Bosworth Photo-book: A Quick Look

A quick look at a relatively inexpensive way to keep a record of your games or your collections. 

 

Demo Game Signage

Way back in 2009 I wrote a post for this Blog about demo tables at shows and in particular the lack of information for visitors and sometimes the lack of interaction between exhibitors and show attendees. Since then I have had the pleasure of contributing to three demo games in conjunction with Posties Rejects at the Broadside show (in 2012 and 2013 and again in 2014). Looking back at that article I'm glad to say that the quality of information and interaction at shows seems to have improved immensely. However, I thought it a subject worthy of revisiting and the latest episode of The Quarantined Wargamer looks back at that earlier article and explains what sort of information I like to see accompanying a demo game at shows. 

Fortunately, things seem to be improving year on year as more clubs and groups respond to the needs of their audience. But what do you like to see accompany a demo table? I've given you my list, but what sort of information do you look for when you visit a well laid out demo game at a show? 

As always I hope you enjoy the video, and if you do please consider hitting the Like button and subscribing to my channel. And of course, I'd like to hear what you think so please leave your comments either here or on my youtube channel. Next week I'm asking the question, is it time we ditched the army list? Until then, stay safe and keep rolling high! 

New camera!

New kid on the block - The Canon Powershot G5X

A few weeks ago I bought a new camera as an upgrade to my existing high end compact. My last camera (the Canon Powershot G15x) is still functional and is all round an excellent machine but I have wanted an upgrade for a long time. Enter the Canon Powershot G5x which brings a lot more high end tech into a compact camera and reinstates many features that I missed from when I had a DSLR. 

I don't regret down-scaling from a full DSLR as it was just too bulky for the sort of photography I enjoy, especially with all the extra lenses and paraphernalia I had acquired over the years. Indeed I recently had my old kit out because I'm in the process of selling it and I couldn't believe how much it all weighed compared to my new kit. The G15 was the next logical step, downsizing to a compact but getting a high end Canon product with a big sensor and excellent lens. However I made some compromises when I bought it as I just couldn't afford the next camera up. Move forward 4 years and Canon have produced several new models with the G5X bridging the gap between compact and DSLR and bringing the technology right up to date.

With Wi-Fi connectivity, improved image stabilisation, an electronic viewfinder, a bigger screen, bigger sensor and a load of other cool features this camera really performs like a DSLR but in a much more compact body. I road tested it last week at Broadside and I have been very impressed with the way it handles and the quality of the pictures. The lens and sensor are a clear step up from my old camera and the image stabilisation worked very well as I rushed around snapping pictures.

The camera also has a pop out screen that rotates enabling better selfies (I'm vain, what can I say) but it is possible to turn this off and just use the viewfinder to take pictures. For me the Electronic viewfinder is the best feature. It reproduces the Through the Lens (TTL) viewfinder experience found in SLR's and it is the one thing I missed most when I down-scaled to a compact. I find it much easier to track moving subjects through a viewfinder and its much easier to see than a screen when shooting pictures in bright conditions.

I'm still exploring all the features on this camera (The manual is 217 pages!) and I have yet to test out its macro capabilities properly, but needless to say I'm already very happy with it.

Salute 2016 Photo review

I've already posted my initial thoughts on Salute 2016 but having slept on it I have one additional observation to make and I suspect many others felt the same way as I. This years Salute had a weird vibe about it from the start. Several people and traders said the same thing and essentially I think it boils down to the fact that this years show had fewer Clubs and more traders running games. Consequently it felt more like a trade show this year rather than a celebration of our hobby. I've no idea of this was a commercial decision on behalf of the organisers or just the way it turned out but it did feel like there was a lot of unused space that could have been filled by more club demo's and participation games. I still enjoyed my day but it definitely felt different this year. I'd be interested to know what you thought.

It took a long time to sort through the 600+ pictures I took during the day! Many were reference shots of labels and posters so once I have the info transferred to the accompanying pictures I delete these. There were also a LOT of blurry pics and badly lit ones so the 600 got trimmed down to about 250, and that takes time. Then I label them, add tags and upload them, all of which takes a lot longer than writing this post! I have them in some sort of order now and here's a selection of my favourites.

The obligatory shot of the queue...lots of eager gamers!

Inside the vast Excel centre. 

Gillingham & Brown - 28mm - Action at Antietem

Gillingham & Brown - 28mm - Action at Antietem

The Young Padawan shooing... almost outspent me!

RAF - Formula Minion

Battle of Hooks Farm

Chesterfield Gaming Society - 28mm - Kings of War

Swordpoint - 28mm

Bill Gaskin & Friends -- 28mm - SYW - Battle of Wilhelmsta

Bill Gaskin & Friends -- 28mm - SYW - Battle of Wilhelmsta

Ian Smith & Friends - 40mm - Battle of Adrodas - Penninsula

Ian Smith & Friends - 40mm - Battle of Adrodas - Penninsula

Loughton Strike Force - 28mm - Russo-Finnish War - Battle of Raate Road

Loughton Strike Force - 28mm - Russo-Finnish War - Battle of Raate Road

Loughton Strike Force - 28mm - Russo-Finnish War - Battle of Raate Road

Operation Overlord Participation Game - Based on the Avalon Hill Boardgame
I actually signed up for a game and then completely forgot the time and missed my slot! Sorry guys, the game looked excellent.

Emily meets the locals

Postie gives me a tickle! 

The Padawn at the EM4 stand. She bought a lot from here!

Adrian McWalter and Quinton Dalton - Napoleonic - O'er the Hills

Adrian McWalter and Quinton Dalton - Napoleonic - O'er the Hills

New Buckenham Historical Wargamers - 28mm - Agincourt

Maidstone Wargames Society - 3mm - Road to Homs

The Blogger Meet Up. Great to see everyone again. See y'all next year!

Heroics and Ros - 6mm - 1986 - Soviet Invasion of Nato

Victrix - 54mm - Spain 1800

Victrix - 54mm - Spain 1800

Tunbridge Wells Wargaming Society - 15mm - All Quiet on the Martian Front

Tunbridge Wells Wargaming Society - 15mm - All Quiet on the Martian Front

A big Fantasy game but without a sign saying who was running it. 

Lost of Fantasy miniatures

Someone is impressed!

Sheffield Runelords - 1/24th - Mad Max: Stop the Truck

Crew & Nantwich Club - 28mm - ECW - The Bloody Siege of Bristol

Crew & Nantwich Club - 28mm - ECW - The Bloody Siege of Bristol

Crew & Nantwich Club - 28mm - ECW - The Bloody Siege of Bristol

K&R

Essex Gamers - 28mm - The Tet Offensive

Essex Gamers - 28mm - The Tet Offensive

Hammers Slammers

Dalauppror - 28mm - Foteviken 1134

There were many more smaller Demo's and lost of small Participation games but most of these seemed to be run by traders. Lots to see and even more traders to try and get around made the day even more exhausting than usual... or maybe I'm just getting old?!

Bad Timing and a Fathers Day Gift

Its been a rather 'odd' week with highs and lows of disproportionate extreme. To misquote Charles Dickens "It has been the best of times and the worst of times". The week started pretty badly when I was called up to Head Office on Monday to be told that my job was "at risk of redundancy". I've been with my company 12 years and frankly I feel like part of the 'fixtures and fittings' so this has come as something of a body blow. Nothing has been decided yet, but I am facing the very real prospect of unemployment, and its not a pleasant experience. One way or another I'll survive and maybe I can turn this to my advantage, but its not a situation I am relishing or would wish on anyone else.

Enter the Canon Powershot G15.

Then on Tuesday my new Camera was delivered and all was right with the world again. My wife had encouraged me to buy it as a Fathers Day treat from the kids - I've been very good this year apparently - and I had ordered it the week before. It was just ironic it should be delivered hot on the heals of my redundancy warning. Timing clearly isn't my forte. Having said that, I have no intention of sending it back, no sir!

It goes without saying that I take a lot of pictures. Whether its photographing miniatures, living history events, museums or just family holidays, I rarely go out without a camera in my hands. My current Olympus compact digital has served me well, but the image sensor is damaged and it is uneconomical to repair, so one way or another I desperately needed a new camera (The fact that I can't really afford it now is irrelevant!). After looking at the compacts on offer I made my mind up to invest in a high-end pro model that would give me the utility of a compact with the features of a DSLR. The Canon Powershot G15 stood out as the best option I could afford (at the time). The G series is specifically designed for advanced or experienced photographers featuring cutting-edge technology and top quality optics delivering exceptional performance. For me the G15 offered the right balance of features for my budget and while it is not the sexiest looking compact, its what's inside that counts. 

Full functionality in a small body

So what does this camera have that makes it worth the price and why do I think its ideal for my hobby photography? First I wanted a camera that could do macro photos, but also handle low light conditions and compensate for hand held photography. I also wanted a camera that would offer me total control over exposure and speed just like I would expect to have on an DSLR. So the first requirement of my new camera would be top quality optics and I think the G15 has probably the best lens in any compact on the market. The lens is a bright f/1.8-2.8 with a 28mm wide angle and 5x optical zoom. Although you can get cameras with a larger zoom you can't get them with this quality. 

The other big selling point is the 12.1 MP CMOS DIGIC 5 sensor with iSAPS technology. Again you can buy cameras with higher mega pixels but they rely on smaller CCD sensors which reduces the quality of the finished image. Besides which 12 mega pixels is more then enough for most mere mortals and certainly sufficient for my needs. Combined with the 5 point Image Stabilisation features on this camera and I think it will cope perfectly with low light conditions such as in museums where flash photography is not allowed. The excellent optics combined with the large sensor give this camera a huge ISO range from as low as 80 all the way up to 12800!

I also bought a 'vintage' ever-ready case from my G15

I also like the large 3" LCD screen for 'Live View' snaps, but I love the fact this camera also has a proper optical viewfinder; a feature that is often missing in other compacts. Another feature that often gets lost or buried in the menu options is exposure compensation. On the G15 this is controlled by a simple dial readily accessible on the top of the camera allowing +/- 3 EV in 1/3 stop increments. I'm constantly adjusting exposure compensation and I hate having to do this via a screen menu. Also a key feature is the ability to shoot macro pictures from as little as 1cm. This means I can get real close to miniatures to get pictures if I want to...ideal for getting a 'soldiers eye view' of a tabletop battle. 

I'm more than a little 'chuffed' by this purchase (as you may have guessed!) and it has certainly lifted my spirits in what would otherwise have been a very black week. I've always been a fan of Canon cameras and while this one wasn't cheep it has the sort of high end features that should cope with pretty much any situation in which I need it to operate.

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UPDATE: My wonderful kids have outdone themselves today, presenting me with two other gifts to lift my flagging spirits.

Sarah made me an English Breakfast Tank ! She has used bacon for the tracks, mushroom wheels and a black pudding commanders cupola on top of an omelette hull and sausage turret. Amazing.

Emily built this model Spitfire from a puzzel kit and has added some excellent camouflage and RAF Roundels on the wings. Outstanding!

Stocks and Shares

I have one last set of pictures from my recent Dorset Holiday to share and then I promise to shut up about it. These were taken on probably the best day (for weather) we had during the week at Corfe near Swanage. One of our many stops that day was the village of Corfe and its Model Village before walking up the mound to the real castle.

I see a set of Stocks and I just have to pose for a photo (this is for you Fran!). Now throw the key away...

The model Village includes a scale model of Corfe Castle as it would have looked around the time of the English Civil War  before the Parliamentary forces systematically destroyed it to deny its use to the Royalists.

The Model village is a detailed reproduction of the town of Corfe itself, complete with a miniature version of the miniature village....

...and if you look carefully (extreme left of the model about half way up) there is even another Miniature version of the Miniature Village, within the Miniature version of the miniature village.!

Corfe castle as it looks today is a shattered but picturesque ruin. 

The Parliamentarian Sappers did a good job of ensuring the castle could never be used as a defencive structure again. 

I did my best to repair the mess but I was never very good at D.I.Y. 

OK, that's the last pictures from Dorset. I haven't done any painting since the end of the Challenge last month, but that will change over the weekend when I get my brushes out. Unfortunately this probably won't include anything made with Kalinsky Sable because the wife wants me to decorate the bathroom!