bret_williams

I believe that all of the photos were taken with an ASPH lens. Although some take good advantage of the "play" between foreground and background, the "transition" from foreground to background strongly hints at an ASPH. I do think some of the photos exhibit nice bokeh. But if the question/challenge is can I tell ASPH vs non-ASPH bokeh from looking at a scan on a computer screen, I take the challenge and say "ASPH all the way."

just fuz'zeh...

Thanks. I reread my manuals after reading these posts. I can't wait to use the flash so much that I start to worry about compensation. :)

Splendid. (Sounds almost too good to be true.) Thanks so much!

I am a little confused about how the aperture and shutter speed are

to be set using a D-Flash with 503CW and CF lens. After I connect

the sync cord and pc cord to the lens, what is the next step. I have

read the D-Flash manual and Wildi's Manual and am not sure whether I

must still manually set shutter speed AND aperture.

O' ye Casandras, heavy your hearts must be; of film, predicting the demise. When one hundred and twenty years old you reach, look as good you will not.

On second thought, no, there will be a complete revival of film in about ten to fifteen years. Most people will lament that they have no hard copies of their pictures and have lost the electronic versions that they thought they "saved" on their computer. Also, and this is important, people will realize (subconsciously of course) that they miss the visual and TACTILE experience of flipping through a photo album of prints. All the old equipment will be worth a mint!

Everything you said will probably happen. But the crucial question is timeframe. Will it happen in a timeframe that matters to you? I suspect no one presently concerned about the death of film and its complete unavailability need worry. It will probably cost you more green guys though.

Also, in addition to having the dark slide (retangular metal thingy) placed in skinny slot between teh "back" and the camera, you need to push to the right the little button on top of the "back." It may require that you jiggle the back a little bit as you push to get the button to slide over. Hope this helps.

"That argument presupposes that "most" buy $ 30K+ digibacks just for their own pleasure. ;-)"

 

Well, I think we can agree that most of the globe are using ﾓfilmibacksﾔ for their own pleasure. ($30K+ digibacks are a miniscule part of the market and fairly irrelevant to this discussion, as started by John Wilson). ;-) Using my post as a launching pad, you state:

 

"But yes, the immediacy may be self-imposed. That doesn't mean that it isn't something people rather have (They apparently do. And since it is self-imposed, i.e. noone else telling them what they must do, why shouldn't they just do what they want?), nor that people are not indeed switching to digital by the millions, turning the industry upside down."

 

Yes, consumers will make their own choices, driven by things such as usefulness/fun of a product, the fact that the product or technology is new/wow factor, marketing, etc. And these choices often roil industries. I do not see that is being fairly denied by anyone regarding the introduction of digital technology. To suggest that I or others are arguing otherwise (without our explicit statement to that effect) simply creates a phantom punching bag to which the response can be made:

 

"How we might feel about that will not change anything. Unless it is well understood that this upheaval is a given, the "i got the impression that a lot of people..." type of argument is no more but an expression of resentment, a mere denial of what it is in reaction to, and does not even begin to be something that makes sense. So lets begin with seeing that indeed things are in turmoil, and film is in 'mortal' danger..."

 

Sounds great but is a response to a self-created straw-man argument. I am somewhat amazed that from my seemingly innocuous and obvious statement, you concluded that I needed to:

 

"Acknowledge the fact that sometimes things happen, no matter whether we do like them to happen or not, and that this might be such an occassion that something does."

 

Clearly, my post was simply used as a vehicle for some things you wanted to say. All in all, that is fine, since much of what you have to say is interesting or informative. But really no need to cast your statements as a "Response," as this is a discussion forum as opposed to a tennis match.

 

I hope and suspect that you will be able to use film for the rest of your life, and many others will be. I suspect I will use both, although I have yet to purchase or use a digital camera (other than as a favor to tourists who have asked me to take their picture with their camera).

 

As for overview statements about the future of the film industry, I leave that to others. I have other, and much greater concerns, than the longevity of film.

That argument presupposes someone else has a claim on your photographic output. For most, the desire (necessity?) for immediacy is self-imposed.

BTW Kit, do you recall any specifics regarding your pic, i.e. film, tripod or no tripod, exposure, etc.

Kit and D30, impressive shots. That is what I am trying to accomplish. I have to get my first roll developed to see where I am at. NYC has a lot of ambient light, so I need to get a sense of what exposure times look best, probably more by trial and error than with the spotmeter alone. The suggestions about film exposure charts for night is a good suggestion, Bill. I hadn't looked around for soemthing like that, either as part of the film's information or as a third-party produced guidebook etc.

 

Oh, and thanks for the instructions Frederick. The diagram looks like something John Madden would draw on Monday night football.

Thanks for the posts and suggestions. Nice shots Clay. BUT I am not trying to do the "available darkness" thing. No looking for that fast film, wide-open, slow shutter speed shot. My trial shots with the Agfa 25 were shot with a tripod at F16. I am looking for suggestions, examples of night shots with the depth of field, correct exposure that people easily get with day shots.

 

I will try the Acros. Part of my choice of the Agfa BW was my thought that it would not raise reciprocity issues.

I started my first roll two nights ago, but have not finished the roll. I used a zone-modified Pentax Spotmeter to meter the dark buildings and light sources. Because I was (am) using a leftover roll of Agfa 25, I ended up with EV readings between 0 and 3, with three being some of the building light sources. What Zone would you put nighttime light sources? I placed them on VI, trying to make sure that nightime building came out black enough but not too black so as to retain some detail. But of course, because I was doing exposure times of 2 minutes and more, none of it seemed like a precise science at the time.

Because I have been busy at work, I have had little time or ability

to dust off my camera during the daytime. Thought I would look into

night photography with my M7. Any suggestions on film, metering

techniques, etc. Subject matter is NYC at night.

Although I recognize that you have asked about the Cron, you should consider the 75mm Lux, i.e. "Mr. Fantastic." Smooth, creamy, and pure "old school" Leica wide open; sharp as the 90mm APO at 5.6 and above, per the Putts-man; and natural perspective perfect for portraits etc. Too heavy? Really, not much different that the 90mm APO. Too close to the 50mm? You will not mistake your 75mm Lux shots with what you may or may not do with your 50mm. All in all, a very versatile lens.

Yes, Red Velvet cake.

"Don't expect anyone to give you a lecture on this, you're already paying someone for that!"

 

Gotta luv it. A 'lecture' about why information will not be provided here on PN.

"modern DSLR in the 8MP range ... EXCEED 35mm film in ultimate image to print resolution[.]" (Emphasis added)

 

Hyperbolic blunderbuss junkspeak...

Bob's is THE quintessential PN answer. Bravo... Now we all understand.

Just got back from trip where I shot pics of the family with 75mm lux and Agfa APX 25. It is like looking into a diorama. I am now persuaded to get a scanner so I can share with the fam'. Weight, throw, and intrusion into the viewfinder faded as concerns for me when I began to get my pics back.

"blemish editing"

 

If the "blemishes" on the child are natural, i.e. a mole or such, I would leave them in. Agree with other above, especially the crop of arms.

Does anyone know whether there is a filter option to "Mark this person an UNinteresting?" If so, a lot of problems could be solved and this thread could be used by all to make the "UNinteresting" determination.

PN can always be counted on for good info about Leica products and the going rate in chat forums for living rent-free in someone's else's head. MP al a carte - $3500, used 50mm cron - $550, online bickering - priceless.