Pics from the newest MerfCam (and Epcot too!)

[mousermerf]

This update serves two purposes..

#1 To show the latest updates from Epcot

#2 Show how my new camera is working out - so the images are merely resized, but otherwise untouched.. which means you'll get to see just how many bad photos I take per update!

New Camera is a Kodak easyshare Z812 IS (The "IS" means Image Stabilization, but I can't tell any difference).

Into the park..

Ok, aside from being a fairly crummy sorta dark photo - the important thing I was trying to capture is that A) there's a refurb wall infront of the planter which is home to a tipboard, and B) they removed the larger/older trees on the other side of the path.

Viewed from the monorail, the refurb wall is concealing that they've removed a large section of the concrete. I wonder why..

Anywho, I did bother to try to get better photos, but it was starting to rain and I dont know how water proof the camera is yet..

See? Three photos just to try and convey one simple point. Maybe i should just type out updates?

Moving on..

Fountain View looks to have completed its paint job, including what appears to be a refreshing of the beige color on the low wall. I kinda wish they'd completely replace the signage, but oh well.

Elsewhere, blue tile abatement appears to have completed:

And SSE probably shouldn't vanish into the sky.. but that's both my fault and really crummy lighting.

All the old plants are replaced with new young ones, which makes the area feel much more open.

But there's an access road right behind that short hedge.. where this WDW Van was parked..

Really barely noticeable though, and it will surely grow in soon.

Over to SSE where it looks like it did last week..

But it's a good opportunity to try out some camera setting to see what i can reveal..

And there'll be another post in just a few!

 

[mousermerf]

At some point during the day I know i changed the compression moe on the camera from standard to fine, which i think bumped up image quality - but i cant see it yet. If you notice where i did that, lemme know..

Back to SSE.. I think this is my first photo with the lower-light setting.

And now i'm gonna put that 12x zoom to use..

Yup, still there! But, from another angle I prove i still suck at photography.

Eh, that was picture 13 anyways. Over to Wonders of Life and the selection of merchandise next to the booking signing setup is growing.

Each time an author comes and does a signing they bring some sort of merch to sell too. The shelves were practically barren the first weekend, but are filling up nicely now - and have some neat stuff.

I found these things.. they're Epcot themed!

And here's the other two shelves that aren't really filled yet..

Off to World Showcase.. where I prove the tarps are down via "zoom"

My old camera would of made these all pixelated and ugly. These are only bad because of me!

More in moments.

 

[mousermerf]

Zoom zoom zoom.. This is someone taking a photo in Germany..

And here's where the camera says to stop zooming, because image quality goes to poo afterward..

But if you force it, you can go this far..

Which, not surprisingly, is crappy. But look how far away I was!

Enough of that nonsense.. let's look at this nonsense instead..

And i'm still washing out SSE.. bleh

Oy, still.

Well, let's look at the mural again, with yet another camera setting..

And SSE again - i'm gettin there..

I gave up for a bit - hehe, waited for the sun to go down by going to MK.

 

[mousermerf]

Oh it gets "fun" from here on.. Watch me try to take night photos - please keep the laughing to a minimum.

Mural..

And mural..

And a really poor photo of the mural..

Good news, there's still stuff to update on left in this thread! Guest Relations has the old West Innoventions Hallway heritage photos behind their desk now on the wall..

If only I could take a decent photo..

These got progressively worse and eventually I gave up, refusing to just go inside and take a picture. I have my pride.

But no good photo of it, oh well. Off to Imagination to experiment with the fountain..

I thought the above photo came out poorly at the time, so i tried another setting.

Which looks way too harsh to me.. So i tried again..

And it was really my ticket straight to blurry town. Oh well, i tried. So there you have it - my exploits at Epcot today, unretouched for your camera-purchasing-knowledge and enjoyment. I'll throw up some videos in a few..

 

[Spyne]

Wow, some great pictures Merf. Looks like a good enough camera to me that you have.

 

[TheBeatles]

I wish I could always photo update EPCOT!

 

[mousermerf]

Movie time!

First, a mid-quality (of my setting choices) video, which i then shrunk down fairly small (it was shot in 600x400 or somethin) and ran some basic compression over, so it fuzzes out a smidge.

http://www.mediafire.com/?1z2qs1uwxyt

It noticeably changed the color of SSE when i shot the video, Look blue/green in the video, but in reality looked pink/orange. Odd.

Off to the super quality "HD" level video.. Which oddly enouh, on my HD TV looks fabulous but on the PC is pixelated in the dark area.. foo.. Anywho, very minimally compressed aside from an extreme downsizing - it barely wanted to run on my PC at first (yet the camera played it with ease onto my TV).

http://www.mediafire.com/?1z2qs1uwxyt

 

[DarkMeasures]

My Easyshare broke when I moved last may... it makes me sad. Especially since there is the internet rule "pics or it doesn't exist."

 

[mousermerf]

Oh, so folks buying cameras and such know.. I did take a HD video of the Fountain of Nation doing a show, sitting on a mini-tripod off to the side by Club Cool - and it would of been GREAT.. if.. i had bothered to turn off the continuous focus It constantly kept trying to focus on various plumes of water as they shot up.

Single focus for video, single focus..:brick:

Also, on the HD widescreen video setting my 2GB high speed SD card can only hold like 20minutes.

 

[kstella]

Wow! With zoom like that you could almost become a paparazzi! Enjoyed the pics very much. You may think some were really bad, but at least you got to be there, while I'm stuck here in Wisconsin for another month and a half. Even though the weather has been like Florida, there's still no mouse!

 

[mousermerf]

Something i just remembered and I couldn't photograph:

The Epcot 25 signs are still up on the autoplaza (and SSE). It's nice that they're still tellin peeps about it.

Also, the gallery had at least 10-15 people in it at around 7:30pm. That's a decent sized crowd considering all the surround areas of the park were abandoned.

 

[lunarsquid]

your washed-out SSE photos would be fine with a little photoshop hoodoo...

 

[lilredfoxie]

thanks merf for another great photo update, I cant wait to go to WDW next year in August!

Can I make a photo request, for anyone on here, I'm wondering what the one part of Innoventions looks like that is supposedly covering the old Julie and IO backstage magic theater, I think it was the Home of the Future exhibit.

Also is there any rehab walls up by the Magic Eye Theater since Honey I shurnk the Audience is closed

 

[goofyfan13]

Just out of curiosity, is the entrance loop back to normal, or are they still playing old Epcot music? I haven't been back since Monday.

Thanks for the photos!

 

[mousermerf]

Went back to Ratatouille soundtrack, for food and wine. The gallery still plays retro music though.

 

[goofyfan13]

Went back to Ratatouille soundtrack, for food and wine. The gallery still plays retro music though.

Thats good, at least theres still somewhere to go there that I can get my fix.

 

[imamouse]

Hey Merf - thanks for the photo update. You did a great job considering you are getting used to all of the bells and whistles of your new toy. I have a Kodak Z7590 (10X optical zoom), which I love.

By any chance did you see any 25th anniversary merchandise left? International gateway gifts perhaps?

 

[Mikester71]

Thanks for sharing Merf. Loved the videos and pictures and I feel your pain when it comes to picture-taking prowess. I have been to WDW two times in the past two years and with two different cameras and video cameras and am still trying for the perfect picture and video. I either get the blurry and out-of-focus photos or the video that keeps trying to focus on one thing or another. :brick:Will I ever learn!!!! Wife got a new camera yesterday for her birthday and we are going again in 2009, so only time will tell! :shrug:

 

[devoy1701]

hey merf!

I just bought a new camera too. A Kodax Easyshare V1253. Bought it just because my old Kodak v570 couldn't take night shots at all. I got lots of blurry shots too first time I went to MK with my new camera so no worries...guess it just takes some practice... I love being able to take pics in viturally no light with the flash off tho. Thanks for the pics and the attempts!

 

[Master Yoda]

The night shots that you have are out of focus due to the camera moving during a long exposure. Here is a little trick I use to get those hand held night shots in focus. Turn on continuous mode on your camera and snap 4 or 5 photos. Chances are at least one will be in focus.