Summer in the city, medical news, Fuji-san and the Lens Dilemma

1. The rainy season has given way to summer in Japan, and while the humidity has lessened somewhat, the heat is, as the song goes, on. Last Thursday saw temperatures hit the mid 30s, and this week the daytime temperature has not been less than 32C, which makes for a hot and sweaty time in a shirt and tie.

2. The hot weather has been causing some health problems for a few people as well: heat exhaustion, sleeping problems and loss of appetite were a common theme. I’ve been suffering from sleeping problems and general fatigue this last week, though I certainly have not lost my appetite. That should come as no surprise to those who know me.

3. This last week I also got my yearly physical, which was an interesting experience — “please pee into this cup” somehow sounds less intimidating when said in Japanese, though that might have something to do with my lack of understanding. But then, when a nurse gives you a little cup and you’re pretty sure it’s not for a sperm count, you pretty much sure what’s coming up. But all is well, though I’ve put on a few kilos (58kg. Bloody hell, I need to do some exercise) since I last weighed myself, and I can assure you none of it is muscle.

4. Speaking of exercise, myself and a bunch of other teachers are going to climb Fuji-san end of next month, something I am really, really looking forward to. Fuji-san stands at a good 3700m, and the summit is well above cloud level, promising spectacular views. We’ll be leaving Hiroshima for Tokyo via an overnight bus after work on Saturday night, arriving at Tokyo at about 7am Sunday. Another two hour bus ride to the Fuji Five Lakes area, were we will likely get some lunch and then find a nice shady place to snooze for a few hours. We’ll then get the bus up to go-gome (the 5th Station, about 2000m above sea level) and start the six hour hike up to the summit, (hopefully) getting there in time for the sunrise. Then another hour or so trekking around the summit, followed by a 4 – 5hr descent. Then, undoubtedly exhausted, we’ll catch the Shinkansen back to Hiroshima.

5. Being a rare experience, I’m thinking of splurging on a new lens to capture the occasion. It’s very windy at the summit, and being sunrise hand holding the camera is pretty much out of the question. I don’t have a tripod here, and to the honest the tripods I’ve seen in camera stores are either incredibly expensive, or completely useless. I did buy a monopod, which will help, but in the absence of fast glass (I only have the Nikkor AF-S 18-70mm f3.5-4.5 DX) my photos will still end up rather blurry. That, and with a crop factor of 1.5x 18mm isn’t as wide as I’d like for landscape work. I have two options: the Sigma 10-20mm f4.0-5.6 EX DC HSM, which gives me the super wide-angle but not the speed (I’d rather the Nikkor 12-24mm DX, but it’s twice the price of the Sigma, and from all accounts it’s not twice as good), or the new Nikkor AF-S 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 DX VR, which doesn’t give me the super wide-angle but the vibration reduction will mean I can use the monopod and get sharp pics (Nikon says the new VR techno-wizadry means you can shoot 4 stops slower without a tripod.) Both are lenses that I will buy… eventually. Of course, with either option I still run into the dilemma of having to pay for it. Not that cheap, I have to admit.

6. Especially when I’m planning a trip back to Sydney over new year with The Girlfriend.

7. So, which is more important — saving money or having the best possible tools to make sure I get the shots?

Comments

  1. Get the tools man, get the tools.. Besides you’re only in Japan once, and you can bring the girly back ANY time. Hope your having fun.

    Comment by Bob — August 4, 2006 @ 2:58 pm

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