8.15.2012

I'd like to share some of my recent purchases with you. Some of them are more interesting than others, but all if them serve some sort of a purpose, and they bring me some form of joy. 

1 - Takumar 50mm f1.4 m42 lens  This is an old screw mount Pentax lens. It was made in an era when build quality was high, and things were more awesome. It doesn't have any auto focus bells or whistles, but its focus ring is smooth and buttery. Also, it was made at a time when Pentax was competing with Zeiss for 35mm superiority. I read somewhere that they sold these lenses at a loss so they could get their brand out there. I'm not sure that was the best business plan, but it made it easier for lots of people to get some kick ass lenses. I purchased it to use for shooting video on my Canon 5d MKII. I've done a few tests, and so far it is nice. Very nice. One funny thing about some old Takumar lenses is that they used a radioactive coating on some elements to reduce flaring. Over time that made the glass turn yellow. You can see the yellowing in the picture below. I read that you could remove this yellowing by setting the lens in direct sunlight or under a UV bulb. I bought a UV bulb, and after 5 days under the light you can see the improvement. Shit is crazy. 


2 - Pie server  I have been know to make pies on occasion. I also make quiche. When I make these delightful treats I often have trouble removing them from their dishes. For some reason I never acquired a pie server. That reminds me of one night when our friends Esme and Tomasz were over, and we were making some sort of ginger cookies. I needed to roll out the dough, and I used a wine bottle. I always use a wine bottle because I never bothered to buy a rolling pin. Esme has been know to make and bake on occasion, and she was appalled that I didn't have a rolling pin. I still don't have one, but I think about buying one whenever I see one in the store.
Anyway, my new pie server is awesome. It is both simple and high quality. You can see quiche residue stuck to it in the picture below. 


3 - L.L. Bean back pack  It is nice. It is strong. It is a good size, though I wish it were at tiny bit bigger. I can easily drop a camera, a change of clothing, and several other essentials for a weekend or otherwise short trip. Also, it's super comfortable and convenient for biking. I plan on using it extensively. 


4 - Rubber ice tray  Sometimes I get fired up about pretty simple things. A couple of weekends ago we went to Enschede to celebrate Marleen's grandma's 90th birthday. That was lovely, but imagine how pleased I was when I got some ice from the freezer, and found this!!! I easily popped a few cubes out without disturbing the others. Also, I believe that this ice tray makes better use of space than every ice tray I've ever seen. That might not seem like a big deal, but if your freezer is full of frozen baby meals and ice cream like mine is, you need all the spatial economy you can get. Also, I tend to break normal ice trays. I'm not saying I'm super strong, but I tend to break plastic ice trays. I do it all the time. On a slightly related note, I also break aluminum chainring bolts on my bike. I need to buy the steel ones, or I'll crack them right off. I've done it more than once. It is not pretty. 


5 - Raspberry Pi  I don't think I need to tell you how cool a credit card sized Linux computer is. If I do need to tell you, I can only suggest you Google it. It is super cool. I haven't done much playing with it yet, but I'd like to try making a media player with it, or a MAME arcade, or something else that is awesome. 


I know that stuff is only stuff and it can't really make me happy. Still, this stuff is pretty cool, right? 

Sincerely, 
Jim