Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Sandy Nelson

What to ask for Christmas
« on: 17/10/2012 at 16:28 »
Ok then, i know we re-do this kind of thing every year, but the time is getting nearer and my far smarter and prettier half has been pestering me to give her a few ideas for the day itself.
Apart from all the obvious smutty ones which i presented, i found i was at a bit of a loss to come up with anything :z8

Every idea felt too much like, been there,done that :z10

The only new idea i could find from a few hours raking online was a couple of dvd's "Underwater World Of Trout DVD Vol 1 and 2"
Even then it felt a little bit like desperation :z6

So tell me, what do i want for christmas :z7

All ideas gratefully recieved (by the way i'm not allowed an XK-R :cry)

Cheers

Sandy

Iain Goolager

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #1 on: 17/10/2012 at 16:53 »
Go Pro HD3?

Matt Henderson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #2 on: 17/10/2012 at 19:06 »
A juicy steak and a special cuddle? ;)

Ask for a days fishing somewhere? Get on fishpal in the spring and take a day on a beat somewhere nice that you've always wanted to fish? I seem to be all about experiences rather than tangible things at the moment?

Mine is going to be casting lessons!

Ben Dixon

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #3 on: 17/10/2012 at 19:46 »
Quote
So tell me, what do i want for christmas

Send her into the shop with a fully charged credit card, I'll take care of it and you'll not have to worry your head about it again.

Cheers

Ben

Sandy Nelson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #4 on: 17/10/2012 at 19:58 »
I'm not old enough for Orvis clothing yet :z4 :z4

 :)z

Sandy

Barry Robertson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #5 on: 17/10/2012 at 21:04 »
Go Pro HD3?
Will you be getting one Iain?

Euan Innes

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #6 on: 17/10/2012 at 22:19 »
Quote
I'm not old enough for Orvis clothing yet 

Yes you are Sandy.
This is not elasticated beige or incontinence waders. The gear is actually really good. The Pro wading jacket is the biz.

What you are not ready for is some of the "different" styling that the Americans find "stylish" with some of the trousers and jackets that would be more at home on Huggy Bear. NO-ONE is ready for that :z7

Send your missus to Ben and he'll sort her out  :wink Helios for Christmas? Now how can I persuade my missus to go with that? Or will I just still go with a Q2 diff for my Alfa GT that I have asked for.... :wink

Anyone feeling generous towards me this consumer season, I might like a 9'6" Access please. And a WF6 SLX....

 :z1

Hamish Young

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #7 on: 18/10/2012 at 06:34 »
Prius V8 conversion would be an idea Sandy :z4
Failing that (and not allowed an XKR ??? hmmmphhhh) why not get a nice kit car to build and ask for a small contribution towards the additional tools you will need.

When it comes to fishing gear I suspect (from the classifieds) you already have too much gear you don't need, so I'd try and blag 'marital permission tickets' for additional days out fishing (without fear of domestic warfare) as your best bet allowing you to use all the gear you're not selling  :z4

:z3





Euan Innes

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #8 on: 18/10/2012 at 08:10 »
Quote
Prius V8 conversion would be an idea Sandy

Now that I would like to see! Sounds like a job for Top Gear.

 :z1

Sandy Nelson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #9 on: 18/10/2012 at 08:25 »
Prius V8 conversion would be an idea Sandy :z4


Kinda defeats the object  :z4 :z4 :z4 And to be honest if the car was a bit more Lexus inside and i could alter the programming so the electric mode hangs on to 40 instead of 30, then it would be just about perfect :z16

When it comes to fishing gear I suspect (from the classifieds) you already have too much gear you don't need

I had no idea until i started unpacking things :shock Seems for 3 years being away, i was comfort buying Fishing gear :z6, just shows how much i missed home and just how simple i tick.
Rather pleased We came back when we did, otherwise i'd be opening a shop :X1

Sandy

Iain Goolager

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #10 on: 18/10/2012 at 08:36 »
Comfort buying, now there's a stranger.

Bought my new outfit for next year (no Euan not a tweed twin set) so some form of tele or macro lens for me at Christmas.

Iain

Sandy Nelson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #11 on: 18/10/2012 at 08:47 »
macro lens for me at Christmas.

I did that last year, what type of camera? might be able to point you in a direction if its an SLR??

Sandy

Matt Henderson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #12 on: 18/10/2012 at 09:41 »
I did that last year, what type of camera? might be able to point you in a direction if its an SLR??

Sandy

Even if Irene's not interested I am.  I've toying with getting an 18-200mm/300mm lense which say they could be used for macro stuff too.  But would be interested in hearing your opinion on the matter.

cheers

matt

Sandy Nelson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #13 on: 18/10/2012 at 11:53 »
Hi Matt

I spent ages researching all this last year and a lot depends what you want the macro for.
If its for occasional use then any good lens with the camera set to macro will give you good results.
If you are using it a lot, then its worth geting a specific macro lens.
My Dad (who is the photographer in the family) Always says get as big and as good a piece of glass as you can afford. Preferably with a low F stop designation.

I evetually bought a Tamron 60mm fixed f2.0 lens for mine as i use it a lot on a tripod for flies,bugs etc. and i think the Tamron is brilliant :z16 and it works exceptionally well for portraits as well, this is the beauty of a fixed lens, you get much better quality glass for your money. It is very light and it gets more use than i ever expected.

I also have a 18-200 VrII f3.5-5.6 Zoom lens which is not as impressive as i thought it would be. It is a brilliant lens but not as much of an increase in quality from my original 18-135 f3.5-5.6 kit lens as i expected, certainly not worth the money it has tied up in it. The kit lens was actually much better at macro than the new zoom, which is why when i upgraded to the zoom i bought a specific Macro lens.

If i could do it again, i'd still get the Macro lens, but would have to think very carefully about which size of zoom i'd go for, I'd probably keep the kit lens and go for a much cheaper 70-300 type lens for the odd occasion i use it. Or try and stretch for a 24-120 f4 and get a proper quality piece of glass. Hard to justify though :z6

It can also depend what brand of camera you are using, I use Nikon for SLR's i prefer the button layout (probably the only reason i don't have a canon :z6)

Worth spending some time researching first what you need, lots of review sites out there.

Sandy

Hamish Young

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #14 on: 18/10/2012 at 18:46 »
Kinda defeats the object  :z4 :z4 :z4

I think we may have to agree to disagree on this one...... I'm not a Prius fan for 'country' living and look forward to seeing them all scrapped if/when Hydrogen fuel cells are 'cracked' :X1

So get that Lexus GS V8 instead and design a KERS system to fit it..... now that's a hybrid I'd drive :wink

:z3

Ben Dixon

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #15 on: 18/10/2012 at 19:06 »

So get that Lexus GS V8 instead and fit it into a G3 Surf.

:z3

More like it  :z4

Matt Henderson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #16 on: 18/10/2012 at 19:44 »
Thanks Sandy I will start doing some serious research!

Sandy Nelson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #17 on: 18/10/2012 at 20:22 »
I'm not a Prius fan for 'country' living

Its actually better at that than living in the city, the engine needs to be warm before the benefits of the EV system can utilised, to prevent excessive wear, all makes good engineering sense. What i find is the first 10 miles you hardly ever see the battery being used, but from then on it does do its job and does it rather well :z16
Interesting you mention KERS... thats basically how the Toyota system works, its an electrically assisted Petrol engine except its a constantly variable transmission so there are no gears as such, its all fly by wire.
I think its all rather cool. (although i'd trade it for an XK-R if i could afford the 20mpg/ins/road tax, hmmmmmmmmm...Then again maybe i wouldn't :z4 :z4 ...XKF 2.2d might be more like it :z16)

Sandy


Iain Goolager

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #18 on: 18/10/2012 at 20:34 »
Sandy,
 Panasonic GH2, micro 4/3
 
Was thinking that a prime lens  might be desirable from a quality point of view and live with the fact that I,d have to do a bit of self focusing (no Euan not that type). That would be ok for inanimate objects but Duns for example may benefit from a static tripod and manual focus via a tele lens? As for max aperture I had a go on a full frame camera with a 100mm prime lens at f/2.8 (if I recall correctly) and it was amazing, although I hadn,t imagined how much the shallow depth of field would actually affect a tiny insect.

Panasonic do do macro lenses but they are rather expensive when I'm sure I could get a second hand one with an adapter for a more council price.

Apologies as I haven't actually read your post as it's story time & Tiddler can,t wait.
Iain

Rob Brownfield

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #19 on: 21/10/2012 at 00:56 »
Prius????
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/toyota/priusplus-2012

Based on the 2012 model....
Less mpg than an average diesel.
Some of the models command Road Tax due to CO2 over 100g
and based on "whole life" from construction to scrapping, the dirtiest car on the road due to lots of nasty element in the batteries.

I'll stick with my V8 Defender which has so many recyced parts its a tree huggers dream ;)

As for Christmas..a Polestar tune for my Volvo..OR...the new limited edition Volvo S60 Polestar with 508 bhp and 0-60 in 3.7 second as advertised in the Volvo Owners magazine this month :)


Sandy Nelson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #20 on: 21/10/2012 at 07:42 »
Prius by honest Sandy :z3

6 months of ownership so far, 7000 miles.
I get an average of 62mpg going to and from work, driving normally :z16
If we go to visit forres/Elgin I get 67mpg and the best ive had was Glasgow to ellon via pitlochry and braemar at 71mpg for  275mile trip :z16, my 7000 mile average is 62.4. Not many cars will get REAL world figures like that, it's 10 below the specified combined figure, but still a fantastic overall consumption figure.
Petrol IS 5p a litre cheaper than diesel.
Mine has 89g CO2 so no road tax
It is cheap to insure :z7
When we test drove BMW 3 and 5, Merc c-class, Audi A4 , Golf, Octavia, Yeti, etc (I do have a German hang up with cars)
the Prius was the most comfortable for Sandra in the passenger seat, the biggest inside with the most legroom in the back for transporting 3 big lads to gigs with music gear and to football as well. And I can fit in my 2 pc rods with no effort :z16
It Handles better on the road than most cars I've driven as the battery placement gives it almost perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
It came with 5 yr warranty and 3 years servicing incl first Mot.

And my 15 y.o. Son and his mates all think it is cool  :z3 very much a different generation to me but I think it looks nice and drives well.

I'm not desperately into saving the planet, but I am into saving money. Going from a Diesel Freelander 2 to the Prius is saving me £300 a month so far, that's a lot of nice trips and gear or perhaps a bigger garage and a petrol heads motor for the weekends :wink  (an alfa perhaps, they like being in the garage)

I actually like the car a lot, if it were just a bit more luxurious inside it would be superb :z16.

Sandy

Hamish Young

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #21 on: 21/10/2012 at 10:49 »
So, did we get a decent Christmas list sorted out yet  :?

:z3

Sandy Nelson

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #22 on: 21/10/2012 at 18:57 »
Yeah

I want "Afterglow" by Black Country Communion and a Lego Death star :z16

 :)z

Sandy

Noel Kelly

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #23 on: 21/10/2012 at 19:51 »
Mine this year is hopefully gonna be quiet a bit of salt water fishing during our annual holiday to South Africa. Have convinced herself that a fishing lodge I have been eying for the last few years is a viable place to spend a few days plus a few more days further down the coast in a salt water fly fishing hotspot. Well I have been a good boy...

Noel Kelly

Re: What to ask for Christmas
« Reply #24 on: 21/10/2012 at 19:55 »
Yeah

I want "Afterglow" by Black Country Communion and a Lego Death star :z16

 :)z

Sandy

Lego Death Star  :X7

 




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