SPW & ZPS

To keep right up to date with developments in digital cameras, you simply MUST visit the excellent online Digital Photography Review website. Whilst there, sign up for their weekly newsletter - it's FREE. Excellent in-depth reviews, with a good selection of samples taken using each camera will enable you to find out what's really what. The information and sample photo are exactly what concerned workers require. There really is NO other website offering such a wealth of information. Click here to visit NOW! http://www.dpreview.com

I highly recommend RAM Def XTreme (clicking on this link will enable you to download the small exe file to look after your computer's memory. Save it to your hard drive - it has been checked by us using PC-cillin 2005 Internet Security Suite and is downloadable directly from this website for your convenience). In my opinion, ESSENTIAL as can totally prevent any hang-ups or freezes due memory problems. Superb utility, bar none! This is a small download, installs easily and places three icons on Desktop. I recommend deleting two - one refers to TRAY and other to SILENT. When you run first time, via remaining icon, gives opportunity to configure - very good help files, easy to set-up. Works automatically in background. Make sure you set CUSTOM level to 10 MB as then only frees up and defrags memory when down to that level. Shows in tray as chart or numerical memory level values.

To check what is starting up with your computer - often you can find several entries for the same thing, which of course causes delays and clashes - download this file to your Desktop - or other location where you can easily find it of course. Sart it up and it should show all the programmes and utilities that are starting up and using resources when you start your computer. Use the menu item OPTIONS and set to Run At Startup (put a tick against this item by clicking on it) - you will find a short dialogue box appears during boot-up giving you the option to change any of your startup options, should you ever wish to change any perhaps for just one occasion.

Click on any of the shown items and use the menu item STARTUP and select as appropriate for each item listed. Remember that you can always go back and re-enable if you find any problems. Generally, look for things like the Power items appearing twice, anti-virus items that appear twice - or perhaps even finding two different AV programmes installed - if so, ensure you disable the one you do not want only! You can select to ASK or whatever you feel happiest with. Definiely disable (=NEVER) things like Quick Time, and Media Players, Microsoft programmes (Like Office, Publisher, Word, etc. because you can start them when you want to use them - no need to have them running in the backgrouhnd, using up memory and resources). If in any doubt - send me an e-mail listing everything and I will try to help. Click here for the file: WINSTART-MANAGER and remember to select to SAVE to your hard drive as mentioned previously.

We have used Helen Leason's excellent booking agency for a number of years for our Photo Society's Annual Meets. Click on the spinning "PP" logo to visit her website

If you are not a member of the Zone 8 Photographic Society (membership details are available by sending an e-mail using the link shown) you will not have access to the free advice facility on photographic conventional, digital imaging and related computing topics nor all other membership benefits such as Newsletters, informative e-mailouts, Forum, Gallery, Meets, Technical Information Leaflets, etc!

Updated: Wednesday 23 August, 2006 23:14

ZPS President Bruce Carter's website: http://www.brucesphotography.co.uk