What else do you buy?

[dltflt]

Digital camera.  About two years ago I purchased my first SLR and since then have purchaced a couple of lenses and looking at about three more.  Really got hooked, it gets me out of the house and gets me some exercise.

 

[robtonya]

Okay - this is totally nerdy, but I think you'll appreciate it. I'm an oceanographer, and we have a surprisingly limited suite of tools to study the ocean. One of our most fundamental instruments is called a CTD - stands for "Conductivity" "Temperature" and "Depth". It's an instrument - usually about the size of a telescope - that we lower into the ocean to measure salinity (conductivity of the salt water), temperature and pressure (= depth). From these profiles we can calculate vertical profiles of seawater density from the surface to the bottom. A couple of these profiles will give you the ocean currents, and a host of other important information about the physics and even the biology and chemistry of the ocean.

The CTD's I use are made by a company called Sea Bird Electronics out of Bellevue Washington. I was one of the first users of their SBE19 - a "personal" CTD - back in the mid 1980's. I was working in the Gulf of Maine between March and July on a small, seriously tippy boat. My assistant and I were doing an impressive job of returning nutrients to the ocean (i.e. barfing) while the captain was trying to keep us on station. During transits between stations, the CTD was rolling all over the deck, smashing into the bulkheads (the CTD has a glass conductivity cell), and we were too weak from seasickness to do anything about it. Regardless, the CTD gave us superb data, and is still working almost 20 years later! That's a seriously well built instrument. It can measure temperature to 1/1000th of a degree, is incredibly stable over time, and is indestructible. I won't buy anything but Sea Bird Electronics instruments for my research after that.

By the way, if you think Festools are expensive, a "cheap" CTD starts at about $10,000, and rapidly goes up from there. It's almost impossible to buy an oceanographic instrument for under $5000! Thank you, taxpayers of America!

sounds interesting. I bet you have seen some intersting things doing that kind of work.

 

[Dave Rudy]

I think you'll appreciate it. I'm an oceanographer

I do appreciate it.  What a fascinating job you must have.  Love to hear more about it.  As far as the actual topic, I just wildly assumed the question was "what do you buy with your own money, not with other people's. LOL 

 

[poto]

I do appreciate it.  What a fascinating job you must have.  Love to hear more about it.  As far as the actual topic, I just wildly assumed the question was "what do you buy with your own money, not with other people's. LOL 

sounds interesting. I bet you have seen some intersting things doing that kind of work.

The great thing about oceanography is that you get to live in beautiful places, and travel all over the world. The down side of oceanography is the same as almost any other job: you spend 90% of your time sitting on your butt in front of a computer. You could do most of oceanography in Kansas, and it wouldn't make much difference. But it's a wonderful field of research for me, as it combines biology, physics, math, computers, engineering, and even art. It's great for dilletants, which is pretty much what I am.

And Dave, yes, you're right - I think the question really was how you spend your own money.  I think my point was that - even with other people's money - there's a big range of quality in the products you can buy. And it's always worth getting the best quality you can.

Happy to talk more about oceanography if anyone has specific questions 

 

[Woodenfish]

I'm not sure how we got this far without the Big Green Egg being mentioned but we just used ours for the first time this weekend. Counting the cost of the unit, amortizing those first steaks was expensive, but the next ones will only be half as much.  ;D  These are first rate cookers and a joy to use.

I have been looking at those now ( big green egg) , since someone posted where they made a table for one, then i seen it at a home show a few weeks ago. I also seen a Primo brand (I believe). They said they had a shock absorber on the front, just incase you dropped the lid, it wouldn't crack the egg. Is this a real problem, or are they just eggsagerating (pun intended). We are supposed to get our extra tax check soon, so a cooker like this was on my list. Right now all I have is the smallest Webber grill they make, I can cook about 5 hamburgers at a time, and I am wanting something to cook some babyback ribs.

Rob, I have a Primo XL Oval ceramic cooker loaded with every accessory offered plus a BBQ Guru for lo-slo 18 hour cooks that I'm now pushing to the curb for the trash collector. When the grill was new it was wonderful, everything I made upon it was the best I ever tasted. Two years later the fire box cracked. I was told that was okay and not a problem they all do that just keep on using it it will be fine, don't worry about it yada, yada, yada. Now the lower shell has split horizontally 3/4 the way around horizontally. The Primo warranty is useless, their customer service is non-existant.

After researching other brands for potential replacement purchase I came to the conclusion that all of these ceramic cookers crack and warranty coverage was hard to come by. Many dealers have been frustrated by these manufacturers and have dropped the product do to poor customer service.

 

[tvgordon]

Wonderwino,  I read many reviews that agree with you that the Nikon d300 is a great camera.

DonT, what DSLR did you end up buying?  I would like to buy one this year but haven't decided on what to buy.  I used Nikon with 35mm film, but don't know if I'll stick with Nikon or try Canon.

Tom.

 

[dltflt]

Tom, I have an Canon EOS 20D now it would be 40D.  It's been a great camera, no problems at all.  I've taken a few classes with a local professional photographer and he uses the Nikon.  I think the Nikon and Canon are top of the line.  I think it is personal preference from that point.  You might try renting before buying to get a better feel.

 

[robtonya]

I'm not sure how we got this far without the Big Green Egg being mentioned but we just used ours for the first time this weekend. Counting the cost of the unit, amortizing those first steaks was expensive, but the next ones will only be half as much.  ;D  These are first rate cookers and a joy to use.

I have been looking at those now ( big green egg) , since someone posted where they made a table for one, then i seen it at a home show a few weeks ago. I also seen a Primo brand (I believe). They said they had a shock absorber on the front, just incase you dropped the lid, it wouldn't crack the egg. Is this a real problem, or are they just eggsagerating (pun intended). We are supposed to get our extra tax check soon, so a cooker like this was on my list. Right now all I have is the smallest Webber grill they make, I can cook about 5 hamburgers at a time, and I am wanting something to cook some babyback ribs.

Rob, I have a Primo XL Oval ceramic cooker loaded with every accessory offered plus a BBQ Guru for lo-slo 18 hour cooks that I'm now pushing to the curb for the trash collector. When the grill was new it was wonderful, everything I made upon it was the best I ever tasted. Two years later the fire box cracked. I was told that was okay and not a problem they all do that just keep on using it it will be fine, don't worry about it yada, yada, yada. Now the lower shell has split horizontally 3/4 the way around horizontally. The Primo warranty is useless, their customer service is non-existant.

After researching other brands for potential replacement purchase I came to the conclusion that all of these ceramic cookers crack and warranty coverage was hard to come by. Many dealers have been frustrated by these manufacturers and have dropped the product do to poor customer service.

Thanks Woodenfish, I don't have the funds to be throwing around, so this is why I am researching. I like to buy the best, then not have to worry about getting something different when said product doesn't meat my expectations. I also was looking at a Treager, but thet are pricey as well. I have a friend that swears by them though. I was needing something kinda soon, I am hosting a family get together because my sister is graduating from college. Is the Green Egg as likely to crack as well?