Great Lightroom Tip from Scott Kelby

I keep thinking about purchasing a memory card with a built in GPS chip to be able to automatically geotag my photos when taking them since my camera doesn’t have a built in GPS so the suggestion is made to pull out your phone that has built in GPS and quickly take a photo from the same location that you are shooting. Then you can come back at a later time and apply that map location to your other images. See this link for more information.

Should you be in the market for a dash cam?

Why would you want one? Accidents can happen to anyone at anytime. A dash cam can be helpful to drivers in the event something goes wrong while driving your vehicle. Consider that a dash cam is more of a protective device. And if you have one, hopefully you will never need to take advantage of pulling the footage from it. Since that is the case, it may be hard to justify the purchase of one. But if you do, it can be worth many times the initial cost of the unit.

If I have peaked your interest, you may want to take a look at the following article that discusses what you should consider when buying a unit and comparing several of the dash cams that are on the market.

HikVision’s new PanoVu DS 2DP1636Z D & DS 2DP0818Z D

Presentation of the Camera PanoVu 16 Megapixel 360 ° + PTZ Darkfighter of HIKVISION DS - 2DP1636Z - D, mounting and installation in the showroom of the company DIXYS

iPad-Paper Camera

Wow! It has been a while since last time I was so taken with a new program. I am really having a lot of fun with this application on my iPad taking different images with different filters to see what I can get out of them. So, what does this program do? This program will utilized the onboard cameras of your iPhone or iPad and create interesting “cartoon style images”. Priced at only $0.99 in the iTunes store, it is a great tool for adding another creative flair to your mobile equipment.

It is a bit tedious to do this after the fact in Photoshop but with a quick point and click you can create these fun images and share them from your device.

One of the uses that I am going to put the app through is to create images of people and products and give them a little flair by processing them through this application. The collection of filters include: cartoon/sketch/comic book/halfone/noir/neon and many other effects painted directly in your camera, no more boring post-effects, it's all real time, you simply won't stop wandering, wherever you are, having a look at things and cartoon-ize them!

You can import your existing photos into the program and apply different filters to them as well to give them a slightly different look. I put some examples below. For $.99 it’s hard to go wrong

(PR) New Patriot LX PRO Series Obliterates Current SDHC Class10 Performance Classification

I have been real happy with my Patriot SDHC 16GB Class 10 card but these new NAND flash cards from Patriot Memory take you to the next level. The Pro Series of the LX line have increased the the transfer speeds to 20MB/s, twice that of a typical Class 10 SDHC card. The high-speed transfer speeds ensure photographs and video are written to the memory card instantly to the Patriot LX PRO Series

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LOOXCIE–Take video handsfree!

The Looxcie (LOOKSEE) video camera is a combination Bluetooth earpiece and video camera rolled up in one. There is a IOS4 app that allows you to control, capture and share your video using your iPhone 3GS and 4. Position the Bendable Earloop over your ear and adjust the camera so it points to where you are looking. Use your iPhone as your viewfinder to make sure that your Looxcie is level and pointing where you are looking. You can adjust it to wear on either your left or right side and it comes with multiple earbuds to give you the best fit for comfort and function.

Specifications

Wearable Weighs less than 28g (1 oz.) Video HVGA video resolution 4 GB on-board storage f 2.8 lens Auto high color and light correction 5+ hours video storage 4+ hours record time MP4 video files Battery Fast-charging 365mAh lithium polymer battery UL/CSA-approved power supply

Headset Bluetooth Class 2 Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR Hands Free Profile (HFP 1.5) Dual silicon MEMS microphones DSP-based noise cancellation 6+ hours talk time Range to 33 feet USB Micro-USB Connector USB 2.0 mass storage compatibility

This product has had some great reviews and I can see some instances that it would be nice to have it available. However, it is a bit pricy at $199 but if you have the extra cash available and some real uses then it could be a good addition to your gadget list.

They have some great video on their site and more detail on how to set it up and use it. If your interested in this product you will definitely want to take a look at this.

EOS Rebel T2i / 550D Firmware Update Version 1.0.9

So we got a Thanksgiving present of a new update for our T2i cameras. This update fixes a phenomenon in which tone jumps become noticeable in some images, depending on the shooting scene, when shooting with the Auto Lighting Optimizer settings (Low / Standard / Strong).

Be sure to follow the directions on determining if you need to install the update and the proper method of doing so on Canon’s site. It is simple and only takes a few minutes to perform the update. You will need to go to the bottom of the page to agree to Canon’s terms before you can do the download. There are separate downloads for Mac and Windows and the link that I provided above is for the Windows version. To select another operating system version of the firmware go to this link and click on the Choose Operating System in the center of the screen. You will then be taken to the proper screen for your download.

I find that in most cases that you will want these updates when they come out. If you don’t feel adventurous then you may want to wait a couple weeks to see if anyone is having any problems with it before doing the installation on your equipment. But typically these updates from Manufacturers are usually a good thing to install.

Guess Who is getting a new Canon T2i?

Yeah, I am excited. Seems like I am just taking baby steps to get to the next camera level. But, you do what you can do and that is all you can do. So, next week, just in time for the holiday season, I’ll have my new toy to play with. I would have liked to take the big leap to the 5D but going from a 10Mp to a 18Mp camera will have its own benefits that I will take advantage of as well as the increased sensitivity of the electronics package. This i s going to be a fun experiment and will be interesting to see how well I do with the winter color coming shortly.

I took advantage of the Canon/Amazon discount to get the standard camera lens outfit at a $50 discount and then added the 50-250mm lens for $5. This is a $200 discount. Then I grabbed the Canon Pro9000 printer for $459 with a $400 rebate coupon deal as well netting me the printer for a measly $59.

EOS REBEL XS / 1000D Firmware Update Version 1.0.7

Firmware changes

Firmware Version 1.0.7 incorporates the following fixes.

1. Fixes a rare phenomenon in which "Cannot create folder" is displayed on the camera's LCD monitor, after which shooting is no longer possible with the SD card in your camera.

The Version 1.0.7 firmware being released this time is for cameras with firmware up to Version 1.0.6. If the camera's firmware is already Version 1.0.7, it is not necessary to update the firmware.

Adobe’s Online Photoshop provides some nice Photo Editing Tools but is its photo storage worth it?

Photoshop.com is an online complement to Adobe’s Photoshop software according to Adobe. But if you need some simple editing functions and a place to share your photographs then here is another place that you can do so.

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NATURE | Behind the Scenes of "Hummingbirds" | PBS

I love when I fall into things like this video from the YouTube Nature PBS Channel. Not only is the technology and tenacity of the the documentary team in collecting the images that they did. The following embedded video is a short describing the making of the documentary

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Multiple Uses for Camtasia Studio

I love my Camtasia Studio. If you have visited my Blog before you will have noticed some of the videos that I have posted to support my How To Video submissions. This is a great application for creating support videos for your organization as well as educational materials for employee’s or if you are an Educational Organization this is a great teaching aid for that as well. The retail cost of this product is $299.00, educational and volume discounts are available as well. It is available for both Windows and Mac. If you want to try it out you can download a trial version here.

Here are the recommended set of system specifications to get the most out of the product. Any current computer that is essentially purchased to work with graphics should be adequate but you will want to have a system with at least these specs to work with your development projects, especially if you are planning this system to be a production machine.

Minimum Requirements:

• Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
• Microsoft DirectX 9 or later version
• 1.0 GHz processor minimum ~ Recommended: 2.0 GHz (for PowerPoint and camera recordings.)
• 500 MB RAM minimum ~ Recommended: 2.0 GB
• 115 MB of hard-disk space for program installation

Optional Requirements:

• Camtasia Studio Add-in for PowerPoint requires PowerPoint 2000, 2002, 2003, or 2007
• Production to the Apple iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone format requires Apple QuickTime 7.2 or later
• Dedicated Windows-compatible sound card, microphone and speakers (recommended)
• Camera video recording requires a USB Camera. Digital video (DV) cameras are not supported. USB Web camera

The Nitty Gritty

Camtasia has three major functions that allow you to produce a video. Included is programming to capture image that is on your screen as well as PIP function to include a web camera recording as well. If you only need audio capture you also have that function as well. You can also do an onscreen capture of a PowerPoint presentation so that you can distribute a slide presentation as a video.

Camtasia Studio includes a simple video editing application that allows you to edit the recorded images, add additional video or still images, add new audio overlays and music, you can pan and zoom into areas of your screen capture to ensure that your audience is focusing on the information that is important.

Once you have your edited video production completed you are ready to produce it in a format that you can deliver to your audience. You have a wide choice of formats as well as some quick post functions to Internet like TechSmith’s Screencast, or YouTube. Then it is easy to incorporate the video once it is on the web into your web pages.

My Impressions

What I like is using this program for all of my video productions, whether it is something I capture with Jing (another TechSmith product) or video that I take with my new Flip Camera, I can create and edit and produce video for almost any kind of venue, quickly and easily. So if you have been thinking about putting together a library of videos showing the proper procedures for different company functions, needing to put together video promotional material for your customers or wanting to get your most current family outing edited a posted to YouTube for the family to see, this could very well be the product for you.

Quick overview of the AutoStitch Program

I need to apologize for the resolution of the video but it will give you an idea of how to run through the stitching of your iPhone pictures. I am still working on coming up with a good video capture routine for the times that I want to capture things I am doing with my hands in close quarters. I had hoped that the Flip had better macro focus then it does. It could have been a problem with light levels as well. I’ll keep playing and we will see what happens. I wanted the HD capabilities of the Flip but if I need to drop back to my Canon then I will. We have some new Canon Video Cameras at the store that I will probably try out as well. Again. it is the macro capability that I need to work with.

 

The completed image is shown below:

AutoStitch on your iPhone

I threw this image up on our family site and I thought once I started looking at it that this application might be of general interest to those who happen to have an iPhone and also enjoy using your iPhone to capture special events.  I find myself at times, being in a situation that presents an image of something I would like to share that is panoramic and nature.  If I were to take only one shot it would not capture the total experience that I am viewing.  Here is a great example of a scene that if I had taken just one image would not have portrayed what I was seeing.  There are not a lot of controls that you can use when taking a picture with your iPhone. With this tool in your bag you can take multiple images and then stitch them back together as a single image. AutoStitch is the application I use to accomplish this on my iPhone.  The image below is made up of 31 separate pictures.  I missed a few snaps in the lower left but the rest of the images  turned out really well.  So, if you have an iPhone and you find yourself in a situation where you want to be able to capture a panoramic view, think about downloading this application. It’s a whopping $2.99 to buy and I think it is well worth it.

First impressions of my Flip HD Video Camera

Merry Christmas Everyone! It’s rainy and wet here today, Yuck!, but we still have a little snow to make it seem like Christmas. I want to start with the Flip camera.

I liked how easy the camera worked and the low light capabilities of the unit. One thing that I noticed though was how noisy 20 odd people can be when crowded into a small space. Because the camera is so light you don’t get tired holding it but you also don’t have the heft to help you steady it either. I tried putting together the pictures using the Flip Software but it seems cumbersome so I tried switching to Window’s Movie Maker. The sound track from the video seemed to shift some on that and I wasn’t real happy with that either. That bothers me because Movie maker is easy to use it would be nice if it would work for this purpose.

I need to give it another try but I miss my big machine. It got a little sick with of the stupidity of its primary operator. I had a Facebook message come through that pointed to a site that a virus/trojan attached and I went through the motions of loading the virus without thinking. Shouldn’t be operating a computer that early in the morning I guess. It really got zapped and the guys are still working on it. I hope we don’t have to reload the computer from scratch. This is not the time of year to be doing that.

My off loading the data to network drives will allow me to bring the system back up to speed rather quickly though if that is what we have to do. So if you run into an email that has you installing software onto your system, don’t do it. Delete, Delete DELETE! Even the best of us can get suckered.

I Caved In!

What I really wanted was a Canon 5D but the Camera Fairy isn't coming through for me. So... I picked up a Flip Ultra to tide me over until she decides if I have been naughty or nice. Oh, I guess I’m mixing up my holidays. Whoops!

The Flip is a cute little thing, and it is hard to believe that the Flip, smaller than a cigarette case, can take such beautiful pictures and store up to two hours of video.

The controls are simple and straightforward. So to it will be very simple to learn how to use and operate. It has a 2X zoom lens and the image you get is very good. I'm not real wild about the sound but it's not too bad when you get close up to the individual you are taking a photo of.

The video we are shooting is done with two small HD cameras, one of them an Aptek the other is a Flip similar to the one I just got.

The biggest problem that I am observing with what we have done so far is with the sound quality. We'll have to see what we can do about that. We are looking at at a sound kit that has a mixer and a desk mic in it, and I have a wireless lavalier mic that we can try as well. If that works we'll need a second wireless set later as we keep going.

We are all very excited about how many options and uses we will be able to use these videos for. So be sure to come back often and see how we grow our video library with different product reviews, how to's and news from our industry.

First Take on new Webcast

Here’s our first try at the webcast. First problem we see is that the sound is a bit tinny. We need to setup and use a microphone and mixer I think to get this to get a bit more base.

Video Studio

We have been putting the final touches on the first edition of our video studio. We are so excited about what we are doing and how well it is coming together. Paul Koslow who is our webmaster, is starting a new project that includes producing online videos and quick commercial video as well. We feel that with the technology and software available today that we can put together a first class production house, in our house, pun intended, that will allow us to not only provide us with a video content production facility for our website but also for short spots on cable TV like the ones we have done in the past for FYI. This gives us more control, faster to finished product processing, and will help us learn more about what we need to make this all work well for us. Be sure to tune in for more information as all this great stuff begins to mature. Below is a screen test of what will be coming to you soon…

Some exciting news about a new addition to CCI Web Page

We have been getting much closer to putting the final touches on our first “produced” web video which is going to become a weekly feature of our website. These videos will contain content from a varied subject matter but will all pertain to our Solutions Oriented focus. So, you will see videos on new products, news items, how to’s and interviews with individuals in our industry. We are really looking forward to this new venture and really hope to be able to grow it into a valued support tool for you our clients. Stay Tuned and I will bring you more news about this new feature from www.localsupport.com.

Logitech® Webcam C905

We received a new Logitech® Webcam C905 and put it into use right away. We connected it on Jude’s desktop and setup Skype so he could make internet video call using this program.

The unit plugged right into Jude’s Windows 7 machine and instantly saw it and offered to download the device drivers off of the web. A minute later he was running.

This Webcam has a crystal clear image and really good sound quality. I am going to see how well it will pick up and recognize his speech patterns for use with voice to text recognition and will report back on that in a few days. I liked it so much that I am picking one up for myself as well.

I think that its quality is very similar to Logitech’s 9000 pro’s version and would not hesitate picking this unit up.

A few highlights: HiDef, Autofocus, Closeup, Universal Clip, Work with most IM applications, Built-in mic with Right Sound™, Carl Zeiss® Optics, 2 megapixel sensor and Right Light™ 2 Technology. There is also a fun feature available using Logitech® Video Effects™. It’s easy to spice things up with neon splashes, fish-eye distortions, and more.

To see more detail about these features go to this products Features Page.