Photography Nuts and Bolts. With some actual nuts and bolts.

It is Off Season for robotics.  But there is always planning to be done.  One area where our team did not live up to previous accomplishments was on the Media/PR side.  It was expected......we had a very capable photographer/videographer who graduated, and when essentially rebuilding the team post Covid it was not an area we chose to emphasize.

But we will going forward.  Thanks to a nice grant for equipment we now have a good SLR camera that can shoot still or video, along with all manner of lens and filter options and a laptop dedicated to editing.  Of course this means many new things to learn, and while the kids are all off being sleep 'til noon idlers (as they should be) I'll try to pick up the rudiments.

So far I've figured out how to charge the batteries, turn it on, point and shoot.  So.....with this admittedly basic start, how much improvement in quality will we see?

I decided to try three options.  The new camera, my phone, and my travel camera.  I've tried to make it a fair challenge, same light, same subject, same minimal skill level.

This is a swerve drive gearbox system.  I put it on a weathered picnic table as a back drop.

First my travel camera.  This is a Panasonic Lumix TS25.  I carry it on expeditions because it is light weight and can be dropped, chewed on, covered with dust etc without making a fuss about it.  Picture One:

Note that I have not done anything with photo editing on this series so it is a bit washed out in bright sunlight.

Now my phone.  This is a four year old Motorola that I got mostly because of long battery life, not for any camera features.  Phones always have the advantage of convenience, and a picture you take that is not ideal is always better than the missed opportunity.

I think it is better.  Honestly I carry the travel camera more for its superior close up function which comes in handy when snapping small Roman artifacts.  Now, the SLR.  It is a Canon 250D with a standard lens.

Hmmmm.  Not that much different.  It did appear to be engaging an autofocus feature which has made the blue tread material less defined.  I have not figured out how to disengage that yet.

To be fair we are mostly expecting this to be a video camera and one used for event pictures where the telephoto lens will be in use.  Also to be fair I am at best a sloppy photographer who has so far just figured out where the ON switch is.

As I laboriously climb the steep learning curve I'll inflict a few more updates on you.

Maybe the SLR is significantly better.  When walking back to the house I encountered a cute bird sitting on the sidewalk.  Here's a point and shoot that turned out pretty well...