Drift Ghost HD

A new addition to the camera stable has arrived today - the Drift Ghost HD

Although light levels were too low to test properly outside by the time I had it unpacked, a quick silly test shot of the dog etc was very encouraging and I think I have worked out good encoding for youtube too (will need tweaking..!)

But a further surprise was how good the stills are from it.

To be fair I reduced the noise in lightroom but it really was very good to start with and in particular note the shadow detail despite the lamp in shot.

I wasn't even meaning to take this, it was on the table and I was playing with the remote and phone app.

Impressive thing and not that expensive as the Ghost S came out in November, these are just over £200 with discount code.

I was finding playing with the Roadhawk rather fun but getting frustrated with its odd behaviour such as turning off inexplicably even when connected to vehicle power, and limited battery life on a helmet.

Another nice feature is the drift will fit standard camera tripod screw so many options there for mounting.

Christmas day landscapes

Rosedale - sheep hoping for feed

Lower Farndale - winter light

Farndale cottage

Rudland Rig

I didn't go all the way over (to Ingleby Greenhow!) but dropped down to Monket House and Farndale at the crossroads.

It was drizzly and foggy on the highest sections, plus I haven't been on the Ingleby Bank for years and was wary of meeting seriously rough going as darkness fell.

Generally the track was better condition than I expected and the CRF250L just lapped it up.

August on Blakey

This seems such a long time ago, you miss the light mainly.

Sandsend and Whitby

I noticed some storm damage to the silly cantilever footway yet again, the beck outlet at Sandsend was choked with sand and they had smoothed it into a 'beach' at one side, then made a channel through - with a digger.

Rendered this at 720p wmv 25 fps - this seems to have almost done away with the annoying blockiness in dark areas.
Now I'm not happy with roadhawk mount position because in trying to reduce the amount of sky to correct the exposure I have rather too much dashboard in frame
I'm wondering if it could be clipped on the passenger side sunshade perhaps now.

Fairy Call Bridge & Spaunton

Fairy Call Bridge has a legend attached in that before the bridge was built mischievous 'Fairies' would delight in blowing out carriage lanterns at night - presumably as they crossed a ford which must have been treacherous as the beck is quite deeply incised.

There's probably a grain of truth in that the wind had a way of funneling through here or something?!

'Spauntons Lane' entrance.

This mainly accesses fields now but there's a seemingly ancient raised track called 'Ing's Balk' joins another track heading directly south towards the A170.

You can also walk through to Lingmoor Farm and Hutton-le-Hole

Sign says 'Unsuitable for Motor Vehicles' which suggests it's a legally driveable route but it certainly isn't suitable for most cars.

Gillamoor, Hutton-le-Hole and Spaunton - CRF250L

Days are very short for this kind of thing just now, however the weather was mild and has been relatively dry for some time - quite good going for December.

Whitby from Sandsend

Always a rather special view if the weather is half decent.

Pickering drive thru

I uploaded this mainly to catch the new Lidl almost finished by the traffic lights, but the sun flashing through the trees is rather pleasing with the Human League song (blocked in Germany)

Rainy Ruswarp Run

Taking a trailer load of lambs to the livestock mart (Roadhawk Ride bullet cam)

ride

Malton street scenes

The November sunshine was just glorious today, making even rather ordinary scenes seem a bit special.

St Michael's at Malton

Old Houses in the Market Place

Malton Shambles

Heather Burning

A vital tool in managing the moors, it wasn't going very well today though with loads of smoke but not enough wind.

Farndale and Douthwaitedale

Cowhouse Bank

This seemed nothing special when I took it last Sunday, but after a little tweak on saturation and levels I rather like it.

It's another example of the astonishing ability of the little Canon S100.
A truly pocketable camera - smaller than a pack of cards - yet time and again, even in rather difficult low light it does manage very well - especially using the RAW files.
The original caught almost embarrassing detail of the contents of the old sheds.

We bought a tractor from here when (I assume) the last real farmers sold up from here about ten years ago.

Helmsley Bank

Rather poor light but an interesting area to pootle around, ashamed to say I have never been here until today.

Langdale from Highwood Brow

Wombleton Sheep Sale

hdr jeep

Rosedale Chimney Bank

- Wheat straw near Rievaulx -

Bilsdale

Low Hamer

Interesting spot off a farm track, Hartoft.

The old buildings are about to collapse which is a shame but they are very inaccessible.

Eskdale Reliability Trial

Summer's end draws near

But not just yet,

Playing with the new bike

First proper ride out and it was a lot of fun on forest tracks and similar.

It's a nearly new Honda CRF250L

Kepwick Hall gatehouse

Blow Gill waterfall

It turned rather dull yesterday afternoon with spots of rain, which suited a long exposure. The Canon S100 has a built in ND filter which I never really used before. This enabled shutter speeds of more than five seconds.

Roadwork Gang Truck