Refocus Imaging - Camera Features

As the megapixels of current fleet of cameras grow beyond the threshold of lenses' resolving capability, camera manufacturers are racing to find new features and technologies that can continue to help sell their next generation cameras.

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Refocus Imaging, Inc. seems to provide just that. One of the capabilities that their technology allows an image to be refocused in post-capture. What that means is a focus-like ability for a blurry image (due to bad focus) to be adjusted or refocused to be sharp again. Here's a recent article about their technology, released in CNET News.com

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That would mean that a professional wedding photographer will no longer need to take too much of his time to find the right focus when capturing the moment; a macro photographer will now find solace in getting an ultra-deep, depth-of-field in his/her images something extremely difficult with the current state of the technology.

What their website did not mention (as of this writing) is the added ability to tilt and shift the image in post-capture! This feature has only been available to ultra expensive camera and lenses. It also can only be done during capture. After capture? Yeah, it's possible but painstakingly difficult, done in Photoshop.

This technology allows a variety of applications for the consumers; such as making it easier and more convenient to take everyday pictures with perfect focus. In addition, when it finds its way into the hands of scientists, it will have a big impact on astrology imaging specialists, medical imaging, etc.

Using the technology was as easy as picking up a regular camera and shooting. I had Refocus Imaging crew with me when I was photographing three models in the last blooming days in the fields of gold. The results were viewed almost instantaneously on the laptop.

The technology is still under development, and Refocus Imaging's success will be an improvement for the whole imaging community. I look forward to be using this technology in the near future.

- Michael Soo

BNI - Business Builder

Here's the Business Networking International group that I'm a part of, the Business Builder Chapter in Cupertino. We meet *cough* at the wee dawn hours every Thursday in BJ's Brewery. We are honor to have Mayor Dolly Sandoval join our meeting, this morning, along with Trey McAlister, a phenomenal trainer from the Referral Institute of SFBay who showed us a snippet of the GEMS qualities.

"Why are you not in the picture?" you ask. I had to focus my energy to make everyone else look good, that's why. On top of that, I had to balance myself atop this shaky table that taunts to overthrow my authority.

- Michael Soo

Soo Photography T-shirts

We've always given out really cool embroidered long sleeve polo shirts to our clients. Yes, baseball caps too. They are very well made and they look cool. However, we have never had any women cut t-shirts.

This trip back to Malaysia changed everything. We ordered about 80 ladies cut t-shirts in white and in black. We also got beautifully embroidered V-neck t-shirts for folks with thicker neck, like myself. Here's Lysandra wearing one and it fitted her perfectly!! ;-)

- Michael Soo

A chef's portrait

This is a quick portrait session I did with Samurai Cooking's Chef Yoshi before I left for China, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Speaking of Asia, the economy boom in Asia is phenomenal to watch. Technological advances in Singapore are, for the most part, more advanced, compared to the United States and other parts of the world.

I stand in awe watching 3G and pre-4G cellphones used openly in the marketplace; ERP systems used on highways collecting tolls (cars need not stop to pay tolls); smartcards used throughout the country on everyday payments of parking, tolls, etc.; traffic congestion eliminated via careful planning of roadways and highways; major highways and public mass transits being built in months instead of decades (literary).

- Michael Soo