A Few Of My Favourite 2007 Xmas Gifts
Posted by Stephen on
December 28, 2007
As I mentioned in my earlier post, I’m notoriously difficult to shop for and I often tell people not to bother. I’m more than happy to wait for Boxing Day to buy my own stuff with gift certificates and get a deal. Despite my warnings, people still take up the challenge. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with what ended up under the tree this year. Here are a few of my favourite things…
Mmm… DSLR Love…
Mmm… Paninis…
One of my favourite gifts that someone else got me this year was a panini maker. I’ve only had it for a couple days and I’ve probably already used it about a dozen times already. I’ve been panini’ing (sp?) everything in sight and absolutely love this thing! It’s probably not something I would have bought myself because I tend to steer towards gadgets, but I definitely love it nonetheless.
Other Cool Stuff…
One of the other unique items that I got this Xmas was an “Officially Licensed” Vancouver 2010 mascot. Quatchi is a young sasquatch who comes from the mysterious forests of Canada. Quatchi is shy, but loves to explore new places and meet new friends. Although Quatchi loves all winter sports, he’s especially fond of hockey. He dreams of becoming a world-famous goalie. He’s, of course, made in China, and I’m sure that it will be only a matter of time till “my people” figure out how to copy and mass produce him with lead based substitutes and cardboard dumpling stuffing. It it me, or does he sound like he’s saying “Crotchy” when you mouse over his profile?
Other things that I got included some tools, gift cards, clothes, and a pass to a three day communication seminar. I haven’t been to anything like that since I retired from my day job. It’ll be like a blast from the past so I’m kinda looking forward to it. I know that it’s hard to get excited by silverware, but I was indeed excited by the complete silverware set that I got. Did you get anything cool for Xmas?
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You got some awesome gifts!! I always call Quatchi Crotchy.
Wow nice present to yourself! Both the D80 and the D200? Man i really need to do what you do so I can afford fancy things like that!
Lol I can’t spell my own name properly!
You must be hung over from your Birthday Partay
Those DSLRs put my Wii Zapper to shame.
Macro – or micro, in Nikkor speak – lenses tend to be among the very best available for 35 mm format. How do you like it? Most people shy away from primes this day in age … even though they’re better by any technical measure and force a person to think artistically in terms of framing, composition, and perspective … which tends to improve one’s photos over the long term, with any lens they use.
I haven’t spent enough time with it, but the few pictures I’ve taken goofing around with it are astounding. It’s amazing how sharp it is. I’m definitely going to enjoy it and it’s going to come in real handy for taking pictures of products.
I love primes. My favourite lens is a Nikon 35 f/2.0D. I actually roamed COMPUTEX with only that lens on the front of my camera, but it would have been nice to have a bit more wide and just a tad more lengh. If anything, I think I’m leaning more towards short zooms. I actually ditched my 18-200VR and ordered up a Nikon DX 17-55 f/2.8 to use as my walking around lens. I hated that 18-200mm lens with a passion. It would creep like crazy and make half my pics out of focus. Not to mention, no creamy bokeh. It was fine when it was pointed straight ahead though
I totally agree that primes turn out the sharpest pictures and usually the most interesting because you have to work for your pictures.
It’s interesting … the only zoom I’m using these days ( on a Canon 5D – full frame – just for context ) is a Sigma 15-30 EX. The thing has its pluses and minuses, but I agree the short range is where zooms tend to be most useful. The difference between 17 and 55 mm is worlds apart, while the difference between, say, 300 and 355 mm is pretty small.
I’m not surprised you managed to roam COMPUTEX with a 35/2; on a 1.5x crop ( or even without one ) it’s such a natural focal length. And the big aperture opens as many doors as not having a zoom closes.
Dude, TWO freakn dSLR’s for Xmas…to yourself?! You really do love yourself!!!
Stephen!!!!! I thought you were my friend! How could you buy NIKON!#!#@&@^
Canon all the way!!!!!! hahahahha
Hey we got to setup time to meet at ces bud!
Canon? Sure! For point and shoots!
oh!!!!!! I’m bringing my paintball gun to ces!!!!
nice stuff you got for christmas!
Or Canon for full frame digital SLRs … or anything beyond ISO 400.
If only people would give me gifts…:(
-Mike
p.s. Where’s John Chow’s gift?