Spring 2008 FD Pictures

Here's a potpourri of fun shots around the Hampton Roads/North Carolina Sounds area during this

past spring. Used several different FD outfits -- indicated in picture comments. Hope you all

enjoy.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/donboyd/sets/72157604921222961/

 

Don B in Hampton Roads

The photos are very nice. I have that same Access 35-70mm f/2.5-3.5 as well as several with the Soligor name.

Nice. I liked all the turtles, the lighthouse, and the boats. What film did you use?

Thank you for the kind comments. Taylor, all the pictures are Fujichrome Velvia

100/100F except the one of the Lion Fountains which is Fuji Reala. Jeff, I was

amazed at the build quality of the Access after picking it up on EBay for $30+. BTW, I

have the original Access owner's brochure and there's no hint of a Soligor connection.

Is there one?

I love your Spring images, Don. The colors are very rich and vibrant in your parts (I hail from the west coast of Canada). The shots with the FDn 35-105mm f/3.5 confirm my thoughts about that lens: a zoom with prime lens quality and a perfect "walkabout" focal length range. It's definitely a candidate for honorary L status, along with the FDn 100mm f/2 and the FDn 135mm f/2.

I agree with you Mark. If you browse my FLICKR stream you'll see I use the

35-105mm a lot. In fact, using a

recommendation from our own Mark W from his European vacation, I got the little

Canon 200EG Backpack. I stuffed it with an F-1n (or EF or T-70 or AT-1) with that

lens, a 24-35mm 3.5L, a 50mm 3.5SSC Macro and a Pentax Spotmeter V. It is my

optimal "walkabout-do anything" outfit. I couldn't be happier.

Hello Don! How are you? So you've been out rocking your F1 huh? As always, very nice work!

 

I was snooping on your other thread. So you are using a mac now/ how do you like it?

 

Best regards, Rene'

PS. What do you mean? The title "Spring 2008" and then you said "this past Spring"? I'm Just starting my spring! There is still snow to be melt! :)

Rene, Being a PC user since the mid-70's, if I had had a choice at the time I

probably would have upgraded to a bigger and better PC. But my son is a dedicated

computer geek and, while I was in post op in a recovery ward, decided my recovery

could not be complete without a big bad Mac. In truth the computer works fine

except I am always suspicious when the first software I need is an emulator (?) to

allow less that optimum access to my laser printer and to run fcalc. But by the time

the stitches were out I was a Mac user. Due to image storage needs, I just

upgraded the hard drive to 160 Gb. I am also stretching my limited puter awareness

here.

If you ever come to the states, remember Virginians will fight to the death to prove

they're southerners. Spring has finished here, it's 86 degrees today in Hampton

Roads.

... Virginians will fight to the death to prove they're southerners. Spring has finished here, it's 86 degrees today in Hampton Roads.

 

Don, I like that expression. My family hails from Fairfax, Springfield, Colonial Beach and George Washington's birthplace, Montross, VA!

Don,

Beautiful pictures! The 35-105 3.5 is an awesome lens. Though I prefer primes, I picked up a copy w/lens hood during my Canon FD years and enjoyed using it very much. You live in an area with many photographic opportunities!

Mark Stephan, I rotated to Ft Belvoir from Germany in 1986, finished my career in the

Pentagon, then settled in Springfield to pursue a second career. Finally left No Va in

2006. One of my favorite places to eat is the restaurant Yesterday in Montross along

Rte #3. Virginia has a lot going for it (all recorded on FD equipment of course).

Access and Soligor were names given by importers. The Soligor importer was Allied Impex, later AIC. Neither Access nor Soligor actually manufactured lenses. So far these are the only two names I have seen on this unique lens. Cosina makes or made its 100/3.5 macro lens with many different names. All of the ones I have are manual focus types but they have the names Vivitar, Promaster and Phoenix. That same lens, incidentally, was sold under the Soligor name in some markets. I usually prefer fixed focal length lenses but I might like to add the 35-105 FD.

Jeff, My Access Lens Instruction Manual (covers all 5 Access lenses) has printed on

the back; Magnum Optics and Research, Inc., Denver, CO. The manual includes an

introduction by J. K. Wada, President. Also there's a picture of a lens-making machine

in a factory in Japan, titled: Access Precision Multi-Coating Process. I offer this to

expand your knowledge of this very interesting and robust lens. I've never seen

another zoom with the close-up mechanism of the 35-70. I enjoy using it.