Technology today is so cool. We have products that people a few years ago could only have dreamed of. If I were going out chasing some storms I'd load up with the following:
The Ride: 2004 Lingenfelter Suburban 4x4
Getting stuck sucks. Getting stuck in the line of a fast-moving tornado REALLY sucks. This Suburban gets the nod of say, a Unimog, because of the top-end speed, cargo carrying capacity, and interior space and comfort.
The Laptop: Apple Powerbook 15"
The Powerbook gets the nod over the Macbook Air because of the included Firewire port and 7200 rpm internal drive. We need the firewire port for video import.
The Camera: Sony DSLR A700P
I'm not sure I could ever do this camera justice, but it sure is sweet. 12.2 megapixel resolution, interchangeable lenses, you name it, the function is probably built in.
The Handheld GPS: Bushnell Onix 400 CR
Oh man, I love this GPS! It's small, hand-held but also has some really neat features generally found only on Aviation quality GPS units namely real-time weather overlay and satellite imagery. Freaking sweet! Watch those hooked echos approach and keep an eye on the tornado at night while you can't even see it clearly! Perhaps you can catch that elusive "tornado back-lit by lightning" shot that people pay big money for.
The phone: Any unlocked phone.
Go with the best coverage for the area in which you are chasing.
The Video Camera: Panasonic AG-HVX200
What's not to love? 24 frames per second, HD video, you name it.
The "other" Video Camera: Sony HVR-V1U
A great camera but unlike the Panasonic you don't have to worry about recording only to P2 cards as this camera records to DV tape. The idea here is you will get a lot more video on the same camera. Shoot the "everyday shots" with this camera and shoot the super-high quality video on the Panasonic.
The Friends: Two or three of your best.
It would be a shame to get stuck in a tornado by yourself. Take a few friends along that have some specialized skills: amateur videographer, meteorologist, or just someone to cheer you on.
Got any more ideas?
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2 comments:
Storms. You need storms. The kind you can see, anyway.
We do get our share of tornadoes, but most of them are lightning-quick and very hard to observe with NC's varied terrain.
Yeah! Storms! I need them too! (though I never said I was picturing chasing storms in Texas, Kansas, those kinds of places.. and you're right, you can see squat in NC most times.. I felt claustrophobic for years after moving here)
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