My kit - whats it all for???

andrewc said:
Not yet, its a fairly new toy :)
currently parked in the garage along with the others
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What do you have:thinking:? I use the Elise as the Daily Driver, however when frosty I have an XKR on standby! It's a wicked car too, and can take the Elise in a straight no problem (400bhp vs 198bhp). It's a lot comfier, much more civilised but just not as much fun.

I have a 7 seater Scenic for lugging the camera and wife around!! Feels like i'm driving an articulated truck after a stint in the Elise.

Gary.
 
the family fleet (interesting cars only)
Reynard 883 F3 car, Lotus Exige, Ginetta G4 with Lotus twin cam, 1965 TVR Griffith V8, Lancia Stratos, Lancia Fulvia rally and race cars, Lancia Montecarlo track car, aeroplane.

My daily drive is a AMG tuned Mercedes C43 (4.3 litre V8)
 
andrewc said:
the family fleet (interesting cars only)
Reynard 883 F3 car, Lotus Exige, Ginetta G4 with Lotus twin cam, 1965 TVR Griffith V8, Lancia Stratos, Lancia Fulvia rally and race cars, Lancia Montecarlo track car, aeroplane.

My daily drive is a AMG tuned Mercedes C43 (4.3 litre V8)
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Some fleet you got!!(y)

You could get some wicked photo shoot, would love to see the TVR!!

Gary.
 
Edit:
Whats your fave of the bunch? How are you enjoying the Exige?

(ooops posted a new reply instead of editing last)
 
foodpoison that post was ridiculously helpful!! It has really brought a few things together for me and I can't thank you enough :D :D
 
foodpoison said:
Aperture: This is a strange one, and it is basically the one that has the f/ before the number.
Basically, if the number is low, the lens will let more light into it, allowing you to take photos in darker conditions without having to suffer shutter speed and use flash. The lower the number, the smaller the depth of field. The higher the number, the less light, but the bigger the depth of field. This is a good photo to describe it, the top having a big F/ number and the bottom having a small F/ number.
depth-of-field-pro-3-1.jpg


ISO: This is the sensitivity to light. Basically, the lower the number, the less sensitive to light your camera is, but the more detail it will retain. The higher the number, the more sensitive the camera is to light, but the picture will often have a lot of noise. The one on the left is taken at ISO 100, whereas the one on the right is taken at ISO 3200 (the shutter speeds and aperture has been changed to keep the light meter happy)
iso-1.jpg


White Balance: This is the process of removing unrealistic colour casts from your pictures. Basically, what you see in real life is white, will be replicated as white on the camera, as long as the white balance is right. You can set white balance yourself, but I put it on automatic :p
587_1.jpg


f/stop: I do believe that this is to do with aperture. Correct me if I'm wrong :p

Exposure: Its just like film. If not enough light is on the film, the photo will appear dark. If too much light is on the film, the photo will appear too bright. Getting just the right exposure is down to knowing what settings to use at the right time (its down to constant use :p) or using the inbuilt light meter. Read yer manual :p

Shutter Speed: This is basically how fast the shutter opens. 1/250 means the shutter will open for 1/250th of a second. 5'' means the shutter will open for 5 seconds. This basically allows less/more light into the camera. To reduce camera shake, you want to use a shutter speed equivilent to the focal length at the current time. If you're using your Sigma 10-20mm wide open, a shutter speed of 1/10 should stop camera shake being a problem, but if you're using your Nikkor 70-300mm at 300mm, you'll want a much higher shutter speed, somewhere between 1/250 or higher.

Keeping EVERYTHING in focus uses a low aperture - a high f/stop. But focusing, you either use manual focus or auto focus. Depending on what you're shooting really.

Hope that clears it up for you (y)
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Its a lot easier reading than the manual!!! :)

Thanks, I bet using all the techniques in practise is much more difficult though. Went out at 4am this morning into the city centre, not a lot to shout about :( Took 50 or so shots, most are pants!
 
:agree: wholeheartedly :clap:

:ty:

This post was meant for these sentments expressed by Wickwhistle.

foodpoison that post was ridiculously helpful!! It has really brought a few things together for me and I can't thank you enough
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The favourite, without a doubt is the F3 car. It makes any road car seem pathetic. Despite being almost 20 years old and powered by an old MR2 engine in fairly standard tune, it will most circuits faster than a modern Touring Car and will wipe the floor with BMW M3 CSL's and Porsche 911's.
reynard883.jpg


The TVR is crude, scary and dangerous - you wouldn't want to drive this anywhere near the limit - 300hp+ and 1960's brakes.
 
andrewc said:
The favourite, without a doubt is the F3 car. It makes any road car seem pathetic. Despite being almost 20 years old and powered by an old MR2 engine in fairly standard tune, it will most circuits faster than a modern Touring Car and will wipe the floor with BMW M3 CSL's and Porsche 911's.
reynard883.jpg


The TVR is crude, scary and dangerous - you wouldn't want to drive this anywhere near the limit - 300hp+ and 1960's brakes.
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What a cool looking car! Looks like crazy fun :) Do you track it often?
 
Its not an easy car to use because open wheel formula cars are typically banned from 'track days'

My brother races it in the Monoposto championship. I drive it in Sprints. We also drive it on circuit test days - similar to track days but its all professional drivers testing setups.

However, you can buy a car like this, which would have cost the best part of £ 150,000 new, for under £ 10,000 and providing you don't crash it, you can go racing in a proper car on quite a small budget (provided you can do a lot of the setup and maintenence yourself)
 
andrewc said:
Its not an easy car to use because open wheel formula cars are typically banned from 'track days'

My brother races it in the Monoposto championship. I drive it in Sprints. We also drive it on circuit test days - similar to track days but its all professional drivers testing setups.

However, you can buy a car like this, which would have cost the best part of £ 150,000 new, for under £ 10,000 and providing you don't crash it, you can go racing in a proper car on quite a small budget (provided you can do a lot of the setup and maintenence yourself)
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I had no idea £10K would buy a car like that! Still, lots of doe for what is a non street legal toy :D
 
wickwhistle said:
foodpoison that post was ridiculously helpful!! It has really brought a few things together for me and I can't thank you enough :D :D
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Glad I could help :)

EdinburghGary said:
Its a lot easier reading than the manual!!!

Thanks, I bet using all the techniques in practise is much more difficult though. Went out at 4am this morning into the city centre, not a lot to shout about Took 50 or so shots, most are pants!
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It is indeed
That, my friend, is from researching extensively before I bought my camera :p
I also work in Jessops, and unlike a lot of people seem to think, I know what I'm talking about most of the time. Its quite irritating when some pompous pr**k comes in, looks at a 17 year old with long blonde hair, and seems to think that he automatically knows more than I do. Just because hes got an expensive camera. I'm not saying I know more than everyone, but I am saying I know what I'm talking about, and if I don't know something, I won't lie about it. Bit of a rant there, but hey :shrug:

richmond said:
:agree: wholeheartedly :clap:

:ty:

This post was meant for these sentments expressed by Wickwhistle.
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Glad it was helpful :D

susie said:
Brilliant reply, and very helpful. You have condensed a big chunk of the book I read into that. Have tagged it for future reference.
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:)
 
If only every Jessops employee was as knowledgable. I've been fobbed off with mis-information and incorrect information by Jessops employees more times than I care to remember. Sometimes I wonder if sales targets and promotional bonuses means that sometimes people are steered away from the product they actually want, to the one that gives Jessops or the salesperson the biggest commission.

I'd rather someone said 'I don't know, I'll find out from someone who does know' than get fed a line that turns out to be cobblers.

There are one or two in my local Jessops which are clued up, and if I want something I always go to them.
It is indeed
That, my friend, is from researching extensively before I bought my camera
I also work in Jessops, and unlike a lot of people seem to think, I know what I'm talking about most of the time. Its quite irritating when some pompous pr**k comes in, looks at a 17 year old with long blonde hair, and seems to think that he automatically knows more than I do. Just because hes got an expensive camera. I'm not saying I know more than everyone, but I am saying I know what I'm talking about, and if I don't know something, I won't lie about it. Bit of a rant there, but hey
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foodpoison said:
GThat, my friend, is from researching extensively before I bought my camera :p
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I didn't buy completely blindly. My best friend has owned a D40 and then a D80, and he was desperate for the D200. He was the one who inspired me to buy a camera. He sold Nikon to me in a bout three words: "Nikon is best". I put a lot of trust in him, and I know its personal opinion, but his counts for a lot. His experience was enough research so to speak.

Still I am more than happy to admit I bit of more camera than I can chew, but surely once I am chewing good and proper, the net saving will be the cost of the lower priced model I would have got first? :) Not sure if that reads properly.
 
SW4peter said:
Here's a good beginners guide.

Enjoy!
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Peter,

That is probably the most informative and user friendly guide I have seen so far. It's like it was written for me personally. That is the level i'm at!!!

Thanks for posting it,

Gary.
 
andrewc said:
If only every Jessops employee was as knowledgable. I've been fobbed off with mis-information and incorrect information by Jessops employees more times than I care to remember. Sometimes I wonder if sales targets and promotional bonuses means that sometimes people are steered away from the product they actually want, to the one that gives Jessops or the salesperson the biggest commission.

I'd rather someone said 'I don't know, I'll find out from someone who does know' than get fed a line that turns out to be cobblers.

There are one or two in my local Jessops which are clued up, and if I want something I always go to them.
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We don't actually get commission, for anything.
I sell people what I think are the best cameras.
If someone comes in, not a clue about anything, I say, "I love canon, my colleague loves nikon. They are both excellent cameras, but it is down to personal preference."
 
andrewc said:
Are you ever encouraged to steer people towards (for sake of example) Olympus or Sony as opposed to Canon/Nikon by management as there is higher profit or some incentive higher up the food chain.
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Nope, my manager never tells me that I should be steering people towards anything.
I simply ask people if they need help, if they do, I help them.
Helping usually consists of explaining the features of the camera, and then giving my honest opinion.
If people come in and firmly want a Casio Exilim S880, then I'll let them have it, but if they have seen it, like it, but aren't sure, I'll steer them well away from it.
 
Just caught up with this post :) having just recently joined forums. I have to say i have known Gary since he was very young, and have been involved in and out his life for many years,This young man has an incredible talent for picking things up a great eye for detail ie now running his own company at 28,he has an enthusiasm for things that I cant explain

But I can assure you he is not winding anyone up.An example when he started college doing web design by end of course he was giving the tutor web design tips. He is a born natural with an amazing capacity to pick things up and see things in a perspective a lot of us would die for.

Sorry if it sounds like im blowing his trumpet but if you knew him like I do you would too :)
 
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