You could take a look at Lensmaster Gimbal Heads - not dramatically expensive and not heavy either - see here: http://www.lensmaster.co.uk/index.htm

OK - thanks for looking Bill.

Steve

I can find version 2.9.6 (development version) here: https://www.gimp.org/downloads/devel/ BUT I cannot see a 2.9.7 version as being available. Do you have a link please ??

Steve

I can recommend LensMaster - see here: http://www.lensmaster.co.uk/index.htm

Not so much 'confused' as just plain blind in this instance Chris !! - :-)

Ooops, sorry Chris I hadn't noticed the "crop sensor" part of the heading - my mistake. I have the Canon 7D Mark II and find it an excellent camera (I also have the 5D Mark IV but as you say that is a different subject).

Steve

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, Canon EOS 5DS R and Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.

If you are moving to the Canon 5D Mark-IV and are thinking of a 600mm lens then you will need a tripod that can cope with the weight and which can provide the stability you will need. I use a Gitzo Systematic Series 4 Carbon tripod for my 5DIV and my 7DII with a Canon 500mm f/4 lens and often use it with either the 1.4x III Extender or the 2x II Extender. Occasionally I wonder if I should have gone to the Series 5 which has greater diameter legs (more stability) BUT I certainly would not go for a cheaper tripod or less than the Series 4 or you will only be re-buying tripods again at some point in the not too distant future. Good luck with it all but please do the research beforehand and then go into your local camera shop and try YOUR camera and lens combination on a few before you buy.

Canon 100mm f/2.8 L Macro, Canon 180 f/3.5 L Macro, Canon MP-E65mm f/2.8 1x-5x Macro and a Nikon PLAN 10x Microscope Objective on a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM used as a 'tube lens' with the Objective mounted at the front of the lens on an adapter screwed into the filter-thread. This set gives me continual focus from Infinity right through 1:1 and then 5:1 to 10:1 with teh Microscope Objective. Also have Canon extension tubes to increase the magnification a little further.

Started SLR photography with an Exacta in 1968; around 1973/4 moved to a Pentax K2 DMD and stayed with Pentax for a LONG time. A shortish initial dabble in digital was with a Nikon Coolpix 950. I upgraded my Pentax equipment around 2005 with a Pentax 1st* which allowed me to use all my older Pentax and K-mount Tamron etc. lenses and accessories. After a few years I decided I wanted a better quality DSLR and at the time Pentax didn't have anything that seemed to justify the upgrade. I also liked the idea of the Canon MP-E65mm macro 1x-5x lens and the other glass available from Canon for insect and nature photography, so, after a lot of perusal and going into camera shops I decided to go Canon. Started with a Canon 7D Mark-II with a few lenses in 2015 and then this year (2017) have added a 5D Mark IV along with a few more lenses (500mm L f/4.0, 300mm f/2.8 L and both the MP-E65mm macro and 180mm f/3.5 L macro). Am very happy with my choice of Canon though perhaps I would like to see them coming forward with more innovation in their bodies.

Steve

Good information here: http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0413/ck0413-1.html

Many different ones available from here: http://www.wexphotographic.com/rain-covers/

Greg,

I have HbA1C test done every 3 months and my last one showed an overall blood-sugar level of 6.5 which means 48mmol, previous time it was 6.4 (47mmol) (See here: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html). What are your own readings ??

Steve

Greg, I currently inject Humalog insulin (insulin lispro) 3 times per day (b4 breakfast, b4 lunch, b4 dinner) and inject Lantus insulin (insulin glargine) bb4 bed. Currently, my injection regime is 11 units b4 breakfast, 6 units pre lunch, 11 units pre dinner and 20 units pre bed. I do adjust the Humalog injection amounts depending upon my blood sugar readings so pre breakfast can occasionally go up as high as 13, pre lunch can go as high as 8 and pre dinner as high as 13 - the pre bed Lantus I never change as that is a slow release (24 hour) and is more difficult to control. I also take Metformin (500mg tabs) 2 with breakfast and 1 with dinner. And, have plenty of other medication for other conditions (Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, etc. (these are: Amlodipine, Bisoprolol, Indapamide, Ramipril, Atorvastatin and Omeprazole) - had a Pacemaker fitted in February this year).

Do ask your medical people about carb counting - it is the best way forward I have come across so far.

Good luck with it all.

Steve

I have been diabetic (Type II) since 1994, started on diet control, went to Metformin and then to Metformin & Glyclazide and then, around 2000, onto Humalog Mix Insulin and Metformin. After that I begon to get diabetic retinopathy in the form of bleeding of the minute blood vessels at the back of my retinas and had to have multiple procedures of laser treatment to cauterise and seal the blood vessels. Around 2014 I changed clinic and they put me on a completely different regime of Humalog (3x during the day) and Lantus at night before bed. This involved checking my blood sugar levels before breakfast, before lunch, before tea and before bed and counting my carbohydrate intake so that each meal was around 30-32 grammes of carbs (Carbs are turned to sugars by the bodies digestive processes). Since that change my blood suagr readings have come down to being consitently between 4.0mmol and 8.0mmol and tend to be between 6.0 and 7.2. My eyes have been completely stable and I rarely have any blurriness and am convinced that what little I occasionally have is down to damage down before the change of regime.

In the USA you use a different measuring stick (i.e. NOT mmol) which is millgrams per liter (see here: https://www.diabetesdaily.com/learn-about-diabetes/understanding-blood-sugars/is-my-blood-sugar-normal/) and looking at the information on the tables in this web-page running for a period of time with an elevated blood sugar level of 180mg put you at a high risk of complications including bleeding behind your retinas - I would recommend a change to carb counting in your dietary intake.

Good luck with your diabetes and I would think bringing your overall bs levels down to being consistently in the 70mg to 140mg range would possibly help with the blurriness and even if it didn't it would help to ensure your sight continued to remain unharmed by your condition.

Cheers,
Steve

The cost (for both versions) is on the first page of their website - see link above.

Steve