Sharper and covers more than the 25mm f1.4, but this 50 is subject to a displeasing kind of flair: a bright spot near the center of the image. It's probably caused by reflections from the inside of the diaphragm, because it's rarely visible wide open, but the more you stop down the worse it gets.

sharper

“You want to be a writer, don't know how or when? Find a quiet place, use a humble pen.”

― Paul Simon

"Looking for Sharper Images in Google Earth" by J. D. BIERSDORFER via NYT t.co/j14GrRknI1 (via Twitter twitter.com/felipemassone/status/656288602482176000)

RAW Format CR2. MF. aka 50 mm. 50 % sharper - #003

F8

1/30

aka 50 mm-

handheld

snowing

-

 

Altes Forsthaus Jagdhaus und heute Restaurant

Altes Forsthaus

 

Schloß Lichtenstein 5, 72805 Lichtenstein

07129 2440

 

g.co/kgs/ad36y3

 

Bis Mitte Februar geschlossen

www.altesforsthauslichtenstein.de/

Close to

 

CASTLE

Burg LICHTENSTEIN bei HONAU, Reutlingen, Germany

  

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0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,167,168,169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189,190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210,211,212,213,214,215,216,217,218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240,241,242,243,244,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255,256,257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,286,287,288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,301,302,303,304,305,306,307,308,309,310,311,312,313,314,315,316,317,318,319,320,321,322,323,324,325,326,327,328,329,330,331,332,333,334,335,336,337,338,339,340,341,342,343,344,345,346,347,348,349,350,351,352,353,354,355,356,357,358,359,360,361,362,363,364,365,366,367,368,369,370,371,372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380,381,382,383,384,385,386,387,388,389,390,391,392,393,394,395,396,397,398,399,400,401,402,403,404,405,406,407,408,409,410,411,412,413,414,415,416,417,418,419,420,421,422,423,424,425,426,427,428,429,430,431,432,433,434,435,436,437,438,439,440,441,442,443,444,445,446,447,448,449,450,451,452,453,454,455,456,457,458,459,460,461,462,463,464,465,466,467,468,469,470,471,472,473,474,475,476,477,478,479,480,481,482,483,484,485,486,487,488,489,490,491,492,493,494,495,496,497,498,499,500,501,502,503,504,505,506,507,508,509,510,511,512,513,514,515,516,517,518,519,520,521,522,523,524,525,526,527,528,529,530,531,532,533,534,535,536,537,538,539,540,541,542,543,544,545,546,547,548,549,550,551,552,553,554,555,556,557,558,559,560,561,562,563,564,565,566,567,568,569,570,571,572,573,574,575,576,577,578,579,580,581,582,583,584,585,586,587,588,589,590,591,592,593,594,595,596,597,598,599,600,601,602,603,604,605,606,607,608,609,610,611,612,613,614,615,616,617,618,619,620,621,622,623,624,625,626,627,628,629,630,631,632,633,634,635,636,637,638,639,640,641,642,643,644,645,646,647,648,649,650,651,652,653,654,655,656,657,658,659,660,661,662,663,664,665,666,667,668,669,670,671,672,673,674,675,676,677,678,679,680,681,682,683,684,685,686,687,688,689,690,691,692,693,694,695,696,697,698,699,700,701,702,703,704,705,706,707,708,709,710,711,712,713,714,715,716,717,718,719,720,721,722,723,724,725,726,727,728,729,730,731,732,733,734,735,736,737,738,739,740,741,742,743,744,745,746,747,748,749,750,751,752,753,754,755,756,757,758,759,760,761,762,763,764,765,766,767,768,769,770,771,772,773,774,775,776,777,778,779,780,781,782,783,784,785,786,787,788,789,790,791,792,793,794,795,796,797,798,799,

 

800,801,802,803,804,805,806,807,808,809,810,811,812,813,814,815,816,817,818,819,820,821,822,823,824,825,826,827,828,829,830,831,832,833,834,835,836,837,838,839,840,841,842,843,844,845,846,847,848,849,850,851,852,853,854,855,856,857,858,859,860,861,862,863,864,865,866,867,868,869,870,871,872,873,874,875,876,877,878,879,880,881,882,883,884,885,886,887,888,889,890,891,892,893,894,895,896,897,898,899,900,901,902,903,904,905,906,907,908,909,910,911,912,913,914,915,916,917,918,919,920,921,922,923,924,925,926,927,928,929,930,931,932,933,934,935,936,937,938,939,940,941,942,943,944,945,946,947,948,949,950,951,952,953,954,955,956,957,958,959,960,961,962,963,964,965,966,967,968,969,970,971,972,973,974,975,976,977,978,979,980,981,982,983,984,985,986,987,988,989,990,991,992,993,994,995,996,997,998,999,1000,1001,1002,1003,1004,1005,1006,1007,1008,1009,1010,1011,1012,1013,1014,1015,1016,1017,1018,1019,1020,1021,1022,1023,1024,1025,1026,1027,1028,1029,1030,1031,1032,1033,1034,1035,1036,1037,1038,1039,1040,1041,1042,1043,1044,1045,1046,1047,1048,1049,1050,1051,1052,1053,1054,1055,1056,1057,1058,1059,1060,1061,1062,1063,1064,1065,1066,1067,1068,1069,1070,1071,1072,1073,1074,1075,1076,1077,1078,1079,1080,1081,1082,1083,1084,1085,1086,1087,1088,1089,1090,1091,1092,1093,1094,1095,1096,1097,1098,1099,1100,1101,1102,1103,1104,1105,1106,1107,1108,1109,1110,1111,1112,1113,1114,1115,1116,1117,1118,1119,1120,1121,1122,1123,1124,1125,1126,1127,1128,1129,1130,1131,1132,1133,1134,1135,1136,1137,1138,1139,1140,1141,1142,1143,1144,1145,1146,1147,1148,1149,1150,1151,1152,1153,1154,1155,1156,1157,1158,1159,1160,1161,1162,1163,1164,1165,1166,1167,1168,1169,1170,1171,1172,1173,1174,1175,1176,1177,1178,1179,1180,1181,1182,1183,1184,1185,1186,1187,1188,1189,1190,1191,1192,1193,1194,1195,1196,1197,1198,1199,1200,1201,1202,1203,1204,1205,1206,1207,1208,1209,1210,1211,1212,1213,1214,1215,1216,1217,1218,1219,1220,1221,1222,1223,1224,1225,1226,1227,1228,1229,1230,1231,1232,1233,1234,1235,1236,1237,1238,1239,1240,1241,1242,1243,1244,1245,1246,1247,1248,1249,1250,1251,1252,1253,1254,1255,1256,1257,1258,1259,1260,1261,1262,1263,1264,1265,1266,1267,1268,1269,1270,1271,1272,1273,1274,1275,1276,1277,1278,1279,1280,1281,1282,1283,1284,1285,1286,1287,1288,1289,1290,1291,1292,1293,1294,1295,1296,1297,1298,1299,1300,1301,1302,1303,1304,1305,1306,1307,1308,1309,1310,1311,1312,1313,1314,1315,1316,1317,1318,1319,1320,1321,1322,1323,1324,1325,1326,1327,1328,1329,1330,1331,1332,1333,1334,1335,1336,1337,1338,1339,1340,1341,1342,1343,1344,1345,1346,1347,1348,1349,1350,1351,1352,1353,1354,1355,1356,1357,1358,1359,1360,1361,1362,1363,1364,1365,1366,1367,1368,1369,1370,1371,1372,1373,1374,1375,1376,1377,1378,1379,1380,1381,1382,1383,1384,1385,1386,1387,1388,1389,1390,1391,1392,1393,1394,1395,1396,1397,1398,1399,

 

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1400,1401,1402,1403,1404,1405,1406,1407,1408,1409,1410,1411,1412,1413,1414,1415,1416,1417,1418,1419,1420,1421,1422,1423,1424,1425,1426,1427,1428,1429,1430,1431,1432,1433,1434,1435,1436,1437,1438,1439,1440,1441,1442,1443,1444,1445,1446,1447,1448,1449,1450,1451,1452,1453,1454,1455,1456,1457,1458,1459,1460,1461,1462,1463,1464,1465,1466,1467,1468,1469,1470,1471,1472,1473,1474,1475,1476,1477,1478,1479,1480,1481,1482,1483,1484,1485,1486,1487,1488,1489,1490,1491,1492,1493,1494,1495,1496,1497,1498,1499,1500,1501,1502,1503,1504,1505,1506,1507,1508,1509,1510,1511,1512,1513,1514,1515,1516,1517,1518,1519,1520,1521,1522,1523,1524,1525,1526,1527,1528,1529,1530,1531,1532,1533,1534,1535,1536,1537,1538,1539,1540,1541,1542,1543,1544,1545,1546,1547,1548,1549,1550,1551,1552,1553,1554,1555,1556,1557,1558,1559,1560,1561,1562,1563,1564,1565,1566,1567,1568,1569,1570,1571,1572,1573,1574,1575,1576,1577,1578,1579,1580,1581,1582,1583,1584,1585,1586,1587,1588,1589,1590,1591,1592,1593,1594,1595,1596,1597,1598,1599,1600,1601,1602,1603,1604,1605,1606,1607,1608,1609,1610,1611,1612,1613,1614,1615,1616,1617,1618,1619,1620,1621,1622,1623,1624,1625,1626,1627,1628,1629,1630,1631,1632,1633,1634,1635,1636,1637,1638,1639,1640,1641,1642,1643,1644,1645,1646,1647,1648,1649,1650,1651,1652,1653,1654,1655,1656,1657,1658,1659,1660,1661,1662,1663,1664,1665,1666,1667,1668,1669,1670,1671,1672,1673,1674,1675,1676,1677,1678,1679,1680,1681,1682,1683,1684,1685,1686,1687,1688,1689,1690,1691,1692,1693,1694,1695,1696,1697,1698,1699,1700,1701,1702,1703,1704,1705,1706,1707,1708,1709,1710,1711,1712,1713,1714,1715,1716,1717,1718,1719,1720,1721,1722,1723,1724,1725,1726,1727,1728,1729,1730,1731,1732,1733,1734,1735,1736,1737,1738,1739,1740,1741,1742,1743,1744,1745,1746,1747,1748,1749,1750,1751,1752,1753,1754,1755,1756,1757,1758,1759,1760,1761,1762,1763,1764,1765,1766,1767,1768,1769,1770,1771,1772,1773,1774,1775,1776,1777,1778,1779,1780,1781,1782,1783,1784,1785,1786,1787,1788,1789,1790,1791,1792,1793,1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020,2021,2022,2023,2024,2025,2026,2027,2028,2029,2030,2031,2032,2033,2034,2035,2036,2037,2038,2039,2040,2041,2042,2043,2044,2045,2046,2047,2048,

Hey Google!

Fisherman's Terminal, Seattle

Yes the D800E is a bit sharper than the D800 ! Love it! :)

 

Nikon D800E Photographs of a Beautiful Sandy-Blonde/Brunette Swimsuit Bikini Model shot with the brand new Nikon D800 E and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens.

 

Captured in both RAW and JPEG.

 

Check out the amazing detail in the full resolution photos! I was running out of CF & SD cards fast, as the files are huge!

 

A classic California Hero's Journey Mythology Goddess! Tall, pretty, thin, fit, with pretty brown eyes and long sandy-blonde/brunette hair, blowing on the sea breeze.

 

In a sea cave on El Matador Beach in Malibu!

 

Enjoy the epic beauty of the mythological hero's journey, in great detail via the Nikon D800-E ! :)

 

The full resolutions RAWs and JPEGs are amazing!

 

Modeling the new Hero's Journey Mythology Swimsuits on a sunny spring day in Malibu!

 

Enjoy!

 

With her wavy, curly hair blowing on the sea breeze! Best to shoot the caves in the AM, before the wind kicks up and transforms them into a wind tunnel!

 

& may the Hero's Journey Mythology Photography inspire and guide you along a hero's journey of your won making! Carpe Diem! Seize the day! Pursue art & beauty!

ppc

crop

+4 sharper

-

all photos

taken by

 

CANON

powershot g7 x ii

Taken with an iPhone 16 Pro, wide angle lens. Sorry that the meta data was lost following processing with Snapseed, Pixelmator and Photoshop Express.

 

Per the description provided on a nearby plaque, the mural depicts Alma Mater flanked by a philosopher, savant, and acolytes extending laurel wreaths. I was surprised that “Alma Mater” could be depicted in paintings as a person - I had to look that up - and yes indeed, usually as a woman. The phrase itself is Latin for “nourishing mother.”

 

This photo seems to be a very fitting homage to the artist’s mural: Yan, an accomplished scientist, striking a triumphant pose beneath Alma Mater, flanked by acolytes. Bravo, Yan! :)

 

I do wish the mural was sharper. I think it lost quite a bit of detail because it was beyond the depth of field that Yan was standing in. I took this using the “portrait mode,” but couldn’t sharpen it up even if I turned it off for processing.

Sharper than any EJ&E motor on CN property, HRT SD38 #654 bathes in the Georgia sun in the town of Bowersville, the hub for Hartwell operations. It is one of the only J-Ball units in existence, #703 and #662 being the latter.

Yes the D800E is a bit sharper than the D800 ! Love it! :)

 

Nikon D800E Photographs of a Beautiful Sandy-Blonde/Brunette Swimsuit Bikini Model shot with the brand new Nikon D800 E and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens.

 

Captured in both RAW and JPEG.

 

Check out the amazing detail in the full resolution photos! I was running out of CF & SD cards fast, as the files are huge!

 

A classic California Hero's Journey Mythology Goddess! Tall, pretty, thin, fit, with pretty brown eyes and long sandy-blonde/brunette hair, blowing on the sea breeze.

 

In a sea cave on El Matador Beach in Malibu!

 

Enjoy the epic beauty of the mythological hero's journey, in great detail via the Nikon D800-E ! :)

 

The full resolutions RAWs and JPEGs are amazing!

 

Modeling the new Hero's Journey Mythology Swimsuits on a sunny spring day in Malibu!

 

Enjoy!

 

With her wavy, curly hair blowing on the sea breeze! Best to shoot the caves in the AM, before the wind kicks up and transforms them into a wind tunnel!

 

& may the Hero's Journey Mythology Photography inspire and guide you along a hero's journey of your won making! Carpe Diem! Seize the day! Pursue art & beauty!

Sharper than steel. The edge an atom thick.

-The Road, Cormac McCarthy

 

horcruxes:

instagram : buy me a coffee : vimeo : tumblr : flickr

 

buymeacoffee.com/fridgeopen

 

I'll have to take these shots again with a sharper lens.

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). The species is sexually dimorphic, as adult females are much smaller. The polar bear is white- or yellowish-furred with black skin and a thick layer of fat. It is more slender than the brown bear, with a narrower skull, longer neck and lower shoulder hump. Its teeth are sharper and more adapted to cutting meat. The paws are large and allow the bear to walk on ice and paddle in the water.

 

Polar bears are both terrestrial and pagophilic (ice-living) and are considered to be marine mammals due to their dependence on marine ecosystems. They prefer the annual sea ice but live on land when the ice melts in the summer. They are mostly carnivorous and specialized for preying on seals, particularly ringed seals. Such prey is typically taken by ambush; the bear may stalk its prey on the ice or in the water, but also will stay at a breathing hole or ice edge to wait for prey to swim by. The bear primarily feeds on the seal's energy-rich blubber. Other prey include walruses, beluga whales and some terrestrial animals. Polar bears are usually solitary but can be found in groups when on land. During the breeding season, male bears guard females and defend them from rivals. Mothers give birth to cubs in maternity dens during the winter. Young stay with their mother for up to two and a half years.

 

The polar bear is considered to be a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with an estimated total population of 22,000 to 31,000 individuals. Its biggest threats are climate change, pollution and energy development. Climate change has caused a decline in sea ice, giving the polar bear less access to its favoured prey and increasing the risk of malnutrition and starvation. Less sea ice also means that the bears must spend more time on land, increasing conflicts with people. Polar bears have been hunted, both by native and non-native peoples, for their coats, meat and other items. They have been kept in captivity in zoos and circuses and are prevalent in art, folklore, religion and modern culture.

 

Naming

The polar bear was given its common name by Thomas Pennant in A Synopsis of Quadrupeds (1771). It was known as the "white bear" in Europe between the 13th and 18th centuries, as well as "ice bear", "sea bear" and "Greenland bear". The Norse referred to it as isbjørn ("ice bear") and hvitebjørn ("white bear"). The bear is called nanook by the Inuit. The Netsilik cultures additionally have different names for bears based on certain factors, such as sex and age: these include adult males (anguraq), single adult females (tattaq), gestating females (arnaluk), newborns (hagliaqtug), large adolescents (namiaq) and dormant bears (apitiliit). The scientific name Ursus maritimus is Latin for "sea bear".

 

Taxonomy

Carl Linnaeus classified the polar bear as a type of brown bear (Ursus arctos), labelling it as Ursus maritimus albus-major, articus in the 1758 edition of his work Systema Naturae. Constantine John Phipps formally described the polar bear as a distinct species, Ursus maritimus in 1774, following his 1773 voyage towards the North Pole. Due to its adaptations to a marine environment, some taxonomists like Theodore Knottnerus-Meyer have placed the polar bear in its genus Thalarctos. However Ursus is widely considered to be the valid genus for the species based on the fossil record and the fact that it can breed with the brown bear.

 

Different subspecies have been proposed including Ursus maritimus maritimus and U. m. marinus. However these are not supported and the polar bear is considered to be monotypic. One possible fossil subspecies, U. m. tyrannus, was posited in 1964 by Björn Kurtén, who reconstructed the subspecies from a single fragment of an ulna which was approximately 20 percent larger than expected for a polar bear. However, re-evaluation in the 21st century has indicated that the fragment likely comes from a giant brown bear.

 

Evolution

The polar bear is one of eight extant species in the bear family Ursidae and of six extant species in the subfamily Ursinae. A possible phylogeny of extant bear species is shown in a cladogram based on complete mitochondrial DNA sequences from Yu et al. (2007). The polar bear and the brown bear form a close grouping, while the relationships of the other species are not very well resolved.

 

Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

Ursinae

Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)

Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus)

American black bear (Ursus americanus)

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

 

A more recent phylogeny below is based on a 2017 genetic study. The study concludes that Ursine bears originated around 5 million years ago and show extensive hybridization of species in their lineage.

 

Ursidae

Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

Ursinae

Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)

Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus)

American black bear (Ursus americanus)

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

 

Fossils of polar bears are uncommon. The oldest known fossil is a 130,000- to 110,000-year-old jaw bone, found on Prince Charles Foreland, Norway, in 2004. Scientists in the 20th century surmised that polar bears directly descended from a population of brown bears, possibly in eastern Siberia or Alaska. Mitochondrial DNA studies in the 1990s and 2000s supported the status of the polar bear as a derivative of the brown bear, finding that some brown bear populations were more closely related to polar bears than to other brown bears, particularly the ABC Islands bears of Southeast Alaska. A 2010 study estimated that the polar bear lineage split from other brown bears around 150,000 years ago.

 

More extensive genetic studies have refuted the idea that polar bears are directly descended from brown bears and found that the two species are separate sister lineages. The genetic similarities between polar bears and some brown bears were found to be the result of interbreeding A 2012 study estimated the split between polar and brown bears as occurring around 600,000 years ago. A 2022 study estimated the divergence as occurring even earlier at over one million years ago. Glaciation events over hundreds of thousands of years led to both the origin of polar bears and their subsequent interactions and hybridizations with brown bears.

 

Studies in 2011 and 2012 concluded that gene flow went from brown bears to polar bears during hybridization. In particular, a 2011 study concluded that living polar bear populations derived their maternal lines from now-extinct Irish brown bears. Later studies have clarified that gene flow went from polar to brown bears rather than the reverse. Up to 9 percent of the genome of ABC bears was transferred from polar bears, while Irish bears had up to 21.5 percent polar bear origin. Mass hybridization between the two species appears to have stopped around 200,000 years ago. Modern hybrids are relatively rare in the wild.

 

Analysis of the number of variations of gene copies in polar bears compared with brown bears and American black bears shows distinct adaptions. Polar bears have a less diverse array of olfactory receptor genes, a result of there being fewer odours in their Arctic habitat. With its carnivorous, high-fat diet the species has fewer copies of the gene involved in making amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch, and more selection for genes for fatty acid breakdown and a more efficient circulatory system. The polar bear's thicker coat is the result of more copies of genes involved in keratin-creating proteins.

 

Characteristics

The polar bear is the largest living species of bear and land carnivore, though some brown bear subspecies like the Kodiak bear can rival it in size. Males are generally 200–250 cm (6.6–8.2 ft) long with a weight of 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). Females are smaller at 180–200 cm (5.9–6.6 ft) with a weight of 150–300 kg (330–660 lb). Sexual dimorphism in the species is particularly high compared with most other mammals. Male polar bears also have proportionally larger heads than females. The weight of polar bears fluctuates during the year, as they can bulk up on fat and increase their mass by 50 percent. A fattened, pregnant female can weigh as much as 500 kg (1,100 lb). Adults may stand 130–160 cm (4.3–5.2 ft) tall at the shoulder. The tail is 76–126 mm (3.0–5.0 in) long. The largest polar bear on record, reportedly weighing 1,002 kg (2,209 lb), was a male shot at Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska in 1960.

 

Compared with the brown bear, this species has a more slender build, with a narrower, flatter and smaller skull, a longer neck, and a lower shoulder hump. The snout profile is curved, resembling a "Roman nose". They have 34–42 teeth including 12 incisors, 4 canines, 8–16 premolars and 10 molars. The teeth are adapted for a more carnivorous diet than that of the brown bear, having longer, sharper and more spaced out canines, and smaller, more pointed cheek teeth (premolars and molars). The species has a large space or diastema between the canines and cheek teeth, which may allow it to better bite into prey. Since it normally preys on animals much smaller than it, the polar bear does not have a particularly strong bite Polar bears have large paws, with the front paws being broader than the back. The feet are hairier than in other bear species, providing warmth and friction when stepping on snow and sea ice. The claws are small but sharp and hooked and are used both to snatch prey and climb onto ice.

  

Polar bear jumping on floating ice at Svalbard

The coat consists of dense underfur around 5 cm (2.0 in) long and guard hairs around 15 cm (5.9 in) long. Males have long hairs on their forelegs, which is thought to signal their fitness to females. The outer surface of the hairs has a scaly appearance, and the guard hairs are hollow, which allows the animals to trap heat and float in the water. The transparent guard hairs forward scatter ultraviolet light between the underfur and the skin, leading to a cycle of absorption and re-emission, keeping them warm. The fur appears white due to the backscatter of incident light and the absence of pigment. Polar bears gain a yellowish colouration as they are exposed more to the sun. This is reversed after they moult. It can also be grayish or brownish. Their light fur provides camouflage in their snowy environment. After emerging from the water, the bear can easily shake itself dry before freezing since the hairs are resistant to tangling when wet. The skin, including the nose and lips, is black and absorbs heat. Polar bears have a 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick layer of fat underneath the skin, which provides both warmth and energy. Polar bears maintain their core body temperature at about 36.9 °C (98 °F). Overheating is countered by a layer of highly vascularized striated muscle tissue and finely controlled blood vessels. Bears also cool off by entering the water.

 

The eyes of a polar bear are close to the top of the head, which may allow them to stay out of the water when the animal is swimming at the surface. They are relatively small, which may be an adaption against blowing snow and snow blindness. Polar bears are dichromats, and lack the cone cells for seeing green. They have many rod cells which allow them to see at night. The ears are small, allowing them to retain heat and not get frostbitten. They can hear best at frequencies of 11.2–22.5 kHz, a wider frequency range than expected given that their prey mostly makes low-frequency sounds. The nasal concha creates a large surface area, so more warm air can move through the nasal passages. Their olfactory system is also large and adapted for smelling prey over vast distances. The animal has reniculate kidneys which filter out the salt in their food.

 

Distribution and habitat

Polar bears inhabit the Arctic and adjacent areas. Their range includes Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Russia and the Svalbard Archipelago of Norway. Polar bears have been recorded 25 km (16 mi) from the North Pole. The southern limits of their range include James Bay and Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada and St. Matthew Island and the Pribilof Islands of Alaska. They are not permanent residents of Iceland but have been recorded visiting there if they can reach it via sea ice. Due to minimal human encroachment on the bears' remote habitat, they can still be found in much of their original range, more so than any other large land carnivore.

 

Polar bears have been divided into at least 18 subpopulations labelled East Greenland (ES), Barents Sea (BS), Kara Sea (KS), Laptev Sea (LVS), Chukchi Sea (CS), northern and southern Beaufort Sea (SBS and NBS), Viscount Melville (VM), M'Clintock Channel (MC), Gulf of Boothia (GB), Lancaster Sound (LS), Norwegian Bay (NB), Kane Basin (KB), Baffin Bay (BB), Davis Strait (DS), Foxe Basin (FB) and the western and southern Hudson Bay (WHB and SHB) populations. Bears in and around the Queen Elizabeth Islands have been proposed as a subpopulation but this is not universally accepted. A 2022 study has suggested that the bears in southeast Greenland should be considered a different subpopulation based on their geographic isolation and genetics. Polar bear populations can also be divided into four gene clusters: Southern Canadian, Canadian Archipelago, Western Basin (northwestern Canada west to the Russian Far East) and Eastern Basin (Greenland east to Siberia).

 

The polar bear is dependent enough on the ocean to be considered a marine mammal. It is pagophilic and mainly inhabits annual sea ice covering continental shelves and between islands of archipelagos. These areas, known as the "Arctic Ring of Life", have high biological productivity. The species tends to frequent areas where sea ice meets water, such as polynyas and leads, to hunt the seals that make up most of its diet. Polar bears travel in response to changes in ice cover throughout the year. They are forced onto land in summer when the sea ice disappears. Terrestrial habitats used by polar bears include forests, mountains, rocky areas, lakeshores and creeks. In the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, where the sea ice breaks off and floats north during the summer, polar bears generally stay on the ice, though a large portion of the population (15–40%) has been observed spending all summer on land since the 1980s. Some areas have thick multiyear ice that does not completely melt and the bears can stay on all year, though this type of ice has fewer seals and allows for less productivity in the water.

 

Behaviour and ecology

Polar bears may travel areas as small as 3,500 km2 (1,400 sq mi) to as large as 38,000 km2 (15,000 sq mi) in a year, while drifting ice allows them to move further. Depending on ice conditions, a bear can travel an average of 12 km (7.5 mi) per day. These movements are powered by their energy-rich diet. Polar bears move by walking and galloping and do not trot. Walking bears tilt their front paws towards each other. They can run at estimated speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph) but typically move at around 5.5 km/h (3.4 mph). Polar bears are also capable swimmers and can swim at up to 6 km/h (3.7 mph). One study found they can swim for an average of 3.4 days at a time and travel an average of 154.2 km (95.8 mi). They can dive for as long as three minutes. When swimming, the broad front paws do the paddling, while the hind legs play a role in steering and diving.

  

Mother bear and cubs sleeping

Most polar bears are active year-round. Hibernation occurs only among pregnant females. Non-hibernating bears typically have a normal 24-hour cycle even during days of all darkness or all sunlight, though cycles less than a day are more common during the former. The species is generally diurnal, being most active early in the day. Polar bears sleep close to eight hours a day on average. They will sleep in various positions, including curled up, sitting up, lying on one side, on the back with limbs spread, or on the belly with the rump elevated. On sea ice, polar bears snooze at pressure ridges where they dig on the sheltered side and lie down. After a snowstorm, a bear may rest under the snow for hours or days. On land, the bears may dig a resting spot on gravel or sand beaches. They will also sleep on rocky outcrops. In mountainous areas on the coast, mothers and subadults will sleep on slopes where they can better spot another bear coming. Adult males are less at risk from other bears and can sleep nearly anywhere.

 

Social life

Polar bears are typically solitary, aside from mothers with cubs and mating pairs. On land, they are found closer together and gather around food resources. Adult males, in particular, are more tolerant of each other in land environments and outside the breeding season. They have been recorded forming stable "alliances", travelling, resting and playing together. A dominant hierarchy exists among polar bears with the largest mature males ranking at the top. Adult females outrank subadults and adolescents and younger males outrank females of the same age. In addition, cubs with their mothers outrank those on their own. Females with dependent offspring tend to stay away from males, but are sometimes associated with other female–offspring units, creating "composite families".

 

Polar bears are generally quiet but can produce various sounds. Chuffing, a soft pulsing call, is made by mother bears presumably to keep in contact with their young. During the breeding season, adult males will chuff at potential mates. Unlike other animals where chuffing is passed through the nostrils, in polar bears it is emitted through a partially open mouth. Cubs will cry for attention and produce humming noises while nursing. Teeth chops, jaw pops, blows, huffs, moans, growls and roars are heard in more hostile encounters. A polar bear visually communicates with its eyes, ears, nose and lips. Chemical communication can also be important: bears secrete their scent from their foot pads into their tracks, allowing individuals to keep track of one another.

 

Diet and hunting

The polar bear is a hypercarnivore, and the most carnivorous species of bear. It is an apex predator of the Arctic, preying on ice-living seals and consuming their energy-rich blubber. The most commonly taken species is the ringed seal, but they also prey on bearded seals and harp seals. Ringed seals are ideal prey as they are abundant and small enough to be overpowered by even small bears. Bearded seal adults are larger and are more likely to break free from an attacking bear, hence adult male bears are more successful in hunting them. Less common prey are hooded seals, spotted seals, ribbon seals and the more temperate-living harbour seals. Polar bears, mostly adult males, will occasionally hunt walruses, both on land and ice, though they mainly target the young, as adults are too large and formidable, with their thick skin and long tusks.

  

Bear feeding on a bearded seal

Besides seals, bears will prey on cetacean species such as beluga whales and narwhals, as well as reindeer, birds and their eggs, fish and marine invertebrates. They rarely eat plant material as their digestive system is too specialized for animal matter, though they have been recorded eating berries, moss, grass and seaweed. In their southern range, especially near Hudson Bay and James Bay, polar bears endure all summer without sea ice to hunt from and must subsist more on terrestrial foods. Fat reserves allow polar bears to survive for months without eating. Cannibalism is known to occur in the species.

 

Polar bears hunt their prey in several different ways. When a bear spots a seal hauling out on the sea ice, it slowly stalks it with the head and neck lowered, possibly to make its dark nose and eyes less noticeable. As it gets closer, the bear crouches more and eventually charges at a high speed, attempting to catch the seal before it can escape into its ice hole. Some stalking bears need to move through water; traversing through water cavities in the ice when approaching the seal or swimming towards a seal on an ice floe. The polar bear can stay underwater with its nose exposed. When it gets close enough, the animal lunges from the water to attack.

 

During a limited time in spring, polar bears will search for ringed seal pups in their birth lairs underneath the ice. Once a bear catches the scent of a hiding pup and pinpoints its location, it approaches the den quietly to not alert it. It uses its front feet to smash through the ice and then pokes its head in to catch the pup before it can escape. A ringed seal's lair can be more than 1 m (3.3 ft) below the surface of the ice and thus more massive bears are better equipped for breaking in. Some bears may simply stay still near a breathing hole or other spot near the water and wait for prey to come by. This can last hours and when a seal surfaces the bear will try to pull it out with its paws and claws. This tactic is the primary hunting method from winter to early spring.

  

Bear with whale carcass

Bears hunt walrus groups by provoking them into stampeding and then look for young that have been crushed or separated from their mothers during the turmoil. There are reports of bears trying to kill or injure walruses by throwing rocks and pieces of ice on them. Belugas and narwhals are vulnerable to bear attacks when they are stranded in shallow water or stuck in isolated breathing holes in the ice. When stalking reindeer, polar bears will hide in vegetation before an ambush. On some occasions, bears may try to catch prey in open water, swimming underneath a seal or aquatic bird. Seals in particular, however, are more agile than bears in the water. Polar bears rely on raw power when trying to kill their prey, and will employ bites and paw swipes. They have the strength to pull a mid-sized seal out of the water or haul a beluga carcass for quite some distance. Polar bears only occasionally store food for later—burying it under snow—and only in the short term.

 

Arctic foxes routinely follow polar bears and scavenge scraps from their kills. The bears usually tolerate them but will charge a fox that gets too close when they are feeding. Polar bears themselves will scavenge. Subadult bears will eat remains left behind by others. Females with cubs often abandon a carcass when they see an adult male approaching, though are less likely to if they have not eaten in a long time. Whale carcasses are a valuable food source, particularly on land and after the sea ice melts, and attract several bears. In one area in northeastern Alaska, polar bears have been recorded competing with grizzly bears for whale carcasses. Despite their smaller size, grizzlies are more aggressive and polar bears are likely to yield to them in confrontations. Polar bears will also scavenge at garbage dumps during ice-free periods.

 

Reproduction and development

Polar bear mating takes place on the sea ice and during spring, mostly between March and May. Males search for females in estrus and often travel in twisting paths which reduces the chances of them encountering other males while still allowing them to find females. The movements of females remain linear and they travel more widely. The mating system can be labelled as female-defence polygyny, serial monogamy or promiscuity.

 

Upon finding a female, a male will try to isolate and guard her. Courtship can be somewhat aggressive, and a male will pursue a female if she tries to run away. It can take days for the male to mate with the female which induces ovulation. After their first copulation, the couple bond. Undisturbed polar bear pairings typically last around two weeks during which they will sleep together and mate multiple times. Competition for mates can be intense and this has led to sexual selection for bigger males. Polar bear males often have scars from fighting. A male and female that have already bonded will flee together when another male arrives. A female mates with multiple males in a season and a single litter can have more than one father.

  

Polar bear cubs

When the mating season ends, the female will build up more fat reserves to sustain both herself and her young. Sometime between August and October, the female constructs and enters a maternity den for winter. Depending on the area, maternity dens can be found in sea ice just off the coastline or further inland and may be dug underneath snow, earth or a combination of both. The inside of these shelters can be around 1.5 m (4.9 ft) wide with a ceiling height of 1.2 m (3.9 ft) while the entrance may be 2.1 m (6.9 ft) long and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) wide. The temperature of a den can be much higher than the outside. Females hibernate and give birth to their cubs in the dens. Hibernating bears fast and internally recycle bodily waste. Polar bears experience delayed implantation and the fertilized embryo does not start development until the fall, between mid-September and mid-October. With delayed implantation, gestation in the species lasts seven to nine months but actual pregnancy is only two months.

 

Mother polar bears typically give birth to two cubs per litter. As with other bear species, newborn polar bears are tiny and altricial. The newborns have woolly hair and pink skin, with a weight of around 600 g (21 oz). Their eyes remain closed for a month. The mother's fatty milk fuels their growth, and the cubs are kept warm both by the mother's body heat and the den. The mother emerges from the den between late February and early April, and her cubs are well-developed and capable of walking with her. At this time they weigh 10–15 kilograms (22–33 lb). A polar bear family stays near the den for roughly two weeks; during this time the cubs will move and play around while the mother mostly rests. They eventually head out on the sea ice.

 

Cubs under a year old stay close to their mother. When she hunts, they stay still and watch until she calls them back. Observing and imitating the mother helps the cubs hone their hunting skills. After their first year they become more independent and explore. At around two years old, they are capable of hunting on their own. The young suckle their mother as she is lying on her side or sitting on her rump. A lactating female cannot conceive and give birth, and cubs are weaned between two and two-and-a-half years. She may simply leave her weaned young or they may be chased away by a courting male. Polar bears reach sexual maturity at around four years for females and six years for males. Females reach their adult size at 4 or 5 years of age while males are fully grown at twice that age.

 

Mortality

Polar bears can live up to 30 years. The bear's long lifespan and ability to consistently produce young offsets cub deaths in a population. Some cubs die in the dens or the womb if the female is not in good condition. Nevertheless, the female has a chance to produce a surviving litter the next spring if she can eat better in the coming year. Cubs will eventually starve if their mothers cannot kill enough prey. Cubs also face threats from wolves and adult male bears. Males kill cubs to bring their mother back into estrus but also kill young outside the breeding season for food. A female and her cubs can flee from the slower male. If the male can get close to a cub, the mother may try to fight him off, sometimes at the cost of her life.

 

Subadult bears, who are independent but not quite mature, have a particularly rough time as they are not as successful hunters as adults. Even when they do succeed, their kill will likely be stolen by a larger bear. Hence subadults have to scavenge and are often underweight and at risk of starvation. At adulthood, polar bears have a high survival rate, though adult males suffer injuries from fights over mates. Polar bears are especially susceptible to Trichinella, a parasitic roundworm they contract through cannibalism.

 

Conservation status

In 2015, the IUCN Red List categorized the polar bear as vulnerable due to a "decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence and/or quality of habitat". It estimated the total population to be between 22,000 and 31,000, and the current population trend is unknown. Threats to polar bear populations include climate change, pollution and energy development.

 

In 2021, the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group labelled four subpopulations (Barents and Chukchi Sea, Foxe Basin and Gulf of Boothia) as "likely stable", two (Kane Basin and M'Clintock Channel) as "likely increased" and three (Southern Beaufort Sea, Southern and Western Hudson Bay) as "likely decreased" over specific periods between the 1980s and 2010s. The remaining ten did not have enough data. A 2008 study predicted two-thirds of the world's polar bears may disappear by 2050, based on the reduction of sea ice, and only one population would likely survive in 50 years. A 2016 study projected a likely decline in polar bear numbers of more than 30 percent over three generations. The study concluded that declines of more than 50 percent are much less likely. A 2012 review suggested that polar bears may become regionally extinct in southern areas by 2050 if trends continue, leaving the Canadian Archipelago and northern Greenland as strongholds.

 

The key danger from climate change is malnutrition or starvation due to habitat loss. Polar bears hunt seals on the sea ice, and rising temperatures cause the ice to melt earlier in the year, driving the bears to shore before they have built sufficient fat reserves to survive the period of scarce food in the late summer and early fall. Thinner sea ice tends to break more easily, which makes it more difficult for polar bears to access seals. Insufficient nourishment leads to lower reproductive rates in adult females and lower survival rates in cubs and juvenile bears. Lack of access to seals also causes bears to find food on land which increases the risk of conflict with humans.

 

Reduction in sea ice cover also forces bears to swim longer distances, which further depletes their energy stores and occasionally leads to drowning. Increased ice mobility may result in less stable sites for dens or longer distances for mothers travelling to and from dens on land. Thawing of permafrost would lead to more fire-prone roofs for bears denning underground. Less snow may affect insulation while more rain could cause more cave-ins. The maximum corticosteroid-binding capacity of corticosteroid-binding globulin in polar bear serum correlates with stress in polar bears, and this has increased with climate warming. Disease-causing bacteria and parasites would flourish more readily in a warmer climate.

 

Oil and gas development also affects polar bear habitat. The Chukchi Sea Planning Area of northwestern Alaska, which has had many drilling leases, was found to be an important site for non-denning female bears. Oil spills are also a risk. A 2018 study found that ten percent or less of prime bear habitat in the Chukchi Sea is vulnerable to a potential spill, but a spill at full reach could impact nearly 40 percent of the polar bear population. Polar bears accumulate high levels of persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides, due to their position at the top of the ecological pyramid. Many of these chemicals have been internationally banned due to the recognition of their harm to the environment. Traces of them have slowly dwindled in polar bears but persist and have even increased in some populations.

 

Polar bears receive some legal protection in all the countries they inhabit. The species has been labelled as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act since 2008, while the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada listed it as of 'Special concern' since 1991. In 1973, the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears was signed by all five nations with polar bear populations, Canada, Denmark (of which Greenland is an autonomous territory), Russia (then USSR), Norway and the US. This banned most harvesting of polar bears, allowed indigenous hunting using traditional methods, and promoted the preservation of bear habitat. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna lists the species under Appendix II, which allows regulated trade.

 

Relationship with humans

Polar bears have coexisted and interacted with circumpolar peoples for millennia. "White bears" are mentioned as commercial items in the Japanese book Nihon Shoki in the seventh century. It is not clear if these were polar bears or white-coloured brown bears. During the Middle Ages, Europeans considered white bears to be a novelty and were more familiar with brown- and black-coloured bears. The first known written account of the polar bear in its natural environment is found in the 13th-century anonymous Norwegian text Konungs skuggsjá, which mentions that "the white bear of Greenland wanders most of the time on the ice of the sea, hunting seals and whales and feeding on them" and says the bear is "as skillful a swimmer as any seal or whale".

 

Over the next centuries, several European explorers would mention polar bears and describe their habits. Such accounts became more accurate after the Enlightenment, and both living and dead specimens were brought back. Nevertheless, some fanciful reports continued, including the idea that polar bears cover their noses during hunts. A relatively accurate drawing of a polar bear is found in Henry Ellis's work A Voyage to Hudson's Bay (1748). Polar bears were formally classified as a species by Constantine Phipps after his 1773 voyage to the Arctic. Accompanying him was a young Horatio Nelson, who was said to have wanted to get a polar bear coat for his father but failed in his hunt. In his 1785 edition of Histoire Naturelle, Comte de Buffon mentions and depicts a "sea bear", clearly a polar bear, and "land bears", likely brown and black bears. This helped promote ideas about speciation. Buffon also mentioned a "white bear of the forest", possibly a Kermode bear.

 

Exploitation

Polar bears were hunted as early as 8,000 years ago, as indicated by archaeological remains at Zhokhov Island in the East Siberian Sea. The oldest graphic depiction of a polar bear shows it being hunted by a man with three dogs. This rock art was among several petroglyphs found at Pegtymel in Siberia and dates from the fifth to eighth centuries. Before access to firearms, native people used lances, bows and arrows and hunted in groups accompanied by dogs. Though hunting typically took place on foot, some people killed swimming bears from boats with a harpoon. Polar bears were sometimes killed in their dens. Killing a polar bear was considered a rite of passage for boys in some cultures. Native people respected the animal and hunts were subject to strict rituals. Bears were harvested for the fur, meat, fat, tendons, bones and teeth. The fur was worn and slept on, while the bones and teeth were made into tools. For the Netsilik, the individual who finally killed the bear had the right to its fur while the meat was passed to all in the party. Some people kept the cubs of slain bears.

 

Norsemen in Greenland traded polar bear furs in the Middle Ages. Russia traded polar bear products as early as 1556, with Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land being important commercial centres. Large-scale hunting of bears at Svalbard occurred since at least the 18th century, when no less than 150 bears were killed each year by Russian explorers. In the next century, more Norwegians were harvesting the bears on the island. From the 1870s to the 1970s, around 22,000 of the animals were hunted in total. Over 150,000 polar bears in total were either killed or captured in Russia and Svalbard, from the 18th to the 20th century. In the Canadian Arctic, bears were harvested by commercial whalers especially if they could not get enough whales. The Hudson's Bay Company is estimated to have sold 15,000 polar bear coats between the late 19th century and early 20th century. In the mid-20th century, countries began to regulate polar bear harvesting, culminating in the 1973 agreement.

 

Polar bear meat was commonly eaten as rations by explorers and sailors in the Arctic. Its taste and texture have been described both positively and negatively. Some have called it too coarse with a powerful smell, while others praised it as a "royal dish". The liver was known for being too toxic to eat. This is due to the accumulation of vitamin A from their prey. Polar bear fat was also used in lamps when other fuel was unavailable. Polar bear rugs were almost ubiquitous on the floors of Norwegian churches by the 13th and 14th centuries. In more modern times, classical Hollywood actors would pose on bearskin rugs, notably Marilyn Monroe. Such images often had sexual connotations.

 

Conflicts

Road sign warning about the presence of polar bears. The Norwegian text translates into "Applies to all of Svalbard".

When the sea ice melts, polar bears, particularly subadults, conflict with humans over resources on land. They are attracted to the smell of human-made foods, particularly at garbage dumps and may be shot when they encroach on private property. In Churchill, Manitoba, local authorities maintain a "polar bear jail" where nuisance bears are held until the sea ice freezes again. Climate change has increased conflicts between the two species. Over 50 polar bears swarmed a town in Novaya Zemlya in February 2019, leading local authorities to declare a state of emergency.

 

From 1870 to 2014, there were an estimated 73 polar bear attacks on humans, which led to 20 deaths. The majority of attacks were by hungry males, typically subadults, while female attacks were usually in defence of the young. In comparison to brown and American black bears, attacks by polar bears were more often near and around where humans lived. This may be due to the bears getting desperate for food and thus more likely to seek out human settlements. As with the other two bear species, polar bears are unlikely to target more than two people at once. Though popularly thought of as the most dangerous bear, the polar bear is no more aggressive to humans than other species.

 

Captivity

The polar bear was a particularly sought-after species for exotic animal collectors due to being relatively rare and remote living, and its reputation as a ferocious beast. It is one of the few marine mammals that can reproduce well in captivity. They were originally kept only by royals and elites. The Tower of London got a polar bear as early as 1252 under King Henry III. In 1609, James VI and I of Scotland, England and Ireland were given two polar bear cubs by the sailor Jonas Poole, who got them during a trip to Svalbard. At the end of the 17th century, Frederick I of Prussia housed polar bears in menageries with other wild animals. He had their claws and canines removed to perform mock fights. Around 1726, Catherine I of Russia gifted two polar bears to Augustus II the Strong of Poland, who desired them for his animal collection. Later, polar bears were displayed to the public in zoos and circuses. In early 19th century, the species was exhibited at the Exeter Exchange in London, as well as menageries in Vienna and Paris. The first zoo in North America to exhibit a polar bear was the Philadelphia Zoo in 1859.

 

Polar bear exhibits were innovated by Carl Hagenbeck, who replaced cages and pits with settings that mimicked the animal's natural environment. In 1907, he revealed a complex panoramic structure at the Tierpark Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg consisting of exhibits made of artificial snow and ice separated by moats. Different polar animals were displayed on each platform, giving the illusion of them living together. Starting in 1975, Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich housed its polar bears in an exhibit which consisted of a glass barrier, a house, concrete platforms mimicking ice floes and a large pool. Inside the house were maternity dens, and rooms for the staff to prepare and store the food. The exhibit was connected to an outdoor yard for extra room. Similar naturalistic and "immersive" exhibits were opened in the early 21st century, such as the "Arctic Ring of Life" at the Detroit Zoo and Ontario's Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat. Many zoos in Europe and North America have stopped keeping polar bears due to the size and costs of their complex exhibits. In North America, the population of polar bears in zoos reached its zenith in 1975 with 229 animals and declined in the 21st century.

 

Polar bears have been trained to perform in circuses. Bears in general, being large, powerful, easy to train and human-like in form, were widespread in circuses, and the white coat of polar bears made them particularly attractive. Circuses helped change the polar bear's image from a fearsome monster to something more comical. Performing polar bears were used in 1888 by Circus Krone in Germany and later in 1904 by the Bostock and Wombwell Menagerie in England. Circus director Wilhelm Hagenbeck trained up to 75 polar bears to slide into a large tank through a chute. He began performing with them in 1908 and they had a particularly well-received show at the Hippodrome in London. Other circus tricks performed by polar bears involved tightropes, balls, roller skates and motorcycles. One of the most famous polar bear trainers in the second half of the twentieth century was the East German Ursula Böttcher, whose small stature contrasted with that of the large bears. Starting in the late 20th century, most polar bear acts were retired and the use of these bears for the circus is now prohibited in the US.

 

Several captive polar bears gained celebrity status in the late 20th and early 21st century, notably Knut of the Berlin Zoological Garden, who was rejected by his mother and had to be hand-reared by zookeepers. Another bear, Binky of the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage, became famous for attacking two visitors who got too close. Captive polar bears may pace back and forth, a stereotypical behaviour. In one study, they were recorded to have spent 14 percent of their days pacing. Gus of the Central Park Zoo was prescribed Prozac by a therapist for constantly swimming in his pool. To reduce stereotypical behaviours, zookeepers provide the bears with enrichment items to trigger their play behaviour. Zoo polar bears may appear green due to algae concentrations.

 

Cultural significance

Polar bears have prominent roles in Inuit culture and religion. The deity Torngarsuk is sometimes imagined as a giant polar bear. He resides underneath the sea floor in an underworld of the dead and has power over sea creatures. Kalaallit shamans would worship him through singing and dancing and were expected to be taken by him to the sea and consumed if he considered them worthy. Polar bears were also associated with the goddess Nuliajuk who was responsible for their creation, along with other sea creatures. It is believed that shamans could reach the Moon or the bottom of the ocean by riding on a guardian spirit in the form of a polar bear. Some folklore involves people turning into or disguising themselves as polar bears by donning their skins or the reverse, with polar bears removing their skins. In Inuit astronomy, the Pleiades star cluster is conceived of as a polar bear trapped by dogs while Orion's Belt, the Hyades and Aldebaran represent hunters, dogs and a wounded bear respectively.

 

Nordic folklore and literature have also featured polar bears. In The Tale of Auðun of the West Fjords, written around 1275, a poor man named Auðun spends all his money on a polar bear in Greenland, but ends up wealthy after giving the bear to the king of Denmark. In the 14th-century manuscript Hauksbók, a man named Odd kills and eats a polar bear that killed his father and brother. In the story of The Grimsey Man and the Bear, a mother bear nurses and rescues a farmer stuck on an ice floe and is repaid with sheep meat. 18th-century Icelandic writings mention the legend of a "polar bear king" known as the bjarndýrakóngur. This beast was depicted as a polar bear with "ruddy cheeks" and a unicorn-like horn, which glows in the dark. The king could understand when humans talk and was considered to be very astute. Two Norwegian fairy tales, "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" and "White-Bear-King-Valemon", involve white bears turning into men and seducing women.

 

Drawings of polar bears have been featured on maps of the northern regions. Possibly the earliest depictions of a polar bear on a map is the Swedish Carta marina of 1539, which has a white bear on Iceland or "Islandia". A 1544 map of North America includes two polar bears near Quebec. Notable paintings featuring polar bears include François-Auguste Biard's Fighting Polar Bears (1839) and Edwin Landseer's Man Proposes, God Disposes (1864). Polar bears have also been filmed for cinema. An Inuit polar bear hunt was shot for the 1932 documentary Igloo, while the 1974 film The White Dawn filmed a simulated stabbing of a trained bear for a scene. In the film The Big Show (1961), two characters are killed by a circus polar bear. The scenes were shot using animal trainers instead of the actors. In modern literature, polar bears have been characters in both children's fiction, like Hans Beer's Little Polar Bear and the Whales and Sakiasi Qaunaq's The Orphan and the Polar Bear, and fantasy novels, like Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. In radio, Mel Blanc provided the vocals for Jack Benny's pet polar bear Carmichael on The Jack Benny Program. The polar bear is featured on flags and coats of arms, like the coat of arms of Greenland, and in many advertisements, notably for Coca-Cola since 1922.

 

As charismatic megafauna, polar bears have been used to raise awareness of the dangers of climate change. Aurora the polar bear is a giant marionette created by Greenpeace for climate protests. The World Wide Fund for Nature has sold plush polar bears as part of its "Arctic Home" campaign. Photographs of polar bears have been featured in National Geographic and Time magazines, including ones of them standing on ice floes, while the climate change documentary and advocacy film An Inconvenient Truth (2006) includes an animated bear swimming. Automobile manufacturer Nissan used a polar bear in one of its commercials, hugging a man for using an electric car. To make a statement about global warming, in 2009 a Copenhagen ice statue of a polar bear with a bronze skeleton was purposely left to melt in the sun.

A lot of sharper than other 7x35 I have. Only the light green image tone can be rare and annoying (not for me). 11° is great, centre perfect and less definition at edges, but not very noticeable. Modern 7x35 ones more blurred at edges compared as this one. Very quality bak7 prisms. Focus perfect, short eye relief compared modern ones, but sufficient, you can see all field without glasses. GREAT.

   

These ships are really amazing. There was a tangible connection to the past when walking the decks of these ships, especially the trans-oceanic ones.

 

I was exploring the San Francisco Maritime Museum on labor day with my wife and decided to test out the New Portra 400 film with the 500 C/M handheld (with the flash-grip - without the flash - and a prism finder). I also mistakenly scanned this at 100MegaPix. The results astounded me. This Film is SHARP! (and my scanner is better than I thought it was). The Wide-angle 50mm Distagon lens is not the sharpest in my collection, but this shot and scan shows it is much better than I thought it was. I was attempting hyperfocal but I slightly missed the focus as foreground objects seem a little sharper than background objects (yet I *still* see a hint of the vertical wires on the distant bridge).

 

Kodak (new) Portra 400 - C-41

SEKONIC L-778 DUAL SPOT F METER (shot @ 400ASA)

Hasselblad B60 POLARIZER

(Exposure Unrecorded - spot-metered through the filter)

Hasselblad 500 C/M w/50mm f4 Zeiss Distagon CF T*

Epson PERFECTION V750-M PRO SCANNER

(20110906_SFmaritimeMus_Portra400new_03193001)

Prologue: Today is January 1st, 2099. A couple months ago, my life completely changed. Long story short, I was experimented on by a company called Alchemax. They did an experiment on me, which fused my DNA with the DNA of a spider. I thankfully survived this, but I quickly noticed my newfound powers. I could create webbing from my wrists, and climb on walls with my sharper finger tips, I gained super strength, and heightened agility. This was unusual for a person to have, especially that the time we now call the "heroic age" was over, for the longest time. But I made my own costume, and went on to start a new heroic age. My name is Miguel O'Hara... But I'm mostly known as Spider-Man.

 

I swung through the bright, loud, city of Nueva York. It's charming, even though it's so aggressively ear bleeding. I heard fireworks in the distance... I landed on a building, and took my mask off for a breather.

 

Spider-Man: *uff*... Ugh, that was tiring.

 

I speak to myself sometimes, it gets lonely. My phone rings in my pocket, so I take it out, and answer it.

 

Spider-Man: Hello?

 

The person who answered was Lyla, my best friend in a way. She's an artificial intelligence, programed by my ex-girlfriend.

 

Lyla, on phone: Hi, Miguel. How's it going?

 

Spider-Man: Uh, fine, I guess? Why are you calling me?

 

Lyla, on phone: Thought I should remind you that you planned on going out with Dana tonight?

 

Spider-Man: Sh#t... Completely forgot about that. Thanks.

 

Lyla, on phone: Language, and your welcome. Also, you wrote "Dana" on your calendar, which is why I said it, but I thought you were dating that other girl, "Xina?"-

 

Spider-Man: It's complicated.

 

Lyla, on phone: ...Okay, cool. Bye.

 

She hung up, and I put my phone back in my pocket. Right after, I saw a beam of yellow light shoot out from behind the building I was standing on.

 

Spider-Man: Well, that doesn't look good.

 

I put my mask on, and dropped down off the building. My fingertips brushed the glass of the building, lightly cutting it, before I landed on my feet, in an alley, behind a red and gold armored man, talking to a guy in a black hoodie, with a blue mohawk. The armored guy didn't notice me, not yet at least.

 

Armored guy: See? Isn't that impressive? That's the good tech Alchemax makes, alright? Get some of this next time!

 

I saw the blue haired man was shaking...

 

Armored guy: Huh? What's so scary?

 

He pointed his finger at me... The armored man turned around, and looked at me.

 

Armored guy: What the hell?!

 

Spider-Man: Hey hey!

 

Armored guy: Who's this guy supposed to be?!!

 

He shot a yellow laser towards me from his gauntlet, but I flipped out of the way.

 

Spider-Man: You can call me Spider-Man. You?

 

Armored guy: Hm... If we're gonna go with nicknames, I guess I'll be... Hm... How about, the Shocker?

 

He fired another laser, this one hit me, and hit me towards the ground.

 

Spider-Man: *uff*... Clever.

 

Usually I can anticipate attacks, with a little thing I call "spider-sense". Doesn't always work, though. I saw the blue haired guy get freaked out, and pull a metal rod from his pocket.

 

Mohawk guy: Get outta here, vigilante!!!

 

He pressed a button on the rod, it extended out into a long blade, it looked like a chainsaw with a sword handle. He charged at me with it, but I got up, and caught it.

 

Spider-Man, still holding blade: Ooh, that almost hurts!

 

I used my other hand to fire a web at the mans face, he backed up a step, releasing the blade from my hand, and ripping off the web.

 

Mohawk guy: Ugh... That's it!

 

He swung his sword-thingy again, but I jumped out of the way, and his blade got stuck in a wall.

 

Mohawk guy: Aghh..!!!

 

Spider-Man: Now I have something I can get you arrested for! You've swung a deadly weapon at me, twice! In addition to whatever was going on here already!

 

Shocker: Nothing else you can prove, punk!

 

He aimed his gauntlet at me, but before he could fire it, I used a web to pull his face to the ground!

 

Shocker: Ach!!!

 

I fired a couple more webs to him to keep him on the ground. I looked over, and saw the other criminal still trying to pull his sword from the wall.

 

Mohawk guy: Come on... Come on!

 

I used a web to pull him over Shocker, and webbed him over them, leaving the sword in the wall.

 

Spider-Man: Just let it go, man.

 

I pulled out my phone, and called Dana.

 

Dana, on phone: Hey, babe, where are you?

 

Spider-Man: Hi. I'll be at the restaurant in a second, A.S.A.P. Love you, bye.

 

I hung up the phone.

 

~Madam Web

 

Would of liked a sharper shot but they were in the grass and I couldn't get any closer without them taking off :(

My Sharper Image Roboscouts 2166 & 5244 produced in around 2000.

Taken at CLT c. 2002 on an Olympus point & shoot 35mm

 

DHC-8-100/200

 

Details

Country of Origin

Canada

Type

Turboprop regional airliner

History

Bombardier's de Havilland Dash 8 has proven to be a popular player in the regional turboprop airliner market. De Havilland Canada began development of the Dash 8 in the late 1970s in response to what it saw as a considerable market demand for a new generation 30 to 40 seat commuter airliner. The first flight of the first of two preproduction aircraft was on June 20 1983, while Canadian certification was awarded on September 28 1984. The first customer delivery was to norOntair of Canada on October 23 1984. Like the Dash 7, the Dash 8 features a high mounted wing and Ttail, and has an advanced flight control system and large full length trailing edge flaps. Power meanwhile is supplied by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120 series (originally designated PT7A) turboprops. Initial Dash 8 production was of the Series 100, which was followed by the Series 100A in 1990. The 100A introduced a revised interior with extra headroom and PW120A turboprops. The Series 100B was offered from 1992 with more powerful PW121s for better climb and airfield performance. Production since switched to the improved performance Dash 8-200. Announced in 1992 and delivered from April 1995 the -200 features more powerful PW123C engines which give a 56km/h (30kt) increase in cruising speed, as well as greater commonality with the stretched Dash 8300. The 200B derivative has PW123Bs for better hot and high performance. From the second quarter of 1996 all Dash 8s delivered have been fitted with a computer controlled noise and vibration suppression system (or NVS). To reflect this the designation was changed to Dash 8Q (Q for `quiet'). In 1998 that was changed again to Dash 8 Q200 when a new interior was introduced.

Powerplants

100 - Two 1490kW (2000shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120A turboprops driving four blade constant speed Hamilton Standard propellers. 100B - Two 1605kW (2150shp) PW121As. 200 - Two 1605kW (2150shp) PW123Cs in 200A, or two PW123Ds in 200B.

Performance

100A - Max cruising speed 490km/h (265kt), long range cruising speed 440km/h (237kt). Initial rate of climb 1560ft/min. Range with full passenger load, fuel and reserves 1520km (820nm), range with a 2720kg (6000lb) payload 2040km (1100nm). 100B - Same except max cruising speed of 500km/h (270kt). 200A & 200B - Same except max cruising speed 546km/h (295kt). Initial rate of climb 1475ft/min. Range with 37 passengers 1795km (970nm).

Weights

100A - Operating empty 10,250kg (22,600lb), max takeoff 15,650kg (34,500lb). 100B - Operating empty 10,273kg (22,648lb), max takeoff 16,465kg (36,300lb). 200A & 200B - Operating empty 10,434kg (23,004lb), max takeoff 16,465kg (36,300lb).

Dimensions

Wing span 25.91m (85ft 0in), length 22.25m (73ft 0in), height 7.49m (24ft 7in). Wing area 54.4m2 (585.0sq ft).

Capacity

Flightcrew of two. Typical passenger seating for 37 at four abreast and 79cm (31in) pitch, max seating for 40.

Production

347 Dash 8-100s/-200s in service or on order at late 1998.

 

Source: www.airliners.net/aircraft-data/de-havilland-canada-dhc-8...

 

Rainbow

 

An individual raindrop has a different shape and consistency than a glass prism, but it affects light in a similar way. When white sunlight hits a collection of raindrops at a fairly low angle, you can see the component colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet -- a rainbow. For simplicity's sake, we'll only look at red and violet, the colors of light on the ends of the visible light spectrum.

 

The diagram below shows what happens when the sunlight hits one individual raindrop.

 

When the white light passes from air into the drop of water, the component colors of light slow down to different speeds depending on their frequency. The violet light bends at a relatively sharp angle when it enters the raindrop. At the right-hand side of the drop, some of the light passes back out into the air, and the rest is reflected backward. Some of the reflected light passes out of the left side of the drop, bending as it moves into the air again.

 

In this way, each individual raindrop disperses white sunlight into its component colors. So why do we see wide bands of color, as if different rainy areas were dispersing a different single color? Because we only see one color from each raindrop. You can see how this works in the diagram below.

 

When raindrop A disperses light, only the red light exits at the correct angle to travel to the observer's eyes. The other colored beams exit at a lower angle, so the observer doesn't see them. The sunlight will hit all the surrounding raindrops in the same way, so they will all bounce red light onto the observer.

 

Raindrop B is much lower in the sky, so it doesn't bounce red light to the observer. At its height, the violet light exits at the correct angle to travel to the observer's eye. All the drops surrounding raindrop B bounce light in the same way. The raindrops in between A and B all bounce different colors of light to the observer, so the observer sees the full color spectrum. If you were up above the rain, you would see the rainbow as a full circle, because the light would bounce back from all around you. On the ground, we see the arc of the rainbow that is visible above the horizon.

 

Sometimes you see a double rainbow -- a sharp rainbow with a fainter rainbow on top of it. The fainter rainbow is produced in the same way as the sharper rainbow, but instead of the light reflecting once inside the raindrop, it's reflected twice. As a result of this double reflection, the light exits the raindrop at a different angle, so we see it higher up. If you look carefully, you'll see that the colors in the second rainbow are in the reverse order of the primary rainbow.

 

Source: science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/r...

Schnee-landschaft - crop portrait mode - hochkant - Nikon 50 mm - Landscape mode

 

Kamera

und Linsen

-

 

Waldhausen im Schnee versunken

aka 75 mm

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50 mm 1:1,8 G,

-

Astronomisch wird der Frühling auf der Nordhalbkugel durch das Primär-Äquinoktium (Primär-Tag-und-Nacht-Gleiche) festgelegt

 

auch zum meteorologischen Frühlingsanfang hin gibt es nochmal Schnee

-

Phänologisch teilt sich der Frühling in Mitteleuropa in drei Phasen:

Vorfrühling: Vom Blühbeginn der Schneeglöckchen und der Haselnuss, bis die Salweidenkätzchen pollengelb sind.

Erstfrühling: Vom Blühbeginn der Forsythie und Laubaustrieb der Stachelbeere bis zum Blühbeginn der Birnbäume.

Vollfrühling: Vom Blühbeginn der Apfelbäume und des Flieders bis zum Blühbeginn der Ebereschen und des Wiesenfuchsschwanzes.

 

 

The Leica M Monochrom features a new 18MP, 35mm-sized CCD sensor that only captures black-and-white, but because there is no color Leica claims it will produce spectacular image quality at up to ISO 10,000; images are said to be 100 percent sharper than an image produced by an equivalent color sensor. This specialized camera is being marketed to street photographers and photojournalists who work exclusively in black-and-white. The advantage of a dedicated black-and-white camera is that real brightness values are available for each individual pixel, resulting in sharp, accurate black and white images without the need for post-processing.

 

The camera is packaged with a full version of Silver Efex Pro 2 to let users recreate the looks of their favorite black-and-white films, and registered owners can take advantage of Whitewall, the Leica Monochrom print service that uses a traditional wet chemistry silver process.

 

The Key Features in Detail:

 

Newly developed monochrome CCD sensor with a native resolution of 18 Million Pixel.

With its full, native resolution of 18 megapixels, the Leica M Monochrom delivers 100% sharper images than with color sensors. The fact that its sensor does not "see" color means real brightness values are available for each individual pixel. That is to say, the sensor of the M Monochrom produces a "genuine" black-and-white image directly. In combination with the brilliant imaging performance of Leica lenses and the perfect matching of the sensor to the M system, this creates pictures of outstanding sharpness and natural brilliance, with no need to sharpen the image in post-processing. The result is incomparable picture quality, such as would normally only be expected of a medium-format camera. The impressively low noise level of the monochrome CCD sensor delivers an extremely fine-grained image, which is not perceived as disturbing even at the highest ISO settings.

 

Raw data histogram and parameter clipping warning

The Leica M Monochrom impresses discerning users and fine-art photographers with a raw data histogram for exact control of tonal values. In contrast to standard histograms, it depicts the actual raw data, unprocessed and uncorrupted. Especially in combination with the parameter clipping view, this enables exposures to be optimized with great precision in order to fully exploit the available dynamic range.

 

Tones

Whether sepia, cool or selenium with the M Monochrom images can be adjusted to the characteristic tones of analog black-and-white photography at the press of a button.

 

Design

The classic, iconic Leica M camera design is embodied in the Leica M Monochrom. The mat black chrome-finish top cover imbues the camera with the look of a discrete, unassuming instrument. Only an engraving on the black accessory shoe reveals the product's name. The camera features an extremely soft, tactile leatherette body covering which is perfectly in keeping with the discrete overall look. The camera comes with a real-leather carrying strap made of high-grade cowhide. Additionally there is a new handgrip available, featured with the same black chrome finish and the same leather trim as the camera.

 

Silver Efex Pro included

A full version of the world's leading black-and-white image processing software, Silver Efex Pro 2, is supplied. Silver Efex Pro 2 incorporates a unique and powerful set of darkroom-inspired tools to produce top-quality black-and-white pictures. Silver Efex Pro 2 emulates over 20 different black and white film types to recreate the classic monochrome look of film. The emulation is based on detailed analysis of multiple rolls of each film type. This results in accurate reproductions of popular film from ISO 32 to ISO 3200.

 

Leica Monochrom prints

For passionate black-and-white photographers looking to retain the accustomed brilliance and quality of their images in print, Leica offers a unique service. In cooperation with the photo processing lab Whitewall, the Leica Monochrom Print Service enables M Monochrom customers to obtain superb black-and-white prints of their work. This involves developing the digital images from the Leica M Monochrom on genuine fiber barite photographic paper. Thanks to use of the classic wet-chemistry silver process, the developed prints are indistinguishable from hand-made prints of analog images. Customers looking to utilize this exclusive service can order prints directly from Whitewall after registering their M Monochrom. This service is initially only available to Leica M Monochrom customers.

 

What's Included With This Item

Camera

Battery Charger 100-240V

2x Power Cords (USA, EU)

Car Charging Cable

Lithium-ion Battery

USB Cable

Real Leather Carrying Strap

Original Leica Monochrom Print of Campaign Photo

Instruction Manual

Information Leaflets on Registration and Software Downloads

SPECIFICATIONS:

 

Camera TypeCompact digital rangefinder system camera with a dedicated black-and-white image sensor

Lens mountLeica M bayonet with additional sensor for 6-bit coding

Lens SystemLeica M lenses from 16 to 135 mm

Image sensorActive area approx. 23.9 x 35.8 mm, 5212 x 3468 pixels (18 megapixels). Infrared blocking filter for invisible light with wavelengths longer than 700 nm, no low-pass filter

ResolutionOptional resolution, DNG: 5212 x 3468 (18 megapixels), JPEG: 5216 x 3472 (18 megapixels), 3840 x 2592 (10 megapixels), 2592 x 1728 (4.5 megapixels), 1728 x 1152 (2 megapixels), 1280 x 864 (1 megapixel)

Image File FormatsDNG (RAW), uncompressed, JPEG with quality-preserving compression

File SizesDNG: 18 MB (compressed), 36 MB (uncompressed),

JPEG: approx. 2-10 MB

Color SpacessRGB hardwired

Storage mediaSD-cards from 2 GB, SDHC-cards up to 32 GB

Menu languagesGerman, English, French, Spanish, Italian Japanese, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Russian

Exposure MeteringExposure metering through the lens (TTL), center-weighted at working aperture Center-weighted TTL-metering for flash with system-compatible SCA-3000/2 standard flash units

Metering rangeat f/1.0 / ISO 320/26° EV 1 to 21.

The left triangular LED in the viewfinder blinks when light levels are outside the lower metering range

ISO Sensitivity RangeISO 320/26° to ISO 10000/41°, selectable in 1/3-ISO increments with aperture priority metering (A) and manual exposure settings, choice of automatic control or manual setting. ISO 160 also available as a pull-function

Exposure ModesAperture priority (A) / Manual(M)

Flash ConnectionHot shoe with center and control contacts.

Flash SyncOptional, on first or second curtain

Flash synchronization speedMetering range

Flash MeteringControl by center-weighted, TTL pre-flash metering (with SCA-3501/3502 adapters or SCA-3000 standard flash units e.g. Leica SF 24D/Leica SF 58)

Flash metering cell2 silicon photodiodes with condenser lens in camera base

Flash exposure correction±3 1/3 EV in 1/3 EV increments, adjustable on SCA 3501/3502 adapter

 

Settings in computer mode for LEICA SF 24D, ±3 EV in 1/3 EV increments, or from 0 to -3 EV in 1 EV increments / adjustable in all modes for LEICA SF 58, ±3 EV in 1/3 EV increments

Displays in flash modeFlash ready: constant illumination of flash symbol LED in the viewfinder, flash confirmation: Constant illumination or rapid flashing of the LED after exposure, underexposure indicated by temporarily extinguished LED

Viewfinder principleLarge size, bright, combined bright-line viewfinder / rangefinder with automatic parallax compensation

EyepieceAdjusted to -0.5 diopters Correction lenses for -3 to +3 dptr. available

Image field framingBy projection of two bright-line frames with each lens attached: for 35 and 135 mm, or for 28 and 90 mm, or 50 and 75 mm. Automatically displayed when lens mount locks. Any of the pairs of bright-line frames can be displayed by moving the frame selection lever

Viewfinder to image correspondenceAt a focusing distance of 1 meter, the bright-line frame size corresponds precisely to that of a sensor size of 23.9 x 35.8 mm.

 

At ifinity, and depending on the focal length of the lens in use, more of the sensor is covered than the bright-line frame actually shows, the opposite is the case for focusing distances of less than 1 meter, i.e. somewhat less

Magnification0.68-fold (for all lenses)

Long-base rangefinderBright rectangular spot (RF spot) with coincident and superimposed fields in the center of the viewfinder image

Effective rangefinder base47.1 mm (mechanical rangefinder base 69.25 mm x viewfinder magnification 0.68x)

Viewfinder displaysLED-Symbol for flash status (on lower edge)

Four-digit, seven-segment digital LED display.

Display brightness adapts to ambient light, for: exposure compensation activation warning, display of automatically determined shutter speeds in aperture priority mode, reminder of activated exposure value lock.

LED light balance with two triangular outer and one round central

LED for manual exposure setting

Displays on the back2.5" monitor (color TFT-LCD) with 230,000 pixels

ShutterMicroprocessor-controlled, particularly low-noise, metal-leaf, vertical focal-plane shutter

Shutter speedsIn aperture priority mode (A) continuous from 32 s to 1/4000 s. In manual setting mode, 8 s to 1/4000 s in half-speed increments, B for time exposures up to max. 240 s, shortest shutter speed for flash sync, 1/180 s

Continuous shootingApprox. 2 fps, 8 frames in sequence

Shutter releaseThree steps: Activation of metering - store metering values (in aperture priority mode) - shutter release. Standard internal threading for remote release

Self-timerCountdown 2 s (in aperture priority mode and manual exposure mode) or 12 s, menu setting option, countdown is indicated by a flashing LED on the front of the camera and a corresponding display on the monitor

Camera power on / power offMain switch located on the top deck, optional sleep mode for camera electronics after 2 / 5 / 10 minutes, reactivation by slight pressure to shutter release button

Power supply1 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, nominal voltage 3.7V, capacity 1900 mAh. Charge level displayed on monitor screen, when shutter locked in open position (for sensor cleaning), additional acoustic warning signal for insufficient battery charge

Battery chargerInputs: 100-240 V AC , 50/60 Hz, automatic adaptation, or 12/24 V DC; output: 4.2 V DC, 800 mA

MaterialFull-metal body in die cast magnesium alloy with synthetic leather trim. Top deck and baseplate in brass with black chrome finish, sapphire glass LCD cover for the monitor screen

Tripod threadA 1/4 (1/4") DIN, stainless steel, integrated in base plate

Operating conditions32 to 104°F / 0 to +40°C

Interface5-pin Mini-USB 2.0 high-speed socket for fast data transfer

CompatibilityWindows 7 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP2, Mac OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or higher

Dimensions LxDxH5.47 x 1.46 x 31.5" / 139 x 37 x 80mm

Weight21.16 oz / 600g with battery

 

This picture was taken in the wild in the outskirt of Nazareth Israel..

Thank you for viewing my photos and for your comments/faves !

 

Sharper in lightbox... Yes, I will continue to complain about this for the rest of my life if they don't fix this. :)

Sharpers of Nottingham Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini seen in Nottingham 60YWX

Sharper

This is a good example of how things looked to the eye....but for the most part, my crummy photography couldn't do it justice.

六月晚梅，毛毛雨下個不停。本來要去合歡山的行程也泡湯了，一不小心晃到斜張橋來拍烏雲，一手撐著傘防止雨滴滴在鏡頭上、一手刷黑卡。

 

夏天的日落偏北，容易掉到畫面最右邊去影響構圖。這次提早在下午三點來拍，陽光的方向剛好在構圖的正中央，隱隱約約從雲的縫隙中透出。

Sharper Image Catalog Marilyn Monroe Jukebox Cover, November 1986 from the huge prior art research catalog collection, now for sale, of Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube

Uploaded sharper version 2/25/19. The description below is from 2011.

 

More fun with sun breaks.

 

I shot this one without a tripod. I rested the camera on my knee and pointed it in the general direction of the orchard.

 

Camera: Hasselbald 500CM.

Lens: 50mm Carl Zeiss wit a green filter.

Film: Adox CHS 100 developed in Kodak Xtol

 

#mosier #myoregon #oregonexplored #columbiagorge #pnwexplored #hasselblad #mediumformat #filmphotography

 

My Blog: Gary L. Quay Photography

My portfolio on Shutterstock

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Feel free to join my Flickr groups

Wasco County, Oregon

Mosier, Oregon

and Old School Film Photography

A Serbian Brass Band plays at a wedding in Belgrade.

 

Canon A1 with 50mm 1.2L lens, cropped and some post processing.

 

I got the focus point slightly off as I think the horn players hand is sharper than the trumpet players eyes, but it is bloody hard to get it right in the dark!

 

Film type: 35mm

Film manufacturer: Ilford.

Film name: Pan 400 @ 1600

Developer: ID11.

Developer maker: Ilford.

Developer dilution: Full Power.

 

clearer view of the rear of the Reliant Robin SLX

Nicer, sharper, larger viewing: View On Black.

 

**

 

My lensbaby set, I am quite happy with that combination at the moment. This enables perfect focus using the 10x zoomed liveview mode:

 

Lensbaby Composer + Lensbaby Edge 80 + EOS 5D + display loupe.

  

Note: Display loupe: LCDVF Viewfinder 2.8x for Canon 5D Mark II etc.

Sharper on Black ... :))

Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Loudenslager Laser 200

"Beautiful Obsession":

 

With the Laser 200, Leo Loudenslager won an unprecedented seven U.S. National Aerobatic Championship titles between 1975 and '82, as well as the 1980 World Champion title. The airplane originated as a Stephens Akro, a sleed aeroback design, but by 1975 Loudenslager had completely modified the airplane with a new forward fuselage, wings, tail, and cockpit. The Laser 200 emerged as a lighter, stronger, and more powerful aircraft, enabling Loudenslager to perform sharper and more difficult maneuvers.

 

Loudenslager's legacy is evident in the tumbling and twisting but precise routines flown by current champions and airshow pilots. The Laser 200 heavily influenced the look and performance of the next generation of aerobatic aircraft, including the Extra, which dominated competition throughout the 1990s.

 

Gift of Carolyn and Kelly Loudenslager

 

Manufacturer:

Leo Loudenslager

 

Date:

1975-1998

 

Country of Origin:

United States of America

 

Dimensions:

Wingspan: 8 m (26 ft 2 in)

Length: 5.5 m (18 ft 8 in)

Height: 1.6 m (5 ft 5 in)

Weight, empty: 400 kg (885lb)

Top speed: 370km/h (230 mph)

Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 200 hp

 

Materials:

Fuselage: steel tube with Ceconite cover aft

Wings: one piece, wooden spars Physical Description:N-10LL. Mid-wing aerobatic monoplane, red with white shooting stars. Built and flown by aerobatic champion and airshow pilot Leo Loudenslager.

Engine: Lycoming IO-360-AIA, 200 hp

MT propeller, MTV-2B-C/193-02. Serial number 88 069

 

• • • • •

 

Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | De Havilland-Canada DHC-1A Chipmunk, Pennzoil Special:

 

De Havilland originally designed the Chipmunk after World War II as a primary trainer to replace the venerable Tiger Moth. Among the tens of thousands of pilots who trained in or flew the Chipmunk for pleasure was veteran aerobatic and movie pilot Art Scholl. He flew his Pennzoil Special at air shows throughout the 1970s and early '80s, thrilling audiences with his skill and showmanship and proving that the design was a top-notch aerobatic aircraft.

 

Art Scholl purchased the DHC-1A in 1968. He modified it to a single-seat airplane with a shorter wingspan and larger vertical fin and rudder, and made other changes to improve its performance. Scholl was a three-time member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team, an air racer, and a movie and television stunt pilot. At air shows, he often flew with his dog Aileron on his shoulder or taxied with him standing on the wing.

 

Gift of the Estate of Arthur E. Scholl

 

Manufacturer:

De Havilland Canada Ltd.

 

Pilot:

Art Scholl

 

Date:

1946

 

Country of Origin:

United States of America

 

Dimensions:

Wingspan: 9.4 m (31 ft)

Length: 7.9 m (26 ft)

Height: 2.1 m (7 ft 1 in)

Weight, empty: 717 kg (1,583 lb)

Weight, gross: 906 kg (2,000 lb)

Top speed: 265 km/h (165 mph)

Engine: Lycoming GO-435, 260 hp

 

Materials:

Overall: Aluminum Monocoque Physical Description:Single-engine monoplane. Lycoming GO-435, 260 hp engine.

 

• • • • •

 

Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Concorde, Fox Alpha, Air France:

 

The first supersonic airliner to enter service, the Concorde flew thousands of passengers across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound for over 25 years. Designed and built by Aérospatiale of France and the British Aviation Corporation, the graceful Concorde was a stunning technological achievement that could not overcome serious economic problems.

 

In 1976 Air France and British Airways jointly inaugurated Concorde service to destinations around the globe. Carrying up to 100 passengers in great comfort, the Concorde catered to first class passengers for whom speed was critical. It could cross the Atlantic in fewer than four hours - half the time of a conventional jet airliner. However its high operating costs resulted in very high fares that limited the number of passengers who could afford to fly it. These problems and a shrinking market eventually forced the reduction of service until all Concordes were retired in 2003.

 

In 1989, Air France signed a letter of agreement to donate a Concorde to the National Air and Space Museum upon the aircraft's retirement. On June 12, 2003, Air France honored that agreement, donating Concorde F-BVFA to the Museum upon the completion of its last flight. This aircraft was the first Air France Concorde to open service to Rio de Janeiro, Washington, D.C., and New York and had flown 17,824 hours.

 

Gift of Air France.

 

Manufacturer:

Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale

British Aircraft Corporation

 

Dimensions:

Wingspan: 25.56 m (83 ft 10 in)

Length: 61.66 m (202 ft 3 in)

Height: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)

Weight, empty: 79,265 kg (174,750 lb)

Weight, gross: 181,435 kg (400,000 lb)

Top speed: 2,179 km/h (1350 mph)

Engine: Four Rolls-Royce/SNECMA Olympus 593 Mk 602, 17,259 kg (38,050 lb) thrust each

Manufacturer: Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale, Paris, France, and British Aircraft Corporation, London, United Kingdom

 

Physical Description:

Aircaft Serial Number: 205. Including four (4) engines, bearing respectively the serial number: CBE066, CBE062, CBE086 and CBE085.

Also included, aircraft plaque: "AIR FRANCE Lorsque viendra le jour d'exposer Concorde dans un musee, la Smithsonian Institution a dores et deja choisi, pour le Musee de l'Air et de l'Espace de Washington, un appariel portant le couleurs d'Air France."

Yes the D800E is a bit sharper than the D800 ! Love it! :)

 

Nikon D800E Photographs of a Beautiful Sandy-Blonde/Brunette Swimsuit Bikini Model shot with the brand new Nikon D800 E and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens.

 

Captured in both RAW and JPEG.

 

Check out the amazing detail in the full resolution photos! I was running out of CF & SD cards fast, as the files are huge!

 

A classic California Hero's Journey Mythology Goddess! Tall, pretty, thin, fit, with pretty brown eyes and long sandy-blonde/brunette hair, blowing on the sea breeze.

 

In a sea cave on El Matador Beach in Malibu!

 

Enjoy the epic beauty of the mythological hero's journey, in great detail via the Nikon D800-E ! :)

 

The full resolutions RAWs and JPEGs are amazing!

 

Modeling the new Hero's Journey Mythology Swimsuits on a sunny spring day in Malibu!

 

Enjoy!

 

With her wavy, curly hair blowing on the sea breeze! Best to shoot the caves in the AM, before the wind kicks up and transforms them into a wind tunnel!

 

& may the Hero's Journey Mythology Photography inspire and guide you along a hero's journey of your won making! Carpe Diem! Seize the day! Pursue art & beauty!

Explore #30 Thanks everyone!!

 

©2007 LSC All Rights Reserved. Not to be used without permission.

  

A shame the recording wasn't sharper, but here is a real trip down memory lane, featuring some well-known London dealerships.

 

In order of appearance, we have:

• Squires Lane Motor Company, who were based in Finchley, and specialised in cars from the Continent. The Rover SD1 parked outside their premises must've been taken in part exchange.

 

• Village Garage, whose premises sat beneath the towering heights of Station House (since renamed Wembley Point). The site has long been cleared, and a hand car wash service has taken its place since at least 2015.

 

• Pamsons Motors of Golders Green, with that lovely Nissan Stanza liftback on the forecourt, were actually the subject of a landmark court case in 1987, when a certain Mr. Bernstein bought a brand new Nissan Laurel from them, and had it break down after covering just 140 miles. They ceased trading later that year.

 

• Hills of Woodford are the only one of the four still trading today. Being Toyota dealers, that Mk 2 Escort must've been taken in part exchange.

 

And now for the cars:

• HBM 696T is a Luton-registered Mercedes-Benz W116 which ended up on a private plate.

 

• YPB 867T is a 1978 Audi 100 LS Auto, registered in Guildford on the 1st August 1978, and which only lasted another 5 years after this ad was aired – slightly odd how its windscreen wipers are configured for a LHD driving position.

 

• VLJ 895X is a Bournemouth-registered Porsche 928 which ended up on a private plate.

 

• 222 KUO is a rare 1968 Ferrari 330 GTS Spider (only 100 were built), which has since been repainted dark blue, and appears to have been put into storage in 2005 – photo in comments.

 

• JMH 830W is a 1980 Toyota Starlet GL 5-door which was registered in N.E. London on the 1st August 1980, and came off the road by the end of July 1994.

Kanyama Sharper, age 32, of Oceanside, California, runs in the Lifetime Triathlon Oceanside Harbor international distance triathlon in the Male 30-34 division. Sharper finished 14th out of 25 in his division and 93rd overall out of 232 triathletes.

 

NTU_7684

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

The AMD Mystère S represents one of the many evolutionary steps in French 2nd generation jet fighter aircraft design, which began with the straight-wing Dassault Ouragan and progressed through the Mystère II/III and Mystère IV to the supersonic Super Mystère SM2B. Internally designated AMD 461 and originally called the Mystère X (Roman numeral “10”, not the letter “X”), the new aircraft was the attempt to improve the successful Mystère IV from 1953 in many respects, following Marcel Dassaults strategy to take small, evolutionary steps instead of radical quantum leaps. While the overall outlines were similar and followed the proven layout of the former Dassault jet fighters, the AMD 461 was a completely new design, though.

 

First of all, the machine was from the start designed around the indigenous axial-flow Atar 101 jet engine, since it had become obvious that the former radial-flow engines used in Dassault’s fighters, like the Rolls-Royce Tay and its French-built version, the Hispano-Suiza Verdon 350, did not offer the potential for sustained supersonic performance in level flight. As a result, the fuselage became thinner and the aircraft had a less tubby look. Furthermore, in order to achieve the ambitious performance goals, a new wing was devised, and it incorporated leading edges made from novel composite materials. The wing shape was more complex than previous AMD designs: unlike the simple trapezoid Mystère II and IV wing designs, the AMD 461’s wings had kinked wing leading edges at about half span, so that the wing root sections were extended forward and had a slightly stronger sweep than the outer wing sections (47° vs. 45°), resulting in a crescent planform with rounded tips. Dogteeth at the kinks’ position increased the wings’ critical Mach number, augmented by small boundary layer fences. A novelty were power-operated ailerons. The tail surfaces were swept, too, and featured a variable-incidence tail plane.

 

The Mystère IV’s circular nose air intake arrangement was retained, but the intake received a sharper lip for better aerodynamic efficiency at high speed. The intake ducts were split deeper down inside of the fuselage, flanking the cockpit and the weapon bay behind it (see below) on both sides. The small ranging radar, originally developed for the upgraded Mystère IVB (which never made it into series production due to a fatal prototype crash and the progress of AMD’s other supersonic projects), was relocated and now mounted on top of the intake section, reminiscent of the F-86’s arrangement. A gun camera was placed outside of the intake in a small fairing on the starboard side. Two pitots under the air intake (one main and a secondary sensor) replaced the Mystère IV’s single wing-mounted sensor boom.

 

Being a classic “gunfighter”, the AMD 461’s main armament comprised a pair of 30mm DEFA cannon in the lower front fuselage, taken over from the Mystère IV, and a retractable Type 103 pannier for 45 unguided MATRA missiles against air or ground targets behind the front wheel well. Four underwing hardpoints could carry a total payload of 1.500 kg (3.300 lb), including a pair of supersonic 625 l drop tanks on the inner pair of pylons. A typical fighter weapon were lightweight Matra Type 116M launchers, each with 19 unguided SNEB-68 air-to-air rockets. Up to four could be carried under the wings. In a secondary attack/fighter bomber role, bombs of various caliber (up to 500 kg/1.100 lb on the inner and 250 kg/550 lb on the outer hardpoints) and other unguided missiles/pods were possible, too.

 

The first Mystère X prototype was powered by the Atar 101D with 29,420 N (6,610 lbf) of thrust, and it flew successfully in June 1953. However, due to the lack of an afterburner at this stage, the machine could only become supersonic in a dive, just like the former Mystère fighters, and it offered in this guise only minimal performance improvements – even though the handling near Mach 1 was already noticeably better. The initial flight test program was successful, though, and the Armée de l’Air immediately placed an order for 100 Mystère X aircraft, intended to improve the Armée de l’Air’s interception capabilities as soon as possible. Serial production started instantaneously, even while the flight tests were still ongoing, and the production machines were powered by the newly developed Atar 101F, which had just been cleared for production and operation on the Mystère X prototype. The Atar 101F was basically a D model with an afterburner added to it, to produce a temporary thrust of 37,300 N (8,400 lbf) and ensure the desired top speed in level flight of more than Mach 1. As a result, the Mystère X’s tail section had to be modified to accommodate the new engine’s longer tailpipe, which did not feature an adjustable nozzle yet – it was simply extended beyond the fin’s trailing edge, and even then the longer jet pipe protruded from the hull. However, this modification was successful and incorporated into the serial aircraft. With the Atar 101F, the serial production Mystère X’s performance was appreciably improved: beyond supersonic top speed, initial rate of climb was almost doubled in comparison with the Mystère IV, but the thirsty afterburner engine almost nullified any gain in range from the new type’s higher internal fuel capacity. Drop tanks had to be carried almost all the time.

 

The quick (if not hastened) order for the Mystère X also served as an insurance policy in the event of the AMD effort failing to produce an even more capable supersonic aircraft with the Mystère XX, a project that had been under development as a private venture in parallel, but with a time lag of about two years and benefitting from the research that had been done for the AMD 461. However, both designs turned out to be successful and both were adopted for service. They became known to the public as the Mystère S (for ‘supersonique’) and the Super Mystère, respectively. The first Super Mystère prototype, powered by a Rolls-Royce Avon RA.7R, took to the air on 2 March 1955, and the promising aircraft already broke the sound barrier in level flight the following day. The Super Mystère turned out to be the more capable and modern aircraft thanks to its new, more powerful Atar 109G-2 engine.

 

The more capable Super Mystère was immediately favored and, as a consequence, the running Mystère S order was cancelled in May 1955 and its initial production run limited to a mere 54 airframes - the number that had been completed until that point. The Super Mystère became the Armée de l’Air’s standard fighter for the late Fifties and production was quickly switched to the new type, 180 specimen were eventually built. Since a mix of types in the operational fighter squadrons was not economical, the Armée de l’Air decided to separate them and find a different role for the young but relatively small Mystère S fleet. Since the aircraft had a rugged airframe and had shown very good handling characteristics at medium to low altitude, and because the Armée de l’Air was lacking a fast, tactical and indigenous reconnaissance aircraft at that time (the standard type was the RF-84F), the Armée de l’Air decided in 1956 to convert the Mystère S fighters accordingly.

 

This modification was a relatively easy task: The retractable missile pannier (which was hardly ever used) was removed and its well behind the cockpit offered sufficient internal space for optical reconnaissance equipment in a conditioned compartment. This comprised four OMERA cameras (less than the RF-84F’s six cameras), covered by a ventral canoe fairing. One camera was facing forward, two were set on mounts that allowed vertical photography or camera orientation to either port or starboard, and the fourth camera had a panoramic field of view. After these modifications, the machines were re-designated Mystère SR to reflect their new role and capabilities.

 

Initially, the converted machines retained the twin DEFA cannon armament and full external stores capability. Typical load in the new photo-recce role was the standard pair of drop tanks, plus optional flares for night photography. In this guise the Mystère SR fleet was distributed among two reconnaissance units, ER 2/33 “Savoie” and ER 3/33 “Moselle” in Eastern France, close to the German border, starting service in April 1957.

Later in their career, the Mystère SR’s guns and also the ranging radar equipment (even though the empty small radome was retained) were often removed. This was initially a weight-saving measure for better performance, but due to their short legs many Mystère SRs had extra fuel tanks added to the former gun and ammunition bays. In some cases the space was used to house additional mission equipment, the aircrafts’ designation did not change, though. The integration of the new Matra R.550 Magic AAM was considered briefly in 1970, but not deemed relevant for the Mystère SR’s mission profile. However, eight late-production Mystère SRs received a new, bigger panoramic OMERA camera, which necessitated a larger ventral fairing and some other internal changes. These machines were re-designated Mystère SRP (‘panoramique’). Another early Mystère SR was used for the development of indigenous infra-red linescan and side looking airborne radar systems, which were both later incorporated in an under-fuselage pod for the Mirage IIIR.

 

Having become quickly obsolete through the introduction of 3rd generation jet fighters in the early Sixties – namely the Mirage III – the Mystère SR’s active career only lasted a mere 10 years, and the Mirage III’s fighter variants quickly replaced the Super Mystère, too. Due to its many limitations, the Mystère SR was soon replaced by the Mirage IIIR reconnaissance version, by 1974 all aircraft had been retired. Another reason for this early operational end were durability problems with the composite elements on the aircraft’s wings – there had been no long-term experience with the new material, but the elements tended to become brittle and collapse under stress or upon bird strikes. AMD conceived a plan to replace the affected panels with light metal sheets, but this update, which would have prolonged service life for 10 more years, was not carried out. After spending 5 years in mothballed storage, all surviving Mystère SR airframes were scrapped between 1980 and 1981.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 42 ft 3 in (12.88 m) overall

42 ft 3 in (12.88 m) w/o pitots

Wingspan: 32 ft 4 in (9.86 m)

Height: 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)

Wing area: 345.5 sq ft (32.2 m²)

Empty weight: 13,435 lb (6,094 kg)

Gross weight: 21,673 lb (9,831 kg)

Fuel capacity: 3,540 l (778 imp gal; 934 US gal) internally

plus 2x 625 l (72 imp gal; 165 US gal) drop tanks

 

Powerplant:

1× Atar 101F turbojet, rated at 29.42 kN (6,610 lbf) dry thrust

and with 37.3 kN (8,400 lbf) with afterburner

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 1,110 km/h (600 kn, 690 mph) at sea level

1,180 km/h (637 kn 732 mph,) at 11,000 m (36,089 ft)

Combat range: 915 km (494  nmi, 570 mi) with internal fuel only

Maximum range: 1,175 km (730 mi, 634 nmi)

Service ceiling: 45,800 ft (14,000 m)

Rate of climb: 14,660 ft/min (74.5 m/s)

Time to altitude: 40,000 ft (12,000 m) in 4 minutes 41 seconds

 

Armament:

2x 30mm (1.18 in) DEFA 552 cannon with 150 rounds per gun (later frequently deleted)

Four underwing hardpoints for 1.500 kg (3.300 lb) of ordnance,

including a pair of 625 liter drop tanks, flares and various unguided missiles and iron bombs

  

The kit and its assembly:

A project I had on my idea list for a long time – there were so many AMD jet fighter designs (both that entered service but also many paper projects and prototypes) during the Fifties and Sixties that I wondered if I could smuggle a what-if type somewhere into the lineage. A potential basis appeared when I recognized that the British Supermarine Swift had a fuselage shape quite similar to the contemporary French fighters, and from this impression the idea was born to “Frenchize” a Swift.

 

This called for a kitbash, and I used a Matchbox Mystère IV (Revell re-boxing) for the French donor elements that would be grafted onto an Xtrakit FR.5 model, which looks good in the box but has serious fit issues, e.g. between the rear fuselage halves or when the wings have to be mated with the completed fuselage.

The transplantations from the rather primitive/blunt Matchbox Mystère included the whole cockpit section except for the interior, which was taken from the in this respect much better Swift, the glazing, the spine and the whole tail with fin and stabilizers. The Swift provided most of the fuselage, the wings and the landing gear, even though I used the Mystère’s main wheels because of their characteristic hub caps/brake arrangement.

Mating the fuselage sections from the two models became a major stunt, though, because the diameters and shapes were rather different. Three-dimensional gaps and steps behihd the cockpit had to be bridged, initially with 2C putty for the rough overall shape and then with NC putty for a smooth finish. A gap in the spine in front of the fin had to be improvised/filled, too, and the Mystère’s fin had to be tailored to the different Swift rear fuselage shape, too.

The result looks a little odd, though, the Swift’s original air intake ducts now look from certain angles like hamster cheeks – but after all, the ducts have to pass the central cockpit section on both sides somehow, so that the arrangement makes nonetheless sense. And the small dorsal spine taken over from the Mystère changes the Swift’s profile considerably, as well as the shorter Dassault-style canopy.

 

The small ranging radar radome is just a piece of sprue from the Mystère kit, blended into the rest of the fuselage with putty. The interior of the air intake was heavily modified – the original splitter, positioned directly inside of the intake, was deleted and the walls trimmed down for a much thinner/sharper lip. Inside of the intake a bulkhead was added as a sight blocker, and a new splitter was mounted to the new bulkhead in a much deeper position. The gun camera fairing is a piece of styrene profile, the new twin pitots (reminiscent of the SM2B’s arrangement) were made from heated sprue material.

The camera fairing is the lower half from a P-47 drop tank, left over from a Hobby Boss kit, IIRC, and in order to fit the Swift’s cockpit tub into the Mystère’s fuselage the rear bulkhead had to be re-created with the help of paper tissue drenched with white glue.

The drop tanks come from a KP MiG-19, which had the benefit of integral, thin pylons at a suitable position for the Mystère SR. For a different look I just canted their fins downwards.

  

Painting and markings:

For a subtle impression I settled for an authentic livery: the French rendition of the USAF SEA scheme for the F-100 with local CELOMER tones, which was not only applied to the Armée de l’Air’s F-100s (these were originally delivered in NMF and camouflaged later in the Sixties), but also to the Super Mystères - the SM2Bs actually carried a quite faithful adaptation of the USAF’s F-100 pattern! However, the indigenous CELOMER paints differed from the original U.S. Federal Standard tones (FS 30219, 34102, 34079 and 36622, respectively), esp. the reddish light tan was more of an earth tone, and the dark green had a more bluish hue.

 

This offered some freedom – even more so because real life pictures of French reference aircraft show a wide range of shades of these basic tones and frequent serious weathering. Instead of the U.S. tan I went for RAF Dark Earth (Humbrol 29), the dark Forest Green was replaced with Humbrol 75 (Bronze Green). The light green became a 2:1 mix of Humbrol 117 (the original FS 34102) with Humbrol 78 (RAF Cockpit Green), for more contrast and less yellow in the tone. The undersides were painted with Humbrol 166 (RAF Light Aircraft Grey).

After a black ink wash I gave the model a thorough panel post-shading and recreated some lost panel lines with the help of silver paint, too. I also added some paint patches and touch-ups, for a rather worn look of the aircraft.

The black areas around the gun muzzles were created with the help of decal material, generic black decal sheet material was also used to create the camera windows. Grey (Revell 75) dielectric panels were added to the fin tip and behind the cockpit. The cockpit interior became very dark grey (Revell 09, Anthracite, with some dry-painted medium grey on top), while the landing gear and the respective wells were left in aluminum (Humbrol 56).

 

The decals are a mix from various sources. The ER 2/33 markings came from a Heller Mirage III sheet, which offers an optional IIIR from 1984. I also settled for relatively small roundels (from a Mirage F.1C) – a trend which started in the Armée de l’Air in the early Seventies and also comprised the deletion of the fin flash. Contemporary real world SM2Bs with the French SEA cammo frequently carried a similar type of subdued markings instead of earlier, bigger roundels found on the machines in NMF finish or on the aircraft from EC 1/12 "Cambresis" with their unique and different camouflage in two shades of green and a rather sandy tan, almost like a desert paint scheme. The white tactical code “33-PS” was improvised with single 4mm letters from TL Modellbau. The stencils were puzzled together from various Mirage III/V/F.1C sheets and also from an IAI Kfir.

 

The kit received some additional dry-painting with silver to simulate more wear, and was finally sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish.

  

Another “missing link” build, but I think that my Mystère S fits stylistically well into the (non-existent, though) gap between the Mystère IV and the Super Mystère, sporting vintage details like the round air intake but coupled with highly swept wings and the Swift’s elegant lines. The “traditional” French paint scheme adds to the realism - and, when put in the right background/landscape context, turns out to be very effective. Not a spectacular model, despite serious body work around the cockpit, but a convincing result.

Looks sharper in Lightbox!

 

Another ancient shot from Winters Past. So old I can't actually remember where I took it. I think it was somewhere near Blue Rocks.

As you know I am not a fan of Winter, but the ice looked pretty neat at the time and the novelty of snow and ice hadn't quite worn off then like it has now! It has been warmer today and raining, much more English!

I have 3x 50mm lens (F1.4, F1.7 and F2.8 macro) and among the 3 lenses this Sigma 50mm F.28 macro has the least usage. Bought it to shoot food but found out 50mm focal length is too long.

 

Used it for portrait and it's not bad, pretty sharp at wide open, F4.0 is even sharper.

 

This IPMAN outfit bought from taobao for only $10. :)

Uploaded sharper version 5/27/19.

 

This is from a couple years ago. I like this little stretch of he Historic Columbia River Highway near Mosier.

 

One of my favorite spots in the Columbia Gorge (or, indeed, anywhere) is Mosier, Oregon. Mosier is home to about 420 people, a number of excellent wineries (Idiot’s Grace and Granier), vinyards, orchards, the Mosier Gap in the Columbia River, and some stunning semi-arid scenery. Being in the rainshadow, which is the area of drier climate east of the Cascade Mountains, Mosier gets about 13 inches of rain a year, and the predominant pines of the western gorge cede some territory to White Oaks, and grassy hills. It is not quite as dry as areas faurther east, so it retains more trees and other flora, including some impressive wildflowers in the early spring.

 

Camera: Nikon D300

Lens: 24-120mm Nikon ED

 

# #hoodgorge #myoregon #pnwroamers #oregonexplored #nikon #garyquay #mosier #historiccolumbiariverhighway

 

My Blog: Gary L. Quay Photography

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Wasco County, Oregon

Mosier, Oregon

and Old School Film Photography

This dried branch of a plant exhibit sharp thorns normally to scare or drive away herbivores from feeding on its leaves or fruits. Best viewed large.

Version two with different angle and is a bit sharper than this:

www.flickr.com/photos/kartoffel/32578234/

 

Sharper then an lightsaber

Geppi Cucciari in dollars