tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24695232024-03-13T10:30:34.688-04:00What Blog is This?Cameras. Motorcycles. Etc. A John M Flores gig.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.comBlogger623125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-18112390121390444692014-01-27T23:27:00.000-05:002014-01-27T23:27:35.095-05:00ApologiesYeah, so like a year or so ago I took the step to register WhatBlogIsThis.com to be more official I guess remove the Blogspot.com from the URL. I did it through Google and it was easy and cool. And then when it came time to renew, I found out too late. Seems like within that year, Google got themselves out of the business of domain name registration and I didn't get the memo. So, the Internet Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-85071718613938947362014-01-04T11:46:00.002-05:002014-01-04T11:46:58.086-05:00It's That Time Again...
Story deadline, which means a lot of gnashing of teeth and rubbing of hands as I try to:
Figure out what to say,
Figure out how to say it,
Choose the photos, and
Do the 100 other little things that are required.
As my wife always reminds me, I stress out every time I have a deadline, but eventually figure it out. I suppose that'll happen again, but it's always easier Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-43526064533857766042013-12-21T02:03:00.002-05:002013-12-21T12:05:48.938-05:00Nikon 1 V1-Good Enough to be the A Cam?
Next time you're in Barnes & Noble, saunter (or sashay, your choice) over to the magazine rack and pick up a copy of the Feb '14 issue of RoadRUNNER Magazine. My Vermont dual purpose story, "One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Three if by KLR" is in there, and it's one of the first real tests of the Nikon V1 as my A camera. It's been on several trip now as my B cam, and it's done well enough. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-64255451159576305182013-12-05T17:37:00.003-05:002013-12-05T17:37:57.745-05:00New Camera News 2013 Camera of the Year is Announced
New Camera News has just announced its 2013 Camera of the Year. Check it out:
http://newcameranews.com/2013/12/05/new-camera-news-2013-camera-year/Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-46161347164990142013-11-30T18:09:00.000-05:002013-11-30T23:37:40.899-05:00Damn You, Sigma DP2m
I should have never borrowed the Sigma DP2m from my brother. I was quite happy in my ignorance, shooting what I thought were very nice Pentax lenses on very nice Pentax bodies. But then I made the mistake of borrowing the Sigma and running a little backyard test against my brandy spankin' new Pentax K-3 mated with the very nice FA31mm F1.8 Limited. The Sigma had bested the 16 megapickle K-01 Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-16965186265775113602013-11-21T14:10:00.002-05:002013-11-21T14:10:33.235-05:00Announcing NewCameraNews.com
I've gotten a lot of views and compliments from the some of the funnier things posted lately. Enough to warrant it's own website. So welcome NewCameraNews.com to the virtual world, and check it out for the latest camera "news". WhatBlogIsThis will continue to be about my experiences with cameras and motorcycling. NewCameraNews.com is for the other stuff.
Hope to see you there!
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-91410412417057661692013-11-16T01:06:00.000-05:002013-11-21T09:39:45.162-05:00Sony, Nikon, Send White Men into Countryside, Await Canon, Others
[frame from Nikon promotional video]
Following the launch of new full frame cameras from both Sony and Nikon (the A7/A7r and the Df), the two giants have joined forces for a unique event, the first annual White Men in the Country Full Frame Retreat (WMCFFR). A weekend of brotherhood and full frame photography, WMCFFR is intended to bring together white male photographers of all different Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-79140777252599648732013-11-14T09:51:00.000-05:002013-11-21T09:40:05.421-05:00Local Man Deludes Self Again, Pre-Orders Nikon Df
And with a click of the mouse, it was done. Local man Brett Boghus has just pre-ordered the new Nikon Df, just hours after it’s official announcement.
“This is the last camera I’ll ever need. It’s got all the features that I want. So the right thing to do is to pre-order it now at the listed retail price because if I don’t, I might not get one from the first shipment and will probably have Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-35851603261246939322013-11-13T12:11:00.002-05:002013-11-13T12:11:58.273-05:00Pentax K-3 Graded Cat Test.
So I graded the cat this morning to see what I could pull from the K-3's video. One of the lessons that I've learned with the Panasonic GH2 is that if you want to grade the shot in post then it's best to shoot flat, turning down sharpness, saturation, and contrast in camera, and then adding it back in (with more control and on color calibrated monitors) in post. So that's what I've done here Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-63130522047817948802013-11-12T15:07:00.000-05:002013-11-21T09:39:17.266-05:00Canon Congratulates Nikon on Df
In a rare move, Canon congratulated key rival Nikon on the launch of their latest full-frame digital camera in a full page ad in the New York Times.
The ad features a photo of the new Nikon Df–a full frame camera with retro styling-with the simple line, “Good Luck with that.”
Following the launch of the Df, Canon stock is up 10%.
The move, although unusual, is not unprecedented. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-77863236664037989582013-11-11T14:37:00.001-05:002013-11-12T11:42:09.285-05:00Testing the RICOH PENTAX K-3 HD Video Image Stabilization (AKA Shake Reduction, SR)Went for a walk with the new K-3 this weekend to test out some of its video capabilities, specifically to see if digital image stabilization (SR) was useful on a monopod. Here are some sample shots:
Some observations:
Digital SR works, sometimes. It's much better than turning it off when using a monopod.
Digital SR can be tripped up and produce video with lots of rolling shutter/jello Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-41738371475282232262013-11-11T09:10:00.001-05:002013-11-11T13:32:50.430-05:00Pentax K-3 Unboxed With Words
Cool COOL COOL! It’s here earlier than I expected. OMG I’m just glad that I was here to receive the package instead of being out to lunch or having something resembling a normal life out there in the world. And I’m sick of hitting refresh on the UPS tracking screen. Thank you Mr. UPS guy!
Quick, where’s my box opener?! Wait, should I set up the camera and record a video? Screw that, I wanna Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-50830996088874046562013-11-07T22:59:00.001-05:002013-11-08T00:46:21.355-05:00NSA Sets up Instagram Account, @NSAToday
In a surprise announcement, the NSA announced on Thursday that they were setting up an Instagram account, @NSAToday. The idea is the brainchild of NSA intern Roger Winter, a recent graduate of American University. Winter is a DBA (DataBase Administrator) at the NSA and an avid amateur photographer.
With the fastest growing collection of photography in the world, Winter knew that the NSA Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-84983920243353974332013-11-05T23:29:00.000-05:002013-11-21T09:40:33.146-05:00Nikon Df: The Camera that Tom Selleck has Been Waiting for
The Nikon Df, A return to ugly.
In an exclusive interview, we sat down with Nikon Df Large Team Leader Suzuki Kawasaki to discuss the inspiration and aspirations of the new dF.
“When I was asked to lead the Nikon Large Df Team, I was very excited. I knew that the Df needed to be special, incorporating the latest technology but also respecting our heritage and the roots of Nikon. Our Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-95581658326032052013-11-04T22:45:00.002-05:002013-11-04T22:45:45.748-05:00Photos About Nothing
I've been spending way too much time staring at test shots of new cameras, peering into the shadows of wine bottles and 100% crops of moving objects. Plenty of home office book shelves and backyards as well. And cats. With their tongues sticking out.
Which got me thinking that these test shots have a zeitgeist all their own. They are the trees instead of the forest, pixels not people, noise Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-53758118753458325582013-11-02T00:28:00.000-04:002013-11-02T00:28:39.203-04:00Introducing NewMotor 001
We've been busy at WhatBlogIsThis (and by "We've" I mean "I've"), riding motorcycles all summer, working to pay the rent, and with whatever time was left over, launching a publishing empire. After much sweat (well, not really as the office is air conditioned), much tears (ok, not that either), and much coffee (ok, that last part is true!), I'm proud to announce the first issue of NewMotor, a Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-55499023096467915602013-10-29T12:21:00.000-04:002013-10-29T12:21:58.575-04:00A Reason to Shoot RAWSample files of the new Pentax K-3 are now being released to the Internets. Imaging Resource does a great job of taking test photos under controlled conditions for the pixel peepers to pore over. And while I'm a proponent of the idea that the greatest variable in any photograph opportunity is the photographer itself, I get caught up in the 100% pixel peeping war like everyone else.
And so I was Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-69688197552595873452013-10-13T11:28:00.001-04:002013-11-16T10:02:58.556-05:00What it Takes to be a Pro Photographer.There are a lot of enthusiasts and amateurs out there wondering what it takes to be a professional photographer. Well, listen closely, because I'm going to tell you, and it's going to blow your mind. It's more important than years of education and training, more important than talent, more important than vision, more important than a good business. You ready...
If you want to be a Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-86474047282561366102013-10-12T08:09:00.000-04:002013-10-12T08:09:15.179-04:00Reuter's Jason Reed takes a stunning and I mean stunning photo of Ted Cruz
Photo of Ted Cruz taken by Jason Reed/Reuters
This photo simply stopped me in my tracks. I can imagine the situation-a scrum of reporters and photographers jostling around Ted Cruz. And in this madness, a lightbulb goes off in Jason Reed's head, and he gets this angle. Wow. Even the disembodied audio recorders and microphones - the way that they envelope Cruz - is just divine?
I first saw Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-10455053424456514662013-10-10T18:29:00.000-04:002013-10-10T18:32:00.847-04:00A Short Rant: The Sometimes Tempestuous Relationship with the Nikon V1
My what a short memory I have! Just a couple of weeks ago I was waxing poetically about the Nikon 1 system, claiming that the V1 was going to become my primary motorcycle travel camera. There's a lot to like about it–the compact body and lenses, the lightning quick AF and FPS, the solid build, etc... The thing just blazes and does a lot of things right. And then I brought it along for my recentAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-58220116748071242452013-10-09T12:24:00.001-04:002013-10-09T12:24:22.067-04:00Razor Thin Depth of Field is a Harsh Mistress
Still from PBS Frontline Documentary "League of Denial"
I recently participated in a discussion on PentaxForums where members noted Canon's apparent dominance in DSLR video. The premise was that while Panasonic gets a lot of attention online for their GH line of cameras, most people encountered in the real world are shooting with Canon DSLRs at the center of their rigs. It's something that Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-85750917383573072342013-10-08T14:35:00.001-04:002013-10-08T14:35:22.439-04:00Pentax K-3: The RAW Video Bubble is Burst
We've received word from John Carlsson, Senior Marketing Manager at Ricoh Imaging USA. No RAW video. Read my lips. No RAW video. Well, it was fun while it lasted.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-72486300149836741532013-10-08T08:30:00.000-04:002013-10-08T08:30:00.796-04:00Pentax K-3: Can it Capture the Hearts and Minds of Budding Cinematographers?
The above is a screengrab from DVXUser.com, a popular video forum. While they've got plenty of sections on ENG style video cams and such, they've also got a booming HDSLR section featuring the front-runners in the space–Panasonic, Canon, and Nikon. Sony's got it's own section for everything from the prosumer NEX to their full-framed F series video cameras.
Where's Pentax?
Every once in a Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-9992197009115445592013-10-07T17:03:00.002-04:002013-10-07T17:03:15.687-04:00Pentax K-3: I totally don't want this camera. Not only is it ugly, but it probably takes crap photos and video.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469523.post-18746179327579023562013-10-07T09:55:00.000-04:002013-10-07T10:45:21.008-04:00Pentax K-3: Is Pentax finally getting serious about video?So here are some leaked shots of the upcoming Pentax K-3, the new APS-C flagship.
Of particular note is the headphone jack and lever to switch between stills and video modes. This last piece is particularly interesting, as most cameras have a video selector on the mode dial. That way works, but selecting between Program Mode, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Mode is Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10864323023467652475noreply@blogger.com0