Digital Cameras: What to Buy - Point-and-Shoot or a DSLR

About once a month or so, I get someone asking me about cameras. Specifically, what kind I prefer and what recommendations I would have for them when considering a purchase. Yesterday, I zapped off a long-winded email to someone explaining my thoughts on whether a point-and-shoot or a digital SLR is the right purchase for them.

While both types of cameras are great, if you're looking for something with a bit more flexibility, I recommend a DSLR. Read on to see why... Read More...
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You Press the Button - We Do the Rest. September 4, 1888 the Birth of Snapshot Photography

119 years ago today, George Eastman introduced point and shoot photography with the launch of his first camera -- the Original KODAK. His patent for his point and shoot camera was issued on this day as well.

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While I don't have an original KODAK camera, I do have several Kodak cameras that date as early as 1899. Pictured above is the line drawing from the original patent issued. To see the complete patent, continue reading this posting below.

According to kodak.com, the word "Kodak" was also first registered as a trademark in 1888. There has been some fanciful speculation, from time to time, on how the name was originated. But the plain truth is that Eastman invented it out of thin air.

He explained: "I devised the name myself. The letter "K" had been a favorite with me -- it seems a strong, incisive sort of letter. It became a question of trying out a great number of combinations of letters that made words starting and ending with 'K.' The word 'Kodak' is the result." Kodak's distinctive yellow trade dress, which Eastman selected, is widely known throughout the world and is one of the company's more valued assets.

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Immersive 360 Degree Panoramas Coming Back to www.morper.net

I am finally getting back around to posting some of my panoramic photography. I’m going to start posting back up some of my first photographs. Today’s photographs were taken in 1999 and 2000. I think these are two of the first three I ever photographed. Both of these images were taking with print film, then I scanned the prints. These are known as cylinder panoramas -- meaning, when you view these fullscreen [ US Capitol, Greeter’s Corner ] you can only look left or right. Later, I will post some of my cubic images (these allow you to look straight up and straight down too).  

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Panoramic Camera Head on the Cheap

Pretty funny. Some guy posted over at MAKE Blog how to make a 360 pano head outta wood for ten bucks. I’m thinking Manfrotto doesn’t have anything to worry about here. But “A” for effort.

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Camera Collection Back up on Morper.net

Today, I reposted my camera collection. All of my Kodak cameras -- and a few others -- dating as far back as the late 1800s are now back up on my site. Link: Mike's classic camera collection.

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Adobe Proposes Universal Digital Camera "Raw" Image Format

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Adobe has published a specification for a new universal file format for digital cameras. Dubbed the Digital NeGative (DNG) format, Adobe's proposal would not supersede the JPEG format used by almost all digital cameras these days, but the native formats such cameras offer users who want maximum, image fidelity.

According to the Register UK site, these raw formats hold the image as taken, without the loss of data even mildest JPEG conversion involves, or adjustments made by the camera's video processing electronics. The catch is that without compression, raw images are very large, limiting the number of them the camera can hold. Worse, different camera vendors use different, proprietary raw formats.

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Newest Addition to the Camera Collection: Kodak No 4 Bullet Special

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Yup, this is my second new camera to the collection this week. What can I say. And this one I am quite excited about. It has a pretty good story behind it.

The Eastman Kodak company had a competitor when this camera first came out (1895) called the Boston Camera Manufacturing Company. They had a very popular camera called the Bulls-Eye Camera. Eastman at first countered this new threat by copying it - the Eastman Bullet Camera made its debut in 1895. Both the Bullet and Bulls-Eye were simple rollfilm cameras taking 3½ x 3½-inch exposures.

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In Search of a Shutter for a Kodak Panoram 4D -- Any Help Out There?

Kodak Panoram 4D

The Panoram 4D that I purchased a couple of months ago is missing the shutter mechanism. The lens itself can swing just fine, but there is no shutter release button or the mechanism to initiate movement of the lens.

If you have an old Panoram 4D that could be sold for parts, please let me know. Thanks for the help!

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Newest Addition to the Camera Collection: Kodak Panoram 4D

Kodak Panoram 4D


I have been looking for a Panoram for some time. It turns out, most Panoram's I have found over the last several years are pretty beat up. This one--the last model Kodak produced, is in pretty good shape. According to Kodak Cameras: The First 100 Years, this model was manufactured from 1899 to 1924.

So what is so special about the Panorams? The camera created a 142 degree wide image on the film by having the lens sweep from left to right during the exposure. To see how the lens moves, I have created a page where you can "grab" the lens and move it back and forth.

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Is There a 1888 Kodak Camera in the House? How About a Panoram?

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Anyone who is willing to part with an 1888 Kodak Camera, please let me know. I am trying to find one to add my camera collection. I am also looking to find a Kodak Panoram in good condition. I'm yet to find one on eBay in good shape.

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