My new toy is on its way
posted in Blogging, Illnesses, Livestock and Pets, Photography |Good lord. Has it really been almost 2 weeks since I last posted?! I apologize profusely. Dunno why, but this year I have been in a total blogging doldrum; I come up with ideas for posts and then, like fog melting in the morning sunlight, they drift away, never to return. Part of the problem, I think, is that Twitter posting has taken the place of my one-off blog posts, the quick-and-dirties that point to a news story or a very cool picture or what-have-you. The other part is that I think my ability to think Deep Thoughts is atrophying. This is not good.
But in the meantime…!
I have a new toy wending its way across the country to our doorstep. I lamented a few weeks ago about trying to do any wildlife photography with our current point-and-shoot digicam, and said I wanted a STUDLY optical zoom. So I hopped online and started researching.
This is what I ended up ordering:
It’s a Canon SX200 IS, with a 12x optical zoom!!! Woot! It is what is called a “prosumer” digital camera, halfway between a point-and-shoot and a digital SLR. Judging by the reviews on Canon’s website, I will either love it or absolutely hate it. There doesn’t seem to be an in-between. What is most consistent is that everyone kvetches about the flash popping up whenever you turn on the camera–this is something I believe I can live with. What is most amusing is that the people who love it say the low-light performance is awesome, while the people who hate it say the low-light performance is dreadful. Hmm. Our current camera’s low-light performance is utterly appalling, so this has to be better!
The Digital Camera Review called it “a solid, better-than-average performer in most respects”, and then went on to say it was a little bit “boring”. That 12x zoom is not “boring” to me!
It has automatic mode, but it also has manual control over the aperture and shutter speed, and supposedly can do ISO 1600. I will be exploring that, to be sure.
Originally, I was supposed to get free shipping, but one of the drawbacks of living in Alaska is that many things that are available to folks Outside (e.g., “the Lower 48″) just aren’t available here. Ground UPS service from Camera Kings is on that list. So my carefully garnered rebate form is going to pay for 2nd day air. On the one hand: Humph. On the other hand: Kewl!
It should arrive Monday, I will start playing with it, and I will report further.
Onto other items:
First, Revere at EffectMeasure says you should get both the H1N1 vaccine and the seasonal flu; the rationale being that the H1N1 may slow down/fizzle out, leaving the normal seasonal flu to start doing its stuff in January and February. So I am changing my mind on recommending only the H1N1 vaccine.
Secondly, I am finding myself missing Kai more than I thought. In particular, whenever the urge comes upon me to go hiking (which it hasn’t much in the past few weeks due to illness and recuperation), I realize that we have been hiking together for 11 years…
Thirdly, the “not-flu” is the gift that keeps on giving. OmegaDad is dealing with a “mild” case of pneumonia and finally seems to be doing better. After a week’s worth of coping with a wonky stomach, I am now off my favorite Frappucinos–every time I drank one, it made me feel nauseated.
The dotter suddenly wants the computer so she can go play ToonTown, so I am off…
