New S2 Owner (Almost)

[Swampy]

Ordered my S2 last Sunday and while waiting around for it (it FINALLY shipped yesterday for Monday delivery :(), I found this great site.

Long story short, I've been an "amateur" for 20 years using a Canon A1, then I finally moved to digital most of the way with a Sony cd1000 2.1mp which produced some awesome pictures for what it is - see:

http://theswampbbs.com/flowers/Dsc00035.jpg

This camera had a lot missing for me though so I started looking. There was nothing on the market that could give me that great optical zoom (10x) anymore so I knew the only way to go was SLR again, but I really liked digital. I started working for some rich guys who had all the toys and a month ago, borrowed the S1 from one of them. Wow. Anyway, you know the rest, MY S2 is coming Monday.

Thought I would share a quick tip for Windows XP users for quickly resizing pictures for general use. Part of the Power Toys software add-on from Microsoft, they have a resizer were you can mark pictures, right click on them, hit resize, and let them rip. 23 seconds to do 35 2.1mp pictures to 4 different web usable sizes.

You can get that (and all of them) from Microsoft.com. Do a search for "power toys xp" and the first link (about 6000 characters which is why I didn't post it here) will be to the download page.

Anyway, hope I can contribute my professional PC knowledge in trade for some professional S2 knowledge. :)

If you have questions about PC hardware or troubleshooting problems in general, don't hesitate to ask me cause that's what I do for a living.

[memobug]

Hi there swampy.

Welcome to the S2 club.

I have a couple of questions I could never figure my way around.

#1 XP's Digital Camera & Scanner Wizard, (or whatever it's called), which pops up handily whenever you insert a memory card has a feature that is supposed to copy files to your destination directory, and let you rotate or rename them at the same time. Unfortunately, it seems to be bent on renumbering them, too. As if that weren't bad enough it also renames them with a volume name, and here's the nasty part - inserts a SPACE in the filename. Makes it pretty useless, so I have been using explorer and drag&drop

#2 Why does the IE6's right-click to save-as always want to rename files with a .jpg extension .JPEG ?

Regards,

Matt

[Swampy]

Originally posted by memobug
#1 XP's Digital Camera & Scanner Wizard, (or whatever it's called), which pops up handily whenever you insert a memory card has a feature that is supposed to copy files to your destination directory, and let you rotate or rename them at the same time. Unfortunately, it seems to be bent on renumbering them, too. As if that weren't bad enough it also renames them with a volume name, and here's the nasty part - inserts a SPACE in the filename. Makes it pretty useless, so I have been using explorer and drag&drop

#2 Why does the IE6's right-click to save-as always want to rename files with a .jpg extension .JPEG ?


For the Wizard, this appears to be a "Feature" to do all of that. I'm going to check with Microsoft and see if there's a way to modify what it does with the file name. I don't understand what you mean about about naming them with a volume name. Here's what I see when I do this:

I go through the wizard, select the pictures, go to the next screen, give it to "rename the pictures" of "DSC0". I go to the next line, hit browse, go to (for demontration purposes) "My Pictures" and click create new folder. I give it a name of "test pictures" and let it copy the pictures. What I end up with is the correct folder name containing my test pictures named "DSC0 001" (add 1 to the end for each additional picture). I see the space. I don't know what you mean by the volume. Maybe you're not creating a folder for it and if you don't, it will create one with the name of the picture you typed above, so in my case, I'd have a folder called "DSC0". Anyway, this IS annoying for me as well, but for the general public who's got nothing but "12 o'clock flasher users" in the house (so non-technical, all of thier clocks are flashing "12:00" :rolleyes: ), it's a great "Feature". Like I said, I'll talk to Microsoft and see if there's a way to fix it to just copy the file names directly over. My guess with the interface that's currently there, I'll get an answer of no, but, I have some pretty good influence with Microsoft and may be able to get it changed with the next service pack or at worst case (worst is actually no change...), the next operating system release. Let me see what I can find out.

As for your IE6 right click...I played around with it for a while this morning. Depending on the way the picture in question is put up on the web tells IE what it can and can't do. So, if I post a tiff file up on the web straight out, I get a prompt from IE6 to either open or save the file. If I dump it into a web page with frontpage, I get no choice to save it at all. If I go directly to a BMP or JPEG/JPG file, it opens it and I can right click and save it as a BMP or JPEG/JPG. And again, if I post it with frontpage, I can't do anything with it. Do you have a link that has a Tiff in it for an example? Are you SURE it's a Tiff? Here's a Tiff file that hasn't been embedded into any webpage, just the straight file. If you open it, you'll see it in your web browser, but you won't be able to right click and save. Tell me if you get a prompt to open or save it when you go to it.
http://theswampbbs.com/pics/temp/rightb.tif

Say nothing about the quality. It's an old picture from a disposable camera my daughter took and I scanned it after it was "lost" in her room for a couple of years. :)

[memobug]

Thanks for your thoughtful response

on #1, it is prefacing each of the files with a title and it seems to really need that title. So if my title is Bananas, I wind up with Bananas 001.jpg Bananas 002.jpg

But what I usually want is a file folder called

DEC242002_Capitola_Beach

So instead of a file of that name containing 001.jpg through XXX.jpg

I get

DEC242002_Capitola_Beach 001.jpg
DEC242002_Capitola_Beach 022.jpg

on #2, I don't really have trouble with TIFFs. I meant when I go to save a file named whatever.jpg on the server, when I right click on it, IE6 or maybe XP wants to call it whatever.JPEG

I don't have any ready examples, but if you click on the Gallery tab above in the header bar of this page, then right click on a thumbnail and select save-as, I think you'll see what I mean.

Regards,

Matt

[Swampy]

Originally posted by memobug
Thanks for your thoughtful response

on #1, it is prefacing each of the files with a title and it seems to really need that title. So if my title is Bananas, I wind up with Bananas 001.jpg Bananas 002.jpg

But what I usually want is a file folder called

DEC242002_Capitola_Beach

So instead of a file of that name containing 001.jpg through XXX.jpg

I get

DEC242002_Capitola_Beach 001.jpg
DEC242002_Capitola_Beach 022.jpg

on #2, I don't really have trouble with TIFFs. I meant when I go to save a file named whatever.jpg on the server, when I right click on it, IE6 or maybe XP wants to call it whatever.JPEG

I don't have any ready examples, but if you click on the Gallery tab above in the header bar of this page, then right click on a thumbnail and select save-as, I think you'll see what I mean.

Regards,

Matt

That's what I was trying to say before... When in the wizard nad it's asking for the destination (see attached screenshot), if you put in DSC0 in the name of the group of pictures, and hit the browse button and create a new folder (I used "test") somewhere, you should get a set of pictures DSC0 001, DSC0 002, etc. in the folder you created. Unfortunatly, you DO have to put something in the name of the group, which will make you have the space in the middle of all the file names.

On the file saving thing, JPEG is the industry standard name for that type of picture. It got truncated to JPG when the old 8.3 file names were in place. To try and avoid confusion, Microsoft put it in as JPEG, but actually saves it at JPG. Kinda like CIA, Microsoft will never avoid confusion, whether they attempt to or not. :)
Speaking of which, I hope I don't sound confusing. heheh.

If you want to use that wizard still, I'd find a program that will do a multi-rename of selected files after they're copied over. I use Total Commander (formerly Windows Commander (and again, a knock off of the old DOS Norton Commander)). Info on that is at http://ghisler.com. I use this program for all of my file management needs. It's centered more around keyboard commands (easy), but the mouse works of course. Mouse file management is a step way back in speed to me. This program puts most everyday functions at your quick fingertips.

[Swampy]

Originally posted by swampy101
Ordered my S2 last Sunday and while waiting around for it (it FINALLY shipped yesterday for Monday delivery :(), I found this great site.



Ok, I'm really dissapointed with Ritz Camera now. So, as I said before, ordered it 10 days ago. They said it would ship in 2-3 days. So, Anxious that I am, I called them Friday and they told me it shipped "yesterday" FedEx 3 day. I assumed that with a big name store, they would be telling me the truth. So I call Monday and see if I can get a tracking number so I can make sure someone is home. Now another guy tells me it didn't ship. I wouldn't get my camera until Fuji sent them more cameras as they were now out of stock. The guy tells me he'll call me back shortly because he's going to make some more calls and see if he can find one somewhere. Are they out of stock or not?!!?

I call them back 4 hours later (I should have just canceled the order then and ordered from somewhere else that had them in stock cheaper on the web). Had to leave a message for the guy. an hour later, someone else calls me back in his place. Some guy who just started working there.

This guy tells me the paperwork was processed, was sent to shipping and shipping didn't have any in stock. So, what happenned then? They shouldn't of even told me this one. Shipping CANCELED my order! I didn't have to do anything to re-do the order, so I don't know what possessed them to tell me this piece of information. Well, actually, I don't know if they really did cancel it (they said they did) or if I really don't have to do anything to re-do it, or if it was canceled, if it even got put back in.

They found one in one of thier stores in San Francisco. Supposedly shipping next day air today. But I won't be able to pick it up from the store until the 26th. I'll keep you posted.

I've now spent some time reading reviews on Ritz Camera and there are more complaints then not with many similar (and worse) problems. Feel like the name should be Ghetto Camera, not Ritz. I'll just say this, I won't be buying from them again unless I'm completely hard up for something AND they physically have it in the store.

[memobug]

Ghetto Camera! That's pretty funny!

My crystal ball shows your S2 in your hands before the new year... at least it's YOUR S2, the hands I can't tell... it's a little murky.

We're pulling for you!

[Swampy]

Originally posted by memobug
Ghetto Camera! That's pretty funny!

My crystal ball shows your S2 in your hands before the new year... at least it's YOUR S2, the hands I can't tell... it's a little murky.

We're pulling for you!

If not, then at least I have a new tripod to play with without the camera. hahaha.

Wife got me (among other things) a Manfrotto 3021 Pro tripod and a 3265 head for it. Hate the weight, but functionality, versatility and stability totally rock! Can't wait to use it!

Tomorrow is D-Day for Ghetto Camera. I'm still miffed about the whole thing being that I have to work 54 hours between 6am tomorrow and Saturday midnight, which means I don't have time to play at all. So, after my first 18 hour shift, if it really does show up tomorrow, I'm going to pick it up in person and make sure I make a scene. :)

[Swampy]

Originally posted by memobug
Ghetto Camera! That's pretty funny!

My crystal ball shows your S2 in your hands before the new year...

Ok, Crystal Ball was correct. It's in my hands now. What can I say. WOW. I love it (of course) much more than the S1! Lighter by a long shot than the S1 and the autofocus is a lot quieter. Thought that would be a function of the lense, not the camera for it to be louder or quieter. Wow wow WOW. I think I'll sleep with it tonight. Ok. Maybe not. But almost. Took a hundred or so pictures with it today at work for our very large server farm move. As soon as the move is over (few more days), I'll post a link to them.

I'm outta here to go really play now...

[Swampy]

Originally posted by swampy101
Took a hundred or so pictures with it today at work for our very large server farm move. As soon as the move is over (few more days), I'll post a link to them.


OK, as promised. Not the best, just used the camera out of the box as is (was) and just started shooting. I would say that around shot 115 is where the S2 took over from the S1, same lens. We moved a little over 1000 servers and 100 or so switches, and included about 60 terrabytes of storage. Most was complete after 36 hours. Final hour count for the last piece was 60 hours.

http://theswampbbs.com/datacentermove

Anyway, just in case you wanted to see what I had to do starting at 6am the day after Xmas and why I couldn't really play with the new camera when I got it.

[memobug]

Wow that was quite a move

Next time you move 1000 servers, try turning on slow sync and set the exposure compensation (not the flash compensation) to -2 or so

That should give you a slower shutter than the 1/90 or 1/125 and let you capture some more of the ambient light. Less of that coal mine look.

Regards,

Matt

[Swampy]

Originally posted by memobug
Wow that was quite a move

Next time you move 1000 servers, try turning on slow sync and set the exposure compensation (not the flash compensation) to -2 or so

That should give you a slower shutter than the 1/90 or 1/125 and let you capture some more of the ambient light. Less of that coal mine look.

Regards,

Matt

I'll try that. The lighting in there varied quite a bit from dark to semi bright flourecent to mid range incandecant. I was hoping the auto white balance would work well, but it didn't. :)

I was having focus problems as well, especially on solid objects like the white board with the writting on it. It would go from infinity to closest and back to inifinity or vice versa and stop focusing. Hit the button again and it would do the same thing. Strange. I've just taken the camera off of nearest object and I want to see how that works. Still using the Nikkor 24-120mm for now. Hopefully I'll have some different lenses to play with today or tomorrow.

Thanks,

Bryan