Any challenge, digital panoramic camera

May be I like challenge, which is why I always have the change to try new things.

This time, it is the digital panoramic camera developed by efilming in Shanghai. Yes, Shanghai.

Most may not aware of efilming. In fact, efilming is the brand for LDD digital negative carrier that changes the traditional projection printer to digital printer. This is a great relief for D&P since most could not afford to pay million (HK dollars) for a digital printer. This again will be ended because those traditional printers would be extinct too.

If you have interest about panoramic camera, you can visit www.panoshot360.com.

Many will aware that panoramic camera is for huge group and grand scenic photos. Digital technology will guarante the sucess of such photo works and may lead to other applications.

To design such camera is not an easy task. To take good panoramic shot is not an easy job too. There are many limitations including focusing, exposure setting, color temperature etc.

Challenge is the driving force for anything to develop. The digital cameras today is so effective that most will find no challenge at all. With this digital panoramic camera, it may become a popular hobby for serious photographers other than professionals.

When we can have i-cam?

We have ibook, ipod, iphone etc. No matter we like them or not, they are born with something new.

The application of digital imaging technique for photography has been with us for tens of years. It is certain that besides a few people who still taking photo with films, most of us have digital cameras.

Has digital technology offered anything to photography? Besides a great way to keep our images without fading and release us from the burden for film processing and photo printing in darkrooms, it does not have any improvement for photography. I use to say that only the finishing process has been improved only.

Putting images online is not photography. We can see a lot of personal photos. Personal photos are personal and they should not be criticized or taken as photo works.

We may need something new. Will Steve Jobs create something new as i-cam? I really hope so. Even the idea may be too strange for our old guys; it is at least good to separate us from those new comers. They would be i-cam users and we remain camera users. They take i-photos and we take photographs.

With this distinguished areas, we shall feel more comfort. Then anyone shows me an i-photo, I can just say that I do not know i-photo and I need not spend time to think about what to say. Yes, I am not able to advise them because they are not taking photos, just clicking shutters.

Well, Steve Jobs, I hope you will do that.

The last part of digital photography

Most would know that Ilford has come up with a new Galerie Gold Fibre Silk inkjet paper.

I am fortunate to try it a few months ago. Now it will be supplied in Hong Kong and Macau next month.

High quality paper is a vital part of the finishing process. With Ilford and Harman, we can choose the output that can give our images the best presentation.

The last part is to develop a way so that when we select an image, printed with our A4 or A3 printer, we need a wide format printing that can give us the same or at least similar photo mural with affordable price.

Same as before, we need to have stable and high standard of photo finishing so that we know how to master the photo taking with pre-visualization.

For me, this is the beginning of a difficult task. Yet, with digital and computer, it is much better than the old days when I had to spend hours working with chemicals and kept in the darkroom.

The best way to complete our digital photos

With a few months working with the inkjet paper, I am sure that this is the best way to complete our digital photos.

For general public and those who would waster their precious time with the computer, drop and print is the simple and effective method. Of course, that does not mean one need to do nothing but press the button. A few years ago, we might need to take care of exposure and white balance. Now, with the advancement of camera, e.g. the Evaluative Metering of Canon, exposure error is almost disappeared for most cases. White balance accuracy is not easy to master. The natural light or even artificial light of any situation may require a little bit of work. Solution is easy; just use Topimage Gray Card with custom white balance, it is certain to get the best color photo. Then use Ilford inkjet paper and base on the printer settings.

For those with high demand, professional or amateur artists, the white balance setting must be followed. The choice of Ilford or Harman is based on individual requirement. If one chooses Harman, then after selecting image, an adjustment must be made in order to get the best from the Harman inkjet paper. Check www.harmaninkjet.com.hk for information.

No matter what way one chooses, the best inkjet photo will be printed within minutes. That is what digital imaging, fast, accurate and consistent. We can print any time for the same result.

Of course, some may ask how about murals or bigger prints for exhibition etc. Well, I am working on this now and I shall announce here and the relevant websites as soon as possible.

The future photo, inkjet or thermal

It is certain that all printing methods have great improvement for the past years.

Some months ago, I have bought a Xerox color laser printer, primarily for business. I have printed a few digital images and found that the quality were acceptable. Of course, if I would adjust the image before printing, the result might be even better. But for catalogue and other non-photographic applications, it is OK; especially the cost is so low.

Recently, I have to check the inkjet printing because I have involved with marketing for Ilford inkjet paper.

If we compare the quality between inkjet paper and photographic paper, the result will be the same. Inkjet prints are lack of the gradation and smoothness that we had enjoyed with photos.

One thing we have to know is that chemical processing will be obsolete very soon because of environmental protection. The only choice for us will be either inkjet or thermal prints.

For some years, we have big size inkjet prints and most thermal printers are small size, say 4x6. This means that thermal prints for reasonable size, A4 and A3 may not be available in the coming future. If thermal printing can avoid the wastage of toner, the cost may be able to compete with inkjet. If that happened, thermal prints should be almost identical with traditional photo.

Back to the inkjet printing, I believe that from now on, most photographers will prefer the drop and print. That means no enhancement or adjustment will be applied after exposure.

The reason is simple. Digital cameras, even the amateur design, have so many functions that it is easy to control the exposed image. If there is any problem, it is the neglecting of manual and the intention to learn only.

Nowadays, we have so many things to do and sparing time to adjust our images is almost impossible. Therefore, it is a must to master the digital camera except one would accept any inferior result.

When I started to work with inkjet printer many years ago when the true 720 dpi was available, it is so hard to get good result. This time with higher quality inkjet printer and photo quality paper, especially Ilford has the advice about printer setting, there is no test required, and just the final prints would do. That is why I suggested to my company to build a Chinese website, www.ilfordinkjet.com.hk, so that users in Hong Kong and Macau can refer to the printer settings.

As for the images, it is the work of users to get them right.

How much pixels we really need?

The pixel counting has been something to attract users. That was true sometimes ago when resolution of digital camera could be enlarged to size under 8x10.

In fact, many digital camera users may not print anything at all. Just have the images showing on screens of computers, websites or online albums etc.

Just from the news, "Sony to market 12.1-megapixel compact digital camera", it seems the pixel war is reaching another height. That means users of compact digital camera can have their images enlarged to 30 inches or more.

I do not want to say impossible, as it is not easy to forecast what future generation of photographers would prefer. But for larger prints, it is not only the pixel or dynamic range or any technological advancement that matter. It is the image itself. I believe that no matter what change ahead, the visual sense would remain.

Of course, I am using compact digital camera to take a lot of photos, some for demonstration and some for personal enjoyment. A few has been selected to enlarge to 20x30 prints. Yet, these were for showing the digital technique, not as master pieces.

We may have to see what this lead up to in the future. Perhaps, compact digital cameras will replace DSLR. That will be great. It is much easier to carry and cost much less too.

Until such type of camera can offer what I need to take serious work, it will not be my choice.

Once I have used a compact digital camera to take photos of an event, one gentleman asked someone else with a DSLR to take photo instead. He just had not confidence with the compact digital camera. So, size of camera does matter.

Is photography dead?

Since the birth of Mac, I had started to follow every thing about digital imaging. Of course, at that period, I was still taking and teaching traditional photography.

I have said that since the true 720 dpi inkjet printer, I began to work with digital cameras.

Everyone aware that digital photography has become popular just a few years ago.

Will digital photography become the new heir to photography? Not at all.

It is possible that taking photos is not photography, at least, the one that we have loved and devoted for tens of years.

I am never a conservative and readily to accept anything new. But, we must not mess anything without checking the truth. Digital photos may not be photos. Why? It is not created visually. Most of them are created technically instead.

This is not a sin, at least, not the digital imaging technology. In fact, such deviation started when cameras became fully automatic.

With higher pixels and great output technology, making poster size prints is easy and anyone can manage. The photo-taking technique becomes the technique of choosing the best camera with all the functions. We can check the essay "Breaking the Myth of Megapixels" about this.

So, what is wrong? The problem is the concept of imaging. I have reviewed this for a number of years. Not matter what the media has become, not matter how the new generations have different taste or style, and one thing would remain unchanged: our vision remains the same. Unless the DNA will evolve into something we do not know, human will keep the same kind of visual sensation. In simple words, our definition of ugly and beauty is unchanged.

There are trends, from fat to skinny, from harmonic to contrast colors, from equilibrium to impact etc.

Just check how many photo takers would review their works, how long will they look at their own photos. It becomes a trend to take photo with digital cameras, camphone or PDA. From the first to the thousandth shots, one can hardly find any improvement. Fortunately, there is no harmful chemical created since most of these images may never be printed at all.

Yes, I can see more digital camera users. But, I cannot see any one learning photography in digital way. Pressing the shutter, manipulating images with Photoshop may look like the modern photographic process. Yet, the final image is nothing photographically, just recorded images only.