[Kiwizinho]

Hopefully in a couple of years we'll have a better answer to this plague because, despite the use of the phrases "post-COVID" and "post-pandemic" on the news, it's really only "post-restrictions".

As my old microbiology professor said, microbes can make you 'seriously dead'. My wife was talking to her mum in Brazil, which is second only to the USA in terms of cases, who told her the number of people with significant memory loss is huge. This reflects numerous science reports I've read about Covid accelerating dementia.
At least people aren't running around trying to eat each other, but otherwise it's not much different to a real life zombie apocalypse.
I can still find some humour just picturing a flood of zombies with zimmer frames.
UV levels are up and people are outside more for the next few months, so things are a bit safer, but I don't envy anyone trying to get across Cook Strait as personal hygiene on boats and planes isn't exactly great. At least on the ferry you can go out on deck on a good day.

---------- Post added 10-24-22 at 08:43 AM ----------

I'm rather pleased with myself after yesterday. 5-6 minutes bike ride from home.
This was on Ross' old DA 55-300. The newer PLM would probably have been better, but I'm still pretty happy with this. I actually managed another one with three birds in it, but clipped the wing on the edge of the frame, so I think this is probably the pick of the bunch.

[Clarkey]

I've been meaning to for many, many years. My wife has spent even less time down south than I have. But there are challenges (other than cost alone) getting her across the water. Hopefully in a couple of years we'll have a better answer to this plague because, despite the use of the phrases "post-COVID" and "post-pandemic" on the news, it's really only "post-restrictions".

That is very true regarding COVID. I am travelling again now, but I have 2 in my household who are quite vulnerable to the impact of COVID. So, we are still being pretty careful about hygiene and where we go.

If/ when you are able to, get the bivalent booster. Well recommended to lessen potential illness impact (I just got the Moderna version here in Ontario, Canada).
Given Health NZ isn't even looking at doing this until later this year, you may have to wait a while.
Not that it is recommended, but access and effectiveness of treatment regimens have been much improved in the past 12 months.

For reference here (community transmission mainly in the last year and a half), we are in better shape than two years ago, but I know that is cold comfort for those with underlying risks.
Also, based on two years of exposure, the summertime #'s of cases (Ontario population approximately 15 million) have dropped like a rock over here, but are steadily trending up again....definite autumn/ spring impacts and this year the flu is back.

Sadly, I don't think it is going away anytime soon, it's hopefully the impact that is steadily lessening.

[zkarj]

At least on the ferry you can go out on deck on a good day.

On anything but the worst day, I would be outside anyway. I do think there is something to be said for a good mask and a short flight, but then you end up on the other side without a car. I've said it before... it's the most expensive piece of water, particularly for its size, in the country.

I think this is probably the pick of the bunch.

Superb! Not my favourite bird, but one I have a lot of affinity for as it's the first bird I really became aware of as a kid, as we'd see them down near the jetty in Hobsonville. Somewhere (I hope) I still have a drawing I did in primary school of one of them. I also have a Janet Marshall print I inherited from my father-in-law.

I know that is cold comfort for those with underlying risks.

Mum just called to see how my wife was doing with her cold. I told her it's early days as it's not been two weeks yet. The last one she had lasted 5 weeks.

[NZ_Ross]

If/ when you are able to, get the bivalent booster. Well recommended to lessen potential illness impact (I just got the Moderna version here in Ontario, Canada).
Given Health NZ isn't even looking at doing this until later this year, you may have to wait a while.

I have had my 4th Pfizer shot, 2nd booster. With regard to alternatives, it would be fair to say that Health NZ have taken a very conservative approach to approvals and changes, so we will see what everything looks like in April next year, when the flu season kicks off again

[Clarkey]

On anything but the worst day, I would be outside anyway. I do think there is something to be said for a good mask and a short flight, but then you end up on the other side without a car. I've said it before... it's the most expensive piece of water, particularly for its size, in the country.


Superb! Not my favourite bird, but one I have a lot of affinity for as it's the first bird I really became aware of as a kid, as we'd see them down near the jetty in Hobsonville. Somewhere (I hope) I still have a drawing I did in primary school of one of them. I also have a Janet Marshall print I inherited from my father-in-law.


Mum just called to see how my wife was doing with her cold. I told her it's early days as it's not been two weeks yet. The last one she had lasted 5 weeks.

I sincerely hope that she feels better soon.

[Kiwizinho]

Superb! Not my favourite bird, but one I have a lot of affinity for

Speaking of birds, that photo was taken only about 100m from Omaka airfield. I know a lot of locals used to annoy Classic Fighters organisers by staying on the east bank of the river where I was when I took that photo, and watching the show for free from there. They couldn't do anything about it because it's public reserve land.
My compromise would be pay for one day of the show to support it, and then another day on the river bank, although my wife and I have volunteered for a couple of shows as well.
We're pretty lucky really. 5 minutes on a bike to wildlife and warbirds.

[NZ_Ross]

I sincerely hope that she feels better soon.

Agreed, best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[Arpe]

You should come further South mate, we aren't that scary down here

I go there frequently, don't believe him.

[Kiwizinho]

Mum just called to see how my wife was doing with her cold. I told her it's early days as it's not been two weeks yet. The last one she had lasted 5 weeks.

Doesn't sound good. I hope she gets well quickly. Sounds a bit immuno-compromised.
I think it's something a lot of fit and healthy forget about when it comes to Covid, or for that matter any infectious disease, that not everyone has a great immune system, and what can hardly cause a sniffle for some people can be life threatening for others.
Covid seems to be more of a lottery, or maybe Russian roulette than most.

[zkarj]

Sounds a bit immuno-compromised.

More than a bit. Thanks for the sentiments everybody.

On Friday afternoon I told the boss I was knocking off early because I just couldn't concentrate. I popped down the road with my camera and just wandered around to see what was worth capturing, while also getting used to my new O-GPS2. I think I got the hang of it, though the manual could have been a little more helpful about the power states of the unit versus the camera. It seems to go into a form of standby if left on when the camera is turned off, but I'm not sure if it really is using less power. Anyway, it seems to be more accurate than my phone, so I'm very happy with it. The only thing I still need to figure out is how to carry it in my camera bag safely. Oh, and at some stage I am going to have a go with the Astrotracer function.

I was only wandering around a local park and along a suburban pathway, but there were streams and flowers and... eels.

[Kiwizinho]

eels

Great image. Not too much reflection and great level of detail. Looks like you used the DA 18-135. I'd been put off it by mixed reviews, but it seems to have produced good results in your case.

[zkarj]

Looks like you used the DA 18-135. I'd been put off it by mixed reviews, but it seems to have produced good results in your case.

I wasn't a fan of it either, until I saw what PhotoLab could do with the images. It's still not a great lens, but it does OK in many situations.

[Class A]

Oh, and at some stage I am going to have a go with the Astrotracer function.

I'm sure you'll have fun with it.

The calibration process can be a bit unreliable. Try it several times, if you don't get good results. FWIW, the problem is the electronic compass which is very difficult to calibrate correctly.

[Ian Stuart Forsyth]

So whatever zkarj does to the image, colours will always be capped by the capabilities of your monitor. In that sense, you are right that "his yellows" won't be able to exceed "your yellows". However, he
may edit to his heart's content without butchering colours in the process, and
may produce an image that -- if viewed through a wide-gamut device -- shows deeper greens and/or reds than your monitor can produce. AdobeRGB is not a spectacularly wide colour space but even in this colour space the reds and greens are much more impressive than what sRGB can represent. In comparison the sRGB "red" looks like "orange" and the sRGB "green" looks like a "yellowish green".

I will add that one can also map or place texture variations and details that might be found in the wider color space and place that texture into a srgb color space, so instead of just showing a blotch of red or green you can place texture and detail into those areas this can give the appearance of better micro contrast and tonal variations and not the appearance of clipping

[Kiwizinho]

I've done something wicked I've broken the faith and gone and bought a camera that's not Pentax.
My Pentax gear isn't going anywhere though.
It's a complement rather than a replacement, for specific situations.
I finally have an Olympus TG-6 after waiting for a couple of years to find one in good condition at a decent price.
I wanted it for three things: Underwater capability, built-in GPS, and RAW capability. Ricoh WG series have 2/3 but not RAW.
Given it's a small sensor, having RAW that's recognised by PhotoLab for noise reduction is pretty critical. 12 bit RAW vs just 8 bit jpg and PhotoLab support means I should be able extract a reasonable amount of detail from it.
I'm under no illusions in terms of its limitations, and the K-70 will still be the go-to for landscapes and low light, with even a K-1 still on my wish list for certain scenarios, but this adds capability for a range of subjects that I'm interested in but haven't been able to photograph to date.