How do I get the pictures to put on the builders log?  One of the digital cameras I am using to document my construction progress is a Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR that takes a 12.8 Megapixel image (4368 x 2912).  It takes outstanding pictures, but it should considering how much money I spent on it.  Pictures are down sampled to a width of 600 pixels to reduce their file size.  Even at 600 pixels (longest axis), excellent details can be seen both on screen and when log pages are printed to a hard copy.  This camera is extreme overkill for creating a construction log.  I am also trying to dabble in photography when I am not working on the plane.  I have always liked photography, but have been recently inspired by some of the photos that Doug Reeves has been able to take with his new Canon professional DSLR.

This camera is unique in the sub $3K digital SLR's in that the sensor is a full 35 mm CMOS sensor.  If you are into digital photography, then you know that most sensors are the smaller APS size sensor which has a focal multiplication factor.  Since this is a full size 35 mm sensor, there is no focal length conversion factor.  Photography geek talk.....  This is mumbo jumbo talk unless you want dabble in photography outside of your construction log....

I use a several different lenses with the 5D, I only listed two of my lenses that I use to document the RV building experience.

My first lens is a cheap (relatively) 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens. It does a pretty nice job considering it was half the price of the cheapest lens below.

As my skills and tastes progress, I upgraded my short lens to the EF 24-70 f/2.8L series lens.  This lens is awesome and the details I am getting out of photographs with the 5D are nothing short of professional. 

After some consideration, I also bought a nice Sony "point and shoot" digital camera (DSC-P200).  This allows me to put the camera into spaces that the SLR won't reach (inside fuel tanks ribs, etc).  It is a 7.2 megapixel camera and shoots really good pictures for the money.  This also works well to take in-flight pictures when flying my Cherokee.  The Canon SLR is just a little to big to swing around in a small cockpit without some real prior planning.

 

I recently added a new camera to my camera collection. I wanted a camera that was more sophisticated than a point and shoot and not as big as my Canon 5D with its heavy lenses. I ended up getting a Canon G12 camera. I haven’t done much with this yet, but everything I have shot with it looks really good. It also takes 720p HD video too. This should be a nice size to take up in the plane AND have some additional manual controls that the point and shoot camera does not.

I always like to shoot a picture of people I take up for a ride in the plane. This camera has a swing out LCD display that should make it easier to frame shots instead of trying to guess where I am taking a picture. Anyway some of the first pictures (and videos) I have shot with this camera look pretty good. I am anxious to try this camera in a few different settings and see how it performs in a variety of settings.

Occasionally I use my camcorder (Sony HDR-HC7).  It takes a 6 megapixel still,  but it still doesn't compare to my digital cameras. Where the camcorder excels is in the video.  It shoots High Definition 1080i video that looks great for a consumer camcorder. The problem with posting high definition to the web is that it chews up a TON of server space rather quickly.