Getting into Video

by Posted in DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Leave a comment
djiosmopocket3andmics-1-of-1

For some time now I’ve been wanted to learn more about video. When I recently bumped into a YouTube review or this combination still camera/video camera and gimbel I thought it might help me overcome whatever block I have that stops me getting into video. So I got the camera. A few months later I also acquired the DJI Mic 2. That’s what’s in the box to the right of the camera.

A review in Videomaker (See: DJI Osmo Pocket 3 review: A major step forward concludes:

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the Pocket 2. This handheld three-axis gimbal camera boasts a one-inch sensor for improved image quality, advanced autofocus for rapid and precise focusing and enhanced low-light performance. It’s tailored for solo filmmakers seeking a portable, all-in-one solution. With a body measuring 5.5 x 1.7 x 1.3 inches and a weight of 6.3 ounces, the camera maintains its compactness while offering a two-inch rotating touchscreen for ease of use in various shooting modes.

Key features include the ability to shoot 4K video up to 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps for slow-motion effects. The camera offers 10-bit HDR color, useful shooting modes like ActiveTrack 3.0, and panoramic capabilities without the need for a tripod. Its three-mic array captures clear audio, but there’s also support for the DJI Mic 2 for enhanced audio capture. The Osmo Pocket 3 also offers IP streaming with HD livestream capabilities and a timecode function for multi-camera synchronization. While app compatibility enhances the camera’s functionality, activation is required before use.

Overall, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a worthy camera for creators who need a powerful, versatile camera that offers both high-quality imagery and professional features in a compact form factor. If you currently have the Pocket 2 and wonder if you should upgrade to the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, we’d say go for it.

I haven’t been able to use it much yet, but after a few preliminary attempts I thinks it’s something I could easily get used to. Stay tuned.

Taken with a Fuji X-E3 and Sigma 18-50mm f2.8

Into the Woods

by Posted in Landscapes, Woodland Leave a comment
inthewoodsagain-1-of-10

Although I walk around a lot, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t been for a walk in the woods for some time. Summer in New York’s lower Hudson valley is extremely hot and humid. And when it’s not hot and humid it rains. I don’t like to go out in this kind of weather. However, it’s now Autumn, the temperatures are much lower and we’re going through a dry patch at the moment. So, off I went for what turned out to be a 2.5 hour walk in the woods.

I’d hoped that the leaves had changed by now but, unfortunately only a few of them had. This was the first of the disappointments I encountered:

The second was my choice of camera – A Sony RX10 IV. I’d used it before, but mostly in fairly bright sunlight – and it did a great job. However, I discovered that it’s not all that good in the woods. Light in woodland tends to be very bright in some patches, and extremely dark in others. Unfortunately, the one-inch sensor in this didn’t have enough dynamic range to cope with this. I tried to bracket shots so that I could blend them together when I processed them, but unfortunately this doesn’t work well when things (in this case leaves) are moving around, in this case in the wind. Still, even though the pictures as not as good as I would have liked them to be, I think they’re good enough for sharing online e.g. on this blog, on social media etc.

The third was my choice of footware. I recently bought a new pair of shoes and was breaking them in. It was probably not such a good idea to do this during a fairly long (for me) walk. Soon after I finished the walk my feet and legs started to hurt.

Still, I had a great time and intend to do more – assuming the weather holds and my feet/legs improve.

inthewoodsagain-3-of-10

inthewoodsagain-4-of-10

inthewoodsagain-5-of-10

inthewoodsagain-6-of-10

inthewoodsagain-7-of-10

inthewoodsagain-8-of-10

inthewoodsagain-9-of-10

inthewoodsagain-10-of-10

inthewoodsagain-2-of-10

Taken with a Sony RX10 IV

A stone wall

by Posted in Buildings/Structures, History Leave a comment
stoneretainingwall-1-of-2

This ordinary picture of a somewhat unassuming wall is all that remains of what was at various times the site of three different bodies that played important roles in the history of Briarcliff Manor:

  • The School of Practical Agriculture and Horticulture.
  • Pocantico Lodge
  • Miss Knox’s School
stoneretainingwall-2-of-2

The building that housed these three entities remained more or less the same (see below). It was just the occupants who changed. It burned down during the occupancy of Miss’s Knox School and was not rebuilt. The attractive Tudor revival building seen in the background in the second picture above is called The Manor House. It was built later (in 1925) and I’ve already posted about it (See: The Manor House).

schoolpracticalag

If you’d like to know more about this story, take a look here: The School of Practical Agriculture and Horticulture/Pocantico Lodge/Miss Knox’s School. Notebook 2024 – 11

Taken with a Sony RX100 III

Lunch in Manhattan

by Posted in Buildings/Structures, Food and Drink Leave a comment
aragvi-1-of-5

Last Tuesday I went into New York City (Manhattan) to have lunch with an old friend and her daughter. She was meeting someone at the UN at 4:00pm so we decided to have lunch at a Georgian (that’s Georgian as in the country not the state) restaurant a block away from the UN. It was very close to where I used to work, but it wasn’t there before I retired, and I had never tried it.

The ambience was great, the service was friendly, and the food was exceptional. I’d definitely come again.

aragvi-2-of-5

aragvi-3-of-5

aragvi-4-of-5

aragvi-5-of-5

Taken with a Sony RX100 III except for the last one which was taken with my friend’s daughter’s phone and then edited a bit by me.