michael_black2

Hi Everyone,

I've been having trouble with my Mamiya RZ67 Pro II and the 220 back.

Often what happens is that when I remove the darkslide and try to

take a picture, nothing happens. But if I put the darkslide back in

and pull it out again a few times - eventually it works.

Since I only own the one back, I have not been able to test whether

or not the problem is with the back or the camera gears that the back

meshes with.

Has anyone had this problem and have any insight?

Thank You!

Michael Black

I have an old dusty brownie hawkeye which I would like to use to take

soft dreamy photos with. Originally, I had planned on getting a Holga

or Diana toy camera because of their trademark vignetting and focus

irregularities - then I remembered that I had this old camera stashed

away.

Other than converting it to a pinhole, does anyone have any tips or

modifications for intensifying these effects?

Thanks!

Michael Black

Hi Everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone is aware of any lending library or place that

rents out Photoshop and other graphics training videos or CD

tutorials.

Thanks!

Michael

My experience with Ebay has been quite different. Although there are many dark-alley personas lurking there, I have encountered countless honest sellers.

I recently purchased Photoshop CS legitimately for pocket change.

What the seller offered was a legal unopened version 6 along with

a legal unopened CS upgrade box. I never even had to install version 6 to be able to load CS. I only needed the serial number. So, in effect, I got a full verion of CS at much less than the normal cost of the upgrade.

The key to Ebay is patience. If you don't find the right offer, dealer, or price - wait and check back often. Many fine sellers only offer 3 day auctions. If you check back every couple of days, it may take you 10 days to find the right deal but it may save you hundreds of bucks. Besides that, read all of the fine print, ask questions before bidding, and besure to check the seller's feedback rating perecentage and feedback comments.

I've gotten a lot of my digital arsenal on Ebay with no problems. Including CS, wacom tablet, profiling software, RAM, and new photoshop books all at a fraction of the retail price.

I used to sell rare books on Ebay. With over 4,500 auctions behind me, I've only had 2 bad experiences. My satisfaction record with mainstream stores like Adorama doesn't come close.

Good Luck Folks!

Ethan, Thank you for taking the time to address my question.

I am using a Nikon Coolscan 8000 and have not yet settled on a definite choice between NikonScan and Vuescan. I have already made a profile with one of Wolf Faust's IT8's with the lcms software. The results are not that impressive - yielding unsaturated colors from saturated transparencies and far from neutral grays.

I am a bit of an obsessive perfectionist and would greatly prefer a Hutch target profile even if it gives only slight improvement. However, as I'm sure you can understand, I hate to fork out that much cash for a single use. I can understand your reluctance to part with your Hutch target. Please don't feel awkward in the slightest about saying "No Way!," but what I would like to propose to you or anyone else reading this who has a 6x7 Hutch fujichrome target is that I pay a partially-refundable security deposit for the full replacement cost of the target. Upon the return of your undamaged tagret, you refund all but say $50 of the deposit to cover your time. We could also discuss the cost of you generating the profile if I send you the scan file.

Thanks Again,

Michael Black

Hi,

I've seen a lot of profiling services that will create custom ICC

profiles for your printer. But I have not run across any that will

do high quality scanner profiles. I am not happy with what the

profiles I have made with the cheapo programs I can afford. I would

prefer to have a profile made by an experienced person who has the

multi-thousand dollar softwares I cannot afford.

Do you know anyone who creates custom profiles with high quality

targets such as the Hutch target? Perhaps someone who rents out

their 6x7 fujichrome hutch target?

Thanks,

Michael Black

Thanks Everyone for your input.

Erik - to answer your question, I do not have access to a drum scanner and cannot afford lab scanning for my volume of images. I already have a Coolscan 8000 which I have been using successfully for my 6x7 chromes. It handles 35mm just as well as medium format.

I could just continue scanning as I have been - but I am considering switching over to using a custom film carrier to wet-mount the film within glass. Posters on other groups claim that this method greatly increases the quality of the 8000's scans and narrows the gap between it and drum scanners. Common opinion is that the Imacon desktop "drum scanners" surpass the Nikons, but with this method, users are claiming that the Nikon then exceeds Imacons and becomes the best available desktop scanner below true drum scanner level. I am a fine art photographer and just a little of an obsessive perfectionist. (to give you an idea of how severe my neurosis is - in my old wet darkroom days I would typically spend 4 days getting one 8x10 ilfochrome print just right.) I would prefer to use drum scanners if they were not prohibitively expensive. So getting every last bit out of what is available to me is very important. If this wet-mount carrier can up the quality of my scans by even 5% then it will be money well spent - especially since it only costs a few dollars more than Nikon's own film carriers. The only drawbacks are the extra hassle, mess, and having to unmount my slides.

Happy Creating Folks!

I have several hundred 35mm slides which I need to remove from their

mounts so that I can fluid mount them for scanning. I have never

removed mounts before and am quite nervous about damaging my images.

The slides are a mix of both cardboard and plastic mounts.

Does anyone have any experience with doing this safely?

Is there another way than using a razor blade - like a little gadget

or something? I cringe at the thought of cutting, scratching, or

tearing the film.

Thanks in Advance!

Michael Black

I grew up just 25 minutes from the Big Thicket and spent much of my teenage years in the cypress swamps learning how to handle a camera. As far as I am concerned, there is no better place for nature photography. Once I enetered the professional photo arena I moved of to Colorado and have spent 6 years there. Now my wife, son, and I are moving back to Texas because nothing else is like the Thicket. I was in the swamps yesterday and had more fun taking pictures than I have in years.

I recommend going to the large new visitors center. They have plenty of maps, literature, and knowledgeable forest rangers who can help you. That center is located 8 or 9 miles north of Kountze on highway 69.

For a brief introduction to the Thicket - I recommend going to the Kirby nature trail loop which is just a couple of miles down from the visitors center on a side road. There are a couple of forking loops on this trail - be sure and take the cypress loop.

Otherwise for acess to the swamps I recommend renting a canoe to explore the Village Creek unit near Lumberton, Texas.

There is no "off season" in the Thicket. Of course there is much more color and density of growth in the spring - but plenty of fallen leaves right now for macro work and I'm sure B&W landscapes will not be thwarted. The Thicket is an engrossing and mysterious place. Do not read any ghost stories before you enter!

Enjoy!