Tag: Nikon Zf

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 22, 20267:55 pm

In Defense of Reading Books

Another book sale weekend at the local library (University Heights)—as designated by the third Saturday of the month (today is fourth Sunday)—is but memory. Our good friend Kerry, whom we hadn’t seen for more than three years, visited yesterday—so, I missed the better of the two days.

But I hauled my butt the 0.8-kilometer (half-mile) walk and looked for books for the women; I brought back a Moosewood cooking follow-up for my wife and two tomes on herbs for our daughter. I saw little that interested me.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 21, 20269:04 pm

Wedding Bells or Something Else?

While walking home from San Diego Zoo on Sept. 27, 2025, I passed by some kind of gathering or event at the Greek Orthodox Church on Park Blvd in Hillcrest. Being Thursday, I doubted a religious service was underway or ending. But what??

I initially assumed wedding, but on closer consideration funeral appeared to be another reasonable possibility. The people looked cheerer than somber, more befitting a wedding, dedication of child, or something similar.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 20, 20268:50 pm

Near Miss?

Minutes earlier, the kid on the left had been doing wheelies down Monroe in my neighborhood of University Heights. Not being a thru street (right turn only on Texas), traffic tends to be light compared to Madison or Mission on either side. I sometimes see roller skaters on Mississippi either at Monroe or Mission. So, these daredevils weren’t out of place, but the electric bike meant increased speed and risk.

I set up the shot, for their approach. You can see them coming upon Louisiana but turned towards one another rather than looking ahead. Meanwhile, the driver is somewhat blinded by the late-day sun as she turns Westwardly. There is no indication that she sees the distracted bikers.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 19, 20269:21 pm

A Different Kind of Car Rental

The Featured Image is one of those off-chance opportunities—assuming anyone but me gets it. On May 6, 2025, as I walked along Alabama Street in my neighborhood of University Heights, something snagged my attention: An apartment building’s “For Rent” sign visible through a car’s front windows. The fabricated illusion: The owner of the vehicle seeks someone to rent it, to live in.

In San Diego County, such an idea isn’t far-fetched whatsoever. An estimated one in four homeless people live in some kind of vehicle, whether car, RV, truck, or van. Across the county, the number reportedly exceeds as much as 65,000 people.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 18, 20269:57 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Bouncer

I don’t know whether or not Captain Blackbeard is still around, but this is where he lives (or lived). I used Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens to capture the Featured Image on May 6, 2025. Vitals: f/6.3, ISO 125, 1/500 sec, 200mm; 9:49 a.m. PDT.

This fine feline earns nickname Bouncer, because of the sign. I have seen the feisty furball on other occasions, but this was the only photographic opportunity to date. I don’t recall the last time I saw the Captain.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 7, 20269:25 pm

There’s No Mending This Broken ARM

I love the battery life, design, performance, and weight of Samsung Galaxy4 Edge, which I acquired in June 2024. But software compatibility is a sticking point nearly two years later. The laptop packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 processor. Not all applications—too few, actually—run natively om the ARM architecture.

In contrast, compatibility is nearly universal for Windows 11 on x86 chips. Intel’s newest microprocessors are more competitive with ARM, particularly enabling long battery life. Samsung releases new Panther Lake laptops on March 11, 2026, and I seriously consider getting one. ARM is broken for too many applications.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 3, 20269:42 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Zigi

I don’t recall where my wife and I encountered Zigi (real name). The shorthair was very active, making for a challenging photographic subject. In the Featured Image, Zigi looks high, responding to the sounds of birds. By appearances, the tabby readied to climb the tree. But instead he (or she) came looking for pats (and Annie gave many).

Both shots come from Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens. Vitals: f/8, ISO 280, 1/1250 sec, 110mm; 12:09 p.m. PST. The other: f/8, ISO 10000, 1/1000 sec, 400mm; 12:13 pm. Captured Christmas Day 2025.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 21, 20269:25 pm

The Bear Necessities

My wife and I don’t go to San Diego Zoo as much as we should. Our current membership expires in April, and I can’t guarantee that we would renew. Perhaps more negligent, I have a trove of unpublished photos from numerous visits that really should be shared with you.

Let’s start with one, and surely no additional identification is necessary, eh? I used Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens to capture the Featured Image on Sept. 27, 2025. Vitals: f/6.3, ISO 400, 1/320 sec, 200mm; 3:51 p.m. PDT. Composed as shot.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 17, 202610:16 pm

The Blue Helmet

A simple photo marks a moment captured and forgotten: April 28, 2025. I walked East on Monroe Street in University Heights, approaching Park Blvd. Something about the bicycle and protruding powder blue helmet caused me to turnabout as I passed and consider a quick shot.

The Featured Image comes from Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens, which I carried that afternoon. Vitals: f/5.3, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec, 43mm; 4:33 p.m. PDT. This particular lens is a favorite for walkabouts. It’s just fast enough and makes convenient shooting intimate closeups from a distance.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 15, 20268:42 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Besties

Duh. Usually when I shoot with the camera, I also capture with the smartphone so there is GPS location information. Guess who neglected to maintain that practice on April 12, 2025. With so much time passed, I don’t recall where the Featured Image was made. Location is unknown.

These two, nicknamed Besties, are the one-hundred-forty-seventh and -eighth felines found behind door or window. The portrait comes from Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens. Vitals: f/7.1, ISO 100, 1/640 sec, 200mm; 2:55 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 10, 202610:28 pm

So Cold, You’ll Hibernate

Flashback to May 2, 2025. My wife and I are walking along Texas Street, between El Cajon and Meade, in our San Diego neighborhood of University Heights. I see a lid for a product for which I am unfamiliar. Ah, hum. Ice Cream for Bears? Is that because of honey used to sweeten rather than cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup?

The company touts the natural sourcing of ingredients, such as milk from grass-fed cows and honey to sweeten. From a complex sugar perspective, honey isn’t as unhealthy as refined sugar.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 9, 20269:36 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Berry

This is one of two kitties seen sunning behind vented screens along Meade (cross-street withheld). You’ll have to wait for a better portrait before the other joins the series. Nickname, for no particular reason: Berry.

I don’t recall the number of furballs featured from the street, but it’s only a handful. To name a few: Amanda; Chipper; Dragon; Honey Bunny; Mittens; Ninja; Pee-Pee; Siamese; Tink; and Vivienne.