-megapixel digital still photos the camera shoots correlate directly to the un-interpolated performance of this 1/2.33-inch CMOS sensor. For the first time ever, it is also the source of 1920 x 1080/60i Full HD AVCHD format video. The camera records at a stunning 1000 TV lines of horizontal resolution – close to the theoretical maximum of 1920 x 1080 Full HD.

JVC's new proprietary optical image stabilization (OIS) technology applies camera shake compensation optically at the Everio X lens entrance to ensure effectiveness throughout the zoom range and allow high quality shooting without a tripod. Everio X also uses a new KONICA MINOLTA HD LENS with a 5X optical zoom.

Further contributing to the camera's high image quality is JVC's HD Gigabrid Premium image processing engine. In addition, face detection technology assures accurate focus and exposure, and HDMI™ V.1.3 with x.v.Color™ provides increased color accuracy when connected to HDTV displays.

10x Slow Motion Shooting, High-Speed Motor Drive Stills
Slow motion video recording is a key Everio X feature. The camera's high-speed recording function shoots ultra-slow motion video. Any one of three speeds – 120 frames per second (fps), 300fps and 600fps – can be selected; the faster the recording speed, the slower the playback motion. With this function, approximately four-second bursts of video are recorded that are then played back over a period of up to 24 seconds, a maximum of 10 times longer than normal speed.

Recording speed
Image size
Recording time
Playback time

600fps
640 x 72 pixels
Approx. 2.4 sec.
Approx. 24 sec. (10x)

300fps
480 x 116 pixels
Approx. 4 sec.
Approx. 20 sec. (5x)

120fps
480 x 270 pixels
Approx. 8 sec.
Approx. 16 sec. (2x)

In the still mode, Everio X offers high-speed shooting, similar to the motor drive function found in some mechanical still cameras. As many as six nine-megapixel photos can be shot at up to 15 images per second, a speed that surpasses what's offered by typical nine-megapixel DSLR cameras. Everio X also allows shooting of 1920 x 1080/60i Full HD video and fully 5.3 megapixel stills at the same time - a unique advantage of this all-in-one camera. While recording video, photos can be shot at shutter speeds as fast as 1/4000 second without interrupting video recording.

5 Mega simultaneous still mode
Shooting speed/
Maximum limit

High speed
60 images / sec.
11 images

Medium speed
11 images / sec.
11 images

Low speed
4 images / sec.
No limit

Global Sharing
With the worldwide explosion of interest in video sharing, Everio X offers easy solutions for distribution. A One Touch Export function provided by bundled software for Windows® makes it easy to export videos into iTunes® for playback on an iPod® or iPhone®. And the One Touch Upload function, when used with the included software for Windows, simplifies uploading videos to YouTube™.

The DVD Creation function makes it easy to transfer video to a disc for archiving or sharing. Create a disc directly from the camera using the JVC Everio CU-VD50 burner/player or CU-VD3 burner SHARE STATION. Other direct storage solutions include third party external hard disk drives from LaCie and Seagate, and an external Blu-ray Disc Burner from LaCie.

The Everio GZ-X900 will be available in June at a nationally advertised value of $999.95.

The fun almost stops when some lady in the kitchen gets uppity, but luckily enough the sushi chefs put it back on track and back to its owner. Is a sushi place the only place with a conveyer belt? I can't think of any other restaurant type that does this. I would like to see more, though.

If you're looking for a more surreal trip around a sushi belt, here you go. [Boing Boing]

I want to say that no one has any idea how incredible this announcement will be. Call this hype... please. I am quite sure that the announcement will be called a "scam". Should be a lot of fun to hear the reactions. I can't wait.

Doesn't that sound like something you definitely want to hear about? It's a pretty bold move making such a statement in so public a forum, and that's got our collective camera-geek brains ticking over. Could it be the fabled 4k video capture, a response to Canon and Nikon's recent video DSLR maneuver? We can't tell, of course...but at least we've not got long to wait to find out. [RedUser Thanks Brad!]

Digital cameras

• Sony Cyber-shot 8.1 Megapixel DigiCam for $199 (originally $257.99).
• Pentax Optio Z10 8MP Digital Camera with 7x zoom for $135 (originally $250).
• GE G2 8MP Digital Camera for $149.94 (originally $276.32).

Gaming

• Sony PlayStation 3 for $339.99 (originally $499.99 — valid until 10/29. Use coupon code: NC383L9N3B4M45. 800 Units available).

Audio/Video

• Panasonic 40GB Hard Drive Camcorder for $249.99 (originally $449.95).
• Costco is selling a 42-inch 32-inch Westinghouse 720p for $399 (originally $799).
• Headphones with up to 62% discounts.
• Adaptec Dual TV Tuner for $84.88 (originally $220.99).
• LG 8' Portable DVD Player and Digital Photo Frame for $169.99 (originally $229.99).

PDAs

• Asus 3.5 inch PDA Windows Mobile 6.0, with WiFi and bluetooth for $239 (originally $410).

Laptops

• HP Laptop X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-70 for $579.99 (originally $729.99).
• Toshiba Satellite Laptop with AMD Turion for $499.99 (originally $649.99).
• Dell Studio 15 for $999 (originally $1,287).

Desktops

• Dell XPS M1330 desktop for $949 (originally $1,373).
• Dell's Build your own system XPS 630 for $1,099 (originally $1,599).

Unlocked cellphones and cellphone accessories

• Nokia Bluetooth headset for $14.99 (originally $34.99).

• LG ME770 Unlocked Cell phone for $99.99 (originally $299.99).
• Unlocked Nokia E90 Communicator smart phone for $688(originally $1,100).
• Unlocked E61i Smartphone (Mocha) for $325.99 (originally $499.99).
• Unlocked Nokia E66 Smartphone for $445. (originally $699.99).
• Unlocked Motorola ROKR Z6 for $214.27 (originally $599.99).

Stocking fillers

• Discounts on Blu-ray discs and 2-for-1 offers.

Check our previous Road to Black Friday deals here.

The submersible platform reached 4.78 miles down the Japan Sea trench, and had to stay there for two days to be able to obtain this crystal clear footage, taking a total of five hours to reach the seabed. The camera equipment was designed specifically for this mission by the engineers at OceanLab—the sub-sea research facility of the University of Aberdeen.

According to project leader Dr Alan Jamieson, the resulting video taking during those two days is "absolutely amazing".

We got some absolutely amazing footage from 7700 metres. More fish than we or anyone in the world would ever have thought possible at these depths. It’s incredible. These videos vastly exceed all our expectations from this research. We thought the deepest fishes would be motionless, solitary, fragile individuals eking out an existence in a food-sparse environment. But these fish aren’t loners. The images show groups that are sociable and active—possibly even families—feeding on little shrimp, yet living in one of the most extreme environments on Earth.

Whatever. Any fish that have teeth that do this...

...are not my friends. [OceanLab via Daily Mail]

Video and image credit: Natural Environment Research Council and University of Aberdeen.

As you can see, previous CMOS designs had the photoreceptive diodes behind the transistor layer. The transistor layer allowed some light to go through but reflected some of it, resulting in a lower sensitivity and increased noise.

+

In the new design, however, most of the photons goes through the on-chip lens and color filter directly into the new photo-diode structure, while the transistor layer sits at the bottom of the sensor. According to Sony, "that achieves a higher sensitivity of +6dB and a lower random noise of -2dB without light by reducing noise, dark current and defect pixels compared to the conventional front-illuminated structure."

Sony is planning on introducing the new technology in their next generation cameras, and hopefully we will see it in other products, especially cellphones. [Sony]

3VR is tweaking their software to automatically blur the faces of individuals that do not pique the cameras' interest, thereby protecting the privacy of innocent individuals. The footage could still be unencrypted by authorized parties, but any changes would be trackable, so there would be a record to follow in the event that that the footage is misused. So, in effect, the software watches the people watching you. [Danger Room]

The Flip has been dominating the dizzy-cam market since its release, fending off the first-gen Small Wonder and the cheaper, better-spec'd Vado from Creative. The camera has been essentially unchanged for about a year now, though rumors abound about a new Flip Mino, which looks significantly more compact than its older brothers.

When it comes to mini-camcorders, the name of the game seems to be simplicity over anything else, so it remains to be seen if the comparatively long feature list of the Small Wonders will be a boon or a burden. The MyLife, the Pocket and the Traveler will be out this summer for $90, $100 and $150, respectively. [CNet]

Essentially a high-end SD card video recorder, the $350 GZ-MS100 records MPEG-2 and features a 35x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD screen, about 2 hours of stock battery life, various shooting modes, and an optional (YouTube-friendly) 10-minute recording limit. It'll run $350 this June.

New JVC Camcorder Offers One-Touch Uploading To YouTube™

WAYNE, NJ, May 19, 2008 - Sharing videos over the Internet is now easier than ever with the launch of a new JVC camcorder that provides one-button uploading to YouTube™, the leading online video community that allows people to discover, watch and share originally created videos.
The new JVC Everio S Series memory camcorder, the GZ-MS100, was designed to make sharing simple for the millions of people who enjoy sharing their videos with the world over the Internet. And unlike many of the other camcorders that target Internet users, JVC's GZ-MS100 provides an impressive array of full-fledged camcorder features that give it the versatility to do more than shoot short Internet videos.
It looks strikingly similar to the popular Everio G Series camcorders, but is smaller and weighs only 0.60 lbs. including battery, because it records to an SD Card (user provided) instead of a built-in hard disk drive. The ever-increasing capacity and affordability of new SD Cards appearing on the market means that over time Everio S will be able to offer expanded recording time at a lower per minute cost.

Once the provided CyberLink software is installed on a Windows® PC, uploading video clips to YouTube™ is quick and easy. The camcorder has an UPLOAD button that works in two ways. In the camera mode, press UPLOAD and then the trigger, and this limits recordings to 10 minutes in length, which matches the YouTube™ file size limit. This eliminates the need to manually time recordings or go back to edit and shorten footage. After recording is done, connect the GZ-MS100 to a PC via a USB cable and press the UPLOAD button. This automatically launches the supplied application for uploading to YouTube™. After just a few mouse clicks the video will be up on the Internet for everybody to see. The original video quality is maintained in the camera, so it can be used for any other purpose.

For storage and cataloging, recorded videos can easily be transferred to a PC via USB2.0 or directly using the SD Card. The provided CyberLink application also allows easy burning to DVD using the computer's optical disc drive. Or, to create DVDs without using a computer JVC offers the CU-VD3 Everio SHARE STATION as an option. Since it was designed as an Everio companion, this DVD burner accommodates Everio's USB Host function that allows scene playback order to be rearranged within the camera before transfer.

The GZ-MS100 features Laser Touch Operation, first offered in the Everio G Series camcorders released earlier this year. The feature's scroll bar and buttons are touch-sensitive so the user just glides a finger up or down the bar to choose menu items while its blue light follows the movements. The LCD screen itself is never touched, so it won't get dirty, smudged or covered in fingerprints. The 2.7-inch LCD screen, the same one used on Everio G series models, has Auto Backlight Control to automatically adjust brightness for comfortable viewing indoors or outdoors. And with Auto Power ON/OFF, the user simply opens up the LCD to power-on and start shooting (takes only about one second if Quick Restart mode is engaged), and closes the LCD to shut the power off and avoid draining the battery.
The shape of the camcorder itself facilitates ease of use, with a contoured grip that snugly and securely fits the palm of the hand.

In addition to the supplied BN-VF808 rechargeable battery that provides 2 hr. 5 minutes of operation per charge, higher capacity batteries are available: BN-VF815 for 4 hr. 15 minutes and BN-VF823 for 6 hr. 25 minutes of continuous operation per charge.

Up front, the GZ-MS100 is equipped with a KONICA MINOLTA LENS that provides a 35x optical zoom with excellent picture quality. JVC's proprietary Gigabrid Engine also contributes to quality by incorporating six digital noise reduction systems to improve the S/N ratio by about 30 percent (3dB) over previous models, and integrating the MPEG-2 encoder to help reduce block noise and mosquito noise. Other full-fledged camera functions include Program AE with shooting modes to accommodate a variety of situations (Night, Twilight, Portrait, Sports, Snow, Spotlight), Digital Image Stabilizer to minimize camera-shake, and much more.

The JVC GZ-MS100 will be available in June for $349.99.

Other features of the Aluminum-framed beast include full size, dual-link HD SDI, 2 XLR audio inputs, HDMI, Wi-Fi, Firewire 800 and USB 2.0. It also weighs 6 pounds. And if any of you happened to purchase the $17500 RED ONE, you can exchange it and receive full credit towards the RED EPIC (which currently has no price tag). RED currently plans on an early 2009 release for the EPIC. [RED]

SPECIFICATIONS:

* FULL FRAME S35MM NEW MYSTERIUM X SENSOR
* 1-100 FPS
* UP TO 100 MB/SEC. REDCODE RAW AND RGB RECORDING TO REDFLASH
* FULL SIZE DUAL LINK HD-SDI, 2-XLR AUDIO INPUTS AND HDMI
* WI-FI CONTROL
* FIREWIRE 800 and USB2
* 6 POUND FULLY MACHINED ALUMINUM BODY WITH HYBRID STAINLESS PL MOUNT
* COMPATIBLE WITH MOST RED ONE ACCESSORIES
* FULLY UPGRADABLE SENSOR, BODY, BOARDS AND MOUNT.

SPECIFICATIONS, DELIVERY DATES AND DESIGN ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE... COUNT ON IT.