Let Me Shed a Little Light on Myself......

I don't know whether it cause's my feminine side come out or what, but I've noticed that whenever I get stressed.....I shop. Of course, that means in a "Frugal Propellerhead" style, not the credit card melting, many bag toting, manner typically associated with the female gender. My daughter is in the hospital after an emergency appendectomy, so I bought a Nikon SB-800 off of Craig's List. Just to get it out of the way, it was $260, in "mint" condition complete with box and everything originally included. They guy says he used it a few times and the condition would bear that out. 

Of course this would lead to a Post topic to discuss this aspect of my hobby. When you pursue photography at any level higher than snap-shooting, it's inevitable to have to buy an outboard, strobe eventually. These thing are usually "shoe-mounted" devices that give the photographer MUCH more flexibility in how lighting is handled. These things are not what they were in "the old days", where the flash was just triggered by the camera and nothing else. These days, it's not only that they are controlled through the camera, get AND send exposure information, they're actually Lighting Systems, with the ability to control other units. So much for the whole modern flash thing. Let's talk about what I need one for and what that mean's in Frugal Propellerhead-World.

A few years ago, after I got my first DSLR (D70), I realized that the little built-in pop-up flash was pretty much for emergency purposes only when a real flash isn't available! Since the vast majority of photographs that I take are of the family portrait variety, I needed an ability not only to do "fill", but to control light in general when it isn't exactly what I need at any given time. After looking around, it was apparent that the going price was going to be around $200-225 for the smaller Nikon SB-600, so I cheaped-out. I searched around to find a Sunpak PZ-40 for about $50-60. I won't say that it was a "waste" of money, but it definitely wasn't what I wanted or needed. So I finally broke down and bought an SB-600 on the local Craig's List for $185. It turned out to be one of the best things I've ever bought in photographic equipment. I use it all the time and it completely gives me control over lighting that I never had before. All the subsequent photo shoots were so much less stressful since I could now create my own lighting (within reason)! 

Of course for us semi-OCD types, this leads to a new fascination for strobe-based creative lighting. Which began with all manner of late-night internet reading on the use of strobe-lighting, the generally accepted Guru of which is a guy named David Hobby. Just Google "the strobist" and prepared to be amazed! I was, but of course that mean buying more equipment......woe is me....... Anyway, I was motivated to desire a small fleet of remotely controllable strobes (Speedlights in Nikon-speak). Of course, "desire" is the operative word when you are frugal. So, what I needed was a relatively powerful flash capable of manual operation (with fractional power control) and some ability to remotely trigger the strobe. I'm not going to get into the details at this time (future post), but I've been trying to learn from the experience of others, and the Nikon SB-24, 25, and 26 Speedlights are highly recommended by David Hobby, the Strobist. 

The most desirable of these is the SB-26, mostly due to the inclusion of a built-in optical "slave" trigger, that allows for it to be easily used remotely without having to buy anything else. And as luck would have it, I came across one on Craig's List for $50. It was a terrible ad and didn't even tell the model number. I had to ask, since there was no picture either! However, after I found out what it was, I ran my happy butt up to Plano and picked this thing up from a woman who was cleaning up her husband's "old junk"! This state of affairs went on for some time and I was happy with what I had, but in the back of my mind, I always thought I wanted another flash, but couldn't afford/rationalize it, especially given that I really wanted a SB-800. These things routinely sell for over $300, and that's kind of a psychological break-point for me when it's not a major piece of equipment like a camera body, computer, receiver or speakers.

Last night though, we had the Perfect Storm of Photographic Propellerheadedness occurred. Daughter was getting her appendix out, $260 burning a hole in my pocket from some computer work, and a person selling his SB-800 (and 600) after upgrading to SB-900s. I talked him down from the very fair $300 he was asking to $260, with a Visual Echos Flash Extender thrown in. So, on the way down to the hospital, I arranged to meet the seller and picked up this latest acquisition. It's a good, but not awesome price. It's not something I needed, or will majorly change my photography. The SB-600 will do 85% of what this thing will do. It just turn out to be the right piece of equipment at the right time, at the right price.

 

"OCD" Tendencies and Control

I know; this thing starts off sounding like some kind of Sophomore Psychology paper, but I promise, it's not! OK, I do have a little bit of "a thing" related to keyboards and mice. I seem to have been on a never ending quest for th ultimate in the keyboard/mice combination for years now. However, in the last few years, I seem to have settled on pretty much one or two brands and styles of input devices. This Sunday morning blog will be devoted to what I use to control my various media consumption devices in our system. In fact, as I sit here typing this, I've got the living room HTPC working playing music streamed from the file server in the office.

On the notebook side of things, it's been pretty easy: there's simply nothing better than the traditional ThinkPad keyboard. So much so, that I even use one on my secondary XP OS desktop computer in the UltraNav form, which is really a ThinkPad keyboard married to a conventional PC connection.

Actually, if I had a magic wand, I'd create a wireless version of this for HTPC functions and be done with it, but unfortunately we don't have that yet, soooooo........ 

  

So, my alternative is the Logitech DiNovo series of input devices. Over the last few years, I've had a lot of experience with this (and other) series from Logitech. This all started when I realized that I typed faster and more accurately on laptop style keyboard vs. the regular kind. However, back in those days, keyboards with that style of keys few and far between. Eventually, I found the first of DiNovo series and got one. I hated the lag in the Bluetooth receivers of that day, but loved the feel of the devices. Eventually I found the wired "Illuminated" KB, in combination with the "Revolution" mouse was perfect for my desktop needs, but the HTPC was a different animal all together. What was needed was a compact unit with some level of mouse function built-in, as well as wireless interface better than RF. Enter the DiNovo Edge. This elegant package was pretty much everything I needed all-in-one device.

There was a couple of downsides though. Even though it was compact compared to a regular keyboard, and included pointing functions, it was still a little large AND oddly enough, it doesn't include multi-media control functions such as "play/pause", "skip", "Stop", etc.! 

Enter the Logitech DiNovo Mini. This little device is a full-functioning keyboard (thumb style) with pointing function almost identical to the Edge. Actually I came across it trying to find something to use in my classroom that would do more than advance PowerPoint slides and be small enough to hold in one hand and/or slip in my pants pocket. 

As you can see, it has a pretty normal keyboard layout and is in fact, extremely compact. 

Another plus is that it uses the exact same Bluetooth 2.0 EDR receiver that the Edge does, so I can actually have both devices connected and in use at the same time! Actually, I have one receiver attached to either HTPC and just move the devices around as necessary. It may seem odd, but I usually have the Edge with fullsized keyboard in the bedroom and the Mini in the living room mostly as I've found that I rarely if ever type anything in the livng room machine, but quite often will do some web-surfing in the bedroom. 

Now of course, with us moving to day-to-day use of the ThinkPad tablets running Android, I'll be looking at Android control solutions like GMote.

This is of course the "next level" and will take some work to get comfortable with, but that's part of the fun isn't it?!?

Building the Viking

Although I normally don't do "build-it" posts assuming that most of my readers already know how to do that, beside which there are plenty of good ones on YouTube. This is a little different, in that not only will it describe how I pieced this thing together, but how it was done from an acquisition standpoint as well.

This "box" is pretty small as you can see. I'd guess from a volume standpoint, it's between a quarter and a third the size of my desktop workstation, the "Blackbird" built in a Cooler Master "Centurian" mid-tower case. This makes my 4th Cooler Master case, and that's almost completely due to the fact that apparently their design/business philosophy fits me almost completely. That is, they tend to lean toward unassuming cases, with enough features to make them noteworthy, but very "bang-for-the-buck" friendly. This CM Elite 120 is a great example. I didn't need the smallest, or the nicest looking, which pretty much leaves out notable case makers, both Silverstone and Lian Li. It fit my budget ($50 range) which is key, although, I'm unwilling to sacrifice build quality which let out a whole variety of other makers. And I did mention unassuming didn't I!?! I hate flashing lights, shiny panels, and any other do-dad which don't contribute to function. One other feature that many might consider an odd decision is that it came without a PSU, AND that it was sized to take a regular ATX unit. I'm extremely distrustful of "included" power supplies as well as the long term issues of dealing with something which is non-standard. 

OK, so on to the build. Item number 1, this case not only fulfilled all my criteria, but I was able to find it for sale on eBay, through a seller I trust (Newegg) at a good price $50 (free shipping). But you might wonder why I used eBay when it's Newegg and I could get it at the same price through their website? Well....eBay has kind of "cash back" bonus point system and I've been waiting to get my quarterly "rebate" which amounted to something over $27 this time. You see, I routinely use eBay for lots of my purchases for clients and see a small, but not insignificant return. This time it made this very nice case cost me $23!

The motherboard and CPU were free, being "cast-offs" from my brother's upgrades this summer. It's a Zotac H55-ITX a-c, with an Intel i3-450. That's a mini-ITX MB, with basically everything onboard including 802.11n WiFi. If you are doing your own calculation, you can just insert the $$$ from your selection here.

Other items that I already had and didn't need to pay for included, a SATA, Blu-Ray/DVD+RW combo optical drive. Oh, by the way; one of the reasons I chose this case was that it holds a full-sized optical drive so I didn't have to buy another (probably slim-laptop style) drive that would be more money. I also had 2.5" 500Gb/5400rpm SATA laptop drive which was exactly what I wanted for data storage for this thing. Notebook drives are quieter and use less energy than the full-sized variety. I had bought this some months ago for $30 from Craig's List, so if you want, you can tally that as well. I already had a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit that I could use, so no cost there.

What else did I buy? I had to have DDR3 RAM, which I on waited till I caught a good sale at Fry's. Last week they had a nice set of Patriot 8Gb (4Gb x 2), RAM on sale for $32 with a $10 rebate, making the ultimate cost $22. I found a fellow ThinkPad Forum member's ad for an unused 64Gb Samsung 470 SSD for $52. Not a great deal by today's standards, but decent. leaving the only part missing as the power supply. 

Because I chose a case capable of taking regular ATX PSUs, I had more flexibility. And this thing was going to be the HTPC in our bedroom, so it needs to be quiet. After spending some time researching on the Silent PC Review website, I concluded that Seasonic PSUs were the way to go. I was able to find a nice, used 460 watt one on eBay for $45 and I was done shopping!

On Monday the last part (PSU) came and I couldn't help but open the box and start piecing it together. Despite the Cub Scout meeting that night, I was able to put it together and get the operating system loaded. By Tuesday night, it was fully updated and installed in our bedroom. That evening, I was able to watch older Big Bang Theory and Brady Bunch episodes on the CBS website! Total spent...$156....$186 if you include the 500Gb drive. Even if you have to buy an appropriate board and CPU, it can be done for maybe $150 more. Not too bad regardless of how you look at it.

Rebirth of the Nikon "E" Lenses

Way back when I was in high school (seemly eons ago), the then king of all things professional photography, Nikon, decided to dabble in the lower end of the amateur market. Yes, I'm well aware that they had the Nikkormats, and even the ill-fated/short-lived Nikkorex out for a decade or more, but for those of use who had priced the Nikkormats in those years, they were simply "slightly less expensive" Nikons, and not really competitors of the Pentax, Olympus, and Fujicas that sold in far larger quantiies. By the later part of the 70's, the handwriting was already on the wall in the form of the wildly successful Canon AE-1. Between it and the Olympus OM-1, and misc. clones such as the Pentax MX, ME, it was obvious the the highly lucrative advanced amateur market was clearly headed toward compact, electronics oriented camera with a LOT more plastic in the build. While many consider the 70's the decade that the Japanese SLR reached it's pinnacle, the same could also be said of the "third party" glass manufacturer, with the "Big Three", Tamron, Sigma and Tokina, not only reaching acceptability, but dominance in some sectors of the market. Included with them were the brands created by marketing consortiums such as Vivitar, Soligar and even the "house brands" such as Cambron (Cambridge Cameras), and Spiratone. 

In 1979 Into this high-speed, high-profit and highly volatile part of the market steps, Nippon Kogaku of Tokyo, otherwise known as Nikon, with (for them) a revolutionary product line; the "E" Series. This would be based on the "beginner" camera the EM, which was wildly different than anything the Nikon had ever done before. It was mostly plastic, mostly automatic and aimed at a part of the market that they hadn't attempted entry since the ill-fated Nikkorex 35 of 1960....and some would argue that even those weren't aimed at the beginning photographer either. 

 As would be typical Nikon, they didn't just bring out a camera, but an entire system, complete with a flash, motor winder and several lenses designed to not only complement the small size and light weight of the EM, but the price-point as well. In order to accomplish that in those days of the brass helical focusing mechanism, Nikon designed in (gasp) quite a bit of structural plastics in the construction! At that point in time, coming from Nikon it was a shock and these lenses were routinely panned in the press and snubbed by most users. Over their production run, not nearly as many of these lenses were produced as one would think given the price and the Nikon glass that they contained. It would have been a very sad end to some very decent lenses had not a weird thing happen on the way to technology's dumpster, ........AUTOFOCUS, then DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY. What the.........?!!?

By the late 80's, auto-focus was sweeping all before it's onslaught on the photographic landscape, and as a part of that, it became evident that focusing via motors could not be accomplished efficiently using the traditional helical mechanism. There was simply too much drag. So, virtually all modern lens use the pin-in-slot method, though much more efficient, doesn't give that satiny smooth mechanical feel of the traditional manual-focus lens. 

Then digital photography happened, and a number of weird things converged together to create a strange set of circumstances. With APS-C sized sensors, or smaller such as 4/3rd, Micro 4/3rd, older lenses designed to deal with a "full-frame" 35mm were quite often found to be very sharp since you were only using the center of the glass. Then it was found that these lenses could easily be used on many cameras through an inexpensive adapter. This made the old Nikon lenses especially popular since: 1. they were some of the best glass, and 2. the relatively long back-spacing requirement allowed them to be easily adapted. This is especially true for the so-called "mirrorless" cameras such as the various Micro 4/3rd and the Sony Nex (although there are many more).

This combined with the advent of DSLR based video, has caused a boom in the "old" manual focus lens market. Many lenses that were considered inferior whether by perception or actual comparison of their time have become popular....which brings me back to the Nikon "E" Series. Ultimately, it's been found that they are not only highly competent, but given their compact size and low weight they make a good physical match for modern digital cameras. Even their focusing action is seen as comparatively smooth compared to modern autofocus lenses used in manual mode!

For me personally, it began with my slightly odd obsession with the "pancake" lens. I've always liked them in an "ugly duckling" sort of way and have thought that a slightly "wide" focal length would be perfect for my "street-shooter" project. However, the price has always been an issue. If I was somebody else, I'd probably just shell out the $500 or so that it cost to buy the Cosina made Voigtlander SL II, 20mm or 28mm lenses. And neither is the priginal "pancake", Nikon 45mm/f2.8 that I've previously written about. Of course the updated 45mm "P" of 2001-2006 has attained collectors status (~$600+ range), they are nowhere close to the budget of a frugal person of any kind.

Therefore, back to the "E" lenses. They seem to have been made over most of the 80's. There was of course the 50mm/f1.8, as well as the very typical range of 28mm, 35mm, 100mm, 135mm as well as a few zooms, 35-70mm, 70-150mm and 70-210mm. Some of them have even attained a mythical status (eg. 70-150mm). As it happens, I actually have one of them, a 50mm/f1.8 which came attached to the a broken EM that I traded for, which I've tried out on my D300. And let me tell ya; it's not an accident that it's often referred to as a "pancake" lens. It balances oddly on the D300 which is a big camera (especially with the MB-D10 attached), but it has the linkages to meter with the old AI lenses. However, what I REALLY liked was that lens attached to the D50 "Plastic Fantastic" camera! Wow, it is super-compact and easy to handle! Two problems though: 1. 50mm equals 75mm on my DX sensor'd cameras, and 2. it doesn't meter on the camera that I'd really like to use it on. What to do?

What you can see here if you look closely on the mount of this old Nikkor 80-200mm zoom is electronic contacts from modern AF mount. Apparently you can buy these things in kit form complete with a jig that helps you to correctly attach them to the mount of an old lens which allows it to send the lens data to the modern Nikon DSLRs! About $50.

So, what all this amounts to is a nice little project shaping up. I need to chase down a 28mm Nikon "E" Series lens (~$50 or so), add a "chip" and get the equivalent of a 42mm lens in a very compact form attached to a compact camera, thus creating a "do-it-yourself" street-shooter.


 

The Viking Is Coming.....As An HTPC

That's a United States Navy Lockheed S-3 "Viking". Which is the network name for the new bedroom HTPC I'm in the process of building. It's being named according to my network convention of using fighter names for notebook computers, transport aircraft for servers (natch.), and for the various desktops I use have reconnaissance or electronics warfare planes. In an earlier posts I discussed my main desktop workstation, the "Blackbird", as well as our file server, running WHS as the "Hercules". The "Viking" is a little special, and unusual for me in that, not only is it relatively up-to-date computer, but so named in honor of my friend Eric who flew one of these while in service of our country.

 OK, back to the computer end of things. A few months ago, my brother (who else) emailed me to see if I wanted a motherboard that he had replaced. But of course! It's a Mini-ITX form-factor, Zotac H55-ITX, which is an Intel Socket LGA 1156 board, running the H55 Northbridge chip and capable of handling i7/i5/i3 CPUs, complete with onboard b/g/n WiFi! Let me just put it out there that, that's pretty fancy hardware in this neck of the woods!

He even included a cool running i3, and a Gelid Siberian CPU cooler. All I need to get is some DDR3 RAM, and a case to put it in. Things went along slowly largely because I had other projects that took priority and also because I wanted to do it "right". Meaning I wanted to put it in the "right" case, with the "right" power supply, and the "right" boot drive. What that translates into is a compact case, that looks good, but wasn't so small that it wouldn't cool well, plus I strongly prefer a regular ATX PSU instead of something unusual (read: expensive). 

This turned out to be the Cooler Master Elite 120. It not only takes a regular PSU, but a full-sized optical drive as well. Well; imagine that.....just happen to have one of those sitting out in the garage right now! Along with that, I was able to track down a Seasonic SS-430HB power supply as well, so it should be stable AND quiet.

Last night I came across a fellow ThinkPad Forum member selling a new Samsung Series 470, 64Gb SSD for $52.

Of course, I'm also going to throw in a regular mechanical drive as well so that it won't be completely dependent on the server. There happens to be a 2.5" Hitachi 500Gb Travelstar that I've been hoarding for several months now just waiting for the right opportunity.

 
All that's left to do now is to run down some RAM, wait for the parts to show up and enjoy having a HTPC/DVR in our bedroom!