Ideas Maverick Blog by Preetham Venkky

More often than not, simple innovation comes from the most unexpected companies. Recently, Panasonic launched the world’s first digital SLR capable of interchanging lens, with a touch based movable LCD viewfinder; the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2. While there are enough reviews out there to fill your lonesome hours, I would like to highlight the benefits of such technology to the user.

• Improves interaction with the subject through the screen
• Allows you to automatically adjust the auto-focus
• Clicking just by touching the screen improves stability
• Easy browsing of stored images
• Comfortably view images in full-size

Besides the capability to click images, the Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-G2 can record HD quality video at a depth of 1280 x 720 in their proprietary ‘AVCHD Lite’ format. A dedicated video record buttons allows you to access this function almost immediately. External microphone support has been extended while the in-built microphone claims to be able to cut background and wind noise effectively. You can read more about it here.

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It’s not uncommon to find spectacular panoramas and make them interactive using either of the following three technologies:

a. Quick Time VR Plugin
b. Java Applet
c. Flash Script

Panoramas are usually shot either using a 360 lens or by shooting at intervals of 45 degrees and then stitching the photographs. This, might I add, is last generation technology. I found something far more interactive and interesting over at the CNN blog – Video Panorama.

Video Panorama

The next generation in panoramas is the technology which enables panoramic views within a video. While it’s a little difficult to explain it in words, you can experience it by clicking on the following image.

The video was shot using a Yellow Bird Camera. The camera captures all the possible directions using six lenses. The video stream is captured at 1200 Mbps in an uncompressed format. Interestingly, the website has the longest URL ever.

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