GizBeat

Author: Damian Parsons

  • Xiaomi Yi M1 ILC camera still very much alive. Gets a huge new firmware update.

    Xiaomi Yi M1 ILC camera still very much alive. Gets a huge new firmware update.

    There was a massive commotion last year when Xiaomi released their Mi Y1 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (ILC) with the 4K capable 20MP Sony IMX269. I was hoping there would be a follow up 2nd generation release to the brazen Y1, but the very quick calming down of the initial furor pretty much killed that hope off.

    Until now. Xiaomi has released a huge firmware update to the Mi Y1, which gives a clue that the Xiaomi ILC isn’t dead at all, just taking a quick rest.

    The firmware update to the Mi Y1 addresses a number of problems with the Mi Y1 which plagued its initial release.

    The new firmware update means the MFT camera from Xiaomi isn’t dead at all and that we may see a 2nd iteration in the future.

    The updates include:

    New:
    1. Added exposure control in the mode P/A/S/M for video capture
    2. Added AF/MF control for video capture.
    3. Added RAW+JPG format for still capture
    4. Added still image option in Time Lapse
    5. Added the option to shoot 1-3 images when using the self-timer function with an initial 2 second or 10 second timer settings
    6. Added a histogram in live view mode for both still and video capture
    7. Added new focus viewing modes with improved image quality including: 6x, 8x and 10x magnification in MF mode
    8. Added 2 ways to show the Metering mode in the UI
    9. Added the user guide (Restoring factory settings to view)
    10. Added multiple selection of images for deletion.
    11. Added 2 new options for the display grid
    12. AE algorithm optimization
    13. Master Guide template display logic optimized
    14. Improved AF speed
    Fixed
    • Fixed some known bugs, and improved the overall stability of the system.
    Changed
    • Change the thumbnails on each screen from 9 to 12 images.

    To my eyes, the biggest moves are with video, adding manual exposure control and the addition of tap to focus and manual focus during video. These are huge, as while the Mi Y1 has 4K video capabilities, it was very very basic with limited versatility without these new additions.

    For enthusiasts who like to shoot RAW, but not necessarily always want to develop every photo, the new firmware update allows shooters RAW + jpg, which gives us the flexibility to quickly share JPGs without any fussing, and/or the possibility of advanced editing with the RAWs.

    In a beautiful move by Xiaomi they made the Y1 M1 a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lens mount system. This gives Mi Y1 instantly and natively (no adapters needed) the ability to use any of the big selection of MFT lenses already available. That includes excellent lenses from the likes of Olympus and Panasonic.

  • How much does a camera cost a smartphone manufacturer? New report shows Omnivision as number 2 in the world.

    How much does a camera cost a smartphone manufacturer? New report shows Omnivision as number 2 in the world.

    How much do the cameras in a phone cost the manufacturer? The answer, for the higher-end cameras, is about $8 per module. So, for a typical phone without dual-cameras, about $16. A phone with dual-rear cameras, about (more…)

  • Corephotonics says Apple has stolen their dual-zoom technology

    Corephotonics says Apple has stolen their dual-zoom technology

    Whether it’s suing or being sued Apple can’t seem to stay out of the court room.

    The drama continues as Corephotonics files a patent infringement lawsuit alleging that Apple (more…)

  • 4K on Xiaomi Mi Max 2

    4K on Xiaomi Mi Max 2

    One of the relatively new innovations in mobile phones is 4K video. Combined with manual settings such as focus lock and exposure lock we can have powerful video tools in $200 ballpark mobiles.

    It’s worth mentioning that standalone cameras are still lagging behind where 4K is concerned, with some cameras costing as much as $1300 still not including 4K video.

    Even if you don’t have a 4K monitor or TV, there are still some interesting things that can be done.

    Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) — Thanks to the extra resolution from 4K, we can digitally crop and adjust video to account for camera shake while maintaining great quality, especially when downsampling 4K to 1080P. Some phones have the EIS option in-phone, but if your phone doesn’t have it, it can be done with 3rd party video editing software, or with YouTube’s auto EIS fix.

    Higher quality 1080P video — This is particularly helpful with EIS, but even if not using EIS, when we downsample 4K to 1080P we will have significantly higher quality 1080P video than if we shot at 1080P.

    Frame grabs — Either through video software or a screenshot, we can snag 8MP still shots from 4K video. Consider a moment where someone jumps in the air and you want to catch them at the highest point, or someone blows out candles on a birthday cake. This can also be done with burst photography, but the 4K video gives us the best of both worlds, a video of the moment and the possibility of still frame grabs from video.

    1080P screenshot from 4K (click to see at full 1080P)

    Here are several 4K videoes from the Sony IMX386 sensor. This first is shot with Xiaomi’s default camera in Center Focus mode. You will see it occasionally hunting for focus, which can be quite distracting. There has been no EIS applied to this video.

    Here is a similar Sony IMX386 4K video from Xiaomi Mi Max 2 with Tap To Focus. This mode gives us much more control and gets rid of the distracting auto-focusing. At the end of this clip, you will see me tapping to macro focus.

    This is a short video demonstrating Tap To Focus with the Xiaomi default camera app.

    Open Camera is one of my favorite apps. This allows us to not only lock focus, it also allows to lock and unlock exposure while filming. At about 6 seconds in I lock exposure to maintain the blue skies. I then go to get some closeup video of a small flower, but it’s too dark so I unlock exposure so the camera can appropriately expose the flower.

    Here we have a short video demonstrating YouTube’s auto-shake fix. This was shot using exposure lock and tap to focus with Open Camera.

    While these are shot at default bit rate, Open Camera also gives us the option to choose bit rates up to 100Mb/s which can greatly improve video quality.

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  • Oukitel K5000 has a 5000mAh battery 4GB RAM and 64GB storage

    Oukitel K5000 has a 5000mAh battery 4GB RAM and 64GB storage

    Oukitel, one of my favorite Chinese brands, will soon be releasing the Oukitel K5000. (more…)

  • New Samsung ISOCELL Fast 2L9 and Slim SX7 camera sensors announced

    New Samsung ISOCELL Fast 2L9 and Slim SX7 camera sensors announced

    ISOCELL, whose parent company is Samsung, is releasing two new image sensors — ISOCELL Fast 2L9 and ISOCELL Slim 2×7. (more…)

  • New trailer and 15 rumors about The Last Jedi

    New trailer and 15 rumors about The Last Jedi

    • CONFIRMED: IT WILL ADDRESS REY’S PARENTAGE
    • CONFIRMED: PRINCESS LEIA PLAYS A BIGGER PART IN THIS FILM
    • NOT CONFIRMED: KYLO REN WILL WEAR DARTH VADER’S CAPE (more…)
  • Xiaomi Redmi 5 certification and rumored specs

    Xiaomi Redmi 5 certification and rumored specs

    Images of the upcoming Redmi 5 Plus show it with dual-cameras and an 18:9 display covering a massive portion of the front real estate. (more…)

  • 3000mAh Ultrabudget Oukitel C8 with 2GB 16GB

    3000mAh Ultrabudget Oukitel C8 with 2GB 16GB

    Recently popularized by the Samsung Galaxy S8, the 18:9 display ratio has seen a lot of love recently by China brands. (more…)

  • $140 Oukitel 6000mAh 4GB 64GB full review

    $140 Oukitel 6000mAh 4GB 64GB full review

  • Seagate releases fastest, highest capacity hard drives on the market

    Seagate releases fastest, highest capacity hard drives on the market

    Seagate is releasing “the fastest, highest-capacity and most reliable hard drive for desktop computing available on the market today.” (more…)

  • Pixel 2 officially best phone camera. Steals Apple’s crown.

    Pixel 2 officially best phone camera. Steals Apple’s crown.

    Poor iPhone. They were at the top of the heap for a scant few days before Samsung tied them on DxO. Pixel 2 then came along to smoke them both.

    According to DxO, the Pixel 2 has the best camera of any smartphone, scoring a massive total of 98. For photos, the Pixel 2 came in at 99, and for videos, 96.

    While the Note 8 has a very slight advantage in photos over Pixel 2, the Pixel 2’s massive video score is what puts it up and over. For video, DxO is particularly impressed with Pixel 2’s exposure, quick transitions when lighting changes, autofocus, detail preservation, noise reduction, and stabilization.

    TotalPhotosVideos
    Google Pixel 2989996
    Samsung Note 89410084
    iPhone 8 Plus949689

    For photos, DxO was impressed by Pixel 2’s excellent autofocus, detail retention in dark and light areas, and with handling bright light situations outdoors. Though not mentioned by DxO, I suspect this latter bit is mostly due to HDR+ processing, but what’s important is that it’s effortless and automatic.

    Pixel 2 achieves bokeh through its dual-pixel technology. Dual-pixel technology is a relatively new development in photography where each pixel on the sensor consists of two individual photodiodes, a left and a right. In addition to helping Pixel 2 render software bokeh, the dual-pixel tech is also what gives it its excellent autofocus performance.