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Borrego Springs, CA

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Fiddling around and a mouse trap review

A friend of mine has lent me a 2X multiplier lens to use on my camera for a couple of weeks.  I’m not sure that’s the right terminology, but I decided to try it out today before I had to work the VIS at noon.  This multiplier goes between the camera body and my telephoto lens.

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I drove the refuge roads and began clicking away.  I took over 100 photos using it, and ended up with only two pics that were sort of okay.  Most of the pics were terribly out of focus.  Of course, I was hand holding the camera as I drove along.  Probably the use of a tripod would help since it is doubling a 300mm lens.

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But there is also a difference between what I see through the viewfinder and what I end up with.  Putting the multiplier on the camera means I can’t use automatic focus, but have to use manual focus.  I adjust the focus so the subject is crisply in focus before I shoot, but there’s some kind of disconnect there.  The results are not what I originally see.  I’ll try it some more to see if I can learn how to correct that.

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It was an incredibly slow day in the VIS today, so I was happy a young Cooper’s hawk came along to give me something to do and look at.

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I took these two pictures without the multiplier, and like the results much better.  She was sure giving me the eye as I snuck around the gazebo to get her pic on top of the flag pole.

Now for the mouse trap review.  I’m going to show you three different mouse traps, and comment on their productivity.

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This is the trap I bought at Wal-mart.  It’s easy to load bait and set, but needs a mouse that weighs as much as an elephant to set it off.  Mice just eat the bait and go on their way.  I must say that I can’t use the old fashioned wooden traps.  I can’t set them without them going off and scaring the crap out of me.  I’m afraid I’ll break a finger.

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The second trap is made by Tomcat and I purchased them at the local hardware store.  They’re pretty good, but tend to wear out because the latching mechanism is made of plastic and doesn’t hold up like metal would.

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The third trap is made by Intruder and was sent to me by JANNA in Montana.  (I just like saying Janna from Montana  Smile)  I had several of these traps here at Anahuac the winter after Ike when the mice were simply overwhelming.  They are hard to find, and I appreciate her sending one to me.  To give you an idea of their performance; I caught three mice in this one trap in under eight hours.  I think it has something to do with that spring that wraps around on the outside.  So there you have it.  My unscientific mousetrap review.  I had no mice last night thanks to the two good traps and stuffing steel wool into the crack where my water hose comes into the rig.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

27 comments:

  1. I have never had any luck with multipliers. I figure if they worked as good as bigger lenses, they would not be able to sell the lenses.

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  2. Really crisp and clear pictures however you took them. Thanks for the consumer reports on mouse traps. Wonder why the winner is so hard to locate?

    Sherry
    www.directionofourdreams.blogspot.com

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  3. Hooray for Janna from Montana. Sounds like you might finally be winning the battle. I love the picture of the hawk looking at you over his shoulder.

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  4. With the multiplier (extender), not only do you usually lose auto focus capability, but you lose about 2 f-stops ... which means handholding becomes that much more difficult. I have one that is 1.4 to use with my 70-200 and it's one of the few that allows me to keep my auto-focus. By bumping up the ISO (on my camera I can go to about 1000 or so without noticeable noise), I find that I can get sharp pictures handheld.

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  5. Boy oh boy, I sure do need camera lessons! We have a mouse that is from Harvard or Yale....he gets the bait and is off.

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  6. Those electronic zappers provided by Jerry, the maintaince guy worked great for me. I even caught the mouse living in my car while at lunch in Anahuac the day I got my first trap - maybe the day you left.

    Their only drawback is that you have to periodically clean them or they short out. I only had to put batteries in once and was running two of them for a while. But I loved hearing that little Zapping sound, especially after they ate my good coat. AND the other day, I had to change a fuse in my car and had to remove a mouse nest first.

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  7. Wow, i am way glad to have the mousetrap review :)

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  8. Enjoyed the pics...that multiplier does a good job and playing with it helps you learn how best to use it. It does take away the auto focus ability, but can bring closer shots in.

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  9. Glad you are winning over the mice!! Have a great week!

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  10. I'll have to look for that type of trap. The Tom Cats have done pretty well around here. I also have a big zapper.

    Kock on wood, not mouse activity at this time.

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  11. Great picture of the hawk, love the bird photos!!
    Mouse have nothing on you with that last trap.
    We just have the sticky ones here (it's awful to throw them out), and the spring loaded ones that I can't seem to bait without pinching my hand!
    I had lots of mice in my garage because we backed onto a field, and I found the best way to rid them was the green poison blocks, but you have to make sure the other animals don't get in there though.
    A little tougher in a confined space.
    Much luck on the remaining vermin!

    Cheers!

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  12. I shiver every time I look at a mouse trap. I don't think I could ever pick one up with a mouse in it. Hope you have it taken care of between the traps and the steel wool. I had field mice for a long time at my house in Asheville and knew where they were getting in. I finally got some steel wool and never had another mouse. We get too soon old, and too late smart!

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  13. there is some smart mice where you are, Judy!...hope you outsmart them all real soon!!

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  14. I have considered a lens extender but after doing some research and talking to some photographer friends, I've decided to keep saving for the lens I want.
    Love the first photo of the Cooper's....the wind blown look ;-)

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  15. Lens extenders are tough to use until you get use to the manual focus. Using a tripod or monopod might help.

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  16. I guess they aren't very humane, but the sticky traps work the best for us. I think your pictures are great with just your lenses.

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  17. Thanks for the mouse trap review...haven't needed on yet, but I'm sure our time will come. Thanks for the heads-up on the post yesterday. I took your advice and didn't read it.

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  18. On my list today is to get one of those ultrasonic things that is supposed to deter mice. Our friends here in GC have them and say they have not had mice since they installed them. I might order a couple of those traps in case that thing does not work.

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  19. Had to chuckle reading your mousetrap reviews. Did we ever think way back "when" that we would be able to go to a electrical typewriter type contraption and be able to connect instantly with people all over the world and determine the best way to kill mice!!! Amazing!

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  20. Glad the trap is working for you Judy! And lots of people for some reason love to say, "Janna from Montana." Remember the country and western song that had the words, "long legged Hannah from Butte, Montana." A friend belonged to a band and was singing in Las Vegas one night when I was visiting--he changed the words of the song to "long legged Janna from Butte, Montana." And yes, my legs are long!

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  21. You've got some pretty hi-tech mouse traps there, Judy. Mind you, your mice seem smarter than average too!

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  22. Thanks for the mouse trap review. We used the sticky kind and they did not work very well. Right now we are using the old fashioned ones with good results. We will look for the Intruder. It looks like a good option.

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  23. GREAT photos of the hawk ~ and glad you found a better mouse trap that helped with your problem....
    Have fun & Travel safe
    Donna

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  24. Thanks for the info on the mousetraps. We found the Intruder mousetrap here in our hardware store awhile ago. We had to order it though. Have used it and it works quite well here too. Loved your pictures today. The trouble with using a tripod is that the object of your desire might take off before you are ready with the camera ☺ Good luck.

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  25. Wonderful shots of the Cooper’s Hawk. Thanks for talking about the “multiplier”, I had been considering one but didn’t know much about them.

    John
    connectedtothevinephotography.blogspot.com

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  26. Love the photos of the birds, to me they look like they turned out really well. I am sure that once you experiment with it more, you'll get the hang of it.

    I think the best mouse trap you can get is a cat! Hope you have managed to get rid of them.

    Kevin and Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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