Gloom and Other Great Dorm Card Games
Board games make such great icebreakers for dorms, sororities and frats that most college RAs keep a stash of them Quelf, Apples to Apples, Catan and other great games for the college crowd on hand. Gloom is the perfect game to add to that list. It's a hilarious card game for grown up Lemony Snicket fans.
A Lemony Snicket esque GameDesigned by Keith Baker for Atlas Games, Gloom is a hilarious little mix of Lemony Snicket and Happy Families or rather, Unhappy Families. Happy Families is a century old British card game for children, played much like the American game of Fish. This game, however, is designed for teens and adults, and you can forget the happiness part. Misery is your primary goal. Correction: Hilarious, self inflicted misery.
Gloom is a fast paced little game, played with a deck of transparent cards. It takes 30 to 60 minutes to play a round, depending upon whether you delve into the storytelling side or simply play the cards, bestowing happiness upon your opponents while inflicting torture upon your own "family," who will be menaced by mice, chased by mobs or (shudder!) forced to sip cold tea.
The connection to Happy Families is in name only. Here, players start out with families, such as the denizens of Castle Slogar or the residents of Hemlock Hall, who include the Dumbfounded Duke, a Nefarious Nanny, a Lurking Butler ("Whatever it is, he did it," the card tells you), and a pair of distinctly evil toddler twins. Cards are drawn and played with the goal to amass pathos points by making your own characters miserable "jinxed by gypsies" nets you 30 points while being "terrified by a topiary" gets you a mere 20, for example. Meanwhile, players attempt to inflict happiness on their foes, who will find that being "delighted by ducklings" adds 10 points. The lowest score wins and you don't get your points until your characters die, so it's best to wait until they are deeply unhappy before killing them off by having them "eaten by bears," perhaps, or "baked into a pie." (Count Olaf, the Snicket villain, would LOVE this game.) The game is over when an entire family has been wiped out.
It's the transparency of the cards that adds to the strategic element. The cards, which are adorned with Edward Gorey style illustrations and witty descriptions, carry points and attributes in four different spots. Each time you play a card on a character, you place it on top of the cards already played, a maneuver that can wipe out that magnificent 30 pointer, if you're not strategic about placement.
Like many games, the first round is spent figuring out how to play and what the strategic possibilities are although the cards themselves yield enough sardonic humor to amuse even from the first hand. After that, it's all about strategy, wit and storytelling, an option that amps up the entertainment value as you try to explain how the "wondrously well wed" Balthazar, who is a dog, ended up "chastised by the church."
One caveat: The cards are difficult to shuffle, especially the first few times, so make sure you do it thoroughly. It's tough to kill off your family when all the untimely death cards were in the first two hands.
Expansion PacksNot enough gloom and doom? Atlas makes expansion packs too, including Unhappy Homes, a 55 card pack that adds new events, untimely deaths, a residence twist and a family of disastrously creative artists. That additional family means you can add a fifth player too. Unwelcome Guests adds more twists, plus the entourage of Boils Malone, capo of a "malodorous mob" family. Unfortunate Expeditions sends players off on expeditions miserable, ill fated ones, of course with Colonel Bumpersnoot and his family.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
3 Day Survival Kits
3 Day Survival Kits
Latter day Saints Families Visitors Welcome
Latter day Saints Families Visitors Welcome Meet with other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints here to discuss parenting and lifestyle issues. Share your insights and advice! This group is filled with members as interesting as they are diverse. From women to men, veteran moms to the newly pregnant, pioneer decendants to not members, we've got it all, and we enjoy being this way! This board is a great place to meet friends, get advice, and share the complexities of LDS life. Anyone have a good resource for these??? I need to make them for my family and I am not sure where to start (first I need bags!!! LOL) but I want to make sure I have all the right stuff in there for everyone.
I'm almost looking for a checklist type thing. Also, where would you suggest getting some bags for everyone?? I was thinking backpacks because they will be easier to carry but they're pretty expensive. Anyone have any tips on what kind of bag is best and where I can find cheap ones? tips/advice would be great. You could even tell me what's in your bags too.
Get a $10 ish backpack from Target or Walmart or where ever you can find them cheap for each family member. They don't have to look good or be cool so something in the clearance bin is fine. You don't need a huge backpacking into the wilderness kind of pack, although you might get ONE of those if you think you might need to take quite a lot of things (diapers, etc.). Go Kit should include things that your family personally needs. Start with extra medication, extra pair of glasses, can of dry formula bottle, diapers. copies of insurance information and ID. some cash.
Then add in some bottled water and snack foods. Keep in mind that water weighs 8 lbs per gallon so a couple of sports bottle sized bottles are probably all you can realistically put in. Do not store dehydrated foods since you may not have sufficient water to rehydrate them. Go with snack foods like energy or granola bars instead. change of clothing (something like sweats are best), an emergency blanket, a few pens and a pad of paper, box of crayons for the kids and/or some simple card games or small toys.
Also, find out where your closest shelter would be in case of an emergency so that you know where you're going to when you go.
One thing my family used to do is once a year we would go through our 72 hour kits and pull out anything that was expired or close to expiring. We'd eat the stuff that was still good then for family home evening we would go shopping to replace needed to be replaced. Another thing is to actually plan if I have 5 minutes what do I grab? If I have 10? 15?1 hour? make a plan then test it to see if it is feasible. The 72 hour kist are menat to be a 30 second grab and go type thing. If you have more time though what else do you want to grab? Als think if you will have to walk or drive. They seem expensive but you don't actually need nearly as much food for a day as they say you do. I can do with 2 MRE's a day EASY and that was while I was in the field working hard. would probably eat less than 1 a teenage boy however. lol. Unless you're really familiar with things like MRE's you just won't deal with them. During the 1989 earthquake in San Francisco during the World Series, most of the people at the shelter in the Marina district didn't eat anything for the first 24 hours or so. in mind that the earthquake hit right about 5pm, so they hadn't eaten since lunch. MRE's were brought out to them and even the Red Cross nurse (who was very experienced with disasters) took hers and tossed it aside. She told me later that it was in a package that you couldn't just easily open, everything was green (the cans), the ones that were open didn't look like "food" (cans and pouches), etc. and she was too overwhelmed to deal with it. Of course if you're starving, you'll eat anything, but before that point, you get lots of low blood sugar, crabby, cranky, etc.
So, especially with your kids, (but grown ups too) I recommend "comfort foods". Peanut butter, crackers, canned Vienna sausages or other canned meats, granola bars, raisins low salt/sodium varieties when possible, and things packed in water or juice when possible too. For a kit you might have to carry, small packages, lightweight, easy to carry is of course best. The bottom line is that if your kids won't eat tuna today, they're not going to eat it just because you went out and organized a disaster for them!
Tess, That Earthquake was crazy! I felt it in Sacramento and I was at work and pg with dd1. My boss was on the phone with a friend who was driving down the highway that was turning to mush. She swore she wasn't drunk! LOL.
If you make a 10 can 72 hr kit, you need to have a can opener. DUH.
You can package your food items in a food saver bag and then it is waterproof. You will need to have scissors to open (scissors should be in a first aid kit anyway).
You might want to make up little 1st aid kits for each family member's backpack, include bandaids, alcohol wipes, etc. Also include some hard candy (age appropriate) and paper, crayons/markers and something to do like a card game.
Make sure you have copies of birth certificates, deed to house, car info, insurance info, contacts out of area, medical info, marriage certificates, family pictures or cd's with all the pictures downloaded, banking info, etc.
One of the boys in my ward made up an emergency book that has forms to fill out and place to put ALL the paperwork. You are to take the book with you when you leave/evacuate.
Yep, it was definitely crazy. In San Francisco, the Red Cross often contracts their services to provide first aid for large public events. We had the contract to do the first aid for the World Series. We figured it would be really simple, a few bandaids and get to watch the game! Instead, we ended up with 60,000 of our closest friends having an earthquake! From there I went to running the shelter at Moscone Center with 1000 people in it (an interesting combo of homeless and businessmen), then ran the shelter at Marina for the next month (another interesting combo once we combined the Moscone people with the multi millionaires in the Marina).
For the family picture thing the easiest thing to do is be sure that some other relative (hopefully one that lives in another state) has copies of family pictures or you've stored them on something like photobucket or snapfish. You can get a replacement birth or marriage cert or deed, etc. (although it will really help to have a copy of your insurance info) you can't replace the only picture of your son that died in WWII.
The kit lives in our front closet by the door, right under our coats. I debated storing it in our bedroom, but it was too bulky for that closet, and with our apartment it is easily accessible even if we have to exit through the bedroom window.
We also keep water storage in two large containers on our back porch.
In my opinion, the most important thing is to know what you do have and know how to use it. An emergency is not the time to find out all your food has gone bad, your batteries are flat, and you have no idea how to use the equipment in your first aid kit. This is why I think it is important to put your own kit together, even if you're following a list, at least you know what's going in there and (hopefully) take the oppurtunity to decide if you really want to eat it later and if you really know how to use it.
Latter day Saints Families Visitors Welcome
Latter day Saints Families Visitors Welcome Meet with other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints here to discuss parenting and lifestyle issues. Share your insights and advice! This group is filled with members as interesting as they are diverse. From women to men, veteran moms to the newly pregnant, pioneer decendants to not members, we've got it all, and we enjoy being this way! This board is a great place to meet friends, get advice, and share the complexities of LDS life. Anyone have a good resource for these??? I need to make them for my family and I am not sure where to start (first I need bags!!! LOL) but I want to make sure I have all the right stuff in there for everyone.
I'm almost looking for a checklist type thing. Also, where would you suggest getting some bags for everyone?? I was thinking backpacks because they will be easier to carry but they're pretty expensive. Anyone have any tips on what kind of bag is best and where I can find cheap ones? tips/advice would be great. You could even tell me what's in your bags too.
Get a $10 ish backpack from Target or Walmart or where ever you can find them cheap for each family member. They don't have to look good or be cool so something in the clearance bin is fine. You don't need a huge backpacking into the wilderness kind of pack, although you might get ONE of those if you think you might need to take quite a lot of things (diapers, etc.). Go Kit should include things that your family personally needs. Start with extra medication, extra pair of glasses, can of dry formula bottle, diapers. copies of insurance information and ID. some cash.
Then add in some bottled water and snack foods. Keep in mind that water weighs 8 lbs per gallon so a couple of sports bottle sized bottles are probably all you can realistically put in. Do not store dehydrated foods since you may not have sufficient water to rehydrate them. Go with snack foods like energy or granola bars instead. change of clothing (something like sweats are best), an emergency blanket, a few pens and a pad of paper, box of crayons for the kids and/or some simple card games or small toys.
Also, find out where your closest shelter would be in case of an emergency so that you know where you're going to when you go.
One thing my family used to do is once a year we would go through our 72 hour kits and pull out anything that was expired or close to expiring. We'd eat the stuff that was still good then for family home evening we would go shopping to replace needed to be replaced. Another thing is to actually plan if I have 5 minutes what do I grab? If I have 10? 15?1 hour? make a plan then test it to see if it is feasible. The 72 hour kist are menat to be a 30 second grab and go type thing. If you have more time though what else do you want to grab? Als think if you will have to walk or drive. They seem expensive but you don't actually need nearly as much food for a day as they say you do. I can do with 2 MRE's a day EASY and that was while I was in the field working hard. would probably eat less than 1 a teenage boy however. lol. Unless you're really familiar with things like MRE's you just won't deal with them. During the 1989 earthquake in San Francisco during the World Series, most of the people at the shelter in the Marina district didn't eat anything for the first 24 hours or so. in mind that the earthquake hit right about 5pm, so they hadn't eaten since lunch. MRE's were brought out to them and even the Red Cross nurse (who was very experienced with disasters) took hers and tossed it aside. She told me later that it was in a package that you couldn't just easily open, everything was green (the cans), the ones that were open didn't look like "food" (cans and pouches), etc. and she was too overwhelmed to deal with it. Of course if you're starving, you'll eat anything, but before that point, you get lots of low blood sugar, crabby, cranky, etc.
So, especially with your kids, (but grown ups too) I recommend "comfort foods". Peanut butter, crackers, canned Vienna sausages or other canned meats, granola bars, raisins low salt/sodium varieties when possible, and things packed in water or juice when possible too. For a kit you might have to carry, small packages, lightweight, easy to carry is of course best. The bottom line is that if your kids won't eat tuna today, they're not going to eat it just because you went out and organized a disaster for them!
Tess, That Earthquake was crazy! I felt it in Sacramento and I was at work and pg with dd1. My boss was on the phone with a friend who was driving down the highway that was turning to mush. She swore she wasn't drunk! LOL.
If you make a 10 can 72 hr kit, you need to have a can opener. DUH.
You can package your food items in a food saver bag and then it is waterproof. You will need to have scissors to open (scissors should be in a first aid kit anyway).
You might want to make up little 1st aid kits for each family member's backpack, include bandaids, alcohol wipes, etc. Also include some hard candy (age appropriate) and paper, crayons/markers and something to do like a card game.
Make sure you have copies of birth certificates, deed to house, car info, insurance info, contacts out of area, medical info, marriage certificates, family pictures or cd's with all the pictures downloaded, banking info, etc.
One of the boys in my ward made up an emergency book that has forms to fill out and place to put ALL the paperwork. You are to take the book with you when you leave/evacuate.
Yep, it was definitely crazy. In San Francisco, the Red Cross often contracts their services to provide first aid for large public events. We had the contract to do the first aid for the World Series. We figured it would be really simple, a few bandaids and get to watch the game! Instead, we ended up with 60,000 of our closest friends having an earthquake! From there I went to running the shelter at Moscone Center with 1000 people in it (an interesting combo of homeless and businessmen), then ran the shelter at Marina for the next month (another interesting combo once we combined the Moscone people with the multi millionaires in the Marina).
For the family picture thing the easiest thing to do is be sure that some other relative (hopefully one that lives in another state) has copies of family pictures or you've stored them on something like photobucket or snapfish. You can get a replacement birth or marriage cert or deed, etc. (although it will really help to have a copy of your insurance info) you can't replace the only picture of your son that died in WWII.
The kit lives in our front closet by the door, right under our coats. I debated storing it in our bedroom, but it was too bulky for that closet, and with our apartment it is easily accessible even if we have to exit through the bedroom window.
We also keep water storage in two large containers on our back porch.
In my opinion, the most important thing is to know what you do have and know how to use it. An emergency is not the time to find out all your food has gone bad, your batteries are flat, and you have no idea how to use the equipment in your first aid kit. This is why I think it is important to put your own kit together, even if you're following a list, at least you know what's going in there and (hopefully) take the oppurtunity to decide if you really want to eat it later and if you really know how to use it.
1 Slot Token Las Vegas Nevada Collector Item Proof Like Token Low Price
1 Slot Token Las Vegas Nevada Collector Item Proof Like Token Low Price
Our favorite Product evaluations :It was 1/4 in the expense of the one on television 1980 Foxys Firehouse $1 Slot Token Las Vegas Nevada Collector Item Proof Like Token We would obtain this merchandise yet again !!! Wonderful Electrical power, Suction power and simple In order to Bare !!! 1980 Foxys Firehouse $1 Slot Token Las Vegas Nevada Collector Item Proof Like Token Manage. It then reopened as the Holy Cow Brewery, Cafe. These are a great collectors item and or gift. The token measures 35mm in diameter and is in proof like condition.
French Polynesia, Casino, Paul Gaugin cruise ship OC13 BJA0106 Jaynes Gallery Set Of 4 Coasters Soft Special Price
On Sale scPL1 0595 KENDRICKS Game Room Casino Bar Stretched Canvas Print Sign
Playing Card Food Picks Best Price
Great Prices scPL1 0157 JONS Game Room Casino Bar Stretched Canvas Print Sign
Cheap Casino Dealer Trigger Man: Fact or Fiction
Carsten Reisinger Illustrations Casino concept with poker cards chips dice and slot style sevens Tile Napkin Holders 6 inch tile napkin holder Hot Price
Cheap Roulette Strategy Outside Bets using CONTROL
Trailsman 258: Casino Carnage: Casino Carnage Special Price
Great Prices Buffalo Thunder casino, Santa Fe, New Mexico US32 JMR0113 Julien McRoberts 14oz Stainless Steel Travel Mug
Special Discount Card Game Suit Cutouts
Best Deals " Casino Dangle " Charm for Pandora Chamilia Kays Troll European Story Charm Bracelets
Birds in flight over a pond at the Casa Blanca Hotel and Casino in Nevada Waist Apron With Pockets Best Offers
Special Prices BRIDGE Size Cut Cards (fls)
Low Priced Winning Craps Money
Cheap Casino Sparkle Centerpiece
Lowest Prices Close up of Dice in Casino 24"W x 16"H Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys
Great Prices scPL1 2275 ATHENS Game Room Casino Bar Stretched Canvas Print Sign
Special Discount Professionally Framed Casino Royale (James Bond) Movie Poster 11x17 with Solid Black Wood Frame
Low Priced Tropicana Hotel Casino Las Vegas Nevada Vintage Ash Tray
Special Prices scPL1 1146 RICES Game Room Casino Bar Stretched Canvas Print Sign
BSS Stalwart Table ClothT Suited Royal Blue Waterproof 3 yds Hot Price
Best Deals High Rollers (Dime Store Novel)
Mexico, Princess Cruises, Princess casino XX01 CMI0054 Cindy Miller Hopkins Set Of 8 Ceramic Tile Coasters Big Save
5. Prestige Casino 1500 1500 $1500 Free Spins No Deposit Bonus
6. SkyKings Casino 500 Welcome Bonus
And that's not all. We continue daily to collect valuable information, and to find new quality, safe, reliable, reputable casinos with. A pleasure to edit the content for you.
Our favorite Product evaluations :It was 1/4 in the expense of the one on television 1980 Foxys Firehouse $1 Slot Token Las Vegas Nevada Collector Item Proof Like Token We would obtain this merchandise yet again !!! Wonderful Electrical power, Suction power and simple In order to Bare !!! 1980 Foxys Firehouse $1 Slot Token Las Vegas Nevada Collector Item Proof Like Token Manage. It then reopened as the Holy Cow Brewery, Cafe. These are a great collectors item and or gift. The token measures 35mm in diameter and is in proof like condition.
French Polynesia, Casino, Paul Gaugin cruise ship OC13 BJA0106 Jaynes Gallery Set Of 4 Coasters Soft Special Price
On Sale scPL1 0595 KENDRICKS Game Room Casino Bar Stretched Canvas Print Sign
Playing Card Food Picks Best Price
Great Prices scPL1 0157 JONS Game Room Casino Bar Stretched Canvas Print Sign
Cheap Casino Dealer Trigger Man: Fact or Fiction
Carsten Reisinger Illustrations Casino concept with poker cards chips dice and slot style sevens Tile Napkin Holders 6 inch tile napkin holder Hot Price
Cheap Roulette Strategy Outside Bets using CONTROL
Trailsman 258: Casino Carnage: Casino Carnage Special Price
Great Prices Buffalo Thunder casino, Santa Fe, New Mexico US32 JMR0113 Julien McRoberts 14oz Stainless Steel Travel Mug
Special Discount Card Game Suit Cutouts
Best Deals " Casino Dangle " Charm for Pandora Chamilia Kays Troll European Story Charm Bracelets
Birds in flight over a pond at the Casa Blanca Hotel and Casino in Nevada Waist Apron With Pockets Best Offers
Special Prices BRIDGE Size Cut Cards (fls)
Low Priced Winning Craps Money
Cheap Casino Sparkle Centerpiece
Lowest Prices Close up of Dice in Casino 24"W x 16"H Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys
Great Prices scPL1 2275 ATHENS Game Room Casino Bar Stretched Canvas Print Sign
Special Discount Professionally Framed Casino Royale (James Bond) Movie Poster 11x17 with Solid Black Wood Frame
Low Priced Tropicana Hotel Casino Las Vegas Nevada Vintage Ash Tray
Special Prices scPL1 1146 RICES Game Room Casino Bar Stretched Canvas Print Sign
BSS Stalwart Table ClothT Suited Royal Blue Waterproof 3 yds Hot Price
Best Deals High Rollers (Dime Store Novel)
Mexico, Princess Cruises, Princess casino XX01 CMI0054 Cindy Miller Hopkins Set Of 8 Ceramic Tile Coasters Big Save
5. Prestige Casino 1500 1500 $1500 Free Spins No Deposit Bonus
6. SkyKings Casino 500 Welcome Bonus
And that's not all. We continue daily to collect valuable information, and to find new quality, safe, reliable, reputable casinos with. A pleasure to edit the content for you.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Megapixel Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom
Megapixel Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom
The Fujifilm Finepix S5200 5.1 megapixel digital camera with 10x optical zoom is perfect for the amateur photographer who wishes to experiment with various professional level features that are found on the typical SLR camera, including adjustments to Manual Focus, f stops, and apertures. In fact, the body of this Fujifilm Finepix is physically designed very much like an SLR as well. For less experienced digital camera users, the S5200 also has Auto settings that take many wonderful, high quality photos with little effort. Overall, this digital camera contains features that are simple enough for the casual or amateur user while remaining complex enough for the more advanced photographer. In my experience, the Finepix S5200 has proven to be the perfect choice for amateur photographers who are looking to expand their photography skills and who don't mind carrying around an 8.5 x 5.5 inch camera. In other words, if you're looking for a pocket sized camera that is only going to be whipped out for random pictures of your friends, then this one probably isn't right for you.
I bought this camera as my first foray into the digital camera world when I began to find that my 35 mm camera with its 2x zoom would no longer suffice for my expanding interest in photography. So far I've been very happy with the results. With the Fujifilm Finepix S5200, my photos turn out so much clearer and more well defined, so much more in focus, and so much more colorful than any of my 35 mm shots. It's a great exploratory camera for new digital camera users as well as for experienced pros.
The Fujifilm Finepix S5200 comes with various settings, including Natural Light, Anti Blur (which is the disappointing and insufficient feature they use instead of image stabilization), Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Video, and of course the Auto setting. My favorite feature so far is the Natural Light setting, which allows me to take natural, professional looking, high quality photos after learning to use it properly. I love the way my low light, nighttime photos turn out in the Natural Light setting.
In addition, this digital camera allows the user to choose Manual Focus for those few instances that the Auto Focus doesn't do the job. I've only chosen to manually focus my photos a handful of times in the 9 months that I've had this camera. The camera offers a wide variety of ISO settings, up to ISO 1600 for ultra high sensitivity as well. And for the exploratory photographer with the desire to experiment and expand his or her skills, the Finepix S5200 allows the user to adjust f stop and aperture settings as needed. I haven't quite reached this part of the exploratory process so, unfortunately, I can't comment any further on how these types of features work.
Another feature I like about this digital camera is that I can opt to turn off all the flash photography sound effects (impressive as they are) so I can quietly sneak photos of people without being detected by the more photophobic types. The quick and easy startup loading time of the Finepix S5200 is also a major benefit. I have been able to quickly ready my camera for awesome photo ops of kids, animals, and wildlife in just over a second, and the shutter speed is rapid enough to photograph all kinds of spontaneous moments.
The 10x optical zoom has given me tons of awesome shots as well. With this kind of zoom capability, I have captured impressive closeups of shy subjects like deer, birds, dragonflies, grasshoppers, turtles, squirrels and, of course, people.
Accessories and Add ons for the Finepix S5200
Despite its size, the Finepix S5200 is quite light, weighing in at around 3 pounds, and still manages to fit snugly in your hand, although you will definitely need to buy a small camera bag for storing and carrying this digital camera. Look for a camera bag that's designed to carry an SLR camera with a 3.5 inch lens. The ideal camera bag should also have an extra pocket or two for carrying spare batteries or memory cards, at minimum. One of the things I like best about this digital camera is that its size and shape make it fit snugly in my hand while I'm snapping away. The right hand side of the camera has a curvature that allows the hand to wrap around naturally and hold on to it securely, and it's externally textured with a rubbery grip so you'll never drop this camera. Even if you do lose your grip (which I never have), the Fujifilm Finepix S5200 comes with a camera strap that you can wear around your neck for hands free security in between shooting your photos. Also note that this camera comes with its own lens cap which conveniently attaches to the camera strap.
The Fujifilm Finepix S5200 digital camera takes xD memory cards which, due to the relative rarity of digital cameras that take xD cards, may be one of the downsides to this camera if you're planning on buying another camera without having to buy a different set of memory cards. Most cameras use the more readily available SD cards. When you do buy a memory card for this digital camera, opt for the 1 GB card. I can usually take 300 500 photos using a 1 GB xD card with this camera. With a 1 GB card, this camera can film over 30 minutes of video.
Since the Finepix S5200 camera doesn't have image stabilization, you'll find yourself relying a lot more heavily on using a tripod or some other available steady surface. Taking quality photos of distant objects with this camera can be difficult without a tripod. This wasn't too much of an annoyance for me at first, since the Finepix S5200 is my first ever digital camera, but after about 6 months of exploring the features of this camera, I grew more and more aware of the effect of the absence of that image stabilization feature. However, I'm still very happy overall with the quality photos that this digital camera can take for the amount of money I spent on it. The list price is $299.99, but I bought it on sale for $249 in August 2006.
For the Fujifilm Finepix digital camera, which takes AA batteries, I recommend buying lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are a little bit more expensive usually around $10 for a 4 pack but they last a lot longer than alkaline batteries, so the lithium batteries will probably save you lots of money and hassle in the long run. I also keep a spare set of batteries in the pouch of my camera bag, as well as a spare memory card.
The Bottom Line
Overall, I highly recommend the Fujifilm Finepix S5200 5.1 megapixel camera to those who find themselves displeased with the lack of features and flexibility of their current cameras. Whether you're new to digital cameras or just searching for an "upgrade" from your current digital camera, this one is certain to please almost everybody. Despite the lack of image stabilization, the Finepix S5200 has given me beautiful photos and supplied with me more than enough options for its affordable price tag.
Published by Samantha Newton
View profile
Related ContentTop Digital Camera Products Under $300Digital Camera Review: Fuji FinePix 7.1 Megapixel, Model: S5700How to Find the Best Digital CameraFuji FinePix 7.1 MegaPixel Digital Camera ReviewFuji FinePix S700 is Truly a Digital Wonder
The Fujifilm Finepix S5200 5.1 megapixel digital camera with 10x optical zoom is perfect for the amateur photographer who wishes to experiment with various professional level features that are found on the typical SLR camera, including adjustments to Manual Focus, f stops, and apertures. In fact, the body of this Fujifilm Finepix is physically designed very much like an SLR as well. For less experienced digital camera users, the S5200 also has Auto settings that take many wonderful, high quality photos with little effort. Overall, this digital camera contains features that are simple enough for the casual or amateur user while remaining complex enough for the more advanced photographer. In my experience, the Finepix S5200 has proven to be the perfect choice for amateur photographers who are looking to expand their photography skills and who don't mind carrying around an 8.5 x 5.5 inch camera. In other words, if you're looking for a pocket sized camera that is only going to be whipped out for random pictures of your friends, then this one probably isn't right for you.
I bought this camera as my first foray into the digital camera world when I began to find that my 35 mm camera with its 2x zoom would no longer suffice for my expanding interest in photography. So far I've been very happy with the results. With the Fujifilm Finepix S5200, my photos turn out so much clearer and more well defined, so much more in focus, and so much more colorful than any of my 35 mm shots. It's a great exploratory camera for new digital camera users as well as for experienced pros.
The Fujifilm Finepix S5200 comes with various settings, including Natural Light, Anti Blur (which is the disappointing and insufficient feature they use instead of image stabilization), Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Video, and of course the Auto setting. My favorite feature so far is the Natural Light setting, which allows me to take natural, professional looking, high quality photos after learning to use it properly. I love the way my low light, nighttime photos turn out in the Natural Light setting.
In addition, this digital camera allows the user to choose Manual Focus for those few instances that the Auto Focus doesn't do the job. I've only chosen to manually focus my photos a handful of times in the 9 months that I've had this camera. The camera offers a wide variety of ISO settings, up to ISO 1600 for ultra high sensitivity as well. And for the exploratory photographer with the desire to experiment and expand his or her skills, the Finepix S5200 allows the user to adjust f stop and aperture settings as needed. I haven't quite reached this part of the exploratory process so, unfortunately, I can't comment any further on how these types of features work.
Another feature I like about this digital camera is that I can opt to turn off all the flash photography sound effects (impressive as they are) so I can quietly sneak photos of people without being detected by the more photophobic types. The quick and easy startup loading time of the Finepix S5200 is also a major benefit. I have been able to quickly ready my camera for awesome photo ops of kids, animals, and wildlife in just over a second, and the shutter speed is rapid enough to photograph all kinds of spontaneous moments.
The 10x optical zoom has given me tons of awesome shots as well. With this kind of zoom capability, I have captured impressive closeups of shy subjects like deer, birds, dragonflies, grasshoppers, turtles, squirrels and, of course, people.
Accessories and Add ons for the Finepix S5200
Despite its size, the Finepix S5200 is quite light, weighing in at around 3 pounds, and still manages to fit snugly in your hand, although you will definitely need to buy a small camera bag for storing and carrying this digital camera. Look for a camera bag that's designed to carry an SLR camera with a 3.5 inch lens. The ideal camera bag should also have an extra pocket or two for carrying spare batteries or memory cards, at minimum. One of the things I like best about this digital camera is that its size and shape make it fit snugly in my hand while I'm snapping away. The right hand side of the camera has a curvature that allows the hand to wrap around naturally and hold on to it securely, and it's externally textured with a rubbery grip so you'll never drop this camera. Even if you do lose your grip (which I never have), the Fujifilm Finepix S5200 comes with a camera strap that you can wear around your neck for hands free security in between shooting your photos. Also note that this camera comes with its own lens cap which conveniently attaches to the camera strap.
The Fujifilm Finepix S5200 digital camera takes xD memory cards which, due to the relative rarity of digital cameras that take xD cards, may be one of the downsides to this camera if you're planning on buying another camera without having to buy a different set of memory cards. Most cameras use the more readily available SD cards. When you do buy a memory card for this digital camera, opt for the 1 GB card. I can usually take 300 500 photos using a 1 GB xD card with this camera. With a 1 GB card, this camera can film over 30 minutes of video.
Since the Finepix S5200 camera doesn't have image stabilization, you'll find yourself relying a lot more heavily on using a tripod or some other available steady surface. Taking quality photos of distant objects with this camera can be difficult without a tripod. This wasn't too much of an annoyance for me at first, since the Finepix S5200 is my first ever digital camera, but after about 6 months of exploring the features of this camera, I grew more and more aware of the effect of the absence of that image stabilization feature. However, I'm still very happy overall with the quality photos that this digital camera can take for the amount of money I spent on it. The list price is $299.99, but I bought it on sale for $249 in August 2006.
For the Fujifilm Finepix digital camera, which takes AA batteries, I recommend buying lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are a little bit more expensive usually around $10 for a 4 pack but they last a lot longer than alkaline batteries, so the lithium batteries will probably save you lots of money and hassle in the long run. I also keep a spare set of batteries in the pouch of my camera bag, as well as a spare memory card.
The Bottom Line
Overall, I highly recommend the Fujifilm Finepix S5200 5.1 megapixel camera to those who find themselves displeased with the lack of features and flexibility of their current cameras. Whether you're new to digital cameras or just searching for an "upgrade" from your current digital camera, this one is certain to please almost everybody. Despite the lack of image stabilization, the Finepix S5200 has given me beautiful photos and supplied with me more than enough options for its affordable price tag.
Published by Samantha Newton
View profile
Related ContentTop Digital Camera Products Under $300Digital Camera Review: Fuji FinePix 7.1 Megapixel, Model: S5700How to Find the Best Digital CameraFuji FinePix 7.1 MegaPixel Digital Camera ReviewFuji FinePix S700 is Truly a Digital Wonder
Friday, May 23, 2014
Casio Exilim Z75
Casio Exilim Z75
After my previous digital camera suffered an unfortunate accident, my fianc and I began hunting for a replacement. We searched countless web sites and finally came upon the Casio EX Z75. It is one of the best digital cameras that I have encountered thus far and I am very happy with it. This particular model is available in several colors, including: silver, black, pink and blue. I originally wanted a pink one, but due to the high demand, they were sold out almost everywhere. They were available on Amazon, but only from individual sellers. They are also slightly more expensive than the others since they are so popular. After some deliberation, I chose the blue one, which I am extremely happy with.
The camera comes with a one year manufacturer's warranty. For those of you who need a longer period of coverage, Amazon offers a two year replacement plan for $27.99. In addition, free shipping and tax exemption are applied to any Amazon purchase over $25.
The Casio Exilim is one of the more recent slim model cameras. It is 4''x 3''x 1" and weighs 12 ounces. It comes with a wrist strap to prevent it from being dropped. It is 7.2 mega pixels and the picture quality is outstanding and very clear. The LCD screen is 2.6'', which is perfect for those who do not see well like myself. It also has 3X optical zoom.
There are several flash settings, including: no flash, auto flash and soft flash. There is a feature that allows you to take pictures that are optimized for being displayed on eBay. It is also great for taking myspace pictures, as you do not have to alter the size of the photos before posting them. The camera has 8.0 MB internal memory, but is compatible with the SanDisk memory cards. The camera is run by a rechargeable lithium ion battery, which lasts several hours. I charge mine every two days or so and the battery has not died on me yet. The camera also features several self timer settings. It has many advanced features, but is very simple to use. One of my favorite features is the optional anti shake setting, which allows you to take a clear picture even if your hand is not steady.
Because digital cameras are very fragile, one of the factors to consider when choosing a camera is whether or not there is a case of the proper size to store it in. It was very easy to find a case that fit the Exilim. I found one for $4.99 from Imax on Amazon. Simply type in Casio Exilim camera case and several hits should turn up. I chose a pink case, but there were several colors available (red, blue, green, black and orange) in a choice of nylon or EVA. After shipping, the total cost of the case was $9.99, which is significantly lower than most. The case accommodates the camera perfectly and is 4.13''x3.13''x1.13''. It has a safety strap to secure the camera and a mesh pouch to store memory cards/batteries. Imax also sent (at no extra charge) a plastic LCD screen protector (which adheres to the screen and shields it against dirt, fingerprints and scratches) and a cloth to clean the screen with.
Included with the camera itself are: the lithium ion battery, the battery charger, the AC power cord, the USB cable, the AV cable, the wrist strap and the computer software.
Overall, this is an excellent product and is very simple to use. The pictures are clear and the quality is wonderful. I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever about this product and if I had to do it over, I would make the same decision.
After my previous digital camera suffered an unfortunate accident, my fianc and I began hunting for a replacement. We searched countless web sites and finally came upon the Casio EX Z75. It is one of the best digital cameras that I have encountered thus far and I am very happy with it. This particular model is available in several colors, including: silver, black, pink and blue. I originally wanted a pink one, but due to the high demand, they were sold out almost everywhere. They were available on Amazon, but only from individual sellers. They are also slightly more expensive than the others since they are so popular. After some deliberation, I chose the blue one, which I am extremely happy with.
The camera comes with a one year manufacturer's warranty. For those of you who need a longer period of coverage, Amazon offers a two year replacement plan for $27.99. In addition, free shipping and tax exemption are applied to any Amazon purchase over $25.
The Casio Exilim is one of the more recent slim model cameras. It is 4''x 3''x 1" and weighs 12 ounces. It comes with a wrist strap to prevent it from being dropped. It is 7.2 mega pixels and the picture quality is outstanding and very clear. The LCD screen is 2.6'', which is perfect for those who do not see well like myself. It also has 3X optical zoom.
There are several flash settings, including: no flash, auto flash and soft flash. There is a feature that allows you to take pictures that are optimized for being displayed on eBay. It is also great for taking myspace pictures, as you do not have to alter the size of the photos before posting them. The camera has 8.0 MB internal memory, but is compatible with the SanDisk memory cards. The camera is run by a rechargeable lithium ion battery, which lasts several hours. I charge mine every two days or so and the battery has not died on me yet. The camera also features several self timer settings. It has many advanced features, but is very simple to use. One of my favorite features is the optional anti shake setting, which allows you to take a clear picture even if your hand is not steady.
Because digital cameras are very fragile, one of the factors to consider when choosing a camera is whether or not there is a case of the proper size to store it in. It was very easy to find a case that fit the Exilim. I found one for $4.99 from Imax on Amazon. Simply type in Casio Exilim camera case and several hits should turn up. I chose a pink case, but there were several colors available (red, blue, green, black and orange) in a choice of nylon or EVA. After shipping, the total cost of the case was $9.99, which is significantly lower than most. The case accommodates the camera perfectly and is 4.13''x3.13''x1.13''. It has a safety strap to secure the camera and a mesh pouch to store memory cards/batteries. Imax also sent (at no extra charge) a plastic LCD screen protector (which adheres to the screen and shields it against dirt, fingerprints and scratches) and a cloth to clean the screen with.
Included with the camera itself are: the lithium ion battery, the battery charger, the AC power cord, the USB cable, the AV cable, the wrist strap and the computer software.
Overall, this is an excellent product and is very simple to use. The pictures are clear and the quality is wonderful. I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever about this product and if I had to do it over, I would make the same decision.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Best Digital Cameras For Kenya Tanzania Uganda Safari Travel
Best Digital Cameras For Kenya Tanzania Uganda Safari Travel
The Best Compact Digital Cameras for Kenya Tanzania Uganda Travel, Safari Photography
Though our safari guides are dedicated photographers, they often don't take digital cameras with them when they are on a safari in Tanzania Kenya Uganda as they rather not to have the interruption and concentrate on making the experience as enjoyable as possible for tourists who have paid for the privilege. Our guides do have lots of other opportunities to travel on their own and photograph incredible wildlife scenery. With this "best digital camera information our travel guides hope to pass on advice to help you get the best digital camera for travel, safaris and wildlife photography.
The camera should be Handy This for a safari travel camera is vital, it should be easy to place in your hand luggage; it has to be simple to hold, we highly recommend a compact digital camera for touring Africa. Remember that professional photographers carry large photographic equipment because it's their job and you are on Kenya Tanzania Uganda holiday with the idea being to enjoy it.
Don't become a Target Another thing to keep in mind is that if you travel around populated cities like Nairobi, you are immediately a target for thieves.
Safari Camera When you travel on safari in Africa, you most probably will be traveling on a 4x4 and the size of your camera is not that critical as long as it is easily available, but if you plan on a walking safari, again a small easy to carry camera is highly recommended.
Best Cameras for Wildlife Photography
When photographing wildlife the most important features to look out for are:
Get in close to the subject Big Zoom required the principals of Africa wildlife photography are similar to photographing polar bears in the arctic, you need to get as close as possible.
Digital Camera Battery types and Battery life
Battery life and what type of batteries the camera takes is also an important consideration to take into account, remember if you are traveling to remote locations there may not be any electricity to charge your batteries, therefore buying a spare battery or two is a must.
Below are recommended best digital cameras for Africa travel and wild life photography, by taking into account three main features of large zoom and compact size camera
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ28
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ28 is the successor to the very popular FZ18 and has increased resolution: 10.1 Megapixels.
It has an amazing super zoom with an 18x optically stabilised lens (27 486mm, 35mm equivalent) and if that is not enough there are options to add a 1.7x teleconverter to it. As well as the zoom for t great close ups of wildlife; the 27mm wide angle feature is ideal for your broad Masai Mara and Serengeti landscapes allowing you to capture a wider view.
Canon Powershot SX10 IS
Canon's latest super zoom, taking over from the fantastic PowerShot S5 IS. Unlike the Panasonic, it uses AA batteries to power it. The massive 20x zoom (28 560mm equivalent), is perfect for getting close to large wildlife like elephants and rhinos. The Canon Powershot SX10 IS boasts 10 Megapixels with the latest DIGIC 4 processor adds AF tracking, more efficient video compression, and a clever self timer mode which waits for a new person to appear before starting the countdown.
The Best Compact Digital Cameras for Kenya Tanzania Uganda Travel, Safari Photography
Though our safari guides are dedicated photographers, they often don't take digital cameras with them when they are on a safari in Tanzania Kenya Uganda as they rather not to have the interruption and concentrate on making the experience as enjoyable as possible for tourists who have paid for the privilege. Our guides do have lots of other opportunities to travel on their own and photograph incredible wildlife scenery. With this "best digital camera information our travel guides hope to pass on advice to help you get the best digital camera for travel, safaris and wildlife photography.
The camera should be Handy This for a safari travel camera is vital, it should be easy to place in your hand luggage; it has to be simple to hold, we highly recommend a compact digital camera for touring Africa. Remember that professional photographers carry large photographic equipment because it's their job and you are on Kenya Tanzania Uganda holiday with the idea being to enjoy it.
Don't become a Target Another thing to keep in mind is that if you travel around populated cities like Nairobi, you are immediately a target for thieves.
Safari Camera When you travel on safari in Africa, you most probably will be traveling on a 4x4 and the size of your camera is not that critical as long as it is easily available, but if you plan on a walking safari, again a small easy to carry camera is highly recommended.
Best Cameras for Wildlife Photography
When photographing wildlife the most important features to look out for are:
Get in close to the subject Big Zoom required the principals of Africa wildlife photography are similar to photographing polar bears in the arctic, you need to get as close as possible.
Digital Camera Battery types and Battery life
Battery life and what type of batteries the camera takes is also an important consideration to take into account, remember if you are traveling to remote locations there may not be any electricity to charge your batteries, therefore buying a spare battery or two is a must.
Below are recommended best digital cameras for Africa travel and wild life photography, by taking into account three main features of large zoom and compact size camera
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ28
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ28 is the successor to the very popular FZ18 and has increased resolution: 10.1 Megapixels.
It has an amazing super zoom with an 18x optically stabilised lens (27 486mm, 35mm equivalent) and if that is not enough there are options to add a 1.7x teleconverter to it. As well as the zoom for t great close ups of wildlife; the 27mm wide angle feature is ideal for your broad Masai Mara and Serengeti landscapes allowing you to capture a wider view.
Canon Powershot SX10 IS
Canon's latest super zoom, taking over from the fantastic PowerShot S5 IS. Unlike the Panasonic, it uses AA batteries to power it. The massive 20x zoom (28 560mm equivalent), is perfect for getting close to large wildlife like elephants and rhinos. The Canon Powershot SX10 IS boasts 10 Megapixels with the latest DIGIC 4 processor adds AF tracking, more efficient video compression, and a clever self timer mode which waits for a new person to appear before starting the countdown.
Android Apps Infected with a Virus
Android Apps Infected with a Virus
Are you one off the 33% of all mobile phones running the Android operating system? The official Android Market is run by Google and there are over 150,000 applications with an estimated 3.7 billion downloads. More than 250,000 applications have been downloaded with a malicious virus. The LA Times reports "Google is remotely removing virus infected Android apps from thousands of phones and tablets in its continuing cleanup of what has become known as the "Droid Dream" scare. Last Tuesday, Google removed 21 free apps that were hacked and loaded with malware, and then distributed on the company's Android Marketplace."
Newer reports say more than 50 apps have been infected and removed.
From Google's blog: "For affected devices, we believe that the only information the attacker(s) were able to gather was device specific (IMEI/IMSI, unique codes which are used to identify mobile devices, and the version of Android running on your device). But given the nature of the exploits, the attacker(s) could access other data."
In response Google is remotely removing the malicious applications from affected devices. This remote application removal feature is one of many security controls the Android team can use to help protect users from malicious applications.
You may be consider this a violation of your privacy that Google can just go into your phone like that, but, first, you agreed to it in their terms and conditions and second they are doing you a service and protecting you from a potential identity theft situation.
Google is sending out emails to all those affected and sending notification via the device itself to let you know what has happened.
If you are unsure if your phone was infected or simply want to be safe, I'd suggest backing up your phones data and re install the operating system. Contact your carrier or visit your phones manufacturer for instructions.
Are you one off the 33% of all mobile phones running the Android operating system? The official Android Market is run by Google and there are over 150,000 applications with an estimated 3.7 billion downloads. More than 250,000 applications have been downloaded with a malicious virus. The LA Times reports "Google is remotely removing virus infected Android apps from thousands of phones and tablets in its continuing cleanup of what has become known as the "Droid Dream" scare. Last Tuesday, Google removed 21 free apps that were hacked and loaded with malware, and then distributed on the company's Android Marketplace."
Newer reports say more than 50 apps have been infected and removed.
From Google's blog: "For affected devices, we believe that the only information the attacker(s) were able to gather was device specific (IMEI/IMSI, unique codes which are used to identify mobile devices, and the version of Android running on your device). But given the nature of the exploits, the attacker(s) could access other data."
In response Google is remotely removing the malicious applications from affected devices. This remote application removal feature is one of many security controls the Android team can use to help protect users from malicious applications.
You may be consider this a violation of your privacy that Google can just go into your phone like that, but, first, you agreed to it in their terms and conditions and second they are doing you a service and protecting you from a potential identity theft situation.
Google is sending out emails to all those affected and sending notification via the device itself to let you know what has happened.
If you are unsure if your phone was infected or simply want to be safe, I'd suggest backing up your phones data and re install the operating system. Contact your carrier or visit your phones manufacturer for instructions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)