david_daniel

I looked and thought about your question a little differently. (#1, I don't agree to forget flying, the 2 day driving trip is really 4 days round trip, and that is more than half your week!) Having lived in the west for several decades and traveled it extensively, I thought, "If I was coming out west only once, what would I most not want to miss". The answer was clear, go somewhere to combine the unique red rock scenery of the west, and the Indian Ruins, also unique to the Southwest.

 

I would make my way to Flagstaff (by way of Phoenix) Arizona. You can stay in Flag and enjoy day trips to Sedona (for incredible red rocks AND a couple cool cliff dwellings), to either the south or north rim of the Grand Canyon (I would plan on spending a night at El Tovar at the South Rim, or Cameron, near the Desert Overlook on the extreme eastern edge of the South Rim), to Grand Falls just outside Flag, to Wupatki National Monument (one of the best locations for getting red rock AND Indian ruins together, plus Sunset Crater is next door), Walnut Canyon (another Indian Ruins park, on the edge of Flagstaff), the Hopi Mesas, Montezuma's Castle and Lake (more Indian Ruins), and so much more. Plus you get to stay in a very cool town, Flagstaff. At 7000 feet, you will enjoy the weather, the air, a very dynamic downtown. Try staying at the Best Western Little America Inn, like having a cabin in the forest. And don't miss Kathys downtown for breakfast. I envy you already.

Dave

We have discussed in this forum many times our experiences with

different camera stores, online and off. I just want everyone to know

of a negative experience I just had with aaa camera. i ordered online

a Tamrac photo backpack. 2 weeks to the day after my order, and no

delivery, i called the 800# to check on it (no ability to check

online). I was told to call a 212 number to get that information. I

immediately called that number and THE SAME GUY answered! I told him I

was checking on and order and he put me on hold for 5-6 minutes, came

back on the line and said "can i help you?". I had to go through the

spiel again. On hold again, then he came back on to say it would be

another 10-14 days for that backpack. I canceled the order, found one

new from a local shop on ebay, paid $15 less for it, and it is on its

way. Can't believe I had to pay for the CA to NY phone call to find

out something I should have known when I was first on their site. Dave

Daniel, I don't think you are correct in stating that Pentax doesn't recommend the T6 for the 600mm lens. The instruction booklet that comes with the T6 says you can use the converter for any lenses over 135mm except the 500 & 1000.

 

dave

David,

 

I shot Shiprock early this year. I got to the area about an hour before sunrise and started driving the dirt roads to get close. I actually wanted to shoot it from near the base with a fisheye. But by the time the sun was coming up, I was still about a half mile away, on a bench kinda looking down. I could see there were roads that got me closer, it was just a matter of having the time to find them. They were extremely rough and didn't always go the direction I thought they would. No one bothered me about being near the formation and I don't think that would be a problem. It is a beautiful 'rock' and there are other ones in the area also.

 

Dave

there is no choice for me, take the zoom. i don't consider it lazy when i need to move 30-60 feet and i am currently standing next to the ocean or canyon or cliff or river, etc. zooms allow us to take multiple perspectives immediately. they widen our vision. it is the one thing i miss about 35mm, the wealth of zooms.

Edsel, factory repair service centers have 'earned' their lousy reputation with lots of hard work at being inefficient, so it is understandable why you would be nervous about sending the body to Pentax. I can't imagine why a repair shop would be afraid of a P67, most of the mechanics inside are so similar to 35mm. I don't know where you are, but the repair shop I use in Lake Forest, CA has always done an admirable job on my P67 stuff, they are called Camera Kare.

 

I have had great response from Pentax in all my needs, nothing like the worst of the bunch, Nikon. I currently have my Coolpix being repaired by Nikon (after owning it a whole 30 days) and they MAILED me a repair estimate. On a one month old camera! MAILED! They have my cell phone#, my email address, but they MAILED it! It is that decade old type of thinking that has lost them such a huge market share to Canon!

This was a pretty nice and informative discussion until someone decided they were personally insulted by it and had to lash out at the ones they didn't agree with by calling them idiots (or would have if they didn't feel the Christmas spirit!). Yea, man, thats the spirit.

 

Paul, its all about tradeoffs. I use the P67II with lenses from 35 to 300. Are there vibration problems? YES. Do I carry a sandbag into the field? NO. I have a couple hands, one of which I place on the prism (or side of body for verticals) to eliminate vibrations. Never have I had a transparency rejected because it is soft.

 

Could I change to another system? Yes. But remember those tradeoffs. How much are those other lenses going to cost? Do you want to keep up with camera backs and dark slides? Do you want to get used to a square image? The minor vibration problem with the P67 shutter does not outway the many advantages of this system, for me. Let us know how your trial goes.

An expensive scanner is NOT needed to scan MF images to post on the web. Since monitors cannot resolve higher than 72dpi, the simplest flat bed with a transparency adapter will work. Now, if you want to make quality prints, thats a whole other matter. But scanning images to be seen on a monitor, easy.

The instruction sheet with the Pentax 67 2x converter says it can be

used with any lens 135mm or longer EXCEPT the 500mm. Anyone know why?

 

Thanks, Dave

I will be in the Farmington, NM area for over a week on an assignment

with a bike company. I would like to get some advice from area

residents on some places to spend photographic time as i will have lots

of free hours on and around thanksgiving. in addition to wildlife

areas, I am most interested in photogenic (but lesser known) Indian

ruins, ghost towns, old cemeteries, rock art and any other photographic

location not normally found on a map.

 

Thanks, Dave

One of my dependable November fall color spots is the Northeren Owens Valley in California. Between Bishop and Lake Tahoe, mostly at the lower elevations along the rivers and creeks, the cottonwoods will still be turning. Go to Bodie Ghost Town while you are at it.

Heading out on the 10th for three weeks to Glacier NP and around

Thompson Falls, MT. Would appreciate any tips of specific locations in

and out of the Park that I wouldn't pick up from the normal guides,

maps, ect. More interested in landscape and archeological sites (rock

art, etc.) than wildlife.

 

Thanks, Dave

Gary, TS-E lenses? tilt/shift? how does that help in the wind?

 

dave

Has anyone had any experience with the Kenko 1.4 or 2x teleconverters

for the Pentax 67. For that matter, any experience with ANY brand

converter for P67? I am thinking of getting one for my 500mm. (inner

bayonet).

 

Thanks, Dave

I'd like to know what others are using for their data base/labeling

software for their transparencies who have Mac systems. The software I

was using quit making updates at os8.1. (Which seems strange since it

appears most photographers use Macs.) I wanted to ask in this forum to

be certain the software could produce labels for 35mm and 67.

 

thanks, dave

I purchased the CanoScan D2400uf a few weeks ago directly

from Canon. I have been looking for a modestly priced scanner

that would give me acceptable images from both 35mm and 120

transparencies. Before this scanner, that meant $1500 or more.

But I am thrilled with the scans I am getting from the D2400uf.

Keep in mind, I am only looking for monitor scans, to load unto

the web and to put on CDs, not printable images. But the ones I

have scanned have printed very well. (Haven�t tried any negs

yet). I have experimented with many flat bed scanners, and have

had ok luck with my 67 trans, but never have I been able to get a

quality scan from a 35mm slide until now.

 

I have just registered a new domain name that I will be

transferring my web site to next month, but in the meantime I

have loaded a few images scanned with the D2400uf there if you

would like to see them. www.davidrdaniel.com.

 

dave

Stephan, If you decide to purchase the Pentax 67 system, I want to encourage you to go for the 67 II. The bells and whistles someone derisively referred to include the ability to spot meter (something most pros use, not auto everything 35ers), compose multiple exposures in camera, a much better film counter, an additional exposure from 220 film, built in self timer (ever find yourself without a cable release?), and, if you might EVER handhold the camera, a much superior body design for holding. I understand budgets, but I think if you can eek out the extra, you will be delighted with a more useful camera. And since Pentax seems to update the body only about every 25 years, you won�t need to upgrade for a few decades!

dave

I have been to Death Valley many times and I remember driving through the Park once (can't remember why) around July 4th. I got out at the little store near the dunes to get something to drink and could not believe how hot it was at like 7pm. The store guy said it was still over 120!! That changed my mind about some late photos of the dunes, I moved on.

 

I think you will be miserable and I wonder why you don't pick some other spectacular, cooler place in CA for that time. Why not drive through Owens Valley (also hot) and take off up into the mountains on either side. Very spectacular is the Bristlecone forest in the White Mountains. Great Photographs to be had, and at 10000-11000 feet, you will need a sweatshirt. See http://thesierraweb.com/sightseeing/bristlecone.html.

 

One thing is true, no tourist in DV at this time of the year. And there is a reason for that. Good luck.

 

btw, if you do go, don't forget to go to the racetrack, the neatest place in DV.

If you are thinking Of Hasselblad, I would strongly suggest you try it out for some serious shooting first. I first went with square format when I stepped up from 35 and could NEVER get used to the square. It drove me crazy. Now using 6x7. Good Luck.

Visiting my nephew in Thompson Falls, MT in September and planning a

week in Glacier NP. Would appreciate some advice on some spots to see/

photo that won't show up on the NPS literature. Any place particularly

gorgeous and at least slightly remote for my virgin experience in

Glacier (and surrounding areas). Thanks, Dave

If you are planning on submitting your transparencies for publication, you should be aware that many places will not take glass mounted slides (Sierra Club Publications comes to mind immediately).

 

dave

Without getting quite as sarcastic as Chad, I'd have to say it will be hard for you to find someone as liberal as myself, and my liberalism is rooted in protecting the environment. That said, would I allow my wildlife images to be used in hunting magazines? Hell yes. Why? Because I am also interested in the preservation of me. Yep, I admit it, I enjoy being able to pay my mortgage and photo insurance and feed my cat and buy new lenses. Survival has become important to me.

 

As far as that stupid 'rights' rule goes, maybe a few letters to OP by some of us might be in order. Asking them if they might feel responsible to point out to unwary photographers that they are giving up their images the moment they send them in. I remember reading about that contest but never making it past the "not available in CA" part. How many amateurs might not REALLY read that stupid rule. That rules bothers me more than Busch's environmental record.

Dane, even though I currently have an older P67 mu body for

sale on ebay, I really have to recommend the 67II. I started with

my system just like you, using my canon eos to meter on the

P67. What a damn pain. I was so happy to get the 67II with its

spot meter prism. I think you will be happier and I do see them

used often, even if you have to buy the prism new. Don't

compromise on 645 (I had the Bronica etrs before my 67), just

wait until the first time you see one of your landscape images in

a big 67 transparency, it is gorgeous (and art directors think the

same!). Good luck.

I use 220 WAY more than 120. I only use 120 when I need a film that I cannot get in 220, like tungsten. For one thing, it is much cheaper in 220. While the film costs are almost the same, processing is much cheaper. My lab only charges like $2 more for my 220 rolls over the cost of 120, thus lots cheaper per image. Plus, I hate taking the time to load another roll of film and I like to keep at least one camera body loaded, for instant shots.

I went through this exact decision process about 6 years ago. I finally decided if I was going to step up from 35mm, I might as well go all the way. I got a P67 and have since added a P67II. There is a difference in the P67II vibration, but it still is there. While I have handheld this camera occasionally, I almost always use it on a tripod, and not a massive one, even when hiking. But then, I also shoot almost always on a tripod in 35mm also. Try them out Chris, the only way to know. Sit a 67 transparency next to a 645 one side by side on a light table. That will probably make your decision. Good luck.