rubiton

If a towel/facewasher isnt fancy enough for you try the cover at the link below. Turns up very quickly and does keep rain off the camera. http://fotosharp.com/camera_rain_covers.html I should know I stood out in everything from thunderstorms in Sep to the start of the hail storm in Melb in March - it didnt stop raining at most big events this year.

Stick a facewasher over it - anything plastic just bounces the water whereas the facewasher will absorb it for some time

This photo was taken with a 350D last May (the two newer more fancy cameras were either out of order or away being repaired so the little 350D had to do the job). The 500, 550D is the continuation of that series and there has been a few leaps in technology with thesed cameras since 2005 when I got that camera. BAsically the kit lenses that came with the cameras give you something to start with - it they suit your needs great of not they give you a chane to work out what you want in the future.

IF you are taking photos on really slow shutter speeds or you are really really shaky then IS is useful. If you are using a higher shutter speed (eg action pics or most normal photos) then IS is not all that important. It is handy at the 400mm end of the 100-400mm lens but unless you are planning to spend over $2000 on a lens and get into taking pics bigtime its not all that important.

I ended up using dishwashing liquid a few times to get it out of her hair between the toes (and some of the hair ended up being plucked out) - that is a few times on the same afternoon. HOrrible stuff sap.

If they cared about their cat they would keep it inside or give it a cat run. Left to roam and kill they tend not to live to old age anyway due dogs, cars and deliquent teenagers (and why get a cat if you leave it out to roam the suburb?).

They didn't say exactly why it had got to that state nor why the open wounds had set in. The owner said she walks them 5km a day and swimming in the afternoon - perhaps too much for an old dog with arthritis (and we know dogs often wont stop and will overdo it). Nor did they mention why he was shaved and seemd to have some kind of scar over both hips after the operation.

I think I have finally worked out how to add stuff to Redbubble and set up a few of the groups and galleries. http://barnesphotos.redbubble.com/

They do not say what 'playing' involved but dogs should be left alone to eat not harrassed by a young kid. Parents are at fault but the poor dog will pay for it.

IS isnt the be all of everything and if you are using a high enough speed and holding the camera fairly stil it doesnt actually kick in at all (I can feel when it goes on my lenses and its not that often unless its windy). A basic lens could be all some need for their photos.

Have seen it even cheaper in the newspaper adverts too. Perhaps a new model coming out?

The thing you do realise if you take photos on the same day every week all year and then do it for years on end is how similar the weather pattern is. As in which particular weeks it tends to rain and which tend to be hot (even the random ones where its cold in summer and hot in spring) it usually follows a pattern regardless of how 'unusual' the weather reports say something is.

Before spending the extra money work out why you need more frames per second and also consider something like the 550D if you want video. You really do have to be commited to learning to use an SLR bigtime for it to be worth spending the extra for the 7D - many of the extrfa features it has even take a while for those of us who use them every week to learn how to fully appreciate what it can do. The higher pixel is not worth worrying about use you are planning to print somethe literally the size of a house - I have had prints taken on 1000iso on the medium jpeg setting (so roughly same file size as the 40D) enlarged to 12x18 inches without a problem. The frame rate I dont know how the 1000D compares to the other lines but I was taking photos of the big races last autumn with my 350D and although I really missed the luxury of the 40D framerate (which is the equiv I guess of the 60D model) I got by and had what I needed. Thing is if you get a camera thats too complex you eventually lose interest so if you do decide the 7D has things you cannot do without that the 60d or 550 dont have please get an addition handbook such as the magic lantern guide to help explain the settings on the camera. I did and I take photos of sports action every single week and found that the guide did explain a few things more than the manual did.

I think there was 3 or so days where all roads in were closed and people couldn't access their pets or horses. It just wasn't safe. I could be wrong but that's my recollection. Particularly if you were in the Kinglake area and you were on the hill, you stayed, if you'd left you could only go to containment lines until the wristband id system was up and running. Not talking about livestock and those animals that were left - plenty of people took their animals with them when they got out and went to the emergency centres and there was no problem.

BUt youd expect people with cats to have the carry cage things for them and expect people with dogs to have leads. And with all the stories that came out of the US where people went back by dodging official closures you'd think they would have learnt. What about the Vic bushfires? obviously those who got out took their animals with them (unless they got away from the owners somehow) to the emergency centres - didnt seem to be too many problems there.

Not sure how taking a dog for a walk could be boring though - to keep up a decent tempo I have my mp3 player and 2 1/2 km is plenty for both of us. I had to work up to it though as too much too soon makes it a chore even with the music to walk to. But then its not about trying to tire the dog out it about her getting out and seeing what is happening outside the yard and for me its getting that fitness back. Bit different for those on acreage as obviously there would be plenty to keep the dog entertained as when taken out and around the property all sorts of wild animals would have been through at night at times leaving a different scent etc.

Prices have dropped everywhere a lot lately - lens I want next was about 1800 a few weeks back but lately Teds had it for about 1300. And at 1300 locally it isnt worth getting it from B&H. If I can still find it for $1300 later on next month then I'll get it from here instead of the US

They are very very similar to the SX1 I have (when I bought it apparently the only real difference between that and the SX20 was something to do with the video - not sure about the zoom). Anyway the SX20 or 30 woudl be fine for a carry aroudn camera compared to an SLR (though the body of my SX1 is nearly the same as the 350D without a lens) and the zoom on my SX1 was brilliant at the concert given the slow shutter speed and dying batteries. It is a little bulky though compared the the more slimline p*&s cameras. However if you had a medium sized handbag it would fit fine (I carried it around for days sqished into a small bag)

Forgot to add its been taking about 2 weeks even right before Christmas for books to come from the book depository (depending on any now snow delays).

Older dogs - dont think this should be an excuse not to walk them if they are still interested in going out. There are two that are regulars around teh suburb (or were) first one was an old blue heeler that would be walked at a strolling pace and always had a toy in its mouth - they use to go slowly at the dogs walking pace but would be out and about most days. The other one has an older owner and they stroll along (the dogs gait isnt perfect but looks happy to be out for a stroll) - no idea how far they go but even around the block for an older dog gets them moving. Our dog is 11 1/2 and she loves her walks and when not restricted by injury (both of us), illness (usually me getting cold/flu), heavy rain or extreme heat we try to gt out there each day. Does me good and does her good - you notice the dog stiffening up a bit if she doesnt get walked for a few days (she gets a steady pace trotting on the lead then off lead at the park - running around in a burst when driven to the park when thinking shes a lot younger also results in the dog coming up lame on occasion).

GO to the book depository uk site and look up magic lantern 7d guide - should be about $20 incl postage (thats $Aust). Goes into a lot more detail than the manual that comes with the camera. I've been using my 4gb and 2gb cards with the 7D and that fits plenty of photos but then Im on the medium jpeg as I find that file size is plenty for prints up to 30x45cm (cropped).

Get the magic Lantern guide to the 7D to learn how it works - may as well spend $20 to learn to use everything you've paid megabucks for rather than leaving it on the auto settings. The battery is different from the 50 D or 550 D series - I have a second one but then if I suddenly cant work the camera at a horse event Im kinda stuffed. Be aware though apparently you must use Canon approved batteries for it not el cheapo ones as apparently the charger will kill it (there is something more on the photography forums). And the second battery can be quite pricy. However if its not essential to have the second battery one battery will suffice for the time being I have had it last about 3 race meetings so far (or one horse show and a race meeting) before I decided to recharge. I find the images the equiv of the 40D but recently got a brand new L lens so that should make them even better. However it has larger file sizes (Im only using the medium jpeg and a cropped 12x18 inch on ISO 1000 came out fine) and take more in a burst and in quicker succession than the 40D.

Use a choke chain and harness combined (through the end of the chain and at the same time clipped to the harness. Choke chain stops her getting her head down to pull and harness stops the chain getting tight and choking her (also helps when she tries to pull such as if there is a cat up ahead). She leans sometimes but doesnt pull for me for does for others - expect if there is a cat and then the harness is very handy as she cant pull nor choke herself pulling as the front end lifts up (and after a decade NO amount of training is going to get the cat chase instinct out of her its just her understanding of the world that cats were put there as chase toys for dogs end of story).

Dont do grey imports but have been looking at prices recently for a lens I need to buy in Jan or Feb. The lens I want is currently about $500 cheaper than it was a few weeks back and now including import & customs fees is currently more cost effective to buy from Teds or any other local seller (based on buying from B&H).

I've 4gb cards but I've got the soze on medium jpeg which is about the same as my other cameras for file size (up to 12x18 that med jpeg setting is fine and that wastaken on ISO 1000).