michael_brown6

Hi, Just wanting to know of any recommendations for drum scanning in australia. Everyone seems to be offloading drum scanners for

imacons, and I'm not a great fan. Due to adverse forex fluctuations, I can't send my 6x17's to the USA anymore....

I am currently assessing which stock agency to be represented by for

my panormaic images. I have been approached by 2 agecncies with

cintracts, and was wondering if anyone out there could give me some

advice on if I shoudl go with only 1 agency or more than one. THey

are stating royalty rates of 40-50% to myself. The agencies are

Panoramic IMages of Chicago and Imagestate of London.

All advice and comments welcomed.

Scott, I doubt the 100 will be as sharp as the 50, otherwise Provia 400 would be as sharp as provia 100.

I also agree that if the film companies stop production of 100ASA, then medium and large format landscape photography will be finished. I don't know of anyone who shoots professionally (for landscapes that is) with speeds over 125.

Ilkka, they aren't buying Velvia because everyone is jumping on the neverending digital merry-go-round. What really irks me is that everyone thinks that Velvia produces fake replications of a scene that existed at the point of capture. From my experience, nothing is further from the truth. Velvia enhances magenta, and green. So what. Scanning removes a little green 9 times out of ten so its a nill sum game. There is no film that is able to replicate the supremely advanced ability of the human eye to distinguish between actual colour and tonal difference, but as far as I can determine, Velvia 50 does the best job in certain lighting conditions.

Unfortunaltely, Ilka you are right, the discontinuation of Velvia must be a financial decision. It is without doubt the choice of the best Landscape photographers the world over. The likes of Joe Cornish, Charlie Waite in the UK, Ken Duncan in Australia, and anyone you point a finger at the the good old USA will use Velvia for their Landscape images. Unfortunatley, the millions of average Joes which are the bread and butter for the likes of Fuji have trotted off and invested heavily in an expensive piece of obsolete electronics that will only be able to produce an image of 20 inches at any respectable resolution. If you're in magazine advertising, hip hip hooray, but if you are into exhibition quality photography, it is the beginning of the end.

Rob, I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on the adverse impact of the digital age on photographic skill. My camera is totally manual, I have to read the light for every shot, and film and processing is expensive as you said; I get 4 shots to a roll of 120.

For every shot I take, I have to think and understand how the light will react with the film. How hard is it to shoot a hundred images in quick succession on DSLR. The law of averages will help with that image you supposedly "nailed". I understand that I'll be there too one day, not by choice. It is an inevitability.

All I can say is it's been a bad few months though, first Fuji announce that they are dicontinuing the production of my camera, and now veliva.

Adonnis I'm with you. You spend 3 years getting to know the best film in the indutry, knowing what it can and cant do, and then they take it away from you. Fuji said that 100F would be as good as 50, but I used 2 rolls. What if the new Velvia 100 is the same as the 100F. I much prefer provia 100F to Velvia 100F, and I'll be forced back to RDP if the new emulsion is "as good" as the 100F was hailed to be. If it is a toxicity thing, then get the chemists in to fix the issue.

For the photographers who state that you can get as good a picture out of a digital 16mega pixel camera thats fine, but for the images I sell I need a file of 100 mega pixels. At the moment, I laugh at the digital issue.

I have just read that Fujifilm are discontinuing production of

Velvia 50. I'm actually in shock. Fujifilm have released another

velvia 100 (obviously they knew velvia 100F was nothing like velvia

50) and they think that the time is right to cease production of

RVP. Well thanks very much for the consultation, but I don't think

the time will ever be right. Is it cheaper for them to produce

100asa films over 50? Why would they take this decision? Press

release attached. If anyone has anymore details (like it being an

early april fools day prank) please let me know.

Richard Linney, product manager for Fujifilm Professional,

said: "While Velvia 50 has traditionally been the favoured film for

many photographers there has always been the demand for a film that

offers high colour saturation but with higher speed and finer grain -

Velvia 100 provides this."

Linney continued: "With the launch of Velvia 100 we think the time

is right to discontinue production of Velvia 50. I would like to

reassure our customers that we have sufficient supplies of Velvia 50

to satisfy demand for at least the next 12 months. This will give

photographers ample time to make the transition from 50 to 100 and

to appreciate the benefits the new film has to offer."

I wouldn't mind some comments from people who have used ilford's

flex product. I really like the output from a lambda, but I have

been only really been using WCI's fuji crystal gloss from their

chomira, and previously LJ. Could anyone please comments on the

handling of the flex (really susceptable to scratching), how to

transport/post it, how to mount it for framing and any other

comparisons they think are relevant for me to decide on a longer

term printing solution for high quality printing.

Gorka

It doesn't really matter what equipment you have, the deal is the same. The most important thing to remember is keeping your equipment at the ambient temperature of the rainforest (or where ever you are). The most important this is not to have cold gear (ie come out of an airconditioned room into the humid air). The humidity will condense on surfaces that are colder that the ambient temperature of the air that it is suspended in. Keep it in a bag with silica and you should be fine. Just as important is, when you are shooting in cold conditions, to remmebr to put your equipment into a plastic bag before you go indoors, as the same principal will be apparent. Good luck, and take all your shots/pills.......

I have an exhibition in London in September, for which I'm, required

to have public liability insurance for. Given that I'm operating

from Australia, my public liabiltiy insurance doesn't cover me

outside of Australia, and I'm finding it difficult to secure

insurance in the UK as I'm not UK resident. It is a small exhibition

(10 pictures) in a hotel that is running for a month.

Does anyone know of a company/broker that could help me out at a

reasonable price

I'm currently living in the UK and am heading back to Oz to live.

My camera insurance in the UK only covers me until I leave the UK,

and I'm doing a months travel between when I leave and when I get

back. Does anyone have suggestions for good cover in Australia, as

I guess I will need to take out a policy in Oz and have the time

from when I leave the UK as travel outside of Oz. Domestic travel

insurance wont cut it either, too much to insure.

Any tips welcomed

I know what you are all thinking, another tripod head question.

Well I've trawled through all of the ball head threads, and there is

one common recommendation, Arca Swiss.

Here's the thing. Cant afford one (so I need you all to let me know

of the best alternative, or let me know why I can't afford not to

get an Acra Swiss).

I have just purchased a new Manfrotto 443 Carbon one. I already

have a manfrotto 329RC4 3D head which is great, but weighty at over

1.5kgs. No use whacking a lump of steel on the end of a feather.

I have a Fuji GX617 Panoramic medium format camera, using mainly the

90mm lens, but will be using the longer lenses from time to time.

Which ball head should I use?????

Thanks

I have an urgent request, which I have searched on but I need a

little extra help.

I have been approcahed by the governmental tourist authority for one

of my pictures to be published in one of their annual

tourist/advertising guides.

They want a half page (quarter as you look at both pages) picture of

one of my images. The cirulation in 300,000 copies, and is

distributed to USA, Germany, Holland, and UK. It is an annual

publication that promotes the area and has approximately half of the

65 poages for advertising. The picture is of a rainbow coming down

onto a very well known castle in the area that they are promoting.

It is in my portfolio if you want to have a look, also attached.

Called dunstanburgh castle.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Just interested in where people are finding the cheapest price for

120 Velvia and Provia in the UK. I can currently get a roll for £2

(Velvia) and £2.09 Provia. Is anyone currently doing better, and who

from!

Guys

The company is Diacover www.diacover.de and the scanplate that I think I'll need is the 016000. It's 75 euro. It holds the tranny about 0.5mm above the glass and slips into a magnetic holder. I think this is the way to go.

I have just purchased the new Epson 3200 Photo scanner, mainly for

scanning 6x17 transparancies (mainly velvia). Unfortunately, no 6x17

scan plate is included in the bundle and therefore I was forced to

create my own. I have copied the overall size of the other scan

plates and have created a reasonable window that holds the negs about

3-4mm off the glass. However I am having mixed results to say the

least. The scans are not as clear as they should be, and most

histograms are off the scale at mainly the dark end. Using their scan

plates for 35mm (Velvia)the scans are fine.

My question is, should I buy a professionally built scan plate from

Diaframe in Germany, or is there something else I can try?

I have a Sekonic L508 meter that I use for medium format landscape

work. I have tended to use spot metering to to guage correct

exposure, however I am tending to get underexposed shots. I use

velvia mainly rated at 40. Can anyone share some tips on how they

pick out the midtones for metering low light shots (sunsets and

sunrises). I have had more success in daylight situations. Also, what

is the best way to meter in ambient mode. Do you hold the meter cone

parralel to the lens, or should you angle it more toward the sky or

ground....... I know a lot has to do with knowing the exposure

latitude of your film, however any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Jean Pierre

I know it's not exactly what you were asking, but if the nikon is a bit of hassle with the scanning, the Hewlett Packard HPs20 does a great job with the Xpan format. I have also just bought a Epson Perfection 3200 which also does a good job.

This is quite a specific question, however if anyone can help it

would be appreciated.

I have a fuji GX617 with the 90mm lens, and have a Lee filter system

currently set up with enough guides to hold 1 filter only. Does

anybody know how many guides can be added to the foundation holder

before the filter guides appear in the field of view.

I know that you are all saying, test it and see, however I am about

to go on a field trip, and the thought has only just arisen as I

have just purchased a colour correction to go underneath a ND grad.

Also, while on the topic, does anyone use a polariser with the GX or

G617. My question is really about how do you get around the problem

with the lens protection bars when you want to rotate the filter

holder, a problem that the Linhof 617sIII woudn't duffer from.

Regards