I have spent many years using Live Photo Gallery to import images from SD cards to Windows Computers. Even after the upgrade to Windows 10, Photo Gallery continued to operate. I have thousands of images imported with the format 2020-05-01 TAGNAME seq.jpg For example 2020-03-08 SoccerTournament_AltaLoma 99.jpg Where SoccerTournament_AltaLoma is an easy to search for value with Windows Explorer whereby I do not need to know the date taken.

This came to a crashing halt when I bought a new Microsoft Surface laptop. I cannot find a way to install 2012 Live Essentials to get Photo Gallery to work. I have found the install file wlsetup_all.exe, but I cannot get it to properly install.

Can anyone help?

Or does anyone have a good alterative import program that allows flexible naming during the import?

Thanks in advance

Thanks, I am looking for something close to 3 pounds, most of the gaming machines are over 4.

It is time for a new travel laptop! So I have been shopping for the last few weeks for something light weight with an Intel i7, 16gb and a large storage device, for something up to $2000. Never did I guess this would become the impossible dream!

I have not found any 13-14” laptops with a full size SD slot. 256-512gb SSD drives seem the new normal; with some i7/16gb machines only loaded with 128gb storage. I found a Dell XPS with 1tb, but before I could order it at a fair sale price it was sold out.

Clearly I will need to buy a USB-C to SD reader dongle. Yes it will be faster than the built-in on my Dell 7000, but less convenient – one more thing to forget or misplace. Or I can start buying a collection of micro-SD chips. We travel with 2-3 still cameras and 1-2 video devices, so this is a new expense.

Manufactures don’t say if the SSD can be upgraded or if it is soldered in place. Cloud storage is not practical when in hotels or cruise ships (remember those good old days – big ships like hotels, all meals & entertainment included).

Let me end this rant with a few questions:

1> Is any computer representative reading that can comment on the downsized port?

2> Is any chip manufacturer reading that can comment on SD vs micro SD reliability (yes I know - one additional connection to be concerned about)?

3> Any recommendations for a fast USC-C/thunderbolt to SD reader?

Thanks for reading my unload.

In my humble opinion if an image is worth retouching and saving, I save it it Photoshop format .psd

This stops the compression. Then for sharing, further cropping or outside printing, I will then save the image as a .jpg with a more descriptive name.

So in my case, if I have a PSD its been subject to post processing.

Thank you for the reply.

I am NOT serious about video shooting of action sports. I take 12-15 video per year of a young boys soccer game.

Like so many Hogs I only want to add to my lens collection that will let me better do these few events.

I shoot some video of my 9 year old nephew’s soccer games. I use a Canon T6s and the results are fine to keep mementos of his playing career.

The lenses I use are the Canon EF-S 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM and the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM. Both lenses seem to focus fast enough for the pace of the kid’s play.

But (there is always a but!), I need something in-between. I’m shooting on a tripod from about midfield. The longer lens is great for action at either end of the field, but when the kids come towards me at the sidelines I can’t zoom out enough. And of course the 18-135 is great when the play is close to me, but not long enough when the play moves across the field and towards the goals. Some games I've switched lens when they take a brreak. I shoot uninterrupted for about 12 minutes at a time.

I’m asking for a recommendation for a low to mid-priced lens that still has the fast focus necessary for HD 1080p video work. Most of the reviews I find for something 18-200/300 talk about IQ but I have yet to find much discussion about VIDEO fast focusing. As there are only 12-15 games per year I don’t want to spend too much and would consider an older/used lens.

I am content with my lens selections for still work (I also have the EF-S 10-18mm at the wide end of my equipment and a 50mm 1.4)

Did you ever post the finished image.

(Sorry, if I missed the picture if you posted in a different thread.)

This link has capsule reviews of PAY and FREE video editors.

https://www.techradar.com/best/best-video-editing-software-premium-free

Remember when film & processing could eat up hundreds of dollars per month?

Remember when Adobe Creative Suite cost almost $2,500 and we'd update every now and then for only $1,600?

Remember .when gas cost 29 cents per gallon?

Remember when a new Ford Mustang was $1,995?

There are few hobbies where we don't pay. There are few costs that have not risen overtime time.

Sure use a "free" solution and take pictures with a film camera. Time and costs march on. Grow up and face the facts.

Does anyone use either of these lenses for VIDEO work? I film kids sports events for family use. My concern is focus speed. I'm using a Canon 70-300 II which is a great lens until the kids get close to me. I need something wider. My Canon 18-135 does not have enough reach when they are across the field.

Image quality for sports video use is not as important as focus speed.

Thanks in advance.

Does anyone have experience with Canon CarePAK PLUS warranty? Canon sent me an email selling the service.

Has anyone ever filed a claim for damage to equipment (camera and/or lens)? What was the result?

I think its important to ask if the photographer has worked in the selected venue befor3e. If so ask to see some samples of his work.

Last month I bought a Canon 70-300 lens when it briefly dipped to $449. The salesman clearly explained there was a 15% restocking fee on items that were returned form selected departments most notably camera as too many people were "renting" equipment with the no-restock policy.

I will continue to shop Best Buy, at least I can touch and feel an item before making my purchase. In my part of Orange County California I only know of 3 stores with a 15 mile radius. I shop them when I am nearby. But I have 5 Best Buy stores with the same radius and 2 within walking distance of my part time New York address.

In the last few weeks we kicked around the topic of CLONE BATTERIES vs GENUINE. I shared that I had purchased a "genuine" battery from Amazon only to have it fail very early. I thought it was an isolated instance.

My local newspaper, The Los Angeles Times posted this story Sunday 10/28/18: http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-amazon-counterfeits-20180928-story.html

My interest was peeked, so a little more searching and I found a Forbes magazine story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshepard/2018/01/14/fuse-chicken-vs-amazon-is-the-david-vs-goliath-lawsuit-to-watch-in-2018/#597f27575115

It is shocking to learn that Amazon may be comingling stock from different sources into the same warehouse bins. So from what I read, even order "direct from Amazon" may not be enough to guarantee a genuine product.

I bought some too-good-to-be-true "genuine" canon batteries on ebay, only to have them fail after a few months. I have also bought "genuine" laptop batteries from Amazon only to discover they were counterfeit (and within the return window).

Look at these articles:
https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2015/10/28/counterfeit-battery-fakes-with-risks
https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/explore/product-showcases/about-counterfeits

As so many have said "you get what you pay for." We are already saving so much money we once spent on film and processing I no longer feel badly about buying batteries from authorized outlets.