Some key words in PHOTOGRAPHY

Aperture: Lens opening controlling the amount.

Aperture Priority(AV): Semi-automatic camera setting: photographer chooses an aperture and camera chooses the appropriate shutter speed to make a good exposure.

Auto Focus: Automatic focusing system.

Bit: Short for binary digit, the basic unit of binary language.

Bit depth: Number of bits(memory) assigned to recording color or tonal information.

CCD: Charge Coupled Device which is a solid state sensor used in digital image capture, i.e., most Nikon cameras have CCD sensors.

CMOS: Another type of image sensor used in digital cameras.(Canons)

Diffuse: Dispersion of light(spread out) not focused.

F-stop: Numerical system indicating aperture diameter.(F 2.8, F 3.5, F 22)

Fast Lens: Lens where the widest aperture setting is very wide, i.e. F 1.4. It will allow you to obtain good exposures in very low light or at very high shutter speeds.

Flash light: Mobile 5800k light source, high intensity, short duration.

ISO: Stands for "International Standers Organization", a standardized number rating the sensitivity of a film to light.( ISO 100- ISO 10200)

A wonderful traveling spot in Vietnam - Nha Trang

In the summer of 2011, I got a chance to travel around Vietnam. Most of people will go to Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi. Those are major cities in this country. Nha Trang, it is close to the east coast. This is a small city with beautiful beach and ocean view.

Discover the Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda, CA

This museum is a time machine that brings you to the magic pinball world. As an Chinese, I never see the real pinball machine before. In this museum, you can play more than 50 different pinball machines with only $15 admission fee. Check out those photos from there. For more information about this place, go to http://pacificpinball.org/

Review of Cowboystudio 4-Channel Radio Remote Trigger

Recently, I just got this very cheap remote trigger for DSLR to wirelessly control studio lighting system. The brand name is Cowboystudio. It's a four channel radio remote trigger.
Amazon sale link

First,
You should check your DSLR camera and make sure it has the flash light sync cord port. Please see the image below.

Second,

Place the transmitter on the DSLR's hot shot and plug the sync cord into the camera's port.

Third,

Find the 3.5mm or 6.35mm sync port on your flash light or Monolight. Use the sync cable to connect the receivers with your lights.

In my test, I have totally four receivers with one transmitter. Make sure to turn on the transmitter and check the battery level. As you can see here, we have four points lights which are two front lights and two background lights.

Depend on my test, this trigger is functioning very well within 25 feet away from the front lights position. After I took the photos of the item on the table, I found that it only supported up to 1/160 shutter speed perfectly.

1/160 ISO 100 F14                              1/200 ISO 100 F14

                       

1/250 ISO 100 F14                                1/320 ISO 100 F14