Eli ([personal profile] eub) wrote2004-02-05 11:36 pm

new toy

A Nikon 5400. I've never hefted a camera so light -- the Canon S330 is a little metal brick, and the OM-4T contains its share of titanium. It's pants-pocket-bursting size, and I would have been sensible to get a tolerable little P/S and wait for cheap DSLRs, but, hey, I'll get cargo pants.

All I played with today was the macro mode. It's not macro in the sense of "more than 1:1 if it were 35mm", but it goes down to a field of view of a few centimeters. Suitable for moss. I knew the macro mode was built to work best at the wide end, but what I didn't expect is that it just falls off a cliff at about 60mm FOV.

The "manual focus assist" is a pretty decent way to let you judge the focal plane even on a low-res LCD: sharpen the preview image. Elegant.

I wonder how much it would have cost to make the spinny data wheel they use for focus (and other purposes) be a ring around the base of the lens. Trying to keep 1) one finger of my right hand holding down the manual-focus button, 2) one finger of that same hand operating the data wheel, and 3) one finger of aforementioned same hand on the shutter release -- do you remember those old Logitech ads mocking trackballs for aliens?



for once I'm frustrated by what shows up on the monitor -- there's good detail on the one sharp finger; it just doesn't make it down to this size

okay, I did sharpen this a little, but honestly just a little, not as much as you'd think

[identity profile] ssaiscps.livejournal.com 2004-02-06 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Now I have enough information to fake your fingerprints. Let the framing begin.

Re:

[identity profile] cheesepuppet.livejournal.com 2004-02-08 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, but how do you know it's his hand? He could be messing with us.

Re:

[identity profile] eub.livejournal.com 2004-02-08 10:48 pm (UTC)(link)
I was going to suggest that myself. But then I decided it would create more uncertainty if I didn't.