After a very high recommendation from a friend, I bought this rod for another friend. He likes to kayak fish and had been wanting to catch Halibut. He had been out several times and had not much luck catching a Halibut or anything else really. The very first day he used this pole he caught a 3 1/2 ft Halibut and the 2nd time he used it he caught another one too. This rod rocks. He says it holds up great in a fish fight but gives great sensitivity on the bottom too. So double thumbs up.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Awesome! leather beer holster!
So want to be active and keep your drinking hands free? I know it sure can use free hands :-) Check this out!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Go cast iron for life :-)
I own three pieces of cast iron cookware, and this item is one of them... and among my favorite cooking implements, period. In fact, I use this skillet most of all, and it doesn't even have a place in a cabinet! I keep it on the stove permanently, for that is how often I use it.
Beware that cast iron is not a quickie-cooking component (it takes time for the iron to heat, and it takes experience to gauge the iron's "perfect temperature" for sensitive dishes), but for dishes requiring steady, even heat and for cooks who require durable cookware with easy clean-up, cast iron CANNOT be beat!
This skillet is going to last forever. Its care is easy: I scrub it with hot water only, and dry it with an old rag and apply a thin layer of vegetable oil while the iron is still hot... a year and a half later, it's still rust-free and delivering the reliable service I have come to expect and admire. No scratches interfere with its performance, as is the case with my allegedly-long-lasting Wearever nonstick cookware set (what a waste of money THAT was!). Heck, I even use my cast-iron skillet for CREPES, and that's saying something! Despite the pan's weight, it's an immeasurably better nonstick crepe-cooker than teflon. In fact, I use my cast iron cookware for everything from french fries to spaghetti sauce to eggs and bacon to french toast! It's a dependable griddle, skillet, grill, and pot, and it goes right from the stovetop and into the oven for maximum versatility.
I am an avid home-chef, and I can say without exception that my cast-iron cookware is the best kitchen investment I've ever made.
http://areyoucoolonline.blogspot.com/2011/06/evacuation-trailer-micah-mahaffey.html
Beware that cast iron is not a quickie-cooking component (it takes time for the iron to heat, and it takes experience to gauge the iron's "perfect temperature" for sensitive dishes), but for dishes requiring steady, even heat and for cooks who require durable cookware with easy clean-up, cast iron CANNOT be beat!
This skillet is going to last forever. Its care is easy: I scrub it with hot water only, and dry it with an old rag and apply a thin layer of vegetable oil while the iron is still hot... a year and a half later, it's still rust-free and delivering the reliable service I have come to expect and admire. No scratches interfere with its performance, as is the case with my allegedly-long-lasting Wearever nonstick cookware set (what a waste of money THAT was!). Heck, I even use my cast-iron skillet for CREPES, and that's saying something! Despite the pan's weight, it's an immeasurably better nonstick crepe-cooker than teflon. In fact, I use my cast iron cookware for everything from french fries to spaghetti sauce to eggs and bacon to french toast! It's a dependable griddle, skillet, grill, and pot, and it goes right from the stovetop and into the oven for maximum versatility.
I am an avid home-chef, and I can say without exception that my cast-iron cookware is the best kitchen investment I've ever made.
http://areyoucoolonline.blogspot.com/2011/06/evacuation-trailer-micah-mahaffey.html
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
sorry if my posts have gotten a little spammy
I have become a window shopaholic and decided i had to share :-)
Light Hiker Sock by SmartWool
To go with the last post, guess i should have edited it and made it one, but i felt lazy.
Smartwool PhD Snowboard Light Socks - Men's
These socks are absolutely the best thing ever, comfort, moisture control, smell control( a big one for my wife's sake, especially when she was preggo)
I got these originally for riding and then realized they have em in nearly every style so now thats all thats in my sock drawer.
http://areyoucoolonline.blogspot.com/2011/06/evacuation-trailer-micah-mahaffey.html
I got these originally for riding and then realized they have em in nearly every style so now thats all thats in my sock drawer.
http://areyoucoolonline.blogspot.com/2011/06/evacuation-trailer-micah-mahaffey.html
TomTom XXL 540M 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Everything is easy and enjoyable with it. This is my fourth TomTom. I keep buying them and give them away after using for a while. I have the big one so that I can see it without my glasses. I leave it on even driving locally as I can see when I am goin to arrive and speed limits/alerts. Never had the need for any kind of technical support, so I cant comment on that. I dont have the traffic update feature but a couple times when I ran into bad traffic, I just pushed alternate route and it sent me around it saving a great deal of time. Also I use it on my motorcycle. When I'm not using it, it's just rattling around in my saddle bag. Surprisingly, it takes the abuse. The screen has never got scratched or scuffed. The GPS that is an optional accessory for my bike is like $900. Whats up with that? Whatever extra it does, I don't need. The price for this particular model is unbelievably inexpensive. Like $100. Cant go wrong.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Black Eyed Peas - Just Cant Get Enough
Damn right, I just listened to this like four times in a row, absolutely loving it.
or download here:
http://areyoucoolonline.blogspot.com/2011/06/evacuation-trailer-micah-mahaffey.html
or download here:
http://areyoucoolonline.blogspot.com/2011/06/evacuation-trailer-micah-mahaffey.html
Brendan Keenan
Brendan Keenan talks about himself and snowboarding with some sick riding in the Canadian back country. Brendan's home mountain is Mt. Seymour so lots of shots from there.
BRENDAN KEENAN PROFILE from MR. B bataleon snowboards on Vimeo.
How much would you like a toothbrush?
How much would you like a toothbrush?
I like these ones, i carry an extra in all my different bags
They have a very long battery life, i usually wear them out before the battery dies. Very comfortable, reasonably priced, and effective cleaning!
I like these ones, i carry an extra in all my different bags
They have a very long battery life, i usually wear them out before the battery dies. Very comfortable, reasonably priced, and effective cleaning!
TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Internal Frame Backpack
I must start by saying that I've grown very fond of this bag. I've been backpacking and WWOOFing through Europe for over 9 months and I still have a few to go. This bag is basically my home.
Let's start with the pros. PRICE - quite affordable for a bag of its class. There are many convenient pockets and straps. I'm able to fit everything I need to survive. It's effectively waterproof and has the rain-fly thing for heavier rains. The material is extremely durable - hardly a scuff on it and not a single tear in any of the fabric (seams are another story; see below). It shrinks down alright when not fully stuffed. And most importantly, when adjusted correctly, it IS comfortable. This is crucial for me, as I've been doing a fair amount of hitchhiking and find myself walking 5-15km at a stretch if is lady luck isn't shining.
If it's got all of those pros, what cons could possibly drive me to only give it 3 out of 5 stars? The seams. Zippers, straps and buckles have busted seams. It started VERY early. Within only a couple weeks of use, the inner adjustable velcro strap that folds over the left-side interior aluminum back brace tore its top seam; the bag has sat crooked since then. The seam around the zipper on the bottom where the rain-fly is stored is giving way, and I've used that only a handful of times. After about 2 months of heavy use, the seam holding the buckle on the bottom right strap broke, as did the lowest of the four seams connecting that strap to the front mesh pocket area (I used these straps to hold my heavy coat when I'm not wearing it - I was able to reattach the buckle using duct tape, needle and thread). Luckily, none of these have been enough to put the bag out of commission.
One final minor annoyance, but not necessarily enough to detract from the merit of the bag, is that I wish rain-fly were slightly larger. I have to store my sleeping bag on top, and with the bag strapped up there the rain-fly simply doesn't cover it all.
In conclusion, I really do like the bag and I hope to get many more years out of it. But to have seams busting within the first month of use is unacceptable. Regardless, what's done is done. I will simply try my hardest to repair these issues when I get back stateside and have the luxury of actually emptying the bag of all its contents - a rather daunting task, I assure you.
Let's start with the pros. PRICE - quite affordable for a bag of its class. There are many convenient pockets and straps. I'm able to fit everything I need to survive. It's effectively waterproof and has the rain-fly thing for heavier rains. The material is extremely durable - hardly a scuff on it and not a single tear in any of the fabric (seams are another story; see below). It shrinks down alright when not fully stuffed. And most importantly, when adjusted correctly, it IS comfortable. This is crucial for me, as I've been doing a fair amount of hitchhiking and find myself walking 5-15km at a stretch if is lady luck isn't shining.
If it's got all of those pros, what cons could possibly drive me to only give it 3 out of 5 stars? The seams. Zippers, straps and buckles have busted seams. It started VERY early. Within only a couple weeks of use, the inner adjustable velcro strap that folds over the left-side interior aluminum back brace tore its top seam; the bag has sat crooked since then. The seam around the zipper on the bottom where the rain-fly is stored is giving way, and I've used that only a handful of times. After about 2 months of heavy use, the seam holding the buckle on the bottom right strap broke, as did the lowest of the four seams connecting that strap to the front mesh pocket area (I used these straps to hold my heavy coat when I'm not wearing it - I was able to reattach the buckle using duct tape, needle and thread). Luckily, none of these have been enough to put the bag out of commission.
One final minor annoyance, but not necessarily enough to detract from the merit of the bag, is that I wish rain-fly were slightly larger. I have to store my sleeping bag on top, and with the bag strapped up there the rain-fly simply doesn't cover it all.
In conclusion, I really do like the bag and I hope to get many more years out of it. But to have seams busting within the first month of use is unacceptable. Regardless, what's done is done. I will simply try my hardest to repair these issues when I get back stateside and have the luxury of actually emptying the bag of all its contents - a rather daunting task, I assure you.
Surf magazine
I first encountered Surf magazine in the bathroom of my old job when I was at University. After that, I was hooked, and when I came home for the summer, I ordered it. I'll admit I don't surf, and never have, but I honestly love the way the articles are written--they actually interest you into reading them, and the whole magazine has a nice chill vibe to it. If you want to keep up with surfing and the surfing world, there is no other magazine to get!
Drake's Cakes Funny Bones
Anyone else a big fan of these? I miss them a ton, decided to buy some on amazon with some giftcards i had lying around :-) yummy!
Le Pan TC 970 9.7-Inch Multi-Touch LCD Google Android Tablet PC
So i know us snowboarders like toys if and when we can afford them and not have them get in the way of our snow specific fun :-)
Who needs a tablet computer? That is what I've been saying to my Apple Fanboy friends since the iPad came out. Honestly, if it weren't for the Vine program, I would not have gotten a tablet.
My first impression, out of the box is, I'm impressed. It seems to act just like my Android phone. It is very responsive for a 1GHz cpu.
The instructions that come with it are non-existent, a card with where the buttons are. Their support page gives a URL error. Their FAQs has no entries except for the specs.
Cons:
* The sound is very tinny. It is not very good, especially compared to my friend's iPad.
* No rear facing camera. So this is only good for chat. Can't really take pictures or use a scanner app. A little disappointing.
* The auto-brightness doesn't work very well for me. I think it makes the display too dark under all lighting conditions.
* It cannot play trailers from apple.com/trailers.
* The system tutorial in Settings->About Tablet doesn't work. It just returns to the previous screen.
* Android 2.2 is not designed for tablets. Google said this.
* The wireless can use 802.11n but only the 2.4GHz band and not the less cluttered 5GHz band.
* My biggest complaint is that both the on/off and the volume buttons are very hard to use. They are too small or too recessed.
Pros:
* The display is very nice and a good size.
* Price, though I think they could have sprung for more than a 4gb card. Even my phone came with 8bg card.
* Battery life seems real good. I've been using it for over 3 hours over two days and it is at 56%.
* The Android system is a plus. I hope it can be upgraded to 3.0+
* It comes with the Kindle app installed and ebooks look real nice. I do still like my Kindle better since it is so much lighter.
* Touch screen is very sensitive. I find if I press too hard, it doesn't work. But of course that kind of sensitivity can be bad too, because I press things I don't mean to all the time.
Some other notes: I tried Firefox mobile on it. It doesn't feel like Firefox and the password manager doesn't allow for a master password and that made me nervous. Also flash did not work with Firefox, so I removed it. I do not like the generic Browser on Android. So I will be looking for a new one.
I installed the "Hackers Keyboard" from the app store and really like that. No more hunting around for special keys, they are all there.
I played some games that required interaction of the touch screen and the motion detections system. Both worked very well.
You might think from all my cons that I don't like this tablet, but that is incorrect. Most of the cons are nits. If you are looking for a device that you can sit on the couch with, browse the web and check email, this is it. It would be nice if the speakers sounded better (I'm looking for an equalizer app) and if the buttons were easier to use, but this is a very nice device for $350.
Who needs a tablet computer? That is what I've been saying to my Apple Fanboy friends since the iPad came out. Honestly, if it weren't for the Vine program, I would not have gotten a tablet.
My first impression, out of the box is, I'm impressed. It seems to act just like my Android phone. It is very responsive for a 1GHz cpu.
The instructions that come with it are non-existent, a card with where the buttons are. Their support page gives a URL error. Their FAQs has no entries except for the specs.
Cons:
* The sound is very tinny. It is not very good, especially compared to my friend's iPad.
* No rear facing camera. So this is only good for chat. Can't really take pictures or use a scanner app. A little disappointing.
* The auto-brightness doesn't work very well for me. I think it makes the display too dark under all lighting conditions.
* It cannot play trailers from apple.com/trailers.
* The system tutorial in Settings->About Tablet doesn't work. It just returns to the previous screen.
* Android 2.2 is not designed for tablets. Google said this.
* The wireless can use 802.11n but only the 2.4GHz band and not the less cluttered 5GHz band.
* My biggest complaint is that both the on/off and the volume buttons are very hard to use. They are too small or too recessed.
Pros:
* The display is very nice and a good size.
* Price, though I think they could have sprung for more than a 4gb card. Even my phone came with 8bg card.
* Battery life seems real good. I've been using it for over 3 hours over two days and it is at 56%.
* The Android system is a plus. I hope it can be upgraded to 3.0+
* It comes with the Kindle app installed and ebooks look real nice. I do still like my Kindle better since it is so much lighter.
* Touch screen is very sensitive. I find if I press too hard, it doesn't work. But of course that kind of sensitivity can be bad too, because I press things I don't mean to all the time.
Some other notes: I tried Firefox mobile on it. It doesn't feel like Firefox and the password manager doesn't allow for a master password and that made me nervous. Also flash did not work with Firefox, so I removed it. I do not like the generic Browser on Android. So I will be looking for a new one.
I installed the "Hackers Keyboard" from the app store and really like that. No more hunting around for special keys, they are all there.
I played some games that required interaction of the touch screen and the motion detections system. Both worked very well.
You might think from all my cons that I don't like this tablet, but that is incorrect. Most of the cons are nits. If you are looking for a device that you can sit on the couch with, browse the web and check email, this is it. It would be nice if the speakers sounded better (I'm looking for an equalizer app) and if the buttons were easier to use, but this is a very nice device for $350.
Sony Bloggie Touch (MHS-TS20/B) - 8 GB, 4 Hours NEWEST MODEL
I've had this camera for about a week now and have been loving it ever since. I've used another "flip" camcorder and the Bloggie Touch puts it to shame.
Pros:
1. Love the quick on and record. Great for spontaneous videos of the little one.
2. The touch screen interface makes it both useful and fun to use the big screen.
3. The still pictures come out brilliant, when the lighting and focus is good.
4. The battery charges up super fast and stays with you for a whole day of shooting.
5. The image stabilization is good. You can take decent video while walking around and panning too. Note that it is not optical, but electronic SteadyShot stabilization.
6. The lens is very good quality and the pictures are crisp.
7. Really like the "snap picture while recording" feature. I find myself using that feature the most. The video doesn't stall while the picture (full 12M resolution) is being taken and since the focus and exposure are usually locked well while you're in the middle of the video, the pictures come out great.
Cons:
1. In low lighting, there is quite a bit of graininess and using the digital zoom makes it much worse.
2. While the lens is good quality, the auto-focus mechanism is really very slow. If you move around the camera too much before focus has locked on, the auto-focus will almost never lock.
3. What I really miss with this camera is a flash. Even a tiny one would help with low light pictures.
4. Minor annoyance: to preview a picture right after you take it, you have to go through at least two clicks. Sony could have designed it so that it always goes to the last picture taken by default, instead of the thumbnail list of all pictures/video on the device.
I decided to purchase this camera over a still camera that can do video because:
1. This one is dead simple. One button to turn on, one to take video and one to take stills. This makes it both easy and quick to use.
2. This one can do 1080p video and 720p at 60fps.
3. Its under $200 and is smaller than your phone.
4. Its got internal flash and USB connector - no more SD cards or cables. 8GB is enough to get you through the day before you can come back to your laptop to dump the pictures.
I decided to purchase this camera over other ones in the same category because:
1. Its got a big display and the touch screen is fun to use.
2. Its got a better lens system than the others.
3. Its got (some) image stabilization.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Nikon D5100 16.2MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
Get those fast action shots with this one!
As with any review, a lot is dependent on the reviewer's taste, expectations and understanding of the product. So let me make it clear where I fit in there and then how this camera performed.
I have a lot of photography and video experience but I am not a professional. What I EXPECT is a camera that is easy to use but powerful in features. I like seeing new technology even when it is sometimes inferior to older technology (I know some of you can relate to that). I expect good build quality and I expect that a camera does what it is advertised to do. This camera basically did not disappoint. But I will say honestly that I was comparing this to the D7000 even though the latter is a good $400 more expensive. But the D5100 was newer and it had some things the D7000 does not have that I thought were important to me:
1. A swivel screen (I've never had a still camera with that). I am upgrading from a D70.
2. Capable of HDR pictures with in-camera processing.
3. Cheaper and lighter weight.
Many of you may choose the D5100 for other reasons but these were mine. In the end, I returned it and bought the D7000 (that review is coming soon). Here is why:
I like the idea of HDR photography and the D5100 can do it right in the camera! To explain why I gravitated towards this particular feature, I need to step back and mention an in-camera feature I had once on a point-and-shoot. I used to have an HP camera and it helped you frame a panoramic picture. When you were done, it stitched it together. Voila! You had a panoramic picture ready to go. When I upgraded to the next model, it also had a panoramic feature to help you frame it, but it did not do in-camera stitching (as most all cameras do not these days). Instead, you are supposed to stitch it with the software the camera comes with. So guess what happened? Nothing....I stopped doing panoramic pictures, because I was too lazy to take the time to find the right pictures, import them into the software, stitch and then export it back to the right folder - too much hassle.
Well, the idea with in-camera HDR was a real selling point for me on the D5100. As of this writing, I am not aware of any other camera that does this (I'm sure someone will correct me?). So this may be the #1 reason I ended up getting the D5100 and it is the #1 I returned it. If you look at Nikon's website they advertise this feature and show an example of a lighthouse - the result is stunning, just as you would expect from HDR. Let me just say flat-out: this will not be the result you see in the real-world. I took about 100 different high-contrast shots and most of them looked better with the HDR processing but most of them only looked *marginally* better. The shadows had more detail and the bright areas were less blown out. So it works. But I then bracketed +2,0,-2 images and plugged them into Photomatrix and BAM! Now that's HDR! No comparison whatsoever. It turns out, the Nikon D5100's version of HDR is to take just two shots (-3,+3 , or some variation on the stops) and then it combines it into one image. If the (+3) shot was a little blurry, because over-exposed shots tend to be this way, then the final HDR image is blurry too. Now when this happens on a bracketed set, that is OK, because you still have the normal (0) exposure to take back with you at the end of your vacation. But if the D5100 made a bunch of blurry shots, you are hosed. There is no way to recover from that. You would have to analyze every shot closely on that little 3" screen to verify you got the shot or you would need to take duplicates with normal exposure just to make sure. Also, the HDR feature is not even written in the instruction manual - go ahead and look...no where to be found! I had to look it up in the longer online pdf manual to see how to use the feature, and it turns out you have to press about 6 buttons pretty deep in the menu just to get the camera to take an HDR. Once you depress the shutter, you have to go back through the whole menu again. Ridiculous! Finally, I figured out you can assign the "Fn" button to handle this, which was really a very good workaround. So all in all, I was really excited about in-camera HDR and in reality, it was a big disappointment. Now on to the other stuff:
The swivel screen: You either love it or hate it. I hated it, but that has nothing to do with the actual camera, just the concept. Basically I think it's mechanically the weakest point of the camera. That little swivel is just asking to snap off the next time I chase my son around the house and back into a corner or cabinet. I can guess it would cost a fortune to have Nikon fix that. Also, I am not into swiveling the screen closed so the screen faces the camera when I am done shooting. I am simply not that meticulous. I want to have a spontaneous camera that I can pick up and shoot whenever I want. So what's the point if I have to un-swivel the screen every time I want to use it and then swivel it closed when I am done. Also, think of all that wear-and-tear. So if you don't close it properly then it is liable to get scratched over time. The D7000 and all the other fixed LCD DSLRs have a plastic screen protector that costs a few bucks to replace - you can't really use a screen protector on the D5100. So either you swivel it closed every time or you risk scratching the screen. In the end, I felt the swivel screen took away from my spontaneity and made me think about not scratching the screen all the time.
Now a few general things: The camera is lighter and cheaper than the D7000. That can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. But for how much this camera costs, I don't want it to feel cheap - and it does. I compared both cameras and it was the little things like how the buttons felt and how the grip was shaped that made the D5100 feel a lot cheaper. Also the 18-55mm lens it comes with is really very limiting. I am not interesting in being one of those people that walks around with 3 lenses in a huge 10lb bag that I carry everywhere. The D7000 comes with the 18-105mm which is not amazing, but it is much better for general use. I personally went with the Tamron 18-270mm, but that's another story. Here are some other things to consider: The D5100 has a bunch of "Effects" like "miniature", "fisheye", etc. These can be done much more easily in the D5100 than in the D7000 where you have to apply the effect to a picture after you take it while the D5100 applies it immediately to the picture. But these are just gimmicks for me - you try the effect out once and move on.
After thoroughly playing with the D5100, the D7000 became an easy choice. For $400 (of course, it's $400 when you compare just the cost of the bodies not the kits) you get a lot of manual buttons so you don't have to dive into menus to change things. You get a dedicated screen on the top that gives you critical info. You get a weather-sealed case with the top and back being magnesium alloy. You get 2 custom user settings, faster more precise focusing and a better lens with the kit. So you say, "no duh, you pay more, you get more". That is true, but my logic was that the D5100 is not really all that cheap to begin with. If I'm shelling out serious cash for a DSLR, it better not feel like a toy in my hand - the D5100 feels like a toy. It also has very few buttons which means any time you want to make a change, you need to dive into a menu. Gosh I hate that! I have a Canon G10 which is more capable - at least it has an ISO and exposure dial right there on the top - no menus no nothing, and it is just a fancy point-and-shoot.
As for the video, I appreciated the fact that the D5100 takes 1080p at 30FPS unlike the D7000 which maxes out at 24FPS. I do video with a far more capable dedicated video camera, so I didn't really bother with this. But from the little I saw, the built-in microphone was weak and the auto-focus was sluggish, inaccurate and loud ( you can hear the focusing in your video). I would only use the camera's video if I was desperate. The D7000 performed no better.
As far as picture quality goes, I am not a pro, but I did compare identical pictures to the D7000 at the pixel level and I am convinced they are the same chips. The pictures are simply awesome. Beautiful color, sharp, clean and excellent light sensitivity. You really will have a hard time complaining.
IN CONCLUSION: Although it "feels" like a toy after you hold the D7000, it is a well-built camera that takes excellent pictures and can do most of the same things the D90 and D7000 are capable of - you just have to hunt for the stuff you need. I do not like hunting for things when a photo-opportunity arises. The HDR feature is mostly useless and could potentially ruin some pictures. The swivel LCD may be useful for some but I did not like it. If the camera is used mainly for a family get-together, a European vacation or even to take short videos of your kids and pets, then this is an excellent choice. If you are like me and enjoy HDR photography, astrophotography, macro-shots and have a deeper understanding of how all the features of how cameras work (like why you would change the metering from "Matrix" to "spot" or why it's useful to change ISO settings all the time, etc) then you will be really frustrated by the D5100 - you are better off spending the money and getting the D7000. I give this camera 4 stars because the HDR feature was a big selling point and it is useless by my standard. I would knock off another half-star for not having at least a dedicated button to change ISO and for having weak video capabilities, but I'm feeling generous tonight ;)
As with any review, a lot is dependent on the reviewer's taste, expectations and understanding of the product. So let me make it clear where I fit in there and then how this camera performed.
I have a lot of photography and video experience but I am not a professional. What I EXPECT is a camera that is easy to use but powerful in features. I like seeing new technology even when it is sometimes inferior to older technology (I know some of you can relate to that). I expect good build quality and I expect that a camera does what it is advertised to do. This camera basically did not disappoint. But I will say honestly that I was comparing this to the D7000 even though the latter is a good $400 more expensive. But the D5100 was newer and it had some things the D7000 does not have that I thought were important to me:
1. A swivel screen (I've never had a still camera with that). I am upgrading from a D70.
2. Capable of HDR pictures with in-camera processing.
3. Cheaper and lighter weight.
Many of you may choose the D5100 for other reasons but these were mine. In the end, I returned it and bought the D7000 (that review is coming soon). Here is why:
I like the idea of HDR photography and the D5100 can do it right in the camera! To explain why I gravitated towards this particular feature, I need to step back and mention an in-camera feature I had once on a point-and-shoot. I used to have an HP camera and it helped you frame a panoramic picture. When you were done, it stitched it together. Voila! You had a panoramic picture ready to go. When I upgraded to the next model, it also had a panoramic feature to help you frame it, but it did not do in-camera stitching (as most all cameras do not these days). Instead, you are supposed to stitch it with the software the camera comes with. So guess what happened? Nothing....I stopped doing panoramic pictures, because I was too lazy to take the time to find the right pictures, import them into the software, stitch and then export it back to the right folder - too much hassle.
Well, the idea with in-camera HDR was a real selling point for me on the D5100. As of this writing, I am not aware of any other camera that does this (I'm sure someone will correct me?). So this may be the #1 reason I ended up getting the D5100 and it is the #1 I returned it. If you look at Nikon's website they advertise this feature and show an example of a lighthouse - the result is stunning, just as you would expect from HDR. Let me just say flat-out: this will not be the result you see in the real-world. I took about 100 different high-contrast shots and most of them looked better with the HDR processing but most of them only looked *marginally* better. The shadows had more detail and the bright areas were less blown out. So it works. But I then bracketed +2,0,-2 images and plugged them into Photomatrix and BAM! Now that's HDR! No comparison whatsoever. It turns out, the Nikon D5100's version of HDR is to take just two shots (-3,+3 , or some variation on the stops) and then it combines it into one image. If the (+3) shot was a little blurry, because over-exposed shots tend to be this way, then the final HDR image is blurry too. Now when this happens on a bracketed set, that is OK, because you still have the normal (0) exposure to take back with you at the end of your vacation. But if the D5100 made a bunch of blurry shots, you are hosed. There is no way to recover from that. You would have to analyze every shot closely on that little 3" screen to verify you got the shot or you would need to take duplicates with normal exposure just to make sure. Also, the HDR feature is not even written in the instruction manual - go ahead and look...no where to be found! I had to look it up in the longer online pdf manual to see how to use the feature, and it turns out you have to press about 6 buttons pretty deep in the menu just to get the camera to take an HDR. Once you depress the shutter, you have to go back through the whole menu again. Ridiculous! Finally, I figured out you can assign the "Fn" button to handle this, which was really a very good workaround. So all in all, I was really excited about in-camera HDR and in reality, it was a big disappointment. Now on to the other stuff:
The swivel screen: You either love it or hate it. I hated it, but that has nothing to do with the actual camera, just the concept. Basically I think it's mechanically the weakest point of the camera. That little swivel is just asking to snap off the next time I chase my son around the house and back into a corner or cabinet. I can guess it would cost a fortune to have Nikon fix that. Also, I am not into swiveling the screen closed so the screen faces the camera when I am done shooting. I am simply not that meticulous. I want to have a spontaneous camera that I can pick up and shoot whenever I want. So what's the point if I have to un-swivel the screen every time I want to use it and then swivel it closed when I am done. Also, think of all that wear-and-tear. So if you don't close it properly then it is liable to get scratched over time. The D7000 and all the other fixed LCD DSLRs have a plastic screen protector that costs a few bucks to replace - you can't really use a screen protector on the D5100. So either you swivel it closed every time or you risk scratching the screen. In the end, I felt the swivel screen took away from my spontaneity and made me think about not scratching the screen all the time.
Now a few general things: The camera is lighter and cheaper than the D7000. That can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. But for how much this camera costs, I don't want it to feel cheap - and it does. I compared both cameras and it was the little things like how the buttons felt and how the grip was shaped that made the D5100 feel a lot cheaper. Also the 18-55mm lens it comes with is really very limiting. I am not interesting in being one of those people that walks around with 3 lenses in a huge 10lb bag that I carry everywhere. The D7000 comes with the 18-105mm which is not amazing, but it is much better for general use. I personally went with the Tamron 18-270mm, but that's another story. Here are some other things to consider: The D5100 has a bunch of "Effects" like "miniature", "fisheye", etc. These can be done much more easily in the D5100 than in the D7000 where you have to apply the effect to a picture after you take it while the D5100 applies it immediately to the picture. But these are just gimmicks for me - you try the effect out once and move on.
After thoroughly playing with the D5100, the D7000 became an easy choice. For $400 (of course, it's $400 when you compare just the cost of the bodies not the kits) you get a lot of manual buttons so you don't have to dive into menus to change things. You get a dedicated screen on the top that gives you critical info. You get a weather-sealed case with the top and back being magnesium alloy. You get 2 custom user settings, faster more precise focusing and a better lens with the kit. So you say, "no duh, you pay more, you get more". That is true, but my logic was that the D5100 is not really all that cheap to begin with. If I'm shelling out serious cash for a DSLR, it better not feel like a toy in my hand - the D5100 feels like a toy. It also has very few buttons which means any time you want to make a change, you need to dive into a menu. Gosh I hate that! I have a Canon G10 which is more capable - at least it has an ISO and exposure dial right there on the top - no menus no nothing, and it is just a fancy point-and-shoot.
As for the video, I appreciated the fact that the D5100 takes 1080p at 30FPS unlike the D7000 which maxes out at 24FPS. I do video with a far more capable dedicated video camera, so I didn't really bother with this. But from the little I saw, the built-in microphone was weak and the auto-focus was sluggish, inaccurate and loud ( you can hear the focusing in your video). I would only use the camera's video if I was desperate. The D7000 performed no better.
As far as picture quality goes, I am not a pro, but I did compare identical pictures to the D7000 at the pixel level and I am convinced they are the same chips. The pictures are simply awesome. Beautiful color, sharp, clean and excellent light sensitivity. You really will have a hard time complaining.
IN CONCLUSION: Although it "feels" like a toy after you hold the D7000, it is a well-built camera that takes excellent pictures and can do most of the same things the D90 and D7000 are capable of - you just have to hunt for the stuff you need. I do not like hunting for things when a photo-opportunity arises. The HDR feature is mostly useless and could potentially ruin some pictures. The swivel LCD may be useful for some but I did not like it. If the camera is used mainly for a family get-together, a European vacation or even to take short videos of your kids and pets, then this is an excellent choice. If you are like me and enjoy HDR photography, astrophotography, macro-shots and have a deeper understanding of how all the features of how cameras work (like why you would change the metering from "Matrix" to "spot" or why it's useful to change ISO settings all the time, etc) then you will be really frustrated by the D5100 - you are better off spending the money and getting the D7000. I give this camera 4 stars because the HDR feature was a big selling point and it is useless by my standard. I would knock off another half-star for not having at least a dedicated button to change ISO and for having weak video capabilities, but I'm feeling generous tonight ;)
Monday, May 23, 2011
50 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Summits in California: Mount Shasta to Mount Whitney
If you are planning a winter/spring backcountry trip and want accurate, detailed information on routes, terrain, and level of difficulty for some of the best skiing/snowboarding terrain in California than this is the perfect book. The book is well organized, clearly written and beautifully illustrated. Everytime I pick up the book I find myself mentally planning new trips and plotting descent routes on the photographs. An added plus to the book is the wealth of information that it contains on preparing for a backcountry experience. The author covers everything from avalanche danger to equipment to bring on an extended trip. He even includes an excellent website for those who want more information. There always is a question in my mind when I read any backcountry guide about the accuracy of the information. Who wants to set out on a trip only to find out that the route maps or the descriptions don't match the terrain? The author is someone with extensive backcountry experience who has done each of the 50 trips described in the book at least once. We all sould be so lucky! Having taken two trips with the author that are detailed in the book, I can say that he did an excellent job of describing the routes and the terrain. If you are someone who is looking for backcountry ski/snowbaording adventure, this book will make your trip planning a whole lot easier. Enjoy
Coleman WeatherMaster Screened 6 Tent
I bought this tent to use at a week-long star-party, so "practical" and "carry-in" weren't objectives. What WERE objectives were that it had to be big enough for all my gear, had to be relatively reliable and well equipped, and it had to be big enough that I could move around in it with my 6'2" figure without developing a hunch.
Naturally when buying camping gear I ran to Coleman. It's clear that the brand has moved far away from the mostly American-made products to overseas (China) manufacturing, so that was a little disappointing. However it probably worked in my favor since I could get more product for less $$.
Okay, so about the tent...
First off, this is NOT a light tent. If you're actually going to hike this someplace, think again. The specs say it weighs 36 pounds, and you'd better believe it. It also comes in the typical Coleman tent bag (squarish green zipper bag) and the bag is about 4-feet long. Definitely something to consider if you're planning on taking this tent somewhere on foot.
The tent comes in a cardboard box, which is put inside the Coleman green bag, and then that is put inside a box for shipping. My tent arrived without a scratch on anything...except my wallet for the shipping charges. :)
Assembly, I have to say, for a tent this size, is cake. Now like I said above, I'm 6-foot-2, and I was able to put this tent together solo without any trouble at all. In fact, with the exception of the rain fly, a midget with a step-ladder could solo-assemble this tent. (Take a moment and relish that image for a second...)
When you open the actual tent bag, the tent is folded and rolled up around all the other parts and tied with two strips of nylon fabric. I'd recommend ditching these and getting some real straps or rope. The tent poles, stakes, and supplemental poles (for door and awnings) came in good, separate bags with tie wraps. The rain fly, removable room divider, and "door mat" were folded and rolled up as well.
The tent poles seem very durable, well painted and marked, and where the elastic-cord is exposed in the joints, it's actually a small link of chain, so no worries about eventually cutting through the cord with use. There's four U-shaped pole structures for the tent. The sides of the U's are straight and go almost the full height, and the top sections are curved. The curved sections feed into well-marked and reinforced loop-sleeves along the top, then you connect the side poles. Once you have all the pole sections in place, you just raise each one, one at a time, and stick the bottom ends into the friction-cleat at the bottom edge of the tent. As the tent raises, you have to watch that the seams of the tent line up with the poles, and you have to shift things around a little until all the poles fit in place. The side poles actually have push-pin adjustments so you can alter the height an inch or two. The directions say to raise the tent with all the poles in the lowest setting, then raise each to the highest setting to fill out the shape. I missed that step and had all the poles in the full-height position, and didn't run into any problems. The tent DOES fit the frame with only a few inches wiggle-room, so it can seem a little tight until you get it all adjusted.
From roll-out to the point where all four pole sets were raised took me about 10-minutes...and that's with checking everything over twice.
Once you have the poles up you can re-adjust the shape of the tent to get everything spread out good. There's clips that connect the sides of the tent to the poles, and you can go ahead and fill in all the stake points. There's a stake point at every pole point, as well as at the door, screened outside and inside, and a couple other places. Trust me, if you think there should be a stake somewhere, there's already a reinforced loop waiting.
Once you get the tent part up, the rain-fly goes on. I will say that the rain-fly fits TIGHT to the tent, so a little patience is needed. Make sure the "Coleman" logo is on the screened-side of the tent and not the back. The fly is sewn in a way that it fits the shape of the tent, and there's just enough difference that it won't fit otherwise. Once you throw the fly over the tent, each connecting point has an elastic cord connected to a good metal hook which fits into a small hole in each tent pole. I recommend starting at the middle (the center two pole sections) and doing the ends last. There's Velcro straps that further connect the fly to the poles...attach those as you go to keep the fly from moving around as you stretch it. The fly also has attached tie-lines with toggles that you can spread out and stake down. They looked pretty sturdy.
The whole top of this tent is screened (except where poles go over and its reinforced) so the fly is needed unless you're chancing a dry night.
Once you get the fly on, you put in the rods for the door and the awnings. These rods are very thin and each rod is jointed with the typical elastic so you don't lose a piece. One rod goes into the vertical section of the door (what would be the hinge-line) and the other bows from the top to the bottom to frame the door. Coleman did a great job with this part. The poles are held in a sleeve along the door, with a zippered section so you can get the poles in and bend them how they're needed, and the ends of the poles have plastic covers and fit into sturdy rubber sockets on the door. Despite what it looks like at first, it's actually pretty durable once you get it assembled. The door has a protective flap covering the zipper, and a full-length zipper so you can shut the door fully at night. There's also several small Velcro patches, so when you close the door it doesn't hang open.
The awnings (one over the door and one opposite the door on the other side of the tent) are made using the last two flexible poles. Making a bow-shape with the pole, you slip the pole into a sleeve on the rain-fly and then stick the ends of the poles into a grommet point on a strap that is also connected to the main tent poles. It's a bit of a trick to get them in...I had to un-clip the strap on one side from the tent pole, put the awning pole into the grommet with the slack, and then re-clip everything back to the tent pole. The awnings to not stick out very far. I'd say they stick out only an inch or so beyond the profile of the tent. Since the tent does have a slight slope inwards, the awnings really just keep the dew or rain from pouring down on the door and back window.
Okay, enough on assembly. How's the tent? Awesome!
There's lots of windows in this tent, all screened with zippered privacy flaps that have built-in ties to manage them. The bottom of the tent is tarp-like and supposedly waterproof. Although I believe the waterproof part, I'd still HIGHLY recommend putting a separate tarp under this tent as a moisture barrier and to add an extra layer of durable material. I'd also recommend (if you care to bring it) a blanket or cloth-tarp to put inside to protect the tent bottom from your own traffic and gear. The inside room is very roomy and I could easily stand up without bending at all, and walk around the whole inside without problem. There's a built-in mesh pocket, about the size of a sheet of paper, but otherwise not much else. There's a small, semi-circular opening on the back wall near the floor that Coleman calls a "Cool-Air port". I'm not sure the point, actually. It's got a zippered screen flap as well as a zippered privacy flap, so you can open it fully and reach outside. Maybe it does help with air-flow...but I think it's more so you can reach your cooler without leaving the tent! :)
The screened in "porch" area has no bottom. The inside part, facing the actual inside of the tent, is divided by a zippered mesh wall, and a zippered privacy flap. The privacy flap doesn't zip at the bottom, but the mesh part does. The opening for the screened area to the outside is a single vertical zipper. There's stake loops at the bottom of BOTH sides, so you can stake down one side and use the other half of the opening as an actual door flap. There's not much room in the screened area. About enough for a pair of chairs. I could stand up without problem, but not move around much, since there's a bit of a slope. Still, to escape bugs, it's a nice touch. I will say that the rain-fly does NOT cover all of the screened porch area...really just the top and part of the sides. If you store gear out there, know it's exposed to the elements...just not bugs.
Final thoughts:
Taking the tent down and putting it away was as easy as setting it up. Surprisingly everything fit back into the bag...and I didn't take much time neatly rolling it or pushing all the air out, so if you do take your time it will fit with room to spare!
BUY ADDITIONAL STAKES! The tent comes with about 8 cheap plastic stakes that I wouldn't rely on, and about 14 wire-metal-stakes which are fine but can be annoying to put in and take out. Do yourself a favor and spend a couple bucks on more stakes. You can never have too many stakes!
Other than that I can't think of a thing wrong with this tent. It looks gigantic in the specifications and even when setup, but it's actually not that big...so don't worry about showing up with some camper-sized monstrosity! I'd recommend getting a tent-repair kit and some seam-sealer, but that's just prudent with ANY tent.
It's designed to house 6 people, but realistically you could get four people and a dog or two in this without much complaint.
Naturally when buying camping gear I ran to Coleman. It's clear that the brand has moved far away from the mostly American-made products to overseas (China) manufacturing, so that was a little disappointing. However it probably worked in my favor since I could get more product for less $$.
Okay, so about the tent...
First off, this is NOT a light tent. If you're actually going to hike this someplace, think again. The specs say it weighs 36 pounds, and you'd better believe it. It also comes in the typical Coleman tent bag (squarish green zipper bag) and the bag is about 4-feet long. Definitely something to consider if you're planning on taking this tent somewhere on foot.
The tent comes in a cardboard box, which is put inside the Coleman green bag, and then that is put inside a box for shipping. My tent arrived without a scratch on anything...except my wallet for the shipping charges. :)
Assembly, I have to say, for a tent this size, is cake. Now like I said above, I'm 6-foot-2, and I was able to put this tent together solo without any trouble at all. In fact, with the exception of the rain fly, a midget with a step-ladder could solo-assemble this tent. (Take a moment and relish that image for a second...)
When you open the actual tent bag, the tent is folded and rolled up around all the other parts and tied with two strips of nylon fabric. I'd recommend ditching these and getting some real straps or rope. The tent poles, stakes, and supplemental poles (for door and awnings) came in good, separate bags with tie wraps. The rain fly, removable room divider, and "door mat" were folded and rolled up as well.
The tent poles seem very durable, well painted and marked, and where the elastic-cord is exposed in the joints, it's actually a small link of chain, so no worries about eventually cutting through the cord with use. There's four U-shaped pole structures for the tent. The sides of the U's are straight and go almost the full height, and the top sections are curved. The curved sections feed into well-marked and reinforced loop-sleeves along the top, then you connect the side poles. Once you have all the pole sections in place, you just raise each one, one at a time, and stick the bottom ends into the friction-cleat at the bottom edge of the tent. As the tent raises, you have to watch that the seams of the tent line up with the poles, and you have to shift things around a little until all the poles fit in place. The side poles actually have push-pin adjustments so you can alter the height an inch or two. The directions say to raise the tent with all the poles in the lowest setting, then raise each to the highest setting to fill out the shape. I missed that step and had all the poles in the full-height position, and didn't run into any problems. The tent DOES fit the frame with only a few inches wiggle-room, so it can seem a little tight until you get it all adjusted.
From roll-out to the point where all four pole sets were raised took me about 10-minutes...and that's with checking everything over twice.
Once you have the poles up you can re-adjust the shape of the tent to get everything spread out good. There's clips that connect the sides of the tent to the poles, and you can go ahead and fill in all the stake points. There's a stake point at every pole point, as well as at the door, screened outside and inside, and a couple other places. Trust me, if you think there should be a stake somewhere, there's already a reinforced loop waiting.
Once you get the tent part up, the rain-fly goes on. I will say that the rain-fly fits TIGHT to the tent, so a little patience is needed. Make sure the "Coleman" logo is on the screened-side of the tent and not the back. The fly is sewn in a way that it fits the shape of the tent, and there's just enough difference that it won't fit otherwise. Once you throw the fly over the tent, each connecting point has an elastic cord connected to a good metal hook which fits into a small hole in each tent pole. I recommend starting at the middle (the center two pole sections) and doing the ends last. There's Velcro straps that further connect the fly to the poles...attach those as you go to keep the fly from moving around as you stretch it. The fly also has attached tie-lines with toggles that you can spread out and stake down. They looked pretty sturdy.
The whole top of this tent is screened (except where poles go over and its reinforced) so the fly is needed unless you're chancing a dry night.
Once you get the fly on, you put in the rods for the door and the awnings. These rods are very thin and each rod is jointed with the typical elastic so you don't lose a piece. One rod goes into the vertical section of the door (what would be the hinge-line) and the other bows from the top to the bottom to frame the door. Coleman did a great job with this part. The poles are held in a sleeve along the door, with a zippered section so you can get the poles in and bend them how they're needed, and the ends of the poles have plastic covers and fit into sturdy rubber sockets on the door. Despite what it looks like at first, it's actually pretty durable once you get it assembled. The door has a protective flap covering the zipper, and a full-length zipper so you can shut the door fully at night. There's also several small Velcro patches, so when you close the door it doesn't hang open.
The awnings (one over the door and one opposite the door on the other side of the tent) are made using the last two flexible poles. Making a bow-shape with the pole, you slip the pole into a sleeve on the rain-fly and then stick the ends of the poles into a grommet point on a strap that is also connected to the main tent poles. It's a bit of a trick to get them in...I had to un-clip the strap on one side from the tent pole, put the awning pole into the grommet with the slack, and then re-clip everything back to the tent pole. The awnings to not stick out very far. I'd say they stick out only an inch or so beyond the profile of the tent. Since the tent does have a slight slope inwards, the awnings really just keep the dew or rain from pouring down on the door and back window.
Okay, enough on assembly. How's the tent? Awesome!
There's lots of windows in this tent, all screened with zippered privacy flaps that have built-in ties to manage them. The bottom of the tent is tarp-like and supposedly waterproof. Although I believe the waterproof part, I'd still HIGHLY recommend putting a separate tarp under this tent as a moisture barrier and to add an extra layer of durable material. I'd also recommend (if you care to bring it) a blanket or cloth-tarp to put inside to protect the tent bottom from your own traffic and gear. The inside room is very roomy and I could easily stand up without bending at all, and walk around the whole inside without problem. There's a built-in mesh pocket, about the size of a sheet of paper, but otherwise not much else. There's a small, semi-circular opening on the back wall near the floor that Coleman calls a "Cool-Air port". I'm not sure the point, actually. It's got a zippered screen flap as well as a zippered privacy flap, so you can open it fully and reach outside. Maybe it does help with air-flow...but I think it's more so you can reach your cooler without leaving the tent! :)
The screened in "porch" area has no bottom. The inside part, facing the actual inside of the tent, is divided by a zippered mesh wall, and a zippered privacy flap. The privacy flap doesn't zip at the bottom, but the mesh part does. The opening for the screened area to the outside is a single vertical zipper. There's stake loops at the bottom of BOTH sides, so you can stake down one side and use the other half of the opening as an actual door flap. There's not much room in the screened area. About enough for a pair of chairs. I could stand up without problem, but not move around much, since there's a bit of a slope. Still, to escape bugs, it's a nice touch. I will say that the rain-fly does NOT cover all of the screened porch area...really just the top and part of the sides. If you store gear out there, know it's exposed to the elements...just not bugs.
Final thoughts:
Taking the tent down and putting it away was as easy as setting it up. Surprisingly everything fit back into the bag...and I didn't take much time neatly rolling it or pushing all the air out, so if you do take your time it will fit with room to spare!
BUY ADDITIONAL STAKES! The tent comes with about 8 cheap plastic stakes that I wouldn't rely on, and about 14 wire-metal-stakes which are fine but can be annoying to put in and take out. Do yourself a favor and spend a couple bucks on more stakes. You can never have too many stakes!
Other than that I can't think of a thing wrong with this tent. It looks gigantic in the specifications and even when setup, but it's actually not that big...so don't worry about showing up with some camper-sized monstrosity! I'd recommend getting a tent-repair kit and some seam-sealer, but that's just prudent with ANY tent.
It's designed to house 6 people, but realistically you could get four people and a dog or two in this without much complaint.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Playstation network got you down? why not go xbox?
Xbox has the most reliable gaming servers out there... period. I have been an xbox user for years now, though the birth of my daughter has turned it into a netflix box more than anything lately. I am sure however that I will soon enough get back to my games and with Kinect for xbox the young one will be gaming sooner than I would have thought possible previously too :-)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Amazing Day in the park at Mt. Hood Meadows
Current happenings on mt hood... i dont know these guys, it was just a decent little video to share for all y'all
Sunday, January 23, 2011
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