South Africa: The 2015 Journey

[Frank Fremerey]

I like the Ixia. Very painterly quality to it and pleasent color scape.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I did shoot a lot of flower meadows on this trip, despite my main focus (sic) being set to close-ups in UV/visible for a  wide range of species. After all, these meadows are colour fireworks of great visual impact. However, most of the footage is intended for stacking and thus has to wait for their processing until I returm home and can put the files through stacking software (I forgot to load Zererene and Helicon on the small laptop I brought for the trip, and PtGui (which is present) won't suffice for such tasks).

Meanwhile, I have to make do with a few ordinary 'pretty in pink' impressions. D800 with 200/2 or 300PF (as long as this lens lasted).

 

[Erik Lund]

Sorry to hear about the lens issues! But it looks like you still enjoy your journey 

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Elsa [Hoffmann] and Richard [Adcock] were great and friendly company on the trip and I seriously doubt I could have managed even a fraction of the captures without their help, directly or indirectly.

[elsa hoffmann]

Elsa [Hoffmann] and Richard [Adcock] were great and friendly company on the trip and I seriously doubt I could have managed even a fraction of the captures without their help, directly or indirectly.

oh my contribution was small - Coffee and Bananas. and more of the same.

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful photos Bjorn!

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Jonathan at Nikon Cape Town saved the day by a speedy fix of the 300 PF that had become inoperably stuck to the D800 body. One of the screws holding the stray light baffle had become loose and jammed the lens mount. Probably caused by all the rattling around on outback SA roads of highly questionable quality. I'll seal these screws by loctite when I return home.

For now, the UV-Nikkor is performing well enough on little UV-modified D3200, although the working distance is on the long side when using the camera hand-held with a UV flash. I'll open up the lens later sat home to see whether I can fic its locking-up issue on my own, or whether it has to remain dead until Erik's magical fingers can bring it back to life again.

[Frank Fremerey]

A South Afrika Question to all:

Is there an Elon Musk Birthhouse?
An Elon Musk Museum?
A Elon Musk Monument?
A Elon Musk Street or Place?

The one person who is trying to create a permanent human settlement on Mars is kind of a Beethoven of our time.

The brightest living son of RZA....

Collaterally he brought Paypal Tesla and SpaceX to us Earthlings.

Thank you for you help.

[Peter Connan]

Frank, strangely enough, Elon Musk is not a huge celebrity here in South Africa, unlike Charlize Theron, Arnold Vosloo and even Gordon Murray.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he saams to be saying that we are all small-minded (although compared to him we probably are)...

[elsa hoffmann]

Frank, strangely enough, Elon Musk is not a huge celebrity here in South Africa, unlike Charlize Theron, Arnold Vosloo and even Gordon Murray.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he saams to be saying that we are all small-minded (although compared to him we probably are)...

Peter - I hear a lot about him on radio - but you are right - not enough by far in comparison.

[Peter Connan]

Oh, and I forgot Mark Shuttleworth!

[Bjørn Rørslett]

After retrieving my revived 300 PF, now unstuck from the D800, it was time to do a test drive.


Cape Fur Seals at Kalk Bay.

[elsa hoffmann]

Oh, and I forgot Mark Shuttleworth!

Mark Shuttleworth... now that man I could marry tomorrow...

Bjørn - that close up of the seal is really nice!

[Bjørn Rørslett]

"Bjørn - that close up of the seal is really nice! "

Glad I had a working 300 lens again. The foul smell of these seals really made me want to stay at a safe distance

[Jan Anne]

Glad I had a working 300 lens again. The foul smell of these seals really made me want to stay at a safe distance

Would you believe me if I told you I kissed one on the mouth once?