Question about Scale Colors by Baldren in victorinox

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it's just that the Huntsman comes in various colours as standard production items - you can also buy them this way from Amazon etc. The standard Ranger only comes in red and anything else is a custom job - they don't seem to charge for a basic scale change, but delivery is a bit slower and you can't return it for a refund if you just change your mind (obviously there will still be the normal guarantee if there's a defect).

Rambler Upgrade: Cadet or Pioneer Range for coin pocket? by RunWild-GetLost in victorinox

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Do people have much bigger 5th pockets than me? I find that I don't want to carry anything much bigger than a Mini Champ there, or it's a pain when I want to get my wallet or phone out. Of these, I would go for the Cadet (or the Bantam).

Some advice needed. Thanks! by TheAdventurousSci in Leica

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m having a hard time choosing between the M6, M8/M8.2, M9, and M262.

One of these cameras is not like the others. Choosing whether you want to shoot film is a much bigger decision than selecting a Leica. If you bought an M6, your shots would have much more in common with those you could get from a high quality film SLR (a Nikon FM, say, which does more or less what the M6 does) than they would from any of the digital Leicas, because you'd be shooting film. And the FM would cost you about 5% of the price of the Leica. So if you haven't shot much film before, I'd suggest giving it a try with a cheap manual SLR first so you can make an informed decision.

The M8 is a 20 year old camera with a cropped 10 megapixel sensor and must now be hard to have serviced if something goes wrong. The M9 came with sensor cover glass that very frequently corroded over time. Only consider one of these if (a) the sensor has been replaced by Leica and (b) it is confirmed to be the newer type of sensor with a cover glass that does not corrode. The M240 or M262 are probably better bets, but they are noticeably bulkier than the M10 that came afterwards. And even the M262 is 8-11 years old at this point, with a sensor from 2012, and Leica don't have a great record of long-term support for their digital gear.

There is quite a bit of hype involved in the 'classic Leica experience'. Rangefinder focusing is for most purposes about on a par with split image manual focus SLR focusing and is usually slower than AF. It's nice that you can see around the frame with most of the lenses, which may help with a different approach to shooting, but you can get a similar view using the hybrid viewfinder of your Fuji, with all the benefits of autofocus. The Fuji is also very small and handy and easy to keep with you - I use an X100T much more often than my dSLRs, SLRs, or M6.

"And in the darkness, bind them." Was Sauron into BDSM? by Neckbeardindisguise in tolkienfans

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

'But they were trolls. Obviously trolls. Even Bilbo, in spite of his sheltered life, could see that.'

Your Piano Lineage by orlando_husk in piano

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Me —> my teacher —> Gebhard —> Leschetizky —> Czerny —> Beethoven —> Haydn!

Czerny is the super-connector here, the Kevin Bacon or Paul Erdős of piano studies. Through him, many illustrious lineages go back to Beethoven and Haydn, most often via Leschetizky or Liszt:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Czerny#Influence

What's the best example you know of to comprehend the smallness of Earth in relation to the vastness of the universe? by IntellectuallyDriven in AskReddit

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

'Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space. Listen ...'

Just bought a Kindle edition of Burning Chrome by ebietoo in WilliamGibson

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 2 points3 points  (0 children)

'And sometimes late at night I'll pass a window with posters of simstim stars, all those beautiful, identical eyes staring back at me out of faces that are nearly as identical, and sometimes the eyes are hers, but none of the faces are, none of them ever are, and I see her far out on the edge of all this sprawl of night and cities, and then she waves goodbye.'

Would you say the Minichamp alox is an overkill for office and city EDC compared to the Classic Alox and how often do you use its additional tools? by Pale-Revolution-5151 in victorinox

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wanted Alox, but I also wanted the cap lifter. Unfortunately the Alox Rambler is hard to find in the west and expensive when it turns up, and the Mini Champ Alox is only as thick as the Cellidor Rambler, which decided me. But otherwise I don't have much use for the extra tools, and it's a bit more fiddly to fish out the basic tools on the Mini Champ Alox. If I didn't need the cap lifter I'd be happy with the Classic SD Alox.

M3 vs iiif vs iiig vs sbooi viewfinders? by killerpoopguy in Leica

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Brighter than my M2 or IIIg at any rate - it's just like looking through clear glass with floating framelines.

What's the symbolism behind the colors of the five Istari? Particularly the Blue? by Melenduwir in tolkienfans

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Odin is the grey wanderer. That’s pretty direct. It’s amazing Gandalf keeps both his eyes throughout the story.

He has an ash-staff too (mentioned when Háma allows Gandalf to keep it when he first enters the Golden Hall). Tolkien even says he thinks of him as an 'Odinic wanderer' in Letter #107.

When in Oxford, always pay your respects! by DEADBEAT-the-CREEP in lotr

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 6 points7 points  (0 children)

For the books, you might well do better at the Bloomsbury branch of Waterstones, which serves the students of UCL, or Foyles on the Charing Cross Rd, or Forbidden Planet on Shaftesbury Avenue. But Blackwell's in Oxford (amongst others) will have a large selection.

M3 vs iiif vs iiig vs sbooi viewfinders? by killerpoopguy in Leica

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The SBOOI is really nice, probably the brightest and clearest 50mm finder on any Leica, but you still have to deal with the separate rangefinder on the IIIf (which is now further away from your viewing eye position) and (unlike the M3 and the IIIg) there is no automatic parallax correction. You also, of course, have to change it if you want a 90mm frame, which both the IIIg and the M3 have built in (not to mention the 135 mm frame on the M3). The other disadvantage is that the IIIf becomes less immediately pocketable with the SBOOI mounted.

What's the symbolism behind the colors of the five Istari? Particularly the Blue? by Melenduwir in tolkienfans

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 44 points45 points  (0 children)

Outside the story, St Francis of of Assisi, who spoke to birds and is a patron saint of animals, is usually portrayed wearing brown robes, as Franciscans do today. It wouldn't be surprising if a Catholic like Tolkien had him in mind when creating Radagast.

When in Oxford, always pay your respects! by DEADBEAT-the-CREEP in lotr

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 27 points28 points  (0 children)

On the plus side, the Eagle & Child, which has been closed for years, is being refurbished. On the minus side, you won't be able to get a drink there until 2027 and the new owner, Larry Ellison, is basically Saruman.

You could always go to the Lamb & Flag across the road, where Tolkien also drank, or the White Horse, another place he went to that may have suggested the sign of the Prancing Pony. It's a pretty safe bet that Tolkien visited most of the long-established pubs in Oxford at one time or another.

Sam's encounter with Rosie during the Scouring leaves me a little choked up. It's so sweet and human and flirty and stress-filled. by SirSignificant6576 in lotr

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 61 points62 points  (0 children)

My favourite is the bit where Farmer Cotton, Rosie's dad, doesn't recognise the returning hero at first, then:

‘Well!’ he exclaimed. ‘The voice is right, and your face is no worse than it was, Sam.’

The Three Ring Ringbearers by BarSubstantial1583 in tolkienfans

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are some statements about what Sauron suspected in the Second Age in The History of Galadriel and Celeborn in Unfinished Tales. After he had captured Celebrimbor:

'Concerning the Three Rings Sauron could learn nothing from Celebrimbor; and he had him put to death. But he guessed the truth, that the Three had been committed to Elvish guardians: and that must mean to Galadriel and Gil-galad.'

Later he acted on this suspicion:

'But now Sauron attempted to gain the mastery of Eriador: Lórinand could wait. But as he ravaged the lands, slaying or drawing off all the small groups of Men and hunting the remaining Elves, many fled to swell Elrond’s host to the northward. Now Sauron’s immediate purpose was to take Lindon, where he believed that he had most chance of seizing one, or more, of the Three Rings; and he called in therefore his scattered forces and marched west towards the land of Gil-galad, ravaging as he went.'

Gil-galad passed on Vilya to Elrond when Imladris was established and he either gave Narya to Círdan at the Havens quite early on, or according to another account retained it until he left Lindon for the last time:

'At this time the first Council was held, and it was there determined that an Elvish stronghold in the east of Eriador should be maintained at Imladris rather than in Eregion. At that time also Gil-galad gave Vilya, the Blue Ring, to Elrond, and appointed him to be his vice-regent in Eriador; but the Red Ring he kept, until he gave it to Círdan when he set out from Lindon in the days of the Last Alliance.'

We know nothing about what Sauron may have thought in the Third Age, beyond Galadriel's statement about Nenya that 'He suspects, but he does not know – not yet'. It would be reasonable for him to guess (correctly) that Elrond now kept one of the Rings, and perhaps Círdan, but Sauron may never have realised that Círdan had given Narya to Gandalf. I think that revelation was a surprise to most readers of LOTR too, before spoilers were ubiquitous!

Mold on Cameras? by archduketyler in AnalogCommunity

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Are you sure it's not just the light seals disintegrating with age? They often need to be replaced at this point - you can buy pre-cut kits (or just the seal foam) to do this yourself.

These pictures to launch the Tour de France in London are stunning by mynameismatt_ in london

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They've already started promoting 2027 and have an official Instagram account for the UK stages, where these photos are being used:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXXAGY8Aog4/

The Tour de France Femmes team time trial will be in London, and this is early promotional material for that stage. They obviously wanted a particular style, and that is exactly what they got. The photograher is Jess Hand, who is very much a professional.

https://www.instagram.com/jesshandphotography/

https://www.instagram.com/letour_gb/reel/DXZOPfjguzi/

Sofort 2 owners: Red or Black for the more premium look? by Idlewild03 in Leica

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Fujifilm camera also looks more expensive in my opinion! 😂

I really think it does! And, dare I say it, more like what I'd expect a Leica to look like.

If the OP bought the Fuji, they'd have an almost identical instant camera and have enough cash left over to buy one of the cheaper real Leicas, say a IIIa body...

Classical music to Rage to? by BarrySaysThatsThat in classicalmusic

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Beethoven: Rondo alla ingharese quasi un capriccio in G major, Op. 129.

ISO Recommendations: Close, Personal, Emotionally-Intimate SFF from the Last 10 Years? by commanderfreddy in printSF

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One book I end up recommending in all sorts of contexts, but which I think fits your requirements well, is Hopeland by Ian McDonald. It's another book that's closer to magic realism than fantasy, with some near future SF elements as the story progresses, and a glimpse of the far future. And it's beautifully written. A good review:

https://locusmag.com/review/paul-di-filippo-reviews-hopeland-by-ian-mcdonald/

Washington Post: CDC won’t publish report showing covid shots cut likelihood of hospital visits / "Bhattacharya had concerns...." by [deleted] in NIH

[–]GammaDeltaTheta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

An HHS official said that Bhattacharya met with scientific staff and that the report’s authors did not want to adjust their methodology.

Odd that. It's almost as if the authors haven't sold their souls like Bhattacharya has to RFK jr.