Digital camera sensor sizes – selling elastic bands by the metre

When a sensor is advertised/sold as 1/2.3″ most people would think that is the diagonal of the sensor. Well it is NOT! It might even vary drastically between manufacturers.

For historical reasons the diameter of a fictitious Vidicon tube with the same active area is what is advertised!!

ccdsizes[1]
From  http://www.dpreview.com/news/0210/02100402sensorsizes.asp

Unfortunately, it is even more confusing than that…

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Megapixel-craze and tiny sensors & lenses. Myths & Facts

This is an attempt to replace some of the common myths, urban legends and misunderstandings with some facts.
(last updated 20181103)

There are at least three physical issues and one biological that are interesting:

1) Rayleigh’s criterion and sensor width.

F * √N < W , (N number of sensors in Mpixels, W in mm, red light F numerical aperture)

AR-principles[1] Airy_disk_spacing_near_Rayleigh_criterion[1]

2) The eye’s real life resolution

Resolution beyond 1/12000 of viewing distance is pointless for most

3) Thermal noise.

Relative noise increases by 1/d, (+)almost √n and √T, (N number of sensors in Mpixels, d sensor diameter, T in kelvin, i.e. °C+273.15)

4) Effective pixel count

The effective pixel count falls with the amount of light, the less the pixel size the worse.

5) Stacking images

Stacking can compensate, but can not perform miracles.

 

6) Thickness of device versus sensor size

The angle of light to the sensor edges binds max sensor size to thickness.

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Panasonic TZ70, Review

Panasonic Lumix TZ70 (ZS50 in the US)

Upgrade of TZ60 with larger/fewer pixels, RAW and better viewfinder, but removed GPS.

This post is likely to be enhanced/edited over the next days and weeks

Eske Rahn 2015-04-25

Overall: Really satisfied. 10/10

1426237696653[1] 1420186774799
The only real competition today is the upcoming HX90V from Sony, that haven’t got RAW, and have pixels as small as the TZ60

Overview

The TZ60 took much beating due to the small pixels, And Panasonic answered that by increasing the pixelsize by a factor 150%, and thus reducing the pixelcount by the same to 12MP.
This is an obvious upgrade from Fujifilm F900EXR, that are beaten or on par in all areas, less triffles.
See my review of the F900EXR here. On which this review to some extend will be based.
Practically the whole plus-list could be repeated, and most of the cons are not there!!
Continue reading “Panasonic TZ70, Review”

FujiFilm F900EXR, Review

Review, Fujifilm F900EXR.
Official images etc see FujiFilms own page here
Official user guide can be found here

Originally posted 2013-05-23

 

Overall: Quite satisfied. 8/10

F900EXR_Black_Up_ffbfa0522f[1] F900EXR_Black_Front_Left_76975fa68b[1]

Minor firmware improvements could easily make it even better. You are left with no way to override the AF even when it fails(!), you can not even request focus at infinity!!
Continue reading “FujiFilm F900EXR, Review”

How to obtain good stamina on an Android phone

Summary

  1. This thread is general in nature, but based on my Xperia neo Pro.
  2. Xperia phones DO have good stamina if set up and used correctly
    I can get 4½ days of stamina WITH 3G+WiFi+Virus Scanner ON
  3. Set Brightness to 100%, and use widget “Brightness On/Off“,
    Use On in direct sunlight only.
  4. Set Screen time out to 30 sec.
  5. Use the app AdBlocker to block specific apps from data connection.
  6. Use the app WapDroid to only allow WiFi at specific geographical ‘points’. (By Cell-ID NOT gps)
  7. Have the phone at optimal position.
    Place on the desk not in the pocket while working.
  8. Exit apps if possible when you are finished.
  9. “Ads within Android apps found to consume 75% of the app’s power.”
  10. Avoid task-killers on the bloatware.
    (The repeated killing and resurrection eats a lot of battery)
  11. Avoid ‘clever’ battery-apps in the background doing more harm than good.
  12. Note that the percentages in Battery Use are based on estimates.
  13. Consider if you need background data traffic or not.
  14. The “Android System”-drainage bug!
  15. Finally I have a few tests , if the above did not do the trick.

screenshot_2012-03-21_0127

General

On general battery info and hints see this

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Central entry point on batteries

(at least this is my intention on how it should end and be used)

It should give info about batteries, how the phone uses them, and (hopefully) with some good hints to how to get the most out of each battery (Life and Stamina). Many of the hints go for other hardware with Li-Ion batteries as well. Say Laptops, Toothbrushes…..

 

This thread is originated from SonyEricssons Xperia phones.

s

Summary

On problems with weird drops and raises: Try “Johan’s Trick” below once

The currently best advice I can give for the usage pattern is

Try to charge fully and deplete to about 40-50%bc

Once in a while drain battery deep to get calibration right

Keep phone on desk/in bag, avoid pockets, to keep cool.

Leave phone idle while charging (e.g. while sleeping).

 

Note that the ‘remaining percentage’ you see is an ESTIMATE not a measurement!

LiIonGuessing
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Ricoh CX1, Review

Sorry this is Danish only – and text only (almost). For English please try translate.google.com version

Ricoh_CX1_ph_08

OVERBLIK
Et fantastisk lækkert kamera, omend det er lidt fysisk stort af et kompaktkamera.

PROS

  • + Hurtigt!
  • + Fabelagtig makro (over 4000 DPI!! Ja, kun ti bølgelængder af lys per pixel!!!)
  • + Imponerende skærm
  • + Rigtig god billedstabilisator
  • + 7 x zoom
  • + 28mm ækvivalent vidvinkel
  • + Mange muligheder for kontrol og indstillinger.
  • + Flere slags “Bracket shooting”, hvor der tages en stribe konsekutive billeder med forskellige indstillinger.
  • + High-Speed burst-mode. Op til 120 vga-billeder på 1 sekund
  • + double-shoot DR mode hvor den tager to billeder med forskelige indstillinger og merger. Godt til fx modlys.
  • + Manuelt fokus (BURDE være selvfølge hos alle…)
  • + Man har en smule manuel blænder-kontrol
  • + Efterbehandling af billeder muligt direkte i kamera, hvid-balance, lys, Kontrast, trim, ‘Skew’
  • + Digital zoom kan sættes til at klippe, og IKKE strække billedet.
  • + Vaterpas (“level”) til at fortælle om man holder kamera lodret/vandret.

Mulighederne for kontrol og indstillinger inkluderer

  • + To komplette set af manuelle indstilling kan gemmes og hentes via ‘programhjul’
  • + Knap hvor man kan gemme en af 12 fuktioner man finder interessant.
  • + Fire funktioner af elleve kan lægges på ‘menu’ under anden knap.

Der er dog et par ‘torne’ i rosenbusken, men jeg synes ikke de er alvorlige….
CONS

  • – Autofokus i dårligt lys.
  • – zoom, svært at lave lille ændring, lidt vel følsom kontakt.
  • – High-Speed burst-mode skriver i nyt cipa format, der ikke rigtigt PT supporteres af noget (endnu?).
  • – Video er behandlet som et stedbarn…
  • – Ikke nogen stor sensor, så begrænset lysfølsomhed. (Dårligere end de bedste, men ikke ringe)
  • – I manuel fokus kunne de godt vise i display hvad fokus afstand er
  • – eneste blænde-kontrol er at man kan tvinge den til minimum (for afstanden)
  • – eneste lukker-kontrol er at man kan sætte maksimal lukker-tid
  • – JPG filer stemples 72 DPI, uanset fokusafstand.
  • – Den indbyggede ‘skew’ opretning klipper den nye billede til funden firkant, og smider resten væk. Bug/feature?

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FujiFilm F60fd, Review

Sorry this is text only.

FujiFilm_F60fd

This review is relative to the review of the closely related F50fd

Excellent light-sensitive camera, but rather slow. (Should be called F51fd)
This camera is almost identical to F50fd. See review on this.
It is primarily a firmware upgrade. Probably (?) with quite the same optics, CCD and IS

Only (real) differences
+ Improved AF (Fixed!)
+ Optional 6Mpixel with less hard compression
+ Slightly bigger screen
? Possibly a little better WB
? Possibly better zoom motor
– Poorer ergonomics, due to larger screen

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FujiFilm F50fd, Review

Sorry this is Danish only – and text only. For English please try translate.google.com version
FujiFilm_F50fd

PROS

  • + MEGET Lysfølsomt (af et kompaktkamera)
  • + Optisk Image Stabilizer (OIS), CCD-type
  • + SD/SDHC (standard for andre, ret nyt for FujiFilm…)
  • + Tykkelse
  • + Lydsvagt
  • + Forholdsvist intuitiv betjening
  • + Tålelig makro
  • + OIS aktiv under video
  • + Nemt at skifte opløsning.
  • + God byggekvalitet
  • (Se detaljer nedenfor)

CONS

  •  – Irriterende tidspilde ved billedsletning
  • – “Quick AF” har problemer!
  • – Autofokus ikke imponerende
  • – ingen manuel fokus
  • – intet 100% manuelt mode
  • – Zoom ikke tiladt under video
  • – Påtvungen kompression
  • – Måske brugervenlighed kan føles som klods om benet med tiden.
  • – Sløvt ved gentagne billeder til kort
  • – Middelmådig zoom/vidvinkel 35-105mm (35mm ækviv.)
  • (Se detaljer nedenfor)

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Ricoh Caplio R6, Review

Sorry this is Danish only – and text only. For English please try translate.google.com version
Ricoh_R6

PROS

  • +Billedstabilisator
  • +Makro
  • +Vidvinkel
  • +Zoom, 7x optisk
  • +Optik
  • +Hastighed
  • +Manuel fokus
  • +Stor 2.7″ skærm med pæn opløsning
  • +Video max 640×480, 30fps
  • +Kun 23mm trods 7x zoom

CONS

  • -7 Mpixel på lille 1/2.5 tommer ccd
  • -Dårlig autofokus når mørk
  • -Stadig lidt mekanisk ‘støj’
  • -Tvungen billed-kompression

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Ricoh Caplio R3, Review

Sorry this is Danish only – and text only. For English please try translate.google.com version
Ricoh_R3

PROS

  • +Billedstabilisator
  • +Makro
  • +Vidvinkel
  • +Zoom
  • +Optik
  • +Hastighed
  • +Manuel fokus
  • +Stor skærm
  • +Video max 30fps
  • Se detaljer nedenfor

CONS

  • -Dårlig autofokus når mørk
  • -Mekanisk ‘støj’
  • -Lav skærmopløsning
  • -Video max 320×240
  • -Tvungen billed-kompression

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Panasonic FX7, Review

Sorry this is Danish only – and text only. For English please try  translate.google.com version
Panasonic_FX7

PROS

  • Billedstabilisator fungerer fint, (men men bør tage et par skud af hvert motiv, da den ikke er 100% sikker)
  • Optik er vældig god og med ret små fortegninger.
  • Manual unødvendig, let at betjene, når man har lært/gættet det ulogiske valg at højrepil ofte er OK.
  • Automatik omkring hvidbalance er usædvanligt god, der skal ret ekstreme lysforhold til for at det er nødvendigt at gå væk fra default.
  • God videofuntion (trods opløsning), hvor billedstabilisering virkeligt kommer til sin ret.
  • God fysisk størrelse, dejlig stor skærm, der også fungerer rimeligt i sollys

 

CONS

  • En så banal ting som at tænd/sluk-knappen er omvendt så man let tænder kammeraet når man placerer det i lomme/hylster, i den naturlige retning med højresiden med håndledsrem opad. Den burde vendes om (eller drejes 90 grader)
  • Man kunne ønske sig lidt mere lysstærkhed, havde et Pentax s5i før, og fordelen ved billedstabilisator bliver – næsten spist af den mindre følsomhed
  • Som næsten alle små-kameraer: manglende loseless-compression mulighed. (Fx raw) Det burde da være mit eget valg, kan da bare bruge større/hurtigere/flere sd-kort. Hvorfor skal de vælge for mig??
  • Video begrænset til 320*240, men det er grundet alder, dette skulle være rettet i FX8 og FX9.
  • Batterilevetid begrænset, dette skulle være rettet i FX8 og FX9.
  • Selvom det ville give støj, kunne jeg godt have ønsket mig mulighed for optisk-zoom i videomode.
  • Af en eller anden grund er det heller ikke tilladt at lave digital-zoom i video-mode (som fx tilladt hos pentax). Ved ikke om det skyldes manglende processorkraft, eller blot dårlig software. Ærgeligt!
  • De kunne da blot lave en lidt hakket-zoom der ikke kørte 30 fps, hvis processorkraft er et problem, det vil da ofte være bedre end ingen zoom!!!

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