Camera Owners of the Bay Area

The July meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Agenda

19:00-19:30: Sign-in and mingling period
19:30-20:30: AutoMate Robotic Camera Mount
20:30-21:30: Camera Insurance
21:30-22:00: Monthly Assignment: SUMMER

Auto-Mate

Don French from The Gadget Works will demonstrate AutoMate, a programmable robotic camera mount that you can control from your cellphone or PDA. The AutoMate features:

• A programmable robotic camera platform, ideal for making gigapixel panoramas
• A programmable electronic shutter release with full and half-press control
• A programmable intervalometer for making time-lapse movies and panoramas
• A programmable self-timer
• A remote control for operating the robot and activating the shutter release
• Two input lines for sensing external trigger events and running custom programs
• An output line for operating an external device
• A custom program editor
• A database of user settings and custom programs

Camera Insurance

So, you’ve got all this expensive camera equipment. What happens if something gets lost of stolen? COBA members will present and discuss the various types of camera insurance you can get, the pros and cons of getting separate insurance or a rider on your existing policy, and what to do when the unfortunate occurs. If you’ve ever wondered about protecting your photographic assets, you’ll want to be at the meeting!

SmugMug Monthly Assignment: SUMMER

Summer is here and ready for this month’s SmugMug Monthly Assignment. The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group!

Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next meeting date will be accepted.

Sorry for the late meeting announcement. I just returned from a three-week trip to Southern California and the East Coast for my documentary project.

The June meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Agenda

19:00-19:30: Sign-in and mingling period
19:30-20:15: Backing Up Your Photos
20:15-21:00: Custom Functions and Presets
21:00-21:30: Monthly Assignment: FLASH

Backing Up Your Photos

Everyone knows that they should backup their photos, but how many actually follow through with a regular backup strategy? Backing up your photographs doesn’t have to be an ordeal. This presentation will cover several techniques to safeguard your photos, including:

1. Backing up to multiple locations when importing photos
2. Synchronizing changes across your backups
3. Storing your photos online
4. Using offsite backups
5. Recovering from a disk failure

If you have a memorable backup story (or nightmare), be prepared to tell it to the group!

Custom Functions and Presets

Custom functions can help you get the most out of your camera. From using the quick dial control to select your autofocus point or switching autofocus to the * button, there’s plenty of ways to make a camera work the way you want it to. Everyone has their favorite presets and custom functions, and it’s time to share them with the rest of the group.

SmugMug Monthly Assignment: FLASH

The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group!

Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next will be accepted.

Location

Cordura Hall 100
210 Panama Street
Stanford, CA 94309

Cordura Hall is on the corner of Campus Drive and Panama Street. Park in the lot across the street. Cordura 100 is next to the courtyard between Ventura Hall and Cordura Hall.