A digest of last week news is a selection of some of the news from week 44 related to the worlds of photography and video, covering multiple topics, always rounded up with a reading suggestion.

First truly portable HD multicamera recorder/switcher

Convergent Design announces Apollo, a new recorder able to simultaneously record up to four HD video signals, along with a fifth channel of either a live-switch between the four or a quad-split reference view. Apollo can also function as a four-channel live switcher while simultaneously recording the four isolated HD video signals, says Convergent Design.

The size of a small tablet and able to run for hours on a camcorder battery, Apollo is truly portable and the only device of its kind that can both record multiple HD camera feeds as well as live-switch between them. It’s a production studio in the palm of your hand. All cameras stay in perfect sync with matching timecode. A single SSD contains all of the multicamera media, dramatically reducing turnaround time for post. There are two SSD slots on Apollo, allowing for twice the record time or mirror recording for safety backup. Apollo utilizes industry-standard 2.5” SSD media, either manufactured by Convergent Design or qualified 3rd party models.

Apollo is scheduled for release in December 2015. Manufacturer’s list is $3995, with an SSD to USB3 adapter, a 5-pack of SSD mounting handles, and a universal AC power supply included. Owners of the Convergent Design Odyssey7Q and Odyssey7Q+ will be able to purchase an Apollo Option for their devices as an upgrade for $1795.

Professional audio and true mobility

The new iRig Pro DUO is made so you can truly go out and play and record anywhere, any time on any device with the smallest fully-featured dual-channel interface on the market.

iRig Pro DUO is the smallest full-featured dual-channel interface on the market. Its elegantly designed lightweight thermoplastic housing is designed to take the rigors of life on the road, session after session. It has been designed so that it’s the perfect size — it fits easily into the palm of your hand and can fit in any backpack, gig bag or even your pocket. When needed, plug you mic into your your iRig Pro DUO, and then you plug it into your iPad. Or your Android. Or your computer. And you’re ready to go.

Although small, this is one seriously powerful and connectible interface. It features 2 channels with XLR/TRS combo audio jacks and phantom power that can accommodate everything from high-end phantom powered condenser microphones to guitars, basses, keyboards and more. Each channel has its own input gain control so you can dial in the perfect amount of input signal for your recording. Find more about iRig Pro DUO at IK Multimedia’s website.

New colour filter lets in three times more light

Rajesh Menon, Electrical and Computer Engineering professor at the University of Utah has developed a new camera color filter that lets in three times more light than conventional filters, resulting in much cleaner, more accurate pictures taken in lowlight.

Traditional digital cameras, whether they are point-and-shoot cameras or the now-ubiquitous smartphone cameras, use an electronic sensor that collects the light to make the picture. Over that sensor is a filter designed to allow in the three primary colors: red, blue and green. But by doing so, natural light hits the filter, and the filter absorbs two thirds of the color spectrum in order to let through each of the three primary colors.

Menon’s solution is to use a color filter that lets all light pass through to the camera sensor. He does this with a combination of software and hardware. Menon has designed a new color filter that is about a micron thick (100 times thinner than a human hair). It is a wafer of glass that has precisely-designed microscopic ridges etched on one side that bends the light in certain ways as it passes through and creates a series of color patterns or codes. Software then reads the codes to determine what colors they are. Instead of just reading three colors, this new filter produces at least 25 new codes or colors that pass through the filter to reach the camera’s sensor, producing photos that are much more accurate and with nearly no digital grain.

Galaxy View: a tablet or a portable TV?

With 18.4 inches, the new Galaxy View from Samsung is a member of the tablet family, but its size suggests it wants to be a portable TV or entertainment center for watching movies everywhere.

Your finger is the Remote, states Samsung in the information provided, adding that “the easy-to-use interface lets you access exactly what you want with just a swipe of a finger, switching instantly between movies, live broadcasts and the Internet. And Wi-Fi connectivity means you can watch your favorite shows, game with friends, or keep in touch on video chat.”

The Full HD screen – some will question why Samsung does not offer 4K in such a tablet – is complemented with specifications which do not compete with those from some smaller tablets, but that does not seem to be Samsung’s intention. The new Galaxy View is really built – even has one handle – to be moved about the house or anywhere you go, as a streaming video machine. Price? $599.99.

The Art of Black and White Photography, a new eBook each week

A “new eBook each week” suggestion closes this digest of photo and video news from last week. This time we look at The Art of Black and White Photography, 2nd Edition, by Torsten Andreas Hoffmann, from Rocky Nook, which is available at a special price, $9,99, instead of the regular price of the eBook edition.

In The Art of Black and White Photography author and photographer Torsten Andreas Hoffmann focuses on image composition and image capture, with an emphasis on the creative aspects of black and white photography rather than on the digital workflow.After introducing the ground rules of composition, Hoffmann illustrates their applications with his own stunning black and white images that cover various photographic genres, including architecture, street photography, portraiture, and surreal photography.

Also discussed are the elements of a “photographic language,” which distinguishes creative photography from random shooting. Finally, you will learn valuable post-processing techniques, mostly using Photoshop, that emphasize the functions necessary for creating outstanding black and white images.

The eBook offered as eBook Deal of the Week is not eligible for any other discounts and cannot be combined with other offers. The code BWPHOTOG should be used on checkout. The promotion ends on the 8th of November.