Digital Camera News
Australian Scientists Develop Formula for Blink-free Photos
January 5, 2007 – Most people know that when it comes to group photos, it requires multiple takes. Chances are at least one person will mess up the photo by blinking. Australian scientists from CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) noted the same thing and calculated a formula for a blink-free group photo. CSIRO’s physicists, Dr. Piers Barnes and Ms. Nic Svenson developed the equation to ensure a non-blinked photo, winning themselves the Ig Nobel, an award for offbeat research, literature, and art.
The simple equation factors in the number of people in the group, blink frequency, and shutter speed. For groups less than 20 people, divide the number of people by three in good light or with flash to find out how many pictures to take so no one is blinking. For groups in low light, divide the number of people (if under 20) by two. For example, for a group of 15 people in good lighting, the photographer would need to take five photos to ensure a blink-free photo.
"Everyone has thought about it, but no one bothers to find out about it, except for these two," said editor Marc Abrahams of Ig Nobel sponsor Improbable Research in an interview with DigitalCameraInfo.com.
Barnes and Svenson’s research passed through 100 judges from a pool of about 5,000 to 6,000 new nominees this year. The only criteria for winning: to make people laugh, and then think.
Held annually at Harvard University, Ig Nobel winners Barnes and Svenson received their awards with other unconventional winners for their research in woodpeckers and head injury, the electromechanically teenage repellant, and the ultrasonic velocity in cheddar cheese.
Although Ig Nobel Laureates do not win any prize money, they do receive an official award, certificate, and the "certain notoriety" that comes with it, Abrahams said.
"We are proud to have made a gross simplification of complex physiological and psychological factors backed with no empirical data," said Dr. Piers Barnes in an Oct. 6 CSIRO press release.
Latest News
& Reviews
-
07-Feb-2012
Olympus OM-D E-M5 First Impressions Review
We’ve gotten our hands on Olympus’ latest bit of retro flavor, the E-M5. The camera will revive the famous OM line of interchangeable lens cameras with a digital spin. Read on for our full impressions after spending some time with this mix of old school and new. Read More...
-
07-Feb-2012
Olympus reveals two new point-and-shoot models
Olympus has announced two new fixed lens models today, the long zoom SZ-31MR iHS and the durable TOUGH TG-820 iHS. This news arrives alongside the announcement of Olympus’ impressive new E-M5 which, conveniently, we’ve already had our hands on. Read More...
Top Rated Digital Cameras
-
Digital SLRs
Point & Shoots
-
$1,049.951Canon EOS 60D
The Canon EOS 60D is a top-notch camera in terms of performance, handling and flexibility. However, the performance of the kit lens leaves something to be desired. Read full 7-part review
$1,049.95
$459.991Panasonic Lumix FZ150
Excellent image quality, speedy performance, and a great design add up to the best superzoom that has ever graced our labs. That distinction seems to change hands every week, but trust us when we say that the FZ150 is a truly great camera. Read full 16-part review
$459.99 -
$589.952Nikon D5100
The D5100 is the latest entry-level DSLR from Nikon, with full 1080/30p video, an articulated LCD, and the same image sensor as the D7000. It lacks an internal focus motor, but we found it produced some of the most accurate colors we've seen yet. Read full 7-part review
$589.95
$378.992Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Canon's SX30 got a CMOS makeover that resulted in the SX40 HS, an impressive ultrazoom that captures beautiful shots in almost any scenario. Read full 16-part review
$378.99 -
$1,239.953Canon EOS 7D
The 18-megapixel Canon 7D delivers high resolution stills and full HD video in a well-built camera designed for serious photographers without the desire (or budget) for a full-frame model. Read full 7-part review
$1,239.95
$428.003Sony Cyber-shot HX100V
This professionally-geared ultrazoom offers some of the best color accuracy we've ever seen. It's a shame the other scores weren't quite so strong. Read full 16-part review
$428.00 -
$1,199.004Nikon D7000
The Nikon D7000 is a powerhouse camera at an excellent price. It offers a huge range of features that will make shooting quicker and easier for the experienced shooter, with lots of customizable options and quick control access. Read full 7-part review
$1,199.00
$314.954Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
Panasonic resists the urge to cram more megapixels and more focal length into their latest ultrazoom. The FZ47 instead focuses on image quality and features, resulting in an incredibly strong camera that we loved shooting with. Read full 16-part review
$314.95 -
$569.995Sony Alpha SLT-A55V
The SLT-A55 is a well performing SLR, with a wide ISO range, good color and relatively low noise. . Read full 7-part review
$569.99
$429.005Canon PowerShot S100
Canon's PowerShot S100 improves on the popular S95 and takes its place at the top of the point-and-shoot food chain. Read full 16-part review
$429.00
Find the right digital camera for you.
