Destiny 2

[Doc Holiday]

26 minutes ago, d-dave said:

I got a T5i before Thanksgiving.  I've been taking mostly family photos and stuff I find around.  I'm just trying to learn how bad of a photographer I am so I can figure out how to suck less.  I keep kind of fantasizing about getting a full frame camera like a used 5D (OG or mark II) as they can be had for $500 ($800 for the mark 2) compared to buying a more up to date crop sensor.

The 50mm/1.8 is a great little lens.  On our crop sensors, it's almost a good portrait lens.  I've gotten some really nice pictures with that lens.

Right now I'm debating, I really want a 70-200mm.  The Canon L f/4 is a good starting point for $500-600, but I've also been checking out the Tameron and Sigma lenses too.  

Have you tried shooting raw and playing with that in edit?  I am lucky in that I have a work creative cloud account so I've been able to work in lightroom.  I am blown away by what I can get out of a raw file compared to a jpeg.

I'm in the same boat as you man, I'm just trying to figure things out still.

I just got this for christmas(purchased with gift card):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EP71ETU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've been very happy with it so far, and it's a much cheaper then buying from a store.  Will say I havent used it that much outside of some photos I took when it snowed.

I havent tried shooting Raw and playing with the editing. I dont have a good computer and that's going to be my list for this year. so far I've been just playing with the setting and seeing what I can get. I did take this great long exposure picture at night over the winter but my hands were shaking too much to get more than one clear shot.

There is a lot of live and learn in Photography for sure!!

[d-dave]

54 minutes ago, Doc Holiday said:

I'm in the same boat as you man, I'm just trying to figure things out still.

I just got this for christmas(purchased with gift card):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EP71ETU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've been very happy with it so far, and it's a much cheaper then buying from a store.  Will say I havent used it that much outside of some photos I took when it snowed.

I havent tried shooting Raw and playing with the editing. I dont have a good computer and that's going to be my list for this year. so far I've been just playing with the setting and seeing what I can get. I did take this great long exposure picture at night over the winter but my hands were shaking too much to get more than one clear shot.

There is a lot of live and learn in Photography for sure!!

I was looking at that, but I like the constant aperture of the canon.  One day I will buy a full frame, and I want to make sure I buy lenses that I can take with me (like the 50).  I will say for $125, the new 50/1.8 STM from Canon is a sweet little lens for not a lot of money.

If you want a good wide prime, Canon makes a 24mm pancake lens(https://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-24mm-2-8-Lens/dp/B00NI3BZ5K/ref=sr_1_9?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1516724498&sr=1-9&keywords=canon+ef+lens) which is pretty awesome.  There is also a 10-18 which is $280 (https://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-10-18mm-4-5-5-6-Lens/dp/B00K899B9Y/ref=sr_1_27?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1516724498&sr=1-27&keywords=canon+ef+lens), but would be better for much wider landscape style photos.

I have been binging on this kind of stuff since I finished the D2 main story...  I hope things get better over the next few months.  I might have to start actually working at work....  (haha no, grades are due, I need to get back to work!)

[Doc Holiday]

2 hours ago, d-dave said:

I was looking at that, but I like the constant aperture of the canon.  One day I will buy a full frame, and I want to make sure I buy lenses that I can take with me (like the 50).  I will say for $125, the new 50/1.8 STM from Canon is a sweet little lens for not a lot of money.

If you want a good wide prime, Canon makes a 24mm pancake lens(https://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-24mm-2-8-Lens/dp/B00NI3BZ5K/ref=sr_1_9?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1516724498&sr=1-9&keywords=canon+ef+lens) which is pretty awesome.  There is also a 10-18 which is $280 (https://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-10-18mm-4-5-5-6-Lens/dp/B00K899B9Y/ref=sr_1_27?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1516724498&sr=1-27&keywords=canon+ef+lens), but would be better for much wider landscape style photos.

I have been binging on this kind of stuff since I finished the D2 main story...  I hope things get better over the next few months.  I might have to start actually working at work....  (haha no, grades are due, I need to get back to work!)

Nice, I'm just trying to get a few Lenses that will do most of what I want to do, but there are a few that I'd love to get but they cost more than I'd ever care to spend on a lense.

I would almost need to get a second job to support this hobby lol

[d-dave]

33 minutes ago, Doc Holiday said:

Nice, I'm just trying to get a few Lenses that will do most of what I want to do, but there are a few that I'd love to get but they cost more than I'd ever care to spend on a lense.

I would almost need to get a second job to support this hobby lol

Thankfully, technology moves very slow on the Canon front.  And lenses tend to last as long as you take care if them.  The ef mount has been around since 1987, and they haven't shown a desire to change.

Think of them as investments

[carpanfan96]

Photography is a wonderful hobby, expensive to get into if you get really serious about it with lenses but like save said, consider lenses an investment. I still have my lenses I got for my first 35m Nokia back in 98 or so. I used mine for skateboarding shots at the parks and landscapes mostly. Now I just take family photos. lmao

 

As for Destiny, just got back into it and have been playing it a lot lately. My PSN is Ch40t1cd3lusi0ns

[d-dave]

So Bungie released the 2nd expansion, Warmind this week (Tuesday).

So the basic story is that we're flying around the solar system when we get a distress call from Mars....and we need to go there and shoot a bunch of stuff and kill dudes.  No major departures from the main Destiny format.

I've played through part of the campaign (still need to level up more), but I've read about it, and talked to my clanmates about it.  It's a good story idea, but it's executed too quickly, too rushed.  But the core game play remains.

Season 3 brought some major changes to how exotics work, and they are pretty dope.  The Gravaton Lance is amazing.  It creates mini-nova bombs on headshot kills.... Yeah, it's REALLY fun!  There are lots of other changes as well.

Escalation Protocol is the new endgame event (outside of the new raid lair releasing today).  Waves get harder and harder, but the loot gets MUCH better, and it's going to be another way to get yourself up to 385 light (cap).  Right now, it's UBER hard because most people are running around 345-353 light.  In a CON to some, the grind to get max light is MUCH harder.  The only way to get light level improvements is to do your powerful engram milestones, nightfalls, and raids.  Not sure on Trials yet.  So for a filthy casual like me, it could take me until September just doing my strikes, public events, and crucible milestones to get to 385...  I may have to actually play more (summer goals!)....

There's a ton of new loot, but it's kind of similar to the old loot (boo), but the weapons from Escalation Protocol are pretty cool.  Sleeper Stimulant is back (I'll be going for that), and there is an exotic sword (which I am working on right now, not hard to get).

It's an improvement, and the folks at Vicarious Visions (who made it with Bungie) did a really good job on making an OK piece of DLC that shows a lot of lessons have been learned.  September is going to be the real showcase of all the community feedback.

My criticism is what happened to all of our feedback from D1?  Where were those lessons?  But, it's still a fun game, and I like my clanmates.  Color me a glutton for punishment, I guess =P

[d-dave]

So bunige just released their livestream for the September Expansion (Called Forsaken).  You can find the vidoc and other items here (https://www.destinythegame.com/)

Here's my thoughts:

1.  First impression - super f'ing pumped!  This looks like it's going to be amazing in that this is a VERY different feel for Destiny.  The art, is as always, incredible.  There are SO MANY CHANGES, I can't even list them.  Weapon systems are going bananas.  One of the Devs laughed as he talked about breaking the game.  It looks like it will be fun!   The whole reef environment looks incredible, and the raid location is so beautiful.

2. Gambit - the new playmode is a hybrid PVE/PVP.  You and your team of four will kill enemies and gather motes which you can use to either mess up the other team OR summon a tough boss.  Oh and one player can go to the other team and try to wreckface.  So this looks like a TON of fun.  I can't wait to try it out.

3.  The "cost" factor:  $40 for the expansion, AND then $30 for an annual pass.  I'm still a little foggy what the actual updates are.  Are they like the "expansions" we have where there are a few missions, some maps and quests?  I'm looking forward to seeing what details emerge over the next week and at E3.  Some people are like "$70 for an expansion, what's wrong with the $60 game???"  They can do that.  I used to sub to a MMO or four in my days so I know how that works.  I'm fine with it.  Some won't want to pay, and that's fine with me.

In summary, this looks to be a BIG TIME departure from regular D2.  I can't wait to see what happens, what will be revealed, and I HOPE there is some kind of summer BETA for Gambit.  Or else I'm just going to be SOL next fall...

[fieryprophet]

I will check it out but Rocket League is still my bae.

[d-dave]

On 6/5/2018 at 4:33 PM, fieryprophet said:

I will check it out but Rocket League is still my bae.

I know a lot of people are going to wait and see what's going on with D2.  The hype train leading up to release was so big, and the game so promising, lots of people have written them off as kind of a tease.

I'm really looking forward to it, and I still enjoy playing.  But I'm also really enjoying Monster Hunter World (whenever I can get it away from my son.  He loves hunting dinosaurs.).

[d-dave]

OMG guys....we talk!  Our guardian is talking again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I've tried to be super chill about Forsaken, after getting taken so hard by D2 (though I still LOVE to play, it's still fun for me).  I can't anymore.  Let me at'em!!!!!  I'm coming for you Uldrin!!!!!!!!

TL/DR - I'm kind of excited!

[Ivan The Awesome]

I was on my Hunter...All I needed was 2 more grenade kills to finish my blue armor. Bungie decides to screw me over with a maintenance job....I am beyond sad right now. 

[d-dave]

53 minutes ago, Ivan The Awesome said:

I was on my Hunter...All I needed was 2 more grenade kills to finish my blue armor. Bungie decides to screw me over with a maintenance job....I am beyond sad right now. 

I started, and was committed to it....then decided to spend my time drinking and hanging out with my family...  I figured it would get vaulted forever anyway...  New random rolls are coming hard and fast!

[The Lobo]

I haven’t played since Osiris, if I get this will I be really far behind?

[d-dave]

On 8/29/2018 at 9:47 PM, The Lobo said:

I haven’t played since Osiris, if I get this will I be really far behind?

Not really.  Warmind was actually a pretty cool expansion though.  Do you own Warmind?  You do need that to play Forsaken.

I really liked Warmind, not sure if that help.  There are several other editions where you can purchase the missing DLC and get into Forsaken.  I imagine that the starting level is going to be like level 30 with a power of like 200.  Shouldn't be too horrible to start the climb again.  

I'm going to be jumping on tomorrow to do the Gambit free Saturday.  Starts at 10am PST, so see y'all tomorrow afternoon =)  Gambit looks SUPER fun!