Just some random images from this morning as I was reviewing a few things with a couple of lenses, etc.  I have been at a loss as to what to photograph, so I have been considering using some lenses that I haven’t given much attention to since I don’t normally use them for Homewood events.

As the winter approaches I am thinking about what and how to photograph, so yesterday morning I decided to use the TG-5 to refresh my thoughts about how to best use it and think about its’ potential for the winter.

I used the TG-5 to start documenting my day.  I started with my first cup of coffee in the morning, through my walk with Misty before the sun crossed the horizon, to photographing Marcia and Misty through the car window as they went in to leave Misty for her grooming, and then a few images inside my home after returning.

My conclusion was confirmation of the fact that it makes a great little pocket camera for documenting one’s day, even in low light, if there is a reason to do that.  While the camera is OK, I still need a reason for using it where its disadvantages (image quality) are overcome by its advantages (small size).  I just need to go someplace interesting that I wish to record.  Since that isn’t likely, I’ll be mostly using it to make pictures of the snow, etc. through the windows.

The TG-5 has other advantages for me.  I have problems with my fingers turning white and cold and numb, even when I’m inside.  It is a year-round problem that gets worse as the weather gets colder and I am already really finding it very uncomfortable.  I have tried lots of gloves and mittens and they help but don’t solve the problem and they all make using any camera more difficult.  I have found that it is easier and better for my fingers to just keep the small TG-5 and my hands inside a pocket and then take them out briefly to take a picture.

The big problem is finding something worth photographing.  I rarely photograph something new and photographing the same things over and over isn’t very satisfying.  I will continue to have requests to photograph for Homewood with my better cameras, but that doesn’t generate many images or topics to write about for my website.   In addition, I have no immediate plans to buy or try anymore cameras, nor play much with different processing or techniques, so I fully expect to see a potential drop-off in displayed pictures and posts.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was trying a Fujinon XF 14mm F2.8.  It is now my widest lens that I obtained for a few specific uses, but I would like to expand its use, so I have been experimenting with it.

If the lens isn’t used in a horizontal and level position it tends to distort the image as shown in the first view above.  This isn’t unique to this lens.  It happens with all lenses, but it is more obvious due to the wide angle when used up close as above.

Adobe LR CC has a computational capability to automatically correct for it.  With one click of the auto button it very quickly gave me the second version.  I used the above example to show what it achieves and how much gets cut out of the original along the edges.  The photographer who wishes to use this capability just needs to make sure that they go a little larger in their composition to allow for the loss around the edges.

What amazes me is how fast and well it readjusts the 24 million pixels to achieve this change.  After it is done I still have 24 million pixels, but each has been rearranged with no obvious image degradation.  Since it still has the same number of pixels, it obviously also creates pixels.  The photographer needs to be careful to not ask for too much of a change or else some objects might get noticeably distorted in a different manner from the original.

The following is a different example of computational powers.  The first image was originally 6000 x 4000 pixels in size that has been reduced to 2100 x 1400 pixels for display here.  I also made a virtual copy of the full-size image and then cropped out a portion of the center and then increased the size of the crop to achieve an image for display with the same number of pixels as the first.

This demonstrates the power of computations to allow zooming in on a subject.  I look forward to the day when I can use one camera and one prime lens for all of my photography and then rearrange and zoom in on any portion that I choose.

I fully expect that in the not too distant future most cameras will utilize a lot of computations within the camera to allow for vastly different lens designs that reduces the size of the lenses.  I also expect that some of this is currently being done within smart phone optics.  We will also have to stop referring to them as cameras or smart phones and call them for what they are … computers.

I have been making some new pictures of various sections of the campus and since I don’t have anything else to show you I just picked three out of the midst of a set of them to show you.  I have been having a hard time getting everything aligned in order to get the pictures.  It seems that times when I feel like moving around a lot when the weather and lighting are ideal are rare.

I made these a few days ago.  This morning it was 47 and raining.  It had stopped raining and warmed up to 51 when I posted these before noon.