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careycuprisin · 7 years

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2017 Quad Rock 50M, or, why won’t these aid station people cut me off

A long mountain trail race is an invitation to make mistakes. The longer the race, the more persuasive the invitation.

There are all kinds of mistakes you can make. Separate them into two categories: mistakes you make during the race, and mistakes you’ve probably already made before the race even starts.

I am proud of my performance at the 2017 Quad Rock 50, because I think all my mistakes were made pre-race. Which is another way of saying, I don’t think I made any mistakes during the race. That’s quite an achievement over 50 miles! Simultaneously, though, I am faintly embarrassed by how long it took me to cover the whole course during a mistake-free day. My dramatic slowing over the second half of the course points up issues in training that I’ll need to identify and address.

For those not familiar with it, the Quad Rock 50M course is a 25 mile loop that you run twice, once in each direction. It’s made up of six big climbs and descents, three on each loop. The trail is runnable single-track interrupted occasionally by technical sections and the occasional dirt road. There aren’t many flat bits at all. The weather in 2017 was sunny and hot, with the only respite from sunny and hot being the first hours just after the 5:30 a.m. start.

Tale of the tape on Strava

To have a good race, as I said, you can’t make any big mistakes. Fortunately, I have a pretty substantial list of ways that I didn’t screw up.

I had the right equipment. I had no excess clothing on a day that turned out to be hot and sunny throughout. Shorts and a sleeveless RMR singlet. I had two handheld bottles, one for water and one for Coke. I had two small bags of dried fruit in my shorts pockets, and no gels, which I’ve learned by experience make me nauseated after about the second gel on every long run. I had an iPod shuffle with decent running music on it, and earphones that don’t fall out when running. I had applied tons of sunscreen. I had a trucker hat. I had sunglasses. I had two buffs, one on each wrist. I had thick wool Icebreaker socks extending to just above my ankles, which really prevent blisters and are tall enough to not capture too many small stones. I had Salomon S-lab Sense 5 Ultra shoes, that fit my feet. In short, I had everything I needed and nothing I didn’t. No mistakes.

The moon setting just after 5 am as I get my iPod ready for the race. With Pele.

I didn’t go out too hard. This is the most common mistake that I make. I think it’s because I enjoy going whole-hog over shorter distances and find the relaxed pace of a longer ultra really boring in the beginning when I’m feeling good. But I didn’t make that mistake this day. Everything felt very easy. I wasn’t afraid to hike parts of the first big ascent whenever I felt like I was working hard. If people wanted to pass or run away from me, I made no attempt to prevent it. I was in a good groove.

I did well with hydration and nutrition. This is another area where I often fail, telling myself too often that “I’ll drink later, eat later, just a few more minutes,” until I’m dehydrated and bonking, deep in a hole that I can’t climb out of. Not today though! In many races I’ll find myself arriving at an aid station with full water bottles, but at Quad Rock I made sure to drink everything in both bottles on the trail, so that at each aid station I could get full refills. This also helped me get out of the aid stations more quickly because I didn’t have to hang around to bail myself out of major dehydration. I just refilled bottles, quickly sipped something cold, swallowed a few potato chips or a piece of quesadilla, grabbed a piece of fresh fruit, and got out. On the second loop when I was suffering badly, I would sit down for a bit, but it was almost never for very long.

Needless to say, I was feeling good for a good bit of the first loop. Things only started to fall apart about 20 miles in on the third big descent into the turnaround aid station at 25 miles.

That’s when my right leg started to seize up. There weren’t any muscle cramps, but every time I’d push the speed even a little, or when the trail got the slightest bit technical and required any big step-downs or leaps over rocks, the lateral side of my right thigh would hurt like hell until I backed way off on the speed. And by that I mean, backed off to hiking pace. It was very frustrating, since I love running downhill and the trail on this big descent was snaky, beautiful, and looked like it would be super-fun to go fast on.

Nevertheless, I persisted. I cheered on several RMRs whom I saw on their climb up out of the turnaround to start their second loop. They were all looking great! I ultimately snuck into the aid station in about 5:45 — not bad considering I’d been moving so slowly for the past hour or so. This was really the only extended aid-station rest I allowed myself. Time to eat and drink something, change socks, put on more sunscreen (good idea!), and meet Howie, a new RMR dog that was helping out by looking cute and sniffing around like a good dog should.

Feeling decent on the first descent

I left for the second loop hoping the right leg would loosen up on the climbs. Though it did — eventually — it never really felt good again all day. Sadly, also, I ran out of energy for the climbs and the last half of the race became a suffer-fest.

You know how ocean waves roll onto a beach and then slide back out again? That was how the suffering felt. A wave of misery would roll in. I would console myself by thinking about how great it would be to drop at the next aid station. Then the acute exhaustion would abate a little bit and I’d start to think “I’ll just hike the rest of the way to the finish, who cares about cut offs?” This cruel cycle, aided and abetted by heartless aid-station volunteers including many of my friends (who could have had some sympathy for me but of course did not) kept me just ahead of the time cutoffs at each aid station, sending me out to hobble along to the next one. Rinse and repeat.

Halfway through the second loop is when I turned on the iPod. The music helped distract me a little bit. (“Those damned blue-collar tweakers, they’re the backbone of this town!”) I consoled myself by focusing on the fact that although I felt miserable, I continued to look fabulous. Time passed. The sun dropped below the hills in the west. The racers who’d finished hours before packed up their things and went home.

But the volunteers at Towers were still there, dammit. They filled my water bottles one last time. One last sip of coke. “Get out of here!” Bastards. Off I limped, down the final descent. At last I was homeward bound. I knew, finally, that I wouldn’t have to bum a ride back to my car at the finish line. I was reasonably content.

Then about two miles from the finish, as I’m semi-contentedly power hiking along, I see in the distance several people wearing green shirts, accompanied by a medium-sized dog without a tail. Oh, shit! It’s Kea dog and a bunch of RMRs waiting to congratulate me for not being dead or (worse) being DNFed. I hear cheers in the distance. I start to weep, just a little. Trying not to look lazy, I start jogging. Crying, but just a little. High-fives, pet Kea, and head for the finish. So much for semi-contented power hiking. I felt I owed it to all these people who were still hanging out at the finish line to get my ass finished as soon as possible. So, although it hurt, I found the energy to jog it in over the last, flat, mile. Done! My first 50M in the books. I think I missed the final official cut off time, but I completed the entire distance under my own power. So though I might not be official, I’m still a finisher in all ways that matter to me.

So why did that last loop go sideways? Well, more training for efforts longer than 5 hours could always help, cardiovascularly-speaking. And musculoskeletally-speaking, also. That’s about it, though. I just wasn’t fit enough for anything much faster on this course, on this day. But I’m happy with that! I can’t attribute the wheels falling off to any specific mistakes I made during the race. And for a race lasting, for me, more than 14 hours, that’s a pretty great thing to be able to say.

THANK YOU to Heidi who gave up her whole day to help me out at the race and to wrangle our dog Pele while I was out on the course. She also drove the car on the way home, which was so luxurious! Thank you to Gnar Runners for organizing such a beautiful race and for staying so late. Next year I’ll volunteer, or run the 25M like a sensible person. Thank you also to the best running club ever, the Rocky Mountain Runners. I never would have done as many dumb and stupid things without the inspiration and peer pressure you provide (to excess) on a weekly basis, from those of you who run at the front of the pack to those of you who run at the back. I’ve learned so many things about running and racing from you people, and had so much goofy fun with you. I’m very thankful and lucky to have met you all. Even when you kick me out of perfectly comfortable aid stations and make me cry with all your cheering and high-fives. Congratulations to all RMRs and especially to all of you who won an absurd amount of awards during the Quad Rock 50M and 25M this year. Cheers!

Look at all that pottery! RMRs with the spoils of victory, and beer

[cross-posted on the Rocky Mountain Runners page]

#trailrunning #rockymountainrunners #quadrock

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vsplusonline · 5 years

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Coronavirus: Developing a rapid COVID-19 test is in the works in Canada, globally

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/coronavirus-developing-a-rapid-covid-19-test-is-in-the-works-in-canada-globally/

Coronavirus: Developing a rapid COVID-19 test is in the works in Canada, globally

As novel coronavirus cases rise globally, along with deaths, developing a rapid test for COVID-19 is one of the key areas that researchers in Canada and around the world are targeting.

Related News

Experts have said widespread testing is necessary because it allows for better management of an outbreak. The British government, for instance, bought 3.5 million antibody testing kits from various suppliers in late March, with the intention of making sure they work before distributing them.

READ MORE: Social distancing is crucial, but Canada also needs more coronavirus testing: experts

“The sooner you know if someone’s positive or negative, then the more infection control and outbreak control you can put in place,” said Dr. Anna Banerji, an associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.

“Because in that time period, when someone may not be sure, they could be potentially spreading the virus. I think people practise more infection control when they know that someone has a condition.”

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1:49 Coronavirus: Alberta Health Services explains why there is less testing in South Zone

Coronavirus: Alberta Health Services explains why there is less testing in South Zone

World Health Organization director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also urged this: “You can’t win a football game by defending, you have to attack as well.”

Countries must “test, test, test, test” in order to know who is infected and who needs to be isolated, he said earlier this month.

READ MORE: Virus science — a look at coronavirus research around the globe

In Canada

As of March 28, more than 184,000 people in Canada had been tested at provincial and national labs across the country. The total number of confirmed cases across the country have exceeded 5,500, with 61 deaths and 472 recoveries. But getting tested can be slow, with more than 8,600 people in Ontario still awaiting test results as of March 28.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Canada to ban sick travellers from domestic flights, intercity trains

Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam has previously said testing centres have to “be smart” about who they test, due to supply issues.

Testing in Canada has been slow in getting set up, but Banerji said she expects it to increase.

“I expect in the next few weeks that the testing will be a lot more streamlined,” she said in a recent interview with Global News.

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1:55 Coronavirus outbreak: New antibody test could be key in COVID-19 fight

Coronavirus outbreak: New antibody test could be key in COVID-19 fight

Current testing for COVID-19 in Canada varies by jurisdiction, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Alon Vaisman.

In Toronto, University Health Network’s lab has a “fairly good” turnaround time of less than 24 hours, sometimes shorter, he said. But more remote areas might have a longer turnaround time. So it depends, he said.

2:25 Coronavirus outbreak: Trump says FDA has approved Chloroquine for COVID-19 testing

Coronavirus outbreak: Trump says FDA has approved Chloroquine for COVID-19 testing

“But in the places where they’re doing it rapidly and efficiently, it could be even as short as less than 12 hours, actually,” Vaisman said.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: I just had my COVID-19 test — here’s how it went

A rapid point-of-care test for COVID-19 would be “great,” he said. But until it’s published in a peer-reviewed journal, “it’s hard to know what exactly is the reality.”

[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]

Point-of-care testing is essentially “medical diagnostic testing performed outside the clinical laboratory, at or near, where a patient is receiving care,” according to the College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario.

1:40 Nova Scotia biologists working around the clock to test COVID-19

Nova Scotia biologists working around the clock to test COVID-19

It may or may not be carried out by lab personnel, with the results used for “clinical decision making.”

Point-of-care testing exists for HIV, for instance, where a nurse can draw a sample, place it in a testing tray and run the test right then and there, Vaisman said.

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“It would help hospitals make decisions regarding isolation and movement of patients and treatment,” he said. “So it’d be a pretty significant development.”

2:07 Coronavirus outbreak: Canada approves 2 new COVID-19 tests

Coronavirus outbreak: Canada approves 2 new COVID-19 tests

Developments in Canada

Canada has allocated millions in research dollars towards the new coronavirus, including a rapid point-of-care diagnostic test for the “quick isolation of those infected.”

Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu signed an interim order around mid-March to expedite access to two new diagnostic tests to allow provincial labs to speed up testing.

The government’s plan to mobilize industry has also tapped into an Ottawa firm called Spartan that makes diagnostic equipment. The company has signed a letter of intent with the federal government.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Canadian company working with Ottawa to boost ventilator production

Spartan is developing a portable device that could provide rapid COVID-19 test results, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The firm is in “discussions” with Health Canada as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval for the device, which could provide results within 30 minutes. A commercial test could be eight to 12 weeks away, according to Spartan.

2:00 Coronavirus outbreak: Ontario hoping to increase to 5,000 tests per day says Williams

Coronavirus outbreak: Ontario hoping to increase to 5,000 tests per day says Williams

“There’s a portable DNA analyzer, so you take that swab sample, you put it in the cartridge, the cartridge goes into the device and then it gives you results,” Spartan CEO Paul Lem told Global News Radio.

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It’s a diagnostic test that can detect infection in a person, and could be used in health-care facilities, community centres, airports or border crossings, he said.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Testing backlog linked to shortage of essential chemicals

Around the world

From Ireland to Japan, there have been new developments in recent weeks when it come to rapid tests for COVID-19.

For instance, an Irish company called Assay Genie says it has a rapid test for COVID-19.

“Using a rapid COVID-19 test can identify more people who do not know they have been infected,” the website says, describing the test as for research use only.

READ MORE: Close to 40% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the U.S. are aged 20 to 54: report

A disclaimer adds: “While we believe this kit is to be an effective indicator of infection, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy.”

1:21 Coronavirus: Manitoba’s first drive-thru testing site opens in Selkirk

Coronavirus: Manitoba’s first drive-thru testing site opens in Selkirk

Company co-founder Seán Mac Fhearraigh told Global News the rapid point-of-care test would use a drop of blood. The company began working on the test kits as soon as they heard about the new coronavirus, which first appeared in Wuhan in December 2019.

“We can see that every health-care system is under a terrible burden at the moment,” he said. A rapid test for COVID-19 could mean quicker decision-making for nurses and doctors.

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In the next few days we will have 100 assays that we are looking to provide to a testing lab to help validate our data and ensure that accuracy can be met before we roll out on scale, if you have any connections in the @hselive

— Seán Mac Fhearraigh (@MacFhearraigh) March 13, 2020

He says the test kit detects an immune response, and that the company is starting to test with a hospital in Ireland this week.

“Say we have an incredibly sick person,” Mac Fhearraigh said. “You have a fast result, 15 minutes, we can say: ‘Go isolate first for the six or seven hours that it might take to get a test result by the traditional method.’”

In the U.S., two rapid tests were recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Health minister signs order for faster access to COVID-19 test kits

One developer, Cepheid, received emergency use authorization from the U.S. FDA on March 21 and says the tests, with an approximate detection time of 45 minutes, will be shipped for use in hospitals.

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The second, Abbott Laboratories, says its tests can give results within 15 minutes.

In Japan, researchers have developed a test kit that, from start to finish, takes 40 minutes, according to the Nikkei Asian Review. Canon Medical started developing the kit in late February.

2:10 Italy’s coronavirus death toll jumps by nearly 800 in single day

Italy’s coronavirus death toll jumps by nearly 800 in single day

Researchers at Oxford University have touted a rapid COVID-19 test. The university’s engineering science department has teamed up with the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research (OSCAR).

The university says the new test is “much faster” — with results in just half an hour — and negates the need for a complex instrument. Researchers there are arranging clinical validation trials soon.

— With files by Reuters, Global News reporter Leslie Young

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jodyedgarus · 7 years

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How The Last-Place Bulls Became The Hottest Team In The East

CHICAGO — After the Bulls sparked controversy in June by trading their franchise star to launch a rebuild, the team’s floor — already below sea level — just kept dropping.

In October, only days before the team’s season-opener, forwards Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic clashed during practice, with Mirotic suffering a concussion and fractured bones in his face. In November, the Warriors thrashed Chicago by 49 points — without All-Stars Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. Then earlier this month, things seemed to hit a new low. The Bulls, owners of a league-worst 3-20 mark, dropped a 10th-straight game, blowing a 16-point fourth-period lead to the Pacers.

Fast forward two weeks, and that same ragtag collection of players who couldn’t buy a win in November is suddenly and mysteriously unbeatable. The Bulls, after blowing out Orlando on Wednesday, are winners of seven straight and own the East’s longest win streak. Only Golden State — 10 in a row — has more. If that seems bizarre … you’re right: Before this, no team in NBA history had ever lost 10 consecutive games (or more) and then rebounded with an immediate win streak of five games or more. Before this Bulls streak, FiveThirtyEight’s NBA projection system1 would have given Chicago just a 0.03 percent chance — 3 in 10,000 — of sweeping the seven games it’s won.

The turnaround raises two questions for this young club: What, exactly, has changed in such a short amount of time? And are the Bulls at risk of jeopardizing their rebuild and a chance at a good lottery pick by winning too much?

Mirotic’s return is the easiest thing to connect to the Bulls’ streak, considering that it began with his first game back. He’s playing unsustainably well — it’s almost impossible to imagine his continuing to be the NBA’s most efficient high-volume post player while shooting 49 percent from the 3-point line. And he’s averaging 35.8 points and 14.1 rebounds per 100 possessions, which puts him among a handful of superstars in the league posting at least 35 and 10.

Part of this is opportunity. Mirotic comes off the bench2 but is clearly the No. 1 option when he’s on the floor. That’s a change from the past, when he had to defer to Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade or Derrick Rose. But to his credit, Mirotic has made one key change in his game: The 6-foot-10 forward has been more decisive with the ball than in years past. In particular, he has largely shelved a pump fake that often seemed to do the opposite of its intended purpose.

According to an analysis published in 2015 by from Vantage Sports, Mirotic fired off a shot attempt after using a pump fake more than anyone in the league during the 2014-15 season, yet logged the worst field-goal percentage on those shots among the league’s most frequent pump fakers.3 (Unlike Stephen Curry or JJ Redick, who pump-fake their way into cleaner looks by using a side dribble, Mirotic often stood fully stationary and faked his way into a worse shot, which gave defenders extra time to close out on him even further. You can see the difference in the clips below — the first shows a failed pump fake from 2014 and the second, from Wednesday’s game, shows Mirotic shoot in rhythm without any hesitation.)

https://espnfivethirtyeight.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/miroticpumpfake.mp4

https://espnfivethirtyeight.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/miroticquick.mp4

Pointing solely at Mirotic’s impact would be oversimplifying the genesis of the streak, though. Kris Dunn — acquired in the Butler trade after posting the league’s worst true-shooting percentage among regulars4 last season — has settled in nicely as the starting point guard after an initial rough patch. He has been getting to the basket regularly — ranking fourth in the NBA during the Bulls’ win streak, with almost 18 drives per game — and finishing more consistently once he gets there.

Quietly, backup shooting guard David Nwaba — who also recently returned after being injured — might be having the strongest influence on the team’s winning. He aggressively pushes the ball in transition, arguably one of the bigger shifts in Chicago’s identity. The Bulls have ranked second in pace during this streak, up from 23rd before it. The 24-year-old generates nearly 32 percent of his offense from transition opportunities, the highest rate in the NBA5 and has scored on an impressive 65 percent of those chances. That and his energy on defense explain Nwaba’s presence in eight of the Bulls’ nine most efficient two-man lineups6 up to this point.

“It’s a lot easier for our team to score in transition instead of having to break down a set defense that’s already set up, so I like to run when I can,” said Nwaba, who is on pace to become the first 6-foot-4 or shorter player7 in 30 years to shoot 55 percent or better from the field. That mindset is particularly valuable to a points-starved Bulls team that, even after reeling off seven victories in a row, is essentially tied for last in the league in offensive efficiency.

These two plays — in which Nwaba catches opposing players off guard by taking an extra dribble or two into the teeth of the transition defense — are typical of how he generates scores for Chicago.

https://espnfivethirtyeight.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/nwaba.mp4

https://espnfivethirtyeight.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/extradribble.mp4

The defensive improvement has been noteworthy as of late, too, especially since the Bulls have begun playing lineups with four defenders who can all switch their assignments and having their rim protector play pick-and-rolls less aggressively.

But no one — well, except maybe Bulls forward Denzel Valentine — expects Chicago to continue playing at this level. (Tonight, the 10-20 Bulls take on LeBron James and the Cavs, who dominated them in a game just before this streak began.) It’s highly unlikely that the Bulls will maintain their Warriors- or Rockets-like shooting from midrange or that opposing teams will continue bricking wide-open threes against them in late-game scenarios.

A quick look at the replies under this tweet (highlighting the Bulls’ streak) shows that Chicago fans are worrying about how this stretch of good basketball could hurt the team’s odds of landing a top lottery pick, a concern that still seems a bit premature considering everything that could take place between now and the end of the season.

As good as Mirotic has looked, he has had to split playing time with Lauri Markkanen, the team’s promising first-round draft pick.8 If Mirotic keeps playing anywhere near this level, the Chicago front office would have a nice asset once his contract becomes tradable9 — a move that would free up more opportunity for Markkanen, who’s far younger and more athletic than Mirotic and has a similar skill set.

Beyond that, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told me and other reporters Wednesday that Zach LaVine is only two or three weeks away from seeing game action after tearing his ACL last season. His presence in the lineup will alter things considerably, for better or worse, as he knocks off the rust.

All of this is simply another way of saying: Yes, the Bulls have been on a historic run the past couple of weeks, but they still have a fair number of flaws to work through. And for those worried about what the win streak means for tanking purposes, the educated guess here is that they’ll still lose plenty of games along the way to stay firmly in the lottery conversation.

Check out our latest NBA predictions.

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-the-last-place-bulls-became-the-hottest-team-in-the-east/

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chpatdoorsl3z0a1 · 7 years

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Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

When I started shooting sports for college publications, I was stuck working with 3 fps. Then I graduated to a new camera offering 5 fps, and gravitated towards weddings and events. Now that I've been with DPReview for a year and a half, I've gotten used to 12, 14, 18 and 24 frames per second for shooting just about everything.

To be blunt, past a certain threshold, burst shooting speeds don't net me appreciably more keepers in my usual style of photography. But that won't be the case with everyone, and honestly, it doesn't hinder my enthusiasm with regards to the new Sony a9, even though that's one of its headline features. Even setting burst speeds aside, this camera is among the best I've ever used, bar none. Here's why.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

On one hand, the technology and features crammed into the company's cameras are always impressive; during my interview for this job, our own Rishi Sanyal showed me Eye AF on an a7R II, and I accidentally blurted out an expletive as my jaw dropped – it was something I'd never seen before. On the other hand, I've consistently found the usability of Sony's cameras to be a primary concern for me. The interface and general operation were laggy enough to be irksome, I got lost in the menus all the time (movie options should never be nonsensically shuffled among stills options), and there were times that I felt I was fighting the camera to get it to just do what I wanted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

The list of qualms I have with the a7-series in particular is full of items that, on their own, are quite insignificant; but as the list grows, they all combine to make for cameras that I almost never choose for personal work or play. But the sheer volume of improvements and refinements in the a9 are having me singing a different tune.

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The buttons and dials all come with better haptic feedback. The AF joystick replaces an eternity of clicks when moving the AF point. When you flip the screen out, the eye sensor is disabled, which resulted in fewer missed shots when working at odd angles. Boot-up time is shorter. Battery life is way better. The interface is more responsive. I don't get lost in the menus at all anymore. All of these changes add up to a camera that is more transparent, in the sense that it just 'gets out of the way' more than any previous Sony camera I've used, and lets me get on with taking pictures.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

Even if you don't use the full 20 fps (electronic shutter) burst speed, shooting anything you could want without any intrusive shutter noise (important for delicate moments during, say a wedding reception) without any blackout whatsoever is a revelation. Sure, the RX100 V and Olympus E-M1 II both also offer fully electronic shutters and silent operation, but neither has a full-frame image sensor, neither can show you a live view during bursts (only slideshows of images being taken), and the a9 suppresses rolling shutter so ably that it's one more thing that I almost never have to worry about.

I had a big hand in the reviews of Nikon's D5 and Canon's EOS-1D X Mark II, and while the optical viewfinder blackout on both of those cameras is incredibly short, I have to stress that the Sony a9 goes one step further in that it shows no blackout whatsoever. None. This camera makes it easier than ever to simply follow the action, and catch exactly the moment you want.

An additional plus - this camera has taken the preliminary crown (review units are forthcoming) for the best mirrorless autofocus system I've ever used. We were given the opportunity to photograph hockey, figure skating and a full-on track meet, and the a9 rarely let me down. Watch our site next week, when we'll be able to post actual photos and videos from these events for you to examine for yourself.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

First of all, do you need 20 fps? I don't. There are, of course, those that will. But that feature, that incredibly fast readout speed of that new 24MP sensor, is something you're paying for if you shell out $4,500 for this new camera, even if you're only interested in the other (not insignificant) improvements outlined above.

I shot over 2,800 images during our shooting experience with Sony in New York. That caused me worries about card space (even with a 128GB card), cost me hard drive space, and cost me time during downloading and editing. I'm no pro sports shooter, so take this with a grain of salt, but I'm having a hard time convincing myself that I got an appreciably greater number of keepers because of the a9's burst rate than I would have with a slower-shooting camera. Heck, I even switched to 10fps halfway through to save card space, and I still came away with images I was pleased with. And it's worth noting that the absence of any blackout whatsoever is still incredibly awesome, even at 10fps.

This image is from the first occasion where I really soaked a camera in the name of a shoot; photographing the King County Search and Rescue team during a training exercise as part of my job for Puget Sound Energy. That D800 and 24-70mm F2.8 are still in good working order, though the rubber zoom ring on the lens had started to come a little loose. ISO 1600 | F4 | 1/100 sec Photo copyright Puget Sound Energy, image via Flickr

Also, Sony's made claims that the a9 is weather resistant, but after handling the camera and flipping out the port doors, battery door and memory card doors, I just don't have the same faith that it would survive a downpour that a D5, 1D X II or E-M1 II could shrug off. That said, this isn't necessarily a common requirement, but it's something to keep in mind. Were I to take a personal a9 into a rainstorm, I'd gaff tape the heck out of it.

And lastly, where are the XQD card slots? Yes, the a9 has an amazing buffer that I never once hit, but that buffer takes a good amount of time to clear. Incorporating XQD cards would also have meant my download times would be closer to three minutes instead of thirty at the end of the day, plus they're simply more durable for demanding situations. After having used them extensively on Nikon's D500 and D5, I'm sold: for sports cameras, faster media is the way to go.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

Professional sports and action photographers have demanding jobs, and it goes without saying that learning a new camera system is not usually something they're looking to add to their workload. But the a9 might just be worth it.

Sony says it's rolling out more robust professional support, with one-day turnaround for loaner units when a camera needs repair, and walk-in service centers in New York and Los Angeles (with more coming soon), and better support throughout Canada. That's promising, for sure, but in a chicken-and-egg dilemma, do you want to be among the first to adopt the Sony system and test the validity of those claims for yourself, or wait to see what other professionals who switch have to say?

For a professional wedding and event photographer who isn't spending hours in inclement weather, I'd say the Sony a9 is worth a look if you're used to Dx-series cameras from Nikon, and 1D-series models from Canon. With the a9, you'll save a ton of weight, have a higher frame rate (again, only relevant if you need it), and likely have an easier time following the action than with even the best DSLRs.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

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repwincoml4a0a5 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

repwinpril9y0a1 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

stormdoors78476 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

grgedoors02142 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

exfrenchdorsl4p0a1 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

rtscrndr53704 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

porchenclose10019 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

rtawngs20815 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

pat78701 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

repwincostl4m0a2 · 7 years

Text

Sony a9 shooting experience: Here's why I'm impressed

Introduction

Sony's looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony's always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony's RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn't seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations. Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony's a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What's the catch?

Okay, there's a few catches here.

The wrap

Looking forward - does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn't something to be sneezed at – and it's something we'll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2p53TWM

#DIYS

0 notes

bigfinancial · 8 years

Text

Scalping The Forex Market For Mega Profits

Now, let me introduce you to another trading technique of making it big in the Forex market and walk away with mega profits within the shortest trading time. Believe me that I have tested this technique and also want to let you know that 75% traders in Nigeria are scalpers. I really celebrated the New Year thanking God for giving me the courage to develop more on scalping as a trading strategy.

What is Scalping? Many traders don’t really understand that simple word. Some even pronounced it wrongly, and if you don’t understand the meaning now, you can not benefit from the mega returns that the strategy is generating in the world’s largest financial market.

Scalping is a focused technique that involves making a minuscule trade to generate profit within a short period of time. This method of trading the FX market is of high probability trades with extremely small risk stops and predefined profit objectives, it is also a means of taking a million trades to make a million dollars.

There are different types of traders; “Position Traders” “Intraday Traders” and “Scalpers” A position trader could engage in trades that are intended to last for multiple days or months with huge pips target of hundreds to thousands. An Intraday trade could typically engages in trades that might last for less than a day aiming for targets of 20 to 100pips while A Scalper engages in trades that might last for few minutes and the minimum target could be 5+ pips. Pick your calculator now and calculate 5pips on a 2.00 standard lots of 5 trades per day for 20 trading days (5pips x 5 trades x 20 dollars x 20 trading days = $10,000 monthly) If all the scalping techniques are adhered to. Are you saying it’s not possible! Just demo trade this for a month and see what I am saying.

A scalper normally trade higher lots size or volume depending on your account size and risk acceptance. For the fact that this technique requires a maximum Stop Loss of 20pips, you must also maintain a good equity management principle. If you could just sincerely follow the rules that I will be teaching you on this technique, you could rake in more profits to your bank account without stress compared to day or position traders.

Let me sound this warning that if your account can not accommodate the risk involved scalping with higher lots or contract value, please don’t trade higher lots. Simple! Because scalping is more emotional and advanced in nature in the aspect of making a very quick decision and trade execution. Don’t trade without setting your stop loss when scalping. Trading without stop loss could wipe off your account with this strategy. P-L-E-A-S-E, just follow the simple trading rules that I will be sharing with you.

Scalpers often engage in multiple trades per day. Some traders execute several trades and make profits with ease. Don’t worry, I will teach you the technical know-how of scalping the market. Scalps are executed in the direction of the current trend of the Forex market. You can’t run away from the fact that the “trend is your friend” if you don’t know the trend of the market, don’t place any order.

You could also take larger profits as this lesson is getting more technical by applying trailing stop. What is Trailing Stop? Stop Loss is intended for reducing losses where the symbol or currency pair price moves in an unprofitable direction. If the position becomes profitable, stop loss can be manually shifted to a break-even level. To automate this process, Trailing Stop was created. This tool is especially useful when price changes strongly in the same direction or when it is impossible to watch the market continuously for some reason.

The beauty of scalping is that, it allows traders to trade even when other techniques would make you sit with your PC for long without trading. Scalping is best used in conjunction with or as a supplement to other trading techniques – so keep trading your normal strategy that you are used to and add scalping to your trading toolbox.

TYPES OF SCALPING

There are three methods of scalping the Forex market which I will be teaching in this article: You could apply the EMA 4/12/63 to 15 minutes chart of your trading platform and scalp with the strategy. Alternatively, apply the one I will be sharing basically for this technique.

1. Time-sensitive trades: This comes in 2 forms: Firstly, in opening range breakouts, where a quick scalp is taken minutes before the open, in the direction of any market thrust. I revealed an important secret in the previous edition of SDE on the best trading time for the EMA 4/12/63. Meanwhile, if care is not taken, the bull back preceding the breakout of the 7:45am Nigeria time might strike your stop loss. But you can perfectly study the market; and scalp to make profits before the main breakout. And I will advise you always use your Bollinger Bands, preferably on a separate 15mins chart.

Secondly, trading to capitalize on the regular market turnaround time of the New York opening session. Infact, scalping is the best strategy to apply because something must happen. Keep your eyes also on 15 to 30 minutes to the FA release. I bet you that you would have made your target before the news. Then if the news is worth trading, trade and make more profits. Always tie this law on your neck and do not let it depart from you “make 20 or 30pips per day and every other pips shall be added unto thee”

2. Countertrend trades: Scalping when the market is silent or consolidating during the trading day. It could be the Asia session too.

3. Trend continuation trades: These methods focus on entering the market in the direction of a trend AFTER the trend has gone underway. They are also classified as retracement trades.

One of the most liquid, active and electronically accessible market is Online Forex Trading and I feel the scalping method represents the best known chances for picking consistent profits as a trader/scalper.

Oh! Getting interesting? Then I expect you to contribute, so that I can show you more ways of scalping the market soon.

Scalping is a very good trading strategy but I will like to encourage you that this strategy is not for all traders because of the emotion and risk involved. It is an advanced trading method that needs to be mastered before committing your live account. The scalping trading strategy that I will be sharing involves simple indicators; MACD and MOVING AVARAGE(s).

The MACD is an acronym for Moving Average Convergence/Divergence. It is a trend following momentum indicator that shows the relationship between two moving averages of prices. The MACD default is the difference between a 26-day and 12-day exponential moving average. A 9-day exponential moving average, called the signal or trigger line is plotted on top of the MACD to show buy/sell opportunities.

MACD’s can be used as an oscillator, does that sound too technical? No! Oscillators indicates that the asset will revert back to its mean valuation OR a Momentum indicator; indicates that the trend is strong and will continue. Parameters: The MACD line is the difference between the 12 and 26 day EMA. The signal line is the 9 day EMA of the MACD. Visually, the MACD consists of three elements, like the MACD, it is a line plotted on the bottom of the chart. The MACD line. This is simply the difference between the 12 and 26 day EMA. It is a line plotted on the chart. The Histogram. The MACD histogram is simply a bar chart located at the bottom/top of the chart, where the MACD and signal lines are plotted. The histogram is simply a visual representation of the difference between the MACD and the signal line. The “zero” point of the histogram – meaning the point where the bars cross above and below – is referred to as the centerline.

A Trade Signal is received when the MACD crosses the signal line. Traders can enter positions following the direction of the MACD Overbought/Oversold. No specific numbers indicate whether it is overbought or oversold, but if it is relatively far from its mean compared to its recent history, this may suggest that it is due for a decline. Divergence occurs when the pair makes new highs/lows but the MACD does not, this suggests divergence, and that the trend may in fact be weakening with a reversal in store. The MACD crossover is a straight-forward indicator that provides precise timing for entry points. The one drawback of this indicator is that it is sometimes too slow to provide a signal. Sometimes it signals an entry several candles after the ideal entry point. The price has already moved far enough that the trade no longer has a favorable risk: reward ratio. Always consider support/resistance when entering a trade regardless of the crossovers.

MACD is truly a trend following indicator – sacrificing early signals in exchange for keeping you on the right side of the market. When a significant trend developed, the MACD would alert you on how to capture majority of the move. Moreover, MACD proves most effective in wide-swinging trading markets and there are three popular ways to use the MACD: Crossovers, Overbought/Oversold Conditions, and Divergences.

CROSSOVERS: The basic MACD trading rule is to sell when the MACD falls below its signal line. While a buy signal occurs when the MACD rises above its signal line. It is also popular to buy or sell when the MACD goes above or below zero line.

OVERBOUGHT OR OVERSOLD CONDITIONS: The MACD is also useful as an overbought or oversold indicator. When the shorter moving average pulls away dramatically from the longer moving average (i.e., the MACD rises), it is likely that the security price is overextending and will soon return to more realistic levels. MACD overbought and oversold conditions exist vary from security to security.

DIVERGENCES: This is an indication that an end to the current trend may soon change when the MACD diverges from the security. A bearish divergence occurs when the MACD is making new lows while prices fail to reach new lows. A bullish divergence occurs when the MACD is making new highs while prices fail to reach new highs. Both of these divergences are most significant when they occur at relatively overbought or oversold areas.

Now, for the Scalping Trading Strategy, you will modify the MACD default by 2 deviations. And you must follow the trading rule strictly, work on your trading plan and target per trade. Preferably, 5 to 10pips is attainable with this system but once you make your target, PLEASE close your trading platform to avoid over trading, agreed and losses. Does it sound funny? You can not exempt yourself from the fact that emotions can’t rule your trading strategy and plan when you over trade.

To set up MACD for scalping, subtract 2 from the default parameters i.e. Fast EMA = 12 to 10, Slow EMA = 26 to 24, MACD SMA = 9 to 7, Apply to Close. Select the Color Tab and change the color to your favorite, you could also increase the line style. Click the Levels Tab – Add the Zero line and also change the color. You could also double-click the Description space opposite the zero value and type “Center Signal” and increase the line style too. Under the Visualization Tab, deselect the “All Timeframes” and select M15 only because this trading strategy work best on 15 minutes chart and you could also try it on 5 minutes. But I recommend 15 minutes because of how emotional and noisy the 5 minutes chart is.

Add EMA 4 (yellow), LMA 10 (DarkTurquoise), LMA 120 (white), LMA 40 – 90 (red) to your trading chart.

HOW TO INTERPRET THE MOVING AVERAGES: Exponential Moving Average (EMA) 4 is the fast EMA, Linear Weighted Moving Average (LMA) 10 is the slow LMA, LMA 120 is the Trend line while LMA 40 to 90 signifies how stronger or weaker the trend of the market is. Let me quickly state here that; do not trade when the market is trendless/sideways or consolidating because the opportunity of trading is always indecisive. I believe you know that there are three types of market trend; and you should not trade against the trend because the probability of trading along the trend is more than trading against it.

BASIC SYSTEM RULES:

Buy Signal

Notice the confirming indicators: EMA 4 crossed LMA 10 upward on up trend is advisable and realistic of achieving your target daily i.e. both moving averages crossed LMA 120, then set your Stop Loss 10pips below the LMA 120 or look for the swing low. Also confirm you signal when the MACD histogram is above the 0 line; signaling upward momentum.

Sell Signal

The chart is an example of SELL signal. Notice how MACD Histogram went from positive to negative, and how the moving averages confirmed the sell signal. The EMA 4 crossed LMA 10 down. Set your Stop Loss 10pips above the LMA 120.

When LMA 40 – 90 are above the LMA 120, it implies that the market is in up trend while below LMA 120 signifies down trend. You should also watch for overbought and over sold. Do not join the traders with mentality of “it will soon reverse” at losses. Get the trend as early as possible and follow the trend to maximize your profits.

Using 15 minutes chart, 10 to 20 pips is a realistic initial profit target, especially if you are trading EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY. Even the other major currency pairs should yield this much on a properly measured signal.

TRADING PERIOD FOR THIS STRATEGY: Always watch out for good trading opportunity between 7:45 am NG time to 11:45 am for morning trading session, while 1.00 pm NG time to 3.45 pm is advisable for afternoon session.

TARGET: The purpose of scalping is making small profits while exposing a trading account to a very limited risk, which is due to a quick open/close trading method. I will advise you go for 10 pips plus spread per trade and demo trade this strategy for a month before going live with it. You could even go for 5 pips if you notice that the market is almost at it peak.

HIDDEN SECRETS: An additional advantage for traders technically is when there is no major news affecting the market. You will always see a clear trend for the day. When trading using technical indicators, make sure you know when the news is going to be released so that you can position yourself. i.e. close your trade 10 to 15 minutes before the (FA) news. Then 15 minutes after the (FA) news, you could trade.

You are already at the top!

Source by Taiwo Balogun

The post Scalping The Forex Market For Mega Profits appeared first on Big Financial BLOG.

from Big Financial BLOG http://blog.bigfinancial.co.uk/scalping-the-forex-market-for-mega-profits/

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