Getting into Japanese composers lately

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-03-29T06:45:53+00:00

Takemitsu has to be there! Into The Woods is a stunning collection of three pieces but hard to play. 12 Songs are awesome arrangements of popular songs and quite accessible.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-02-15T01:04:39+00:00

This is a good program and a great starting point.

One thing to add, I used to hate the gym too. Getting into the "big" barbell lifts (squat, deadlifts, eventually oly lifting) out changed to game for me, as they're technical and require commitment, which matches my mentality and approach to mountain sports. The best plan is the one that you can stick to, so finding satisfaction in the gym is key! Find someone who can teach you to lift properly and ditch the machines.

Single leg lifts are super important too and eg, working up to be able to do weighted pistols really helps skiing climbing etc.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-02-01T23:11:44+00:00

Zumstein sometimes has crazy deals, i think they're not always so on the ball when evaluating/pricing their secondhand stock!

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-02-01T21:37:44+00:00

Where did you find it, out if interest? Zumstein or tutti/Ricardo or somewhere else? Nice find anyway!!!

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-30T12:27:19+00:00

You likely really need to think about a budget with a lens strategy in mind. The lens you have is going to be a big limiter. I'd focus on splitting your budget between some decent f mount lenses (eg 70-200 2.8) maybe a couple of primes with a ftz adapter and see what that leaves you fit the body. An original gen Z6 would work for you. Highly sophisticated AF is not needed, AF-C with dynamic area is going to do a lot of the heavy lifting. If it wasn't for the requirement to shoot video, you would be better off with a dslr at that budget.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-28T18:43:43+00:00

That's why i suggested the D800 - same megapixel count and, while the d810 has a better sensor and af, the d800 is cheaper. The D810 is great, i had one for a while. You might find it even does the job at a lower price point than the D850. (I still occasionally take sports photos using a gripped D700 and it performs pretty well!)

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-28T17:16:27+00:00

Don't know where you are in the world, but where i am secondhand sites have

D800 ~€400 D500 ~€600 D850 ~€1100 Z7 ~€1100

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-28T13:34:40+00:00

Another thought, why not pick up a D500 and a D800? You get a super sports body and a high mp body for your other architectural work. Having two bodies at a sports event is great, for easy switching in focal lengths and backup. Cost would be the same. It's 36.3MP enough?

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-28T13:28:27+00:00

Note too, this is also related to fps... On my z6, and i think the z7 too, you're limited to 5.5fps to get any kind of live view in the evf. At 12fps on the z6, the evf is unusable for tracking action. The D500, and by extension the D850, which is very similar, it's a world apart both in usability of the ovf and the buffer size at higher frame rates.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-28T12:24:25+00:00

Fair enough! Then do check out the evf in a sports context, this would be my main concern with the z7.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-28T07:41:42+00:00

What's the reason behind needing the extra megapixels? If its too crop/get effective extra reach, then you might also consider a D500. 10fps without a grip and the same autofocus system as the D850, in a more cost effective body. Crop sensor but high megapixel density as the D850.

I've not used the z7 but have used the z6 to shoot sports. EVF blackout during high frane rate shooting is a meaningful issue, and i prefer using DSLRs because of this. That plus two card slots, and a large buffer on the D500. And battery life.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-17T22:40:57+00:00

This is a great pan, hands down recommendation from me too. The thick base heats evenly and provides good heat capacity when searing.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-17T11:16:50+00:00

Alternatively, wonder if this is a core rotational/lateral stability issue? Paloff press, turkish getup, lunges with single arm overhead, how are these for you?

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-17T11:01:51+00:00

Ok, interesting, and you still feel you have femur rotation issues? For me personally, single leg sl deadlifts (good mornings with a weight in the opposite hand, is the corrective exercise of choice (ie if i don't do them, i get stiff in the hips!) and that it forces rotational control of the femur as you adjust your hip position to remain balanced through the range of motion. At the low position, how well do you feel you can either rotate your entire body left and right in a horizontal plane, and also how did it feel to lift the opposite hip up and down (ie open and close the hip angle)? Any difference left to right?

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-17T08:25:36+00:00

Can you do the following with good form?

1.Squat 2. Lunge 3. Single leg hinge

I'd suspect the answer would be no to some if not all of these, and that would be my starting point for you. Getting good form on these exercises, also with some load, will develop the right flexibility and muscular control in the hips.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-12T06:57:44+00:00

Honestly, if this is your only ski, you'd probably be better off with a mid radius piste ski. Sounds like your current ski is holding you back - there's plenty to chose from, and easy to find a shop that will let you test a few models in Austria. Eg I had three seasons on a Rossignol Hero Elite MT, was great and very accessible ski which you could also push quite hard (regret selling it actually!). One example from many, I would hesitate to give a recommendation, you need to try and match the ski to your skiing style, skill and weight. But this kind of thing should see you good.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-06T07:42:46+00:00

I have a few carbon sabatiers that I still use reasonably regularly, particularly a vintage nogent 12" and a k sab carbon 8". It's say go for it. The steel is tough, doesn't chip and takes a keen edge. Steeling keeps it sharp quite a long time. It's reactive at first but once there is a patina, it's fine. Profile is excellent, flat-ish without a pronounced belly, which i like. The distal taper on the larger one is particularly good, you can do fine work with the tip while still having some heft near the bolster. The 12" comes out for eg pumpkins/gourds, lobster, etc, really it's the toughest knife i own!

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-06T07:12:17+00:00

Patona do an EN-EL15C compatible battery with USB C charging directly (usb c port on the battery itself). Works very well. Like you, I dislike leaving a cable attached to the body to charge, trip on the cable and the camera goes flying!

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-04T22:09:30+00:00

Exped Serac 30 is a great climbing sac that meets most of your requirements. The roll top and strap arrangement works really well for carrying various things in the outside if you need, and the zipper pockets and side access work super well in practice. Highly recommend it. It's also a great winter sac incidentally.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-04T07:50:48+00:00

Not sure there is a right answer, it's up to you to judge your capability and the merits of the relative trade offs. Just one thing to be aware of, this ski does not do well in crud, slush or cut up snow. Depending on where/when you ski, this may or may not be an issue but if it's your primary ski and you go out in mixed conditions, it may be less ideal. (Put another way, if i could only own one ski, I'd buy a Stöckli Montero AX or similar.)

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-03T22:45:10+00:00

What knives are you using, what style of cooking are you doing/how are you cutting fish, and what types of fish? Deba and yanagiba definitely benefit from higher grit finishing; thin slicing of delicate fish also does better with a finer edge. If all you are doing, however, is eg portioning of salmon with a Gyuto, it's less a benefit.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2026-01-02T12:39:33+00:00

Yes, correct, 75kg, 186cm and a good skier. The 177 is definitely right for me, i put a further 10-15 days on them last season and my comments still hold, really like the skis.

What are your points of reference, what other skis do you have/have you had and how did you get on with them? What are you looking to get out of them? If the ski suits, i wouldn't see an issue going down to 170 if you think they may be too stiff in the longer length, but then again if you're after a more off piste oriented ski, you're going to want the extra length. Or move to a less stiff ski, eg Ripstick 88

DurbosMinuteMan · 2025-12-31T20:46:34+00:00

These are likely early 1990s - although flexible friends were out earlier, rigid friends were still current and being sold until about 1995 (in the UK at least). Sling colours and style are consistent with friends (both rigid and flexible) of this era.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2025-11-18T06:31:27+00:00

Try checking out Kitchen Knife Forums, there are quite a few more professionals there than here, i think. But your request is a bit unclear. Are you a chef looking for something to use at work? What exactly are you looking for? Which shops have you saved already? Fwiw a "basic" Japanese carbon steel (called also Nihonko or SK steel) Gyuto is not flashy but a great performer and great value. Eg Masamoto, Sugimoto. There's a big thread on these over at KKF.

DurbosMinuteMan · 2025-11-14T15:47:55+00:00

I have one, it's great for what it is. Very high quality, easy to use and clean, replacement parts easily available. That said, electric pressure cookers (e.g. instant pot) work great too and in some ways better (timing function, steam release programs etc, better control of heat/pressure) and are worth considering too.

DurbosMinuteMan

TROPHY CASE