craig_shearman1

<p>A fisheye is inherently a special-purpose lens. Unless you're going to make fisheye pictures your "thing" it's most likely a lens you would use on rare occasion for a special purpose, not something you're going to use every day. <br /><br />When I went to the Grand Canyon a few years ago, I had the same urge to "go wide" to be able to take it all in, and bought a 12-24. I've used it some, but actually more indoors than out. There are some occasions for the sweeping vista shot, the sort of two-page spread you might see in National Geographic or the beginning of a movie to establish the overall scene. But beyond that, telephotos to bring out details of the landscape are just as useful, IMHO. </p>

<p>"I’ve never heard of Kodachrome 200"<br /><br />Kodachrome 200 was part of the standard lineup of Kodachrome for many years. Used it a number of times myself. One of my John Shaw nature photography books has several photos credited to Kodachrome 200.</p>

<p>"I heard light stands mentioned ... go for a rail system on your ceiling."<br /><br />We're talking about a beginner here. A rail system costs thousands of dollars. <br /><br /><br /></p>

<p>"I'm confused about how I would trigger speed lights"<br /><br />Forget about commander mode and all of that. Too confusing in my book. <br /><br />Once you get that out of the way, you trigger speedlights the same as any other flash. Simplest way is with a long PC cord. (Strobist explains this in detail). Once you have a cord on the first flash, you can use optical triggers on additional flashes as long as there's no one else using flash to set them off accidentally. If you prefer, you can use radio triggers. I prefer Pocket Wizards, which start as $99 per unit but Rodeo has had good experience with some of the lower cost brands.<br /><br />One argument in favor of starting with speedlights is that you can still use them even if you buy studio strobes later. They are much easier to pack up and carry on location. And I use a speedlight as my hair light in the studio because I don't have a boom sturdy enough to hold one of my monolights. When you're using them up close for portraits, they have plenty of power. the one drawback is no modeling light. But with digital, you can see instantly what you've got and adjust accordingly. </p>

<p>It doesn't meet all of your specs (no tilting LCD and I'd have to check the megapixels and zoom range) but I bought a Canon Powershot G15 this summer and have been very happy with it. The price has dropped to ab out $350 now that the G16 is out. It has full-auto for when I want to hand it to my kids but can also do full manual, even raw, when I use it. Normally I carry a full rolling case of Nikon bodies and lenses when I have to shoot a job. I bought this for vacations and parties and such where I'm not working but want to be able to do more than snapshots. It's worth taking a look at.</p>

<p> "I am wondering is if it's worth spending all that money"<br /><br />IMHO, absolutely not.<br /><br />From what I read in your original post, the camera is working fine with the exception of extreme cold. What constitutes "extreme" and how often do you shoot under those conditions? This sounds like taking the car in for an oil change and having the dealer find $2,000 worth of work that could theoretically be done. Since you're thinking about replacing it anyhow. I would go ahead and do that, and keep it as your second body.</p>

<p>There are a number of pricing calculators for photography, some of them available online for free, that base a price on type of publication, number of copies, length of time, etc. You can probably find one that includes billboards. Base your price on what these calculators say, then show them to the client as proof that you are charging the going rate.</p>

<p>I agree with Rodeo on this. Cheap LED lights don't put out enough light. Good LED lights are extremely expensive (several hundreds dollars to start, and sometimes a couple of thousand.) And even then they have the issues Rodeo points out for controlling the light.<br /><br />The Alienbees are so simple they probably don't even need a manual. In my studio I have old Novatron Monolights that are even simpler. Don't forget that you can shoot portraits even with the simplest of speedlights -- go see the Lighting 101 section at <a href="http://www.strobist.com">www.strobist.com</a>.</p>

<p>Ellis is correct. Having your eye up against the viewfinder is one of the key elements of holding the camera steady. Keeping the LCD clean simply isn't a big deal. When mine gets too smudged, I just breathe on it and wide it off with a clean handkerchief. I would not use eyeglass cleaner spray on it -- too much chance of the liquid getting inside where it's not supposed to be, especially on consumer-end cameras that don't have the weather sealing of a professional camera.</p>

<p>I've never understood two-cameras-on-one-strap systems and imagine it would be incredibly awkward. I simply keep each camera on its own strap. The one I'm using at the moment is either around my neck or the strap is wrapped around my hand. The other is over my shoulder. I work in Washington, D.C., where it's common to see a dozen news photographers at an event, so I get to see lots of other photographers at work. This is how everybody (who I see) handles two bodies. I have never ever seen anybody put two cameras on one strap or harness.</p>

<p>"That is even more than buying 36 exposure rolls"<br /><br />I'm no economist either. But given how few 36 exposure rolls of not just film but B&W film they are selling these days, I can't imagine they are selling hardly any 100-foot rolls at all. Just aren't that many of us around any more who know what a bulk roll is. <br> Maybe I'm recalling the good old days through a rose-colored 52mm filter, but I seem to recall 100 feet of Tri-X selling for around $20. <br /><br /></p>

<p>Correct, no need for Safe Sync with a radio trigger. <br /><br />By three-prong extension cord, you mean an extension cord. Or do you mean an IEC cord? An IEC cord is commonly used on computers. It has a special three-hold female end that goes into a three-prong recessed male connector on computers and a standard three-prong female plug on the end that plugs into the wall. If that's what you need, try a computer store, or borrow one off a computer. I think the computer end is standard worldwide. The connector on the other end will vary with what country you're in. What electrical system do you have in Bangkok? </p>

<p>If this is your first wedding, I highly recommend that you read "Wedding Photography: Art, Business and Style" by Steve Sint. (There's an original edition and one with "digital" in the title. Get the "digital" edition.) There are many books on wedding photography but this is the best. Read it. Memorize it. Do what it says.</p>

<p>"I'm wondering if having better equipment ... will do the trick"<br />No.<br /><br />"knowledge of how to use it"<br />Yes<br /><br /> The biggest mistake beginning photographers (and many photographers who have been shooting for years) is to think that the equipment determines the quality of photography. Equipment has virtually nothing to do with it. A good photographer can make great pictures with a piece of junk camera, even a broken camera (I have a 28mm Nikkor that's been held together with gaffer tape for 30 years that I can still make a picture with if I have to). But the best equipment is worthless if you don't know what to do with it.<br /><br />There are tons of books and web sites and people on web sites like this one wiling to help, but it takes a lot of learning. Focus on knowledge first, equipment second, and you'll get there.<br /><br />As the man answered to the person asking how to get to Carnegie Hall: Practice. :)</p>

<p>PocketWizard. The basic Plus-X is all you need.</p>

<p>I would take the 17-35mm f2.8, 28-70mm f2.8, 80-200mm f2.8 af-d and leave everything else at home.<br /><br />That's basically the same kit I carry every day (12-24, 24-70, 70-200) and I find it covers 90 percent of what I shoot. I rarely need anything else. If you want to do some wildlife throw in a teleconvertor. </p>

<p>As you've identified yourself, there are a lot of challenges to shooting video with a DSLR that simply don't exist when you shoot with an actual video camera. The key "film look" thing that people seem to like about DSLRs centers on shallow depth of field. That's great on a Hollywood set where you can measure focus with a tape measure and everybody hits their marks taped on the floor. But in a documentary-shooting situation like you're describing, your challenge is more just keeping everything in focus. For $3,000 you can buy a very good HD prosumer/low-end professional camera. Take a look at video cameras at <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com">www.bhphotovideo.com</a> Sony, Panasonic, JVC have several to offer. Many if not most already have XLR mike connections and let you focus/zoom/adjust exposure, etc. while shooting. No limit on how long you can shoot, etc.<br /><br />I've shot both stills and video professionally. I strongly believe in the right tool for the job.</p>

<p>Manfrotto and Gizto are two of the biggest names in tripods. Gitzo is expensive but Manfrotto sells a wide range, from entry level to expensive. Just about anything by Manfrotto would do fine. Expect to pay around $100-$150 and up. Remember that tripods consist of two parts -- the legs and the head. Look at <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com">www.bhphotovideo.com</a> and you will find legs alone, heads alone and legs packaged with a head. Below is a typical good quality, mid-priced tripod and head for still photography.<br> As far as the comment above about "the weight of a DSLR," your D5200 weighs next to nothing. Almost any tripod can support it unless you starting adding on large, heavy lenses like a 300 and up.<br> <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/748115-REG/Manfrotto_MK294A3_D3RC2_294_Aluminum_3_Section_Tripod.html">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/748115-REG/Manfrotto_MK294A3_D3RC2_294_Aluminum_3_Section_Tripod.html</a></p>

<p>There are countless books you can read on portrait lighting, along with many, many web sites.<br /><br />The most basic setup is one softbox about 45 degrees off to the left of the subject and the other about 45 degrees off to the right, with the camera straight ahead of the subject. Each light should be above the height of the subject, angled about 45 degrees down. Not fancy but a beginning point. Lots of great things can be done with window light, but don't try to mix your flash with window light until you've learned more.<br /><br />As for camera settings, you need to be on total manual. Not Av (aperture priority) or Tv (shutter priority). Definitely not portrait mode or any other special mode. Just plain manual. With anything else, the camera is making decisions for you and you won't be able to repeat your results and won't learn anything. Check your camera manual to see what the top "sync" speed is for flash. It's probably either 1/200 or 1/250. Use that shutter speed in order to minimize any exposure from existing light in the room so that you are exposing just by the flash. Then run a series of test exposures -- f/2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22 -- and pick the one that gives you the best exposure on your subject's face.<br /><br />White balance should be on flash/daylight/5500K (they are all close to the same). Never on auto white balance in the studio.<br /><br />Go read the Lighting 101 section on <a href="http://www.strobist.com">www.strobist.com</a>. Even though it's oriented toward speedlights rather than studio, it will teach you a lot.<br /><br />Outdoors, it depends on the lighting but yes you can and often should use your external flash. Again, there are whole books on this. Outdoors, flash is most often used to fill in the shadows. Strobist addresses most of it.</p>

<p>Shooting team photos and shooting action photos are two different things. Team photos -- typically the group shot and then a headshot of each kid -- are relatively easy and a controlled situation. The team has to make the time to do this. It doesn't have to take away from ice time -- just have them arrive early and shoot in an area of the building other than on the ice.<br /><br />Action shots can be made during practice or the game, so they don't have to take away from ice time. But they are much harder to shoot. Takes a lot of practice and even then a lot of shots to get a few good ones. I don't shoot hockey but I do shoot figure skating. Either way it's kids moving faster under low light. I typically throw away about two thirds of what I shoot just in my first pass of editing, then throw out half of what's left to get down to the ones I really like. DoDo has some great shots above, looks like he's been doing it for a while.</p>

<p>Have you check the settings on the camera? In addition to being on AF rather than MF, there are settings for single-shot AF and continuous AF, and also where 1) the camera will take a picture only if the lens has focused or 2) the camera will take a picture when you push the release regardless of whether the lens has focused.</p>

<p>Almost all image browsing software has a slideshow mode.</p>

<p>A "vidicon" camera is a video camera that uses a vidicon tube to create the image rather than a chip. You won't find one in a store (unless it's a used video equipment store) because they haven't been made in probably 20 years or more since chips replaced tubes in video cameras.<br /><br />But even if you find one, that's not how kinescopes worked.<br /><br />In a kinescope, the live television image was shown on a cathode ray tube (CRT) television monitor. A movie camera was pointed at it and photographed the image onto film. The film was then developed and shown through a telecine projector pointed into a television camera, which could have had a vidicon tube or earlier maybe an image orthicon tube. The signal from that went out onto the air.<br /><br />All you really need to do is futz up the picture in software. No need for a camera.</p>

<p>D-76 does not come in two separate packets. I've been using it for 40 years and it simply comes in one single packet.<br /><br />Mix it all at once. As David says, you can't be sure that all the parts in the powder are distributed evenly otherwise.<br /><br />I have never bothered with multiple bottles once it's mixed. For years I simply used opaque plastic one-gallon bottles. No problems even up to six months. Several years ago I was able to pick up some of the two-gallon tanks with floating lids and a spigot. The floating lid makes it the equivalent of a full bottle regardless of how much is in the tank.<br /><br />D-76 is still under $10 a gallon, so even if you throw it out before you've used it all it's still far cheaper than paying to have your film developed.</p>

<p>I helped a friend research where to have this done a couple of years ago. We found the place below and he was very happy with the results, service and rates. They have three levels of quality to choose from depending on your needs and how much you want to spend.<br /><br> <a href="http://www.mymovietransfer.com">http://www.mymovietransfer.com</a> <br /><br />Bob and Toni at LittleFilm are huge advocates of Super 8 and I interviewed Toni for a magazine article I wrote on Super 8 years ago. But I believe their transfer service is low-volume, super-high quality for people using Super 8 in a broadcast project as opposed to standard home movie transfers. But you still might want to contact them and see what their rates are. Given their dedication to Super 8 over the years, I would encourage people to support their business.</p>