Smart Fortwo Convertible
For 2014, the Smart Fortwo gets a few more standard features, including air-conditioning for the base Pure trim level. We've all seen them while trying to park in crowded cities or shopping centers -- those partial parking spots left by those too inconsiderate to park properly. If this maddening scenario is all too familiar, the diminutive 2014 Smart Fortwo can offer relief. At just under 9 feet long, a Smart Fortwo measures nearly 3 feet shorter in length than a Fiat 500, and will thus fit into parking spots normally usable only by motorcycles and scooters. Long popular in crowded European cities, the subcompact Smart Fortwo is a natural fit for urban environments where space, parking and otherwise, is at a premium. Though some may point out the aptly named Fortwo's strictly two-passenger status as a negative, there are plenty of commuters who would consider that a non-issue. The gasoline-powered Fortwo also provides good fuel economy, as it's rated at 36 mpg in combined driving. Of course, there is also the Fortwo Electric Drive, which doesn't use gasoline at all. The 2014 Smart Fortwo is offered in both coupe and convertible (Cabriolet) body styles. Coupes are available in base Pure and better-equipped Passion trim levels. The convertible is only offered in the Passion trim and features a powered soft top with a sunroof-like front section that can be opened independently. The Fortwo Electric Drive is available in a single trim level and can also be had in coupe and convertible body styles.
Ever since I was a kid I've had a fascination with the moon, the planets, and with space in general. I grew up when the Apollo moon program was in full swing and remember very well my parents waking me up to watch Neil Armstrong become the first person to walk on the moon. Those were exciting times. As an adult I still hold this fascination with the moon and the stars, and have always wondered how people captured those stunning pictures of the moon and the planets. Certainly, to photograph the planets you will need something more than your average digital camera, but quality pictures of the moon can be taken if you know how to do it. When most folks take a picture of the moon they usually point their camera at it and fire away. What they wind up with usually looks like a small white blob.
Not exactly what you had in mind is it? If their camera has a zoom they鈥檒l most likely give this a try and wind up with just a bigger white blob. Still not so good. Bigger, but still just a white blob. Because the moon is so bright and the background of space is so dark most initial attempts at photographing the moon come out very over exposed. Next up is usually an attempt at using some of the camera鈥檚 auto settings, such as night shot or the fireworks setting. Unfortunately the results are no different and you鈥檒l have the same white blob for the moon. Is it time to give up? Don鈥檛 despair, with a little know how and the right equipment you can get quality photographs of the moon similar to this. So how do you do it? The first thing to understand is what causes most moon pictures to be so over exposed. One of the most common mistakes photographers make when first attempting to get lunar shots is underestimating the brightness of the moon.
Your camera simply cannot adjust for the contrast between the brightness of the moon and the dark background when set to its auto mode. Your first shots will almost undoubtedly come out overexposed with an ugly bright circle where the moon should have been. To get pictures without this over exposure you will need to make some adjustments to the settings on your camera. It helps immensely to have the right equipment when attempting to photograph the moon. If your lens can accommodate a teleconverter and you have one then use it. A 1.4 teleconverter will increase the focal length of a 200mm lens by 40% to 280mm. I should also mention that you will need a tripod to do this. When you zoom in as much as you鈥檒l be zooming in, your images are much more susceptible to camera shake. A good tripod will save you a lot of frustration and some blurry pictures.
The last thing to consider using is a remote camera trigger. If you do not have one, and most people don鈥檛, then using the timer on your camera will also work. Choosing the correct moon photography settings is critical, and can be one of the hardest things to get right. Because of the variety of shooting conditions, there are no one-size-fits-all camera settings that work in all situations. 16 is OK. You鈥檒l have to play with this to find the right aperture for your camera and the conditions. As a general guideline use an aperture f/11 for a full moon, f/8 for a half moon, and f/5.6 for a quarter moon. Start with a shutter speed of 1/250 to 1/350 and take some test photos. You may have to adjust the shutter speed depending on the phase of the moon and its brightness. Remember that the moon is moving in the night sky as you are photographing it so using a slower shutter speed increases the chances of a blurry image.
