STACK #202 Aug 2021

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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FATHER’S DAY

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CREATING (AND KEEPING) MEMORIES

F or generations, dads have loved the idea of keeping tangible memories of the important things in life. Whether it’s family getaways, the kids growing up, holidays, or a weekend of outdoor adventure or camping with mates, capturing those moments to look back on years later is easier than it’s ever been. Tech has evolved fast in recent years, which means better quality results at lower prices than ever before. An obvious great choice for dad is a new camera to capture those memories with. Yes, everyone’s got a camera built into their smartphone, but the flexibility and image quality of a dedicated camera opens up a whole world of creativity. For serious high quality photo results, it’s hard to go past the latest full-sized cameras, still boasting the classic form factor of the old 35mm SLR, but now packed to the hilt with top-end tech. The advantage with these photo powerhouses is their use of detachable lenses – you can swap out the zoom lens they come with for anything from a super-fast lens for action shots, to a high-powered telephoto to capture images from a distance. The Nikon Z fc [1] continues the famous company’s long history of stunning quality imaging, putting it inside a classic-style Nikon body that’s pure class. Its 20.9-megapixel sensor puts any smartphone to shame, and it’s no slouch at shooting 4K video either (with a viewfinder 1

screen that can be flipped around for selfies or for shooting a vlog). Meanwhile, Canon’s superb EOS M50 [2] goes for the jet- black look with a 24-megapixel

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moment – and it doesn’t get much more retro than the Polaroid Now i-Type instant camera [3] , which takes the look of the classic Polaroid models of the 1970s and updates it with smart tech including a

sensor and an OLED screen. They’re both great cameras that’ll capture memories for years to come (and they’ve

2-lens system and accurate-colour flash. This is one for those fun moments where an instant photo print – itself with a retro look – can be shared straight from the camera. This model has also added a double-exposure setting for dads who like to experiment! Going for a more compact version for their instant camera is Fujifilm with the Instax Mini 11 [4] , a budget shooter that’s perfect for parties and, of course, that Father’s Day dinner. It’s aimed squarely at the fun side of things, with single-button simplicity and a range of value-priced mini-photo film to keep the photos coming. If dad’s more action-minded (skiing, climbing, or riding), capturing video of stuff that moves fast is best done with an action camera – designed from the ground up to deliver smooth, stable, high-quality video, to handle the elements, and be small enough to be mounted on something like a helmet. The name most action cam fans will know right

both got Wi-Fi built in, so you can safely store your precious photos in the cloud right from the camera). Retro styling is big in the photo world at the

Founding Fathers – Visual Effects

French illusionist and filmmaker Georges Méliés (1861–1938) is considered “the father of special effects” for his revolutionary technical achievements in early cinema, and is best known for his groundbreaking short film A Trip to the Moon (1902). Méliés experimented with techniques like time-lapse, dissolves, multiple exposures, and hand-painting colour onto film to create visual illusions. For example, the effect of somebody vanishing was achieved simply by switching off the camera and then turning it back on when the actor had left the set. Martin Scorsese’s film Hugo (2011) pays tribute to Méliés’ legacy, with Ben Kingsley playing the pioneering filmmaker.

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