Alpine Labs Pulse

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As a camera remote you can really do much better than this. The Alpine Pulse began life as a project on kickstarter, a project which was very successful. The Pulse is a great looking little device, which simply hooks up to your camera’s USB port and then once connected you can remotely shoot photos, video or time-lapse footage from your smartphone or tablet from up to 100 feet away.

Use the smartly designed app to access basic settings such as aperture, shutter and ISO, or play with advanced features that include time-lapse, long exposure and HDR bracketing. You can even control several cameras at once via the app. The pulse is small, cool looking and will last more than 24 hours on a full charge. It supports both iOS and Android platforms, the device will work with Over sixty Canon, Nikon and Panasonic cameras.

alpinelaboratories.com

DJI introduces folding 4K drone

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DJI has introduced the Mavic Pro, a portable drone that be folded down to fit into a backpack. It features a stabilised 4K 12 megapixel camera, a visual navigation system, a 4.3-mile (7km) range and up to 27 minutes of flight time on standard batteries. The Mavic Pro can be operated via a dedicated long-range remote controller, or through your smartphone for shorter distances. The Mavic Pro will retail for around £999.00.

Visit www.dji.com for more.

Ricoh reveals Theta SC

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Ricoh have announced the arrival of their Theta SC. Ricoh have said that the SC enables ease of use for first-time 360° camera users’ and offers ‘high-resolution, fully spherical images with an output of approximately 14MP. Its large-aperture, twin-lens folded optics and a large image sensor, also offer improved sensitivity over the original Ricoh Theta, which was launched in 2013, and was the world’s first consumer 360° camera. The Theta SAC will be available from this month, priced at around £249.99.
For more info visit: theta360.com

Sony Release the A6500 and the RX100 Mk V in time for Christmas

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Sony have launched their A6500 SYSTEM camera, and also a ‘Mark V’ version of their RX100 flagship compact, have been launched in time to make the Christmas market. The 20.1 megapixel RX100 Mk V has what Sony claims is the world’s fastest AF acquisition at 0.05 seconds and also uses the world’s highest number of AF points on a sensor: 315 in total. Its one-inch sensor has been developed specifically for this model. The lens is a 24-70mm zoom with an f/1.8 maximum aperture. Sony have also added 4K video.

The new A6500 features a ‘4D Focus’ system and comes with 425 phase-detection points. It has a capture rate of 11fps with continuous auto focus and supports up to 8fps in live view shooting mode. It also features five-axis in-body image stabilisation and a 24.2 megapixel APS-C sized sensor. 4K-video is available for shooters in Super 35mm format.
www.sony.co.uk

KODAK announce EKTRA, A Smartphone Designed for Photographers

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Eastman Kodak Company and Bullitt Group announced their KODAK EKTRA Smartphone, a photography-led smartphone designed for those with a passion for photography, from enthusiasts to experts. Kodak are drawing on their vast experience in digital imaging to create a Smartphone which uses innovative technologies and the robust Android OS to appeal to the photo enthusiast. The EKTRA will be launching soon across Europe. The Smartphone draws on retro looks and even has a number of nice looking cases which will enhance that classic appeal. Below is some of the text from Kodak’s announcement detailing the specs and capabilities.


The EKTRA is designed to capture the best in image quality and features excellent media management capabilities.

At the heart of the KODAK EKTRA Smartphone is a 21-megapixel fast focus camera sensor with f2.0 aperture, and an industry leading 13-megapixel front-facing camera with Phase Detection Auto Focus PDAF and f2.2 aperture. The custom built camera app is controlled by an intuitive haptic touch, SLR-style Scene Selection Dial, where adjustments are made in real time via a range of settings including HDR, Landscape, Portrait, Macro, Sport, Night-time, Panorama and Bokeh, alongside a Smart Auto mode which auto-selects the best conditions for your photographs. In Manual mode, more advanced users can adjust exposure, ISO, focus, white balance and shutter speed, with the results being visible on the screen as changes are made.
The KODAK EKTRA Smartphone has an ergonomically weighted and high quality industrial design, underlining its camera styling and featuring a dedicated dual press shutter button in the horizontal style of traditional cameras. The device also features a Super 8 app, providing professional effects reminiscent of Kodak’s iconic Super 8 film stocks.A lightning-fast HELIO X20 Decacore processor powers the ANDROID Marshmallow smartphone.
The KODAK EKTRA Smartphone includes editing software from SNAPSEED, providing exceptional tools to edit images on-the-go, without having to download any additional apps. This enables users to transform images with professional results similar to many popular desktop image editors. Sharing the results in real time is also easy with integrated social media apps and the Prints app is a simple way to select your best shots to be professionally printed.

KODAK EKTRA Smartphone key features:
ANDROID 6.0 (Marshmallow)
Professional results from a 21MP fast focus camera sensor with F2.0, PDAF, OIS, Dual LED Flash
13MP phase detection auto focus front-facing camera with F2.2 PDAF
Helio X20 2.3GHz Decacore processor with 3GB RAM
32GB memory, expandable with MicroSD cards
Advanced Manual Mode – adjustable on Exposure, ISO, Focal Length (Manual/Auto), White Balance, Shutter Speed, Aperture (fixed f2.0 main camera)
Familiar scene selection dial experience – includes scene modes Smart Auto, Portrait, Manual, Sports, Bokeh, Night-time, HDR, Panorama, Macro, Landscape, Film / Video
Integrated high quality printing app
Super 8 Video Recorder
Integrated social media sharing
3000mAh, with USB 3.0 Type C fast charger
The KODAK EKTRA Smartphone will be priced at £449 and available across Europe later this year.
To find out more visit; KODAK EKTRA
Register for updates on www.kodakphones.com
I look forward to trying out the EKTRA when it is release and will report back on my first impressions.
Kodak and Ektra are trademarks of Kodak.

EXPOSÉ 12 announced and will be crowd funded.

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EXPOSÉ 12  from Ballistic Books has been announced with the company going back to it roots. In their own words “Ballistic Media started as a crowd funded company long before the term “crowd funding”
was invented.” All Ballistic projects going forward will be released in this way meaning that there will be a certain exclusivity to owning one of their books. The books have become a part of my cg and imaging library so I look forward to seeing more of their excellent publications. Order your book now Expose12

Ellen Jewett – Natural History Surrealist Sculptures

Ellen Jewett is a talented sculptor with a flair for the beautiful. Working from her Canadian studio, she sculpts creatures which are a gorgeous combination of flora and fauna and a feast for the eyes. Ellen’s sculptures are handmade and created from materials which avoid toxic components. They are made of clay set over a light metal armature. Painted in acrylic, mineral and oil pigments with glass eyes inserted for realism, some are quite beautiful, whilst others are otherworldly but not quite nightmarish.

See more of her work at ellenjewettsculpture.com  |  DeviantArt  |  Etsy

Technolust and other cool stuff which brings a smile to the face of the geek in you.

When coming up with a name for my blogs, I often spend weeks sitting around with a troubled brow, worrying away at words and phrases until something clicks. Gadgets, Geeks and Gizmos was no different – I wanted a name which kind of said it all. I love gadgets, useful devices and things which perform some useful function or other. The geek part is easy, I am one, just ask any of my friends, as far back as I can remember I loved really cool and weird stuff; Comics, Sci-fi, fantasy, cool gadgets, weaponry, martial arts, alternative energy, technology and science. I’m a big Star Wars fan, one of the first in the U.K. I remember picking up Star Wars collectables before the movie was even released and seeing the movie on the first day here.

But even before Star Wars, I loved Star Trek, UFO, Space 1999, Six Million Dollar Man, Time Tunnel, 2001 and anything else of a fantastic nature. My teachers at school thought I needed to get my head out of the clouds and return to earth. My father hated my love affair with the weird and the fantastic, and yet he simply fed my appetite even more by coming home with cool stuff from NASA and other cool companies he had worked with.

With Gadgets, Geeks & Gizmos, I want to look at featuring the really cool things that people produce, some of it technologically fascinating and some of just plain cool. If like me, you like these wonderful things and find something others would like to hear about, simply drop us a message.

Thanks, and enjoy.

Mario Georgiou

 

A new adventure

 

Hello all, welcome to Gadgets, Geeks and Gizmos; a blog about really cool and wonderful stuff. It is also about the people who make this stuff. Here, I and other contributors will post links, images and stories which feature the weird, wonderful and crazy stuff which geeks and gadgeteers simply love.

I trust this will become a place where folk come to discover and share in the things which make me feel good, or sometimes just simply make me stop and appreciate life. 

I trust you’ll enjoy the experience and please feel free to share anything you think should be part of the journey.