On top of the world

A 360 degree view from the top of Everest:

http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen2/full22.html

...and some tips in case you want to go there yourself:

http://www.observer.co.uk/

I hate how they barely mention porters in the article. They are THE essential piece of the trip, and many expeditions have failed because of problems with porters.

Another thing they failed to mention that is interesting is the piss bottle. It's the bottle you paint a skull and crossbones on and pee in at night in your tent when you don't want to freeze your elbow off doing your business outside. Erik Weihenmayer (blind guy who climbed Everest) once drank out of one by accident, and his partner joked "Can't you see the label?"

Hopefully he at least had something warm to drink

Those panoramic photos are amazing....Has anyone seen a big panoramic of New York with the Statue of Liberty in it?

Oh, and speaking of photography..

Andy: I just recently sold off my 28-135IS and got the 24-85mm lens to replace it -- been using it for the recent shop-pics (dock building), and as a carry-around lens for hiking and biking.

Terrible overlap with my BIG HEAVY 24-70mm f2.8 "L" zoom, but both have their uses.

Cheers

I'm currently drooling over the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM; 108 degree field of view! I've got the 28-135 IS you just sold. The IS so pays off for long handheld shots, like the one attached (shot a few weekends ago in NH). I would dearly like L glass.

-Zeke

Erm, attatched _here_.

I'm probably going to buy another one/two lenses while I'm out in Seattle in June/July.

I want a wider lens, at the moment I'm looking at the EF 17-40 f/4.0 "L" or the EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye (with software to flatten the fisheye to just be a wide angle view).

My wife wants a longer lens, at the moment I'm thinking about the EF 75-300 f/4-5.6 IS. I know this lens isn't the best quality in the world, but I don't have the budget (or the desire to lug around) a better long telephoto...

Mmm.. rather fetching in black and white, that one.

And yes, the 16-35mm f2.8 is my favorite overall lens for the D60, with the 24-85mm a close second.

Cheers

Pass on the fisheye, unless you can find an affordable "rectilinear fisheye" (has optical correction built-into the design). Software correction just blurs the resolution unavoidably.

The 17-40 is a rather attractive looking design -- I think I'd have one by now if I didn't already own the 16-35 (at twice the price.. ouch!).

Cheers