Until Next Fall …

At the TR Annual General Meeting on March 10 we learned that by next fall the current park-wide WiFi system will be replaced by a fiber optics WiFi system provided by Bright House Networks Business Solutions. The new system promises high speed internet access that will allow residents to download streaming media. In the first OnMouseClick of the season I wrote that with the loss of a dedicated cable TV service at TR, residents can use either a smart TV or a digital media player connected to a TV, to access streaming services such a Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime. The one caution mentioned in the column was that streaming media requires a high-speed connection, which at TR meant subscribing to Centurylink DSL service. If all goes as promised, Eddie and I look forward to canceling our DSL service, and next fall I will write a column or two to help OnMouseClick readers make the most of the Brighthouse WiFi.

More recently I wrote about smartphone photography, and how the photographic quality of smartphone cameras is equal to the quality of point and shoot cameras. I have personally been using the camera in my iPhone 6 more than my point and shoot camera, and I even ordered a telephoto lens attachment to enhance my iPhone photography. I promised to report on how my review of the lens before the end of the season, and I can honestly report that I love it. In fact I liked it so much that I also ordered a second wide angle lens from the same company.

I settled on lenses that can only be ordered online from Moment (momentlens.com), a new company located in Seattle, Washington. The first lens I ordered was the 2x telephoto. The built-in iPhone 6 lens has a focal length of 29mm, and the Moment telephoto boosts the focal length to 60mm, which produces an image slightly bigger than seen by the native eye. The company also makes a wide angle lens, with a focal point of 18mm, which provides a wider viewpoint than the native 29mm lens. Each lens costs $99, featuring high quality glass optics that produce true, distortion-free images. Moment lenses are available for the iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 4, 4s and iPad Air 2.

Before ordering my lenses I did extensive research, and learned that there are two classes of lenses available for use with smartphones — inexpensive lenses made with plastic components and higher priced lenses incorporating glass optics. I focused my research on the better quality lenses, taking into consideration both image quality and ease of lens attachment. I seriously considered lens systems by three manufactures — ExoLens, Izzi Gadget Remix and Moment Lenses. An in-depth overview each of these lenses appears in last week’s online version of OnMouseClick.

I was standing in the same place for all three photos. Left is taken with the Moment wide-angle lens, center with the native iPhone camera lens, and right is taken with the Moment telephoto lens.

The computing devices we use continue to evolve, and new innovations are being introduced on a regular basis. Next season OnMouseClick will continue to monitor trends in technology, and to provide helpful advice on using our computing devices.

An unrelated topic, we recently encountered a problem with Eddie’s laptop PC, and we took it to Computers Etc. in Dade City. We have used their services several times and found them to be knowledgable, competent and trustworthy. If you are in need of computer repair services, we highly recommend you do a Google search for Computers Etc. — you won’t be sorry. 

I am posting my iPhone photography at www.digitalquinn.com/photoblog. Have a wonderful summer and see you all next fall.

iPhone Photo Tips and Techniques …

For many years DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras have produced high quality images, and recently the quality gap between DSLRs and smartphone cameras has narrowed. Cameras on some smartphones, most notably the iPhone 6, are on par with the quality of point and shoot cameras, but regardless of the camera equipment used, the most important factor in producing good photographs is the person behind the lens. The following seven tips and techniques may help you take better photos using the iPhone Camera app, but may also be applied to other apps and smartphones.  

1. Composition: To help create a well composed image, most camera apps feature grid lines that can be turned on or off. When turned on, two vertical and two horizontal lines appear on screen, dividing the screen into nine equal sections. Placing the primary subject along one of the lines, or at the intersection of two lines, results in a balanced and interesting shot. Use of the grid adheres to a fundamental principle of photographic composition, known as the Rule of Thirds (for a full explanation of the Rule of Thirds visit digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds). The grid lines can also help in positioning your image with relation to the horizon. The grid lines on the iPhone, which do not appear on the photograph, can be turned on and off in the Photos & Camera section of Settings. 
2. Light: It is said that photography is painting with light, and the best photographers use light to their advantage. Expose an image with too much light and it will be overexposed and look washed out; too little light and it will be underexposed and dark. An advantage of using a point and shoot camera over a smartphone camera is the ability to manually adjust exposure. Controlling exposure on a smartphone is limited, but still possible. On the iPhone, tapping an area on the screen will set the camera’s auto-focus and auto-exposure. Where you tap determines the focal point of the image; a yellow square appears around the focal point and a tiny sun icon appears to the right of the square — use your finger to move it up to make the image lighter or down to make it darker. Holding the spot on the screen for a few seconds will lock in the focal point and exposure, a handy feature if you plan to recompose the image.
3. Telephoto and Zoom: An additional advantage to a point and shoot camera is a built-in optical zoom lens. Controlling an optical zoom lens changes the focal point from wide angle (providing a wide viewing area) to telephoto (narrowing the viewing area and  bringing far away objects closer). The fixed focal length of the iPhone camera lens cannot be changed, but it does have the ability to apply a digital zoom, controlled by placing two fingers on the screen and pulling them apart. With a digital zoom, the image is cropped and the remaining portions of the image are made larger, resulting in some loss of image quality. It is possible to add third-party optical wide-angle and telephoto lenses to the iPhone, and an overview of lens options, and their pros and cons, are covered at the end of this column.
4. Using Flash: An iPhone flash only illuminates subjects up to six feet away, beyond which a flash is useless. A flash can also add red-eye and glare to an image, and thus should be used judiciously. The Camera app allows the user to turn the flash on, off, or set it to auto, applying the flash in all low light situations.
5. HDR: Activating HDR (High Dynamic Range) adds subtle improvements to the exposure and contrast of an image and can be used to produce richer outdoor images and low-light photos without a flash. With HDR selected, the iPhone takes three separate photos, each at a different exposure, and blends them into a single image. As with the flash, there are three states — on, off and auto. If you are hesitant about when to use HDR, leave it in auto mode. By default the iPhone saves both the HDR and the normally exposed photo, a feature that can be turned off in the Photo & Camera section of Settings.
6. Burst Mode: Burst mode is activated by continuously holding down the iPhone shutter button, capturing ten frames per second. To view photos taken in burst mode, click Select to scroll through all the images, choosing to save the one you like best (the iPhone suggests the best image with a small gray dot). Burst mode is especially useful in photographing moving objects — taking multiple photos in rapid succession improves the chances of getting an image without blur.
7. Shutter Button: The final tip is one that may make using the iPhone camera a bit easier. The iPhone shutter button is actually a virtual button represented by a large white circle on the screen. If using the virtual button feels awkward, you have the choice of either pressing the volume rocker button on the side of the phone, or attaching earbuds to the phone and clicking the volume control. All three methods achieve the same results, hopefully good quality photos.

Comparison of smartphone attachment lenses I researched. According to the manufacturers websites, they are all made with high quality glass, optics.:

• ExoLens — The ExoLenses, 3x telephoto and wide-angle, were developed specifically to work with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+. The lenses attach to a bracket which fits the phone. The reviews are pretty good, but most say there is some softness around the edges images. $130
• PROs — Made specifically for the iPhone; comes with tripod mount and lens caps; bracket is very sturdy, 3x telephoto instead of the standard 2x.
• CONs — Cannot use a case with the bracket; works better with tripod then handheld, some distortion and focus issues.
• iZZIGadget Remix 5-in-1 — The iZZiGadget is a lens system on a rotating spindle mounted on a case. There are actually four lenses, 2x telephoto, wide-angle, fisheye, and macro, as well as a polarizing lens. $130
• PROs — Lens rotate and all lenses are always available; case protects phone; case includes a tripod mount.
• CONs — Case cannot be used without lenses; Cannot use the native iPhone lens; distortion and focus issues.
• MomentLens Company — The moment lenses are the most expensive, with each lens costing $99. The lenses attach to a bayonet type mount on a plate that attaches to the phone. In June Moment is introducing a case that can replace the plate, and offers many other features. 
• PROs — Very sharp images, standard cases fit over the lens plate and can be used with the lenses, easy on / easy off.
• CONs — No lens caps (supposed to be available this summer; most expensive option.

Only one more issue of the TR Times for this season. Until next week, practice your iPhoneography.

Photography or iPhoneography

Is your primary camera your smartphone? Do you have another camera, but use the phone camera most of the time?  If you answer yes to either of these questions, you are not alone. An entire culture has evolved around smartphone photography, and while all smartphones include cameras, the popularity of the iPhone has coined a new word — iPhoneography.

Photographers are often asked what is the best camera to use? One answer is that the camera you have with you is the best, because you can use it for the spur of the moment photo opportunity. The next question asked is if photos taken with a smartphone are as good as photos taken with a good point and shoot camera? While the question is open to debate, it is evident that smartphone cameras have been improving with every upgrade cycle, and the phone cameras on the market today rival the photographic quality of many point and shoot cameras. This winter I upgraded to an iPhone 6, with its enhanced camera options, and I find that it has become my camera of choice when I am not using my much larger DSLR (digital single lens reflex) Nikon. A good photo relies as much, if not more, on the photographer than the equipment and thus with a bit of work and understanding, excellent results can be accomplished from a smartphone camera. 

A major differences between a traditional point and shoot camera and a smartphone camera is that the point and shoot does only one thing — take pictures. Other differences include the type of zoom lens (optical vs digital) and the option of using manual control, which will be covered in more detail next week. A smartphone is multifaceted, and to preform each function, a specialized software application, or app, must be installed. All smartphones come with a native camera app preinstalled by the manufacturer, and there are hundreds of third-party apps available for download. While other apps may offer more features, I prefer the simple to use iPhone Camera app which can be quickly accessed from the iPhone lock screen. To use it press the Home Button to turn on the screen and swipe up on the tiny camera icon that appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Understanding the controls on your camera app is the first step to obtain good photos, and it is a good idea to read an app’s online documentation and learn, from the developer, how to use its features. The iPhone camera app is very straight forward and anyone can pick up the phone and begin snapping photos, but for better photos a little knowledge goes a long way. What follows is an overview some of the features of the most current version of the iPhone Camera app. Next week OnMouseClick will cover how to use these features to take better photos.

With the iPhone Camera app you can easily select the focal point and adjust the brightness of an image. In addition to taking standard format photos, the iPhone Camera app can take square format and pano (panoramic) photos. Square aspect is just as it sounds, the borders of the resulting photo will be square instead of rectangular. A panoramic photographic is a unique feature that offers a much wider view than normal, usually by taking multiple, overlapping photos and stitching them together using additional software. With the iPhone you focus on what will be the left side of the image and slowly move the phone to the right until you come to the end of the desired image. The iPhone does the rest, instantly stitching the entire scene into one, long photo.

The iPhone Camera app also features three video modes — standard video captured at 60-frames per-second, time-lapse video captured at 2-frames per-second and slo-mo (slow-motion) video captured at 240 or 120-frames per-second. 

The Camera app also features a flash that can be set to auto, on, or off; a timer, a rear facing camera for self-portraits, better known as selfies, and an HDR feature. The HDR feature is probably the most misunderstood, yet used outdoors it produces a much richer images. HDR stand for high dynamic range and the iPhone version of HDR adds subtle improvements to the exposure and contrast of an image.

Another relatively new feature is burst mode. Hold down the screen shutter button and the camera takes continuous photos, at 10-frames per-second, until you remove your finger. When previewing the burst mode images, you can then choose to save all of them or only the best ones. This feature works especially well when trying to capture a moving object.

Check back next week for a look at tricks for taking outstanding pictures with the iPhone Camera app. If you want to check out some of my iPhoneography, visit my photoblog, Linda’s Lens,  at www.digitalquinn.com/photoblog

Digital Photography — A Passion … part II

Over the past ten years I have taken many more photographs than I can comfortably count. Keeping track of them is a huge job, and keeping track of the ones I want to have access to is even more difficult. I have solved the dilemma of cataloging my photos with the use Adobe Lightroom. The application, which works on both Mac and Windows computers, was designed for use by photographers, and is an amazing tool. In addition to creating a catalog of all imported photographs, the application is closest thing to a true digital darkroom I have used.

Many of you who are Mac users may use iPhoto to catalog and edit your photographs. I have never been happy with the way iPhoto catalogs photos, but it has been the application of choice for a majority of Mac users. I say has been, because it is being phased out, soon to be replaced by Photos for OS X, an application that will function like the iOS Photos app on iPhones and iPads. Mac users can continue to use iPhoto, but as it will no longer be supported, this might be the time to find a better alternative, and if you are serious about your photography, there is no better alternative than Adobe Lightroom. To aid in transition, Adobe has in incorporated features into Lightroom that make it easy to transition from iPhoto and Aperture, Apple’s more advanced photo application (also no longer supported).

Using Lightroom to catalog photos is very straight forward. Every time a photo is imported into the application it is placed in a library. The library can be subdivided into folders and subfolders, and the photos can be stored on multiple disk drives. What makes Lightoom standout is that every photo that has been imported appears in the library catalog, no matter where the actual photograph is stored. If the photo is stored on a disk that is not connected to the computer, an exclamation mark will appear next to the photo, and the name of the drive housing the photo will appear in a side panel. My main Lightroom library holds over 22,000 photographs and works seamlessly.

In addition to storing my photo library, Lightroom is my go-to application for photo editing. With the program I am able to adjust light balance, lighting, and lens correction, as well as preform a myriad of other editing options. I still use Adobe Photoshop for complex editing functions, and for many of you Adobe Photoshop Elements is an excellent alternative, but since I started using Lightroom I find less need to use Photoshop.

Within the past year Adobe has been adding functionality to its mobile applications for both iOS and Android devices, among them a mobile version of Lightroom. Using both the desktop and mobile version of the program I am able to transfer photos between devices over WiFi, edit photos on my iPad, and take selected photos with me wherever I go. 

Lightroom lists for $150 and can be purchased for under $135 from Amazon. It is also available as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan. For a subscription of $9.99 a month, or $119.88 a year, subscribers receive full version downloads of both Lightroom and Photoshop. Upgrades are rolled out to subscribers several times a year, and while Lightroom can also be purchased as a stand-alone application, upgrades are not included. Adobe Photoshop Elements is also still available as a stand-along application, but  Photoshop is can only be purchased through a subscription.

If you are interested in learning more about using Lightroom, there is a plethora of learning material available on the web. Adobe features a full range of tutorials, as do a number of high-quality third party websites.

Adobe tutorials: helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/tutorials.html, tv.adobe.com/show/learn-lightroom-5/

A free getting started in Lightroom guide - lightroom-blog.com/2015/01/03/the-free-start-guide-to-lightroom/

Excellent daily Lightoom tips: lightroomkillertips.com

Information about the new Photos for iOS: www.theverge.com/2015/2/5/7982735/apple-new-iphoto-announced-photos-app-for-mac.