Jim Doty - Photo Blog
 

 
Photography: Photos, News, and Tips
 
 
   
 
Friday, March 19, 2004
 

Kodak digital camera with a Canon lens mount


SURPRISE FROM KODAK
Kodak DCS Pro SLR/c


Yesterday, Kodak announced a 14 megapixel digital camera that takes Canon mount lenses. This will be the highest resolution digital body for Canon mount lenses. Better yet, it has a full frame (in 35 mm terms) imaging sensor. There is no field of view crop so wide angle lenses will be truly wide angle lenses, just like on 35mm film bodies.

For all of us Canon users who are waiting for an affordable body with a full frame sensor, several questions will be uppermost. What will the price be? How good willl the images be? How convenient or intuitive will the camera controls be?

There is only one currently available digital body for Canon mount lenses with a full frame sensor, the top of the line Canon 1Ds at a whopping street price of over $7,000. Imaging quality is excellent.

You can save a few grand with the recently announced Canon 1D Mark II. It is an 8 megapixel boty BUT it still has a 1.3 FOV (field of view) crop. A 100mm lens on the 1D Mark II has the same field of view as a 130mm lens on a 35mm film body. The current 6 megapixel Canon bodies with a 1.6 FOV crop will set you back between $900 (Digital Rebel) and $1,500 (10D).

If the price is right, the image quality is high, and useability is good, this camera will be a blessing for Canon shooters. Some folks will buy the Kodak, others will wait for the competition to force Canon to come up with a camera with a full frame sensor and a lower price.

In the good old days (5 or more years ago), Kodak would produce two digital camera bodies with both Nikon and Canon mounts. Back then, a 6 megapixel Kodak digital body would cost $30,000. We have come a long way in price, convenience, and quality.

This camera is supposed to be released in May. We shall see. The initial Kodak body with a Nikon mount was delayed quite a bit in its release, and ended up being a disappointing camera in several ways (especially high ISOs in low light). An upgraded version of the Nikon mount camera is much better.

I hope that this camera is a winner in price and quality and gives Canon a run for the money. Kodak has had a lot of financial woes lately. Fuji film sales has eroded much of Kodak's long vaunted film business, and Kodak has had struggles in the digital arena. I hope Kodak bounces back. We will all be better off if they do.

Keep an eye on DP Review for a full review of the Kodak DCS Pro SLR/c sometime in the future. That will tell much of the tale.

Monday, March 15, 2004
 
Full Screen Flash File Player

It is estimated that between 80 to 95% of all computers that have access to the internet have Macromedia's Flash player installed in their web browser. Flash may be the most popular browser "plugin" (add on program). This makes Flash files (swf) one of the most popular ways to provide animation, slide shows, and movie's on the interent. I have created Flash files for my website like the slide show for my grandson's birthday and a recently created nature movie (these are best viewed with a broadband connection).

I have been looking for a way to show Flash movie files full screen for use in presentations before a live audience with a laptop computer and digital projector. I don't want anything visible on the screen except the movie. I don't want any tools bars showing and I prefer to have start, pause, and rewind controls out of sight. The problem is that Flash files are usually viewed offline with a web browser, so the browser window is visible. This takes away from the professionalism of a presentation before a live audience.

My problem is solved. GlobFX makes a full screen Flash player. It only does one thing, but it does it well and it is free. You can download Swiff Player and use it to play Flash files.



When you load Swiff Player, you get a typical application window with File, View, Play, and Help at the top. At the bottom of the window there is a typical player bar, somwhat similar to Windows Media Player, with buttons for Play, Pause, and Stop/Rewind. There is also a slider to move to any point in the Flash "movie". A data window at the bottom right tells the the current frame, total frames, current time and total time in the movie. Below the Swiff Player window is your computer's task bar.

It is simple to use. At the top select "File" and browse your hard drive for the Flash file (swf) you want to play. Then use the buttons at the bottom to start, pause, stop, and rewind the movie. Or use the slider to quickly go anywhere in the movie. Simplicity itself.

Fortunately, the Swiff Player window is pretty minimal, and certainly much better than using a web browser to show a Flash movie, but it gets better. If you choose VIEW > FULL SCREEEN from the menu, the Swiff Player window and computer task bar all disappear. All that is left is a black screen. Computer keys invisibly (to the audience) control the movie. The "ENTER" key is a toggle switch for PLAY and PAUSE. The "HOME" key is for REWIND. The "ESC" key will stop the movie, but it brings back the Swiff Player window and computer task bar so I don't use ESC in front of a live audience.

Presentation with a laptop and digital projector for a live audience is simple and professional. Set up the laptop, sound system, and digital projector before the audience arrives. Load Swiff Player and the Flash movie you are going to present. Select VIEW > FULL SCREEN to go to a full black screen. Use the mouse or touch pad to move the cursor out of sight. You are all set. When the audience arrives, they see nothing but a black screen.

Hit ENTER to start the movie, hit ENTER again to pause and/or restart the movie from that point. At the end, hit HOME to stop and rewind the movie. When the audience is gone, hit ESC to bring back the Swiff Player window and computer task bar.

I recommend this program for showing Flash files to live audiences.

The files size of the individual images and the Flash movie itself have to be larger than a Flash file for the internet in order to fill the screeen and have it look good. You determine this when you create the Flash file in the first place. There are excellent programs for creating your own Flash movies in the $50 - $100 range. I used two $50 programs to create the slide show and movie linked in the top paragraph. I will review those programs in a follow up article. Stay tuned.


Tuesday, March 09, 2004
 

Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, OH
Glass (c) Dale Chihuly, Photo (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

Chihuly at the Conservatory

A significant exhibit of the glass art of Dale Chihuly is on display at the Franklin Park Conservatory. If you will be anywhere near Columbus, Ohio between now and July 4, I suggest you come and see this exhibit. The works by Chichuly are scattered throught the various bontanical displays. This is so much more effective than seeing Chihuly's work in a museum. The glass grows out of the vegation like new, exotic species of plants.

Bring your camera. Photography is encouraged but only for personal, educational, and non-commercial uses only. You can't take pictures of the art work and sell the prints later.

The exhibit was crowded this past weekend. There was an hour wait to get in Saturday afternoon, but that is because most people were expecting the exhibit to leave town in a couple of weeks. Arrangments were made just a few days ago to continue the exhibit through early July.

You can see more at these websites: Franklin Park Conservatory and Dale Chihuly.


Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, OH
Glass (c) Dale Chihuly, Photo (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

Friday, March 05, 2004
 

Bog, West Lake Nature Preserve, Michigan
- Photo (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

WILDFLOWER SEASON HAS STARTED

Nature photographers look forward to the first wildflowers of spring. The wildflower season is already in full swing in some parts of the country. You can read California flowers reports here.

Based on recent rainfall, they are expecting a good year at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

You can find more wildflower links on the bottom left side of my LINKS page.

It was wishful thinking I know, but I was checking out West Lake Nature Preserve in Portage, Michigan earlier this week. Some of the early moss looks good out in the bog, and there were some nice, crimson colored pitcher plant leaves. Early spring flowers are a few weeks away, depending on the weather. The tulips are just poking above the ground around the Portage library.

In central Ohio, some early flowers are just pushing through the ground. Can you tell I am anxious? It is going to be a while yet. You can always go to Franklin Park Conservatory to get your indoor flower fix until the outside flowers are ready. Don't miss the Chihuly exhibit at the Conservatory.

Wildflowers will be coming, maybe soon, to a location near you.


Photo by Carole, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park



Tuesday, March 02, 2004
 
Canon Digital Rebel Review

DP Review has published an updated version of the complete review of the Digital Rebel (300D).

Monday, March 01, 2004
 

Photo by Harold Edgerton

Edgerton on the Cheap

Harold Edgerton is famous for his high speed, stroboscopic photography. Some fellows have created a way to duplicate some of his photography on the cheap.

Three MIT students built the DOOMBOLT for $40 during a winter break and took photos of exploding fruit. Maybe not so elegant as Edgerton, but great fun.


Photo by Isaac, Damon, and Reid

 
PHOTOBLOGS

There are a lot of photoblogs on the internet. You can find many of them here.

 

 
   
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