What did Santa bring you?
 

Ok, now that Christmas is done and dusted for another year, what did Santa bring you? I’m sure there’s plenty of people with shiny new toys so this thread is somewhere to post either:
a) If you got new photographic equipment a picture taken with your new stuff or, in case you didn’t get any new photographic stuff,
b) A picture taken of your new toys, whatever they are.

Any new stuff takes time to get used to so, in the spirit of helping others on the learning curve, it would be useful to see shots that didn’t work, as well as the good ones that did. If you made some mistakes in those first few shots, post an explanation of what you found didn’t work, and how you worked around the issues. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, none of us ever stop learning.

What did I get for Christmas? I got a Manfrotto 679B monopod. What did I learn? That you also need a head and QR plate. Direct attachment is ok as long as you have a rotating collar on the lens but it really doesn’t help if you then stick the short lens on, have to unscrew the monopod, screw it onto the base of the camera (especially if you then find the shot works best in portrait format) :o . Makes you look like a Ninja Warrior from a distance though. :rolleyes:

I got one of those 'Rocket' blowers for sensor cleaning purposes (digipads are good but a bit expensive to use every time at £2 a throw)

What have I learnt - well, they're very good at moving dust around...

Adey, you don't throw away the Digi-Pad, you just recover it with a Pec-Pad. One Digi-Pad will last you a lifetime, so the cost is minimal. Both Greypopint and used a blower in the early days and both regretted it due to some of the dust being moved into the viewfinder.

Harry

Yelvertoft, congratulations on your choice of monopod. I have a manfrotto 682B monopod with legs. Yes, you do standout a bit but its necessary with a 200-400 f4 VR lens, amasing how many people stand right next to you at an airshow not realising you need to pan.

Santa brought me a Nikon CF holder, as I am concerned about losing a card. The holder holds two CF cards and a PCMCIA reader in two sides. I plan to get another to make a CF holder that takes four (I have four cards).

On the subject of sensor dust I have claened by D2X only once in 8000 shots. I rarely change lenses and IF (Internal Focus) operation of 200-400 or teleconvertor use seem to keep the dust away although I check every shot.

I recieved my pressy a little early, this being the Giottos Inovator tripod + the Manfrotto 322RC2 Heavy Duty ball head. my second one (or I should say a family one) is the holiday I've booked for Kenya in January.

Harry

Well I got a Kenko 1.4x tc for use with my 350D and my Sigma 500 - having looked into tc's I decided to ask for the Kenko as it is a 'dumb' converter and so should allow auto focus... I tried it for the first time yesterday and (typically) it does give the correct info to the camera, so does not allow AF. I can't quite work out why this is as I've spoken to someone else who uses the exact same set up and does get AF... now wishing I'd asked for the Sigma!

I would investigate firmware updates for the sigma lens. I don't use this system but I know Sigma have the ability to 'update' lenses.

Worth a go?

Er... I got some thick socks for all those riverside walks!!

Well you need something to protect your feet in those big wellies that you wear :)

Converter
 

I have a Sigma 2X converter for my 50-500 zoom and it won't autofocus. The image is too dark for the camera to be able to focus, the answer is a faster ( & costly )lens.

Cheers, Harry - I'd seen the Pecpads on the Warehouse Express website but although they were in the 'CCD cleaning' section the description mentioned everything except sensors so I was a bit wary of them!

How do you blow dust into the viewfinder with the mirror locked up?

Super Santa kindly dropped off a shiny Sigma 105mm Macro lens plus Canon Micro RingFlash.

Yippee - watch out moths & dragonflies, here I come, he! he! he!

Santa dropped me off a new lens for my Digital slr and some 1gb sd cards.

Adey
If you decide to use the pec-pads, fold them. don't cut them otherwise you may leave small fibres on the Sensor, I've been using them for ages, almost two years and find them to work very well.

As for dust getting past the viewfinder, all I can say is that it does, well at least on the Canons, numerous people have already been blighted with this problem.

Should this happen to you, and you're feeling adventurous, have a read here.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...essage=9871340

Harry

Now I'm sure Santa made a mistake, that Canon ringflash was meant for me, so can you send it on. :)

Enjoy them, what a great Christmas present.

Harry

Lucky devil.

I was born out there. Where abouts are you going ??

Don

Hi Don

We looked out and saw the snow this morning, and decided we must get away and find some sun.

We are especially fond of Kenya and it's people, plus of course weather, so a quick scan of the internet brought up Kikambala just outside of Mombassa.

So a not so quick phone call (I have a disabled daughter) checking out a suitable hotel with wheelchair access. Yellow fever jab is up to date so just need cholera and a visa, then it's all systems go.

I doubt if I will manage to go on safari, but that could change when I get there, so roll on the 27 Jan and we'll be on our way.

I may think about you when I'm away, but it's very doubtful.

Harry

Is anyone going to post some pictures taken with, of or using their presents?
Still life of rocket air blower, angled to make it look like a prop from "A Grand Day Out"?
Greypoint's feet in socks, propped up on settee, gift tag still hanging off, TV showing Queen's speech in background (out of focus), picture titled "Having a Traditional Christmas"?
Any pictures taken with (and without) those teleconvertors to demonstrate the extra reach?
Lots of macro subject opportunities with and without flash. Remember "Ask the Family" quiz where there would be an extreme closeup of an object and you had to guess what it was?

Lets see the results of Santa's generosity.

Duncan.

Best I could manage with what I've got already...:(

Sorry Don, just been re-reading the posts and realised that I'd not answered your question.
We will be staying just outside of Mombassa at a place called Kikambala. Unfortunately no sunsets there, but with a little luck maybe a couple of sunrises, assuming of course that I can get out of bed in time :)

Have been looking at those "links" you supplied, so getting very tempted to go on safari again, if I meet up with someone else at the hotel who's interested in going, then I could well change my mind.

Harry

Nice one Adey :D
I didn't think anyone would take the suggestion quite so literally, just wanted to encourage people to go and take pictures.

Are we going to get a shot of Sue's feet next? I doubt it. ;)

I reckon she won't be able to resist the challenge now that I've started the ball rolling...

Don't know if this will work......

....but you did ask.....

A coloured gift tag might have finished it off. :rolleyes:

Don

What i got for Xmas was-(1.)6 drunks,
(2.) over-stuffed guy
(3.)1 guy with over dose of viagra-came in with
every thing standing.
(4.) one chocking Goat-removed plastic and got butted
in the behind while bending over to throw the
plastic in the bin-the little old lady(who's goat it-
was) happly told me that the goat is thanking me
for saving her life.
( 5.)1 half guy came to complain that three months
ago he had come with his wife to my practice
and taken birth control pills so that for a year he
wouldnt have any babies-and see what has
happened because as soon as wife took the pills
she started vomiting-So I HAVE BEEN TAKING
THOSE PILLS FOR 3 MONTHS_NOW SEE HE SAID
see LOOK AT ME(in a girlish voice)-he was
bold and had grown small breast and had also
put on weight-completely no facial hair.:o :o

[BWhat DO you Accept--I was on call on Xmas-.No presents for me -crying-cruel world.[/b] :D

Another Classic,Manjeet!!!!.Many thanks.

Makes me grateful for my socks....

Lucky YOU-greypoint-if the goat had swallowed the socks-Ah,Ah.:eek: :eek:

Well I thought I'd post a couple of shots to show the effect of the Kenko 1.4x tc that I got for Christmas. Both shots are uncropped, but have been re-sized and neat imaged (dull day so using ISO800).

Santa brought me a Canon 350D plus kit lens for xmas plus a crumpler stunner bag.Have the use of other lenses cos the other half has a canon aswel.

Yes Sue, I did, LOL :D . I'm beginning to see where you get your username from! Did you ask for them in specially calibrated 18% grey wool? Keeps your feet warm and calibrates your light meter at the same time.

Now what I really should'nt tell you is that shortly after taking that picture I went into the kitchen and put my foot into a puddle made by my incontinent greyhound! So it was straight into the wash for them!!