Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Hasselblad H4D Ferrari Edition

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Hasselblad today unveiled a limited-edition Hasselblad H4D produced in cooperation with Ferrari. Finished in a new Ferrari colour called rosso fuoco, or fire red, the Hasselblad H4D Ferrari Edition has been created in celebration of two of the most iconic European brands, both of which started their career in the 1950s. Limited to just 499 cameras worldwide, this special edition camera was unveiled this morning at the Photokina trade show.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

I super-eroi dei primi anni settanta

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Arriviamo al 1970 e arriviamo ai Super-Eroi della Marvel che rappresenteranno la novità di riferimento per tutti gli anni '70 dell'Editore milanese. Se gli anni '60 furono segnati dalle produzioni di Luciano Secchi e dalla nascita di Eureka, gli anni '70 saranno marchiati a fuoco dai Super-Eroi Marvel.
L'Agenzia giornalistica internazionale da cui la Corno acquistava già Guerra d'Eroi segnalò la presenza sul mercato americano dei personaggi della Marvel. Si trattava di materiale nuovo e di grande interesse perché proponeva i Super-Eroi sotto una luce decisamente più umana rispetto a quanto visto fino a quel momento, un fatto che poteva portare generazioni di giovani lettori a viverne con più vicinanza e passione le avventure.
Inizialmente, Secchi pensò di proporre materiale d'annata (Uomo Ragno, Devil) insieme a materiale più recente, dalla resa grafica sicuramente più avvincente (Silver Surfer, Dr Strange), su due riviste quattordicinali di 48 pagine, parte a colori, parte in bianco e nero. Si trattava per i tempi di prodotti ben curati che attirarono subito l'attenzione dei lettori. Seguì, nel giro di alcuni anni, la maggior parte del materiale Marvel: Fantastici Quattro e Thor (1971), Capitan America e gli ASE (1973). Nel 1974 esce il Corriere della Paura su progetto editoriale di Maria Grazia Perini. Nel 1975 escono Conan & Ka-Zar, Hulk & Difensori e Shang-Chi Maestro del Kung-Fu. Nel 1976 la rivista gigante Dracula sulla falsariga del Corriere della Paura. Nel 1977 la Corno opziona anche una parte del materiale DC curato da Jack Kirby e Joe Kubert poi proposto sulle due testate Kamandi e il Soldato Fantasma. Nel 1978 è la volta della rivista fantascientifica gli Eterni e nel 1979 dei Difensori. Questo materiale fu proposto in un clima di estrema dinamicità (talvolta purtroppo anche di confusione). Solo tre testate (Uomo Ragno, Fantastici Quattro, Thor) furono abbastanza longeve da raggiungere il decennio di vita. La maggior parte delle altre ebbero vita molto più breve, talune vissero solo poche decine di numeri e i personaggi venivano fatti migrare da una testata all'altra con molta disinvoltura. Le vendite dei titoli "forti" (l'UR nel periodo d'oro arrivò a tirare 100.000 copie) erano tali da permettere di sopportare i flop e rilanciare nuove testate, tentare esperimenti editoriali e quant'altro.

Steaming!


"STEAMING..!!!!"
Originally uploaded by PhoenixFlyer2008
Incredible shot from a great photostream devoted to military jets.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Ferrovie abbandonate [???]

Ferrovie abbandonate - Il database delle ferrovie non più utilizzate

Il progetto "Ferrovie abbandonate" nasce da un'iniziativa dell'Associazione Italiana Greenways per conservare la memoria dei tracciati ferroviari non più utilizzati esistenti in Italia, grazie al contributo di Ferrovie dello Stato S.p.A.
Infatti, anche nel nostro paese, a partire dagli anni '40-50 lo sviluppo dell'industria automobilistica ha portato alla dismissione di migliaia di chilometri di linee ferroviarie, cui si aggiungono i tratti di linee attive abbandonati in seguito alla realizzazione di varianti di tracciato.
Si tratta di un patrimonio importante, fatto di sedimi continui che si snodano nel territorio e collegano città, borghi e villaggi rurali, di opere d'arte (ponti, viadotti, gallerie), di stazioni e di caselli (spesso di pregevole fattura e collocati in posizioni strategiche), che giacciono per gran parte abbandonati in balia dei vandali o della natura che piano piano se ne riappropria.
Un patrimonio da tutelare e salvare nella sua integrità, trasformandolo in percorsi verdi per la riscoperta e la valorizzazione del territorio o ripristinando il servizio ferroviario con connotati diversi e più legati ad una fruizione ambientale e dei luoghi.

Atomic Robo: Nikola Tesla ha avuto un figlio: è metallico, pesa svariate tonnellate ed è alimentato ad energia nucleare!

La serie a fumetti più divertente e frizzante degli ultimi due lustri si chiama Atomic Robo. Un curioso incrocio tra Hellboy e il più spaccone tra gli Indiana Jones shakerati nell’armatura di Iron Man.Un improbabile connubbio che funziona e diverte senza mai stancare. Robo è l’uomo meccanico inventato dal geniale Nikola Tesla nel 1923: un Pinocchio metallico a energia nucleare che, come il suo omologo collodiano, desidera diventare umano.
Quest’ultima è una condizione che raggiunge, grazie all’intervento del governo degli Stati Uniti d’America che, in cambio della sua collaborazione, gli concede la cittadinanza statunitense. E per sedare le ire di qualche messicano respinto alla frontiera meridionale della “terra della speranza,” bisogna precisare che Robo la green card se la guadagna ampiamente, impegnato com’è in estenuanti lotte con entità sovrannaturali, ricerche archeologiche e nazisti diesel punk.
Robo è uno scienziato metallico con un senso dell’umorismo pungente che non potrà non farvi innamorare. Il meccanismo di narrazione strizza l’occhio in maniera non troppo velata al più famoso diavolo creato da Mignola: storie o cicli di storie dislocati in epoche non consecutive e giustificate dal fatto che il nostro è un atomico immortale.
Un meccanismo che esercita un fascino intaccabile in chi legge e, soprattutto, consente agli autori di divertirsi a spaziare in epoche diverse, facendo affrontare al nostro protagonista minacce di tutte le epoche. Pubblicato in Italia da Renoir, Atomic Robo è scritto da Brian Clevinger e disegnato magistralmente da Scott Wegener. E’ consigliato a chi desidera addentrarsi in una lettura veloce e divertente.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Fujifilm GF670 Launched – they’re bold!

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FUJIFILM LAUNCHES GF670 PROFESSIONAL MEDIUM FORMAT FOLDING FILM CAMERA

Medium Format Solution for Studio and Professional Photography Applications

Valhalla, NY, February 02, 2010 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced it will launch a high quality film camera, the GF670 Professional medium format folding camera, at PMA 2010. Ideal for professional photographers interested in film photography, the GF670 Professional is a foldable model that features 6x6 and 6x7 dual-format shooting for use with120 and 220 roll film. With its Fujinon EBC 80 mm lens, coupled rangefinder, exposure compensator, and aperture-priority automatic and manual exposure modes, the GF670 Professional produces sharp high quality images.

“When we announced the development of new medium format camera it was received very well by our professional photography customers”, said Kayce Baker, director of trade marketing, Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “There is a segment of studio, portrait, and landscape photographers who find that medium format film is the perfect solution for their businesses because of the unique look that film offers as well as the ability to produce high resolution photos in very large sizes. Even as we continue to see advances in pro digital cameras, many photographers still have a passion for the art of traditional film photography and Fujifilm is committed to providing solutions that foster that creativity.”

The Fujifilm GF670 Professional has manual shutter speed control and offers a setting for aperture priority automation. With manual film advancement, exposure counter display, an ISO setting dial, the camera also provides -2/+2 exposure compensation and includes a hot shoe flash mount and a PC sync connection socket. The “whisper quiet” shutter mechanism is an Electronic Leaf shutter with speeds ranging from 4s~1/500s including Bulb with flash sync at all speeds.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

U.F.O. a Milano


U.F.O. a Milano
Originally uploaded by Massimo [B]


Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene.

Flying objects originally created with Bryce 3D, final image assembled with Photoshop.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

iPad & Velcro – finally together

iPad + Velcro from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Two of mankind's greatest inventions, together at last. Note: this is an exploration of what is possible, not necessarily what is practical. Tweet from the street at your own risk!

http://jesserosten.com/2010/ipad-velcro

Monday, May 10, 2010

Panoramic Images with iPhone

I just installed and played a little bit with this nice iPhone app, Autostitch, which is receiving excellent reviews from the blogosphere. I was quite impressed by the quality of the alignment and by the resulting panorama.

Yesterday I did a test with this sequence of images:

IMG_0593 IMG_0594 IMG_0595 IMG_0596

The iPhone 3G lens is quite wide-angled, so Autostitch also has to correct the lens distortion: there is also the nasty detail of the light pole in the two central images. Below the result of Autostitch:

Panorama iPhone

I was quite happy with it, the lens correction and image blending are good (even if the light pole is presenting a problem). Nevertheless, I launched Photoshop CS4 and made the following panorama using its photomerge function:

Panorama PS  This is so better than Autostitch: the central pole is perfect, and exposure is also more pleasant. Even more, Photoshop panorama is 4389 x 1351, while Autostitch is 2478 x 716: where are my pixels, Autostitch? I then tried the Autostitch Windows application (available for free here):

pano

Result is closer to Photoshop, at least in size (4988 x 1435) but the pole is still an issue. At the end, you can always trust good ol’ Photoshop!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Friday, April 23, 2010

How To Get 150 Free Daily Comics On Your Mac

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I have a few favorite comic strips and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I also have the mother of all Dashboard Widgets in the form of freeComics. Yes, free. freeComics is free. The comics are free.

more

Thursday, April 22, 2010

The application that will never exist

Capture

A screenshot of the application that will never be: it’s a widget to read xkcd comics on your desktop. But: xkcd strips are in PNG format, and good ol’ VB6 does not support it. End of the story.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

La rimpatriata

Cena Classe

5a A, elementari Mazzini: bello rivedersi dopo 36 anni

Chiavari. «Sei tu? Ma sei proprio tu?». Sorrisi, risate, abbracci, magari anche un po' di commozione: rivedersi tra vecchi compagni di scuola, addirittura dopo 36 anni per chi aveva perso i contatti, dà sempre una certa emozione. Eppure, evidentemente, il ricordo era ancora vivo se chi ha organizzato la rimpatriata (con i piedi sotto un tavolo, si capisce, il ristorante era il "Vecchio Borgo" di Chiavari) è riuscito a convincere quindici "superstiti" a riunire la classe quinta, sezione A, delle scuole elementari chiavaresi Mazzini, anno scolastico 1973-1974. Le differenze, da allora a oggi, ci sono: basta vedere le due fotografie qui sopra messe a confronto, e le più evidenti non sono certo date dai grembiuli e i fiocchi. Si sa, il tempo passa. Non la memoria, visto che la maggioranza degli "alunni"è tornata a rivedere i vecchi compagni, chi anche da Pisa e chi altro da Milano: sono in diciotto nella foto in bianco e nero che sembra d'epoca. Insomma, ne mancavano solo tre. Qualcuno non c'è più, se n'è andato per sempre in giovane età (e anche il maestro, ancora ben ricordato, si chiamava Mario Russotti), qualcun altro era giustificato. Gli altri si sono rivisti, con le lacrime agli occhi.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Thursday, March 18, 2010

No fish were harmed in the making of this product

Goldfish Bath Plug

Having a bath can be such a relaxing treat when you're in the mood, but let's face it, once you've sat there stewing for a few minutes and the water's started to go a bit cold, the whole experience can become boring. UNLESS that is, you're the proud owner of what must be the coolest darn bath plug on Earth.
Stuck! will fit any plug, anywhere and is quite simply, very cool.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Zero

Watch concepts without traditional numerics and even analog hands? Minimalism to its extreme – or at least that’s what designer Robert Dabi is pitching. His ZERO watch has two discs  (one each for hours and minutes) that spin to tell time. My main problem with many numeric-less concepts is a delay in reading them. The ZERO looks like it may avoid that because I have no problems reading it. No word if it’ll hit the market but the flexible metal/rubber band will come in an array of colors if it does.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Quanto è bella la mia nuova sella

ResampleImg.ashx The B66 and B66 S are among BROOKS’s most loved products, having been on the market since 1927. Classically sprung with double rails for supreme comfort, B66 and B66 S are the ideal all-rounders for daily city or touring use in a rather upright posture. They are most appropriate for cyclists who set their handlebars higher than their saddles. In general, the more upright your riding posture, the wider, and more heavily sprung, the saddle you should choose.

Over almost a century and a half, Brooks England has grown from a small workshop to a byword in quality craftsmanship. Back in 1865, John Boultbee Brooks left his hometown of Hinckley in Leicestershire with just £20 in his pocket.

He headed for Birmingham, where in 1866 he established a business in horse harnesses and general leather goods in Great Charles Street under the name JB Brooks & Co.In 1878, the unfortunate death of Mr Brooks’ horse led to a stroke of inspiration. Unable to afford another horse, he borrowed a bicycle in order to commute to work. But he found the seat so uncomfortable that he vowed to do something about it. On 28 October 1882, Mr Brooks filed his first saddle patent.

Waddling cyclists everywhere threw their hats in the air and the new product was a roaring success. The company became known and respected for its beautiful leather handcrafted saddles, and soon started to make cycle and motorcycle bags and other accessories.

Traditional techniques in manufacturing leather saddles were passed down from generation to generation of craftsmen as the company grew under the guidance of the Brooks family until 1958.

In 1962 Brooks became part of Raleigh and moved to the current works in Smethwick in the West Midlands, just a few miles away from the original premises.

In the last decade, we have struck out on our own again as Brooks England, following a new course that honours the company’s heritage. Inspired by the timeless products designed by our predecessors, we have revived the original slogan ‘Saddles, Bags, Etc’ and introduced a range of cycle bags and other accessories.

Brooks England is steeped in history, a prestige brand that boasts almost 150 years of tradition and expertise. But quality and style never age. So come on in and take a seat.

Pure Fun

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Pi Day

Pi Day Countdown

I didn’t know that.

And what about “e” day?

e” is one of those amazing numbers that arises naturally in the scheme of things.

(Others include “pi” π = 3.141592653…, which is the circumference of any circle divided by its diameter; and “phi” φ = 1.6180339887…, which is the so-called “beauty ratio“). Both of these numbers are irrational (that is, their decimals go on forever and never repeat).

e is also an irrational number and it has value:

e = 2.718281828459…

The number e was “discovered” by several mathematicians (Oughtred, Huygens, Jacob Bernoulli, Mercator and Leibniz) but they didn’t quite know they had stumbled on it and didn’t know its significance.

There are some curious properties of e, one of which is that it’s the limiting value as n → ∞ of (1 + 1/n)n.

It can also be found by adding the infinite sum:

e = 1 + 1/1! + 1/2! + 1/3! + …

So what is e good for?

It is used extensively in logarithms (which was the only way to do difficult calculations for hundreds of years before calculators came along), exponential growth (of populations, money or drug concentrations over time) and complex numbers (which were used to design the computer or mobile device you are reading this on).

So happy “e” day (February 7th, or 2/7).

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Optimizing Photo Composition

Aesthetic images evoke an emotional response that transcends mere visual appreciation. In this work we develop a novel computational means for evaluating the composition aesthetics of a given image based on measuring several well-grounded composition guidelines. A compound operator of crop-and-retarget is employed to change the relative position of salient regions in the image and thus to modify the composition aesthetics of the image. We propose an optimization method for automatically producing a maximally-aesthetic version of the input image. We validate the performance of the method and show its effectiveness in a variety of experiments.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

How to Watch Oscar-Nominated Shorts (For Free)

 

Year after year the Academy nominates a bunch of films for best animated short film and best live-action short film, and consequently, America collectively scratches its greasy, dandruff-laden head. No one watches short films, so why would we have any opinions on these categories? Instead of using the gap created by the short film portion of the Academy Awards to use the toilet in the middle of your Oscar party, why not impress everyone with your brilliant, cultured opinions of this year’s short films? The toilet can wait, because we have friends to one-up!

http://nyulocal.com/entertainment/2010/02/17/how-to-watch-oscar-nominated-shorts-for-free/

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Vancouver City

"Vancouver City" music video is an artistic collaboration between Innerlife Project and TimeLapseHD. For more information and music downloads go to www.innerlifeproject.com
These time lapses are shot with a 12 mega pixel digital single lens reflex cameras. Original resolution is 6 times better then HD (high definition). The images have been resized for HD and are much better quality then shown here on YouTube.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Digital Analogue

Digital Analogue from ftjelly on Vimeo. Since the introduction of digital technology the relationship between camera and photographer has altered dramatically. Speed and accessibility have come at the expense of mystery, intimacy and tactility - qualities exclusive to analogue photography. Initially, and in reaction to this cultural atrophy, I composed a piece of music made entirely from sounds that I had recorded from a collection of antique cameras. Constructed using the digital composition software Reason, this piece carried a strong hip hop feel and seemed to connect past with future technologies. To accompany this track I created a video response that captured traditional, analogue techniques yet also had a strong contemporary theme.
This short film is made entirely with stop motion animation, with over six thousand still photos shot and then edited together. The cameras are literally ‘brought to life’ here, while image composition and lighting is as carefully considered in each video frame as they would be for individual photo shots.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010