karen_liles

"If you get the 120Jttl with NE-2d adapter it will do ttl flash wiht the Nikon 2000."

 

Wow, that sounds good. Thanks Danny!

 

And thanks again to you all.

Thank you too Steve. I like the idea of getting the Sunpak flash and battery pack as a kit. This flash would be used mainly for my helper who does backup at weddings, and I would use the Quantum turbo pack with another flash on my main camera. Do you think it would work OK for that?

Thanks, Nadine, that's some good info. Sounds like the Metz might be more what I'm looking for. I'll do some more checking. Appreciate your help!

I was going to try to use it with either my Hasselblad 500CM or Nikon 2000, if I can get sync cords for both.

 

I'm upgrading my flash from a Vivitar and am exploring either the Sunpak or Metz. I've heard good things about the Q-flash, but it's so expensive, I was hoping to get something cheaper. I already have the Quantum turbo battery pack, so could use it with it if the pack that comes with the SunPak kit wouldn't be that great.

Has anyone used the SunPak flash model 120J with the TR-PAK IIA

battery pack? This is a parabolic reflector flash. B&H ad says it

gives more diffused, softer light than traditional flash heads, guide

number of 150 with ISO 100 film, and 1.5 sec. recyle with the battery

pack. I'm looking for a flash for wedding photography. Price is

$259.95 with the battery pack.

 

Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.

Larry, did the $250 for the N80 include a lens?

I'm looking at a Nikon 2000 film camera someone is selling for $150.

Can anyone give me any info on this camera, and would it be worth

that price? Thanks for any advice you have!

I'm looking for recommendations for finishing sprays for matte prints

on the Epson 2200, for UV protection, and to help prevent flaking. I

usually use a fine art textured paper, matte finish, such as a cotton

rag. inkjetart.com sells a spray but it costs about $20 per can, and

I'd like to find something cheaper if possible. Anyone use Grumbacher

art spray? Krylon? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!

I think it's a good idea to get a sample before buying a whole package. I used the printasia paper recently on my Epson 2200 and as the print was coming out, the rollers made lines in the ink, so my photo had white streaks all across it. It appeared the ink wasn't drying fast enough on this paper. I've had no problem like this with any other paper I've used, Epson Semi-Gloss, Epson enhanced matte, or Lyson satin.

I recently received this information about Mars and wanted to see if

anyone could give me suggestions for getting a proper exposure. I

didn't know what forum to put it under so if "Nature" is not the

right one, please let me know. Thanks for any advice! (P.S. I

don't have a telescope. I have a 150 mm lens on my medium format

camera, and a 200 mm lens on my 35 mm camera.)

 

Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular.

 

This month and next Earth is catching up with Mars, an encounter that

will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in

recorded history.

 

The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way

Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers

can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the

last 5,000 years but it may be as long as 60,000 years.

 

The encounter will culminate on Tuesday, August 27th when Mars comes

to within 34,649,589 miles and will be (next to the moon) the

brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9

and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide.

 

At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the

full moon to he naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the

beginning of August Mars will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach

its azimuth at about 3 a.m. But by the end of August when the two

planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its

highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m.

 

That's pretty convenient when it comes to seeing something that no

human has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the

beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and

brighter throughout the month.

 

Share with your children and grandchildren. No one alive today will

ever see this again!

Thanks for your help, sounds like I need to check the used market.

I've been checking B&H Photo and Porters for flash/incident meters,

and here are some I could afford. Can you tell me which is the best

for the money?

 

Sekonic L308BII Flashmate - $159.00

 

Sekonic L358 Flashmaster - $219.00

 

Minolta Auto Meter VF - $219.95

 

Gossen Luna-Pro Digital F - $229.00

 

JTL LM-6 - $185

 

Or if none of these is a good buy, could you suggest another source

or other models? I would use it mainly for outdoor fill flash and

indoors with my studio lights. Appreciate any input.

I used some vivitar flashes (283 & 285) with slaves, bounced into umbrellas for awhile, and they worked good, but the main problem I had with them was that the recyle time was too long which was annoying and I was missing shots while waiting for the lights. So I got a Novatron set for $600, which included 2 lights (240 w/s), 2 umbrellas, 2 lightstands, and a case, and the kit also came with a coupon for a 3rd light free. These can be used with either umbrellas or softboxes and it's all I need for my small studio.

I have bought 72" wide canvas at a fabric store in white and black and that works really well. Put background lights on the white so any wrinkles don't show. Have them cut any length you want. I got them several yards long so I have enough to bring down on the floor. Also the local fabric store has felt in just about any color, and it comes in wide widths also, so I got a medium gray for variation from the white and black.

I just saw an article in an old magazine from the 80's that my cousin (long retired) gave me about hi-key photography with the washed out faces, and the studio featured in the article used special makeup on the models. If you're interested in this approach I'll see if I can find out if the makeup is still available and where you might obtain it.

I use Reala 100 all the time for studio photos, and really like it. Fine grain, nice skin tones. I use a fuji lab also and I think it works better if you do.

Thanks all. I thought this thread was dead, glad to see it's still alive and well. Regarding digital, I have not included any digital equipment in my budget right now. It has been costly enough getting what I do have, building a hasselblad system, that's why when I see the world (seemingly) going digital, it's scary to me since I have a sizable investment in my current equipment. In any event, according to Marc's information, I wouldn't be able to use a digital camera to take my "proofs" since I do use studio strobes. I didn't even know you couldn't plug a digital camera in to strobes, so I'm certainly glad to have that info. Thanks Marc! Anyway, I found a pretty good deal this weekend on a larger softbox for my fill and took some shots, will leave them at the lab today, so I will know in a couple of days how they come out. I know I need a better light meter so I can follow Marc's suggestion and refine my lighting technique, but I should have some more information after seeing my shots from this weekend. Thanks again, y'all.

Thanks so much for all your suggestions! It gets expensive taking test shots without some clear guidelines to begin with. I appreciate very much you all sharing your vast expertise on this site.

I have just gotten two softboxes, a 24x32 and a mini, about 12x16.

Before I waste any more film making test shots, please if you can

help me I'd appreciate it. I've done pretty well so far with my hair

light and background lights, but I'm still not getting the modeling

of the subject's face the way I want it. I've been using my main

light to one side about 45 degrees and just above eye level, and fill

light on the other side about 1 to 1-1/2 stops below main light. I'm

getting a shadow to the side of the subject's nose that is too harsh -

the fill is not evening it out. And the fill side of the face is

generally too dark. If I turn up the fill a stop, then the light

overall appears too harsh. This usually happens when I have a dark

background. With a white or lighter background the light evens out

better. Will a reflector in addition to the fill, on the same side

as the fill, help reduce some of these shadows? I saw someone's

advice saying the lights should be on the same side of the subject.

Can you explain how this would work and how I should arrange them?

Seems to me that the non-lit side would be too dark. Is a large

reflector used on the other side when you do this? Thanks so much

for any advice.

I know this thread is probably mostly dead, but I just saw it and please let me put in my 2 cents. Maybe I don't have anything new to add, just a voice in the wilderness -- but digital has become to me something very frustrating because I just got my first hasselblad a little over a year ago (no digital back) and I consider this to be a great achievement (for me) to have top of the line photography equipment. But with each passing month all I see in magazines, on the net and with people I talk to is that digital is what we all "should" be doing. I know it has its place and is here to stay, but the media hype is trying to tell us that film has no future, and here I am, having just begun to build a system (using film) to do what I love to do. And I for one am not going to succumb to people telling me that digital is what I need, because I don't. It's like when the office I work in upgrades our computer software, we always lose something, in speed and ease of operation. So I always groan when I hear of a new so-called "upgrade." It's usually several steps backward. Are we film users just going to roll over because advertisers are skillful at telling us what we "need"? Like the auto industry telling us we need a 4-wheel drive truck or SUV to drive to the office (bet I stepped on some toes with that one!). Yes, it's personal preference, but what if we won't have the option to choose what we prefer, as we are told that film is being phased out? What I want to know is, who's in charge here?? [...I feel much better now, thank you]

I bought a used 150CF lens on ebay and did not receive any manual or

instructions with it. I have a Hasselblad 500cm and 80C lens which I

do have a manual for. I was trying to use the self-timer with the 150

lens and it didn't work like it does with the 80, so I started

searching photo.net for answers, and came across an old thread where

someone stated that the self-timer feature was discontinued with the

150CF. If this is true, and the black lever next to the flash sync

contact is not for the self-timer, what is it for? Since it's in the

same area as the V/M/X lever is on the 80, I thought it might be the

equivalent of the V setting.

 

Also, when I had it set on "T" (the self-timer setting with the 80

lens), I wound the film advance knob and the shutter fired

automatically. Can someone explain this and what it's for? Or, in

the alternative, if anyone would know where I could find an

instruction manual for the 150CF lens, that would be great. Thanks

for any help you can give me!

I just got a lindahl belloshade for cf lens, with filter slot, and

want to get a soft filter for portraits. Trying to decide whether to

get a drop in filter or the bay 60 zeiss softar to attach directly to

the lens. Have heard many good things about the softar, but will the

belloshade for cf attach to it, without an additional adapter ring?

I've been trying to get b&hphoto to answer this question, with no

response. Has anyone used this setup and could tell me if it works

well? Thanks in advance!

Two websites will get you to all kinds of reasonably priced albums, including wedding proof albums and archival systems for slides, etc., even "memory" albums -- www.archivalusa.com and www.pfile.com. Both sites have Get Smart Products & will send you a catalog, or you can order online. Albums and pages with different size pockets can be ordered separately.

At the risk of being stalked and my blood spilled, I found a Rolleiflex a couple of years ago at a pawn shop for, ready? $75.00 - great condition, takes great photos. It doesn't sit on a shelf, I use it and love it. They are out there, you just have to keep looking.

www.albumsandframes.com has some nice ones.