russell_mcbride

i don't know the answer to this but i can give you some related experience just to give you an idea.

when i shoot with my 7e and slide asa 200 and working with a 50 or a 75mm lens for let's say head and shoulder shots (bout 4-5ft away), i usually set the camera to aperture priority and set the flash compensation to a -2 stops. this just adds a little fill to the eyes, etc and isn't even noticable or overpowering to the shot. this could be totoally wrong, but it works for me :-)

hope this helps

28-135IS and the 75-300IS, and you'll have a few bucks left over for the 50mm 1.8. you'll have a nice well rounded lens selection. no they won't be "L", but it's an excellent place to start and you just may be happy with the results for ever!

regards,

i too find unique a bit high. i called them about this and asked if the 7999 price on there website was correct.

they replied, "yes". then i asked why some retailers have it for $500 - $1,000 cheaper and he replied, "canon sets the price not them" and that it was possible that the "other" guy was not selling us equipment.

i told him that bh has it for $500 less and asked if he would consider them as an legitimate seller? he then asked me to hang on for a moment. when he came back he said that they will match the bh price. hmmmm.... i asked, "you just told me that canon set's the price right?". he then said that he meant they set the base price and they can sell as high as they want.

i was a bit confused as he just contradicted, double stepped, and fumbled on himself but anyway (business are in business to make sales i know, but i think a retailer who wants return, reoccuring business should be honest and straight forward).....

badgergraphic.com has the 1ds for $7095

bhphotovideo.com has the 1ds for $7495 (from email)

uniquephoto.com has the 1ds for $7999

all of these retailers state they are the "canon usa box" version

with usa warranty.

is this true? i am confused? how can there be a $1000 difference? am

i missing something?

i am familiar with the term, "seeing is believing" but it's getting

tough believeing even when i think i'm seeing these days!

thanks in advance,

russell mcbride

I became a photo.net subscriber last week (paid via PayPal) but I

still do not have my icon? Also, when I look at My Workspace it says

that I am not currently a photo.net subscriber?

Thanks,

Russell McBride

Thanks ---> This year is my first Father's Day :-)

Regards,

Russell McBride

I'd take the 5x7 (kit) and the 35mm (with 1 lens, 28 or 50). Go crazy with the 35mm both you and your wife. Then when you "see" something that needs that 5x7, stop and take it. The 6x7 is as cubersome as 5x7 (well almost) and nowhere near as easy to carry as 35mm; it's the middle man who don't know if he's a big guy or a little guy (or girl for all the ladies).

Oh, yeah --> don't get lazy with the 5x7. Make up a number in your head that you will shoot per day say 10 or something. Then make sure you do at least that. Not to push yourself to do something you don't want or anything; but to get you moving when you need an excuse to pull it out.

If you bring to much stuff you'll end up using nothing because you'll never be able to decide "which" format to use (we'll me anyway).

The only way I would bring 6x7 is if you have a Mamiya 7, 7II rangefinder (or the 6); then I would bring the 5x7 and the Mamiya rangefinder and leave the 35mm at home.

Just my $0.02 and it's probably not even worth that.

Regards,

Russell McBride

I have checked (this past Friday) at a store near my home UniquePhoto.com located in NJ, USA. They didn't have any nor did then know exactly when they were going to get some. I did read a recent short write up in a magazine article that said it was supposed to have even finer grain? Since this is the first 100 of Velvia I wonder exactly what they meant by "finer grain"? Finer than what; the 50 Velvia? If so how can that be? I always thought that the slower the speed of the film --> the finer the grain? Am I wrong?

Here is a link to BH Photo located in Manhattan, NY. You can click on the "Notify me when available" button and then enter your e-mail address and they'll let you know when they get some.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh2/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=278362&is=USA

Regards,

Russell McBride

I urge everyone here to "Go Digital" as soon as possible if you are currently a large format film shooter; especially if it's 8x10! Then once you dump all that cash into digital and realize that you have to get at least a few dollars back by dumping all that LF film stuff that's going under... Send me an e-mail and I'll be happy to take that "junk" off of your hands :-)

Regards,

Russell McBride

I was looking into purchasing a wide angle lens for my Shen-Hao

field camera. I have a Rodenstock APO-Sironar-N 150mm/5.6 that I

bought as a kit with the 4x5 camera. I have read that this gives a

realativly large image circle to aid in correcting perspective, dof,

etc.

My first question is; is the above lens considered a good lens as

far as sharpness, color saturation, barrel distortion, etc? Or is it

considered a "good beginner lens" for the money?

My second question is in regards to purchasing a wide angle lens for

my camera possibly a 90mm. I like the point of view my 150 gives but

sometimes I find if I could get 1 or 2 feet closer to my subject I

would have less of a chance of being hit by a car since I wouldn't

have to be in the road anymore as the wide angle will let me

photograph on the sidewalk I presume. I take a lot of photographs of

buildings so maintaining straight, barrel distortion free lines are

very important. What lens/company would be considered an excellent

choice for this mm lens? Also would be one that has a large image

circle like my 150 above to give me alot of choice in movements.

And my 3rd question if you are not sick of me yet is; when

purchasing a shutter to mount the lens in I notice that they are

categorized by 0, 1, 2, 3, etc. I was wondering if the numbers

correspond to the quality, like "L" in Canon glass or if it

determines the size of the hole in the shutter for the fit (or am I

way off with both)?

Thanks to all who have answered my previous questions and to all who

take the time to respond here. And now I think I'll make my way to

the "contributions" area of photo.net and become a supporter :-)

Russell McBride

thanks everyone for all of your help. it's working and little (by very little) at a time i am slowly learning how to use this thing. i am nowhere near ready to feel confident with the movements but i am perfectly fine with that for now.

thanks again,

russ

thanks everyone for the advice, the time you spent reading my post and responding is greatly appreciated. it is very frustrating at this point in the game (at the start line) but from reading all of the responses i can see that it is the nature of the beast and will subside with time and practice.

is there anyone living in new jersey that would be willing to give a beginner a crash course in the basics of lf photography? maybe i could tag along one day while your shooting so it would not be an inconvenience to you.

thanks

russell mcbride

ok. got my film holders all loaded up. i've been messing with the

movements and setting up and breaking down of the camera...

so i go to compose a shot (for real), and i can barely see anything

on the focusing screen. i have the lens wide open (f/5.6). i have to

squint my eyes, move my head around, move the loupe around to get an

idea of what i am looking at, and guess. like having sun glasses on

in the dark :-)

is it understood that the shen-hao 4x5 needs some type of accessory

or something to view? i have read a bunch of threads about light

falling off around the edges but i can barley see what my

composition looks like in broad daylight. i am using a focusing

(hood) tarp over my head and camera and it helps a little but not

enough to get a good idea of the complete composition. i know one of

the big advantages of the large format is that you see, exactly what

will be recorded on film to the edges but i am having a hard time

seeing what will be recorded in the center also.

a sceen in an overcast day looks very bright! however when i look at

the screen it looks like a slide that is 3 - 4 stops underexposed.

thanks,

russell mcbride

i just received my shen-hao 4x5 in the mail and i am excited to go

out and get started (making mistakes). i've never used a large

format camera so i am a bit green. could someone tell me or point me

to a visual on how to load the fidelity elite 4x5 film holders

(plastic).

it appears as though when i pull the dark slide that i shouldn't

pull it all the way out. it looks like i could slide a 4x5 sheet

from the other end of the holder from where the dark slide enters as

there is a spot at the end that is a little wider and looks like i

could slide it below where the dark slide lives.

is there a special way to hold the film when placing it into the

holder? right hand, left hand, thumb placement, etc? i guess i am

asking if there is a top, bottom, left, or right, side to the film

itself? i've been practicing with a piece of paper that i cut to

about 4x5 so i don't have to sacrifice a sheet of film, but if it is

recommended to do so i will.

thank you.

russell mcbride

Well.... I've done it. I ordered the Shen-Hao HZX 45II-A from Badger today. I just want to thank everyone who replied. Your information was vital to my decision. I feel confident with the purchase that is has everything I need at this time. Lot's of movements, decent price, portability is good, and did I mention the price?

I did see some nice deals on Ebay as suggested but to play it safe, and the price for the entire kit of the Shen-Hao wasn't bad, I decided to go new.

When I set out on this project I thought it was going to end up being much more expensive to get started. I am sure that the Shen-Hao has it's limitations as does every camera and every lens, glass or plastic (actually the Holga doesn't have any limitations does it?). I felt it was great advice! Thanks.

I also checked out the "Holga" like 8x10 and it indeed seems interesting, but after seeing the limited availability of Velvia in 8x10 (oh, yeah did I mention the price :-) I'll start a bit smaller and possibly work my way up.

Someday maybe I'll get a chance to take some 8x10 Velvia shots but for now and for the best bang for the buck I've ordered the above. While it's true that 4x5 isn't 8x10; it sure isn't 35mm. Velvia is still readily available at this size and the price per shot isn't insanely high.

I felt that going 4x5 in the Shen-Hao was a solid decision and not a comprimise. I've even got a few bucks for a coffee on my way to my fist "getting to know you" camera session.

Regards,

Russell McBride

ah, man! i live and work with computers, the last thing i want taking over my

favorite hobby is a computer!

maybe i should consider the 4x5 format. it seems that velvia is readily

available for this format. dam, i was so excited to see some 8x10 velvia

chromes :-(

i admit i am addicted to velvia. i shoot mostly at night and love it when it's

foggy out, or almost night and love the color shifting i get from velvia with the

lights from the city.

any suggestions on where/what to purchase to get started? since most of the

pics i take are of buildings and what not, maintaining straight lines is a must.

maybe some type of "holga" version of the 4x5?

thanks you guys,

russ

i would like to give 8x10 a try and i would like to shoot velvia. can

someone point me in the right direction as to one of the cheaper ways

to give 8x10 a try for the summer without spending a million? i know

i could rent; but trying to find somewhere to rent from and then

trying to rent it for the summer will end up costing a lot of money!

i suppose i could rent for a weekend but that will not give me a

chance to do the shooting i like to do when i want to do it. if i

give myself the summer, that will give me a chance to see if i like

it or not.

i would like to use it outdoors, cityscapes mostly.

thanks

russell mcbride

Some additional information if it helps. I have a Nikon D100 Digital SLR. From

looking in the manual it says that the camera is able to adjust via a slider by

the eyepiece from -2 to +1 (it has 6 total click stops). I have the D100 set to all

the way down. There is a minus at the bottom of the adjustment so I am

assuming this is a -2 setting? This is the way it looks sharpest to me. I thought

my eyes were normal?

does this info help any?

i don't have glasses or contacts. that's the strange part :-)

i've never needed any correction for any other equipment that i own?

strange? so i wouldn't even know what one i need? i don't even know what

those numbers mean? +, - ???

thanks

i just got my brand new mamiya 7ii and the numbers and stuff in the

viewfinder are blurry. do i need a diopter correction lens? i have other 35mm

and digital equipment that i do not need correction lenses for so i don't see

why i should need one for this camera? does that make sense? also will the

blurry viewfinder numbers affect focusing also?

if it is indeed a correction lens that i need --> how in the world do i figure out

which one?

thanks

russ