Charlie Sorrel got a hold of the LumoPro LP120 flash , a low-cost ($120) manual flash for disciplined photographers: As we mentioned last week, the LP120 contains an embarrassment of options. Not only can you adjust the power down to 1/32, you can trigger it in a multitude of way, all of them open standards: A hotshoe, a slave trigger (which detects the light from another flash firing for wireless use), a PC (Prontor/Compur) socket and a mini-jack socket. On top of this there is a manual zoom (push and pull the head to use it), a 270 swivel and 90 tilt. The body of the unit feels kind of plasticky, but its the good kind of lightweight, knock-resistant plasticky as opposed to the drop-it-and-crack kind.

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LumoPro LP120, a completely manual camera flash

Kill two retro photography fetishes with one gadget by clipping the Diana Instant Back+ to your Diana+ camera to take bleedy analog snapshot and watch them develop in your hand in a minute-and-a-half. The Instant Back+ uses Fujifilm Instax Mini film, which appears to cost about a buck-a-shot. The Back+ itself costs $95. And of course you’ll need a Diana+. [via Uncrate ]

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Diana Instant Back+ turns hipster camera into hipster photo booth

Inside this tissue box recorder from Brickhouse is a relatively decent camera capable of DVD-quality recording, triggered by motion or on a schedule. It’ll even drop down to black-and-white in the dark for low-light recording. It’s ridiculously priced at $600, so I can’t really recommend it, but mostly pointing it out so if you see a tissue box like this in the future you’ll be able to turn it around to face the wall. [via Chip Chick ]

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Spy camera in a tissue box

Filed under: Gadgets , Tech Click above to enlarge The tried-and-true needle and dial dash has been a staple of the modern automobile, and aside from a brief stint in the ’80s when digital gauges were a popular (if not entirely reliable) option, not much has changed in the dash department. Recognizing that another revolution is on the horizon, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute are developing a 3D dashboard to show drivers where the vehicle is in relation to its surroundings. Best of all, no funny red and blue glasses will be required for the technology to work since it’s generated by a slew of cameras that track the position of the driver’s eyes. Other tidbits of information can be specified by the pilot, including a fuel gauge, speedometer, tire pressure warning or the title of the song currently playing. Early prototypes are scheduled to be displayed at next month’s CeBIT convention. [Source: Fraunhofer Institute via Engadget ] Fraunhofer developing 3D dashboard originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read ?|? Permalink ?|? Email this ?|? Comments

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Fraunhofer developing 3D dashboard

Filed under: Gadgets , Euro , Government/Legal Red may be their national racing color, but there’s little Italians hate more than red lights. And with good reason, it turns out: Stefano Arrighetti, creator of the T-Redspeed “smart” traffic system implemented across Italy, is under investigation for fraud on suspicion that he illegally forged transport ministry certification for his system. In place in over 300 municipalities, the system reportedly cuts the yellow-light time by half to ensnare motorists and charge them with running red lights. According to reports, some camera locations jumped from issuing 15 fines per day to more than 1,000. The net-net? The scheme may have fleeced motorists for more than $1.68 million dollars. Arrighetti isn’t the only one under investigation. Along with him are 63 chiefs of police and 39 local government officials. Local police are charged with rubber-stamping the automated tickets and sending them out without proper review. If the T-Redspeed system is indeed fraudulently issuing moving violations, it would be the local authorities reaping the benefit from the extra charges incurred. [Sources: BBC News ; Motor Authority ] Italian traffic cameras investigated for red-light rigging that may have cost motorists $1.7M originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read ?|? Permalink ?|? Email this ?|? Comments

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Italian traffic cameras investigated for red-light rigging that may have cost motorists $1.7M