View allAll Photos Tagged divergence
Divergence tells the story of a guy that spent soo much time in thoughts and memories that he no longer could distinguish reality from fantasy.
A small spacecraft, designed to carry three hexagonal containers, of the type found in the ABS mining industry on Europa. This ship is seen whilst transiting into orbit, in order to dock with the main Jupiter Space Transport Hub.
Background image: "Divergence" by the late Peter Elson.
During februari of 2021 the whole country was shut down due to some snow. Dutch authorities and services couldn’t handle the impact of it and collapsed. To be honest, so many things in the country are build and planned for perfect conditions with only a small margin for divergence. So on one of the days I had off, since getting to work was nearly impossible, I went to Teuge with a friend to capture some trains, among which the SGM(m) units that were bound to disappear later that year. On the Apeldoorn - Deventer - Almelo service was a single 2-car SGM(m) unit still running solo, something that rarely happened at that time. During the afternoon I was able to capture it as it (the 2138 for those who like their numbers) was on its way as the 7046 to Apeldoorn, a destination it had almost reached.
I have always known this species as the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) which also occurs in Europe, the Middle East and southern Asia. But recent mitochondrial DNA studies have shown that the "Golden Jackals" from sub-Saharan Africa are more closely related to Wolves (Canis lupus) than they are to proper Golden Jackals north of the Sahara. Further studies have shown there is a greater genetic divergence (6.7%) between Golden Jackals (Canis aureus) and the sub-Saharan populations than there is between Wolves and Coyotes (4%). So this species is now known as the African Golden Wolf (Canis anthus). Compared with Golden Jackal, African Golden Wolf has larger, triangular ears and a longer, thinner muzzle giving a more pointed face. They also have a smaller nose which rather alters the whole look of it. I photographed this African Golden Wolf in Ethiopia's Rift Valley near Lake Abijata.
Abstracted crop of a larger image - a plant in a nearby garden that happened to be largely backlit by the sun.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied_bush_chat
The pied bush chat (Saxicola caprata) is a small passerine bird found ranging from West Asia and Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. About sixteen subspecies are recognized through its wide range with many island forms. It is a familiar bird of countryside and open scrub or grassland where it is found perched at the top of short thorn trees or other shrubs, looking out for insect prey. They pick up insects mainly from the ground, and were, like other chats, placed in the thrush family Turdidae, but are now considered as Old World flycatchers.
They nest in cavities in stone walls or in holes in an embankment, lining the nest with grass and animal hair. The males are black with white shoulder and vent patches whose extent varies among populations. Females are predominantly brownish while juveniles are speckled.
Taxonomy
In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the pied bush chat in his Ornithologie based on a specimen collected from the island of Luzon in the Philippines. He used the French name Le traquet de l'Isle de Luçon and the Latin Rubetra Lucionensis.[2] Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.[3] When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the twelfth edition, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson.[3] One of these was the pied bush chat. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Motacilla caprata and cited Brisson's work.[4] The specific epithet caprata is from the local name which according to Brisson was Maria-capra.[2][5] This species is now placed in the genus Saxicola that was introduced by the German naturalist Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1802.[6] There are 16 recognised subspecies.
Description
At 13 cm, the pied bush chat is slightly smaller than the Siberian stonechat, Saxicola maurus, although it has a similar dumpy structure and upright stance. The male is black except for a white rump, wing patch and lower belly. The iris is dark brown, the bill and legs black. The female is drab brown and slightly streaked. Juveniles have a scaly appearance on the underside but dark above like the females.
A number of geographic populations have been given subspecies status:
•nominate caprata (Linnaeus, 1766) is found in Luzon and Mindoro, in the Philippines.
•rossorum (Hartert, 1910) is found in NE Iran SC Kazakhstan S to Afghanistan and Baluchistan; migrant in SW Asia (vagrant in Arabia, Israel).(shows more white below than bicolor, described by Hartert, Jour. f. Orn. 1910:180 but not always recognized[8])
•bicolor Sykes, 1832 is found in SE Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and N India; migrating to central India and possibly southern India.[9][10]
•burmanicus Stuart Baker, 1922 is found in peninsular India E to Myanmar and S China (S Sichuan, Yunnan), S to Thailand and Indochina. This has the white on the abdomen restricted towards the vent.
•nilgiriensis Whistler, 1940 is found in the Western Ghats and the Nilgiri Hills.[11]
•atratus (Blyth, 1851) is restricted to Sri Lanka. This has a large bill.[8][12]
Some of these isolated populations are found on islands and they include:
•randi Parkes, 1960 found in the central Philippines (Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor).
•anderseni Salomonsen, 1953 found on Leyte and Mindanao, in the Philippines.
•fruticola Horsfield, 1821 found in Java E to Flores and Alor.
•francki Rensch, 1931 is found on the Sumba Islands
•pyrrhonotus (Vieillot, 1818) found in the E Lesser Sundas (Wetar, Kisar, Timor, Savu, Roti).
•albonotatus (Stresemann, 1912) found in Sulawesi (except N peninsula) and Salayer I.
•cognatus Mayr, 1944 on Babar Island.
•belensis Rand, 1940 in WC New Guinea.
•aethiops (P. L. Sclater, 1880) in N New Guinea and Bismarck Archipelago.
•wahgiensis Mayr & Gilliard, 1951 in EC & E New Guinea.
This species is closely related to the European-African stonechat complex. [13] S. c. fruticola from Indonesia (Moyo Island population appeared to be well differentiated from specimens from Lembata Island with a divergence estimated to about 360,000 years ago.), S. c. pyrrhonota from West Timor (Indonesia).[14]
Local names include Kala pidda in Hindi Shyama in Gujarati Kavda gapidda in Marathi Kallu kuruvi in Tamil, Kampa nalanchi in Telugu.[15] The Fore people of New Guinea called it pobogile.[16] They were once popular in Bengal as cage birds.[17] They are still found in the local bird trade of some parts of Southeast Asia.[18]
Distribution
The pied bush chat is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from the Greater Middle East through the Indian subcontinent eastwards to Indonesia. They colonized Papua New Guinea around 1950.[19] It is found in open habitats including scrub, grassland and cultivation.
Some populations are partially migratory. A ringed individual of subspecies rossorum has been recovered from Israel.[20] The populations in India also appear to show seasonal movements but the patterns are unclear. Subspecies bicolor is found in peninsular India in winter.[21] In Karwar on the western coast, it is said to appear in October and stay till May but not seen during the rainy season.[22] Said to be absent in the Baroda district of Gujarat from April to September.[23][24] Claud Buchanan Ticehurst noted that it was a summer visitor to Baluchistan leaving in October and further that the birds from Baluchistan were indistinguishable from rossorum of Turkestan.[24]
Behaviour and ecology
The breeding season is mainly February to August with a peak in March to June. Males sing from prominent perches. The whistling call is somewhat like that of an Indian robin and has been transcribed as we are tea for two with tea at higher note. The nest is built in a hole in a wall or similar site lined with grass and hair, and 2-5 eggs are laid.[8] Paired males did not reduce their dawn singing behaviour when their mates where trapped and temporarily excluded from the territory. This study suggests that males use dawn chorus to mediate social relationships with neighbouring males to proclaim an established territory.[25] The eggs are small and broadly oval with pale bluish-white or pinkish ground colour and speckles and blotches towards the broad end. They measure about 0.67 by 0.55 inches.[10] Eggs are incubated chiefly by the female for 12 to 13 days.[21]
Brood parasitism by the common cuckoo (race bakeri) has been noted to be common in the Shan State of Burma, with the cuckoo visiting the nest at dusk and removing an egg before quickly laying its own.[26][27] The female has dark brown upperparts and rufous underparts and rump. She has no white wing patches. Juveniles are similar to females. Males display during the breeding season by splaying the tail, fluttering and puffing up the white scapular feathers.[10]
This species is insectivorous, and like other chats hunts from a prominent low perch. They have been noted to feed on Pyralid moths and whitefly.[28][29]
Nematode parasites in the genus Acuaria have been noted.[30][31] Adult birds have few predators although bats (Megaderma lyra)[32][33] and wintering Asio flammeus have been noted[34] to prey on them.
In culture
Among the Toda people in the Nilgiris, the pied bushchat or kāŗpiłc, is a bird of omen and the origin of its white wing patches is described in a story of a dairy priest Piu.f who in the ritual of churning milk forgot to remove the churning stick before fetching water from a stream. The bird attempted to obstruct him by blocking his path but he disregarded it and flicked off butter from his hands. The white spots remained but Piu.f met his death. The Kotas of the Nilgiris have an origin story to explain the sexual dimorphism of the pied bushchat but they consider the "karyvaky" bird to be one that foretells good omen.
Woodward Avenue | Detroit, MI
Sometimes it's good to leave an image alone until I understand how to process it. In this case, it took about 14 months to get a result that I like. haha
Este desenho pretende somente ser um desenho artístico. Não exprime nenhuma tendência ou divergência ideológica nem religiosa... Não é minha intenção, com esta arte, ferir crenças ou a fé das pessoas.
This drawing only intends to be an artistic piece. It doesn't mean or signifies any ideological or religious tendecy, neither their divergence. It's not my intent to hurt anybody's belief or faith with this art.
Sorry for my bad english...
:]
37716 takes the Acle line at Breydon divergence with 2P21 13.17 Great Yarmouth to Norwich. Pole shot. 19/04/19.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich
Munich (German: München; Austro-Bavarian: Minga; Polish: Monachium) is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, the second most populous German federal state. With a population of around 1.5 million, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg, as well as the 12th-largest city in the European Union. The city's metropolitan region is home to 6 million people. Straddling the banks of the River Isar (a tributary of the Danube) north of the Bavarian Alps, it is the seat of the Bavarian administrative region of Upper Bavaria, while being the most densely populated municipality in Germany (4,500 people per km²). Munich is the second-largest city in the Bavarian dialect area, after the Austrian capital of Vienna.
The city is a major centre of art, technology, finance, publishing, culture, innovation, education, business, and tourism in Germany and Europe and enjoys a very high standard and quality of living, reaching first in Germany and third worldwide according to the 2018 Mercer survey, and being rated the world's most liveable city by the Monocle's Quality of Life Survey 2018. According to the Globalization and World Rankings Research Institute Munich is considered an alpha-world city, as of 2015.
The name of the city is derived from the Old/Middle High German term Munichen, meaning "by the monks". It derives from the monks of the Benedictine order, who ran a monastery at the place that was later to become the Old Town of Munich; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat of arms. Munich was first mentioned in 1158. Catholic Munich strongly resisted the Reformation and was a political point of divergence during the resulting Thirty Years' War, but remained physically untouched despite an occupation by the Protestant Swedes. Once Bavaria was established as a sovereign kingdom in 1806, it became a major European centre of arts, architecture, culture and science. In 1918, during the German Revolution, the ruling house of Wittelsbach, which had governed Bavaria since 1180, was forced to abdicate in Munich and a short-lived socialist republic was declared.
In the 1920s, Munich became home to several political factions, among them the NSDAP. The first attempt of the Nazi movement to take over the German government in 1923 with the Beer Hall Putsch was stopped by the Bavarian police in Munich with gunfire. After the Nazis' rise to power, Munich was declared their "Capital of the Movement". During World War II, Munich was heavily bombed and more than 50% of the entire city and up to 90% of the historic centre were destroyed. After the end of postwar American occupation in 1949, there was a great increase in population and economic power during the years of Wirtschaftswunder, or "economic miracle". Unlike many other German cities which were heavily bombed, Munich restored most of its traditional cityscape and hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics. The 1980s brought strong economic growth, high-tech industries and scientific institutions, and population growth. The city is home to major corporations like BMW, Siemens, MAN, Linde, Allianz and MunichRE.
Munich is home to many universities, museums and theatres. Its numerous architectural attractions, sports events, exhibitions and its annual Oktoberfest attract considerable tourism. Munich is one of the most prosperous and fastest growing cities in Germany. It is a top-ranked destination for migration and expatriate location. Munich hosts more than 530,000 people of foreign background, making up 37.7% of its population.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegestor
The Siegestor (English: Victory Gate) in Munich is a three-arched triumphal arch crowned with a statue of Bavaria with a lion-quadriga.
The Siegestor is 21 meters high, 24 m wide, and 12 m deep. It is located between the Ludwig Maximilian University and the Ohmstraße, where the Ludwigstraße (south) ends and the Leopoldstraße (north) begins. It thus sits at the boundary between the two Munich districts of Maxvorstadt and Schwabing.
A Quick divergence from the recent posts I've been making.
I attended the Professional Photographer's of America Expo in Nashville (January 2023). Here are a few studio shots I took while trying out various lighting setups.
Toni Duarte Freelance Photographer
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media
without my explicit permission.
© All rights reserved
Contac: toniduarte[a]cmail.cat
Wikipedia:
La Via Verda d'Ojos Negros, també coneguda com Via Minera és una via verda que parteix de les antigues mines de ferro a la localitat d'Ojos Negros en la província de Terol i finalitza en Algímia d'Alfara a Castelló, travessant les comarques de Camp de Morvedre i Alt Palància al País Valencià, i Gúdar-Javalambre, Comunitat de Terol i Jiloca a l'Aragó.
La ruta de 161 km és la via verda condicionada més llarga de l'Estat i és ideal per a recórrer-la caminant, a cavall i especialment en bicicleta, a més proporciona un elevat grau d'accessibilitat per a persones amb mobilitat reduïda pels escassos desnivells.El topònim d'Ojos Negros es creu que prové de les taques fosques produïdes per la calcinació de les escòries en grans clots en el procés de forja.
Els jaciments de ferro de la serra Menera a les localitats aragoneses d'Ojos Negros i Villar del Salz i les castellanes Setiles i Tordesilos han estat des d'antic la font de riquesa més important a la zona, fins i tot abans de l'Edat Mitjana, en èpoques celtibèrica,romana i musulmana, segons estudis portats a terme pels arqueòlegs Clemente Polo i Julián Ortega, membres del Seminari d'Arqueologia i Etnologia de Terol, ja es realitzaven processos metal·lúrgics en la zona: extracció, transformació i forja.A causa de la quantitat i qualitat del mineral extret decideixen sol·licitar la llicència per a la construcció d'un ferrocarril econòmic (de via estreta) per a transportar el mineral fins al port de Sagunt. Van Decidir construir aquesta línia a causa de diverses divergències amb els dirigents del Ferrocarril central d'Aragó que cobria l'actual línia entre Sagunt i Terol i que discorre de manera quasi paral·lela i de vegades a menys de cent metres de distància, la història del traçat és la d'un gran despropòsit.
El 10 de Gener de 1902, la Reina Regent Maria Cristina d'Àustria atorga per una Reial Ordre la llicència per a la construcció d'un ferrocarril econòmic que transportara el mineral fins a la platja de Sagunt, on, per altra Reial Ordre es concedeix la llicència per a la construcció d'un embarcador en la platja de Sagunt, al Port de Sagunt.
L'elecció del camí de la via fèrria oferia diverses alternatives. Ciutats com València, Castelló, Borriana i Vinaròs pugnaren per aconseguir que l'embarcador s'instal·lara en els seus ports. L'estudi de les alternatives possibles portà a la companyia a optar per Sagunt, descartant traçats més complicats com el de l'eixida a Vinaròs passant per Utrillas o el recorregut per la conca del Túria per a eixir a València.
Tremuges usades a Ojos Negros, ara a una rotonda al Port de Sagunt on abans passava el ferrocarril miner
Aquest ferrocarril tenia una longitud de 205 quilòmetres, i durant el seu funcionament comptava amb 27 locomotores i 600 tremuges d'acer. Els combois estaven formats per un nombre de tremuges que variava entre 24, 26 o 33 remolcades per una locomotora. Des de Terol fins al Port d'Escandón era necessari l'ús de la doble tracció. L'obra més important d'aquest ferrocarril va ser el viaducte d'Albentosa, format per set arcs amb una longitud de 160 metres que salven una altura de 48 metres
ESP:
La Vía Verde de Ojos Negros, también conocida como Vía Minera es una vía verde que parte de la localidad de Ojos Negros en la provincia de Teruel en Aragón y finaliza en Sagunto, provincia de Valencia en la Comunidad ValencianaA finales del siglo XIX se concedió la explotación de diversos yacimientos de hierro en la localidad de Ojos Negros a un par de empresarios vascos quienes fundaron la Compañía Minera de Sierra Menera el 3 de septiembre de 1900. Debido a la cantidad y calidad del mineral extraído deciden solicitar la licencia para la construcción de un ferrocarril económico (de vía estrecha) para transportar el mineral hasta el puerto de Sagunto. Decidieron construir esta línea debido a diversas divergencias con los dirigentes del Ferrocarril central de Aragón que cubría la actual línea entre Sagunto y Teruel y que discurre de manera casi paralela y en ocasiones a menos de cien metros de distancia. Este hecho hizo que ante la necesidad de una mayor capacidad de transporte se abandonará el trazado del ferrocarril de la Sierra Menera el 29 de julio de 1972.
El año 2001 el gobierno valenciano decidió acondicionar el antiguo trazado ferroviario para su uso como vía verde. Posteriormente el gobierno aragonés hizo lo propio en su parte del recorrido.
Del antiguo trazado del ferrocarril no se ha aprovechado todo él para la conversión en vía verde. Ello es debido a que en muchos casos el antiguo trazado ha sido ocupado por diversas edificaciones y carreteras, en especial en el tramo más cercano a Sagunto y a lo largo del recorrido por las obras de construcción de la A-23 (autovía Mudéjar). Se encuentra dividida en dos tramos:
Ojos Negros 1: Parte de la localidad de Algimia de Alfara en Valencia y finaliza en Barracas, última localidad de Castellón antes de entrar en la de Teruel. Tiene una longitud de 70 kilómetros y posee un firme mixto, existiendo tramos de asfalto y otros de zahorra compactada. A lo largo de este tramo existen quince túneles y ocho puentes.
Ojos Negros 2: Parte de la localidad Barracas (Castellón) y finaliza en la de Santa Eulalia (Teruel). El tramo hasta Ojos Negros está sin definir si se va a recuperar o no como V.V. Tiene una longitud de 91 kilómetros y posee un firme de tierra compactada con tramos de balasto. A lo largo de este tramo existen cinco túneles y 13 viaductos, entre ellos el de Albentosa con una altura de 50 metros a unos 20 km desde Barracas hacia Teruel .
Sir Vonroy "the Young Falcon" (left) and Sir Udonis "the Blackbird" (right) are brothers born in that order. Growing up, they did everything together, despite their very different personalities. Vonroy was bossy, entitled, rude and showoff, while Udonis was quiet, kind, hardworking and a good listener. They trained together, ate together and watched tournaments together.
When their father, Lord Darno Pennon, died in 727AV, Vonroy seized all of the inheritance and disowned his younger brother at the instruction of his new liege Lord, Casterwood. Udonis fled the land and after further training as a squire, became a travelling tournament knight. Since 727AV, they have competed against one another in several major tournaments, though the younger has yet to best the elder. Vonroy wins almost every tournament he enters, however he only enters big prize tournaments, which are less frequent. Udonis enters every tournament he hears of, giving him lots of experience fighting new opponents.
The contrast in their teen and young adult years has lead to a greater divergence in their personalities. Udonis has had to fight for everything he has, which has made him very strong willed, while Vonroy has become mentally soft and spoiled.
A rather exciting divergence in Canon's camera line, the Pellix is unique among SLRs of the day as the first to use a pellicle mirror. A mirror is fixed in place, allowing some light to be reflected in the viewfinder and the rest to hit the film. As such, metering can be tricky with an external meter. A unique piece of photographic history for sure.
You can read the full review online
www.alexluyckx.com/blog/index.php/2022/04/04/camera-revie...
Canon Pellix - Canon Lens FL 50mm 1:1.4 - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125
Ilford Perceptol (Stock) 13:00 @ 20C
Meter: Gossen Lunasix F
Scanner: Epson V700 + Silverfast 9 SE
Editor: Adobe Photosho CC
An eastbound Trans-Pennine service is between the tunnels as it approaches Huddersfield past the Penistone junction; 1980.
I've just returned from The United Arab Emirates and this is based on what we saw in the desert.
There is an interesting divergence of approach to taking photographs in our house.
One person, who shall remain nameless (me), lines the shot up, looks at the light and composes the shot.
The other, who shall remain nameless (my wife), points her camera and just takes shots.
Hers are consistently excellent.
This is based on one of hers, naturally …. laughing ..
Location: GH, Pahang.
Source: Grismer, Quah, Wood, Anuar, Muin, Davis, Murdoch, Grismer, Cota & Cobos (2016) Dragons in the mist: three new species of Pseudocalotes Fitzinger (Squamata: Agamidae) from the sky island archipelago of Peninsular Malaysia. Zootaxa 4136 (3): 461–490
Etymology: The specific epithet viserion refers to this species’ resemblance in form and color to the yellowish dragon, Viserion—one of three dragons born in the Dothraki Sea and commanded by Daenerys Targaryen—the Mother of Dragons—in George R. R. Martin’s fictional work Game of Thrones.
Reproduction: Oviparous with reproductive season of this species extends through March.
Description:Pseudocalotes viserion sp. nov. can be separated from all other species of Psuedocalotes by having a combination of three postrostrals; 10 circumorbitals; four or five canthals; 5–7 superciliaries; rostral and nasal in contact; supralabials contacting nasal; six or seven supralabials; seven or eight infralabials; two or three postmentals; three enlarged chinshields; 47 or 48 smooth, flat, gular scales; weak transverse gular and antehumeral folds; two enlarged scales between the ear and eye; an enlarged upper and lower posttemporal; an enlarged supratympanic; no enlarged postrictals; 7–9 nuchal crest scales lacking gaps and not extending beyond midbody; weakly keeled and plate-like scales on flanks; 35–38 scales around midbody; ventrals smaller than dorsals; 22 or 23 subdigital lamellae on fourth finger; 26 or 27 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; preaxial scales on third not modified; subdigital lamellae not unicarinate; HW/HL 0.62; no white marking below the eye; dewlap in males yellow; and no elbow or knee patches. These characters or a subset of them are scored across all species in Table 3 (Grismer et al. 2016).
Variation: The male paratype (LSUHC 12141) resembles the female holotype (LSUHC 12227) in aspects of color pattern but the overall ground color is brown, not dull-yellow. It also has a greatly swollen tail base. Differences in scalation are presented in Table 5 and Fig. 10 (Grismer et al. 2016).
Comparisons. Pseudocalotes viserion sp. nov. is readily differentiated from all other species of Pseudocalotes except it sister species P. flavigula by having enlarged, plate-like scales on the flanks. It can be separated from P. flavigula by having larger, plate-like scales on the flanks (compare Figs. 10 and 12) as evidenced by having fewer midbody scale rows (35–38 versus 41–44); having more gular scales (47 or 48 versus 40–46); fewer subdigital lamellae on the fourth finger (22 or 23 versus 22–28); and fewer subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe (26 or 27 versus 26–30) (Table 5). There appears to be less yellow coloration in the gular region of P. flavigula in that the yellow does not extend onto the region of the throat anterior to the forelimb insertions as it does in P. viserion sp. nov. and the skin between the scales is white in P. flavigula as opposed to being yellow in P. viserion sp. nov. (Figs. 10,12). Additionally, these two species share a 22% uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence between them. Differences from other species are listed in Table 3 (Grismer et al. 2016). .
Prefer highlands area and normally comes out at night (nocturnal).
Reading: Dragons in the mist: three new species of Pseudocalotes Fitzinger (Squamata: Agamidae) from the sky island archipelago of Peninsular Malaysia. Zootaxa 4136 (3): 461–490
www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=icarus
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Genus: Polyommatus
Subgenus:
Species: icarus (Rottemburg, 1775)
Subspecies: icarus (Rottemburg, 1775)
mariscolore (Kane, 1893)
Wingspan
29 - 36mm
Introduction
Living up to its name, this butterfly is the commonest blue found in the British Isles. While the male has bright blue uppersides, the female is primarily brown, with a highly variable amount of blue. This is the most widespread Lycaenid found in the British Isles and can be found almost anywhere, including Orkney. It is absent, however, from Shetland and the mountainous areas of Wales and Scotland. This butterfly forms reasonably discrete colonies measured in tens or hundreds, with individuals occasionally wandering some distance.
Subspecies: Polyommatus icarus icarus
The nominate subspecies was first defined in Rottemburg (1775) as shown here (type locality: Germany). In the British Isles it is found throughout England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. It may also be found in some parts Ireland, although there is some confusion regarding its status, as discussed under the subspecies mariscolore.
Subspecies: Polyommatus icarus mariscolore
This subspecies was first defined in Kane (1893) as shown here (type locality: Ireland). The distribution of the subspecies mariscolore is a confusing one. Nash (2012) suggests that both mariscolore and icarus are found in Ireland, Riley (2007) suggests that mariscolore is the only subspecies found in Ireland and Thomas & Lewington (2010) suggests that mariscolore is found both in Ireland and in north-western Scotland. It is certainly true that not all Irish Common Blues conform to the description of mariscolore. Specifically, mariscolore is characterised by the amount of blue in the female, but many female Irish Common Blues are brown with a variable amount of blue. The subspecies mariscolore differs from the subspecies icarus as follows:
1. Generally larger in size, especially the female.
2. The upperside of the female has extensive patches of blue, with large and bright orange marginal spots.
Polyommatus icarus mariscolore (Kane, 1893)
The Irish butterfly usually considerably exceeds in size that of England, varying from about 1 inch 2 lines to 1.5 inches in the June emergence; but the individuals of the second emergence are much smaller, and generally conform much more nearly to the usual English type in both sexes. Mr. South notes that the Irish and Scotch icarus are similarly characterised by their large size, and the brilliant blue of the female bordered with bright orange marginal ocelli.
The female offers the most conspicuous divergence from the normal English and Continental type, in which the basal half only is dusted with blue scales, the brown of the upper side being widely replaced by a violet or occasionally wholly by the bright blue of L. bellargus. These forms are not uncommon in Ireland, in Galway, Sligo, Donegal, Antrim, Down, Westmeath, Waterford, &c., and are accompanied by a series (often almost confluent) of very bright orange peacock-eye markings on the outer margins of all wings, so that some specimens (if not too brilliant) would pass muster as the var. ceronus of L. bellargus (fig. 12); another most interesting testimony to the genetic affinities of this species.
It may be that the acquisition of more brilliant colours in the female may be of advantage under less sunny skies, where the sun-loving Rhopalocera have less opportunities of selecting their mates, and cannot afford to indulge in long engagements.
Phenology
This species has 2 broods in the southern counties of England, and 1 brood further north. There may be a 3rd brood in favourable years. Time of emergence is highly variable. In good years, adults may be seen as early as the middle of May on more southerly sites. These peak at the end of May, giving rise to a second generation that emerges in the second half of July, peaking in the middle of August. Colonies in northern England and Scotland typically have a single brood that emerges in June, reaching a peak in July.
Habitat
This species is found in a wide variety of habitats, including unimproved grassland such as roadside verges and waste ground, downland, woodland clearings, heathland and even sand dunes.
Larval Foodplants
The primary larval foodplant is Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). Black Medick (Medicago lupulina), Common Restharrow (Ononis repens), Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus), Lesser Trefoil (Trifolium dubium) and White Clover (Trifolium repens) are also used.
Nectar Sources
Adults feed primarily on Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Bugle (Ajuga reptans), Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris), Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Knapweeds (Centaurea spp.), Marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Thistles (Cirsium spp. and Carduus spp.), Thyme (Thymus polytrichus), Vetches (Vicia spp.) and White Clover (Trifolium repens).
Imago
This species is most active in sunshine and is a frequent visitor to flowers. Males are the more active of the two sexes and set up territories which they patrol in search of females. The female is less conspicuous, spending most of her time nectaring, resting and egg-laying. When egg-laying, the female makes slow flights, low over the ground, searching out suitable foodplants on which to lay. When a suitable plant is located, a single egg is laid on the upperside of a young leaf.
In dull weather this species roosts head down on a grass stem. As for similar species, such as the Brown Argus, this species roosts communally at night, with several individuals occasionally found roosting on the same grass stem.
Larva
The larva emerges after a week or two. On emerging from the egg the larva moves to the underside of the leaf, where it feeds, by day, on the lower surface without breaking through the upper leaf surface. This leaves characteristic blotches on the foodplant that can give away the presence of a larva. More mature larvae feed more extensively on the leaves. Those larvae that overwinter do so in leaf litter at the base of the foodplant, changing from green to olive, resuming their green colouring in the spring.
Like many other species of blue, the larva is attractive to ants, although only in its last instar. There are 4 moults in total. If the larva does not overwinter, then this stage lasts around 6 weeks.
Pupa
The pupa is formed on the ground or, occasionally, at the base of the foodplant, under a few silk strands. The pupa is attractive to ants which may bury it in earth. This stage lasts around 2 weeks.
The Junction is more of a divergence nowadays, I guess the lines are each signalled as single track from Great Yarmouth onwards. Glad I just got the windmill in. On the right is the edge of Breydon Water, a large lake formed by the River Yare, before it goes into a narrow section through Yarmouth.
The School of Athens (Italian: Scuola di Atene) is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. The fresco was painted between 1509 and 1511 as a part of Raphael's commission to decorate the rooms now known as the Stanze di Raffaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. It depicts a congregation of philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists from Ancient Greece, including Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes, and Heraclitus. The Italian artists Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo are also featured in the painting, shown as Plato and Heraclitus respectively.
The School of Athens is regarded as one of Raphael's best known works, and has been described as "Raphael's masterpiece and the perfect embodiment of the classical spirit of the Renaissance". The Stanza della Segnatura was the first of the rooms to be decorated, and The School of Athens, representing philosophy, is believed to be the third painting to be finished there, after La Disputa (Theology) on the opposite wall, and the Parnassus (Literature).
The School of Athens is one of a group of four main frescoes on the walls of the Stanza (those on either side centrally interrupted by windows) that depict distinct branches of knowledge. Each theme is identified above by a separate tondo containing a majestic female figure seated in the clouds, with putti bearing the phrases: "Seek Knowledge of Causes", "Divine Inspiration", "Knowledge of Things Divine" (Disputa), "To Each What Is Due". Accordingly, the figures on the walls below exemplify philosophy, poetry (including music), theology, and justice. The traditional title is not Raphael's. The subject of the painting is actually philosophy, or at least ancient Greek philosophy, and its overhead tondo-label, "Causarum Cognitio", tells us what kind, as it appears to echo Aristotle's emphasis on wisdom as knowing why, hence knowing the causes, in Metaphysics Book I and Physics Book II. Indeed, Plato and Aristotle appear to be the central figures in the scene. However, many of the philosophers depicted sought knowledge of first causes. Many lived before Plato and Aristotle, and hardly a third were Athenians. The architecture contains Roman elements, but the general semi-circular setting having Plato and Aristotle at its centre might be alluding to Pythagoras' monad.
Aspects of the fresco other than the identities of the figures have also been variously interpreted, but few such interpretations are unanimously accepted among scholars. That the rhetorical gestures of Plato and Aristotle are kinds of pointing (to the heavens, and down to earth) is popularly accepted as likely. However, Plato's Timaeus – which is the book Raphael places in his hand – was a sophisticated treatment of space, time, and change, including the Earth, which guided mathematical sciences for over a millennium. Aristotle, with his four-elements theory, held that all change on Earth was owing to motions of the heavens. In the painting Aristotle carries his Ethics, which he denied could be reduced to a mathematical science. It is not certain how much the young Raphael knew of ancient philosophy, what guidance he might have had from people such as Bramante and whether a detailed program was dictated by his sponsor, Pope Julius II.
The identities of some of the philosophers in the picture, such as Plato and Aristotle, are certain. Beyond that, identifications of Raphael's figures have always been hypothetical. To complicate matters, beginning from Vasari's efforts, some have received multiple identifications, not only as ancients but also as figures contemporary with Raphael. Vasari mentions portraits of the young Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, leaning over Bramante with his hands raised near the bottom right, and Raphael himself.
Central figures (14 and 15)
An elder Plato walks alongside a younger Aristotle
In the center of the fresco, at its architecture's central vanishing point, are the two undisputed main subjects: Plato on the left and Aristotle, his student, on the right. Both figures hold contemporary (of the time), bound copies of their books in their left hands, while gesturing with their right. Plato holds Timaeus and Aristotle holds his Nicomachean Ethics. Plato is depicted as old, grey, and bare-foot. By contrast, Aristotle, slightly ahead of him, is in mature manhood, wearing sandals and gold-trimmed robes, and the youth about them seem to look his way. In addition, these two central figures gesture along different dimensions: Plato vertically, upward along the picture-plane, into the vault above; Aristotle on the horizontal plane at right-angles to the picture-plane (hence in strong foreshortening), initiating a flow of space toward viewers.
It is popularly thought that their gestures indicate central aspects of their philosophies, for Plato, his Theory of Forms, and for Aristotle, an emphasis on concrete particulars. Many interpret the painting to show a divergence of the two philosophical schools. Plato argues a sense of timelessness whilst Aristotle looks into the physicality of life and the present realm.
Divergence tells the story of a guy that spent soo much time in thoughts and memories that he no longer could distinguish reality from fantasy.
Fascinating Iceland -
die junge Halbinsel Reykjanes -
the young peninsula Reykjanes -
Brücke zwischen der Amerikanischen und der Eurasischen Platte - Divergenz hier 2 cm/Jahr
Bridge between the American and Eurasian Plates - divergence here 2 cm/year
London | Architecture | Night Photography | London Underground | Tokyo, Japan
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"Divergence" Hotel Domine, Bilbao, Basque Country Photography
Closing out Spring Polaroid week with a pair of matched M1900 6-inch guns from Battery Gunnison on Sandy Hook. Again, obsolete, but a reminder that Ukraine needs heavy weapons. They're starting to get them, finally. At some point, a victorious Ukraine will be able to place their guns in a park as a monument too.
Timothy Snyder is a professor of history at Yale. He writes popular history books about the history of Eastern Europe. I've read several. They're very good.
In 2017, he wrote a short book called "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century". He describes it as a pamphlet, kind of a throwback to the days of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense". In it he suggests ways for everyday people to fight back against tyranny, things like "Don't Obey in Advance". Last week, he released an updated version of the book with 20 new lessons specifically about Ukraine. It's only available in audiobook format. In it, he attempts to place the war in Ukraine into historical perspective. He makes the case that Putin's case is based on a baptism from a thousand years ago and that there was significant divergence in the futures of Rus (Ukraine) and Muscovy (Russia). He posits several types of politics: the politics of time (nostalgia), the politics of inevitability (this is bound to happen), the politics of eternity (this is how things always were and will always be), the politics of catastrophe, and the politics of possibility. Russia is at war with Ukraine, but really Russia is at war with democracy. This war will decide the outlines of the 21st century; will this century be dominated by autocrats or democrats? There's also a convincing case made that the war is the fallout of the failure of empires, the failure of the nation state, and that the EU represents a new alternative to empire that Russia finds threatening. It's no coincidence that the 2014 invasion started right after the Revolution of Dignity where Ukrainians rose up to insist on their right to join the EU.
The 20 lessons about Ukraine take about nine hours to listen to. I found it really worthwhile. All proceeds from the sales of the book go to humanitarian aid for Ukraine. You can find more information about the audiobook, including several places to buy it, at www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/719612/on-tyranny-ex... .
Also, if you have access to the New York Times, Snyder has an article about a new word that came out of the war, a portmanteau of "Russian" and "fascist" that he goes into a very in-depth explanation of how it came to be. The word is rendered as "рашизм" in Ukrainian. I've seen it used in English spelled "rashist", but Snyder makes the case that it should be transliterated "ruscist". It's a fascinating look at how a new word comes into being with interplay between three different languages. Worth reading if you can get past the firewall at www.nytimes.com/2022/04/22/magazine/ruscism-ukraine-russi...
One other suggestion, if you're interested in the history of Ukraine, Serhii Plokhy's book "The Gates of Europe" is worth reading. It's half the length of the standard histories by Orest Subtelny and Paul Robert Magocsi (and less than a quarter the price) but covers the same material, and it's a good read. It will help you understand some of the things Snyder mentions, like the baptism a thousand years ago.
Thank you, everyone, for the kind comments on my series this week. If you liked what I did, after giving to whatever charities I linked to that you find appropriate, you might be interested in a zine I put out earlier this year. It's all Polaroid, and specifically all Polaroid 100 Chocolate, about life on the Jersey Shore when all the tourists have gone home. The zine grew out of my posts for the autumn Polaroid Week last year. You can find information about the zine on my site at www.thereisnocat.com/showme1006.html .
'a sundering breach in relations, as a divergence of opinions, beliefs, etc., between persons or groups.'
An eastbound Trans-Pennine service is between the tunnels as it approaches Huddersfield past the Penistone junction; 1980.
To view more of my images, of Azalea & Rhododendron, please click "here" !
I would be most grateful if you would refrain from inserting images, and/or group, invites; thank you!
Rhododendron is a genus of 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), either evergreen or deciduous, and found mainly in Asia, although it is also widespread throughout the Southern Highlands of the Appalachian Mountains of North America. It is the national flower of Nepal. Most species have showy flowers. Azaleas make up two subgenera of Rhododendron. They are distinguished from "true" rhododendrons by having only five anthers per flower. Rhododendron is a genus characterised by shrubs and small to (rarely) large trees, the smallest species growing to 10–100 cm tall, and the largest, R. protistum var. giganteum, reported to 30 m tall. The leaves are spirally arranged; leaf size can range from 1–2 cm to over 50 cm, exceptionally 100 cm in R. sinogrande. They may be either evergreen or deciduous. In some species, the undersides of the leaves are covered with scales (lepidote) or hairs (indumentum). Some of the best known species are noted for their many clusters of large flowers. There are alpine species with small flowers and small leaves, and tropical species such as section Vireya that often grow as epiphytes. Species in this genus may be part of the heath complex in oak-heath forests in eastern North America. They have frequently been divided based on the presence or absence of scales on the abaxial (lower) leaf surface (lepidote or elepidote). These scales, unique to subgenus Rhododendron, are modified hairs consisting of a polygonal scale attached by a stalk. Rhododendron are characterised by having inflorescences with scarious (dry) perulae, a chromosome number of x=13, fruit that has a septicidal capsule, an ovary that is superior (or nearly so), stamens that have no appendages, and agglutinate (clumped) pollen. The Rhododendron genus is the largest of the genera in the Ericaceae family, with 1,024 species, though estimates vary from 850-1000 depending on the authority used, (Fayaz 2012) and is morphologically diverse. Consequently the taxonomy has been historically complex.
Ceanothus is a genus of about 50–60 species of nitrogen-fixing shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae). Common names for members of this genus are buckbrush, California lilac, soap bush, or just ceanothus. "Ceanothus" comes from Ancient Greek: κεάνωθος (keanōthos), which was applied by Theophrastus (371–287 BC) to an Old World plant believed to be Cirsium arvense. The genus is native to North America with the highest diversity on the western coast. Some species (e.g., C. americanus) are restricted to the eastern United States and southeast Canada, and others (e.g., C. caeruleus) extend as far south as Guatemala. Most are shrubs 0.5–3 metres (1.6–9.8 ft) tall, but C. arboreus and C. thyrsiflorus, both native to California, can be small multi-trunked trees up to 6–7 metres (20–23 ft) tall.
Taxonomy and etymology. There are two subgenera within this genus: Ceanothus and Cerastes. The former clade is less drought-resistant, having bigger leaves. The evolution of these two clades likely started with a divergence in the niches filled in local communities, rather than a divergence on the basis of geography. The Californian species of Ceanothus are commonly known collectively as California lilacs, with individual species having more descriptive common names. Species native elsewhere have other common names such as New Jersey tea for C. americanus, as its leaves were used as a black tea substitute during the American Revolution. In garden use, most are simply called by their scientific names or an adaptation of the scientific name, such as 'Maritime ceanothus' for C. maritimus.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine,[1] and historically as the duck hawk in North America,[2] is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. As is typical of bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males.[3][4] The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high speed dive),[5] making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom.[6][7] According to a National Geographic TV programme, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph).[8][9]
The peregrine's breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. It can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests; the only major ice-free landmass from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand. This makes it the world's most widespread raptor,[10] and one of the most widely found bird species. In fact, the only land-based bird species found over a larger geographic area is not always naturally occurring, but one widely introduced by humans, the rock pigeon, which in turn now supports many peregrine populations as a prey species. The peregrine is a highly successful example of urban wildlife in much of its range, taking advantage of tall buildings as nest sites and an abundance of prey such as pigeons and ducks. Both the English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon," referring to the migratory habits of many northern populations. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies, which vary in appearance and range; disagreement exists over whether the distinctive Barbary falcon is represented by two subspecies of Falco peregrinus, or is a separate species, F. pelegrinoides. The two species' divergence is relatively recent, during the time of the last ice age, therefore the genetic differential between them (and also the difference in their appearance) is relatively small. They are only about 0.6–0.8% genetically differentiated.[11]
The summer solstice
"The summer solstice" is the 10th solar term in the 24 solar terms. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 90° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 105°. It usually happens on June 21 or June 22 and ends on July 7 or July 8.
The summer solstice sun is almost direct to the Tropic of Cancer, the northern hemisphere is the longest day, the Arctic Circle and the area north of the sun are not falling all day, forming the largest area of the largest day. After this day, the sun direct position to move south, the northern hemisphere day is gradually shortened, sunrise, sunset direction also began to move south. In the Tropic of Cancer and its north, noon sun height is also declining, the sun-shadows is gradually being stretched. But because of the solar radiation to the ground energy still more than the ground to the air divergence, so in a short time the temperature continues to rise.
夏至
夏至是24个节气中第10个节气，也是夏季的第4个节气。它开始于当太阳到达90°的天文经度时，到达105°的经度时结束。通常发生在6月21日或6月22日，7月7日或7月8日结束。
夏至日太阳几乎直射北回归线，北半球白昼最长，北极圈及其以北的地区太阳整日不落，形成面积最大的极昼区。此日过后，阳光直射位置向南移动，北半球白昼逐渐减短，日出、日落的方位也开始往南移动。在北回归线及其以北地区，正午太阳高度亦日渐降低，日影逐渐被拉长。但由于太阳辐射到地面的能量仍比地面向空中发散的多，所以在短时间内气温继续升高。
The Nikon FE is an upgrade to the earlier generation Nikon EL-2 in the same way that the FM was an upgrade from the earlier generation Nikkormat/Nikomat FT-3. For both upgrades, the change, from the point of view of the user, is more in external design rather than camera features. The biggest change was the move from the large compact form factor Nikkormat design to the medium compact FM/FE design. In terms of actual features, both new cameras are very similar to their predecessors. Like the FM2N, the design of the FE2 was highly refined over two generations and some other upgrades. Thus, the original FE was Nikon's first effort at an electronic camera in the new medium compact form factor.
Actually, I became a constant user of the original FE soon after it came out in 1978 as a backup body to my pro-level Nikon F2 Photomic AS. Back in the days of the Nikon F and Nikon F2, the pro-level cameras were all-mechanical designs. When electronic shutter SLRs started to come to the market, many photographers, including myself, were not ready to give up our super reliable all-mechanical cameras for the newfangled electronic shutter bodies. However, the FE, being much smaller and lighter than the F2AS, was the perfect size and weight as a second body. How strange to think today that the mechanical body would be the main one, and the electronic camera would be the backup! Anyway, even though the FE was supposed to be a backup, I used it often over the F2AS due to is Auto Exposure convenience, as well as smaller size and weight. Back then, we never dreamed of still undeveloped future advances such as TTL auto flash control, other exposure modes, and other exposure metering methods. We just knew that the FE had all of the manual control features of the F2AS with the added benefit of Aperture Priority exposure metering for use in hurried situations.
The FE was in production from 1978 to 1983, when it was replaced by the upgraded FE2. The FE2 was a much modernized version of the FE and remained in production until 1987. There was actually one additional major upgrade after the FE2, which was the FM3A (2001-2006). The FM3A is the most advanced of the FM/FE Series, with a hybrid mechanical/electronic shutter, an FE2 style readout, and all of the other features of the FE2. One other sibling of the FE that I have not yet mentioned is the FA, which coexisted during the same product life as the FE2. The FA had much more advanced exposure measurement and metering modes than the FE/FE2 and even the FM3A. Both the FE2 and FA were replaced by the F801 in 1988 after Nikon and the industry moved to auto focus and built-in power winders for most of their electronic cameras.
The FE was available in silver chrome and black paint. I have the black paint version, and the finish still looks great today in 2013, with only a bit of very minor wear and tear. Indeed, when I compare the black finishes on the FE and FE2, the finish on the FE's black metal plates and dials is significantly more matte than the relatively shiny finish on the FE2. Comparing side by side, the matte finish on the older FE is definitely cooler. Definitely the FE has aged well. Although my FE has been into the shop a few times for minor maintenance, it has thankfully never had a major breakdown. Some might argue that all mechanical FM series is more repairable than an electronic camera like the FE over a multi-decade lifespan, and that may be true. But the FE is relatively simple compared with later advanced electronic cameras, so I am hopeful that my favorite camera technician will be able to keep my FE running for a long time to come.
If I had to choose today between the FE and FE2, I would go with the later generation FE2. However, if you came across an excellent condition FE body, it would still work great today with a wide variety of old and modern Nikon F mount lenses. In fact, some people prefer the FE over the FE2 due to its ability to shoot more images per roll, its slightly more convenient battery check, and most importantly, its ability to mount pre-Ai lenses with its retractable meter coupling lever.
Unlike the single large 6 volt battery in the prior Nikon EL-2, the FE takes either a 3V lithium battery, two 1.55V silver oxide batteries, or two 1.5V alkalines. Quite standard for Nikon bodies of that era. I usually prefer to just go with a single 3V lithium to enjoy the long shelf life, but of course the other two types work fine too. Even though the small batteries control both the light meter and electronic shutter (but obviously not film advance or any autofocus), they still seem to last forever. I really like the battery check lever on the back left of the FE. Just push the lever down with your left thumb, and if the batteries are good, the red diode will light; no need to look through the viewfinder to check the batteries. The battery check light disappeared on the FE2; you have to check battery power by movement of the viewfinder needle instead.
The FM/FE series is built with a copper-aluminum-silicon (copper-silumin) alloy body. I find the size and weight of the FE to be perfect, especially with wide-angle through medium telephoto Nikkor manual focus prime lenses. The body size is not too big or too small. Its size is large enough to hold securely, but still smaller than full size professional bodies like the F2AS or F3HP. It is not as small as the (mechanical) Contax S2, Pentax MX, or even the Olympus OM-3, which are considered small compact bodies and sometimes feel a bit too small to get a good grip. The FE weighs in at only 590g without lens, and of course the weight of the batteries is insignificant, compared with the multiple AA batteries or other larger batteries in future electronic bodies. The FE fits great into a dedicated case, or a spongy snug-fit case, or a small camera bag with a few lenses. It is an excellent size for travel use.
The FE body by itself, like all those in the FM/FE Series, feels a bit light and even insubstantial when held without a lens attached (although the FE is slightly heavier than the FM2N). However, once a lens in the wide-angle to medium telephoto size range is attached, especially those AiS Nikkor manual focus primes, the lens/camera combination has the perfect balance, size and weight. It has a highly luxurious and precision feel and sound when held in your hands and used, although the sound is perhaps not as pleasing as that of the FM2N. I most often use Ai-S primes from 20/2.8 to 200/4 and the system is wonderful to operate with all of those lenses. However, once you start getting into bigger and heavier lenses such as, for example, the 80-200/2.8, the camera feels a bit too light and out of balance. Also, on fatter lenses, you may need to use a rubber tripod spacer ring to keep the lens rings from touching the tripod head.
Operation of the FE is really smooth. The shutter speed ring is large and has an easy to turn knurled grip, although it is not quite as tall as that on the FM2N. The shutter speed dial on my FE turns noticeably more smoothly than the dial on my FE2. It is easy to grab with thumb and forefinger when the film advance lever is pulled out to turn on the camera. For safety purposes, you need to push the central button on the shutter speed dial to turn it off of "Auto". The film advance lever motion is amazingly smooth, although the lever is single-stroke only, unlike the levers on the F, F2 and F3. But the stroke is not very big, so a quick easy stroke quickly winds to the next frame. ASA/ISO setting is set by a ring that surrounds the rewind lever. The exposure compensation setting is located on the same ring as the ASA/ISO setting, and has a range from -2 to +2 EV in half-stop increments. Shutter speed and ISO markings are clear and easy to read. The ISO range of the FE (and also the FE2) is 12 - 4000, wide enough to handle virtually all situations, though slightly narrower than the FM2N, which reaches up to 6400. The small multiple-exposure lever is located under the film advance lever, out of the way but easy to turn when you need it. The shutter release button is located at just the right location near the front of the body. It takes a standard mechanical cable release. The shutter release button is narrower than that on the later FE2 and FM2N, but still works fine. Indeed, the shutter release button on the FE seems to have a slightly shorter travel than the FE2 and FM2N, and therefore feels slightly more instantaneous. It works well with just the right amount of resistance to allow you to half press for an exposure reading, with just a short continued push to achieve an immediate shutter release. The electronic shutter on the FE has about the same loudness as the mechanical shutter on the FM2N, but the character of the sound is different. The film counter is just in front of release crank and is easy to read.
One of the biggest advantages of the Nikon film SLR lens mount (the "F mount") is that it is the only SLR camera mount that has stayed virtually the same from the time of the first Nikon F and Nikkormat FS/FT through to the most current small and full frame Nikon digital SLRs. Except for the requirement that relatively newer Nikon film SLRs require Ai or Ai-converted lenses, all manual focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on autofocus bodies, and most full-frame auto-focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on all old manual focus bodies. I don't know of any other SLR manufacturer that can make such a claim. Thus, it is convenient to use the FE together with a modern Nikon autofocus film or digital SLR because you can often use the same lenses on both bodies.
The FE and FM were the last bodies in that line to directly accept unmodified pre-Ai lenses because they included a retractable meter coupling lever. Of course, with pre-Ai lenses, you still need to use stop-down exposure metering. Still there are many excellent pre-Ai lenses on the market, and to use any such lenses that have not been converted to Ai, the FE and FM cameras would be a good choice.
Loading Nikkor lenses onto any FM/FE Series is quick and positive. Just line up the black dot on the lens with the dot on the camera body and twist the lens counter-clockwise. Of course, there is no need to line up the claw on Ai Nikkor aperture rings with an exposure meter pin on the body; this old system became obsolete after the Nikkormat FT2/EL-W generation. To remove a lens, just press the lens release button on the left front of the body and twist clockwise.
To load or unload film, twist the back opening lever counter-clockwise and pull the rewind crank upwards to open the camera back. Film loading is traditional style and almost foolproof. Like many Nikon and other cameras of this generation, you need to stick the film leader into a slot on the take-up spool and insure that the sprocket in the spool engages a film perforation. In my experience, this system is slower but more reliable than that on newer Nikon bodies where you simply lay the film leader flat next to an index line. If you are careful when you load the film, you can get a few extra exposures on the film before frame 1 because the camera does not prevent you from doing so (unlike the FE2).
The focusing screens of the FM/FE Series were improved and brightened with the release of the FM2/FE2. The original screens on the FE are about 1 stop dimmer than the later second generation. (Note: first and generation screens are interchangeable with exposure compensation). A slight disadvantage of the FM/FE series viewfinder is that, unlike the 100% frame coverage of a pro-level Nikon F series camera, the FE's frame coverage is only 93%. This is not unusual in a prosumer level camera, but you need to be aware that objects that are outside the field of view will be captured on your film. The viewfinder contains all of the information that you need for convenient camera setting. There is an aperture direct readout (ADR) at the center top of the viewfinder, same as on all FM/FE series cameras. The exposure meter uses a match system on the left side of the viewfinder. I actually prefer the three red light emitting diode system of the FM series, which is easier to see in all light conditions. However, the match needle system on the FE is perfectly fine and is just as easy to see most normal lighting conditions.
I often use both Manual exposure measurement and Aperture Priority exposure measurement on this camera, depending on the situation. In Manual metering, you simply adjust the shutter speed and aperture until the green and black needles line up. The black needle indicates the recommended shutter speed for the given aperture, and the green needle indicates the set shutter speed. In Auto metering (Aperture Priority) you set the shutter speed dial to Auto which causes the green needle to lock on "A" in the viewfinder. The camera automatically selects the appropriate shutter speed, and the black needle indicates that speed in the viewfinder. While the match needle system is nice and clear in bright light, it is almost impossible to see the display to adjust exposure in dark environments. On the other hand, an advantage of the match needle system is that you receive direct visual confirmation of a wider range of exposure divergence, compared with the LED system.
The FE, like the FE2, FM2 and FM2n exposure meters uses a pair of silicon photodiodes (SPDs) for exposure measurement. This is the latest generation of exposure meter technology, after Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) technology in the Nikkormat FT (1965) through the FT3 (1977) and gallium-arsenide-phosphide photodiodes in the FM (1977). Silicon photodiodes provide quick response and stability, and apparently lower manufacturing cost for Nikon, compared with the prior generation. Exposure measurement range of the FE is the same as all FM/FE series cameras, i.e., EV 1 to EV 18 at ASA/ISO 100 and with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. This supports an aperture/shutter speed range of 1 sec. at f/1.4 through 1/1000 sec. at f/16. That range is pretty good for most situations, and a step up from the Nikkormat FT - FT3's range of EV 3 - EV 17. The FE is exactly on par with the Nikon F3HP. However, it is not as sensitive as the EV -2 to EV +17 range on the F2 Photomic AS, or the EV 0 to EV 21 range of the later Nikon F4.
Exposure lock is one thing that is slightly inconvenient on the FE/FE2. I sometimes find it easier, even on these cameras with aperture priority mode, to just use manual exposure mode and set the exposure directly. I find it quicker and more comfortable than pointing the camera to where you can measure the proper exposure, pushing the exposure lock button and holding the button in while recomposing and shooting. However, exposure lock on the FE series is certainly usable. On the FE, however, while locking the exposure locks the shutter speed at the time the lock button is pressed, the black shutter speed needle in the viewfinder continues to move. This situation was fixed in the FE2, where the black shutter speed needle locks in place when the exposure lock is pressed. By the way, I am more apt to use Aperture priority exposure measurement and exposure lock with electronic Contax SLRs, which allow you to turn on the exposure lock by turning a switch after you achieve the proper exposure setting, and it stays on at a fixed EV until you turn it off. In other words, in the Contax world, after locking the exposure, changes in aperture affect the shutter speed and vice versa in order to keep correct exposure. The Nikon exposure lock only locks the shutter speed, so any changes to the aperture after the shutter speed is locked will change the exposure.
The center of the viewfinder display, with the standard K-Type focusing screen, contains a small central horizontal split image, surrounded by a microprism collar, which is further surrounded by a large matte donut and a 12mm diameter circle. But utilizing both the split-image and microprism collar, you can manually focus on almost any subject very quickly. Turn the camera at a slight angle when focusing if necessary to find a straight line. I can't resist pointing out that with well-maintained manual focus Nikkor primes, such as Ai-S lenses, focusing ring operation is buttery smooth, with just the right amount of viscous resistance. With the no-slip knurled focusing rings on the Ai-S lenses, focusing is quick and accurate. The FE provides three different interchangeable focusing screen types for various applications. I never needed to use any except the standard K-Type screen. The B type screen removes the split image and microprism focusing aids, while the E type is the same as the B, except with horizontal and vertical etched lines. As indicated previously, FM/FE series focusing screens were improved (from the "K" series to the "K2" series) to provide a brighter viewfinder image starting with the later FM2/FE2 generation. (The FM3A screens are even further improved, and its split image focusing aid does not darken with lenses with maximum aperture of f/5.6 or less).
The outer circle in the viewfinder encloses the central area which carries a 60% exposure meter weight, with the area outside the circle comprising the remaining 40%. The most important thing to know about an exposure measurement system is how it weights various areas of the viewfinder image so that you can determine how to use it in each situation. The 60/40 system works fine for most situations. It is vast improvement over the classic full-frame averaging system, which was used on a Pentax Spotmatic models, the earliest Nikkormat FT, and other cameras. For these averaging systems, if you wanted a proper exposure, you could not include a bright light or big sky in any area of the frame. Still, with the 60/40 system, you need to determine where to point the camera when manually setting the exposure. Find an areas that is representative of the subject, but which is not overly influenced by a bright light, a bright sky, a dark background, etc. Also make sure to select an area that approximates 18% gray, such as a dense area of green trees in a landscape image. If you cannot find an area that is equivalent to 18% gray that fills the 12mm circle, for example, inside the Haleakala volcano crater on Maui, HI, or a bright snowscape, then you need to compensate the exposure by appropriately changing the aperture or shutter speed in Manual mode, or by changing the exposure compensation dial in Auto mode.
Two contemporaneous Nikon bodies with the FE/FE2, the F3HP and the FA, had different exposure metering patterns. The F3HP, with its 80/20 heavy centerweight, makes it easier to find an area that is 18% gray, without surrounding high-contrast areas influencing the exposure reading too much. The FA is the first Nikon body to include, in addition to 60/40 centerweight, a multi-segment metering pattern (called AMP or "Automatic Multi-Pattern" in the FA; in later Nikon bodies, this metering pattern is referred to as "Matrix Metering"). The 5-segment pattern on the FA and its first generation software were the first Nikon attempt to correct the weaknesses of the traditional center-weight averaging system. While early multi-pattern systems on cameras such as the FA, F4, F800 and F90/F90x did a pretty good and steadily improving job in most low contrast situations, in difficult situations, they still didn't work as well as the center weight system with appropriate exposure compensation, as is utilized on the FE. Of course, you have to know what you are doing in such situations! Nnewer cameras, such as the F5 and F6, with their advanced color matrix systems, finally do a good job even in difficult lighting situations. Modern Nikon bodies generally use a 75/25 weight as the default in their center-weight metering modes.
The FE incorporates a vertical-travel, metal focal plane shutter with aluminum curtains. Shutter speed range on the FE is a relatively limited 8 sec. through 1/1000 sec, which at the time was considered luxurious at the slow end and standard at the fast end. Usually the 1/1000 maximum shutter speed did not feel like a limitation since we were generally using fairly slow film. Still, I did need a neutral density filter on a very few occasions. On the slow end, the longer shutter speed was a convenience to those of us who were used to using a shutter release cable for any exposure longer than a second. One advantage of the FE's electronic shutter over the FM2n's mechanical shutter is that when in Auto (Aperture Priority) mode, the FE can select any intermediate shutter speed. In manual mode, you can only select the standard shutter speeds that are indicated on the shutter speed dial. The FE has one mechanical shutter speed, 1/90 sec., which is a selection on the shutter speed dial. The single mechanical shutter speed on the later FE2 is 1/250 sec. Users might argue whether it is better to have a backup speed of 1/90 sec. for available light, or 1/250 sec. for bright daylight. In any event, given the FE's great reliability and long battery life, I have never had a need to use the 1/90 sec. mechanical shutter speed.
There are just a few more features that I want to mention. On the right front side of the body are located a depth-of-field preview lever and a self timer lever. Like many other cameras, you can check actual depth of field at the set aperture by pressing the depth-of-field lever. The image darkens if the lens is not set for maximum aperture, but you can get a good idea of the expected DOF with your lens/aperture combination. Actually, this lever is not really required with manual focus Nikkor lenses, because such lenses include an easy to read DOF index on the lens barrel. Many AF Nikkor lenses also have DOF index marks. The FE bodies have a mechanical self-timer with a delay of up to approximately 8 - 14 seconds. While these cameras do not have a mirror lock-up switch per se, you can simulate MLU by using the self-timer lever. When the shutter release button is pressed after the self-timer is set, the mirror swings up at the start of the timer count.
Finally, a hot-shoe contact is installed on top of the prism housing for flash photography. The FE does not support automatic TTL flash control. You need to use an FE2, an FA or an FM3A if you want that feature. (If you know how to use guide numbers and manual flash, you can still do full-flash or fill-flash photography without any problem, of course. You can also use electronic flash devices in Auto (non-TTL) mode.) The FE has a maximum flash synch speed of 1/125 sec. This is significantly better than all prior Nikon bodies except the FM, but still not as good as the 1/250 maximum synch speed on the later FE2, FM2N, and FM3A. There is an extra contact on the hot shoe that communicates the flash charging status to the camera and lights a red diode "ready light" in the viewfinder when the flash is ready to shoot. Of course, the FE works with any Nikon flash unit. I use my SB-24 and SB-26 and they work great. However, if you will be doing a lot of flash photography, the FE2, FA or FM3A, with TTL flash support, are probably better choices.
In addition to the vast selection of Nikkor and third-party lenses that are available for the Nikon F mount, the FE also accepts various other useful Nikon accessories. One of the most useful is the MD-12 motor drive (and also the earlier MD-11). This motor drive unit works on all FM/FE series bodies (and even the Nikon FA) and allows rapid fire or remote shooting up to 3.2 frames per second. Back in the day, I used to keep it attached to the camera and carried it around much of the time. However, the MD-12 is quite heavy, especially when loaded with the eight required AA batteries. These days, it would obviously be better to use a more modern camera is you want portable and higher-speed motor drive. Other useful optional accessories (which work with all FM and FE series bodies) are the MF-16 data back, the DB-2 Anti-Cold Battery Pack, the DR-3 and DG-2 viewfinder eyepieces, and various eyepiece correction lenses.
Copyright © 2013 - 2016 Timothy A. Rogers. All rights reserved.
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