For SA lenses they will keep producing few and selling remaining stock.

Note that similar announcement for m43 can appear during 2019.

Fujitsu has developed an image-compression technology that allows it to reduce images to 0.1% of their original size, which will help increase the precision of self-driving systems.

The new algorithm, which draws on Fujitsu's know-how in 4K and 8K video broadcasts, compresses data at a ratio of 1,000-to-1 compared to the more typical 80-to-1. By significantly reducing the volume of data, moving cars will be able to send high-resolution images over the internet to data centers in real time.

In addition, data centers will be able to request specific images when the cars approach signals and intersections.

Compiling big data requires advanced algorithms to trim and compress the data. It is hard for self-driving cars to transmit the data in real time using existing technologies on the market, so it is stored on board instead to be collected later by automakers and others.

But 5G mobile networks, set for commercialization in 2020, will be able to handle far greater data traffic than existing networks and could provide a major boon to self-driving systems. With that in mind, Fujitsu hopes to have a commercial version of its algorithm ready in three years to be marketed to automakers and other companies.

Of course push is on the driverless cars (that won't happen in the long time). But real goal is normal cars.

Olympus opens Perspective Playground at photokina 2018 with commitment to delivering the most mobile camera system

Olympus invites photokina visitors to experience the benefits of their interchangeable lens cameras at the Perspective Playground.

Cologne, 25 September 2018 - In a press conference at photokina 2018, Olympus today emphasized their role as innovation leader in the mirrorless camera segment. Olympus confirmed their commitment to support the personal mobility and spontaneity of photographers with a professional camera system boasting great image quality while still being compact and featuring light weight.

Olympus management members Shigemi Sugimoto and Stefan Kaufmann explained the Micro Four Thirds sensor standard to deliver the best platform for this value proposition and invited all photokina visitors to experience the benefits at the Olympus Perspective Playground at photokina 2018.

For more information on the Olympus Perspective Playground and Olympus' photokina 2018 presence please refer to www.perspectiveplayground.de.

An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability to authenticate as an admin user without needing to provide a password, thereby gaining full control of the My Cloud device.

Whenever an admin authenticates, a server-side session is created that is bound to the user's IP address. After the session is created it is possible to call authenticated CGI modules by sending the cookie username=admin in the HTTP request. The invoked CGI will check if a valid session is present and bound to the user's IP address.

Company refused to fix such stupid hole for 15 months!

https://www.securify.nl/advisory/SFY20180102/authentication-bypass-vulnerability-in-western-digital-my-cloud-allows-escalation-to-admin-privileges.html

Venus Optics have unveil 8 new and unique Laowa lenses, including the 25-100 T/2.9 Professional Cine lens, the first professional cinema style zoom lens offered by the company. Together with the 4 new lenses showed earlier in Beijing P&E, a total of 12 new Laowa lenses will make their European debut at Photokina next week.

All 12 new lenses will make their European debut in Venus Optics’ booth (Hall 2.1, D-040) at Photokina, Cologne during 26th-29th Sept. Pricing and ship date are to be confirmed.

Venus Optics Press Release

Venus Optics unveil 8 new & unique Laowa lenses in Photokina, including the 25-100 T/2.9 Professional Cine Lens

Together with the 4 new lenses showed earlier in Beijing P&E, a total of 12 new Laowa lenses will make their Europe debut in Venus Optics' booth in Photokina (Hall 2.1, D-040)

Anhui China, Sept 21, 2018 -- Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, is proud to unveil 8 new and unique lenses in Photokina.

• Laowa OOOM 25-100mm t/2.9 Cine Lightweight Zoom
• Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT
• Laowa 12mm f/1.8 MFT
• Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D (DJI DL)
• Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D MFT
• Laowa 7.5mm t/2.1 Cine
• Laowa 9mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine
• Laowa 12mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine
• Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom
• Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO
• Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D
• Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye MFT

Laowa OOOM 25-100 t/2.9 Cine Lightweight Zoom

Laowa OOOM Cine lightweight zoom is the first professional cinema style zoom lens offered by Venus Optics. The lens features a wide 25-100mm zoom range, making it a one-size-fits-all lens for different types of productions.

Unlike some cine lens in the market which were re-engineered from a photo zoom lens, Laowa OOOM Cine lens is designed for digital cinematography in the first place. It is truly parfocal, meaning the focus will never shift when you zoom in or zoom back out. It is designed to have nearly zero focus breathing throughout the whole zoom range. The aperture remains fixed at t/2.9 at all focal lengths. 

It is built with the true cinema level mechanics. It comes with a stepless, t-stop independent aperture ring with an industry standard 0.8 mod /32 pitch gears.  The 270° rotation flow provides room or precise focus pulls and the iris is clickless, enabling smooth iris pulls. The lens weighs only 2.16 pounds, which is fairly light for a cinema zoom that holds focus and aperture throughout the focal length range.

Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT

Laowa 17mm f/1.8 is a new compact, standard prime designed for Micro Four Thirds cameras and it gives a 35mm-equivalent field of view. The lens houses 9 elements in 7 groups and have a 5-blade aperture for the best sunstar rendering. The lens is extremely compact and lightweight, weighs only 160g (0.36lbs) and is 5cm (2") long. A 46cm filter thread is included and the 15cm minimal focus distance make it a perfect lens for videography.

Laowa 12mm f/1.8 MFT

Laowa 12mm f/1.8 is a new compact, wide-angle prime for Micro Four Thirds cameras and it gives a 24mm-equivalent field of view. The ultra-fast f/1.8 aperture allows photographers to take astro photos with ease. The lens houses 13 elements in 10 groups and a 5-blade aperture. The lens can focus as close as 14cm (5.5") and takes 46mm screw-in filters which gives extra convenience to videographers. It weighs only 165g (0.4 lbs) and its 5cm long (2").

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D (DJI DL)

Following the successful launch of the super compact and lightweight 7.5mm f/2 MFT lens for DJI Inspire drones (X5 gimbals) during 2017, Venus Optics is proud to introduce another ultra-wide option, Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D DL, to use on DJI Inspire 2 (X7 gimbals). 

Featuring an effective 118° angle of view, the Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D DJI DL is currently the widest available option for DJI Inspire 2 drones with Zenmuse X7 gimbals. The bigger image circle can cover the size of Super35 sensors and the native DL mount allows an easy lens switching. The lens weighs only 215g and it is super tiny and compact. It comes with a 49mm filter thread and features a close-to-zero optical distortion.

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D MFT

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D (Micro Four Thirds mount) is the 4th variant added to the existing Fuji X, Sony E and EOS-M mounts. The 9mm lens provides a 18mm equivalent angle of view on the Micro Four Thirds sensor. It also has a better vignetting control over the other variants of the same lens. The close-to-zero distortion will remain unchanged.

Laowa 7.5mm t/2.1 Cine / Laowa 9mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine

The new Laowa 7.5mm and 9mm Cine lenses are the cine-mod version of the existing photo version of Venus Optics best-selling models. Both lenses were re-housed with a step-less aperture rings and focus rings with standard 0.8 mod gears which give videographers extra convenience to use with follow-focus systems. Both of the lenses are the widest available in the market in its class and only weigh 180g (0.4lbs) & 250g (0.55lbs) respectively. Closest focusing distance is both 12cm (0.4 feet). The wide perspective and lightweight makes them the perfect companion for gimbal shooting. MFT mount is available for 7.5mm t/2.1 Cine and Sony E mount is available for 9mm t/2.9 Cine.

Laowa 12mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine (PL)

The new Laowa 12mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine in PL mount is the cine-mod version of the existing 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens. The lens was rehoused with a step-less, t-stop aperture rings and focus rings with standard 0.8 mod gears for iris and focus pulls. It successfully covers the 35mm Vista Vision sensor size and offers an ultra-wide 122° angle of view, making it one of the world's widest and fastest available option for shooting with large sensors.  Despite the ultra-wide field of view, it is perfectly rectilinear and features a close-to-zero distortion rate. The focus flow is extended to 270° for cinematographers to also take advantage of the 0.6 feet (18cm) closest focusing distance. The super lightweight (650g, 1.4lbs) is also an added benefit for cinematographers.

Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom

This lens is currently the widest zoom lens available for Sony full frame E-mount cameras. Designed primarily for travel photography, Venus optics have managed to compress the size to smallest in its class, less than 4 inch (<10cm) and only 1.1 pounds (<500g). The 102° (18mm) to 130° (10mm) angle of view provides flexibility for photographers to compose landscape or architecture photos with ease. The lens houses with 14 elements in 10 groups with 2 aspherical elements & 1 extra-low dispersion element to deliver exceptional performance. It can focus as close as 15cm for some mini-macro shooting. A rear filter slot is included to fit with 37mm filter. A dedicated filter holder is being developed to fit 100mm-wide filters. Click/clickless aperture can be toggled by the switch on the lens barrel. A 5-blade aperture design ensures a pleasing and clean sunstar rendering.

Multiple samples will be available for free rental during Photokina period.

Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO

Followed by the success of the Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro, the 100mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro is the 2nd member of Laowa 2:1 macro line-up. This new 100mm lens can cover full frame sensor size and focus from 2:1 magnification to infinity. The wide magnification range allows macro photographers to capture subject at any sizes. This 100mm portrait lens also features an apochromatic (APO) characteristic that no chromatic aberration can be found.  The 12 elements in 10 groups optics design delivers a crystal sharpness image in both macro and tele distances. Automatic aperture control feature is available for Canon EF version and Aperture coupling is available for Nikon F mount version. 

Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D

This is currently the widest available native lens option for Fujifilm G-mount cameras. The new Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX has a field of view equivalent to 13mm in 35mm format (113°). Featuring a close-to-zero distortion and 86mm filter thread, this lens is ideally suited for landscape, architecture & interior photography. The 21 elements in 14 groups design with 2pcs of aspherical & 3pcs of Extra-low dispersion elements successfully help to control the distortion & chromatic aberrations to the minimal. 

Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye MFT

Featuring a 210° angle of view, this lens delivers unique circular fisheye field of view on Micro four thirds cameras. The ultra-wide angle view allows photographers to create 360° panorama with ease. Despite the unique & ultra-wide perspective, the lens only weighs 0.3 pounds (135g).

Specifications can be found in separate email attachment.

Free Rental Programme

Venus Optics have prepared some copies of the Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom and Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe lens (Canon) for free rental during Photokina period. For reservations, please contact Venus Optics via contact@venuslens.net.

Availability

All 12 new lenses will make its Europe debut in Venus Optics’ booth (Hall 2.1, D-040) in Photokina, Cologne during 26th-29th Sept. Pricing and ship date are to be confirmed.

Samsung is going to make FF and APSC sensor for Japanese companies.
FF might be manufactured soon for one company and it might be Panasonic.

APSC sensors were already developed and sent to Fuji and Pentax. The sensor is similar to NX1 but improved version. Fuji will get only sensors and Pentax will get ISP package too. Also, both Samsung and Fuji developed a new sensor together(There is an article)

For APSC Samsung sensor, it has…

• 28,2mp
• 6k video
• 10 bit 120fps
• H. 265 codec

The price will be 70% of Sony sensor.

• https://www.clien.net/service/board/park/12582399
• https://www.clien.net/service/board/park/11753895?po=0&od=T31&sk=title&sv=nx&category=&groupCd=&articlePeriod=default&pt=0
• https://www.clien.net/service/board/park/12597328?po=0&od=T31&sk=&sv=&category=&groupCd=&articlePeriod=default&pt=0
• http://www.slrclub.com/bbs/vx2.php?id=samsung_forum&no=331609
• http://www.slrclub.com/bbs/vx2.php?id=newproduct_pentax&no=5026

It is certainly some foundation under this. And it can be related to something happening in the mobile sensors industry.
May be agreement time is ending in 2019.

I do not believe Panasonic will use non-Sony sensor for now, but if they will do it in future models we can safely say that they are doomed.
Knowing Samsung management, they are not Sony and do not respect Japanese intricate dealings too much.

A Nikon do Brasil comunica o encerramento de todas as suas atividades no país.

Em relação à Nikon Instruments no Brasil, as linhas completas de produtos de microscopia, bem como de acessórios e assistência técnica, continuarão a ser oferecidas no país pela empresa BioLab Brasil. Os outros distribuidores para microscópios educacionais e clínicos, Spectrun, Hoven e PMH, permanecerão inalterados e continuarão a atender seus clientes normalmente[1].

Para produtos fotográficos com garantias válidas, é importante enfatizar que os reparos continuarão sendo honrados pelo Grupo Nikon. A assistência técnica e as solicitações de reparo de produtos em garantia deverão ser realizadas pelo site da Nikon do Brasil por meio de formulário online². Equipamentos fotográficos e acessórios que estejam fora de garantia terão os serviços de assistência técnica assumidos diretamente pela marca nos Estados Unidos.

Caso tenha questionamentos corporativos e de imprensa, entre em contato por meio do e-mail: comunicacao.br@nikon.com

Many people look at this like small episode, I suggest to look at this in broader way.

it is big chance that Brazil will be going deeper into energy crisis in coming years, and elites will be able to buy cameras anyway.

Intel intends to give priority to its high-margin products mainly server-use processors and chipsets amid its tight 14nm process capacity, and therefore plans to outsource the production of its entry-level H310 and several other 300 series desktop processors to TSMC, the sources indicated.

Intel has seen its overall 14nm chip supply fall short of demand by as much as 50%, the sources said. Outsourcing has become the only and appropriate choice for Intel since the company is unlikely to build additional 14nm process capacity, the sources noted.

After 10nm process failed miserably management don't know that to do.

Yet we can see here forming of new cartel and foundation for rising CPU prices. We already have cartel agreements in HDDs, RAM and NAND.

I see many people arguing one photo camera is better than another based on traditionally video functions...

While possibly bad for business, in the end, isn't that a good thing technologically, that even consumers will have access to the same photo capabilities as past "pro" gear...

PS. Guest appearance by Panasonic marketing rep

Can you guess which is which?

As we prepare for our next major release of Creative Cloud, we wanted to share some information on updated operating system requirements. To take advantage of the latest operating system features and technologies, the next major release of Creative Cloud will not support Windows 8.1, Windows 10 v1511 and v1607, and Mac OS 10.11 (El Capitan). For more detailed information about operating system requirements for the next major release of Adobe video and audio tools, see this post.

If you’re running Windows 8.1, Windows 10 v1511 and v1607 or Mac OS 10.11 (El Capitan), you can continue to run and install current and previous versions of Creative Cloud applications. However, you will not be able to install or run the next major release of Creative Cloud unless you’re on a supported version of Windows or MacOS.

Creative Cloud Desktop, which manages application installs, will continue to be supported on Windows 7 or later and Mac OS X v10.9 or later.

Focusing our efforts on more modern versions of Windows and Mac operating systems allows us to concentrate on developing the features and functionality most requested by members, while ensuring peak performance that takes advantage of modern hardware. Visit this site for detailed information on current Creative Cloud app system requirements.

Want to see capitalism in all it's glory - here it is!

Cutting support for older OS versions allow to cut expenses, yet damage it makes for users far outpace everything saved for new top managers yachts.

In industry it is rumors that last year Adobe top management bonuses and payments set all records and guys just have no idea where to spend such money.

LG Innotek today announced the company is promoting the thermal imaging infrared camera module business. The company plans to build the foundation for the business early on through win-win cooperation with a venture company as well as through technologies and expertise of the world's top smartphone camera module business.

The thermal imaging camera senses the far-infrared heat energy of 8 to 14 micrometer (um) wavelength emitted by an object and displays it as an image. It is useful because it can grasp the shape and position of an object regardless of lighting or weather, but it is expensive and is mainly used in special fields such as military and industrial safety.

LG Innotek intends to make inroads into the market with thermal imaging camera modules, whose thermal sensing and image processing performance and price competitiveness have been greatly enhanced by the innovative technologies. The company will launch its first original products in the second half of next year.

The company is accelerating the in-house development of core technologies from sensors to module design and production process to develop thermal imaging camera modules.

In particular, LG Innotek is expanding its cooperation with domestic venture companies to secure thermal imaging sensor technology. Recently, the company started the joint development of the next generation thermal imaging sensor together with Truwin.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lg-innotek-to-promote-thermal-imaging-ir-camera-module-business-300703020.html

Apology for announcement of product deliveries scheduled to be released in September 2018 and announcement

Thank you very much for your continued patronage of Nikon products.

For the following products we are planning to release in September, 2018 We have so many reservations, so if you can not deliver on the day of the release date to some customers who have already made a reservation there is.

In addition, customers who will be booked in the future may have time to deliver products after release.

We deeply apologize for causing serious inconveniences to our concerned parties, including customers who are looking forward to products. We will make every effort to deliver it as soon as possible to meet your expectations, so we appreciate your kind understanding

Making artificial shortages becoming standard tool.

Rev. Peter G. Vu, a Catholic priest serving in the Diocese of Grand Rapids in Michigan, United States, is one of those few authors. In his book, “Living for Higher Purpose: Story of a City Boy Who Survived the Viet Nam War by Living for Jesus and Others,” he recounts the memoirs of a Vietnam War refugee named Viet who, despite insurmountable odds, escapes the post-war Communist regime to the United States to start a new life.

We ( Vietnamese ) keep remind ourselves that “ You sign, Chicken Die “ ( Búr Sa Gà Chết in our language. ). Longtime ago in Vietnam, a farmer had to serve meal , like a form of bribery having documents be certified by a village officer. Chicken was favorite food for that .-;)

Your signature in Personal-view won’t make chicken die but make Father Vu story alive.

We need your help to have 1000 signature at least. Father Vu story could become “ Film “

Sony Electronics, Inc. – a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer – today announced that it has overtaken and held the No. 1 overall position in the United States full-frame interchangeable lens camera market in the first half of 2018, in both dollars and units. In fact, four out of every 10 full-frame cameras sold during this time period have come from the Sony brand.

[VK] Note! it is not units sold - it is money they got for overpriced new cameras!

Additionally, Sony has announced that within the overall mirrorless market, it has held the No. 1 position in both dollars and units for more than six years2. These strong results can be attributed to the company’s leadership in transitioning the market from older DSLR technology to next-generation mirrorless cameras.

Much of Sony’s recent success has been driven by sales of the acclaimed α7R III and α7 III models, as well as the rapid adoption of the α9 camera amongst professional sports photographers and photojournalists. The brand’s extremely active community has played a major part as well, as evidenced by the strong engagement on key social platforms like Instagram, where the official @SonyAlpha page has just surpassed the coveted one million followers count.

As a celebration of these historic achievements, Sony has announced the launch of its extensive “Be Alpha” campaign that will connect creators of all types with the brand and its ever-growing roster of talented photographers and videographers.

“We’re extremely proud of achieving No. 1 overall share in Full-frame cameras in the US market, as well as holding a strong No. 1 share in the mirrorless market for six years running” said Neal Manowitz, vice president of Digital Imaging at Sony Electronics. “More than anything, we owe this to our community. It is our pleasure to create for you, the true creators. You pushed us to innovate, to change, to continually adapt, and your voice remains core to everything we do.”

Manowitz added, “To ‘Be Alpha’ is to be a leader, to be an innovator, to stand out amongst the crowd. It represents everything we stand for as a brand. Our campaign will celebrate the extended Sony community, while also shining a light on the topics that that we are most passionate about – diversity, conservation, equality and much more.”

Sony’s “Be Alpha” movement will be headlined by a series of community events in major markets throughout North America in 2018 and beyond, beginning with the official launch event on August 19th, World Photography Day, in New York City. The campaign will encourage all creators to get involved by sharing their own “Be Alpha” content on all relevant social platforms while tagging #BeAlpha.

The “Be Alpha” campaign will also feature programs that are designed to foster growth in both the current and next generations of imaging professionals, the most notable of which being the flagship “Alpha Female” program. This multi-tiered, female exclusive program is Sony’s thoughtful response to the imaging industry’s well-documented diversity challenges. It will include a variety of grants and mentorship opportunities for female photographers and videographers, as well as the production of several large-scale industry events. Additional details to be released soon.

All key information regarding Sony’s “Be Alpha” movement, including the campaign launch video, will be hosted at www.alphauniverse.com/BeAlpha. This page will be continually updated with information on new events, content pieces and more.

A variety of additional stories and exciting new content shot with Sony products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com , Sony’s community site built to educate, inspire and showcase all fans and customers of the Sony α brand.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. is excited to announce the expansion of the already cost-effective, benefit-rich accidental coverage plan.

Starting today, customers have even more perks with the addition of:\

• Free two-way shipping to and from Canon for all service and repairs\
• Free camera maintenance with sensor cleanings up to two times for Canon DSLR cameras or EF Lenses\
• Dedicated phone and email support at 1-833-CAREPAK (1-833-227-3725) and carepakplus@cits.canon.com

Customers who purchase CarePAK PLUS already enjoy protection against drops, spills, and power surges as well as additional hardware coverage from normal wear and tear.  The plan also includes Image Recovery for cameras and camcorders that utilize a removable memory card -- designed to retrieve irreplaceable images or videos otherwise lost or corrupted.  CarePAK PLUS provides up to four years of service and support from the date of purchase for Canon products including cameras, binoculars, camcorders, printers, and projectors. With a CarePAK PLUS protection plan, a damaged product will be repaired to good working condition or replaced with an equivalent product. Canon customers can also enjoy service direct from Canon using only genuine Canon parts.  This coverage plan is unique to Canon and currently not available from other providers.

All the new benefits listed above are retroactive to all current customers who have an active CarePAK PLUS.

Today also marks the launch of an exciting new CarePAK PLUS promotion.  Now through July 7, 2018, 13 months free Canon CarePAK PLUS is included at no additional cost to customers who purchase select Canon cameras and lenses and register their product within 30 days.  The promotion also includes a special upgrade offer.  Customers who purchase a 36-month CarePAK PLUS with their product purchase will receive a total of 49 months of coverage plus Image Recovery from day 1!

Additional details about Canon CarePAK PLUS can be found at: usa.canon.com/carepak-plus.

To learn more about the current CarePAK PLUS promotion, please visit usa.canon.com/protection.

For more information about Canon CarePAK PLUS and other Service & Support benefits offered by the digital imaging leader, please reach out to Eloise Pisano at episano@cusa.canon.com.

Main approach used by EISA - No Child Left Behind!

Through the agreement, Onkyo garners access to TEAC’s established marketing and distribution networks covering a variety of retail channels. TEAC products will join the company’s growing suite or brands including Onkyo, Pioneer, Pioneer ELITE, Integra and Esoteric-branded home theater electronics.

Onkyo USA said Tuesday it has reached an agreement for the exclusive distribution rights to market and distribute TEAC-branded home entertainment products in the United States and Latin America

Things are going in reverse now :-)

Will see that happens to Tascam if it will survive coming months.

The number of people who live in their vehicles because they can’t find affordable housing is on the rise, even though the practice is illegal in many U.S. cities.

The number of people residing in campers and other vehicles surged 46 percent over the past year, a recent homeless census in Seattle’s King County, Washington found. The problem is “exploding” in cities with expensive housing markets, including Los Angeles, Portland and San Francisco, according to Governing magazine.

Capitalists try to sole issue their way

A recent survey by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP), which tracks policies in 187 cities, found the number of prohibitions against vehicle residency has more than doubled during the last decade.

Think Tank Photo Inc. (“Think Tank”) and MindShift Gear LLC (“MindShift”), today announced the merger of the two companies, creating an integrated product suite for professional and advanced photographers. The merger is effective today, and the companies have immediately combined their business operations.

The combined company will be privately held and operate under the Think Tank brand. MindShift will continue as a distinct product line for outdoor photography bags and accessories. Doug Murdoch, Think Tank's founder, president, and lead designer, will continue as Chairman of the Board and president of the combined company. Corporate headquarters will remain in Santa Rosa, CA.

“We celebrate a milestone today as we formally join two of the top brands in camera bags and photo accessories, Think Tank and MindShift,” said Doug Murdoch. “Combined under the Think Tank umbrella, and with MindShift's powerful position in the outdoor photography market, we will draw on our decades of experience to push the boundaries of carrying solutions and enhance our reputation as 'The Choice of Working Professionals'.”

Logitech has agreed to acquire Blue Microphones, a leader in studio-quality microphones these past 20 years.

Logitech’s acquisition of Blue Microphones will accelerate our entry into a growing market, and offers another way for us to help bring people’s passions (from music to blogging) to life. Joining with Blue is an adjacent opportunity for us – a new way to grow – with additional synergies related to our existing gaming, PC webcam and audio categories. It’s exciting!”

http://blog.bluedesigns.com/posts/logitech-steps-up-to-the-mic

TRON has officially closed its acquisition of BitTorrent. BitTorrent has more than 100 million active users worldwide, and has one of the top-rated apps on Google Play and other products, including BitTorrent Play (iOS), uTorrent Web, and desktop clients for PC and Mac.

BitTorrent will continue operating from TRON’s new San Francisco location, which is now the center of operations for the company’s global market expansion. The division will provide robust support for TRON’s global business development and partnerships, while pursuing its vision for the world’s largest decentralized ecosystem.

http://blog.bittorrent.com/2018/07/23/its-official-bittorrent-is-now-part-of-tron/

Fujifilm to boost its production capacity for interchangeable lenses

Addressing the ever-increasing demand for mirrorless digital cameras

Production Capacity to increase 70% by 2020

FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) has announced that it will substantially reinforce its production capacity for interchangeable lenses in response to a growing demand for mirrorless digital cameras. Additional production facilities will be set up at the Taiwa Factory of FUJIFILM Optics Co., Ltd. (“FFOP”), a subsidiary for producing cameras and lenses in Japan. The new facilities will go operational in stages starting in September 2018. This expansion will boost the production capacity by approx. 70% in 2020, when all of the new facilities go fully operational.

Fujifilm entered into the mirrorless digital camera market in 2012 and continued to expand the lineup of the X Series of highly maneuverable APS-C mirrorless digital cameras. In March 2017, the company introduced the FUJIFILM GFX 50S ( “GFX 50S”), a medium-format mirrorless digital camera featuring a large sensor 1.7 times the area of a 35mm full-size sensor. Its superior image quality based on Fujifilm unique color reproduction technology, elegant design and outstanding operability have given the camera a strong reputation from professional photographers and photo enthusiasts. Tapping into the optical technologies nurtured through the production of FUJINON lenses, widely used in the broadcasting and cinematography industries, Fujifilm has worked on developing interchangeable lenses with excellent descriptive performance. The current lineup of interchangeable lenses includes 36 models, with sales expanding at the rate of over 20% per annum.

Fujifilm is substantially reinforcing the production capacity of FFOP’s Taiwa Factory in response to a growing demand for mirrorless digital cameras and to achieve further sales expansion of interchangeable lenses for the X Series and GFX Series. Among new facilities to be installed are a large-scale cleanroom featuring the cutting-edge cleanroom analyzer, and other latest facilities that use AI and IoT to improve accuracy in optical adjustments. This will enable the production of interchangeable lenses at high quality and efficiency, resulting in advanced productivity in manufacturing ultra wide-angle lenses and large-diameter lenses, which require a high level of image resolving performance. Through this investment, the Taiwa Factory’s production capacity will be raised by approx. 70% from the current level by 2020, when all of the new facilities go fully operational.

After the upgrade, the Taiwa Factory will combine the state-of-the-art facilities and production technology of skilled workers to manufacture not only the GF lenses, which draw out the advanced resolving performance of the GFX 50S, but also other interchangeable lenses which require highest manufacturing skill. They include an ultra wide-angle zoom lens announced today with a maximum aperture of F2.8 and focal length range equivalent to 12-24mm*, addition to the lineup of XF interchangeable lenses for the X Series, as well as a large-diameter telephoto lens, being developed for anticipated demand during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with a maximum aperture of F2.0 and focal length equivalent to 305mm*. Interchangeable lenses with “Made in Japan” quality, manufactured at the Taiwa Factory, will be distributed worldwide.

Fujifilm will continue to tap into its optical, precision processing and assembling technologies that have been nurtured in the cutting-edge imaging field over many years, to further expand the lineup of mirrorless digital cameras and interchangeable lenses, thereby broadening the photographic appeal of the X Series and GFX Series.

Just one problem - growing demand must be looked up with microscope.

Light, the leader in advanced computational imaging, today announced a Series D funding round of $121 million, led by the SoftBank Vision Fund. The renowned Leica Camera AG also participated in the financing. Light’s groundbreaking imaging platform enables machines to see like humans do, using sophisticated algorithms to combine images from multiple camera modules into a single high-quality image and enabling highly-accurate 3D depth extraction.

Welcome to the era of the software-defined camera.

In this era, pocketable, connected cameras can reconstruct the world in three dimensions and superhuman detail, cars are able to perceive the objects around them without the need for special sensors, and robots are able to thread the elusive needle autonomously.

Light’s highly accurate depth mapping can be used to create rich and complex environments for a wide-range of applications including augmented reality.

The new funding will allow Light to expand the reach of its imaging platform beyond consumer photography and into security, robotic, automotive, aerial and industrial imaging applications. Later this year, the first mobile phone incorporating Light’s technology will be available to consumers around the world. It will shatter the expectations of mobile photography.

“Light’s technology is a revelation, showing that several small, basic camera modules, combined with highly powerful software, can produce images that rival those produced by cameras costing and weighing orders of magnitude more. We’re just getting started. Having the support of SoftBank Vision Fund as a strategic investor means this technology will see more of the world sooner than we could have ever imagined,” said Dave Grannan, Light CEO and Co-founder.

“Light is a world leader in computational imaging. By replacing mechanical complexity with digital sophistication, they have been able to drastically reduce the size, weight, and cost of traditional cameras. This has paved the way for a whole new era of intelligent imaging applications” said Akshay Naheta, Partner, SoftBank Investment Advisers. “We believe that the opportunity to proliferate these technologies across other data-rich imaging platforms means that Light will completely revolutionize the world of mobile imaging and we are excited to be supporting the team in realising this ambition.”

Whole thing is like black hole eating money. It seems like main value is in some patents and algorithms, as products are subpar for now.

My prediction that they'll close without fanfares within 2 years. Or will be bough for their patents.

UK-based investment trust Caledonia has bought 89 percent holding in film lenses manufacturer Cooke Optics Group Ltd for 96.5 million pounds ($127 million).

Caledonia said it subscribed $82.66 million of equity and $39 million of debt. Cooke's management team have reinvested $10.3 million of sales proceeds for the remaining equity.

A statement released by the company says that the current management team — Les Zellan (Chairman), Robert Howard (Chief Executive Officer) and Alan Merrills (Chief Operating Officer), — all remain in place and that day-to-day activities at the Leicester-based company will continue unchanged.

“We have been experiencing a sustained period of growth, and the time was right to look for a new investor to help us develop further,” said Zellan.

I’ve known for some time that Nikon actually designs their own sensors, to a fairly minute level of detail. I think this is almost unknown in the photo community; most people just assume that “design” in Nikon’s case simply consists of ordering-up different combinations of specs from sensor manufacturers, picking a feature from column “A”, another from column “B” and so on, like a Chinese restaurant menu. In actuality, they have a full staff of sensor engineers who design cutting-edge sensors like those in the D5 and D850 from the ground up, optimizing their designs to work optimally with NIKKOR lenses and Nikon's EXPEED image-processor architecture.

Nikon really needed this PR article. Especially as 100% of all mass cameras have Sony sensors now.

Yes, in the past at this place they designed sensors and still do something now, but not for any mass camera (D5 is not mass camera, for D850 mentioned in article I have huge doubts). So, mostly they can only do slight changes to Sony design.

https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2018/07/17/pixels-for-geeks-a-peek-inside-nikons-super-secret-sensor-design-lab

Multiple sources told me that Olympus will NOT have a stand at this years Photokina. Instead they will have a “Perspective Playground”. This means there is a 99,9999% chance Olympus wont announce a new camera

https://www.43rumors.com/ft5-olympus-will-not-have-a-stand-at-this-years-photokina-they-will-only-have-a-perspective-playground/

One of the reasons can be that digital camera part of Olympus will merge with other m43 strong manufacturer (I khow you get the idea), but later in the year or early 2019.