paul_ashton

Bill, I think we all have shared your experience one way or another. Years ago it was

the film not taking up on the winding spool, now it's the storage media in electronic

cameras. Not much difference really.

My digital experience was with a Coolpix 950 that I had owned for about two and a

half years. Earlier this summer I was staying in a B&B in southern England and, before

turning out the light my wife and I took a look at the images taken during the day. I

put the camera down on the night stand and took a sip from a glass of water. Well,

you can guess what happened next, I spilled some of the water on top of the Coolpix.

That camera must be hygroscopic because there was water inside the display within

ten seconds and the camera was ruined. Repair is more than the camera is worth, a

common theme in this day and age. Fortunately the images were safe but the rest of

the stay was ruined from a digital photography perspective. Film came to the rescue!

A slight twist on the theme. I have often considered trading in my Black F2AS but

could never bring myself to actually do it. It typically sits in a drawer with the meter

batteries removed. Until this week that is. I'll be travelling the next two weeks and

cannot carry much gear. I looked at my F5 and 24-120 zoom and simply discounted

them as too much to carry on this occasion. So I dusted off the F2 I never sold and

tried a number of AF lenses. I didn't get a good feeling so I went down the street to

Camera Co-op (Houston) and came away with a very reasonably priced 28mm f2.8

AIS (one of Nikon's best lenses).

So now the F2AS plus lens is the "Camera I am glad I never sold!" It's going to be

interesting to see the results after about four years of F5 photography.

Now that Firewire 800 is out and USB 2.0 is also available, it is possible that Nikon

may be upgrading the interface just to keep up to date. Not that this is a serious

issue for the average consumer. The scanner itself should have a longer shelf life

than most computer accessories and I don't see any real need for them to improve

the model just yet.

I've taken my F2 body to trade in three times but I still own it, I just couldn't part

with an old friend! Of lenses, I miss the AIS 200mm f4 (compact, well built) but

not the 35mm f3.5 or the 135mm f3.5. I doubt if I would repurchase any of

them though.

Neilsen sell individual frame parts in black, silver and gold alumin(i)um so

that you can make frames up to any size you want, to the nearest inch. Texas

Art Supply has the range on sale at about half price.

I agree with Ryan about the processing - a bad processor can do more

damage than heat! I would be more worried about humidity and the

possibility of your film getting wet. Keep film in sealed bags before and after

use and include some silica gel packets in the bags to keep them dry.

Several years ago there was a post about a roll of film that had been on the

dashboard of a vehicle all summer long, in Texas. It turned out OK!

To all the above advice I'll add one more item to consider - a Buff. This

lightweight tube of hi-tech material can be used in about ten edifferent ways to

keep your head warm - see the demo on buffusa.com. REI sells it in the USA,

while I am sure it is also available in Europe as it originates from Spain. It

goes from scarf to balaclava in about two seconds!

When I upgraded from F2 to F5, I dispensed with the 50mm prime I had

owned since 1975 and opted for the 24-120mm zoom as the "perfect" travel

lens. A few months ago I bought the new 50mm f:1.8D and absolutely love it,

cannot do without it, it's the best value you'll ever get from Nikon!!! All the

previous comments apply, I endorse this lens as a "must have" for many,

many reasons. As to my one zoom lens - I have stopped using it, opting

instead for a 20, 50, 60 (micro) and 300 mm line-up. My next lens will be an

85 for obvious reasons; then I will sell the zoom.

Scott's observation about large monitors needing more tweaking holds true

for me. I would recommend two 17" LaCie monitors over one 21" any day. At

around $350 each, the 17" LaCie is a good buy, period.

If you are used to Windows, you are probably better off staying with it,

particularly if you have an existing investment in software.

Like others I am a Mac user but I work with UNIX and Wintel machines over a

network. The difference between Mac and Wintel is minor but I do personally

prefer the ease of use of my Mac which is much more of a plug and play

machine than the numerous Compaqs we have. Another interesting point,

our IT guy spends a lot more time sorting out the Compaqs when new and

also spends a lot more time keeping them tuned. He has both systems at

home and has quietly admitted that if we had only Macs he would not be kept

so busy!

As Ellis has said, Macs are cost effective these days - check it out if you don't

believe me, but do remember to add up the cost of all those bits and pieces

that are extras in a homebuilt tower!

Well the notice on Nikontechusa.com says they are aware of the problem and

they are working on it.

Contrary to my friends above I am getting very stable and repeatable results

using Nikon Scan 3.1.3.

Why you should want to sell the 4000 I really can't imagine!

Very useful information in just about all the posts above. With regards to

DEET products, I visit West Africa frequently and take advice from the St.

Luke's Travel Clinic based in Houston's Medical Center. They recommend

20% Sawyers topical cream which should only be applied to exposed skin

surfaces (i.e. not under clothing). This stuff works! It stays on the skin and

does not absorb. Apply after showering (which in Malabo or Libreville could

be three times a day!) and it will keep the damned mozzies at bay very

effectively. I also use it when photographing the nature refuges around

Houston and can tell you it works.

Our experiences coming across unprepared travelers in West Texas who

have nearly died from heat exhaustion and/or dehydration is that essential

reading on desert survival should precede any remote hike in the desert.

After reading the book(s) you will know to take ample water (a gallon a day)

and a survival kit (REI sells a good one in a yellow cannister).

I'm surprised few have mentioned footwear. Buy good boots and break them

in before going on a long hike! I am always horrified at seeing people hiking

in Big Bend or the Guadalupe Mountains with sneakers and no socks -

seriously!

A hat is also very important. I recently discovered the "buff" and find this

versatile piece of high tech headwear to be useful in all climes. I think their

site is www.buffusa.com - there's a great instructional Quicktime video to show

you how to use it!

As to archiving this, there are several climate zones represented in the

discussion. What works in the desert may be totally inappropriate in the

jungle (rainforest is a term used by people who have never been to one!)

Alan, your comments reflect my own experience in many but not all ways.

The interesting fact is that the more we photograph birds, the more we begin

to study their behavior, oftentimes because it is by studying behavior that we

can anticipate the good shot.

This, for me, has translated into what I term the difference between "birders"

and "birdwatchers". These two terms are considered synonymous in all but

geographic usage: new world/old world. But in reality, and after some bad

experiences with list compiling birders this spring at High Island, Texas, I

have come to understand that watching is much more staisfying than merely

compiling check lists.

This summer I have taken more photos of brown pelicans than ever before

and it is not as though I don't have enough slides of them already. But I have

been studying their habits according to weather patterns and can now predict

where they may be found based upon the weather conditions of the day. My

early full-frame pelican shots were few and based on serendipity. This year

they have been predictable and I have been able to be selective with respect

to lighting, backdrop, etc..

As to full frame or not - both techniques have value. The detail of just part of a

bird's plumage can be as exciting as a composition of the same bird in its

habitat.

Of course, with a 300mm lens I sometimes have to settle for more habitat than

I would like!

There's no reason why you shouldn't get good results with this lens (the basic

design is similar for all Japanese manufacturers). More important, in my

opinion, is the ability to spot meter, or if this is not available, to preset the

exposure manually. My wife has a Canon SLR without spot metering and the

results tend to be consistently dark due to the sky/ocean dominating the

exposure setting unless some form of compensation is used. This may not be

as important in a field or yard, but is still worth considering.

In terms of how much of the slide you fill with the subject, remember that the

bird's environment is also important, which is a good excuse for not spending

$--ks on a 600mm lens!

Ah, the difference between the F2 and the F100! When I did

fieldwork in Indonesia I had a brand new F2. Even managed to

dunk it in a fast flowing stream one time. Never stopped working

despite constantly being in wet, damp or just plain humid

weather. I used the Nikon ever ready case which was really

quite well designed and never had to use a plastic bag once.

Now, with an F100 I think the advice from previous posters is

going to help out just fine! Consider a manual backup body for

insurance (second hand FM2a or similar).

Robert, I don't think most people who have responded have ever

been in the situation you have described, otherwise they would

be a lot more sympathetic!

The wilderness can be dangerous, by definition, but the dangers

should be natural, not man-made. One of our favorite places to

visit, Big Bend NP, is not that far from Arizona and it has its

problems with the border (illegal immigrants, drug-running, etc.)

that are often not widely acknowledged by the tourist guides and

even by the NP service. Although it is true that the NPs and NFs

ought to be safer than the cities, our perception is even more

one-sided, at least until we know otherwise. Having been in Big

Bend when a fellow camper was shot and murdered in his tent

my immediate reaction was "surely not here?" But it did happen

and it will probably happen again.

The NP and NF services are under-paid and under-staffed. One

of the ironies about staying in a NP is that you are not allowed to

carry loaded weapons to defend yourself from others. After the

Park Rangers visited our campsite following the murder at Big

Bend I asked what I should do about the unloaded 9mm

automatic I had in the car (this is Texas!). Without a moment's

thought he suggested I load it and keep it by my side. That

wasn't real permission to shoot on sight, obviously, but it made

us feel, and sleep, a whole lot better!

600mm lenses are used primarily to fill the frame with heron or

warbler or whatever. But so often it is the bird in its natural

context that makes the best photograph, where the subject is a

part of the frame, not all of it. At least that's what I always believe

when I can't get close enough with my measly 300mm lens!

As an owner of a mere 300mm chunk of glass, I understand

what you are saying. A couple of observations from Texas.

First, fieldcraft is not difficult, but it is time consuming! We are in

such a hurry these days that if the light isn't right and the birds

aren't there, we call the day wasted. Occasionally the perfect

shot of the day comes easily, usually it doesn't.

Second, one of the best hides available is a motor vehicle! As

an example, the Shoveler Pond gravel levee top road at Anahuac

NWR (east of Houston and one of the best birding spots around)

will almost always be rewarding IF your stay in your car/truck.

Get out and the bird population sees a human for the first time.

Third, don't make any unnecessary noise - noise spooks birds

and other wildlife. Many is the time someone has said how

disappointed they are with so little wildlife when the guidebooks

promised so much. But the accompanying kids and dog scared

them all away long ago.

Fourth, use maps, the best planning tool there is. Apparently

map reading is not part of the geography curriculum in schools

any more (social studies have supplanted them, or so I am told

by teenagers) which is a pity since maps tell you where you are,

where you need to be and how to get there! Maps will give

insight into potential lighting problems and solutions, questions

about optimum time of day/season for a particular shot, etc.

Priceless as most maps are now available on the web.

Take lots of mosquito repellant if you are unfortunate to live in an

endemic area. Skeeters are man's worst friend when it comes

to being still and patient!

I have done this the other way round, having imported computers

and printers to the UK while I had an office in London. I bought a

1,000 watt transformer for about £100. No problem whatsoever,

just plug and play!

The projector fan is almost certainly not Hz dependent and even

if it is it will simply run a little faster/slower, like my Singapore

bought Panasonic turntable used to when I first came to the

States (but that raised a different problem!).

Early May sees the end of the northward bird migration through

the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana. So-called "fallouts" are

not likely to be common this year as it is already so hot and the

chance of more cold fronts reaching the Gulf Coast would

appear to be slim. (A fallout occurs when migrating birds

migrate across the Gulf at the same time a northerly cold front

passes over the coast). Flying into a 20 mile an hour head wind

takes its toll and those small birds that do reach the coast

literally fall out of the sky exhausted into places like High Island.

Pal, the whole problem with High Island and other locations east

of Houston is that they are on the main migratory route from

south to north (in the Spring). Given the fact that private land in

Texas outnumbers public land about 1 million to 1, there are

only a few places to go that are legal. A friend who went birding

last Saturday listed 68 species in a morning and he was

disappointed! Maybe that explains why we cannot enjoy the

peace and tranquility you do!

Astia, Astia, Astia, Astia, Astia, Astia, Astia, Astia, Astia, Astia, all

the time. There's nothing quite like it. Velvia fills very specific

needs which is to say it has its place. Provia 100F is very good

but not as good as Astia. That is, of course, the gospel

according to me! Try them and the Kodak equivalents yourself,

it's the only way.

It's very encouraging, the good responses to this post. The

Nature Forum always seems to have high quality posts and

discussions!

I had a long discussion with a local, very serious, birder

yesterday. I was most surprised that he completely agreed with

my assessment of what is going on. It would appear that there

is a new trend emerging in the birding world that may not be

represented by our collective experiences from past years.

My birder friend said that he was so disgusted by a recent visit to

High Island that he will no longer go there! He's also

considering the longer journey time to Sabine NWR in SW

Louisiana just to get away from the "life list" crowd. We are

going to visit a local map company this evening to see if we can

share in the cost of the USGS maps of the area (proof that

birders and photographers can get along just fine!)

In past years I have always had good experiences talking to

birders along the Texas Gulf Coast and this past weekend's

experience was a big surprise to me, hence the post that started

the discussion.

First of all, thanks for the moral support - I thought it might have

just been me!

The problems I encountered are not the norm and to be sure

most birders who know the areas I visit are as knowledgeable

about the wildlife as I am.

And this may be the problem. Places like High Island and the

Spring Migration are reported far and wide and there is a local

tourist industry established to cater to enthusiastic birders from

all over the world. Many birders who come to Texas do so

because of the shear variety of species and of course the more

variety they see, the more species they can add to their "life list".

Bird species counts are very important around here (every

Christmas they do counts all over the region). So the visitors

probably spot a new species and must then hurry on the next.

That is in complete contrast to what I like to do, which is to

watch, study and, if everything is good, photograph a subject that

may not be exotic but is interesting to a nature lover. To go back

to Sunday morning on Bolivar Flats, I have, over the years, got to

recognize when pelicans have decided they don't want me any

closer. They simply start to look nervous and one or two will fly

from the front of the flock to the rear. I have found that by moving

myself, camera and tripod closer to the flock at increments of

about ten paces, then let them settle, I can get reasonable group

shots before the critical stage is reached before they all take off.

My birder friends made both noise and too much movement.

Both caused the pelicans to fly.

Meantime they could have taken in the antics of a young great

Blue Heron fishing in the shallows, as well as the Tricolored I

mentioned above. But they probably already had those on their

list!

The Moose Petersen story is a good one with a lesson for all of

us to go out and teach by example.

Ryan, I'm going to take your advice and visit Louisiana!

Good question, Ken. My wife April and I apparently break all the

rules. We shoot together and, yes, Bob, she has Canon, I have

Nikon! I know of no better partner to have at my side when

enjoying nature photography. We are each patient with the

other's priorities but rarely do we take the same subjects. We

are rarely competitive but support each other's aims and

objectives.

Owning two completely separate systems has one very

significant advantage - we cannot borrow each other's gear and

we cannot therefore assume that the partner brought along the

macro lens when he/she did not. We even use different film

which means that we cannot get them mixed up.

As a post below shows, I was out on my own this Sunday (my

wife being on another continent!) and there were many times

when I thought how much she would have enjoyed this or that

sight that we hadn't seen before and may not see again. It is

this sharing of life that reinforces to me that the Natural World is

my cathedral and there is nowhere better to spend a Sunday

morning than with my partner admiring and recording Nature!