Ordovician in Tennessee (Help!)

[Terri]

Lots, there's the ceph and cystoid(?) you've already seen, also lots of little crinoid bits, Beekite replaced corals and more. Here's another shot of the mound thing and a nice soft ball size chunk of coral (tabulate?) that's on the mound...

 

[Terri]

There are wavy concentric lines throughout the mound towards the center that look like the outer edge, having trouble getting them to show with a top view, I've got to run now but can show more later if you'd like to see.

 

[Terri]

Here are a couple more pics... the first one showing the siphuncle and chambers of the ceph, cystoid, I think a chunk of coral to the right of the cystoid, and the tabulate coral is on the opposite side of (mound) towards top of pic.

 

[Terri]

I'm not sure what this is, maybe crinoidal?

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Looks like Bryozoa wrapped around a crinoid stem

The Stromatolite/algae/?sponge mound is kinda cool. Do you see any kind of pattern or structure to the concentric rings?

That ceph gets bigger each time I see a new photo.

 

[Terri]

The Stromatolite/algae/?sponge mound is kinda cool. Do you see any kind of pattern or structure to the concentric rings?

No real pattern that I can see, but I need to clean some of the lichen off and take a closer look, structure, yes ...at least what I would call structure , which is what has kept me interested. I'll do some cleaning and attempt better pics. from a top view.

That ceph gets bigger each time I see a new photo.

It's growing....

 

[Solius]

The "ball" looking thing appears to be a stromotoporoid or stromatolite. Can you hold a lens up to it and then photograph it? With a little magnification(X 10), it should be easier to ID.

 

[Terri]

Hi Solius, are you referring to pic. one in post 631? There's at least one more of those on the outcrop, I'll have to look through the pictures I have and see what I've got. (looking for a new camera) My first thought was coral (crystilized?) but I'm often wrong about these things...

So, what I need is a little advice on cameras, Kevin, D, Hajar, Solius..every one feel free to chime in! As Kevin and D well know I'm pretty technologically challenged, so keeping that in mind...I've been looking at a Nikon P510, 16.1 mp, 42x optical and digital zoom, awesome right? (also comes with 240 page manual). But do I need all that to take great pictures of fossils? This camera runs around $400.00, I don't want to pay over that and a little less would be better, and it may be overly complicated (for me). What do you guys use?

Anyway Solius, I'll go through the pics. I have and see if I've got anything that is postable. What is there about the fossil that says stromatoporoid/ stromatolite to you?

 

[Architeuthoceras]

I use a Nikon Coolpix S8000 14.2MP with 10x Zoom. That P510 looks great.

Just make sure it has Macro capability.

 

[Terri]

Thanks Kevin, gives me something else to look at. Yes the P510 does have a Macro setting.

 

[Terri]

Coolpix P500! I went down to a local electronics store this afternoon and they just happened to have one left on a closeout sale for $299.00. It's a little bulky, can't exactly stick it in your pocket, but I couldn't turn it down for the price. It took forever for it to charge up the first time, so I haven't had time to play with it yet. Can't wait to see what it can do, will be posting (hopefully) very decent pictures soon.

 

[DWhatley]

Look for something simple, that has good magnification (AND good MACRO autofocus) without having to add lenses. I love my Canon but it is not made any longer (high end automatic but not through the lens viewing). I wish I had better low light and macro (not good) autofocus. I don't see all that well any more but never could focus a camera easily so good autofocus is one of my main criteria (remote firing and low light will be on my must have list next time). The other really helpful thing is the anti-shake stabalization for videos. We are interested in different targets though so I would think sharp macro auto focus would lead the list. DO NOT look at the digital zoom or consider it as part of your target list. OPTICAL zoom is what should interest you most and will produce a true magnification. IMO Digital zoom is software and pretty much worthless in a camera (helpful in printing but I use a computer program for that, not when taking the original picture).

:OOPS: there was another page to the post. I am sure you will like the Nikon though as I see people in love with this line of their cameras AND I think it has an electric remote firing option.

Not to spend your savings ... but one accessory I cannot live without is a tripod. The difference in my pictures is dramatic with and without. They make a variety of very small ones you can use in the field. Some have very bendable legs (not surprisingly called an octopus) but I like the short metal ones with individually expendable legs for stability.

 

[Terri]

Thanks anyway D, most of the points you touched on this camera has, I'm glad you posted though, made me feel a little better about which camera I chose. I was afraid it would be too complicated for me.I really think I'm going to like it. Rained all day yesterday so I didn' get outside with it, long enough to take a few shots. Must...find...time....to...read....manual....

 

[DWhatley]

If you have another rainy day and are inclined, look on the web for a free tutorial and set up a few of your fossils to use to walk through the examples. Sometimes you can find one for your specific camera family. You won't "learn" how to use all that is thrown at you but what you will learn most of the things your camera CAN do so that you can look them up when you want to do something special.

 

[Terri]

I will definitely do that D. But revision here, took the P500 back and got the P510! Excellent camera (promise I'll get back to cephs soon). But wow! Busy week ahead and rain moving in...and I see what you mean about the tripod, I've got one around here somewhere, if I can find it I'll certainly put it to good use. We should start a thread somewhere for cameras and camera help!