Second Sunday Camera Show, July 8th

<p>So I went.</p>

<p>So its smaller and emptier than ever.</p>

<p>So what else is new?</p>

<p>Well, for a change I came home with something. Not a camera, not a lens, but definitely classic. Ries Model C Tri-Lok tripod. It think it is the ancient equivalent of Ries' current C600. I could be mistaken, they told me they thought it was a J model.</p>

<p>If you aren't acquainted with Ries, visit www.riestripod.com</p>

<p>When I was going back in 2010, the later shows in the year seemed to have better participation. Seems they caught on to this and now the show occurs only sporadically, not every month.</p>

<p>I can't recall offhand whether it was a November show I went to that had the best participation (from both sellers AND buyers!).</p>

<p>I use a Ries for all my 5x4 photography, great tripods and the timber legs are far better than aluminium on those frosty mornings!</p>

<p>Tony, I've used a Berlebach 8023 for some years, agree completely with you about how nice wood tripods can be to use. I got the Ries because the price was very very right, but according to Ries -- I asked -- it doesn't have quite the load capacity I recently found I needed. Neither does the 8023.</p>

<p>I've found a relatively inexpensive way to strengthen the 8023, have most of the bits in hand, but will try the heavy camera on the Ries too. I haven't sat on it but it didn't complain when I set the legs to a likely angle for the heavy camera and leaned hard on it.</p>

<p>Those of you who don't know what were talking about should go to Ries' site and look at the C600 model. Those bits of metal at the tops of the legs make contact with the platform ("crown" in Ries-speak) to limit how far the legs can splay. They're adjustable. I've been playing with new toy, find that setting the legs to the desired angle with the platform nearly (to the naked eye) level is very easy. Really nice piece of equipment.</p>

<p>So I missed this one... September it is then for me... Dan - my pickings are usually more humble than items that tease your interest, poor or not, this show is a good distraction from eBay and everyday life. Were Arnie and Matt around?</p>

<p>Ralf, Arnie was there, in fact I bought my little tripod from him. So -- huge surprise -- was Mrs. Arnie. No Matt, no Artie, though.</p>

<p>Um, er, ah, a tripod is a tripod is a tool. If it comes to that, my little treasure is something to sell on eBay for, I'd hope, more than I gave Arnie for it. You come across as something of a collector, so what you buy must be highly cherished collectors items. I don't think of you purchases as humble and neither should you. They're not what I'd buy, but we have different tastes.</p>

<p>For me the trek up to Wayne, more recently Fairfield, and back is a nice outing and purchases are, these days, secondary. I have enough. And then some.</p>

<p>By the time I got there Barbara had left to do some shopping and their daughter was keeping Arnie company. His was the only table I bought anything at. For $15 I got one No. 2 Nikon Close-up lens of the first type in its brown leather case and one later No. 0 in its brown leather case. I don't know how many of these I have but it's always nice to have more. I didn't have much time to spend at the show so it's lucky that I don't have a long drive to get there. Dan, I hope I might see you at the next show in September. </p>

<p>Jeff, it could happen. But remember, I'm usually there at opening and leave fairly early.</p>

<p>Let's discuss recognition signals -- the man with an umbrella and mis-matched tennis shoes, that's not me -- shortly before the show.</p>