Rat thoughts

December of 2013 I bought my first interchangable lens digital camera, a Samsung NX2000.  With my substational tax return the next spring, I invested in a number of lenses for this camera, purchasing 10, 30, 45, 60 and 85mm prime lenses and a 12-24mm zoom lens to go with the 20-50mm and 50-200mm zoom kit lenses.

The NX2000 was considered one of Samsung's entry level cameras, and while it was a nice camera, it lacked some important features that I had relied on with previous cameras, such as a viewfinder.  Samsung also produced mid-range and high-end cameras that use the same lenses, so I was considering an upgrade in the future.

And then my SO bought me an NX1 for Christmas!



This is Samsung's first foray into a professional camera, and in developing it, they had their sights set clearly on the high-end full frame market.  The sensor is still APS-C, but it's the first large sensor that uses Back Side Illumination (BSI), a design that boosts light sensitivity by about 30%.  The sensor is equipped with over 200 autofocus points, more than most full-frame cameras, making the NX1 among the fastest focusing cameras available.  It's one of the few cameras currently capable of shooting 4K UHD video.  They also equipped it with a CPU derrived from one of Samsung's flagship smartphones, enabling an incredible 15 frames per second shooting RAW+JPEG!.  This image processor also gives the NX1 the fastest electronic viewfinder ever equipped on a camera, with a mere 5 ms lag, faster than the human eye can detect.  And they didn't slouch on the build quality, either; this is one of the heaviest and sturdiest mirrorless cameras ever made.  It's ergonomically well designed, it feels really good in the hand and the controls are about the most intuitive and best laid out I've ever seen.



I've added the vertical grip, which makes it much easier to hold the camera sideways.  The grip adds a second set of controls including two command dials, AF ON, AEL and EV buttons and an additional shutter button.  It also provides a second battery, doubling the number of shots per charge up to 1000, and the extra weight helps stablize the camera.



I'm very impressed with the light sensitivity of this camera.  This is a photo of the Great Nebula of Orion, taken with just the NX1 and an 85mm f/1.4 prime lens.



The autofocus is really amazing.  I wasn't planning on shooting a rabbit in mid-flight, I just swung around and hit the shutter as the bunny darted past.  Caught her in mid-hop!  None of my previous cameras could do this.



I'm hoping to buy two of Samsung's newest lenses soon, a 16-50mm f/2.0-2.8 zoom and a 50-150mm f/2.8 zoom.  While I have lenses in these ranges, they are significantly slower, f/3.5-5.6 for my 20-50mm and f/4.0-5.6 for my 50-200mm.

Popup bunnies!


The bunnies are letting me get closer!


Bunny hanging out under a tree.

[Error: unknown template qotd]A Left-Handed Sword by Phil Geusz, though it's really more of a long short story.

The world could use anthropomorphic rabbits.

Bunnies are the answer to everything.

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The power to turn people into rabbits.  That would be useful.

I was using the grill on the front deck when I noticed my TV antenna on the back of the house was badly askew.  Rather than walk all the way around the building, I cut through the house and opened the back door...

And three little rabbits just froze.  So did I.  I spoke to them gently, apologizing for the interruption.  I started to close the door, but they took off running.  I figured I might as well fix the antenna, so I went out and aimed it in the correct direction, then I noticed the bunny nest up against the side of the house, just underneath my bedroom window.  And there was something small inside, moving around.  Baby bunnies!

I went inside and grabbed my camera, but by then the babies had settled down into the nest and weren't visible, but you could still see the fur lining moving.



I put a handful of sweet feed on the steps out back so the bunny momma has a little treat.

Assorted pics I either forgot to upload or uploaded to Twitpic but not here.



The antenna I put up for my SO.  I wish I'd done more research; while this antenna works well, it's really overkill.  Separate VHF and UHF antennas would have worked better.



Saw this car with a tiger tail at the Omaha Costco.


   
Taking the Plattsmouth Bridge across the Missouri River.  These photos were taken back in October when I drove to Iowa to inquire about a marriage license.


      
After visiting the Mills County Courthouse, I stopped at the nearby Mile Hill Lake at the foot of the Loess Hills.  I walked around the lake, across the dam and up into the hills.  I used to go on these kinds of hikes all the time, but it's been a while and I'm a bit out of shape.



Christmas 2009, I bought stockings for my SO and my roommate.  Not just any kind, but stockings that were appropriate to their "furry preferences".  But I had a very hard time finding anything appropriate for me.  I finally found this stocking with rabbits that was perfect.



Birds are made from bird seed!



Have you given your dog a wet nose today?



Engrish is my favorite language.



One of my relatives!  It's a cute little kids book about packrats.



A Folkmanis Pack Rat puppet.


 
I've not had much luck getting pictures of the birds.  Every time I try to step outside to get a shot, the more colorful birds fly away.

Anyone have any suggestions on something I could put outside that would allow me to supply food to the local rabbits without it getting covered with snow?  I've got a bunch of alfalfa/timothy/beet pulp pellets and would like to place a small amount outside to encourage the local bunny populations, but the stuff gets soggy when wet.