Second in my IR attempts, this one came a little better as a B&W image. Photo was shot RAW and converted to grayscale using the channel controls in Lightroom. Something interesting to note is that light colored objects are reflecting IR light while dark objects are absorbing them.
When Leica designed the M8 they elected to install an extremely thin anti-aliasing (AA) filter over the sensor to increase the overall sharpness of the images captured by the camera. However, this had the side-effect of making the M8 sensitive to IR reflections. This manifested itself in certain dark fabrics (mostly synthetics) acquiring a magenta cast. Leica’s fix was to issue IR/UV cut filters to be mounted over the lenses.
The Leica community, however, realized that this “weakness” could be turned into an advantage. By using a B+W 092 Near Infrared filter the M8 is capable of capturing surreal images by blocking almost all of the visible light and recording the near-infrared portion of the spectrum.
This was the first attempt (that I liked) using the M8 + 092 IR filter. Image was shot RAW and converted using Lightroom and a false color IR preset I got from KillerLightroomTips.
I have been thinking about this topic for quite some time now. What is preventing Apple from officially supporting BD drives and HD content from them? Steve Jobs is on the Blu-Ray Steering Committee for Pete’s sake!
Not technology. With the latest refresh of the Mac Pro, even the base model has hardware support for decoding the HD content with ease. MacBooks and iMacs have been that way for a while as well.
Not encryption. The HDCP stack is now supported fully by all of the components.
Not licensing. iTunes/AppleTV already has access to a ton of HD content.
The only answer (that I can think of) is money. Playing HD content over DVI or HDMI requires royalty payments to the patent owners. My guess is that Steve is waiting for DisplayPort (the royalty-free VESA standard for HD connectivity) to become prevalent. He will then announce new video card options for the upgradeable Macs and new version of the MacBook to support this technology. At this point the drives will become suddenly available and viewing BD content on the Mac will only require a quick software update (which removes the blocks in place).
Oddly enough the catalyst for this will be Windows Vista. With the release of Service Pack 1, Microsoft will add support for UEFI (making more video cards compatible with Mac) and DisplayPort as well. This will drive changes in the video industry with new graphics cards and displays coming out in force later this year. Add HP throwing their weight in the UEFI arena and we can see a lot more options for the Mac in the near future.
‘Bout frickin’ time. This shoe has been waiting to drop ever since ATI acquired Havok. I can only hope that they do something intelligent with the technology. For those of you who prefer to read marketing spin, I present the press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SANTA CLARA, CA — FEBRUARY 4, 2008—NVIDIA (Nasdaq: NVDA), the world leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of the GPU, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire AGEIA Technologies, Inc., the industry leader in gaming physics technology. AGEIA’s PhysX software is widely adopted with more than 140 PhysX-based games shipping or in development on Sony Playstation3, Microsoft XBOX 360, Nintendo Wii and Gaming PCs. AGEIA physics software is pervasive with over 10,000 registered and active users of the PhysX SDK.
“The AGEIA team is world class, and is passionate about the same thing we are—creating the most amazing and captivating game experiences,” stated Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of NVIDIA. “By combining the teams that created the world’s most pervasive GPU and physics engine brands, we can now bring GeForce®-accelerated PhysX to hundreds of millions of gamers around the world.”
“NVIDIA is the perfect fit for us. They have the world’s best parallel computing technology and are the thought leaders in GPUs and gaming. We are united by a common culture based on a passion for innovating and driving the consumer experience,” said Manju Hegde, co-founder and CEO of AGEIA.
Like graphics, physics processing is made up of millions of parallel computations. The NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800GT GPU, with its 128 processors, can process parallel applications up to two orders of magnitude faster than a dual or quad-core CPU.
“The computer industry is moving towards a heterogeneous computing model, combining a flexible CPU and a massively parallel processor like the GPU to perform computationally intensive applications like real-time computer graphics,” continued Mr. Huang. “NVIDIA’s CUDA™ technology, which is rapidly becoming the most pervasive parallel programming environment in history, broadens the parallel processing world to hundreds of applications desperate for a giant step in computational performance. Applications such as physics, computer vision, and video/image processing are enabled through CUDA and heterogeneous computing.”
AGEIA was founded in 2002 and has offices in Santa Clara, CA; St. Louis, MO; Zurich, Switzerland; and Beijing, China.
The acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions.
More details about the acquisition will be provided during NVIDIA’s quarterly conference call, to be held on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 2:00 PM, Pacific Time. The Company’s prepared remarks will be followed by a question and answer period, which will be limited to questions from financial analysts and institutional investors. To listen to the conference call, please dial 212-231-2901; no password is required. The conference call will also be webcast live (listen-only mode) at the following Web sites: www.nvidia.com and www.streetevents.com.
Replay of the conference call will be available via telephone by calling 800-633-8284 (or 402-977-9140), passcode 21354792, until February 20, 2008. The webcast will be recorded and available for replay until the company’s conference call to discuss its financial results for its first quarter, fiscal 2009.
About AGEIA
AGEIA Technologies, Inc., is the industry leader in gaming physics technology. AGEIA’s PhysX software is widely adopted with more than 140 PhysX-based games shipping or in development on Sony Playstation3, Microsoft XBOX 360, Nintendo Wii and Gaming PCs. AGEIA physics software is pervasive with over 10,000 registered and active users of the PhysX SDK. AGEIA is also credited with developing the world’s first dedicated hardware physics processor, the AGEIA PhysX processor. The company, headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., is privately-held. For more information visit http://www.ageia.com.About NVIDIA
NVIDIA is the world leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of the GPU, a high-performance processor which generates breathtaking, interactive graphics on workstations, personal computers, game consoles, and mobile devices. NVIDIA serves the entertainment and consumer market with its GeForce® products, the professional design and visualization market with its Quadro® products, and the high-performance computing market with its Tesla™ products. NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. and has offices throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas. For more information, visit www.nvidia.com.
As I have two children (ages 10 & 7) our weekend social calendar is usually filled with birthdays. This weekend we attended one at the Miami Metrozoo. One of the other Dads was there with his Canon 5D + 500mm lens and I with my M8 + 75mm Color-Heliar. Here is a sample and a link to the photo set on Flickr.
C&C always welcome.
Shots are generally uncropped ( a couple were cropped a tiny bit to remove extraneous stuff ) and little or no post processing Lightroom. I am really digging the improvements from the new firmware.
All of the shots were from a moving tram BTW.
I went to a local mall today and looked for a shot that included multple light sources. I managed to find a fine example that combines daylight, fluorescent light and incandescent (halogen) light.
The image is unadjusted other than a conversion from DNG to jpeg in Lightroom 1.3.1. The AWB setting has managed to do a good job with this combo, maintaining the colors very well. Click on the image to see a larger version on Flickr.
Leica has released firmware 1.201 for the M8 Digital Camera on their website. The new firmware addresses several issues not the least of which is Automatic White Balance (AWB).
White Balance (for the uninitiated) is a measurement of the color temperature of the light being used to illuminate a scene being photographed. Color temperature is measured on the Kelvin scale (the one with Absolute Zero). Varying light sources have different color temperatures and the lower temperatures are in the red part of the spectrum (oddly referred to as warm light) and the higher temperatures are more in the blue part of the spectrum (again, counter intuitively referred to as cool light). A sensor in the digital camera takes a reading at the time of exposure and makes a guess as to what the correct white balance is. Sometimes it makes a good guess and sometimes it doesn’t.
The film equivalent to this was film type. If you were going to shoot outdoors, you selected daylight balanced film. If you were going to shoot in a studio (with studio lighting), you selected tungsten balanced film.
One of the Leica M8′s more known quirks was a white balance sensor that waffled more than John Kerry. Shots taken in the same lighting condition would have wildly varying white balance settings. Most photographers got around this by shoot in RAW mode (the native format of the camera sensor). With firmware 1.201, Leica has made some real strides to correct this glaring problem.
The shot above was taken in fluorescent light, a very cool light that often gives M8′s fits. The shot was stored in RAW mode and processed in Adobe Lightroom 1.3.1. No adjustments were made to white balance. The color (to my eye on my calibrated monitor) seems spot on.
Another shot taken in daylight shows similar results. You can view that photo here. For Leica M8 owners, this firmware is a must-have item for your camera. It won’t help you take better pictures, but you’ll have to massage them much less to get them to look really good.
The firmware can be downloaded from Leica’s website.
A website in the UK has posted the following information about a rumored update/upgrade to the Leica M8:
NO NEW M9
LEICA M8 UPGRADE
Leica to announce that there will not be an M9 as previously thought. Instead they will offer an Upgrade on all existing M8 cameras with the following modifications:
- New Sapphire Viewing Screen (Virtually unscratchable)
- Max Shutter speed to 1/4000th
- Quieter actuation of Shutter mechanism
- New Firmware
- 2 Year Warranty with Upgrade
This modification will be available from March 2008 and will be booked through Leica Germany’s Website at a cost to the owner of 1200 Euros.
Leica sees the M8 as being an ongoing camera that can be modified throughout its lifetime.
I have sent out feelers to my contacts at Leica as to the veracity of this rumor. Other notables have done so as well. This rumor has spawned a lot of speculation on the Rangefinderforum and Leica User Forum websites. No press release has been issued by Leica.
The implications of this rumor, if true, are staggering. Leica will be the only camera maker willing to retrofit improvements to already purchased cameras extending the usefulness and warranty. 1200 Euros is not chump change (that’s about $1800 USD – roughly the cost of a Nikon D300) but many Leica users have expressed a willingness to do so.
Is this just more Internet smoke and mirrors or does the site owner really have a scoop on his hands? With PMA starting January 31, 2008 we may not have long to wait to hear a response from Leica.
Stay tuned…
[UPDATE]
Several registered Leica M8 owners have received e-mail from Leica confirming this to be true. I have not received said e-mail, but have included a copy for your perusal:
Dear LEICA M8 customers,
The desire to own a digital camera manufactured by Leica, possessing the identical lifelong value retention associated with every Leica product, was brought to us by many of our customers. Leica Camera AG has now configured the LEICA M8 to meet this demand. With today’s newsletter, we would like to inform you exclusively and in advance of an outstanding innovation regarding your cherished LEICA M8.Subjects
LEICA M8: An investment in the future
What does the first upgrade kit include?
How do I get the upgrade for my M8?
Firmware update 1.201 availableLEICA M8: An investment in the future
With the introduction of a perpetual upgrade program, every LEICA M8 will forever be a state-of-the-art digital camera. Today’s and tomorrow’s users will always be able to incorporate the latest refinements and developments in handling ease and technology. It is our aim to secure your investment in the LEICA M8 for the future. “While other digital cameras quickly become outdated and are replaced by newer models, our new concept extends the value retention and resistance to obsolescence embodied in the Leica ethos. Over time, we will gradually offer new product features and developments as upgrade options,” declares Steven K. Lee, CEO of Leica Camera AG. “Our customers can therefore still invest in the photographic tools they need without worrying that they will miss out on improvements and technological developments along the way.
This information will be presented during the PMA fair in Las Vegas, beginning January 31st.What does the first upgrade kit include?
- Scratch-proof sapphire glass cover for the LCD monitor.
- Noise-optimized shutter with a fastest speed of 1/4000s.
- If so desired, the camera will be picked up at your home and sent directly back to you, without any intermediary stage in the process.
- Health-check and complete adjustment of the camera, testing all its functions.
- Installation of the newest relevant firmware.
- New factory warranty of two years covering the same conditions as for a new camera.
How do I get the upgrade for my M8?
- This offer applies exclusively to all registered M8 users.
- We will inform you shortly via e-mail when the website is updated with detailed information about the new M8 upgrade program, and will also inform you as soon as possible how to purchase the first upgrade certificates.
- The fact that you are registered as a M8 owner will give you guaranteed access to an exclusive online area where you will be able to purchase your upgrade certificate.
- Purchasing the upgrade certificates will be possible as of March 2008 – the actual upgrading will commence as of August 2008.
- The upgrades will be fulfilled in the same order as the upgrade certificates were purchased. It is therefore advisable to acquire the certificate as quickly as possible.
Firmware update 1.201 available
In keeping with the overall sustainability of the concept of the rangefinder camera system, Leica Camera AG is now offering all LEICA M8 users an updated version of the camera firmware, which can be downloaded free of charge from Friday, February 1st from our website. Among other things, the new firmware version contains new, substantially improved automatic white balance algorithms for natural color rendering in nearly all light conditions. We will send you special information via e-mail which contains a direct link as soon as we post the firmware update on our website.
We would feel very honored if you would be amongst the first to participate in our new program for the lifelong value retention of your M8.
Yours Sincerely,
The Leica internet team
With this announcement, Leica has effectively set the economic model for digital cameras on its ear. This clearly follows Leica’s ideal that one does not buy a Leica, one invests in Leica.
Home networks are becoming more and more sophisticated. It used to be that a home computer was setup in a central location in the home with multiple accounts and a single modem or DSL connection directly attached to the “family” computer. Multiple computers on a network were usually found in an office setting or an Internet cafe. Such is no longer the case.
With ISPs pushing wireless enabled DSL firewall/routers, wireless enabled laptop sales on the rise, and Internet enabled appliances (gaming and kitchen varieties), home networks are now downright commonplace. I have seen many home developers include wiring new homes with CAT6e network cables for use in data and VOIP applications. Wiring closets and patch panels are now as much a part of the home as the walk-in closet and the roman tub.
However, not much thought is put into securing these networks. This makes them more vulnerable to attack and (if used to VPN into office networks) becomes an attack vector into secure office networks. Hope is not lost. Unified Threat Management systems (UTMs) are used in enterprise settings to mitigate break-in attempts and keep the network secure. Such technology is available for the home network and the price is far less than you think.
I have already reviewed one the products in this roundup: Untangle. The other two products to be covered are Astaro Secure Gateway (v7) and ComixWall 4.2. The first two are commercial UTMs that offer free (restricted license) versions for home use. The last one is a FOSS project that provides a totally free, unrestricted product. It is also the only one in the bunch that is 64-bit.
Once I finish testing, I will be publishing my findings on PlanetX64. Stay tuned for more updates!
A recent trip to New York City uncovered a large Buddha hidden inside of the trendy Asian restaurant Tao. The Buddha stands (sits) over 20 ft tall and has an ever-changing light show playing over it. In it’s base is a koi pond and the koi are not coy. If they spot you, they will poke their heads out of the water looking for a handout. Think of them as gold and white homeless people.
The restaurant keeps the pan-Asian theme all the way down to the restrooms. On the walk downstairs you are met with images of the Dali Lama at various stages of his life. The restrooms are marked “Yin” and “Yang” (“women” and “men” respectively). Personally, if I hadn’t seen guys coming out of the Yang Room, I would have probably entered the wrong room.
Camera: Leica M8
Lens: CV 40mm Nokton Classic f/1.4
Shot RAW (DNG) and converted to B&W using Photoshop CS3 and Alienskin Exposure2.
