mbird

Really David! There we all are having a nice discussion about pooh filled toilets, and you have to lower the tone

Hi Jonny There are two schools of thought here (quite obviously from Simon's and Perry's replies), but it really depends on what you want to achieve. I have just bought a relatively cheap "bridge" camera for my sons to try to get them interested in photography (which seems to be working). I got them a Fujifilm S1000fd 10 megapixel camera, because it was only just over £100, and allowed a certain degree of manual adjustment when it comes to shutter speed and aperture size. This allows some freedom when it comes to dictating to the camera how you want the shot to come out. The problem is, that if you want to get really into creative styles of photography, these cameras simply don't offer enough scope for "fiddling". The little Fuji only allows aperture sizes to be adjusted from F2.4 to F6.4, which is not enough to make really marked differences to the depth of field. It's a great introduction for them, but in no way would it satisfy me personally. This weekend saw me spread eagled on my belly on Cromer pier (much to the wifes emabarassment) and again on Cromer prominade just to get a shot I thought would work! I would agree with Perry that if you intend to go for full on creative photography, a second hand SLR is the way to go. However, if you are most likely to leave an SLR on Full Auto mode anyway, then Simon probably has the right idea. It really is horses for courses, but that's why my phone has an 8.1 megapixel camera built in, so I've always got a point and squirt with me!

I've never heard anyone laugh and retch at the same time!!! At least they saw the funny side

I've been adding Startron since last Autumn, so it's probably too early to tell if it's made any difference. I have had no running or starting problems since I cleaned the glow plugs, but I think for what it costs any older broads cruiser should probably be using some sort of additive. I have hel off changing the fuel filters for a few months to see if the additive causes any clumping to get stuck in the filters, so when I do change them I'll let you know if I find anything!

I wouldn't dare Nigel, I have far too much respect for the boys in blue

Hi Jonzo, No, I've tried both the built in reader and a third party USB multi-card reader on the HP desktop, but used the same USB reader on the Laptop. This proves it's not the reader I think . I've also just ordered a, ExpressCard CF adaptor for the laptop, so that should at least make taking the photos from the CF card to the laptop a lot faster.

Hi All A while ago I made a post about problems with corruption of RAW files when they were being imported into Lightroom. The pictures would seem to import okay to start with, and then as Lightroom went through and rendered the previews correctly, a percentage of the pictures would get corrupted by various brightly coloured blocks, normally the bottom right 25% of the picture, but sometimes all of it. This meant deleting the imported picture and trying again. Sometimes the reimported photo would be okay, sometimes it would take three or four goes. I have already tried different memory cards etc, all with the same result, which was all very annoying. One of the forum members (I think it may have been Perry?), said that a google search had revealed a lot of people having the same problem. I did a lot of reading up and there were various scenarios, but one common thread was that a large percentage of people having the issue were using Hewlett Packard PC's with AMD processors. Guess what I have? Yep, HP+AMD Having now got my new camera today, I shot a few test piccies, and imported them into Lightroom. The problem is now much worse, as about 30% of the pictures exhibit corruption (9 out of 31 shots). When importing them again, the corruption is identical. I have tried copying the RAW files onto the PC hard drive first, but this doesn't seem to make much difference. Since the files on the new camera are so much bigger (17-20Mb per RAW image) the corruption is worse, pointing to an error in actually handling the file. I tried something I had read about, and copied the files via a USB card reader onto my laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo processor this time), and then copying them across my wireless network to my desktop PC, then importing them into Lightroom. Guess what? No corruption at all It seems the AMD chips for some reason are missing instructions that Intel chips have, which in normal life don't matter, but are essential for RAW file transfer. The moral of this story seems to be to avoid HP computers with AMD processors. This is the first AMD machine I have owned (but not the first HP), and I have to say with the amount of problems I have had, I will not be buying either HP or AMD again. At least I have sussed a workaround, but it is a bit of a kerfuffle

Thanks Perry. As luck would have it, Warehouse express phoned just before they shut this evening to say my camera would be ready for collection from Wednesday onwards. I'll get it in time to play at the weekend. Yippee!!!! I can feel a Lee filters starter kit coming on next.....

Hi All After much internal debate, I have decided to upgrade to the Canon EOS 50D as a replcacement for my 350D. With this in mind, I placed my 350D, the battery grip, a remote flash trigger, and a spare speedlite I never used on Ebay to help fund the purchase. 3 out of the 4 lots sold at their "buy it now" prices within a couple of days, with only the battery grip still in the auction, although with 6 bids so far. In doing this I have managed to raise almost half the cost of the 50D. So chuffed was I at this, that I went out Saturday to buy the new camera, only to find everyone (Warehouse Express, LCE, Jessops and Norfolk Camera Centre) are all out of stock . I've got one on back order at Warehouse Express at the moment, and they hope to have some in later this week, but for the moment I am "sans camera" ...... Oh well, I'll enjoy it all the more when I do eventually get it!

Hi Simon I only have two lenses Canon 17-85 IS USM (f4-5.6) EF-S Canon 70-300 IS USM (f4-5.6) EF Previously I had the 18-55 kit lens that came with the 350D camera, and that was awful. The accuracy of the autofocus, the distortion and aberration at the wide end, and colour were just horrible, andthe whole thing felt cheap and loose. I didn't realise this until I had been using the camera for a few months, as being a total beginner to DSLR this time last year, I had no benchmark to go by. The 17-85 that I bought as the direct replacement for the kit lens, whilst still being considered as a fairly low end lens, still cost around £350 and is lightyears ahead. The review sites still mention the vignetting and corner sharpness as being a problems, but that is compared to their bench mark of absolute perfection. For me, it's a fantastic lens, which will be even better mounted on the front of my new 50D (when I get it ). For zoom work and wildlife type shots, I had also purchased a secondhand 70-300 non-stablised lens when first getting my 350D. Again, this was not a particularly good lens, with sharpness always being a problem. The 70-300 IS lens I replaced it with was a similar cost to the 17-85, but again is streets ahead. I would prefer a larger and non-rotating front element, but I have not found myself needing to use filters for this lens so it's not much of a problem. Most of the time it's used for trying to photograph the damned Kingfishers that I can't seem to get a decent shot of! Both lenses are image stabilised, and to me that makes such a big difference. The only other lens that I can see myself purchasing in the future is a fish-eye, as I love the effects these can give. The two I have though, seem to fit what I need very well at the moment.

In a few weeks I'm going to start taking holidaymakers for their trial runs to help out in our yard during busy times. I think I need something to end my sentences with now, after reading that, right?

Good job it's cheaper than diesel then eh?

What a flippin good idea Keith

Hi Colin I don't really think it will make much difference to the photography "group" at the moment. To my knowledge NBN is the only forum with a dedicated photography discussion area, and so it's the only place at the moment for this sort of thing. I personally haven't joined NBO, not because I'm a moderator here now or anything that went on, but simply because until it offers something different I can't see the point of posting everything twice. I migrated here from the NBF, although I still have a membership there and do occassionaly visit to see if there is anything of interest, but it's amazing how much duplication there is between NBF and NBN. There would be little point NBO instigating a clone of the photography discussion group there, as most of the members I would guess have dual or triple membership now anyway to the forums that now exist.

There were Herons abound last weekend up the Ant & Thurne

I'm all ears Bruce

Er, no I carried the bloody thing 3 miles, but the sun was so bright being reflected off the frost I didn't need it even at ISO 100 with a medium density ND grad filter!

Err, not quite Simon, you didn't see the other 80% Don't you just love digital!! . Bruce's tips on our wanders have been invaluable in making me look at things slightly differently. Thank you for your kind comments folks, I was quite pleased with the way some of them turned out, and it's the first time I've actually taken the boat somewhere specifically to photograph something. I was really lucky with the weather being a very cold and frosty morning, but beautifully clear except for a very light haze. I would have liked to have got up a bit earlier, but Mr Woodeford put paid to that! I was gutted though, that my Kingfisher pics didn't come out. I had a perfect pose and shot lined up as the little fella stayed put on his branch as we went past, but for some reason, the focus is completely off (I think the autofocus picked up on the foliage behind). I hate it when that happens and you think you've got a cracker in the can only to find out it's pants. Still, more excuse to get on the boat again!

A couple more from across the marshes. And the last two are some wildlife from the Bure as we were heading towards the Ant

The inspiration for the wander had come from the cruise back to Womack last weekend. When looking across the marshes when travelling up the Thurne, I saw some broken old fences that I thought would make a nice subject. These are the results.

I decided Friday evening whilst moored up at Thurne Dyke, I would try to get up quite early and go for a stroll with my camera to see what took my fancy. Unfortunately a brief encounter with more than a couple of pints of Admirals Reserve put paid to the best of intentions. I still managed to get up before 7:00am, but boy was it cold! Still, the fresh air helped my thumping head After donning the walking boots, I left the boat with SWMBO, the kids, and my parents all still slumbering, and was surprised at just how much frost there was. I walked down the dyke then upstream along the river bank until I found a suitable place to cross the marshes.

Hi Adam I've replaced the pumps and seals on both our Jabsco heads (assuming they are the same ones). If it's the whole pump you are replacing, they are dead easy. The hardest bit is normally getting the old hoses off, but try warming them with a hot air gun (very carefully!) of a hair dryer. If fitting a new pistong seal, make sure you wrap some insualting tape around the thread on the end of the piston rod before sliding any new seal over it. The new seals are quite a tight fit, and can easily be damaged by forcing them over a thread.

Jeeez Simon! We'll nothing like a long term project to concentrate on then mate.

Hi Stopper Unusual question to say the least . My only concern would be if the batteries were to tip over and leak the water. I would guess that even an old battery would still have some chemical reaction going on inside, and so the water could still become acidic over time, but I am only guessing. Wouldn't a few bags of builders sand from B&Q be cheaper and spread the load on your hull a little bit more evenly ? Congrats on your nearly retirement by the way

Okay, so I'm slow on the uptake, I admit it But I've only just caught up with this thread after so long. Simon, if you want, I would be quite happy to be your "legs" and go out and take the photos? If you would like to collate the old pics you want recreated and then email them to me (PM for this), I'll do my best to go out and get the shots. You could do the Lightroom bit if you wanted to, though I'm quite happy to sort this too if necessary. What d'ya reckon mate? Let me know.....