Apple iPhone 4S Experience and Video Test

Where did everybody go? The Apple iPhone 4S launch day did not have the crowds, lines and chaos like last year. My early morning trip discovered a vast empty wasteland at the AT&T store. I walked in and was immediately helped by a salesperson to my long awaited Apple iPhone 4S. No line, no wait and no chaos.



The record one million Apple iPhone 4S online preorders may have sucked all the potential Apple mobs from retail stores including the local Apple Store. My failed online preorder at the Apple website forced my iPhone 4S purchase at AT&T. My pleasant AT&T store experience was in stark contrast to last year's 3 hour and 45 minute wait at the Apple Store for the previous iPhone 4 release.



What is all the buzz about? The new Apple iPhone 4S with the new iOS 5 operating system has over 200 new features. The new iPhone 4S has the new dual core A5 processor like the iPad 2. For photographers, the new iPhone 4S sports a 8 megapixel camera with a f/2.4 lens. On top of that, the dual core A5 chip with iOS 5 enables an amazing camera one half second recycle rate. I know it is not 10 fps but for all those Facebook photographers, it is a welcome new feature. For HD DSLR purists, the new iPhone 4S features 1080p video with built in image stabilization.



There are more Apple employees than customers on launch day. Apple prepared this year for the onslaught of questions of all the new iPhone 4S features like the virtual assistant "Siri". I even looked around the corner of the Apple Store for a waiting hidden crowd but I just saw vast emptiness. The Apple store went through the early morning crowd of at least 100 people very quickly. Kudos!



Now for the good stuff. I manage to capture some quick images and video clips with the new Apple iPhone 4S today. I wanted to try the new f/2.4 lens and the 8 megapixel resolution for still pictures. Completely handheld for all the shots, I wanted to test the new built in "image stabilization" feature for 1080p video as well.



The Apple iPhone 4S 8 megapixel camera verdict on image quality is quite amazing to say the least. The color, sharpness and resolution are all there in my test shots. I was expecting soft, excessive color fringing on highlights and not so great phone pictures. The Apple iPhone 4S still images are equal to or better than budget point and shoot digital cameras. You will be impressed.



As for my Apple iPhone 4S video verdict, I give a thumbs up on 1080p video quality but a disappointing thumbs down on the new "image stabilization" feature. I was expecting stabilization like in my Canon ELPH 300 HS point and shoot but all I got was a very minimal stabilizing effect on my Apple iPhone 4S video capture. I already ordered a $20 Apple iPhone 4S tripod mount to solve this problem.



Despite the lack of considerable in camera stabilization for video, the 1080p video quality is breathtaking. The 1080p video above was shot completely handheld with the Apple iPhone 4S at 30fps and edited with Apple iMovie'09. I used Quicktime to compress a 600mb h264 video file for Youtube. I apologize for the shakiness but as soon as my iPhone 4S tripod mount comes in, I will shoot a better video.



You can view more pictures and videos for yourself in my Apple iPhone 4S Experience and Video Test Gallery. You can be the judge whether the new Apple iPhone 4S is worth your coin. The 1080p video and 8 megapixel images got me sold.



Stay updated with the latest gear like the new Apple iPhone 4S by becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

New LEGOLAND Florida Preview

Membership has its privileges. The grand opening of the new LEGOLAND Florida theme park in Winter Haven, FL does not officially launch until October 15, 2011, but my family got a sneak preview of this LEGO wonderland. American Automobile Association members received discounted early admission tickets for this rainy weekend. Inclement weather did not stop the family from enjoying all the sights and sounds of LEGOLAND Florida.



Some assembly is required for this life size Ford Explorer SUV made out of 380,000 LEGO bricks. Ford Motor Company made a large impression for young future drivers in the "Ford Driving School" of LEGO CITY with miniature cars for kids with an authentic race track.



This is dedication. Through wind and rain my son rides the "Royal Joust" in LEGO KINGDOMS with a smile. My umbrella almost blew away covering my damp Canon EOS Rebel T3i paired with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens, but I captured the moment.



Bright lights, Big LEGO City! MiniLand is at the center of LEGOLAND Florida. Detailed replicas of Florida destinations such as South Beach in Miami, FL to the Kennedy Space Center with an authentic NASA Space Shuttle on its launching pad. I do not want to forget the Tampa, FL downtown skyline and the iconic San Francisco, CA Golden Gate Bridge in all its glory. Bring an extra battery and memory card for your camera because this place is non stop photo moments.



Who does not love DIY LEGO Robots? The IMAGINATION ZONE has interactive build and test activities for the young ones. If LEGO Robots are not your fancy, you can construct your own LEGO Racers and compete with other worthy challengers on the race track.



My seven month old baby daughter Serena has not much to do in this big kid planet but taste her toys. We are looking forward to the soon to be toddler days of our youngest. We purchased the Annual LEGO Membership for the family so we can come back and enjoy the toddler friendly DUPLO VILLAGE. Catered for the kids under 3 years old, the DUPLO VILLAGE has kiddie rides and interactive play areas for the little ones.



Big kids like me want to play as well in this LEGO wonderland. Taking photographs and HD DSLR video all day of my family takes a toll on my "little kid at heart" mentality. LEGOLAND Florida has big kid roller coasters such as the "COASTERSAURUS" in LAND OF ADVENTURE and "TEST TRACK" in LEGO TECHNIC to sooth my wild side.



The family enjoyed this very brief and wet preview of LEGOLAND Florida this past weekend. The torrential rain deterred us from some rides and attractions including the historic botanical Cypress Gardens. Luckily we have the LEGOLAND annual membership pass to comeback to enjoy the rained out Pirates' Cove Live Water Ski Show and the ISLAND IN THE SKY ride. Well, Rome was not built in a day and we have the year to play and eat Granny's Apple Fries at LEGOLAND Florida.



This is a 1080p video shot with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D paired with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens at 29.97fps. Edited with Final Cut Pro and used Compressor to get a 1.3gb h264 video file. I also used the Canon E-1 Movie Plugin to transcode to AppleProRes422. For audio, I used the Sennheiser MKE400 shotgun microphone.



You can view more pictures and video in my New LEGOLAND Florida Preview Gallery.



Stay updated with the latest HD DSLR gear by Becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

**************************************************

UPDATE: Sunny days bring a better and updated LEGOLAND Florida Experience 2011. Check out my latest post on grand opening weekend of LEGOLAND Florida in Winter Haven, FL.

Little Red Wagon

Precious cargo. The classic Radio Flyer of 81 years still hauls the unselfish sacrifice and pride of nurturing parents. A mother's intuition and a father's advice grease the squeaky wheels down the path of unknown. Everyone has a little red wagon in some shape or form. This one is bright red plastic.



My daughter, Serena, turned 7 months old with enough saliva filled slobber to fill buckets. Her yearning to crawl or rather, lunge and mumbles indiscernible "mama" fascinates her family on a daily basis. Her older cousin and little red wagon passenger enjoys a first birthday ride together to nowhere.



The thankless guidance with many tests of patience almost negates the overall satisfaction of parenthood. Luckily, there are Apple devices, Canon HD DSLRs and Jollibee Chicken Joy to sooth this overwhelming task. Yet, tangible objects do not replace the warm feeling of a job well done.



The invention of the radio and flight named the little red wagon of yesteryear. The emotional, social, physical and intellectual support of my children named the little red wagon of today.



You can view more pictures shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L, EF 35mm f/1.4L and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lenses in Keelan's 1st Birthday Gallery.



Stay updated with the latest HD DSLR gear by becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

Newly Announced Apple iPhone 4S

Apple CEO, Tim Cook announced the much anticipated Apple iPhone 4S today from Cupertino, California. To everybody's surprise, the successor to the iPhone 4 was not called iPhone 5. Just like previous generations of the iPhone, the "S" designation for "speed" is just tacked on the end of the fourth generation label. All the fanfare and hoopla preceding the iPhone event makes the new iPhone 4S name very anti climactic.



As you noticed, the pictures above are from the last Apple iPhone 4 release. I used the pictures because the new iPhone 4S has the same exact body. Same glass front and back with the same button placement. The good news is your iPhone 4 case will fit the new iPhone 4S. Hooray!



Now for the nitty gritty. The new iPhone 4S has the new dual core A5 processor like the iPad 2. For photographers, the new iPhone 4S sports a 8 megapixel camera with a f/2.4 lens. On top of that, the dual core A5 chip with iOS 5 enables an amazing camera one half second recycle rate. I know it is not 10 fps but for all those Facebook photographers, it is a welcome new feature. For HD DSLR purists, the new iPhone 4S features 1080p video with built in image stabilization. Wow! The new optics combined with the new noise reduction feature should give an astounding HD video and not so grainy high resolution pictures.



Convinced yet? You will have to preorder on October 7th, 2011 and wait in line for your iPhone 4S at your local Apple store on October 14th, 2011. All the high res pics and HD video will not overload your iPhone because there is finally a 64gb model to soak up all that goodness. So, the 64gb iPhone 4S is $399, the 32gb iPhone 4S is $299 and the 16gb iPhone 4S is $199. The best news is the previous iPhone 4 8gb is now $99 and the very old iPhone 3GS 8gb is now free with new contract. What a bargain!



I will probably be waiting in line with the rest of the world on October 14th for the new "World" iPhone 4S. The new Apple iPhone 4S has both GSM and CDMA built in, so it can reach all wireless carriers like AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs may have gotten his ultimate wish for every man, woman and child to have an iPhone in their hand. My children certainly agree!



Here is my Apple iPhone 4 unboxing Youtube video from a year ago. Your new Apple iPhone 4S will look exactly the same.

You can also check out my Apple iPhone 4 Unboxing Gallery.

Stay updated on this Apple iPhone 4S product release, become a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and follow me on Twitter!

The Ultimate Gift

Birthdays come and go with the wind, but some birthdays hold a special place in your heart. Believe me, my faint memories of my birth year made only slight dents in my clogged arteries and my wife's birthday recently celebrated over the weekend reminded me birthday wishes do come true.



Happy birthday to my beautiful wife of over ten years. Ten long years. Long meaning a very good length of time, really. There is no other woman in the world that can put up with my personal foibles and bear gorgeous children other than the Blessed Virgin Mary. Truly a wish that keeps on giving. Even the BVM has hit the social network, check out her Facebook Fan Page. She does not like the new look and feature changes of Facebook either!



You do not have to be a fortune teller to read my crystal ball. I love taking pictures, especially of my family. My friends at North Tampa Photography hosted another successful Canon EOS Discovery Day over the weekend in Tampa, FL. Experienced and aspiring photographers gathered to learn from official Canon instructors like Drew Macallum and Amanda Arrick. I played with all their latest Canon gear with childhood reckless abandon.



I got my hands on the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4 Fisheye lens. Although, I am not a fan of fisheye lenses, but this lens is unique because it caters to full frame, APS-H and APS-C image sensors. The 8mm focal length gives you a true fisheye effect on full frame such as the Canon 5D Mark II. The lens is actually marked on the zoom ring with a "C" for APS-C and an "H" for APS-H sensors for a no borders wide angle view in camera. The lens will give you a unique POV especially for the HD DLSR video crowd.



The gift of scoring six runs by the Tampa Bay Rays led to a 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Saturday night. The Ray's rookie left-hander, Alex Torres, even threw five scoreless innings topped off with Johnny Damon hitting a three run homer for the big win. Just like TV news, baseball has lots of waiting between innings for the prime action.



My family enjoyed the possible playoff atmosphere of game #77 especially for my baby daughter Serena. This was her first official baseball game of her new life and that was the third chili cheese hot dog of mine to celebrate America's past time.



Just like a Major League player connects with his game through his fine weathered glove, my camera captures the loves of my life. Call it the love for my family through my love of photography. That is the ultimate gift.



Stay updated with the latest Canon gear by becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!



I just had to show you a close up of that yummy Chili Cheese with onions Hot Dog I ate multiple times at the Tampa Bay Ray's baseball game. Pictures do not give it justice, as a matter of fact.

Happy Birthday On Ice Skates !

Meet the future Stanley Cup Champions of this National Hockey League birthday party. My nephew-in-law's 9th birthday was kicked off with ice induced fun and double knotted skate laces at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy.



The closest thing to a Stanley Cup was the Tampa Bay Lightning birthday cake topped off with a hockey stick and an NHL puck. The Publix Bakery forgot to put "The 2003-2004 Stanley Cup Champions by the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League." Maybe on the next birthday cake...



There is always a first time for everything. My son hit the ice for the very first time. Of course, with the help of ice skating training wheels, my son turned fear into something positive. The theme song from the 1978 feature film "Ice Castles" began to play in my head while I photographed this monumental moment minus the conflict of a tragic ice skate accident and Bobby Benson.



My daughter in Hello Kitty "Pink" was anxious to learn more from her ice skating instructor to glide like her cousins without traumatic injuries like in past birthday parties. Hopefully, she will swoon like Yamaguchi and Fleming in World Figure Skating.



I do not think this is the last of ice skating birthday parties. My son already reserved his next two birthday parties at the ice rink. His cousins, family friends and classmates are already on his birthday party guest list.



My 6 month old daughter, Serena will have to wait for her ice skates. On the positive side, the colder temperature of the ice rink brought out her Fall collection of pink outfits.



This Tampa Bay Skating Academy Ice Skating birthday party was shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II and the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lenses.



You can view more in my Tampa Bay Skating Academy Experience Gallery.



Stay updated with the latest HD DSLR gear by becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

The Fruits of Our Labor Day 2011

Labor Day sparks the end of summer and the day off from work for most but for my newborn daughter Serena, this holiday weekend celebrates her 6 month old milestones. Sitting up on her own, grabbing objects with her hands and recognizing her own name are just a few recent developmental skills of this very happy baby.



With 10 pounds of Rib-eye steak and Pork ribs to grill, we officially ended summer with a windy trip to our favorite Fort De Soto Beach Park. The family loves the beach and everything that comes with it. The waves, the splashing and the seashell hunting tops the beach favorite's list. For me, it is the uninterrupted charcoal grilling with the ultimate final reward of consumption. One juicy bite at a time.



Okay, we did not spend all weekend grilling meat and soaking up all the sunshine. We journeyed long and far to various eating establishments. Of course, all this culinary research is for the greater scientific good. The good of our appetites.



We hit a Food Network favorite of Guy Fieri, Taco Bus in Tampa, Florida. I would not consider this Mexican Food Truck restaurant as a "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" hotspot, but more like a school bus authentic Mexican kitchen attached to an air conditioned dining area.



All that matters to me is that the kids like it with the convenience of 24/7 yummy dining. My daughter's Food Network choice is definitely the fried fish tacos with all the trimmings. Scrumptious!



Capturing my newborn daughter's six month milestones is naturally a labor of love. Every month comes with a new shining baby moment and an overwhelming photo gallery of cute and adorable baby portraits.



Labor Day for my son means a few short weeks closer to the upcoming iPhone 5. Call my son the King of anything Apple and an Honorary Soldier of the soon to be released, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.



Almost every week my daughter Serena surprises me with some new baby skill. Everyday my daughter's adorable smile makes everything worthwhile one photograph and dirty diaper at a time.



You can view more fruits of our Labor Day 2011 shot with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D and the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV in my Labor Day 2011 Gallery.



Stay updated with the latest HD DSLR gear by becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!