January 15, 2006
Intel Macs?
Intel based mac computers. What is the world coming to these days. Who knows maybe Windows for Mac next.:)
January 09, 2006
Gots Lens?
I saw a link to this one from the DPR Forums. Talk about super lens envy. The lens technical data can be found here.
Vacation Pics
Photos from our recent Virginia adventure over the holidays are now in our gallery.
January 07, 2006
Badger Graphics Sales / Canon 24-105 F4L IS
All year I had been looking to add the Canon 24-70 2.8L to my lens line up. It is a good complement to my 70-200 F2.8l IS lens I had gotten in November 2003. I purchase most of my equipment from B&H Photo in New York. 9 times out of 10 they have the product I want at a price 20% cheaper than I can get it in Charlotte. Their shipping is excellent. I usually get my items with two days using UPS ground.
Canon threw me a curve ball this year. They released the 24-105 F4L IS in October. At the time it was about the same price as the 24-70, but it has IS and I LOVE the IS on my 70-200. So I debated it until two days before Christmas. Wolf Camera in Charlotte had the lens for the same retail price as BH so I picked it up. The total cost with Tax as $1343.00. Not a cheap investment. I usually never buy anything form Wolf. Their prices are normally ridiculous for camera equipment. Compare what they want for my 70-200 vs. B&H. It's not often I see a lens appreciate in value.
After two days I was not sure I would keep the lens. It just was not that impressive to me for amount of money. Well I took it on our Christmas vacation and grew to really enjoy the focal length of the lens. The IS worked well and it has that typical 'L' build quality. I enjoyed the lens, but still could not justify the price from Wolf so I took it back when we returned from vacation.
The day after returning the lens, I saw a forum on DPReview talking about it being on sale at Badger Graphic Sales for $1095.00. That is a steal for this lens. I had never heard of Badger and I thought I knew most all of the online retailers. Well I did some research and heard good things so I pulled the trigger that night. Got the lens overnighted to me on Wednesday. This was New Years Saturday so the second business day was Wednesday. So basically I saved $200.00 into my hand vs. the Wolf Price. The transaction went smoothly and the product was delivered as I expected.
For those of you looking at Camera Equipment it would be a good idea to create a bookmark to Badger Graphic Sales in your web browser.
The lens is fabulous. Now I just need to go out and shoot it.
January 05, 2006
Vacation
Sean and I spent the week of Christmas and New Year's on vacation in Virginia.
We drove up to Roanoke on December 24th to spend Christmas with Grandma and Diane. On Christmas Day Grandma made a turkey dinner and we spent a lovely quiet day together. On the 26th, the Vanns came up from Winston-Salem -- a not so quiet day :-) They are an exhuberant but fun bunch.
I put together a Coconut & Whipped Cream cake in a jelly-roll form and it was a big hit along with Virginia Ham Sandwiches from Tinnell's market (thye have probably been making these since they opened in 1930), and Grandma's potato salad.
On Tues we decided to go see the Chronicles of Narnia, which was a good-matinee-kind of movie. Later Dad & Susan made it up from Georgia and we had a nice dinner with them at Grandma's-- Sean talked them into a portrait sitting, of course.
On Weds we left for Virginia Beach. Just shy of Williamsburg we stopped for lunch at the Candle Factory Restaurant. Sean used to go there all the time. It was their last week of business and they were closing as of the 31st -- so I also wandered around the candle factory store to stock up on some clearance items. Then we stopped in Williamsburg to wander around the old colonial town. It's one of those places I've read about in Southern Living that I've wanted to see. Apparently it's a fairly popular destination this time of year as there was a bigger crowd than expected.
After we'd checked into our hotel room in Virginia beach, we had to go to Frankie's for dinner -- they have THE BEST barbequed ribs I've ever tasted. We stopped for irish coffees at the "Jewish Mother" and wandered the boardwalk for a small stretch to look at the Christmas lights, lights, lights!!
On Thursday we made a day trip from Virginia Beach to the Outer Banks of NC -- Nags Head and Cape Hatteras to take photos of the lighthouses. It was raining when we left but we had a spot of sunshine when we arrived so the day turned out quite perfectly. We took a Ferry Back to the Beach, and as soon as we crossed the rain began again.
Later that night we had dinner with Jason, Sherri & Josh Clark. It was good to spend some time with friends we don't get to see too often.
And that was that, Friday we drove all the way home and by New Year's Eve all we wanted to do was watch a video, count down the last 10 seconds to midnight and call it a great ending to an interesting year. Sean has posted photos in our gallery.
I also added some pictures which Stefan sent me of Christmas in Vancouver. We decided to postpone our trip until the spring.
January 01, 2006
Happy New Year
Marlene and I wish everyone a Happy New Year. This photograph of the Bodie Island Lighthouse is from our Christmas Vacation.
