Archive for September 2011
Five Quick digiKam Tricks
Tip #1
To quickly adjust thumbnail size in the Album view, press and hold the Ctrl key, then use the mouse scroll wheel to make the thumbnails larger or smaller.
Tip #2
With the Non-Destructive editing and Versioning feature enabled, digiKam automatically hides originals and displays the latest modified versions of the photos. For example, if you process a NEF file and save it in the JPEG format, digiKam hides the original RAW file and shows only the JPEG photo. To disable this feature, choose Settings → Configure digiKam → Editing Images and make sure that the Always show original images option in the In main view section is enabled. To keep things tidy, you can then group the original and all its versions. To do this, select the photos you want to group, right-click on the selection, and choose Group → Group Selected Here.
Tip #3
If you receive the The trash has reached its maximum size! Cleanup the trash manually error message and emptying the Trash doesn’t help, then the following command may solve the problem:
rm ~/.local/share/Trash/metadata
Tip #4
Need to quickly locate all untagged photos? In digiKam, expand the Search left sidebar, and press the Advanced Search button. In the Advanced Search window, tick the Not Tagged check box and press OK to run the search.
Tip #5
Instead of the conventional thumbnail view, digiKam lets you map your photos on a globe. Choose View → Map, and you should see photos from the current album mapped on the 3-D globe.
You can then use the mouse to rotate the globe and the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Obviously, the Map view displays only geotagged photos.
Фото Jambu Extension for Google Chrome and Chromium
Фото Jambu is a little extension I originally cobbled together for an article in Linux Magazine. The extension demonstrated a simple but clever technique of embedding a website into a popup. In this case, I used the excellent Galleria framework to create a photo gallery extension.
When I delivered the article, I decided to repurpose the extension and use it as a showcase for my snaps. The source code is available at GitHub, and you can easily install the extension from the Google Web Store.
Lens Loop Tokyo Field Test
Lens Loop is a relatively new product which started its life as a Kickstarter project. It’s a simple camera strap made from seatbelt webbing designed as a budget alternative to similar solutions on the market. I received my Lens Loop just before our trip to Tokyo, so I had an excellent opportunity to field test the strap.
Lens Loop is a very simple product which consists of two components: an adjustable strap and a mount screw. But its simplicity, along with the low price, makes Lens Loop an ideal solution for photographers who don’t feel like forking out for more expensive alternatives like BlackRapid straps. I used Lens Loop with my Nikon D5000, and the combo served me well during the entire trip. The only niggle is that the strap is slightly too wide for my shoulders, so I had to adjust it regularly, so it didn’t rub on my neck. With Lens Loop you can have your camera resting on your hip, or you can sling it on your back. In both cases, the camera remains easily accessible, which allowed me to bag several shots that I would have otherwise missed. In fact, I was surprised how handy this seemingly simple solution actually was. If you shoot mostly indoors, Lens Loop is not a product for you, but it can come in rather useful for those practising the art of street photography.
Disclaimer: I was the project’s backer on Kickstarter, but I’m not affiliated with Lens Loop in any way.
