Sunday, June 23, 2013

TODAY I OFFICIALLY RETIRED MY NIKON D40 CAMERA


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HAD HOPED TO HAVE A SUPERMOON SHOT IN THIS SLOT TONIGHT BUT DUE TO THE HEAVY HUMIDITY THE MOON WAS WRAPPED IN A MURKY ATMOSPHERIC HAZE SO JUST  TOOK A PICTURE OF A LIGHT BULB WHEN PHEEBS & RETURNED HOME ABOUT 10…I ALSO MADE A COUPLE MISTAKES IN MY ISO & EXPOSURE SETTINGS WHICH DIDN’T HELP EITHER…………:((
Shortly after publishing ‘Saturday night's post’ Pheebs & I were out the door & on down the road headed about 3 miles northeast to a hilltop location in the country. Figured we might catch us June's big Supermoon rising up over the landscape. Didn't have my timing quite right I guess plus with the days high humidity the air was hazy & we had a cloud cover. Scanned the horizon, fought off a ka-zillion bugs, & waited about 20 minutes. No Moon, & not even a glow on the horizon so it was back home we went. Did see the Moon a couple hours later through our pine trees but it was hazy behind the clouds & soon disappeared altogether.
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LOTS OF THESE LITTLE FELLERS AROUND THE GOOSE POND THIS EVENING
I am probably like many folks when it comes to making decisions. Some come quickly & others seem to take forever. One difference for me from other folks may be in my haste to act on a decision once it has been made. I can waffle along on something for days, weeks, & months but once that ‘OK’ green light comes on in my head it's pedal to the metal to kick that decision into action. Action now, not tomorrow or a week or two from now…………...Now!!
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And so it was with my very long drawn out decision to replace my aging & sensor problematic Nikon D40 camera body. A few posts ago I included an unedited photo showing the problem I have with dirt on the camera's sensors. It's an expensive fix. Kind of like pouring money down the drain on an aging car. I have spent a lot of time these past few years retouching countless numbers of photos & I think it was the fact I posted about the problem a few days ago that I woke up this morning knowing not only what I wanted to do, but what I had to do, & just exactly what I was going to do.  And there was absolutely no point putting it off till tomorrow, the next day or maybe next week. No, if I am going get a D3100 camera body I am going to get it.....TODAY!!
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Checked on-line prices & surprisingly saw HENRY'S CAMERA STORE chain had new Nikon D3100 bodies for $349. ADORAMA'S refurbished D3100 bodies were the same price so without further ado I was off to London Ontario this morning. Henry's camera store opened at 12 noon & AL was there at 12:06. It's an hour's drive to London’s Masonville Mall & a smart person would have waited until noon, then phoned Henry’s to make sure they had that cameral body in stock. But my logic told me if I phoned & they didn't have one in then what would I do for the rest of the day. So at 11 a.m. my impatience pushed me out the door & headed me for London. Heat & humidity were bad so I left the little Skeeziks at home in our cool air conditioning. No A/C in the Jeep so it was a hot trip to London & back. Highways all the way there & country roads on the way back.  My time in & out of the camera store……20 minutes.  Should explain that DSLR cameras are actually made up of two parts.  The camera body & the lens.  Each can be bought separately or together.  I already have a lens to fit the new camera so I did not need a second lens the same.  Hence, I only needed the camera body itself.
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I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME ONTARIO ALLIMAGATORS IN HERE
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JEEPED OUR WAY HOME THROUGH AN OOBLY GOOBLY SWAMP THIS AFTERNOON
A D3100 is not a top of the line Nikon camera. It's referred to as an entry level camera & that's all I wanted or needed to replace my D40. First, the price was right for me & second I didn't want one of the larger & heavier bodied Nikons. My cameras travel around my neck & shoulders when I'm hiking or walking & weight is an important factor. Also I do not need all the bells, whistles, waazles, & woozles that come with todays camera technologies. For me at this stage it is better to keep things simple. I sometimes think people pay way too much attention to, & get all wrapped up in camera technologies when they should be nailing down some good old standard basics of photography.  Invest some of that waazle woozle money in some good photography classes.  Just my opinion of course.  If I was a professional photographer or used my cameras commercially or for business, etc then maybe I would have to get into all that new waaz wooz stuff to compete. But then it wouldn't be a hobby anymore & the enjoyment would be out of it for me. I did experience a bit of the business side of photography back in the old 35mm days & it was one of the reasons I packed all my camera gear away one day & never touched it again for years. Anyway, my photos only appear in my blog now so no stress & it keeps things on an even keel.  And you probably will not see any difference in my pics with the new cam but I will sure notice a big difference at my end when I do not have to re-touch all the dust spots out of nearly every photo my D40 was taking.  Geeeezzzz, what am I gonna do with all my spare time now eh…………………………….
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<<< ONE OF MY FIRST D3100 TEST PHOTOS TAKEN THROUGH OUR LIVING ROOM WINDOW
And today another Blog Follower.  RICK DORR has climbed aboard so a warm welcome to Rick for stopping by & finding enough interest here to jump through & over all Google’s entanglement of hoops & barrels to join us on our travels.  Whenever it is we can get back to traveling again that is.
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And Monday morning at 9 a.m. we have to be at the Stratford General Hospital to meet with Kelly’s Specialist regarding what is going on inside her chest.  She is much improved from 3 weeks ago but is still bothered with chest pains, shortness of breath, & tiredness.  We are hoping they will have pin pointed something so she can begin some kind of treatment to make things right again. 
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GROANER’S CORNER:((  
A couple in their nineties are both having some short term memory loss. While in for a check-up, the physician says that physically they’re okay, but since they’re having trouble remembering things, they might want to start writing things down.
Later that evening they’re sitting and reading, when the husband gets up.
“Would you like anything from the kitchen?” he asks.
“Some vanilla ice cream,” his wife replies.
“Okay.”
“Shouldn’t you write it down so you don’t forget it?” she asks.
“Don’t worry, I won’t forget.”
“Well,” she says. “A few raspberries on top would be great. You want to write that down?”
“I’ve got it, honey. A bowl of vanilla ice cream with raspberries on top.”
“And chocolate sauce, too. Maybe you’ll forget that. Want me to write it down for you?”
A little miffed, he replies, “I’ve got it! Ice cream, raspberries and chocolate sauce. I don’t need it written down, for gosh sakes!”
He waddles out to the the kitchen. A half hour later, he comes back with a plate of ham and scrambled eggs, and gives it to his wife.
She looks at the plate a few seconds, then says, “You forgot my toast.”

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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

19 comments:

  1. Good for you! I have a D3100. I have decided I really, really need those classes you mentioned.

    Your dragonflies are so pretty!

    Hope you get good news tomorrow!

    Hugs to Pheebs from the Taylor crew!

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  2. Colors seem more vivid.... At least the red in the cardinal anyway.... I bought a 5100 a couple of years ago, but never use it because its too big to take along anywhere.... Especially on the motorcycle.....

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  3. Congrats on the new D-3100. I know we will see many special pic's from it.
    I love your sun powered high tension tower.

    So, I should invest in classes eh? My wife says the same. I love the D-7100, but am glad I have the D-50 with me. Lighter and I know how to operate it better.
    The D-7100 has a sensor cleaner that keeps it clean. No idea how it works, perhaps like a windshield washer. Probably part of what makes it so heavy.
    We were overcast tonight for the Moon

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  4. Fingers crossed they find out what is wrong with Kelly and that it is easily treatable, or that it will eventually go away on it's own.

    Please let us know as soon as you can. So many readers are hoping for the best.

    Hugs.

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  5. You know, Al, I just uploaded some of my Sierra Nevada photos I took with my old (refurbished) Nikon D40x and, compared to my Canon, they are much clearer and crisper. And, the macros are SO much better!!!! One time, during Thanksgiving, the hubbs and I were at Mammoth. I went out early in the morning to see the new snowfall (it snowed the previous night)...and went crunch, crunch, crunch in the snow, came inside the cabin, walked on the slick lineoleum kitchen floor, and my beloved Nikon went SPLAT on the floor (me, too!). I went facedown and landed on my nose and all I could scream was, "My camera, my camera!" Turns out, my fall shattered the viewfinder, but hubby sent it in and $240 later, I had a new one. There is NO WAY I will EVER give up this camera! I take her everywhere with me, as my backup camera.
    ~~Cheryl Ann~ But, I'm glad you got a new body! I'm like you...I don't need a lot of bells and whistles!

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  6. WOW AL, so nice of you to go out and buy a gift for yourself that all of us will have the pleasure of enjoying to the max !!!! Now that is thoughtful and a fantastic decision !!!
    The " test " cardinal looks beautiful !!! Anything to keep the photos coming our way is such a plus .... I love it when you spread your visuals for all to share !!!!
    Good luck to Kelly with the follow-up appointment tomorrow ...... I hope there is a plan in the works that will get
    Kelly feeling 100 per cent soon .....
    No SUPER MOON here in Sarasota ....too much cloud cover.... Maybe next time .....All the Best......
    Pssss ....Duke sends a tail wag Pheebs way ....

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  7. I hope you get many more wonderful pictures with that new camera. Russ has a D5100 but he rarely takes it out. All my best to Kelly tomorrow. Hope she gets good news.

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  8. The Cardinal picture looks good, but then all your pictures do, I hope Kelly gets some answers tomorrow, it's no fun being tired all the time.

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  9. Congrats on the new camera!!! May you have many, many fun years taking photos with it. My best to Kelly and hugs to the Pheebs Girl!!

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  10. I got a good view of the moon last night, but tonight it was drizzling rain and I couldn't see anything.

    The dragonflies are really beautiful - so delicate looking.

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  11. Nice to get your new camera and now you enjoy more photo sessions taking great pictures and less touch up.
    Hope Kelly gets some good news today.

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  12. We've had the Nikon 3100 for 2 years and love it.

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  13. Your pictures are always so outstanding.

    I hope Kelly hears some good news at her appointment.

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  14. I wonder just how long my D40 will hang in. Within six months of buying it (this was the fall of 08) it had to go back to be fixed. AND I was in Europe, so it had to come here to Mississauga. grrrr.
    Then they wanted a hundred bucks to ship it back to me! Luckily, one of our daughters was coming over and she brought it back. It still seems like the sensor is "off", but I've adjusted the sensitivity to compensate.
    I would NEVER have the patience to continuously retouch photos. What you see is what you get.
    At least with the Nikons, all the lenses fit. Of course, I have a lens from an older F70 (film) and it fits, but just doesn't "talk" to the body. So I have to manually focus that one. Still works.
    One fine day, I may need to go shopping....
    Good luck with the new one.

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  15. Kathy and I really like the clarity of the Dragonfly pictures.

    We'll keep Kelly in our prayers that the doctors come back with some positive news for her.

    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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  16. Your dragonfly pictures are amazing!

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  17. How nice to buy yourself a new camera gift. I've fallen in love with my D5100, but a few lessons wouldn't hurt.

    Sure hope the doctors can help Kelly out.

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  18. Cameras, pah! Just a week ago my little Panasonic Lumix died -- again. It died once before, and the company replaced it free. But the replacement was a reconditioned one and carried no guarantee (since the first one was at the end of its guarantee). So I had to haul out my little Nikon Coolpix, the one I had to buy at an exorbitant price to have a camera to take pictures in Yosemite. Both have some flapdoodle special features, but the feature I like best is the automatic setting!

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  19. I always had a problem with the straps bothering my neck and someone turned me on to this.
    http://www.blackrapid.com/products/classic
    It's very comfortable and I use it all the time now. It's very fast to get up into shooting position and when your done it just rides on your hip.
    Take a look, I think you'll like it.
    Regards,
    Fred

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