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Gear Lover - by Craig Hill

Cameras - Gear Lover

Sony Patents Touchscreen Printer

January 29th 2009 06:31

Microsoft’s high-tech Surface table has a nifty feature that lets it communicate with electronic devices wirelessly and exchange data with them. For example, if you place a digital camera on top of the Microsoft Surface, the surface can automagically suck out all of the photos in the digital camera and display them on the table for you (and anyone else nearby) to see. Sony is trying to put this great feature to good use for its wide range of digital cameras by building a smaller version of the Surface in the form of a touchscreen equipped inkjet printer.

In Sony’s patent, entitled “Image forming device, having an ejection tray, and a display is mounted to a cover,” Sony details plans for a device with a touchscreen surface, a large display, and an ejection tray from which prints of digital photos can be produced. According to Sony, this device works in the following manner:

The surface is a touchscreen that can connect with a digital camera wirelessly and automatically retrieve digital photos and save it to memory. The digital camera may be placed anywhere on the surface of the display.

A user will then have the option to either just browse the photos on the inkjet printer’s display, or print them out and get them via the ejection tray on the side.

Sony doesn’t say when this product of theirs will come out for purchase of the general public, but since the technology to create one of these is already here, I have a feeling it won’t be long until we see this baby beside digital cameras in our favorite retail stores.

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Cameras, Computers

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Panasonic Adds Touchscreen Model, More HD Video To Cameras

January 28th 2009 13:50

Alongside the ruggedized TS1, Panasonic has announced a refresh to their P&S lineup, including one touchscreen camera, a few that shoot HD video and one that's just a star.

The FX580 is pretty much the star of the show here, as it's fitted with a 3-inch touchscreen and 720p HD video capability. Otherwise it's a fairly standard 12.1 megapixel camera, with 5x optical zoom via a Leica ultrawide lens, 6400 max ISO and the standard stable of antishake and facial recognition features. It's priced with the TS1 at $400.

* FX580s_slant
* FX550_580back
* FS25
* FX48s_slant
* ZS1s_slant
* ZS3k_slant

The ZS3 and ZS1 are of a zoomier sort, boasting 12x optical zoom capabilities and similar core specs to the F580, but without the touchscreen. Though they only have a 10.1 megapixel sensors, 720p HD video recording is included as well. They'll sell at $400 and $300, respectively.

Stepping down the lineup we have the mid-range, $350 FX48, which is, feature for feature, more or less the TS1 without the tough outer shell. Then there's the $250 FS25, which retains many of the features of the FX48 but loses HD video recording and slims down slightly, measuring in at 3.82 x 2.28 x 0.86 in.

The most obvious thing about this batch of cameras is how little feature differentiation there is between the two, and how HD video seems to be the new de-facto standard for the latest point-and shoots. It's worth noting, though, that these HD recording will be encoded in some kind of AVCHD Lite format instead of a more standard, supported type of codec. The new cameras will ship in April.

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Cameras

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Waterproof Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 Camera

January 28th 2009 13:34

Built by a company with some experience at making things that aren't flimsy, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 is a waterproof, dustproof and shockproof point-and-shoot camera for the outdoorsy and/or clumsy type.

Nearly every aspect of the TS1 was designed with rugged use in mind: the airtight shell, reinforced with rubber padding, glass and carbon resin is purported to protect the camera during underwater use at depths of up to ten feet and falls onto a hard surface from five.

Now for the spec pile: the TS1 shoots stills at 12.1 megapixels and video at 1080p. effective lens length is an ample 28mm-128mm, the aperture opens to a 3.3-5.9 maximum size, ISO notches all the way up to 6400 and the maximum shutter speed is 1/1300. A 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot LCD adorns the back of the slim(ish) 3.87 x 2.49 x 0.91 body, and the standard facial recognition, image stabilization and creative mode features are all present.

The TS1 will ship in April for $400, which doesn't sound so bad considering what a solid travel camera this could make. See the whole presser below. Note: Panasonic hasn't yet released press images for this product, but the FT1, pictured above, is the European equivalent to the TS1 and is, for all intents and purposes, identical.

PANASONIC INTRODUCES WORLD’S FIRST*1 WATERPROOF, SHOCKPROOF AND DUSTPROOF DIGITAL CAMERA WITH AVCHD LITE HD VIDEO RECORDING CAPABILITIES*2

New LUMIX DMC-TS1 Digital Camera Features Tough and Rugged Design for Capturing Still and Motion Images In Outdoor Activities

MIAMI, FL (January 27, 2009) – Panasonic today introduced the LUMIX DMC-TS1, the world’s first*1 waterproof, shockproof and dustproof digital camera*2 to also feature AVCHD Lite High Definition (HD) video recording capabilities*3. The TS1’s tough and rugged design makes it the ideal choice for active users needing the ultimate hybrid for capturing both still and motion images during outdoor activities. The LUMIX TS1, with a 12.1 megapixel resolution, features a 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens, a 4.6x optical zoom and Panasonic’s proprietary iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, making this an easy-to-use, yet powerful camera that packs advanced imaging features.

“Many consumers are hesitant to take their digital cameras on outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, boating or even a day at the beach, for fear it will be damaged. With the introduction of the LUMIX TS1, we offer a digital camera with a rugged design that consumers can feel confident using in these tough environments,” said David Briganti, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Even more, with the ability to take both beautiful high-quality still images and High Definition video, with AVCHD Lite, the TS1 offers a powerful one-two punch to capture memories that can later be shared with friends and family.”

The TS1 is waterproof to a depth of 10 feet, shockproof from falls up to 5 feet, and dustproof. With its rubber padding, reinforced glass and carbon resins inside the camera, the TS1 features an airtight body protected against water immersion, dust and sand.

Starting at the 28mm wide angle, and zooming up to a useful 128mm in telephoto, the TS1 gives users the flexibility for a variety of shooting environments – especially underwater, where movement is often restricted and the angle of view becomes important for composing shots. The TS1 also features a 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot Intelligent LCD with a wide viewing angle, enhancing visibility during recording and playback by automatic brightness control according to the environment’s lighting conditions. Plus, the TS1’s LCD panel is deliberately thickened for protection against pressure, allowing the display to operate with clear visibility even underwater.

The TS1 records AVCHD Lite HD video, allowing almost double the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. The TS1 also features Dolby Digital Creator to record high quality audio to match the high-quality motion images.

Also new in 2009, the TS1 features iA mode for both still images and in Movie Mode. For iA in Movie Mode, the TS1 features Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.), which helps prevent handshake when using high-powered zoom. Face Detection automatically detects a face in a frame and adjusts focus, exposure, contrast, and skin complexion on the face. Intelligent Exposure continually checks the ambient light level and adjusts the exposure setting as conditions change to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows. And Intelligent Scene Selector automatically switches between Normal, Portrait, Macro, Scenery, and Low Light modes according to the situation to optimize visual quality. A Wind Cut function is also available to block out most of the noise from background wind. Optical zoom can be used in motion image recording. Users can start video recording by simply pressing a dedicated button on the camera's back panel.

The TS1’s iA for still image adds Face Recognition*4 – a feature that “remembers” faces from previous shots. When a registered face appears in the frame, the camera will prioritize focus and exposure to capture it beautifully. With Face Recognition, when a familiar face is recorded several times, the camera will prompt you to register the face. Once registered, if the face appears into the frame again, the camera will display the name specified for that person and prioritize focus and exposure so that the registered face is bright and sharply focused.

The imaging power of LUMIX has further evolved with the Venus Engine HD, which boasts two CPUs to provide approx. 2.4x processing capability and support for Face Recognition, AVCHD Lite and HDMI output. It integrates the numerous advanced functions with high performance, and low-power consumption. Thanks to the Venus Engine HD, it’s easy to view photos or movies recorded in AVCHD Lite. Simply insert the SD Memory Card from the camera in the Panasonic VIERA® HDTV’s Image Viewer SD Memory Card slot to start playback, or connect the camera via an optional HDMI mini cable to a VIERA Link™-equipped Panasonic VIERA HDTV and use the TV's remote control to run slideshows*5.

This multi-task image-processing engine also enables a fast response time. The TS1 starts up quickly in 1.3 seconds and shutter release time lag is approximately 0.005 seconds, making it easy to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities. The Flash Burst mode makes it possible to take consecutive shots with continuous emissions of the flash*6. The Venus Engine HD also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the TS1 record up to ISO 6400*7, sensitive enough to capture subjects in near-total darkness without using a flash. Despite its outstanding performance, the high performance engine is also more energy efficient, extending the battery life up to 340 shots (CIPA) per a single charge.

Other features of the LUMIX DMC-TS1 include:

New Scene Modes for Still Images: Beach & Surf mode gives users a single mode with optimized auto white balance for optical shooting on the beach and in shallow water.

New Panorama Assist scene mode allows users to shoot a number of consistent photos, either vertically or horizontally, by aligning them according to a guide that overlaps the screen. Then using those photos and the bundled PanoramaMaker software, users can create dramatic panoramic images.

Increased Scene modes for both still and motion image shooting – optimized for a variety of situations. There are 26 scene modes for still image and 17 for motion image (Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self portrait, Scenery, Low light, Food, Party, Candle light, Sunset, High sensitivity, Beach & Surf, Snow, Aerial, Pin hole, Film grain and Underwater)

LED Illumination is available in motion image recording.

High-Speed Burst (Speed Priority) that fires off approximately10 shots per second*8.

Menus are clearer and easier to navigate with the Display Size option.

Macro Zoom function lets users pull subjects even closer to capture dramatic close-up shots by using the 3x digital zoom in the wide-angle.

Bundled Software: The latest version of PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition allows users to view, edit and archive captured content with greater ease and fun. Still and motion images can be transferred to the computer via a USB cable for viewing and archiving. Using PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition, users can edit and remove unwanted portions of video clips recorded in AVCHD Lite. Contents recorded in AVCHD Lite can be burned directly onto a DVD disc or converted to MPEG2 format. The software also incorporates the Face Recognition function, which recognizes registered faces in photos stored on the computer, making organizing and archiving photos with a specific person much easier. Additionally, motion pictures can be uploaded directly to YouTube.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TS1 will be available in silver, green or orange models in April 2009 for a suggested retail price of $399.95.

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Cameras

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Samsung's YouTube camcorder

September 1st 2008 23:15

Samsung has made capturing and uploading videos onto popular video sharing site YouTube a whole lot easier and hassle free with their all-new MX20/25 YouTube compatible camcorder.

With an in-built function that records in either 720x480 or YouTube optimised mode, nothing is lost in translation while uploading from camcorder to the video sharing site via USB 2.0 connection and just the touch of a button.

Weighing 270g and with dimensions of 125(w)x60(h)x60.5(d), the MX20/25 features a wide 2.7" LCD monitor that boasts a rotation angle of 90 plus 270 degrees and a range of functions including hyper DIS, auto focus, auto/manual exposure, shutter speed and white balance, 12 digital special effects, 10 i.scene mode, back light compensation, wind cut and fade in/out.

Perfect for those avid YouTubers out there! [samsung.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cameras, Visual

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Panasonic DMC-FX150 - the 14 mega-pixel camera

July 25th 2008 00:15

Panasonic has unveiled the pocket-friendly Lumix DMC-FX 150 point-and-shoot digital camera which packs a mammoth 14.7 megapixels, making it the highest number of megapixels offered in a compact camera.

And there I was thinking my Pentax Optio 7.1MP camera was impressive!

The latest model to join Panasonic's Lumix FX Premium range of digital cameras is equipped with a 28mm wide-angle lens featuring F2.8 brightness and a 3.6x optical zoom, a Venus Engine IV allowing 330 pictures (CIPA) per battery charge, a new multi-exposure function, a 2.7-inch large Intelligent LCD screen, and many more.

One of the highlights of the camera is its iA(intelligent auto) mode. Adding a new AF Tracking function, the iA mode serves as a combination of functions that makes it easy for anyone to take beautiful photos. In iA mode the camera does all the work, activating Mega O.I.S. (optical image stabilizer), Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection, and Intelligent Exposure. This leaves the user free to simply compose the shot and press the shutter button, with the assurance that the image will be clear, beautiful and properly exposed.

With the new AF Tracking function, the user can “lock” the focus onto a moving subject. The camera then automatically tracks the subject as it moves, keeping it in focus without the user having to hold the shutter button halfway down. This makes it easier to capture the perfect moment clearly and in sharp focus when shooting images of a child, pet, sport or any scene with moving subjects and spur-of-the-moment action.

Intelligent Scene Selector, which automatically selects from five Scene modes - Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, and Night Scenery - that best suits the shooting situation are available in the DMC-FX150.

The Panasonic DMC-FX150 is priced at £299.99 (AU$600) which isn't cheap, but bragging rights for having the most megapixels must come at a cost. [dpreview.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cameras

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The Polaroid Pogo Portable Printer

July 4th 2008 00:48

The Pogo Arrives

The Palm size Printer

Polaroid, the company responsible for mass producing instamatic cameras back in the day is hoping to launch a new tech revolution with its latest consumer item. Released today (July 4th) the Pogo hand held portable printer is looking to replicate the instant gratification that Polaroids original all in one photo development system had.

USB and Bluetooth compatible the Pogo, prints borderless 2 inch by 3 inch images straight from your digital camera, mobile phone or any other new age photographic devices. Compact and portable, the unit is around the size of a deck of playing cards.

The Pogo at work

Using ZINK technology (zero ink printing) the crystalized paper inside colourises when exposed to heat. From the official Polaroid Pogo site:
“The patented ZINK Paper is an advanced composite material with embedded yellow, magenta and cyan dye crystals, activated with 200 million heat pulses, in 30 seconds, in a single pass. With 100 billion crystals in a 2x3" print, the paper is 100% inkless. A ZINK-enabled printer uses heat to activate and colorize these crystals. Because there is no ink, every ZINK-enabled device has the unique benefits of being small, simple, elegant, and eco-friendly.”

Stephen Smith, the company's UK managing director, said: "There's nothing on the market quite like it. The technology is brand new. Everywhere I go people go "wow" when they see it…We reckon it'll be just as successful as any of our previous launches."

A closer look

If like me the majority of images you capture on digital devices end up on your PC but seldom in hard copy, this invention aims to change all that. Costing around $150 US the paper for the machine is $10US for 30 sheets.

Here are the specs from the official Polaroid Pogo Site:
2” x 3” borderless, sticky-back prints
Bluetooth, PictBridge compatible
Smudge-proof, water-resistant, tear-proof photos
Fade-resistant, long-lasting images
No waste – no ink cartridges
Prints in about 60 seconds
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery

How it Works - The Polaroid Pogo

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Cameras, Gadgets, Home, Video

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The “Crab like” USB 2.0 Hub

April 27th 2008 00:07

Plug N play away.

Moving forward instead of sideways

Ever had to plug in a USB jack and find that the angle or position of the machine port is an immovable obstacle? Do you have multiple USB sockets filled you’re your essential gizmos? Well this nifty new invention available from USBFever.com is an affordable solution.

Flexible and designed specifically for most all portable and desktop technologies, the “crab like” design obviously refers to the crustacean like appearance of this neat gizmo. It’s a 6 Port USB hub that comes complete with an additional power supply for charging your device.

Under the microscope

External Hard Drives sometimes demand some extra volts to kick over and according to usbfever.com this solves it. As usual another simple little tool can make life easier in front of the screen or on the move.

Side 2

Costing $13.99 US the Features as listed on usbfever.com are as follows:
- Extra USB Port for extracting power from your PC
- A soft Hub instead of a HARD Hub, more flexible
- extra USB Mini 5pin port of for data upstream
- Plug and Play.
- An innovative design of Cable of USB Hub
- USB 2.0 specification compliant

Supports:
- Windows 2000 / XP / VISTA

Specifications:
- Total length: 26cm approx.

Package Contents:
- USB 2.0 Crab-like 4-Port Cable Hub with additional Power input x 1

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Audio, Cameras, Cellphones, Gadgets

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HYmini Wind Charger

April 7th 2008 03:38

The power in the air

Available in a variety of colours

A few weeks ago I did a post on the freeloader 8.0 a solar charger for portable devices that uses the power of the sun to fuel your hand held gadgets. Now the people at Hymini have developed an affordable, environmentally minded alternative that is equally adaptable.

The HYmini wind-charger takes windmill technology that has existed for eons and has refined it to store electricity for your iPod, mobile phones, PDA, mp3 and digital camera.
The minimum gust that can get things happening is 9mph and a maximum velocity of 40mph is optimal for charging power.

The palm of power

According to the HYmini website:
"A Lithium Ion polymer rechargeable battery has around 500 complete charge cycles. If the battery is fully charged every time, it should have at least of 1000mAh of stored capacity for you to transfer this power to other 5V devices up to 500 times. A conventional mobile phone has around 0.4Ah to 0.7 Ah of battery capacity."

As for charge time the site says:
“With conventional 110-220 wall plug, HYmini takes at least 4 hours to fully charge. It depends on the environmental condition and the number of solar battery you have, Solar batteries can potentially fully charge HYmini’s internal battery.
Note: Wind generator is designed as a supplemental source, hence can not fully charge HYmini”

Though it seems that the charger still needs to some help from the traditional power socket this kind of development still seems like a step on the right direction for the greener gadgets revolution that has been growing in the last few years. I wonder what we will see come on the market in the next few years…maybe someday a bit of methane from a fart could end up being all we need to listen to our favourite tunes?

To find more about the HYmini charger please visit hymini.com

Here are some Specifications from HYmini

Here is some video footage discussing the HYmini wind charger

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Audio, Cameras, Cellphones, Gadgets

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James Bond Gadgets for You

February 15th 2008 01:47

Finally we all get 007 Gizmos.

007 soars to new heights

Who didn’t dream of being James Bond when they first saw a 007 film? Well maybe not everybody, but I certainly did. Along with the obvious perks of being the smartest, most ruggedly handsome and deadliest male in the room there was one thing even more appealing to a 12 year old boy, the gadgets.

The magnetised wristwatch in Live and Let Die, the lethal briefcase in From Russia with Love, some of the Bond gadgets even inspired real life technology like the miniature underwater breathing apparatus in Thunderball.

It seems Q branch had the endless imagination and scientific cunning to engineer some of the most coincidentally practical devices to help the man with the license to kill accomplish his assignments.

Sure the submariner Lotus Esprit and machine gun packing Aston Martin DB7 were cool too, but it was always those little technological marvels that inspired wonder and often saved JB.

The recognizable Corgi Lotus Esprit

The toy company Corgi has held the rights to manufacturing 007 toys and memorabilia since before that white Lotus die cast model with all the extras made it’s way into my small hands.

Over at MI6.co.uk they had field agent on the job at the 2008 UK Toy Fair for the unveiling of Corgi’s latest range. Revealing a selection of wiz bang gizmo’s aimed squarely at the tech savvy adult.

A selection of the latest Bond Tech coming soon

From the site here are some of the products in the "007 Mission Arsenal", to be released in September 2008

Secret Sender Cell Phones - send messages between the two devices

MP3 Comlink Set - send MP3 audio tracks between the two devices

Nano Surveillance camera

GPS Tracker - comprised of two items: a handheld tracker screen which lets you find the bug device

Crypto Decoder Device - encrypts text on two cards supplied with device so that you can swap secret messages with friends

Ultra Sound Locator - flashlight

Pen Set - write secret messages with the pen so that they can only be read using the cigar cutter UV light

Nikon COOLPIX S550

January 29th 2008 12:15

It seems that the megapixels war in digital cameras is far from over with the release of Nikon's new mid-level camera: the COOLPIX S550.

The COOLPIX S550 teams 10 effective megapixels of sharp resolution with quick response, and maintains image quality when taking advantage of sensitivity settings as high as ISO 2000. Equipped with 5x Zoom-NIKKOR lens, the camera also features Electronic Vibration Reduction (VR) Image Stabilization and two new modes that enhance portrait photography: Smile Mode and Blink Warning. This allows the range to ably cover scenes from buildings and group pictures to close-up portraits.

Available in a choice of four colours: Titanium silver, Urban black, Blue and Purple.

While Australian prices are yet to be confirmed, the COOLPIX S550 is available for just US$229 - an extremely competitive price for a feature-packed camera.

Tech. specs here.

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cameras

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SONY's new 8.1 mega pixel touch screen digital camera

November 14th 2007 12:00

Sony has welcomed another stylish addition to its extensive range of point and shoot digital cameras: the Cyber-shot T2.

The newly released model comes in five flashy colours: pink, blue, green, black and white for you to choose from and it's tough because they are all great to look at.

While the design of the camera itself bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor - the T1 - underneath the sheet metal lies 4GB of internal memory meaning that even if you use the maximum 8.1 mega pixels picture mode, you can still roughly take over a thousand shots - great for those overseas trip where taking a laptop or a stack of memory cards is just way too inconvenient.

The eye-catching T2 also features 'Double Anti-Blur' technology which enables users to get crystal clear images in low light situations plus 'Face Detection' and 'Smile Shutter' options.

Just like the T200, the T2 allows the user to edit and customise their pictures on the DC screen. While this is a welcoming function, the relatively small size of the LCD display(from 3.5 in. to 2.7in) makes it difficult to read.

Functionality wise, the T2 is almost button free due to the touch screen LCD display. While this gives the camera a very sleek and button-free look, it makes accessing even the most simplest of functions a chore because everything has to go through the menu screen.

For example, it the user wants to activate the 'Face Detection' and 'Smile Shutter' options, it would take at least three touches of the display to access that function by which time, the photo opportunity could already be long gone.

SONY Cyber-shot T2 specifications:

CCD: 1/2.5 in. 8.1 mega pixels
Lens: 38-144mm / f3.5-4.3
Display: 2.7 in. 230,000 pixel touch screen
Zoom: 6-times digital zoom
Memory: Memory Stick Pro Duo; 4GB internal memory
Dimensions/Weight: 86.8 / 56.8 / 20.2mm / 129g

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cameras

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