joe_zammarelli

Nope, just your basic jpegs.

Switching views just gives me larger or smaller icons, no thumbnails. Also pic and fax viewer is the program giving me the original message.

 

I'm thinking that I was in preview mode and that I saved the pix, but not the thumbs file that went with them and now XP is confused, or worse, hosed the files totally.

I run Win XP Home Edition with SP2. Recently I did some reorganizing and moved

images to and from CDs. When I was done, half of the images on both the CDs

and the PC were not viewable. Yes, they are there. At least all the specs look

okay, but when I click on 'em I get 'No Preview Available.' My wife had the

same problem with her chip-on-a-key-ring. All the non-graphic files were fine,

but all of the pix were hosed. The only thing I can think of is that I

switched between thumbnail mode and tile mode.

 

Is this an XP thing? Does switching from thumbnail mode to tile mode muck up

the original image, or make it unavailable, or...? This probably some stupid,

newbie thang I'm messing up, but I'm at a loss.

 

Thanks y'all.

Well, I can agree with that now. One shot I took of windshield glare showed it completely eliminated.

 

I have question about the sun and the 90 degree thing. A previous post said the filter was useless with the sun behind you, yet I could see a distinct difference in shots of a babbling brook. Even the foliage on the opposite side had more color. So, is it the sun or is it the light source? The light reflecting off the water and the foliage as opposed to where the sun actually is?

Thanks for all the responses. I think it's a problem of high expectations and user error. Once oriented properly, I can see the effect, but the differences are more subtle than I expected. Then again, since this isn't a special-effects filter, I guess subtle is good.

I have a Fuji S5100. It's my take-everywhere camera because I like nature

photography and the 10x lens really helps.

 

I bought a polarizing filter for it and, sadly, see no difference regardless

of filter setting or even with or without the filter.

 

Is there something about polarizing filters and digital that I'm missing?

 

Thanks!

Ditto warranties.

 

I had a card crap out a month out of warranty. Now, that's the first thing I check, priced be damned.

 

Behind the curve in Rock Hill,

 

Joe

I agree about the soap-bar digicams. I have an old (2 years) Olympus D-560 that works great, but will be trash when it dies. The S5100, though, was new, so, being under warranty, it got a trip to New Jersey.

 

As for the rattle, it's loud enough to hear as I walk, a constant knock, knock, knock with every step. Maybe I need to be more lightfooted. Anyway, the foam did the trick.

 

Behind the curve in Rock Hill,

 

Joe

Let me elaborate just a bit lest I leave a completely wrong impression.

 

Regarding camera quality, as I said, it is a rugged beast, yet very light weight. Except for the pop-up flash, I could probably beat it with a hammer with little effect. It has lots of features for us button pushers. Having 37-370mm is more lens than most of us need. I do because my hobby is nature photography. It is still a very compact package, smaller than my Nikon EM with a 100mm on it, but only just.

 

The lens movement bothers me. Other zoom cameras have some movement, but in most cases it appears to be damped in some way. I measure 1mm movement. That's not much, really, but enough to visibly alter the shot especially at the long end. And the lens rattles when I move the camera. I can't help but feel all that clapping about will cause excessive wear. Or maybe not. I dunno.

 

As for service, well, 4-5 weeks from receipt to ship seems a bit much. It took a full two weeks to go from receipt to being queued up for evaluation. Then it would be 2-3 weeks IF they had the required part on hand. On the plus side, I was never on hold for more than a couple of minutes and the staff was very courteous.

 

Bottom line: camera A, service C-.

I like almost everything about this camera. I use it as my take

anywhere p&s. A morning hike starts most days and the 370mm reach is

terrific. I was carrying a small Nikon MF with a 35-200mm lens on

the camera and a 500mm mirror lens in my fanny pack. Not any more.

 

This camera is small and light, yet VERY rugged. It has a macro mode

that, while not really macro, gives good closeups. And it has a

continuous burst mode that captures either the first three or last

three shots when you press/release the shutter. Terrific for

shooting skittish critters. Some of the controls are kind of odd,

but after only one outing I was able to make all adjustments by

feel. All in all it's a terrific camera and cheeeeep! I got mine for

$275US.

 

My only complaint is that the lens rattles...a lot. I sent it to

Fuji for an evaluation.

 

Based on USPS delivery confirmation, it took a week from the day it

arrived to make its way into Fuji's computer system. Then it took

another week to get it evaluated. And that wouldn't have happened if

I hadn't called. The guy I spoke with went "in back" and personally

delivered the camera to the right person. The camera showed up a

week later (I was told 2-3 weeks) with a note saying the lens play

was normal. If a repair had been required it would have been 4-5

weeks total time, not counting shipping. This seems excessive to me.

 

Anywho, since the rattle bothered me, I lined the lens adapter with

a strip of soft foam. There is just enough grab to keep the lens

from flopping around without hindering focusing movement. Problem

solved.

 

Just my dos centavos.

I have the S5100 and it is a terrific camera. It's the camera that has finally lured me away from my trusty manual Nikons. I still use them in the studio, but for a bopping around camera the Fuji is great.

 

It has a Macro function, which in this case means a decent close-up capability. And with a 10x zoom it has very good reach, 37mm-370mm. The lens adaptor makes a dandy lens hood and gives the camera a more SLR-like look. And there is enough manual control to satisfy the serious amateur. One of my favorite features is continuous burst mode, whereby the camera will capture three shots either as the shutter is depressed or save the last three when released. I was at a street fair recently and there was a halfpipe set up. When the BMX rider approached the lip, a press of the button captured some great airborn sequences three at a time. Lastly, despite its light weight, it is very rugged. My only gripe is that the lens is awfully loose when extended, about 1mm of movement. It doesn't seem to affect picture quality, but it doesn't seem right. No other cameras I checked had this much play in the lens.

Go to Wal-Mart, buy a Lexar Media reader for $30 and just swap chips. I use it for xD and CF, plus it handles two others I don't recall just now. No battery drain either.

 

Just my dos centavos.

Ditto Craig.

 

These cards are so reliable that you don't need a bunch of small cards. 2 512mb cards would be the good way to go. I average about 200 shots per outing, so I have two cards able to cover it even if one dies, which one never has.

 

bon chance

Sorry, Ben, I'm a few hundred miles south near Charlotte.

 

One gripe I have with NYIP is they say you can use any camera, yet how can you learn photography with, say, a single-use piece of crap. Sure, you can work on your composition, but to get to know the relationship between f-stop, ISO, and aperture, you should use a bare-bones film SLR. Never could get an answer from 'em.

 

Maybe I'm just being like the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, got the smarts, but no piece of paper.

Lex, Nascar has those on their windshields and now the army is using them: multi-layer, peel- off film. But you're right, it would be better if they were porous. For me, I just use cheapies and replace them every few months.

Thanks for all the great advice.

 

Deficiencies aside, the mirror lens give me the light, compact package I want with acceptable results; key word: acceptable. I'm a writer and when I'm blocked I just lower my standards and forge ahead and I don't see a big difference. I haven't made up my mind yet, but a better mirror lens is the way I'm leaning.

 

Thanks again.

I must be anal. Even a speck of dust on the lens bothers me. Obviously I'm worrying too much about this.

Okay, Arnab, does reactive cleaning mean you only clean when dirt is there? As opposed to blowing off all components as a matter of course? So, if you see dirt, you clean, but otherwise just swap things out?

I've been playing with a cheap Vivitar 500mm f8 Mirror lens-stop

rolling your eyes!-on my EM and FM2n recently and I like the length.

The reason I bought the cheap, mirror lens is that it's cheap (I

repeat) and most "normal"; i.e affordable, lenses go only to 200mm

or so. 200mm is a bit short for birding.

 

What I'd like is something that produces good snaps, is small-ish,

and can be hand-held if possible. "Snaps" being the operative word.

While I would like to capture award-winning photographs, I'm just

happy to get the shot! When I've just placed one foot into the creek

and look up and an owl is perched 20 feet above, I just want to

swing the camera up and click. Capture the moment without emptying

my bank account.

 

Any recommendations?

When changing lenses I've always just blown across the lens and into

the body (from a distance to avoid spittle and moisture), but I was

wondering what others do. I imagine folks in hostile environments

swapping lenses and wonder how they keep things clean between lens

swaps.

Has anyone used the self-directed approach? I can't afford

university training, nor even New York Institute, so I embarked on a

self-directed approach. I used John Hedgecoe's Complete Guide To

Photography and I did three lessons a week for about 20 weeks. I

shot two rolls of film (or more accurately 2-rolls-worth with my

digicam, except where an SLR was required). I shot one, evaluated

the results, then shot another. Which means I was shooting six days

a week.

 

I found the experience very enlightening and was wondering if anyone

else had a home-school approach.

Should have been OUR time (No grammatical or typing criticisms needed, I got it.)

 

bon chance

 

joe

Jeez guys, lighten up.

 

Eric where do you get off offering not camera advice, but grammatical advice? Actually, you offered no grammar advice at all, you just criticized. Then you dispensed your photographic wisdom. Seems a bit kinky to me. Spank me! Love me! OOh!

 

And Shun, you, too, chose to dump on Eric. Why?

 

Don't get me wrong. I am an A+ hard ass, but the guy is just looking for some rational reasons why he should make an emotional purchase.

 

Offer your advice if you will, but don't dis the guy.

 

If it was me I'd have said, this is why I do/not like this camera and you might want to check out these posts. Not: YOU STUPID MORON, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING WASTING OUT TIME!?!?!!?

 

But that's me.

 

 

bon chance

 

joe

It's called "engineering."

 

You can build a pyramid with solid blocks of stone weighing many thousands of tons, or you can build one with plastic girders weighing a minute fraction of that. It all depends on the use. You engineer the object to the intended use. What is the object designed to do and how little material do you need to do it?

 

The old cameras built like tanks were as lightweight as possible given the technology. Camerea makers didn't say, "Hey! Let's make this thing as heavy as possible." Construction material costs money. Engineers earn their salary by saving on material.

 

While I love the old "solid" feel, I don't miss the weight.

 

Lighten up! ;)

Short answer: No.

 

Unless...

 

If the workshop is in your own back yard where you will have access to similar flora and fauna, then maybe you can use the experience.

 

But, as has been stated above, it depends on the teacher.

 

In my experience, it really works best when taken in a similar environment in which you want to shoot. Shooting osprey on Captiva Island, FL, is not the same as shooting osprey on the Catawba River in Rock Hill, SC.

 

IMHO, roll up your pants and go slosh around in the local swamp. I do it most mornings and, to paraphrase, I don't need no stinkin' workshop.

 

Get out there and have fun!