Christmas 2008 photos... Let's see 'em!

Well Christmas this year brought me a new tripod too (unbelievably good timing since my 7-year old $35 Sunpak tripod finally gave up the ghost AT Mousefest!). It's not the 'official' TMIP one - I searched around but found the TMIP-endorsed tripod had the fiddly twist legs, was more expensive, and might not have been as convenient with my biiiiig lens without an even-more expensive head - so I put in a request for another model. Very happy!!

I got a Slik Sprint Pro EZ...it's lighter than my previous tripod by almost a pound, handles even my huge Tammy 200-500 lens, extends to over my head (not bad, being as that I'm 6' 1"!), and has the individually mobile legs with 4 segments and fliplocks rather than twist locks, and the removable center post for macro and ground work. And it's a nice black color with padded upper leg segments for comfort when carrying or holding...and compacts to a reasonable 20" or so - 5 inches shorter than my previous model.

I also got a Pentax ME53 1.2x magnifying eyepiece, and a 62 to 58 stepdown ring so I can play with my ND400 filter on my more versatile 18-250 lens instead of only my 50mm prime.

Not bad! Still haven't bothered to download the Christmas pics off the camera - didn't take any of the family unwrapping, but have a few shots of the tree and ornaments.

Colleen - zooming while taking slow shutters is fun, isn't it!!?? I like your third one...looks like an explosion.

I pulled a few of those at MK during Mousefest while I was waiting for the lighting of the castle around dusk: