We are going to look at the SOny RX10V4 vs the Nikon 7100 and 10.5 fisheye lens then look at some pictures of flying this Saturday and finish up with Hot Air Ballooning In The Heat Of Summer.
What happened with the cameras... I was walking the perimeter of our office property to check on footprints or paw prints as we have had a rash of troubles in the area. I took the fisheye as I wanted to see how much I had forgotten of it after playing with the Sony so much and if there was something needing a picture taken I could do that at the same time.
I found only one trail on the property and that was directly West of the Upper Air building. Looked to be coyote tracks. So I ambled along and took pictures of the plants and stuff just to see what would come of it.... I did this three days running with the last day taking the Sony along instead. Each subsequent day my tracks were overlaid with coyote tracks... so they are out there.. and coming on the property and coming close to the building. One is fine but in a pack they could be pretty dangerous. Reports were made.
On the easier side of it I got some pictures to evaluate... and they are below.
Focus was off on almost everything. With the fisheye you have to have the camera very close and lens closer so that throws everything off. These flowers looking so much like funny butterflys.
The colors were very nice and bold. The shadows were super deep though.
An extremely tight sweet spot I never noticed before but the 10.5 fisheye isn't really made for this. I know its awesome when you use it the correct way. and it was fun to play with it. It really was not a good choice to try to evaluate with the Sony so I threw the whole idea out.
My footstep on day one with a coyote print right int he middle. This happened a lot as if it was saying.. yeah.. I see you on my trail... and here is a warning... Or TAG your it.
The Sony shots were a lot of awesome....
Very crisp focus... Lots of space to play with.
Zooming in on this it stays neat and unfuzzy in the details.
The colors are super good.
I just do not spend enough time with this camera.
Ballooning this Saturday. I stated I was going to not not fly to fake out the winds.. which turned out to be very nice on launch but they quickly caught on that I had in fact left the planet and started messing with me directly after that. If I say I am going to fly then I get out there and the winds go blowing at 15 mph and no one gets to fly.. so I have to fool em.
Just after launch I did what Trent did and chucked a baggie to the trailer.. missed by ten feet but Rory throwing it back almost got it in the basket. Great throw by a pro there. ( Baggie is that blue tail hanging in the top centerish of the pic )
Lifting off and going in the wrong direction.... everyone else went Southwest.... First inkling that the winds had knowledge I'd stepped off the earth.
Dave cruising along...
Trent went straight West... Im still trying to find it low or high.
The rest of the group had lots of fun and many loops of the field while we were going strange directions.
Bob going in for a landing as Mo and the chase crew head West.
It was too damn hot! One problem. I had temps that were too high on launch that I had to land and drop off my passenger at a street corner. I couldn't get the winds to take me where I wanted and they becalmed me so straight down and drop off Ross... sorry Ross. It was hot and it sucked. I popped up solo from there ( I hate flying solo ) and proceeded to look to the upper wind going West. Found it! About 6ish mph. Scuttered West was the plan ... as I was watching Bob and Dave go South at speed about 500 feet ( below me ) or so I thought I would move West then drop into that and move South past Paradise...
Didn't happen.
I dropped into what was supposed to be a good South and I had it for about five minutes at 11 mph but then it stopped and kicked me North.. wha....... So then I had to start feeling my way more West..and I thought I had a good place to land in a nice parking lot just past houses but when I started my run it pealed me off to the West and becalmed again... Back up and more West and now its pushing me to the power lines.... wiggled off the power lines and about then I was over this huge area of open space and decided I had had enough of being a wind toy and dropped in for a nice landing.
We even used the new tarp because of all the poky sticks and we did put a hole in the tarp! so it was good we used it. Granted I never ever walk on my envelope .... It was nice to have it.
Turns out that my temp sensor had wiggled itself loose again and was hanging about an inch off the fabric which is why I had to terribly high temps. I am now going to get thread and sew it to the load tape so it cant move about anymore.
It was still stupid hot and not much fun to fly because of that and the burner just making it un-fun it was still nice to have the racer in the air. If the temps keep it up I will stay indoors until they subside.
I will have to fly the racer again in the heat after I sew down the sensor to make sure its functional.
Here are some clips from the 360 video cam. The video came out nicely if a little boring.
Off the ground
Dropping in.
Hanging out at the corner gas station. ( way away from the pumps ).
Up and Out.
First try at a landing.
Perfect open spot.
Getting the red line untangled.
Hauling envelope.
And from the Samsung Note 8 phone..
It looks and felt like a wonderful morning. A tiny bit of virga off to the NE.
After the flight and strapping the envelope that didn't want to let go of the air... walking on the new bright yellow tarp.
Basket in repose as Shelly disconnects the carabiners.
Blow back of the envelope. Now it wants to stay inflated..sheesh... Great crew to man handle this heavy balloon.
All strapped and clean on the tarp. All those bumps are stickly bushes.
Oh yes... and my Kodak 360 cameras.. seems the lens cover was taken off and misplaced.. if its in your pocket.. please get it back to me... thankssssssss......
Other than all that I found some great music and a beautiful voice .. which I watched on youtube but when I went to listen to the rest of her music it was ho hum...
Too much to put here now....
