canon

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Moonset and my little camera

Posted by Photonstopper on August 7, 2009
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Moonset August 7
Moonset August 7

I was greeted with a splendid view as I made my way downstairs this morning … the Moon settling into the clouds and trees to our west. Later, Luna sank into thin clouds and I tried a photo of that, convinced it would be mysterious. It wasn't as appealing as this image. I continue to be impressed by the automatic capabilities of the little Canon PowerShot A650 IS. I know I'm repeating myself but it's pretty amazing to me how good a job that camera can do with difficult subjects and conditions. The base exposure was perfect capturing evidence of the Moon's shadowy "seas" on the bright disk. I made some adjustments in GIMP. It is predicted to be a mostly cloudy, stormy, hot, humid weekend so this will probably be the extent of my astronomy. Holding out hope for clear skies for the mid-week Perseids meteor shower — more on that later!

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Beatiful, quiet day but still tired…

Posted by Photonstopper on August 2, 2009
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Old, Old Roof
Old, Old Roof

The day dawned damp and gray. I'd had a lousy night's sleep. We took it easy this morning but did a bit of running about.

This afternoon was a field trip to the beautiful city of Hudson for a stroll around the downtown and visits to local shops. She bought some calendars at The Learned Owl Book Shop — 20 percent discount now, less as the end of the year approaches. I carried the little Canon A650 IS camera with me, just in case, and got a few nice shots. I've still got that camera for sale on Amazon.com, by the way, but may remove the listing and just keep it. I'd like to go to the Observatory tonight but I'm concerned that driving would be too risky as in falling asleep at the wheel. So I'm going to miss another rare, clear night. {sigh}

Hudson Palladian
Hudson Palladian

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Lens returns and I’m tired

Posted by Photonstopper on July 31, 2009
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The Canon EF 17-40 4 L USM wide-angle zoom lens arrived back in my hands today after a non-warranty "repair." Since it apparently shipped from the factory in maladjusted condition, I hesitate to call it a repair and I'm kinda miffed at having to pay for it — decent money, too! Still, it had to be done. My review on Amazon.com will reflect this experience. Report from the Factory Service Center:

We have examined the product according to your request, and, it was found that the adjustment of the part was incorrect the focus did not operate properly from time to time  Electrical adjustments were carried out on the part. Checked all, adjusted center/tilt/focus, cleaned all factory specs.

Next I'll test it the same way I did before shipping out and hope it performs to its full potential.

This weekend it looks like we get to work at Mom-In-Law's straightening up after the plumbing project. {sigh} There's a whole lot I'd like to do outside of that but I'm tired.

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Canon lens needs help

Posted by Photonstopper on July 15, 2009
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Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L

I've been uncertain about my Canon 17-40mm f/4 lens for some time. Even before I purchased the fancy glass I'd read several reports that products were shipping in less-than-perfect condition and required factory calibration. I decided that I'd order anyway, hoping Canon had resolved the issue. Since I began use of the lens it just didn't seem right. Looking at Sunday's photos from Brandywine Gorge reinforced my doubts. Test photos today proved the flaw: the lens doesn't form sharp images! Proof came in the form of a series of test images I made with the camera on a tripod: manual focus, automatic focus; 17mm, 40mm; wide-open, stopped-down. In every case the recorded images were only fair at best when examined closely on the computer screen.

Visiting Canon USA's Web site I was hard-pressed to find how to receive warranty service. Finally I found that if I registered with the site, I could then get email support. Making my complaint and request for help online, I received a response within a couple of hours inviting me to return the lens to Canon for calibration. Good handling of my situation so far! The lens ships out tomorrow.

I can hardly wait for return of the lens tuned to its optimal state; it's a beautiful piece of equipment and should create excellent pictures!

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Brandywine Gorge

Posted by Photonstopper on July 13, 2009
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I stayed up too late last night hosting a Public Night at the Observatory. Could have used more sleep. Sunday dawned cool and beautiful. It was a good day for a hike so we decided to head down to Brandywine Falls and the Gorge Trail there, a beautiful place inside the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, northeast from Peninsula.

Brandywine Creek
Brandywine Creek

Tree Rock
Tree Rock

I shot a good number of photos and was disappointed with a great many of them. They look pretty good at smaller size but enlargements show focus problems. It looks like my fancy Canon 17-40mm, f/4, L-series lens may suffer from a deficiency I read about in reviews of that product.

The lens is too expensive to let this flaw go uncorrected so now I'll need to figure out just what to do. Maybe first some more testing.

We had a very pleasant hike, it was just challenging enough (1.1 miles, says the GPS, with one very steep climb near the end), and a nice evening at home — the film Trekkies 2 is recommended! Back to work tomorrow.

We're holding our breath waiting to see what will happen at our fine institution when state funding details become established and known. Painful cuts are expected.

The trees will grow, the waters flow, the stars will shine, and life will go on.  Goodnight!

Evidence of Human Activity
Evidence of Human Activity

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PowerShot dinner

Posted by Photonstopper on July 8, 2009
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PowerShot dinner? Sounds like I had my fill of whiskey or something. No, I had a quick meal at Taco Bell then headed to the Bay Village / Westlake border where there are some interesting buildings and railroad tracks. I thought that might be a nice spot to shoot a few more test images to get familiar with the little Canon PowerShot A650 and check out the results.

PowerShot Test 0052
PowerShot Test 0052

The settings selected by the camera appear very, very strange to me but here's what the camera displays for each image:  For the building (above) we have an ISO of 80, 1/1250 sec., f/4.5. Huh? I'll verify in the EXIF when I get a chance. For the weathered paint in the photo below, it's the same! The images seem well exposed but I'd have selected for a slower shutter speed and a higher f-stop in this case. I'll be making adjustments soon.

PowerShot Test 0040
PowerShot Test 0040


Crazy sounding settings or not, the pictures are very sharp at full size and have good color with and without minor adjustments in The GIMP. Exposures are very good as well, showing excellent tonal range and shadow detail.

So, once I get the A650 dialed in to my preferences, I think it will probably travel with me quite often.

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Trying out the PowerShot A650 IS

Posted by Photonstopper on July 8, 2009
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PowerShot Trial Photo
PowerShot Trial Photo

She Who Must Be Obeyed recently purchased a dandy new camera in the Panasonic Lumix line — a series of digital wonders that have Leica glass in them and produce excellent photos. That meant she no longer needed her Canon PowerShot A650 IS and she's letting me have it. I must say it will have to do a truly excellent job to make me want to replace my old Fuji FinePix S7000. Then again, the A650 is quite a bit smaller than the FinePix and I can more easily take it with me more places. So I'm giving it a go.

Just to get a feel for it I shot a few pictures of Tasha on her cat tree perch watching birds. There's apparently a robin's nest in the shrubbery beneath the window and the cat is tracking the birds' comings and goings.

I'm not used to cameras making all settings automatically, including ISO, but I haven't turned that feature off just yet. For this picture, recorded in dim early morning light, the camera shot at ISO 640, 1/60 sec., at f/2.8. Focal length is quite short so vertical lines are distorted and close inspection reveals quite a lot of digital noise in the image. Overall the picture isn't as sharp as I'd like, perhaps because the aperture is wide open.

I think I'll carry it around today and see how it goes. I know it's better than my cell phone camera and it's better than none at all for those times when you wish you had a camera.

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A little respite

Posted by Photonstopper on June 26, 2009
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As a pleasant diversion (and out of curiosity) I left early for work Wednesday morning and made a trip out to Letha House Park in Medina County, the site of the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association's observatory. I wanted to see what progress had been made on the new driveway and parking lot for the park. I also figured I could enjoy a little nature walk around the pond and wetland area there, a little respite before the workday –and night– began. There was no progress on the lot except that a giant digging machine had been removed. The day was sunny and surprisingly hot. Walking slowly, dressed in shorts and tee shirt, I sweated as I moved along the path to the wildlife area. Dragonflies (yes, again) were everywhere so naturally I started shooting photos of them.

Dragonfly Diamonds
Dragonfly Diamonds

I also encountered a bird that flitted from perch to perch obviously trying to evade me but not wanting to go very far. I figured it was a mother and didn't want to tip me off about the location of her nest. Later I was able to confirm that it was a female red-winged blackbird. This particular bird was holding an insect in her beak, obviously a meal for her offspring, as I photographed her watching me.

Redwing Mother
Redwing Mother

Time passed all too quickly and it was time for me to go. Despite the heat I could have spent hours more there watching the bugs and the birds. Duty called, however, so I packed up the camera gear and headed north. Windows down to help me dry off, I piloted the thrifty Insight cross-country pushing the gas mileage to nearly 54 MPG as I went. Lunch at Chipotle, then to the office. A fine way to start the pre-work day.

Note: At home that night I found my camera no longer wished to talk to my PC. Haven't yet fixed it but I can do what many others do… offload the photos from Compact Flash using a media reader.

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Spencer Lake Saturday

Posted by Photonstopper on June 7, 2009
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Spencer Redwing
Spencer Redwing

We spent the better part of the day Saturday (in a couple of aspects) hiking around Spencer Lake in the Spencer Lake State Wildlife Area, Spencer, Ohio. It was another photo-walk with many opportunities for wildlife shots. The red-winged blackbirds were out in force, several great blue herons were fishing the lake, and we even encountered a couple of frogs in an adjacent swamp area. One of the frogs was quiet (or stupid) enough to pose for photos including an amazing close-up. The Canon 70 – 200mm "L" lens is simply amazing and I can zoom in on the resultant frog portrait seeing greater and greater detail until it dissolves into pixels — and it was hand-held. We also visited the Medina County Park System's Letha House Park and checked out the work they are doing providing a new entrance drive and parking lot. This will benefit visitors to the new lake there as well as support the Observatory built and operated at Letha House by the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association. A fine day but I didn't wear sun-screen and I'm a bit reddish… tsk! tsk!

Spencer Frog
Spencer Frog

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Great day for a safari

Posted by Photonstopper on June 2, 2008
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Lorikeet
Lorikeet

Today, Sunday, was a perfect day weatherwise for darned near anything we would have wanted to do. Surprising to me, She Who Must be Obeyed did not feel like cycling so we walked to breakfast and a quick trip to the grocery to pick up a couple of items. Then She suggested a visit to the Cleveland Zoo. We hadn't been there in a while and it was early enough to beat the crowds that were sure to come later. So off we went.

We had a splendid visit under nearly cloudless skies. It became a sort of photographic expedition. She had her most excellent Panasonic Lumix camera and I had my Canon Digital Rebel with Tamron lens. She and I shot lots of photos. She had spare batteries; I did not. So for about half the visit my camera was dead weight. No matter, really, we had a very pleasant visit. The animals were very active and the air was fresh and light.

Later, as we sought a spare battery, we discovered Cord Camera had moved its area "superstore" from a location near where we live to one near where I work. We zipped over for a quick look and were very impressed. I need to stay away from there as it awakens the desire to acquire more expensive gear!

It will be a clear night tonight but there will be no stargazing for this boy save, perhaps, a quick trip to the balcony with binoculars. I must get up and go to work and goodness knows Mondays are hard enough without adding fatigue to the mix.

So I leave you with my two best photos from today's zoo safari –Hers are better than mine, in general– and hope you had a good weekend and will have a fine week ahead.

Zoo Elephant
Zoo Elephant

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