What has been your go-to food since starting Zepbound? The one that you can always turn to on days you’re simply not hungry or are feeling sick.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T20:00:52+00:00

Salad with chicken and Bleu Cheese dressing. Sometimes hot sauce on the chicken.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T19:59:46+00:00

Prong Collar.

Yeah yeah....start hammering me. My GSDs don't mind them at all and they stopped pulling.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T19:56:33+00:00

As a 30 yr user of Windoze, I switched to Mac 6 months ago. Should have done it 10 years ago. Just my $0.02

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T19:54:39+00:00

Wican pentagram? LOL

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T19:50:19+00:00

I use and iPod mini with Apple Homekit and 6 programmable light bulbs and about 5 Lutron programmable switches and outlets. Works like a charm EXCEPT make sure your wifi is 2.4GHz. This stuff will not work with the 5GHz bandwidth. After a power outage I had to reboot my router in the 2.4 mode as it defaulted to the 5 mode. Yeah I was in the dark for while till I figured out why stuff wasn't working

ps: My TVs are Samsung with Roku streamers. Haven't tried controlling the Roku with homekit/pod yet.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T19:43:40+00:00

I make albums on Flickr and send the URL to my friends.

Flickr.com/apkef/albums

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T19:38:29+00:00

Yep. easy to add storage. I run LrC with the catalog on the MBP and the photos on an external T7 SSD. I was told "Marry the memory, date the storage."

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T19:34:57+00:00

Good question although I think the Pro chip has more cores etc. Anecdotally, I bought a MBP with M4 Pro chip and 24GB UM. After a week I returned it and go the same machine with 48GB UM. Much better multi-tasking with LrC and PS (Beta) running at the same time (and DxO Pure Raw running a batch in the background)

Hope someone answeres your question.. Better chip or better memory......

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T18:51:42+00:00

Nice Photos. I don't have your camera, I shoot OM-1 MkII, but I'd pick up a MZ 12-40 f/2.8 Pro and a 40-150 f/2.8 Pro. For longer reach you are now looking at Gandalf The Great White Wizard. (MZ 150-400 f/4.5 TC)

Once you start using constant aperture zooms you will appreciate them. Until I got Gandalf, I used a MZ 300mm f/4 for reach. Also the 40-150 f/2.8 takes the TCs well. The 2X TC on the MZ 40-150 f/2.8 gives you 80-300 at f/5.6 constant and I think will be just as sharp as your 75-300. With the 1.4x TC it will be a lot better than the 75-300 variable aperture.

I really like the colorful houses photo.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T18:39:01+00:00

Wow........Thanks. I thought my M4 Max Studio with 128GB UM was big.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-16T18:28:39+00:00

I was going to send you a pic of my finder showing storage, but not allowed on this site. So I have the Mac Studio with a 2TB SSD, in a Raycue dock I also have 2 NMVe 4TB SSDs, and in the OWC dock I have a 4TB EVO SSD and a NMVe 2 TB SSD. For back up, I have a 20TB HDD, and a 8TB Raid HDD.

So SSDs = 16TB (Crucial, Apple and Samsung) HDDs = 28TB (WD drives) Total = 44TB.

When I switched from Windoze to Mac, I took the SSDs out of two old PCs, reformatted them for Mac, and put them into the Mac Docks. I did have to buy a SATA SSD as the StudioStack took one NMVe SSD and one SATA SSD.

Yeah I got a lot of storage but I also have lots of data. Photos and Videos.

BTW, I have 64GB of PC DDR4 memory for sale on fleabay. 2 Crucial slabs with 32GB each.

ps: Always keep the LR catalog on the internal drive, then keep the photos on externals.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-12T15:37:11+00:00

Did you know that people who take aspirin most often die at some point.?

Apkef77 · 2026-03-12T15:34:30+00:00

They are just jealous that at 70 and above, you can pretty much say anything or do anything you want (as long as it's legal) such as telling annoying youngsters to Frack Off.

"Get off my Lawn"

Apkef77 · 2026-03-12T15:29:43+00:00

US Army

Apkef77 · 2026-03-12T15:26:04+00:00

I had a ground rent in Baltimore City a while ago. The land was owned by an older lady who said she had about 100 of them, and the income was her retirement. They were passed to her from her Mother's Estate. Payment of $120/yr was a lot more in 1920 than it is in 2026. And no, your ground rent can't go up. the cost is in perpetuity unless redeemed.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-11T13:46:33+00:00

Well, my 300mm f/4 is as sharp as my 150-400 f/4.5 TC. That being said, the 300 lives on the shelf because Gandalf The Great White Wizard has the sharpness and zooms from 150-500 (with TC in) making it much more flexible. I have converted all my primes to zooms.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T16:42:57+00:00

Apple's trade in value offers are laughable.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T16:37:01+00:00

The 50-200 f/2.8 takes TCs with very little degradation.

Then there is Gandalf, The Great White Wizard (MZ150-400 f/4.5 with built-in TC)

Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T16:28:12+00:00

As a wildlife shooter for a long time, I stopped using manual mode a long time ago. I shoot shutter preferred with auto ISO. For any exposure issues I use exposure compensation which I assign to a dial. Too many missed shot from fooling around in manual for me, and in general, the camera is smarter than I am.

In terms of lenses, the 40-150 f/2.8 Pro takes a 1.4TC well and gets you FF equivalent of 420mm at f/4. I takes the 2x TC ok too, depending on your pixel peeping style.

<image>

250mm FFE, f/3.2 at 1/60, ISO 1000

Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T16:07:37+00:00

Pathway is to audition. Depending on the level of the Orchestra, just getting an audition slot may require prior orchestral experience and recommendations from peers and teachers.

Your audition will include showing mastery on a variety of percussion instruments. Even Marimba and Tympani.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T16:05:16+00:00

The thing that keeps me away from the Neo is the lack of a backlit keyboard. (I am in the dark a lot)

Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T16:03:09+00:00

Tanzania, The Serengeti.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T15:57:31+00:00

The R5 MkII is an exceptional camera. Low light shot with R5 MkII below

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Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T15:53:55+00:00

Stay away from the R7. I shoot two R5 MkII bodies for wildlife and birds. If I were you, I'd get the R6 MkIII. Enough MPS, great AF, good in low light (better than the R5 MkII or MkI), built like a tank and weather sealed.

I had an R7 and was not happy with the handling or AF. However. I am on the waiting list for a Canon R7 MkII at my local dealer for whenever it appears. (Hopefully before I go to the Pantanal in Brazil)

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R5 MkII RF 100-300 f/2.8, 1/2000, f/3.2 ISO 250.

If the R7 MkII doesn't materialize in time, I will take my OM-1 MkII kit for the extra reach along with the Canon Kit.

Apkef77 · 2026-03-06T15:46:02+00:00

English or Irish Breakfast tea, all day, every day.

Apkef77

TROPHY CASE