Latest Posts

FUJINON SX801, The next-generation surveillance camera system

by maurice kammholz December 2, 2022 Comments0
Video

Together with Chromos Group AG in Switzerland, our colleague Rob van der Spank, Manager of the CCTV, Machine Vision and Binoculars department FUJIFILM Europe, tested the SX801, which was launched in late 2021. On one of the highest mountains, the Chäserrug mountain near the Chromos office, this FUJINON long range camera system was put to the test.

One of my responsibilities is the SX surveillance camera system range, of which I am very proud when I present this monster at exhibitions or during field tests, as we did in Switzerland for the SX800 back in 2019.

Rob van der Spank

This advanced camera system is a further development of the FUJINON SX800 with Full-HD resolution and a stabilized 40x zoom lens that was introduced at Milipol 2019. Thanks to its powerful 1/1.8” image sensor, the long focal length range of 20 mm to 800 mm and state-of-the-art image processing technology, the FUJINON SX800 and SX801 are ideally suited for advanced long-range surveillance applications. This makes it the perfect application to protect critical infrastructure and transportation networks, including airports, harbors, highways, borders, and the environment in general.

Unlike the FUJINON SX800, the SX801 can output three streams in parallel. It also comes with a new host software for easy configuration, playback and live-streaming.

It was an amazing experience as you can see in the movie and the performance of the SX801 was outstanding especially on the long(er) range surveillance. If we ever go back to Switzerland to shoot another movie? Who knows, if I were you, I would keep my eyes open somewhere in April next year.

Rob van der Spank

Check out the video down below to learn more from Rob about the FUJINON SX801 and its features.

Have we sparked your interest? Then, check our website or contact us for more information.

Filed under blog Technology

INSTAX Christmas decoration DIY

by mariesophieklueber November 30, 2022 Comments0

Only 24 days let until it is Christmastime again! Today, we show you how you can quickly create a unique Christmas decoration with your favorite photos.

For this you will need:

  • 1 glass
  • Water
  • Water beads
  • Mini Christmas decoration
  • 1 floating candle
  • Your favorite Christmas photo
  • Transparent tape if needed

First, put the water beads in a bowl with water and let them swell overnight.

The next day you can print out your Christmas motive with your INSTAX-Square Smartphone Printer like here, or you shoot a new one with your INSTAX camera. If you want to protect it from water, you can try wrapping it in clear tape.

Now take your jar and alternate filling it with a little of the decoration and the water beads. In the middle you put the INSTAX instant picture. When the glass is almost full, fill it up with water – and all at once the water pearls disappear!

Now your INSTAX photo floats in the middle of your great Christmas decoration! You can round off your DIY now, in which you put a floating candle in your glass, so you have conjured up a double eye-catcher.

A few tips: it’s best not to use real candy canes, because they dissolve quickly. Please note that it is possible that the INSTAX instant picture may change if it is in the water for a longer time.

See the video for more detailed instructions!
Filed under Be Inspired blog Spotlight

How to: Make Better Images Indoors

by maurice kammholz November 22, 2022 Comments0

Here in Europe, you can already feel it… Winter season is here. The days are getting shorter, it is getting colder outside, and in some parts it is already starting to snow. Of course, such conditions create perfect outdoor sceneries to capture in your photos, but shooting portraits and other pictures involving people or pets might be challenging due to the unpredictable weather. Therefore, it is time to move back inside and make use of the cozy vibes of our homes. Especially, since Christmas is around the corner, and we are about to take the perfect cheesy family pictures. For beautiful indoor images with perfect color, you need to know how to respond to available light.

Remember, what you see is what you get!

Utilizing your camera’s electronic viewfinder, or the main LCD screen, gives you an accurate view of how the picture will be when you hit the shutter, eliminating any kind of guesswork. Even if you make adjustments to exposure or other settings, you are able to see these in your viewfinder. Thus, you get the picture exactly the way you want to.

Did you know if you add a live histogram to the display, it shows how bright or dark the image you will make is? In your camera’s settings, simply go to ‘screen set-up > display custom setting > activate histogram’.

Make use of auto ISO

As always, available light is inconsistent and therefore, it is important to be adjustable. ISO is every photographer’s secret for that! For everyone who is lazy or as we like to call it ‘smart’, simply set the ISO to Auto, so it adjusts automatically, ensuring you get a good exposure every time. If you prefer adjusting the ISO to your specific requirements, you can as well do so manually by altering the ISO handle.

In addition, you can set a minimum shutter speed with the Auto ISO. Now, it will not drop below that setting – as you can see, all you need to do is tell the camera to do what you want it to do! By choosing one of the auto ISO modes you will be able to change the three settings ‘Default Sensitivity, Max Sensitivity and Min. Shutter Speed’.

Significant to note is that control over Auto ISO is only available in the Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual modes. In other options, the camera uses Auto ISO automatically.

Filed under Be Inspired blog Tutorials

Do you recognize this image?

by gg November 15, 2022 Comments0
https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2014/04/HD_2D00_Windows_2D00_XP_2D00_Bliss_2D00_Wallpaper_2D00_Backgrounds.jpg

We are sure that almost everyone is familiar with this. Exactly! This image depicts the famous default wallpaper hill of Microsoft’s Windows XP™ operating system.

A ‘digital window’ overlooking a green hill and blue sky in the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area of the California Wine Country. This photo, named Bliss, consistently makes a Windows XP™ PC recognisable.

However, if you think Microsoft© created it in one of its design studios, you are wrong. The Bliss is a completely original photo with slight editing.

Charles O’Rear, former National Geographic photographer, took the photo in January 1996 and Microsoft© bought the rights to it in 2000. O’Rear used a 1980 Mamiya RZ67 SLR camera and Fujifilm Velvia film to take the image, a film often used among nature photographers and known to saturate some colours.

Filed under blog photographs