Canon EOS Utility for Training Purposes

Ok, it's been a long time since my last entry, however I plan start blogging again.

I have recently been playing around with the Canon EOS Utility software which came with my EOS550D and it is fantastic for demonstrating lens parameters in realtime, so for lectures and training videos it works a treat. You can use the utility to control all parameters of the lens and camera such as f stop, shutter speed and ISO, together with a realtime preview which in realtime shows what effects changing these have on the image. A cracking tool for demonstrating basic lens theory.

Pluraleyes

What's nice about the Pluraleyes software is that it allows for the audio device to keep rolling when the camera is stopped and started. What I mean by this is that due to the 12 minute approx. recording time of DSLR cameras, these obviously need to be stopped and started. Usually, the audio device would also be stopped and started at around the same point and then the scene would be re-marked again using a Clapperboard etc. The nice thing about Pluraleyes is that the audio file be continuous and it just fits in the video where necessary. Therefore, you can start the audio running, start and stop the camera as much as you like and then throw all of the short video clips at the software, along with the continuous audio file and Pluraleyes aligns all of the clips to the appropriate place along the audio file into a new FCP sequence. Video tutorial to follow soon....

LCDVF

It is my intention soon to get back into blogging and will be posting my findings / tests / videos of the Canon 550d DSLR camera together with other features such as recording double system sound via a Zoom H4N and Final Cut / Pluraleyes etc.

In the meantime, I have just purchased a viewfinder which adheres to the back of the camera via 4 pretty strong magnets and also offers a 2X magnification. I have to say that this device is simply fantastic and provides not only an incredible unobstructed view of the LCD which is essential for focussing (especially outside in sunlight), but also an extra point of contact for increased camera stability.

Here is a picture....



More to come....

Pluraleyes

Very recently discovered some extremely effective software for automatically aligning audio to video when using a double system setup. "Pluraleyes" is a plugin for Final Cut Pro which basically lets you throw any video files at it, together with the accompanying audio files and it will align them automatically and then place each of the newly aligned clips into separate sequences. There is no need for any kind of visual / audio cue (clapperboard for example) and it seems to work extremely well in the basic tests I have done with it.

I will be posting a tutorial video on using this piece of software very soon....

UPDATE: Here are a couple of tutorial videos...

Canon EOS550D

It's been a long time since my last Blog, but I just thought I quickly mention my new toy - the Canon EOS550d DSLR camera. This camera is simply awesome and allows for full HD video at 24fps and 25fps (plus others too). Audio capabilities are not so good, so I have also got hold of a Zoom H4N audio recorder to do double system sound.

Update

A new photo showing the more or less complete layout.

Decking almost there....

Good day today, most of decking now complete and all lights now twinkling away :)

Decking

Good progress made today - bottom deck more or less sorted with lights in too :)

A few more photos

Almost there now... floor laid, all electrics, sky and data finished and tested. Will now press on and get the rest of the garden decking completed....

Almost there....

Plaster is now almost dry so painting can begin soon :)

Spent the weekend off and on sorting out the side fascias and front soffit, complete with LED downlighters. I am really pleased with how these lights look.

Cladding

Western red cedar cladding now fitted and I'm really pleased with the results. Plasterer is coming tomorrow so it won't be long now for completion.

Rockwool and Plasterboard

Things are coming on well now. Walls have all been filled with RS60 high density Rockwool and some of them have now been plasterboarded too. Should hopefully have all plasterboarding finished in the next couple of days as my plasterer is booked for the weekend. Western Red Cedar cladding from Canada (courtesy of Benchmark Timber, www. benchmarktimber.co.uk) is also due this week, so I am hoping the exterior will be complete soon as well.

The photos were took with my phone so apologies for the poor quality. As can also be seen in the photos, the first fix wiring is in place for the 4-way consumer unit (which is fed from a 6mm SWA cable from the house consumer unit, via a 40A MCB and RCD), alarm system and lighting. I have decided to make two lighting "wells" out of MDF which will be painted white, the same as the walls and then positioned immediately beneath the roof eaves. These boxes will house some low voltage LED lighting strips (http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/FL4205WH.html). These lighting strips are modular in design and can be simply connected together in series to provide the amount of desired light; I am hoping that these will provide a nice subtle amount of lighting, shining up the ceiling. The decking surrounding the lodge will also house some LED spot lights as will the front soffit overhanging the front doors. Both set of these lights will be fed from a sensor complete with a timer so that when nightime approaches, the lights will automatically come on and then run for upto 8 hours. Wiring has also been provided for a slimline panel heater to keep me warm in the winter - I have used Nobo slimline heaters before and I really like their design, so I will be going for one of these again (http://www.elementshop.co.uk/product.php?pid=703&cat=).

For the sockets, as I did previously with the garage conversion, Starline dado trunking will be used. Using this system not only means that I don't have to worry about cutting plasterboard around endless backboxes, it also means that the amount of sockets can be decided upon later (and also additional sockets in the future can also be easily added).

Another successful day...

Floor fully insulated today with Celotex GA3090 (90mm thick) then overboarded with 18mm t&g floorboards. Perimeter edges then all filled with mastic.

Roof complete

Roof completed today :)

Shingles

Annoyingly, the felt shingles didn't arrive when they were suposed to, so I only got half the roof done this afternoon. Only took a couple of hours to get this far, which I am pleased about.

Progress update

Productive day today, even though weather was shocking. Managed to get all panels on, breather membrane and battens. French doors fitted as well. Looking good.

Watertight

Managed inbetween the recent bad weather to get the 18mm roofing ply on, together with the roofing underlay. The building is now watertight and ready for the felt shingles which will look far more attractive!

Roof rafters now on

Roof rafters, apart from front and rear ladders now on....

Lodge gets going

Had a very productive couple of days and as can be seen, the frame for the whole lodge is now up, as is the ridge board and one rafter.

The work begins

OK, so have spent the last few weeks off and on (as have had a lot of assessment lately) building the deck joists which will form the foundation for the lodge, together with the decking surrounding it.

Here is a time lapse video of the past couple of days work....