REVIEWs: The Try-pod Game

Tripods are a camera's best friend - especially when you're shooting without the flash on. I've have always liked the idea of a dependable lightweight tripod without breaking the bank. I've made quite a few poor investments in the beginning, but after all the trials with various setups I hope I have all the tripods I will ever need.

My very first tripod came from woot.com it was the SunPak 7500 for $30, it was inexpensive but very good and sturdy. Even though it was obviously made cheaply from China, it felt high quality and felt steady and the controls adjusted angles smoothly. The only problem with this product was that it was bulky and awkward to move around with - definitely a more heavy duty studio-type tripod. The next one i got was a set from Tripod-Guru which just turned out to be a waste of money because it was so fragile and flimsy; I broke a knob within the first day using it in the field. I would find myself spending extra time on this tripod to get a good angle; the tripod would jerk and move out of place easily. After the disappointing experiences, it wasn't long before I decided to look for some quality tripods to replace what I had because I could not tolerate unpractical or poor quality items.

At first, I couldn't believe the prices of the more professional Tripods with the more practical features. Brands like Gitzo scared me off at first because of their $300+ price tags as well as the need to purchase separate head systems. A head system is an adjustable mounting piece that attaches onto the tripods and it is where you mount your camera onto; most high end tripods manufacturers will let you decide on the head seperately. It took some time but I spotted a reputable tripod brand selling tripods at almost half price: the Induro C-113. This tripod cost me $120 it was made with the latest craze: carbon fiber - something that offers extra durability and reduces weight. It would have been great to get the cheaper aluminum because I felt the carbon fiber did not add much more value for the price premium. Induro, from my limited experience, made a very stable and solid tripod - there were no wiggles or loose parts that i could find. I was surprised that it also came with nice carrying bag and a set of tools on top of their 6 year warranty offer. I had a lot of high hopes for this carbon high-end tripod but it still felt pretty heavy with the first head system i bought for it.

The head system that i regret purchasing first was the Giottos MH-5001. This head system was the panning style which was more traditional but also had a quick-release design. Again, the only problem with this head was that it was just too bulky with the adjustment knobs in place; the head was so large fully assembled it couldn't even fit into the pouch it came with. Aside from my complaints though, it was a very good head if you were looking for one that offers steady panning at a decent price. After a few uses, I was looking for alternative solutions.

My next purchase was more simple: the monopod, something much lighter and very easy to carry anywhere. I found an older Manfrotto monopod on ebay for $50 and a matching headpiece on craigslist for $25. The combination was very solid and everything I expected of a quality product despite it being second hand. But because it was meant to support over 13 pounds, the monopod definitely felt heavier than it should have been. After some testing, I started liking the quality of Manfrotto, so I decided to get myself a new Manfrotto ball head that used the same quick-release system i became fond of. I quickly placed and order for the a Manfrotto ball head: the 496RC2. When it arrived, I noticed the newer Manfrotto head was made in China whereas all the older stuff I had been made in Italy - quite a change in quality i'd say (more plastic). The Manfrotto ball head was great, it was easier to adjust than my previous head systems thanks to the quick release ball clamp. After getting my monopod and tripod system, I thought my search was finally over but there was still that desire for something more portable and light.

It was about a few weeks later I saw a gorillapod at my local Fry's Electronics selling for $10 - something worth trying. The flexible and small legs on this tripod was not meant for my SLR - so I decided to test it with my sister's point and shoot. I was amazed at how well it performed; it could easily hold its form and also gave a lot of angles that you couldn't get any other way. The very first idea that popped into my head was wrapping it on a bicycle so that I could record video while i rode - this product was so versatile you can find an alternative use for it everyday.

There were other variants of these gorillapods as i researched more about them after my initial purchase. They all seemed to function the same but each variant increased in size and weight support. An interesting one was the iPhone kit that allowed you to use the smaller gorrillapod to hold your iPhone. This was particularly cool because I always wanted something to hold my phone while i watched Netflix on it - it was expensive at the time so I decided to wait.

I found myself getting the larger version of the Joby the very next week because Fry's had another sale. Instead of $10 it was now $100 for their top of tier product which also came with a ball head. At first I was very impressed at the price and tried hard to talk myself out of buying it. But eventually after some research, i just had to get it. I am glad I did also because this was the very item that solved my search for the practical, stable and dependable tripod.

The Gorillapod Focus was exceptionally sturdy and the ballhead was superbly smooth. I was very amazed at how great the quality was for the amount of money spent and was hooked on using it products and having fun with them. Also with the larger gorillapod, I was actually able to create my very own iPhone holder with the help of double-sided tape between a spare quick-release plate and the belt clip that came with my phone case.

Using the Joby head on the top of the carbon tripod, I was able to support an old telescope (for extension) with the Gorrillapod focus, Manfrotto head system, and iPhone attached. I felt like a genius to be able to make my very own iPhone mount with the tripod accessories I had. Sure it was very excessive but I now have a unique setup with two ball-heads of adjustment and also the luxury of watching Netflix while laying flat on my bed.

Another trick with the Gorillapod Focus was attaching it to my very own arm and shooting my camera with a remote trigger - I felt cool until my arm started hurting and changing colors.

Even though I spent more time talking about the GorillaPods, the Induro and Bogen/Manfrotto stuff was very good and solid and provided more conventional use. The GorillaPod was more of a toy: fun to use and might come in handy when you least expect it.

Summaries:

Induro C-113 Tripod
PRO: very sturdy, solid, and durable - 6 year warranty
CON: Does not fold up like those fancy Gitzo tripods
Very good if you can find for cheap, i paid $120 for mine

SunPak 7500 Pro Tripod
PRO: Cost effective and high quality
CON: Bulky and limited to only the integrated head system
Good if you wanted a large tripod for cheap.

Giottos MH-5001 Head System
PRO: Smooth and very solid
CON: Very bulky when fully setup
It will be a pain to disasemble/reassemble to fit it into your bags.

Bogen Manfrotto 3249 (old version) + 234RC Monopod
PRO: very solid, built to last
CON: isn't compatible with the 3-leg accessory with current Manfrotto monopods.
Lighter than tripods, and will give you the edge you need to take a better photo.

Manfrotto 496RC2 Ball Head
PRO: Quick Release Clamp for Adjusting
CON: Some parts are plastic, so this feels cheaper
My best ball head yet - recommended

Joby GorillaPod Classic
PRO: very versatile and light
CON: limited to P&S cameras, locking/unlocking the quick release mount can be difficult
A fun gadget if you wanted a tripod for the point and shoot.

Joby GorillaPod Focus + Ballhead X
PRO: versatile, supports up to 11 pounds, excellent ball head
CON: requires some muscle and patience to adjust the legs
This is something I would consider if you plan on traveling with an SLR.

Switching to Organic

I can't believe the day has come when I've converted my ways of thinking and actually contradicted a lot of my past beliefs of organic foods. The roasted perfection blog i recently posted was a how-to guide for roasting chicken; it was done so with an organic chicken we had leftover in the freezer. I had a very good and almost mind blowing experience with that chicken that i needed to do it again - this time testing out the difference between a $12 organic with the $4-5 supermarket bird; which is exactly what I've done yesterday.

So what happened? Well I can't say the chicken turned out bad because my family ate it and agreed it was pretty good. When i took my first bite, it tasted EXACTLY like that $5 Costco chicken I've had all my life. At first I was amazed and a little proud to have replicated the Costco chicken - feeling like it was some achievement. But then, shortly after, i realized how far off this chicken was compared to the organic one i cooked last week. I was so disappointed in the Foster Farms chicken that I would agree never to purchase this type of meat again... it is just far from what chicken should really taste like. I felt like a guy who has seen quality for the first time.

So i did more research and at the same time finished watching the Food Inc. movie on Netflix and realized just how much change is ahead of me. I believe my life going on forward will involve less meats just because the quality of meat I can afford is just a horrible idea now. I will probably be eating a more vegetarian diet with little or no red/poultry meat. I just hate low quality anything, it is just not my style and I was glad I could mimic the Costco chicken that most Americans and people worldwide love because it just showed how far inferior it was.

I think the journey with this new diet of mine will be a very healthy one and also a very committed one. Commercial products are all around us and it will be significantly harder to avoid eating it because even a vegetarian diet is not enough - I will have to go all organic and probably see myself spend more money inside Whole Foods (something i could never see myself doing).

Roasted Perfection!

Just wanted to test out my new kitchen gadget, an inexpensive food thermometer (the ones with the long cord) on a chicken today and it was a great success!

I have cooked thanksgiving twice already and each year seems to come down to how well the bird was cooked. I've cooked three birds already and had each possible result show up: perfect, undercooked, and overcooked - it's always frustrating when you carve into the bird with your guests waiting. Well this time it's going to be different because I bought myself a tool that will bulletproof the cooking process down to a science.

I've seen these thermometers before and actually did buy a real cheap $5 one form the supermarket but had very terrible success, it was some metal one that had a non-digital readout -- very poor performance and a pain to check. The new one i got was the luxury equivalent complete with a digital reader, a temperature alarm and also a heat proof probe that can extend from tabletop into the overn - all for around $15 @ a department store.

A little history of myself, I've grown up on PBS cooking shows, it's usually on when i came back from school so I always was amazed at how Jacques Pepin was in the kitchen with his detailed work and great techniques that he would share. I think i liked him the best because the work he does really outshines most of the other television chefs - he seems more legit to me. Also his recipes are very open and easy to modify unlike some other chefs. I've seen those videos of Julia Child and her informative talks about chicken and roasting; also videos of cleaning and preparing birds from various videos. I was prepared, and also curious at the same time how well this tool will do - since Alton Brown approves I will trust him 100%.

Roasted chicken to me sounded a bit boring and also i'd admit very plain - i was surprised how much Julia Child appreciated a good roasted chicken and never felt the urge to do it because of the difficulty. My family often cooks their chicken whole via the steam method and are often proud when the chicken comes out great - but most often it comes out raw or overcooked. I've studied a lot of videos in the past to prepare turkey for thanksgiving and they all say it's similar to chicken process-wise so I just followed the same procedure. As you can see the results from the photo and my raving about this product, the tool actually works and I had the opportunity to taste the difference firsthand!

Detailed information on how to roast a chicken:
REQUIREMENTS:
- Whole Chicken or Bird
- Oil (something that can tolerate heat, i use canola NOT OLIVE)
- Salt
- Aluminum Foil
- Something to cook it in and also an elevated wire rack.
- Oven 350-500 degrees

Roasting a chicken is pretty simple, it can be done in three steps: cleaning, seasoning, and baking - but there are tips to do each of these that can help a beginner out.

Cleaning:
Usually the chicken comes whole with all the hearts and livers inside the cavity - remove these out and rub the entire bird with salt until you think you cleaned it pretty well. Now you rinse the bird and let it dry up and rest for a while (1 hour?) to reduce cooking times. After the hour is up you better dispose of the water that leaked out of the chicken, if any, and prepare for the seasoning step.

Seasoning:
For something very basic, a good smothering of salt would be good - just pat as much as you like around the skin and all around the cavity you will need to coat the bird with oil also so make sure there is enough salt to go around the bird. You can always enhance flavoring by putting other personal seasonings!

Preparation/Cooking:
This is probably the step that will be a bit more creative and also have optional steps to enhance the results. Usually a bird's white and dark meats cook unevenly so I borrowed the turkey triangle tip from thanksgiving. The turkey triangle (from Good Eats) is just a sheet of foil folded in half into a triangle and you mold it on the breast side of the chicken so that it is completely covered in the baking process. This tip will help reduce the cooking of the breast meat. There is another tip i know to speed up the cooking process, the other tip from Jacques Pepin would be to make deep cuts around the drumstick / thigh area because usually that is where things get raw - this will release juices while cooking but will speed up the cooking process for the dark meat. While the bird is breast-side up, tuck the wing tips under the wings themselves and also make sure the chicken legs / drumsticks are held together by string or tuck them through the flesh between the breast and thighs after making a small incision (see photo). Now stick that meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, I stuck it from the rear and drove it under the wishbone area.

Place the chicken on a wire rack and have a dripping pan for it - you don't want to cook the bird in its own juices. Now that the bird is ready, first you want to put the chicken into the 500 degree oven for a few minutes (10-20mins) until the chicken gets some browning. After you have the desired browning, put the turkey triangle onto the breast meat and reduce the oven temperature to around 375 Fahrenheit. Now just close the door and wait until the internal temperatures reach 165 and your chicken is done and ready to eat - it took me under an hour after browning.

My chicken was buttery and flavorful - simple indeed but great!

REVIEW: Tamron SP 60mm F/2 Di-II Macro Lens

This may not be my very first lens, but it is my very first lens review. Before purchasing the Tamron 60mm Di2 macro lens, I spent quite a lot of time researching and comparing different comparative lenses. I have a 1.6x cropped Canon SLR and wanted something that delivers high IQ and sharpness and also would perform reasonably well indoors or in low light situations. What lead me to this lens was after a recommendation of the 100mm f2.8 macro, but I thought with the 100mm it would be too much of a zoom lens to be useful in my daily use - so i looked around to find the 60mm EF-S version and also there was a Tamron 60mm with F/2 which caught my eye.

After using the Tamron 60mm for a while and trying to understand the use of macro for the first time... i question my purchase and was wondering if it was even worth it. I did sell my nifty-fifty (some cheap 50mm f/1.8) for this but now wonder if i should return this one as well... It sort of has all the same qualities as the nifty-fifty except that this lens can take macro shots as well.

When it auto-focuses it will take a while if switching from macro to infinity, about a full second and more (seems like an eternity). Compared to my USM 17-55, it suffers a big performance difference; the usm focuses within half a second while this lens will take a full second and some more to refocus. The reason why i sold the 50mm f/1.8 was the very same reason: weird and slow auto-focus performance. I would think the tamron which costed $400-500 would focus better than the $80 50mm, but i was wrong to believe this. I guess a macro lens just has a much wider focusing range, therefore it would only make the tamron slower. On the plus side, the tamron has a beefier manual focusing ring that seems like a breeze to use despite the "cheap" clunky feeling.

I tried taking some portraits to see the sharpness of the lens, under low light the lens' auto focusing does not seem accurate as i found out when i got back to the computer. I'm not sure if these tests are fair but i'll try again during the day and hopefully there will be some redeeming interests for keeping this lens. I've heard so many great things about this lens that i will definitely try it again... i really hope it's as sharp as people say because i'm not seeing it at all.

Shortly later, i used a tripod to compare image quality with the 17-55. After a few tests at all apertures i needed to conclude that the lens is sharp but not sharp enough to blow me away. The canon, indoors, definitely has a clear advantage because of its effective image stabilization and super fast USM focusing. I'd say the Tamron (outside of macro) is somewhat of a step above the 50mm f/1.8 but, for the price, it's an insignificant upgrade.

The next day I spent some time using the lens outside of the house taking photos of the garden and using the macro to my advantage. I have gotten a few good shots outside, but only after finding them from the many photos i took. I tried taking photos of a small flower but without the aid of a tripod the image showed a lot of blur and wasn't a very good impression. With the right amount of light this prime lens does shine outdoors but it's very difficult imo to use.

I've returned indoor to do further testing, I started to see some chromatic aberration after taking photos of a red rocket air blower i had. You can see it slightly on the right side.

After thinking it over I'm going to return this lens and suffer the loss in shipping and the 55mm filter i bought for it.

Here are some pros and cons of this lens:

PROS:
- very light
- sharper than the nifty fifty.
- can act as a regular walk around lens
- good focal length for portraits
- comes with a free hood
- offers 1:1 magnification macro
- large focusing grip for easy manual focusing
- manual focus overriding (useful to refocus if AF doesn't look sharp)

CONS:
- the rear end-cap (too short) will not interchange with my canon lenses nor will the 55mm filter size
- Not the sharpest lens I've seen for $400-500
- chromatic aberration
- slow / loud auto focusing system ("searches" in low light)
- poor indoor performance despite the F/2.0
- not much sharper than my 17-55 zoom for walk around uses

Summary:
- Good for macro, but the price is too high for the IQ and the slower, blind@night, auto focus.
- For $500, you should be expecting more - something sharper than any zoom but it's not.

I am not sure I want a prime lens anymore unless it has image stabilization... i just want a good companion to the 17-55 is i have currently, i guess the search goes on.

Big Basin Hiking Trip

Ever since that joy ride around Santa Cruz with my uncle, I've been interested to explore the Big Basin Redwoods Park we stopped at -- this last weekend I definately had my taste of this wonderfully rich forest.

At first, i thought of forming a group and leading them down to park, but this was impossible since most of the people i knew were unreliable when it came to physical activities. Eventually, I got 2-3 people interested and quite a few maybes and only ifs. Based on my experience, i would not be surprised if i'd be the only one actually going.

Since our numbers were so low and I really did not feel like getting lost, i decided to join a group hiking event hosted by the park itself that was scheduled in the morning at 9:30am; the details were that the hiking trip was 12 miles and about 6 hours long. This was about as hard as the SF bike ride i'd imagine - which got me interested more than the others.

It has been well over a few years since I've last hiked - this would be my second major hiking trip that i've set foot in. I was prepared mentally and also armed with my new camera hobby; i was heading to the redwoods on a mission. I knew this was not going to be easy so i warned everyone in advance. In the end only a friend named Quy agreed to hike with me; two others Bert and Stanley came but decided to explore on their own at the last minute.

After a fun and exciting ride on Bear Creek Road, we arrived just a few minutes before the hiking group began their journey. There were about 8 others there already and they all seemed well prepared, i on the otherhand wore casual clothing and held camera equipment that stirred a few eyes. I knew it was a bit odd but i could not resist bringing the camera along this trip. I was warned not to slow down the pace with my photography and also asked to stay with the group at all times. The hiking trail we took was the Berry Creek Loop, which took us to the Berry Creek waterfall and gave us a good long 11.5 mile hike.

The pace was slow at first and there were frequent stops at various historical parts of the park and a stop at every different berry shrub. The group was very out going and most people sampled various berries and edible plants along the way - a sign of the very hardcore. I had taken a lot of shots in the beginning to get used to the environment and the low-lighting situations. Another person also had an SLR but did not use it as much, it might have been the low-lighting that made it difficult. I'd have to say: without the right equipment, it would have been impossible to take good photos - i'm glad i broke the bank on the lens i had there that day.

The forrest was slightly warm and a little dusty around some parts; the ground was soft from all of the trees' bark and shedding. It was a very cozy forrest with a lot of banana slugs and small creatures. As we were told the banana slugs were very important because they help decompose and fertilize the forest.

There was definitely a lot to see in this forrest, many different and unique trees and plants sprouting from various parts of the trail. A lot of trees have been growing even though the elements might have been altered the setting drastically. We sure picked a great day to hike -- the humidity was not too bad and there was enough light for me to capture some decent shots.

One of the things i will remember from the trip was a giant caterpillar spotted by one of the others in the middle of our trail - it was the largest wormy thing I've ever seen. I believe it was as thick as my thumb and between 3-4 inches long. Everyone crowded around it and was pretty fascinated as well.

The pace started to pick up after about 4 hours just right after our lunch and break at one of the waterfalls. After lunch, it was time to exit out of the forest; we had to just hike uphill for about 2 hours straight. This was the most difficult part of the entire hike since there were little or no breaks. It was very difficult because of the constant and endless climbs. My friend Quy eventually broke down and could not keep up with the group; I did not know how to help him except to tell him just keep moving. The group eventually stopped and actually helped him out with coffee and advice - both which were foreign to him. He was a strong guy so it was difficult for him to open up and accept help when he really needed it. Eventually though we made it through the park and thanked each other for the company and exchanged contact information. It was nice meeting new people and getting away from house like this for once. Thanks to Bill Rhoades for the guiding and also help with my friend through this forest.

New hobby and exciting summer

This summer started off with me exploring a bit on my bicycle and doing a personal training ride for a month. After that month things just fell apart and I found myself stepping away from the bicycle more - I got a bicycle rack for the car for super cheap but even that didn't really motivate me. Eventually I will need to get back onto the saddle but a new hobby has emerged: photography!

Some days, while starting in front of my desktop computer, I would always dream of capturing a beautiful pictures I could use as my wallpaper. I like to look at landscapes and marvels, i guess part of the cycling has shown me some great sights. So an upgrade to my digital camera was always crawling on the back of my mind. There has been a big confusion for me between professional cameras and SLRs for a while -- most people say you don't need an SLR and a simple point and shoot will do. But i guess i'm not like everyone and usually I tend to get a bit too technical to accept something simple.

Eventually I did get the SLR, and getting it was a story all by itself. I researched and researched and decided to invest little into the camera and more into the lenses since the majority of the community does agree with what I say - amateurs say otherwise. The camera came from no other than my cousin who lived at Irvine at the time (quite the drive from the bay area). This was a great opportunity I thought to myself because another thing I wanted to do was visit an old friend down in LA. I had a blast in LA and also got that camera that would set me off on my journey.

So I had the car, and the excitement of getting the camera and meeting up with a good friend got me pumped. I drove the entire 400-500 miles there to Irvine first to meet my cousin who I have not seen in years. The drive down there wasn't as bad as some of my friends told me - it was long but wasn't something that would be impossible; it just took some coffee and a can of rockstar! When i got to LA i dropped off my hitchhiker mom and ditched her so i could go on with my business - the camera. My cousin sold me his first and only SLR for $200, it was a great trade for both of us since he no longer needed it and I was trying to save money by starting off small in the camera world. I stayed that night and hung out with one of his friends and just observed a bit and left for LA the next day.

I went to meet my good college friend Charly from years back. I have seen him drive up to the Bay Area often and so decided it was worth driving down there to give him a visit. The day I got there he seemed to have a lot of things planned already. We played MTG with two of his other friends and it was a great start. He had his own place with a roommate and two large dogs; it was like the complete opposite of what I have back here at home. I stayed in the garage of his house which was a room for someone else that was out of town - it had a superb sealy temperpedic bed!

The next day wasn't as exiting as the first, but it gave me time to soak up on my new camera and also left me with room to think about personal things and explore the area. We walked the dogs and also watched a movie that same day. On Monday we went to Disneyland as he had planned and met up with some new friends there and enjoyed as much as we could in one day. Honestly I had a great time and it was it surprising how much detail was in this park - something I haven't had the mindset to think about until now as an adult. The fireworks was a blast and I had some fun using the new camera I got.

The trip to LA was a blast and I would probably plan on doing it again - maybe during the next magic release because now I have a gang down there to socialize a bit with. Definably a great experience and also a true test of my driving abilities. I almost hit a truck but it was a good thing my mom got scared and yelled out. I know my limits much more now and will pull over next time to sleep.

CYCLING SEASON, FOR ME ANYWAY!

Today was an awesome day, not only because I took the entire day off but I got myself a new upgrade on my best bike and transformed it into something like a dream!

This morning i was just randomly browsing through craigslist and found a cycling enthusiast setting up a garage sale at noon. It was a few hours away and I went to study some of the bicycle components i was interested in, mainly that $190 Dura Ace crankset he had up for sale since everything else was MTN bike stuff. I was very tempted to purchase it but no way will spending $190 just to change one of the many components on a bike be a smart move. Anyway, a friend and i went there to check out the place and it looked exactly like it did in the photos -- one garage wall full of components and wheels / bikes galore. Anyway I had my eye on those cranks the entire time and they sure looked good - almost 9.0/10.0 for a used!

I made my initial offer of $140 and explained to him i needed it for the bike i had with a triple setup (something i learned to regret getting). He agreed that $140 was a good offer and he'd take it but i wasn't even prepared to spend that much, so I went home empty handed and took another look at the bike parts I had. I gave him a call and wondered if he wanted to do trades and he told me he was interested in that triple i had (a coincidence!). Anyway let me put and end to this long story by saying i got the VERY pricey DA 7800 cranks by trading in my LESS EXPENSIVE Ultegra 6603 cranks + $50 + a triple front dérailleur i no longer needed! TALK ABOUT AWESOME - the bike, after installing it of course, felt like a different creature.

I was so excited I test rode it for a few hours today and was convinced i made the best decision to do the swap - this was almost too good to be true! Anyway this is no joke, the bike feels about 25% more responsive than it did before and the bike truly feels race-ready at last!

After the day i went home to shave my legs and get ready for the cycling season ahead of me.