Nikon is developing an X100-esque hybrid viewfinder for DSLR cameras. A recently published patent filing by the company describes and shows a DSLR with a viewfinder that can switch between optical and electronic modes. The purpose appears to be for providing the photographer with an optimal view of the scene — if the scene is too bright for the photographer (e.g. the camera is pointed towards the sun), then the camera switches to an electronic view that provides the user with a view that’s more suitable for their eyes.

Unlike the X100′s viewfinder, however, there is no electronic image overlaid on the optical one when in OVF mode.

(via Egami via Foto Actualidad)

‘Moneyface’ is a photo fad involving folded money and hybrid faces. Simply fold a banknote containing a portrait in half and combine it with a human subject.
Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve shared a lens cap and hood hybrid here before, but this one is much nicer. “Flower”, dreamt up by designers Rhie Hyi Joong and Lee Sang Hwa, is a concept lens cap that blooms into a hood by simply turning a ring.
Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a glimpse at how selecting an autofocus point works on the upcoming Fujifilm Finepix X100. The hybrid viewfinder — which overlays an electrical viewfinder view over the optical view — provides a rich user-interface previously impossible for fully optical viewfinders.

(via Photo Rumors)

SonyAlphaRumors received a pretty interesting tip yesterday regarding the design of the upcoming Sony Alpha A77 (which is still a rumor at this point). The anonymous tipster wrote that the camera — successor to the A700 — will have an innovative design that boasts a hybrid viewfinder by blending optical and electronic images:

Yesterday Sony explained the new system that will be used for the incoming a77 (the a750 will use a regular SLR design). Practically the are using two semi-transparent mirrors and a high-resolution EVF to reinforced the live image. They are using a reflexive technology design called 70/30, between each semi-transparent mirrors.

The final image in the viewfinder will have 30% of original image and 70% of electronic reinforced image through the new EVF.

Read the rest of this entry »

Samsung is releasing a new hybrid digital camera system sometime in early January of next year called the NX Series. The idea is that the new series would combine the advantages of DSLR and point-and-shoot cameras. Before we go into some details, here are a couple photographs of the actual camera that were posted to dpreview’s forums.

The camera has the form of a DSLR, but uses an electronic viewfinder, allowing them to remove the traditional mirror system in DSLRs to make the camera smaller and lighter (and probably virtually silent). Though it has the portability of point-and-shoot cameras, it still offers a DSLR-style sensor for higher quality images, and an interchangeable lens system.

The decreased distance between the lens and sensor allows the system to use lens designs that traditional SLR/DSLR cameras could not support (similar to the crop sensor lenses of Canon/Nikon). Here are a couple photographs of the 30mm f/2.0 “pancake” lens that were posted to the k-rumors forums.

If that’s not a “compact” lens, I don’t know what is.

Though DSLR enthusiasts might not be too enthusiastic about the electronic viewfinder, the portability is something that will likely be a hit among people who would like to do DSLR style photography but don’t want to lug around bulky equipment. The company estimates that the hybrid digital camera market will have a 20% market share by 2012.

What are your thoughts regarding the NX Series?

(via Photo Rumors)

Image credits: Camera body images from dpreview, lens images from k-rumors.

On December 3rd, Epson announced the PictureMate Show, the “Ultimate Two-in-One Digital Frame and Compact Photo Printer”.

I’m not sure how the print quality stacks up against competitors, but Epson really needs to dream up a better design if the PictureMate Show wants to compete in the printer/frame hybrid game.

What’s the problem? It’s way too obvious that the PictureMate show is a printer, making it much less useful as a picture frame. To see what we mean, check out a couple of PictureMate’s competitors:

On the left is the iMo Foto Frame Printer, and on the right is the Sony DPP-F700, which will be released in 2010. As you can see, both these products do a much better job at hiding the fact that the picture frame is also a printer, making it much more useful as a picture frame. Again, we’re not talking about print quality or pricing at all. If you’re very concerned about print quality, then these hybrids aren’t the product for you anyway, and the prices are roughly in the same range ($200-$300).

Now lets take a quick look at why the PictureMate Show doesn’t work very well as a frame. Here are two official product photographs from Epson promoting the PictureMate Show:

Hey printer, I see you!

I’m not sure about you, but I wouldn’t choose to display photographs in my kitchen or living room for the price of having a printer in the same location.

I really like the concept that concept that Epson is striving towards in its PictureMate show. It just needs to be designed in a more visually appealing way. After all, framing photographs is for the purpose of nice presentation.

What are your thoughts on the PictureMate Show?

Image credits: PictureMate Show photographs by Epson, iMo Foto Frame Printer by Mimo Monitors, DPP-F700 by Sony.