HUMAN CIRCUS (of Piccadilly, LONDON)

— ( To take this picture, I’ve jumped onto tarmac, click, jump-back before hit by them —– focus was

—- wrong, and having camera shake as well. Never mind, you can see the atmosphere  😀 ) )

To pick-up a Japanese visitor, I went to the Piccadilly Circus. —– like a tourist. 😀

I don’t remember when I did the same, how many years ago ? ? ?

As it is the most famous place in England, and the Olympic is coming too, there are lots of tourists

and they are enjoying a rare opportunity to have a sun. (UK having too much rain in this year =

Japan, China had too = seemingly the Global freak weather.)

—– nearly 40 years ago I was one of them.   But not as noisy as them today.   😀

I don’t think those photos needs any explanation. = So, I leave them without it.  😀

M m m m  😀

[]

Thought over LIGHT (and its visual effects)

You may feel strange though, there is no black and White

image in the Nature.  🙂

May be Monochrome image yes. = Pure B/W image is, in fact human

invention, in other words, it exists only in the brain, or a product of

the brain. = Simply because, there is no [no-colored light] exists =

all the light, even if it looks WHITE, it is just well balanced

mixture of the colors.

[]

So-called Color was created by the vibration of the Photon =

if you divide the distance of a Photon travels in a second in its

literally the speed of Light, by its number of frequency of the vibration = you get the wave-length.

The light-sensitive cells in our Retina called Corn cells (named from its shape) having the colored

pigment which selectively absorbe and stimulated by the particular wave-length, emits the nerve-

signal to the brain. = Hence the brain interpret those different signal created by each different light

as each different color. —– So that, when those Corn cells sending-out all the color signal evenly =

our brain think it is white and if they are less intensive than the white, the brain think it is gray.

But when the light level is very low = in the dark, the Corn cells couldn’t work well.  Instead, only

the Rod cells which doesn’t have color sensitivity, works. = hence, the visual image which lack the

color information were created in the brain = we feel (some what) B/W image. —– ghostly night

scene of grave-yard was conceived like a bluish B/W image = simply because, only the available

light source came from the stars (provided no Cine-light, or Torch-lamp there) = hence,

the Dracula film is the best in B/W = (it is closer to what actually we have seen) 😀

[]

As long as there is lots of light which is having all the spectrum of the light, we see

white as white and able to see a colored objects as its own color without color-shift.

Therefore, mirrors in the dressing room of a theater back-stage having many light valves fitted

around. = natural Ring light effect. = no shadow and no color-shift = it is essential for the make-up.

(still, even a white under tungsten-light is shifted to much warmer color of about 3000k)

—– yet still, it is often the case, the white is determined by its relative brightness.

Our eyes were adjusted to see the over all brightness or by the brightest object while varying the

size of the pupil.  And among the objects, see the brightest and relatively having all the spectrum

of the light as the white. = Hence, seemingly the yellow sun is so bright, we feel it is white in the sky.

In fact, all the photographers know, even a dark colored object will become

washed off white if it was over-exposed 5~7 stops more.

[]

In the natural environment, we are not necessary seeing the surroundings with ideal neutral light.

= not only the color-contribution of the light-source (such as Florescent light has Green cast due

to the Mercury atom) , but also the light was colored by the reflection of other object nearby.

—– May be it is the reason why we feel nicely lit image in a photo = too artificial.

While using color-corrected artificial light (Xenon discharge Solar-Light kind) or Studio-type flash

light, which is giving 5500K color temperature.   The more photographer worked to make every

corner in the scene within 2 stops of exposure difference, it become even more unnatural.

[]

=== So that, in this occasion, as I’m dealing with LED Ring Light, I’m experimenting

“How to design Non-ideal light source to create natural looking image”

= to make Colored Ring Light. 😀

(I’m going to show its result soon)

[]

PS :  If you’d like to experiment with LEDs, and try to connect different type of them parallel,

you need to connect a register to each types.   Such as; 

[3~4 Batteries (4.5V~6V) +] —> [100 ohm Register]—> [Blue or White LEDs]—>[Battery – ]

[ ———————– same  +] —> [100 ohm Register] —> [Red LEDs] —–> [same Battery – ]

[ ———————– same +] —> [100 ohm Register] —> [Green LEDs] —> [same Battery – ]

( Those Registers are to limit the current to the LEDs = may need change to such as 47 ohm =

If you connect 10 LEDs parallel, which needs 30mA, x10 of them mean, you need 300mA)

(Exact value is [Supply Voltage – Forward Voltage of LED / Resistance = Current  —– where,

Forward Voltage of Blue or White LED is 3.5V,  Red is 2V, Green or Amber are 2.5V ===

6 – 3.5 / 10o = 0.025 = 25mA  ——- As long as the Current is 50~20mA each, it would be OK)

[]

Make LED Ring Light (2)

While staying in my place to do some MAKE activity, still I couldn’t be house bound.

I needed to have an eye-test to make eye-glasses. (They said, it takes full one week to make it

—- Joking ! ) and I had to take my smashed camera to Canon = it was a long journey 😀

[]

So, I’ve been making yet another LED Ring light. This one is for 24-70mm F2.8 Lens.

I’ve shown those photos before.  A fish-tin which got right diameter has been cut and its bottom

has been cut to take 77mm filter screw (by which, it would be fixed on front of the lens.)

A Chinese room ornament which got color-changing LED light has been chosen to

make this Ring light’s outer housing. —> So, it was cut to fit fish-tin inside.

And two were Epoxy glued together. (photo middle)

And a Phenol Plastic board with copper-foil has been cut to fit inside of the housing —>

then the LEDs will be mounted to this ring. (photo right) === all those cuttings were done by

a half-round file = primitive and simple work though, it was a typical  Zen practice =

make the hand almost like a machine = no-mind (Mushin) = tool’s movement exactly match the

character / hardness of the material = Hand, Tool, Material are all in one rule = Ichijo (oneness).

To fix the Ring light on front of the Lens, instead of using its Lens-hood fixing bayonet (such as

I did on the previous Ring light for 100mm Macro Lens) was because of this lens front extends

when the Zoom was set to wide-angle (photo middle) = If the Ring light was fixed on the bayonet,

when it was zoomed to wide angle, the extended lens front would block the light in the middle.

—– And this (photo right) is the (almost) finished product.

Almost mean, I’m thinking to put power or intensity control etc.

[]

This LED Ring light draw 700mA current from 4xAA, N-MH Rechargeable battery

(fully charged 2500mAH battery would last more than 3 hours) through 2.2 ohm register.

= It’s mean, this Ring light has nearly 3W power = With ISO 400, and 3m distance,

the exposure would be F4 and 1/15^th Second (for average subjects).

—– not too bad for a product which cost only few pounds. (without the cost of LEDs which I got

free from another equipment —– I think 30 or so LEDs wouldn’t cost more than £10 to buy).

[]

Through those “Make LED Light” posts, you might be realized,

how easy to make something and it would cost so little.

On top of it, you might be amazed, how anything could be utilized from fish-tin to card-board paper.

= Just remove an idiosyncratic idea and open your eyes = anything can be done by your

hand and to be creative. (Though, never expect to succeed in the first attempt = to fail first is our

nature, still we have to start from there)  😀

Be courageous. —– And Just Do It.   It would be a fun = I’ll guaranty you.

(Zen is not requisite element to make a thing.  Though, while making it, you may learn it.  🙂 )

[]

Make LED Ring Light

While hiding in my cave (:-D ) I found the time to do building work (Since, as

I don’t have a habit to watch TV (I don’t have a TV 

nor able for streaming video signal on USB dongle 

connection) or DVD,I have to DO something 😀 ).

From other project where I changed White LED to 

Color LED I got mountain of White LED, I decided

to make LED Ring Light which can utilize

those LEDs in number.

Ring Light can create (almost) shadowless  

image, or having faint shadow surrounding the  

subjects, some says, it is the Holy Grail in the Lighting effect. 🙂

[]

Funny situation these days is, we can get the LEDs from the products,  

such as an LED Work Light from Lidl which is using 40, 60 LEDs inside,

as cheap as £15 = much much cheaper than to buy LED itself from an

electronic supplier = hence disassemble and use them to make such as

a Ring Light can save a cost a lot. (advantage is, that the LEDs has been

selected and tested already by the maker and the Lidl, hence there is little

chance to get old type dead-stock from unknown supplier in the Net  🙂 )

[]

Basically, all about LED Ring Light is “How to mount a ring around the

lens front” — other than this, everything else are straight forward =

just put a lots of LEDs and connect it to the battery.

—– Sound easy though, the trouble is, not like in a good old days when

most of the lenses from one camera maker has only one or few filter sizes

(such as for Pentax = 49mm, Nikon = 52mm, Canon = 58mm etc), but

now as the role of filter is diminishing (now most of the visual effects were

created by Photoshop), lens doesn’t need to have the same filter size =

in the other words, to make a ring light capable to be used on many lenses

is nothing but a headache. 🙂

To make the situation even worse is, the use of Zoom lens is the norm now

and as the lens starts from wide-angle, it is necessary to make ring light NOT

vignettes (not cut off the corner of the image by the additional protruded edge)

= it got to be much larger than a front element of the lens.

On the other hand, some lenses especially on the smaller camera is getting

even smaller and many of them has even no filter thread on the front at all.

= it mean, the ring light got to be designed and made for the individual purpose

and the choice of lens. —– (hence, better to do DIY 🙂 )

[]

I decided to make one for my 100mm macro and other for 24mm~70mm Zoom.

So that the first sample here is to make it for my Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro (not 

the latest L type — it came to the market only two months later, but this one is

pretty sharp as well, and I like its smaller front lens which would cast less shadow

when we close to the subject and easier to give a lighting.

(in extreme close-up, large front lens allows only side-lighting. 

And I don’t see much of help from the so-called Image-stabilizer = if it helps two

or three stops, why not just set higher ISO speed.  And having very delicate lens

shifting mechanism which is suspending the lens element in the air by the

magnetic coils or ceramic motors, it would make the lens even more sensitive to

the shock.  🙂 )

[A ring to mount the LEDs can be made from a Phenol plastic board with copper

track for electronic circuit, to even just a card-board paper (if it is just for an

experiments, 1 mm thick card-board paper would be good enough) or to mount

the LED from the the back (through a hole) = Art-mounting-board is a good choice.

(Still, precisely drilling 30, 40 holes, this work needs to have a good Zen mind.)  😀

Which ever the material, you need to find the diameter of the ring and cut the

material.  ( I think the photos here are self-explanatory. )

Use caliper to find the diameter under the bayonet to mount lens hood. 

If no caliper in hand, use right-angled paper.

Then draw the circles of its mounting diameter.  I’m using a sharpened needle

mounted on the compass to cut the paper as well.  And cut the Phenol plastic

board, I’ve clumped a cutting blade on the compass.

A paper ring cutted with diameter of the lens  and outer diameter was placed

under the bayonet and the shape of it was taken.   (To place this paper ring /

template, under the lens bayonet, the ring needs to cut on one place to open)

Then the shape of the ring and the bayonet craw was copied on the card-board paper. 

( On the card board paper, two additional circles has to be drawn, + 6 mm larger

than inside diameter and  + 8.5 mm ) — To plot the position to put LED, divide 

+ 8.5 mm circle to 8.  Then, within a semi-circle of 1/8, find equidistant point to

put LEDs — In my case every 11 mm and the holes to insert LEDs are pierced

(Photo above middle)  If you put too few LED you will have ugly multiple shadow,

or if you put too many, the battery will run-out rather soon.  It is a compromise.

(sort of the standard is, put the LED at every 8~12 mm distance )

In this design, I’m connecting all the

LEDs in parallel, and you can see

the different way to connecting them.

Left Top = if the LED came from

another device and having already

trimmed leg, you have to make sure

to insert all of them keeping the same 

direction (inside of LED you will see

narrower pin (+) and the broader pin (-),

you have to insert LED all in the same orientation, say (+) = outside of the ring.

And connect them using a wire such as from telephone cable (better polish it 

before soldering) by running it inside and outside of the LED leg alternative way.

Then you will have two wire ring on the board.

Photo Middle = If you got newly bought LEDs (assuming all of them are having 

the same color and the brightness — some are more blueish 🙂 = the cheaper you

pay, you will have headache — To insert LED’s to the board keep longer leg (+)

outside, then you just bend each leg to touch next LED and cut excess, then

solder each leg next by next = you will get two wire ring on the board.

Photo bottom = If you don’t have soldering facility yourself, and no one to ask, 

don’t worry still you can do !  = Insert all the LED to the board (such as photo

above) always keeping longer leg outside, then bend the leg towards the next

LED and twist the leg wire to next one. Then bend next one’s leg to third LED’s

leg and so on (connect last one’s leg to the first one, need to insert the leg-wire

to the gap between the board. = you needs to have a bit of work.

Use a narrow-headed pliers or tweezers would be a good help.

When you got the board, with all the LEDs were connected together, then

connect the power wire to each wire ring —> and connect to the 4xAA battery

through 2.2~10 ohm 1W register. (this is the MUST ) = If LEDs weren’t light up,

connect the battery other way round. (Change polarity )   2.2 ohm register will

give you brighter light but shorten the battery life = 20~30 LEDs will drain the

power nearly 1 A from 4xAA battery it would last less than 1 hour, but with

10 ohm, it would not be as bright though, in an intermittent use, your battery will

last much longer = it’s depend on how you are going to use it. (Put a switch to

select High and Low would be an good idea).

( The register may get hot though it is normal = pay attention to the layout and

the design for this heat problem.)

(For serious video shooting, use 2.2 ohm and 4xD battery, and make others envy.)

If only a part of the ring was lighten up, it is the point where your connection was

loose = check the connection and tighten it up. If one or two LEDs were not

lighten up, it’s mean that LED was dead and needs to replace (it’s an awkward job

= it’s better to check all the LED before hand ).

Then, fix the power cable to the ring, tie it with strong thread like the photo above

right, or use heat-gun glue.  (I’ve covered the end of the cable with heat-shrink

tube for better protection)

When everything went well, end result should looks like this.

= Voila, LED Ring Light !

(In fact, I’ve used paper one for a template to make it on a Phenol plastic

circuit board.) —– Further to this, such as where to keep or mount a

battery case is largely depend on you.

And I’ll show you my final product in the coming post.

][

Smashed Camera and the Face !

Only yesterday, I managed to stumble on a curb stone and smashed myself on a concrete

car-park.—– Unfortunately, my camera was on my shoulder hence,

the camera was smashed too.

 

I was landed on the concrete, over my specks apparently fallen before me, hence one of the lens

cut into my forehead.  I was amburanced to a hospital and my face was stitched and patched up. 🙂

The hospital’s handling of my case was what we know well = I was left waited more than two hours

still bleeding yet just sitting on a bench. (While waiting, blood pressure etc were taken by nurses)

Then I noticed, despite of my camera being smashed and the view screen was shuttered, yet

amazingly it was still functioning, even more of my amazement, a Zoom lens fitted on the camera

= Canon’s 8~15 mm F4 Fish-eye lens was still working perfect ! ! !

(with its fragile movable structure, Zoom lens couldn’t survive this kind of shock = this is the

exceptional case !  = May be Canon designed it for the photographers with rough

and tumble in mind 😀  = Anyhow it was a good news in a bad situation 🙂

ERA[]

On my life, I don’t have accident or should I say only seldom = On the Ski, I’ve

broken 3 Skies but never broken any bone or heavily cut myself.

On the climbing, I’ve fallen 10m and about 5m —– still always landed on my rucksack hence never

injured. (other small falls were the nature in the climb 😀 ) Therefore, I had no experience of the

hospital, except the one when I was attacked and hospitalized in 24 hours coma and woke-up there.

So that this occasion was a rare chance to observe all the people involved = local people who saw me

fall was very kind and as he saw the gushed blood, called the ambulance at once.

The ambulance people were very professional (got to be) and I was taken to the hospital in 5 min

drive. —– (then long long waiting started while seeing another patient such as a lady mugged and

injured and so on) —– on the end, the Nurse and the Doctor did very good job to find out the

broken glasses in the cut (down to the skull !) and stitched it up.

—– And, I walked back 15 min to my place in the middle of night = 7 hours after the accident.

[]

As far as I know, the Zen mind should have an Hyper Vision in such case = when I fell

on the rock, I saw the slow moving details of the rock and the surrounding view.

When my ski caught the tree under the snow and my body was flying forward in the air,

I saw my body in a slow-motion. —– though, in this occasion, I only found myself laying on

the ground = there was a kind of lapse of the time = it seemed to have a jump of memory.

—– Why I couldn’t have seen my falling body nor able to take Ukemi (受身 / Safer

bodily movement to reduce the impact when falling to the ground).

(Bruise on both of my back hands indicates that the hands instinctively moved to protect myself

though, why didn’t hit the ground palm first, as an Ukemi.  ? ) = May be, the Hyper Vision could

have happened only the moment when the Mind was in a fully alerted state, not in an

absent minded casual situation = after 30 years, I still have a moment of absent-minded or lapse

of my mindfulness. —– Or, I must be getting old and getting rotten. 😀

It’s mean, should I look for the protective gear of mountain biker or even a walking frame ?

(May be not a coffin yet)    Ha ha ha 😀

___/\___

[]

Poppy = Impressionist’s photography / W-Pinhole Photo

As it is in the season, I’m seeing number of interesting photos of the Poppy in the Net.

One Photo-blogger Lemony showed her Poppy photo (link here) taken while intentionally

shaking the camera and created blurred image which I dubbed “Impressionist’s Photography”

and I promised her I’ll show my “Impressionist’s Photo” —– hence, here they are.

Isn’t this Impressionist, is this ?    Ha ha ha,    🙂

Those photos were taken by the Pinhole camera (Canon 5D Mk2)  but in this time it was by

two Pinholes of which the panel was fitted on front of the extension ring, therefore the

effective focal length was 84 mm.

With Two Pinholes, it produces off-positioned two images = similar to double exposure image,

or there used be a Double Image filter which used shallow prism = but such image can be made

by Photoshop much easily now. —– Still, I like those images, if the paintings of Impressionists

are still the painting, a photo of pinhole is still the photograph. (Why not ? )   😀

(What so ever, the best of all, two pinholes can make twice as many flowers instant.  😀  )

This photo was taken from the same position, but the Light Balance was set to Tungsten Light,

hence the color balance has shifted to blue. — (then,  contrast was increased and cropped)

= the image became even more like an Impressionist’s or an abstract painting.

This is an ordinary straight shot = as for a reference image. (Lens was Canon 70-200 F2.8 = set to

about 85 mm, and set to F4. —– ( This image looks like a Japanese Yamato-e Paintings.)

With the light balance set to Tungsten Light, it made the pale colored image more like a

Chinese panel painting.

Then, the same Poppies’ were taken by W-Pinhole. (not only the effect of the Pinhole, but

the wind shaken the flowers and made the image even more impressionistic  😀  )

(Under the wind, no flower stand still for 10 seconds, especially delicate Poppies )

[]

It seemed like the same situation, when people was bored by the too clean digital sound, they

started to go back Veiner or even Valve sound = when too clear sharp photo became too

ubiquitous, and easy to achieve, some went back to  B/W  Film Photography, some are even

trying to make their own print paper applying photo sensitive emulsion onto own material to

create textured fuzzy image (strangely, often fuzzy image seemed to have more connotations)

= there could be hundreds of the way to do photography.   (—– not only Pinhole   😀  )

This is the 84 mm W-Pinhole “lens” (?  😀 ) I’ve used.   Panel was a thin aluminum of a beer can

mounted on front of an extension ring.    Photo right is, with its “lens”  hood ! —– without lens,

it’s still need to have a Hood = you believe or not.  (Normally, a lens hood is to prevent a direct

sun hitting the lens = eliminates a ghost and halo.   Yet,  Pinhole without lens still needs to reduce

the light from the sky etc, which creates halo by scattering inside with diffraction. = Most of 

Pinhole Photographer doesn’t know this, as they think,  even the unnecessary halo is still the

character of the Pinhole photo  🙂  )  = Here,  seeing is believing.

Photo left is without Hood and the right, with hood = the difference is clear.    🙂

[]

Film Premier Show in Secret

A big film was shown as its Premier.   And it was performed in its iconic set-up.

So that, it is hard to say is this a film event or an art event ?  —- what so ever  it’s

an event to have very interesting, fun-full evening.  😀

————————————– (photo = simulation of the space craft landing)

As I’ve been asked to give technical advices and to assist with my electronical expertise,

and to show my art piece — strangely,  I was restricted by their Confidentiality Clause, hence

I can’t disclose the name of the film. (They says, Don’t tell to others until the event finished ! )

—– still you can get the ticket  from their web-site which I can’t  give its name neither  😀

Secrecy seems to be their secret of the success,  hence thousands of the guests are keep coming.

(Contradictorily,  they hand-out a printed program with excerpt from the Guardian News paper)

Now, month long show was ended, we are free to disclose the details and I can put more photos.

The Film was [Prometheuse] and the show was organised by [Secret Cinema] (link here).

The event was held in a secret location, still it is a conspicuous most event full event

= suddenly somebody got mad and the securities had to strain him ( according to the story

of the film = lots of happening etc. etc = to make a fun and unexpected experiences)  🙂

Go into a certain area, participants were given protective garment and taken to

the dark under world.  (This photo is for a lady who wanted to have it to copy and save  🙂 )

Then, discover such as an impressive installation of projected water vortex (video image was

created by  Doug Foster ), reflected on the water in a dark space, accompanied by the good sound

effects.  = Atmosphere is mesmerizing !   It was designed by my friend Francesco Pastori.  

(I’ve worked with Francesco in many projects together).

In the dark, luminous lines glow,  and with a head-light of a guide, you may find the confusing

multiple reflections. (Created by  Das Patterson)

Luminous tape in the dark was photographed, while camera was hand-held 5 second !

Or, go through spooky passages to discover yet more strange installations, inspired by the

concept of the film.  (Some are gone a bit too far from the story though, it’s not a problem  😉 )

Sound interactive LED lighting.

Or, Hydroponic agriculture system supposed provide the vegetables on the long voyage   😉

( Around here, Science lab’, Museum etc was produced and directed by Luke Harcourt )

And this is my Life Bottle, —– the Tissue culture to grow the life.  😀

(It is in the Science Lab —– don’t miss it, if you visit there  😀 )

When you are tired, the bay for an Hyper-Sleep was provided though, I haven’t tested whether

the sleep was automatically induced or not.  (or you can play Basket Ball instead )  🙂

To have a drink or two, many Bar or Restaurants are there.

A restaurant with live Piano (sound nice), or hundreds of real Lily flowers with its real smell  😉

Some Restaurants looks rather posh —– the guests may need to buy VIP tickets — ?

( As a poor Zennist, I have no idea how much the cost of VIP tickets are.  😀  )

Suddenly all the participants were assembled in a big room and the instruction was given.

The characters from the film were waking around etc. etc —– .  🙂

Then the clouds were lead to the another space to see the film in 3D !

( Though, as I said above, I can’t give the details of the  film = it was an impressive film   😀 )

( Now you know the Film though, it too late to go) 😉

It is amazing to see the good grown-ups having such unusual funs and enjoy the good time !

( To join them, you have to find more Info’ by yourself —- Guardian may have wrote about )

The event continues month long  = it’s mean I have to go-up there, time to time to change

the water in my bottle  😀 —– (By the way, I’m not payed ) = It was just for a FUN !

To have my own fun, I didn’t need to pay for them neither ! = it’s a secret to have a  smooth

uncomplicated life = Just respond to the situation without too much thinking or greed = this

is the way of the Zen Life, in its full of action.  🙂

When you live, there is no need to have an excuse or any justification = Just live as you have

happened to be in this world.   You didn’t chose. Still, you need to follow ! — What happened

was the situation given = You only got to do what you can do in your best = Hence no regret.  🙂

Cheers.

PS :  To the artists who’s work has been photographed here, can copy and use it free, if the one wish to do so.

[]

MEMS Microphne

I guess, the most of the readers may not understand what

this title means.  —– yet most of the people are using it

only without knowing = it is a microphone inside of

Mob-phone or Smart-phone.

= If you ever disassemble or happened to see inside of a broken

phone might have noticed a component which got a hole, right

behind of a hole on the phone’s outer shell. ——————————————- (Photo  Knowle’s MEMS Microphone )

—– In the past 10 years, the microphone has changed their round shape into square and the

principle how it works has completely changed.

[]

When I was in my junior school, I was a member of the Radio Club and we were in charge with the preparation

for a morning assembly or any event which use the PA system, and the control of the PA system as well.

(and often to repair them as long as we, together with the supervising teacher can manage )

Among the old disused equipment, I have seen Carbon Microphone and many

Crystal Microphones.  But the main Microphone on that time was the Dynamic Microphone.  

Then the teacher showed us latest procurement of Ribbon Microphone which can produce

much better sound quality.

[]

The granules of Carbon changes its conductivity under the pressure = hence put them

under a vibrating membrane can work as a microphone which needs no amplification hence

it is a cheapest kind in an audio system. ( Connect a carbon mic directory to a battery and a

magnetic head-phone in series and make a loop = it makes an audio communication system !

—– though, sound quality is not good at all, yet there wasn’t

anything else but Carbon-Mic even in a recording industry then.

—– The carbon granules absorb moisture, and a singer blows her breath to the mic, a recorded sound

deteriorates with its use !   So that, the top singer wanted to have a morning session, not in the afternoon 😀

(It’s from “History of Recording” kind of a book I read long time ago )

Carbon-Mic has been used in the Telephone system well into 60^th and I bought some of them in a second-hand

market (to see the inside and experiment with them 😀 )

[]

If you are a musician or dealing with sound systems must be familiar with Dynamic Microphone.

They are technically the same as an ordinary Speaker. = a coil was attached to a vibrating membrane or

speaker corn. —– the coil is placed between the magnet, so that, if it moves, with Electro-magnetic effect

= the changing electric signal will be created = this is a microphone.

But when electric signal was applied to the coil, it will be either attracted or repelled from the magnet hence

moves the corn according to the signal = this is a speaker.

—– So that, in my secondary school, once I connected the cables which goes to a speaker of a room of which

the teachers meeting was held, to a Microphone input and able to over-heard all the conversation.

( I didn’t disclose what I’ve heard and this is the first time me to revile the story 😀 )

(There is the matters in Impedance matching etc, but it worked and most of the case it works 😀 )

[]

In the old days, there was a Condenser Microphone in a Mob-phone. —– in any small devices, the Mic was

almost all ways a Condenser-Mic (commonly called Electoret Mic)  = Condenser Microphone was made of

a metal coated thin plastic film and the insulated metal base.   Two conductive plates facing each other having

an electric charge between them hence it was called Condenser. —– This electric charge changes if the

membrane vibrates with a sound, and this changing charge was amplified and used as a sound signal.

They are simple and small hence cheap therefore they were used everywhere despite of the sound quality is

not necessary good.

But since 2002 it was replaced by the MEMS Microphone made by Knowls (Google please)

( I saw a news, that their sale of Microphone reached to the 300 millions, since 2002. = Oh, Gosh ! )

= microscopic whisker suspended above base conductor, vibrates with sound wave, and this vibration was

converted into the electronic signal.  The cavity inside of Microphone should be designed to resonates with

the sound hence it works as a microphone.  If its whisker was made sensitive to magnetism, MEMS act as

a Compass, or when it detects the gravity it tells whether the device is upright or horizontal, like iPad does.

[]

Once the basic technology was established, MEMS devices infiltrated everywhere in the past 10 years or so.

Microscopic moving part was made by electro-etching (chemically dissolve and removes the material and

make a metal parts in a wanted shape ) or even carved by a Laser beam.

And the minute movement of this part (whisker) hence its change of the capacitive charge was detected and

converted into an electronic signal.

—– Can you imagine, in a so-called Motion Sensor such as in a Wii controller, microscopic whisker moves

with the movements and its movement was converted into an electronic signal to control the game.

Microns long whisker which was made of,  may be few thousands of atoms lined up, would be bent with its

flexibility, hence the electronic charge may change accordingly, and this change would be amplified,

—– but amplified to how many million times without noise. —– as they are commonly used everywhere

now, it mast be just reliable or even better than old technology though, still it is incredible to me.

[]

So, having an old rusted brain, I rather indulge an old memory, when I saw a small light bulb

connected straight to a Telephone’s Carbon-Microphone and battery, changed its brightness

when I pressed the center of the Microphone.  = It was a delightful amazing moment for a child !

How sweet and peaceful, in our old days were 😀 😀

___/\___

[]

Homemade Lens Cap

While walking in the town with my camera on my shoulder, I realized, I’ve dropped a lens hood

and a cap of my Fish-eye Lens.   Because of the fish-eye lens is protruding on its front, the

Lens cap is a special type.  To buy this type must cost more than £ 50 and may need to order.

—– any how, I didn’t even check the price. I know it is extortionately expensive.

I absolutely have no will to buy it.

[]

Since when the camera industry started, their business model is always the same. Like Kodak

and their Brawny camera, camera itself was sold cheap = can be sold even without profit.

The profit was made from the sale of film and its print making process. Polaroid did the same.

But what about the camera maker who is not selling the film. = While selling the camera itself

cheap, their profit came from the sale of accessories such as interchangeable lens, flash light

even a piece of plastic, such as a lens cap, so, the price is kept such high.

—– Many years ago, a boss of big camera company complained me “ We are effectively

making promotional incentive goods to sell the film. The more we work hard and sell more

attractive cameras which makes more people taking photo, it only creates the more profit to

the Film company, not for us 😦 ”

[]

Then, the Digital revolution completely changed the rules of the game.

Photography no longer need to use the film, hence both Kodak and Polaroid bankrupted.

(Fuji Film escaped this by investing digital imaging technology long before digital cameras

appeared, such as working with Xerox and bought Electronic Scanner’s maker, Crossfield,

then utilizing their film emulsion technology, they diversified, expanded even into forefront

of nano technology).

[]

Thanks to have, such as image-sensor manufacturer, like Toshiba, Sony next door, Japanese

Digital camera evolved very quick though I didn’t buy them until I was fully convinced

that the sensor reached to the level of a film camera. ( I’m not implying such as a

top grade DSLR reached as good as Film camera, but when I saw the sample photos of

Canon 5D, I found the photo showed a flaw of the lens, it’s mean the resolution

of the sensor was reached to the limit of average lens = good enough for average

use) —– So that I bought 5D Mk-2  for my first ever Digital Camera.

(I waited a full-frame DSLR for my collection of ultra-wide and fisheye lenses)

—– comparing the cost of film and its process, still it is cheap, and no need

to mention its convenience to use in the Internet environment.

[]

But coming down to a low-tech, just for a molded plastic lens cap, I wouldn’t pay a price of

hi-tech camera.   I’m an humble, or more precisely mean, poor person. (In principle 🙂 )

So, I decided to make it myself and went to Pound-shop to find the best suited material.

= basically, cap for Fish-eye lens is a pan-shaped shallow cap.  Only a matter is, its diameter.

On the photo right, what I found were a fancy color-changing light and moisturizing hand

cream (of its container, not the cream of cause 😀 )

Light housing has bayonet craw which somewhat fit to the lens front bayonet though, it was

made by Styrole Plastic, hence it may easily brake when it got impact. The cream jar was

made by Polypropylene, hence having certain flexibility to grip the lens top with right fiction.

So that, I’ve chosen to use cream jar. And for top lid, I found a junk Pendulum

of old clock 😉  = Cut the jar to a shallow ring and hot-glued the metal disc of pendulum.

Voilà, a lens cap which cost me only £1 —– still I need to work a bit more to prevent it

accidentally come off and lost again.

So, this is the finished product with some stitching work.  = Over the metal cap,

I cover it with chamois and the additional Velcro strap is to tether the cap

to the lens. 

[]

As I’ve been keep saying, this kind of DIY work is a game. = the more free minded

approach, it would be a fun.   (Not mention, it would save the cost too.

It’s far better to use the same money to a memory card kind) 😀 —– only remaining

headache is “ What to do with a moisturizing cream now kept in honey jar ?” I don’t take or

use any artificial things include the medicine on to my body, especially what can you expect

from £1 cream.—– Anyhow, sweet peach smelled, smooth skin Yoshizen may not be

anything near to sexy.  Yuck ! Ha ha ha 😀

[]

PS:   Strangely, I lost the Lens cap again, and I had to make yet another one.

—– As I don’t have anymore clock pendulum, instead I used a cap of pickles jar.

And in this time I got nice colored leather for a cover.   (Click the photo to enlarge and

see the hand stitch = it is a simple practice, hence good Buddhist’s practice of Mushin.  😀 )

Cap works, with a hint of vinegar smell, and if I press its center, it makes a click sound.  😀

[]

Effort ?

An exchange of Comments in the [Spoon !] post may highlight the point of this Blog.

A person called [EML to OUTLOOK] commented ;

“ I have learn some good stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting.

I wonder how much effort you place to make the sort of great informative web site.”

—

What I replied was ;

“For your eyes, it may looks an effort though, the notion of effort is = If you got to

do it for somebody else or for something obliged to do. (not necessary wanted to do)

But in this case, to sharpening the tool, to carving the wood, to take photos of

it and to write about = all together for no purpose and I have no obligation.

I’m just doing it.

( —– What can I expect and going to do with those utterly useless SPOON  😀 )

If you do something such as a game and completely absorbed in it, you may not

feel you are putting an effort (even though you put so much time and energy)

= same as that.

But, was this for myself ? = Zen doesn’t feel even myself was doing it.

Just the hand was doing it.

This is the Zen in action, or it can be said, living Zen. Zen need no effort.

(This is the reason why such a spoon item is in the Zen Blog)”

[]

As often I said in this blog, the most big misunderstanding in the Zen study

emanated from the word [Mindfulness].

And even more fundamental misunderstanding is = try to DO the ZEN. —– Zen is

not a kind of activity to DO = Zen is a condition like a body temperature. It might be 0.1 degree

higher or lower even you can do the same though, it might have an effect to the result.

You can not intentionally choose to be higher body temperature = it is just to be, as it is. 

What actually I was doing is such as sharpening tool, carving wood or typing.

Or Sword Master’s case, just fighting with his sword = Zen is just a mind-set behind.

[]

Mindfulness is the same = you can not actively DO it.

It is whether you were being absorbed in it or not.

This is the reason, why it is hard to understand, let alone achieve it, when you do something

not familiar or not very keen to do the subject. = And this is the reason why I’m keep writing

“Try to do a thing which is familiar to you or very ordinary such as [Cutting Lemon]

or [Walking] as a practice for Zen.  Instead, if you do very peculiar activity = peculiar only

to a sect of religion = until you get used, its strangeness makes your conscious uneasy = as long as

you feel uneasy, you can not settle with the activity = you can not be absorbed in its subject.

( Hence it takes longer time to get used for it become a daily norm = which you can do it

without conscious = automatic)

[]

The man commented was seeing an [Effort] in this blog, especially to make spoon etc, though

as I wrote in my reply, there wasn’t much effort there. = I got used to do all those process.

—– this is the reason why the Buddhism keep saying [Heijyo-shin / 平常心]

( Mind in ordinary) = Zen is just a condition of the mind in the dairy life and

it is nothing special.

[]

There is a fundamental paradox in the condition of the mind —– people were

attracted by a peculiarity of a strange religion which give an impression of something special

= which may give a person to feel “I’m special = better than others” —– though, as long as the

person having this kind of arrogant feeling or Ego, there is absolutely no benefit

of such religion other than a placebo effects of such [special] feeling.

[]

Nothing special or noble, let alone peculiar super-natural vision etc.

in Zen.   Only Zen makes difference in the results in the dairy life.

That’s all.

(The best thing of it is, we can do it without effort = since we can do it while

absorbed in its subject, hence with much higher efficiency 😀

 —– I mean not just carving a Spoon.   😀 )

___/\___

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