Invasion of What?

What are these bugs? I've never seen them before. I saw them at my parents' place the other day. Lots of them in soil or grassy areas. 

Is the D7200 better than the D7000?

This shot was taken with the D7200 from inside my car. I had to pull over quickly and I didn't have time to think about the settings. I just shot these wild turkeys as they were making their way into the woods, with the settings I had used earlier. These looks really sharp and the colours pop! I like it. I no longer have the D7000 to compare.

HDR or not?

My enthusiasm with HDR was waned somewhat. I took an outdoor picture yesterday with and without HDR. I thought the picture without HDR was way better. It was vibrant with rich colours whereas the photo with HDR was rather dull overall. I'm sure there is a case scenario for HDR but it wasn't it yesterday.

Without HDR

With HDR

Removing Smoke from Camera Body - Part 2

Well, it's been over a month since I purchased the smoky D7200.  It sat in a box with baking soda for a couple of weeks.  I used toothpaste to clean it.  I applied baking soda right on the body and left it there for a few days.  I've used alcohol.  I've used vinegar.  I've used activated charcoal from a Brita filter--maybe it wasn't effective anymore.  They've all in some small ways removed a bit of the tar from the rubber grip but nothing has been 100% effective.  I'm gonna stop trying to clean it and just use the camera.  I hate that the smell transfers to my hand after using it though.  Grr..

Tilt-Shift Lens

I've always wondered how some movie shoots doesn't show the camera in front of mirror.  I thought maybe there was some post-processing but I found out recently it's actually pretty easy to do, if you have the right equipment!

With a tilt-shift lens, you can actually stay out of view on a bit of the side of a shot and still be able to capture a subject in front of a mirror.  The lens have a wide angle of view and you'd literally just move the the front part of the lens sideways to shift the actual view.

This Nikon PC-E Nikkor 24mm f/3.5D ED is so out of my reach though.  It sells for $2700 CAD in March 2023.  If I had a million dollars....

Golden Hours

I didn't know there was a term for the warm light hours.  It's called the "golden hour".  That's the period shortly after sunrise and shortly before sunset when light rays travel through more of the earth's atmosphere and all the diffraction resulting from it gives rise to a golden light.

I live in Toronto and so here is a link that tracks the golden hours in my region:  https://sunsetsunrisetime.com/golden-hour/toronto_(canada).  The morning golden hours are about an hour long in the morning and in the evening.

The photo shown here is from Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_hour_(photography).  Who prefers the bottom photo than the top one?

As the Sun Sets

I forgot how warm the feeling of the sun near sunset. My condo unit faces south and it's at the right angle to receive a warm glow of the reflection of the sunbeams off a building just south of me as the sun starts to set. I happened to be in the bathroom when I noticed the shower head was engulfed in a beautiful light. I knew it wouldn't last long so I grabbed what was the best camera I have, that is, what I easily have access to, my phone.

The phone did some colour correction so I re-coorected it to show the warmth I saw.

Overcast vs. Sunny Day Photography

When it comes to outdoor photography, I think we all know an overcast day offers great lighting for our shots.  Lights are soft on the subjects.  You don't get the harsh lighting condition of a sunny day at noon time.  Just a thought here, but do you notice how much sharper your pictures are when the sun is out?  You shouldn't be shooting when the lights are too harsh, but things look a lot sharper in the sun.  Yes, you can crank up the ISO sensitivity level of your camera to reduce the exposure time to get sharper images in an overcast day, but when it's sunny out, sunlight gives you the speed you need for sharp pictures.

Video or Stills?

I've had this thought before but never wrote it down.  So, the question was, should you just do videos these days instead of taking still pictures?  I tend to take a lot of pictures when I travel.  They don't take up a lot of space but I could easily fill up a 32 GB memory card.  What if I use that space for just videos?  Pictures have little context.  It leaves a lot to the imagination.  Videos on the other hand are more self-explanatory and you get extra context with sound to accompany the 'picture'.  Should I forget the DSLR?  I'm thinking for my next travel adventure to use the GoPro.  Battery life will be challenging to manage but it will be a very different experience, I can already see.  I could actually keep the video running on my hip or chest, and walk around a place and interact with locals.  But, they wouldn't like getting filmed though, do they?  Moroccans, for example, really hate getting in your photos or videos, so you shouldn't do so surreptitiously; they have to agree to it.  So, yeah, I think this could work.  I'd probably still bring my DSLR along but only for the few occasions where something should be framed on a wall.

Time Lapsed Photography - Part 2

Several years ago, I used to grow tomatoes indoor.  I did some time lapsed videos of them growing as seedlings and as small plants.  When they were 5-ft. tall, they attracted too many white flies I had to move the plants out on to my balcony.

National Film Board of Canada

For those studying in elementary school in Canada in the 80s, this might bring back nostalgic and maybe good old memories:  https://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-films/

I remember a film of a wooden carved toy canoe with a native Indian on it that travelled from Lake Superior to the St. Lawrence River.  I was either in Ecole Pie-XII or Ecole Enfant Soleil, in the suburb of St. Laurent, Montreal.  The film was called "Paddle to the Sea":  https://www.nfb.ca/film/paddle_to_the_sea/.  This film has so wonderful pictures that I still enjoy it even today.

In some small ways, it gave me inspirations to travel and explore the world from time to time.

Time Lapsed Photography

This was cool.  A time-lapsed video over a 12-day period of a hot chilli pepper seedling sprouting and growing leaflets and its first set of real leaves:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tvmui31zoo

I haven't done one of these videos in a long time.  I have a GoPro but no seeds to grow at this time.

Nikon Z fc Mirrorless Camera

Wow, this is an impressive camera!  I mean, not technically, but I love the look for the classic SLR camera!  This is a mirrorless camera.  The DX 16-50 lens adds to the classic camera look of the old past but if you like the versatility of a zoom lens, you can certainly switch it out for a telephoto lens.

Looking at the top of the camera, there are dials for everything you need for a quick picture:  the ISO dial and capture mode to the left, and the shutter speed and shutter button to the right.  The shutter button looks so cool as well!  I love the look of this camera and if you take it on travels, people will think you're still shooting film!

You can get yours from Amazon for a small discount today (March 11, 2023) here:  https://amzn.to/3XelAmT

Image from:  https://en.nikon.ca/nikon-products/product/mirrorless-cameras/z-fc.html

Choosing the Right Mirrorless Camera

The image to the left is of a Nikon Z 50.

If there will be a time when I switch to using a mirrorless camera, here is one thing that I will definitely have to have:  an electronic view finder with a diopter dial.  Coming from a DSLR world, I find it so much easier to shoot when the camera is held up to my face.  The act of holding it that way means I would have to hold the camera in a certain way that is stable.  The camera would sit comfortable on my left hand while my arm is tucked into my side of my chest creating a stable platform for the camera for the not so fast exposures.  Because I wear eyeglasses, it would be beneficial to have a diopter dial to adjust the eye focal length for when either I'm not wearing my eyeglasses or my eyeglasses becomes underprescribed.  There is nothing worse than a blurry image in the viewfinder.

So, why a viewfinder anyway?  For many case scenarios, it'd be fine to take photos with just the LCD but on a bright day, the LCD will look washed out.  Have you ever tried to review a picture in bring sunlight?  It's next to impossible to see anything.  You'd have cup your hand over the LCD and even then it's not that easy.  Also, having a viewfinder means more stability for fast action scenes when you can train your camera along the path of motion, being able to follow a subject with ease.  Forget that if you hold the camera a foot away from your face.  I think, for myself, my camera would be shaking too much to be able to track smoothly, and secondly, I can't look at things a foot from my place without removing my eyeglasses!

If you're buying a mirrorless camera, think of the EVF.  It's a great feature!

Decline of the DSLR - Part 2

Wow, this is definitely a trend I think.  It's been weeks since some ads on Kijiji have been posted.  The latest Nikon D7000 + 18-200mm combo kit is selling for $500!  That's a steal!  I can't believe no one is snatching that up.  The 18-200mm lens alone costs at least $500, used, so the D7000 is like, free!  That's sad.  Well, maybe it's like the housing market.  Things have cooled off.  Only the ardent hobbyists are still into this seemingly now relic of photography.  Of course, I'm one of those people.  I still really enjoy the DSLR, how it feels in my hands and how comfortable I have to the controls to take a picture.

Light Field Camera

Wow, I just woke up and one thing popped up in my head:  Lytro!  There was this camera that evolved from a concept back in 2006 to an actual product in 2012.  It was a really cool concept at the time and it still is where it would capture rays of light so that you can form a picture with any plane of focus and depth of field of your choosing later.  It's a "living image".  That's a powerful concept.  You no longer have to worry about focusing.  You just need to worry about image composition.  Once the rays of light have been captured, you'd use your artistic acumen to create the final picture in software.

Today, I found out the company folded back in 2018.  That's unfortunate.  Thinking about it now, I'm wondering if the technology was ahead of its time, or if its primary raison d'etre simply was somewhat artificial.

The technology was definitely very cool but it was really expensive to store the rays.  An image captured with the first-generation Lytro would take up 16 MB of disk space.  Its software would generate an image only 1.17 megapixels big although you can generate any number of images at different focus lengths and angle of view of your liking.  The image would be good for a 6x4" print but no bigger than that.  The second generation of this camera could produce images of up to 4 MP so it should be good enough for a HD screen.  However, according to some user reviews on Amazon, it's just good enough to be displayed on a 4" screen.  I want to say the technology was ahead of its time but not really.

When I think of the art of photography, part of it is composition; part of it is lighting; part of it is the focus on a subject.  If you take away the focus issue, would it still be fun to take pictures?  For most people, I think it is.  For most people, the camera does all the focusing for you, right?  It finds a face, and focuses on that.  For some others, you'd prefer to set the focus plane on your own for the artistic effect you want to create.  So, if the premise of this camera is to remove the art of focusing from photography, would photography still be a fun hobby?  I don't know.  I like to have control of the field of depth and focus at the time when I take a picture, but sometimes, I also like to be able to have change that during post-processing, especially when you work with macro photography--you'd need a living image to do that.

The concept is very cool but practically speaking, I'd rather use a DSLR or my phone camera.

Only Tiny Things

This is my other blog where I'm now posting photos of tiny things I've captured with my DSLR.  I would use either my trusty Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 lens which can do macro photography to some degree or my Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 lens with or without a barrel extension.  The Nikkor 105mm is really great for the really small things like tiny bugs and when you add the barrel extension, you can go even deeper into the micro world.  The biggest problem with macro photography is light and depth of field.  Depth of field with the 105mm at f/2.8 is super short so you'd have to reduce the aperture down to f/16 or smaller to get more of the subject in focus.  In doing so though, and if the subject is not dead, you'd have to use a flash gun.  Having a flash gun on the hot shoe works but it's not great because it's behind the lens.  You really need to light up the scene that you're capturing.  I do sometimes use something to bounce the light around or use remote triggers to activate my flash gun to the side of my camera.

Anyways, my tiny things are posted in my Only Tiny Things blog.

BlackBerry Z10

I have I think a now 10-years-old BlackBerry Z10 phone.  It has a quality camera.  It has 16GB of storage.  It has a GPS and WiFi antennae.  It can run Android apps.  It's got a super secure operating system based on QNX.  And, that's pretty much it.  It's old.  The battery has swollen a little and I don't use it for taking pictures anymore. But, it's not useless.

Do you know what you can use it for?  I find its back camera to be really good for day and night use.  In looking for a dashcam for my car, I thought I could repurpose my Z10.  I loaded a dashcam app called DroidCam and I loaded Google Maps on it.  So, the Z10 has found a new purpose in life.  It's my GPS navigator with offline maps, and it's my dashcam!

I mounted the camera on my dashboard using one of those camera holders with a suction cup.  The suction cup would hang on to the windshield.  I was lucky to be able to pick one up for $5 from Canadian Tire a few year ago and it worked ok.  Amazon has a good one here:

Is the Nikon D50 Dead?

I have a Nikon D50.  It has been sitting in the drawer for the last 15 years, I think?  I took it out to check that it's still in working condition.  It was dead.  Well, the battery was dead.  It was self-discharging all these years.  I still have the charger so I charged it up.  It's back up and alive now.  No problem whatsoever.

The D50 is a 6.1MP camera.  It feels heavy in your hand.  Very solid construction.  Battery life is great.  It's a great camera for street photography.  It takes only SD cards up to 2 GB but image files are small so that's completely fine.  (You can get a Sandisk 2GB SD from Amazon here:  https://amzn.to/3YuP0M8).   It's a great camera still I think--remember the megapixels aren't that relevant for most of the stuff you do and what matters most is that stuff 6 inches behind the lens!

If you don't have a DSLR and want to learn photography with a DSLR, I'd say grab a D50 or something like that.  It's super super duper cheap now.  You can find one for $50 or maybe even less.  Add a nice 50mm f/1.4 lens and you'll have a fun camera to play around with!  On the cheap, you could find an 17-55mm kit lens which probably goes for $50 used also nowadays.

To get you started with a D50, check out this cool video I ran across:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs0pAI0ZS5g.  By the way, the reviewer in the video doesn't like the neck strap--neither do I!

The D50 is still a great camera.  Alas, it will stay in the drawer because I have a D7200.

How to Carry your DSLR - Part 2

On my last trip to Arizona, I brought with me a regular backpack and my D7000 would go in there with my fleece jacket.  I forgot to bring my sling strap.  It would have made a big difference because the whole time that I was there, hiking up and down the hills, the Grand Canyon, and around Monument Valley, I had to hold and carry my camera the entire time.  With a sling strap, my hands can be all free. There would be less strain on my fingers.

Since day one, I removed the Nikon neck strap--as I had mentioned before, it's a pain in the neck if I had to carry the camera around my neck!  So, Now, my fingers are like steel in a crouching tiger grip!

How Can a Point-and-Point Cost as Much as a DSLR?

A number of years back, I saw this Sony RX100 point-and-point. It was compact and it was one heck of a camera that could pull a punch. I looked at it because someone I knew was going to go on a trip. I looked around for a all-rounder that could take superb pictures during the day as well as at night. The Sony RX100 looked very promising. It wasn't too expensive. Well, it was expensive compared to other point-and-shoots but quite affordable for the capabilities it packed. I didn't buy it myself but recommended it. Today, I'm seeing the same camera but a few versions later. It's at version VII. It's still a point-and-shoot with a longer zooming lens and a better stacked sensor, but essentially the same beauty that I saw those years ago. What made my gulped though was the price. How could a point-and-shoot cost over $1400?! Did they just price them out of the market? For some, this is the perfect camera for travelling--it is super light and small enough to fit in a pocket. If I have spare change of $1400, I'd certainly get one of these but I'd give it second thought since I could get a mirrorless camera or a DSLR for that much as well.

How Many Megapixels Do You Really Need?

If you're a professional photographer, you'll likely need a high megapixel camera for many reasons.  If you're like me though, you really don't need anything more than 8 MP!

How much you need of megapixels depend on what you plan to do with your images and also with your lens.  Some lenses are simply not sharp enough to give you the details to fill in all the pixels, and if you're simply displaying your photos on a computer screen, you won't need more than 3-6 MP!  If you're thinking to do prints on paper, you still don't need much unless you're a pixel peeper!

Instead of explaining it myself, I'll refer to this video made by Simon d'Entremont who provided an excellent dissection of this topic:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThpQWhOfKO4.  You'll be surprised.

I wouldn't necessary say that you should buy an old Nikon D50 if you can afford to buy something much better for a little more.  Much better here means not just the megapixels but also more sensitive sensors for low light conditions or support for built-in HDR and Active D-Lighting as in the Nikon D7200.  However, if you normally shoot in good daylight, an old Nikon D50 with 6 MP will do just fine!

Uploading Photos from the D7200

One nice thing I really like about the D7200 is the support for WiFi to connect your phone with the DSLR. You can't imagine how convenient that is! I've always had to carry a SD card reader to transfer photos out of my D7000 just for sharing a few photos here and there with friends. It's very inconvenient to me so I just don't most of the time. I'd then use my phone to take a picture and send it out that way.

With the D7200, you can use the Nikon WirelessMobileUtility app on your phone to pair with the camera. From the camera you can choose which photos to transfer or you can do that from the phone as well. It looks like photos transferred out this way are resized which is great for sharing.  Once the photos are transferred to the phone, you can share it in WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook, here on Blogger, etc.!  It's quick and convenient. If I were traveling, that's what I'd be doing now.

How to Carry your DSLR

After my walk yesterday, I thought I'd post something about how to carry your DSLR.  I've seen many Kijiji ads where people uploaded a photo of their DSLR with the original Nikon camera neck strap.  I don't know why manufacturers still make those straps.  They're a real pain in the neck (no pun intended).  Long ago, I realized how much stress the strap created so I got either a hand strap like the Small Rig so the DSLR is always on my hand for short walks, or a sling strap like the BlackRapid Sport strap here.  If you think the name brand is a bit expensive, you can get a cheap alternative like this one on Amazon which doesn't offer the same quality and features as the BlackRapid but will do.  On travels, that's what goes with me virtually everywhere.  The camera is slung around toward your butt and you keep the camera from most eyes by 

placing your hand in front of it as you walk but it's also also next to your fingers to pull up and take pictures.  If you're looking for a sling, remember to look for a strap under the armpit to keep the sling from cutting into the side of your neck.

I'd also wear a backpack of course to stow things away when I'm done with a walk or hike.

Why Go to the Caribbeans when We've Got a Beach in TO!

Some pictures on my walk down in harbourfront in Toronto.

Yup, we've got a beach in downtown Toronto, and no, it's not white sand in the photos although we've got that too.

Even a jet ski in the middle of winter!

The mess after the storm:

 

Nikon ADL vs. HDR + ADL

I took a stroll around harbourfront with my Nikon D7200 this afternoon.  It was a good opportunity to try HDR again and see how it fares outside.  You can be the judge of how things look.

Active D-Lighting (ADL) pictures are on the left and ADL + HDR pictures are on the right.

Covered sidewalk:  I like the details that HDR brings out.

Tiny tugboat:  There was virtually no difference here.

Larger tugboat:  I prefer the non-HDR version with more vibrant and sharper colours.

I'm not sure when to use HDR yet.  I'll eventually learn to recognize what makes a good candidate for HDR.

First Photos from the D7200

Winter in Toronto this year has been like a snow globe.  It's been beautiful.  It's been calm sometimes and stormy at other times when someone shakes it up.  We've just got another dump of snow last night.  It was the weirdest of storms.  I've never ever heard thunder in the middle of winter and wouldn't believe anyone if they told they saw thunder, but last night would prove otherwise.  It was incredible to hear thunder while the sky was cover in white snow.  In my head, I was imagining of rain up above and they quickly crystallize into snow as they tumble toward the streets of Toronto.  It was amazing!

I was thinking of doing some jogging today but it looks like I'll stay inside.  I also thought I'd go out to take some wintery scenes but my first would instead come from my bedroom, through double-layer glass.  

It'd be cool to take a picture of a TTC streetcar as it drives over a bridge.  The streetcar is red so it would be contrasted against the white background. The streetcars come around probably every 10 minutes this morning.

I had Vietnamese pho at a restaurant on Thursday.  They served it with basil leaves.  I took a snippet of it home and it's sitting in a glass jar on my window sill overlooking the city down below.  In a couple of weeks, it'll grow roots and will go into a pot ready for spring time.

The colours are drabby.  It's a bit of a gloomy day.  The sun wants to show itself but it's cloudy.  Pictures are sharp though.
 

Decline of the DSLRs

As per my observation from salability of DSLRs on Kijiji, it would seem that there has in fact been a huge decline in the use of DSLRs.  The following is a screenshot of the top five camera types used on Flickr as of March 4, 2023.  The graph says everything. Where is my DSLR in the list?  Where is any DSLR?  The Canons and Nikons used to dominate this graph as I remember it.

Source:  https://www.flickr.com/cameras

It's amazing how the iPhone has taken photography by storm.  It's no surprise though:  the megapixels, image processing, convenience, beautiful pictures.  Even myself, I use my phone more often than my DSLR because the best camera is the one that's on you.  My phone is no where close to the capability of my DSLR but it has taken beautiful HDR pictures very simply at times when the DSLR was struggling.

Even the mirrorless cameras aren't making it to the top of the list.  The mirrorless camera is like a point-and-shoot, essentially what a phone camera is.  The convenience and availability factors make it clear why phone cameras are the first choice for most people.

Chinese DSLR?

 I was curious, very curious, to know if there are any Chinese manufacturer of DSLRs.  I mean, I've only seen the big Japanese and German names out there for the past twenty years and not paid attention to anything else, until recently.  So, I looked up Google and guess what I found!

Yi Technology from China developed a mirrorless micro four-thirds camera--ok, it's not a DSLR but close enough.  There were quite a few reviews I've seen about this camera.  Some liked it and some didn't like it so much.  One thing I concluded from those reviews is that it's a cheap camera for the casual photographers.  The zoom lens that came with it is not great, having difficulties with focusing and lacks the sharpness in more expensive lenses.  You could however add any of the expensive lenses like the Leica to it and you'd get a good (not great) combo. 

I was interested in getting a copy to play with as it's so light and small but alas, there is nothing on Kijiji or Amazon.  It's strange because there is a ton of other, cheap Chinese (not necessarily mirrorless) cameras and action cameras on Amazon.  I don't know if anyone in Toronto has one or if they did, perhaps they threw in the eRecycling box already.  There hasn't been any reviews since 2016/2017.  It looks like this camera didn't go very far.  There was a hype about six or seven years ago because of its price but like a ghost, it disappeared mostly from the North American market.  I did spot a copy on Amazon India's website.  It didn't get great reviews there.  So, it came with a bang and left without telling anyone.

How to Clean the Lens Filter

How do you clean your camera lenses?  That was something I was worried about when I first bought a DSLR I believe back in 2007.  I was so worried about smudging it and dirt landing on it I went out to buy some lens cleaning kit.  The kit was pretty simple though--an air blower and a brush.  I didn't want to use any lens cleaning fluid for some reason.  In retrospect and after over 120K shots, I came to realize it wasn't all that important.

My 18-200mm always had a Hoya UV filter on so the lens was never exposed to the elements.  Sometimes though, specs of dust do creep in between the lens and the filter.  I'm not sure how but they do.  It's possible simply because I did have to remove the lens filter every now and then to clean it.

Cleaning the lens filter didn't require anything fancy.  I intially used the brush and if there is any dirt that seems to stick around, I ran the filters under water with a bit of soft soap.  I'd wet the filter with water first, then lather up the soap with water before applying it on the filter just as you would when washing your car.  I'd let the water run down the filter and it would remove all of the soap.  Soap is a bit abrasive but I never really had to clean it often so no scratches that I can see so far.  I'm sure microscopically, there are some scratches but it's really nothing.  I haven't seen anything on pictures I take.  I do the same soap cleaning method for my eyeglasses by the way.

If my lens needs to be cleaned though, I'll probably need to use lens cleaning fluid and a microfiber tissue.  There is no way I'd use soap on the lens itself.

I got my Hoya filter from Henry's before but you can get the same filter for cheaper now from Amazon:  https://amzn.to/41KDqPZ.  Don't get the cheap brands.  It makes a difference to the colours you capture.

Hobby for the Retired

I asked ChatGPT what it thinks about photography as a hobbit for the retired.  I like its response.  I'm thinking to give my D7000 to my dad who owns a old SLR.  This might be a good thing to pick up again.

Anyways, ChatGPT answered it this way:

Photography can be an excellent hobby for retired individuals. Here are some reasons why:

1. Creative Outlet: Photography provides a creative outlet for individuals, allowing them to express their creativity and capture beautiful images.
   
2. Physical Activity: Photography can also be a physically active hobby. Retirees can explore new places and take photos while walking or hiking, which can help improve their health and wellbeing.
3. Learning Opportunities: Photography also offers learning opportunities, such as mastering new camera techniques and editing software.
4. Social Engagement: Photography can also be a social activity, allowing retirees to connect with other photographers and share their work with others.
5. Relaxation: Photography can be a relaxing and meditative hobby, allowing retirees to focus on the beauty of their surroundings and reduce stress.

Overall, photography is a great hobby for retirees as it provides a combination of creative expression, physical activity, learning opportunities, social engagement, and relaxation.

Some retirees tend to be more senile.  I think a hobby that gets you out and that make you think is very healthy for your physical and mental states.  There is nothing worse than lying down and watching TV or doing nothing the whole day for years on end.

When I retire, I want to travel more with my DSLR.  It'll be time for building more adventures that I find hard to find time for now.  That's for sure.

Do people still use DSLRs?

I've been perplexed in some ways recently about something.  Is there a current shift away from DSLR into phone cameras?  We know how easy it is now to pull out a phone from your pocket and capture that moment appearing in front of you.  You do that often enough, and you will build more and more reliance on your phone for everything you do everyday:  web surfing to read this article, phone calls with your friends and family, playing games all day long, and taking the occasional pictures.  Sure, it may not be as good as a modern DSLR but heck some phones are darn good these days, and the best camera is the one you have with you!

Despite the convenience of the phone, I still prefer to carry my DSLR when I'm on a hike or when I travel somewhere.  The speed of the DSLR, the ability to quickly zoom in and out with a real optical lens (vs. digital zooming), and my familiarity with my DSLR are reasons why I like to carry 2 kg of hardware with me.  I have to admit however that once, I was hiking up Grouse Grind in Vancouver, I was carrying a D300 with the 18-200mm and you can imagine how heavy it felt after half-way up the mountain!  Well, I wasn't in too good of a shape back then in around 2013 I believe.

More and more though, I find it harder to sell an older DSLR.  A Nikon D7000 is still a very capable camera.  My copy is 13 years old now but is still churning out great photos and it's highly dependable.  How do you convince someone that they should get a DSLR?  A phone camera is all most people need these days.  At parties, I see people whipping out their phones.  I don't see people branding their DSLRs anymore.  So, a D7000 is having a hard time sitting on the shelf not getting picked up, unless I guess it's free for the taking.  A used D7000 these days should still bring you $300, but even at that price, I see ads lingering on Kijiji for weeks on end.  What's going on, I'm thinking?  Have consumers really abandoned the DSLRs and are the DSLRs now only of the professional photographers' domain?  I'll have a firm answer in a month or so when I'll see how many of the same D7000 ads still remain on Kijiji.

ChatGPT: Be Careful with Product Comparisons!!

Well, I had to ask ChatGPT that it thinks about buying a Nikon D7200 vs. a D7500.  It still has more to learn some facts.  It gave some puzzling answers.  FYI, the reason I went with a D7200 instead of the D7500 is for the dual memory card slot.  I didn't want to lose that feature of the D7000.  I also didn't care much about the articulating screen and thought it might break easily.

Question:  Why should I buy a Nikon D7200 instead of a Nikon D7500?

ChatGPT's answer:

The choice between the Nikon D7200 and D7500 depends on your individual needs and preferences, as both cameras have their own strengths and weaknesses. Here are some factors to consider when deciding between the two:

1. Sensor: The D7500 has a newer and slightly higher resolution 20.9-megapixel sensor compared to the 24.2-megapixel sensor on the D7200. However, the D7200's sensor has been praised for its excellent dynamic range and low-light performance.
2. Autofocus system: The D7500 has a more advanced autofocus system compared to the D7200, with 51 autofocus points compared to the D7200's 51-point system. Additionally, the D7500's autofocus system is capable of tracking subjects more effectively in fast-paced action scenes.
3. Video capabilities: The D7500 has some advantages over the D7200 in video capabilities, with 4K UHD video recording and the ability to shoot slow-motion footage at 1080p.
4. Price: The D7200 is typically less expensive than the D7500, which may make it a more attractive option for those on a budget.
5. Lens compatibility: Both cameras are compatible with Nikon's F-mount lenses, so you should be able to use any existing lenses you may have with either camera.

Ultimately, the decision between the Nikon D7200 and D7500 depends on your individual needs and preferences. If you prioritize video capabilities and autofocus performance, the D7500 may be the better choice. However, if you prioritize image quality and low-light performance, the D7200 may be the better choice.

ChatGPT: Remote Smoke Smell from Camera

Funny.  I started playing around with ChatGPT.  I was curious to know what it would say about cleaning a camera of the smell of tar and I was surprised what it came up with!  See it for yourself.  I asked it, "How do you clean a camera that has the smell of smoke tar?" and this was the answer I got:

Cleaning a camera that has the smell of smoke tar can be a challenging task. Here are some steps you can take to try and remove the smell:

1. Remove the battery and memory card from the camera. This will prevent any damage to the camera's electronics and data.
2. Use a soft, dry cloth to gently wipe down the exterior of the camera. Pay special attention to areas where smoke tar may have accumulated, such as around the camera's buttons and dials.
3. If the camera's lens has a removable lens hood or filter, remove it and clean it separately with a microfiber cloth. If the lens itself has smoke tar on it, use a lens cleaning solution and a lens cleaning cloth to gently remove it. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for the cleaning solution and cloth.
4. Place the camera and any removable parts (such as the lens hood or filter) in a sealed container with odor-absorbing materials such as activated charcoal or baking soda. Leave the camera in the container for several hours or overnight.
5. After removing the camera from the container, use a soft brush to gently sweep away any remaining odor-absorbing materials from the camera's surface.
6. If the smell persists, you may need to seek professional cleaning services or consult with the camera manufacturer for advice.

It's important to be gentle when cleaning a camera to avoid damaging its delicate components. Additionally, you should avoid using any harsh chemicals or cleaning solutions that could further damage the camera or affect its performance.

This is so surprising to me as ChatGPT understands context.  This is not like washing tar off a wall.  This is for a camera so it knows about the battery and memory card and how to treat the camera lens appropriately. 

Here's another answer it gave me with the following question:  "how to remove the smell of tar from a camera".

If you're trying to remove the smell of tar from a camera, there are a few things you can try:

1. Wipe the camera down with a soft, dry cloth: Start by wiping down the camera with a soft, dry cloth to remove any loose tar or debris that may be on the camera.
2. Use a cleaning solution: Mix equal parts water and vinegar or rubbing alcohol and use this solution to clean the camera with a soft cloth. Be sure to wring the cloth out well so that it is just damp and not soaking wet. This will help remove any remaining tar residue and neutralize the odor.
3. Baking soda: Another option is to create a paste of baking soda and water and use it to scrub the camera. This will help absorb any remaining odors and leave the camera smelling fresh.
4. Let it air out: Once you've cleaned the camera, let it air out in a well-ventilated area for several hours. This will help any remaining odors dissipate.

It's important to note that if the tar has seeped into the internal components of the camera, it may be difficult or impossible to remove the odor completely. In this case, you may need to take the camera to a professional for repair or replacement.

Amazing! 

HDR vs. D-Lighting vs. Normal

Images from the Nikon D7200 shot with three different modes:

1) HDR on high

2) D-Lighting on high

3) Normal without HDR or D-Lighting

There isn't much of a difference between Normal and D-Lighting in this case.  The photo in normal mode is as close to what I see with the naked eyes.  The HDR photo brings out more details of the dark areas but it doesn't look natural, does it?  I would use it outdoor when I'm encountering high contrast scenes.  If I had the D7200 when I was in Arizona, I could imagine many of my shots could have turned out way better.  My phone camera was able to do auto-HDR so some photos from it turned out better than my DSLR's.

Nikon D7200 Shutter Life Expectancy

From https://www.olegkikin.com/shutterlife/nikon_d7200.htm:

My D7200 has low shutter count so I'm expecting to be able to use it for 10 years or so.