greg_campbell1

<p>..</p>

<p>Agree, I'd go with a wide zoom, a light tripod and a remote release. Between the general darkness and DOF requirements, shutter speeds will be far beyond the realm of hand-holdable. If your camera has separate RGB histograms, chimp the red one and try to minimize red channel saturation.</p>

<p>Unless you absolutely need a 'light beam' shot, I'd also steer you toward Lower Jackalope. There is no shortage of photogenic scenery and opportunities to make pretty images. Work your way downstream, then - instead of exiting via the ladder - turn around and shoot as you retrace your path. The light will have changed and you'll have new material ready-made.</p>

<p>You might look up Round Valley Draw and Willis Creek, two pretty slots not too far to the north. Indeed, the whole Cottonwood Canyon Rd. area is superb.</p>

<p>Gee, David, that's such a useful post you just made. WTF? Someone posts an opinion that doesn't align with yours and you call it 'misinformation?' Checked your ego lately?</p>

 

<p>-What do you think of the SQ (I'd like to try the square format for a change from EOS Digital)<br>

Yes, the square format is sufficiently different to be a challenge and refreshment.<br>

<br />-What do I actually need? I thought: body with view finder, 120 back, 65 mm f/4 lens.<br>

That will do. 120 backs and waist-level finders are both somewhat rare and spendy. If you have a source of 220 film...<br>

I have both a 90 degree prism and WL finder. Both have their advantages, but I often wish I had a 45 degree prism; I think one would offer most of the best of both worlds. <br>

A grip/winder will make the thing much more convenient when shooting landscape in the field. As-is, there really isn't any sort of 'handle' on the camera, so mounting and removing it from a tripod is slightly awkward.</p>

<p>- Am I wrong and do I need to add more for a basic functional setup?<br>

Just a metering device. I've had great success using my old T-90 beast.</p>

<p>-Any watchouts? I would buy EX and EX+ to start.<br>

Hopefully you have a junk roll of film you can run through the camera a few times. If everything works, it will likely stay working. AFAIK, the only weak spot is the signal pin on the back. They tend to get bent, causing film advance mayhem, so make sure you don't pinch or abuse it when changing backs. (And don't drop the camera down the bank of the Snake River when it's mounted to a tripod; the 1/4-20 insert will part company with the camera. Don't ask how I know! :) ) The body is 'plastic,' and will not be as durable as something like an old F1, but it doesn't feel fragile either. The lenses and prisms are real metal and seem very well built. As mentioned, the backs are probably the most likely source of trouble. You might want to get a backup before going on a big trip, etc. <br>

KEH's ratings are usually quite conservative. EX(+) will be very, very clean. My 'bargain' prism had one small scratch in the anodizing, but was otherwise mint. After a little black sharpie 'repair' action it looks great. </p>

<p>-How is KEH and how does it compare to other sites?<br>

KEH is slightly spendy but IMO worth it. I've had good luck with Shutterblade and Adorama too.</p>

 

<p>Hello?<br>

6 people respond and you can't be bothered to continue the discussion?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Here's some inspiration :)<br>

http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?24353-Your-Best-Lightning-Shot-to-date</p>

<p>Please don't inflict the mindless Rule of Thirds (ROT) on the poor impressionable tykes! (Instead, emphasize that the main subject does not always want to be centered.) Pare the technobabble to a bare minimum and get them to slow down and LOOK through the viewfinder. Encourage them to play with the media - if something is fun, they'll naturally pursue it.</p>

<p>Yes, you can easily visit both Jackalope sections in a day. Upper is only a hundred yards or so long, and Lower is maybe 1/3 mile. Suggest you work your way down Lower, then reverse course (instead of taking the exit ladder.) If you start with Lower in the AM, you'll finish both by noon. Unless the weather is cooperative, I think Horseshoe Bend is better when visited very early or rather late in the day.<br /> <br>

Be advised that the road to White Pocket is full of deep sand and require a SERIOUS 4WD vehicle.</p>

<p>If you can't get to WP, consider Buckskin Gulch and / or exploring the Cottonwood Canyon Road area. Google Grosvenor Arch, Round Valley Draw, Whaweap Hoodoos, Yellow Rock, Cottonwood Narrows, Hackberry Canyon, and the Paria Movie Set. If you are strong hikers, the Southen section of Coyote Buttes awaits. It's permit based, but has very low visitation and you'll have good odds of winning a pass.</p>

<p>How many days will you be in the area?</p>

 

<p>Bummer. IMO, E100G is one of the best films going. It has good color and dynamic range, and scans very well too. </p>

<p>A last minute observation, David<br>

I've been doing a lot of hiking in the Eastern section of Saguaro NP recently, and have noticed a fair number of birds out and about. I counted 8 distinct species this morning (and found a really cool, twisted, corkscrewed Saguaro cactus at the intersection of the Cactus Forest and Cholla trails.) You might try an early morning hike in the area. Garwood Dam makes an interesting destination.<br>

http://www.nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/upload/Hiking-in-the-Cactus-Forest-RMD.pdf</p>

<p> </p>

<p>There are a few partial reviews of the PM trigger at http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?26083-PatchMaster-Lightning-Trigger/page6 It looks like the unit works quite well.<br>

The fellow selling them seems helpful and willing to ask questions. </p>

<p>I'd also suggest you look at the T90. KEH has 'ex' bodies from ~$100, an outright steal for one of the most capable manual focus cameras ever built. The metering system alone is worth the price. <br>

Intro: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/canont90/index.htm<br>

Users guide: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/canont90/t90manual/index.htm</p>

<p>Have you considered medium format? Prices have rebounded somewhat since the low a few years ago, but something like a Bronica ETRS kit (a fully modular DSLR system) can be had for a few hundred dollars.</p>

<p>OK David, just one more post... :)<br>

Saw a Kingsnake while hiking today. While the next few days are predicted to be cooler, it will be back to 80 by the time you arrive and the herps will likely be back out and about. No need for paranoia, but do enforce the habit of looking before stepping or reaching. Americanized (Killer!!) Bees are probably the next serious threat on the list. You pretty much have to stumble upon a hive to set them off. Be aware of increased activity, and flee the area immediately if bees start 'bumping' you - that's their way of asking nicely. <br>

Feel free to e-mail if you have any questions upon arrival, need to borrow a tripod, etc. geonerd at cox dot net<br>

Enjoy!</p>

<p>Your Flikr gallery is looking good. Glad to see you're enjoying the beast.</p>

<p>Oooh! There's a full moon on the 5th. <br>

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=1945&month=5&year=2012&obj=moon&afl=-12&day=1<br>

If you can arrive in the pre-dawn hours, you'd have a full moon in the western sky as the sun is rising behind. If nothing else, Horseshoe Bend should look good at that time.</p>

<p>Mark - 'Yep.'<br>

Can't say I terribly mind. Antelope, Wave, and other 'Must See' destinations suck up many of the Tourons, making the rest of the state 'safe' to visit. :)</p>

<p>Charles, even the upper reaches of Buckskin Gulch have some interesting formations. This area is quota-free and only about 2 miles from the road. http://g.co/maps/869m5<br>

If you do win a permit, be sure to explore the whole area. Use an on-line mapping service like GE, GM, or Panoramio to see images taken from non-Wave sections of N.C.B. Plan to spend the entire day shooting. There's a gap in the hills to the west that allows the setting sun to light up some of the west-facing features about 1/4 mile SSW of the 'wave' proper. Know where the sun will set and bring a compass; scout around during the day and plan ahead. Check the moon phase during your visit as well. You may have more shooting to do after dark. Hike out only when the light is gone!</p>

 

<p>Just don't forget to bring the camera!<br>

You might check http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/tucson.html before leaving. It looks like the west side of town has a fair number of flowers going.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Re: flowers. Don't expect much around Tucson. We had a fairly wet Nov and Dec, but the last 60 days have been terribly dry. The warmer-than-usual weather has prompted a few confused Brittlebush plants to flower earlier than normal. Other than that, there's very little. If we don't get respectable rain in the next few weeks I suspect the spring bloom will fail completely. (It may already be too late.) <br>

Here's a map of area rainfall over the last 60 days. Most areas are at 1/2 of normal or less.<br>

http://water.weather.gov/precip/index.php?yday=1329696000&yday_analysis=0&layer[]=0&layer[]=1&layer[]=4&timetype=RECENT&loctype=STATE&units=engl&timeframe=last60days&product=per_normal&loc=stateAZ</p>

<p>Hum.. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic. It looks like areas to the north are actually going fairly well now.<br>

http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/az.html</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Douglas, there's nothing like a nice stormy summer night to bring out the herps. In the hours following a good rain you'll be up to your neck in them. One night I saw 6 snakes (2 rattlers, a King, a Coral, and two unknown), two Gila Monsters, and about a bazillion assorted toads and lizards driving just once circuit of the 8 mile 'Cactus Forest Loop' in Saguaro N.P. Be extra aware if you've stopped to photograph the weather - the critters will occasionally come over to 'visit.' The Monsoon season usually kicks in solidly by mid July and lasts through mid September. We often get sporadic action 2~3 weeks before and after this time frame.</p>

<p>David, I don't know if an SUV will gain you much in the off-road department. Any road that's sufficiently rough to require a high clearance vehicle will be off-limits for most rental agencies. If you need/want the extra space, that's fine; otherwise a mid-sized auto may suffice and save a bit of $. In either event, it's probably a good idea to hit a drive-through car wash before returning the vehicle.</p>

<p>Enjoy!</p>

<p>Yea, the border area is a bit wild and wooly. IMO, the area S. of a line from Sonoita to Toombstone is not a place to poke around after dark. Despite the media hype, I'm not sure there's that much actual danger; but the border patrol will swarm you like Paparazzi! :) Even N. of Soniota, in the Las Cienegas reserve, I get at least one BP visit every time I go there to shoot twilight / nighttime lightning. They're usually friendly, neutral at worst, and often want to chimp my shots.</p>

<p>Regarding snakes. If the weather is even remotely warm, expect snakes to be out and about. (It's Arizona, so 70+% are RATTLEsnakes.) Don't be paranoid, but do get into the habit of scanning the area ahead when walking. Never back up and always look again if you've been standing still for any time.<br /> <br /> Great Pizza at the Velvet Elvis in Patagonia. There's a pretty nature reserve in town too, with a perennial stream, that attracts all sorts of critters. http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/arizona/placesweprotect/patagonia-sonoita-creek-preserve.xml Birds too! http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/arizona/placesweprotect/pscp-bird-checklist-rev061110-fkee.pdf</p>

<p>One of the nicer landscapes near Tombstone is the western face of the Dragoon Mountains. Take Middlemarch Rd. 10 miles NE from town and then hike an easy mile or so into the foothills. The place is gorgeous anytime around sunrise or sunset. http://g.co/maps/n8ada</p>

<p>I don't know much about birding, but the Wilcox Playa, 1.5 hrs from Tucson, is supposed to be a hot spot at certain times of the year.</p>

<p>Tombstone is about as tacky as is legal. I was there last weekend and found that the old Courthouse and an adjacent 1800's fashion museum (some fellow's converted garage!) were about the most interesting thing I saw in 3 hrs of wandering. Main street is largely a series of cheap stores selling made-in-China western-themed plastic junk. Consider driving a few more miles to Bisbee. It's also touristy, but not nearly so cheap and nasty.</p>

<p>In Tucson, Sabino Canyon is a popular destination for critter watching. You can ride a shuttle to the top and hike down along the scenic creek. Plenty of birds!</p>

<p>Ron's quote nails it.<br>

This sounds for all the world like typical Pointy Haired Manager make-work and ego-infliction. These fools invariably confuse activity for progress. Afterwards, they'll massage the numbers until they show 'improvement,' pat themselves on the back, take a 4 hour lunch and give themselves a big raise. "Hurrah!" :/</p>

<p> </p>

<p>What exactly do you expect the film to record? <br>

Making a photogram usually involves placing something semi-transparent directly on the film and then exposing the whole mess to a source of collimated light. Diffuse dawn light falling onto bare film will just cause fogging.</p>

<p>I knew I wanted 6x6, if only to be 'different.' 6x6 is also toward the large end of standard MF formats. If I'm gonna lug this brick around, I want some big, pretty transparencies to show for my effort.</p>

<p>Didn't greatly care that a 'Blad may (or may not) have a somewhat sharper lens. The whole MF 'experience' involves far more than "My precious image quality." With a big-assed neg and a respectable lens, image quality will take care of itself. OTOH, something like a Holga is completely inadequate. :)</p>

<p>Wanted interchangeable lenses. Modular backs, etc. were not a big deal. Gave strong consideration to a Mammamia C220/330 kit, but was somewhat put off by the not-so-wide widest available FL (55mm) </p>

<p>Lusted after a Mamiya 6, but couldn't justify the $. :(</p>

<p>That got me to the Bronica and 'Blad. In the end I went with the relatively inexpensive Bronicasaurus SQ-Ai. The beast works well and I'm more than happy with it.</p>

<p>Looking forward, A 65mm GSW690-x might be the next toy. The camera looks a lot easier to handle and should (?) be much more 'transparent' when shooting. I've also got a bug to buy an old wooden, spool-fed folder, just for fun. I'll be sure to drag it out whenever visiting a popular place, if only to offset the Digital Hordes. :) </p>

<p>I wouldn't mind an older Blad or Bronica D (which is supposed to be a gorgeous camera.) If one drops into my lap.... :)</p>

 

<p>Apart from arriving during the middle of the week, keep an eye on the weather. Cold and snow, either on the day of the drawing or forecast for the hike, will keep people away. </p>

<p>FWIW, I lucked out on my first attempt last May. There were about 60 others present. Here's a typical applicant history. http://michael1111.blogspot.com/2011/06/wave-permit-lottery.html</p>

<p>If you're planing to visit this spring, there is a nice private campground, complete with showers, laundry, power, etc., about 1/3 mile west of the summer-time BLM station. Crash here for a few days, playing the lottery in the morning before heading out for photo day-trips. Buckskin Gulch, Cottonwood Canyon Rd (several interesting places along the way!), Kodachrome Basin, Willis Ck., Jackalope, multiple Hoodoo forests and more are all within a 1~2 hour drive. To tell the truth, after you've spent a few days in the area you'll realize that the "Precious" Wave is cool but not really all that special.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that the lottery is held in Kanab during the winter months.</p>