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steven_finlay1

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Posts posted by steven_finlay1

    Itinerary

    in Travel

    Posted

    <p>Hi,<br />I'm planning a three week trip to NZ in September/October and have come up with the following skeleton itinerary;<br />Christchurch<br />-Lake Tekapo<br />Dunedin<br />-Moeraki Boulders <br />-Otago Penninsular<br />Te Anau<br />-Milford Sound <br />-Doubtful Sound<br />Haast<br />-Lake Moeraki - Trekking in the rain forest to see penguins<br />Franz Josef<br />-Fox Glacier<br />-Lake Matheson/Mount Cook<br />-Franz Joseph Glacier<br />Nelson<br />-Abel Tasman National Park<br />Kaikourra<br />-Whale watching<br />Christchurch<br /><br />Is this do-able in three weeks? Have I missed any 'must sees'?<br />Any help is much appreciated.<br>

    Regards...<br />Steve</p>

    Grids for softboxes

    in Lighting Equipment

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    A week or so ago I posted a question about how a particular

    softlighting style was achieved. One of the posters stated it might

    be a grid on a softbox and it turns out that a grid is just what was

    used. I found a thread on another site in which the photographer

    stated that was what he used. That photo apart, just how

    useful/necessary is such a grid for product photography? I ask,

    because I looked at the price of one for my Bowens Wafer 100

    (Plume?) softbox only to find it costs more than the softbox. I am

    therefore reluctant to pay out for something that may have only a

    few uses (and really isn't much product for what your paying).

     

    I'm new to product photography (and studio photography in general)

    so I don't have much experience with regards to what is required

    equipment wise.

     

    I'm not interested in home-brew solutions to this. I'm quite willing

    to pay if its something that is regarded as a neccesity for top

    quality results.

     

    Regards...

    Lighting Quality

    in Lighting Equipment

    Posted

    Thanks for the answers above. I've tried it with a softbox (albeit quite small 60cm sq) and a reflector. My attempt looks much better. Looking at the reflection of the softbox in the barrel of the lens however, I think the softbox needs to be much much larger. Also, looking at the cutoff on the top of the pentaprism, just above the logo. Is that achieved via a black gobo above the camera?

     

    Regards...

    Bownes Esprit 500's and Pulsar Wirless Triggers

    in Lighting Equipment

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    Its not entirely true about infra-red not working round corners. You can change the channel on a TV using an infra-red remote by pointing it at a wall opposite the TV rather than at the TV directly. It works because the infra-red signal bounces off the wall. The wein infra-red triggers will also bounce around (possibly around corners if there are suitable walls).

     

    That said, the radio triggers offer more options for working in difficult situations and working with other photogs around. One thing I do like about the pulsars is their shape, particularly convenient for medium format cameras I think. They don't stick out like the (possibly better?) Pocket Wizards. Ever seen them on the hotshoe of an RZ Pro II? To me they are just begging to be snapped off.

     

    Regards Steven Finlay

    Loading film - Bronica ETRSi

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    The spool of film goes on the top spool if I remember correctly. It should be loaded such that the film feeds up and out between the spool and the back. It should not feed up and over the spool. To put it another way, the leader should be on the far side of the spool, not the near side as you look at it. Draw it out and down the back of the insert and feed the end through the middle of the bottom spool. Because the end is tapered it will only go so far. Then bend the end once its through. On the right hand side of the spool is a winder. You have to use your fingernail to prise up the lever that runs through it so that you can wind the film on. The important thing when winding the film is to ensure that the film is evenly tensioned. Wind it slowly so that the end of the film on the bottom spool gets film wound tightly over it. After then place your thumb on the top spool to keep the film tensioned and wind out the film until the white arrow on the film matches the white arrow on the left hand side of the insert. Put the insert in the film back, close it and wind on until the counter shows number one.

     

    Regards

    Steven Finlay

    Help with Bronica speed grip on ETRSi

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    Looking at the bottom of the camera with the lens pointing away from you, the grip should be on the left hand side. On the bottom right hand side of the grip, there is a sliding lever that moves from the back of the camera to the front and vice versa. This is a locking lever which must be moved to the unlocked position. Can't remember off hand whether its forward or back. After that you have to remove the pin that locks the grip to the film advance crank on the right hand side of the camera when looking down on the top of the camera and with the lens pointing away from you. If you can pinch the top of the pin with your fingernails you should be able to just pull it out easily. Failing that, tap it slightly on the opposite end and it should move. The grip should then just slide off to the right.

     

    Regards.

    Steven Finlay

    film for Angkor Wat

    in Travel

    Posted

    Most all of the temples are made of the same uniform grey stone. The exception being Banteay Srei which is made of some sort of red sandstone. Its a bit out of the way though.

     

    The light is very bright at Angkor itself and the surrounding temples so you may not need a tripod. The skies are sort of washed out rather than vivid blue.

     

    I easily got around 1/250 @ F11 with Delta 400 if I recall correctly. Thats easily handholdable, but having said that I used a tripod all the time with Ilford Delta 100.

     

    If (when) you go to the temple called Ta Prohm, (Its the one being reclaimed by the jungle), try to go early in the morning and do take a tripod. The light comes through the trees in a dappled sort of way. Once the sun gets too high though it becomes diffcult to take interesting photos.

     

    Although I am primarily a black and white user, I would recommend against Velvia. The contrast is high enough without raising it even further with Velvia. I would think Provia would be a better bet.

     

    Regards...

    Travel in Asia with lots of film

    in Travel

    Posted

    I've travelled frequently to Thailand and once to Cambodia over the years. I carry 50 - 70 rolls of film each trip. I have never been searched in customs going in to Thailand. To be honest, I've never even seen the searching area manned. I've only ever seen the guys collecting the declaration slips. They usually just smile. I had to open my photo backpack going into Cambodia but the guy just looked and then said ok.

     

    Regards....

    Hasselblad problems

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    Hasselblad unreliable???? You must be joking...

     

    Sorry if that is heresy to the Hasselblad owners club but this is the first time in my life that I've ever contemplated buying one. I know virtually nothing about them. Only their somewhat unqualified word of mouth reputation for being the best. I don't even know someone who owns one.

     

    Anyways, I've arranged for a weekend hire this week to try it out so I guess I'll find out, ergonomically speaking, if its really for me or not.

     

    Thanks for all the responses.

     

    Regards...

    Hasselblad problems

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    I'm in the throws of changing my Bronica ETRSi kit for a 6x6 medium

    format camera. I want the extra cropping options that the 6x6 offers

    over the 6x4.5. I'm currently looking at the Bronica SQ and the

    Hasselblad 503CW. (Please don't offer advice about the Mamiya RZ II

    series. I have an extensive kit of that already. Its just too bloody

    big and heavy to carry abroad or hillwalking. And I'm not interested

    in rangefinders. Good though the Mamiya 7 is). Having searched

    through the archives here I've come across a lot of people having

    problems with their Hasselblads. My question therefore is, is the

    Hasselblad really as unreliable as it's made out to be or is it just

    a vocal minority venting about their problems.

     

    Regards.

    Burning Digital Pics to CD in Thailand & Cambodia

    in Travel

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    You probably won't get anything in Siem Reap. I was there last November and there is little or no infrastructure there. (My guide was proud of the new street lighting they had just installed!) Angkor Wat is unmissable. It will be the highlight of your trip by a long way. (Remember to take two passport size photos of yourself for entry into Cambodia. If you don't take them they have a polaroid camera and will take them for you but the whole immigration thing will take much longer. The visa also costs but I can't remember how much).

     

    Koh Samui is very much a tourist place. I haven't been there for several years but I would be surprised if you got anything there.

     

    Your best bet by a long way is Bangkok. Try Panthip Plaza, Hollywood IT centre (both in the Pratunam area opposite the Amari Watergate hotel) or perhaps MahboonKhrong(sp?) known locally as MBK.

     

    Regards...

    Choice of 6*9 cm enlarger

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    What a timely thread. I'm having trouble with my own (used) LPL C7700 enlarger. (It seems to project more of a rotated parallelogram than a rectangle.) Anyway, in the course of researching a replacement, I have come across a brand called Kaiser. They are German made and are readily available in the UK. You can see them at the following Website; http://www.thedarkroom.co.uk/home.htm. This is the website of RK Photographic in London. If you do buy the Meopta then please share your experiences with it with us. I for one would be very interested.

     

    Regards

    Steven Finlay

    RZ67 Pro II prism finder...worth the investment?

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    It is useful when you need to tilt the camera extensively and viewing the waist level finder is difficult. It is a heavy piece of equipment to be sure. One advantage it has is that it allows you to set exposure compensation of +/- 3 stops in 1/3 stop increments. This means you do not have to use the f-stop ring on the lens to adjust exposure. Personally I wouldn't be without a prism finder for either my Bronica or my Mamiya. I find it invaluable for both still life and landscape work.

     

    Regards

    Steven Finlay

    Bronica Repairs in the UK

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    This is a UK specific question so everyone else can stop reading

    here.

     

    Does anyone know of a reputable Bronica repair center in the UK. I

    managed to immerse an AEIII prism finder in water and now the

    internal mirrors are all fogged and greasy. I do not feel confident

    of taking it apart myself.

     

    Regards

    Steven Finlay

    Mamiya 6

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    I have recently come across a new Mamiya 6 with a 75mm lens in a shop

    near where I live and work (Saudi Arabia). The owner wants roughly

    1000 UKP. Is this a reasonable price? I have done a little research

    on Photo.net archives and it seems to be a very good camera although

    a bit lacking in the lens department. (number of not quality) Would

    an M7 be a better buy?

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