Microsoft and Nikon Enter Into Patent Cross-Licensing Agreement

ftpaddict · 08-29-2008, 02:12 AM

Didn't Microsoft do the same thing with Pentax a while ago?

http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1219958026.html

raz-0 · 08-29-2008, 11:53 AM

Yes, and Olympus almost a year ago.

ftpaddict · 08-29-2008, 01:17 PM

Are they going to do this with every camera manufacturer?

*séamuis* · 08-29-2008, 01:20 PM

it would certainly seem that way. who knows what microsoft is actually up to.

*Damn Brit* · 08-29-2008, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by séamuis

it would certainly seem that way. who knows what microsoft is actually up to.

I'm surprised Apple haven't been doing it as well. What with more people experimenting with tethering and controlling their cameras through their computers, it would seem that this could be the next big thing (or one of the next).
It seems to me that the problems with long exposures, the sensor heating up and the inherent hot pixels etcetera, can only be solved externally. I can't imagine in camera air conditioning to keep the sensor cool.

Please don't flame me re my lack of technical knowledge if what I said above is a load of bollocks.

reeftool · 08-30-2008, 10:39 AM

My guess is that Microsoft is planning to have the ability to recognize the various RAW file formats in future versions of Windows.

cpopham · 08-30-2008, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by reeftool

My guess is that Microsoft is planning to have the ability to recognize the various RAW file formats in future versions of Windows.

This is effectively the exact state of affairs in Vista today.
(You have to download a codec for each format first though)

My bet is these agreements are related to things like this:
Digital Photography with Flash and No-Flash Image Pairs - papers_0346

And any one of the massive number of other things Microsoft Research is or has been working on.