Batteries aren't a problem with Logitech stuff. The small dongle uses USB power and the Logitech M570 Trackball Cordless I've had for six years still has the original two AA Duracells in it. I bought it to use hand held with a laptop. It's a thumb ball but I prefer the finger ball which is only available wired. The wire is not a problem and I often use it rested on the arm of an armchair. I've now got three of them. They don't wear out. £22.99 from Amazon.

Some reviews here...

Amazon_Link

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I'm curious about what buttons a gaming mouse has that are useful for photo editing?

The only improvement I would be looking for is a way of precisely marking arcs for cut-outs etc. Sadly all the software seems to be still lacking here. Even years ago CAD programs were able to draw a smooth arc between 3 dots that you put on the screen. Editing software still can't do that. Possibly a stylus might help.

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Nothing to do with reproduction ratios. That's the same as saying 25ASA film will create a bigger image than 1600ASA film because it will stand up to a bigger enlargement.

If you had such a thing as a 23.7mm x 15.7mm slide to copy it 1:1 with an APS-C camera you would need 2x focal length in front of the camera. 4x focal length slide to sensor. Loss of light will always be 2 stops.

A little known fact with lenses is that you can't focus on an object closer than 1x focal length, so with the above 100mm lens it could be used for greater magnification than 1:1 between 100mm and 200mm in front of the lens centre.

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That's correct. With reproduction ratios sensor size is irrelevant.

At 1:1 the lens will be at 2F and the object will also be at 2F.

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I've nothing against Windows. I just wish it wouldn't change the file times on my pictures. Sometimes I need to know the time they were taken.

I now save a dir listing in each folder with the original (local) times.

It also makes syncing of backups difficult. FAT 32 times are not changed so SD Cards and external USB Drives FAT 32 times should be correct. CD's and DVD's use local times as specified in ISO 9660

Can we have less of the personal attacks.

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I prefer a Logitech Trackman Marble (Trackball) to a mouse unfortunately they only do a wired version. There is a similar wireless one where the ball is operated by the thumb instead of the fingers.

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Probably a waste of time, because Windows will probably change the time again if it feels like!

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Try setting the histogram display to RGB.
Take a photo of a white or grey card in daylight with the camera set to daylight or AWB.

The histogram should just show 3 spikes about 2mm wide directly in line vertically.

I would use RAW + JPG although either should work.
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Wow! The 3D effect on shot 1 is amazing. Not usually associated with a Helios. It's better known for swirly bokeh.

It also looks sharp at the edge, which is normally a bit softer than the sharp centre.

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The K Helecoid is very handy for slide copying along with Side Copier K although some of the latter have a helecoid built in. I bought mine new in the 70's. Still as smooth as butter.

I seem to remember it had it's own instruction manual (or it was part of the K tubes manual).

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