Every now-and-then, a rare opportunity comes along that you just gotta grab. For me, it was a flight on an “experimental” airplane that my neighbor, Bob Kelly, built in his garage a couple years ago.

Amateur-built aircraft are licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as “Experimental.” Per FAA regulations, if an individual builds at least 51 percent of an aircraft, it is eligible to be registered in the amateur-built category.Bob's plane was a kit that he purchased with all the parts already fabricated. He replaced some parts with others that he felt were more superior to make his plane safer.

Recently Bob offered to take me on a flight on his plane. The adventurer in me said, “Hell, yeah!” while the saner side said, “Are you nuts?” The adventurer won out and the next day we were airborne.

Of course, I had to take some photos and video of this exciting adventure. I figured if we crashed, the digital files on my camera would probably survive – offering a glimpse of my last moments on earth before meeting my Maker.

The camera I chose was a 360° panoramic camera to capture a complete wrap-around view from inside the cockpit AND outside the plane. Click the photo, above, (or tap it if you're on a mobile device) and slide all around it to see the crazy views that a 360° panoramic camera offers.

Above is a 360-degree AERIAL VIDEO I also created during the flight. You can actually look all-around while the video plays by clicking or tapping it (on a mobile device) and moving your mouse or finger in any direction!

See the gear and software we use to create our 360° panoramic videos and photos here.

I've been using this camera for the past year-and-a-half to create 360° virtual tours for nursing homes, the Cleveland Pregnancy Center, Case Western Reserve University, hotels, commercial construction companies, government agencies and more. You can see some of those tours here. (A new browser window will open.)

Have you ever flown on an “experimental” airplane or tried skydiving? How was your experience? Click here to share your comments.

Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and then click the bell icon to get instant notifications when we upload a new video: https://spectralight.com/YouTubeSubscribe

See more photos and videos highlighting what is great about CLEveland on our HOTonCLE website: http://HOTonCLE.com

Please subscribe to our HOTonCLE YouTube channel and then click the bell icon to get instant notifications when we upload a new video: http://HOTonCLE.com/YouTubeSubscribe

See the gear and software we use to create our videos and photos: https://spectralight.com/Gear

The post Unique 360° Aerial View of Cedar Point Amusement Park From Experimental Plane appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

FINALLY! The COMAN KX3232 Monopod checks all the boxes for a high quality camera support at a reasonable price! It includes tripod-like feet that steady it like a tripod. So for travel photography, I can leave my bulky tripod at home!

Over the years, I've used a variety of monopods and tripods for personal and business use. My experience is that you get what you pay for – which is usually crap. However, the COMAN KX3232 Monopod is the exception to the rule.

Watch the video (above) for a thorough review of the monopod. It was created by another photographer and is so good that I didn't need to create my own video review! (NOTE: In the video review, the photographer mentions that he also bought the Joby ballhead to attach to the monopod. You really don't need it as the head that is included with the monopod is more than adequate.)

Here are just a few of the specs for the COMAN KX3232 Monopod:

• Lightweight & Compact: weighs 3.90 lbs, folds to 26″ – which is good for travel and hiking.
• The fluid head monopod with removable tripod stand, gives you smooth shots – both horizontally and vertically.
• Aluminum leg in 5 sections with flip locks enable fast and fumble-free set-up.
• The collapsible support base allows the monopod to incline 15° and revolve 360° around the fulcrum.
• Adjustable height: 26″ to 73″ |  Max Load: 13.2 lbs
• 6-Year Warranty

So I decided to invest a few more dollars in the COMAN KX3232 Monopod and I could not be happier! It also includes a soft carry bag that allows you to carry it over your shoulder… AND a six year warranty!

If you purchase the monopod through this link, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. That helps support this blog so that I can write more reviews to help you make the best camera gear purchasing decisions.

So what features are most important to you in a monopod or tripod? Please leave your comments, below.

The post Amazing COMAN KX3232 Monopod Worth Its Weight in Gold appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

I'm really excited to be asked to show how to take better vacation photos at the May 20th meeting of the North Ridgeville Arts Council. I will be presenting “Discover 7 Secrets to Better Vacation Photography.” The information can be used to improve vacation photography, pictures of friends and family, sporting events and more.

Topics to be covered include: how to choose a camera, creative composition from unusual camera angles, use of natural light and electronic flash, how to help people look their best, enhancing photos after they're taken, saving and preserving picture files to guard against loss from a computer crash, different ways to display photographs for maximum enjoyment and more.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

The meeting is on Monday, May 20th at 7 p.m. at North Ridgeville Library,35700 Bainbridge Rd, North Ridgeville.

The post Discover 7 Secrets to Better Vacation Photography appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

I'm sorry – it does NOT exist. Not even cameras costing thousands of dollars have every feature that professional photographers want.

BUT, there is a camera that comes close. You can even get it used for under $250! BONUS ALERT: It can even record high definition videos – all in the same camera body.

I purchased the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 last December (Merry Christmas to me) as a great camera to take on vacations, throw in the car's glove box or stash in my briefcase. It fits comfortably in my pants pocket so I don't have to hang it from my neck when out-and-about!

So what criteria do I use for selecting the perfect camera?

My top complaint with consumer point-and-shoots is what's called “shutter lag.” That's the amount of time it takes for the camera to actually snap the photo from the moment you push the shutter button. Low-end cameras have a delay or lag as long as one second. That means you'll ALWAYS miss your toddler's first jump into the pool, your little leaguer hitting a home run or any other moment that passes within a second from when you click the shutter.

Other key features of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7:

– Solid metal body – should withstand more of a “beating” than a plastic camera body.

– Big 3″ colorful, sharp LCD display makes viewing photos easier in direct sunlight.

– 12 megapixel sensor allows for beautiful enlargements up to 8×10 inches.

– Amazing 12x optical zoom lens (up to 300 mm equivalent if you’re from the “old school” 35mm camera era). This makes taking photos of birds or animals better without having to get as close to them. (SPECIAL NOTE: When shopping for a camera, always ignore the “digital zoom” numbers on a camera. The picture quality of a digital zoom compared to an optical zoom is ALWAYS poor because the camera is just magnifying the photo’s pixels to give the zoomed-in look.

– Smooth and quiet auto focus

– Optical image stabilization – lessens blurriness from camera movement under low-light situations.

– “Intelligent Resolution” feature greatly improves photo quality.

– Automatic exposure and full manual modes

– Built-in flash

– Built-in GPS feature that records where you are when you take a photo. That’s great for those who travel a lot and forget the name of the place they took the photo.

– Very good movie quality in 720p AVCHD which looks as good as video recorded in full 1080 HD.

– Accepts SD/SDHC and new SDXC huge capacity memory cards.

To get the full specifications and current prices for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7, click here.

What camera do you use? What do you like best about it? What features would you like to have in your next camera? Please leave your comments on this post.

The post The PERFECT consumer digital camera revealed at last appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

Is it time to simplify your photography and ditch that fancy, new digital camera?

The founders of The Impossible Project, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, think so. Recently they released its first color instant film, PX 70 Color Shade, designed for use in Polaroid SX 70 cameras.

PX 70 Color Shade, the company says, is reminiscent of the original Polaroid Time Zero film and “delivers unique images by rendering astonishing pastel tones with crisp details. “Combined with a highly sensitive overall exposure performance and strong characteristics, it allows achieving breathtakingly charming results,” states the company.

The film can be used not only in SX 70 cameras but also in all 600 series Polaroid cameras, with appropriate adjustment of the exposure settings.

In October 2008 The Impossible Project saved the last Polaroid production plant for Integral Instant film in Enschede (NL) and started to re-invent and re-produce new instant films for traditional Polaroid Cameras.

So what do you think? Please leave your comments – below.

The post Out with the new, in with the old – Polaroid cameras to replace digital? appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

The Canon Wonder could be the hottest new camera in 2030. I'll go out on a limb and predict there will be something like it from one of the manufacturers well before 2030.

Canon displayed the amazing concept camera at Shanghai Expo 2010. (Click the photos at left to see them larger.)

They call it the camera of the future and estimate a 20 year wait before something like it is ready.

The Wonder has almost perfect image stabilization which means you can hand-hold it in the lowest light without seeing noticeable “camera shake,” which causes blurry pictures. It shoots at unheard of resolution allowing you to use a tiny portion of your photo to make large prints without them looking grainy.

The camera actually records in video mode so it's like having a high-speed, non-stop motor drive capturing tons-and-tons of pictures. With the extremely high resolution, Canon says that each frame will always be in focus so you'll be able to pick out whatever image you want from the recorded video. Never miss that peak moment again – unless you're just not paying attention!

Because the Wonder is just a concept, Canon's objective is to judge consumer response.

What do you think of this camera? Please leave your comment – below.

The post Camera of the future revealed appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

It seems that every day, there's another smartphone being introduced that makes your pocket sized digital camera a little less important. The latest smartphones have higher resolution than many digital cameras on the market. Why not lighten your purse or back pack and leave the camera at home?

Case in point: Motorola’s latest Android smartphone, the Droid X, has an 8 megapixel camera with a dual-LED flash and auto-focus. It also captures 720p video, and has a 4.3-inch, 854 x 480 WVGA display. It will be available later this summer from Verizon Wireless.

The Galaxy S camera phone made by Samsung will soon be offered by the top four U.S. carriers. However, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless will each offer the Galaxy with other names: Captivate, Epic 4G, Vibrant, and Fascinate, respectively. Sprint’s version includes a front-facing VGA camera for video calling.

The companies claim, “with more than 100 times the contrast quality of other leading displays,” and faster response time that reduces “ghosting” of images.

More than ever before, professional photographers are using their cell phones to photograph client assignments. Is it time for amateur photographers to “jump-on-the-band-wagon?”

What do you think of these smartphones? Please leave your comment – below.

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