Criss-AC.net

My EasyTagger GPS unit arrived

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:27:00 +0000

Received it in the mail today. 14 days from China to Czech Rep, that was excellent! They've provided tracking number, so I knew all the time where my parcel was. Inside the box, there was a personalized letter (Big Thank You Bryan!) with instructions on how to calibrate it, how to recharge it, what leds mean, etc.

I mounted it on my D700 and went out to a park nearby. Got a signal lock (1st time cold start) in less than 30 seconds. Pretty impressive, considering I get a cold-start signal lock with my Coolpix P6000 (which has built-in GPS) in a good 3 to 5 minutes. It tagged my pictures with extreme accuracy, and I was really surprised at how good it is.

I did not switch it off as I've entered the building. I’ve thought to test it inside as well, to see if it beats the GPS in my P6000.

…and just as I’ve expected, it did not. It gave me some strange readings, and the path I’ve got from the tracing file from the MicroSD card looked really weird in Google Earth. And as far as I'm aware, there is no GPS unit to ever work indoors. It doesn’t matter – as I did not buy it for indoor use anyway.

What actually convinced me to buy this particular unit instead of the most expensive Nikon GP1 (which does not provide route tracing, by the way) was this in-depth review, here:

http://www.pixiq.com/article/geotag-your-nikon-photos-with-affordable-gps

And also this YouTube clip:

I’ve bought mine from here: http://e-geotag.com/products/gps-products/easytagger.html

This time I go with the wave². WAVE II

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Unpacking and showing the WAVE II Samsung phone (model number GT-S8530).

The old phone is my 4-year old Sony Ericsson P990i, which served me well and it’s been through a lot of physical… challenges. The reason is being replaced is the impossibility to carry on a conversation longer than 3-4 minutes without restarting, in order to – as it said, “to improve performance”.

Got this phone for 2 days. Couldn’t be more happier about my purchase.

And Bada? Kicks a$$!

And here is the related video I’ve put on my YouTube channel:

[Criss.AC] In a world in motion

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 15:39:00 +0000

[Criss.AC] In a world in motion [...], originally uploaded by Criss.AC.

In a world in motion, I choose not to be a bystander.
...and yet...

These damn Facebook apps

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 11:51:00 +0000

At times I hate Facebook for allowing everybody to “develop” their own social junk that doesn’t even deserve the name “apps”. Lately I was going through my privacy settings on Facebook, and to my surprise I’ve noticed how big the list of apps I’ve blocked is. Click image to see full-size.

[Criss.AC] 2 under 1 moon

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:47:00 +0000

[Criss.AC] 2 under 1 moon, originally uploaded by Criss.AC.

Taken more than one year ago, on my annual visit to Italy to see parents. I'm not really sure what it expresses, but the two pigeons there under the moon... there must be something to it, I can't quite put my finger on it. On the other hand, I can't believe it actually took me this one long year to find it and publish it - anyway, here it is.

Cris on Flickr front page

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:42:00 +0000

If you use Flickr to show your photographs to the world or to browse pictures of the world, chances are you know what Explore is, or even how it works. To explain briefly, every minute of the day, there are over 3,000+ photos uploaded. The best 500 of these almost 4,500,000+ pictures/day are featured in Explore.

But to be featured on the home page of Flickr, this is something! Recently I’ve learned that my Sunset in Carrara picture was featured on the Flickr front page.

Although so far I’ve managed to get 7 of my pictures selected for Explore, I never even dreamed that one of my pictures will be displayed on the home page, making it visible to the thousands of viewers! It is not something lucrative for me, it did not bring me any revenue, but it is always such a nice reward to see my name next to my picture, on the front page of a site visited by the world’s best photographers!

*how do I know I’ve made it to front page?

[Criss.AC] Red night // red light

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:57:00 +0000

[Criss.AC] Red night // red light, originally uploaded by Criss.AC.

night@7,500º K // The Monte Marcello hill, in Toscana Italy. There is the sea, some homes on the hill, and what I like the most, is that red "mist" raising up from the harbor, which I've created by exposing for 30 seconds! Hope you guys like it as much as I do!

cum învârte buha // rot.8 ze owl

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:59:00 +0000

Pun pariu că și cu găina merge.

Twitter thinks I am a MoRoN

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:36:00 +0000

Evidence? Here. And if it’s too small, click it.

[Criss.AC] Sunset in Carrara

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:37:00 +0000

[Criss.AC] Sunset in Carrara, originally uploaded by Criss.AC.

A beautiful purple sunset in the beautiful Marina di Carrara, in Toscana, Italy. And I am in Prague.

Dang! -CHR error

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sat, 21 May 2011 19:22:00 +0000

I have a Kingston (sounds a quality brand to me) ELITE PRO 133x 16GB CF card that I use with my D700. Some months ago it gave me a CHR error. I switched camera off, removed battery + card, reinserted them both, and I could continue to take pics.

I did not pay attention to that error.

...until today. Today I've been out on a city tour and I took 77 shots. In 77 shots, two times the CHR message appeared on the LCD display and on the TFT display it would say that card might be damaged, pls replace, pls etc...

I did the same: turned camera off, removed card, reinserted card, and continued to shoot.

I am not sure why this is actually happening. Could it be because I manually uploaded some pictures on it from my computer (using a 100-in-1 card reader bought for €0.99 - shipping included, from eBay), could it be because I continued to shoot on what I previously uploaded myself manually, or...
...could it be dying on me?? Have you ever encountered the same problem? What action have you taken?

PS: the images I've uploaded manually from my HDD using that cheap card reader are D700 untouched images, which are dear to me and I want to have them on the card, so I could browse them directly from the camera. My point is: I did not upload a different kind of data on the card.

[Criss.AC] See Prague

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:08:00 +0000

[Criss.AC] See Prague, originally uploaded by Criss.AC.

A beautiful photograph of a beautiful city.

Australians got talent

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:46:00 +0000

The following questions about Australia were initially asked by potential visitors. They were posted by an Australian travel agency on their website, and the answers were provided by the officials of this agency – people who obviously have a good sense of humor.

Q: Is there any wind blowing in Australia? I’ve never seen on the TV that there is rain over there, so how the plants live and grow? (UK)

A: We import all the plants, already grown-up, and afterwards we just sit around them watching them die.

Q: Could I see any kangaroos roaming on the streets? (US)

A: Depends on how much you have drunk.

Q: I am considering a walking journey from Perth to Sydney – can I follow the train tracks? (Sweden)

A: Sure. It is only 3,000 km, don’t forget to take water with you.

Q: Is it dangerous to crawl through the bushes in Australia? (Sweden)

A: So it’s true what they say about Swedish people.

Q: Do you have ATMs in Australia? Can you send me a list of the places where they are located in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)

A: Your last slave has just died, maybe?

Q: Can you please provide some information on the hippopotamus races in Australia? (US)

A: A-FRI-CA is that continent shaped as a triangle, south of Europe. AUSTRALIA is that big island in the middle of Pacific which doesn’t have…………… or better not. Sure, the hippopotamus compete against each other each Tuesday night in King Cross. Please come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in Australia? (US)

A: Face South and rotate 180º degrees. Contact us once you land and we give you the rest of the details.

Q: Should I bring table cutlery with me (forks, spoons, knives, etc) in Australia? (UK)

A: Why? Use your fingers, same as we do.

Q: Can you send me the concert schedule of Vienna Boys’ Choir? (US)

A: AUSTRIA is that little country neighboring Germany, whose capital is……………… or better not. Sure, Vienna Boys’ Choir performs each Tuesday night in King Cross, right after the hippopotamus race. Please come naked.

Q: Is there a supermarket in Sydney, selling milk all throughout the year? (Germany)

A: Nooooo, we’re a peaceful civilization of hunters / lumberjacks. Milk is illegal.

I dream of an oval Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 09:20:00 +0000

I guess 2012 has gotten into me way too much. I had a very weird dream. ‘t was about the end of the world. It was like I was playing football with my cousins, and we had two balls. Suddenly, they started going oval, instead of being perfectly spherical.

I looked at the horizon line. SAME. I thought there’s something with the geomagnetic field of the Earth, something wrong, very wrong, that causes this. Same as the balls we were playing with, the Earth itself would become oval, from the spherical shape. Craters started appearing on the surface, distances will become shorter, and hills harder to climb. I was increasingly becoming aware that… this is the end.

A space craft would crash nearby, after we were watching it losing control in mid-air. We were expecting it to crash, and it did so.

Inside there was only a man, and he survived the crash. He started unloading kittens and sheep.

Photographic equipment for sale in Prague

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 19:42:00 +0000

Hi people. I recently upgraded my photographic gear and I’ll have my second sale for some things I will not longer use.

That’s why they go for sale. ~~First item I sell is an~~ ~~AF Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4-5.6G~~, for 2600 CZK (€105.00). The lens is awesome, it has been my favorite for very long. Please find here some of the images taken with this lens. I’m very happy with its results, it had served me well.

It is in mint condition, excellent. Has no sign of wear. I had always used a Φ62 mm NC filter, to protect it from dust, scratches and finger prints. The eventual dust I removed with a hand air blower, and never used any solutions or liquids on it. The NC filter is for sale too, and it will be included in the same price.

ITEM SOLD.

Second I sell is a lens cleaning kit, for 300 CZK. That includes a spray bottle of liquid lens cleaner, pack of 3 moist lens cleaning cloths and a microfiber cleaning cloth (microfiber means that it does not scratch when you use it to clean your lens, your glasses, or even your laptop display). Also included with this is a dust hand blower. Very useful when you need to remove dust from spots you can’t reach with a cleaning cloth.

Last, I have a tripod which extends to 57”, which in metric is 145 cm. It is new, never been used, and I sell it for 1000 CZK. It comes with a carrying strap, as you can see in the pictures below. The reason I sell it is because I am a tall guy; the tripod extends up to my waist.

Below is the nylon case to protect it in case of rain or when it is not in use, and it has a strap to easily carry it on your shoulder.

The means of delivery is personal pick up. Reason is really simple: I don’t speak Czech and same ladies from the same Ceska Posta don’t speak English. To save me some headache I will sell only in Prague. Should you be interested, get in touch with me here and let’s discuss details.

Prague autumn morning

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 17:15:00 +0000

Prague autumn morning., originally uploaded by Ian@NZFlickr.

It takes more than good light, good scenery and a good camera.
It needs a soul // it needs a good eye.

The 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G?

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:19:00 +0000

Hi guys, currently I own a 70-300mm f/4-5.6G and a fast prime 50mm f/1.8D. Since March when I got my D700 and the two mentioned lens I got plenty of occasions to use it.

And as I grew accustomed to the D700, I came to realize what a pain in the neck could be when you see this awesome building, and you want to capture all the facade in one shot. I – most of the times – have the 70-300mm on, and from a reasonable distance, that's impossible to!

Now, if I want to catch let's say this facade with the 70-300mm, or a decent portrait, I either have to walk away to put some distance between me and the building or the subject, or... to spare 2 mins to remove the 70-300mm and to put on the prime 50mm.

With the 50mm, another pain! Is a prime lens, although fast, but rigid (!) – it gives me no focal range, and I need focal flexibility, especially if I'm in a dynamic environment.

See my point? The 70-300mm gives me a nice focal range, but it lacks wideness. The 50mm is wider – true – but rigid nevertheless. I am a casual photographer, and almost always I find myself at times when I need wide-angle. My actual gear does not match my expectations... I need a multi-purpose lens, to avoid switching from one to another, or to walk in and out on the subject.

So that's why I was considering purchasing a zoom wide-angle lens, either the 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF, or the 24-120mm f/4G ED VR. But! Nikon has just released the 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G... which sort of caught my eye.

This is only 4mm narrower at the wide end than the 24-85mm and the 24-120mm, but goes all the way to 300mm. Let's not forget that Nikon threw in the VRII, the ED glass, which I miss on my actual 70-300.

I know that if I intend to go wide-angle, every mm counts at the wide end... my question is: would I be getting a good deal should I "sacrifice" the 4mm at the wide end, but I win on the telephoto end at least 180mm? As I said, I'm a casual photographer and I need a multi-purpose lens... I'd drop my two lens right away should I buy this one.

PS: follow this thread here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikond700/discuss/72157625179484813/

How to test your shortsightedness

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:42:00 +0000

It did not work for me. I see Einstein.

I can only see Marilyn in the thumbnail version, though:

*from http://www.dump.com/2010/10/27/are-you-short-sighted-pic/

No cat, no nail

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:34:00 +0000

I woke up this morning having a litle scratch on the tip of my nose: I aint got no cat, no sharp nails, no girl with sharp nails, no devices having scratch-enabled mode on hidden in my pillow, and… I'm no sleepwalker.

10:57

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:57:00 +0000

I noticed I have an inner aggressiveness directed at two certain individuals from my close circle of people, and I can't seem to be able to get rid of it. Although I am calm and peaceful and rarely ever violent or aggressive, it seems that even the mere sound of their voices drives me nuts. I am not sure if they've noticed my hostility towards them, but for whatever reason they act nice and show interest in my persona. And this is 1 more reason in + to make me bite my fist! This is not normal! You don't act nice when somebody is hostile to you, the least you could do is ignore!

...and I can't control it. Hate it when there's one thing about me I can't control. I like to think about myself that I am a good, carrying and positive person, that I have high spiritual values, but slowly I start to believe that trying to stay positive and good in an environment totally gone the opposite way would finally assimilate the one opposing it. Is all gettin' me...

Away for 1 month

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Counting from… NOW!

I’ll be travelling for 1 month, I will [re]visit the western Europe, Italy, Spain, France, Italy. Back in Prague on the 16th of August.

I’ll be mostly posting on my facebook page… presuming I manage to access internet.

www.facebook.com/Criss.AC

Perle din liceu

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:19:00 +0000

Am facut liceul in Uzina II in Brasov. Dl. Vasile Macovei, cel mai stimat si apreciat profesor din scoala, avea un stil aparte, prin care te facea fie sa il super simpatizezi, fie sa nu. Nu cred ca ar fi existat alta alternativa. In clasa a 12-a a fost promovat ca director.

Faceam fizica cu dansul. La una dintre ore, se uita la un coleg ce purta cercel. Se uita atent, oarecum insistent, incearca sa spuna ceva, ezita… apoi intr-un final i se adreseaza:

- Comane, cercelu’ ala al tau spune multe…

- Ce spune, dom’ profesor?

- …creier mic.

- Cum de stiti asta, dom’ profesor?

Si oarecum ne asteptam sa ii dea un raspuns serios, sau sa deschida o dezbatere. Dar in schimb, zambind in barba, abia stapanindu-se sa nu pufneasca in ras, ii raspunde linistit:

- Pai am purtat si io vreo doi ani…

____________

Alta, si mai tare decat cea anterioara! De data asta protagonistii din “perla” sunt moldovenii. Intr-o atmosfera fff relaxata si funny, profu’ ne facea o descriere detaliata despre cat de lenesi sunt ei, despre cat de alcolisti si inceti la minte sunt + pacostea Romaniei, etc etc. Acestui discurs i-a urmat desigur intrebarea fireasca:

- Cum de stiti asta, dom’ profesor?

Si raspunsul – care efectiv ne-a dat pe spate pe toti – nu a intarziat sa apara:

- …pai sunt din Vaslui!!

Imagineaza-ti rasete pe urma . Ani de liceu, vai!! Ce mi-i dor!

[Prague Castle] View from the attic

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:45:00 +0000

[Prague Castle] View from the attic, première mise en ligne par Criss.AC.

The Prague Castle. Shot taken from Petrin Tower, at 21:50 local time. Not completely dark outside, and I exposed for 6 s only. This is a huge 26,3 megapixel image, in real size it is 2,82 x 1,15 meters if printed @72 dpi. See it a little larger.

Harmony... in perfect harmony

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 11:38:00 +0000

[Criss.AC] Harmony... in perfect harmony, première mise en ligne par Criss.AC.

[Floare frumoasa] ...simple, so pure and serene... the beauty lies within. A tribute to the Greatness of our Creator.

A song which touches... a song I like very much, an enhancer of the mood created by this image.
Within Temptation: In Perfect Harmony

...everlasting beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Criss.AC) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:02:00 +0000

[Criss.AC] ...everlasting beauty, première mise en ligne par Criss.AC.

...things change around us, with every passing second. Some
things... do not. I am the beauty that never fades.