Nevada Jack

I never was a diver but a big boater through the years. I could learn to live aboard one of those boats you will on. Your trip sound fantastic and I know the old camera will be working hard but seeing that lounge deck makes me wonder...:-) Enjoy!

scottybdiving

Unfornately I will not be able to post photos until I return. No internet.

Hey Beto. Nice looking ride. It looks like you got your 320 within a few days of when we got ours. The macadamia looks very nice with the blue.

BETO

Thanx scotyy, it's got more chrome now, side steps bars and front grille bar. The macadamia looks great, when new. After a few months I can see I'm not going to like it in a year unless I clean the seats quite often. I should've gotten the ash like I did with my last ML.

Stumblefoot

I hear you!

After 3,000 miles, I can't believe how filthy the Mac gets. And, I've only let the dog in once. I've got all sorts of products on my Christmas wish list from Griot's Garage to help make my cleaning easier.

scottybdiving

Hey Beto. Have you already or are you going to be one of the few that actually takes the GL for some semi serious off-roading? I know mine will never see it unless I can sneak it away from Kristen for a few hours. She has already warned me not to be driving it off the driveway on our property. Of course she still remembers the time I buried her Broncho up to the door seals, 20+ years ago.

Nevada Jack

Had light snow in Red Rock country today so I shot a pic of the GL after plowing through the snow banks. Stumblefoot just doesn't know how to dodge the snow banks on I-70...



Also shot this one showing the light snow on the mountains while the sun hits the rocks and really shows the color...

Stumblefoot

Where in the devil are the snow banks?

Nevada Jack

They are at 8000' and above (Mt. Charleston had 24") and I don't go near them...:-)

Stumblefoot

Ahhhhh... c'mon... your AMG's will float like a snowshoe hare.

Newbie_2_MB

We had our GL in 2 - 3" of unplowed snow last night & it handled great! Allen was amazed at the handling of it; we went uphill & downhill in about 2" of unplowed wet snow. He tried to get the wheels to slip and even aggressively put on the brakes; GL performed flawlessly...well, except for the dead battery. He was running the fog lamps & forgot to turn them off. He had dropped me & another lady off at the restaurant we were eating at because it was snowing, then he & the other guy parked the GL. 3 hours later, he went out to start the GL and the battery was dead Had to get a jump off of a Dodge Durango

Stumblefoot

Whew... I was afraid you were going to say he and his friend were playing the Xbox for 3 hours.

StevethePilot

I'm going to be potentially using the camera for print work, as well as home and web photos and possible for astral photography (though I've not investigated that aspect of it yet). I'm really leaning towards the Canon.

As for GLs in the UK - the biggest MB I saw (non-sedan) was an ML as I was arriving at the airport to come home (and my camera was packed). I guess it's just too much vehicle for the UK roads?

Nevada Jack

If you are looking at Canon then the 40D is an excellent choice. As far as a lens for the initial use, I would recommend the EF-S 17-55mm, f/2.8, IS. It is a very sharp lens and many call it an L model without the white paint. I have it on the camera 80% of the time. Don't buy the kit, buy the body and then select your lenses determined by what you intend to use it for.

Keep in mind when you buy the 40D it is not a "full frame" sensor, meaning it is smaller than a normal 35mm frame. What this does is alter the actual mm settings by a ratio of 1.6 to 1. So if you have a 10mm wide angle, the actual effective focal length is about 16mm. My 70-300mm has an effective FL of 480mm!

StevethePilot

I was going to insist on the kit (isn't there one with 2 lenses) because I didn't know what lens to choose with it, but your recommendation is clearly great, based on the results you've gotten.


That's an insane length! Do they do that with the sensor to have an area for steady-shot use? Or what? And what does it do to the effective pixel rating - does the rating go by the capability of the chip rather than the effectively used area?

Nevada Jack

I think you will find the EF-S 17-55mm suits most of your needs initially. It is expensive for a non-L lens but the IQ is just as good as an L. A really great lens...about $900. With f/2.8 through the complete zoom range, you will be able to shoot low-light without flash. Once you get used to the camera, then you can decide on what other lenses you need. I have the EF-S 10-22mm and the EF 70-300mm and that fills the complete range. I also have a 50mm f/1.8 which sells for about $79 and is the biggest steal on the planet.

Don't be concerned about the ratio thing. The reason for the smaller sensor is pure cost of making the sensor. That is why the 5D (D5?) costs more and why the top of the line Mk's cost over $5K. As a consumer/pro camera the 40D does it all and quality is tops. The pixels are there and the image produced by the lens is there...it is just that the frame is smaller and pics less of the field of view of the lens. Like cropping an image somewhat.

scottybdiving

One advantage of the crop factor is it uses the lenses sweet spot in the middle, especially for lenses that tend to get softer on the edges. The down side is, on the short end of the focal length, you lose part of the wide angle. Therefore, that 10-22 will only give you a 16-35mm. They all had to come out with these new lenses to achieve anything close to the old standout 15mm lenses.

I agree with Jack, stay away from the kit lenses. They are usually the lesser quality lenses and that's where you want to put your money. They will carry over from one camera to the next.

rjhoskins

Beto--It appears from this picture, we might have more in common than MB GLs

StevethePilot

Thanks Jack (and Scotty). I think my favorite part is the word they've picked for these types of cameras - "Prosumer." Whisky tango foxtrot?

STP

Nevada Jack

This is a redo on my current sig pic.

StevethePilot

DINNER!

StevethePilot

I'm hip to the glass, which is why I was initially confoozed about the Sony's image quality - it's got a Carl Zeiss and every P&S and video cam I've used with a Zeiss lens on it has produced superior pictures (even at lower pixel counts). Apparantly there is some problem with purple blooming in the shots, as well as some over-sharpening that's done internally (though it's been said that's not as noticeable and the blooming is only on very hot shots). What I can say is that I miss my E-10 and my SLR 35mm cameras (which got some stunning - and in some cases "stellar" - shots).

As for whether MP is all the difference, here's an Olympus C-3030z 3MP P&S in auto mode, two of my better shots with this one.

patsy1099

I love that shot NJ. Once it stops being nasty here in the Northeast I will get some pics uploaded myself. I can now appreciate that beast of yours first hand. It is not only an awesome looking machine but an awesome performer as well.

Quick one: I was on the highway today cruising at 80 when someone came up on my tail (at 80mph!). Before I could move they went to pass me on the right. While passing they paused to give me a "look". Not sure if it was a "hey idoit, get out of my way", or a "hey, what kind of truck you sporting there". Either way, I thought I'd indulge them a bit and I punched the gas. The GL lurched forward and went from 80-110 as if it was coming right off the line. I couldn't believe the power that was still there at the high end. I wish I could have seen that guys face. That was fun.

Nevada Jack

I love those dusting stories...have had few like it and the power curve is scarry at times...:-) Be looking forward to some pics...

oknish

+1. I can only imagine what dusting with a 550 feels like when my 450 packs enough of a punch I don't do it too much since I do end up getting the "elbow in solar plexus" and the lament "there are kids in here" from the wife.

patsy1099

Good point Nish. I was solo today however, so I had full testosterone flaring.