Just when dpreview.com enthusiastically uses the words "Gold Standard" in its review of the Nikon D750, there is a cacophony of internet chatters of what reminiscent of the oil spots of the old Nikon D600 not so long ago--the Nikon D750, at least quite a number of them, demonstrably exhibits some blocked flares in Live View and in pictures when shooting towards the light. Personally I think it's a problem. I can begrudgingly live with its square eyepiece, its top 1/4000s shutter speed and less than stellar buffer. But this is not something a consumer signs up for, for paying $2,300 or $230 and got some weird blocked flare. And I don't believe it's a feature or any acceptable by-product of shooting in sub optimal conditions. If one thinks one does not have this problem or it's not a problem, I say more power to you but just don't go around and belittle folks who have this demonstrable problem.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Parts Direct from NikonUSA
Sometimes I think I live in a dream state. I don't know if what I experience is real or not.
I just noticed that Nikon USA is selling parts directly online. You can go ahead replace a tripod mount, a zoom rubber ring of your favorite lens with genuine parts directly from NikonUSA.
I just noticed that Nikon USA is selling parts directly online. You can go ahead replace a tripod mount, a zoom rubber ring of your favorite lens with genuine parts directly from NikonUSA.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Lee Jeans and other thoughts
These two jeans bear the same 200-0147 designation and look almost identical. The newer one seems to have slightly longer belt loops and wider leg openings. It could be because the newer jeans are not worn nor washed after manufacture, no shrinkage yet. The faded one has the scovill zipper while the new condition pair has the talon 42 zipper. I am actually surprised to see a Gap hang tag there. I witnessed Gap selling Levi's in the late 80s but never Lee. Apparently at some point in time somewhere a Gap carried Lee jeans 200-0147.
Lee 200-0147 with talon 42 zipper. Notice the belt loop on the right, it actually looks or is longer. Is it an anomaly or a genuine design that accommodates the extra thickness of the belt going through the second time? If so, I can really appreciate the thought goes in there. It's fascinating.
Is the six belt loops construct better than five? I am not sure. Maybe it causes less stress on the belt. But it somehow lessens if not destroys the symmetry. Taylor Stitch jeans. Worn and washed many times. I don't know what people are thinking when they insist not washing their raw denims.
I like the seven belt loops and the cross bar tacks on the back pockets of Lee jeans. Most other jeans, except for really big waist size only use five belt loops which in my mine is not optimum but not a deal breaker. Some jeans even go for six, with the two in the front, two on the hips and two in the back, and none in the middle! Again, not a deal breaker. What I find disturbingly appalling is a slanted belt loop in the back, as if it is some real clever design, do they do this so they can sew the loop easier without the folded layers of thick fabric? I have no idea. The 200-0147 is not made of selvedge but I like the material, dye and the subsequent fade which is very distinct from Levi's 501. I can say not all selvedge is the same or good.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Another New York Mystery
These news and sundry items kiosks dot the Manhattan streets and subway stations. I always think to myself where is the bathroom? One time on the number 7 train platform in Grand Central, I peeked in I think I saw bottles of cream soda that's not in cream soda bottle perfectly lined against the side wall. Another time, a man inside the kiosk with his left hand down in front of his torso told his customer to hold on a sec ....
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Living Together
Leave the toilet seat up
Clean the toilet bowl
Clean the wash basin, absolutely no hair
Remove shower debris from the bathtub or shower drain, absolutely no hair
Prepare meals
Clean the dishes
Clean the kitchen sink, absolutely no food debris on the sink strainer
Load and unload the dishwasher
Do laundry and fold them
Turn or leave the light off or on
Fill up the gas tank
Drive the kids to school
Grocery shopping
Open the mail
Pay credit card, mortgage, car ... bills
Sort the recycle from the garbage
Take out the garbage and recycle
Monday, December 08, 2014
2014 Long Island Cyclocross in Kings Park
I couldn't ask for a better first cyclocross shooting experience.
There were some valuable lessons learned. My camera is not exactly water proof or resistant after 4 hours in the rain, LL Bean wading jacket is neither despite its Gore-tex designation (granted it's 4 years old). Good thing I had another pull-over kayak paddling jacket worn underneath. I was able to keep body dry the whole time which I think is important. People buy expensive gears for very good reasons if you were to shoot in all conditions professionally. Me ain't professional, toward the end of the shoot, my camera LCD was blown and the AF acted somewhat erratically. My makeshift double zip lock bags rain cover couldn't save my camera in the end. It was too dark for me to shoot anyway. The venue was the abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center.
There were some valuable lessons learned. My camera is not exactly water proof or resistant after 4 hours in the rain, LL Bean wading jacket is neither despite its Gore-tex designation (granted it's 4 years old). Good thing I had another pull-over kayak paddling jacket worn underneath. I was able to keep body dry the whole time which I think is important. People buy expensive gears for very good reasons if you were to shoot in all conditions professionally. Me ain't professional, toward the end of the shoot, my camera LCD was blown and the AF acted somewhat erratically. My makeshift double zip lock bags rain cover couldn't save my camera in the end. It was too dark for me to shoot anyway. The venue was the abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center.
Thursday, December 04, 2014
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Joshua Wong Recording Before Arrest
In his most somber, humbled and foreboding tone, Joshua Wong gives us the following,
"This morning, some time later, Mongkok will likely be cleared out. I don’t know if I will be arrested, if so, detained for 20 hours or 30 hours or whatever. All I really want to say is if arrested, I will be rendered incommunicado for 2 or 3 days. I really hope our pan democratic friends can continue their legislature fight and reconsider the referendum. On the street, our two occupied areas, in Admiralty and Causeway Bay, every line of defense, every iron barricade should be protected. This movement, already going on for two months; I really hope, I hope this recording won’t be aired, if it does, it means I am already under arrest, in detention. I hope NPCSC can rescind their decision and reconvene political reform … to become a reality. This movement, I fight for fruition not for retreat. I hope while I am in detention, we can hang on, to persevere … we can’t afford to lose."
Post by 學民思潮 Scholarism.
Friday, November 28, 2014
How to crack an egg
Every time I crack an egg I am faced with the debilitating decision, do I crack it on the counter top or do I crack it on the rim of a beating bowl? I have heard argument that if you crack the egg on the rim, chances are some broken pieces of the shell may get into the egg, so one should crack it on the flat counter top. Personally I don't find either way makes any difference at all. Still, every time I prepare any egg dishes I pause a little to contemplate. Should I crack it on the rim or on the surface?
Sunday, November 23, 2014
RAM
PS: If you have a retina display MBP, congratulations, you are stuck with whatever memory that comes with the machine. No upgrade can be done to the RAM, short of buying a new one. More power to Apple. The mid 2012 non retina MBP models are quite possibly the last machines that are user upgradable.
Dude, leave the bottom button undone
Stephen Fung no doubt in my mind is a good looking talented dude who deserves to walk the red carpet just as much as Joan Chen and the other dude on the far right. But I have to ask why, why button up the bottom button? I will overlook everything but why the bottom button? I totally get rules are meant to be broken, by iconoclast, but look what happens when you button the bottom button of a jacket. You look restrained, uncomfortable and constipated. Dude, don't do that.
We don't need no stinking "Still"
She is beautiful, period.
I would refrain from using the word "Still" or "依舊" It just reminds people, OKAY, me, she should be old, fat and ugly. Even though she is not, but the word "still" or "依舊" just conjures up the image of an old, fat and ugly has-been actress that just couldn't be shaken loose.
Saturday, November 08, 2014
Star Track Fall 2014 Finale
I am a stubborn person. I am pretty adamant in shooting everything in aperture priority. But for this finale I shot almost exclusively in shutter priority with exposure compensation at -1 to compensate the blacktop. I don't like the face being blown by highlight so most of the time, I set at -1/3 anyway for a sunny day like this, I dialed it -1 full stop and I am happy I did. I am really curious, how a AF-S lens performs in terms of auto focus. My AF-D 80-200 is not bad I guess that's because I have never shot using an AF-S in the range in the situation.
Friday, November 07, 2014
How to Peel a Banana
http://instagram.com/p/vFUOA2pnsG/
Every time I eat a banana I am confronted with a hard choice. A little voice inside my head asks Should I peel it from this end or the other end? I pride myself doing things the right way like always not button up the bottom button of a jacket. And if I do it the wrong way I like to be doing it the right wrong way knowingly. Doing it wrong when you think is right or doing it right when you think is wrong is frustrating and maddenning.
Thursday, November 06, 2014
Fun with Train
The evening commute is always full of unpleasant surprises.
I guess I am still experimenting my route back home. Or in other words, I still live in a fantasy world thinking that by changing my route home, I can somehow magically cut down my commute time. While the truth of the matter is the commute is unpredictable, unbearable, unpleasant and mostly soul crushing at all time. All of a sudden, the N train was stuck in the station not moving, no train was going uptown or Queens. You were told to take the downtown train across the platform. By the time you walked up and down the stair, some Queens bound R train came. Now the downtown Q train was not moving. You walked back to the uptown and Queens bound platform the train was gone you waited for three more trains before you boarded your train ....
Parent teacher conference
Parent teacher conference was a foreign concept to me. Like one country two systems, rule by laws in China or something. Despite what the name suggests it is not really any conference. I never submitted any research paper or such. It is more like meet your kid's teachers and talk three talk four In the span of 2 or 3 minutes. Though honestly I have no idea what other parents talk about. How come little George got a C in Math? Because he is dumb and lazy. I have no idea. I like the idea to put a face on the name. Does that face live up to that alleged mean spirit my kid complains about? I wonder. I have the naivete to think that by showing up you show that you care about the kid's education and in turn the teacher cares or cares more knowing that you care enough to show up. That's my theory. It is like you put on a show from 5 to 8 what makes you think if nobody shows up? What makes me hate parent teacher conference is it's hectic you run between different floors like an idiot trying to meet all the teachers. What makes it more unpleasant is when some asshole parents acting they own the teacher totally ignore the allotted 2-3 minutes, pandering to the teachers with shit eating smiles ...
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
Mid Week Reflections
Or what I am thinking on my morning commute if I am not sleeping ...
I am still waiting for Fran Lebowitz's novel. I hope it comes out before she dies or I die.
Did I vote? I did. It's multiple choice questions with seemingly no right answers. So I just filled the ovals with dark ink like any mildly competent students taking any public exams. Easy.
I know none of the words from the Word of the Day push notification. I begin my day with affirmation that I am a semi illiterate. Depressing.
I don't know what I did in my Geography class in junior high. Perhaps that's exactly why. Every time I try to find the best exit at the subway station I feel like a total idiot. What does it mean the South Side of Queens Boulevard? Inevitably, invariably and tragically I will exit the wrong one and walk the opposite direction. No amount of Google Map and Apple Map on my iPhone can help. Just sad.
Monday, November 03, 2014
PhotoPlus Expo 2014 p11
Lucas Gilman presents his D810 Icelandic photo trip and more. Inspiring shots and tips straight from the horse's mouth. The guy is candid and generous.
PhotoPlus Expo 2014 p10
The photographer and the model are engaging. Not trying to put down anyone but I think they are the winning team among many of the teams there on the floor.
PhotoPlus Expo 2014 p6
PhotoPlus Expo 2014 p4
The Nikon D750 stripped of its skin. More Nikkor lenses on display. I didn't bother to ask to play with any lenses, the experience usually makes me sad.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
PhotoPlus Expo 2014 p3
The church of Nikon is in its usual location, right at the right of the entrance. Attendees were greeted with its yellow plastic fantastic bags which were in generous display and ample supply everywhere on the floor, just like all prior years. The first thing I asked the Nikon rep I met was the Calendar. Nikon used to give them out. Alas it stopped last year and there was none this year either. What a let down. The truth is there are really fewer freebies each year. Did Kodak even bother to show up? I don't think so. Fuji still came this year and they were giving out instant pictures and prints. Pretty generous of them.
Sean demoing the "drone" which was used for shooting "Dedicated."
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