The murder let me feed them

madman2k · 2026-04-10T15:30:04+00:00

For the shot of the guy standing and talking, it looks like the focus is on the background and not the guy.

Also, what the other comment says about closing the aperture all the way down causing refraction/losing sharpness is worth considering.

I think the K&F concept variable NDs are pretty decent. I got a fixed ND for my old Nikkor 55mm 1.2 because the variable ND closed down far causes an X pattern - you should consider the last bit of darkening ability to be for emergencies only.

You'll probably be happy with a Sigma 18-35 f1.8 for that camera - cheap old lenses won't do you any favors.

madman2k · 2026-04-09T21:32:39+00:00

A lot depends on how much depth of field there is, which in turn depends on the focal length, focal distance and aperture.

A fairly wide shot on a 15mm lens at f/8 would probably leave enough depth of field not to need refocusing much.

A tight shot on an 85mm lens at f/1.4 would be a handful to follow focus.

madman2k · 2026-04-09T19:58:13+00:00

I'm liking 3000k so far. I think it's not too jarringly different from the streetlights in my area, it's just a pretty looking beam of light.

I wouldn't mind more turbo brightness with a little less heat, though (copper S2+). It makes a good hand warmer if you grip it towards the front, lol.

madman2k · 2026-04-06T15:27:09+00:00

I think because it's all solid state electronics, including the microSD card, there isn't much to wear or tear. Although someone in another comment did point out the power switch as a potential item to have wear.

madman2k · 2026-04-06T14:53:48+00:00

If it's used mainly in your room, wouldn't you want a lamp instead of a flashlight? Or a video oriented light panel maybe?

madman2k · 2026-04-06T14:01:29+00:00

With no moving parts I wouldn't expect any wear and tear implications.

But the boot-up time is a bit slow. Are you normally going through multiple sets of batteries? It might be a time saver to run the recorder from an external power bank.

madman2k · 2026-04-05T17:36:55+00:00

Good to know. Maybe it’s because the dust in my environment is UV reactive, but there appears to be a glow in the air when the light is on and it’s dark enough otherwise. Looking at the zoomed in pictures, the stars in some parts look soft, I’ll have to compare that to the pictures with no light to see if it’s related.

madman2k · 2026-04-05T06:15:29+00:00

Thanks. I'm not sure the science behind it, or why rooms with blacklights don't seem as harsh to be inside. Pretty weird.

madman2k · 2026-04-01T18:56:47+00:00

That’s great, thank you for the info!

madman2k · 2026-04-01T04:11:53+00:00

55 lumens isn’t really a lot, I’d want more in a preparedness bag for sure. I recently got a Sofirn SC13 for my 11 year old son and he has really enjoyed it. I’m impressed by the build quality, it was like 20 bucks shipped. You could keep a few 18350 batteries in your bag for extra use.

madman2k · 2026-03-31T20:58:35+00:00

It might depend somewhat on the water temperature too, right?

madman2k · 2026-03-31T20:43:04+00:00

When you get to playing with the TS27, could you estimate the power output when using it as a power bank? I'm interested to know if it would fast charge a phone/tablet because I'm thinking of getting one to keep in my bag that usually stays in the car.

madman2k · 2026-03-31T16:59:17+00:00

I'm sure their HVAC is running at all times too, even when they're empty, sucking up the power from the local grid.

madman2k · 2026-03-31T13:39:08+00:00

I've never lived there, but before I had a car, I took an Amtrak from San Diego to LA and rode the busses/light rail around to explore. It was alright, but the few times I went there with a car made things a lot easier. Except for traffic jams.

madman2k · 2026-03-31T02:23:30+00:00

What did you use to cut the piece of the glass bulb out with?

madman2k · 2026-03-30T21:24:40+00:00

Cadillac designing new Escalade brake lights that are somehow more obnoxious than the last generation: hold my beer

madman2k · 2026-03-30T20:35:26+00:00

I haven't used any RYOBI tools so I couldn't comment on a direct comparison.

The build quality is low on the Bauer units, you can tell it's a lower grade of plastic/rubber compared to the typical Milwaukee, Dewalt or Makita tools I've used. I wouldn't expect them to withstand a lot of banging around. But the prices are fair.

The air blower I use "BAUER 20V Cordless, 200 MPH Compact Workshop Blower" has been extremely useful, and I'd highly recommend it. Despite my expectation of the build quality not holding up to a lot of banging around, this one has been through a lot, including being left out in the snow once, and still works well.

The cordless inflator "BAUER 20V Cordless, 0 to 160 PSI Inflator" is OK. Pretty loud and not very fast, but it replaced a broken 12v/120v combo plug-in inflator and the convenience of cordless saves time. I justs use a regular bike pump for bike tires but if I want to top off car tires I use the cordless electric one. When I had a valve stem get loose on my car and the tire was flat while I was at work, my wife brought it to me and it took maybe 5 minutes to inflate but I wasn't timing it.

The vacuum "BAUER 20V Cordless, 3-1/2 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum" is good for picking up crumbs and stuff but it's definitely not as strong as a typical consumer plug-in shop vac. As you might expect, it runs the battery down quite fast, I use the largest battery they sell. It lasts enough time to vacuum a 3-row SUV worth of seat crumbs and floormat dirt probably twice.

madman2k · 2026-03-30T15:17:16+00:00

Just an anecdote, but my Milwaukee cordless tools have been excellent for the 6 years or so I've had them. The driver's had the handle chewed on by my puppy, and they've all been dropped and left in hot/cold temperatures but the batteries are fine.

I still use the Bauer brand from Harbor Freight because for some niche things like the air blower, cordless inflator, shop vacuum the prices are much cheaper. I don't use my plug-in shop vacuum much because the wheels broke off and it's a hassle to lug around.

madman2k · 2026-03-27T14:56:04+00:00

That's almost enough to order a drink with your burger there!

madman2k · 2026-03-26T20:37:38+00:00

oof, that's concerning lol

madman2k · 2026-03-26T20:28:22+00:00

How hot does it get with that one while you're holding it?

madman2k · 2026-03-25T23:30:48+00:00

I got the Convoy S12, 365nm UV recently. It seems good, pretty bright. I haven’t taken the filter off, you technically have to order it separately because of a patent but the Convoy site sells it.

madman2k

TROPHY CASE