Salon.com > Cameras

A lesson from GoPro: Don’t mess with Reddit

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:59:00 +0000

Here's another piece of evidence that social media rules all. Copyright watchdogs started ringing the alarm bell on Wednesday when the news broke that the camera company GoPro had filed a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) notice demanding that a camera-focused website called DigitalRev.com pull down a review comparing recent GoPro and Sony "action" cameras.

The text of the takedown notice appeared to indicate that the use of GoPro trademarks in a review was a copyright violation. This is the kind of thing that a) raises hackles on the Web, and b) is completely ridiculous. If anything deserves fair use protection, it is product reviews. But the way the DMCA works, DigitalRev.com's Internet provider is required to shut down access to the offending website within 24 hours, no questions asked, unless the URL is taken down.

Federal court OKs warrantless use of hidden cameras

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:07:00 +0000

A federal court ruling Tuesday served yet another blow to U.S. citizens' dwindling expectations of privacy from government surveillance. A U.S. district judge sided with the Justice Department to rule that it was reasonable for DEA agents to enter a property without permission or a warrant to install multiple "covert digital surveillance cameras." (The case in question involved finding evidence in a rural property of mass marijuana plant growing.)

The Wisconsin-based case saw video evidence from hidden cameras placed around the property of Manuel Mendoza and Marco Magana, where 1,000 marijuana plants were found growing. The two men face possible life imprisonment after Judge William Griesbach ruled that "the DEA's warrantless surveillance did not violate the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and requires that warrants describe the place that's being searched," CNET reported.

Weird news: Cameras watching cameras that are watching you

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:26:00 +0000

WTOP reports that up to six people have damaged speed cameras in Prince George County, and the police force is finally fed up with it. "We've taken the additional step of marking our cameras to let people know that there is surveillance," said Maj. Robert V. Liberati.

The cost to replace a speed camera in Prince George's County, Md.: $30,000 to $100,000, and since April 2012 they've been shot, vandalized and mangled. But then someone lit a camera on fire and burned it down. The new solution is training security cameras on the speed cameras that are there to deter people from breaking the speed limit.

The hand-held camera you have to have

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 15:59:00 +0000

If I could have any point-and-shoot camera, the one I'd get is the Sony DSC-RX100.

It's $650*, which puts it in the price range of cheap DSLRs, but make no mistake, this is the best pocketable camera possible at the moment.

(*We've got a budget pick at the bottom)

When you go out hunting for a super high-quality point-and-shoot camera, there are generally three things to keep an eye out for: sensor size, lens speed, and the body. The RX100 has major points in its favor in all three areas, which is what pushes it into being our number one pick.

By far the most impressive stat the RX100 can boast is its lens.

The RX100 has a maximum aperture of f/1.8 — which is an excellent thing, and lets in a huge amount of light. The RX100 has a larger aperture than any other camera in this class, which is a huge point in its favor.