HauteHippie

Good hearing from ya!

+1 A mystery long ago solved during the Finepics era.

Welcome home, buddy... Welcome home!

Very nice, freddy. That coronet makes it look like costume jewlery but I know you'll have that taken care of in short order. Big upgrade over the current dial for sure!! EDIT: Sounds like you've already made quick work of swapping out the coronet! So at this point I drop the proverbial... ...on you!!

That, I've found, is very typical. And in other cases, you'll see in the tracking that the package goes all the way across the country, and then half way back to its destination. Weird to say the least. It's like the early days of turn by turn GPS where you'd get routed all over the place but eventually reach your destination.

Yea. Certainly the 16520 Patrizzi with punch card he's selling is the real deal....

The insert certainly looks the part, and the bezel too is very believable. Compared to an MBW bezel, it's miles apart. But, the final determination I think can be made by inspecting closely the machining marks between the teeth on the bezel. The gen will be very smoothly cut and have a consistent brushed look. A knockoff likely won't be quite so clean. As Jojo says, it's best to use a loupe.

That's a handsome beater there, JoJo!!

Marty, if what you're looking for is the original PAM PVD, then you need to go outside the USA. That lab is in Europe. Zigmeister also deals with them directly.

I'm pretty sure the copier at work can do PDF files.... I'll look in to it this week.

As long as I can identify the parts in the technical breakdown of the movement, and the associated part numbers are readable, that's all I need. It doesn't have to be first run quality for me.

omgiv --

If we can get about 8 - 10 commits, I'm in also!!

I think I'd go with the 550D. It has the same (or darn close to the same) sensor as the 7D, so I suspect the low light noise will be better than the 500D (though don't quote me on that). Don't worry about ISO ratings too much. You're probably going to find that ISO 1600 and higher is painful anyhow. EDIT: I stand corrected: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos550d/page14.asp The 550D is slightly noisier than the 500D at high ISO. That might be enough for you to make the final decision.

For me, it's all about lenses. And I just prefer the Canon line. You'll get in to religious war territory asking too many questions about Canon vs. Nikon though... My current Canon body leaves a lot to be desired, but my lenses are top notch. And I've got the 7D on my radar, which does everything I want in a body and then some. One of these days!

I'd definitely vote for doing the swap, W.... PS, Love the pathetic overlay.

Pretty darn nice job of removing those CGs!!!

Wow, big snake. Such a shame to see it lying there dead.

OK, well, if you're not doing sports shooting, then the Canon is worth considering. In general, I've found that on the lower end SLRs the Nikons are better for focusing on moving objects. Or, to put it another way, the Canons are terrible. That said, I do have a low end Canon SLR and get by with it shooting kids sports. The real thing to consider is the lens system. I much prefer the Canon lenses. They're generally faster, and there are more options. So perhaps this should be top priority for you. The lenses you'll keep forever. The camera body itself is replaceable... and you probably will replace it down the line. So look at it from the standpoint of buying a nice collection of lenses, and then decide which system fits you best.

Thanks T! Kent2, where does one get these booklets?

Hahaha, strange, eh. I replayed the whole thing in my mind about 3 times on the way home. It was so absurd, that I was trying to make sure it all had actually just happened and that I hadn't been dreaming of a Candid Camera episode!

Man oh man... I'm amazed they are able to get anything from point A to point B with a reasonable success rate. It's a shame that it's such a cut throat market too. We really need more competition out there, what with the USPS on the verge of closing down!

What kind of shooting do you do the most? PS I'd discard the Pentax right off the bat...

I've often thought the USPS didn't have their act together, but after today I see things in a whole new light. So I'd been tracking a FedEx package (watch related of course), due to arrive today. I had the day off, but was busy running around town taking care of some personal business. Upon arriving home, there was a door tag from FedEx indicating the shipper had required a signature. The package would be available at 6PM at the sorting facility. They were open until 7, so I figured why not drive across town and pick it up tonight rather than risk not being home again tomorrow. So off I went, and made there with time to spare at 6:15... What follows next is in no way made up, exaggerated, etc... This is an exact account of what went down. And it'd be hilarious if it weren't so sad. FedEx Lady: Next in line please. Chieftang: Hi there, here is my door tag. (handing it across the counter) FedEx Lady: Alrighty, I'll be right back with your parcel. (5 minutes elapse; FedEx Lady returns) FedEx Lady: Ok, sir. Your package has not yet arrived. The driver is not back from his route. Chieftang: I'm sorry, but could you check again. The online tracking here on my phone shows that it arrived here at the shipping facility at 5:51PM. FedEx Lady: No sir, it has not arrived. We'll let you know when it does. Chieftang: Ok, no problem. (I step to the side of the counter; 15 minutes elapse; Approximately 10 people with door tags are given their packages) Chieftang: Hi, ma'am. Any update on my package? We're getting close to closing time here. FedEx Lady: Do you have a door tag, sir? Chieftang: Ma'am, you took it about 15 minutes ago and asked me to wait for the driver to return with my package. FedEx Lady: Oh OK, let me go find that tag. (She disappears in to the back; 5 minutes elapse; She returns with my door tag) FedEx Lady: Here we go, let's look up your package in the system here. (She types stuff in to a terminal) FedEx Lady: OK, your package arrived at 5:51. But there is a problem. The driver didn't scan your package properly, so there is no way for me to find it. Chieftang: No way to find it? If it is here in the building, I'm sure someone can find it. You're professionals! FedEx Lady: Well sir, the driver didn't scan it ..... Chieftang: MA'AM, PLEASE. I drove across town in traffic to pick up my package. You've already told me it wasn't here when in fact it was here. Now you're telling me you can't find it? Not acceptable. I need you to go in the back room and look harder, please. (FedEx lady turns around and storms of in to the back room; 15 more minutes elapse; FedEx lady emerges again empty-handed) FedEx Lady: Still no luck sir. We don't know where the driver put your package. We even called him. But his voicemail answered. We left him a message. But it's almost closing time, so I'm not counting on finding your package today. Chieftang: So you're telling me that you don't have any kind of organized system whereby drivers put undeliverable packages in a designated area for when customers arrive to pick them up?? FedEx Lady: No sir, we don't do that. Maybe it would help if you told me what the package looked like. Chieftang: It should be a small package, but that's all I can tell you. FedEx Lady: That doesn't help me sir. There are probably 5000 small packages back there. Would it be in a Dell box? Chieftang: I have no idea! The shipper didn't inform me of his packaging material choice!! It's not a Dell computer. As I said it is a small package. (A FedEx Man emerges from the back room) FedEx Man: Sir, I've been trying to locate your package. What I need you to do is call the FedEx 1-800 number and see if they can help. Chieftang: Are you kidding me?!?! I'm AT FEDEX STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!!! MY PACKAGE IS IN THIS BUILDING!!! FedEx Lady: Sir it would help us out greatly if you could assist. We just need them to tell us what your tracking number is. Chieftang: My tracking number????? I've had my tracking number right here for the last 45 minutes!!! FedEx Lady: WHAT?!?! Why didn't you tell me you had it? Chieftang: You never asked me for it!! How the hell should I know you need me to provide the tracking number? I gave you the door tag with all the information on it!! FedEx Lady: Because I told you the driver scanned it incorrectly!!! (Chieftang is scribbling down the tracking number from FedEx.com on his Blackberry) Chieftang: What does that even mean?!? "He scanned it incorrectly" is supposed to say to me "I need you to give me the tracking number"?!? Besides, I told you I had tracked the package on my phone! So obviously I had the tracking number... (Chieftang hands over the tracking number; FedEx Lady disappears again in to the back for 30 seconds and emerges with the package) FedEx Lady: Alrighty, sir. Thank you so much for waiting. Your package has arrived. Please sign at the X. The End. There. That feels better!

Hi all, I'm sure some of the experts must know... Where can I find a Rolex part number reference guide? Not only for case parts, but also for internal movement parts? Thanks! Chief.