TranceUpdate

Michael Jackson is no more but his music lives on.
Stranger in moscow remixed by Jerome Isma in the most recent ASOT 414 is
excellent. MJ's voice works magic to this tune,

RIP MJ

It's been a week since I got my Panasonic LZ8 Digital Camera. I have used it extensively indoors and to be frank I am a little dissapointed with the performance. The photos are too noisy for my liking. I'd expected much more.
The outdoor performance may make up(I'm counting on it).

Review:
My first observation when I first held the camera was that it is chunky. Way too chunky actually, considering the uber slim cameras companies are rolling out these days. It weighs almost 120gms with the batteries.
The boxy look howewer has it's advanteages as in case of the handgrip which is nicely designed. The camera is strictly ok in the looks department.

A quick look at the specs:

-8.1 effective Megapixels
-32 mm lens with 5x optical zoom
-2.5-inch LCD with 230,000 dots resolution
-Optical Image Stabilizer
-ISO sensitivity up to 6400
-9-Point Autofocus with Face Detection
-11 shooting modes including Intelligent Auto Mode
-Program, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority and Manual Exposure Modes
-20MB Internal Memory ,SDHC card Support

The 32 mm equivalent lens gives a wider view compared to cameras in the same category. The telephoto end extends upto 160mm. The optical image stabiisation works flawlessly though it has it's limitations like when using full zoom. The LCD is 2.5 inch with good viewing angles and the easy to use menu system complements it nicely. The most noteworthy feature of this camera is that it provides PASM mode which is hard to find in the segment. It provides full freedom to the user on Aperture and shutter control. There are various focussing modes and even a provision for custom setting of white balance which is commendable. The continuous burst mode is fun to use. I shot twenty shots straight in 2MP mode and the camera didn't slow down. High speed photography is wicked fun with this cam. check out my older posts for samples. Starry sky mode is one more noteworthy scene mode seldom seen elsewhere.

Now the brickbats.Noise is simply too high in indoor shots,even at ISO 100! I don't know if it's a production fault but it's very annoying. I took some shots from my balcony of nearby buildings and tress and they came out fine. I'll do some further study on the noise issue later. Next, the camera uses only two compression modes(others use three). I'd have loved to see a RAW shooting on this one(I know it's asking too much). The flash performance is questionable too.

All in all,a great point and shoot camera with incredible manual control. Noise is my only problem with this camera so using ISO higher than 400 is out of the question.
Hope someone writes a CHDK like program for panasonic cameras. If that happens, I bet all other cameras are doomed.

Total e(in)ternal Relection

"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water"




The water looks mesmerizing shot with high shutter speed. The reflection of light indeed gives it a magical feel.

What recession?

"You will find, as you look back on your life, that the moments that stand out
are the moments when you have done things for others."

'Recession' has hit us hard. Cost cutting measures and savings are the order of the day. We have time only for ourselves. Take a look out the car window once. There is poverty everywhere. The poor are living in eternal recession.

It's time to do something about it. A token gesture from each one of us can make a difference. I watched Michael Jackson's Man in the mirror video and I was saddened.

Where are we headed?

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky”

Starry sky

I used the Starry sky mode with the 15 second shutter to get this shot

Battery leaks,charger stinks

The kodak charger and batteries I bought from a local Photo studio turned out to be fake. The batteries are leaking and the charger smells like burnt plastic. Many other electronic appliances such as shavers,memory cards,cell phone accessories etc are being brought in from china and sold to the unsuspecting customers. Not only are they inferior,they also pose a serious safety risk. Knowing how difficult it is to approach the authorities in case of a fake product,it is wise to play it safe and keep an eye out and identify fake products at the shop itself.

Here are some simple tips I gathered from experience:

- Check the blister pack for the sealing quality. Genuine packaging is usually heat sealed with ridges.
- Closely examine the product and the cardboard support inside. look for cheap printing with double print,dull colours or spelling mistakes. It is wiser to check the company website and find a picture of the product. Look for any omissions on the product.
- Look for a hologram of the company on the package.
- A user manual that says "Operation Menual" is trouble.
- Never fall for products the shopkeepers claim are "cheaper than the rest".
- Lastly, Insist on a bill invoice for any product you buy.

Being informed and alert pays

I've been dying to some high speed photograhy for quite a while.
I decided to do a water splash photoshoot.I enlisted my bro's help to drop a tomato in a glass of water as I pressed the shutter. Had to try a few shots coz my cam does not support continuous shooting.
Wish the background was neater.

pic info: F5.8 shutterspeed 1/800 ISO 100

My first abstract shots

I just got a kodak charger and a couple of batteries which turned out to be fake.
I'll get a decent memory card tomorrow.
I can't sleep so decided to take a few abstract shots o the inbuilt memory.

At last!

I got my digicam at last! It's a Panasonic Lumix LZ8.
My cousin got it from Dubai and it's awesome. 8mp resolution and 5x zoom for starters and manual control too.

more about it later. I'm engrossed in it right now.

If I could fly...

Fell out of the race for a while. Was busy with other things.
Above and Beyond impresses yet again.
If I could fly and Just listen are great.
Both from Sirens of the Sea(remember the title track?)
ting-ting-tin-tnnnnng

The good ol' days

I was not around in the 1980s. I was not into Hollywood movies in the 90s and I missed one absolute gem of a movie. A friend of mine recommended it and I got to say-I'm blown away.
John Hughes is best known for his iconic movie ferris bueller's day off.
The breakfast club is a little less known movie he made the same year.

Detention.Thats what the movie is centered around. And no it's not boring.Not one minute. It's about five students spanning a spectrum of human characteristics.
A brain,princess,athlete,basket case and a criminal. They don't know each other, They don't think alike. They're totally incompatible. But turns out they do have a lot in common. And boy what fun it is to see them learn! The screenplay is excellent and the character development is spot on. The movie is a far cry from today's cheap and sleazy college movie fare. It has it's uhuh moments though, like the John Bender under the bench scene. He's my favorite character although everyone gave a wonderful performance.They just don't make good movies like this these days.


If you go to college, YOU MUST WATCH THIS MOVIE. If you don't go to college, STILL WATCH IT.

You won't be dissapointed(unless you're a freako who gets pleasure in watching hostel or SAW)

Ayesha

My cute little cousin Ayesha, and Fasi

Ta Da!!

My blog has now crossed 2000 hits!

Chrome OS is no threat

Google has upped it's battle with Microsoft by announcing Chrome OS,based on ...guess wat,Linux kernel!
We've already seen so many linux based OSes,Ubuntu,Knoppix,this-ix,that-ix no wonder the first thought that comes to mind is come on not one more!
PC World and Cnet have already called the attempt a blank shot at Microsoft. There's no way google can capture Microsoft's share in the OS arena.
Chrome is specifically designed for Netbooks.Now how many people actually use netbooks? Netbooks may be popular now but they're not replacing our desktops anytime soon. Microsoft need not sweat over this new attempt by google

img source:www.walyou.com

no posts

Been really busy for the past few days. Nothing new to post

In news:
-The new budget is more confusing than ever
-MJ laid to rest(may he R.I.P)
-Problems still, in Oz
-Kambakkht Ishq is kambakkht at best
-New york is doing well(wtf?)
-Some trouble in china over I donno what
-Sony Walkman is the top music invention of last 50 years

Samachar samaapt

Rains are here atlast

Pictures of the week

Scenic sunset at Hafeezpet

Irrigation Dam at Dummugudem(5kms from our colony)