Categories
Export photography Photography Technik Technology

Tethered Shooting with NIKON D600 Fujifilm X100, Sony NEX (NEX-5 and NEX-7)

Tethered Shooting with Fujifilm X100, Sony NEX (NEX-5 and NEX-7) is not possible – or?
Apprently there is no way to control camera settings remotely but there are ways to release from the distance – and in case of the X100 very, very, stylish 😉

 

It’s great to change the perspective, mount the camera on a long window cleaning extender and show the view from above.

Three different cameras are used for this, the Nikon D600, the Sony NEX and Fujifilm X100.

NIKON D600
Even with a light lens very heavy on a 4 meter extender but it has the most options for remote control.

  • Via USB and the free MAC Software Sofortbild (get the version from http://www.sofortbildapp.com/ not from the APP store for the D600)
  • With Nikons Wireless Mobile Adapter WU-1B
  • With another wireless remote control

Even over short distances the Nikons Wireless Mobile Adapter WU-1B gives you a lot of pain, especially in wifi dense areas like public events where everybody has the mobile phone  / wifi switched on.  On top, the app is, let’s say – not very sophisticated. E.g. after each start, you have to swich ‘download’ image off if you don’t want to have huge RAW files being send to your IOS device (and blocking everything…)

Back to the roots. A small battery povered, HDMI capable monitor and a remote release. Or just a remote release and many  ‘blind’ shots, keeping what’s useful later.

For the Sony NEX (NEX-5 and NEX-7), the normal infra-red remote control will not work, because you will be out of the line-of-sight when you are below the camera on the pole. There is a simple solution.  Just get one of the cheap second-source remote for NEX, carefully open it. Unsolder the infra-red LED  and use an telephone cable as extension. You can fix it on the extender somewhere close to the camera’s IR sensor. Monitoring is optional via HDMI and an external monitor.

Fujifilm X100

The company Hama produces since decades pneumatic remote shutter release devices. They cost less than 50 € and come with two tubes, one roughly one the second nine meter long. It is so decent, no IR emission, silent and fits so nicely the X100 style

Categories
gerneral information innovation Interesting projects Photography Technik Technology

Landrover Defender 110 Puma universal use – from 7 people mover to couch in 5 minutes

The ‘Landy’ is becoming the Photoresk photo-mobile.
However, sometimes it is necessary to use it as people mover (7 seats) but also put it quickly into some kind of camping car for one or two persons without removing the seats.
Here are a few pictures how this was done.
It takes less than five minutes to install the berth bed without any tools. Only two holes have to be drilled in the car

the berth bed


key element is the support frame. It is fixed at the p-post (the two UNF below the seat belt holder)


it remains always installed. The final version becomes some protective cover (for the metal and passengers)


the aluminium elements of the bed frame are fixed with slightly modified saddle quick locks


 


 


 


 


only two holes for the two rivets are drilled in the Landrover (cover removed).
This small bracket keeps the back side of the right frame from moving

 


this installation is 70 cm wide but this is just depending on the width of the back-bracket.

 

20131223-235112.jpg

20131223-235147.jpg

Categories
Technik Technology Things

Webasto Luftheizung im Landrover Defender Puma

Hier sind schon einmal ein paar Bilder (leider nicht so gut, hette zu wenig Zeit) – Text folgt später

so sieht sie aus, die Webasto Luftheizung


Sie soll unter die Cubby box, ein entsprechendes Gehäuse wurde extra bestellt


Bei der Gelegenheit werden auch die Kabel für die Zweitbatterie eingezogen


Ausschnitte in das Originalblech (unter der Cubby Box)


Vormontage auf der Werkbank. Niedlicher Schalldämpfer.


Montage der Pumpe geschützt am Rahmen


Die Herausforderung. Um sich den Tankausbau zu sparen, wurde ein Tankentnehmer in ein Edelstahlrohr eingesetzt und diese in die Leitung zwischen Tank und Tankstutzen eingeschleift.

Fertig.

 

Categories
innovation Technology

Spending some thoughts on ideas an innovation while going down the memory lane

Man sollte öfter mal ausmisten, manchmal tauchen dabei interessante Dinge auf. Wäre ich nicht vor ein paar Wochen bei einer Veranstaltung der Landesvertretung NRW in Brüssel zum Thema “Innovation” gewesen, hätte ich sicherlich diesen alten “Vertrag” nicht weiter beachtet. Es sprachen u.A. die Ministerin für Innovation, Wissenschaft und Forschung Svenja Schulze, Fra …… Lufthansa
Doch nun regt die Entdeckung an, nochmal über das Thema “Ideen” und “Innovation” nachzudenken.

Sind es wirlich nur die Innovationen, die wir suchen? Sind es nich vielmehr die kleinen und großen Ideen und Erfindungen. Eine Innovation ist schon weit voran gebracht. I.d.R von eine Persönlichkeit, die in der Lage ist auch gegen Wiederstände eine Idee voranzubringen. Doch was ist mit den leisen Stimmen? Kreative, die zum Teil gar nicht daran interessiert sind – oder nicht die Energie aufbringen wollen oder können, oder auch nicht die Mittel haben ‘ihre’ Idee zur Innovation zu machen.
Es schlummert in Deutschland ein bisher ungenutztes Potential an potentieller Wertschöpfung – besonders auch außerhalb des in institutionellen Bereiches das genutzt werden sollte.
.. Fortsetzung folgt…

Categories
gerneral Technology Things

Goods and Vehicle tracking 1996 – 2013. Where are the innovations, please?

Today, i’ve received the first unit of the new series of tracking devices which will be used for material and vehicle tracking. With its autonomous operation of roughly 60 days and various sensing capabilities, like movement and shock it’s ideally suited for this purpose.

However it’s an nice example, how long actually technology trigger need until systems finally reach the broad marked.

Below is a picture of main tracking unit of the system which I developed and prototyped almost 20 years ago. It was called TaPos – the German acronym for “Teilautonomes Positionserfassungssystem” (if you are interested in details, you may find the project description in the www – in German).
Ok, the form factor of the main tracking unit is different but it had exactly the same – to be precise, even more – features.

It was the innovative prototype of an vehicle, container tracking and logistics management system which also would have helped to optimise traffic flow and reduce the carbon (co2) emission. However, at this time (before the Internet hype) it was nearly impossible to find risk investors in Germany for innovative solutions.
An request for support through an innovation funding programme was technically analysed as future oriented system but no financial commitment was made at the end of the day (after many good words and long delay of almost three years).

For those who don’t remember the technology landscape in 1996:

Linux is already 4 years old, in 1996 kernel version 2.0 was published, Php was one year, Version 2 was about to be published.

Eight years before google maps started 2004, TaPos used a public available sub-set of the US DoD digital chart of the World, transformed from file-structure-data onto an DBase like database for fast access.

SIEMENS just released (expensive) GSM engines, we used modified Sagem Phones

The ISM frequency band had just been opened in Germany, there were almost no OEM modules for data transfer – all the the protocol handler had to be developed from scratch.

The java programming language was in beta 1995, JDK 1.0 was released 1996. The web-mapping was using Java, the rest like position calculation or position-to-speech (for telephone access to the current location database) was written in C.

Now, almost 20 years later, inexpensive tracking systems are produced in china, fits the purpose but still does not have all the features the TaPos prototype had.
Key is still to manage the tracking data intelligent and efficiently.

Some thoughts about the innovation landscape in Germany and the EU
There was (and I am afraid to say – there still is) no culture in believe in innovation capability in Germany and most of the EU outside industry and academia. They receive the most of innovation funding and produce acceptable results and ease administration.
Some years ago, my only advice to someone who has a bright idea would have been: go directly to the US or find at least US investors – there are a lot of good examples from the past.
Now, there are far more options. Thanks to the www there are many crowd funding platforms which may help to bring a good idea to marked – but be careful who will own your idea at the end of the day and who will benefit.
(Pictures to follow)

Categories
Export Photography photography Technology Uncategorized

Prime Time for good old stuff – Part 1: Adapter

Prime-Lens for the mirrorless

The new mirrorless system cameras can deliver outstanding quality. However, sometimes it lacks of interesting lenses. If you don’t need autofocus and you can live perfectly with aperture priority – just adopt your good old stuff (or find something used).

Adapter are available on a variety of lens / camera combinations like M42 to Sony E-mount, to Fujifilm X1 Pro, or Micro Four Thirds. The same for Pentax K or Nikon lenses.

Those are simple mechanical adapter, no lens needed and you will be able to focus to infinite (the same does not work to some other cameras like adopting M42 lenses to Nikon requires a lens or you lose the focus to infinite)

These adapters are cheap, price range is roughly from 5 to 50 €/$)


NEX-7 with 70’th ASAHI Super Takumar 1:1.8/55

Categories
Export Flying photography Photography Technology UAS

From above – von oben

Since a while I am doing aerial photography.

On the flying platform, I use mostly an modified Canon S90 to take picture up to altitudes of around 100 Meter. The Camera is stabilized and shutter release, tilt and pan can remotely controlled. The ‘camera view’ is downstreamed via an 5 GHz video link and displayed on a battery powered control monitor.

Video / HDMI control monitor.

However, sometimes it is not necessary to get as high as 100 Meter. A few meter are sometimes sufficient to overlook a crowd or a wedding audience.

But for those occasions, I prefer to use the DSLR. With an monopod to hold the camera up and to release the shutter with the remote-control wireless or per wire works quite well in many situations. Except, that it is ‘guess-work’ if you don’t want to mess around with the control monitor and the cables. And you can’t control more tan the shutter release.

There are also nice options for tethered shooting with the NIKON DSLRs. Sofortbild is a very nice – and free – application if you have an MAC. It controls the camera via the USB port. However, you need an laptop to use the software, there is no iPad or iPhone version available. Another thing to carry and to handle. Not suitable at all occasions.

Since a while, Nikon has wireless adapters for the DSLRs but they are very expensive.

Recently Nikon released the WU-1b which can provide a cheap (50€) solution for remote shooting. It connects to the USB port of the camera.


It is a small dongle.

 

 

It provides wireless-hotspot like functionality. After installing the App to you Apple or Android smart device,  connect to the wifi hotspot.

the last leave


You will be able to see the live view picture, set the focus point and release the shutter and – optionally download the pictures directly to your smart device (I don’t recommend this – time consuming).


You also may use a pan – tilt head to control the direction in which you camera points. Cool for concerts or sports events. You can place the camera before the event and control it remotely.

DON’T FORGET TO SECURE THE NETWORK 😉


 

Categories
Art Culture Photo Walk Photography Technology Things

02MAR2013 Photoresk going Museum Night Brussels

Brussels museum’s open from 19:00 to 01:00.
Photoresk met at 19:00 at the MIM (Music Instruments Museum) and ended at 00:00 at Autoworld (after 5 hours museum too tired for the after party starting at 02:00)

 


workplace


 


wonderful instruments


 


 


 


 


at 22:00 people still cueing (we got our ticket at the internet)


we ran unexpectedly into a fashion design show


and the models where happy to pose at this public event


nice designs


 


nice venue


 


 


 


 


later – Autoworld!


 


not only beautiful vintage vehicles but also flying artists


 


 


happy landing


 


 
If you want to learn more about Photoresk – Brussels Photography, check out this site: http://www.meetup.com/Photoresk/

Categories
Interesting projects Technology

Project: RACE – the status display used at Formula 1 GP of Luxembourg

Only six weeks time to develop and install the status display for the ‘holy grail’ of the Formula 1 race: Race Control.
Connected to the radio system, the display system ‘RACE’ showed the realtime position of the support vehicles (R-Car, S-Car,Rescue, Fire etc.)
An very exciting project done by C.S. (c-7)

Finished!


Race control


My assistant!


the perfect view


Race Control


 

Categories
Motorcycle Technology Uncategorized

Moto Retro Wieze 9 & 10 february 2013

Quote from the site:
“Moto Retro Wieze next edition 9 & 10 february 2013. Special café racers exhibit. Old motor bikes, yellow stained manuals, shiny head-lights? Enthusiastic collectors of old motorbikes and accessories. You can find it all at Moto Retro. Sell or exhange. Just for the fun, the excitement and the smell of nostalgia. Or are you looking for that one missing part. And perhaps you might want to buy the old motorbike you always dreamt of. Moto Retro is the place to be. Each year thousands visit the old motorbike jumble for its atmosphere and the encounters with the genuine die-hards.”

a small village in Belgium


hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts


big space


 


 


oil


and crome


 


 


need contact?


 


 


 


hahaha


 


 


uff, too much


 


 


 


and a lot of over – much to much. Was even new not so good…


a beatuy