Sabtu, 25 April 2009

Extending digital cameras battery life

Digital cameras are equipped with batteries and are limited in the number of digital photos that can be taken between either replace or recharge the batteries. If you are planning for a long digital photo shoot or are learning some travel habits, in which you have the power to help you conserve energy and squeeze more digital photos from your batteries.

Digital cameras have many features and options. Some features consume more energy than others. Some of the best features are power hungry. Learning, these features are power hungry and they caution can help you more images from your digital camera battery.

digital camera LCD screen: The digital camera LCD screen is one of the largest energy consumer. Digital cameras offer display digital photos on a small LCD screen. You can also shoot digital photos on the LCD instead of the viewfinder. An LCD screen consumes much energy. This is the reason why all digital cameras turn on the LCD screen after a certain amount of usage time. In the interest of conservation of energy try the following: Turn off the LCD and use the viewfinder whenever possible. Use only the LCD, if you must, for example, if you have a digital photo overhead when the optical viewfinder is not usable. Minimize your digital photo displays. If you have photos on the LCD you are wasting energy. Use only the LCD to view photos if you need to do so for the benefit of the next shoot digital photos - for example, to check whether a composition was correct or if the lighting was good.

digital camera mechanical motors: The motors move that the mechanical components of the digital camera as the lenses when focusing or zooming are also a big power consumers. Motors consume a lot of energy when moving the digital camera optical components. To move the engines try the following: Do not use a continuous focus if it is not necessary: The engines, which the optical components to focus energy. You can not avoid, but you can avoid that is not required. For moving objects such as sports events continued focus will be used to make your stay may be based on the object until you are ready to take the picture. In these cases, as long as you press the shutter button halfway down the camera will continue to focus on the object. To save energy minimize that time to the necessary minimum.

digital camera flash: The digital camera flash is also a big power consumers. Shooting photos using the flash consumes more energy than shooting photos without flash. You can not prevent flash photography, if it is needed, but in many cases you will shoot digital photos in situations where the flash is not needed, but it is fired, because he remained in automatic mode and the camera fired for no reason. If possible, set the flash to manual mode and control their use.

False trigger use: Each time you press the shutter button halfway down and not a photograph that you waste energy. Pressing the shutter button halfway down the camera goes through a series of processes always ready for a digital photo. He focuses the lens it wakes up electronic components and the flash is ready, if necessary. Avoid the shutter button halfway down, if you do not plan to a photo shoot.

In conclusion until there is a breakthrough in battery technology, you have to keep in mind power, when you look at long shooting sessions without being able to change or recharge the batteries. Fortunately, you can use the few simple tips used in this article to significantly extend your digital camera batteries.

Rabu, 22 April 2009

The Cellars Restaurant and Bar Launches New Menu Choices

The Cellars Restaurant & Bar, set within the prestigious five-star Landmark London in fashionable Marylebone, offers a stylish setting for drinks, lunch and dinner.

The beautiful décor features oak wood panelling, leather armchairs, mahogany tables, original paintings and traditional fireplaces. The efficient service coupled with the excellent cuisine makes The Cellars the perfect venue for a business meeting or leisure time with friends.

Daily Roast Carvery The Cellars has just introduced a new Daily Roast menu. Offered Monday to Friday from Noon to 3pm, the roast and trimmings alternate daily and are served with a selection of seasonal vegetables. The Daily Roast is served and carved from the chef's silver trolley at your table, priced at £16.95 per person.

Monday Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Jus

Tuesday Herb and Lemon Baby Chicken with Tarragon Jus

Wednesday Sirloin of Beef with Red Wine Sauce and Yorkshire Pudding

Thursday Loin of Pork with Crackling & Bramley Apple Sauce

Friday Darne of Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce

"Pick & Mix" Evening Platters The newly launched Evening Platters are now available in The Cellars from Monday to Friday, from 6pm to 10pm. Guests can pick and mix from a selection of 15 dishes, including: Spicy Chorizo with Honey and Thyme Glaze; a Mini Cheeseburger with Tomato Relish; Filo Wrapped Tiger Prawns with a Chilli Dip; Jalapeno Peppers with Sour Cream and Chives; and Basil Arancini (deep fried crumbed risotto balls). An Evening Platter of four dishes costs only £15.95 and is suitable for two to four people.

Sabtu, 18 April 2009

T-Mobile MDA Vario III - a phone for gadget freaks

T-Mobile MDA Vario III is a stylish and powerful Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 PDA phone equipped with a slide out QWERTY keyboard. Despite being a compact phone, T-Mobile MDA Vario III is a powerful mobile phone containing innumerable features. The QWERTY keyboard gets hidden by the slide over mobile phone screen.

It measures 112mm x 59mm x 19mm and weighs around 190 grams, with charge time of four hours and standby time of 216 hours. It has an acceptable talk time of over three hours. T-Mobile MDA Vario III has a 3 mega pixel camera with zoom facility and camera flash, which helps you do standard photography and video recording.

Connectivity services include Web 'n' Walk, mobile broadband, 3G, GPRS, Sat NAV and Bluetooth. It also possesses different messaging formats like SMS, MMS, email, Blackberry internet mail and Windows Mobile email. Other impressive features of T-Mobile MDA Vario III include mobile jukebox, FM radio, and audio player and not to forget varied games that help you relax.

It offers different services including mobile communications, mobile internet and mobile office including Windows software online and mobile. Its ability to transfer data speedily makes this phone popular among the always-on-the-move business people. Business people can synchronize important files on the Vario III with ease what with Microsoft Word, Excel, Personal Organiser and other such services that your business laptop can offer you.

Kamis, 09 April 2009

Metering Techniques

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Metering is a vital part of any photography, whether inside the studio or out on location.

I know that some photographers these days who use digital cameras may feel that they don't need to use a separate flash meter in the studio, but let me tell you, a meter is an invaluable tool. Most studio photographers I know wouldn't be without a flash meter and there is a good range of models available on the market today.

Using a flash meter is easy, they all work in pretty much the same way. Some may have more buttons and read outs, but they all do the same job. Basically by setting the ISO of the film and the shutter sync speed of the camera and the flash meter will tell you what aperture to shoot at.

If you are using film, set the ISO as usual, if you are shooting with a digital camera I would recommend a setting of 200 ISO.

The camera shutter, or sync (short for synchronisation) speed used with flash is important, you can use any speed between a 60 th and a 250 th, but I would recommend 125 th of a second. This speed will give you plenty of latitude and you won't get any 'cut off'. Cut off is caused by using a shutter sync speed that is too fast for the lights that you are using and only half of the shot will be exposed, the other half will be 'cut off' and not exposed because of the speed of the shutter opening and closing too quickly.

I have used Gossen and Sekonic meters and both companies make great products. Most meters these days are digital and have a simple read out and display. To trigger the flash, meters have a coax socket, so that a standard sync lead can be attached from a flash head to the meter. Or if you have an assistant to fire your lights you can use most meters cordless! Measurements are very accurate, usually in tenths of a stop.

So far so good, but how do we actually use the meter?

You can do this in a number ways. By measuring the light that falls on the subject and setting the aperture that the meter gives you. Or by measuring the light on the subject, then reducing or increasing the power of the lights to give you the aperture that you want.

Let me explain, say that you have a simple two light set up for a portrait shot and you want to shoot at between f 8 and f11 to give you good depth of field. By using the meter we can determine the amount of light falling on the subject and by adjusting the power of the lights up or down, we can get the aperture that we need, say f11.

Also by using the meter we can easily set a 'ratio' of say two to one or even three to one. A ratio, meaning that we can set one of lights as a main light and the second light as a fill in. We can do this by using the meter to help us adjust the lights and set them two stops or three stops apart. So our main light will give f11 and our fill in will give us f5.6 / f8.

This ratio will help to build some shadow into the picture which gives the face of the subject shape and form. If we lit the portrait with both lights at equal power, the light will be even, but rather bland, by introducing a ratio we can get more interest in the picture.

Where do we actually point and position the meter?

Common sense is used here, obviously the measurements are taken from the 'highlight' areas. When we shoot people the lightest areas will be on the skin tones and maybe clothing. When we look at a person the forehead, cheeks and noses are the best places to meter as they will reflect the most light. If the subject has white clothes we can also take measurements from these areas. So position the flash meter so that the 'cell' that receives and measures the light is exactly on one of these 'highlights'.

With the meter programmed and the sync lead attached position the meter on a highlight area, take a reading of each light and a further reading pointing the meter direct at the camera. You can then begin as we have already said to adjust the lights up and down in power, either to set a ratio, or to select a preferred aperture. When the lights are fully adjusted and the preferred aperture or ratio is achieved the shot can be taken.

So we can use a flash meter to help us adjust our lights to give us a working aperture, to set a ratio to create subtle shadow areas and save us a great deal of time and money whether shooting on digital or film. For more technical work, such as multiple flashes, a flash meter is invaluable

If you are using studio lighting without a flash meter, but you've thinking about buying one, I would look at meters made by Gossen or Sekonic they are all very well designed and easy to use and from companies that have been making meters for a long time.

Senin, 06 April 2009

HTC Mobiles: Ultimate mobile phones with desirable features

Mobile phones are now part of our daily life. Every one of us needs mobile phones to stay connected with the others, with our near-and-dear ones. As the day passes, mobile technology is changing according to the needs and demand of the user.

Every day we are witnessing new, innovative kind of characteristics in mobile phones. Mobile phones are no more restricted to communication, but it is a wonderful tool for performing other type of jobs such as messaging, browsing, playing games, photography etc. We cannot think ourselves without a mobile phone, because it is a part of our day-to-day life. If you log in to the online mobile phone shops, you can even find cheap mobile phones which are quite affordable. The mobile manufacturers are focusing on designing latest technology mobile phones with ultra-stylish and trendy designs. HTC mobiles are totally based upon latest technology which are highly appealing with smart designs.

The whole renowned brand HTC comes with highly powerful devices bestowed with high and outstanding functioning. These HTC mobile phones comprise of high speed processors, nice display screen, amazing messaging features, ultimate tech-based organiser menu etc. Apart from having Microsoft Windows Mobile Operating System and 3G Smart technologies, these HTC mobile phones are holding various other appealing features like internet browser, Windows Media Player, EDGE, GPRS, HSDPA, Infrared technology, Bluetooth connectivity. The smart HTC PDA phones are augmented with modern technology and ultimate advance features together with a vast memory option. If any one is looking for some of the exciting, entreating HTC mobile phones in the mobile market, then HTC P3400, HTC S710 and HTC Dopod-C720W are the excellent options for them.

Jumat, 03 April 2009

What Are the Top Toys For Christmas 2008

Are you wondering what your little ones are hoping to find under the tree this year? The top toys for Christmas, of course! There are more of these than you can imagine, but some stand out among the rest.

High on the list of hi-tech kids out there are robotics. This year you will see the introduction of a dinosaur named Pleo. Pleo is the most interactive robotic child friendly to date. Big enough for your child to actually ride, you will be amazed by all its features. The different way your child interacts with Pleo sets the pace of Pleo growing up. These features make this one of the top toys for Christmas.

There is a new Elmo Live being added to the line of Elmo's we all know and love. Every child can learn from Elmo. Whether it's a new song or dance, a story or a joke, your child will be entertained by this new friend. If it's creativity you want to encourage, the traditional art easel has a new design making it very user friendly for your child. Also something to consider is the new, what is being toted as "indestructible," digital cameras just for kids. This updated version is waterproof. As one of the top toys for Christmas, bringing photography to your child has never been easier.

An indoor or outdoor game, Hyper Dash will certainly burn off the extra energy the kids have stored up being patient for Santa to arrive. Entertaining and never boring, it's a game that never gets old. It is also reasonably priced and holds up well. For those who love disguise, a voice changer helmet will transform them into Darth Vader or Dr. Who. This one is guaranteed to provide hours of adventures for ages 5 and up. Accessories such as gloves are available with some characters. Top toys for Christmas this year include plenty of role playing and entertainment.

Lego's is sweetening up the market with 6 new play sets. What do you wish to add, or even introduce to your child? From the police station to the cherry picker the play time here is endless as your child reaches a new level of creation with the old favorite Lego's. Some favorite board games have a new look and a new spin. Candyland, for example, now has a castle that is a game all in itself! Twister Hopscotch is just that, more interactive and designed for even more fun than before as one of the top toys for Christmas.

Does your child crave speed? Is he old enough to handle one of the many riders out there? There are so many to choose from you may have just as much fun picking it out for your child, as your child has riding it. From a Ford150 to a John Deere tractor, your child's favorite should be easy to pick out. Of course there is the new Ford Mustangs and the Jeep Hurricane that would suit your daughter just fine. The scooters and skaters on the market will have your speed demon ready to roll, making them top toys for Christmas.