Project 52

New Photography Awards Program launched by H.E. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
In what’s great news for photographers in the UAE and world over, H.E. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai has launched The Hamdan International Photography Awards 2011 (HIPA).

The goal of these awards is to nurture a creative generation in the arts and culture arena. The aim is to generate global attention through photography and promote educational programs and the development of the arts. These awards use photography to promote interest in culture and will create a base for photography in Dubai. The first and main category is “Love of the Earth”, the second is “General” and the third category is “Dubai”.

The deadline for submission is December 31st, 2011 so you have plenty of time, but keep this in mind if you’re traveling to exciting locales in summer for your chance to be recognised and rewarded with cash prizes totalling over $100,000.

We’ve summarized the information below for your reference.

Deadline: 31st December, 2011 (continue reading…)

Ras Al Khaimah UAE – February 18 2011, Mary Keitany’s 65:50 (1:05:50) women’s half-marathon world record run at the Ras-Al-Khaimah Half Marathon 2011.

November 30, 2010

Companies to Jointly Develop New Specifications to Meet Needs of Professional Photography and Video Markets

TOKYO – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), Sony Corporation and Nikon Corporation today announced the joint development of a set of specifications that address the future requirements of professional photography and video markets. The three companies proposed the specifications to the CompactFlash® Association (CFA)*1, the international standards organization, with the intent to standardize the format.

Professional photography and High Definition (HD) video applications require a new generation of memory cards capable of processing significantly larger files. To address the imaging industry’s future speed and capacity demands, SanDisk, Sony and Nikon proposed a new card specification whose performance and storage capabilities surpass those of existing memory cards. Once accepted, the new format will enable exciting new possibilities in the professional imaging and video markets.

The proposed specifications achieve data transfer rates of up to 500 megabytes per second (MB/sec)*2 (theoretical maximum interface speed) using the highly versatile PCI Express*3 interface. The increased speeds will enable imaging and video applications that could not be accomplished using the current CompactFlash specification’s Parallel ATA (PATA)*4 interface. CF6.0, released in November 2010, offers maximum performance of up to 167MB/sec.

The new specifications’ faster speeds enable continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images. The enhanced performance also allows users to quickly transfer storage-intensive high-resolution photos and videos from the card to a computer. The specifications combine high-speed data transfer with low power consumption via a power scaling system to extend battery life.

In addition to industry-leading performance capabilities, the new memory card specifications also meet the future capacity and durability requirements of professional imaging applications. The proposed new specifications has the potential to extend theoretical maximum capacities beyond 2 terabytes (TB)*5, making it especially useful for high resolution images and HD video applications. Similar in size to a CompactFlash® card, the new specifications’ access control function and highly durable form factor produce a combination of physical ruggedness and reliability that is indispensable for professional usage models.

“This ultra high-speed media format will enable further evolution of hardware and imaging applications, and widen the memory card options available to CompactFlash users such as professional photographers,” said Mr. Shigeto Kanda, of Canon, chairman of the board, CFA. “This next generation format is expected to be widely adapted to various products, including those other than high-end DSLRs.”

“The ultra high-speed media, which will be realized by this new card format, will expand the capability of digital SLR cameras and other professional digital imaging equipment,” said Mr. Kazuyuki Kazami, operating officer, vice president and general manager, development headquarters, imaging company, Nikon Corporation.

About SanDisk

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After the press released of the New 120 megapixels Canon APS-H-size CMOS image sensor, here they are Canon make an announcement to exhibit they new telephoto lenses which still under development.

Last August 26, 2010 TOKYO (Japan), Canon Inc. announced that it is developing two new telephoto lenses for use with its EOS lineup of single-lens reflex cameras—the EF500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF600mm f/4L IS II USM—and will display prototypes at the photokina 2010 photography and imaging industry trade fair between September 21 and 26 in Cologne, Germany.

The EF500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF600mm f/4L IS II USM are being developed as L (Luxury)-series lenses equipped with a high-performance image stabilization system.

EF500mm f/4L IS II USM (prototype)

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TOKYO, August 24, 2010—Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed an APS-H-size CMOS image sensor that delivers an image resolution of approximately 120 megapixels (13,280 x 9,184 pixels), the world’s highest level of resolution for its size.

Canon's newly developed CMOS sensor, featuring approx. 120 megapixels

Compared with Canon’s highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor of the same size, comprising approximately 16.1 million pixels, the newly developed sensor features a pixel count that, at approximately 120 million pixels, is nearly 7.5 times larger and offers a 2.4-fold improvement in resolution.

Canon’s newly developed CMOS sensor also incorporates a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) video output capability. The sensor can output Full HD video from any approximately one-sixtieth-sized section of its total surface area.

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