Saturday, December 28, 2013

RC Helicopters at my Flickr

As opposed to a direct link this is how Flickr would like us to share our photographs.







Saturday, August 24, 2013

Selene, Luna or The Moon

Selene, Goddess of the Moon in ancient Greek mythology
and identified with Roman Luna. The Moon ...
  
Moon ~ August 25, 2013 ~ 7:03:52am ~ EST (-5 GMT) ~ Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8
August 25, 2013 ~ 7:03:52am ~ EST (-5 GMT) ~ Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8


Moon ~   August 23, 2013 ~ 5:18:14am ~ EST (-5 GMT) ~ Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8
August 23, 2013 ~ 5:18:14am ~ EST (-5 GMT) ~ Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8 


Moon ~ January 2, 2013 ~ 8:55:39am ~ EST (-5 GMT)  D90 and Nikkor 16-85mm Zoom
January 2, 2013 ~ 8:55:39am ~ EST (-5 GMT)
D90 and Nikkor 16-85mm Zoom




































December 7, 2013 at Moon ~ 9.30pm ~ EST (-5 GMT) ~ Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8
December 7, 2013 at 9.30pm ~ EST (-5 GMT) ~ Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8
 


Related: Photograph the Moon with Different Lenses ~ ClarkVision.com



Friday, August 09, 2013

Monday, August 05, 2013

Old Prints Redux

Following images copied from old prints using
a Nikon D90 with Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8
     
Camping - Georgian Bay (maps), Aug 1986
Camping - Georgian Bay (maps), Aug 1986
 
Riding the Rails - Big Chute Marine Railway (WiKi), Trent Waterway (WiKi), July 20, 1986
Riding the Rails - Big Chute Marine Railway (WiKi), Trent Waterway (WiKi), July 20, 1986
    
Waterfall - Belfountain Conservation Area, Aug 4, 1986
Waterfall - Belfountain Conservation Area, Aug 4, 1986
   

Related





Tuesday, July 30, 2013

My First Digital Camera

Front ~ FUJIFILM FinePix 2800 Zoom

Rear ~ FUJIFILM FinePix 2800 Zoom





FUJIFILM FinePix 2800 Zoom 
  • Announced Sep 11, 2001 ~ MSRP $399 USD
  
Specifications:
  • 2.1 Megapixel CCD, 2.1 million pixel RGB color filter
  • 6-36mm (38-228mm 35mm equivalent) 1:2.8-.3.0 6X Optical zoom lens
  • Shutter speeds: 1/1500 to 1/2 second
  • AF coverage: 2.6 feet to infinity
  • No Image Stabilization
  • MACRO: fixed focal length working distances 3.9in to 2.6 feet
  • 64-Zone TTL metering, Program AE
  • Exposure Compensation: -1.5 to +1.5EV in 1/3EV steps
  • Continuous Mode: Four frames every 0.5 seconds
  • 10-second self-timer
  • 1.8 inch color TFT LCD Monitor
  • ISO 100
  • Mode Dial: Still, Movie (with audio and image playback)
  • Automatic White Balance plus 6 presets in Manual
  • Flash: Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Slow-Sync, Forced and Off
  • Viewfinder: Colour Electronic SLR equivalent
  • Image sizes: 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960 or 640 x 480
  • Records 60 seconds (320 x 240) AVI motion video with audio at 10 frames/sec
  • Image Storage: SmartMedia
  • Power: 4 x Standard AA batteries, NiMH rechargeable or AC adapter

Related



Project: Thunder Clouds

Not too long ago a thunderstorm passed through the area and off in the distance I saw the clouds break showing another storm heading towards my location. This was also a perfect time to shoot as the SUN was just starting to set. We we're into the Golden Hour (WiKi) so out came the camera armed with a short telephoto zoom set to 85mm to capture what I thought would be a great shot. 

It was obvious before taking the shot the rain drops on the window was going to be a problem therefor show in the picture. With no choice I proceeded and shot through a window anyway capturing the rain drops from the previous thunderstorm that was just passing overhead. That storm and it's trailing edge is shown by the gray band of cloud at the top of the photograph.

Project: Thunder Clouds ~ very little rain removed
   
It was at this time I decided to put my photo-editing skills to task and repair the image by removing all the distracting rain drops ... A task easier said than done, but yes I said it.
  


Project: Thunder Clouds ~ almost all the rain removed
    
Using the photo-editor and 'clone' tools three hours later with beads of sweat resembling the actual rain drops forming on my forehead gave me a image minus all the rain.

... Yes, I more or less liked the result.

But the lesson learned or what I took away after finishing the work. Due to the amount of information lost with each drop removed produced an image I thought unsuitable for large printing but good enough for the Web. Was the finished image worth the time and effort, that's hard to say but it sure was educational.
    
Project: Thunder Clouds ~ ALL the rain removed ~ FIN
    
Final Crop, full size image.

FIN



Tuesday, July 23, 2013

French River, Georgian Bay (1987) a Digitized Print

French River, Georgian Bay ~ July 2,1987
Camping the Mouth of French River
French River, Georgian Bay (Google Maps) July 2,1987

Print copied using the Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8.

French River, Georgian Bay ~ original shot
It is not often I show original out of camera shots but in this case it's worth looking. Back in the day the camera exposed for the sky producing an image where the foreground was very underexposed and dark. In nutshell photo-editing was used to brighten the underexposed areas and local contrast was worked to bring out more detail ... 




MAP: French River, Georgian BayMouth of French River, Georgian Bay

Related: 





Sunset

July 22, 2013
   
I wasn't happy with the composition but loved the colour.
 
- Full Size -


































- Full Size -





 


Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Old Slides and Old Prints Digitized ...

The following images are from the day when we had of no Live View, Auto-focus, Vibration Reduction and all the other wonders of the digital age. From a day when we only had camera, a primitive light-meter and of course a ton of film. Putting a Nikon D90 and a NEW 105mm Nikkor Micro (Macro) Lens to work digitizing old Kodachrome slides, colour and Black & White prints.   

Old Kodachrome:

Ye Old Kodachrome ~ Dandelion Mugshot

              
Dandelion Mugshot
Dandelion Mugshot - MACRO 
   
Daisies Hard at Work
Daisies Hard at Work - MACRO
    
IGGY the Lizard with attitude!
IGGY the Lizard 
My brother's pet lizard and what an attitude this guy had!

       

The Old Prints:

Cruising in Omega  back in the day, 1976
Cruising in the Omega
Memories of my best friends 74-Oldsmobile Omega. We we're stupid young, just out of High School, the year was 1976 and we had nothing better to do but cruise the streets looking for trouble. Cliché warning: selective colour image ... Complimenting the factory paint, as I remember the Mellow Yellow  ... 
      
A piping GOOD time ...
Omega owner
     
Camping with good friends, Ron and Bill. French River, Georgian Bay ~ Summer 1985
Camping with Good Friends
French River, Georgian Bay (Google Maps) Summer 1985 
    
Camping with my brother and George. American Island, Georgian Bay ~ July 29,1986
Camping with my brother his friend, George
American Island, Georgian Bay (Google Maps) July 29,1986
     
Old Brick Works ~ Terra Cotta, Caledon ~ Summer 1985
The Old Brick Works - Google Street View - Caledon
Spring?
1985
    

Old Brick Works Terra Cotta, Caledon ~ Late Fall 1985
The Old Brick Works - Google Street View - CaledonLate Fall 1985
   
Inside the Old Brick Works ~ Terra Cotta, Caledon ~ Summer 1985
Inside the Old Brick Works - Google Street View - CaledonSummer? 1985






















Related: 



      Wednesday, June 26, 2013

      3D Project: RC Heliopters

      Free-viewing 3D

      To view this type of 3D image typically 3D glasses (Stereoscope) are preferred but it might surprise one to know we can also view them in 3D without special hardware simply by crossing our eyes. 

      Viewing oh natural ...
      1. It might help to click on the above image to view it larger and without any distractions.
      2. View the image at a comfortable distance
      3. Gently cross your eyes until you see four images instead of two
      4. Now relax the view so the images come together into three images
      5. Concentrate on the middle image and try to lock in the 3D view.
      6. When you do see the image in 3D (it takes practice) you should be able to move your view looking at the details.
      Additional tips and hints.

      Practice viewing with 3D samples

                 

      Update:
         

      MSHeli PRÔTOS
      ... Nikon D90 with 85mm - 1.3sec @ f18
      ... Image sizes 100% or 85%














      ALIGN Trex 450
      ... Nikon D90 with 85mm - 1.3sec @ f18
      ... Image sizes 100% or 85%
         


      The Fleet
      ... GAUI ep255, PRÔTOS and ALIGN Trex 450
          


          
      Related:





      Saturday, June 08, 2013

      NEW MACRO Arrives

      Nikkor AF-S Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8G ED
      The NEW Nikon N AF-S Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8G ED Lens
      The Camera, MACRO and the ZOOM Lens. Nikon D90 with the new Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8 attached. Shown next to the camera is the Nikkor Zoom 16-85mm 1:3.5-5.6 DX.
      Nikon D90 with the new 105mm attached. 
      Alongside is the Nikon DX Nikkor 16-85mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED Zoom

      Samples:


















      Sample Shots: Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8
      Nikon D90 and 105mm Micro
        




















      1:1 Cactus ... euphemistically, The Money Shot ...  Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8, magnification 1:1, shutter 1.0 sec, f/57, ISO: 200

























      Cactus, The Money Shot ~ Magnification 1:1
      Nikon D90 and 105mm Micro ~ Magnification 1:1 ~ Shutter: 1sec ~ f/57 ~ ISO: 200

      'The Money Shot' was shot at f/57 the maximum f-stop at 1:1 for this lens therefor some detail (sharpness) would certainly be lost due to Lens Diffraction. This sample would indeed have been a little sharper if shot with a wider aperture. However for these first samples I wanted show this lenses best depth-of-field.    


      More

      Small Toy Car

      Flexaret IIIa: Nikon D90 and Nikkor Micro 105mm 1:2.8 Magnification 1:1, Shutter 1.3 sec, f/25, ISO 200
      Fred the Spider out for a walk ...











































       

      Update: March 12, 2015
       
      Kalanchoe (WiKi) also written Kalanchöe or Kalanchoë, is a genus of about 125 species of tropical, succulent flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, mainly native to the Old World. Only one species of this genus originates from the Americas, 56 from southern and eastern Africa and 60 species in Madagascar. It is also found in south-eastern Asia until China.

      Kalanchoe Flowers
      Kalanchoe Flowers
       
      Kalanchoe Flower
      Kalanchoe Flower