Michael Chang

In the past few years, keeping track of Gitzo tripods is much like sorting out the iPod product variations– there have been a few lineup changes in just a few years, and the naming convention went through some confusing changes, as well.  So, reading forums and reviews about popular past models and trying to map them to current products (like the classic 1325) can be head-spinning.

The most popular carbon-fiber Gitzo tripods:

Gitzo 3531 (3-section classic landscape carbon-fiber tripod, series 3):   1325 ==> 3530LSV ==> 3531

Gitzo 2531 (3-section carbon fiber, series 2):  1227 ==> 1257 ==> 2530 ==> 2531

Gitzo 2541 (4-section carbon fiber, series 2):  1228 ==> 1258 ==> 2540 ==> 2541

Gitzo 1541T (4-section carbon fiber, compact travel):  1540T ==> 1541T

Confusing enough?  Go with the 3530LSV for heavy-duty support.  The 3-section 1531 is great for a slightly more portable solution.  Add a good Arca-plate ball head and a replacement base plate, and you have a tripod that will last.  Don’t pass up a deal on the classic 1325 and 1227 tripods.  They are by no means obsolete!

One of my favorite coffee beans at the moment is Trader Joe’s Bolivian Blend.  The “blend” label is used because the beans come from a variety of farms.  The coffee is still 100% Arabica beans– no cheapo Robusto beans here!  The Bolivian Blend is a medium-dark roast, and it’s very aromatic and rich (caramel-like).  At $6.50 for a 14 oz. can, this is a great deal for really good coffee.  It’s been my favorite Trader Joe’s coffee so far.

Definitely get the whole-bean version and grind yourself.  Get a decent, low-RPM grinder that uses conical burrs.  These conical-burr grinders ($100) heat up the beans a lot less because they operate at much, much lower speeds (about 500 RPM) than cheaper $30 burr grinders and blade grinders (10,000 to 20,000 RPM).  Less heat in the beans means better flavor preservation in the beans’ essential oils.

Capresso makes a great grinder below $100 (from Amazon):

http://www.capresso.com/coffee-grinders-burr-infinity.shtml

Try the Bolivian coffee!  (By the way, it’s organic and fair-trade, too.)

The Panasonic LX3 (and the similar Leica D-LUX4) is a bit of a clunky “compact” camera in terms of its form factor.  The protruding lens barrel gives the camera an slightly odd, “non-box” shape, and finding a good carrying solution is a challenge.  Personally, I don’t want to carry the camera around in the $90 Panasonic DMW-CLX3 case.   The case is a classic, retro look, but the LX3 is a lot more useful if you can carry it and maneuver it like any other standard compact camera.  Also, the suggested OEM case is not very discreet for street photography.

The best solution, I’ve found, is an $8 Lowepro case.  The Lowepro D-RES 8 is the perfect size for the LX3.  There’s an inner pocket just enough room for an extra SD card and battery.  The D-RES 8 fits the LX3 almost perfectly, and there’s plenty of padding for bump protection.  This case is discontinued, so look for new old-stock on e-Bay and your favorite camera stores.

The best strap for the LX-3 is a hand-carry strap if you want to carry the camera in-hand.  Carrying the LX-3 around the neck seems unnecessary for such a light and small item, and everyone has his/her shooting preferences.  The Olympus adjustable wrist strap (part# OLWASB, $4 at BH Photo) is a great solution for hand carrying.  It’s soft and strong, and it has a an adjustable eyelet that keeps the loop around your wrist when you are swinging the camera everywhere.  Everything feels lot more secure with an adjustable wrist strap!  Let this wrist loop hang out of your Lowepro D-RES 8 case, and you have a really compact carrying solution for $12!

Put the rest of the money you save on batteries for the LX3 since this little camera does eat batteries.  You can purchase an extra lens cap for $8 directly from Panasonic.  Search for part VYF3198 at

http://www.pstc.panasonic.com/EpartR/PartsListChoice.asp