Through client requests we have conducted a complete rewrite of the application. With the latest in Flash actionscript 3 programing it is faster and provides a wealth of new features including:

• Lets your clients keep informed by visiting a web page and not your office.
• Help stop your need for trips to the site.
• Immediate access to recent and archived images.
• Immediate visual project updates to relative parties with secured text conferencing.
• Features include ’split-screen’, ’slide-show’, ‘e-mail image’ ’save image’ and ‘notes’.
• Secure project archiving.
• Interfaces for Higher end systems with real-time remote web control.
• Date and time-stamp on the image itself makes the archive legally admissible.
• Downloadable images are high resolution print quality for any publications.

Our interface has been developed over many years in order to deliver the most benefical service to our clients. Reseached with consultation for construction and government bodies, we believe it provides invaluable feedback for any construction project.

The first use of time-lapse photography in a feature film was in Georges Méliès’ motion picture Carrefour De L’Opera (1897). Time-lapse photography of biologic phenomena was partially pioneered by F. Percy Smith in 1910 and Roman Vishniac from 1915 to 1918. Time-lapse photography was further pioneered in a series of feature films called Bergfilms (Mountain films) by Arnold Fanck, in the 1920s, including The Holy Mountain (1926).
But no filmmaker can be credited for popularizing time-lapse more than Dr. John Ott, whose life-work is documented in the DVD-film “Exploring the Spectrum”.
Ott’s initial “day-job” career was that of a banker, with time-lapse movie photography, mostly of plants, initially just a hobby. Starting in the 1930s, Ott bought and built more and more time-lapse equipment, eventually building a large greenhouse full of plants, cameras, and even self-built automated electric motion control systems for moving the cameras to follow the growth of plants as they developed. He even time-lapsed his entire greenhouse of plants and cameras as they all worked, a virtual symphony of time-lapse movement. His work was featured on an episode of the request TV show, You Asked For It in the late 1950s.
Ott also discovered that the movement of plants could be manipulated by varying the amount of water plants were given, and varying the color-temperature of the lights in the studio, with some colors causing the plants to flower and other colors causing the plants to bear fruit. Ott even discovered ways to change the sex of plants merely by varying the light source color-temperature.
By using these techniques, Ott time-lapse animated plants “dancing” up and down in synch to pre-recorded music tracks.
His cinematography of flowers blooming in such classic documentaries as Walt Disney’s Secrets of Life (1956), pioneered the modern use of time-lapse on film and television. Ott wrote several books on the history of his time-lapse adventures, My Ivory Cellar (1958), “Health and Light” (1979), and the film documentary “Exploring the Spectrum” (DVD 2008).
A major refiner and developer of time-lapse is the Oxford Scientific Film Institute in Oxford, United Kingdom. The Institute specializes in time-lapse and slow-motion systems, and has also developed camera systems that could go into (and move through) impossibly small places. Most people have seen at least some of their footage which has appeared in TV documentaries and movies for decades.
PBS’s NOVA series aired a full episode on time-lapse (and slow motion) photography and systems in 1981 titled Moving Still. Highlights of Oxford’s work are slo-mo shots of a dog shaking water off himself, with close ups of drops knocking a bee off a flower, as well as time-lapse of the decay of a dead mouse.
The first major usage of time-lapse in a feature film was Koyaanisqatsi (1983). The non-narrative film, directed by Godfrey Reggio, contained much time-lapse of clouds, crowds, and cities lensed by cinematographer Ron Fricke. Years later Ron Fricke produced a solo project called “Chronos” shot on IMAX cameras which is still frequently played on Discovery HD. Fricke also used the technique quite extensively in the documentary Baraka (1992) which he photographed in Todd-AO (70 mm). The most recent film made entirely in time-lapse photography is Nate North’s film Silicon Valley Timelapse, which also holds the distinction of being the first feature length film shot almost entirely in 3 frame HDR.
Countless other films, commercials, TV shows and presentations have included time-lapse.
For example, Peter Greenaway’s film A Zed & Two Noughts featured a sub-plot involving time-lapse photography of decomposing animals and included a composition called “Time-lapse” written for the film by Michael Nyman. More recently, Adam Zoghlin’s time-lapse cinematography was featured in the CBS television series Early Edition, depicting the adventures of a character that receives tomorrow’s newspaper today. David Attenborough’s 1995 series, The Private Life of Plants, also utilised the technique extensively.

So most of you do not spell the word correctly. We will continue to spell it correctly however it has enlightened us to the fact that we have to put a bit more effort into SEO and include the miss-spelling in our keywords so that you can find us.

Given our ever changing world we wonder, with this ever increasing reliance on the Internet, whether this will produce an official change in the spelling over time?

The world of video publishing now heavily relies on third party publishers such as youtube and vimeo because they have the bandwidth to effectively stream high quality video content.

Eon-FX uses Apple QuickTime codecs to create its files. Our uncompressed master files are very high quality indeed but take up a lot of storage space – up to 7Gb per minute of footage. These master files then need to be compressed in order to efficiently stream the video over available bandwidth on the internet.

Inherent in any compression codec’s algorithm is the creation of compression artefacts as the file size is reduced to acceptable maximum limits. Using compression techniques fast motion is arguably the hardest issue to deal with and time-lapse represents the ultimate problem for compression as fast motion can also be seen as fast contrast, colour or light changes. In time-lapse, and especially in long-term time-lapse these changes are happening 24 times every second. Eon-FX has studied this problem for over a decade now and takes every effort to minimize any compression artifacts. On video footage that has been repurposed for web publishing compression artifacts will occur, most commonly “stair-stepping” on diagonal lines and “mosquito noise” near high-contrast boundaries. The same problem applies to DVD using the MPEG-2 compression algorithm.

Compare the following two images. It is pretty obvious which one is the compressed version.

Note that with the last image all sorts of artifacts have crept in as a result of compression.

With the introduction of QuickTime 7 came a state-of-the-art video codec called H.264, which delivered stunning quality at remarkably low data rates. Ratified as part of the MPEG-4 standard (MPEG-4 Part 10), this ultra-efficient technology gives you excellent results across a broad range of bandwidths, from 3G for mobile devices to HD for broadcast and DVD.
H.264 has now become the de-facto delivery method for HD content on the web and is the basis for youtube and vimeo.
At this stage we upload our videos to youtube, which are then re-compressed by youtube for their delivery criteria. Unfortunately the resultant videos are not as high a quality as we would like. After extensive testing over the years we have come to conclude that there is not much we can do about this. We are trying to publish time-lapse, which represents the hardest possible concept to compress. To justify this claim we have also conducted extensive tests on other video content using the youtube delivery method such as animation and talking heads. Animation is relatively easy to compress and still retain decent results as the content contains areas of straight colour and sharp contrast boundaries. Most video content if submitted as full HD will turn out pretty good from youtube. Even short-term time-lapse, shot over a few hours for example, will not suffer the degradation that is experienced from compressing long term time-lapse.
As codec’s are refined in the future there may be some improvements seen in web delivery. In the mean time Eon-FX has done everything it can to generate as high a quality web published versions as possible and are generally happy with the results.
Massive Quality, Minimal Files
H.264 uses the latest innovations in video compression technology to provide incredible video quality from the smallest amount of video data. This means you see crisp, clear video in much smaller files, saving you bandwidth and storage costs over previous generations of video codecs. H.264 delivers the same quality as MPEG-2 at a third to half the data rate and up to four times the frame size of MPEG-4 Part 2 at the same data rate. H.264 is truly a sight to behold.
Scalable from 3G to HD and Beyond
H.264 achieves the best-ever compression efficiency for a broad range of applications, such as broadcast, DVD, video conferencing, video-on-demand, streaming and multimedia messaging. And true to its advanced design, H.264 delivers excellent quality across a wide operating range, from 3G to HD and everything in between. Whether you need high-quality video for your mobile phone, iChat, Internet, broadcast or satellite delivery, H.264 provides exceptional performance at impressively low data rates.
Use Scenario
Resolution & Frame Rate
Example Data Rates
Mobile Content
176×144, 10-15 fps
50-60 Kbps
Internet/Standard Definition
640×480, 24 fps
1-2 Mbps
High Definition
1280×720, 24p
5-6 Mbps
Full High Definition
1920×1080, 24p
7-8 Mbps
No Wait for HD
The impressive efficiency of H.264 makes state-of-the-art video more accessible to more people, enabling you to experience the full quality of HD video on today’s computers. With H.264, an Apple Cinema HD Display and an Intel-based Mac, you can turn your home office into a home theater, complete with gorgeous HD playback.
The New Industry Standard
Already ratified as part of the MPEG-4 standard — MPEG-4 Part 10 — and the ITU-T’s latest video-conferencing standard, H.264 is now mandatory for the HD-DVD and Blu-ray specifications (the two formats for high-definition DVDs) and ratified in the latest versions of the DVB (Digital Video Broadcasters) and 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) standards. Numerous broadcast, cable, videoconferencing and consumer electronics companies consider H.264 the video codec of choice for their new products and services. This adoption by a wide variety of open standards means that any company in the world can create devices — mobile phones, set-top boxes, DVD players and more — that will work seamlessly with QuickTime 7.

Built into QuickTime 7
Because H.264 is now an integral part of the QuickTime 7 architecture in Mac OS X, QuickTime-based applications — including iChat AV, Final Cut Pro HD and a litany of third-party applications — can take full advantage of this incredible new video codec.
Get ready for QuickTime 7 with H.264 to change the digital video universe. Experience this powerful addition to QuickTime 7 in Mac OS X.
H.264 in QuickTime 7: Under the Hood
H.264 in QuickTime 7 for Mac OS X implements a set of advanced technologies and patent-pending techniques to create pristine video at low data rates. The H.264 encoder features:
•    Intelligent multi-pass encoding for the best possible results at the desired bit rate with the optimal number of compression passes.
•    Time-saving single-pass encoding for creating draft encodes, meeting impending deadlines and live encoding with QuickTime Broadcaster.
•    Peak-constrained VBR options for limited data-rate scenarios such as streaming and CD/DVD playback.
•    Advanced frame reordering (B-frame) support to more efficiently represent movie data.
•    4×4 integer transform for reducing traditional blocking and ringing artifacts, especially in areas of fine detail.
•    Improved intraframe prediction for more efficient compression of details and gradients in high-motion video.
•    Increased precision in motion estimation for crisp reconstruction of objects in motion.
•    Flexible block sizes in motion estimation for more efficient encoding of complicated motion in areas of fine detail.
•    Adaptively tuned in-loop deblocking filter for eliminating blocking artifacts, resulting in a smooth, clean image.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

By Alexandra Savvides on 21 April 2009

The long-awaited successor to the 5D has arrived in the guise of the 5D Mark II. With its competent HD video functionality and excellent image quality, this camera doesn’t disappoint.

• Good: Full frame, CMOS sensor • Incredibly clean images at most ISO levels • Excellent battery life • Bright and clear viewfinder • Great image quality, as expected
• Bad: No manual overrides in movie mode • Automatic white balance isn’t great in artificial light
• Specs: Digital SLR • 21.1 megapixels • 3 inch • CompactFlash Type I, CompactFlash Type II • See more specifications
• RRP: AU$4,799.00 • Where to buy? Check price listings

Photo gallery: Canon EOS 5D Mark II

The long-awaited successor to the EOS 5D has arrived in the guise of the 5D Mark II. Naturally the most curious feature on this camera, and the one that has caused the most controversy, uproar and extreme interest, is the high-definition movie functionality on the camera. Setting that aside for just a moment, we have to remember this is still just a camera — after all, the Nikon D90 was the first to introduce movie recording (albeit at 720p).

Design

From the outside nothing has changed too much from the old 5D, apart from some streamlined areas and slight textural differences. The look and feel is quite similar to the standard Canon configuration, with buttons having the same feel and layout to the older 30D, 40D and 50D models. It tips the scales at just under a kilogram as body only, which is relatively lightweight for a camera of its class.

Features

Inside the 5D Mark II though, things certainly are different when compared to its predecessor, with a 21.1-megapixel CMOS sensor that apes the 5D’s resolution considerably. The auto focus system remains the same as the 5D, at 11 points, and somewhat pales in comparison with fellow competitors from Nikon such as the D700 with 51 points and D3/D3X.

There’s also a new battery supplied with the camera (LP-E6) which is purported to be around 30 per cent more powerful than the previous battery and is rated at 850 shots in normal usage conditions, 200 shots with live view activated, or for two hours in movie mode.

The camera is water resistant to an extent, meaning light splashes and small amounts of rain won’t hurt the camera body too much. As is starting to become standard on many Canon dSLRs is the 3-inch LCD screen, with a 920,000-dot resolution. It’s a considerable improvement on its predecessor’s. The viewfinder covers a 98 per cent field of view and is lovely and bright.

As for the video functionality, it’s full 1080p (1920×1080) and the camera has a built-in microphone as well as a microphone input. HDMI output is also standard, though note there is no cable supplied.

Performance

The 5D Mark II has a quoted burst rate of 3.9 frames a second, which is definitely not a speedy performer compared to some of the competition and it’s a fair bit slower than the 1Ds Mark III. With continuous shooting activated, we managed to squeeze out around 3.5 frames per second shooting on full quality, and with JPEG shooting rather than RAW, the camera performed admirably in terms of buffer usage.

Even after a whopping 1400 shots, the battery still had life in it. (Credit: CBSi)

Remember how we said the battery was tested by Canon to last 850 shots in normal usage conditions? Well, on a full charge we managed to squeeze out over 1460 shots during a photo shoot, involving the use of a speedlite and continual use of the LCD screen in reviewing photos. Even then there was still a fair amount of battery life left as you can see from the status screen to the right.

Image quality

Canon supplies the 5D Mark II as body only or in a kit with an EF 24-105mm L IS USM lens. With this sensor it would really be a shame (and somewhat of a waste) to use anything but the nicest quality lenses, and for the most part the 24-105mm is a good, though not perfect, match. Note that lenses denoted with “L” are Canon’s premium models. The 24-105mm displays a moderate amount of barrel distortion at its widest end and does exhibit a slight amount of vignetting and light fallout at the corners of the frame though this is mostly negated when the peripheral illumination correction is turned on.

As expected, overall image quality is incredibly impressive. We expected to see Canon’s typical punchy hues as well as accurate and smooth tonality, and the camera doesn’t fail to deliver. There is, however, some aggressive noise reduction that comes into play at ISO 3200 and above, though it does appear at lower levels too, blurring detail and smoothing out a lot of sharpness. For most purposes it’s not noticeable until you start observing the 100 per cent magnification, and the camera performs admirably in low light situations with the help of an IS lens.

As you can see from the chart below, Canon’s picture styles, which have appeared in its other dSLRs, are available on the 5D Mark II. Most styles are usable, with the most interesting option to us being portrait style which generally lightens the frame and adjusts for a more pleasing skin tone.

The 5D Mark II’s picture styles (Credit: CBSi)

Automatic white balance lets the 5D Mark II down a little bit, following the lead from other Canon dSLRs by being off under artificial light and tingeing the scene a yellowish hue a lot of the time.

Video

To begin shooting your first cinematic epic, you’ll need to enter into movie mode. Essentially, you can access the function from any of the mode settings by entering live view (press the live view button at the top of the camera) and then, to begin recording, hit the set button in the middle of the control wheel. One of the most contentious aspects of this camera, at least to many videographers, is the lack of manual control afforded to the user whilst shooting video.

You forego all control over exposure (apart from exposure compensation), including aperture and shutter, and the 5D Mark II takes over, adjusting as necessary according to light conditions. While this might be expected from a consumer camera, the 5D Mark II’s appeal ranges beyond a standard user interested in dabbling in video and extends to film-makers and video creators alike. The lack of manual control is therefore disappointing, in particular regards to achieving that shallow depth-of-field effect that many users will want to do. There are a few methods to override the restrictions (including using non-Canon branded lenses, which we’re sure Canon will love), though these go beyond the scope of this review — we suggest checking out the forums at cinema5d.com as a good starting point.

The internal microphone picks up all noises made by the camera, including the image stabilisation mechanism of the lens. It’s a grinding noise that is particularly disorienting at first until you realise where it comes from. So for the best results when using the in-built microphone, turn image stabilisation off on your lens and, of course, try not to press too many buttons or let the neck strap touch the casing otherwise they will wind up in your audio. The sound of the lens changing aperture on the fly will be recorded as well. Also it’s worth noting that the longest clip you can take in video mode is 12 minutes for full high definition, and you are limited to 4GB as the maximum file size.

Conclusion

The 5D Mark II is an astounding camera for most uses, and the added bonus of high-definition recording is most welcomed. It does have its limitations as stated, but for the most part this camera is worth the money and really does deliver a satisfying photography experience for the advanced photographer and semi-professional alike.

To use mobile broadband you need a modem to connect to the network. The most common connection device is a USB modem which plugs into your laptop and is easy to set up with a few keystrokes.

There are other modem options available and 3 Mobile Broadband for example offer a choice of different device types for their mobile broadband plans. So how do you choose and which one is best?

USB modem or dongle
These small modems plug into a USB port on your laptop via a short cable. They are convenient and performance is good. They downside is having something that dangles from your laptop.

Mobile Broadband Key (later versions of USB modems)
3 Mobile have introduced a later version of the USB modem design. It’s smaller and lighter with no wires and looks like a long flash drive. It’s also capable of receiving data at 7.2Mbps instead of the 3.6Mbps which is the maximum for the older USB modem. At this point it doesn’t actually make any difference as the network is only capable of transmitting data at the slower speed. However a network upgrade is planned for the end of 2008 so it makes sense to get the newer version in preparation for being able to get faster speeds.

Mobile broadband card
The card fits into the computer’s PC card slot.

Fully integrated chip in a notebook computer
This is probably the most convenient but the downsides are the initial outlay for the laptop plus the speed at which device technology is moving could mean that a laptop with embedded 3G could be out of date within a relatively short period of time.