Finally! My Tripod Head Is Here!

Hey guys!


So it's been a week since my last update and well... Last week was pretty tiring with quite a bit of stuff to do. I now have some weird dry skin at the base of my neck from carrying my shoulder bag for like 3 days straight. It was interesting covering a dinner similar to a wedding dinner except its more to event than dinner and dance kind of event. I also did part of my first corporate shoot which was quite nerve wrecking but it went pretty well.


I've gotta find some time to go back to my secondary school to talk about prom night and dance photography. And chase some people with regards to the portrait shoot. Many things going on this year, but somehow I feel I'm not shooting much (personal shoots and personal work, not related to what I'm doing now). Quite sad about it but regardless! I pray and ask for more this year!


Before I go on with my usual unboxing, I hope DHL somewhat sees this. Please get what you want to say correctly... Seriously, I called in the morning to arrange for delivery on Sunday evening and they said they can only do on Monday. When just last week, they said ok, then when I called again, they said there were problems at the warehouse, yet they still can deliver my stuff at night. Yesterday was unable to, and yet deliver at night. Not being an ungrateful bastard, but seriously, if I wasn't at home, or anyone for that matter, I'd still have to wait for the next day. Before anyone goes "but you still got it that day", fact is, its just like trying to do something stupid, someone tries to stop you but you didn't listen and did it anyway. And when you fail, you blamed the person who tried to stop you for not stopping you.


There... Now that it's out of my system, back to my unboxing.


3 Packages came

From Adorama, came my 77" by 77" translucent fabric which I'll have to measure for the frame, and my other umbrella head. All I'm missing is the PVC frame for my DIY Light Panel

The thing I've been waiting for! My tripod head! Box looked like crap, but the head was in a condition that seemed new. All for USD 135! I just saw the price on B&H and it was USD 160+, I think should be the same price as Adorama

Impressive 10 year warranty

Contents of the tripod head box

A Western Digital 2TB and a Samsung 1TB hard drive

Basically, I got myself another 4.5TB worth of hard drive over the week. I feel quite sad having spend so much money, but at least I earned some in the first place and I'm upgrading for the future. And now everything runs fine on my desktop. I'm quite cash strap now, but I've got to trust that I'm blessed. In fact, I'm already am and I'm thankful for it and I'm honestly looking forward to doing more jobs.


Since now my tripod head is here, I can do the reviews of the tripod head and the lens as well as update my Nikon F5 review when I develop more pictures. I've also learnt a little bit of Adobe InDesign and have started to rewrite my story. Quite excited to see how this would go. I just realize I had an idea for it some time back, but I forgot to write it down and now have forgotten what that idea is... Sad... Anyway, Hopefully I can shoot the book cover and then show the book cover as well as write the story over the remaining of the year. Till the next entry, have a great remainder of the day everyone!

Hey guys!

Crazy weather we've been having eh? For locals anyway, not sure how my fellow men from other countries are feeling. I got something in the mail a few days ago and it came faster than I expected, 2 weeks from the USA instead of the usual 3 weeks, it was in an envelop.


The envelop

So yea... That's what is inside, a piece of cable, 6" I think? Mean for keys, its a cable key ring!

This was how I kept my keys before, using some paper key ring, which is prone to opening after awhile

After using the cable ring, so much better!

Also, recently I finally saved enough money to get a Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR II! Unfortunately... I was unable to find a set in a stress free manner as it was hard finding one. Some guys did offer me, but its over my budget. Then this guy offered me 1 that is better than what I was looking for at a slightly higher price. What he's offering is worth the slight increase in budget. So yea, I a set!


Look at the size of the box! With my phone as comparison, so take your phone and imagine how big the box is!

After removing the bag from the box, this is how it looks like.

Behold! The lens in all it glory! Without the plastic of course!

Mounted on the D3

I did take some senseless test shots and compared it with the 80-200mm in the office. Huge difference! I think according to Thom Hogan, the 80-200mm on the Nikon D3 isn't sharp and using the 70-200mm, a whole world of difference! Turns out my past images online from work isn't my fault but gear fault! What a relief! I shot a test shot to test the VR on the lens and I think I'm using it wrong. ISO 800 1/8 sec without VR, braced, it was sharp, with VR, it wasn't. So I took my arm off the brace I was leaning on, much better! Without VR, a little blur, with VR, sharp!

But good to know I can shoot at 1/8s without VR braced at 200mm. Feels so balanced on the Nikon D3! I can't wait to get some shots with the lens! Waiting for my tripod head to come though. Will write my reviews for both once I have shots. In the meantime, I shall look for an L plate should I ever need it! Till then, have a good day everyone!

Some Updates

Hey guys!

So yea... Nothing much to say since nothing much happened recently. I've decided to get a SSD for my laptop as the final upgrade for my aging ASUS F8 which should last me until 2014 when I get my new laptop. Also, I just got a new bag from Targus as my Lowepro looks like it cannot handle my daily usage soon, so I'll just use my Lowepro when I need to carry photographic gear with laptop. The SSD I got is a Corsair Force 3 180GB SSD. I also looked into SSD caching technology which apparently, only OCZ has it and Seagate with its momentus. And I learnt that Corsair is coming up with its own SSD caching set to come out in February. Its February now and still nothing, hope it comes out soon so I can get everything one shot and upgrade my desktop as well! In about a month plus, I'll be able to get my Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VRII. Will post my thoughts on it after I get it. And recently, my stuff came.


All my stuff



My Outdoor Research Crocodile gaiters



My new poncho, have yet to open to use yet



So interesting, Equinox printed a drawing of a terrapin



My new belt, tough like my SCDF belt, but softer in that it can bend



Those stuff were opened but my mother, then a few days later, I got my paper trimmer.


In the box


Opened



The paper trimmer not really easy to use, not sure why can't I get straight lines, but I'm sure I'll get it sooner or later. That's all for now, will update more once I have more stuff to talk about. Good day everyone!