A Long Pause

 Since retiring in December 2021, I've stayed busy -- more or less.   So much has happened in the interim, that I'd be hard pressed to recall it all for these pages.  I look upon this new blog entry as my commitment to recording the remainder of my life.

Where to begin?

My hobby as an amateur photographer has remained my focus.  I still have my old Canon 77D and I still use it.  In the interim, however, I bought my first full-frame DSLR -- an EOS Rebel 5D Mark 2 that I purchased used.  I was a great camera and it took some great pictures.

I've since replaced that camera with an EOS R6 Mark 2, a full-frame mirrorless.  It would be an understatement to say that this is a fantastic camera.  I've copied out some of its features from B&H Photo site:

Key Specs

Lens Mount	Canon RF
Effective Sensor Resolution	24.2 Megapixel (6000 x 4000)
Image Sensor	Full-Frame
Image Stabilization	Sensor-Shift
ISO/Gain Sensitivity	Native: 100 to 102,400 (50 to 204,800 Extended)
Max Recording Modes	H.264/H.265/MPEG-4 4:2:2 10-Bit Up to UHD 4K at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps
Max Video Output	Raw 6K up to 59.94 fps
Media/Memory Card Slot	Dual Slot: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)
Video I/O	1x Micro-HDMI Output
Audio I/O	1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Headphone Output 1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Microphone Input
Power I/O	1x USB-C Input
Other I/O	1x 2.5 mm Sub-Mini (Remote) Input 1x USB-C 3.1/3.2 Gen 2 (Data) Output (Shared with Power Input)
Wireless	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) / Bluetooth 5.0
Display Type	Articulating 3" Touchscreen LCD
Battery	1x LP-E6NH Rechargeable Lithium-Ion, 7.2 VDC, 2130 mAh (Included)  • Approx. 760 Shots

Exposure Control

Shutter Type	Mechanical Focal Plane Shutter and Electronic Rolling Shutter
Shutter Speed	Electronic Shutter 1/16000 to 30 Seconds Mechanical Shutter 1/8000 to 30 Seconds
Bulb/Time Mode	Bulb Mode
ISO/Gain Sensitivity	Native: 100 to 102,400 (50 to 204,800 Extended)
Metering Method	Center-Weighted Average, Evaluative, Partial, Spot
Exposure Modes	Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority
Exposure Compensation	-3 to +3 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps)
Metering Range	-3 to 20 EV
White Balance	Presets: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent (White), Shade, Tungsten
Continuous Shooting	Up to 40 fps at Maximum Resolution for up to 75 Frames (Raw) / 190 Frames (JPEG)
Interval Recording	Yes
Self-Timer	2/10-Second Delay

Focus

Focus Type	Auto and Manual Focus
Focus Mode	Continuous-Servo AF, Manual Focus, Single-Servo AF
Autofocus Points	Photo, Video Contrast Detection, Phase Detection: 1053
Autofocus Sensitivity	-6.5 to +21 EV

Imaging

Lens Mount	Canon RF
Effective Sensor Resolution	Effective: 24.2 Megapixel (6000 x 4000) Actual: 25.6 Megapixel
Image Sensor	35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full-Frame) CMOS
Sensor Crop (35mm Equivalent)	Crop Factor: 1x Additional Modes: 1.6x *Additional Crop Occurs in Select Video Modes
Image Stabilization	Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis
Built-In ND Filter	No
Capture Type	Stills & Video

Interface

Media/Memory Card Slot	Dual Slot: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)
Internal Storage	No
Video I/O	1x Micro-HDMI Output
Audio I/O	1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Headphone Output 1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Microphone Input
Power I/O	1x USB-C Input
Other I/O	1x 2.5 mm Sub-Mini (Remote) Input 1x USB-C 3.1/3.2 Gen 2 (Data) Output (Shared with Power Input)
Wireless	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) / Bluetooth 5.0
Mobile App Compatible	Yes: Android & iOS App Name: Canon Camera Connect Functionality: Access Stored Files, Adjust Settings, Firmware Update, Remote Control, View Live Feed
Global Positioning (GPS, GLONASS, etc.)	GPS *Via Connected Smartphone

This is pure technical jargon.  The features that I find most useful is that it has several custom modes that I can program.  For instance, I have a custom setting for bird photography that features high electronic shutter speed.  There's a focus feature that automatically detect the eyes in the subject.  The camera can handle extremely high ISO,  but at least to an ISO of several thousand my Lightroom software can remove the noise and restore detail.

Over time, I'll feature some of my favorite shots and get into the various lenses that I've been using.

TTFN