DSLRUsers.com

Hi All,
I'm planning to have a workshop for Sydney members in January to evaluate and test all your new zoom lenses, purchased recently as:
80-400VR, 300/f4. 70-200VR, my soon delivery of 200-400VR, TC-14EII, TC-17EII, TC-20EII on and off tripod, ballheads, I'll have all my gears in my inventory for members to try and evaluate on that day.
Learning how to use CPL, ND filters etc...
Hopefully Matt.K and other can help us to run this workshop.
A day trip out of Sydney metro.
Shooting wildlife subject as bird, kangaroo, plane etc...
Maximum 10 members. can bring your family along, like a D70Users's pinic day, BYO.
Where are we going? location?
Please contribute your opinion.

Think you're on a winner of an idea here Birddog. There's clearly a huge interest in the long lens (myself included) and some workshopping to learn how to get the best from them is sure to be welcome.

I'd also welcome the opportunity to do so shooting with you all to learn how to increase the take home payload !!!

all depends on when... I am in NZ until the 10th...

Perhaps the Australia day long weekend?

Great idea Birddog, I'm in! I know it's not much, but I'll throw my Tamron 28-300 f/3.5-6.3 into the ring for people to use too.

I am very keen. I am in the spiritual home of the D70, Thailand from 10-24 so the long weekend suits me, but go with whats suits the majority.

could you sneak into the factory and grab me a spare body or 10?

Would love to come along to this workshop and meet everyone and learn about filters, any chance it can be after the 11th of Jan?

and if I can make it I'll be the poor cousing with the 70-300G

/sarcasm on: I suggest we go into a populated city area and congregate as a group with these massive lenses and take street candids!

Ok, how bout in Ku-ring gai national park? I'm sure there's exotic flora and fauna to be found there... in fact, I think at Bobbin Heads there's that animal sanctuary type place (free adminssion, after you've paid for park entry).

Looks like Australia Day long w/end suits many.

Some other suggestions:
Lane cove NP
Blue mountains (A bit far I know)
Canberra

Or maybe a zoo trip (how much does it cost to get in these days?)

No Australia Day long weekend in Queensland

Australia Day is on Wednesday and that's when the holiday shall occur apparently.

So, do you mean the weekend before Australia Day or the weekend after Australia Day?

Graham

bago100 wrote:Australia Day is on Wednesday and that's when the holiday shall occur apparently.

As well it should.

Graham, for you it'll happen on Thursday Jan 26, 1995.

1:00 am to be precise.

MHD, Canderra - Ha Ha we don't want a turn out of 1

Onyx, zoo is $27, it is in my local area and people are complaing that it is under renovation at the moment and $27 is bad value

Lane Cove NP

Maybe North Head or Middle Head?

Lady Jane beach?

If people like yachts and boats, maybe Lavender Bay or Blues Point?

Or for moving yachts, Middle Head from the crows nest of HMAS (maybe a navy type could fill in the name), bit of fauna in this location, got a peacock there 2 weeks ago, is right next to zoo. Downside pay parking, relatively cheap,but we could meet 500m away and car pool in



MCWB, very generous, I for one would like to see what that lens is like

ajo, good to see that infamous lens with the wildy varying reviews and results

my 70-300g will be there too... We could tape them together and make a nice set of binoculars

Glen wrote:MHD, Canderra - Ha Ha we don't want a turn out of 1

Onyx, zoo is $27, it is in my local area and people are complaing that it is under renovation at the moment and $27 is bad value

Lane Cove NP

Maybe North Head or Middle Head?

Lady Jane beach?

If people like yachts and boats, maybe Lavender Bay or Blues Point?

Or for moving yachts, Middle Head from the crows nest of HMAS (maybe a navy type could fill in the name), bit of fauna in this location, got a peacock there 2 weeks ago, is right next to zoo. Downside pay parking, relatively cheap,but we could meet 500m away and car pool in



MCWB, very generous, I for one would like to see what that lens is like

ajo, good to see that infamous lens with the wildy varying reviews and results

I love to go to near the Lady Jane Beach, It's beautiful

We could try to make some money too, selling those Lady Jane Beach images on certain websites...

What does it cost to rent a yacht for a day ? Give the VR mechanisms a bit of a workout, and visit several points of interest on the one day.

wasnt there a member here who has access to a barge?

I am happy to go anywhere, meeting everyone (sounds like there'll be a few people!!) will be fun! Lady Jane, Middle/North Head suits me just fine but I'm happy to go wherever the ppl (and those gorgeous lenses) are going to be .


Geoff.

gstark wrote:What does it cost to rent a yacht for a day ? Give the VR mechanisms a bit of a workout, and visit several points of interest on the one day.

There is one around sydney going cheap since some goose ripped the keel off side swiping the opera house.

Mate, that was a classic. One way to get your name in the papers (for being a goose!). A mate mentioned on the weekend that the owner heard about it on the radio! He would be a happy boy (especially as it was not a race so he was clearly tacking the close just to be a wanker)

Or for moving yachts, Middle Head from the crows nest of HMAS (maybe a navy type could fill in the name),

HMAS Sydney I (Sydney II was sunk off WA, Sydney III should be visible tied up at the Destoyer Wharf, Garden Island, undergoing a refit and modernisation)

Lady Jane beach is fine by me. I have no problem relinquishing my dignity for an afternoon, but you all might run away. (It's not unusual for old sailors to unclad and run around naked. Rundle Mall, Adelaide brings back some memories. Come to think of it, so does the Mall in Darwin, Roebuck Arms Hotel in Broome, the main street of Weipa and i could go on all night.......)

I appreciate your offer very much.
I will continue to watch this thread.
And hopefully something suitable will eventuate.

Cheers
CTD

Here is a few shots from Sydney Harbour National Park, Bradleys Head (right next to the zoo). If we had a meet there on a Saturday it is teeming with yachts.








HMAS Sydney mast (thanks Killa)







harbour with dust bunnies



looks like a lens and notice the VR inscription




and one for Matt K so that he realises his unworthy students do listen

Birddog, just reread your original post, you mentioned outside Sydney, my suggestion sort of missed that point. Sorry

Hmmm is it me or can no one else see the images there? All I can see are little boxes with red crosses in them. ?

Geoff.

not working for me....

I can see the images

Great images

Louie

Not a thing.

Seems Darwin online is playing up, manager to register at Kristine's pixspot but wont let me upload or reregister, seems I am not lucky or destined to have an on line album, will try to get it sorted for this evening when D70 is back on line

Can I suggest Blues Point for a long lens afternoon. From about 3 in the afternoon until dark. That way you get to photograph the city as the light changes.

Matt,

Rather than the long lens clinic, that may be an ideal location for our sunset meet that was mentioned here a few weeks ago; we still need to organise a date and time for this item as well.

Here is an afternnon shot from Luna Park about 500 metres away from Blues Point

Long Lens clinic hmmm:

Now I will have to get the 1.7TC to go on the 70-200VR for this clinic.

Not sure if I will be able to make it but will let you know closer to the date. What about a short lens clinic, might have to get a 10.5 fisheye for that.

Yes I do have a non-cureable sickness called lens lust.

Cheers,

I have a one Q???

If I got a cardboard cut out of myself & sent it down would one of you carry it around on the meet so at lest part of me could be there?????

Just a wishful & disparate thought there

Cheers
Ray

Ray,
you are always with us in spirit, especially when we see a storm.

(My shot from Luna Park was on a very stormy day, hence the black seas)

Glen wrote:Ray,
you are always with us in spirit, especially when we see a storm.

(My shot from Luna Park was on a very stormy day, hence the black seas)

Thanks mate

You should be thinking of me later today if the models are anything to go off

Cheers
Ray

plukaduck wrote:Long Lens clinic hmmm:

Now I will have to get the 1.7TC to go on the 70-200VR for this clinic.

Not sure if I will be able to make it but will let you know closer to the date. What about a short lens clinic, might have to get a 10.5 fisheye for that.

Yes I do have a non-cureable sickness called lens lust.

Cheers,

Pluckaduck,
I have the TC-1.7 in stock new, if you wish to try, come along this Saturday, get your 12-24 + strap and try the TC-17.

Still wading through all the threads on this forum - taking quite a while. This one's been quiet for a while. Hope it still happens.

I'm in for the long lens meet. How about the Botanical Gardens? Lots of wildlife, and some animals too!

I'll bring the Bigma (assuming it arrives) and a 70-300D. I have a crappy tripod too, so would like to try a decent one - I figure the bigma is going to highlight the need for a decent set of legs.

Glen. That's a beautiful image.

Gary
No reason why we can't do the long lenses and the city sunset/night shots from Blues point? Would make for lots of variable conditions.

Thanks Matt, it reflected the dark and stormy day and then a quick ray of sunshine appeared.

Matt. K wrote:Gary
No reason why we can't do the long lenses and the city sunset/night shots from Blues point? Would make for lots of variable conditions.

That's where my thoughts are as well. Two separate groups even; two disparate but similar tasks.

And lots of subjects to shoot.

Obviously this spot is a personal favourite of mine, but I think with Blues Point, Milsons Point, Luna Park & Lavender Bay all within 500m of each other, there would be no problem having two groups in this region at the one time. Plenty to take photos of.

A pleasant spot, (but which may not suit the instructors, so disregard as appropriate), is Lavender Bay which is 200m as the crow flies, but longer to walk, from Blues Point. It has a park to have a bite in, decent views with many yachts for near and far focus and is 200m walk from Luna Park so makes the two groups if apart easy to meet up again

Lavender Bay



Luna Park boardwalk

Glen wrote:<snip> Lavender Bay pic

What a superb shot, awesome! I'd have been severely tempted to cut down the bush on the left.

MCWB, I have a similar one with a toilet block in it, I wanted to gelignite that too! Probably the best view from a public toilet bock in Sydney

Love that second image! You are picking the light and nailing the composition. Very saleable!

Thanks Matt

Matt. K wrote:Love that second image! You are picking the light and nailing the composition. Very saleable!

Yep great work mate.

Love the angle of that last shot

Cheers
Ray

Hmm, long lens test. A possible location would be the speedboat races in Kogarah Bay.

Being a local, I've watched them a few times, but never really scouted a suitable location for photography. They're on about once a month, the next ones are on in about 3 weeks.

With the right conditions, in the right spot, with the right lenses (are you reading this Birdog ) I think you could get some pretty good shots.

I'll wander down next time they're on and see how I go.

Just a thought...