Studio flash power usage

By GarfPosted on 2022-05-062022-05-10Cat Journal, Photography, studioLeave a comment

Another question I saw on on a photography forum recently... "I run 300w strobes how do I work out the kWh on them? Do I use 300 watts of electric each time I fire them?" Firstly, you should have paid more attention in physics class. :-) Your studio flash is not 300 watts. It is… Read More »

Image processing using FOSS

By GarfPosted on 2022-03-062022-04-14Cat Journal, Linux, Photography, TechnologyLeave a comment

I belong to several online photography fora. One of the questions that repeatedly pops up is "what image editing software do you use?" and "what alternatives are there to Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom?" In this article, I hope to demonstrate the advantages of image processing using FOSS (free open source software). At time of writing, I am… Read More »

Benbo Trekker

By GarfPosted on 2022-02-212022-02-21Cat Journal, PhotographyLeave a comment

Just occasionally here in Britain we design and produce a product that is so simple, versatile and completely brilliant one wonders why no one thought of it before. The humble Benbo Trekker camera tripod is one such design. Whilst those expensive black plastic (aka "carbon fibre") things everyone seems to be talking about look pretty… Read More »

Holder for my ruggedised smartphone

By GarfPosted on 2021-06-252022-02-01Cat Journal, PhotographyLeave a comment

I really like my Ulefone 3w ruggedised smartphone. But it is a bit of a "paving slab" to hold in one's hand. Which makes it a tad awkward to use as a camera. So I looked around for a solution. i.e a well-made and solidly-built holder for my ruggedised smartphone, that would not break the… Read More »

Another update: Raspberry π4 for Zoneminder part 3

By GarfPosted on 2021-02-012021-02-09Cat Electronics, Journal, Linux, Photography, Technology, ZoneminderLeave a comment

Raspberry π4 for ZoneMinder Part 1 - Raspberry π4 8GB for Zoneminder Part 2 - Update: Raspberry π4 8GB for Zoneminder Part 3 - Another update: Raspberry π4 for Zoneminder (you are here) My π4 Zoneminder has been running for just over two months. Overall I'm pretty happy with it. The main issue I had… Read More »

Fixing a damaged SD slot

By GarfPosted on 2021-01-162021-01-16Cat Electronics, Journal, Photography, Technology2 Comments

There are many ways to break an SD slot, but a surprisingly common one is to jam a tiny piece of plastic it it that has snapped off from a damaged SD card. The tiny plastic dividers between an CD card's contacts can snap off. I've had quite several cards do that over the years.… Read More »

Removing tricky screw thread lens filters

By GarfPosted on 2021-01-152022-04-02Cat Journal, PhotographyLeave a comment

I'm a fairly keen amateur photographer. Over the years, I have collected quite an assortment of vintage lenses, filters and other bits and bobs. I have also encountered quite a few sticky filters. However, I can honestly say that I have never destroyed a filter by attempting to remove it. Having the correct tool helps… Read More »

Update: Raspberry π4 8GB for Zoneminder part 2

By GarfPosted on 2020-11-302021-02-07Cat Electronics, Journal, Linux, Photography, Technology, ZoneminderLeave a comment

Following on from my last article, this is Raspberry π4 8GB for Zoneminder part 2. Now I have had time to set it up and test it for a while. Firstly, I decided to abandon the ARM64 version of Ubuntu on π because it seems slow and clunky. Basically it seems the current beta ARM64… Read More »

Raspberry π4 8GB for Zoneminder

By GarfPosted on 2020-11-242021-02-07Cat Electronics, Journal, Linux, Photography, Technology, ZoneminderLeave a comment

This is a overview of my adventures experimenting with a tiny Raspberry π4 8GB for Zoneminder GNU/Linux-based security system. Raspberry π4 for ZoneMinder Part 1 - Raspberry π4 8GB for Zoneminder (you are here) Part 2 - Update: Raspberry π4 8GB for Zoneminder Part 3 - Another update: Raspberry π4 for Zoneminder Background I have… Read More »

Remote shooting using “IP Webcam” software.

By GarfPosted on 2020-11-032020-11-14Cat Journal, Linux, Photography, Technology1 Comment

Folks considering remote shooting via smartphone may wish to experiment with Pavel Khlebovich's "IP Webcam". Basically it's an amazingly clever and full-featured app that allows you to control the camera(s) on your smartphone with a remote computer, using standard internet protocols. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pas.webcam I initially got into it because it plays nicely with Zoneminder. Thus any… Read More »

A surprisingly straightforward studio flash repair

By GarfPosted on 2020-11-012022-02-21Cat Electronics, Journal, PhotographyLeave a comment

Back in 2015 I bought 3 pairs of studio flash heads (one pair 400 joule, one pair 360 joule and one pair 200 joule). They were supplied as bargain bundles, complete with stands, brollies etc. via sellers on eBay. They were quite a bargain. Each flash head worked out at approximately £50 per unit, They… Read More »

Ulefone 3w ruggedised smartphone

By GarfPosted on 2020-07-012021-01-01Cat Electronics, Journal, Linux, Photography, Radio, Technology3 Comments

I recently purchased an unlocked Chinese Ulefone Armor 3W. - c/w Mediatek chipset, 8-core 64-bit CPU, dual unlocked SIM slots, 256GiB TF slot and 10700mAH battery. I have quite a soft-spot for cheap generic Chinese phones. Of course, one has to choose the product quite carefully. You need to ensure your preferred device is not… Read More »

Home made light modifier

By GarfPosted on 2020-05-012022-05-11Cat Journal, Photography, studio, Technology

OK, so we are still in coronavirus lockdown here in the UK and I have spent the afternoon playing! :-) I saw the basic idea on a web forum on a photography site, and decided to look around my garage and see if there was any thing suitable to produce something similar. I also took… Read More »

Virtual backdrops and wallpapers

By GarfPosted on 2020-04-162020-05-06Cat Freebie, Journal, Linux, Photography, Technology, Virtual backdrop, WallpaperLeave a comment

Freebies to beat those lockdown blues This is a collection of virtual backdrops and wallpapers that you may download, manipulate and enjoy, for free. These images were created by capturing and saving a large number snap-shots of an open source music visualisation application for GNU/Linux called ProjectM - not to be confused with a 2008… Read More »

Safer modelling lights for Chinese flash head units

By GarfPosted on 2019-11-202022-05-10Cat Journal, Photography, studio, Technology2 Comments

An interesting question came up a little while back on one of the photography fora to which I belong "I'd be interested in knowing how you swapped the halogen bulbs for LEDs because I have the same problem and as you say those bulbs are hotter than hell, makes using modelling lights with a grid… Read More »

What is a WebP image file, and how do I open one?

By GarfPosted on 2019-02-112019-02-11Cat Journal, Linux, Photography, Technology, WindowsLeave a comment

Seems there is quite a lot of buzz about a "new" image format called "WebP" that is seeing increasing use on-line recently. Although it is attributed to Google, WebP was not strictly a Google invention. It was originally developed by On2 of New York as part of its VP* series "Truemotion" video codecs. Google acquired… Read More »

Cheap but effective continuous studio lighting

By GarfPosted on 2017-02-112022-05-10Cat Journal, Photography, studio, TechnologyLeave a comment

For continuous lighting, one needs a light source that has good colour balance, uses power efficiently, is reasonably robust and does not present a health or fire risk. I am also a tightwad - interested primarily in "bangs per buck". Whilst I love new technology, I am not prepared to pay silly money for it.… Read More »

Setting up a home studio

By GarfPosted on 2017-01-252022-05-10Cat FAQ, Journal, Photography, studio1 Comment

When we moved home a few years back, one of the most significant parts of our specification was a detached property with enough space for a reasonable sized home studio. We were looking for a place with a rectangular downstairs room, with no internal obstructions, roughly 6.0m x 4.0m, c/w a cloakroom on the same… Read More »

Converting inexpensive LED flood lights for use in the studio.

By GarfPosted on 2016-12-202020-07-08Cat Journal, Photography, Technology1 Comment

This is how I converted three left-over cheapie (£60 for a box of ten, delivered) 20 watt daylight LED flood lights for use in the studio. The basic tools you need:- Vernier or digital caliper, M10 ISO metric taps. Suitable spanner (17mm AF). Bench vice. Electrician's screwdriver and wire strippers, to make the electrical connections.… Read More »

Repairing an elderly Tamron 80-210mm lens

By GarfPosted on 2016-06-102020-04-10Cat Journal, Photography, TechnologyLeave a comment

Repairing a Tamron 80-210mm lens. End glass removed using special lens tool, available on eBay for about £10. Inside of the lens was a bit foggy. I suspect that oil/grease had evaporated form the zoom mechanism and had re-condensed on the inside of the glass. Anyway, I carefully dismantled it (which is actually pretty straightforward… Read More »