Tuesday, April 30, 2013

New Firmware for Canon EOS 5D Mark III (Firmware 1.2.1)

It has been almost 6 month since Canon has announced that there will be a new firmware update for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and that firmware update just came out today and you can download if for free from here. The update it self is fairly simple. Make sure you have a charged battery or at least it is half charged. I did mine with a battery at 70% and had no issues. Then you copy the downloaded firmware into either your CF or SD card. Now press Menu and scroll until you find the one with your firmware version is listed. Go in and you can begin the update process. If you need more details than this, there is instructions in PDF format that came with your firmware download.

 Here is a screenshot of the camera confirming the firmware update. 

Here is the camera during the update process


After the update process, my camera did go down by 2% on the battery level. So technically you don't need a fully charged battery, but it is always good to have one. Don't want to brick your camera! Anyways, here are some of the new features of this firmware update.

Uncompressed HDMI Output Support
One of the two new features is Uncompressed HDMI Output Support. This feature allows uncompressed high-definition video (YCbCr 4:2:2, 8 bit) to be outputted via the HDMI socket of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. This feature allows you to record high-definition video via an external recorder (with very limited degradation in quality) and you can also monitor the video in real time on an external display.

Improved AF Functionality
The other new feature is the improved AF functionality which has raised the central cross-type points AF ability to focus from f/5.6 to f/8. This is especially useful for users who are using telephoto lenses with a lens extender such as the Canon EF 1.4X III Telephoto Extender (still depends on the lens) and still want to use auto focus. This new firmware update will allow you to focus with any lens up to an aperture of f/8. The following is a list of lens combinations from Canon's website compatible with the new firmware update. The combinations marked with (*) are the newly supported combinations due to this firmware update.

To me, these 2 features are really cool as I was thinking about a set up with lens extenders, but I really wanted to keep auto focus. I hope you have enjoyed this news article. If you want to read the original Canon press release, you can do so here. Again, you can download the new firmware update from here. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Instagram. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Mission Peak in Fremont, CA

A while back, I went for a hike on  Mission Peak in Fremont, CA. I took the Stanford entrance up (if you are from the area, you'd understand). Here are some of the photos I took during the hike. I also did a few GPS logs to test out my new Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver. If for some reason you want those logs, just email me using the email provided on my About the Photographer page. I have the logs in Google Earth KMZ, Canon LOG, and GPX formats.

Full Resolution Photos and Prints: If you want to see full resolution photos or buy prints of any of the photos you see, they are up on my portfolio for viewing. If you are interested, please select one of the links below:
Here is a macro shot of a flower. I took this photo before I started my climb near the trail head. The photo was shot with help from my Kenko Extension Tubes and my Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT

This is a photo shot near the trail head. On my hike up, I mainly focused on landscapes so I used my wide angle lens

Here is another landscape shot of Mission Peak. 


Another landscape shot of Mission Peak. 

A panorama of Mission Peak looking down at the SF Bay Area. 

Another photo looking down Mission Peak at the SF Bay Area. I headed up a little bit more after this photo, but I didn't taken any more landscape shots after that. 


A cow on Mission Peak. There are many cows on Mission Peak. So afterwards, I started heading down. On my way down, I switched over to my telephoto lens for close up shots. 

The 70mm end of my telephoto lens is good for some landscapes too! Here again, is the view down Mission Peak looking at the SF Bay Area. 

I thought the rock formation looked pretty interesting. So here is a photo of it. 


There are many squirrels on Mission Peak. Here are photos of one first looking at me, then eating something. 

It is Spring here in the SF Bay Area. Flowers are blooming. Here is a photo of a Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae) and a bug on it. 

Another Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae) photo. 

These are all the photos for today. I hope you have enjoyed viewing them. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Pet Photography

Today I have some pet photos I want to show you. One photo will be of my neighbors cat, and the other two will be of my parakeets. Sorry about the short post, I've been a bit busy recently. My flu symptoms is almost gone, but not completely gone, and because of that, I am a bit behind on my school work so trying to catch up a bit. Hope you all understand. Anyways, let's continue with the photos for today.

Full Resolution Photos and Prints: If you want to see full resolution photos or buy prints of any of the photos you see, they are up on my portfolio for viewing. To see my best at home and backyard photos for 2013, use this link. To see all of my 2013 at home and backyard photography photos, use this link.

 I walked out one evening and spotted my neighbors cat sleeping right under my loquat tree in my front yard. I went back in my house and brought out a camera and took a shot. The cat left after the photo. LOL


Here are my 2 parakeets. The left one is Blue and the right one is Chirpy. I know Blue looks a bit sick in the photo. I took this photo several weeks back. She is doing a lot better now after the antibiotic treatment.  

Here is another photo of them. 

I hope you have enjoyed these photos. Again, quite busy recently so I might not post as often. Hope you can understand. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA (Part 2)

Not being much of a museum fan, I actually visited the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA because I was dragged along by family members. I have to say, it was kind of interesting to see the different historical gadgets in the museum. If you do visit, be sure to remember that tripods, backpacks, and flash photography isn't allowed inside, so make sure you bring your good camera and fast lens with good low light performance. I took 26 photos there and I will be splitting them into two parts. I most likely won't be making too much comments about the photos for these as I have no clue what most of them are. Hope you enjoy the photos I took in the museum.

Full Resolution Photos and Prints: If you want to see full resolution photos or buy prints of any of the photos you see, they are up on my portfolio for viewing here.

Parts: 1 | 2 | 

The Olympus D-365 Digital Camera. First commercial digital camera. 

Mini Hard Drive. 

Another Mini Hard Drive. 


Intel Microprocessors. 
Sign Reads:
Generations of the Intel x86 Family
This case shows successive generations of Intel microprocessors derived from the... (cut off) 

Sign Reads:
Apple II, Apple, US, 1977
Steve Wozniak designed the Apple II in 1977. The self-contained unit housed electronics, keyboard, and power supply, with the BASIC language in permanent memory. A TV served as display. The Floppy disk drive (1978) and spreadsheet program VisiCalc (1979) made it a blockbuster. 
 Speed: 1MHz Memory size: 4K Memory type: Semiconductor Memory width: 8-bit Cost: $1,298

 Sign Reads:
Altair 8800, MITS, US, 1975
Popular Electronics featured the MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer kit in January 1975. Under $500, Altair became the leading "homebrew" computer, inspiring Bill Gates and Paul Allen to write a BASIC interpreter program. Their company, then called "Micro-Soft", survived. MITS did not. 
Speed: 2MHz Memory size: 1K Memory type: Semiconductor Memory width: 8-bit Cost: $439 (kit), $621 (assembled)


Sign Reads:
Nintendo 64 video game system, Nintendo, Japan, 1996
this 64-bit system was the last to use cartridges. Nintendo benefited from the library of characters and series created for its previous systems. 

Sega Dreamcast 

Nintendo Game Boy 

 Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)


Pac-Man game cartridge for Atari.  

 Sign Reads:
Lisa 2, Apple, US, 1984
Apple's first computer with a Graphical User Interface was a market failure because it was too expensive and too slow. Steve Jobs had initiated the project but CEO Mike Scott didn't allow him to run it, so Jobs joined the Macintosh team instead. 
Speed: 5MHz Memory Size: 1Mb Memory type: Semiconductor Memory width: 32-bit Cost: $3,495

Sign Reads:
Macintosh, Apple, US, 1984
the innovative Macintosh - Apple's second attempt at a GUI-based personal computer, following the failure of the Lisa - was a small, self-contained personal computer with a much-improved, Alto-like graphical desktop. Graphic designers, artists, and educators quickly adopted it. 
Speed: 8MHz Memory size: 128K Memory type: Semiconductor Memory width: 16-bit Cost: $2,495

These are all the photos. I hope you have enjoyed viewing them. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

Parts: 1 | 2 | 

Friday, April 19, 2013

Upcoming Canon EOS 5D Mark III Firmware Update

A Canon EOS 5D Mark III

It has been almost 6 month since Canon has announced that there will be a new firmware update for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and that firmware update is going to come out soon! I am only telling you guys this news right now because I only found out about it. Anyways, the firmware update is scheduled to come out at the end of this month (end of April). The firmware will be free, you will be able to install it at home after downloading, and it is coming with two really cool nice new features for the camera.

Uncompressed HDMI Output Support
One of the two new features is Uncompressed HDMI Output Support. This feature allows uncompressed high-definition video (YCbCr 4:2:2, 8 bit) to be outputted via the HDMI socket of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. This feature allows you to record high-definition video via an external recorder (with very limited degradation in quality) and you can also monitor the video in real time on an external display.

Improved AF Functionality
The other new feature is the improved AF functionality which has raised the central cross-type points AF ability to focus from f/5.6 to f/8. This is especially useful for users who are using telephoto lenses with a lens extender such as the Canon EF 1.4X III Telephoto Extender (still depends on the lens) and still want to use auto focus. This new firmware update will allow you to focus with any lens up to an aperture of f/8.

To me, these 2 features are really cool as I was thinking about a set up with lens extenders, but I really wanted to keep auto focus. I can't wait to get this update so I can install it! I hope you have enjoyed this news article. If you want to read the original Canon press release, you can do so here. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Instagram. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA (Part 1)

Not being much of a museum fan, I actually visited the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA because I was dragged along by family members. I have to say, it was kind of interesting to see the different historical gadgets in the museum. If you do visit, be sure to remember that tripods, backpacks, and flash photography isn't allowed inside, so make sure you bring your good camera and fast lens with good low light performance. I took 26 photos there and I will be splitting them into two parts. I most likely won't be making too much comments about the photos for these as I have no clue what most of them are. Hope you enjoy the photos I took in the museum.

Full Resolution Photos and Prints: If you want to see full resolution photos of any of the photos you see, they are up on my portfolio for viewing here.

Parts: 1 | 2 |

Message from the Photographer: I am a little bit busy recently, so I might not post as often. I hope you understand. Let's move on to the photos for today.

Sign reads:
Olivetti Programma 101, Olivetti-Underwood, Italy, 1965
This printing programmabe calculator was made from discrete transistors and an acoustic delay-line memory. 
40,000 were sold. 

Only the center sign was readable:
Marchant "ACRM" calculator, Marchant, US, ca. 1932
A typical "full-sized" technical calculator. The Marchant company was founded in Oakland, California in 1911.
Their cheif designer, Carl Friden, left to start his own company in 1934.

Sign reads:
Felix Arithmometer Calculator, National Calculating Machine Factory, USSR, ca. 1932
"Felix" calculators were named for Soviet secret service founder Felix Dzerzhinsky



Sign reads:
Abacus, China, ca. 1960
A large suan pan, (Chinese abacus)

Sign reads:
Schickard Calculator = Replica, Model by Peter Roubos, Netherlands, ca. 2000
Schickard built two calculators about 1623. One, for his astronomer friend Johannes Kepler, was destroyed by fire. The other, as far we know, lost. We now about them only from Schickard's handwritten letters, which contain sketches of what he had built. 

Sign reads:
Babbage Difference Engine No. 1. Demonstration Piece. 
Three-quarter-scale replica, Replica by Roberto Guatelli, US, 1972
Only a small demonstration assembly of Babbage's first Difference Engine was built. This scale model of that assembly was a gift to retiring IBM CEO. Vincent Learson. 

Left sign too blurry.
Right sign reads:
Printing Card Punch, Powers Samas, UK, ca. 1954
Competing pioneer Maurice Wilkes consulted on the design of this printer, which was used to produce the Atlas of the British Flora in 1962. 



Sign reads:
ENIAC on a Chip, University of Pennsylvania, US, 1995
In celebration of ENIAC's 50th Anniversary, the machine was reimplemented (guessing on this word)... (cut off)

The Atanasoff-Berry Computer made by mathematician and physicist John Atanasoff. Can't really read the other stuff on the sign. 

IBM Fortran Coding forms. 



No clue what this is.

A machine gun scope. Other stuff on the sign is too blurry. 

Sign reads:
Bosch ABS-2 Controller, Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany, 1978
The computerized ABS controller is only part of the anti-lock (I am guessing the rest) brake system. (cut off)

These are all the photos for today. I hope you have enjoyed viewing them. The rest of the photos will be coming out soon. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

Parts: 1 | 2 |

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Flowers in Shadow Cliffs Regional Park (Pleasanton, CA)

Spring is a great time to get some wonderful flower photos. Today, I have 6 flower photos I took at Shadow Cliff Regional Park in Pleasanton, CA. I hope you enjoy viewing the photos. I also did a few GPS logs to test out my new Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver. If for some reason you want those logs, just email me using the email provided on my About the Photographer page. I have the logs in Google Earth KMZ, Canon LOG, and GPX formats.

Full Resolution Photos and Prints: If you want to see full resolution photos or buy prints of any of the photos you see, they are up on my portfolio for viewing. To view my best Shadow Cliff Regional Park photos, use this link. To view my best flower photos of 2013, use this link. To view my best macro photos of 2013, use this link. To view all of my Shadow Cliff Regional Park photos of 2013, use this link.

Message from the Photographer: Really sorry for not posting recently. I've caught the flu recently and it has just been horrible, and also I have a lot of school work piled up so I've been rushing to get those done. :/ Not done with those yet, and I'm still recovering from the flu, so I might not post as often.

This photo and the next photo are of what I believe are cherry blossoms. Not too sure though. Also this photo and the next photo are from one of my trips. The rest of the photos on here is from a different trip to Shadow Cliff Regional Park. 

Another photo of the flowers. 

 This begins the photos from my other trip to Shadow Cliff Regional Park. All of these photos are taken under macro conditions and each photo is around a 4 cm view. The photos were taken with the help of Kenko Extension Tubes and my Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT

Equipment used for these photos.

I don't know what each of these flowers are called. If you can help me out, please comment below.  

Flower that hasn't fully bloomed yet. 


These are all the photos for today. I hope you have enjoyed viewing them. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.