Peeping Tigger

Bouncy bouncy bouncy bouncy

Fun fun fun fun fun

The most wonderful thing about Tigger is!!!!!!!!!!!

  I’m the only one!

I’ve been given the opportunity to play with a 50mm f/1.8 lens (this one), so expect some fun and games with it over the next few days.

Last night I only got 5 minutes with it, but while messing about I discovered I could peep into Tiggers house and see what he was up to. What did I find? Yup, he seems to be peeping on someone else.

Bad Tigger.

The image itself is quite noisy because the camera was on ISO 800. (Not because I’d planned it, but because I forgot to change it from some disastrous night shots I’d taken earlier in the week). That said, I thought it was an OK example of the crazy depth of field possible on this lens. More will follow!

And remember, it’s Tigger spealt…

 T, i, double g, errrrrrrr

Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag

One good thing to come out of the weekend was finally getting to put my camera bag through some proper carry time. Previously, I’d never carried it for more than 20 minutes at a time so I was reluctant to say it was a bag or a bag of sh…

On Saturday, that all changed.

But first, the bag itself!

The Lowepro Slingshot 100 AW

Manufactured by Lowepro, the AW 100 is their entry level sling bag.

This came as an upgrade option for the camera kit I puchased, and at the time I was nervous about it, but though it looked a little more sturdy than the standard Jessops bag.

According to Lowepro, it’s possible to store a “Digital SLR with attached lens; 1 - 2 extra lenses and personal accessories”. Mine currently holds a Digital SLR with 18 - 55 lens, a 55 - 200 lens, a flash gun, a UV filter, a polarizing filter, a Cokin filter kit (with filter box), all the manuals, the extra lens caps, a sun doofer for the end of a lens, that sandisk card holder I mentioned last week, a spare battery, a sink, 2 towels and an emergency 4 star Radisson SAS hotel*.

Now before I begin, let me just point out I’m a big bloke. not big as in a little tall, or a little overweight. I mean big as in I have my own gravity well - small objects keep sticking to me! “Where I walk, I blot out the sun”, that sort of size. 

So anyway, Saturday saw me on an open boat (yes, the one in the picture from last week) and out for the day to Inishfree. Not the island from the poem, the one in the Atlantic, the one which if you miss the next stop is some island with a big copper woman with a book and a torch on it.  I had the bag in it’s backpack position and was pleased to see that not only did the straps fit me (with some slack) but also that it was incredibly comfortable to wear. It felt light and I wasn’t restricted in any way.

Upon beaching on Inishfree, a single click of a strap and the bag shifted from my back to my side, with the camera in a handy position to just lift out as needed. All the kit I needed was easy to get whilst still feeling secure. Watching other people on the island looking for a dry, clean spot to start rooting in their bags I was left feeling all superior - Well done Lowepro!

The handy little extras on their bag where great too. The screen cloth attached in the bag was a life saver for dealing with pesky rain drops and the water proof cover meant the kit all arrived back to base dry and snug - unlike its owner.

By my reckoning, I had the bag on my person for maybe 5 hours on Saturday. not once did I find it a burden. I was so impressed and comfortable with the bag that I ended up out walking on Sunday again to see if I could steal something from the weekends shooting.

To be honest, with the amount of kit I’d bought I was contemplating a new camera bag in the very near future. Now, I think I’ll keep the 100 AW and maybe just buy something to keep the bits I don’t need on a day out and about.

 I don’t plan on rating kit on this site, but if you’re looking for a cheap camera bag and don’t have a lot of kit to haul, this one might be for you.

* OK, so I was exaggerating about the sink, towels and hotel.

Sandisk Large Memory Card Case

During my purchasing frenzy over the last few weeks, I pciked up a Sandisk Large Memory Card Case. It arrived int he post today and after a bit of playing with it I thought I’d post  my initial impressions…

Capable of holding up to 4 memory cards of different shapes and styles (good for me who uses Xd and CF), the case is quite robust and looks likely to survive a decent amount of pounding. The inside of the case is a snazzy red rubber mold which holds all the cards I’ve tried quite well.

I have only two concerns.

Firstly, it stinks. Yes, stinks as in smells funny. When open there is a funny rubbery plastic smell - it reminds me of a musty wetsuit to be honest. All I can hope is it passes.

Secondly, the latches to secure the case closed look flimsy. Really flimsy. Now I know I didn’t buy some secure case which would take a professional burgler three weeks and an arc welder to break into, but these look like they’re going to break before I ever get around to using my spare CF card. After 30 minutes of use they are already beginning to show that familiar white line on the hinge thats common to plastic attrition.

Still, at less than £3 from Amazon I expect it’ll survive long enough.

Learning To Snap

Starter for 10?

Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a closet gadget freak.

“If you don’t have the toys, you ain’t got the talent”

 I know I’m deluded.

 I asked a few people what they regarded as the minimum kit for starting digital photography. I got a combination of answers, which boiled down to two basic stand points.

1. Decent camera, good fixed lens, tripod, flash gun, remote
2. Decent camera

Who’s right?

Well it’s too early for me to tell, and it’s probably always going to be a matter of opinion I guess. I went with option 1 to feed my need for the shiny.

 But, I can tell you one thing.

As I slogged across a beach in the rain at the weekend with my camera bag with extra lens, charger, manuals, flash gun, etc etc etc and then a second bag with a tripod in it, I grew to appreciate the simple practicality of option 2.

… Of course maybe I just need a bigger better bag…

You bought a what now?

That’s basically what my wife said when I arrived home with a brand new shiny camera.

After months of reading, debating, panicking, planning, surfing the web for the best deal, some general humming (with an occasional ha). I baulked, walked into town and handed my credit card over in Jessops, said the immortal words “I am a camera noob, make it hurt”

Credit to them, they were very helpful, appeared knowledgeable (like I would know!) and got me a camera and some toys with little or no fuss.

So, I’m now the proud owner of a Canon EOS 400D, flash gun thingy, kit lens, Tamron 55 - 200mm lens and some other stuff like batteries and memory cards. I’d lay it all out and take a photo, but I’m shy.

So, here’s one from dpreview

We’ve been together now for a few weeks and it’s safe to say love may be blooming.

Learning To Snap