Legendary Hacker geohot to Launch New Photo Sharing App Called Reactions

There’s a new photo sharing app in town called Reactions. That news isn’t particularly unique or exciting in itself, but the developer behind the app is rather noteworthy: it’s legendary hacker George Hotz (AKA “geohot”). Hotz, best known for his widely publicized hacks of the iPhone and Playstation 3, apparently wanted to design a camera app that’s different from the rest. Reactions is different in that it uses both the front- and rear-facing cameras of the iPhone in order to capture both views at once — in the same image.

The stated purpose is to go beyond the 1000 words told in photographs to tell the “full story” of 2000 words. By including an up-close portrait shot with each photograph, the app attempts to capture the photographer’s reaction as he or she snaps a picture of the scene. The software is designed for extreme social sharing. After each two-way photo is snapped, it will automatically be published to your Facebook account. The only way to avoid the share is to quickly tap the unlabeled cancel button within three seconds of the exposure. Reactions is currently going through Apple’s approval process, and should be arriving in the iTunes App Store shortly. Keep your eye on the official website if you’re interested in giving it a shot. Reactions (via Cult of Mac)

DON McCULLIN - SEEKING THE LIGHT

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DON McCULLIN - SEEKING THE LIGHT

Donald McCullin, FRPS CBE (born 9 October 1935, Finsbury Park, London, England) is an internationally known British photojournalist, particularly recognized for his war photography and images of urban strife. His career, which began in 1959, has specialised in examining the underside of society, and his photographs have depicted the unemployed, downtrodden and the impoverished, MORE

Canon Launches ‘Play it Safe’ Initiative, Helps You Spot Dangerous Knock-Offs

Canon recently launched a new safety initiative aimed at keeping dangerous knock-off gear out of your camera. The tag line for the initiative is “Play it Safe, Power your Canon with Canon Power,” and the company is hoping that a mix of warnings and education will do the trick and keep you from buying counterfeit “Canon” batteries and chargers.
Part one is a warning that most photographers already know:

Purchase of these products can lead to potentially dangerous results. Unlike genuine Canon products, counterfeit accessories may not meet government and industry safety standards and may overheat, smoke, melt, ignite and may cause bodily injury and property damage.

Pretty standard stuff. In addition, however, Canon USA has also added a section to its websitededicated to helping consumers identify knock-offs of the company’s most popular batteries and chargers. All of the examples (at the top and below) have the real product on the left, and a counterfeit example on the right:




Of course, this doesn’t include separately branded replacement batteries and such that you can buy at retail chains, only Canon counterfeits. Head over to Canon USA’s designated counterfeit page for more info.
(via Photography Blog)

Metabones Speed Booster Adapter Makes Your Lenses Faster, Wider and Sharper

If you read the title and thought “huh?” you’re not the only one. Hearing that an adapter can actually make your lenses faster and wider sounds a bit like photography science fiction, but it’s true and it’s getting some serious attention online — it’s Metabones’ new Speed Booster.
If you want to get into the nitty gritty details of how it works you can find the whole white paperhere. The TL;DR version, however, goes something like this:
The Speed Booster is what’s called a focal reducer (see diagram below), basically an inverted teleconverter. Where a teleconverter increases magnification, the Speed Booster has a magnification of x0.71. Because of this, more of the image and more light is able to fall onto the sensor

When you attach a full-frame lens to the adapter, it will give your mirrorless’ APS-C or MFT sensor nearly full-frame coverage out of that lens, while increasing the amount of light hitting the sensor by one stop. So a 50mm f/1.4 effectively becomes a 35mm f/1.0.

Because of the way the adapter works you’ll have to use full-frame lenses if you’re using a Sony NEX body. However, micro four thirds speed boosters are also in the works, and those sensors are small enough that you can attach EF-S or DX lenses to the other side.
The Speed Booster will cost you $600, and should be available starting sometime this month. The EF to E-Mount Speed Booster is already up for pre-order; however, speed boosters should releasing shortly for both Canon EF and Nikon FX lenses adapting to both E-Mount and Micro Four Thirds systems.

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Thanks for sending in the tip, Troy!

Cameraman Captures What It’s Like to Be Targeted as Food by a Polar Bear

If you ever find yourself wondering what it’s like to be hunted by a hungry polar bear, just ask filmmaker Gordon Buchanan. While shooting wildlife imagery in Svalbard, Norway for a BBC series titled The Polar Bear Family and Me, Buchanan was approached by a giant 1,000lb, 8-foot-tall polar bear. Luckily for Buchanan, he was in a tiny Plexiglas enclosure. Luckily for the BBC, Buchanan was able to capture the 45-minute ordeal on film.

The video above offers a glimpse into what Buchanan experienced that day. Buchanan was basically sitting in an on-land equivalent of an underwater shark cage, which allowed him to document the bear attack from inches away without worrying about actually becoming the hungry creature’s next meal.

Buchanan says that it was the scariest 40-or-so minutes of his life. It’s all worth it, though, if you can leave unscathed and with a selfie like this:

You can find more photographs of this encounter over on The Daily Mail.

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P.S. Perhaps the bear was simply trying to get at the camera equipment inside the pod rather than at Buchanan. A few months ago we shared some interesting photos of a polar bear that enjoyed getting its jaw and paws on a Canon 70-200mm lens.

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Image credits: Video and photographs by Gordon Buchanan/BBC

Who is the Photographer Behind Photos Shot by the Curiosity Rover on Mars?

We’ve written a number of posts regarding the NASA Curiosity rover’s photography on Mars, but have you ever wondered who it is that “presses the shutter”? If you have, you’re not alone.The Planetary Society recently received the question as well, and has published an official explanation from NASA:

It would be nice if the pictures took themselves. But it takes a village, it seems, to get a picture taken on Mars [...] for a single snap shot you might have the Geology Science Theme Group conceive and design it en masse; the PUL-1 plan it; the entire (on staff) Science Operations Working Group discuss it and include it in the daily plan, the PUL-2 actually write it, and the engineering uplink team review and approve it before the Ace hits the button to radiate it, with the sol’s command, bundle to the rover. That’s a group the size of a small village.

Camera operator Mark Lemmon also talks about how the team often goes to great lengths to nail lighting and composition. With so many resources drained into each photo, casual snapshots aren’t exactly Curiosity’s thing.
Who is the photographer behind Mars rover photos? Answer from Mark Lemmon [The Planetary Society]

ONE DAY ON EARTH: Frozen Camera: What a DSLR Looks Like When Shooting in a -25°C Environment