No Camera Club Meeting in January and February 2013

Due to travelogues scheduled for the same night, there will not be camera club meetings in January or February.   Please come join us at the Eastman Employee Center at 7 PM those nights for the Travelogues.  More info

New Cameras and Lenses Available for Rent

Did you know the Eastman Camera Club maintains a collection of cameras, lenses, accessories training DVDs, and books?   These can be rented by any camera club member at very affordable prices.

The Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras were upgraded this month with new models and rent at the same low prices.

Canon T3i /600D

$8/day, $15/weekend, $25/week (+tax)

• 18 mega pixel
• DIGIC 4 Image Processor for high image quality and speed
• ISO 100 - 6400 for a wide range of lighting conditions
• Fully articulated vari-angle 3.0 inch LCD monitor
• Full HD movie recording
• Video Snapshot features
• Scene Intelligent auto exposure mode
• Integrated wireless flash control
• 16 GB SD memory card
• Normal zoom lens with image stabilization
• Telephoto zoom lens with image stabilization

DPReview - "The Rebel T3i / 600D is exactly the camera that we'd expect it to be - it's feature-rich, reasonably priced, enjoyable to use and, most importantly, takes great pictures. It's not a particularly innovative camera but it is a generally well planned one. Unlike the original Rebel / 300D, the T3i doesn't sit in isolation - if you want a smaller or easier-to-use camera, there are plenty of options (including the increasingly competitive mirrorless brigade). However, in keeping with previous models in the range, it's an impressive camera for the money and it's hard not to imagine owners loving theirs.  Read the full review

Nikon D5100".  16.2 mega pixel 

$8/day, $15/weekend, $25/week (+tax)

• Side-articulated 3.0 inch LCD monitor
• 11 Autofocus points
• ISO 100-6400 for a wide range of lighting conditions
• Full HD movie recording
• 4 fps continuous shooting
• 16 GB memory card
• Normal zoom lens with image stabilization
• Telephoto zoom lens with image stabilization

DPReview - "The D5100 is without doubt one of the most compelling products in its class, and offers an excellent mixture of straightforward handling, a well-targeted feature set, and excellent video and still image quality. As we'd expect from a camera with such a solid lineage, the D5100 is responsive and reliable in operation, and produces excellent images with a minimum of fuss. It is only the second Nikon DSLR to feature an articulated LCD screen and we much prefer the more conventional side-hinged design to the D5000's more awkward bottom-hinged effort. The side-hinged screen is much more versatile, as well as being considerably easier to use with the camera mounted on a tripod."  Read the full review

Canon EF 50mm, f/1.8 lens (for Canon DSLR cameras)

Nikon 50mm, f/1.8G Nikor AF-S lens (for Nikon DSLR cameras)

Both lenses are $3/day, $5/weekend, $10/week (+tax)

The 50mm f/1.8 lenses are "fast" prime lenses that have been made for a standard in photography for many years and will probably be around for a long time. The term “prime” means it’s not a zoom lens. The lens’ focal length does not change.

When a lens is referred to as a “fast” lens, they are talking about the large aperture of the lens. The large aperture allows more light to enter the front of the lens and then enter the viewfinder / sensor. As a fast lens, the 50mm is great for low light.  Since there is more light, the shutter speed will be faster. Hence, a fast lens.







The other reason for using a f/1.8 lens is the extreme shallow depth of field.  You can get very dramatic effects if that is what you are after.  




Check out these new cameras and lenses at the Recreation Office in the Eastman Employee Center.

2013 World Travel and Adventure Travelogues

One of our most popular Camera Club events of the year is right around the corner -- the 2013 World Travel and Adventure Travelogues.   What is a Travel Log?   These are events where  professional photographers and very accomplished amateur photographers use digital slides shows and stories to share their adventures and travels to a specific place.  Think of it as our version of the Travel Channel, only live and in person. Come and enjoy an evening of wonder and adventure.

The travelogues are free and open to the public.  Invite your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.
All shows begin at 7:00 PM in Room 219 of the Toy F. Reid Employee Center.  

January 17

High Desert National Parks with Chris Duncan

Let’s take a tour of the high desert National Park area of the US – Saguaro NP, Big Bend NP,  Guadalupe Mountains NP, Carlsbad Caverns NP, and White Sands NM. Although not often visited, the high desert area of southern Arizona, southern New Mexico and west Texas is fascinating and beautiful. We will venture through these tough environments and talk through some of the photographic challenges and opportunities they represent. We will also be talking about night photography, as this area has the darkest night skies in the country and is stunning to see and photograph. We will be talking about logistics getting there, specific areas to go to, photo equipment to bring, and photo techniques to maximize your success. We look forward to the discussion!

Following his passion for photography, Chris has traveled all 7 continents, 50 states, 40 countries and over 35 National Parks—always with his camera nearby.

 www.chrisduncanphotography.com

February 7

Africa Safari with Richard Hayward

Join Richie as he takes us along on his April, 2012 safari in and around the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Described in detail will be the Big 5 game in this area as well as other wildlife. Richie will share how he came to capture some amazing photos of cheetahs, lions, rhinos, leopards,  elephants and others. Discover interesting facts about the animals and their threatened status as you ride along with him on his African Safari.

After retiring from 30 years of law enforcement in  South Florida, Richie moved to Jonesborough and resumed his passion for outdoor photography. He has traveled extensively to photograph the animals of Africa and the bears at Katmai National Park.

richiehaywardphotography.zenfolio.com

facebook.com/richiehaywardphotography

 

February 14

The Big Island of Hawaii with Belinda Bridwell

The diversity of Hawaii is a photographer’s dream! Join Belinda for a trip around the largest island to visit the active Kileaua volcano, see lava flow into the ocean and witness the creation of new land. Visit quaint towns, the county seat of Hilo, the Hamakua coastline, the beautiful, spiritual Waipio Valley. Along the way view waterfalls, botanical gardens, rain  forests and beautiful views of the  Pacific Ocean. The northern part of the island is home to one of the largest cattle ranches in the US where the climate changes drastically in the small cow town of Waimea with one side of a road lush, the other dry with sage brush. The western side of the island is home to the tourist town of Kona, known for water sports, surfing, whale watching and luxury resorts. Where else in the US can you surf in the morning and snowboard that same afternoon?

Belinda is an Eastman retiree currently working part-time for Tele-optics onsite. She enjoys her free time traveling and photographing the beauty and wonders of the world.



February 21

Vietnam and Cambodia wtih David Olsen

This presentation will give us a photographic overview of Vietnam and Cambodia. We will tour the cities of Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and explore the Mekong Delta. The ruins of Ankor at Siem Reap—a UNESCO World Heritage site— in Cambodia will be featured. Temples in this area number over a thousand and the impressive Ankor Wat is said to be the world’s largest single religious monument.

  

Originally from Washington, David spent almost 30 years with Eastman Chemical primarily in Technical Services before retiring in 2011. He and wife Anne share an interest in travel.

Bokeh challenge and apologies

We had a great time at the Eastman Camera Club meeting December 20.   Good food, good friends, and great photos (view here).   Apologies for the poor quality the projector was turning out that night.   We tried something new and learned some things in the process.

A little background that is of interest to photographers.   Every display devices (monitor, projector, etc.) has a profile that defines how to display photos.   It includes information on brightness, saturation, and color temperature.  The monitor on your computer has a default profile that works most of the time.   You can use a monitor calibrator (available for rent through the Camera Club) to measure your monitor display and create a custom profile so that what is displayed is a true representation of the photo image.   This is important if you print your photos.   What you see on an uncalibrated monitor may not be what you get back from the printer.   I suggest you borrow the monitor calibrator and create profiles for all your computer monitors.

The club has a special calibration system for use with the projector we use in our meetings.   The projector was calibrated before the meeting.  Notice how good Jim's photos looked when he was reviewing photos from outings in 2012?   He had put his photos in a PowerPoint presentation and PowerPoint uses the profile when displaying photos.

When we used Microsoft Photo Viewer to display your best of 2012 photos they looked . . .   We'll let's just say they weren't displayed very well.   That's because Microsoft Photo Viewer does not use the display device profile.   If we had been able to view them in a web browser they would have looked right because most modern web browsers use the device profiles.

I have since installed another photo viewer on my laptop - jpegview.  It does use device profiles and the photos look great.   I recommend jpegview and a great alternative to Microsoft Photo Viewer.

We didn't mention the photo challenge for this month.  It is bokeh.   Go out and shoot photos with "good bokeh".  Don't know what bokeh means?   Check out Ken Rockwell's article.   The photo at the right is an example of bokeh.

I want to wish all my Camera Club Friends Merry Christmas.   May God bless you and your family at Christmas and through all of 2013.

Richard Siggins

New Rental Cameras and Lenses

Do you know the Eastman Camera Club rents cameras, lenses, lights, flashes, studio backdrops, training materials and books?   These items area available to any club member.   The listing is available on the club website

We have ordered two new DSLRs to replace the aging ones, plus two fast lenses

• Canon T3i
• Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens
• Nikon 5100
• Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens

These new cameras will be available for rental from the front desk in the Eastman Employee Center after the first of the year.

Trip of a Lifetime -- African Photo Safari

On August 26, 2013, Richie Hayward will be leading a group to South Africa for a 10 day Photo Safari. This is a Trip of a Lifetime” and an adventure not soon forgotten. There will be ample opportunities to photograph the Big 5 in and around Kruger National Park as well as Sabi Sands-Land of the Leopard. This trip is all inclusive and is a full 10 day experience. Please contact Richie for further information.

Contact Richie Hayward

HM 423-753-4562

Cell 305-216-6666

e-mail alba1320@embarqmail.com

December 20 Camera Club Meeting

Our last meeting of the year is the annual Christmas Party December 20.   The club will provide coffee and hot chocolate.   Bring a small snack to share around.

The photo theme for the month is your favorite 4 - 5 photos from 2012.  They can be any subject but must have been taken in 2012.  We're hoping most people will share theirs so please limit your contribution to 5 or less.


You can upload your photos by following these steps:

1. Point your web browser to www.skydrive.com
2. Log in using r.siggins@charter.net as the account and shutter as the password.
3. Click on the December 2012 - Favorites of 2012  folder
4. Do not create your own folder.  We're going to put them all in one folder this time.   You might want to name your files so we know who they belong to.
5. Upload your files.

Try to keep the file size to 2 MB or less.  Bigger does not display better and slows down the sharing process.

If you have a favorite photography gadget bring it and we will do a "show and tell".  It may be a bit late to add things to your Christmas Wish List, but you may get some good ideas where to spend that Christmas cash.

We are going to be electing officers for 2013.   This is no longer limited to Eastman employees but is open to any club member.  If would like to join the Camera Club Leadership Team just let us know.  We're always looking for more.

The meeting is in the Eastman Bays Mountain Lodge at 6:00.   We'll see you there!