Homemade Night Vision Devices

There are practical ways to make homemade night vision devices, especially if investing a huge amount of money for professional devices is not a practical choice. Aside from the cheaper cost and typically accessible materials required, making your own night vision cameras, webcams, goggles and scopes is also a fulfilling way to learn more about how the night vision concept works.

Still or Video Camera

A homemade night vision camera allows you to view and record subjects even in total darkness. You can convert a consumer or professional still or video camera into a dedicated night vision camera by simply removing the infrared filter that covers the camera's infrared sensor. This requires unscrewing the camera case and opening it to reveal the camera's internal parts. After removing the often red-colored piece of glass placed over the sensor, replace this with a processed negative from any picture shot using a film camera. You can also use an old X-ray sheet as an alternative. Make sure you cut it according to the size of the infrared filter, then use superglue to cover the sensor with it. Re-assemble the camera. In order for the camera to work in darkness, use infrared LED lighting while operating the camera.

Webcam

Cheap webcams without extra features and infrared capability can be converted into a dedicated night vision webcam by following the same process as converting a still or video for night vision use -- remove the infrared filter and add a piece of a photo negative. You can use this as an extra webcam for night vision use, which is not only advantageous for regular web streaming and chats under low light conditions, it is also a practical way to use a webcam as a security camera that can see and record even in total darkness. As with still or video cameras, operating a webcam with homemade night vision requires LED infrared lighting.

Goggles

Wearing night vision goggles allows people to see even in total darkness. When making do-it-yourself night vision goggles, the welder's goggles are popularly used because their lenses can be easily removed from their goggles frames. A congo blue gel with a primary red gel on top of it is specifically placed on each lens before returning it to the frame. To enable your goggles to produce infrared light, about four to five infrared LEDs are attached on each side of the frame. The illumination from them allows the filtering of the light through the colored gels attached onto the lenses. The LEDs are powered by wiring them to a cell battery, which is attached to the side of the goggles as well.

Scope

A homemade night vision scope works like a screen of a night vision camera or as an alternative to a night vision goggle. Aside from using it as a typical device that allows you to view things even in very dark places, you can also make your own night vision scope for your binoculars or even build a homemade rifle scope from it. Making a do-it-yourself scope follows a similar process as making night vision goggles. You also need to use blue and red filters, LED lights and a battery power source.

Tags: night vision, night vision, homemade night vision, even total, even total darkness

Toprated Calling Cards

Calling cards can be an effective solution for those looking to make long distance calls at a cheaper rate, and also eliminate the need for coins if the user chooses to call from a pay phone. Additionally, they give someone without a local telephone service account the opportunity to make phone calls. There are many types of calling cards to choose from, and choosing wisely can save money.

Cloncom

According to Top-CallingCards.com, Cloncom features outstanding service and top of the line call quality, perfect for making calls that last for long durations. Equally as important, prices are very reasonable, ensuring the cost will not be out of hand even if the user stays on the phone for a long period of time. Cloncom allows customers to pay for cards online in a secure fashion, and gives the option to set up an auto recharge setting so the user does not have to worry about refilling the card every month.

Comfi

Boasting very high call quality, Comfi is ideal for those looking to make short calls with a lot of frequency. There are usually no maintenance fees of any kind, and the prices in general are very low with Comfi calling cards. Users can recharge the cards at will or set up an automatic refill on a monthly basis. Additionally, there is a huge variety of calling card types to choose from, and most of them support pin-less dialing so customer do not have to go through the hassle of entering a pin number each time they want to make a call.

Nobelcom

Unlike most of its competing calling card companies, Nobelcom awards new customers 15 free minutes of talk time after first purchasing a card. With affordable prices and typically no connection fee, Nobelcom cards work well for those who are looking to dial internationally. A variety of call types can be made, including local access, toll free and calls from a pay phone.

CallingCom

For those who are constantly traveling, CallingCom is a good option, as the cards work in a very wide range of countries, and offer reasonable rates from anywhere. The call quality is good (according to Top-CallingCards.com) and there are many online buying options for those who like to do their business from a computer.

Tags: call quality, those looking, calling card, cards work, choose from, from phone, looking make

Diy Oil Diffuser

Essential oils add fragrance to a room when placed in a diffuser.

The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy claims essential oils, or fragrant plant extracts, can "harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit." The oils evaporate readily, to quickly spread their perfume through a room. A diffuser is a device that controls the release of the oils into the air, ensuring evaporation takes place gradually, so that the fragrance does not become overwhelming. There are many types of oil diffusers on the market, but a homemade one is easy to make from simple materials.

Instructions

1. Measure 3 tbsp. of jojoba oil into a jug. Add 250 drops of an essential oil of your choice. Mix the oils briskly with the spoon. Essential oils are too volatile to use undiluted, as they would evaporate very quickly, so they are normally combined with a less-volatile base oil such as jojoba. You can find both jojoba and essential oils in craft shops or health stores.

2. Pour the mixed oils carefully into a small glass bottle, using a funnel to avoid spills. A container with a narrow neck is best, as it will help to slow the evaporation of the essential oils. Choose a glass container, as the oil mixture may react with metal or plastic ones.

3. Stand the eight rattan reeds in the jar or bottle, so that one end of each reed is dipped in the oil. You can obtain rattan reeds from craft stores and basketry supply shops or from online suppliers.

4. Fan out the reeds that emerge from the bottle-neck, to make an attractive display. This also allows the air to circulate around them freely. Over the next day or two, the reeds will soak up the oil mixture. The oil will gradually creep up the reeds and diffuse into the air, gently scenting the room.

5. Wrap a string of colored glass beads around the bottle or jar to decorate the diffuser. Stand the bottle in a saucer. Take out the reeds and top up the bottle with more mixed oils when the fragrance begins to fade.

6. Pour a little hot water into the saucer when you wish to increase the strength of the perfume. The heat will penetrate the bottle and cause the essential oil to evaporate more rapidly.

Tags: essential oils, Essential oils, mixed oils, rattan reeds, reeds bottle

Tell If A Blackberry Is Charged

Smartphones tend to consume battery power faster than normal cell phones. With features like email, Internet browsing, full-color games, instant messaging and more it's no wonder. You want to ensure your battery is full before going on a long car drive or if you're going to be somewhere for a long time with no way to charge the phone. Fortunately, BlackBerry phones have a quick way to tell if your battery is staying charged, and it's just like other smartphones and cell phones.

Instructions

1. Press any key to take the BlackBerry out of standby mode.

2. Check the symbol at the top that looks like a battery. It has little tick marks inside the battery or next to it. The more tick marks there, the more battery life remains on the phone. The amount of tick marks that designate full battery life varies between each BlackBerry version.

3. Charge the phone if the battery life is low. You can tell if the battery is fully charged if the battery symbol is full with the tick marks. If you only have one or two tick marks in or next to the battery, it is best to charge the phone.

Tags: tick marks, battery life, cell phones, charge phone, your battery

Problems With Bluetooth Headsets

Bluetooth headsets allow you to receive calls from a cellphone without talking into a cell phone receiver. Users might incur a few common easily fixed problems during usage.

Headset Not Hooked Up

Most users check the connections first before working out other problems. Make sure all the cords are connected correctly. If the headset still does not function properly, the user can safely assume something else causes the headset not to work.

Cell Phone not Bluetooth Compatible

The symptoms include the devices being connected and charged. If the user still does not hear a dial tone, his cell phone may not be Bluetooth compatible or it may not be synchronized with the cell phone. If a cell phone cannot recognize bluetooth devices, the user can purchase a special kit for his cell phone or purchase a new cell phone.

Headset and Phone Not Synchronized

If the Bluetooth device and the phone are properly connected and charged, a user may need to synchronize the devices to allow them to communicate with each other. Refer to the manual for your headset to learn the correct synchronizing procedure.

Phone or Headset Not Charged

If the cell phone or the headset does not have enough power, the head set will not work.

Defective Headset

Sometimes even if the user checks everything listed above, a Bluetooth headset may still not work. The easiest solution is for a consumer to contact the manufacturer if the headset is still under warranty and see if they will replace it.

Tags: cell phone, cell phone, headset still, charged user, connected charged, connected charged user

Maps To Mapsend

MapSend is the mapping software used for older Magellan handheld GPS units. Some GPS units have virtually unlimited storage space using memory cards, while others have a limited amount of internal memory. You need to upload the map to the GPS from the MapSend software. Once you have uploaded the map to your GPS device, you can view the map on the GPS unit's screen as you travel.

Instructions

1. Plug the GPS into a data port on your PC using the cable that came with the device. Depending on the device, the cable may be USB or a 9-pin serial cable.

2. Open the MapSend software from the Programs menu on your PC.

3. Click the "Regions" menu at the top of the screen and select "New." The pointer will change to a selection tool.

4. Select the area of the map you want to add to your GPS device. If you select the wrong area, press the "Esc" key to deselect. Click "Regions" and select "Cut." Type a name for the map and click "OK."

5. Check the box next to the new map region in the Saved Regions List.

6. Click the "Regions" menu and select "Upload to GPS."

Tags: Click Regions, Click Regions menu, MapSend software, Regions menu, your device

Canon A1 Servo Explained

A sharply focused image

Today Canon is one of the largest manufacturers of digital cameras. While their products range from small, inexpensive point-and-shoot models, Canon also produces a full line of professional digital SLRs. These cameras feature several high-tech systems to make taking better photographs easier and to improve image quality. AI Servo is one of Canon's more advanced systems, available on only its highest-end models.

Description

AI Servo (sometimes called AI Servo AF) is an autofocus system intended to help a Canon camera users produce clean, sharp images of a subject in motion. The "AI" in the name refers to "artificial intelligence" since the system uses multiple pieces of information including the lighting conditions, the speed of the subject, and the trajectory of its motion to determine points of focus. For this reason, Canon refers to AI Servo as a predictive autofocus feature.

Applications

Like most autofocus systems, AI Servo is most useful in certain types of photography. Sports photography is among these, with the predictive autofocus able to track a fast-moving athlete or ball. Nature photography is another field that benefits from AI Servo since animals may move suddenly and there may be very few opportunities to capture the desired image. On Canon's cameras, AI Servo is paired with the ability to shoot multiple frames per second, meaning that even in cases of a fast-moving subject it may be possible to produce several sharp images.

Technical Function

Canon's AI Servo functions by using two separate CPUs to control focus. This means focus can be attained more quickly, and more data can be used in predicting where focus will need to occur. As the autofocus system is used, information from each focus decision is stored in the camera and used to increase the precision of all future focus decisions. AI Servo also relies on a series of autofocus points that run through the image sensor's autofocus ellipse, or the space within which the camera can determine autofocus points, allowing it to track a moving subject virtually anywhere within the frame.

Use

Using Canon's AI Servo is meant to be intuitive and simple. AI Servo works best when the photographer has been tracking the subject for at least one second. AI Servo functions in two different modes: single focus point, which is useful when tracking a single moving object within a larger field of moving objects, and autofocus point selection (AFPS) which allows AI Servo to identify the moving subject and focus on it accordingly. Additional settings can be modified by advanced users to customize AI Servo even further.

Availability

Canon has made AI Servo available as a feature on its most advanced cameras for several years. As of 2009, Canon offers two digital SLRs that use the newest version of AI Servo technology, known as AI Servo II AF. They are the Eos 7D and Eos-1D Mark IV models. Both are priced over $1,000, as have most AI Servo-equipped models in the past. Similar predictive autofocus systems are available from other camera manufacturers and opinions vary as to which is best, though users of Canon AI Servo report generally good results.

Tags: Canon Servo, predictive autofocus, autofocus points, autofocus system, autofocus systems, digital SLRs, moving subject

Comparisons Of Smartphones

While all smartphones can perform PDA functions like organizing and scheduling, as well personal computing functions like Web browsing and email, no two smartphones are alike. Whether you're in the market for a new smartphone or are just interested in the latest technologies that smartphone manufacturers have to offer, reviewing the features of different smartphone models can prove beneficial.

Interface

Interfaces are the physical components that allow you to interact with smartphone software. One of the most common types of interface that smartphones rely on is the touch screen, or touch-sensitive display. A touch-screen smartphone allows you to scroll between menus by dragging a finger across the screen. You can select icons and options by tapping on the screen and -- with some smartphones, like the iPhone -- you can zoom in on objects by pinching the screen. Examples of touch-screen smart phones include the iPhone 4 and 3GS, the Samsung Focus and the Droid Incredible. Another type of smartphone interface is the full QWERTY keyboard, which has the same key configuration as a typewriter/computer keyboard. A common example of a smartphone with this type of interface is the BlackBerry Torch 9800. Other smartphones, like the Droid Pro, feature both touch-screen and QWERTY interfaces.

Screen Size

A larger screen size can accommodate larger on-screen icons and text with a smartphone, making it easier for you to see the options that you're selecting from. Examples of smartphones with especially large screens include the Droid X and the HTC EVO 4G, both of which have 4.3-inch screens. Screen size is a measurement of the diagonal distance between the bottom corner of a screen and an upper, opposite corner. Other screen sizes for smartphones include 4.0 inches, 3.8 inches, 3.5 inches and 3.1 inches. Examples of smartphones that have these screen sizes are, respectively, the Motorola Atrix, the T-Mobile MyTouch 4G, the iPhone 4 and the Droid Pro.

Display Resolution

In terms of the overall picture quality that a smartphone provides when displaying images or video, display resolution is a better performance-indicator than screen size. Resolution refers to the amount of pixels, or tiny squares of illumination, that a screen combines to form coherent imagery. Some of the highest-resolution smartphones include the iPhone 4 and the Droid X. While the former has a resolution of 960 pixels by 640 pixels, which equals 614,400 total pixels, the latter has a resolution of 480 pixels by 854 pixels, which equals 409,920 total pixels. One of the most common display resolutions for a smartphone is 480 by 800 pixels and is a resolution that -- as examples -- the HTC Thunderbolt, MyTouch 4G, Samsung Galaxy S, HTC EVO 4G and Droid Incredible all share.

Connectivity

All smartphones are able to connect to wireless networks. These include wireless local area networks, which provide wireless Internet access, and personal areas networks, which allow smartphones to communicate with Bluetooth devices. As of 2011, one of the key distinguishing connectivity characteristics of a smartphone is whether it supports 3G or 4G technology. Both technologies allow for Internet connectivity using cellular transmissions. Of the two, 4G is the more advanced, providing faster transmissions rates. Examples of 4G smartphones include the HTC ThunderBolt, Motorola Atrix 4G, HTC EVO 4 and MyTouch 4G.

Tags: Examples smartphones, inches inches, smartphones include, Droid Incredible, equals total, equals total pixels, functions like

Use A Canon Camcorder

The Canon HV20 Camcorder is a great tool for keeping your memories alive. Knowing use your camcorder properly will help you best capture important events for posterity.

Instructions

1. Read the instruction manual to learn use your camcorder to get the best shots. Familiarize yourself with the role of each function button. On the right side of the camcorder body you'll find the switch that lets you go between the auto and program modes. Below the LCD screen, you'll find the four buttons that control such things as zoom in/out and start/stop recording functions.

2. Put in the BP-2L13 battery pack. Make sure it is new or charged up so the camcorder won't stop recording at a critical moment. Carry an extra battery pack for emergencies in case one is faulty. Take the charger and an extra battery pack on long trips such as vacations so you're always be ready for those special times.

3. Connect your camcorder directly to a printer using the USB cable that comes with the camcorder. This allows you to print your pictures or transfer them to your computer. Press the print/share button located on the body of the camera and it's done for you.

4. Edit and share your video. Use the STV-250 N stereo video cable to connect to your computer and upload your recorded material. Install the Digital Video Solution Disk to re-format and edit your still pictures and video. You can send them by email to your friends and loved ones.

Tags: battery pack, your camcorder, extra battery, extra battery pack, stop recording

No Power To My Rca Drc69702

Keeping the RCA DRC69702 running keeps the kids entertained.

Troubleshooting the RCA DRC69702 DVD player involves checking and identifying the parts that could potentially affect the power status of your system. Most often the problem is a simple fix. Your best bet is to pull out the user manual and review the troubleshooting section located at the back of the guide. Always read the important safety instructions listed in your manual before installing the DVD player. This unit consists of a DVD player built into a monitor and a second monitor, which attach to the head rests in your automobile.

Remote Control

When removing the remote control from the package for the first time, pull out the plastic tab located at the top of the remote. The remote also needs one CR2025 3-volt battery to operate. If you're trying to turn-on power to the DVD player with the remote with no success, note that the remote uses an infrared sensor. When you have a strong or bright ambient light source near the sensor such as bright sunlight, the infrared sensor may be degraded to the point where the DVD isn't receiving the signal.

Power-On Button

Find the power-on switch located at the top right-hand side of the DVD player. This is also the standby switch and should remain in the on position. You'll find another on switch on the right side of each screen. All of these switches must be in the on position to view the DVD.

DVD Player

The receiving end of the infrared sensor in located on the lower front center of the DVD player. If your remote control unit isn't powering on the DVD player, make sure this infrared port is unobstructed. Beneath this sensor is the power-on indicator light, which turns red when the DVD player is powered-on. When the standby/on switch is in the on position, the light will also be illuminated.

Power Supply

The RCA DRC69702 uses the car power adapter bundled with your DVD player to power on the unit. This power adapter requires automobiles that have a 12V, negative ground electrical system. The DVD player won't work in 24V vehicles. Most cars have a 12V system, but if your DVD player won't turn on, it never hurts to double-check. Make sure the DC-in jack fits tightly in the socket and that the car power adapter also fits securely in the 12V power outlet, most often found on the dash of your automobile.

Tags: infrared sensor, power adapter, player This, remote control, standby switch

Replace Sony Lcd Projection Tv Thermal Fuses

If you Sony LCD projection TV overheats, the thermal fuse could short circuit the power going to the transformer. This mean, your television will not power on. Often, once the television cools down, the TV will power back on. However, in extreme cases where the television overheats, the fuse will permanently blow. This means you must service the television and replace the thermal fuse. Fortunately, the fuse is mounted in an easy to reach place.

Instructions

1. Remove the LCD projection TV from the wall mount and disconnect the cable and accessory connections. This will differ depending on the type of wall mount you own and the accessories you have plugged into the television.

2. Place a blanket onto a table and then place the TV face down on the blanket. The blanket will protect the screen from damage.

3. Remove the 12 Phillip's screws that hold the back of the television onto the television housing with a Phillip's screwdriver. The screws recess into holes in the back of the cover so inspect each recessed hole for a screw until you locate all 12 screws. Place the rear cover off to the side.

4. Locate the fan housing in the center, bottom on the back of the TV and then locate the thermal fuse housing next to the fan. Pull the cover off the thermal fuse housing.

5. Pull the old fuse out with your fingers and then press the new fuse into the housing. Place the cover back onto the housing.

6. Place the cover onto the back of the television and secure it with all 12 screws.

Tags: thermal fuse, back television, fuse housing, housing Place, housing Place cover

Use A Tripod In Photography

Using a tripod can vastly improve the quality of your shots, and make your photography easier.

Instructions

1. Make sure that you have the right tripod and head to fit your camera. If you are unsure if a model is right for your camera, bring it to the shop with you; and the associates should be able to help you find the right model.

2. Once you have your tripod, pick your subject and the location from which you would like to shoot . You should choose a relatively flat surface. Once you've chosen your location, decide on the height you will want the shot to come from.

3. Open the legs and extend them to the height you desire. Once you have the height set, lock the tripod legs in place. You can get specific directions on open, extend and lock the legs in place in your owners manual. This process may vary depending on your tripod's design.

4. Place the camera on the tripod. This system may include a screw or clips, but screws are much more common. Once again due to variation in models, you will need to consult your owner's manual for instructions on do this. Once your camera is secure you can use the head to adjust the angle of the camera.

5. Line up your shot, and take your photos.

Tags: your camera, legs place, Once have, your tripod

Use A Tripod For Sports Photography

Tripods are used when slow shutter speeds are required in low-light situations or when the photographer wants to capture motion lines in pictures. Because sports photography usually requires fast shutter speeds to stop the action in the pictures, a tripod is not always essential, it can be helpful in several situations.

Instructions

1. Use a tripod when the light necessitates it. Just like in all photography, if you are taking pictures of an outdoor sporting event at night, you might need a tripod in order to avoid blurry pictures. This is especially the case if flash photography is prohibited at the sporting event or if the venue is poorly lit.

2. Set your camera on the tripod so you don't have to hold it. Even if you do not require a tripod for your photography needs, you may want to consider using one for comfort, especially if you have a heavy camera. With a tripod, you can sit back and simply press the shutter button as needed.

3. Set up a tripod with a second camera. If you have a second camera or an old camera at home, put it on the tripod and bring it to the game. Focus the second camera on a fixed point of interest, such as the hoop or home plate. This allows you to take pictures of the same spot repeatedly and free up your primary camera for other shorts.

4. Look for a tripod that moves horizontally, freely. In sports photography, you'll often need to follow horizontal action, such as an outfielder chasing a fly ball or a running back running with the ball. A tripod steadies your hands and make it easier to pan with the camera.

5. Consider using a monopod for sports pictures. A monopod provides the same benefits of stability to the camera as a tripod, but only has one leg. This means you'll have to hold on to the camera, but a monopod is more transportable, which can be important if you frequently change locations. Also, a monopod may be allowed at some venues where a tripod is not.

Tags: second camera, camera tripod, have hold, shutter speeds, sporting event

What Are Fisheye Mirrors

Fisheye mirrors have a surface that bulges outward, called a convex mirror. They are useful for compressing a wide field of view into a narrower one, often seen on parking garages where an exiting vehicle needs to "see around the corner" for oncoming cars and pedestrians. Drivers sometimes affix fisheye mirrors to their side view mirrors to compensate for a vehicle's "blind spot."

Mechanics

Fisheye mirrors' convex surface distorts incoming light and reflects it back to the viewer. The viewer typically sees a compressed, distorted version of the reality reflected in the mirror, useful for compressing wide angles into narrower ones.

Uses

Parking garages, side view mirrors on cars and other areas with blind spots often feature fisheye mirrors to give users a better idea of what is inside the blind spot.

Safety

The safety of using fisheye mirrors on cars has been called into question, because the distortion effects of the convex mirror may cause some drivers to incorrectly perceive the location of nearby vehicles.

Cost

Fisheye mirrors can cost under $10 at an auto parts store, while large fisheye mirrors can run $20 or more. Other fisheye mirrors used in art pieces fetch hundreds of dollars.

Other uses

The convex shape of a fisheye mirror is also useful to photographers, who buy fisheye lenses for their camera. Operating a camera with a fisheye lens produces a characteristic, rounded distortion often seen in landscape photography and skateboarding videos.

Tags: blind spot, compressing wide, convex mirror, fisheye mirrors, fisheye mirrors

Use A Thermal Imaging Camera

TThermal imaging cameras convert infrared radiation--emitted as heat--into visible images. They are as easy to use as regular cameras, many with point-and-shoot designs. They have a wide range of uses, from determining the heating efficiency of a home to locating a missing hiker, and are commonly used by security firms, police, firefighters and the military. Imaging cameras are classified in two types: calibrated and non-calibrated. Calibrated cameras take a measurement of temperature to complement the visual image. The images themselves can be difficult to interpret, especially since some interpretations are counter-intuitive. Thermographers often spend months studying the principles of heat.

Instructions

1. Remove any objects between the camera and the target or, if necessary, angle the camera's line-of-sight around the obstruction the best you can. This is especially important when you are installing a camera for security or maintenance purposes. Objects in the line of sight can lead to an inaccurate reading of heat flow or temperature of the target. For example, if you're taking a reading of a building, you should install the camera where tree branches do not obscure it.

2. Measure the heat of the object with a thermometer. If there is not a sharp enough difference (20 degrees, at least) between the interior and exterior of the object, then the reading will be inaccurate.

3. Take multiple shots of the target to get a good sense of how heat flows around or through the target. Most recently manufactured cameras have a memory stick so the images can be downloaded to a computer. Each two-dimensional snapshot records the heat flow at a given time; a series of shots will give you a prolonged view of the temperature and flow.

4. Analyze the images to determine where your home is losing heat or where your car engine is leaking gases. This is the trickiest part of the process, since you need a firm grasp of the principles of heat to understand the images. Do your research.

5. Consult a professional thermographer if you have doubts about the images. Don't begin expensive house repairs or renovations unless you are sure you are reading them correctly. Get advice from someone who is familiar with the common errors in reading thermal images.

Tags: heat flow, principles heat, where your

Use A Telephoto Lens On A Canon S3 Camera

The Canon S3 has a 12x telephoto range, giving it a 35mm-equivalent of 432mm. This extreme zoom range allows you to get quite tight on your subjects from far away, making it excellent for applications like birding.

Instructions

1. Use the top right toggle switch to zoom your camera. The S3 has a fly-by-wire zoom, meaning you tell the camera to zoom with an electronic switch and the camera will then physically zoom the lens for you. This is slower than the manual zoom on SLR cameras.

2. Turn off the digital zoom. Digital zoom is a feature that gives the appearance of extra telephoto range by cropping the image in-camera. There is no point to doing this, as you can achieve the same effect with more control and precision by using an image editor after the fact. By turning off digital zoom, you will keep the entire image, giving you more options later.

3. Make sure that your image stabilization feature is turned on. While this will drain more battery, it will help stabilize your lens against motion blur caused by your hands shaking. This is particularly important when using telephoto, as a tiny amount of shake is translated into a large amount of motion blur.

4. Ensure that your shutter speed is high enough. Motion blur, caused by unsteady hands, can be a problem at long enough focal lengths. The standard rule of thumb is to use a shutter speed no slower than 1 divided by your focal length, so at the S3's maximum zoom, this would be at least 1/400. This rule can be pushed if you have the image stabilization enabled. Alternatively, you can place the camera on a tripod or stable surface.

5. Acquire a telephoto conversion lens. There are numerous third-party conversion lenses on the market that can extend the telephoto range of your S3, generally by a factor of 1.5 or 2. However, depending of their quality, these conversion lenses will reduce your image quality and maximum aperture, and they may interfere with your auto-focus as well.

Tags: telephoto range, blur caused, conversion lenses, digital zoom, image stabilization, motion blur, shutter speed

How Do Cctv Cameras Work

Analog CCTV

Analog CCTV systems use one of two main conduits to transmit audio-visual information. The first, and most common, is a wired configuration. The second uses a wireless transmitter to connect to a receiver.

Wired CCTV installations run a cable or wire between the camera and the monitor. The image data is usually transmitted over a coaxial cable. The audio is usually transmitted over a simple copper wire or wires. The signal transmitted over these wires and cables is then fed in to a monitor or a set of monitors if the image needs to be visible in different locations. A multiplexer can be used to display feeds from multiple cameras on a single monitor. Each camera's picture would take up a pre-set amount of space on the monitor. Analog CCTV cameras can also be routed to an image capture board on a computer to allow the audio-visual information to be viewed on a computer monitor.

Wireless CCTV installations are similar to wired. The difference is that a radio transmitter is attached to the camera. A radio receiver is then attached to the input on the monitor system or computer. Wireless systems are useful in a couple of situations. The first is when the distance between the camera and the monitor is too far to be practical for a cable run. Wireless CCTV is also good when cables aren't practical because of aesthetic reasons.

Digital CCTV

CCTV installations can also be digital. Digital CCTV often uses Internet Protocol (IP) cameras. An IP camera is a camera that contains the camera and hardware to convert the audio and video signals to a stream of packets that can then be transmitted over a local area network (LAN) wide area network, (WAN) or even over the internet.

Digital CCTV has many advantages over analog. First, it can use existing wired or wireless internet, including Wi-Fi. Because of this, it isn't limited by distance. A CCTV camera can be set up in one city and have its signal transmitted easily to another city. Another advantage of digital CCTV is that a series of cameras can be routed to a wireless hub, thus minimizing the amount of cabling required for a complex installation.

Tags: transmitted over, Analog CCTV, CCTV installations, area network, audio-visual information, between camera, between camera monitor

Retrieve Deleted Calls On Nextel Phones

Retrieve deleted calls from your Nextel phone.

Perhaps you dropped your phone and broke it, but you need to retrieve the numbers for a few phone calls that you recently made. Maybe you suspect that your spouse, or partner is cheating on you with someone else. Whatever the case, if you need to recover deleted calls on your Nextel phone you don't need to be a tech geek or spy master to do it anymore. It's actually quite simple and only takes a few minutes.

Instructions

1. Buy a forensic cell phone data tool. There are several available on the market today that you might consider. Some of these include the Sim Card Recovery tool, the Dekart SIM card manager and the Mobile Phone Data Recovery Kit. As of 2010, these devices cost between $69-$99.

2. Insert the CD-ROM that comes with the kit into the drive on your computer. It will ask if you wish to install the software and drivers. Click "Yes" and follow the instructions given by Windows to complete the installation. This software will allow your computer to read the data on the SIM card.

3. Turn the cell phone off and remove the SIM (subscriber identification module) card. This is the small white, rectangular chip located in back of your cell phone underneath the battery. This is where some of the phone's data is kept.

4. Insert the SIM card into the USB reader that comes with the kit and attach the USB reader to your computer.

5. Go to the "Start Menu" and the launch the software application.

6. Go to "File" and "Download Data." This will download all of the information from the SIM card to your computer. To retrieve the deleted calls, look to the left panel of the application and select "Last Dialed Calls." This will give you a list of the last 10 calls made on this phone. The deleted ones will be marked in red. To undelete them, right click on it and select "Undelete call."

Tags: your computer, cell phone, deleted calls, comes with, Nextel phone

Get A Self Portrait 3d Figurine

Self Portrait 3D Figurine

Figurines make great gifts and are prized by collectors for their uniqueness and rarity. Nothing is more unique than a one-of-a-kind figurine set featuring the likeness of you and your spouse. Or, have one made in the likeness of your kids, your parents or anyone who would appreciate seeing themselves captured forever in the form of a collectible figurine that will never be duplicated.

Instructions

1. Take three pictures of the person that will be made into the figurine. One front, one side and one close up. You can use just one image if that’s all you have, but three will work best.

2. Save the photos onto your computer by following your camera manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Go to the Self Portrait 3D Figurine website page (use the link below in Resources).

4. Click on “Upload a file here.”

5. Click “Browse” and navigate to where you stored your photos on your computer. Select your photo and click “Open.”

6. Click “Submit” and then verify the name of your photo as it appears in the dropdown box.

7. Continue uploading until all photos have been uploaded.

8. Type in any special request you have in the "Special Requests" box. For example, if you want a custom background, special props, colors type them in here.

9. Click “Buy” when you’re done to save your changes. Then you can checkout or continue looking.

Tags: Portrait Figurine, Self Portrait, Self Portrait Figurine, here Click, likeness your

Oklahoma Shooting Sports For Kids

Introducing children to shooting and the outdoors can have a positive impact.

There is no shortage of opportunities for shooting sports for kids in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Wildlife Department holds an annual children’s camp to serve as an introduction. Oklahoma State University Extension Service runs 4H shooting programs classes and holds shooting events and contests.

Oklahoma Youth Hunting & Shooting Program

The Oklahoma Youth Hunting & Shooting Program introduces children with no hunting or shooting experience to those sports. The program is operated by adult volunteers who secure permission from landowners to use their property for hunts for small game, turkey and deer. Parents are required to accompany their child into the field. Safety and ethics are emphasized, and the children are required to complete a hunter education course. For more information, visit the Oklahoma Youth Hunting & Shooting Program’s website.

Cherokee Kids Camp

The Oklahoma Wildlife Department operates the Cherokee Kids Camp at the Cherokee Wildlife Management Area in northeast Oklahoma. The camp is held in June and is designed to introduce children under the age of 15 to the outdoors. Shooting sports include archery, air rifles, paintball and firearms. For additional information, call the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation at 918-260-8959 or visit their website.

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University 4H program, in cooperation with the National Rifle Association, offers numerous youth shooting programs, including shooting sports camps and marksmanship and youth hunter education classes in select areas throughout Oklahoma. For more information, visit the Oklahoma State University Extension 4H program’s website or the NRA’s Youth Programs website.

Tags: Oklahoma State, Oklahoma State University, State University, Oklahoma Youth, Oklahoma Youth Hunting, Youth Hunting, Youth Hunting Shooting

Load Film Into A Polaroid Camera

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Loading film correctly ensures that your picture quality is worthy of the memories printed on your film. Here are a few things you should know about loading film in Polaroid cameras.

Instructions

1. Lay the camera lens-down on a flat surface. It can be tricky to put film in the camera while you're holding it in your hand. When laying the camera down put a cloth between the camera and the table surface to avoid any possibility of damage to the lens component of the camera.

2. Clean the processing rollers or film holder regularly. Check for dust every time you load film. If the roller or holder needs cleaning, use a clean, moist cloth and make sure the component is completely dry before you load the film into the camera. Never use rubbing alcohol or any other kind of astringent cleansers.

3. Open both the inner and outer backs of your camera fully to access the film chamber.

4. Use the pull string on your film roll to expose a small "thread" of film you can use to wind into the film chamber. Take notice of any tape seals on your roll of film. You must break the tape seal around the leader portion of the film roll, but it is essential that you leave the clearly marked seals on the positive and negative film rolls intact.

5. Wind the film through the rollers in the camera chamber as required by your specific Polaroid model. Step-by-step diagrams will be included in your owner's manual, and many of the film stocks also include loading instructions.

6. Close the back of the camera, where you should be able to spot the loose end of the film leader protruding from the slot. Your film has now been loaded into the camera.

7. Take a throwaway shot or two at the beginning of the roll. If you've accidentally exposed any film to light, or if there's any leader remaining in the film roll, you'll probably be able to work past it by just snapping off some junk shots to start the roll.

Tags: film roll, film chamber, into camera, load film

Initialize A Photo Card

Initialize photo cards in a digital camera, not a computer.

After inserting batteries into a digital camera, take a few minutes to initialize your camera's photo card before taking your first few pictures. This process, also known as formatting, makes media cards read and transfer data seamlessly between your model of camera and the card. Whether your camera uses compact flash, SD, SDHC, SDXC, multi-media cards or XD, initializing the card reduces your chances for camera error messages and the corruption of data files on the photo card.

Instructions

1. Turn off the digital camera. Insert the photo card into the corresponding slot on the bottom or side of the camera. Close the media compartment door.

2. Turn on the power to the camera. Set the camera to "Playback mode". Look for a small triangle icon that resembles a play button on a CD player or DVD player.

3. Press the "Menu" button. Toggle through the menu items until you locate a "Tools" menu. Scroll through the options until you see the "Format" function.

4. Press the "Set" or "OK" button to choose "Format". Read the confirmation message that asks if you want to perform this function. Choose "Yes" by pressing "Set" or "OK".

5. Read additional prompts. Choose the option for "Low Level Formatting" to create new directories and files on the photo card. This ensures smooth operations when shooting video clips or continuous still frames.

6. Turn the camera from "Playback" mode to "Recording" or "Auto" mode to start taking pictures.

Tags: digital camera, photo card, files photo, files photo card, Playback mode, your camera

Convert A Wav File For The Rca Digital Voice Player

The RCA Digital Voice Player allows you to record audio files and play them back on your personal computer. By default, all audio is recorded and saved in VOC format. By converting the audio to WAV format, you can play your audio on other devices and share your audio with others. At the time of publication, RCA has five player models, including the VR5220, VR5230, VR5340, VR5320R and VR5330R. The method for converting the audio to WAV format is the same for all five models.

Instructions

1. Download and install the RCA Digital Voice Manager software onto your computer. The software is available for free via the RCA software downloads page at rcaaudiovideo.com/audio/voicerecorders/.

2. Connect one end of your digital voice player's USB cable to the USB port of your player. Connect the other end of the cable to your computer's USB port. Power on your digital voice player.

3. Open the Digital Voice Manager program on your computer. All of the voice recordings will appear in the bottom pane of the DVM window. The top pane contains files on your computer's hard drive.

4. Click the voice recording in the bottom pane that you want to convert to a WAV file. Click the "Conversion" icon -- waves located next to question mark icon -- that is located on the top DVM toolbar.

5. Select the folder location on your hard drive that you want to save the WAV file to. Click "Save" to save the converted file.

6. Wait a few seconds for the conversion process to finish. You can then access the WAV file from the folder specified during the conversion process.

Tags: your computer, Digital Voice, audio format, bottom pane, conversion process

Set Up Photography Studio Lighting

Studio lighting is both controllable and predictable, but often takes more preparation than working with natural light. It is a combination of where to put lights, control them and how much lighting to apply. However, studio lighting is under your full control, and can be adjusted to suit your needs and meet your visual goals. Read on to learn to how place, configure and adjust your studio lighting equipment.

Instructions

1. Position each light. Assemble each lighting rig, which will vary based upon what type of lights you are using. But at a bare minimum there will be a light stand, the light itself and a power source for the light. Add a modifier such as a softbox or umbrella as needed and place the whole assembly in the proper location. Exactly where you place each light will be based upon the look you are trying to achieve and the location of your subject.

2. Setup triggering for each flash. Most, if not all of your lighting will be non-continuous lighting. These types of lights must be synchronized with the camera and will need to be triggered in some way. Most professional studios utilize radio triggers, and to a lesser degree, optical slave units. Slave or provide triggering to each light by wiring an optical slave or radio trigger to it. Once each light has some way of being triggered, test to ensure that all of your flashes are firing consistently.

3. Set the output of each light. Set the output level of each light to achieve the lighting ratios you would like to see in the final image. The values do not have to be perfect as they will be adjusted accordingly after you meter each one.

4. Meter and adjust the key light. Begin by turning on just the main light, also known as the key light. Using an incident-type flash meter, take a reading of the main light where the subject will be. Adjust the output level or location of the key light to obtain the aperture you are looking for.

5. Meter and adjust the fill light. In the same way that you metered and adjusted the key light, adjust your fill light. A good starting point is to set your fill light to be one stop less than your key light.

6. Meter any background or hair lights. If you are using any lights beyond a key and fill light, such as background lights, hair lights, rim lights or separation lights, meter these sources now. Remember to keep any other potential sources of light from affecting your measurement when metering a flash.

7. Take a test shot. Now that all of your lights are in place and adjusted, take a test shot. Preview the image and look for any issues such as blown highlights, underexposure, undesirable shadows and other lighting defects. Adjust your lighting accordingly by once again adjusting output levels and placement of lights until the lighting is technically sound and fulfills your aesthetic aims.

Tags: each light, fill light, based upon, hair lights, lights using

Use A Panasonic Hdchs9

The Panasonic HDCHS9 digital camera allows you to record video digitally. You can keep videos on the camera, or you can transfer the video files to a computer to edit them or upload them to the Internet. The camera also features a slot for flash memory cards, so you can more easily transfer video from the camera to multiple devices without the use of cables. Because the camera is digital, you can customize several settings by entering the camera's menu.

Instructions

1. Insert the memory card into the bottom slot in the back of the computer, making sure the notched side is on the left. Insert the battery into its slot with the arrow on the backside, pointing toward the camera. Make sure the battery clicks into place.

2. Depress the button on the dial at the back of the camera, then spin the dial to select one of the camera's modes. Release the button to lock the camera in the mode.

3. Flip the screen out for a better view of what you are recording or to watch recorded video. Press the red button on the rear of the camera to begin recording, if you have selected the recording mode on the dial.

4. Press the "Menu" button to display the options you can set in each mode. Move the selector stick in the back of the camera up, down, left or right to navigate through the menus. Press in the stick to select what you have highlighted on the screen.

5. Place your right hand through the strap on the camera, placing your fingers on top of the camera. Stabilize the viewing screen with your left hand.

Tags: back camera, transfer video

Copy Pictures To An Sd Card

SD cards are flash memory storage devices commonly used in digital cameras, digital recorders, gaming devices and cell phones.

A card reader is the easiest way to interface with your SD cards. Card readers are inexpensive and come in two varieties: internal and external. Internal card readers are designed for desktop computers; external card readers can be used for laptop or desktop computers.

Card readers are advertised as "52-in-1" or "20-in-1," references to the number of card formats the reader supports. The number isn't important as long as your card type is supported. Common card types include SD, mini-SD, MMC, Sony's Memory Stick and Compact Flash (CF).

Digital cameras often come with a USB or similar cable. Some devices will allow you to read the card as a drive simply by connecting your device. If your computer has a card reader or can read the card as a drive by connecting your device, you don't need a card reader.

Instructions

1. Create a folder on your desktop called 'card' or something similar. This temporary folder will hold everything you want to copy from your computer onto your card. It's easiest to transfer files from one folder than to pick up photos from your across computer.

2. Locate the files you want to transfer to your SD card and copy them to the temporary folder you placed on your desktop.

3. Plug in your card reader, if it's external, and insert your card into the correct slot.

4. Your card will mount as a drive on your computer. On a Mac, the drive will appear mounted in your Finder window (see Resources). On a PC, go to My Computer and locate the new drive. Your card could be named "Untitled" or a series of numbers or letters or the manufacturer's name.

5. Open the drive and browse its contents to make sure your files copied successfully.

6. Drag the photo folder from your desktop onto the drive. A dialog box will open showing the transfer status. When the transfer is complete, eject the drive by clicking the logo next to it (Mac), or right clicking and selecting "Eject DRIVENAME." You can also drag the disk to the trash to eject.

7. Delete the temporary folder from your desktop.

Tags: your card, card reader, from your, your desktop, temporary folder, your computer, card drive

Digital Wristwatch Instructions

Set the time on your digital watch.

A digital wristwatch allows you to view the current time of day without reading the hands of a standard, analog watch. Most digital wristwatches have a few different options, such as a stopwatch and the ability to adjust the time display. Although there are dozens if not hundreds of different makes and models of digital wristwatches available for use, all function in essentially the same way.

Instructions

1. Hold down the "Set" button on the side of the watch. The time on the watch begins to flash. This means it has entered the time adjustment mode.

2. Push down the "Start/Stop" button and the hour time changes by one number. Continue pressing the button until you have reached the current hour time. Push "Set" to lock it into place and at the same time highlight the minute numbers. Hold down the "Start/Stop" button to adjust the minute time on your watch. Press "Set" once more to lock the entire time into place.

3. Push "Set" after the time is locked into place and the month and date begins to flash. Push "Start" and the date begins to change. Once you have settled on the correct month press "Set" to lock it into place. The day of the month now begins to flash. Push "Start" again until the correct day of the month appears. Push "Set" once more to lock the day in place.

4. Press the "Mode" button to switch through the different modes on the digital wristwatch. Depending on the watch you have there may be an alarm feature you can initiate in the same way as setting the time, or a stop watch feature.

5. Push the "Stop/Start" button while in the stop watch mode and the watch timer starts. Push the button again to stop the time on the watch.

Tags: into place, begins flash, begins flash Push, correct month, date begins, digital wristwatch, digital wristwatches

Recover Files From A Memory Card Format

Memory cards for digital cameras act in the same way that hard disk drives do, in that when files are deleted, they are not immediately removed. Instead, that space becomes available to be written over. So if you have deleted or formatted your memory card and want to recover old photographs, you can do so with memory card recovery software. There are many applications of this variety available on the Internet that will do essentially the same job. Memory card recovery is a long process, even with a top-of-the-range personal computer, so you may want to set up the process and leave it for a few hours.

Instructions

WinRecovery CardRecovery (Shareware)

1. Download and install WinRecovery CardRecovery (see Resources).

2. Load the program from the Start menu. Click "Next." Connect your memory card to your computer via a card reader or digital camera. Select the "Drive Letter" that contains the memory card you want to recover from.

3. Choose the additional settings for your camera. Click "Next." Wait for the possible images to be recovered are displayed. Select the photos you want to recover.

4. Click "Close" when the recovery is done.

Handy Recovery (Shareware)

5. Download and install Handy Recovery (see Resources).

6. Open the program from your Start menu. Connect your memory card to your computer.

7. Click "Select Disk." Choose your disk. Click "Analyze." Wait while the available files are chosen.

8. Select the files to recover and click "Recover." Choose a store location and click "OK."

DataRescue (Shareware)

9. Download and install PhotoRescue (see Resources).

10. Connect your memory card to your computer. Load PhotoRescue from the Start menu.

11. Click "Quick Recovery." Choose your media card and click "Next." Wait while the files are scanned. Click "Next" when they have been displayed.

12. Choose the files to recover. Click "Next." Click "Browse" and choose a folder for your export. Click "Next."

Tags: memory card, your memory, your memory card, card your, card your computer

What Is A Sepia Pose

Sepia is a brownish tone used in photography.

While sepia pose is not a standard photographic term, it sometimes describes a common aesthetic in sepia portraits, which reflects the historical use of sepia prints.

Color

Sepia, commonly used in photographic context, is a dark brown-grey pigment originally derived from the ink of a cuttlefish. Today, even digital cameras often include a sepia option.

Pose

Usually, photographers use sepia for more elegant or rustic-looking photos, and often models' poses reflect a 19th-century aesthetic of propriety.

History

Photographers in the early 20th century used sepia paper, which was extra sensitive to light; therefore, their negatives had to minimize contrast and use delicate lighting. Certain close poses and minimal shading helped sepia prints develop more crisply.

Slang

Often the term sepia pose refers to a shot in sepia that reflects a sense of nostalgia, historic photography or an intimate portrait.

Pop Culture

The book "Trance" by Christopher Sorrentino uses the phrase sepia pose to describe the positions in which his characters sit, like "a 19th-century family group."

Tags: sepia pose, sepia prints

Upload Pictures From My Treo 755p To My Desktop

The Palm Treo 755P is a smart phone that allows you to digitally manage your life. The Treo 755P has a 1.3-megapixel camera that is capable of a 2x digital zoom. You can save captured pictures to the limited internal memory of the phone or you can purchase an external memory card with a much larger storage capacity. To upload the pictures from your Treo 755P (whether saved to internal or external memory), you must synchronize the device with your computer.

Instructions

1. Close any open programs in Windows. Insert the Palm Software Installation CD into your disk drive and wait for the installation menu to appear. If the installation menu does not appear, click the Windows "Start" button and click "Computer." Double-click your CD drive to view the contents of the CD and locate the .exe file. Double-click the .exe file to start the software installation process. Note that you must install the Palm Treo 755P software in order to upload pictures directly from your Palm device.

2. Follow the prompts on your screen to install the Palm software. Connect your Palm Treo 755P to your computer with the USB connection cable, when prompted.

3. Press the "Sync" button on the USB connection cable to synchronize your Palm Treo 755P with your computer. The "Sync" button is located on the portion of the cable that plugs into the Palm device. The device will automatically upload all pictures that you've recorded to your computer.

4. Click the Windows "Start" button and select "Documents." Double-click "My Photos," then "Palm Photos." Find your Windows user account name and open the folder. Open the "Expansion Card" folder if you originally saved the pictures on an external memory card on the Palm Treo or "Internal" if you saved the pictures to the Palm Treo's internal memory.

5. Re-sync the device with your computer anytime you want to upload pictures from your Palm Treo 755P.

Tags: Palm Treo, Treo 755P, Palm Treo 755P, your computer, your Palm

What Is Extra 2 2 On A Samsung Epic 4g

The 2.2 version of the Android operating system, which is referred to as Froyo, introduces a number of extra features to Android devices, like the Samsung Epic 4G, which weren't available on earlier versions of the operating system. Additionally, the Epic 4G upgrade includes an extra feature specific to devices using Sprint service.

Flash Support

Prior to version 2.2, the Samsung Epic 4G could not display Flash animation and apps on the Web. Users who visited Web sites that utilize Flash simply wouldn't see anything. As of the 2.2 software version, the Epic 4G can fully support and display all instances of Adobe Flash on the Web using the Adobe Flash Player 10.1.

Tethering and Wi-Fi Hotspot

Tethering is the process of connecting another device, like a laptop, to your smartphone and using the smartphone's data connection to get the other device online. With the 2.2 version of the Android operating system, the Epic 4G now has native support for tethering. In addition, the smartphone can become a Wi-Fi hotspot, enabling up to five additional devices to connect to the smartphone and use the Internet connection. Sprint still requires that you purchase a tethering or hotspot plan in order to use these features.

Apps on SD Card

The 2.2 version of the Samsung Epic's software includes the ability to store applications on the SD card. For people who download and install lots of apps, this new feature will free up significant amounts of internal memory, allowing the Epic 4G to run more quickly. People who only install a few apps won't see much of an advantage from this feature.

Speed Improvement

With the 2.2 version of the Android operating system, the Epic 4G will be able to utilize the just-in-time compiler. This feature works behind the scenes, but it improves the Epic's processor performance, allowing for much more complicated apps to run without slowing down the device. Additionally, apps should have a slightly quicker loading time.

Sprint ID

Sprint coupled its Sprint ID feature with the Android 2.2 upgrade for the Samsung Epic 4G. This feature enables customer to download and install up to five different packages of applications. When the user loads a specific package, they will have access to a group of applications all surrounding a certain theme. Users can flip between five different Sprint ID packs, and can choose to delete some in order to download new packages.

Tags: Samsung Epic, operating system, Android operating, Android operating system, version Android

Camera Lenses

Camera lenses are interchangeable on an SLR, or single lens reflex, camera. With a variety of camera lenses available, a photographer can choose the way he wants his photographs to look simply by attaching different styles of lenses to his SLR camera body. The versatility of camera lenses gives variety to the look of the photographs and gives the photographer more options.

Types

Fixed focal length lenses offer one type of look to photographs. They do not have the ability to zoom but offer the sharpest image possible, since there are fewer elements for the light to pass through.

Wide angle zoom lenses generally range from 17 mm to 35 mm. They offer convenience, since they have the ability to change focal lengths without changing lenses. These are popular for large family group pictures in a small room.

Telephoto zoom lenses generally range from 55 mm to 200 mm. These are popular lenses since they have a wide range of zoom to bring subjects in closer. They are popular for sports and vacation photography.

Features

The barrel of a camera lens contains a lot of data about the lens and how it will work with the SLR camera body. A feature to operate the camera lens with manual or auto-focus can be found on the camera lens. Filter size, focal length and minimum and maximum aperture settings are also listed on the camera lens. When the lens is rotated, the distance and aperture setting may show, too, depending on the brand of lens.

Function

Camera lenses are mounted onto the front of SLR camera bodies. There are two types of camera lens mount styles. A bayonet style mount can be found on older, fully manual SLR cameras. SLR cameras that offer auto-focus on the lens attach to the camera body with a twist-and-click-style mount. This is the most common style of mount found today, and is on all digital SLR camera bodies.

Benefits

The benefits of using camera lenses applied to an SLR camera are numerous. The ability to zoom into faraway subjects is the most common reason consumers use an SLR camera with a telephoto lens. Camera lenses also allow the photographer to record a wide scene when working in a tight space. Macro lenses allow the photographer to photograph small objects, with detail, close up.

Misconceptions

A camera lens will not fit on any brand of SLR camera body. The camera lens must have the same mount as the camera body. Generally, a Canon camera will require a Canon mount lens, for example. However, there are some third-party lens manufacturers that offer lenses to fit a variety of camera body brands.

Tags: camera lens, camera body, ability zoom, allow photographer, camera bodies, camera lenses, focal length

Kodak C875 Camera Troubleshooting

The Kodak C875 is an 8-megapixel digital camera from the EasyShare line. It was released in 2006. Any digital camera can malfunction, including the C875. Before sending the camera for servicing, try to troubleshoot the problem yourself.

Power Problems

There are several malfunctions that could be caused by a faulty power supply. If your camera does not turn on or off, the lens does not extend or retract or if the control buttons do not work, there may be a problem with the batteries. First, check that the batteries are installed correctly. Then charge the batteries or replace them. You can also try connecting the camera to an AC adapter.

When the battery life is short, try wiping the contacts on the batteries and in the camera with a clean dry cloth, and reinsert the batteries.

Camera Does Not Take Pictures

Turn the camera off, wait a minute and turn the camera on again. Be sure that the camera is not set in "Favorites" mode. "Favorites" mode is a place to save images. It is not a shooting mode. Turn the mode dial to a shooting mode and try to take a picture.

Be sure that you are fully pressing the shutter button. If the shutter is pushed halfway, the camera makes a noise and adjusts the focus, however, no picture has been taken. Press the shutter button fully to take a picture.

If you are using a flash, it needs to charge between pictures. The charging process will keep you from taking a picture. The camera is ready to take a picture again when the indicator light turns green.

Finally, check that the memory card has the space needed to take more pictures. If the memory card is full, review and delete some of the pictures on the card, transfer the pictures to a computer or replace the memory card with another.

Picture Quality

If your pictures are blurry, remember to press the shutter button halfway to allow the camera to focus. The green "Ready" light will come on when the adjustments are complete and you can press the shutter button fully to take the picture. If this does not solve the problem, try cleaning the lens with a dry, lint-free cloth. Blurry pictures can also be caused by unsteady hands when the picture is being taken. Try using a tripod or another steady surface.

If your pictures are too dark, make sure that the flash is turned on and that the subject is within the range of the flash. You can also reposition the subject or the camera so that more light is available for the picture.

Pictures that are too light can be fixed by turning off the flash or by moving the subject into a less-lit area.

Tags: shutter button, take picture, memory card, sure that, button fully, button fully take, check that

How Bar Code Scanners Work

Representing numbers

Bar codes represent series of numbers. A bar-code scanner can then read the number into a computer, and retrieve price and information about the item or product. Bar-coding is used in many industries, from retail and grocery stores to libraries to package-shipping to health care. A bar-code reader, or "scanner," is needed to read a bar code.

Bar code design

Most bar codes represent numbers using black and white stripes of varying widths on a white background. Each numeral in a bar code is represented by a combination of thick and thin white and black bars. There are many different standards for bar-code design, depending on the intended use and the amount of information that is to be conveyed by the bar code.

Another design option is the two-dimensional code, which uses rectangular patterns to make the code.

Scanners

Bar-code scanners use Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) to scan the bar code, and reflect the image onto a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD). The CCD transmits the information to a computer that retrieves information about the product from a database, and also adds information to the database that the product was scanned.

Scanner Varieties

Bar codes and scanners are used in a variety of ways. The most common is the counter-top scanners found in most super markets and large retail stores, which use lasers to scan the bar codes. Handheld scanning "guns" also are used in stores that sell large items in customers' carts. Portable handheld scanners are used by store employees to order inventory (generally using bar codes printed on the price-marker tags for each item). Some retail stores even have handheld scanners for customers to use to add items to gift lists (such as wedding registries).

Digital camera technology is also being used to read bar codes. As most digital cameras use CCD technology, it is easy for a camera to be used as a bar-code scanner. Software such as Delicious Library, which allows users to scan the bar codes of their home movies and books, are becoming popular.

Some companies use bar codes to promote products on billboards, requiring potential customers to use digital camera phones to read the bar codes. This is used for promotions, ad campaigns, and by graffiti artists in Japan, and is gaining popularity in the West.

Tags: bar-code scanner, codes represent, handheld scanners, information about, read codes, retail stores, scan codes

Download From Tivo

TiVo is a digital video recorder that saves your favorite programs and lets you watch them whenever you like. TiVo has enhanced this "on-your-own-terms" mentality with the release of TiVo Desktop for Windows and the inclusion of TivoToGo. This allows you to transfer your recorded shows or movies from your network-connected TiVo to your home computer.

Instructions

1. Ensure your TiVO is connected to your home network. Do this by connect an ethernet cable from your router or modem to the back of your TiVo.

2. Download the free TiVo Desktop software from TiVo's website. (See Resource 1 below.)

3. Log into your TiVo account on the website and enable transfers in your account settings. This may be on by default already.

4. Open TiVo Desktop and select "Pick recordings to transfer."

If you have more than TiVo box in your house, you will have the option of selecting which box you'd like to make the transfers from.

5. Select the programs you want to transfer and click "Start transfer." You can view the progress of this action by selecting "Transfer status."

Tags: TiVo Desktop, from your, TiVo your, your home

Two Way Radio Instructions

Two-way radios for consumer use are an inexpensive alternative to cell phones for people who need to communicate regularly over short distances. Once you buy the radios, which are far more sophisticated and powerful than the walkie talkies you played with as a kid, you have no additional costs except for replacing or recharging the batteries. Follow these strategies to use two-way radios.

Setting the channels and codes

Turn on the two-way radios and set both units to the same channel using the channel selector knob usually found on top of each radio near the antenna. If your radios are equipped with a security feature, enter the numeric code using the keypad. You can then adjust the volume to a comfortable listening level or plug in a set of earphones or headphones for added privacy.

Range, line of sight

Bear in mind that two-way radios operate on a UHF band (Ultra High Frequency), which is a microwave that sends signals over a limited range. Unlike cell phones, which bounce radio signals off cell towers so two people can talk over great distances, two-way radios send signals directly between each other. Most radios available for consumer use have an effective communication range of 5-10 miles, which can vary with weather conditions.

You'll also enjoy better reception if there are no major physical obstacles between the radios. Outdoor reception between two radios 500 feet apart will be superior to indoor reception between a radio on the first floor of a skyscraper and a radio on the 40th floor of the same building.

Communicating over the air

If your radio uses a push-to-talk transmitter, you'll need to depress and hold the button when you wish to communicate with another person. It is helpful to use a verbal code that lets the other person know when you are finished transmitting. The standard code is to say the word "over," which is short for "over to you," to let the other person know you are finished speaking and he should respond. "Over and out" is an acknowledgment that the communication is finished and you are signing off the radio.

More expensive two-way radios come with two radio transmitters and are known as full-duplex radios. These allow the users to talk and listen at the same time without pushing and holding transmitter buttons since two separate transmitters are employed in each radio. This technology is similar to cell phone transmissions.

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What Is The Purpose Of The Flat Mirror In A Reflecting Telescope

People have used telescopes since the early 1600's.

A reflecting telescope uses mirrors to reflect light, as opposed to refracting telescopes that use lenses. Although this makes the reflecting telescope more expensive, they also tend to experience fewer technical problems. Reflecting telescopes come in various designs, some of which use flat mirrors to reflect light or the focal plane back to the user.

Design Types

Reflecting telescopes come in one of three designs. In the prime focus, the astronomer sits inside the telescope where the reflected light is focused. The Cassegrain focus uses a hole in the primary mirror to reflect light. The Coud focus uses a flat mirror near the bottom to reflect light up and to the side.

Coud Focus Types

Coud Focus reflecting telescopes come in four types. The Newtonian uses a parabolic mirror, with a flat mirror to reflect the focal plane up the tube and to the side. The Cassegrain and Maksutov don't use a flat mirror, but rather use a spherical mirror to reflect light and correct distortion caused by the primary mirror. The Celestron uses a flat mirror to reflect light back to a finder scope that runs with a main scope to the same eyepiece.

First Use of the Flat Mirror

Sir Isaac Newton is credited with putting the first flat mirror inside a reflecting telescope in 1668. Newton realized that this could lead to a more comfortable viewing position.

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Use The Equalizer On An Ipod

You use the equalizer on an iPod to alter the sound as heard from the earphones. The equalizer increases the volume of narrow bandwidths of the music, which allows for tight control over the sonic picture emerging from the earphones. The equalizer settings on an iPod are almost identical to the presets available through iTunes, so if you can use iTunes, you can use an equalizer on an iPod.

Instructions

1. Pull up the main menu on the iPod. Do this either by tapping on the center button two times or by turning the iPod on.

2. Choose "Settings" from the menu. This gives you a list of options which allow you to change and alter how your iPod performs.

3. Use the click wheel and center button to select "EQ." Doing so will pull up a menu of EQ presets, from "Acoustic" to "Rock." Each preset alters the sound in a particular way.

4. Try a couple of different presets to get the sound just the way you like. The "Acoustic" preset, for example, does not cut any of the frequency ranges, but it does provide a gentle boost to the low and upper midrange frequencies.

5. Compare the sound using the same song using a different preset. For example, the same song played with "Pop" would have more midrange punch, while the high and low end would be rolled back. This EQ preset is good for emphasizing a vocal performance.

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Use A Rhapsody Device

The digital music service Rhapsody offers unlimited downloads of music for a monthly subscription fee. An application version of the program has long been available for iPhone, iPad and V Cast phones, and is being developed for Android and Blackberry. While the program does not work with iPods there are digital music players that work with Rhapsody to Go so subscribers can take their Rhapsody playlists with them. These devices offer an introductory deal with the Rhapsody program, but will eventually require a subscription to keep the playlists and all downloaded songs.

Instructions

Compatible Devices

1. Confirm that your device is compatible with the Rhapsody program. Rhapsody only works with a very small selection of devices.

2. Sign up for a Rhapsody account. A free trail is offered for the first 14 days, after that a paid subscription is required to continue listening to any music downloaded through the program.

3. Install Rhapsody to your computer.

4. Use the Rhapsody program to download the music that you want. Rhapsody only supports computers using the 32-bit versions of Windows Vista, XP and 2000. Also, Rhapsody only offers downloads of playlists, not entire albums nor individual songs.

5. Connect one of the compatible portable devices to your computer via a USB cable.

6. Click and drag the playlist(s) from your Rhapsody account onto the device.

7. Safely disconnect and unplug the device. The playlist(s) and songs will now be available on the device.

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