Loanable Equipment for the UK Digital Photography Club

The equipment listed on this page may be available for the use of club members. Availability of each equipment item for a specific use and time period is subject to approval of the contact person listed for that item. Any person borrowing equipment is solely responsible for its correct use and return to the contact person in essenitally the same condition it was in when borrowed; the DPCLUB, its members, and the University of Kentucky have no role in the loan process other than to notify members of what equipment may be available.

Digital Still Cameras

Canon A590IS (8.0MP, overview). A very nice camera for CHDK. It should be noted that the optical image stabilization in this camera makes image alignment vary slightly in consecutive frames despite a fixed camera position and capture settings. One camera is available within the ECE Department. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Canon A620 (7.2MP, overview). A very nice camera for CHDK. One camera is available within the ECE Department. There were two cameras, but one was "bricked" in a failed firmware update... so there's one working and one full set of spare parts. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Canon A640 (7.2MP, overview). A very nice camera for CHDK; arguably one of the highest quality overall at low film speeds. One camera is available within the ECE Department. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Canon G1 (3MP, overview). The original G-series camera, this has a fast lens and filp-out display. It is most useful to us because it uses a CMYG filter pattern rather than the more common RGB Bayer patterns. One camera is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Canon G5 (5MP, overview). A very nice G-series camera, with a fast lens and filp-out display. One camera is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Casio QV-100 (0.3MP, overview). A very old consumer digital camera with a pivoting lens. This camera works, but the LCD doesn't, and it has no optical finder. One camera is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Casio QV-120 (0.3MP, overview). A very old consumer digital camera with a pivoting lens. Was the replacement for the QV-100. One camera is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Kodak DC210 (1MP, overview). An early Kodak consumer digital camera. One camera is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Kodak DC260 (1.5MP, overview). This camera is most useful in that it has an intervalometer mode that can capture hundreds of photos without needing to be teathered to a computer... although it does need to have its AC adaptor plugged in. Two cameras (one not very healthy) are available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Nikon Coolpix 950 (2.1MP, overview). This camera previously had firmware bugs that prevented teathered operation and caused focus problems; a firmware upgrade fixed these problems and these cameras have taken literally millions of photos each under computer control via RS232C. Two cameras and two 183-degree fisheye converter lenses are available within the ECE Department, although one camera and fisheye lens is generally in use as a webcam in FPAT 672. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Olympus 1030 SW (10.1MP, overview). This is an indestructable little pocket camera (with a much more destructible black paint job). It is waterproof to 30 feet, etc. Image quality would be good for a 7MP, but a good 10MP it isn't. One camera is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Olympus C2000Z (2.1MP, overview). Despite its limitations, this is a very nice camera for general use. One camera, in marginal health, is available within the ECE Department. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Olympus C5050Z (5.0MP, overview). Perhaps the ultimate evolution of the C2000Z, this still has a fast (F1.8) lens, tons of control options, RAW capture, and a pivoting display. One camera is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Olympus D340R (1.3MP, overview). There originally were three cameras, two 185-degree fisheye converter lenses, and two 180-degree pivot tripod mounts are available within the ECE Department. These cameras have the honor of having taken literally millions of photos each under computer control via RS232C. One camera and fisheye converter were stolen and another camera isn't operational, but that still leaves one.... Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Sony Alpha-mount Lenses. I have a number of lenses for my A100 and A350 (see below). The Sony 18-70mm kit lens and 55-200mm are both pretty average consumer-grade lenses, not bad, but nothing special. The Sigma 10-20mm is great around 10mm and F9, very soft wide open. The 75-300mm Minolta is better-than-average, if unspectacular. The 55mm F1.8 Takumar (M42 mount with focus confirm adaptor) is slow to use due to manual focus and stop-down, but actually can out-resolve a 14.2MP sensor even wide open (although contrast isn't up to MTF50, the detail is there); I'm frankly shocked by the quality of this 1970s optic. The Spiratone MacroBell with 75mm lens (belows is M42 with focus confirm adaptor, designed to take an M42 lens) works surprisingly well, even using the camera's built-in flash -- but the belows pumps dust into the camera with every adjustment. The above are available from Hank Dietz -- these lenses are not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Sony DSLR-A100 (10.2MP, overview). Minolta SLRs have a reputation for good handling properties, and this is basically a Minolta with a better Sony sensor. Alpha-mount lenses are listed separately above. One camera is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Sony DSLR-A350 (14.2MP, overview). This may be the last of the consumer-level Sonys that still feels like a Minolta (although the A700 and A900 are also very Minolta). It has a very fast live view mechanism using a second sensor in the viewfinder which makes it particularly fluid for wide-angle photography in which the desired camera position makes the optical finder unusable or holding the camera to your face would be too obvious and/or distracting. Alpha-mount lenses are listed separately above. One camera is available, including battery grip, from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Sony F828 (8.0MP, overview). This camera is particularly good for multispectral work; it uses an RGBE filter pattern and has NightShot. It works well for NIR using a filter, even when not in NightShot mode. The camera also has RAW support, although it writes very slowly. One camera is available within the ECE Department. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Scanners

Film-Based Cameras

Burke & James Press View (4x5, overview). A relatively indestructable 4x5 camera (built in 1948) with solid metal construction and a rotating back. Besides the usual cut film and Polaroid holders, there is a homemade film holder that has a tiny USB webcam sensor in it (making the 4x5 into a super-telephoto visible+NIR webcam). One camera with 147mm lens is available from Hank Dietz -- this camera is not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Various SLRs (35mm Minolta, Canon, and Pentax). Several cameras and lenses are available from Hank Dietz -- these cameras are not UK property. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Digital Video Cameras & Webcams

Pen-style USB webcam from Wal-Mart. This model can be battery powered for limited stand-alone use, and easily can be disassembled down to a small board. Several are available within the ECE Department. This is the model discussed in Fisheye Digital Imaging For Under $20. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Unbranded USB webcam. One camera is available within the ECE Department, but there is no Linux driver for it. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Printers

ECE Department HP 455CA (E format, 4-color, 600DPI). This printer is very comparable to those available for printing posters in the library or at various copy shops; it is maintained within the ECE Department, but supplies may be limited. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Digital/Video Projectors

Projector (XGA, DLP). As many as 6 projectors may be available from the ECE Department. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

Projector (SVGA, subpixel-capable LCD). As many as 10 projectors may be available from the ECE Department. Contact hankd@engr.uky.edu

UK Digital Photography Club