Even Canon Australia tech says I've been having run of bad luck

Even though there have only been two issues. The autofocus on my 5 month old 70-200 failed, was replaced under warranty. Batteries in my 5DMkIII would drain overnight if left in. Turned out there was a short in one of the terminals, fixed under warranty.

Well, been having a problem with the 100-400. When I half press the shutter button to focus, focus won't lock, and the aperture reading would change from whatever it was set to 00. (ie set to f/8.0 and when the auto focus hunts it jitters and goes to 00). I did all the at home remedies/tests: cleaned the contacts. No joy. Tried it on different cameras.. still happened.

So, I called Canon Australia, spoke to Tech "Anthony". I told him the symptoms, what I had tried to remedy it, and that I had found several forum threads about this problem. He took my information, emailed to so I could send him the link to DPREVIEW thread about this. There are others, more recent, but it's a case of repetition. Different people, different forums, saying the same thing.

So, he said this is marked as escalated, and will have ti looked into right away. Then he asked me for information, and when I gave it, he said "Wow, you've had a rough run of luck" I'm hoping this can be rectified. It's an annoyance, not earth shattering... just annoying.

Well, that was fun

Went out for a planned photoshoot with Wing today. Slight hiccup in our communication, as I had said I wanted to go into Perth to get some city street photography, and he forgot.

Well, it was a lemons/lemonade situation, so I made the best of it. Met up with a fellow photog, and had a nice meander through Fremantle. I wanted to take my 100-400 lens out and give it a good try. Not just photographing the moon/Jupiter, or just the birds visiting the trees and birdbath (although I did work to make them get a bit used to my presence)

Todays "Keeper to delete" ratio: Took 27 photos. So far 12 are good. Almost 50%

Call me paranoid, or overly cautious

I keep getting adverts from Adobe, and other companies to take part in 'cloud computing'.

No.

if I need to share digital content (images, sound files, video clips, documents) with someone, I will send it via email, a large file server, or physically carry it on a thumb drive. Yes, I hear of how secure these offsite cloud servers are... we've also hear how secure other sites are, only to hear they've been hacked.

So, no, I'll keep my data here, and give "Cloud Computing" a wide berth.

I'm so 'liberal', my mouse is left handed?

Razer DeathAdder arrived, and it fits so comfortably under my left hand. I've left (no pun intended) the Naga mouse hooked up because there are some things (games) that just can't be configured to use left handed mouse as there are macro buttons on the Naga that are game specific.

Fine control is still somewhat problematical, but is improving with daily, sometimes hourly use. I used to be left handed when I was a child, but I was 'encouraged' to be right handed by fair means (teachers made me sit on my left hand) or foul (a really hard crack across the knuckles).

Also, I've been staking out the birdbath, getting the local birds acclimated to my presence out there. Not taming them, but getting used to me just standing out there, near the front door, or the potted lime tree. Then I use my EF 100-400 lens, and have been getting clear, close shots.

Bather's Look out - One New Holland Honeyeater keeps watch while another one takes a dip.



Carnaby Cockatoo - this bird is in the process of juvenile to adult moult.

Ok, a few more tweaks

Google is my friend. I did a search to see what else I could to to make my computer more left hand friendly. Like menus opening to the right rather than the left, moving the scroll bar on my browser to the left side, and left handed cursors.

I also got a reply from Razer about a left handed Naga gaming mouse. They told me it is in the works, and they will email me when they are available. Chances are they will be special order items. I did order a Razer Death Adder for lefties, which will at least be more comfortable to use than the right handed Naga mouse.

Still having issues with fine controls in photo editing programs. Luckily, I can mitigate is by using the graphics tablet and stylus.

Guess who said this?

"I do not believe in the general promiscuous toting of guns. I think it should be sharply restricted and only under licenses."

-- NRA President Karl Frederick, 1934

Even the NRA used to have sane, common sense ideas.

Slowly but surely..

Day two of using mouse left handed, and it still feels awkward. I'm sure I will get adept with practice, but I don't see me using it for my photo editing programs. That takes fine control. I have no idea how long it will take before I get to the point I can comfortably do fine edits. On the flip side of this awkwardness, I have found using graphics tablet/ stylus with my right hand in conjunction with using mouse with my left hand works.

Oh well, it's late and I can hear the siren call of a comfy bed with pillows.

Oh, I've been having fun!

Almost 6 yrs ago, when Wing got my the Lumix DMC-FZ30. I got some magnifying close up lens filters, to use for close up/macro photography. I got a Phoenix Macro Flash ring (more on this later) and started taking photos. Some of my favorite ones were close ups of my geode, beads and weaving, and and metal with beadwork..

Then I 'graduated' to a Canon. My problem was the Phoenix flash ring didn't fit on any of the Canon lenses, and I couldn't find adapters for the Phoenix flash ring. I did an inexpensive flash ring, but it gave me 'meh' results. Not bad, just not what I wanted.

So, last year, I got a Metz Flash ring. I could use it with my 7D because there was an onboard flash on the camera, but I couldn't use it with my 5D. So, after months of searching for a way to use it on my 5D without having to use an external flash, I went to Camera Electronic and explained the problem. They fabricated a flash sync cord for the 5D to use the Metz flash ring. And I have been having a blast rephotographing my zoisite, amethyst shaft, and rose quartz sphere.

I spotted our rose colored salt lamp, and after turning it around, got a great photo of it.



Next, I think I might try salt crystals, or sugar! :D

Macro Photography

Fresh Popcorn

Ordered left-handed mouse

Ordered a Razer DeathAdder for Lefties. I had tried to find a computer/tech store that had the Logitech Trackman trackball but no one had one in stock. Actually, none of the stores had any left handed or ambidextrous devices at all.

What's going to be 'fun' is getting used to gaming with left hand mouse, and keyboard.

Yeah, this still feels weird

I know I've only been using the mouse with my left hand for part of one day so far, but it still feels awkward as all hell. I know if I keep at it for a while, I will get accustomed to it. Might work better if I get an ambidextrous mouse. But if I don't see any noticeable improvement of the carpal tunnel, I'll go back to using the mouse right handed again.

One of the things I did do, was download the left handed cursor set for Windows 7. I know it's mostly psychological, but hey, why not.

Breathing new life into artwork

Redbubble now offers iPad and iPhone cases, so I decided to dust off some of my digital and fractal artwork, and make them for said objects.

I do wish they had cases for other items, like Galaxy SII or SIII. Oh well. I don't want a case bad enough to jump to the 'i' brand.

Some outdoor things to do

I scrubbed out the birdbaths, and refilled them with clean cool water. Bird invasion in 3..2..1... SPLASH! There should be less birdie bickering in a week or so, when the new hanging bird baths arrive.

Also brought some rust cleaning things out and proceeded to clean some rust that has built up on my bike. Even under cover, it can get rusty because of the humidity. All shiny polished again. Also wiped down/off the spiderwebs that seem to build up overnight on the handlebars.

Took less than a year

I did it. I have taken 10k photos with my 5DMkIII, using the Metz Macro flash ring.


Ruby Zoisite




I took this to three different lapidaries, and none of them could identify it. It's very dense for its size. It's not iron pyrite. Two of the lapidaries were certain it's meteoric in origin, and one said it could be but couldn't confirm it. Only way to confirm is to destroy it in testing.



Rose Quartz



Amethyst Quartz

More photography 'toys'

I needed a sync cord for my macro flash ring. I couldn't find one anywhere. Saturday I went to the "Crack House" aka Camera Electronic, and their wonderful tech department fabricated one for me. They called me this afternoon to tell me it was ready, and Wing picked it up for me on the way home from work.

After re-familiarizing myself with the manual (yes, I RTFM), I put the adaptor ring on the lens, attached the macro flash ring, plugged in the sync cord, and experimented.

Not bad.. not bad at all.

Salt lamp, close up.



One of my hair combs.



Will be dusting off my macro slide rail, and breaking out the tripod :)

Monday, Monday....

The day I boot up various netbooks, laptops, tablets and check for updates. About as much fun as watching paint dry.

Productive weekend brought to screeching halt

Attended a photography workshop at Leighton Beach, called "Castaway Light". Was familiar with the subject matter, but I still came away with a few bits of info. Any day I learn something new is a day not wasted. :)

So, I took 141 photographs (discounting the ones I took for scenery, and of the fishing eagle I saw doing a fly by), and so far (haven't gone through them all yet) out of them I have 35 good images. That is a ration of 1 out of 4, which is much better than 1 out of 10.

It was a great photo shoot, but I was knackered. I took out contacts, brushed teeth, washed up, got into jammies, crawled into bed. Next thing I know, it's morning and Loki is purring at me at 7:30. Problem was, I woke up with a headache again. I did take some Panadiene to make sure it didn't progress into a migraine, but I also drank a few glasses of water. It's entirely possible, that although I did bring and drink water at the photo shoot, that I was dehydrated.

Here's where the screeching halt came in: although I am in better condition physically (the back/leg issue) it was difficult to traipse up and down on very soft beach sand. Lower back is screaming at me, and I'm listing slightly to port again. No, it's not as bad as it would have been (and was) last year, but still using wall to push me upright. Knowing then, what I know now, I still would have done it. :D

Oh, here's bonus photo of a juvenile sea eagle! Wish I had my 100-400 on at the time. Oh well, it's still a good image.

This is odd

Two of my teeth hurt, but there's no rhyme or reason as to why. They've been cleaned, poked, prodded, xrayed, and all is well. They don't always hurt, but seem to hurt if I have ice cream. It's not because it's cold, because I can swish ice water all around the tooth, and even chew on ice cubes, and it's not the sweet/sugar because I noshed on some Skittles and it didn't faze my teeth. I brushed teeth and rinsed after the ice cream, and the ache didn't go away. Also, no reaction if I eat/drink something hot, unless the teeth are already sore, so the teeth aren't infected.

Two Nurofen and the pain goes away and doesn't return, so again, not an infection.

Bizarre.

Today was the Day of Melting

It was hot, and humid today. We brought the birds in, because there was no way I was going to let them possibly get heat exhaustion. Took a sheet of vinyl, covered the table with it, put newspaper over that, and placed the top parts of the cages on it. I didn't turn the AC on in that area of the house, because I didn't want them to go from a hot environment to a cool one. But once it got warmer in there, I did put the AC on, at 27c.

Proceeded to scrub out and refill both of the birdbaths. The birds were waiting in the trees for me to depart, and then they swooped in. Later in the afternoon, I refilled it with cool water. Didn't take long for the locals to visit it again.

Brought the bird cage bottoms on the upper level of the back yard, near two grevillea shrubs, and hosed them out, thereby not only cleaning the cages, but giving both the shrugs a good watering in the process.

I found hanging birdbaths on Amazon dot com, not very expensive. Only $14. Around here, the prices is (hold onto your privates, general) $38 plus shipping. Only problem is they don't ship to Australia. US Drop mail address to the rescue! Even with the cost of shipping them over, it's still two for the price of one.

I expect to get disowned for this but you know, I don't care

I got yet another filled with misinformation, CHRISTIAN nation, gun owners rights email from stepfather. I counted to 50 twice, then sat down and typed this out:

The argument of those serving in the military, and civilians is a false dichotomy. Military personnel are trained, schooled, lessoned, drilled on the proper use of a weapon even before they step out on a firing range. Those 19 yr olds in the military are mature enough to sign up for military service knowing this will be what they go through.

Also, I am so tired of reading about 'gun owners rights'. What about the rights of unarmed people to not get shot?

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state" That woman who had all those guns, the ones her own son killed her with, then went on to slaughter 20 babies and 7 teachers, how was she necessary to the security of a free state, or militia? 5 good 'ol boys posing with their weapons in various 'attack' positions, how are they necessary to the security of a free state? They aren't militias, and would more than likely have been rejected had they shown up at an enlistment center.

If you try to say you need a retooled M16 assault rifle, without it being fully automatic, and using a high capacity ammo clip for home defense, you're lying. If you say you need it for hunting, then you have no business out there hunting. If you can't take down your game with a bolt action .306 you have no business out there. Nor do you need an assault weapon, aka the Bushmaster, for target practice.

Think of this: there was ONE, just ONE failed attempt at a shoe bombing. Now, we all have to take our shoes off at airports. There have been 32 mass murder shootings in the US, starting with Columbine, but still not one change in gun regulation? That is insanity. And just because I want gun regulation doesn't mean I'm some "anti-gun librul nut". You want to go skeet shooting? Fine! Home defense? Single shot rifle, or a revolver would do the trick. Hunting? See above comment about a bolt actions .306. Unless you are in a war zone, you do NOT need anything else.

About the praying: Federal Law, the Marines are Federal Employees. If they don't want to follow federal law, they should have become private security instead. So, HAIL the ACLU.

As for the "One Nation Under God" that was added in 1954 during the McCarthy era, to 'smoke out them damned commies', under the delusion that communist spies wouldn't stoop to saying "god". Think that one through... they are undercover spies, and won't say God? Using the excuse that those 20 babies murdered was because "God was taken out of schools"... Ok, what the excuse for those people shot to death in churches?

Two bike rides in two day

My left calf/quad areas are stiff, not sore as I have limited sensation in them, but still. So I know the left leg got good work out. Unfortunately, today is going to jump 10 degrees (forecast says 38c today) and with everything we have to get done today I don't see another ride today.

Finally remembered to get a large padded bag mailer, it's all addressed, item inside, just have to get it to a post office. Here's hoping that Monday morning doesn't get too hot too fast.

Took advantage of a cool-ish day

Today it was much cooler than it's been for over a week, so I went out for a bike ride. Yes, it was to the local shops to pick up some items we kept forgetting to get. On they way back, I took the 'scenic' route with a basket with about 10kgs of items. Talk about a work out. I made sure I hit most of the hills on the way back.

Of course, now that I'm not moving, not in a cooling breeze, feel rather warm right now. :D

Still headache-y

But no where near as bad as it was when I woke up. So much cooler today. It hit 42.2c (108 F) yesterday, but so far today, it's only gotten to 29.3c (85 F). Still warm, but not scorching hot. Might get to 33c (89 f) but kind of hope it doesn't quite get that high.

Either way, I think it's going to be a laid back, mellow sort of day.

First Post of 2013

Had to make sure I didn't type 2012 as my fingers seem to have that pattern ingrained.

Spent the last hours of New Years' Eve 2012 with good friends and 'family'. I have to admit, though, I wheedled Jessi to bring out the two most adorable Dachshunds. No one there cared if they barked. They are 'goggies, and goggies bark." :)

My brain still has a problem with NYE being meltingly hot. Yes, I know, I live in Australia now, but a lifetime of having to bundle up like Nanook of the North isn't forgotten. Started getting a crashing headache, not from the wine, but from the heat. I hid it well as I didn't want to be a wet blanket. Midnight countdown, with the help of Lachy, we all toasted, hugged/smooched. The New Years deed done, we all started packing up to go home. Came home, chugged down lots of water, put a cold cloth on the back of my neck and waited. Didn't help, so I went to bed.

*sigh*

Damned headache is still here. Nope, not a hangover, as no nausea, no shakes, and I could do with a spot of breakfast. But what I am going to do is have some plain Nurofen, and drink more water, just to make sure I'm not dehydrated. It was rather a scorcher yesterday (42c / 108 F), and it could just be dehydration. But the last thing I want, is a damned migraine day one of 2013! :D