Garrison Christmas at Fort George

https://vimeo.com/rumimume/gc

A Garrison Christmas at Fort George Historic Site in Niagara On The Lake, Ontario, Canada.

Some of the the footage was shot by Kearah (my niece). The penny whistle music is by Kearah & Mackenzie (niece & nephew), recorded a few years ago while practicing for 1812 anniversary  celebration.

When editing I tried switching from one scene to something different then back again to keep things moving a bit more.  I think it could still move a bit quicker, but it helped. I got the idea (and lots more) from this Video, it uses Star Wars, South Park, Orsen Wells,  and a few more to talk about story structure.

Pumpkin Ale, and something a little more Sinister.

The Season has Arrived !

It's October, the leaves are changing the air is is a bit crisp at night, and Pumpkin 3.14 Ale (that's pumpkin π) has returned to Taps, Syndicate & other purveyors of fine Canadian Brew.

Many have been anticipating the arrival of the great pumpkin.
Now that its here, is it as good as we remember?

I'd say   ...    IT'S BETTER!

*everything beyond this point is subjective & personal.*

I'll be the first to say memory is fluid & it changes over time. However, the pumpkin is better than I remember. It's a bit cleaner or crisper than I remember, the spices are as good as always & the sweetness (not really sweetness)  is much more in the back ground.   I don't remember it as ever being actually 'Sweet'  but there was something that I associated with sweet.  What ever that
pseudo-sweet quality is actually called, it started in the back ground , but moved up a bit more to the front after about 3 pints.

This years seems like that might not happen.  I've only had two so far, because out of habit I've switched up after my 2nd Pumpkin. During Pumpkin season I often get mixed pints of pumpkin & something else, usually Sinister Sam Insane IPA (formerly Chuck Norris Round House IPA).
So once again I'm drinking Sinister Pumpkin.

This is really my favourite beer!

Even when getting growlers I get Pumpkin & and Sinister Sam so we can create our own Sinister Pumpkin Pints at home.  The beauty of doing it that way is that you can play with the ratios and make different tastes each pint, for different people and different stages of the night.

Just had another sip of my Sinister Pumpkin ..  
MAN THAT'S GOOD !

I`me definitely havin` another one, but should it be called  
Sinister Pumpkin or should it be called by the more verbose name of  Insane Sam's Sinister 
Pumpkin IP`ALE

Ghost Tours Start this Sunday

Right now there's a group of  dedicated volunteers dusting off their black capes & "oldy tyme'y " lanterns, but most importantly their practicing stories designed to give believers the creeps and make skeptics look over their shoulder 'just in case'.  It's ghost tour season again.

'Ghost tours of Niagara' begin their season of Fort Erie Ghost tours this Sunday May 3rd. Tours will run Sundays at 8:30 through May and June with more days and times during the summer. (Full Schedule Here)

The season wraps up (some might say culminates) with the Halloween Tours in October. If you want to be in 'the most haunted location in the most haunted town in Canada on the mist haunted night of the year' (as it is billed by some of the tour guides) get your tickets early. They go on sale July 2nd and can sell out before Labour Day.

I 'm hoping to make  it out a few times this summer (if that pesky job doesn't get in the way) to hear stories of 1812 soldiers, little girls from the era of the fienian raids & unseen forces that like to torment lone ghost ghost guides & skeptical Quebec exchange students (among others).

If some of us do make it out to the ghost tours this sumemr it might be fun to post something here about our night, and maybe some of the the retired tales from the early days of the ghost tours. 


BTW: there are two books filled with stories from the ghost tours. They are written by ghost tour founder, lover of history & science Kyle Upton. If you ever get the chance to pick one up  DO IT. There a good read and currently out of print.

Yet Another Test

https://vimeo.com/125300120

Yet another test. Seems like I've been doing a lot of tests lately, but when ever possible I like to test things out before using them on paid work. 

this isn't something I'd use on it's own, but it can make a nice element in a larger piece, a little point of of interest or change of pace.

So here it is, if I get comments &/or  suggestions, even better.

NAB 4 - URSA Mini - last for now

OK the URSA mini looks awesome.

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicursamini

160fps @ 1080 , base price of $2995.

OK it will be more in Canada, & it will be a bit more to really kit it out,   Plus it's above my budget ... but damn it  looks cool.

NAB 3 Black majic releases

11:58  Black Magic News! by Michael Artsis

I told you BM probabally had a lot lurking behind that wall. Surprise!

The new products we are announcing are:

• - Blackmagic URSA 4.6K Models
• - Blackmagic URSA Viewfinder
• - Blackmagic URSA Mini
• - Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera
• - Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera
• - DaVinci Resolve 12
• - Fusion 8 Studio
• - Blackmagic Video Assist
• - Teranex Mini 12G-SDI Converters
• - ATEM Broadcast Studio 4K
• - HyperDeck Studio 12G
• - Smart Videohub 12G 40x40
• - Smart Videohub CleanSwitch 12x12
• - ATEM Talkback Converter 4K
• - UltraStudio 4K Extreme
• - DeckLink 4K Pro
  
  
   Thyat's just black magic,   there will be tons of new stuff released during the show, I'll be watching & reading as much as I can,  & hope to vcomment on the stuff that I find interesting.

NAB 2

Forgot a few things

The RED world is getting ready for a new 8K sensor "WEAPON"


Freefly (the movi people)  have a new 1st AC controller so one person fly's the camera on a movi & the other person controls the camera from a separate unit that is motion based.  Looks cool, but I suspect it's 'no cheap' as they say.   Freefly might also be announcing another movi unit,   not sure about that one.

NAB 2015 - the craziness has begun !

* NAB is National Association of Broadcasters annual show in Las Vegas & usually features a lot of new announcements for equipment & software.

The announcements have already started leaking out even thought the doors haven't even opened.

1) Black majic  has it's own 4k copter cam (possible it's own copter)

2) Black majic is announcing a mini ursa rumoured to have 4.5K for around $3000).  I was totally impressed by the full size URSA I saw at the vistek show last fall, so I 'll be watching for more about the mini version.

3) 480GB usb drives are being released http://www.photographybay.com/2015/04/13/owc-envoy-pro-mini-is-a-desktop-class-ssd-in-a-thumb-drive/  , but they are more expensive than  a hard drive (for the space they provide)

That's all for now, more to come once the  doors open.

Link of the day - DOF simulator

cool FREE  Depth of Field simulator.

lets you change tons of stuff, and save your settings & send a link to others so they can see the same thing.

It's an online service, you can download it and run it offline in your browser & there's a phone version.

I guess it could be helpful planning shots before you go out in the field, but for me it mostly just fun to play with.

"Happy Holi" or I mean "Links of the day" ... or maybe "Recipe of the day"

First Happy Holi!
While taking a quick look at Holi celebrations there was a mention of drinks for the festival and from there I went to Bang and from there to Boza (then Kvass and a few others).

Boza, a fermented malt drink popular in the are of the former Ottoman empire. It's thick and sweet with an acidic taste ,  or so I've read and It's aften flavoured with cinamon etc.

Even though it's fermented it's considered a softdrink with only about 1% alcohol.
It's seems relatively easy to make and is ready in a day.

So sounds like it's worth a try.

http://www.giverecipe.com/traditional-winter-drink-boza.html

Happy Flag Day!

​

A new pair of rebels (750D & 760D Specs)

There`s a new pair of rebels in the canon world.
The little brother 750D (T6i)  & the bigger brother 760D (T6s) and they are hoping to make rebels more prominent & bit more respected in prestige hungry world of DSLR`s.
How it will all play out is yet to be seen, but they centainly seem to be the best rebels canon has producer so far. With a new sensor, and few goodies borrowed from more up-market models I`d say this is the first significant improvement of the line since the 550D (T2i).

they are list at  henry`s for preorder with a price of  $929 for the 760D (T6s) & $849 for the 750D (T6i).  My personal feeling is that you get more than your $80 worth if you go for the 760D, but that`s just me.

Now on the specs.  I`ve used 3 different sources to try to confirm and clarify the initial set of specs I found,  so THESE ARE NOT OFFICIAL SPECS! But they are as curate as I can can find.

760D (T6s)

750D (T6i)

Enable 24.2MP CMOS sensor  DIGIC6 processor 7560-pixel RGB + IR photometry sensor (NEW) 63 zone TTL metering AF is 19 points cross type. Center F2.8 corresponding dual cross Hybrid CMOS AF III Dynamic tracking continuous shooting in live view (Servo AF in live veiw) LCD monitor 3 inches 1.04 million dots.Vari-Angle ISO100-12800 (extended with ISO25600) Max shutter speed 30 seconds 1/4000 seconds (synchro is 1/200 sec) Continuous shooting 5 frames / sec Viewfinder penta mirror. Field of view 95%, magnification 0.82 times, the eye point 19 mm Built-in guide number 12 flash Video full HD 30 fps Horizontal level Top LCD panel Dial on the back Intelligent Viewfinder Wi-Fi & NFC Remote operation by smartphone tablet Creative mode including the HDR movie Battery LP-E17 Size 131.9 x 100.9 X77.8Mm Weight 565g (CIPA standard). 520g (body only)

Enable 24.2MP CMOS sensor DIGIC6 processor 7560 pixel RGB-IR photometry sensor (NEW) 63 zone TTL metering AF is 19 points cross type Center F2.8 corresponding dual cross New hybrid CMOS AF III N/A LCD monitor 3 inches 1.04 million dots Vari-Angle ISO100-12800 (extended with 25600) Shutter speed is 30 seconds 1/4000 seconds (Synchro 1/200 sec) Continuous shooting 5 frames / sec Viewfinder penta mirror. Field of view 95%, magnification 0.82 X, the eye point 19 mm Built-in guide number 12 flash Video full HD 30 fps N/A N/A N/A N/A Wi-Fi & NFC Remote operation by smartphone tablet N/A Battery LP-E17 Size 131.9 x 100.7 x 77.8Mm Weight 555g (CPA criteria). 510g (body only)

The specs have a lot of good things to say, but I`d still like to see some examples of what can be shot on production models.

Link of The Day - SHHH. Something simple & cool, that only became 'famous' because it was 'secret'.

The story of a speakeasy hidden in a secret room in an office building and how it became famous. Well kinda.

http://www.messynessychic.com/2014/04/24/the-secret-speakeasy-room-found-at-pixar-studios-where-steve-jobs-hung-out/?PageSpeed=noscript

Even though I like V1 more than v2, I still want one.

Link of The Day - Canon Announcement Friday

The word is that there will be a big canon announcement Friday February 6th.
the announcement is said to include:
2 new versions of the 5Dmkiii with a 50 MP sensor & other goodies

a new wide 11-24mm f4 L lens

their newest mirrorless camera the M3
a bunch of powershots

            and
something more in my price/interest range2 new rebels the 750D & 760D with:
24 Mp sensor, new processor, 5 FPS, & higher ISO range, dual pixel auto focus & more.

I haven't sifted through the differences, but the 1st thing that jumped out was 760D has a top LCD screen and wheel on the back (just like like the big kids have).

No word yet on prices or when they will hit the shelves.

For more details here's where I got the info http://www.canonrumors.com/2015/02/the-new-canon-products-coming-february-6-2015/#more-18540