Monday, August 23, 2010

Naps, services and Sunsets

Spent all day yesterday, Sunday, working on issues related to work.  I was "on call" you see and one of our customers was having "issues".  15 "glorious and fun-filled" hours later, things had stabilized and we could all get some rest.

I did manage a short ride in between crashes involving the customer's equipment though so my perfect riding record for this year remains.  LINK.

Needless to day, today I was tired and was able to take a comp day off after clearing it with my manager.  Got a couple of naps in, one before and one after lunch and felt much better.

Got in some regular maintenance on Natasha, my Ural Sidecar Rig.  Checked her valve clearances (good to go), and changed out her engine, transmission and final drive oils without making much of a mess.

This evening, after things had cooled off nicely into the high 60s, low 70s....I took Natasha out for a test ride to make sure no leaks were happening while the engine was on.

Natasha ran beautifully and we were in time for a fiery red and orange sunset , silhouetting the front range mountains rather nicely if I do say so myself:





My 11+ year old camera, an Olympus C4000 is slowly getting worse.  The zoom feature in the viewfinder no longer works and I have to shoot using the LED display.  I've been looking at cameras with at least 5x Optical Zoom, image stabilization, compactness, and good reviews.  Apparently though, point and shoots are rarely made with a viewfinder these days!  I am open to suggestions from the photographers amongst you.

Note:  I already have access to a nice DSLR, a Nikon D50 which my loving wife uses.  Seeking more of something I can keep in an outside pocket.

9 comments:

SonjaM said...

The first picture is just magic. Let the Ural shine!

Jack Riepe said...

Dear Charlie6 (Dom):

Th best picture in this set is the very first one. The tepid colors of the sunset are magically filtered through the Ural's windscreen to exit with dazzling effect.

You would never know you have been taking pictures with a wooden box camera obscura.

Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads

RichardM said...

I agree with the other two comments. I love the first picture with the sun behind the Ural and the sky behind the windscreen.

I'm not a photographer, but I really like the Canon G11. It has a viewfinder as do many of the Canon point and shoots. Plus the LCD flips around so you can use it for shots with the camera really low or high or just fold it in so it's covered up protected from scratches. I ended with a dslr since I was looking for interchangeable lenses.

Keith - Circle Blue said...

I, also, like the first picture a lot.
~Keith

Unknown said...

Charlie6:

those are great sunsets. I used to have a C5050 Olympus but it seems like such a long time ago. I remember I paid over $1,300. for it back then. Things are so much cheaper (relatively) now.

It would depend a bit on your budget . I tend to purchase the newest model nearly yearly.

Most of my photos are taken with a Panasonic Lumix ZS3, has AVCHD 720HD video mode and 12x zoom. Sonja has just purchased the replacement model ZS7 . Lumix is known for blown out highlights so generally you can use exposure compensation and go -1/3+ or more, check histogram.

Canon has just announced S95 which replaces S90. It has the same engine as the G11 but tweeked for low light performance and will shoot smaller 2.5 MP images up to 12,800 ISO. It now has 720HD video mode and iA . If you do not need HD video then you may be able to find deals on the old S90 model.

If you wish something more professional in your pocket, it was leaked that Canon has the G12 nearly available. Upgraded low light performance, 720HD video and articulating screen with 461K pixels. I currently have a Canon G10 and would consider purchasing the G12 or S95

bob
Wet Coast Scootin

redlegsrides said...

thank you all for your comments!

if only there was a camera that can capture what the human eye can see.....that'd be THE camera to buy.

Unknown said...

Charlie6:

they've been trying to find a way to do this since photography was discovered. It would probably pertain to field of view, of which the GoProHD with 170 degree would be the closest.

Honestly, most of the prof photographers would only purchase a camera with RAW capabilities, or you can purchase a model which will work with CHDK

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

or

http://mighty-hoernsche.de/

choose a canon model which can be hacked. Whoa wait a minute, you do ride a Hack, so it would be perfect for you.

It only works with Canon, selected models, so purchase a model where CHDK would work. It will also let you use "Non Chipped" batteries which will save a lot of $$$

bob
Wet Coast Scootin

redlegsrides said...

Bobskoot, pls drop me an email at domchangATyahoo.com with your email so we can continue this advice from you re my next camera via email.

Oz said...

Awesome pictures, especially the first one!