Fujifilm has developed the first D-SLR factory-produced yet specifically tailored camera for ultraviolet and infrared photography.

Known as the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR Digital SLR (whew!), it replaces the problematic UV and IR filters with a "specially formulated glass protective filter." More importantly, the said camera is able to take pictures of things we don't normally see under the naked eye, such as tattoos on a burnt body (pretty morbid, we know).

This proves to be quite a valuable tool in law enforcement and medical purposes, but it could also be used for art, just like photographers Minor White and Ansel Adams did. According to Mike Brooks, a law enforcement agency consultant, "The enhanced image quality is another great advantage of this camera – it has the ability to capture mid-tones, which is crucial with the contrasty subjects we commonly shoot and it provides a wider exposure latitude than other D-SLRs."

Moreover, it could also be used to detect differences in similar-looking signatures and inks, injuries below the skin, and even detect the presence of gunpowder. The FinePix S3 Pro UVIR Digital SLR camera will be available this September for $1800 USD.

This innovation opens up lots of possibilities in D-SLRs nowadays. Who knows what they'll come up with next?

Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) classified defense technology company BAE Systems' uncooled fixed-mount and handheld infrared cameras as qualified anti-terrorism technology under the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act.

Whoo. Before we drown in all those acronyms, let's see what these babies can do. The cameras can detect heat and temperature differences up to a five-mile radius, making them ideal as surveillance cameras especially during the night.

The fixed-mount PMC300TM (640x480 resolution) and the LTC550TM (320x240) would primarily be used for parameter surveillance, and the handheld HH100TM and HHC could be used for law enforcement in the field. I predict that the fixed-mount cameras will be a huge success among nosy neighbors.

The cameras, each worth between $15,000 and $89,000, are available for the DHS but also to the general public - those who can afford it, at least. “The technology is becoming more and more available,” said David Smialek, BAE Imaging Systems business development assistant manager. Smialek anticipates the prices of the cameras to drop in the future.

The IR technology, however, is export-controlled, and will probably be only available to U.S. buyers.

Who says there isn't anything to see in Canada? Clearly you haven't looked through infrared eyes for you to be able to say that. Jeffrey Klassen's photographs show Canada's breathtaking sceneries in a different light. Achieving this effect required him to use a Tiffen 87 filter and some manual white balance for the best effect possible. Those in Black and White came directly from the camera while those in color needed some post tweaking. If you want to own one of Klassen's images you can order it for in a variety of sizes that will start at 4x6 Matte print for $4.26 up to 16x24 for $24.00. Click on the Read link to view the rest of his gallery.

Ifyou're in, say, an exclusive vacation spot or in a private party and you don't want to get your photos taken (most probably you're a celebrity or you're just afraid your parents might see what you've been up to), then you might just want to invest in this newly developed system that can block digital camera functions.

A prototype of this system has been completed and produced by a team at the Intelligent Computing division of Georgia Tech College of Computing. The materials used to build this device were things you could easily get your hands on: lighting equipment, camera-mounted sensors, a computer and a projector.

This device works by scanning a given area for the reflectivity and the shape of image-producing sensors commonly used in digital cameras. According to those in charge of the project, the camera-neutralizing technology could have commercial promise in these two major fields - protecting restricted areas from being photographed and stopping video copying in areas such as theaters.

At the moment, this technology only uses two cameras and visible light to search for CCDs. If it's going to be used in the future in business centers or government offices, then developers think that they will be replacing the said equipment with photo-detecting transistors and invisible infrared lasers to find contraband cameras.

This system works neither on film cameras (these don't have CCD sensors) nor on single-lens reflex cameras (because of their folding-mirror system).

The camera-neutralizing technology will be developed further and be made available soon.