Just in case I have some people from camera companies reading this blog (heck, you never know, you'd be surprised at the kind of people who write to me), I thought I'd just mention the camera I want for next Christmas. (Hey, I'll even pay for it.)
There are many wonderful digital cameras now. The pictures quality is surpassing film already. And prices dropping year over year. But there is one camera we don't quite have yet: the super-quality street- or travel-camera. I want something with the mechanical quality of the Zeiss Ikon or the Leica M, or the Contax T2.
I want something with compromise-free mechanical quality. Something for lovers of excellent tools. I want it to be compact and leightweight like the original Ur-Leica seventy years ago, or Olympus OM-2, or maybe even Rollei 35. ... OK, so maybe making is as small as the last one would compromise the professional usability of it. Well, let's say I am talking about two different cameras then, a very compact and a super compact. :)
Unlike the Zeiss Ikon or the new Epson digital rangefinder camera, I want it to be modern. This means autofocus and no manual winder. These things should be obvious, but are not to all lovers of such cameras. They are stuck in the sixties. :)
I want it to be really fast. Top speed and reliability of the autofocus.
An excellent imaging chip, of course. And a great lens. It does not even have to be exchangable or a zoom lens. Just a really good one. And wideangle.
And a high-resolution LCD-screen, which flips out. I have found that a flip-out screen is heaven for street photography and many other applications. You can hold the camera over your head, by your hip, or at ground level, and still compose your pictures precisely.
We have cameras with all these things already, so we know it is possible. Somebody just needs to put it all in one camera. (I'll admit it won't be easy.) Anybody, please? I don't care who makes it, I was never the big brand-loyal guy. I just buy the best.
===
Update 2015: took about four years, but cameras like this finally started appearing. Chips good good enough that autofocus good speedy in compact cameras, especially in Micro Four Thirds cameras. My first top favorite there was the Olympus E-PL5, which is still a good choice, though the E-PL7 is the top dog now. (And the lenses can be used with bigger cameras in the same system, like the amazing current Olympus E-M5 II.)
[Panasonic also have good cameras in the M4/3 system, but the Olympus ones have stabilization built into the camera itself, a huge advantage.]
The current fan favorite, amazingly for a few years now, in the pocket-able category is the Sony RX100. It's amazing, has a much bigger sensor than was usual for compacts, and of course a great lens. It has been updated until now three times, but I still prefer version II, because in the next ones they limited the zoom to 70mm, a really bone-headed move in my taste. To me, 100 or 120mm is the minimum for it to function like a tele-lens, even a short one.
Fuji made a big splash with the X100. I had it, but it turned out that I was wrong when I wrote that it did not have to have a zoom, for me. After getting used to zooms, it just feels horribly limiting to be stuck with one focal length. (Two bodies with two different non-zooms may do it, I haven't really tried it yet.)
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
MacWorld Keynote, Steve Jobs
A big percentage of my friends, my readers, and the generally kool, kooky and fun people around are Mac fans and iPod fans. If you have never seen a Steve Jobs keynote speech before, now is a good time to start. I always watch one when there is a new one. Steve is an amazing guy, who has a huge enthusiasm for creating technology which makes life easier, more fun, and more creative for all of us (instead of a tiny minority who has the time to learn complex computing).
As it happens usually at MacWorld events, Apple Computer has just announced a slew of exciting new products and services. Easy and exciting new ways of sharing your photos and so on, new machines, etc. I honestly think that not only are Apple's products and attitude the best in the world, but they also set a gold standard that others are working hard to live up to, in terms of excellence, fun, ease of use, and setting the customer first and uppermost. Without them, it would be a much greyer and more boring world running on DOS 9.1. Well done, Steve and Apple.
As it happens usually at MacWorld events, Apple Computer has just announced a slew of exciting new products and services. Easy and exciting new ways of sharing your photos and so on, new machines, etc. I honestly think that not only are Apple's products and attitude the best in the world, but they also set a gold standard that others are working hard to live up to, in terms of excellence, fun, ease of use, and setting the customer first and uppermost. Without them, it would be a much greyer and more boring world running on DOS 9.1. Well done, Steve and Apple.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Prestige
I have a lovely friend who is working in the orchestra of a major metropolitan opera house. It is very prestigious.
The pay is pretty good.
... Until you consider the cost of living in the big city. And the fact that they work six days a week, rehearse in the morning and play in the evening. So they have one day a week off only.
My friend is very creative, so she is suffering under this job. Playing the same thing every day in a big orchestra is not exactly a creative outlet. But most (classic) musicians are probably more like craftsmen than artists. So many suffer it gladly, more or less. It is a highly sought-after position, after all, one that millions of musicians covet.
It makes me think: how important prestige is for us humans. People will work long, long hours for their whole life, without any prospect of advancement, for half-decent pay, just for the pleasure of being able to say to new people they meet (if they ever have time to meet any): "I play at ___ Opera House."
Wow, it's amazing.
The pay is pretty good.
... Until you consider the cost of living in the big city. And the fact that they work six days a week, rehearse in the morning and play in the evening. So they have one day a week off only.
My friend is very creative, so she is suffering under this job. Playing the same thing every day in a big orchestra is not exactly a creative outlet. But most (classic) musicians are probably more like craftsmen than artists. So many suffer it gladly, more or less. It is a highly sought-after position, after all, one that millions of musicians covet.
It makes me think: how important prestige is for us humans. People will work long, long hours for their whole life, without any prospect of advancement, for half-decent pay, just for the pleasure of being able to say to new people they meet (if they ever have time to meet any): "I play at ___ Opera House."
Wow, it's amazing.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Paper books
Gen commented:
"On E-books: a practical and useful instrument for a quick read. But I prefer to hold an (ancient) book in my hands, smell it (!) and file through the pages filled with photographs and other pieces of art."
Indeed many feel this way, justifiably.
On the other hand, as Scott McCloud says: "If you take away the ideas held in the books, what do you have but dead trees?"
In other words, our emotional experience of any medium is colored heavily by the experience of the ideas which we experience through that medium. Sure, some paper books are beautiful objects. But I have read wonderful books in cheap paperbacks also. and I am sure that within ten years there will be premium e-book readers which will also be very beautiful objects, and which will be the new objects on which readers
will transfer their emotional experience of the ideas they read on them.
"On E-books: a practical and useful instrument for a quick read. But I prefer to hold an (ancient) book in my hands, smell it (!) and file through the pages filled with photographs and other pieces of art."
Indeed many feel this way, justifiably.
On the other hand, as Scott McCloud says: "If you take away the ideas held in the books, what do you have but dead trees?"
In other words, our emotional experience of any medium is colored heavily by the experience of the ideas which we experience through that medium. Sure, some paper books are beautiful objects. But I have read wonderful books in cheap paperbacks also. and I am sure that within ten years there will be premium e-book readers which will also be very beautiful objects, and which will be the new objects on which readers
will transfer their emotional experience of the ideas they read on them.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Audio books
I recommend audio books, for instance from iTunes Music Store.
They are great for use in the iPod when driving, or when walking, makes the constitutional also be educational.
Some of my favorites are the books by Douglas Adams, ready by himself. And the books of Steve Martin, read by himself. And Robin Williams, interviewing various creative/famous people.
One comment though: It seems that many suppliers of audio books, as well as e-books, are pricing them the same as printed books. This is just wrong on so many levels. Production and distribution costs are a tiny fraction of those of the paper counterparts, and to not pass on part of those savings to your customer is just greedy, and it is disrespectful of your customer.
Personally I would say that about half the price (at most) would be right.
Apple iTunes charges two dollars for a downloadable 40-minute TV show without ads. That is a good price. And they charge eight dollars for a 30-minute audio interview. That is not a good price.
They are great for use in the iPod when driving, or when walking, makes the constitutional also be educational.
Some of my favorites are the books by Douglas Adams, ready by himself. And the books of Steve Martin, read by himself. And Robin Williams, interviewing various creative/famous people.
One comment though: It seems that many suppliers of audio books, as well as e-books, are pricing them the same as printed books. This is just wrong on so many levels. Production and distribution costs are a tiny fraction of those of the paper counterparts, and to not pass on part of those savings to your customer is just greedy, and it is disrespectful of your customer.
Personally I would say that about half the price (at most) would be right.
Apple iTunes charges two dollars for a downloadable 40-minute TV show without ads. That is a good price. And they charge eight dollars for a 30-minute audio interview. That is not a good price.
Friday, December 30, 2005
New photos page
Here are the rest of the hometown photos. Go to stobblehouse home page and go to
Karrebæksminde Deux medium - large
(select medium or large images).
As you can see from the large images especially, the quality is pretty amazing from a camera you can have in your breast pocket. The Fujifilm F10 especially has much better low-light capabilities than other compact digicams. If the performance of this chip will spread to other cameras, big and small, it will change the field.
Karrebæksminde Deux medium - large
(select medium or large images).
As you can see from the large images especially, the quality is pretty amazing from a camera you can have in your breast pocket. The Fujifilm F10 especially has much better low-light capabilities than other compact digicams. If the performance of this chip will spread to other cameras, big and small, it will change the field.
Spaceman
"What are you doing, Charlie Brown?"
"I'm a poor, lonesome cowboy."
"Why are you so lonesome, Charlie Brown?"
"Because all the other kids are playing Spaceman."
From Peanuts by Schulz
"I'm a poor, lonesome cowboy."
"Why are you so lonesome, Charlie Brown?"
"Because all the other kids are playing Spaceman."
From Peanuts by Schulz
A New Year's Story
A New Year's Story
By Eolake Stobblehouse
I had a dream I was chased by a horrible, half-dead monster through a big house. The house was mine, but much more complex. I was getting away from the monster, but I was still afraid, and I could still smell its rotten stench of death. I thought maybe that is just because the monster is dying.
I caught glimpses of somebody ahead of me, always disappearing. It seemed to be a beautiful woman, and she was glowing. Maybe she even had wings, I could not be sure. I followed her as best I could, and I was tired.
I went past big windows showing the world outside, and it was stormy. Big bat-winged things haunted the people, and the sun was under the horizon, but rising. And the air was clearer than it had been.
I almost caught up with the beautiful woman, and she went through a door I had not remembered. I followed her.
It was a glowing landscape, and I could not see it clearly yet, for my eyes had not evolved to see such energy. It felt like something amazing, something wonderful.
I sat down patiently and tried to evolve faster.
The end
By Eolake Stobblehouse
I had a dream I was chased by a horrible, half-dead monster through a big house. The house was mine, but much more complex. I was getting away from the monster, but I was still afraid, and I could still smell its rotten stench of death. I thought maybe that is just because the monster is dying.
I caught glimpses of somebody ahead of me, always disappearing. It seemed to be a beautiful woman, and she was glowing. Maybe she even had wings, I could not be sure. I followed her as best I could, and I was tired.
I went past big windows showing the world outside, and it was stormy. Big bat-winged things haunted the people, and the sun was under the horizon, but rising. And the air was clearer than it had been.
I almost caught up with the beautiful woman, and she went through a door I had not remembered. I followed her.
It was a glowing landscape, and I could not see it clearly yet, for my eyes had not evolved to see such energy. It felt like something amazing, something wonderful.
I sat down patiently and tried to evolve faster.
The end
Fate or not
Zeppellina said...
I have never believed that life is pre-determined.
Circumstances happen, and what comes next is determined often by our individual reactions to them.
I think we have the ability to decide how other people view us by the way we respond to them, and this often again changes what can happen next.
Creative people often suffer from self doubt, and, depending on their individual personalities, can adapt this self doubt into a destructive force in their lives.
I have many artist friends, some are victims, and unfortunately, will always be, and some are survivors.
Those who are victims have made themseves that way, as they have wrapped their problems around themselves like a comfort blanket, and wear their status as victim like a badge. When someone acts like a victim, others immediately treat them this way, and so it continues.
It`s a self-destruct switch which has been turned on.
Everybody out there has had really bad times in their life, artists and non artists.
It`s the ability to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves down which is the major difference.
I have an artist friend right now who I know will be more than likely, dead this year. He is beyond help, and it is a tragedy. Everyone has tried to help at every juncture, and all help has been rejected.
When he dies, as he will, there will be only a small band of us there to say goodbye. His work will be forgotten, as will he.
It is a tragedy beyond all reason.
But no-one will glamourise his life, it is just too dirty, smelly vomit ridden and beatings ridden.
He is just a poor soul who switched on his self-destruct switch and wrapped his suffering around himself like a blanket.
And I, for one, will miss him, it was a wasted life for one with such talent.
---
Yes, quite so.
I think it may be a while before mainstream humanity lets go of the idea that we are helpless in the winds of the Universe. For it is a very beautiful idea. Poets have made it so over the ages, I am not sure why.
I have never believed that life is pre-determined.
Circumstances happen, and what comes next is determined often by our individual reactions to them.
I think we have the ability to decide how other people view us by the way we respond to them, and this often again changes what can happen next.
Creative people often suffer from self doubt, and, depending on their individual personalities, can adapt this self doubt into a destructive force in their lives.
I have many artist friends, some are victims, and unfortunately, will always be, and some are survivors.
Those who are victims have made themseves that way, as they have wrapped their problems around themselves like a comfort blanket, and wear their status as victim like a badge. When someone acts like a victim, others immediately treat them this way, and so it continues.
It`s a self-destruct switch which has been turned on.
Everybody out there has had really bad times in their life, artists and non artists.
It`s the ability to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves down which is the major difference.
I have an artist friend right now who I know will be more than likely, dead this year. He is beyond help, and it is a tragedy. Everyone has tried to help at every juncture, and all help has been rejected.
When he dies, as he will, there will be only a small band of us there to say goodbye. His work will be forgotten, as will he.
It is a tragedy beyond all reason.
But no-one will glamourise his life, it is just too dirty, smelly vomit ridden and beatings ridden.
He is just a poor soul who switched on his self-destruct switch and wrapped his suffering around himself like a blanket.
And I, for one, will miss him, it was a wasted life for one with such talent.
---
Yes, quite so.
I think it may be a while before mainstream humanity lets go of the idea that we are helpless in the winds of the Universe. For it is a very beautiful idea. Poets have made it so over the ages, I am not sure why.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Karrebæksminde photo
I visited the ole homestead over Christmas, and took some pictures (with the excellent compact-digicam Fujifilm F10), and this is one of the best results.
Fetch a large version (1000 pixels wide) or a very large version (1600 pixels)
It is the view from my sister's house. The church was one of the visual stable points of my childhood, and for many years I believed that churches always looked like that, they are that design, and white. Also (not visible in this picture) next to the church is a wonderful old windmill, and I also believed as a kid that a church and a windmill belonged together. Two things in close proximity are perceived as a unit.
By the way, my dad was the house painter master of the town, and he once renovated the whole church outside and inside, including the gilding of the clock and painting and marbling of the benches inside.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Living with uncertainty
It seems to me that there are periods in the development of a person or a species where uncertainty is inevitable, and you gotta live with it.
When you are changing from a great world view to a completely different world view, and they are incompatible, then there is a period in the middle where everything is swimming, when you have lost the old, comfortable moorings in your reality, and you have not yet found the new ones. And it is very unpleasant.
And I think it is very important to learn to live with it. To say "OK, so I can't find the bottom with my feet at the moment, and the water is choppy and cold, and I don't know when things will change... but it will be all right soon, it always is."
Because the alternatives are either to never let go of the old moorings, meaning you never progress, or to panic, and you drown. So just relax and keep swimming.
When you are changing from a great world view to a completely different world view, and they are incompatible, then there is a period in the middle where everything is swimming, when you have lost the old, comfortable moorings in your reality, and you have not yet found the new ones. And it is very unpleasant.
And I think it is very important to learn to live with it. To say "OK, so I can't find the bottom with my feet at the moment, and the water is choppy and cold, and I don't know when things will change... but it will be all right soon, it always is."
Because the alternatives are either to never let go of the old moorings, meaning you never progress, or to panic, and you drown. So just relax and keep swimming.
MONSTER LEGACY COLLECTION
I am a big fan of the classic monsters and monster movies. Interestingly, I am so without having seen any of them, practically! I mainly know them from later movies, from comic books, and from books. (I read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, for instance.)
So I jumped at the chance when I found out of a great opportunity to get a whole bunch of the most classic monster movies at once on DVD, and even at a excellent price. It has three or four Frankenstein movies, and the same for Dracula and Wolf Man. And it has a couple of interesting documentaries. It also has small busts of those three gentlemen, in surprisingly fine quality. This is the MONSTER LEGACY COLLECTION.
The link above leads to Amazon USA. If you can get it, I recommend the UK edition, which has four extra films, The Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Phantom of the Opera, and The Invisible Man. It is not quite as easy to find, but I found it at Blah DVD.
I don't know why I, like many people, have such an affinity for monsters. They just be weally weally cool.
What is a monster? Is it an evil creature or person? Is it a deformed creature/person? Is it something inhuman? I am not sure what the basic of it is.
So I jumped at the chance when I found out of a great opportunity to get a whole bunch of the most classic monster movies at once on DVD, and even at a excellent price. It has three or four Frankenstein movies, and the same for Dracula and Wolf Man. And it has a couple of interesting documentaries. It also has small busts of those three gentlemen, in surprisingly fine quality. This is the MONSTER LEGACY COLLECTION.
The link above leads to Amazon USA. If you can get it, I recommend the UK edition, which has four extra films, The Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Phantom of the Opera, and The Invisible Man. It is not quite as easy to find, but I found it at Blah DVD.
I don't know why I, like many people, have such an affinity for monsters. They just be weally weally cool.
What is a monster? Is it an evil creature or person? Is it a deformed creature/person? Is it something inhuman? I am not sure what the basic of it is.
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