#Aperture price

[would-they-survive-aperture]

CAPTAIN JOHN PRICE CALL OF DUTY. hes handsome and he's very smart and hasn't died in a game's story mode yet so i think he deserves to be here

#portal 2 #would they survive aperture science #call of duty #cod #captain john price

[neofelis----nebulosa]

When you suddenly realize your polarization filter for your camera lens is just straight up broken

#never saw it break idk how long it’s been broken without me knowing #just looked and it was all cracked up with pieces fallen out of it #thing is it doesn’t show at all in the photos #maybe I’ll be able to see it on computer but I hope not bc I got some things in excited about today #it probably would come across if I shot at a higher aperture but I typically shoot at f 5-6 so you really can’t see it #but it might let in light differently which I haven’t noticed bc it’s been pretty overcast for the most part today #I spent 80 dollars getting a new one express shipped to me and I’m manifesting it getting to me by morning so I have it for tomorrows shoot #and the local camera store is closed on sundays so I can’t stop there before my shoot if it doesn’t arrive on time #at first I thought it was damage to the lens itself which would not have been way worse #which would be much more expensive to remedy #especially given that it’s my 600 mm lens which I would not be able to easily replace #I got mine for 600 which was a very good price chances are I’d have to pay much more

[aperturephotography]

#Aperture Photogrphy #Pricing #Photos #Small Business

[greatstormcat]

Club 141 AU

Poly141 x f!reader

Part 3

Series Masterlist

AN: I cannot stress enough that this is a work of fiction and there are parts of basic safety that are left out for the sake of narrative. In this situation extensive discussion about the use of items that could harm any participants should be carried out before starting a Scene. If a D-type ever springs something on you without you agreeing to it beforehand call red and get out of there. Consent is sexy as fuck. With that said, enjoy the show!

TW: MDNI 18+, BDSM themes, oral both m!receiving and f!receiving, knifeplay but no blood, wax play, handjob, mentions of subspace, restraints, p in v, orgasm denial, anal fingering, degradation, aftercare

The club wasn’t open yet, but you were already in the private room upstairs with Price and Ghost ready to discuss a scene that they had planned for you. Your collar with the club’s logo proudly wrapped around your neck already. However, the conversation ended abruptly when the door burst open to the sound of yelling. Johnny and Gaz all but fall through the door, Gaz’s hands fisted into the fabric of Johnny’s shirt as he pushes the other man violently, looking ready to kill him.

With shocking speed Ghost rushes to break them up, followed by Price, the two larger men taking one combatant each and forcing them apart as they yell, spittle flying as angry words are exchanged.

“That’s enough!” Price bellows, and the two fall into a belligerent silent.

“He’s been at me all fuckin’ week!” Johnny snaps, pointing an accusing finger at Gaz, Ghost’s palm on his chest keeping him back. “Then he punches me!” A livid red mark on his cheek stands as testament to his claim.

Price grasps Gaz firmly by the back of the neck and jerks him closer to himself, talking in a low, firm tone to get him to calm down. Gaz’s shoulders are tense, rising and falling with the effort to control his temper as he leans against Price, fists clenched until the skin on his knuckles is drawn tight.

Price must ask him a question, as you see Gaz screw his face into a pained grimace and then nod, the tension falling away slightly with whatever he has agreed to.

“Simon, take him downstairs,” Price calls to the masked man who has managed to get Johnny to back down. They all look more concerned than angry at the outburst and sudden flash of violence from Gaz, as though they see the underlying issue rather than the symptom as the main issue. Ghost walks over and takes Gaz firmly by the bicep, leading him toward the door. “Wait,” Price calls, his eyes coming to rest on you with a curious expression as he puffs on his ever present cigar. “Take her with you, she can help while you work this out of his system.”

A cold shiver runs down your spine at his words, and the way Ghost looks at you with a slight tilt to his head.

“Yeah, she can alright. C’mon,” he tells you and you get up obediently to follow the pair out of the private room. You trail along behind the two men as Ghost marches down the stairs and towards the rear of the main club, which you’ve not been into yet. These are the rooms used by the club's patrons for their Scenes. An archway, usually guarded by a bouncer, leads to a long corridor lined with closed doors every few meters, and lit with same sinful red striplights as the booths of the club and artwork lines the walls showing various monochrome images of limbs bound in various ways. You can imagine the sounds that would escape these apertures when the club is open to the public, and that thought sends a hot, needy surge through your belly.

Ghost stops at a door he seems to have chosen at random and unlocks it with the set of master keys he has in his pocket, flicking the light on inside. He stands at the open doorway and gestures for Gaz to go in, then looks down at you from behind his white skull mask.

“In you go and kneel until I return,” he says firmly. With a convulsive swallow you go in, surprised to see Gaz kneeling just inside the door, palms turned upwards and resting on his heavyset thighs, head bowed. A lick of heat courses through you at the sight of him in a submissive’s pose, and your mind finally clicks into place as to what he has been sent down here for. You kneel beside him, mirroring his position and pressing the side of your thigh against his, a tiny show of support and solidarity with him for whatever maelstrom he needs to overcome.

The room is comfortably warm, clearly designed for people to be naked in here for a while. The lighting was low, the walls and carpeting a rich royal blue. A black metal rack of various implements adorned one wall, and black padded table occupied the middle of the floor, with a St Andrews cross mounted on the wall opposite a small, two seater sofa.

Ghost returns a few moments later and you watch as he enters the room, looking up through your lashes and attempting to hide the way your breath catches as you catch a glimpse of him. He has changed his clothes. Gone is the black shirt and sharply pressed suit he usually wears, replaced with stone washed jeans, ripped and worn around the knees. He is barefoot, and shirtless, displaying the full sleeve of tattoos on one arm, the expanse of muscle on his torso and arms, along with scars that you try not to look at too long. A pair of black gloves cover his hands, and a leather belt circles his waist with something secured at the small of his back that you don’t quite see. The biggest shock is the balaclava pulled over his face, a dented and dirtied plastic skull over his eyes, and painted white lines running over the fabric covering his chin. Your heart almost stops, he looks terrifying, and you hear the faintest of groans from Gaz at the sight.

“Sergeant,” Ghost barks, and Gaz stiffens in response as you flinch slightly.

“Yessir,” he replies primly, his chin snaps up and he stares directly ahead, not at the masked man.

“Strip,” Ghost instructs. “You too,” he gruffly tells you, and you carefully move to comply alongside Gaz. Soon the two of you are kneeling again, exposed to Ghost completely and you can see the telltale shift in the soft blue denim of his jeans that speaks to his arousal. Gaz, too, carries a half hard cock between his spread thighs.

“You’ll both address me as Sir whenever I speak to you,” Ghost announces, standing in front of the two of you and adjusting the cuff of one of his gloves idly, causing his biceps to flex. “You both know your safewords, yes?”

“Yes, Sir,” you both answer in unison, receiving a satisfied hum from him. Ghost uses a pair of interlinked plastic zip ties to secure Gaz’s wrists behind his back, then does the same to you with a pair of softer, leather cuffs. With a firm grip he wraps his fingers into your hair and anchors his hands into it, maneuvering your head towards his erection, your mouth falling open without need for instruction. But he stops you a fraction of an inch from the end of his length.

“Look at that, Sergeant,” he purrs, shame heating your cheeks. “She’s eager to take my cock. Don’t you wish she was after yours?” He teases Gaz, the creaking of his restraints answering for him before he speaks.

“Yes sir,” he grits out, erection leaking and hanging loose between his spread thighs. Ghost pulls your head forward then, slowly sliding his dick over your tongue and into the back of your throat, and you can do nothing to stop the moan that claws its way out of you as he does. He holds your head still and angles his hips, slowly dragging his length back across your tongue before pushing it back in again, nudging at the ring of muscle at the back of your throat. You can hear the harsh change in his breath as it rasps through the fabric of his mask, and you consciously open your throat for him.

“Good fuckin’ girl,” he praises you, pushing harder and slipping into your throat. Gaz can see the bulge forming in your neck and huffs out a shaky breath, his untouched erection aching and drooling onto the floor. He is forced to watch as Simon languidly fucks your throat, before pulling out and letting you cough and catch your breath.

He turns to Gaz, cocking his head slightly and chuckling at the desperation on his face.

“Open,” he orders, and Gaz obeys without question, letting Ghost place a heavy palm on his head and push him down to swallow the wet length of his cock. “Fuck, it’s been too long since I had you like this, Sergeant.” Ghost’s eyes burn fiercely as he looks down at the man sucking him off, fingers curling into the curls on his scalp possessively, murmuring praises that get him taking his cock deeper and deeper each time.

It looks like Ghost is close to the edge, his knees bend slightly and he thrusts his hips in time with Gaz’s greedy gulps, but he steps back suddenly. Both men are left breathing heavily, and a trail of saliva hangs from Ghost’s flushed cock to Gaz’s full lips for a moment, catching the light.

“Stand up, both of you,” the masked man grunts as he gathers himself, and you follow Gaz’s lead carefully to get to your feet with your hands still cuffed behind your back. Once your are both standing Ghost reaches to the small of his back, and a soft pop indicates something being unfastened at his belt. Slowly he brings his hand forward again, the soft light of the room's lamps glinting off of sharp, vicious steel.

Your chest constricts as he steps closer to Gaz, lifting the knife to the shorter man’s face. You don’t know how you know, but you know the knife is real, sharp, deadly. Ghost runs the blade along Gaz’s cheek, then jaw, down the column of his throat making his Adam’s apple bob in response. Gaz holds himself completely still, barely breathing as the cold, glittering steel traces across his skin and muscles, further down his torso.

His eyes are half lidded, dark and a thousand miles away as Ghost draws the edge of the draw along the underside of Gaz’s erect cock, which twitches in response, a pearl of clear fluid gathering at its swollen tip. Your heart pounds in your mouth as you watch, your pussy clenching around nothing.

Finally, Ghost steps behind Gaz and slices through the plastic cuffs and sheathes the blade before checking in with you both. When he is satisfied you are good to continue he arranges Gaz lying on the padded table on his back and instructs you to position yourself over the prone man’s face. You obey, thighs slick against his cheeks, and you clit twitches and throbs when his breath ghosts over your wet folds. “If you wanna get your dick in her, you have to earn it,” Ghost explains. “Good boys get rewarded, and you’ve been a little shit. Take your punishment and you can get your end wet.”

“Yes sir,” Gaz answers, his voice soft and deep.

“For now, you get her off with your mouth.”

Ghost’s hand presses your shoulders down, forcing you to rest down on his face, and Gaz immediately licks at you, his hands wrapped around your soft thighs. His dark, hooded eyes lock onto yours, holding your gaze as he presses his tongue up to your clit and slowly circles it, before lapping through your folds. You cannot hide how wet you are already just from having a cock in your mouth and watching their interactions.

The sound of a lighter flicking draws your attention, just as a flame flares in Ghost’s hand and illuminates his masked face momentarily. He lights a purple candle in a large glass holder, a lip for pouring on one edge. Wax play, you think to yourself and your skin prickles at the thought of the hot wax.

Ghost moves behind you where you can’t see, heading towards Gaz’s bare stomach. You know when the molten material falls onto the exposed skin, as Gaz flinches and whines against your pussy, but his tongue never stops working you. His breathing is heavy, hot against your sensitive skin, and the sounds of his pained moans and whimpers mix with the feeling of him teasing your nerves.

With a slow movement you turn and glance over your shoulder, watching as Ghost pours a dribble of molten wax from the candle in his gloved hand, down onto the dark canvas of Gaz’s stomach. The lurid purple of the wax stands out against the tender skin beneath, creating a beautiful image you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

Every time wax lands and hardens on Gaz’s skin, his cock bounces. Ghost’s thick fingers wrap around the twitching member, pumping it slowly, not enough to give him any real release but enough to pull moans from him, vibrating against your cunt. With his other hand, Ghost pours another glob of wax, mixing the pleasure and pain.

“Eyes forward,” he growls, and you realise you’ve been caught.

Gaz pushes his tongue into you, a starved animal, lost in the sensations and only held together by Simon’s commanding voice. You drift under his spell too, pliant and nothing but a tool for him to use for Gaz’s torture and reward. It is utterly dehumanizing and deliciously freeing at the same time.

The familiar tension of an orgasm builds.

“Please… please, can I come, Sir?” You beg breathlessly, hips beginning to buck and grind.

“Ah, you remembered, good girl,” Ghost praises you, pushing you closer to the edge. He comes to stand at the head of the table to watch you writhing and panting, so close to coming undone. His arms cross over his bare chest, cock straining behind the fabric of his fly. “You have permission to come.”

You cry out almost immediately, pleasure spiking through you like a snapped band, and Gaz greedily licks up your juices, hitting your clit again and again.

“That’s enough, Sergeant,” he snaps and Gaz stops without hesitation, face glistening beneath you and eyes hazy. Your own brain feels filled with dark clouds of something wonderful, your body warm and floating in space.

“Good boy, time for you to have your reward,” Simon declares from behind his mask. He rearranges you both, and you are soon on your back under Gaz, his elbows resting either side of your head and hips between your thighs. The anticipation is electric, your pussy still throbbing from your orgasm, and the thought of his cock being inside you spurring a fresh, intense wave of arousal.

“How much do you want that pretty cunt around your cock?” Ghost whispers into Gaz’s ear loud enough for you to hear.

“So fuckin’ much, Sir,” Gaz groans in response.

Ghost reaches between your bodies, grasping his hard length.

“Not yet,” he chuckles darkly. “Show me what you want to do to her first.”

It looks like Gaz wants to argue for a moment, but thinks better of it, and begins to move his hips, fucking into Simon’s gloved fist instead. Frustrated grunts and gasps fall from his lips, and his eyes look down at you with longing. The emptiness inside of you screams to be filled and you can’t help but whimper in desperation, your own hips shifting.

“Steady, kitten,” you’re warned, and lay still again. Slowly, Ghost brings his hand closer to your body, almost aligning Gaz’s thrusts with your entrance until he opens his hand and lets Gaz suddenly fill you. He fucks you like a caged animal, fast and hard as his control snaps the moment your wet heat envelopes him. The wet reverberations of skin hitting skin bounce from the walls, mixed with your cries as your body comes alive once again. Quickly his movements stutter, warning of his impending release.

“Do not come, Sergeant,” Ghost remonstrates him as he stalks around the table. “Do. Not.”

Sweat beads and streaks down Gaz’s face as he holds back his orgasm, thighs trembling and teeth bared with enormous strain. The cords of his neck stand out in stark relief. Your own pleasure surges and builds inside you as his hard cock bullies your soaked cunt repeatedly, and your body tightens around him, sending him closer to the edge.

“Hold it, Sergeant,” Ghost growls, running the heel of his gloved hand along the other man’s spine from his neck down to the curling round of his hips. You don’t see it but Ghost caresses Gaz’s ass, squeezing the firm meat of it tenderly, before slipping a lubed digit into the furl of his hole. A deep tremor rushes through Gaz, and the air is punched from his lungs at the sudden intrusion.

“Good boy,” Ghost growls, slowly curling and uncurling his finger.

“You can both come in ten… nine… eight…“ The urge to orgasm builds like a tsunami as Simon begins to countdown, panic rushing through you that you might not be able to hold out. “Seven… six… five…” A strangled whine creeps from between Gaz’s clenched teeth, his massive frame shaking almost violently as he continues to thrust into you. He drops his forehead to yours, the movements of his hips becoming more erratic as Simon probes his ass whilst your pussy clenches around his cock.

“Four… three… two…” You vision becomes dark at the edges, you’re holding your breath and your back has arched off the table, the first cresting wave of your orgasm poised and ready to descend when that sacred syllable is uttered. The faintest tang of blood warns you that you’ve bitten into your bottom lip.

“One,” Ghost rubs his finger sharply against Gaz’s prostate and the two of you cry out as you both let go in unison. Your inner walls spasm and pulse, milking Gaz’s cock as he fills you with his release, his abdominals clenching and curling tightly into you. Liquid heaven courses through your veins, washing away all thought as you cling onto Gaz between your thighs.

“Are you okay?” Ghost asks when you finally open your eyes, and you manage to murmur an acknowledgement to him. Gaz trembles and heaves in air, fully spent, and eyes rolling as Simon eases him off of you and then onto the small sofa.

The door opens and Johnny peeks carefully around the frame, seeing Simon who nods, granting him permission to enter.

“Take care of Gaz for me,” he directs him, before turning his attentions back to you.

“Aye, Sir,” Johnny intones and moves quickly to Gaz, all thought of their earlier fight gone as he tends to his friend, talking softly and pulling him against his shoulder as Gaz comes down once more.

“How did he…?” You start to ask in confusion as Ghost helps you off the table, wrapping his arm around your waist to support you.

“There’s a call button on the weapons rack, goes to the bar and upstairs. Kind of like a panic alarm,” he explains gently. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m great, but how about Gaz?” You ask, trying to peer around Ghost’s huge body. With a chuckle he guides you over to sit beside Gaz, who is wrapped in a thick black towel and drinking something Johnny has brought with him in a sports bottle.

“Just give him a minute, hen,” Johnny says softly, rubbing gentle circles on Gaz’s arm. “Looks like Si really gave him what he needed.”

After a few minutes the light returns to Gaz’s eyes and he smiles at you wearily, pulling you in for a tight hug.

“Yeah, I’m solid,” he tells you, then thanks Ghost.

“No problem, just don’t let it build up like that next time,” Ghost rumbles. “You know to ask if you need something.”

“Yeah, sorry for trying to coldcock you,” Gaz apologizes to Johnny, patting his shoulder firmly. Once the two of you are cleaned up and in a fit state, they take you both upstairs to recover for the evening. Later, Price pulls you aside to continue the interrupted conversation….

——————————————————————————————————————-

Taglist lovelies:

@ttsbaby01 @iloveslasher @aulescev @nobilitando @kaoyamamegami @evolutionarry @bossva @neoarchipelago @lolly145 @cringeycookies @bloodstoneruby @Voidthewriting @dij-ology @xxladysquishyxx @vexshira @southernpsychgirl @thriving-n-jiving @rantingraquel @mandythemint @Raniyahxo @emotion-no-hot-yes-hotel-trivago @daniblogs164 @fluffysmiko @cryingpages @tiredmetalenthusiast @thatonepupkai @ihatethinkingofnames10 @ashy-kit @letmelickyoureyeballs @thatoneslvt @lunamoonbby

If you name is struck through tumblr won’t let me tag you and I will end up removing you from the list if this doesn’t get fixed soon.

To be added to my taglist please complete this form and remember to reblog if you like it!

#club141!au #simon ghost riley #kyle gaz garrick #john soap mactavish #captain price mw2 #cod x female reader #kyle gaz garrick smut #sergeant kyle gaz garrick #kyle gaz garrick x reader #kyle garrick x reader #kyle gaz garrick x you #ghost call of duty #call of duty ghost #ghost call of duty mw2 #simon ghost riley call of duty #kyle garrick x reader x simon riley #simon ghost riley smut #simon ghost riley x reader #gaz smut #ghost smut #simon ghost riley x female reader #call of duty gaz #gaz x female reader #price call of duty #call of duty soap #kyle gaz garrick fic #kyle gaz garrick x fem!reader #cod x reader smut #poly 141 #poly 141 x reader

[sirfrogsworth]

Frogman's Camera Buying Guide

A few weeks ago someone asked if I could recommend an interchangeable lens camera (ILC) to supplement their smartphone photos and hopefully get better pictures of important things like vacations and pets.

I decided to go very extra with my response and due to that... I'm still not finished with it.

I'm worried I am letting this person down because they did not ask for a giant post explaining every detail about cameras in the history of forever.

So I am going to do a camera recommendation post without as much explanation and hopefully I can finish the giant post at some point in the near future.

If you want to take better pictures you are probably going to need a camera with a decent sized sensor, a fast lens, a tripod, and a flash.

The bigger sensor gives you more dynamic range so you can capture brighter and darker things in the photo.

A fast lens has a giant hole in the front that lets in a ton of light. That hole is called the aperture and the bigger it is, the better your photos in dark environments will be. So you will want something that does f/1.8 or f/1.4 (lower f-stop number = bigger hole = more light). This can also help you get a lot of cool background blur.

A tripod will help get you longer exposures without any blur from camera shake. Especially good for landscape photos.

And a flash is for taking photos of pets and other moving subjects when you are indoors and don't have a lot of light. A flash is an absolute game changer for indoor photos.

HOWEVER, never point it directly at your subject.

Point it at a large white ceiling or wall. The flash happens so fast that it freezes motion. It is how I got all of my indoor photos of Otis.

Here he was playing and being rambunctious and he is not blurry.

I used no special settings. I just stuck on a flash and pointed it at the ceiling and suddenly sheep are sticking to things.

Oh, and one other huge benefit of using a flash... you can take much better photos of pets with dark fur. So if you have a cute little void in your home, a flash can help you capture detail in their fur.

Just lift the shadow slider in your image editor and that beautiful fur will reveal itself.

If you get an ETTL or TTL flash, it will output the correct amount of light automatically. You can literally just put your camera in automatic mode, aim the flash at the ceiling, and press the shutter button.

Before I talk about recommendations I want to make one thing very clear.

GETTING A GIANT CAMERA WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY GIVE YOU BETTER PHOTOS.

Aside from my flash aimed at the ceiling trick, a big boy camera is not a magic solution for better photos. In some cases, you might actually get *worse* photos than your smartphone. You need to learn the basic fundamentals of photography and you also need to learn some basic photo editing skills.

Smartphones employ powerful algorithms and computational processes to make every photo you take look as good as possible.

ILCs say, "Here is your RAW data, you figure out the rest."

You don't have to become an expert, but if you watch this free 6 hour photography course, that will ensure you have the knowledge needed to improve your photos.

Okay, let's get into the nitty gritty of buying a nice new old ILC.

If you are on a tight budget and cannot afford a fancy mirrorless camera, I would highly suggest a used DSLR. You can get them for very reasonable prices. And unlike just about every other modern technological gadget, cameras and lenses are built to last for decades. So I have no qualms about recommending used photography gear.

However, I do highly recommend using either KEH or MPB, as they have a long trial period and decent customer service. If something goes awry with your used gear, KEH has a 180 day warranty and MPB has a 6 month warranty. So there is much less of a risk than eBay or Facebook Marketplace. You pay a bit of overhead, but the piece of mind is worth it.

Before I start my recommendations I want to quickly explain the difference between APS-C and Full Frame camera bodies. (For brevity's sake I am going to omit Micro Four Thirds bodies as they are not typically geared toward beginner photography.)

APS-C has a "crop" sensor. It is a bit smaller than full frame and does not perform as well in low light (more noise). However these bodies are cheaper and can still produce great photos. You can see above the sensor is still significantly larger than a smartphone. APS-C adds a 1.5x zoom to all lenses. This can be annoying in small spaces but advantageous for outdoor photography like wildlife and sports. You can use full frame lenses on a crop sensor body (within the same brand). APS-C lenses are usually cheaper but of lower quality.

Full frame has a larger sensor that will give you less noise in low light. It is also much easier to get background blur. Full frame also allows you to work in more cramped spaces. You *cannot* use APS-C lenses on a full frame body. However, the lenses meant for full frame cameras tend to be better quality in general.

If you can save up a little more and get a full frame body, I would recommend it. These bodies used to be geared more toward professional use, but since mirrorless cameras became popular, used full frame DSLRs have become much more accessible to those on a budget. Full frame cameras make it easier to get better results in challenging circumstances. And challenging conditions are really the main area where ILCs still kick a smartphone's ass.

For tight budgets I would recommend the following...

Canon or Nikon APS-C DSLR camera body

50mm f/1.8 lens (Nifty Fifty)

18-55mm APS-C lens (good for landscapes and portraits)

Yongnuo ETTL Flash

There are lenses called "superzooms" which can go from (as an example) 18-200mm or 70-300mm and other crazy focal lengths. That sounds fantastic and very versatile... but these are usually utter shite. You may be tempted to get one of these lenses hoping it can do everything you need, but there are no free lunches in lens land. Unless you are spending many thousands of dollars, the wider the focal range, the worse the lens will be.

When you stick to the 18-55mm range, you can be assured the images will be decent. And if you find yourself really needing a telephoto lens, you can save up and add it to your collection later on. The 18-55 will give you wide angle for landscapes all the way to slightly telephoto for portraits and moderately close wildlife. This lens cannot be used indoors or at night without a flash. Which is why I recommend the Nifty Fifty for that purpose. $100 for a moderately sharp low light lens is a no brainer.

Also, stick to Canon, Nikon, Sigma, or Tamron lenses. You can try exotic 3rd party lens brands when you know more what you are doing. And always make sure the lens has autofocus before buying.

It's hard to give you exact recommendations as used items are not reliably in stock. So I'm going to show you an example of the above, but I am not necessarily saying you should buy this *exact* combination. You might be able to get something similar with Nikon as well.

Canon 60D APS-C DSLR

50mm f/1.8 lens

Canon 18-55mm APS-C lens (EF-S mount)

Yongnuo TTL Flash

(I wouldn't recommend getting a used flash, as the Yongnuo is already a great price and you can't know if someone used the flash 100,000 times or 20 times.)

Altogether that is about $500. You can start with the 60D and the 50mm Nifty Fifty for $330 and add on the other two items later on.

My recommended full frame setup...

Full frame Canon or Nikon DSLR body

50mm f/1.8 lens (same as before)

24-70mm full frame zoom lens (full frame equivalent to 18-55mm)

ETTL Yongnuo flash (same as before)

And an example from KEH might be...

Canon 6D Full Frame DSLR

Canon 50mm f/1.8 Lens

Sigma 24-70mm Full Frame Zoom lens (EF mount)

Yonguo ETTL Flash

And that would be about $800 total.

Again, you can start with just the camera and 50mm lens and add the other items later. So invest $500 initially and go from there.

And just to give a Nikon example as well...

Nikon D600 Full Frame DSLR

Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Lens

Tamron 24-70mm

Yonguo ETTL Flash (Nikon version)

I highly recommend researching any camera body and lens before purchase. I can vouch for the items above, but you should definitely check out some YouTube videos before buying.

All of the stuff on KEH and MBP is marked down in price for aesthetic reasons. They do test everything to make sure it is functional. If you care if the camera or lens looks pristine, it will cost a little extra. But if you don't mind if it is beat to hell, you can save some money. Ugly or not, you will get the same photos out of the gear. As I said, photography stuff is built to last for a long time. Almost all repairs are due to user damage and not defects. And usually defects manifest when the product is brand new.

Oh, I forgot about the tripod!

Amazon's $35 tripod is surprisingly decent. It even got a good review on a very picky tripod review site. I recommend starting with this and then upgrading when you know more what you need out of a tripod.

Amazon 60 inch Tripod

I worry I'm leaving out a lot of important information, but hopefully I can expand in the other post I am working on.

That said, if anyone is thinking of buying a camera and you are not sure about the items you selected, please feel free to message me and I will help you assess your choices. Please make sure you include a budget range when asking for buying advice.

I hope that helps. I will try to finish the more in depth post soon. And it will include tips for how to get better photos from your smartphone if you cannot afford an ILC at the moment.

Further resources...

Recipe for Landscape Photos Froggie's Encyclopedia of Lens Terms

#photography #long post

[sarcasticgaypotato]

thoughts on Caroline?

What to say about Caroline?

She's a massively important character to the franchise, but she barely speaks. She's constantly present in the story, but she's only acknowledged a handful of times. She's everywhere and nowhere, she's everything and nothing at all.

She's GLaDOS, but she isn't, or is she?

Depending on your perspective of Caroline, we either know a lot about her personality or next to nothing.

I think my initial impression of Caroline as a character was much more negative because it was shaped by fanon interpretation.

It's probably not a huge secret that I don't enjoy c/aveline, and that WAS the majority of Caroline content for a long time. I honestly kind of resented that ship, partially because it practically became a given that where there's Old Aperture, there's this ship. These two who barely interacted were EVERYWHERE, and I always got the feeling that the only reason they were popular as a couple was because it's a m/f ship, and the Portal fandom was practically beside itself with excitement to focus on any male character.

I'm not here to ship-bash, if that's your cup of tea, good for you. But personally? Not for me, and it negatively colored my perception of her for a while. It felt a bit like she was a character defined by fanon more than anything else, just there to be in a relationship with Cave (healthy or otherwise) just so it can end in tragedy when he puts her into the robot. I understand why people might enjoy that, but I've always felt like it cheapens GLaDOS's (and by extension, Caroline's) story to make it all amount to just 'being the girlfriend of a mad scientist and tragically paying the price.'

Cave's a creep! He, in my opinion, probably thought his relationship with Caroline was much more friendly than it was. She responds to him like a secretary who knows how to please her boss— "Yes sir Mr. Johnson!"— but nothing personal. She was probably nice and polite because she was a secretary, and look at the era she lived in. If she wasn't all sweet and cheery, Cave probably would've told her to smile more.

So does that mean I think she's the opposite of what we hear? Is she sadistic and cruel like GLaDOS is? No, I'm not saying that either. I'll get into who and what I think Caroline is in a second, but above all else I wanted to point out my frustration with how she's portrayed in connection to Cave. Making her Cave's love interest is boring and bland to me, basing their connection off of the same level of friendliness from her that I've shown to people working in customer service. It's just part of the job.

For Caroline herself? I'm also not a fan of 'evil Caroline' takes. I mean I love a girlboss, but it sort of misses the point here. If Caroline was always evil, sadistic, and scheming, it waters down GLaDOS and her development. If Caroline is too similar to GLaDOS, it takes away from the weight of who and what GLaDOS is. If they’re too dissimilar, it’s difficult to imagine the connection between them.

The fandom was so obsessed with the incorrect— and stupid— idea that Caroline is Chell’s mother that it missed the much more obvious metaphor under their noses. Caroline is GLaDOS’s mother.

Cut from the same cloth, GLaDOS is born of her, but she isn’t her. Without Caroline, GLaDOS would never exist, but it would be absurd to say that GLaDOS is the same person that Caroline is. GLaDOS grew, changed, and became who we saw at the end of Portal 2 much in the same way that anyone grows into being their own person, not a copy of their parents.

Here I go talking about GLaDOS in this ask about Caroline— it’s impossible not to.

If you want my personal take on Caroline?

I think she was a smart woman, keeping up with the actions of a madman and holding her head above the flood of insanity. I think she was able to look the other way when she had to, anyone who worked at Aperture needed that dubious morality. That being said, I think she had a heart. We can all debate until we die whether or not GLaDOS was remotely truthful at the end of Portal 2 about deleting her, but I think there’s a reason she attributed her act of compassion to Caroline— it wasn’t Caroline forcing her hand (claw?) via possession, but rather, she is the only framework GLaDOS has to reference that feeling. That scene is definitely GLaDOS projecting her own emotions onto someone else to avoid confronting them, but I don’t think she would make that comparison for no reason, Caroline might have been how she learned that emotion, even if the feeling is all her own.

Ultimately, Caroline is a character we will only really ever understand through the lens of other characters. We can only try to extrapolate who she is from what we see and hear, but she will likely always be a bit of a mystery. She’s the ghost haunting this franchise, and I kind of love her for it.

#portal #portal 2 #caroline #GLaDOS #I'm not going to call out specific fics or headcanons #but there are definitely takes on caroline that grind my gears #especially when I see them everywhere #I could rant plenty more about all this but I tried to contain myself #tl;dr we can have an interesting character that isn't just 'GLaDOS lite' or 'Cave's girlfriend' you guys #I know shocking concept #but it's true

[littjara-mirrorlake]

Inktober has come to an end...

Presenting weird Phyrexians 25-31!

25: This one is a bit abstract, based on the shape of a bacteriophage and the idea of floating geometric structures. An Orthodoxy sentinel of faith, equal parts garden sculpture and surveillance device.

26: Gitaxian nautilus/ammonite! One of the sea monsters Phyrexia developed after seizing the abyssal Fathom Ward from the Quicksilver Sea's researchers. It's got a spiral of blue eyes on its shell, which blink in a wavelike motion to mesmerize its targets.

27: It's common particularly among the Thanes and Progress Engine to send bloodsucking insects or other flying menaces after targets, in order to extract their oil so it can be used for scrying. Glissa decided she had enough of those games, and made her counterplay. This carnivorous plant lures in spybugs with its intoxicating oil smell--which can be altered to mimic the scent of a specific person--only to snap shut upon them when they land.

28-29: This one is marked as such because on the night of the 28th I sketched out a Gitaxian beholder, but on the 29th I decided to change it a little, in true Phyrexian fashion. Now it's more of an abstract sculpture, but roughly it's a floating aperture with a mass of tentacles coming out of it and a grasping limb dangling below to seize interlopers.

30: Two little guys for the price of one! The top one is simply a gear with legs--maybe you need your machinery to scuttle between structures when you're short on parts. The bottom one camouflages itself with the Glimmervoid hexplates on its back, and scuttles around with its cameras and eyestalks primed to collect visual data.

31: Dredged up from ancestral memory, deep within recollections of a faraway world, Phyrexian ichormages uncovered... the mighty horseshoe crab. The Orthodoxy and the Progress Engine put their own joint spin on it, with a porcelain head crest and needle tail, but the resilient creature escaped the laboratory of its creation. Now its brethren scurry across the Seachrome Coast, catching travelers unawares.

Thank you so much for following me over Inktober, and I hope you've enjoyed these 31 weird and wonderful Phyrexians!

#31 weird phyrexians #mtg #magic the gathering #inktober #creature design #phyrexian #new phyrexia

[crossfalconx5]

Alright heres a list of all the AUs im working on (Multifandom)

HLVRAI - “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream” AU - Benry wins the final fight and holds the science team captive, toying with them as the minds and backstories of each character slowly unravel, and protagonist Gordon M. Freeman begins to crack under the pressure, coming to terms with guilt and the price of being human.

DHMIS - Human Backstory AU - A disheveled screenwriter with a “difficult” marriage finds joy in caring for their neighbor's child, David, with his husband. But when David's untimely death shakes the whole neighborhood, and Red is offered an interesting opportunity by David's father, everything in his life, and the show he creates, takes a turn.

BATIM - Court of the Wretched King AU - The ink demon has created a small group of followers he’s deemed personally useful to him, as the cycle falls apart after Audreys plot to reinvent the way the studio works proves futile. And with a kingdom in shambles, its subjects in disarray, and an angel posing a threat to every living denizen and the lord that seeks to control them, instability is weaving its way through every silent hall of the wretched studio the lord of the dark puddles calls his domain.

FAC/AT - Fractals AU - uhhhh working on it, something to do with the crown and golb connections as well as more alternate universes for the gang to explore

FNAF - Cassidy/Michael swap AU - Michael Afton, original protagonist of the Five Nights at Freddy’s series, end up being the fifth victim of the missing children’s incident instead of Cassidy Chul, and the price of vengeance begins to weigh down on every unfortunate soul that this franchise has gotten its cursed grip on.

HL - Half/Portal swap AU - Chell Freeman braves the deadly halls of black mesa and city seventeen as the combine and mysterious G-Woman pose a threat to all life on earth. While aperture test subject Gordon tries to escape an underground facility while tormented by the past and the malevolent GDoS who seems to know more about Gordon than he does himself.

UT - Aftertale AU- It’s been a year since the monsters escaped the underground and inhabited an abandoned human town and life seems better than ever, but Frisk has begun to hear whispers, old secrets kept buried have begun to be discovered, and doctor Alphys has started to see a familiar figure haunting her in her day to day life.

LTH - Heartbreaker AU - Also still working on it, a character centric AU based on Bennys character and how his experience with the lovely boys took a toll on him

If any of these sound interesting I'd be happy to talk about it!

#half life #portal #alternate universe #undertale #bendy #dhmis #fionna and cake #hlvrai #lisa the hopeful #fnaf #all these abbreviations are so funny to me

[livefromphilly]

Sony A7CII Thoughts After Two Months

PROS:

The A7C was already one of my favorite cameras of all time and this improves on it a lot more than I thought when just seeing the specs. The added front dial alone makes it many times easier to control than the older model, and lets me use my typical Sony setup that I’ve grown accustomed to (aperture on front dial, shutter speed on rear dial, and ISO on the scroll wheel). 

This is the quickest operating Sony camera I’ve owned. I think they kind of lulled me into forgetting how fast cameras can be going from off to on and taking photos. The A7RII was slow as heck with each subsequent model I’ve owned getting faster and faster (A7III to A7C to A7RIV). This new Sony is at a level of speed that makes it hard to go back to using the A7RIV which I still own (for now). 

The autofocus is superb. I still haven’t really put it through its paces since I got the camera in the winter and the lack of light plus uncooperative weather has made it tricky to go out and shoot, but from what I have shot it’s nearly flawless. It’s way better than any camera I’ve owned before. It also has some really neat autofocusing modes, like the ability to focus on the eyes of birds. I’m not really around birds close up all that often but it worked really well at an exotic bird place in Jersey I went to recently. 

The camera is 33 megapixels, which is a nice compromise between feeling like it’s sometimes too much (61) or too little (24). 

The in-body image stabilization is really good. It’s certainly the best I’ve used in any camera so far…although to be fair I’ve never used a Nikon/Canon/Fuji/Olympus body with IBIS, only Ricoh (GRIII), Panasonic (GX7 and GX85), and Sony. 

It can lower the shutter when switching lenses so dust doesn’t get in there. Not gonna lie it seems kind of dangerous and something that could potentially damage the shutter, but so far it’s kept the dust out. 

CONS:

The viewfinder isn’t great. I’ve never really been an EVF snob since I’ve been shooting on mirrorless EVFs for over a decade now (I had a V1 back in 2013), but going from the A7RIV to this makes it kind of stick out. I also recently handled an A7RV, which really blows it out the water. With autofocus lenses it’s no problem, but using manual focus lenses is more difficult. On the plus side, it automatically goes into peaking mode when you manually focus, even when using adapted lenses or lenses without electrical contacts. 

The camera only has one card slot. Not a huge dealbreaker considering every other camera I own aside from my A7RIV is the same in that regard. A second slot even if it was a micro would have been great though. A nice thing about the A7RIV is that I’ve never left home without a memory card because even if I forget one there’s always another in there. 

No joystick. Again, not completely necessary but it’s nice to have. Most of my subjects aren’t humans (or animals, or other things that the camera can instinctively detect) so there are plenty of times I want to position the focus point myself. 

Slow flash sync and shutter speed. This camera is like the A7C before it in that it only flash syncs up to 1/160. It also only shoots up to 1/4000.

Still don't love the flip screen because it makes quick waist-level shooting a pain in the ass. I wish they went with the A7RV style screen.

Speaking of, all the new perks on this camera make me want to use it a ton more than my A7RIV, but it also makes me want to get an A7RV. Maybe I'll sell my X100V since the prices are nuts right now...

SAMPLE PHOTOS:

Sony 85mm f/1.8 | ISO: 250, f/2.8, 1/125 sec

Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 | ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/160 sec

Sony 85mm f/1.8 | ISO 5000, f/1.8, 1/50 sec

Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 @ 20mm | ISO 3200, f/2.8, 1/125 sec

Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 | ISO 100, f/2, 1/160 sec

Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 | ISO 12800, f/2, 1/50 sec

Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 | ISO 100, f/2.2, 1/640 sec

Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 @ 32mm | ISO 320, f/2.8, 1/20 sec

Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 | ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/500 sec

Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 @ 37mm | ISO 800, f/2.8, 1/40 sec

Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM w/ K&F Concept Black Diffusion 1/4 Filter | ISO 8000, f/1.4, 1/50 sec

Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 | ISO 250, f/1.8, 1/125 sec

Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 | ISO 250, f/2, 1/125 sec

Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8  @ 20mm | ISO 400, f/2.8, 1/40 sec

Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM | ISO 8000, f/1.6, 1/50 sec

Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 @ 20mm | ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/320 sec

#Informal Reviews of Cameras #Cameras #Sony #Sony A7CII

[azurdlywisterious]

How would the atompunk trio react if the protags of their games were switched around. Like idk, put Chell in Rapture and the Courier(however you designed them) in Aperture and Jack in the New Vegas Strip. You can decide how the protags are swapped around though

oh ho ho you have no idea how long ive been planning the larger universe this au in my head is set in. so let's tune into the madness together, shall we?

(circutboard divider made by @violetbudd )

Mr. House meets Jack

Mr. House was not expecting a jumpy, uncoordinated young adult to stumble his way into the Lucky 38, but Victor has nothing but good things to say about the kid so he can't be bad. Jack follows order well, which is both a blessing and a curse Mr. House finds out, so he works out a way to get Victor to keep reminding Jack of what he needs to do and it's smooth sailing from there. Would consider working out a deal with the Followers of the Apocalypse to see what is up with Jack after the Hoover Dam battle.

Mr. House meets Chell

Mr. House gets along with Chell quite well. Chell is efficient and creative with completing missions. And she's willing to be paid in only information which cuts down on costs by a lot. He does find that gun of hers rather intriguing, which would turn into a whole cat and mouse of him trying to get the portal gun from her to examine and her not giving him the gun. Chaos ensues.

Cave Johnson meets the Courier

Cave Johnson wouldn't realize that the various people he keeps testing are all the same Courier. But hey, when you're dealing with an anomaly that keeps reincarnating lets you vivisect them, you tend not to ask too many questions (except for why do you keep coming back after you fall into the corrosive water). Certainly keeps the Courier around later on, hoping to figure what keeps them regenerating their body while keeping their memories intact (in his quest to live forever). Sadly, he doesn't figure it out in time. The Courier would then explore the Aperture labs until who knows when. Although thanks to the fact that they can sorta never die (sure their body dies but their memories dont think kinda like a timelord) then they would remember exactly who Caroline was when interacting with GLaDOS. Oh and the angst of finding all the old lab stuff and Cave Johnson's voice logs again at the Portal 2 timeline point of the game that would actually be heartbreaking.

Cave Johnson meets Jack

Cave Johnson loves Jack. Everyone loves Jack! Who wouldn't love Jack? Cave Johnson would be sure to let everyone know that no one gives Jack orders except for him and Caroline. Would treat Jack like the son he never had and also give him cocaine for his anxiety (for science). Would also want to vivisect Jack to figure out how he keeps lighting things like the mantis men on fire. Wasn't seriously considering making combustible lemons until he saw Jack could light things on fire and decided that the same principles could be applied to lemons too.

Andrew Ryan meets the Courier

Andrew Ryan actually gets to interact with only one Courier thanks to the Vita-Chambers. And as luck would have it, he gets to interact with Suzie Fromme (my favorite courier and the one I always think of when I think of couriers). And he would think Suzie is weird and unhinged and way too powerful but not in a cool way but in a way that scares him (you modded a Bethesda protag of course she breaks reality). But since she's an agent of chaos that only wants to help people he would strike a tentative deal with her to take Atlas down. She would agree for the low price of "a room in the prettiest building in Rapture" which according to her is in Fort Frolic(?) which with all the delirious denizens dropping like drones means that there probably is an open room. Did I mention Suzie has the Black Widow perk? Upon finding out how she got rid of Atlas, Andrew Ryan decides that she is not to be trifled with at all and can be Sander Cohen's problem until the city collapses.

Andrew Ryan meets Chell

Andrew Ryan would probably love and hate Chell. Love because she dispatches enemies with efficiency and doesn't listen to Atlas but also doesn't listen to him. Eventually determines that she just wants to go to the surface and leave forever and after doing a couple of missions for him, lets her. Doesn't like that she's playing all sides trying to find the fastest way to leave, but she just wants to always come put on top. Which she does. Would weaponize her bond with Tenenbaum in a last ditch attempt to get her to do what he wants.

#the courier is like a timelord to me i guess #atompunk ancap trio #mr house #the courier #fallout new vegas #cave johnson #caroline portal #chell portal #portal 2 #andrew ryan #jack bioshock #bioshock #long post

[michaelwriston]

Hey Micheal what camera would you reccomend to some one starting out taking photos & what’s your set up?

Hey!

I'm a firm believer in buying an inexpensive DSLR or mirrorless setup with interchangeable lenses. You don't have to break the bank on a starter setup — just focus on buying a camera with a robust selection of first- and third-party lenses.

My usual advice is to start simple and only upgrade gear once you run into a physical or technical limitation that stops you from realizing your vision. For example, if you're not getting the shallow depth of field you want with your current lens and body, then maybe it's time to consider buying a lens with a larger maximum aperture (e.g., f/1.8 or f/1.4).

I started out with a Nikon D50 and a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8. That served me well for nearly five years, before I started running into technical limitations with the sensor that made shooting night photos difficult. That's when I switched to shooting medium format film for a spell, before ultimately settling on a full-frame Canon digital body. All-in-all, that experimentation period took about 17 years (I'm still not done).

That said, shop used for your first camera. Places like KEH or MPB have a great selection of tested and used gear. I personally shop from MPB. Here are a few great beginner full-frame camera bodies. I'll break out lenses later on in this post.

Why full frame? I think you get superior image quality, better depth of field, better image resolution for printing, and phenomenal dynamic range.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III ($714)

Nikon D750 ($774)

Canon 6D Mark II ($884)

Nikon D810 ($819)

Anyone of these are going to get the job done and then some.

The world of lenses is complicated and varied. You'll have “prime purists” that will tell you to eschew zoom lenses and only shoot prime (a lens with no zoom capabilities). You'll have people that say longer telephotos are all you need. The truth is, you'll find your niche the more you shoot. I prefer prime lenses for their simplicity (and the less I have to think about, the better).

I'll break these out by purpose.

Portraiture

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 ($259)

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 ($134)

Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 ($184)

Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 ($78)

Landscapes

Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS ($294)

Nikkor AF 24mm f/2.8 ($134)

Multipurpose

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-f/5.6 IS STM ($54)

Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ($73)

I could go on and on, but this is enough to get you a start in the right direction.

If I were to put together a beginner kit with the above options, I would snatch up the Canon 5D Mark III with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 and the Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS. Total cost before taxes and shipping would be $1,142. You would have an incredibly flexible kit that lends itself to portraiture, landscapes, and street work, all for the same price as a new “prosumer” kit with only one lens from Amazon or other big box stores. If you don't know which direction you want to go, or you want to save on cost, there's nothing wrong with swapping out the two primes and grabbing the 18-55mm kit lens for next to nothing. That will at least let you dabble with different focal lengths and see what suits you.

I'm happy to answer any other questions here!

P.S. I shoot with a Canon EOS 6D Mark I and usually have a Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens mounted on it for street portrait/street landscape work. My other carry-around camera is a Ricoh GR III.

#photography #questions #photographers on tumblr #original photographers #buying a camera

[brandulox]

Forget Samsung: Xiaomi 14 Series Ready to Dethrone Galaxy S24 as King of Android

The Xiaomi 14 series has been officially unveiled in China, and it looks like it will be the Android flagship series to beat in 2023. The new Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro come with improvements across the board, including bright displays, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, upgraded cameras, super-fast charging, and a titanium frame option for the Pro model. While we wait to get the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro in for full reviews, here is a preview of the key specs and features to expect from Xiaomi's latest flagships. We'll update this preview once we have the devices in hand and can provide more details from our hands-on testing. Xiaomi 14 Series Key Specs Xiaomi 14Xiaomi 14 ProSize, Weight152.8 x 71.5 x 8.2 mm, 188 g161.4 x 75.3 x 8.5 mm, 223 gDisplay6.36" OLED, 120Hz, 3,000 nits6.7" OLED, 120Hz, 3,000 nitsProcessorSnapdragon 8 Gen 3Snapdragon 8 Gen 3RAM, Storage8/256GB, 12/256GB, 12/512GB, 16/1TB LPDDR5X12/256GB, 16/512GB, 16/1TB LPDDR5XCameras50MP main (f/1.6), 50MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 50MP 3.2X telephoto f/2.0, 32MP front50MP main (f/1.42-4.0), 50MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 50MP 3.2X telephoto f/2.0, 32MP frontBattery4,610 mAh4,880 mAhCharging90W wired, 50W wireless120W wired, 50W wireless The highlights include the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, fast LPDDR5X RAM, bright 3,000 nit displays, and extremely fast charging speeds. The Pro model also introduces a variable aperture main camera and titanium frame option. We'll need to thoroughly test out these phones to see how all these specs translate to real-world performance and experience. Stay tuned for our full reviews! Xiaomi 14 Series Design The Xiaomi 14 series retains the premium design identity of the previous generation, with curved displays and backs, rectangular camera modules, and slim profiles. The Pro model introduces an eye-catching new titanium frame option. Both phones also utilize Xiaomi's new proprietary Ceramic Glass material on the front and back for added durability.

Xiaomi 14 Pro Color options include: - Xiaomi 14: Jade Green, Black, White, Pink - Xiaomi 14 Pro: Titanium, Black, White, Green

Xiaomi 14 Xiaomi 14 Series Cameras The Leica-tuned cameras on the Xiaomi 14 series bring some exciting upgrades. The main 50MP sensor on the Pro model features a variable f/1.4-f/4.0 aperture for more flexibility. The new 50MP ultrawide camera promises improved quality. The telephoto camera uses a floating lens element for better edge-to-edge sharpness. New AI tricks like eye tracking autofocus and Night OIS should also help boost photography. We look forward to putting these new camera systems through their paces.

Xiaomi 14 Series Software The latest Xiaomi 14 series introduces an exciting shift from MIUI to the new HyperOS. Running on Android 14 out of the box, HyperOS promises an improved user experience focused on four key areas: performance optimization, seamless connectivity, predictive intelligence, and robust security. While full details on HyperOS are yet to come, early reports suggest substantial AI and on-device neural processing. This enables advanced contextual awareness and personalization. Software support remains unconfirmed, but if last year's models are any indication, the Xiaomi 14 line should receive major OS updates for at least four years. Xiaomi 14 Series Availability The Xiaomi 14 and 14 Pro launched first in China, but global availability typically follows a couple months later. Pricing is also usually a bit lower for global markets. We expect the Xiaomi 14 series to compete head-to-head with the Galaxy S23 series in many regions later this year. The Xiaomi 14 in particular looks like excellent value if they can hit a competitive price point. In summary, the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Pro bring some exciting upgrades and look very promising on paper. We can't wait to get them in hand for full reviews. They have a good chance of being the top Android flagships of 2023 if their real-world performance lives up to the hype. Stay tuned for our detailed analysis. Read the full article

#HyperOS #samsung #xiaomi

[skydarcyedwards]

Splendid Blue Fairywren

Sky Edwards

Bibra Lake

Canon R7

Canon EF 100-400 L IS USM

My greatest difficulty with birding is light. In the late afternoon, I had to take the shutter speed down to 1/200s for some of these shots. Not ideal at 400mm or such a fast, nervous bird.

Stabilisation and shooting raw files help, but the ideal solution would be a larger aperture lens. Unfortunately, the cheapest options are priced similarly to small cars, so like most people, my birding has a curfew.

#fairywrens #wrens #blue wrens #splendidbluefairywren #australianbirds #birds #australian birds #skydarcyedwards #wildlife #wildlifephotography

[salenaswan]

New Camera 📸

Camera Type: Fujifilm JX50 (500 SERIES)

Released - 2012? Can't find the exact date but according to DP review, it was announced in 2012.

Brief Specs:

16 Megapixels

Focal Length - 26-130 mm

Optix Zoom - 5x

Max Aperture - F3.5-6.3

Sensor type - CCD

Sensor Size - 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm)

ISO - 100-3200 (with boost)

Max Rez - 4608-3216

Entry 1:

~Intended to be kept as a keepsake and for practice~

I just recently graduated as an MFA Photography Student at Ulster University, now that I'm free to practice whichever way I want, I want to resume practicing street photography and macro. I bought this camera both as a y2k trend keepsake but also for fun practice as I do not have any DSLRs on hand anymore atm. Personally, I enjoy finding 'old' or nostalgic items I've never used before to see how far I can push my style preference on more limited cameras.

And due to the y2k trend, this seemed the perfect way to experiment. I was too little most of the time to own a compact camera and didn't see the point in owning one since we always have our cells on hand, but I've been feeling nostalgic this past year for tech I never got to try in the past and wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone for a piece of equipment that's easy to have on hand at all times or at a moment's notice without looking too obvious. My camera doesn't technically count as early y2k tech but it's vintage to me lol. And I wanted to recreate a similar vibe for me.

I'm honestly surprised I managed to find one at such a decent price (£43 ebay) at the peak of this trend. And for a solid colour camera no less. It came near mint-condition, with all of its battery chargers and a newish battery. I'm new to this but I still happened to notice that in the West, compact cameras typically come in standard black, silver, and reds. I'm in the U.K. atm, so perhaps that's why it was easier to come across a solid purple one. WAY prettier colours are available in Japan 😭. I want to keep collecting unique colour models but it's such a pain to find sellers who sell the camera with all of its battery equipment.

Out For A Test!

These are all shot in Belfast city centre.

Macro Mode Test

I need to try again once I get a better hang of this camera and when I'm not blocking people traffic: nothing beats a proper macro lens but even still, this'll easily do in a pinch. Shame the camera doesn't shoot RAW :(

Videos that inspired me to go collect y2k tech, it's also worth noting that the trend is also noted for taking off possibly due to film getting very expensive to buy for both hobbyists and professionals and some photographers are trying to collect digicams that create unique looks similar to that of film so keep that in mind when researching:

#digicam #digital camera #y2k aesthetic #y2k nostalgia #film photography #streetphotography #macrophotography #nostalgia #belfast #uk photography #Youtube

[kramlabs]

#fujifilm

[sirfrogsworth]

I am so confused.

Even when this lens was first released it was $850 brand new.

Does he think people aren't going to check current prices? Did he get scammed and overpay originally? Not to mention eBay gives you a suggestion for pricing.

I really wish I hadn't sold my lenses. There was a point where I had a major decline in my health and I could no longer make comedy for my main website. At the same time, my parents were getting sicker and needed more help. We were also struggling financially. I was so depressed and I was sure I'd never do photography again, so I sold most of my lenses.

We needed the money at that moment, but in the grand scheme of things, the lens money barely made a dent in our situation. Not to mention, we got a small inheritance from my grandmother soon after, so that increased my regret. It took me years of scrounging and saving to build up a collection of 5 lenses. None of them top of the line, but all of them a good value for their performance.

Thankfully I kept the lens I used to take pictures of Otis—my "puppy lens." But my ultra wide, my macro, my tele, and my portrait lens... all gone.

And now I am trying to figure out the cheapest way I can do what I want to do with photography and I'm remembering just how expensive this hobby is. But I think I need to figure this out because I have had a substantial boost in my mental health since I started taking photos again.

A good 50mm could serve several roles. I can add extension tubes for macro. It is about 75mm on an APS-C camera, which is good for portraits. The wide aperture would allow low light photography. Combined with my Otis lens, all I'd be missing is telephoto and ultra wide angle, but honestly I never did much of that anyway. Though ultra wide angle photography is probably the most fun you can have taking pictures—even if the photographic uses are rare.

I did get a Nifty Fifty for my trip to Orlando. I wanted to see if I could get away with using a $100 lens. For the price, it is surprisingly good. And it is the first lens I recommend to anyone starting photography—as almost every camera brand has its own version. But I had several issues trying to make it work for my needs.

It's not very sharp, which is actually fine for shots taken at a distance, but would be a deal breaker for product photos and macro shots which are very close up. Those require as much detail as possible, especially if you need to crop. When you are trying to show people the fine hairs on a bee's body, a soft image just isn't going to have the same impact.

It also does not nail focus consistently and it back focuses (it focuses more behind than in front). Which is a deal breaker for my efforts to use less energy. When I did my portrait shoot with Katrina, I had to do many test shots and look at them on the computer to make sure I was getting them in focus. I was going back and forth and getting up and down. In the end I had to use a smaller aperture and higher ISO to get increased depth of field. And even then the tip of her nose was soft in the photos. Not to mention the added noise from raising the ISO.

This Sigma is a wonderful lens. I'm trying to find a good deal used, but it's still out of reach for now. I have no idea what my financial future is right now and until I know for sure that my brother will release my inheritance in March, I have to be more careful with my budget.

I am going to sell all of my studio lighting gear and use those funds to help me set up a new studio upstairs. I'm hoping that will cover the new lights I will need, but I don't think it will be enough for a lens. Someone suggested a site where I can turn my yard into a dog park, so I am looking into that. I might also see if I can get some gigs restoring photos for people, but it is so difficult finding clients.

Every problem has a solution. And maybe the universe will do me a favor and keep my brother from being terrible just this once.