Chicago skyline

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Chicago skyline

USPS shipping cost 30% increase

I was just preparing shipping for tomorrow (Monday). I know post office will increase price on January 22 2012 but increase of 30% for international packages is ridicules.
Express mail international  used  to cost $29.95 now it is $39.00 for up to 2kg package.....
I don't want o know how much is going to cost  10kg package now ( it was $55.00)
www.usps.com
if you don't believe me

Monday at the post office
USPS  introduced new services and new shipping options. One of them is express mail flat rate box. So i went to post office on first day of new shipping rate to use that nice options

Guess what. Nobody in service  had idea that this option is available and when i asked for boxes so i can use this option "they are not available yet ( maybe you can order on line)" . Yes i can order (maybe) but i want express to be on the way TODAY not two weeks later
So USPS thanks for being ready for price increase and for introducing new products ( on paper because I can not use them since required express flat rate box is not available)

Universal L bracket

I have been working on universal L bracket for last few weeks. First bracket is for very small  DSRL , 3/4 cameras (Panasonic Lumix GH2, G3, GF1, Olympus EP-2 etc) and large P&S. It is 2 part design as any other L bracket made by me. When project is finish  I will have three or four sides available and the same number of base plates. Side and base can be interchangeable between each other. You can select long base rail and very short side or any other combination working with your equipment.  The elongated captive style slot cut in base plate let you move L bracket away from camera and connect to your computer if you are using tethered shooting mode. If you don't need L bracket you can remove side and use it as standard arca type camera plate. Base plate is equiped with two soft tiped screws. Soft tip screws will press base plate against mounted surface and prevent plate or L bracket from twisting.

3.625 inch long, 2.375 height, Weight 3.1 oz (88 g)

1/4-20 soft tip screw

Rails with metric scale on two sides

Few new addition to 5/8 thick rails. Short 5/8 thick rails were requested once in a while.
Lengths 6 and 8 inch with one or two slots. Each rail is also equipped with two rows of M3 taped holes.
You can mount screw type index stop bar using thous holes and possible double side dovetail .
I did make section of rail little different than usually and was able to engrave scale on each side of rail. Future preferred if rail is used as nodal slide. Rail is also equipped with front mounting hole (1/4-20 ) and dowel pin hole. This let you mount clamp on rail end. Very nice option when rail is used with lens bracket as lens support package .

Screws

Once a while I receive  questions about adding extra screw to the order or if screw  they can be purchased separately. Everything is fine until we start to discus head type and screw length.  Industry do not fallow  one standard and this confuse few people.

There is 3 common type screws .

 Socket head cap screw. Screw dimension (length) is measured under head. In sample above this is 1/4-20 SHCS 5/8 length 

 Flat head screw. Length size is specify  as full screw length . Screw above is 1/4 -20 tread and  3/4 length.

Button head socket screw. Screw size is measure again as distance under head. Sample above 1/4-20 and 5/8 length 

Modular Lens support in action

David Jang send me few pictures with new modular lens support attached to his 500mm/F4.00 canon lens .
He used 1.00 inch clamp and 2 inch lens support bracket.

 This combination let him revers lens hood for storage after removing supporting bracket.  Clamp stay mounted to 8 inch rail all the time

Update to G103 connector Block

Nothing major. Just additional material has been removed  from block to keep weight to minimum