Listen Closely

equipment, reviews, , ,

A Glance at the Nikon D4s

I got a peek at Nikon’s new D4s camera today and it’s a doozie.

Although it’s lighter than the D4, it has a remarkable 16MP sensor that’s superb at high ISO settings. It sacrifices a higher pixel count in exchange for superior noise reduction. In fact we saw an amazing demonstration at ISO 25600 with virtually no noise.

Its high speed, rapid fire capability is sure to attract the following of sports and action photographers. The D4s is rated at about 11 fps with continuous autofocus and autoexposure.

Here’s a short recording that I made at Nikon’s booth today. The shutter sounds like a miniature machine gun.

Press the play button

That’s an amazing speed.

Although it’s a better performer in several respects, the new D4s is lighter weight than the predecessors D4 and D3s.

That’s the teaser for today for Nikon fans.

Nikon’s rep Paul Van Allen tells me that today is the first day that the D4s is on sale. Price for the D4s body is $6,500.
 
 
Written by: Arnie Lee
 
 
 

 
 
 

Gung Hei Fat Choy

personal, , , , ,

Chinese New Year – January 31

Chinese New Year typically falls during late January or early February.

The Chinese calendar is partially based on the phases of the moon and is also referred to as the Lunar New Year. It’s celebrated in countries where there is a large population of Chinese. Having been raised in a large, extended Chinese family, we’ve always known the celebration as Chinese New Year.

In China, the full celebration lasts a full 15 days. However growing up in New York we didn’t have the luxury of sitting it out for the full holiday.

Our’s was an acknowledgement of our Chinese heritage. We would drive from our home in the suburbs to Chinatown in the heart of New York City to experience the colorful dragon dance and ear-shattering fire crackers. We hosted a gathering with as many relatives that were able to travel to my Grandmother’s (Paw Paw) house. Paw Paw would prepare two or three special dishes unique to the holiday. We trekked in a small procession from the house to the cemetery carrying a boiled chicken, oolong tea and burning incense to honor our deceased ancestors. The chicken and the tea came back to the house and were served with a dozen other traditional home-cooked dishes at an elaborate family meal. Afterwards, the elders passed red envelopes containing dollar bills or silver dollars as gifts to all of the unmarried children. As children we were elated.

Delicious dishes like this one would grace our kitchen table as dozens of relatives surrounded us younger kids. These dishes were only for special occasions.
The adults gifted the children these little red envelopes filled with dollar bills and/or silver dollars.

This was a time to visit with uncles, aunts and cousins. This was a time for hugs and kisses. This was a time to leave the bad fortune behind. And this was especially a time to wish good fortune to everyone.

For us, January 31, 2014 is no different from other years. We continue to celebrate Chinese New Year as we have since I can remember. And while Paw Paw passed long ago, the food aromas from her kitchen of fifty or more years past remain familiar to me today.

It’s our sincere hope that good fortune will continue to bless our grateful family and all of our friends during this new year.

So to all of our relatives and friends in the year of the horse – “Gung Hei Fat Choy.”

The Big Freeze

travel, , , , , , , , ,

Making My Way to CES

It’s early January – time for the Consumer Electronics Show.

I’m always excited to go to CES and see the new devices from hundreds of manufacturers – devices that are waiting to dazzle us. For the past 30+ years I’ve been attending this whiz-bang exhibition.

But this year it is very interesting getting to Las Vegas. Beginning on New Year’s Day the weather services warns us of heavy snow and frigid temperatures for the next week. Two days before my scheduled travel date, I receive a notice from United Airlines that my Monday flight is cancelled and that I should call to reschedule.

I spend six hours on hold to United’s reservations center and when I finally get through to an agent I make an alternative reservation for later in the day on Monday.

An hour later, I receive another United notice that this flight too is cancelled. Back on the phone, this time for more than four hours, and they reschedule my flight to Wednesday evening. This flight is not going to work since I would miss two full days of CES.

So I look for alternatives.

I know that Allegiant flies directly to Las Vegas so I check their schedule. To my surprise there is space available on Monday and so I immediately book the flight. Of course the weather will ultimately determine if the flight actually take place.

Driving to the airport is hazardous with the zero-degree temperature over snow and ice-covered roads.

As I view the airport gate assignments I see most of the other flights from Grand Rapids are cancelled. Most likely they fly to Detroit, Cleveland and Chicago – cities where the airports are shut down.

The incoming flight from Las Vegas is 30 minutes late. But despite the drastic weather my flight to Las Vegas departs an hour late. Here’s a vote for air service city-to-city rather than the hub and spoke service used by most airlines.

A short three and a half hours later, I’m in the desert without any snow and enjoying the 60 degree temperature. I am lucky to get out of the big freeze.

Today I hear that the temperature in Grand Rapids is -10.

I had to use my sunglasses in Las Vegas.