RichC | October 17, 2024
It has been 15 years since we planted the Dawn Redwood tree in our backyard (tree to the right in above photo) and it is still growing strong. I’m starting to think we may have picked a spot a little to close to the pool, although it is still 40 feet away. A year later […]
RichC | October 9, 2024
It has been quite the improvement when it comes to the camera, especially in switching from the iPhone 7 Plus (a great smartphone) to the new iPhone 16 Pro Max. I’ve really yet to learn how to best use the new features, but “out of the box” it just takes excellent photos (that link means […]
RichC | December 15, 2023
Just a little light “rumor reading” to close out the year when it comes to future Apple iPhones. Not that it makes any difference to most users, but it is possible the “side by side” camera lens (see below photo with my iPhone 7 Plus) could go vertical again (iPhone X thru 12)? Recent ones […]
RichC | May 4, 2023
Several years ago Drew and Katelyn gave me a premium everyday carry messenger bag for Christmas (2016). It has been a fantastic bag or briefcase like bag for my notebook computer, iPad, books, etc and a lot of tech gear (originally used for my Lumix camera). Unfortunately after years of travel and admitted overloading, it […]
RichC | April 7, 2023
Last year one of my earlier Wyze Cams failed to update and wasn’t connecting to our mesh wifi (continued to disconnect). Thankfully Wyze politely discounted a newer version to which I happily upgraded. The old one has been sitting on my workbench and before tossing it in the trash, decided to peek under the hood. I […]
RichC | September 7, 2022
Considering our current iPhones are seven generations behind (iPhone 7), today’s Apple Event was watched with interest, as usual. The new iPhone14 Pro is particularly interesting and carries a higher price point … although well worth the money considering what I once spent on new computers. Still, the pre-order date of 9/9/2022 will not likely […]
RichC | February 5, 2021
When I pulled out my Lumix GX8 DSLR camera over Christmas, I noticed that the “cheap” batteries that I had purchased as backups to the primary Panasonic branded 1200mAh battery were no longer holding charges. They were still chargeable, but their life was short. So I added a new spare battery to my shopping list […]
RichC | January 22, 2021
It was back in November when everyone was Black Friday shopping for gifts or ording Cyber Monday items … that is when the inexpensive security camera company Wyze, sent me an email about their new camera and motion detection subscription. At the time I was struggling with way too many notifications after the company lost […]
RichC | September 15, 2020
It has been eleven years since we last purchased a few trees from my brother Ron’s retirement avocation – a nursery dedicated to NativeOhioPlants. He started planting trees years before so after he retired from the Air Force in 2018, it was a natural to make it a part time business. It’s not too big […]
RichC | July 3, 2019
Our front door security camera picks up the strangest visitors #deer.
RichC | June 14, 2019
With the colder weather and clear sky over Cincinnati late Thursday evening and Friday morning this week, I took my Lumix GX-8 camera and 100-300mm lens out in the backyard to see what I could photograph. Not much as expected from Jupiter, but I think I could make out a couple moons in the pixelated […]
RichC | May 2, 2019
A tweet from an online friend and an automotive journalist reminded me (Throwback Thursday) that my photography hobby helped me adapt to a new high school back in the mid-1970s when we moved from the Toledo area to Sidney, Ohio. It was at a time when friends were already made and connecting with others was […]
RichC | April 23, 2019
Although Brenda worked Easter Sunday this year, the weather could not have been more beautiful in Cincinnati for a few chores. I buffed out the oxidation on our 2002 Honda Odyssey, as the Florida sun is hard on paint. After buffing, I wax and buffed again in order to add a layer of protection … […]
RichC | December 25, 2018
Every tech-loving guy needs a subject for a new gizmo … my son-in-law Drew is no exception. He set up his new GoPro-like camera (gift from Katelyn) to time-lapse our Christmas morning. His effort was a little bit too fast for me to watch … so I stretched out the MP4 clip to last almost […]
RichC | October 8, 2018
The new low cost Wyze Cam Pan that I bought to put in the Delray Beach Condo arrived this past weekend and so opted to set it up temporarily at home. So far so good with the image and impressive panning control with even motion tracking (less impressive though). The reason I chose the Wyze […]
RichC | October 22, 2017
Taylor went camping and hiking down at Red River Gorge this weekend and continues to impress me with enjoying photography, which was a hobby of mine since 7th grade. So much has changed since “souping” film and spending hours in the darkroom fretting over exhausted chemicals and expired paper … but the capturing of something […]
RichC | August 25, 2017
While listening to the early comments from the technology pages and news programs regarding Samsung (Galaxy Note 8) and Apple (iPhone 8 – ???)releasing their new smartphone models, I realized there are features I haven’t used much. One of the camera upgrades coming to the new Samsung Note 8 phone is a portrait mode like […]
RichC | July 21, 2017
While learning a little bit more about the improved camera on the iPhone7+ (was the reason I opted for the "plus" was the camera), I tested the macro and zoom features while shooting a video of my "Little Praying Friend." It has been vastly improved over the iPhone 5 in several areas … particularly stabilization […]
RichC | July 9, 2017
The new iPhone7 Plus is a bit too large for my taste at the moment, especially coming from the iPhone5. I like the speed and the bigger screen, but not the bulk, especially with the new protective case. So … I ordered thinner case (maybe too thin) that should be in this week, but since […]
RichC | April 16, 2017
With the buds and flowers popping this Easter weekend around Cincinnati, a sunny morning was a great opportunity to put the lesser used prime lens on my new Four Thirds Lumix GX8 camera. The 14-140 stabilized zoom is usually on my camera for convenience, but today I suspect the slightly faster f1.7 prime lens might be sharper […]
RichC | April 8, 2017
As happens every year, a "not so bright" woodpecker decides to wake us up by pecking on our chimney cap. The noise resonates down the flue and can be pretty loud in the house. Crazy Woody! But since I’ve been wanting to experiment with my relatively new Lumix GX8 and long lens (a 100-300mm zoom), […]
RichC | February 28, 2017
While eating lunch today I was tinkering with my Lumix GX8 camera to play with depth-of-field and sandwiching images (see Photoshop technique in old post). In a low light macro situation there isn’t a way to keep items in front and back sharp enough to read … so in some cases, sandwiching two images is […]
RichC | February 2, 2017
The larger "old" tripod that I’ve owned for 40 years and a small pocket tripod that I gave to my son is now unacceptable for my new camera (my bias opinion) … so it is time to update with something I don’t mind hauling around. I would have liked a $300+ carbon fiber ultra-light, but that […]
RichC | January 3, 2017
I’m feeling guilty about receive a Christmas present from my daughter and son-in-law after realizing the price ($$$). I mistakenly admired a bag Drew‘s brother demonstrated to me when they had the baby reveal … and although I knew is was above average in price, I never took the time to do the research as […]
RichC | December 9, 2016
The top image is a daylight test image while trying a new camera and lens combination (Panasonic Lumix GX8 and 14-140mm lens) and is a very large original image … so if you click it, it will prove to be a larger image download (be warned). The image below as been reduced in size but […]
RichC | November 26, 2016
No visits to the mall, stores or even online shopping for me on Black Friday, but I have started the process of looking for a new camera "system" to replace my aging DSLR. With my first granddaughter on the way, it might be time to get back to my roots and revisit my old hobby […]
RichC | September 8, 2016
Why you ask? The Camera. Apple has again updated their excellent smartphone and this time, from the sounds of it, have really improved the picture taking ability of the iPhone. Both versions have an upgraded lens, software, processor and larger sensor (12 megapixels). There are a lot of smart tweaks that help with point and […]
RichC | August 20, 2016
An aside … I spent my formative years engrossed in photography, back before it was digital and when "souping" film in a darkroom. Nowadays 90% of what I take is on a smartphone due to the simplicity and recent improvements in quality. Still, the best photographic images come from a quality lens and large sensor […]
RichC | April 12, 2016
We found out a couple things Monday … first, the Raspberry Pi garage camera seems to be working just fine after tweaking a few thing while experimenting in the house, albeit the video is a bit delayed (15 seconds maybe ???). So far so good with video … next to get some motion detection so […]
RichC | January 15, 2016
We’ve had a professional security system in the house for years, but I’ve always thought it would be nice to make a homemade version for the detached garage/pool house – might be a perfect Raspberry Pi project? The first step was to see just what kind of wifi signal was there, considering the tiny $10 […]
RichC | June 5, 2015
Really tempted to pre-order a Lily “non-drone” (company doesn’t like the “drone” term) according to a CNBC article (below). Lily: the world’s first throw-and-shoot camera Deborah Findling | @dfindles For those times when the selfie stick just isn’t good enough, there is now a flying camera. Really. Called the world’s first throw-and-shoot camera, the Lily […]
RichC | October 27, 2012
It was a cool and rainy morning as I waited to meet with a businessman from China interested in talking with me about homebuilt airplanes, and so I experimented with the new iPhone5’s panorama feature to kill some time … this time trying a close up panorama. I was more curious to see how it […]
RichC | September 22, 2012
The Apple iPhone 5 camera makes for a substantial improvement over my previous smartphone’s camera and so I was anxious to experiment with image quality and play with a few of the hyped features. Since I’m upgrading from the nearly “extinct” Palm Pre, running a rooted webOS install, any modern smartphone camera would have been an […]
RichC | August 23, 2012
I’m still amazed at the notable improvements in cellphone cameras since my Palm Pre was release a few years ago. Here’s an attempt (after a slight crop) to see how images look when a close up was taken with my wife’s new Samsung Galaxy S II Epic. I can see Brenda and I are not […]
RichC | August 12, 2012
Beautiful! Thanks for the link Steve.
RichC | January 28, 2012
Perhaps my favorite site for comparing cameras and reading reviews is dpreview.com, but it is not the same as trying or spending a few hours with different models in person. Most of us amateurs don’t really have that luxury or even the time. DSLR users rarely switch systems and may not have a full appreciation […]
RichC | November 1, 2011
Kodak Playsport Zx5 macro focus testing (click for larger) While shooting some video with the Brenda’s Kodak Playsport Zx5 this past weekend I thought about the excellent autofocus camera on the new iPhone 4s and decided to test the macro focus on our my wife’s all-weather camcorder; if the lighting and distance is right, it […]
RichC | July 11, 2011
Since my wife Brenda rarely reads my blog, I think I’m safe talking about her birthday and gifts that are gadgets. I will probably get chastised by both men and women alike in repeating the similar mistake year after year by giving her something technology oriented for her birthday, I’m doing it one more time. […]
RichC | December 15, 2010
I’m not endorsing this $259 GoPro Hero camera (“Naked” as they call it) since I haven’t used it, but from the promotional photos, and particularly HD video (see below), it looks great. The fixed lens setup may be a limitation but it is one of the nicest action sports cameras I’ve seen to date and […]
RichC | June 19, 2010
I saw some video shot with an under $1000 Canon Rebel T2i/550D camera today that had me drooling to upgrade my digital camera. Although I’m not really in the market for a new 18 megapixel DSLR, the advertising video shot for Amber Mac’s (Amber MacArthur) book Power Friending had me thinking about it. The encoded […]
RichC | April 18, 2010
After noticing the color saturation and sharpness in photos coming from my Palm Pre smartphone were not the same as the first photos I took, I realized that just a cursory wipe of the lens wasn’t good enough. So let this post serve as a reminder to clean the lint, oils, dust, etc. out of […]