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› archive for April 6th, 2009

Clean-Up Fu

So, we finally got the time and the resources and the where-withall to do some serious cross testing on our site. To the best of my knowledge the site now works just as well and looks as good as possible in the following combinations:

Windows:

  • Firefox (should work fine in any halfway recent version)
  • IE 6 (except Help Department, I’m working on a solution for that. IE6 is… weird about things)
  • IE 7
  • IE 8 (forces the browser to use IE 7 rendering until more people use 8, then we’ll migrate to 8′s new rendering engine)
  • Chrome
  • Safari

Mac:

  • Firefox
  • Safari

Ubuntu Linux:

  • Firefox

We still haven’t tested the site in Camino on Macs, but we will next week. If there are any Linux users out there having problems on the rarer browsers, let me know. Better support for mobile devices is on the roadmap for those of you checking us with your iPhones and iPods and other smart devices.

The whole point here is we really want you to know we have every intention of being the place to go for online shopping. The world’s moving fast and we have to make some compromises regarding older systems, but we still intend to support as much as we can as properly as we can for as long as we can. If something is wrong, we want to fix it. Keep up the good job of reporting problems.



PhotoWalkAbout on Flickr! Participles abound!

Alright, folks we’ve got a new group organized on Flickr for PhotoWalk/WalkAbout photos. You can get photos added to the group by joining it using your existing Flickr account and then adding from your photostream. Flickr accounts are free, like the PhotoWalks, so join up!

Don’t miss the next walk -Wednesday April 8th at 8am, because we’d all love to see your brilliant (and less brilliant) shots -not to mention brilliant (and less brilliant) faces.



Acratech’s Fancy GP Ballhead

Acractech GP Ballhead

Acractech GP Ballhead

OK, product spotlight time. I haven’t done one of these in a while, but it’s been a while since I stumbled across something cool like this. So, from the school of thought that goes “Hey! The top camera tripods cost me like 400 bucks, I need a ball head that rivals that.” So, here’s the Acratech GP, a nice $390 or so ballhead, but this one i think earns every single dollar they’re asking for it.

First, there’s the “mundanity”, which says the sucker can hold 25 pounds “at any angle”– remember that, we’re coming back to it in a moment. It weighs less than a pound, and takes Krik/Arca style plates. All very cool, but maybe not open-my-wallet-shell-out-390 cool.

Except, see how the degree scales are printed right side up and upside down as well? I wandered about that when I first saw it. Turns out, you can take the quick release off and mount the head upside down as well, giving you a nice panning, level head. Perfect for putting macro rails on. Flip it around the other way and you’ve got a ball head, but weight, with gimbal action. That’s right. It’s a ball head, it’s a pan head, it’s a gimbal. That’s pretty A-OK with me. Saves space inthe luggage, that’s for sure.

I don’t think we have these in yet, but that just means they’re coming. Me, I’d say if you want a ballhead worthy of a product highlight from me, I’d go with. How’s that for faux arrogance, eh?




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