Photography

Canon Powershot
  A710-IS Retirement

After almost 18 years, I’m finally retiring my Canon Powershot A710-IS Camera. This venerable little photo workhorse has served me for all these years as a pocket-sized take-along camera as well as being available at my office desk for impromptu photo needs in the house.

The A710-IS is actually a very sophisticated little camera with features such as 6x optical zoom, image stabilization and a host of modes and other features. Frankly, it has survived other small cameras, which have come and gone, that I tried out in the past. One feature I liked is an optical viewfinder, which is largely unavailable among pocket-sized units these days.

The camera is being retired for a couple of reasons – 1) it had fallen into disuse since I carry my phone/camera most of the time and use it for those occasions where I may have used the little Canon. 2) I took it up on the hill where the birdfeeders are located and attempted to photograph a squirrel up there, but got an overexposed image.

I will miss the little camera which has already been in the Canon Museum of Retired Cameras and Accessories for a long time now. It’s now in the little box where electrical and other disposables repose until the next free dump day sponsored by the Town of Wickenburg.

Cardinalis Cardinalis

I took my Canon EOS Rebel SL3 camera with me on my morning walk, when this Cardinal lit atop the anti-squirrel cone on the bird feeder crook. Zoom lens set to 250mm in the camera’s “program” mode, which is the setting for automatically adjusting aperture, shutter speed and ISO speed. Clickable image.

It is a nice, sunny morning here with temperatures in the 50s F. The forecast is for possible rain over night and for the next few days. We need it.

UPDATE: [02/05/25] In the interest of being fair and balanced, I took an image of the Female of the Cardinalis species in a mesquite tree out back near the birdfeeders. Click to open the image viewer.

Arizona Sunset

We’re cozy and warm inside our little house here in wintry Arizona where the temperature actually went below 32°F last night. B-r-r-r. Tonight is forecast to be a little warmer at perhaps 39°F.

I realize that much of the country here in North America has much cooler temperatures than we do, but we’re summer fans which put us comfortable at temperatures on the order of 100°F as acceptable. So, we’re allowed to complain.

I took the photo above just after sunset this evening while walking the dogs down to the road for their final outing until late tonight, when we will again brave the cold to walk them before bedtime.

Camera phone photo — click to open the image viewer.

Note to self – Today we had the plumber over to flush out the Tankless Water Heater which seems to be an annual necessity. ~$200 expense.

New Camera Working Well

This won’t be a very long post about the new camera in use here, but I wanted to display this photo of a Gila Woodpecker that perched on a backyard Mesquite tree this morning; the new camera seems to be doing an excellent job of delivering crisp and graphic photos of our fauna and flora, as well as astronomical objects, people and so forth.

Gila Woodpecker in Mesquite tree. Click to open the Image Viewer.

There will be more images down the blog as time and energy permit.

First Full Moon of 2025

Well, this (clickable) photo taken this evening is not technically the actual full moon which occurs sometime tomorrow afternoon, Arizona time, it looks full enough to us to qualify as the January “Wolf Moon.” The naming of the wolf moon supposedly comes from the howling of wolves that occur at this time of the year. All we get here, is the occasional coyote pack serenading the neighborhood.

Since this is the first post of 2025 on this blog, let me wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year. And for those displaced persons in the Carolina/Tennessee hurricane and California fire areas, Godspeed and prayers. We’re supporting those charities which will direct help to those areas despite the efforts of government bureaucracies to hinder their efforts. More power to those organizations and to the volunteers working the problem areas.

The image you see above will probably be one of the last taken by me, using my trusty Canon Rebel EOS SL1 camera, since I ordered a new Canon EOS Rebel SL3 to replace the old one. The new camera has several features which will enhance my ability to take and render photos. A couple of new features (which I cannot describe before using them), including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. I’m sure they will be handy for me with the apps that Canon provides.

The lunar photo specs follow: Canon EOS Rebel SL1 with EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens. Settings: 1/640 sec, F9.0, ISO 800, Focal Length 250mm using the camera’s Normal Program automatic mode. Click on the image to enlarge.

The old camera is likely to wind up being used by my eldest granddaughter, who will be putting it to use in her professional photography endeavors. Our three grandkids (all girls) all live in Northern California. Our youngest granddaughter will be giving birth to her first child, our fifth Great-Grandchild sometime in February.

2024 Cops Who Care
   Classic Car Run

Damsel and I attended the annual “Cops Who Care” Toyz for Totz Car Run and Show today. We were early, and the entire field had not yet shown up, but since we were both a little under the weather, we did not stick around too long. However, Between Damsel’s Camera and my Samsung phone, we managed a few good shots of some of the action.

First, who can remember 55¢ Big Boys and 30¢ shakes from Bob’s Chain in the 60s? Good times.

And how about this good lookin’ 1957 Ford Panel Truck?

And there were many other old classics, most notably this old red and yellow roadster …

… and a seldom seen REO roadster. Click on any image to enlarge.

Before leaving, we deposited a couple of unwrapped toys for the kids that benefit from the Car Run.

November Cactus Flowers

It seems unusual to have flowers from the Cherry Red (Trichocereus Grandiflorus) cactus this late in the year. Nonetheless, these two opened up today on one of the several Cherry Red cacti in the courtyard. I looked around for more flower buds but found none.

The late arrival of these flowers may be due to our unusually warm temperatures in September and part of October. Keep in mind, however, that the Sun and not man-made climate is the cause of weather fluctuations on planet Earth.

Click on the image to enlarge.