Wax ski with Grip Tape suitable for beginner?

Hi everyone!

I've recently had my first lessons in nordic skiing (classic style)
and found it great! Now I want to buy my own gear, as I only had
rental skis for the course.
My teacher told me to get no-wax skis (such were my rental skis,
Fischer Power Crown), as waxing is a complex task and needs some
experience. Also, I don't want to make a fuss about preparing the skis
each time -- just get them out of the car and off you go ...
But now, I'm wondering whether a wax ski together with the Start Grip
Tape would also suit my needs. Would you recommend this combination to
an absolute beginner? Or should I follow my teacher's advice and buy a
no-wax ski? I'm living in Germany, so conditions may vary from about
-15 to +5 degrees Celsius; this should be compatible with the Grip
Tape. I am sportive, but I don't want to do nordic skiing as a hard
training. Just do some sports to keep myself fit in the winter and
enjoy the landscape and to be outdoors.
As far as I know, the disadvantage of no-wax skis is that they are
slower and not gliding as good as wax skis. But is there also any
disadvantage of wax skis? What about getting a good kick, which I find
to be the most difficult thing for a beginner? Is this easier with
no-wax skis?

Sorry if I had some wrong technical terms -- never learned skiing
vocabulary at school ... ;-)

Bye
Amadeo

In article ,
(Amadeo) wrote:

As far as I know, the disadvantage of no-wax skis is that they are
slower and not gliding as good as wax skis. But is there also any
disadvantage of wax skis? What about getting a good kick, which I find
to be the most difficult thing for a beginner? Is this easier with
no-wax skis?

Sorry, can't help with the Grip Tape question.

Wax vs. No-Wax skis:

No Wax Advantage: Convenience. Like you say, get them out of the car and
go. Remember though they need to be hot waxed in the tip (front section)
and tail (behind the binding plate) sections to improve performance.

No Wax Disadvantage: Generally poor performance. Slower glide that
requires more effort.

Wax Skis Advantage: Better performance. Generally better glide resulting
in somewhat less effort. More often a feeling of sailing across the snow.

Wax Skis Disadvantage: A minor disadvantage is that you must learn an
additional skill--waxing for grip. This is not as hard as is sounds if
you keep it simple. You could start with only a few grip waxes like Swix
Special Green, Blue Extra, and Special Red. As long as the snow was not
in a thaw condition or frozen ice you will be fine. Waxing a ski in
conditions below 32 degrees F (0 C) takes about 5 minutes.

Waxing for grip becomes more interesting (difficult) right near the
freezing (thawing) point. Here beginners have a great deal of difficulty
because of lack of experience.

Generally I feel the performance of a waxable ski far outweighs any
disadvantage. This is especially true if you ski mostly during colder
conditions on fresh or groomed powder snow.

However, if a lot of your skiing is or will be done on days when the
temps go to or above freezing then a no-wax ski might be better.

Remember, for all skis, that skis must fit your weight in order to
perform most efficiently. Be sure to buy your first pair from a good
shop that carries a good selection. Numerous skis of the same brand,
model, and length can have different stiffnesses and it's important to
get the one ski that fits you the best.
Ralph Thornton
http://www.ernordic.com/ralph.htm


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Hi Amadeo-
no apologies necessary-- you asked good questions, and it sounds like you've done some looking into things on your own before posting.

From the sounds of it, going with the grip-tape option might be a good one for you. Your conclusions about the pros and cons of no-wax vs. wax are pretty accurate: better kick without having to have good technique, but slower glide for the no-wax; faster (funner) skis, but you need to work on your technique (and waxing) to get good kick for the waxables.

However, if you are patient and someone who responds positively to challenges, you will learn a lot more, develop better technique, and experience what "kick and glide" REALLY feels like if you go with the waxables. Having said that, read up on the various posts that have been put up this winter about wax pockets and kick zones (some have been really good), and go online to Zach Caldwell and/or Nat Brown's websites to educate yourself some more. Then find a good shop that will fit you with a pair of skis that have the right flex. This is a crucial component of classic skis, and just grabbing a pair off the rack vs. having them fitted is exactly similar to buying a suit off the rack versus having one tailor-made. The shop will consider your technique, how likely it is to improve (if you're "sportive", maybe that means that you will work harder at developing better technique), where you ski (hilly vs. flatter), etc.

Having said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc.

And finally, probably the most correct answer is: buy one pair now, and plan on buying a second pair (of the other kind) later!

good luck!
Chris Cline
SLC, UT

Amadeo wrote:
Hi everyone!

I've recently had my first lessons in nordic skiing (classic style)
and found it great! Now I want to buy my own gear, as I only had
rental skis for the course.
My teacher told me to get no-wax skis (such were my rental skis,
Fischer Power Crown), as waxing is a complex task and needs some
experience. Also, I don't want to make a fuss about preparing the skis
each time -- just get them out of the car and off you go ...
But now, I'm wondering whether a wax ski together with the Start Grip
Tape would also suit my needs. Would you recommend this combination to
an absolute beginner? Or should I follow my teacher's advice and buy a
no-wax ski? I'm living in Germany, so conditions may vary from about
-15 to +5 degrees Celsius; this should be compatible with the Grip
Tape. I am sportive, but I don't want to do nordic skiing as a hard
training. Just do some sports to keep myself fit in the winter and
enjoy the landscape and to be outdoors.
As far as I know, the disadvantage of no-wax skis is that they are
slower and not gliding as good as wax skis. But is there also any
disadvantage of wax skis? What about getting a good kick, which I find
to be the most difficult thing for a beginner? Is this easier with
no-wax skis?

Sorry if I had some wrong technical terms -- never learned skiing
vocabulary at school ... ;-)

Bye
Amadeo






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DIVHi Amadeo-/DIV
DIVno apologies necessary-- you asked good questions, and it sounds like you've done some looking into things on your own before posting./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVFrom the sounds of it, going with the grip-tape option might be a good one for you.  Your conclusions about the pros and cons of no-wax vs. wax are pretty accurate:  better kick without having to have good technique, but slower glide for the no-wax; faster (funner) skis, but you need to work on your technique (and waxing) to get good kick for the waxables./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVHowever, if you are patient and someone who responds positively to challenges, you will learn a lot more, develop better technique, and experience what "kick and glide" REALLY feels like if you go with the waxables.  Having said that, read up on the various posts that have been put up this winter about wax pockets and kick zones (some have been really good), and go online to Zach Caldwell and/or Nat Brown's websites to educate yourself some more.  Then find a good shop that will fit you with a pair of skis that have the right flex.  This is a crucial component of classic skis, and just grabbing a pair off the rack vs. having them fitted is exactly similar to buying a suit off the rack versus having one tailor-made.  The shop will consider your technique, how likely it is to improve (if you're "sportive", maybe that means that you will work harder at developing better technique), where you ski (hilly vs. flatter), etc./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVHaving said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVAnd finally, probably the most correct answer is: buy one pair now, and plan on buying a second pair (of the other kind) later!/DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVgood luck!/DIV
DIVChris Cline/DIV
DIVSLC, UTBRBRBIAmadeo >/I/B wrote:/DIV
BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"Hi everyone!BRBRI've recently had my first lessons in nordic skiing (classic style)BRand found it great! Now I want to buy my own gear, as I only hadBRrental skis for the course.BRMy teacher told me to get no-wax skis (such were my rental skis,BRFischer Power Crown), as waxing is a complex task and needs someBRexperience. Also, I don't want to make a fuss about preparing the skisBReach time -- just get them out of the car and off you go ...BRBut now, I'm wondering whether a wax ski together with the Start GripBRTape would also suit my needs. Would you recommend this combination toBRan absolute beginner? Or should I follow my teacher's advice and buy aBRno-wax ski? I'm living in Germany, so conditions may vary from aboutBR-15 to +5 degrees Celsius; this should be compatible with the GripBRTape. I am sportive, but I don't want to do nordic skiing as a
hardBRtraining. Just do some sports to keep myself fit in the winter andBRenjoy the landscape and to be outdoors.BRAs far as I know, the disadvantage of no-wax skis is that they areBRslower and not gliding as good as wax skis. But is there also anyBRdisadvantage of wax skis? What about getting a good kick, which I findBRto be the most difficult thing for a beginner? Is this easier withBRno-wax skis?BRBRSorry if I had some wrong technical terms -- never learned skiingBRvocabulary at school ... ;-)BRBRByeBRAmadeoBRBRBRBRBR/BLOCKQUOTEp
hr size=1Do you Yahoo!?br
Read only the mail you want - a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail_us/taglines/spamguard/*http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail/static/protection.html"Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard/a.
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Chris Cline wrote:
--0-96347692-1105460505=:55561
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Hi Amadeo-
no apologies necessary-- you asked good questions, and it sounds like you've done some looking into things on your own before posting.

From the sounds of it, going with the grip-tape option might be a good one for you. Your conclusions about the pros and cons of no-wax vs. wax are pretty accurate: better kick without having to have good technique, but slower glide for the no-wax; faster (funner) skis, but you need to work on your technique (and waxing) to get good kick for the waxables.

However, if you are patient and someone who responds positively to challenges, you will learn a lot more, develop better technique, and experience what "kick and glide" REALLY feels like if you go with the waxables. Having said that, read up on the various posts that have been put up this winter about wax pockets and kick zones (some have been really good), and go online to Zach Caldwell and/or Nat Brown's websites to educate yourself some more. Then find a good shop that will fit you with a pair of skis that have the right flex. This is a crucial component of classic skis, and just grabbing a pair off the rack vs. having them fitted is exactly similar to buying a suit off the rack versus having one tailor-made. The shop will consider your technique, how likely it is to improve (if you're "sportive", maybe that means that you will work harder at developing better technique), where you ski (hilly vs. flatter), etc.

Having said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc.

And finally, probably the most correct answer is: buy one pair now, and plan on buying a second pair (of the other kind) later!

good luck!
Chris Cline
SLC, UT

Amadeo wrote:
Hi everyone!

I've recently had my first lessons in nordic skiing (classic style)
and found it great! Now I want to buy my own gear, as I only had
rental skis for the course.
My teacher told me to get no-wax skis (such were my rental skis,
Fischer Power Crown), as waxing is a complex task and needs some
experience. Also, I don't want to make a fuss about preparing the skis
each time -- just get them out of the car and off you go ...
But now, I'm wondering whether a wax ski together with the Start Grip
Tape would also suit my needs. Would you recommend this combination to
an absolute beginner? Or should I follow my teacher's advice and buy a
no-wax ski? I'm living in Germany, so conditions may vary from about
-15 to +5 degrees Celsius; this should be compatible with the Grip
Tape. I am sportive, but I don't want to do nordic skiing as a hard
training. Just do some sports to keep myself fit in the winter and
enjoy the landscape and to be outdoors.
As far as I know, the disadvantage of no-wax skis is that they are
slower and not gliding as good as wax skis. But is there also any
disadvantage of wax skis? What about getting a good kick, which I find
to be the most difficult thing for a beginner? Is this easier with
no-wax skis?

Sorry if I had some wrong technical terms -- never learned skiing
vocabulary at school ... ;-)

Bye
Amadeo






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DIVHi Amadeo-/DIV
DIVno apologies necessary-- you asked good questions, and it sounds like you've done some looking into things on your own before posting./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVFrom the sounds of it, going with the grip-tape option might be a good one for you.  Your conclusions about the pros and cons of no-wax vs. wax are pretty accurate:  better kick without having to have good technique, but slower glide for the no-wax; faster (funner) skis, but you need to work on your technique (and waxing) to get good kick for the waxables./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVHowever, if you are patient and someone who responds positively to challenges, you will learn a lot more, develop better technique, and experience what "kick and glide" REALLY feels like if you go with the waxables.  Having said that, read up on the various posts that have been put up this winter about wax pockets and kick zones (some have been really good), and go online to Zach Caldwell and/or Nat Brown's websites to educate yourself some more.  Then find a good shop that will fit you with a pair of skis that have the right flex.  This is a crucial component of classic skis, and just grabbing a pair off the rack vs. having them fitted is exactly similar to buying a suit off the rack versus having one tailor-made.  The shop will consider your technique, how likely it is to improve (if you're "sportive", maybe that means that you will work harder at developing better technique), where you ski (hilly vs. flatter), etc./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVHaving said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVAnd finally, probably the most correct answer is: buy one pair now, and plan on buying a second pair (of the other kind) later!/DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVgood luck!/DIV
DIVChris Cline/DIV
DIVSLC, UTBRBRBIAmadeo >/I/B wrote:/DIV
BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"Hi everyone!BRBRI've recently had my first lessons in nordic skiing (classic style)BRand found it great! Now I want to buy my own gear, as I only hadBRrental skis for the course.BRMy teacher told me to get no-wax skis (such were my rental skis,BRFischer Power Crown), as waxing is a complex task and needs someBRexperience. Also, I don't want to make a fuss about preparing the skisBReach time -- just get them out of the car and off you go ...BRBut now, I'm wondering whether a wax ski together with the Start GripBRTape would also suit my needs. Would you recommend this combination toBRan absolute beginner? Or should I follow my teacher's advice and buy aBRno-wax ski? I'm living in Germany, so conditions may vary from aboutBR-15 to +5 degrees Celsius; this should be compatible with the GripBRTape. I am sportive, but I don't want to do nordic skiing a
s a
hardBRtraining. Just do some sports to keep myself fit in the winter andBRenjoy the landscape and to be outdoors.BRAs far as I know, the disadvantage of no-wax skis is that they areBRslower and not gliding as good as wax skis. But is there also anyBRdisadvantage of wax skis? What about getting a good kick, which I findBRto be the most difficult thing for a beginner? Is this easier withBRno-wax skis?BRBRSorry if I had some wrong technical terms -- never learned skiingBRvocabulary at school ... ;-)BRBRByeBRAmadeoBRBRBRBRBR/BLOCKQUOTEp
hr size=1Do you Yahoo!?br
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I completely concur about the importance of getting a ski that fits
well. That's critical, and it's critical that you know where your wax
pocket is for powder and klister conditions (varies somewhat from one to
the other). Having said that, the tape works incredibly well for some.
My wife used it every day in Tahoe a couple of weeks ago and, for the
first time, I had to really hammer to keep up with her. So, first find
a store that knows what it's doing. Good luck!

Amadeo wrote:
Hi everyone!

I've recently had my first lessons in nordic skiing (classic style)
and found it great! Now I want to buy my own gear, as I only had
rental skis for the course.
My teacher told me to get no-wax skis (such were my rental skis,
Fischer Power Crown), as waxing is a complex task and needs some
experience. Also, I don't want to make a fuss about preparing the skis
each time -- just get them out of the car and off you go ...
But now, I'm wondering whether a wax ski together with the Start Grip
Tape would also suit my needs. Would you recommend this combination to
an absolute beginner? Or should I follow my teacher's advice and buy a
no-wax ski? I'm living in Germany, so conditions may vary from about
-15 to +5 degrees Celsius; this should be compatible with the Grip
Tape. I am sportive, but I don't want to do nordic skiing as a hard
training. Just do some sports to keep myself fit in the winter and
enjoy the landscape and to be outdoors.
As far as I know, the disadvantage of no-wax skis is that they are
slower and not gliding as good as wax skis. But is there also any
disadvantage of wax skis? What about getting a good kick, which I find
to be the most difficult thing for a beginner? Is this easier with
no-wax skis?

Sorry if I had some wrong technical terms -- never learned skiing
vocabulary at school ... ;-)

Bye
Amadeo
From what I have done so far with the Start Grip Tape, you can apply it
and leave it on until worn off (it is supposed to last 100 km or so). It
have a very wide temp range (-4F to +35F according to the instructions)
so you do not need to mess with it to find the right wax for conditions
(this is my reason for trying it this year). You will have to figure out
where to put it on skis, and how long the grip area should be.(this I am
still working on for my tests). The glide is very good, and quiet
compared to waxless skis. The 2-3 hours I have used it this year has
been on poor snow with a lot of sticks and rocks and dirt poking through
the snow, but the wax strip has held up very well.
gr

Chris Cline wrote:

Having said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc.


Implied in Chris' comment is the idea that knowing how to kick wax is a
good thing, with which I agree. Yet, it also raises a question I hadn't
considered: With tape waxes and changing bases (e.g., the new Atomics
currently being tested), is the day coming when kick zone waxing will be
obsolete, or so simple that most won't really have to know how to do
it? And those of us who know how (more or less) will be considered
relics of the past, sort of like how wood ski users are seen today?

Gene

"Amadeo" wrote in message
om...
Hi everyone!

I've recently had my first lessons in nordic skiing (classic style)
and found it great! Now I want to buy my own gear, as I only had
rental skis for the course.

Hello Amadeo
What part of the country do you live in, or more important
where will you be skiing, in the mountains or round the city parks?

--0-1980806820-1105563211=:94036
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii



Gene Goldenfeld wrote:
Chris Cline wrote:

Having said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc.


Implied in Chris' comment is the idea that knowing how to kick wax is a
good thing, with which I agree. Yet, it also raises a question I hadn't
considered: With tape waxes and changing bases (e.g., the new Atomics
currently being tested), is the day coming when kick zone waxing will be
obsolete, or so simple that most won't really have to know how to do
it?

Hi Gene-

My answer to this question is that new technologies tend to improve/expand your choices, but I think that you will still have to MAKE choices, which implies that we will still have to know what's going on with wax, snow crystals, bases, etc. The analogy that comes to mind is digital cameras-- with them, you can take a picture without putting any technical thought into it, but if you know about shutter speed, aperture, depth of field, etc, you can take much better pictures, or at least pictures in which you control more of the elements of composition.

And those of us who know how (more or less) will be considered
relics of the past, sort of like how wood ski users are seen today?


You set yourself up for this one... if you count the ability to apply pine tar among your skillset, you already ARE a relic! ;- )

takes one to know one...

Chris







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DIVBRBRBIGene Goldenfeld >/I/B wrote:
BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"
PChris Cline wrote:BR> BR> Having said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc.BRBRBRImplied in Chris' comment is the idea that knowing how to kick wax is aBRgood thing, with which I agree. Yet, it also raises a question I hadn'tBRconsidered: With tape waxes and changing bases (e.g., the new AtomicsBRcurrently being tested), is the day coming when kick zone waxing will beBRobsolete, or so simple that most won't really have to know how to doBRit? /P
PHi Gene-/P
PMy answer to this question is that new technologies tend to improve/expand your choices, but I think that you will still have to MAKE choices, which implies that we will still have to know what's going on with wax, snow crystals, bases, etc.  The analogy that comes to mind is digital cameras-- with them, you can take a picture without putting any technical thought into it, but if you know about shutter speed, aperture, depth of field, etc, you can take much better pictures, or at least pictures in which you control more of the elements of composition./P
PAnd those of us who know how (more or less) will be consideredBRrelics of the past, sort of like how wood ski users are seen today? BR/P
PYou set yourself up for this one... if you count the ability to apply pine tar among your skillset, you already ARE a relic! ;- )/P
Ptakes one to know one.../P
PChrisBRBRBRBRBR/P/BLOCKQUOTE/DIVp___________________________________________ _______brDo You Yahoo!?brTired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around brhttp://mail.yahoo.com
--0-1980806820-1105563211=:94036--

I've put in about 50-60km on Grip Tape, and have found it to be great
about 60% of the time, when it's at least below 30. Above 30 I have
had very bad icing problems, but that's where my RCR crown skis really
shine, so I've managed. When it works well it's pretty darn good, but
I'd say that's been only about 20-25% of the time I've been out. The
glide on my SCS waxless skis with Grip Tape has been way, way better
than on my RCR crowns (although some of that is just differences in the
flex and length of the skis). Wear can be a problem if you don't put
in on carefully and burnish it in well. I had to use a hairdryer on it
after the initial application. Overall I would *not* recommend it for
a beginner because it's just one more possible frustration. As a
beginner the best thing is to make it easy to get out and ski as much
as possible, and build technique and conditioning. You can't go wrong
with a lots of the waxless skis on the market today. Just make sure
you wax them well, including the patterned area.

Chris, all I know about wood skis and pine tar never made it out of
Lapland Lake's shop four seasons ago. Your analogy to cameras is a good
one, but truth is at least 95% of people using cameras don't have much
clue about the parameters for setting up good shots. If tape does the
job, then how much do you really need to know except how to use wax
remover? My thoughts are meant to be speculative.

Gene

Chris Cline wrote:

--0-1980806820-1105563211=:94036
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Gene Goldenfeld wrote:
Chris Cline wrote:

Having said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc.

Implied in Chris' comment is the idea that knowing how to kick wax is a
good thing, with which I agree. Yet, it also raises a question I hadn't
considered: With tape waxes and changing bases (e.g., the new Atomics
currently being tested), is the day coming when kick zone waxing will be
obsolete, or so simple that most won't really have to know how to do
it?

Hi Gene-

My answer to this question is that new technologies tend to improve/expand your choices, but I think that you will still have to MAKE choices, which implies that we will still have to know what's going on with wax, snow crystals, bases, etc. The analogy that comes to mind is digital cameras-- with them, you can take a picture without putting any technical thought into it, but if you know about shutter speed, aperture, depth of field, etc, you can take much better pictures, or at least pictures in which you control more of the elements of composition.

And those of us who know how (more or less) will be considered
relics of the past, sort of like how wood ski users are seen today?

You set yourself up for this one... if you count the ability to apply pine tar among your skillset, you already ARE a relic! ;- )

takes one to know one...

Chris

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DIVBRBRBIGene Goldenfeld >/I/B wrote:
BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"
PChris Cline wrote:BR> BR> Having said all that, yes, the grip tape sounds like it is an easy way to get a good wax application, but it won't replace "waxing"- you still have to apply it, take it off when it's not the correct wax, figure out which is the right wax, etc.BRBRBRImplied in Chris' comment is the idea that knowing how to kick wax is aBRgood thing, with which I agree. Yet, it also raises a question I hadn'tBRconsidered: With tape waxes and changing bases (e.g., the new AtomicsBRcurrently being tested), is the day coming when kick zone waxing will beBRobsolete, or so simple that most won't really have to know how to doBRit? /P
PHi Gene-/P
PMy answer to this question is that new technologies tend to improve/expand your choices, but I think that you will still have to MAKE choices, which implies that we will still have to know what's going on with wax, snow crystals, bases, etc.  The analogy that comes to mind is digital cameras-- with them, you can take a picture without putting any technical thought into it, but if you know about shutter speed, aperture, depth of field, etc, you can take much better pictures, or at least pictures in which you control more of the elements of composition./P
PAnd those of us who know how (more or less) will be consideredBRrelics of the past, sort of like how wood ski users are seen today? BR/P
PYou set yourself up for this one... if you count the ability to apply pine tar among your skillset, you already ARE a relic! ;- )/P
Ptakes one to know one.../P
PChrisBRBRBRBRBR/P/BLOCKQUOTE/DIVp___________________________________________ _______brDo You Yahoo!?brTired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around brhttp://mail.yahoo.com
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