Happy Independence Day!!

The local Metropark gave a great fireworks display as usual. I couldn't resist bringing my camera along; I've got fireworks shooting down to where it's just a button in my hand, and after a couple of quick checks, I pretty much enjoy the show without too much interference from pushing the button.

I did do some experimenting this time; rather than holding the shutter open through the entire burst, I waited until the burst had blossomed a bit and then opened, then shut it again before a lot of drifting could occur. That got rid of the overpowering blast at the center, and also the blur as the stuff drifts in the wind. I liked a lot of the photos. I took about 150, uploaded 8 to my page.
the photos are here
Notes: ASA100, f/11, bulb shutter. I should try f/16 or f/22 next time. Lots of colors washed out at f/11.
The REI folding pocket tripod is great; small but very solid.

Actually one of the very best was the first frame, which was also the first volley they fired:

God, I love this strip

The Whiteboard

Camcorders, and approaching Lowest Common Denominator

I ordered a camcorder today, after a couple of weeks of research.

It's an unfortunate time to be in the market. HD is the big thing, but hasn't gotten cheap yet. The non-HD market is mature, so the only research being done there is how to build them as cheap and crappy as possible. Most manufacturers only have a single "high end consumer" camcorder in the non-HD market; a 3CCD unit with not much sexy to it. In fact they seem to have completely given up on injecting any sexy into the non-HD market at all. And the 3CCD cameras are generally within spitting distance of low-end HD pricewise, so I decided to just stay with cheap, use the thing for 3 or 4 years, then go HD.
( details inside, skip unless you're interested in the current camcorder market )