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Analog Cameras

Polaroid film set for international rescue

Gitzo tripodPolaroid chiefs are in talks with the maker of Ilford film over the possibility of producing Polaroid black and white instant film at Ilford's base in Cheshire, UK.
In February, Polaroid announced plans to axe film production, blaming competition from digital cameras, 61 years after it hailed the birth of 'instant photography'.
A spokesman for Harman technology Ltd, which trades as Ilford Photo, told us that Ilford Photo and Polaroid are 'talking' but added that 'it's very early days'.
He said discussions are focusing on Ilford Photo 'taking on production of Polaroid monochrome instant film'. Read the whole article here. Many thanks to SteliosKa for the heads up.

ILFOSOL 3 Developer

 ILFOSOL 3 is a new developer for black and white film photography. The new developer is particularly suited for use with medium and slow speed films, ensuring a fine grain and optimal sharpness at full film speed. “At a time when many leading manufacturers of photo-imaging products are pulling out of the black and white market, we remain as staunchly committed to it as ever. The introduction of ILFOSOL 3 should serve as proof - and reassurance - of this.” said HARMAN technology Marketing Director, Howard Hopwood. ILFOSOL 3 costs around GBP7.00 (inc VAT) per 500ml bottle. Read the whole article here

New Kodak 35mm SLR Rumors

A news story appeared a few days ago (March 6th - Amateur Photographer UK ) about a deal between Vivitar and Kodak to make new Kodak-branded 35mm cameras, including a 35mm SLR. A couple days later, Kodak’s UK communications people denied the story, which was based on a Vivitar press release. Regardless of whether Kodak and Vivitar have a partnership to build and sell new cameras, the story brings up some interesting questions. Kodak has recently been actively promoting and adding to their professional film line, spreading the message that they are in the film business for the long haul. And interest in film is on the rise. No one expects film to come back and replace digital cameras. But many pro photographers prefer film for certain types of work. And I’m actually seeing younger photographers, who learned with digital cameras, discovering the magic of film and the darkroom. So it doesn’t surprise me that there would be some interest in a new 35mm SLR camera. Read the whole article here

AF-H: A New Focusing Mode for Hyperfocal Distance

In his first article for PhotographyBLOG, Zoltan Arva-Toth takes the bold step of proposing an entirely new auto-focus mode for digital cameras…
Update 1: As this has created a lot of interest, we’ll be contacting the camera manufacturers soon to ask for their input.
Update 2: Kodak, Carl Zeiss, Olympus and DxO Labs have now provided their feedback - see the end of the article.
It is no secret to anyone with a basic knowledge of photography that most modern cameras offer two main focusing modes, manual focus (MF) and autofocus (AF). Autofocus may come in several flavours, including AF-S (called one-shot AF by Canon) for stationary subjects, AF-C (AI Servo) for moving ones – especially useful if your subject is moving toward or away from you – and an intelligent AF-A (AI Focus) mode, which detects if the subject is in motion or not, and acts accordingly. Read the whole article here

Canon interview

Despite a very busy schedule Bas de Meijer has interviewed some of the exhibitors during the PMA 2008 show in Las Vegas. One of the interviewees was Richard Trestain, Digital camera product specialist of Canon. Before the Photo Marketing Association 2008 kicked off, Canon introduced a number of new digital compact camera models and one new digital SLR camera for the upcoming season. Canon have been a leading brand for years in relation to worldwide sales of digital cameras. This is not something to take for granted. To apply high technical innovations or to integrate novelties into a product at the right moment is the key to successfully sell products. Richard Trestain answers a number of questions. Read the whole article here

Polaroid Technology Fades Out


When Polaroid users pulled a picture out of their cameras, an image would slowly appear before their eyes. Now, like the process in reverse, the image of the Polaroid instant camera -- dimming for years -- has finally gone black.
Polaroid, based in Waltham, Mass., is shutting down factories in the United States and abroad as the company abandons the technology that made the instant photo possible, the Boston Globe reported yesterday. The company will cease production of its film by next year.
The artsy, instantly gratifying Polaroid images, reeking of processing chemicals, have finally been done in by endless Flickr Web pages full of digital images, flawlessly produced by cameras that do not require film, emulsion or anything bigger than a shirt pocket to carry them around. Read the whole article here

New Kodak Professional T-MAX 400 Black-and-White Film

November 15, 2007 — Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) enhances its black-and-white professional film portfolio with the introduction of an improved Kodak Professional T-MAX 400 Film. The new film, utilizing Kodak’s patented T-GRAIN emulsions, delivers finer grain and higher sharpness. T-MAX 400 is said by the company to be the world’s finest grained and the world’s sharpest 400-speed black-and-white film, offering photographers a level of clarity normally only available from a 100-speed film. Read the whole article here

World’s Oldest Camera Sold

Panasonic

May 29, 2007 – What would the world’s oldest camera be worth? The answer: over three-quarters of a million dollars. An 1839 daguerreotype camera was sold for a reported $792,333 at a photography auction house in Austria this weekend, according to the AP.
An anonymous online bidder beat out other interested parties from around the globe. The camera, made by the French company Susse Freres, is a singular sliding box camera that professor Wolfgang Haase discovered in an attic in Germany.  
Experts date the camera back to 1839, making it not only the oldest commercially manufactured camera but now the most expensive camera in the world, according to a statement by the WestLicht auction house. via digitalcamerainfo.com

Protective cases for digital SLR cameras

Made Products announces the Camera Armor, a line of silicone cases for digital SLR cameras that keep cameras fully protected and instantly ready for action, with access to all features of the camera right out of the case. "The unique thing about Camera Armor is the fact that it protects your camera wherever you go, regardless of what you are doing. You put it on, and leave it on, so no matter what bumps life throws at you, your camera is protected,” says Graeme Esarey, CEO. “Unlike other cases, you don’t sacrifice much in the way of function. I can still change a memory card with one hand, the battery with the other, and be ready for the next shot. But my camera is protected the whole time.” Read the whole article here

World's first camera

 The World's first camera is currently on display in Capital Museum, Beijing, for an exhibition that presents the history of photography through Nicephore Niepce museum collections. via www.makezine.com