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maybe we can setup a webcam sometime to fix that, then we can have a distributed mini meet ??? just a thought... looking unlikely that I'll be at a mini-meet for a few weeks myself... deep in the bowels of a renovation  [/quote]
Onyx,
You were out all day to day, we talked about you at the meet,  your chair is reserved and emptied , where are your photos of today, we're waiting  Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
 Yes I was out today... How was the Sydney meet?
The weather largely sucked as usual - heavy cloudy cover and no sunshine (incidently, I haven't seen the sun from the time I got here!) Went around Central, Wan Chai and Tai Koo - for photo ops and shopping. Did I mention I hate crowds?? 
Today confirmed something that I was informed by Joe T - Honkies don't yet grasp the concenpt of lining up and waiting for one's turn... Also upheld a lifelong belief I've had - that there are no good looking aisan girls. 
Pics coming up.
Onyx, That's typical weather of HKG this time of the year, Spring is more cloudy days than sunny days, what did you find on your shopping trip? Had you gone out with Nigel? anything interesting? please tell us Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
I went looking for the Colorvision Spyders (reseller I contacted via web few days ago never got back to me), tried to find RAM for my lappy - found out it's extremely fussy about RAM types (couldn't find a compatible stick - tried Kingston, Kingmax, Corsair to no avail), Tag Heuer watches the same models stocked everywhere, also looked at Sennheiser headphones for my dad.
I also discovered it's difficult to order food at many non-toursity/overpriced places due to my lack of Cantonese. No I wasn't with Nigel. I think I'll do my shopping online from now on. I hate crowds, and there's no where to avoid them here, even in the smallest of side streets. The dodgiest of dodgy places....
Only 3 Pics from today worthy of publishing
Onyx,
Nice to hear your ongoing experiences and culture clash 
You will have to get used to being in crowds or the HK adventure will just pass you by. I'll write a report of today's mini meet for you after all the rugby is over Regards
Joe
Get used to it!!! In the week that I spent in Hong Kong I couldn't get over the different norms on personal space... Everyone wants to get SOOOO close... Head on up towards the border (if there is a border still) and visit some of the Buddhist temples... You'll find some peace and quiet there... Cheers, John
Leek@Flickr | Leek@RedBubble | Leek@DeviantArt D700; D200; Tokina 12-24; Nikkor 50mm f1.4,18-70mm,85mm f1.8, 105mm,80-400VR, SB-800s; G1227LVL; RRS BH-55; Feisol 1401
If you have an opportunity to go to S.Korea, it's more worst than HKG! And the barrier of language there is more greater concern than HKG! We used to go to S.Korea and Japan, our hands and finger were tired  Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Onyx - my short report of yesterday's mini-meet activities:
gstark and nnnnsic started the day with an IT related review of some WiFi goodies that Birddog had on show, both from ASUS - an impressive WLAN hard disk enclosure which we will fit to the official D70Users pantechnicon and zap images wirelessly direct from camera to hard drive
Also a pocket size WiFi 4 port router that was impressive in size until you recognised that it still needs a standard wall-wart to power it 
Then huyhnie and wiley arrived ( Vicky came later after the Dentist, poor girl) and we started to return to the more photography based lusting, especially when Birdy produced his Lowepro "LENS TREKKER 600 AW" which looks ideal provided you have a sherpa to bear it for you 
Then, in quick succession we had mattk, Philo, killakoala, them MHD, his wife Louise and beautiful baby daughter Isabel arrive (but not directly from Canberra, they'd been in Sydney overnight) - fair sized party by now and lots of fun - almost as good as wandering lonely on HK island
A new member, Peter McNamara from Wollongong and MCWB completed the roll call and we began to overlook that Onyx was not present taking his documentary shots
Ignore the previous paragraph because we really did miss you (I think Birddog most of all) but we all are envious of your current situation. However, don't hurry back, make the most of the great opportunity and above all, enjoy
Have to go now, it's my birthday and No 1 son and his wife are taking us out to celebrate (or commiserate) Regards
Joe
Happy birthday, Joe!
Thanks for the wrap up on the miin-meet Joe. Well, one weekend over and another 11 to go. How did you celebrate your b'day? Were there strippers involved or are you too old for that?
If there were strippers involved, were there cameras involved?
Happy Birthday, Joe. Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
HKSupplies insider info update - Monday 28 Feb, 1pm local time:
A large shipment of new stuff arrived. Among them were 5 D2H bodies (not D2Hs), masses of SB800 flash, a stack of 85/1.8 Nikon USA lenses (ie. colourful box, not ordinary gold box), and lots of 80-200/f2.8's. Edit: and 2x 70-200VR!!!
Hope Poon allocate these 2 x 70-200VR to me, one for glamy and one for Mr "noisy" kipper Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
There's the challenge. He wants it for the races this weekend. g.
Gary Stark Nikon, Canon, Bronica .... stuff The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it - US Pres. Bartlet
In response to the question from Onyx....no strippers
In answer to nnnnsic since the strippers were replaced by DUCKS at Narrabeen Lakes, no photographs for this Forum (my grandkids thought they were great, however
Got a DVD of the last ever Goon Show (something that was de rigeur in my undergrad days) so I was a happy chappy Regards
Joe
Serial numbers: xxx287 and xxx834. Let us know if any forum members end up with these units.
(Admins: if it's inappropriate to publish lens serial numbers for whatever reason, plz remove).
Just confirmed - 1 box to be shipped to Birddog. Your 10.5mm fisheye is on the way back. Along with about a dozen EN-EL3 batteries and half that about of ML-L3 remotes. There was only 1 70-200VR lens in the box however.... along with 12-24, 17-55, D70 kit, etc.
Thanx for asking. Probably best not to quote them in full; I've edited your post accordingly. g.
Gary Stark Nikon, Canon, Bronica .... stuff The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it - US Pres. Bartlet
Thanks Onyx, At least now, I can turn the noise down little bit Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Well Glen, the Rugby Sevens were sold out as of last weekend...
I was mistaken re: 70-200 lenses, there are 3 heading downunder. I came up with a new logo for HKSupplies, which they're now using. I've learnt that Mr Poon's english first name is Lawrence, and I've just learnt that Glen remains awake and online at 2:30am!
Onyx, I'm "sick" with Nikon now! no stock of 300VR, no D2x after nearly 6 months after it was announced, then guess what? few guys are waiting for the new model of DSLR release or announce so they can put their purchases toward the new gears, new techs, where will be the end of this tunnel? Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
OMG, must remember... to keep... breathing...
Also flown thru this place was a AF-S 300/2.8 in light grey - still a shade darker than the beige/grey of Canon tele's (NB: they're NOT white). Tried out a Fuji S3 yesterday - I was less than impressed with its build. It felt lightweight and no better than a D70. Then again, we all know how well the D70 is built - it's up there in quality to the D2 series, even if only "plastic" finish. Aside from that, the S3 reccognised D70 files, however the reverse is not true (ie. S3 can preview shots taken with the D70, but the D70 cannot preview shots taken on the D3). Canon 20D with joke of a piece of plastic "kit lens". Anyone dare to make comparisons between EF 18-55 and AF-S 18-70 has their head in the sand. They are clearly incommensurable. If the 18-55 typifies Canon's consumer lens lineup (plastic mount, featherweight construction, bodgy 3mm thick focus ring), Nikkor's 18-70 by comparison would be in the L league in construction and optics. NB: I also noted the EF 50/1.8 USM II has all plastic construction too - mount included.
Geeze... all those lenses in that room... all those holes... gee... errm... I hope you're not being... left... alone... ermm... know what I mean, know what I mean, say no more, nudge nudge, know what I mean, say no more.
Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
No I don't know what you mean Nnnsic, spell it out for me! Lenses, holes...???
After having fun with the D2X and AF-S 300/2.8 (shipped to Germany), I later came across an unusual lens - it was a Nikkor 14mm f/2.8. The front element is heavily convex shaped like a fisheye, but it's rectillinear. I'll post samples taken from it and of it maybe tomorrow. I also tried out a 35mm f/2 - and this IS the 50mm of DSLRs! The field of view is very neutral, and perfect for when one would normally use a 50 prime. Bla bla Canon yada yada; 85/1.2 (heavy and dense mofo), 70-200/2.8 IS (very much shorter than its Nikkor equiv.) built like a tank and one of very few Canon lenses I can unequivocally say is equivalent to Nikkor's build quality. (the 17-40 at f/4 doesn't deserve L status; the 24-70/2.8L feels like a China made Rolls Royce imitator aka. Nikkor 28-70/2.8 AF-S).
Onyx,
Once you're backed to Sydney, I guess you won't bother to touch my oldies gears again, cos you're with the latest and many to choose. I'll be very happy to see, if you come back with your new 70-200VR and new D2x hanging around your neck. Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
On the contrary, he'll probably have a desire to come over more often because he's being spoiled by being around them all the time. Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
Around US$3500.00, why should you go for it? Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
I'm just running some scenario's through my head ATM
Huynhie,
If you want to spend US$3500.00, you better off saving and go for the D2x, It'll be less than US$4.5k in October or Nov, when the stock of D2x flooding the market. Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Birddog, I have also considerd this option as well. I am not sure that I really need the extra resolution, plus the extra strain on my poor little pc. The D2H may start selling at USD3500 but that too will go down after the initial release.
No, the D2Hs is get none of inquiry or interesting to the public so far, cos lot D2h users dumped their D2h for the D2x at US$1200.00 - US$1500.00, why should people bother looking into the D2hs, not much difference but it's a very high price tag to pay, D2hs price won't go under US$3k in the near future and people save up for the D2x instead of. We talked about it to few Nikon guys at their office last Monday and they conceded the D2hs wasn't born in the right time, but they mentioned they want photog move up to the D2x instead of. Did you remember the F90x and the F4 and F5, how far the gap was and they add the F100 in the between, after 7 years the F90 was born. Last edited by birddog114 on Thu Mar 03, 2005 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Huynhie,
The DH and D2HS are really made for the sports photo-journalist section of the market, hence why the camera is faster but with a lower resolution. This is why, unless you're planning on working in a photo-journalistic field, a high-end Nikon digital like the D2X is probably the preferred choice. Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
And please look around! how many retailer advertise the D2hs? Negative!
you only see the D2x everywhere! It's wrong with us but it's right with Nikon and it's the way Nikon wants the market heading to! Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Huynhie, I'll keep a lookout for the D2HS. I haven't seen one cross these offices yet. In all honesty, I'd skip the D2H(S) as it's an inbetween solution and head either for the top-shelf D2X or go with a "lowly" D70.
On another note, I received a comment left on my gallery, which I presume referred to the image posted above of me holding the D2X. In essence it noted that I don't posess the gift of beauty as abundantly as that which the viewer is used to (I believe beauty plus brains equals a constant; so I shall take the comment as a compliment). To IP: 198.81.26.15, I take great pride in knowing that my looks offended you.
Nnnnsic The main criteria with my next camera purchase is shutter response/ black-out time, view finder size and robustness . This is why I am toying with the notion of the D2 series camera. After owning an F5 I find it very hard to take that step back.
My quiz:
If Nikon release a new DSLR or/to replace the D70, with similar spec. + little of garbage in it & the price tag is $1k difference, will the D70 users upgrade their D70 to? Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Stock of D2hs will arrive in your HKG Office on next Tuesday or Wed. Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
I know that the pricetag of the D2hs is probably USD1000 too much for Nikon to ask, but the D2hs is an evolution just like the F90x and the F4s were. Both these camera's were similar to the models before them and were released to fix up some short commings of the original models
The life of the D2hs will be shorted and this is the temp. solutions from Nikon for the time being. Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
OK point taken
Onyx. I'd say that person is one serious FU'd dude to bother making a comment like that (or else has a very odd sense of humour) Peter
Disclaimer: I know nothing about anything. *** smugmug galleries: http://www.stubbsy.smugmug.com ***
Birddog, I'm betting strongly that the D70 replacement (presumably the D90) will have a slightly upped res (I'm guessing 8-10 mp) and maybe a light magnesium alloy in the build... I don't expect it'll be that much, honestly... just enough to throw down the gauntlet to Canon's weakened offering again...
Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
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