What We Had For Dinner

Chinese sign. by ©Mark Kalan

Chicken and broccoli in brown sauce with spicy saute string beans and brown rice.

Bergen County Camera

Hardley-Dangerous by Mark Kalan


My biker lifestyle photos of Daytona Beach Bike Week have been added to the Customer Galleries section of Bergen County Camera's website. Thanks guys!

Sunday Breakfast for my Sweetie

As per her request; peanut butter and banana on toasted whole-wheat tortilla with an orange.

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

My Celebrity Polaroids

Update on Roberta

Today I took Roberta to Memorial Sloan-Kettering for her pre-op testing and the details will follow this short missive: I will try to not go all Philip Roth on you but please note that I am beyond tired and am completely annoyed with a few dear neurotics who believe they either know more than anyone else about hospitals and surgery or need to be more informed before anyone else. Really folks; what part of "we do not know yet" do you not understand! Note to all: I am pushing sixty years on this planet and despite what your opinions may be; I have the necessary skills and physical ability to wipe my own ass, feed myself and care for my wife. Also, I no longer participate in oral quizes. I didn't like them when I was a school-age child and I like them even less now, especially with the added pressure of this situation. So take this into consideration and I'll thank you in advance.

Since it's President's Day the Tarrytown Station had free parking and we got a spot to the immediate right of the train station. Talk about making the trip easier!

At MSK the staff drained Roberta of massive amounts of blood and did a lung function test after which she filled out medical proxy forms and corrected our address in their records. The good news is that she's got 100%+ lung function so the staff is very optimistic about her surgical outcome. Which is funny because I never thought her lungs were very spectacular in the first place. It was her smile that first attracted me in that blizzard 33 years ago.

Roberta's surgery is set for March 2, 2012 and she is expected to spend four days in hospital regardless of the outcome. The surgery will take a little over two hours. We do not know if she has lung cancer. We do not know what time the surgery will be. On March 1st we will get a telephone call from the admitting surgeon who will give us an arrival time dependent on the day's planned traffic through the operating room. Those that need to know will be informed on March 1. Please do not quiz me for more details. And if you don't know why, you just flunked the Reading Comprehension part of the test so go back and re-read the first paragraph of this post.

When in surgery the doctor will make a small incision and separate a couple of her ribs. Then they will preform a biopsy of the nodule in her left lung and send it Pathology for testing. If it is cancer they will remove a quadrant of her lung and a few lymph nodes. If it is only an infection they won't. After surgery she will have a drain tube and be on antibiotics for an extended period.

We appreciate all of the well-wishes and concern. Thank you all.

BTW - After the hospital visit we went to the Oyster Bar in Grand Central for cocktails but it was closed. I don't know if they were closed for President's Day or just every Monday; something that needs to be looked into! So we had Margueritas and a Quesadilla Pollo at a little Mexican hole-in-the-wall bar deep in the recesses of Grand Central. Also, while waiting at MSK I read Elmore Leonard's latest book Raylan: A Novel, cover to cover. I'm still trying to figure out what it is about but I'll save that journey for another post.

An American Doll on Metro North

Rose Bubble

Rose Bubble by Mark Kalan

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

My Niece Gets Married

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

Nyack Photowalk

While Roberta had her hair trimmed I wandered around the village.









All images ©Mark Kalan and shot with an Olympus PEN E-PM1  using the Pinhole Art filter courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project

Apartment Building with American Flag

Apartment Building by Mark Kalan

Captured with a Hasselblad H4D-40 and 80mm F2.8 lens.

Publicity still of Elvis as a photographer with a Leica

From the movie Live a Little, Love a Little.

Apples at Farmers Market

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project .

Four Boxes

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

600 Third Avenue, NYC

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

Tarrytown Metro North MTA Station

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

Yankee Lake

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

Gravel Pit

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

Pizza The Rock

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

Abandoned Service Station

Shot with my Olympus PEN E-PM1 using the Pinhole Art filter. Camera courtesy of Get Olympus and the PENready Project.

Olympus OM-D

The much talked/blogged about Olympus OM-D is now available for pre-order at B & H Photo!

Olympus OM-D E-PM5

If you're interested in buying a Silver OM-D E-M5 w/12-50mm lens click here.
If you're interested in buying a Black OM-D E-M5 w/12-50mm lens click here.
If you're interested in buying a Black OM-D E-M5 body only click here.
If you're interested in buying a Silver OM-D E-M5 body only click here.

• 16.1Mp 4/3 Live MOS Sensor
• TruePic VI Image Processor
• 3.0" Tilting OLED Monitor
• Eye-Level Viewfinder
• RAW + JPEG Still File Formats
• 200-25,600 ISO Sensitivity
• TTL Flash Compatibility
• 1920 x 1080 HD Video Capture
• Computerized Focal-Plane Shutter
• Digital ESP/Center/Spot Metering

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera with 12-50mm Lens, as the name states, provides you with an exceptional mirrorless camera and a 12-50mm Olympus lens. This bundle ensures that you're set up and ready to shoot from day one.

The OM-D E-M5 sports the popular mirrorless technology that allows for a light and compact body. More than that, however, the OM-D E-M5 is an outstanding camera that provides you with tools like an electronic eye-level viewfinder, a tilting 3.0" OLED touchscreen monitor, 16Mp of resolution, and - of course - an ever-expanding array of compatible lens options. All these factors boil down to a camera that's easier to transport than the average DSLR, yet puts multiple lens choices, and numerous other high-end features and functions, at your disposal.

Taking the features of the OM-D EM-5 one at a time, let's begin with the camera's high image quality. Making such stunning 16Mp stills and 1920 x 1080 HD video possible would be the 16Mp Live MOS image sensor and the TruePic IV image processor. The heart of the camera, these two work together with an array of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses for impressive images and movies.

Other features worth mentioning here include Olympus' AF system, which enables fast, accurate images in a variety of situations. Additionally, 9.2 fps high-speed sequential shooting goes a step further to ensure that fast moving subjects are easily captured. The 5-axis image stabilization system also comes into play here, compensating for vertical, horizontal, and rotational camera shake, which conventional 2-axis systems of the past haven't been able to tame. This stabilization is built-in the camera body, and ensures effective stabilization with all lenses.

The high-res, 1.44 million dot LCD has 100% field-of-view coverage and a 1.15x maximum magnification. The EVF also allows for enlarging the focus point for seeing the effect of many different features right in the viewfinder. In addition to this impressive EVF, the camera also has a 3.0" tilting OLED touchscreen monitor, making it the first Olympus camera to have such capabilities. The touchscreen monitor allows for fast menu navigation, and brilliant composition and review of scenes.

The OM-D EM-5 is also a tough camera, featuring a dust-proof and splash-proof design. As Olympus states, "multiple ring-shaped seals protect the camera from sand, dust, rain, and water spray". That means there's no need to fear the elements and as a result, miss the shot. What's more the OM-D extends this feature to the bundled flash unit, the optional grip, the power battery holder, and the optional M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ lens.

Revolutionary Mirrorless Camera

The revolutionary mirrorless camera, the OM-D E-M5, has an exceptionally light and compact body. Its Electronic View Finder enables photographers to check exposure levels, white balance, and preview Art Filter effects in real-time. When shooting, the photographer can instantly "create" a truly unique world and preserve it in exceptional quality. The "world" will be transformed from something you see to something you "take part" in. The OM-D is a groundbreaking digital interchangeable lens camera perfect for people who want to "take part", "create", and "share"

Electronic Viewfinder

The OM-D's electronic viewfinder (EVF) features a high-resolution 1.44-million dot LCD, 100% field-of-view coverage, and 1.15x maximum magnification that lets you totally immerse yourself in your subject, and actively controls image creation. The EVF also allows you to enlarge the focus point for precision focusing in virtually any shooting situation, and can show you the effect of Highlight & Shadow Control, White Balance, Exposure Compensation, Aspect Ratio, and a host of other settings and advanced digital image processing functions right in the viewfinder. With improved precision and responsiveness that make it as easy to use as an optical viewfinder, the OM-D's advanced EVF gives you virtually unlimited creative control

High Image Quality

Three key factors contribute to the OM-D's unprecedented image quality: a wide lineup of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses for sharp, clear subject capture, a 16Mp Live MOS image sensor for rich tonal expression, and an advanced TruePic VI image processor for superb color fidelity. The optimal balance of these factors ensures the high resolution, sensitivity, and color accuracy you need to brilliantly capture the world around you

FAST AF

The world's fastest AF system, FAST AF, has been made even faster and more accurate on the OM-D. Improved 3D Tracking AF assures you won't miss the moment even when subjects move toward or away from you, and the high-sensitivity image sensor ensures superior AF performance, even in dim light

9.2 fps High-Speed Sequential Shooting

Thanks to the 16Mp Live MOS image sensor's high-speed read-out performance, the OM-D offers maximum sequential shooting at 9.2 fps, making it easy to capture sports action or fast-moving subjects such as pets and wildlife. In addition, a compact new high-speed shutter mechanism enables the OM-D to offer this performance without compromising the handling advantages of a light and compact body

5-Axis Image Stabilization

The OM-D is equipped with a 5-axis image stabilization system, and can compensate for vertical, horizontal, and rotational camera shake that conventional 2-axis systems of the past had been unable to handle. Built into the camera body to ensure effective stabilization with all lenses, its unique 5-axis design makes it particularly effective when taking high-magnification telephoto shots, macro close-ups, and long exposures. In addition, it can be activated by pressing the shutter button halfway, so you can also use it to stabilize the viewfinder image and obtain a crisp, clear view of your subject that makes it easy to frame and compose your shots

Dust-Proof and Splash-Proof Construction

Trouble-free shooting in all environments is assured by Olympus' proven dust-proof and splash-proof technology. Multiple ring-shaped seals protect the camera from sand, dust, rain, and water spray, making it ideal for all kinds of outdoor shooting. What's more, the OM-D extends this protection to the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-50mm, f/3.5-6.3 EZ lens, the bundled, detachable flash unit, and the optional grip and power battery holder

Tilting 3" OLED Touchscreen

In addition to offering dial and button controls, the OM-D is the first Olympus camera to feature a tilting touchscreen monitor for intuitive fingertip operation. The 3" OLED touchscreen delivers high-resolution images of your subject with rich color reproduction. It also responds instantly to your touch with fast operation that makes it easy to focus on subjects, play back images, and adjust settings, such as exposure and white balance

Lenses and Accessories

In addition to the optional electronic motorized M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ lens with quiet, linear drive AF, the OM-D is supported by an ever-expanding range of wide-angle, macro, portrait, and telephoto Micro Four Thirds M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses. System accessories include cases, straps, filters, external flash units, and mount adapters for Four Thirds System lenses and OM System lenses

And now for some video:

Hats

Hats For Sale by ©Mark Kalan