Author Archives: Chuck_Maas

Binoculars

One of the indispensable non-photographic tools for outdoorsmen is a good set of binoculars.  Determining what defines a “good set” is as much a compromise as any other tool choice.  Narrowing the purpose, then deciding which factors are most important … Continue reading

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They’re Back

The gulls and geese have returned for the “summer” season.  It may seem a bit early, since ice has not yet melted from all the lakes and ponds and foliage is mostly still brown.  But the annual transition has begun, … Continue reading

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Main Focus

There are numerous fine authors discoursing online regarding the making of photographs and the use of tools to accomplish that purpose.  One I like to follow is Thom Hogan, and I especially appreciated his recent “Existential Crisis” post.  Good to … Continue reading

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Fujifilm on the Rise

Fujifilm’s mirrorless camera bodies have been the talk of the town of late.  While the crop-sensor line has had a growing following for some time, and the recent updates for the X-Pro2 and X-T2 have only accelerated user enthusiasm, it’s … Continue reading

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New Option for Fast External Storage

Most photographers would like to spend more time shooting and less time editing and developing image files on a computer.  One way to speed up the process is to select equipment that accelerates those tasks.  There are plenty of resources … Continue reading

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Avian Winter Residents

Not all birds migrate. Among the winter residents in Southcentral Alaska are black-capped chickadees and red-breasted nuthatches seen visiting a peanut butter feeder above.  Boreal chickadees, and both hairy and downy woodpeckers also stop by regularly.

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Powerful Mini PC

Looking for a tiny Windows computer with enough muscle to process images with speed and efficiency as well as connect with cutting-edge peripherals using the latest protocols?  Intel has one for you.  It’s called the NUC6i7KYK, and nicknamed Skull Canyon. … Continue reading

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Raising the Storage Bar, Again!

Samsung, without a doubt, is at the very leading edge of solid state storage, and their latest M.2 offerings continue the trend.  The head of the pack is the NVMe SSD 960 PRO, in capacities of 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, … Continue reading

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Autumn

Fall colors haven’t reached their peak yet in much of Southcentral Alaska, but their annual transition is being challenged this year on two fronts.  Last winter and much of the early spring and summer were very dry and many trees … Continue reading

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Photokina 2016

On the tools side of the imaging endeavor, a number of significant announcements have been made prior to Photokina, the huge international biennial photo and imaging trade fair which opens for 2016 next week in Cologne, Germany.  From Canon are … Continue reading

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