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Contour has taken your favorite features from prior models and delivered them in the new revamped Contour+2 making it even better than before. With its low profile design and countless options the Contour+2 makes recording and streaming video in crisp High Definition effortless. Equipped with four customizable recording options you can choose to shoot at 30fps in 1080p HD, or speed it up to an amazing 120 frames per second in 848×480. The Contour+2 also comes with high quality internal audio recording ability and an external microphone jack so you can hear everything that’s going on in your peripherals. You can even take it underwater with the included waterproof case. All this paired with mobile recording and this personal camcorder can do it all! Use your Bluetooth enabled mobile device to link to your Contour+2 and transform your phone into a wireless mobile viewfinder to preview your shot, line up your camera, and change your settings to stream live! That’s not all, you can even use Contour’s Mobile Device Application to map your recording with speed, elevation, and location! Whether you’re taking the Contour+2 out on the road with you or on the next adventure it’s sure to outperform any other action camera you’ve owned! Take a look at our quick test footage below. Contour+2 120fps 480p Test Footage with our mascot Spiggy Looking to integrate the Contour+2 into your application? The RHP-HDCS 2 will allow you to customize your lens options for a variety of OEM uses. Chose from our suggested 1/2″ lenses to enhance the detail and clarity of your recording. Click here to learn more about the RHP-HDCS 2 Below we have a demonstration video of the RHP-HDCS 2 connected to a Telecentric Close-Up Lens RHP-HDCS 2 Quick Demo with Telecentric Close-Up Lens

Have you ever sat back and wondered, “Who thought of that first?”… Here at OEM Cameras we are always eager to find out the origins of technologies that we provide cameras for. While looking into the use of cameras for aerial purposes, we’ve discovered that people have been integrating cameras into their aerial projects since the eighteen hundreds! In 1858 balloonist Felix Nadar pioneered the skies becoming the first person to take aerial photographs since the invention of the camera. He took to his balloon floating over the cities in France snapping landscape images of the scenes below. After Nadar’s experiments many followed in his footsteps attaching cameras to kites and unmanned balloons – thus igniting curiosity of the skies above. In 1907, Julius Neubronner took aerial photography one step further when he created Pigeon Photography, which involved strapping a light weight timed camera to trained homing pigeons. The camera was attached to a harness which fit around the bird’s neck and back. As a bird would fly the camera would snap photos at different time increments, shortly after the pigeon would return to Neubronner who would then develop the film. Neubronner’s patent for the harness was declined but then granted in 1908 once German military took interest in the technology. The Germans saw great potential in using the birds as War Pigeons to aide in battlefield studies for both WWI and WWII. The War Pigeons were proven useful, however the invention of the airplane was blossoming in the United States which would advance aerial photography and change the course of the War. It has been over one hundred and fifty years since then and we are still working on improving aerial photography, video and surveillance technologies. We’ve come a long way from putting cameras on pigeons to landing them on Mars!

This high-definition video shows the descent onto Mars from the bottom of the Curiosity rover. Watch as the heat shield is released and the unit kicks up space dust to make its first step onto Mars. Source: Wired.com

An emerging imaging technology coined “Femto-Photography” boasts the ability to capture light traveling at one trillion frames per second! Ramesh Raskar of MIT explains how this type of photographic technology captures the speed of light in slow motion. According to Raskar, femto-photography is the gateway to the capability of seeing around corners, beyond line of sight, and even see within the body. Applications for this technology include search and rescue, vehicle collision avoidance, robotics, and endoscopic medical treatments in situations that involve looking for, and avoiding obstacles in the body. Femto-Photography Inspiration Tomato Test The Raw Data Coke Bottle Test Scene Light in Slow Motion 1 Light in Slow Motion 2 Raskar tested this method with the use of a water filled soda bottle and a laser pointer. Compiling the multiple frames, researchers created a time lapse video showing the path of light through the bottle from end to end. By slowing down the frame rate to ten billion FPS, you are able to see the beam pulse through the water. Once the light reaches the cap it scatters, as a result you see the light disperse back through the bottle and onto the table surface below. Amazingly when the beam makes contact with the cap and reflects backwards it causes the water to subtly ripple, showing the force of the lights movement. This experiment is captured in less than a nanosecond, which is the speed of light. We invite you to get the full affect of this technology by watching the video above. Sources: MIT.edu / Mentalfloss.com

NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity has finally reached the Red Planet after its eight month, 354 million mile journey on August 6, 2012. We’ve received our first few glimpses of Mars after the dramatic landing of the Curiosity last week. The first images of the Martian landscape were taken by two navigation cameras on the rover’s mast. Many people are surprised to find out the main cameras on the Curiosity are only 2MP with only 8GB of memory, Compared to most modern cell phones which house 8 to 12MP cameras, it would seem that the Curiosity is behind on the times. c/o mars.jpl.nasa.gov This left many people questioning, why would NASA take such a measly camera on their 2.5 billion dollar vacation to Mars? Camera project manager Mike Ravine explains, “These designs were proposed in 2004, and you don’t get to propose one specification and then go off and develop something else. 2MP with 8GB of flash didn’t sound too bad in 2004.” The cameras differ in the matter of their optics but are all built around the 2MP platform to ensure all the cameras were uniform and operating properly during testing. In addition, it takes an exceptional amount of bandwidth to transfer the images back to Earth. The Curiosity is allotted 250 megabits of use per day which is shared among all of the devices on the rover, leaving minimal bandwidth for image transfer. On the rover energy conservation and timing of the cameras are everything. The MARDI, or downward pointing camera had a two minute window for it to capture photos while descending on the planet. To ensure the MARDI accomplished its task the team selected a 720p HD camera which delivers a high frame rate without drawing too much power. “We also looked at a 4 MP sensor but it would have run around half as fast. And the state of CMOS sensors wasn’t credible in 2004. They’re an interesting option now, but they weren’t then.” says Ravine. Additionally, NASA was forced to cancel a zoom lens project for the Curiosity due to complications while manufacturing the system. The devices consumed too much power while introducing wet lubricants and heat to keep the lenses functioning properly in times of extreme cold and heat. Ravine planned to use 6.5-100m zoom lenses which they would have set to the same focal length to create 3D images. NASA has begun to receive beautiful high-resolution color photos from the rover’s 34 millimeter Mastcam. Panoramic photos have been transmitted showing landscape images that are similar to the Earth’s deserts. The placement of rover’s cameras allow NASA to monitor the physical state of the Curiosity as well as its surroundings. The Curiosity is in excellent condition after landing, however it will have to endure violent sand storms and harsh climate changes that Mars is notorious for. The Curiosity will live on Mars for one Martian year which is equivalent to about two Earth years. During this time the rover will perform many tests to see if the planet is, or ever has been, favorable for microbial life. Curiosity will begin testing in the upcoming weeks on soil and atmosphere samples. Sources: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ http://www.nasa.gov

We tested our 33X Zoom Lens from the rooftops of New York City. Check out the unbelievable detail and capabilities as we zoom in from over 2.6 Miles (13,800ft). You won’t believe the clarity and zoom of our Infrared Corrected, Day/Night OEM lenses! We used our HIR15-500M, 3 Mega Pixel, 15-500mm, Infrared Corrected, Auto-Focus, Motorized Zoom Lens to view the Empire State Building, MetLife Building, and a roof top party on the east side of Manhattan. We attached this lens to the Hitachi KP-D5010 High Resolution Day/Night camera to test the range and visibility using the various modes of the camera and this powerful lens. We also demonstrate its patented Auto-Focus feature. This lens is made using SD Glass (Special Low Dispersion Glass) to focus both the visible and infrared light onto the same focal plane (CCD Image Sensor). The SD Glass greatly reduces Chromatic Aberration, preventing muddy and “out of focus” images in “all” lighting conditions. SD Glass is a much higher quality low dispersion glass then the commonly found LD Glass (Low Dispersion Glass) used in consumer model Day/Night lenses. Features of this lens include: Optical Corrected Design Using SD Glass 3 Mega Pixel Clarity (No Spot Filter) Automatic Thermal Compensation System Motorized Selectable Filter System Auto-Focus Auto-Iris (Optional Spot Filter – F3.0-800) Presets RS-485/RS-232C Control Option

The 2012 Olympics are right around the corner, and we’re showing you what new photographic technology will be used at this summer’s games. It’s that time again, the Summer Olympics are almost here. This summer London hosts the highly anticipated games, bringing the world’s top athletes together to compete for the gold. We wanted to know what OEM, or Original Equipment Manufactured Cameras, will show up. Well we found a few, and we like what we see so far! Robotic cameras created by Reuters can go where photographers can’t during the event. As seen in the action shots above, they capture truly stunning images and movement. “I have been developing since the 2009 Athletics World Championships in Berlin a new technology, which enables Reuters sports photography to shoot pictures from unusual angles,” photographer Pawel Kopczynski says. For the 2012 Olympics, these shots will be captured via robotic cameras mounted on roofing trusses and robotic mounts. The cameras will be controlled by an operator or photographer below who can adjust the zoom and angle by using a joystick. To view the full article on Reuters Blog click here

With the help of high definition OEM cameras photographers and scientists from BBC have taken a peek into a world where most are not welcome. The result, amazing footage of animals in their natural habitat. Below are a few versions of the camouflaged devices. Can you spot the camera? The images above were captured while filming BBC’s “Tiger – Spy in the Jungle” and “Trek – Spy on the Wildebeest”. The crew was able to create these inconspicuous cameras and get closer than ever before. They even got some assistance from an elephant cameraman! In the series “Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice”, BBC deployed their cameras Snowball, Drift, Blizzard, and Iceberg to get a closer look into the life of these ferocious yet playful animals. As you can see by the picture above, these bears were a little suspicious of the intruders. Sources: For “Tiger – Spy in the Jungle” videos, photos, and full article click here For “Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice” videos, photos, and full article click here

OEM cameras are built into many exciting devices all over the world. Take a look at some amazing articles and video of caemras built into devices ready for flight! 1. Hummingbird Drone Prototype with built-in cameras Aerovironment (avinc.com) has developed a drone that looks like a hummingbird! This nano-hummingbird is smaller than drones now used by the United States military. The experimental bird-like aircraft is radio-controlled and has an OEM camera built-in! 2. Cool footage of a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle utilizing auto-pilot Watch this video of a UAV during a full autonomous flight mission under a flight plan with 7 waypoints. The UAV has 11 sensors and 2 cameras built-in, allowing for excellent autonomous flight! 3. NASA footage from an OEM camera on the side of a space shuttle Watch this video from an OEM camera mounted to the side of one of NASA’s space shuttles!

OEM Cameras have so many uses these days. Due to their small size, they can be mounted virtually anywhere. Here are just 5 ways in which OEM Cameras are currently being used. 1. UAV/Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Aside from being used for damage assessment (ie: during the Haiti disaster), domestic surveillance, and traffic monitoring, UAV’s with onboard cameras are being used by amateur hobbyists all over. Check out how this one RC/Camera Hobbyist wearing a heads-up display hooked up a board camera to an RC airplane with a tracking rig to provide a solid video download. 2. Robotics Mimic the Human Eye Remember Johnny 5? It’s just like Hollywod to imagine the future of technology. It turns out they were spot on when it came to robotics. The relationship between board cameras and robots has grown a lot over time. The cameras are not just used to record. They help the robot to discern colors, patterns, and recognize its surroundings, in order to better interact with its environment and make decisions. This superfast robot’s movements are remote-controlled and can mimic the exact movements of the human eye. 3. Extreme Sports Pole Camera I don’t think anyone can disagree that helmet cams are great! — Especially when it comes to extreme sports. Cameras are so inexpensive and easy to set up these days that it’s easy for an adrenaline junkie to strap a camera on his helmet as he’s skydiving or tearing up some killer slopes in the rockies. This skater made a make-shift pole cam and recorded himself riding down a steep road. 4. Law Enforcement/Military Bomb Squad Cameras have always played an integral part in law enforcement and the military. Everything from domestic surveillance, military drones, street light cameras, police dash-cams, and so on. This is a robot used for dismantling potential explosives. It has 4 cameras built and a control system with monitors and controls for the operator to remote control the robot. 5. Automotive: Google’s Self-Driving Car Cameras are slowly making their way into cars. Currently, many cars have the reverse camera to give you a rear view as you back up. More interesting, however, is unmanned cars. Google, among other companies, have produced unmanned vehicles that have logged thousands of miles without human assistance. The vehicles use cameras and sensors to interact with the software and make decisions based upon what it sees through the lenses. At the TED 2011 conference in Long Beach, Google gave rare demos of its auto-driving car.