Anxious for Eclipse, Are We?
Still five months away, and Pearlridge is already advertising Eclipse, the third chapter of the Twilight saga, as coming soon…
Passion
DSLR Camera Starter Kit
So I’m no photo pro, nor do I aim to be. I just take a bunch of pictures and wanted an upgrade to the point and shoot world. The digital SLR world is huge with so much to learn but yeah, I’m more the automatic-mode-picture-taking kind of guy. 😉
After doing some research, here are some items for a DSLR camera starter kit. Some factors for picking these items:
- Lower cost for entry level learning. Like I said, I don’t aspire to be a professional photographer, so I don’t want to spend the bucks.
- Amazon availability. These items are sold through Amazon which ships to Hawaii for free. I would have picked other products sold by third party vendors but the additional shipping was cost prohibitive.
A little more about this list:
- Canon EOS Rebel T1i
. Does HD video as well, but I wouldn’t get the camera just for the video. While good to have available, using the camera in video mode is clunky. But still a great camera to start with.
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
. Supposedly a 50mm lens is a must have and at $100, why not? There are more expensive, higher quality versions, but to begin with, I’m willing to spend $100 to learn.
- Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens
. What can I say, but I’m cheap. One of the cheaper telephoto lenses.
- Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash
. So needed when taking a bunch of pictures in low light. The built-in flash can’t keep up.
- Tiffen 58mm UV Protection Filter
. For the included 18-55mm T1i lens. Did I mention it’s cheap but will protect the lens from damage.
- Delkin eFilm Pro 8GB Secure Digital SD Class 6 Memory Card
. You need a high speed aka Class 6 memory card so your camera is ready for the next shot. You don’t want to see that BUSY message as your camera is saving images to the memory card.
- Lowepro Fastpack 250
. I’ve said enough here.
- Scott Kelby’s Digital Photography Boxed Set
. I picked up Volume 2 from Costco, and it’s great. Each page is one lesson in photography with topics explained in non-photography terms. This set has all three volumes.
With this gear, check out these simple, short, and extremely useful Canon tutorials. Most of these are 3 minutes long and explain topics in easy to understand ways. Here’s one on choosing lenses. Fantastic!
Buy Mac Software and Donate to Haiti Relief
For today, January, 20, 2010 only, independent Mac software developers have joined together to offer their support for Haiti relief efforts. If you buy their software today, proceeds go to supporting Haiti.
Check out the great list of apps at IndieRelief and make a buy today!
Update: Hope you made your purchase to help support the relief effort in Haiti. This win-win promotion raised $143,000!
Sony’s Bloggie Is Kinda Cool
I gotta admit that Sony’s new “web cam,” the Bloggie, is kinda cool. Here’s a vid of the unboxing of a Bloggie. That 360-degree lens is wild!
LeBron Dunkmans Are Popping
I haven’t bought a pair of basketball shoes since I retired from the game, but these Air Max LeBron VII Dunkman Editions might change my mind.
LOST Filming at Bishop Museum Like Now!
The pulpy family called in to report the filming of LOST at the Bishop Museum. Amongst the kids exploring Hawaiiana and the scientific wonders of a volcano, Henry Ian Cusick aka Desmond was spotted on set which was decked out like a wedding. So perhaps Penny is on island too?
Since the crew is working and on the clock, I won’t be surprised if we’d be dissed by Desmond again. Anyone at the Halekulani to see if Sonya Walger was there for brunch? Now that Fast Forward is on hiatus, she has some LOST time to spare.
Update: I am so lost on the lawn with this LOST sighting. As usual, the Hawaii Blog has the bestest and accuratest info about what went down. Twasn’t Desmond there for his nuptials but for the nuptials of Ms. Hawking.
Update 2: the Hawaii Blog has more information about this scene which isn’t a wedding after all.
Visit Twilight’s Volterra?!
What? Twilight isn’t purely fictional? No, I’m not talking about invincible, gorgeous vampires or shape shifting Native Americans, but the home of the Volturi. Volterra is a real Italian town where scenes from New Moon were actually filmed.
And since the Twilight series is a hot topic, Volterra is capitalizing on its fame by offering Twilight themed tours of the town. For about $36, you can visit the Piazza dei Priori, walk the stone streets, learn about the history of Volterra, meet faux Volturi vampires, and even take pictures with them!
For travel details, check out Volterraitaly.com.
Did You Get Your Club 939 2010 Calendar Yet?
Why not? Here’s a sample from the popular selling calendar.
Did Perseus Have Blistered Feet?
Is that how Perseus felt riding atop the winged Pegasus? I surely doubt it, but for me, I am getting blisters from running in my new Nike Air Pegasus 26+ shoes. I’m hoping this is just part of the break in process.
With the 26th model, the Pegasus line has a long history of running, and it is a no frills runner’s shoe with the right amount of tech in the right places, no more, no less.
Rod’s New Colorful Kicks Are Nikes?!
University of Hawaii basketballer, Rod Flemings, has his unique sense of style with his kicks. In 2010, he’s at it again with a garish display of every color in the rainbow and then some.
The kicks are custom made and molded to better fit Rod’s dogs, but my question is how does Rod get to don the Swoosh when the team is sponsored by the three stripes of Adidas? Is there some kind of medical clause? Does Rod (or the school) pay a fine or something? Hope these rainbow Nikes lead the Rainbows to victories.
Top Songs of 2009 by The Hype Machine
This list of top songs of 2009 was compiled by users of The Hype Machine which aggregates info from music blogs. I haven’t sampled all the songs, but they look like dance music or mashups. Even better, you can listen to the songs online then buy them from iTunes or Amazon.
Oh wait, after listening to a few songs, I was asked to sign up for a free account to keep listening to the music. Not a bad tradeoff.
New Year, Need a New Calendar?
2010 is officially here, and to celebrate the new year, you need a new calendar. The calendar, of course, comes from Hawaii’s premier gentlemen’s club, Club 939.
And the club has a new shirt design for this year. Here are teasers of the calendar and shirt.
Calendars are available at 939 Keeaumoku Street for only $10.